Audiobook Review: Snapshot by Brandon Sanderson
Posted on March 10, 2017 27 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 4.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Audible Studios (February 17, 2017)
Length: 2 hrs and 23 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator: William DeMeritt
I’ll be the first to admit I’m not the biggest fan of short fiction, but I genuinely enjoy reading Brandon Sanderson novellas. Honestly, I have no idea how the guy does it. Whether his books are 1000 pages or 100, they’re always fun to read, not to mention creative as hell. As you’d expect, this was definitely the case with Snapshot as well.
Davis and Chaz are investigative partners with an interesting job, working out of a town called New Clipperton where law enforcement has access to a very special facility that helps them solve crimes. The police there have access to a technology that allows them to create a “Snapshot”, a perfect reconstruction of a day recently in the past right down to the smallest detail. Knowing exactly what’s going to happen beforehand, investigators like Davis and Chaz can be sent through into Snapshots to gather evidence or to witness the actual crimes that take place, which may then lead to arrests and charges in the real world.
There are a lot of rules, though. While Snapshots are perfect recreations of a day in time, real people who are sent through can affect the world just like it is their own. Any changes are called deviations, and they can be large or small. People are also recreated in Snapshots, called dupes. They are not real, but they might as well be for all intents and purposes—after all, they are flesh and blood, they retain the same personalities and memories as their originals, and most importantly, they also have no idea they are in a Snapshot. The only way they would find out is if they are confronted by a Snapshot agent, who is the absolute authority while he or she is on the job. Snapshot agents can still be hurt and even die while they are in a Snapshot, but they also carry special badges that allows them to overrule the civil rights of any dupes around them, which gives them access to places and information that they likely wouldn’t have gotten back in the real world.
When the story begins, we learn that Davis and Chaz are in a Snapshot of May 1st, ten days in the past. Originally assigned to do routine evidence gathering for a case they’re working on, the two of them end up accidentally stumbling onto a crime scene of a mass killing. To Davis and Chaz, this seemed like the perfect opportunity to catch a wanted murderer, but their precinct orders them to stand down and walk away instead, giving our protagonists no choice but to take matters into their own hands.
What follows next is a pulse-pounding hunt for a serial killer as our two able investigators uncover even more gruesome details about the perpetrator’s crimes. If you’re even passing familiar with Sanderson’s work though, you’ll already know that things are never so straightforward. Yes, Snapshot is a mystery, but there are so many layers to this novella that I believe even non-fans of crime and detective stories will be able to appreciate it. For one thing, there’s the fantastic premise which adds several extra dimensions to the mystery plot, and our characters are thrown into situations that will really make you think. Basically if the concept of using Snapshots to solve crimes sounds fascinating to you, then you’re going to love all the thought and creativity that went into this story.
I was also floored by the ending, which for me was definitely one of those bug-eyed “What the hell just happened?!” moments. I had to playback my audiobook several times just to make sure I heard everything right. That too, is classic Sanderson. He has this way of leading you down a garden path, making you think everything is going one way, and then BAM, he’ll show you just how innocent and naïve you were. Looking back, I guess I should have seen it coming, but in the end that twist still managed to knock me for a loop.
I don’t often hand out such high ratings for a novella simply because so few have impressed me to this degree, but I’ll happily throw my full recommendation behind Snapshot, which I thought was a truly imaginative and brilliant read. One final thing to note, this novella apparently takes place in the same universe as the Reckoners, though any links are very minor and aren’t even all that easy to catch, so reading the series is definitely not a prerequisite. This story can be enjoyed entirely on its own, so if it interests you, I would say go ahead and jump right in.
Audiobook Comments: Snapshot was a very short listen, perfect for when you need an audiobook to entertain you for a couple of hours. I’ve had experience with William DeMeritt as a narrator one other time only (for Underground Airlines by Ben Winters) but he has impressed me once again. His voice really is quite perfect for a book like this, with his deep tones enhancing the story’s crime noir vibes by bringing them to the surface. If you’re considering this one in audio, I highly recommend it.
