Book Review: The House of the Four Winds by Mercedes Lackey & James Mallory
Posted on July 23, 2014 14 Comments
The House of the Four Winds by Mercedes Lackey, James Mallory
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of One Dozen Daughters
Publisher: Tor (August 5, 2014)
Author Information: Mercedes Lackey | James Mallory
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
It’s been a while since I’ve read a satisfying maritime fantasy. “I wish you luck, love, and adventure,” says a character to the protagonist in the beginning of this novel, and incidentally that’s exactly what we get. Starring a princess masquerading as a young man, along with pirates, magic, a secret map and untold treasures, perhaps the “adventure” part is what we get the most of all in this story that takes place mostly on the high seas.
Princess Clarice is the daughter of the Duke of Swansgaarde, the eldest of twelve girls (I know…YIKES!) and one boy. While the arrival of a son and heir apparent was a much celebrated event, this left the family with a dilemma – they cannot possibly secure the futures of Clarice and her eleven sisters, as that many royal dowries would surely bankrupt the already small and modest Duchy. The girls, therefore, were raised from an early age to be able and independent, preparing for the day they would be expected to make their way into the world and find their own fortunes.
Sometimes, I get the feeling that a book really wants you to get into the action right away. These books tend not to weave the world’s history into the story and instead the authors push everything you need to know right up front. Readers of House of the Four Winds might find its prologue and the first couple of chapters to be exposition-heavy, outlining the Duchy of Swansgaarde’s circumstances and thus also explaining Clarice’s fighting prowess and motivations for traveling on her own to see the world. Granted, it’s not the most subtle way relaying the information, but it’s efficient and fast, and looking back, the introduction gave the book an almost fairy tale-like “Once upon a time…” quality, which was actually quite nice.
Then we get to the meat of the story, an action-adventure tale with a bit of romance thrown in. As the first princess to seek her fortune, Clarice has decided to play to her strengths as a sword fighter, and intends to hone her skills in the New World across the ocean. Disguising herself as a young nobleman named Clarence Swann, she is charmed by the charismatic and handsome navigator Dominick Moryet and books passage on his ship the Asesino, sailing under Captain Samuel Sprunt who is said to be extraordinarily lucky. There might have been more to Sprunt’s “luck”, however, as the unfortunate crew come to discover when tensions mount and an uprising becomes inevitable.
If your fancies run towards the nautical, then you’ll be in for a treat. Your journey will start with the down-and-dirty details of everyday ship living, as well as meeting the various crew members and officers, all of this seen through Clarice/Clarence’s eyes so it is all very natural and relevant to the young princess’ learning. The authors make it a fascinating experience and the story only gets better as the events unfold, leading to a mutiny and the discovery of a hidden island controlled by pirates and an evil enchantress. Pirates, of course, are always a fan favorite. The plot is also kept fun and lighthearted with the protagonist’s efforts to keep her disguise a secret, even as she begins to fall for the winsome Dominick. Mistrust between the factions aboard the ship keep the story interesting, not to mention the possibility of the crew of Asesino turning privateer themselves.
My only issue with this book involves certain aspects of the writing, especially when we are reading about significant events that I feel should hold more weight and suspense. In my opinion, these scenes weren’t very well executed. Deaths of important characters were glossed over unceremoniously. Fight scenes were cut-and-dried without much sense of urgency. And of course, the prime example was the critical and inevitable moment when Clarice’s identity is revealed to Dominick, and the result was a fizzle at best. There was no outrage and no shock of betrayal, and even if Dominick were the most understanding person in the world, I would not have expected his response to be “OMG I LOVE YOU TOO!” Things tied up just a little bit too neatly. Considering how Clarice kept the truth of her identity from the whole crew for pretty much the whole book, with everyone believing she was a man this whole time, I would have expected a more realistic reaction.
These tiny quibbles aside, The House of the Four Winds is a fine tale of swashbuckling adventure. The story is to be taken lightly and enjoyed at face value, and the book is the boisterous seafaring romp it was meant to be. As another bonus, it wraps up nicely with satisfying ending. This conclusion along with the series name of One Dozen Daughters leads me to wonder if future books will focus on Clarice’s sisters’ individual journeys instead, rather than continue with Clarice herself. If that turns out to be the case, then there’s no telling the places this series can go; the possibilities are exciting and endless. Either way, I’m looking forward to seeing more.
