YA Weekend: The Eye of Minds by James Dashner
Posted on February 15, 2014 Leave a Comment
The Eye of Minds by James Dashner
Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction
Series: Book 1 of The Mortality Doctrine
Publisher: Delacorte (October 8, 2013)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
I’ll start by saying that I’ve never read James Dashner before this, but I know his name is well known in the world of Young Adult science fiction with his books in the Maze Runner series. Why I chose to tackle this book instead of starting with The Maze Runner is simple: I was initially drawn to the gamer culture aspect in the description, and it sounded enough like Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One (which I loved) to make me even more curious.
There are definitely some similarities; the book follows Michael, a young man who spends most of his time in the VirtNet, a virtual reality network that offers total mind and body immersion so that anyone plugged in can experience any one of thousands of fantasy worlds like they are actually there. That’s pretty much where the resemblance ends though. In Michael’s VirtNet, a new cyber terrorist known as “Kaine” is purportedly hacking the code and trapping people inside games, so that in-game deaths lead to real life casualties and victims becoming brain-dead.
The best part about being in the VirtNet was never having to worry about risking your life, but now all that has changed. VirtNet Security forcibly recruits Michael, a talented gamer and hacker in his own right, to hunt down this dangerous enemy threatening the whole system. From here on out, the rest of the book is laid out in classic action-and-adventure format, where the hero and his two friends set out on a quest to find Kaine, picking up clues and investigating leads along the way.
The beginning had me pretty interested. The VirtNet system is very well described, especially with the setting of the game “Life Blood” serving as the opener. I loved the idea of how realistic and immersive these worlds are, and the infinite possibilities they present. The novel had a great intro, and a quick subsequent build-up to the main part of the story. I really thought this was going to be a winner.
But then something stalled along the way. The tight focus that was maintained throughout the first part of the book gradually unraveled, so that by the time we’re in the middle chapters I felt that the story had lost its steam. It almost feels like the author had a clear vision of how the book begins and how it ends, but didn’t really plan well for everything that needs to go in between. Michael and his friends’ journey felt far too prolonged and lost its direction, leading me to ask myself several times while reading this, “Wait, what are they supposed to be doing again?”
To the book’s credit, the ending did indeed hook me back in, but by then it was a little too late for me to feel the full impact. In any case, the big shocking twist at the end was certainly well worth it, though like I said, at that point it did not have the effect that it should have had. I also wonder if this novel would have been better served told in the first person; I think that would have given me a deeper connection to Michael’s feelings, especially during that final revelation.
All in all, not a bad book, but I’m still debating whether or not I will pick up the sequel which is slated for a summer 2014 release. I very well may end up checking out The Maze Runner before I get a chance to read book two of this series.
Book Review: Moth and Spark by Anne Leonard
Posted on February 14, 2014 Leave a Comment
Moth and Spark by Anne Leonard
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Viking Adult (February 20, 2014)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Moth and Spark was one of my top anticipated novels of 2014. My gut instinct told me it was going to be a good one, and while my gut might not be the best guide for a lot of things, it has hardly ever steered me wrong when it comes to books. And I was pleased to see to that it was right once again. If anything, Moth and Spark gave me even more than I bargained for.
To understand why I liked it so much, you also have to understand that I’ve been looking for a book like this for a long time. While I was reading Moth and Spark, a Goodreads friend of mine commented on one of my status updates with: “Fantasy with a romance sub-plot is rare.” Indeed it is! Everyone who knows me knows I enjoy a good love story. And I would be reading a lot more romance, except I prefer it combined with other elements, especially from speculative fiction.
What I’ve always wanted to read was a meaningful and actively engaging romance in a high fantasy, but typically, most of the adult fantasy novels I enjoy merely scratch at the surface of romantic relationships. It’s pretty much made me resign myself to the fact that I can only have one without the other. That is until this book came along and filled that void.
Moth and Spark is also different from a lot of romances. Yes, the love between the two main characters features heavily in this book, but at the same time it never lets you forget that both Corin and Tam are organically part of a much bigger story unfolding around them. Their relationship, as suddenly and swiftly as it occurred, is not merely the central focus with just the fantasy setting tacked on; it is part and parcel of the overall plot which involves a rich tapestry of courtly intrigue, back alley conspiracies and impending war, all culminating into a nation hanging in the balance. Together, the crown prince of Caithen and the commoner daughter of a renowned doctor must work together to save their homeland, combining their powers to free the dragons from their bondage to a mad emperor.
That’s right, there are dragons. Just when you think things can’t get any better, eh?
