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SKULLSWORN

Posted on May 5, 2017 by Bookwraiths

Skullsworn by Brian Staveley.

Genre: Epic Fantasy

Series: Stand Alone (Unhewn Throne Series)

Publisher: Tor Books (April 25, 2017)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 304 pages

My Rating: 2.5 stars

With his new standalone novel Skullsworn, Brian Staveley returns to the world of the Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne, focusing on one of the characters from that trilogy: Pyrre. This priestess a dedicated follower of the God of Death, wrapped in mysterious and deadly by any measure. But even after three epic fantasy books, little is know about her: who she really is, what she truly believes, and why she loves death so much. And if you are a reader who wants to discover more about Pyrre or someone who just wishes to sample Brian Staveley’s writing without committing to an intimidating epic fantasy trilogy, then Skullsworn is a novel you might want to try.

Taking place years before The Emperor’s Blades, Pyrre is twenty-five years old and a mere acolyte of the god Ananshael, trained in the sacred arts of dealing death in all its myriad ways. But, now, she is faced with a final trial before she is anointed a true priestess of death, one she fears she cannot pass.

It isn’t the seven murders she must commit in 14 days, or the fact that she must kill particular types of people — including a pregnant woman — that worries Pyrre. Rather, it is the final offering she must give to Ananshael: the one she loves. Problem being that Pyrre has never loved anyone. Not anyone she recalls anyway. And if she can’t fall in love and kill her beloved within the prescribed time, then she not only fails the test but must sacrifice herself to Ananshael!

Never one to be intimidated by insurmountable circumstances, our strong-willed, determined, and resourceful acolyte sets out with her two “Witnesses” to journey to her home city of Dombâng with a desperate plan. Many years ago, there was a young man whom Pyrre was involved with there. She can’t say she loved Ru Lan Lac (Well, she isn’t sure, because she really doesn’t know what love feels like.), but he was close to her at one time, someone she felt affection for. And, now, she returns to that past determined to unleash a rebellion in the always volatile city in order to get close to Ru Lan Lac (He is the local constable), certain that once they are together the old flames of their passion with rekindle, to be followed by love; at which point, Pyrre will kill him.

Fantasy romance, I’m sure some of you are assuming right about now. And Skullsworn is about someone trying to understand love and fall into it . . . sort of. But it isn’t the kind of love most of us think about when we say “romance,” because Pyrre is an assassin whose perspective on life (including love) is abnormal: absent any normal connotations. Something which isn’t really surprising when dealing with a woman who has been trained to unflinchingly kill anyone, anytime, anyway. Her whole life one without common boundaries, lacking traditional moral limits, surrounded by people who believe as she does. Love merely a word without any real meaning to her. This trial really a journey — both literally and figuratively — of self-justification for her warped view of life. So, while the word “love” is thrown about, there really isn’t any real romance to be found here.

What can be found in Skullsworn is violence, action, and lots of killing — by assassins, crocs, spiders, and even less savory things. All of it conveyed beautifully by Brian Staveley’s wonderful, flowing prose. Many of the passages in this narrative memorable and immediately quotable. Where Chronicles of the Unhewn Throne showed the author’s ability to tame a sprawling epic, this more narrow, more personal, first person story shows Staveley at his best, creating a vivid setting in the hot, swampy Dombâng, while taking readers on a guided tour of the bizarre psyche of Pyrre, an acolyte of Death. The novel a textbook illustration of a fantasy author at the top of his game.

But somehow, someway, this amazingly written novel only received 2.5 stars rating. And I’m certain that puzzles many of you. The reason is fairly simple, however: Pyrre.

As I always say, stories are all about characters for me. Mesmerizing magic, awe-inspiring worlds, and pulse-pounding plots only take a book so far. Eventually, it all comes down to whether I connect with the characters. If I love them or love-to-hate them, then what happens matters to me, causes me to keep turning the pages, desperate to find out what transpires next. However, when I don’t care about the characters or outright loath them, then it doesn’t matter to me if they succeed or fail, live or die. And, unfortunately, Pyrre was someone I didn’t care about, at all.

Now, to be completely transparent, I have to admit I was concerned about this reaction when I picked up Skullsworn. Unlike so many other readers of Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne, I never cared much for Pyrre. Sure, she was deadly, mysterious, edgy. I still felt fairly “meh” about her. But in the trilogy it didn’t impact my enjoyment, because she was a minor character, surrounded by others whom I did come to deeply care about. Here, though, she is the narrator, the guide, the whole show. Every word, every thought, every philosophical musing on life, love, and whatnot filtered straight through her twisted mentality. And, frankly, her ideas and beliefs didn’t interest me very much, especially her final epiphany about the true nature of love, which made me dislike her even more than I had previously — even if it was very fitting for Pyrre’s personality.

