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.
Graphic Novel Review Bites
Posted on August 4, 2016 2 Comments
Drama by Raina Telgemeier
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: GRAPHIX
Tiara’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Drama is a slice of life comic about an 8th grade girl named Callie who enjoys creating sets for her school performances. When her school puts on her favorite play, Callie is determined to make the play’s set worthy of something that would be on Broadway. Around set-making and auditions Callie deals with the drama that comes along with putting on plays, as well as typical teenage dilemmas.
For adults reading this book, this may not be particularly moving. As a parent who read it with her daughter, I rate these things a little differently depending on the importance of the message being conveyed. This story presents a character who isn’t traditionally cool, but celebrates what she enjoys and surrounds herself with friends who enjoy the same. It’s important that stories reinforce to children that it’s okay to do what you love even if it’s not what others might call cool. This story also presents characters of different sexual orientations, which is also important for children to read about for representation reasons and because the book touches lightly on the fears of being a closeted teen. Last, this book does feature a romantic subplot, but veers away from the typical ending by showing that a girl doesn’t have to be completed by a boy. This book isn’t as dramatic as an adult might expect, but it falls in line with the drama of being a teen.
Fables Vol. 3: Storybook Love by Bill Willingham (Writer), Mark Buckingham (Artist), Steve Leialoha (Artist)
Series: Fables
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Fairy Tales
Publisher: Vertigo (May 1, 2004)
Tiara’s Rating: 2 of 5 stars
This third volume of Fables features a set of “love” stories staring with a tale about the community rogue, Jack Horner (Jack from Jack and the Beanstalk). I knew I was going to be annoyed with this book from the outset after this first story. The story featured Jack Horner reinventing himself and joining the Confederate army during the American Civil War. That story set my whole mood for the rest of the book. Honestly, Jack’s story was more than a little unnecessary since the stories following that one didn’t connect to it in any fashion.
The rest of the stories were loosely connected around the idea of a mundane (a normal person) that was set to expose the fables living in New York and the fallout from handling that situation, which includes Prince Charming moving in with one of his ex-wives and Snow White becoming pregnant with Bigby’s cubs. I couldn’t wrap my head around the methods used by the fables to keep their identities safe, and I couldn’t forgive Blackbeard for being the ultimate douchebag in this volume. I’m still trying to figure out why Bluebeard is crying in this scene after a confrontation with Bigby that wasn’t really that emotionally charged. While it was certainly an angry conversation, tears felt over the top for Blackbeard, but here they are.
I don’t understand, Bluebeard.
This reminds me of that panel of Superman crying because Batman won’t answer his phone calls.
Not my favorite book in the series so far, but as I enjoyed the first two books, I’ll move on to the fourth volume.
Waiting on Wednesday 08/03/16
Posted on August 3, 2016 19 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
Within the Sanctuary of Wings by Marie Brennan (April 25, 2017 by Tor)
I’m so excited about this fifth book in the wonderful Memoir by Lady Trent series, but sadly, it is also going to be the last. I don’t know if I should cheer or cry. Well, at least I’ll have until next spring to come to terms with the idea that one of my favorite series will be ending.
“The conclusion to the thrilling memoirs of Lady Isabella Trent and her legacy of dragon evolutionary research and anthropological adventures.
After nearly five decades (and, indeed, the same number of volumes), one might think they were well-acquainted with the Lady Isabella Trent–dragon naturalist, scandalous explorer, and perhaps as infamous for her company and feats of daring as she is famous for her discoveries and additions to the scientific field.
And yet–after her initial adventure in the mountains of Vystrana, and her exploits in the depths of war-torn Eriga, to the high seas aboard The Basilisk, and then to the inhospitable deserts of Akhia–the Lady Trent has captivated hearts along with fierce minds. This concluding volume will finally reveal the truths behind her most notorious adventure–scaling the tallest peak in the world, buried behind the territory of Scirland’s enemies–and what she discovered there, within the Sanctuary of Wings.”
