Waiting on Wednesday 01/27/21
Posted on January 27, 2021 26 Comments
Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme that first originated at Breaking the Spine but has since linked up with “Can’t Wait Wednesday” at Wishful Endings now that the original creator is unable to host it anymore. Either way, this fun feature is a chance to showcase the upcoming releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!
Mogsy’s Pick
Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff (September 2021 by St. Martin’s Press/Harper Voyager UK)
I suspect we’ll be seeing this one around a lot today, with the UK cover having been revealed last week. And no wonder they kept it under wraps and teasing us for so long, what a beaut! It may be the perfect time for vampires to make a comeback, and I’m curious to see how Kristoff will tackle them.
“From holy cup comes holy light.
The faithful hand sets world aright.
And in the seven martyrs’ sight,
Mere man shall end this endless night.”
Twenty-seven years have passed since the last sunrise, and for almost three decades, the creatures of the night have walked the day without fear. Once, humanity fought bravely against the coldblood legions, but now, we exist only in a few scattered settlements—tiny sparks of light in a growing sea of darkness.
Gabriel de León is the last of the Silversaints, a holy order dedicated to defending realm and church, now utterly destroyed. Imprisoned for the murder of the vampiric king, Gabriel is charged with telling the story of his life.
His tale spans years, from his youth in the monastery of San Michon, to the forbidden love that spelled his undoing, and the betrayal that saw his order annihilated. Most importantly, Gabriel will tell the story of the Grail—the legendary cup prophesied to bring an end to the eternal night, whose location is known to a single person: A smart-mouthed teenage urchin named Dior.
Their journey with a band of unlikely allies would see Dior and Gabriel forge an unbreakable bond, and set the broken paragon on a road to redemption.
But now, the Grail is shattered. And with the cup of the Redeemer destroyed and the last Silversaint awaiting execution, what can bring an end to this undying empire?
From the New York Times bestselling author of the Nevernight Chronicle, Jay Kristoff, comes the first illustrated volume of an astonishing new dark fantasy saga.”
Audiobook Review: The Frozen Crown by Greta Kelly
Posted on January 26, 2021 31 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
The Frozen Crown by Greta Kelly
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 4.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of Warrior Witch
Publisher: HarperAudio (January 12, 2021)
Length: 14 hrs and 52 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator: Imani Jade Powers
Mark my words, we’ve got the hidden gem of the year right here, folks, and its name is The Frozen Crown! A fantasy debut by Greta Kelly, this book was utterly absorbing and took me by surprise in the best of ways. From the first word to the very last, I was riveted by the story, the characters, all the magic and the politics, and yes, even those little fine sparks of romance.
Set in a world of rivaling empires, the rightful heir to a beleaguered realm must find a way to regain her throne and repel an invasion, but in order to succeed, she will need to raise herself a grand army. For many months now, the warrior princess Askia of Serevesh has been fighting a losing battle, and desperate times call for desperate measures. Taking along a small contingent of her most loyal guard, she travels south to Vishir in the hopes of securing aid from the emperor, who was a good friend to her late parents.
Yet for all her skills with a blade, Askia finds herself no match for the convoluted southern customs and elaborate rules of the imperial court, and while she herself may have roots in Vishir, her enemies in the capital far outnumber her friends. Fortunately, our protagonist has a secret weapon—a rare kind of magic that might possibly gain her access to the mysterious Shadow Guild whose members could help unlock her true potential. With the empire still very much divided on the subject of witches though, Askia must tread carefully despite her willingness to risk everything to save her people. If playing the petty political games of the nobility will get her what she needs, then she will gladly do so, even if it means having to sacrifice her own hopes and dreams.
Before I continue, I’ve noticed this novel being classified as Young Adult in several places even though its marketing doesn’t really support this, not to mention that Askia is also in her early 20s. That said, it’s understandable why some might categorize it that way, given a few of its shared elements with YA and the fact that it was such a breezy read. Still, the intricacies of the politics, the character motivations, the conflicts and the stakes at hand are clearly intended for more mature audiences, and at most, I would say this book straddles that ideal middle ground of giving readers the best of both worlds. Try to imagine a fantasy narrative that feels comfortable and familiar yet its finer details are often pieced together in a way that completely defies expectations, and that’s how I would describe The Frozen Crown.
