Fantasybookspot - Eos

The Lions of Al-Rassan

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 12:10:56 -0400

Al-Rassan is a land in turmoil. For hundreds of years it has been ruled by powerful Khalifs, and had prospered, sending raiding parties to Esperana in the north for treasure and supplies. But now the last Khalif has been murdered, at the behest of newly proclaimed King Almalek of Cartada. The warring kings of Esperana see the opportunity to regain the land, and a plot is hatched to join forces and retake Al-Rassan. In the midst of this upheaval, four people from vastly different backgrounds are drawn together by circumstances beyond their control, and together they forge a bond stronger than the armies warring around them.

Religious fervor runs high between the two warring factions. In the south are Asharites, who worship the stars, while in the north are Jaddites, who worship a sun god. Caught in the middle are the Kindath, wanderers who worship the moons and who are mistrusted by both lands. Ammar ibn Khairan, an Asharite, is notorious in Al-Rassan - after all, he killed the last Khalif. He is known as both brilliant and cruel, and is a close confidant of King Almalek. He is also a poet, who wishes nothing more than to live a quite life with his writing. Betrayed by the king, Ammar disappears from public life, only to resurface in a coup that puts Almalek's heir on the throne. Rather than showing gratitude, the new king exiles Ammar, who flees to Ragosa to join the mercenary ranks. Also in Ragosa is Rodrigo Belmonte, a Jaddite, the famous warrior of the north. After publicly humiliating the brother of the Constable, Rodrigo is banished from his king's service for two years. Alvar, a member of Rodrigo's band of soldiers, is in his first year of service to the king. He is honored and a little confused at being chosen to ride with Rodrigo, and experiences the horrors of war for the first time. Jehane bet Ishak is a Kindath physician, almost unheard of for a woman. She is in Ragosa to escape from the slaughter in her home town, and has been made physician in the king's court. Ammar, Rodrigo, Alvar, and Jehane begin to trust each other, and form a complex loyalty between the four. As tensions in Al-Rassan grow, the newly formed friendships are quickly tested. Urged on by religious fanatacism, the political upheaval soon becomes all-out war, and the four find themselves forced to decide between friendship and country.

Kay is truly a master of historical fantasy. In The Lions of Al-Rassan, he has created a world that is clearly modeled on medieval Spain. Readers will easily recognize the three religious groups as based on the Moors, Christians, and Jews of the time. The character of Rodrigo is based on the famous Spaniard El Cid, and the story draws on the historic fall of Grenada, the last Moorish state in Spain. While Kay has used these historical elements to ground his story, the world he creates is all his own. His ability to create complex social and political scenarios makes the story completely believable. He draws the reader into his narrative slowly, allowing one to get accustomed to each new setting before moving to the next. His book is also beautifully written, with an extensive vocabulary that requires the reader to engage with the words on the page, reading carefully to not miss anything. And yet he includes plenty of action, so the reading never seems slow, and the 500+ pages literally fly by.

Each of Kay's characters are unforgettable. They are real, flawed people, who want to be good but quite often do very bad things. Jehane is a physician, who truly believes it is her duty to bring healing and light whereever she can. She also allows a man to be killed in front of her eyes for revenge. Ammar is an intelligent poet and diplomat, and yet he himself has killed on many occasions because it served his purpose at the time. Rodrigo is perhaps the most consistant to his ideals, but in the end he makes a choice to turn his back on his friends. Even Kay's secondary characters have depth - from a deeply pious queen who is a slave to her husband's carnal desires, to a silk merchant who transforms himself into a new man, Kay breathes life into each of the people we meet on these pages. He also allows them to grow and change - when we first meet Alvar he is young and terrified, and we are able to watch him grow up into a confident, mature man.

Ultimately, The Lions of Al-Rassan is about choices. Kay's characters face questions of love, loyalty, and friendship before the novel is finished. They are asked to determine if different people of different faiths can really live together in peace. They are asked if a few strong men and women really can bring change into the world. They are asked if love really is worth sacrifice. It is these universal questions that make this novel so powerful. This is not a happily-ever-after book - it actually left me with a feeling of sadness. It is, however, a novel that will stay in your mind and heart long after you have turned the last page.

Deepsix

Sun, 25 May 2008 13:38:34 -0400

Deepsix is the second novel in Jack McDevitt’s “Academy” series, which can be described as mostly-hard science fiction with a few exceptions like faster-than-light travel included out of narrative necessity. However, while it has the same main character as the first Academy book, The Engines of God, it is a fully self-contained story and can easily be read by someone who has not read its predecessor.

In the 23rd century, the Academy of Science and Technology and its fleet of superluminal ships is tasked with exploring the reaches of space and pushing back the frontiers of human knowledge. When a rogue gas giant adrift in deep space for half a billion years enters the Maleiva system, a scientific team is sent to watch. The rogue giant is on a near-collision course with the third planet of the Maleiva system, dubbed Deepsix, providing a rare opportunity- the chance to observe as a planet is ripped apart by gravity. Teams of scientists and an interstellar liner full of tourists gather in the Maleiva system to observe.

Deepsix is a rare life-bearing world, but has seen little exploration of its surface since the first human expedition to the planet ended with most of the survey team dying at the hands of local wildlife. But when the orbiting scientific team studying the planet in preparation for its destruction spots something that appears to be an artificial structure, rendered almost invisible beneath the ice and snow of an ice age that has frozen most of the planet for thousands of years. In desperation, Academy pilot Priscilla Hutchins is sent to the surface with a scientific team, including the leader of the ill-fated first expedition, Randall Nightingale, with the hope of learning as much as possible before Deepsix is destroyed. They are joined by a second shuttle bringing renowned journalist, essayist, and curmudgeon Gregory McAllister, who managed to talk the captain of the tourist liner into letting him go down.

The exploration of the ruins on the planet has barely begun when disaster strikes. As Deepsix strains under the growing stress of the rogue gas giant’s gravity, a violent earthquake shakes the area and wrecks both shuttles, leaving everyone stranded on the surface. Now, trapped among the ruins of a dead civilization, they must struggle to survive on a hostile, dying world while the Academy personnel in orbit desperately try to figure out a way to evacuate them before the planet is ripped apart.

Deepsix is a great combination of survival thriller, tale of discovery, and traditional hard science fiction problem-solving story. The two narrative threads- Hutchinson and company trying to survive on Deepsix, learning about the fate of its civilization as they do so, while their allies in orbit struggle with the engineering problem of a rescue- provide a great combination of both intellectual stimulation and adventure.

As is often the case in his work, McDevitt does not reveal all of Deepsix’s secrets to either the characters or the reader, with new questions arising as old ones are answered, and by the end the reader is left with as many mysteries as at the beginning. However, this didn’t leave me feeling frustrated; rather, instead McDevitt is very skilled at both satisfying and tantalizing the reader at the same time. Perhaps somewhat ironically for a story that simultaneously incorporates a lost alien civilization, bizarre and deadly wildlife, a struggle to survive in the wilderness, scientists in a race against time to mount a last-minute rescue mission, and the violent annihilation of an entire planet, McDevitt takes a “less is more” approach to the central question of Deepsix’s lost civilization. He is very effective at creating a fascinating picture by giving a bit of information here and a bit there, never filling in all the details but giving enough to stimulate the imagination and create a feeling of wonder and mystery.

The characters are not examined in extreme depth, but McDevitt is good at slipping in just the right amount of detail to make them interesting individuals. I especially liked the figure of writer Gregory McAllister, who is a type of character I’d like to see more of in fiction- a believably unpleasant person who is not a villain.

McAllister is bitter, unkind, and misogynistic. He’s doesn’t have a secret heart of gold beneath his harsh exterior and he doesn’t learn some dramatic lesson about the value of niceness. At the same time, he’s not amoral or relentlessly nasty or mean for the sake of being mean. He’s a jerk, but he’s not a caricature of a jerk.

McDevitt grounds his events in a background that also shows his skillful use of small details. In addition to references to human technology and the state of affairs back on Earth in the early 23rd century, McDevitt effectively creates a setting that is both full of wonders and yet believably mundane. Rather than any mythological or historical name, the Maleiva solar system is named after the daughter of a Senator who voted to approve Academy funding. In the midst of a desperate do-or-die effort to get the survivors off the doomed planet before it is ripped apart, characters worry about things like lawsuits over the people who have died or the public uproar that will result if Earth’s premiere man of letters is killed- mundane but all-too-believable details. McDevitt carefully mixes these down-to-Earth elements in with more exciting ones, giving a sense of a world that is full of exciting events and yet still a place where everyday people live and go about their lives.

