Book Review: The Prisoner of Hell Gate by Dana I. Wolff
Posted on August 14, 2016 11 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Prisoner of Hell Gate by Dana I. Wolff
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Horror
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Picador (July 5, 2016)
Length: 224 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
What would you do if you and your friends were trapped on a wooded island with no way to get off? It is the early 80s, so there are no cellphones to call for help even though civilization is just hops away. The only inhabitant on the island appears to be a homeless woman who is creepy as hell, but she offers you shelter and food and is an excellent cook.
It’s an unsettling situation for sure, but manageable if everyone keeps just calm and waits for rescue. For public health graduate student Karalee and her four companions though, the island may be their last resting place. They are on one of the lonely islands in the Hell Gate section of New York’s East River, where for centuries civilization locked away those they feared the most. The shelter the five friends find is an abandoned old hospital, once used for quarantining victims of infectious diseases. One of its most famous patients was a woman named Mary Mallon—the Irish cook better known as Typhoid Mary.
Karalee didn’t end up at the island by accident. Her great-grandfather was George A. Soper, the sanitation engineer who was the one who discovered Typhoid Mary and finally captured her after she infected and killed people with her cooking. Karalee and her friends were out boating on a beautiful summer day when she spies North Brother Island, and immediately feels drawn to the place because of her family’s history. But when their boat becomes damaged by the unyielding currents of the river, the youths are marooned and are forced to spend the night with the old homeless woman to provide for them. The woman, grimy as she is, proves to be a wizard when it comes to whipping up meals for her stranded guests. She tells Karalee and her friends that her name is Mary, and a slight Irish accent marks her speech. Coincidence? Or is there something more sinister at play here?
Dana I. Wolff’s The Prisoner of Hell Gate is set up like your classic slasher horror scenario: a group of twenty-somethings find themselves trapped in an isolated place with a crazy killer on the loose determined to pick them off one by one. But there’s a twist here. Instead of relying on a copious amount of blood and gore to scare her readers, the author uses our deep-seated fear of germs and gruesome infectious diseases to create horror. And rather than a knife-wielding psychopath, the villain in this tale is a madwoman whose weapon is much more nefarious and repulsive.
Who was Mary Mallon, exactly? The media of the early twentieth century dubbed her Typhoid Mary, for being identified as an asymptomatic carrier of typhoid fever. Working as a cook, she managed to infect dozens of people and was isolated not once but twice by public health workers, after she changed her name and returned to being a cook even though she was ordered not to upon her first release. I’d heard of her before reading this book, but wasn’t aware of the specifics of her life or the circumstances around her arrest and quarantine. On that front, this book was very informational. I learned about the cat-and-mouse game between Mallon and Soper as the latter traced the trail of infection all across the city in order to finally apprehend her. The story contains many flashbacks to the past, including a recounting of the General Slocum disaster of 1904, when the steamship caught fire and sank in the East River taking with it the lives of more than a thousand men, women and children. The Prisoner of Hell Gate is not a historical novel per se, but those who have an interest in these history subjects will probably find its premise intriguing.
The plot, however, is pretty textbook. The cast is gradually whittled down as one by one they fall prey to the killer. It’s a timeworn device, but to Wolff’s credit she manages to apply it in a quick and suspenseful fashion, even though none of her hopped up, foolish and arrogant characters are all that likeable, which robs their deaths of the desired effect. Karalee is especially annoying with her stubborn defense of Mary Mallon, even though she knew full well all the people Mallon infected and her subsequent lack of cooperation with the authorities. There’s a personal reason for Karalee’s strange sympathies, but they weren’t very well developed. The best character was probably the mysterious Mary. Her narrative is disturbing, but the complexity with which she is written is utterly fascinating.
For my review, I left parts of the story deliberately vague, because I think some of the most unexpected surprises are best left for readers to discover on their own. I wouldn’t go into this book expecting it to shake up the genre, but it had its moments, not to mention some cool twists. It probably could have been scarier it weren’t for the man missed opportunities to play up the terrors of infectious diseases and outbreaks, but there is a supernatural aspect here that I thought was well incorporated. All in all, The Prisoner of Hell Gate was an entertaining read. I would recommend it if you’re looking for a fast-paced, mainstream-type horror read, especially if you have an interest in the history of Typhoid Mary.
Mogsy’s Bookshelf Roundup: Stacking The Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on August 13, 2016 40 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
My thanks 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!
The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin – August is release month for book two of N.K. Jemisin’s The Broken Earth series, which I’m really looking forward to. I loved The Fifth Season last year, which puts this sequel pretty high on my anticipated list. My thanks to Orbit for the finished copy.
The Last Adventure of Constance Verity by A. Lee Martinez – This was a Saga Press title that caught my eye earlier this summer, but I didn’t get a chance to really look at what it’s all about. Thanks to the kind folks at Wunderkind though, I was offered a chance to review this book. The more I learn about it the more intriguing it sounds, so stay tuned because I’ve made plans to read it later this month.
The Facefaker’s Game by Chandler Birch – Pitched as perfect for fans of Patrick Rothfuss and Scott Lynch, this fantasy adventure certainly has some pretty high expectations to live up to! No matter what, I look forward to all that it has to offer. With thanks to Simon & Schuster for the ARC.
Orbs, Orbs II: Stranded, Orbs III: Redemption by Nicholas Sansbury Smith – Also from Simon & Schuster/Simon451 comes this trio of books in the sci-fi thriller/horror Orbs series set in a post-apocalyptic world after a devastating alien invasion. What’s funny is that the books came to me separately, with the third novel arriving first. My interest was immediately piqued upon receiving a surprise package with Redemption in it, and then the disappointment hit when I realized that it was a book three. As it turned out, another surprise package arrived the next day and inside it contained books 1 and 2! Much thanks to the publisher!