In other words, while I can give you the basic gist of the story, the reality is not so simple. Askia might be a princess looking for allies in her bid to take back her crown, but as the plot thickens, one might be surprised to find the line between friend and enemy to be thinner than a knife’s edge. This was a lesson I learned early with the big plot twist that was dropped on us at the beginning, the first of many more shockers to come. Later on, Kelly deftly weaves layer upon layer of intrigue and danger into each scene as her protagonist navigates the treacherous political landscape of Vishir. Along the way, she also manages to work in a wealth of historical information and context to explain the background of her world and characters without having to resort endless exposition. Everything we needed to know—and I won’t lie, it was quite a lot—was revealed organically and in sync with plot events while still leaving plenty of room for Askia to flex her diplomatic muscles and develop her relationships with the other characters. Heck, I even appreciated the light touch of romance which was just a minor aspect of the story, but my interest was piqued nonetheless.
To tell the truth, I can find few faults with this book, which makes the fact that it is a debut even more amazing. I suppose if I had to nitpick though, perhaps the magical systems could have been better explained. We know, for instance, that there are various types of magic users categorized by the abilities they possess, and that these powers can range in terms of rarity and strength. The nature of Askia’s own magic is very specific, and I won’t spoil the details here, though I will say I’d wished for more clearly defined rules and explanations on how her powers worked. Another thing I would have liked to see was more of the world, though this was by no means a dealbreaker. Given the limitations presented by Askia’s point-of-view and the need for her to travel in certain circles to fulfill her goal, I didn’t expect the world-building to expand much beyond the narrow scope of Vishir aristocracy, though I certainly wouldn’t object if the next book showed us more either, so here’s hoping.
Of course, there are so many more reasons to look forward to the sequel, not least of all the way The Frozen Crown ended, which was a cliffhanger to be sure—though thankfully not one that leaves you with questions unanswered, just a pumped up all-consuming need to find out what happens next! As the first half of a duology, it certainly did its job of getting me hooked, delivering everything I could ever want in a character-focused fantasy. I can’t wait to get more.
Audiobook Comments: A special shoutout to narrator Imani Jade Powers who made the story and characters extra powerful. Not only did she provide a great voice for Askia, masterfully bringing forth our protagonist’s spirited personality and clever disposition, her flawless sense of timing and smooth narration kept me on the edge of my seat. Highly recommended.
Book Review: Hall of Smoke by H.M. Long
Posted on January 25, 2021 30 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of Hall of Smoke
Publisher: Titan (January 19, 2021)
Length: 432 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Maybe it’s all the time I’ve spent playing Norse mythology inspired video games in the past few years, like the latest iteration of God of War series or more recently the new Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, but I found Hall of Smoke to be quite enjoyable, probably because it scratched so many of the same itches. The story opens on the fictional world of the Arpa Empire, following a young warrior priestess named Hessa who is sworn to Eang, the Goddess of War. One day, our protagonist receives a message from her patron deity commanding her to kill a lone stranger traveling through their village. Caught off guard by the man’s kindness, however, Hessa ends up failing to carry out the task, and thus is banished from the sacred Hall of Smoke as punishment for her disobedience.
This is how Hessa finds herself alone on the mountain, about to supplicate herself before her goddess, when the attack on her village comes. But by the time she hears the sounds of battle coming from below, it is too late. She rushes home to find everything razed to the ground and everyone dead. Filled with grief and a desire for revenge, Hessa sets off on a journey to hunt down the man she was supposed to kill, her devotion to Eang still as strong as ever. Hoping to fulfill her goddess’ destiny for her and get back in her good graces, Hessa is determined not to hesitate this time, though nothing could have prepared her for the many challenges ahead, some of which will test her resolve and make her question everything she thought she knew about life, death, and the nature of the gods.
Ahh, this book was such a wonderful and refreshing treat for fans of mythological fantasy and gorgeously crafted worlds! It is also an adventure about the lives of heroic mortals and the gods that seek to influence them. Author H.M. Long has created a rich and lushly detailed world full of magic and monsters, and we are treated to vivid descriptions of the exotic locales around the Empire everywhere Hessa goes.
Hall of Smoke is also an in-depth character study of our protagonist, who Long puts through the wringer. Right from the start, Hessa’s journey has been marked by pain and hardship, being punished simply for the crime of showing compassion, and that’s even before she ends up losing everyone she’s ever loved. Although she has a good heart and is strong-willed, she is not without her flaws, namely a single-mindedness that frequently leads her astray. She also wants vengeance for the slain as well as forgiveness from her goddess, but her limited experiences have left her helpless when faced with problems that make her question her devotion to Eang, not to mention moments where it feels as if Hessa’s beliefs are all-consuming and color every aspect of her life, making it quite difficult to connect with her at times.
