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~
The Road to Civil War: Whose Side Are You On?
Posted on January 15, 2016 19 Comments
Spoiler: If you didn’t just answer that question with Captain America, we can’t be friends. You can’t be here.
I’m kidding. 😀 Really, I am. You still can have an epic brofist even if you said Iron Man.
Let’s talk about Civil War. *takes a deep breath* I’m in a good place now. I can do this. Before I get this post rolling, for those of you who haven’t watched the trailer for the new movie, enjoy:
Like any good Marvel nerd, I’ve watched that new trailer for the upcoming Civil War movie with joy in my soul. Okay, I am lying. After hearing that the new Captain America movie was going to adapt Civil War for the big screen, I admit I was a little apprehensive… okay… very apprehensive. What am I saying? I almost had a heart attack. Let me explain.
Civil War used to be the one Marvel crossover event (until Avengers vs X-Men) that fueled nothing but rage in my heart with how they handled things. Any conversation about this event in the early days of its fruition fostered a sith-like rage rant that was nigh uncontrollable. When I say I hated Civil War with every fiber of my being while it was going on, believe those words. I’m a passionate person. I feel very strongly about many things including my nerd habits. The only thing Civil War did was push me from casual Captain America fan to rabid Captain America fan. I’m talking American Eagle screeching every time I see Captain America rabid type fan now, the kind of fan that stands up, puts her hand over her heart, and screams like Jack Swagger “WE THE PEOPLE!” every time I see him (Yes, I am a wrestling nerd, too). I love Captain America.
WE THE PEOPLE! *America Eagle screech*
Seriously, though, I really came to respect the character much more and really started paying attention to his stories which are more than just stories that are about everything America should be. His iconic stand against the government will forever be one of my favorite comic moments, that moment that he declared that he is not the will of the government but the will of the people.
Civil War also did another thing. It soured me on Tony Stark for many years. I only recently started rereading Iron Man comics in probably the last year or so. It felt like Marvel went overboard with making him completely despicable during Civil War. Even when I felt Tony had a valid point at times, the sentiment was lost because I couldn’t stand the character or the way they were making him act. That same reasoning is part of the reason why Avengers vs. X-Men drove me crazy. This time it was Captain America being completely deplorable even when he had a good point. During AvX, even Tony Stark was like, “Remember how much of a dick I was during Civil War, Cap? Don’t be that guy, okay.” Side Note: However, I thought AvX did a much better job of making me hate both sides of the playing field. Probably not what they were going for, but it was hard to like either team. Also, AvX did have this scene of Tony Stark saying YOLO about science stuff to kind of redeem it as well:
Shorter Tony: “Fuck Science! LOL.”
The movie is only going to be loosely based on the Civil War event while we travel the road to the movie premier, and that is for the best to keep the story as self-contained as possible. The trailer makes it seems like they’re trying to take the core of what made Civil War what it was and bring it to the big screen. This was a massive event in the comics, probably one of the biggest to date, spanning well over 90 comics. It affected the lives of just about every character in the Marvel Universe, and while I didn’t like it much, I did like that they really did their best to show that this was everyone’s problem in the comics and not just a couple of groups of characters. It affected everyone from the X-Men to the Runaways. It was huge.
Since watching the trailer, a crazy idea popped into my head. Maybe I should revisit the Civil War comic event. Obviously, I don’t plan to reread all the comics, but the story arcs that mattered the most in the story I wanted to read again. Who knows how I may feel about it after so many years. It’ll be like looking at it with new eyes, and I’m taking you along for the ride. I think there are just enough important arcs to maybe get us nearly to the US premiere of the movie. Will I still scream into a pillow about how much this pisses me off? Will age and time have tempered out my feelings about it? Only one way to find out. Let’s do this, squad!
Coming up: The Road to Civil War by Brian Michael Bendis and J. Michael Straczynski
Short & Sweet Review: Star Wars: The Force Awakens by Alan Dean Foster
Posted on January 14, 2016 20 Comments
Star Wars: The Force Awakens by Alan Dean Foster
Series: Star Wars Novelizations #7
Publisher: LucasBooks (December 18, 2015)
Memorable Quote: “Death displays nothing if not variety in its methods, which are often surprising and sometimes amusing.”
TL;DR Review:
Tiara’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars. This is totally what this book and movie is all about in my head.