I think most of all, I loved this book for the wonderful characters that Anne Leonard has created. Call me a softie, but I like it when I see strong and inherently good, decent people find each other and fall in love. I like it when I see lovers like Tam and Corin sacrifice for each other, care for each other, and respect one another. I like that their romance is a partnership, where the chemistry is natural and mutual.
The author is also very adept at world building. She has a way of inserting very detailed information about the environment without encumbering the prose. For instance, I only noticed afterwards that there is actually a good amount of description in the text, but I hardly felt overwhelmed by them at all as I was reading. Anne Leonard accomplishes this by not laying out the background of the world all at once; instead, we gradually get to learn about things like the Empire’s history or magical lore as the story progresses.
I could go on and on about a lot of the other aspects that I enjoyed, such as the magic, the dragons and their riders, the king’s wizard-assassins (I really liked Joce, who was probably my favorite character after Tam and Corin), the court politics, the formal dances and elegant fashions, the sword fighting scenes and so on, but I should leave some of the more enchanting parts for people to discover for themselves. I will reveal though, that the ending involves quite a gripping scene of a duel on dragonback. Oh yes, this book gets my heart pounding in more ways than one!
Suffice to say I was very impressed with Moth and Spark, which is a debut for Anne Leonard. The novel’s story of love and adventure struck the right chord with me, and it’s going straight onto my shelf of favorites. I’ll definitely be watching this author in the future for more.
Book Review: Redemption in Indigo by Karen Lord
Posted on February 13, 2014 Leave a Comment
Redemption in Indigo by Karen Lord
Genre: Re-imagined Folk Tales
Publisher: Jo Fletcher Books
Publication Date: August 2010
Author Info: merumsal.wordpress.com
Wendy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Based on a Senagalese folk tale, Redemption in Indigo follows a similar quirky story telling style to weave an intricate and sweet little story about a woman named Paama. Paama is the elder of two daughters, married to a not-overly-impressive lord. The match seemed like it would work well enough, though, since Paama is an exceptional cook and Ansige loves food. But after ten years of feeding his insatiable maw, Paama has had enough and returns home to her family. Ansige follows with his moronic bumbling, but Paama reveals her true character by never once trying to make him look bad (though he does it well enough on his own). When they finally part ways, the djombi see her true heart as worthy of the Chaos Stick, but the indigo lord disagrees and demands she return his power. What happens next is both surprising and bittersweet.
This originally popped up as a Goodreads recommendation and I quickly grabbed it, though I ended up reading and loving Lord’s second book, The Best of All Possible Worlds, first. The two books are very different in many ways – the latter being more of a subtle science fiction story that sneaks in romance – but both books share Lord’s artful storytelling. It’s something that I can only describe as “comfortable,” because that’s how it makes me feel when I read her books. Her words flow so smoothly and unobtrusively, quietly sucking you into the story and characters before you even realize it. Lord is, quite simply, a master storyteller.
Re-imagined fairy tales and folk tales are not uncommon, but it is rare to find ones that aren’t based in European lore. Some might recognized the trickster spider, Anansi, making an appearance in Redemption in Indigo, but otherwise, this is a refreshingly different tale. And different is very, very good.
Graphic Novel Review: Viscera: Epic Frail by Nathan Massengill
Posted on February 12, 2014 Leave a Comment
Viscera: Epic Frail by Nathan Massengill
TRIGGER WARNING: Violence against women.
Genre: Science Fiction, Social Commentary
Publisher: Bad Damsel Media
Publication Date: December 2013
Author Info: nathanmassengill.com
Wendy’s Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Viscera, or so she calls herself now, having defined this viscous “killer virgin” persona from the previous scared, victim, is of a race of humanoid creatures that live secretly among us. The women – assuming they are even permitted to live at birth – are nothing more than property to males who very violently use and abuse them for the sole purpose of procreation. The females have one small hope of survival: a personal shield.
Waiting on Wednesday 02/12/14
Posted on February 12, 2014 Leave a Comment
“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!
For five centuries, a witch’s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the ruins of Forsaken Mountain. Time enough for their dark and nefarious magic to fade from human memory and into myth. But a prophesy has been spoken of a union with the power to set the trolls free, and when Cécile de Troyes is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she learns there is far more to the myth of the trolls than she could have imagined.
Cécile has only one thing on her mind after she is brought to Trollus: escape. Only the trolls are clever, fast, and inhumanly strong. She will have to bide her time, wait for the perfect opportunity.
But something unexpected happens while she’s waiting – she begins to fall for the enigmatic troll prince to whom she has been bonded and married. She begins to make friends. And she begins to see that she may be the only hope for the half-bloods – part troll, part human creatures who are slaves to the full-blooded trolls. There is a rebellion brewing. And her prince, Tristan, the future king, is its secret leader.