Story-wise, the plot is mostly engaging, helped by the strength of the author’s flowing prose. I do like how Hessa travels to different places, keeping the adventure narrative fresh, though the pacing does suffer slightly once things got a little repetitive. Granted, the mystery of the gods was what kept me reading, especially those little snippets where we got to see Hessa interact with Eang, but overall I did feel that the story might have teased us for too long which made me lose some of my interest. And while I understood that this was strictly Hessa’s tale, I also couldn’t help but feel regret for the transience of many of her relationships with the people she meets. It seemed a shame that very few of them, some of whom were actually quite fascinating, were able to stick around to play a more significant role in her life.
Still, overall, despite some bumps along the road, I did enjoy Hall of Smoke. It’s a bold take on a “gods among us” type Viking-inspired fantasy which I would love to see more of, hence my joy at discovering that a follow-up novel is in the works. I plan on checking it out.
YA Weekend Audio: Send Me Their Souls by Sara Wolf
Posted on January 24, 2021 13 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Send Me Their Souls by Sara Wolf
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 3 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Series: Book 3 of Bring Me Their Hearts
Publisher: Tantor Audio (January 26, 2020)
Length: 16 hrs and 35 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator: Em Eldridge
Overall, this was a fantastic trilogy that I was sad to see end, but truth be told, Send Me Their Souls was probably the weakest of the three books. Zera’s duplicity and her dogged persistence in trying to get her heart back what I loved best, and while I’m happy she found more worthy causes to live for and all, over time this has resulted in the series losing some of its zing.
Send Me Their Souls picks up immediately where the last book ended and begins by quickly resolving the cliffhanger that it left us with (once more confirming to me that it really wasn’t needed, but I’ve already complained enough about that in my reviews of the previous volumes) by reuniting Zera with Lucien, Malachite, and Fione. Without spoiling things for those who haven’t caught up to this point, a war has begun and the enemy they are up against is one that they are very familiar with, which complicates things greatly. However, the fate of the world is on the line, and as the crown prince, Lucien knows his people are depending on him to do what needs to be done.
But just how far will he go to save the people he loves? With no one to keep the use of his powers in check, Zera fears that Lucien would burn himself out with his magic, and now that she is bound to him as his Heartless, his death would mean the end of her too. More importantly, Zera now cares for Lucien, more than she thought she could ever care for anyone. For the first time in her life, she has people she can call true friends, and what good would it be to get her heart back if it means everyone she loves will be gone?
The first half of this book follows a quest narrative, so I guess I was surprised and a bit disappointed to find much of it quite uneventful. These sections were mostly dominated by dialogue, but readers invested in the romance between Zera and Lucien would probably enjoy the back-and-forth a lot more than I did. The author spends plenty of time developing their relationship, but a lot of it involves retreading old ground, repeating again and again this cycle of Lucien beating himself up for not being able to do more, and Zera beating herself up for not being able to be more supportive. Needless to say, there’s also an obnoxious amount of fawning on both their parts, with cheerleaders Malachite and Fione in the background, chiming with a never-ending supply of sappy cornball remarks. As I said before, Zera’s new friendships have completely changed the dynamic of her interactions with everyone, and while I can’t think of no one more deserving of her newfound happiness, it has admittedly made the series less interesting to me as a whole.
It also made the characters’ behaviors and the overall storyline more predictable, and aside from the events in the conclusion, nothing really surprised me or kept me guessing the way the first two books did. The ending was quite different, I have to say, but though I appreciated that it went in a direction I did not foresee, the execution was a bit awkward and confusing. I felt like I might have missed something, and the epilogue also dragged on well past its expiration date, which is a shame because I think a more abrupt ending would have been more effective at delivering the poignant and emotional impact the author intended.
Still, I don’t want to make it sound like I didn’t enjoy this book, since I’m aware I’ve probably been doing a lot more complaining than praising. Many of the elements I loved from the previous volumes are also present in this one, and I guess I’ve been taking some of it for granted! The world-building continues to be awesome, though a lot of it I can’t talk about—including the stuff about valkeraxes and the Bone Tree—in case I inadvertently reveal too much. And even with the changes in Zera, I still adore her. She’s one of the most spirited and fun YA protagonists I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading, and she can still wisecrack with the best of them, returning verbal ripostes like a champ. I’m really going to miss her now that this series is over.
