Book Review: The Bloodforged by Erin Lindsey
Posted on September 21, 2015 9 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Bloodforged by Erin Lindsey
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 2 of Bloodbound
Publisher: Ace (9/29/15)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
I confess, any time I go into a new book by one of my favorite authors, I always do so with some nervousness, especially if it’s a sequel to a book I loved. So when I finished The Bloodforged and it ended up being even better than The Bloodbound, it was definitely cause to rejoice! This series is showing no signs of slowing down; in fact, the author ramps up the intrigue and adventure in this brilliant follow-up, building upon her characters and further expanding the political and historical scope of her world. Moreover, The Bloodforged shows there are even higher stakes and bigger plans in place in this far-reaching game of love and war. Well done, Erin Lindsey!
Like the first book, this second volume focuses on our three protagonists. If you haven’t read The Bloodbound yet, I recommend starting from there to get acquainted with the characters, and you should also be aware that this review will contain spoilers for what has happened for them since the events of book one. Noblewoman and warrior Alix Black, formerly a scout in the Aldenian army, is now the king’s personal bodyguard and wife to the prince. Erik White is the desperate king of Alden, trying to find ways to repel the invading Oridian forces closing in on his kingdom on all sides. While all this is going on, Liam White, newly married and newly recognized as the king’s brother, is also still struggling to adjust to royal life.
What surprised and delighted me though, was this book’s addition of a new point-of-view character in the form of Riggard Black! We first met Rig back in The Bloodbound, where he was introduced as Alix’s older brother, bannerman of his house, and Commander General of the king’s army. His greater role and presence in this book was a real treat, providing an up-close and harrowing view of the war right on the frontlines.
Meanwhile, Erik and Alix attempt a near-impossible journey through the mountains to reach the capital of Harram, Alden’s neighbor to the west. Brutal weather, illness, avalanches, hostile tribesmen, and a host of other dangers plague their mission, but all would be lost if they cannot negotiate an alliance with the Harrami and convince them to aid Alden in the war. And then there’s Liam, way on the other side of the country, tasked to lead a diplomatic convoy east to the Republic of Onnan where he is to investigate the delay on the construction of a great fleet of Aldenian warships. Instead, he finds himself woefully unprepared for the cutthroat nature of the Republic’s politics, a deadly web of complexity and intrigue which quickly swallows him up.
A lot clearly happens in this book, and I also feel that it takes a somewhat different approach than The Bloodbound, which was a fantasy story with adventurous and romantic elements in equal parts. In contrast, the romance gets dialed down a little in The Bloodforged while the adventure gets dialed up, up, up, WAY UP! If that sounds more to your liking, you will not be disappointed.
All the characters resonated with me in a big way in this one, and I particularly enjoyed how the dynamics between them have evolved in the months since the events at the end of the first book. What Alix, Erik, and Liam went through together has made their friendship stronger, but nevertheless there is some of that residual tension left over from Alix’s choice. Those emotions play a big and powerful part in her chapters with Erik, adding layers of meaning to the things they say and do. It also adds a whole new dimension to their already precarious situation, the fact that they can persevere through all their troubles in the mountains and still not know what kind of reception they’ll receive in Harram.
But as much as I enjoyed reading about Alix and Erik’s perilous trek through the snowy wilderness, Liam and Rig’s chapters were even more exciting. Liam was always a favorite of mine. For a new POV character like Rig though, it surprised me how quickly he won me over. Rig is a risk-taker, living up to the saying about his family “As bold as a Black.” His chapters show us just how dire things are for Alden in this war, and there’s never a dull moment. Still, Rig’s fighting and leadership skills aside, what I loved most about his storyline was his relationship with the priestess Vel, reminding us of this series’ romantic roots. With their personalities, it’s no surprise there was so much delicious chemistry!
Then there’s Liam. Unlike the other threads, his story had little outright action and lacked any romance, but nevertheless I could not get enough. I always looked forward to Liam’s chapters and cheered a little bit when his POV came back into play. There’s so much to like about him: he’s down-to-earth, funny, and charming even when he’s being self-deprecating. I love stories involving political intrigue, and the Republic of Onnan was the perfect setting for this. But even with the power struggles and deadly machinations, Liam’s chapters were humorous, simply because he is his lovable self, trying to solve the mystery of the Aldenian fleet while navigating his way around “political speak” hoping not to bumble it up too badly.
