YA Weekend: 5 to 1 by Holly Bodger
Posted on May 9, 2015 13 Comments
Click to be taken to the Goodreads page.
Genre: Dystopia/Utopia
Publisher: Random House Children’s (May 12, 2015)
Author’s Information: Twitter | Website
Tiara’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Just when I come off a rant with some friends about how much YA novels have been getting on my nerves as of late, I find one that not only doesn’t get on my nerves, but it actually made me get all emotional toward the end of the story. Holly Bodger’s 5 to 1 is set in India in the year 2054. India, whose parents for years have chosen boys to girls seeing them as the more precious commodity, is now faced with a crisis of boys outnumbering girls 5 to 1. Girls are soon given to the highest bidder, but one city, Koyanagar, proposes its own solution from its matriarchs, a solution that would give every man a chance by holding a test that allows all boys to compete and win a wife. After their proposal is rejected, Koyanagar builds a wall and becomes its own country, allowing those who wish to leave one day to do so before their country is closed for good to the rest of India. In this new country, women are treated as the highest form of riches, but their lives are still far from being ideal, even in a society where men are cowed, ridiculed, and only valuable for producing daughters.
This story follows two teenagers seventeen-year-old Sudasa, a daughter of a wealthy family, who doesn’t want to be a wife, and eighteen year old Kiran (known as Five through much of the novel), a farmer’s son who doesn’t want to be a husband not even to a wealthy wife. However, their destinies, hopes, and dreams still intertwined in this beautifully, heartrending novel of two people who just want to be seen as people and not as their genders.
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Mogsy’s Bookshelf Roundup: New Books and What I’ve Been Reading
Posted on May 9, 2015 21 Comments
Bookshelf Roundup is where I talk about the new books I’ve bought or received for review, what I plan to read soon, and what I’ve finished reading recently.
Received for Review
The Great Bazaar/Brayan’s Gold by Peter V. Brett – Print ARC, with thanks to Tachyon Publications. I was really surprised (and delighted) when the publisher emailed me after seeing my review of Brett’s latest Demon Cycle book to tell me about this collection of two novellas set in that world, and they very kindly sent this along in the post for me.
The Venusian Gambit by Michael J. Martinez – Paperback, with thanks to Night Shade Books. This is book three of the Daedalus series and it was an unexpected arrival, but I have plans on reading it as soon as I’m caught up. I’ve only read the first book, but it had some of the most mind-blowing ideas I’ve ever read.
Faces by E.C. Blake – Print ARC, with thanks to DAW/Penguin. I think I would have ended up requesting this one even if it hadn’t been unsolicited, because I really enjoyed the first two books and I believe this is the last book of the trilogy, so I really can’t miss that!
Mother of Eden by Chris Beckett – Digital ARC via NetGalley, with thanks to Crown Publishing. I loved Dark Eden so much, I went to request this follow-up even before I was finished. I an reading it now and will probably be done with it by the time this post goes live, but so far I have to say it’s quite good but nowhere near as subtle as the first book.
Seriously Wicked by Tina Conolly – Hardcover, with thanks to Tor Teen. Unsolicited review copy, but it looks seriously fun and I’ve enjoyed what I’ve read by Tina Connolly in the past, so I’m definitely going to give this one a read.
Marked by Sue Tingey – Paperback, with thanks to Jo Fletcher Books. I hadn’t even heard of this one before, but as soon as I arrived I went to look it up. Ghost girls and demon assassins? Yeah, I’m in.
Cash Crash Jubilee by Eli K.P. William – Hardcover, with thanks to Night Shade Books. Unsolicited review copy, but once again, it sounds like a book that I must check out: “In a near future Tokyo, every action—from blinking to sexual intercourse—is intellectual property owned by corporations that charge licensing fees.” Never stop introducing me to cool stuff, Night Shade.
The Hanged Man by P.N. Elrod – Hardcover, with thanks to Tor Books. Really excited to receive this one, as it’s on my 2015 most anticipated list of SFF books by women!
Binary by Stephanie Saulter – Hardcover, with thanks to Quercus USA. I still can’t get over how incredibly gorgeous the cover is for the US edition of this novel. I can’t wait to read it, I absolutely adored the first book.
Zero World by Jason M. Hough – Digital ARC via NetGalley with thanks to Del Rey. Great to see Jason M. Hough follow up his Dire Earth Cycle with this fantastic looking new sci-fi spy thriller.
Alive by Scott Sigler – Digital ARC via NetGalley with thanks to Del Rey. I had featured this one in one of my Waiting on Wednesdays, so I was very happy when I got approved for it!
The Shadow of Elysium by Django Wexler – Digital ARC with thanks to Penguin. A novella that ties into Wexler’s Shadow Campaigns series which should tide me over until the third book, an ARC of which I’ve been told should be coming my way soon, yay!
