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FLASHBACK FRIDAY: THE FORGOTTEN BEASTS OF ELD

Posted on September 15, 2017 by Bookwraiths

Flashback Friday is something I do here at Bookwraiths every once in a while; a time when I can post my thoughts about books that I’ve read in the past. With the hectic schedule of day-to-day life, there never seems enough time to give these old favorites the spotlight that they deserve, but with a day all to themselves, there is no reason I can’t revisit them.

Today, I’ll be taking a look back at an overlooked classic fantasy by Patricia A. McKillip!

The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia A. McKillip

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Tachyon Publications (July 11, 2017)

Author Information: Website

Length: 240 pages

My Rating: 4 stars

The Forgotten Beasts of Eld is a wonderfully written, richly textured, high fantasy from Patricia A. McKillip. Even though it is quite limited in length, it is still filled with insightful moments and fascinating insights; all of it set in beautifully rendered fairy tale world.

Sybel is a young, powerful sorceress, who has spent her life in isolation, her interaction with humans nonexistent. She knows nothing outside of her mountain home, nor does she really wish to know. Her only companions the magical creatures of her home. So when a baby is brought to her she isn’t quite prepared for the emotions this innocent child will evoke — nor is she ready for the power struggle she will be brought into when someone returns for the child.

What always catches me unprepared whenever I read (or reread) a Patricia A. McKillip novel is her unbelievable prose. It isn’t elaborate or flowery, merely lyrical and purposeful. Every word has its place and its use in her narratives, yet she never feels a need to expound unnecessarily. Important events taking place in pages rather than chapters. Concise, meaningful, and lovely. That is how this author writes, and I only wish more fantasy offerings these days mimicked her style.

As for the story itself, it was poignant, quick, and emotional. Sybel’s life, her choices, and the ones she love caught up in the quagmire she has unknowingly been drawn into. Her words and response to both the child and that which comes later filled with a layer of meaning and depth which will truly touches a reader’s heart strings.

As for any criticisms or complaints, I have none. McKillip has always been a writer I was in awe of, especially her amazing ability to craft an exciting fantasy tale that still finds a place for both dignity and seriousness in its pages, and The Forgotten Beasts of Eld was no exception, making me wonder only why it took me so long to actually read it.

Lyrical, complex, concise, and emotional, this novel is one I will be readily espousing to lovers of high fantasy, fairy tales, and beautifully writing. Patricia A. McKillip isn’t an author spoken of very often these days, but she should be, because her works are treasures of the genre.

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’d like to thank them for allowing me to receive this review copy and inform everyone that the review you have read is my opinion alone.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

Posted in 3 Stars, Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Flashback Friday, High | Tagged Fairy tale, Flashback Friday, High fantasy, Patricia A. McKillip, Tachyon Publications, The Forgotten Beasts of Eld | 4 Comments

AN ALCHEMY OF MASQUES AND MIRRORS

Posted on September 14, 2017 by Bookwraiths

An Alchemy of Masques and Mirrors by Curtis Craddock

Genre: Fantasy — Steampunkesque

Series: The Risen Kingdoms #1

Publisher: Tor Books (August 29, 2017)

Author Information: Facebook| Twitter

Length: 384 pages

My Rating: 3 stars

An Alchemy of Masques and Mirrors is crisply written, cleverly plotted, and highly imaginative; a fantasy which succeeds in combining elements from different speculative fiction genres into an entertaining opening to The Risen Kingdoms series.

The tale begins with dashing Musketeer Jean-Claude racing against time to arrive at the birth of the girl who will become the center of his life: Isabelle. This offspring of royal, bloodshadow magicians nearly killed after birth due to a deformed hand. Only Jean-Claude’s timely intervention saving her and thereby creating their strong bond.

Skip forward two decades, Isabelle is a young woman who has grown up being verbally abused and mocked by her father due to her lack of magical powers. This mistreatment culminating in the youth’s best friend Marie being assaulted by her father, transformed into a “bloodshadow” who is not alive but certainly not dead either; this hollowed out ghost of Marie acting as a reminder of Isabelle’s failure to find her magical power. But, our determined princess has found ways to survive and flourish, secretly studying and excelling at science and mathematics (Both subjects forbidden to women.), even going so far as to publish treatises under a male name. The only person who knows of her successes Jean-Claude; this musketeer pretending to be a drunk so as to subtly watch over his beloved Isabelle, even as he aids her in plotting an escape from her father’s household.

