YA Weekend Audio: The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi
Posted on May 14, 2016 22 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Macmillan Audio (April 26, 2016)
Length: 9 hrs and 22 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator:
As soon as I finished this book I wanted to jump up and scream YES! This is what more YA should be like. It has originality. It has depth. It has a talking, flesh-eating demon horse. Wait, what? Yeah, more on that in a bit.
Think of The Star-Touched Queen as a retelling of the Persephone/Hades story, but inspired by the grand sweeping epics of Indian mythology. And like the greatest of the legends, this powerful journey also has elements of magic and romance, beauty and darkness, death and sacrifice. Seventeen-year-old Princess Myavati is said to be cursed, tainted with a horoscope that promises a marriage of Death and Destruction. In a kingdom where the people are deeply superstitious, this makes Maya something of an outcast in her father’s palace. None of the women in the harem want anything to do with her, but that suits Maya just fine as she puts her mind towards more scholarly pursuits.
But then Maya’s world is shattered when the Raja announces his plan to barter her off in a political marriage. The news shocks and mystifies her, because princess or not, who would want her as a cursed bride? In the end, what her father had in mind turns out to be much more complicated and terrible, but just as Maya was about to accept her fate as a mere pawn in this game of power, a new player enters the field—Amar, a mysterious prince who claims to be from a magical kingdom far away. Indeed, Amar ends up whisking Maya away to Akaran, his world beyond the mortal realm. There, he shows her wonders she never thought possible, though he reveals little of the truth about himself, telling Maya that a magical geas prevents him from answering all her questions until a certain amount of time has passed. The secrets gradually begin to eat away at Maya, who is not content to stay in Akaran like a caged bird. Acting upon her instincts, however, she unwittingly unleashes a chaos may unbalance the fates of both the ordinary world and the Otherworldly one, and now Maya needs to figure out how to make things right and save the people she loves.
While it’s true that the prose edges into purplish territory at times (especially noticeable when you’re listening to the audiobook), I’m a little tempted to let this one slide…just this once. Somehow, the style actually ends up being a good fit for kind of the imagery presented in this novel—rich, vibrant, perhaps a little bit over-the-top in terms of abstractedness, but still grounded enough to be very enjoyable. Certain aspects in this story remind me of the different kinds of myths in antiquity or folklore/legend, only retold for a modern audience.
I also really enjoyed the heavy focus on Maya and Amar’s relationship, and I don’t simply mean that we spend a lot of time on the romance. This goes deeper than that. I love the fact that author Roshani Chokshi is not afraid to slow things down, especially when current YA fiction trends are seemingly always pushing for more ACTION, ACTION, ACTION! PEP, VIM, ZING! The Star-Touched Queen is not that kind of book, and I would even understand if others call it out for its languid pacing, though I have to say found this novel no less exciting in its own unique way. I marveled at the amount of bonding time between our two main characters, or how the thoughtful, reflective conversations they had with each other actually meant something.
If you were hoping for a faster-paced story, the second part of the book does bring a little more momentum. We get to know Maya a lot better as a character, watching her personal growth as she rises above her past memories and actions. In the tradition of the ancient Indian epics, this section chronicles a hero’s journey, except in this case of course, our hero is a heroine, a princess trying to find a way to save her world and her beloved. But Maya doesn’t fight this battle alone; by her side is Kamala, the aforementioned demon horse who makes for an unlikely but humorous ally.
I also highly recommend The Star-Touched Queen in audio format. I thought narrator Priya Ayyar’s performance started out a little strained at the beginning but it gradually smoothed out to become more natural over time, and she is really good with accents. Furthermore, some stories can work incredibly well when they’re being read out loud, with certain sections that make you want to close your eyes and imagine the wonderful things described. This is definitely one of those books.
All told The Star-Touched Queen was a delight to read and listen to; I would recommend it if you’re looking for an imaginative YA retelling that’s not as formulaic and contrived. A lovely mix of romance, fantasy, and mythology.
Story: 
| Performance: | Overall:
Audiobook Rant-View: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Posted on May 13, 2016 33 Comments
Genre: Romance, Fantasy
Series: A Court of Thorns and Roses #1
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children’s (May 5, 2015)
Information: Website | Twitter | Goodreads
Tiara’s Rating: 1 of 5 stars
This is awkward.
This book is problematic. Your fav is problematic.
Thanks for the term “rant-view,” Wendy. 😉
This contains spoilers, so turn back now if you plan to read this book or just don’t want to see me ranting.
Side Note to Parents: This book is published by a children’s line. This is ABSOLUTELY not for children, though. The following is an example of problems I’ve had on many sites. Notice that the age range for this kids section is 0-10. The second book in this series (along with many other YA series I wouldn’t allow my 7-year-old to read) are included in the kids section. So be vigilant, parents.
Book Review: The Elfstones of Shannara by Terry Brooks
Posted on May 13, 2016 13 Comments
“For evil left to itself, Valeman, does not simply perish; it thrives. Evil contained is not evil destroyed.”
