Book Review: Broken Homes by Ben Aaronovitch
Posted on February 6, 2014 8 Comments
Broken Homes by Ben Aaronovitch
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Book 4 of Peter Grant
Publisher: DAW (US: February 4, 2014)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
New rule: if you are an urban fantasy starring a London policeman-turned-wizard named Peter Grant, then I MUST READ YOU. Let’s just say I have waited a long time for this! After devouring the first three books last spring, I was left with a void that only this series’ dry wit and magical action could provide, and now book four has finally made its way to the US.
Ben Aaronovitch does not hold back for Peter’s latest adventure, which involves our favorite magician-constable working to solve yet another string of odd deaths happening around the city. The first red flag goes up when a chance car accident leads him to a murder victim, who may have a link to the mysterious “Faceless Man.” That’s the big baddie that Peter and his supervisor Nightingale have been hunting over the course of the last couple of books.
As such, Broken Homes probably wouldn’t be the best jumping on point if you’re new to the series, albeit the central plot within the bigger picture is still wildly entertaining. When it is discovered that the odd deaths are all connected to a controversial housing estate “designed by a nutter, built by charlatans, and inhabited by the truly desperate”, Peter and his fellow investigators come up with an insane plan to get to the bottom of the mystery. What do they do? They move in and go under cover. Trouble ensues. And with that, tons of amusement for readers.
Here’s why I think it would be a good idea to at least tackle the previous book first before reading this one: if you’re not familiar with the overall story arc with the Faceless Man, the first half of the book will probably feel pretty slow. I personally was interested in the investigations because a lot of it had to do with uncovering the identity of the enemy and trying to capture him, but without that context I think a lot of the happenings will feel disjointed or only tenuously connected.
But as someone who has been following this series, I think it is clearly starting to come into its own. With that comes a greater appreciation for the little quirks only found in these books, like London’s rivers personified as semi-divine spirits, Peter’s esoteric interests into the city’s architecture or even his frequent funny jabs at the Metropolitan Police. All this made even some of the more low-key bits of the book very fascinating and engaging — such as the scene with the spring celebration, or descriptions of Peter’s magical training sessions.
However, I have to say the second half of the book — which includes the subsequent build-up to the climax — and ending is simply phenomenal. As the main protagonist and narrator, I thought Peter would always be my favorite character in these books, but Nightingale may have just given him a run for his money. His anachronisms and total fail with modern technologies notwithstanding, the guy is awesome. You might think you know wizarding duels, but you don’t — not until you read about the one near the end of this book, with Nightingale versus the Russian Night Witch. I think I may have a crush.
Then, there’s the climax and the shocking “twist”. I put the quotations there because I’m not sure how truly surprising it is if you’ve been following the series and the characters. It was shocking yes, but it wasn’t completely unexpected. The clues leading up to it weren’t entirely subtle, though that might just be me. All the same, the excitement and snappy pace in these final chapters will make you ache for more, and leave you desperate to find out what happens next.
Sigh, which leads me back to this familiar place, of pining for the next book. The waiting does not get easier!
Book Review: Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
Posted on February 5, 2014 3 Comments
Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Magic
Series: Throne of Glass #2
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA
Publication Date: August 2013
Author’s Info: sarahjmaas.com
Wendy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
As much as I enjoyed Throne of Glass, one thing that bugged me (other than Celaena’s arrogance) was the fact that Celaena is supposedly the renowned and feared Adarlan’s Assassin, but beyond her own boasting, she didn’t do anything assassiny. Crown of Midnight initially made me believe I was finally getting to see what I wanted to see, but we quickly find out otherwise. The King’s Champion proves herself conniving, with questionable negotiations, but she certainly doesn’t prove herself deadly. It made me wonder if Maas was having trouble truly associating her character with the more negative aspects of being known as Adarlan’s Assassin – namely, the assassin part. This is remedied half way through the book when she unleashes her darkness in a way that I can only describe as Mary Sue the Ninja. The scene, which I could probably re-enact with Catwoman in a Batman: Arkham Asylum challenge map, was a bit too over the top for my liking.