Circumstances take an unexpected turn, however, when a messenger arrives from the Kingdom of Aragoth. Prince Julio of that kingdom asking for Isabelle’s hand in marriage. The messenger being honest with Isabelle that this is a political arrangement, where the Prince must marry a woman of a house blessed with magic and she is the only suitable candidate. This future as the future Queen of Aragoth allowing her escape from her present situation but also sure to be filled with political machinations, courtly intrigue, and unlooked for deadly surprises!

What sets An Alchemy of Masques and Mirrors apart from other recent fantasy offerings is the refreshing world building. Airships. Floating islands. Musketeers. Gunpowder. Magic. Clockwork cyborgs. Curtis Craddock incorporating these elements (and many more) into this world, creating a very unique setting which demands readers’ full attention, while also threatening to overwhelm them with the massive amount of information. Yet somehow, someway, the author never goes too far with his explorations of the setting, immersing his readers fully yet never submerging them completely.

As for the characters, they are what I would call standard with a twist. Standard in that Isabelle is the usual princess who is gifted yet ignored, abused yet determined, held back yet destined for greater things. And, Jean-Claude is the middle aged protector, who loves his ward as a daughter, and is willing to go through hell itself to see her safe, secure, and happy. All of which means readers have encountered these two archetypes before in other stories, but Mr. Craddock does add his own unique take on both with Isabelle actually showing how competent she is instead of just telling everyone and Jean-Claude behaving like a middle-aged musketeer would, not able to fight, run, or do anything like he once did.

The narrative itself starts off fairly slow, but the pacing does steadily pick up speed once Isabelle makes her choice regarding the marriage proposal. Villains rear their heads. Politics take center stage. And Isabelle and Jean-Claude must find a way – difficult as it may be – to survive the growing cataclysm in which they are embroiled.

The only criticism I can level at this novel is that it is a two character show: Isabelle and Jean-Claude. If you love them, then you will love the book. If you don’t like them, then the unique world building and exciting plot will not save the day here. I say that because this is truly an emotional journey about these people and their bond, not an action-adventure or epic fantasy which happens to focus in on a character or two.

Beautiful, compelling, and emotional, Curtis Craddock has crafted a unique fantasy with An Alchemy of Masques and Mirrors, one which will delight many fantasy fans. No, it didn’t inspire me as it has so many other reviewers, but even I can acknowledge its unique creativity, pulse-pounding excitement, and delightful humor. Certainly, this is a novel lovers of strong female leads should immediately go pick up.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

Posted in 3 Stars, Fantasy | Tagged airships, An Alchemy of Masques and Mirrors, clockwork, Curtis Craddock, Fantasy, steampunk fantasy, Tor, Tor Books | 7 Comments

INDIE WEDNESDAY: FOR STEAM AND COUNTRY

Posted on September 13, 2017 by Bookwraiths

Along my reading journey, I’ve made a conscious decision to include self-published and small press works in my reading schedule. But it is difficult to know where to start: So many new authors and books to examine to find the perfect fit for my tastes. And to help others with this same problem, I’ve decided to talk about any indie/small press books which I have recently been enjoying.

Well, this week, I’ve been enjoying the hell out of Jon Del Arroz’s recently released YA steampunk! This story a return to the old-fashioned adventure tales from years gone by; its pages action-packed, filled with steampunkery, humor, and always entertaining!

For Steam and Country by Jon Del Arroz

Genre: YA – Steampunk

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Superversive Books (June 15, 2017)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 279 pages

Her father’s been pronounced dead. Destructive earthquakes ravage the countryside. An invading army looms over the horizon. And Zaira’s day is just getting started…

Abandoned at an early age, Zaira von Monocle found life as the daughter of a great adventurer to be filled with hard work and difficulty. She quickly learned to rely on only herself. But when a messenger brought news that her father was dead and that she was the heir to his airship, her world turned upside down.