The more cataclysmic aspects of the premise are well-exploited too, with a growing sense of apocalyptic dread as Deepsix’s crust bucks and heaves under the growing tectonic stress, the weather is driven into chaos, and the approaching gas giant looms ever-larger larger in the sky. McDevitt does a great job of conveying the doom of an entire planet.

I would strongly recommend Jack McDevitt’s Deepsix to any fan of science fiction. If you want a book that successfully brings together adventure, discovery, hard science, and interesting characters, Deepsix is definitely a winner.

Wrath of a Mad God

Sun, 06 Apr 2008 14:57:53 -0400

Wrath of a Mad God is the conclusion of the Darkwar saga. The third of five riftwars Feist intends to cover. The past couple of years he's been sidetracked by a number of other projects set in the connected worlds of Kelewan and Midkemia. Since the publication of Shards of a Broken Crown in 1998 nine books appeared none of which dealt directly with a riftwar. So when he picked up the main story in 2005 with the first book on the Darkwar, Flight of the Nighthawks (a very unfortunate title if you ever watched the English comedy 'Allo 'Allo), I considered it long overdue. I have to admit though, this is the best book Feist has written since Rage of a Demon King (1997). A good thing too, the first two books in this series did not inspire confidence in a brilliant finale.

The story picks up where Into a Dark Realm ended. Pug, Nakor, Magnus and Ralan Bek have made it to the second plane of reality, where the Dasati home world is located, and have just run into Marcos the Black in a Dasati body. Miranda has been captured by the Dasati, Leso Varen is still on the loose somewhere on Kelewan and Jommy, Tad and Zane are on a mysterious mission under the command of Kaspar of Olasko, somewhere in a remote mountain range on Midkemia. All of them encounter evidence the Dark God is on his way up to the first plane of reality. Kelewan to be precise. The consequences of this creature getting there would be nothing short of disastrous.

Feist's riftwars are usually fought on two levels, one with battle with conventional armies, another on a divine scale. Wrath of a Mad God has it's share of physical violence of course but in no other book Feist has written is manipulation of events by the Gods as important. Nakor, Pug and Bek are carefully placed pawns in a game with the highest stakes yet. Nakor and the Midkemian gods put a number of events in previous books in a new perspective. Not always a good thing as Feist has made us reassess some of these events before. What is presented as the truth usually turns out to be a partial truth at best. That being said the book does tie up a number of loose ends, some of which have been around since the original riftwar series. At the end of the book it is quite obvious that there will be another riftwar but it does provide a sense of closure. In a way this book is the end of many things.

The final book of the Darkwar saga contains all the elements of Feist's previous Riftwar books. It is not particularly renewing but it does give me the idea that Feist gave finishing this trilogy his best shot. It's been a while since I felt like that about one of his books. Of course, he still writes poor female characters, draws out irrelevant story lines and rushes others and he still doesn't peer deeply into the human soul. But if you got this far in his history of the Riftwars you should be able to ignore than in favour of pure entertainment and a fast paced, action packed story. And, especially toward the end of the book, Feist certainly delivers that.

I won't say this book is perfect, there are some minor but glaring inconsistencies between Wrath of a Mad God, the Serpent War books and the original Rifwar books for instance. I also still don't understand why Feist introduced Tad, Zan and Jommy, their part in the story isn't all that relevant. The introduction of Jimmy the Hand's great-great grandson (if I counted correctly) seems like an unnecessary move. Still, with a convincing finale to this book and the Darkwar series I think Feist managed to keep me on board for the Demonwar. Let's hope he doesn't decide to finish the missing two Krondor books first though.

The Undead Kama Sutra

Sat, 29 Mar 2008 20:28:36 -0400

Since the folks at EOS were kind enough to send me a copy of The Undead Kama Sutra, I felt that I should extend them the same courtesy and read this book. This is the third book in Mario Acevedo's Felix Gomez detective series, but I don't believe that it is necessary to have had read the first two books (something I haven't done yet).

Perhaps a plot summary is in order, because god knows after you finish reading my review, the summary may be all you want to know of the book. Vampire PI, Felix Gomez, is charged with finding out more information about the near mythical underground sex-tome, The Undead Kama Sutra. It’s held in such regard within the vampire community because it can “realign the chakra” causing vampires to “reverse psychic damage and heal mental and emotional wounds.” Hmm, how philosophical?

But wait, let’s not just stop there: positions in the erotic tome come with such hysterically knee slapping names as “Monkey Laughs at Moon” and “Feeding the Melon.” Can’t stop laughing at how ingenious the names are? Yeah, me neither—so funny! I kept waiting for the “Hidden Trap Door from Behind” position.

Sadly, the position names are the high point of this book. Honestly, I’d rather watch people perform Tai Chi in the park for the rest of my life than want to hear anymore about chakras and The Undead Kama Sutra. I’d rather Tae Bo around the US with Billy Blanks than watch anyone acting out the things found in this sex-tome.

Okay you may be saying, “We get it, but that can’t be all this book is about right?” Fair enough. I guess I forgot to mention that Felix Gomez has also been tasked with the dying wish of his alien buddy to “save the Earth women.” From what you may ask? Well that would be giving things away. Let’s just say, I envy you for not knowing.

Enough negatives, on to the positives—it’s fairly short. It’s also self-contained which is nice I guess. The story ended when the pages ran out. The cover was pretty nice. It was free. Is that enough?

I'm not entirely sure who this series is marketed towards, but it sure isn't me. I feel that the target audience for these books is the 14-17 year-old adolescent boy demographic. The demographic that love The Hardy Boys but always wished there were more soft-core titillation and blood in the stories. The same demographic that watches scrambled porn on cable, enjoys the spice channel, and laughs when they stumble upon their father’s hidden stash of Playboy magazines. I mean many of the characters walk around naked most of the time for no other reason than to be naked. If I have to hear another descriptive of, "she had a bikini that was too small for her breasts and she knew it", I'm going to weep—I’m talking about openly weeping without any regard to shame.

Also Mr. Acevedo's writing is extremely clichéd and weak. Characters go from point A-B with expository that seem almost ridiculously simple.

i.e.: I need to go there- So I get in a car and drive- Here I am driving- Still driving- I pull up to where I was driving towards- I get out of the car and here I am.

Basically, that’s how the descriptives go in this book. Take this "fine" writing and throw plot ideas in a hat and pull things out at random and you have what passes for a story here. I'm not giving this a lower score because like I said, I don't believe I'm the target readership and perhaps 14-17 year-old boys will love the cheesy "is that a pen in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me" dialogue. And besides, it knows it has its fair share of faults and doesn't take itself too seriously, unlike a lot of so called “literary” books out there. Now excuse me while I cry over the wasted hours spent reading this book that I'll never get back.

Not recommended for anyone who is old enough to buy a lotto ticket.

If you liked this also check out: The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Supercharged Kama Sutra Illustrated, the always heart numbingly fun “danger stranger” (if you don’t know what that means Google it!), any American Pie movie, and the absurd yet enticing Hardy Boys and the Rainbow Party.

Renegade's Magic

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 11:27:52 -0500

Renegade's Magic is the third part of Hobb's fourth trilogy and quite a change from her works in the Realm of the Elderlings. Hobb places the Soldier Son Trilogy in a more technically advanced world than her previous works. If you like your fantasy in a medieval or renaissance setting this is probably not your cup of tea. Personally I think that the setting contributes to this trilogy being less well received than her previous books. And perhaps to it being underrated to an extend. I thought it was a fitting conclusion to the series but I will admit the trilogy as a whole is less accessible as her other books.

At the end of Forrest Mage Nevare has made the difficult decision to leave Gettys and let the world believe he has been killed. Magic enables him to make his escape and he runs for the protection of the forest, the only open to him. Before he turns his back on society however, he makes one last attempt to succeed at the task magic demands of him. In a spectacular but ineffective show of magical power, he undoes some of the work on the road. In the process he wastes all his stored magic, buying perhaps a season for the threatened ancient trees. Magic has had enough of Nevare's half-hearted attempts and his Speck self takes over. The Gernian Nevare can only watch as the side of his personality carefully groomed by Lisana to perform the task magic demands of him, takes control and sets him on a path that must mean betraying his country.

Nevare winters with the Specks on the other side of the mountains and learns a lot about their culture. His Speck self is busily planning to strike at the Gernain invaders but Nevare is not about to let it happen. He still has one card up his sleeve. His cousin Epiny doesn't believe his is dead and his magic provides him with the means of reaching her. A cat and mouse game between the Gernian and Speck sides of Nevare's personality unfolds. To make matters worse for Nevare he seems to have offended a god too.