For the simple reason that I disliked Pyrre, Skullsworn just wasn’t for me. It isn’t a bad book by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, I would say Brian Staveley’s writing is superior here to that in Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne; his amazing weaving of action, mythology, and philosophical commentary spectacularly done, showing definite growth in his writing skill. Hopefully, others will be able to appreciate its fine qualities without being turned off by the main character. As for me I’ll pass on Pyrre but will definitely be reading Brian Staveley’s future offering.

I received an advanced reading copy of 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 2 Stars, Assassin, Fantasy | Tagged Assassin, Brian Staveley, Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne, Pyrre, Skullsworn, standalone fantasy, standalone fantasy novel, Tor, Tor Books | 8 Comments

WITHIN THE SANCTUARY OF WINGS

Posted on May 4, 2017 by Bookwraiths

Within the Sanctuary of Wings by Marie Brennan

Genre: Fantasy

Series: The Memoirs of Lady Trent #5

Publisher: Tor (April 25, 2017)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 352 pages

My Rating: 3 stars

Within the Sanctuary of Wings is the fifth and final book in Marie Brennan’s The Memoirs of Lady Trent, which chronicles the explorations of this dragon naturalist. Probably it wasn’t the best place to begin my journey with Isabella, but, all in all, I found the narrative easy to grasp, the dragons interesting, and the allure of the Lady’s voice hard to resist.

The story begins with Isabella’s quest to explore her world and learn about all the bewildering varieties of dragons unfulfilled, as well as her ambition to enter the prestigious all-male Philosophers’ Colloquium unrealized. But this momentary lull in the advancement of Lady Trent’s goals is short-lived as a Yelangese man interrupts her husband Suhail’s lecture on Draconean language, announcing that the remains of an unknown dragon species has been discovered in the inhospitable Mrtyahaima Mountains.

Naturally, Isabella must go and verify this for herself. The fact that her homeland of Scirland and Yelang are currently at war, that she herself is not beloved in Yelang due to events in the past, and that she will be climbing unto the highest peaks of the most rugged mountains on her world does nothing to deter her determination. And, soon, the Lady, her husband Suhail, her companion Tom the Dragon Scholar, and a Yelangese guide set out on a daring expedition, which is part adventure, part exploration, and part scientific discovery.

Without a doubt, Isabella is the focal point of this story (as would be expected of a memoir). She is a very engaging narrator, shifting effortlessly from self-depreciating humor to clever remarks to scathing political commentary to profound scientific exposition, and carries the tale from beginning to end with her compelling voice. Something which is absolutely necessary since the narrative would have certainly floundered quickly without her, because, unfortunately, the story itself is a bit on the dull side.

I realize it is hard to believe that an expedition into hostile territory through rugged terrain and sub-zero conditions to uncover what could be a world-changing scientific discovery could ever be dull, but it really is. Mainly, this is due to the fact this is a “memoir”; a title which proudly announces that no matter the risks before her Lady Trent will come through unscathed. And it is hard to fear for her safety as she braves dangers great and small, because she is obviously writing this after her survival. She herself acknowledges the tediousness of much of her great expedition, saying, on more than one occasion, that she isn’t relating what occurred because it is too banal to be interesting to her readers.

This brings up another criticism: WtSoW is a one person story. For whatever reason, Marie Brennan relegates the few people around Isabella into minor role players; each given only token tasks in the events transpiring around them. From reviews of the other volumes in the series, this appears not to have been the case in the past, as Suhail and Tom, in particular, played pivotal roles. Why, in this final installment, the author chose to jettison that writing style and leave it all up to Lady Trent to carry the load of the tale I don’t understand. Certainly, Isabella is up to the task (barely), but I can’t help but believe the narrative would have been better served if her co-stars had been given more importance in the goings-on, interacted more with our star, and, perhaps, shown some growth from beginning to end.

Even with those criticisms, Marie Brennan’s novel mesmerizes in its clever handling of dragons and their scientific role in a fictional world. These great beasts revealed as far more than mere mythical creatures or magical beings. Lady Trent’s desire to scientifically explain them quite entertaining and immensely interesting. Those section where the science shifts to the forefront probably my favorite sections of the whole narrative.

Within the Sanctuary of Wings is a fitting closure to Lady Trent’s tale; her adventures of scientific discovery ending on a compelling note. While it is a story which can be enjoyed on its own, I believe prospective readers would be better served if they come to this conclusion after having been immersed in all Isabella’s previous tales.

