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TOUGH TRAVELING — NOVICES

Posted on November 6, 2014 by Bookwraiths

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.

6th November, 2014 – NOVICES

Novice is a term in frequent use. There are not only Novice Priests and Priestesses and nuns: you will also encounter novice healers and bards, and sometimes also novice mages…Novices are always young, frequently skinny and undernourished, and clad in robes.

Okay, is there an easier list to make in fantasy literature than this one?

There has to be hundreds of coming-of-age stories with “Novices” in it, right?

Well, let us see what I could find in my voluminous reading list.

1. SCOURGE OF THE BETRAYER (BLOODSOUNDER’S ARC) by JEFF SALYARDS

In this epic fantasy tale, Arkamondos, a bookish young scribe, takes a job as the chronicler for a band of Syldoon soldiers even though these warriors are known throughout the lands as baby eating savages, more likely to cut your throat than say a kind word to you. Arki, however, suspects that his employer’s reputation is surely exagerrated, and he choices to ignore it and view his new life as a grand adventure.

While Arki might not be a robed novice of traditional fantasy tales, he is definitely young, undernourished and something just as important: naive! A character flaw that his new employers are going to cure him of.

Buy Scourge of the Betrayer (Bloodsounder’s Arc Book 1) at Amazon.

2. THE WARDED MAN (DEMON CYCLE #1) by PETER V. BRETT

Why pick just one novice when you can have three for the price of one?

And that is exactly what you get in this first book of Mr. Brett’s demon epic, because here the story shifts from one novice to another. Each distinct story focusing on the lives of one of our three, young survivors; their names being Arlen, Leesha, and Rojer. Each of these youths finds himself or herself cast adrift in this demon infested world due to circumstances, and each gravitates toward a particular occupation that they are skilled at, ultimately attaching themselves to masters and learning from the ground up as novices.

Buy The Warded Man: Book One of The Demon Cycle at Amazon.

3. THE HIGH DRUID’S BLADE (THE DEFENDERS OF SHANNARA #1) by TERRY BROOKS
Now, I know, I could have just as easily picked other Shannara novels for this List of Novices, but to me, this particular story is directly on point. Well, sort of.

Here young Paxon Leah, the descendant of more famous ancestors, is living an average life, minding his own business when suddenly WHAM! drama strikes his family, and along the way to trying to fix things, he discovers he has an unknown gift. A gift that takes him to meet with the Druids of Shannara.

Once among these mysterious mystics, Paxon is given a choice to leave behind his nice secure life and study as a novice to become something greater.

Buy The High Druid’s Blade: The Defenders of Shannara at Amazon.

4. THE DARK TOWER SERIES by STEPHEN KING

Roland Deschain is on a quest to discover the Dark Tower. He is also the last gunslinger from his world — a world that has moved on. But those things do not keep Roland from gathering up novices to train as future gunslingers.

For those of you who haven’t read the series, I won’t spoil the fun by mentioning who these people are, but do allow me to say that throughout the first few books Stephen King introduces some unusual novices for Roland the Gunslinger. People who not only go on to become Deschain’s ka-tet and family but also grow into some of the most memorable characters anywhere in fantasy fiction.

Buy The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger: (The Dark Tower #1)(Revised Edition) at Amazon.

5. THE LIGHTNING THIEF (PERCY JACKSON and the OLYMPIANS #1) by RICK RIORDAN

A young teenager who enters into a strange world where he is trained and groomed to exhibit certain skills and abilities. Surrounding him while he does this is other teenager his own age, whom he competes with to attain certain status in their training camp until they are competent enough to go out into the world and perform specific tasks.

Damn, that sounds exactly like novices to me. What do you think?

You agree. Well that is good, because Percy is on my list.

Buy The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians Book 1) at Amazon.

6. ASSASSIN’S APPRENTICE (FARSEER TRILOGY #1) by ROBIN HOBB

Poor Fitz is the bastard son of the noble Prince Chivalry. Usually, our young man could expect a fairly uneventful life as a commoner, who just happens to have a “royal” father, but Fitz has been blessed (or cursed, based upon your perspective) with the gift of magic. A gift that at least one persons sees as an asset that must not be squandered by the kingdom. Thus, Fitz winds up being trained as a future assassin. His bad luck.

Can’t say I loved this book when I read it years ago, but Fitz was definitely a different type of novice to follow along behind.

Buy Assassin’s Apprentice: The Farseer Trilogy Book 1 at Amazon.

7. THE INITIATE (TIME MASTER #1) by LOUISE COOPER

In a world ruled by the Lords of Order, the dark-haired bastard boy Tarod grows up. An outcast to friends and family alike he ultimately winds up at The Star Peninisula, an ancient land magically cut off from the rest of the continent. Once there Tarod is tested, taken in as an Initiate by a group acolytes devoted to the Order god called Aeoris and known only as The Circle, and begins his training in the magical arts.

Yeap, Tarod is a novice. Don’t let the fancy term “initiate” fool you. He is a young nobody who is being trained up in the right way to do things. Of course, things don’t exactly turn out the way the Circle think they will with Tarod, but you’ll just have to read the book to find out how they do turn out.

Buy The Initiate (Time Master Trilogy, Book 1) at Amazon.

8. DAUGHTER OF THE EMPIRE (THE EMPIRE TRILOGY #1) by RAYMOND E. FEIST & JANNY WURTS

Funny, but this book begins with Mara (the main character) being a novice in a temple. However, due to the political machinations of a rival house in Kelewan, she is called home after the death of her father and brother. This leaves young Mara as the Ruling Lady of the Acoma, tasked with saving her house from total destruction!

To me, there are all kinds of novices, and Mara is a great example of the young novice ruler, thrust into the role without any chance to be taught the job and having to learn her skills as she goes. And for those reasons (plus it is just a great story) Mara has to be on any novice list.

Buy Daughter of the Empire: An Epic Saga of the World on the Other Side of the Riftwar (Riftwar Cycle: The Empire Trilogy) at Amazon.

9. MAGICIAN (THE RIFTWAR SAGA) by RAYMOND E. FEIST

The young, scrawny kid who no one wants to pick for their team. The boy who all the girls basically ignore, because he isn’t tall, muscular, and athletic like his friends. But this kid has a secret talent that will one day make him the most powerful person in . . . another world.

That description fits our hero Pug to a tee, and his journey from forgotten nerd to all-powerful sorcerer is what this book is ultimately portraying. But ever wizard starts out as a novice, and so does Pug in this classic fantasy tale.

