STACKING THE SHELVES, VOL. 22

Posted on April 9, 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!

Well, this was a really good week for my reading fetish.

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the house of danielThe House of Daniel by Harry Turtledove

Genre: Alternate History — Urban Fantasy

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher:  Tor (April 19, 2016)

Length:  336 pages

A picaresque tale of minor league baseball—in an alternate Great Depression America full of wild magic.

Since the Big Bubble popped in 1929, life in the United States hasn’t been the same. Hotshot wizards will tell you nothing’s really changed, but then again, hotshot wizards aren’t looking for honest work in Enid, Oklahoma. No paying jobs at the mill, because zombies will work for nothing. The diner on Main Street is seeing hard times as well, because a lot fewer folks can afford to fly carpets in from miles away.

Jack Spivey’s just another down-and-out trying to stay alive, doing a little of this and a little of that. Sometimes that means making a few bucks playing ball with the Enid Eagles, against teams from as many as two counties away. And sometimes it means roughing up rival thugs for Big Stu, the guy who calls the shots in Enid.

But one day Jack knocks on the door of the person he’s supposed to “deal with”—and realizes that he’s not going to do any such thing to the young lady who answers. This means he needs to get out of the reach of Big Stu, who didn’t get to where he is by letting defiance go unpunished.

Then the House of Daniel comes to town—a brash band of barnstormers who’ll take on any team, and whose antics never fail to entertain. Against the odds Jack secures a berth with them. Now they’re off to tour an America that’s as shot through with magic as it is dead broke. Jack will never be the same—nor will baseball.

PURCHASE THE BOOK AT AMAZON.

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the sorcerer's daughterThe Sorcerer’s Daughter by Terry Brooks

Genre: Fantasy

Series: The Defender’s of Shannara #3

Publisher:  Del Rey (May 24, 2016)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length:  352 pages

The third stand-alone Shannara novel in the Defenders of Shannara series, following The High Druid’s Blade and The Darkling Child, easily accessible to new readers of epic fantasy.

The daughter of a reviled sorcerer, Leofur is nothing like her dreaded father. When her life-partner, Paxon Leah, leaves on a dangerous mission, Leofur protects Paxon’s sister. When she is abducted Leofur is forced to choose between saving Paxon from a mission gone badly awry, or hiring the services of the best tracker in the world to go after her life-partner’s sister.

PURCHASE THE BOOK AT AMAZON.

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age of mythAge of Myth by Michael J. Sullivan

Genre: Fantasy

Series: The First Empire #1 

Publisher:  Del Rey (June 28, 2016)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length:  432 pages

What does it mean if the gods can be killed? The first novel in an epic new fantasy series for readers of Brent Weeks, Brandon Sanderson, Peter V. Brett, and Scott Lynch.

Michael J. Sullivan’s trailblazing career began with the breakout success of his Riyria series: full-bodied, spellbinding fantasy adventures whose imaginative scope and sympathetic characters won a devoted readership. Now, Sullivan’s stunning hardcover debut, Age of Myth, inaugurates an original five-book series, and one of fantasy’s finest next-generation storytellers continues to break new ground.

Since time immemorial, humans have worshipped the gods they call Fhrey, truly a race apart: invincible in battle, masters of magic, and seemingly immortal. But when a god falls to a human blade, the balance of power between men and those they thought were gods changes forever. Now, only a few stand between humankind and annihilation: Raithe, reluctant to embrace his destiny as the God Killer, Suri, a young seer burdened by signs of impending doom, and Persephone, who must overcome personal tragedy to lead her people. The Age of Myth is over; the time of rebellion has begun.

PURCHASE THE BOOK AT AMAZON.

Posted in Stacking the Shelves | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

DRAGON HUNTERS

Posted on April 8, 2016 by Bookwraiths

dragon hunters
Dragon Hunters by Marc Turner

Genre: Fantasy

Series: The Chronicle of the Exile #2

Publisher: Tor (February 9, 2016)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 496 pages

Rating: 3.5 stars

Dragon Hunters is the second installment of Marc Turner’s epic The Chronicle of the Exile series, and, as promised by said author, it is a tale set in the same world as When the Heavens Fall but focused on a whole pantheon of new characters, filled with unique lands, cultures, and magic, and unveils an original story having no direct connection to its predecessor.  All of which means anyone can read this book and enjoy without having to do any catch-up regarding book one.