Book Review: I Am Providence by Nick Mamatas
Posted on August 2, 2016 22 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I Am Providence by Nick Mamatas
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Horror, Mystery
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Night Shade Books (August 2, 2016)
Length: 256 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Looks like 2016 is shaping up to be another pretty busy year for Lovecraftian horror or Lovecraft-inspired fiction, with even more titles set to hit shelves later this summer and in the fall. If you read only one this year though, I highly recommend making it I Am Providence by Nick Mamatas. I found this part murder mystery, part dark comedy, and part fandom commentary delightfully odd and cheeky! While it doesn’t exactly read like your typical Lovecraftian novel, a huge bulk of my enjoyment was actually rooted in how refreshingly unexpected it was.
Anyway, I think the setting says it all. The entire story takes place over the course of a weekend at the Summer Tentacular, the Providence-based annual convention for readers, writers, collectors, and scholars of H.P. Lovecraft and all things Lovecraftian. Colleen Danzig is total newcomer, attending the Tentacular for the first time hoping to promote herself and her recently published story by networking with fellow authors and fans. However, doubts begin to fill her mind as she goes around meeting the other eccentric and sometimes socially awkward congoers, many of whom are regulars that are part of a closely-knit group. One thing that’s certain is that they all seem to really despise another writer named Panos Panossian, a rather obnoxious shit disturber who just so happens to be the guy sharing a room with Colleen during the con.
And then Panossian turns up dead, with his face sliced clean off. Scuttlebutt has it that he was murdered because of a book in his possession, and not just any book, because this was an ultra-rare edition of Arkham, one of five copies bound in human skin which could fetch a pretty penny from the right collector. Colleen believes that whoever killed Panossian did it to steal the book, and then took the victim’s face too in order to create their own Necronomicon-type grimoire bound in human skin. She’s entirely convinced that the murderer is a congoer, but who? It doesn’t help that no one else seems to be all that torn up about Panossian’s death; the guy had made a lot of enemies during his time in the community. Where to start investigating, when pretty much anyone can be a suspect?
I Am Providence is a novel with many bizarre characteristics, and most unusual of all is perhaps the fact that half of it is told from the perspective of the dead Panossian himself as his body lies lifeless and faceless in the police station morgue. Somehow a part of his consciousness remained behind in death, but perhaps not for much longer, and now he’s stuck in the black void able to hear but not see anything that happens around his corpse. He can’t really remember who killed him either, and can only rely on his memories farther back to try and figure out who might have done it.
Any way you look at it, I Am Providence is something of strange book, and it took me a while to really get into the rhythm. There were times where it came off sounding like a satirical or even scathing commentary on the subculture of fandom and fan conventions, brutally mocking the extreme personalities or poking fun at the ridiculous wars that spark over controversies on the internet. The fictional Summer Tentacular convention with its esoteric and insular community of Lovecraftians is the perfect setup for Mamatas to present even wilder, more outlandish situations and behaviors. I wasn’t put out by this exactly, but neither did I see the humor in it right away, until I realized what the author was trying to do. Once I got the joke, so to speak, reading this became a lot easier and enjoyable.
Now might also be a good time for me to confess, while I appreciate a lot of Lovecraftian horror and HPL inspired fiction, I don’t necessarily consider myself a fan of the work by Lovecraft himself. I think he’s overly verbose, his prose clunky and heavily strained. When it comes to his stories, however, the man did have a wealth of interesting ideas and I love the body of narrative surrounding the mythos he created. Plus, his influence is undeniable. That’s one of the reasons why I enjoy reading books inspired by his work; it’s fascinating to see the various cool things different authors can do with the elements from Lovecraft’s dark worlds and stories. I Am Providence stands out from the rest by doing something a little different because it doesn’t really explore the mythos in a conventional sense, instead taking an almost meta-fiction approach to the genre. I had a great time with this novel, and thought it also featured a very compelling murder mystery, but I think those who are very knowledgeable and savvy with their Lovecraft lore will appreciate the subtle nuances even more.
