Audiobook Review: Drake by Peter McLean
Posted on February 4, 2016 18 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of The Burned Man
Publisher: Audible Studios (January 5, 2016)
Length: 8 hrs and 40 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator: Mark Meadows
Drake is a darkly humorous urban fantasy about the unfortunate misadventures of a hieromancer hitman named Don Drake, though I must say, labeling him a “hitman” is greatly simplifying the kind of work he does. With the help of a nine-inch tall animated idol representing the earthly form of a bound archdemon—which he calls “The Burned Man”—Drake is able to summon forth demonic creatures from hell to sic on his victims, killing them without having to dirty his own physical hands. Be that as it may, Drake is still consumed with grief and guilt when his latest job goes awry, resulting in the tragic death of an innocent child who was merely in the wrong place at the wrong time. Traumatized and remorseful, Drake makes the decision to leave his line of work behind.
However, word of his horrible deed has gotten out, and now Drake has a trio of vengeful Furies on his tail. To make matters worse, his former employer Wormwood turns out to be an archdemon himself, and he most assuredly does not accept Drake’s resignation, pulling our hapless protagonist back into the hitman game. Drake’s only hope now lies with Trixie, an angel with a questionable history who has come to aid him in his time of need, but can she be trusted?
This is seriously a great story, full of hairpin twists and turns. While the plot could have used a bit of tightening up, the speed at which it moved was a thrill and a delight. What’s even better is that despite the modern atmosphere, certain elements in Drake reminded me of the old-style classic noir mysteries, complete with femme fatales and over-the-top diabolical villains. The dialogue is also frequently laugh-out-loud hilarious, loaded up with profanity and British slang to great effect. I’m sure I’ll have to thank my dad, who spent his college years drinking and partying studying in London, for being able to understand most of the Britishisms.
I won’t lie though, I think I would have liked this more if it weren’t for the protagonist. I’m not one who usually has trouble accepting or even embracing unpleasant characters, anti-heroes, flawed souls, or any of those morally contentious types. But when I found myself yelling “NO NO NO DON’T DO IT!” at the audiobook every five minutes (pretty much every time Drake does or says something stupid) I had to admit to myself that maybe, just maybe, the main character and I have some issues to work out.
Thing is, Drake really isn’t a bad man, but he does have this tendency to make some earth-shatteringly dumb decisions and—to my great chagrin—not learn from his mistakes. I can tolerate the occasional lapse in judgement, but I can’t abide a fool. There’s a scene in the book where the Burned Man is mercilessly laying into Drake for being a pathetic, pitiful bastard as well as a sorry excuse for a human being, and all I could think in my head in response was “Yeeeeah…I kind of agree.” Drake is for the most part a cowardly, unambitious and weak-willed magician who even admits as much, being under no illusions when it comes to his powers–he knows he is nothing without the Burned Man. Drake has good intentions, making him slightly loveable, but unfortunately he rarely sees his plans through, preferring to always take the easy way out, which was the root of most of my frustrations with his character.
I have to say though, the audiobook production of Drake is fabulous, with narrator Mark Meadows nailing the voice and attitude of our protagonist. I mentioned the excellent dialogue, which is written the way it’s meant to be spoken, and that might explain why it comes across so perfectly in the audio format. Meadows’ accents and inflections are great, so that all the characters come to life and become very real to me when he speaks their lines.
All in all, I had a good time with this book, and given the promising way it ended, I might just be willing to give Don Drake another shot in a sequel. I love edgy and gritty urban fantasy, and with so much potential in Drake, it would be a damn shame to let my feelings for the character get in the way of enjoying more, especially after this outrageously entertaining first installment.
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Book Review: The Death of Dulgath by Michael J. Sullivan
Posted on February 3, 2016 14 Comments
The Death of Dulgath by Michael J. Sullivan
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 3 of The Riyria Chronicles
Publisher: Riyria Enterprises (12/1/15)
Length: 448
Author Information: Website | Twitter
The boys are back! When I heard Michael J. Sullivan was going to take his next Hadrian and Royce adventure to Kickstarter in the summer of 2015, I happily forked over the cash to support this brilliant project by one of my favorite authors. I’ve read and loved every Riyria novel and I couldn’t have been more excited about The Death of Dulgath. As part of my backer rewards, I received an early digital copy of the book, but I later also picked up the audiobook version because of Tim Gerard Reynolds, the narrator who brings Sullivan’s wonderful characters and world to life.
I was not disappointed. The Riyria Revelations ranks high among one of my favorite fantasy series, so naturally when Sullivan went on to write two more books in The Riyria Chronicles, I read those too. Chronicles is meant to be a prequel series, comprised of stand-alone tales featuring Hadrian and Royce before the events of Revelations, and The Death of Dulgath is the third of these. As thieves for hire, our protagonists are always getting into trouble involving daring heists and other shenanigans, which is another reason why these side stories about their “time before” have always appealed to me, but in this latest novel, things take on a surprising twist.
This time, instead of being tasked to steal something, Royce and Hadrian are hired on as consultants…of a sort. In the province of Dulgath, the last surviving member of the ruling noble family is being targeted for assassination, and the authorities need Riyria’s expertise to help foil the plot. But of course, things are never as they seem. When Royce and Hadrian travel to Dulgath, they find a perfect little kingdom where everyone is healthy, crops grow aplenty, and it never rains during the day. Plus, the young Lady Dulgath whom they are meant to protect seems to know a lot more about the situation than she lets on.
For several reasons, I found The Death of Dulgath to be very different from the other Chronicles books, with the most obvious distinction being the story’s heavier emphasis on mystery. Royce and Hadrian do more investigating than anything else, and the pacing was markedly slower especially towards the beginning and the middle—though fear not, as there’s still plenty of action and adventure to go around, as well as a good number of plot twists.
