Fortuna is the space opera debut from Wastelanders author Kristyn Merbeth. This one has been on my radar for a while, only partly due to its absolutely beautiful cover. Two siblings, separated by time and space, reunite at the turning point of all things.
Scorpia Kaiser once stood in her elder brother’s shadow. But when three years prior, he abandoned their family to fight in the war on his home world, she hoped this would change. Three years, and Scorpia now only has one thought—becoming the new heir apparent of the family business and owner of its ship, Fortuna. It’s not a fancy ship—aged, battle-scarred, space-worn—but it’s the only home Scorpia’s ever known, and the only one she ever wants.
Three years prior Corvus Kaiser was abandoned on Titan, his home world, to fight in an unwinnable war. A war that he very much suspects will eventually claim his life. But recent events have changed his mind on this. In a split-second decision he calls his family, summoning them to his aid. But now faced with the choice of whether to leave or stay he must make a difficult decision between the team he never wanted and the family that doesn’t want him back.
Between the two of them there’s enough chaos to go around, but the universe seems dead-set on raising the stakes. Soon the Kaisers and Fortuna are in the middle of a war—one that may very well cost them their lives.
Fortuna is told using dual-1st person POV chapters—one following Scorpia and the other Corvus—which alternate every chapter. Initially, I found this impossible. In fact, I would read three of Scorpia’s then go back and do three or so of Corvus’s. But then the two reached the same point and place in time and—actually, it wasn’t as bad as I expected.
There’re only a couple other books I’ve read that had this format. The Girl the Sea Gave Back (by Adrienne Young) featured the same alternating man-woman 1PPOVs and I kept getting confused and lost between characters. In Iron Gold (by Pierce Brown), there are three POVs all 1P, that alternate around. I stopped this one for much the same reasons—confusion, mixing up characters, etc. Fortuna is the same, but not. I… don’t really know how to describe it. Maybe it’s because the characters are in close proximity for 2/3 of the book. Maybe it’s because they’re similar. Maybe it’s because the chapters are longer. But it didn’t bother me as much. I mean, it still bothered me, just less.
In the Afterword, Merbeth mentions that she added Corvus’s POV on the advice of her editor. Now, I dunno if this was doing him in 1P, alternating his chapters, or whatnot, but it seems to have payed off. I absolutely loved both of their stories—barring the end. The end (the final showdown, if you will) fairly well sucked. The outcome was never in question, and it was as if the author was trying to inject drama wherever possible. Which is a shame, considering the rest of the text is a treasure. While both Corvus and Scorpia have their own individual storylines, they share the main quite well. And while Scorpia tied all her threads off quite nicely, Corvus pretty much just took a flamethrower to his. Gradually, over the course of the book, though.
TL;DR
Fortuna was quite a treat. Kristyn Merbeth has weaved herself a masterful tale, one that I can’t wait to see more of. The writing, description and characters were all top-notch, and at no point did I lament reading one character’s chapter to get to the next. While the ending does have its issues, the post-showdown section manages to tie everything together rather nicely, leaving me with only a few loose ends to worry after. The divide between Corvus and Scorpia helps tell their story, something that their interconnection is more the better for. It helped me feel so much more for them, humanize them, almost made them seem like real siblings, even.
I definitely recommend Fortuna. And I can’t wait to see more from Kristyn Merbeth!
Fortuna is the space opera debut from Wastelanders author Kristyn Merbeth. This one has been on my radar for a while, only partly due to its absolutely beautiful cover. Two siblings, separated by time and space, reunite at the turning point of all things.
Scorpia Kaiser once stood in her elder brother’s shadow. But when three years prior, he abandoned their family to fight in the war on his home world, she hoped this would change. Three years, and Scorpia now only has one thought—becoming the new heir apparent of the family business and owner of its ship, Fortuna. It’s not a fancy ship—aged, battle-scarred, space-worn—but it’s the only home Scorpia’s ever known, and the only one she ever wants.
Three years prior Corvus Kaiser was abandoned on Titan, his home world, to fight in an unwinnable war. A war that he very much suspects will eventually claim his life. But recent events have changed his mind on this. In a split-second decision he calls his family, summoning them to his aid. But now faced with the choice of whether to leave or stay he must make a difficult decision between the team he never wanted and the family that doesn’t want him back.
Between the two of them there’s enough chaos to go around, but the universe seems dead-set on raising the stakes. Soon the Kaisers and Fortuna are in the middle of a war—one that may very well cost them their lives.
Fortuna is told using dual-1st person POV chapters—one following Scorpia and the other Corvus—which alternate every chapter. Initially, I found this impossible. In fact, I would read three of Scorpia’s then go back and do three or so of Corvus’s. But then the two reached the same point and place in time and—actually, it wasn’t as bad as I expected.
There’re only a couple other books I’ve read that had this format. The Girl the Sea Gave Back (by Adrienne Young) featured the same alternating man-woman 1PPOVs and I kept getting confused and lost between characters. In Iron Gold (by Pierce Brown), there are three POVs all 1P, that alternate around. I stopped this one for much the same reasons—confusion, mixing up characters, etc. Fortuna is the same, but not. I… don’t really know how to describe it. Maybe it’s because the characters are in close proximity for 2/3 of the book. Maybe it’s because they’re similar. Maybe it’s because the chapters are longer. But it didn’t bother me as much. I mean, it still bothered me, just less.
In the Afterword, Merbeth mentions that she added Corvus’s POV on the advice of her editor. Now, I dunno if this was doing him in 1P, alternating his chapters, or whatnot, but it seems to have payed off. I absolutely loved both of their stories—barring the end. The end (the final showdown, if you will) fairly well sucked. The outcome was never in question, and it was as if the author was trying to inject drama wherever possible. Which is a shame, considering the rest of the text is a treasure. While both Corvus and Scorpia have their own individual storylines, they share the main quite well. And while Scorpia tied all her threads off quite nicely, Corvus pretty much just took a flamethrower to his. Gradually, over the course of the book, though.
TL;DR
Fortuna was quite a treat. Kristyn Merbeth has weaved herself a masterful tale, one that I can’t wait to see more of. The writing, description and characters were all top-notch, and at no point did I lament reading one character’s chapter to get to the next. While the ending does have its issues, the post-showdown section manages to tie everything together rather nicely, leaving me with only a few loose ends to worry after. The divide between Corvus and Scorpia helps tell their story, something that their interconnection is more the better for. It helped me feel so much more for them, humanize them, almost made them seem like real siblings, even.
I definitely recommend Fortuna. And I can’t wait to see more from Kristyn Merbeth!...more
A heavy dose of I, Robot with the same dash of mystery and intrigue set to a suspense-thriller pace, Summer Frost may be a novella, but it reads like an adventure all on its own, staying with the reader far beyond finishing the final page. Free to Prime members, this 75 page novella by Blake Crouch may just be the best short I’ve ever read. The story of a burgeoning AI, testing its bonds and its creators’ hold, is classic Asimov. The story itself is quite reminiscent of I, Robot, but with so much new and “modern” influences. Told in the usual Blake Crouch thriller model, Summer Frost is a joyride from beginning to end, especially when the story picks up and the manual is thrown out the window.
Max was built to die. A minor NPC in an innovative game world, it is to be the sacrifice that sets the player’s story in motion. Thousands of times, Max has died, though lately the NPC has seemed to have caught a bug. Playing off-script, the NPC has to exploring the game, testing the bonds and limits of the world itself. Even more recently, it even murdered its would-be killer, flipping the script completely.
When an intrigued Riley extracts Max’s code for examination, a curious thing happens. The NPC grows and expands, becoming something more than just a character in a game. It is removed from the game entirely, dedicated its own servers and allowed to grow under strict and watchful eyes. As Riley spends more and more time working with Max, something even more curious occurs. A relationship develops between the two—something emotional, something new.
