Sunday 14 December 2014

The Complete Collection of the Revenant Wyrd Saga Is Released

December has been a big month for Travis Simmons and as well as seeing the release of The Turquoise Tower, the final instalment of his acclaimed Revenant Wyrd Saga, it has also seen the release of the complete collection of the series! The Complete Revenant Wyrd Saga is available from Amazon now (UK and USA) and contains all six books in the series:

Book 1: The Bonds of Blood
Book 2: The Mirror of the Moon
Book 3: The Well of Wyrding
Book 4: A Guardian of Shadows
Book 5: On Wings of Chaos
Book 6: The Turquoise Tower

Regrettably, I've fallen behind with this series, but I plan to remedy this soon and I'm eager to see how it all ends! The Revenant Wyrd Saga is an example of high fantasy at its best and is filled with magic, monsters and peril as it narrates the adventures of its heroes against a stunning backdrop of a broken world. It's definitely a series for your 'to-read' list and the ones I've read would make a perfect evening's reading this Christmas!

Wednesday 3 December 2014

Series Review: The Rain Wild Chronicles - Robin Hobb

RATING: THREE STARS

Once, dragons ruled the world. Their majesty was everywhere and humans lived in awe. Many chose to serve the dragons and were rewarded for their loyalty with long life and good health. Elderlings, as they were called, enjoyed the changes dragons wrought upon them and became more like lizards then men. They were powerful in magic and used their gifts to create Kelsingra - a city that was wondrous to behold and existed only to serve dragons and tend for their health.

But those days past. Dragons died away and the grand cities Elderlings built passed in legend, crumbling into ruin and disrepair. It is in the Rain Wilds - dangerous swamps that once boasted forests and vast swathes of fertile land - that these cities were found. The Traders that lived there excavated the ruined cities and, there, found a single dragon that still contained life: Tingalia, a dragon queen. When Tingalia hatched as a serpent, she swam to the ocean where she dwelt for many years until it was time to change into her adult, dragon form. It was then she found others of her race - eggs that she nurtured until they hatched and made their own journey to the ocean.

But the dragons that returned were not what she hoped when they emerged from their cocoons. They were weak, stunted and deformed. Such dragons were not meant to survive, but they were all that was left of the once noble race. Tingalia brokered a deal with the Traders of Trehaug and those who lived there agreed to care for the dragons so Tingalia could leave and seek others of her kind. The arrangement worked at first, but feeding growing dragons is expensive and the creatures are dangerous in the best of moods.

It was decided that the dragons had to leave and the Trader's Council assigned keepers to each one, sending them on a quest upriver to find Kelsingra so all could live in peace. The expedition would be far from easy and the Rain Wilds are an unforgiving place. Its very waters are acidic. Food and supplies are scare. Storms frequently barrage the swamp and the dragon's keepers are little more than children - those unlucky enough to be born so mutated that they are shunned by the Traders and condemned to a life of derogatory exile. Few think the expedition could be successful, but the riches it could bring to Trehaug merited the risk. The expedition set forth and, soon, the keepers and Captain Leftrin (who is employed as a guide and logistics) realise just what dire straights they are in . . . 

Book 2: Dragon Haven

The Good
The Rain Wild Chronicles is well written and exciting. Robin Hobb does a superb job of bringing her characters to life and many of them feel like real people, having developed lives, emotions and motivations behind their actions as we do. She has managed to create a rich world for the series that is full of problems and it's extremely interesting to read about.

Robb also tweaked dragon lore slightly and the dragons in the book are slightly unconventional. They have very complex life cycles and actually begin their existence as aquatic serpents that live in the oceans. It's only when they reach adulthood that they spin cocoons from mud and their saliva and become fully-fledged dragons that spit acid and are able to influence humans through their 'glamour'. These changes do make her dragons less formidable than those of other authors, but they are enjoyable to read about and Hobb really links their life-cycle to the story, which is largely responsible for many of the problems the dragons have in the book.

The Bad
Although developed characters are a good thing in any book, Hobb did overdo it a bit and The Rain Wild Chronicles is essentially four books of one of the keepers - Thymara - whining about relationships and losing her virginity. This added a realism to her character at first, since these are issues we all worry about, but became extremely annoying by the end and ruined the book a bit, making it hard for me to like Thymara (who is actually one of the main PoV characters)!

My Thoughts
Overall though, The Rain Wild Chronicles is a pretty decent series and should make your 'to read' list. It's imaginative, well written and full of characters that can really touch your heart. It's a superb example of fantasy at its best and shows that the genre is far from stale!

Wednesday 26 November 2014

Read an excerpt from The Skull Throne

We still have a long wait before The Skull Throne, the next instalment of Peter V. Brett's epic Demon Cycle, is released (on the 24th March 2015). The months until then are bound to go slowly and I am extremely eager to continue reading about Arlen's adventures in what is one of the best fantasy series that's being written at the moment.

Brett has recently published his latest intermediary novella in the series called Mudboy (which can be read in Unfettered, by Shaun Speakman), but the months before March are certainly going to go very slowly. Luckily, Brett has taken pity on us and has decided to sate our appetites by releasing the first chapter of the The Skull Throne as an excerpt on his website!

It's not as good as the whole book, but, hey, it'll do for now and I guess we'd all better visit Brett's site in case he decides to take it down!

Tuesday 11 November 2014

Christopher Paolini releases a deleted scene from the Inheritance Cycle

Anyone who's a fan of Christopher Paolini's Inheritance Cycle might be interested to learn that he's just released a deleted scene from Inheritance, the final book in the series! The clipping (which can be read here) is called The Swordsman and adds an interesting facet to Eragon's character, despite its short length - it's definitely worth checking out if you grew up on these books like I did!

Monday 10 November 2014

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea - Jules Verne

RATING: THREE STARS

When a mysterious sea creature appears and begins terrorising shipping routes, the world renown marine biologist Dr. Pierre Aronnax joins an expedition to find and slay the beast. Yet Pierre's ship meets the same fate as so many before it and he finds himself aboard the Nautilus in the custody of the strange and elusive Captain Nemo. Along with his friends - his faithful manservant, Conseil, and Ned Land, the famous Canadian whaler - Pierre embarks on a journey of discovery that shows just how little he actually knows about the ocean and the wonders within it.

The Good
One of the best things about Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea was how Jules Verne managed to instil such an air of mystery over something so simple as a submarine journey. Submarines had yet to take to the seas when the book was written (and might not even have been conceived of!) and the idea of men travelling around under water was a novelty in itself. But Verne improved on this by making the world unaware of Captain Nemo's visionary breakthrough and never let slip what Nemo planned or what would happen next. This makes the book a remarkable story of adventure that few authors have matched since.

The Bad
One of the biggest surprises Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea had for me was in how little actually happens! Considering it's a science fiction classic, I was expecting it to be much more exciting than it was and the book is filled with pages upon pages of Verne describing marine creatures and their taxonomy. This could have been interesting if it was in smaller doses, but was pretty boring and bulked out a book that should really have been written as a novella.

I complain about this, but Verne's description of the ocean world might have been much more impressive when the book was first published. Obviously, many people were not educated as we are now and they didn't have the documentaries, textbooks and photographs that we have today, allowing free access to information about these creatures. Maybe this was the worth of the book, rather than its plot and excitement; maybe Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea allowed people to glimpse a world they would never know or see . . .

My Thoughts
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea was much longer than it needed to be, which did make it a bit boring in places and it certainly wasn't a page turner (and I actually took quite a while to finish it). That being said, it was a story ahead of its time and really captures Verne's remarkable imagination.

Monday 20 October 2014

Series Review: The Left Hand of God - Paul Hoffman

OVERALL RATING: THREE STARS

The Church of the Hanged Redeemer bought Thomas Cale when he was just a boy. They treated him cruelly, punished him and moulded his young mind for the brutality of war. He was little more than a slave and they turned him into a weapon, into one of the greatest soldiers alive. Thomas is as lethal with his hands as he is with blades and crossbows. His mind plans tactics and strategies that even the most experienced generals cannot see. He has been trained to perfection and will lead the Hanged Redeemers in their jihad to purify the world.

Yet for all their planning and training, the Hanged Redeemers failed to understand that Thomas also has plans for the course of his life. Setting out with Vague Henry and Kleist, his most trusted friends, Thomas flees the Sanctuary and sets his eyes on a life of freedom, away from the Redeemers brutal religion. His adventures take him to Memphis, where he quickly finds himself in political crossfire. The Redeemers are eager to reclaim the 'incarnation of God's Wrath' and hunt him zealously. Thomas is literally caught between a cross and a hard place and turns to the only thing he truly knows to save him: his great prowess in violence.