For all those reasons, I’m not too upset even though Send Me Their Souls was probably my least favorite of the Bring Me Their Hearts trilogy. Even with its flaws, though, I would still recommend these books, especially if you are a fan of YA fantasy romance, because then you’d likely not have the same gripes I did and enjoy this ending a lot more.
Audiobook Comments: Em Eldridge did a good job narrating the audio edition, though my only criticism would be that her voice for Zera sounded slightly flat and lacking in emotion, especially for such a feisty character. All her other voices were spot on though, and overall I’m happy I got to review the audiobook.
Bookshelf Roundup: 01/23/21: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on January 23, 2021 22 Comments
Bookshelf Roundup is a feature I do every weekend which fills the role of several blog memes, like Stacking the Shelves where I talk about the new books I’ve added to my library or received for review, as well as It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? where I summarize what I’ve finished reading in the last week and what I’m planning to read soon. Mostly it also serves as a recap post, so sometimes I’ll throw in stuff like reading challenge progress reports, book lists, and other random bookish thoughts or announcements.
Received for Review
My thanks to the publishers and authors for the following review copies received, and be sure to click the links to their Goodreads pages for more details and full descriptions!
A few exciting arrivals this week. With thanks to Redhook and the kind folks at Sparkpoint Studio for this ARC of The Ladies of the Secret Circus by Constance Sayers. I loved the author’s debut A Witch in Time, and even though this new book looks quite a bit different, I’m very excited to check out a historical about a magical circus.
Thank you also to Tor.com for sending me an ARC of We Shall Sing a Song into the Deep by Andrew Kelly Stewart which was pitched to me as “a haunting post-apocalyptic fantasy set on the world’s last nuclear submarine.” Very intriguing…
And with thanks to Subterranean Press for The Best of Harry Turtledove, a massive tome collecting twenty-four stories from an author renowned for his alternate history fiction. The cover is fabulous!
Only one audiobook in the digital haul this week, but it’s one I’ve been looking forward to for a while. A Stranger in Town by Kelley Armstrong is the sixth book of the Rockton series, which has become one of my favorite thriller series in recent years. My thanks to Macmillan Audio for the ALC.
Reviews
Tales from the Hinterland by Melissa Albert (4 of 5 stars)
The Push by Ashley Audrain (3.5 of 5 stars)
Star Wars: Light of the Jedi by Charles Soule (3.5 of 5 stars)
This Week’s Reads
Have you heard of or read any of the books featured this week? What caught your eye? Any new discoveries? I hope you found something interesting for a future read! Let me know what you plan on checking out. Until next time, see you next Roundup!
Friday Face-Off: An Alien Encounter
Posted on January 22, 2021 21 Comments
Welcome to The Friday Face-Off, a weekly meme created by Books by Proxy! Each Friday, we will pit cover against cover while also taking the opportunity to showcase gorgeous artwork and feature some of our favorite book covers. If you want to join the fun, simply choose a book each Friday that fits that week’s predetermined theme, post and compare two or more different covers available for that book, then name your favorite. A list of future weeks’ themes are available at Lynn’s Book Blog.
This week’s theme is:
“We come in peace…or maybe not”
~ a cover featuring AN ALIEN ENCOUNTER
Mogsy’s Pick:
Rosewater by Tade Thompson
Not all books about alien encounters involve little green men. In Rosewater, the extraterrestrial presence takes the form of a biodome which has settled itself right outside of Lagos, Nigeria, giving rise to its own little community. Every so often, the dome would split apart, releasing a mysterious substance that is said to have strong healing properties, making it the destination for millions of the world’s most sick and desperate.
Let’s take a look at the covers:
From left to right:
Apex Book Company (2016) – Orbit (2018)
Orbit eBook (2017) – Russian Edition (2019) – French Edition (2019)
German Edition (2020) – Turkish Edition (2019) – Spanish Edition (2019)
Winner:
There are some really nice covers here, but I was immediately drawn to the French edition because all the lovely colors and the alien imagery.
But what do you think? Which one is your favorite?
Thursday Thriller Audio: The Push by Ashley Audrain
Posted on January 21, 2021 26 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Suspense, Thriller, Mystery
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Penguin Audio (January 5, 2021)
Length: 8 hrs and 38 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator: Marin Ireland
Three days after reading The Push by Ashley Audrain, I still don’t really know how I feel about it! This book makes you question everything, but it’s definitely not the kind to hand you all the answers. At its heart is a story of difficult motherhood like no other, through the eyes of one of the most disturbingly unreliable narrators I’ve ever read.
