Book Review: Titanshade by Dan Stout
Posted on December 10, 2019 28 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: 4.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Mystery
Series: Book 1 of The Carter Archives
Publisher: DAW Books (March 12, 2019)
Length: 407 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Titanshade was a novel that took me a long time to read, but it certainly wasn’t due to lack of interest. Rather, things have gotten really busy for me in these last few months, but believe me, all I could think of was getting back to this book and I am so glad I got to finish it before the end of the year because apparently a sequel is already on the horizon.
In this debut novel, author Dan Stout takes us to the gritty, bustling city of Titanshade, where our jaded protagonist named Carter ekes out a living as a homicide detective. The mystery heats up right away as he is called into the scene of a gruesome crime involving the murder of a high-ranking diplomat in his hotel room. The victim, who belongs to a race of a frog-like creatures called a Squib, had been in town with his people’s delegation to negotiate the funding of a new source of energy which could have saved Titanshade’s dying economy following the depletion of its oil supplies. But now, all that is jeopardized as the pressure comes down hard on the police force to solve the case quickly in order to prevent the political shitstorm that would destroy all chances of a successful deal.
Though he prefers to work alone, Carter is assigned a partner as part of an effort to improve inter-species relations within the department. A Mollenkampi, characterized by their large and powerful face mandibles, Ajax is a rookie fresh out of the academy, but the truth is, he’s not too happy to be working with Carter either, given the older cop’s dubious reputation. But the two men are determined to do their job, throwing themselves into the investigation to bring swift justice to the killer. Before they can make much progress, however, the city is rocked by news of another murder, this time of a family in the suburbs, and despite the differences in the two cases Carter has reason to believe they are related. What follows next is a journey into the seedier side of Titanshade as our characters follow up on clues leading them to question witnesses from prostitutes to corrupt cops. As they get closer to the truth, Carter also becomes a target, leading him to fear for the safety of his close friend Talena, a young woman who is like a daughter to him.
In a word, this novel was awesome. Let’s cut straight to the chase and talk about one of its strongest aspects, and that is undoubtedly the world-building. The cover sums it up nicely, featuring the gritty, neo-noir urban jungle that is Titanshade, rendered in a style which appropriately evokes the world’s unique brand of nostalgia. And I’ll bet your attention was also drawn to the green toothy monstrous looking creature, hanging out there in the back like it’s the most natural thing in the world. That’s because several races share the universe of Titanshade, in a dynamic you’d more typically see in a sci-fi novel, but of course this is more an urban fantasy and detective mystery mashup. The story has a lot of the hallmarks of the crime noir genre, served up with a generous helping of magic and wonder. From the potent mood-altering properties of Squib blood to the off-putting way the Mollenkampi eat, there are so many little details and I could list a lot more here but then we’d be here all night.
Story-wise, the start was admittedly a bit slow on account of the author introducing his characters, world descriptions, and plot details all at once in rapid succession, though the result was that many of these leads had to be put on pause while the rest of the book caught up. Having a well-established base ended up paying off though, because when all these plot threads starting coming together, the story took off like a runaway freight train and it was all I could do to keep track of all the shocking reveals and sudden developments.
Carter was also a difficult character to get on board with, though I warmed to him after a while, especially when more about his past on the police force was revealed, as well as his special bond with Talena and what she meant to him. Again, these moments, planted in the early parts of the book, came to have a powerful impact later on in the story as significant events unfolded. Dan Stout isn’t one to do anything by accident. Here or there I thought his writing could have been tightened up, but overall, I felt Titanshade was well-written and cleverly plotted. It’s simply a stellar debut, and I was extremely impressed at the way it all came together.
So check it out! Every once in a while, a book that is so entertaining and fascinating in its uniqueness will come along and breathe new life into the genre, and Titanshade is definitely one of those. I can’t wait to read the sequel.
Audiobook Review: Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
Posted on December 9, 2019 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): 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal
Series: Book 1 of Alex Stern
Publisher: Macmillan Audio (October 8, 2019)
Length: 16 hrs and 21 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrators: Lauren Fortgang, Michael David Axtell
I was a bit nervous about starting Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo, but I actually ended up enjoying it quite a bit. I think many reviewers have hit the nail on the head with this one, when they say how you feel about the book will be highly dependent on your expectations and whether you were hoping for something similar to the author’s previous work, because I am telling you now—it is not.