The Elfstones of Shannara by Terry Brooks
Genre: Fantasy
Series: The Original Shannara Trilogy #2
Original Publication Date: 1982
Author Info: terrybrooks.net
Wendy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
I read this specifically because I wanted to compare it to the television series, The Chronicles of Shannara, which I recently watched (and which we recently discussed in the Sanctum Sanctorum). Otherwise, I really had no intention of returning to Shannara. I read LOTR 2.0 — I mean, The Sword of Shannara, and was bored. Were it not for the fact that I was actually watching paint dry at the time (repainting my kitchen) and being entertained by my co-blogger, Tiara, who had recently undertaken the same journey, I am not sure how I would have survived the trip. But what actually turned out to be a respectable show, despite being housed on MTV, was enough to inspire me to revisit this post-apocalyptic world to, well, see what new apocalypse was on the way.
This time, Shay Ohmsford’s grandson is doing Allanon’s manipulative bidding to save the world from evil. The Ellcrys, the great tree that holds back the demon hordes, is dying. To save it, its seed must be replanted by a chosen one. But conveniently, the demons have slaughtered the chosen ones–save for the young elven princess, Amberle, with whose care Allanon charges Wil Ohmsford, the current bearer of the elfstones. Can Wil and Amberle make it to Safehold and figure out what to do with the seed and the bloodfire? Will the elf army be able to hold off the demon horde until they do?
I’m not going to lie. Watching the show greatly enhanced what is otherwise an interesting, but still pretty dull journey. It’s like playing an RPG video game and slogging through all those grind-y moments with characters I just didn’t care about. Amberle and Wil are just plain dull, no matter how much life and emotion Brooks tries to infuse into them and their growing relationship with each other. Thankfully, the Rover girl Eretria adds some much needed fire to the threesome, which the show plays up for good reason. Wil and Amberle alone fizzle, but with Eretria in their midst, there’s a bit more potential which the show takes advantage of by aging up the characters and letting them have of the sex, and, more importantly, allows them to form a strong bond of friendship between the three of them.
BFFs – or at least until one of us has to sacrifice themselves to save the world
It also helps that the show gives me lovely visuals of Allanon to work with, in the form of Manu Bennett. I was pleasantly surprised to meet the eleven prince, Ander Elessedil as well. Many characters get more face time in The Chronicles of Shannara in order to express themselves (including the bad guy, the Dagda Mor, who is little more than a named end boss in the book). I didn’t expect, when watching the show, that Ander would play such a prominent role in terms of screen time, but I am glad this focus on his character remained true to its source as Ander struggles with his potential as heir to the throne, and leader of the elven army against the demons threatening to destroy everything.
Ander and Allanon: handsoming on the battlefield.
Did Brooks’ writing improve in the second book? His prose is a bit tighter, though he still relies on Allanon to divulge large chunks of backstory that are usually prefaced with the equivalent of “I bet you don’t want to know what went down before right? Well let me tell you.” Brooks’ plotting also still relies on letting his main characters plod along with their journey frequently interrupted by the monster of the week. This is, of course, what plays nicely into the hands of a television station that needs to entertain an audience on a weekly basis. I think though, I prefer his later books, the ones that actually take place prior to these events. I’ll rely on the show to take me through its interpretation of The Wishsong of Shannara in season two, but I think I will finally get back to reading The Gypsy Morph, the final book in his Genesis of Shannara series to see how this once earth comes to be–because, boring or not, I actually have come to love the world that Brooks has created here. And maybe, by the end of all this, I will finally remember how to spell Shanarra Shannara properly.
Week 2: Red Seas Under Red Skies Read-Along
Posted on May 12, 2016 3 Comments
Ever wanted to be a pirate? Long hours, hard work, certain peril, possibilities of swashbuckling and seasickness. Don’t forget to bring a kitten. It’s not Locke Lamora’s idea of a career move, but after a promising start the Gentleman Bastards find themselves out of their depth in Tal Verrar. Can Locke and Jean outwit the Archon, the Bondsmagi, the master of the Sinspire and all the pirates on the Sea of Brass?
You are cordially invited to join the Red Seas Under Red Skies read-along.
- 5th May Chapters 1-3 hosted at x+1
- 12th May Chapters 4-6 hosted at x+1
- 19th May Chapters 7-10 hosted at The Illustrated Page
- 26th May Chapters 11-13 hosted at x+1
- 2nd Jun Book 3 & Epilogue hosted at x+1
1. “And if some small part of him felt sour at twisting her emotions (gods damn it, that part of him had rarely spoken up before!) – well, he reminded himself that he could do as he pleased and feel as he pleased while he was Leocanto Kosta. Leocanto Kosta wasn’t real.”
Between flirting with Selendri, confronting the horrors of Salon Corbeau and handling a certain cliff-top encounter, Locke’s conscience gets a solid work-out this week. What do you make of our little thief’s elastic ethics? Is he a good man, a good thief, or both?
Tiara: Both. Yeah, he’s a thief and obviously he frames his crimes as something that doesn’t really hurt the people he robs rather than leaving them feeling put out, but that doesn’t mean that he can’t still care for the human condition. Those two things are not mutually exclusive. Even in the first book, it was obvious that Locke doesn’t care for gratuitous violence. He may be selfish about his own needs, but not at the expense of others.
