Ugh, this book was so unsatisfying. I read the whole thing just waiting for something to become interesting, but all I got was the twist I saw coming way before the author wanted me to. The book was lifeless and dull, and the conclusion was just silly.
The whole time I kept wondering if I had accidentally picked up young-adult fantasy instead of adult, simply because it was so simplistic and transparent.
The worst part was reading all of the elegant praise for the book on the first few pages. That’s what helped convince me to get the book, you know? It’s rare for me to walk away from a story feeling so thoroughly empty-handed. I can’t help but wonder if the reviewers and I read the same thing.
The only good thing about it was the cover art. Okay, well, to be fair, I did enjoy some aspects of magic just…coming to you as the need arose, which means that as you experience more things in life, your magic becomes stronger. The thought of that appeals to me because it means you cannot grow in power without going through things, and hopefully growing as a person.
But that notion did not make up for the rest of the book.
~Jen
These three books, The Way of the Shadows, Shadow’s Edge, and Beyond the Shadows, are easily the best ones I’ve read all summer. I recommend them to any fan of fantasy, with one stipulation: they are dark and grimy, so if you can’t stomach that, then stay away.
The books follow a street urchin named Azoth as he suffers in the slums, then becomes the apprentice of a legendary assassin to escape his life there. He takes on a new identity as Kylar Stern and learns the arts of combat, stealth, strategy, and using herbs and poisons. Eventually he picks up an artifact of incredible power that allows him to use his Talent (it’s more or less magic, except it’s much more instinctual than the usual interpretation). With this artifact, his abilities multiply and he gains the ability to resurrect himself after death. There’s a lot of other stuff in there, but you really should read it for yourself.
Strengths
The book has interesting characters, especially Durzo Blint, Kylar, and Logan Gyre. The reader gets a chance to see them change and grow in a way that is unusually satisfying. I was especially interested in Kylar’s ability to be so very selfless and kind, and yet so very dangerous and murderous, and in Logan’s ability to be so noble and yet so grounded in reality, and so willing to do what must be done. The plot is consuming, and I found myself wondering what was coming next whenever I was unable to read. There are a few very surprising twists, which is becoming increasingly rare in modern fantasy. It’s also refreshing to read a book that explores the most horrible human thoughts, emotions, and suffering without trying to shock the reader or cause emotional involvement purely through having bad stuff happen to people. There are a few places where I was strongly emotionally affected by this book… For example, when Logan found ways to keep his humanity in the Hole and to redeem his fellow Holer, Lilly, and when the whores made a bloody stand to purge their city of cruel invaders… I don’t know, it was a brutal but powerful catharsis. I could go on, but really, this was an excellent series and I think you should read it!
Weaknesses
Nothing is perfect, of course, and there were a few things I did not like about this series. The novels are layered and complex, and they feature many plots weaving together to come to an overall conclusion. Normally I am a big fan of this. However, this became overwhelming, and some of them could have been cut out entirely… Some of them were simply not as important, and not nearly as engaging, as the events witnessed by the main characters. This problem was especially noticeable in the last book. Furthermore, the ending of the third book felt…off. I sort of felt like I was reading a completely different series towards the last fourth of Beyond the Shadows. This was made worse by the awkward love triangle between Kylar, Elene, and Vi. Basically, the ending of the series had me scratching my head instead of feeling satisfied.
Despite these issues, I fully recommend these books. Seriously. If you like fantasy and don’t mind reading about dark stuff, then do yourself a favor and pick up these books.
~Jen
I kept putting off doing these two book reviews, and now I have to do a mini-review because frankly they aren’t fresh enough in my mind for something more in-depth.
Jennifer Roberson’s Deepwood continues from Karavans, which I reviewed earlier. Like it’s predecessor, Deepwood is well-written. The characters, which I found a touch lacking last time around, have grown in the face of hardship. Unlike the last novel, a lot happens in this book. Since the entire karavan family and Rhuan got taken in by the Deepwood, they find themselves in a lot of danger, so the book is never dull. It’s a little on the dark side, but the book is interesting, and is a definite improvement over Karavans. If you like fantasy, I would say it’s worth your time.
Next up is Freda Warrington’s Elfland. I was admittedly drawn to this book by the lameness of its title. I mean, really? I saw that it won a fantasy award and had lots of praise, so I went ahead and got it. Readers should know that books featuring the world of fae in any way, shape, or form get an automatic bonus with me. I am besotted with the world of fae and the endless interpretations it receives. This book featured a race of people somewhere between human and fae, who could escape into the edgy world of fae at will… Except that the gate keeper has barred the doors. The plot centers on Rosie, her brothers, and her neighbors, who are mostly part of this odd race. Because the doors to Elfland are closed, she has grown up without learning about the world beyond those gates.