Zaira soon finds herself trapped in the midst of a war between her home country of Rislandia and the cruel Wyranth Empire, whose soldiers are acting peculiarly—almost inhuman. With the enemy army advancing, her newfound ship’s crew may be the only ones who can save the kingdom.

Purchase the book at Amazon

Posted in Indie Wednesday, Science Fiction, Steampunk | Tagged airships, best indie books, best indie steampunk, dirigibles, female hero, For Steam and Country, fun steampunk, indie books worth reading, indie wednesday, Jon Del Arroz, Rescue Run, Star Realms, Star Realms: Rescue Run, steampunk, YA steampunk, YA Steampunk series | Leave a comment

SORRY, WE’RE CLOSED!

Posted on September 11, 2017 by Bookwraiths

sorry we're closed

Most of you will have noticed little activity in the last few days. The reason is simply that I have been busy on hurricane activities i.e attempting to get ready for everything to be blown to hell and back at my home. And now I am attempting to sit out the storm then clean up and get electricity back on.

Wish me the best. Say a little pray for me and my family. And enjoy the old posts while I’m gone.

Best of,

Wendell

Posted in Uncategorized | 33 Comments

FLASHBACK FRIDAY: A HANDFUL OF MEN

Posted on September 8, 2017 by Bookwraiths

Today, I’ll be taking a look back at another classic fantasy series by Dave Duncan!

A Handful of Men by Dave Duncan

Genre: Fantasy

Series: A Handful of Men #1-4

Publisher: Open Road Media (July 11, 2017)

Author Information: Website

Length: 1457 pages

My Rating: 4 stars

A Handful of Men is the sequel series to Dave Duncan’s classic fantasy A Man of His Word. While it takes place among familiar environments in the world of Pandemia and involves several of the same characters, this offering is a much different work: deeper worldbuilding, several shades darker, and incorporates many major moral dilemmas for our heroes. It is a more grown-up fantasy, if you will. Please don’t take that to mean this is a depressing work or a grimdark in any way, because it isn’t; Dave Duncan mixing in enough daring-do and humor to keep this series fun and entertaining from first page to last.

Fifteen years have passed since the happily ever after ending of A Man of His Word. People have grown old, matured, traveled along different paths, and the world itself has changed. But even greater change appears to be ahead.

Pandemia is nearing the 3000 millennium. A time when the prophecies say great upheaval and disaster will fall upon the world. Something which historically happen at the turning of every millennium when the Protocal (The treaty which keeps magic out of politics, bars it from use in war.) always seems to be threatened. No matter all that, Rap doesn’t pay much attention to the warning, shrugging it aside as mere fear mongering.

All that changes when a god appears to Rap one night. This divinity assuring our former 5 word wizard that not only are cataclysmic changes coming, but they are all Rap’s fault, and only he can fix them!

From this beginning, an epic saga spirals out. Disaster falling upon Pandemia. Returning faces like Rap and Inos playing huge roles in the attempt to halt the destruction, right old wrongs and find a new equilibrium. These old favorites now changed people of the “elder generation” who watch as younger, fresher faces take major roles in the titanic struggles.

This evolution of beloved characters is one of the most brilliant things about A Handful of Men, and probably my favorite element of its narrative. Dave Duncan able to portray older, realistic versions of the people readers loved from the first series; these “heroes” still themselves, but so very different in fundamental, honest ways, struggling with previous decisions from their youth when they were certain they were making the right choices, but didn’t realize what those choices would lead to in this future.

Rap, in particular, is a wonderful example of the realistic process of transformation which Duncan orchestrates. In the first series, this young stableboy was the optimistic dreamer who wanted to right every wrong, make the world a perfect place for all. But now he has aged, become a bit more jaded, and a great deal wiser. This evolution summed up by a single conversation.

“Why do you not use your powers to help your people, Rap? Why not divert storms from Krasengar, fill the larders single-handed, stamp out disease? You could make your town a paradise.”

“Because . . . Because I think I would produce a nation of idlers and degenerates! I should end up doing all the work and probably gain small thanks for it in the end, when everyone began taking my blessings for granted.”