A review copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Tor Books!
Waiting on Wednesday 07/23/14
Posted on July 23, 2014 10 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:
Lock in by John Scalzi: August 26, 2014 (Tor Books)
I’ve always been more into fantasy and wasn’t always a big science fiction reader, and I still struggle sometimes with the hard sci-fi stuff. But I’m reading a lot more of it than I used to and I love it. When I first started getting into the genre, a lot of John Scalzi’s books (especially his Old Man’s War series) served as a gateway and really helped pave the way for more sci-fi in my reading. These days, I check out anything he writes because I know I can always count on his work to entertain me, so I’m pretty excited to read his upcoming book Lock In. And looks like I won’t have long to wait, as I received an ARC of it today!
“Fifteen years from now, a new virus sweeps the globe. 95% of those afflicted experience nothing worse than fever and headaches. Four percent suffer acute meningitis, creating the largest medical crisis in history. And one percent find themselvs “locked in”—fully awake and aware, but unable to move or respond to stimulus.
One per cent doesn’t seem like a lot. But in the United States, that’s 1.7 million people “locked in”…including the President’s wife and daughter.
Spurred by grief and the sheer magnitude of the suffering, America undertakes a massive scientific initiative. Nothing can restore the ability to control their own bodies to the locked in. But then two new technologies emerge. One is a virtual-reality environment, “The Agora,” in which the locked-in can interact with other humans, both locked-in and not. The other is the discovery that a few rare individuals have brains that are receptive to being controlled by others, meaning that from time to time, those who are locked in can “ride” these people and use their bodies as if they were their own.
This skill is quickly regulated, licensed, bonded, and controlled. Nothing can go wrong. Certainly nobody would be tempted to misuse it, for murder, for political power, or worse….”
Book Review: Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn
Posted on July 22, 2014 11 Comments
Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn
Genre: Historical fantasy,
Series: Tales of the Otori #1
Publisher: Riverhead Books (January 2002)
Author Info: www.lianhearn.com
Wendy’s Rating – 3.5 of 5 stars
The infamous Nightingale Floor is a skilfully designed trap that signs the presence of any who walk across. The perfect piece of home improvement for the man who fears assassination. In this case, the home owner in question is Iida, a wicked ruler in Hearn’s feudal Japan-esque fantasy tale.
Iida has many enemies, not the least of which is the much loved Lord Otori, who, at the beginning of the book, finds a young boy, the only survivor of the brutal massacre of his village. Furthermore, the boy, in his escape, manages to unhorse Lord Iida, marking him for certain death, well beyond his status as a member of the Hidden. But Lord Otori defends him and escapes with him, later adopting him into his home and naming the boy, now called Takeo, his heir.
There is a lot more to Takeo than even he realizes, not the least of which is the fact that he is a ninja and thereby a member of the mysterious and deadly Tribe. This is one of the few places where the story troubled me a bit. Apparently, the powers of the Tribe show up at sixteen years old, so we conveniently get all of that within the first part of the story when Lord Otori brings Takeo home with him. These SUDDENLY NINJA! powers involve a lot of really cool tricks that Takeo learns to use with the help of Master Kenji, a member of the Tribe himself, and friend to Takeo. Takeo’s most notable skill is his acute hearing. Convenient for learning how to defeat a singing floor in order to assassinate a wicked dictator.
As the story goes on, we learn that the Tribe are all over the place, as well as members of the peaceful and spiritual Hidden. Moreover, we learn that everyone seems to know who and what Takeo was before he ever did and everyone wants him. He’s sworn fealty to Lord Otori, though, and vowed vengeance against Lord Iida.
Meanwhile, a young girl, Kaede, has been held hostage in Iida’s fortress for almost half of her life. As she comes into her own, she learns that she is quite beautiful, and thereby something of interest to the men. But due to unfortunate events, some of the men who try to claim her end up dead, earning her a reputation she is none too pleased with. When she is betrothed to Lord Otori, she fears for his life, as he is a kind and respected man, but worse, she instantly falls in love with his adopted son, Takeo. I can’t say I enjoyed Kaede’s role much, especially when she falls into simpering illness over her love of Takeo. At least she picks herself up in the end and serves greater purpose, though she still, ultimately, failed to endear herself to me. I am not opposed to female characters who do need some rescuing here and there, and can certainly appreciate the pain of depression, but lovesick fool was a little much for me.