Caraval by Stephanie Garber – This was an amazing surprise I don’t know what I did to deserve, but I was really excited because I’ve been curious about Caraval for a long time. The ARC came from the publisher with a note congratulating me for winning a giveaway I can’t remember ever entering, but whether I did and just completely forgot, or if my name was on a reviewer list from Macmillan’s databases, I just want to say a huge THANK YOU to Flatiron Books! I’m definitely going to be reading this one and reviewing it come the new year, which is when the book is due to come out.
The Apothecary’s Curse by Barbara Barnett – This book isn’t out until October, but I’m seeing some awesome reviews for it already. I can’t wait to read this one; thanks, Pyr Books! The publisher seems to be really rocking it this year with some highly original and unique urban fantasy releases.
From Tor Books, I also received the following finished copies: Eterna and Omega by Leanna Renee Hieber is the sequel to The Eterna Files, which I had the pleasure of reading last year. If I have time, I definitely want to continue with this follow-up. Pathfinder Tales: Starspawn by Wendy N. Wagner is the latest installment in the Pathfinder Tales series of books based on the popular roleplaying game. I still have the previous PT book to read, which I better get cracking on if I’m to have any hope of catching up with these books! Ghost Talkers by Mary Robinette Kowal is pretty high on my list of books to read this summer, so hopefully I’ll be able to fit it in later in the month. Finally, The Sword of Midras by Tracy Hickman and Richard Garriott is the prequel novel to the Shroud of the Avatar video game. I’ve already listened to and reviewed the audiobook edition (in case you missed it, the link is below in the “Reviews” section) but it’s pretty awesome to have a print copy! Thank you to the publisher for all these great books.
Ibenus by Seth Skorkowsky – I’ve been waiting for this one for a while! Ibenus is the third book in a gritty urban fantasy series called Valducan, which deserves a hell of a lot more attention in my opinion. I’ve been hooked on its world of magic, demons, and sentient spirit-imbued weapons ever since I read the first book, Dämoren. I can’t tell you how excited I am to read this. My thanks to Ragnarok Publications and NetGalley,
No Good Dragon Goes Unpunished by Rachel Aaron – And speaking of deserving of a hell lot more attention, I just love Heartstrikers! I’m actually in the middle of reading this one right now, and by the time this post goes live I should be finished. It’s very enjoyable so far and I’m just chomping right through the pages. I’d like to thank the author for providing a review copy.
Women in Practical Armor edited by Ed Greenwood & Gabrielle Harbowy – Much thanks to Evil Girlfriend Media for giving me a chance to check out this anthology, which was successfully funded through Kickstarter last year. Our female warrior avatars clad in skimpy metal bikinis that barely cover anything is somewhat of a running joke between me and my gamer friends, which is why I just love the title of this collection. Looking forward to checking out some of these stories, especially those by authors I’ve been wanting to read for a long time.
Like A River Glorious by Rae Carson – YEEEESSSS. This one is easily in the top three of my list of most anticipated releases of 2016. The first book Walk on Earth a Stranger was one of my favorite books last year. I was so excited when I saw the DRC appear on Edelweiss, if I’d mashed my cursor any harder on the “Request” button I think I would have broken my finger. Yes, my enthusiasm is really THAT. EPIC. Thank you so much to Greenwillow Books/Harper Collins for approving me so quickly.
The Rains by Gregg Hurwitz and Stranded by Bracken MacLeod – Also, I might have went a little nuts with Horror on Netgalley this week. The Rains is a YA thriller whose synopsis makes me think it might be a zombie novel or something similar. Stranded has been compared to John Carpenter’s The Thing meets Jacob’s Ladder, and I won’t deny that my attention was drawn to the description, which reminded me a lot of Dan Simmons’ The Terror. Here’s hoping both these will be awesome! My thanks to Tor for approving my requests.
Reviews
Here is a roundup of my reviews since the last update. The two books I’m featuring as highlights are I Am Providence and This Savage Song. I thought both were really unique, which made them stand out for me.
I Am Providence by Nick Mamatas (4 of 5 stars)
Star Wars: Aftermath: Life Debt by Chuck Wendig (4 of 5 stars)
The Language of Dying by Sarah Pinborough (4 of 5 stars)
This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab (4 of 5 stars)
All Is Fair by Emma Newman (3.5 of 5 stars)
The Dragon Lords: Fool’s Gold by Jon Hollins (3.5 of 5 stars)
City of Wolves by Willow Palecek (3.5 of 5 stars)
The Sword of Midras by Tracy Hickman & Richard Garriott (3.5 of 5 stars)
Welcome to Deadland by Zachary Tyler Linville (3 of 5 stars)
Roundup Highlights:
What I’ve Read Since the Last Update
Here’s some of what I’ll be reviewing at the BiblioSanctum in the next few weeks, minus the reviews that are already up. I’ve been falling behind in my reading, so the last fortnight was mostly me playing catch-up with what I missed in July.
Have you heard of or read any of the books featured this week? What caught your eye? Any new discoveries? Nothing makes me happier than sharing my love for books, so let me know what you plan on checking out. I hope you found something interesting for a future read! Until next time, see you next Roundup!
