Book Review: Dragon Heart by Cecelia Holland
Posted on September 10, 2015 11 Comments
Dragon Heart by Cecelia Holland
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Stand Alone/Book 1
Publisher: Tor (9/1/15)
Author Information: Website
Mogsy’s Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Dragon Heart has a delectable premise, touting a princess, a dragon, and a castle by the sea. Its cover and description also suggests a traditional epic fantasy, but with an author who is a renowned historical fiction novelist at the helm, you just know there will be more to it than that. Indeed, the book definitely turned out a lot different than I expected, though perhaps not in the way I would have liked. I wish I could give it a more positive review, but the truth is, after a strong start the story quickly lost its steam.
This novel actually centers upon the lives of five siblings, though for most of the beginning we are led to believe that youngest daughter Tirza would be the main protagonist. Mute and simple Tirza is in truth a lot more than she seems, but the royal family has sent her away to a monastery nonetheless, where she can be hidden away and forgotten. Outside her world though, things are changing. The Empire of the east grows more powerful every day, and under a new treaty, Tirza’s mother the widow Queen Marioza must marry one of the emperor’s brothers.
The book begins with Tirza’s twin brother Jeon arriving at the monastery to fetch her for the wedding. But as the two siblings return home by sea, their ship is attacked by an enormous red dragon. Tirza ends up being taken by the dragon and is then held captive in its secret lagoon. To her amazement, she discovers that the beast understands her when she talks to it in her strange language of growls and screeches. Forming an attachment, the dragon vows to hunt down and recapture her if she ever slips its grasp, though Tirza is undeterred and one day manages to escape, fleeing back to her family at Castle Ocean.
All this happens in the first chapter, and alas, it was probably the most interesting chapter in the book. The dragon appears early, which was a high point for me, but it was just too good to last. After this, you won’t see the creature again for a good long time, and even then the nature of its bond with Tirza is never quite explored. Their relationship baffles me. Is it friendship or Stockholm syndrome? How is it that the two of them are able to communicate? Where did the deeper connection between them come from? Truth be told though, probably the less said about that overtly sexual scene involving Tirza and the dragon tongue-bath, the better.
Once we get back to Castle Ocean, there were some elements that I liked. We are introduced to the rest of Tirza’s family, starting with Queen Marioza, who is clearly a force to be reckoned with. The emperor has already tried to make her marry one of his brothers, whom she promptly put in the grave. Unfortunately, this next suitor isn’t going to be so easy to get rid of, but her children trust that she will find a way. In addition to the twins Tirza and Jeon, there are also second and third daughters Casea and Mervaly as well as oldest son and heir Luka. Each one of the royal children end up playing a role in the ensuing political storm, which had its moments.
Problem was, I couldn’t connect with any of the characters and didn’t really care about any of them. Quite simply, there were just too many to keep track of and not enough time to truly get to know anyone. In addition to the royal family, we also occasionally got the points-of-view of an imperial soldier named Pal Dawd as well as a village girl named Amillee. It was too much and too fast, almost like Holland was trying to cram all the dynamics and complexities of Game of Thrones into this tiny package which comes in at just under 300 pages. While certainly ambitious, this tale regrettably falls quite short of its mark.
Most tellingly, the thing that most frustrated me about this book was how it left me cold. Whether they affect me positively or negatively, most stories usually leave me with a sense of resolution or fulfillment. On the other hand, after reading Dragon Heart my mind drew a complete blank. I didn’t even wholly dislike this novel, but I can’t give it more than a middling rating. I definitely felt like there was so much the book could have achieved. Unfortunately for me, it just never quite got there.
Tough Traveling: Magic Systems
Posted on September 10, 2015 18 Comments
The Thursday feature “Tough Traveling” is the brainchild of Nathan of Review Barn, who has come up with the excellent idea of making a new list each week based on the most common tropes in fantasy, as seen in (and inspired by) The Tough Guide to Fantasyland by Diana Wynn Jones. Nathan has invited anyone who is interested to come play along, so be sure to check out the first link for more information.
This week’s tour topic is: Magic Systems
A system. For Magic. Don’t pretend y’all were not waiting for this one.
Wendy’s Picks
Blood Magic, Dragon Age
Because how can I not include blood magic, the system by which the veil between the real word and the Fade is opened wider through the use of blood.
The Abhorsen Trilogy by Garth Nix
“Seven bells are used by necromancers to summon and control the Dead. While many such bell-wielders will be Free Magic sorcerers, the most highly-accomplished wielders of the seven bells come from the Abhorsen family. They are always Charter Mages, and they use the bells to defeat the Dead and compel them to return into Death and pass beyond the Ninth Gate, from which there is no return.” [X]
Three Parts Dead
The Craft Sequence by Max Gladstone
In Max Gladstone’s Craft Sequence series, black mages and necromancers wear pinstripe suits and your soul has far more value than you ever thought. Gods dream, love, and die, and magic swirls — though not everyone can use it. Learning the Craft takes training, determination, and a lot of hard work.
