Book Review: Dracula vs. Hitler by Patrick Sheane Duncan
Posted on October 31, 2016 22 Comments
A review copy was received from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Dracula vs. Hitler by Patrick Sheane Duncan
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Horror, Historical Fiction
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Inkshares (October 25, 2016)
Length: 441 pages
Author Information: Website
Paranormal horror and historical fiction collide in the rather unfortunately titled Dracula vs. Hitler, since anyone picking up this book would be rightly forgiven for mistaking this book for a campy, humorous mashup. After all, that was my initial thought after seeing the name and cover as well, but as it turns out, my first impression couldn’t be further from the truth.
Dracula vs. Hitler is actually a quite serious endeavor, reinforced with what appears to be plenty of research and painstaking attention to detail. For one thing, it is written in an epistolary style like the original Dracula by Bram Stoker, a nod to the classic work.
The story officially begins with the Editor’s Note, as the author Patrick Sheane Duncan (who is also known for his work as a film producer and director, on movies like Courage Under Fire and Mr. Holland’s Opus) recounts a recent trip deep down into the bowels of a cavernous Washington DC document warehouse (think the final scene of Raiders of the Lost Ark), where he was supposed to be conducting research for a new television series. Instead, he ends up finding more than he bargained for, when he chances across a thick packet of papers labeled “TOP SECRET”. Inside this classified folder are the documents making up most of this book, mainly a series of entries from the journal of one Jonathan Murray Harker dated between the months of April to June 1941, as well as a number of excerpts from a novel believed to be authored by Lucille Van Helsing writing under a pen name.
These two characters are of course the descendants of the original characters from the novel Dracula, the ending of which apparently didn’t play out the way Stoker had written them. In a letter written in 1890, Lucille’s father Abraham Van Helsing confesses to not having killed the creature as he had intended, instead stashing the body away in a state of suspended animation. Fifty odd years later, as the Nazis are wreaking death and fear across Europe, Van Helsing is now a resistance leader in Romania. Nazi atrocities are detailed in secret communiqués to Berlin written by Major Waltraud Reikel, a vile and sadistic officer of the SS. As the resistance forces flounder under Reikel’s tight hold in the area, Van Helsing is forced to consider drastic measures—like turning to the creature he put down half a century ago. As reluctant as he is to go through with the plan, deep down he knows that to fight a monster…you need a monster. Together with the English spy Jonathan Harker, grandson of original Jonathan and Mina Harker, Van Helsing prepares to go back and unearth the legendary Dracula.
So no, this book is not intended to be a cheesy crossover or a comedic piece so don’t let the title put you off (though on the other hand, if you were attracted to this book because you were expecting a humorous read, then you’ll be disappointed…seriously, they really could have gone with a more suitable title). Instead, what you’ll find is a cleverly thought out novel featuring deep characters which actually deals with some solemn themes. Despite having a strong element of escapism appeal, I also wouldn’t exactly call this a “light, fluffy” read either. The story definitely has its share of slow, dragging parts, especially towards the beginning and in the middle, and for a book called Dracula vs. Hitler, there’s actually disappointingly little showdown between the two title characters. Dracula doesn’t even enter the picture until about a hundred pages in, and the Fuhrer’s presence mainly comes into play near the very end.
Still, after a lengthy buildup, the reader’s patience is rewarded as the momentum picks up. The story takes off bigtime as the resistance unleashes their secret weapon in the form of a bloodsucking vampire, and I can’t even begin to describe the immense pleasure and satisfaction derived from watching the Nazis lose their shit. The fight scenes are suspenseful and literally explosive, and of course, once Hitler finally figure out what’s going on, he becomes obsessed with capturing Dracula for a chance at unlocking the secret of immortality. The author pulls off the rest of the novel marvelously, and there’s no doubt that the climax and conclusion are this book’s best parts.
There are other notable aspects that must be addressed though, and first and foremost is of course the character of Dracula himself. Here he is portrayed as a savior and protector of Romania, though not without some pushback from those familiar with his bloody role in “The Book” as well as his brutal history as Prince Vlad the Impaler. Dracula doesn’t actually get his own “voice” in this novel, and instead we have to rely mostly on Jonathan Harker and Lucy Van Helsing’s sections in order to get to know him. Nevertheless, I am impressed with Duncan’s handling of the classic character. In the story, the resistance often refers to Dracula as “the creature” or “the secret weapon”, but as the plot continues it becomes more and more clear that he is not a thing or a monster, but a man who is more human than anyone gives him credit for. The author has also managed to create a lot of interesting tension between Dracula, Jonathan and Lucy, even going as far as to throw a bizarre love triangle into this mix (and trust me, it is not dubious as it sounds).
All told, its questionable title notwithstanding, I’m actually not too worried because I’m sure Dracula vs. Hitler will find an audience—and I really hope it will find success too because this book really is quite a gem. Do not, and I repeat, do not be fooled into expecting “Freddy vs. Jason” or “King Kong vs. Godzilla” levels of camp with this one; it’s not that kind of book. Historical fantasy and paranormal fans should have a good time though, especially if you’re looking for an imaginative book with a dash of pulp and quirkiness.
YA Weekend Audio: Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Posted on October 30, 2016 20 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 5 of 5 stars
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction
Series: Book 2 of The Illuminae Files
Publisher: Listening Library (October 18, 2016)
Length: 12 hrs and 34 mins
Author Information: Amie Kaufman | Jay Kristoff
Narrators: Carla Corvo , Steve West , P.J. Ochlan, Full Cast
Anyone who has seen the hardcover of Illuminae will probably agree the art direction for the novel was phenomenal, with its pages beautifully laid out and adorned with illustrations, diagrams, and creative typeface. It was such an incredible visual experience that in my review I even wrote that I would recommend forsaking digital or audio versions of this book and go all-out for the hardcopy, the way the book was meant to be enjoyed. However, to this last point, I got a couple of comments from readers who jumped in to say, “No, no, the audiobook is actually excellent!” and that I shouldn’t write off the audio edition just yet, because even without the visuals it has a lot to offer. Thoroughly intrigued, I decided I would listen to the audiobook of the sequel, Gemina, to see what the fuss was all about.