As I said during the last book, Locke is not cruel. He doesn’t like to see people suffer. If there is something that he can do to stop it, he will. Locke helped the nobility of Camorr in the last book from suffering loss as he had. Yes, maybe some of that was to be able to sink the ship, but I always felt a larger part of it was because he doesn’t care to see anyone–rich or poor–who doesn’t deserve it suffer.
That idea shaped up even more in this book during the sections about the Salon Corbeau, and if I have to go by the last book and his strong reaction to seeing such suffering at the Salon Corbeau, he’s going to make the nobles who participate in the Salon Corbeau’s Amusement Wars pay. I don’t feel like that’s something he’s going to just let go.
Also, I appreciated that Locke acknowledges that he has a conscience, but that he’s quelled it over the years thanks to his thievery. However, there are some things that even his conscience won’t be silenced about such as using Selendri’s misfortune or watching the Amusement Wars. It would’ve been astonishingly gross if he’d thought it was okay to use Selendri’s pain for his pursuits, and it’s one of those things that can really make me hate a writer’s story. So, I’m glad it eats at Locke.
Wendy: Locke has never been shown to be a cruel person. Even when he seeks to hurt someone, there is usually a sense of justice behind it–this person is deserving of the pain. I never read him as someone who went out of his way to concern himself with the welfare of others if he was not directly involved in said welfare. He saved the nobles at the end of Lies, but that and everything he does seems to be incredibly self-serving. I don’t think he could have walked away from Gentled nobles without any sense of guilt at not saving them, but I do think he would have been able to get over that easily enough, especially since he still has the lost of his friends to deal with. This book has intrigued me though because it has revealed another side to Locke that struck me first when he paid tribute to the dead man in the cage of wasps:
“Crooked Warden,” Locke muttered under his breath, speaking quickly, “a glass poured on the ground for a stranger without friends. Lord of gallants and fools, ease this man’s passage to the Lady of the Long Silence. This was a hell of a way to die. Do this for me and I’ll try not to ask for anything for a while. I really do mean that this time.”
2. “I think Selendri can be sweet-talked, at least a little bit.”
…what do you think? What do you make of Selendri so far?
Tiara: I like Selendri a lot. I do think it’s unfair of Locke to prey on her vanities, especially considering her circumstances and how vicious her own self view could be, but I’m glad there is at least some remorse for that. I know she’s a means to an end for Locke, and karma will probably punish Locke in some hilarious way for it in the end. Her story about how she became disfigured was heartbreaking, and I can definitely understand why she’d be so wary and distrustful of people while being loyal to Requin who was the only person who tried to help her. I can’t pin down too much on her just yet, but she seems capable and not someone you’d want as an enemy.
Wendy: Selendri is someone clearly not to be messed with, but the story of her disfigurement and the loyalty to each other that it revealed in both her and Requin was very moving. I did not like the idea of Locke seeking to manipulate her because I have developed a soft spot for her. Pity? Perhaps. Though I don’t imagine Selendri would appreciate my pity one bit and I suspect Locke’s attempts to manipulate her will not work out as one might expect. Lynch is pretty good and keeping me on my toes!
3. “You are thieves. I am offering you a chance to help steal history itself.”
Now that Stragos’s plan is laid bare before us, what do you make of his purported ambitions – and of his strategy for achieving them?
Tiara: I have to go with Locke on this one. Stragos is a fucking lunatic. It’s not just the fact that he wants to send them to sea. This whole plan he has for making the Navy great again is ambitious, convoluted, and ill thought out. You want Locke and Jean to become a captain and first mate when they can barely stomach the sea. I don’t care what kind of puppet you have accompanying them. You want them to commit acts of piracy, but still somehow come back to the city for their vitamins to curtail the poison. You have this grand scheme that has so many holes it can’t do anything but backfire in the end. Not to mention Stragos sounds like he is literally foaming at the mouth insane. This gif just sums up this whole idea. (He really is like Cutler Beckett from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies.)
Wendy: lol what more can I say after Tiara posts that gif?
4. “Then I may report to my masters that the plan is underway?”
How many different factions do you think are in play at this stage? Any ideas who Merrain might be working for?
Tiara: We know for sure that we have Requin, Stragos, and the Bondsmagi. I believe that the Priori are probably lurking around somewhere in the background, probably not being as stupid as Stragos thinks they are. I’m not sure I can say at this point who Merrain is working for. It might be safe to assume that she might be working for the Priori, but I don’t think so. Someone is trying to assassinate Locke and Jean in a more obvious manner than the Bondsmagi. I feel like that might be the Priori for whatever reason. Maybe they have an idea that Locke and Jean are two cogs in some scheme Stragos is cooking up since there seems to be some animosity between Stragos and the Priori. If they’re the ones trying to kill Locke and Jean, then it might not make much sense to have Merrain save them or set up such an elaborate scheme to orchestrate their deaths. Also, since Merrain is working with Stragos, she’s likely not working for the Priori since she does have some knowledge of Stragos’ plan to send them to sea.
Wendy: My first thought is the Bondsmagi, but while they seem to be all knowing and can be subtle and crafty if they want to be, that doesn’t seem prudent for them here. The Priori seems to be the likely Other Party, if only because we haven’t seen them yet and don’t know–beyond what we know from the likes of Requin and Stragos–what they stand for and how they go about their business.
