Interview with Lawrence M. Schoen, Author of Barsk: The Elephants’ Graveyard
Posted on January 21, 2016 10 Comments
As you’d recall, last month I reviewed the weird and wonderfully cerebral sci-fi novel Barsk: The Elephants’ Graveyard, and as promised we have a fantastic interview to share with you today, with none other than author Lawrence M. Schoen himself. Lawrence was kind enough to stop by and talk about his book, his writing, the Klingon language, and much, much more. It’s a fascinating journey and I hope you’ll enjoy reading our discussion as much as I enjoyed asking the questions!
Mogsy: Hello Lawrence, and welcome to the BiblioSanctum!
Lawrence M. Schoen: Thank you, I’m really excited to be here. If I had a trunk, I’d be trumpeting.
Mogsy: I can’t tell you what a pleasure it is to have you with us today. I had a fantastic time with your new novel Barsk: The Elephants’ Graveyard so I can’t wait to pick your brain about it. But also, I don’t think I’ve ever had the honor of hosting an expert in the Klingon language before! My family and I are huge Star Trek fans, so this is really exciting for me. Let me just say, “qaqIHmo’ jIQuch!” Was that right? I didn’t just make fun of your shoes or challenge you to a duel, did I?
Lawrence M. Schoen: No, that was perfect. But… how did you know my hovercraft was full of eels?
Mogsy: Yeah, ah, clearly I’m not too good with languages. So kudos to you! To get started, can you tell us a bit about your new book? How would you describe Barsk: The Elephants’ Graveyard, and what can prospective readers expect?
Lawrence M. Schoen: Rather than take up our entire time here trying (and likely failing) to give you a really comprehensive answer, I’m going to fall back on the elevator pitch version. Ready?
Barsk can be described as Dune meets The Sixth Sense. With Elephants. In Space.
Mogsy: Now that’s a tagline I can get behind. So, after reading this book, I was just burning to know, what was the impetus behind the ideas of Barsk? What inspired you to feature anthropomorphic animals as your characters?
Lawrence M. Schoen: The very first thoughts of the book came as an off-the-cuff response to an invitation to participate in an RPG based on a popular anthropomorphic comic book of the time. Although the major characters were mostly all cats, I was told I could roll up any species I wanted. For some reason I chose elephants, but then I was told that my choice was not included in the rules. Rather than shrug and pick something else, I began conjuring up the rainy world where these elephants dwelled, a place no traditionally furry race would want to live. And then I was off and running.
Mogsy: In the book’s Acknowledgements, you mentioned how you began writing Barsk almost 30 years ago. Seriously, that’s amazing. What has that journey been like, and were there any surprises along the way? How does it feel now to hold the finished book in your hands, and did Barsk end up the way you’d envisioned it?
Lawrence M. Schoen: The most amazing thing was discovering how little I knew about writing and that I didn’t let that stop me from completing a novel. It’s also what contributed to that original version being a very bad novel. Seriously, it was terrible, chock full of overused literary devices and shameless exposition. The ideas were good, but the execution just wasn’t there. Thankfully, despite my best efforts at the time, no one bought it and I put it away in a drawer and turned my attention to writing other things and acquiring the skills and craft that I needed to tell the story in an effective and compelling way.
I think it’s fair to say that the final book was everything I’d imagined it would be, while at the same time being quite different. There are a couple pieces that are virtually unchanged from the earlier version — most notably the epilogue — but then too the impact of that final scene resonates much more powerfully because of differences that have been made to everything that leads up to it.
The oddest bit is the feeling of suddenly being an overnight success after more than two decades in the business.
Mogsy: Did you have to do any specialized research for the book? What’s the most interesting tidbit you came across?
Lawrence M. Schoen: As you can imagine, I did a lot of research on elephants. The most fascinating thing to me is their ability to generate and respond to infrasonics—frequencies of sound far below the level of human hearing. These sounds can carry for miles! It explains how young elephants can call to their mothers when they become lost in a forest and how females who are receptive to mating can alert males far away.
Mogsy: Speaking of animal behavior, while reading Barsk, it really struck me how all the characters – Jorl, Lirlowil, Druz, etc. – felt at once familiar but also alien to me at the same time. Partly, I think this is due to the fusion of things we know (how animals look and act, for example) along with the strange and unexpected sci-fi elements. What is your approach to the creation of interesting and convincing aliens, and what advice would you give to writers who want to do the same?
Lawrence M. Schoen: Writing about Anthropomorphics is a lot like writing Aliens. The trick is to balance the ways in which they are not like us — whether it be trunks and flapping ears or a silicon-based biochemistry or a language system that requires the ability to emit odors like fifty kinds of spoiled cheese — with familiar things. With Barsk this took a surprising reverse because the familiar bits were the animal traits and behavior and the unfamiliar aspect was seeing how these same things manifested in a sapient, humanoid being.
Mogsy: Can we also geek out about the cover for a bit? I really want to get your comment for this one, because I was stunned when I saw the beautiful art by Victo Ngai. Do you recall your reaction when you first saw it?
Lawrence M. Schoen: When I first saw the cover, I swear to you I laughed, I cried, I fell down, and there’s no doubt that it changed my life. I can’t lie, I simply lucked out. We’ve all heard the horror stories of authors getting covers depicting characters or scenes that couldn’t possibly occur in the novel, and instead here I am, my first time out with a major publisher, and I get what is probably the best art I have seen in more than a decade. I cannot praise Victo Ngai enough, and along the same lines I’m hugely indebted to Tor’s art director, Irene Gallo, for making this happen.
Mogsy: Going back to your involvement with Klingon and the Klingon Language Institute (because I still think that’s the coolest thing ever), what led you to the interest? And out of curiosity, did any of your Star Trek or Klingon experiences play into or influence the making of Barsk?