Book Review: Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames
Posted on March 9, 2017 35 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of The Band
Publisher: Orbit (February 21, 2017)
Length: 544 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Humor can be a tricky beast, as I often say. What works for one reader might not work for another, and what works one day might not work the next. Picking up something labeled “fantasy humor” is therefore always something of a crapshoot because I never know how it’s going to play out, and unfortunately the last couple of years have seen more misses than hits. When I started Kings of the Wyld though, I had a feeling it was going to be special, and I’m glad that my instincts didn’t steer me wrong.
This book has it all: gritty anti-heroes and twisted villains, epic battles and heart-stopping fight scenes, exotic locales and all manner of fantastical creatures. If this sounds like your kind of story, then you’re in for a treat. Nicholas Eames has reworked the classic quest narrative and presented it to us in a fun and refreshing package. You might even find yourself laughing out loud along the way.
Kings of the Wyld follows a motley crew of aging yet charming mercenaries as they reunite to rescue a bandmate’s daughter trapped behind the walls of a city under siege. After years of questing and brawling, Clay Cooper is ready put his past behind him. He’s married now with a young child, and he’s looking forward to retiring to a life of quiet and leisure. Fate, however, has different plans. One day, his old bandmate Gabe shows up with a desperate request for help. It seems Gabe’s daughter Rose has run off and gotten herself into trouble again, only this time it’s a matter of life and death.
At first, Clay is reluctant to get involved. He has his own fledgling family to think of now; no longer can he drop everything to traipse across the world on dangerous missions. But seeing Gabe’s distress, and recalling all the good times he’s had with his friend, he finally relents. Leaving the comfort of home behind, Clay joins Gabe to round up the members of Saga, their old band. This includes Matrick, their resident rogue who is now a drunken cuckolded king; Arcandius Moog, a wizard who has turned to a life of research trying to find a cure for a deadly disease; Ganelon, who has spent the last nineteen years trapped in his own private prison; and along the way, they even meet a Daeva named Larkspur who is in fact more foe than ally.
What follows is an entertaining, brilliantly crafted adventure that takes us across the Wyld by land and by air. If you’re a fan of video games or tabletop RPGs, you’ll feel right at home in this world with these characters who feel like they’ve stepped right out of a D&D campaign. Kings of the Wyld reads like a loving tribute to these types of classic narratives, while giving it heart—which I feel is the secret ingredient that sets this one apart. Somehow, Eames made it possible and even easy for me to relate to this band of mostly drunk, fat and jaded old men by turning their faults into endearing traits. These are genuine characters who have very real hopes and dreams, as well as values and principles that are important to them. After all, the entire premise of this story is driven by Gabe’s love for his daughter, and also by Clay’s loyalty to his old friend. You’ll fall in love with the members of Saga and want to cheer them on every step of the way.
And of course, humor is another huge selling point. Kings of the Wyld is a fantasy novel that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and there are elements in it that are unabashedly tongue-in-cheek. The author might have taken a gamble on the style, but in the end I think it paid off. Still, one of the more common criticisms I’ve seen when it comes to fantasy comedy is the use of modern language, slang, or pop culture references. Personally, it doesn’t bother me when it’s second world fantasy, but if such anachronisms aren’t your cup of tea, then you might find it problematic. For me though, what matters more is the tone of humor; I prefer my comedy on the subtler side (as opposed to more overt styles, like slapstick) and this is where Eames struck the perfect balance. Without going overboard, he kept the story light and entertaining while still adhering to epic fantasy traditions.
From the first page to the last, Kings of the Wyld is a rollicking fast-paced novel with just the right amount of grit and wit. Nicholas Eames is definitely on to something here with his impressive debut. Bottom line, read this book if you’re a fan of good old-fashioned quest adventure narratives, epecially if you think you might enjoy one as seen through a modern humorous lens. I’ve tried a lot of books that match this description in recent years, and I have to say this is the best. Already I find myself craving the sequel.