Optional extra: Now let’s be frivolous. How cool are Verrari job titles? Eye of the Archon. Consulting Poisoner. Second Mistress of the Great Guild of Artificers. What would you like your Verrari job title be?
Tiara: Residing Ambassador of Ethical Racketeering, Mistress of Phalanx Inspiration and Managed Mischief, Project Evangelista (Yes, that’s all one title. LOL.)
Wendy: Executive Assistant and Technical Bridgemaster of the Office of The Most Auspicious of Being.
Graphic Novel Review Bites
Posted on May 12, 2016 11 Comments
Hinges Vol. 2: Paper Tigers
With thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this graphic novel.
This is a very quiet book. As in, it doesn’t often use words to tell its story, instead relying, as it should, on the images. The main character, Orio, rarely speaks unless it is necessary, and her partner, Bauble, says nothing at all. But Bauble certainly knows how to get Orio in trouble. Such is the nature of an imp, and it is because of this that Orio is forced to leave the clockwork city she’d just settled in. Imps are considered evil and dangerous but by the end of the book, it is clear that there’s something more to Bauble and that Orio’s loyalty is not unfounded. Volume two also introduces a new character, Abernathy, who has left troubles in his own home to find other cities. Together, they find lots more trouble that leaves them in a literal cliffhanger situation after they discover a city filled with danger and secrets.
I love this series. The stark monochrome and the expressive panels are powerful and the quiet threat that looms within and without the city–and perhaps within Bauble as well–lends an ominous undertone, and Abernathy is a curious addition. He seems trustworthy, but looks are deceiving. Meredith McClaren always offers just enough in every aspect of this story to lure me in further and further…
Star Wars: Princess Leia
Leia finds herself without a home or a role in the rebellion and the few of her people that remain don’t think too highly of her ice queen persona. Why doesn’t she grieve, they wonder? As if everyone must grieve in the same way. Leia imposes herself on an Alderaanian pilot named Evaan with whom she wants to be friends, though the woman keeps herself at a carefully caustic subservient distance. They take off to scour the galaxy for pockets of survivors to gather them together before the Emperor wipes them out completely.
The exploration of Leia’s feelings and actions following the death of her planet has the potential to be a great read, but that’s not really what we get here. In fact, I can’t really say that this is a Leia story at all since the character often doesn’t resemble Leia at all in her actions. She’s brash and bold, and quick to drop pretenses and subterfuge — which is good since every time she “disguises” herself, everyone immediately recognizes her. Probably because she wears bright white and has got that telltale hair thing going on. She impresses the wayward Alderaanians with her courage and willingness to sacrifice herself, but the storytelling just doesn’t dig deep enough to make any of this convincing. This is a complaint I’ve had with a few graphic novels recently where perhaps too many assumptions have been made about the character and their survival to tell a convincing story. I suspect that some of the problem is the medium. The limited space in a comic doesn’t give a lot of time for exposition and character introspection. Alternatively, perhaps if Leia’s mission had focused on one or two groups rather than bouncing around to three, it would have allowed for greater detail and depth. I found myself comparing this to Martha Wells’ Razor’s Edge that dealt with a similar adventure but (a) the format allowed for more depth, and (b) the plot stayed put in one place, with one group of Alderaanians.
The art was Terry Dodson standard which is to say that it is good and I like it, but in my maturity, I’ve grown tired of “same face” syndrome. Occasionally Leia looks like Carrie Fisher, but mostly she just looks like every other character in the book and every other character Dodson has ever drawn.
Dungeons & Dragons: Legends of Baldur’s Gate
This was a quick and fun read that follows some pretty basic fantasy roleplaying game standards. It introduces several new characters, but draws in fans of the Baldur’s Gate series with the inclusion of Minsc. I’m not familiar with the character, but what’s not to love about a man who leaps into battle wielding a big ol’ sword and a hamster and yelling things like, “If there is danger, then I shall dange it!” The other characters are a formulaic heart of gold rogue duo, and an elf sorceress who is searching for her brother. She is hunted by a dragon cult who, oh I really don’t have to explain it. This is the plot of just about every basic fantasy series ever. But as I said, it’s quick and it’s fun in both art and story and sometimes, that’s all I need.
Broken Frontier: Anthology
This anthology is the result of a Kickstarter that I supported–a worthy investment. It collects numerous short stories that cover a broad spectrum of science fiction, revealing just how diverse the genre is and should be. As with any anthology, there will be hits and misses, but this time, even with the stories that didn’t speak to me as much as the others, I was so impressed by the creativity and honesty that went into their telling and illustration. It seems that it is the mandate of the collection that each story end with a cliffhanger or a big reveal that gives the sense of vastness and wonder–a frontier yet to be explored if we dare.
Dragon Age, Volume 1
U MAD, Gleam?
I’ve heard bad things about this but read it anyway because. Dragon Age. The bad things were true. Orson Scott Card apparently took the basic notes he received from Bioware and, well, wrote a basic story filled with two-dimensional characters doing two-dimensional things. It starts with a templar and a mage falling in love and making whoopee. This is not a good thing at the chantry. Not good for the mage, that is, who is hunted down and killed when she tries to escape with her child. She manages to get the child to safety, but in a shocking twist of events, the child grows up to be a mage that is forced into situations that cause her to use her magic and attract the attention of her templar dad who has to hunt her down. The most entertaining and unpredictable part of this book are the awkward poses and facial expressions of the main character.