As I mentioned in my review of Ship of Destiny, I think the third book in her previous three trilogies were not the strongest of the series. Assassin's Quest ends very abruptly. Ship of Destiny has an awful lot of story lines converging towards the end of the novel. Wrapping the story up was an effort. The climax of Fool's Fate finally, is too early in the book. Or some people would say it was too long, personally I think she had enough interesting things to say but it made the book a bit unbalanced. Renegade's Magic has none of these shortcomings. From a technical point of view it is probably one of the best novels Hobb has written.

For much of the book Nevare, our narrator is relegated to a bystander which is an unusual approach to take when you are writing a first person narrative. With Nevare largely passive things could have gone boring. In fact, a lot of people will think the first half of the novel a bit slow. Characterization is Hobb's speciality though, Nevare's internal struggles are portrayed masterfully. Where in the fist two novels Nevare is conservative, stubborn, sexist and quite unwilling to face reality, his other self forces Nevare to see the world in a different light. It makes him a more interesting character.

As Jay already mentions in his review of Shaman's Crossing, the first book of this series, one of the major themes in the Soldier Son trilogy is the environment. In the third book we get to see things from the "primitive" forest dwelling Speck side. Hobb gave a lot of thought on how they adapted to their environment and how much Gernian influence would threaten their way of life. The question how much change a people can adapt to in a short time has already been illustrated by the Plains People in the previous books. This book asks how much resistance the Speck can put up against what is generally believed to be inevitable Gernian expansion. Read between the lines and it doesn't look hopeful.

This book contains a lot of things I enjoy reading. Hobb's first person narrative is wonderful, I like environmental themes in a book and the characterization in Renegade's Magic is brilliant. Nevare can be infuriating at times, but when he is, it is entirely in character. If you are looking for a swords, dragons and magic sort of fantasy this is not your book though. It is definitely the most "fantastical" of the three but not a typical fantasy novel. The subject, themes and setting will be less appealing to a lot of readers than her other trilogies. Still, the writing is very much Robin Hobb. For her fans this book is a must, especially if you have already read the previous two instalments, but if you are new to Hobb's work I wouldn't start with this trilogy.

A Dark Sacrifice

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 21:50:21 -0500

A Dark Sacrifice, the second book in Madeline Howard’s Rune of Unmaking series is a well written sequel to The Hidden Stars. As we begin this book, we pick up directly where the first book left off – we find Sindérian, Prince Ruan and Skerry on their way to find and bring home Princess Winloki. Meanwhile, Winloki is holed up in an ancient castle full of malicious magic that is under siege by an army of Eisenlonders and Ice Giants.

Because this is the second in a series, as we often find, the author takes this time for character development and pays less attention to plot. While there is quite a bit of action going on, it almost feels like background ambiance. This focus on character development is so sharp that while the book covers a great deal of time and travel, I got the feeling that only five days or so had passed. Whereas many may say that this is a flaw in the book, I appreciated the time taken on the characters and to give the reader a better feel for them. We are even treated to some insights into Queen Ouriána and her motivations as well as some background information on her chosen priests and her children.

Many of you, after reading the above paragraph will say “but where’s the action?” Not to worry, you will get your action. Howard gives us sieges and battles with foreign armies, fearsome new races, skirmishes with unknown enemies and even a desperate fight with a manticore (which was also beautifully rendered on the front cover). There are many obstacles that the travelers must pass through in order to get where they are going and the lover of action-packed books will not be bored.

This book, while well constructed and enjoyable, does not quite meet the same level of The Hidden Stars. It is a good book, though it is mostly a vehicle to set up the reader to the rest of the story. The first book in a series often races the reader through a series of plot maneuvers that tend to leave holes unless the author is willing to periodically bore the reader with sleepy info dumps. This leaves the author with the need to fill in some background and give the reader a better understanding of what is happening and why. Howard has done this admirably. I finished the book still desiring to find out more of the story and not at all disappointed that I had a better understanding of the major characters and the history that created the situation behind this particular series. Yes, I will most definitely pick up the next in the series as soon as it is available.

The Serpent Bride

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 16:53:04 -0400

The Serpent Bride, the start of a new series by noted Australian author Sara Douglass, we see a melding of several different tales into something new. Set in the same world as her Wayfarer Redemption series, she brings back characters from that long series and combines them with characters from two of her standalones, Threshold and Beyond the Hanging Wall. There may be characters from elsewhere but I’ve certainly not read all of her books so am not familiar with all of her characters.

This is the story of an orphan, brought up by a religious order that isn’t well liked or understood, who is destined to be bonded in marriage with someone outside of the order. Since the Coil is the only life she knows, the outside world is both unfamiliar and frightening. As a priestess of the Coil she regularly slit open the guts of still alive humans to foretell the future in the coils of their intestines. Her final ritual is blessed by the serpent himself who tells her that she must marry an insignificant king in a far away land in order to fulfill her destiny. Terrified but obedient, she travels to Escator, negotiates a marriage contract and begins her new life as the Queen of Escator. Unfortunately for the newlyweds, an ancient evil in a far southern land has found a way to influence people enough to arrange the world into something he can work with and eventually escape his hated prison. While the myriad characters and gods we follow through the story are attempting to keep him safely contained.

I cannot pretend to have overly enjoyed this book. I found it dull and plodding with flat characters that were not interesting at all. From the overly gruesome opening scene…

Chapter 1, paragraph 3: “The foul liquid of rotting cadavers streaked her face and arms. For many days now the girl had crept about the house, seeking out the bodies of her parents (almost unrecognizable, four weeks after their death), rubbing the stinking, viscous liquid that had leaked from their flesh over her body, sucking it from her fingers.”

…to the anticlimactic ending, there were no really enjoyable moments. With the machinations of the gods that seemed implausible; the mishmash of old and new characters to the complete turnaround in character personalities, I could not find any one character to relate to or create a bond with. Thus I had a story I didn’t care about full of characters that in turn annoyed and bored me. Here’s an excerpt from the opening scene:

I apologize for anyone looking for a fully critical critique of the book but since I disliked it enough to immediately put it in another room when I was finished with it and repeatedly postpone my write up of it and refuse to carry it along to verify names and other miscellanea while finally writing it, my critiquing processes have clearly shut down. The only thing I can really say about the book is that I got the feeling as if she felt like combining all of these old used elements to create a completely new book because she did not have any new ideas and the publisher kept calling. Unfortunately, it wound up very much like the casserole mom used to make out of leftovers and oddments when we couldn’t afford to go to the grocery store; rather unsavory and unpleasant to get through.

The Burning Land

Sun, 03 Dec 2006 10:52:40 -0500

Gyalo Amdo Samchen, a vowed Shaper and follower of the religion known as Âratism, is sent on a mission by the Brethren to cross the Burning Land in search of lost refugees of the same faith. A host of others join him in his travels across a land much harsher than any desert of sorts; the Burning Land is where the god Ârata took himself after battling a great evil, to forever hide from the world in a boundless sleep. What he'll discover—and learn—out in the harsh land is something that will change his life, possibly his faith, forever.

Axane, a Dreamer of the hidden city of Refuge, sees the travelers coming through her mystical powers, and wonders over what it might mean. Their legends speak of an act as such and upon Gyalo's arrival there are whispers of him being the Next Messenger, a man that will take them from one life to another, first through an act of merciless destruction. Axane does not know if this is true. All she knows is that she wants to flee the city that enslaved her mother, run from the marriage she's being forced into by her father, escape everything that frightens her. Soon, she'll have her chance.

Essentially, The Burning Land is about religion. Âratism is the foundation of everything, and there are many similarities to the faiths of our time and world: the Way of Ârata sees things further than just as a fight between "good" and "evil." It explores the human soul, twisting it and testing it with each action. Shapers are monk-like, devoting themselves to the cause and secluding their lives away from women and marriage. Dreamers suffer through both pleasant and terrible dreams, each one bringing outcomes of their intent, respectively.

As a coming-of-age tale, Gyalo goes through some severe and dramatic changes. Granted, I didn't picture him too young to begin with, but that's through my own ignorance. His faith is tested, his very well purpose of living thrown aside while he is forced to do what he has sworn to never do. The life of a Shaper is never shown more clearly than through Gyalo and his beliefs. That said, I found Axane and her sections to be more of an interesting read; the city of Recluse is hidden from the world, and they know no more than their own boundaries. A certain scene involving the House of Dreamers is quite effective, showing just how much the people there value their religion and to what extent they'll go to prove it.

Shapers have the power to create, transform, and manipulate solid matter. With an ability as such, anything could be done. Need more food or water? Turn that sand or rock into it. Need a large object moved? Just flatten it and send it off. Unfortunately, Âratism does not allow such freedom amongst its users and forces all Shapers to be tethered by a drug called manita. I enjoyed this aspect of Shapers, that they all are powerful through simple training but must be control by a drug that weakens their senses.

