Book Review: Betrayal in the Highlands by Robert Evert

Betrayal in the Highlands by Robert Evert

Genre: Fantasy, Adventure
Series: Riddle in Stone #2
Publisher: Diversion Books
Publication Date: September 2013

...if there’s one fantastic thing about Evert’s atypical hero, its been Edmund’s journey from middle-aged, stuttering, self-doubting librarian to middle-aged, stuttering, one-eyed survivor...

3 of 5 stars

With goblins hot on their heels after escaping the Under King’s clutches, Edmund, his loyal friend Pond and the unruly puppy named Becky try to maintain their tenuous hold on freedom, only to come face-to-face with the troll Edmund met when he’d started his ill-fated search for Iliandor’s treasure. But if there’s one fantastic thing about Evert’s atypical hero, its been Edmund’s journey from middle-aged, stuttering, self-doubting librarian to middle-aged, stuttering, one-eyed survivor who’ll risk his life to keep even a troll from standing in his way or hurting those he cares about.

With the wealth Edmund and Pond abscond with after defeating the troll, they are able to find temporary lodgings as noble adventurers to the south. Not long after their arrival, a mysterious letter warns of great peril and soon, Edmund learns that Norb, now married to the love of Edmund’s life, has been spilling Edmund’s secrets back in the Highlands. One of those secrets is the fact that Edmund is a magic user, a group that continues to be persecuted.

Edmund, joined by a couple more companions, must make his way back to Rood to stop Norb, avoiding goblins and a deadly new enemy who wants the secret of the riddle in stone along the way.

The best part about the previous book, Riddle in Stone, was the goblins and Edmund’s struggles while in captivity. He had to learn to rely on his wits and his meager magical spells and he had to learn to make some very difficult life and death decisions without anyone but himself to rescue him.

Betrayal in the Highlands spends most of its time with Edmund hoping for a quiet life and deliberating this with his inner voice and with his companions. Unfortunately, for a book about adventurers, there is far too much time spent talking instead of adventuring.

Still, there is an excellent story hidden away in there if some of the conversations could be cut down. When we finally get to the meat of the story, we also get back to Edmund’s continued character development as he grows from survivor into leader and hero, leading into a third book that promises a lot more goblin time. And I do so love Evert’s goblins…

With thanks to NetGalley and Diversion Books for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Graphic Novel Review: Five Ghosts vol.1: The Haunting of Fabian Gray by Frank J. Barbiere

Five Ghosts, Vol. 1: The Haunting of Fabian Gray by Frank J. Barbiere

Genre: Pulp Fiction, Adventure
Series: Collects Five Ghosts #1-5
Publisher: Image Comics
Publication Date: September 18, 2013

...the story has a lot of potential to go places, with lots of opportunity for exciting adventures.

3 of 5 stars

A tragic turn of events resulted in a Dreamstone embedding itself in adventurer Fabian Gray's chest. On the plus side, he now can call upon the abilities of the five literary ghosts trapped within the Dreamstone to aid him in his treasure hunting.

The comic is written and drawn in a retro pulp fiction style and when Fabian Gray is first introduced, we immediately get to see his ghosts in action, conveniently aiding him in his daring feats. My first real introduction to pulp fiction was A Princess of Mars, where readers are frequently reminded of how awesome the manly main character is. I feared I'd be subjected to the same with Fabian Gray, but after the dashing introduction, we discover Gray might not be so awesome and that his exceptional powers come with a heavy price. Gray's connection to the Dreamstone means that others, including the Nazis, know of him and are now hunting him.

The art took some time to grow on me. I liked the pulp style and layout, though the art itself wasn't as clean as it could have been. Eventually, both story and art settled in to a comfortable groove. I appreciate the depth Barbiere attempts to give to the character, though the lessons Gray learns during his trials do take a bit of a leap. Still, with everything now established in the first volume, I think the story has a lot of potential to go places, with lots of opportunity for exciting adventures. Hopefully we'll learn why these particular ghosts have manifested for Gray and what his personal connection is to them.

With thanks to NetGalley and Image Comics for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: The Scroll of Years by Chris Willrich

The Scroll of Years by Chris Willrich

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Book 1 of Gaunt and Bone
 
Publisher: Pyr

Date of Publication: September 24, 2013

Author Information: Website | Twitter


The Scroll of Years sees Chris Willrich taking his characters Persimmon Gaunt and Imago Bone into new territory, in more ways than one. To date, the pair of adventurers have appeared in a handful of short stories (and the first one is actually included in the back of this volume) but now the two of them are starring in their own full-length novel.

A dynamic dual and partners in crime, Gaunt and Bone are also lovers expecting their first child. Caught up in some trouble with Night Auditor assassins at the beginning of this book, the pair flee across the ocean to Qiangguo, a land very much inspired by ancient Imperial China. To protect themselves from enemies and other factions who already have designs on their unborn child, they will need all the help they can get, and allies apparently can come from the most unexpected of places.

There is much to be said about Chris Willrich's ability to make me feel so connected to his main protagonists, since I have not read the short stories and The Scroll of Years is my first introduction to Gaunt and Bone. Already, the two are in love and starting a family, which offers a very interesting kind of dynamic you usually don't find when picking up the first book of a series. It's not often that one gets a chance to read a fantasy novel from the perspective of a couple of parents-to-be, after all.

Quite frankly, it gave me positive feelings towards this book and its main characters right away, especially since the emotional nuances are always so close to surface whenever Gaunt or Bone find themselves in a quandary. On a personal level, Persimmon Gaunt's experiences as an expectant woman and then a new mother were humorous at times, and tugged at my heartstrings at others. Overall, these characters have a lot of depth and are just written so well.

