Book Review: The Star and the Strange Moon by Constance Sayers
Posted on November 16, 2023 8 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 Star and the Strange Moon by Constance Sayers
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Redhook (November 14, 2023)
Length: 480 pages
Author Information: Website
I love Constance Sayers, as she is wonderfully consistent. When it comes to haunting and evocative historicals, no one else can deliver stories quite like hers. The Star and the Strange Moon is no exception. Much like her previous books A Witch in Time and The Ladies of the Secret Circus, it is a captivating tale of sorrow and ambition, mystery and allure.
It also features a dual timeline structure. In the opening pages, readers meet Christopher Kent whose childhood with a troubled mother meant an unstable and nomadic existence living out of cheap motel rooms. Eventually, she had a breakdown which led to their separation, and Christopher came under the care of his aunt. While he never lived with his mother again, he would never forget what triggered her mental collapse—a photo of Gemma Turner, a 1960s starlet who famously vanished without a trace while on the set of a radical vampire-themed movie being filmed in France.
It is a memory that will shape our protagonist’s destiny. Fast forward to 2015, an adult Christopher has become obsessed with the actress and her potential link to his mother. His quest for the truth leads him to try and hunt down a copy of L’Etrange Lune, the notorious film Gemma had been working on when she disappeared. Though it was completed, it was never released, thought to be lost to time. However, Christopher’s investigation leads him to discover a clandestine group that receives a private screening of the movie every ten years. It is also rumored that each time it is shown, the footage is altered, sometimes even featuring new scenes with Gemma Turner, long presumed dead.
Then, in a 1968 timeline, we follow Gemma herself as she makes a final bid for stardom, traveling to France to audition for a part she so desperately needs. When she is offered the lead role of L’Etrange Lune, she can’t believe her luck. But the production is plagued with problems from the start, including behind-the-scenes animosities and a director who doesn’t seem to know what he’s doing. Then one day, while shooting a scene in an alleyway, Gemma unexpectedly finds herself transported to a different time—one mirroring the world of L’Etrange Lune, where its monsters also come to life.
Sayers skillfully weaves a tale filled with secrets spanning decades and generations, incorporating timeless themes in both the past and present narratives. While not strictly horror, the novel does utilize some of the genre’s elements to enhance the mysterious atmosphere which has become a hallmark of the author’s work. Case in point, the concept of an actress being transported into the very world depicted in her film can be a ridiculous one on the surface. Written in another tone or style, the story could have gone in a very different direction, yet Sayers manages to nail the mood down perfectly.
That said, if forced to choose, I probably prefer her previous two books to this one. Despite its brilliance, The Star and the Strange Moon runs up against several hurdles, notably towards the end. The phenomenal potential in the novel’s first half begins to fizzle as we move into the sections that provide the explanations and big reveals. In other words, as the mystique faded, so too did the momentum. The remainder wasn’t quite enough to keep up the strong pacing through to the final chapters, and the late addition of a romantic element also felt unconvincing and shoehorned in.
Still, a glitchy conclusion notwithstanding, The Star and the Strange Moon remains a compelling read, showcasing Constance Sayers’ talents for character development and storytelling. It’s perfect for readers seeking a delightful blend of historical fiction with just a touch of the unexplained.
Waiting on Wednesday 11/15/23
Posted on November 15, 2023 10 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 Mercy of Gods by James S.A. Corey (August 6, 2024 by Orbit)
“How humanity came to the planet called Anjiin is lost in the fog of history, but that history is about to end.
The Carryx—part empire, part hive—have waged wars of conquest for centuries, destroying or enslaving species across the galaxy. Now, they are facing a great and deathless enemy. The key to their survival may rest with the humans of Anjiin.
Caught up in academic intrigue and affairs of the heart, Dafyd Alkhor is pleased just to be an assistant to a brilliant scientist and his celebrated research team. Then the Carryx ships descend, decimating the human population and taking the best and brightest of Anjiin society away to serve on the Carryx homeworld, and Dafyd is swept along with them.