Waiting on Wednesday 03/08/17
Posted on March 8, 2017 17 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 Court of Broken Knives by Anna Smith Spark (June 29, 2017 by Harper Voyager UK)
This one is right up my alley! Crossing my fingers that it’s as good as it sounds.
“Perfect for fans of Mark Lawrence and R Scott Bakker, The Court of Broken Knives is the explosive debut by one of grimdark fantasy’s most exciting new voices.
They’ve finally looked at the graveyard of our Empire with open eyes. They’re fools and madmen and like the art of war. And their children go hungry while we piss gold and jewels into the dust.
In the richest empire the world has ever known, the city of Sorlost has always stood, eternal and unconquered. But in a city of dreams governed by an imposturous Emperor, decadence has become the true ruler, and has blinded its inhabitants to their vulnerability. The empire is on the verge of invasion – and only one man can see it.
Haunted by dreams of the empire’s demise, Orhan Emmereth has decided to act. On his orders, a company of soldiers cross the desert to reach the city. Once they enter the Palace, they have one mission: kill the Emperor, then all those who remain. Only from ashes can a new empire be built.
The company is a group of good, ordinary soldiers, for whom this is a mission like any other. But the strange boy Marith who walks among them is no ordinary soldier. Marching on Sorlost, Marith thinks he is running away from the past which haunts him. But in the Golden City, his destiny awaits him – beautiful, bloody, and more terrible than anyone could have foreseen.”
Book Review: Silence Fallen by Patricia Briggs
Posted on March 7, 2017 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.
Silence Fallen by Patricia Briggs
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Book 10 of Mercy Thompson
Publisher: Ace (March 7, 2017)
Length: 352 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
YES. Now that’s what I’m talking about!
While I’ve made it no secret that I love the Mercy Thompson series, if you recall my reviews for the last few books, you’ll know how I feel things in the overall story arc have been stuck in a holding pattern for some time now and the lack of progress was starting to take its toll. For this milestone tenth installment though, I’m glad to report that Briggs has brought the energy back to these books in a huge way.
It all began like any other night. A pirate-themed video gaming session ends with Mercy heading out to the store to pick up some cookie baking supplies, but she never makes it home. Her car getting wrecked is the last thing she remembers of that day. Next thing she knows, she’s waking up alone, imprisoned in some strange room. Her mysterious captors are soon revealed as two vampires playing good cop/bad cop come out to question her, cluing Mercy in to the identity of the one behind her rude abduction. If she’s right about her guess though, things are only about to get worse.
By shapeshifting into coyote form, Mercy manages to escape her confinement by outmaneuvering the werewolf assigned to guard her, but the resulting triumph is short-lived. Outside, the world is completely unfamiliar, and with a sick realization, Mercy suddenly understands why she cannot feel her mate bond with Adam anymore. Not only have her kidnappers taken her out of the Tri-Cities area, they’ve taken her out of the country altogether and somehow gotten her unconscious body across the ocean to Europe, where she now finds herself with no clothes, no money, and no allies.
Mercy has been in some hairy situations before, but nothing like this. Silence Fallen is the big shakeup this series needed, in my opinion, and it delivered phenomenally in both content and structure. The synopsis alone should tell you why this story should not be missed; aside from being able to take an unexpected but totally awesome trip to Europe with Mercy, we also get to see a side of the werewolf-vampire political war that we’ve never seen before. This one blows the door wide open on what we think we know, adding a great many more layers to the history of the conflict and to the various parties involved.