Tomb Raider Volume 1 : Season of the Witch
I had no intention of playing the new Tomb Raider game after its initial shitty marketing campaign. Gail Simone felt the same way at first and turned down Dark Horse’s request to write this series. She was later convinced to try the game and discovered that their marketing department is full of idiots who thought showing sexual assault was great advertising. On Simone’s recommendation, I tried it too and am glad I did, especially since it allowed me to better appreciate the particular scene within the intended context.
Anyway, I’m fairly certain that Simon played the game before writing this series because it might as well have been DLC. The return to Yamatai isn’t unexpected, plot-wise, since the island did have such a hold on Lara and the crew of the Endurance, but the story could have taken a more inspired direction rather than rehashing the kidnapping and resurrection process players endured in the game, complete with the re-kidnapping of Lara’s friend Sam. The game took the time to explain how Lara becomes the killer that she is, doing what she has to do to survive and protect her friends. This starts off with Lara dealing with the psychological and emotional aftermath of that. An important road to explore for the character, but it might have been more interesting if told on an adventure that wasn’t so similar to her last one.
Guest Post: “In Terra Ignota, Diaspora Becomes Nations Without Borders” by Ada Palmer
Posted on May 11, 2016 12 Comments
In case you missed it, yesterday I posted my review of the novel Too Like the Lightning, sharing my thoughts on this extraordinary book which takes place in a futuristic world very different from the one we live in right now. That’s why we’re absolutely thrilled and honored to welcome author Ada Palmer to The BiblioSanctum today, to tell us a bit about her inspiration for the book and how her own experiences studying in Italy have shaped the political and geographic philosophy of her Terra Ignota series. As someone who grew up with expatriate parents and holds multiple passports myself, I found Ada’s post utterly fascinating, and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did!
IN TERRA IGNOTA, DIASPORA BECOMES NATIONS WITHOUT BORDERS
by Ada Palmer
In Terra Ignota I imagine a future Earth united by a transportation system so quick you can get from anywhere on Earth to anywhere else on Earth in two hours. As a result, the whole world is within commuting distance, like a city and its suburbs, so it’s perfectly practical to live in Honolulu, work in Tokyo and lunch in Paris while a spouse works in Buenos Aires and lunches in Mumbai. The immediate result of such a technology might be something like a world of expats, where every house on a block might contain citizens of a different nation, and no child grows up without friends from many other ethnic and linguistic groups living and playing on the same block. In such a future, geography would rapidly cease to makes sense as the political or cultural unit, since the community of people you share a culture with is inevitably diasporic, people united by language, background, hobbies, interests, work, school rather than centered in the place where you happened to be born, or buy real estate. Politics would have to adapt to draw lines between peoples in some other way than on a map.
I started thinking about this question during the years I spent living in Florence and Rome at academic research institutes. These places have scholars from a dozen countries, with families and kids, living together as a community nowhere near anyone’s home nation. Local city regulations governed our daily activities, but every day I sat down to dinner with people remotely governed by ten different governments and ten different sets of laws, all mixing effortlessly. I watched kids who spoke a dozen languages playing together, rapidly creating their own unique language as they taught each other the most useful phrases from their own. I talked with families where the father might be Spanish, the mother Australian, with kids born in France and growing up in Italy, kids for whom nationality had nothing to do with the spot where they were born, and everything to do with which of many cultures they felt connected to. Such a child’s community was partly at school, partly at the institute, partly online, friends from past homes on the far side of the world, or friends they’d only met online—a universal phenomenon for children of the internet age. I listened to parents talking about such kids growing up and having to choose which passport to get, which nation to be governed by. Sitting at those tables made me think how irrelevant it was in many ways that all our citizenships corresponded to blotches of territory on a map. In that moment citizenship wasn’t about geography, it was about identity, language, law, what power you would appeal to in a crisis, and which government your absentee ballot had a say in.
Seven Surrenders – Book 2 of Terra Ignota
This gave me my idea for non-geographic nations, a future where international travel and marriage would become more common—as they already are in the European Union—until living in the place that corresponds to your government becomes the exception instead of the rule. Why, then, have geography be part of citizenship at all? I don’t mean the end of all the nations that exist now, but what if being Italian, or South African, or Japanese meant identity, a choice, what government you love, respect, and choose to be a part of, instead of where you live? What if the diasporic global populations that consider themselves Chinese or Greek or Igbo came to be what those nations really meant, instead of places? Parents with kids born with four different potential claims to citizenship would talk about their children growing up and choosing for themselves which one(s) to keep, thinking about which identities they shared, and which laws they most wanted to be governed by. In such a world, nations might have no geography at all. City and regional ordinances could be the only geographic law, and people could choose a government when they grow up, and by governed by it no matter where they live. There is no reason you can’t have people governed by different laws living side-by-side; it happens today all the time as people travel. In fact, throughout Earth history there have been countries with multiple law overlapping in the same place, like how Europe had Church Law alongside lay laws, so two siblings one of whom was a monk and the other a carpenter would be governed by entirely different laws, courts and so on. It worked for centuries with no more hiccups than any modern legal system has.