They are dropped in the middle of a struggle they barely understand, set in a competition against the other captive species with extinction as the price of failure. Only Dafyd and a handful of his companions see past the Darwinian contest to the deeper game that they must play to survive: learning to understand—and manipulate—the Carryx themselves.
With a noble but suicidal human rebellion on one hand and strange and murderous enemies on the other, the team pays a terrible price to become the trusted servants of their new rulers.
Dafyd Alkhor is a simple man swept up in events that are beyond his control and more vast than his imagination. He will become the champion of humanity and its betrayer, the most hated man in history and the guardian of his people.
This is where his story begins.”
Book Review: The Queen of Days by Greta Kelly
Posted on November 13, 2023 14 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 Queen of Days by Greta Kelly
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 1/Stand Alone
Publisher: Harper Voyager (October 24, 2023)
Length: 384 pages
Author Information: Website
Greta Kelly’s The Queen of Days initially held great promise for me, especially following my positive experience with her brilliant Warrior Witch duology. The prospect of a new adventure—a heist story, no less, which is like catnip for me—set in a world teeming with gods and demigods immediately piqued my interest. Ultimately though, I believe the novel would have benefited from a more in-depth exploration of the individual characters and their dynamics.
When the story begins, readers are introduced to Balthazar, a former member of the ruling class whose entire life was upended when his family fell under the attack of a vengeful political rival. Only Bal and his younger sister Miraveena survived, along with a few members of his extended family like his half-brother Malakai, cousin Zeelaya and her husband Edik, all of whom are now on the run. Forced to steal to survive, they become thieves for hire, targeting the nobility that had let them down. But now, they’ve been offered their biggest score yet. Bal’s mysterious patron has hired their crew to steal the idol of Karanis at the grand gala to celebrate the construction of the new temple to the sea god. Sure, it would be difficult in front of all those in attendance, but the pay alone would ensure all their futures. To Bal, nothing is more important than his little sister, and if they pull this off, Mira would be set for life.
There’s only one problem. For unknown reasons, their patron will only give them the job if they agree to take on a sixth member, the legendary thief known as the Queen of Days. Unwilling to let this chance of a lifetime slip through his fingers, Bal reluctantly strikes a deal with the mysterious figure, who introduces herself as Tassiel. When asked about her fee, however, she asks him to pay with thirty days off the end of his life and the same for each of his crew. Skeptical and disbelieving, Bal accepts.
This is just the beginning of what promises to be a whirlwind journey that will challenge not only our characters’ skills as thieves but also their very understanding of the rules that make up their universe. As they’ll soon discover, there is nothing traditional or even ordinary about the ceremony they’re about to crash, and the idol they’ve been tasked to steal is a magical artifact of immense significance, one that will change the fate of both mortals and gods. For Bal, this will mean fighting to maintain the fragile unity of his crew and learning to trust in Tassiel, at least long enough for them to survive this whole ordeal.
Yet while Kelly succeeds in portraying this band of thieves as a loveable found family, I felt that having an ensemble cast both strengthened and challenged the narrative. Yes, having more characters undoubtedly made the story more interesting, but because the focus was also very divided, I found it more difficult to connect to any of them. Notably, the author should have made a stronger case for Bal as the mastermind, the role traditionally filled by the crew’s leader in a heist story. There were several reasons why I found this unconvincing, the main one being his poor decision-making skills and lack of good judgment. His impulsiveness was not a good look and made it harder for me to feel sympathy for him or even root for his success.
Needless to say, I preferred Tassiel’s chapters over Bal’s, though the point-of-view shifts between the two from first-person to third-person took some adjusting. It also resulted in putting a bit of distance between the reader and her character, though in the end, it didn’t prevent me from warming to her personality as more about history was revealed (meanwhile, the more time I spent with Bal, the less I liked him).
This being a heist story, it should also come as no surprise that it stuck hard to heist crew archetypes. That said, I wish we had gotten more complex characters and that the plot moved beyond the usual predictable patterns. Granted, this was by no means a bad book, but nothing about it truly surprised or inspired me.
