#MisLT Book Review: Miserere: An Autumn Tale by Teresa Frohock

Miserere: An Autumn Tale by Teresa Frohock

Genre: Dark fantasy

Publisher: Night Shade Books

Publication Date: June 2011

Author Info: www.teresafrohock.com

Wendy's Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Have you ever read a book and wished you could chat with the author to find out what they meant at a certain part? To learn what went into the crafting of a character or plot line? Well I've been chatting with Teresa Frohock a bit on Twitter for a while now, with the intent to read her book. Then I was struck with the idea of actually livetweeting my read the way I livetweet TV shows. Ms. Frohock loved the idea and as a result, I got to have the most wonderful reading experience with a great book and a fantastic author.

Misere is a tale of hope and redemption, of love and of faith. But it is not a tale involving pretty flowers (in fact, there is one not-so-pretty flower that would make an interesting Valentine's Day gift) nor is it a sweet love story. Frohock delves into the darkest emotions and desires with Miserere and, perhaps the only flaw I have with this book is that she could have gone even deeper.

From the first chapter, I was pleasantly overwhelmed by the subtext that teased out the relationship between Lucian, his twin sister Catarina and Rachael, the lover he betrayed. They are all older characters who have faced severe and even physically debilitating hardships. What they face in the story is just as likely to lead to their deaths as to their redemption, and the reader is often uncertain of which the character truly wants. This sets Miserere apart from many of the other books in the fantasy genre that feature naive young protagonists setting out on glorious adventure with the promise of a happy and heroic ending.

Actually, there is a young protagonist here - a girl named Lindsay who is pulled through the Veil from Earth into Woerld. She is drawn to Lucian and the exiled knight must choose whether or not to keep his promise, or open the Gates of Hell to save her. Lucian's dealings with her are touching and a little heartbreaking as, through Lindsay, you learn bits and pieces about his relationship with Catarina and the guilt he feels over her current sinister condition.

There is a lot of religious reference that could easily turn some readers off. I love religion, but due to my upbringing with an overbearing Christian mother, I have no interest in being preached at. Miserere does not shy away from the religious references, but it never proselytizes and there's no whining over why God might be punishing a particular character. It's quite clear that each character is responsible for their own predicament or that of others around them. They remain true to their faith and I really like that faith is the source of actual magic. I am curious as to how the same would work within the other religions - which is the other thing I like about this book. While you don't get to spend much time with the other sects, they are there and they all *gasp* get along.

Something else that pleases me about Miserere is Frohock’s treatment of female characters. As in, there is no difference between the women and the men. They are each considered capable in their various roles, and Frohock did not feel the need to justify or even point this fact out. Men and women are simply equals.

Imagine that. A fantasy book that actually frees itself from the prejudices of our reality.

As I mentioned, I really like the book's darkness. This is one of the few truly dark fantasy books I've read and it's definitely something I want more of. I enjoy the rainbows and dragons and happy endings as much as the next reader, but sometimes, I want to read books that aren't afraid to be just for adults.

#MisLT : The Miserere Livetweet Event!

Don't tell Teresa Frohock, but I totally have a crush on her.

I'm just kidding. She already knows and I can't wait for her to see what I got her for Valentine's Day!!

But seriously. Lady Frohock's Miserere: An Autumn Tale has been on my to-read list for a while, and, with its recent arrival in my mailbox, the time has come for me to sink into its dark depth. But that's not all. You see, since I began following Lady Frohock on Twitter, I've discovered that she is a wonderful, fun and funny person. I've been dying to do something unique with her for BiblioSanctum, but wanted to get to know her better through reading her work first. Then, the other night while I was busy spamming her Twitter feed, an idea struck me: What if I livetweet my Miserere read???

Lady Frohock is such a good sport - she thinks this is a great idea and we've been throwing around some ideas today, with plans to use the hashtag #MisLT to document our journey.

We'd love to invite others to join us! Conveniently, Miserere: An Autumn Tale, is currently on sale on Amazon. Go! Git it! (Not sure if this book looks right for you? Tor.com understands why you might feel that way, and explains why you shouldn't.)