The world in which the story takes place is also beautifully crafted, achieved without overt info-dumping. I have a great interest in Far East traditions, and to my delight the author has taken some Chinese myths and legends and incorporated them into this story, also creating some of his own at times to add to the richness of Qiangguo. Clearly, a lot of care was taken to blend fantasy, history, and his own research and knowledge, as evidenced by some of the stories and poetry found in this book, and even by simple things like the name given to this land of the Heavenwalls ("Qiang" meaning "Wall", "Guo" meaning "Nation").

The writing is also something I feel I have to remark upon, because the prose is definitely not of a typical style. Even so, this makes it no less beautiful or impressive in my eyes.  It did take me a lot longer than expected to read this book, but only because Chris Willrich's style was something I felt really needed to be taken in slowly and savored. Because a certain level of attention is required to do so, this might make The Scroll of Years a difficult book to get into, but stick with it and you'll be rewarded by many subtle surprises in the writing. For example, I for one was not expecting much humor in this novel, but there were actually quite a few funny moments that came out of nowhere and made me laugh out loud.

All in all, I can safely say I cannot remember the last time I came across a book like this. Highly recommended for readers of fantasy who love a good action-adventure tale, especially those who might be on the lookout for something a bit different with an elegant and subtle touch.

 4 of 5 stars

"A unique and elegantly written tale of adventure, 

with deep characters and a rich setting"

A review copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Audiobook Review: City of Lies by Lian Tanner

City of Lies by Lian Tanner

Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Young Adult

Series: The Keepers #2

Publisher: Delacorte Books

Publication Date: January 1, 2011

Author Info: www.liantanner.com.au/

Just assume that if I listen to an audiobook narrated by Claudia Black, that I will be giving her performance five stars. Not only does she once again do an excellent job with the various characters, but I continue to be amazed by how she can pull so much emotion from words on a page. It’s impossible not to get wrapped up in the action and emotion when she is so completely immersed in her telling. Not that this is surprising for me. I’ve been known to shed real and true tears along with her as she expresses her deepest regrets to a puppet.

Anyway, City of Lies takes place six months after the events of Museum of Thieves. The Fugleman is assumed dead and his Blessed Guardians have been removed from power, which means children are now free to roam without chains. Some parents and children aren’t quite ready for the change and make their own bindings. A broken limb and an almost drowning are raising tensions in the city of Jewel and calling the Protector’s abilities to keep the children safe into question, especially when rumours of a return of kidnappers proves true with the disappearance of a little girl.

Meanwhile, Goldie Roth has been busily avoiding the Museum of Dunt and the request to take her place as Keeper. Her parents are both unwell and she places their poor health squarely on her own shoulders as a result of her running away in the last book. Becoming a Keeper would mean abandoning her parents and that’s not something Goldie is willing to do, no matter how much her parents encourage her and her friend Toadspit demands it. The kidnapping forces Goldie to forget both of these concerns to focus solely on the rescue of not one but two children, whisked away to the city of Spoke which is about to celebrate its Festival of Lies. For two days, everything will be backwards. How will Goldie learn the truth and rescue her friends within a city of lies?

Once again, Goldie must rely on her wits and the skills of theft and stealth she learned in her previous adventure. And she must also deal with the mysterious voice in the back of her mind that continues to steer her. I’m glad the issue of the voice is addressed. It plays such a prominent role in Goldie’s decisions, as does the broach she wears that once belonged to her bold Auntie Praise. Neither device received much explanation for their purpose in the previous book, but clearly they are important. I’m not certain how I feel about the voice by the end of City of Lies, but I’m curious about how things will play out in the final book in the trilogy. Hopefully we’ll also get to learn a bit more about Auntie Praise.

I’m glad that Goldie’s guilt over her parents does not become an overwhelming shadow to the story, though I appreciate the level of responsibility it shows in Goldie. The whole concept of The Keepers series is to show that children don’t need as much protection as we believe they do. They can be trusted with responsibility and don’t need to be locked in protective bubbles for their own safety. That was more heavily addressed in the previous book, but the lingering paranoia of adults who don’t believe this to be true continues to hang over the plot.

I was disappointed in the lack of Broo in this story, though the tattered cat was a worthy replacement. I also missed the Museum of Dunt, which is a character unto itself. Not that Broo, the Museum and the other Keepers are forgotten, though. They all play a very important part in the story and their connection to Goldie and the children remains strong.

The festival of lies is a fun part of the adventure and the idea of having everyone say the opposite of what they mean is not overdone. Or rather, it could have become annoying, but keep in mind that this is a book written for a younger audience who would probably appreciate the backwards antics of the festival. I am a bit skeptical about the introduction of Princess Frisia, but am curious enough to find out how everything falls into place in the end.

4 of 5 stars

Book Review: Kinslayer by Jay Kristoff

Kinslayer by Jay Kristoff

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy, Steampunk

Series: Book 2 of The Lotus War

Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books

Date of Publication: September 17, 2013

Author Information:  Website | Twitter


It's going to be extremely difficult to talk about the sheer awesomeness of this book without giving spoilers, but darn it, I'm going to try! In general I tend not to do spoilers in reviews, but more important is the fact that I simply don't think anything will compare to the emotional roller coaster of experiencing all the ups-and-downs of this book yourself.

