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RED RIGHT HAND

Posted on August 16, 2016 by Bookwraiths

Genre: Horror – Fantasy

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Tor (July 26, 2016)

Length: 304 pages

My Rating: 3 stars

Lovecraftian horror. Gore-ban fantasy. Label it whatever you will, Red Right Hand is a dark fantasy/horror hybrid, which takes its characters into shadowy, terrifying places where they confront unspeakable things the human mind was not created to deal with. Certainly not for the squeamish, Levi Black’s novel will keep you flipping pages even as you attempt to control your nausea at some of the things you behold. And what, I might ask, is more fun than that?

Charlie Tristan Moore is our main point of view character in this tale. One night she returns home, unwanted memories of a childhood trauma spinning through her mind, only to find an even worse horror awaits her: three demonic skinhounds. These creatures attack her, coming close to killing her except for the timely intervention of a mysterious Man in Black.

But sometimes your savior is worse than your tormentor, and that is true for Charlie. For the Man in Black turns out to be none other than Nyarlathotep, aka the Crawling Chaos. This ancient divinity having chosen Charlie as his acolyte — whether she likes it or not. And just to make sure she cooperates, Double C has her best friend Daniel tucked away as a hostage.

But what could Nyarlathotep want with a mere mortal like Charlie? Well, it is simple really: he wants to kill two other elder gods and needs an acolyte to aid him. Not that he is promising Charlie anything good for her help. Nope, all she can count on is horrific creatures and scenes of terror, as she follows in the Crawling Chaos’ footsteps, fulfilling his will; her own horrific past continuing to bubble to the surface at every step, threatening to sever her tenuous hold on sanity.

Now, Red Right Hand is at its core a horror story. Levi Black’s writing style perfect in conveying the frightening otherworldly creatures and gory, violent scenes. His description narrative surprisingly deft at weaving an atmosphere of controlled terror. Charlie an amazing victim to see dealing with these nightmares. The slow unveiling of her sexual abuse as a child a cancer which slowly grows within her mind and a readers until it pulses like a throbbing pustule of infection needing to be lanced.

That does bring up my only quibble with the book however: Red Right Hand is a horror story. Sure, there can be arguments made it is an urban fantasy with blood and violence turned to max, but any such rationalization is trying to explain away the obvious, which is this is a horror in the Lovecraftian style but with even more (At least, in my opinion) terrifying scenes and graphic weirdness. Nothing wrong with that at all. It is merely a fact all prospective readers should realize before they buy the novel. Much like inquiring whether a new urban fantasy is more romance than fantasy. (And we know there are a lot of those out there right now.)

Creepy. Shocking. Horrifying. Never dull. Red Right Hand succeeds in spectacular fashion in upholding the Lovecraftian horror legacy. Sure to please every fan of dark, horror-infused fantasy, this is a thrill ride not to be missed.

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, horror | Tagged elder gods, fantasy horror, horror-infused fantasy, Levi Black, Lovecraftian fantasy, Red Right Hand, skinhounds, Tor, Tor Books, urban fantasy horror | Leave a comment

TOP TEN TUESDAY

Posted on August 16, 2016 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 …

MY FAVORITE SERIES WITH POST-APOCALYPTIC SETTINGS

10. DEMON CYCLE

Peter Brett’s post-apocalyptic world of demons and defensive wards really caught my attention when I finally read it. Naturally, my favorite part was learning about the constant battle between the otherworldly demonic hosts and the remnant of humanity, who has learned to hide behind defensive wards as they have developed a new society after the destruction of the ancient world. First book is great. The second left me a bit perplexed, and the reviews I’ve read of book three have listed numerous problems, but I still love the setting for these stories.

9. THE ROAD

Brutal. Monotone. Eerie. Depressing. I could go and on with the descriptive terms for this heart-breaking story of a father-son duo attempting to survive in a harsh post-apocalyptic world. No, it isn’t a novel I intend to ever read again, but the emotional impact it had on me when I did read it was palpable and nearly spiritual in nature. And the terrible setting is what made it so breathtakingly real and painfully realistic.

8. THE VAGRANT

A man, a goat, a baby, and a singing sword have to cross a demon haunted land. Why they are doing this, and where they are going is a mystery. You also don’t know who exactly this knight is and why he might be important. The demons here are dangerous and frightening from the beginning however; their warped, inhuman thoughts, desires, and internal squabbling a real joy to read about. All of these elements meshing to make this post-apocalyptic series one of my current favorites.