Back to the Backlist
No new backlist titles on tap for this week because I listed a bunch last month that I haven’t had a chance to get to yet. It’s possible to fall behind on a backlist, who’d have thought?
What I’ve Read Since the Last Update
A lot of books may be coming in, but a lot of books are also getting read and reviewed. Keep an eye out for my reviews of these books in the coming weeks. Ones for Hexed (dual review of the novel and graphic novel with Tiara), The Sword of the North (my guest review at Fantasy Book Critic), and The Gospel of Loki are already up.
Have you heard of or read any of the books featured in this week? What looks interesting to you?
Generation V Birthday Celebration: Series GIVEAWAY!
Posted on May 8, 2015 5 Comments
*** The giveaway is now over, thank you to everyone who entered! ***
Did you know, yesterday May 7th was the two year anniversary of the hit urban fantasy novel GENERATION V?
Happy birthday Fort, Suze, Chivalry, Madeline and yes, even you, Prudence!
To celebrate, M.L. Brennan and the BiblioSanctum are teaming up to throw a birthday giveaway for all three books of the series, signed by the author. That’s Generation V, Iron Night, and Tainted Blood:
Be sure to see below for the giveaway details. Right now is a great time to get all caught up before book four, Dark Ascension, set for release this August. Happy birthday to one of my favorite series, find out why I love these books and why everyone is talking about them!
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GENERATION V SERIES GIVEAWAY
We’re very pleased to bring you this major giveaway of the three books currently out now in the Generation V series (Generation V, Iron Night, and Tainted Blood) all signed by the author M.L. Brennan — to one lucky winner! With apologies to international readers, this giveaway is US only due to shipping costs. To enter, all you have to do is send an email to bibliosanctum@gmail.com with your Name and valid Mailing Address using the subject line “HAPPY BIRTHDAY GEN V” by 11:59pm Eastern time on Tuesday, May 19, 2015.
Only one entry per household, please. The winner will be randomly selected when the giveaway ends and then be notified by email. All information will only be used for the purposes of contacting the winner and sending them their prize. Once the giveaway ends all entry emails will be deleted.
So what are you waiting for? Enter to win! Good luck!
Book Review: The Gospel of Loki by Joanne Harris
Posted on May 8, 2015 20 Comments
A review copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Gospel of Loki by Joanne M. Harris
Genre: Fantasy, Mythology
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Saga Press (US: May 5, 2015)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
It’s been so many years since I read Chocolat, that for all intents and purposes The Gospel of Loki may as well be the first book I’ve ever read by Joanne Harris. Highly entertaining and original, this novel chronicles the epic rise of the Norse gods all the way through to the coming of Ragnarok, completely retold from the point of view of none other than the trickiest trickster of them all – Loki.
First thing you should know though, if you’re like me and sometimes you get that temptation to skip everything before the prologue in a book? Well, fight it! Be sure to read everything, including the character list. I had started skimming it initially, right up until I glimpsed Thialfi and Roskva, the two siblings in Norse mythology who are the servants of the god Thor, respectively described as a “fanboy” and a “fangirl”. Chuckling to myself, I went back and read everything more carefully. Glad I did! Aside from being absolutely hilarious, the forward material sets the tone of the novel perfectly, and I knew right away that I was going to enjoy this.
Tough Traveling: Moms
Posted on May 7, 2015 46 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: Moms
Everyone has a mother. Including people in fantasyland. Just in time to be slightly early for Mother’s Day.
Mogsy’s Picks:
Yes, everyone has a mother so mothers are everywhere in Fantasyland, which is why I saw this week as a great opportunity to talk about only books I don’t think I have featured before for Tough Traveling, because otherwise my list will be too long (but that gif was just too hard to pass up). Wishing my co-bloggers Wendy and Tiara as well as all you moms (and mom figures) out there a Happy Mothers Day this Sunday!
Some mothers are the revered matriarchs of an entire people. About 160 years ago, five humans were stranded on a lightless planet. Three left on their damaged spaceship to seek help, while two of them, Angela and Tommy, remained behind to wait for rescue. Angela is long dead now, but Family still reveres her and calls her the “Mother of them all” because every man, woman and child on Dark Eden is descended from her and Tommy.
An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
There are loving mothers, and then there are mothers like Elias’s. Also known as the Commandant, Keris Veturius abandoned her son to the desert as soon as he was born, and Elias was raised by the tribes who found him and took him in. Instead of being happy to see him again, the Commandant was furious and filled only with hatred when Elias was brought to the Empire’s military academy to train as a soldier.
