Audiobook Review Bites: Star Wars Canon
Posted on June 2, 2016 7 Comments
Star Wars: Smuggler’s Run by Greg Rucka
Series: Star Wars Canon
Genre: Science Fiction, Young Adult, Tie-In
Publisher: Disney Lucasfilm Press (September 4, 2015)
Tiara’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
An aged Han Solo tells a group of young mercenary types a story about the famed Millennium Falcon, a story set between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back. After helping Luke during the Battle of Yavin, Han Solo looks forward to going back to his smuggling ways. However, Leia isn’t quite through with Han and Chewie just yet as she requests their help to locate an important figure in the rebellion who has fled after an Imperial ambush. Reluctantly (on Han’s part), Han and Chewie finds themselves back in imminent danger for the good of the people, as they try to outrun a ruthless Imperial captain in search of this contact.
This is a young adult book recommended for the middle school age group. While it certainly has a tone that will appeal to younger teens and tweens, I was surprised at how mature the story felt. Not so much that I would be concerned, but it doesn’t treat them like they’re too young to understand the nuances of life in this universe. There are a few dramatic action scenes. The antagonist was interesting, but she falls a little flat since she isn’t explored much. Above all else, I loved Han and Chewie’s friendship in this book. Chewie serves as the voice of morality for Han who believes he’s beyond such things as caring about the good of the universe. It’s often difficult for Star Wars books to convey the different language, but Rucka did an admirable job creating banter between the two and inferring Chewie’s dialogue through Han’s responses, actions, and thoughts.
Marc Thompson is a well known voice in the Star Wars universe, and as usual he gives an amazing performance. I had a copy of the book on hand as well, and Phil Noto’s clean, stark illustrations fit the book well. This is a straightforward romp in the Star Wars universe with two of its most lovable characters, and an excellent way for fans to spend a bite-sized amount of time visiting characters they love and a great introduction book for youngsters and older readers alike.
Narrator: Marc Thompson | Length: 3 hrs and 22 mins | Audiobook Publisher: Listening Library (September 4, 2015) | Whispersync Ready: No (As of this posting)
Star Wars: Moving Target by Cecil Castellucci, Jason Fry
Series: Star Wars Canon
Genre: Science Fiction, Young Adult, Tie-In
Publisher: Disney Lucasfilm Press (September 4, 2015)
Tiara’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Much like Smuggler’s Run, this story features an older Leia relating a story back to another party prior to the events in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. In this case, it’s a droid attempting to work on a memoir about one of the most important members of the rebellion. Set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, Princess Leia is the last surviving member of House Organa, and finds herself learning to embrace a new role as a rebellion leader with her diplomat status. Leia comes up with an ambitious plan to help the Rebel Alliance gain some time to bolster their forces and regroup, a plan that requires her to make tough choices as her role expands.
Love, duty, and loyalty play a big role in Leia’s adventure. She finds herself conflicted between putting the needs of the people over the needs of the galaxy. She clings to her feelings for Han who has been captured by Jabba the Hutt while trying to reassure herself that she must think of the galaxy first. She comes to term with the fact that duty and loyalty don’t always mean being loyal to a cause over the people who support you–no matter if it is for the greater good. This is a fast story that any fan can enjoy. It balances the action with the story quite well, and I continue to be impressed that these books don’t treat their target age group as if they can’t understand the complexity of the morals and ideas these books are presenting. Also, this book includes a more direct Easter egg for Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
This is the second book I’ve listened to with Jennifer LaVoy as the narrator. The first was also a Star Wars story set in the same canon (The Perfect Weapon). Even though I wasn’t bowled over by that story, I praised LaVoy’s excellent narration, and I have to do the same here. I can be particular about listening to books with characters from movies or games because it can be difficult for me to associate someone else’s voice with a character from a visual media. However, LaVoy’s narration has been my favorite so far of these books.
Narrator: January LaVoy | Length: 3 hrs and 53 mins | Audiobook Publisher: Listening Library (September 4, 2015) | Whispersync Ready: No (As of this posting)
Star Wars: The Weapon of a Jedi by Jason Fry
Series: Star Wars Canon
Genre: Science Fiction, Young Adult, Tie-In
Publisher: Disney Lucasfilm Press (September 4, 2015)
Tiara’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Luke’s story starts a little differently than Leia and Han’s. He’s the only person who isn’t actually “telling” his story for reasons that are obvious if you’ve watched or read Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Instead Luke’s story is told by C-3PO. Luke’s story takes place between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back. Luke is trying to reconcile his roles as a pilot and as a Jedi. Following the death of Ben Kenobi, he’s left floundering with no master, but the Force is on his side gently pushing him in the direction that he needs to take to better himself as a Jedi.
Out of these three books, this one is probably the one that is more in line with what I would expect of a book for younger teens and kids. It has a very straightforward story with a basic good versus evil concept. While Han and Leia’s stories, especially Leia’s, dealt more heavily with morality and the sometimes ambiguous nature of it throughout their books, Luke’s story only has one moment where that comes into play and it’s more of a personal choice than something that involves thinking about something bigger than himself like Han and Leia’s dilemmas.
You’d think that a story centered around Luke learning to harness the Force would have a bit more action, but nothing truly happens until the book is nearing the end. Most of the book is spent with Luke lamenting about the Force. Still, I listened to these books with my children in mind (because they’ll be listening to them soon), and it’s really hard to go wrong with showing the “hero” learning to control his powers.