Buy Magician (Riftwar Saga) at Amazon.

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT MY BEST OF FANTASY LISTS.

Posted in Fantasy, Lists, Tough Traveling | Tagged Assassin's apprentice, best novices in fantasy, BLOODSOUNDER'S ARC, Dark Tower The Gunslinger, Daughter of the Empire, fantasy lists, Greatest Novices in fantasy books, janny wurts, JEFF SALYARDS, Louise Cooper, Magician, Peter V. Brett, raymond e. feist, Rick Riordan, robin hobb, Roland Deschain, SCOURGE OF THE BETRAYER, Stephen King, Terry Brooks, the dark tower, The Defenders of Shannara, THE DEMON CYCLE, The High Druid's Blade, The Initiate, The Lightning Thief, THE WARDED MAN, Time Master, VEIL OF THE DESERTERS | 8 Comments

THE LAST OLYMPIAN (PERCY JACKSON & the OLYMPIANS #5) by RICK RIORDAN

Posted on November 5, 2014 by Bookwraiths

My rating is 4 out of 5 stars.

The Last Olympian is, I suppose, a fitting conclusion to the Percy Jackson series. It brings together all the memorable characters one last time; lets them take their turn in the spotlight; entertains a long time reader with a novel spanning battle of epic proportions; and then simply and neatly ties up the loose plot threads. So for all those reasons, it is a satisfying ending to one of the most well-known coming-of-age tales in recent memory.

Like all long time readers know, this novel begins with Percy Jackson dreading the inevitable battle with the Titan Lord Kronos, his fellow Titans and their numerous allies as well as the fulfillment of the Delphi’s ominous prophecy. Thankfully, Percy and his half-blood friends have been preparing for this for years though. So they should be able to respond to pretty much anything their enemy throws at them, right?

Wrong. Because this is Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and no planning is ever enough to keep the unexpected from happening. And so, while everyone at Camp Half-Blood knew their odds were going to be grim when the final face-off came about, none of them were expecting how strong Kronos’ army really was. Nor were they anticipating the coldly orchestrated manner in which the Lord of Time goes about dividing his enemies and setting them up for failure. (Something that you would think Athena, goddess of wisdom, or some other experienced demigod would have expected. But I digress.) And so, Percy and his fellow half-bloods find themselves in a familiar spot of trying to save themselves (and the world) from certain destruction with no clear idea of what exactly to do.

The story that is crafted out this chaotic, juvenile mess is a typical Percy Jackson tale that mixes re-imagined Greek mythology with seat-of-your-pants action, a bit of teenage angst, and a lot of daring-do by our young heroes. And while it doesn’t do anything different from the preceding four books, that isn’t a bad thing, because by this point you either like Percy or don’t. No need for Mr. Riordan to change paddles in midstream, so to speak.

But if I was forced to point out something I didn’t enjoy in this book, it would be Percy’s absolute “denseness” or “absent mindedness” or “clueless-ness” or whatever you want to call it. In The Lightning Thief, it made him endearing and completely relatable, because he was a young teen thrown into a situation which made no sense, and he kept floundering around, trying to figure what was going on. Even in the next three books, “seaweed brain” reacted fairly appropriately, giving that he was continually getting into unexpected situations. But now we are at the final battle. You know, the big confrontation he and all the half-bloods have been preparing for, and it just did not seem realistic, at all, to me that Percy would still be so “OMG, what is going on?”

With that diatribe by my middle-aged self out-of-the-way, I have to say I and my son enjoyed this novel. (My son more than me, but isn’t that the way it should be?) It gave us a huge, ongoing battle worthy of a clash between Kronos and the Greek gods, lots of Percy Jackson heroic denseness, and a resolution to the prophecy that we had been wondering about for so long. Plus seaweed brain finally understood girls. Well, he thinks he does, but all us middle aged men know something that Percy hasn’t understood yet.

Buy The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 5) at Amazon.

Posted in 4 Stars, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult | Tagged Camp Half-Blood, half-bloods, Kronos, Percy Jackson, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Rick Riordan, The Last Olympian | 3 Comments

THE SWORD OF SOLONUS by ADAM MATTHEWS

Posted on November 4, 2014 by Bookwraiths

My rating is 3 out of 5 stars.

With The Sword of Solonus, Adam Matthews has taken on the herculean task of taking a traditional fantasy world (medieval-like) and traditional fantasy races (elves, humans, etc.) and re-imagining all of it – including each race’s philosophy. And I must say that other than a few issues, Mr. Matthews did a great job of giving this familiar fantasy reader something fresh to dig his teeth into.

The tale itself revolves around an array of conflicts in this fantasy world. Here humans, high elves, dark elves, and the arkalorians are each distinct societies with their own unique religions, culture, and agendas; a situation that natural breeds misunderstanding, revulsion, and – ultimately – conflict along multiple fronts: social, economic, religious, and military.

Indeed, the conflicts in The Sword of Solonus are numerous, from minor annoyances to sweeping persecutions to clashes over societal norms to ecological altering events. There are religious conflicts with the persecution of those of a different faith; civil war-type conflict between different sections of a kingdom; more than a hint of global destruction of the environment; and the antagonism toward different sexual roles in society, where the immortals have outgrown their need to reproduce.

There are lots of ideas explored in this novel that were quite interesting. My favorite being Mr. Matthews’ look at the issue of immortality and sexuality. Because ask yourself, if a race could live forever and had no need to reproduce for the race to survive, would they ultimately evolve into sexless creatures?

Quite possibly, given enough time. And here the author tackles that question, delving into it as well as the companion issue of how other mortal races might reject such androgynous beings as alien and unclean, wishing them destroyed.

With all that being said, I did have some issues with the novel that I’d feel remise if I didn’t point out.

First, this story was long and, unfortunately, read that way. Everything seemed a bit too wordy, perhaps in need of some careful editing to cut repetitive descriptions or prune away the unnecessary verbiage to allow the story itself to flow organically from page to page. And this was especially true of the dialogue, which, at times, was very stiff, formal, and unnatural in its leanings.

Second, the narrative covered over two decades worth of story, a great breadth of time and narrative to squeeze into one novel. And this was an issue as events and characters did not develop so much as they were just said to exist a certain way in order for the plot to proceed – an issue that might be rectified by splitting the story into a duology.

With my criticisms voiced, I’d like to commend Mr. Matthews for writing such an ambitious fantasy story that mixed in so many new ideas and intriguing philosophy into the traditional fantasy vehicle. All in all, I enjoyed reading it and would recommend other fantasy aficionados to give it a try.