Book 1: The Left Hand of God
Book 2: The Last Four Things
Book 3: The Beating Of His Wings

The Good
The Left Hand of God is a remarkable series and Paul Hoffman has really let his imagination run lose, developing a sinister religion (which is essentially a very dark form of Christianity), a complex host of characters and a world with its own society and problems.

The series is written in a strange, slightly quirky style and I haven't read another Dystopia quite like it. It's certainly unique, and is full of danger and battles that will keep you captivated throughout its three instalments. Hoffman address the problems with religion well and how it can be used to justify terrible acts of evil, epically wrapping up Thomas Cale's terrible story at the series end.

The Bad
I really enjoyed The Left Hand of God (series), but it did have a few problems that were never resolved and ruined my enjoyment of the books slightly. The main one of these was the fact that Hoffman doesn't include a map of this world and never bothers to establish its geography. The fact that he uses real place names, such as Memphis and Cyprus, only makes this worse and it's difficult to get a feel for the story's setting. For example, Hoffman may be talking about an army that's approaching one city from another, but it didn't mean much to me because the cities could be 50 miles apart or 500. This made it hard for Hoffman to build tension in places and I think it's a real shame because he could have rectified it so easily!

My Thoughts
Despite a few little things that make it hard to follow, The Left Hand of God series is an excellent read. It's a strange mix of fantasy and Dystopia, being dark and brutal in a way that few books are. Hoffman's world is developed and complex, and his characters are fun to read about. It's one of the most unique fantasies I've read in a long time and I highly recommend it for your reading list!

Wednesday 8 October 2014

The First Men In The Moon - H. G. Wells

RATING: FOUR STARS

Mr Bedford's life isn't going as he planned and, after losing the majority of his money in ill-advised investments and ventures, he moves to the quiet village of Lympne so he can work on writing a play in peace. His productivity is short lived and Bedford soon meets an eccentric inventor called Mr Carvor. The two become fast friends and Bedford is quickly caught up in Cavor's research to create a substance that negates the pull of gravity!

Cavorite, as it is called, is not only possible, but can be produced! The two form a plan to use the substance on a ship and set their sights on exploring the most isolated place mankind is able to reach - the Moon. Expecting the satellite to be barren and desolate, the two are unprepared for what they find there. The Moon is teeming with life and is controlled utterly by the Selenites! Their race is strange and polymorphic; inventive and efficient. The Selenites are as amazed at finding Bedford and Cavor as the pair are at finding an alien race, and are loath to let them travel the Moon's surface freely . . .

The Good
The First Men in the Moon was on of my favourite stories when I was growing up and rereading the book was very nostalgic! It was as imaginative and gripping as I remembered and I found the book extremely difficult to put down! It's a fast read, being full of twists, turns and unlikely events that made it very hard to predict.

Wells has also managed to capture a very sincere look at British gentility and I thought the book read almost like a period piece for the early 1900's. British culture and politeness was in full swing and I really enjoyed reading about how the characters employed this in their thought processes and as justifications for their actions.

The descriptions of the Moon itself is also extremely interesting and fun to read about, being completely novel. Wells' concept of a completely hollow world is something that not many authors have explored so thoroughly and he has really gone all out in explaining how such a world can function and support life.

The Bad
I have very little to fault with The First Men in the Moon, and found it to be aptly paced and gripping!

My Thoughts
Many people consider the The First Men in the Moon as classic work of science fiction and I'm inclined to agree. It's extremely imaginative, enjoyable to read and will stay with you for a long time after you've finished it and put it to one side. What's also good about the book is it's age and it's now in the public domain. This means that there are dozens of free (or extremely cheap) versions of the novel available on retailers like Amazon so there's absolutely no excuse to neglect reading it!

Saturday 13 September 2014

The Time Machine - H. G. Wells

RATING: FIVE STARS

When a mysterious and brilliant scientist creates a machine capable of travelling straight through time, he desires nothing more than to shoot into the distant future and see the wonders mankind creates as our science grows ever more sophisticated. He heads tens of thousands of years forward through time and can’t believe what he found: humans have degenerated into simple-minded animals of pleasure and apathy; our once great cities have long since crumbled in ruins.

Yet the world he found is even stranger than it first seemed and, after his time machine is stolen, the Time Traveller quickly realises it's not the paradise he had thought it was! The Morlocks, another division of humans, dwell in the old sewers and caverns beneath our cities. They are predatory and dangerous, true predators with an animal’s intelligent cunning. He must find and retrieve his time machine if he ever hopes to return home, but knows that this will be far from easy . . .

The Good
The Time Machine is certainly worthy of its fame and is one of the best science fiction books I've ever read! H. G. Wells has written it masterfully, with a true flair of imaginative talent and the story kept me gripped even though I was more than familiar with from watching various cinematic adaptations.

I also really enjoyed reading Wells' explanations of the science behind the book, even though it's wrong more often than not! Obliviously, Wells is from a more cultured, less knowledgeable time so it's easy to forgive this and the theories scientists once held are fascinating. My favourite of these is Wells' description of the lifecycle of the sun, which is apparently cooling down with every passing second. Over tens of millions of years, Wells believed that it would go out like a candle if not for the fact that all of the planets eventually drifted back to where they came from and provided an extra mass of fuel (which extends its life)!

It was nice to read about the quiet, privileged life gentlemen once enjoyed in England and Wells gives a real sense of what this was like. It really highlighted how many of the social problems we have now weren't an issue back then and it’s a shame we haven’t stuck to the values that the British were once famous for!

The Bad
I have little to fault with The Time Machine aside from one scene where the mysterious Time Traveller finds that Weena, his friend and companion in the future Earth, had been taken by the Morlocks. He simply assumes that she has been killed or left in the forest by the Morlocks and makes absolutely no effort to find out what happened or rescue her! This was a disappointing hole in the story for me and I considered the protagonist to be rather heartless ever since, which meant that I couldn't really warm to him. I like to imagine him going back to the future to rescue Weena (with it actually being the Time Travellers who snatches her in the forest so he can take her to safety), but Wells never develops this and what the Time Traveller does next is not part of the story!

My Thoughts
The Time Machine is definitely one of the great works of science fiction and it's essential in the education of anyone who enjoys the genre. It's imaginative, full of the Time Travellers curiosity and I've no doubt that people will still be reading it long after other famous book of our time have been forgotten and lost.

Monday 8 September 2014

Blood of Dragons - Robin Hobb

RATING: THREE STARS

The Kelsingra expedition has found the ancient, lost city they seek but the river is as high as it was when they first found it and is as inaccessible as ever. The warm waters the dragons seek are tauntingly close - water that will heal their deformities and strengthen their bodies if they could only reach them! The keepers to are desperate to reach the city, seeking the secrets it holds about their past and the fabled Silver wells which are the source of the magic they they need for their future.

The dragons are determined to learn how to fly and reach the city, but their need is more urgent then they know. The Duke of Chalced is growing more fervent for his desire for the medicines that can only be made from dragon parts and using Sedric, his captive Elderling, is no longer enough! Tingalia has been attacked and is dying, flying back to Kelsingra so she can heal and wreak her vengeance on the city that has dared to harm her . . .

The Good
Blood of Dragons provides a satisfying conclusion to Robin Hobb's Rain Wilds Chronicles and she ties up the various story arcs and loose ends nicely. Her characterisation is as good as ever and she has managed to create a convincing ensemble of people that seem real. Their hopes, ambitions and motivations are explored and not all of these are for an honest purpose!

The Bad
I’ll admit that I was slightly disappointed with Blood of Dragons and it did have a few problems that detracted from my enjoyment of it. The main issue I had with is was Thymara's continuous whining! Thankfully, she has moved on about whinging about losing her virginity, but Hobb has simply replaced this with which man Thymera wants to go out with! The whining went on and on throughout the entire book and got extremely irritating by the end!

Another problem with the book is Hobb didn't focus on the battles and main events of the book, describing them only briefly and explaining what happened at the end ad hock! This was a shame because the story could have been very exciting, but the way it was told diminished the action and the scenes didn't really stand out from the rest of the book.

My Thoughts
Blood of Dragons was pretty good overall and the series is certainly very imaginative and provides a novel view of the abilities of dragons. That being said, it's not a must-read and isn't a series you will lose sleep over if you skip it.

Saturday 6 September 2014

The Demon Cycle Book 4 release date is announced!

Peter V. Brett's Demon Cycle is one the best fantasy series being written at the moment and the release date of the forth book in the series has just been announced! The book is called The Skull Throne and is due to be released 24th March 2015!

Unfortunately, there's very little information about the book available online at this stage, but its cover has been released and can be viewed on Goodreads here.