As Cécile becomes involved in the intricate political games of Trollus, she becomes more than a farmer’s daughter. She becomes a princess, the hope of a people, and a witch with magic powerful enough to change Trollus forever.”
Book Review: Blades of the Old Empire by Anna Kashina
Posted on February 11, 2014 Leave a Comment
Blades of the Old Empire by Anna Kashina
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of Majat Code
Publisher: Angry Robot (February 25, 2014)
Author Information: Website
Mogsy’s Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
When I look back at Blades of the Old Empire all I can think of is, here is an example of a novel which would’ve been better served with some major polishing. And did you know this isn’t even technically the first book? I didn’t. I only found out after I did some digging around, because I couldn’t help getting this feeling I was missing something…
Book Review: Shadow Ops: Control Point by Myke Cole
Posted on February 10, 2014 Leave a Comment
Shadow Ops: Control Point by Myke Cole (Ace)
Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of Shadow Ops
Publication Date: January 31, 2012
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Shadow Ops: Control Point is military science fiction, but definitely not the kind I had been expecting. And honestly, if I’d known earlier just what kind of excitement I was going to be in for, I probably wouldn’t have let this one hang out so long on my to-read list.
YA Weekend: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
Posted on February 9, 2014 Leave a Comment
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of The Grisha
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (June 5, 2012)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Once in a while, a great book like Shadow and Bone will come along and remind me of why I read YA — and why overlooking this category of fiction would be a big mistake. It’s another one of those titles which had hung around on my to-read list for much too long, and now I wish I’d listened to the glowing reviews and picked it up sooner. It has everything I look for in a YA novel: a likeable protagonist, a sweet and believable romance that’s not insta-love, and a pace for storytelling that’s just perfect.
At the beginning of the book, we are introduced to a girl and a boy, two orphans who became friends with each other when a kind nobleman took them in. Years later, both Alina and Mal have ended up in the army and are preparing to cross the Fold, a wasteland of darkness where savage creatures called Volcra lurk, ready to swoop down on any unsuspecting travelers. Well, of course they get attacked by Volcra during the crossing. Without understanding how, Alina manages to save the life of her best friend Mal by unleashing a brilliant flash of light as bright as the sun, driving away the creatures.
Anyway, this book doesn’t waste time getting to the meat of the story. It turns out Alina is one of the Grisha, and a special one at that. Grisha are what you would call the sorcerers of this world, except I would say that their magic is more like a science — acts of magic are actually the Grisha manipulating and altering matter at its most basic level. It’s an interesting system, and I also find it fascinating that the Grisha have their own social structure, politics and culture. When it is discovered that Alina is the Sun Summoner with the power to control light, she is whisked away to learn the ways of the Grisha, and I had the pleasure of learning all about their society through her eyes.
The world of Shadow and Bone has a sort-of Russian flavor, and yes, the way of the Grisha court has some of your usual YA trappings. Normally, I’d be calling for more world building and further expansion into the book’s ideas, but I’m actually quite amazed and how much it was able to convey. Especially when you consider how this was a relatively short novel and a really quick read. The story finds its momentum early on and it just keeps going like that all the way to the end, and I don’t think I would have traded that for anything. Everything you need to know is there, and I liked how we don’t get any unnecessary detail or lengthy exposition weighing things down.
But it’s the characters that made this book such a joy to read. Alina’s a tough girl, and even though she can get a tad too sentimental at times, she’s proven herself to be quite capable. Her romance with Mal actually feels natural, and I liked the fact that it was the result of a long-term friendship that grew deeper over time. It makes their relationship more genuine, and I could better understand their intense feelings for each other. Since finding a YA romance that I actually like is quite rare for me, it makes a big impression whenever it does happen.
It also helps that this book was exactly what I needed at time. If you’re ever in the mood for a quick YA fantasy with a decent romance and a bit of adventure and intrigue thrown in, this will do the trick nicely. I found it very enjoyable!
#MisLT : The Miserere Livetweet Event!
Posted on February 8, 2014 Leave a Comment
Don’t tell Teresa Frohock, but I totally have a crush on her.
I’m just kidding. She already knows and I can’t wait for her to see what I got her for Valentine’s Day!!
But seriously. Lady Frohock’s Miserere: An Autumn Tale has been on my to-read list for a while, and, with its recent arrival in my mailbox, the time has come for me to sink into its dark depth. But that’s not all. You see, since I began following Lady Frohock on Twitter, I’ve discovered that she is a wonderful, fun and funny person. I’ve been dying to do something unique with her for BiblioSanctum, but wanted to get to know her better through reading her work first. Then, the other night while I was busy spamming her Twitter feed, an idea struck me: What if I livetweet my Miserere read???
