JERICHO

Posted on January 30, 2015 by Bookwraiths

jericho 1
I don’t watch a lot of television. At least, I haven’t for about twelve years – twelve being the age of my oldest child. Before then, I planned my social life around watching my favorite programs, and between mine and my wife’s viewing habits, there were few shows that we didn’t give a try. But like most everyone with kids, our life changed after our first bundle of joy came along.

Where before we’d sit down to watch an ultra-violent flick, now kid-friendly Disney fare began to play.

Those language and sexual innuendo filled rom-coms? Well, they wound up on a high, seldom examined shelf while ________ (Please insert whatever children’s program you are familiar with. In our household it was The Wiggles, Blues Clues, Thomas the Train, Power Rangers, and TMNT.) played on an endless loop on our blu-ray.

The “must-see” television shows on Netflix and Hulu might get added to our “to be watched” list, but we never seemed to find the time to watch . . . because there are lots of SpongeBob SquarePants episodes.

So when Jericho was on network television from 2006-2008, I completely missed it, didn’t even know it existed.

Sadly and thankfully, kids do grow up. Now my two oldest have graduated to PG-13 fare. (Hey, we are strict parents. Well, my wife is anyway.) So about two weeks ago, we discovered Jericho on Netflix and began watching . . . and watching . . . and watching until we had devoured the whole series!

For those who have never heard of Jericho, it is about a small group of characters thrown together in a small town in the State of Kansas after a nuclear event in the United States. The focus is on the individuals, their trauma at having their modern society seemingly destroyed in the blink of an eye, and how they struggle to brave the aftermaths and maintain their lives. (For those of you who have heard of it, think of an updated The Day After.)

Other than that fantastic premise and a great cast of characters, this show mesmerized me because it perfectly captured the eerie feel to mid 2000s America. You know, the decade when 9/11, the Iraq War, The Patriot Act, and Halliburton made almost all Americans begin to wonder if there was anything their government wouldn’t lie to them about. It was a tumultuous time to live through. Nothing like surviving in a war torn country, but definitely something that Americans should not forget. And as I watched acts of terrorism, political cover-ups, conspiracies, mercenary armies, corrupt corporations, and neighbor turning on neighbor in Jericho, I realized this was something that could indeed happen in our reality, and I was both afraid and entertained.

So if you’ve never tried Jericho before, give it a try. It might not be as gory as The Walking Dead, but it is still a really entertaining post-apocalyptic series.

And, if you already knew Jericho was this good, why exactly didn’t you mention it to me?

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT MY OTHER JERICHO RELATED POSTS
JERICHO: SEASON THREE (GRAPHIC NOVEL)

Posted in Post-apocalyptic, Science Fiction | Tagged , , | 12 Comments

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: THE ADAMA GAMBIT

Posted on January 28, 2015 by Bookwraiths

BSG THE ADAMA GAMBIT My rating is 4 out of 5 stars.

Before I review this graphic novel, I have to make a confession – I love Battlestar Galactica. Whether it is the original show from my childhood in the 1970s, the different comic versions (Yes, even the Image ones), the Richard Hatch novels, or the 2004 reboot, I just love them all. Somehow the story of this fleet of survivors outrunning the Cylons and searching for a lost Earth has never failed to capture my imagination. So when I picked this comic collection up, I had no doubt that I’d love it. I mean, it is BSG, after all!

In The Adama Gambit, our rag-tag fleet is still running, desperately trying to keep ahead of the relentless machines, when they find themselves in an unexplored and unstable region of space where a mysterious object resides. An artifact that soon begins to give members of the fleet dreams of Earth, prompting Commander Adama to halt the fleet until a full examination of the object can determine if it is indeed a beacon or portal of the lost colony.

But things are never easy in BSG. Every decision to stop running increasing the odds that the Cylons will find and destroy the fleet. And soon, Apollo and others begin to question Adama’s refusal to abandon the artifact — an internal dispute that finds the fate of humanity hanging by a thread and Adama himself wondering if it is time for him to allow the next generation to assume command of the fleet.