Lawrence M. Schoen: When I was a young teen, I fell in with a group of college-age and older folk who were amateur linguists playing with Tokien’s Eldarin languages. This was so long ago that he was still alive, and The Silmarillion had not quite come out. Those early experiences marked me, and doubtless started my interest in linguistics. Fast forward twenty years, and I was a psychology professor at a small liberal arts college in northern Illinois, one which was experiencing shrinking enrollments and the need to reduce the size of its faculty to make ends meet. I was the newest hire in the largest department, which meant I was one of four people they marked to let go, but only after giving me a year’s notice so I could try and find another position. While waiting for that to happen I went looking for a distraction. Someone had given me a copy of Marc Okrand’s The Klingon Dictionary and I thought back to that time of playing with Elvish and how it might be fun to do the same thing with Klingon for a few months. It all exploded when the media found out about it and here I am, more than twenty years later.
I don’t doubt that Star Trek in general had an influence in Barsk, if for no other reason than that it shaped my early interest in what we might call space opera. And too, there may be a few Easter eggs in the book that a Klingon speaker could find. Maybe.
Mogsy: Ah, now I wonder. I may have to go back and scour the book for them on my next reread. Continuing with your academic and teaching background, your author page also talks about your career in cognitive psychology with a focus in psycholinguistics, as well as your research into human memory, language, and behavior. How have your professional experiences influenced your writing and storytelling?
Lawrence M. Schoen: As a rule, most of my fiction includes mention of some cognitive or linguistic process. I’m fascinated by memory and language and that can’t help but leak into everything I write.
To go a bit deeper, if more abstract, I need to tell you about the work I did for my master’s thesis and doctoral dissertation. This involved a theory of semantic flexibility that I developed, basically hypothesizing how we represent changes in meaning in the mind. That’s a great background for appreciating the power of narrative in general and the transformational and creative potential of figurative language in particular. So much of storytelling can be described as the manipulation of meaning. Couple that with an appreciation and understanding of the broader cognitive processes that underlie our use of memory and language, and it completely changes the way you think about writing.
Mogsy: What are your future plans? Do you have any other projects you’re working on currently or coming up soon, either writing or non-writing related?
Lawrence M. Schoen: I want to continue to push myself as a writer. The experience of producing Barsk has been incredible and if I had to do it over again it would be a very different book because I think I’ve grown a lot in the process.
I have quite a few books I’m looking forward to writing, including sequels to Barsk; a new Fantasy series that explains the driving force behind civilization and lets me play with cities across seven thousand years of history; a YA book about the modern day descendants of humans who were removed from Earth and enhanced by aliens back during the Bronze Age; and hopefully the remaining books in the story arc of my near-future xenophilic stage hypnotist and his alien companion animal, because they’re always light and fun. So, basically, I’d like to spend the rest of my days as a novelist.
Mogsy: Very excited to hear about your future projects…especially sequels to Barsk! Lawrence, on behalf of the BiblioSanctum, I would like to thank you again for dropping by and answering my questions! Congratulations on your new book and I definitely look forward to reading more by you in the future. Qapla’!
Lawrence M. Schoen: Thank you so much. And remember, laDlu’meH QaQ DaHjaj!
Lawrence M. Schoen holds a Ph.D. in cognitive psychology and psycholinguistics. He’s also one of the world’s foremost authorities on the Klingon language, and the publisher of a speculative fiction small press, Paper Golem. He’s been a finalist for the John W. Campbell Award, the Hugo Award, and the Nebula Award. Lawrence lives near Philadelphia. You can find him online at LawrenceMSchoen.com and @KlingonGuy.
Audiobook Review: Star Wars: The Old Republic: Deceived by Paul S. Kemp
Posted on January 20, 2016 13 Comments
Genre: Science-Fiction, Gaming, Media Tie-In
Series: Star Wars: The Old Republic #2
Publisher: Del Ray (March 22, 2011)
Author’s Information: Website | Goodreads
Tiara’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Narrator: Marc Thompson | Length: 9 hrs and 26 mins | Audiobook Publisher: Random House Audio (March 22, 2011) | Whispersync Ready: Yes
Second book set in the gaming canon for Star Wars: The Old Republic (SWTOR), but not dependent on readers having read the previous entry in this series, Fatal Alliance, to understand what’s going on. I’m going to assume that all the books in the SWTOR series can be read as standalones, especially given their source material and how this is meant to help pad the game lore.
While peace talks between the Sith and the Jedi take place on Alderaan, a ruthless Darth named Malgus sacks Coruscant, believing it his destiny to raze the planet based on a vision he had when he was younger. He has an insatiable need for chaos and believes understanding of the Force only comes through strife and conflict. The only hint of humanity in him comes from the interactions with his slave and lover, Eleena Daru, who acts a sort of voice of conscience for him. However, after a completed mission, he learns that the Emperor has no intentions of razing the planet, planning to use an important seat within the Republic as a bargaining chip during the talks. Malgus is furious at this revelation.
Credit: Wookieepedia
Attending these peace talks is Aryn Leneer sans her master. Aryn’s Force abilities give her a special empathetic ability to feel the emotions of others, a power that requires her to keep up walls to keep the emotions out. Aryn is more prone to emotion because she can feel emotions so intimately. Calmness is something that she has to work hard at, but she often betrays herself. When her master dies during the attack on Coruscant, an event she felt deeply despite being on Alderaan, Aryn becomes a rogue Jedi intent on confronting the Sith who killed the man she loved as a father, refusing to abide by the Order’s “nonattachment” indoctrination. She turns to a friend, an ex-soldier turned smuggler named Zeerid Korr, for help in completing her goal.
This book was much less heavy handed than Fatal Alliance with making obvious nods toward things in the game, but this story does focus heavily on characters from the game such as Darth Malgus, Eleena, and the female Mandalorian, Shae Vizla. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t chuckle a little when they introduced Lord Baras, a Darth my lighside Sith marauder has a long and storied history with in game. Yeah, you read that right. Lightside Sith, which shamed my husband for a whole mess of reasons. I deal in the incongruous even in my games. Not all her lightside choices have actually been that “good,” and she may have her own motives for going against the grain. She is a Sith after all, but I digress.