Jonathan Davis is one of my favorite narrators, but I have a bit of a mixed feeling here. He certainly didn’t do a terrible job. His narration was beautiful as always. I was just a little underwhelmed with some of the character voices that didn’t seem to show much nuance from one another, even the female voice. Other than that, he did quite well.
Narrator: Jonathan Davis | Length: 3 hrs and 18 mins | Audiobook Publisher: Listening Library (September 4, 2015) | Whispersync Ready: No (As of this posting)
Star Wars: Lost Stars by Claudia Gray
Series: Star Wars Canon
Genre: Science Fiction, Young Adult, Tie-In
Publisher: Disney Lucasfilm Press (September 4, 2015)
Tiara’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
I won this Kindle book in a giveaway from RhiReading (thanks!) and I was able to get the Audible book at a discount to read through Whispersync.
Two kids from the “backwater” world Jelucan set their aspirations toward being top pilots for the Imperial Army. Ciena Ree is the daughter of impoverished people who live in the Jelucani valley. They descend from loyalists who chose exile rather than turn on what they believed, and they’re a very proud and familial group of people. Thane Kyrell is a second-waver, people descended from another group that settled on Jelucan some years after the valley kindred. They’re privileged, but Thane’s life is anything but happy as he deals with an abusive father and an indifferent mother. Ciena and Thane form an unlikely friendship and work together to become candidates for the Imperial’s military school and eventually move on to become Imperial officers. Romance is a core part of this story between the two leads. Ciena and Thane’s relationship often pits them on opposite sides of conflict even when they’re working for the same side. It does not overwhelm the story and many other things happen, but it is the driving force for this book, which spans almost twenty years of Ciena and Thane’s lives.
This book gives a glimpse of the Imperial rule from the viewpoint of people who aren’t mired in the conflict between the Rebels and the Empire, and I enjoyed this view of seeing just what normal people think is going on around them. The people don’t see the malevolence behind the Imperial rule. They see a governing body that promises opportunity for everyone. It was surprisingly refreshing to get this genuine view of the people on the “wrong” side. You get to see their hopes, dreams, and fears instead of thinking of them as the faceless, cruel officers whose only goal is to rule the galaxy. It has the added effect of making readers feel for some of the people whose destruction we might’ve cheered otherwise. You also get to view some of the events from the first trilogy through the eyes of the general population.
Being part of the military is a goal many kids have, and it’s seen as an honorable, honest profession by both rich and poor. When the kids learn that things aren’t as noble with the Empire as it seems, Thane is hardly taken by surprise because he is naturally distrustful of authority figures, but Ciena finds herself conflicted and continuing to pledge her allegiance to an order because giving her word is more important than anything else. Ciena’s honor can be a bit frustrating at points because, while understandable, there seems there should come a point when she should realize that the honorable thing to do is the right thing, which does not include trying to talk yourself into believing the Empire is not corrupt. However, she is young and often unable to grasp the complexities of rebellion and war, and her position is one that isn’t different from many soldiers who believe they’re fighting for the right cause, even when they have some doubts.
I haven’t encountered a Star Wars audiobook yet that didn’t have an excellent narrator–in this case, Pierce Cravens. As usual, it’s full production with music and sound effects. I didn’t have trouble hearing the narrator over the sound effects in the story. There’s nothing that makes the various fight scenes really resonate than hearing PEW PEW noises in the background. While there were a few things that annoyed me aside from Ciena’s infuriating honor, they were such insignificant things that I won’t rant about them. Overall, this was an excellent read.
Narrator: Pierce Cravens | Length: 11 hrs and 41 mins | Audiobook Publisher: Listening Library (September 4, 2015) | Whispersync Ready: Yes
While it is certainly unfortunate that much of the Star Wars Extended Universe has been chucked, after reading four of these canon books, I can say that I appreciate the cohesive story that these books tell together and how they complement the movies. They’re really focusing in on the politics and the people in this war rather than casting about. I’m not knocking the Extended Universe or the books that are part of it, especially since I still plan to read more from the Extended Universe. It’s just nice that they’re trying to give a clearer timeline that can work for new and old fans interested in the books.
Be sure to check out our Star Wars tag where you can find reviews and more!
It’s Audiobook Month!
Posted on June 1, 2016 10 Comments
June is Audiobook Month as designated by the Audiobook Publishers Association. The APA’s website mentions a few ways for audiobook fans to get involved and spread audiobook awareness. The APA’s mission is as follows, quoted directly from their site:
Formed in 1987, the Audio Publishers Association (APA) is a not-for-profit trade association that advocates the common, collective business interests of audio publishers. The APA consists of audio publishing companies and allied suppliers, distributors, and retailers of spoken word products and allied fields related to the production, distribution and sale of audiobooks.
APA:
Advocacy: Promote policies and activities to create greater awareness and accelerate audiobook industry growth.
Events: Deliver programs and services that serve the common business interests for all members.
Networking: Serve as a networking, educational, and informational forum for members.
Standards: Advocate and guide for high quality production value.
Some ways of promoting and connecting with other listeners include diving into the following hashtags.
#loveaudiobooks
#audiobooks
#JIAM
Below is a quick guide to some of our audiobook related posts.
Our Favorite Narrators Pt. I
Our Favorite Narrators Pt. II
This year marks the second year that we’re participating in the Audiobook Challenge as a team. This challenge is hosted by The Book Nympho and Hot Listens. Check out our goals for this year, and see how we fared in last year’s challenge. And it’s never too late to join this challenge if you’re interested.