The Dreamblood Duology by N.K. Jemisin
Narcomancy uses the power of dreams to heal or to bring eternal rest. Though the priests of the order are meant to use this gift only to bring peace to the dying, they are fully capable of using it to attack and defend. And when a rampant dreamer shares her powerful nightmare….
The Kingdom of Gods by N.K. Jemisin
This is something we have never told mortals. Paper and ink are weak structures on which to build the framework of magic. Breath and sound aren’t much better, yet we godlings willingly confine ourselves to those methods because the mortal realm is such a fragile place. And because mortals are such dangerously fast learners.
But flesh makes for an excellent conduit
And then there’s, you know, everything by Brandon Sanderson…
Tiara’s Picks:
Mage: The Ascension by White Wolf Games
Let’s just revisit my old quote about this:
This is a tabletop role playing game with a book (of course) with a very interesting magical lore that says that everyone can shape reality and that the reality people believe in (that magic doesn’t exist) is a lie perpetuated by a group called the Technocratic Union, a group that’s convinced the world that only science exists. Even the magic itself is very varied from the unusual things such as science (but in a way that the TU hates), philosophy, technology, inspiration, information and religion along with more traditional magic to name a few.
Fullmetal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa
I can never say this enough about FMA. Science + Magic = EVERYTHING.
The Licanius Trilogy by James Islington
It has been twenty years since the end of the war. The dictatorial Augurs – once thought of almost as gods – were overthrown and wiped out during the conflict, their much-feared powers mysteriously failing them. Those who had ruled under them, men and women with a lesser ability known as the Gift, avoided the Augurs’ fate only by submitting themselves to the rebellion’s Four Tenets. A representation of these laws is now written into the flesh of any who use the Gift, forcing those so marked into absolute obedience.
As a student of the Gifted, Davian suffers the consequences of a war fought – and lost – before he was born. Despised by most beyond the school walls, he and those around him are all but prisoners as they attempt to learn control of the Gift. Worse, as Davian struggles with his lessons, he knows that there is further to fall if he cannot pass his final tests.
But when Davian discovers he has the ability to wield the forbidden power of the Augurs, he sets into motion a chain of events that will change everything. To the north, an ancient enemy long thought defeated begins to stir. And to the west, a young man whose fate is intertwined with Davian’s wakes up in the forest, covered in blood and with no memory of who he is…
The Tufa Books By Alex Bledsoe
Such a creative endeavor by Alex Bledsoe that combines music and magic in such an amazing way. I can’t praise this series enough, and it really starts to throw you for a loop as you learn what the the Tufa truly are as this goes from magical realism to mythology. Excellent series.
Nothing explains this better than the description. Because who can’t love a book where the magic relies on spelling and the main character is dyslexic? And they don’t treat it in a way that feels gross or showing ableism (but I can’t be the ultimate judge of that because I am not dyslexic):
Nicodemus is a young, gifted wizard with a problem. Magic in his world requires the caster to create spells by writing out the text… but he has always been dyslexic, and thus has trouble casting even the simplest of spells. And his misspells could prove dangerous, even deadly, should he make a mistake in an important incantation.
Yet he has always felt that he is destined to be something more than a failed wizard. When a powerful, ancient evil begins a campaign of murder and disruption, Nicodemus starts to have disturbing dreams that lead him to believe that his misspelling could be the result of a curse. But before he can discover the truth about himself, he is attacked by an evil which has already claimed the lives of fellow wizards and has cast suspicion on his mentor. He must flee for his own life if he’s to find the true villain.
But more is at stake than his abilities. For the evil that has awakened is a power so dread and vast that if unleashed it will destroy Nicodemus… and the world.
Mogsy’s Picks:
Looks like my co-bloggers have the epic fantasy handled this week! Which is good because things got pretty busy in the last couple days, but I just really wanted to chime in with a couple of my recent Urban Fantasy reads that I thought had the most awesome and mind-blowingly unique magic systems:
California Bones by Greg Van Eekhout
The magic system of osteomancy – wizards who ingest creature bones and other body parts to absorb their essence and gain their power — is as cool as it is disturbing. A chunk of sabertooth can grant great speed and agility, a bit of sint holo can give you the ability to turn invisible, some essence of firebird can allow the user to breathe flames, and so on. Where it gets really icky is when osteomancers start thinking about cannibalism and butchering other human beings to ingest the magic in their flesh and bones!
Imagine wanting or believing in something so badly, you can actually make it happen. This is the idea behind ‘Mancy, the magic system in this world. Essentially, if you’re a ‘mancer, the power of your obsession will kick the laws of physics in the ass so hard that reality literally comes undone. This is what gives rise to the many different kinds of magic users. The possibilities are endless. Deathmetalmancers! Videogamemancers! Origamimancers! Fastfoodmancers! Catgifmancers!
Waiting on Wednesday 09/09/15
Posted on September 9, 2015 9 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:
Planetfall by Emma Newman: November 3, 2015 (Roc)
Emma Newman’s The Split Worlds trilogy has been on my to-read list for a while, so I was intrigued when I heard that she’ll have a new novel out this fall, what looks to be a science fiction adventure with lots of mystery and thrills. I snagged an ARC from NetGalley last week; seeing as there’ll be another big blogger Sci-Fi November event this year, I think this would make a most excellent pick for me to review that month!