7. THE PESHAWAR LANCERS

In the 1870s, a comet shrieked into the atmosphere, broke into numerous pieces before crashing to earth in a line from Russia to the United States. The resulting destruction froze technological advancement in its tracks and set civilization back hundreds of years; the immense destruction wiping out whole nations before triggering a global winter which nearly destroyed mankind altogether. Now, in the 21st Century, the British Empire has survived after relocating to India, where it faces off against several other surviving countries. All of that meaning this is an awesome post-apocalyptic world to read about.

6. DREAMING CITIES

A novella series which has captured my attention and held it, making me want more. Here, the technological modern world was destroyed by the judgment of God, who sent his angels to guide and rule over the broken remnants of humankind. But what are the angels really? Why do they fight wars against one another? And what purpose did the human knights serve in the armies of their angelic creators. Read the novellas and find it all out. Can’t recommend this one enough.

5. THE GRIM COMPANY

A grimdark fantasy series set in a post-apocalyptic medieval-type world. The destruction which created this lost and gloomy place was a human crusade against the very gods. Mankind taking up arms against the divinities, waging a war which they ultimately won. Now, the world is slowing dying. The absence of the gods sucking the very life out of the land itself. Magic itself evaporating. And while everything goes to hell, the remaining mages of the world play their games of power, even as they desperately excavate the remains of the fallen gods for magical essence to fuel their struggles.

4. CHRONICLES OF THE PNEUMATIC ZEPPELIN

A steampunk world filled with black powder guns, lighter-than-air flying machines, underwater cities, and striped Martians. Well, at least, a few half-Martians here and there. This fantastical place having grown up upon the ruins of the modern world after an invasion by Martians destroyed everything which came before — including electricity. And the swashbuckling crew of the Pneumatic Zeppelin takes its readers on a grand tour of all the amazing steampunk sights.

3. THE BROKEN EMPIRE

My favorite grimdark of all time is also the one with the best post-apocalyptic world. Honestly, this place is a treasure trove of ancient artifacts from a modern world destroyed by nuclear war. What makes it especially entertaining is how creative Mark Lawrence is with the leftover remnants of the past; every day items and terminology we are all familiar with having been twisted into very different things. Each revelation about this place yet another reason to keep turning the pages and follow along behind out tour guide: Jorg Ancrath.

2. THE DARK TOWER

This genre blender has so much going on in its pages that it really defies categorization. Part fantasy, part western, part science fiction, part post-apocalyptic. The Dark Tower mixes themes from them all, but the worlds which Roland Deschain and his Ka-Tet journey through are pure post-apocalyptic gold. I mean, when the world has moved on that is just another way of saying it disappeared in a cataclysmic upheaval, right?

1. DARWATH

I’m ending my list with my favorite post-apocalyptic fantasy world ever: Darwath. Here the medieval society is overwhelmed by the rising of the Dark. These subterranean creatures rising at night and devouring all humans they can discover. The story revolving around a group of survivors attempting to flee before their hunters to the ancient refuge of Dare, where they hope to discover a way to drive the Dark back underground forever. An amazing tale of discovery, ancient mystery, and adventure, set within a very realistic post-apocalyptic world. Everyone should try it.

Posted in Top Ten Tuesday | Tagged Barbara Hambly, Chronicles of the Pneumatic Zeppelin, Cormac McCarthy, Darwath, Luke Scull, Mark Lawrence, Peter Newman, Peter V. Brett, post-apocalyptic fantasy, Prince of Thorns, Richard Ellis PReston Jr, S.M. Stirling, Stephen King, the broken empire, the dark tower, THE DEMON CYCLE, The Grim Company, The Peshawar Lancers, The Road, The Vagrant, Top Ten Tuesday | 12 Comments

THE WEAVER’S LAMENT

Posted on August 15, 2016 by Bookwraiths

The Weaver’s Lament by Elizabeth Haydon

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Symphony of Ages #9

Publisher: Tor Books (June 21, 2016)

Length: 352 pages

My Rating: 3 stars

The Weaver’s Lament is the ninth and final book in Elizabeth Haydon’s The Symphony of Ages series. Never having read any of the prior novels, I concede this book was probably not the best place for me to start my journey with these characters, but all in all, I found this finale an entertaining fantasy which I was able to fully enjoy. Ms. Haydon doing a wonderful job highlighting the important events of the past, making it easy for old fans or new readers to slide into this epic saga and understand why events are transpiring as they are and why, in the scope of the series as a whole, they are important.