Pretty standard Battlestar Galactica story I know some of you are thinking to yourself, and I can’t disagree. But what makes this comic collection a worthwhile read is the sections that focus on a single character and their personal issues. We have one comic that shows Athena leading the fleet, proving that she is far more than just a pretty face and a case of nepotism run amok. Another focuses on Adama questioning his worth to humanity going forward. Boxey is highlighted in another, as he tries to live a normal life aboard a battlestar. And finally, there is the Baltar issue, which allows one to see how he could betray humanity to its murderous children. Each of these stories being well worth a read for any BSG fan.

The only thing that I did not completely love in this comic collection was the art. Honestly, it was a bit up and down. Sure, the combat scenes were generally well drawn, full of action, and very detailed, and the closeups of the characters were true to life, but somehow, the panels of people walking, talking, and moving around just seemed stagnant to me. Just my opinion though.

To get to the point, I like Battlestar Galactica: The Adama Gambit. It was about BSG, had some good stories, stayed true to the original BSG characters, and had enough plots and action going on that I never got bored with it. Maybe, it isn’t the second coming of Stan Lee or Jack Kirby, but it is better than a lot of the standard superhero fare I’ve tried lately.

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

Buy Battlestar Galactica Volume 2: The Adama Gambit at Amazon.

Posted in 4 Stars, Battlestar Galactica, Graphic Novels, Science Fiction, Space Opera | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

BRAVE MEN DIE PART 1 by DAN ADAMS

Posted on January 27, 2015 by Bookwraiths

BRAVE MEN DIE My rating is 3 out of 5 stars.

Brave Men Die Part 1 by Dan Adams is best characterized as a standard but entertaining grimdark. It has lots of combat, buckets of blood and gore with a straight forward story to go with it. While Brave doesn’t revolutionize the fantasy genre, it is definitely a guilty pleasure that will be appreciated by those fantasy fans who like their fantasy equal parts grim and dark.

The story begins with a group of warrior-wizards unleashing hell on the township of Tarkinholm. These three men leave a trail of bodies and destruction as they breach an inner sanctum in the city to retrieve a well guarded prize. One of the victims of this rampage being a Prince of the Empire of Kyzantium, who is killed by the intruders. When the sister of our dearly departed Prince discovers that the murderers of her brother are supposedly from the neighboring land of Murukia, the inevitable spiral toward war begins!

From this blood splattered beginning, Dan Adams fleshes out the story (Part 1 of 3 please remember) by introducing numerous characters from both kingdoms. Some of these people are high born lords, others merely young warriors, but each describes through his own experience the buildup to and the inevitable clash between their two lands. And through the lens of their lives, the author shows how quickly an unease peace can begin to crumble and a war that no one really wants erupt.

Now, as I mentioned earlier, I enjoyed Brave Men Die; it was exactly what I expected it to be: a hard fighting grimdark. And that was enough for me. But I’d feel remise if I didn’t mention that there were not a lot of complex plot lines interwoven into this tale. Sure, our cast of characters have their own issues and problems that are explored in some measure, but none of these things ever really rise beyond the level of merely being mentioned. Rather, Dan Adams spends his time focusing on the fights between warriors, the vistas of war, and the aftermath of people dying before their time.

The other issue I had with the story was that, at times, the language and verbiage of the characters was too modern and contemporary sounding. Not that this was a constant issue, because it was not. Rather, there were instances when a few modern phrases and expressions would spring off the page, disrupting my mind’s attempt to immerse itself in this medieval-like world of steel and magic.

With all that being said, Brave Men Die Part 1 was a book that I enjoyed, do not regret investing my reading time in, and feel okay recommending to other fantasy fans. So take a look at it, you know nothing passes the time like sitting back and enjoying some blood drenched grimdark.

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

Buy Brave Men Die: Part 1 of 3 at Amazon.

Posted in 3 Stars, Fantasy, Grimdark, Low | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

HEIR TO THE JEDI by KEVIN HEARNE

Posted on January 20, 2015 by Bookwraiths

HEIR TO THE JEDI

Heir to the Jedi by Kevin Hearne

Genre: Sci-Fi, Star Wars

Series: Empire and Rebellion #3

Publisher: Lucas Books (March 3, 2015)

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

A long time ago in a galaxy far,
far away . . . .

star wars

EPISODE IV . . . and then some

It is a dark time for the Rebellion.
Although the Death Star has been
destroyed, Imperial troops have
driven the Rebel forces from
their hidden base and pursued
them far across the galaxy.