But the husband and I did find common ground in blowing shit up and agreeing we look flawless.
This book took things, even power moves we know from the games, and weaved it in much better than Fatal Alliance. It was fun naming the in-game moves used just by the description in action scenes. Some of the relationships mirror similar relationships in the game that the player’s character can have with their companions. Scenes from the cinematic trailer for the game show up here described in all their glorious details. It was pretty awesome and one of my favorites from the game to date. It was fun to get the blow by blow of one of my favorite fights from the trailer.
However, none of this was done in a way that would alienate readers who haven’t played the game (or those who started the game after that particular cinematic was no longer used to open the game), but it’s a nice nod for those of us who have played.
Aryn and Malgus offered an interesting dichotomy of each other as Aryn rebels against Jedi “nonattachment” and Malgus struggles with his passionate feelings that don’t serve his purpose. Ironically, despite differing beliefs, there is that one moment they can meet in the middle and admit that they’re disillusioned by the respective Orders.
“Jedi nonattachment.”
This conflict with both Aryn and Malgus presented a compelling story, especially where Aryn was concerned. Readers are pretty used to Sith drawing on emotion, especially rage, so it was nice to see this delving into how some Jedi might really feel about this “Jedi nonattachment.” The exploration of Aryn realizing that emotions and emotional attachments were important to her really was fascinating, and while Malgus can come off as typical Sith, his struggles with the softer emotions he feels add a new layer to an old story. In this respect, there’s a bit of a romantic plot/subplot going on in this book that manages not to suffocate the story and adds to Malgus’ conflict with himself and emotions most notably, and I enjoyed this exploration of conflicting emotions in a Sith and a Jedi took center stage rather than trying to quell them. This presents them as human despite vows they’ve taken for their respective orders instead of making it easy for them to overcome emotions that make them “weak” and “vulnerable.”
I think it goes without saying that Marc Thompson did an excellent job with the narration as usual. I won’t rehash all his virtues since I think I pretty much exhausted that in my review of Fatal Alliance. What I really appreciated with this book is that it did better with the background ambiance. Where I sometimes had a hard time hearing Thompson over the din in the last novel, which is a common complaint I have about many full production books even though I enjoy the added touch, I can’t say that I had that issue with this book.
The story had more depth to it, and the action scenes were choreographed well with words. Yeah, this story still has its corny scenarios, cheesy dialogue, and contrived plot points like the last novel, but overall, this was a stronger, better crafted novel than Fatal Alliance.
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Waiting on Wednesday 01/20/16
Posted on January 20, 2016 19 Comments
“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that lets us feature upcoming releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!
Mogsy’s Pick:
The Summer Dragon by Todd Lockwood: May 3, 2016 (DAW)
If you read fantasy, chances are you’ve come across the art of Todd Lockwood, whose paintings and illustrations have graced a number of book covers and interiors, like the Memoir by Lady Trent series by Marie Brennan. He’s famous for his beautiful dragons, and now he’s written his own novel about them (and yes, he painted his own cover too)! I’ve always admired the his talent for bringing these majestic creatures to life as an artist; now I’m excited to see what he can do with them in fiction with his debut coming out this spring.
“
The debut novel from the acclaimed illustrator—a high fantasy adventure featuring dragons and deadly politics.
Maia and her family raise dragons for the political war machine. As she comes of age, she anticipates a dragon of her own to add to the stable of breeding parents. Her peaceful life is shattered when the Summer Dragon—one of the rare and mythical High Dragons—makes an appearance in her quiet valley. Political factions vie for control of the implied message, threatening her aspirations, her aerie, her entire way of life.
The bond between dragons and their riders is deep and life-long, and Maia’s desire for a dragon of her own to train, ride, fly, and love drives her to take a risk that puts her life at stake. She is swept into an adventure that pits her against the deathless Horrors, thralls of the enemy, and a faceless creature drawn from her fear. In her fight to preserve everything she knows and loves, she exposes a conspiracy, unearths an ancient civilization, and challenges her understanding of her world—and of herself.”
Tiara’s Pick
Paper Tigers by Damien Angelica Walters: February 29, 2016 (Dark House Press)
Two words: predatory ghost. *pulls up a chair* Tell me more, book.
“In this haunting and hypnotizing novel, a young woman loses everything—half of her body, her fiancé, and possibly her unborn child—to a terrible apartment fire. While recovering from the trauma, she discovers a photo album inhabited by a predatory ghost who promises to make her whole again, all while slowly consuming her from the inside out.”
Book Review: The Rogue Retrieval by Dan Koboldt
Posted on January 19, 2016 13 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Rogue Retrieval by Dan Koboldt
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Book 1
Publisher: Harper Voyager Impulse (1/19/16)
Length: 384 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
This year, I’m resolving to do a much better job at controlling my TBR and a big part of that will involve being a lot more prudent with the books I choose to accept for review, but when I was contacted about The Rogue Retrieval, I knew there was no way I could resist giving it a try. The book’s main character is a Las Vegas stage magician who one day hopes to make it big and headline at a Strip casino! Call me cheesy, but I have a real fascination for illusionists and magic shows. Fantasy is fantasy, but watching a skilled magician at their art is always fun because if nothing else, you can suspend your disbelief and imagine—even if it’s just for a moment—that you’re experiencing something beyond the realm of possibility.
In fact, that explanation might also be analogous to why I love urban fantasy. I love imagining our real world with magic in it. The idea of the contemporary mixed with the paranormal appeals to me, and I also enjoy asking the question, “What if?”
Perhaps that is why I had so much fun with The Rogue Retrieval, because at its core, that’s what this book is—one big “What if?” story. What if a whole other world was discovered, connected to ours via a secret portal? What if everything we think of when we think “fantasy world”—like magic, sorcerers, sword-wielding warriors, etc.—is all a reality in this secret realm? And what if someone, just an average guy from our own world, was tasked to go over there to on a real-life quest?
