Book Review: A Study in Silks by Emma Jane Holloway
Posted on September 23, 2013 Leave a Comment
A Study in Silks by Emma Jane Holloway
Genre: Fantasy, Historical Romance, Mystery
Series: Book 1 of The Baskerville Affair
Publisher: Del Rey
Date of Publication: September 24, 2013
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Part steampunk historical mystery and part fantasy paranormal romance, I was initially drawn to A Study in Silks for its setting as well as its description of the main character Evelina Cooper as being the niece of the great Sherlock Holmes.
Eveline, however, is not solely defined by her famous uncle, and I liked how Emma Jane Holloway has given her character an exceptional background with which to distinguish herself. Thanks to her Granny Holmes, Evelina was plucked from a childhood of growing up with a traveling circus to be dropped into a world of lords and ladies, and here she must learn to live a life caught between two worlds.
But Sherlock Holmes’ work has clearly also rubbed off on her, given how eagerly she aspires to follow in his footsteps. When a young servant girl is killed at the home of her best friend, Evelina does what she can for the investigation, going as far as to use her gift of the Blood, which allows her to communicate with minor spirits and recruit them to her aid.
At first glance, one would suppose there’s a lot happening in this novel. In fact, one of the most noticeable features of the paperback when it arrived was how remarkably hefty it was. Coming in at more than 500 pages, it’s much longer than I would have expected from a book of this genre and type, and my first assumption was that there would be a lot of world building.
In this, I suppose I was half correct. The setting is ambitious, definitely, in this world of steam barons, demons and devas, clockwork animals and automatons. A little too ambitious, maybe, seeing as I was left wishing more attention could have been given to both the steampunk and magical aspect, putting them in further context. I’d have loved to know more about the deva spirits, for example, beyond simply knowng that Evelina has the power to snare them in her mechanical toys and make them do her bidding.
The fact that A Study in Silks falls more heavily on the “paranormal romance” side of things might have something to do with this. Quite honestly, more emphasis in the story is given to providing juicy details about which character is fancying whom, rather than towards world building and setting up a murder mystery. In truth, if Sherlock Holmes were real he’d probably have a conniption fit over Evelina’s methods. While I love her character, I don’t actually think our heroine makes a good detective, as she often lets her emotional ties get in the way of her objectivity.
My take: The mystery plot spices it up well, but mainly check this book out if you like historical romance with a little fantasy thrown in, and extra bonus if you are a fan of delicious love triangles, which in itself provides a bit of suspense here. The book is definitely not without its merits, especially if you think you might enjoy the look into its elegant world of Victorian steampunk high society, complete with formal balls and debutantes.
Note: A Study in Silks was a book I won from a Goodreads giveaway.
Book Review: Star Wars: Razor’s Edge by Martha Wells
Posted on September 23, 2013 1 Comment
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Star Wars, Empire and Rebellion #1
Publisher: LucasBooks
Date of Publication: September 24, 2013
Author Info: www.marthawells.com
With thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey Spectra for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Speculation continues to fly as news and rumours permeate the internet about the new Star Wars trilogy. Meanwhile, the books and comics have suspiciously returned to the past. The Star Wars expanded universe is vaaaaaaast, yet, surprisingly, very little of it has explored the ins and outs around the original trilogy.
Razor’s Edge takes place shortly after A New Hope with the rebels in desperate need of a new secret base. Leaked information puts their attempt to set up on Hoth in peril, and we find Leia and Han in just such a situation at the beginning of the book when their ship is attacked by Imperials. But there is more to the aftermath of A New Hope that this book addresses: Remember that planet Darth Vader and Moff Tarkin blew up? Well that was Leia Organa’s home and she has taken its destruction entirely onto her own shoulders. And there happen to be other survivors who deal with the destruction of their world in various ways.
That isn’t to say this entire story is about Leia and the displaced Alderaanians going to PTSD meetings, but the weight of their loss remains a strong aspect of the story that the movies didn’t have time to address. Leia is more than irked when she discovers an Alderaanian ship has opted to go pirate rather than join the Alliance and is drawn into conflict with its captain, Metara.