Evading the dreaded Imperial
Starfleet, the Rebel Alliance
attempts to not only survive
but continue to strike blows against
the hated Empire.

With trained operatives a rare commodity,
the Alliance is forced to send young Luke Skywalker
on a secret mission to rescue an
Imperial turncoat. One who
can provide valuable information vital
to the survival of the Alliance.

I’ve been a Star Wars fan most of my life, and like many people who experienced the original trilogy in the late 1970s and early 1980s, those initial movies and their characters are my favorites. Obviously, this is because so many happy childhood memories revolved around them. Things like waiting in line with throngs of other excited people to see the movies. Happily munching popcorn with my friends as I sat on the edge of my seat, mesmerized by the space battles and lightsaber duels. And reliving and creating my own Star Wars adventures on the playground of my school with mine and my friends favorite action figures. So it should be no surprise that Han, Leia, Chewie, Artoo, C3PO, Lando, and Luke are my favorite Star Wars characters to read about – especially if the story is set during the original trilogy time frame – but I’m always worried that the author isn’t going to get “IT” right. (“IT” being a story that holds true to the SW mythos and the characters movie personas.) And Heir to the Jedi was no exception to this trepidation, on my part. But after reading Kevin Hearne’s addition to the Star Wars Universe, I’m happy to say he definitely got “IT” right with his portrayal of the young Luke Skywalker.

The story here is set between Episode IV: A New Hope and Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, and it sends our Death Star destroying hero off on a mission without his famous cast of friends as backup. Nope, no Han Solo or Chewie to run to the rescue. No, Princess Leia to take charge and direct everyone in what to do. Rather, it is the still wet-behind-the-ears Luke who is in charge of a delicate mission to rescue an important asset from the Imperials.

Of course, Luke doesn’t go off into the great beyond by himself. Remember, he isn’t a Jedi yet. Instead, he blasts off with a few companions. Naturally, trusty Artoo is one of them. But the other is a rich-girl-turned-rebel-sympathizer by the name of Nakari, who is a nice comedic presence and a great companion to our young, serious Jedi in training. And as the rescue story proceeds even the “important asset” herself, Drusil, turns out to be a great addition to the group; her amazing mathematical skills and unfailing logic adding a certain spice to the whole rescue tale.

But no Star Wars tale is complete without lots of adventure and daring-do, and Heir to the Jedi has tons of that. The story filled with space battles, blaster fights, a little lightsaber work, a harrowing Alien-like adventure, and even some bounty hunter mayhem. And Mr. Hearne does a great job with each of them, while also interjecting enough humor, character development, and insightful internal monologue into the traditional elements to keep even the most well-read Star Wars fan interested.

What sets Heir to the Jedi apart from some other Star Wars novels, however, is the deft handling of Luke Skywalker. Here we get an intimate look into the young Jedi’s thoughts and feelings, his dreams and fears, and his victories and failures. One moment, he will be dealing with his repressed grief for aunt and uncle and Ben, then the next he will be making a life-or-death decision that could spell certain doom for him and perhaps the whole Rebel Alliance. And somehow, Mr. Hearne makes this still young and naive Tatooine farm boy seem very real; his alternating personalities of clumsy, tongue-tied idiot with a pretty girl and daring, Force-guided rebel not a paradox but rather two integral parts of the real Luke Skywalker: rebel hero and real person.

So like I said at the beginning of my review, I’m a longtime Star Wars fan. Now, though, I’m also a fan of Kevin Hearne writing Star Wars. So when is the next Hearne Star Wars book coming out anyway?

Lucas Books and Netgalley 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.

CHECK OUT MY REVIEWS OF THE EMPIRE AND REBELLION SERIES
RAZOR’S EDGE (EMPIRE AND REBELLION #1)
HONOR AMONG THIEVES (EMPIRE AND REBELLION #2)

Posted in 4 Stars, Science Fiction, Space Opera, Star Wars | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Fantasy and Literary Heroes in Our Society Guest Post – Charles E. Yallowitz

Posted on January 15, 2015 by Bookwraiths

eranamage's avatarLibrary of Erana

Welcome to the next instalment of the Fantasy in Our Society Series. Today I welcome fantasy author Charles Yallowitz.