I can already tell there is so much more coming. For a sequel, The Bloodforged accomplished a lot, revving up the threat of an Oridian invasion while also opening up the world to show just how much is at stake for the entire continent, and you just know no one will be getting off easy. A solid blend of action, mystery and romance makes The Bloodforged a serious page-turner. World-building and characters in this series are amazing, and Erin Lindsey’s writing has that fun and addictive quality that sucks you right in and won’t let go. I really hope more readers will discover her talent for entertaining and immersive storytelling and see why I enjoy her books so much! Highly recommended, and I can hardly wait for book three, The Bloodsworn!
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of The Bloodbound (Book 1) | Guest post by Erin Lindsey
YA Weekend: Never Never by Brianna R. Shrum
Posted on September 20, 2015 16 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Never Never by Brianna R. Shrum
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press (9/22/15)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Never Never confirms what I’ve always suspected – that Peter Pan is a twisted and evil little psycho! Even as a little kid watching the Disney movie, I always felt something was off about him. Seriously, why does everyone love Peter Pan? He’s kind of a dick.
Actually, now that I think about it, it’s a wonder how I haven’t come across a book like this sooner. I’ve always had a penchant for interesting and imaginative retellings, and Peter Pan stories are my weakness. I can never resist them. There’s just something about the original tale which lends itself to so many interpretations, and the nature of Neverland as a boundary-free and adventurous place in the minds of children, never the same from one person to the next, strikes me as whimsical and yet a bit unnerving at the same time. I find that aspect very interesting, and as it happens, Never Never makes use of it to good effect.
So, clearly I didn’t need much more incentive to check out this book. But the main draw of it and what eventually sealed the deal for me was the fact this story isn’t really about Peter Pan. It’s about James Hook. Never Never presents an intriguing scenario. What if the relationship between Pan and Hook went back much further than we thought? What if Hook wasn’t from Neverland, but instead grew up in London where he was whisked away from Kensington Gardens like all of Peter’s other Lost Boys?
Unlike the others though, James actually wanted to grow up. As a boy, he thought going to Neverland with Peter Pan would be the greatest holiday adventure, but soon discovers that the place is not all it’s cracked up to be. Peter is an arrogant and heartless tyrant, keeping the Lost Boys under his thumb, never allowing anyone to leave, and even the island’s weather is subject to his whims. Worse, the little maniac’s favorite pastime is killing pirates, which doesn’t sit right with James at all. James has always had a soft spot for pirates; in his old life, being the captain of a pirate ship was one of his greatest dreams.
So, James grows up. In a world that hates grown-ups. He manages to escape Peter’s attempts to kill him, after it becomes clear that James is becoming a man. But even after all these years, James cannot forgive Peter’s lies, or the fact that he stole his life away from him, trapping him in Neverland forever. And so begins the eternal game of cat-and-mouse between Pan and Hook.
First of all, I like getting into the heads of villains. The problem is, these kinds of books are always a bit tricky to pull off. However, Brianna Shrum gives us plenty of good reasons for us to understand why Hook hates Pan, and to be honest, after reading this book I probably wouldn’t say no to a chance to strangle the fairy boy myself. The question is though, does Never Never make Captain James Hook a more sympathetic character?
My answer is: it’s complicated. To understand why, you also have to understand how James Hook is portrayed in this book. The character starts off as a twelve-year-old boy, bamboozled into following the older, cooler Peter Pan to Neverland where he is trapped and grows up to become a man. Physically, James ends up being about twenty-years-old or thereabouts. But mentally (at least to me) he stays twelve, still the little boy who misses his home and his parents, who dreams of becoming a pirate captain, and no matter how much he hates Peter Pan, he still has trouble imagining himself taking a life. The story is in essence a giant tug o’ war with itself, because James is constantly going back and forth in his mind, wanting badly to kill Peter but also not being able to bring himself to do the deed. He’s indecisive and unsure of himself, like a little boy. It’s what sets him apart from Peter, the one is entirely unprincipled and has no morals.
This also makes Never Never tough to categorize. It is a Young Adult novel and goes into some mature themes – coalition killing among the residents of Neverland, pirate debauchery, a hand getting cut off and fed to a crocodile, and so forth – but the tone of the writing feels younger, almost like middle-grade, owing to James’ perspective and the fact that, trapped in this place of dreams, his mind never really had the chance to catch up with his body. It’s a very interesting contrast to see some of these horrible things through the eyes of someone who is technically still a child, and interpret a lot of the other situations in this light. For instance, it struck me that a couple of the pirate characters, like Starkey and Smee, were effectively surrogate parents. They berate James and then tolerate his subsequent tantrums, while in truth, deep down the captain craves nothing more than the approval of his first mate and cook. So yeah, not gonna lie, sometimes sharing James Hook’s headspace can be frustrating as hell, but now and then it can also be quite fascinating.