But as usual, what I loved most was the character interaction. Fans of the series have always known Hadrian to be the one who wears his heart on his sleeve, while Royce is his polar opposite—ill-tempered, aloof, and untrusting. The Death of Dulgath catches our protagonists at an interesting time in their lives, set only a few years after they first met. Both are still learning how to work with the other, but slowly yet surely, trust is starting to grow. Let’s just say there’s a good reason why everyone calls this series the ultimate bromance; each story adds a little more to what we know about their relationship, which is another reason why the prequel novels are so special to readers who have followed these characters for a long time.
For this reason, I highly recommend reading all the Riyria books in publication order, starting with The Riyria Revelations series. You can then pick up any of the Chronicles books and enjoy them perfectly fine as standalones, but having read Revelations first really enhanced my experience with The Crown Tower, The Rose and the Thorn, and now The Death of Dulgath. What’s more, Michael J. Sullivan peppers this book with a lot of references to the lore and history of this wider world. While you don’t need any of it to follow the story, it’s obviously much more fun when you recognize all the allusions. Also, it lets you appreciate just how big, vivid and elaborate this series is, and believe it or not, it’s still growing all the time—next year, Sullivan’s upcoming Age of Myth will be set in the distant past of these Riyria books, going back to this world’s ancient times. In fact, he even works in a teaser or two for it in the plot of The Death of Dulgath.
No question about it, this book is another winner, bringing back everything I love about Riyria: great characters, great setting, great story. I really couldn’t have asked for more. A must-read for fans of the series, and if for some reason you haven’t been initiated into the fascinating world of Riyria yet, seriously, what are you waiting for?
*** Originally reviewed at The Speculative Herald ***
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of The Crown Tower (Book 1)
Review of The Rose and the Thorn (Book 2)
Waiting on Wednesday 02/03/16
Posted on February 3, 2016 20 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 Wheel of Osheim by Mark Lawrence: June 7, 2016 (Ace)
Another brilliant epic fantasy trilogy will come to an end later this year. Seriously, where oh where does the time go? Clearly, 2016 is the year of the Highly-Anticipated-Book-3s. I cannot wait for this sure to be thrilling conclusion of the The Red Queen’s War.
“From the international bestselling author of the Broken Empire Trilogy, the thrilling conclusion to the Red Queen’s War…
Mark Lawrence’s “epic fantasy” (The Washington Post) continues as a reluctant prince returns from the bowels of Hell to engage in his greatest battle yet—among the living and the dead.
All the horrors of Hell stand between Snorri Ver Snagason and the rescue of his family, if indeed the dead can be rescued. For Jalan Kendeth, getting back out alive and with Loki’s key is all that matters. Loki’s creation can open any lock, any door, and it may also be the key to Jalan’s fortune back in the living world.
Jalan plans to return to the three w’s that have been the core of his idle and debauched life: wine, women, and wagering. Fate however has other plans, larger plans. The Wheel of Osheim is turning ever faster, and it will crack the world unless it’s stopped. When the end of all things looms, and there’s nowhere to run, even the worst coward must find new answers. Jalan and Snorri face many dangers, from the corpse hordes of the Dead King to the many mirrors of the Lady Blue, but in the end, fast or slow, the Wheel of Osheim always pulls you back. In the end it’s win or die.”
Backlist Burndown: Star Wars: Dark Disciple by Christie Golden
Posted on February 2, 2016 17 Comments
As book bloggers, sometimes we get so caught up reading review titles and new releases that we end up missing out on a lot previously published books. As a result, one of my goals this year is to take more time to catch up with my backlist, especially in my personal reading pile. And it seems I’m not the only one. Backlist Burndown is a new meme started by Lisa of Tenacious Reader. Every last Friday of the month, she’ll be posting a review of a backlist book and is inviting anyone interested to do the same. Of course, you can also review backlist books any day you want, as often you want, but be sure to watch for her post at the end of the month to link up!
Today, I’m featuring the final book that I had to read in order to complete all the adult novels in the Star Wars new canon. All caught up!
Star Wars: Dark Disciple by Christie Golden
Mogsy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction, Media Tie-In
Series: Star Wars Canon
Publisher: Del Rey (July 7, 2015)
Length: 336 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Based off of an unproduced script for Star Wars: The Clone Wars, this epic tale of action-adventure and romance got its second chance in Star Wars: Dark Disciple, penned by one of my favorite media tie-in novelists Christie Golden. Hands down, this is the best book I’ve read written by her, and certainly this has also become one of my favorite Star Wars books ever. In fact, I can’t even express all that much regret over those episodes that were never made, because then we wouldn’t have gotten this awesome novel. I honestly don’t think the show could have conveyed the same sense of wonder or a similar level of emotional depth.
On the surface, Dark Disciple might sound like just another one of the dozens of Star Wars books that have come before it, with a central theme of Light versus Dark, or more specifically, a story about a Jedi flirting with the Dark Side. But dig a bit deeper, and it’s clear it’s so much more than that. What made this book so great for me were the two main characters, beautifully and deftly written. I first got to know Quinlan Vos and Asajj Ventress from the Star Wars: Republic comics and the The Clone Wars animated series, respectively. I have to say, although both became fast favorites of mine, never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined them starring in a story together, let alone have so much chemistry between them. And yet, perhaps it is not so surprising, because the more you read, the more you begin to realize they are two sides of the same coin.