Interestingly, the story is mostly told through Takeo’s first person point of view, while Kaede’s chapters are told through third person. Unfortunately, while I appreciated Takeo, I wasn’t enamoured with him enough to worry about what he will do next.
I did enjoy Hearn’s world and its similarities with Japanese culture. If you’re looking for historical and cultural accuracy, you may be disappointed, but that’s on you if you need your fantasy to be heavily laden with facts. I for one am always pleased when speculative fiction writers step outside the standard formats to give me something a little different. I also liked that the ending did not at all go where it seemed to be leading. Or rather, it did, but in a wholly unexpected way.
Graphic Novel Review Bites
Posted on July 21, 2014 5 Comments
Battlefields, Volume 1: Night Witches by Garth Ennis
I happened upon the obituary of Nadezhda Popova and learned of the existence of the Night Witches. Thereafter, I discovered that Garth Ennis had written a series of war stories called Battlefields, with the Night Witches appearing in the first volume. Sometimes, it’s hard to reconcile the writer responsible for such atrocities as Crossed (DO NOT CLICK if you value your sanity. Definitely NSFW), but other than the violence and depravity of war, Ennis’ stories in Battlefields are quite tame and well written in comparison. And they serve the all important purpose of telling us a little bit about the oft times unsung heroes of war.
The most interesting aspect of this comic is that while Ennis is focusing on the women, he parallels it by following a troop of German soldiers during the Russian invasion. Inevitably, the two groups meet, with unexpected results. Otherwise, the comic doesn’t go into a lot of detail and really doesn’t give you too much depth on the subject, even watering things down a bit with a superficial love story. A Wikipedia entry would serve better to detail their lives. Still, I went from not knowing anything about these brave Russian women, to discovering that Dynamite Comics had at least recognized their worth enough to let them figure prominently in this war series.
Legends of Red Sonja by Gail Simone
Red Sonja is being hunted by a group of mercenaries who would see her beheaded, burned, skinned alive, etc for her misdeeds, not the least of which is killing their prince. As they track the She-Devil across the land, they come across many people who have known the warrior and are eager to tell their story.
This is not exactly a collection of short stories, though each section is written by a different female writer, hand picked by Gail Simone herself. Every story weaves together nicely with Simone’s over-arching story of the hunters searching for their prey, while all the while revealing just how powerful and cunning their prey is as she leads them into her trap.
A fun read, though for an established fan, it’s probably not an enlightening one. For those looking to step into Sonja’s world, as rebooted by Gail Simone, this serves as an excellent invitation to embrace the metal bikini and the fierce warrior that unapologetically wears it.
With thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.
LES MISERABLES FALL OF FANTINE by Crystal Silvermoon
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
There have been many interpretations of Victor Hugo’s Les Mis — why not a manga one? Just remember that manga is read from right to left, otherwise, you might either find this retelling very confusing, or artistically brilliant.
Personally, I found it a bit disappointing. The art is fairly typical for manga, with nothing unique about it, though it does well enough at telling the story. My problem comes in the fact that the text overshadows those images by too often stating the obvious. This might be a case of lost in translation, but really, there was just too much unnecessary repetition in the text. That said, this all works well for a much younger audience. The manga does a good job of dealing with the more mature and darker themes, without fully dumbing them down.
With thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.
Rocket Girl Volume 1: Times Squared by Brandon Montclare
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Dayoung Johansson is a New York City cop out to save 2015 from the crimes of Quintum Mechanics made in the past, only, her investigation leads her to the discovery that her time should never have existed.
Bright and quirky is the best way to describe the writing and artistic style. Dayoung is a fun character, bounding with teenage ideals, determination and firm adherence to the rules and her responsibility as a cop. 1986 is as loud and vibrant as it should be, as is Dayoung’s supporting cast.
Don’t get too caught up in the science of it all. Time travel is always a tricky concept to grasp, more so if too much thought is put into it. I appreciate that the story maintained its light-hearted feel, even when Dayoung came to understand the true impact of her mission and what it means for her “past.”
With thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.