If you're interested in joining the fun, leave a comment that includes your Twitter handle, and be sure to use the hashtag #MisLT for your spoiler-free Miserere Tweets. We'll be starting our read this Monday, February 10, 2014 and continuing through to the end of the month.

Top 10 Reads of 2013

2013 has been a fantastic year for our reading lists (or a horrible one, if you consider how much larger our to-read piles have grown). We've read a lot of brilliant books, but we've managed to narrow our list of favorites down to the top ten books that truly resonated with us this year.

Love Minus Eighty by Will McIntosh

MOGSY SAYS: I read more than 200 novels this year. 200. Asking me to pick just a handful of my favorites is a nigh impossible task, because I read so many amazing books in 2013. I could easily fill this list myself with 10, 25, or even 50 of my greatest reads this year, but alas I cannot, or my co-bloggers will surely beat me into coma with their heaviest of epic fantasy tomes (they already let me choose four instead of their three).

But Wendy has helped me narrow things down, with the description she wrote for the post above. The keyword is "resonate". And I suppose few other books have resonated with me this year as strongly as Will McIntosh's Love Minus Eighty. In a future full of advanced technology, people still strive for that timeless, formless, unshakeable connection to another soul known as love. It is what makes us human.

Provocative. Thoughtful. Beautiful. Passionate. This book is all that and more, and definitely deserves more attention. Way more. (Read more in my review)

The Boys by Garth Ennis

TIARA SAYS: This year has been all about the comics/manga for me, so while I've read some really great novels, I wanted to do something a little different and highlight some of the great comics I've read this year starting with The Boys. Now, I haven't actually put up a review of this series yet, but I've been working on one that may find its way to my personal blog because it's a long, introspective thing that keeps growing. The Boys is bloody disgusting. Within these pages, you will find an overabundance of disgusting human behavior. There is an excess of gross conduct and no one is truly beyond it.  It's offensive, hard to swallow, and out of control. It is also BRILLIANT.

Depending on your view of things, you may either feel that Ennis pointed out some very disturbing trends in comics, especially as they start to explore darker concepts with the audience shift, or you may feel that he missed the mark on some issues which has started some interesting debates. Personal interpretation is everything with this series. I've seen interpretations of the same events in to the book differ wildly, but prove to be valid ways of looking at things. Either way, this series is one of those stories that's hard to shelve. You want to look away, but it's such a veritable, horrific mess that you just can't stop reading it.

The Cloud Roads  by Martha Wells

WENDY SAYS: A sure sign that a book has really impressed me is when (A) I "just one more chapter" it to completion and (B) buy all of the author's other books the moment I'm done.

Wells really impressed me with her world building, especially when it comes to the various people of her world. Too often genre fiction authors create "alien" species, only to have them simply be humans with make up. Wells' creatures are each unique in form and culture and she takes a studious amount of time to bring that all to life. I have the utmost praise for the way she makes her main characters move, never forgetting that they are, most often, winged creatures, which means they will function in very different ways from us. I loved the way her characters moved and responded to each other. Every aspect of their world is so very different from ours, but so very endearing.  (Read more in my review)

The Thousand Names by Django Wexler

MOGSY SAYS: Like Wendy, one way to know that a book has impressed me is when I go on the hunt to track down all of the author's other works as soon as I'm finished reading. This is exactly what happened when I finished The Thousand Names.

This book was so difficult to put down; I devoured all 500+ pages in days. I couldn't even make myself slow down to savor it because it was just that absorbing. I've always had a soft spot for flintlock fantasy, Wexler gave me everything I wanted with his epic fantasy featuring magic, revolution, blood and gunpowder.

Military fantasy fans as well as wargamers rejoice, this book will put you right where the action is, with rich world-building as well as memorable and fully-realized characters to boot. (Read more in my review)

Attack on Titan by Hajime Isayama

TIARA SAYS:  Before I started reading this (and watching the anime), if someone had asked me what my favorite manga of all time was, I would've said, "Simple. Tite Kubo's Bleach." If you were to ask me now, I'd probably do some fidgeting and get annoyed because I think this series has claimed the number one spot in my heart, and I feel like I'm cheating on my first love (Bleach) that I've been with for years. I still love you, Bleach. Don't leave!