From line one of the story, it becomes apparent that the “Three” are the focus of this tale. Rhapsody, Achmed, and Grunthor reuniting after significant time apart. Naturally, their reunion causes them to reflect on the past: the good and bad times, the successes and failures, and how a thousand years of peace since the War of the Known World has changed them. Achmed, in particular, muses that Grunthor has aged the most of their trio while Rhapsody has remained virtually untouched by time, though her joy for life is nothing like it once was; a fact which is not pleasing to Achmed at all. Of course, what makes Achmed’s thoughts important is how it highlights his continued desire for Rhapsody even after a thousand years, his disdain for her husband, Ashe, the Lord Cymarian, and the real reason he refuses to attend a “family reunion” Rhapsody has planned. (The family reunion is for the children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and so forth which Rhapsody and Ashe have accumulated during their prodigious life span.)

Even without her two, oldest friends in attendance however, Rhapsody’s family get together goes forward. But, underneath the tranquility, all is not blissful, because Ashe is finally feeling his age. Yes, the dragon blood coursing through his veins has kept him seemingly ageless, but inside he feels the decrepitness of age enveloping him; more and more effort required to hold back the dragon. This has caused Ashe to desire to shed his mortal shell, ascend to the elemental plane as a dragon like his father before him, and leave his family behind. All that is holding him back Rhapsody’s refusal to let him go and her desire to conceive yet another child. The two at an impasse, which they generally agree to disagree about.

Just when events seem to foreshadow Lament turning into an emotional but rather bland farewell tour, an unexpected and tragic event occurs, which throws things into a downward spiral of chaos. The death of a beloved character the catalyst for the sudden shift in tone. An unfortunate misunderstanding destroying the thousand year peace. Rhapsody, Ashe, Achmed, and Grunthor all playing huge roles in the global drama. The fairy tale ending of our heroes journey seemingly derailed and ruined, begging the question “Why? Why? Why?” as the final half of the book is devoured to its final conclusion.

The best quality of The Weaver’ Lament for me personally was the camaraderie between the Three and the depth of their history together. Rhapsody, Achmed, and Gruntor acting exactly like old friends reunited; their bond of friendship so tight no amount of time — whether it be ten years or a thousand years — capable of severing it. The casual, easy way they slide into age old roles proof of their love for and comfort with one another, no matter their new exalted social positions. And while I (a first time reader) did not know their full history, I still found their bond compelling, convincing, and worthy of this, a final farewell.

The love story between Rhpasody and Ashe was also very well done, I thought. A couple who has been together for a thousand years, raised a family together, braved dangers, fought wars, shepherded new nations, and seen the world around them transform from what they knew can’t remain the same: time changes everything, but these two accept that, desperately seek to remember and celebrate the past which brought them together, and hold on to one another. Of course, they still have problems. They still have rifts they chose not to discuss. (Achmed’s desire for Rhapsody to name one.) They do not always agree. But they attempt to keep their love alive — even when tragedy envelopes them.

And it is actually the bitter tragedies which occur here that I found least compelling. Not wishing to spoil the surprises in Lament, I will refrain from discussing exactly what events I’m referring to, but just know that they felt forced and more than a little convenient. Sure, they were completely plausible, but they did not work for me. Perhaps, constant readers of the series might view them differently, but for my uninitiated eyes, I felt they ruined the organic flow of events, merely giving the author an opportunity to close out plot threads which seemed to have been left dangling the whole series.

A wonderfully entertaining and richly textured novel– truly epic in every aspect — The Weaver’s Lament deftly evokes deep emotions in old and new readers alike. Elizabeth Haydon turning the finale of her Rhapsody saga into a mesmerizing affair, which is both an amazingly entertaining introduction to these character as well as a fitting farewell to them.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

Posted in 3 Stars, Epic, Fantasy | Tagged Achmed, Ashe, Cymarian, elizabeth haydon, epic fantasy, epic fantasy series, final book of Symphony of Ages, Grunthor, rhapsody, The Symphony of Ages, The Symphony of Ages finale, the weaver's lament, Tor, Tor Books, War of the Known World | 8 Comments

FUNDAY MONDAY, OR THE BOOKS THAT WILL HELP ME SURVIVE THE WEEK AHEAD (AUGUST 15, 2016)

Posted on August 15, 2016 by Bookwraiths

funday-monday

The work 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 grind, deep down, I’m not, so I’m going to escape dreary reality by reading some great books.

