Book Review: City of Miracles by Robert Jackson Bennett
Posted on May 3, 2017 17 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
City of Miracles by Robert Jackson Bennett
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 3 of The Divine Cities
Publisher: Broadway Books (US: May 2, 2017; Jo Fletcher (UK: May 4, 2017)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Robert Jackson Bennett is back with the third installment of his Divine Cities sequence, and so ends one of the most brilliant and extraordinary fantasy series in recent times. First, we were introduced to this incredible world of Divinities and miracles in City of Stairs, joining protagonist Shara Komayd as she fearlessly stood against a god. That was soon followed by the even more impressive City of Blades, a thrilling mystery starring the indomitable General Turyin Mulaghesh. And now, with The City of Miracles focusing on the fan favorite Sigrud je Harkvaldsson, the trifecta is finally complete.
When I first read the synopsis though, my reaction was pure shock. Our beloved Shara Komayd, the character who was the glue that held this series together, dead? Surely it had to be a mistake. Or a trick. But that is indeed the way the story starts, with the news of Shara’s assassination being the catalyst that sparks Sigrud into action. For years he had been living alone in hiding, silently punishing himself for the brutal crimes he had committed. However, Shara’s murder changes everything. To avenge his dearest friend, he would return from his self-exile and risk his life to hunt down those responsible.
But the investigation soon leads Sigrud to uncover a lot more behind Shara’s death. Someone very powerful had arranged for her assassination in order to get their hands on some dangerous knowledge, for Shara had been working on a secret project right before she was killed. Not even her closest friends and allies had any idea what she was up to, but there were just enough clues left behind for Sigrud to find the next step. To his dismay, they lead him to a list, on which the name of Shara’s own daughter appears. Clearly, the girl is in danger, but no one has known the whereabouts of Tatyana Komayd since even before her mother’s assassination. Shara had made sure to keep her daughter safely hidden away from the public eye, but unfortunately, those protections are about to come under threat. To keep Taty safe, Sigrud must find her before the enemy gets to her first, but how does one keep ahead of enemy who is quite literally everywhere?
This might come as no surprise, but once again, character development was the clear standout for me. Before I continue though, I must confess, I’d never really been that taken with Sigrud. While I have nothing against the character, it has always mystified me why he is so popular. After all, it’s not like the fantasy genre is lacking in large, hulking berserker types who always come off as calm, quiet, and collected—until they are not. Sigrud is a great character, but just…nothing special. Sure, we saw slight character growth from the first book to the second, but that was still not quite enough to convince me he’s that much more than another cookie-cutter archetype. Hence this is why City of Miracles delighted me. Here, not only are we given a deeper, more intimate look into Sigrud’s inner workings, we also get to witness how he is ultimately transformed by the experience. He might have not reached Mulaghesh-levels of awesomeness, true—but I was still nonetheless impressed with the evolution of his story arc.
Next, I must praise the excellent plot. Following the trend set by the previous books, City of Miracles is another blend of fantasy and mystery, leavened with a dash of action and suspense. Calling it a revenge story might be accurate, but it also belies the complexity behind Sigrud’s mission. His hunt for Shara’s killers is only the tip of the iceberg; discovering what his old friend was up to—and how her secret project ties into the fate of Continent itself—is the real meat of this tale. The mystery is also constantly shifting into thriller territory, and one of my favorite scenes even reads like something straight out of Mission: Impossible. I love the way Bennett combines all the different themes, taking the trappings of traditional fantasy and giving them a modern makeover. The Divine aspect is also further explored in this one, and the revelations to come out of it are epic to say the least.
Of course, there’s a lot more I can say about the story, and especially about the new characters, but I’m afraid anything more would be risking spoilers. Suffice to say it was a good book, and though City of Blades still holds the distinction of being my favorite of the series, City of Miracles was certainly no slouch either. Only time will tell if the author will ever return to this world, but for what it’s worth, there’s a strong sense of closure to this one. If this is indeed the end, there’s no doubt in my mind that The Divine Cities got the send-off truly worthy of its scope, imagination, and impact. I will be looking forward to Bennett’s next project with great enthusiasm.
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of City of Stairs (Book 1)
Review of City of Blades (Book 2)
Waiting on Wednesday 05/03/17
Posted on May 3, 2017 19 Comments
“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that lets us feature upcoming releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!