Traumatized by her own harsh childhood of growing up with a distant and uncaring mother, Blythe never thought she wanted kids of her own, but that was before she met Fox in college—her perfect boyfriend who would later become her perfect husband. Loving, kind and gentle, Fox was always meant to be a father, and Blythe soon warmed to the idea of starting a family with him, despite her reservations and memories of the past. After all, she was determined not to let history repeat itself, and so long as she and Fox were a team, she was convinced that together they would conquer any challenge—even parenthood.
Soon, their daughter Violet came along, but what didn’t arrive as expected was the sense of joy and connection to her baby that Blythe had so badly wanted. Of course, it didn’t help that Violet was a difficult child from the start, seeming to actively reject all of Blythe’s efforts to calm or comfort her, though with Fox she would be an absolute angel. As Violet grew older, it only got worse. Blythe fears there is something wrong with her daughter, the way her eyes sometimes flash with something cruel or wicked behind them, or the way the other children at preschool would shy away in fear. No one else seems to notice, causing’s Blythe’s resentment to grow and a rift to develop between her and Fox. Desperate to fix things, she hastily agrees to have another child, though later, she realizes that the arrival of their son was exactly what the family needed. Blythe’s mothering instincts were reawakened with Sam, a happy child who was adored by everyone, even his temperamental older sister Violet. However, the bliss is short lived. Tragedy strikes out of the blue, dealing a final, irreparable blow to Blythe’s marriage, and worst of all, she can’t be sure if her own daughter had a role in what happened.
Told in a unique and distinctive style which has Blythe narrating her story to her husband, the book also alternates between flashback chapters which include the perspectives of her mother Cecilia and grandmother Etta. By establishing that our protagonist came from a long line of women with a track record for suicide, abandonment, and abuse, we’re able to sympathize with her determination to break that cycle.
Unfortunately though, the law of reverse effect in full play. Heartbreakingly for Blythe, it seemed that the harder she tries to be a good mother to Violet, the worse their relationship gets. True, The Push is a psychological thriller, but in many ways it is also a commentary on the pressures of mothers in society, and the question of nature versus nurture. Echoing the stories of so many first-time mothers, Blythe’s disillusionment begins on day one as her perfect birth plan falls apart and she fails to form an immediate bond with her daughter. The difference though, is that Blythe never seems to move past feeling this failure, and the emotional toll this has on her can be deduced from her increasingly unreliable narrative. As her discomfort around Violet grows, doubts arise about her mental state. Could she be exaggerating the problem? Might she be justifying her mistakes or reading too much into things? As the reader, I wanted badly to believe her, but as her actions grew more erratic and paranoid (not to mention more stalkerish and manipulative), it became hard not to ask these questions. Blythe also goes through a lot, suffering experiences I would not wish upon anyone, and that most certainly has an effect on her perceptions as well.
Speaking of which, The Push touches on some dark and uncomfortable themes. That sense of unease settled in early as I started reading, and to be honest, it never really left me. Part of this is due to the aforementioned dark themes, but admittedly, some of it probably had to do with the lack of answers and clarity as well. The final line of the book was especially infuriating and I can’t say it helped at all with providing closure.
Still, this was a fascinating read, and provided a lot of food for thought. The Push is definitely not your run-of-the-mill thriller that you can read and enjoy and then set aside as you move on to the next one. I think if some of the story’s topics weren’t so sensitive and distressing, this would make an excellent book club title, spawning all kinds of interesting discussion. Even though all the elements didn’t quite come together in a satisfying manner, and the ending kind of swings and misses, this is still the kind of novel that stays with you and burrows under you skin. I have to give it credit for holding my full attention, making me wonder and question everything along the way.
Waiting on Wednesday 01/20/21
Posted on January 20, 2021 17 Comments
Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme that first originated at Breaking the Spine but has since linked up with “Can’t Wait Wednesday” at Wishful Endings now that the original creator is unable to host it anymore. Either way, this fun feature is a chance to showcase the upcoming releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!
Mogsy’s Pick
The Shape of Darkness by Laura Purcell (June 1st, 2021 by Penguin Books)
Lucky folks in the UK will be getting this one real soon, but thank goodness it’s only a few more months to wait for those of us stateside!
