Mogsy’s Bookshelf Roundup: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on February 11, 2017 39 Comments
Bookshelf Roundup is a feature I do every other 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 round up what I’ve read since the last update 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
Thank you to the publishers and authors for the following review copies received. For more details and full descriptions of the books, be sure to click the links to their Goodreads pages!
Much love to Tor Books for this trio of gorgeous finished copies! I’ve been hearing quite a bit about Crossroads of Canopy by Thoraiya Dyer and while there have been some mixed reviews, the bulk of what I’ve seen has been positive. I’m hoping to read it soon. Next up is the latest Pathfinder Tales novel, Through the Gate in the Sea by Howard Andrew Jones. I’m actually really excited about this one, which features a “deepwater salvager” protagonist, and from the looks of things there will also be lizard-folk and feathered dinosaurs. Finally, The Skill of Our Hands by Steven Brust and Skyler White is the second novel of the Incrementalist series. I’ve actually read book one back when it came out four years ago, so it’s been a while and I’ll probably need a refresher on the story and characters before I jump into the sequel.
Also huge thanks to Orbit for the following finished copies received! I am beyond thrilled for Winter of the Gods by Jordanna Max Brodsky, sequel to the absolutely amazing The Immortals which was one of my favorite books last year. As well I’m pretty pumped about Revenger by Alastair Reynolds which — believe it or not — will be my first time reading anything by the author, so that’s something I’m looking forward to. I also got a nice surprise last week when this print copy of Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames showed up on my doorstep. It’s a book I’ve been curious about for a while though, and I have definite plans to read it.
Thanks to the awesome folks at Wunderkind, I was also offered the opportunity to review these two amazing titles from Saga Press: The Stars Are Legion by Kameron Hurley sounds really intriguing, and I’m hoping I’ll be able to check it out later this month. And then there’s Phantom Pains by Mishell Baker which I’m so, so, so psyched to read! I adored the first book Borderline, and I can hardly wait to get back into this world with Millie and the Arcadia Project.
The White Road by Sarah Lotz – When this ARC arrived, it made my day — I’m a huge fan of Sarah Lotz and this book has been on my must-read list from the moment I heard she was writing a new horror-thriller about survival in the most inhospitable environments on planet earth, from the claustrophobic Cwm Pot caves to the merciless Death Zone of Everest. My thanks to Mulholland Books!
The Seventh Age: Dawn by Rick Heinz – Kudos to Inkshares for always introducing me to the coolest books! This was pitched to me as a “Jim Butcher-esque Chicagoan fantasy horror series ‘with a two pack-a-day habit'” featuring a blend of ancient and contemporary magic. It appears to have flown under a lot of radars, but I’m seeing a lot more of it around now and readers seem to be giving it a lot of praise.
My thanks to the Jo Fletcher Books team for this beautiful proof of Empress of the Fall by David Hair, book one of the Sunsurge Quartet. It’s the start of a sequel series to David Hair’s Moontide Quartet which I have to say is one of the most breathtakingly stunning epic fantasy series I have ever read, and if you haven’t checked it out yet, you are missing out. I’m ashamed to admit that I’m actually a book shy from completing it, but I’m hoping that won’t prevent me from jumping into this one and enjoying it right away. I’m still a little floored by the spectacular design of the winged Pegasus; one has to wonder what the finished copy will look like if the ARC is already this gorgeous.
Alone by Scott Sigler – Another surprise arrival, but it was also one I was quite happy to receive. I might have had mixed feelings about the first book, but ever since the second one, the story has been really growing on me and I find myself looking forward to see how The Generations trilogy will end. Thank you to Del Rey Books.
The Only Child by Andrew Pyper – My request for this book actually got approved around the same time I featured it for Waiting on Wednesday earlier this month, so that was some great news! Thank you to Simon and Schuster for the opportunity!
The Valiant by Lesley Livingston – Audiobook, with thanks to Listening Library. As soon as I saw this book, I knew I had to read it. Ancient Rome and female gladiators, come on! In fact, I’ve actually finished listening already, and yep, LOVED IT.
Freeks by Amanda Hocking – I also couldn’t help requesting this book in audio, because something me it’ll be a fun one to listen to. With thanks to Audible.
All Systems Red by Martha Wells – Another tasty novella from Tor.com! I’m a fan of Martha Wells’ Books of the Raksura so this one has me especially excited, and I’m also curious to see how she’ll tackle the sci-fi genre.