Mogsy’s Pick
Magic of Wind and Mist by Cassandra Rose Clarke (October 24, 2017 by Saga Press)
This is actually a two-novel volume containing the books of the Hanna Duology. Sadly I never got to check out book one The Wizard’s Promise back when it was first published by Strange Chemistry, right before the imprint’s shutdown. After that, it got hard to justify picking it up when the fate of the sequel was in question, as much as I adore CRC. But now, Saga Press has given the series a new home…and book two The Nobleman’s Revenge is finally happening! It will be included with the first book in this omnibus, which I’ll most definitely be checking out.
“Taking place in the world of Cassandra Rose Clarke’s Magic of Blood and Sea, this is the story of a would-be witch who embarks on an adventure filled with intrigue, mystery, mermaids, and magic.
Hanna has spent her life hearing about the adventures of her namesake Ananna, the lady pirate, and assassin Naji, and dreams to have some adventures of her own.
One day when Hanna is with her apprentice—a taciturn fisherman called Kolur—the boat is swept wildly off course during a day of storms and darkness. In this strange new land, Kolur hires a stranger to join the crew and, rather than heading home, sets a course for the dangerous island of Jadanvar. As Hanna meets a secretive merboy—and learns that Kolur has a deadly past—she soon realizes that wishing for adventures can be deadly…because those wishes might come true.”
Book Review: Mass Effect: Nexus Uprising by Jason M. Hough and K.C. Alexander
Posted on May 2, 2017 10 Comments
Mass Effect: Nexus Uprising by Jason M. Hough and K.C. Alexander
Genre: Science Fiction, Gaming Tie-In
Series: Mass Effect Andromeda #1
Publisher: Titan Books (March 2017)
Author Info: jasonhough.com and kcalexander.com
Wendy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Join the Initiative, she said. It’ll be great, she said.
The Andromeda Initiative is the massively ambitious brainchild of one Jien Garson, an entrepeneur with lots of money and a wanderlust. The result? A 600 year journey aboard the Nexus from the Milky Way to the Andromeda Galaxy. Buuuut it turns out the brochures didn’t warn about all the wild and crazy things that could happen to a galaxy while everyone is sleeping for six centuries.
When the Nexus arrives in the Andromeda Galaxy, things are the opposite of good and Security Director Sloane Kelly is rudely awakened from cryosleep to find everything in disarray. Worse still, most of the Initiative’s leadership has been killed, including the enigmatic Garson. No one left has any of the pluck and gumption that can hold this mission together, even though the defacto leadership tries their best to do so.
Players of BioWare’s latest scifi adventure, Mass Effect Andromeda, are well aware of bad things that went on prior to our Pathfinder’s arrival in the Andromeda Galaxy, but there is little information in-game about the uprising that led to many people being exiled. Now’s our chance to fill in the blanks. But be warned. If you’re expecting fast-paced adventure, this is not where you’ll find it. For some, the book might seem slow, but mutiny doesn’t happen over night.
The story begins with the Nexus’ horrific encounter with what comes to be known as the Scourge, a deadly energy field that tears through the ship seemingly without rhyme or reason. When Kelly awakes, she finds herself fighting to survive. She is quickly joined by Superintendent Nakmor Kesh, the krogan engineer who knows the Nexus inside and out. Security. Engineering. That’s a pretty good start to trying to get things under control, but with Jien Garson dead, they are forced to turn to Colonial Director Foster Addison and the assistant accounting guy, Jarun Tann as the only other sources of leadership. As can be seen in-game, none of these people get along very well for various reasons, but surely, with survival and the mission at the forefront in all their minds, they can set aside differences to get things done?
Unfortunately, it is those differences, and the continued threat of the Scourge, that ultimately lead to the uprising — though not in terms as simple as the people turning on their leaders. As I said, the book’s pacing is slow, but I appreciate the time it takes to dig into the heads of the main characters and understand their role in the failure of the mission. Because, while they all will blame one another, they each know where they failed the mission too.
And the moral of the story is that none of this would have happened if Jien Garson had survived.
Of course, that’s just speculation, but it is interesting to see how much weight the book puts on Garson’s ability to convince tens of thousands of people to work together to begin this mission, and the belief that without her, it could not possibly succeed.
