Book Review: The Dragon Round by Stephen S. Power
Posted on July 9, 2016 22 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Dragon Round by Stephen S. Power
Mogsy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Simon & Schuster/Simon451 (July 19, 2016)
Length: 336 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
I’d wanted to read The Dragon Round by Stephen S. Power for a long, long time—I’d say pretty much from the moment I first read its description and glimpsed that stunningly gorgeous cover. For one thing, the fact that my love for dragons can only be matched by my love for seafaring fantasy definitely helped turn this book into instant catnip for my senses. Needless to say, my expectations were ultra-high going in. And I just really want to let that be known, in the hopes that maybe my mixed feelings at the end can be better understood.
We begin The Dragon Round with an introduction to the crew of the Comber, a merchant ship captained by Captain Jeryon, one of this story’s main characters. Like most experienced skippers, Jeryon got to be where he is by playing it smart and playing it by the book. His priority is to get his cargo to its destination, avoiding any and all trouble if possible, and so when trouble comes in the form of a dragon in the sky, Jeryon’s first instinct is to leave the creature be, hoping that it will ignore the Comber and go happily on its way. However, some of his crew members disagree, eyeing the dragon for its parts as extra prizes to bring home.
Unsurprisingly, the ensuing encounter with the dragon ends in disaster. Jeryon is overthrown by his mutinous crew and given “the captain’s chance”: to be cast off in a small boat with no rudder, no sails, and no provisions—simply left to the mercy of the seas. For taking Jeryon’s side, the ship’s healer Everlyn also receives the same fate. The two of them end up marooned on a desert island, with no way to escape. Fortunately, the island is abundant with food and water, and can sustain them for a long time, but with the desire for revenge still in his heart, Jeryon is not willing to give up so easily.
One day, Jeryon and Everlyn are exploring when they suddenly come across a dragon nest and witness something no human has ever seen before—a baby dragon hatching from its egg. The two of them decide to raise the tiny female dragonling, which they dub “Gray”, hoping that someday she will eventually grow large enough to carry them off the island. At least, that was the original plan, until Everylyn realizes that Jeryon has a lot more in mind.
To tell the truth, I’m really torn on how to feel about this book. I certainly loved the maritime aspect, and I also have this soft spot for desert island stories—Castaway, Robinson Crusoe, The Blue Lagoon, you name it. I can understand why some people might find them boring, but I’ve always found the survival element of them exciting. I thought the first half of this book was incredibly well done, captivating me with that explosive opening scene featuring the battle between the dragon and the Comber. Then came the on board tensions as Jeryon and Everlyn were sentenced to their cruel fate, their subsequent struggle to stay alive while floating adrift on the open ocean, and finally their arrival to the island where they learned how to build shelter and hunt for food. The two characters carried the story nicely, and I enjoyed their easy relationship and banter as they adjusted to their new reality. Things only got better when they essentially became parents to a baby dragon. Even from the start, Everlyn was the more doting one, treating Gray like a beloved pet. In contrast, Jeryon took to training Gray with a strong hand, because in his mind the dragon is also a deadly weapon.
I also adore revenge stories, and Jeryon is undoubtedly a character deserving of justice. What I found interesting though, is how my perception of him changed over time. I notice that a lot of revenge stories typically work by drumming up sympathy for the aggrieved, so that the reader can connect with their cause and cheer them on. The Dragon Round is different in that respect, showing how a thirst for vengeance can in fact twist a character to the point where they become altogether off-putting and distasteful.
I think this is where things started becoming shaky for me. Thing is, I didn’t actually mind Jeryon’s transformation from an upright captain with sense of honor to a deplorable bloodthirsty vigilante, but I do wish we had been with him for more of that process.
For you see, the second half of the book felt completely different from the first. Just as Jeryon begins his mission to hunt down all his past crew members who betrayed him, the story abruptly switches tack, taking us back on land where the plot also shifts its focus to the power struggles and political conspiracies happening within Hanosh. Not only do we see a change in setting, the narrative also changes a whole new set of character perspectives. Jeryon and Gray are relegated to the background, becoming incidental characters, and poor Everlyn feels almost entirely forgotten.
In a lot of ways, The Dragon Round felt like two books in one because its two halves are just so different. I definitely enjoyed the first half a lot more than the second, and it’s a shame that the excitement and wonder from the beginning didn’t carry through to the end, or I would have enjoyed this novel a lot more. There’s no denying some of the fantastic ideas here, but I just couldn’t embrace the book’s overall structure.
Overall, I had a good time with The Dragon Round, though a part of me also feels it could have been so much more. Still, if nothing else, the first half of the book made everything worth it, with Power proving himself as an excellent wordsmith and talented world-builder. I would be curious to see where his writing takes him next.
Book Review: Borderline by Mishell Baker
Posted on July 8, 2016 23 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of The Arcadia Project
Publisher: Saga Press (March 1, 2016)
Length: 400 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
I’m so glad I finally got the chance to read Borderline. I admit I haven’t been trying out a lot of new urban fantasy lately, since after a while so many of the common themes start to run together until I can’t keep the different stories straight in my head anymore. Borderline, though, is special. Very special. It’s completely invigorating and just what I needed to rekindle my excitement for the genre.
The story, which I originally thought would be darker and grimmer in tone due to what I read in the publisher description, actually turned out to be a lot of fun. The book stars Millie Roper, a young woman with borderline personality disorder who is in recovery for a failed suicide attempt a year before. The incident caused her to lose her legs and her promising filmmaking career, but just as Millie has decided to resign herself to her new reality, a strange woman called Caryl Vallo shows up in her room at the psychiatric center, claiming to represent a group called the Arcadia Project.
