WAITING ON WEDNESDAY — THE MOUNTAIN OF KEPT MEMORY

Posted on October 19, 2016 by Bookwraiths

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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 . . .

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the-mountain-of-kept-memoryThe Mountain of Kept Memory by Rachel Neumeier

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Saga Press (November 8, 2016)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 448 pages

In this gorgeous fantasy in the spirit of Guy Gavriel Kay and Robin McKinley, a prince and a princess must work together to save their kingdom from outside invaders…and dangers within.

Long ago the Kieba, last goddess in the world, raised up her mountain in the drylands of Carastind. Ever since then she has dwelled and protected the world from unending plagues and danger…

Gulien Madalin, heir to the throne of Carastind, finds himself more interested in ancient history than the tedious business of government and watching his father rule. But Gulien suspects that his father has offended the Kieba so seriously that she has withdrawn her protection from the kingdom. Worse, he fears that Carastind’s enemies suspect this as well.

Then he learns that he is right. And invasion is imminent.

Meanwhile Gulien’s sister Oressa has focused on what’s important: avoiding the attention of her royal father while keeping track of all the secrets at court. But when she overhears news about the threatened invasion, she’s shocked to discover what her father plans to give away in order to buy peace.

But Carastind’s enemies will not agree to peace at any price. They intend to not only conquer the kingdom, but also cast down the Kieba and steal her power. Now, Gulien and Oressa must decide where their most important loyalties lie, and what price they are willing to pay to protect the Kieba, their home, and the world.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

Posted in Waiting on Wednesday | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

TOP TEN TUESDAY

Posted on October 18, 2016 by Bookwraiths

TOP TEN TUESDAYS

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 …

CHARACTERS I’D NAME MY CHILD AFTER

Speaking for myself, I know I’ve named more than a few pets after my favorite character of the moment, but I also thought seriously of naming my children after a few more.  In fact, several of the names I’ve listed below were discussed by myself and my wife when we were having our children.  Okay, a few might have been mentioned then dropped very quickly as soon as I say my wife’s face, but I still thought about them.

I will go ahead and admit that all of the picks below are boy names, and they are almost all ones I took a liking to when I was a child/teen.  That doesn’t mean I have never liked any female names in literature or cinema, because, honestly, I could produce another list of just female names.  However, as a father of only boys, I thought it easier to just list the names I recalled considering when I was blessed enough to have my children.

Anyway, here are a few of my favorites.

10. NEOneo

Yeah, I was all over The Matrix and The Matrix Reloaded back in the day. (No, I do not consider The Matrix Revolutions as existing in my world.)  And, naturally, I always thought Neo would be a really unique, cool name or nickname for a son.  No, my wife didn’t like the idea.

silk9. SILK

As a teenager, I loved The Belgariad.  It might have been a trope filled fantasy filled with one dimensional characters and every other insult modern fantasy readers can level at it, but I adored every minute of it.  And since my favorite character was Silk, I recall thinking back then that Silk would be a really amazing name.  Not quite so sure of that now, but, hey, I was a teenage at the time.

conan8. CONAN

Some of my favorite books when I first entered the fantasy genre were sword and sorcery tales penned by Robert E. Howard.  Conan was my first and favorite of his creations plus I also loved the two movies with  Arnold Schwarzenegger.  Since I was a young teenager with no concept of reality, I couldn’t imagine there being a better name for my son than Conan.  I mean, everyone would have to respect a kid named Conan, right?

 

 

strider_antique7. Aragorn

My biggest fanboy obsession as a teenager (other than Star Wars, of course) was Lord of the Ring, which I absolutely obsessed over.  My favorite character always being the mysterious, brave Strider/Aragorn, which is why I thought it would be kick ass to name my son after old Long Shanks himself.  Naturally, my wife was not thrilled with this idea at all.  But I shouldn’t have been surprised, since she doesn’t like Lord of the Rings either.

hector6. HECTOR

As a middle grade student, I read The Iliad and The Odyssey at school and became a huge Greek mythology fan.  But while I adored all the tales of Zeus, Perseus, Heracles, and all the rest, my favorite hero of the stories was always Hector, who willingly faced certain death at the hands of Achilles to protect his beloved city and people.  While the 2004 movie Troy didn’t capture the true epic nature of Homer’s tale, it did do a decent job of portraying Hector’s commitment and love for his family and his people; it also made me think back to when I was an eleven-year-old determined to name his son Hector.

bishops_heir_first5. KELSON

In my teen years I was a fan of Katherine Kurtz’s Deryni novels.  The medieval stories of kings and queens, lords and knights, church and kingdoms, capturing my attention and feeding my need for these types of historically flavored epics.  Young King Kelson was my idol back then, because I empathized with him due to our similar ages and also admired him due to his noble desire to do the right thing in every situation.  This led me to consider that Kelson might be a really cool name for a son one day.