Though, calling our protagonist “just an average guy” wouldn’t be entirely accurate, because Quinn Bradley is actually an extremely talented and ambitious illusionist. But on his big night, instead of being scouted by one of the big Vegas hotels, representatives from CASE Global, a powerful corporation, make him an offer he can’t refuse. The company has discovered a portal to another world called Alissia, a place where magic is real, and they need Quinn to be as good as the real thing so he and a team can travel there and capture a rogue scientist whose actions threaten to put all of them at risk. However, what CASE has neglected to tell Quinn is that impersonating a magician in Alissia is serious crime with fatal consequences.
What makes The Rogue Retrieval special is that it doesn’t read like your typical urban fantasy. In truth, most of the book actually takes place in Alissia, a world closer to what readers would regard as a “high fantasy” setting. But while Quinn and his companions go through the portal in disguise pretending to be native Alissians, they also carry with them advanced technology and other high-tech gadgetry to help them in their quest. So in essence, you get an interesting mix of traditional fantasy, urban fantasy, and even some science fiction thrown in.
This makes The Rogue Retrieval a very different sort of read, one that might appeal to fans of UF who are looking for something that breathes new life into the genre. At the same time though, it retains a lot of the characteristics that makes UF fun—namely the fast pacing, lots of laugh-out-loud humor, and plenty of thrilling action scenes. For better or worse, it also doesn’t take itself too seriously, forgoing much world-building so that Alissia feels like your very generic fantasy world. The book has a feeling of satire at times, reminiscent of A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, where a present-day person is transported to another world where he is able to fool its inhabitants into thinking he is a bona fide magician with his knowledge of modern technology. Nothing too deep here, but the story is admittedly tons of fun.
That said, there were a few puzzling issues with the plot. I was never entirely convinced why CASE specifically needed a stage magician for the mission, though a big deal was made about an aspect of Quinn’s background and the reasons for that might be revealed in the next book. But on the whole, I was hoping Quinn’s talents would’ve had more relevance to the story. There’s also the prospect of a romance that I’m not sure was really required. By the end of the book, nothing really gets resolved either, and there were a lot more loose ends than I would have liked.
Still, it’s clear we’ve only scratched the surface here, and hopefully the next installment will develop things further and give more answers. A few minor issues notwithstanding, I’m definitely interested in reading the sequel. Dan Koboldt’s new book is an entertaining urban fantasy with a fascinating angle, great if you’re in the mood for something light, fluffy and fun. I’m looking forward to see where the story will go.
Short & Sweet Review: Rose Point by M.C.A. Hogarth
Posted on January 18, 2016 7 Comments
Rose Point by M.C.A. Hogarth
Series: Her Instruments #2
Publisher: Studio MCAH (October 7, 2013)
Memorable Quote: “Human steel had always trumped faerie magic. Reese set her face and marched in.”
TL; DR Review:
Tiara’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars. OMG, I loved this series. Space elves. *cries*
Short & Sweet Review:
I finished this book and the 3rd book in one night. In 2015, I reviewed a book called Earthrise by this author that featured a female protagonist of color named Theresa “Reese” Eddings, a human cargo ship captain that hauled cargo across the galaxy for various employers along with a misfit crew of creatures such as bipedal feline twins, a ninja phoenix, and a science nerd centaur-like creature. In Earthrise, Reese was contacted by a very important client some years after their initial contact to retrieve some very special cargo. Rose Point follows the aftermath of that story as the crew becomes accustomed to having an Eldritch (the reclusive space elves/fairies sort of) aboard their ship, but their Eldritch is starting to have issues with the psi-abilities that are somewhat common among his people. His are starting to manifest in him in unique ways. There’s only one place he can receive help. Home.
Actual Hirianthial
I enjoyed Earthrise a great deal, even with my complaints. With this book, I feel like she toned down the excess on things that didn’t seem as pivotal, such as focusing so much on the twins’ libertine lifestyle, and told more of the story. I love that this is such a role reversal. Even though Hirianthial (the Eldritch) is more than capable, Reese, who can barely fire a gun, often runs off to rescue the “lord in distress,” and she often has to use her own wits rather than physical strength. There’s a wealth of character growth in this story for Reese and Hirianthial as they navigate their feelings for one another and their personal fears/beliefs/wounds as their relationship causes a mutual transformation between them. They make each other better, even if they seem slow to realize it. Reese, who in the beginning of this trilogy fetishized Hirianthial’s people, comes to learn much about them, their troubles, and why Hirianthial left. Hirianthial comes to learn more about species and people who are much more short-lived than his own, groups that show a strength of will and just plain stubbornness when faced with the seemingly impossible–a trait that seems absent in most of his people. AND THAT ENDING. I loved this book so much that I immediately read the next book after this one. I didn’t go to bed until the wee hours of the morning thanks to these books.
Yays!
– Diverse characters including human and non-humanoid races with a protagonist of color
– Slow burn romance that doesn’t overwhelm the story and has just the right amount of tension
– A little bit planetary romance, a little bit space opera, a lot bit good
Nays!
– May seem a bit uncomplicated in execution even when the characters are facing some dire situations
– On that note, things seem to work out a little too well at times in these same situations where you’d expect more pressure and difficulty
– Has some scenes that may be triggering for abuse/rape survivors, but these scenes are not gratuitous, insensitive, or graphic
Other Reviews of This Series: Earthrise
Book Review: City of Blades by Robert Jackson Bennett
Posted on January 18, 2016 23 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
City of Blades by Robert Jackson Bennett
Mogsy’s Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 2 of The Divine Cities
Publisher: Broadway Books (US: 1/26/16); Jo Fletcher (UK: 1/7/16)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
City of Blades is the second novel in Robert Jackson Bennett’s The Divine Cities sequence featuring my favorite character from City of Stairs…and it might surprise you to know it’s not Sigrud! I know the big Dreyling was a fan favorite from the first book, but for me personally, the most intriguing and admirable character has always been and will always be General Turyin Mulaghesh. I was already waiting on pin and needles to get my hands on City of Blades after the amazing time I had with City of Stairs, but my excitement went through the roof after the publisher description came out and I found out that the good general was going to star as the main protagonist.