And what is the Arcadia Project? Now that’s where things get interesting. Imagine something like Men in Black, but replace the aliens with faeries. Arcadia is the name given to the “other” realm, where the Fey and other mythical creatures reside. They frequently come visiting in our mundane world, and some even make it their home. It’s the mission of certain secret branches of the government working with the Arcadia Project to track these Fey visitors and make sure they don’t stir up too much trouble on this side of reality. What that also means is when the Fey break the rules or go off radar, agents have to be sent in to investigate. That’s where the Arcadia Project comes in, and now Caryl is asking Millie to be their newest recruit.
Wow, where do I start? First of all, Millie is an incredible protagonist. Yes, she’s a complex, fully-realized character. And no, she’s not always likeable. Her borderline personality disorder sometimes makes her emotions volatile, and her behavior unpredictable. But paradoxically, I also found her very genuine despite her moods and thoughts constantly swinging in different directions. I find that unreliable narrators are commonly used in stories about characters with mental illness or behavioral disorders, but Millie also somehow breaks that mold, coming across to me as an exceptional and very different kind of protagonist. She can’t help what she feels in the moment, but she will always tell you straight. She has her dark and low moments, but when she’s not experiencing symptoms she can also be a very humorous, energetic and upbeat person. I loved her unique voice and wouldn’t have wanted anyone else at the helm of this wonderful story.
Speaking of story, on the whole Borderline features a rather conventional urban fantasy plot, but the joy of it is in the details. The book takes place in Hollywood, amidst sprawling film studio lots and glitzy celebrities. Millie herself was a former film student and an indie director before her suicide attempt. Both the character’s background and the setting are woven tightly into the story, so we also get to have some quirky twists involving the movie making industry. For example, almost every successful filmmaker and actor or actress in the past century has had some connections to Arcadia. Central to the plot is the really cool concept of Echoes. The idea suggests that every creative genius in our world will have a muse, or Echo, in Arcadia. And when they meet, it’s like the faerie-touched version of finding your soulmate—you just know. Once a person and their Fey Echo are joined, their talents can reach their full potential, unleashing even more creativity into their work and furthering their success. It’s a lovely idea, and I find it works especially well in this world Mishell Baker created.
I really don’t have many complaints. Perhaps the only thing that tripped me up is the way the author sometimes portrayed Millie’s BPD. I used to work in the therapy and rehabilitation field, and spent a great deal of time working with clients with mental illness, personality and behavioral disorders, as well as acquired brain injury. Millie’s “checklist” style of discussing her BPD at times felt exactly the way I’d described—often it felt like she was reading out of a copy of the DSM and ticking off all the major points like “Borderlines do this because” or “I am like that because” it’s what the info on the disorder says she should feel or do. It hasn’t really been like that in my experience; every individual is different and rarely does the full gamut of symptoms come neatly described and packaged together like that with any one person. It didn’t greatly affect my overall enjoyment of the novel though, and I appreciate the fact that Baker is trying to shine a light on mental health issues and the personal struggles of people who live with them.
I really wish I had read Borderline sooner, as it was such an extraordinary, refreshing novel. It’s exactly what I want in an urban fantasy: entertaining, original, and even meaningful. The fantastic cast simply further highlighted this read for me, from protagonist Millie Roper to my personal favorite character Caryl Vallo. Everything about this book was a delight, and I highly recommend it.
Book Review: Hope and Red by Jon Skovron
Posted on July 7, 2016 22 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of The Empire of Storms
Publisher: Orbit (June 28, 2016)
Length: 544 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Meet Hope. At the tender age of eight, she became the lone survivor of a massacre on her small southern fishing village after watching everyone she has ever known and loved die horribly in an experiment by the emperor’s biomancers. Rescued by a merchant ship, she was then taken in by the ancient order of Vinchen warriors and taught their ways by Hurlo, their grand master who went against his order’s rules and trained the girl in secret.
Meet Red. Not long after being orphaned and left alone in the slums of New Laven, he woke up one fateful day to find himself held captive aboard a ship alongside the infamous Sadie the Goat. Together, the two of them made their daring escape, and Sadie was so impressed by the boy’s talents that afterwards she named him her sidekick and protégé and the spot.
Under the tutelage of the female pirate/con-woman, Red grows up to become one of the greatest, most quick-fingered thieves in the criminal underworld. Hope, on the other hand, has dedicated her life to becoming an honorable and disciplined Vinchen warrior, dreaming of one day avenging her murdered village. Aside from losing their families at a young age, the two of them have very little in common. However, it appears that their separate paths have ultimately led them to a shared purpose and enemy, and it’s not long before we see Hope and Red joining forces for the biggest fight of their lives.
From the very start, I was completely taken by both Hope and Red. While the two of them don’t even meet until nearly halfway through the novel (and that’s when the fun really takes off) I nonetheless had a great time getting to know each of them on their own. The beginning of the book is mainly focused on their early lives, detailing the children’s experiences growing up with the respective mentors. To me, this section almost reads like an in-depth character study for both Hope and Red, delineating their qualities and showing how their personalities were shaped by the different ways they were raised. Characters are one the most important aspects of a story for me, so I was beyond pleased at such an intimate portrayal of our two protagonists.