Like the first book, though, it took me a while to get into the story. However, it's significant to note that some of the best books I've ever read start off slow in the first 100 pages, and this has been the case with both books in this series so far. Part of this also has to do with the writing style, which I still find over-encumbered and hard to get used to.

But none of that mattered in the end; as soon as this book got its arashitora claws and talons in me, I was pretty much putty in its clutches! After the events of Stormdancer, I was on pins and needles wondering what Yukiko, Buruu, and the Kagen rebels would do now with the entire Shima Imperium in turmoil. My first shock was discovering the Lotus Guild's choice for the new Shogun. That just can't end well.

Now the Kagen are in a frenzy of planning, hoping to sabotage the Shogun-to-be's wedding and foil the Guild's aim to put him at the head of this new tyrannical dynasty. The enemy, however, are also plotting something of their own, something that would have the power to end the Kagen and destroy their forest home. Meanwhile, Yukiko flies off across the oceans on Buruu to learn more about the Kenning, her mysterious power that has been unstable as of late.

There's definitely an epic feel to this series now, especially with the addition of more characters, their points-of-view, and multiple plot threads occurring in different places all at once. For the first time, we also get a brief glimpse of the world happening outside Shima, finally giving some context to this "gaijin war" we've been hearing about for the whole of the first book and a part of this one, but so far have seen none of the fighting or battles.

And if I thought the first 100 pages were slow, the last 100 pages certainly made up for them and more besides. I know "unputdownable" sounds cliched, but it was almost literally the truth when the book was practically glued to my fingers with the nervous sweat coming off of my hands, I kid you not. I don't often like making comparisons to A Song of Ice and Fire when I talk about books (because truly, I have never come across anything quite like George R.R. Martin's series) but there were definitely times where I felt this one was "Game of Thrones-ing" me. It was just shock after shock in the last quarter of the book, some which were expected, some not.

Of course, I had some issues, especially with some parts of the plot (like, what a nice convenient way to get Yukiko out of the picture for a while), and the prose with its excessive use of metaphors often made me want to tear my hair out, but overall these were overshadowed by the climax and finale, as well as an insane revelation about Yukiko. I cannot believe I didn't see that one coming!

In the end, I think I liked this book even more than the first one because it was darker, more visceral, violent. I love books which are unpredictable and that keep me guessing, whose direction can change like the wind without warning. I liked how this was not a happy story. It has evolved a lot in this book, and its characters as well. Considering how Jay Kristoff left things off here in total chaos, I'm already looking forward to the next book which I have no doubt will be explosive.

Note: My copy was an advance reader edition from the publisher provided to me in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 of 5 stars

"Epic feel and insane revelations!"

For BiblioSanctum reviews of previous book(s) in the series:

Book 1 of The Lotus War - Stormdancer

Book Review: The Rose and the Thorn by Michael J. Sullivan

The Rose and the Thorn by Michael J. Sullivan

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Book 2 of The Riyria Chronicles

Publisher: Orbit

Expected Date of Publication: September 17, 2013

Author Information: Website | Twitter

The Riyria Revelations series may have wrapped up, but when it comes to this fantasy world and its characters, clearly there are still many stories to be told. Michael J. Sullivan fills in the details of the past first with The Crown Tower, and now with The Rose and the Thorn. Thanks to Orbit Books and NetGalley, I was able to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

While the first book told the origin story of the partnership between Royce and Hadrian, I thought this second one focused more on the birth of Riyria and the concept itself. Returning to Medford after a year of being on the road, the two thieves find that trouble has come upon Gwen Delancy, the woman who saved their lives after the harrowing events at the Crown Tower. The whole city is looking for one of Gwen's girls, a young prostitute who may have unwittingly stumbled upon a conspiracy to kill the king of Melengar and his family.

To be honest, I think the fact I was going to enjoy this book was already a foregone conclusion; to me, the romance between Royce and Gwen is one of those fantasy fiction love stories for the ages, and I was giddy with the fact that we got a glimpse into how their relationship first sparked and blossomed. This book also served to provide back-stories for some of the supporting characters in The Riyria Revelations, and we got to see appearances from familiar faces such as Reuben Hilfred and Viscount Albert Winslow.

That said, while I thought the The Crown Tower could be read as a standalone without having much knowledge of the six books of The Riyria Revelations, The Rose and the Thorn on the other hand might not be so easy to get into for newcomers to the world of Riyria, mostly due to the large number of characters and lore it introduces in the opening chapters. Still, it's not such a big avalanche of information that it would be overwhelming; I still have no doubt that the book would be enjoyable to people who haven't read the original series, but it'll just be more to take in.

In general, though, readers who already know the names and the political climate in this period of the books involving the Church of Nyphron will probably have more reasons to find this book exciting. I for one loved it. From the description I thought I would be getting a lot more about Royce and Gwen, but even then I was not disappointed when I discovered their story was just a part of an overall bigger picture. So many past events that I'd been aware of from The Riyria Revelations have now been given a new life and significance.

In sum, this book basically gave me more than I bargained for, and in a good way. I generally love to read these kinds of "world-building" novels that add to an existing story or series, so really, both these The Riyria Chronicles books were right up my alley. I hope Michael J. Sullivan will be open to writing more in the future, even if they aren't necessarily about Hadrian and Royce. As he's shown with this book, even the supporting characters from his world of Riyria have interesting stories to tell.