At first I really liked this book. The writing struck a deep cord with me, not so much by its skill, but by how it presented the feelings of feeling the world of fae on the edges around you. Unfortunately the plot seemed to be trying to outdo itself with “and then it got worse” moments. Frankly the stuff that happened in this book seemed aimed to shock for no reason. For instance, Rosie cheats on her husband, causing him to put her younger brother and half brother into his car and drive them into a tree at full speed because she loved them, and he wanted to hurt her. You’re left saying “Wait, what, really?”. Sadly that was just one of many weird moments in this book. Stuff like this, coupled with the constant string of stupid decisions involved, made me not really care about the characters and their fates. I just liked the stuff about fae. The bottom line is that if you have a taste for the world of fae, or for rather extreme drama, you’ll probably like this book well enough. Otherwise, probably not.
I meant to do the sequel of Karavans today, but I have to return this book to the library and I wanted to write about it before I did. Today I have another fantasy offering for you, and this time it’s from a New York Times Bestselling Author. Get ready for Michael Scott’s The Magician {The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel}.
The book mixes fantasy and a real-world setting, which I think is always fun. It’s really difficult to sum up this book, even though it’s another one where really not much happened in the grand scheme of things. Basically there are humans, immortals, and Elders. Humans can gain immortality on their own (it’s very rare for this to happen) or gain it from an Elder in return for undying devotion to that Elder (also rare). Of course, mythology fans will know about Nicholas Flamel, a French alchemist who is said to have lived a very long life thanks to his ability to create sorcerer’s stones/the elixir of life/whatever. There’s also magic, or power, and immortals tend to have it. Humans can, too.
Flamel gets his elixir recipe from a book called the Codex in the story, and the Codex has a lot of other stuff in it. Among this information is a prophecy predicting the coming of a pair of twins with a silver and gold aura. Their power will either save the world or end it (presumably by preventing or causing the return of the Elders to power on earth). The book is about Flamel traveling with the twins, training them and protecting them from men associated with the Elders. These dudes want to capture them for their own purposes.
Strengths:
The quality of the writing is sound, and the novel is action-packed, which makes for a great page-turner. However, the book is loaded with delicious mythology and contains everything from oni to Valkyries. I would like to read it again and just look everything up, even the things I’m familiar with to see if there are alternate uses. I get a kick out of seeing creatures and mythology in books. There’s also lots of history in there… in fact, Joan of Arc is one of the characters! The author also tries to get some science in, but it’s all rudimentary and seemed tacked on compared to the depth of the mythological and historical references. The magic/power system is also interesting.
Weaknesses:
The story is more about the plot than the characters, and other than being delighted with seeing Joan of Arc with magic, I didn’t really care about any of them. This is probably because the story was all action with very little breathing room. Hence, there were almost no “chill and build character” scenes. However, it’s important to note that this is apparently the second book of the series, something which is not to be found on the cover, spine, or back of the book (unless the library sticker is covering it). This means that the characters may have been the focus of the first book. Frankly the complete lack of trust in the group frustrated me, even though it was understandable and likely given the plot. However, as a trusting person I was a little repulsed by everyone agonizing over who to trust.
Overall it was an interesting read that could serve as a page-turner or a dense mythology lesson depending on the effort put forth by the reader. I might try to find the first and third of the series. Although I did not become emotionally invested in the story, the mythology references and interesting magic system may be enough to get me to read more.
~Jen
Time for another book review! Today we have Karavans by Jennifer Roberson. It’s a fantasy novel about a country under invasion and its people, who are desperately fleeing the invaders. The story is divided between a few groups. One is a large family whose matron is pregnant. They want to reach a certain land in time for the birth because prophets have warned them that the child must be born there. The problem is that they need to take a risky shortcut to make it in time. Another includes the workers at the karavan that the family joins, including a hand-reader, two guides, and the karavan master. There is also a standoffish courier named Brodhi, whom frequently deals with the members of a fantasy-esque Hooverville.
The invaders are a problem, but so is the land of Alisanos. Alisanos is sort of… Hmm. It’s a hellish land that you can physically walk into. Most humans die quickly there, and those that do not slowly turn into demons. The thing is, everyone knows where it is, so you just avoid it. However, for whatever reason it’s decided that it’s time to change locations of its own will, and it seems like it’s gonna move right where the family needs to pass through for the sake of the child in the mother’s womb.