Bottom line? Whether or not you’re a fan of Lovecraft or Lovecraftian fiction, if the idea of a unique and quirky murder mystery sounds appealing to you, this book could be worth your while. The author’s take on the fringe subset of the sci-fi and fantasy convention scene is also quite interesting, even when it’s not always flattering. What I got from it though, is that love it or hate it, fandom can take many forms. What makes it great is that we’re all in it together. I Am Providence ended up being a smart, entertaining and truly one-of-a-kind experience, darkly funny and unexpected. Not to mention, very tentacle-y. I look forward to more from Nick Mamatas.
Novella Review: The Language of Dying by Sarah Pinborough
Posted on August 1, 2016 19 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Language of Dying by Sarah Pinborough
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Jo Fletcher Books (US: August 2, 2016)
Length: 144 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Sarah Pinborough is the author of a couple of my favorite historical horror novels, Mayhem and Murder in the Dr. Thomas Bond duology about the Jack the Ripper, so when I was offered a chance to review The Language of Dying, I didn’t hesitate. This novella couldn’t have been more different than her other work though, and yet I loved it no less. A beautiful soul-rending song straight from the heart, this tiny little book packs an emotional punch by shifting gears instead to look at the turbulent nature of grief and the profound effects it has on one troubled family.
The story starts with a woman, our unnamed narrator, sitting by her dying father’s bedside waiting for the other members of her family to arrive in order to say goodbye. First to arrive is her older sister Penny, who has always lived a charmed life, but for all her successes still hides behind a façade of materialism that she fears can shatter at any moment. Next come Simon and Davey, the twins, who arrive within half an hour of each other even though they live hundreds of miles apart. The narrator notes this uncanny connection between her younger brothers with a heavy heart, thinking where one twin goes the other will follow, even when their lives are spiraling out of control. The last to show up at the house is Paul, the eldest brother, coming off from another failed business venture or financial debacle. With that, the whole family is under one roof again. The children’s mother, who abandoned them so many years ago, is already gone in every sense of the word.
But deep in her heart, our narrator is secretly hoping for one final visitor. Only twice in her life has she seen him; the first time when she was ten, outside her window the night her mother left them all behind, and the second when she was twenty-five, after another painful loss in her life. She can tell no one what she saw, because she’s not even sure what she saw was real. But still, she believes, and now, she waits.
This is a hard book to categorize. Despite its label as a fantasy novella, the ties that bind the story to the genre are light and ambiguous. However, it’s the themes that really come through: pain, grief, death, loss. Family, support, togetherness, love. Death will come for us all in time, and when it happens the living are left to struggle with the loss. But sometimes the grieving process actually starts well before the person dies, as this story shows. For months, the narrator had known that the cancer would kill her father, but it is in the final days, watching him waste away while feeling helpless to stop his pain, that’s when she starts to fall apart. When the rest of the siblings arrive though, their presence and their shared memories offer some comfort. Her brothers and her sister might not be perfect—some of them surprise her, while others disappoint her—but regardless, in them she finds a new source of strength.
I don’t know if I could have read this book if someone close to me was dying, or if I’d just experienced a recent loss of a loved one. I’m positive it would have broken me. I’ve never seen a more transparent, open and honest portrayal about the agony of confronting the inevitable, of letting go of a dearly beloved, and something tells me this is a personal tale for the author. The style in which it was written, narrated by the protagonist in present tense and in the first person but addressing her dying father as “you”, made this book even more moving and intimate. Her memories of her own past are presented as if she is sharing those painful moments directly with him, with us.
Ultimately, it’s this closeness that defines the sweet poignancy of this beautifully crafted novella. The Language of Dying is an astonishingly good read, simple in its approach, but thoughtful and heartbreaking in its execution. It’s not an easy book to read, but you will be glad you did.