Friday 5 September 2014

Wolves of the Calla - Stephen King

RATING: THREE STARS

Lying in a sheltered valley on the outer edge of Mid-World is Calla Bryn Sturgis, a quiet farming town that was forgotten by civilisation even when Gilead still stood and gunslingers policed the world in force. The valley is beautiful and serene, but it's overshadowed by Thunderclap - a towering mountain that is forever under storm and serves as the home for terrible evil.

Once every few generations, the Wolves ride forth from Thunderclap and sweep through the valley. Clad in green and riding grey horses, they are child snatchers and take one from each pair of prepubescent twins (which are the normal method of giving birth for the folken). The children are taken to the mountain and are changed there, returning months later as adults with simple minds and youthful natures.

When Andy, a robotic relic from the world before it moved on, foretells another coming of the Wolves, the denizens of Calla Bryn Sturgis decide that they've finally had enough and will not so willingly allow their children to be taken. But what can simple farmers do to resist such evil when their hands have only ever held hoes and churned soil? They can look to the ka-tet of gunslingers that have wandered into their lands for aid . . . but will Roland turn aside from his path to the Dark Tower?

The Good
Wolves of the Calla is as well written as any of the books in The Dark Tower and Stephen King has gone all out in creating a rich town and developing the lives and cultures of the farmers that live there. Calla Bryn Sturgis is like something plucked straight out of the historical Wild West as it was in real life and King has really managed to capture airs of anger and sadness about the evil of their children being stolen.

The book is also in 'real time' again and actively continues the series, which I really enjoyed. I did like Wizard and Glass, but the story of Roland's past went on for a bit too long and the quest for the Dark Tower barely advanced through the entire book! I think this would have been better as a companion to the series (like The Wind Through the Keyhole is) and it was nice to have the story moving forward again!

The Bad
Simply put, Wolves of the Calla started to get a bit weird and I feel that King is starting to over do the references to real life. I'm not going to give any examples since they would be spoilers, but you'll know what I mean when (and if) you read the book. King has begun to try too hard in his efforts to link the series with everything and his references to our world are becoming forced and over exaggerated now and are losing the subtly he had in the earlier books.

Other parts of the book began to get a little strange as well, with Susannah's storyline being the main culprit. I always felt that Susannah was one of the best characters of the series, but her scenes were a little cringing and convenient. Sadly, I think this trend is going to continue into the next book and I just hope King tones it down a bit!

My Thoughts
Without giving away spoilers, I can only say that Wolves of the Calla was a little strange and was slightly below the standard of the other books in The Dark Tower series. King has tried too hard to link events and characters to real life and the story does have a slightly 'cheap' feel to it in places. That being said, I still enjoyed the book and I'm looking forward to reading Song of Susannah.

Wednesday 27 August 2014

Dangerous Women - George R. R. Martin & Gardner Dozois

RATING: THREE STARS

Dangerous Women is an anthology of short stories that features female characters as its main protagonists. All of its stories have been written by some of the biggest authors in fantasy, being full of darkness and adversity while women struggle to protect themselves and those they love.

The collection also includes a novella based on A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin called The Princess and the Queen! The story is relatively short, but it's full of depth and describes the events of the first Dance with Dragons where two rival factions of House Targaryen go to war for the Iron Throne. GRRM's addition to the book is by far its must read, but many of the other stories in Dangerous Women are extremely enjoyable and its contents are as follows:

  • Some Desperado by Joe Abercrombie
  • My Heart Is Either Broken by Megan Abbott
  • Nora's Song by Cecelia Holland
  • The Hands That Are Not There by Melinda Snodgrass
  • Bombshells by Jim Butcher
  • Raisa Stepanova by Carrie Vaughn
  • Wrestling Jesus by Joe R. Lansdale
  • Neighbors by Megan Lindholm (Robin Hobb)
  • I Know How To Pick 'Em by Lawrence Block
  • Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell by Brandon Sanderson
  • A Queen In Exile by Sharon Kay Penman
  • The Girl in the Mirror by Lev Grossman
  • Second Arabesque, Very Slowly by Nancy Kress
  • City Lazarus by Diana Rowland
  • Virgins by Diana Gabaldon
  • Hell Hath No Fury by Sherrilyn Kenyon
  • Pronouncing Doom by S. M. Sterling
  • Name the Beast by Sam Sykes
  • Caretakers by Pat Cadigan
  • Lies My Mother Told Me by Caroline Spector
  • The Princess and the Queen by George R. R. Martin

The Good
As said above, The Princess and the Queen is the best story in Dangerous Women and is a must-read for all fans of ASoIaF! GRRM has written it in the beautiful prose I have come to expect of him and it's every bit as detailed as the larger books in his series. It's also extremely interesting to read about the history of Westeros and finally see what fully grown dragons are capable of as cities are burnt to the ground and how armies attempt to defend themselves against devastating attacks from the sky!

It's also nice to read stories where women are cast in strong, independent roles as the heroes (instead of men). Women are every bit as capable of greatness as men and it's refreshing to read about them finding the courage to stand against monsters like in Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell by Brandon Sanderson. I think too many fantasy authors are still casting women in non-roles (which is a shame for this day-and-age) and Dangerous Women goes a long way to help rectify this.

The Bad
As with any short story anthology written by different authors, some of the stories included are much better than others. The Princess and the Queen, Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell and Some Desperado were particularly good, but sadly some of the other stories were actually quite boring. All of the authors included in the book are highly accomplished in the fantasy genre and I think this is a shame since it easily could have been remedied with a bit more imagination and craftsmanship on their parts!

My Thoughts
Dangerous Women is definitely worth a read overall (even if it's only to glimpse a part of Westeros' bloody history) and will make a valuable additional to anybody's bookshelf. It's an entertaining way to spend a few hours and the good stories easily make up for those that are a bit more mundane. The book is a real collection of talent and won't leave many readers feeling cheated!

Sunday 10 August 2014

Vestige - Chris Roper

RATING: THREE STARS

After banking to avoid a giant asteroid on their return journey to Earth, a small crew of astronauts is lost, drifting further and further away from their home as their fuel and supplies dwindle. NASA decided years ago that a rescue mission was too expensive and would pose to great a risk to the lives of the rescue party and the crew knows that no-one is coming for them.

Yet they do not give and are determined to survive for as long as possible and find a way back home. Their mission is bleak, but the arrive of a strange, alien cube proves to change all that. The cube is europhic and strange, changing their ship as much as it alters their perceptions and minds. Is the cube their salvation? Can it provide a way home? Or it something else, something darker, more sinister and dangerous?

The Good
Vestige is a nice book that makes for light reading. It's not too long and has a nice pace to the story, which builds up the characters before beginning to deal with the major plot events so I could really feel for the characters as the book unfolds.

It's also quite imaginative and Chris Roper and has based the story around the problems with an ever expanding universe - an issue that not many science fiction authors have considered before! Roper really goes into the bleakness that the future will eventually hold for our universe and how this will effect sentient life.

The Bad
There isn't really much description in the book and Roper never actually establishes the appearances of his characters or their surroundings. This is a shame because it left a major facet of his story bare and wouldn't have been too difficult for him to do. Novellas generally contain less description than full novels (due to their shorter length), but that doesn't mean it had to be stripped out altogether.

My Thoughts
Vestige was quite an enjoyable read and was the perfect length for a bit of light reading. It was not dragged out (so the story never became stale) and was fun to read, especially because it was a bit different to most science fictions novels published. Saying that, the book isn't as 'padded out' as it could have been and the lack of description did ruin it a bit for me.

Friday 8 August 2014

The Beating Of His Wings - Paul Hoffman

RATING: THREE STARS

The Hanged Redeemers are nearly ready to unleash their holy war against mankind. Their soldiers, the best and most highly trained in the known world, are moving and they have already left the Sanctuary in the dust behind. The only person who can hope to stand against them is Thomas Cale, a once proficient warrior who is ailed by a crippling disease. Yet Cale cares nothing for the world around and would gladly watch it burn if it meant others would leave him alone.

No-one will and Cale is pursued and manoeuvred mercilessly by those who think to use him. The Swis King means to have him lead his armies against the Redeemers. Kitty the Hare means to use Cale's talents in violence to make him richer than he has ever been before. Brusco, the Pope of the Hanged Redeemer Church, believes Cale to be the Left Hand of God and the incartion of His wrath. Cale is supposed to wipe man - God's greatest mistake - off the face of the world.

All Thomas Cale sees is chaos and the suffering of his broken soul.

The Good
The Beating of His Wings was a satisfying conclusion to an undoubtedly superb religious fantasy and Paul Hoffman ties up every loose end that has split during the trilogy. It's exciting and inventive, being filled with tactical battles, multi-layered characters and the justifications of faith.