And if citizenship were part of coming-of-age instead of being dropped on you by chance of birth, then governments would have to compete for citizens, working to represent ideals and traditions people would be proud to choose to be part of. Nationalism, language, religion, and race as well as political opinions would now affect people’s citizenship directly, so young people might grow up and have to choose which was more important to them, a government which reflected their native races/languages or their favorite political ideals. An unpopular or unsuccessful government would be chosen by fewer citizens, and have a strong incentive to redefine itself, and a very unpopular regime might see citizens leave en masse, since it’s a lot easier to change citizenship when it doesn’t mean leaving your home, city and job as well.
All this feels like a big change, but it’s just a continuation of what’s already happening as transportation gets faster, and as it becomes more common to move to a new city for work or school. More and more people now live far from where we were born, and have our most important relationships with people far from where we live. The European Union is giving us an example of how a multi-state arbiter lubricating the interactions between multiple governments can make multinational lives and families easier. Terra Ignota imagines the small step from “easier” to “normal.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ada Palmer is a professor in the history department of the University of Chicago, specializing in Renaissance history and the history of ideas. Her first nonfiction book, Reading Lucretius in the Renaissance, was published in 2014 by Harvard University Press. She is also a composer of folk and Renaissance-tinged a capella music, most of which she performs with the group Sassafrass. Her personal site is at adapalmer.com, and she writes about history for a popular audience at exurbe.com and about SF and fantasy-related matters at Tor.com.
Waiting on Wednesday 05/11/16
Posted on May 11, 2016 13 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
Conspiracy of Ravens by Lila Bowen (October 11, 2016 by Orbit)
Lila Bowen (AKA Delilah S. Dawson) follows up her western fantasy novel Wake of Vultures with this sequel that looks just as magical and monstrous!
“Nettie Lonesome made a leap — not knowing what she’d become. But now the destiny of the Shadow is calling.
A powerful alchemist is leaving a trail of dead across the prairie. And the Shadow must face the ultimate challenge: side with her friends and the badge on her chest or take off alone on the dangerous mission pulling her inexorably toward the fight of her life.
When it comes to monsters and men, the world isn’t black and white. What good are two wings and a gun when your enemy can command a conspiracy of ravens?
Conspiracy of Ravens continues the exciting journey begun in Wake of Vultures as Nettie Lonesome discovers that she, and the world, are more than what they seem.”
Book Review: Too Like the Lightning by Ada Palmer
Posted on May 10, 2016 26 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Too Like the Lightning by Ada Palmer
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Book 1 of Terra Ignota
Publisher: Tor (May 10, 2016)
Length: 432 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Has a book ever made you feel completely uncertain of how you’ll rate it? Like, what if you’re blown away by its ideas, but at the same time they make you feel utterly out of your depth? Or maybe, a book that you didn’t think would fit your tastes actually ends up surprising the hell out of you. Truth be told, it’s not often that I experience such conflict with a novel, but I’m also not surprised to find myself feeling like this about Too Like the Lightning. After all, it only makes sense that a complex book will require a complex review.
Technically, Ada Palma’s debut novel can be described as political science fiction, but that’s also a gross oversimplification, for here you will also find plenty of historical allusions, social commentary, and philosophical discourse—all coupled with more traditional elements of the genre. In addition, the “story” here isn’t really that but a whole lot more, but I’ll go further into that later. First, we’re introduced to our narrator, Mycroft Canner, writing this account in the year 2454. The world has transformed into a utopia where fast, expedient travel to and from any point in the world has effectively made ideas like borders and nation states obsolete. Instead, almost everyone belongs in one of the handful of mega-factions made up of millions or billions of people. The nuclear family unit has also been replaced by a more dynamic form called a “bash’”, which can vary in size and composition of related or unrelated individuals. And war? War is another topic that one only reads about in the history books.
Mycroft is known as a “Servicer”, a convict serving out his sentence by being as useful as he can to society. Over time, he has grown close to the Saneer-Weeksbooth bash’, whose members are the custodians of this world’s transportation system, a position which gives them considerable renown and power. However, for years the bash’ has also managed to hide a big secret from everyone, sheltering a young boy with the power to work miracles. With little to no effort at all, thirteen-year-old Bridger has the power to bring inanimate objects to life whenever he pleases. Because of his status as an honorary member of the bash’, Mycroft is included in the small group of those who are aware of Bridger’s existence, but that circle is about to be widened with the sudden arrival of an appointed spiritual advisor, or sensayer, named Carlyle Foster.
This description is also merely half of it though, because while all this is happening, all kinds of political machinations are taking place in the upper echelons of the power structure. The book is laced with a thread of mystery here, involving a much elaborate theft of something called a Seven-Ten list, which is a who’s who of the world’s movers and shakers. Naturally, the Saneer-Weeksbooth bash’ is caught in the middle of it, and in their investigations to find out more, Mycroft and others in this narrative find themselves engaging in various political and philosophical dialogues.
