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WARHAMMER AGE OF LEGEND edited by CHRISTIAN DUNN

Posted on October 22, 2014 by Bookwraiths

My rating is 3 out of 5 stars.

Age of Legend is an anthology of tales devoted to one of the most interesting fantasy lands around – Warhammer! While I haven’t read many of the stories from this brainchild of Games Workshop, I have enjoyed a few, and that sword and sorcery fun led me to dig up this book of ten, pulse-pounding, gore-coated, sorcery-singed short stories. So let me tell you about them.

A SMALL VICTORY by PAUL S. KEMP (3 STARS)

I realize that it is hard to find very interesting zombie stories these days. There are just so many of them it seems they all recycle the same tired, old ideas. But, even though this one started out as a pretty standard zombie apocalypse (fantasy-style, of course), its twisted ending made it stand out from the zombie hordes.

BLOODRAVEN by SARAH CAWKWELL (3 STARS)

I’m a sucker for dwarves. Just love the bearded dudes. The warhammer dwarves are some of my favorites, because they are just so stubborn, vicious, and brilliant. So this tale about a dwarven stronghold being overrun by a vile horde of Chaos followers from the icy north was right up my alley. The only reason I only gave it three stars is because I didn’t like the ending. Dwarves are too damn vindictive not to take everyone down with them.

CITY OF DEAD JEWELS by NICK KYME (3 STARS)

A monster has overrun a dwarven keep. A group of warriors sent in by a dying king to destroy the monster within. Lots of fighting and dying. Plus, there are dwarves. I mentioned that I dig dwarves, right? But anyway, this story was a really entertaining monster hunt.

THE LAST CHARGE by ANDY HOARE (2 STARS)

An aged knight of Bretonnia who wants to die in glorious battle rather than succumb to the decrepit state of old age. His prayer to a goddess does not go unanswered. The arrival of an enemy well-worthy of the famous knights final battle. I couldn’t have written a better setup for a story, but the ending left me flat. It was too abrupt and not epic enough.

THE NINTH BOOK by GAV THORPE (3 STARS)

A group of mercenaries ends up in a crumbling hunting lodge in the middle of a dark forest. Little do they know they are being followed by Chaos followers – and by another entity who is far more dangerous. The nightmarish tale that follows is sword and sorcery fun – even if you, sort of, know how it will all end.

THE GODS DEMAND by JOSH REYNOLDS (3 STARS)

A city in the Empire is being attacked by a vicious horde of beastmen, led there by Gorthor the Beastlord upon the orders of the Chaos gods themselves. The valiant defenders are led by their elector duke, who is almost as bloodthirsty and mad as his enemies. Soon, both the duke and the beastlord discover what the gods really demand of them. What follows is a very nice, twisted ending. Exactly what I love in short stories.

PLAGUE DOCTOR by C.L. WERNER (3 STARS)

Plague has struck the Empire, spreading its misery across the land as it devastates whole villages and towns. But desperate times are also the best time to make gold for some people, and so it is that our main characters find themselves traveling the land, pretending to be plague doctors, who – for a considerable sum – will help any township ward off or cure themselves of the deadly disease. But naturally, fate has a terrible sense of humor.

THE CITY IS THEIRS by PHILIP ATHANS (3 STARS)

An orc and goblin horde is about to overrun a major city of the Empire. There doesn’t seem to be anyway for its duke to save his people – until an alchemist comes to him with a possible secret weapon. Now, the only problem is how to use its devastating power to best affect with killing anyone in the city as well. This one was a decent story, just a bit too sappy in some parts for me.

THE SECOND SUN by BEN COUNTER (4 STARS)

A human wizard braves the icy north to uncover a mysterious entity. He hopes to awaken it and gain untold knowledge and power. In the future, a mysterious book is discovered. It winds up in the hands of an Associate Comprehender at the Bright College of the Empire. This studious flame wizard braves the most secret knowledge of his order to piece together a forgotten secret. But neither man knows the twisted fate that awaits them. Great story with a really intriguing ending.

AENARION by GAV THORPE (5 STARS)

The First Phoenix King of the Elves has spent years attempting to hold back the Chaotic hordes. His unbreakable will and mighty prowess in battle are the foundation upon which his race’s hopes of salvation have been built. But what happens when a grief so great occurs that Aenarion himself begins to lose faith? And how can this indomitable king be turned aside when he has chosen to journey down a path so terrible that it will lead to the downfall of his entire race? Read this one and find out. As for me, I love anything Aenarion related, so this story was going to be a 5 star no matter what.

Overall, this was a really enjoyable collection of warhammer stories. Sure, they tended to be heavy on the gore-coated combat and vile twists of fate, but still, every one of them was very enjoyable to read and a few were outstanding. So if you love warhammer, dwarves, elves, fierce combat, vile villains, and twisted endings, I’d recommend you picking this one up.