Buy The Sword of Solonus at Amazon.

Posted in 3 Stars, Fantasy, High, Self-Published | Tagged Adam Matthews, androgynous fantasy characters, fantasy novels, indie fantasy novels, The Sword of Solonus | 1 Comment

FUN DAY MONDAY, OR THE BOOKS THAT WILL HELP ME SURVIVE THE WEEK AHEAD (NOVEMBER 3, 2014)

Posted on November 3, 2014 by Bookwraiths

The work week begins. Usually, I slip on my business suit and head back into the office to save a few innocent people from wrongful incarceration, but today, I have foregone the formal attire to do paperwork. Something that is good and bad. But one thing that hasn’t changed is my desire to escape the day-to-day grind by reading some great books.

So, without any further ado, here are the novels I will giving a try this week.

SHATTERED SHIELDS edited by JENNIFER BROZEK & BRYAN THOMAS SCHMIDT

“Swords and Shields. Faith and Magic.

Grab yours and get ready, for the enemy is on the move.

High fantasy and mighty conflicts go hand-in-hand. In great wars, armies rise to fight evil hordes and heroes struggle to push beyond their imperfections and save the day. These stories include more than just epic landscapes and characters…but also epic battles.

Imagine a doctor struggling to identify the spy who has infiltrated his company’s ranks and poisoned his colleagues or a boy suspected of murder by a king yet protected by a princess as he helps her father against his own people. Imagine a butcher discovering that he’s called to lead an uprising, or a First Born knowing that she must betray her own in order to save humanity.

The possibilities are endless, but at the heart they have this in common: soldiers—ordinary and otherwise–struggling against extraordinary odds to survive the day. They must withstand dark magic, dodge enemy blades, and defy the odds to survive SHATTERED SHIELDS.

Table of Contents:
Ashes and Starlight (Runelords) by David Farland
The Fixed Stars (October Daye) by Seanan McGuire
The Keeper of Names by Larry Correia
The Smaller We Are by John Helfers
Invictus by Annie Bellet
Rising Above by Sarah A. Hoyt
A Cup of Wisdom by Joseph Zieja
Words of Power by Wendy N. Wagner
Lightweaver in Shadow by Gray Rinehart
Hoofsore and Weary by Cat Rambo
Vengeance (Frost) by Robin Wayne Bailey
Deadfall by Nancy Fulda
Yael of the Strings by John R. Fultz
The Gleaners by Dave Gross
Bonded Men by James L. Sutter
Bone Candy (Black Company) by Glen Cook
First Blood (Paksenarrion) by Elizabeth Moon” — Goodreads

Buy Shattered Shields (BAEN) at Amazon.

STAR WARS: TARKIN by JAMES LUCENO

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

Bestselling Star Wars veteran James Luceno gives Grand Moff Tarkin the Star Wars: Darth Plagueis treatment, bringing a legendary character from A New Hope to full, fascinating life.

He’s the scion of an honorable and revered family. A dedicated soldier and distinguished legislator. Loyal proponent of the Republic and trusted ally of the Jedi Order. Groomed by the ruthless politician and Sith Lord who would be Emperor, Governor Wilhuff Tarkin rises through the Imperial ranks, enforcing his authority ever more mercilessly . . . and zealously pursuing his destiny as the architect of absolute dominion.

Rule through the fear of force rather than force itself, he advises his Emperor. Under Tarkin’s guidance, an ultimate weapon of unparalleled destruction moves ever closer to becoming a terrifying reality. When the so-called Death Star is completed, Tarkin is confident that the galaxy’s lingering pockets of Separatist rebellion will be brought to heel—by intimidation . . . or annihilation.

Until then, however, insurgency remains a genuine threat. Escalating guerrilla attacks by resistance forces and newfound evidence of a growing Separatist conspiracy are an immediate danger the Empire must meet with swift and brutal action. And to bring down a band of elusive freedom fighters, the Emperor turns to his most formidable agents: Darth Vader, the fearsome new Sith enforcer as remorseless as he is mysterious; and Tarkin—whose tactical cunning and cold-blooded efficiency will pave the way for the Empire’s supremacy . . . and its enemies’ extinction.” — Goodreads

Buy Tarkin: Star Wars at Amazon.

THE GREAT BETRAYAL (WARHAMMER) by NICK KYME

“The war between dwarfs and elves that shaped the Warhammer world begins.

Thousands of years before the rise of men, the dwarfs and elves are stalwart allies and enjoy an era of unrivalled peace and prosperity. But when dwarf trading caravans are attacked and their merchants slain, the elves are accused of betrayal. Quick to condemn the people of Ulthuan as traitors, the mountain lords nevertheless try to prevent conflict, but the elves’ arrogance undoes any chance of reconciliation and war is inevitable. At the city of Tor Alessi a vast army stands against the dwarfs. Here Snorri Halfhand, son of the High King of the dwarfs, will meet his destiny against the elven King Caledor as the first blow is struck in a conflict that could bring about the fall of two great civilisations.” — Goodreads

Buy The Great Betrayal (Time of Legends) at Amazon.

So there are my reads for the week. What are yours?

Posted in Fantasy, Funday Monday | Tagged David Farland, ELIZABETH MOON, Glen Cook, Grand Moff Tarkin, James Luceno, John R. Fultz, NICK KYME, Sarah A. Hoyt, Shattered Shields, Star Wars, Stars Wars Expanded Universe, Tarkin, The Great Betrayal, Warhammer, warhammer dwarves | 10 Comments

FLASHBACK FRIDAY — THE NEW X-MEN: E is for Extinction by GRANT MORRISON

Posted on October 31, 2014 by Bookwraiths

The New X-Men: E is for Extinction was written by Grant Morrison and illustrated by Frank Quitely with Leinil Francis Yu and Ethan Van Sciver helping out.

When I heard that Mr. Morrison was helming this one, I can’t tell you how excited I was. It was a dream come true for me. As an old time X-Men fan (one who had cut his teeth during the twilight days of Claremont and Byrne’s famous run on the title), I’d enjoyed Claremont’s convoluted plots and glorified in the tremendous artwork of people like Marc Silvestri and Jim Lee, but I dreamed of a new age of greatness with Morrison at the helm. So when I read Morrison’s “take” on the X-men, I wanted to be blown away by it and turned back into an X-fan. And while that didn’t happen, it was still a pretty cool run, so I thought I’d spotlight it this week.