Last week was a great reading success for me. Who says kids going back to school is a bad thing? And I’m hoping this week will continue that trend, so I’m going to be really optimistic with my list, beginning with my new arrivals. Everyone wish me luck.

The Unnoticeables by Robert Brockway

Genre: Horror – Urban Fantasy

Series: The Vicious Circuit #1

Publisher: Tor (July 7, 2015)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 288 pages

There are angels, and they are not beneficent or loving. But they do watch over us. They watch our lives unfold, analyzing us for repeating patterns and redundancies. When they find them, the angels simplify those patterns, they remove the redundancies, and the problem that is you gets solved.

Carey doesn’t much like that idea. As a punk living in New York City, 1977, Carey is sick and tired of watching the strange kids with the unnoticeable faces abduct his friends. He doesn’t care about the rumors of tarmonsters in the sewers, or unkillable psychopaths invading the punk scene—all he wants is drink cheap beer and dispense asskickings.

Kaitlyn isn’t sure what she’s doing with her life. She came to Hollywood in 2013 to be a stunt woman, but last night a former teen heartthrob tried to eat her, her best friend has just gone missing, and there’s an angel outside her apartment.

Whatever she plans on doing with her life, it should probably happen in the few remaining minutes she has left of it.

There are angels. There are demons. They are the same thing. It’s up to Carey and Kaitlyn to stop them. The survival of the human race is in their hands.

We are, all of us, well and truly screwed.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

Twilight of the Dragons by Andy Remic

Genre: Fantasy — Grimdark

Series: The Blood Dragon Empire #2

Publisher: Angry Robot (September 6, 2016)

Author Information:Website | Twitter

Length: 336 pages

A group of heroes makes dangerous bargains in order to overthrow the dragonlords and their Dragon Engines.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

Posted in Funday Monday | Tagged Andy Remic, angry-robot, dragons, Fantasy, Funday Monday, grimdark, horror, Robert Brockway, The Blood Dragon Empire, The Unnoticeables, The Vicious Circuit, Tor Books, Twilight of the Dragons, Urban Fantasy | 7 Comments

SUPERBOY, VOL. 1: INCUBATION

Posted on August 14, 2016 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, he was able to tear himself away from his busy schedule (He has returned to the stressful middle school environment, so I’m not being sarcastic this time.) to give his thoughts on an older graphic novel that he read after beginning to devour old episodes of Smallville.

Superboy, Vol. 1: Incubation by Scott Lobdell

Genre: Superhero Comics

Series: Superboy Vol. VI: #1

Publisher: DC Comics (August 7, 2012)

Author Information: Twitter

Length: 160 pages

Connor’s Rating: 4 stars

When I read Teen Titans. Vol. 1: It’s Our Right to Fight a few weeks ago, Superboy was involved with the story, and I wondered if he had his own comic book. So, naturally, I did some online research, found out the New 52 Superboy book answered a lot of questions about this guy, and ordered it from my local library. After reading it, I have to say I really liked it; the art Superboy New 52 was good, the story better, most of those questions I had about this New 52 Superboy were answered, and it really helped make Teen Titans, Vol. 1: It’s Our Right to Fight an even better comic story.

This story is about a group of scientist who work for N.O.W.H.E.R.E. If you are wondering what N.O.W.H.E.R.E. is, you are not alone; I had no idea who these guys were. But it is an organization that thinks there are too many metahumans in the world, so they have decided to destroy metes who are under 18 years of age. Not sure why only the teenagers have to go, but whatever. So, anyway, they make Superboy; a robot with kryptonian blood from Superman and human blood mixed together. This metahuman exterminator’s first mission is to (Drumroll Please) . . . DESTROY THE TEEN TITANS!

Superboy_(New_52) #3 There was a lot to like about this graphic novel. I thought the writer (Scott Lobdell) really brought out how tough and confusing this new Superboy’s life was. I mean, he is a robot created to kill yet isn’t given any choice about how he is going to live his life or whether he wants to be a killer. And the art by R.B. Silva was amazing. I’m not much of an artist, so I can’t really describe why I liked the art here so much, but it was really cool and made the book so much better. I just liked the book all the way around.

Well, I hope you enjoyed this review, and I hope you give this graphic novel a try if you haven’t already read it. I thought Superboy was really good and will be trying to get my hands on the rest of the series some time soon — if dad will loan me some money to pick up the other issues. You don’t have a problem doing that, do you, dad?