Action-wise, there are no sword fights or sweeping dragons or large-scale battles of momentous acclaim. Instead, we have tension building all the way to the end of the novel, where, unstoppably, a small army sets out to destroy Refuge. It is in these last pages that we see some spectacular events, ones that make me want to dive into The Awakened City, The Burning Land's sequel, with zest.

I can't help but gush over The Burning Land by Victoria Strauss; it does everything right that I've been wanting in a fantasy novel as of late, and all without resorting to the nasty clichés of the genre. Sure, there are a few within, such as an unneeded prologue and an ancient war, but with so much else to offer the book is sure to win over any number of readers.

The Gate of Gods

Sat, 28 Oct 2006 15:25:09 -0400

I've been a fan of Martha Wells' work for some years now, always eagerly awaiting her next book. Wells has carved out a solid niche based on her excellent single-volume genre fantasies. Her books all feature enjoyable prose, snappy dialogue and interesting world-building, while avoiding the common genre fantasy tropes of elves, dwarves, dragons and magic swords. Standouts include City of Bones (1995), Wheel of the Infinite (2000) and the Nebula-nominated Death of the Necromancer (1998). When I learned that Wells was writing a trilogy ("The Fall of Ile-Rien"), that most ubiquitous of formats for epic fantasy, I was of two minds. Would the longer format allow her to explore even more interesting and unique ideas and realms, or would it drag her backwards into typical genre conventions?

The answer, upon completing the final volume of the trilogy, The Gate of Gods, is neither. Somewhat disappointingly, this three volume work -- The Wizard Hunters (2003) and The Ships of Air (2004) are the first two volumes -- ends up feeling like nothing so much as a typical single-volume Martha Wells story stretched uncomfortably over triple the page count.

The good news then is that much of what made Wells' previous books enjoyable is still present here. There is world-building, first of all. The story begins in world of Ile-Rien, a setting reminiscent of late 19th century France where old magic is intersecting with new technologies such as automobiles, subways and ocean liners. It's a setting that several Wells stories (The Element of Fire, The Death of the Necromancer) have used, but this is a very different Ile-Rien than what readers may be familiar with. Set some 30 years after the last time we saw it in Death of the Necromancer, Ile-Rien's capital city of Vienne as the trilogy opens is a shelled shell of its former self, under siege by a mysterious airborne army called the Gardier. Bombings by Gardier airships, aided by their magical ability to disrupt Ile-Rien's mechanical technologies, have left Vienne devastated and other Ile-Rien cities isolated or fallen.

The modern, war-torn urban/mechanical settings of Ile-Rien (some of the best chapters take place aboard an ocean liner converted for military use) are contrasted throughout the trilogy with the more primitive, tranquil world of the Syrnai, used by the Gardier as a "staging world" for their attacks on Ile-Rien. A fairly typical fantasy setting except that families are matriarchal and magic (here regarded as "curses") is feared, the Syrnai are also under attack from the Gardier. Naturally, the three worlds collide, as the Rienish and Syrnai both try to understand and halt the Gardier invasion. The differing attitudes of the three cultures towards magic and technology fuel much of the conflict and drama of the books.

"We're going to a whole city of wizards." Ilias sheathed his sword and sat down on the bed, laying the leather scabbard across his knees. It hadn't been so long ago that the idea would have been laughable. Or, actually, screamable. Now they were here in this room with curse lights in a floating metal mountain of a ship. [...] "Are we crazy?"

The differing worldviews crystallize in the form of the two primary point-of-view characters, Tremaine and Ilias. Tremaine is a fairly unique fantasy heroine, notable primarily for her scheming and ruthlessness rather than any such typical fantasy female characteristics as love of horses, skill as a bard, or princess-like looks or disposition. She's thoroughly a child of Ile-Rien, taking its mix of magic and technology for granted, and thus forced to rely mainly on her wits when separated from these things. Her relatively modern perspective becomes our own as she encounters the more primitive society of the Syrnai, Ilias' homeland. Ilias meanwhile is an outcast in his own society. An encounter with an evil magician some years before has left him with a "curse mark," making him an untouchable to the magic-fearing Syrnai despite his many admirable characteristics. There's a bit of Mary Sue-ish romance here (Tremaine is a frizzy-haired writer of fantasy plays), but there are enough other characters and enough other plot elements that it never dominates, even here in the final volume where the fate of both characters is resolved. Indeed, the politics involved in their relationship -- significant, given Tremaine's power in the matriarchal Syrnai -- are here used as a welcome break between periods of otherwise unrelenting action as the plot elements are wrapped up.

Ilias' childhood friend Giliead, who as Chosen Vessel of the God of the Syrnai has his own touch of magic, figures nearly as prominently in the books as Ilias; the two have a brotherly relationship, a combination of affection and one-upsmanship, each adding depth and understanding to the other's situation. This is one of the strengths of the books: a large number of characters genuinely care about each other, want what's best for each other. They're people we as readers can enjoy spending time with, whether in moments of plain-spoken honesty or teasing levity.

"It reminds me of my student days."

Tremaine lifted a brow. "That was forty years ago, Gerard."

He actually put his pen down to glare at her. "Twenty years ago, Tremaine, twenty--" He saw her lips twitch. "Very funny."

Rounding out the cast are various other characters from the Syrnai and a cadre of Rienish magic-wielding and military characters, both male and female, trusting and suspicious, good and evil. Last but not least, some favorite characters from Death of the Necromancer show up as well -- more so than ever in this third volume. Many of these secondary characters are granted their own POV sections when the situation warrants, keeping us aware that this is a story with consequences that impact worlds, not just the two primary characters. If anything the use of other POVs increases here in the third book of the trilogy, now that we've gotten to know many of the characters well. This gradual broadening serves to emphasize the urgency and epic scope of the story.

Wells is in her element with this sort of fluid storytelling, always focusing on who and what will best help her tell her story. She has a knack for choosing just the right details, just the right words; providing just enough information to paint a picture while not over-explaining. Consider:

It was a huge hulking structure, its brick leprous with mold, with no ground floor windows and a pair of badly-proportioned pillars flanking its entrance. There was no carving on the eaves and the proportions were subtly off; it looked like a small and incompetent copy of a badly neglected Vienne Greathouse. The neat townhouses to either side of it seemed to stand in silent reproach.

Here "leprous" gives the house an air of the organic, a living thing, and also contributes to a medieval, fantastic feel. "Greathouse" could have easily been "mansion" but again, the word choice conveys that this is a fantastic place outside the modern world. The final line continues the extended metaphor of the houses as living things. Small deft touches such as these -- word choices that in a subtle way emphasize the fantasy setting, extended metaphors that enhance understanding without calling undue attention to themselves -- showcase Wells' skill as a writer.

The volumes of this trilogy are "light" reading, not especially gritty or literary, but a cut above typical genre fare. They contain no overt symbolism or allegorical message, and while there are socially relevant ideas present -- about technology and magic, about men and women, about the value of fantasy in finding one's place -- they exist to provide depth to the story rather than as foci of the story. This is not a book, not a series, where characters grow to any great degree; rather, it's a matter of characters who don't quite fit in jumping from place to place, world to world, until they find a person and a place where they do fit. The "misunderstood outcast has adventures while trying to find his/her place" plot is fairly common in young adult books, and in many ways it is interesting and refreshing to see an adult take on this: a recognition that adults, too, may find themselves searching for a place where they fit. Overall there's a lot to like about these books: imaginative settings, interesting characters and quality writing, plus a plot that includes mystery, action, politics, romance and magic.

The primary difficulty with this trilogy is that to understand it fully you must have read another of Ms. Wells' books, Death of the Necromancer, where the city of Vienne and many characters and their backgrounds are introduced, their motivations explained. Yet reading this or any of her previous books is to be made aware of how much of this new trilogy is borrowed from past books. There is always both a primary male and primary female POV character in a Martha Wells book, with at least a budding romance between them. That romance however is always in question as to whether it's something momentary, a matter of proximity, or something that will last. The male POV is always capable in a fight. The female POV always has some degree of magic-wielding capability (which is always a source of tension between her and the male POV), and some large degree of self-doubt. Magic is always seen as something that can lead, directly or indirectly, to madness. Royalty and throne room politics always make an appearance. None of these are bad things in themselves of course, what's problematic is the catch-22 that the trilogy works best if you've read the book before it, and yet reading the book before it makes you aware of how many themes and aspects are repeated here in the trilogy.

Another aspect that is repeated is an ending sequence that involves a jump to a new location followed by a quick and tidy resolution. Unfortunately, a 50-page ending sequence in a 400-page novel is one thing, but the same 50-page sequence in a 1,300-page trilogy feels too speedy, too pat. There's an element of (very literal) deus ex machina here -- that fortunately the story provides for -- but more than that it's a "man behind the curtain" sort of ending, where, once the characters find the man behind the curtain, they don't need to do much other than use the characteristics and skills they've shown from the very start for victory to be achieved.