Anyway, you’ve been duly warned. I promise I will try and make this review more than just a love letter to Mulaghesh. But no promises.
Taking place approximately five years after the first book, City of Blades opens in a tropical paradise where General Turyin Mulaghesh has quietly retreated to after her retirement from the Saypuri army. But thanks to a bureaucratic mishap, she finds herself pulled back into the service of Prime Minister Shara Komayd, who sends her to the ravaged city of Voortyashtan on a covert mission. Once the home of a death goddess and her legions of fearsome warriors, the city has become a stricken ruin after the downfall of its Divinity. Now it is the site of much change but also rising tensions: the construction of a new harbor has caused violence to erupt among the local tribes; the Saypuri military presence is on edge trying to keep the peace; and unknown to all but a few, a seemingly miraculous new type of metal has been discovered in Voortyashtan whose properties may potentially alter the face of the world.
Mulaghesh has been tasked to not only investigate this new ore but also to track down the last ministry agent who traveled to Voortyashtan to poke around only to end up missing. But while the general knows she’s been thrown into a veritable rat’s nest of secrets and lies, her loyalty has always been to Saypur and her fellow troops. Justifiably miffed that she’s been dragged out of her isolation and retirement, Mulaghesh is nonetheless determined to get down to the bottom of this mystery, because deep down in her heart of hearts she is still a true soldier—and a true soldier knows what it means to serve her country and her people.
However, the more she digs, the more dark secrets she unearths about Voortyashtan, and the more unpleasant memories resurface from her violent past. What I love about this book is that there are so many significant revelations about my favorite character, some of which were interesting to discover, and others which may chill your blood. In City of Blades readers get to see a whole different side to Turyin Mulaghesh, one that we never knew existed. At the end of the day, she’s a much deeper and more complex character than even I gave her credit for, but Robert Jackson Bennett also did a great job moderating her development, keeping her genuine and flawed. Mulaghesh is in Voortyashtan to do what needs to be done, but once you peel back the layers you can’t help but think there might also be a part of her seeking some kind of redemption for the atrocities she once committed.
This should come as no surprise, but I liked City of Blades even more than the first book (and I liked City of Stairs plenty, so that’s really saying something). Structurally, I felt this sequel read more like a mystery, with Mulaghesh reluctantly playing the detective/secret agent role—an idea that appealed to me immensely—but thematically I also found the story to be heavier and more profound than its predecessor. There are important moments in this book that touch upon topics like post-traumatic stress disorder, the price of victory, and what it means to be a soldier. Philosophically, it goes deeper in exploring the individual and collective beliefs related to the divine and to the afterlife, and this is also where the author greatly expands upon the world building. Bottom line, Bennett pulls no punches in this one, and City of Blades is bolder and harder hitting in almost every aspect.
Still, for me it all comes back down to General Turyin Mulaghesh. In fact, Bennett does a fantastic job with every single one of his characters, as we’ve seen we’ve seen with Shara and Sigrud from the first book, both of whom make appear in City of Blades again along with a fascinating new cast of supporting characters. But Mulaghesh? Mulaghesh is in a league of her own. She is simply—bar none—the best character I have ever encountered. It’s so rare to find a fantasy novel with a middle-aged woman as the protagonist, rarer still to find one who is also a veteran living with a disability. Not that losing her hand has slowed her down one bit, of course…and she’s liable to punch me in the face for even suggesting that might be the case. To be honest, I can’t remember the last time I’ve felt such appreciation for a character in a fantasy novel, and it’s a true testament to Bennett’s talent for building such a strong, believable and engaging protagonist.
What more can I say? I know it’s only January, but I am already sure this book will end up being one of my favorites of 2016. It was everything I hoped for and more, giving me so many reasons to be happy that I got to revisit The Divine Cities. In a word, City of Blades is perfection. This one gets full five stars and my hearty recommendation.
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of City of Stairs (Book 1)
Rosemary and Rue Read-Along Week No.2
Posted on January 17, 2016 16 Comments
This Read-Along of Rosemary and Rue was arranged by Lisa at Over the Effing Rainbow. This book has been sitting on my TBR pile forever, and I figured now was a good time to read it along with other people! I enjoyed the last Read-Along I participated in which was for Full Fathom Five. The questions will be posted on Saturday, but I’ll be posting my responses on Sunday. If you’re interested in joining this Read-Along, visit the SF/F Read-Along group for more information and to join the discussion.
And oh, yes, there will be blood… er… spoilers…
Week 1: Saturday 9th January, Chapters 1-6, hosted by Over the Effing Rainbow
Week 2: Saturday 16th January, Chapters 7-14, hosted by Lynn at Lynn’s Books
Week 3: Saturday 23rd January, Chapters 15-20, hosted by Anya at On Starships and Dragonwings
Week 4: Saturday 30th January, Chapters 21-End, hosted by Over the Effing Rainbow
1. We finally get to meet Devin and Sylvester. They’ve both played important roles in Toby’s life. What were your initial impressions of both of them and the worlds in which they live. What were your first thoughts about them?
Initially, I thought I was going to hate Devin, and while I certainly don’t like him, he doesn’t seem as bad as I was thinking he’d be. This may because I haven’t had the chance to see all of him, and Toby’s feelings about him suggest a mixture of cruelty and care. His world is dirty, but even in its dirtiness it’s a safe haven for so many changelings who are scorned. Sometimes, that’s more important, to have a place to belong, than the conditions. I’m interested to see how this arrangement works out for them because they obviously still have lingering feelings for one another. I loved Sylvester and Luna, and that will probably be my downfall because the ones I love for the “good” people they are almost always the one who turn out to be the ones involved in the conspiracy. I am sincerely hoping not in this case because I think Sylvester is such a wonderful father figure character, and I loved the whole idea that just because she thought she “failed” him, he didn’t feel that way at all. He worried about her well-being as much as his family’s, worried she died, all those years. Sylvester’s domain is all just a pretty cage it seems and really emphasizes the imbalance between the magical creatures in a world where they really aren’t relevant anymore. They hold on to traditions because losing tradition, at least for purebloods, seem to be the only thing helping them to keep it together.