About 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, Smallville and American Pickers 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 4 Stars, DC, Graphic Novels, The New 52 | Tagged DC Comics, Incubation, New 52 Superboy, R.B. Silva, Scott Lobdell, Superboy, Teen Titans, The New 52 | 1 Comment

STACKING THE SHELVES, VOL. 33

Posted on August 13, 2016 by Bookwraiths

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!

The Unnoticeables by Robert Brockway

Genre: Horror – Urban Fantasy

Series: The Vicious Circuit #1

Publisher: Tor (July 7, 2015)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 288 pages

There are angels, and they are not beneficent or loving. But they do watch over us. They watch our lives unfold, analyzing us for repeating patterns and redundancies. When they find them, the angels simplify those patterns, they remove the redundancies, and the problem that is you gets solved.

Carey doesn’t much like that idea. As a punk living in New York City, 1977, Carey is sick and tired of watching the strange kids with the unnoticeable faces abduct his friends. He doesn’t care about the rumors of tarmonsters in the sewers, or unkillable psychopaths invading the punk scene—all he wants is drink cheap beer and dispense asskickings.

Kaitlyn isn’t sure what she’s doing with her life. She came to Hollywood in 2013 to be a stunt woman, but last night a former teen heartthrob tried to eat her, her best friend has just gone missing, and there’s an angel outside her apartment.

Whatever she plans on doing with her life, it should probably happen in the few remaining minutes she has left of it.

There are angels. There are demons. They are the same thing. It’s up to Carey and Kaitlyn to stop them. The survival of the human race is in their hands.

We are, all of us, well and truly screwed.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

Twilight of the Dragons by Andy Remic

Genre: Fantasy — Grimdark

Series: The Blood Dragon Empire #2

Publisher: Angry Robot (September 6, 2016)

Author Information:Website | Twitter

Length: 336 pages

A group of heroes makes dangerous bargains in order to overthrow the dragonlords and their Dragon Engines.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

Posted in Stacking the Shelves | Tagged Andy Remic, dragons, grimdark, horror, Robert Brockway, Stacking the Shelves, The Blood Dragon Empire, The Unnoticeables, The Vicious Circuit, Twilight of the Dragons, Urban Fantasy, urban fantasy horror | 8 Comments

THE SHADOWED PATH

Posted on August 12, 2016 by Bookwraiths

The Shadowed Path by Gail Z. Martin

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Chronicles of the Necromancer

Publisher: Solaris (June 14, 2016)

Author Information:Website | Twitter

Length: 384 pages

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Never having read Gail Z. Martin’s Chronicles of the Necromancer, I went into this short story collection with a completely open mind, determined not to let the author get my stamp of approval just because I’m a fan of her other works. Obviously, I was hoping and expecting to like The Shadowed Path, because I generally do like whatever Martin releases, but even I was surprised how much I enjoyed my introduction to Jonmarc Vanhanian.

It all begins with Jonmarc as a teenager living a fairly peaceful and idyllic life in a small, fishing village. His father is the local blacksmith; his mother is the master of the household; and young Jonmarc’s path in life seems set to follow in their footsteps. That is until a brutal attack by raiders destroys everything, sending the lone survivor down a far different path.

At first, things appear to normalize for our young man. He is taken in by a family in a neighboring village, joins in their way of life, and even settles down as a married man with a baby on the way. All this new responsibility driving Jonmarc to scrounge around for every silver coin he can make, which causes him to make a decision which destroys everything yet again. This final, horrifying event sending our bereaved youth running across the kingdom as part of a traveling troupe. Among these other refugees from society, our young hero hopes to escape his past, see the world outside his tiny corner of the realm, and find the place he is meant to be. But little does he know everything he is soon to experience!

Written as a series of stand alone chapters in Jonmarc’s early adult years, these stories are like snapshots of his life pinned into a scrapbook, bulging with adventure after adventure as he encounters bitter lose, deep emotional attachment, caring friends, wise mentors, and constant life lessons. Time and again our young hero is forced to accept the harsh realities of life, learn from his and others mistakes, rise above his limitations, and continue to fight to discover contentment and purpose in a life he never wanted. All of it slowly shaping him into the man he will eventually become.

Besides the wonderful character study of Jonmarc, what I thoroughly enjoyed here was the subtle worldbuilding by Gail Z. Martin. Constrained by length limitations (Hey, I was not making any sort of joke there, so don’t take it that way.), she still managed to create real atmosphere, believable tension, and litter the pages with different flavors of this fantasy society including magical and mythical beings from werewolves and vampires to necromancers and ghosts; all them seamlessly integrated into society in a way which made them seem as real and normal as blacksmiths, tanners, or potters.