The story setup here is that a new super villain has shown up; her name being Cassandra Nova. Not only is she some super telepath, but she is also an identical genetic clone of Charles Xavier and embodies a new type of evolutionary advance in the human race. Ms. Nova is quite frankly a dynamic leap in homo sapiens superior, a.k.a. as “mutants,” so in other words, she is a mojo bad ass. Add to this the fact that she wishes to annihilate every “mutant” on the planet, and it is clear that the X-Men have got a major problem on their hands.

Like all good stories, Morrison has more than one plot line going on here, so “Super” Nova isn’t all the fun. We have lots of relationship issues among the team. Henry a.k.a. Beast is dealing with his continued mutations. Scott is acting withdrawn and a tad bit crazy after his recent possession by a villain. Naturally, he and Jean are having problems. Emma Frost comes on board the team after a huge cataclysm on Genosha, and she instantaneously begins seducing Scott. Wolverine is lurking around, and Professor Xavier is his normal self. Oh, we also have this crazed “New Age” cult leader who is preaching that mutant organs should be used to turn “regular” humans into super humans.

What?

Yeah. I don’t know how that would actually work either, but I’m not a scientist.

Anyway, the action begins in this one very earlier and just gets ratcheted up more and more as the tale goes along. We have sentinels killing mutants. Mutants killing mutants. Humans trying to kill mutants, so they can get their body parts to become mutants. And by the end, we have a major twist in the story that nicely sets up graphic novel number 2: Imperial.

As for the art, I cannot complain at all. It was top notch and told the story extremely well. Each panel was tailored to convey the mood of the characters as well as their inner struggles or tone of voice. Many times I found myself already knowing what type of encounter I was about to read just by viewing the art, which means that the artist is doing a great job in my world.

All in all, E is for Extinction had all the elements of an interesting graphic novel: great team, lots of action, and several plots going on. Like always, Morrison gives his readers a great villain; this time it is Cassandra Nova, who is powerful enough, devious enough and bloodthirsty enough to carry the story. Even the team dynamics and “Whoa is me, I’m a mutant” plots were somewhat interesting. As for the art, I can’t say anything bad about it. However, this graphic novel fell flat for me in 2002 and again in my 2014 re-read. Perhaps I am not a Morrison fan (though I have enjoyed other books he has written) or perhaps I treasure the “old” X-Men of my youth too much. Whatever it is, however, this graphic novel was a bit schizophrenic in its story telling for my taste, so much so that even the great ending can’t save it.

Like I always say though – don’t take my word for this graphic novel, read it and see what you think.

Buy New X-Men Vol. 1: E is for Extinction (v. 1) at Amazon.

Posted in 3 Stars, Flashback Friday, Graphic Novels, Marvel | Tagged Best Graphic Novels, Cassandra Nova, E is for Extinction, Grant Morrison, Graphic novel, graphic novels, Marvel, Marvel Comics, Morrison, The New X-Men, X-Men | 1 Comment

TOUGH TRAVELING — MONSTERS

Posted on October 30, 2014 by Bookwraiths

30th September, 2014 – MONSTERS

MONSTERS are likely to lie in waste areas, caves, and old ruined cities. You can usually detect their presence by smell.

Wow, monsters are so . . . like a decade ago. I mean, fantasy these days focuses more on three dimensional characters shaded all in grey, not evil monsters, so this category is going to force me to dig deep (or broadly interpret the definition) to actually find some “monsters” that fit that description.

8. DRAGONSLAYER by WAYLAND DREW

Yeah, this is a movie adaption. Of a movie that was not particularly well loved when it was released in the early 1980s, but one I always enjoyed for what it was: a fast paced, fun, adventure story.

So, anyway, this story focuses on . . . yeah, you got it, a dragon!

More specifically, the quest to find a particular dragon, kill that dragon, and survive the process.

And, for those that are interested, this dragon is a true monster. There isn’t any goodness or misunderstanding or justification for his killing, pillaging, destruction, and eating of maidens. Nope, he is a smelly dragon who hides in his lair, only venturing out to lay waste to the puny humans who are good for only one thing — eating!

Buy Dragonslayer at Amazon.

7. THE IRON WOLVES by ANDY REMIC

This novel has an abundance of “monsters” scattered throughout its pages. We have the protagonists of the story, the Iron Wolves, who are some of the grimmest grimdark heroes I’ve encountered. Their numbers including a pit fighter, drug addict, serial killer, and child molester/torturer. And then we have the antagonists in the tale who are more traditional monsters called mud orcs, raised from the mud pits by vile, blood magic, and their companion soldiers in the dark army labeled “splice”, which is a fairly adequate explanation for what they are (a forced melding of human and animal into one physical creature.) Leading the orcs and splice is Orlana the Changer; a strange, inhuman villainess who eats human flesh one moment before satiating her sexual appetite on a man slave, literally eating him alive as she spread her taint within him. Lots of “monsters” here — though they don’t live in caves.

Buy The Iron Wolves: Book 1 of The Rage of Kings at Amazon.

6. MOTHER OF WINTER by BARBARA HAMBLY

Set after the end of the Darwath trilogy, this story sees the world growing colder, and the survivors of the rising of the Dark attempting to rebuild their civilization (albeit on a smaller scale) in a harsh, new land. Now, though, they find themselves facing a new menace as the ice that is creeping down from the north has awoken an ancient force determined to freeze the globe in a perpetual winter. And with a near indestructible weed beginning to grow in the fields, monsters begin to appear outside the Keep of Dare . . . as well as inside it, the hardships of the survivors of the Dark only grows worse!

Thought I’d add a different sort of monster with this one.

Buy Mother of Winter (Darwath) at Amazon.

5. SHADOWS LINGER (THE BLACK COMPANY #2) by GLEN COOK

The Black Company (well, what remains of it, anyway) are sent out by Lady to investigate a mysterious black castle that seems to be organically growing in a small seaport far to the west. The residents of this castle are hooded monstrosities who pay for any corpses delivered to them and will give extra money for anyone brought to them still alive!

While the story doesn’t focus solely on these monsters and their business at the dark castle, I still thought their role in this tale was central to the whole book. Plus, they are just really creepy, intriguing monsters.

Buy Shadows Linger: A Novel of the Black Company (Chronicles of The Black Company) at Amazon.

4. THRONE OF THE CRESCENT MOON by SALADIN AHMED

This is not one of my favorite fantasy books. For the reasons why read my review HERE .

Be that as it may, the author has some pretty cool monsters in the ghuls.