Nice Dragons Finish Last by Rachel Aaron
Then there are the mothers who show tough love. Bethesda the Heartstriker is a prolific dragon, having spawned more clutches than any other female. Like all dragons she can be cold and brutal, but she that doesn’t mean she’s incapable of showing affection to her favorite offspring. Too bad protagonist Julius isn’t one of them. After twenty-four years of watching him hide out in his room in the mountain, Bethesda has finally had it. Sealing him in human form, she banishes her son to the hostile territory of the Detroit Free Zone to fend for himself.
Voyage of the Basilisk by Marie Brennan
Isabella knows that her maternal instincts have never been strong, and in her world that’s not something easy for a woman to admit. For a long time, her son Jake also served as a reminder of her late husband, and she found it hard to engage with the boy. But as Jake grows, Isabella’s feelings toward motherhood begins to change. In Voyage of the Basilisk, she brings her son with her on her latest research expedition. Over the course of the journey, she starts to appreciate him as a strong and intelligent young man with his own hopes and dreams.
Karen Memory by Elizabeth Bear
Sometimes, a mother can be anyone who takes care of her own. Based on the real historical figure of 19th century Seattle’s Mother Damnable (real name Mary Ann Conklin), Madame Damnable runs a hotel and high-class brothel in the frontier town of Rapid City. She may run a tight ship, but no one better mess with her girls because as a mother figure to them all, she’s got each and every one of their backs.
Broken Monsters by Lauren Beukes
Speaking of which, you do not want to mess with Layla either, because her mother Detective Gabriella Versado will come down hard on your ass if you even think about harming her baby. The precocious teenager is sometimes more than Gabriella can handle though; her work keeps her away from home a lot, especially with the entire police department busy trying to catch the “Bambi” killer.
In the world of the Gaia Chronicles, it’s very common for the woman whose biological DNA you share, the woman who gives birth to you, and the woman who raises you to be three different people. In this novel, the protagonist Astra receives help from her “Shelter-Mother” Hokma to avoid getting the Security Serum, a shot that would make her the subject physically stronger but would also make them more obedient and alter their personality.
Wendy’s Picks
Often times in fantasy, we find mothers fulfilling very tragic tropes. Some are driven to madness–in Disney fairy tales, mothers are most often dead or dying, sometimes replaced by a woman intent on destroying the mother-figure image. Fortunately, as Mogsy’s gif points out, no matter how crazy or dead fantasy mothers happen to be, their love for their children is absolute.
Morrigan – Dragon Age
At times, her reasoning and her ambition might make you question Morrigan’s motherliness, and her surliness might have some believe her unfit for the role at all. But when her son is threatened, there is nothing she won’t give to protect him. Morrigan’s greatest wish is to be for her son what her mother was not for her, but perhaps she has misunderstood Flemeth’s goals all this time.
Mystique – X-Men
Alone and crying, afraid of what she had just done, a little girl named had no where else to turn. That was when Raven Darkholme found her. Granted, there’s a lot of questionable manipulation and a goodly amount of evil involved in the relationship Mystique built with her foster daughter, Rogue, but Rogue has, depending on the current canon, managed to forgive her mother.
And now a little something heartwarming from my youth:
Tiara’s Picks
Mrs. Lowood (Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake)
Having a son who’s determined to be a ghost hunter like his deceased dad would probably make most moms lock up their sons and throw away the key, but Mrs. Lowood knows that she can’t stop Cas’ destiny. Instead, as a white witch, she uses her powers to aid her son in any way possible while allowing him space to become the great hunter she knows he will be. They share a powerful, close, respectful relationship that isn’t seen much in YA books these days.
Morgause, Queen of Orkney (The Witch in the Wood/The Queen of Air and Darkness by T.H. White)
“Indeed, they did love her. Perhaps we all give the best of our hearts uncritically—to those who hardly think about us in return.”
Morgause is the mother to four of King Arthur’s greatest knights–Gawain, Gaheris, Gareth, and Agravain. One of whom would leave to his eventual downfall. Morgause is a fair-weather mother, loving and ignoring her sons in equal measures, as they try to do things to impress her. One minute she’s brushing them away with a wave of her hand, and the next she is nothing short of a loving, doting mother. Her sons suffer serious mommy issues because of her fickle nature.
Auntie Sis (The Boys by Garth Ennis)
In Ennis’ world of The Boys, superheroes lead double lives of debauchery and terror including their women heroes. The exception to this rule is Auntie Sis who has been tasked with looking after a group of superheroes with special needs. Mom isn’t always defined by someone who gives birth to her children. Auntie Sis is a genuinely beautiful, loving person who tries to make each of her kids feel special despite their “disabilities.” Having lost her own parents when she was young, she treats each of her charges as if they were her children and will turn into a mama bear quickly if someone tries to hurt her kids.