Ultimately, it’s probably easiest to describe Never Never as a coming-of-age tale. This kind of style is not going to work for everyone, but if you’re a fan of Peter Pan retellings, it might be worth checking out for a different perspective. The book isn’t heavy on plot, placing more emphasis on the protagonist’s internal dialogue and growth – no pun intended. Admittedly, the writing and plotting could do with more polish, but it is nonetheless impressive when taking into account the fact we’re talking about a book from a small independent publishing house. Bottom line, this was an enjoyable story and I really liked how there’s a lot more going on beneath the surface than meets the eye, and it’s not just a tick-tock croc! I had a good time.
Book Review: Doctor Who: Royal Blood by Una McCormack
Posted on September 19, 2015 13 Comments
Doctor Who: Royal Blood by Una McCormack
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: The Glamour Chronicles
Publisher: Broadway Books (9/8/15)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Today, legions of Whovians are welcoming the Doctor back for another new season of BBC’s science fiction television program Doctor Who. And then there’s yours truly, probably one of the last three people on this earth who hasn’t watched the show yet. I won’t even be able to speak on the matter of how well the books capture the spirit of the series, because I just don’t know. As such, you might be wondering why I’m reading them. To that, I point you to my love of science fiction and fondness for media tie-ins of all kinds.
This is a category of fiction that has come a long way. Media tie-ins and novelizations of movies or television shows have long gotten a bad rap for hardly ever being able to live up to the original source material, but in the last few years I have noticed a definite rise in the quality of stories and writing in this area. Tie-ins aren’t strictly for hardcore fans anymore; many of the books now can stand on their own with lots to offer in terms of plot and characters, providing general audiences with a good reading experience or the perfect jumping-on point for those curious about a media property – folks just like me. I’m definitely interested in the Doctor Who series; a lot of my friends adore this show and I want to find out more. And of course I would never say no to checking out a book.
After much internal deliberation and conflict, I decided to start with Doctor Who: Royal Blood, a story about a falling kingdom, invading armies, and let’s face it, any mention of a “Grail Quest” and you can pretty much guarantee I’m on board. This book begins with the Twelfth Doctor and Clara arriving on an unnamed planet, where they are quickly ushered into the city-state of Varuz to meet its Duke Aurelian and his wife, Lady Guena. All is not well in their kingdom. Their palace is crumbling, the nobles have wondrous electric gadgets but they barely have the power or knowledge (“What, shoot death rays? I shouldn’t think so!”) to work them, and a rival Duke on the other side of the mountains is even now preparing to launch an attack.
Taking him for a holy man, Aurelian asks The Doctor for his blessing in the coming war and refuses to surrender. Meanwhile, everyone else wants to avoid conflict, seizing upon an opportunity to negotiate with the mysterious stranger who shows up at the castle, presumably the ambassador of Conrad, the rival Duke. Aurelian does not take this well when he finds out, throwing poor Clara and the ambassador out of his city which leaves the Doctor behind to hold the fort, so to speak, along with Guena and Bernhardt, Varuz’s most trusted knight. But even that may not be enough though, when a company of thirty warriors shows up, led by a captain claiming to be the great Sir Lancelot. He also claims that he is from Ravenna, and on behalf of his King Arthur, they are on a mission to seek out the most holy of treasures.
For such a slim volume – presumably to appeal to all Doctor Who fans, young and old – I was actually very impressed with the richness of the writing and story. A quick look at Una McCormack’s author page shows that she’s written many other Doctor Who books as well as a few Star Trek titles. She’s clearly no stranger to writing a good tie-in and it shows in her smart pacing of the plot. The story’s construction is solid, has great flow, and is easy to read. I had a moment of confusion early on when I encountered a point-of-view change, where the narrative inexplicably switched from being first-person to third-person (told in Bernhardt and then Clara’s POV, respectively) and it continues on in this fashion for the rest of the novel. It’s a very bizarre decision, one that I wasn’t sure about initially, but it ended up working surprisingly well. It’s worth noting too that even though the Doctor is the series and book’s titular character, his role in this feels more like a supporting character rather than the main protagonist. It wasn’t what I was expecting, but it’s also quite intriguing.
On that note, while we are speaking of bucking expectations I most certainly also found Royal Blood to go against the trend of tie-in books being poorly cobbled together or coming across very “bare-bones.” This book reads like a sci-fi adventure for young adults, with an ambitious plot written into a small package, but is no less enjoyable because of it. I had my doubts before picking it up but I actually ended up liking it a lot. If it was fun for me, I imagine it would be even better for fans of the show, though going in blind likely benefited in some ways as well, since I had no preconceived notions of how a Doctor Who novel should “feel” like. Still, based on the things I’ve heard, I imagine the tone of style of it to be similar to an episode of the show – fast-paced and adventurous, with a good dose of humor.