Jon Skovron has also created a massive, fully-realized world filled with countless nations and cultures. We get to set sail with Hope to visit a great number of these locales after she departs from the Vinchen order and takes a bodyguard position on a ship’s crew. In the north is a different dynamic, where society may be more built up and urbanized, but it is not without its problems like abject poverty and the disparity in living conditions between the rich and the poor. Red has always found himself caught between two worlds, disowned by the upper class but also not fully accepted by his fellow street gangsters and wags. Despite introducing his readers to a large number of sights and sounds, people and places, maritime slangs and street lingo, I thought the author did a marvelous job uniting Hope and Red’s individual storylines into a tightly woven plot.
Speaking of which, there was never a dull moment. Mixing grit with light humor, the writing style was incredibly easy to get into, helped by the story’s smooth flow and quick pacing. As well, Skovron’s experience with writing in the Young Adult genre can be seen in some of the character actions and plot elements, giving Hope and Red some crossover appeal (albeit reader discretion is advised given the strong language and graphic violence).
Truly, the only criticism I have is the pacing in the last one hundred pages or so, where I felt the solution to Hope and Red’s dilemma was presented too neatly, and the book was also wrapped up too quickly. Compared to the intro, where our protagonists’ lives were so lovingly and painstakingly described in all their particulars, the ending felt somewhat scant and haphazard, almost like Skovron was in a rush to finish. Beyond this one gripe though, I can really find no other major faults.
If you prefer character-driven tales and world-building that gives you the full picture, then you should definitely check this out. Hope and Red is the perfect escape for fantasy fans looking for a fun, entertaining and action-packed adventure. I can’t wait to read the next book in the trilogy.
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Guest Post: “What Lies Beyond Grimdark” by Jon Skovron
Waiting on Wednesday 07/06/16
Posted on July 6, 2016 9 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
Winter Halo by Keri Arthur (December 6, 2016 by Signet)
I read my first Keri Arthur book last year and was met with great success. That novel was of course City of Light, first book of her new Outcast series. I’m really looking forward to checking out its sequel this winter.
“When the bombs that stopped the species war tore holes in the veil between worlds, they allowed entry to the Others. Now, a hundred years later, humans and shifters alike live in artificially lit cities designed to keep the darkness at bay….
The humanoid supersoldiers known as the déchet were almost eradicated by the war. Ever since, Tiger has tried to live her life in peace in hiding. But in the wake of her discovery that Central City’s children are being kidnapped and experimented on, Tiger’s conscience won’t let her look the other way.
The key to saving them lies within the walls of a pharmaceutical company called Winter Halo. But as she learns more about the facility, Tiger’s mission is derailed by a complication: Winter Halo’s female security guards are being systematically attacked by an unknown force.
Now Tiger must summon all her gifts to stop those responsible for both atrocities—no matter the cost to herself…”
Book Review: The Transference Engine by Julia Verne St. John
Posted on July 5, 2016 13 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Transference Engine by Julia Verne St. John
Mogsy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy, Steampunk
Series: Book 1
Publisher: DAW (July 5, 2016)
Length: 320 pages
Author Information: Website
Julia Verne St. John’s fantasy steampunk alternate history novel The Transference Engine became one of my most anticipated releases of 2016 when The BiblioSanctum hosted the cover reveal for it earlier this year. The first time I glimpsed that beautiful cover was also the first time I’d heard of this book, and both the protagonist and the world sounded fascinating to me. A mystery involving necromancy, set in an alternate 1830s London that’s run on magic and machines? No way I wasn’t going to love this. In spite of my excitement though, by the time I was through the first few chapters, I realized I was probably going to have to adjust my expectations.
These first few dozen pages or so introduced us to Madame Magdala, the proprietress of the Book View Café, a magical library where patrons can sit and read while enjoying a cup of coffee and freshly baked pastries. However, the café’s centerpiece is a magical book sorting contraption designed by Ada Lovelace and Charles Babbage, a literal search engine that can find any book you ask for in the library’s collection. Magdala and Lovelace—the woman who will one day become the world’s first computer programmer—go way back, from the time Magdala was first hired by Ada’s mother to be a governess and protector for her daughter.
That’s because Ada’s father is also the notorious Lord Byron, the famous poet and depraved necromancer. Even after his death, Lady Byron feared that her husband’s followers would try to resurrect him in a new body using a soul-transferal machine called the Transference Engine. While the original machine was destroyed ten years ago, there’s no telling how far the necromancers will go to complete their task. Now, with reports of young men and women disappearing all around London (and several of the missing being employees of the Book View Café), Magdala is concerned that someone might be attempting to repair the Transference Engine by collecting enough innocent souls to bring back the one of Lord Byron.
In truth, I actually liked this novel. If I was a little disappointed, it’s only insofar because I thought I was going to love it. My main issue with the book was how slowly it started. For a 300-page novel, I typically expect things to be moving long by page 50, but this story didn’t pick up in earnest until more than halfway through, which is quite a lot to ask of your readers. I was feeling much more generous with The Transference Engine and kept reading because I genuinely was taken in by the world, but I think others might not be so patient. Not that the plot didn’t interest me, but I would have liked this a lot more if the major developments were presented sooner.
The number of confusing flashbacks was also another factor that played into the pacing issue. Part of the problem is that this book almost reads like a sequel, with the heroine constantly referring to events in the past like I should be aware of them already. This feeling of “sequel-ness” was so strong, I did some research after finishing The Transference Engine to see what I could find. It turned out, I was right—sort of. The character of Madame Magdala was actually first introduced in a collection of short stories called Steampunk Voyages, published by the author in 2013 under her name Irene Radford. Many of the past adventures Magdala mentions in The Transference Engine are apparently from this anthology, including her experiences involving her past clients, Mary Godwin and Percy Shelley (the latter was a necromancer too). Knowing all this, I understood the reason I felt so lost and confused was because I was effectively starting this story from behind.