The other big deal is how Briggs has chosen to tell the story. So far for the most part, all the books have been told from Mercy’s point of view, though recently we’ve seen a smattering of other POVs involved, like Adam’s. Silence Fallen takes things even further this time around by making Adam’s perspective a central aspect of the novel, though given the nature of the plot, it’s easy to understand why it had to be this way. With Mercy in Europe trying to problem solve her way out of a jam, Adam and the pack have not been sitting idly by, and having both storylines running along side by side is a good way to show how everyone is working in concert trying to figure out why Mercy was kidnapped and how to bring her home. I was truly delighted with the way the two timelines ended up tying together, and especially enjoyed the way it emphasized the power behind their partnership.
Plus, seeing Adam take such an active role in a Mercy Thompson book was a refreshing change of pace. None of us are strangers to Mercy’s resourcefulness, so of course it is no surprise when this book once again shows her using her wits and skills to wriggle out of an impossible situation. But Adam? Thus far, Adam has mostly played the role of Mercy’s support, and bless his heart, he’s good at things that require strength and a voice of authority when it comes to pack drama, but he’s never exactly been one for subtlety. At long last, we see him out of his element and it is a real treat, not to mention the new challenges also add a lot of depth to his character. What do you know, our great commanding Alpha is actually quite capable of diplomacy!
When you’ve been following an urban fantasy series for this long, it’s always fantastic to see a tenth installment that still brings fresh ideas. This being Briggs and Mercy Thompson, I was never truly worried, though the last couple of books have led me to feel slightly underwhelmed by the direction the overall story seemed to be taking. Well, no longer. There are so many great twists here, so many new developments, and so much new potential. Silence Fallen is the shot of energy I needed, and I am once more excited about the future of this series.
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Reread of River Marked (Book 6)
Review of Night Broken (Book 8)
Review of Fire Touched (Book 9)
Review of Shifting Shadows (Anthology)
Book Review: The Holver Alley Crew by Marshall Ryan Maresca + GIVEAWAY!
Posted on March 6, 2017 29 Comments
***The giveaway is now over, thanks 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.
The Holver Alley Crew by Marshall Ryan Maresca
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of The Streets of Maradaine
Publisher: DAW (March 7, 2017)
Length: 352 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Yes, Marshall Ryan Maresca is back with a third series set in Maradaine, the great city that features at the center of his fantasy universe. But even with all these novels under his belt, Maresca is keeping things interesting; each one of his series brings something different, retaining their own individual flavor. They’re also headed up by their respective casts of unique and diverse characters. Already, we’ve embarked on several adventures through the eyes of a vigilante magic student in Maradaine and patrolled the crime-ridden streets with a pair of resolute detectives in The Maradaine Constabulary.
And now, we get our chance to see yet another side of the city with The Holver Alley Crew, the fantastic opener to The Streets of Maradaine starring a group of plucky thieves who are just burning to exact their own brand of justice. Oh, and did I mention that this is a heist book?
The Rynax brothers were raised by their conman father, who taught his sons the tricks of the trade. But now the boys are all grown up and are ready to go legit. Recently returned from his service in Druth Intelligence with his mind broken and fragile, Asti is ready to settle down, and getting married and becoming a new father has convinced Verci that he needs to set aside a life of thievery and do the same. After taking out loans and using up all their savings, the brothers were able to buy a shop in their old neighborhood of Holver Alley where they have plans to set up a business selling gadgets and trinkets.
But then, the great fire happened. It spared nothing on Holver Alley, incinerating everything in its path including the Rynaxes’ shop and home. That night, Asti and Verci saw their entire future go up in flames, and with nothing left to their name, the brothers are forced back into their old life of crime. Along with a crew made up of other victims of the fire, they agree to take on a job involving a carriage robbery—a situation that quickly blows up when Asti stumbles upon information proving that the inferno that gutted all their lives was in fact no accident. Soon, what began as a simple smash-and-grab escalates to become a full-blown heist planned on a gambling house owned by the powerful man behind the conspiracy. It’s a dangerous job which, if skunked, could cost them all their lives. But the risks are worth it, in Asti and Verci’s mind. For the Holver Alley crew, it’s not even about the money. It’s personal.