4 of 5 stars

Book Review: Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff

Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy, Steampunk

Series: Book 1 of The Lotus War

Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books

Date of Publication: September 18, 2012

Author Information: Website | Twitter


This was a refreshing read that stood out from all the steampunk I've been chomping through lately. I used to think this sub-genre and setting wasn't for me, but that was probably before I realized how few steampunk books I've read actually incorporate that "steampunkness" so fully and completely as this book does. And it's not just about the cool airships and armor and the wicked chainsaw katanas either (though all those things are indeed cool and wicked). The steampunk aspect is ubiquitous and feels like a living, breathing part of the story, going beyond descriptions of the mechanisms to actually touch upon the relationship it has with the whole society and industry.

But enough about the steampunk, because as brilliant as that is, it's only one of the many reasons why I loved this book. I think the kicker is the feudal Japanese-inspired world as well as the author's version on its myths and legends. In the center stage of Stormdancer is the arashitora, a "storm tiger" or griffin, which the characters Yukiko and the members of her father's hunting team are tasked to capture for Shima's megalomaniacal Shogun. However, the expedition is disrupted by a great tempest before they could bring one home, leaving Yukiko stranded and alone with one of the mythological creatures, and a furious one at that.

At is heart, the story is mainly about the friendship that develops between Yukiko and the arashitora Buruu, an unlikely pair who learns to trust and love one another after facing challenges together. While that's not exactly breaking new ground, I still have to say there were a few surprises in the plot that kept things interesting. Once again, it's the world that really pulled me in, and along with that the anticipation of seeing how the characters will prevail against the Shogun and his Lotus Guild. For a novel targeted at young adults, I am more than impressed with the whole package.

I suppose the only thing that gave me pause was the prose. I am torn when it comes to this, because so much of the writing was given to the world building, and surely no one can accuse the author of skimping on the descriptive details. In general, however, I found the prose needed getting used to, and also could have done with less embellishment.

Still, the book's penchant to expound on everything was also both its strongest and weakest point. It may be the reason for its slow-ish start, but also gave life to in my opinion the best and most amazing scene in the whole book, which was the initial hunt in the storm at about a quarter of the way in. There's pretty much no way you can read those vivid chapters and not be hooked afterward! All in all, a great book, and nothing's going to keep me away from the next one.

4 of 5 stars

"More than impressed!"

Book Review: The Crown Tower by Michael J. Sullivan

The Crown Tower by Michael J. Sullivan

Expected Date of Publication: August 6, 2013
 
A team, a partnership, working together...the Elves have word for it in the world of these books -- they call it "Riyria". If you've read Michael J. Sullivan's excellent Riyria Revelations series already, you'll know that Hadrian Blackwater and Royce Melborn weren't always the dynamic duo we know and love, and that they certainly didn't start off as friends. Now finally, with the story of The Crown Tower, we get to see how it all began.

I was honored to be able to read a pre-release copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Orbit and NetGalley! Being quite the fan of Mr. Sullivan's Riyria books and given the fact that Hadrian and Royce's "origin story" was one that was hinted at throughout that entire series, being able to read this was one hell of a real treat. 

The great thing is, even though The Crown Tower can be considered a prequel of sorts, it can also be read as a one-shot. We are introduced to Hadrian, a jaded and young directionless soldier returning home from the wilds of Calis after hearing about his father's death. He agrees to meet with Arcadius, an old friend at the university who claims to have a message from Hadrian's father before he died. Arcadius, however, inexplicably pairs Hadrian up with Royce, a depraved thief whose mistrust of everything and everyone is akin to that of a dog that has been kicked too often. The two men are sent on an incomprehensible task to steal a book...which sounds simple enough, if only they can learn to work together without killing each other first.

For newcomers to the world and characters of Riyria, this book will be a great starting point. Returning fans will probably be even more thrilled, as it basically has all the details about Hadrian and Royce's first ever job together, and answers questions about how these two men -- who arguably are complete polar opposites of each other -- became a team. As an added bonus, we even get chapters focusing on Gwen, who ranks up there among my list of strongest female characters I've ever come across in fantasy fiction. 

These are characters I've come to know well, and it's just so great to be able to return to them again, even if it's going back in time. My only regret is that Gwen's sections feel a bit rushed and a little glossed over, though rationally I can kind of see why I found this to be the case. Her presence in this book is definitely required, but at the same time the main focus must remain on Hadrian and Royce's quest. My excitement levels and hopes are lifted, however, for The Rose and the Thorn which is the follow-up to this, and it looks like it'll have a lot more Gwen and maybe it'll mean a deeper and more prominent role for her to play.

The thing I love about The Crown Tower is that it continues to read like all of the other Riyria novels in that they are fun, action-filled adventurous fantasy stories that have a traditional, straightforward and down-to-earth feel-good vibe. Hadrian and Royce are ever the source of good banter, even at this point where they still hate each other. 

The book also has a feel of a puzzle piece that simply "fits", falling into place and filling out the timeline of the Riyria books without feeling forced or tacked on, unlike certain prequels of certain franchises I won't deign to mention here. You can tell with The Crown Tower as with all the books in the Riyria Revelations that the author has a grand plan, that everything happens for a reason and the presentation of it all is smooth and logical. The point is, I think this book would be great for any fan of fantasy, but if you've also read and loved the Riyria Revelations, this is a MUST-read.

Final verdict:

4 of 5 stars

Audiobook Review: You Only Live Twice by Ian Fleming

You Only Live Twice by Ian Fleming

My friend recently praised the audiobook narrations of Simon Vance. Unfortunately, my library's inventory is small and Overdrive Media only allows me to download MP3s to my Nexus, further limiting my options to only two James Bond novels narrated by Vance. Since I have been wanting to read Bond books, I figured why not.