After a moment he added, “People value happiness by what it costs.”

Needless to say, the young, idealistic Rap would never have uttered such a sentiment. Fifteen years of experience and countless mistakes have made him realize utopia comes with consequences, even in a world fueled by magic; no matter how pristine the motives of the doer.

The other triumph of this series is the fun quota. Dave Duncan never forgets that his readers are devouring his story to escape from reality, and while it is fine for the narrative to contain moral dilemmas and serious issues, this is not a social commentary where every real world issue must be faced and answered in the political correct way. Nope, this is classic fantasy where the goal is to enlighten while entertaining, not beat your reader over the proverbial head with your personal causes at ever turn.

As for any criticisms of the series, I don’t have any. I read this years ago, knew exactly what sort of fantasy story I would experience, and enjoyed it for exactly what it was. So nothing here bothered me in the least.

A Handful of Men is a classic fantasy I always recommend to my friends. Certainly, it would be better read after having first feasted upon A Man of His Word, but it can be enjoyed alone. What I usually emphasize to those who ask is that Dave Duncan is a vivid storyteller with a fine eye toward crafting entertaining stories. There are issues dealt with, quandaries presented, but at the end, a reader knows he/she has been entertained, dazzled, and whisked away from the normal world to a magical place they dearly wish they could remain in. And that, my friends, is all a great fantasy can ever be expected to deliver.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

Posted in 4 Stars, Fantasy, Flashback Friday | Tagged a Handful of Men, A Man of His Word, classic fantasy, classic fantasy series, Dave Duncan, Flashback Friday, gods, imps, magic, Open Road Media, wizards | Leave a comment

BEST FANTASY COVERS VOL. 8

Posted on September 8, 2017 by Bookwraiths

It’s that time again! Time to highlight some of my favorite fantasy covers!

This time I’m just highlighting a few covers which caught my attention recently. No real theme. I just really liked these covers when I saw them. In fact, several of the books are from series I’m familiar with and have no interest in reading, but I still need to give them love for the great eye-candy.

If anyone has read any of these book, let us know, because I’d sure we’d all love to know if they are actually worth giving a try.

10. The Demon Shroud by T.A. Miles

demon shroud

9. The Sword of Midras by Tracy Hickman & Richard Garriott

sword of midras

8. The Rebels of Gold by Elise Kova

the rebels of gold

7. Shadowborn by David Dalglish

shadow born

6. Numenera: The Night Clave by Monte Cook & Shanna Germain

the night clave

5. The White Song by Phil Tucker

the white song

4. Darien: Empire of Salt by C.F. Iggulden

darien

3. The White Serpent by Tanith Lee

the white serpent

2. Hunter of Legends by Clayton Taylor Wood

hunter of legends

1. Descent by Stacey Rourke

descent

Posted in Cover Lover | Tagged Darien: Empire of Salt, Descent, Fantasy Cover Lover, fantasy covers, Hunter of Legends, Numenera, Shadowborn, The Demon Shroud, The Night Clave, The Rebels of Gold, The Sword of Midras, The White Serpent, The White Song | 5 Comments

THE DINOSAUR PRINCESS

Posted on September 7, 2017 by Bookwraiths

The Dinosaur Princess by Victor Milán.

Genre: Fantasy

Series: The Dinosaur Lords #3

Publisher: Tor Books (August 15, 2017)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 448 pages

My Rating: 2.5 stars

The Dinosaur Princess is the third installment in Victor Milán’s The Dinosaur Lords epic fantasy series, which has been described by George R.R. Martin as “a cross between Jurassic Park and Game of Thrones.” And where the first two books delivered loads of dinosaurs at war with more than a little pulse-pounding action, this novel slows the pace down considerably, focusing on characterization, worldbuilding, and tons of political intrigue.

After the titanic struggle against the Grey Angels’ Crusade, Emperor Felipe of the Empire of Neuvaropa begins picking up the pieces, rewarding the heroes of the hour and punishing the turncoats. Even before the celebrations can end however, new tragedy strikes at the heart of the kingdom with the kidnapping of the Princess Montse from the palace itself!