In the end, it was probably a good thing that I started with Royal Blood. Released on the same day along with Deep Time by Trevor Baxendale and Big Bang Generation by Gary Russel, it seems Royal Blood is the introductory volume of the three books that make up a series called The Glamour Chronicles, following the Doctor on his adventures across time and space in search for The Glamour, “the most desirable—and dangerous—artifact in the universe.” Whovian or not, the trilogy could be worth a look if that sounds interesting to you. This was my first Doctor Who novel but it most likely won’t be my last, especially if the other two books in the series prove just as easy–and fun–to get into.
Audiobook Review: The Good, The Bad and The Smug by Tom Holt
Posted on September 18, 2015 14 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Good, The Bad and the Smug by Tom Holt
Genre: Fantasy, Humor
Series: Book 4 of YouSpace
Publisher: Hachette Audio, Orbit (7/28/15)
Author Information: Website
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Narrator: Ray Sawyer | Length: 12 hrs 59 min
As a fantasy reader, not ever having read K. J. Parker has always been one of my private shames. But hey, now that we know he’s Tom Holt, does this count? Given how the books he writes under the two different names are apparently so completely different, I’m guessing probably not, huh? Oh well, can’t blame a girl for trying, right?
I do admit though, that was one impetus that led me to try this book. Not knowing what I was in for, and not even being aware that The Good, the Bad and the Smug is actually the fourth novel in a series, I actually ended up pleasantly surprised and very impressed. Taking place in Holt’s YouSpace universe, this book can indeed be read as a stand-alone, and not being familiar with the previous books did not impede my personal enjoyment in any way.
Working on the principle of multiple universes, this particular tale lands us in a fantasy world completely with elves, dwarves, and even goblins – a rare treat. Horrible, evil things they are though, those goblins, but their king Mordak is hoping to revitalize things with a rebranding. Of course, the first order of business is to make sure the media is in your pocket, which means buying up all the newspapers that say bad things about you. Efluviel is an elf journalist who promptly loses her job thanks to Mordak’s shenanigans, but when she is subsequently offered a position as the goblin king’s new assistant, how could she say no? Everyone’s gotta eat, after all.
Meanwhile, deep in the dark forest lives a little man, offering all the human princes of the land his services to spin straw into gold in exchange for their first born children. As gold floods the market and the price of straw skyrockets, this sudden economic turmoil is just yet another thorn in King Mordak’s side. Humans are on the up and up, and that simply won’t do at all. Time to figure out what’s going on.
Tom Holt’s style has been compared to Christopher Moore and Terry Pratchett, and indeed it seems he’s known for his satirical takes on various fictional themes, often in humorous and over-the-top ways. This most definitely describes The Good, The Bad and the Smug which admittedly is not my usual type of read, but I had a great time with it regardless. Humor is so subjective, and I almost always approach books like this with no small amount of skepticism and trepidation. One might even say I expect to be disappointed. The fact that this book defied my cynicism and ended up endearing itself to me is a pretty big deal. In truth, it’s probably more ridiculous than I would prefer, but I did laugh a lot. That’s something. That’s huge.
Audiobook comments: The audiobook for The Good, The Bad, and the Smug was truly excellent, giving me no cause to regret my decision to listen to this instead of reading the print. It also prompted me to look up narrator Ray Sawyer to see what other books he has read, but I was only able to find the three other audio installments in the YouSpace series. His voice really is the ideal match for a story like this though, especially since so many of the jokes are best delivered in a deadpan manner, which Sawyer nails down perfectly in his performance. If I were to go back and pick up the previous books, audio would probably be my choice of format, just to hear him read again. He made Mordak the goblin king even more hilarious, and his timing and accents are dead-on.
I confess, however, that I am not good at all with describing humor, so ultimately this is probably something you would have to try for yourself to see if it works for you. For me personally, this turned out to be quite a funny and refreshingly clever book. The plot is silly, but it’s not without substance. The writing is also sharp, with just the right amount of cheek. Satire is tricky, but Tom Holt’s style seemed to strike the right note with me.
Spotlight: Serial Box Publishing & Review of Bookburners Episode 1
Posted on September 17, 2015 10 Comments
Are you a fan of the serialized novel format? Well, now you have something to look forward to. Enter Serial Box, a new publisher specializing in bringing stories released in episodes, a new one every week just like a TV show.