(What’s Sci-Fi November, you ask? Read all about it here and here and I hope you can join us!)
“From the award-nominated author Emma Newman, comes a novel of how one secret withheld to protect humanity’s future might be its undoing…
Renata Ghali believed in Lee Suh-Mi’s vision of a world far beyond Earth, calling to humanity. A planet promising to reveal the truth about our place in the cosmos, untainted by overpopulation, pollution, and war. Ren believed in that vision enough to give up everything to follow Suh-Mi into the unknown.
More than twenty-two years have passed since Ren and the rest of the faithful braved the starry abyss and established a colony at the base of an enigmatic alien structure where Suh-Mi has since resided, alone. All that time, Ren has worked hard as the colony’s 3-D printer engineer, creating the tools necessary for human survival in an alien environment, and harboring a devastating secret.
Ren continues to perpetuate the lie forming the foundation of the colony for the good of her fellow colonists, despite the personal cost. Then a stranger appears, far too young to have been part of the first planetfall, a man who bears a remarkable resemblance to Suh-Mi.
The truth Ren has concealed since planetfall can no longer be hidden. And its revelation might tear the colony apart…”
Audiobook Review Bites
Posted on September 8, 2015 21 Comments
A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of A Darker Shade of Magic
Publisher: Tantor (April 21, 2015)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator: Steven Crossley
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Kell is one of the last Antari, a rare magician able to travel across parallel worlds in a universe that has four different Londons: Grey London which is mundane and magic-less; vibrant Red London where magic is revered; oppressive White London where a tyrant rules the throne and magic is savage and something to be conquered; and finally Black London, a shell of a city no one speaks of anymore. When a dangerous artifact from Black London finds its way Kell, he and a young thief named Lila must team up to to save all the worlds.
Despite my middling rating for this book, I really did enjoy it. However, after the great read that was V.E. Schwab’s Vicious, I admit I was expecting something just as good or better, but this one just didn’t have the edge. What was missing? I’m not sure. The novel’s concept of multiple parallel Londons is brilliant and amazingly creative, and the book should have won me over based on that fact alone. And yet, behind that dazzling curtain, the plot itself is actually simplistic and rather typical, and I’m disappointed that after the deeply complex personalities/relationships Schwab developed between Eli and Victor in Vicious, her treatment of Kell and Lila (your standard outcast-street-thief-with-big-dreams character) proved instead to be relatively unremarkable here. In many ways, my feelings towards this book can be likened to my feelings towards Kell and his magical coat — in the outset, things look delightful, extraordinary, and full of limitless potential…but strip that away and our protagonist underneath doesn’t really stand out, nor does he seem to have much presence.
I don’t think listening to the audiobook version affected my enjoyment; in fact, I think narrator Steven Crossley’s performance actually enhanced it, making me like the book even more if I’d read the print version. From the attention this book got, I expected more, but I’ll also admit to being excited for the next book. The events in this set things up nicely for a sequel, and something tells me I’ll probably like it more as the plot and characters mature.
* * *
Persona by Genevieve Valentine
Genre: Science Fiction, Thriller
Series: Book 1
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator: Justine Eyre
Mogsy’s Rating: 2 of 5 stars
In the not-too-far future, the International Assembly (sort of like a version of the UN) is about to meet, and ambassadors from different countries are preparing to cast their votes. However, these individuals have no actual power and serve as nothing more than a mouthpiece for their handlers, the people who are in charge in truth. Suyana Sapaki is one of these “celebrity figureheads” who represents the public face of her country, the United Amazonia Rainforest Confederation. She is sent to secretly negotiate with Ethan, the “Face” of US, but before they can have their meeting, she is shot from an assassination attempt. She flees from the scene with help from a paparazzi reporter named Daniel, but is he really helping her out of the goodness of his own heart, or just chasing a scoop?
It’s a shame that this book and I got off to a rocky start and things just never got a chance to recover. For a story that was so hectic and fast-paced, I was surprised at how dry it felt. We weren’t given much opportunity to get to know Suyana or Daniel, so I never got to get a good sense of their characters. The beginning also made me feel like I was arriving to a movie long after it’s already started, and yet at the same time it didn’t seem like we were making much headway in the story even after a couple hours of listening. The book’s premise is good, but I couldn’t help but feel there wasn’t enough plot-wise to keep things interesting.
Also, some novels might work better in audiobook format but I don’t think this was one of them. If I’m to be honest, I think it actually has the kind of story that would work best as a movie, where visual cues could add a lot to the experience.
* * *
Lords of the Sith by Paul S. Kemp
Genre: Science Fiction, Media Tie-In
Series: Star Wars (Canon)
Publisher: Random House Audio
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator: Jonathan Davis
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Probably the best Star Wars novel I’ve read in a while, and certainly one of the better Star Wars novels I’ve ever read, Lords of the Sith is a story centered on Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader. Defiant against the Imperial forces’ attempts to control their home planet of Ryloth, a group of Twi’leks led by Cham Syndulla the idealistic freedom fighter (and the father of Hera, of Star Wars Rebel fame) plot to bring the Empire to its knees by assassinating the two Sith Lords. What amazes me is that even though we all know the rebels’ efforts are doomed to fail, Paul S. Kemp valiantly manages to keep the suspense up throughout the entire story.