Book Review: Star Wars: Aftermath: Life Debt by Chuck Wendig
Posted on August 12, 2016 23 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Star Wars: Aftermath: Life Debt by Chuck Wendig
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Science Fiction, Media Tie-In
Series: Book 2 of Star Wars: Aftermath
Publisher: Del Rey (July 19, 2016)
Length: 430 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
To kick off this review, I just want to say that I actually didn’t think the first Aftermath was all that bad. As you’d recall all the hubbub, the criticism over that book was harsh, perhaps more so than I thought was warranted. That said, for a Star Wars novel I also thought this book’s predecessor was mediocre to okay at best—especially when compared to such gems in the new canon like Lost Stars by Claudia Gray or Dark Disciple by Christie Golden. While flavorful and entertaining, the story of Aftermath and its characters were completely forgettable. This was evidenced by my chagrin when, as I started reading the first few pages of Life Debt, I realized I could barely recall anything that happened in the first book, or remember any of the main characters’ names.
The good news though, is that Life Debt is a much better book. In my opinion, this sequel improves upon many of the problems that plagued the first novel, giving me a lot more reasons to care about the story and what happens to these characters.
Taking place in the “aftermath” of Aftermath, Life Debt follows the adventures of Norra Wexley and her band of mercenaries across the galaxy, as they continue to doggedly hunt down the remnants of Imperial leadership. The main prize is Grand Admiral Rae Sloane, with whom the team has had run-ins with before. Sloane, however, is trying to hatch up a plan of her own, keeping a low profile as she tries to rally the remaining Imperial forces who regard her as the new de facto leader of the Empire. But behind the scenes, there is another shadowy operator pulling the strings, manipulating both the Imperials and the fledgling New Republic, and his agenda is a lot less clear.
Meanwhile, Princess Leia receives a disturbing message from Han Solo before the transmission was cut off, making her fear the worst for her husband. She beseeches Norra and her crew to track him down, which leads them to a prison complex on Kashyyyk where the Wookiees are currently locked in conflict with the Empire over their home world.
I’ve long been a fan of Chuck Wendig’s urban fantasy, a genre which perfectly suits his raw, gritty writing style. But when it came to Star Wars, the fit did not seem quite right. This was made obvious in Aftermath with his use of short, bursty sentences and tendency to include many modern colloquialisms and awkward terms that jolted me right out of the immersion. Thankfully, he’s a lot more sparing with these in Life Debt, which was only the first of many other steps in the right direction. When Wendig isn’t trying so hard to force Star Wars to match his style, instead making it the other way around so that he adapts his writing to the Star Wars universe, the results are actually much, much better.
Another issue I had with the first book was how far removed it felt from the events of Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens, especially when the publisher was pushing it as the “bridge novel” between the two movies. To be fair, I don’t really fault the book for the hype created by marketing, but I was a little disappointed by the bare-bones structure of Aftermath, with its fluffy story and what felt like throwaway characters that had no impact on the universe whatsoever. Going into Life Debt, I didn’t have that many expectations, and I ended up being pleasantly surprised. We no longer have to sit through any more origin stories for the characters, so we’re diving straight into the action and getting more opportunities to learn about their personalities and relationships.
The inclusion of original trilogy characters, both major and minor, also helped. For example, Leia and Han were only bit players in this book, but their presence created a palpable connection between Norra Wexley, Temmin Wexley, Jas Emari, Sinjir Rath Velus, Jom Barell, and Mr. Bones with the rest of the Star Wars universe. Watching Wedge Antilles try to romance Norra was also hilarious. The point is, the Aftermath team has finally made their mark on the New Republic through their actions, and it’ll be harder to forget them now. The story on the Empire side was also a lot more interesting this time around, with Admiral Rae Sloane fighting her own secret war within the Imperial ranks. She is the sole beacon of competence amidst the remains of a weakened and crumbling Empire, but she probably has less authority than anyone, including herself, realizes. Her character has come a long way for me since she was first introduced in A New Dawn, and now she’s one of my favorites.
There were some lingering issues, of course. These pesky interludes continue to vex me, packing on a lot more bulk than was necessary without really adding much substance. Clearly, they’re meant to be a defining feature of this trilogy though, so I had suspected that they weren’t going to go away. Certain characters are also very derivative of other Star Wars personalities we’ve seen before. The villain revealed here feels like a new Thrawn, for instance, and reading parts of this book gave me flashbacks to certain episodes of Star Wars Rebels, with their team dynamics being somewhat similar, right down to the mother figure, bounty hunter, a boy and his crazy droid, etc. Not all of these parallels were necessarily bad though, especially when they actually helped me get into the story.
All told, I’m glad I gave this trilogy another chance, though in truth, I probably would have read it anyway, considering my ongoing quest to read and review all the adult novels in the new Star Wars canon. No surprise then that I would recommend this to other Star Wars completionists. But now, I would say even if you don’t consider yourself a hardcore Star Wars fan, but maybe you’re still interested in checking out some the tie-in fiction, then you might wish to take a look at this series. I don’t think I would have said the same after reading just Aftermath, but Life Debt has shown me there is going to be more to this trilogy, and I find myself looking forward to see how everything will play out in book three, Empire’s End.
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of Star Wars: Aftermath (Book 1)
Book Review: All Is Fair by Emma Newman
Posted on August 11, 2016 9 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 3 of The Split Worlds
Publisher: Diversion Books (August 2, 2016)
Length: 350 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
All is Fair is the third installment of Emma Newman’s The Split World series. After two books of introducing multiple threads and building everything, we’re finally starting to see it all come together.