I first heard of Serial Box earlier this summer as I was browsing the internet and came across a project called Bookburners, which will be a 16 episode story brought to you by an all-star team of authors including Margaret Dunlap, Max Gladstone, Mur Lafferty, and Brian Francis Slattery. As a big fan of Gladstone, my interest was immediately piqued, and even though I have not yet read the other authors yet, I’m looking forward to discovering their work.
The idea and business model behind Serial Box also intrigued me. This serialized format has already shown much promise, with titles like John Scalzi’s The Human Division and The End of All Things as well as K. J. Parker’s The Two of Swords immediately coming to mind. My problem with serials is that I’m usually awful when it comes to remembering to buy and download new episodes, and I’m one of those people who can’t live without their DVR because I keep forgetting to tune in to the right channel at the right time each week even when it comes to TV shows. However, Serial Box is making things easier with different subscription options and availability at most major online retailers and app stores so I’ll have to try some of them out to see how it goes. Ultimately, having the episodes released in audio at the same time will probably be the biggest plus for me, appealing to my inner multi-tasker who loves this most convenient way for me to listen to new episodes.
Bookburners officially launched on September 16th with their second episode, but the “pilot” titled “Badge, Book, and Candle” by Max Gladstone has actually been up a little more than a month now, available for free here in all formats, and I had the pleasure of checking it out.
“Some books have teeth.
Magic is real, and hungry—trapped in ancient texts and artifacts, only a few who discover it survive to fight back. Detective Sal Brooks is a survivor. Abruptly thrust into the battle between nefarious forces trying to unleash this power onto the world and those trying to stop them, she joins a Vatican-backed black-ops anti-magic squad: Team Three of the Societas Librorum Occultorum. Together they stand between humanity and magical apocalypse. Some call them Bookburners. They don’t like the label.”
I’ve always had a thing for books about books, but as you can probably tell from its description, Bookburners is something very different. Throw in a lady cop, her wayward brother, and a group of demon hunters led by a priest, and the stage is set for an urban paranormal mystery that will make you see dangerous reading in a whole new light.
In truth, it’s hard to tell just from the opening episode how I’ll like the rest of the story, but I will say Badge, Book, and Candle shows a lot of promise. Max Gladstone doesn’t disappoint either, with his usual sharp writing that immediately pulls you in and makes you connect with the characters. NYPD Detective Sal Brooks is likable, and her relationship with her brother is a reminder that while siblings can sometimes drive you nuts, family is still family. I actually found the most intriguing character to be Father Arturo Menchú, from our very brief time with the team. It will be interesting to see how the other authors do with the story later on, because while this introduction was enjoyable, I have a feeling the next episode is where the real action will start.
I’m definitely excited and on board for more. Naturally, I seized the opportunity to listen to the audio of the first episode and had a pretty good experience with it, but I’m new to ebook subscriptions so I’m still deciding whether or not I’ll consume an episode each week, group them into bigger parts to do at once, or binge on the whole thing at the end. Probably a bit of everything, in ebook and in audio! The key is options, which Serial Box seems happy to provide along with their vision to reinvent the art of serial storytelling.
So if this sounds like something that would interest you, head on over to Serial Box’s website to learn more. There’s also an awesome trailer for their company and projects that I want to share here. I don’t know about you, but their upcoming serial Tremontaine looks pretty damn amazing!
Tough Traveling: Portal to Another Land
Posted on September 17, 2015 33 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: Portal to Another Land
Fantasyland often has some unique entry points; not every traveler is born within its boundaries. It is a regular event for someone from a non-magical place to suddenly find themselves in this world of dragons, magic, and danger.
Mogsy’s Picks:
I have been totally slacking on Tough Traveling for the last few weeks, hopefully I’ll make it up to my co-bloggers today with a mixed-bag of varied titles featuring portals to strange, wondrous lands.
Protagonist Oscar Britton is an army officer working for the military’s Supernatural Operations Corps, tasked to monitor people with magic powers and take them down if they lose control. But then he himself suddenly manifests a power which allows him to summon portals, a rare and prohibited magical power. Oscar immediately comes under US government surveillance, sent to training in a fortress located in the source, an alien world that can only be reached via portal.
One of Lev Grossman’s original thoughts when he wrote The Magicians was to build on the work of C. S. Lewis, arguably the master when it comes to portals and portal travel. In fact, his magical land Fillory even has strong echoes of Narnia, which characters in The Magicians trilogy access via portals (not through a wardrobe though).
