A Madness of Angels

A Madness of Angels (Matthew Swift 1)
by: Kate Griffin

(Urban Fantasy)

458 pages [Hardcover]

Matthew Swift awakens two years after a particularly violent and untimely death, not quite his old self, with one thing on his mind; revenge. Revenge against whoever killed him, and revenge against whoever brought him back.

I had picked this book up a while back at the library and at the time I just couldn’t get into it. I figured it was because I had snagged several books at the time and those just seemed more appealing in the moment. But, as I got further along with the book this time, I think I know why I put it down before.

There are some cool things in this book, which I will get to in a minute, but I think I’ll start with what I didn’t like so much first. There is something in this author’s writing style that made reading feel a little more like work. The words didn’t fly effortlessly off the page, painting pretty pictures in my head, like a lot of the other books I’ve read. I think it had a lot to do with the level of description and frequent name dropping of London locations.

While description is generally a good thing in a novel, in this case, the frequency of it seemed to overburden the narrative. Every time the character moved from one location to another I was confronted with specific names of places that were generally meaningless to me, since I have never been to London, and detailed descriptions of those places. Periodically, this wouldn’t be so bad, but it seemed to happen quite often and interrupted the flow of the story for me.

Abundant description aside, there are some things I really liked in this story. Instead of bringing well-known supernatural creatures into the urban environment, like most urban fantasy novels, this story’s creatures evolved out of the urban environment itself, creating original gods and unique entities. Anywhere there is life there is magic and that magic grows from that world.

Matthew Swift himself was fun to watch and the way he was written from the beginning, given his special circumstances, was well done. I’d say more, but I don’t want to spoil anything.

If it weren’t for my problems with the location dropping and description, I would have liked the story a lot more. I had no problem with the plot or the characters and the world building was quite good. I can’t decide if I will continue with the series or not. This book was a little more work, but perhaps not completely unworthy of a little extra effort. Until next time…

Happy Reading!

Mistborn: The Final Empire

Mistborn: The Final Empire
by: Brandon Sanderson

(Fantasy)

570 pages [Nook Book]

In a land covered in ash and oppressed by the hand of the Lord Ruler, can a team of thieves use their metallurgically enhanced abilities to overthrow the Final Empire?

Why have I not been reading Brandon Sanderson books all this time? Why?

I read Elantris ages ago and loved it, but somehow forgot to see what else Mr. Sanderson had written. I wasn’t as on top of book-related things back then. Thankfully, I’ve made my way back around to him, even if it took me way too long.

Above, I categorized this book as fantasy, which it mostly is, but what I’d really like to call it is Alloy-Fantasy. The story has a lot of elements in common with steampunk novels, only no steam. There is an oppressed society, omnipresent pollution, in the form of ash, and a set of magic powers based heavily upon different types of metal. So, if you like steampunk and fantasy, you’ll be especially happy with this one.

I loved the world-building and the atmosphere. The characters are just as wonderfully developed. Vin’s evolution throughout the story was believable, and I enjoyed watching her grow. Kelsier’s flippant attitude and mad schemes were fun to watch; there’s nothing like a character who takes risk after unbelievable risk, all with a smile. There were times where I expected to be disappointed by certain character-related circumstances, only to be pleasantly surprised. There wasn’t a single underdeveloped character in the bunch and the Lord Ruler himself turned out to be especially interesting.

The story moves quickly, and the excerpts before each paragraph really add gradual depth and history to the world. The revelations at the end were unexpected and brilliant. I’m extremely pleased overall, which is a good thing since I bought the whole trilogy and have two more books to go. Until next time…

Happy Reading!

Sleeping Giants

Sleeping Giants (Themis Files 1)
by: Sylvain Neuvel

(Science Fiction)

304 pages [Hardcover]

When a giant metal hand is accidentally discovered, a risky project to uncover its secrets begins.

Curiosity-driven stories are my favorite, and this one also just happens to be extremely easy to read. This is the first novel I’ve read that uses interviews and occasional journal entries to tell the story rather than lengthy exposition. Don’t get me wrong, I always enjoy an artful turn of phrase, but this works too.

Of all the characters, I found the interviewer, a man we know almost nothing about, to be the most interesting. He can be cold and logical, yet somehow I found myself liking him the most.

