Posted on September 3, 2014 Leave a Comment
“We read books to find out who we are. What other people, real or imaginary, do and think and feel… is an essential guide to our understanding of what we ourselves are and may become.”
― Ursula K. Le Guin
“When I look back, I am so impressed again with the life-giving power of literature. If I were a young person today, trying to gain a sense of myself in the world, I would do that again by reading, just as I did when I was young.”
― Maya Angelou
Cover Lover: Traitor’s Blade by Sebastian de Castell + Blurb For Greatcoat’s Lament
Posted on September 3, 2014 10 Comments
Cover Lover was a meme originally created by our friend and fellow book blogger Jaedia at Once Upon A Time, and since then we’ve adopted it as a feature here to talk about the covers of books we love or that strike our fancy.
Today, in celebration of the paperback release of Sebastien de Castell’s Traitor’s Blade on September 4, 2014 from Jo Fletcher Books (UK), I would like to share the different covers I have seen for this extraordinary novel. I loved this book to bits! Definitely one of my top books of the year, be sure to check out my 5 star review.
Below you have the UK, Canadian and US covers, from top to bottom, left to right.
Bold, dashing, adventurous and filled to the brim with pure, swashbuckling entertainment. That’s what Traitor’s Blade is for me.
What are you thoughts? Have you read Traitor’s Blade? If so, do you have a favorite version of the cover?
And as a special treat, we have the description for book two to share with you, Greatcoat’s Lament, due out on March 5, 2015! I can’t wait. Thanks to Jo Fletcher Books!
* * *
“Tristia is a nation overcome by intrigue and corruption. The idealistic young King Paelis is dead and the Greatcoats – legendary travelling magistrates who brought justice to the Kingdom – have been branded as traitors. But just before his head was impaled on a spike, the King swore each of his hundred and forty-four Greatcoats to a different mission.
Falcio Val Mond, First Cantor, with the help of fellow Greatcoats Kest and Brasti, has completed his King’s final task: he has found his Charoites – well, one at least, and she was not quite what they expected. Now they must protect the girl from the many who would see her dead, and place her on the throne of a lawless kingdom. That would be simple enough, if it weren’t for the Daishini, an equally legendary band of assassins, getting in their way, not to forget the Dukes who are determined to hold on to their fractured Kingdoms, or the fact that the heir to the throne is only thirteen years old. Oh, and the poison that is slowly killing Falcio.
That’s not even mentioning the Greatcoat’s Lament . . .”
Waiting on Wednesday 09/03/14
Posted on September 3, 2014 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:
The Providence of Fire by Brian Staveley: January 13, 2015 (Tor)
I’m actually quite excited about this one. The first book came out to great acclaim last year, and I enjoyed it a lot, with my only regret being the limited role of Adare, the emperor’s daughter who didn’t get anywhere near as much page-time as her royal brothers Kaden and Valyn. From the description, it sounds like Adare will get more attention this time around, and I’m really looking forward her time in the spotlight.
“Brian Staveley’s Providence of Fire, the second novel in the Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne, a gripping new epic fantasy series in the tradition of Brandon Sanderson and George R. R. Martin.
The conspiracy to destroy the ruling family of the Annurian Empire is far from over.
Having learned the identity of her father’s assassin, Adare flees the Dawn Palace is search of allies to challenge the coup against her family. Few trust her, but when she is believed to be touched by Intarra, patron goddess of the empire, the people rally to help her retake the capital city. As armies prepare to clash, the threat of invasion from barbarian hordes compels the rival forces to unite against their common enemy.
Unknown to Adare, her brother Valyn, renegade member of the empire’s most elite fighting force, has allied with the invading nomads. The terrible choices each of them has made may make war between them inevitable.
Between Valyn and Adare is their brother Kaden, rightful heir to the Unhewn Throne, who has infiltrated the Annurian capital with the help of two strange companions. The knowledge they possess of the secret history that shapes these events could save Annur or destroy it.”