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, Fantasy | Tagged Fantasy, fantasy series, Lady Trent, marie brennan, The Memoirs of Lady Trent, Tor, Tor Books, Within the Sanctuary of Wings | 1 Comment

INDIE WEDNESDAY: CHRIS TURNER

Posted on May 3, 2017 by Bookwraiths

Along my reading journey, I’ve made a conscious decision to include self-published, indie, 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 turn my Indie Wednesday feature into a day where writers can introduce themselves and their work to everyone.

With this in mind, I’m turn over the blog to Chris Turner, author of the Beastslayer: Rise of the Rgnadon.

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SWORD AND SORCERY MEETS SYNCED AUDIO

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Three years ago, I was invited by Chazz Hill-Hayr from Booktrack to sequence original sff to audio. I did so, used the booktrack free studio tool, and it offered up a new experience.
I was amazed at how the placement of some well-crafted audio could make a story come alive—syncing text with ambient tracks, special effects or theme-tracked music—in the same way a soundtrack makes a movie come alive.

Beastslayer : Rise of the Rgnadon is my most recent project—a story of chieftain heroes struggling to survive in a primal world—where Jurassic park-like creatures roam the landscapes amidst a backdrop of bronze-age tribal warfare.

The underground world-building was challenging, and chilling at times, an odyssey through bestial civilizations in a legendary mountain, insular and eerie. It took on a life of its own, while the rivalry between the two protagonists brewed and became something more real and sinister than expected. I wanted to explore the question: could sworn enemies become allies under the hardest conditions? That, and explore the primordial struggle between man and beast for supremacy, and the inevitable mixing of races and species over time through degenerate sorcery, as hideous as that might play itself out. So, this story evolved into more of a fantasy horror than strait-laced adventure, more in the tradition of RE Howard.

The audio component was especially challenging to sequence. After a period of compiling audio snippets and classifying each piece according to how each piece might affect a reader, I ended up choosing specific dark orchestral passages, drum beats and rhythms, mixed with sword blades clashing, warriors stampeding, creatures lowing, horses galloping and other effects to create the ambience of a lost and haunted world. From a layering point of view, Beastslayer is one of the more ambitious projects I have attempted. I hope you take the time to check it out.

The novel and booktrack are free on the sites listed below. I recommend reading the first two chapters on booktrack with headphones, then fill in the gaps on amazon and other booksellers.

As for the cover art, that’s an interesting story. Last summer I was in the process of fleshing out the rough draft and by a strange fluke, witnessed a water snake stalk and devour a frog on a lakeshore. Horrific yes, and I still shiver at the memory. Perhaps one of nature’s more horrifying displays. Yet the uncanny thing was that it mirrored a scene in the novel that I had already written—replace frog with man or lizardman, and water snake with more Jurassic-like hunter, and you get the cover art. Well, on that happy note, enjoy the story…

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Saeth. A word barely kept lingering on the tongue of even the bravest warrior. The name of an age darkest to humankind. An age of sorcerers and far-flung magic.

But a time no better for the making of heroes…

Two chieftain brothers lock swords in battle. Attacked by winged foes from the sky, the two sworn enemies are forced with a few surviving warriors, to take refuge in a beast-haunted mountain.

Yet in the shadowy land of Darfala, refuge is scarce, terrors many. Can the warriors work together to survive the chilling secrets of the mountain…and the ultimate menace, far darker…an old terror brewed by the lizard-men of lost Xatu?

Buy Links:
Goodreads
Booktrack
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
ITunes
Smashwords
Kobo

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Chris Turner
Website
Twitter

Author Info: Chris is the author of several books: The Relic Retriever, The Rogues of Bindar series, Future Destinies, Fantastic Realms and Denibus Ar.

When he is not being a complete jokester, he masquerades as a reclusive monk, engaging in long periods of creative projects. He is a prolific visual artist and has been an avid backpacker on treks all over the world. He has been involved in extensive studio recording, game design and software development over the years.

He currently resides in the Ottawa-Gatineau region of Ontario and Quebec.

Posted in Indie Wednesday | Tagged Beastslayer, Beastslayer: Rise of the Rgnadon, Indie authors, indie fantasy book, indie wednesday, self-published fantasy, self-published fantasy books, sword and sorcery | Leave a comment

TOP TEN TUESDAY

Posted on May 2, 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 …

TOP TEN FAVORITE BOOK COVERS FROM 2017

This post is all about fantasy covers. 2017 covers, specifically. At least, the ones I’ve seen. And, more importantly, the ones which immediately captured my attention and made me want to read the book.