With Leia as the focus, we are reminded of just how strong of a character she is. She is more than just a symbol to her people. She is a born leader and it’s implied that she sometimes has to fight harder with the higher ups to be allowed to lead as opposed to simply be the Alliance poster girl. Proving herself to them means all the more to a perfectionist who hates making mistakes. Her wisdom, intelligence, sense of responsibility, courage and stoicism sometimes make it difficult to remember that she’s barely into her twenties.
Wells introduces some interesting new species, something I expected after reading her world and culture building talents in The Cloud Roads. She also introduces several new characters, but they are not much more than plot devices – red shirts, if you will – who mostly serve as targets for Han’s snark. Even Luke, Chewie and the droids play only a minor role. This isn’t a bad thing though, with the focus so heavily on Leia and subsequently Han. These two are my original OTP so I was quite happy to spend all this time with them and enjoyed their attempts to not admit their mutual attraction.
Beyond or underlying all of the above is typical good old fashioned Star Wars adventure that should please fans.
YA Weekend Book Review: Angelfall by Susan Ee
Posted on September 22, 2013 2 Comments
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of Penryn and the End of Days
Publisher: Skyscape
Date of Publication: August 28, 2012
Author Information: Website | Twitter
I tend to go into young adult novels of this type with a fair amount of wariness and trepidation, so color me surprised when this turned out to be a book I really enjoyed. Then I discovered it was actually first released as a self-published indie, and that just completely floored me. I am beyond impressed.
Anyway, at first glance, I couldn’t see what all the fuss was about. It’s got all the makings of a Young Adult, paranormal, post-apocalyptic-dystopian-type novel starring a teenage female protagonist narrating in the first person present tense, and of course, there’s always the promise of some romance. Though, I suppose there’s something to be said of its “End of Days” scenario with the invasion of warrior angels coming to destroy the world. Even early on, when I barely knew anything about this book, the subject was what made it stand out for me.
The book starts six weeks after the angels of the apocalypse have descended, demolishing civilization as we know it. Penryn carries the responsibility of taking care of her mother, who has schizophrenia, as well as her little sister Paige whose legs are paralyzed and she needs a wheelchair to get around. When an angel steals Paige and carries her off, Penryn will do anything to get her back, including allying herself with the enemy. She forms a tentative agreement with Raffe, a warrior angel whom she rescues after finding him bloodied and lying in the street, beaten and broken with his wings cut off.
I’ll admit that I started this book with a skeptical mindset, unconvinced it would win me over, even with all the great stuff being said about it. I love reading YA novels, but I also can’t help but hold them to a higher standard, mostly because the genre is so over-saturated and it takes a lot for one to really stand out for me. And at first, I found that I liked Penryn, liked the introduction of Raffe, and liked the direction of the story…but still nothing made me truly love it.
That changed somewhere along the way, and I don’t even know when it happened. Maybe it’s because at no point did I find this book boring; the plot is constantly driving forward, and even when there’s no action happening on the page, there’s still plenty of tension to keep you interested in the story.
Penryn, too, sets herself apart as a strong heroine, who takes the weight of the world upon her underfed shoulders. Having your troubled mother and disabled sister depend on you when the world is crumbling before your eyes can’t be easy, but she handles it with grace and maturity and none of the angst or dramatics. She’s quick-witted and thinks on her feet, even if her plans don’t always work out perfectly. My favorite scene is when she decks a chauvinist meathead for making lewd comments at her, with the expectation that potential allies would come to her aid, only to find herself fighting alone. But she ends up winning! Nice job, Penryn.
The climax and ending were also really well done. I’m amazed at how everything came together, since very often at this point of a book I will find myself spotting plot holes or picking apart illogical points in the story, ultimately just resigning myself to go with the flow. And yet, I really don’t recall doing a lot of that here, but maybe it’s because I was just so completely focused on the twists and surprising developments that I wasn’t concentrating on thinking about much else.
And finally, how I really know this book made an impression on me? The fact that as soon as I finished, I quickly went online to find the next book…only to discover it’s not coming out until November. Hey, well, something to look forward to.