 

 maximus4. MAXIMUS

Gladiator is still one of my favorite movies ever, and Russell Crowe is one of my favorite actors, especially his older stuff.  And, yes, I really wanted to name my son Maximus.  I mean, we could have called him Max for short.  But, unlike Lebron James, I wasn’t able to get my wife to pull the trigger on Maximus.  Maybe, a grandson one day.

 

 

oliver-queen3. OLIVER

This name only partially comes from my lifelong love of Green Arrow.  You see, when I was born, my mother wanted to name me Oliver Wendell, but my dad would not agree.  It seems he hated the name Oliver.  So anyway, I grew up having my mom tell me I should have been Oliver Wendell, then I  discovered this Green Arrow guy named Oliver.  That got me thinking that, maybe, I should name my son Oliver Wendell.  Unfortunately, my wife hated Oliver as much as my dad did.

clark-kent2. CLARK

The first superhero I ever loved was Superman after I watched Superman the Movie (1978) when I was a very impressionable six-year-old.  Naturally, my years of reading Superman comics, watching movies, and numerous tv series about Clark Kent gave me a fondness for his name, and I seriously wanted to christen my oldest son Clark.  Wife considered it before finally rejecting the name, which is bad, because my eldest son bears a striking resemblance to Henry Cavill.

 

highlander1. CONNOR 

In 1986, Highlander blew my mind.  Looking back now, I don’t really know why, but, at the time, I thought it was the best damn movie since The Empire Strikes Back.  Loved the tv series years later, and I always, always said if I had a son he would be named Connor.  Hell, I would have been happy to name him Connor MacLeod if I could have.  And after whiffing on Oliver and Clark, I would not be denied on using this name, which is why my middle son, who contributes the graphic novel reviews from time to time, is proudly called Connor.

 

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TEASER TUESDAY

Posted on October 18, 2016 by Bookwraiths

teasertuesday1

Teaser Tuesday is a meme held over at Books and a Beat.

To participate, all you have to do is:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share at least two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

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the-burning-isleThe Burning Isle by Will Panzo

Genre: Fantasy – Grimdark

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Ace (November 1, 2016)

Author Information: Website | Twitter 

Length: 304 pages

 

“My name is Cassius,” the young man said.

The barkeep grunted, his face low over his plate, eyes down.

“I don’t make it a habit of eating with strangers.”  Cassius sipped from his cup and watched the barkeep as he ate.

“Is that your coy way of asking my name?” the barkeep snapped, without raising his head.

“I didn’t think it was so coy.”

“A word of advice, boy.”  The barkeep gripped his fork as though prepared to defend himself with it.  “Around here, you mind your fucking business, and others will do the same.  That may seem strange to a mainlander like you, but it’s our way.”

“Is the language necessary?”

The barkeep smiled.  “My apologies.”

“Why do you assume I’m from the mainland.”

“Your delicate sensibilities for a start.  And your carelessness.  No one from the island would walk into a bar and throw gold around the way you did.  Not if he wanted to live long.”

“I can take care of myself,” Cassius said.

The barkeep laughed and began to choke from laughing.  He sipped his wine.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

Posted in Teaser Tuesday | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

IMPERSONATIONS

Posted on October 17, 2016 by Bookwraiths

impersonationsImpersonations by Walter Jon Williams

Genre: Science Fiction – Space Opera

Series: Dread Empire’s Fall

Publisher: Tor.com (October 4, 2016)

Author Information: Website 

Length: 131 pages

My Rating: 4 stars

 

First off, I have to just mention how amazing these Tor.com novellas are.  Obviously, some I have enjoyed more than others, but every one of those I have had the pleasure to read have been excellent introductions to the authors, and I, for one, am so glad these novellas are available for those of us who have limited reading time.  Hopefully, the people at Tor.com will keep them coming.