Please understand I am not an art critic, nor do I pretend to be one. This list is all about the covers which I saw and though “Damn, I have got to read that book!” So I’m not going to explain why I liked certain covers more than others. Honestly, I don’t know why I preferred one over another, but I did, so I’m going to list them from 10 to 1, not through any scientific method but purely upon my current mood. So if you disagree, please feel free to sue me. (Joking, of course.)

10. AGE OF SWORDS

age of swords

9. WITH BLOOD UPON THE SAND

WITH BLOOD UPON THE SAND

8. RIVER OF TEETH

RIVER OF TEETH

7. THE DINOSAUR PRINCESS

THE DINOSAUR PRINCESS

6. KINGS OF THE WYLD

kings-of-the-wyld

5. EVIL IS A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE

EVIL IS A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE

4. THE CORE

THE CORE

3. SKULLSWORN

SKULLSWORN

2. THE STONE IN THE SKULL

1. OATHBRINGER

oathbringer

Agree? Disagree? Come on let me know. And please list a few others that I’ve missed, so I can discover them as well.

Posted in Uncategorized | 14 Comments

FUNDAY MONDAY, OR THE BOOKS THAT WILL HELP ME SURVIVE THE WEEK AHEAD (MAY 1, 2017)

Posted on May 1, 2017 by Bookwraiths

funday-monday

Another week begins. I quickly slip into my business suit and head back into the office to save a few innocent people. But while I try to fool myself into being excited about the promise of a new year and the continuation of the regular grind, deep down, I’m not, so I’m going to escape dreary reality by reading some great books.

This week I’ll be reading Brian Staveley’s latest fantasy offering, as well as finding time to read a novella from John Scalzi

Skullsworn by Brian Staveley.

Genre: Epic Fantasy

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Tor Books (April 25, 2017)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 304 pages

Pyrre Lakatur doesn’t like the word skullsworn. It fails to capture the faith and grace, the peace and beauty of her devotion to the God of Death. She is not, to her mind, an assassin, not a murderer–she is a priestess. At least, she will be a priestess if she manages to pass her final trial.

The problem isn’t the killing. Pyrre has been killing and training to kill, studying with some of the most deadly men and women in the world, since she was eight. The problem, strangely, is love. To pass her Trial, Pyrre has ten days to kill the ten people enumerated in an ancient song, including “the one you love / who will not come again.”

Pyrre is not sure she’s ever been in love. If she were a member of a different religious order, a less devoted, disciplined order, she might cheat. The Priests of Ananshael, however, don’t look kindly on cheaters. If Pyrre fails to find someone to love, or fails to kill that someone, they will give her to the god.

Pyrre’s not afraid to die, but she hates to quit, hates to fail, and so, with a month before her trial begins, she returns to the city of her birth, the place where she long ago offered an abusive father to the god and abandoned a battered brother—in the hope of finding love…and ending it on the edge of her sword.

Purchase the book at Amazon

The Dispatcher by John Scalzi

Genre: Science Fiction

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Subterranean Press (May 31, 2017)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 136 pages

One day, not long from now, it becomes almost impossible to murder anyone – 999 times out of a thousand, anyone who is intentionally killed comes back. How? We don’t know. But it changes everything: war, crime, daily life.

Tony Valdez is a Dispatcher – a licensed, bonded professional whose job is to humanely dispatch those whose circumstances put them in death’s crosshairs, so they can have a second chance to avoid the reaper. But when a fellow Dispatcher and former friend is apparently kidnapped, Tony learns that there are some things that are worse than death and that some people are ready to do almost anything to avenge a supposed wrong.

It’s a race against time for Valdez to find his friend before it’s too late…before not even a Dispatcher can save him.

Purchase the book at Amazon

Posted in Funday Monday | Tagged Brian Staveley, Funday Monday, John Scalzi, Skullsworn, The Dispatcher, Tor | 4 Comments

DEATHSTROKE, VOL. 1: THE PROFESSIONAL

Posted on April 29, 2017 by Bookwraiths

guest-post2 Today, I’m happy to have my son, Connor, return to the blog for yet another of his graphic novel reviews. Thankfully, this is becoming something of a regular occasion, and I personally will be enjoying it for as long as it lasts.

Deathstroke: The Professional by Christopher Priest

Genre: Superhero Comics

Series: Deathstroke (Rebirth) #1

Publisher: DC Comics (March 14, 2017)

Length: 144 pages

Connor’s Rating:

It took me a long time to write this review. Probably that is because I hate saying bad things about comics. Even when I don’t like a character, or story, or whatever, I know others love them. So, anyway, it took me a while to decide how to say I didn’t like this new Deathstroke comic at all.