2016 Audiobook Challenge: Intro Post | 1st Quarter
2015 Audiobook Challenge: 1st Quarter | 2nd Quarter | 3rd Quarter | 4th Quarter
Last year, I took the opportunity to make some of June’s Top Ten Tuesday challenges fit in with Audiobook month, as well as sharing ten speculative podcasts that readers might enjoy.
Top Ten Audiobooks I’ve Listened to in 2015
Top Ten Audiobooks on My TBR Pile for Summer 2015
Top Ten Most Anticipated (Audiobook) Releases For the Rest of 2015
Ten Podcasts for Fans of Speculative Literature
We were very fortunate to feature an interview with one our favorite audiobook narrators, Simon Vance, during June last year.
Voice of Gold: An Interview with Award-winning Narrator Simon Vance
Finally, be sure to check out our audiobook tag for more reviews and audiobook related posts.
Audiobook Resources: Audible | Ambling Books | Downpour | Tantor | Barnes & Noble | Audio Jukebox | ListenUp Audiobooks | Graphic Audio | Audiobooks.com | Books On Tape
Happy Listening!
Waiting on Wednesday 06/01/16
Posted on June 1, 2016 15 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
No Good Dragon goes Unpunished by Rachel Aaron (August 5th 2016 by Aaron/Bach, LLC)
Last Friday Rachel Aaron shared details on her blog about the third book in her Heartstrikers series, along with the final cover and release date. Chelsie is her usual bad-ass self! I can’t wait to read it.
“When Julius overthrew his mother and took control of his clan, he thought he was doing right by everyone. But sharing power isn’t part of any proper dragon’s vocabulary, and with one seat still open on the new ruling Council, all of Heartstriker is ready to do whatever it takes to get their claws on it, including killing the Nice Dragon who got them into this mess in the first place.
To keep his clan together and his skin intact, Julius is going to have to find a way to make his bloodthirsty siblings play fair. But there’s more going on in Heartstriker Mountain than politics. Every family has its secrets, but the skeletons in Bethesda’s closet are dragon sized, and with Algonquin’s war looming over them all, breaking his clan wide open might just be the only hope Julius has of saving it.”
Audiobook Review: Lightless by C.A. Higgins
Posted on May 31, 2016 8 Comments
Genre: Science Fiction, Space Opera
Series: Lightless #1
Publisher: Del Ray (September 29, 2015)
Information: Website | Twitter
Tiara’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Narrator: Fiona Hardingham | Length: 11 hrs and 32 mins | Audiobook Publisher: Random House Audio (September 29, 2015) | Whispersync Ready: No (as of this posting)
Lightless blipped on my radar for two reasons. First, there is a Worlds Without End challenge dedicated to the books that made io9’s list for 2015’s best science fiction and fantasy novels, which features this book. Second, I received a review copy of the upcoming second book, Supernova, and since I can’t dive into a second book without reading the first, I decided to purchase this book and give it a listen.
First a warning for those who enjoy reading the Amazon and/or Goodreads summaries of books. There are some spoilers in the summaries for both books. I don’t mind spoilers, but while listening, I realized that the author was trying to buildup to these reveals (at least one of them, anyway). Part of the appeal of the story is trying to sift through what’s truth and what’s fiction. It’s one thing to have the readers assume these things might be true in their reading, but putting it right there in the summary takes away from the mystique of allowing readers to make their own conclusions until the fog clears. With that brief rant out of the way, let’s get on with the review.
In this distant future, humanity has spread across the galaxy, reaching as far as the outer edge of the galaxy. The System Intelligence Agency polices the galaxy, handing down harsh punishments to people for slight offenses. Dissent has festered among some groups, and the System finds itself faced with pocket rebellions throughout the galaxy. However, the galaxy’s struggles, while present and important, are secondary in this novel. This story centers around the ship Annake, an experimental military vessel built around a black hole, and Althea Bastet, a engineer who has become emotionally attached to the ship. Side note: Althea reminded me of another character from my favorite game series (Joker from Mass Effect, duh) who also was emotionally attached to a spaceship.
Actual male Althea.
Despite it’s massive size, the Annake is manned by a three-man crew including Althea, but they find their numbers increased when thieves breach the vessel and tamper with the ship. Althea works tirelessly to undo the disruptive virus introduced by the breach while her colleagues work to find out why the thieves targeted the Annake.
Lightless is a psychologically driven novel that focuses on its characters more than anything else, so if you prefer your space operas fast and furious, this book may prove to be too slow for your speed. The story unfolds layers at a time as readers try to piece together what’s real and what’s not as the characters wage psychological warfare against one another. As the story soldiers on, you begin to see frayed edges of the main characters–their weaknesses, their prejudices, their fatal flaws. Despite their beliefs that they’re good at what they do, they fall apart. The ship’s continuing problems further aggravates this by playing into the familiar theme of man versus machine, which creates a tense backdrop that culminates to a chaotic, explosive end. Higgins employs the laws of thermodynamics to frame this narrative, using it to allude to the environment on the ship and the interactions of the characters with one another, their interactions with the galaxy/power structure at large, and their interactions with the ship itself.
The amount of work done in one direction is the same as the amount of heat transferred in the other, or, the internal energy of an isolated system is constant.
Because of this, a perpetual motion machine cannot exist, and all systems come to an end.
As interesting as this deconstruction of her characters was, and while I certainly understand why she went the direction she did with some characters, it didn’t stop me from feeling as if certain characters were a joke, a really bad joke. There were moments when I just felt these characters were completely incompetent and stupid, but that could go hand-in-hand with the overestimation of their abilities. However, I enjoyed this story, so I can forgive that.