These zombie-like creatures come in all shapes and in numerous forms. Each different ghul having specific powers at its command. While zombies by another name at first glance, they shape up into far more than just that.

Of course, we don’t actually see much of the ghuls, but when we do, they are interesting.

Buy Throne of the Crescent Moon (Crescent Moon Kingdoms) at Amazon.

3. DRAGONSBANE by BARBARA HAMBLY

The monster in this story is obviously the dragon, right?

Well, it is, sort of. But Ms. Hambly does something really cool in this Tolkien-inspired adventure of a group of dragonslayers, she turns the dragon into something more than just an evil beast.

Back when this one was first published, I had personally never seen a story that did that. Normally, we had good guys versus evil monster, and that was that. But Dragonsbane did the ol’ switcharo, creating a really memorable monster.

Buy Dragonsbane at Amazon.

2. WOLVES OF THE CALLA (THE DARK TOWER #5) by STEPHEN KING

Okay, the “wolves” are not the traditional fantasy monster, but they are “monsters” who ride into the Calla on their fierce steeds, stealing children and striking the fear of god into all the residents. And they appear from a mysterious land across the river where an ominous mountain stands.

Sounds like some pretty cool monsters to me.

For all these reasons — and the fact this was the last Dark Tower novel that I actually liked — these monsters have to be on my list.

Buy Wolves of the Calla (The Dark Tower, Book 5) at Amazon.

1. THE HOBBIT by J.R.R. TOLKIEN

How can any monster list be complete without Smaug the Magnificent?

As he himself says:

“My armour is like tenfold shields, my teeth are swords, my claws spears, the shock of my tail is a thunderbolt, my wings a hurricane, and my breath death!”

Sounds like one bad monster to me, so the ultimate dragon is on my list.

Buy The Hobbit at Amazon.

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT MY BEST OF FANTASY LISTS.

Posted in Fantasy, Lists, Tough Traveling | Tagged Andy Remic, Barbara Hambly, Chronicles of the Black Company, Dargonslayer, Dragonsbane, Glen Cook, J.R.R. Tolkien, Mother of Winter, Saladin Ahmed, Shadows Linger, Stephen King, The Black Company, the dark tower, The Hobbit, The Iron Wolves, Throne of the Crescent Moon, Tough Traveling, WOLVES OF THE Calla | 12 Comments

THE FREE by BRIAN RUCKLEY

Posted on October 29, 2014 by Bookwraiths

My rating is 3 out of 5 stars.

The Magnificent Seven. Seven Samurai. These action-packed, adventure movies supposedly inspired Brian Ruckley when writing this tale of a band of fantasy land mercenaries taking one last contract before retiring.

I’m sure that doesn’t wow many of you. Truthfully, it didn’t excite me either when I got this ARC. But after finishing The Free, I have to admit it was a fun, exciting adventure with lots of interesting ideas and concepts.

The story is set in a land ripped apart by civil war, as a rebellion of the nobility sweeps aside the royal line of kings who have kept the ominous “Orphans” of the south at bay using the threat of a Permanence known only as The Bereaved.

Remaining neutral in this epic societal clash is the realm’s “clevers,” or magic-users, who use a very exotic form of elemental magic to cause mass destruction.

One group that does take sides (albeit for a price) is the mercenary company known as the Free. This legendary band of warriors, clevers, and their horrifying Permanence, the Clamour, are completing their final contract, fighting for one of the nobles in his struggle against the remaining kingsmen. And as the war nears its end, its members are eager to disbanding for good; their leader, Yulan, being the one most ready for his companions to drift off into retirement and enjoy their well-earned gold.

But wait! Yulan is offered a final contract. A very lucrative one. A deal that will not only pay an ungodly sum of gold to the company but also allow them to rectify an old failure. And though he resists the idea, ultimately, Yulan cannot pass up the gold or, more important, the chance to legally slay (there is a contract after all!) the member of the royal family who dealt the Free its only embarassment.

Accompanying the mercenaries on their final mission is Drann, a young peasant who is a volunteer in the noble’s army. He has little training, less worldly experience, but more than a little respect and awe for the legendary Free company. And through good luck (or bad, according to your point of view) Drann finds himself riding among his childhood heroes, bearing the noble’s contract, sworn to witness the completion of this business arrangement and report back such news to his lord. But nothing in Drann’s past has prepared him for the wild adventure he has stumbled into!

As I mentioned earlier, there are lots of interesting elements in this novel. Let me list just a few.

What are clevers, and how do their powers work?

Who are the Orphans that everyone is afraid of?

What are the Permanences that are so carefully guarded and only whispered about in awe?

What is the terrible failure that the Free are so eager to rectify?

And how will the School of Clevers get involved in the whole situation, and how?

The story that slowly reveals the answers to all these questions is a well-written, tightly-woven, and exciting adventure. There are lots of intense battles, some cool “clever” action, and more than a few exciting characters. And while the world building is sparse, it is satisfying, revealing a very intriguing land with lots of lore and history hiding just under the surface.

The only issue I had with The Free was that the story used too many standard tropes and character archetypes for my taste. The grizzled, famous mercenary company taking one last ride into the sunset has been done before in books and movies. And the characters tended to fall into the usual categories: the naive, new guy (Drann); the haunted, well-loved leader (Yulan); the grizzled, kind veteran (Hamdan); the broken, spiteful female warrior (Akrana); and the list goes on. While none of this kept me from enjoying the story, it did cause me to read a little less closely at times, because, honestly, I could guess what each character was going to do and say in most situations.

Sounds a lot like watching The Magnificent Seven and Seven Samurai, doesn’t it?

That is because it is, except you are reading (as opposed to watching) an action-adventure extravaganza that might not overwhelm you in its complexity, but will definitely keep you entertained until the end.

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

Buy The Free at Amazon.

Posted in 3 Stars, Fantasy, Low, Military | Tagged best fantasy books 2014, best standalone fantasy novel, BRIAN RUCKLEY, fantasy standalone novel, new fantasy series 2014, THE FREE | 2 Comments

SLEEPING BEAUTY by MARK LAWRENCE

Posted on October 26, 2014 by Bookwraiths

Sleeping Beauty by Mark Lawrence

Genre: Fantasy – Grimdark

Series: The Broken Empire #2.5

Publisher: Self Published (July 2013)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 33 pages

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Jorg Ancrath as sleeping beauty?