But let’s back up a little, because the story itself—the setting and its circumstances—also serves as powerful driving force behind the characters’ relationship. The book begins in the middle of a dark time for the Jedi. Despite all their efforts to curb the cruel and merciless Sith Lord Count Dooku, the Republic still finds itself losing ground to his vicious tactics. Perhaps this is what ultimately drives the Jedi Council to ponder striking back with vicious tactics of their own, even if it means going against everything their Order stands for. It is decided that for the good of the galaxy, Count Dooku must be eliminated once and for all, and thus in a secret conclave, an assassination plot is born.
However, the heavy responsibility of killing Count Dooku cannot be left to just anyone, or even to just one person. After much deliberation, the Council approaches Quinlan Vos, an experienced fighter who is also a bit of maverick and no stranger to the clandestine dealings of the Jedi. He is subsequently tasked to track down Asajj Ventress, the one-time apprentice of Dooku, with the reasoning that no one else in the galaxy knows the Sith Lord as well than his former pupil (and for a certainty, no one hates him as much as she does either). Cocksure and confident, Vos devises a plan to meet up with Ventress, posing as a bounty hunter so he can gain her trust and eventually co-opt her into his plan for taking down Dooku. But in a twist of fate, it is Ventress who actually manages to capture Vos under her spell, and both Jedi Master and former Sith acolyte end up finding something neither of them expected—love.
In retrospect, I shouldn’t have been surprised at my strong reaction to Dark Disciple. A glimpse at the highest rated books on my Star Wars shelf shows a clear pattern: most of them involve an element of romance. On the whole, I’ve always found Star Wars novels to be exposition-heavy, which frequently throws up a barrier between the reader and the characters. On the other hand, a love story immediately changes those dynamics, because if you want to create an effective and believable romance between two characters, being able to get into their heads and hearts is the only way to do it.
Here’s where the author’s talent shines. Taking full advantage of the novel format, Christie Golden takes what already we know of Vos and Ventress and fleshes them out so that they become very real, very engaging characters. Various depictions of Vos have always cultivated in him the image of the Jedi “bad boy”, a wise-cracking and risk-taking nonconformist to the Order’s ways, but in Dark Disciple we get to see a softer and more passionate side of him. And for The Clone Wars fans drawn to this novel because of Asajj Ventress, rest assured because Golden also does her character justice, ensuring that the Dathomirian’s tenacity and ass-kicking spirit is preserved while adding many layers to her personality underneath that tough exterior.
The two characters themselves are a good match for each other. Vos and Ventress both have interesting pasts, and even though you don’t have to be familiar with either of their histories to enjoy this novel, knowing some background will make the reading experience all the more satisfying. I initially expressed surprise at a story arc featuring the two of them working together, but now that I’ve seen them in action, I can’t imagine a more perfect pairing. I mentioned chemistry, but really, that is an understatement, considering the way these two interact. This story sees the two of them awakening something in each other that neither knew existed before. That spark is more like a blazing bonfire, so sultry and intense, helped by the fact that we’re dealing with a couple of Star Wars characters with somewhat sexually charged personalities. Interestingly, until now that behavior in both of them has always been portrayed as rather cheeky and flippant, but here we see their true capacity for intimacy and powerful attachment, and I for one came out of this still amazed at Ventress’ talent for putting so much affection and sensuality into the word “idiot”.
Very few Star Wars novels have captivated me like this, with a plot that kept me guessing at every turn. At the risk of spoiling the story, I’ll simply say Dark Disciple kicked my feelings in the butt real hard and I had to spend a good while recovering from that ordeal. This is a must-read for fans of The Clone Wars, but even if you only dabble in the expanded universe, you should really give this book a try. It is up there among what I feel are the most worthwhile novels in the new canon, and certainly one of the best in terms of character development and giving the reader an impactful emotional experience.
One final thought: if you can get your hands on an audio copy, do it. Publishers always go full out on the Star Wars audiobooks, with sound effects and voices. With narrator Marc Thompson at the helm, you really can’t go wrong. Plus, there’s the music. I’m not too fond of the prequel movies, but as always John Williams does an incredible job on the soundtracks. They use the love theme from Attack of the Clones to great effect in Dark Disciple, and by that I mean it practically turned me into a puddle of feelings on the floor. Loved it.
Audiobook Review: Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige
Posted on February 1, 2016 18 Comments
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Imaginative Retelling
Series: Dorothy Must Die #1
Publisher: HarperCollins (April 1, 2014)
Information: Twitter | Goodreads
Tiara’s rating: 4 of 5 stars
Narrator: Devon Sorvari | Length: 14 hrs and 12 mins | Audiobook Publisher: Harper Audio (April 1, 2014) | Whispersync Ready: Yes
This is a long review, but you know I don’t usually write short reviews, especially not about the YA books. I’m getting better at them, though. Longer than normal reviews usually means a metric ton of bitching on my end. In my defense, this one is actually a favorable review, which brings my “better than decent” YA book count up to three for 2016. I’ll give The Girl from the Well a “VALIANT EFFORT” star for its time, and I don’t want to talk about Thirteen Reasons Why (contemporary YA). The more I think about that the book the more I think I actually really did dislike that one, but just didn’t want to say so because of the awareness message. I mean, who wants to be THAT PERSON that frowns at a book that seems to be trying to get out a genuine message? Out of a total of the five YA books (I don’t even normally read five YA books in one year much less one month), three of them have been positive experiences. Two of them, including this one, have been extraordinary experiences. One book, this one, gets the distinction of actually throwing me for a such a loop that it changed my whole perception of some things in the book. So, I’ll show my kind side for a while and gush about a book for a change. Also, there will be Kill Bill gifs, plenty of Kill Bill gifs. To the review!