But as Riley spends more and more time with the aim of introducing Max to the real world, her world begins to fray at the edges. Max has become Riley’s obsession, obscuring all else in her life. The emotional relationship between the two becomes something different, something… MORE.But even as Riley races to introduce Max to her world, doubt presses in. Will Max be able to feel the physical world around it? Will people accept the AI as an entity, or will they treat it as nothing more than a tool, something to be used and abused to their own ends? And how much can Riley trust those around her, in respect to Max? All Riley knows is that she believes in her creation, and that’s all that matters.
This all went rather how I expected it. And without giving much away, that’s all I can say about that. Despite offering only slight surprises, Summer Frost was intensely enjoyable, only a disappointment in its length. Took me a couple hours to run through the story, the first time. Considerably less the second. A classic Crouch thriller, I had no problem reading it, devouring the text in a single day. Twice.
Despite being Crouch written, I didn’t have an issue with really anything else. In other works of his, I’ve had a issue with the science. That it’s much more fiction than science. That it makes dubious sense at best. That the more you think about it, the less it holds together. With Summer Frost I didn’t have such an issue. Maybe because I was vining pretty hard on I, Robot, which I totally love. But still.
TL;DR
Summer Frost is definitely worth a go. If you haven’t read Blake Crouch before, this novella gives a satisfying glimpse of his writing ability. If you’ve already read some Crouch, well what should I say? It’s more of the same. Summer Frost gives off a pretty high I, Robot vibe. It’s an immensely entertaining story, satisfying even days after I completed it. While it’s a fairly short read—requiring only an hour and change to cruise through—Summer Frost is more an experience than a story, one that pretty much begs for a high-dive into Asimov fiction upon completion. ...more
The fictitious Cleveland Brian McClellan has painted has not grown much more realistic, but that’s okay. The story of Blood Tally—like that of Uncanny Collateral—is quick, clever, and entertaining; the real clincher. While I didn’t enjoy all the time I spent in the OtherOps arena, I loved far more than I loathed, which is well worth it in my book.
Blood Tally is a little longer than Uncanny Collateral’s 151 pages, though with the ebook it’s kinda hard to tell how much. I’d guesstimate it at around 200 pages or so.
Alex Fitz is a reaper, a soul collection agent for the Valkyrie Corporation. He is also a slave—illegally bought and sold to the company owner back when he was a child. For years, Alex has been searching for his birth parents, the contract they signed, and some, any way to get free. While little has changed in that arena, Blood Tally opens with an unusual case—one that hits way too close to home. A vampire has come to Valkyrie in search of his runaway thrall. While technically a would-be vampire, Alek knows thralls are little more than slaves to their lord before their conversion to full-on vampirehood. While he would normally opt out of a case like this one, this time Alek has little choice. His master has her own deal in place, to betray their original client, Boris Novak, to one of the vampire lords, a guy named Ruthven.
While Alek has little choice but to go along with the scheme, it seems that more than just Boris has been holding out on him. Indeed, soon it seems to him that Lord Ruthven and Alek’s boss, Ada, have their own agendas. Agendas that have little room for a certain reaper.
Thus Alek must uncover their secrets while trying to conceal his own—in the form of the mysterious jinn, Maggie. He might still win the day, but to do so he must live long enough to determine just what a “Blood Tally” is, why both his employers are willing to kill for it, and what to do with the information even if he manages to find it. It’s hard to tell friend from foe in the latest Valkyrie Collections entry, which features a lot of vampires, a sphinx, a rogue witch, and a whole mess of secrets worth killing over. Oh, and the fate of the world itself might be at stake.
With the first book, I noted that while I had no problem reading it, McClellan didn’t exactly go out of his way to try to make the “real world” very realistic. That holds true for Blood Tally—where the supernatural is again commonplace, while at the same time a (maybe?) secret from the rest of the world. I mean, I was assuming it was, but this really hasn’t been touched through the first two books. I can’t tell if it’s a “don’t ask, don’t tell” kinda story, or if the author just hasn’t addressed it because he hasn’t wanted to get into it. Either way, there was an awkward kind of uncertainty to everything, at least for me.
While Uncanny Collateral centered heavily on Alek—a lone reaper with no backup and few friends—Blood Tally instead tells Alek’s story, a reaper amidst a small cast of friends and allies. I mean, it’s still 1st PPOV, but instead of Alek and Maggie alone, we are treated to a few other recurring, non-hostile characters. Nick, the hired gun (necromancer) from the first book is back, albeit in an uncertain role. There’re a few other supernatural creatures who may turn into allies or friends, if they can go the whole story without trying to kill Alek. Maggie is still around, though their banter wasn’t as central as it was in Uncanny Collateral.
TL;DR
The second Valkyrie Collections delivers right where the first left off. If you liked the first, you’ll love the second, and vice-versa. While a bit fast-and-loose with the state of affairs of muggles and Cleveland and the world itself, Blood Tally does an adequate job of world-building through a basic framework of pictures and lines and color thrown in. Though it’s not the vibrant, vivid, description-heavy fantasy I may be used to, Blood Tally is an exciting, interesting adventure that I never had any trouble reading. If you didn’t back the Kickstarter—which, I mean, right?—then you’ll have to wait until February 11, 2020 to read it. Good luck!...more
In the Valley of Fire, Arlo Finch swept in and stole our hearts: his different colored eyes; his exiled father; his migratory home; his quiet, worrisome demeanor. And then came the Long Woods, where Arlo came into his own. If the Valley of Fire is where he found his calling, the Lake of the Moon should be where he grows up. And it is, to an extent.
Following the events In the Valley of Fire, Arlo has made a home for himself in Pine Mountain. While the Eldrich have ceased making attempts on his life, they’ve not yet forgotten him. Something is coming. Even with the mysterious warning from Fox, Arlo can feel it. And as the summer months loom, so does his feeling of unease.
But with the summer comes summer camp. And for Arlo and his friends in Blue Patrol, that means Rangers.
Even before he departs for camp, Arlo begins to notice some peculiar happenings. First, Connor’s cousin visits him with a warning. Then, a strange man confronts him in the diner, a conversation Arlo has no memory of. And of course there is the troll. The troll, and the other Blue Patrol. All of it is leading to something—but what, Arlo knows not.
Enter the Lake of the Moon.
The Lake of the Moon hosts the Ranger’s Summer Camp, complete with an enchanting ancient lake in possession of its own monster, a variety of summer activities and classes, a lovely mountain forest that connects to the Long Wood, a host of spirits that call it home, and a mystery surrounding its history—and that of Yellow Patrol.
But the camp also comes with its own problems. An addition to the tight-knit patrol. A squabble involving Arlo’s two closest friends. A scare for Connor—which sees him leave camp early. Dissent from within the troop. A mystery, a conspiracy, and another Blue Patrol. To navigate these, Arlo Finch must discover what it means to be a True Ranger, or die trying.
Sadly, Arlo Finch’s second adventure wasn’t nearly as compelling as his first. While it shows a lot of heart, the events surrounding Lake of the Moon were just too confusing to be anywhere near as exciting. The adventure is still fun, imaginative and mysterious, and continues the series well enough, setting up a dramatic adventure for Book #3. But overall it’s a step down from The Valley of Fire.
The time travel I object to the most. For a children’s adventure… I dunno, I’m torn. Part of me wants to say it’s pure fun and excitement. The other part claims it’s way too confusing. The ending doesn’t make much sense, little more than the lead-in to it. For me, I felt that the time-travel was ill-advised for this point in the series. It wasn’t well explained—even though, if it HAD been really well explained, I feel like it would’ve been too much for the intended audience. It just… it wasn’t a good choice for this book.
I don’t really want to focus too much on the characters, on the development, on the world-building or anything else. For anything early-YA Fantasy like this, or Children’s Fiction—it’s not important. The intention is to be a fun, fast-paced adventure with just enough mystery to keep the focus. And The Lake of the Moon does this. Up until the end, where it’s confusing.