My second problem with this book (other than Celaena’s arrogance), is the heavy focus on cloying romances. Celaena, now moved on from her romance with Prince Dorian, is paying more attention to the captain of the guard, Chaol Westfall, which, on top of her arrogance, results in a book that spends far too long being the kind of YA book that I don’t particularly enjoy.
Having to deal with all of this for half the book made it very difficult to continue, but I generally try to finish what I start. Fortunately, the actual plot picked up and started to move along at the half way point with Princess Nehemia’s plotting, the slow, seeping return of magic, and Queen Elena’s mysterious absence. We finally get to focus on the dark past Celaena is running from and the destiny she is trying her hardest to avoid.
The big revelation at the end still has Mary Sue smatterings, no matter how often Maas reminds us of what Celaena has lost and what she suffered as a slave in the mines, but it is still interesting enough for me to consider continuing. At the very least, circumstances seemed to have caused her to mature a bit. While I don’t want her to lose her arrogance completely, as it is part of her coping mechanisms, I do hope the swagger is toned down a bit for future installments – which I still am intrigued enough to want to read.
Waiting on Wednesday 02/05/14
Posted on February 5, 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!
This is the way the world ends. Again.
“A prince with a quest. A commoner with mysterious powers. And dragons that demand to be freed—at any cost.
Prince Corin has been chosen to free the dragons from their bondage to the Empire, but dragons aren’t big on directions. They have given him some of their power, but none of their knowledge. No one, not the dragons nor their riders, is even sure what keeps the dragons in the Empire’s control.
Tam, sensible daughter of a well-respected doctor, had no idea before she arrived in the capital that she is a Seer, gifted with visions. When the two run into each other (quite literally) in the library, sparks fly and Corin impulsively asks Tam to dinner. But it’s not all happily ever after. Never mind that the prince isn’t allowed to marry a commoner: war is coming to Caithen.
Torn between Corin’s quest to free the dragons and his duty to his country, the lovers must both figure out how to master their powers in order to save Caithen. With a little help from a village of secret wizards and a rogue dragonrider, they just might pull it off.”
Book Review: Dreamwalker by C.S. Friedman
Posted on February 4, 2014 1 Comment
Dreamwalker by C.S. Friedman (DAW)
Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of Dreamwalker
Publication Date: February 4, 2014
Author Information: Website
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
To my surprise, Dreamwalker turned out to be a pretty big departure from C.S. Friedman’s previous works. Still, I was no less charmed by the remarkable story and characters than I had been before I realized this was a book more geared towards the young adult audience. After all, YA fantasy has so much to offer these days, and as someone who enjoys reading this category quite a bit, I found Dreamwalker to be a promising start to what has the potential to become a great new series.
I was hooked right away with the introduction to the Drake siblings, Jessica (“Jesse” to her friends) and her little brother Tommy. The book starts off by throwing them into some pretty heavy situations, and I don’t doubt for a second that this had something to do with why I was so taken with these characters. Jesse and Tommy’s father, who doesn’t actually appear in this novel, still casts a dark shadow on the family even years after he walked away from them, by claiming that Jesse is another man’s child. To prove to him that this is not true, Jesse’s mom takes her to get a paternity test.
Yikes, what an awful situation for anyone let alone a teenager to find themselves in, but Jesse’s composure and steadfast support for her mother made me appreciate her more as a protagonist and narrator. But of course, these problems are just the beginning. When the DNA test results come back, that’s when Jesse’s true mettle will be tested. What would you do if you discovered that you weren’t the person you thought you were? What would you do if you found out you might not even be part of this world? A new term has gained significance with Jesse: Changeling. Desperate to make sense of her life, Jesse goes on the search for answers and instead finds many others who are in similar situations like hers.