Okay, with that gushing out of the way, I have to admit never having experienced any of the Dread Empire’s Fall novels or any other work penned by Walter Jon Williams.  That meant I went into this read of the returning character of Caroline Sula with no preconceived notions one way or another.  But after finishing it, I have to say that Impersonations was among the best novellas I have read; Walter Jon Williams crafting an amazing narrative with an intriguing plot, which is detailed, engaging, and intriguing, while also spending time molding mesmerizing characters, who are complex and unique.  All in all, this was a sci-fi space opera tale which succeeded in every way.

The story revolves around war hero, Caroline Sula, who finds herself sent to a dead end military post on a backwater world called Earth.  Usually, this assignment is reserved for those who have done something very embarrassing, not the typical reward a war hero expects after saving the Shaa civilization from destruction by the Naxid.

But Sula takes it all in stride.  She knows she has been sent to Earth for one reason: Her success upset some important people, and so they have gotten her out of the way to hide their failures.  Her natural desire to do her best in any situation outweighing any slight she feels by her banishment.  (The fact that Sula’s ancestors originated on Earth and that she herself is passionate about ancient Terran History does help ease her pain somewhat.) Quickly, though, she finds her active governance causing her to butt heads with a powerful company engaged in some mysterious and quasi-illegal activities.  This conflict turning ugly rapidly.

If that isn’t enough, the story adds yet another distinct flavor: Sula being revealed as a very paranoid individual, who is desperately afraid a secret from her past will be uncovered.  This information so devastating that it would ruin her whole life, causing even her heroics in the war to cease to matter.  And when an old friend from school wants to reconnect to Sula, her paranoia increases exponentially — especially since another Caroline Sula has appeared on Earth making backroom deals and promising favors in return for credits.

Short but complex, Impersonations is a suspenseful story full of political machinations, personal drama, and loads of intrigue. Nope, it isn’t filled with action scenes, but the personal journey of Caroline Sula quickly draws you into this world, wins you over to her side, and makes you eager to follow along behind her, as she attempts to make her way through a proverbial minefield.  The whole narrative passing by so quickly yet effortlessly that you wish there was more to read.  And I suppose there is — at least for me anyway — since I can now add Walter Jon Williams’ Dread Empire’s Fall series to my ever growing to-be-read list.

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 4 Stars, Science Fiction, Space Opera | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

THE FLASH, VOL. 6: OUT OF TIME

Posted on October 16, 2016 by Bookwraiths

guest-post2Today, 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.

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flash-out-of-timeThe Flash, Vol. 6: Out of Time by Robert Venditti

Genre: Superhero Comics

Series: The Flash #6

Publisher: DC Comics (June 23, 2015)

Author Information:  Website | Twitter

Length: 208 pages

Connor’s Rating: 3 stars

Like I’ve said before, I love the Flash.  The only superheroes who might be cooler than him are Green Arrow (the tv version) and Superman.  I like Arrow because I’ve been a fan of the tv show for three years now.  Superman has to be up there, because he is the coolest and best hero in the DC Universe.  But right behind those guys is the Flash.  Sure, I prefer the tv Barry Allen, but the comic is cool too.  And so, whenever I read a new Flash comic, I think a lot about the story, making sure everything fits with what has happened before and “makes sense” like my dad always says.  And that is why this comic disappointed me.

not-angry-jsut-disappointed

This book is about the Flash’s future self coming backwards through time to fix things Barry has and will do that haunt him.  Meanwhile, this time period’s Barry is dealing with problems left over after the Crime Syndicate took over and some personal things like his feelings for Patty and the new Wally.  But the time traveling is the main story here.

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Okay, the big reason why I was disappointed in this book was the actually story.  Maybe, other books in the series have been better, and it was hard for this one to compete with them.  Maybe, I’m getting sick of time-traveling stories.  Or it could be that I don’t like time traveling stories where I have no idea if anything has really changed.  Or, maybe, this time traveling story just confused me too much.  I don’t really know, but I didn’t love the time traveling story in Out of Time, which meant I thought the book was okay at best and average at worst.