Overall, this book does not necessarily provide further insight into the uprising than can be gleaned from the wiki page, but for me, delving more deeply into gaming lore is all about better understanding character motivations. It’s less about the how we got here than the why. With that in mind, I am not at all disappointed. In fact, it’s been a long time since I’ve been so engaged in a book that I stayed up late to finish it, but when I got half way through, I simply had to know more. And by the end, I came out a little more heartbroken and sympathetic towards the people who tried so hard and got so far, but in the end, did it really matter? I guess only my Pathfinder will be able to tell…
Tough Traveling: Assassins
Posted on May 1, 2017 22 Comments
Back in 2014, the idea for Tough Traveling started with Nathan of Fantasy Review Barn who came up with the excellent idea of making a new list each week based on the most common tropes in fantasy, as seen in (and inspired by) The Tough Guide to Fantasyland, a tongue-in-cheek parody of the fantasy genre by Diana Wynn Jones. It was widely successful, with over fifty bloggers participating at one point before it went on hiatus. But now Tough Traveling is back, with huge thanks to Laura from Fantasy Faction for reviving the feature! Every first of the month we’ll be posting a list of books that fit a particular theme, with the next month’s theme also to be announced. Interested in participating? Well, grab your traveling packs and come along! You are welcome to post your Tough Traveling lists anytime during the month.
May’s topic is:
Assassins
Assassins are ubiquitous throughout fantasyland. Sharp-eyed readers (or even dull-eyed ones) will notice that their hooded forms often adorn book covers, and that they frequently appear – rather improbably – not to mind being the sole focus of our attention. Whether they’re spotlight hogs or camera-shy and brooding, most assassins will have trained for years and are very, VERY good at their job (i.e. killing people for money).
“I love assassinating assassins. They always look so surprised.”
— Sith Assassin, Star Wars The Old Republic
The Reaper’s Bride
Assassin’s Charge by Claire Frank: Rhisia Sen leads a life of luxury as one of the emperor’s highest paid assassins. She can afford to take assignments as she pleases, but when she takes one that demands she kill a child, she suddenly has a change of heart. This is her line in the sand and she will not cross it, even at the risk of her own life. Now the assassin is being hunted by assassins… Who says assassins can’t have honour?
Ardalan’s Assassin
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas: When we first meet the infamous assassin, she is a slave at the king’s mercy. She has already killed many of her jailers in an attempted escape. She will not be broken. This makes her a perfect contestant in the king’s challenge to find a new royal assassin. This is reality television at its finest as we follow Celaena through her training regiment and personal life.
Master Durzo Blint
The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks: Durzo Blint is a wetboy. An odd name, certainly, but no one in town makes fun of this deadly assassin — or lives to tell about it. He spends the better part of The Way of Shadows training the young, Azoth, how to walk in his deadly footsteps. Alas, my greatest disappointment of this book is the fact that it is not actually about Master Durzo Blint, but instead this snotty, whiny, brat kid and his cliche problems and magicness that ruins what could have been a great assassin story.
Seishiro Sakurazuka
Tokyo Babylon and X by CLAMP: Why are the blossoms of the sakura (chery blossom) trees pink? It is because they feed on the blood of bodies buried beneath them. Such is the grim work of the mysterious Sakurazukamori Clan, assassins who kill without remorse or compunction and leave no witnesses. There is only ever one Sakurazukamori at a time. The irony being that each Sakurazukamori is killed by the one they love most, though the Sakurazukamori are raised to be devoid of emotion. And so it was his mother’s life that Seishiro took in order to become the assassin of all assassins.
The “Guild of Assassins” topic was one of my favorites from the original run of Tough Travels, so I’m very glad it’s back! Here’s my chance to add to the roster some newer reads that didn’t get a chance to make it to the list the first time ’round…
Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb – FitzChivalry
Color me shocked that I had not included FitzChivalry the first time we covered this theme. This first novel of the Farseer trilogy introduces us to the character and covers his early life as a royal bastard living at Buckkeep Castle. During his time there, Fitz goes from being a stable boy to become a “King’s Man” to King Shrewd, with this rise in station accompanied by weapons and basic combat training. Soon, he also makes the acquaintance of an assassin named Chade, who takes Fitz on as his apprentice.
Nevernight by Jay Kristoff – Mia Corvere
Mia Corvere’s father was a famed military leader – until he led a failed rebellion and was consequently executed along with his followers. Mia was then captured with the rest of her family, but managed to escape, surviving alone for the next few years in the cold, merciless shadows of the city. Desiring revenge on her father’s enemies, Mia ends up under the tutelage of a shady man named Mercurio who sends her to a secret academy for assassins. However, to pass all their trials is an honor only few attain. To get what she wants, Mia will need to first gain status as a full-fledged Blade – if she can survive that long to do it.