Even better for all those prospective readers out there, no prior knowledge of Martin’s Chronicles of the Necromancer is required to enjoy this collection. Each of the stories are self-contained episodes, which easily stand on their own. Definitely, certain themes run through all the tales, but those are more matters of continuity and connection rather than an endless lure to force readers to pick up Chronicles to get all the”real” answers. So don’t let your lack of experience with this series hold you back at all from trying this one out.

Action. Adventure. Tragedy. Humor. Camaraderie. Magical creatures. Coming-of-age themes. Ghostly mayhem. The Shadowed Path has all these things and more; Gail Z. Martin using each to fully entertainment her readers, even as she slowly persuades them that this Jonmarc Vanhanian is someone they really need to read more about.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

Posted in 3 Stars, Fantasy, Short Stories | Tagged Ascendant Kingdoms, Chronicles of the Necromancer, Fantasy, fantasy short stories, Gail Z. Martin, Gail Z. Martin short stories, Jonmarc Vanhanian, Solaris, The Shadowed Path | 4 Comments

SILENT HALL

Posted on August 11, 2016 by Bookwraiths

Silent Hall by N.S. Dolkart

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Godserfs #1

Publisher: Angry Robot (June 7, 2016)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 400 pages

My Rating: 2 stars

Silent Hall is an epic fantasy (perhaps more focused toward young adults) filled with many classic fantasy tropes, such as a group of strangers thrown together, an all-powerful (well, almost) wizard and an epic quest to save their home. There is adventure, gods, teenagers, angst, racism and many a sword and sorcery moment to wow you. At times, the narrative truly reminded me of Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series – the good parts. At others, the resemblance of Silent Hall to every other generic fantasy I’ve ever read was fairly unmistakable. The book was not bad. Nor was it great. For quite a while during reading, its star rating rose and fell in my mind until it finally came to rest within that most dreaded of reading zones: the Okay Zone. (Yes, the okay zone is distantly related to the dreaded “friend zone” we all have experienced in relationships.) Not that there is anything wrong with a book being just okay, because that is fine, at least, in my eyes. Every book out there isn’t going to be the “Next Big Thing.” You know, the one which makes history and fundamentally changes the genre. Nope, sometimes a story is decent and entertaining, which perfectly describes Silent Hall.

Here the tale revolves around five teenagers (approximately 16-19 years old) leaving their island home for different reasons. Two women and three men from different social classes and with diverse backgrounds cast together by fate, escaping the horrible fate of their homeland only by sheer luck. These youths finding themselves cast upon a mostly white continent where they find little respect due to their skin color (dark/black), are viewed as curse-bearers due to their island home’s doom, and still must deal with their own personal sorrows and the anxiety of an unknown future in the companion of strangers.

Forced to work together to brave this unkind and unfair place they find themselves in, Phaedra, Criton, Bandu, Hunter, and Narky spend the first part of this narrative coming together as a group. They (and readers) are introduced to each individual in turn (Every chapter shifts from one of our heroes to another.), learn about each person’s past (specifically the reason why they left home), have their hopes and fears examined, then inevitably clash and reconcile with one another. All of it preparing “The Five” for what lies ahead.

The real epic fun begins when our group finds their way to the mysterious castle (Silent Hall, as if you didn’t already know) of the wizard Psander. There they begin a crash course in this world’s pantheon of gods, different religions, magic systems, and multiple dimensions. This journey of discovery leading to the revelation of their true quest, as our five outcasts set forth on an epic adventure only they can accomplish. The journey taking them to places they never dreamed possible – including personal revelations about life and their place in the world.

Sounds like a classic fantasy story, doesn’t it? A really good one. At least, I thought so. But, now, since I’ve already said the novel was only okay to me I have to explain what I liked and what I did not like about the novel. In other words, I explain why Silent Hall got stuck in the Okay Zone.

Let’s start with the good.

The concept of a group of young strangers coming together, going on adventures with one another, and learning to accept and work with each other is a tried-and-true story which works when crafted correctly. Mr. Dolkart obvious is familiar with the traditional narrative device, using it to good effect as he brings Phaedra, Criton, Bandu, Hunter, and Narky to life before reader’s eyes. Each young outcast growing into a unique individual, driven by their own needs, desires, and fears while dealing with their own foibles. The constant interaction of these people creating lively and tension filled moments as well as giving the author the opportunity to weave in themes of anti-war, anti-bigotry, and other real world social issues into the fantasy tapestry.