I've gotten into quite a few new mangas this year, but none have fascinated me quite like this one. What I love about this series and what always stays on my mind is how human these characters are, how vulnerable they are both physically and metaphysically, and how these characters, the situation they're in, captures so much of the human need to fight and survive--even when it looks hopeless. It's a story about the courage in the face of fear. It presses upon the reader that, in order to survive, humans have to depend on each other and bring their individual strengths to the table to win this fight. It captures the indomitable spirit of humans without compromising other emotions such as fear, trust, and uncertainty. The fact that all this captured with few words and visuals. Amazing! (Read more in my reviews)

The Best of All Possible Worlds by Karen Lord

WENDY SAYS: This is a sneaky little book. It's actually a romance that cleverly disguises itself as science fiction. While you're blissfully enjoying the displaced Sadiri people's hunt for suitable mates to help replenish their society after the heinous destruction of their planet, you slowly come to realize that you've fallen in love with Delarua and Dllenahkh, who slowly come to realize that they've fallen in love with each other.

Part way through this book, Tiara asked how I was enjoying it and I gave her a gushing response about how it felt like sitting comfortably on a couch, hanging out with good friends - who happen to like science fiction.

This book was so subtle and unassuming, which made it easily able to get right under my skin. (Read more in my review)

Miserere: An Autumn Tale by Teresa Frohock

MOGSY SAYS: This was a book I read in early spring, so sadly I was unable to feature it in my "Best of Summer" list. That's why I'm so glad to have the opportunity to talk about it now in our year end Top Reads post. 

Simply put, this book is gorgeous. The writing, the depth of the characters and the strength of their emotions made me want to hurl myself to my knees and thank the book gods that we have writers like Teresa Frohock and novels like Miserere. It is an intensely alluring book, taking its time to reveal its true nature, doling out details about its world in a trickle as you read. Needless to say, patience will be rewarded -- in spades. The author's talent is on full display, giving us the most brutal and disconcerting elements of horror, but as well showing how the most powerful of loves can endure and offer redemption. And Teresa Frohock does it all oh so beautifully. (Read more in my review)

Batgirl by Gail Simone

TIARA SAYS: I've read many amazing comics this year, and I could gush on and on about books like Saga, East of West, and Locke and Key just to name a few. However, I wanted to highlight Gail Simone's Batgirl for a few reasons. One being that it's been a long time since I really appreciated the story in mainstream comic. This book joins books such as Kingdom Come and Old Man Logan as a book that rises above the usual wash, rinse, repeat in mainstream comics, and it's not even an AU (alternate universe) like those two--unless you just don't acknowledge the DCnU, which is totally legit in my opinion. 

Now, admittedly, I think Gail's writing can be a little corny (and I still think Barbara is more formidable as Oracle), but I have been enjoying Batgirl. First, I think Gail has done a wonderful job of showing Barbara as a survivor, a survivor who both rejoices in and questions her miracle, a survivor who has triggers that she's still trying to overcome, a survivor who questions the validity and intent of Gotham heroes, even herself. Of the books I've read, Barbara's stories have highlighted many of these issues, showing the upside and the downside. I think Gail does a wonderful job tackling some harder issues. Barbara's return has been plagued with issues and doubts she's dealing with, and I appreciate Gail doing that rather than trying to make Barbara's return to the mantle all rainbows and good times. (Read more of my reviews)

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

WENDY SAYS: All of my subsequent YA reads have to stand up to this book in terms of characterization. I love the way Stiefvater writes young adults. They are not the obnoxious, completely self-absorbed creatures that I don't enjoy reading. That is, sure they are a bit self-absorbed, but they aren't written in such a way that their teenage flaws become grating. Yet they aren't written as adults in teen bodies. Stiefvater handles them respectfully in a way that both teens and adults can appreciate.

The other thing that I adore about Stiefvater's writing is the way she foregoes allusions when painting her world. Instead, she uses actions and absence to describe a scene, and most importantly, to make her characters very, very real. Her descriptions are absolutely delicious.  (Read more in my review)

Hollow World by Michael J. Sullivan

MOGSY SAYS: It's a great time to be a speculative fiction reader right now, with so many great and original ideas having found their way to being published in recent years. Crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter have their place too, because if it weren't for them I wouldn't have had the pleasure of reading this incredible book in 2013.