Red Sister by Mark Lawrence – Nona Grey
Red Sister introduces us to the icebound world of Abeth, populated by people who descend from four main “tribes”, each distinguished by special talents. Children who manifest even a single one of these are highly sought after by various institutions, from churches to schools for killers. Across the land, young boys and girls are given away or sold if they show potential, which is how protagonist Nona Grey ends up in a cage, on her way a prospective buyer. But things don’t exactly work out for Nona. Soon, she finds herself facing the hangman’s noose for committing a savage crime, but before her execution can take place, she is rescued by a nun who whisks Nona away to the Convent of Sweet Mercy where young girls are trained to be mercenary fighters and assassins.
Skullsworn by Brian Staveley – Pyrre
When the story begins, Pyrre is still an acolyte, twenty-five years old and pledged to Ananshael—the God of Death. For years she has trained in the arts of assassination, learning countless ways to deliver victims into her god’s embrace. But before she becomes a priestess, she must pass her final trial, which states that in a span of fourteen days, Pyrre must assassinate seven specific targets that fit the descriptions named in a sacred verse. The trouble is, one of her targets will have to be someone she loves, but Pyrre doesn’t believe she has ever been in love. And if she hasn’t been in love, she can’t kill the one she loves, and if she can’t kill the one she loves, she fails her trial. And considering how all acolytes of Ananshael who fail their final trials must offer themselves to their god…well, you see her dilemma.
Shy Knives by Sam Sykes – Shy
Shaia Ratani, Shy to her friends, is a scrappy young scoundrel who specializes in the kind of jobs that no one else can handle. For one thing, she’s not afraid to work outside the law. For another, she’s also not above getting her hands dirty. She has cheated, stolen, maimed, and killed – and though she doesn’t exactly condone or relish doing harm to others, it’s not like she can afford to regret her past decisions either. For a rogues, thieves and assassins like her, sometimes a job is just a job…nothing personal!
Join us next month for another edition of Tough Traveling! The theme will be:
Non-Human Heroes & Protagonists
“Can’t Wait” Books of Mid-2017
Posted on April 30, 2017 41 Comments
Lists. I love them! It’s fun to organize my reading and they also have the added benefit of focusing my attention to the “must-read” releases that I’m very excited to check out. After the list I made for “Early 2017”, I’ve decided to do it again for Mid-2017. So, without further ado, time now once more to geek out over these Science Fiction and Fantasy titles that are set to come out over the next few months, as we keep marching on ahead towards perfect beach-reading weather. Not sure how I’ll find the time to get to all of these, but uh, um, I’ll figure out a way…somehow. What’s on your mid-2016 TBR?
May
May 1 to May 7 – Borrowed Souls by Chelsea Mueller, City of Miracles by Robert Jackson Bennett, Tremontaine created by Ellen Kushner, The Boy on the Bridge by M.C. Carey, Free Space by Sean Danker
May 8 to May 14 – The Last Iota by Robert Kroese
May 15 to May 21 – Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh, The Empire’s Ghost by Isabelle Steiger
May 22 to May 28 – Dragon Teeth by Michael Crichton, Blood Oath by Melissa Lenhardt
May 29 to June 4 – Only the Dead Know Brooklyn by Chris Vola, The White Road by Sarah Lotz
June
June 5 to June 11 – You Die When You Die by Angus Watson, Tyrant’s Throne by Sebastien de Castell
June 12 to June 18 – Roar by Cora Carmack, Wilders by Brenda Cooper, Soleri by Michael Johnston
June 19 to June 25 – The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter by Theodora Goss, A Gathering of Ravens by Scott Oden, Godblind by Anna Stephens
June 26 to July 2 – The Waking Land by Callie Bates, The Furthest Station by Ben Aaronovitch, Soul of the World by David Mealing
July
July 3 to July 9 – Lost Boy by Christina Henry, The Legion of Flame by Anthony Ryan,
July 10 to July 16 – Ash and Quill by Rachel Caine, A Kiss Before Doomsday by Laurence MacNaughton
July 17 to July 23 – Graveyard Shift by Michael F. Haspil
July 24 to July 31 – Star Wars: Inferno Squad by Christie Golden, Age of Swords by Michael J. Sullivan, Raid by K.S. Merbeth
August
August 1 to August 6 – The Clockwork Dynasty by Daniel H. Wilson
August 7 to August 13 – N/A
August 14 to August 20 – The Court of Broken Knives by Anna Smith Spark, The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin, The Core by Peter V. Brett, The Dinosaur Princess by Victor Milan,
August 21 to August 27 – Swarm and Steel by Michael R. Fletcher
YA Weekend Audio: Defy the Stars by Claudia Gray
Posted on April 29, 2017 23 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Defy the Stars by Claudia Gray
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction, Young Adult
Series: Book 1 of Defy the Stars
Publisher: Hachette Audio (April 4, 2017)
Length: 11 hrs and 21 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrators: Nate Begle, Kasey Lee Huizinga
I first discovered and became a fan of Claudia Gray through her Star Wars novels. Having loved Lost Stars, I next went on to read and enjoy Bloodline, but even then I was aware that media tie-ins cannot give me the full measure of an author. And so I’d hoped to try one of her Young Adult books for quite some time now, which eventually led me to Defy the Stars.