What was good about this book was the art and characters, who I really liked.  Plus, I mean, if the Flash is in the story it can’t be too bad, right?

the-flash-earth-2-cisco-barry-selfie

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.

batman-V-superman-logoAbout Connor (In his dad’s words):

Connor is a preteen who enjoys graphic novels (DC Comics are preferred), superhero movies (Captain America is his favorite), watching episodes of The Flash, Arrow, and Supergirl  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 revolves around pop favorites of the moment such as Cake by the Ocean (Clean version because dad is still alive) as well as anything by Fall Out Boy — except for the new Ghostbusters (I’m Not Afraid) song which Connor denies they were ever involved with.  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 3 Stars, DC, Flash, Graphic Novels | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

THE LIBRARIANS AND THE LOST LAMP

Posted on October 15, 2016 by Bookwraiths

the-librariansThe Librarians and the Lost Lamp by Greg Cox

Genre: Action/Adventure/Fantasy/TV

Publisher: Tor (October 11, 2016)

Series: The Librarians #1

Author Information: Website

Length: 272 pages

My Rating:  3 stars

 

Based off the TNT tv show, The Librarians, this opening installment of the print series is a fast-paced, action-packed story.  Even if you have never experienced the old TNT movies or the new tv show it spawned, The Lost Lamp is very immersing and easily accessible, sure to entertain any readers seeking a quick, fun read.

the-librarians-season-3

Shifting back and forth from 2006 to 2016, this tale centers around the search for the fabled lost lamp of Aladdin.  Flynn Carsen, the one and only Librarian back in 2006, began this quest when he battled the vile 40 Thieves to keep them from accessing the magical powers of this very same lamp.  Now, however, these same bad guys might have arisen again today, and, thankfully, a new generation of Librarians have been recruited and are busy investigating a strange run of luck in Las Vegas, in which reeks of magic and perhaps the return of the 40!

But who are the Librarian, you ask?

the-librarians-1

Well, these guys are part of a secret society of libraries who date back centuries; their task to increase knowledge, aid mankind, recover magical artifacts and keep them safe from those who would use them for evil, and to constantly thwart the diabolical schemes of the Serpent Brotherhood, whom they have been battling since, at least, the days of the Library of Alexandria.  In other words, these are some bad ass librarians!

the-librarians-2

Being familiar with The Librarians series, I went into this read concerned whether a novel could capture the quirky fun of people armed with vast knowledge of books tackling bad guys.  My apprehension was unwarranted, however, because The Lost Lamp perfectly duplicates everything about the TNT show, delivering a cinematic experience in book format.  Greg Cox is even able to add more depth to the narrative by excellent integration of historical facts as well as perfect use of exotic settings, making the magical and fantastical elements of The Librarians even more exciting.

To summarize, I’ll simply say that I enjoyed my time with The Lost Lamp.  The book was an entertaining read which fans of the TNT Librarians series and lovers of light, fast-paced stories with action, adventure, magic, and history will adore.  Who knows, it might even encourage some people to finally start watching the tv series, because everyone needs another show to binge watch on the weekend, right?

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 3 Stars, Fantasy | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

STACKING THE SHELVES, VOL. 38

Posted on October 15, 2016 by Bookwraiths

 

stacking-the-shelves

Stacking the Shelves over at Tynga’s Reviews is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, whether it be physically or virtually. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

herothe-burning-islethe-last-sacrifice

dragon-and-thief

legend-of-camber

 

Obviously, I am really looking forward to reading each of these books.

  • Hero is yet another  installment in the growing Drizzt saga, and while I know many don’t look fondly on Salvatore’s ever growing saga, I enjoy them as a guilty pleasure.
  • The Burning Isle is a grimdark fantasy I’ve read a lot about and have been dying to get my hands on for weeks now.
  • Any fantasy by James A. Moore is always welcomed, as this guy has become one of my favorite authors, and The Last Sacrifice beginning a new series is even more reason to get really excited.
  • Dragon and Thief was a surprise when it arrived in the mailbox, but it sounds really interesting.
  • Katherine Kurtz’s Legends of Camber of Culdi is a teenage favorite, which I am looking forward to revisiting, though I fully expect it not to be nearly as mesmerizing as it was three decades ago.

Are any of these books on your reading radar?  Have you already read them?  Let me know.

Posted in Stacking the Shelves | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

EVERFAIR

Posted on October 13, 2016 by Bookwraiths

everfairEverfair by Nisi Shawl

Genre: Alternate History / Historical Fantasy / Steampunk

Publisher: Tor (September 6, 2016)

Series: Stand Alone

Author Information: Website | Twitter 

Length: 384 pages

My Rating:  3 stars

Blending alternate history, steampunk, and fantasy elements as well as tackling difficult social issues (colonization, racism, religious tolerance, and gender intolerance), Everfair sets out to tell an epic story of the Congo from the era of Belgian control (circa 1885) to post-World War I.  Featuring a diverse cast, Nisi Shawl crafts her narrative to allow readers to see through the eyes of every one of the characters, as these diverse persons experience important events in their own unique ways.  And, overall, the author succeeds in crafting an entertaining story set in an inventive setting, which also happens to educate readers in many ways.