There were some great big-picture implications and the usual questions when power is involved. How far is too far in the name of progress? What is our place in the universe?

My only criticism is there was a little bit of petty emotional stuff in the middle there. It wasn’t anything too bad, I’ve read much worse, and it did end up being integral to the plot. The characters continued to evolve as the story progressed, which made up for it for the most part.

I suspect the next volume won’t be as curiosity-driven given the conclusion, although there is still a mystery or two left. But since this book was so easy to read, I’ll definitely be reading the next one, even if it’s just a break from my usual, more long-winded fare. Until next time…

Happy Reading!

What-the-Dickens

What-the-Dickens
by: Gregory Maguire

(Fantasy)

295 pages [Hardcover]

Trapped amidst a natural disaster, with three kids to look after, Gage tells them a story about What-the-Dickens, a skiberee that doesn’t know he’s a tooth fairy, or very much at all really.

This is an odd little story, not quite for children, but not quite not for children either. It’s difficult to categorize. I would have labeled it a children’s story, but there is a lot in here that would go over their heads.

It’s basically a story within a story. The children of a sheltered religious family are waiting out a hurricane while watched by their twenty-something cousin. He has his hands full, they’re out of food, and the children’s parents have yet to return, so he tells the children a story about What-the-Dickens, the rogue tooth fairy.

I found the story within the story to be the most interesting, but I think that was the point. What-the-Dickens himself is rather charming as he discovers the world, not knowing anything. His attempts to understand his surroundings are fun to watch. You get to be a part of his thought process, as erroneous as it might be.

I was a little put off by the other skiberee when they were finally revealed. They are very simple, close-minded little creatures that follow dogma and propaganda rather than thinking for themselves. They dismiss What-the-Dickens as stupid or slow, when he thinks, reasons, and questions things. I feel like the author might have been making a bit of a statement here through What-the-Dickens’ eyes.

In short, I liked the story, but I was disappointed with the other skiberee, as What-the-Dickens no doubt was also. Still, it’s a cute little book that will look nice on my shelf so I think I’ll hold on to it for a while. Until next time…

Happy Reading!

The Map of the Sky

The Map of the Sky
by: Felix J. Palma

(Victorian/Science Fiction)

591 pages [Hardcover]

H.G. Wells is once again pulled into all manner of danger and adventure when the events in his novel, The War of the Worlds, begin happening around him.

I’m really becoming a fan of Felix J. Palma. The Map of Time was pretty awesome and The Map of the Sky is just as good. While his novels can feel a little long and drawn out at times, the payoff at the end makes it all worthwhile.

This time, I was prepared and read The War of the Worlds beforehand. With The Map of Time, not much of H.G. Wells’ novel factored into the story, other than the subject of time travel, and the machine itself. With The Map of the Sky, having The War of the Worlds fresh in your memory will make the story that much more fun. I won’t tell you how, exactly, but I think it’s worth it.

I was pleasantly surprised to see characters from The Map of Time show up in this novel. It was nice to spend some more time with them and watch as they faced the horrors of alien invasion. There is also something wonderfully fun about H.G. Wells being an unlikely hero. There were some surprising twists and turns, which I have come to expect from Mr. Palma, and the way it all turned out, in the end, wrapped things up well but left me thinking. I love it when a book leaves you with a little nugget of something to ponder over. I’m very much looking forward to The Map of Chaos, and I’ll be reading The Invisible Man first in preparation. Until next time…

Happy Reading!

The Myth Hunters

The Myth Hunters (The Veil Book 1)
by: Christopher Golden

(Dark Fantasy/Myth)

284 pages [Nook Book]

Oliver Bascombe is thrust into the world beyond the veil under perilous circumstances, thanks to none other than Jack Frost himself. While he always wanted to believe there was something more out there, he gets more than he bargained for.

I got this book for free for my nook, thanks to my BookBub subscription, which is why I picked it up in the first place. It’s unusual for a traditionally published book to be available for free like this. I actually thought it was an indie when I got it.

Myths are cool. I liked the premise but didn’t love the book. I felt like there was something missing here. Perhaps there wasn’t enough depth? There was plenty of action, in a running for your life kind of way, but I didn’t feel enough of that sense of danger. Despite some serious violence, I had a hard time relating to their peril.