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Wendy’s review of The Language of Dying
Audiobook Review: The Sword of Midras by Tracy Hickman and Richard Garriott
Posted on July 31, 2016 13 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Sword of Midras by Tracy Hickman and Richard Garriott
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy, Media Tie-In
Series: Book 1 of Shroud of the Avatar
Publisher: Audible Studios (Audiobook: July 12, 2016) | Tor (Hardcover: June 21, 2016)
Length: Audiobook: 8 hrs and 43 mins | Hardcover: 336 pages
Author Information: Tracy Hickman | Richard Garriott
Narrator: Derek Perkins
Developed by Portalarium and directed by video game legend Richard Garriott, Shroud of the Avatar: Forsaken Virtues is a game I’ve been following since it was publicly announced in 2013. In the spring of that same year, the project was also funded on Kickstarter, raising nearly $2 million. While the official launch date is still to come in late 2016, as a backer I’ve been able to dabble in early access, and so far I’ve been really impressed by what I’ve seen. So impressed, that I immediately added The Sword of Midras to my reading list.
(Note: This book is also sometimes known as Blade of the Avatar, which was included in serial format as a pledge reward at some backer levels, but they are not exactly the same as far as I know. The Sword of Midras is an “updated” version that contains some extra content—at least four extra chapters.)
If you want to find out more about the world in which Shroud of the Avatar takes place, then The Sword of Midras is a great place to start. Being relatively new to the game lore myself, I enjoyed learning more about the setting of New Britannia and the people who make it their home. This novel takes place approximately two hundred years before the game. It provides some history, introducing readers to a world that died during a catastrophic event known as the Fall. For a long time, those who survived managed to carve out a living for themselves in a land left wild and chaotic after the departure of powerful beings known as the Avatars. Then, the Obsidians came. Their armies subjugated the people using dark magic, and claimed that in doing so they brought law and order to the world.
The story follows a captain in the Obsidian Army named Aren Bennis. One day, while reconnoitering with a scout named Syenna, the two of them stumble upon a mysterious sword in an ancient ruin. Against the warnings of Syenna, who believes the sword could be cursed, Aren picks up the weapon anyway and is staggered to discover its magical properties—and the fact that he is the only one who can wield it. Unfortunately for him, there are plenty who have theories about the sword’s origins, but even more who want to use it for their own gain. And as the only person who can hold the blade without experiencing the negative effects, Aren finds himself caught in the middle of many conflicting agendas.
If you’re not acquainted with the world and the history from the game, that shouldn’t prevent you from enjoying this book. It might, however, make this story seem somewhat sparse and conventional compared to other high fantasy novels. I’m guessing Shroud of the Avatar fans and lore buffs are the ones who will probably get the most out of this one, and it’s also rather light and reads very quickly. In other words, nothing really sets The Sword of Midras above other tie-ins of its type, so adjust expectations accordingly.
That said though, the authors do a great up keeping up an energetic pace, and I thought both plot and characters were very interesting. The book also sets up the historical context nicely, featuring some places that will be familiar to players of the game. I enjoyed the character of Aren, whom we spend the most time with in this story. He starts off as your typical Obsidian army officer, but gradually, the mysterious powers of the sword changes him, and makes him contemplate other points of view. A strong supporting cast also provides plenty of opportunities for fascinating relationships to develop.
Audiobook Comments: I was also fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to listen to the audio edition of The Sword of Midras. Narrator Derek Perkins is new to me, but I knew right from the start that his voice would be a good fit. His reading made it easy to get into the story, even the slower sections that involve more descriptive detail (and there are plenty examples of this, especially when characters arrive at new places.) His dialogue is also animated and distinguishable, with emotion in all the right places, and I really have no complaints with overall his performance. Overall, this audiobook is one I would recommend, especially if you prefer this format for your lighter reads.
From what I hear, The Sword of Midras is only the first of a planned trilogy. I’m definitely open to checking out the next two books, and hopefully by then the game would be in full swing too, because I really enjoy spending time in this world!
Mogsy’s Bookshelf Roundup: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on July 30, 2016 44 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
The mailbox saw a varied mix of titles from a lot of different publishers this week, and I’d like to thank them all 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!