The title of this book is taken from the central local of the story: the imagined colony of Everfair.  In this alternate timeline, a group of well-meaning westerners with socialist beliefs (the Fabian Society) found a colony in Africa.  Willingly giving sanctuary to escaped slaves from the tyrannical Congo ruled by King Leopold II of Belgium, the Fabians speak of equality and acceptance for all people, but they do not even perceive their own hidden racism, as they impose western customs on all the colonial inhabitants.  But, somehow, someway, the Fabians and their fellow Everfair citizens must find a way to bridge their differences, accept all people for who they are, and overcome the many obstacles in their path to create a utopian society in the heart of Africa.

Obviously, the most captivating feature of Everfair is the concept itself.  A four decades long struggle to create, defend, and firmly establish a new country with enlightened ideals is one most every reader will crave to experience firsthand.  That Nisi Shawl is able to tackle the social issues, cultural clashes, and horrors of European colonization of Africa while still mixing in steampunk and fantasy elements only adds to the intrigue of this novel.  And to top it all off, Everfair is set in a very realistic, well developed alternate history setting, which does not disappoint in its use of real historical people and events.  All of which means the premise for this story and its goals are ambitious and worthy of notice by readers everywhere.

Like all things, however, Everfair also has its fair share of missteps, flaws, elements which failed to excite but disappointed or puzzled.  The most glaring example being the actual structure of the narrative itself.  Here Nisis Shawl uses short, snapshot-like chapters to tell her story.  These brief glimpses focusing on different characters, shifting from place to place, and skipping substantial periods of time.  Many of the most important events in the tale taking place in between these chapters.  Readers having to be satisfied with a quick exposition of what had happened when they were not looking.  Many of these events major plot points.  The lack of focus on them, the failure to allow readers to experience them firsthand, a real disappointment.

Everfair is a book which aims high and comes so tantalizingly close to completely reaching its optimistic goals.  Without a doubt, this book made me analyze my own views and caused me to reflect upon the nature of humanity and our propensity to harm when we mean to help, while also entertaining me with a highly realized alternate history world with precise touches of steampunk and fantasy.  However, I have to admit being disappointed by the structure of the narrative, as most of the major events happened offstage and were merely summarized for me after the fact. But this is definitely a book worth reading, especially if the premise itself appeals to you.

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 3 Stars, Alternative History, Fantasy, Steampunk | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

TOP TEN TUESDAY

Posted on October 11, 2016 by Bookwraiths

TOP TEN TUESDAYS

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 …

BOOKS I’VE READ BECAUSE OF RECOMMENDATIONS

I’m going to limit my choices to those books I’ve read due to recommendations from fellow bloggers or my Goodreads’ friends.  If I opened it up any further than that, this list would be way too difficult to narrow down to only ten, because I’ve read a large majority of books due to others telling me how great they were.

READY PLAYER ONE10. READY PLAYER ONE

Who didn’t recommend this novel to me a few years ago?  That would be a better question for me to ask myself.  Everyone was in love with Ernest Clines tribute to the 1980s and nerdom in general.  So I read it.  Finished it even.  All I can say is that I won’t be recommending this book to anyone I know or going to see the movie.  So this recommendation was an epic fail for me.

 

 

9. LEVIATHAN WAKESLEVIATHAN WAKES

This sci-fi space opera was recommended to me by lots of people.  I went into my read hoping (and expecting) to love it. Unfortunately, I was left a little perplexed by why everyone loved the series so much.  Yet another recommendation which did not work out at all.

 

 

 

the blade itself8. THE BLADE ITSELF

Once I began reading grimdark, this author is the one I was told I had to read.  Lord Grimdark was the ABSOLUTE KING OF GRIMDARK!  Nothing else came close to comparing to his brilliant characters and genre defining themes.  When I didn’t really dig his Shattered Sea trilogy, everyone told me I had to read this book to understand all the love Abercrombie got.  Well, I read the book.  I still don’t understand.  Guess, it’s just me.