Reading The Holver Alley Crew made me realize it’s been a while since I read a heist novel, which happens to be one of my favorite sub-genres. It was also the perfect book to get me back into the action. Every page was packed with fast-moving plot developments with plenty of twists and turns, made even more exciting by the presence of a large and interesting cast. At the heart of the story is of course Asti and Verci Rynax, our masterminds. Next we have Helene and her cousin Julien, the crew’s sharpshooter and muscle, respectively. Then we have Kennith, the driver and designer of specialized carriages; Mila, the scrappy young urchin who knows the streets inside and out, making her the perfect scout; Almer Cort, the chemist who cooks up helpful (albeit sometimes unstable) creations for the Rynax brothers to use; Gin, an actor and make-up artist who joins the crew later in the novel; and finally, we have Win the locksmith, so naturally he is also our resident safe-cracker.
It’s true that we have a big crew here—ten members in all, if you include the Old Lady, their shadowy benefactor who funds their activities from behind the scenes. Books with a large number of characters are often problematic, but to my surprise, I didn’t run into any issues here. In part, this has to do with the story’s flawless pacing. Maresca didn’t introduce the whole gang all at once, but instead broke his novel up into several stages. First we had the Holver Alley fire, then we had the carriage job, and ultimately the events that led up to the big heist. Each section flowed into the next, and as the plot grew in scope and complexity, so too did our cast of characters.
I also thought the author did a great job jazzing up the traditional heist story elements to fit his fantasy world. Think Ocean’s 11 set in Maradaine, complete with magic, violence, and plenty of double dealing. Of our diverse group of characters, many of them have roles that will probably be familiar to fans of heist fiction, but others will also have more innovative, specialized skills to get them past certain obstacles. Levels of intensity are through the roof because the stakes are so high and failure is not an option. Along with great banter and humor to break up the tense scenes of planning and carrying out the job, the overall result is a novel that’s lots of fun to boot.
Certainly, fans of caper stories should be making The Holver Alley Crew their number one priority. A strong start right out of the gate, this series opener is a well-written and brilliantly executed example of the fantasy heist genre, and of all the novels written by Marshall Ryan Maresca so far, this might be my favorite one yet! The Rynax brothers and their crew are so good at their jobs that they will steal your heart from the very first page, and I simply can’t wait to see what the gang will be up to next.
The Holver Alley Crew Giveaway
Interested in the book? Now here’s your chance to win it! With thanks to the publisher, we’re happy to be hosting this giveaway for one print copy of The Holver Alley Crew. This giveaway is open to addresses in the US and Canada. 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 “THE HOLVER ALLEY CREW” by 11:59pm Eastern time on Thursday, March 16, 2017.
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!
YA Weekend: Caraval by Stephanie Garber
Posted on March 5, 2017 31 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Mogsy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Series: Book 1 of Caraval
Publisher: Flatiron Books (January 31, 2017)
Length: 407 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Caraval seems to be the kind of book that readers either love or hate, but once more I find myself falling somewhere in between. While I enjoyed the story for its enchanting and whimsical premise, like many debut novels, it is also not without its flaws.
The book begins with an introduction to a pair of sisters living on the Conquered Isle of Trisda under the eye of their cruel, abusive father. Since childhood, Scarlett and Tella have both dreamed of Caraval, a legendary performance show that is only held once a year in a far-away land. For years Scarlett has written to Legend, the mysterious ringmaster behind Caraval, begging him to bring his show to their lonely island, but never once has she received a reply…until now.
Unfortunately, Legend’s invitation couldn’t have come at a more inconvenient time. Scarlett has all but given up on seeing Caraval, and there’s no way she can travel there now, not when she is engaged to be married in about a week. She has never met her fiancé, whom her father had arranged for her, but that hardly matters to Scarlett; all she wants to do is leave the isle for good, taking Tella with her so that they can escape their horrible father forever. What she didn’t count on, however, was her sister having different plans. On her own, Tella had made the acquaintance of a handsome sailor named Julian and arranged for her and Scarlett’s passage on his ship to attend Caraval, unwilling to let this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity slip through their fingers.