Now, this book does suffer from being a bit too “talk-y.” I would expect a story like this to be more action oriented, to really capitalize on the claustrophobic, isolated feel of the setting, but a large portion of this book revolves around two characters conversing around the sections of the novel that focus on Althea and the ship. There’s nothing wrong with that, but in this case, it made the story feel tedious at times. There had to be better ways to convey the information they exchanged than to have two characters literally sitting in a room together going back and forward for a huge chunk of the novel. While I love a good psychological story, I expected much more to happen in this story than what actually happened. In fact, I feel like the last third of the book is where the pace really picked up and showcased the best of this story.
Fiona Hardingham narrated the story with the kind of straightforwardness you’d expect from a novel in this vein. While most of her men sounded largely the same, she did an excellent job with the female characters’ voices, especially a cold, calculated character named Ida Stays.
If you don’t enjoy “hard” science fiction, don’t fret. Aside from these brief passages about the laws of thermodynamics, the science in this novel is easy to grasp. The science is almost secondary to the conflict. Higgins has created an absorbing and thoughtful read with Lightless. Sabotage, intrigue, and terrorism meets loyalty, freedom, and even a hint of humor in this story. I’m definitely looking forward to visiting this universe again in Supernova, especially to see if we’ll be diving into the larger conflict now that we’ve established the characters.
Story
Performance
Overall
Top Ten Tuesday: Beach Reads Week
Posted on May 31, 2016 30 Comments
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. They created the meme because they love lists. Who doesn’t love lists? They wanted to share these list with fellow book lovers and ask that we share in return to connect with our fellow book lovers. To learn more about participating in the challenge, stop by their page dedicated to it and dive in!
This week’s topic: Beach Reads Week
I practically live on the beach year round because I live on the Gulf Coast, so any book can turn into a beach read for me. I’m not really the type of person who picks different books for the beach, even though I have tried to do so in the past. On top of that, speculative fiction probably isn’t what one thinks of when considering beach reads, but oh well… Here are ten speculative books that will likely be accompanying me to the beach this summer.
Signal to Noise by Silvia Moreno-Garcia | The Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch
Grave Peril by Jim Butcher | The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
Hunting Ground by Patricia Briggs | Blood Bound by Patricia Briggs
Supernova by C.A. Higgins | Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop
Dangerous Women edited by George R.R. Martin & Gardner Dozois| All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders
What reads will be accompanying you to the beach this summer?
Week 4: Between Two Thorns Read-Along
Posted on May 30, 2016 4 Comments
We’re continuing with The Split Worlds read-along this week, starting with the first book Between Two Thorns! If you’re interested in joining this Read-Along, visit the SF/F Read-Along group for more information and to join the discussion.
The new season is starting and the Master of Ceremonies is missing. Max, an Arbiter of the Split Worlds Treaty, is assigned with the task of finding him with no one to help but a dislocated soul and a mad sorcerer.
There is a witness but his memories have been bound by magical chains only the enemy can break. A rebellious woman trying to escape her family may prove to be the ally Max needs.
But can she be trusted? And why does she want to give up eternal youth and the life of privilege she’s been born into?
Part 1 – Monday 9th May: Chapters 1-9, hosted by Over The Effing Rainbow
Part 2 – Monday 16th May: Chapters 10-18, hosted by On Starships and Dragonwings
Part 3 – Monday 23rd May: Chapters 19-25, hosted by OneMore.org (Imyril)
Part 4 – Monday 30th May: Chapters 26-End, hosted by Lynn’s Books
1. We seem to have a number of separate threads even by the end of the book – what do you make of it all so far. Were you surprised by any of the final revelations?
Mogsy: Yeah, wow. I have a lot of thoughts about the ending. The way it was laid out like that reminded me so much of those old mystery dramas where the great detective stands up in the middle of everyone and just monologues all his findings for the audience’s benefit. So the truth about the inter-Rosa feud comes out, and so turns out there was indeed a bit of collusion going on there. However, last week a particular seed was planted in my brain about Amelia thanks to the wily observations of some of the other read-alongers. Now I can’t help but wonder if she might have magically charmed Will in some way to make him putty in her hands. The more I read, the more it felt like his attraction to her was just a tad…unnatural. So, are Amelia and her brother really as innocent as they claim to be, or is it just her charm (if it exists) digging its hooks deeper into Will, compelling him to defend her? It’s hard to believe we’ve come to the end of the book, but I still have so many questions.
Tiara: I wasn’t really surprised since after the last section I definitely could see how things were going with the Rosas after piecing it all together. It was just a matter of seeing how it all ultimately played out, and it was definitely done in dramatic fashion.
2. What are your impressions of the world that Emma Newman has created here?
Mogsy: I really like it, especially the idea of this “in-between” place called the Nether. Lots of fascinating characters, and the way they do things there is certainly different.
Tiara: Newman has created one of those worlds where I’m not quite sure I actually like it, but I find it strangely compelling. It’s like being that nosy neighbor who doesn’t have an invested interest in something, but still has to know what’s going on all the same. It’s just interesting enough to keep me reading, but that is the case with many first novels.
3. Do you have any favourite characters so far? Any characters that you’re still not sure of and who do you positively dislike?