To be sure, Too Like the Lightning is actually quite light on plot, but heavy in its social and literary themes. As I said, it’s not so much a story but a Conversation-with-a-capital-C. Here you will find cultural and scientific debates, existentialist questions, explorations into multiple fields of art and history. The book also has lots to say about a variety of subjects, from gender roles to religion. It’s amazing, really. Phenomenal, even. Palmer’s vision is ambitious and unique, drawing from the philosophical movement and spheres of ideas that changed the face of Europe in the 18th century to create this fully-fleshed setting, a world which appears to have gone through its own Age of Enlightenment. The dramatically altered world through Mycroft’s eyes is nothing like our own. Strange, beautiful, and full of wonder, life in this book might not be perfect, but the possibilities are limitless.
That said, this is an odd novel. There’s no other word for it. And I confess, had I been more impatient while reading this, I might have been tempted to set this one aside for later—not because it is a bad book, but because it so far from what I would normally read for entertainment that it might as well be from another universe. Ultimately, I’m glad that I read it to its completion because it was an incredible experience, but I admit there were times where it felt almost too difficult or daunting to continue, especially when I first started. This was also a slow read, because there’s no rushing a book like this; it’s a work of art meant to be savored, consumed, and digested thoroughly.
If I could do it all over again, I probably wouldn’t have read Too Like the Lightning over a period of several days. Instead, I would have taken my time, whether it took weeks or months, in order to give myself plenty of time to chew on the many issues and ideas presented in this novel. A longer timeline might also serve to alleviate a lot of the confusion, breaking down the staggering amount of information you need to know to understand the story into more manageable pieces. A book like this practically screams for a glossary, as there are so many new words and terms to learn, so many new concepts and customs to familiarize yourself with, and of course, almost all the characters seem to have more than one name, and it was an exhausting mental exercise just to keep track of them all.
Still, it does get easier. The narratives surrounding Mycroft’s mission to protect Bridger, the boy who seemingly works miracles, was many times more interesting to me than the mystery involving the theft of the Seven-Ten list—at least at first. Once those two threads started coming together, I became more fascinated and invested. Then came the surprises, like the truth behind mild-mannered Mycroft’s crime and how he ended up a Servicer, or the massive revelations dropped on us at the end of the book.
Fair warning though, as this was intended to be the first half of a duology, there will be no resolutions to be found here, since all that will be planned for part two, Seven Surrenders. Having finished Too Like the Lightning, I feel that I know a lot more now to better prepare myself for the sequel. This book is guaranteed to make you think, and will no doubt be a delight for those who enjoy philosophy. It’s a very rich, thought-provoking experience, even if it is perhaps a bit impenetrable at times. If you’re feeling up for a challenging read—because impressive or not, this can be a very demanding novel—then you might want to give this one a look.
Week 1: Between Two Thorns Read-Along
Posted on May 9, 2016 7 Comments
We’re diving into The Split Worlds series 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. Let’s tackle the setup, first of all. The world of the Nether is caught between the Fae world and ours, and is also apparently too old-fashioned for Cathy, our escaping protagonist, to want to live in. What were your first impressions given her views on her home and family?
Mogsy: Her world was too old-fashioned for her, and apparently too crazy. I felt for Cathy, I really did, especially the way she was pushed into a corner. That trick with the three wishes was not very nice, and if that was any indication of the way things worked in the Fae realm, I would have run away too, and never looked back. All joking aside though, I admire a character like Cathy, who clearly has a natrual curiosity and a passion for learning, and she was willing to go her own way despite her family’s scandalized reactions.
Tiara: The Nether seems like it’s probably a beautiful and dangerous place if I’m to go by her interactions with Lord Poppy. Hearing about how casually cruel her own family is and how that is the norm. Reading about how her father beat her when he found out that her tutor was allowing her to read books from Mundanus that filled her head with ideas such as equality and wanting to be educated about the world around her. It would be easy to conform under such hard circumstances. Cathy is afraid of he brutality that the Nether presents, but her want to know things overrules that. She truly does share a trait of the people she admires that have stood up against injustices in history.
2. There appears to be corruption and murder afoot among the Arbiters, a sort of supernatural police, and it doesn’t lead to good times for Max. What do you make of the magical soul surgery that the Arbiters undergo to do their jobs?
Mogsy: I think the Arbiters are great. Let’s face it, the “supernatural or magical police” trope is all over fantasy, but I thought there were a few things here that made the Arbiters unique and interesting. Also, Max’s sections actually intrigue me the most so far. I’m really looking forward to see how this little mystery plays out on his end.
Tiara: That is an interesting angle. I agree with Mogsy that the supernatural police isn’t a new idea, but this idea that their souls are taken from them in order for them to better do their jobs is fascinating. While it does seem to have rendered many emotions and wants void, it apparently doesn’t stop people from giving into corruption. Max’s predicament with his soul is a very curious one and I look forward to seeing what such an implication could mean for him and his new companion.
3. Even more mysterious is Sam’s accidental involvement in the mystery. Any thoughts on the hapless mortal and what might become of him?
Mogsy: Honestly, I have no idea. When this book first started, I thought Sam might be a throwaway character, simply fulfilling his purpose as a plot device to show off some of the “supernaturalness” of this world. Of course, we realized there was more to him after the first few pages. He hasn’t shown up all that much so far, so his fate remains to be seen.