I’m also impressed at the moments we get inside Darth Vader’s head. If you’re a fan of the character, picking this novel up is a no-brainer. The story examines the Sith mentor and apprentice relationship, and does it very well. Vader, portrayed as utterly loyal to Palpatine, is nonetheless not immune to his momentary lapses and brief, emotional flashbacks to the past. Yes, he’s evil. Yes, he’s badass. And unfortunately, that’s the side of him the majority of Star Wars stories like to focus on. But everyone knows Vader is also a lot more complex than most writers give him credit for, and I feel like this might be the first Star Wars book I’ve read that actually does his character justice. Kemp strikes a fine balance, giving us plenty of full-on-Dark-Side force-choking Vader, but those glimpses we get of what little humanity he has left also made me sympathize with his inner conflict.
And finally, if you’ve ever listened to a Star Wars audiobook, you’d probably know that they are in another league all together, complete with sound effects and music (though it might take some getting used to if you’re easily distracted by that stuff). If you’re thinking of checking this book out, I highly recommend the audio format. I’ve heard narrator Jonathan Davis’ work on other audiobooks before, but I never knew he could do such an incredible Darth Vader voice. Short of actually getting James Earl Jones to narrate, I don’t think you can find anyone better than Davis. 5 stars to his performance.
* * *
Pacific Fire by Greg Van Eekhout
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Book 2 of Daniel Blackland
Publisher: Recorded Books
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator: Jonathan Todd Ross
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
The bulk of this story takes place years after the first book, following the lives of osteomancer Daniel Blackland and his adopted son Sam, the golem created from the essence of the late Hierarch. The two have stayed under the radar for the last ten years, constantly staying on the move in order to keep Sam out of the wrong hands. That is until one day, word reaches them that some very bad people are attempting to build the ultimate weapon of mass magical destruction — a real, live, honest-to-goodness Pacific firedrake.
The premise behind these novels has got to be one of the most original and creative I’ve ever encountered in an urban fantasy series. The magic system of osteomancy – wizards who ingest creature bones and other body parts to absorb their essence and gain their power — is as cool as it is disturbing. I’m also a sucker for heist stories, which is why I loved the first book. However, this sequel, while also featuring a caper aspect, is more of character study and coming-of-age tale centered around Sam. Daniel on the other hand is still a major presence in the story, but it does feel like at times he is taking a step back to let the character of Sam shine.
In my eyes, the classic heist plot of California Bones still gives the first book the edge, but admittedly not by much; Pacific Fire is just as fun and full of thrills as its predecessor, and I do appreciate the differences in the two books’ structure because it definitely made things more interesting.
Audiobook Review: The Trials by Linda Nagata
Posted on September 7, 2015 10 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Book 2 of The Red
Publisher: Audible Studios (8/18/15)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 3.5 of 5 stars
Narrator: Kevin T. Collins | Length: 16 hrs 4 min
A month and a half has gone by since I read and reviewed The Red: First Light by Linda Nagata, and I have to admit I’m still reeling from the ending. Everything in that story from its climax onwards was nothing short of an insanely red hot face-melting explosion of whiplash-inducing action and frenzy. That’s the kind of experience that stays with you for a long time, but nonetheless I felt more than ready to take on its sequel.
Our protagonist Lieutenant James Shelley is back in the battle for justice, but first he and his soldiers must answer for their own actions taken in the unauthorized mission known as First Light. As the country struggles to rebuild its infrastructure and communications systems in the wake of an all-out nuclear terrorist attack, everyone in the team known as the Apocalypse Squad find themselves facing court-martials.
Meanwhile, out in the cloud still lurks the rogue AI program known as “The Red”. Given time, it can get anywhere and access anything linked to the network, including the neural implants in soldiers’ brains – soldiers like Shelley, who has long questioned the motives of the Red. It has already hacked into his head and lead him here; what more does it have planned for him and his team?
When I first learned of the title for this book, I thought it would be referring to the story and the characters’ experiences in a more symbolic sense. Turns out, it was quite literal as well. There are a couple courtroom trials in the spotlight here, and we begin with Apocalypse Squad’s. The public is torn on the actions Shelley and his team took at the end of the first book, and there’s a period of suspense where we are left wondering whether they’ll find the support they need from the government or be thrown under the bus. If you enjoy tense courtroom dramas, you will also enjoy this intro.
Because this is a spoiler-free review, I won’t be revealing what happens. Still, if you’ve read the first book or even my review of First Light, you’ve probably already guessed that the men and women of Apocalypse Squad remain fiercely loyal to Shelley and to each other. This is a series where there’s never a shortage when it comes to the examples of camaraderie between soldiers and kinds of lives they lead. In both this novel and its predecessor, I find there are lots of powerful themes imbedded in the story. Like, what it might mean for a soldier who sees the army as his or her family, support system, and their whole life. What might happen if they suddenly lose contact with that world. It also briefly explores the subject of PTSD, how soldiers with it deal with what they’ve seen while serving in the line of duty, and why some find it difficult to adjust to life after the military.