Mogsy: I feel sheepish to admit that I don’t actually find any of the major characters to be all that likeable, but that’s okay because to be honest I prefer non black-and-white characters. They all seem to have their virtues and vices, and that’s what keeps things interesting. Cathy didn’t do anything more to annoy me this section, so that’s good, though I’m still unsure about Will. I want to think the best of him, that maybe his poor judgment is the result of him being manipulated, but I guess we’ll just have to see. I also haven’t really made up my mind about Sam or Max, since I feel their roles were kind of underused. I really liked Max when he was first introduced, but after that he was practically relegated into the background. And Sam, he almost seemed like an afterthought this week, the way he just showed up for the finale, but I can see his “lovable fool” persona growing on me.
Tiara: Sadly, not at this point. As I said, I’m just the nosy neighbor trying to see how the neighbors are embarrassing themselves today, so I can shake my head like the curmudgeonly old lady I am.
4. What are your predictions for moving into the next story?
Mogsy: I’m guessing we’ll get to see the fallout from the Rosa fiasco and how Will is going to handle the Amelia and Cornelius mess, which no doubt will cause some strain between Will and Cathy, or at the very least between their families. The next few items are less predictions and more hopes, really, but first I would like to see questions about Sam’s wedding ring answered. I also want to see the repercussions of his and Cathy’s visit to Lord Poppy. Finally, I expect and hope Max will have a larger role, considering the final scene. Really excited to get started with book two.
Tiara: Since Cathy’s thing is about challenging the status quo, I feel like that is going to continue as best she can. Give her an inch and all that. I think Will is going to have to acclimate himself to his strange new wife. I think we’ll find out about how Lee and Sam connect to the Nether and how Lord Poppy will complicate Sam’s life. Will… I’m guessing he’ll have to have some sort of position. He comes from a powerful family, so it’d have to be a position that would suit his rank, which might tie into Cathy challenging their world’s traditions. So, yes, despite some ambivalence, I’m curious to see how everyone moves forward.
Book Review: Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor
Posted on May 30, 2016 14 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor
Mogsy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Book 1 of The Chronicles of St. Mary’s
Publisher: Night Shade Books (US: June 7, 2016)
Length: 348 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
What a fun little time travel book! As someone who frequently goes trawling through Audible’s site looking for sci-fi and fantasy releases, I often see the audiobooks in this series pop up in my recommendations and I’ve always been curious about them. Now the first book is finally being released in the US in print (seven volumes are already available in the UK, where the series has become quite a sensation) and when the publisher Night Shade Books offered me a review copy, I absolutely couldn’t resist.
Just One Damned Thing After Another is a novel that wastes no time getting to the good stuff. The story stars our plucky narrator Madeleine “Max” Maxwell, a historian who gets recruited by a group of time travelers working undercover behind the façade of St. Mary’s Institute of Historical Research. After the most hilariously bizarre interview process, Max join up with them and the adventures—and the disasters—immediately begin. There’s a rigorous training program required for all newbies where they learn all the dos and don’ts of time travel, and they also have to pass a series of tests, including a physical component because you never know what can happen during a trip back in time. After a while, it’s clear that Murphy’s Law generally applies to all missions at St. Mary’s.
The plot is very entertaining and filled with boisterous, comedic hijinks (and perfect if you like British humor). I for one love the fact that the historians prefer to call it “investigating major historical events in contemporary time” instead of using the term “time travel” because the latter is just “so sci-fi”. Due to the methods used to prepare new recruits, the beginning of the book also has a distinct “training school” vibe, though I have to say this is one of only a handful of stories I’ve encountered where a section like this feels just as good as or even better than the actual time traveling. When it comes to the evaluations at St. Mary’s, cheating is not only excused but sometimes even encouraged, a system that favors the historians who can “think outside the box”, allowing genuinely interesting characters like Max to shine.
Like many time travel books though, this one had its ups and downs. My main criticism is that, for a novel featuring time traveling academics who label themselves historians (and who also work at an institute for historical research), there was in fact disappointingly little history involved. I don’t consider myself to be a huge history buff or anything, but for me one of the biggest perks of reading time travel stories is being able to absorb interesting historical details and facts behind past events, people, and places. I thought this would be a book like that, but it turned out not to be the case. While the publisher blurb says “From eleventh-century London to World War I, from the Cretaceous Period to the destruction of the Great Library at Alexandria”, the truth is, the most exciting time period Max gets to visit will probably appeal more to dinosaur enthusiasts or paleontologists rather than history fans.
Still, if character-driven stories are your cup of tea, then you’ll find plenty to like. Max is hilarious, and I love her spirited and crafty nature. Working with a bunch of time traveling historians is pretty much as fun and crazy as you’d expect, and even the missions that end in complete disasters seem to have a humorous side. There’s also a strong romantic component, and I loved the irresistible attraction that sizzled between Max and Chief Farrell.
That said, not everything is light and fluffy either; every now and then a grim pall will settle over some of the plot’s events. There’s violence, there’s death, and there’s lots and lots of dismemberment. It can be jarring sometimes, especially when there’s a tendency for all this gruesomeness to come on suddenly. Same goes for the sex, and the random emotional displays that seem to drop in and explode out of nowhere. I certainly don’t mind the darkness and brutal themes, but as with all good things, timing is everything. Maybe this book just needed some extra editing, or maybe it was just a consequence of the author’s personal unique style. Whatever it was, I found it somewhat distracting.
So, here’s the deal. If you’re into history, and was hoping to get lots of it out of this book, then be prepare to dial back on your expectations. This book is also not heavy on the “science fiction” side of time travel. Doing it is as simple and straightforward as getting into a pod, setting the dial, and hitting the jump button. To be fair, the science and tech of it is not the point of this series, so Taylor probably did the right thing in glossing over the process. There are some general attempts to explain how the timeline is preserved and why the historians can’t mess with certain things, but my point is, if you want detailed explanations, quantum theory and the whole nine yards in your time travel fiction, then this book isn’t going to be for you.