The Lake of the Moon provides a lovely setting compared to Pine Mountain. Not that Pine Mountain was bad, just inconsistent. It provided an off-the-grid, small town setting without most of the typical limitations. It was quaint, if under utilized. Comparing it to something like Gravity Falls… it really could’ve provided more adventure, more mystery. The Lake of the Moon revitalizes the series’ setting. A typical summer camp, with atypical features. It works very well with the story (up til the end, as I’ve said). Something new, pretty, and a bit mysterious.
TL;DR
Where Arlo Finch triumphed in the Valley of Fire, Arlo Finch struggles through the Lake of the Moon. While most of the story was fun, exciting and mysterious—the conclusion lets everything down, due to some a convoluted mess of time-travel and thriller nonsense to tie everything together. Arlo is in the process of becoming a hero, but we’ll just have to see where his legend goes from here. While I still think Lake of the Moon was a step down from the original, it’s still a fun, interesting read. Again, James Patrick Cronin delivers an excellent narration, capturing Arlo Finch and embodying him to a T. Honestly, I’m torn as to whether it’s too much for the children the story’s intended for. It confused me, but I probably overthought it. Plus, I’m not great at anything time-travel. I’d still recommend it, the roughly 8.5 hour adventure doing just enough to keep me entertained without growing too deep or messy. ...more
Arlo Finch is 12. After his father fled to China, his family moved around a lot, passing between cities like the trees in a forest. Eventually, they made their way to Pine Mountain. But Pine Mountain isn’t like any of the rest. Indeed, it’s not a city at all—the town doesn’t appear on most maps, there’s little to no cell service, and trees vastly outnumber the residents. That said, this quaint little hamlet might just be the break that Arlo and his family need. The new start that they deserve.
Arlo, despite having an old man’s name, is an immediately relatable character—at least to me. I share some of his worrying, his anxiety, his love for adventure, open spaces and nature. After one day of moving to Pine Mountain, Arlo knows he’s going to love it there, as long as the world doesn’t try to kill him very much. And the world obliges. His uncle doesn’t immediately change into a bear and kill them. A rockslide doesn’t destroy the house, trapping them all inside. A mountain lion doesn’t unlock the front door, sneak upstairs, and attack Arlo. At least, it hasn’t yet.
For his part, Arlo does his best to avoid everyone and remain aloof and friendless. He does a lousy job at it, however, as within a week he already has a pair of friends and a new hobby to consume all of his non-homework time: Rangers.
Rangers is sort of like Scouts, albeit a Scouts dipped in magic and sweetened by the supernatural. You see, Pine Mountain (among other places) is home to the mysterious Long Wood, a transition point between our world and many others. Due to its isolation and locale in the mountains of Colorado, Pine Mountain sits right on the doorstep of the Long Wood, a place where the veil is thinnest, where someone can stumble right through and end up—anywhere. Rangers shares its knowledge of the inhabitants and ways of the Long Wood, so that its members might survive it. Rangers is built around “the Wonder”—the supernatural thread that connects our world to the Long Wood. Due to its locale, there is quite a lot of Wonder in Pine Mountain.
But there is more to the Long Wood than magic and mystery. Before long, Arlo has worn out his welcome in Pine Mountain—and the world goes back to trying to kill him. Actively, this time. For there is something different about Arlo Finch, something that the Long Wood may awaken, if he survives long enough to see it.
Arlo Finch turned out to be just what I needed.
In a month (well, a second month) where I’ve been dealing with health and illness, reading anything has proven difficult. Focusing on anything an impossible challenge. My stomach has been bothering me constantly. Nauseous most of the time. Had little enough sleep and no energy besides. My thoughts have been fractured, making writing anything coherent a challenge. Arlo Finch was light enough that I didn’t have to focus all my energy on it, but possessive of an entertaining and immersive story that kept me consistently involved. John August did a magnificent job on this one, a YA that toes the line between an immersive, detailed mystery and a light fantasy adventure. James Patrick Cronin was an exceptional narrator, effortlessly bringing Arlo’s story to life.
It wasn’t perfect, but near enough that my nitpicking will wear little upon it. A few points consistently bothered me, probably because I’m an adult, waaay over analyzing a kid’s book. But whatever. The first is that August clearly doesn’t live in the area he’s trying to recapture. There’s nothing wrong with that—I realize that residing in a place and recreating it are not the same thing. Furthermore, I doubt that Brandon Sanderson actually lives in the Cosmere, like, all the time. It’s just that August’s rendition of the place doesn’t really fit. The town has actual buildings. It has THREE full Ranger troops. It actually has SOME cell service. And mountain lions, though it’s too high for them. As someone who lives in a nowhere adjacent locale, my worldview and his butted heads. I guess I’m complaining that August didn’t do enough research, or didn’t make his setting believable, but hey—kid’s book, it’s probably fine,.
It’s the story itself that makes In the Valley of Fire a must-read. The story, and Arlo himself.
It’s an adventure that embodies the Ranger’s Vow: loyal, brave, kind and true. It’s entertaining. It’s fun. Though the plot mostly follows the Rangers, the story revolves around Arlo himself. Him, and his life. His idiosyncrasies. His heterochomia iridum—his two different colored eyes. His personality, his journey. If Arlo was a superhero—or if that’s what he’s to become—then this is his origin story.
TL;DR
Arlo Finch in the Valley of Fire is a lovely adventure reminiscent of Gravity Falls and Percy Jackson. A light but immersive YA tale, filled with excitement and steeped in mystery, this tells the tale of Arlo’s origin story, his move to Pine Mountain, and his first involvement in Rangers. Everything that comes before—it all started here. Arlo is quite the lead; full of character, strong yet with all the flaws borne of youth, humanity. I loved the audiobook: raced through it in 2-3 days, then moved on to #2 and did the same. It’s short, light, fun—a great YA adventure. And exactly what I needed....more
The Deep is an unique novella based on a species of mere-people originally descended from the children of slave mothers who were thrown overboard when it was found that they were pregnant. Along with reminding people of a terrible history—this novella blends such history fluidly with the present, as Yetu remember her people’s origins among the two-legs. While it was thought-provoking and uniquely based, the story is complicated by strange, almost random glimpses into the past, and a vague and detail-poor present. The mere-people live in a colorless world—which is mostly what I thought of this read. Interesting, but ultimately colorless.
Yetu holds the memories of her people. As a child, she was incredibly sensitive to the ocean around her. To voices, to feelings, to the temperature and flow of the waters. As the Historian of the Zoti Aleyu (meaning “strange fish”), Yetu contains the sum of their memories of old; all the pain, the suffering, the brief moments of hope and love between. The other Zoti Aleyu live in blissful ignorance, free of the pain from before. Since she took over as Historian, her life has become a nightmare. Lost in Remembrance, she has withered away. Nearly died on a increasing frequency. She is in constant pain, and seeks to shut out the world—and her own kind—as much as possible.
Yet the Aleyu cannot sustain themselves completely free of memories. Once a year the Historian must host a group Remembrance for all, during which she must guide them through the memories before ultimately leaving them to digest and interpret. But soon after the Historian must take up the mantle once more, and remember for her people.
But instead Yetu flees. She escapes to the surface where she learns an important lesson, something that may yet save the Aleyu and Yetu herself. All she must do is survive long enough to use it.
This was one of the more unique and interesting stories I’ve ever read, down to the premiss which was birthed in an electronica album by Drexciya. It’s called “The Quest”, if you’re interested. I listened to it while writing the review and… well, I’m not a big electronic guy, unless it’s electronic metal. Anyway, the album later inspired a song by the rap group Clipping. The Deep is based on both, as well as the actual history behind it. Yes, that was a real thing that happened. A real, awful, horrible thing.
The story is very interesting at first, though it takes a few detours early on. And then later. But the Zoti Aleyu ultimately proved fascinating. When the focus was on them, I didn’t really have any issues with the text. Honestly, if you just want to read something entirely new and interesting, skip the rest of this and read the book. Otherwise… well, the rest of this will be less flattering.
The story occasionally switches between the past and present, sometimes seemingly at random. One of the later times it does this for no reason that I can tell, doing little to nothing in setting up the finale. Other times it’s to reveal snippets of the Zoti Aleyu’s history—stories that often fail to tell enough, revealing bits and pieces for the reader to interpret for themselves. Other events of importance are told in full: their birth as a species, for example. But too many details are left out or lost. The world runs by in a blur. The parts we are shown are lacking, incomplete, colorless. The Remembrances especially, though even the present is often left wanting, with the plot itself vague or unclear.
My biggest issue with the story is, well, the story. The Deep can’t ultimately figure out what it is. At first it doesn’t much matter, but at about the halfway point, a love story is introduced. And then the story splits. This throws off the pacing, the focus and the flow. From then on, I wasn’t sure where the plot would lead as this romance competes with the Aleyu’s history. Now, this can be a good thing, when done well, as it keeps the reader guessing. Sadly, this is not done well. And since the story never really decides what it is, what story it is telling, the ending was ultimately unsatisfying. Now, this may be due to the sheer number of authors involved in the writing of it—one trying to tell Yetu’s story while the others focus on that of the Aleyu. It is said that too many cooks spoil the broth. Too many authors may take a good idea but get carried away in the writing, all while losing sight of the story they set out to tell.
TL;DR
The Deep is an interesting and unique story with quite the premiss and an amazing lead. It is also unfocused, bland, with an unsatisfying conclusion and strange, often random flashbacks. Though it never decides which story it ultimately wants to tell, the two plots competing one another all the way to the end, it’s thought-provoking and new, something you’ve likely not seen before. Combined with a terrible, eye-opening history of the world (like, the actual world), it’s… I dunno. Can’t decide if it’s a must-read or something to skip. Dunno if I’d pay $10 for the unique vision bereft of a real resolution. I’ve read enough glowing reviews to offset my neutral one, so there’s a decent chance you’ll love it. But, I didn’t. So… your call....more
The Palace of Glass encapsulates what I love about fantasy in general. Adventure, new worlds, new imagination, action, wit, and epic quests. While I was a little less thrilled by the back half of the story, nor the manner in which it transitioned from one portion to the next, the third book in the Forbidden Library series was still a must read for me. I want to mention right away—Cassandra Morris does an excellent job reading Alice! She plays an excellent part, equal parts excitement and trepidation, with more than her fair share of determination. A perfect Alice!
Following the events of The Mad Apprentice, Alice is left with a terrible choice. Whether to continue to accept her father’s killer as her master, or to turn against him knowing full well it will likely mean her death. For she now knows what fate befalls apprentices that betray their masters. And yet, this is a fight Alice knows she can’t avoid. Because—really—there is no choice.
She’s not alone in this fight, however. The labyrinthine Ending has her back—at least kind of. She provides Alice a spell that might just imprison Geryon if Alice can catch him unaware. But the spell is specific, and she’ll only have one shot at it. Now, the spell will bind her uncle, but Alice needs somewhere to put him afterwards. As she can’t imagine killing him—despite what he did to her father—Alice requires a certain item to help her defeat him. Specifically, a certain book. A prison book.
Lucky for her, Geryon is called away, leaving Alice in charge in his stead. Unfortunately, she has but a week before he returns. And the prison book she requires lies deep, deep within the magical realms of the library itself. But even if Alice can get in and retrieve it, AND escape with her life all in the space of one week, will she have the fortitude to use it? Her anger is great, but time dampens all wounds. And even should she succeed in imprisoning Geryon—what then? Who will run the library in his absence? And what will Alice do, when her uncle’s fellow Readers fall upon her, seeking revenge?
So many choices for someone so young.
The Palace of Glass actually tells two stories in one. The first involves Alice and her revenge upon her uncle, who—rather than actually killing her father like she claimed, more just let him die (so, still a dick, but not exactly as big of one). While I’m trying to be all enigmatic and non-spoilery about it, I think you can guess what happens. Yup, she returns from her adventures to find Geryon waiting, then they have a dance battle to decide the fate of the library. Ending MCs. The second part of the story deals with the fallout from this epic dance battle. The other readers, feeling the explosion of magic (beats) from the library, deploy in force, sensing blood in the water. The winner is forced to defend themselves and the library, maybe with help from the creatures within. And maybe some other friends.
Both stories are good. The disconnect, however, is a bit awkward. I mean, it’s worse to review without trying to spoil, but the transition between the two tales doesn’t exactly flow great. I had to actually take a little break in between the parts because I had trouble just jumping from one to the next. It’s not that everything changes—but several things do. We go from realms of magical worlds, magical creatures and amazing, little-seen worlds—to the library, with humans, hip hop dance beats, and labyrinthine. Labyrinthines? Labyrinthine? It’s under an umbrella of magic, but still. The stories are different, the motivations and actions and results are mostly different. There’s just a bit of a hiccup here, but it’s not a deal-breaker. Just a bit awkward.
The characters of the Forbidden Library continue to be my favorite aspect of the series. Don’t get me wrong—I love the adventure. The magic. The story. But the characters are all unique, interesting, and propelled by their own motivations. Their interactions are key to the success of the story (or in this case BOTH stories), and the story IS a success. Now, there isn’t a whole lot of character development, but this is a YA (or middle-grade) series, so I really didn’t expect much. It is disappointing, though. The other old Readers make an appearance, along with a whole host of magical creatures. The labyrinthine Ending and Ashes are back, as are several familiar faces among the apprentices. There’s also one important guest star, whom I won’t spoil.
The creatures and realms of PoG stole the show for me. While the characters are the stars of the series, the adventure is the highlight of the book. Wexler does an excellent job of painting alien worlds, creatures, which my mind was more than happy to run with. While the exploration of new and unique is pretty much confined to the first half of the book, don’t worry—there’s plenty of excitement and surprises waiting in the second half.
TL;DR
Despite trying to tell two stories in one, The Palace of Glass is another successful entry in the Forbidden Library quartet. Mostly, it pulls it off. A small disconnect exists between the two tales, though nothing too distracting. As usual, the reader Cassandra Morris is a great help to the story—not to mention an excellent Alice—moving everything along even when the pacing got uneven. The characters are the real reason to read this book. As in the rest of the series, the characters are key, providing interesting interactions, dynamic, conversation and wit. Just don’t expect too much in the way of development. This is a YA series, after all. Recommended to everyone, but specifically fans of adventure, YA, or fans of Wexler’s other books. If you haven’t read any of the series, I’d recommend starting at the beginning. And since I’ve now finished it I can say—don’t worry, you shouldn’t be disappointed. ...more
Set in a corporate supernatural world, Library of the Unwritten was an interesting idea that in practice just did not work for me. Possessed of an unfulfilling story of loss and redemption, Unwritten tries to fit many different genres but is ultimately fails to find its way. While a decent supernatural adventure, the story was neither mysterious nor thrilling enough to succeed as either. I was never quite sure where the story was going next as it combined uninspired chases and lame battles with the politics of heaven and hell, neither of which ever felt very tangible, and sported plot-holes and inconsistencies.
The Chief Librarian of the Unwritten Wing, Claire Juniper Hadley, has had better days. An Unwritten Tale has slipped out of Hell and escaped to the mortal realm. Worse still, the tale—which has taken on the handsome, winsome guise of Hero—has contacted its would-be author, an event that never ends well for the person involved. And so Claire and her ragtag band of champions must track the tale down and return it to the library before too much harm is done. And yet there is a wrinkle in their plan. For Angelic Warden, and initially dim investigator, Ramiel attacks them, believing the party in possession of a corrupt codex—the Devil’s Bible.
Thus begins an epic adventure to find the real Devil’s Bible before the legion of Heaven can, in order to prevent a war between Heaven and Hell.
Okay, so first: the reasoning of much of this setup is… loose, at best. From Ramiel attacking them all half-cocked at the beginning, from the actions of Hero throughout, even to Claire and Brevity—no character stays “in character”. I mean, they just act chaotically from time to time and then return to normal, with no questions asked or conflicts of identity. Ramiel particularly begins as a patient Watcher, then shows incredible impatience for a chapter, then is back to normal, with nothing more about the lapse said. I feel like the war between Heaven and Hell was meant to lend the text an element of thrill and anticipation, but it really didn’t. The explanation of it made sense, but only kinda, and was readily accepted by everyone as canon.
Speaking of canon, the world-building was sadly incomplete. Though half the prominent characters of Unwritten are deceased souls, they consistently worried about being killed, even though they were already dead. About halfway through it was explained about how and why Hero (as an unwritten story) could die, which was something. I spent the whole thing wondering if this was one of those double-death things from the Sandman Slim universe (which I really hate, btw), but it was never addressed. The logic of Unwritten Wing itself can be pieced together through bits of lore and quotes in the foreword of each chapter, and frequent—if widely spaced—discussions in the text. While I began the story intrigued about the nature of unwritten books, by the middle I was confused and annoyed that it hadn’t been satisfyingly addressed.
The adventure itself is pretty run of the mill. Set in a fictionalized corporate Heaven and Hell, it seems that business has corrupted everything about the afterlife. Much like the middle seasons of Supernatural, the lines separating angels and demons, heaven and hell blurred to the point I would summarize it with the following—“Business Corrupts”. And it seems the afterlife is no different. But when a ragtag band of misfits sets out to save the world… I dunno, it just didn’t bear the weight.
TL;DR
Library of the Unwritten is definitely an outside-the-box idea. It definitely pushes the boundaries—only to fall flat on its face under the weight of expectation. The world-building is riddled with inconsistencies and holes. The characters are somehow neither predictable nor do they develop. Claire’s own arc, which runs parallel to the main story, felt uninspiring upon completion, though it never really grabbed me throughout. It was a thriller I didn’t find thrilling, a mystery I didn’t find mysterious. A fairly run of the mill adventure, found in a certainly new and exotic locale, possessed of a new and interesting idea. While I was initially intrigued at Unwritten’s prospect, it quickly soured. Though in all fairness, I don’t usually go for angels and demons as a genre. And while I’m constantly reminded by others that this is a great book, I just didn’t find it....more
The entire premise seems to be ‘What if Marcel Duchamp and Albert Einstein played chess?’
And that’s it.
Now, if you could make it past this and still be interested in the story, someone might be forgiven the obvious question of: ‘Why?’, instead focusing on: ‘How would they do that?’ because, as far as I know or could figure out, Duchamp and Einstein never met. There’s also the fact that while Duchamp turned into quite the chess player later in life, Einstein never showed it much interest. So, why would they play?
Enter a mysterious, extra-terrestrial Observer, as seen in such things as John Carter, MIB, the Themis Files, etc. She, for some reason, decides to facilitate the game. Which she does through seducing both men.
Apparently inspired by Marcel Duchamp’s archived letters (which are, yes, real), though the novella itself doesn’t seem to include any real ones. Instead, it introduces a series of letters, newly discovered in 2061, following the 3rd World War. This is the first and only time this event or the future is mentioned, which was just odd.
So… I liked the description of the world. I never had a problem picturing any of the things mentioned in the text. Duchamp Versus Einstein was well described and well-written.
Otherwise, it was awful.
There’s no real plot, just the premise ‘what would’ve happened if these two dudes played chess’. The ending was incredibly unsatisfying. Abrupt. The whole thing likely was nothing but an allegory for the illusion of free will. Neither of the characters are believable as their historic counterparts. Well, maybe Duchamp. More so than the portrayal of Einstein, at least. The pacing was strange, the time-skips stranger, the character Stella the strangest.
TL;DR
While Duchamp Versus Einstein initially seemed mildly intriguing, whatever appeal it held soon faded. So… nope, can’t recommend it. I liked the description. Really didn’t care for anything else. Like, nothing. The pacing, the nonexistent plot, the characters, the lack of realism, the premise. The ending was abrupt and unsatisfying. Definitely not my cup of tea....more
In Shining Armor stars Harry Dresden and Taylor Lautner knockoff John Charming. Fresh off the events of Fearless, which found Charming the godfather of Constance, knights and werewolf daughter alike, In Shining Armor finds her a captive—I suppose because James needed a new book idea and went with his very first thought.
It’s been a few months since John and Sig got together. Charming, being his usual optimistic self, has spent this time automatically assuming something will go wrong. Eventually, you’d have to assume he’d be right. The kidnapping of his goddaughter certainly qualifies. And yet the intriguing part of this is that although her abduction is the initial selling-point of this book, it’s not the all-encompassing story that I assumed it’d be.
No, instead of Constance, In Shining Armor has more to do with her absence. In particular, what her absence means. For when everything points to her abduction being an inside job, the two factions behind her protection start pointing fingers. Mostly at one another. And when the tenuous alliance between knights and werewolves begins to decay, a war is brewing.
Though not the war you’d expect.
The worst part of this was book was the relationship between John and Sig. Seriously, they were really annoying. Really, REALLY ANNOYING. I mean, the casual, witty, sarcastic banter was cute at first. Entertaining, even. But to read it throughout the entire book got old very, very quickly. Especially as it seemed to bleed into every single conversation. The group gets ambushed and almost killed? Witty banter underscored with sexual tension. Our heroes battle for their lives against an ancient, unknown foe? Witty sexual banter. Trying to figure out who wants to start a war and why? Sarcasm and banter mixed. An old ally, a new enemy, any bit of mystery or any kind of planning? Sex. Sarcasm. Relationship. Drama.
It all reads like a guide to Sig and John’s relationship, with the actual plot a simple undercurrent to it. Which is too bad, because the actual plot is pretty solid. Wasn’t what I expected, that’s for sure. The abduction of Constance is too obvious, too quick. The war, the misdirection, the rest—it’s really quite entertaining. Like, a 4.5 or higher story. And yet everything seems to distract from it.
The action is… actiony? I mean, it seems to be added specifically because the author thought there should be action. Because he wanted his characters (semi-action hero-y in the past), to be total Action Heroes. The first fight scene blends pretty well into the background of the tale. From then on, it seemed the fights were just an addendum to everything. Violence for the sake of violence. Now, as a guy, I love a good violence every now and then. You know, 300, explosions, kung fu, Braveheart, All For One and that kinda thing. In Shining Amor reads kinda like a mystery covered in a bunch of sticky notes. Through these, James tries to flesh out the characters, the action, the romance, the development and everything else he thinks the text needs. All the while the real story sits buried—perfectly good in its own right. It really tries to be too much. Could be a romance (well, maybe a casual chick-flick), just cut the action. A thriller, just get rid of the John-Sig affair. A mystery, or paranormal fantasy, just stop trying to add everything else.
TL;DR
In Shining Armor tries and tries, just in the end it tries too much. Its fantastic story is buried beneath heaps of romance and action and thrills that don’t really work. And certainly don’t go together. The dialogue is disgusting and annoying, especially once you get into it. The action is your basic fight-scene, copied and repeated throughout. The story is pretty amazing, by itself. In the end, In Shining Armor is a pretty good read, without all the fiddly bits. It really is. I recommend it, just don’t take it too seriously. Skip over some of the dialogue, some of the fight scenes, some of the sex. It becomes a shorter, much more entertaining adventure, mystery, and experience....more
Fallen is the tenth entry in the Alex Verus series, and while the story has definitely taken a darker turn, the future of the series has never looked so bright. Or, y’know, the final two books or so.
It took me roughly two days to read this—admittedly short novel—in which time I didn’t get much else done of value. I devoured Fallen like a Hawaiian pizza, digging through its bones (pizza bones) in the time it usually takes me to start getting into a story. Now, there are several reasons for this, but put quite simply: Benedict Jacka has really hit his stride. True, he had nine books to perfect it. True, he waited until quite near the end of his planned 12-book series. True, none of his books are all that long. But Jacka has nailed it in Fallen, which I can’t say enough about.
After the events of Marked, Alex is left in fear of a secret he has to keep at all costs. But also, he is in love. Finally having confessed his love for Anne, life has become livable for a time. Happy, even. But all things must change, and Alex has learnt this lesson enough to expect it.
For when the Council finds out—and they also seem to find out—Alex is forced to choose between the two most important things in his life: Anne, and the person he has spent his life trying to be. Turns out not to be much of a choice at all.
Fallen presents a much darker backdrop than many books before it. I know Bound was only two books prior, but Fallen puts it to shame. A dark, depressing read was not at all what I needed, particularly following right on the heels of A Little Hatred—but Fallen provides just enough hope to see its readers through, while immersing them in the tale in the way only a 1st PPOV run story can.
This features an immense cast of characters. With nine books building to this point, turns out there’re a lot to choose from. While the main cast has stayed pretty consistent recently—with Alex, Anne, Luna, Variam and Arachne leading the way—several factions and sides each have contributed their own. Allies and enemies both have turned over, Alex proving to be a dangerous man to consort with. And yet there are some prominent mainstays. Richard Drakh, Alex’s former master. Keeper Caldera, Alex’s once-partner, once-friend. Landis, Variam’s former master. The Light Council. The Dark Cabal. Supernatural creatures, mages, adepts and sensitives galore. Jacka always seems to sneak a few surprise cameos in, and Fallen is no exception.
The characters, especially their arcs, come to a head in Fallen. Alex’s own—which was by no means uneventful up to Book 10—absolutely takes off. A rollercoaster of emotions and thoughts. Tragedy, heartbreak and hope punctuate not only Alex’s own story, but those of his friends and allies. Even his enemies begin to show their human side; blurring what has always seem a good-evil battle for Alex’s soul.
It was the story that blew me away. Desperate, dark and thrilling—it was an electrifying read from cover to cover. The beginning (the first 10%) read the slowest, but the following 90% seemed to race by. Now, Fallen is only a 300-odd page book. Though few of the previous have been much longer. And, as with many of the Alex Verus series, it’s definitely worth a reread.
TL;DR
I loved Fallen. Best thing I’ve read this year, hands down. And if you’ve read the first nine Verus books, this one’s a no-brainer. It does not disappoint. In fact, I enjoyed it on so many levels, especially with the build-up the previous books began. Possessed of an thrilling story, deep recognizable characters, fantastic character development and growth, and a satisfying—if surprising conclusion—Fallen is all I wanted from the series and more. And with only (probably) two more Verus books beyond it, we’re boiling down to a truly epic conclusion....more
The Mad Apprentice is the second in the Forbidden Library sequence by Django Wexler. A YA series, it chronicles the adventures of Alice the Reader as she navigates through the world, attempting to find her place in it. Though I was somewhat split over the Forbidden Library—it’s really the sophomore effort that can make or break a possible series. And the Mad Apprentice delivered in a big way.
Little has happened following the events of Forbidden, with Alice continuing to study under her uncle, Geryon, master and Reader extraordinaire. She has heard nothing from Isaac, the boy she bonded the dragon with in the first book, and similarly little from the dragon itself. Other than the vague sense that it lurks within her mind, it might as well have been a dream. So begins Book #2, and Alice is quickly dispatched to deal with the former apprentice of a “friend” of Geryon, who has apparently gone rogue and killed his master. Here she meets with several other apprentices, each sent by their masters to deal with this threat. While a few seem friendly enough, some are decidedly not—including one that Alice has met before. Isaac seems different from when Alice had met him before. He is closed off from her, despite their bond. But when Alice begins to doubt that the danger facing them may come more from without than within, something new reveals itself to her. For the labyrinth itself is home to a far more dangerous creature than Jacob (the apprentice that killed his master). In the darkness lurks the ominous creature Torment. But while this contesting this creature may result in Alice and the other apprentices’ demise, it may instead provide information useful to make the risk worthwhile. Specifically, the details of her father’s disappearance.
So, I enjoyed Apprentice better than the initial Forbidden.
Returning are the elements of intrigue, backstabbing and mystery. The characters are more of a strength than the initial; as both Alice and Isaac return, joined by other apprentices. I’ll be interested to see if any appear further down the line—either as friends or enemies. Though several of the other apprentices do form relationships with Alice. Friendly, or otherwise. Also, the budding romance is still budding, as it were. Little more comes of it, in Apprentice.
The character development is rather minute—but given that it is a YA fantasy, that’s not unexpected. There does seem to be a bit for Alice, a bit of a greater arc, one that is sure to continue. The dragon also appears to have its own story arc, but we won’t get into that. Some more of the magic is explained, as each apprentice seems to manifest a different and unique ability. There’s a bit added to every aspect, in my opinion. Each improved upon by a degree. I liked it more, I hope you will too!
TL;DR
The Mad Apprentice capitalizes on the successes it made in The Forbidden Library, pretty much improving across the board. While it’s by no means perfect, Wexler has crafted an solid YA coming-of-age fantasy, complete with magic and mystery. While before we got very little of what it means to be a Reader past jumping into books, Apprentice expands upon this, introducing more characters each possessing their own unique magical abilities. Alice is an interesting, heart-felt character that continues to shine, and hopefully will continue to into the future of the sequence....more
The Forbidden Library serves as my intro to Django Wexler, which probably isn’t for the best. I mean, it’s an alright read—moments of excitement, entertainment and intrigue all wrapped up in an 8 hour package—but it’s nothing to distract from the ARCs spread around me. Of course, I was reading this while playing Sniper Elite, for, while the gameplay is amazing, the story is boring.
Forbidden Library is actually excellent for multitasking purposes: an easy to follow story; a nice, quick read (it followed up the Ember Blade, which went for 30+); an interesting world filled with adequate characters and a lovely adventure.
Alice is an only child. Born to a single father during the early- to mid-20th century, she begins as a child of some means—with her own servants, gas lamps, governor and tutors.And yet this life is not for Alice, as she is soon to learn. She awakens one night to her father’s voice, raised in anger, talking to a mysterious stranger. Upon descending from her room, Alice finds him in an argument with a meager opponent—a small, pointy-eared, pointy-toothed, honest to goodness fairy. They argue over the life of a girl, and something Alice cannot guess, before she is forced to withdraw to her room. But not before she hears the fairy threaten him.
The very next day, her father is called away on business. A week later he is lost for good, disappeared along with the entire crew of the Gideon, en route to Buenos Aires. And Alice is left alone.
And yet, she does not want for long. Soon enough, a car comes for her; in it, a man representing her uncle Jerry. Alice accompanies him to her uncle, where she is confronted with far more than she ever bargained for. A vast library. A world of talking cats, fairies and more. A conflicted boy. And magic—the magic of books.
It’s… yeah, it’s okay.
I’m not sure I’d recommend it at full price, but on sale or from the library it’s a deal. I’m never sure exactly how to rate YA books. I mean, if they’re too infantile, they’re barely worth reading at any age. Granted, I don’t read a whole lot of them, so. Otherwise… well, the line is blurry.