Alana (Saga by Brian K. Vaughan)
Alana is an ex-soldier who fell in love with her enemy and prisoner of war, Marko, after bonding over books. Now, they’re on the run from a government that would see them hang just because they love one another. With a new baby to care for, Alana is willing to do anything to protect what’s hers.
Queen Ashe (Princeless by Jeremy Whitley)
Queen Ashe is the mother of Princess Adrienne, the princess who eventually saves herself. While her mannerisms point at her being all about the traditional roles of princes and princesses, as the story progress her attitudes seem to shift ever so slightly as her children become everything they’re not supposed to be. Regardless, she loves them whether they fit their roles or not.
Harley Quinn (DC Universe)
Harley may be a bit of a nutcase herself, but it’s very clear she didn’t leave her daughter because she didn’t love her or because she chose Joker over her daughter. She left her daughter because she knows her lifestyle isn’t the ideal for a child, that she isn’t in the mental position to care for a child, and you can tell from these panels that decision tears her apart. It’s easy to say what a parent should do to be a better a parent but sometimes, the best parenting decision is to allow your child to be with someone you know will provide a loving and safe place for them. As a former child whose own parents made such a decision, trust me when I say this is a very personal and painful decision for parents, but I understand that they did this out of love because they felt they couldn’t give me the stable home my grandparents could. In various comics, Harley shows quite a soft spot for children.
Comic Stack 05/06/15: Rat Queens, Vol. 1 & Vol 2 by Kurtis J. Wiebe
Posted on May 6, 2015 9 Comments
Today’s comic stack actually features a review for a graphic novel I’ve been eagerly awaiting. I hadn’t expected to be able to pick it up until today, but I was able to snag it Sunday night digitally on Netgalley to read and review! I still have every intention of buying the physical copy for my shelves, though. I never posted an official review of the first edition of this book, so I’ll backtrack a little and post two Rat Queens reviews in one today.
Rat Queens, Vol. 1: Sass and Sorcery by Kurtis J. Wiebe (writer), Roc Upchurch (artist)
Publisher: Image Comics (March 26 2014)
Genre: Fantasy, Comedy, Leading Ladies
I actually finished this book while waiting in line for a WWE wrestling event back in October for my son’s birthday. No one even blinked at me standing in line reading a comic book. In fact, many curiously sauntered my way and asked about it, which led to many turbonerd discussions about comics while waiting. Yes, we’re big wrestling nerds in this house. And for the idiots who like to ask, “You know it’s fake, right?” I have to ask if you know that most of your favorite television shows are probably fake, too, right? Okay, just checking.
Wendy was sweet enough to send this to me on my birthday, which incidentally is the exact same day this volume was released. Sass and Sorcery introduces us to a rockabilly elf named Hannah, a candy-loving hipster smidgen thief named Betty, Dee the atheist who happens to also be a cleric (and struggles with her religion), and Violet, a dwarven lady warrior who says “fuck tradition” and keeps shaving her bad ass beard off. Together they form the all-female mercenary group the Rat Queens.
They spend their days drinking, brawling, sexing, and causing general mayhem along with other rival mercenary groups who plague the city of Palisades. Now, someone in the Palisade wants them (and the other mercenary groups gone, but especially the Rat Queens), which leads them on an adventure full of mayhem that’ll never stop making the readers chuckle.
This is such a great twist on the fantasy genre. They’ve blended some modern ideas into an old story. I love that this book follows a group of female giving them all the characteristics one would find “lovable” in a group of mercenary men, but everyone sort of scoffs at in women. Do you think they give a damn, though? Heck no. These ladies kick ass, and do exactly what–and who–they want. This was a fun introduction to a group of awesome women.
Favorite scene:
Don’t be a Gary.
Rat Queens, Vol. 2: The Far Reaching Tentacles of N’rygoth by Kurtis J. Wiebe (writer), Roc Upchurch (artist), Stjepan Sejic (artist)
Publisher: Image Comics (May 6, 2015)
Genre: Fantasy, Leading Ladies
Following the events of the first book, the women are now seen as heroes and the overlords of Palisades\ would like to keep it that way through–what else–throwing large sums of money at them for their help. However, there is still a menace lurking in Palisade and Dee’s religious and personal life catches up to her in this latest volume as they once again find themselves being the good guys. First, let me say: T E N T A C L E S! YES!
This book delved a little more into the personal lives of the Queens, specifically Violet, Dee, and Hannah. I’m starting to think that Betty just fell from a happy pagan tree screaming, “Give me candy!” and there’s not a thing more to her than that (right now). I still love her, though. She’s double comedy relief, and I imagine her to be a female Ryback. FEED ME! FEED ME MORE! (Wrestling joke. Leave me alone, okay.)
Hannah’s story still left so much mystery to her character while being telling all at the same time. I really look forward to reading more about her, especially after she revealed a piece of herself that she never meant to because of the implications that doing so would mean something monumental in terms of that particular relationship, and she showed how vulnerable and scared doing so made her. There was just the right amount of telling and pulling back with Hannah.