Sounds crazy, right? Especially since most of us know Jorg from Mr. Lawrence’s seminal grimdark novel Prince of Thorns and its sequel King of Thorns, and recall that he is far from the embodiment of nobility and goodness. Somehow, someway Mark Lawrence makes it work, however, crafting a twisted story of the young king (this one is set between book two and three of the trilogy) as a “sleeping beauty” of sorts.

The story itself focuses on Jorg and a traveling companion making the mistake of seeking shelter from a storm in a haunted cave. While they are aware of the rumored ghosts that inhabit the place, Jorg is never one to let silly things like specters hold him back from his chosen course of action, and soon he finds himself a “sleeping beauty,” wondering when he will wake up and to what fiendish horrors. I really can’t tell you more, or I’ll ruin the wicked fun.

Overall, this was another grimdark tour de force from Mark Lawrence, filled with creepy images, fierce combat, and shadowy revelations about the world of the Broken Empire. Not only is it a must-read for series fans looking for a fix of Jorg, but its easy accessibility makes it a great introduction for new readers wanting to just try the series out. Sure, our grimdark hero has a habit of being terribly lucky, unbelievably knowledgeable, and gifted in that perfect way to overcome his current set of challenges, but a reader really must not let that detract from the fun, because it is merely part of the legend that is Jorg. I’d recommend it to all grimdark devotees, Jorg Ancrath lovers, and fans of fantasy-horror genre benders, because it is a not-to-be-missed fairy tale retelling.

Buy the story at Amazon.

Read my reviews of other Mark Lawrence stories.
During the Dance

Posted in 4 Stars, Fantasy, Grimdark, Short Stories | Tagged best free grimdark, best grimdark 2014, best grimdark fantasy series, best grimdark short story 2014, Jorg, Jorg Ancrath, King of Thorns, Mark Lawrence, Prince of Throns, sleeping beauty, the broken empire | 1 Comment

MY FAVORITE 100 FANTASY COVERS (#100-91)

Posted on October 24, 2014 by Bookwraiths

I am one of those people who has no problem admitting I judge books by their covers.

I mean, why lie about it.

Can’t we all just admit that when we look over the bookshelf at our local Barnes & Noble or online at Amazon the first thing we gravitate toward is the cover of the books. If it’s amazing, we will generally want to find out more about it. If the cover totally sucks, we will, more than likely, second guess any thought to actually reading it.

To me, no where is cover art more important than the fantasy genre.

Why do I say that, you ask?

Because fantasy is a genre that hopes to inspire wonder in people. The stories themselves are usually epic adventures with breathtaking magic, awe-inspiring miracles with blade or wand or metal elements, and unusual people. So the cover to a fantasy MUST let a potential reader sense the fantastical elements contained within those pages.

Naturally, there are numerous ways to do that. And, every prospective reader has his or her own idea of what is awe-inspiring artwork. That is why the fantasy shelves of any bookstore is an amazing place to browse for art, because each novel is like a portal to some amazing world unlike our own; each representing one art teams expression of the fantastical.

Now, I’ve been reading fantasy most of my life. (At least thirty-four years, but whose counting, right?) And there have been certain book covers that have captured my imagination and remained with me even though years have passed between my first sight of them and the present day. Some of those novels went on to become my favorite stories. Others are ones I enjoyed reading but forgot about soon after. A few went in the “I Didn’t Like It” list. And a couple I appreciated the cover art but never even bought the book. But the one thing all these covers had in common was a perfect vision of what I personally thought was an intriguing, fantasy world that I wanted to journey to.

So, without any further ado, here are my Favorite Fantasy Covers (#100-91) . . .

100. SWORD OF THE ARCHON BY D.P. PRIOR

“Deacon Shader has dreamt of the Sword of the Archon since a child, and now, as a veteran warrior, he is finally within reach of winning the holy blade in a tournament at the heart of the Templum’s empire.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, plague breaks out in the streets of Sarum, and a horde of undead rises from the sacred burial mounds of the Dreamers.

Prompted by a voice from the Abyss, the liche Dr. Cadman has discovered a piece of the mythical Statue of Eingana and corrupted its power, but worse than that, an ancient enemy has noticed and turns his eyes once more upon the Earth.

Those with understanding know all too well the threat that hangs over Creation and have taken great pains to ward against it.” — Goodreads

Love the cover of this warrior of faith from a post-apocalyptic future. I especially dig the hat. Honestly, it reminds me of my witch-hunter on Warhammer Online from several years ago.

99. TOMORROW THE KILLING – DANIEL POLANSKY

“Once he was a hero of the Great War, and then a member of the dreaded Black House. Now he is the criminal linchpin of Low Town. His name is Warden. He thought he had left the war behind him, but a summons from up above brings the past sharply, uncomfortably, back into focus. General Montgomery’s daughter is missing somewhere in Low Town, searching for clues about her brother’s murder. The General wants her found, before the stinking streets can lay claim to her, too.” — Goodreads

Dark, moody, and mysterious are the descriptive words that come to mind when I see this cover. Plus the fact that it makes me really interested in what is going on. Take a look at more of cover artist Rhett Podersoo’s work Here

98. RANGE OF GHOSTS – ELIZABETH BEAR

“Temur, grandson of the Great Khan, is walking away from a battlefield where he was left for dead. All around lie the fallen armies of his cousin and his brother, who made war to rule the Khaganate. Temur is now the legitimate heir by blood to his grandfather’s throne, but he is not the strongest. Going into exile is the only way to survive his ruthless cousin.

Once-Princess Samarkar is climbing the thousand steps of the Citadel of the Wizards of Tsarepheth. She was heir to the Rasan Empire until her father got a son on a new wife. Then she was sent to be the wife of a Prince in Song, but that marriage ended in battle and blood. Now she has renounced her worldly power to seek the magical power of the wizards. These two will come together to stand against the hidden cult that has so carefully brought all the empires of the Celadon Highway to strife and civil war through guile and deceit and sorcerous power.” – Goodreads

It sounds good. Plus, it has this absolutely stunning cover by Donato Giancola. One day, I’m going to actually read it. Take a look at more of Donato Giancola’s art Here

97. ELANTRIS — BRANDON SANDERSON

“ELANTRIS WAS A PLACE OF GLORY.

The capital of Arelon, the home to people transformed into magic-using demigods by the Shaod.

But then the magic failed, Elantris started to rot, and its inhabitants turned into powerless wrecks.

And in the new capital, Kae, close enough to Elantris for everyone to be reminded of what they have lost, a princess arrives. Sarene is to be married to unite Teod and Arelon against the religious imperialists of Fjordell. But she is told that Raoden, her husband to be, is dead.

