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.

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!

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!