What struck me about Hollow World isn't so much the story, but the main character's personal journey -- the things he learns about himself and the questions he asks about life and love. I didn't expect such heavy subject matters when I first picked this one up, but it was a welcome surprise. The book took my emotions on a roller coaster ride -- I felt ecstatic, shocked, angry, sad, annoyed, disturbed, deeply touched, so moved that I was almost in tears...all that and more just from reading the story, and any book that can give me the kind of feels that Hollow World did certainly qualifies as having resonated with me. (Review coming in Spring 2014 closer to release)

Wendy's Winter Reading List

My new year's reading resolution for 2014 includes a half-hearted promise not to buy any more new books next year because I need to focus on my mighty to-be-read pile. There are a number of books that I have sitting right beside my bed or at the top of my ebook list because I keep meaning to read next, but something always hops in the way. Making a list challenges me to stick to it. Oh I'm sure a lot of other things will pop up, such as review requests, book club reads and other challenges, but these books are definitely going to be read this winter.

The Broken Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin

I'm a bit amazed to look at the calendar and see that it's already been a year since I finished reading The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms for the second time within two months. I didn't continue with the Inheritance Trilogy at that time because I just wasn't ready for the emotional commitment. The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms was emotionally exhausting! But a year is ample time to get over that, so here we go...

The Great Book of Amber by Roger Zelazny

This was a recommendation that spawned from a discussion about writing magic and mages. And while I'm impatiently awaiting Brandon Sanderson's Words of Radiance, I decided that the beginning of the year is an excellent time to start a new epic fantasy tome. This is a collection of 10 books within the series, but it's a pretty hefty book, so it still counts.

The First Confessor by Terry Goodkind

A few years ago,  my parents took the kids for a week and I had myself a Legend of the Seeker marathon. I really enjoyed the show and have been meaning to read its source material, starting with The Wizard's First Rule. I mulled over this for a while, but decided to go with the newer book, The First Confessor, which is the beginning of a new series that predates The Sword of Truth timeline.

The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski

As far as gaming goes, I have determined that 2014 will the The Year of The Witcher. This game has been sitting in my Steam library for a while now as a result of the painful original Mass Effect 3 endings. I'm a fan of books based on my favourite video games, but I have not yet read a book that inspired a game.

Redemption in Indigo by Karen Lord

Goodreads recommended this book to me, but before I got around to reading it, Lord's second book, The Best of All Possible Worlds, popped up on NetGalley. I loved The Best of All Possible Worlds, and the sequel for it will be out in the spring from Jo Fletcher books, but it's about time I checked out Redemption in Indigo.

Miserere: An Autumn Tale by Teresa Frohock

Pronounced " mee-seh-reh-reh," this is a book that I've been meaning to read since Mogsy's glowing review, but more so now that I've unofficially become one of Ms. Frohock's twitter minions. One of the things I've come to appreciate about the book blogosphere is the opportunity to interact with the authors, and Ms. Frohock is absolutely one of the best of them. She is good, good peeps.

Wheel of the Infinite by Martha Wells

The moment I finished reading The Cloud Roads, I went and bought a whole bunch of Wells' other books, including this one. I ought to be reading the next book in The Books of the Raksura series, but this one caught my attention first. I really enjoy Wells' world building and, while I do plan to return to the Raksura, I'm curious about the other worlds she's created.

Cover Art: Miserere: An Autumn Tale

Miserere: An Autumn Tale by ~Michael-C-Hayes

Miserere by Teresa Frohock

Miserere: An Autumn Tale by Teresa Frohock

Books like Miserere are why I'm glad I make it a personal rule to finish reading all books I start. It's always tempting to put a title away for something else when the story doesn't capture me right away, and certainly I had my doubts that this one would be right for me when I first began. But sometimes, a book can be full of surprises.

I ended up loving Miserere. All I needed was some time to get into it, and part of the reason is its pacing. It's the kind of book that takes its time revealing itself to you, doling out details about its world in a trickle as you read. I was unable to make heads or tails of the story until I understood a bit of the context, that the universe of Miserere is made up of four planes: Heaven, Earth, Woerld, and Hell. Woerld is sort of like the first line of defense against Hell and its demons, as it were; all the religions there work to keep Fallen hordes from breaking through to Earth. It is in Woerld where the book mostly takes place.