Book Review: The Bullet-Catcher’s Daughter by Rod Duncan
Posted on September 2, 2014 19 Comments
The Bullet-Catcher’s Daughter by Rod Duncan
Genre: Fantasy, Steampunk
Series: Book 1 of The Fall of the Gas-Lit Empire
Publisher: Angry Robot (August 26, 2014)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Angry Robot is making a comeback this fall with a couple of great titles, and The Bullet-Catcher’s Daughter is one gem that is deserving of a lot more attention. I really had no idea what I was in for going into this book, but even before the beginnings of the story was revealed to me, I found myself already captivated by the elegant writing style.
Rod Duncan brings the Gas-Lit Empire to life in this steampunkish tale of mystery and espionage, starring a female protagonist with a big secret. Elizabeth Barnabus is the single child of a “bullet-catcher”, a term used to describe stage magicians or artists known for performing large-scale or spectacular illusions, but she has used all the tricks of the trades to fool the world into thinking she has a twin brother. In the guise of her fictitious brother Edwin the private detective, Elizabeth sets out to solve the case of a missing aristocrat while dodging alchemists and shady circus folk as well as agents of the all-powerful and tyrannical International Patent Office.
Obviously, Elizabeth is a talented, capable and intelligent young woman used to solving her own problems, often in creative and ingenious ways. So forgive me for going on a mini-ramble here while I ponder on the trend of the “daughter-in-the-title” phenomenon; that is, I notice so many book titles that seem to follow this “The ________’s Daughter” formula these days, but I call it a ramble and not a rant because I think it amuses me more than it bothers me. I find it curious especially in this case, where Elizabeth is such an awesome character and being defined by her father’s profession clearly doesn’t do her enough justice! Besides being a master of disguise, she is also very adept at taking in a situation and making snappy decisions.
I’m also impressed with the way the author has created this world using very subtle means. Instead of throwing buckets of descriptive details in the readers’ faces, he instead uses the history he has crafted for the Gas-Lit Empire to great effect. By reading about the significant events that shaped the empire, such as the war that divided England or the rise of the Patent Office, I was able to piece together the culture and mood of this alternate universe. Sights and sounds can come across easily through words, but it takes a much rarer talent to convey the intangible such as the atmosphere of a setting the way Duncan does.
The mystery in this novel unfolds gradually, and though I wouldn’t call The Bullet-Catcher’s Daughter a high-octane read, it does keep up a steady level of intrigue and suspense. It also has its moments, such as when Elizabeth runs afoul of a troupe of traveling circus performers and for a few chapters I was immersed in the dark side of circus life and became acquainted with many very interesting individuals.
With its unique setting and premise, this book embodies the essence of what I’ve come to expect from Angry Robot over the years. But I would still love to know more about Elizabeth as a character. Even though the story is told through her perspective in the first person, she seems to keep the reader at arm’s length. This might be an effect of the writing style, or perhaps something Rod Duncan purposely meant to do from the start, and if that’s the case, then it’s actually pretty clever. It wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility for someone in Elizabeth’s place to maintain a detached attitude even as she is narrating her own story, given how she must protect the secret of her double-life from the rest of the world.
In short, this was a well-written novel, the story fantastically put together with elements of alternate history and steampunk, topped off with a strong, resourceful heroine. You can’t help but be drawn to Elizabeth Barnabus. I’m definitely looking forward to continuing her adventures in the sequel.
A review copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Angry Robot!
Book Review: The Midnight Queen by Sylvia Izzo Hunter
Posted on September 1, 2014 26 Comments
The Midnight Queen by Sylvia Izzo Hunter
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Ace (September 2, 2014)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
This book would be perfect for readers looking for a well-balanced blend of fantasy with a historical fiction-type setting, overlaid with a story laced with a heavy dose of the kind of chaste, slow-burn romance one might find in a traditional Regency novel.