The Forbidden Library by Django Wexler
You’ve heard the saying that books are portals to new worlds, and in The Forbidden Library series this is literally true. “Readers” like our young protagonist Alice have powers that allow them to jump in and out of books, entering their worlds to defeat monsters trapped in them.
Protagonist Brianna Hai lives a double life as necessitated by her own very nature. By day the half-human, half-fae young woman runs an occult shop selling innocent knickknacks to tourists, while hanging in her home is a magical painting which acts as a portal between our real world and the world of the faerie, where her father the High King Leu of Fae lives.
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Speaking of double lives, in the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series, Karou is an art student attending classes in Prague, but behind the scenes it is revealed she was actually raised by four chimaera living in a workshop that straddles a trans-dimenional plane between the real world and an otherworld called Eretz. The workshop has a portal directly to Eretz, but also ones that can lead all over the world.
Dinocalypse Now by Chuck Wendig
And now for something completely insane and quirky. When the heroes of the Century Club were called in to prevent the assassination of FDR, the last thing they expected to face was a whole bunch of portals opening up all around the world, leading to another time and another place. Out comes a legion of psychic dinosaurs led by their leader, Khan the Conqueror Ape.
All her life, our teenage protagonist Jessica Drake has dreamed of other worlds. Some of them are like our own, while others are bizarrely alien. The only person she’s told about them is her younger brother Tommy. When he is kidnapped by a strange creature though, Jessica realizes there may be more to her dreams. To rescue Tommy, she must travel through a portal and brave a whole new world.
Waiting on Wednesday 09/16/15
Posted on September 16, 2015 15 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:
Saint’s Blood by Sebastien de Castell: April 7, 2016 (Jo Fletcher)
I’m so looking forward to this third book in the Greatcoats series! There was some confusion at first because the author had originally used the working title Tyrant’s Throne before deciding that it would actually work better for book four instead. Double joy, as not only do we get a wonderful title (I like the sound of Saint’s Blood) and a gorgeous cover for book three, I originally thought this was going to be a trilogy so I am happy at the news that there will be more books after this.
“How do you kill a Saint?
Falcio, Kest, and Brasti are about to find out, because someone has figured out a way to do it and they’ve started with a friend.
The Dukes were already looking for ways out of their agreement to put Aline on the throne, but with the Saints turning up dead, rumours are spreading that the Gods themselves oppose her ascension. Now churches are looking to protect themselves by bringing back the military orders of religious soldiers, assassins, and (especially) Inquisitors – a move that could turn the country into a theocracy. The only way Falcio can put a stop to it is by finding the murderer. He has only one clue: a terrifying iron mask which makes the Saints vulnerable by driving them mad. But even if he can find the killer, he’ll still have to face him in battle.
And that may be a duel that no swordsman, no matter how skilled, can hope to win.”
Novella Review: King of the Bastards by Brian Keene & Steven Shrewsbury
Posted on September 15, 2015 16 Comments
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King of the Bastards by Brian Keene and Steven Shrewsbury
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Stand Alone/Book 1
Publisher: Apex Book Company (7/21/15)
Author Information: BK Website | Twitter, SS Website
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
King of the Bastards is everything you would expect from…well, a book titled King of the Bastards! Authors Brian Keene and Steven Shrewsbury bring us a rowdy sword and sorcery tale in this novella that harkens back to the traditions of Robert E. Howard’s Conan, decking out its pages with larger-than-life heroes, monstrous villains, evil magics, exotic places, and bloody battles galore. We’re talking pure unadulterated pulpy fun.
“Come, my sons, and I will tell you the beginning of the tale of the bastards of King Rogan!” the wizened storyteller proclaims, and we are introduced to our titular character, who has apparently spilled more than just his blood across the world on his adventures as a pirate, outlaw, and mercenary before conquering the throne of Albion. Shipwrecked and stranded on a strange land with his nephew, the barbarian king must now fight with his newfound allies against a demon and its agents in order to find his way home and reclaim his throne.
A clear advantage with books like this is that what you see is what you get. King of the Bastards feels a lot like an updated version of the pulp outlet offerings from the first half the 20th century, complete with the requisite genre tropes, sometimes even exaggerated for what I feel is satirical effect. Our protagonist is a crude and aging barbarian who runs on testosterone and the blood and tears of his enemies. He’s insensitive and boorish towards women and other cultures, hates wizards and magic, but he sure knows his way around a sword and loves a good fight. Speaking of which, have I mentioned the sexual content and graphic violence yet? Underline it.