Now, for those unfamiliar with Mr. Turner, he has a penchant for throwing readers head first into the action, demanding them to quickly grasp and decipher the multiple viewpoint narrative as it rushes onward fast and furiously; a style which continues here, as the shadows fade away to show the Spider goddess in the thick of things, setting in motion a set of events which she promises will sweep the length of the Sabian League.  What her plan is or her goal is left to a reader’s imagination.

Quickly, the view changes to a prison cell somewhere.  Where, Senar Sol, Guardian of Erin Elal, doesn’t even know.  Ten months of his life (or close to it) spent in isolation; his only crime being forced through a gateway by Emperor Avallon and ending up in this strange place.  But now things have suddenly changed, as he is led forth from his entombment to meet his captor and set forth on an unexpected path.

Meanwhile, Karmel Flood of the Chameleon priesthood struggles with her skills being unappreciated by her brother the high priest.  Once, Karmel and Caval had bravely shared the abuse of their father together; the perpetual torment causing them to rely on one another for love and support.  Now, though, their relationship is one of mistrust and growing distance.  But an opportunity has arisen; one which Karmel has been handpicked for by her brother, a mission of extreme secrecy and utmost importance to the Chameleon God.  Perhaps a way to prove herself and earn her brother’s confidence back.  The only drawback is it involves sabotaging Dragon Day!

For those unfamiliar with this most momentous of occasions, Dragon Day is when the mighty Dragon Gate (which bars dragons from entering the Sabian Sea) is raised to allow a single (or handful) of the vicious sea monsters entry.  Awaiting said dragon(s) will be the mighty of the mighty of the land; their flotilla of warships armed for a sporting dragon hunt, where the prize is both the precious dragon blood as well as the famed heaped upon the dragon slayer.  This spectacle both entertainment for and a lesson to the masses, reinforcing annually why the Storm Lords hold sway over the Sabian Sea.

This years Dragon Day is even more monumental, however, as it heralds the end of Imerle Polivar time as Emir of the Storm Council.  But she does not intend to relinquish power quietly.  At least, all the rumors whisper such.  These people say she is plotting to keep her position against the will of the other Storm Lords — no matter the cost.  Calista Agenta Webb and her father becoming unwittingly involved in the whole affair when all they had come to court for was the payment of reparation, but instead find themselves attempting to unravel an intricate web of deceit which might lead back to the Emir.

And if that was not enough, mysterious earthquakes continue to slowly sink the city of Olaire into the sea, even as the other Storm Lords begin to appear unlooked-for at court and an assassin begins to kill water-mages.  Septia Kempis Parr (think detective) put in charge of tracking down the killer and discovering why it is occurring.  All of it heralding that a violent storm is about to erupt over the Sabian League on Dragon Day.

There are many, many things to love about Dragon Hunters: a detailed narrative, crisp writing, interconnecting plot lines, unique characters, and a mesmerizing world.  This makes it difficult to isolate one element and point to it as the shining example of Mr. Turner’s writing craftsmanship and hold up as the reason why you should read this novel.  Instead of trying, I will simply favorably compare Mr. Turner to epic fantasy authors such as Steven Erikson, Joe Abercrombie, and others of the like whose fantasy worlds transcend fiction and becomes living, breathing places, which you the reader might believe are actually alternate history, because there is no way worlds so complex, so realistic could have come from the imagination of a writer.  And if that is the type of fantasy you adore, then Dragon Hunters is exactly what you have been waiting for.

If there is any criticism to be leveled at this book, it is the complexity, interconnectivity, and details of the story which might drive some readers to madness.  Simply put, this is a narrative which challenges a person to stay focused, not overlook any event, and constantly seek hidden meaning in even the most trivial of circumstances.  Only by maintaining such concentration can one see and appreciate the way Mr. Turner weaves all the narratives into a seamless tale.  That isn’t what every fantasy fan is looking for in their reading, and for that reason, Dragon Hunters might not be to everyone’s tastes.

Sweeping, complex, and exciting, Dragon Hunters takes its readers from the water domed halls of the Emir to the nerve-wrecking guardrooms of the Dragon Gate, from the drowned streets of Olaire to the ocean sprayed decks of dragon hunting ships, from the confused, desperate mind of prisoner Senar Sol to the logical,  methodical investigation of Septia Kempis Parr.  Each scene, each revelation, each plot building upon the others, slowly erecting a grand story which spirals out wide only to steadily contract back to an explosive conclusion where Mr. Turner unveils a grand finale which takes several chapters to wrap up.  The ending satisfying (A fitting reward for staying the course.), but one which leaves several important questions unanswered, elegantly preparing the path for book three — which I personally can’t wait to read!