2. I’m totally intrigued by the Hope Chest – do you have any ideas about what exactly it is and what might be the significance of it being found?
It seems like such a Pandora’s Box just as Toby stated. I have no idea what to even begin to think that chest might hold until I read more. The book presented many ideas about what could be in there. And maybe like Pandora’s box it really does hold all those those things, but it could also holds the things that could be their downfall. And maybe there’s nothing to it at all, but it holds some sway over Toby. Maybe it’s actually specific to her.
3. Tybalt – I was curious as to Toby’s reasoning to trust him with the Hope Chest – what do you think?
I have a lot of thoughts about this. I thought that was very weak (and stupid) reasoning to have Tybalt hold the chest even on the idea that he wouldn’t break a magic promise and he hated her enough and her kind not to want her to have it and that his honor might survive betraying a friend, but not betraying her because she’d never forgive him. Like I said, it was REALLY stupid. But I also feel like those aren’t her true intentions for having him to hold the box, and I don’t feel like he follows her around because it’s some great game to surprise her. I think there are feelings there for both of them that they might not be aware of or they’re denying. I don’t feel like he would’ve have denied her regardless of what she told him, and I don’t think she would’ve asked anyone else regardless of if she had someone else she could trust with the chest. I think they’re playing an elaborate game of the heart with one another and they’re either just denying it or they don’t realize they’ve started this intimate song and dance.
4. We experience the reaction of other members of the fae to the murder of Evening and Toby telling them about the Queen’s reactions – did their reactions give you any clues at all??
Not really. I keep wanting to say the Queen might be involved, but that would be too obvious. I might agree that she’s going mad, though, and/or she’s hiding something. I’m not sure how emotional purebloods are supposed to get about these kinds of things but the only real reaction seem to come from Luna and Sylvester. With everyone else, they seemed a little bothered because she was a pureblood and the best of them, it seems, but it still felt too much like:
5. What were your thoughts on Raysel and Luna?
I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM. I want to feel sorry for Raysel and Toby keeps saying she, along with her mother, had to have gone through something horrible. It’s hard to sympathize with Raysel’s bitterness without having at least a little more than, “It was a really bad time.” There are plenty of books that don’t have to go into details, but know just how to play that well enough for you to sympathize and understand the anger, an example would be Alex’s Bledsoe’s female protagonist who was a prisoner of war in The Hum and the Shiver. We’re never told the full extent of her capture, but we can really feel her hurt and anger, though. We get the idea. As for Luna, I loved her and you can definitely see the calm pain in her. Her glass garden was such a fascinating aspect, and I think Connor and Toby’s discussion about it really summed up what I was thinking when I read about it.
6. That ending, did we just end up back in the first post? – what is going on? Speculation?? Lets just talk about it please.
OMG. It feels like we did. I don’t even know. I was like WHAT. It was ironic that she ended up back at the exact same place she started the story. I need Tybalt to come save her, though. Wasn’t that part of his promise somewhat? I almost kept going, but I have to read another book for a book club, but I will definitely be reading the next chapters after that! Also, when she said Redcap, the first thing that came to mind was the villains from my now defuct favorite MMO, City of Heroes:
#TeamTybalt. I could be totally wrong about where this is going, and she may end up with her fiance, but right now I’m all about Tybalt and Toby getting together (and hopefully, she’ll have a relationship with her daughter). At the same time, it’d be cool if they didn’t because that’s what you’d EXPECT is for them to get together. Really disliking one another, but still working together on a mutual hate-trust would be such a cool angle. However, I just really want them together because I am a sap. Last post I mentioned I didn’t know how I felt about his voice the narrator was doing, but yeah, he does sound like a snobby ass cat. If my cat were a human, she’d probably talk just like that. Randomly, I also love how they can just make fancy clothes out of glamour. I need that power ASAP! In fact, I really enjoy the magic, at least in the changeling’s perspective where using too much magic can be detrimental.
“Most purebloods are obsessed with light, immortal moths chasing mortal flames.”
“Purebloods respond to change slowly, if at all. Flexibility and adaptation were changeling traits. If he still had them, he was doing just fine.”
“They knew a woman as human as they were, and I was willing to bet none of them ever looked for anything deeper. They’d never needed to, because in their world, you put Faerie away when you turned off the nursery lights. There’s no place for us in the human world these days, and still we can’t let go.”
“He wouldn’t be teasing me if he wasn’t interested in what I was doing there, and as long as he stayed interested, he’d listen. Cats are like that.”
“Lacey jumped onto the bed, strolling up to butt her head against my chin. At least someone was having a good day. Of course, the cats would have a good time in nuclear winter, as long as somebody was left to feed them.”
Connor gestured to my bloody fingers, saying, “The roses are too sharp for most people. They want to pick flowers for their lovers and write bad poetry comparing the two—‘my love is like a red, red rose,’ and all that mess.” He leaned back on his hands. “Who wants to compare their lover to a flower that’s so sharp it cuts everything it touches?”
“A flower that blooms no matter what the weather or season is like and can actually defend itself when it needs to? I don’t see the problem.” I shrugged. “If someone wanted to call me a glass rose, I wouldn’t complain.”
“No, I guess not,” he said.