If you don’t like the sound of what you’ve read so far in this review, then I suspect you are not going to like this book. But if you’re in the mood for a bit of punchy, gore-soaked entertainment with a taste of retro, then you’re going to be in for a real treat. Personally speaking, books like this have an important place in my reading routine, providing the perfect sort of respite in between some of my longer, weightier reads and giving me a chance to let loose with something light and fun which doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s not something I could take all the time, but in small doses it can be a refreshing change of pace. And coming in at just a little over 160 pages, King of the Bastards was the perfect length, piling on the action and adventure without actually wearing out its welcome.
All told, this isn’t a book out to break new ground, but if you consider it as a “guilty pleasure” read with an aim to entertain, the authors might be on to something here. If you think you are the audience for this, definitely check it out. You could do worse than spend a rainy afternoon curled on the couch reading this rollicking yarn about a real bastard!
Book Review: Battlemage by Stephen Aryan
Posted on September 14, 2015 26 Comments
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of Age of Darkness
Publisher: Orbit (9/22/15)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
I first became aware of Battlemage in the Spring of 2015 and knew right then and there that I had to check it out. Because come on, BATTLEMAGES! Also known as the heavy-hitters of Fantasyland. They. Are. Awesome. As you can guess, I ended up devouring this book pretty quickly. Not only do I love the premise, I also found it to be an extraordinary easy read because of its style and down-to-earth traditional story.
Needless to say, if you’re a fan of mages, wizards, sorcerers, or any of those magician types, you won’t be disappointed. Balfruss is our main battlemage character, one of six who has answered the King of Seveldrom’s call to arms against the mad Emperor Taikon’s invading army from Zecorria. It is said that their enemy is led by a powerful battlemage known as the Warlock, prompting the need for Balfruss and the powers that he and others like him can provide.
While the battlemages combine their efforts, the war is also fought on the frontlines by thousands of unranked soldiers. Among them is Vargus, an aging mercenary who has sworn an oath to fight, even if it means leaving the quiet village that was his home for the last forty years. Gradually, his name becomes known in the army camps for the morale and camaraderie he has instilled in his fellow soldiers, creating a brotherhood that fights as one. And of course, no war is fought without a network of spies and agents in the shadows, led by Talandra, princess of Seveldrom and keeper of all secrets. Taikon of Zecorria may have sparked this religious war under false pretenses, but as the clever and resourceful Talandra proves, two can play at that game.
What really worked for me was the pacing of this novel and the fact that its momentum was almost always a constant. This made Battlemage a very quick and easy read, as I alluded to in my introduction. There is very little downtime, and also plenty of action and battle scenes. Essentially, these fell into two categories, reflecting the reality of a war fought on two fronts – one with magic, and the other with the sword. There’s a good mix of these, so that the plot doesn’t get too repetitive. Balfruss and the battlemages fight in abstract and magical ways that deal more with the mind, while the soldiers like Vargus utilize more direct methods like blades, shields, and just plain muscle strength. Stephen Aryan’s writing style is also very straightforward and casual, so it took very little effort to simply dive right into the story.
Of the characters, I enjoyed all of them but hands down Talandra was my favorite. Balfruss and Vargus are great, but ultimately they are rather standard archetypes for their roles, while Talandra broke the mold in many more ways to become the most interesting. Also, off the top of my head I can name several examples of epic fantasy novels with an ensemble cast where I’ve found the female character’s role to be downplayed and underutilized (especially in first books of a series), but I certainly did not encounter this issue in Battlemage. In fact, Talandra probably plays one of the more important roles in the book, getting the most results by directing a large network of spies who carry out her orders from afar. Her sections aren’t as invigorating as Balfruss or Vargus’s fight scenes, but nevertheless I felt her personal story of sacrifice was the most compelling by far.
The overall plot itself is entertaining, if perhaps more predictable than I would have liked. A lot of the story elements feel familiar like I have read them elsewhere before, such as the mad and sadistic tyrant king, the populace’s fear and mistrust of magic, or the various political machinations – just to name a few. To the author’s credit though, he combines it into a neat package that offers a good mix of everything, plus the setting feels unique. There’s a bit of the new stirred in with the old, so to speak, and I actually wouldn’t have minded a bit more to the world-building to set it further apart from other epic fantasies of its type. There are mentions of faraway places and the fantastical humanoid races that inhabit them, like the Morrin, a horned, yellow-eyed and pointy-eared people; or the Vorga, a saurian race. These are the types of things in the world which I would love to see strengthened and expanded.
So if you’re feeling in the mood for a fun and action-filled fantasy story, you might just find it in Battlemage. It’s true that it doesn’t break much new ground, but I certainly wouldn’t dismiss it for that reason. I can see the story offering a comfortable and accessible experience to both new and experienced readers of epic fantasy, and I find I’m looking forward to the next book, which I wouldn’t be if this weren’t such a solid start. Definitely give this one a shot if it sounds right for you. And enjoy the battlemages.