In other words, unlike Greta Kelly’s The Frozen Crown which I felt was a glorious debut, this one simply didn’t shine quite as bright. Don’t get me wrong, for readers who are looking for a pacy, entertaining, and action-packed heist story set in a fantasy world, I think The Queen of Days will be perfectly satisfactory. Nevertheless, those who are very familiar with the conventions of the genre and are looking for something more by way of characters and plot may find it somewhat wanting.
Bookshelf Roundup 11/12/23: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on November 12, 2023 10 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!
Heartless by H.G. Parry (Subterranean Press): A Peter Pan inspired novellas wher newly-orphaned James meets ten-year-old Peter, and the two boys forge a strange friendship based on their shared love of stories about a magical island called Neverland.
Logical Fantasy: The Many Worlds of John Wyndham edited by David Dyte (Subterranean Press): A collection of the author’s work which also includes many of his previously uncollected stories.
Doorway to the Stars by Jack McDevitt (Subterranean Press): An ancient stargate is discovered on Sioux land in this new novelette that is loosely tied to the author’s novel Thunderbird, coming to print for the very first time.
The Tusks of Extinction by Ray Nayler (Tordotcom): Mammoths are brought back from extinction in this novella about trying to help a resurrected species stay alive. To do this, the digitized consciouness of a late scientist who was the world’s foremost expert in elephant behavior is uploaded into the brain of a mammoth. This one sounds fascinating.
Off the Air by Christina Estes (Minotaur): A new-to-me murder mystery about a local TV reporter who is determined to solve the murder of a controversial talk show host who she had interviewed just before his death. This one is giving off mega entertaining vibes too, so I hope I’ll get some time this winter to check it out.
The Professor by Lauren Nossert (Macmillan Audio): A former detective turned research assistant is tasked to investigate the scandal of a college professor who was suspended after her student is found dead, the rumor being that he apparently killed himself after their affair went sour. After a month of SFF reads, I felt like I was due for a thriller and requested this because it sounded interesting.
Godly Heathens by H.E. Edgmon (Macmillan Audio): A YA contemporary fantasy set in small town Georgia where two teens discover they are reincarnated gods who have known each other across lifetimes.
Reviews
- 4 of 5 stars to The Olympian Affair by Jim Butcher
- 3 of 5 stars to Good Girls Don’t Die by Christina Henry
- 3 of 5 stars to Shield Maiden by Sharon Emmerichs
Recent Reads
As you can see, I’m closing the gap between my finished books and reviewed books. This week I polished off Good Girls Don’t Die and The Hunting Moon, which were both quick reads. And speaking of quick, I also got to listen to the audiobook of Dead Voices, the second volume of Katherine Arden’s Middle Grade Small Spaces quartet. I found that I could finish these books in a little less than two hours at the playback speeds I’m used to.
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!
Book Review: Good Girls Don’t Die by Christina Henry
Posted on November 10, 2023 11 Comments
received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Good Girls Don’t Die by Christina Henry
Mogsy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Genre: Horror, Thriller, Mystery
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Berkley (November 14, 2023)
Length: 320 pages
Author Information: Website
Good Girls Don’t Die by Christina Henry presented a unique concept, probably one of the most original I have read in years. However, something about the execution, perhaps the author’s writing style or the challenge of weaving the story’s elements together in the end, just didn’t quite hit the high notes for me.
In a narrative told in three parts, we first begin with Celia, our first heroine, waking up in a perfect little house in a perfect little town. Although she remembers her own name, she has no idea who she is or who the people are in the family photos adorning the bedside table or the walls. She doesn’t recognize the man who call himself her husband, or the little girl insisting she help make her lunch for school. Hiding her confusion, but in fact panicking inside, she tries to go about her day as normal, hoping the memories will come back. Clues lead her to an Italian restaurant she apparently owns, but it doesn’t explain why she cannot remember anything about her life. Why does she have the feeling that her so-called friends and family are lying to her? And why does everything feel so staged? Somehow, Celia doesn’t think she belongs in this world…
Just as things in this first section starts to heat up, the story abruptly pivots its attention to a young woman named Allie. This second phase of the narrative unfolds with Allie and her two best friends preparing for a road trip to celebrate her birthday weekend. However, their plans take an unexpected turn when a pair of frat boys crash the party, leading them to an isolated cabin in the woods. Like Celia, the heroine before her, Allie also beings to sense something off about the cabin and their surroundings, like the absence of wildlife, insects, or the usual forest sounds. As night falls, her unease intensifies, as someone or something can be detected lurking between the trees, waiting to pick them off one by one…
The narrative then shifts a third and final time to Maggie, who finds herself forced to compete against others in a deadly game. All the “contestants” are women with similar stories: someone they love has been taken hostage, and to save them, they must take part in a series of survival challenges filled with booby traps, armed with nothing but their wits. As there can only be one winner, every participant will be playing to the death. For Maggie, it is her daughter who has been taken, and she is prepared to go all the way to be the last one standing.