Determined to carry on the fight for Teod and Arelon’s freedom, Sarene clashes with the high priest Hrathen. If Hrathen can persuade the populace to convert, Fjordell will reign supreme.

But there are secrets in Elantris, the dead and the ruined may yet have a role to play in this new world. Magic lives.” — Goodreads

This UK version of the cover is stunning to me. Not sure why, but the gate opening with the green light streaming out just peaks my curiosity. Anyone know who the artist was?

96. THIEVES WORLD — ROBERT LYNN ASPRIN and LYNN ABBEY

“Shared World anthologies. What a brilliant idea! The concept was that a setting would be provided and some basic rules set down, such as ‘no killing another author’s character without permission.’ And then recruit some top notch writers to come and play.

This book still has a nice fat place on my shelf.” — Robin Hobb, author of The Farseer Trilogy

I recall picking this one up over and over again when I was a teenager, trying to decide whether I should buy it. At the time, I really didn’t love short stories or anthologies, preferring grand, sweeping epic fantasy series, but the sight of that cover would not let go of me. Eventually, I broke down and purchased the book, even read it. I can’t recall much about it, but that cover has always been a favorite of mine. Artwork by Garry Ruddell.

95. THE MISENCHANTED SWORD – LAWRENCE WATT-EVANS

“The old wizard wasn’t exactly happy with Valder, who’d led his enemy to his hut. Now hut and magical supplies were destroyed. But he’d promised the young scout a magic sword to get him safely back to his own lines — and a much enchanted sword Valder would get!

The resulting sword gave perfect protection — sometimes! It could kill any man — or even half demon. In fact, once drawn, it had to kill before it could be put down or sheathed.

Army wizards told Valder that the sword would keep him alive until he’d drawn it 100 times; then it would kill him! It wouldn’t prevent his being wounded, maimed or cut to pieces, but it wouldn’t let him die. If his new job as Chief Assassin for the army didn’t make him use up the spell, he’d be practically immortal.

Not bad, it seemed. There had to be a catch somewhere.

There was — and it was a lulu!” — Goodreads

Have to admit to never reading this novel, though I’ve enjoyed more than a few of Mr. Watt-Evans fantasy stories. Be that as it may, this cover by Darrell K. Sweet really mesmerized me back in the day.

94. ACROSS THE FACE OF THE WORLD – RUSSELL KIRK PATRICK

For 2000 years, Kannwar, the Immortal Destroyer, Lord of Bhrudwo, has been planning revenge on the Most High.

Mahnum has escaped the Destroyer’s prison, but on his way home to Loulea, he and his wife are captured. His sons, Leith and Hal, set off in pursuit with a small group of villagers to free their parents and to warn their world of the coming war. But not all of the Company agree that so few can make a difference, or think that anyone will listen to them.

So begins a dangerous quest to challenge darkness, fulfill a prophecy and change the course of their world’s history.

Sounds interesting enough in that epic fantasy sort of way. What is absolutely brilliant is that cover though. After looking at it, I want to jump on a horse and ride out on an epic quest myself. As long as I can be home before my favorite shows come on, that is. Take a look at more of Steven Stone’s art Here

93. THE DESERT SPEAR – PETER V. BRETT

“The sun is setting on humanity. The night now belongs to voracious demons that arise as the sun sets, preying upon a dwindling population forced to cower behind ancient and half-forgotten symbols of power. These wards alone can keep the demons at bay, but legends tell of a Deliverer: a general-some would say prophet-who once bound all mankind into a single force that defeated the demons. Those times, if they ever existed, are long past. The demons are back, and the return of the Deliverer is just another myth . . . or is it?” — Goodreads

This cover is brimming with action, from the spear of the desert warrior to the promise of death in his stern eyes. Without this stellar cover, I really wonder if I would have ever picked up The Warded Man to see what this series was all about. Take a look at more of Larry Rostant’s art Here

92. THE MIRROR OF HER DREAMS by STEPHEN R. DONALDSON

“The daughter of rich but neglectful parents, Terisa Morgan lives alone in a New York City apartment, a young woman who has grown to doubt her own existence. Surrounded by the flat reassurance of mirrors, she leads an unfulfilled life—until the night a strange man named Geraden comes crashing through one of her mirrors, on a quest to find a champion to save his kingdom of Mordant from a pervasive evil that threatens the land. Terisa is no champion. She wields neither magic nor power. And yet, much to her own surprise, when Geraden begs her to come back with him, she agrees.

Now, in a culture where women are little more than the playthings of powerful men, in a castle honeycombed with secret passages and clever traps, in a kingdom threatened from without and within by enemies able to appear and vanish out of thin air, Terisa must become more than the pale reflection of a person. For the way back to Earth is closed to her. And the enemies of Mordant will stop at nothing to see her dead.” — Goodreads

Great Michael Whelan cover. Take a look at more of his art Here

91. THRONE OF GLASS – SARAH J. MAAS

“Meet Celaena Sardothien.
Beautiful. Deadly.
Destined for greatness.

In the dark, filthy salt mines of Endovier, an eighteen-year-old girl is serving a life sentence. She is a trained assassin, the best of her kind, but she made a fatal mistake: she got caught.

Young Captain Westfall offers her a deal: her freedom in return for one huge sacrifice. Celaena must represent the prince in a to-the-death tournament—fighting the most gifted thieves and assassins in the land. Live or die, Celaena will be free. Win or lose, she is about to discover her true destiny. But will her assassin’s heart be melted? — Goodreads

After reading some reviews, I do not think this book is for me, no matter how stunning that cover. Anyone know who the artist is of this one?

Part I is now complete. So tell me which ones you like and which ones you hate

Posted in Cover Lover, Fantasy, Lists | Tagged ACROSS THE FACE OF THE WORLD, best fantasy covers, Brandon Sanderson, D.P. Prior, DANIEL POLANSKY, Darrell K. Sweet, Donato Giancola, Elantris, ELIZABETH BEAR, fantasy covers, Garry Ruddell, Larry Rostant, Lawrence Watt-Evans, list of great fantasy covers, Lynn Abbey, Michael Whelan, Peter V. Brett, RANGE OF GHOSTS, Rhett Podersoo, Robert Asprin, RUSSELL KIRK PATRICK, Sarah J. Maas, Shader, Steven Stone, The Desert Spear, The Misenchanted Sword, Thieves World, Throne of Glass, TOMORROW THE KILLING | 7 Comments

TOUGH TRAVELING — ELVES

Posted on October 23, 2014 by Bookwraiths

23rd OF OCTOBER, 2014 – ELVES

ELVES claims to have been the first people in Fantasyland. They are called the Elder Race. They did not evolve like humans, but sprang into being just as they are now.