There is also a sameness to many characters that contributes to the "stretched novel" feel of the trilogy: nearly all the major characters are capable, smart, and quick-witted in a sarcastic, self-deprecating sort of way. They are all firmly committed to the cause. There is not the variety, the differentiation, that one would expect in a work this long and with a cast this large, and because of their capabilities and intelligence it's hard to feel like the characters are ever truly in danger. There also seems to be a lot of duplication of characteristics. Tremaine and Florian (women capable of a little magic who constantly doubt their own usefulness), Ilias and Giliead (strong, capable, magic-distrusting Syprians who wonder what the future will bring), Gerard and Nicholas (older father-figures; focused leaders and planners); each pair shares many characteristics and performs similar functions at various points in the story.

Finally, I must wonder somewhat at the purpose of this trilogy within the overall oeuvre of Martha Wells. It is a sequel to Death of the Necromancer, a book that seemed to demand no sequel. Without spoiling the books, I am reminded of a line from Neil Gaiman's Sandman comics, about what happens when any story goes on too long. As with the Star Wars prequels and some moviegoers, there is a danger here that the content of the newer work could in some ways tarnish a reader's enjoyment of the older, more lauded work. That applies to existing fans of Martha Wells, of course, and as she's not a well-known author I do understand the desire to write with a focus towards acquiring new readers.

For those readers who have not read Martha Wells' work before, the best approach might then be to read this trilogy first -- knowing there are some things (the characters of Nicholas and Arisilde in particular) that may be unclear -- and then immediately read Death of the Necromancer to fill in the gaps. For readers already familiar with Ms. Wells' work, well, you'll read this trilogy no matter what I write. I'll simply suggest that going into it with somewhat reduced expectations, as outlined in this review, will maximize your enjoyment of the story's many good qualities.

-- Matt Denault

Note: Ms. Well's first book in the world of Ile-Rien that takes place several generations before this trilogy, The Element of Fire, has recently been made freely available online by the author at her website (www.marthawells.com). The first several chapters of all her books, including those of this trilogy, are there as well.

Tumbling After

Mon, 09 Oct 2006 09:45:32 -0400

Paul Witcover's first novel Waking Beauty was published in 1997, his second novel, Tumbling After, was published in 2005. Needless to say he likes to take his time between publications. But to be honest, we, the readers are better off for it. When news of a Witcover book getting published is announced it’s almost a certainty that it is going to be of the highest of quality. The downside of his low output is that his name isn't mentioned as often as it should be in conversations about those writers who are expanding the boundaries of what Fantasy could be.

Tumbling After is not only a meticulously crafted tale but a gorgeously written one as well. There are two main story threads throughout the book. One tells the tale of twins Jack and Jilly and how they spend one summer at the beach with their older sister, Ellen, and there young pot smoking uncle who has designed a role playing game to compete with Dungeons & Dragons called Mutes & Norms. As is common with twins, Jack & Jilly have a close and at times near telepathic relationship. After having a near fatal swimming accident in the ocean Jack appears to have awakened in himself the ability to manipulate the present. More specifically he appears to have opened up alternate presents that he can bring up and enter into during times of duress. Subtle things will be altered in the "present" he is in, but all of his memories from all of the timelines are still in him. The second tale tells us about Kestrel, an arie, and the other races that are included in his pentad; a delph, a boggle, a mander and a merm. The five races were created after The Viral Wars and are united against a common enemy, the norms. We learn of their mandatory quest into the wastelands to search out roving bands of norms and gather information.

His absence from that crowd had been a kind of presence in the minds of those who’d missed him, just as the presence of the mornings vanished throng is sensible to him now in the starkness of their absence, the silence and stillness of the square broken by the desultory barking of a dog, the grinding if a carriage wheel over the cobblestones from somewhere behind him, the cooing of pigeons as they search for spilled food, the brilliantly colored strips of paper rustling upon the door like the fluttering wings of impaled butterflies.

Peppered throughout the narrative are sufficient clues to indicate that the two separate threads are in fact linked. The link in fact is established early so part of the reading experience comes from waiting for the inevitable convergence of the two story lines. Both Jack & Jilly's and Kestrel's worlds are superbly rendered and are presented with enough detail to really flesh them out and bring into doubt the assumption that Kestrel's is the "fantasy" and Jack's is the "real".

Jack & Jilly’s relationship is impeccably rendered. The nuances of the close relationship that they share are fully explored and developed and in the case of some of the “alternate” worlds that are created taken to its farthest extreme. The closeness of twins often comes at the detriment of creating solid relationships with others; there is a distance that they feel towards others that is readily underscored by the link felt with the sibling. This poses a striking dichotomy of personalities, who they are with each other is often far different then who they are with others and even just when others are around. Others will sometimes feel a level of animosity towards the twins sometimes out of jealousy and other times because outsiders just don’t understand the relationship. The full spectrum of these relationships and personalities are explored adding new levels of depth when compared side by side with Kestrel’s world and how they all relate to the role playing game Mutes & Norms.

Ellen’s age won her the leadership of Jack and Jilly’s play group, and the pleasures she took in her position of authority was enhanced by the many opportunities it afforded for petty revenge, that stubbed toe not forgotten for one minute, nor any of the thousand and one other slights she kept sharpened on the whetstone of memory for just such occasions, an arsenal of knives that were all blade, wounding her as she held them…which only made her grip them tighter, with a martyrs’ zeal, as if the shedding of her own blood blessed her with the moral right to make others bleed.

The final chapter of the book was daring, brave and one moment was downright shocking, which says a lot since I just recently read the Phineas Poe trilogy. This probably proves the rule that less is more. From early on I had guesses as to how the book was going to end and I'm happy to report that I was completely wrong on all my guesses. Witcover really leaped into the abyss with the final chapter, he took a chance, gambled everything and won big, coming away from the table with a better book in the process for not taking any of the safe paths.

Tumbling After is a quality example of the new breed of fantasy, the one that is going past the established boundaries of the conventional in a concerted effort to break down the borders. It shows that all things are possible, that fantasy doesn't have to fit a certain mold or for that matter any mold. By rights anything SHOULD be possible in fantasy though far too often we see redundancies by authors unwilling to take chances and create something new. Tumbling After reaffirms my faith in the genre.

-Brian Lindenmuth

Blood and Memory

Mon, 10 Jul 2006 20:45:07 -0400

Blood and Memory: The Quickening Book Two

The middle book of a trilogy can take many different directions, and an author usually has a real chore getting through the middle book as they usually have a beginning and ending concept in mind when they start writing. It is all the stuff in between that can get in the way and may wreck havoc with release dates. I’m sure it has also been the source of writers block for many authors.

Book One, Myrren’s Gift which I reviewed here, was a bundle of joy to read with likable characters, a great story, and great writing from my standpoint. Book two has a few things though that makes this series take a step back in quality. The largest problem with this book lies in the explanation of Myrren’s gift to Wyl Thirsk. It was something that was nagging in book one but didn’t detract from the story at all, but in book two Fiona McIntosh has to address this issue of “why?” I do not think the explanation does the characters or story justice and while it is a rather large story point it seemed to be glossed over for the reader. Myrren’s Gift is one of the things that made this book unique and fun to read and then we are given a very cliché, “just because” answer of why this was bestowed on Wyl. We may find out more in the next book but somehow I do not think so.

Another issue with some of the characters in the story is the decisions they make and how they fall into some traps that they really shouldn’t have been tricked into. That is really the best way to explain it, we have characters who one minute are cautious and the next minute caught in a trap that even “Wile E. Coyote” would think was suspicious. Not only that but some characters just don’t seem themselves (and that is not a play on the main plot of the story), but rather don’t act like one would expect them. It does allow the author the ability to place Wyl in exciting situations and move the story along though.

We do not see much of our friend Cailech the mountain king in this novel either, which is a little disappointing. He is sure to make a grand appearance in book three and cause a nice plotline to round itself out. What we do have is more of Evil King Celimus which I particularly enjoy as a villain; he is so vain and intelligent that it makes his actions believable. This is where the author really shines in her depictions of the characters personalities and depth of emotions, which makes it so odd that the characters are so fleshed out and also so non consistent in other ways. Also Fiona McIntosh is not afraid to write off any characters if it will further the story, which is a nice change from many of the other authors out there.

One of the most interesting relationships that is continued in book two, is the love triangle that is going on between Wyl, Queen Valentyna, and King Celimus. It is nice to be able to see the struggles of a Queen and the decision between love and country that is racing through her mind all the time. Fynch and Knave create another interesting subplot with characters that are both memorable and dynamic. Fiona creates some wonderful characters in this series.