Exorcist and man of faith Lucian Negru has been in exile for sixteen years, banished for abandoning his lover Rachael in Hell in exchange for the life of his twin sister, Catarina. Catarina, however, didn't want to be saved, as she'd sold her soul to the Fallen for the chance to rule Woerld. Lucian was crippled and imprisoned when he refused to go along with her plans, until one day he escapes and endeavors to save Rachael, who has since made it back from Hell, albeit possessed by a demon that is slowly taking over and killing her.  

Along the way, Lucian also rescues Lindsay, a young Earth girl who had slipped through the Veil into Woerld, just as he had many years before. Like Lucian, Lindsay possesses special powers, and will one day become one of the Kathoros, able to activate magic through prayer. Lucian is determined to make it his duty to train and protect her, but that's easier said than done with Catarina's minions on his tail and traitors at the heart of the Kathoroi. 

Such a rich world, with so much history and background. I don't think I was able to absorb it all until a third of the way through the book, mostly because not everything's explained right away. You're meant to be thrown into Miserere without much guidance, letting the story do the job of explaining the details as it progresses. Call me impatient, but I don't usually enjoy books like that; I much prefer it when the setting and characters are set up early so I know what I'm in for. But still, Miserere ended up making it up to me in spades!

Contrary to its description and the nature of its themes, this book isn't really about religion, though religious philosophies and the notion of faith are interwoven into the story. More significant are the ideas of redemption and mercy, of finding the strength and reason to go on again even after falling from grace. It's also about love, of whether or not it is possible to trust again after betrayal. 

Speaking of which, one of the first things that struck me about this book is how beautiful the writing is. I felt that the interplay of emotions between Lucian and Rachael unfolded very naturally and was presented almost perfectly, as were the descriptions of Lucien's mixed feelings for his traitorous sister. And yet, the writing was not at all flowery to the point of distracting, nor did it disrupt the flow of the story, which made this a very easy and smooth read. The execution in the details was also phenomenal; I am thinking of one scene in particular involving an exorcism that is quite possibly one of the most awesome and yet horrifying things I've ever read.

I just breezed through the second half of this book, since by then it had me completely hooked. One night, I found myself still up at 3am because I'd lost track of the hours reading this. I'm so glad I kept my mind open and gave this book a little time, as the reward was very much worth it.

Final verdict:

4.5 of 5 stars

This review also appears on Worlds Without End 
as part of the Women of Genre Fiction Reading Challenge

Mogsy's Book Haul

I really shouldn't be buying more books. Really. I noticed that my personal e-library hit the 1000-book mark the other day, and it doesn't look like my to-read list will be shrinking any time soon. I know I tell myself this all the time, but it's hopeless, I just can't help myself! While I adore my Kindle, I have to say that damn "Buy now with 1-click" button is evil and murder on my wallet.

The following is my haul for this week. Five books. It would have been more, but I had to draw the line somewhere. I totally blame Booksworn for my splurge. They got me good with their masked ball, which resulted in me scouring the internet for excerpts, looking through my own books or asking my friends to look in theirs for clues. As I discovered more and more about some of these titles that I'd never heard of before until now, I became intrigued and drawn to them and...well, that's how the trouble begins. You know how the rest goes.

Miserere by Teresa Frohock

Goodreads description: 

Exiled exorcist Lucian Negru deserted his lover in Hell in exchange for saving his sister Catarina's soul, but Catarina doesn't want salvation. She wants Lucian to help her fulfill her dark covenant with the Fallen Angels by using his power to open the Hell Gates. Catarina intends to lead the Fallen's hordes out of Hell and into the parallel dimension of Woerld, Heaven's frontline of defense between Earth and Hell. When Lucian refuses to help his sister, she imprisons and cripples him, but Lucian learns that Rachael, the lover he betrayed and abandoned in Hell, is dying from a demonic possession. Determined to rescue Rachael from the demon he unleashed on her soul, Lucian flees his sister, but Catarina's wrath isn't so easy to escape!