 

the-unremembered7. THE UNREMEMBERED

I just finished this novel, so it is fresh in my mind as I write this.  And the only reason I picked up Peter Orullian’s updated version of The Unremembered was a blogger I follow recommended it.  What made the recommendation more persuasive was the honest acknowledgement of the book’s flaws.  Once I was warned not to expect the next Game of Thrones, I was able to really see the cool parts of the narrative.

 

theft-of-swords6. THEFT OF SWORDS

Upon my return to reading fantasy about four years ago, Michael J. Sullivan was a name I immediately began hearing.  Since my handful of friends knew I had always loved classic fantasy back in the day, they told me I had to give this author’s books a try, because they fit my previous tastes.  And I really enjoyed this book and several others penned by Mr. Sullivan.

 

THE VAGRANT5. THE VAGRANT

Great post-apocalyptic fantasy/sci-fi series here.  I mean, Peter Newman’s novel is exactly the kind of genre blending story that I love to read.  And I would not have ever picked it up if not for a handful of Goodreads friends and bloggers who kept raving all the time about how great this novel was.  You were right, guys.  You were right.

 

MISTBORN EU4. MISTBORN: THE FINAL EMPIRE

Like Joe Abercrombie and Michael J. Sullivan, Brandon Sanderson was an author whose name was whispered in my ear time and time again once I returned to the fantasy fold.  There were lots of places where I could have started my journey with Sanderson, but this was my choice.  And I have to admit really enjoying this book — though the ending was so good I can’t seem to find any desire to read the rest of the trilogy.

 

when the ehavens fall 23. WHEN THE HEAVENS FALL

This was a book which completely slipped my notice when released.  If not for one of my blogger friends out there, I would never have given another thought to this novel, but he was dedicated and tenacious in promoting how awesome this book was, how amazing this series could be.  And since I had to know what was so great about it, I got my hands on the book and found myself on the ground floor of the new Malazan, because Marc Turner’s Chronicle of the Exile is shaping into just that sort of sprawling, interconnected, and kick ass series.  Yeah, you can consider that a recommendation!

 

beyond redemption2.  BEYOND REDEMPTION

I’m going to give credit for this recommendation to the same blogger who turned me on to When the Heavens Fall.  Yet again, I had totally missed this grimdark lovers delight when it was first released, then I read some posts about how amazingly creative and different Michael R. Fletcher’s book was, and now I am a huge fan of this author.  Great guy and fabulous writer.  Anyone who hasn’t read this book needs to give it a try now, because book two The Mirror’s Truth is going to be released in next few months.

 

prince of thorns1. PRINCE OF THORNS

No single person recommended this novel to me.  Rather many people talked about, wrote about it, expressed their opinions of it (both good and bad) on Goodreads and the blogosphere.  After having heard so much about Jorg Ancrath’s story, I had to read the damn thing for myself, and while I really disliked Jorg most of the time, I thought Mark LAwrence’s writing was superb and this book amazing.  So this is a recommendation that everyone who mentioned PoT online can share in, because without all your love and angst I would never have picked it up.

Posted in Top Ten Tuesday | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

TEASER TUESDAY

Posted on October 11, 2016 by Bookwraiths

teasertuesday1

Teaser Tuesday is a meme held over at Books and a Beat.

To participate, all you have to do is:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share at least two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

borderthe-librarians

The Librarians and the Lost Lamp by Greg Cox

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Series: The Librarians #1

Publisher: Tor (October 11, 2016)

Author Information: Website

Length: 286 pages

 

Magic is real, Colonel Eve Baird thought.  Just look at this place.

For those who want to know more about this book after reading that one line, here you go.

For millennia, the Librarians have secretly protected the world by keeping watch over dangerous magical relics. Cataloging and safeguarding everything from Excalibur to Pandora’s Box, they stand between humanity and those who would use the relics for evil.

Ten years ago, only Flynn Carsen, the last of the Librarians, stood against an ancient criminal organization known as The Forty. They stole the oldest known copy of The Arabian Nights by Scheherazade, and Flynn fears they intend to steal Aladdin’s fabled lamp. He races to find it first before they can unleash the trapped, malevolent djinn upon the world.

Today, Flynn is no longer alone. A new team of inexperienced Librarians, led by Eve Baird, their tough-as-nails Guardian, investigates an uncanny mystery in Las Vegas. A mystery tied closely to Flynn’s original quest to find the lost lamp. . . and the fate of the world hangs in the balance.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

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