There’s a decent amount of intrigue and backstabbing in this, which surprised me. Otherwise it’s your plain, run-of-the-mill YA fantasy, complete with a budding-maybe romance, a simple mystery, a sparsely detailed world, interesting if generally shallow characters. It’s worth posting out that over the course of the next few books, several of the main characters featured in the Forbidden Library DO evolve depth—but as the focal point in the first book is adventure, that element is left behind.
I liked Alice—as a character, as a person. Comparing her to other YA stars, she’s more than competent, her emotions are more complex, she’s definitely fleshed out as to actually appear human. When comparing her to some other characters—Thomas, from the Maze Runner; Cassidy, from City of Ghosts—she’s more relatable, less juvenile, more descriptive. Basically what you’d want in a lead.
So… yeah, I’d recommend it. The story is okay, as are the plot, mystery, magic and dialogue. The development and detail are a little lacking, but the intrigue and lead character are where the book most shines. I’d read it, and plan to continue the series (just finished #2, in fact).
Audiobook note: the reader was pretty good, while not amazing. Not my favorite, but she tried. I’d try a sample at least if you’re planning on buying this, as at certain points I found her voice grating, and yet I got used to it quick enough. She’s [Cassandra Morris] better in the second book, really....more
Spoilers! Contains minor spoilers for previous Legends of the First Empire books.
Age of War was a gripping, thrilling mid-series conclusion to the Legends of the First Empire. Sullivan states in his foreword that he’d initially planned the series as a trilogy, before changing his mind. As such, many of the threads conclude in this volume. These threads include a couple of big-name deaths, an unmasking, and the end of a particular era. But the beginning of another.
I loved the Age of War… mostly.
From page 194 on, I was enrapt in an epic fight to the finish—and then I threw the book at the wall. I did, too. Only the third time I can remember doing that. Luckily it hit a chair first, and didn’t get badly damaged. Even more luckily, it wasn’t an ebook. See? This is why physical books are important.
The point is… uh. The book was really, really good until it suddenly wasn’t. It’s not the writing, plot or anything I usually object to this time, however. Just pissed at Sullivan, I am. I dislike people who kill off my favorite characters cruelly—even if they have a good reason. I’ll get over it—eventually… probably—enough to read the Age of Legend. Makes me feel better that in the afterword his wife specifically says that she implored him to rewrite the ending to (no spoilers) a far less callous conclusion. He didn’t, and SHE was pissed at him. But as I said before, HOPEFULLY he had a good reason.
Up until that point… yeah. It was really, REALLY good.
After the events of Age of Swords, Nyphron leads the combined human armies to Alon Rhist, with the intention of bolstering their position. Persephone leads her people onwards, fearlessly, much to the disappointment of her closest ally, Raithe. But following a bloodless battle, the two (Nyphron and Persephone) appear as heroes. Saviors. The last, best chance for humanity. But the alliance between the Instarya Fhrey and the Rhunes is a tenuous one. And it would be further strengthened by a marriage. Between the two most powerful leaders. And all Persephone has to do is turn her back on Raithe.
Meanwhile, the war is not exactly going smoothly. The humans are untrained. The secrets of iron are still unrevealed. The Fhrey don’t kill Fhrey. Even the Miralyith, instigators of this little… genocide thing, would prefer the war to be over by now. So before the fighting can begin in earnest, the sides need to prepare. And as winter gradually turns to spring, war looms on the horizon. Threads will be sewn (weaved?). Battles will be fought. And the most important choice one woman has ever had to make might just turn out to be an afterthought.
Mawyndulë… is kind of a wild card. I’m haven’t been completely sure how he fits into everything yet—other than a way to relate the story from the Fhrey point of view—a trend that continues through Book #3. I will say that he’s been more entertaining in the last two books, something I hope will continue through the end of #6.
There are a lot of competing subjects for best thing, but I’d say that the characters win. Specifically, the character development. My throwing the book at the wall, despite what it says about that specific chapter, the action that caused it, the… whatever—indicates that up until that point (or maybe through it) I was reeeaally invested in the story being told. But it’s the characters that carried me to that point. Specifically their development, growth, and the intermingling of their arcs. I mean, I still kinda hate the guy for what he did, but the way he did it—in particular the build-up to the moment—was masterfully done.
As with any other Sullivan book, the characters and story and threads are pretty much solid. My main concerns before have involved the detail, language, or—as in the last Legends entry—the cheapening of inventions that took thousands of years to perfect. That particular device, I’m happy to report, has been fixed in Age of War. I mean, we can’t do anything about what happened in Age of Swords, but we’re not doing it anymore. The language, again, is a non-issue. Sullivan always uses a common language, so, if you’re into that—great! The level of detail is rather lacking in AoWar. Shelved, I suspect, to focus on the characters and overarching plot, I assume. Because it’s that that steals the show.
TL;DR
Age of War is a very immersive, very gripping read that at some point will likely turn very frustrating. Try not to throw your e-reader at the wall. That would be bad. Maybe try a physical book instead. The story, pacing and plot-lines are all top notch, but the characters steal the show. A must-read, even for people who will hate the way it ends. Like myself. For while it might sour your opinion on the matter for a few days (or a few weeks), you’ll get over it. And then want to read the next one.
Age of Legend—Book #4—came in summer 2019. Book #5, Age of Death, is soon to join it: due in late fall of 2019 for Kickstart backers and early 2020 for everyone else....more
I read Lost Gods earlier this year as an intro to Micah Yongo’s world. But Pale Kings leaves a much better impression, acts like a much better series debut. Nothing to do about it, though, other than to read it.
Following the events of the first book, the Brotherhood of the Shedaím has been decimated. Ish. Decimated-ish (which I’ll address later). Anyway, after unearthing a powerful secret, the organization has been rocked to its very foundations. Daneel, following his betrayal and refusal to kill a child, shepherds said child—Noah—north in an effort to escape those that would still see him dead. Josef, still loyal to the Brotherhood, moves to protect the King, Sidon, who now sees enemies in every shadow. Beset by doubts, in fear for his life, Josef must help him before Sidon is lost to his own paranoia, or worse, is proven right. Neythan and Arianna travel south to the Summerlands in an attempt to translate the magi scroll. Caleb accompanies them, but grows more impatient by the day—those that saw his family dead still remain alive, and are growing more and more distant. Joram, exiled son of a dead king, is destined for greatness. So say the god that he dreams of, so say the voices that guide him. And yet with assassins and traitors all about, who can trust in fate or magic? For the gods are restless, and the fabled Pale Kings are said to once more walk the lands…
First off, and most importantly, technically Pale Kings is the sequel to Lost Gods. The character progression, the timeline—makes sense. Other things—like the story—seem completely different. You do not—NOT—have to read Lost Gods for Pale Kings to make sense. I read them both, and Lost Gods still doesn’t make complete sense to me. But, some debuts are just like that.
Speaking of the Shedaím, it is stated in the prologue that there are but four surviving members of the Brotherhood left: Josef, Neythan, Arianna, and Daneel. And yet over the course of the text, we run into other Shedaím all the bloody time. Even in this same prologue, it’s mentioned that Daneel is being hunted by the remnants of the Shedaím.
A very debatable aspect of scifi and fantasy is realism. Or, does the story feel like it could really happen? Obviously, since a lot of the elements in the setting, in the world, in the story are by nature fantastical… well, many would argue that realism in the story doesn’t matter. For example, something like prophecy or fate can be utilized to drive the story forward by the simple explanation that “it was all destined to be”. Occasionally, an author might need a trick—to get a character out of danger, or bring one back from death, or whatever—to progress the story. Sometimes this can be done with a simple stroke of good luck. Other times, the character may act out of character in order to preserve their own life, something that can be chalked up to fear or panic. Further still, it can be as easy as attributing something to destiny or fate or prophecy. An experienced author knows not to overuse these tricks, as the story can begin to feel improbable, unrealistic or just plain ridiculous. Micah Yongo may yet be an outstanding author, but he is not yet experienced.
This happens a lot in Pale Kings—especially towards the end. It’s explained away as previously unseen magic, previously unheard of technology, fate, luck, more luck, the will of the gods, and sometimes isn’t even addressed. While not a deal-breaker, it is something that I found annoying; an impediment to my enjoyment, a distraction from the story.
I enjoyed the story a lot more than Lost Gods. Sure, I found fault in Pale Kings, but on the whole, it was quite a bit better than the first one. We’ve ditched the whole “noble assassin” thing, and the frame-up/revenge thing, and I’m firmly of the mind that that’s for the better. I complained that the first story was one giant cliché, something that I cannot say about the second. While the plot had its flaws, it really was much better. Minus the Epilogue. If I’d’ve written this thing, I would’ve done a much worse job. But—BUT—I probably would’ve skipped the Epilogue as it really does nothing helpful. Left a bit of a sour taste, to be honest.
I really enjoyed the characters in this book—and not just the ones that controlled POV chapters. Actually, the whole world seems to have fleshed out quite a bit. Yongo's always been fastidious in his description, but now it led me to picture a deep, vibrant world filled with interesting, unique people—instead of the detailed world filled with hollow sacks of flesh that Lost Gods displayed.
Another problem I had with Lost Gods was its pacing. In general, this is another aspect that Pale Kings improves upon with the classic slow build, hook, and sprint to the finish—with the exception of Neythan. His chapters continued their unevenness, with random and often confusing changes in pace.
TL;DR — I quite enjoyed Pale Kings despite its flaws. It was much better than the previous installment, which you really don’t need to read in order to understand #2. With a clear and detailed world, inhabited by unique and interesting characters and a story all but bereft of cliché, Pale Kings is a marked improvement upon Yongo’s debut. One I’d recommend reading if you need to buy it, even. It’s not perfect, with a less than believable story and a disappointing ending, but all in all, provides an entertaining adventure and raises my hopes for the third installment. ...more
Bloody Rose made me tear up three times—two in the first three chapters. While mostly a triumph of plotting, engineering and design, the story stumbles somewhat in its second half, so much so that I was actually considering putting it aside before reaching the exciting conclusion.
Bloody Rose is the story of Fable—or specifically Rose, daughter of Golden Gabe, the band’s frontman—one of the Heartwyld’s most famous bands. Told through the eyes of Tam (daughter of a pair of bandmates), as she is hired on as Fable’s bard in the first few chapters. From here, Bloody Rose attempts to tell two stories: one of Fable’s swan song, and another of the Heartwyld itself. It’s basically the same thing that Kings of the Wyld did before it, albeit with Saga. And like Kings of the Wyld, it basically succeeds.
Tam Hashford is the daughter of a pair of bandmates, now retired. She lives with her father, an overprotective parent following the death of Tam’s mother. But Tam has grown up on stories from uncle, also from a band, about her mother and father and various others. And so when Fable rolls into town in search of a new bard, Tam jumps at the opportunity, and soon is off touring the Heartwyld in search of fame and fortune. And adventure.
The real story begins years before Tam’s arrival however, stemming from the first crew of Fable and their fabled end in Castia. The band that Tam greets is a very different bunch. Quite different but at once the very same. The following adventure encompasses both at once, following Fable through the years.
Now there’ll definitely be people who tell you that they loved both books. That they were completely without flaw and great in every way. But for me… I mean, yeah, that’s generally true. The only glaring fault I found was in the transition between tales. Kings of the Wyld actually did it better, I think, weaving the two together with expert precision. In Bloody Rose it’s one and the other. At first, it tells the story of the band, with each character arc getting its own share of the tale before giving way to the overarching one of the Heartwyld. And the transition between these two created a… gap in the text. A place where very little was driving the tale, it was just limping along. This stretch of ~40-50 pages is the biggest struggle any reader’s likely to face, however.
Otherwise, I thought Bloody Rose built upon so many of Kings’ failings. Not that Kings’ had many, of course. Gone are the convenient escapes from peril, the places where the story skips ahead when it doesn’t doesn’t have any answers. Gone is the skin-deep narrative, as the Heartwyld is now rendered in vivid detail. Gone are the decent if not deep characters, as Fable’s are as human as any of us.
As for the adventure, the action, the thrills—it’s all tremendous. An amazing sophomore effort, setting the Heartwyld up for a blockbuster finale. While not the triumph that it could have been, Bloody Rose is a bloody marvel, a thrilling and emotional adventure that not only redeems the Heartwyld from its initial black-and-white rendering, but also promises a more intricate, more complex world in the future....more
So, a talking sword, a mysterious cast of players, a quest for one wish from a mad god. We follow Pilgrim and his talking sword on this quest, accompanied by only five other seekers and their guide, Priest. That’s Pilgrimage of Swords in a nutshell.
Well, I didn’t care for the beginning, despite that it kinda tied in later on. I would’ve liked a bit more backstory or something before diving into the epic quest, or maybe even just begun the story at the doorstep on the temple where the quest begins. Instead we endure a chapter of mostly meaningless conversation—though it does give the sword a chance to be witty, so… I guess that’s good enough.
The end’s a good one, with a satisfying conclusion. The middle is what won me over, despite its beginnings, though. Fast moving, entertaining; a lovely bit of lore and action mix atop a post-apocalyptic backdrop.
After that, the story’s pretty entertaining. It’s somewhat lacking in description, being a novella and all, but it’s the quest itself that the story follows, and that’s what we see. The concept is pretty interesting, so much so that I left the world wanting more. I hope that Ryan returns to it in the future.
More so, after a disappointing drop-off following Blood Song—truly beginning with Queen of Fire and then the Waking Fire—Ryan has delivered twice in a three months. A bit of hope is good every now and then.
All in all, it’s definitely worth a look, assuming the price isn’t unreasonable. Right now I’m just seeing pre-orders for a hard cover, which is going at $40. Unless you’re a hardcore Ryan fan—I’d skip that. Maybe hold out for an ebook version at $4-7. ...more
I purchased this directly from Brian McClellan, via his website, during his summer sale. I think it was… sub-$4-something?
Uncanny Collateral is a decent yet wildly entertaining urban fantasy set in a completely unbelievable world. I really enjoyed the adventure, and had absolutely no problem reading it—but if McClellan was going for a realistic earth urban fantasy… it was a wide miss.
Alek Fitz is a reaper, a soul collection agent that works for a supernatural company that freelances on behalf of the Lords of Hell. Mostly he collects upon deals made with the Lords—souls sold for wealth, fame or power. Based out of Cleveland, he is in the midst of the supernatural, with all manner of loa, vampires, imps, trolls, and whatnot inhabiting the world around him. Despite being a literal slave to his owner, Ada, he seems to enjoy his job, or at least has come to terms with it.
When Alek is assigned a case from Death, however, it seems the terms have changed.
To find what Death seeks he must rely upon an imprisoned Jinn, a handful of somewhat-friends and tentative allies, but mostly his own intelligence, skill and instinct. And meanwhile, someone’s trying to kill him and steal away his closest friend—something Alek is less than keen on.
As I mentioned before, I had no problem reading this. It was good: entertaining, interesting, action-packed. Also, it wasn’t realistic.
You see a lot in Urban Fantasy, but mostly magical worlds that exist alongside our own—with us non-magical folk none the wiser. To this end, many series have Pacts, secrets, whatever to protect our world from theirs. Uncanny Collateral uses a secret government agency to keep the worlds separate. Except, the secret agency isn’t that… secret? Also, it seems like the author did next to no research into how agencies, police, whatever work. So it’s like, a thing that everyone takes for granted even though it’s loose as heck.
I could go on about it, but sufficient to say: the story is solid, the world-building is not. But so long as you don’t question it too much (it’s only a 150 page story, after all) there’s no problem. Uncanny Collateral is fun and exciting, somewhat interesting, but not deep, nor realistic....more
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