I have always been fascinated with the idea that Dorothy Gale wasn’t the great, special, caring girl she was from the movie. Her sweetness always felt too sickly sweet. Wicked came out when I was in college working in the university print shop. I would read it around cutting out negatives and burning prints. I loved that in the Wicked Witch’s story, Dorothy was just some bumbling girl that happened to stumble into Oz and start screwing things up. Dorothy Must Die, which I lovingly refer to as “Kill Dorothy Vol. 1,” takes the idea even further by making Dorothy evil and ambitious. Dorothy’s story exists in this book. It’s treated as the same fictional story about the same fictional girl that we know. In this book, people don’t realize there’s a part two to that story and that it’s far from fiction.
Featuring The Bride as Amy Gumm.
Enter Amy Gumm. Amy is the product of a broken home. Her father left her and her mother for another woman when she was younger, and her mother became hooked on pills and alcohol to the point that Amy takes care of her more than the other way around. Amy lives in a trailer park and deals with ridicule from her peers. Salvation Amy, they call her because mean teenagers aren’t typically very clever. She knows Dorothy’s story well, and as a girl living miserably in Kansas herself, she doesn’t understand why Dorothy would choose to come back to such mediocrity. On the cusp of a tornado, Amy’s mom decides it’s more important to attend a tornado party with her friend than stay and make sure her daughter is safe, and yep, she gets scooped up by a tornado and taken to the wonderful world of Oz. However, things are wrong.
The Deadly Vipers as the Tin Man, the Lion, Glinda, and the Scarecrow
Dorothy continues on with the pretense of sweetness and friendliness while punishing the inhabitants for things such as Extreme Sass and Smuttiness. A fickle nature and a thirst for power make her cruel. Amy’s arrival disturbs her. It shatters Dorothy’s thin illusions of grandeur. Dorothy decrees Amy must stand trial for treason, which will certainly end in her death or worse. Before Amy is to be executed, she’s rescued by the Wicked Witches who have banded together to oppose Dorothy. As they train Amy to become one of the Wicked, one thing becomes clear: Dorothy must die.
And Amy must be the one to kill her.
Bill… Dorothy… same thing.
Book Review: A Criminal Magic by Lee Kelly
Posted on February 1, 2016 24 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Saga Press (February 2, 2016)
Length: 432 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
The year is 1926. In our real world, America would have been in the throes of the “Prohibition era”, a time in the twenties to early-thirties marked by a nationwide ban on the sale, production and importation of alcohol. But in the world of A Criminal Magic, it is sorcery and its related activities and products that are ruled illegal by the passing of the 18th Amendment.
However, the attempt to clamp down on the “evils” of magic only resulted in creating new types of crime—and lots more of it. Activity in the criminal underworld has exploded, with smugglers transporting magical contraband into the country from overseas. Gang bosses have also set up secret dens in the cities where customers can indulge in clandestine magic shows while guzzling the “shine”, an ensorcelled beverage with euphoric but highly addictive effects. In the middle of this are two young people who come from very different beginnings, but both end up walking the path that leads them to working for the notorious Washington D.C. criminal organization known as the Shaw Gang.
Speaking of which, their story brings to mind that old adage about the road to hell being paved with good intentions. Both Joan Kendrick and Alex Danfrey are on this journey for similar reasons, hoping to atone for past sins—except the former is in it to do right by her family, while the latter is seeking redemption and revenge. To keep her cousin and little sister fed and sheltered, Joan agrees to work as an entertainer in the Shaws’ finest club, the Red Den. Alex’s history on the other hand is much more complicated, being the son of a businessman who was convicted for racketeering for the mob. A trainee in the Federal Prohibition Unit, Alex was well on his way to becoming just another apathetic and dirty cop when he is suddenly offered the opportunity to turn his life around by acting as a mole to infiltrate the Shaws.
A Criminal Magic offers genuine entertainment. The atmosphere, the suspense and the gorgeous magic is all there, and for the most part it was a smashing hit with me. I am always crazy for alternate history because it is such a thrill seeing what authors can do with the time period, and I just love having new experiences in general. In that sense, this book was everything I wanted and definitely took me on a wild ride. So many of the ideas here electrified me, from the sorcerer’s shine to magical teamwork! It’s an ambitious novel to be sure, but while a thousand and one things could have gone wrong, Kelly pulled it all together beautifully. It was an absolute joy to read her elegant prose and storytelling.
Was the book perfect? No, though I have to say it was damned nearly so. I was most disappointed that the Roaring Twenties didn’t come through as fully as it could have, falling just short of being convincing or immersive. Aside from the occasional mention of men in fedoras and awkward insertions of “dame” in the dialogue, this novel could have taken place anywhere and anytime else. I was able to also foresee most of the story because of its rather shallow plot involving the same old power struggles and betrayals, a timeworn scenario considering how predictably it features in every other gangster movie ever made. If mob films happen to be your thing, you might find portions of the novel overly simplistic and not particularly original (like Alex’s recruitment before graduation and his subsequent stint in prison to increase his credibility, for example, which was plot point a straight out of The Departed.)
Character development also felt a little thin for supporting characters, though Joan and Alex were written very well. Still, they were hard to embrace wholeheartedly because I found both to be so naïve and, in Joan’s case, so self-absorbed. It’s interesting how my feelings for them at the end of the book were a complete turnaround from how I felt about them at the beginning. I loathed Alex with every fiber of my being when he was first introduced, but by the final chapters he had become a favorite. Meanwhile, my opinion of Joan started high but fell with every wrong move and weak excuse she made. Their romance didn’t feel right to me either, almost like forces outside the fourth wall were pushing them into the relationship instead of letting it occur naturally.
Of course, these are all minor issues. None of them are even close to deal breaking, and the book’s magic and stunning climax and conclusion also made up for a lot of them.