Author Info

View original post 1,333 more words

Posted in Author Spotlights, Fantasy, Guest Post, Young Adult | Tagged , | Leave a comment

THE HUMAN DIVISION (OLD MAN’S WAR #5) by JOHN SCALZI

Posted on January 7, 2015 by Bookwraiths

The Human DivisionMy rating is 2 out of 5 stars.

I read The Human Division a few months ago. Since I thoroughly hated it, I tried to return it to the library where I got it from, put it out of my mind, and hope that after a few days/weeks/months, I’d have a more favorable view of it in hindsight. But that hasn’t really happened. Honestly, time has only cemented my personal dislike of this serialized novel, so please understand before you go further that I’m not really going to say anything favorable about The Human Division, which might or might not be what you want to hear. But let’s start at the beginning.

A couple years ago I picked up John Scalzi’s Old Man’s War novel from my local library. It had an interesting cover, lots of good word of mouth, and I needed something to read on my family’s beach vacation. Once I cracked the military sci-fi novel open, I was impressed by it. Loved the future universe. Loved the characters. And really enjoyed Scalzi’s writing style.

Fast forwarding to novel (I am using that word liberally with this serialized piece, I know) five of the Old Man’s War series I have to say that Mr. Scalzi has been able to change all my initial feelings. I’ve found each novel from 3 to 5 in the series to be inferior to the one which preceded it. This future universe is now uninspiring and repetitive to me. The characters all sound alike now, i.e. they are all John Perry. And Scalzi’s writing style has fallen into a formulaic pattern that is boring for me.

But what is The Human Division about, you ask?

For those who have not read the previous four novels, I would suggest that you stop reading this review, go read at least the first three before attempting this book, because it cannot be completely understood or appreciated without some knowledge of the previous going-ons in this future universe.

For those who have read the series, this book is basically a serialized mix of thirteen different stories that is suppose to come together to tell the overarching story of the Colonial Union, the Conclave, and the Earth’s ultimate fate as set up by John Perry’s actions in The Last Colony. Some of the stories indeed focus on this main plot line, while others are obviously filler material, even though they throw a few nuggets of information out there for the readers consumption. And though these terrific thirteen do – somewhat – serve as a conclusion to the Old Man’s War series, it was a less than enjoyable one for me personally.

But why, you want to know?

For me (And that is all we are talking about here, since I’m reviewing why I did not enjoy this book) the main problems can be condensed into two over-arching issues: the writing style and the characters similarity.

Like I mentioned above, I loved Old Mans War. While some readers say Scalzi copied (not was inspired by) Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein, I personally saw it as more a re-imagining for a new century, and damn, did I like it. It was fresh, fast-paced, and catchy. And the main character, John Perry, was just the kind of guy to lead me on the galactic tour; he was snarky, witty, and a guy who’d seen it all. And when Scalzi followed this up with Book Two: The Ghost Brigades, I couldn’t have been more impressed how he changed lead characters, dealt with some deep philosophical issues, yet still wove a fun military-scifi adventure. But then The Last Colony came along. I saw the warning signs of a standard formula beginning to develop in Scalzi’s work. A formula that made all the people act the same, sound the same, and the story develop and wrap up in the same way. And I’m sad to say this formulaic pattern really reached its pinnacle with The Human Division. Here the same cookie-cutter characters are everywhere, speaking in the same voices, using the same story pattern thirteen times to come to another standard Scalzi ending.

Now, am I saying that is bad and that it means you will dislike The Human Division as much as I did?

Nope. In fact, you might love this book. I myself have some writers that I adore who do the exact same thing as Scalzi in their books: formulaic story with the same archetype characters who are merely renamed. And even knowing that this is what I’m going to get with these authors, I love their novels, adore them even. Somehow, the issues don’t matter to me as I lose myself in the story, and you might be able to do that with this story collection, but I couldn’t. It just did not work for me. Rather it was more of the same old thing regurgitated thirteen times, which is why I doubt I’ll be journey into the universe of Old Man’s War anymore in the future.

Purchase The Human Division (Old Man’s War) at Amazon.

CHECK OUT MY REVIEWS OF THE SERIES
OLD MAN’S WAR
THE GHOST BRIGADES
THE HUMAN DIVISION
ZOE’S TALE

Posted in 2 Stars, Military, Science Fiction | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

THE DELPHI REVELATION (THE DELPHI TRILOGY #3) by CHRIS EVERHEART

Posted on December 16, 2014 by Bookwraiths

delphi revelationMy rating is 4 out of 5 stars.