As this is an ongoing series, spoilers for Between Two Thorns and Any Other Name are entirely possible, so beware if you haven’t read the first two books yet. We’re picking things up right where they left off, following Will’s violent ascent to the Londinium throne. Now the consequences of his actions have caught up with him, and there is no telling how far his adversaries will go to see him pay. Meanwhile, Cathy is determined to bring change in the Nether, even as she faces obstacles at every turn. Between the threat of the Fae lords and the Agency, no one wants to stick their necks out for her cause.
In Mundanus, Sam is coming to grips with his grief and dealing with a new reality. In the course of his investigations, he has caught the attention of Lord Iron and the Elemental Court, and what Sam finds out from them turns his world upside down. Max and the gargoyle have gone on to pursue their own case, trying to find out the truth behind all the chapter murders. These efforts lead them to uncover even more disturbing questions about the Agency.
While reading the last book together with the SF/F Read Along group, I likened this series to a soap opera, and more and more I’m finding that to be an apt comparison. There are plenty of twists and turns and more than a few shocks, giving these books the addictive quality that keeps me coming back for more. Things slow down a bit in All Is Fair, but that is more than made up for by the last quarter of the book. There’s a real sense of thread-tying and trying to bring everything together, perhaps in an attempt to streamline the plot for the next installment. If you’ve been crying for answers like I have, then the revelations in this book should make you very happy.
That said, I have some issues with the hasty way things wrapped up, almost like Newman was in a rush to finish the book. After spending two and a half books on all these plot threads, it was disappointing to watch some of them resolve with what effectively feels like a snap of the fingers. Cathy’s solution to her problems with the Agency seemed way too convenient, considering all that she went through. The same goes for Sam’s storyline, where the Fae-related conflicts that have been plaguing him for so long are suddenly made trivial. As for Max and the gargoyle, I wasn’t too crazy about the curveball we were thrown at the end either. I enjoy plot twists when they make sense, but not when there’s absolutely no setup for them, like the one we had here.
Still, it’s good to know that there’s more to come. I hear that the plan is for five books in the series, though in many ways All Is Fair feels like the end of an era for a lot of the characters. Cathy has grown so much from when we first met her in book one, and now she is prepared to take on the next challenge to bring change to the Nether. Sam has gone through a huge transformation as well, discovering his new potential. His story has been up and down for me, but there’s a distinct feeling of peace and closure when we last leave him at the end of this book, so I’m hoping that Sam can start afresh now that his past is behind him. For Max and the gargoyle, the future is perhaps the most uncertain, but they too will have to walk a new path given the way things went down. They may have solved the mystery, but left without a clear direction, where will they go next?
I’m really looking forward to finding out what’s next for everyone, despite some of my misgivings here. I have a strong feeling that book four, A Little Knowledge, will be a new chapter in all their lives and I think it would be a refreshing change of pace to explore some new directions. Can’t wait to dive right in.
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of Between Two Thorns (Book 1)
Review of Any Other Name (Book 2)
Waiting on Wednesday 08/10/16
Posted on August 10, 2016 17 Comments
“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that lets us feature upcoming releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!
Mogsy’s Pick
Heartstone by Elle Katharine White (January 17, 2017 by Harper Voyager)
In general Pride & Prejudice retellings and other Austen-esque type fiction can be hit-or-miss with me, but just take a look at the description of this one and you can probably see why it caught my interest.
“A debut historical fantasy that recasts Jane Austen’s beloved Pride & Prejudice in an imaginative world of wyverns, dragons, and the warriors who fight alongside them against the monsters that threaten the kingdom: gryphons, direwolves, lamias, banshees, and lindworms.
They say a Rider in possession of a good blade must be in want of a monster to slay—and Merybourne Manor has plenty of monsters.
Passionate, headstrong Aliza Bentaine knows this all too well; she’s already lost one sister to the invading gryphons. So when Lord Merybourne hires a band of Riders to hunt down the horde, Aliza is relieved her home will soon be safe again.
Her relief is short-lived. With the arrival of the haughty and handsome dragonrider, Alastair Daired, Aliza expects a battle; what she doesn’t expect is a romantic clash of wills, pitting words and wit against the pride of an ancient house. Nor does she anticipate the mystery that follows them from Merybourne Manor, its roots running deep as the foundations of the kingdom itself, where something old and dreadful slumbers . . . something far more sinister than gryphons.
It’s a war Aliza is ill-prepared to wage, on a battlefield she’s never known before: one spanning kingdoms, class lines, and the curious nature of her own heart.
Elle Katharine White infuses elements of Austen’s beloved novel with her own brand of magic, crafting a modern epic fantasy that conjures a familiar yet wondrously unique new world.”
Book Review: Welcome to Deadland by Zachary Tyler Linville
Posted on August 9, 2016 14 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Welcome to Deadland by Zachary Tyler Linville
Mogsy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Genre: Horror
Series: Book 1
Publisher: Nerdist/Inkshares (August 9, 2016)
Length: 350 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Welcome to Deadland is a zombie book, but it’s also kind of…not. The end of the world seems almost incidental in this novel pitched as Lost meets The Walking Dead, but in my opinion, its unique perspective also makes it a deeper, much stronger experience. Rest assured, readers will still get a good dose of the zombocalypse, but the predominant themes about growing up, coming out, and finding strength within yourself are what makes this one shine. If you’re in the mood to try a different sort of zombie story, you’ll definitely want to seek this one out.