I 
was really glad to know a little more about Dee’s religious background as well as her personal background. In the last book while everyone else was getting their freak on Dee shied away from any interest shown in her, and you sort of find out why that is in this book. She also struggles more with her faith and what she believes before deciding what’s truly right for her as far as her faith goes.
Violet’s personal story left me a little on the fence. On one hand, I thought it was really great, but on another hand, bits of it felt more shallow than I was expecting from her story. No, shallow isn’t the right word. It’s was more like they condensed it so much that some of the important bits felt missing like, as a reader, I could feel something more was going on there, but then, it managed to move on to parts that felt smaller than what they were really trying to get across with Violet. I still enjoyed it, though. Especially this scene where Vi asked another lady dwarf why she shaved her beard:
I absolutely adored this book much like the last one. The ending was a little more hurried than I would’ve liked, but I anxiously await more on these ladies’ adventures.
Also, I have to end this with Gary because nobody wants to be Gary.
I still love you, Gary, please, don’t be a Gary.
A review copy of this book was provided to me by Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
Waiting on Wednesday 05/06/15
Posted on May 6, 2015 11 Comments
“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that lets us feature upcoming releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!
Mogsy’s Pick:
The Price of Valor by Django Wexler: July 7, 2015 (Roc)
One of the most anticipated sequels this summer for me is the third book of The Shadow Campaigns (and from what the author’s said, the series will have five books). I became a fan of Django Wexler after picking up the first book The Thousand Names and also realized how much I liked flintlock/military fantasy!
“In the wake of the King’s death, war has come to Vordan.
The Deputies-General has precarious control of the city, but it is led by a zealot who sees traitors in every shadow. Executions have become a grim public spectacle. The new queen, Raesinia Orboan, finds herself nearly powerless as the government tightens its grip and assassins threaten her life. But she did not help free the country from one sort of tyranny to see it fall into another. Placing her trust with the steadfast soldier Marcus D’Ivoire, she sets out to turn the tide of history.
As the hidden hand of the Sworn Church brings all the powers of the continent to war against Vordan, the enigmatic and brilliant general Janus bet Vhalnich offers a path to victory. Winter Ihernglass, newly promoted to command a regiment, has reunited with her lover and her friends, only to face the prospect of leading them into bloody battle.
And the enemy is not just armed with muskets and cannon. Dark priests of an ancient order, wielding forbidden magic, have infiltrated Vordan to stop Janus by whatever means necessary…”
Tiara’s Pick
The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi: May 26, 2015 (Knopf)
Will I ever get tired of post-apocalyptic fiction? Not as long as authors keep finding ways to make it imaginative. This one sounds like it’ll be a little bit noir, a little bit western, a little bit cautionary, and a whole lot dangerous.
“The American Southwest has been decimated by drought. Nevada and Arizona skirmish over dwindling shares of the Colorado River, while California watches, deciding if it should just take the whole river all for itself. Into the fray steps Las Vegas water knife Angel Velasquez. Detective, assassin, and spy, Angel “cuts” water for the Southern Nevada Water Authority and its boss, Catherine Case, ensuring that her lush, luxurious arcology developments can bloom in the desert and that anyone who challenges her is left in the gutted-suburban dust.
When rumors of a game-changing water source surface in Phoenix, Angel is sent to investigate. With a wallet full of identities and a tricked-out Tesla, Angel arrows south, hunting for answers that seem to evaporate as the heat index soars and the landscape becomes more and more oppressive. There, Angel encounters Lucy Monroe, a hardened journalist, who knows far more about Phoenix’s water secrets than she admits, and Maria Villarosa, a young Texas migrant, who dreams of escaping north to those places where water still falls from the sky.
As bodies begin to pile up and bullets start flying, the three find themselves pawns in a game far bigger, more corrupt, and dirtier than any of them could have imagined. With Phoenix teetering on the verge of collapse and time running out for Angel, Lucy, and Maria, their only hope for survival rests in one another’s hands. But when water is more valuable than gold, alliances shift like sand, and the only truth in the desert is that someone will have to bleed if anyone hopes to drink.”
Sword of the North by Luke Scull: Guest Review by Mihir Wanchoo
Posted on May 5, 2015 9 Comments
Today’s review is brought to you by Mihir Wanchoo, a reviewer from Fantasy Book Critic. This was really exciting for me. FBC was one of my favorite SFF review sites even before I started reviewing, so I was pleased and so honored when Mihir had this great idea and invited me to do a “guest review swap” with them of Luke Scull’s Sword of the North. Of course I agreed! Please enjoy Mihir’s review below, and you can also read my guest review of the book which was posted yesterday on Fantasy Book Critic by going here!