A Criminal Magic is an example of great storytelling, with an extraordinarily unique vision. While it didn’t quite meet all my expectations, it’s still a solid novel that I would recommend to others without hesitation. My first book by Lee Kelly was a great experience, and now it’s got me eyeing my copy of her debut City of Savages with hungry curiosity!
Short & Sweet YA Weekend: The Day Boy and the Night Girl by George MacDonald
Posted on January 31, 2016 4 Comments
The Day Boy and the Night Girl by George MacDonald
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Fantasy and Horror Classics (first published in 1882)
Memorable Quote: “No, of course – you can’t be a girl: girls are not afraid – without reason. I understand now: it is because you are not a girl that you are so frightened.”
Narrator: Paul Eggington | Length: 1 hr and 33 mins | Audiobook Publisher: ChristianAudio.Com (January 6 2009) | Whispersync Ready: Yes
TL;DR Review:
Credit: Moonflowers
Tiara’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars. I wasn’t sure what I was getting into to, but I loved it. I just wished it had been a longer story.
MacDonald has been credited with being the inspiration for other “Christian Mythmakers” such as Tolkien and L’Engle. Thid story in particular is seen as some of his best work. Despite the publisher, this is not a book that is about religion (but you can catch some religious themes as with the works with all the authors mentioned). The Day Boy and the Night Girl is a fairy tale of sorts, and I’ve heard that this is quoted in Ann Aguirre’s Enclave. Two women, a beautiful noblewoman named Aurora from the king’s court, and a blind, widowed woman named Vesper, are the unwitting guests of Watho, a witch, who aspires to know everything. She allows Aurora to live in the sunlight and have free range of the castle while she hides away the blind woman in the tombs, believing her to know no difference given her condition. Watho finds both women beautiful. Aurora in her vibrance and Vesper in her tragedy. Aurora soon births a son, Photogen. Immediatey upon his birth, he is spirited away from his mother. She’s told he is dead, and she leaves the mansion in despair. Not too long after, Vesper births a daughter named Nycteris and presumably Vesper died after her birth. Watho begins an experiment with the children. She only allows Photogen to see the sunlight, living as his mother had, and she allows Nycteris to see only the dark, living in the tombs as her mother had. Photogen is schooled in many arts while Nycteris is largely kept ignorant save for learning music. Photogen knows nothing of the night while Nycteris knows nothing of the day.
When Photogen decides that he has the courage to face the night after learning about it, he’s seized with a fear he’s never known, only helped through his fear by Nycteris who is ignorant of the sunlight and finds no fear in the dark. In fact, Nycteris is very much in tune with her surroundings. When Nycteris discovers the sun, she believes she is burning. However, unlike Photogen, she is more open to experience despite her naivety, and quickly comes to realize that, despite her fear of the sun, both the light and the dark live together to form a harmony. This harmony is something that both the boy and the girl find in each other, as they learn to balance this realization that there is more to their lives than the small world Watho has condemned to them for her personal knowledge. This is a beautifully crafted tale that’s aged well. There’s a simplicity to the story that kids can appreciate, but at the same time, there’s a depth that adults can admire. Photogen’s resolve to be brave in the face of the unknown and Nycteris’ quiet wisdom are shown beautifully, simply. They complement each other and navigate a world together that they’d been hidden from. Because this is a children’s story, things do wrap up very neatly for the characters, but there is still something affecting about it. Eggington’s narration was great. It wasn’t too over the top, and it wasn’t too boring. He read it just as you’d expect a fairy tale to be narrated. I will admit the story seems to give more weight to the boy’s story, but this could be to show how naive he truly is and how Nycteris offsets that by being compassionate. It made me think of Digory and Polly from C.S. Lewis’ The Magician’s Nephew, but Nycteris is much milder than Polly.
Yays!
– A touching fairytale that can lead to awesome discussion
– A great story for children and adults
Nays!
– Short, easy to see this story in a longer format
– Can feel like the author gave Photogen’s story more merit
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YA Weekend: Burning Midnight by Will McIntosh
Posted on January 31, 2016 21 Comments
A review copy was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Burning Midnight by Will McIntosh
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Delacorte Press (February 2, 2016)
Length: 320 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Burning Midnight is Will McIntosh’s first Young Adult novel, and even though it didn’t hit me emotionally as hard as his adult books Defenders or Love Minus Eighty (which is one of my favorite books ever!) I nonetheless found it incredibly entertaining and addictive. It even disrupted my nightly ritual of reading to calm my mind before bed, because all this book did was make me even more wide awake with my blood pumped up and heart pounding.
I also loved the unique concept behind Midnight Burning. Imagine going to sleep one day and waking up the next to find that everything has changed, thanks to the sudden appearance of strange, colorful marble-sized spheres all over the world. You can find them anywhere there is human activity, but they are always hidden well–inside storm drains, fountains, crawlspaces, discarded bottles, etc. And when you put a matched set of the same color to your temples (in a process called “burning” the spheres) they can permanently enhance your features and abilities. Burning a pair of Chocolate browns can make you stronger, for example, and Cranberries can make you better looking. Aquamarines will grant you quick healing, Vermillions allow you to sleep less (that’s one I could TOTALLY use), and Ruby reds give you perfect teeth…basically, there are dozens upon dozens of sphere colors and their effects.