The family’s problems have touched Jesse’s brother Tommy’s life as well, though they have affected him in different ways. I have to say his obsession with gaming in the wake of his father’s departure broke my heart a little; having spent years playing online games myself and in doing so meeting people who have used this hobby as an avenue of escape, I understand all too well how someone could turn to virtual worlds and internet friends in order to drown out painful feelings. It could happen to anyone, young or old. For me, it is another point to Jesse’s character that she doesn’t judge her brother, and instead tries to share in his interests by letting him use her weird and disturbing dreams as inspiration for his roleplaying campaigns.
When a stranger comes poking around the Drakes’ lives and Tommy is kidnapped however, Jesse begins to have the dreaded suspicion that it is all because of her and her dreams. Her mission to get her brother back is what leads her and her new friends on a journey to another world, one that the author has done a phenomenal job of creating. I really enjoyed the premise of this novel, which explores parallel universes and alternate realities. In doing so, Friedman also addresses important social issues like race, poverty and human rights. Overall this is a fun and adventurous novel, but there are definitely some weighty topics of discussion in here.
Perhaps my only issue with the book is how jumbled it feels at certain times, perhaps due to the frequent switching of first-person to third-person between some chapters. This doesn’t usually bother me in other books, but for some reason it is quite noticeable here. My guess is it has something to do with chapter length and how short some of these third-person intervals are. Some parts of the plot are also resolved too neatly, or too conveniently. For example, at one point in the novel Jesse and her friends meet a character who essentially hands them everything they need to succeed in their quest, though how that character managed to obtain the tools and information in the first place is not really addressed.
There are also lots of ideas in play, and how they all relate to each other does make itself apparent until much later in the book, so the first half of the story may feel a bit disjointed. Personally I don’t mind stories like this, which are like mysteries that I know will unravel in time. As such, this was a fast read for me because I found I couldn’t stop myself from turning the pages. Every person you encounter is a question, because you don’t know whose side they’re on. I just couldn’t wait to see how all the puzzle pieces would fall into place, and the ending was sadly over much too soon. I was actually a little surprised at how quickly it wrapped up.
Even so, the ending leaves things wide open for more of Jesse’s story (though it is not a cliffhanger, thank you!), and I know I will want to be there to see what happens next. I think as long as you go into this with the knowledge it is going to be different from the author’s other books, Dreamwalker may yet surprise you. This is C.S. Friedman tackling the young adult fantasy genre, and I feel she did an impressive job.
Novella Review: John Golden: Freelance Debugger by Django Wexler
Posted on February 3, 2014 Leave a Comment
John Golden: Freelance Debugger by Django Wexler
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of John Golden
Publisher: Ragnarok Publications (February 3, 2014)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
I’m a tough sell when it comes to novellas. Even tougher when it comes to urban fantasy. Don’t get me wrong; I love this genre, but the truth is there’s also a lot of books and series out there. These days, ideas in urban fantasy have to be special and different enough in order to stand out and hook me.
Can’t wait for more, especially since Wexler has teased that the next book will have a gamer angle. I know his other fantasy series will likely take precedence, but I really hope he’ll keep finding time to write John Golden stories. A premise this amazing simply demands further exploration!
Audiobook Review: Throne of Jade by Naomi Novik
Posted on February 2, 2014 Leave a Comment
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Series: Temeraire #2
Publisher: Del Rey
Publication Date: April 2006
Narrator: Simon Vance
Author Info: www.temeraire.org
Wendy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
The way Novik winds dragons into history is already fascinating, but now we get to see them within an entirely new environment and culture.
Two important things I must establish before getting on with the actual review:
1. This is absolutely one of the best Simon Vance performances I have ever listened to. His Temeraire is not what I imagined when I read the first book myself, but it forever will be now. Vance expertly captured every nuance of the young dragon with Chinese roots.
2. This is what Temeraire looks like in my head. Deal with it.
As I discovered in reading the previous book in the Temeraire series, His Majesty’s Dragon, this is not necessarily an action/adventure fantasy. Yes, there are skirmishes that Temeraire and the other dragons participate in and there are several other moments of action, but at the heart of this story is a beautiful friendship between man and beast – only, this beast is a massive, highly intelligent dragon.