Audiobook Review: Wool Omnibus by Hugh Howey
Posted on September 21, 2013 Leave a Comment
Genre: Post-Apocalyptic, Dystopia
Series: Silo #1 (collecting Wool #1-5)
Publisher: Broad Reach Publishing
Publication Date: January 2012
Author Info: www.hughhowey.com
Wool Omnibus is a collection of novellas that began as a short story that quietly became more popular than the author expected. Since then, Howey has followed through with further stories about the people of this distant, post-apocalyptic dystopia with Shift and finally, Dust. Initially available only in ebook format on Amazon, Wool is now available in print and audiobook, is part of Kindle Worlds and apparently has even been optioned for film. I’m sure some credit goes to Wool #1 being in the right place at the right time and a lot goes to the author’s excellent storytelling and character building. But overall, Wool should serve as motivation for all writers to get on out there and tell your story. You never know what might happen!
Wool begins with the resigned death walk of Sheriff Holston, who is heading outside the silo for “cleaning.” This is the punishment for all those who harbour thoughts of the outside. Ironically, cleaning takes place outside, meaning the criminals actually get their wish. Wrapped in suits that can only protect them from the harsh elements for so long, cleaners are tasked with cleaning the screens to the outside world, reminding everyone inside of its horrors and why no one should ever want to leave the safety of the silo.
I can see why this initial short story captured people’s attention. It is a compelling read filled with questions and emotions and a clear backstory that makes a reader demand more. Fortunately, listening to the complete omnibus meant I didn’t have to wait to meet the other people living within the silo and eventually learn the reason behind Holston’s punishment and that of his wife before him.
One of the really striking things about the Silo Saga is that, unlike many of the other post-apocalyptic stories that I’ve read, it takes place so far into the future that the people within the silo have no idea that there ever was a world outside of their home in the immense underground structure. I liked the way Howey made this evident through little things that we take for granted. Phrases such as “a bull in a China shop” hold immediate meaning for us now, but to the people of the silo, a bull is practically a mythical creature and a china shop would not exist at all. This is symptomatic of the ignorance that the people are kept in in order to protect them from the outside world and subsequently prevent uprisings. Inevitably, information will slip out here and there, and an idea will start to fester and grow.
Hoslton’s death leaves the position of sheriff open and in the next story, the mayor and deputy go on a mission to find the right candidate for the job. Jahns and Marnes are a lovely, elderly couple who are honest and good folk who care for their people and want to do their job well. I loved the way their journey through the many floors brings them closer together, while simultaneously introducing the intricate layers of the silo, complete with its politics, mechanical functions and the lives of the people who live there. Howey has a gift for character building, endearing important characters to you before moving on.
Following the selection of Juliette as the new sheriff, the story settles in with her as the main character as she susses out Holston’s mystery. This inevitably leads to trouble that dominates the rest of the series. Here the focus gradually moves away from the more personal character developments to deal with the new struggles. Other characters and their point of views are introduced, though I didn’t come to care for these characters as much as I did with the previously introduced ones.
By the end of Wool, a whole world is opened up, while the mystery of the past remains, enticing me to learn all there is to know through Shift and Dust.
Finally, In terms of the audiobook, Amanda Sayle did a reasonably good job, however, I had a hard time dealing with her male voices. Some were very annoying and did not do the particular characters justice.
Mogsy’s Book Haul
Posted on September 21, 2013 Leave a Comment
Quite a few acquisitions this week, so I figure why wait the usual fortnight to squee over new books? And believe me when I say there is never, ever a wrong time for new-book-squeeing. Since my last book haul post, I’ve even managed to take advantage of a few ebook deals. Very excited to read all of these, and perhaps you’ll find some new books you’re interested in too.
What’s shown up in my mailbox this week:
Hollow World – the pledge level rewards from the Kickstarter campaign for this book have been rolling in for the last several months. The ebook version was sent to me at the end of July, and about a month and a half later, here was the hardcover. Haven’t written the review for this yet since the wide release isn’t happening until next spring, but I can’t wait until then so all my friends can also experience this awesome book.