As for the bad in Silent Hall, unfortunately, I would have to point to everything else. I will refrain from going into specific details involving the story, because that would require spoilers, but overall, I felt the worldbuilding, pacing, and plot had varying problems which detracted from my enjoyment of the narrative as a whole, no matter how much I enjoyed the main characters. For me (because, hey, this is my opinion after all), the world building was too complex, too confusing, and too aimless. Meanwhile, the plot was too disjointed, too slow, and too lackluster. As for the pacing, it alternated between too fast and too slow. Add in a heaping dose of fantasy subverting (Because we all read sword and sorcery fantasy for that, right?) and you can understand why I only felt this was an okay read.

Overall, Silent Hall is an okay debut from a new author. It definitely has a nice cast of character, who are well-formed and unique, as well as a world which could be whittled into shape quickly, but the story itself was fairly lackluster. I’m sure the next book by N.S. Dolkart will alleviate many of the plot and pacing issues I’ve complained about, as he further hones his obvious talent, and I will definitely be waiting to see where the story takes him next.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

Posted in 2 Stars, Epic, Fantasy | Tagged angry-robot, epic fantasy, N.S. Dolkart, Silent Hall | 3 Comments

GUEST POST: BROOKE JOHNSON

Posted on August 10, 2016 by Bookwraiths

Today, I am very excited to host Brooke Johnson, author of the Chroniker City series, to Bookwraiths. The second book in her steampunk saga (The Guild Conspiracy) just hit the shelves here in the United States on August 9, 2016, and I was fortunate enough for Brooke to take time out of her busy schedule to write a guest post. So enjoy!

Writing a STEM Girl Protagonist, and Why That Matters

by

Brooke Johnson

When I first got the idea to write the Chroniker City series, I knew I wanted a girl protagonist to head the story because a lone girl fighting against the established patriarchy for her right to be an engineer made for good conflict. But as I started writing the story and developed the character further, I realized why I was drawn to her in the first place. This smart, capable, daring young woman was the character I never had as a young reader.

the brass giant As a kid, I was heavily interested in science—physics and machines especially—but where I grew up, no one really encouraged girls to go into science, and for a long time I thought that there just wasn’t a future in it for me. Boys made fun of me for being interested in it, and my teachers and advisers discouraged me from pursuing that path because it might be too hard and I should pursue my other interests, like art and writing (despite the fact that I was a straight-A student and was deeply interested in taking every physics class my school offered). In the face of all that push-back, I gave up on a future career in science, decided to pursue writing because that’s what I was good at, and as I moved onto college, I wistfully looked at physics and engineering classes from afar, never voicing my desire to take that path. It wasn’t for me, they said. It would be too hard, they said. Part of me believed them.

Years later, when I sat down to write a steampunk novel, that repressed love of mechanical technology and physics—those blissful memories of the hours I would spend in my grandfather’s workshop, amidst the smell of gasoline and grease and metal, building things and breaking things and discovering something new—that all came back to me in the form of Petra, a young girl who wanted to be an engineer but was told that she couldn’t.

She was there all along, waiting to emerge, ready to prove herself and take a chance.

So Petra is the girl I wanted to be when I was younger… intelligent, confident, persistent… a girl who refuses to give up on her dreams despite the odds against her.

If only I had known her then.

THE GRAND CONSPIRACY Part of me wonders if she had existed in the books I was reading, if I might have had the courage to take a more difficult path and pursue my interests in physics and engineering, instead of acquiescing to the social expectations of everyone around me. Instead of reading about a girl going through the same struggle, fighting to follow her dreams and defy all expectations, I read about boys on adventures—boy scientists, boy engineers, boy explorers—and there was no room for girls anywhere in the pages of those books. Thankfully, a lot of that has changed, and my daughter—though still a toddler now—will grow up with books like Interstellar Cinderella and Violet the Pilot and Rosie Revere, Engineer, books to encourage an interest in science and engineering… the books I never had. And she’ll have Petra, too, if she needs her.

I may not have had Petra to look up to when I was younger, showing me how to stand up for myself and follow my dreams, but she’s out there now, for other girls who might be interested in math and science and engineering. And when they need her, she’ll be there waiting for them.

BROOKE JOHNSON is a stay-at-home mom and tea-loving writer. As the jack-of-all-trades bard of the family, she journeys through life with her husband, daughter, and dog. She currently resides in Northwest Arkansas but hopes to one day live somewhere more mountainous.