Hoffman has also continued to write in his dry, quirky manner that I really liked in the previous instalments and the book has this odd childishness to it (despite it NOT being for children!). Beloved characters such as Vague Henry and IdrisPukke are back, wandering through Spanish Leeds and adding their wits to Cale's own.

The Bad
My main fault with The Beating of His Wings is with the strange geography of Hoffman's world (once again). No map has been included with the book and he never really makes references to places or the distances between them, simply flinging in real places so they mix together strangely. I assume this is a subtle attempt to remind his readers of the real world so we link to it and add depth to the book, but I found it a little disconcerting!

My Thoughts
Overall though, I think the book was pretty good and I enjoyed reading it. It certainly wasn't a page turner and I had been expecting more from it (although I suppose I was still stunned by the quality of The Martian by Andy Weir and had forgotten that not all books were like this), yet it ended the Left Hand of God trilogy well. I would recommend this book (and series) to anyone who is looking to read something a bit different, especially if you're after something dark and gripping.

Sunday 20 July 2014

Unfettered - Shawn Speakman

RATING: THREE STARS

Unfettered is a delightful collection of short stories by some of the biggest names in fantasy, who have all donated their work to an anthology that is raising money for Shawn Speakman's cancer therapy. The authors included have really allowed their imaginations to run wild and the book is filled with magic and excitement. Many authors have based their stories on their best selling series and they provide further insight into their characters for fans and an opening into their worlds for new readers!

The contents of the collection is as follows:

  • Imaginary Friends by Terry Brooks 
  • How Old Holly Came To Be by Patrick Rothfuss 
  • The Old Scale Game by Tad Williams 
  • Game of Chance by Carrie Vaughn 
  • The Martyr of the Roses by Jacqueline Carey
  • Mudboy by Peter V. Brett
  • The Sound of Broken Absolutes by Peter Orullian
  • The Coach with Big Teeth by R.A. Salvatore
  • Keeper of Memory by Todd Lockwood
  • Heaven in a Wild Flower by Blake Charlton
  • Dogs by Daniel Abraham
  • The Chapel Perilous by Kevin Hearne
  • Select Mode by Mark Lawrence
  • All the Girls Love Michael Stein by David Anthony Durham
  • Strange Rain by Jennifer Bosworth
  • Nocturne by Robert V.S. Redick
  • Unbowed by Eldon Thompson
  • In Favour with Their Stars by Naomi Novik
  • River of Souls by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson
  • The Jester by Michael J. Sullivan
  • The Duel by Lev Grossman
  • Walker and the Shade of Allanon by Terry Brooks
  • The Unfettered Knight by Shawn Speakman

The UK edition of Unfettered also includes a bonus story: The Twilight Dragon by Shawn Speakman.

The Good
Some of the stories in Unfettered are superb and I really enjoyed the ones that were linked to the primary works of other pieces. The ones by Terry Brooks were both very good and the anthology also included Mudboy by Peter V. Brett - a short story that introduces a new character that will appear in The Demon Cycle!

Of all the stories in the collection, however, my favourite has to be Unbowed by Eldon Thompson. Thompson has based his entry around a character from his Legend of Asahiel trilogy. The story was exciting and heartbreaking, following the tortuous training and initiation of an assassin, and introduced me to a series that I never knew existed! I'm now very excited to read The Crimson Sword, the first book in Thompson's series, and have already added it to my reading list on Goodreads!

The Bad
Although I enjoyed Unfettered and thought it was good overall, I did find it a bit hit and miss. Some of the stories were much better than others and (rather sadly) a few of them were actually quite bland and boring. I found myself skipping through parts of the book, which is a shame really as all of the authors are very respected and have published many fantastic stories through their career.

I have to say that I was particularly disappointed with the stories by Patrick Rothfuss and Robert V. S. Redick. Both of these men are among my favourite authors of all time and I find it painful even writing this - I was really looking forward to reading their entries, but they just didn't live up to my expectations . . . Both authors had tried to do something new and I feel their stories would have been much more enjoyable if they were based in the worlds they have so loving established in The Kingkiller Chronicle and The Chathrand Voyage.

My Thoughts
Unfettered is a bit inconsistent, but the good stories it contains certainly over weighs the boring ones and I think it's a nice little book to pass the time for avid readers of fantasy (in all of its forms). Furthermore the money raised is going towards Shawn Speakman's cancer therapy, which is as good a reason to buy the book as any! I recommend reading it, but it certainly isn't a memorable book that will stay with you for a long time after you finish it.

Saturday 12 July 2014

The Martian - Andy Weir

RATING: FIVE STARS

The world watches while Mark Watney and a small group of astronauts land on the surface of Mars. They are not the first men and women to have stood on the distant planet and their mission is routine, one of exploration and scientific experimentation. But a ferocious sandstorm barrages their camp after just six days and the explorers are forced to flee back to the safety of the ship that orbits far above.

That is five of them escape. Mark Watney may have been the seventeenth person to walk on the surface of Mars, but he will be the first man to die there. Wounded and utterly alone, Mark knows the hopelessness of his situation. Yet self-preservation is a powerful instinct and he cannot just lie down and accept his end. He will have to survive until the next group of astronauts arrive on Mars - in about five years time! Mark needs water, food and equipment. He needs company. Surviving in an environment that denies human survival by its very nature will be far from easy.

The Good
The Martian is an extremely well researched book and Andy Weir has really done his homework. Weir describes the equipment and procedures Mark uses throughout his extended stay on Mars in great detail, which really adds a sense of plausibility to the book. He outlines specific processes and procedures and really goes into the science behind them. I'm quite scientifically oriented myself and particularly enjoyed the depth this added to the book.

Weir has also established Mark's character well, going into his thoughts and motivations as he struggles to survive. As you may already have guessed, The Martian isn't a book filled with shooting and action, but Weir still manages to make it exciting and it is captivating throughout. In fact, I blitzed through it in around a week and found the book extremely difficult to put down!

The Bad
In truth, there was nothing I didn't like about The Martian. However, its science won't be for everyone and I expect some people will find it a little tedious when Weir's explaining the chemistry of a chemical reaction, for example, or working through the mathematics of how many calories Mark will need to survive until his rescue.

My Thoughts
The Martian is a true gem of a book and is very different to most science fiction novels, so even people aren't usually fans of the genre might still enjoy it. I strongly suggest that everyone gives it a go - it has been my favourite read of the year so far and is among my favourite sci fi books ever! It's certainly worthy of its place on my Shelf of Fame!

Wednesday 9 July 2014

The Fires of Heaven - Robert Jordan

RATING: FOURS STARS

Couladin, Clan Chief of the Shaido Aiel, is consumed by bitterness over his brother's death. The fact that Rand al'Thor has been accepted as He Who Comes With The Dawn continues to rile him. Aiel flock to Rand's side from the corners of the Three Fold Land and he is almost universally accepted as the Car'a'carn. Only Couladin stands against him and has led his spears from the Aiel Wastelands to strike at the Treekillers.

But Rand cannot stand by as Cairhien burns and takes his clans forth to meet him. The Car'a'carn is more powerful than ever before, both in wielding the One Power and in military might. Yet he is overconfident and the Forsaken are watching. Rand has refused to kneel before Ishamael too many times. They have their own plans regarding his future and they are in motion . . .

The Good
Set in a fantastic, scenic landscape, The Fires of Heaven continues to show just why The Wheel of Time is so highly regarded. Robert Jordan's imagination has carried his story to the same epic scope I have come to expect from him and the book is full of magic, swords and honour. It's battle scenes are well executed and Jordan has continued to develop characters that I'm really coming to love.

Over the last few books, Jordan has split his main ensemble of characters into a number of different storylines. This has been interesting and has helped The Wheel of Time to expand in multiple directions, but he has finally began to weave their threads back together. Jordan has begun laying the groundwork for them to reunite in subsequent books, which is something I'm really looking forward to reading. All of his characters are 'bigger' now than what they were, more powerful and wiser to the world. Their own social dynamics must have changed considerably and it will be fun to see how the old friends interact with other.

The Bad
I think The Fires of Heaven was a little too long. Once again it has large sections in it of people just wandering around, in which nothing much happens. Like Patrick Rothfuss, Jordan has a masterful way of keeping these scenes captivating so it didn't diminish my enjoyment too much and ordinarily I wouldn't mention it. But the book (and I read the massive hardback version) is nearly 800 pages long and I felt like it was dragged out somewhat unnecessarily.