YA Weekend: The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich
Posted on September 13, 2015 15 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich
Genre: Young Adult, Horror
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers (9/15/15)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
First let me say I had no idea before I got an ARC of this novel that it would be written in the epistolary style as a collection of mostly diary entries, though it also includes interview transcripts, descriptions of video footage, emails and newspaper articles, etc. Not to mention the huge visual component! I picked up The Dead House because I love horror and I’m also always on the lookout for good creepy YA, but seriously nothing could have prepared me for the surprise I got when I opened up the book.
In a word, it’s gorgeous. It’s made to look like a compiled report, drawing evidence from multiple sources detailing a disturbing and mysterious “incident”. The book also makes liberal use of images, different fonts, and other visual embellishments to add even great realism to the story. But before I could fall too deeply in love with the eye candy, my cynical side immediately leaped into the picture with a reality check. After all, pretty pages are certainly all well and good, but the real test of course is how well the story stands up in spite of that.
We open with a newspaper article dated February 4, 2005 describing an inferno that ravaged a prestigious boarding school, killing three teenagers and injuring twenty. Next comes an introduction to the report, revealing that two decades have passed since the fire (now referred to as the “Johnson Incident”) but new information has come to light prompting a reinvestigation of the events that led up to the tragedy.
One student, an orphan named Carly Johnson, went missing during the incident but her body was not found among those recovered from the burned ruins. To this day, her whereabouts remain a mystery. No one could deny though, that Carly was a very disturbed girl, as evidenced from her writings in a scorched diary discovered at the school. By all accounts, she struggled with Dissociative Identity Disorder, writing in her diary not as Carly but as her alter “Kaitlyn”, who only emerges after sunset. But who exactly was Kaitlyn Johnson? Was she really just a mental construct of Carly’s mind, or was she something more?
All I have to say is, DAMN this is one creepy book. If you don’t like the epistolary style however, I can’t imagine this book would do anything for you, but I loved it and I thought it made this book an incredibly immersive experience. I found The Dead House really hard to put down, and ended up finishing it in a little more than a day, and it only took me that long because I made myself take a break a couple of times so I could savor it. The format made it a very quick read, but the story was also very addictive and fun; in spite of myself, I found myself totally sucked in.
What makes this one fascinating is also its main character, a one hell of an unreliable narrator. The book is an intimate look into the labyrinthine mind of Kaitlyn Johnson, though the difficulty of separating her words into fact versus fiction is further compounded when faced with the question of whether or not she actually exists. Kaitlyn believes she is real, and that’s what matters in the end. Her diary entries reveal a desperate soul wanting nothing more to be believed that she is not just a symptom or a made-up part of Carly’s mind. In her state of mind, she makes decisions that sometimes won’t make sense or may seem very extreme.
All throughout the book though is a sense of ambiguity – which isn’t necessarily a negative, especially when we’re talking about paranormal horror or psychological thrillers. It’s eerie and unsettling precisely because you won’t get all the answers tied up neatly with a bow and served on a platter. By design, we are constantly kept guessing: Are we looking at the results of an actual paranormal situation or the ravings of a mentally unstable teenager? The report is presented with all the pieces of evidence ordered by date, the whole story being gradually revealed to the reader as each page moves us closer towards the day of the incident. This a book best experienced firsthand, so I hesitate to give much more information about the plot.
Did I have my misgivings though? Well, yes. I thought the ending wrapped up way too quickly, but this is in part due to the limitations of the format. But there’s no denying that all the major reveals came hard and fast, all in the last 30 pages or so. There was also one “twist” that was painfully predictable, the number of red herrings thrown at us notwithstanding. Part of the problem was a romance that felt out of place, among other relationships between Kaitlyn/Carly and other characters that just didn’t add up. I am also a little tired of YA books that portray doctors and especially mental healthcare professionals as incompetent, insensitive or overbearing. In this case, poor Dr. Lansing was all three, which I felt was a rather inelegant way to paint her as a villain early on and drum up sympathy for Kaitlyn.
These flaws were very minor though, certainly not enough to take much away from the experience. All told, I had a really good time with The Dead House. I confess I had my doubts when I first started this novel and even resolved to keep a level head while reading so that I wouldn’t be dazzled by the unique structure of the novel and the flashy visuals. All the same, I ended up devouring this book. It’s undeniably entertaining and addictive, which sets it apart from being just another gimmick or run-of-the-mill YA horror.
The BiblioSanctum 