Dreamfall by Amy Plum – This is on my list of must-read YA of 2017, so when I saw it pop up on Edelweiss, I simply couldn’t resist. With thanks to HarperTeen.
The Empire’s Ghost by Isabelle Steiger – I was also happy to receive this e-galley invite to one of my most anticipated fantasy debuts of the year. Thank you to Thomas Dunne Books.
Reviews
A summary of my reviews posted since the last Roundup:
In Calabria by Peter S. Beagle (4 of 5 stars)
Heartstone by Elle Katharine White (4 of 5 stars)
Bookburners by Max Gladstone, Margaret Dunlap, Mur Lafferty, Brian Francis Slattery (4 of 5 stars)
Lost Souls by Kelley Armstrong (3.5 of 5 stars)
A Darkness Absolute by Kelley Armstrong (3.5 of 5 stars)
The Rising by Heather Graham and Jon Land (3.5 of 5 stars)
Empress of a Thousand Skies by Rhoda Belleza (3.5 of 5 stars)
What I’ve Read Since the Last Update
Here’s what I’ve read recently, with a few reviews already posted. The rest to come soon!
Have you heard of or read any of the books featured this week? What caught your eye? Any new discoveries? I hope you found something interesting for a future read! Let me know what you plan on checking out. Until next time, see you next Roundup!
Friday Face-Off: Diamonds
Posted on February 10, 2017 20 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:
“Diamonds are a girl’s best friend”
~ a cover featuring DIAMONDS
Mogsy’s Pick:
Congo by Michael Crichton
I was initially having a lot of trouble trying to come up with a book that fits this theme, but then I looked through my collection of books and remembered this Crichton classic. It’s been a while since I read it, but as I recall, it began with an expedition into the dense rain forests of the Congo Basin. And right before the entire team was massacred by unknown creatures, what were they looking for? That’s right–diamond deposits! I held my breath and did some image searches, and sure enough, there were several editions featuring covers with diamonds on them.
In fact, originally published in 1980, the book has since been released in many countries by many publishers and has been adapted into a film. There were so many covers available that it would have been impossible to post them all here, so here’s just a small sample of the dozens I’ve found. Below is a gallery of international covers from all around the world, followed by a selection of English editions.
From left to right, top to bottom: Finnish (1981) – Italian (2004) – Japanese (1982) – Chinese (1995) – Portugese (1980) – Dutch (1980) – Danish (1982) – Spanish (2000) – French (1981) – Slovene (1996)
Knopf (1980) – Harper (2009) – Avon (2003) – Ballantine (1993)
Winner:
Picking a favorite among so many unique covers was tough! But in the end, I went with this one featuring the towering ruins of a lost city hidden in the thick vegetation of the rain forest. I chose it for the forbidding sense of mystery and tension it conveys, but what do you think? Which one is your favorite?
SPFBO Epic Fantasy Giveaway
Posted on February 9, 2017 Leave a Comment
Phase 2 of The Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off 2016 is officially underway! For the six-month period from November 1, 2016 to the end of May 2017, we will be reviewing the ten finalists chosen by the blogger judges from the first phase of the competition. For full details and the list of books, see our SPFBO 2016 page.
Here’s your opportunity to get a taste of the SPFBO goodness with this epic fantasy giveaway that features some of this year’s finalists.
Novella Review: Lost Souls by Kelley Armstrong
Posted on February 9, 2017 13 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Lost Souls by Kelley Armstrong
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Cainsville
Publisher: Subterranean Press (March 31, 2017)
Length: 192 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
In the interest of honesty, I picked up Lost Souls without realizing that it was part of the Cainsville sequence, so that probably had an impact on my rating. Still, despite my oversight, I really enjoyed this novella, and I think fans of the series who are familiar with the characters and the subtle nuances in their relationships will no doubt appreciate it even more.
As urban legends go, few are as well-known as the one about the “Vanishing Hitchhiker” or its many variations. The stories all roughly begin and end the same way: A driver encounters a hitchhiker on the side of a lonely road, but after picking them up the hitchhiker subsequently disappears without any explanation. Kelley Armstrong has adopted this motif for the central premise of Lost Souls which stars Gabriel Walsh, a lawyer who takes on a side job investigating the case of a man alleging to have been led astray by a vanishing hitchhiker in the form of a young woman in a white sundress. Gabriel would have been tempted to dismiss the story as a hoax if the circumstances around the incident hadn’t been so strange. For one thing, why would the man risk jeopardizing his successful career and marriage by filing a false report? Also, there have been a string of similar vanishing hitchhiker sightings in recent years, but a suspicious number of them have ended up with the witnesses committing suicide not long after—exactly forty-eight hours after picking up the hitchhiker, to be exact.