Graham Marshall – Gray to family and friends – finds himself out of favor at Merlin College when a midnight errand goes terribly wrong, landing himself and a couple friends in the infirmary while another boy loses his life. Disgraced, Gray is sent away to the summer home of the arrogant and unpleasant Professor Appius Callendar until such time the college can decide his fate. It’s there that Gray has the pleasure of meeting the professor’s middle daughter Sophie, who for some reason Professor Callendar seems to neglect and disdain. There’s certainly no love lost between father and daughter.
Even though he was told none of the Callendar girls were born with any magical talent, Gray senses something strange about Sophie. Because proper women studying magical theory is considered scandalous in their society, Sophie has been secretly learning it herself from the books in her father’s library. She’s delighted to meet Gray, finding him very different from the pretentious and foppish young men her father usually invites home from the college, and is grateful when he offers to fill in the gaps in her knowledge. The two of them strike up a friendship, and so when astounding revelations are revealed about Sophie’s past, Gray is wrapped up in the whirlwind of events. And here he was, thinking his life was complicated!
From page one, I was drawn in by the gorgeous writing. Admittedly, it can be somewhat difficult to get used to. Clunky and awkward in some places, it’s not exactly what I would call easy on the eyes, with a style and tone suited to the historical era. But it’s extremely effective when it comes to setting the mood, and once you adapt to it, the reading goes much faster and smoother.
The novel’s greatest strength is the characterization. Gray and Sophie take center stage, and the whole book is told through their perspectives, which alternate back and forth – a lot. Again, it can be distracting, at least initially. The author jumps between Sophie and Gray whenever it suits her, so that sometimes you can get a few paragraphs of Gray’s point of view and then abruptly we would switch to Sophie as she picks up the narrative. Regular readers of romance are probably used to this, but it was something else I had to adjust to at the beginning.
After getting the hang of things, it was easier for me to simply sit back and soak in the story. It bears emphasizing again that the characters are just great in this; because the relationship between Gray and Sophie are so integral to the story, it makes sense to establish and build upon them early, and that’s what we get here. Before Gray and Sophie can get to know each other intimately, the reader has to get to know them as individuals, which makes their eventual coming together that much more satisfying. As I mentioned before, theirs is a slow-burn romance (the kind where everyone around them can see what’s going on before the two can even admit it to themselves) so if you’re looking for instant gratification, this is not the book you’re looking for. We’re also not talking fiery passion or red hot love scenes here, keeping things clean and proper with good manners!
The heavy focus on G+S notwithstanding, that’s not to say the other characters were forgotten or underdeveloped. In fact, my favorite character was a supporting character, Joanna Callendar, who probably has more personality in her little finger than her sister Sophie had in her whole body. Sad to say, as much as I liked Sophie, she was an idealized character, a special snowflake that came across just a little too perfect in a lot of ways, and that makes her less interesting than the spunky, lippy and slightly insolent Joanna.
By the same token, plot is probably not this novel’s strong suit. A lost princess, a prophecy foretelling the return of “The One” and the pivotal role they play in the fate of a monarch and the kingdom…it’s a little clichéd, perhaps, but it’s also not a negative if you go in knowing what to expect. This book is obviously more interested in telling Gray and Sophie’s story, it makes its intention loud and clear right from the start, and so a lighter, less original plot is something I could overlook.
Bottom line: The Midnight Queen is a very beautiful, very atmospheric novel about young love, slow-going at times, making it feel like very little happens while the author develops the two characters. You can probably predict the outcome of the story with no effort at all, but the emotional payoff is worth it if you stick around and give the book a chance to let Gray and Sophie to resolve their feelings for each other. Recommended for fantasy lovers who want romance, but who also won’t mind the slower, sweet-and-tender but also more subtle approach.
A review copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Ace Books!
YA Weekend: Angelfall by Susan Ee
Posted on August 31, 2014 19 Comments
Series: Penryn & the End of Days #1
Genre: Young Adult, Supernatural, Post-Apocalyptic
Publisher: Feral Dream (May 2011)
Author Info: www.SusanEe.com
Wendy’s Rating ~ 4 of 5 stars
Angelfall is a refreshing and welcome take on the end of the world.