Compared to the first book though, the plot of this one felt a little more scattered and choppy. I know I said that I felt prepared to tackle the sequel, but now I have to wonder: Was I? The ending of the First Light really blew me away. It was hard to fathom anything else that could surpass it or even match it. I was right, in a way; the ending of The Trials was pretty intense, but it didn’t quite beat the first installment when it came to shock factor and emotional impact.
Another thing that I didn’t notice in First Light but bothered me here was the main character. It’s no secret that Shelley is impulsive and likes to be in charge (it’s emphasized multiple times in this book, mentioned by other characters and even admitted by the protagonist) but in portraying him in this light, I think the author may have done her job a little too well. So many times, I found myself fed up with Shelley and his attitude. He was insufferable when he was getting in Jaynie Vasquez’s face, while she was his commanding officer, even as he acknowledged that he was not in the best position to lead. I also didn’t like the fact he became romantically involved with Delphi so quickly, despite what she meant to him. I realize Shelley’s skullnet can dampen painful emotions and stabilize them to an extent – but I still hadn’t gotten over what happened at the end of the first book, and seeing Shelley blithely moving on made me like him a bit less. This is something that goes beyond simple urges and impulses.
Audiobook comments: The feelings I had about the audiobook version of First Light applies here too. Kevin T. Collins is a good narrator, very enthusiastic and full of energy which is important for a fast-paced, highly charged series like The Red. There were a couple slips where he uses the wrong voice for a character who is speaking, but overall his performance was very satisfactory.
Final thoughts: The Trials was a great sequel, but doesn’t supplant First Light as my favorite book of the series so far – certainly not for the lack of trying though! I’m looking forward to the third book, Going Dark, which will be out later this fall. I’ll most likely listen to the audiobook too, because I’ve been really enjoying these books in this format. Sure gets the blood pumping.
Story: | Performance: | Overall:
Sunday Musings: The Slump
Posted on September 6, 2015 12 Comments
I’ve been away for a while. Not, away away. Just, not here at Bibliosanctum so much. Fortunately, my co-bloggers have more than kept you entertained with their voracious reading and reviewing.
It’s not that I’ve been absent in relation to bookish things. I’m still reading and am ahead of my Goodreads challenge goal, but for some reason, every time I sit down to write a review, even for books I have loved, I find myself with nothing useful to say.
It happens, writer’s block, so I’m not overly worried about it. And it’s not like I’m not writing at all. A lot of my writing has gone into thoughts on geek culture that I share at Women Write About Comics. I am having trouble focusing my creative writing, but at least I’m still doing it (more on that in a moment). Alas, I’m sure something will click back into place soon and you’ll see me around here more often than just for Tough Travelling lulz. 🙂
WRITERY THINGS
As I said, I am still writing creatively and just recently submitted a 2-page comic script to She Writes the Script. I’ve had an idea for a short story in my head for a while, but had not considered writing it up in comic format (which is funny to me, since that’s how I always used to think when it came to creative writing). The concept of She Writes the Script is really great, where the artist will choose one of the submitted scripts per month and put together to pages. I’m not sure how many other people may have or will submit to the project, but I enjoyed the process of finally writing out one of my ideas to completion.
BOOKISH THOUGHTS
This one‘s for Tiara, who, among many other things, is an appreciator of nail polish/art.
YA Weekend: Earth Flight by Janet Edwards
Posted on September 5, 2015 17 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction
Series: Book 3 of Earth Girl
Publisher: Pyr (US: 9/8/15)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
If you ask me, this trilogy couldn’t have ended more perfectly. Earth Flight is a great example of a feel-good conclusion, a bright beacon in the darkness illuminating a path of hope for the disadvantaged and forgotten. It may be an imperfect galaxy, but this story still makes me want to celebrate progress and cheer for the future of humanity. I’m so glad I got to finish this journey, because I’ve been in love with this series ever since reading the first book.
After all, who could forget Earth Girl especially if you picked up the US version and the first thing you saw was that gorgeous cover? In case you haven’t seen it, the image shows a striking image of a girl embracing the world, a world that is also on a chain shackled to her ankle. Because for a girl like Jarra, that’s what the Earth is – her home, but also her prison.
Even in this far-flung future, children can be born with hereditary diseases and genetic conditions. Novak-Nadal Syndrome is an immune disorder that confines those it affects to Earth, and Jarra has it. Humans have developed portal technology at this point; with a few easy steps, you can find yourself in any of the many worlds they have colonized, except Jarra can’t visit any of them. If she traveled anywhere beyond Earth’s atmosphere, she would go into anaphylactic shock and die in seconds.
Unsurprisingly, everyone who could leave Earth has already done so, hundreds of years ago. It is now mostly home to those “Handicapped” with Novak-Nadal, though worse terms have sprung up over time to describe those with the syndrome: Ape, Neanderthal, Throwback…as an Earth girl, Jarra has heard it all. Earth and its citizens have mostly been forgotten, discriminated against and left behind. About a year ago though, Jarra changed it all when she joined an off-world university archaeology program that was doing its excavations on Earth. That decision has led to where she is today, showing first her class and then the entire galaxy that the Handicapped aren’t ugly, smelly, or any of the other horrible things that have been said about them. But for the condition that keeps her Earth-bound, she’s just like everyone else. Human.