Leading the frantic rescue effort is the newly christened Prince of the Empire Jaume dels Flors. He and his remaining knightly companions attempting to pick up the trail of the kidnappers and run them to ground before they can flee the continent aboard ship to parts unknown. Their search soon revealing that more than political intrigue is going on but also demonic machinations, as the magic of the legendary Fae is revealed!

With her beloved once again off on a mission, the newly restored Princess Melodía must brave the political intrigues at court and calm her father’s temper as other call for war to be declared to retrieve her sister. Melodía constantly battling her newfound disdain for the pompous royal court, her hatred for her rapist Duke Falk von Hornberg, and her fear of the subtle manipulations of Falk’s willy mother, Margrethe. All of it seemingly overwhelming her until an ancient family member returns to court, taking Melodía under her wing; this matriarch of the Delgado family one of the most devious, most ruthless politician to ever live upon Paradise!

Meanwhile, Rob Korrigan and Karyl Bogomirskiy are busy attempting to restore peace and order in the war-torn provinces over which they have become nobles. Their task complicated by their disdain for royalty and the leftover supports of the Grey Angels’ Crusade. And if that wasn’t problem enough, Karyl slowly begins to discover exactly who saved him in an earlier battle and why!

All of this basically means that this third volume of the series is a bridge story or a setup book. A chance for the author to slow down the pace, introduce new characters and new plots, as well as begin to build energy and tension for future events. And on many levels, The Dinosaur Princess does a masterfully job of accomplishing all of these things.

First, Victor Milán spends a great deal of time adding new depth to the world of Paradise. Readers finally able to explore the true nature and objectives of the Grey Angels, as well as become introduced to their enemies, the demonic Fae. There are even brief hints of an eternal war between the two taking place in another dimension. And in the mortal realm, the wide world of Paradise begins to come into further focus; other nations becoming more important to the narrative, as players from outside the Empire of Neuvaropa begin to appear, taking a part in the ongoing political schemes.

Second, our main characters get tons of development. The returning faces like Melodía, Karyl and Rob get the lion’s share of course, and since there is no war going on, that time is spent exploring their past and their present circumstances, developing them into more mature, well-formed people. But the author also finds plenty of pages to feature the two, new faces of the power struggle brewing in the Empire: Falk’s mother Margrethe and her Delgado counterpart Rosamaria. These two ruthless, cunning women quite the devious creatures, who are sure to fill future pages with murder, mayhem, and Game of Thrones-like manipulation.

With all that goodness though, The Dinosaur Princess fails to deliver in two other, very important areas. Failures which actually caused this tale to not quite live up to the previous novels in my eyes.

Probably the most agonizing of the missteps was the lack of dinosaurs. As I’ve said in every one of my previous reviews, dinosaur knights and their titanic battles is what sold me on reading this series to begin with and kept me coming back to it. Victor Milán able to vividly portray the immensity of these animals and the epic nature of their clash in battle to the point I had to read about them. But, unfortunately, this book just did not feature any of that. Dinosaurs curiously missing from the majority of this narrative.

Right behind the dinosaur extinction was the slow pacing. This has been an issue for me in all the previous novels: a tendency for nothing much to happen for chapter after chapter, but in those other books the author always livened things up a bit with a huge reveal or an epic battle. Here nothing terribly exciting happens. Certainly, we have the conclusion to Jaume’s rescue attempt and a frantic conclusion, but for whatever reason, neither of those excited me. Perhaps it was just the lack of dinosaurs, I’m not sure.

In summation, The Dinosaur Princess promised a more character focused story with Game of Thrones-like scheming, backstabbing, and royal mayhem mixed in with a great deal of exciting worldbuilding. Certainly, it delivers on these promise in many ways, evolving the characters and the world in many exciting ways, but in doing so, it failed to correct the pacing issues of previous installments and made the fatal mistake of underutilizing the dinosaurs and their knights. No doubt, I’ll pick up the next book in the series due to the tantalizing dreams of more dinosaur battles, but I can’t say I have very much optimism about the trajectory of the series at this point.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

Posted in 2 Stars, Epic, Fantasy | Tagged dinosaur knights, dinosaurs, epic fantasy, epic fantasy series, fantasy like Game of Thrones, Game of Thrones-like fantasy series, The Dinosaur Knights, The Dinosaur Lords, The Dinosaur Princess, Tor, Tor Books, Victor Milán | 4 Comments

WAITING ON WEDNESDAY: THE BOOK OF SWORDS

Posted on September 6, 2017 by Bookwraiths

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Breaking the Spine to let readers share their excitement for books coming out soon, and the novel I’m eagerly awaiting is . . .