That said, I really liked some of the characters and world-building elements. I actually wish these aspects could have been developed more, but the truth is this book was probably too short to fit all the ideas the author wanted. The narrative also spends way too much time on things I didn’t find as interesting, such as Magdala’s constant congratulating of herself for taking in orphans and other street children (almost like she has to remind us all every few minutes what a kind, magnanimous soul she is). In actuality, what I really wanted to know was more about the amazing technology in this world, like her little tiny clockwork hummingbird, or her awesome book finding machine. I’d also hoped that Ada Lovelace would feature more prominently in this book; I think she’s an incredible historical figure and it was such a shame that she didn’t play a bigger role in the story.
Once this book got going though, it really moved. All the set up in the first half of the novel paid off in the second, and I breezed through the story’s climax and conclusion. I don’t know if I can wholeheartedly recommend this since the beginning was so confusing and somewhat dull, but at least the ending was satisfying, even if it did wrap up a little too quickly and neatly. The pacing issues really hurt this novel, robbing this mystery story of its full potential, but there’s also plenty to like here if you’re a fan of the steampunk genre and enjoy reading about cool world-building ideas. If there’s a sequel, I can see pacing improving since the foundation has already been established, and I would be very curious to continue the story.
Week 1: All is Fair Read-Along
Posted on July 4, 2016 2 Comments
Our read-along of The Split Worlds series continues, and this month we’re diving into the third book All Is Fair! If you’re interested in joining this Read-Along, visit the SF/F Read-Along group for more information and to join the discussion.
With thanks to Coolcurry for the read-along banner!
Caught in the insidious designs of powerful puppet-masters and playing a life-or-death game for control, Cathy and her comrades face their greatest challenge yet: changing the balance of power in the Split Worlds.
Now at the heart of the Londinium Court, deceit and murder track Will’s steps as he assumes his new role as Duke. Faced with threats to his throne and his life, the consequences of his bloody actions are already coming back to haunt him…
Meanwhile, Cathy, wrestling with the constraints of the Agency and Dame Iris, comes to terms with her new status in Fae-touched society and seeks others who feel just as restricted by its outdated social rules. As Max works with Cathy to uncover the horrors that underpin Fae-touched society, he bears witness as the final blow is struck against the last Sorcerers in Albion…
Week 1: Monday 4th July, Chapters 1-6, hosted by Over The Effing Rainbow
Week 2: Monday 11th July, Chapters 7-14, hosted by Hisham El-Far
Week 3: Monday 18th July, Chapters 15-22, hosted by The Illustrated Page
Week 4: Monday 25th July, Chapters 23-End, hosted by x + 1
We get to visit the Agency in more depth than before here. What are your thoughts/predictions on their shady goings-on after what we’ve been shown?
Mogsy: I’m not sure where this thread is going yet, but what is revealed here is very disturbing. It appears the Agency is a lot more nefarious than I first thought (and I thought they were plenty iffy already) and they have more power than I expected. So this is where members of the society disappear to when they are disgraced…
Will finally realises he may have made certain mistakes with all his assumptions… Do you think he’ll step up and correct them, or is it too late for him?
Mogsy: Too late. Even if he wants to make amends, what can he really do? A man is dead, and you can’t correct that. Bartholomew’s widow is also very angry (rightfully so) and whatever goodwill the Irises have earned has been flushed down the toilet when Will charged in with his half-baked accusations. Even if doubt is starting to creep up on him, he’s probably still too proud, too stupid, and too in denial at this point to admit he did the wrong thing. His belligerence when talking to Cathy about what happened is sort of proof of that.
“It’s nice not being called ‘puppet’ all the time.” Max and Cathy seem to be coming to a better understanding of each other and their situations. Max also seems to be coming around more to the gargoyle’s (more emotional) point of view. What do you make of their scenes here, and do you think he and Cathy can become true allies from here?
Mogsy: I had to give an ironic laugh when Cathy said that in the book. She might not like being called a puppet, but sadly a puppet is what she is whether she likes it or not, as long as she and her peers are all beholden to their fae lords and have to do what they say. This is why I’m reluctant to answer yes or no with regards to the question about Cathy and Max becoming true allies. I suppose they can be, until the next time their goals come in conflict with something Lord Iris or Lord Poppy wants from Cathy. If I were Max, I’d keep that in mind and only trust her as far as that.
Things take an interesting turn for Sam with Lord Iron, following Leanne’s funeral. Do you have any new thoughts about might be going on here after the discussion they have at Lord Iron’s house?
Mogsy: So maybe Neugent isn’t the diabolical killer villain Sam thought him to be. Hmm, I’m not sure if I have any new theories yet, but I’m so pleased we finally got to see this famed forge we’ve been hearing about!
Audiobook Review: Tracer by Rob Boffard
Posted on July 4, 2016 10 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction, Thriller
Series: Book 1 of Outer Earth
Publisher: Hachette Audio (June 28, 2016)
Length: 13 hrs and 17 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrators: Jeff Harding and Sarah Borges
Tracer is a novel that has been on my to-read list for a while, especially after author Rob Boffard wrote a fascinating and chilling guest post for The BiblioSanctum earlier this year. I had the ebook, but when I learned that the audiobook version would also be released alongside the print edition in the US, I decided to go ahead and give it a listen.