By the start of this third book, Jarra has already affected much political and social change for the Handicapped and for Earth. But there are still those who reject her humanity and despise everything she stands for. They hate the fact she’s dating her boyfriend Fian, a norm. They hate that she’s been awarded with medals for all her accomplishments. They hate her for being part of the program preparing for humanity’s first ever contact with an alien civilization. Now Jarra’s life is in danger because these factions have already proven they are willing to do anything to silence her.
I enjoy science fiction with powerful social messages, and I love that the one in the Earth Girl trilogy is prominent but at the same time not beating-it-into-your-face-with-a-sledgehammer about it. It is first and foremost concerned with telling a story, one which has also gotten a lot less predictable since book one. So much has happened since then; among these events is Jarra learning more about her ancestry and a freakin’ alien sphere at showing up on Earth’s doorstep. Anything can happen. For a Young Adult series, it is also refreshingly free of the familiar tropes and clichés of the genre. The first book breathed new life into YA for me, and Earth Flight continued to do so.
My one regret is seeing less archaeology play into the plot of this book. But I’m an archaeology nerd, so don’t mind me. It was, however, another reason I immediately got sucked into these books, because it amuses me to imagine researchers almost a thousand years from now happily digging up and studying our trash. But while its themes are mostly centered around the far off future and beyond, this sci-fi series is unique in that it also shows a love for human history and respects the lessons we learn from it.
In the Earth Girl trilogy, Janet Edwards has created a stunning futuristic world with realistic and loveable characters. I absolutely adore it. In fact, I’m a little sad that it has ended. If this gives rise to a spin-off series, I certainly wouldn’t complain; there are lots of characters I’d like to meet again, especially in Team 1 – Playdon, Dalmora, Krath, Amalie – but really, I would be thrilled to see anything, as long as we get to return to this universe.
Bottom line? This third installment Earth Flight is fantastic, a beautiful and heartwarming conclusion to a trilogy that is deserving of so much love and attention. If the premise sounds interesting to you, be sure to check it out, and I hope it will enthrall and move you as much as it did me.
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of Earth Girl (Book 1) | Review of Earth Star (Book 2)
Book Review: Abomination by Gary Whitta
Posted on September 4, 2015 15 Comments
A review copy was provided by the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Genre: Horror, Fantasy
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Inkshares (7/29/15)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really want to bring attention to this one. In a word, Abomination was AWESOME. It feels like I’ve been waiting for a book like this my whole life, a historical fantasy mixed with horror that puts the “dark” in Dark Ages.
The only catch? The first part of this novel, made up of the first eight chapters, is its major weakness. I don’t want this to put anyone off though, because it really is not bad. However, when compared to the rest of the book, this section had the feel of a very long drawn-out prologue; the pacing here is a bit choppy, its tone blunt and cut-and-dried, the writing style straightforward and almost pedagogical in its delivery – not unlike a textbook. That’s because the first eight chapters are foremost concerned with establishing background information and historical details. They didn’t quite mesh with the part that came after. To me, Chapter Nine felt more like the real start of the story, kicking off the main narrative which takes place approximately fifteen years after the events of the first section. Here we finally get to the meat of it, when things truly begin to take off.
The entire tone of the novel also changes. We get a lot more character-focused, with the plot centered on two key protagonists. Wulfric is a former knight, fallen far from grace, who now wanders the English countryside dressed in rags and chains. Once the greatest soldier and former confidante of King Alfred the Great, Wulfric now lives in the shadows. Fifteen years ago, he fought to rid his kingdom of a plague of monstrous beasts known as abominations, and for his troubles he was cursed with a fate worse than death.
Then there’s Indra, a fierce young warrior, determined to prove herself worthy as a knight of the Order, an elite group of monster hunters. She is ten months into her initiation trial, which she must pass to become a full-fledged paladin. To do so, she’ll have to hunt down and kill an abomination within a year. Indra means to succeed, if nothing else just to defy her arrogant and controlling father, who was against this whole idea from the start. She’ll return home with the head of an abomination, or not at all.
The difference between the first third of the novel and its later two-thirds is incredible. I was not impressed with the beginning of the story, but after this turning point, I quickly changed my mind. I loved the characters. Wulfric is great, once I got to know him – which I felt we didn’t get the chance to do in the first section. He didn’t become fully realized for me until I got to meet him again in this second life of his, no longer a knight but a lowly beggar keeping away from civilization, fearing that innocents will die as a result of his terrible curse. His painful and blood-soaked past is awful and tragic, and if there’s one thing the intro did well, it was to make readers understand why Wulfric ended up the way he did. I also really liked Indra, which wasn’t too surprising; after all, it’s rare for me to read a spec fic novel and not to be drawn to a female protag, especially one this amazingly skilled with swords. Give me a woman with a sharp blade, any day.