Short & Sweet Review:
No spoilers for the movie, I promise.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens is, as you guessed, a novelization of the latest Star Wars movie set some years after Return of the Jedi. As with most movie to book adaptations much of the dialogue and scenes are recognizable from the movie. There are a few scenes that play out a bit differently than the movie. In some cases I would have liked to have watched these scenes on the big screen such as [REDACTED] rather than what we got in the movie, but the differences weren’t so pronounced that I can really raise a complaint about them. Some scene differences in the book might’ve even been necessary to make the scenes make more sense in writing than on the screen where the viewers might be more forgiving of some errors, omissions, and improbable events.
While this book certainly added some meat to some of the scenes in the movie, it is sparse. I’d dare say it’s a bit more sparse than most adaptations I’ve read in some places. I think this might be the case because they don’t want to give away too much that might spoil or give readers too much insight into subsequent movies in the series. However, I do feel there would’ve been no harm in expanding more on many scenes in ways that wouldn’t have spoiled the readers for the next movies. This was a straightforward book that follows the story pretty much line for line. If you’re looking for an adaptation that’ll answer questions you are sure to have after watching the movie, this is not your book. It was enjoyable, but not something I’d call a “must read.” I’d only really recommend this to the most hardcore Star Wars fans whose sole mission is to read everything about the universe. However, it can be fun for those of you who want to relive the movie without having to go back to the theater.
Yays!
– Gives some scenes in the movie more context and expands them a bit more, gives some thoughts from characters than the main ones
– Not terribly written for a movie adaptation book
– A fun, quick read that’ll have you reliving the movie in your head
Nays!
– Doesn’t give as much context as some people are probably searching for, none of your conspiracy theories will be confirmed or denied or even entertained
– Very sparse in some places even for an adaptation that follows its movie almost scene for scene
Coloring Book Review: Animal Kingdom and Tropical World by Millie Marotta
Posted on January 14, 2016 33 Comments
Welcome to a new feature at The BiblioSanctum, where every month (or so!) I’ll be featuring and reviewing an adult coloring book. I first became attracted to the hobby because I love all things pretty and colorful, but whether you see it as a form of escapism or a social activity, there’s no denying adult coloring books are becoming an increasingly popular trend. As I begin my journeys through coloring, I’d like to share my thoughts and experiences along the way.
Today, I’ll be looking at…
Animal Kingdom and Tropical World
My thanks to Sterling Publishing for providing copies for review.
To be sure, if you love animals, then you’ll also love Millie Marotta’s coloring books! I’ve decided to review the two books together because they are both similar in format and, as you’ll see further in my review, in art style as well. Animal Kingdom is simply stunning, filled with pages and pages of gorgeously illustrated animal and plant life. Tropical World was published after the first book’s wild success, and it follows in the same tradition except with a heavier focus on themes and subjects inspired by the tropics. You really can’t go wrong with either one.
OVERVIEW:
Both books are square, with pages measuring 9.8 by 9.8 inches. Illustrations are printed front and back on bright and thick heavy-weight paper, perfect for color pencils and gel pens (which I used in my examples at the end of this review). I would personally not recommend water color or markers, as the paper will warp and you will potentially get color bleeding through the page, ruining the illustrations on the other side. The books are also bound in a way that won’t allow you to lay them open flat. You can press them down as well as you can or bend the books backward to crack the spine, but unless you do, coloring some of the 2-page spreads might present some difficulty.
Flamingo from Animal Kingdom
Peacock from Tropical World
ILLUSTRATIONS:
Simply gorgeous. I love Marotta’s style which utilizes shapes and lines to form intricate patterns in the outlines of a variety of different animals. Sometimes, the shapes themselves form the outline of the animals!
Red-Eyed Tree Frog and Armadillo from Tropical World, Owl and Seal from Animal Kingdom
Mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, insects, etc. are all represented here, and there are also pages full of beautifully illustrated flowers and plants. The line work is fantastically detailed and intricate – enough to make your head spin! Be prepared for hours of careful coloring as to not miss a single spot, but the results are worth it.
Peacock and Chameleon from Animal Kingdom, Parrots from Tropical World
In addition to the types of illustrations described above, there are also pages with animal designs for the colorist to “fill in” themselves, perfect for if you want to draw your own patterns. A few pages with illustrations also have text, little lines of “instructions” you can choose to follow or ignore; they don’t add anything, other than some flavor to the book.
Elephants from Animal Kingdom
If I have only one complaint about the art, it’s that the patterns and designs get repetitive after a while. The animals in the illustrations are all different, but the more you do the more you’ll see the same motifs in them utilized again and again. But as this is Millie Marotta’s “signature style”, I don’t really see this as a con, especially if you find yourself wanting more. As you can see, the style of the illustrations in both Animal Kingdom and Tropical World are very similar.