The Scroll of Years – for review. Pleasantly surprised at how much I liked this one. Great world, great characters, and written in a beautiful style which really needs to be taken in slowly and savored. It definitely deserves a lot more attention! Keep an eye out for my review in a few days.
The Doctor and the Dinosaurs – for review. Please, just look at that title. And that cover. Everything about this book just screams awesome. I have a feeling reading this is going to be a blast.
Twelve – after hearing me gush about Sarah Pinborough’s Mayhem and how much I love historical horror fantasy, a reader asked if I’d heard of Jasper Kent’s The Danilov Quintet. I had not, and so I wrote an email to Pyr inquiring about it. A horror spin on vampires during the Napoleonic conflict in Russia? What do you know, that does sound right up my alley. Twelve is the first book of the series.
Your Brother’s Blood – for review from Jo Fletcher Books, this one was described to me as a “zombie western”. Enough said.
The Deaths of Tao – the sequel to Wesley Chu’s humorous alien spy action thriller novel The Lives of Tao, and I am so looking forward to reading this ARC later this month!
Seven Forges – been hearing a lot of buzz about this book, so I didn’t wait to jump into it as soon as the ARC arrived from Angry Robot. At first, I wasn’t sure what all the fuss was about, but after the uncertain start, the plot pretty much exploded and I was completely hooked! If interested, you can already read my full review, which went up yesterday.
The ebooks…
Nightlife – a review request which I’m really interested in checking out. The story combining a mix of urban fantasy and horror is already calling to me.
Etiquette and Espionage – was able to snag this as a Kindle daily deal earlier this week. I’ve enjoyed the first book of Gail Carriger’s Parasol Protectorate, enough to make me curious about her new Young Adult steampunk series.
The First Pillar – another YA sci-fi/fantasy title that caught my eye, and I couldn’t say no, not for the price of a buck.
The Remaining – a friend of mine is listening to this series on audiobook, and he’s loving it. A recommendation from him means a lot to me, and so for $2.99 I picked this up. I’m always open to new zombie books, in any case.
Cryonic – speaking of zombie novels, the Kindle version of this is on sale for the month. It had been on my to-read list, so I considered that a stroke of luck. More zombie goodness!
Book Review: Seven Forges by James A. Moore
Posted on September 20, 2013 Leave a Comment
Seven Forges by James A. Moore
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 1
Publisher: Angry Robot
Date of Publication: September 24, 2013
Author Information: Website | Twitter
I really, really liked Seven Forges. Still, I’ll admit the book had me rolling with the punches for most of it. It left me cold for a long time, waiting for something awesome to happen, something to make me perk up and say, “Hey, now we’re onto something.”
A lot of this has to do with the book’s pacing, which is probably slower than I’d have preferred. I noticed while reading, for example, that even at more than halfway in, I was still treading in territory already covered by the blurb in the back of the book: a group from Fellein makes first contact with the mysterious warrior people of the Seven Forges mountains called the Sa’ba Taalor, and the expedition leader Merros Dulver brings a small entourage of them home with him.
Of course, there were other developments along the way, but not many that helped me tease out what was supposed to be the main conflict, even as I was well into the book. The world James A. Moore created here is highly imaginative and the characters and cultures are intriguing, but my heart still wasn’t pounding, at least not yet.
And then, all of a sudden, everything changed. Unexpected plot twists, shocking revelations, total chaos. Everything I thought I was signing on for when I picked up this book, I got. The only catch is? All this started occurring in the last fifty to sixty pages or so.
The question is then, can the final 10-15 percent of a book be so incredibly awesome as to impress me enough turn my opinion completely around? I struggled with this question and as a result also struggled with my review, but in the end, I have to say yes. And I don’t come to this decision lightly; very rarely does a book redeem itself in my eyes simply for having an extraordinary ending, but somehow this one manages. I went from feeling generally unaffected to being completely absorbed.