The writing style also improved. Gary Whitta utilizes a third person omniscient point-of-view all through the novel and the effect is much like watching events play out like a movie. Of course, Whitta is also best known for his accomplishments in the film industry as a screenwriter (he did the post-apocalyptic thriller The Book of Eli and his writing credits also include Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Star Wars Rebels, and The Walking Dead game from Telltale) so that was consistent with my expectations. I also really enjoyed the main story of Abomination, a bloody and gruesome tale of monsters. I meant what I said about waiting for a book like this to come along; I rarely get to see such a cool mix of history and horror, serious but also entertaining, and absolutely not shy about the graphic violence and grotesque descriptions of the abominations.
So if you end up picking up this one and find the writing not to your tastes, please do give it a chance to prove itself. Things really change and pick up after the first section. It was definitely necessary to get the history and background provided by the first eight chapters, but I think somehow weaving all that information subtly and evenly into the rest of the story would have made it a stronger novel. That also would have made a major plot reveal later on much less predictable. Still, aside the awkwardness of the first hundred pages or so, this book is scarily close to perfect. All things considered, I still really enjoyed Abomination and think it’s a damn good book. Worth checking out if you’re a fan of horror – especially if monster movies or stories are your thing!
Book Review: The Undying Legion by Clay Griffith and Susan Griffith
Posted on September 3, 2015 10 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Undying Legion by Clay Griffith and Susan Griffith
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 2 of Crown & Key
Publisher: Del Rey (June 30, 2015)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Just as fun and entertaining as the first book! Going back to earlier this summer, here were some of the words I used in my review of The Shadow Revolution, book one of Clay and Susan Griffith’s new Crown & Key trilogy: feisty, ass-kicking, fast-paced, pulpish and adventurous, the perfect beach read. Now I’m pleased to report its sequel proved just as satisfying, especially since we know what we’re getting into and are more acquainted with our main characters.
The Undying Legion is the second installment of the trilogy, but instead of hitting the “middle book slump” this book really takes off and hits the ground running. Simon Archer, Kate Anstruther, and Malcom MacFarlane are back on the hunt for monsters and other things that go bump in the night, and true to form, we kick off this story with a grisly discovery. While on one of his nighttime patrols, Malcolm comes across the mutilated body of a woman in a London church. Based on evidence at the scene – signs of black magic, cryptic words carved in stone, mysterious Egyptian hieroglyphics carved into the victim’s exposed heart – Malcolm, Simon and Kate determine this to be a ritual murder.
However, this just turns out to be the first of many more gruesome ritualized killings around the city. We follow our heroes as they join forces with a quirky gadgeteer and a young werewolf to solve these mysteries, creating an unlikely alliance to battle demons, Egyptian mummies, necromancers and hordes of zombies. Let’s just say The Undying Legion sure lives up to its title.
I ended up enjoying this book even more than its predecessor, mainly due to the improvements in a couple of areas I felt were lacking in The Shadow Revolution. While I love the fast-paced action and page-turning enthusiasm of “popcorn” reads such as this, let’s face it, these kinds of stories don’t often leave much room for fully-fleshed character development or robust world-building. This was the key weakness of the first book. Still, I understood the reason for the trade-off, and had hoped to see the authors go beyond the surface-level details in this sequel to expand upon the characters and the world.
This was the real test for me, and happily, The Undying Legion passed with flying colors. It’s often expected of a sequel to build upon its preceding volumes, and this one carried that responsibility well, giving us a more intimate look into the lives of Simon, Kate and Malcolm, as well as rendering their world into a fully realized setting. I felt like I was given a lot more reasons to care about the characters, especially as their relationships strengthened and grew more complex. Likewise, I could appreciate the clever and snappy dialogue from before, but knowing the history behind all the relationships now, many of the interactions started taking on a deeper significance. Supporting characters aren’t left out either, and I was very happy that Penny Carter the adorable inventress as well as Charlotte the child werewolf both got bigger roles.
The pacing in this book was also far less chaotic, allowing more opportunities to develop the story and explore its overall arc. The Undying Legion presents a new adventure, but rest assured, the questions raised in the first book about Kate and Simon’s connection and the mysterious key won’t be forgotten. Throughout it all, the plot maintained its rigorous momentum, so effectively that even now it’s a wonder to me how this book managed to accomplish all that it did in a little over 300 pages.
Final verdict? I once said this series is like the equivalent of an explosive summer action blockbuster if movies like that existed back in the Victorian era, and I stand by that. The Undying Legion doesn’t add much to the first book in terms of its light, pulpy tones and monster-hunting themes, but it’s still a deeper experience for all that because of how much more we’re invested at this point. I’m looking forward to check out what I believe will be Kate, Simon and Malcolm’s biggest adventure yet in the series conclusion, The Conquering Dark.
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of The Shadow Revolution (Book 1) | Q&A with Clay Griffith and Susan Griffith
Tough Traveling: Laborers
Posted on September 3, 2015 6 Comments
The Thursday feature “Tough Traveling” is the brainchild of Nathan of Review Barn, who has come up with the excellent idea of making a new list each week based on the most common tropes in fantasy, as seen in (and inspired by) The Tough Guide to Fantasyland by Diana Wynn Jones. Nathan has invited anyone who is interested to come play along, so be sure to check out the first link for more information.