When I started this book, I didn’t know very much about Deathstroke. (Well, other than what has been in The Arrow tv show, which isn’t anywhere close to the comics I’ve been told.) But I didn’t worry about it, because this was Rebirth, so I thought we’d have a new origin story, get to see how Deathstroke became who he is, what happened to his family, why his daughter is Ravager, and everything else. But, boy, was I wrong!

Instead of telling a reader anything about this new Deathstroke, we are given a pretty boring story about him in Africa doing something, then he is reunited with his long-lost daughter Rose, who just happens to be a target of an assassin, and so DS decides to find whose trying to murder his daughter and take care of them himself. We even have Batman making a guest appearance just to make things better.

deathstrokerebirth

There are a lot of things I didn’t like about The Professional. Since I’m not the greatest writer out there, I’m just gonna make a list for you.

1. The story was confusing, boring, jumped backward and forwards in time too much, told me nothing much about Slade Wilson, his family, or how he became this feared assassin. It was just bad every way you look at it.

2. I hated Deathstroke. There was nothing to like about him. He is a cold, uncaring jerk.

3. Very little fighting. I mean, DS is a deadly assassin, but we hardly get to see him do anything except try to trick everyone. Great, I guess, but I didn’t want to read about an assassin trying to outsmart everyone.

4 . The art was okay, but nothing awesome. So it didn’t make me want to read the bad story just to look at the really cool fight scenes and stuff. Oh, I forgot, there weren’t any cool fight scenes.

deathstrokepanel

Like I said at the beginning of this, I don’t like writing bad things about comics. I love comics and want every single one of them to be great. But Deathstroke: The Professional just wasn’t for me. Maybe, fans of the character, who already know everything about him, might love this book. I hope they do. But me . . . all I’m gonna say is that this Deathstroke isn’t for, at all.

Well, I hope you liked this review, and if you are on Goodreads, friend me any time to talk about my reviews or comic books.

About Connor (In his dad’s words):

Connor is a teenager who enjoys graphic novels (DC Comics are preferred.), superhero movies (X-Men:Days of Future Past is his current favorite.), watching episodes of The Flash, Arrow, and The Walking Dead, as well as the NFL, NCAA football, and the NBA on t.v., will happily accept any and all caps (because you just can’t have too many caps), and whose favorite music right now revolves around anything by Bruno Mars. And, no, Connor did not have any input into my paragraph about him. Being a dad does have it’s privileges.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

Posted in 2 Stars, DC, Graphic Novels, Rebirth | Tagged Batman, DC Comics, DCU, Deathstroke, Ravager, Rebirth, Slade Wilson, The Professional | 2 Comments

HELDENHAMMER

Posted on April 28, 2017 by Bookwraiths

Heldenhammer by Graham McNeill

Genre: Fantasy – Warhammer

Series: The Legend of Sigmar #1

Publisher: Games Workshop (April 29, 2008)

Author Info: Website | Twitter

Length: 416 pages

My Rating: 3.5 stars

There are times when all a fantasy reader craves is a simple, action-packed, and enjoyable tale, one filled with uncomplicated bad guys (The villains who just want to conquer or to lay waste the world) and conventional heroes (Men and women of honor, who have dedicated their life to defending humanity and keeping civilization safe from the forces of darkness). Simple stuff. And Heldenhammer is exactly that sort of book; an enjoyable, if fairly straightforward, narrative, which does a great job introducing readers to the Warhammer Universe and its most famous legend: Sigmar.

As the tale begins, Sigmar is a young warrior, eager to prove to his father and himself that he is a man of might who can protect his people from their many enemies, worthy of one day leading them into a new future. For the Unberogen tribe, strong though it is, is constantly beset by war: war with other tribes of men, war with the monsters of chaos, and war with the cruel orcs who come down from the mountains. But Sigmar — mighty man of war, respecter of the ways of his people, and lover of all the human tribes — has a vision of something better, something grander for the bickering tribes of humankind: Their own mighty empire!

Yet for all his grand aspirations, Sigmar is a man divided by competing desires. One the one hand, he is filled with a longing to be the leader who finally unites (kicking and screaming if need be) the threatened tribes of humankind and leads them into a safer, more enlightened age, where they need not live in fear in their own lands. However, he knows this is a monumental task, one which will consume his life, and he is torn with the equally strong desire to marry the beloved lady he loves, settle down, and grow old with a family around him; his grand vision become a youthful ambition cast aside in the face of maturity.