Tor and Marc Turner provided this book to me for free in return for an honest review. The review above was not paid for or influenced in any way by any person, entity or organization, but is my own personal opinions.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

Posted in Epic, Fantasy | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

THE SCRIVENER’S BONES

Posted on April 7, 2016 by Bookwraiths

scrivener's bonesThe Scrivener’s Bones by Brandon Sanderson

Genre: Fantasy — Middle Grades/Young Adult

Series: Alcatraz #2

Publisher: Starscape (February 16, 2016)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 368 pages

My Rating: 3.5 stars

After thoroughly enjoying our first adventure with Alcatraz, my youngest son and I quickly began the sequel; both of us having become fans of this quirky, fun series.

In The Scrivener’s Bones, our hero and friends find themselves with a new mission: infiltrating another library.  (Well, if one is fighting evil librarians, they are usual found in libraries, right?) But this time they are heading to the most famous one (arguably) in the history of the world — the Library of Alexandria.

Yeah, you read that right.  The great library of the ancient world which was supposedly destroyed around 270 AD by Roman Emperor Aurelian.  But it still exists you see.  Its vast tomes of knowledge weren’t burned at all.  The legend is yet another monstrous lie of the evil librarians, who actually stole the library and hide it in a deep underground vault.  A place of pure evil where undead curators guard the ancient lore; their souls exchanged in return for the opportunity to access the hidden Alexandria collection.  And Alcatraz and friends have to brave the horrors to rescue Grandpa Smedry; the endearing fellow having gone and gotten himself captured!

The story which develops from here is classic fun in the Sanderson style.  Sure, it is targeted for the younger audience of the Middle Grades, but anyone who loves this author will undoubtable enjoy it, for it has the trademark elements of all Brandon Sanderson books.

First, there are the amazing magic systems, which were introduced in Alcatraz versus the Evil Librarians, but are expanded upon and beginning to form into a silly yet complex structure in this installment.  The magical talents of the Smedry family are especially important to the narrative, so they get lots of page time, but oculatory lenses and silimatic technology are also touched upon.  All of them quirky, imaginative, and, at times, down right silly; each explained as only Sanderson can; the magic becoming just as much a distinguishing characteristic of the Alcatraz series as the title character himself.

As for our hero’s personal story, it continues to organically develop, not only his immediate adventure but the foreshadowing of future events and the unveiling of unknown history and family secrets.  All of it setting up the future very nicely, making it impossible for a lover of Alcatraz not to be dying to get their hands on the next book to see where Mr. Sanderson is heading.

What sets the series apart from other Middle Grade books, though, is our hero’s sense of humor (or Mr. Sanderson’s if you’d prefer.)  Alcatraz constantly interrupting the narrative to add sarcastic remarks, bizarre references, or eccentric asides.  His self-deprecating manner adding many a funny moment, even at the author’s own expense, as when Alcatraz advises his readers to hit themselves in the head with “one of Brandon Sanderson’s fantasy novels.  They’re big enough, and goodness knows that’s really the only useful thing to do with them.”

The Scrivener’s Bones is a great continuation of the Alcatraz series.  Obviously, it isn’t for everyone (The Middle Grade tone and the quirky humor might turn some off), but if you (like me) are a big kid at heart or intend to share this with a special kid in your life (My son and I read it as a bedtime story.) then it is a Brandon Sanderson story not to be missed, one which will have you smiling and chuckling more than a little.  But just be warned, Alcatraz has no sympathy on those readers who commit that “most putrid and unholy thing any reader can do.”  So no peaking at the ending, okay?

I received this book from the Starscape Books in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’d like to thank the publishers 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, Young Adult | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

TEASER TUESDAY

Posted on April 5, 2016 by Bookwraiths

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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 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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MAESTROMaestro by R.A. Salvatore

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Homecoming #2 | Legend of Drizzt #29

Publisher: Wizards of the Coast (April 5, 2016)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 384 pages

“In my grief the first time, when I thought these friends lost, my love lost, my life lost, I came to understand the truth: that the road will roll beneath your feet whether you step lightly with hope and swiftly with determination, or whether you plod in misery, scraping the dirt with heavy boots.” — Drizzt Do-Urden

PURCHASE THE BOOK AT AMAZON.

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INTERVIEW WITH RICHARD A. KNAAK

Posted on April 5, 2016 by Bookwraiths

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Richard A. Knaak  is the prolific author of over fifty novels, ranging from Dragonlance to Warcraft to Dragonrealm and, most recently, the roaring 20s urban fantasy Black City Saint.   (Yes, I loved it, and you should definitely go out and try it.)  And Mr. Knaak has been gracious enough to answer a few questions.  Let’s get right to it!