I don’t want to make it sound like I wasn’t enjoying myself at all before this point, though. I felt the book took its time getting to the meat of the conflict, yes, but even so, all the while I had the sense that it was there all along, just building up in a slow burn. Looking back now, I see that the bulk of this book reads like a very long introduction, all leading up to the point where the conflict finally ignites. And when it does, it happens in a very powerful, explosive way, in part due to everything in the book that came before providing the necessary kindling.
Speaking of which, James A. Moore is in his element when he is writing scenes with fighting and big battles, and his strength is definitely in crafting very realistic, frenetic action sequences. On the other hand, areas I felt needed more attention included character development and dialogue. For example, Desh Krohan the emperor’s sorcerer was someone I was very interested in, but would have also loved to see more exploration into his character. He talks a lot about what his powers are capable of, but even now, I’m not entirely sure what sort of magic he does and what the nature of it is.
I suppose all that will come in time, in subsequent books in this series. There’s a lot of untapped potential when it comes to the characters, but at the same time I see things moving in the right direction. Even now I think a hero is emerging in Andover Lashk, a character whose place I wasn’t sure of at the beginning, but now I see the author is actually raising him up in a very unique and unprecedented way, one I think I’ll enjoy watching.
Mission accomplished, Mr. Moore, you have me practically on pins and needles for the next installment.
Graphic Novel Review: Hawkeye Vol.1 My Life as a Weapon by Matt Fraction
Posted on September 19, 2013 Leave a Comment
Hawkeye, Vol. 1: My Life As A Weapon by Matt Fraction
Publisher: Marvel Comics
The best part about this Eisner nominated superhero story is that its not a superhero story. This is about what Clint Barton gets up to when he’s not on the Avengers clock. The opening scene immediately sets the tone with Clint falling from a building, sardonically noting that, unlike almost every one of his teammates, he has no unusual powers or devices that will make such a fall easier to handle. As a result, he ends up severely wounded and the story takes up shortly after, when he is released from the hospital.
There are two reasons to like this book. The first is Hawkeye. This is the perfect introduction to a character I know little about beyond his stoic and limited movie appearance and his fabulous modelling career on the internet. Turns out Barton is a very nice, funny, self-deprecating guy. At one point, he implies that, outside of Captain America’s influence, he might not be as nice as he seems, but his actions throughout speak otherwise, especially in the first issue, which focuses on his recovery, a new pet and his neighbours. Despite his hefty Avengers salary, he lives in a rundown apartment building and frequently hangs out with his neighbours, half-heartedly proclaiming that he is not an Avenger (which is difficult to deny when the helicarrier shows up to give him a lift).
The second reason to like this book is Hawkeye. That is, Kate Bishop, who also claims the moniker as a Young Avenger, granted the title by Captain America himself. After their initial encounter, which is depicted in the issue of Young Avengers Presents included within this volume, the two Hawkeyes become fast friends and Kate appears regularly within the pages. Their relationship is that of a casual dynamic duo where, despite Bishop’s youth, she sometimes seems to be the much older and wiser one, while Barton displays an amusing and endearing recklessness that unsurprisingly gets them both into a lot of trouble. They make a great team and their back and forth banter gave me a lot of smiles.
This volume combines issues one to five of the Hawkeye series, and includes issue six of Young Avengers Presents. I really enjoyed the first three issues and give them five stars, but was a bit disappointed when the art changed for the 2-part story arc called “The Tape.” Javier Pulido’s art, while good and somewhat similar in style, lacked the more subtle lines and muted feel and colours of David Aja’s issues. There was not nearly enough mauve. The first three issues also featured, in the letters page, suggested listening to enhance your reading pleasure. When I noticed this in the first issue, I made sure to skip to the end of the next to find out what I should be listening to as I enjoyed the story. This feature sadly did not continue.
I was also disappointed in “The Tape” storyline because Maria Hill, Captain America and Nick Fury showed up and sent Barton on a mission. While the story was good and Bishop was involved, it lacked the intimacy and unpredictability that had developed in the first three issues. The appearance of the Avengers felt like an unwelcome intrusion on the private, downtime world of Barton and Bishop.