Den of Wolves by Juliet Marillier – Aaaaand we’re kicking things off with my number one anticipated book of 2016! This was a surprise arrival, but very welcome. When I opened the package and saw what was inside, I literally let out a whoop. If you haven’t checked out the Blackthorn & Grim series yet, there’s still time to catch up with the first two books before this third installment releases this fall. My thanks to Roc for the ARC.
The Last One by Alexandra Oliva – This debut dystopian thriller only recently found itself onto my radar, but I’ve heard some excellent things. It’s about a survival TV reality show that takes place right before an apocalyptic event, and with the contestants cut off from the world they have no idea what’s real or just part of the game. Sounds intriguing! When the good folks at Ballantine contacted me about reviewing this novel, I was already fully on board to give it a try.
The Hike by Drew Magary – I have this weakness where I can never say no to a book related to video gaming, no matter how tenuous the connection. This one was described to me as a fantasy saga weaving in elements from folk tales and video games, and I’m really looking forward to see how that will work out. Thank you Viking Books for the invitation to review this.
Curioddity by Paul Jenkins – I’ve had my eye on this book for a while, but it wasn’t until I received an email from the publicist about it that I realized the author was THE Paul Jenkins, as in the comic book writer (of Hellblazer, Witchblade, Wolverine: Origin, etc. fame.) I didn’t know he wrote a book! With thanks to St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to check out Jenkins’ debut prose novel!
Seoul Survivors by Naomi Foyle – A surprise arrival, with thanks to Jo Fletcher Books and Quercus USA. I actually read this book a few years ago when it was first published in the UK. Glad to see it’s finally coming to the US! The impending destruction of earth by a killer asteroid provides the backdrop for the story, which takes place in South Korea. Recommended if you like dark and twisted gritty sci-fi mystery thrillers, but not for the faint for heart!
Vicarious by Paula Stokes – Courtesy of Tor Teen, which seems to be coming out with a lot of good stuff this year, and I was pretty intrigued when this book landed on my doorstep. It’s about two sisters who grew up in a Korean orphanage before being trafficked into the US, and now they work as digital stunt girls so that their neural impulses can be recorded and used to allow others to live their thrilling experiences vicariously.
Four Roads Cross by Max Gladstone – The latest in Gladstone’s The Craft Sequence is here! This series has one of the most amazing fantasy worlds I’ve ever encountered, and I can’t wait to see what this fifth installment has in store. I really need to read it soon! With thanks to Tor Books for the finished copy.
Willful Child: Wrath of Betty by Steven Erikson – Also from Tor, I received this surprise ARC of book two in the Willful Child series, Steven Erikson’s riff on the Star Trek original series. I’ve actually read the first book, which I found to be cheesy, offbeat, and insolent–but I loved it. As far as parodies go, it was pretty funny, and I’m excited to dive into the sequel for some light, fun reading.
Congress of Secrets by Stephanie Burgis – I really enjoyed Burgis’ Masks and Shadows earlier this year, and I’m really glad to see she’ll have another historical fantasy novel out later in the fall. And check out that gorgeous cover! I think it’s one of my favorites of 2016. Much love and thanks to Pyr Books for the ARC!
Blood of the Earth by Faith Hunter – I confess I’ve never read anything by Faith Hunter, which thankfully is about to change! This book spins off from her Jane Yellowrock books, but it’s also the start of an all new series starring a protagonist who was a side character who was first introduced in a Jane Yellowrock tale so it should be easy to just jump right in. Thank you, Roc Books.
The Reanimatrix by Pete Rawlik – Is 2016 like the year of Lovecraftian horror or Lovecraft-inspired novels or what? Featuring a mashup of Lovecraft and pulp mystery noir fiction, this one looks like so much fun. I’m really excited to read it, with thanks to Night Shade Books for the ARC!