 

dragonrealmYou have a new book out now titled Black City Saint; would you agree with some who say it is a departure from the type of books you are best known for like Dragonrealm?

It is and it isn’t.  It’s true, I’ve not written much in the urban fantasy subgenre, but the elements in Black City Saint still in some way harken back to my epic fantasy.  However, I look at each book I write individually, not as of one subgenre or another.  In the end, I just try to tell a story. 

 

How long has the idea for this urban fantasy been percolating in your mind?  How long did it take from conception to finished product?

The idea had been percolating a couple of years prior.  Altogether, from conception to finished, I’d have to say about 3 1/2 years.

 

Did you plan out every detail of Black City Saint before you began writing, or did it evolve organically during the writing process?

I had certain points I wanted to reach, but much of it was organic.  The story flowed very nicely.

 

Why prohibition Chicago as the setting for this urban fantasy?  How did it aid you in setting the tone of the narrative?

It was a fascinating and underused time period in the field.  In addition, having grown up around Chicago, I’d heard many of the stories about the Roaring 20s, including, of course, those involving Capone, Moran, and others.  It just seemed natural to finally use it.  In fact, the setting helped incredibly in setting the tone, more so than I could have imagined.

black city saint

 

There are several historical figures in this story; how much research did you do about them, and did that history change your original ideas for any of the characters? 

I tried to locate all characters and situations relevant to that moment in time and found that some of them especially altered elements of the story.  The depth they added I also found helped make Nick’s situation seem more imminent.

It goes without saying that there is a lot of hidden back story to all the characters in Black City Saint; how much of that have you already planned out?  How much will you probably use? 

There’s quite a bit of back story for each, most of which I plan to use, if given the chance.  I think each of the character’s experiences will be essential to the overall storyline.

How difficult is it to blend the character’s history into the ongoing narrative of an action-packed story?

With a character such as Nick, not difficult at all.  His history is that of a soldier, a fighter, and it affects, positively I think, the action in the story.

 

Fetch is slowly becoming a fan favorite like Oberon from Kevin Hearne’s The Iron Druid Chronicles; does it surprise you that he has clicked with readers so much, or did you sense his appeal as you were writing?

It doesn’t surprise me.  Fetch is a very appealing character.  Even when I started writing him, I knew that he would be almost as complex a character as Nick himself, but with that otherworldliness and humor that rounds him out so well.  At the same time, he has that dangerous edge that we’ve not seen the last of.

Any favorite character in Black City Saint?  If so, who and why?

Besides Fetch?  Nick and the dragon.  I put them together because of their situation. The dynamic between them fascinates me.  They are by no means friends, not even good allies.  There has always been that dangerous gulf between them of which Nick must always remain wary.  The dragon is a danger that means that the pair will always be dueling on some level.


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As a writer who has played in other people’s worlds (Warcraft, Diablo, Dragonlance) and created your own (Dragonrealm), which is more satisfying?  Why?

Well, I would have to say that playing in my own worlds is more satisfying, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy playing in other people’s words a lot.  With my own creations, I can take the paths I want, whereas even if given a lot of leeway, I still have to remain true to what someone else has created.  That’s perfectly fine, of course, but there’s nothing like expanding your own work.

When you are writing, how do you keep all the little details straight about a world, remain consistent to past stories, yet still find a way to surprise fans who want to be amazed yet are also looking for one little inconsistency to pounce on you about?  Has a reader ever nailed you on a small mistake you overlooked?

I try to keep a lot of notes nearby, but, yes, things will slip through.  This happens with either my own world or someone else’s.  In the latter, even those who created the world will often miss elements.  We do try to catch everything, but no one is perfect.  We have been caught.  That’s different, though, from having to adjust or even change something due to necessary advances in that world’s storyline (this especially in something as massive as Warcraft has become).

How many writing projects do you juggle at one time?  Do you ever catch yourself accidentally using ideas from one story in another without meaning to do so?

Several is the best answer I can give.  For the most part, I’ve kept things separated.

What projects should your fans look forward to in the near future?

More Dragonrealm, some Pathfinder . . . things I can’t mention yet.