The borderkind themselves are pretty cool, and the creatures encountered on the other side were not the standard critters you would expect. This is the first time I’ve read a novel that had Kappa in it, even if they only appeared briefly.

The biggest problem I had with it was the main character. He alternates between being utterly useless to being extremely helpful. Most of the time he is a fish out of water, and the borderkind have to constantly explain everything to him, which made him seem kind of flimsy, and less likable. By the end of the story he’s earned his place a bit better. I have found in the past that the first novel of a series might be a little weak while it sets up the characters and the story. The second book might be better.

Having events told from Oliver’s side of things, as well as from the perspective of the detective investigating his disappearance and the violence in his wake, added a little something extra to the story and helped to break up the monotony of running away and being told how things worked.

I might read the sequel, I might not. I’m curious about where this all goes and I’m secretly hoping it gets better, but it might not be worth the time with all the other books on my list. We’ll just have to see. Until next time…

Happy Reading!

The Saga of Seven Suns: A Forest of Stars

A Forest of Stars
(The Saga of Seven Suns Book 2)
by: Kevin J. Anderson

(Science Fiction/Space Opera)

496 pages [Hardcover]

The conflict with the Hydrogues escalates as humanity struggles with dwindling fuel, political challenges, and inscrutable aliens.

Oops! I completely forgot to review this one!  That’s what I get for reading too many books at once and just letting the reviews pile up. But don’t worry, I have a system now that should make sure no more books slip through the cracks. Now, I’m not sure I remember enough details to write a decent review, so I guess I’ll write an indecent review? Wait, no, that’s not how that word works…

I think I’ll be sticking with this series long term. I’ve mentioned often how much I love a deep history in a story and this series has that. Perhaps what I’m really saying is that I like depth in a story and epic histories provide that quite easily. I’m really loving the mystery of the Klikiss robots, and the mysteries within the Saga of Seven Suns.

Things escalate in this volume, as would be expected. With the Hydrogues vigorously defending their gas giants, humanity is facing a dramatic fuel shortage, causing some to go outside the law to get their hands on what they need. There’s a lot of destruction as the Hydrogues get more aggressive, but humanity doesn’t seem to be their true target. We’re just in the way. I was pleasantly surprised by some interesting new powers who enter the conflict that have the potential to be pretty awesome.

If you’re a hardcore science person this might not be the series for you. Personally, I don’t think that a story set in space is required to be researched so extensively that the author might as well have a PhD in engineering and astrophysics. It’s not a bad thing for a book to be that well researched, but being the layman I am, I enjoy a story just fine with a little less research.

As for the pace of the story and its characters, it was not always attention-grabbing. There was a time when I probably wouldn’t have bothered with this series because of that. However, I have learned, in my more recent book-obsessed years, that a slower paced and more detailed story can still be worth reading, even if I’m not over-the-top excited about reading it. I may not have been completely absorbed for every minute of it, but I enjoyed it overall. This is why I now read a few books at a time. When I have a slower, longer book to read, I make sure to have something more immediately gratifying in the mix too. It keeps the energy flowing and prevents me from getting bored.

In spite of a couple of flaws, I enjoyed this book and am curious enough about the plot to keep reading. Also, I would like to hug a world tree. Until next time…

Happy Reading!

The Providence of Fire

The Providence of Fire
by: Brian Staveley

(Fantasy)

608 pages [Hardcover]

Royal siblings, Adare, Kaden, and Valyn, continue to fight for survival and vie for the Unhewn Throne after the emperor’s murder. Startling revelations are made as the empire prepares to face off against an unstoppable force.

I would love to tell you all about my favorite things from this book, but I can’t. So many of those things are details and revelations that would ruin the story for anyone planning to read it. So, allow me to construct a vague impression of this story. The short version is, this series is pretty awesome. Just trust me.

At 600 pages this book can feel a little long from time to time, but when certain things are revealed, all of that extra information was worth it. It was important for the characters to follow a particular journey, in order to set them up for the epicness that follows. There is plenty of character development, and the siblings go through an awful lot: making impossible decisions, facing the consequences of those decisions, and questioning everything they thought to be true.

I love a story with a deep history. The deeper the better. The Gods, the Cestriim, and the Leach Lords kept me coming back, hoping to learn some new little scrap of information about them. Thankfully, this book goes deeper into that history and we get to learn more about my favorite things. I’d really like to tell you about it but I can’t.

On the subject of violence… I don’t seek out violent stories, but sometimes violence is necessary to make the story grounded and powerful. While this book has significantly more violence than the first, it never felt violent for the sake of violence. It all has a specific purpose, to show just how scary a character is, or how powerful, or to give him/her a reason to doubt themselves.

As I said earlier, this is shaping up to be a pretty good series. The combination of a deep history, world building, and the characters’ differing personalities keep it interesting, even when the pace slows a bit. And with everything revealed in this book I’m very much looking forward to the final installment. Until next time…

Happy Reading!

Endsinger

Endsinger (The Lotus War Book 3)
by: Jay Kristoff

(Japanese Steampunk)

412 pages [Hardcover]

The lotus war comes to a climax as forces human, machine, feathered, and underworldly collide with devastating consequences, all with Shima’s fate hanging precariously in the balance.

The Lotus War is at an end now that I’ve finally finished Endsinger. This book sat on my shelf for far too long. There are things I love about this series and some things that made me a little reluctant to read it. Let’s start with the good things.

The worldbuilding was great with airships, chainsaw katana, griffons, lightning farms, the destructive blood lotus, a creation myth, demons…I could go on for a while. The plot was interesting, involving twists and turns I didn’t expect and the Lotus Guild’s true motives were quite sinister indeed. It’s written well, the characters are realistic with a dash of bravado and dark humor, and I loved Yukiko’s relationship with Buruu. All things Japanese and Steampunk were awesome.

So if this story was so awesome, why did I always have a tendency to put off picking up the book, only to put it down again not long after? It comes down to one simple thing: loss. I couldn’t put my finger on it until I was about halfway through Endsinger. I was so distracted by the worldbuilding and action that it didn’t occur to me just how much these characters lose. I understand that when you’re in the middle of a bloody revolution that there is going to be some loss, but each character in this story loses so much. Some characters had already lost several people in their lives before the fighting even began. I think this series had the highest body count of everything I’ve read so far. The heaviness that all that loss created made me hesitate to read where I should have been completely absorbed.

Don’t get me wrong, the whole series wasn’t horribly depressing. There were lots of wonderfully positive moments mixed in that had me smiling or cheering on the inside, but it wasn’t enough to completely balance it.

As for Endsinger, the loss really piles up. Not only do we lose characters, but we are constantly reminded of it. Remarkably, though, the ending is rather hopeful, and no one left is truly abandoned. That last page made me very happy. With all of this, I have mixed feelings about the series. If you asked me, I’d say I loved it, I just didn’t always want to read it. Until next time…

Happy Reading!

The Paradox

The Paradox by Charlie Fletcher

(Victorian/Fantasy)

386 pages [Trade Paperback]

“When they fall, so do we all.” The last hand of the Oversight struggles to hold together while two of their most prominent members are lost to the mirrors. Nefarious plots abound while tragic discoveries are made.

It took nearly the entire first book of this series for me to get close to the characters, but it was well worth the effort. I enjoyed The Paradox so much more, especially because I felt I understood it better.

I love the characters now and the strange family they make. Fictional misfit families are one of my favorite things, next to animal companions and powerful worldbuilding. Some of the coolest aspects of these characters hadn’t shown up until the end of the previous book, so at the time, I didn’t know enough about them to see why they were so great. Here, knowing all of that, I really enjoyed spending time with them.

The mirrors, the awful truth behind The Disaster, multilayered bad guys, and the ever-increasing peril kept the pages turning. The mirrors were fascinating in how they affect those within, as well as what happens when blood is spilled upon them. The revelations about The Disaster were tragic. There were also some intriguing side plots with other characters outside of the Oversight, which seem to be leading in some very interesting directions. I do find these books to be just a little bit confusing at times, since there is so much going on, and with multiple threats to the Oversight, it was sometimes difficult to keep track of which was which. I felt like I should read both books over again in order to fully grasp what was going on, but let’s face it, I’m not going to do that. Given infinite time, I would gladly do so, but until I invent a time-machine, or manage to clone myself, once will just  have to be enough.

To put it simply, I was really happy with this one, minor confusions and all. Can’t wait to read The Reddest Hand! Until next time…

Happy Reading!