The book first introduces readers to Noemi Vidal, a seventeen year old soldier for her planet, Genesis. Ever since her people split from Earth many generations ago, the two sides have been fighting. However, Earth has a powerful weapon on their side: Burton Mansfield, a scientist and cybernetics genius who designs androids, or mechs, for the purposes of war. Genesis has been pushing back against these untiring machine forces for as long as Noemi can remember, but it’s just a matter of time before her side loses the war—unless, of course, they take some drastic measures to prevent the enemy from overwhelming them and destroying them all. And so, along with her best friend Ester, Noemi volunteers for the suicide mission that is meant to be the last ditch attempt to save their world.
Meanwhile, on a battled-damaged and abandoned ship called the Daedalus, a mech named Abel has been living alone for the last thirty years, yearning to be reunited with his creator. As the most advanced mech the galaxy has ever seen, he is Burton Mansfield’s greatest and most perfect creation, though in the eyes of Genesis, he is an abomination. For the past three decades, Abel’s programming has been learning and evolving, becoming more human. And then one day, Earth launches a surprise attack on Genesis’ ships, leading a pair of Genesis soldiers to come across the Daedalus in their desperate attempt to escape. Unaware that it not completely abandoned, the two of them board the ship, hoping to find some medical supplies. And that is the story of how Noemi and Ester first met Abel, characters from two warring sides forced by chance to work together in order to survive.
Equal parts space adventure and slow-burn romance, Defy the Stars was an entertaining sci-fi romp from start to finish. I’ve also come to realize that Claudia Gray’s Star Wars novels were not a fluke; this author has got a fine talent for writing stories about characters on opposite sides who have to put aside their differences to work towards a common goal. Like the romance that blooms between a rebel pilot and an Imperial officer in Lost Stars, the relationship between Noemi and Abel also follows the same measured pattern, unfolding realistically as the two of them gradually learn more about each other and where they come from. The love between them is earned, only coming after friendship and trust is established.
The fact that Abel is a mech could have been a point of awkwardness, but I was pleasantly surprised this was not the case. I was happy enough to go along with the explanation that he is the most advanced model Mansfield has ever created, which would account for a lot of his human-like behaviors and thought processes—this is because for all intents and purposes, Abel is human. Gray puts the reader inside his head as he realizes all these changes are happening to him, and I found the evolution of the character to be quite convincing. As well, Abel’s nature may make his personality somewhat open and blunt, but the same flaw also makes him a good and genuine “person”. I loved his frequent and hilariously candid observations about human behavior almost as much as I did his sincere feelings toward Noemi. She in turn is a good match for Abel, even though in many ways she is his complete opposite—passionate, driven by her emotions, and strongly committed to her faith. At the same time she is also headstrong, independent and capable of handling a variety of challenges, including teaching Abel a great many things about what it means to be human. I have to say, one of the reasons I enjoyed the dual POVs so much was because of how it portrayed the growth in their relationship and the way we got to see the chemistry from both sides.