This book IS for you though, if you enjoy 1) fun, adventurous stories about time travel, 2) books that make you laugh, especially when there’s just a touch of darkness in its sense of humor, 3) strong, memorable characters with quirky personalities, and 4) simply relaxing and having a good time with a light, entertaining book. I can see now why this series is such a hit, and knowing more about what to expect in future books, I’m definitely interested in continuing with Max’s fantastic exploits through time!
Book Review: Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge by Paul Krueger
Posted on May 29, 2016 8 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge by Paul Krueger
Mogsy’s Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Stand Alone/Book 1
Publisher: Quirk Books (June 7, 2016)
Length: 288 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Unfortunately, my high hopes for this book were not met, possibly a case of “wrong book, wrong time” or I’m simply not the right audience for this kind of urban fantasy (which I think is probably more likely).
Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge is billed as a “new adult” paranormal UF about a secret society of monster-hunting bartenders who gain super powers by imbibing their magical cocktails. The story stars Bailey Chen, a recent grad who returns home to Chicago with a business degree but no job prospects. To keep her parents off her case, she agrees to work as a bar-back at the Nightshade Lounge, a bar owned by the uncle of her childhood friend Zane.
Then one night at the end of a closing shift, a liquor cabinet left carelessly unlocked by one of the bartender leads to Bailey fixing up her own drink—what she figured to be a totally ordinary screwdriver. But walking home afterwards, Bailey encounters her very first tremens, a kind of beast-like demon. To her shock, she finds she is suddenly gifted with inhuman strength, enabling her to defeat the creature quite handily. Only then does her friend Zane let her in on the big secret: he and the other bartenders at the Nightshade are actually part of a large underground network of magical mixologists. By accidentally mixing the perfect screwdriver and killing a tremens with the powers it gave her, Bailey has suddenly come to their attention. For centuries, this group has been keeping the world safe from monsters by tapping into the magical properties of alcohol, and now Bailey has the opportunity to join their ranks.
So, this novel had a really great hook. After all, alcohol magic sounds like a boatload of fun. I also grant that it is unique, and not your typical urban fantasy. That said, though—and the irony does not escape me—had the story turned out to be a bit more conventional, it might actually have worked better for me.
The main problem I had with this book is the humor. I understand the story is meant to be a bit outlandish, or “sharp and funny”, but I personally found little to nothing that really amused me. The premise felt ridiculous, in an awkward and puerile sort of way (which is ironic too, given how this one is described as New Adult, but I’ve read Young Adult and Middle Grade books where the characters are more grounded and mature). I might have rated this book higher too if the story had been more fleshed out, but the plot was your standard paranormal fare and formulaic to boot.
It was also hard to take Bailey or any of her friends seriously when they all came across like cartoon characters–almost like clichés of clichés. Don’t get me wrong; I can totally understand wanting to give each and every one of your characters their own personality traits or quirky mannerisms in order to help make them stand out, and it might even have worked had the author not gone way overboard with it. While it was charming at the beginning, over time their idiosyncrasies just became unbearably silly. Case in point, the villain in this novel literally talks like a villain. Another example is Bucket, a character from Canada who cannot seem to stop talking about the fact that he’s from Canada. As a transplanted Canadian living in the States myself, I admit I smiled at the first couple of times he made references to Canadian bacon or milk-in-a-bag…that lasted for about ten seconds before the repeated jokes felt about as funny as nails on a chalkboard. Then there was our protagonist Bailey, an overachieving elitist who actually seems proud of the fact that she learns by rote rather than through any real kind of creativity or free thinking on her part. No, Bailey, that just makes you predictable and boring. Oh, and she also kissed a guy knowing full well he had a girlfriend. That’s just disgraceful. Bad, Bailey, bad.
There was one aspect of this book I truly adored though, namely those “excerpts” you can find between some chapters which are taken from The Devil Water’s Dictionary. This is the fictional mixologist’s guide to all things alcohol and magic, and includes the recipes, secret histories, and effects of all the various cocktails. These tidbits provide extra flavor to the story and I found them fascinating and creative.
However, overall this book and I just didn’t mesh. I’ve always preferred a more subtle kind of comedy, so no surprise that while I love the concept behind alcohol magic, I didn’t care too much for the over-the-top way it was handled. The characters were also way too unrealistic (and unlikeable). Still, given the subjective nature of humor, just because this book didn’t click with me doesn’t mean it won’t click with you, and if the novel’s description sounds like something you’d enjoy, it might be worth a shot. Unless his next book will be in a completely different genre and written in a completely different style though, I think this author and I will be parting ways for now.
Book Review: The Fireman by Joe Hill
Posted on May 28, 2016 13 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: Horror, Science Fiction
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: William Morrow (May 17, 2016)
Length: 768 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
A couple years ago I picked up NOS4R2. It was the first novel I’ve ever read by Joe Hill, and I enjoyed it so much afterwards that I told myself it certainly wasn’t going to be the last. And see, I’m one to hold to promises. When I found out about The Fireman, it went straight onto my reading list.