Throne of Jade picks up right where the previous left off, with the Chinese demanding the return of their Celestial Dragon. Laurence risks the stockade with his adamant refusal to simply relinquish the dragon he has come to adore, much less lie to Temeraire as his superiors and the Chinese emissaries suggest. And Temeraire feels much the same way. But circumstances eventually force the pair into a seven month voyage from England to China in hopes of pleading their case before the Emperor himself.
The beauty of this series is in watching Temeraire grow and learn and watching Laurence grow and learn with him. If there was any doubt before, Laurence’s friendship with the dragon has clearly moved well beyond that of master and pet to a very deep bond that is thoroughly tested as Temeraire learns more and more about his homeland of China. Not the least of which is the vast difference in the treatment of dragons. The way Novik winds dragons into history is already fascinating, but now we get to see them within an entirely new environment and culture.
The ending was a bit of a disappointment, but I am curious to see what Temeraire and Laurence will do with what they learn in China.
February’s Book Club Read: Vicious by V.E. Schwabb
Posted on February 1, 2014 Leave a Comment
LeVar’s Rainbow Book Club members perused the top 2013 reader’s choice fantasy books on Goodreads and settled on this book for the month of February.
Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong.
Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find—aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archnemeses have set a course for revenge—but who will be left alive at the end?
In Vicious, V. E. Schwab brings to life a gritty comic-book-style world in vivid prose: a world where gaining superpowers doesn’t automatically lead to heroism, and a time when allegiances are called into question.
Mogsy’s February Challenge: Review Copy Cleanup
Posted on February 1, 2014 Leave a Comment
Thanks to word of mouth, I discovered Review Copy Cleanup 4.0 over at Vicky’s Books, Biscuits and Tea. I desperately need something like this! My to-review books have been piling up lately and I was going to make it a goal to polish off a bunch this month anyway, so this could not have come at a more opportune time.
Anyway, what is this challenge, you ask? Pretty much what the title says. If you find you’re in the same boat, you should definitely check it out! There’s more information and guidelines at the link above.
And now, since it’s the first day of February, I might as well get organized and started right away. Don’t you love lists? I love lists!
Here’s what I’ll be reading this month for RCC:
Er, I think that’s enough for now, especially seeing as there are a few hefty books in there. No pressure, right? *wink*
Wish me luck!
Book Review: Nexus by Ramez Naam
Posted on February 1, 2014 Leave a Comment
Nexus by Ramez Naam (Angry Robot)
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Book 1 of Nexus
Publication Date: December 18, 2012
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Besides being a pretty damn good book, Nexus also has the distinction of being the first cyberpunk-ish novel that I’ve genuinely enjoyed. There’s not as much as a barrier when it comes to diving right into the story, and there’s just something about the characters that kept my interest levels high from beginning to end.
Despite being a futuristic techno-thriller, certain aspects about it will feel just familiar enough to cause a teensy bit of discomfort when imagining a world like this could be right around the corner. When bio-engineering meets nano-technology meets the drug scene, we get Nexus, the new pleasure drug that allows users to integrate their consciousness, linking mind to mind. What could this mean for the future of our society?
The book’s protagonist Kade Lane believes he has the answers, aiming to improve Nexus along with a cadre of his idealistic friends. But while people like them may have humanity’s best interests in mind, others’ intentions are not so benevolent. There are those out to exploit Nexus, those who would use it as a weapon. As well, there are factions that wish to outlaw it, put an end to its use all together. When Kade gets caught making his own modifications to Nexus, he is pulled into an international web of conspiracy, intrigue and lies.
The action and thrills aside, I found the most compelling aspect of the book to be the various characters’ perceptions of this nano-drug as well as the outlook for its future. There is no doubt Nexus could do the world a lot of good, but so much evil could come of it as well. Kade is an interesting character; I think it’s a shrewd decision by Naam to write about such a bright young man who can also be so naive. At the same time, we inevitably come to the question of whether or not to throw out the baby with the bath water. Do we stamp out and reject the positive along with the negative? Do we say no to something wonderful like Nexus, a new technology that can improve billions of people’s lives, just because of the potential for abuse?