Of course, some colors are rarer than others, and there’s a lot more demand for the desirable traits. As a result, a whole industry has sprung up around the spheres. Some businessmen made a fortune dealing in spheres, like the shady industry mogul Alex Holliday, but also on the other side of the spectrum are those like our protagonist David “Sully” Sullivan, a high school student who buys and sells them out of a modest little stall at the local flea market on weekends. Desperate for money after his mom loses his job, Sully decides to join forces with Hunter, a girl with a natural talent for finding spheres. Together, they hope to strike it rich soon with one big find, and then one day, they get lucky—really lucky. Sully and Hunter find a Gold, a color that no one has ever seen before, so it’s a mystery what a pair of them will even do. But it doesn’t matter, because it’s possibly the rarest sphere in the world, and when Holliday catches wind of it, Sully knows the evil billionaire will do anything in his power to possess it.
In the acknowledgements, I found out Burning Midnight was actually expanded from a short story by Will McIntosh called “Midnight Blue”, and it would be really interesting to see how that might have influenced the structure of the plot, since I noticed a distinct shift between the first half of the novel and its second half. The pivotal point, of course, was when Sully and Hunter find the Gold—which happens almost exactly halfway through the book. Before this, the story was definitely slower, focusing more on the world building and developing the characters and their relationships. On the other hand, the second half was where all the action was! In truth, this turned out really well, with the more gradual pacing in the beginning acting as a nice long fuse to work up to the explosive ending. I was practically burning with anticipation (sorry, pun unavoidable) to find out the mystery behind the spheres and how everything would play out.
I have to say, the answers were surprising. I won’t spoil the end, but it’s safe to say I didn’t see the twist coming at all. Throughout the entire book is this disconcerting feeling that the spheres are too good to be true, and McIntosh even encourages the suspicion by including a character who wisely suggests that there’s “no free lunch”. Things in the book did wrap up a little too quickly and neatly for my tastes, but my mind is still blown by the revelations which I can only describe as pretty unexpected and far out there.
Ultimately, it was really refreshing to get away from magic and dive into something strange, weird and mysterious like the spheres. One has to wonder if the story was in any way inspired by collectible card games or other hobbies that involve hunting for rare items (assigning a value to spheres based on its rarity, listing/buying spheres on eBay, hitting up sphere dealers for the best price to complete a set, etc.…all these activities inevitably reminded me of my days of scouring hobby store displays to find those rare cards I needed to build my Magic deck.) Whichever way you look at it though, the story was tons of fun and the originality alone makes this book worth checking out.
Overall, Midnight Burning was a very quick and enjoyable read, with one of the coolest concepts I’ve ever seen. I devoured it in about two sittings, after I finally gave up on trying to go to sleep and admitted to myself I’d so much rather be reading this book. Will McIntosh is one of my favorite authors and I’ll read any book he writes, and I am thrilled that he made such a great debut into YA fiction.
Rosemary and Rue Read-Along Week No.4
Posted on January 30, 2016 12 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! This is the final week’s questions, but there are plans to continue to the next book. 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. On the way to finding Evening’s killer at last, we get to meet the Luidaeg in person. What are your impressions of her, and what do you think of the sneaky ‘deal’ Toby managed to make with her?
I like her, but I usually do like those kind of characters. I just finished The Bees last night, and the Spiders in that book made me think of her, which should probably be pretty scary. It seems more like she’s terrifying because others are terrified of her and what she represents for their people. I’m not going to say she’s probably not a scary person, but it seems much of the fear is rooted in hate and prejudiced which she responds to by being, I don’t want to say antagonistic… Maybe upfront, uncaring about what they think, and truthful are better words. There’s no reason to soften who you are in her case because she already knows the score. I think the deal was really smart of Toby and shows how she thinks quick on her feet, but with her former occupation, that’s a requirement, I suppose. I always think things like this will probably bite characters in the ass, so… I liked the dynamics between the Luidaeg and Toby as well. The glimpses of their kin’s histories was fascinating. I can’t wait to see where that goes.
2. Next stop is the Court of Cats, where we see Tybalt in his role as a king, followed by another visit to Lily to finally learn the truth. We get some more evidence of the regard they both have for Toby; in light of previous discussions about Toby’s friendships, what do you make of this new evidence?
The Court of the Cats seems… fun… LOL. Before kids, those would’ve been my kind of people… sort of… Toby has good friends looking after her whether she thinks she deserves them or not. Obviously, given how she’s treated from the highest court to a cabbie, people have plenty of respect for her, and she seems to have endeared herself more than she thinks with the magic community. Some of those relationships run deeper than she thinks. I know she’s going through a rough time, but people can only be in your corner for so long before you have to get the help you need, open your eyes, and accept that they’re with you on this journey. You’re not alone, and their is no reason to think that. Toby is pretty independent, but look how quickly she ran back to the unhealthy relationship to seek help over some of the others. There’s an argument to be made that she was just working under “the end justifies the means” logic with him. However, there’s no reason for me to believe that Devin’s life meant any less to her than any of the others’ lives, and it was pretty obvious where her feelings were. It seemed to be okay for her to lean on him in a destructive relationship like that, but less okay to lean on people who probably mostly have your best interests at heart.
Also… you just happened to have some cats, huh, Toby? That could take you to Tybalt. She came back to you, huh, Tybalt? She came back to YOU.
I see you two!
3. Now for the final reveal! Devin ‘fesses up, and Dare is killed defending Toby… Was any of this finale what you’d expected? What do you make of Devin’s reasons for killing Evening?
There weren’t too many leads on who it could be. I know there was Ray acting as the red herring, I suppose. I never much suspected Ray, so I figured it was going to be the obvious choice or it was going to be the least-obvious choice. In my mind, that boiled down to two people, in order of obvious and least-obvious, Devin and Connor. Devin because he seemed cutthroat enough to do it it. Connor because he just comes off as a great big ol’ man baby. I had to think about Devin’s reason for killing her. On one hand, I was thinking, “That’s it?” On the other, people have manipulated others and killed for less, and it didn’t really seem out of character for him from Toby’s previous description. I don’t know if I’d expected him to be so fanciful and fanatical about the idea because he seemed more practical than that, a man that would deal in absolutes rather than maybes. However, I guess, when faced with certain realities you’d rather not face, you can get lost in your head. Poor Dare. I really liked her and her brother. I really wanted both of them to have their happy ending, especially her because she seemed to be willing to do anything to make sure they ended up safe and protected.
