Book Review: Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett + Giveaway

Posted on August 30, 2018 26 Comments

***The giveaway is now over, thank you to everyone who entered!***

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett

Mogsy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Book 1 of Founders

Publisher: Crown (August 21, 2018)

Length: 512 pages

Author Information: Website | Twitter

A new novel by Robert Jackson Bennett is always cause to celebrate, as he is the author of one of my all-time favorite fantasy series, The Divine Cities. Needless to say, I went into Foundryside with sky-high expectations, and once again I was rewarded with a remarkably good read.

This book, the first in a new series, takes place in the industrialized magical city of Tevanne. Almost everything here runs on a magic system called “scriving”, which utilizes a complicated process involving ancient sigils left behind by a long-lost race of people known as the Hierophants. Using this method, the characteristics of everyday objects can be altered magically to perform other functions or to behave in different ways. With the business of scriving, the leaders of the four merchant houses that govern Tevanne have become fantastically wealthy, while the rest of the populace is left to bear the burdens and shortcomings of the ruling elites’ power games.

Our story’s protagonist is a young woman named Sancia Grado, an expert thief who has been hired by an unknown client to steal a mysterious box from a heavily-guarded dockside warehouse owned by one of the merchant houses. After pulling off the heist, however, Sancia’s curiosity gets the better of her, and she opens the box to catch a glimpse of the object she was paid an exorbitant amount of money to steal. It turns out to be a key—but not just any ordinary key. As soon as it makes contact with Sancia, she hears it in her mind. Calling itself Clef, the sentient golden key explains to our flummoxed protagonist exactly what it can do, and the implications of it are beyond anything she can imagine. If the secret of Clef is made known, it can revolutionize everything the world knows about scriving. It can also be extremely dangerous for Sancia. Already, she has painted a target on herself by disrupting the plans of someone very powerful. Unwilling to let Clef fall into the wrong hands, she decides to keep it to herself while she attempts to uncover the identities of those who want to kill her and anyone else who knows about the key.

With Robert Jackson Bennett, you never know what you’re going to get. His speculative fiction work has been tagged in a wide range of categories, including but not limited to horror, fantasy, steampunk, mystery, and even spy thriller. Hence, when I picked up Foundryside, I thought I was pretty much prepared for anything. However, what I did not expect was humor. In some ways, this might be the most lighthearted novel I’ve ever read from the author, though to be fair, most of that levity is the result of Clef. That key sure has one hell of a personality, but more on that later. First, I just want to say how delighted I was again at the wonderful blend of genre elements featured in this book, and I make it no secret how much I adore a good heist story. Bennett always excels when he is writing mystery and adventure, and once more he delivered in a big way.

Of course, fans of Bennett also know he is an exceptionally talented and imaginative world-builder, and Foundryside is another stunning testament to his skills. Everything about this story and the world is full of wonderful and creative magic, starting with the process known as scriving. The concept behind this magic system is elegant in its simplicity and natural in its execution, belying the tremendous amount of work and thought that was likely put into its development, for everything about this novel—plot, characters, setting—is centered around scriving. Using the ancient language of the Hierophants, scrivers etch magical commands onto metal plates that can “convince” normal objects to be something they’re not. For example, wheels can be scrived to behave as those they are on an incline, causing them to roll even when they are on flat ground. Materials can also be scrived to become something more, so that the metal edge on a sword can be made to act sharper and cut more effectively.

As for the characters, Foundryside features a pretty large cast, but at the core of it is the relationship between Sancia and Clef. They are the heart and soul of this story. Readers will care about what happens because they care about them. Scrappy thieves with tragic pasts trying to eke out a living in an unjust world are a dime a dozen in the fantasy genre, but ultimately Sancia proves herself different from the norm by way of her mentality and highly individualistic reactions to certain situations. Her personal journey is fascinating is watch, and it is made even more interesting with Clef thrown into the mix. As mentioned before, Clef is a force unto itself. Would you believe me if I told you the strongest personality in this novel belongs to a sentient key? Clef is a scene-stealer, dominating the attention whenever it appears on a page. Obviously though, there is more to this book than just Sancia and Clef. Many other characters add some flavor and liveliness of the supporting cast, and they are all as deliciously complex as our main protagonists.