Finally, the Young Avengers issue served as a useful introduction to the character’s relationship, but I felt it was an unnecessary inclusion that once again intruded on the characters and stories I’d cuddled up with at the beginning of my reading session.
Despite these disappointments, I will still say that I really enjoyed this read and have a whole new appreciation for both characters. I’m sure I can get over these quirks in order to continue with the series.
10…of Mogsy’s Favorite Reads this Summer
Posted on September 19, 2013 Leave a Comment
It’s hard to believe we’re already past mid-September, how quickly time flies. I hope everyone got some great reading done this summer, because I sure did! This year saw me reading a wide variety of genres, subject matters and authors, and with the last day of the season coming upon us in a few days, here’s a look back at some of the top books I read in the last three months. Bring on autumn!
EMPEROR OF THORNS by Mark Lawrence
Read from July 17 to 22, 2013
“All reigns must end…” and I have to say, finding out what will become of Jorg Ancrath in this finale to the Broken Empire trilogy made this one of my most highly anticipated fantasy novels of 2013. I was not disappointed at all. Even though finishing this meant the end of the series and a good bye to Jorg, I actually found myself happy and satisfied with how everything wrapped up. Every story needs an ending, and for me, this one was perfect.
GENERATION V by M.L. Brennan
Read from July 29 to 31, 2013
Hands down, the best Urban Fantasy I read this summer. If you’re thinking this is gonna just be another run-of-the-mill vampire series, you’d be so so SO wrong! M.L. Brennan’s take on vampires in this book totally blew my mind, and I love her sense of humor. It’s so great to see fresh ideas and bold new directions in this genre, and I’ve been recommending this book to everyone I know who loves UF.
HOLLOW WORLD by Michael J. Sullivan
Read from July 31 to August 7, 2013
I was able to read this one early because I backed it on Kickstarter. Admittedly, reading something by Michael J. Sullivan that isn’t related to Riyria felt a little strange…but it was the best kind of strange. I can’t wait until this releases so everyone can experience its awesomeness. Without a doubt, the best part is the fact that this is light and enjoyable reading but at the same time will also make you think.
LOVE MINUS EIGHTY by Will McIntosh
Read from August 14 to 17, 2013
This is one very special, simply gorgeous book. It’s a sci-fi novel with a futuristic high-tech setting, but at its heart it is also a very human story, about love and that timeless, unshakeable desire to seek a connection to another soul. This one evoked such a strong emotional reaction from me, but hey, books like that are why I love to read!
THE GREYFRIAR by Clay Griffith and Susan Griffith
Read from August 19 to 24, 2013
Steampunk and vampires — great combo! But that’s not the only reason why this stood out. What struck me was the relationship between the two protagonists. The book isn’t even a romance, but my heart completely melted for it. For someone like me whose pet peeve is a heroine who falls for guys that treat her like crap, the love and mutual respect here between Adele and Greyfriar is so refreshing.
THE THOUSAND NAMES by Django Wexler
Read from July 13 to 17, 2013
I went into this with higher-than-high expectations, and ultimately I have to say even those were met and exceeded. Definitely one of the best books I’ve read this summer, perhaps one of the best book I’ve read all year. The Thousand Names is just beyond epic, a flintlock fantasy at its finest with great characters that drew me in right away. Revolution and colonialism, military battles and gunpowder, what more could I ask for?
MAYHEM by Sarah Pinborough
Read from September 3 to 6, 2013
I enjoy a good horror novel now and then, and this summer I read a good number of them. Not only was Mayhem my favorite one, it’s probably also a top book for this entire year as well. A historical horror with a paranormal angle, it just pushed all the right buttons for me. I also loved doing research for this when I wrote the review, because I also learned all this fascinating stuff about Jack the Ripper, the Torso Killer, and the Whitechapel Murders.
MOCKINGBIRD by Chuck Wendig
Read from June 11 to 12, 2013
Ah, Miriam Black, I seriously can’t get enough of you! The second book of Chuck Wendig’s twisted and dark series about a woman with the power to see how and when someone is going to die simply by touching them, and it was just as amazing as the first! It’s not every day that a book makes me squirm in this uncomfortable-yet-not-too-entirely-unpleasant kind of way, so that certainly made this one hell of a memorable read.