Young adult novels are not usually to my taste, mainly because authors tend to forget the “adult” aspect of the equation and give me self-centred protagonists that are far more whiny, stubborn, and petulant than the young adult I was, or the ones I know. In other words, they are bloody annoying. But when an author respectfully balances the negative aspects of young adulthood with the caring, determination, maturity, responsibility, and self-awareness I’ve seen in many teens, then I am more likely to enjoy the reading experience. Susan Ee is officially on my list of authors who achieve the latter, which means this is a young adult book that I would happily recommend to adult and young adult readers alike. But I would also recommend this book because, well, it’s fantastic.
When I started reading it, I was embroiled in a lengthy conversation about apocalyptic fiction and its tired tropes. The angry roving gangs, the hopelessness, the reliance on (gun) violence, the utter fail of humanity to pull up its boot straps and survive. Not that Angelfall doesn’t include some of these elements, which are reasonably logical progressions for when the world as we know it falls apart. But Ee doesn’t use them merely as crutches, and, more importantly, she goes well beyond.
First off, there’s the whole reason for the apocalypse: angels. Asshole angels who are happily destroying our world. Why? Because God apparently wills it, apparently, but as the story goes along, it becomes evident that there is most likely far more chaos within the chaos than there is any order. This is how Penryn comes to know Raffe, an angel stripped of his wings, whom she saves from the other angels who want to literally rip him apart. As much as Penryn doesn’t want to be rescuing the enemy, Raffe becomes her only key to finding her wheelchair-bound young sister, who is stolen by the angels that attacked him. Penryn also has to deal with worries about her mother, who suffers from schizophrenia.
“That even though her love often manifests in ways that a mentally healthy person couldn’t understand—might even declare abusive—that doesn’t diminish the fact that she does care.”
Mental health is a subject that is not often touched on in fiction, or if it is, it is treated poorly, reducing the people who suffer from it to objects of fear or amusement. Through Penryn’s eyes, Ee shows us a woman who is quite clearly insane, but who also loves her children dearly, and is even aware of how much of a danger she is to them. Her mother encourages Penryn to take every possible self-defence class available—which comes in handy when the world ends. Having to deal with both a mentally unstable woman and a physically disabled child puts a lot on Penryn’s shoulders, but her loyalty and sense of responsibility never once falters. Nor does Ee reduce her family members to mere caricatures, particularly her mother. Penryn isn’t afraid to refer to her mother as crazy, and knows just how her actions might appear to the more rationally minded. However, she also shows a lot of respect and affection for her mother, and appreciation for the things she’s learned and is capable of because of her illness. In a world where “they” really are out to get you now, Penryn’s mother’s paranoia suddenly becomes very helpful. To an extent.
Penryn’s seemingly hopeless mission to rescue her sister parallels Raffe’s hope to have his wings re-attached—as in, they share a destination and need each other to survive. Though there are hints of attraction, their bond grows into something far deeper and more touching as the story progresses.
Along their journey, they are captured by a small resistance group. Unlike a lot of the apocalypse fiction I’ve watched or read lately, there is no evil dictator in charge, or inappropriate rules and practices. In fact, the leader, Obi, is as respectful as he is strategically-minded, and the goals of his group go well beyond simply hoarding all the supplies and keeping outsiders out.
My only complaint is that, other than Penryn (and to an extent, her mother, simply because her mother is uncontrollable), women are rather two dimensional, and relegated to very stereotypical roles. While Obi values Penryn’s skills and wants her as one of his soldiers, the rest of the women at the compound exist to wash laundry. At the angels’ stronghold, women survive by whoring themselves out to the angels. And several times Penryn’s jealousy over Raffe is sparked by the intrusion of some catty woman attempting to claim him.