I’ll admit though, I didn’t know what to expect at first. I went into the book completely blind on purpose, having read no reviews and not even the full description. I wanted to be completely surprised, the way I was with NOS4R2, which ended up being a supernatural horror that cleverly blurred the lines between our world of reality and imagination. I think part of me believed The Fireman would be similar, but in fact, the book turned out to be less of a horror novel and more like a science fiction dystopian suspense-thriller, the kind that usually goes hand-in-hand with an impending apocalypse.
This time, it’s a pandemic caused by a deadly infection called Draco Incendia Trychophyton, though most folks know it by its more common name, Dragonscale—so called because of the swirls of black and gold that appear on the skin of its victims. But the most interesting thing about this plague is the way it behaves, first infecting its host with its spores, incubating in the body for some amount of time before causing them to burst into flames. What follows is spontaneous combustion by the millions, with cities rapidly being consumed by blazing infernos. There is no cure, and all measures to contain Dragonscale have failed. People are afraid, both the healthy and the sick. In a very short time, the world has become a ruin.
In the midst of all this is our protagonist Harper Grayson, a former school nurse who volunteers to help treat patients with Dragonscale after the hospitals become overcrowded and short-staffed. Despite adhering to the most stringent of anti-infection procedures however, Harper wakes up one day to the telltale black and gold streaks on her skin. And what’s even more troubling, this occurs just a few short weeks after she discovered she was pregnant. Believing himself to be infected as well, Harper’s husband Jakob snaps and blames her for everything, going as far as to attempt to kill her, thus forcing her to go on the run. Out in the world though, it is a dangerous place, with vigilantes gunning down those with Dragonscale in broad daylight with no fear of reprisal. Harper ends up being rescued by a mysterious stranger known as The Fireman, who brings her to a secret community of Dragonscale sufferers who appear to have learned how to keep their fiery deaths at bay. Harper finds safety with this group for a while, but of course the peace does not last.
While I don’t typically like making comparisons between books in my reviews, I feel like I have to make an exception here. And anyway, it’s not like doing so automatically means any negative connotations. In fact, for this particular case, I can’t think of a better way to pay this book a compliment. For you see, The Fireman totally reminded me of The Stand by Stephen King. You’ve got a pregnant young woman. A deaf character named Nick. A kindly old leader called Father Tom in the former, and a Mother Abigail in the latter. And oh yeah, mustn’t forget there’s also that whole end of the world thing, with the human race being ravaged by a killer plague. Later, I learned from a Wired article that these similarities and more were something Joe Hill realized himself, partway into writing his novel. Instead of running away from the parallels though, he decided to embrace them, writing what he calls his own fiery, gasoline-soaked version of his dad’s classic. When I read that, I actually thought it was kind of…well, sweet.
Granted, I’m sure there were other influences, as there are quite a few dystopian tropes on display here. A commune led by a tyrannical ideologue who just wants to see people yield and conform. Brainwashed followers to help them do it. Dissenters told to sit down and shut up, fall in line or else. The injustice of watching bad guys get the upper hand on good people. The mass hysteria and violence that occurs when you dehumanization what you fear. The ultimate quest by the characters for their promised land, a safe haven. All these themes are here, and so are the emotions they instill. Ergo I can’t help but think The Fireman feels like a story I’ve seen before, or that these characters (or their archetypes) are those I’ve met before in the past.
But you know what? That’s okay. There are plenty of dystopians out there, tales that serve to rip away civilization’s thin veneer, but this is Joe Hill and he does it better than most. I really liked the idea of Dragonscale, a very unique and very frightening plague in how it spreads, infects, and kills. We’d all like to think we would do the right thing in the face of such horror, but the author mercilessly bares the truth on such naivete. Would you help a stranger in need, if it meant risking the life of your own child? Could you live with yourself for turning away someone sick and dying, even if you knew that single act of kindness towards one individual might mean the death of thousands down the road? The Fireman makes you confront these tough questions, and yes, they should make you feel uncomfortable. I pray the world never finds itself in such dire straits, because I think Joe Hill has it right: things would get very ugly.
Honestly, my only real criticism is that I think this book could have benefited from some tighter writing, maybe shave a bunch of pages off of this hulking 700+ page monster. While it never bored me, there were still plenty of sections in the middle that consisted of nothing but talk, adding little to the story or to the characters. Any extra words would have been better served developing the main protagonist. Harper is a strong and kind-hearted person, but I also felt she had the least depth of the entire cast. All the major actions I can think of were undertaken by other characters, and her overall personality remained relatively static and bland, much of it summed up with Mary Poppins, Harry Potter, or Narnia allusions (which grated on my nerves after a while).
I also didn’t think there was anything too innovative or original about the plot, and the writing was so unsubtle I could spot all the big “twists” coming a mile away. I don’t want to give the impression that I didn’t enjoy this book though, because all in all it was great. However, if you’re no stranger to dystopian novels, it might just give you a sense of déjà vu. The story felt almost restrained, with none of the weird developments and mind-bending surprises I found in NOS4R2. Compared to that one, The Fireman was practically a calm, quiet stroll through the park.
When it comes to the two Joe Hill novels I’ve read so far though, each of them has its strengths in very different areas. While The Fireman is more grounded in well-established themes and ideas, I also enjoyed it for what it was, and I certainly appreciated it for its entertainment value. Not once did my enthusiasm flag even as we treaded familiar ground, thanks to the fascinating nature of the premise and the high levels of suspense kept the pages turning. I had a good time with this one, and would highly recommend.
#SPFBO: Cover Lover
Posted on May 27, 2016 9 Comments
The great 2016 Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off is underway! We here at the BiblioSanctum are currently as busy as bees reading through the first five chapters of each book and comparing notes, and every day that goes by we’re getting closer to narrowing down the field to the handful we’ll be selecting for fuller reads.