The narrative focuses mainly on two major POVs: Asher, a college student from North Carolina, who with his friend Wendy have ended up in a post-apocalyptic Orlando theme park; and Rico, a drug-addicted teenager determined to see himself and his six-year-old brother Jayden to safety through a world strewn with death and destruction. In the “After”, all that matters is survival. But at least half—if not more—of the book also takes place “Before”, in the months leading up to the devastating effects of the zombie plague. With chapters alternating between the past and present, the story provides readers with plenty of backstory allowing us to follow the changes in the characters’ lives.
In the pre-apocalypse, everything changes for Asher on the night he meets Ellis at a house party. A spark immediately forms between the two of them, but there’s only one problem: Ellis already has a boyfriend. Add to that, Asher hasn’t actually told anyone he’s gay, but with the support of Ellis and his friends, he’s finally realizing he can let his secret go and be himself. For the first time in his life, Asher feels free and happy, but there’s also no denying the connection he feels with Ellis, who is already involved with someone else.
Meanwhile in another part of the state, a high school student named Rico is being arrested for drugs and disorderly conduct. As punishment, Rico’s father takes away his car privileges, but this simply becomes an invitation for the teenager to act out even further by skipping classes, dealing drugs, and going to all-night parties. Despite being a juvenile delinquent though, Rico is the hero of his younger stepbrother Jayden, and Rico loves the little boy in turn with all his heart.
Without a doubt, it’s the “Before” sections that constitute the meat of the story, which is why I described this book the way I did in my introduction. Zombie horror takes a secondary role to the trials and tribulations of real life, and just because the world has ended doesn’t mean that the past is erased. If you’re solely looking for the action and thrills of a pure zombie survival story, then this probably won’t be the book for you. There are scenes of blood, violence, gore and tension scattered here and there, but for the most part this one is a heavily character-oriented drama with the most interesting plot developments happening in the chapters before the zombie outbreak.
To keep things moving along though, Zachary Tyler Linville weaves together past and present, jumping back and forth between events that happened when the world was still fine and those that happened afterwards when everything has gone to hell. Still, while it was interesting and ambitious, I wasn’t entirely convinced this was the best structure for the novel because of the overall disruptive effect it had on the flow of the story. “Before” and “After” had a way of stepping on each other’s toes, and the plotting wasn’t quite tight enough to make me feel engaged with essentially four different storylines (pre- and post-apocalypse for both Asher and Rico). The POV switches were also distracting because I had to really make a conscious effort to remember what happened with each character when we last saw them.
Something had to give, and it was the “zombie chapters” that suffered, simply because I preferred the stronger, more compelling character development in the “Before” chapters. Framing it that way, Welcome to Deadland isn’t even a zombie book at all, but rather a narrative about human drama: family life, personal relationships, romance and sex, emotional conflicts, etc. Asher’s story almost had a “New Adult” feel to them, featuring themes like sexuality, leaving home, and college life. In the middle of it all is his relationship with Ellis, which is both a source of comfort and frustration to Asher. Much of his plotline involves Asher trying to sort out where he stands while Ellis carries on an emotional affair with him and then later becomes manipulative, playing with Asher’s feelings. Next, we flip over to Rico, whose story reads like a cautionary tale reminding us of the dangers of drug abuse among teens. The end of the world comes just as Rico hits rock bottom, and puts a whole new perspective on his life. With a young child in his care, Rico re-examines his habits and knows he has to be a better person for his little brother, so at least for him, the zombie apocalypse has a silver lining.
All told, I found Welcome to Deadland to be a welcome change from the typical run-of-the-mill zombie novel, though ironically, it was the non-zombie sections that really stood out for me. Despite the pacing problems and other minor issues like choppy writing and awkward dialogue, I really enjoyed the story overall and was amazed at huge amount of effort put into character development. That’s pretty unusual for a zombie story, and I found it very refreshing. It’ll be interesting to see what else this series has in store for our characters, because yes, Welcome to Deadland has all the trappings of a “book one”. Hopefully we’ll also learn more about how the infection started in the first place, since this was only mildly hinted at in the story. Ultimately, I rate this one 3 stars for being a solid debut effort with room to grow, and I genuinely believe Zachary Tyler Linville has a bright career in writing ahead of him.
Sanctum Sanctorum: #SPFBO
Posted on August 8, 2016 5 Comments
This year we started a new feature here at The BiblioSanctum called Sanctum Sanctorum, a way for us to add in depth discussion and other bookish thoughts into the mix. Every month or so we’ll be talking about a new topic relevant to our reading or interests. This time, seeing as the Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off is in full swing, we thought it would be a great idea to do a roundtable on the subject and share our general thoughts!
What did you think when you first heard of SPFBO?
Wendy: I was really impressed with the idea. I have a lot of respect for Mark Lawrence–not only because I enjoy his writing, but because he truly appreciates his fans (and even his critics). SPFBO is another note to add to the list of reasons why he’s clearly a good kinda guy.
As for the process itself, I was a bit concerned about the level of commitment involved, but its purpose is something that I strongly believe in. It is wonderful that there are so many more opportunities for writers to deliver their babies to the world, but the saturation of the publishing market also means it’s easy for those babies to fall through the cracks. Here is an opportunity to catch some of them. Who knows, maybe I’ll end up on the other side of the blog-off one day when I finally get around to writing those novels I keep swearing I will write.
Mogsy: I first heard about SPFBO last year when many of the bloggers I follow were involved on the judging panel. I don’t read as many self-published books as I used to due to limited time, and when I do check them out these days, I mostly rely on the recommendations from my friends, so needless to say I followed the contest proceedings with interest.