The Book of Swords edited by Gardner Dozois

Genre: SFF

Series: Anthology

Publisher: Bantam (October 10, 2017)

Length: 544 pages

In the Book of Swords, acclaimed editor and bestselling author Gardner Dozois presents an all-new anthology of original epic tales by a stellar cast of award-winning modern masters—many of them set in their authors’ best-loved worlds. Join today’s finest tellers of fantastic tales, including George R.R. Martin, K.J. Parker, Robin Hobb, Ken Liu, C.J. Cherryh, Daniel Abraham, Lavie Tidhar, Ellen Kushner, and more on action-packed journeys into the outer realms of dark enchantment and intrepid derring-do, featuring a stunning assortment of fearless swordsmen and warrior women who face down danger and death at every turn with courage, cunning, and cold steel.

Contents:
– The Best Man Wins by K.J. Parker
– Her Father’s Sword by Robin Hobb
– The Hidden Girl by Ken Liu
– The Sword of Destiny by Matthew Hughes
– “I Am a Handsome Man”, Said Apollo Crow by Kate Elliott
– The Triumph of Virtue by Walter Jon Williams
– The Mocking Tower by Daniel Abraham
– Hrunting by C.J. Cherryh
– A Long, Cold Trail by Garth Nix
– When I Was a Highwayman by Ellen Kushner
– The Smoke of Gold Is Glory by Scott Lynch
– The Colgrid Conundrum by Rich Larson
– The King’s Evil by Elizabeth Bear
– Waterfalling by Lavie Tidhar
– The Sword Tyraste by Cecelia Holland
– The Sons of the Dragon by George R.R. Martin

Purchase the book at Amazon.

Posted in Waiting on Wednesday | Tagged C.J. Cherryh, Daniel Abraham, Ellen Kushner, fantasy anthology, Garth Nix, george r.r. martin, robin hobb, Scott Lynch, The Book of Swords, Waiting on Wednesday, Walter Jon Williams | 9 Comments

THE DINOSAUR KNIGHTS

Posted on September 5, 2017 by Bookwraiths

The Dinosaur Knights by Victor Milán.

Genre: Fantasy

Series: The Dinosaur Lords #2

Publisher: Tor Books (July 5, 2016)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 448 pages

My Rating: 3.5 stars

While The Dinosaur Lords had a few problems, overall, I felt Victor Milán did a very competent job of introducing readers to his creation, the world of Paradise, with its dinosaur knights, political intrigues, and shadowy origins, so I couldn’t wait to read book two. And, now that I have, I can honestly say two things. One, The Dinosaur Knights is a fitting sequel, filled with more action, more deaths, and more shocking moments. And, two, it isn’t quite as enjoyable as book one.

Continuing where the first book left off, the Empire of Neuvaropa is now in a growing state of chaos; rumors of a Grey Angel Crusade crisscross the land, unnerving peasants and nobility alike. No one able to avoid the growing turmoil.

In the township of Providence, the adherents of the pacifist teachings of The Garden of Truth and Beauty are busy putting their only martial leaders, Rob Korrigan and the famous Karyl Bogomirskiy, on trial for flimsy crimes against the faithful. This spectacle soon revealing more vile goings on in the Garden, even as the Grey Angels’ Crusade begins to erupt around them.

Meanwhile, the Princess Melodía and her maidservant Pilar having escaped imprisonment in the palace, flee the clutches of Duke Falk von Hornberg; their path eventually leading them to Providence, where their stories mix and mingle with those of Rob and Karyl.