Lady Frohock is such a good sport – she thinks this is a great idea and we’ve been throwing around some ideas today, with plans to use the hashtag #MisLT to document our journey.
We’d love to invite others to join us! Conveniently, Miserere: An Autumn Tale, is currently on sale on Amazon. Go! Git it! (Not sure if this book looks right for you? Tor.com understands why you might feel that way, and explains why you shouldn’t.)
If you’re interested in joining the fun, leave a comment that includes your Twitter handle, and be sure to use the hashtag #MisLT for your spoiler-free Miserere Tweets. We’ll be starting our read this Monday, February 10, 2014 and continuing through to the end of the month.
Mogsy’s Book Haul – Blades and Shorts
Posted on February 8, 2014 Leave a Comment
Time again to feature the books that came in over the last couple weeks! And in case you missed it, I’m also doing the Review Copy Cleanup challenge, so hopefully a lot of these will be reviewed in the coming days. Is it just me, or do many of the titles seem very edgy this time? As the header states, sharp things seem to be this month’s theme.
Astra – courtesy of Jo Fletcher books, I’m really looking forward to this one. After my wonderful first experience reading Naomi Foyle’s Seoul Survivors, I’m really interested in seeing what else this author has in store for me.
Traitor’s Blade – currently working my way through this one now, and I’m enjoying it. Like, A LOT. I went in with super high expectations too, so that’s saying something. The book also came tied up with a sealed invitation to “join the Greatcoats”, which I thought was cleverly presented.
Broken Homes – I’ve made it no secret how much I love the Peter Grant series. I tell urban fantasy readers that it’s like Dresden Files if Harry was a policeman and British, and highly recommended if you like Dr. Who-style humor. This one was courtesy of DAW books, and you can already see my review here.
Moth and Spark – I feel very grateful to Penguin Viking for this one. I’ve always wanted deep, fulfilling romances in my high fantasy, but I’ve pretty much given up on looking for a book with the perfect combination of the two, because I’ve never found one. That is, until this came along. Keep an eye out for my review later this month, I can’t wait to share it.
The Emperor’s Blades – this one generated a lot of excitement last year and finally came out last month to great acclaim. I had a feeling Staveley would be winning many fans with this one, and I was right. Readers of epic fantasy should check this one out, and here’s my review for those interested in seeing my thoughts. My thanks to Tor Books!
Lumiere – a wonderful looking YA title self-published by the author, who contacted me through Goodreads to see if I would be interested in reviewing it. I readily accepted! Check out the description to see why, it looks right up my alley and that cover is enchantingly gorgeous. Definitely going to have to fit this one into my reading schedule soon.
And now for the digital titles, and the second half of my post title shall be explained! Yes, we have a lot of short stories/anthologies/novellas this week to feature. Normally, what I like to do is gather them up and tackle them all together in one big shorts-filled weekend, and looks like I’ll have to plan for one again very soon.
Kaiju Rising – I was a Kickstarter backer for this anthology, and the e-copy of this book was delivered to my inbox a couple weeks ago right on schedule. As badly as I want to read this one, I may just wait until my physical copy arrives. Because…just look at the pure awesomeness of that cover!
John Golden, Freelance Debugger – I was actually sent a copy of this by the author back when it was still going to be self-published, but then Ragnarok Publications picked it up. I’m so glad, because this book deserves all the attention it can get! I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: best idea for an urban fantasy EVER! I could go on and on, but it might be easier to just check out the review!
Hope’s End and Forsworn – last year I really enjoyed Promise of Blood and this year I’m really looking forward to The Crimson Campaign. Brian McClellan has also written a few short stories set in the world of his Powder Mage series, so I decided to pick a couple of them up. Hope’s End was actually a freebie the author offered up on his website on his birthday so that was nice of him!
La Santisima – Teresa Frohock is one of my favorite authors, and her work deserves a lot more attention, in my opinion. If you haven’t read her book Miserere yet, I highly recommend it. While I wait impatiently for her next project, I picked up La Santisima, her short story that she made available for free on Smashwords. So what are you waiting for, check it out!
Blades of the Old Empire – Ah, here we are with the blades again. I got this Angry Robot book through NetGalley, and I’m actually reading this one right now as well for my RCCleanup, so a review will be incoming.
Lockstep – Another NetGalley title. Tor is torturing me with all the great books coming out from them in the next few months! This is only one of the many titles I’m interested in. I know I’m drowning in review copies right now, but it’s so hard to resist these amazing looking books.
The BiblioSanctum 