Book Review: A Better World by Marcus Sakey
Posted on July 20, 2014 12 Comments
A Better World by Marcus Sakey
Genre: Science Fiction, Thriller
Series: Book 2 of The Brilliance Saga
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer (June 17, 2014)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
I’ve actually not read the first book of the Brilliance Saga, but was reassured when told I could read A Better World without having to tackle Brilliance first. And that was absolutely correct. Not once did I feel lost or confused, thanks to a detailed recap of prior events in introduction chapters. As a new reader, that’s always appreciated (and I’m sure those familiar with the series might also find the reminders helpful, if it’s been a while since you read book one).
Taking place in the not-too-far future, this series is based on the premise that 1% of the population are born as “Brilliants”, individuals who possess special abilities allowing them to do some pretty amazing things. After 30 years, this has created a growing social chasm between these exceptional people and the vast majority who are “norms”. As with the case of most societies where such a divide occurs, you have dissension and a clashing of ideologies. And then you get the violence.
Fear has led the government to clamp down on brilliants, leading some of the extremist groups to fight back. A terrorist organization of brilliants called the Children of Darwin have shut down Cleveland, Tulsa, and Fresno, cutting off power and supplies to these cities. Nick Cooper, former anti-terrorism agent and a brilliant himself, has been called in by the president to help stop those responsible and to prevent a civil war.
Those who have read Brilliance would already be familiar with Cooper, though I was only meeting him for the first time. As a character, he makes a fascinating study. He’s a brilliant, but also a dedicated to hunting down abnorms involved in terrorist activity. The crimes perpetrated by the Children of Darwin go against everything he stands for, but the methods used by the government for controlling brilliants have also proven questionable, like taking Tier 1 children from their parents and placing them in “academies” which are nothing more than maximum security prison camps and brainwashing facilities. Cooper has realized that the situation isn’t black and white, and has already shifted alliances once. The questions and the indeterminate grey areas continue, and because things are never as they seem, you never know what’s going to happen next. Cooper, who has always believed in doing the right thing, is placed in one moral dilemma after another when he realizes he could be harming more people than he saves.
Even good intentions can lead to disastrous consequences, and I think it’s this theme which makes Cooper’s personality easier to take, separating him from the multitudes of do-gooder protagonists from a lot of other books. He came across initially as a rather self-righteous and naïve character, but by the end I could hardly fault him, as he goes through a rather rough time learning these difficult lessons. There were several tremendous game-changing developments I hardly saw coming, which just thickens the plot. As tensions between norms and abnorms continue to escalate, and the population in the besieged cities grow ever more desperate, I started to wonder if war really was inevitable. The ending will probably shock you as it did me.
There were only a couple issues that took away some of the impact, which I think bears mentioning. In the book, the government was able to mobilize 75,000 troops in a matter of hours to the rural plains of Wyoming, but then struggles to find enough manpower to shift and transport food to three mid-sized cities full of starving people even after a week? I don’t know if I buy that. Debating plausibility in a science fiction novel is probably a moot point, but the story still takes a hit in my eyes, mainly because the plight of Cleveland plays such a huge role. I also love the idea of brilliants, and the explanations for individual powers are pretty unique; in many of the cases, they are based on principles of science and physiology. A woman can become “invisible”, for example, moving unseen simply by being able to predict exactly when to move where no one will be looking. A man seemingly moves at super human speeds, but only because he perceives time differently than everyone else, experiencing each one second as slightly more than eleven. In contrast, I wasn’t entirely clear on the nature of Cooper’s own gift, which involves “reading intent”; perhaps it was better explained in the first book, but rather than a brilliant, he really just came across as a regular guy who was extraordinarily bright and perceptive.
Otherwise, I thought this was very enjoyable. While jumping on board mid-series might work with this book, it may not be possible for the next. A Better World does end on a pretty serious cliffhanger, and author Marcus Sakey sets us up for big things in book three. I can’t wait to see how things will resolve after that climactic ending.
A review copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Thomas & Mercer and Wunderkind PR!
YA Weekend: Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo
Posted on July 19, 2014 14 Comments
Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Series: Book 3 of The Grisha
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co. (June 17, 2014)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Ruin and Rising was good, but perhaps it was just good…enough? I sat on this review for several weeks trying to gather my thoughts about this book hoping to figure out exactly how I feel about it. And in the end, I finally realized why I was so conflicted. I liked this book – and heck, up to now this series has been one of my YA favorites – but as badly was I wanted this to be the grand finale, I just couldn’t convince myself to love it.