Otherwise, in my epic apocalypse chat, the consensus seemed to be that end of the world stories that still offer hope and humanity, even at the darkest hour, were favoured over the more bleak tales. Angelfall is a refreshing and welcome take on the end of the world.
Lootz: Mogsy’s Book Haul
Posted on August 30, 2014 26 Comments
Welcome to this feature where I showcase the books I bought or received for review in the past couple of weeks. First, the physical pile:
The Mad Apprentice – *does a happy dance* This book is the second installment of the middle-grade series The Forbidden Library which isn’t coming out for a while yet (next April) but I’m so excited to read this regardless. Big big BIG thanks to the author Django Wexler for sending me the ARC.
Shifting Shadows – a collection of short stories from Patricia Brigg’s Mercy Thompson series, some of which have previously been published along with a couple brand new ones. I’m typically one to skip shorts and novellas that are separate from the full length novels in existing fantasy universes, but Ace was awesome enough to send this one along, and seeing as I have it on hand I’m going to read it. Plus, it’s hard to say no to anything that has to do with Mercy Thompson.
Gleam – my thanks to Jo Fletcher Books for sending me this book for review, the description of the story looks great and from what I’ve heard about it, the world sounds simply amazing. I’m hoping to start Gleam this weekend.
Kell’s Legend – I think I have Andy Remic and Angry Robot to thank for this nice surprise that showed up one day; I read and enjoyed the author’s book The Iron Wolves late last year and shared my review, which got me some neat Iron Wolves and Andy Remic goodies. Whatever the case, I’m very grateful to receive Kell’s Legend; it’s been on my radar for a while but I haven’t read it yet.
Sword of the Bright Lady – a finished copy of this book arrived which is a reminder I should get to reading this soon. After seeing Lisa’s review of this novel at Tenacious Reader and hearing some fascinating things about it, I’m pretty curious and excited about checking this out now. My thanks to Pyr Books for the review copy.
Jala’s Mask – this ARC is courtesy of Pyr again, and I am very intrigued by this book’s cover and description. It’s always refreshing to see some diversity in characters and cultures when it comes to fantasy fiction.
And now for the digital pile:
Ancillary Sword – some of the sci-fi stuff in Ancillary Justice proved to be a little too heavy for my head to wrap around, which is probably why I didn’t like the book as much I should have. But towards the end I found myself really getting into it, and so I have high hopes that I will love this sequel. My thanks to Orbit for the invite to review the eARC.
The Heart Does Not Grow Back – I first heard about this book from Tammy at Book, Bones & Buffy from one of her Waiting on Wednedays, and she knows how upset I am at her for breaking my one-and-a-half-month long streak from not requesting anything from Netgalley! *shakes fist at Tammy* Oh, I’m just kidding! I can’t be mad seeing how awesome this book sounds. I’m very glad my request got approved.
Dead Witch Walking and Skinwalker – book #1s from all these big name Urban Fantasy series seem to be going on sale these days. Not that I’m complaining. When I saw the ebooks for Dead Witch Walking (which was FREE earlier this week) and Skinwalker (which was $1.99) on sale, I just had to grab them and the audiobooks because of the sweet deals on their Whispersync bundles. Both Kim Harrison and Faith Hunter have been on my list of “UF authors who I shamefully have not read yet”, so double score.
The Source – I binge listened to the audiobook of the The Line earlier this week, which is the first book of the Witching Savannah series. Oh my, how addicting. It’s like an urban fantasy about witches meets Days of Our Lives. Talk about the scandalous dark side of family relationships. I’m not ashamed to admit I ate it all up like buttery, buttery popcorn and grabbed this sequel as soon as I was done, just in case I want to indulge in this guilty pleasure again soon.