In the meantime though, we and our other fellow bloggers involved in SPFBO2 have noticed some beautiful covers among this year’s contestants. Inspired, Mark Lawrence has put together a cover contest, asking each blog site to select the top three covers from our batches. The final 30 from the 10 blogs will be voted on by all the bloggers to award gold, silver, and bronze medalists. There’s also an open poll open to the public.
To see all the entries of the SPFBO Favorite Covers contest, check out this post and vote!
It was a very tough choice for us, but in the end these are the three covers we’ve chosen to put forth into Mark’s cover contest. Today, we want to take this opportunity to feature them along with a few others that we considered, including their book descriptions. Keep in mind, we’re not actually going to be commenting on the content in any of these books at this point, since the reviewing process is still going on, but we did want to bring some attention to them since because we love pretty covers! An aesthetically pleasing, professional looking cover will go a long way in drawing readers in, leaving them with the impression that what’s inside is worth checking out. Your cover is your book’s chance to make a good first impression, so make it a good one!
BiblioSanctum’s Favorite Cover Selections
Gauntlet of Time by Trip Ellington
“Xalo believes that he and his best friend, Jirnik, are destined to spend the rest of their days barely eking out a living as poor scavengers—until a lost princess reveals his destiny as a Wielder.
Wielding his newly bonded magical gauntlet, Xalo and Jirnik are soon pulled into a perilous quest to reunite the lost princess with her family, all while being chased by the corrupted emperor and his minions…”
WHY WE LOVE THIS COVER
Wendy: This was the cover that inspired me to contact my co-bloggers and say “Hey wanna do a cover lover feature on our favourite SPFBO covers?” shortly before Mark Lawrence ended up doing that very thing. The image and pose itself isn’t particularly unique when it comes to fantasy and the font could be more interesting, but the artistic style and the subdued, pastel colours are what grabbed my eye. The artwork is probably more conducive to a comic book cover, or perhaps an RPG guide book, though not quite either of those either. Perhaps more of a hybrid of all three. Plus it reminded me of the unfinished sketchiness of one of my favourite games, Valkyria Chronicles.
“He’s killed three men in the few days she’s known him. Yes, it’s self-defense. But when he tried to kill her, it wasn’t. Her peaceful mountain refuge has been invaded, her inexplicable nausea linked to his physical presence. She’s captive in his house for her “protection,” with a churning stomach, his bad attitude, and no safe way home.
All that changed the night the stars aligned.
Now he’s talking about ancient bloodlines and celestial alignments…and other things she only believes because of what she’s seen him do. He’s heading out for revenge against the family who wronged him, and he needs her help. All she has to do is ingest one homemade dissolving tablet to allow him into her mind–to train her to be just like him.
The answer would be a definite no if she had anything of her world left. If she hadn’t fallen in love with him.
Book One of THE ALIGNMENT SERIES, a blend of modern fantasy, action, and romance.”
WHY WE LOVE THIS COVER
Tiara: I’m going to be my mother’s child and wax purple about my choice. This is a cover for the dreamers who look up at the sky and lose themselves in the night sky, for the dreamers who dream in luminous golds, ethereal blues, and wraith-like greens. This cover asks you step into a fictional land, to leave the world behind and live somewhere fantastic and unknowable, to use your imagination to be the master of the stars for just a little while. This cover ask the dreamers to find their wings and fly, to dance freely on the starlight, and revel in the beauty of their imaginations. Dream on, dreamers.
The Dragon’s Blade: The Reborn King by Michael R. Miller
“Dragons once soared in the skies, but that was before the Transformation, before they took human form. Now, demonic forces stand to obliterate them. When left mortally wounded, Darnuir, the Prince of Dragons, can only be saved through a dangerous rebirthing spell. He is left as a babe in human hands.
Twenty years later, Darnuir is of age to wield the Dragon’s Blade. As the last member of his bloodline, he is the only one who can. He is plunged into a role he is not prepared for, to lead a people he does not know. Shadowy demons ravage his new home and the alliance between humans, dragons and fairies has fractured.
Time is short, for new threats and deadlier enemies are emerging…”
WHY WE LOVE THIS COVER
Mogsy: Seeing weapons on fantasy covers is nothing new, but I really appreciate the art style on this one and the gorgeous draconic design of the hilt and cross-guard. The red and black swirling patterns exude a atmosphere of dark magic, and I love the symmetry. It’s a very eye-catching cover, and it grabbed my attention right away.
Runners-Up
There was a lot of prettiness in our batch this year. These are the other beautiful covers that caught our eye, but alas we could only choose three for Mark’s cover contest!
Wendy: Rise of the Storm and Endgame were my runners up. I liked the colours of the former and, having read the first few chapters already, I felt the fiery imagery really captured the urgency that those initial pages bring about. I also like the title text and placement. Endgame’s not perfect–it is a bit rough around the photoshopped edges upon closer inspection–but I liked the ethereal nature of the ghostly bodies rising into the light. Without reading the blurb, I could infer so many different things from this image. Is it an ascension? An alien invasion? Hmmm…
Mogsy: My runner up cover was Rise of the Reaper because of the spine-tingling feeling I get when I look at it. I love that effect of of stepping through a dark tunnel into a world of blazing color and shining magic. I also really like the cover for Rise of the Storm for a lot of the same reasons as Wendy. The layout and typography is very pleasing, and that’s a fantastically bold combination of colors.
The BiblioSanctum 