But fate always plays a role in a man’s life, and it does with Sigmar as well. Hard decisions, sorrowful sacrifices,and the desires of others combining to take away his choices and place his feet firmly on the path of destiny. This initial stage of his journey a long one, ending in a fateful battle which will determine the fate of mankind itself!

As I mentioned, Heldenhammer isn’t a complicated fantasy; it is straight ahead, simple, and well meaning. Sigmar a main character who is as close to perfect as a young man can be. This warrior a specimen of a man, gifted with outstanding fighting prowess, blessed with unusual wisdom, and surrounded by a loving father, dedicated friends, and wise counselors. He does have a few minor faults, but they are nearly inconsequential when balanced against his outstanding qualities. Yet, somehow, someway, Sigmar is a person you instantly like. He is truly the leader a man would want to follow behind, fight beside. He might be better than you at everything, but he doesn’t make you feel less but inspires you to become more. His deeds, his words uplifting, not insulting. And it is his persona, his conviction, his unfailing dedication to his dream which makes Heldenhammer more than a feel good fantasy time sink.

What aids Sigmar in his task to entertain is the Warhammer world. This role playing setting a treasure trove of familiar yet interesting cultures, lore, and histories; each mixing to create a place I personally never grow tired of learning about. And since this book focused on the diverse tribes of men and introduces nearly all of them, I found it even more entertaining, as a whole new vista spread out before my reading eyes. The whole thing wrapped in the sword and sorcery trappings of Warhammer; combat always just a page flip away.

There are some easily recognized flaws in the narrative however. The most obvious one the fairly predictable nature of the various plots. For even though Heldenhammer takes place over more than a decade, each of the plots take the expected trajectory, end as you would anticipated, and fail to illicit any substantial surprise. Especially bland is the middle section of the book where Sigmar does quite a bit of traveling, basically doing the same things over and over again (though Graham McNeill attempts to give each adventure their own unique flavor), reading a lot like filler material.

Even with that significant criticism, I truly enjoyed reading Heldenhammer. It was a fun book about a good guy who is actually heroic and wants to do good things for others. (OMG, how shocking it sounds to type that these days!) The Warhammer world was as interesting as always, and the fighting was classic sword and sorcery faire. Nope, the novel doesn’t revolutionize the genre, but it is well worth a read for Warhammer fans or anyone who loves some good old fashioned fantasy fun.

Purchase the book at Amazon

Posted in 3 Stars, Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery | Tagged dwarfs, Heldenhammer, Legend of Sigmar, orcs, sigmar, Sigmar Heldenhammer, sword and sorcery, The Empire, Time of Legends, Warhammer | Leave a comment

THE LIBRARIANS AND THE MOTHER GOOSE CHASE

Posted on April 27, 2017 by Bookwraiths

The Librarians & the Mother Goose Chase by Greg Cox

Genre: Action/Adventure/Fantasy/TV

Publisher: Tor (April 25, 2017)

Series: The Librarians #2

Author Information: Website

Length: 288 pages

My Rating: 3 stars

Quirky, fun, and fast-paced, this second installment of The Librarians series is another action-packed story, which captures the feel of the TNT series while adding its own unique touches. Definitely, a must read for fans of show and an entertaining read for anyone.

Stories have power.

In 1719, Elizabeth Goose published a collection of rhyming spells as a children’s book, creating a spellbook of terrifying power. The Librarian of that age managed to dispose of all copies of the book except one, which remained in the possession of Elizabeth Goose and her family, temporarily averting any potential disaster.

Now, strange things are happening around the world . . . Baird and her team of Librarians suspect that the magic of Mother Goose is again loose in the world, and with Flynn AWOL—again—it is up to Cassandra, Ezekiel, and Stone to track down the missing spellbook before the true power of the rhymes can be unleashed.

the-librarians-s3-large

As a media tie-in, the obvious attraction of this book is for fans of the television show to get another fix of their Librarians. And so, above all, Greg Cox main job is to spin a narrative which captures the overall tone of the show, mixing in the right humor, quirky adventures, and group dynamics to appeal to fans everywhere. And for the most part, this novel accomplishes all those things.