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Sword of the North by Luke Scull
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 2 of The Grim Company
Publisher: Roc (May 5, 2015)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mihir’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: When it comes to sequels, it’s hard for the authors to write them, as often they have to do so within a strict time limit as well as take into consideration reader expectations. Now imagine if your debut was a successful one, Terry Brooks took 5 years between his debut Sword of Shannara and the follow-up Elfstones of Shannara. Supposedly he had written a different book but his editor had him scrap it, and aren’t we all glad for it.
If Terry Brooks had such a hard time writing the sequel in a day and age without the internet, imagine what authors must go through in this age. Luke Scull had previously mentioned how he’s had to overcome many difficulties while writing this book and it’s being released nearly 2 years after its predecessor. As far as wait times go, that’s a tiny one in epic fantasy scale. For me The Grim Company was a standout debut and also the best debut in my 2013 year-end lists. The sequel was a highly anticipated one and of course this volume promised a lot more of Brodar Kayne & his highly taciturn comrade Jerek the wolf.
How did it figure? That’s a complicated answer and I’ll try my best to give a proper reply. Here’s what the novel is about. Broday Kayne and Jerek after the events of The Grim Company when they took part in upsetting Salazar’s reign aren’t really feeling the love. So after three weeks they decide to go back to the north. However, their luck runs awry when bandits beset them. This book also dwells deeply on its titular character Kayne as we get to see how Brodar gained the title of the Sword Of The North beginning with events nearly thirty-six years ago.
Returning back from the last book are Davarus, Sasha and Yllandris. Davarus returns and finds that fate has crueler plans for him. He finds himself a prisoner in a concentration camp (of sorts) with a sadistic overseer. Sasha found her family in Ambryl but she finds that the sister she remembers is long gone. They are both conscripted by Eremul to find out more about the White Lady in Thelessa while delivering his message. Yllandris is in a rough situation as well, her paramour is now a tortured prisoner and she is beholden to a crazy sociopath who is known as the Butcher King. Lastly there’s Eremul who is now recognized as the half-mage who slew Salazar and is now trying his best to find out more about the Fade. There’s also a new POV character called Sir Meredith who is a knight sworn to the Butcher king and he’s a doozy.
That is the cast of POV characters and with this book, Luke Scull plunges the reader back into the crazy world that is the Age of Ruin. The characters whom we love are back however the author is not done with them. Readers should be warned that while this is a middle book of the trilogy, it doesn’t quite suffer from the middle book syndrome. There’s a plan at work here, which deals with the events that were showcased in the prologue of its predecessor. This book does build up on a lot of things for Dead Man’s Steel, the final volume of the trilogy.
Here’s what I enjoyed about this book, once again the characterization is the author’s forte. Beginning with Brodar Kayne who shines mightily throughout, there’s also the focus on Davarus, Yllandris, Sasha and Sir Meredith. All these characters undergo a lot and not all of them make it throughout the book. I want to particularly highlight Sir Meredith who is as despicable as they come but thanks to the author we get to see a peek at the madness that lies within him. It’s a fascinating sort of look that while we hate the character and his actions, the author brilliantly illustrates what make him tick. This brilliant characterization is also showcased with Davarus and Sasha who have to undergo a lot of trials and they are made stronger for it.
If you thought Davarus was pompous in the previous chapter, this book showcases how far he falls. The horror he endures makes the stuff Harry Dresden faces seem like a walk in the park. In this regard, Luke Scull shows himself to be a crueler manipulator than Jim Butcher with regards to his characters. We also get a significant look into Brodar’s past and how his friendship with Jerek came to be. That bond is significantly focused upon in this volume and we are shown what truly makes Jerek tick. The author also shows a lot of ruthlessness with character deaths and there are some surprising ones in this volume. I enjoyed how the author made the read an even keel, as I wasn’t sure who would survive for the next volume.
Lastly this book also gives us a more than clearer look at the events that lead to the Age of Ruin, the reason for the Fade’s disappearance and hatred for humanity. The author has sown some seeds within the first volume that will become clearer only after reading this book. I absolutely can’t wait to see how it all unfolds in the third volume wherein there’s a titanic struggle to for the remaining characters.
As intriguing as this book was, there were some middling points to it. Namely that the pace flounders a bit in the middle of the book wherein the author is setting up things for the climax. Another thing that was disappointing for me was the reduced role that Eremul had in this book. As a main character in the preceding volume, I was looking to more from him but sadly that wasn’t the case. However I’m hoping he features more prominently in the sequel though.
CONCLUSION: Sword Of The North is a strong sequel to The Grim Company and as far as books go, it’s a fascinating read. I had high expectations and it managed to meet them strongly. It did have some missteps but then what book doesn’t. Overall it neatly sidestepped the middle book syndrome and sets up the final volume superbly. Sword Of The North gets a solid thumbs-up and I can’t wait to read Dead Man’s Steel now.