What actually happens at Caraval has always been shrouded in magic and mystery. All Scarlett knows is that the show involves a game where the audience participates, and the winner is awarded with the ultimate prize, the granting of any wish by Legend. When they arrive though, the last thing she expected was for her own sister to be kidnapped and be made part of the performance. As the clock ticks down, Scarlett becomes less and less convinced that Caraval is just a game, and now she must do all she can to find and save Tella before her sister is lost to her forever.
First, the good: Caraval is a book full of twists and turns, and as expected there are plenty of surprises. Nothing kills my enthusiasm faster than a predictable YA novel, but thankfully this is not a problem here. Sometimes, I even wondered if the author had any idea where her story was going to go before she started, since the plot had that touch of randomness that made me think she might have just made things up as she went along. The ideas behind the novel are also imaginative and compelling. Together with the swift pacing, this creates the fever dream atmosphere that perfectly brings out the urgency of Scarlett’s quest.
And now for the not-so-good: for a novel that is supposed to espouse the loving spirit of sisterhood, I found the relationship between Scarlett and Tella incredibly off-putting. Scarlett is protective to the point of smothering, and Tella is a manipulative spoiled brat more often than not. It didn’t matter how many times the author tried to hammer a point home through repetition, I simply could not grasp any sort of connection between the two sisters, let alone any kind of trust. Then there was Scarlett’s romance with Julian, which was also built on shaky foundations. Julian is hardly what you would call a valiant hero, and I think I would have been more on board with their relationship if Scarlet’s attraction to him didn’t feel so much like Stockholm syndrome.
Caraval is also the debut novel of Stephanie Garber and sure enough I spotted a few quirks in her writing that I often associate with relatively new authors. The big one is “telling not showing” and the constant repetition of key ideas as illustrated in the example of Scarlett and Tella’s relationship, which was just discussed. For the most part the prose is well-written, though occasionally there will be an awkward phrase or two that jumps out at you and smacks you in the face. World-building is also pretty sparse, though to be fair, more world-building might not have mattered that much due to the nature of this particular story, but still, I think it would have helped anchor readers more firmly to the setting.
Bottom line, Caraval wasn’t bad, but I fear my tastes in YA fantasy are growing increasingly hard to please. I see a lot of potential in this series, and even though that potential failed to manifest itself in this first book, I have hopes that the sequel will hit closer to the mark. Yes, I do plan to give the next book a try, since despite my issues with the book’s characters and writing, I think the next book will show development in these areas.
YA Weekend: A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray
Posted on March 4, 2017 12 Comments
A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray
Genre: Young adult, science fiction
Series: Firebird #1
Publisher: Harper Teen (November 2014)
Author Info: claudiagray.com
Wendy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
“Every form of art is another way of seeing the world. Another perspective, another window. And science –that’s the most spectacular window of all. You can see the entire universe from there.”
I’m not fond of YA books that put romance first, but Claudia Gray proved herself capable of formulating a story around a romance, rather than making it the entire focus with Lost Stars. While I don’t feel as strongly about this book as I did Lost Stars, I am still very impressed with the way Gray weaves her magic.
In A Thousand Pieces of You, Gray writes about a young woman named Marguerite Cain who is at the centre of the science that can cross dimensions. She herself is not a scientist, but her parents and their assistants are, and their brilliant minds have created the firebird device, which allows users to jump into alternate versions of themselves in other dimensions. The science is a bit iffy at times, but as this is told through Marguerite’s perspective, it can be appreciated that her artistic mind does not grasp many of the concepts (and frankly, mine wouldn’t either).