As you would recall, Siege and Storm had the unmistakable feel of a second installment within a trilogy, with our protagonists experiencing a momentary setback. Last we saw Alina, she was in pretty bad shape, having lost her powers as the Sun Summoner. She and Mal have retreated underground with their allies, surrendering themselves to the power of the Apparat and his band of zealots who worship Alina as a Saint. But while Alina may be weakened, she is far from broken. Her mission remains the same: to capture and secure the third amplifier, the elusive firebird that would be her key to defeating the Darkling thus freeing Ravka from his iron grasp.
In truth, I had my reservations from the very beginning. The first couple of chapters almost drove me to return the book. Looking back, these were so clearly “transition” scenes that served no other purpose than to link book two with book three. As an antagonist, the Apparat was almost a non-entity, used to accomplish what was required, and then quickly forgotten. I just wanted this obligatory intro done and over with as quickly and painlessly as possible, and fortunately and unfortunately, it seemed Leigh Bardugo had the same idea. We always knew Alina’s goal was to hunt the firebird, and this brief little romp through the tunnels and caves felt like nothing more than a throwaway distraction.
Thankfully, we soon get back on the right track. We meet up with Nikolai, the outlaw prince of lovable arrogance and smart-assery, and now we can finally ask the really important questions. How are they going to go up against the Darkling? And what would a future Ravka look like if they succeed? Alina has some difficult decisions before her. What is she going to choose? Or rather, ugh, WHO is she going to choose?
In some ways, I feel validated. I still love YA, but not long ago, I told myself I can’t read them for their romances anymore. And I’m a much happier person for it. Enjoying a novel mainly for its story and characters is how I’ve come to approach YA, because if you rely on the outcome of a relationship to satisfy you, you’re bound to be disappointed. Time after time after time, predictability and tired clichés have ruined YA romances for me, and I’ve found it much easier now to just NOT CARE. It also helps that I’ve never really felt much connection to the men in Alina’s life. I’ve failed for three books to see the Darkling’s appeal. And Mal was ruined for me in Siege and Storm (you can’t get stinking drunk and kiss another girl and expect bygones to be bygones, Mal – you only get one chance with me). Nikolai was perhaps the most interesting and had the best personality out of everyone, and that told me right there he was obviously all wrong for Alina, so I never took his role as a suitor seriously.
I’m not going to say what happens, naturally. But I will say Bardugo took the “safe” route. Which was pretty much what I expected, so I’m actually not too upset with the ending. I’ve come to accept the status quo in YA fiction, and it hadn’t even occurred to me that this series could end any other way. It’s entirely possible I would have rated this book higher if it had been a bit bolder and strayed from conventions, but I’m also satisfied if not entirely blown away. And if this had been the author’s plan from the start, I applaud her for sticking to her guns and telling the story she wanted to tell. Everyone deserves their happily-ever-after, and Alina got the one perfect for her which is all that matters.
I’d still recommend this series. It became increasing more predictable as the story progressed with each installment, to the point where there were really no surprises left for me by book three, but it’s an entertaining trilogy as a whole. I wish it had ended with less tepidness considering the incredibly strong start that was Shadow and Bone, but I have to say it’s worth experiencing from beginning to end.
Posted on July 18, 2014 Leave a Comment
“I like libraries. It makes me feel comfortable and secure to have walls of words, beautiful and wise, all around me. I always feel better when I can see that there is something to hold back the shadows.”
~ Roger Zelazny, Nine Princes in Amber
Graphic Novel Review: Glory – The Complete Saga
Posted on July 18, 2014 3 Comments
Glory: The Complete Saga Hc by Joe Keatinge and Ross Campbell
Genre: Apocalyptic Superheroing
Series: Collects Glory volumes #1 and 2
Publisher: Image Comics (July 2014)
Wendy’s Rating – 2.5 of 5 stars
Glory, through art, plot and character development, has become far more than the sum of her breasts.
A lot of not-so-wonderful things can be said about Rob Liefield and/or his art, but the characters he’s created, such as Deadpool, have definitely been memorable, including ones he created for Image Comics.