Fish from Animal Kingdom, Crab and Flamingos from Tropical World
Certainly, both books are worth checking out for the exquisite designs. If you do wish for more variation in the artwork for coloring though, you might want to opt for picking up just one of these books. Which you choose is entirely up to your own preferences because both books are filled with equally stunning and beautiful drawings. For more general wildlife, the outstanding Animal Kingdom will not disappoint, but I also personally felt a deeper affinity for the rainforest and coral reef designs in Tropical World. If you like colorful birds, tropical flora or ocean life, then this will definitely be the book for you!
Turtle from Animal Kingdom, Coral and Mandala and Jungle Cat from Tropical World
And now…time for more examples!
Whether you want to utilize the bold hues of gel pens or do some blending magic with color pencils, there are designs in these books to suit all your creative needs. I love how amazing the illustrations are for experimenting with color combinations.
Butterflies and Flowers from Animal Kingdom (Color Pencils)
Rainbow Fish from Tropical World (Color Pencils)
Butterflies from Tropical World (Pastel Gel Pens)
Owl from Tropical World (Metallic Gel Pens)
Book Review: The Aeronaut’s Windlass by Jim Butcher
Posted on January 13, 2016 32 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Aeronaut’s Windlass by Jim Butcher
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of The Cinder Spires
Publisher: Roc (9/29/15)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Jim Butcher. I am a big fan. I will read any new Dresden Files book as soon as it comes out, and considering it’s one of only a few long-running urban fantasy series I’m actually all caught up with, I’d say I’m pretty invested and the character and stories. When I first heard about The Aeronaut’s Windlass in his new steampunkish series though, I was both excited and a little hesitant. I feel Butcher is at his best when he’s writing modern characters in modern settings, where his clever humor and penchant for hilarious pop culture references can fully come into play—which is precisely what makes his urban fantasy so delightful and fun to read. That’s probably why I didn’t do so well with his epic fantasy series Codex Alera; even though I love the genre, I missed the easy wisecracks and the more intimate first-person narrative that I’m more familiar with when it comes to what I know of the author’s style.
Still, though. Jim Butcher and steampunk? My wariness notwithstanding, I also knew I wouldn’t miss this for the world. I could see him pulling this off with style.
And hell yeah he does. The Aeronaut’s Windlass might not have been everything I expected, but it was entertaining, action-packed and imaginative. Butcher really pulled out all the stops with this one, blowing me away with his wildly creative world building. This is not your traditional steampunk, with clockwork and corsets. In this world, nations are built upon towering spires, and their armies war against each other using flying warships, battle gauntlets, and other weaponry powered by energy crystals. The book follows a quite a few characters, including Captain Grimm, the airship captain with a tarnished military record he didn’t deserve; Gwen Lancaster, the young noblewoman who means well even though she can be a bit abrasive and overbearing; Benedict, Gwen’s cousin, who is a handsome and charming super-soldier; Bridget, who hails from an impoverished noble house; and Rowl, Bridget’s snobby sentient talking cat. Yes, I said talking cat!
The book begins with Grimm’s airship, the A.M.S. Predator, taking severe damage after engaging with an enemy battlecruiser. Lacking the funds for repair, Grimm has no choice but to accept a mission from the Spirearch of Albion in exchange for the expensive replacement parts required to get the Predator in shipshape again. He reluctantly agrees to join up with a group of young noble guards-in-training and couple of oddball etherealists on an adventurous journey across the skies. Together, this band of unlikely heroes are tasked to uncover a traitorous plot for the Spirearch, but what they end up finding is a threat even more ancient and powerful than any of them can ever imagine.
There’s no question about it; The Aeronaut’s Windlass was a lot of fun, with a plot fully-loaded with interesting and dynamic relationships, aerial combat action, conspiracies and intrigue. On the other hand, I also felt that the pacing dragged a little from the sheer weight of an overly complex storyline and too many character perspectives. Main and supporting characters would be “benched” for long periods of time while the focus was on something else, and I get the feeling Butcher probably struggled to find the right balance between all his POVs. He is definitely much better when he is writing in the first-person, where all the attention is on a single character and story events are more focused and immediate.
The prose also feels slightly different and more formal than what I’m used to from him, which is not surprising given the high fantasy setting replete with aristocratic houses and nobility. However, this is a good thing. Beneath the surface, the tone and humor is still 100% Jim Butcher. Any doubt of that would be removed as soon as you meet Rowl and his feline brethren. Plus, it would be criminal of me to write this review without mentioning the cats, because they were by far one of the most delightful and memorable surprises of this novel. Might Butcher have been a cat in his past life? Because he bloody nailed the attitude.