We Eat Our Own by Kea Wilson – Okay, this could either turn out really well or be a major disaster, but when I saw a review described this book as literary horror à la “Cannibal Holocaust meets Heart of Darkness”, my curiosity was piqued, so I went ahead and requested it from NetGalley. We’ll see how it goes! With thanks to Scriber.
The Reader by Traci Chee – I’m so wary of hyped YA these days, but I thought this one was definitely worth chancing it if for nothing else because “books about books” happens to be one of my favorite tropes. I was really excited to score an eARC from First to Read.
Star Wars: Aftermath: Life Debt by Chuck Wendig – My goal to read and review all the adult novels in the new Star Wars canon continues! Many thanks to Del Rey for providing me with a review copy!
Bite by K.S. Merbeth and The Dragon Lords: Fool’s Gold by Jon Hollins – Audiobooks, with thanks to Hachette Audio. I have more time to “read” via audio these days, so I was really grateful to be offered these books. I actually just started The Dragon Lords: Fool’s Gold and the humor seems to be working much better for me in this format, so I’m glad I opted to listen to it. By the time this post goes live I should be finished with the book, and so I can dive right into Bite.
Dusk or Dark or Dawn or Day by Seanan McGuire – Also thanks to Tor.com for sending me this e-galley. I’ve been hearing a lot of great things about McGuire’s first novella with with them, and it’s awesome to hear they’ll be publishing another one by her soon next year.
Books Won
It’s been a while since I’ve talked about the books I’ve purchased or won lately, because in truth, I haven’t been buying much or entering giveaways these days (let’s face it, it’s not like I’ve lacked in things to read.) But here are a few I got from lucky wins earlier in the year, including And the Trees Crept In by Dawn Kurtagich from a publisher newsletter, The Winner’s Kiss by Marie Rutkoski (glad I caught up with the series this year!) from The Reading Room, and The Destructives by Matthew de Abaitua from My Bookish Ways (so sad when they shut down).
Reviews
Here’s a quick roundup of my reviews since the last update. A lot of 3.5s to 4s this time around, but Dark Matter is rocking it out at the top with the first 5 star rating I’ve given out in two months. Have you read it yet?
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch (5 of 5 stars)
The Shattered Lens by Brandon Sanderson (4 of 5 stars)
The Waking Fire by Anthony Ryan (4 of 5 stars)
False Hearts by Laura Lam (4 of 5 stars)
The Unnoticeables by Robert Brockway (4 of 5 stars)
Imprudence by Gail Carriger (3.5 of 5 stars)
Paper and Fire by Rachel Caine (3.5 of 5 stars)
Red Right Hand by Levi Black (3.5 of 5 stars)
The Hatching by Ezekiel Boone (3.5 of 5 stars)
Any Other Name by Emma Newman (3.5 of 5 stars)
Disappearance at Devil’s Rock by Paul Tremblay (3 of 5 stars)
Roundup Highlights:
Author Spotlights
Big thanks to Levi Black for stopping by The BiblioSanctum for an interview last week!
Interview with Levi Black, Author of Red Right Hand
What I’ve Read Since the Last Update
I had family visiting for the last few weeks, so I mostly only had time to listen to audiobooks on the long drives to and from day trips to the beach, etc. I did manage to pad my reading tally with a couple of novellas and shorter books though (heh!) plus one Read-Along book that wrapped up this month. Here are some of the reviews you’ll be seeing at the BiblioSanctum soon, minus those that are already up.
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!
Audiobook Review Bites
Posted on July 29, 2016 14 Comments
Deadhouse Gates by Steven Erikson
Genre: Fantasy
Series: The Malazan Book of the Fallen #2
Publisher: Tor (February 1, 2005)
Tiara’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
In the deserts of Raraku, a rebelling is brewing led by a seer known as Sha’ik. These rebels hope to usher in the Whirlwind, a phenomena said to be the rage of the Whirldwind Goddess. Others call it an apocalypse. Rebellion ruptures across the lands, sweeping it with violence as key players try to get a handle on the situation in the only ways they know how. Some of the seeds from the first book begin to blossom in this installment. Gardens of the Moon explored the political maneuverings leading up to this rebellion while Deadhouse Gates is a demonstration in savagery caused by this rebellion, punctuated by the harrowing journey of 30,000 refugees and the Malaz 7th Army across a war torn continent in a section titled “Chain of Dogs.” There is nothing small scale about this story; there is nothing small about the difficulties it presents for these people. This continues to be a story that asks its readers to look at the broader picture.