Graphic Novel Review: Batman vol.1: The Court of Owls by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo
Posted on August 29, 2014 8 Comments
Batman, Vol. 1: The Court of Owls by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo
Series: Batman vol II #1-7
Publisher: DC Comics
Wendy’s Rating ~ 4 of 5 stars
What is Gotham? Well, according to Batman, Gotham is Batman. This is how the first issue opens, with Batman’s conceit on full display. All the corruption and depravity that prevails within a city that seems to birth villains daily from its loins belongs to the Bat, and he takes pride in that. Batman’s hubris has never been in question, but it’s pretty impressive to have him so blatantly express it himself. Being so high on himself, it implies that there is only one place for Batman to go: down.
But first, we flip over to Bruce Wayne who, in a rare moment, is using his powers of wealth to help Gotham, instead of just his powers of punch you in your face because I’m the goddamn Batman. At a gala event, Bruce Wayne isn’t simply playing the playboy, he is genuinely investing in his city and inviting the other one percent to do the same to create a bright future for their dark city.
But lurking in the shadows is the Court of Owls. Which is pretty impressive, since Batman believes the shadows to be his domain, and believes that he knows every aspect of his city.
This is where I became a bit sceptical. I’ve already read the Batman: Hush series of books, where a significant new enemy—one who knows all there is to know about Batman, is shoehorned into his life. I wasn’t looking forward to that here. But Snyder does an excellent job, first by building Batman’s conceit and his insistence that the Court of Owls does not exist. He writes off the brutal attack and all the signs. Not that he’s letting his guard down and not doing his proper detective work. Batman simply refuses to believe the Court of Owls to be a greater threat than they are, because his detective work has never proven their existence beyond the circumstantial. It doesn’t register with Batman that the reason why he knows so little about them is because they are better than him. And they know a Gotham that goes well beyond Batman’s knowledge.
It’s no secret that Batman is a sociopath, whether or not he realizes that himself, and I love the writers who aren’t afraid to reveal the full extent of his assholery, which often comes through the eyes of his companions (in this case, Dick Grayson).
I was also a bit thrown by Greg Capullo’s art. I love his art, but initially, his Batman seemed too… cute. The bright blue eyes and boxy face worked well enough for Bruce Wayne, but, somehow, the style wasn’t working for me as Batman. But as the story progresses, and the Court of Owls digs their talons more deeply into the Batman’s psyche, Capullo’s crisp, clean cut Batman starts to fall apart, both inside and out, and his art perfectly reflects that disintegration.
Panels begin to twist and tighten as Batman navigates the Court’s torment, forcing the reader into the depths of the labyrinth with him.
What initially began as a three star story, earned itself another star toward the end as Snyder tears Batman apart from the inside. I definitely need to read on to find out how Batman manages to make it out of this one.
Tough Traveling: Towers
Posted on August 28, 2014 23 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 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. Compulsive list-maker that I am, I’m very excited to take part!
This week’s tour topic is: Towers
TOWERS stand along in waster areas and almost always belong to Wizards. All are several storeys high, round, doorless, virtually windowless, and composed of smooth blocks of masonry that make them very hard to climb.
Ooh, towers, now that’s a tough one. Lucky for us, this week Wendy is joining in the fun too!
Wendy’s Picks:
The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien
Turns out, J.R.R. Tolkien didn’t exactly know which two towers he was referring to when he titled the second book in the Lord of the Rings. For the sake of the film, director Peter Jackson determined these towers to be Isengard, where the wizard Saruman concocted his schemes, and The Dark Tower in Mordor, where the great eye of Sauron watched and waited.
Dragon Age: Asunder by David Gaider
No Dragon Age game or story is complete without a visit to or at least a mention of the Circle of Magi and the towers that have been built across Thedas for the sole purpose of training of magic users. The Chantry might be believe they are doing this for the safety of both the mages and ordinary citizens, but the mages aren’t too happy with the way they are treated by the Chantry, and the Templars who guard them.
A Feast of Crows by George R. R. Martin
After the death of their father, Oberyn Martell, the infamous Sand Snakes are out for Lannister blood. The only way to keep them under control is for their uncle to lock them in the Spear Tower, along with his own conniving daughter and heir, Arianne Martell.