The fact he is able to adapt his style to make the characters and this new world so convincing is all the proof you need of Butcher’s brilliance and versatility. The Aeronaut’s Windlass was a great read even if it wasn’t perfect—but then, few series openers often are. This book certainly made an impression on me with its dazzling world building and fantastic characters though, and I am most definitely on board for the sequel.
Waiting on Wednesday 01/13/16
Posted on January 13, 2016 8 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:
Fireborn by David Dalglish: June 7, 2016 (Orbit)
Skyborn was a surprise gem for me in late 2015, and I can’t wait for more high-flying aerial action in this amazing looking sequel.
“The next novel in the Seraphim series following Skyborn from USA Today bestselling author, David Dalglish.
Bree and Kael Skyborn have seen their island invaded, their Seraphim disbanded, and their royal family imprisoned.
A rebellion grows from the ashes, demanding Bree to be their Phoenix, their symbol against Center’s tyranny, and for Kael to find the doomsday prophet Johan and sway his cult to their side.
Should they fail, the hope of their rebellion fails with them.”
Tiara’s Pick
The Emperor’s Railroad by Guy Hayley April 19, 2016 (Tor)
It has zombies (boo!), but it has an interesting post-technology world premise I think I’ll enjoy.
“Global war devastated the environment, a zombie-like plague wiped out much of humanity, and civilization as we once understood it came to a standstill. But that was a thousand years ago, and the world is now a very different place.
Conflict between city states is constant, superstition is rife, and machine relics, mutant creatures and resurrected prehistoric beasts trouble the land. Watching over all are the silent Dreaming Cities. Homes of the angels, bastion outposts of heaven on Earth. Or so the church claims. Very few go in, and nobody ever comes out.
Until now…”
Audiobook Review: The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux
Posted on January 12, 2016 10 Comments
Genre: Gothic Horror
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Harper Perennial (December 30, 1987)
Author Information: Website
Tiara’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Narrator: Ralph Cosham | Length: 7 hrs and 35 mins | Audiobook Publisher: Blackstone Audio (December 6, 2004) | Whispersync Ready: Yes
Continuing on my quest to read more speculative classics, I decided to finally heed the call of this book. Christine Daaé, ingénue of the Opéra Garnier, gives an unearthly performance one night, a performance that dazzles the audience and is witnessed by her childhood friend, Viscount Raoul de Chagny, who is just this emotional wreck because of love for the whole book while Christine kept it (mostly) together for both of them. Christine credits her talent to the Angel of Music and his guiding hand, but when Raoul begins to show intentions of courting Christine, the Angel of Music proves to be more sinister in nature. While Christine continues to garner critical success in her music career, her patron is clear her continued success will be obtained only through him.
This Angel is known by a spookier name among the opera house workers–“Opera Ghost.” (Okay, I know it’s not terribly original, but it was 1909.) With the workers, he’s known as a malevolent spirit, orchestrating tragedies much like an opera that only he controls. Some share a strange semi-symbiotic relationship with him. Some jokingly speak of him, and others are very careful what they say about him lest they kindle his wrath. He is a mystery that some just accept while others seek out answers and search for some explanation for the strange occurrences in the opera house that are often blamed on him.
Thanks to the plays, movies, and operas, I think that sometimes people forget this story started life as a novel–well, a serial actually. I’m guilty of this as well. I have been a long time fan of The Phantom of the Opera in its visual formats for many years, but I’d never read the novel until now, and my review might show my total bias as a fan.
Starting with the narration, I found Ralph Cosham’s reading to be a bit more bland than I’d like. There were so many passages where I felt he should’ve been more passionate, more animated. Everything was read in such a straightforward manner, and I may be biased after watching the movies and operas and just expected more from him based on my experiences. He wasn’t a bad narrator and I quite liked his accent, but his reading just did very little to make the story compelling for me. If I wasn’t already invested in this story because of other media, I’m not sure if I would’ve finished it. There were also some audio issues where sometimes he’d sound like he was in the bathroom reading this book or his voice would sound strangely dubbed. If considering the audiobook, I don’t know if I can highly recommend this reading. There are other narrators available.
As for the story, the atmospheric aspects such as the horrors that you can just perceive out the corner of your eyes, the psychological mind games, are here. The eerie ghost story effect is here intertwined with music and romance. The themes explored in this novel are still explored today, showing how books like this served as a foundation for the horror genre as we’ve come to know it. Being that this started life as a serial, you can kind of tell there was probably some padding just to get to whatever count he needed. Much like modern serials, there are segments that well-balanced, and there are some that feel either too flimsy or seem to be a bit rambling. The characters aren’t terribly rounded save for Christine and the Phantom and even they lack some substance. While this may not be the scariest thing anyone has read and some people treat this as a unrequited love story featuring a tortured soul rather than a Gothic horror, this story is one that proves to be enduring.