The concept of the Mother Goose Rhymes as powerful spells falling into the wrong hands is an exciting one, one which allows the author to separate our four characters, sending Eve, Ezekiel, Cassandra and Jake Stone out to complete their own separate parts of the adventure. These four different points of view allowing each character to strut their stuff, get their own time in the spotlight, and showcase their own unique personalities and strengths. We are even given some one-on-one time with Jenkins, as well as getting a better understanding of the Library, which quickly becomes a character in itself; the antics going on therein with some of its lively exhibits producing many of the funniest moments of the entire book.

the librarians the library

The only weakness of the narrative is probably the fact that it does separate our favorite librarians so much. Like most stories about groups, one of the magical qualities of the tv series is the group dynamics; how these people play off one another, bumbling and stumbling their way together through each hairy raising adventure. And here they were not together a large majority of the time. Chapter after chapter were the wonderful camaraderie and group humor was mostly missing. Certainly, this aspect of the show wasn’t completely absent, but I would have enjoyed a bit more of the Librarians together taking on the world.

Well- written, fun, and capturing the feel of the Librarians television series, The Mother Goose Chase is a great way for fans of the show to get another fix of their favorite action adventure series, or for newcomers to experience the quirky escapades of the world’s coolest librarians.

Purchase the book at Amazon

Posted in 3 Stars, Fantasy, Urban | Tagged Greg Cox, The Librarians, The Mother Goose Chase, TNT, TNT The Librarians, Tor, Tor Books | 3 Comments

INDIE WEDNESDAY: GLEN CRANEY

Posted on April 26, 2017 by Bookwraiths

With this in mind, I’m turn over the blog to Glen Craney, author of the The Spider and the Stone.

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The Dark Art of Conjuring Historical Dialogue

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John Fowles lamented that getting the Victorian language right in The French Lieutenant’s Woman was the most difficult technical problem he’d confronted in his writing.

Successful dialogue in historical fiction depends on navigating the treacherous channel between sounding contrived and coming off too modern and anachronistic. This is easier prescribed than accomplished.

the spider and the stone Diane Gabaldon of Outlander fame is the lady laird of archaic speech. Of all the historical novelists I’ve studied, she inches closest to the precipice of inaccessible dialect without losing her footing. Few are so blessed with an ear for precision or an acumen in Gaelic and Scots English. Even fewer of us have merited a companion book with glossaries and guides to Gaelic pronunciations.

In The Spider and the Stone, my novel about the Black Douglas of 14th-century Scotland, I gave up pretensions of approximating Gabaldon’s flair for the brogue and peculiarities of medieval Scottish speech. Instead, I applied what I call my mimetic toolbox to conjure authentic-sounding yet accessible dialogue.

Before commencing a new novel, I immerse myself in the vocabulary, rhythms of speech, peculiar syntax, and sounds of the era. Diaries and primary sources are helpful. Keeping a notebook of phrases, terms, and curses is invaluable. To gain mastery of the Scot accents in her Outlander series, Gabaldon listened to Scottish folk songs performed in live recordings. She said she also learned a lot from overhearing the conversations of audience members during the lulls between sets.

Likewise, while writing The Fire and the Light, my novel about the Cathars of 13th-century Occitania, I listened to contemporary renderings of authentic ballads and servientes once sung by the medieval troubadours. I also read English translations of troubadour verse. Something in the timbre of the lute and viol from that period gave me a better sensibility for Occitan speech—or at least what modern ears might perceive this vanishing language sounded like.

Gabaldon recommends reading other novels set during your era. But be warned: this can be problematic if you don’t have a firm grip on your own style. Writers should be on guard against abdicating their natural voice and allowing another’s imprint to seep into and overpower their subconscious.

One last consideration: If confront the thorny issues of foreign dialect and speech patterns, consider avoiding the first-person point of view. The more distant you dial back the POV, the less the reader will be aware of the variances between modern and antiquarian idioms.

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Glen Craney
www.glencraney.com
Twitter: @glencraney
Facebook: www.facebook.com/GlenCraneyAuthor

The Spider and the Stone: A Novel of Scotland’s Black Douglas

Logline: As the 14th century dawns, the brutal King Edward Longshanks of England schemes to steal Scotland. But a frail, dark-skinned boy named James Douglas, inspired by a headstrong lass from Fife, defies three Plantagenet kings and champions the cause of his wavering friend, Robert the Bruce, to lead the armies to the bloody field of Bannockburn. A thrilling historical saga of star-crossed love and heroic sacrifice set during the Scottish Wars of Independence.