If one doesn’t concern themselves with a few little snags in an otherwise enjoyable story you are in for some fun characters. While book two has taken a little of the unbridled gushing I had for this series, I am still very excited to read book three. I love the way Fiona develops her characters and how we can become emotionally attached to them by her skill as a writer.

The Curse of Chalion

Wed, 08 Mar 2006 23:08:11 -0500

“The Curse of Chalion” draws inspiration from medieval Spain for a setting divided into several realms including the land of Chalion, where most of the action plays out. As the story opens, we are introduced to the protagonist Cazaril, a former soldier and courtier recently freed from the depredations of a slave galley, who has returned to his home a much-changed man bearing scars on mind and body.

In search of a lowly position in a former master’s household, Cazaril is, to his surprise, instead elevated to the position of secretary and tutor to the Royesse Iselle, the sister of the Royse Teidez, who is next in line for the throne of Chalion. At first reluctant to take on this task, Cazaril soon finds Iselle to be a brilliant if strong-willedyoung woman who earns his loyalty.

His loyalty is soon tested as a summons comes from the Roya’s court at Cardegoss, and Iselle and Teidez must pack up and move to the court. Not only are they forced to confront the byzantine intrigues of the court, the curse of Chalion soon makes itself known, subtly twisting all those of the blood of Chalion. Even the gods make their hand in affairs known, adding another layer of complexity to the tangle.

This being my first experience with Bujold’s work, I wasn’t sure what to expect and I was pleasantly surprised. Cazaril is a great protagonist and I particularly liked his wry sense of humor that often came into play throughout the story. Another strong point in my opinion was the mix of political intrigue with the religious belief in a pantheon of five gods, each representing different aspects.

However, it would have been nice perhaps to see the “villains” a bit more fleshed out beyond the usual power-hungry stereotypes, especially given the strong characterizations of Cazaril and others. Additionally, there is a fair amount of time spent on filling out the role of the Bastard (one of the five gods) as it relates to the story in particular, but in turn the other gods aren’t quite as detailed. This is not to say the religious aspects woven into the larger story aren’t otherwise well-done, however. As I read, I found it reminded me a bit of Katherine Kurtz’s Deryni books, with the weaving together of religion, political intrigue and a bit of magic.

In sum, I have to say I really enjoyed “The Curse of Chalion” a good deal, regardless of the minor issues.

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Lirael

Wed, 01 Feb 2006 11:41:21 -0500

Award-winning author Garth Nix’s follow-up to "Sabriel" is "Lirael." Taking place some fourteen years after the first book, "Lirael" splits time among many characters of this dual-world. Here again are Sabriel and (her now husband and king) Touchstone. This sequel introduces their children, Ellimere and Sameth, as well as the title character.

Lirael is a daughter of the Clayr, one of the important magical families of the Old Kingdom. She is separated from extended family by her strange looks and—even worse—her inability to See. Unlike the other Clayr, Lirael has no power to see into the future and, it seems, she is unlikely to ever gain it. What Lirael does have is cleverness and curiosity, along with a talent for magic. Yet these traits are not enough to overcome Lirael's dismay at being different, and she becomes a loner within the Clayr's glacier home. Her only refuge is the library. Filled with knowledge and dangers (both remembered and forgotten), the library is a place of seemingly endless proportions. Exploring the library, Lirael's magical abilities grow. She even creates a companion, the Disreputable Dog (a magical talking dog whose loyalties and motivations are not always clear and who is reminiscent of the cat Mogget from Sabriel).

Meanwhile, there is trouble in the Old Kingdom. The Abhorsen Sabriel and King Touchstone have worked hard over the years to drive the Dead from the land. Yet trouble is springing up everywhere and they wonder if it isn't all part of a larger plot to destroy the Charter (the magical force that holds the Old Kingdom together and keeps evil at bay). Fighting these troubles keeps them away from the castle and, eventually, from the Old Kingdom.

Popular, athletic, and Kennedy-esque Prince Sameth is finishing school in magic-less Anclestierre when danger strikes. He barely escapes, injured in body and soul. Now with a paralyzing fear of Death, how can he fulfill his role as the Abhorsen-in-Waiting, helping his mother rid the Old Kingdom of the ravenous Dead? In the Old Kingdom, it seems, Sam is nothing but a lonely bungler who would rather tinker in his workshop making toys. Meanwhile, super-organized Princess Ellimere must run the Old Kingdom in the absence of their parents.

And the villains make their appearance too… Chlorr of the Mask and the necromancer Hedge are formidable enough. But is there an even greater evil behind them? What exactly are they trying to accomplish? How (and why) has Sam's friend Nick from Anclestierre become wrapped in this conspiracy?

"Lirael" is the rare case of a sequel superior to its predecessor. While it brings back most of the characters from Sabriel, those characters have evolved from fairly standard archetypes into more realized characters. The interesting dual-world set up in "Sabriel" also become richer and questions left unexplained in the first book (such as how Nix's magic system works) are answered here. Nix's egalitarian world has realistic (and flawed) male and female heroes, and that's refreshing (particularly since Nix has none of the heavy-handed "political correctness" of some). Best yet, Nix packs much more action and suspense into "Lirael." Those that found Sabriel to be a page-turner will find Lirael irresistible.

Like "Sabriel," "Lirael" can be enjoyed by readers of almost any age. Unlike "Sabriel," however, "Lirael" is not a stand-alone novel. Its story concludes in "Abhorsen." Thus, my only warning: do not jump into "Lirael's" thrill-ride unless you already have "Abhorsen" sitting on the nightstand!

I rate it a 9 out of 10.

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Myrren's Gift : The Quickening Book One

Mon, 11 Jul 2005 09:59:56 -0400

It is rare that with children in the house a book can grab so much of my attention, but Myrren’s Gift by Fiona McIntosh managed to do that and make it an enjoyable experience along the way. I have a sure fire method these days to determine if I really am enjoying a book so much, and that is if I do not want to finish the book I have because I do not have the next one in the series. This was just one book I just did not want to end as I know any night not knowing where the story went would be a restless one. Fiona herself can attest to this as I had been hounding her, her publisher, pretty much everyone I could think of that had anything remotely to do with this book to get an Advanced Reader Copy of book two. Well being the great sport that she is, she personally took care of this and I have received book two, which was a blessing as it then allowed me to finish book one so that everyone can read my review and rush out and pick this book up.

We learn of Myrren in the first few chapters of this book but Myrren is not who this first book is about. The main character is Wyl, a General’s son and soon the General himself. Myrren’s gift to Wyl is actually what makes the story so intriguing, we have a story within a story, and in this book we are not let in on the full understanding of why Wyl has this gift or how to control it. To thicken the plot, Wyl himself was thrust into a relationship with the King’s son Celimus who is quite the evil one, a love triangle, and a good threat from Cailech a mountain man king. Each one of these arcs is a story in itself and they mesh together wonderfully to form a true world of fantasy. Along the way Wyl has two great sidekicks Knave (a dog) and Fynch, a pretty interesting boy himself, which compliment the story by giving us an eye into things that are happening when Wyl is not necessarily around.

I also really like the fact that Wyl feels like a real person, he is not one of those heroes you will see riding up on a white horse to conquer evil. Wyl has a lot of emotions to deal with as he tries to sort out Myrren’s gift and how he is going to deal with the situation that both Celimus has put him in and at the same time continuing to try and understand the threat from the north and the ways of the mountain men and their leader. There is so much going on in the story, but I never once felt that I couldn’t follow along or that something seemed forced. This truly is a wonderful start to a great Epic Fantasy series.

The style of writing is very fluid, and each story arc interesting, so its one of those books where you don’t have to skip ahead in the book to continue the storyline you are on, every storyline is interesting enough for a great read. The overall writing and story felt very akin to something Robin Hobb would write and I mean that in the most complimentary fashion to both Fiona and Robin. The Robin Hobb books are in my top 5 series and top 10 books.

This book leaves us with a mini cliff hanger at the end, which I would expect from a trilogy. While I have the utmost confidence in Fiona the ending of this book left it open to continue churning along in all its glory or else have a very repetitive story arc. You will all know what I mean when you read this. I am not too worried though as this book was that good that I feel assured that the story will continue in similar fashion. Regardless I will be reviewing book two in the upcoming weeks.

Folks don’t miss out on this series; you will thank me for it.

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The Magicians' Guild

Wed, 15 Jun 2005 05:58:12 -0400

This book almost lost me after 12 pages. How is it that a street urchin can be ripped from her normal surroundings, discover previously untapped magical powers and be thrust into city-wide turmoil within 12 pages? It's the kind of start that had me rolling my eyes simply because it happened so fast and the magic "system" consists of the magic user (in this case, the urchin) really, really, really wanting something to happen and so it does. Kind of like, "Hmm... I really, really, really want a fudge brownie sundae to appear in front of me right now *creases forehead with concentration*" What, no sundae? I guess I'm not magical...