Also, Perrin isn't in it! I was really disappointed to find this because Perrin actually had one of the best stories in The Shadow Rising and really came into his own. Jordan had really brought his character to life and I wanted to read more of his adventures in the Two Rivers with the Lady Faile. I'm really hoping to see Perrin again in Lord of Chaos, the next book in the series.

My Thoughts
Robert Jordan has done it again and The Fires of Heaven is another masterfully written book. Although it isn't quite as exciting as the previous titles in The Wheel of Time, it's still among the best fantasy books I have ever read and the series is unquestionably a must read for anyone who enjoys epic fantasy!

Monday 30 June 2014

Broken Dark - Science fiction/crime space opera

Hi all,

I've finally taken the plunge and become a fully fledged 'indie author'! I've just published the first episode of what will be a long running space opera about a second Prohibition in space after humans have colonised the galaxy.

The series is called Broken Dark and each novella is written as if it is an episode of a television series. He Who Fights and Runs Away (Season One, Episode One) is available for download from Amazon (UK; US) and Smashwords now! It will be available from all other major ebook retailers soon!

To celebrate its release, Episode One can be downloaded for FREE from Smashwords, in most major e-reader formats! Please redeem the coupon code WB86S when purchasing your copy (the offer is available until 06/07/2014)!

600 years from now, mankind has left Earth behind. The Milky Way is filled with seed colonies and teems with human life. Yet despite all our advances in science, we have yet to surpass our most primal natures. We carried all of our greed, wars and decadences with us into the stars and our far flung worlds are every bit as dangerous as Earth is now.

Lord Alasdair Donaghue, Duke of the British Stellar Dalcross Systems, has tried to remedy this with a second war on alcohol. But just as bootleggers emerged in the United States of America in the 1920’s, Prohibition has opened the door for criminals to grow rich once again. Famed for her resourceful and ruthless nature, Lisa Tant is one such smuggler. She has grown bold and confident with her ever growing infamy and it is on Calgany Space Station that she faces her reckoning. Betrayed by someone in her own crime syndicate, Tant finds herself the focus of the Alcohol Enforcement Agency and must flee the space station with her crew, cut off from her ship with seemingly nowhere to run. 

Sunday 15 June 2014

Series Review: Dreamblood - N. K. Jemisin

SERIES RATING: FOUR STARS

The city of Gujaareh knows true peace. No thieves or murderers walk its streets at night; diseases and injuries are the sufferings of outsiders, the fools and heretics who choose to dwell beyond its walls. Only inner peace matters and the denizens of Gujaareh have devoted their whole lives to the goddess Hananja's teachings.

Hananja's narcomancers are the source of the city's peace. Priests and priestesses, they heal injuries, cure diseases and use dream magic to keep the city's inhabitants bodies whole and souls pure. They stand against corruption in all of its forms and the Gatherers, elite warrior-priests, serve to find and route out any would would threaten the peace of the common people. Their powers are unmatched and all fear to go to sleep if its rumoured Gatherers are near. It's said Gatherers can enter a person's dreams and carry their soul into the afterlife . . .

Yet corruption is beginning to take route in Gujaareh and the Gatherers are wary, cautious of the city's shifting politics and the influences of unseen people. People are beginning to die at night, their bodies found in grotesque spasms of agony, and people are beginning to suspect a Reaper - a Gatherer that has lost his mind to insanity and kills without reason. Ehiru knows he must find the source of the corruption if he is to purify it, but his path will not be easy and he will learn that living in ignorance is sometimes better than facing the horrifying truth . . .

Book 1: The Killing Moon

I really enjoyed Dreamblood, which N. K. Jemisin wrote with a very energetic style of prose. This meant both books were exciting, moved quite fast and I found each of them to be real page-turners. I also loved her ideas of narcomancers (the priests who use dream magic), since few authors have touched on this in the books I've read previously. Jemisin put her own spin on her magic further, making it dangerous and sensual, so I really had no idea what her characters were capable of until the end of the series!

Dreamblood is also set in a civilisation that is very similar to that of the Ancient Egyptians, which was extremely interesting to read about. Too many fantasy books are set in feudal Europe and it was refreshing to read something based on another culture for once! There were no knights, armoured men with swords and even the daily life of the people in Gujaareh was completely different to what I was accustomed to.

Jemisin's characterisation was pretty good as well and I could almost imagine some of the characters as people, doing the best they can without all the information they need while having to make choices that go against their very beliefs! Some of her storylines were actually quite tragic and Jemisin definitely had no problem in twisting events so not everything went the protagonists way.

Yet for all its positives, I did have a few issues with Dreamblood. Firstly, Jemisin had an annoying tendancy to cut down the 'plot events' in favour of long conversations that added nothing other than novelty to the story. This meant that she didn't explore and develop her story as much as she could and, in places, she even went as far as having the protagonists miss the plot events altogether. Hearing about what happened second-hand from another character in the book was extremely bizarre to say the least!

Lastly, the two books didn't really follow on from each other. The Shadowed Sun is set a decade after the events of The Killing Moon and has a completely different story. Some of the first book's characters reappear in the second, but there is little continuity and the duology seems more like two books based in the same world than a series to me.

Unfortunately these negatives did slightly spoil Dreamblood for me, but, that being said, I still thoroughly enjoyed the series and recommend that you give it a go. It's well rounded, imaginative and is quite different from most other works of fantasy that are out there!

Monday 12 May 2014

Dune Messiah - Frank Herbert

RATING: THREE STARS

It's been twelve years since Paul 'Muad'Dib' Atreides ascended to the Imperial throne. In that time he has conquered the known universe and used his Fremen soldiers to unleash a devastating jihad upon the worlds of man. It's estimated that sixty-one billion people have been slaughtered in his campaign and his name is revered everywhere, forming the keystone of his Imperial theocracy.

But Paul's enemies are still rife and there are those that fear his unimaginable powers of prescience. Plans have been formed in the shadows and they lead to events that even Paul cannot foresee. The Bene Gesserit, Spacing Guild and the Tleilaxu are all against him and will stop at nothing to overthrow the Atreides family and once again control melange production for themselves . . .

The Good
Dune Messiah has an interesting, very complex plot that is predominately centred around political intrigue. It's a fast paced story and I found it was a real page turner, being full of plot twists and shocking events that I couldn't predict at all!

It's also interesting to see how Paul's powers have grown since he drank the pure spice towards the end of Dune. Frank Herbert has left no doubt whatsoever that Paul is the Kwisatz Haderach (superhuman) that the Bene Gesserit have been selectively been breeding humans for for hundreds of generations. His powers of foresight are truly terrifying and I really felt for the characters that were trying to overthrow Paul (even though I was on his side), since they were facing such an insurmountable task!

Herbert's universe has also been well thought out, with him clearly having thought very hard about how one person could govern an entire universe. I found this gave the book a sense a plausibility that I enjoyed, along with his scientific explanations of Paul's prescient powers that kept his abilities in the realm of science fiction (rather than fantasy).

The Bad
The main issue I had with Dune Messiah was with its lack of description. Herbert has a very utilitarian style of writing and his prose has been stripped down to the bare necessities. In fact, he has almost no description whatsoever in the book and has included very little dialogue. This means that his prose contains little more than events! Although this is readable and helps to maintain the pace of the story, it leave his world too bare. Herbert has created a very diverse, detailed world and it would have been nice to have had some it described. There's such a thing as leaving too much to a readers' imagination and I think stories are usually much better when an author acts almost like a 'guide', slowly building a picture of their world over the course of the book.

My Thoughts
Even though I enjoyed reading Dune Messiah, I was slightly disappointed with it as the lack of description left it a bit incomplete for me. I had to rely on my own imagination almost entirely to form a picture of Paul Atreides and the Herbert's world and had no concept of what Herbert himself thought his characters and world looked like! I will be reading Children of Dune, the next book in the Dune Chronicles, but I doubt Herbert's style of writing would have changed much and I fear that it will have exactly the same problems!

Thursday 8 May 2014

The Shadow Rising - Robert Jordan

RATING: FOUR STARS

The Stone of Tear has fallen; Rand al'Thor holds Callandor, the Sword that is Not a Sword, and is finally beginning to accept his destiny as the Dragon Reborn. Rumours of his existence are sweeping across the lands and conflict is rife as his supporters flock beneath his banners. Yet Rand has no time to dwell on such things and is hardening, growing colder as he begins to view events as a whole rather than individually. He is becoming obsessed with the prophecies of the Karaethon Cycle and turns his attention to the arid Three Fold Land of the Aiel. The Aiel know war like no other race alive and Rand will need their spears if he ever hopes to challenge Ba'alzamon and defeat the darkness he brings. But to win the Aiel, Rand must prove beyond all doubt that he is He Who Comes with the Dawn - the warrior their own prophecies say will lead them from the Aiel Wastes forever.