Plus, if there’s one thing Gabriel loves, it’s a good mystery. Lately, his relationship with his friend and employee Olivia Taylor-Jones has been on the rocks, and he has hopes too that presenting her with an interesting puzzle like this would help mend fences. In the wake of their rift, Liv has taken off on a vacation and Gabriel finds himself missing her, even if he has trouble admitting it to her or anyone else. Given their shared love for the strange and the weird, this case of the disappearing hitchhiker might be their chance to reconnect again.
Since I have not read any of the main books in the Cainsville series, I know I’m probably missing a lot here, so keep in mind these are the opinions of a newcomer to this world and its characters. The main struggle I had was with the character behaviors and motivations. I found myself exasperated with Gabriel and Liv, namely because all the drama surrounding their relationship is based on miscommunication and misunderstanding—pretty much the oldest trick in the book. While backstories were provided for both, without the deeper context of the series I had a really hard time sympathizing with Gabriel’s excuses for being jerk or Liv’s reasons for being so manipulative. That said though, the story itself was relatively easy to follow, and references to past events were freely provided. Not once was I confused or overwhelmed. So while Lost Souls is clearly intended as a companion novella to the main series, the fact that I was able to follow along just fine is no small feat.
For Cainsville fans, the interpersonal relationships and character development will probably end up being the main draw, though personally I also loved the mystery plot in between these sections. Armstrong adapts the urban legend of the vanishing hitchhiker to great effect, making it a race against time for our characters to find the answers. There are even ties to Gabriel’s past, giving me the chance to know him better. Perhaps my only complaint about the story is the ending, which I thought was anti-climactic and too abrupt, but it’s a minor issue in the big scheme of things.
All told, Lost Souls is probably best tackled only if you are caught up with the main series, though speaking as a relatively new fan of Kelley Armstrong, not having read any of the other novels did not prevent me from enjoying it either. If anything, reading this novella made me even more curious about Cainsville. I also wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Lost Souls if you simply want to read more by the author; she’s an amazing writer who knows all about creating suspenseful drama, and even in this compact novella you will be sure to find all the ingredients of a good urban fantasy mystery.
Waiting on Wednesday 02/08/17
Posted on February 8, 2017 18 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
Defy the Stars by Claudia Gray (April 4, 2017 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
So far the only books I’ve read by Claudia Gray have been her Star Wars novels, but that’s also how I came to discover how amazing she is. I’d love to try one of her YA novels some day, and already I have my eye on this one coming soon in the spring.
“Noemi Vidal is a teen soldier from the planet Genesis, once a colony of Earth that’s now at war for its independence. The humans of Genesis have fought Earth’s robotic “mech” armies for decades with no end in sight.
After a surprise attack, Noemi finds herself stranded in space on an abandoned ship where she meets Abel, the most sophisticated mech prototype ever made. One who should be her enemy. But Abel’s programming forces him to obey Noemi as his commander, which means he has to help her save Genesis–even though her plan to win the war will kill him.
Together they embark on a daring voyage through the galaxy. Before long, Noemi begins to realize Abel may be more than a machine, and, for his part, Abel’s devotion to Noemi is no longer just a matter of programming.”
Novella Review: In Calabria by Peter S. Beagle
Posted on February 7, 2017 24 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
In Calabria by Peter S. Beagle
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Tachyon Publications
Length: 176 pages
Author Information: Website
With the deft touch of a master storyteller, Peter S. Beagle weaves a strong thread of mythology into this gorgeous and emotional tale about love, sacrifice, and courage. Reading In Calabria is like stepping through a veil and into a dream, crossing into that secret and magical place where everyday life comes face to face with the fantastical. It’s an unforgettable, stunning experience.
In a small village nestled in the peaceful and scenic countryside of Southern Italy, there lives a man named Claudio Bianchi. Becoming increasingly aloof and grumpy in his middle age, he prefers to keep to himself on his farm, tending to his crops and animals while writing poetry in his spare time. His only regular visitor is a postman who comes to his place twice a week to drop off his mail. Life is quiet, routine and uncomplicated, and it’s the way Bianchi likes it. But that all changes in an instant, when our protagonist looks outside one morning and spies an impossible creature gazing back at him from his fields. It is a golden-white unicorn—heavily pregnant too, if Bianchi isn’t mistaken—and for some reason, she has chosen his farm as the place to give birth.
All of a sudden, Bianchi is filled with a new sense of purpose and inspiration. He has promised La Signora, the name he has given the unicorn, that he will keep her and her baby safe. His poetry also come more easily to him now, with her in his life. That peace, however, turns out to be short-lived. Eventually, the rumors start spreading that unicorns have made their home on Bianchi’s land. His farm is sudden swamped by media, trophy hunters, and all manner of nosy busybodies. But worst of all, there are the ‘Ndrangheta, an organized crime group based in Calabria who have come to Bianchi with an offer to buy his farm and the unicorns on it, threatening him with dire consequences if he refuses.
Magical realism fans are going to want to take note for this one. It’s a short and simple tale, but packed with some powerful themes. I’ve always loved stories with unicorns in them, especially those that portray them in meaningful ways, and if anyone can be relied upon to write a book that does just that, it is Peter S. Beagle. The unicorn has long been a symbol of purity and healing, and as we watch Bianchi’s life unfold, it becomes clear that he is in desperate need of some of that magic himself, as much as he may want to deny it. His character is taciturn, a little standoffish, but you can also tell Bianchi is a man who takes pride in his independence and accomplishments. Behind that gruff exterior is a kind heart and plenty of evidence that he cares about the people around him, which is why I found him likable despite his flaws.
There was also a romantic side plot in this that I didn’t see coming, nor did I expect to enjoy it so much. There’s a considerable age difference between the protagonist and his love interest, and while in general May-December relationships can be tricky to pull off, I thought the portrayal of Bianchi and Giovanna’s courtship was sweet, sympathetic, and subtle enough that it doesn’t take too much from the main story. It always warms my heart to read about two very different people coming together, finding an understanding and connection that ultimately leads to something more.
The setting is also something that stands out. This story of course takes place in the eponymous southern Italian region in a bucolic community characterized by hills and farms. The world is presented as this almost surreal mix of the modern and the traditional, showing the juxtaposition between things like smartphones and ski resorts to Bianchi’s low-tech farm and his ancient, barely-running Studebaker. In my opinion, it’s the perfect backdrop for a story like this; if you can suspend reality for a moment and imagine the possibility of unicorns just magically popping up somewhere in the world, I can easily picture it happening in a place like this.
Needless to say, I really enjoyed this book. It’s a short, quick read, but despite its novella-length page count, In Calabria will draw you in and make you feel like a part of its breathtaking world. Highly recommended for readers who love genuine characters, evocative settings, and storytelling with a touch of pure magic.
Book Review: Heartstone by Elle Katharine White
Posted on February 6, 2017 46 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Heartstone by Elle Katharine White
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Harper Voyager (January 17, 2017)
Length: 352 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Pride and Prejudice retellings and other Austenesque-inspired stories have traditionally been hit-or-miss with me, but there was something about Heartstone that drew me to it right away. Might it have been the dragons? Okay yeah, it was the dragons.
While I’ll be the first to admit I’m no aficionado on the works of Jane Austen, I am familiar enough with Pride and Prejudice to know that Heartstone is actually a pretty faithful rendition of the original, in some places following the plot so closely that I was surprised the author took such a direct route. The story follows Aliza Bentaine, the second of five daughters in a family living at Merybourne Manor. Their home has been set upon by monsters as of late, and six months ago tragedy struck as Aliza’s youngest sister was attacked and killed by one of the wild gryphons that have invaded the surrounding woods. This has led to the arrival of a band of Riders who have come to Merybourne to eradicate the creatures, and among them are the warriors Master Brysney and Master Daired.
Excited to have two noble bachelors visit the household, Aliza’s mother quickly ensures that her daughters would be present at the party to receive the Riders, and her hopes are answered as Brysney takes an immediate liking to Anjey, the eldest. Aliza herself, however, is unimpressed by Daired, whom she finds rude, arrogant, and standoffish. It also didn’t help that due to a hilarious misunderstanding, Daired started off their introductions by kicking Aliza’s good friend Tobble the hobgoblin clear across the yard. But in order to be polite to their guests, Aliza makes an effort to get to know the Riders and help them hunt the gryphon hordes in any way she can, even befriending Daired’s majestic mount, the dragon Akarra.
The publisher blurb for this book describes it as Elle Katharine White infusing Austen’s classic with her own brand of magic, and I find that wholly accurate. If you know your Pride and Prejudice, many of the major plot points in Heartstone won’t come as much of a surprise, i.e. just as Elizabeth and Darcy manage to find common ground and eventually fall in love, Aliza and Daired also come to an understanding with each other and gradually a romance blossoms between them. With the exception of the ending, I wouldn’t say that the strength of Heartstone is in its story since most of the plot closely mirrors the original, but what really shines is the world-building. White doesn’t stop at populating her book with all sorts of extraordinary creatures from hobgoblins and wyverns to lamias and lindworms, for she has also fleshed out the world with a vibrant culture that’s entirely of her own imagination. I loved how this world had its own history and religion, and even the dragons had their own set of traditions. One of the elements I most appreciated about this book was the fact that White did not set out to copy Austen’s style or reproduce the Regency period, because I doubt that would have worked as well for me.
Still, just when you think you’ve taken this book’s measure, the author does have a couple surprises hidden up her sleeve, waiting for the perfect time to spring them on the unsuspecting reader. I had briefly mentioned the ending, which definitely deserves more attention. For one thing, you most certainly won’t find anything like it in the original, and in a way I’m really glad this is where White decided to go “off-script” because otherwise I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed this book so much. Pride and Prejudice retelling or not, when a story features wyvern and dragon-riding warriors, I think it’s a safe bet that most readers would expect a battle scene or two to see them in action, and in this regard, I’m pleased to say Heartstone did not disappoint. That epic ending capped off what was for the most part a relatively tame and faithful retelling, and it was exactly what the book needed because I don’t think things could have wrapped up more perfectly.
In sum, Heartstone is described as a Pride and Prejudice retelling with fantasy elements, and for better or worse, that is exactly what you get—as in, right up until the grand finale, the plot matches up with the original almost perfectly, down to the similarity in character names, which at times can feel a bit disconcerting. That said though, I thought the decision to depart from the Regency style and language made this book a lot more readable and engaging, and the author’s own additions to the world are wonderfully original and well integrated. Whether you’re an Austen fan or not, I think you’ll also find that the world-building elements are a key highlight along with the story’s superb ending, and despite its strength of being a rather close retelling, there’s no denying Heartstone was at its best when it was doing its own thing, delving into the fantastical. All told it was a delightful experience that felt comfortably familiar and fresh all at once, and I highly recommend it.
Book Review: A Darkness Absolute by Kelley Armstrong
Posted on February 5, 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.
A Darkness Absolute by Kelley Armstrong
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Series: Book 2 of Casey Duncan
Publisher: Minotaur Books (February 7, 2016)
Length: 416 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Well, I still enjoyed this one, but it was nowhere near as good as the first book.
A Darkness Absolute is the follow-up to the brilliant City of the Lost, continuing Kelley Armstrong’s new mystery suspense series starring an ex-homicide detective named Casey Duncan. Months have passed since Casey first came to Rockton, a secret community nestled in the remote wilds of the Yukon. People come to this town to escape their past lives, expecting a safe haven, but the reality is much more sinister. As we saw in the previous book, not everyone in Rockton is who they say they are.
Now our heroine is on the case again, partnered with her new boyfriend, Rockton’s Sheriff Eric Dalton. Winter has arrived with a vengeance, driving some of the townspeople stir-crazy with cabin fever. One night while Dalton is away on a supply run, one of these listless residents decide to do a runner in the middle of a snow storm, leaving Casey and Deputy Will Anders with no choice but to follow in an attempt at search and rescue. While taking shelter in a nearby cave system, they are shocked when they discover a terrified and malnourished woman trapped in a hole. They are even more horrified when they find out her identity—a former Rockton resident named Nicole, who has been missing for more than a year. This whole time she had been held captive in these caves by an unknown assailant, being subjected to unspeakable acts of abuse.
The mystery deepens further when Casey returns to the cave system to look for clues about the perpetrator, but instead finds the remains of two other women. Rockton’s worst fears are confirmed: there’s another killer on the loose. It’s not clear yet whether the one they’re hunting for is a resident or an outsider, but now that Nicole has been rescued, Casey and Dalton must solve the case before the killer can target another victim.
City of the Lost was my first book by Kelley Armstrong, and I fell instantly in love—with the story, the characters, the setting…with ALL OF IT. It made me excited for the sequel, hoping for the same kind of magic, but unfortunately it just wasn’t there. Don’t get me wrong, because A Darkness Absolute still ended up being a good read, but compared to the first book, something definitely felt lacking.
So, what went wrong? It was likely a bunch of little issues compounded together, but if I had to point my finger at one thing, it was the story’s predictability. I guessed the perp even before the halfway point, and so the rest was watching Casey, Dalton, and Will run around in circles following leads that I knew would go nowhere. Turns out, reading a book like this can feel really tedious. Worse, when looking at the plot from this point of view, the repeated failures only made Casey and her team seem more incompetent. I also thought the mystery lacked imagination, at least when compared to City of the Lost. Sure, Armstrong threw out some red herrings and a few other distractions to try and complicate things, but I was able to sniff them out from a mile away.
Obviously, your experience with this book may differ. After all, I probably stumbled upon the answers by pure chance, especially when I’m usually terrible at figuring out who the killer is in all these other whodunits. Taking out the mystery, there’s still a lot to like about this novel, not least of which are the characters and the exquisite atmosphere of the Yukon. A town like Rockton is the perfect setting for a psychological suspense mystery like this, where the isolation only heightens the tensions and the sense of foreboding. Add to that, every resident in town is an unknown factor, since no one likes to share anything about their past. There’s also no fancy forensic equipment or technology in Rockton, so Casey and Dalton have to do their jobs the old-fashioned way. And speaking of them, I continue to enjoy their relationship. The author has dialed back on the romance big time, or at least struck a better balance so that the drama was spread out and not dumped on us all at once like in the first book.
A Darkness Absolute is also…well, dark. It can be difficult to read these books. People find themselves in Rockton for many reasons, but a lot of them end up there because they are the survivors of violence or abuse, and disappearing into the northern woods is their only chance of escape. We are exposed to a lot of their stories, many of which are troubling or unhappy. It only gets worse with a deranged killer on the loose, and many of the descriptions of what happened to Nicole and the other women can be downright disturbing and chilling.
Bottom line, A Darkness Absolute was a good, if sometimes frustrating, read. I personally found the story way too predictable for the book to be a satisfying mystery, but I still love the series’ world and characters. I’m not about to give up on Casey Duncan, and I look forward to the next installment.
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of City of the Lost (Book 1)
#SPFBO YA Weekend: The Shadow Soul by Kaitlyn Davis
Posted on February 4, 2017 9 Comments
Phase 2 of The Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off 2016 is officially underway! For the six-month period from November 1, 2016 to the end of May 2017, we will be reviewing the ten finalists chosen by the blogger judges from the first phase of the competition. For full details and the list of books, see our SPFBO 2016 page.
The Shadow Soul by Kaitlyn Davis
Genre: Young adult, fantasy
Series: A Dance of Dragons #1
Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform (January 2014)
Author Info: kaitlyndavisbooks.com
Wendy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
“People are born to this world with their destiny already laid out before them, with a future already set—they only get to fill in the details.”
Jinji is a 16-year old girl with a unique bond to the elemental spirits. As she prepares for what should be one of the proudest moments in her life, she finds herself bound to darkness — a shadow that moves from her waking dreams into her reality and steals everything from her. She is found by a prince of the new world who shuns his royal standing, preferring adventure. He too is bound to the spirits, but unlike Jinji, his people fear such magic. Danger and secrets bind the two together as Jinji seeks answers and vengeance against the shadow that killed her people, while Prince Rhen tries to uncover a plot against his kingdom before it’s too late.
The chapters flip back and forth between the two characters’ points of view. Davis takes the time to dig deep into the their thoughts and actions, such that, by the end of the book when the action and intrigue picks up the pace, their separate perspectives are so well woven. Even when the chapters duplicate scenes, the emotional weight from each perspective adds so much more to the moment.
Considering what Jinji has lost, Davis does a good job of keeping Jinji focused on that pain, as would be expected after such tragedy, without letting her pain drag the story down. There are times when it seems like Jinji is losing that focus as she gets more and more wrapped up in Rhen’s situation, but Davis brings it back and around to tie both their fates together.
However, when things do come together in the end, there are some pacing and detail issues that become lost due to the focus on Jinji and Rhen’s perspectives alone. The political issues and the war itself become lost in the periphery because of this, which would lead to disappointment to anyone who accepted the book’s claim that it is like Game of Thrones in any way.
Further, it is wonderful to have a female protagonist of colour, and her introduction and the introduction to her culture is beautifully detailed. But the book stumbles in having that character’s entire people obliterated shortly after and having the only other people of colour villainized.
There are some issues with editing and pacing that are to be expected from a new author, but the story itself is sound and the characters are strong and endearing, so much so that when I finished reading The Shadow Soul, I promptly purchased the sequel, which is always a good sign!
SPFBO: 7/10
Book Review: The Rising by Heather Graham and Jon Land
Posted on February 3, 2017 19 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 Rising by Heather Graham and Jon Land
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction, Mystery, Thriller
Series: Book 1
Publisher: Tor (January 17, 2017)
Length: 400 pages
Author Information: Heather Graham | Jon Land
Heather Graham is such a prominent and prolific writer that these days it’s nearly impossible to walk into a bookstore or even the books section of your local grocery or department store without seeing her name on something. That said, even though Graham has been on my radar for a while, I must confess I’d been woefully unfamiliar with her work. Up until recently, I honestly thought she only wrote exclusively romances and contemporary mysteries, when in fact her novels actually run the full gamut of genres.
So I was a little surprised when I got a pitch about The Rising, co-authored by her and Jon Land. As you can imagine, the tagline “Stranger Things meets X-Files and Independence Day” piqued my interest right away, for up until that moment I’d only been vaguely aware of this book, with absolutely no clue what it was about, let alone that it had any sci-fi or paranormal elements. Now that I’ve read it though, I want to add one more comparison to the list. Back in 2002 there was a miniseries on the Sci-Fi Channel called Taken, and without spoiling the plot too much, I have to say reading The Rising also brought me back to many of the show’s moments, on top of those that have already been mentioned.
The story begins on the night of a huge high school football game. Star quarterback Alex is expected to take the team to championships, and everyone has shown up to cheer them on including his quiet and somewhat nerdy classmate and tutor, Samantha Dixon. For years, Sam has harbored a secret crush on Alex, even though they’ve always traveled in different circles. Currently she is interning at NASA, hoping that it will lead to a career with them after she graduates, while Alex is already on his way to becoming a famous football player, having been offered numerous scholarships.
But then disaster strikes on the field, and Alex is rushed to the hospital. Overnight, he finds his world changed and his future uncertain…but not for the reasons you would expect. Physically, the football accident he suffered actually left him relatively unscathed, but results of his various medical tests have raised concerns with his doctor, who finds something peculiar in Alex’s brain scan. Before it can be investigated though, the doctor is murdered, followed by Alex’s parents. Someone seems to be targeting Alex and those close to him, and he has no idea why. Now his only hope of survival rests with his friend Sam, whose work contacts may be able to shed light on the nightmare his life has become.
The Rising is mostly a thriller mystery novel—and in fact, Alex’s whole life becomes a riddle to be solved, once he realizes everything he has ever known is now in question—but there is also a good mix of other genres, including the big ones of romance and science fiction. I would even go as far as to say there could be some Young Adult appeal to this, even if the storytelling feels more mature despite the teenage protagonists. And yet despite all these moving parts, the novel remains a well-balanced and fast-paced read, the authors constantly driving the story forward never once allowing it to flag. They manage this by packing the plot full of action and violence, and even during the quieter moments they are laying down important clues or following them up.
However, I will say the writing took some time getting used to. It’s unclear how much of it has to do with this being a co-authored book, since I have not read either Graham or Land before picking up The Rising, so I don’t know enough to say whether or not their writing styles are compatible. The prose felt choppy to me sometimes, and scenes and POV changes didn’t always transition very well, plus the ending also came and went too abruptly. The short chapters probably didn’t help the unevenness of the writing either, but fortunately, the going does get easier once you fall into the rhythm of things.
All told, I enjoyed The Rising. The authors might not have set out to be groundbreaking with their book, but overall I found it to be a fun read and satisfying for what it was. I went into the novel expecting it to be a high-octane genre bender, and got exactly what I wanted—a romantic suspense sci-fi thriller that never ceased to entertain.
The BiblioSanctum 