The Emperor's Knife by Mazarkis Williams

Goodreads description: 

There is a cancer at the heart of the mighty Cerani Empire: a plague that attacks young and old, rich and poor alike. Geometric patterns spread across the skin, until you die in agony, or become a Carrier, doing the bidding of an evil intelligence, the Pattern Master. Anyone showing the tell-tale marks is put to death; that is Emperor Beyon's law...but now the pattern is running over the Emperor's own arms.

His body servants have been executed, he ignores his wives, but he is doomed, for soon the pattern will reach his face. While Beyon's agents scour the land for a cure, Sarmin, the Emperor's only surviving brother, awaits his bride, Mesema, a windreader from the northern plains. Unused to the Imperial Court's stifling protocols and deadly intrigues, Mesema has no one to turn to but an ageing imperial assassin, the Emperor's Knife.

As long-planned conspiracies boil over into open violence, the invincible Pattern Master appears from the deep desert. Now only three people stand in his way: a lost prince, a world-weary killer, and a young girl from the steppes who saw a path in a pattern once, among the waving grasses - a path that just might save them all.

The Alchemist of Souls by Anne Lyle

Goodreads description: 

When Tudor explorers returned from the New World, they brought back a name out of half-forgotten Viking legend: skraylings. Red-sailed ships followed in the explorers’ wake, bringing Native American goods--and a skrayling ambassador--to London. But what do these seemingly magical beings really want in Elizabeth I’s capital?

Mal Catlyn, a down-at-heel swordsman, is seconded to the ambassador's bodyguard, but assassination attempts are the least of his problems. What he learns about the skraylings and their unholy powers could cost England her new ally--and Mal his soul.

Scourge of the Betrayer by Jeff Salyards  

Goodreads description:

Many tales are told of the Syldoon Empire and its fearsome soldiers, who are known throughout the world for their treachery and atrocities. Some say that the Syldoon eat virgins and babies–or perhaps their own mothers. Arkamondos, a bookish young scribe, suspects that the Syldoon’s dire reputation may have grown in the retelling, but he’s about to find out for himself.

Hired to chronicle the exploits of a band of rugged Syldoon warriors, Arki finds himself both frightened and fascinated by the men’s enigmatic leader, Captain Braylar Killcoin. A secretive, mercurial figure haunted by the memories of those he’s killed with his deadly flail, Braylar has already disposed of at least one impertinent scribe ... and Arki might be next.

Archiving the mundane doings of millers and merchants was tedious, but at least it was safe. As Arki heads off on a mysterious mission into parts unknown, in the company of the coarse, bloody-minded Syldoon, he is promised a chance to finally record an historic adventure well worth the telling, but first he must survive the experience!

A gripping military fantasy in the tradition of Glen Cook, Scourge of the Betrayer explores the brutal politics of Empire–and the searing impact of violence and dark magic on a man’s soul.

Blood's Pride by Evie Manieri

Goodreads description:
 
Evie Manieri's Blood's Pride is the first book of The Shattered Kingdoms, an engaging, action-packed, and “highly imaginative” (Kirkus Reviews) series of fantasy novels with epic scope and “the perfect mix of romance, family ties, betrayals, and agonizing dilemmas” (RT Book Reviews).

Rising from their sea-torn ships like vengeful, pale phantoms, the Norlanders laid waste to the Shadar under cover of darkness. They forced the once-peaceful fisher folk into slavery and forged an alliance with their former trading partners, the desert-dwelling Nomas tribe, cutting off any hope of salvation.

Now, two decades after the invasion, a rebellion gathers strength in the dark corridors of the city. A small faction of Shadari have hired the Mongrel, an infamous mercenary, to aid their fledgling uprising—but with her own shadowy ties to the region, she is a frighteningly volatile ally. Has she really come to lead a revolution, or for a more sinister purpose all her own?

Set in a fictional quasi-Medieval Mediterranean region with a strong cast of male and female characters, the series “presents a striking world with civilizations similar to those of the Vikings and the nomadic cultures of the Middle East, and with the Mediterranean sensibilities of the ancient Greeks. Her characters are passionate and memorable, lending a personal touch to a complex tale of clashing cultures and philosophies. Fans of Sharon Shinn, Elspeth Cooper, and Gail Z. Martin should enjoy Manieri’s approach to culture and drama.” (Library Journal, starred review)