It’s also great to see that Claudia Gray’s work outside the Star Wars universe is just as entertaining. Before I go overboard with my praise here though, just don’t expect this book to set new standards or shatter any molds. There’s nothing too deep here, admittedly, but Defy the Stars is still a rollicking fun read with a romantic arc I actually enjoyed (kind of rare for me, in YA) and on the whole I found the story engaging and thoroughly satisfying. If you’re a YA fan who enjoys science fiction and stories set in space, this fun and fast-paced adventure among the stars could be exactly what you’re looking for.
Audiobook Comments: I was lucky enough to review the audio edition of Defy the Stars and I was not disappointed. Narrated by Nate Begle, who read Abel’s sections, as well as Kasey Lee Huizinga, who read Noemi’s, the audiobook was a great listen. Both narrators did a fine job, and Begle’s performance deserves an extra mention for his ability to find the right balance for Abel, making him sound suitably “mech-ish” but still emotional and human-like. I have no complaints at all and would not hesitate to continue this series in audio format. Highly recommended.
Friday Face-Off: Beach/Seaside
Posted on April 28, 2017 18 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:
”Oh I do like to be beside the seaside!”
~ a cover featuring the BEACH/SEASIDE
Mogsy’s Pick:
Harrison Squared by Daryl Gregory
Folks don’t usually associate sunny beaches and seashores with tentacles…unless you are an avid reader of Lovecraft-inspired horror featuring creepy little New England towns perched on the rocky coasts of the North Atlantic, of course. My pick for this week’s topic is a book set in fictional Dunnsmouth, a classic Lovecraftian town where strange things happen in the darkness of night and monstrous creatures lurk beneath the cold, merciless waves. Harrison Squared is a dark fantasy adventure following the tale of a teenage boy who lost his leg in a boating accident when he was a toddler. Harrison still remembers the sight of the giant tentacled sea monster that capsized his family’s boat and claimed his father’s life. Now years later, he searches for his marine biologist mother, unwilling to believe she is dead after she fails to return home from her latest research trip out to sea.
Only two covers available for this one, but they are both pretty striking:
Tor Books (2015) vs. Titan Books (2015)
Winner:
I’m going to go with the Titan Books edition for this one. Even though it gives off a vague sense that this is a fun, wacky book (it’s really not, in spite of its “adventurous” description and its quirky moments – the overall tone is actually kind of dark which probably makes the Tor cover more appropriate), the bright yellow is simply too eye-catching to ignore. I do love both covers, but the Titan one is especially well designed and constructed. If I passed by it on a shelf, I think it’d immediately leap out at me, before drawing my gaze to the single insidious tentacle reaching out from the life-preserver.
Well, that was my thought process anyway! What do you think? Which one is your favorite?
Book Review: Tremontaine created by Ellen Kushner
Posted on April 27, 2017 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.
Tremontaine by Ellen Kushner, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Malinda Lo, Joel Derfner, Patty Bryant, Racheline Maltese, Paul Witcover
Mogsy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of Tremontaine
Publisher: Saga Press (May 2, 2017)
Length: 688 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Driven by the excellent experience I had with Bookburners earlier this year, I vowed to myself I would check out more serials from Serial Box. Pleasantly surprised by how well the structure of the serial novel worked for me, I wanted more—and thus my attention immediately fell upon Tremontaine Season One, the collection of all thirteen episodes released from Saga Press.
But while Bookburners came out of the gate running, throwing readers headfirst into the action right from the start, Tremontaine turned out to be a more measured affair, taking a handful of episodes to establish the setting and characters before easing into the meat of the story. Another way to look at it might be: if Bookburners is perfect for fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, then the pacing and themes of Tremontaine would probably make it more appealing to fans of the action, romances, and politics of period dramas.
To provide a bit of context, Tremontaine is actually considered a prequel to Ellen Kushner’s highly acclaimed Riverside series, which I confess I have not read—though I know that the first book Swordpoint and the subsequent novels set in the same universe have been praised for its diversity and LGBT-friendly characters and world. Tremontaine continues in this tradition. In episode one, we are introduced to a vibrant setting, its atmosphere seemingly reminiscent of 17th or 18th century Europe. There appears to be two sides to this city, one characterized by luxuriously dressed nobles indulging themselves with decadent balls, masquerades, and of course, copious amounts of chocolate. The other side is a darker, seedier underworld where all manner of rogues and scoundrels gather to do their drinking, whoring, and gambling.
Among the nobles, one of the most prominent figures is Diane the Duchess of Tremontaine, a beautiful woman with a calculating eye and a sharp mind seeking to restore the glory of her House. While her husband is the one who technically holds ducal authority, in truth it is Diane who has all the power. Next we meet Ixkaab Balam, a young foreign woman who hails from an influential merchant family, newly arrived by boat to make her name in this strange land. Other members of the key cast also include Micah, an autistic farm girl whose uncanny talent for mathematics eventually leads her to a university where she meets Rafe, a passionate scholar who has dreams of one day opening his own school.
With all these disparate plotlines in play, things simmer for a while before exploding. I would say that, as much as I enjoyed the first handful of episodes, I did not consider myself thoroughly hooked until much later in the novel. Tremontaine is a serial that takes a slow burn approach, steadily building its foundations so that when the long anticipated action and passions do come, they are much more impactful. This does mean that it takes a good deal of patience to get to the exciting parts, but sticking it out will pay off in the end.
However, reading Tremontaine also made me feel skeptical of the multi-author serial format for the first time. I think having several authors on the same project works perfectly fine as long as their styles are alike enough to complement each other, as was the case with Bookburners where each episode written by their respective authors flowed easily from one to the next. In contrast, the transitions between episodes did not go as smoothly in Tremontaine. This was my first experience with all the authors, a lineup that includes Ellen Kushner, Malinda Lo, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Joel Derfner, Racheline Maltese, Patty Bryant, and Paul Witcover. They’re all very good writers, each with their own talents and individual flair. The problem with having so many different styles, however, is that the changes between episodes are very noticeable and distracting. Furthermore, episodes in Tremontaine do not follow the “mini-story” structure (the way many episodes in Bookburners did), with many of them having no rising action or resolution, and that together with the awkward transitions between authors made picking up at the beginning of each episode a little more difficult.
The characters were also not as strong as I would have liked. Among the main characters, my favorite was hands down Diane. She’s ambitious, cunning, and merciless, not to mention she’s sitting on a deep, dark secret that paints her in a very bad light. Still, I can’t help it; I seem to be drawn to these sly, scheming Machiavellian types—especially when they’re women. Compared to Diane though, no one else could really hold a candle to her. Kaab was interesting but I felt many of her sections felt like filler, especially when they could have gone to develop other characters like Micah, whom I loved but whose role felt underused. In particular I also felt a deep annoyance for Rafe, whose self-absorption and blind spots were done just a tad too much for me.
Still, I enjoyed my time with the first season of Tremontaine. Admittedly, it had a slow start, and if I had only a few episodes on hand to begin with, I might have given up early. Fortunately, this is where having a complete season really helps; I was able to keep going and reach a point where the story built up enough momentum to deliver on all its promises of swashbuckling action, passionate love affairs, political conflict and scandalous drama—plus enough descriptions of rich delicious chocolate to make your mouth water! Based on a world that is known for its vibrant diversity and queer-friendly themes, this prequel serial continues the trend in offering something new and different from the status quo. If you’re into “vanity fair” types of stories featuring adventure, romance, and intrigue, then I urge you to give Tremontaine a closer look.
Waiting on Wednesday 04/26/17
Posted on April 26, 2017 19 Comments
“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that lets us feature upcoming releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!
Mogsy’s Pick
The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden (January 9, 2018 by Del Rey)
It’s still a long ways off, but when I saw the cover and description of this sequel to The Bear and the Nightingale, I couldn’t help my excitement. I loved the first book, and here’s hoping the follow-up will be just as lovely and magical.
“The magical adventure begun in The Bear and the Nightingale continues as brave Vasya, now a young woman, is forced to choose between marriage or life in a convent and instead flees her home—but soon finds herself called upon to help defend the city of Moscow when it comes under siege.
Orphaned and cast out as a witch by her village, Vasya’s options are few: resign herself to life in a convent, or allow her older sister to make her a match with a Moscovite prince. Both doom her to life in a tower, cut off from the vast world she longs to explore. So instead she chooses adventure, disguising herself as a boy and riding her horse into the woods. When a battle with some bandits who have been terrorizing the countryside earns her the admiration of the Grand Prince of Moscow, she must carefully guard the secret of her gender to remain in his good graces—even as she realizes his kingdom is under threat from mysterious forces only she will be able to stop.”
Book Review: Within the Sanctuary of Wings by Marie Brennan
Posted on April 25, 2017 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.