The first chapter opens with an introduction to Riley, a young woman working as a tracer on a space station. Tracers are like unofficial couriers who make the world go ‘round in such a confined environment. They deliver important packages from one point to another—climbing, leaping, and wall-running through the bowels and complex pathways of Outer Earth, an enormous station carrying the last remnants of humanity after Earth became uninhabitable. Riley prides herself on being one of the fastest and most reliable tracers; she knows the station like the back of her hand, including all the quickest possible routes, and most importantly, her patrons can always count on her to be discreet. She and her fellow tracers of the Devil Dancers are instructed to never ask questions about the packages they’re carrying, they don’t even want to know. This has made them an attractive service to a shadier subset of the clientele on Outer Earth. Assignments can’t all be as noble as transporting precious medical supplies or foodstuffs to those in need, after all.
Because of the nature of their work though, tracers often draw the attention of the station’s gangs. One day, Riley is on her way to deliver a package to Oren Darnell, Outer Earth’s most dangerous man, when she is suddenly attacked by a group of gang members. Riley manages to escape, but only because her pack was ripped in the scuffle, and her attackers took off in a panic after realizing what she had been transporting. In spite of herself, Riley could not help her curiosity. Even though all her instincts tell her not to, she takes a look for herself the mysterious item she was supposed to bring to Darnell. In doing so, she ends up setting off a chain of events that would propel the entire station and everyone on it towards certain disaster. Outer Earth is in danger, and time is quickly running out.
This was a very fast listen, because from the very first sentence, Boffard sets a very fast pace for the rest of the story. Tracer is an extremely action-oriented novel, running the full gamut of possible calamities to befall an old and rundown space station, from massive fires in the food production labs to a full-scale hostile takeover by a homicidal madman. It’s a pretty standard sci-fi thriller featuring some common genre tropes, but in spite of that there were still more than a few twists keeping things interesting. The plot also never slows down, throwing Riley and her allies into one dangerous situation after another.
While fun and very enjoyable, it’s clear that certain other aspects of the novel had to take a backseat in favor of all the explosive action. Characters were well done, but perhaps weren’t as fleshed out as they could be. Riley was the only one I really connected with, possibly because her chapters were the only ones told in first-person perspective, while the rest were told in third (come to think of it, that was an odd format choice that was neither here nor there). The book’s main villain was kind of flat; in general there was very little to the bad guys beyond the fact they were crazy and evil. As well, we get the cliché of the villain monologue at the end, making them feel very hammy besides. Riley’s love interest, a lab tech named Prakesh Kumar was a perspective character too, but he received less attention relative to the others and therefore it didn’t surprise me when their romance felt a little tacked on.
Still, this book was wildly entertaining, living up to the publisher description of “The Bourne Identity meets Gravity”, in tone if not in content. Tracer had the feel of a summer blockbuster—and that’s no bad thing. The story might not stick in your mind forever, but it’s an explosive popcorn experience and fun while you’re taking it in. Rock solid debut, great for when you need a super quick read that will keep your eyes glued to the pages (or earbuds firmly implanted in ears, in my case with the audiobook)!
Additional audiobook comments: The Tracer audiobook was narrated by Jeff Harding and Sarah Borges. Kudos for bringing in both a female and a male reader for this novel, since I don’t think it would have worked nearly as well with only one narrator. Both Harding and Borges performed very well, affecting great accents when required. My only complaint is that both readers’ voices sound a little too mature for some of the characters, namely Riley and Prakesh. In one instance, Riley informs someone that she is twenty years old, and I remember at the time feeling surprised because from Borges’ voice acting, I thought the character was older. Sometimes the chapter transitions are also very abrupt, almost like the narrators are cut off mid-sentence, but I would have to compare with a print or ebook edition to figure out whether this is an audio issue or just the way the prose is written. Overall though, I had a good time with this audiobook, and I’ll probably check out the rest of this trilogy in this format too. Would recommend.
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Guest Post: “The Worst Things That Can Happen to You in Space” by Rob Boffard
Audiobook Review: The Edge of Worlds by Martha Wells
Posted on July 3, 2016 13 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Edge of Worlds by Martha Wells
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 4 of The Books of the Raksura
Publisher: Audible Studios (Audiobook: June 15, 2016); Night Shade Books (Hardcover: April 5, 2016)
Length: 16 hrs and 59 mins; 388 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator: Christopher Kipiniak
The Edge of Worlds is the fourth novel of Martha Wells’ Books of the Raksura. I haven’t actually read any of the previous installments (unless you count the short story collections), so I had some initial concerns about jumping in mid-series despite it being billed as a new adventure. Happily though, this turned out to be a pretty great place to start my Raksura journey, and I would strongly encourage others to try it out as well.
The story begins with a shared nightmare. Moon wakes up from a dream about an attack from the Fell, the enemy of the Raksura, and finds out that everyone else in Indigo Cloud court also experienced the same visions. No one is sure how to interpret what they saw, but they do know that an omen like this cannot be ignored. Soon, their worries are compounded with the arrival of a groundling emissary who tells them that the people of Kish have discovered an ancient sealed city by the sea. Callumkal, the leader of the groundling expedition, intends to find a way into the city and has come to the Raksura asking for help in this endeavor.
The Raksura are torn on how to move forward. There are fears that this ancient city may have been built by the forerunners, distant Raksuran ancestors, and no one could forget that the last sealed forerunner city they encountered was actually a prison for a monstrous creature of evil. In the end though, the Raksura of Indigo Cloud court decide to help the groundlings, splitting themselves up into two groups. One group would remain behind to guard the colony, while the other one would accompany the groundling expedition to investigate the mysterious city.