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KnaakABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Richard A. Knaak is the New York Times- and USA Today-bestselling author of The Legend of Huma, WoW: Wolfheart, and nearly fifty other novels and numerous short stories, including works in such series as Warcraft, Diablo, Dragonlance, Age of Conan, and his own Dragonrealm. He has scripted a number of Warcraft manga with Tokyopop, such as the top-selling Sunwell trilogy, and has also written background material for games.

PURCHASE THE BOOK AT AMAZON.

Posted in Author Spotlights, Interview | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

FUN DAY MONDAY, OR THE BOOKS THAT WILL HELP ME SURVIVE THE WEEK AHEAD (APRIL 4, 2016)

Posted on April 4, 2016 by Bookwraiths

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MAESTROMaestro by R.A. Salvatore

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Homecoming #2 | Legend of Drizzt #29

Publisher: Wizards of the Coast (April 5, 2016)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 384 pages

Something terrible, unspeakable, immense, has come to Menzoberranzan and is leaving death and destruction in its wake. The primordial of Gauntlgrym stirs, sending Cattie-brie and Gromph to Luskan, and the ruins of the only power that can keep the beast in check. The damage of the Darkening, of war, and of a demon-ravaged Underdark has sent cracks out across the North. Some of this damage may never be repaired.

And Drizzt is going home. But not to Mithral Hall. Not to Icewind Dale. He’s going to Menzoberranzan. Bruenor is ready to march with him¾bringing along an army of dwarves¾to end the scourge of Menzoberranzan, but Drizzt needs to see what’s happening there. The dwarf army may not be necessary. The City of Spiders might already have fallen to the demons and their wicked prince. But even if that’s true, what’s to say the demons will stop there?

Maestro picks up where Archmage left off, plunging Drizzt into his most dangerous adventure yet, and with all the action, adventure, beloved characters, dark elves, monsters, and demon princes Drizzt fans adore.

PURCHASE THE BOOK AT AMAZON.

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the king's justice

The King’s Justice by Stephen R. Donaldson

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Stand Alone Novellas

Publisher:  Ace (October 13, 2016)

Author Information: Website

Length: 320 pages

In The King’s Justice, a stranger dressed in black arrives in the village of Settle’s Crossways, following the scent of a terrible crime. He even calls himself “Black,” though almost certainly that is not his name. The people of the village discover that they have a surprising urge to cooperate with this stranger, though the desire of inhabitants of quiet villages to cooperate with strangers is not common in their land, or most lands. But this gift will not save him as he discovers the nature of the evil concealed in Settle’s Crossways.

The “Augur’s Gambit” is a daring plan created by Mayhew Gordian, Hieronomer to the Queen of Indemnie, a plan to save his Queen and his country. Gordian is a reader of entrails. In the bodies of chickens, lambs, piglets, and one stillborn infant he sees the same message: the island nation of Indemnie is doomed. But even in the face of certain destruction a man may fight, and the Hieronomer is utterly loyal to his beautiful Queen–and to her only daughter. The “Augur’s Gambit” is his mad attempt to save a kingdom.

PURCHASE THE BOOK AT AMAZON.

Has anyone else read and reviewed these books?  What did you think of them?  If not, do you have plans too?  Let us all know.  🙂

Posted in Funday Monday | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

An Interview with Peter Newman

Posted on April 3, 2016 by Bookwraiths

thatthornguy's avatarthat thorn guy

PeterNewmanPhotoYour debut novel, The Vagrant, came out last year and received much praise within the SFF community. Mark also loved it and said it was the best thing he’d read in quite a while. So while preparing for this interview I was astonished to find out that despite starting to write in your early twenties you stopped for almost ten years following criticism you received from friends. As someone who also writes and critiques I have some understanding of both the importance of giving/receiving feedback and of the havoc it can have on someone’s self-confidence. Even gentle criticism can come as a big blow sometimes, but to think that whatever you’d been told led to you putting it aside for such a long time is terrible.  How did you eventually find your way back into writing? (And may I say we are all glad that you did!)

Thanks…

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WRAP-UP — MARCH 2016

Posted on April 3, 2016 by Bookwraiths

Aviary Photo_131041252392891383Welcome to my monthly wrap up!  A final tip of the hat to the month behind and all the great (at least, we hope they were all great) books that have been reviewed as well as anything else exciting that happened.