This year it was such an honor for the BiblioSanctum to be invited as a judge. Like Wendy, I was initially worried about the level of commitment, but it was totally worth it. When I first started blogging, I had such scant knowledge of the publishing world. At the time it was still such a big, nebulous concept to my inexperienced eyes, but I’ve learned a lot more about it since. Clearly self-publishing is here to stay, and it is awesome, which is why I feel really excited to be involved in something like SPFBO.
Tiara: When we were discussing it, I definitely liked the idea behind. Time and commitment were huge factors that came into consideration, but after discussing it with my co-bloggers and coming up with a plan of attack, that really helped in deciding to participate in this. I like experiencing new books and authors. Being able to experience great stories that might not be on the radar is a big plus in my book.
As we’ve seen, personal taste is a huge factor in judging for SPFBO. What kinds of fantasy stories do you enjoy?
Wendy: Epic fantasy–preferably the darker kind–is my bread and butter, while I tend to shy away from urban fantasy and YA. I’m not opposed to reading either of the latter though, and appreciate that this process, so far, has involved a healthy mixture of everything.
Mogsy: I’ll pretty much read everything and anything when it comes to the genres of Fantasy, Science-Fiction, and Horror, including all their sub-genres and topics. My tastes are pretty wide-ranging; as long as there’s a speculative element, I’ll read it.
Tiara: Anything that strikes my fancy. My overall reading habits include a healthy mix of everything, so my speculative reading habits are pretty much the same. If it sounds interesting, I’m willing to give it a read.
How has participating in SPFBO influenced your views on self-published books so far?
Wendy: I don’t think my views on self-published books have changed because of this. There are many reasons authors choose to publish this way, but I think self-published authors are fantastically brave for being willing to put themselves out there like this without the support of an established publisher. It has made me try to put more emphasis on self-published books in my reading choices, though. I have always had a lot of them on my to-read shelf, but since I try to keep my reading focused through challenges that are usually based on more commonly known works, the self-published books end up falling lower on my priority list. That attitude needs to change. Or I can just update my personal challenges to include self-published books!
Mogsy: It’s made me wish I had more time to read self-published books, for one. My experience with this contest so far has shown me that there are indeed plenty of hidden gems out there, but that maybe it just takes a lot time, patience, and some luck to find the ones that really work for you. That’s why participating in SPFBO this year has been so great, because I doubt I would have done something like this on my own. It’s given me the opportunity to read outside my comfort zone and discover some books and authors that might never have crossed my path otherwise.
Tiara: I don’t know if it’s particularly influenced my views. Even before SPFBO, I tried to mix in some self-published books when I could because I find that many of them offer something different or fresh even if I don’t always necessarily like them. Self-published writers are such an awesome example of the phrase, “Write the stories you want to read.” I’ve found some really great gems. This has just given me the opportunity to sample more of them for me to read and enjoy, even the ones that didn’t make our final cut.
Has everything gone the way you expected so far? Were there any challenges?
Wendy: So far so good (other than making sure I spell SFB — SFP — SPFBO right)! I did expect some challenges with work that was … not up to par. Thankfully, while there have been books we would not score highly, very few have been of great concern. And of course, working with my wonderful co-bloggers makes the process less overwhelming and lots of fun as we sift through and discover our gems. It is always interesting to see where our opinions converge and diverge and it’s no more obvious than when we have our thoughts all lined up on a spreadsheet.
Mogsy: The biggest challenge was changing my reading style for SPFBO, which is completely different for what I normally do for my review books. For one thing, in my regular reading, I never DNF – but in order to narrow down the 30 books in our SPFBO batch to a final winner, logic told me I should put an entry aside as soon as I determine that it isn’t going to be “the one”. While I understood the reason behind this whole “pseudo agent” thing, it also went against my every instinct since I am so used to reading a book from cover to cover.
I was also worried at first that between the three of us, we’ll have a hard time choosing the books we wanted to take a closer look at. As it turned out though, even with our varying tastes, our opinions coincided a lot, and generally we all agreed on which entries we thought were the strongest, and for similar reasons. It was such a cool and fun opportunity to compare notes with Wendy and Tiara and learn more about their book preferences!
Tiara: I’m not really one to go into something new with a ton of expectations about anything just. Even with an idea of what is expected from me, what I end up doing could be something totally different than any expectations placed upon me. With a new experience like this one, I just kind experience it in the “now” and adapt as required. I haven’t experienced any real challenges other than life moving on as usual and sometimes demanding more or less of my time during the process, but that’s a constant in my life.
YA Weekend: This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab
Posted on August 7, 2016 30 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Series: Book 1 of Monsters of Verity
Publisher: Greenwillow Books (July 5, 2016)
Length: 427 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Having read Vicious and the books in the Shades of Magic series (under V.E. Schwab) I’m not a stranger to the writings of Victoria Schwab, though this is admittedly the first time I’ve tried her Young Adult. I was really excited to dive into This Savage Song, and delighted to discover that it was just as unique and engaging as her adult fantasy novels.
The story follows the lives of two teenagers who cannot be any more different. Kate Harker and August Flynn are both the children to the rulers of their respective parts of the city, but being an heir to power is just about the only thing they have in common. Kate is the daughter of Callum Harker, the man who runs the north side of Verity City, while August is the third adopted child of Henry Flynn, who runs the south. Kate is a troubled young woman, desperate to prove to her father that she is a Harker, strong enough to live up to the family name. On the other hand, August isn’t even human. He and his two siblings are monsters known as Sunai, the only three in existence among a sea of other monsters such as Malchai and Corsai.