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again; the Raksura are one of the most original fantasy races I’ve ever encountered in fantasy fiction. For those who are unfamiliar with them, taking in the sheer amount of information about Raksuran culture, physiology, and social hierarchy will probably be the most overwhelming aspect should you decided to start the series here. The truth is, the plot of The Edge of Worlds is actually quite simple and straightforward. But the Raksura themselves? Not so much. There are a lot of characters to meet, details to learn. I think I would have struggled more had I not received a crash course about the Raksuran race back when I read volume one of Stories of the Raksura.
Basically, the Raksura are shapeshifters whose physical characteristics remind me of bird-people, but their societies are reminiscent of insect colonies. There’s a queen who rules, and she and her mate called a Consort will produce royal clutches composed of Queens, Consorts, as well as Warriors that are infertile males and females who defend the court. All three of these types are capable of flight, and they are called the Aeriat. Then there are the Arbora, who are Raksura that have no wings but are capable climbers. They are made up of Teachers who oversee the young, Hunters who provide food, Soldiers who guard the colony, and Mentors who are seers with magical abilities.
It’s a bit overwhelming at first, but all the information about Raksuran ways can be picked up on the fly (no pun intended). Wells was clearly writing with new readers in mind, because she provides plenty of information for us to understand what’s happening. Presumably, this book also takes place after the events of the previous novel The Siren Depths, so there’s a lot of recap about what went on in the Raksura’s previous encounter with a sealed forerunner city, along with the history of the Fell.
And speaking of the Raksura’s enemies, I loved the suspenseful build-up to their arrival at the ancient city. Martha Wells fills the expedition’s journey with interesting events, so that even the parts that involved traveling were enjoyable and engaging. As I said, the novel’s plot is actually very simple, but you get an incredibly rich experience nonetheless thanks to the fantastic world-building and smooth pacing.
This was also the first time I got to have quality time with Moon, the series protagonist. I only got to know him briefly from the first anthology, so I really enjoyed seeing him as a more fleshed-out character here, settled into his life at Indigo Cloud. From the short stories, I was able to glean some details of Moon’s past, so I know that he grew up very differently than his fellow Raksura and therefore still has much to learn about the culture of the court, as well as how to be a Consort. His behavior and ways of thinking make him something of a wild card among his peers, and it’s fascinating to see how that affects the social dynamics.
In sum, I can personally attest that The Edge of Worlds is a good starting point for readers new to the world of the Raksura. Taking in all its beauty and wonders may take some time, but it’s worth it. There’s certainly no lack of creativity in this series, making it perfect for fantasy readers looking to escape into a totally original tale and setting.
Audiobook comments: The audio edition of The Edge of Worlds is narrated by Christopher Kipiniak, who also provides his voice for all the other audiobooks in the series. I’ve long heard about his excellent performance on these books, but this is the first I’ve ever listened for myself. He has a very rich and powerful voice, and I think much of the atmosphere I felt from the story was thanks to his superb narration. Some of his voices for female characters sound awkward to me, but I’m still beyond impressed by the huge range of voices he is able to perform. I never had any problems distinguishing who was talking, and considering the large cast of characters in this novel, that’s no small feat.
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Wendy’s review of The Cloud Roads (Book 1)
Tiara’s review of The Cloud Roads (Book 1)
Wendy’s review of The Serpent Sea (Book 2)
Wendy’s review of The Edge of Worlds (Book 4)
Mogsy’s review of Stories of the Raksura: Volume One
Mogsy’s Bookshelf Roundup: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on July 2, 2016 39 Comments
Bookshelf Roundup is a feature I do every other weekend which fills the role of several blog memes, like Stacking the Shelves where I talk about the new books I’ve added to my library or received for review, as well as It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? where I round up what I’ve read since the last update and what I’m planning to read soon. Mostly it also serves as a recap post, so sometimes I’ll throw in stuff like reading challenge progress reports, book lists, and other random bookish thoughts or announcements.
Why, hello July! On the one hand I am thrilled to be soaring into summer, but on the other I am also a little bit nervous, because this is probably the busiest time of the year for book releases. Some good news, though: I’m pretty much finished with the initial round of vetting for the 30 books in our batch for SPFBO (yep, I know I haven’t been updating on my SPFBO progress lately, but that is most definitely still going on) so I’ve been able to pick up speed on my regular reviewing again. There will be a huge SPFBO update coming up very soon, so be sure to keep an eye out for that, and stay tuned for all kinds of other good stuff in the coming weeks, including author features, giveaways and more. It’s going to be a big, eventful month for us here at The BiblioSanctum, and I’m really excited.
Received for Review
My TBR this month is gigantic. Like, scary gigantic. I do have a more focused list of my must-read books but I’ve also never been very good at keeping to a set plan, and I keep going “off script” picking up anything that catches my eye especially among some of my unsolicited arrivals. So July be a pretty eclectic month for sure! Lots of incredible books have found their way into my mailbox this past fortnight, some requested and some surprises, but I’m sure you’ll be seeing reviews of all of these at some point. My thanks to all the publishers for the review copies received! For more details and full descriptions of the books, be sure to click the links to their Goodreads pages!
The Dinosaur Knights by Victor Milán and Time Siege by Wesley Chu – This was definitely a week for finished copies, and Tor is kicking it off with these sequels to The Dinosaur Lords and Time Salvager, respectively. I enjoyed both those books immensely last year, and I’m looking forward to their follow-ups. My thanks to the publisher!