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Awards:

Chaucer Award First-Place Category Historical Fiction
Foreword Magazine Book-of-the-Year Award Finalist
indieBRAG Medallion Winner
BTS Readers Choice Award Honorable Mention

Buy links:

Amazon: www.amazon.com/The-Spider-Stone-Scotlands-Douglas/dp/0981648401/
B&N/Nook: www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-spider-and-the-stone-glen-craney/1117253151
ITunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-spider-and-the-stone/id726731306
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/the-spider-and-the-stone

Author bio: Glen Craney holds graduate degrees from Indiana University School of Law and Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. He practiced trial law before joining the Washington, D.C. press corps to cover national politics and the Iran-contra trial for Congressional Quarterly magazine. The Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences awarded him the Nicholl Fellowship prize for best About the Author new screenwriting, and he is a three-time finalist for Foreword Reviews Book-of-the-Year Award. His debut historical novel, The Fire and the Light, was honored as Best New Fiction by the National Indie Excellence Awards. His books have taken readers to Occitania during the Albigensian Crusade, to the Scotland of Robert Bruce, to Portugal during the Age of Discovery, to the trenches of France during World War I, and to the American Hoovervilles of the Great Depression.

Posted in Historical Fiction, Indie Wednesday | Tagged 14th-century Scotland, Black Douglas, Glen Craney, Historical Fiction, indie wednesday, The Spider and the Stone | 6 Comments

THE TEN THOUSAND

Posted on April 25, 2017 by Bookwraiths

The Ten Thousand by Paul Kearney

Genre: Fantasy — Grimdark

Series: The Macht #1

Publisher: Solaris (August 26, 2008)

Length: 465 pages

My Rating: 4 stars

The Ten Thousand is a grimdark fantasy penned by Paul Kearney. Inspired by the historical journey of ten thousand Greek warriors in the Persian Empire circa 401 BC, this tale is a gritty, bloody, and brutal look at the realities of ancient war (especially civil war) and its undeniable horrors. With more than a few fantastical elements added, Kearney turns this into far more than historical fiction, but magic does not play as large a role in the narrative as some would like. However, if realistic and unabashed looks at ancient warfare and its consequences are what you love, then this is a can’t-miss grimdark.

On the world of Kuf, the Asurian Empire reigns supreme. The tall, golden skinned Kufr ruling a realm which stretches across the world and has subjugated every race — except for the barbaric Macht.

The Macht are stuff of legends to the people of the Asurian Empire. Yes, they are viewed as a barbaric race which lives a simple life across the sea in the Harukush Mountains, but they are also seen as the most horrible, most fearsome, most lethal warriors in the world.

And this is why the Great King’s brother assembles the greatest army of Macht the world has ever seen, making them the centerpiece of a grand force he leads across the world to unseat his brother. The Kafr and their subjects introduced to the Macht way of fighting and finding they are not prepared for it.

Yet, wars are won by chance as much as force of arms, and soon the Macht find themselves in the most unenviable of positions: The fickle gods forcing them to do the unthinkable, the impossible to survive!

Grimdark at its best is a mixture of many elements. It is graphic, shocking, and horrible at times. It shows the less-than-beautiful face of humanity. Characters are sketched in numerous shades of grey. Victory might be sweet, but it is never easy, comes with a huge cost, and leaves everyone involved traumatized by the experiences they have lived through. Good people die. Bad people live. Not all good causes are quite so good as they first appear, and the bad ones aren’t always wrong. Grimdark pushes a reader past the boundary lines of modern sensibilities, forces them to confront the beastly side of mankind, and demands that they accept that all is not what it seems — even heroes, saviors, or grand crusades of righteousness.

With The Ten Thousand, Paul Kearney clearly shows that he is a master of harnessing the deep, dark passion of grimdark, integrating all these elements, and delivering an impressive story. This book a powerful narrative, overflowing with emotions, and never shying away from viewing the brutality of wars and what they make good people do to survive. Yes, it is depressing at times, bloody in spots, and makes one want to look away from the things being done. But that also its strength and its power: The Ten Thousand a grimdark that accepts what it is and embraces it.

If I wished to criticize this novel (which I don’t), the only element I would point to is its faithfulness to the ancient Greek story of the Ten Thousand. A rousing tale by itself, I admit, but if a reader is familiar with Xenophon’s Anabasis, then Kearney’s version loses many of its surprises, becoming more of a retelling than an original concept all its own. Even then, it is still an enjoyable experience, but a foreknowledge of what is about to occur does deprive it of much of its suspense and power.

The Ten Thousand is a grimdark among grimdarks, a tale filled with passion, realism, and brutality. For lovers of the genre, they need look no further than here for their next fix. For newcomers, there are few grims more accessible, fast-paced, and easy to digest than this narrative. And, for me, this novel was a reinforcement of that nagging belief that no matter how many books I read there is yet another great book out there that I haven’t found yet, because this was my first Kearney grimdark, but it will not be my last.