Outwardly, August appears human, able to hide in plain sight, but inside, he craves to be more than that. Every day he lives with the fear that he will lose control and hurt someone again, when all he wants is to be a good person, like his father, who took August in when he was just a boy and raised him as his own. Henry Flynn is a moral man who could not abide the conditions of the north, where Callum Harker lets the monsters roam free and only grants protection to the human who are able to pay for it. Determined to protect all innocents, Flynn took to the south instead and arranged a truce with his North City counterpart, which was somewhat successful in quelling the unrest. However, that truce is about to break down. When it is discovered that Kate Harker has been kicked out of her sixth boarding school and has now returned home to attend school locally, August jumps at the chance to help his family by gathering information about her. Together, the Flynns hatch up a plan for August to go undercover as a student in order to gain access to the daughter of their enemy.
By far, the most impressive thing about This Savage Song is the world-building. Not surprisingly, it can be a little confusing at first, as Schwab dispenses the information in bits and pieces as the plot unravels, so that the more you read the more you’ll learn about life in the surprisingly rich and complex world of Verity. The most fun part of this gradual revealing process was discovering the different kinds of monsters. We have no idea what the Malchai, Corsai, or Sunai are at the beginning of this story, but the details slowly work their way to us via creative means, such as through overheard songs and nursery rhymes sung by children on the train, for instance. Every time I read one of the author’s books, I’m always amazed at her ability to weave in so much about the world into without resorting to overt info dumping.
I also liked the fresh twist on the forbidden friendship trope. Surprised I didn’t say romance? Not every YA novel starring a male and a female protagonist has to end up with the two of them getting together, and I thank Schwab for not going down that route since the relationship between August and Kate is so much more compelling as it is now. The bond between them comes from a deeper place, forged from a shared desire to vanquish their inner demons, even if they do face very different challenges. August wishes he wasn’t a monster, and tries hard to suppress that part of himself, while Kate surrounds herself in a cold, unforgiving shell in the hopes that her father will finally accept her. Both characters battle with their identity, but finding peace won’t be easy.
Perhaps my only criticism with this book is Kate. Thankfully, August made up for a lot of my dissatisfaction over her character. I tried, but I never did manage to warm up to Kate, even after all the progress made by her character at the end of the book. Strangely, I felt similarly turned off by Lila in A Darker Shade of Magic, and I have to wonder if this is just a weakness whenever Schwab tries to write “badass” female characters. Instead they come off as really desperate and arrogant, as demonstrated by Kate’s approach of using aggression to overcompensate for her shortcomings.
Aside from that though, I really enjoy Schwab’s writing and the way she spins a tale. I had a feeling This Savage Song would be as entertaining and original as her other books I’ve read, and I was happy to be correct. I liked what I saw here, and I look forward to more from this series.
Audiobook Review: The Dragon Lords: Fool’s Gold by Jon Hollins
Posted on August 6, 2016 11 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Dragon Lords: Fool’s Gold by Jon Hollins
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy, Humor
Series: Book 1 of The Dragon Lords
Publisher: Hachette Audio (July 19, 2016)
Length: 15 hrs and 54 mins
Author Information: Website
Narrator: John Banks
I’ll admit, it hasn’t exactly been a smooth year for me when it comes to fiction and humor. Excitement over highly anticipated satire and parodic works have mostly fizzled after finding out they are in fact not what I had in mind. Undeterred though, I decided to leap next into The Dragon Lords: Fool’s Gold, intrigued by its “Guardians of the Galaxy meets The Hobbit” tagline and hoping against hope that I’ll finally get the fantasy comedy I’ve been searching for.
The premise sounded promising enough, featuring a tale about an unlikely band of adventurers who’ve gotten it into their addled heads to rob a dragon. Before everything in his world turned upside down, Will Fallows was just another unassuming farm boy from a poor little village (literally called, The Village…the people are too downtrodden to be inspired) in Kondorra Valley, doing his best to make ends meet. However, each year the rising taxes demanded by the Dragon Consortium makes it that much harder to do, until one day, the moment that Will has been dreading all his life finally comes. With no warning at all, the dragon lord Mattrax’s soldiers show up at his door to seize his farm.
Left with nothing to his name, Will suddenly finds himself in the company of two traveling mercenaries, the skilled fighter Lette and her partner the eight-foot-tall lizard man Balur. After recruiting the help of a magically gifted university scholar named Quirk and an old drunkard named Firkin, the five of them conspire together to hatch up a plan to get revenge on Mattrax, the dragon who has been the cause of so much pain and suffering to the humans of the valley. It’s a totally crazy, stupid idea, one that Will knows has almost no chance of success. If they fail, they’ll bring doom upon all the people of Kondorra, and possibly to the world beyond. But if they can somehow pull this off? They’ll all be rewarded with riches beyond their imagination. The promise of gold beckons, and who knows, maybe this time fortune might actually favor the foolish.
Main reasons to check out this book: 1) if you think you’ll enjoy an epic fantasy seen through a modern humorous lens, and 2) if you’re like me and have a fondness for a good heist story. Many times throughout this one, I was reminded of Patrick Weekes’ Rogues of the Republic series, which contains a similar amount of humor, action, snappy dialogue, and creative solutions to unusual problems. Jon Hollins takes the zaniness further though, often putting his characters in ludicrous situations whenever things go wrong—and things actually do go wrong a lot in this story, despite our heroes’ careful planning (or rather, what they naively believe passes for careful planning). But hey, who wants to read about a heist that goes off without a hitch anyway? In this quirky tale, it’s the infighting and the unforeseen circumstances that makes things so entertaining.