Recently, Image has been rebooting some of the titles that made them famous in the shiny ’90s. Among the reboots have been a few of Liefield’s characters, including Gloriana Demeter, who’s gone from Image’s buxom ’90s bad girl answer to Wonder Woman:
to this, an image that more readily reflects the character and her alien origins.
I didn’t really read Glory back in my Image days since I cared nothing for Liefeld’s work, but now that others have taken over the helm on his characters, I’m intrigued. Unfortunately, despite a lot of interesting ideas, this story didn’t really work for me.
Glory is the child of a woman from a race we consider gods, and father we would consider to be a demon. Her birth was meant to be a symbol of either peace or destruction for one side or the other, but after 500 years of training for her destiny, Glory has grown impatient. Moreover, she’s become obsessed with earth and heads over to our little planet to be a hero. While she certainly helps out here and there with wars and such, the book focuses more on her interpersonal relationships, particularly with a young girl named Riley Barnes, who shares some sort of psychic connection with Glory and is able to see her in her dreams.
Beyond this, the story is somewhat muddled. Glory is not entirely loved by the other superheroes of earth due to her unpredictability. She also has rage issues that put everyone, including her friends at risk, especially when the intergalactic war makes its way to earth and Glory’s little posse has to battle her father’s minions.
The highlight of the book were the Riley/Glory moments, and a very unusual family reunion. I also like that Glory, through art, plot and character development, has become far more than the sum of her breasts. But otherwise, the story was poorly paced, unfocused, and not particularly memorable.
With thanks to NetGalley and Image Comics for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.
Tough Traveling: Pirates!
Posted on July 17, 2014 20 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: Pirates
PIRATES range the seas in force, though most of them operate individually…The sole qualifications are that they must be rough and ruthless, which a penchant for dressing gaudily.
Believe it or not, I actually have a “Pirates” shelf in Goodreads, so this is a pretty easy week and I’m featuring a handful of the books on there. I’ve also come to learn that pretty much every fantasy novel that takes place for any significant amount of time on the high seas will inevitably have pirates.
Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch
Locke and his partner Jean flee the Bondsmagi by taking a ship to the city state of Tal Verrar, and are soon back to doing what they do best: planning a spectacular heist. They soon find themselves unwittingly sidetracked, joining the pirate crew of the notorious Zamira Drakasha, who dresses gaudily indeed but has a heart of gold rather than a rough and ruthless personality.
The House of the Four Winds by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory
This maritime fantasy takes place mainly on a ship and on the ocean, and so naturally…pirates. The crew of the Asesino rise up against their corrupt captain only to find out he was in league with pirates, and a secret map discovered on his body leads to a mysterious hidden island run by — you guess it — more pirates and an evil enchantress. I recently finished this book, and hope to have the review up next week.
The Red Wolf Conspiracy by Robert V.S. Redick
It’s been a while since I read this one, but it might possibly have been the first maritime/nautical fantasy I’ve ever read. I could barely remember the plot but I know it’s got a little bit of everything: magic, mermaids, romance, mystery, legends, sorcerers, sword fights, political machinations, talking animals, and YARRRGGGHH of course, pirates.
The Daedalus Incident by Michael J. Martinez
Speaking of books with a little bit of everything in it…this one’s an interesting and rather uniquely different novel. It has a nice blend of science fiction and fantasy, as well as the historical with the futuristic. It has two timelines, one that takes place 2132 and another in an alternate 18th century. The latter is the fun one, featuring a world with alchemical-powered ships, alien races on faraway planets, and explosive clashes against space pirates!
Silver Mirrors by A.A. Aguirre
This second book of the Apparatus Infernum series expands the world by having the main characters Janus Mikani and Celeste Ritsuko travel afar on a ship to the far north to investigate strange happenings in the mines. And yes, while on their journey they run afoul of vicious raiding pirates (but you probably guessed that already)!
Book Review: Tower Lord by Anthony Ryan
Posted on July 16, 2014 19 Comments
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 2 of Raven’s Shadow
Publisher: Ace (July 1, 2014)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
There are a number of sequels coming out this year with big shoes to fill, and not the least of them is Tower Lord which is the follow up to the sensation that was Anthony Ryan’s Blood Song. While this second installment might not pack the kind of punch its predecessor did, I nonetheless enjoyed the book immensely. It’s a very different novel than the first book, with a shift in style, focus, and character perspectives, and yet it still has all the elements that we epic fantasy fans live for.