In his YA series, The Delphi Trilogy, Chris Everheart has slowly introduced readers to a global conspiracy called the League of Delphi; a secret order which has evolved from the original Oracle of Delphi in ancient Greece into a worldwide organization with its webs spun around the world. One of the centers for this elite group being located in the idyllic town of Arcanville, U.S.A.; a city copied directly from a Thomas Kinkade painting.

But as we all know, looks can be deceiving, and no one realizes this more than sixteen year old Zachary White, who returns to his childhood home after nine years spent in French boarding schools under an assumed name. The weirdness of his life having built up in Zach a determination to discover the why of his strange life, and so he walks into Arcanville a loner, taking a job at the local coffee house, and begins his own private investigation into the wrongness of his old home.

Through books one and two of the series, Zach’s detective-like crusade has slowly but surely led him to uncover the horrible plot of the League of Delphi. And along the way, he has discovered things about his past and his present that he never would have imagined possible: seemingly normal people involved in sinister research at the local university, hidden records stretching back thousands of years, his own families involvement in all of it, and the central role the girl he loves plays in all the League’s plans.

Yes, Zach is a young man way over his head as this book begins. Someone who has trusted the wrong people, found himself betrayed, and yet is determined not to give up. He can’t, because the League’s plans are about to come to fruition and destroy people he loves. And so the stage is set for The Delphi Revelation.

Now, as most of my friends already know, YA novels and I do not usually mix. Blame it on my age, or my pessimistic adult nature, or whatever, but the fact is I generally find their youthful point of view naive at best and laughable at worst. (The only exception to this being Percy Jackson. I can’t help but love that kid. He reminds me of my own twelve year old son, I guess.) No matter my preconceived dislike of YA, however, Mr. Everheart’s Delphi Trilogy really sucked me in, made me turn the pages, and got me excited when the next installment arrived. It is, without a doubt, a story that entertains despite its youthful voice, despite its characters’ naivety, and despite their clueless decision-making, because Mr. Everheart uses all those perceived failing to make these some of the most normal teenagers I could imagine. And with The Delphi Revelation, he takes these normal teenagers, sends them into some dangerous situation and does a fitting job of wrapping up this part of Zach’s story, seamlessly resolving all the dangling plots, unveiling a surprise or two along the way, and leaving a reader wanting to hear the next chapter of Zach’s story – because we all know the League of Delphi won’t give up too easily.

So if you love YA or would just like to give it a try, pick this trilogy up. It is well worth a read.

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

Buy The Delphi Revelation: Book III of the Delphi Trilogyat Amazon.

See my reviews of the trilogy.
The League of Delphi Book #1
The Delphi Deception Book #2

Posted in Young Adult | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

THE HERESY WITHIN

Posted on December 15, 2014 by Bookwraiths

THE HERESY WITHIN

The Heresy Within by Rob J. Hayes

Genre: Fantasy

Series: The Ties That Bind #1

Publisher: Ragnarok Publications (October 13, 2014)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 526 pages

My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

The other day I bumped into a friend of mine while Christmas shopping. (Actually, our wives were shopping; we were relegated to bag duty.) So to pass some time – and get out of the way of crazed shoppers – we found a coffee shop and had a short conversation about life, including what books we’d recommended the other give a try. And during those few minutes of relative safety, The Heresy Within was discussed. A Question and Answer session that went something like this.

So another self published fantasy. Aren’t you tired of getting burned by those things yet.

Yeah, lots of them are pretty bad, but usually I can find something to like about them. Actually, though, The Heresy Within was pretty good. Definitely, something right up any fantasy fans alley. Plus, the series has been picked up by a publisher, re-edited and revised, and has a sequel coming out next year. You should pick it up. It has witch hunters, man!

Witch hunters? I didn’t know this was a Warhammer novel.

It’s not. And, yeah, the author did say in some interviews that he was a HUGE witch hunter fan and definitely tried to emulate the “cool” factor of what Warhammer did with those guys, but this is his own interpretation of them, in a world he created from scratch. Plus, they are called Arbiters, not witch hunters.