KINSLAYER by Jay Kristoff
Read from August 30 to September 3, 2013
The highly anticipated sequel in The Lotus War series where the kicker is the steampunk-meets-feudal-Japan setting. This one took my emotions on a roller coaster ride this summer, with crazy revelations and shock after shock, I swear my heart almost gave out in the last hundred pages. Darker, more visceral and violent than book one, I got an Empire Strikes Back vibe off of this, and trust me, that’s never a bad thing.
ANGELFALL by Susan Ee
Read from September 9 to 14, 2013
This one squeaked in just before the end of summer, and WOW. It could have easily gotten lost in my big pile of YA-post-apocalyptic-dystopian-paranormal-romance-starring-teenage-girl-protagonist-told-in-first-person books, but color me surprised, this angels-and-end-of-days story was fantastically well written. I understand now why this title has gotten so much attention, and it’s an indie too, which makes it even more impressive.
Book Review: Thief’s Covenant by Ari Marmell
Posted on September 18, 2013 Leave a Comment
Thief’s Covenant by Ari Marmell
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of Widdershins Adventures
Publisher: Pyr
Date of Publication: February 21, 2012
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Our protagonist in Thief’s Covenant is a young woman who wears many masks and goes by many different names. Once she was Adrienne Satti, an orphan taken off the streets to be raised as an aristocrat’s ward, but soon after was forced to shed her old life to escape arrest for a savage crime she didn’t commit. Now, she is known simply as the thief Widdershins.
And really, how could I not be drawn to a book starring a character with a name like Widdershins? Along with its impishly clever cover (I kept thinking I was holding the book upside down), it made me believe I was going to be settling back to a cute young adult novel, but to my delight it ended up being something so much more than that. It’s true Thief’s Covenant could be light and funny at times, but at others it was also quite dark, grim and heavy.
For instance, the book opens with a scene following a bloody and brutal massacre on page one, which instantly dispelled any sort of preconceived notions on my part. But this I considered to be a point in the book’s favor, along with the fact that it doesn’t seem to fall prey to typical Young Adult genre conventions (I for one thought the decision to forgo a romantic arc was brave but ultimately wise).
As such, I really think a wider audience can enjoy this without being worried about it feeling “too YA”. Actually, I couldn’t help but make comparisons to Scott Lynch’s The Lies of Locke Lamora, not only for the obvious similarities like the subject of the orphaned thief and the past-present format of the novel, but because Thief’s Covenant also contains the kind of unexpected plot twists and gut-wrenching story developments that are so characteristic of the Gentleman Bastard books.
Being such a slim volume, I was also pleasantly surprised at the richness of the setting and how layered the story was. The book takes place in a world where every person from the wealthiest noble to the grimiest street urchin worships one of the dozens of gods approved by the Hallowed Pact. Widdershins, however, is a follower of the almost-forgotten minor deity Olgun, but their worshipper-worshipped relationship is one that is unlike any other. Olgun is in fact a major presence in Widdershins’ life, or more accurately, a rather major one in her head. Like I said, there’s plenty of fun and cheeriness in this book too, and the playful banter between the two of them is a very good example of the humor you will find to break up the tension.
I only wish the story had been better paced; part of this is due to the aforementioned time jumps which occur quite frequently, with flashbacks to an earlier part of Widdershins’ life almost every other chapter. On the one hand this was a very good way to give us better insight into her character and personality, and I find I really enjoyed her back story. On the other hand, it made the plot feel disjointed and gave the book a slow start, and because of this I couldn’t get into it right away.
And yet, one thing I did notice was the carefully planned and measured way the chapters were laid out, done with such a subtle elegance that the events told in the flashback chapters would always relate to what was happening to Widdershins in the present. In this way, all the questions you’ll have about her character and her history will eventually be answered. The steady doling out of details admittedly made this book a little tough to get through for the first half, but the rewarding second half made picking this book up well worth it in the end.
The BiblioSanctum 