So if you’ve missed something on Bookwraiths and want to check it out without having to cycle through all the old posts, look below and click on a pic which interests you.  Hopefully, you’ll discover something which helps you on your quest to discover all the great books out there!

dotted lineBOOK REVIEWS THIS MONTH

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the lyre thiefRISE OF THE PRINCEIN THE FIELD MARSHALL'S SHADOW
road brothers11179831snakewood
alcatraz v evil librariansblack city saint

dotted lineNOVELLA REVIEWS

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Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000446_00071]faith and moonlightbest left in the shadows
broken bannersCivil Bloodreturn of souls

dotted lineSPECIAL FEATURES

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GUEST POST GELINEAU AND KINGGUEST POST JENNIFER FALLON

dotted lineMEMES

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ttt BOOKS ON SPRING TBR

TTT SERIES I HAVENT TALKED ABOUT ENOUGH
TTT GOOD BAD BOOKS IVE READ LATELY
T5W LEAST FAVORITE BOOKS IN SERIES

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There were also regular Funday Mondays and Stacking the Shelves Saturday as well, so if you missed anything, take a look!

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An Interview with John Gwynne

Posted on April 1, 2016 by Bookwraiths

thatthornguy's avatarthat thorn guy

I read that you were born in Singapore and your family travelled around a lot. Would you tell us which countries you lived in and what impact they had on you?

I was born in Singapore. My dad was in the RAF and stationed there at the time so I did travel regularly as he would be given a new posting roughly every three or four years. I was only 18 months old when we moved back to the UK, so I don’t remember any of it, and after that we stayed within the UK – still moving every three or so years – thus unfortunately I didn’t manage to see the world and it wasn’t quite as glamorous as it sounds. I do have memories of some especially beautiful places in the UK, though, such as the Malvern Hills on the border of England and Wales. I spent a…

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MY LEAST FAVORITE BOOKS IN MY FAVORITE SERIES

Posted on March 31, 2016 by Bookwraiths

 

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Today, the guys in the Goodreads Top 5 Wednesday group had a great topic: My least favorite books in my favorite series.  And all the participates had great lists with well respected books from big name series.  Many of the choices pretty stunning for different reasons.  All of which means it got me thinking about what books I’d pick to be on my own list.  Which, of course, led me to go look through my “read” list on Goodreads.  Which lead me to put my own list together.  Which lead me to decide to share that list with everyone and see if you agree with my choices or not.

SERVANT OF THE EMPIRE5) Servant of the Empire by Raymond E. Feist & Janny Wurts 

I really, really adored this series when it was first released back in the late 1980s.  Mara of the Acoma was a complex, cunning and strong female lead during a time when that was in short supply in most fantasy series.  But where book one and three of the series were page turning affairs, I always found this installment of the series a bit hard to like.  Not sure why that is.  Maybe, it is just the dreaded middle book of a trilogy.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

Runes of the Earth4) The Runes of the Earth by Stephen R. Donaldson

The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant have been going on for a long time.  I have personally read and enjoyed (Okay, Covenant does make it difficult to enjoy at times.) all the series, but I have to say this book was a horrible struggle to get through.  The reason is simple: Linden Avery.  In the Second Chronicles, she was a great supporting character who had a surprisingly important role in the conclusion of the trilogy, but here she absolutely bored me to tears.  She was so difficult to like it almost ruined the whole series for me.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

 

king of thorns3) King of Thorns by Mark Lawrence

I personally view The Broken Empire as the seminal grimdark series.  To me, nothing will ever top it.  The same way no other fantasy series will ever snatch away The Lords of the Rings’ spot as greatest fantasy series ever.  But I did not enjoy reading King of Thorns.  It infuriated me in so many ways.  Even though most of my complaints were “fixed” in the third book, I still have King on this list, because when I finished it I seriously considered not finishing the trilogy.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

 

knight of the demon queen2) Knight of the Demon Queen by Barbara Hambly

I’m not sure this book should even be on this list.  Why?  Well, even though I loved Dragonbane (book one), I hated every other book in the series.  This just happens to be the one I hated the absolute most.  But I’ve decided to put it on here, because I feel I should reward it for being horrendous.  I’d explain the reasons my hate for this novel flows so strongly, but I do not even wish to revisit such a dark period of my reading life.  Yes, it really was that painful to read.

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THE DARK TOWER1) The Dark Tower by Stephen King

The Dark Tower series was a journey I will always remember.  Roland the Gunslinger and his ka-tet will always be in the conversation whenever I’m asked to name my favorite group of questing companions.  Several of the individual books are among my favorite novels ever.  But this grand finale of the epic saga disappointed me in every way.  The Crimson King? A major loser.  The dark tower?  Resolved nothing.  The story book ending for several characters?  Far too Hollywood to end such a dark story.  I could go on and on, but I will let The Dark Tower’s spot on top of this list speak for itself.

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