Shortly into the reading, my friend asked me what I thought of Vance's performance. I informed her that there was no Simon Vance. There was only James Bond and Tiger Tanaka. Vance has definitely earned a place on my list of favourite audiobook narrators.

This is the twelfth Bond book, taking place shortly after the violent death of Bond's wife of only a few hours. Bond physically survived the explosion at the hands of Dr. Blofeld, but the emotional effects are obvious. M is uncertain of what to do with his formerly best agent, until one doctor determines that what Bond needs is an impossible mission. This leads Bond to Japan and a friendship with Tiger Tanaka.

This is the last Bond book published by Ian Fleming in his life time, and it differs significantly from the film. There are no spacejackings and nuclear weapons in the book, but there are ninjas.

The story takes place not long after Japan's defeat in WWII. The west is encroaching on the east, and not everyone is happy with subjugation. The samurai sense of honour remains. I enjoyed the insight into the Japanese culture, which was not as pretentious or derisive as it was in Michael Crichton's Rising Sun. The back-and-forth between Tanaka and Bond is amiable and respectful, even when they are being negative or insulting to each other's countries.

Bond's mission changes significantly when Tanaka asks him to deal with the "Castle of Death" that has been built on a Japanese island, where a wealthy foreigner is harbouring a collection of botanical death and luring in Japanese citizens. A lot of their discussions deal with their differing views on suicide and honour. Although Bond does not get heavily into his emotions over Tracy's death, there is a sense that the discussions about suicide and other aspects of Japan are definitely on Bond's mind. Or, perhaps I was just projecting, because I wanted a little more of Bond's internal struggle to come out. It does rear its head in the end, with good reason, but I wanted to see a bit more of his pain than Fleming allowed.

As this is a Bond book, there has to be a Bond Girl. In this case, it is Kissy Suzuki, a clam diver on the small island that becomes Bond's base of operations. Throughout the book, he has numerous encounters with women and the book comments on his lascivious thoughts, but I found it interesting that the woman who is clearly intended to be a love interest, is treated with the utmost respect by Bond. Several moments in Kissy's appearances were dedicated to Bond's utter appreciation of her as a woman. The descriptions spoke as much about her body as they did about how her body suited her abilities and demeanor.

There is not a lot of action in this book. In fact, M informs Bond at the beginning, that the mission requires his wits, more than anything. When the mission changes, Tanaka denies Bond's requests for the simplicity of guns, instead introducing him to ninjutsu and the art of stealth. I was a bit skeptical about this part, though I appreciated that Bond didn't simply learn how to ninja over night. Or at all, really.

My only other complaint comes from two particular moments when mission information is provided to Bond. I expected the information to be summarized, but instead it was listed off in great detail that caused me to tune out a bit. That said, I do now have a long, handy list of poisonous flora and their resulting effects. Just in case.

Story

3 of 5 stars

Narration

5 of 5 stars

Audiobook Review: Path of Beasts by Lian Tanner

Path of Beasts by Lian Tanner

We return to the adventures of Goldie and Toadspit in this final installment of the series, which picks up right where we left them in City of Lies. The children return to Jewel after their harrowing escape from the kidnappers in Spoke to find that their enemy the Fugleman has taken over the city with his Blessed Guardians and an army of mercenaries.

It's showdown time now, and the Keepers will have to devise a plan to protect the Museum of Dunt and the people of Jewel. The Fugleman, however, has brought in a giant cannon, and is bent on taking over the city and destroying everything Goldie holds dear. To make things worse, Goldie had not escaped from Spoke entirely unscathed; after the effects of "The Big Lie", she holds in her head the personality and thoughts of a long-dead warrior princess. Day by day, Princess Frisia's presence grows stronger, threatening to take over Goldie's life.

And so, my journey with the Keepers Trilogy draws to a close, and with it, probably my last opportunity to enjoy Claudia Black's wonderful narrating work for a while. Looks like she's got a handful of other audiobooks under her belt, but I also hope she'll do more in the future; with her voice and talent, I think she would be perfect for urban fantasy.

As for the book itself, it hurts me a little to say this, but I wasn't as happy with it as I'd expected. It wasn't that the story was bad or that it didn't provide us with a satisfying ending to the trilogy. I just find myself viewing this book with an almost frustrating ambivalence, because I even now I'm trying to think of something--anything, good or bad, it doesn't matter--to say about this book and I'm struggling.
  
It almost makes no sense for me to feel this way; after all, the story was great -- the heroes overcome their trials and tribulations, honor prevails, everyone comes together in the end to save the city, and the bad guy is defeated while the good triumph, all that good stuff. It's a children's series after all, you know you'll get a happy ending and nothing's gonna come out of left field at you. 

And maybe that's what it is. Not that I have an issue with books for youngsters having happy endings, but the fact I pretty much knew everything was going to work out in the end. Which is perfectly fine; like I said, it's how things should be, but I personally prefer more a little more uncertainty in my plot lines which is likely the main reason why I don't usually pick up books targeted for middle-grade.

But on the whole, these have been really great books. I probably enjoyed them even more because I listened to them all on audio, but I certainly don't regret my time with this trilogy one bit.

Feel free to also check out my reviews for other titles in this series:
Book 1: Museum of Thieves
Book 2: City of Lies

Final verdict:

 

3.5 of 5 stars

Book Review: A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan

A Natural History of Dragons: A Memoir by Lady Trent by Marie Brennan

Wow, I really liked this book -- everything from the story and the characters and the writing down to its stark yet elegant cover which first drew my eye to its spot sitting on a store bookshelf. I blame my background in the biological sciences, since it seems I can't help but be intrigued by anything that looks like it has anatomical drawings on it.