Connect with Brooke: Website | Twitter

Purchase her books at Amazon.

Posted in Author Spotlights, Guest Post | Tagged Brooke Johnson, Brooke Johnson guest psot, Chroniker City, guest post, steampunk, steampunk series, The Brass Giant, The Guild Conspiracy | 2 Comments

THE SHATTERED LENS

Posted on August 9, 2016 by Bookwraiths

The Shattered Lens by Brandon Sanderson

Genre: Fantasy — Middle Grades/Young Adult

Series: Alcatraz #4

Publisher: Starscape (July 19, 2016)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 336 pages

My Rating: 4 stars

My youngest son and I have been enjoying the Alcatraz series for several months now. Brandon Sanderson’s funny, bizarre, clever, and hilarious writing definitely takes some getting use to (I mean, the Evil Libraries are reading these stories after all, so Alcatraz has to confuse them.), but once you begin to acclimate yourself to the strangeness of the Free Kingdoms and the whackiness of the Smedrys the middle grade fun takes off. The author has even been kind enough to include another one of his creative magical systems and a serious undertone to the tale to satisfy more demanding readers: young and old alike. And the best part is The Shattered Lens sets everything up for the titanic conclusion to the series next book!

As we begin, Alcatraz can’t seem to catch his breath before the Evil Librarians unleash yet another diabolical scheme to take over the Free Kingdoms. After having foiled their foul plots for three straight books, you’d think the bad guys would have learned their lesson by now. I mean, Alcatraz Smedry has come home and they need to stop the foolishness already. But, no, the librarians move from defeat into full attack mode in The Shattered Lens. Their new target the Free Kingdom of Mokia, where they besiege its capital of Tuki Tuki. All of which means Alcatraz must once again use his extraordinary Smedry talent of breaking things (along with an unlimited supply of exploding teddy bears) to stop the vile villains in their tracks.

Like always, Alcatraz sets off without any real plan. Okay, he sorta has a plan. I mean, charging into battle with only his friend Bastille to help is kind of a strategy, right? The other Free Kingdoms will eventually come and help once they see Alcatraz taking a stand. They have to, don’t they? And, they will show up in time to stop the librarians’ coma-inducing weapon from taking out all of Tuki Tuki’s defenders, hopefully. Sure, the robot army of the Evil Librarians is impressive, scary powerful even, but Alcatraz knows it will all work out in the end, because . . . it always does.

As a middle grade book filled with whacky humor, it probably goes without saying that the jokes are the star here. Now, as a dad, I can’t say I laughed out loud at every one-liner or smiled at every silliness which Brandon Sanderson effortlessly penned, but my nine year old did. Every zany line, every ridiculous event amused him, entertained him, and thrilled him. And since my son is more the target audience for this mad caper than, I think Mr. Sanderson succeeded in doing exactly what he set to do: entertain the middle grade readers.

Don’t take the above statement to me I didn’t enjoy this book, because I did. It is just that different things held my attention. My personal favorite being the continued growth of the magical system, as here (and throughout the entire series) Mr. Sanderson has every so subtly unveiled oculatory lens, Smedry talents, the Incarnate Wheel, and so much more; the comical nature of each “magic” hiding yet developing an intricate and complex system which is very reminiscent of the magical systems from his “adult” epic fantasy series. The Alcatraz system yet another one of Sanderson’s magical masterpieces, which is well worth learning about.

As for any criticisms of this novel, I do not have any besides what I have already mentioned in my reviews of the three prior books, specifically you like Sanderson’s sense of humor here or you don’t. Obviously, if pushed to say more, I will admit the whacky, over-the-top fun was a bit much for me at times. And, sure, the more serious plot points took a backseat to the laughs. But please remember this is a middle grade book where comedy is king, so while those things did bother me, I do not hold that against The Shattered Lens in the least.

But it all comes down to whether you should read this book and this series, doesn’t it?

My only answer to such a question is that Alcatraz is a series you either like or you don’t. My son and I do like it. He gets all the jokes. I get most of them. He relates to Alcatraz. My nine year old self thinks Alcatraz is pretty cool. The magic system here makes my son laugh. The magic system makes me realize how smart Brandon Sanderson really is. The Shattered Lens‘ conclusion excited my son. The conclusion made me anxious to see how Mr. Sanderson can wrap this story up in The Dark Talent (set to be released September 6, 2016). And so that is why I would encourage all fantasy lovers to give this one a try, because your inner child needs to be released occasionally to have some fun.