Across the kingdom, Melodía’s lover, Count Jaume dels Flors, finds himself once again in favor with Emperor Felipe, helping the seemingly befuddled ruler plan and implement a desperate plan to stop the Grey Angels Crusade from sweeping across the Empire. The scheming Duke Falk von Hornberg constantly in the background determined to undermine and usurp Jaume’s honored status with the Emperor.

As the game pieces are moved across the board of Neuvaropa and war erupts, bringing unlooked for horrors and sweeping all into its maelstrom, our familiar characters are caught up in a mythical conflict to exterminate all of humankind. No one certain if the Grey Angels’ power can even be stopped!

Naturally, the most entertaining aspect of this novel was the dinosaurs. (Duh, right?) Victor Milán continuing to do a masterful job of integrating these majestic animals into the world, showing them in unique ways (The dangerous but adorable Shiraa the Allosaurus’ quest to find her “mother” told through her personal perspectives.) as well as highlighting them as the mightiest weapons of war on Paradise. Those sections of the narrative where huge battles occur my personal favorites, as the dinosaur knights took their place at the center of the action, showcasing their true bestial glory. The author able to capture the horror and magnificence of these conflicts with his wonderful prose.

Coming in a close second to the dinos is the worldbuilding. This narrative succeeding in deepening the mystery of Paradise, as the many tantalizing questions from book one are only partially answered and the Grey Angels take a larger role, adding a wonderful, mythical element to the growing epic; these beings hinting at, even partially revealing the truth about the world, its Creators, and their role in its continued existence. All of this making me curious to see where the author intends to go with all this in the books to come.

And what an ending! The climax of The Dinosaur Knights amazingly well done, as the penultimate clash of humankind and Grey Angels’ lived up to its hype. The last sections of the narrative filled with battle, mystery, personal bravery, and more than a few shocking moments.

But The Dinosaur Knights did have its share of problems. The most glaring of which was the characters themselves, who I continued to struggle to empathizing with. Pick any one of these people, and there were issues. Whether it be cultured Jaume or irritating Rob or overpowered Karyl, they each seemed to stagnate instead of grow throughout this tale, turning into mere caricatures of the “type” of person they were meant to represent. The worst of them all Princess Melodía, who was arguably the star of the show. This pompous, spoiled royal taking a larger role yet seeming to backslide from her bitterly won maturity from book one, reverting to making poor decisions, then not learning from them before making even more ridiculous ones. Her later transformation from emotionally torn youth to competent warrior quite unrealistic and head scratching in the extreme.

I also would be remiss if I didn’t mention the glacial pace of the middle of the narrative. Nothing much of real importance happening. Certainly, Victor Milán moved the chess pieces around the board, preparing them for the huge conclusion, but other than that transpiring, the story felt sluggish, as if it was being held in place until the author choose to unleash all that pent-up energy in a grand finale.

Even with its problems, I did enjoy The Dinosaur Knights, just not as much as The Dinosaur Lords, and without a doubt, I do intend to read book three of the series. Mainly, because I can’t resist those already mentioned dinosaur knights. But, honestly, that isn’t the only reason. There was enough action and tantalizing foreshadowing of mysterious conflicts here to make me want to see where it all goes. However, I will be expecting more from The Dinosaur Princess; a hope that Victor Milan builds on this fabulous ending, picks up the narrative pacing a bit, and makes a concerted effort to develop the main characters (especially Princess Melodía) into more than mere caricatures. If those things happen, I will be with this series until the end. If not . . .

Purchase the book at Amazon.

Posted in 3 Stars, Epic, Fantasy | Tagged dinosaur knights, dinosaurs, dinosaurs in battle, epic fantasy, epic fantasy series, Grey Angels, The Dinosaur Knights, The Dinosaur Lords, Tor, Tor Books, Victor Milán | 2 Comments

TOP TEN TUESDAY

Posted on September 5, 2017 by Bookwraiths

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday! This is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, where a new top ten list hits the web every week!

This week our topic is …

TEN BOOK I STRUGGLED TO FINISH OR DNF’D

Like all readers, there are times when a book just doesn’t catch my interest. It might be the story wasn’t for me, or, perhaps, it did not match my current mood.

