Audiobook Review: Wheel of the infinite by Martha Wells

Wheel of the Infinite by Martha Wells

Genre: Fantasy

Publisher: Martha Wells

Publication Date: July 2011

Narrator: Lisa Reneé Pitts

Author Info: www.marthawells.com

Wendy's Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Once again, Wells weaves her magic and builds us a world at once unique, inviting and familiar, though it is by no means the typical medieval European fantasy setting.

 Darkness looms and terrible forces threaten to rise from the storm. The sorceress Maskelle has been summoned back from exile to aid in the annual process of remaking the Wheel of the Infinite in order to maintain peace and harmony. Maskelle travels unobtrusively with a group of play actors, but as the Voice of the Adversary she is not unknown. In fact, in spite of her dark past, she is revered as much as she is feared and her word as much as her power commands respect. Yet Wells makes it clear that she is a woman first, not merely a demi-god to be worshipped.

Along her journey, Maskelle meets the swordsman, Rian, whom she rescues from hoodlums intent on his death. He too has a questionable past, which Maskelle eventually teases out of him, just as he learns of hers. Their relationship is intriguing. I want to say that there was no spark and it did not feel genuine, but in thinking about it for a while after, I came to really appreciate how well they functioned and how easily they accepted each other. Neither of them had reason to trust each other, and, considering Maskelle’s history with her lovers, Rian ought to have gone running. Yet, they both fit together in this comfortable, pragmatic coupledom.

One of the things that sets this book apart from others in the genre is the lead character. Maskelle is not the typical heroine. She is a middle-aged woman of colour coming to terms with the creaks and groans that come with her age. She is a bit bitter, but not without reason. She is proud. She is powerful. And she knows how to laugh at herself and with those around her.

Her world is also unusual, but that should be no surprise. Once again, Wells weaves her magic and builds us a world at once unique, inviting and familiar, though it is by no means the typical medieval European fantasy setting. This has more of a modest South East Asian feel, with a myriad of people populating the different places through which Maskelle and her companions travel.

There is a heavy focus on the religious aspects of the world, which Wells carefully brings to light as the plot unravels. To be clear, by "heavy focus," I don't mean that this is in any way a preachy story. I simply mean that it is a prominent part of the plot through which Wells continues to show us how incredibly complete her world building skills are, without being overwhelming.

I initially listened to this as an audiobook, but eventually switched to the ebook. The narration was too disjointed and the transitions were not very smooth. I probably should have switched to the ebook sooner, as I think it would have helped me connect with the characters even more.

Story

Narration

Book Review: Star Wars: Razor's Edge by Martha Wells

Razor's Edge by Martha Wells

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.

3.5 out of 5 stars

Waiting On Wednesday 9/11/13

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that lets us feature upcoming releases that we can't wait to get our hands on!

Wendy's Pick

Star Wars: Razor's Edge by Martha Wells: September 24, 2013 (Del Rey)

Martha Wells' The Cloud Roads made me an immediate fan of the author and it was a no brainer that I would need to read her first adventure within the Star Wars universe. I love the leaps into the Star Wars future with stories like Legacy, but I'm also enjoying this recent return to tales about our original heroes.

Times are desperate for the Rebel Alliance. Harassment by the Empire and a shortage of vital supplies are hindering completion of a new secret base on the ice planet Hoth. So when Mid Rim merchants offer much-needed materials for sale, Princess Leia Organa and Han Solo lead an Alliance delegation to negotiate a deal.

But when treachery forces the rebel ship to flee into territory controlled by pirates, Leia makes a shocking discovery: the fierce marauders come from Leia’s homeworld of Alderaan, recently destroyed by the Death Star. These refugees have turned to pillaging and plundering to survive—and they are in debt to a pirate armada, which will gladly ransom the princess to the vengeful Empire . . . if they find out her true identity.

Struggling with intense feelings of guilt, loyalty, and betrayal, Leia is determined to help her wayward kinspeople, even as Imperial forces are closing in on her own crippled ship. Trapped between lethal cutthroats and brutal oppressors, Leia and Han, along with Luke, Chewbacca, and a battle-ready crew, must defy death—or embrace it—to keep the rebellion alive.

Mogsy's Pick 

The Abominable by Dan Simmons: October 22, 2013 (Little, Brown and Company)

The Terror, Dan Simmons' horror novel inspired by the 1845 Franklin Arctic Expedition is probably one of the most bone-chilling novels I've ever read. The Abominable sounds very much like something in the same vein, and as such is right up my alley.

"It's 1926, and the desire to summit the world's highest mountain has reached a fever-pitch among adventurers. Three young friends, eager to take their shot at the top, accept funding from a grieving mother whose son fell to his death on Mt. Everest two years earlier. But she refuses to believe he's dead, and wants them to bring him back alive.

As they set off toward Everest, the men encounter other hikers who are seeking the boy's body for their own mysterious reasons. What valuable item could he have been carrying? What is the truth behind the many disapperances on the mountain? As they journey to the top of the world, the three friends face abominable choices, actions--and possibly creatures. A bone-chilling, pulse-pounding story of supernatural suspense, THE ABOMINABLE is Dan Simmons at his best."

10 Authors That Deserve More Buzz

This list was originally inspired by the post I stumbled across by M.L. Brennan who in turn was inspired by a Top Ten Tuesday by Danielle over at Coffee and Characters. So, you know all those times you read an amazing, incredible book, but then when you rush out to hit up your bookish friends to find out what they think you discover that - SHOCKER! - hardly anyone has read it or even knows about it? You know what we mean! That idea evolved into this topic, in which Mogsy and Wendy list some authors plus the books they've written that we think should be getting waaaay more attention!

Wendy's Picks:

BLAKE NORTHCOTT: I discovered Northcott's first book, vs. Reality, via her Twitter feed, lured in by her sense of humour, obvious geek status and home girl pride. She writes novels about superheroes from a really unique angle. In fact, her first book was meant to be a comic, but when plans fell through, she converted it to a novel and has followed through with that concept for two more books in the series, plus an all new book, Arena Mode.

N.K. JEMISIN: The Killing Moon currently appears on numerous awards lists. I'm sure it's there with good reason, but I couldn't appreciate the book enough after reading her Hundred Thousand Kingdoms first. I loved that book so much that I read it twice within two months. A unique and diverse world with beautiful characters that have had a huge emotional impact on me. I haven't started the second book in her Inheritance trilogy because I'm not yet ready for the emotional trauma!

JASON M. HOUGH: If you're looking for a good place to jump into sci fi, or if you're already a sci fi fan, get started on Hough's new Dire Earth Cycle series. I think of it as down-to-earth sci fi that has all the necessary elements of space, technology and aliens, combined with action, drama, suspense and mystery. I love the diversity and the unpredictability that keeps me turning the pages.

MARTHA WELLS: Wells has already made a name for herself, writing within various popular fandoms, including the upcoming Star Wars: Razor's Edge. But she has a number of books of her own that I bought in one big rush after finishing The Cloud Roads. Her worldbuilding is amazing and I love the physical and cultural uniqueness of her characters.

KAREN LORD: I love the subtly of Lord's work. Her forays into science fiction (The Best of All Possible Worlds) and fantasy (Redemption in Indigo) might not seem to be science fiction and fantasy enough for some, but I really enjoyed her writing. Reading about her worlds and the characters within them made me feel like I was joining a bunch of friends on a comfy couch as they told me their tale.

Mogsy's Picks:

WILL McINTOSH: I recently finished a book that arguably was what motivated me to start up this post in the first place, Love Minus Eighty. If you're looking to read a sci-fi novel guaranteed to give you a strong emotional reaction, then this one is it. It's a very human story despite the futuristic high-tech setting, and it made me want to check out more of Will McIntosh's work. My mind is still blown.


M.L. BRENNAN: And speaking of motivation to write this post, my discovery of M.L. Brennan's own list was what clued me in on this topic in the first place. I thought, "How apropos!" because I knew if I had to make my own list of "Authors that deserve more recognition", M.L. Brennan would definitely be on it. I read Generation V this summer and it's already rocketed itself up my list of essential Urban Fantasy. She's so funny and creative, and it comes out in her writing and characters. I just cannot stop raving about this book to everyone I know who loves UF!

BEN H. WINTERS: Being the author of the New York Times bestseller Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, Ben H. Winters has already made quite a name for himself, but I still couldn't help but notice that while a lot of my friends have his books on their to-read lists, only a few have actually taken the plunge! Though his "humor" books are probably still more well known, I personally adore his Last Policeman series which I'm glad to see is gradually gaining more attention.

TERESA FROHOCK: Seriously, whenever the topic of Miserere comes up, I find it really difficult to shut up about how amazingly good this book is. So, before I forget myself and write a whole essay about how much I love Teresa and her book, let's just say that she single-handedly reaffirmed my decision to always finish every novel I start. Miserere takes its time to build up, but then rewards you in spades! The story is just so, so beautiful. And freakin' look at that gorgeous cover! Read this, you must!

DJANGO WEXLER: You know how there's epic fantasy, and then there's EPIC fantasy? The latter goes beyond just transporting you to a different world and time, it also sweeps you up into an experience that's truly grand, immense and awe-inspiring. Django Wexler's The Thousand Names that I read earlier this year was one of those books for me. Keep an eye on this author and his series, because I have a feeling he's gonna go places!

FanArt: Broody Moon

Broody Moon by *neondragon

from Martha Wells' The Cloud Roads

Book Review: The Cloud Roads by Martha Wells

The Cloud Roads by Martha Wells

Moon has spent his life working to fit into the other societies, but when he finds his own, he has difficulty. I appreciated the way Wells balanced Moon's need for acceptance with his suspicion and discomfort without making him come across as petulant or annoying. Actually, there a few characters whose disagreeable personalities initially seem like they will just be annoying and troublesome, but all the significant characters have purpose and reason and are able to change and grow with the situations presented.

Orphaned at a young age when his mother and siblings were killed by predators, Moon has moved from groundling village to groundling village trying to fit in. Unfortunately, his inconvenient secret always comes back to haunt him: Moon is not a groundling. He can take their form, but he can also shift into an armoured, winged, clawed, spined being that looks far too much like the Fell, the intelligent predatory species that feed on everything else in the Three Worlds. Moon knows he's not a Fell, but has no idea what he is until he meets another shifter and agrees to go to his home to learn about his own species, the Raksura.

Moon is, unsurprisingly, very hesitant to get comfortable with what are apparently his own people, especially when he discovers that he has a very specific status among them that instinctually causes conflict. Add the ever present stench (literally) of the Fell. And we're in for obvious trouble!

Don't worry. The story is not quite as predictable as it might seem. Moon's discovery of his people happens almost right at the beginning and we quickly move into the politics of his people, which we learn along with him, and deal with the Fell, who refuse to leave anyone alone and worse, seem to have even deadlier plans up their sleeve.

The plot moves along at a comfortable pace, but what really made me love this book was the incredible world that Wells has weaved, complete with very unique races of people. Moon's travels have introduced him to several villages of groundlings and the Raksura turn to him for advice dealing with them. Many of the groundlings look somewhat similar or are accepting of outsiders, hence Moon's ability to find places to live. They also have very unique cultures and Wells intricately describes them all through their appearances, their native language, foods and food preparation, building structures and living arrangements and even naming conventions. As the main species of the story, we learn most about the Raksura and the Fell, but I found myself wishing that Wells would publish a great big codex containing information and images on all the species we learn about within the book.

I loved the transition Moon makes. He begins the story living in a groundling village where we can easily relate to their human-like activities, if not their lizard-like skin and colours. Moon has spent almost his entire life doing his best to fit in within these groundling societies. But when he gets to the Raksuran court where he no longer has to hide his other form, instinct kicks in and watching him react and the others react to him was absolutely fascinating. Wells smoothly transitions us from the human-ness we understand, to a more animalistic society. Violence and dominance through violence or intimidation is not uncommon, but it is not purely bestial. The intricacies of the Raksuran society and how it differs from our own are truly a highlight of the book as they unravel through Moon's interactions and relationships.

I particularly enjoyed the Raksuran male/female roles. It is a matriarchal society with significant power granted to the male consort, but while dominance battles do occur, they are never about gender issues. It was refreshing to read a book that did not require males or females to prove themselves worthy of their gender. In fact, I loved the way Moon, who by our standards represents an alpha male, could give himself over to the comfort of his mate when he needed it, without any implication that he was "less of a man" for doing so. Everyone in the society had their roles and could perform equal duties regardless of gender.

Wells does not skimp on the details of their physicality, either. Particularly in their winged Raksuran form where she skillfully describes the full range of their movements, even in flight and in battle where it could have been easy to skim over such detail.

I have already obtained the other two books in the series, as well as several other books by Wells. You can take that as indication of how I feel about The Cloud Roads!

4.5 of 5 stars