Now, this one is easy. All I have to do is narrow my picks down to a manageable number.

1. J.R.R. TOLKIEN’S MIDDLE-EARTH

My favorite elves. Whether they are Vanyar, Noldor, Teleri, Avari, Eldar, Nandor, Sindar, or Silvan, it doesn’t matter to me. These guys are the true Elder Race, who walked with the gods and exhibit all the wisdom and grandeur that I expect in my elves. Of course, my fondness might be because Tolkien was my first introduction to fantasy and t o fantasy elves in general, but no matter, that just makes them my first love, which means that they hold a special place in my heart above those that came after.

Buy The Silmarillion at Amazon.

2. WARHAMMER

I have not read many of the Warhammer Time of Legends novels, but what I have read has made me a huge fan of the elves of this land. From their peaceful past to the Chaos Wars to their old world empire to the Sundering and their ongoing battles with their Dark Elf kin, these people never fail to amaze me in their mesmerizing history. I can’t recommend these elves more highly.

Buy Malekith (Time of Legends) at Amazon.

3. MORIGU by MARK C. PERRY

This unfinished fantasy tour de force is filled with larger than life heroes and villains, gore-coated combat, huge battles, gods and goddess, and every fantasy race imaginable — including elves. While at first glance, Mr. Perry’s elves seem to be clones of the LoTR elven people of Tolkien, this quickly begins to change as the elves of Morigu morph into many shapes: noble elves, wise elves, mad elves, bloodthirsty elves, crazed elves, and haunted elves. But the one thing they never are, no matter how different from each other they appear, is boring. And when dealing with elves, the thing I will not tolerate is boring, so Mr. Perry’s version of elves is definitely on the list.

Buy at Morigu: The Desecration at Amazon.

4. THE LEGEND OF DRIZZT by R.A. SALVATORE

I know lots of people have always hated Drizzt, have grown to hate him, are tired of him, or don’t particularly care for Mr. Salvatore’s writing style, but all of you have to admit that The Legend of Drizzt has some pretty spectacular elves in the drow. These vile (Well, mostly) subterranean dwellers have a unique society, culture, religion, and mythos that is pretty spectacular and well worth a try — even if you don’t exactly dig Drizzt himself. So, while I can understand some of your disdain for the series itself, I really could never conceive of anyone NOT rating the drow as some of the best fantasy elves out there.

Buy Homeland: The Legend of Drizzt, Book I at Amazon.

5. THE RIFTWAR SAGA by RAYMOND E. FEIST

The elves in this series start off as pretty much a clone of Tolkien’s silvans, but slowly, as the tale evolves, they and their shadowy origins turn into something a lot more surprising and interesting. While I don’t want to reveal any spoilers for those of you who haven’t yet read this fantasy classic, let me just say that Mr. Feist’s interesting twist on the normal elven myths was pretty cool and unexpected for the time, though I realize it isn’t as earth shattering now. Even with that being said, the elves in the Riftwar Saga are never the “stars” of the show, but they do become bigger and bigger players in the ongoing storyline until finally they are at the center of it all by the conclusion. Well worth a try for elf lovers.

Buy Magician: Apprentice at Amazon.

6. VLAD TALTOS by STEVEN BRUST

While not as exceptional as when I first read about them in the 1980s, the Dragaean (or elves, as the humans call them) are an amazing example of the Elder Race of creatures. These guys basically control the world, allow the humans to exist because they are not too much of a problem, and spend most of their time in political machinations, magical research, and general killing of time, because, you know, it gets boring when you live forever. For those and many other reasons, the Dragaean of Mr. Brust were some really cool elves when I first encountered them, and I still have to recognize them as one of my favorite elven people of all time.

Buy The Book of Jhereg at Amazon.

7. THE ORIGINAL SHANNARA TRILOGY by TERRY BROOKS

I’m not what you would call a Shannara fan. Sure, I read the original trilogy during my teenage days in the 1980s, but I went almost thirty years before I returned to Terry Brooks fantasy world. What I have always remembered about Shannara was the really cool elves, especially the central role they played in book two of the trilogy, The Elfstones of Shannara, where their historical enemies and their magical realm are the epicenter of an apocalyptic event that could destroy the world. So while the Elves of Shannara might not be much more than LoTR-prototypes, they are still interesting LoTR-prototypes, so they have to be on my list.

Buy The Sword of Shannara at Amazon.

8. DRAGONLANCE

Absolutely a clone of the Middle-Earth elves of Tolkien, but be that as it may, I always enjoyed reading about the Qualinesti and Silvanesti elves of the Dragonlance world. The Elven Nations trilogy being a favorite of mine during its day and the one that focused the most on these Dragonlance elves and their diverse realms. I will grudgingly admit that these elves do not excite me as much now that I am older and, hopefully, wiser and more well read, but I felt it appropriate to, at least, tip my hat to these old favorites.

Buy Firstborn: Elven Nations (Elven Nations Trilogy Book 1) at Amazon.

9. MITHGAR by DENNIS L. McKIERNAN

Many critics of this series says that Mr. McKiernan basically “copied” Tolkien’s ideas. Well, in The Iron Tower Trilogy, I generally agree (though almost all fantasy series after Tolkien copied him to some level), but after those first few books, the author expanded upon Tolkien’s ideas and slowly evolved beyond them until the Mithgar series became more than just a “copycat” Lord of the Rings. But no matter all that, though, the elves in this series are definitely in the LoTR mold, which isn’t a bad thing for those of us who can’t get enough of Tolkien’s elves. Since I’m one of those people, reading about the Mithgar elves is as close to reading another Tolkien book as I’m going to get, so for that reason, these elves are definitely on my list.

Buy The Iron Tower Omnibus (Mithgar) at Amazon.

10. CORUM by MICHAEL MOORCOCK

This might be cheating, since the list is about “Elves”, but I have to give a shout out to my favorite elven character outside LoTR: Corum Jhaelen Irsei, the Prince in the Scarlet Robe, last of the noble race of the Vadhagh and avenger of his Chaos-ravaged world. While the Vadhagh do not call themselves “elves”, everyone else labels them as such, and since Corum is my favorite Eternal Champion and an “elf”, he had to make an appearance on my list whether he fits the actual criteria or not.