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ABOUT OUR GUEST REVIEWER
Born and raised in Mumbai, India, Mihir Wanchoo is a physician and a Masters graduate. He is an avid book collector and longtime reader of fantasy, thrillers and Indian mythology with additional interests in historical fiction and urban fantasy. Favorite writers include Jeffrey Deaver, John Connolly, Douglas Preston,David Gemmell, Sarah Ash, George R.R. Martin, James Clemens/James Rollins, Jim Butcher, Ilona Andrews, Tad Williams and many others.
Michael Alan Nelson Hexed-ravaganza: Graphic Novel and Book Reviews
Posted on May 4, 2015 16 Comments
Once upon a time, Tiara and Mogsy had a conversation on Twitter about Michael Alan Nelson and thus the idea of a “Hexed Day” was born…
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A review copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Hexed: The Sisters of Witchdown by Michael Alan Nelson
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Young Adult
Series: Book 1
Publisher: Pyr (May 5, 2015)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Another excellent Young Adult novel from Pyr, the first of what I hope will be Hexed series featuring more of heroine Luci Jenifer Ignacio das Neves – Lucifer for short. Based on the author’s comic of the same name which I’ve actually not read before tackling this book (but you can be sure it’s on my to-read list now), Hexed: The Sisters of Witchdown has made me a new fan of Michael Alan Nelson.
The story begins with a Bloody Mary game gone wrong. What should have been a harmless prank ends up getting a high school girl snatched away by monstrous haggish creature. Her father, a police officer, goes to Lucifer for help after hearing that the young thief possesses supernatural talents that would help him get his daughter Gina back. Unable to bear the cop’s grief, Lucifer decides to help. After her initial investigations at the missing girl’s school, Lucifer ends up with some promising leads as well as a new sidekick – Gina’s handsome and popular boyfriend, David.
A great mix of action and humor with just a dash of horror, Hexed is an entertaining paranormal YA novel featuring a story that feels new and fresh. With a plot that’s fast-paced and addictive, this book is truly something special. I took to our kickass protagonist right away, charmed by her resourcefulness and laugh-out-loud wit. Lucifer is simply hilarious! I really enjoyed following her as a main character, even if I do find her name and the reason behind it (she was named for her two grandmothers, and she “honors” them by combining their first names like that) a little dubious, but I guess when it comes to her brand of dry dark humor, that’s probably as good an example as any. I like Lucifer too because she manages to pull off that take-no-crap attitude without coming off as a belligerent little brat. She may have a strong personality, but her kind heart and good intentions come through on every page.
I also love the secret mystical underworld of Hexed. As Lucifer is so fond of reminding us, she possesses no inherent magical power, but the tools she uses often do. She carries around a trick bag full of magical – and sometimes dangerous – gadgets and thingamabobs which she whips out whenever she needs a problem solved, and finding out what each object does is half the fun. Through some very intense scenes, we’re also introduced to what appears to be a very intricate spell system involving runes and symbols, used for anything from activating mirrors to other dimensions to exorcising demons from their hapless victims (bet you’re dying to know why Lucifer’s holding a stuffed bunny on the cover!) The supernatural baddies here can be pretty terrifying, like the filcher demons, witch-hounds, and the witches themselves, but they’re also fascinating. Lucifer’s harrowing journey to find and rescue Gina from the dead realm of Witchdown is not without its disturbing moments, but I couldn’t help it – I found myself utterly captivated by the whole story.
There are just a couple of issues I have to bring up; one is minor, while the other can be a deal breaker depending on your personal preferences. The first is something that struck me as unnecessary, which is the constant reminder that Lucifer is something “separate” and apart from the normal real world. Every few chapters is another wistful comment from her regarding high school life in general, how all that is out of reach for her but she still wants it badly. The other issue is the romance, and not just any romance. As Lucifer and David work closely together to get Gina back, feelings start to develop between them, despite David already being unmistakably, indisputably, irrefutably spoken for. This particular story arc did make for a pretty startling twist at the end, but just a heads up if you find the idea of dallying with a taken guy unappealing.
Lucifer is not your typical teenage girl, nor is Hexed your typical YA. It was a very enjoyable, quick and fun read, and best of all it is not necessary to have read the graphic novel before diving in this one. You do get a feeling that there’s an incredibly rich back story there though, one that I’ll definitely have to go back and check out one of these days now!
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Hexed by Michael Alan Nelson (writer), Emma Rios (artist)
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Supernatural, Leading Ladies
Publisher: Boom! Studios (March 9th 2010; first published September 2009)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Tiara’s Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
I am a huge fan of Michael Alan Nelson’s work. I loved what he did with the comics that followed the events after the movie 28 Days Later, and that’s how I initially was introduced to his work. Since then, I’ve read many of his comics, and I love what he’s done with the series Day Men, Dingo, and Pale Horse. To say that I am a fan of his comics is probably a huge understatement.