Yet even as Rand heads towards the Three Fold Land with Matt, Egwene, Moraine and Lan, Perrin turns his attention the Two Rivers. His homeland is besieged by Whites Cloaks; plagued Trollocs and Myrddraal. It is no longer the safe haven Perrin left behind with his friends barely a year earlier. He has been named Darkfriend by the Children of the Light and the legion's leader, Dain Bornhald, will happily see the Two Rivers burn if it means he can tie a noose around Perrin's neck . . .

The Good
Once again, I found myself stunned by the scope of Robert Jordan's story. It's imaginative and can only be described as truly epic. I really got the sense that the whole world is danger during the story and so much seems to hinge on Aiel, and whether Rand can secure the support of the prickly warrior race that resists change and despises any outsider to the lands. Now that the Forsaken are loose and are beginning to meet the main characters, the battles are becoming truly devastating.

The appearance of the Forsaken also adds a real sense of danger for the protagonists in the story, which has been diminishing through the series as the main characters own powers have grown. The Forsaken are all Aes Sedai from the Age of Legends, where men and women were so powerful that they could do things with the One Power that current Aes Sedai can't even imagine. The Forsaken are fully trained and have had thousands of years to master their powers, making them more than worthy adversaries for Rand, Egwene, Nynaeve and Elayne.

I especially liked the divergence of story arcs in the story. The Dragon Reborn set Nynaeve, Egwene and Elayne up with their own storyline, which The Shadow Rising continues to build on as they continue with their quest to eradicate the Black Ajah - their own sisters who have turned their back on the Light to serve Ba'alzamon himself! But Jordan begins to go further than this in this book and gives Perrin his own story as well. As well as being interesting, it's nice to finally see his character get some use (as he's been a little pointless in the previous books) and Jordan uses Perrin's storyline to show how the world is beginning to be effected by Ba'alzamon's evil.

Jordan's characterisation is as good as ever and all his characters continue to develop. In fact, none of the Two Rivers protagonists are the same people as they were in the first book and all of their personalities have undergone significant changes. This is something that isn't really seen in many books (which I guess is due to the constraints of smaller series), but Jordan really has the time to grow his characters and can add a very aspect to his story. Let's face it, if fantasy was real, then there's no way a person wouldn't be changed by the hardships they endure and the evils they struggle against! They would surely harden as the world burns around them.

The Bad
My main criticism of The Shadow Rising is actually the overall storyline. It was good - don't get me wrong - but it wasn't strongly defined in the start of the book and nothing much really happened for the first third or so. Considering the book's 1, 001 pages long, this problem is definitely worth mentioning as there is about 300 pages that are quite slow paced! That being said, I wasn't bored at the start of the book and still found it enjoyable to read. It just felt slightly separate from the rest of the book somehow . . .

My Thoughts
The Shadow Rising is a superb instalment to The Wheel of Time and was filled with all of the action, characterisation and imagination that I've enjoyed so much in the series earlier books! The book (and series) is definitely an example of epic fantasy at its best and is something that all fans of the genre should read. I'm really excited about reading The Fires of Heaven, the next book in the series, and am confident that it will be every bit as good!

Sunday 20 April 2014

Upcoming anthology: 'Rogues' by George R. R. Martin et al

Hi all,

Here's a quick message to all of you fantasy fans out there, who might be interested to learn of a new anthology that will be released soon (although there's no publication date as of yet). The anthology is called Rogues and features 21 stories from some of the biggest authors in the fantasy genre, including a new Song of Ice and Fire story by George R. R. Martin and a piece by Patrick Rothfuss himself!

The full list of featured authors (as it stands at the moment) is:
  • George R. R. Martin
  • Patrick Rothfuss
  • Joe Abercrombie
  • Daniel Abraham
  • David W. Ball
  • Paul Cornell
  • Bradley Denton
  • Phyllis Eisenstein
  • Gillian Flynn
  • Neil Gaiman
  • Matthew Hughes
  • Joe R. Lansdale
  • Scott Lynch
  • Garth Nix
  • Cherie Priest
  • Steven Saylor
  • Michael Swanwick
  • Lisa Tuttle
  • Carrie Vaughn
  • Walter Jon Williams
  • Connie Willis

I'm certainly going to keep my eye on this one and will let you know once a release date has been set!

Saturday 19 April 2014

Series Review: The Chathrand Voyage - Robert V. S. Redick

SERIES RATING: FIVE STARS
AWARD: SHELF OF FAME

The Chathrand Voyage is an epic fantasy set in the world of Alifros, which is going through a period of imperial colonisation very similar to the real-life conquests by Europe in the 16th Century. Two great superpowers have risen in the north and the book begins with the initiation of an elaborate plot that will allow Arqual to overthrow the Mzithrin Empire once and for all. It is here that Pazel Pathkendle - one of the series major characters - is introduced, who is working as a tarboy aboard the Chathrand - a giant ship built by magic and engineering techniques that were forgotten when a cataclysm separated the north from the hundreds of years ago.

The Chathrand is the only ship known that may have a chance at crossing the Ruling Sea and into the south and Sandor Ott - the Emperor's spymaster and head of the Secret Fist - means to use Captain Rose's ship to unleash the Shaggat Ness into Mzithrin. Believed to be dead, the Shaggart Ness is considered a god in that strange empire and his return will cause a war that will shake the foundations of its cities. When that happens, Ott will be waiting and means to begin one of the bloodiest campaigns Alifros has ever seen. He will eradicate the Mzithrin, even as they struggle to quell revolution in their own people.

But as the series progresses, the story evolves and it soon becomes clear that much more is at stake that the fall of an empire. Arunis - a sorcerer infamous for his evil and cruelty - is somehow entangled with the plot. But Arunis has no interested in Arqual's dominion over the north and has but one aim - the end of all life on Alifros. Arunis knows his goal is within his grasp, but he needs to find and unlock the secrets of an ancient and powerful artifact called the Nilstone first. Pazel, along with a powerful mage called Ramanchi and the friends he makes aboard the Chathrand, are resolute in their vows to stop Arunis and stubbornly fight him throughout the four books of the series:

Book 1: The Red Wolf Conspiracy
Book 2: The Rats and the Ruling Sea
Book 3: The River of Shadows
Book 4: The Night of the Swarm

I'll admit that I was a little skeptical about reading The Red Wolf Conspiracy when I first picked it up. The title's not that amazing, the cover makes it look a little like a children's book and the newspaper clipping that effectively forms the book's prologue isn't that great either. But I was hastily scanning the shelves in the library for something to read before a long train journey and, not finding anything better, I borrowed it and gave it a go. Words cannot express how glad I am that I did and I began to fall in love with the world Robert V. S. Redick painted after just a few chapters!

In fact, the quadrilogy has become one of my favourite series ever and I have a feeling that the story and it's larger-than-life characters will continue to resonate in my mind for many years to come. Redick has managed to develop his characters like a true master of writing and they almost seem like real people. Each person is distinct from the others and each has their own personality and motivations behind what they do. This makes for excellent reading and really engaged me in the story. I really feared for the characters during battles and on the many, many occasions they were in danger. I think good characterisation is the difference between a great author and a good one, and, with his writing having depths to it that many authors lack, Redick is certainly among the greats!

I honestly think the characters alone would be enough to carry this story, but Redick's world is even better and the series is told against a backdrop of stunning locations that are a true testament to his imagination. From the decks of a giant ship to lush jungles and a forest of giant, carnivorous fungi, the series never gets stale and his characters are never in the same place for long! And Redick does more than just describe these locations, having really thought about the challenges such adverse environments would have for his characters. This means that Pazel Pathkendle, the Lady Thasha Isiq and their little group of ragtag heroes are often out of their depth and they really suffer as they desperately try to defeat Arunis and keep the Nilstone from his clutches . . .

Redick's prose is fantastic as well and he writes with a strange blend of modern and archaic styles that really adds to the story and helps reinforce the idea that Pazel and his companions are living in a world of great, naval-time empires. He also writes with an uncommon enthusiasm that ties all of the other aspects of the series together nicely to create an epic story that's a true gem amidst a genre that (rather sadly), has been swamped by very mediocre works.

I strongly suggest that you give The Chathrand Voyage a go if you enjoy fantasy. It's an example of the genre at its best and keeps getting better with each book! This series marked Redick's debut into the writing world (which I guess is why he's so little known), but I am already a dedicated fan and am really looking forward to reading what he produces over the years to come!

Friday 18 April 2014

The Well of Wyrding is released today!