All in all, Foundryside is a superb series-starter and another magnificent creation from the masterful mind of Robert Jackson Bennett. Like all good beginnings, it promises to bring his readers even more adventure and glorious excitement in future volumes, and the rest of this series is a journey I can’t wait to experience.

Foundryside Giveaway

And now time you’ve all been waiting for! I have an extra copy of Foundryside that I’m putting up for giveaway. With apologies to our international readers, due to the costs of shipping, this giveaway is only open to residents of the US. One winner will receive a hardcover of the book. To enter, all you have to do is send an email to bibliosanctum@gmail.com with your Name and valid Mailing Address using the subject line “FOUNDRYSIDE” by 11:59pm Eastern time on Wednesday, September 5, 2018.

Only one entry per household, please. The winner will be randomly selected when the giveaway ends and then be notified by email. All information will only be used for the purposes of contacting the winner and sending them their prize. Once the giveaway ends all entry emails will be deleted.

So what are you waiting for? Enter to win! Good luck!

Waiting on Wednesday 08/29/18

Posted on August 29, 2018 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

Murder Theory by Andrew Mayne (February 5, 2019 by Thomas & Mercer)

In the past year I’ve become a huge fan of Andrew Mayne, and I make it no secret that I’m obsessed with Dr. Theo Cray! Murder Theory is the third book The Naturalist series and I can’t wait until I can get my hands on it.

“The desire to kill is becoming contagious in this riveting novel of conceivable mad science by the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Naturalist.

Computational biologist and serial-killer hunter Dr. Theo Cray receives an off-the-record request from the FBI to investigate an inexplicable double homicide. It happened at the excavation site where a murderer had buried his victims’ remains. In custody is a forensic technician in shock, with no history of aggression. He doesn’t remember a thing. His colleagues don’t even recognize the man they thought they knew. But an MRI reveals something peculiar. And abnormal.

What on earth made him commit murder?

After discovering that a mysterious man has been stalking crime scenes and stealing forensic data, Cray has a radical and terrifying theory. Now he must race against time to find a darker version of himself: a scientist with an obsession in pathological behavior who uses his genius not to catch serial killers—but to create them.”

Book Review: Empire of Silence by Christopher Ruocchio

Posted on August 28, 2018 29 Comments

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

Empire of Silence by Christopher Ruocchio

Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Genre: Science Fiction

Series: Book 1 of Sun Eater

Publisher: DAW Books (July 3, 2018)

Length: 624 pages

Author Information: Website | Twitter

For epic fantasy lovers who want to see storytelling, characters, and worldbuilding get the same extensive, sweeping treatment in sci-fi, Empire of Silence is the answer. In this ambitious debut, author Christopher Ruocchio introduces readers to Hadrian Marlowe, a monster or a hero—you decide. The entire galaxy knows his name, but well before he achieved notoriety as the man who defeated an alien race—by destroying a sun and snuffing out billions of lives to do it—he was the disappointing firstborn son of a noble archon and hopeful heir to the family’s uranium empire. Since so much of the truth about his past has been misrepresented or obscured, Hadrian’s own accounting of his life’s story makes it clear there is much more than meets the eye.

As a youth, all Hadrian wanted was to one day take his father’s place as head of the family business, even though he held no enthusiasm for the prospect it in his heart. Sibling rivalry, however, would spur him on do anything to prevent his cruel and nasty younger brother Crispin form being named the heir. But their father, Alistair, had other plans. Recognizing that his bookish eldest son had none of the leadership qualities he wanted, the archon instead decides to ship Hadrian off to the Chantry so that the Marlowes would have an insider with influence in the galaxy’s most powerful religious organization.

Fortunately, with some help, Hadrian manages to avoid the bleak future Alistair had arranged for him, but winds up penniless and in exile on a remote backwater planet, going from privileged son of a nobleman to living like a beggar on the streets. Desperate to earn a way off-world, he sells his services as a gladiator, eventually achieving enough renown to be hired by an aristocratic family to tutor them in languages. His various roles lead him to an encounter with a prisoner from an alien race known as the Cielcins, who are at war with humans. Working together with a xenobiologist, Hadrian begins his journey to understand the so-called enemy in an attempt to broker peace between their two species.

Told in the tradition of epic fantasy novels like The Name of the Wind and Blood Song, Empire of Silence is an autobiography-style narrative recounted by a controversial and misunderstood protagonist who looks back at his long and storied life. It’s a confluence of genres as readers are presented a sprawling blockbuster novel containing just as many fantasy elements as sci-fi. Hadrian is brought up amidst lordly intrigue and drama not unlike something you would imagine on Game of Thrones, complete with castle cities and gladiatorial spectacles. Other readers have also commented on the Dune-like handling of the politics, economics, philosophy and history of this world. In fact, I can’t say there is much in this novel that is truly original, but what makes it special is Ruocchio’s enthusiasm and willingness to blend all these ideas together into one cool concoction.

Also, for a book like this to work, the story must quickly establish an emotional connection between the reader and the protagonist. This was a success for the most part; the early sections manage to create a lot of sympathy for Hadrian. He’s clever, but also awkward and sometimes frustrating in his youthful naivete and malaise. In other words, his confusion and lack of direction is something many of us can relate to, and indeed the first half of this book reads very much like coming-of-age narrative about a young man struggling to find his place in the world. Predictably, a string of unpleasant things happens to him to open to his eyes to the truth of his family, leading him to abandon his affluent lifestyle and everything he has ever known.

Things get real interesting at this point. Pacing is swift as Hadrian is shuffled through all kinds of tragedies, leaving me barely enough time to catch my breath between disasters. The highlight of the book for me was our protagonist’s brief stint as a gladiator, hanging out with his fellow fighters and teaching them to fight effectively as a team. Alas, all too soon it was over, along with my favorite part of the book. Admittedly, the second half of the novel did not hold my attention quite as well as the first, and at times the flow of the story felt sluggish due to the staggering amount of information dumped on us to establish Hadrian’s new role in humanity’s war against the Cielcin. Ironically, the plot started to lose me just as it was beginning to chronicle his first steps becoming the most reviled man in the galaxy, earning him the epithet Sun Eater. To be fair though, my tastes in epic science fiction fantasy tend to run towards personal stories, closer-quarter action, and high-spirited adventure, so perhaps it was only natural for me to find greater appeal in the first half of this novel. Others will likely not encounter the same issue.

Regardless, Empire of Silence is a rock solid debut, its derivative nature notwithstanding. Any points the novel loses in the originality department, Christopher Ruocchio more than makes up for it with his superb character development and the sheer “unputdownability” of his storytelling. Mark my words, this book is going places.

Book Review: The Book of Hidden Things by Francesco Dimitri

Posted on August 27, 2018 29 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 Book of Hidden Things by Francesco Dimitri

Mogsy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Titan Books (June 19, 2018)

Length: 385 pages

Author Information: Twitter

In general, I find that a good book usually elicits one of two responses from me: 1) bury my nose in its pages and not come up for air until I’m done, or 2) draw out the experience as long as I can, sipping it like a fine wine in order to properly savor all the flavors and textures the story has to offer. The Book of Hidden Things definitely fell into the latter category, which happens far less often, so for this reason, I already had a feeling it was special. I’m also amazed this was Italian fantasy author Francesco Dimitri’s first novel in English. The ability to write well in a language that isn’t one’s native tongue has always been impressive to me, but the beautiful and lyrical prose in this novel left me further in awe.

The Book of Hidden Things is a story about four childhood friends from a small seaside town called Casalfranco in southern Italy. After high school, they all left home to pursue their individual dreams. Fabio, who grew up with his gruff and overbearing father after his mother died, went on to start a career as a fashion photographer in London. Mauro went to law school in Milan, married his longtime girlfriend, and started a family. Tony moved to Rome, where he eventually came out as gay to his family and friends, and became a very successful surgeon. And Art, the most eccentric and free-spirited of them all, traveled all around the continent doing odd jobs before returning to Casalfranco, where he unexpectedly and uncharacteristically decided to settle after the death of his parents. Art has always been the unpredictable one, bouncing around from one obsession to the next. To his credit though, he was also the one who came up with the Pact—a promise that no matter what, the four friends will meet up in their hometown at the same place at the same time on the same date every year.

Except this year, Art doesn’t show. Concerned, the three others go around town, checking his house and asking people about their friend, only to find that Art has seemingly vanished into thin air. Worse, it appears he had been involved in some very dangerous activities just before his disappearance, like having an affair with a married woman, and growing and selling marijuana in an area where that kind of thing is heavily controlled by the local mafia. This unfortunately rules out going to the Carabinieri for help. Instead, Tony, Mauro, and Fabio take it upon themselves to carry out the investigation, discovering that Art had been in the middle of writing a book before he went missing. Whatever Art has gotten mixed up in, the answer seems to lie in untangling the strange kinds of research he has been doing for this secret project, a mysterious field guide called “The Book of Hidden Things.”

Despite Francesco Dimitri’s reputation as a fantasy novelist, this one was surprisingly light on the fantastical elements. And yet, I felt the magic on every page. Much of this can be attributed to the setting, which the author brings to life in heady, exquisite detail. To the characters who were born and raised in this quiet seaside town, life may have felt like a stifling and oppressive dead end, but everything from the epic summer storms and the hidden olive groves felt enchanting to me as an outsider. They say small towns hold big secrets, and this is no less true for bucolic little Italian village like Casalfranco. But while it may have its share of problems, like corruption and insularity, it is also a place of so much beauty and culture. Often, the narrative paints it as a land that time forgot, where the people are superstitious and traditional to a fault, or how no matter how many upgrades are made to the town, the place still looks as though it’s three decades out of date. But all this simply added to the charm and bewitching quality of the setting, which helped make this particular story all the more effective.

Speaking of which, I find myself at a loss as to how to describe the story, since it doesn’t quite fit neatly into any one category. It’s a mix of drama, mystery, and a bit of psychological suspense. There is also just a hint of the supernatural, just vague enough to make you wonder what’s real and what’s not. At the end of the day, The Book of Hidden Things drew me in completely and irrevocably with its enigmatic appeal.

That said, I don’t think this book would be for everyone. For one thing, while I found the characters fascinating and very well written, many of them are highly unlikeable. However, I also believe much of this is by design. Quite honestly, if you came out of this book without hating at least some of the characters, then the author would have done something wrong. This is a story about some seriously messed up people. A lot of them do terrible, deceitful, repugnant things. Quite a few of these characters can also be described as entitled hypocrites who act like more like whiny ungrateful children than the adults they are supposed to be, and Art himself is a megalomaniacal, manipulative man-child who does his own thing with no regard for the people he hurts along the way. Family ties, friendships, and seemingly unbreakable bonds are severely tested, and there’s no telling whether any of them will come out intact.

Another thing to be aware of is animal cruelty. I know plenty of folks who can read horror and dark fiction about torture, death, and all kinds of despicable things perpetrated on human beings, but they simply cannot abide a story when any sort of harm or abuse is committed on an animal. If this describes you, I would stay far, far away from this book as it will be very upsetting. Speaking as someone who has a pretty strong stomach for anything as long as it’s fiction, even I found certain scenes in here to be quite disturbing.

And finally, if you prefer stories with neat and tidy endings, the last line will make you fly into a rage. I won’t lie, this isn’t really a book that will provide the reader with all the answers, but if you happen to enjoy a bit of ambiguity, you will appreciate how the narrative continues to maintain its air of mystery and “what if?”

In sum, I found myself utterly captivated by The Book of Hidden Things. Even though I managed to pace myself while reading this book, I still never wanted it to end. Of course, the novel was not without its flaws, but Francesco Dimitri tells a story so well, to say I was deeply invested in the plot and characters would be an understatement. I hope in the future he will decide to write in English again; I would love to read more of his work.

YA Weekend: Dive Smack by Demetra Brodsky

Posted on August 26, 2018 10 Comments

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

Dive Smack by Demetra Brodsky

Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Tor Teen (June 19, 2018)

Length: 336 pages

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Theo Mackey is a driven athlete, as the captain of his high school diving team. Outwardly, he also appears to be just your average hard-working student, pulling straight A’s and earning the respect of the faculty and his friends. But what most people don’t know is that Theo is in fact dealing with a lot of issues at home and in his personal life. Suffering from amnesia, he can’t recall the events of the night his mother died, only that he was the one who lit the match that started the house fire that killed her. Shortly afterward, his father also passed away from a sudden heart attack. Now he lives with his grandfather, who is often aloof and drinks too much. Theo also frequently seeks the support of his Uncle Phil, who is not actually his uncle but was a very close friend of his father’s. As a psychiatrist, Uncle Phil sometimes treats Theo and prescribes him medication to help him focus in school and in sports.

As graduation draws nearer, Theo is under even more stress as he works towards perfecting his dive in order to secure a scholarship to Stanford. However, a social studies project in which he and his crush Iris are partnered up to research their family history is suddenly making memories rush back to the surface. Gradually, Theo remembers more and more from the night of the fire, and realizes that the people closest to him have not been entirely truthful with the facts. The shocking revelations are sending him further into a spiral of confusion and paranoia, affecting his diving performance. With Iris’s help, Theo must now try to unravel the secrets of his newfound memories and piece together the puzzle of what really happened the night his mom died.

For a thriller, Dive Smack was lacking in the thrilling department, which is probably the only major criticism I have to level against this novel. In fact, I found the first half to be rather slow and uneventful, and the failure of the plot to hook me right away probably affected my feelings for the rest. But from a mystery point of view, I thought the story had a lot to offer, especially since the author uses its first half to tease all kinds of questions for the reader. What was Theo doing with matches that fateful night of the fire? Who is Uncle Phil and what was the real nature behind his relationship with Theo’s parents? What’s with the protagonist’s visions and the flashes of memories that may or may not be more than they seem? Amnesia stories can be tricky, but the best ones are those that create doubt and make the reader question reality. A hint at the supernatural (or at least the possibility of it) also helped in this case.

To the book’s credit, the pacing also picked up in the second half, and my interest was piqued along with it. Gradually, the plot threads started to come together to form a clearer picture, revealing a lot of secrets about Theo’s family history. While these developments didn’t quite make up for the duller start, the build-up eventually culminates into a climax that was at least worth the time investment. Also, the diving. I really enjoyed the story’s focus on the sport and getting to learn more about techniques and terminology.

However, a few other things kept gnawing at me, one of them being my dislike for the protagonist. Granted, he has a massive chip on his should because of his past, but in general Theo struck me as someone very unpleasant to be around. He’s irritable and snappish to others, especially to a rival on his team who hasn’t done anything to deserve it other than show better skill at diving. Seething jealousy isn’t exactly a good look for anyone, and Theo wears it particularly badly. And if he was truly that serious about the competition and earning a scholarship, he’d lay off the weed. I also wasn’t too keen on his relationship with Iris. To be honest, I found it much more interesting to learn about her character backstory (even before the bombshell reveals about her) than to follow the romance between her and Theo. That said, I liked that the romantic drama was relatively understated and didn’t distract.

In sum, I have some mixed feelings about this one, but my impressions are overall positive. Dive Smack is pretty solid for a debut in terms of writing and plotting, stumbling just a bit when it comes to pacing. It’s not so much the heart-stopping thriller I was expecting from the blurb, but it’s still a reasonably good mystery with plenty of surprises and intrigue.

Novella Review: Mira’s Last Dance by Lois McMaster Bujold

Posted on August 25, 2018 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.

Mira’s Last Dance by Lois McMaster Bujold

Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Book 4 of Penric and Desdemona

Publisher: Subterranean Press (June 1, 2018)

Length: 160 pages

Author Information: Websi t e

Unlike the other novellas in the Penric and Desdemona series which have so far been standalone affairs, Mira’s Last Dance is pretty much a direct sequel to Penric’s Mission. When we last left them, our eponymous hero and the ancient demon riding shotgun in his head were escaping Cedonia, where their clandestine mission of diplomacy went all wrong. Now they are on their way to seek sanctuary in the Duchy of Orbas, and traveling with them are General Arisaydia and his widowed sister Nikys, both exiled from their homeland.

But in the village of Sosie, the group encounters an unexpected hitch, requiring them to seek shelter at a local brothel. Penric is still weak from his injuries sustained in the previous book, but luckily, this is one adventure where Desdemona will be taking over much of the work.

In Lois McMaster Bujold’s World of the Five Gods, demons are actually more like mischievous spirits, and for the most part aren’t considered inherently evil. They possess their human hosts without really taking them over, though they can also be allowed a fair bit of autonomy, as we see in this book. Interestingly, the possession also goes both ways, with the hosts “imprinting” themselves on their demons, giving them some of their knowledge and personalities that they will keep with them forever. Desdemona, being a very old and very powerful demon, has inhabited many bodies, including that of a long dead courtesan known as Mira of Adria. And apparently, Mira was quite skilled in her art.

The story that follows is quite possible the most lighthearted and fun of the Penric and Desdemona novellas that I’ve read up to this point, though this and the fact that Mira’s Last Dance is a follow-up probably makes this one a less “eventful” and consequential book. It also tries to maintain its standalone status, so you don’t get too many details of what happened in Cedonia or why the group is now on the run. As such, even though I’ve read the previous installment, I felt a sense of detachment to the events here and that awkward feeling of sitting down in a theater where the movie playing is already half over.

Still, I enjoyed myself all the same, though admittedly not quite as much as I did with the other books. The characters’ situation and the fact they are feeling from persecution notwithstanding, this installment radiates a sense of merriment and whimsy as Penric gives himself over to Desdemona and lets her handle things her own way. And yes, this involved them channeling the delightful Mira of Adria, which, needless to say, gave way to plenty of humorous scenes to help lighten up the dire circumstances. If nothing else, this book was a nice break and served as a counterbalance to some of the darker, more painful moments from Penric’s Mission.

I also liked that we got to learn more about Desdemona, about what she is and where she might have been before she came to possess Penric. We’ve barely begun to scratch the surface of what we know about her, and this book gave us the chance to dig deeper into this unique relationship between demon and host, as well to explore what this bond means to Penric beyond giving him special sorcerer powers.

Despite the limited scope of the story and the relatively thin plot, Mira’s Last Dance is a novella that’s worth reading, especially if you’re like me and are invested in the Penric and Desdemona series. Even though this one read more like a fun little side trip detouring slightly from the main journey, I’m of the opinion that certain series can benefit greatly from these types of stories because they add a bit of much needed levity. And in this case, I thought Mira’s Last dance filled that role quite nicely.

More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of Penric’s Demon (Book 1)
Review of Penric and the Shaman (Book 2)
Review of Penric’s Mission (Book 3)

Friday Face-Off: Legend

Posted on August 24, 2018 41 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:

“To be a legend, you’ve either got to be dead, or excessively old!”
~ a cover featuring a title with the word “LEGEND”

Mogsy’s Pick:

Legend by David Gemmell

Unfortunately, none of the books I had in mind for this topic panned out due to lack of cover availability, so this week I’m going to bend my rules a bit and use a book I’ve not read before. This one has been on my to-read list for a very long time.

Here’s a selection of some of the covers I found:

From left to right:
Ballantine (1994) – Random House (1984) – Orbit (2012)

Ace (1988) – Del Rey (1998) – Arrow (1987)

Legend (1994) – Orbit (2009) – French Edition (2008)

Russian Edition (2017) – German Edition (2016) – French Edition (2010)

Polish Edition (2010) – German Edition (1997) – Russian Edition (2003)

Swedish Edition (2005) – French Edition (2000) – Bulgarian Edition (2011)

Serbian Edition (2012) – Italian Edition (2015) – Spanish Edition (2007)

Finnish Edition (2003) – Chinese Edition (2014) – French Edition (2014)

Winner:

We’re definitely not hurting for choice. Originally published in 1984, the book has been translated into many languages and reissued a bunch of times since. The result is a collection of covers that look like a mix of old-school and modern. And of course, most of them also feature Snaga, the trademark legendary magical weapon that gave the protagonist Druss his fearsome moniker, Captain of the Axe. After much deliberation, I decided to go with the one that felt the most “epic” for my winner.

But what do you think? Which one is your favorite?

Book Review: Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells

Posted on August 23, 2018 32 Comments

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells

Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Genre: Science Fiction

Series: Book 3 of The Murderbot Diaries

Publisher: Tor.com (August 7, 2018)

Length: 158 pages

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Murderbot’s back again in Rogue Protocol, the third installment in Martha Wells’ series of sci-fi novellas about a rogue A.I. who has broken free of its SecUnit programming, but all it wants is to be left alone to enjoy its thousands of hours of entertainment vids in peace. Well, that is until recently, when Murderbot discovered that GrayCris, the corporation behind the attacks that almost killed the scientists on the expedition that started this whole mess, is up to no good again. Whatever they’re doing might be worth investigating, so before long, Murderbot once more finds itself on a transport ship traveling to its destination with another group of humans that needs protecting.

Fortunately, due to some recent modifications, Murderbot is able to pass itself off as an augmented human, presenting itself to the other passengers as Rin, a security expert. But a hitch in this plan occurs unexpectedly, when Murderbot realizes that one of the group is an android named Miki who is accompanying its human on this mission as a—colleague? friend? pet? Murderbot can’t quite make sense of the relationship, but Miki’s presence is something of a concern since the other bot would know there is something more to “Rin” than meets the eye. Eventually though, every team member—whether human or A.I.—becomes an invaluable asset as their ship arrives at the planet where a defunct GrayCris terraforming facility awaits, not quite willing yet to spill all its secrets.

Maybe it was the fast-paced plot, or the fact this was probably the most suspenseful and action-oriented installment so far, but Rogue Protocol felt like a very short read. I blew through it in a little more than an hour, which should tell you at least how much I enjoyed it. At this point though, I would expect nothing less from a Murderbot novella; they’ve become my go-to books for reliable entertainment.

But as I’ve noted before in my reviews of the previous volumes, the Murderbot Diaries is also a surprisingly introspective and conceptual approach to our understanding of human nature, specifically asking the question “What does it mean to be human?” Granted, most of it is seen through Murderbot’s eyes, whose unique attitude and perspective on the matter certainly injects a lot of humor into it. Still anti-social and as snarky as ever, our protagonist is nevertheless evolving into something different—definitely not a mere program anymore, but at the same time, not quite human yet either. It’s hard to put a description on this “in-between” state of being, but it’s definitely integral to what makes Murderbot such a fantastic and interesting character, and the refreshing originality of its narrative voice is also why these books are so fun to read.

As ever, Murderbot is trying to figure things out. And it’s not just what GrayCris is up to either. Our protagonist is also trying to work out what makes humans tick. If it wants to be able to pass as one of them (strictly for practical reasons, of course), it knows it has to learn. It also wants to understand what it is gradually becoming. After all, these pesky things known as human emotions are baffling and worrisome. So far, we’ve seen Murderbot picking up these social cues as it learns from observing humans and watching its beloved cheesy soap operas. For the last two books, however, Wells has also introduced a third way for Murderbot to discover more about its programming: by comparing itself to other bots. In Artificial Condition, we met ART, who gave Murderbot a whole new perspective on A.I. to consider. Likewise, the presence of Miki here is designed to make Murderbot consider its role in the world, and I have to say, the utter confusion the other bot causes our protagonist was enough to make me burst out laughing. Poor Murderbot. It was in no way prepared for Miki.

Still, how this volume ended was a bit predictable, which admittedly stole away some of the emotional impact. That said, Rogue Protocol is another solid sequel in what might be one of the best sci-fi series to come out in recent years. Don’t let the size of these books fool you; Murderbot Diaries packs a powerful punch in every 150-ish page volume, and this is coming from someone who isn’t even all that into novellas and short fiction. I loved this, and I’m looking forward to more.

More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of All Systems Red (Book 1)
Review of Artificial Condition (Book 2)

Waiting on Wednesday 08/22/18

Posted on August 22, 2018 27 Comments

Mogsy’s Pick

The Unbound Empire by Melissa Caruso (April 30, 2019 by Orbit Books)

Swords and Fire trilogy has been one of my favorite fantasy series to come out in the last couple years, and it’s hard to believe the third book and final book is already on the horizon for next spring.

“The final volume of the Gemmell Morningstar Award-shortlisted Swords and Fire fantasy trilogy, in which political scion Amalia and her bound fire warlock Zaira must save the Empire from a ruthless, magical enemy. Perfect for fans of Tamora Pierce, The Queen of the Tearling, and Uprooted.

While winter snows keep the Witch Lord Ruven’s invading armies at bay, Lady Amalia Cornaro and the fire warlock Zaira attempt to change the fate of mages in the Raverran Empire forever, earning the enmity of those in power who will do anything to keep all magic under tight imperial control. But in the season of the Serene City’s great masquerade, Ruven executes a devastating surprise strike at the heart of the Empire – and at everything Amalia holds most dear.

To stand a chance of defeating Ruven, Amalia and Zaira must face their worst nightmares, expose their deepest secrets, and unleash Zaira’s most devastating fire.”

#FearlessWomen: The Fated Sky by Mary Robinette Kowal Spotlight & Exclusive Excerpt

Posted on August 21, 2018 18 Comments

Women are shining in every genre of speculative fiction, and it is no longer enough to say “Women arehere.” Instead, #FearlessWomen everywhere are taking a stand to say “Women will thrive here.”

Highlighting major titles from bestselling authors V.E. Schwab, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Jacqueline Carey as well as titles from acclaimed and debut authors such as Mary Robinette Kowal, Tessa Gratton, Sam Hawke, and Robyn Bennis, #FearlessWomen will be a coordinated social media celebration encouraging fans to start a dialogue about women in publishing, their worlds, their voices, and their unique stories.

The Fated Sky by Mary Robinette Kowal

Mary Robinette Kowal continues the grand sweep of alternate history begun in The Calculating Stars, The Fated Sky looks forward to 1961, when mankind is well-established on the moon and looking forward to its next step: journeying to, and eventually colonizing, Mars.

Of course the noted Lady Astronaut Elma York would like to go, but there’s a lot riding on whoever the International Aerospace Coalition decides to send on this historic—but potentially very dangerous—mission? Could Elma really leave behind her husband and the chance to start a family to spend several years traveling to Mars? And with the Civil Rights movement taking hold all over Earth, will the astronaut pool ever be allowed to catch up, and will these brave men and women of all races be treated equitably when they get there? This gripping look at the real conflicts behind a fantastical space race will put a new spin on our visions of what might have been.

Exclusive Excerpt

Here’s the interesting thing: you don’t have to like someone to work well with them. In fact, in some ways, it’s more efficient when you aren’t paired with someone whose company you enjoy, because both of you have a vested interest in finishing tasks as quickly as possible in order to minimize contact. When you’re with a friend, there’s likely to be joking or goofing around.

By this measure, I could be efficiently paired with half of the Mars team. Okay . . . that’s an exaggeration, but it did feel like everyone was angry at me. And, honestly, I couldn’t blame them. It was bad enough that I was a late addition and had to do a ton of catching up, but the way that I was being trotted around like a dog and pony show . . . that wasn’t something an astronaut assigned to a mission was supposed to be doing. It meant that everyone else had to cover for me. Cover for me more.

As we walked down the hall, away from the classroom, Betty glanced over at me. “You okay?”

Sure!” I chirped.

“I tried to put it off. Honest.”

“I know. It’s just . . . I’m already struggling to catch up.” Betty nodded with a grimace. “I’m refusing most interview requests, believe it or not. It’s just . . .”

I know. This is why I’m on the team.”

She led me to the room that PR had co- opted as a makeup and prep room. With a sigh, I settled in front of the mirror and let other people worry about my makeup and hair while I concentrated on my binder of information, with-out the benefit of the rock samples.

On Mars, we’d need to know how to look for potential water flow. That could be identified by small laminations or cross- stratification that showed festoon geometry from transport in subaqueous ripples.

I rubbed my forehead, and the makeup lady gently pulled my hand away. “Mustn’t smudge.”

“Right.” My priorities were a mess. In the mirror, it looked as though I were going to a holiday party wearing a flight suit. My hair fell in perfect soft curls that would never have survived if I’d actually been working. In sims and on the moon, I tended to keep it out of the way in a kerchief, but accuracy wasn’t the image that publicity had wanted.

About the Author

Mary Robinette Kowal is the author of the historical fantasy novels Ghost Talkers and the five books in The Glamourist Histories series. She is also a multiple Hugo Award winner. Her short fiction has appeared in Uncanny, Tor.com, and Asimov’s. Mary, a professional puppeteer, lives in Chicago with her husband Robert and over a dozen manual typewriters.

Join the Conversation

Tor Books’ handles across Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (@torbooks) will be using the hashtags #FearlessWomen (and #FearlessFantasy and #FearlessSF) to promote excerpts, exclusive content, quizzes and giveaways beginning in May. There will also be exclusive giveaways at BookCon, San Diego Comic-Con, and New York Comic Con. Follow Tor Books online, join the conversation – and get reading!