Buy Age of Legends (Time of Legends) at Amazon.

Check Out My Reviews Of Other Warhammer Novels
MALEKITH
SHADOW KING
CALEDOR

Posted in 3 Stars, Anthology, Fantasy, High, Warhammer | Tagged Aenarion, Age of Legend, ANDY HOARE, BEN COUNTER, C.L. WERNER, Christian Dunn, Games Workshop, Gav Thorpe, JOSH REYNOLDS, NICK KYME, PAUL S. KEMP, PHILIP ATHANS, SARAH CAWKWELL, sword and sorcery, Time of Legends, Warhammer, warhammer dwarves, Warhammer Fantasy (setting), warhammer short stories, warhammer universe | 2 Comments

SCOURGE OF THE BETRAYER (BLOOSOUNDER’S ARC #1) by JEFF SALYARDS

Posted on October 20, 2014 by Bookwraiths

My rating is 4 out of 5 stars.

Scourge of the Betrayer is one of those rare books. A novel that takes the familiar tropes of a particular genre, tweaks them ever so slightly until you (a long time reader) find that your expectations of that genre have been suddenly raised to a new level.

And how did Jeff Salyards do that, you ask?

Well, mainly, he did it by refusing to be confined by the familiar, formulaic pattern of grimdark fantasy. Where most “grims” cover their pages with equal parts gore-coated combat, cynical characters, sexual situations, harsh language, and gritty worlds, Scourge embraces those elements but does not stop with them, adding a layer of realism and attention to detail that elevates this standard “grim” story into a realistic, tour-de-force of fantasy. Indeed, Mr. Salyards creates a world where armor actually does protect you in combat. Where there are no “Chosen Ones” or godlike heroes or all-powerful villains. Where magic is present but not scattered around like motes of dust. Where your favorite character might appear as a “good guy” one moment only to seem a “bad guy” the next. And where anyone, ANYONE can die if plans do not work out or a blow is mistimed or too many foes appear. All things that might sound like normal grim but are so much more in this story.

Mr. Salyards throws readers into his realistic grimdark world from the first page; the first person narrator of the tale being a young man named Arkamandos (or Arki for short.) This youth has just been hired by Captain Braylar Killcoin, leader of a band of Syldoon soldiers, to be their company’s scribe. And while Arki is very wary of his new employers (They are the fiercest, most vicious soldiers in the world), he explains his reason for joining up with them as:

I had no family, or none that had claimed me as such for years, and no friendships of any lasting duration. The promise of being part of something larger than my life—which admittedly, up to this point hadn’t exactly been consequential or noteworthy—was exciting, even if my involvement was restricted to observing and recording. At least it would presumably be something worth setting to parchment for once. And there was no denying the draw to that.

This desire to be part of a grand, epic adventure is exactly why Arki is the perfect narrator for the story that follows, for he is in the exact same shoes as his audience: a spectator completely in the dark as to what is actually going on. For there doesn’t seem to be any dark lord to defeat here or epic war to wage or apocalyptic event to stop – well, not that Arki knows about anyway. Instead, Captain Braylar and his men have their own secret agenda; a plan that they have no intention of willingly sharing with anyone. And so, Arki is left to listen to the conversation of his employers, gather clues as to their intentions, and piece together theories about their motives, goals, and true aims. All the while never knowing if his guesses are anywhere close to accurate.

And as Arki leads readers along on this grand adventure to discover the why of it all, Mr. Salyards carefully uses the interactions between the young scribe and the other characters to slowly sculp vibrant people, not grimdark caricatures of humanity, but real, living, breathing people who gradually come into focus. Don’t be surprised when there are not any long soliloquies where the characters intentionally reveal their inner demons or hidden desires or troubled past to you, because Mr. Salyard does not spoon feed anyone. Instead, he forces you to live day to day along with Arki, reading his interpretations of his traveling companions, his beliefs about their personalities, and his assessment of their actions, making you use the youth’s observations to form your own opinions about these three-dimensional people who surround him.

While this gradual development of plot and characters could have ruined the pacing of the story, it did not do so. For even though the beginning is slow and a tad confusing, Mr. Salyards deftly places clues throughout the narrative, stringing a reader along. Each suspected insight into Braylar’s plans building a little more excitement, each small revelation about his history adding a touch more drama to the tale until you can’t wait to turn the page, hoping to find the next part of the puzzle that Mr. Salyards has so expertly hidden from view.

But this is a grimdark, so where is the bloody combat, you ask?

Oh, it is here. Braylar is a man of action, willing to trade a few humorous slurs with his opponent before wielding his exotic flail to crush their skulls, and his Syldoon are constantly in the thick of the action. Blood and gore coat the pages, especially after the halfway point of the book, with the fighting coming fast and furious (though Arki presents it more from the point of view of a witness than a participant), and always Mr. Salyards deftly crafts these fights with utmost realism. No overpowered godlike warriors here. Even the most experienced fighter only one step away from getting struck down in battle. A fact that makes the fights even more gripping, as you wonder if anyone is safe from the grim reaper in this world.