First of all, Ninth House takes place in a contemporary real-world setting, and boy, can it get too real sometimes. The story follows 20-year-old Galaxy “Alex” Stern, newly admitted into the freshman class at Yale. An ex-junkie, raised by a hippie single mom in Los Angeles where her life plunged into a downward spiral of chaos and darkness after dropping out of school, Alex never thought she would find herself in New Haven getting a second chance.
But of course, there is more to everything than meets the eye. Some might say Alex is a no-good reprobate who has thrown her life away, but the truth is a lot more complicated than that. Following an incident involving the scene of multiple murder at which our protagonist emerged as the only survivor, her name came to the attention of a shadowy faction tracking the activities of Yale’s elite—many of them the wealthy scions of the most influential families in the country. In a place of such concentrated power, naturally you will see the springing up of secret societies and old boys’ networks of exclusivity. Known as the “Ancient Eight”, they are overseen by Lethe, called the Ninth House because of its role in keeping the others in line.
And now it is Lethe that has its eye on Alex Stern, because of a rare and powerful ability she has. For you see, Alex can see ghosts. Called “Grays”, these spirits of the dead are everywhere on campus, drawn to the occult ritual energies performed by magical practitioners of the Ancient Eight. In such an environment, Lethe recognizes the value of having someone like Alex on their side, but when the ugly truth behind the magic of the secret societies comes to light, it becomes clear that the school’s problems may be more than she can handle.
Ninth House was marketed as Leigh Bardugo’s adult debut, and in this book, she makes no bones about tasting this new freedom and spreading her wings, going bolder and darker than she’s ever gone before. Centered around a college setting, many of the novel’s themes deal with new adult issues—starting a new life, striking out on one’s own, dealing with many of the difficult transitions that come with becoming self-reliant and independent. But in Bardugo’s world of secret societies and dark magic, there are also monsters of both the fantastical and early variety. Even though this story is told through a paranormal lens, it doesn’t shy away from exploring very real-world problems with a focus on those affecting today’s college students, such as drugs, discrimination, sexual assault, suicide, corruption and more. Needless to say, this is not one for the fainthearted.
And let’s not forget too how the protagonist presents an additional layer to these dynamics. Alex has been a survivor of abuse, a victim of trauma, and a witness to unspeakable horrors. These experiences have shaped her, influenced her actions and decisions. The narrative will occasionally flash back to her past, revealing a troubled childhood of dealing with her mysterious ability. Something terrible happens to her at twelve years old, setting her upon a path of self-destruction to try and drown out the memories and pain. We are given an intimate understanding of who Galaxy Stern is, what exactly it is that makes her tick. Even so, she can be standoffish and tough to warm up to, but just give her a chance to win you over and eventually I guarantee she’ll be storming her way into your heart.
All told, it’s clear that Ninth House won’t be for everyone, but I found that it worked for me. Speaking as an adult SFF reader who is also a big fan of Leigh Bardugo’s YA, the darker, grittier, and more mature tone of this novel was a stark but welcome change, one I personally felt was quite refreshing. There’s just something about this one that’s so real and from the heart, that despite its grimmer outlook and more macabre themes, I’m glad I read it.
Audiobook Comments: Both narrators did a great job, though I’m particularly fond of Lauren Fortgang’s work, and for me, her name and Leigh Bardugo’s audiobooks have become virtually inseparable. I love the way Fortgang brings Bardugo’s characters to life, and her stunning performance Ninth House has once more proven just how talented and versatile she is as a voice artist.
Novella Review: The Deep by Rivers Solomon with Daveed Diggs, William Hutson & Jonathan Snipes
Posted on December 8, 2019 18 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 Deep by Rivers Solomon with Daveed Diggs, William Hutson & Jonathan Snipes
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Saga Press (November 5, 2019)
Length: 176 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Inspired by a song, The Deep tells of the Wajinru, water-dwelling mermaid-like creatures who are the descendants of the pregnant African women who were thrown overboard and left to drown during the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. However, their unborn babies survived, rescued and raised by whales. Eventually their numbers grew, and they created their own idyllic society under the sea.
But that life of contentment comes at a cost. For the Wajinru have forgotten their past, which is too traumatic and painful to bear. Only one of their members, designated the Historian, holds all their people’s memories and stories of their origin, and her name is Yetu. While her peers go about their happy and carefree lives, Yetu lives under a heavy burden, knowing the price of her role and why it is needed. But eventually, that agony and strain came to be too much. Days before the Remembering, an annual ritual in which the Wajinru come together to take back their memories, if only for a time, Yetu flees to the surface, leaving the crushing weight of responsibility and expectation behind.
However, as she’ll soon find, while she may have shed the role of Historian, letting go of history itself is not so easy. Among the mysterious two-legs, she learns more than she expected to find about the past of her people, as well as what the future ahead may hold.
I almost didn’t read this book after finding out some of its topics, which I find can be very difficult and upsetting to read at times, but I am glad I took a chance. Yes, there is discussion of heavy subject matter, depictions of violence, death, slavery and genocide. But for the most part, The Deep is a lyrical narrative, an introspective artistic take on the idea of shared history, tradition, and connectedness. I won’t lie; there is overwhelmingly profound pain in Yetu’s story as well as in the history of the Wajinru, but there is also a lot of beauty in the book’s themes and in the way they’re layered.
But it is important as well to know the style in which it is written. Coming in at roughly 175 pages, The Deep is a novella so it is a quick read, light on detail, and swiftly paced. It isn’t really a story told in the traditional sense either; rather, it reads more like an exploration of a concept. Structurally, the plot is a little haphazard, but this is understandable given how much of the book’s themes are based on the ideas of memory and forgetting, so we have some instances of repetition and the narrative bouncing back and forth and sometimes circling back. The writing also doesn’t offer much detail, direction or guidance, so it’s important for the reader to stay on top of things.
Normally, The Deep wouldn’t be my kind of read given its short length and style, but I have to say I ended up liking it more than I expected. Granted, I had trouble getting into the book from the outset, mostly because of the writing and the way the intro simply thrusts you into the middle of things with no explanation. But I think the situation changed once I got to know Yetu. I found the concept of a Historian, a single person who bears the burden of keeping memories for an entire society, to be entirely fascinating. But after a while, even more compelling to me was the effect the role was having on Yetu, and her journey was what kept me reading despite the book being rather light on plot.
I think I would have enjoyed this even more had I gone in knowing more about what to expect, but I also came away pleasantly surprised and curious to try more of Rivers Solomon’s work. The Deep was undeniably different from anything I’ve ever read before, in a good way. And while I wish it had contained more story, character development and history—which as you know is a pretty typical sentiment for me when it comes to novellas—I can nevertheless appreciate the book’s artistic merits and the way its premise and ideas were implemented.
Bookshelf Roundup 12/7/19: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on December 7, 2019 30 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.
My, how the time races by! You might have noticed only a week has passed since my last Bookshelf Roundup, and that’s because starting today I’ve decided to make it a weekly post rather than a bi-weekly one. Over time, I’ve been noticing how some of my roundups were becoming very long and unwieldy, which I think kinda defeats the purpose of a summary post! Drafting them was also taking up more and more time, so hopefully by switching to weekly it will become more manageable.
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 big thanks to Simon & Schuster for Dead Endless by Dave Galanter, a part of the Star Trek: Discovery series of tie-in novels! Also thank you to Del Rey for sending me an ARC of The Vanished Birds by Simon Jimenez, a story about a mute boy who falls from the sky and the woman who finds him and takes him in, the two of them communicating with each other through the power of music. This one sounds very interesting, and it wasn’t on my radar before but it sure is now. And also much love to the kind folks at Subterranean Press, who sent me an ARC of The Gobblin’ Society by James P. Blaylock, a new novella starring the author’s Langdon St. Ives character. From the title, you can kind of tell the delightful story you’ll be in for!
Courtesy of Tor.com, I also received an absolute treasure trove of awesome ARCs: Stormsong by C.L. Polk is the second novel of The Kingston Cycle, and I’ve heard such good things about the first book Witchmark that I really thnk I’ll have to start it soon. Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey is one I’ve been looking forward to, so I was thrilled when a surprise copy showed up! Flyaway by Kathleen Jennings also looks amazing, having been described as a haunting fantasy-horror that is half mystery and half fairy-tale. And finally, Come Tumbling Down by Seanan McGuire is the fifth book of her Wayward Children series, which I’m ashamed to admit I haven’t even started yet. But one day soon I’ll binge them all, mark my words!
Hey, I’ve been pretty good at restraining myself from requesting too much lately, just one book in the digital haul this week. As you know, I’ve been following the books in the official Minecraft series and when I saw The End by Catherynne M. Valente I just couldn’t resist. She’s written some great tie-ins, so I’m looking forward to listening to this one, with thanks to Random House Audio.
Reviews
Starsight by Brandon Sanderson (5 of 5 stars)
Blood Heir by Amélie Wen Zhao (3.5 of 5 stars)
The Harp of Kings by Juliet Marillier (3.5 of 5 stars)
Walk the Wild With Me by Rachel Atwood (2 of 5 stars)
Roundup Highlights:
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: Winter
Posted on December 6, 2019 39 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:
“Now is the winter of our discontent, Made glorious summer by this sun of York”
~ a cover that puts you in mind of WINTER
Mogsy’s Pick:
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
I couldn’t believe that I hadn’t featured The Bear and the Nightingale for Friday Face-Off yet, because I adore this book and I’ve always found its covers to be gorgeous. But it worked out well, since I can think of no better choice that embodies the spirit of today’s topic. The first volume of the Winternight trilogy, this novel is set at the edge of the Russian wilderness, where the northern winters are characterized by ten-foot high snowdrifts and near perpetual twilight,. And yet, Arden somehow manages to turn such a cold, harsh and dark world into a place of beauty. Those who survive here have to be strong, compassionate and hardworking, much like our protagonist Vasya–a wild but dutiful daughter, headstrong and brave.
Let’s now take a look at all the covers:
From left to right:
Del Rey US (2017) – Del Rey UK (2017) – Del Rey Paperback (2017)
Portuguese Edition (2017) – Serbian Edition (2017) – Czech Edition (2018) – Chinese Edition (2018)
German Edition (2019) – Farsi Edition (2018) – French Edition (2019)
Winner:
I have to say, not all of these put me in mind of winter; in fact, some are downright summery, bursting with all the colorful flowers and birds. Naturally though, I still find myself drawn to the snowy covers because of the way they exude atmosphere, elegance and emotion. With that being said, I’m going to have to go with the Del Rey US hardcover as the winner, because when it comes to those three things, this one’s gonna be pretty hard to beat.
But what do you think? Which one is your favorite?
Book Review: The Harp of Kings by Juliet Marillier
Posted on December 5, 2019 16 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 Harp of Kings by Juliet Marillier
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of Warrior Bards
Publisher: Ace (September 3, 2019)
Length: 464 pages
Author Information: Website
I’ll always and forever be a big fan of Juliet Marillier, but I also have to be honest, and the truth is I wasn’t too crazy about this one. Bear in mind though, I’ve probably been spoiled so hard by her Sevenwaters series and Blackthorn & Grim trilogy that these days I set a pretty high bar whenever I pick up one of her books, and to be sure, The Harp of Kings was a solid fantasy novel but I don’t think it was her best.
This story follows three characters—siblings Liobhan and Brocc, and their companion Dau—with the narrative split relatively evenly between their points-of-view. Our trio of young protagonists are initiates on Swan Island, a society that trains warrior and spies. Eager to prove themselves and become full-fledged members, they are thus elated when their superiors tap the three of them for a top secret mission to retrieve an artifact known as the Harp of Kings, so named because it would be ceremonially required at the naming of the next monarch. Without the harp, which has gone missing, it is feared that the people will not accept their new king, so it is of utmost importance that the instrument is found before the upcoming coronation.
But as it turns out, their mission might not be so simple. Assigned new names and backgrounds, they must go undercover and adopt their new identities completely as not to arouse suspicion. Sister and brother team Liobhan and Brocc, both being talented musicians, are tasked to pose as traveling bards, but Dau, their fellow trainee, is given the role of a mute stable boy. Together, they travel to meet Prince Rodan, the one who would soon be crowned king, only to find he’s a boorish little cad that nobody likes. Worse, as our characters learn about the harp and the history of the royal family, they come to realize there may be more otherworldly forces at play. Here where the edges of the mortal realm meet the Fae’s, creatures of magic also have a stake in the future of the kingship.
This book started with so much promise. I loved the beginning, which featured an introduction to our three protagonists, what they do on Swan Island, and all the training that they had to go through to prepare for their journey. It was fascinating reading, especially since we’re talking about Juliet Marillier, who’s a literary genius when it comes to writing characters and her signature Celtic-inspired worlds. And indeed, everything was going well; I was moving along with the flow of things and really getting a feel for Liobhan, Brocc, and Dau in their new roles…when suddenly, they reached their destination and all of it ground to a screeching halt.
I mean, I adore Marillier’s lyrical writing style and I also appreciate how her stories take time to mature. These things can’t be rushed, and a lot of her books are written in a way that is meant to savored. That said, I felt that the pacing of The Harp of Kings was terribly unbalanced, especially after the first quarter where I felt no overall progress was being made and our characters were spinning their wheels with inconsequential side-plots that added little development to the overall story. At one point, we got so off-track that I even forgot they were supposed to be looking for a harp.
This book is also geared towards YA, and every so often, it really shows. Our three protagonists are teenagers with hotheaded and impulsive personalities, and they bring along some of the usual adolescent hang ups. But this also made it more difficult for me to connect with the characters because they frequently let their emotions get the better of them, leading them to make questionable decisions. Needless to say, they all made terrible spies. The POV switches were also uneven and it was easy to confuse Brocc and Dau’s voices because of how similar they were, and the boys also dominated the first half of the book whereas Liobhan’s chapters featured intermittently until she became a steadier presence in the second half.
Simply put, The Harp of Kings just didn’t click for me as well as some of Juliet Marillier’s other books. Nevertheless, if you enjoy spending time in her fantasy worlds, or if you are a fan of the way she blends history, magic, and intrigue in her work, then perhaps you’ll still want to give it a try because I think you’ll find yourself feeling right at home. More importantly, this hasn’t dampened my enthusiasm for her work, and I look forward to the next Warrior Bards book with the hopes that it will improve on the issues I found with this one.
Waiting on Wednesday 12/04/19
Posted on December 4, 2019 18 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 Girl and the Stars by Mark Lawrence (April 21st, 2020 by Ace)
Yay, a new epic fantasy by Mark Lawrence is always cause to celebrate! This one’s the start of a new series, called Book of the Ice, which is set in the same world as Red Sister. The cover was recently revealed, and it’s beautiful!
“In the ice, east of the Black Rock, there is a hole into which broken children are thrown. Yaz’s people call it the Pit of the Missing and now it is drawing her in as she has always known it would.
To resist the cold, to endure the months of night when even the air itself begins to freeze, requires a special breed. Variation is dangerous, difference is fatal. And Yaz is not the same.
Yaz’s difference tears her from the only life she’s ever known, away from her family, from the boy she thought she would spend her days with, and has to carve out a new path for herself in a world whose existence she never suspected. A world full of difference and mystery and danger.
Yaz learns that Abeth is older and stranger than she had ever imagined. She learns that her weaknesses are another kind of strength and that the cruel arithmetic of survival that has always governed her people can be challenged.”
Audiobook Review: Starsight by Brandon Sanderson
Posted on December 3, 2019 36 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Starsight by Brandon Sanderson
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 5 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction, Young Adult
Series: Book 2 of Skyward
Publisher: Audible Studios (November 26, 2019)
Length: 14 hrs and 25 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Authors take note, this is how you write a book that will resonate with readers and stand the test of time. These days, I find the problem with a lot of YA is how canned it all feels, the way writers try so hard to conform to some pre-existing narrative which just makes the end result seem so sanctimonious and fake. And that’s why I’m such a huge fan of Brandon Sanderson, who has always ever only been interested in telling good, genuinely fun stories. There’s never an awkward social message shoehorned in or a romantic subplot not-so-unobtrusively shoved in your face, yet somehow his books always manage to be incredibly meaningful and filled with heartfelt connections anyway.
Starsight is the sequel to the brilliant Skyward, and dare I say it, but it might even be better than its predecessor. Due to the fact it would be impossible to discuss this book without getting into details from the previous one, I also highly recommend being caught up before reading this this review as it may contain potential, inadvertent spoilers for Skyward. The story once more follows protagonist Spensa, who is still processing some devastating news about her father, as she prepares to embark on another mission for her home colony of Detritus. Her people are in desperate need of hyperdrive technology—so desperate they are willing to risk sending one of their best pilots to infiltrate the Krell, a crab-like alien race who are at war with humans. Using holographic tech to take on the identity of Alanik of the UrDail, a species once allied with humanity, Spensa signs up for an interspecies training program sponsored by the Krell which would enable her to mingle with pilots from all over the galaxy.
Out of her depth, Spensa never expected she would have to play a spy. And yet, with the survival of Detritus and everyone she cares for hanging upon her success, she’s willing to do anything to get her hands on the information she needs, even if it means having to lie her way through training and deceive everyone around her. However, nothing could have prepared her for the friendships and camaraderie she finds among members of the other alien species, some of which humanity would count among their enemies. Eventually, as the truth behind what she and her fellow pilots are really training for is revealed to her, Spensa also comes to a new understanding of the world and the way she sees it.
To say that this is a book everyone needs in their lives right now is an understatement. At its heart, Starsight is a story about unity, empathy, looking past our prejudices and differences because deep down inside we all want and care and fight for the same things. But unlike a lot of YA you find on the shelves today, this novel manages to get all these points across without being preachy, divisive, or smugly self-congratulatory about it. The message simply comes across naturally as an intrinsic part of the story, one that anyone anywhere at any time can relate to, and to me that is the mark of a classic. Personally, I was moved to tears as I was experiencing Spensa’s revelations and all the moments where she was hit with a clarity, and I don’t even know if Sanderson was going for such a hard-hitting emotional response, but he got it from me anyway.
Also, I say this every damn time I review anything by Brandon Sanderson, but hey, it’s true—the guy is a master world-builder. The sci-fi setting of the Skyward series is one full of originality and wonder, where the jaw-dropping surprises and moments where you think to yourself, “Cripes, how does he come up with all these cool ideas?” never stop coming. If you enjoyed being introduced to all the fascinating planets and aliens in the first book, then we will love Starsight, which expands the universe even more.
Speaking of which, there are plenty of interesting new characters to meet and fall in love with, which goes a long way in making up for the fact we don’t get to see much of those from Skyward. But fret not, for Doomslug and M-Bot are back, of course, and in a big way. By the end of the book, I guarantee you won’t look at either the same away again. And of the new characters, I loved all the aliens whose personalities and traits highlight once again the extraordinary imagination of the author. Like I said, I did miss some of the interactions between Spensa and her friends from the first book, but with time, I think this new group will endear themselves to you in more ways than you can imagine.
In fact, the only real piece of criticism I have to level at Starsight is the unbelievably sudden, unbelievably cruel cliffhanger at the end of the epilogue. While Sanderson has been known to leave some major threads hanging between books, there was a real “Are you kidding me?!” quality to this one that seemed a bit uncharacteristic of his endings. Good thing he’ll be churning out more books to his other series that I will also read in the interim, but I won’t lie, the wait to find out what happens to Spensa next will be a killer. This was just a great sequel, and a book that brought me so much joy, emotion and excitement deserves no less than a full five stars.
Audiobook Comments: I listened to the first book in audio and was fortunate to receive the opportunity to review Starsight in this format as well. Kudos to the wonderful Suzy Jackson for bringing Spensa and all the characters of this world to life with her superb narration; I loved her in Skyward and she has once again delivered a pitch perfect performance for this sequel.
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of Skyward (Book 1)
Audiobook Review: Walk the Wild With Me by Rachel Atwood
Posted on December 2, 2019 15 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Walk the Wild With Me by Rachel Atwood
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 2 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction
Series: Book 1/Stand Alone
Publisher: Paperback: DAW | Audiobook: Tantor (December 3, 2019)
Length: PB: 320 pages | Audio: 8 hrs and 30 mins
Author Information: Website
Narrator: Matthew Lloyd Davies
It’s not every day I come across a Robin Hood retelling, and one infused with magical fantasy and faeries at that. I was therefore very excited to read Walk the Wild With Me, but unfortunately came away from it somewhat disappointed. Had it not been for the slower pacing and the nature of a few stylistic choices, I think I would have enjoyed it more.
Walk the Wild With Me brings readers to a quiet abbey just outside Nottingham, where orphan Nick Withybeck has spent his entire life raised by the monks. One day, while exploring the crypts, he comes across an ancient altar and the forgotten treasures it holds. Henceforth blessed by Elena, Nick becomes the human vessel of the Celtic goddess who uses her magic to reveal hidden truths to him. It is this gift which allowed Nick to recognize Little John, the companion of Robin Hood who served as his chief lieutenant of the legendary hero’s Merry Men, as a kindred spirit, a creature of the wood.
And indeed, it is Little John who takes center stage in this debut by Rachel Atwood. He is the Green Man, Nick learns, whose lover had been stolen away by Queen Mab of the Faeries. Banding together to get her back, the two of the embark upon a quest to gain entry to the Faery mound which would only open when its moon aligns with that of our mortal realm. Using his special connection with Elena, Nick offers Little John the goddess’ grace and wisdom to guide them.
I really wish I had enjoyed this one more, because on the surface, there’s a lot to like. If you are a fan of the Robin Hood legend, Walk the Wild With Me offers a refreshing take on the outlaw figure by, well, putting the focus on Little John. While that might sound a bit dubious, hear me out—this new point-of-view helps set this novel apart by shining the spotlight on Robin’s second-in-command, a clever and capable man who nonetheless could use a hand from his friends when it comes to going up against crafty Queen Mab and the Faeries. Speaking of which, I also loved the way Atwood combined magic with realism. She’s effectively written a historical novel that is also a fantasy, a genre mashup containing elements of Celtic folklore, culture, and religion. There is also a dash of mystery in the mix, especially powerful in moments where the atmosphere is thick with intrigue and suspense. Finally, of course, there is love—and a look at the lengths one would go to in order to fight for it.
But unfortunately, the style of the novel made it difficult for me to appreciate all these aspects fully. For one, the language was very rich, but also very dense. I have read books like this before which have not given me trouble; I don’t know why the writing felt so clunky and hard to get used to in this case. It could be due to the fact that the prose is somewhat wordy, which not surprisingly made the story feel quite slow. This one goes nowhere fast, and it’s a shame because even after all the build-up, we are left with a fizzle of an ending. After pushing through nearly three-quarters of the book filled with heavy exposition, mostly dealing with convoluted relationships and background information, I hate to say it—but I expected more in the way of explanations and answers, not to mention a bigger reward for all the time and patience I invested.
Still, if you like the sound of the premise, this might be worth trying. While my personal experience was not exactly what I’d hoped for, I also wouldn’t say it was completely negative. To Rachel Atwood’s credit, there were a lot of new and different ideas I enjoyed reading about in Walk the Wild With Me, and I think she is a skilled storyteller. But at the end of the day, the writing was simply not my cup of tea, and it’s too bad that a lot of the other issues I had with the pacing and ending mostly stemmed from that.
Audiobook Comments: I was fortunate enough to receive an audio listening copy of Walk the Wild With Me to review, and I thought that the format would help with the difficulties I had with the writing, but instead I think it might have exacerbated them. Matthew Lloyd Davies was a fantastic narrator and I loved the regality of his voice and accent which made him perfect for a rich, historical fantasy such as this. However, due to the complex nature of the story and the loquacious writing and language, I just had a hard time focusing my listening with this audiobook and really had to force myself to pay attention.
YA Weekend Audio: Blood Heir by Amélie Wen Zhao
Posted on December 1, 2019 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.
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Series: Book 1 of Blood Heir Trilogy
Publisher: Listening Library (November 19, 2019)
Length: 13 hrs and 57 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator: Emily Woo Zeller
Blood Heir was initially an eARC I received from NetGalley, but after Twitter drama caused it to be delayed and reworked, I decided to request an audiobook copy to review in order to experience the novel in its final form. And well, for all the fuss surrounding it, this one actually turned out to be pretty average.
Those who know me, however, will know that “average” is not always intended as a slight. I make it no secret that adult SFF makes up the bulk of my reading diet and that I only delve into Young Adult occasionally, which has made me extremely picky about the YA books I do check out since I only put those that sound interesting enough onto my TBR. But while I think Amélie Wen Zhao has written a solid debut, one that was in fact quite enjoyable from any perspective, a part me still can’t help but feel maybe part of the time spent reworking this book could have included some structural edits and overall polishing as well, because I found the pacing to be very unstable and much of the writing to be overly dramatic.
But first, a bit about the story. Blood Heir takes us to a vaguely Russian-inspired fantasy world where exists individuals with magic who are both reviled and prized for their abilities to control the world around them. Called “Affinites”, they are heavily exploited and trafficked within the Cyrilian Empire, treated as human chattel to be bought and sold. But what nobody knows is that the empire’s 18-year-old crown princess, Anastacya Mikhailov, is an Affinite herself, a secret she guards closely by shutting herself away from the outside world. It doesn’t help that her Affinity is blood, enabling her to affect the bodies and flesh of others in horrifying ways.
Then one day, Ana’s father is murdered, and she can hide no more. With the emperor’s death pinned on her, Ana is forced to flee the palace, escaping into the outside world with no protection. Still, she is determined to find her father’s killer and clear her name, leading her to seek the aid of a crime lord named Ramson Quicktongue. To navigate the corruption of the Cyrilian Empire, she reasoned, she will need someone just as deceitful and unscrupulous. But Ramson has secrets as well, not to mention his own mission and a personal vendetta to attend to.
I will say, there were moments of absolute ingenuity in this book, especially in the first third or so. I loved the world building and the way the magic system was handled, especially Ana’s affinity to blood. And boy, were there moments where things got dark. The author did an incredible job emphasizing the horrific and extraordinary nature of Ana’s abilities, as well as the way its effects have shaped her and defined her purpose. The story here doesn’t go easy on the character, putting her through one harrowing trial after the next. It made it slightly easier to understand the early self-loathing, the constant berating of herself, and the insidious undertones of insecurity that come through in her voice and everything she does.
That said, I think the writing might have taken the angst and melodrama a bit too far. Perhaps it was because I listened to this in audio, and in this format, problems such as these tend to be far more noticeable, but the prose was often overwrought and too flowery for my tastes. This flagrant overwriting got so extreme and eyeroll-inducing at times it would snap me right out of the story, and even though I’ve found this issue to be common with a lot of debut YA novelists and not just Amélie Wen Zhao, it nevertheless cast an unfortunate damper on the experience. Compounded with the fact that pacing suffered in the middle due to some plot meandering and repetitiveness, or that it took me some time to warm up to Ramson, there were moments where I had to actively push myself to continue, which was strange because I don’t usually need much motivation when it comes to audiobooks.
Happily, I think the book’s ending made up for a lot of these issues. One only has to look at the ways both Ana and Ramson have changed by the end as compared to their earlier selves to see why. The plot also came back in a big way, with a finale that was worth waiting for despite all the bumps along the way.
Overall, I’m glad this book got published, though I have to wonder if it would have been a blip on most people’s radars if it hadn’t been for the controversy surrounding it. I enjoyed Blood Heir, but also must confess it indulges in a lot of YA fantasy tropes and contains some very typical debut hiccups like pacing issues and purple prose—things that I concede would probably not pose a problem for most readers who are not as picky as I am, or are reading this book in a non-audio format. That said, the audiobook is one I would still wholeheartedly recommend, and it is in no small part due to the fact is is narrated by the amazing and very talented Emily Woo Zeller. I’m a big fan of her work, and her mellow and dignified voice was simply perfect for this novel. I honestly don’t think she’s capable of delivering a bad performance, and once more she really hit it out of the park with this one.
The BiblioSanctum 