4. The hope chest is given over to the Queen at the end of the story. In light of what we’ve seen of her and the potential power that the hope chest has (regardless of what it does), do you think this was the right thing for Toby to do?
Well, going on Toby’s logic, it was the right thing to do. In this case, though, since she really does want to keep it away from herself and it’s obvious she isn’t in any ambiguous possible romantic precursor period as she is with a certain Cat king, it probably is the best choice since the Queen really does seem to dislike her greatly. I don’t know if that was the smartest decision (only time will tell), but it was probably the right decision for this current situation.
Please stand by as I sob quietly to myself about my Tybalt/Toby ship sailing. I will go down with this ship. I won’t put my hands up and surrender. There will be no white flag above my door. I’m singing that in my best Dido voice, which isn’t very good.
I will go down with this ship. Now let’s see how long it takes to break my heart.
With these words “Who did I know that would start barking like a seal if you hurt him?” Connor was officially put into “delicate precious baby 90% of the time” category, even if he did save her life. She did say his people were mostly gentle right. I bet he keeps his skin smooth with Johnson & Johnson’s Lavender Scented Baby Lotion. This could change, and I’m not faulting him for being gentle. It’s just the way she wrote him was gentle in a chuckle-worthy way. Again, nothing wrong with gentle men at all, but there’s a fine line between gentle men and seemingly mocking gentleness in a man. I’m hoping it doesn’t go over into mocking because right now it’s just amusing. That end scene, though, with the Connor and the water confirmed my suspicion that she is acting much like a trauma victim. I was literally (yes, literally) arguing with the narrator when Toby forgot that Connor was a selkie. (I’m glad she pointed out she forgot… Otherwise…) Which brings me to my next rambling point, I loved that she used the fact that selkies have seductive power over human women and Toby’s humanness to show a little of how that relationship probably really happened, even though Connor is supposed to be cute and all.
Poor twins. Poor, poor twins.
So she’s back again, said Tybalt’s voice, soft in my mind’s ears. Lost and gone for so long, and now she’s come back to us, now she’s come back to me . . .
My heart can’t handle it right now.
Rosemary and Rue Read-Along Week No.1
Rosemary and Rue Read-Along Week No.2
Rosemary and Rue Read-Along Week No.3
Mogsy’s Bookshelf Roundup: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on January 30, 2016 39 Comments
Bookshelf Roundup is a feature I do every other weekend which fills the role of several blog memes, like Stacking the Shelves where I talk about the new books I’ve added to my library or received for review, as well as It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? where I round up what I’ve read since the last update and what I’m planning to read soon. Mostly it also serves as a recap post, so sometimes I’ll throw in stuff like reading challenge progress reports, book lists, and other random bookish thoughts or announcements.
So, as you might have heard, our area got a bit of snow last week…
We’re in northeastern Maryland, and winter storm Jonas kicked us hard in the ass. Official numbers put snow accumulation in our town at around 28-29 inches, which sounds about right. When I opened the door to our yard on Sunday morning, some of the drifts were more than three feet high (my daughter, in the above photo, is about 41 inches tall) and we were pretty much snowed in the whole weekend, despite all our efforts shoveling and snow blowing. The plows were still working overtime trying to get the roads clear and most businesses were closed, which meant nowhere to go and nothing to do but stay at home for days. Yes, you can bet I spent a lot of that downtime reading.
RECEIVED FOR REVIEW
Before the blizzard hit though, some great books showed up in the mail. Some were titles I requested, but as usual there were more than a few happy surprises. I would like to thank the publishers and authors for sending me these wonderful review copies:
Snakewood by Adrian Selby – One of my most anticipated releases for this spring! I was very excited when this ARC arrived. My thanks to Orbit for the chance to read this dark fantasy story about a band of mercenaries who use strange alchemy and magical brews to escape a killer hunting them.
Starborn by Lucy Hounson – A squee-inducing book, courtesy of the good folks across the pond at Tor UK. A YA fantasy adventure about a young woman on the run until she is rescued by two strangers, leading to a chain of events that awakens her own power within her. I cannot wait to start this.
The Damned by Andrew Pyper – Last week I got an unsolicited package from Simon & Schuster, and my jaw literally fell open when I opened it up to see this inside. HOW DID THEY KNOW I WANTED TO READ THIS ONE BADLY?! Apparently, the paperback release is next month, complete with a brand new cover. Like I said in a recent Top Ten Tuesday, The Damned is a top 2015 release that I meant to read last year, but was sad that I didn’t get to do so. Its serendipitous arrival was no doubt telling me that it was time, so I dove into the book that very same night and devoured it. My thanks to the publisher for sending me this most excellent horror novel. Review to be posted soon!
The Dragon Round by Stephen S. Power – The awesomesauce of S&S does not end there. Last year before the holidays I also got a nice email from the publicist working on Simon 451 titles letting me know they saw my Waiting for Wednesday post about The Dragon Round, and asked if I would be interested in a review copy. I told her that I had been approved for the eARC already, but they said they were more than happy to send a print copy along as well. It came earlier this month, and I love having a physical copy. I know it’s just the proof version, but I still look at that cover and get a bit of vertigo from that stunningly gorgeous image. The high seas and dragons! My thanks again to Simon & Schuster, I am even more excited to read this now.