AND OH MY GOD. Forget what I wrote about nixing the audiobook. I take back all my skepticism. I have seen the light.
Gemina was absolutely positively outstanding. And the audio experience was more than just amazing; it just about blew my mind.
But first, my summary and review of the story. Chronologically, Gemina takes place right after the events of Illuminae, but the focus switches to a couple of new characters. The book also takes place on Jump Station Heimdall, which as you’ll recall is the destination of the refugees aboard the Alexander fleet after their planet Kerenza was invaded by the megacorp BeiTech. While all that’s still going on in the background, our new protagonist Hanna Donnelly has been settling in at the station, where her father is the commander.
Being the daughter of the most important man on Heimdall has its perks; Hanna is affluent and has never wanted for anything, and her pampered ways has even led her drug dealer Nik to cheekily call her “Princess” or “Your Highness.” Getting high off dust is one of the ways Hanna has found to pass her time at Heimdall, which in her opinion is one of the most boring places in the galaxy, though of course there’s also her new boyfriend Jackson Merrick, a handsome and well put together officer of her father’s.
Soon, it is Terra Day, an event Hanna has been looking forward to for a long time. She’s even bought a new dress to show Jackson and everything! There’s only one thing left she needs to make it a perfect day, and that’s a bit of dust. Right before the party, she heads off to see Nik, a decision that most likely saves her life. Without warning, Heimdall comes under attack by mercenaries hired by BeiTech (those pesky troublemakers again) who are there to take over the station and ensure that the incoming survivors of Kerenza will not receive the help they need. The mercenary leader Cerberus is prepared to kill everybody on board to bury the truth of what happened in Illuminae, and with everyone else trapped or held hostage, it is up to Hanna and Nik to recapture control of the Heimdall. Fortunately for everyone, Nik has his criminal underworld connections, and there’s a lot more to Hanna than the pampered helpless princess everyone thinks she is.
Following in the tradition of the first book, Gemina is also presented in an epistolary format as a collection of transcripts, journal entries, communication reports and the like. The variety of documents used to tell the story is again what makes this sequel so fantastic. Kaufman and Kristoff use them to great effect, ensuring there’s never a dull moment. Two books later, I still can’t get over how clever and unique this series is.
I might have even enjoyed Gemina more than Illuminae. The two plots mirror each other in a way, with both featuring their protagonists hiding out in the labyrinthine belly of a ship/space station, covertly sabotaging their foe in order to regain the upper hand. Both stories also involve a race against time and provide readers with a periodic countdown to remind us of that fact. And finally, both books have a surprise up their sleeve, a wild card that the authors decide to spring on us only once the story has gotten moving, just to add a little more spice to the conflict. Thing is though, despite their similarities, I found the plot of Gemina much more interesting and unpredictable than Illuminae, with a final ending that was just so twisty and brilliant it had me sitting on pins and needles until the book was finished. And so, I have to give the edge to the sequel.
I also didn’t think I would take to our new protagonists and enjoy them as much as I did Kady and Ezra, but Hanna and Nik surprised me. They have a great dynamic between them, and I felt their special connection right away. Of course it doesn’t hurt that Hanna, ostensibly a spoiled little rich girl, is actually a walking wealth of military strategy and black ops-type knowledge that she learned at her father’s knee. With her resourcefulness and hardcore skills, Hanna and Nik are out to make BeiTech and Cerberus regret that they ever chose to mess with Heimdall station.
As for the audiobook edition, Gemina is probably one of the best productions I’ve ever had the pleasure of listening to. Multiple narrators give listeners the full cast treatment and I am beyond impressed at how they’ve successfully translated such an unconventionally structured book to audio. The only thing I didn’t really care for was the awkward censoring/muffling of naughty words, but to be fair, you have to put up with the same inane “blanking out” effect in the print. Anyway, because so much of the book is presented to us via private messaging transcripts and person-to-person communiqués, this actually makes the audiobook format uniquely suited to immerse listeners in the story. The voice actors are also fantastic; I actually enjoyed the video transcripts a lot more this time around when they were read by the narrator for the hilarious “Security Camera Footage guy”, and they couldn’t have chosen a more perfect reader for Jackson, whom the other characters in the book describe as having a “sexy accent”. Other extras that made this one a great listen include sound effects, and even a rendition of the infamous “Lollipop Licking Song” (you’ll know what I mean when you read the book) which would be played every time it got queued—all that was the icing on an already delicious cake.
All told Gemina was an amazing book and worth sequel to the brilliant Illuminae, and I highly recommend this series. I’ll probably still end up picking up the hardcover at some point just to have a “keeper copy”, because I am curious to see the visuals as well as the illustrations by author Marie Lu, but I have to say I’m extremely pleased with my time with the audio. I retract my previous comments about other formats and amend them to say you can’t go possibly go wrong with any one you choose. Just check out these books!
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of Illuminae (Book 1)
Book Review: The Queen of Blood by Sarah Beth Durst
Posted on October 29, 2016 27 Comments
A review copy was received from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own..
The Queen of Blood by Sarah Beth Durst
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of The Queens of Renthia
Publisher: Harper Voyager (September 20, 2016)
Length: 353 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Color me pleasantly surprised – a book that ostensibly bore many hallmarks of your average possibly-YA-but-maybe-not fantasy novel in fact turned out to be a very refreshing and unique read. I honestly didn’t expect to like this book so much, especially since my feelings for the story fluctuated so wildly for most of the first half. However, all traces of uncertainty were washed away by the time the plot ramped up to its brutal climax and staggering conclusion.
The Queen of Blood introduces us to the world of Aratay, a place where humans and nature spirits coexist in a state of precarious equilibrium. Spirits see humans as invaders in their domain, and given the opportunity they would gladly see us all dead. But while the spirits are destructive forces, they are also one with the natural world, and without them there would be no rain, no fire, no life.
So humans have learned to adapt. In Aratay, a Queen holds control over all the spirits in the area and protects her people from harm. To choose a Queen, girls with an affinity to sense and manipulate the spirits are identified and invited to an academy to learn how to use their powers. The most promising students are chosen by champions to be further trained to become potential heirs, so that in the event that the Queen dies there will always be a successor to take her place and keep the spirits in line.
Sometimes though, there are accidents. The book begins with a spirit attack on a village, which leaves many dead. Our protagonist, a young girl named Daleina, was only able to save herself and her family when her powers manifested during the massacre, and since that day has vowed to do all she can to prevent something like this from ever happening again. That determination ultimately leads her to the academy, where unfortunately, she discovers that her abilities are actually very weak compared to the many more talented girls in her class. But as more and more villages fall prey to spirits each year, it is becoming clear that the current Queen is starting to lose control—or worse, perhaps these attacks like the one on Daleina’s village were not in fact accidents at all. Something very bad is coming to Aratay, but will Daleina and her fellow aspirants be powerful or prepared enough to confront it?
As I said before, my feelings were all over the place for the first half of this novel. When I first started, my attention was immediately captured by the different feel the gorgeously detailed setting and atmosphere. The people and cultures of Aratay are closely tied to the land, with towns and even whole cities literally built into the canopies of the trees. I also liked the ideas and lore surrounding the large variety of spirits. To be clear, these aren’t your typical chaotic neutral entities that just want to live wild and free to do what nature spirits are wont to do. Instead, they are malevolent and destructive to their core. There’s a song that every child knows growing up:
Don’t trust the fire, for it will burn you.
Don’t trust the ice, for it will freeze you.
Don’t trust the water, for it will drown you.
Don’t trust the air, for it will choke you.
Don’t trust the earth, for it will bury you.
Don’t trust the trees, for they will rip you,
rend you, tear you, kill you dead.
It’s a silly little ditty, but it does serve to illustrate a very important point: that nature in this world isn’t something vast and beautiful and unfathomable to be respected or held in awe. No, the spirits are downright terrible—not merely cold and heartless but actually vicious and bloodthirsty. They are to be feared, and rightly so.
Things were building up to be very interesting—that is, until my enthusiasm was slightly dampened by the sudden arrival of the magic school trope. Don’t get me wrong though, for I enjoy the magic school trope and everything that comes along with it very much, but this book had the potential to step off such well-trodden paths. What follows is the usual pattern of watching a young protagonist develop her personality as she gradually comes of age, making friends and learning new skills along the way. To be fair, the author did manage to surprise me with some unconventional twists, such as Daleina’s unexpected friendship with Merecot (the arrogant, overachieving “queen bee” who in almost any other YA-type story would have been immediately typecasted as the main character’s bitchy rival) or the fact that Daleina really isn’t all that talented—and she knows it but also accepts it. Our heroine is a genuinely good person who isn’t there for her own glory, having a clear understanding the true meaning of service and self-sacrifice for the greater good. She has gotten as far as she has not because she is exceptional, but simply because she works her butt off. You gotta admire that kind of dedication and work ethic.
The really amazing parts though, were all in the second half of this book. That’s when I saw a good story make the shift to being a great one. I don’t want to give too much more away, but suffice to say the plot escalated into a high-stake crisis and very dangerous, dramatic circumstances. I really liked how everything came together, and the ending was simply stunning—in a “I can’t believe all that really just happened” kind of way.
All in all, things tie up quite nicely but there are also plenty of seeds planted here that will no doubt be explored in the sequel. I for one cannot wait to see what else Sarah Beth Durst has in store for us. For an introduction to a series, The Queen of Blood amazes me with its potential, and I look forward to the next book with great enthusiasm.
Backlist Burndown: The Cloud Roads by Martha Wells
Posted on October 28, 2016 16 Comments
As book bloggers, sometimes we get so caught up reading review titles and new releases that we end up missing out on a lot previously published books. As a result, one of my goals this year is to take more time to catch up with my backlist, especially in my personal reading pile. And it seems I’m not the only one. Backlist Burndown is a new meme started by Lisa of Tenacious Reader. Every last Friday of the month, she’ll be posting a review of a backlist book and is inviting anyone interested to do the same. Of course, you can also review backlist books any day you want, as often you want, but be sure to watch for her post at the end of the month to link up!
This month, I’m reviewing…
The Cloud Roads by Martha Wells
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of The Books of the Raksura
Publisher: Night Shade Books (March 1, 2011)
Length: 300 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Finally making good on my promise to go back and read The Books for the Raksura from the beginning, I decided to pick up The Cloud Roads with the SF/F Read-Along group. Up until this point, I had only read one volume of the Raksura short stories as well as The Edge of Worlds which is formally the fourth book of the sequence but can also be read as a jumping-off point for a new era of the series. As such, I started The Cloud Roads with the advantage of being already familiar with the characters and the world, but being able to go back and read the first book to see how everything started was a great experience nonetheless.
Here we are first introduced to Moon, an orphaned shapeshifter with no idea who he is or what he is. Long ago he had tried looking for others like him, but gave up after years of no luck. Since then he has been living among the terrestrial races in their villages, disguised in his groundling form to look like them. However, one day he slips up and inadvertently exposes his flying form to a village girl, who mistakes him for a member of one of the malicious enemy races called Fell. The groundlings incapacitate Moon and eject him from their community, but that very night he is rescued by another winged creature that looks like him, a creature who is also a shapeshifter with both flight and groundling forms. And thus, Moon soon learns he is a Raksura and begins his journey of discovery to find out where he really comes from.
Any hopes Moon has of finding a new home are soon dashed though, when he is met with hostility among the other Raksura. His rescuer is part of a court named Indigo Cloud, a colony which has been suffering a lot of hardships as of late, including having no breeding pairs and having their existing clutches and young dying. This has made them especially suspicious of strangers, especially a lone Raksura like Moon. Raksura are gregarious creatures by nature and thrive in large social groups, so a finding an individual living in solitary in the wild usually means bad news. However, Moon happens to be a Consort, a special type of fertile male Raksura able to provide a Queen with new clutches, and that means things are more complicated than they appear.
The first thing that struck me was how different Moon was from the later version of Moon I had gotten to know from The Edge of Worlds. This Moon here was younger and less experienced of course, but his attitude was also so much more cynical and aloof. For someone who knows he doesn’t belong anywhere and yet still yearns for being a part of a community, this makes sense. His nomadic lifestyle of moving from one groundling village to another is a temporary solution, one that I think he is aware of, but since there are no better options for the time being Moon has no choice but just to accept this reality. It’s a very lonely existence, one that would make even a young Raskura feel world-weary and pessimistic.
Moon’s introduction to Indigo Cloud court was also an interesting process. I had known that he was an outsider and that he didn’t grow up with the colony, but the extent of Indigo Cloud’s initial hostility towards him in this book was a surprise to me. Also, Raksuran culture and politics are complicated, but because Moon was completely new to all of it, his gradual exposure to the court also allowed the reader to learn everything along with him. Not going to lie; navigating the strange and wonderful world of the Raksura can be a little daunting, given the massive amount of information to take in, but Wells does a phenomenal job presenting her unique setting and characters without completely overwhelming her readers. Furthermore, it’s always a challenge when a book’s main characters are predominantly or a hundred percent non-human, but in spite of the Raksuran’s “otherness” I still found them easy to relate to because of their very human emotions.
As an introduction to the world of the Raksura, I have to say The Cloud Roads was as tantalizing and eye-opening as I had thought it would be, though given this is Martha Wells I would have expected nothing less. I’ve always been curious about the circumstances behind Moon’s arrival at Indigo Cloud court, and I’m glad I finally got the chance to read the full story. This book sets the stage nicely for a lot more to come, and I’m looking forward to continuing with the next book.
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Wendy’s review of The Cloud Roads (Book 1)
Tiara’s review of The Cloud Roads (Book 1)
Wendy’s review of The Serpent Sea (Book 2)
Wendy’s review of The Edge of Worlds (Book 4)
Mogsy’s review of The Edge of Worlds (Book 4)
Mogsy’s review of Stories of the Raksura: Volume One
An Import of Intrigue: Marshall Ryan Maresca Q&A, Guest Post & Series Giveaway!
Posted on October 27, 2016 6 Comments
***The giveaway is now over, thanks to everyone who entered!***
The BiblioSanctum is pleased to be a stop on the blog tour for An Import of Intrigue, the latest novel in the Maradaine Constabulary series by Marshall Ryan Maresca! We have a lot of goodies for you today – first an interview with the author himself, then a guest post in the form of a Culture Report that will provide a deeper look into one of the many diverse neighborhoods of Maradaine. Finally, join the fun and enter our giveaway for a chance to win your own set of the two books in the series so far, A Murder of Mages and An Import of Intrigue!
Hi, Marshall! Welcome to the BiblioSanctum, and thank you so much for joining us today.
MRM: Thank you for having me!
I’d like to begin by congratulating you on the upcoming release of your next Maradaine novel, An Import of Intrigue! This will be the latest in the Maradaine Constabulary series so I’d like to talk more about that today. Can you kick us off by telling us what this series is about?
MRM: The Maradaine Constabulary books follow two inspectors in the constabulary: Satrine Rainey and Minox Welling. Satrine is a former spy, who’s been a wife and mother for several years. After her husband suffered a catastrophic accident, she dusted off her old skills to get a job in the Constabulary that she could support her family with. Minox is her partner—an eccentric but brilliant investigator who is never satisfied with “official” answers—and an untrained mage. Neither of them are very popular in their stationhouse, but they have immense respect for each other.
You have a couple of very remarkable protagonists starring in this series. What inspired you to create the team of Satrine Rainey and Minox Welling? Did they ever surprise you in the character development process?
MRM: The main inspiration was I wanted two people who were outsiders in very different ways, but in ways that they could recognize each other’s competence and respect that. Possibly the biggest surprise was Minox’s family. I initially saw him as an aggressive loner, but something wasn’t right, and I realized I was talking about him having deep familial roots in the constabulary, but not showing them at all. I really enjoy the extended Welling family.
I also think An Import of Intrigue highlights very well the sheer size and richness of the world of Maradaine, featuring the city as being home to a number of neighborhoods, cultures, factions, and peoples. Each of your series also seeks to explore a different facet of life in Maradaine. How long have you had the idea for a diverse city like this, and what is the process behind your world-building? Did the concept come fully formed or did it start from a single seed and grow out from there?
MRM: The world as a whole came first, and I realized at first I was trying to write about THE WHOLE WORLD in a way that was too grand. So I narrowed my focus on the city of Maradaine, and knew that I had to know the whole city in a detailed, intimate way. Building it out allowed me to bring the diversity of the world into the city, and that gave me so many story opportunities.
Speaking of your other series, I hear that you will be launching a third one soon with a book called The Holver Alley Crew, and that it will be a companion to the Maradaine and Maradaine Constabulary novels. Is it a challenge to juggle multiple series, and what is it like to switch between them when writing? How are some ways you keep each series unique with their own individual “flavor”?
MRM: It is a challenge, but a big part of it is I’m familiar with all these characters, and knowing them helps me keep the “flavor” of each series straight. Asti and Verci Rynax, the heroes of The Holver Alley Crew, have a completely different method of solving problems than Satrine and Minox, and none of them approach problems like Veranix from the Thorn books.
Do you have plans for any more series and books set in Maradaine? And will all of these different stories and characters eventually connect to form a larger picture, like maybe a secret grand plan you’re working on? Come on, you can tell me…
MRM: There are three more books scheduled after Holver Alley. After that is the third Thorn novel, The Imposters of Aventil, then the second Holver Alley (Streets of Maradaine), called Lady Henterman’s Wardrobe, and then the third Constabulary novel, A Parliament of Bodies. I’m working on the first of a fourth series, of which the first book is tentatively titled The Way of the Shield. I have a couple novella-length stories and one-offs in the outlining/early drafting phase. As for connections and larger picture… yes, there is a grand secret plan. Imposters of Aventil is when that will start to pay off.
Do you have other creative outlets besides writing? What hobbies do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
MRM: I’m pretty much constantly in the kitchen when I’m not writing. I love cooking, pretty much all types of cuisines. I remember there’s a bit in The Omnivore’s Dilemma where he says it’s “fine” to eat just about anything if you make it from scratch, and I thought, “That doesn’t limit me at all, really.”
It’s been wondering chatting with you today, Marshall! Before you go, tell us something readers might be surprised to learn about you, that can’t be found in your author’s bio or on your website!
MRM: I’ve worked as a late-night pizza-delivery driver. So I’ve seen some things.
Maradaine Culture Report: Fuerga
An Import of Intrigue takes place in a part of the city of Maradaine called “The Little East”, a handful of blocks populated by enclaves of immigrants and foreigners from all over the larger world. Most citizens of Maradaine avoid these enclaves, and their only understanding of other countries and cultures comes from Augustine Montrose’s memoir, My Travels of the World. Here we look at an excerpt from his book, where he talks about one of the cultures encountered in An Import of Intrigue.
***
For much of my time in Fuerga, I was the guest of the Astev, one of the richest and most influential families in the area. Through them, I leaned how the concept of family is deeper and more complicated in Fuerga than I could easily imagine. Their language has many different words for “family”, and each one contains nuances that I would fail to comprehend.
For example, the Feurgans can be broken down into three key social groups: the sikar— the city people, the sinar— country people in small communities, and the kanar, the nomadic people who live on the roads. Any grand family, such as the Astev, have members among the sikar, sinar and kanar, and while to each other these groups were all family, there was a strong sense that within the family the divisions between these social groups were hard and uncrossable.
Regardless of these distinctions, it was very clear that family, in all its iterations, was something that every Fuergan held in high esteem. Each family has a unique set of of chains, loops and hooks that is worn on the left ear, much like how our nobles possess family crests.
One key thing that became clear after a short time in Fuerga— further muddying my understanding of the importance of family, is that their concept of marriage is radically different from our own. They seem to engage in a form of group marriage, where a dozen or more men and women are all equal co-spouses. And since any one of these dozen people have their own blood relations, and the unions can continue to add new members over the years, well… needless to say, I gave up on trying to create accurate translations for the hundreds of different terms the Fuergans have to describe their relationships with each other. We Druth simply do not have the vocabulary.
However, these unions are exactly not equal. As united as families are, including these marriage-groups, wealth is extremely individual. Wealth is also tied directly to an individual’s rank or title, which is called a korai. Fuergans traditionally where an outer garment, a kind of vest of varying length, that identifies their krai. They will literally wear a declaration of value of their personal fortune. Between the vest and the earring, a Fuergan can easily identify crucial information about a stranger with a glance.
There is call for that, based on what I observed in the Fuergan morning market. In the morning, the streets are filled with traders. Deals are almost never made in offices or private negotiation, but in the streets, regardless of the size or scope. Because the streets are crowded and noisy, much business is done here using the capathla, the hand gesture language of the Fuergans. This is a system involves large, wide gestures, and allow them to strike an arrangement with someone a block away. This also means an adept trader can act as a bridge between a buyer and seller who cannot see each other, and make a profit as an intermediary. Doing well in the street trading requires sharp eyes, fast hands and quick thinking.
By late morning, the deals have been made, and the streets clear out. Traders go and make their preparations for the deals made on the streets that morning. This is a critical part of their custom: on the street no money or goods exchanges hands. It isn’t until the afternoon, privately, that the deals made in the morning are fulfilled. Of course, if one cannot fulfill one’s deals in the afternoon, it will hurt one’s reputation and status, and may cause retribution to occur. The retribution can be quite ugly.
On the surface, Fuerga seems like a wonderful culture, filled with commerce, art, and the most generous of people. However, there is a frightening reality beneath that. If someone disagrees with your business, or you cannot fulfill your debts, they can assault you, lock you in a cell or leave you dead in a ditch. Not only are there no legal ramifications, their leaders encourage and participate in this. There is a line not to cross in Fuerga, but to an outsider, it’s impossible to know where that line is.
But we accept this in our dealings with them. Why? Because they grow tobacco, distill whiskey and other hard spirits, and breed the most fantastic horses known to man. And when you are their guest, they treat you like family.
The Maradaine Constabulary Series Giveaway
Interested in checking out the novels in the Maradaine Constabulary series? Here’s your chance to win this great set of books! With thanks to the publisher, we’re happy to be hosting this giveaway for A Murder of Mages and An Import of Intrigue. This giveaway is open to addresses in the US and Canada. To enter, all you have to do is send an email to bibliosanctum@gmail.com with your Name and valid Mailing Address using the subject line “THE MARADAINE CONSTABULARY” by 11:59pm Eastern time on Sunday, November 6, 2016.
Only one entry per household, please. The winner will be randomly selected when the giveaway ends and then be notified by email. All information will only be used for the purposes of contacting the winner and sending them their prize. Once the giveaway ends all entry emails will be deleted.
So what are you waiting for? Enter to win! Good luck!
Book Review: The Family Plot by Cherie Priest
Posted on October 26, 2016 22 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
The Family Plot by Cherie Priest
Mogsy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Horror
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Tor (September 20, 2016)
Length: 368 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
You never know what you’re going to get when you pick up a book by Cherie Priest. This is the third novel I’ve read by the author, after Boneshaker and Maplecroft, but in neither of those cases did I feel strongly enough to continue their respective series. The Family Plot, however, was a little different. I found myself hooked from the first page, and didn’t come up for air until I was finished.
Maybe it was because of the book’s topic. I’ve always been drawn to stories about haunted houses, and the entire premise of The Family Plot is built around the subject. We begin with an introduction to Chuck Dutton, founder and owner of Music City Salvage, a company that specializes in the stripping of old properties and then reselling the valuable pieces. Unfortunately, business isn’t doing too well, and Chuck is one bad deal away from going under. So when the stately Augusta Withrow walks through his office door offering him salvage rights to her sizeable historic family estate and all for a steal of $40,000, he’s understandably dubious. Still, the gorgeous photos of the house’s interiors and the potential for a large payoff ultimately leads him agree to the job, and Chuck decides to send a skeleton crew headed by his daughter Dahlia to undertake the project.
Dahlia and her team—made up of her cousin Bobby, his son Gabe, and a relatively new employee of Music City named Brad—all make the drive out together to the old house nestled in the backwoods of Chattanooga, Tennessee…and arrive to a veritable goldmine. With only a few days to complete the job, the four of them get down to stripping the place right away. Still, while the splendor of the Withrow estate is certainly everything that was promised, the crew soon uncovers a few surprises. For one thing, Augusta had failed to mention the small graveyard on the property, tucked away among the overgrown trees. To save time and money, the team has also decided to forgo hotels and spend the nights at the house, but strange things are happening and they only seem to get worse when darkness falls. Then, all four of them start to see people who aren’t really there, ghosts that are watching, waiting, and trying to communicate something—but none of the salvage crew have any idea what that could possibly be.
Imagine HGTV’s Salvage Dogs meets Paranormal Activity and you have a pretty good idea of what The Family Plot is about. On the one hand, there’s something very appealing about exploring old houses, the idea of uncovering history and not knowing what amazing treasures you’ll find. On the other hand though, there’s also a certain wariness, knowing that when a house gets to a certain age it can almost take on a life and spirit of its own. Dahlia is someone who understands that all too well, especially since she makes a living from gutting places such as these. From the moment the crew steps foot onto the Withrow estate, an atmosphere of foreboding immediately descends upon the reader. The house itself is like a character in this story; you get the feeling that it knows these people are going to come in and take it apart, and it is pissed.
Plus, in addition to a good old house haunting you also get a healthy dose of family drama. Those relationship dynamics add an extra layer of tension to an already strained situation, exacerbating the setting’s creepy atmosphere and the desperation caused by the time crunch. In many ways, the fantastic development of Dahlia’s personality helped this book stand out for me, along with the deconstruction of her character’s hurt and anger following her messy divorce. Worse, her hotheaded and recalcitrant cousin Bobby is also her ex-husband’s best friend, which makes his presence on her crew even more awkward. Still, Dahlia is not someone to complain about her circumstances, and manages to wrangle her crew effectively using a smart give-and-take philosophy.
Another noteworthy aspect of this book was its general matter-of-fact attitude about the existence of ghosts. It seems almost every single haunted house story that I’ve read in recent memory have tackled this with ambiguity or left readers wondering, “What was real and what wasn’t?” Not so with The Family Plot. Ghosts are an occupational hazard when you’re in Dahlia’s line of work, and she acknowledges their presence with an almost insouciant air of someone who has seen it all. There is no question of whether or not there really are ghosts at the Withrow estate—the answer is a resounding yes, they are real, and yes, they are there. What we’re left wondering is who they are and what they want, and yet those puzzles are enough to keep the mystery of the story going, along with the pervasive sense that something just doesn’t feel right (well, besides the fact that there are actually ghosts). Everything that Augusta has told Music City and everything the crew has learned sounds legit, but there is still that nagging feeling that not everything is adding up, and so you want to keep reading to find out what is going on.
With three books by Priest under my belt now, one thing I’ve learned is that she is an incredibly versatile writer who seems to glide effortlessly into any kind of story or narrative style she decides to take on. Every novel I’ve read by her so far has been very different from each other. However, that also means not all her books are going to strike my fancy, as evidenced by my previous experiences, but I’m glad I decided to keep trying her work. The Family Plot came along and managed to hit every one of my buttons and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I would highly recommend it for anyone who loves stories about ghosts or haunted houses.
Waiting on Wednesday 10/26/16
Posted on October 26, 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
The Dinosaur Princess by Victor Milán (August 15, 2017 by Tor)
While I adored The Dinosaur Lords, I hit a slump with its sequel The Dinosaur Knights, with one of my disappointments being caused by the portrayal of female characters especially Princess Melodía who was my favorite character from the first book. But then I learned the next book’s title – a good sign that things could be turning around for Melodía? Despite my quibbles with the previous novel, I always did plan on continuing the series, and the description for the next volume is getting my blood pumping again. Plus, just take a look at that cover. And gawk.
“The newest epic fantasy adventure set in a world where knights ride armored dinosaurs into battle, hailed by George R. R. Martin as “A cross between Jurassic Park and Game of Thrones.”
With The Dinosaur Princess, we return to Paradise, Victor Milan’s fabulous alternate fantasy universe where humans from Earth were transported to a world where dinosaurs never became extinct.
It is a marvelous but dangerous place, a realm where knights ride these beasts in order to fight epic medieval battles, a place where magic is real.
The ancient gods who brought mankind to Paradise have returned to judge their human experiment. The Grey Angels, fabled ancient weapons of the gods, have come to rid the world of sin.
And if humans are deemed unworthy, they will be scourged from the face of Paradise.”
Book Review: Faller by Will McIntosh
Posted on October 25, 2016 11 Comments
A review copy was received from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own..
Mogsy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Tor (October 25, 2016)
Length: 352 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
What a strange, strange book. But in a good way. Incidentally, that’s what I always think after finishing one of Will McIntosh’s novels. I’m a huge fan of the author, precisely because his ideas are always so unique and original—and yes, they can sometimes be off-the-wall as well. Faller probably isn’t his best work; the writing wasn’t as tight and the story’s many parts were a little incongruous, but that could be due to the book’s subject matter which admittedly is not my cup of tea. As long as you’re willing to accept a wildly unfeasible premise and some logical leaps though, this book is an overall fun time.
The story opens with a man suddenly becoming aware of himself while standing in the crumbled ruins of a floating city island. He has no memory of who he is, who his friends and family are, or where he comes from. He has even forgotten how to read. Looking around, he notices other people in the streets, but they all look just as lost and scared as he is. The only clue to the man’s identity are the items in his pocket: a toy soldier with a parachute, a candy wrapper with strange symbols on it scrawled in blood, and a photo showing himself smiling beside a woman he can’t recognize.
Before long, the survivors from what has become known as “Day One” are killing each other over the dwindling resources on the island. The weak, including children and the elderly, are deemed a burden and are mercilessly thrown off the edge to die. Our protagonist, inspired by the little toy soldier in his pocket, dubs himself Faller and decides to fashion his own parachute, initially as a stunt to help him and his newfound allies earn food. But unfortunately for them all, his big jump goes wrong, and to Faller’s horror he finds himself accidentally sailing over the edge and into the abyss.
Just as he thinks it’s all over though, that’s when he makes a startling discovery.
Alternating between Faller’s narrative and flashbacks to the lives of a group of scientists in the months leading up to Day One, McIntosh weaves a twisted tale of a world literally shattered—by war and by warped physics. Faller is a bizarre book and it admittedly requires no small amount of patience if you want to get down to the bottom of this mystery. On the face of it, I can understand why the author decided to structure the novel this way, but it also gave rise to many distractions and interrupts to the flow of both past and present stories. I also found myself more drawn to flashback chapters because that was where you would find the meat of the “science fiction” in this book, while the Faller sections were weirder and more confusing. Still, the mystery was tantalizing enough that at no point did I ever want to stop reading; I knew that the further I got, the more the clues will start leading to answers.
However, quantum physics and mechanics have never really been my favorite topic in sci-fi. While I enjoy reading about the science and theory, a lot of books that seek to tackle it often don’t do a satisfying job with the details. This is a problem I ran into with Faller. A lot of the scientists’ experiments and the scientific phenomena described in this book aren’t well explained, and in many instances you just have roll with it. If you don’t mind that a lot of the science is glossed over and rushed, this shouldn’t be too much of an issue. Otherwise, the many plot holes and questions left by logical gaps will make this one tough to get into.
But even with its implausible premise, I thought Faller offered a fun and engaging experience. You only have to see how quickly I devoured this book to know that. This is the fourth novel I’ve read by Will McIntosh, and even though it wasn’t my favorite of his, there’s definitely a reason why he will always be on my must-read list. While he admitted in the acknowledgements that this was a challenging novel to write, I’m glad he’s continuing to push the boundaries and experiment with bold ideas. I’ll always read anything he writes.
Spotlight and Giveaway: Patterns of the Wheel: Coloring Art Based on Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time
Posted on October 24, 2016 3 Comments
***The giveaway is now over, thanks to everyone who entered!***
This one is for all the coloring book fans out there. On October 25, Tor Books is releasing Patterns of the Wheel, the first official coloring book based on Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series, featuring forty exclusive illustrations by Amy Romanczuk.
Let the Dragon be drawn again on the winds of time. Patterns of the Wheel is an adult coloring book suitable for all ages featuring original art drawn from The Wheel of Time ®.
“Since its debut in 1990, The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan has captivated millions of readers around the globe with its scope, originality, and compelling characters. Over the course of fifteen books and millions of words, the world that Jordan created grew in depth and complexity.
Now for the very first time, fans of this astounding saga can color in the hues and vibrant shades of Robert Jordan’s most beloved fantasy world. Adorn the symbols of the Ajah and the patterns on Gleeman’s Cloak. Experience the peaks of Dragonmount, the depths of the Aryth Ocean, and other parts of the realm. Fill in evocative mandalas, depictions of Old Tongue, and an array of the Wheel of Time’s most well-known symbols and magical items.
Designed by officially-licensed Wheel of Time artist Amy Romanczuk, Patterns of the Wheel features 40 drawings inspired by pysanky, a traditional Ukrainian folkart, to provide hours of delight for The Wheel of Time’s legions of fans.”
ROBERT JORDAN (October 17, 1948–September 16, 2007), a native of Charleston, South Carolina, was the author of the bestselling The Wheel of Time®, with millions of books in print.
AMY ROMANCZUK is a folk artist living in Charleston, SC. A licensed The Wheel of Time™ artist, she uses pysanky and pysanky-inspired design to interpret her world view. Her works can be found in several galleries, the Kolomyia Museum in Ukraine, and online at czukart.com.
Patterns of the Wheel Giveaway
Interested in winning your own copy of Patterns of the Wheel? This book would make a great addition to any Wheel of Time fan or coloring book enthusiast’s collection. The BiblioSanctum is pleased to be hosting a giveaway for one copy of Patterns of the Wheel, open to addresses in the US and Canada. To enter, all you have to do is send an email to bibliosanctum@gmail.com with your Name and valid Mailing Address using the subject line “PATTERNS OF THE WHEEL” by 11:59pm Eastern time on Thursday, November 3, 2016.
Only one entry per household, please. The winner will be randomly selected when the giveaway ends and then be notified by email. All information will only be used for the purposes of contacting the winners and sending them their prize. Once the giveaway ends all entry emails will be deleted.
So what are you waiting for? Enter to win! Good luck!
Audiobook Review: Star Wars: Ahsoka by E.K. Johnston
Posted on October 24, 2016 13 Comments
A review copy was received from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Star Wars: Ahsoka by E.K. Johnston
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction, Media Tie-In, Young Adult
Series: Star Wars Canon
Publisher: Listening Library (October 11, 2016)
Length: 7 hrs and 8 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator: Ashley Eckstein
If you are a fan of Star Wars, especially the animated The Clone Wars TV series, then Star Wars: Ahsoka is certainly not to be missed. While that show may have ended a couple years ago, many were surprised when Anakin Skywalker’s young Padawan Ahsoka Tano, who left the Jedi Order near the end of the Clone Wars, suddenly resurfaced again in the current run of Star Wars: Rebels. This Ahsoka is older, wiser, and carries a lot more scars. What exactly happened to her during those mysterious intervening years? How did she survive the Jedi slaughter following the execution of Order 66? What led her to join the Rebel Alliance’s fight against the Empire? I was excited to read this book in the hopes that it provide some insights into these questions, and I was not disappointed.
I was also fortunate enough to receive the audio edition of Star Wars: Ahsoka for review. With their high production values, sound effects, and music, Star Wars audiobooks are always a treat, but I have to say the very best part of this one is the narrator, Ashley Eckstein, who was also the voice actress for the Ahsoka on The Clone Wars and Rebels. If you’re on the fence about giving the audiobook version a try, this might end up being the deciding factor. Personally speaking, I thought that listening to Ms. Eckstein read the book gave my experience that extra little “coolness” boost, almost like I was listening to Ahsoka tell her own tale.
The story begins on Empire Day a few years after the end of Revenge of the Sith, where we find Ahsoka hiding out on the planet Thabeska under her new assumed name, “Ashla”. When circumstances force her to go on the run again, she decides to head for the remote moon of Raada, home to a rustic farming community. Here, Ahsoka hopes to continue eking out a quiet and simple life for herself, working as a mechanic. However, that peace is about to be shattered. Thanks to its rich soils and resources, Raada has suddenly come to the attention of the Empire, and the Imperial Navy has moved in to take over the agricultural industry. Needless to say, the locals aren’t too happy with this. The Empire is only interested in quantity over quality, and their crops are destroying the moon and the future of its citizens.
Against her original plans, Ahsoka finds herself unexpectedly pulled into Raada’s rebellion. The new friends she has made are humble farmers, full of anger towards the Empire but inexperienced when it comes to fighting. To prevent any more people from being hurt or killed, Ahsoka decides to help them put together a more organized resistance.
Star Wars: Ahsoka can be enjoyed by anyone, even if you only have a slight familiarity with anything to do with Star Wars, but obviously readers who already have a good knowledge of the character and her roles in the two shows will find it a lot more interesting and emotionally impactful. E.K. Johnston made her story accessible to new readers, but there are also a lot of references and flashbacks to past events—many of which were from The Clone Wars—which will no doubt appeal to fans of Ahsoka.
I imagine writing a Star Wars novel is no small task, especially when you’re tackling such an important and popular character like Ahsoka, but I thought Johnston did a fantastic job. Her writing and storytelling remained true to the Star Wars universe and the protagonist’s personality, detailing the thoughts and actions of the young Togruta. The former student of Anakin Skywalker has come into her own, and even though the Clone Wars has hardened and matured her, she still retains all of her courage and hopeful optimism.
With regards to the story, I felt there were some mild pacing issues, namely at the beginning and at the end of the book. The energy in the first few chapters was definitely a bit on the sluggish side, owing to the fact that the main conflict took too long to be introduced. This is understandable in some ways, since the setting as well as characters have to be established, and Ahsoka herself was trying to keep a low profile. After the first quarter of the book though, the plot’s pacing noticeably picks up. The reader’s patience pays off as the action and excitement gradually builds to an amazing climax. After this point, I actually wished there had been more to the finale! I won’t deny that the ending felt rushed and that the book could have been longer, but those complaints aside, I had an amazingly good time with this novel.
But of course, the biggest reason why you should read this book is all the wonderful and significant moments we get to see involving Ahsoka. We learn how she reestablishes contact with Bail Organa and joins the resistance, earning the codename Fulcrum. We also find out how she obtains her new set of white lightsabers, not to mention the fascinating new lore surrounding Force-attuned crystals.
All that being said, if you are relatively new to the wider world of the Star Wars universe, you can certainly still enjoy this novel for what it is—but I probably wouldn’t recommend starting here. This book feels first and foremost like it was written for an audience already familiar with Ahsoka. Johnston clearly knows and loves the character, and delights in sharing that love with her readers by giving plenty of nods to events that happened in episodes of The Clone Wars. Even if you haven’t seen the TV series you will have a great time, but for fans of the show, it’s the little moments like that which will give you an extra thrill. Needless to say, if you love The Clone Wars and Rebels, this is an absolute must-read, and you will get a well-written and entertaining story as well.
Additional Audiobook Comments: Other than stating how awesome it is that Ashley Eckstein is the narrator for this? She’s also amazing with voices and the fact that she voiced Ahsoka in the shows gave this audiobook an additional layer of immersion. She’s no stranger to voice acting, and her talent shines through in this performance.
The BiblioSanctum 