So why should I read Mr. Hayes version of witch hunt . . . I mean, Arbiters when I already love the Warhammer witch hunters.

First, these witch hunters are more than a little different. Sure, they wear a long, leather jacket and hunt down witches with their magic, but they don’t have the hats. Nope, no cool pilgrim hats. Yeah, that does actually suck immensely. All joking aside though, they have a great back story about their origin, who they work for, how they are trained, and how they practice their magic.

OMFG, please don’t tell me you’ve become a fan of those books with the cool, quirky magic system. I love Sanderson, but I can’t take another one of those things.

Naw. You know I generally stay away from those. Here the magic system is not the star, by any means. The story is the focus, but the magic system, with its curses and blessings and enchantment of objects, really livens things up, making the Arbiters pretty awesome in a fight without being overpowered or feeling quirky.

So what is the story about anyway?

Actually, there are three interlocking stories about three very unique people who accidently bump into one another, get entangled, do something pretty exciting, then move apart again later on. And there wasn’t any of that “It was destiny” stuff or anything like that. They really just accidentally get involved.

Okay, I’ll bite. Who are the three people?

First, we have Jezzet Vel’urn, a swordswoman, whose mantra in life is that a woman has to either fight or f**k her way out of most hostile situations, and she generally finds the later option more enjoyable – though it can be distasteful at times. Then there is the Arbiter Thanquil Darkheart, who spends his time hunting down and burning heretics for the Inquisition but now has been given the even less savory task of uncovering a conspiracy within his own order. A job that he desperately doesn’t want to do but can’t get out of, because the orders came from the God Emperor of Sarth himself. Finally, there is the outlaw, murderer, and thief called the Black Thorn; a criminal who is renown for killing Arbiters. And somehow, these three come together in the Free City of Chade and find themselves working toward the same goal of uncovering The Heresy Within.

Lol. That was funny how you put the name of the book in your answer. I see being a reviewer hasn’t really improved your comedy routine any.

* Please note that the next few minutes of the conversation have been omitted due to extensive use of foul language, threats of blackmail due to things each party knows about the other, and somewhat pathetic attempts at smack talking by middle aged white men *

Well, it all sounds good, but I know you, there are things you didn’t like about the book. Go ahead and tell me now. I want to know everything about it before I actually buy it.

Well, if I had to criticize . . .

God, you always criticize everything. Spit it out already. What didn’t you like?

After the three characters get together, they have to journey somewhere, and the book absolutely crawled at that point. That might be okay if the events or character revelations or world building focused on were important later on, but here nothing that happened added much to the ongoing story, so it read like filler material. It was really more like “Oh, there has to be a journey because it is a fantasy” thing so many books include, and I can’t stand that. Filler material really annoys me.

So I’m assuming the writer stuck the ending? (For those who are wondering, “stuck the ending” is my friends way of asking if the ending was good.)

Yeah, it was a great ending. Some epic fights, betrayal, sex, and even a few surprise decisions by our three stars. Good stuff. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.

At this point, the conversation turned to sports, how our wives were spending all our money, and the weather. Middle age dudes always mention the weather, you know. 8)

Purchase the book at Amazon.

Posted in 3 Stars, Fantasy, Grimdark, High | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

TOUGH TRAVELING — HIGH PRIESTS

Posted on December 4, 2014 by Bookwraiths

tough-traveling

Every Thursday, Nathan over at Fantasy Review Barn hosts a weekly party where blogs get to follow along with Diana Wynne Jones’ hilarious book The Tough Guide to Fantasyland: The Essential Guide to Fantasy Travel listing their favorite books with a particular fantasy trope. So sit back and enjoy the fun.

4th December, 2014 – HIGH PRIESTS

HIGH PRIEST is nearly always evil, either on his own account or on behalf of the dark lord.

Okay, let us look at a few of my favorites.

THE WOUNDED LAND/WHITE GOLD WIELDER (SECOND CHRONICLES OF THOMAS COVENANT) by STEPHEN R. DONALDSON
white gold wielder
Whenever I think of fantasy High Priest the image of the na-Mhoram on the old school cover of White Gold Wielder comes to mind. Yeah, he is the one in the background holding up the weird staff of flames.