In Good Girls Don’t Die, Henry fully embraces the opportunity to riff on popular and familiar genre tropes. We have the amateur sleuth in a cozy mystery. The final girl a slasher flick. A desperate contestant in a battle royale style death game. Three different protagonists in three separate thrilling narratives. Readers are led to wonder: How are all these threads connected? As I followed Celia, Allie, and Maggie through their individual ordeals, I found myself drawn deeper into this entertaining and riveting puzzle where so many questions were in play.
But alas, even as the initial setup of the novel and the three individual women’s stories got me hooked, I couldn’t help but feel the subsequent revelations fell short of expectations. Have you ever read a mystery where the journey itself was much more satisfying than getting the answers? This was how I felt in the end when all was finally made known—thoroughly underwhelmed.
Admittedly, part of this might have something to do with Henry’s own style. As an avid reader of her books, I’m not surprised at the overt feminist themes in Good Girls Don’t Die, but nonetheless, I couldn’t help but wish for more credible bad guys. I get that this entire book was a play on tropes, but couldn’t we have at least gotten some variation in the antagonists as we got for the protagonists? All the men ended up being these over-the-top villain-types who tended to veer towards a cartoonish quality, which further robbed the ending of its intended impact.
All told, Good Girls Don’t Die undoubtedly serves up a neat and intriguing concept, attempting to blend a variety of genre elements into one connected narrative. Unfortunately, the ending didn’t tie things up quite as tidily as I hoped. That said, the book highlights Christina Henry’s ability to craft unconventional and very readable stories.
Waiting on Wednesday 11/08/23
Posted on November 8, 2023 12 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
Echo of Worlds by M.R. Carey (June 25, 2024 by Orbit)
“Following the critically acclaimed Infinity Gate comes the second and final novel in the Pandominion by international bestselling M.R. Carey. A thrilling adventure set in the multiverse, it tells of humanity’s expansion across millions of dimensions, and the AI technology that might see it all come to an end . . .
Two mighty empires are at war – and both will lose, with thousands of planets falling to the extinction event called the Scour. At least that’s what the artificial intelligence known as Rupshe believes.
But somewhere in the multiverse there exists a force – the Mother Mass – that could end the war in an instant, and Rupshe has assembled a team to find it. Essien Nkanika, a soldier trying desperately to atone for past sins; the cat-woman Moon, a conscienceless killer; the digitally recorded mind of physicist Hadiz Tambuwal; Paz, an idealistic child and the renegade robot spy Dulcimer Coronal.
Their mission will take them from the hellish prison world of Tsakom to the poisoned remains of a post-apocalyptic Earth, and finally bring them face to face with the Mother Mass itself. But can they persuade it to end eons of neutrality and help them? And is it too late to make a difference?
Because the Pandominion’s doomsday machines are about to be unleashed – and not even their builders know how to control them.
Discover the conclusion to the spectacular Pandominion duology – an exhilarating science fiction series from the author of the million-copy bestseller The Girl With All the Gifts . Perfect for fans of The Space Between Worlds, The Long Earth and Children of Time.”
Book Review: Shield Maiden by Sharon Emmerichs
Posted on November 7, 2023 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.
Shield Maiden by Sharon Emmerichs
Mogsy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Redhook (October 3, 2023)
Length: 416 pages
Author Information: Website
Sharon Emmerich’s Shield Maiden is a historical fantasy novel which reimagines Beowulf from the perspective of a young woman, presenting an intriguing premise. However, that it is the author’s debut is also evident in the story’s unrealized potential and its noticeably rough edges.
The book begins with an introduction to Fryda of Clan Waegmunding, daughter of the Lord of Eceweall and also niece of King Beowulf, the legendary monster slayer turned ruler of Geatland. Ever since she was a little girl, Fryda has dreamed of becoming a shield maiden, an elite woman warrior, but a tragic accident soon put an end to those aspirations. With a shattered hand that became permanently misshapen even after it healed, the clandestine combat training sessions with the blacksmith is the closest she will ever get to a battlefield.
Still, Fryda has put her courage and compassion to work in other areas, becoming a natural leader, even if she is generally ignored by her father and twin brother Wiglaf. In a dramatic turn of events, her uncle Beowulf arrives at their hall for a feast celebrating his fifty-year reign on the throne. Amidst a large number of guests, the event becomes a chaotic affair, leading to perfect conditions for an attack. Fryda becomes victim of an attempted abduction, which is thankfully thwarted by her secret lover Theow, a Celtic slave. The incident also reveals a conspiracy to overthrow Fryda’s father, but of course, no one is willing to take her seriously, forcing our protagonist to take the investigation into her own hands.
First, the good: I love to check out unique retellings, and a fresh take on the Beowulf legend was certainly enticing. And ultimately, I think that’s where the strength of Shield Maiden lies. Beowulf himself may play a role, but for the most part, he is a background character. This is and always will be Fryda’s story, her journey to break free from societal norms and to fulfill her dreams on her own now that the conventional way is barred to her, which is the heart of the novel and an admirable message on its own. It’s also clear that the author has done a lot of research for this book, diving deep into the historical and cultural details to make the world come to life.
But now, for the not so great. While the book’s premise may be its strongest asset, there were a few major stumbling blocks that prevented it from fulfilling its full potential. My number one issue was the simplistic character development. Yes, Fryda’s motivations were commendable, but her behaviors and decisions were often predictable and unimaginative. Additionally, many of the interpersonal relationships seemed forced and one-dimensional. Fryda could do no wrong, for example, and her heart remains oh so pure and free of bitterness despite her one true dream being ripped away from her as a child. She and she alone in the entire clan was kind to the slaves and servants, and everyone loved her, including of course Uncle Beowulf with whom she has a special friendship. I mean, one can’t help but wonder if the book might have been written with elements of wish-fulfillment in mind.
In the end, Shield Maiden proved to be an enjoyable and entertaining read, and I think it will also appeal to those looking for a different approach to the retellings of classic legends. Still, I did finish it with a yearning for more depth and complexity in both story and characters, which I’m sure the author will get a chance to refine in her future projects. I’ll be watching what she does next with interest.
Book Review: The Olympian Affair by Jim Butcher
Posted on November 6, 2023 22 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 Olympian Affair by Jim Butcher
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of The Cinder Spires
Publisher: Ace (November 7, 2023)
Length: 656 pages
Author Information: Website
Eight years after the release of The Aeronaut’s Windlass, the sequel The Olympian Affair is finally here. Not going to lie; I’d almost lost hope that this book would ever be released, but of course now that I have read it, I am as content as can be. While I was worried that, after so long, my memory of the first book might have faded, I’m happy to report that getting back into the world of The Cinder Spires was easier than expected. In fact, the real challenge I faced was a slow first half.
But first, we catch up with protagonist Captain Francis Grimm as the approaching war threatens everything he cares about. His home of Spire Albion and their rival Spire Aurora have been at odds for a long time, and soon the might of their respective airship armadas, as well as the skills of the aeronauts who lead and crew them, will be tested.
However, things do not feel as dire initially as the story opens on a strange, curious note. Grimm and his crew aboard the Predator receive a call to check up on a colony, but they arrive to find it gone, completely destroyed by a mysterious force. In the meantime, it appears that a population of sentient talking cats had moved in. One of their representatives proceeds to make a bargain with the humans to reveal what happened to the colony in exchange for new territory for its clan. Here, the plot splits into two fronts, one which sees Spirearch guards Bridget Tagwynn and the warriorborn Benedict of House Lancaster embark on a mission of cat diplomacy, while Grimm continues towards Spire Olympia to attend an important trade summit where representatives from Spire Aurora will also be in attendance.
Unfortunately, one of these delegates is Rafe Valesco. An arrogant but immensely skilled duelist, he prides himself on never having lost a fight. And now he has it in for Grimm and his friend Commodore Alex Bayard. Despite their attempts to stay out of the skilled swordsman’s way, a public confrontation ultimately escalates to the point where duels to the death will become necessary to settle the matter.
Up until this point, it pains me to admit the book was quite challenging to get through—almost a struggle in places. Call me cranky, but maybe I’m just not a fan of cats-or-anything-cutesy as a central plot element, because the entire subplot involving Bridget, Benedict and Rowl felt like a timewaster, a self-indulgent treat for Jim Butcher whose love of cats is obvious. Of course, that’s not to say their chapters didn’t have their moments, because there was plenty of action and the cats were fantastic and full of sass. Still, I should think even the most fervent of cat lovers would agree, dedicating so many pages to push the overall story forward so little might be a bit much.
No, the real action starts when the dueling begins. I breathed a sigh of relief as the dam broke, giving way to the excitement of spire politics and the ruthless intrigue and maneuvering that it involves. While the worldbuilding places The Cinder Spires firmly in the realm of sci-fi steampunk, the story’s vibe is pure swashbuckling fantasy. I was delighted to find that the second half of The Olympian Affair managed to capture that same sense of wonder and adventure that made The Aeronaut’s Windlass such an exhilarating read. From soaring airships and sky-dwelling leviathans to high stakes duels atop floating platforms miles above the surface–it simply doesn’t get any better than this.
In short, despite a few early speed bumps where Butcher seemed overly focused on the side plot about the cats, the latter half of the book made it all worthwhile. In fact, I was quite impressed with the recovery. I went from practically forcing myself to keep pushing through the first half to not being able to read fast enough in the second. Leading up to the novel’s climax, the energy was on fire and in full swing, steering the narrative toward another brilliant conclusion.
I think it’s safe to say, if you enjoyed The Aeronaut’s Windlass, you’re likely to enjoy The Olympian Affair as well. Personally, I struggled with the first half, but if the talking cats end up being your favorite part, you may very well disagree. Regardless, here’s hoping that we don’t have to wait quite as long for the next book.
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of The Aeronaut’s Windlass (Book 1)
Bookshelf Roundup 11/05/23: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on November 5, 2023 24 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!
City in Ruins by Don Winslow (William Morrow): The third and final installment in the Danny Ryan mob thriller trilogy.
Saevus Corax Gets Away with Murder by K.J. Parker (Orbit): The Corax trilogy whose books are being released in rapid succession also comes to a close with this finale.
Betrayal by Phillip Margolin (Minotaur Books): A surprise arrival which turned out to be the seventh installment of the Robin Lockwood series. Legal thrillers aren’t really my thing, but anyone know anything about these books?
Blood Betrayal by Ausma Zehanat Khan (Minotaur Books): More betrayal! This is the second book of the Blackwater Falls series which is new to me, but I’ve read the author’s fantasy before.
The Last Girl Breathing by Court Stevens (Thomas Nelson): Eight years ago, Lucy’s little brother was swept away in a flood when a dam broke and she could not save him. Now her stepbrother is missing, and certain parallels lead Lucy to think the events could be connected.
The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose (Macmillan Audio): It’s the beginning of the month so that means a bunch of new listening copies. So excited about this follow-up to The Maid!
Only She Came Back by Margot Harrison (Hachette Audio): A YA thriller about a true crime junkie and her friendsihp with a high school classmate suspected of murdering her boyfriend.
The Ghosts of Beatrice Bird by Louisa Morgan (Hachette Audio): I would never pass up a chance to read more Louisa Morgan, and I hope this ghostly paranormal fantasy will be another winner.
The Beautiful and the Wild by Peggy Townsend (Penguin Audio): A chilling thriller and story of survival that takes place in the wilds of Alaska. I read the description and just couldn’t resist.