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Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten 2015 Releases I Meant To Get To But Didn’t
Posted on January 12, 2016 47 Comments
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. They created the meme because they love lists. Who doesn’t love lists? They wanted to share these list with fellow book lovers and ask that we share in return to connect with our fellow book lovers. To learn more about participating in the challenge, stop by their page dedicated to it and dive in!
This week’s topic: Top Ten 2015 Releases I Meant To Get To But Didn’t
Mogsy’s Picks
There are a ton of books published in 2015 that I didn’t get a chance to get to, and these are some of the ones I regret the most. Hopefully I’ll get to them this year, and if nothing else, I have plenty of possible titles to choose from for Backlist Burndown!
Tiara’s Picks
I had so many hopes for 2015, and while I did manage to read quite a bit of what I wanted, there were some things that I just didn’t get around to that I really wanted to read before 2015 was out.
Book Review: Angel of Storms by Trudi Canavan
Posted on January 11, 2016 14 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Angel of Storms by Trudi Canavan
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 2 of Millennium’s Rule
Publisher: Orbit (11/12/15)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
When it comes to magic, no one writes it quite like Trudi Canavan. I was first introduced to her work with the Black Magician Trilogy. Captivated, I went on to pick up several more of her books set in the same universe. Then a couple years ago, I found out about her new series called Millennium’s Rule and was doubly excited to dive into a brand new world.
There was something very interesting about the structure of the first book Thief’s Magic, however, and I’m sure those who have read it would know exactly what I mean. Essentially, it was like reading two books in one, with the narrative alternating back and forth between two character POVs: Tyen, a young archaeology student on a magic-rich world who uncovers a sentient book named Vella while excavating the ruins of an ancient tomb; and Rielle, a dyer’s daughter from a magic-poor world where using magic is a grave crime, akin from stealing from the Angels themselves.
What do these two seemingly disparate storylines have to do with each other? Curiously, absolutely nothing at all—at least in the first book. So what gives? Well, I was hoping the link would finally be revealed in the sequel, Angel of Storms.
Thankfully, we do get some answers…to a degree. As it turns out, there is a panoply of different worlds out there, both magic-rich and magic-starved, and both Tyen and Rielle are pieces of a much bigger puzzle. If there is one thing in common between all the worlds, it is that most of them have heard of a powerful sorcerer known as the Raen. Some regard him as an evil force, while others worship him as a benevolent god. What matters now though, is that the Raen has returned, and his arrival has caused ripples of uncertainty all throughout the worlds.
It has been several years since the end of Thief’s Magic, and Tyen is now a teacher at a well-respected magic school while Rielle has hidden her own magical talents and started a new life among the tapestry weavers of Schpeta. With the Raen’s reappearance, however, the peace is broken as worlds take sides. Tyen agrees to help spy for the sorcerer in exchange for a way to free Vella from her book, and Rielle accepts an invitation from the Angel of Storms to train and hone her burgeoning magical skills. For much of the book, the two characters’ lives are still rather separate and unrelated, though towards the end we do see some convergence in the storylines.
Overall, it’s not quite the connection I’d hoped for, but it’s a start. Still, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t just a bit disappointed. The main problem with Angel of Storms (and the series so far) is that it develops slowly, and it falls prey to the “second book” syndrome—instead of ramping up the plot, it drags. The book’s structure also makes reviewing it challenging, especially since I was more drawn to Rielle’s storyline than Tyen’s, even though his was filled with more action and suspense. How do I rate a book when I really loved one character’s half of it, but was only lukewarm about the other half?
To the novel’s credit though, I was pleasantly surprised at the role of the Raen in explaining how Rielle and Tyen’s worlds were linked. I’m also fascinated by the differences in their worlds’ cultures and the way each character’s attitude towards magic is shaped by their upbringing, setting each of them on their individual paths. In addition, Canavan ramps up the world building, further developing the concept of multiple worlds in this sequel. The characters travel to some truly amazing places, and readers gets to enjoy vivid descriptions of every kind of world imaginable.
So while Angel of Storms is far from perfect, there’s still lots to love. At times, I had difficulty staying engaged with the story, but by the book’s climax, that was no longer a problem. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that things got more interesting the moment Rielle and Tyen’s storylines started coming together; I’ve waited a long time for answers, and I’m glad we got some even when they were slow in coming. In spite of the book’s flaws, I was hooked by the enticing teaser at the end, and I’m looking forward to the third book to see what will happen next.
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of Thief’s Magic (Book 1)
The BiblioSanctum 