The Lyre Thief by Jennifer Fallon – This book first landed on my radar late last year, and the more I learn about it, the more delicious it looks. A story about stolen music, the quest for a tiny lyre, and a powerfully compelling female protagonist. This epic fantasy sounds right up my alley. With thanks to Tor Books.
Poseidon’s Wake by Alastair Reynolds – My thanks to Ace Books for sending me the finished hardcover, which was a surprise arrival like the ARC I got last month. I guess they really want me to read this! And believe me, I really want to read it too! Priority will always go to requested books of course, but I’ve also been looking into my library to see if they have the audio of the first book Blue Remembered Earth. When my reading schedule clears a little, I’d like to start this series. I’ve heard great things about it, and Alastair Reynolds is an author I really NEED to read.
Kingfisher by Patricia A. McKillip – Speaking of authors I really need to read, lately I’ve been hearing all sorts of praise for Patricia A. McKillip’s latest novel. I was also in a Twitter discussion earlier this week about which books of hers are our favorites, and of course I had to sheepishly admit I’ve never read her. I hope to remedy that next month when I dive into Kingfisher, a book of ancient magic and knights, enchantresses and fae. My thanks again to Ace Books.
Ex-Isle by Peter Clines – Paperback, with thanks to Broadway Books. This was a surprise arrival, but a very welcome one! I’ve been following Clines’ superheroes meets zombie apocalypse Ex-Heroes series for a while now. Still, it’s hard to believe this is already book 5! Good thing I’m caught up so I can dive right in.
Doom of the Dragon by Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman – My thanks to Tor for this finished copy of the latest book in the Dragonships of Vindras sequence. My guess is that I won’t be able to read it as a standalone as it is the fourth and final volume, but it’s definitely getting bumped up the list of unsolicited-books-or-series to try out if time allows! I hear folks talk about the authors’ Dragonlance books all the time, and I feel like I owe it to myself to check out their writing.
Dragon Hunters by Marc Turner – Hey, look at all these covers of dragons harassing ships! Dragons, dragons, dragons! This update seems to be all about dragons, but that, my friends, is what I call a happy problem. Tor Books was also kind enough to send along this gorgeous finished copy of the sequel to When the Heavens Fall. It was a surprise arrival as well, but seeing as I already had every intention of continuing the series, book two’s arrival couldn’t have been more perfect!
The Hatching by Ezekiel Boone – 2016 is shaping up to be a great year for Horror. I swear, every time I turn around I see another new title that catches my eye. This one showed up on Edelweiss the other week, and it was on my watchlist so I couldn’t resist requesting. Thanks to Atria/Emily Bestler Books for approving me. It sounds like an eco-horror type story from its description, but from the blurb on the Canadian edition, I think I also caught the mention of — brace yourselves — carnivorous spiders. Ruh oh!
Squid’s Grief by DK Mok – I read DK’s epic fantasy novel Hunt for Valamon last year and had a great time with it. So when she emailed me to ask if I would be interested in a review copy of her upcoming book Squid’s Grief, I said absolutely! I believe this one is sci-fi, but the description hints at a dynamic and quirky team-up, the same kind I enjoyed so much from her last book. And hey, any mention of a heist, I’m there.
The Fireman by Joe Hill – I also read Joe Hill for the first time last year, and I promised myself that it wouldn’t be the last. NOS4R2 rocked my socks, so here’s hoping The Fireman will as well! eARC courtesy of William Morrow via Edelweiss.
The Emperor’s Railroad by Guy Haley and The Jewel and her Lapidary by Fran Wilde – More goodies from the wonderful team at Tor.com! I have to say, I’m getting more curious about The Emperor’s Railroad by the second and I know Tiara is excited to read it. And I didn’t even know about the Fran Wilde novella until I got the email with the eARC! I love discovering new stuff.
KICKSTARTER REWARDS
I was also happy to at long last receive my physical copy of The Death of Dulgath from Michael J. Sullivan’s Kickstarter campaign for this third book of the Riyria Chronicles. I really didn’t mind the wait, and I appreciate how he and his wife have worked ’round-the-clock getting our goodies out and keeping us updated on the shipping process. The project was a wild success with a lot of rewards to mail out, and I am excited the book (signed, plus lots of bookmarks!) is in my hands now, along with a Rose and Thorn t-shirt.
REVIEWS
Here are all my reviews since the last update, gathered together and listed here for your convenience and viewing pleasure. My first five-star rating of 2016 went to Robert Jackson Bennett’s City of Blades. Have you read this amazing book yet?
City of Blades by Robert Jackson Bennett (5 of 5 stars)
Winterwood by Jacey Bedford (4.5 of 5 stars)
Dreaming Death by J. Kathleen Cheney (4 of 5 stars)
The Bands of Mourning by Brandon Sanderson (4 of 5 stars)
The Drowning Eyes by Emily Foster (3.5 of 5 stars)
The King’s Justice by Stephen R. Donaldson (3.5 of 5 stars)
Truthwitch by Susan Dennard (3.5 of 5 stars)
The Rogue Retrieval by Dan Koboldt (3.5 of 5 stars)
Owl and the City of Angels by Kristi Charish (3.5 of 5 stars)
AUTHOR SPOTLIGHTS
My thanks to the authors who stopped by these last couple of weeks!
Interview with Lawrence M. Schoen, Author of Barsk: The Elephants’ Graveyard
WHAT I’VE READ SINCE THE LAST UPDATE
This is what happens when snow keeps you stuck indoors for four-and-a-half days (though to be fair, a couple of these are very short novellas). I did a lot of cleaning, polished off a lot of books, and listened to even more audiobooks while leveling in World of Warcraft with my husband.
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! 🙂
The BiblioSanctum 