Within the Sanctuary of Wings by Marie Brennan
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 5 of Memoir by Lady Trent
Publisher: Tor (April 25, 2017)
Length: 352 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
It is with a heavy heart that I bid adieu to another one of my favorite series, but I am also glad that at long last I got to see all the ideas come to fruition in this fifth and final novel of Marie Brennan’s wholly unique Memoirs of Lady Trent. After all, Within the Sanctuary of Wings is everything a fan could want in a finale—a book that ends on a high note of hope and happiness while also deftly tying all the overall series themes and plot threads together.
Furthermore, I’m sure those who have been along for the ride since A Natural History of Dragons will be glad to know that the details behind Isabella’s most infamous scientific discovery—an event that has been teased for the first four books—will finally be revealed. Without a doubt, the answers were worth waiting for. I guarantee that the revelations in this book will change everything you think you know about this series.
The adventure, however, begins rather quietly. While attending a lecture on Draconean linguistics delivered by her husband, Isabella’s attention is unexpectedly pulled away by a Yelangnese stranger with an urgent matter to discuss with her. The man, whose name is Thu, reports that he has discovered the corpse of a new type of dragon while scouting with his fellow rebels in the mountains of the Mrtyahaima. As expected though, the remoteness of the location and its unforgiving conditions do little to faze the headstrong Isabella, who immediately works on putting together an expedition to Yelang so that her team can investigate Thu’s claims.
Unfortunately, their road is plagued with obstacles. There is only a tiny window time in which they must reach the Mrtyahaima mountains before the monsoon season brings heaps of snow upon the peaks. Then there are the political complications. The region is unstable with different tribes chafing under the Yelangnese rule, and it’s not like Isabella is exactly welcome in Yelang either, after the way she offended their government on one of her past adventures. Worst of all, there’s no guarantee that she will find evidence of a new dragon species. Weeks of planning and risk-taking could end up being all for naught.
But of course, our characters find something. And obviously I won’t spoil what it is here, but it’s something HUGE.
Without revealing anything though, I will admit that the twist caught me off guard—likely what it was meant to do, but it also left me with some mixed feelings. I’ve made no secret that one of my favorite aspects of this series are the dragons and the way they are handled—not as mythological beings or exceptional creatures with special abilities or powers as most fantasy novels depict them. In contrast, Brennan’s dragons are part of the natural world, a key theme which has provided the driving force behind all these books. I found this approach refreshingly original. I also loved the science and the learning, and most of all I loved Isabella’s quest to find out as much as she can about how dragons fit into the natural order of the world. Within the Sanctuary of Wings does not really change any of this, and for that I am glad. But at the same time (and apologies for being deliberately vague on this), this installment did also manage to drop a bombshell which introduced a completely new element into my understanding of this series.
As well, there were a few minor issues with pacing. First, compared to the previous books, this one started more slowly, and even the harrowing journey through the snow and ice did little to give the intro an energy boost. Second, this was also a very Isabella-centric story, resulting in less appearances by some of my other favorite characters like Tom and Suhail. Third, while lots of fascinating things happened throughout, a large chunk of the middle was characterized by inaction which, to be fair, couldn’t be helped given the way certain events played out. Finally, the ending wrapped things up way too conveniently for my tastes, but at that point I understood the need for a quick and satisfying resolution.
Still, despite my quibbles, this was once again another riveting book in the Memoirs of Lady Trent sequence. It has been an absolute joy to be with Isabella as she evolved throughout the series, as well as watching her relationships grow. Sometimes, if I allow myself to get really immersed, I even start thinking of this alternate world as my own, and I have to credit the author’s incredible writing skills. These books have a way of drawing me in, making it easy for me to believe I am actually reading an account of an old woman’s youth and rise to fame as a world renowned dragon researcher. I cheered Isabella on as she fought to pursue her dream of becoming a scientist, bucking social conventions at a time when men still dominated academia. It was hard not to shed a tear by the time I got to the very last page, so moved was I to see how far our protagonist has come.
Within the Sanctuary of Wings is truly Lady Trent’s greatest adventure, closing this outstanding pentalogy with style. It is a wonderful, gratifying conclusion to an overall excellent series that I just can’t recommend enough.
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of A Natural History of Dragons (Book 1)
Review of The Tropic of Serpents (Book 2)
Review of The Voyage of the Basilisk (Book 3)
Review of In the Labyrinth of Drakes (Book 4)
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