But, fret not friends. This is just my overly critical, sarcastic nature shining through. Take my advice and wear your "I've seen this all before" smirk through the first couple of chapters and the story will begin to unfold. We don't achieve anything epic here (nor are we supposed to), but the characters do develop and the intrigue of watching the more occluded tactics of the thieves war against the overt power and organization of the magicians is fun to watch.

Back to the magic system. We don't get a lot of detail in this book about the nature of magic in this world. We know that you have to "control" your magic and that your magic is applied to certain disciplines, but honestly, there's not much meat on the bone here for magic buffs. I expect to see much more in the next installment, "The Novice" which is Book 2 of the series. I'd say the book follows along a thievery, snoopery, stealthy kind of thread which I enjoy almost as much as a good magic yarn.

Book 1 also invokes a Dacco pet peeve - Using fantasy-ified names where normal ones would suffice. Examples: Dannyl instead of Daniel, Sonea instead of Sonya. I made a concious effort to thwart this evil tactic by pronouncing the names in my head as "Dan-il" and "So-nee-uh". It is my quiet rebellion against this practice...

If you sum this all up, basically you have an eminently enjoyable read without requiring a glossary to follow the plot. There is excitement, tension, good character development and choices for the main characters to struggle with. Enjoy this book over ice with salt
on the rim.

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The Crimson Sword

Mon, 30 May 2005 08:04:01 -0400

It seems every time a fantasy author’s debut novel is released and is done so written in a manner that it would be categorized in the sub-genre of “High Fantasy” everyone who reads it or more aptly and much more regrettable everyone who critiques it has the apparently incessant desire to compare it to, regardless if their comments are intended as praise or critical in nature, to Tolkien. This is nothing new, this is in fact done so much the genre has instead of going down the path of common sense has just simply accepted the practice and to make it even more bewildering made the term “Tolkienesque Fantasy’ to be used synonymously with “High Fantasy” as if to promote this regressive habit that has become status quo. Tolkien’s shadow looms large and thus this practice is understandable if not bearing any logic, however, my personal issue with the majority of these largely inutile examples of commentary is instead of making it a small part of their presentation they make it their primary basis for the reviews offered. Because of this we have for example, the subject of this review a debut novel by Eldon Thompson, The Crimson Sword, which directly due to being an example of a fantasy novel written in the “High Fantasy” vein has been out for a month now and has yet to have a review of his worthy effort that forges past mundane levels of commentary that in a word is best characterized by long time fans of the genre by the term Klausner.

The Crimson Sword is a novel written in the tradition of “High Fantasy”, a tradition represented currently by authors like Terry Brooks who no doubt was an influence on Mr. Thompson but before I go on, I think most here know my opinion on the majority of Brook’s work and although such work isn’t one that can be use to model my particular preferences (in fact the opposite could be true) I am not unmindful that a great many people do enjoy such work, and that noted I think Mr. Thompson provides with a first installment of a trilogy dubbed ‘The Legend of Asahiel’ that should find no problem reaching a viable and accepting audience. The Crimson Sword is a story of a man who found his destiny while at the same time learning that the only thing not unique about the course of it is his inclusion.

From the ownset, Thompson shows in the text at least his awareness of the common tropes of the genre that belies at least he apparently has done either some marginal research or even better he is a fan of the genre (reading up on Mr. Thompson I learned the latter is true) which was an immense relief because this put him already ahead of say a Robert Newcomb regarding first releases, whose presence with just a blurb praising the novel was enough to give me some cause for hesitation. Here is the passage I am speaking of, which is Jarom, deep in thought struggling to come to grips with his newly learned genealogy:

-“The ultimate dream of escape. Except that Jarom has no desire to escape his life. To him, these revelations were not a dream fulfilled, but an impossible nightmare, too incredible and undesirable to be true. A ridiculous fairy tale, rehashed for the thousandth time”-

Eldon Thompson’s depiction of the story of a young man, Jarom, who learns of his unknown royal heritage at time that marks a dark change for the island continent of Petania (when else does one learn of such things) is not a unfamiliar plot t ofans of fantasy. Preceded by assassination of its King Sorl, the invasion and ease of the conquering of the western Kingdom of Alson, Jarom’s supposed birthright, by a Wizard of great power is only halted due to the existence of an even greater, graver power reintroduced to the land in the form of Spithaera, who is fancied in myth as the Demon Queen, and perhaps rightly so, but more correctly she is a Demon Avatar. Jarom, along with his life long best friend and master archer/hunter Allion set out on a journey to ask for Imperial aid of the mighty southern kingdom Kuuria, not only the seat of power of the Emperor but where the history of Man on Petania as a race of merit, was born. On this quest, Jaron and Allion will besidetracked and yet simultaneously guided by Destiny and its helping and also meddlesome hand that seems greatly motivated by self interest and not seemingly having a wholly vested interest in the duo’s survival as its top priority. This is a story of fending off a powerful Wizard, a Demon Queen and her army of Dragon spawn bent on invasion, while also seeking an ancient semi-mythical Talisman that has been the object of Jarom’s dreams from childhood. On the surface everything I just described is commonplace for fans of fantasy when regarding the “High Fantasy” subgenre. The above quoted passage interested me as I took it as the author awareness but it also almost by default allowed me to postulate that Mr. Thompson was going to throw some personal twists into the story paying homage to the still definitive ”High Fantasy” roots but his showing us his recognition, after reading it, I must admit it caused me to think to myself, “okay let me see what the kid has to offer”.

Thompson will take the reader on an adventure that will take them through lands of rival cannibalistic feral Elves, the mountain home of a Dragon, a lost and buried mythical city now ancient tomb of the once mighty Finlorian Elves, a story of multiple large scale battles of armies of men versus men, and men versus dragonspawn. He will also introduce us to an assortment of demons and will not only take us the very dwelling of the Dragon Queen but also introduce us to the Entients, human Avatars, and hoarders of vast knowledge, and forgotten power, and the subject of the reference I made earlier regarding the fickle nature destiny plays in “The Crimson Sword’, who reside in Whitlock. They represent, as Jarom notes, an embodiment of contradictions that in one hand one can take for at once both seeming the biggest of help and at the same time the most perplexing in their lack overt action, feigning a nonchalant worldview but also admitting to orchestrating personal destiny as well. I must admit upon completing the novel I felt the Entients and particularly their acting librarian Ranunculus, were one of the three aspects of the novel I enjoyed the most.

One of the other aspects that Thompson included that readers will surely enjoy are embodied by two characters who I would guess come out of this novel as the fan favorites. One is given to us in the beginning, and sparsely afterwards, the other a major role; both are aided by mysterious connected pasts, both are Assassins and by what can be deciphered two of the very best in memory. The first is Xarius Talyzar, who is in fact the first character we are introduced to in The Crimson Sword, albeit briefly as Thompson attempts to hook the reader immediately depicting the Assassin in the midst of a mission of regicide:

-“Like the owl, it flew upon wings of death, slipping through the foliage without a whisper to mark its passing. Rodents scurried from its path; trees shuddered in a gust of wind. Made anxious by its ghostly presence, nature recoiled, finding safer quarter from which to watch and wait out the trespasser’s foul purpose.“-

The other Assassin (or former assassin who still is quite apt at killing) is Kylac Kronus, who will be a constant aid to Jarom and Allion in their quest to retrieve the Sword of Asahiel and in fighting the invasion of the Demon Queen. These two Assassins would be my guess as the characters coming out of “The Crimson Sword’ as fan favorites. They are the subjects of the action sequences that hold the most interest, and they have the luxury of the mysterious/vague origins, and just being a part of the popular class that Assassins represent in the heart of fans of both epic and high fantasy. Kylac’s position will not be hindered by the fact that he carries blades of unknown origin through which nothing can withstand. It would surprise me greatly if a major portion of the next novels in the ‘The Legend of Asahiel’ sequence did not focus on these two rivals and their intertwined past/history. This is definitely a plot line that was intended to be of interest and succeeded even though they tend to be of more interest than the story and plight of the main quest and Jarom.