Luci Jenifer Ignacio das Neves–Lucifer, for short–just had a really good night. The young thief procured a magical item that her employer, a snobby, witty old soul named Val, sent her to steal from a really suspect night club. The item in question?
Angel wings, which are beautiful enough to cause tears to come Val’s eyes. Not only did Lucifer get the wings her employer wanted for her client she also made off with a new toy–a witch hound (monstrous demonic things) that she keeps trapped inside of cutesy stuffed animals that she collects.
After making Val go through the “every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings” act (much to Val’s chagrin), Lucifer receives her payment and goes home hoping to wash the skankiness off her and get some rest since she hasn’t slept in 24 hours. However, when Lucifer arrives home, she’s confronted by a dangerous former employer named Dietrich who claims she owes him three hundred grand after not completing a contract he gave her three years ago because she figured out the magical tome he wanted was being protected not used for ill as he seemed to imply. Dietrich is powerful, and he knows that how to hit Lucifer where it hurts because she’s a decent person. He gives her 24 hours to retrieve another magical item for him with the added stipulation that she has to introduce him to the woman who hexed her, a woman simply called The Harlot.
Hexed was a glorious treat. Once I was able to sit down with it, I was fully engrossed in this story. Everything around me just ceased to exist for the a little while as I became completely emerged in Lucifer’s world. There were moments I couldn’t help laughing or mentally pumping my fist for Lucifer as she triumphed through her trials or even aching for her a little as she dealt with painful problems. This book also showed that it intends to play around with theology in interesting ways as it continues, and as someone who loves when theological ideas are used in new ways in stories such as these, I look forward to it.
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While showing no real magical abilities herself, Lucifer is armed with magical tools and knows just about everything about getting information and material she needs from this strange magical world beneath the mundane world. Her name belies her attitude, which shows her to be a brave, caring, resourceful, and a darkly funny person. I couldn’t help but smile when she made Val recite the “angel wings” thing I mentioned earlier and actually ring a bell, showing that while she is a rock-n-roll ninja burglar, as she calls herself, there’s still something young and vulnerable inside her.
I’m not sure if she’s supposed to be “teenage young” or “new adult” young in this graphic novel. It feels more “new adult” even though the novel is categorized as “young adult.” However, this is a comic, and it has to be succinct, and for that reason, that could possibly be why she doesn’t lament on high school life or being a normal teenager like in the novel. Despite whatever range she’s supposed to represent, Nelson has managed to write her in way that doesn’t make he roll my eyes or mutter brat every few panels, which I always appreciate because that’s my main problem with most “young adult” and “new adult” stories.
This book doesn’t go into Lucifer’s back story, but there are plenty of hints about things that have happened before, especially things she doesn’t want to be part of again, but nothing has been explored fully yet. We learn the much of the extent of her connection to The Harlot, whose name is very fitting once you meet the character (and not for sexual reasons) and learn what her role is in the supernatural world, but the book still gives plenty of wiggle room even in that story to explore more of the relationship between Lucifer and The Harlot. They share a contentious relationship with The Harlot coming off mockingly maternal to Lucifer while Lucifer just hates her damn guts.
However, on the opposite end of that relationship is Lucifer’s feelings towards her employer Val who she obviously views as a mother figure and would do anything to keep her safe, even if it means unleashing forces that cannot be controlled. It’s a beautiful relationship between two women who barely try to keep up to keep up the pretense of employer and employee. Their care for one another shows even when they’re trying to be formal.
The only real complaint I have for this book is that one scene toward the end was rather convenient, too convenient. However, it was a very beautiful scene. I thought it was absolutely breathtaking with the art accompanying it, but I still couldn’t deny it felt sort of deus ex machina-ish, even though readers can calculate that it does have something to do with a very brief scene from earlier in the comic. So, at least, it did have some precedent, even if it was just that small iota. It just still made me think: “Well, isn’t that a convenient turn of events?”
Urban fantasy, even Urban Fantasy novels, can be a little formulaic, so it’s always nice to read something that adds an offbeat spin to an old familiar story. This managed to be touching, dark, and funny all at the same time. Emma Rios’ art really makes this story pop. The mixture of bright and dark art makes Lucifer’s world a visual treat with Nelson’s narration. Again, Nelson has given me a comic that I’ll continue to enjoy as I explore Lucifer’s world and unlock more of her secrets. Now excuse me while I bump this novel higher up my TBR list! Why wouldn’t I want to read more about a rock-n-roll ninja burglar?
The BiblioSanctum 