Also huge thanks to the kind folks at Penguin (Ace, Roc, DAW and NAL) for sending along the following finished copies this week: The Waking Fire by Anthony Ryan is the first book of a new series called The Draconis Memoria and I can’t wait to read it. I have a review planned for later this month, along with a US giveaway so watch for that! Next up is Red Queen by Christina Henry, book two in The Chronicles of Alice. I’ll also be hosting a giveaway of the first book Alice with my review in a couple weeks, so if you haven’t started this series yet, that’s something else to look out for. I’m also crazy excited about diving into these next two books, and by the time this post goes live I should actually be deep into Heroine Complex by Sarah Kuhn which I’m hoping will be as fun as it sounds, and Paper and Fire by Rachel Caine of course is the highly anticipated sequel to Ink and Bone, one of my favorite reads of last year.
The Gates of Hell by Michael Livingston – My thanks to Tor books for this amazing surprise! This sequel to Livingston’s incredible historical fantasy debut The Shards of Heaven was already firmly on my must-read list for this fall, but I hadn’t expected ARCs to be ready for another month or two. I want more Ancient Rome! More Cleopatra Selene! It’s going to be tough keeping my hands off of this one until closer to release date, that’s for sure.
The Shattered Lens and The Dark Talent by Brandon Sanderson – I also want to thank Tor (who are really spoiling me this week) for these two gorgeous gems: a finished copy of book 4 and an ARC of the long-awaited book 5 in Brandon Sanderson’s middle grade series Alcatraz. I was literally speechless with gratitude (that is, right after I got all the squeeing out of my system). The Dark Talent is actually the concluding volume, and while I’m sad this series is coming to a close, it’s also great knowing I’ll be able to jump right in after finishing The Shattered Lens to find out how it all ends. This is such an amazing series, you guys.
A Little Knowledge by Emma Newman – For the past couple months I’ve been participating in a read along of The Split Worlds series with the SFF Read-Along group, and you’ve probably noticed from the posts that I’ve gotten really addicted to these books. In July, we’ll be plunging into book 3, so the timing of this new arrival couldn’t have been more perfect! In August, Diversion Books will be pubbing the fourth book A Little Knowledge along with re-issues of the first three, complete with gorgeous new covers. My thanks to their awesome publicity team!
The Dark Side by Anthony O’Neill and Age of Myth by Michael J. Sullivan – Finished copies from Simon & Schuster and Del Rey, respectively. These are wonderful books, and last week I posted reviews to both. In case you missed them, see the links in my review roundup section below!
The Prisoner of Hell Gate by Dana I. Wolff – I actually missed featuring this book a couple weeks ago, so here it is now! A horror novel steeped in history, centered around the story of Typhoid Mary. If you’re a germophobe, I hear this one will go very badly for you… My thanks to Macmillan/Picador via NetGalley!
The Edge of Worlds by Martha Wells – Audiobook, with thanks to Audible Studios. Wendy wrote a wonderful review for this book earlier this year, so when I saw a review copy of the audiobook edition on offer, I thought it would be neat to review this format too. I already listened to this and loved it, so my thoughts will be up soon.
Tracer by Rob Boffard and Underground Airlines by Ben H. Winters – Audiobooks, with thanks to Hachette Audio. Both these titles have been on my radar for a while. This week I did a lot of work around the house, which also translated into a ton of audiobook listening, so I’ve actually completed both of these books s well. Reviews to come in the next couple weeks!
The Wall of Storms by Ken Liu – Have I mentioned lately how much I adored The Grace of Kings? When I saw this sequel pop up on NetGalley, I didn’t think; my hand just automatically clicked the request button. My thanks to Saga Press!
A Taste of Honey by Kai Ashante Wilson, Everything Belongs to the Future by Laurie Penny, and The Burning Light by Bradley P. Beaulieu and Rob Ziegler – My thanks to Tor.com for also sending over three more e-galleys this week. I am intrigued by the first two (which were new to me) and positively thrilled about the third because in the past I’ve really enjoyed the work of Bradley P. Beaulieu.
Reviews
Writing doesn’t always come naturally for me, but lately I’ve been having a better time with my reviews. I don’t know, maybe I’m reading the kind of books that are easy to gush (or rant) about. Here is a roundup of my reviews since the last update, gathered together and listed here for your convenience and viewing pleasure. Check out the highlights!
Stiletto by Daniel O’Malley (4.5 of 5 stars)
Age of Myth by Michael J. Sullivan (4.5 of 5 stars)
And I Darken by Kiersten White (4 of 5 stars)
The Big Sheep by Robert Kroese (4 of 5 stars)
The Dark Side by Anthony O’Neill (4 of 5 stars)
The Suicide Motor Club by Christopher Buehlman (3.5 of 5 stars)
Between Two Thorns by Emma Newman (3.5 of 5 stars)
Mechanical Failure by Joe Zieja (3 of 5 stars)
My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady Hendrix (3 of 5 stars)
Warrior Witch by Danielle L. Jensen (2 of 5 stars)
Roundup Highlights:
Author Spotlights
My thanks to Jon Skovron who stopped by The BiblioSanctum with a guest post last week!
Guest Post: “What Lies Beyond Grimdark” by Jon Skovron
What I’ve Read Since the Last Update
A lot of audiobook listening this week. We’ll have family visiting later this month so I’ve been spending a lot of time trying to get the place presentable, which means cleaning the house from top to bottom and tidying our back and front yards so it doesn’t look like we live in the middle of an overgrown jungle. All the while, I had a book in my ear of course. Hold on to your butts, because here’s some of what I’ll be reviewing at the BiblioSanctum in the next few weeks, minus the reviews 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!