Book Review: Owl and the City of Angels by Kristi Charish
Posted on January 17, 2016 19 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Owl and the City of Angels by Kristi Charish
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Book 2 of The Adventures of Owl
Publisher: Pocket Star (10/5/15)
Length: 423 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Owl is back, and things are more fun and explosive than ever in this sequel to Owl and the Japanese Circus, Kristi Charish’s debut featuring the eponymous former archaeology student turned international antiquities thief. I’m sure those of us who have read the first book are familiar with the character’s smart-alecky, rabble-rousing ways, and true to form, Owl gets into a heap of trouble again—except this time, it’s actually not her fault! Well, not all of it, anyway…
Alix “Owl” Hiboux has always prided herself on being the best at what she does, but having a reputation isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be. Right now, someone out there is using it against her, plundering off-limit dig sites while trying to make it all look like her work. This has landed her in hot water with the IAA, the governing body that regulates archaeological sites worldwide, but our heroine has even bigger problems to worry about—the supernatural kind.
Now Owl has got everything from vampires to sirens howling after her blood, and even her boss, the red dragon Mr. Kurosawa is not entirely convinced of her innocence. To prove that she had nothing to do with the thefts, Owl will have to go and recover the stolen artifacts herself and catch the real tomb raiders responsible, taking her on an adventure through some of the most dangerous and unstable places in the world, from the pirate-infested coast of Somalia to the mysterious City of the Dead in war-torn Syria.
Fans of Owl and the Japanese Circus should find plenty to love again in Owl and the City of Angels, which brings back all the high-speed action and entertainment that made the first book so great. I was pleased to see that my favorite things about Japanese Circus—the archaeology, paranormal elements, supernatural baddies, and of course Owl’s favorite online game World Quest—are all reiterated in this sequel. Furthermore, Charish sets an even faster pace, and there’s no question about it, City of Angels is also bigger and more ambitious in pretty much every aspect.
Perhaps the biggest improvement I noted was Owl’s character herself. Being a cheeky, foul-mouthed thief who makes impulsive, spur of the moment decisions, her personality was a sore point in a lot of reviews I saw for the first book. In my own review of Owl and the Japanese Circus, I also noted Owl’s complete lack of self-preservation skills and her tendency to spout insults at friends and enemies alike when she feels like she is up against a wall—which made it tougher for her to grow on me. However, I had a lot less trouble connecting to her this time around. Owl is still prickly and impetuous, but she has toned down her volatile attitude, becoming a lot more aware of her actions and even experiences an introspective moment or two. Love her or hate her, the fact that she is an ever-evolving and dynamic character scores huge points in my book.
Granted, the story still has lots of over-the-top, far-fetched moments where you’ll have to suspend your disbelief, but if you didn’t find this to be an issue in the first installment, I doubt it will affect your enjoyment here either. Personally, the only reason why I rated this book a half star lower than its predecessor is because I felt the supernatural conflict dragged on a little too long for my tastes, and I was a little worn down by the time we hit the three-quarters mark. Still, while the plot could have used some tightening up, other than that, I could find few other faults with this wild sequel.
In the end, it’s all about the fun. When it comes to delivering pure and unadulterated entertainment, Kristi Charish has scored another hit with Owl and the City of Angels, and you can be sure I’m looking forward to the next adventure starring its plucky “Indiana Jane” heroine and her group of fearless friends.
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of Owl and the Japanese Circus (Book 1)
Mogsy’s Bookshelf Roundup: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on January 16, 2016 46 Comments
Bookshelf Roundup is a feature I do every other weekend which fills the role of several blog memes, like Stacking the Shelves where I talk about the new books I’ve added to my library or received for review, as well as It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? where I round up what I’ve read since the last update and what I’m planning to read soon. Mostly it also serves as a recap post, so sometimes I’ll throw in stuff like reading challenge progress reports, book lists, and other random bookish thoughts or announcements.
RECEIVED FOR REVIEW
I was out of town during my last Bookshelf Roundup, so while this may seem like a big update, it’s actually three week’s worth of new books. With the holidays over, publishers must be back to working at full steam because I held all my mail while I was away and I came home last week to a pile of packages on my doorstep–mostly unsolicited review copies (but that doesn’t make them any less welcome!) and also a couple requested ARCs that I’ve been looking forward to for a long time:
Almost Infamous by Matt Carter – I’m long overdue for another superhero novel…or in this case, a supervillain novel. Or rather, it seems a lot more complicated than that. A regular kid gets superpowers, but decides to hire himself out as a pocket supervillain to superheroes who want to keep themselves relevant. Any way you look at it, it sounds like a fun and quirky adventure, and this book has rocketed up my lists to become one of my must-read titles for this spring. My thanks to Talos for the ARC!
Arena by Holly Jennings – I was practically jumping up and down when this ARC turned up, as this book is one of my most highly anticipated reads for 2016. Competitive virtual gaming? I am so there. Can’t wait to dive into this dark and gritty world with a heroine who kicks ass. With thanks to Ace Books.
Masks and Shadows by Stephanie Burgis – My thanks to Pyr for this ARC, which showed up as an unexpected but very welcome surprise in the mail. Another one of my must-reads for this spring; something about it just draws me in, and it’s not just because of that gorgeous cover. Historical fiction and fantasy, magic, music and espionage…an irresistible mix.
The Chimes by Anna Smaill – Print ARC with thanks to Quercus. Unsolicited, but man, I AM INTRIGUED! I hadn’t even heard of this book before, and so the first thing I did was look it up. It’s been published in the UK already to great acclaim and long-listed for the Man Booker Prize. Reviewers have called it an unconventional but beautiful and cerebral sci-fi dystopian. Well, now I have to read it. What do you think? Anyone heard of The Chimes and can tell me more about it?
The Reburialists by J. C. Nelson – I’ve heard of the author but never read his books, though I did see The Reburialists on NetGalley a while ago and was interested. So even though this ARC was a surprise arrival, I may have to find a way to work it into my reading schedule! The first book in an all-new urban fantasy series sounds like a good chance to jump on board. With my thanks to Ace Books.