While the na-Mhoram is not called a “high priest”, he does, in fact, act exactly like one. In this sequel to The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever, our anti-hero leper returns to the Land to find it dramatically changed. And one of those changes is the Clave, which has taken over the ruling of the Land from the former Council of Lords, twisting the devotion of the people to the Earthpower into obedience toward the rule of the Clave and the constant sacrifices demanded to power the Banefire: a magical bonfire that is kept eternally burning to weaken the Sunbane (a climate change of epic and unpleasant portions.)

MORIGU: THE DESECRATION by MARK C. PERRY.
MORIGU

Here I have my favorite high-priestess. That counts, right?

Arianrood is the Ead, or in layman’s term “the First”, which means that she is the first child ever born of Mother Earth. Being both immortal and more powerful than any other creature upon the world, Arianrood fights to protect her weaker sibling from the evil powers as they rise and unleash death and destruction upon the world. After helping to raise the mortal Fealoth the Bright to godhood to fight the Beast, the Ead then becomes the high-priestess of his new religion and his prophetess, proclaiming the coming of the Golden Age when peace will reign forever. But behind Arianrood’s beauty and power, there lurks an invisible taint of . . . not evil, but weariness for the world, and its existence concerns the other great powers of the world, who fear that perhaps Fealoth was wrong!

MOTHER OF WINTER by BARBARA HAMBLY
MOTHR OF WINTER

Twelve years have passed since the end of the Darwath Trilogy, and in the ancient Keep of Dare, two former Californians, Rudy Solis and Gil Patterson, have grown accustomed to their new lives as wizard and warrior and part of this small group of survivors of the Dark. But in the last few years a new Ice Age has begun in the world. One that is accompanied by “Slunch”, a near indestructible fungus, that is slowly choking out all the arable farmland and also seems to be the catalyst for mutant creatures. Naturally, the appearance of a seemingly all-powerful substance like “Slunch” results in a new religion growing up to worship it, and gradually Rudy and Gil begin to understand that not only are there people among them worshipping the slunch and its makers but that the religion has its own grotesque high priest hiding among them!

AMBER AND ASHES (THE DARK DISCIPLE #1) by MARGARET WEIS and TRACY HICKMAN
AMBER AND ASHES
While I personally did not enjoy this series, it definitely revolved around a high priestess.

In this post-War of Souls series, Chemosh, Lord of Death comes down to earth and claims Mina (a character in the previous trilogy) as his own. Not only does Mina fall in love with Chemosh, but it appears that he also falls in love with her. Be that as it may, the Lord of Death still sends his new high priestess out into teh world to do his bidding and build for him a huge following, so that he can ultimately take over the world.

Hey, I might not have liked it, but someone else might.

THE BOOKS OF THE SOUTH (THE BLACK COMPANY) by GLEN COOK
THE BOOKS OF THE SOUTH

This novel presents me with a fine dilemma, because it can be argued that two characters might be the High Priest(tess) of Kiva at various times.

Narayan Singh is one of these people. As one of the last members of the Deceivers cult of the Goddess Kina, Goddess of Death, he has been tireless in his commitment to bringing his deity back into the world and definitely acts as an unnamed high priest of the cult.

However, Lady is also being groomed for the position by Kiva herself, followed by the Deceivers, and is portrayed as the cult’s high priestess in all but name.

So who should I put on the list?

Naturally, I have my guess as to who is the “real” high priest of Kiva, but either way, I’ve decided to include both of them here, since they are both worthy of being included on this list.

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT MY BEST OF FANTASY LISTS.

Posted in Fantasy, Lists, Tough Traveling | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

TARKIN (STAR WARS) by JAMES LUCENO

Posted on November 24, 2014 by Bookwraiths

A long time ago in a galaxy far,
far away . . . .

star wars

EPISODE III (and then some)

It is a dark time for the Empire.
Although the Clone Wars have ended,
most of the vile Jedi been destroyed, and
the Enlightened Emperor enthroned,
still there are those who subvert the peace.

Moff Tarkin was a valiant defender
of the Republic until the betrayal
of the Jedi Council. Since then he has
sworn allegiance to the Empire and
diligently enforced its edict to
maintain its perfect order.