Now for the reasons why you might want to take a pass on this book. If you like full immersion into a world, then this would not be for you. The Dragon Lords: Fool’s Gold is unabashedly tongue-in-cheek, with exaggerated characters and situations. It’s all done very cleverly, but it’ll be tough to get on board if you already that know fantasy comedy isn’t your cup of tea. Hollins is generous with the use of anachronisms, pop culture references and modern slang, but mind you, these are features, not defects. One only has to take a glimpse at the chapter titles to see what I mean, with hilarious headings like “We’re Going to Need a Bigger Boat”, “What’s in the Box?”, “Hubris is a Dish Best Served Charbroiled”, “Lying Liars and the Lies They Tell”, “The Inevitable Cliffhanger Chapter” and many, many more such examples. It’s meant to be pure fun, and pure fun is what you get. It’s also relatively light fare, which is to be expected. For humor fiction, the book might have run a little longer than I was happy with, but that’s really my biggest criticism, which is in no way a deal breaker in the greater scheme of things. For the most part Hollins does manage to keep the story moving along at a quick pace.
Audiobook Comments: I was also fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to listen to the audiobook edition, and it confirmed one of my long-held suspicions: humor works splendidly well in audio format! Narrator John Banks with his smooth accent and deep tones seemed like an odd choice of reader for this book at first, but I quickly came around. In fact, I think his serious, earnest style only emphasized the humor. More importantly, his performance also moderated some of the more absurd situations for me, whereas if I’d actually been reading the words on a page, I think I might have rolled my eyes at the same scenes. He’s also great with voices, and even his exaggerated ones for characters like Balur or Firkin somehow sounded completely natural and in keeping with their personalities. Overall, I would highly recommend this audiobook.
Bottom line: The Dragon Lords: Fool’s Gold is clever, adventurous and entertaining. If you’re looking for a light read with a fun plot and interesting characters, you won’t be disappointed.
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Novella Review: City of Wolves by Willow Palecek
Posted on August 5, 2016 15 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
City of Wolves by Willow Palecek
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy, Mystery
Series: Book 1
Publisher: Tor.com (July 26, 2016)
Length: 112 pages
Author Information: Website
Out of Tor.com’s big lineup of releases for this summer, City of Wolves was one that immediately caught my eye and I’m glad I got a chance to read it. New author Willow Palecek has written an outstandingly well-developed and complete tale in a brisk 100 pages or so, while still managing to leave me salivating for more. I’ve always had a penchant for paranormal Victorian mysteries and detective stories; throw in werewolves too, and I am totally game.
The story’s protagonist is Alexander Drake, an investigator-for-hire in the bustling Victorian London-esque city of Lupenwald. A former soldier who fought on the losing side for a deposed king, Drake now prefers to stay under the radar, taking on modest opportunities while staying away from jobs offered by the nobility even though they often pay a lot better. He’s forced to reconsider that position, however, when he finds himself ambushed one evening by Lord Colin Abergreen’s hired goons. Cornering Drake in an alleyway and dangling a large purse as an incentive, the nobleman makes our detective an offer he can’t refuse.
Drake, now retained by the Abergreens, agrees to investigate the strange death of the family’s patriarch, Colin’s father. The older man was found dead in the gardens right beneath the shattered window of his chambers, his body completely naked. Old Lord Abergreen was also fond of keeping dogs, a large wolf-like breed that Lupenwald is famous for, and apparently the dogs were fond of him too, as indicated by the canine teeth marks on his corpse. Curiously, the man died without leaving a will, which is rather unusual for a nobleman. The easy thing to do would be to chalk this up to an inheritance dispute, but Drake thinks there’s something more to this case, especially when a werewolf follows him home afterwards and tries to kill him…
I’m impressed with all that Palecek was able to pack into this very slim volume, which features well-crafted characters and a fast-paced plot. Hardly any words are wasted here, as in, blink and you might miss something.
There are both positives and negatives to this, of course. City of Wolves feels very much like other paranormal mysteries of its type, except it accomplishes everything in one third the number of pages. The story is very streamlined, with hardly an ounce of fat on it. The mystery takes off at a fast clip and never falters, and I liked that there was never a dull moment. Still, just because the plot is so efficient, doesn’t mean things aren’t tough for our detective. There are plenty of suspects to consider, and just as many scenarios to ponder in the face of perplexing clues and unexpected twists. There are even a couple scenes of thrilling action and chase sequences to shake things up.
As for the downsides, the world-building feels a bit lean, admittedly. Drake zips from one place to another, and aside from a few cursory observations about his surroundings, we don’t get to see much of the city, and I feel like I’ve been robbed of the opportunity to experience Lupenwald in all its glory. I also failed to get a sense of atmosphere from the writing, which to me is such an important aspect of Victorian-era style fiction.
Furthermore, Drake identifies himself as a Loyalist, something that’s clearly significant to his character and goes back to the War of the Wolves, a fight for the throne between two would-be kings. The book doesn’t dwell much on the conflict, but what little background was revealed about it was very intriguing. If the story could have been a little longer, I would have liked to see more of Lupenwald’s sights and sounds and for the narrative to fill in more of the world’s history—especially since the war was so obviously a defining event for our main protagonist.
Needless to say, I would love for there to be a sequel. I wouldn’t hesitate to read another Alexander Drake novella, especially if future installments will be as enjoyable as this one. City of Wolves was a quick, entertaining read and what I saw definitely left me wanting more.
The BiblioSanctum 