Poseidon’s Wake by Alastair Reynolds – Another surprise ARC from Ace Books, and I was so excited when I saw that it because I’ve wanted to read Alastair Reynolds for a long time. Then I found out Poseidon’s Wake is actually the third book in a series, and the concluding volume at that. Well, guess that means I’ll have to pick up the first two books! My thanks to the publisher!
In Constant Fear by Peter Liney – Hardcover, with thanks to Quercus. A reminder that I really need to finish this trilogy. It’s actually a really unique, because when was the last time you read a dystopian where all the main characters are over 65? I really enjoyed the first two books.
Bands of Mourning by Brandon Sanderson – My thanks to Tor Books for this finished copy! It’s always a pleasure to read Sanderson, especially a Mistborn novel. As of this writing I’m a quarter of the way through the book and it’s great so far.
Truthwitch by Susan Dennard – Well, I caved! I’ve been hearing so much about this book now that it’s released, I just had to take a look for myself. Thanks to Tor Books for approving my request and sending me a copy. I’ve already devoured it, and despite some mixed feelings, I had a really good time. For the book’s details and my thoughts, keep an eye out for my review, coming soon.
Eleanor by Jason Gurley – Another book that I didn’t know anything about when it first arrived, but the more I discovered about it, the more interested I was. That’s what I love about surprise arrivals; I’m always learning so much about titles I never would have heard about otherwise. From some of the reviews I glimpsed, it sounds like Eleanor is a tragic, emotional fantasy/magical realism tale which means I’ll likely have to prepare myself for some sadness when I check it out. My thanks to Crown for introducing me to this one.
City of Blades by Robert Jackson Bennett – AHHH THIS BOOK!!! I already finished the ARC a couple weeks ago and holy crap you guys, IT IS SO. DAMN. GOOD. My raving 5 star review is coming soon, but to my surprise, two copies of this book arrived in my mailbox in the last week of 2015, the first a finished copy from Crown. The second actually floored me. It’s the UK edition, from the lovely folks at Jo Fletcher Books, and at first I was perplexed because the package came wrapped in Super Mario gift wrapping paper. Then I opened it and saw the note (written on a Luigi gift tag, of course) which said, “Because you enjoyed City of Stairs…Merry Christmas!” Aww I swear, JFB, you guys are the sweetest! Thank you to the publishers, I love this book so much.
The Dark Side by Anthony O’Neill – I’ve been aware that a film adaptation of this book is in the works, but as usual, I’m way more curious about the source material. I’ve always had good luck with the sci-fi noir genre, so when I saw this pop up at Edelweiss, I requested it. My thanks to Simon & Schuster for approving me.
Drake by Peter McLean – I’ve heard such great things about this! I’m also in the mood for a fun new urban fantasy. Needless to day, when I saw the audiobook offered for review, I requested it and didn’t even hesitate. My thanks to Audible Studios!
Pieces of Hate by Tim Lebbon – Once more, I have Tor.com to thank for brightening up my inbox with a shiny new eARC of another one of their brilliant upcoming novellas. I don’t think I’ve ever read Tim Lebbon, even though his name is huge in horror and dark fantasy circles, two genres I love. I can’t wait to read this.
PURCHASED:
I’ve been a huge Star Wars fan ever since I was a wee tyke, and one of my biggest regrets is having been born years too late to experience the original movie on the big screen back when it was new in 1977. The Force Awakens was a huge deal for me because I saw that as my second chance (sorry, I’m not counting the prequels) and it was so good that my husband and I even brought our 3-year-old to watch it with us on our second time around. Going to the theater to watch Star Wars with my kids has always been a dream of mine, so even though she may be too young to remember this, I know I will treasure the memory always.
Anyhoo, I’ve always collected the Star Wars movie novelizations (yes, even for the three prequels, so I guess I can’t really pretend they don’t exist). Therefore, even though I’ve already listened to the audiobook, picking up the hardcover of Alan Dean Foster’s The Force Awakens was a no brainer.
REVIEWS
Here are all my reviews since the last update, gathered together and listed here for your convenience and viewing pleasure. Most of what I read over the holiday break has now been written up and posted!
City of Light by Keri Arthur (4 of 5 stars)
The Rising by Ian Tregillis (4 of 5 stars)
The Weight of Feathers by Anna-Marie McLemore (4 of 5 stars)
Angel of Storms by Trudi Canavan (3.5 of 5 stars)
Nightwise by R.S. Belcher (3.5 of 5 stars)
The Aeronaut’s Windlass by Jim Butcher (3.5 of 5 stars)
Midnight Taxi Tango by Daniel José Older (3 of 5 stars)
Infinity Lost by S. Harrison (3 of 5 stars)
An Apprentice to Elves by Sarah Monette and Elizabeth Bear (3 of 5 stars)
WHAT I’VE READ SINCE THE LAST UPDATE
I’m mostly done catching up with review books from last year (like The Aeronaut’s Windlass, The King’s Justice) so now you’ll probably start seeing me read more 2016 releases. My February TBR is huge, so I’m already trying to get a jump on things and hoping to keep my head start (like with Winterwood).
Also, you might have noticed books like Gathering Darkness, The Winner’s Crime, and End of Days in my list. There are a ton of YA series I started but completely neglected last year, and so I’ve made it my unofficial 2016 resolution to catch up with all of them. I went to the library and borrowed everything I could in audio format, because that’s my favorite and quickest way to enjoy YA. Case in point, I was listening while I took the Christmas tree down last weekend, and when all the work was done I was already more than halfway through a book. I’m not sure what I’ll do with these YA reads yet, or if I’ll even review all of them, but for the time being it’s one way I’m chiseling down my backlist pile, and I just want to keep it my guilty pleasure and a stress-free challenge.
Have you heard of or read any of the books featured this week? What caught your eye? Any new discoveries? Nothing makes me happier than sharing my love for books, so let me know what you plan on checking out. I hope you found something interesting for a future read! Until next time, see you next Roundup! 🙂
~Mogsy/Steff~
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