As with Gardens of the Moon, readers are thrust back in this world at the thick of things. Unlike Gardens of the Moon, we are faced with the full force of the brutality that comes with rebellion and war. It’s a hard story to cut your teeth on with the excess of violence. No one is spared the brutality of this war. Villains don’t always get what’s coming to them, and heroes don’t always get to swoop in and save the day. Only a few familiar faces show up in this journey through the Malazan Empire, allowing us a little more time to become familiar with these characters, but Erikson throws a slew of new characters in the mix for our consideration as well.
This story is complex, with such a sprawling narrative. I’m really amazed at how well Erikson was able to keep these first two books from spiraling into a mess. You can definitely see the dedication he has to the world and these characters. Granted, I think that this could’ve been much shorter than it was, but still, this narrative holds. It does take a bit of time for this to build up its plot, but it has much more of a focus than Gardens of the Moon. It’s well worth wading through a bit of narrative building if you can stomach all the atrocities this throws at you. However, by the time you finish this book, you just might feel like you’ve fought a war yourself.
Narrator: Ralph Lister | Length: 34 hrs and 5 mins | Audiobook Publisher: Brilliance Audio (February 22, 2013) | Whispersync Ready: Yes (As of this posting)
Dark Lover by J.R. Ward
Genre: Romance, Urban Fantasy, Erotica
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood #1
Publisher: Penguin (September 6, 2005)
Tiara’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
After seven long years of this book being on my TBR pile, this book gets to make its home on my read list, but first a description courtesy of Goodreads.
| In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there’s a deadly turf war going on between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret band of brothers like no other-six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Yet none of them relishes killing more than Wrath, the leader of The Black Dagger Brotherhood.
The only purebred vampire left on earth, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who murdered his parents centuries ago. But, when one of his most trusted fighters is killed-leaving his half-breed daughter unaware of his existence or her fate-Wrath must usher her into the world of the undead-a world of sensuality beyond her wildest dreams. |
I have a bit of mixed feelings about Dark Lover. This felt like such a guilty pleasure read with its supernatural alpha males and the women who love them. There are barrels of romance, action, and steamy encounters to be had, which appeals wholly to that side of me that is unapologetic smut trash. This is one of those books that manages to engage me and keep me interested in the story even when there are so many separate parts that I’m not sure I like much. I try to take stories like these at face value and enjoy them on that base level that they appeal to. However, I have concerns.
The slang and hip-hop references felt so forced, and I’m sure the narration, which was very bland, did nothing to make me feel that it wasn’t. I have nothing at all against authors using pop references, but I find it hard to take a bunch of centuries old vampires talking like they walked off the set of Jersey Shore seriously. This comes completes with sophomoric spellings of their names–Rhage, Zsadist, Vishous, Tohrment. Pulling pop references off well requires a certain timing and strategic usage to make it feel authentic. This book did not have that. It doesn’t matter that this was written in 2005. This would’ve felt silly even then.
Also, this book has too many instances of all this information and intense emotion being dumped on the readers without any real buildup. The women troubled me a bit as most of the ones featured didn’t feel really integral to the story for more than what they could provide in terms of sex and vulnerability to uplift and redeem the male characters. I had to make my peace with these things very early in this book, and I feel like I can move forward in this series with a lower bar. And to be fair to this book, firsts in a series can often be a bit shaky as an author tries to establish their world and characters.
Narrator: Jim Frangione | Length: 13 hrs and 35 mins | Audiobook Publisher: Recorded Books (January 22, 2009) | Whispersync Ready: No (As of this posting)
The BiblioSanctum 