Hi all,

It's a big day today as Travis Simmons has finally released the third book in his Revenant Wyrd Saga, The Well of Wyrding! Being good friends with Travis, I was actually lucky enough to beta read the book for him and can promise that it's as exciting and encaptivating as the earlier installments of the series (The Bonds of Blood and The Mirror of the Moon).

"In the fantastical lands of the Great Realms, Angelica, Jovian, and Joya are on the search for their older sister Amber, who has been kidnapped by the villain, Porillon. But Amber has slipped away from all of them, and where she has gone is as big a mystery as why she was taken.

While they are searching for their sister, Porillon strikes a staggering blow to the entire land.
The Well of Wyrding, a mythic well which contains the magic and fate of every creature in the Great Realms, has been poisoned creating havoc as the magic power of wyrd becomes toxic.

While Grace, Rosalee, and Dalah seek a way to purify the Well of Wyrding, wyrd is going haywire, buildings fashioned with wyrd are turning to pinnacles of terror; wyrd is working against its casters; and people are taking up arms against the threat sorcerers and their kind pose.
But the toxic wyrd is causing a new problem to arise. They are called caustics: those wyrders who have been completely taken over by their chaotic wyrd. Husks of what they once were, they are now a vessel for Chaos in the realms."

Hopefully, this blurb (which I've lifted of the book's Facebook page) will be enough to convince you of its merit! If you are already familiar with the series, get yourself onto Amazon ASAP! If you aren't and really fancy getting your teeth into a complex, imaginative fantasy epic, then The Revernant Wyrd Saga is definitely for you!

Tuesday 15 April 2014

The Kingkiller Chronicle Book 2.5 is announced!

Okay, so this isn't the big news I was hoping for (i.e. the soon-to-be release date of The Doors of Stone), but Patrick Rothfuss has announced that he'll soon be publishing a companion novella to The Kingkiller Chronicle! The book, which will be released on 28th October 2014, is called The Slow Regard of Silent Things and effectively forms book 2.5 in the series!

From what I've read about the novella, it doesn't actually feature around Kvothe, but Auri - a character that anyone who's read the series will be familiar with. Going from my experience with Rothuss' beautiful prose writing and masterful story-telling, The Slow Regard of Silent Things should prove to be one of the year's best reads and will certainly wet any fan's appetite for the upcoming end to his critically acclaimed series!

Monday 31 March 2014

Wizard and Glass - Stephen King

RATING: THREE STARS

Although Wizard and Glass is the forth installment of Stephen King's Dark Tower series, it's actually more a back-story to Roland Deschain's life than a continuation of the overall tale. While Roland is sat around a campfire in a strange 'weak spot' between universes, he tells his companions of his first adventure as an anointed gunslinger and of Susan - the first and last love of his long, lonely life.

It's a story of honour and hardship, where Roland and his childhood friends Alain and Cuthbert desperately try to prove that they're true gunslingers in a world that is falling apart and sliding into decadence. But they're still little more than children and soon realise that they're out of their depth as they're caught in the schemes of men who are turning their backs on the Affiliation to side with John Farson - the so called Good Man and leader of the rebels that are bringing what remains of civilisation to its knees . . .

The Good
One of the best things about Wizard and Glass is being able to see Roland as a young teenager. He's not yet the cold and brutal killer he becomes in later life and is still full of youthful wonders and uncertainty. It's also interesting to read about how he's desperate to prove himself in the eyes of his friends and his father, which underlies many of his choices and actions.

I also especially enjoyed reading about Cuthbert and Alain, who've both been mentioned in previous books as Roland's oldest friends. Both boys feature prominently in the book and King has managed to write in a comfortable friendship where each knows and trusts in the abilities of the others. This really adds to their camaraderie and the concept that they've been training as gunslingers together for their whole lives.

Roland's back story is also pretty good overall, being exciting at the end and showing that he's already capable of killing and commiting the terrible acts he will come to do in later life. King also explains how he came to find out about the Dark Tower and why he's been seeking it with the single-mindedness of a madman ever since.

The Bad
Unfortunately, Wizard and Glass is a very slow book and is filled with a lot of waffle that doesn't really need to be in there. There are pages and pages filled with people talking and walking around and nothing much actually happens until the very end of the book. This is a shame really because it drags the story out and means that it's quite boring in places. It's definitely the least interesting of the Dark Tower books, despite the glimpse it gives into Roland's mysterious past.

My Thoughts
Overall though, Wizard and Glass is a good book. I enjoyed reading it (for the most part) and am glad that we've learnt a bit more about Roland's past - as well as finding out why he's seeking the Dark Tower! I'm definitely looking forward to the story progressing again in Wolves of the Calla and am hoping that it'll be back up to scratch and be a bit more exciting!

Wednesday 5 March 2014

The Night of the Swarm - Robert V. S. Redick

RATING: FIVE STARS

Rather sadly, The Night of the Swarm is the last instalment of Robert V. S. Redick's Chathrand Voyage Quartet – one of my favourite series' ever! It continues the epic adventure of Lady Thasha Isiq, Pazel Pathkendle and the rest of their brave companions as they continue their quest to cast the Nilstone out of Alifros once and for all.

Their adventure is now more dangerous than ever before as they were unable to prevent the evil sorcerer Arunis from unleashing the Swarm – a sentient cloud from the Land of the Dad that feeds off violence and murder. The Swarm draws its power from the Nilstone and they must race across Alifros to cast it back into the River of Shadows before the cloud engulfs their world entirely, leaving it as nothing more than a barren and desolate wasteland.

But there are those that seek to use the power of the Nilstone for their own ends and they are now pursued by Macadra, Arunis' dark sister and ruler of the Ravens – the terrible magical covenant that is the true power behind Bali Adro. Even as Arqual, Mzithrin and Gurishal begin their terrible three way war and the soaring death toll begins to attract the Swarm, Macadra is scouring the wildernesses of Bali Adro for Thasha and the Nilstone . . .

The Good
Once again, Redick has written the book with a flair of his unrivalled imagination and it is filled with action and heartbreak; set against a stunning backdrop of inventive locales that are beautiful to visualise. His prose is superb, once again carrying his enthusiasm for his story and he continues to write with that strangely modernised style that I have enjoyed in his earlier books. His language really drew me into the story and helped to make his setting of great naval ships in a colonial era very believable (as did his research into naval jargon and technologies, which is stunningly detailed).

As ever, Redick’s characterisation is superb. As well as continuing to develop his main characters from earlier books, he also begins to explore his antagonists. As the book progresses, it becomes increasingly obvious that the entire world really is in danger of being destroyed and it's interesting to read how old enemies begin to set aside their past grudges and stand together to resist the Swarm and the darkness that chases them as best as they as able! 

The Bad
I only have one fault with The Night of the Swarm, which is the series being over! The first book in the series, The Red Wold Conspiracy, was Redick's debut novel and, unfortunately, I don't think he has anything else published as of yet . . . Come on Redick!

My Thoughts
The Night of the Swarm is a truly remarkable book that ends a fantastic series in a satisfying and epic manner. All of the loose ends of the story were tied up well and, I have to say, that this was one of the most creative and interesting stories that I've read in a long time. I strongly urge you to read this series and recommend it to your friends and families as it's surprisingly unknown, despite being a true gem of the fantasy genre!

Monday 10 February 2014

The Hellbound Heart - Clive Barker

RATING: FIVE STARS

Frank Cotton is bored of life: long, wild years have left him unable to find excitement and his lustful, lecherous nature has left him unable to find love or satisfaction. It was upon his travels that he first heard of Lemarchand's Box, a gateway to the world of the Cenobites – beings that can bring untold pleasures. After years he manages to attain it, but what is pleasurable for a human may be very different to that of sadistic demons . . . Soon, Frank may wish that he left the otherworldly monsters completely alone . . .

The Good
The Hellbound Heart is a novella so maintains a very fast, exciting pace throughout its 128 pages. Despite its short word count, Clive Barker doesn't skimp on description and manages to build a vivid picture of the mutilated Cenobites and the torture they are able to inflict on us mortals. His tight, inventive language really adds to the atmosphere of horror he creates and the book is nearly as shocking as Hellraiser (1987), its Hollywood adaptation.

Many of you might have seen Hellraiser even if you haven''t read the book, so you know that the story itself is clever and pretty unique. I liked its slightly unconventional view of the demonic arts, where Frank actually called the Cenobites himself because he was eager to sample to pleasures they were reputed to provide. Barker also managed to twist my emotions in the story, so I was actually routing for the antagonist for much of it, as I could really see why he was so eager to escape from the Order of the Gash!

The Bad
As might be expected for one of Barker’s horrors, the book can be a little gory in places and he certainly has no qualms about describing blood and death. The Hellbound Heart can also be a little crude and, with scenes of torture and nonchalant murder, it certainly isn't for the faint hearted!