Anyway, the reason why I don’t read as much hard sci-fi is because I’m typically the kind of reader whose eyes glaze over at the sight of too much technobabble. But like I said, this is a very easy book to get into. Ramez Naam has a very impressive author’s bio, being a computer scientist with knowledge and experience in the fields of artificial intelligence, software development, and biotechnology. Clearly, he knows his stuff. However, not once did I feel out of my depth or overwhelmed by the science and tech in Nexus; the author makes everything clear and easy to understand, never allowing the heavy details to get in the way of his fast-paced action plot.
I really enjoyed Nexus; the story itself is great, but it’s the philosophy and moral questions behind it that makes it even better, catapulting this book into the realm of being something truly special. A worthwhile read.
Book Review: Hang Wire by Adam Christopher
Posted on January 31, 2014 Leave a Comment
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal
Series: Stand alone
Publisher: Angry Robot (January 28, 2014)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Having wanted to read a book by this author for a while, I initially debated either tackling 7 Wonders or the Empire State series, but then I found out about his upcoming title Hang Wire. After reading the description, I decided right then and there that I wanted it to be my first Adam Christopher novel.
Immortal gods, pagan rites, a serial killer on the loose…is there anything this book doesn’t have? And what’s this, a circus too? If anything, it was this last one that sold me. Hang Wire looked to me like an unconventional urban fantasy that is also a fusion of paranormal, horror and mystery. There’s even some mythology thrown in to stir things up even more, in what is arguably already a quirky mix.
In present day San Francisco, a blogger named Ted goes out to dinner with his group of journalist friends to celebrate his birthday, only to have a fortune cookie blow up in his face. Physically unharmed, Ted nonetheless starts experiencing odd things ever since the incident. Recently, the city has also been held in fear by a killer known as Hang Wire, who brutally strangles his victims before stringing them up in public places.
Meanwhile, the circus is in town with a new high wire act plus a Celtic dance group whose performances have been garnering lots of praise. But tension is mounting behind the scenes, especially with rumors that the carnival is cursed, and the frequent fights breaking out between the creepy circus manager and the workers are putting everyone on edge. There’s an ancient evil lurking, and as it turns out, everything has to do with a handful of gods who walk among us. And one of them is a scruffy but devastatingly handsome beach bum named Bob, who gives free ballroom dancing lessons at the aqua park by the sea…
Right, I don’t think I need to go further to let you know just how bizarre this book is. But then, I liked it. I didn’t think I would at first, simply because of the sheer amount of information the story throws at you right off the bat. As you can see from my brief summary, there’s a lot happening in this book, and while trying to figure out what’s going on, things can feel a tad overwhelming. Not to mention, the numerous time jumps near the beginning can add to the sense of disjointedness.
I was loaded up with so many questions at first. Most of them involve the circus manager Joel. Who is he and why are we seeing him in all these places across the country, and at these very different times? He’s obviously hunting something, but what is this strange power allowing him to know exactly where to be? Where is it coming from? A lot of these questions were answered to my satisfaction at the end, but there were still many points that I felt could have been expanded. I bring this up because for a book with so many threads and topics, the world building is surprisingly on the light side. I enjoyed what I saw, but also felt like there should have been more.
However, I am amazed at Adam Christopher’s creativity and the vision for this novel. I especially loved the mysticism and the darkness. Take the Hang Wire killer, for example. This was one of many developments in the overarching story line, but admittedly it was also the horror and mystery of it that eventually grabbed my attention and drew me in. And in fantasy, you usually see circuses depicted as magical places filled with whimsy and wonder, but here the circus is a cursed, creepy place suffused with pure evil where the carnival attractions themselves hunger for blood. I found it all deeply enticing.
So then, my first Adam Christopher novel turned out to be quite the offbeat experience, but I wasn’t disappointed. All in all, this was a highly original read packed with all kinds of strange and fantastical elements, and that’s how I like it. There may be a lot to take in at first, but everything comes together eventually, once the story gets going and builds momentum.
The BiblioSanctum 