In book one, we met Vaelin Al Sorna, a brother of the Sixth Order and one of the greatest warriors the world has ever known. Coming home from a bloody war, he has sworn to fight no more, instead focusing his efforts on seeking any of his relatives that still might live. Named Tower Lord of the Northern Reaches by the new monarch, Vaelin has the noble yet perhaps naïve dream of living out his life in peace and quiet, for news of his exploits (and his crimes) have spread far and wide and those who know of his mysterious gift that guides him will not let him rest.
Anthony Ryan also adds several more point-of-view characters to the mix in Tower Lord, which I was glad to have been prepared for, as Vaelin no longer takes center stage. Instead, he shares the book with mainly three others: Reva, a young woman who begins this journey with hate for Vaelin in her heart and an unquenchable thirst for revenge; Princess Lyrna, sister to the new king and who possesses more strength and resolve than her brother ever would; and finally, Frentis, a familiar face from Blood Song, though he has been changed from his years of being held captive by the Untesh and being forced to fight in the slave pits.
Having been aware of this new format, with the chapters cycling through the character viewpoints, I had expected and prepared myself for the slower start. Indeed, with more characters to follow this time around, the author takes much more time to set the stage for the events in this book. And I have to confess it didn’t quite grab my attention right away. It was a pleasant journey through the first half of the novel to meet new faces or to catch up with old friends, but on the whole Tower Lord lacked a certain quality that made Blood Song the dangerously addictive and immersive read it was right off the bat.
However, I don’t think this makes Tower Lord a weak sequel. On the contrary, in fact. This second book is stronger than book one in many ways, not only because it expands the scope of the series by giving us multiple character perspectives and opening up the wider world, but it also showcases Ryan’s talents as a storyteller. He’s proven himself as an author who can write a very diverse and convincing cast of characters while maintaining a steady level of suspense and interest in all spheres of action, building intensity as he moves all the pieces into place for when things really start rolling.
Quite simply, Tower Lord is a totally different beast. And it’s just hard not to compare a sequel to what came before. It comes down to personal taste, and admittedly, Blood Song and I hit it off much faster. I had myself this experience with a couple other sequels this year; they were all excellent novels, but thematically they just worked slightly less for me. In this case, it’s hardly a surprise. Blood Song began with Vaelin Al Sorna as a young boy, entering the Sixth Order and a huge chunk of the book was dedicated to his training, the relationships he forged with his brothers, and his eventual rise to greatness. It was my favorite part of the novel. And come on, we all know how tough it is beat a good coming-of-age story.
The first book was absolutely a tough act to follow, I know. But all things considered, Tower Lord is a wonderful follow-up that might even appeal more to other readers, especially those who preferred the parts with “grown-up” Vaelin from the first book. I mentioned one of the things I liked about the “young” Vaelin’s chapters was his relationship with his fellow Sixth Order brothers, and it’s incredibly fascinating to see how those dynamics have changed over time. Brother Frentis was a huge surprise for me in this one. Thinking about all the terrible things that has been through and how they’ve affected him, it almost makes his story more interesting to me than Vaelin’s. I’m also impressed by Ryan’s female characters, and the energy and conviction he was able to put behind Reva and Lyrna, two women who are not afraid of setbacks and will fight for what they believe in.
In the end, it’s definitely the characters who made this such a great read. I absolutely adore the new additions. The characters make things happen, set things in motion, and while the first half of this book might have lagged a little, the same cannot be said about the second half, and the final quarter was pure action bliss. Does it take a bit of investment to get to this point? Yes. But totally worth it. Love the intricate magical elements and political entanglements that made the finale such an edge-of-your-seat ride. Anthony Ryan really tied things together and delivered.
I hope when we next meet Vaelin and whoever Ryan decides to let us be acquainted with next time (assuming he once again chooses this multiple POV character format) in the third book Queen of Fire, we’ll be able to jump right into the action. The slower build-up at the beginning held this book back a little, in my opinion, so I can’t say I enjoyed this book more or even as much as Blood Song, but the difference is very close. And I’m not disappointed at all. If you enjoyed the first book, there’s absolutely no reason at all not to pick this up and continue the epic journey.
A review copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Ace Books!
The BiblioSanctum 