“A struggling silhouette artist in Victorian Bath seeks out a renowned child spirit medium in order to speak to the dead – and to try and identify their killers – in this beguiling new tale from the queen of Gothic fiction, Laura Purcell
As the age of the photograph dawns in Victorian Bath, silhouette artist Agnes is struggling to keep her business afloat. Still recovering from a serious illness herself, making enough money to support her elderly mother and her orphaned nephew Cedric has never been easy, but then one of her clients is murdered shortly after sitting for Agnes, and then another, and another… Why is the killer seemingly targeting her business?
Desperately seeking an answer, Agnes approaches Pearl, a child spirit medium lodging in Bath with her older half-sister and her ailing father, hoping that if Pearl can make contact with those who died, they might reveal who killed them. But Agnes and Pearl quickly discover that instead they may have opened the door to something that they can never put back.”
Audiobook Review: Tales From the Hinterland by Melissa Albert
Posted on January 19, 2021 25 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Tales From the Hinterland by Melissa Albert
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy, Short Stories
Series: The Hazel Wood
Publisher: Macmillan Audio (January 12, 2021)
Length: 6 hrs and 12 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator: Rebecca Soler
If you loved The Hazel Wood and The Night Country by Melissa Albert, Tales from the Hinterlands is not to be missed. Heck, even if you aren’t a fan of the series, you should give this one a chance. Filled with stories both wondrous and terrifying, this is not your typical book of fairy tales.
Those familiar with the main series will recognize this as the collection written by the protagonist’s grandmother Althea Prosperpine before she all but vanished from the public eye, even as her work gained ground in certain circles. As readers, we were able to experience snippets and pieces of these stories over the course of Alice’s adventures, but merely peripherally, often in a secondary context. Now, finally, we are able to read them in their entirety, and discover out what they’ve been all about. If you haven’t read the novels though, don’t despair! They are certainly not a prerequisite, and in fact, it might even be beneficial to read this collection first as it may provide you with the context to appreciate the novels even more.
Normally when I review short story collections, I break down each entry by providing a brief summary along with my comments. However, I will not be doing that this time, since it would not work as well. Much like the traditional fairy tales that inspired them, many of the stories in here are allegorical, going beyond the plot to probe deeper themes and messages. The Brothers Grimm influence is also strong with this one, both in the whimsy and darkness of the tales. Some of them are downright twisted and disturbing, pushing beyond the boundaries of fantasy and entering horror territory as they explore extreme and impossible situations.
While I will not go into detail into each story, I do have a few favorites. The opening tale, The Door that Wasn’t There was a nice introduction, setting the tone for the rest of the collection. Fairy tale fans will appreciate the familiar tropes—rich merchants and their daughters, stepmothers and blood curses—but the ending will also surprise you, a reminder that Albert has her own ideas and that she’s working towards a unique vision for The Hazel Wood series. Other favorites include Jenny and the Night Women, The Skinned Maiden, as well as Alice-Three-Times. I loved how the protagonists of these stories are not your helpless maidens, but neither are they always good, kind, or sweet. In fact, some of them are highly unlikeable, and you’d be hard pressed to sympathize with them at all.
I also want to note that I’m generally not a big reader of short stories or collections because I prefer more developed characters and plotlines, and the short format is usually too restrictive for that. Fairy tales, however, are an exception. As I alluded to before, many fairy tales are often about something bigger than just the plot at hand. A lot of times, their characters as well as the things they do or feel are also less intrinsic to the story and more about representing something about human nature. I definitely got this vibe with many of the stories in Tales from the Hinterland, and in many cases, the shorter they were, the more meaningful they actually felt, while the longer ones rambled and lost much of their impact. Don’t get me wrong; all the stories in this collection were fun to read, but there were a few meandering, ambiguous ones that failed to hold my attention all the way, like Hansa the Traveler, Ilsa Waits, and even the much acclaimed Twice-Killed Katherine.
Still, the good stories were by far the majority. Save for a few mediocre entries, this was actually a very strong collection of fairy tales, one of the most impressive I’ve ever read. Be forewarned though, Tales from the Hinterlands is not for the faint of heart. Personally, I felt the overall tone was even darker and more mature than the novels, but that’s probably why I enjoyed it so much! Like I said, this collection can be read independently of the series, but mega-fans will probably want to seek out the print edition, as I hear the illustrations in it are gorgeous. I had the pleasure of reviewing the audio edition which had no visual component obviously, but I nevertheless had a great time listening to the fantastic narration by Rebecca Soler, whose talented voice acting made each story shine in its own way.