Guest Post: “What Lies Beyond Grimdark” by Jon Skovron
Posted on July 1, 2016 9 Comments
Earlier this month I got a hold of a copy of Hope and Red, Jon Skovron’s first novel for adults about a pair of orphans who grow from children to teenagers in a rough world of New Laven. One is a warrior, the lone survivor of a massacre on her entire village. The other is a thief and con artist living in a city ruled by gangs, raised by his mentor who is a pirate captain and one of the most notorious women of the criminal underworld. Immediately drawn to the story and characters, I jumped at the chance to invite the author to the BiblioSanctum to talk about his inspiration and the thought processes involved in writing this book. Hope and Red is available now. I hope to have my review up soon, but in the meantime please enjoy this fascinating post by Jon about the fun of going post-Grimdark!
WHAT LIES BEYOND GRIMDARK
by Jon Skovron
I love a lot of the fantasy stories often referred to as “grimdark” and the movement toward a more gritty, realistic depiction of fantasy as an antidote to the oversimplified “good vs. evil” mentality that that came before it.
But the thing is, after we’ve seen things we’d rather not have seen and lived through some truly awful moments in our lives, some of us might want to see what’s beyond the grit and the pain and the darkness. Perhaps we even need to see it. This isn’t a rejection of grimdark or the many incredibly talented authors who write in that subgenre/movement/aesthetic/whatever. Instead, it’s an attempt to take the many valuable lessons grimdark has taught us and consider what other kinds of stories are out there.
Grimdark has taught us that verisimilitude in fantasy is not only possible, but extremely effective. Big, sprawling canvas worlds are great to get lost in, but it’s even more immersive if you include the little details. The smell of blood, the taste of bile, the grime of what it really feels like to not have bathed in weeks. These are simple, relatable, details that rather than detract, can ground the reader even further into the world.
Grimdark also refuses to accept a simplistic view of a black and white world. It’s not virtuous knights vs. evil sorcerers. Nobody’s perfect in the real world and flawed protagonists are far more relatable. However, grimdark fantasy can also embrace nihilism as either expedient or inevitable or both, and that is something I don’t accept.
Yes, the world can be a very shitty place. And sometimes it’s tempting to just roll over and accept the inevitable. But stories can be so much more than that. They can help us make order out of chaos, and make sense of the senseless.
There is a temptation to see something that is “fun” or “lighthearted” as frivolous, perhaps even insincere, and that “dark” and “grim” things are more authentic. But if you examine our daily lives, I think you’ll find that it isn’t all just one long grind. “Fun” stories can be just as true to life as the grim ones.
Escapism also tends to get a bad rap. But I’ll be honest, that’s how I got into this racket in the first place. Imagine a lanky, brooding emo/goth kid (floppy bangs and everything) before either emo or goth were a thing, before the Internet, with no friends and a complicated home life. You guys, I was such a loser that I would play AD&D by myself, which, let me tell you, gets old real quick (although in retrospect, it was a really great primer for writing fantasy novels). When I read those David Eddings books over and over again, I wasn’t looking for anyone to remind me how shitty life could be. I was looking for even a temporary release from my life, preferably one that didn’t involve self-harm.
There’s this scene in Skinning Legs and All by Tom Robbins where the accidental genius artist/sculptor Boomer is talking about making Art and he says, “You just make what you wanna see, right? It’s a game, right? It’s like being paid for dreaming.” That simple idea has always stuck with me as the least pretentious and probably the best reason to make Art of any kind. If there is something in the world that doesn’t exist, and you think it should exist, then it’s your responsibility to make it exist. And that’s what Hope and Red is for me.
Don’t get me wrong, Hope and Red is still pretty dark at times. Right out of the gate, terrible and gruesome things are happening. But in my world there is also warmth and humor because that is what human beings do. We make jokes. We laugh in the face of death. As one of my old professors is fond of saying, you haven’t lost everything until you’ve lost your sense of humor.
Even more importantly than humor, in the world of Hope and Red, people are striving toward something better. They believe that there is something better, even if they don’t quite know what it is yet.
I wrote this book because that is the world I wanted to see. And perhaps, some of you might want to see it, too.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jon Skovron is the author of several novels, includingMisfit (2011), which Holly Black called “a diabolically delightful paranormal about a teen girl discovering her inner strength and power — and her potential for darkness”. Man Made Boy (2013) was a Junior Library Guild selection and shortlisted for the Inky Reader’s Choice Award in Australia. io9.com said “If Man Made Boyhasn’t been optioned for a film or at least a CW series by the end of the year, we can be assured that Hollywood has actually forgotten how to read.” The audiobook, which Jon recorded for Random House’s Listening Library, was named Best Fiction Read By Author for Publisher Weekly’s Listen-Up awards. The sequel, This Broken Wondrous World, also a Junior Library Guild selection, was published August, 2015. Jon’s short stories have appeared in publications like ChiZine and Baen’s Universe, and more recently in anthologies such as GRIM from Harlequin Teen and Summer Days and Summer Nights from St. Martins Press. Jon’s next project is a fantasy trilogy called Empire of Storms, published by Orbit. The first book, Hope & Red, comes out June 28th, 2016.
He lives with his two sons just outside Washington DC, where he hosts a regular writing discussion series at the Arlington Public Library.
Find him at http://www.jonskovron.com, on Twitter @jonnyskov, and on Facebook.
The BiblioSanctum 