As indicated by its title, the novel is told in the form of a memoir from the venerable Lady Trent, leading research and expert on the matter of dragons. But in the time her story takes place, she was known simply as Isabella Camherst, a newly married 19-year-old lady of Scirland in a society where women were still mostly restricted from taking up the scholarly pursuits. This book is an account of how her love for dragons and science manifested at a very young age, and how a serendipitous opportunity to join an expedition to study dragons changed her life.

How interesting could this book be, I initially thought to myself. Is this whole thing going to be about some fictional old lady waxing nostalgic about her life researching dragons? I think a part of me expected nothing but a collection of anecdotes. I also might have had it in my head that this was going to read like a fantasy version of something like Jane Goodall's Through a Window, except with dragons instead of chimpanzees. 

In the end, none of what I thought came even close, because there actually was a plot, and a pretty good one at that. I was surprised to see there was a thread of mystery woven into the story: something strange is afoot in the host village Isabella and her companions are staying in, and on top of that, the native species of rock-wyrm has become prone to attack humans, which isn't their usual behavior. These are the questions that Isabella has to answer while their expedition is in the Vystrani Mountains.

Of course, there ended up being the anecdotes I'd been expecting too, but they mostly came near the beginning. I didn't like these as much as I liked the main story about the expedition, but they did give pretty good insight into Isabella's character and personality. I didn't care much for some of her childhood experiences because often she came across as too much of a brat, but I did love the story of how she met her husband Jacob. It was such a sweet, awkwardly romantic scene that I swear my eyes practically started watering up along with Isabella's when she burst into tears of happiness.

My favorite thing about the book, however, was its overall concept. I didn't think I was going to take to the writing style, what with the stuffy narration from the get-go, but it actually came across in a very natural way that was nowhere near as distracting as I'd expected. What struck me is that you could also easily contrast the young, impetuous and excitable Isabella in the memoir to the older, more mellow and experienced Lady Trent who is "writing", and still get the sense she retained all that determination and humor in her personality. I thought it was a cool way of presenting the novel, and Marie Brennan pulled it off perfectly.

Also, I've seen fantasy deal with the subject of dragons in many ways; sometimes they're the monsters for the heroes to kill, sometimes they're intelligent and have the ability to speak, forming partnerships with humans or even taking human shape, etc. However, I personally liked how this book tackled the matter by painting dragons as simply another kind of wild animal species, as well as the main character's biologist/naturalist perspective to want to observe and study them. Like I said, perhaps it's due to my own educational history and interest, but this aspect of the book really appealed to me.

This was just a great read all around, the experience made even better for me because it was such an unexpectedly pleasant surprise. To summarize: A very good book featuring an interesting concept, engrossing plot, and a refreshingly strong female protagonist.

Final verdict:

 4.5 of 5 stars

Book Review: Will in Scarlet by Matthew Cody

Will in Scarlet by Matthew Cody

I really enjoy books about famous fictional heroes that aren't actually about the famous fictional heroes.

Will in Scarlet is a Robin Hood story told first and foremost through the eyes of the young lord, William Shackley. Later, the voice of Much, the miller's daughter turned son, is added. Their stories and the paths that lead them to the Merry Men of Sherwood Forest shape the lore around the infamous Robin Hood. But while we get a glimpse into the wanted bandit, it's Will and Much who the reader gets to know and care about, though we do get to see Robin Hood through their eyes. Turns out, the leader of the Merry Men isn't quite what we expect him to be.

It only took me a few pages to really like this story and the characters. I've never really Will Scarlet in a particularly positive light in the various mediums I've previously met him in, but this one sets out to give him heart and soul and easily achieves it. Robin might lead the Merry Men, but Will is the one who gives them their purpose and helps to define the vast division between nobility and the regular folk without being preachy or petulant.

I also liked how the Sheriff of Nottingham, while not necessarily a likable character overall, is one that I could sympathize with to some extent. His actions are given greater reasoning than him simply being a greedy and evil jerk.

This was a fun read, with well thought out characters, lots of interesting action and a fair bit of humour.

4 of 5 stars

Book Review: Blood of Dragons by Robin Hobb

Blood of Dragons by Robin Hobb

This is the fourth and final book of the Rain Wild Chronicles series, bringing a close to the story of the dragons and their keepers...for now. In the last book, we saw the characters arrive at the legendary Elderling city of Kelsingra, only to find it accessible only by flight. 

At the start of Blood of Dragons, many of the dragons have managed to learn to fly, with the rest well on their way to achieving it. The dragonkeepers have also been transformed, becoming beautiful Elderlings. Expeditions have been made into Kelsingra; every day more artifacts are discovered, and more memories are lifted magically from the city's stones. It'll all be for naught, however, if the one thing the dragons and their Elderlings need to stay healthy and survive cannot be found -- silver, a substance that has the power to heal and rejuvenate, among other mystical properties.

I think I've finally gotten into the flow of Robin Hobb's writing. I love her style, but what I've discovered is that her books are not so traditionally structured, which can sometimes make them feel lacking in direction. But unlike the three previous books in the series, this is the first one where I can distinctly identify a climax and a definite ending. Well, this being the last book and all, I would have certainly hoped so.