Now, with rebellion rearing its ugly
head again, Moff Tarkin finds himself
living in secrecy, overseeing the construction
of a weapon that will ensure the peace
of the Empire is never broken again.
But with this deterrent to war not yet complete,
Tarkin finds that even he can be
drawn back into the front lines of the conflict.

tarkin

Tarkin is a novel that spotlights this Grand Moff of the Empire, who is the commander of the Death Star and the “handler” of Darth Vader in Episode IV “A New Hope.” And while James Luceno crafts a decent story fleshing out Tarkin as a person and highlighting the formation of the Empire’s dark triumvirate (The Emperor, Vader, and Tarkin), what he fails to do is make the ultimate Imperial officer exciting or sympathetic in any way; Wilhuff Tarkin remaining, at his core, a sci-fi Nazi, whose does not have any redeeming qualities, something that makes him very forgettable.

The story begins in a galaxy far, far away where Moff Tarkin is stuck in the Outer Rim at Sentinel Base, overseeing the tedious construction of the Emperor’s ultimate weapon of peace. Quickly, though, the boredom ends as the secret installation finds itself the target of a cunning, vicious attack by individuals that Tarkin suspects are former Clone War Separatists. When the Emperor demands that these rebels be brought to heel, the investigation leads Tarkin out of the shadows into the Coruscant chambers of the Emperor and then onward to the Outer Rim worlds with Lord Vader in tow, where he cements his worth to sit within the inner circle of the Sith.

Interspersed into this narrative of the now, Mr. Lucero inserts numerous flashbacks to Tarkin’s early life, beginning with his childhood, showing a reader how this ultimate Imperial officer developed into the man everyone seems to both fear and despise.

Born the heir of a rich, powerful family from the Outer Rim world of Eridau, Wilhuff’s early life is filled with pomp and privilege – until his parents send him into the wild, brutal landscape with his uncle. Once there, Tarkin’s adventures become an endless lesson on harshness and brutality, designed to completely destroy any childish notions of right and wrong or protection of the weak and powerless. Quickly he is taught that he should “[n]ever try to live decently, . . . – not unless you’re willing to open your life to tragedy and sadness. Live like a beast, and no event, no matter how harrowing, will ever be able to move you.” And his kindness toward those of lesser classes is utter foolishness, because “[His] task is to teach them the meaning of law and order . . . Then to punish them so that they remember the lesson. In the end, [he must] drive the fear of [himself] so deeply into them that fear alone will have them cowering at [his] feet.” While doing this, Wilhuff must always use the most brutal force possible because “[It] is the only real and unanswerable power. Oftentimes, beings who haven’t been duly punished cannot be reasoned with or edified.” For Tarkin must always recall that at the end of his long, illustrious life “Only glory can follow a man to his grave,” and his only purpose in life is to attain more glory for himself and his family name.

And it is these basic philosophies on life that bring the young Wilhuff to the attention of another ruthless and devious man – Senator Palpatine, who immediately begins cultivating him as a future ally. This relationship helping (like it did with a young Jedi named Anakin Skywalker) to propel the young, gifted Tarkin through the Republic ranks, serving in succession as a distinguished soldier, a powerful legislator, and as a dedicated covert officer for the Republic during the Clone Wars. Groomed by the future Emperor, trained in utter ruthlessness by his family, Tarkin sees his star burn even brighter after the end of the Clone Wars, as his devotion to the will of the new Empire and his dedication to enforcing its edicts turns him into an ever more ruthless and vicious man until even the Dark Lord Vader grudgingly respect him.

With all this being said, I found Tarkin to be a decent Star Wars novel. It tells an engaging story about a shadowy figure in SW lore, allows readers a peak inside the head of the Emperor and Vader, and keeps them entertained with a detective story as well as a snapshot look at the Empire’s growing problems immediately after the Clone Wars. What it did not do was give me any characters to care about. Sure, there are some “rebels” thrown into the narrative as a counter point to our dark triumvirate, but these guys are little more than names with a bit of background to flesh out their motives, nothing more than that. And, quite honestly, Tarkin is, at best, a boring guy, being one-dimensional all the time, because he is 100% evil with no doubts and no redeeming qualities.

To sum it all up for you, if you really dig evil dudes who are devious and think they are smarter than they probably are, then Tarkin might be just what you are looking for. If that doesn’t sound like your preferred male lead, you might need to skip this one.

Netgalley and the publisher 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.

Posted in 3 Stars, Science Fiction, Space Opera, Star Wars | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments