4th Quarter Audiobook Challenge Update
Posted on December 19, 2016 6 Comments
It’s our final update for the 2016 Audiobook Challenge! Thank you to the challenge hosts and here’s to another year of great listens. Let’s see how everyone did.
1st Quarter Audiobook Challenge Update
2nd Quarter Audiobook Challenge Update
3rd Quarter Audiobook Challenge Update
Reading Challenge Details:
- Runs January 1, 2016 – December 31, 2016. You can join at any time.
- The goal is to find a new love for audios or to outdo yourself by listening to more audios in 2016 than you did in 2015.
- Books must be in audio format (CD, MP3, etc.)
- ANY genres count.
- Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are allowed.
- You do not have to be a book blogger to participate; you can track your progress on Goodreads, Shelfari, Booklikes, Facebook, LibraryThing, etc.
- If you’re a blogger grab the button (on the sidebar) and do a quick post about the challenge to help spread the word. If you’re not a blogger you can help by posting on Facebook or Tweeting about the challenge.
Levels:
- Newbie (I’ll give it a try) 1-5
- Weekend Warrior (I’m getting the hang of this) 5-10
- Stenographer (can listen while multi-tasking) 10-15
- Socially Awkward (Don’t talk to me) 15-20
- Binge Listener (Why read when someone can do it for you) 20-30
- My Precious (I had my earbuds surgically implanted) 30-50
- Marathoner (Look Ma no hands) 50+
Baby it’s cold outsiiiiide, so that means I’m not walking to work, which is when I usually enjoy my audiobooks, but I’ve still managed to pack in several titles, bringing my 2017 Audiobook Challenge total to *drum roll please* 49! Which is one shy of the Marathoner title. But hey, the year’s not over yet and the nights are still long and full of terrors. I can probably squeeze one more in before I say good bye to 2016. What do you think?
Look at me, I’m a Marathoner! Through audiobooks, I even managed to catch up with a bunch of my unsolicited print books this year. Some of these were awesome stories that I might not otherwise have gotten to due to lack of time, which is why I simply adore the flexibility of enjoying both formats at once. My finally tally ended up being 60. I might have done poorly on the challenge in the summer, but I think a strong first and fourth quarter made up for it.
The second half of the year turned out to be extremely busy for me, so I didn’t read/listen to as many books as I’d hope. I actually read more physical books these past three months, so I have a very short showing for this quarter. However, I did manage to sneak a few in there, and I’m pleased to say that I did manage to listen to an admirable 80 books this year on top of the physical/digital books I read despite all the setbacks.
Book Review: The Burning Isle by Will Panzo
Posted on December 18, 2016 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.
The Burning Isle by Will Panzo
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Ace (November 1, 2016)
Length: 432 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
One never knows what to expect when diving into a debut, especially when the book in question comes with the ambitious label of “grimdark”. Because this happens to be one of my favorite subgenres, I can be quite demanding—not to mention I also have very particular tastes. The Burning Isle, however, exceeded expectations even when it didn’t turn out like anything I had in mind. In its own way, this novel was intensely entertaining and satisfying, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it will continue making waves in the fantasy fiction world long into the future.
The story introduces us to its protagonist Cassius, a young spellcaster newly arrived on a savage, lawless island that serves as home to those who can’t find welcome anywhere else. Scipio is made up of a slum situated on the edge of a jungle, but while the city itself is ruled by two warring crime lords, the real power resides with the enigmatic general who oversees everything with a vast army from his stronghold deep in the wilderness.
It is Cassius’ goal to shake this system up, but first he has to make a name for himself. He quickly manages this in spectacular fashion, defeating a rival spellcaster in a very public prize fight on the very first day. Immediately, he uses the notoriety gained from his win to insinuate himself into one of the crime bosses’ employ, kicking off the first step of his carefully formulated plans to overthrow the status quo and change Scipio from within.
But to what end? Will he stand to gain anything from the downfall of the corrupted leaders of the island? And while we’re asking these tough questions, who is Cassius anyway, and why might an outsider be so invested in the future of the city? Will he ultimately be a force for good or evil in the coming war?
From the very start, Will Panzo surrounds his main character with an aura of mystery and magic, making the reader wonder about his endgame. However shrouded his true intentions are though, Cassius has an earnestness about him that makes his personality easy to like. He is powerful in the ways of spellcasting, and yet he would remark upon others’ harsh language or blush at the slightest flirtations from an attractive woman, leading one to guess he must have led a pretty sheltered life. And yet, there’s still the strong sense that he’s far from innocent or naïve, and everything he does is calculated and for a reason.
The Burning Isle is essentially the story of who our protagonist is and why he is on this particular mission to turn Scipio upside down on its head. The author has succeeded in telling a dramatic tale, a large part of which I feel is a coming-of-age character study. Aside from a few instances of info-dumping in the beginning chapters, I also thought that the gradual reveal of Cassius’ past was nicely handled, though readers who have been paying extra attention might be able to guess his purposes and motivations well before the end of the book.
The writing is also solid. I love Panzo’s style, which is impressively detailed but the prose still comes across smooth and light on the eyes. In addition he has a great talent for writing dialogue; every time we had two or more characters interacting on a page, I found myself completely drawn into the scene.
This being a debut though, there were a few areas that could have used some polish. The magic system is one aspect I would have liked to see better developed, because while all the spell-slinging and magical duels may look and sound impressive on paper, I have a hard time wrapping my head around how it all works. I also have mixed feelings about the various interludes that pepper the narrative. While they are significant in providing background information, the author should have been more subtle and taken care not to show his hand too early. Some of these sections were also inserted in places that hindered the overall flow of the story, tempting me to skim.
Apart from those minor points though, there’s nothing truly negative I can say about this book. I really enjoyed it, even if it didn’t perfectly line up with my impressions of grimdark. One can argue the circumstances surrounding Scipio are oversimplified, the protagonist and antagonists’ motivations too superficial and exaggerated to fit the mold of grim realism, but on the other hand, Panzo has created something that’s all together something else, something that’s more sentimental but also filled with darkness and brutality. I was taken with the story, and though this reads like a standalone, I do hope the author will continue to write more books. If he does, I will be eagerly wanting to read them.
Mogsy’s Bookshelf Roundup: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on December 17, 2016 54 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!
Lost Souls by Kelley Armstrong – A surprise arrival, but I knew I had to read it because 1) THAT COVER, I’m in love! and 2) Kelley Armstrong, whose work I vowed I’ll read more of in the coming year. And according to its description, the story is inspired by the urban legend of the disappearing hitchhiker. How awesome is that? Thank you so much to Subterranean Press!
The Adversaries by David Hair – As a fan of David Hair, I was surprised to learn he has a new book out that I hadn’t heard of, but the confusion was cleared when I realized Jo Fletcher Books is reissuing his Return of Ravana series under different titles. This is the sequel to The Pyre, a YA reimagining of the epic Ramayana following a trio of Indian high school students. I enjoyed the first book immensely and would enthusiastically recommend it to anyone looking for YA fantasy with diverse settings and protagonists. My thanks to the publisher.
Thunderbird by Chuck Wendig – My preciousssss. Totally psyched about this ARC of the long-awaited fourth book of the Miriam Black series. With thanks to Saga Press and the amazing team at Wunderkind.
Also much love to Pyr Books for this incredible trio of goodies: ARCs of Black City Demon by Richard A. Knaak and Worldshaker by J.F. Lewis, as well as a beautiful finished copy of Judgement at Verdant Court by M.C. Planck. All three are sequels in series I need to catch up on, so I better get crackin’.
The Dead Seekers by Barb & J.C. Hendee – I’ve wanted so long to read something by the authors, and with this being the first of a new series set in the same fantasy world as their Noble Dead Saga, I figured there’s no better time. My thanks to Ace Books for the review copy.
Tor Books also surprised me last week with the following ARCs, and they happened to be a couple of my most anticipated releases for 2017! Within the Sanctuary of Wings by Marie Brennan will be the final book of the Memoir by Lady Trent series (*cries*) while Soleri by Michael Johnston is the first of an epic fantasy series inspired by ancient Egypt and the tragic story of King Lear.
Next up, a pair of finished copies: Reaper’s Eye by Richard A. Knaak is the latest in the Pathfinder Tales sequence, and The Nature of a Pirate by A.M. Dellamonica is book three of The Hidden Sea Tales. I wish I’d read the first two books, because this one looks great. Huge thanks to Tor for these lovelies!
Upside Down edited by Jaym Gates and Monica Valentinelli – I’d also like to thank Apex Publications for sending along this cool anthology of inverted tropes in storytelling. They had several paperbacks that were a little too banged up to sell commercially so earlier this week they put out a call for any US-based bloggers who might be interested in checking them out as review copies. I was more than happy to give this wicked looking collection a new home and put it to good use! Looking forward to reading these stories.
Windwitch by Susan Dennard – While it’s true the first book didn’t exactly sweep me off my feet, I admit I’m curious to see where the story might be heading. I also want to give the sequel a chance, especially since I was presented with the opportunity to review the audio version, thanks to Listening Library.
Ararat by Christopher Golden – Another one of my most anticipated releases for spring 2017, I couldn’t resist requesting this one either. Definitely going to wait until closer to release date to read it though; right now it’s just too damn cold for a story about being trapped on a mountain in the middle of a blizzard. With thanks to St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley.
Freeks by Amanda Hocking – Also thanks to St. Martin’s Griffin for sending me an invitation to read this YA fantasy about a traveling sideshow circus. Looking forward to checking it out.
Nemesis by Brendan Reichs – I first heard of the author when he collaborated with his mother Kathy Reichs on the Virals series (which stars Tory Brennan, great-niece of Temperance Brennan who the show Bones is based on) so my interest was already piqued. But then I saw the tagline: Orphan Black meets Lord of the Flies. You’d think by now I’d be immune to book blurbs like that, but nope. Thanks to Penguin’s First to Read, I was also sitting on a boatload of points so I decided to request an ARC.
The Wolf of Allendale by Hannah Spencer – I’ve had this historical paranormal novel on my watch-list for a while now, so when the author contacted me earlier this week to ask if I would be interested in a review copy, I said absolutely! Hoping to read it soon in the new year. With thanks to Hannah Spencer and HarperLegend.
Lightning in the Blood by Marie Brennan – Hard to believe the second novella of this series is already on the horizon, where has the time gone? Looks like I have some catching up to do with Cold-Forged Flame. Cheers to Tor.com for the e-galley.
Reviews
Review round-up time! The Mirror’s Truth rises above the rest to seize the top feature spot!
The Mirror’s Truth by Michael R. Fletcher (4.5 of 5 stars)
Babylon’s Ashes by James S.A. Corey (4 of 5 stars)
Stranded by Bracken MacLeod (4 of 5 stars)
The Found and the Lost by Ursula K. Le Guin (4 of 5 stars)
Winter Halo by Keri Arthur (4 of 5 stars)
Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (4 of 5 stars)
Fireborn by David Dalglish (3.5 of 5 stars)
The Rains by Gregg Hurwitz (3 of 5 stars)
Roundup Highlights:
Interviews & Guest Posts
Get ready for even more Manifest Delusions! Big thanks to author Michael R. Fletcher who also stopped by The BiblioSanctum this week to talk the series and his new book.
Talking Delusions: An Interview with Michael R. Fletcher
What I’ve Read Since the Last Update
My December catch-up is in full swing (which includes some SPFBO reading as well)! Being continuously sick for the last two weeks has slowed me down some though. Nevertheless, here’s what I’ve reviewed/will be reviewing 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!
Week 3: A Closed and Common Orbit Read-Along
Posted on December 16, 2016 6 Comments
Sci-Fi November might be over, but that doesn’t mean the sci-fi fun has to stop. Our Read-Along of A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers has officially begun. If you’re interested in participating, hop on over to the SF/F Read-Along group for more information; we’d love for you to join the discussion. Have you read The Long Way to A Small Angry Planet, the first Wayfarers book? Are you planning on reading this standalone follow-up? Let us know your thoughts.
Lovelace was once merely a ship’s artificial intelligence. When she wakes up in an new body, following a total system shut-down and reboot, she has no memory of what came before. As Lovelace learns to negotiate the universe and discover who she is, she makes friends with Pepper, an excitable engineer, who’s determined to help her learn and grow.
Together, Pepper and Lovey will discover that no matter how vast space is, two people can fill it together.
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet introduced readers to the incredible world of Rosemary Harper, a young woman with a restless soul and secrets to keep. When she joined the crew of the Wayfarer, an intergalactic ship, she got more than she bargained for – and learned to live with, and love, her rag-tag collection of crewmates.
A Closed and Common Orbit is the stand-alone sequel to Becky Chambers’ beloved debut novel The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet and is perfect for fans of Firefly, Joss Whedon, Mass Effectand Star Wars.
Week 1: Friday 2nd December – Part 1 up to Page 94, hosted byLisa at Over the Effing Rainbow
Week 2: Friday 9th December – Page 95 to End of Part 1, hosted by Imyril at There’s Always Room For One More
Week 3: Friday 16th December – all of Part 2, hosted by Lynn at Lynn’s Book Blog
Week 4: Friday 23rd December – Part 3 to End, hosted by Mogsy at The BiblioSanctum
1. So, the opening chapters brought us an apology from Tak to Sidra following the tattoo debacle. What were your thoughts on that particular scene?
Mostly relief. I thought for sure Sidra would have lost Tak as a friend and as the first connection that she’d so desperately wanted. Tak’s open-mindedness is understandable given the reasons, though; I think they share a lot in common despite their different origins. Then there was Tak’s confession about not having much A.I. experience. The apology was probably encouraged by the understanding that there was a void in knowledge which needed to be filled.
2. The stories between Jane and Sidra have a certain symmetry and this week’s was no exception as we watched the pair of them almost go through a period akin to puberty. Did any of their particular experiences bring back fond, or not so fond, memories for you?
Haha, last week I compared Sidra to a teenager who was just starting to develop her independence, and in doing so was also maybe trying to test her limits. I guess we were on the right track leading up to the sections featuring Jane this week. While I won’t deny I had my own defiant phase as a teenager, I sure hope I wasn’t such a brat! It did made me think perhaps that Jane’s behavior was exaggerated – I could understand the hormones, but would someone who has had her life of isolation, with only Owl as her guardian really act out in the ways she did, i.e. so similar to the stereotype of your modern-day rebellious high schooler?
3. I love the two separate storylines going on here and though Jane and Sidra share some common ground I think their stories both have something different to say. What are your thoughts on that?
They both want more control over their own destinies, I think. This week Sidra almost gave up when her confidence was shattered after the incident at the party, but later decided to take matters into her own hands by looking into her programming. With Jane, we saw how her grisly discovery drove home the idea that if she didn’t want her own bones to end up forgotten in a scrap heap, then she’ll have to get her act together and start taking steps to get off the planet. In both cases, they’re taking matters into their own hands so they can start shaping their own futures.
4. I’m curious about the Enhanced. We haven’t really spent a lot of time with them but I still think we can draw some conclusions. Is there any aspect of the Enhanced and the planet on which they live that really caught your attention?
I’ll admit, I’m probably just as confused about the Enhanced now as I was when I first started, so I’m not too comfortable speculating on them that much yet. The introduction of Laurian didn’t offer much illumination either. I’m hoping in the final section of the book he’ll open up more about himself and then more puzzle pieces will start falling into place.
5. At the end of the chapters we have a couple of new developments. Sidra has managed to alter the protocols that compel her to speak the truth and the spaceship that Jane escaped in has been uncovered. Do you have any predictions how either of these might affect what is yet to come?
Hard to say; with only 20% or so left to go in the book, I would expect everything to start tying together now. Pepper, who is Jane, is likely looking for the spaceship because of how much Owl means to her. I’m guessing we’ll get the story behind what happened to cause them to separate and lose track of each other, and when they retrieve the spaceship I sure hope Jane/Pepper will find what she’s looking for or I’m sure there will be some epic-level tears. Given the bittersweet ending Chambers gave us in A Long Way, I would say sucker punches are entirely possible, so I’m not ruling anything out at this point.
With regards to Sidra, all I can say is: good for her. I know they say honesty is a virtue, but can you imagine having to answer every single question that is ever asked of you, and to always reply with the truth? It’s hard to be truly human without being able to keep some parts of yourself to yourself, and everyone should be entitled to their own private thoughts. I hope Sidra learns to treasure and not abuse this gift, and that Pepper won’t give her too much of a hard time over it.
Book Review: Stranded by Bracken MacLeod
Posted on December 15, 2016 16 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Horror
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Tor (October 4, 2016)
Length: 304 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
If Dan Simmons’ The Terror and The Fold by Peter Clines had a lovechild, I’d like to think the results would look a lot like Stranded. At first this book reads like a suspense-thriller with heavy shades of paranormal horror, but then we get a twist around the halfway point that arguably plunges it into sci-fi territory. And that’s when things starts to get really wild and interesting.
The story follows the crew of the Arctic Promise, a platform supply vessel for an oil rig in the Chukchi Sea. The main character Noah Cabot, ostensibly just a simple deckhand, also appears to be the resident whipping boy for everything that goes wrong aboard the ship, and we soon discover why: the ship’s master is William Brewster, Noah’s father-in-law from hell. The older man has never forgiven Noah for marrying his beloved daughter Abby, and has set out to make our protagonist’s life as miserable as possible by turning most of the crew against him. With few allies, Noah knows he has no other choice but to keep his head down and do the work.
But then one night, everything changes. After weathering through a particularly nasty storm, the Arctic Promise finds itself lost in a sea of fog with its navigation and communication systems down. What’s worse, once the visibility clears, the crew discovers that somehow their ship has gotten itself beset in second-year ice that stretches as far as the eye can see—an impossibility, given how they were just sailing in open water hours before. Things keep going downhill as one by one, the men on the ship are incapacitated by an unknown wasting sickness. Even Noah, who has remained relatively healthy, is not immune to some of its side effects which include the ghostly shadows that men are reporting to see in the corner of their visions. With none of the equipment on the ship working, the crew’s only hope is a mysterious structure they can barely spy in the distance, separated from them by an ocean of thick ice.
Stranded may have started with a heart-thumping opening sequence in which readers are thrown into the midst of a storm, but then the story pulls back a little as MacLeod gradually doles out the details of our maritime setting and establishes the protagonist’s situation aboard the ship. This book is like a ride that starts off slow, focusing first on the element of human drama and making us wonder why everyone on the Arctic Promise seems to have it out for Noah. As it turns out, Brewster’s grudge against him over Abby is only one half of the puzzle; the other has to do with a shocking incident that took place around a year ago while our main character was on the job. Hence the author spends a lot of time weaving the past into the present narrative, but seeing as how both points will come back to haunt Noah in a big way later on in the novel, all that measured build-up turned out to be worth it.
All the payoff is in the second half, there’s no doubt about that. The turning point drops not long after the crew discovers their ship trapped and they strike off onto the ice to investigate, and I think for many readers this will be the moment that determines whether they like this book or not. Personally speaking, I took this “make or break” plot twist in stride and ended up really enjoying myself, and even though this story is far from perfect, I thought the way the author pulled it off was pretty clever and slick. Overall this is a very entertaining tale, especially once things take off at a breakneck speed, culminating into a suspenseful climax and conclusion. I also liked the calculated progression in genres as we moved towards the grand finale; so much could have gone wrong along the way, but somehow this bizarre mash-up of thriller, mystery, horror and science fiction elements ended up working in the story’s favor.
That’s all I can say, really, without giving too much away. I’ll just close this off with a final piece of advice: try to read this in a warm place. Stranded is a good reminder humans are not meant for -40 degree temperatures; I swear I get chills just thinking about certain parts of the book (and it’s not all just because of the cold setting). The cruel atmosphere, engaging characters, and an entertaining plotline all helped make this one a fast, fun read. I’d check it out if it piques your interest.
Waiting on Wednesday 12/14/16
Posted on December 14, 2016 11 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
Tyrant’s Throne by Sebastien de Castell (April 4, 2017 by Jo Fletcher Books)
The fourth book of the absolutely amazing Greatcoats series, enough said! I can’t wait for the next adventure starring the terrific trio of Falcio, Kest, and Brasti.
“After years of struggle and sacrifice, Falcio val Mond, First Cantor of the Greatcoats, is on the brink of fulfilling his dead king’s dream: Aline, the king’s daughter, is about to take the throne and restore the rule of law once and for all.
But for the Greatcoats, nothing is ever that simple. In the neighboring country of Avares, an enigmatic new warlord is uniting the barbarian armies that have long plagued Tristia’s borders–and even worse, he is rumored to have a new ally: Trin, who’s twice tried to kill Aline to claim the throne of Tristia for herself. With the armies of Avares at her back, led by a bloodthirsty warrior, she’ll be unstoppable.
Falcio, Kest, and Brasti race north to stop her, but in those cold and treacherous climes they discover something altogether different, and far more dangerous: a new player is planning to take the throne of Tristia, and with a sense of dread the three friends realize that the Greatcoats, for all their skill, may not be able to stop him.
As the nobles of Tristia and even the Greatcoats themselves fight over who should rule, the Warlord of Avares threatens to invade. With so many powerful contenders vying for power, it will fall to Falcio to render the one verdict he cannot bring himself to utter, much less enforce. Should he help crown the young woman he vowed to put on the throne, or uphold the laws he swore to serve?”
Book Review: Babylon’s Ashes by James S.A. Corey
Posted on December 13, 2016 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.
Babylon’s Ashes by James S.A. Corey
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Book 6 of The Expanse
Publisher: Orbit (December 6, 2016)
Length: 544 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
The Expanse has become one of my favorite series in recent years, and it is no exaggeration to say that it has only gotten better with every new book. Of course, the one problem with this pattern is that it works much like gravity—what goes up must come down, after all. And yet, I say this doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing. In fact, I’d argue that after a major plot event, it’s important to dial things back a bit in order to let your characters regroup, refocus, and rebuild (not to mention give time for the reader to digest the latest bombshell) and this is exactly the way I would describe the circumstances surrounding Babylon’s Ashes.
This sixth installment of the series is the immediate follow-up to Nemesis Games, directly addressing the events that happened in that book, so I would strongly recommend catching up before reading this review or others to avoid possible spoilers. If you’ve read the last novel though, then you’ll know that a new villain has come onto the scene in the form of the Free Navy, a violent group of rebels fighting in the name of Belters (a term that describes people born in or beyond the Asteroid Belt, a generally exploited and oppressed working class). Their leader, the charismatic Marco Inaros has just orchestrated the biggest, most devastating attack on Earth, killing millions. In the aftermath, he’s sowing even more chaos by setting his ragtag fleet on the vulnerable colony ships traveling through the ring gates to the new worlds on the other side.
It’s basically a nightmare scenario for Earth and its allies, who are still trying to help survivors and prevent more from dying due to the complete breakdown of infrastructure and governance. In their desperation, they reach out to James Holden, a man who in the past has been as much help to them as a hindrance, but the times are dire and they need all the support they can get. Captain Holden and the crew of the fast-attack ship Rocinante have a good track record of completing many dangerous missions and then surviving to tell the tale, so now they are being assigned one more: to break through to Medina Station at the entrance of the gate network and prevent it from falling to the forces of the Free Navy.
So how do you follow up a book like Nemesis Games, which is probably my favorite novel of the Expanse series so far? Well, I knew it was going to be tough. That’s why I wasn’t surprised when Babylon’s Ashes took a step back from the action, using this installment as an opportunity to take a breather, looking at where everything is and where everyone stands. That’s not to say Babylon’s Ashes wasn’t a great book, because it was. However, its focus and pacing were also decidedly less intense and immediate. The first half was heavily dominated by system politics and character relationships.
Babylon’s Ashes also broke away from the usual tradition of following a set number of POVs (usually four, I believe), branching out instead to cover a greater number of character perspectives, many of whom we’ve seen before in the previous installments. There were pros and cons to this. From a positive standpoint, this opened up the book to greater possibilities. We got to see the solar system through many more pairs of eyes, getting a fuller sense of the political climate and state of affairs in the wake of the Earth attack. In addition, favorite characters like Chrisjen Avasarala, Clarissa Mao, and Bobbie Draper get a chance to chime in now and then with their own chapters. However, as a counterbalance to this, the greater number of POVs also served to dilute the focus of the main situation and arguably made the first half of the book a less emotionally engaging experience.
In fact, it wasn’t until the halfway point where something finally happened to really shake me up. It was a good reminder that things in the Expanse universe are always in motion, always changing. Important people die, major worlds are decimated, and yet the characters must evolve and adapt to survive the new reality. There’s really nothing negative I have to say about this book, other than the fact that as a villain, Marco was kind of wasted. Having learned nothing from the last book, he falls into the same predictable pattern, and it’s always a little disappointing to see a bad guy who suffers repeatedly from the same fatal flaw.
It will be interesting to see where the events of Babylon’s Ashes will take us next. Another chapter in the ongoing saga of Jim Holden and the Rocinante has come to an end, and if there’s one truth I have learned from my experience with the last six books, it’s that anything can happen in The Expanse, anything at all, and that is why I love this series.
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of Abbadon’s Gate (Book 3)
Review of Cibola Burn (Book 4)
Review of Nemesis Games (Book 5)
Talking Delusions: An Interview with Michael R. Fletcher
Posted on December 12, 2016 17 Comments
Today I am thrilled to welcome back Michael R. Fletcher to The BiblioSanctum for a chat about his new novel The Mirror’s Truth, book two in the Manifest Delusions series which is out now on Amazon and Kindle. Be sure to check out my review of the book in case you missed how much I loved it! And if you happen to be a fan of grimdark who hasn’t read the first book Beyond Redemption yet, you need to run not walk to your nearest bookstore to join the insanity! Hope you enjoy our Q&A!
Hi Michael, thanks for the interview. It’s always great to have you join us!
Hi Mogsy! Thanks for having me! I like what you’ve done with the place. Those medieval torture devices are new, right? Um…they’re not for me, are they?
Dang it! I thought I told them to move all that stuff into the garage. Er, I mean, oops, let’s just pretend you didn’t see anything, shall we? By the way, congratulations on releasing The Mirror’s Truth! I have lots of questions to ask you about the series today, but first can you give prospective readers a description of what it’s about? Hopefully without scaring them too much! *grin*
Thanks! The base idea for the series is that belief defines reality. Nothing new there. The more you believe something, the more real it becomes. But add into the mix the insane, those who are capable of believing impossibilities with utter conviction. And then look at the sane folks around you and contemplate all the absolutely insane things they believe. Religion. Politics. Economics. Elvis is dead. Grilled cheese sandwiches aren’t health food. Your daily whiskey intake should be limited to three large glasses. Madness! If sane people can so easily be convinced to believe, what will this mean in a reality that is responsive to the beliefs of humanity? All of a sudden it becomes possible to make our own gods!
Did I just manage to totally not answer your question?
Perfect!
Ha, that’s a great teaser, actually! Do you remember how the first seeds for Manifest Delusions came to you? Looking back now that you’ve written several books set in this world, have those ideas evolved over time, or have there been any huge changes and surprises since their inception?
The very first seeds came from looking at the meeting between the Spanish Conquistador Francisco Pizarro and Atahualpa, the Incan Emperor. I saw it as a clash of world-views. They both lived in realities defined by different belief systems and the group with the stronger beliefs won. I envisioned the Spanish as deranged from months being cooped up on a little ship crossing the ocean and I saw that madness as instrumental to the encounter. Most of this is in my head and not the history books, but that’s ok. My delusions define reality.
The idea grew. I began contemplating insanity in a world where reality was responsive to belief. How would various delusions manifest? How would a pyromaniac twist reality? What would a kleptomaniac be capable of? I did a fair amount of research into a number of less common delusions (Fregoli delusions, Cotard’s syndrome, etc.) and in each case imagined how reality might react to such a belief.
Lately I’ve been asking myself how those imbibing large quantities of hallucinogenics might alter realty. And what happens around people who are becoming senile or suffering from Alzheimer’s? Don’t visit Grandma, she thinks you’re her ex-husband from fifty years ago! Well, if she believes it strongly enough…
Many reviewers including myself have remarked upon the extreme “grimdarkness” of Beyond Redemption and The Mirror’s Truth. What is it about grimdark that appeals to you, and what do you hope Manifest Delusions will bring to the genre?
I didn’t actually set out to write a dark book, but once I had the world built I couldn’t see any other way for the story to go.
My goal with the Manifest Delusions novels is to pull no punches. I don’t write for shock value, that holds no interest for me. But if I think a scene should play out in a particularly brutal manner, I’m not going to flinch from it. I think grimdark readers are perhaps more okay with that than someone looking for epic fantasy where everyone is attractive and has great hair.
I didn’t set out to change the genre or bring something new to it. Truth be told, I never expected the first book to get published. But a couple of folks have said things like, “after reading Beyond Redemption I suddenly feel like you can write anything in fantasy.” And that’s pretty cool. Even if it wasn’t intentional. You know, almost nothing I do is intentional. I’ll pretend it is, but I stumble through life, a bear of very little brain.
That really is amazing, what folks have said. Even if you didn’t set out to do it, which I think makes it even cooler. With regards to your characters, they’re…well, insane. It’s part of the whole premise. What did you find was the greatest challenge when you were writing them? How did you put yourself into their heads?
I write by role-playing. Every time I write a Stehlen scene I become Stehlen. I see the world through her vicious yellow eyes, filter it through her terrible past, and take into account what she knows and what she thinks she knows. Half the fun is the juxtaposition of POVs. Different characters know different things and everyone must make their choices based on the information available to them. Not only that, but they must make choices true to who they are. Given exactly the same situation, Stehlen will act and react differently than Wichtig. Where he’d convince someone to buy everyone a round of drinks and be everyone’s best friend by the end, Stehlen would…well…probably just kill them all.
It was easy. Probably too easy. That’s bad, right? I’m one character. Click, I’m someone completely different. Click, I’m someone new. So easy. I understand them all. Each one is a fragment of me. The Stehlen fragment…shudder.
Ha! Well, that should make this next question fun. Okay, you have to spend a full day with one of your three main characters Bedeckt, Stehlen, or Wichtig. Who would you choose to hang out with, what activity would you guys do, and why?
Are you mad!? I’d run screaming. These people are dangerous!
Ok. If I had to, I’d probably spend the day drinking with Bedeckt. He’s the least likely to randomly kill me and he’s got so many great stories about his past. Also, I kinda love his grumpy old man philosophy.
Aw, not Stehlen? Heh, well…guess I can’t blame you. Anyway, you once mentioned in one of our conversations that you don’t really “plan” your books. Can you tell us a little more about that and your writing process?
Place crayons on desk.
Scream at crayons.
I’m still new to this writing thing and so my process changes for every book. For Beyond Redemption I did all my world building and had a few themes I wanted to explore and then threw myself into it. My plot was laughable: It’s a kidnapping! I didn’t know how it would end or who would survive.
I wrote Swarm and Steel next. I wanted to write something in the world of Manifest Delusions, but needed a break from the characters of Beyond Redemption. This time I knew the ending and had a few plot points I wanted to hit. My agent read the book, told me my ending was shit, and made a few suggestions. She’s awesome and pulls no punches. I ended up rewriting quite a bit of it whereas there was almost no rewriting with BR (though I did rewrite the ending). I’m still kinda stunned at how it turned out. Something clicked during the rewriting process and the story evolved somewhere unexpected.
With S&S out of the way I finally felt ready to return to the characters of BR. I wrote The Mirror’s Truth very differently. I didn’t have an ending in mind, but would plot out three chapters in advance. So…plan three chapters, write three chapters. Plan the next three chapters, write them. And so on. It made a world of difference. Where BR took me the best part of two years to write, the first draft of TMT (148,000 words) was finished in three months. That’s just shy of three Nanowrimos in a row. It helped that I was mostly self-unemployed at the time.
You went through quite a journey to bring The Mirror’s Truth into readers’ hands and I for one am grateful; I can’t tell you how thrilled I was when I learned you had decided to self-publish. Can you tell us a bit about the experience?
Beyond Redemption met fantastic critical success. The reviews were amazing and the book made over a dozen Best-Of-2015 lists. It never occurred to me that the publisher might pass on the sequel. Well, it turns out glowing reviews does not equal sales. The book was selling, but nowhere near the numbers Harper Voyager expected. They passed on The Mirror’s Truth without even looking at it. Overnight I went from thinking I might have a career as a fantasy novelist to thinking I’d better find a damned job.
My agent shopped the book around, but no publisher is interested in a sequel to a book held by another publisher.
I’d never given self-publishing much thought, but now I had this finished novel I really liked and no one interested in buying it. I had two choices, curl up and quit, or keep going. While I wallowed in self-pity, my agent sold Swarm and Steel to Talos (an imprint of Skyhorse/Night Shade Books). That gave me the kick in the ass I needed. I wasn’t finished. Sure, I might not have instant fame and fortune, but I’m a stubborn bastard.
Once I decided I was going to self-publish The Mirror’s Truth, an unbelievable number of people stepped forward and offered their help. It was truly humbling. The fantasy/grimdark community is amazing. It took longer than I expected (no more grumbling about how long it takes publishers to release a book) but it’s finally real!
My delusions have once again manifest!
And hooray for that! Are there any other projects you have in the works right now, or coming up soon, that you can share with readers?
I mentioned Swarm and Steel. It is slated for release in August of 2017. It’s the same world as BR and TMT, but with an entirely new cast of characters. For this one we venture into the Basamortuan Desert.
I’m currently working on a new dark fantasy series, but it’s too early to talk about in any detail. I can say I’m really liking how the world is coming together. So much potential for cutting social commentary.
Aaaaaaaand last week I turned in a nasty little science fiction novel to my agent. I’m waiting on her feedback.
Wishing you luck with all of that! Do you have other creative outlets besides writing? What hobbies do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
Spare time?
I had hobbies. I gave them all up to write. I realized they were all distractions and any time spent playing guitar or First Person Shooters (I’m a junkie) was time I should spend writing. I might be a little driven.
I keep telling myself that I’ll get my hobbies back when my writing earns me a living.
Buy my books so I can shoot something!
It’s been great talking with you, Michael! To wrap things ups, tell us three things we might be surprised to learn about you!
Thanks!
Ok. Er…mostly I’m not surprising. Hmm. Trying to decide what people’s expectations of me might be.
1) I have no formal education. In anything. I misspent my youth drinking, experimenting with hallucinogenics, wandering the world, and eventually working in the music biz.
2) I don’t actually know anything about writing. I’ve never taken a single writing class or worked with a writing group. I’ve just read so much I kinda know how the words are supposed to be used.
3) I’m not a straight white male. Actually, I am none of those things. The guy in the pictures is my step-brother. He does any public appearances for me cuz he’s read my books and is occasionally funny. I figured I’d do better as a fantasy writer as a white guy instead of a brown lesbian.
4) I can’t count.
5) Am I at three yet?
6) Nothing I say can be trusted.
Thank you so much again for stopping by! Where can readers find out more about you and your work?
Thank you! It’s been a pleasure being random.
Here are some places you can find me:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelRFletcher
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FletcherMR
Web site: http://michaelrfletcher.com/
Book Review: The Found and the Lost: The Collected Novellas of Ursula K. Le Guin
Posted on December 11, 2016 14 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
The Found and the Lost by Ursula K. Le Guin
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy
Series: Anthology, Collected Novellas
Publisher: Saga Press (October 18, 2016)
Length: 816 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
I’m deeply ashamed to admit this, but I had not actually read anything by Ursula K. Le Guin before picking up this anthology. From the moment I saw The Found and the Lost though, I knew it would be the perfect chance for me to rectify the situation. For the first time ever, every novella published by this renowned fantasy and science fiction icon can be found in one place, together at last in this gorgeous hardcover collection.
Here’s the full list of the stories, and what I thought of them:
Vaster than Empires and More Slow – A group of scientists journey to a distant planet on a mission of exploration and research, bringing along with them an empath whose role is to detect the presence of intelligent life once they arrive. However, his sensitivity to his co-workers’ emotions makes him an ornery crewmate to be around, causing much tension among the team. What a great opening story to grab the reader’s attention and kick off this anthology. It is intensely gripping and atmospheric. Fear plays a huge role in this story—fear of the unknown and of what we don’t understand. It’s a subject that carries through well, ultimately culminating into a somewhat abrupt but unexpectedly poignant ending.
Buffalo Gals, Won’t You Come Out Tonight – Inspired by the magic of animals and their relationship with humans, this story tells of a young girl who becomes lost in the desert of the American Southwest. She is rescued by Coyote and brought to a community of animal characters who are effectively like people—a perspective I found both fascinating and a bit difficult to wrap my head around. Drawing heavily from Native American folklore, Le Guin creates a world that blends reality with mysticism, and the results are quite often surreal but also breathtakingly beautiful.
Hernes – “Hernes” is not among my favorites in this anthology, but it is nonetheless intriguing and thought provoking. Covering the lives of four generations of women, the story weaves together multiple tales of love, ambition, heartbreak, and self-discovery. It can be somewhat confusing at first to see how all the threads tie together, but I loved the author’s empathetic treatment of her characters’ struggles as well as her portrayal of the mother-daughter relationships by alluding to the Greek myth of Demeter and Persephone.
A Matter of Seggri – Seggri is a world where the number of females is six times greater than the number of males. For the most part the two sexes live completely separate lives, with the women making their homes in medieval-style villages while the men dwell in castles. While this story pulls us back into science fiction territory, it also features the author’s none-too-subtle endeavor to explore the nature of gender roles. At first, it may seem that the men on Seggri have it all—they compete in sports games to entertain themselves, later basking in the adoration of the females who want them to sire their children. As it soon turns out, however, the situation is much more complicated. This story wasn’t among my favorites either, but there are certain elements that I think will hit hard emotionally.
Another Story or A Fisherman of the Inland Sea – Hideo grew up listening to his mother tell him the legend about the fisherman who was seduced by a sea-princess only to return home afterwards to discover that centuries have passed. When Hideo later on becomes a physicist, he has the opportunity to embark on a journey that involves faster-than-light travel, and thus the connections between the fairy tale and the main character’s own life are revealed. The concept of time dilation or time warping often provides interesting twists in these kinds of stories, and I suppose this one is no exception, though after reading it I couldn’t shake this feeling that something was missing. Later on, I discovered this was supposed to be a companion story to a couple others that were published in another anthology. While I enjoyed this one well enough, I wonder if I would have liked it more if I had gotten the context from the other stories.
Forgiveness Day – Speaking of interconnected stories, I believe these next three were all first published together in an anthology called Four Ways to Forgiveness. They have several themes in common, namely those that surround the subjects of slavery and freedom, suppression and liberation, order and rebellion. I loved “Forgiveness Day”, which tells of an envoy named Solly who travels to another world and is assigned a bodyguard named Teyeo. The two of them are water and oil from the start, though as the story progresses we are given an opportunity to see the situation from both points of view. I liked this one’s message about individual biases and how personal histories are shaped by experience. To sympathize with others we first must change our own way of thinking, and that starts with looking within ourselves.
A Man of the People – The narrator in this story spent his childhood growing up in the rural and sheltered community before heading out to discover all there is in the wider world. This is a tale featuring themes of freedom but also highlights the idea that we should never forget our pasts. I liked how much this one added to the discourse about the importance of empathy and involvement.
A Woman’s Liberation – This story has strong ties to the last, and really should be considered together. Both feature protagonists who have complicated histories and struggle with their individual identities, questioning who they are and what they want. I liked this one a little more, however, due to the voice of the main character—a woman who is born an “asset”, or a slave—as well as her point of view on the issues that were covered in these last three stories.
Old Music and the Slave Women – This one shines a spotlight on Old Music, a character who appeared briefly in one of the previous stories. Here he gets to tell his own tale about slavery, courage, and revolution. While it was nice being able to revisit this character again, truthfully it was hard to get into the narrative because of the slower pacing and muddled presentation of ideas.
The Finder – This one will probably hold more significance for fans of Earthsea since it takes place long ago in that world, chronicling the life of a young shipbuilder boy who manifests magical abilities. Like the other stories, the prose here is richly detailed and evocative, though my attention started waning as we drew closer to the end. It’s a shame because this story has a lot going for it, but it might have dragged on for a little too long.
On the High Marsh – Another tale from Earthsea, I had a hard time getting into this one as well because of a lack of connection I felt to the main character Ged (who I later learned was an Archmage of the Roke magic school, the origins of which were covered in “The Finder”). That said, I don’t often do well with side stories like this that focus on characters or events from the main books of a series.
Dragonfly – After struggling a little with the last few stories, “Dragonfly” was one that swept me off my feet. This third Earthsea story also appears tie into the main series; more specifically, I hear it’s sometimes been called a “postscript” to Tehanu, and again I wonder if I would have gotten even more out of it had I read the book first. I loved the eponymous main character, an earnest girl who is also a bit rough around the edges from being raised by an angry, alcoholic father. Through sheer persistence and courage though, she manages to gain entry into Roke, an all-male magic school. Overall, I really enjoyed this story’s themes, especially its message about the power of women’s magic and how a little determination can go a long way.
Paradises Lost – This one is about a generation ship and explores what it means for the people who are born and raised aboard during the long voyage. These are the generations descended from the original pilgrims, but it is their own descendants that will reach the final destination, not them. Le Guin speculates how this would affect the travelers both emotionally and spiritually, and the kind of society they might create. I love stories about generation ships and colonization, and this is perhaps one of the more philosophical ones I’ve read. There’s compassion and realism in it too as Le Guin gets right down to the issues that really matter to the people in that situation, and asks the questions that many other authors don’t address.
Concluding Thoughts:
For Le Guin fans, this anthology is a must. But for new readers too, there is a lot to love. It’s true that some of the stories are better than others, and there are even a few that, when taken out of their original context, might be a little confusing especially if you’re unfamiliar with the author’s different worlds and cycles, but overall it serves as a great introduction to her style and the themes she writes about.
More importantly, the stories in here are an excellent showcase of the author’s astounding talent and deepness of thought, proving why her work has remained so beloved throughout the decades. Reading this was an absolute gift.
Audiobook Review: Fireborn by David Dalglish
Posted on December 10, 2016 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.
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 2 of Seraphim
Publisher: Hachette Audio (November 22, 2016)
Length: 13 hrs and 41 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator: Joe Knezevich
David Dalglish’s Skyborn was perhaps one of the greatest surprises for me last year. I didn’t know what to expect going in, but it turned out to be an epic start to a high-flying fantasy adventure series about a group of elite winged soldiers with the power to command the elements. The Seraphim, as they are called, are the warriors of a post-apocalyptic world in which humanity has taken to the skies. Everyone now lives on one of six floating island kingdoms that are constantly in conflict.
The first book introduced us to protagonists Bree and Kael, twins who are following in their late parents’ footsteps by training to become Seraphim themselves. Much of Skyborn read like a “magic school” story, chronicling the siblings’ individual trials at the Seraphim Academy. In contrast, the themes surrounding Fireborn are a little more complex. This sequel is set right after the stunning events of the previous novel, and if you haven’t read Skyborn yet, I’m not going to ruin it for you. It’s enough to know that things have gotten very bad.
In the fallout, one of the main casualties was the Seraphim order. With their home invaded and their order disbanded, Bree and Kael’s futures are now uncertain. However, upon their return to their occupied island, they are almost immediately recruited by a group of rebels planning to fight back against the powerful Center. Bree becomes their reluctant symbol, the Phoenix—a nickname given to her because of the burning twin blades she wields in battle. Meanwhile Kael, whose talents lie elsewhere, is tasked to recruit new allies for their uprising, but the coming war weigh heavy on his heart. As the fighting intensifies, he worries for his sister who is on the frontlines but also starts to have doubts about the leader of their rebellion, the unsettling cult leader and doomsday prophet Johan.
As with the first book, there were some issues with the pacing in Fireborn. Despite its more intricate ideas, I also found it harder to throw myself into the plot or feel engaged with the characters. For the first half, this is essentially the standard dystopian-rebellion story, complete with member recruitment and secret gatherings. Some of these sections were a little too drawn out for my tastes, making this one a slow burner. Don’t get me wrong, though; this was still a solid sequel. However, it didn’t quite sweep me off my feet the way Skyborn did, containing some of the vexing symptoms of “middle book syndrome”. To be fair, the first book had the advantage of being a series opener, introducing readers to a fresh and unique world. That book charmed my socks off, understandably making it a tough act to follow.
Fireborn makes up for its more subdued intro with a ton of action packed into its second half though. Again, like Skyborn, this book is back loaded with much of the excitement saved for the end when all the tensions finally come to a head. That’s when all the build-up starts to pay off. As the rebellion explodes into the open, Dalglish exacerbates an already fiery situation by throwing in an unexpected twist, adding an even greater threat to the equation. The aerial battle scenes continue to be a highlight as well, and their even better now that Bree and Kael have a much better handle on their flight skills and elemental powers.
Fireborn wasn’t without its flaws, but then again, the first book also started on shaky ground before ending up blowing me away. Still, there’s no denying that it lacked some of the magic that made Skyborn so amazing. The story and characters may have matured while the themes have also grown darker, deeper, and more complex, but the plot itself remained rather simple and straightforward. That said, I still really enjoyed Fireborn and in no way do I consider it a poor sequel. The ending did a fantastic job building up anticipation for the final book of the trilogy, and I’m looking forward to see how it will all end.
Audiobook Comments: The Seraphim is another example of a series where I decided to jump formats again this year, choosing the audio edition over the print because I got curious after hearing such great things about the narration. I was not disappointed. Joe Knezevich is a fine narrator and he does some great voicework, playing with accents, inflections, and tones—though I think he could have taken advantage of even more opportunities to do so. Overall I have no complaints about the audiobook. If presented with the opportunity to continue the next installment in this format, I probably would take it. Recommended.
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of Skyborn (Book 1)
The BiblioSanctum 