Mogsy’s Picks:
Theft of Swords and The Crown Tower by Michael J. Sullivan
Both these books starring Sullivan’s beloved Riyria duo involve scaling and breaking into a nearly inaccessible tower for a great treasure. In Theft of Swords, I am thinking specifically of the second story in the omnibus, Avempartha, where Hadrian and Royce have to steal a sword, the only weapon capable of slaying a dragon-like monster terrorizing the country side. In The Crown Tower, the two are tasked to enter the impregnable remains of the grandest fortress ever built.
The Gunslinger by Stephen King
I would be shocked — utterly FLABBERGASTED — if I don’t see this one on many lists this week. The tower of towers, The Dark Tower, is the center of all creation, the center of the whole damn multiverse! It is a six-hundred-floor spire and mostly magical, entered through only one of the infinite number of worlds, Mid-World. I’d say it satisfies most of the requirements.
Tower and Knife Trilogy by Mazarkis Williams
Following tradition, the emperor’s brothers are all killed the day he ascends the throne. That is, all except Prince Sarmin, who was kept locked up in a tower as a secret backup — just in case. In this series, there is also the Mage’s Tower, which is virtually synonymous with the magic users and their seat of power. It is home to the emperor’s Tower Mages.
Book Review: Shattering the Ley by Joshua Palmatier
Posted on August 27, 2014 10 Comments
Shattering the Ley by Joshua Palmatier
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 1
Publisher: DAW (July 1, 2014)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
I’m a pretty fast reader, but Shattering the Ley still took me about a couple months to read, due to the fact I started it earlier this summer right around the time when things got really busy. I was only able to read it in small chunks over the weeks, though it’s actually a very interesting book with well-developed characters and a good foundation in place when it comes to world building. That said, apparently it wasn’t a “must drop everything to read this now” kind of novel for me either, seeing how long it took for me to complete.
The story takes place in Erenthrall, one of many large cities powered by the Nexus and a system of magical ley lines. This also links Erenthrall to the world beyond. Specialists called Prime Wielders control the Nexus and the ley lines, maintaining and protecting the infrastructure, but it is the all-powerful Baron who controls the Wielders. Seeking to overthrow the Baron and destroy the ley system, rebels who call themselves the Kormanley are carrying out attacks across the city, shaping the future of Erenthrall and forever changing the lives of many.
The story is told in multiple parts, following several characters through different stages of their lives. Kara is first introduced to us as a young child, but later on in the book we see her as a young woman coming into her power as a Wielder, then finally as a Prime. Likewise, we follow another character named Allen, a “Dog” in the Baron’s guard who goes from being a green recruit to a fugitive on the run with his infant daughter. The timeline skips ahead at least twice during the course of this novel; the first time it jumps ahead by about two years, but the second time it jumps ahead by about twelve.
Time jumps like these are necessary sometimes to tell a story, but they can also be quite dicey. There’s the risk of the reader becoming detached from the characters, and to some extent I think that’s what happened for me. I never really felt connected to Kara, despite practically watching her grow into adulthood. The same goes for Allen because I felt we missed out on too much of his life, especially in the twelve years since he was exiled and had to raise his child by himself. People change after all that time, and I couldn’t help but wonder about those untold years.
To the book’s credit, very little of the story is given to filler. There’s a lot happening, constantly driving the plot forward, and the political intrigue and ideological conflicts between the clashing factions keep things fresh and engaging. There are many intense scenes, often followed by effects that are significant in the long run. But another obstacle that kept me from being completely immersed was the complexity of the ley line system and the fact it wasn’t explained very well. I wasn’t exactly sure how the Nexus and the ley lines were powering the city, or how the Wielders’ abilities worked specifically in controlling this system. Like I said, we were given a pretty good starting point for the idea, but I still had many questions. No doubt more can be built upon this premise. And the great thing is, I think it has a lot of potential.
A review copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to DAW Books!
The BiblioSanctum 