Tiara: Well, we haven’t had too many sections with Sam, but I can see him being a bit of a bumbling sidekick once this all gets rolling. His wedding ring seems to act as protection for him against the Fae, and I’m curious to know whether this was intentionally done by his wife (or her family) or if he just happens to be a victim of circumstance by being the recipient of a charmed item. I have a feeling his whole world is about to change regardless.
Tiara: I had to share my favorite quote in this section because I loved that Cathy found love through geekery. As someone who met her own husband through gaming, stories of people bonding and falling in love over geeky interests always warms my heart:
“He made it his personal mission to educate her about sci-fi’s transition from paper to film. Somewhere between This Island Earth and Forbidden Planet they’d started to hold hands. They kissed halfway through Journey to the Centre of the Earth and by Fantastic Voyage they were almost inseparable. He’d lovingly introduced her to Star Wars in the original film release order, and she realised she loved him at the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark. By Back to the Future III he’d confessed he felt the same, inspired by the scene between Clara and Doc Brown stargazing together.”
Mogsy: I agree, that was such a sweet quote, Tiara! I met my husband through gaming and a shared love for all things geekery too, and that quote reminded me of the way he introduced me to Star Trek. We sat down and watched all the shows and movies together, starting at the beginning with the Original Series.
Audiobook Review: Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff
Posted on May 9, 2016 13 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Horror
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Blackstone Audio (February 16, 2016)
Length: 12 hrs and 14 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator: Kevin Kenerly
Lovecraft Country was not what I expected, but it was a good kind of different. I’ve never read Matt Ruff before and only know of him by his reputation of being a cult novelist, and perhaps I thought I was going to be in for a pulpy horror read, considering the title and the cover. It turned out to be all that, plus a lot more substance.
Told in a series of interconnected short stories that form an overall bigger narrative, much of this book takes place in the 1950s following the lives of several members of a black family who find themselves entangled with a cabal of sorcerers in “Lovecraft Country”—a term that has more to do with the rampant racism in that part of the US at the time, rather than the Lovecraftian horror subgenre.
The novel begins with the title story. After serving his country, Atticus Turner returns home to Florida to find that his father Montrose has gone missing, prompting a road trip to Chicago to find out what happened. Soon, his journey brings him to New England with his uncle George and a childhood friend named Letitia. Together, they discover that Montrose has been captured and held prisoner by the Order of the Ancient Dawn, a secret society led by the enigmatic sorcerer named Samuel Braithwhite. Trapped at the estate, Atticus and his family are ultimately rescued by Braithwhite’s son, Caleb.
It turns out, however, that Caleb may have his own agenda. Through the rest of the stories in book, we’re introduced to the other characters in Atticus’ extended family and circle of friends. Each section of the novel is a tale of a supernatural encounter with the Order of the Ancient Dawn or Caleb Braithwhite, who has remained in the shadows, hounding their every step.
There are definitely plenty of Lovecraftian themes in this book, which is what initially led me to pick this up. But while the hallmarks of cosmic horror and paranormal elements abound, that’s not what really disturbed me. The thing you should know about Lovecraft Country is that it takes place in an era where racial segregation and Jim Crow laws are still very much alive, and Ruff’s depictions of the terrible ways African Americans were treated back then are as stomach-churning as you would expect. If the characters react pragmatically in the face of the supernatural horrors and cosmic creatures in this book, well, maybe that’s because the dangers they have to deal with in the real world are a lot worse in many ways. Violence and abuse fueled by racism, ignorance and hate is something that hangs over them every single moment of their lives, coming from monsters that are all too human.
To be sure though, there are also strange events and unseen monsters lurking at every turn, and I thought Lovecraft Country was an intriguing, creative blend of pulp horror with social commentary. The speculative elements made this one a fun read, but the story also made me reflect upon the deeper themes the like identity and history, how both have a hand in shaping a society and the people who live in it. It’s a very “connected” novel, and I don’t simply mean the way it’s structured so that the book reads more like a collection of related short stories with multiple character arcs instead of just the one traditional plotline, because all the themes and ideas in the individual sections come together in the end to form a cohesive whole as well.
Speaking of the structure though, I wasn’t expecting the short story format when I picked this up, and I admit I was initially thrown off by the frequent transitions. Even though this book is not your typical collection, it still has a few of the same issues, mainly that some stories are better than others. Not all of them captured my attention the same way and I fell into a lull with one or two, but that’s probably the only criticism I have for this book. As with most anthologies and collection-type books, not all the stories will have the same quality or appeal to me the same way.
Audiobook comments: Finally, I want to mention that I listened to the audio edition of Lovecraft Country. It is narrated by Kevin Kenerly, who did a great job bringing the all the different characters to life. Though, it feels kind of like a missed opportunity that they didn’t get an additional reader or two on board, since multi-narrator productions are pretty common these days for anthology/short story collection audiobooks that feature stories with way more than just one central character. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed Kenerly’s excellent performance. If I had to do it all over again though, I might have opted for the print version, or even read/listened to the print/audio versions in tandem, because some of the stories in here definitely required more time to digest. Audiobooks are not exactly well suited to frequent pauses mid-chapter to reflect, but I still very much enjoyed my experience in this format.
Story: | Performance: | Overall:
The BiblioSanctum 