Well, this list is about those books. A few of the recent novels I struggled to finish . . . or did not finish at all. Since I’m an obsessive completitionist, I try really hard to finish everything I start, but even I fail from time to time.

By picking the books on here, does that mean I’m saying they are not worth giving a try?

Nope. I am merely saying I had a hard time finishing or could not finish them. That doesn’t mean others won’t love them. Hell, I might try them another time and enjoy the hell out of them. But right now, they are just not for me.

10. Silent Hall by N.S. Dolkart

Well, I did finish this one, but it was a long, hard road, one which I thought many times was insurmountable due to the depth of my deep boredom with the story. I’m sure others will really dig this social commentary posing as an epic fantasy, but I am not one of those people.

Buy Silent Hall at Amazon.

9. The Palace Job by Patrick Weekes

Comedic fantasy. Funny fantasy. Call it whatever you’d like, I usually don’t like it. And this book wasn’t the exception to the rule. The Palace Job failing to hold my attention at all, as I jettisoned it after a hundred pages or so in favor of something a bit more exciting and less funny.

Buy The Palace Job at Amazon.

8. A Darkness Forged in Fire by Chris Evans

I’m always on the lookout for my next dark epic fantasy. You know, one of those series where the author throws you into a complex world with loads of shit taking place, and you either have to sink or swim. And this seemed like a good book to satisfy my appetite for that. It wasn’t though. I gave up after reading two hundred pages.

Buy A Darkness Forged in Fire at Amazon.

7. Halls of Law by V.M. Escalada

The description of this one peaked my interest. (I’m a sucker for invasions and talented teenager caught up in the turmoil.) And I tried and tried to get caught up in this story. I can’t count how many times I set this book aside only to force myself to come back to it and try again. Finally I had to accept it wasn’t going to work.

Buy Halls of Law at Amazon.

6. The Alchemists of Loom by Elise Kova

Cool cover. A unique world. And the usual blah blah blah story publishers seem to die to give to readers these days. You know, the YA romance all grown up to strut its stuff as an epic fantasy. At least that was all I got out of this one before it landed on the virtual scrap pile.

Buy The Alchemists of Loom at Amazon.

5. A Crucible of Souls by Mitchell Hogan

This tale of a gifted orphan training at a sorcery school who seems to enchant everyone he comes into contact with left me cold. Plus I found the magic system to be a bit boring. Now, I’m not saying this was a bad book, poorly written, or anything like that; rather, it just wasn’t a story I was terribly interested in. Others might be.

Buy A Crucible of Souls at Amazon.

4. The Forgetting Moon by Brian Lee Durfee

A coming of age grimdark fantasy filled with twisted prophecies, cold-blooded murders, power struggles and quite a few twists and turns. At least, that is what I was introduced to in the first two hundred fifty pages of this weighty tome. And it wasn’t a bad book. But it wasn’t what I was looking for either.

Buy The Forgetting Moon at Amazon.

3. Empire in Black and Gold by Adrian Tchaikovsky

This opening installment of Tchaikovsky’s Shadows of the Apt series was a book I desperately wanted to love. It looked like it was tailor made for me with its style, subject matter, and tone. Once I got into the story itself though, I could not get excited about it. I’m still upset with myself for not loving it.

Buy Empire in Black and Gold at Amazon.

2. The Darkness That Comes Before by R. Scott Bakker

So many people recommended this book/series to me. They made it sound like the thinking man’s epic fantasy. And I picked it up on two occasions, determined to dig into this narrative and uncover what so many people loved about it. On both occasions I failed miserably, stopping before I got halfway through the book. At this point, I’m calling bullshit and moving on.

Buy The Darkness that Comes Before at Amazon.

1. Trial of Intentions by Peter Orullian

After braving the waves of negativity about this series and actually enjoying the first book (The Author’s Definitive Edition, that is.), I was excited to move on to book two. Unfortunately, I could not get into this narrative. New characters. New goals. Several changes to our original characters personalities and motives. It all confused me, causing me to put this novel to the side. Eventually, I gave up. I will try again though, because I did enjoy the first book.

Buy Trial of Intentions at Amazon.

Agree? Disagree? Tell me how you feel about my choices.