As a series conclusion, I was pretty satisfied. Still, maybe it's just me, but so much of it felt driven by pure relationship drama. Of course, there's a positive side to this; I was extremely looking forward to see how this book will end up dealing with Hest Finbok, for one. Despite being jilted by Alise, he's still a despicable human being and needed to get his due. There were also the usual conflicts, but the love triangle between Thymara, Tats, and Rapskal seemed to dominate a lot of it. Even the dragons were are getting into the action with their mating quarrels. 

And on the topic of the dragons, even after four books I have to say I still haven't managed to find much sympathy for the arrogant, belligerent creatures (with only a couple exceptions). Take the least flattering stereotypes about cats, and dragons are like that but about a hundred times worse. Is it horrible of me, that I actually wanted to see doom come to Tintaglia when she was caught in the trouble with the human hunters? I definitely wouldn't fault this against the book though; it's to Hobb's credit that she was able to give her dragons such severe qualities and evoke these reactions from me.

My main issue, however, was probably with the subject of the silver wells. I don't remember them being an important factor in this series at all until this book. All of a sudden, there's this need for silver, and why is this matter just coming up now? Wouldn't something like this have been helpful for everyone to know earlier in the expedition? Seems weird that it only came up once the characters are actually in Kelsingra. It's possible I'm missing something because I haven't read all the books in the Realm of the Elderlings, but the problem with the search for silver still feels like it came out of nowhere, thrown in as a conflict at the last minute.

Speaking of which, I probably should read the other books. I definitely have the interest and the desire to after reading this series, plus I should really try and finish off the Farseer Trilogy since the second book has been in my to-read list for almost two years. However, Liveship Traders probably interests me more at this point.

Final verdict:

  3.5 of 5 stars

Note: Previous books in the Rain Wild Chronicles:

Dragon Keeper - my review

Dragon Haven - my review

City of Dragons  - my review

Book Mini-Review: The Red Wolf Conspiracy by Robert V.S. Redick

The Red Wolf Conspiracy by Robert V.S. Redick

This is a story of The Chathrand. Built six hundred years go, the great ship is a towering palace on the seas and the last of her kind. Now she sets sail on a mission of diplomacy, carrying the only daughter of the Emperor's Ambassador to a marriage that will ensure the peace between two nations. The rest of the passenger list is diverse, including the ship's psychotic captain, a tarboy with a magical gift for languages, a spymaster and his six deadly assassins, a hundred imperial marines, and a small band of gremlin-like Ixchel stowaways. All look on with wonder and pride as The Chathrand embarks on this most important voyage...and then the great ship goes missing.

The Good

I loved how this book started -- right away, the reader is informed through a "special notice" that the great ship has vanished at sea, along with the 800 souls she was carrying. (Souls...the choice of that word in the report had a chilling effect on me). Immediately, you're drawn into this mystery and you're flipping to the first page of the first chapter, eager to start the story which would tell you what happened. 

I was also impressed with just how much is in this book. There's so much magic and different races and different creatures in this book. Everyone seems to have an element of fantasy surrounding them, like Pazel the tarboy who has been blessed/burdened with a gift/curse that allows him learn and understand any language after only being exposed to them for a short time. But this power, however, also frequently gives him debilitating fits that interferes with his job aboard the decks. 

Then there are the Ixchel, a race of tiny people that sailors often consider nothing more than pests because their tendency to stow away aboard ships. There are also the Flikkermen, Murths (like mermaids), and a race of gigantic, enormously strong humanoids called the Augrong, among others. Not to mention the presence of special animals that are "awakened" with self-awareness and the power of intellectual thought and speech. The book is a trove of new and interesting ideas for people who love fantasy fiction.

The So-So

There is such thing as too much of a good thing. The plus of having so much going on in this book can also be seen as a minus. There are a lot of ambitious ideas in this ambitious story set in an ambitious fantasy world, and sometimes it can all get just a little too overwhelming. 

The first few chapters were done really well, telling a sequence of events through the eyes of several characters, with each point-of-view picking things up right after where the last one left off. Unfortunately, it also made me feel so disoriented that I had to go back and read through them again just to make sure I didn't miss anything. At this point, there were still a lot of things I didn't understand, but I just made do with telling myself to trust the author, that hopefully there will come a time when everything will be made clear.

Ultimately, everything was explained, which was good, but I still thought it was a lot in the intro to heap upon your reader so quickly. 

The Not-So-Good

This is more of a personal preference, really, but I just don't think "maritime fantasy" is for me. Reading about great ships and pirates and the ocean and sailing and all that puts me more in mind of historical fiction, and so I had a really hard time bringing myself back to the fact I'm actually reading a fantasy. It's just really weird. No matter how long I'd been reading this, there was always a moment of discombobulation and confusion when I picked up the book again to continue where I left off.

Unfortunately, it really kept me from being immersed in this book and enjoying it fully. That said, those who love maritime settings and stories about ships would probably really love this. But even though that aspect wasn't exactly my cup of tea, I do have to say I was completely enchanted by the book's fantasy elements.

Final verdict:

3 of 5 stars

Book Review: City of Dragons by Robin Hobb

City of Dragons by Robin Hobb

This is the third book of Robin Hobb's Rain Wild Chronicles series and unfortunately also my least favorite installment so far. That's not to say I didn't like it, but I'm also sensing a definite slowdown compared to the first couple of novels (see my review of Dragon Keeper and Dragon Haven).

