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!

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!

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!

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 space—a 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!

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).

The Great Hunt - Robert Jordan

RATING: FOUR STARS 

Rand al’Thor wants nothing more to do with Aes Sedai. He is sick of being manipulated, tired of being hunted by Ba'alzamon's servants and wants nothing more to do with resisting the Dark Lord’s plans to break the Wheel of Time once and for all. He is unsafe to be around and, after great consideration, decides that he must leave his friends behind him before they come to harm.

But Rand’s plans are shattered when the Horn of Valere—a relic from the Age of Legends that brings heroes back from the dead—is stolen by the foul Darkfriend, Padan Fain. Rand cannot leave the Horn in Fain's and reluctantly joins the quest to retrieve it. 

On Lord Agelmar's behest, Rand, his friends and Lord Ingtar pursue Padan Fain and his Darkfriends as if they were heading straight to Shayol Ghul itself, following a swathe of death and destruction. But trollocs and Myrddraal are the least of the heroes’ worries as Fain’s powers grow. Even Ba'alzamon has underestimated the corruption that lies in the gleeman’s heart and, touched by madness, Fain challenges Rand to end their great dispute in Toman Head – a peninsula that’s being invaded by the Seanchan, the direct descendants of Artur Hawkwing. The Seanchan bring strange magic and monsters with them; seeking to own all and enslave the Aes Sedai to their terrifying will. 

The Good 

Robert Jordan has outdone himself again in The Great Hunt. The story is every bit as imaginative as its predecessor (The Eye of the World) and he builds upon his mythology well, creating a vivid, detailed world with a well-established history. Jordan also continues to steer clear of ‘conventional’ monsters and uses those of his own invention as antagonists. This makes for an interesting read and really helps the book stand out in a genre that’s full of goblins, trolls and orcs! 

Jordan’s characterisation is also exceptional and he has managed to give his entire cast their own unique voices and thought processes. This adds a sense of realism to The Great Hunt and allowed me to really relate to certain characters. It was also interesting to read about their motivations and how these influenced their actions throughout the book. Despite many of the characters being in the same place, with the same intent in mind, very few are there for the same reasons. 

The plot of the book was also quite good. Admittedly it was simple, with much of the book being based around Lord Ingtar's men pursing Padan Fain as they tried to retrieve the Horn of Valere, but Jordan has written it well and The Great Hunt never became stale. He has also taken the time to lay the groundwork for things that will presumably happen later in the series and begins to unveil aspects of certain characters’ pasts.

The Bad 

To be honest, there wasn't really anything I disliked about The Great Hunt and it more than lived up to the standard set by its predecessor, being exciting and extremely interesting throughout. One thing that did stand out to me though, was the book was very heavily focused on Rand as the 'point of view' character. The Eye of the World was written from the perspective of several characters with different story arcs and I felt as if Jordan neglected many of his characters overall. Hopefully, this is something he remedy's in The Dragon Reborn and I'm looking forward to a more complex story too!

My Thoughts 

I have to say that I was very impressed with The Great Hunt and it lived up to expectations. Its settings and cultures were as rich and detailed as those seen in The Eye of the World and Jordan continue to develop his characters and story. Once again, I recommend that you read the book (or begin The Wheel of Time) as it's certainly worthy of its status as a masterpiece of fantasy!

Read an interview with Travis Simmons

Hi all,

I've actually been meaning to put a post about this up for a while now, but I never seemed to get round to doing it. I recently stumbled across an interview with Travis Simmons on My Book Addiction (another reviewing site) and thought that I'd post a link to it here.

As you may already know, Simmons is an independent fantasy, science fiction and horror writer who is most notable for his Revenant Wyrd Saga and Infernal Designs series'. Simmons writes with great flares of imagination and I have reviewed a number of his books in the past - check out his tag in the FEATURED AUTHORS section if you want to read them!