We’ll start with the good things that this book has to offer. The book is well written and includes several story lines. The author also does a great job of revealing things slowly, dropping hints here and there instead of throwing the backstory in your face. Although this was well done, anyone paying proper attention and thinking while they read could piece stuff together much faster than I think she might have intended, but she may have been going for that. Also, family relationships are realistically explored, especially the strength parents need for their children in times of uncertainty and upheaval.
Now for the not-so-good. Despite having a few plots going on here, nothing…nothing really happens in this book. The whole book is essentially a backdrop for the sequel, which is a little unappetizing since it’s still 441 pages long. It’s a little dull, and the only strong, interesting character (in my opinion, of course) was Rhuan, one of the guides.
Despite these weaknesses, the quality of the writing is strong, and I think the book is worth reading, especially for potential payoff in the sequel (which I will review shortly). I wouldn’t say to go out and by it right now, but if you see it at your local library or in a friend’s collection and need a book, go ahead and borrow it.
~Jen
Lately I’ve been reading a lot of books; it’s what I do when I have down time, but no place to work on art and stuff comfortably. For those who don’t know, I am a voracious reader and can knock out lots of books fast. And so, in no particular order, I’m going to review what I’ve read. It could help someone find something to read, or just help me remember authors I liked, things I liked about books, and things I hated.
First on the agenda is Catherine Asaro’s The Misted Cliffs. What drew my eye to this title is that the cover art is done by a faerie watercolor artist that I adore, Stephanie Pui-Mun Law. I always meant to pick it up in the store, but found the price too steep for my liking, so when I noticed it at my library, I snatched it and its sequel up. The genre is fantasy/romance.
The book is about an 18-year-old princess named Melody, known as Mel. Her parents came into their royalty through circumstance rather than lineage; an invader tried to take the crown, and when he failed, the crown was handed to Mel’s father. Or something. I don’t know, my brain always glazes over when books talk politics, especially if the word “royal” crops up. Frankly it didn’t interest me enough to remember exactly what happened. Anyway, Mel is a mage, she’s beautiful, she’s good with a sword, and, of course, she’s smart and spunky.
The magic system in this book is…different. Mages cycle through colors, with each color corresponding to greater strength. Then, within each color, spell strength is determined by utilizing geometric shapes, with simple spells using two-dimensional shapes of few sides, and a sphere representing the most powerful spell. Interestingly, magic can only do fairly subtle things like determine and influence emotions.
So. Remember that guy who tried to take the crown? Well, the victors imprisoned him instead of killing him, allowing his son to come back and rescue him years later. Now, the father and son want to seize the crown that they were originally after: Mel’s future crown. In an attempt to claim the throne without destroying the land they want to conquer, the son proposes that he marry Mel as a sign of a treaty between his people and hers. Then his child will have the crown that his family wants.
Now, this son’s name is Cobalt, and his life was, of course, traumatic. His father was gone, and his mother’s father beat him regularly, and so forth and so on. No one wants to see him marry Mel, but she does it to preserve her people, even though she’s terrified of him.
Cue the romance? Even though Mel is terrified of him, she of course ends up naked and such with him immediately, despite having never had a proper conversation with him or anything. The romance is initially very unnatural and frankly just a touch disturbing. Why would Mel cry as she left her home and throw herself at the person responsible hours later? Awkward.
So then you see the development of Cobalt, the stereotypical disturbed, dark man with a kind heart. Who likes to conquer people. Yes, despite securing a throne for his family, I guess he still wants a kingdom for his father and himself, so he goes out conquering people not involved in the treaty.
There’s also his grandfather, who is so pointlessly cruel and abusive that… He really isn’t a character. He’s sort of a big sign that says “I am nasty.”
Oh, let’s just wrap it up. The characters are uninspired and painfully predictable. The writing is somehow reminiscent of a preteen book, despite the politics and the sex scenes. And if I see another strong, angelic, beautiful, magical warrior princess in a fantasy book, I think I’ll puke. They’re everywhere, man. I’m all for girl power and such, but I’ve been inundated with it. I want to read something where the girl is the most messed up character, and I want to read it now.
The book is readable, certainly, but it was too light for me. Sort of like the watching a simple sitcom on TV, if you know what I mean. Nothing deep, nothing new, nothing daring. I understand that a lot of people enjoy this type of reading; hence the popularity of this title. However, when I read, I want to be challenged, I want to think, or at the very least, I want to be pulled in and touched. That just didn’t happen here. I picked up the sequel, but I don’t think I’m going to read it unless I get through the other books I got from the library and want more to read.
~Jen