The other elements that I welcomed were some the subtle successes Thompson added that worked for me that was his effort to put a personal stamp on his offering. Novels such as this often times feature the race of Elves in a way that one would think the same writer writes all chapters involving Elves in every novel written in this sub-genre. In Thompson’s world not only has the might of the Elves been reduced to nil, they themselves have all but disappeared, only represented thus far by the aforementioned feral, cannibalistic, nomadic tribal race the Mookla’ayans, which represetns a nice deviation from the prevalent normal use of the race. I admire the fact that Thompson showcases Man, and didn’t feel the need have the appearance of classical Elves to in some way substantiate his work in a sub-genre seemingly full of elf lovers and haters of humans. I was pleasantly surprised that a High Fantasy novel’s (god I hate this word but), “coolest” character was actually a human! Jarom and Allion both young men, from a relatively isolated village set out in an epic adventure there has to be some old wise man with a hat who guides them in their journey right? This is “High Fantasy” right? Well it is true the Entients play a roll, but there mentor most often comes in the form of the young assassin Kylac who not only keeps them out of mortal danger, but teaches them of the equally dangerous combination of being judgmental and ignorant. I like the fact that in the story the “evil” wizard was not really motivated for the sole purpose of just being a practitioner of evil. He has real motivations, and real reasons birthed them, and they actually change due to circumstance and not set on a single-track plan that many such characters in this sub-genre get polarized in. Mr. Thompson successfully applies a welcome personal niche to his debut entry into High fantasy.

There are some parts of the book that concern me. One of them and perhaps the most important was the main character himself, Jarom. Not even speaking of why (which I will get to in a minute), I cannot possibly fathom how when finishing this novel that one can come out of this novel enjoying reading about him specifically, much less he be among ones favorite characters unless by default due to his constant presence in the novel. Saying this, I am not one of those easily pleased readers who require the main character of a novel I’m reading to be outstanding at anything, in regards to the common nonesense like being a peerless swordsmen, or a inspirationl leader, or cerebral genius (which in either cases Jarom is never going to be confused with say Zelazyn’s Benedict of Amber or close to it). That’s not my issue with the character that seems to be a popular complaint I see among my peers in the reviewing community. My issue with him is his train of thought, not the frequent occurrences they are exhibited mind you (and they are frequent), as I am an absolute fan of deep character studies, but this isn’t Severian, and in this case they are just to derivative in nature. It’s the same thing over and over, it becomes not a character study, but incessant whineing in such a way that in a near death experience suffered by Jarom, I truly hoped he was just going to die. One line in particular is a good example of what is broadcasted over and over excessively, in between every scene of substance, like a constant unwanted segue:

-“There was to be no sudden revelation, no euphoric moment of realization in which he would take command of the blade and fulfill his destiny. There was nothing in the stars to predict his eventual triumph over the forces of darkness”-

One instance, I can deal with, dozens, and I have to ask the question, who possibly thinks like that? Fantasy or not? I think the problem some and I may have is that we are expected to care about this characters plight and his transition to the realization he is of royal blood. The problem is that this transition happens very quickly in the first portions of The Crimson Sword so we the reader do not know Jarom, and thus do not have any reason to read about him whining about a former life that we the reader were not exposed to and thus have nothing vested in.

Another element that really jumps out right from the opening chapter are what I felt was Thompson’s overuse of descriptive phrases and adjectives. As I said before Thompson’s choice of starting the book of with the Assassin was deft choice and I understand the desire to set a tone and impression on the reader in the opening part of the novel (and for the most part it is successful) but not even speaking of removing whole segments or chapters of the novel, but just by cutting down on unneeded adjectives sporadically and over descriptiveness this 537 page novel may very well have shown marked improvement at 480 pages. Now people who have read my reviews may ask the question why do I think it’s a detraction in Mr. Thompson’s The Crimson Sword yet I praise the abundant descriptive examples found in a China Mieville novel? The difference is in execution. Mieville spends a great amount of time with descriptive language in his work. His statements invoke imagery in a way that I don’t think anyone presently writing can stir the imagination more with just one choice sentence or word choice. Thompson’s descriptive language is more laymen in nature, the metaphoric value of such have been reduced to the reader from overuse in the majority of other works. I’m not saying I don’t like his use, I am saying it was noticeably overly done, sometimes seeming if their was a purposeful desire to add description to every sentence but the excessive use summed up to instead only causing for the lengthening the novel and not the the hopefully intended styling of the narrative to invoke imagery. Again I mention the first chapter (which in turn I will again served its purpose) which spans seven pages, but in time I think Thompson will be able to write the same scene later with just as much effectiveness in two or three pages.

This as I mentioned is the first book in a thus far planned trilogy ‘The Legend of Asahiel’ yet to Mr. Thompson’s credit he gives the first installment some amount of closure, telling what is a complete tale, going along with of course some loose ends some of which I look forward to, and others I don’t. The Crimson Sword does offer as I said, a conclusion to enough plotlines that fans should feel confident if they want to try out Mr. Thompson's writing that they will get what in essence is a full story and not commit themselves to the other novels, which are titled ‘The Obsidian Key’ and ‘The Divine Talisman’ with out getting one.

What to look forward to? Some potentially interesting elements and some…well others. A continuing of a love story that really I correlate with Jarom’s incessant whineing and what makes his character even more hard to find a desire to read about; it didn’t work for me at all, it didn’t seem reasonable to me but this is no slight to Mr. Thompson as fantasy authors as a whole, particularly new ones, seem to have some problems with depicting relationships at first. What are sure to be of interest are the aforementioned assassins, particularly due to some interesting occurrences regarding Kylac’s weapons and a Dragon’s reaction to them. Xarius Talyzar, in many ways was my favorite character. Also at the end, a foreshadowing of a new threat from the very chamber the Sword of Asahiel stood.

Grading The Crimson Sword proved to be a slight dilemma for me. Although I am a fan of some current epic series (George R.R. Martin, Steven Erikson, R. Scott Bakker) most of them are not subject of category of ‘high fantasy’ (due to there scope, and themes) which I honestly don’t read much anymore due to a fear I may run into the next David Eddings (or Terry Brooks), however, I came away interested enough to have a desire to read the next novel ‘The Obsidian Key’. I always like to read an author’s second work after he/she gets the arduous process of presenting their world and all its basic facets in the first installment, and has a chance to digest all the praise and criticism, and either adjust according to them or not. As I said above I think Mr. Thompson already has a viable and large potential fan base to draw from and I think ultimately the positives I pointed is enough to get past an impossible to like main character, and if so there is no reason he can’t draw from that fan base. If you enjoy writers like Terry Brooks or David Eddings you should have no problems enjoying The Crimson Sword, however I don’t as of yet (first book) think it offers something for fans of any other preferences. If you don’t like High Fantasy this novel does not present an argument that will change your opinion - in fact it is your argument. I suspect fans in the vein will appreciate it, and I think the novel will gain an audience with fans taking there first dive into fantasy, and unlike many other examples of new authors I see enter the genre I think Mr. Thompson is a added voice that will generate mainstream interest. I think there is a lot that can be improved, but just noting the interest Mr. Thompson has displayed in this process during the brief instances of conversation between him and myself, when I asked him to join us on a future edition of our interview feature ‘One the Spot’ (which he has most generously agreed to) and his presence on the net to get the word out about his book, and his open desire for candid critique of his work, I think Mr. Thompson work will only progress. My final grade for The Crimson Sword the first installment in ‘The Legend of Asahiel’, and debut novel by Eldon Thompson is a 5 with definite potential for improvement.

Jay
The Bodhisattva

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Shadow of a Dark Queen

Mon, 13 Dec 2004 15:48:26 -0500

A dread darkness is descending upon a great land called Midkemia -- a powerful and malevolent race of monsters that has slipped through a hole in the dimensions. And two unlikely young heroes -- a bastard heir denied his birthright and an irrepressible scoundrel with a penchant for thievery -- must take up arms in the struggle to protect their besieged world...two friends chosen by Destiny to stand at the fore of the battle that is to come against the gargantuan reptile army of the terrible Emerald Queen.

An awesome book, set in the land most avid gamers will recognize as the land containing Krondor. This is the traditional "farmer-boy saves the world" kind of book, but with a new spin...can't say what it is because that’s no fun to be told, but it’s impressive. One thing I really liked is they detailed military procedures, so for those of you who think "Dress Left" means to clothe only half your body, you'll learn something. The world is low magic, and as the best character (who is reminiscent of Tom Bombadillo) Nakkor puts it, "It's not so much magic as it is tricks." This view of magic is appealing because it suggests anyone is capable of it, not just mages. It covers gods and alternate planes of existence, giving pretty good, albeit short, descriptions of how they are scientifically possible. It's at these points that it becomes a bit harder to read and slightly confusing to some. Also they make past references that you would have had to read the Riftwar Saga to completely understand. I would have to say it's not a pg-13 novel, a brief sex scene and descriptive of nudity, a bit too graphic with various bodily functions related to a near death...but then again the childish books are kind of boring. One more downside is the first chapter, unless something in the next books touch back to it, then it is completely irrelevant. All in all this is a wonderful start to the Serpent War Saga, and I'm already looking for a way to get the next books (as I'm broke).

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