Audiobook Review: Star Wars: Light of the Jedi by Charles Soule
Posted on January 17, 2021 21 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Star Wars: Light of the Jedi by Charles Soule
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction, Media Tie-In
Series: Star Wars Canon, Star Wars: The High Republic
Publisher: Random House Audio (January 5, 2021)
Length: 13 hrs and 35 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator: Marc Thompson
So, what is The High Republic? In publishing terms, it’s a new Star Wars franchise campaign spanning books, comics, and other print media exploring the stories set during the golden age of the Jedi. In the context of the Star Wars timeline, the period known as the High Republic occurred approximately 200 years before the “Skywalker saga” movies, a hopeful and optimistic time in which the galaxy experienced an idyllic epoch of relative peace and prosperity.
But not everyone is content with the way the Republic Senate governs, nor do they share the core worlds’ admiration of the Jedi, the renowned order of Force users who serve as their enforcers. As Star Wars: Light of the Jedi opens, the Republic’s influence is growing ever stronger, leading to the expansion of their hyperspace lanes into the Outer Rim, awakening a threat that has been slowly growing. When a deadly catastrophe tears a ship apart whilst in hyperspace, whole systems are put in danger as large pieces of debris are flung out almost at random across the galaxy, acting as explosive projectiles that can level whole worlds. Immediately, the Jedi are called upon to help. The establishment of a new Republic outpost in the Outer Rim hangs in the balance, and unless the situation is defused, billions would go without the benefits it could offer.
Enter the Nihil, a criminal organization of killers and raiders based in the Outer Rim territories who see themselves as the storm to withstand the intrusion of the Galactic Republic. Led by the mysterious Eye of the Nihil who has reason to see the Republic fail, this shadowy order has allied themselves with pirates and other gangsters to impinge rescue efforts and sabotage the mission of the Jedi while sowing more chaos and death across the galaxy.
For many reasons, Light of the Jedi is an important book. As the first novel of The High Republic, it needs to make the best impression possible. It’s also clear to see why the series creators have chosen this time period for the setting. Completely separate from any of the films or TV shows, the High Republic era provides a brand-new opportunity for innovative storytelling without the risk and hassle of tangling itself in any of the other timelines. And from a marketing perspective, it’s a chance to expand the Star War audience, or even introduce movies-only fans to the print medium.
But for those of us who have been reading Star Wars books for years—decades, even—the bar is admittedly set pretty high. For that reason, I wouldn’t say Light of the Jedi swept me off my feet, and if I’m to be completely honest, I would have expected a little more from a launch title. That said, I’ve read worse, and to the novel’s credit, it’s a decent opener. I think we can safely say the dark days of crappy tie-ins are behind us, as readers have come to be much less forgiving of bad writing and throwaway plotlines. Charles Soule, who made his name as a comic book writer before becoming a novelist, is one of the “top-tier, fan-favorite” authors tapped for this project, and kudos to him, he’s taken a “thriller” approach to writing this story, which I found refreshing.
However, this style also brings its own problems, mainly that it introduces a lot of viewpoints, some of them fleeting as multiple characters are used as plot fodder and then promptly thrown away. Scene transitions are also numerous as the storyline jumps around, following an ensemble cast. Personally, this was my biggest issue with the book. My favorite Star Wars novels tend to only revolve around one or two major principal characters, and if there are more, you’d better hope they’re all equally interesting and well-written. Unfortunately, Light of the Jedi stumbles in this area, throwing up a bunch of new characters, though none of them are really all that unique or completely developed. By the end of the book, the most memorable to me was the villain, because he was the only one to make a lasting impression.
Still, neither old fans nor prospective readers should write this one off just yet. I’ve enjoyed Soule’s writing in the past, and books like The Oracle Year and Anyone made me appreciate his imagination and wit. I think he brought some excellent ideas with him to the Star Wars universe, and while I might not have fared well with the storytelling style in Light of the Jedi, that doesn’t mean it won’t work for others. If you’ve ever wondered about the expanded world of Star Wars beyond the screen or been tempted to dip your toes into the franchise’s tie-in fiction, this is the most perfect chance you’ll ever get.
Audiobook Comments: Marc Thompson rocks! That is all. 😀
The BiblioSanctum