Marguerite is also at the centre of a love triangle involving her parents’ assistant. The problem is that one of those assistants is responsible for murdering her father and stealing the firebird. Marguerite races across dimensions with Theo to catch Paul and make him pay. But things aren’t that easy, of course, and there are other sides to every story — especially when there are other sides to the people involved.
As Marguerite jumps from one life to another, the plot slows a bit to focus on that romance. While this jaunt seems to stray from the main in order to get the romance on, several important elements and ideas are subtly raised that solidify the plot, as well as the character development of both of the men in Marguerite’s life. In other words, I can forgive the delay to make kissy face when the ramifications of their actions and the reality of who a person truly is, no matter what dimension they are from, are still integral to the development of the people and the events to come.
Somewhere towards the end of the book when the plot thickens, the story very much reminded me of the events in Fringe, but with Gray’s own unique twist on the implications of interdimensional travel. At this point, I fell into all my Fringe feels and emotional twirling.
This was a pretty solid book, but I did not find the characters as endearing as I have in Gray’s other writing. In particular, Marguerite was not nearly as interesting a protagonist as she could have been and I found myself wishing to see the story from other perspectives instead.
Friday Face-Off: Playing Cards
Posted on March 3, 2017 22 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:
“Life is not a matter of holding good cards, but of playing a poor hand well”
~ a cover featuring PLAYING CARDS
Mogsy’s Pick:
Planesrunner by Ian McDonald
When I saw what the theme was for this week, my mind immediately went to the US cover for this book, mainly because Planesrunner is never too far from my mind. It’s an amazing novel, the first of a Young Adult series called Everness, but don’t write it off just because of the YA tag — this is a smart, unique, and entertaining universe-hopping steampunk adventure like no other, and I’m glad to finally get the chance to gush about it. I just wish I knew whether or not Ian McDonald is planning on writing more for this series, because book three was the latest one to come out and that was in 2013.
Anyway, let’s take a look at some of book’s covers. Interestingly, the Pyr edition has two versions, one for the hardcover and one for the Kindle, with only slight differences between them:
The Russian edition is the only other cover to feature playing cards. The rest show the eponymous airship Everness in all her glory.
From left to right, top to bottom: Bulgarian (2015) – French (2013) – Italian (2017) – British (2012) – Russian (2013)
Winner:
This was a tough one. My eye for aesthetics went immediately to the Bulgarian edition, because damn, that’s just beautiful. At the same time though, my heart refused to relinquish the Jo Fletcher Books UK cover, and all because that’s the edition I own. Oh well, stubborn hearts win out in the end!
What do you think? Which one is your favorite?
Novella Review: Idle Ingredients by Matt Wallace
Posted on March 2, 2017 11 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Idle Ingredients by Matt Wallace
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Book 4 of Sin du Jour
Publisher: Tor.com (February 7, 2016)
Length: 224 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Put on your chefs hats and smocks, because it’s time for another crazy adventure starring the ragtag crew of New York’s most exclusive kitchen and catering company. And if the first three books of the Sin du Jour series can be considered the early courses of a meal, then with this fourth installment we have come to the entrée—the meat of this story arc, so to speak.
The last we saw these characters, Lena had just dropped the big news on everyone that she was leaving Sin du Jour. As we would soon discover at the start of Idle Ingredients, however, her so-called bombshell of a decision ultimately led nowhere, for it didn’t take long for Bronko to track her down, pluck her up from her new place of work, and unceremoniously drop her right back into his kitchen line. That’s because it’s all hands on deck again for their next big assignment, catering a series of campaign events for the underground supernatural community’s upcoming elections. Bronko has even brought on a new liaison named Luciana Monrovio to help him streamline Sin du Jour’s operational processes and salvage their reputation after their last few disastrous gigs.
But instead of improving things around the place, Luciana ends up driving a wedge between Bronko and his staff. Jett, the event planner, is one of the first to be pushed out. Then Ryland loses his home as his trailer is towed away. Boosha ends up comatose in the hospital after a mysterious accident. Lena becomes infuriated after she is banned from the kitchen, reassigned to work with Nikki on deserts and pastries. Darren and his new boyfriend James are inexplicably sent off on vacation in the middle of this busy time. The Stocking and Receiving department, a mainstay of the company, gets ordered off the premises and put on call. Worse, the women seem to be the only ones noticing these odd changes, since the men seem to be unnaturally smitten with Luciana, like they’ve all suddenly come under a spell. Something is seriously wrong at Sin du Jour, and it’s up to the ladies to figure it out and put a stop to whatever’s happening.
While it’s true that Pride’s Spell was an improvement over Lustlocked, this installment might finally be the one to bring the complexity and substance I feel has been sorely needed since Envy of Angels. Granted, the introduction was a bit weak due to the considerable time spent getting the team back together again (cycling through all the characters in order to catch up with every single one of them took up the entire first quarter of the book) but still, it’s probably safe to say Idle Ingredients is my favorite addition to Sin du Jour so far.
For one thing, I like how this series has settled into a rhythm—and no, that does not mean things have slowed down or become stuck in a rut. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. We seem to have found what works, and now Matt Wallace is building upon those foundations with this fourth installment. Apart from the intro, the story in Idle Ingredients was fast-paced and consistent, focusing on some of the most interesting characters like Lena, Bronko, and Nikki. The plot was tightly woven and we didn’t waste much time with distractions, instead diving straight into the main conflict. Even though there wasn’t as much cooking when compared to the previous three books, I thought Sin du Jour’s catering job in this one—providing food for a party of elementals during a Sceadu candidate’s campaign speeches—was their coolest assignment yet.
I hope we’ll keep seeing these “big picture” plots, because as much as I’m enjoying reading about Sin du Jour’s action-packed and insanity-fueled adventures, I think I like following the characters’ relationships even more. As their personalities continue to grow and develop, the books also seem to be getting better, and Idle Ingredients is evidence of this upwards trend. Besides, with a teaser like that in the epilogue, how can I not feel excited for the future of this series? Thank goodness the next book Greedy Pigs is already on the horizon, because I can hardly wait.
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of Envy of Angels (Book 1)
Review of Lustlocked (Book 2)
Review of Pride’s Spell (Book 3)
Waiting on Wednesday 03/01/17
Posted on March 1, 2017 25 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 Core by Peter V. Brett (August 15, 2017 by Del Rey)
Reading the last few books of this series has become increasingly like watching “Days of Our Lives in The Hollow”, but I just can’t seem to bring myself to quit. Say what you want about these books, but damn it, they’re addictive as hell. I must know how it all ends.
“For time out of mind, bloodthirsty demons have stalked the night, culling the human race to scattered remnants dependent on half-forgotten magics to protect them. Then two heroes arose—men as close as brothers, yet divided by bitter betrayal. Arlen Bales became known as the Warded Man, tattooed head to toe with powerful magic symbols that enable him to fight demons in hand-to-hand combat—and emerge victorious. Jardir, armed with magically warded weapons, called himself the Deliverer, a figure prophesied to unite humanity and lead them to triumph in Sharak Ka—the final war against demonkind.
But in their efforts to bring the war to the demons, Arlen and Jardir have set something in motion that may prove the end of everything they hold dear—a Swarm. Now the war is at hand and humanity cannot hope to win it unless Arlen and Jardir, with the help of Arlen’s wife, Renna, can bend a captured demon prince to their will and force the devious creature to lead them to the Core, where the Mother of Demons breeds an inexhaustible army.
Trusting their closest confidantes, Leesha, Inevera, Ragen and Elissa, to rally the fractious people of the Free Cities and lead them against the Swarm, Arlen, Renna, and Jardir set out on a desperate quest into the darkest depths of evil—from which none of them expects to return alive.”
The BiblioSanctum 