This week’s tour topic is: Laborers
Not everyone can be a Prince. There is only room for one Queen. A few spoiled nobles can sit around and play cards. But fantasyland can’t build its own castles and roads, nor can it plow its own fields, nor cook its meals. Someone has to do the hard work. And often, as a reward of course, these laborers get pulled from their hard but simple life into a bigger plan.
Wendy’s Picks
The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
Sometimes the only payment a labourer gets is surviving to see the dawn of the next day. Kaladin Stormblessed leads the men of Bridge Four as they march into battle ahead of the soldiers, laying down the paths that allow for both attack and escape. Bridgemen have short lifespans as the first on the battlefield, but Kaladin is determined to make Bridge Four better and hardier than all the rest.
The Atrocity Archives by Charles Stross
While we sit around watching TV and wasting our lives on cat memes and such, Bob and the other employees at the Atrocity Archives are busy protecting the world from the dark forces of evil. Bob starts out as just your typical IT guy doing IT things, but soon enough, he’s promoted to bigger and far more deadly duties.
Jennifer Government by Max Barry
In a future that doesn’t seem so off the wall, everyone works for and takes the name of the big corporations that run the world. Hack Nike has little choice but to do the bidding of his bosses, even if that means shooting teenagers to increase the value of Nike’s shoes. Enter Jennifer Government, who’s not about to let Nike get away with murder.
Kushiel’s Dart by Jacqueline Carey
Whether some of us like it or not (and most of us most certainly do like it) sex is here to stay, as are the people who work in and profit from this industry–which is why I’m all for making sex work legal and therefore safe. Phedre begins as an indentured adept in one of the houses of Terre d’Ange. Each assignation earns her money toward her marque, and once it is complete, she is free to do as she pleases with her body and command her own hefty price for the privilege of a dalliance with the world’s only anguissette.
Robopocalypse by Daniel W. Wilson
Robots are made to obey and to make our lives easier, but as always seems to happen, those uppity robots get too smart for our own good and start deciding humanity’s fate. Maybe if we’d just stop being lazy and do our own damn dishes, apocalypses wouldn’t happen.
Tiara’s Picks
I took a few liberties with this topic and considered “laborers” as not just the people who do the backbreaking stuff for the nobles, but the people who have to trade for them, teach their children, fight their wars, act as priestesses for the higher ups, etc. because doesn’t this make them laborers and “unimportant” as well?
King (King by Joshua Hale Fialkov)
King is the last human on earth after a series of devastating events killed the whole human species. Now, earth is inhabited by mutant lifeforms and aliens who probably want to eat King. However, even in the wasteland of earth, King is tasked with finding old relics of days gone by, in particular they want something called “the seed of life.”
Jane Lin (The Buried Life by Carrie Patel)
Jane Lin is a laundress for the rich people of the underground city of Recoletta. Being as she’s seen as nothing more than a servant, she’s often seen as invisible, but her destiny is much larger than being just a laundress.
Nym (Storm Siren by Mary Weber)
Nym is a slave who has been sold well over ten times. She carried the telltale looks of a person who can control the elements, but only boys are supposed to have that power. When a buyer recognizes the potential in Nym, she must become more than just a rebellious slave.
Shae and Flick Ohmsford (The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks)
The Ohmsford brothers are traders and they also work their father’s tavern/inn. They take good to neighboring cities to earn money and provide for those who have limited resources. However, Shea and Flick find themselves on a LOTR-esque adventure when they learn how important Shea is to stopping a looming threat.
Kai (Full Fathom Five by Max Gladstone)
Kai is a priestess in the business of making “gods” for people to worship after the true gods have disappeared. Making gods is a serious profit making business in her world. These gods, however, are little more than empty shells for people to pray to. Kai finds herself in the middle of a deistic conspiracy when she realizes there seems to be more to these gods than people think.
Commander Shepard (Mass Effect by Bioware)
I couldn’t have this list without the galaxy’s premier soldier, Commander Shepard who goes from investigating what seemed like a strange, but routine threat to being the only person to stand between the galaxy and its extermination.
Thomas Boniface (The Element of Fire by Martha Wells)
Thomas Boniface is the leader of the Queen’s Guard. He and a group of the most loyal men in the country protect the dowager queen. Thomas finds himself in the center of controversy as a man with great magical power and a vendetta against his home country begins to use them as pawns for a coming war in both the real and magical world.
Jupiter (Jupiter Ascending by Lana and Andy Wachowski)
This is actually a movie not a book, but I felt it was important to add this one. Jupiter’s father loved space. Later in her life, Jupiter is a maid in the family business cleaning toilets for the rich and privileged, and she’s inherited this love of space. But as an undocumented (it seems to be implied) immigrant, her options seem limited. Then, Jupiter finds herself part of a story bigger than she could ever imagine in this space opera. While this movie tends to get mixed reactions I do applaud the Wachowskis for some of the elements they used and how they debunked some typical tropes in Jupiter’s narrative.
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