Reviews
We began this week with a couple of reviews to wrap up Spooktastic Reads and ended it with one to kick off ScifiMonth.
- 4.5 of 5 stars to The Reformatory by Tananarive Due
- 3.5 of 5 stars to Nestlings by Nat Cassidy
- 3.5 of 5 stars to Red River Seven by A.J. Ryan
Recent Reads
I spent almost the whole week reading The Olympian Affair, a hefty book at more than 600 pages. Even though it’s been years since the first book came out, getting back into the world was surprisingly easy. Not so easy was the first half of the book which went on and on and on without much happening, but then it was like a light switched on at that point and the rest was incredible! Still, I felt like I needed a break after that. Just for fun, I picked up Small Spaces by Katherine Arden, the first of her middle grade horror dark fantasy quartet of the same name. Her new book The Warm Hands of Ghosts is due out next February, five years since the conclusion of the lovely Winternight Trilogy. This MG series was what she had been working on in the interim, and I was curious to check it out.
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!
Book Review: Red River Seven by A. J. Ryan
Posted on November 3, 2023 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.
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction, Horror
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Orbit (October 10, 2023)
Length: 304 pages
Author Information: Website
Anthony Ryan does horror dystopian sci-fi? This I had to see! Writing under the pseudonym A. J. Ryan, the epic fantasy author behind books like the Raven’s Shadow and Covenant of Steel trilogies now brings us this haunting but briskly paced tale about a group of strangers who wake up on a boat with no memory of who are and no clue how they got there.
Red River Seven literally begins with a bang. A man jolts awake at the sound of the gunshot, disoriented and confused, becoming even more perturbed when he realizes the one who pulled the trigger now lies in a puddle of blood, dead by his own hand. There’s nothing on the deceased to establish his identity, save for a word tattooed on his wrist: “Conrad.” This makes the man look down at his own wrist, sees the word, “Huxley.”
Soon, it is revealed that there are five others with him on what appears to be a boat, one that is on some kind of autopilot and cannot be manually controlled. None of them can remember their names either, but all are rocking their own tattoo of a famous writer on their wrist. The others are Rhys, Plath, Pynchon, Golding, and Dickinson. As they contemplate their next steps, they come to the realization that despite their lack of personal memories, they possess the ability to recollect obscure facts. In this way, they are able to determine that each of them holds expertise in a highly specific field, apparently gathered together for a specific purpose. But what might that be? And why?
As you can imagine, I was completely hooked from the start. What sets it apart is Ryan’s remarkable talent for world-building, as anyone who has read his fantasy novels can attest. The setting of Red River Seven might not be as fleshed out, given the limited view we have through the perspectives of characters who are suffering from amnesia, but I felt the weight of the atmosphere all the same. The sensation was both immersive and claustrophobic; you could practically feel the waves of tension, dread, and mistrust emanating from the characters as they grappled with their predicament.
Of course, the premise is not exactly original, but mystery readers will feel quite at home with the way this plot unfolds. The narrative seamlessly weaves in elements of horror, evoking a sense of impending doom as this boatful of strangers chug their way towards an unknowable destination through a thick red fog. I could practically hear the chilling horror soundtrack playing in the background as events take increasingly bizarre turns—like a trilling phone breaking the silence, a robotic voice on the other end of the line issuing strange and sometimes violent instructions, or the spine-tingling, almost inhuman cries that reach them through the impenetrable mists. All that’s to say, despite the familiar themes, there are indeed some innovative takes.
When the answers finally do come, however, they might disappoint the experienced dystopian fiction reader. And the relatively short length and snappy pace of the book can also be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it was a quick read which kept me turning the pages for much of the novel, but on the other, it leaves some aspects of the ending feeling underexplored. As entertaining as it is, I also doubt it will resonate or as long or as powerfully as the author’s epic fantasy work.
Nevertheless, Red River Seven remains a thrilling read that strikes a good balance between speed and suspense, and Anthony Ryan aka A. J. Ryan has proven himself capable and flexible with many genres. While I don’t think the story itself will leave a lasting impression on me long term, reading it in the moment was undoubtedly a rollercoaster of an experience.
The BiblioSanctum 