My Thoughts
I really enjoyed reading The Hellbound Heart and it has been one of the best horrors I've read in a long time. It has a dark, morbid story that is full of torture and death and Barker has a very clever way of writing that conveys a lot of imagery in just a few words. The book is undisputedly worthy of its place on my ‘Shelf of Fame’ and I will certainly be reading more of Clive Barker’s work. I suggest you do the same!

Saturday 8 February 2014

The Dragon Reborn - Robert Jordan

RATING: FIVE STARS

Rand al'Thor has finally proclaimed himself as the Dragon Reborn! Throughout the lands, people are flocking to his banner and his support is swelling as Ba'alzamon seizes the aristocratic peerage and increases his control of peoples' minds. But Rand's destiny is too much for him and, while plagued by dreams of a shining, crystal sword, he decides to flee before more people die in his name.

Led by Moiraine, Loial and the rest of Rand’s trusted friends set off in pursuit of him before he is killed or worse - captured by Ba'alzamon and forced to bend to his will. Even as they track Rand, the Amyrlyn Seat sends Nynaeve, Egwene and Elayne on an adventure of their own, tasking them to identify and hunt down the Aes Sedai traitors who serve the Dark Lord himself at heart – those that call themselves the Black Ajah . . .

The Good
As I had hoped, The Dragon Reborn is more complicated than The Great Hunt and resumes telling the story from multiple points of view. Although Rand slips as a PoV character for much of the book (somewhat disappointingly), many of the characters Robert Jordan neglected in his second book are really coming into their own. Nynaeve, Egwene and Elayne have a particularly good storyline, while Perrin and Mat both have their own, individual story-arks. Jordan also introduces a few new characters in the book, one of which looks to be extremely interesting as (and if) she is developed in later books.

Jordan has really upped the sense of scale in this book and has begun to weave political intrigue into the storyline. He is showing how Ba'alzamon’s plans to conquer the world are moving forward and, at every turn, our heroes are beginning to realise how insurmountable their task is. This gives them a real sense of desperation that I thought was extremely clever and makes the whole story more believable as I could really imagination that Ba'alzamon has been making his plans for three thousand years from his prison of Shayol Ghul!

I know I've mentioned this in earlier reviews, but Jordan's characterisation was superb once again. Each of his characters really reads as an individual and has their own distinct voice, thought processes and reasons behind their actions. This allowed me to relate them to a degree that few other authors have managed and Jordan really seems to have understood that characters make a story truly great, not just the plot! 

The Bad
Hmmm, 'the bad' . . . Honestly speaking, I don't think there was anything majorly wrong with The Dragon Reborn! Overall, it was an exciting, well thought-out and masterfully executed book! That being said, Jordan's language did get a little repetitive in places and his tendency to repeat words a few times in as many sentences still persists, which does weaken his writing slightly.

My Thoughts
The Dragon Reborn was absolutely fantastic and I blitzed through it in less than a week! It's exciting, builds the story up for grandeur later in the series and reaffirms exactly why The Wheel of Time is so acclaimed! Like its predecessors, the book is well deserving of its place on my ‘Shelf of Fame’ and is a must read for anyone who wants to read high fantasy at its best!

Wednesday 5 February 2014

The Phoenix War - Richard L. Sanders

RATING: FOUR STARS

The human Empire is on the verge of civil war, threatening to tear itself apart as House Akira and other prominent high lords fight each other for the right to sit upon the throne. But such civil division is a waste of effort and resources that mankind cannot afford to lose. The cogs put into motion by the Phoenix Ring are still whirring in the shadows and, as events quickly get out of hand, it begins to become clear that the selfish group of benefactors were never truly in control. The Enclave are stirring in their dark halls of exile and, in a far region of space, the Rotham are mobilising—a highly advanced race that had always coveted the affluence of the human empire; wanting our lush worlds and rich solar systems. But these are only the beginning of human worries and rumour has reached some that the Polarian Dread Fleet—an armada of ships that leaves nothing but dead worlds in its wake—is waking. The Polarians have no love of humanity either and fanatically believe that they have the right of dominion over the entire universe . . . 

Amidst all the chaos and violence, the Nighthawk continues its mission to find and destroy the last of the isotome weapons—missiles that are powerful enough to destroy whole solar systems and leave their suns blackened and cold . . . The success of their mission is crucial to both the future of the Empire and the human race, but they have few leads to go on and are almost literally searching for needles in an infinite haystack!

Meanwhile Calvin Cross, now the Imperial Executor by appointment of Princess Kalila, is ordered to gather as much intelligence as he can on the Rotham and assess whether their military deployment is a threat to the Empire. His mission takes him deep into Alliance spacea xenophobic government that has no sympathy for the Empire and is unknowingly riddled with Enclave agents . . .

The Good
The Phoenix War is an exciting instalment of The Phoenix Conspiracy series and begins to tie lose ends together ready for the final book (which will hopefully be released soon). It also begins to build the political turmoil and military threat from aliens in a fast-paced plot, getting ready for what I imagine will be a stunning end to the series!

The Bad
Once again, I feel like Richard L. Sanders could have included more description in his writing as it is very ‘bare’. His dialogue and tone are both good, but he has an annoying habit of skipping over the details of his environments and provides scant information. This is a shame really, as his characters are aboard an array of space ships that would be interesting to read about and visit a number of worlds where he could quite literally ‘go wild’ and paint stunning landscapes around his characters!

My Thoughts
Overall though, I was impressed with The Phoenix War and think that it's the best instalment of the series so far! I am eagerly awaiting the next (and final) book, although it will be a shame to finish the series off! The Phoenix Conspiracy is undoubtedly a true gem of a series in a genre that I've found somewhat stale of late!

Friday 31 January 2014

City of Dragons - Robin Hobb

RATING: THREE STARS

After a long, arduous journey that was wrought with disaster, the Kelsingra expedition has finally reached its end. The dragon keepers are wearing little more than rags, with barely enough equipment for a few people between them all; the crew of the Tarman is starved and exhausted; and the dragons continuing to grow, now requiring an unsustainable quantity of food as winter draws in.

In an effort to save the expedition, Captain Leftin races back to Cassarick to collect the money the Trader’s Council owes them to purchase some much needed supplies. Even as he traverses the Rain Wilds, Leftrin knows that he’s going to need all of his wits to keep from the jaws of the Council. They are determined to find out and lay claim to what the expedition found upriver; coveting any profit that could be made.

Worse still, other traders—the business elite of Rain Wild culture—descend on Casserick like vultures the moment the Tarman is spotted. The most affluent of their number have used their wealth and influence to hire vessels to chase the liveship upstream, including strange foreign longboats that can sail at great speed and are impervious to the river’s acidic water. Leftrin knows he must flee them, but heading upstream with a barge laden with supplies will be slow going. If he fails, he risks more than the decadent greed of the traders. He could return to find the whole expedition has perished . . .

The Good
City of Dragons is the best instalment of the Rain Wild Chronicles yet! Although it’s not quite as exciting as The Dragon Keeper and Dragon Haven overall, it really begins to delve into the mythology surrounding dragons and, in particular, elderlings. This makes for fascinating reading as Robin Hobb as created a rich and well-established symbiotic culture where each party worked to better the lives of the other. Hobb spends a great deal of time developing these ideas and has really set the groundwork for a very exciting finale of the series in Blood of Dragons.

Once again, Hobb’s prose flows well and is very easy to follow. In fact, her writing makes reading the book almost effortless and she has a knack of really immersing my in her world; dropping me straight in the environment of her characters. As well as making the book very enjoyable, it shows me that Hobb is a very talented writer and is certainly worthy of her reputation as a master of fantasy!

Hobb’s chacterisation continues to be first rate in City of Dragons and the people in the story seem almost real, with the same faults and failings that mar us in real life. Mistakes are made as frequently as the correct decisions and, with motivations of blackmail and greed driving many of the characters, it’s extremely difficult to predict  what will happen next!

The Bad
The biggest problem I had with the book was with Thymara and her continual whingeing about whether or not she should lose her virginity. While this is obviously a big deal for people—particularly for women—it actually has nothing to do with the storyline and Hobb has kept it up for three books now. Thymara’s whining did begin to get on my nerves a bit and I found many parts in the book slightly grating.

My Thoughts
City of Dragons is a detailed, well-thought out book that is exciting and interesting to read. While giving details of the elderlings, Hobb has already begun to tie up many strands of the story and has laid the groundwork for Blood of Dragons to be a fantastic finale to the series! If you haven’t already, I would recommend giving the series a go (although Hobb’s unconventional view of dragons takes some accepting and might not be to everyone’s taste).