The book picks up from where we last left our group of dragons, their keepers and their crew. After overcoming the dangers of the Rain Wild River, the expedition has finally found the legendary Elderling city of Kelsingra. And yet, due to the eruptions and bad flooding, the city can only be reached by flying -- a problem, as despite growing bigger and stronger since the start of their journey, many of the dragons' wings are still stunted, deformed and non-functioning. So close and yet so far!

And so, we watch as the characters spend much of their time in the book doing...not much of anything. About a quarter of the book blows by before I felt the story picking up, like something interesting was actually happening. It was definitely a slow start, lots of setting up and reintroductions to characters and past events to get the reader up to speed. 

I'm notoriously forgetful of things that happened in previous books in a series (especially if it's been a while) so normally I would appreciate it when the author throws in the casual reminder here or there. But that left the remainder three-quarters of this book to blow me away, and honestly, it just didn't. I still enjoyed it, nonetheless...but the truth is I would have enjoyed it even more if it didn't feel so much like a "transition book", i.e. filler.

There were some high points, of course. I liked that we finally got to see more of Hest and his perspective, despite the fact that he's a scumbag of a human being, but it was a nice change from our constant focus on the river and the dragons. And let's face it, sometimes it's the scumbags' perspectives that are the most interesting to read about! There were also large sections featuring Reyn and Malta who are starting to get more attention in this series, though I think I would have been more excited about that if I'd read some of the previous books in Hobb's Realm of the Elderlings universe in which they also appear.

There continues to be interesting and dynamic developments in the relationships between the characters. Couples are pairing off, people are sleeping around, jealousy abounds, etc. etc. etc. More secrets are uncovered about Elderlings and Kelsingra. The dragons and their keepers are all growing and moving forward as characters go. All that's great, because it means there's still a point to this novel. But still, I can't help but feel that the book lacks a certain direction.

And the ending! I'm not sure what to make of that. Let me go on the record to say that I think Robin Hobb is a great writer and that I love her style, but there really doesn't seem to be much logic when it comes to where and how she ends her books. This one was abrupt, but not not exactly a cliffhanger. It makes me wonder if this book and the fourth and final book in the series were meant to be read as one, but then split into two for whatever reason. That could also explain its relatively short length. In any case, I did not expect the book to end this way, limply dangling in the breeze like that.

Regardless, I have one more book to go in this Rain Wild Chronicles series and I'm looking forward to see how it all ends.

Final verdict:

 3 of 5 stars

Audiobook Review: Museum of Thieves by Lian Tanner

Museum of Thieves by Lian Tanner

Museum of Thieves is a great middle-grade to young adult novel, but can most definitely be enjoyed by all. I suppose it would technically fit into the category of dystopian fantasy, but while reading it I sensed more of a "magical" and "fairy-tale-like" vibe coming off from it. 

Our 12-year-old protagonist is Goldie Roth, who has lived in the tyrannical city of Jewel all her life. In a society obsessed with "protecting the children," she and all her peers are forced to wear silver guardchains and obey their overseers called the Blessed Guardians until they reach the age of Separation. 

When a bomb attack cancels Goldie's Separation Day, she runs away in a panic only to end up at the Museum of Dunt where she meets its mysterious caretakers and a boy named Toadspit. Together with her new friends, Goldie takes a stand against the Blessed Guardians and their leader whose diabolical plans won't just mean bad news for Goldie, but would threaten the lives of everyone in Jewel.

Do yourselves a favor: if you ever get the choice between reading the book or listening to the audio version, choose the latter. Back when I was still an audiobook noob, I could never understand what the big deal was. So instead of reading the words off the paper, you're just listening to someone read them back to you. No huge difference, right?

Except there is. Now that I've had more than a hundred audiobooks under my belt, I can understand how the choice of narrator can make or break a story. Claudia Black, the narrator for Museum of Thieves is probably best known to sci-fi fans for her role in the show Farscape, but I recognize her more from her voice work for video games like Dragon Age: Origins or Uncharted 2. And knowing her talent for voice acting, I guess I really shouldn't have been surprised what a brilliant narrating job she did here.

Still, just because you have a seasoned actor doing the narrating, does not mean they will do a good job. In fact, I find that some of my favorite Hollywood actors and actresses have made for the absolute crappiest audiobook narrators. That talent they have on screen somehow doesn't translate well to this format. Because if the experience with audiobooks had taught me anything else, it's that, no, narrating a book is NOT just like reading back the words on paper out loud. You can easily screw it up.

However, Claudia Black handles it all like the pro she is. She's got the different voices down with her use of tones and accents, so never once was I confused as to which character in the book was speaking. She's also great with other effects like infusing her voice with emotion or varying her volume. She's also got the most sensual voice, and even as a straight and happily married woman I must admit that listening to her always gives me pleasant tingly chills down my spine. I think I could listen to her read forever.

But enough gushing about Claudia Black. Like I said, the book itself is a fantastic read, but this is one of the few cases where the audiobook narration makes it even better. Maybe it's the fact this book was meant for young audiences, but I just didn't find the characters to be that deep or well-constructed -- but again, one of those shortcomings that a good narrator can make up for. The setting is suitably fantastical, especially descriptions of the museum and all the wonderful treasures and places within. The story itself is fun and entertaining, even for adults, though its message of growing up and independence is admittedly more appropriate for younger readers.

Seriously, though, if you're interested in this and can get your hands on the audiobook...do it. And be sure to also check out my fellow blog contributor Wendy's take on Museum of Thieves! I have her to thank for pointing this series out to me.

Story:

3.5 of 5 stars

Performance:

5 of 5 stars

Final Verdict:

4 of 5 stars