As you can tell, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, and there are lots of further things I’d like to say about the story, but I can’t – to do so would reveal too many spoilers and ruin the fun for you. Perhaps it will suffice for me to write that Scourge of the Betrayer took everything that I love about grimdark, added in a touch of realism, and coupled those things with a slow-developing, character-driven story that made me constantly strive to figure out what was going on. It is quite simply a great fantasy read.

So, with all that being said, I highly recommend this one to grimdark fans, lovers of character-driven stories, fantasy fans, and all those that just adore tales that make you think. Have fun reading!

Posted in 4 Stars, Fantasy, Grimdark, Low | Tagged Arki, best grimdark 2014, best grimdark fantasy series, best new grimdark series, BLOODSOUNDER'S ARC, Braylar Killcoin, Captain Braylar, grimdark fantasy series, JEFF SALYARDS, SCOURGE OF THE BETRAYER | 13 Comments

FLASHBACK FRIDAY: SPLINTER OF THE MIND’S EYE by ALAN DEAN FOSTER

Posted on October 17, 2014 by Bookwraiths

Back in the late 1970s and early 1980s, I was all about Star Wars all the time, which is why I immediately picked this book up when I saw that Darth Vader cover. And while Splinter of the Mind’s Eye isn’t the greatest Star Wars story I have ever read, it has always held a fond place in my memory, because not only was it the first Star Wars novel I ever read but it also was a really fun story from the King of Movie Novelizations: Alan Dean Foster.

Here the story begins with Luke and Leia traveling to a rendevous with the Rebel Alliance. Naturally, though, things immediately do awry as the Princess’ fighter forces them to make an emergency landing on the planet Mimban, and almost immediately they stumble upon an unknown Imperial mining operation.

At the small Imperial town, our rebel heroes are hoping to find a way to repair the ship but instead meet an old lady named Halla, who senses that Luke is more than he seems and is “strong” in the Force. After revealing herself to the pair and finally getting them to grudgingly acknowledge Luke’s abilities, Halla tells them a great secret: upon Mimban lies a fantastical jewel that will magnify a person’s ability with the Force; the reason that the Imperials are on the jungle planet in the first place.

From this revelation, the fun really begins as Leia and Luke frantically try to find the jewel and get off the planet before Darth Vader shows up. Because yes, the Dark Lord is definitely on his way.

Like I said, I still fondly recall reading this book as a young teen. In the intervening years, I have reread it a few times, and it is still fast paced, fun, action-packed, and spotlights some of my all-time favorite characters: Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Darth Vader. So even if it isn’t the best science fiction or Star Wars novel that I have ever read, it is definitely not the worst. However, the reason I wanted to spotlight Splinter of the Mind’s Eye is because Alan Dean Foster’s story could have been the second Star Wars movie if “A New Hope” had not been a wild success. Something that I personally had never known until reading this article that was linked to my Goodreads friends review. (Shout out to Rabindranauth, whose great review blog you should now check out.)

So with that interesting fact in mind, I’d recommend this forgotten Star Wars classic to all Star Wars fans, cravers of sci-fi adventures, and lovers of all things Vader. Hope you enjoy reading this one!

Buy Splinter of the Mind’s Eye: Star Wars (Star Wars – Legends) at Amazon.

Posted in 3 Stars, Flashback Friday, Science Fiction, Space Opera, Star Wars | Tagged Alan Dean Foster, Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Splinter of the Mind's Eye, Star Wars, Star Wars Expanded Universe | 6 Comments

TOUGH TRAVELING — DESERT NOMADS

Posted on October 16, 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.

16th OF OCTOBER, 2014 – DESERT NOMADS

DESERT NOMADS occupy the hot parts to the south, which is either desert or rather parched grass. For some reason this is ideal terrain for breeding horses, of which nomad clans have in large numbers.

I know that there has to be lots and lots of these in fantasy, right?

Well, at least, I thought there was, but for the life of me, I can’t seem to recall that many. So here are my four nominees.

1. KRASIANS – THE DEMON CYCLE by PETER V. BRETT

In a land destroyed by demons who arise every night and hunt mankind, only the desert born and bred Krasians are willing to venture beyond their defensive wards and fight, bringing death and destruction to the innumerable legion of their tormentors. And while they can’t breed herds of horses and do live in warded cities of stone, these fierce warriors are still some serious “Desert Nomads” in my book.

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

2. THE HAMMAD al NAKIR – DREAD EMPIRE by GLEN COOK

These desert people were once the core of a mighty continental empire, but with the crumbling of that kingdom, they have splintered back into tribes who war with one another, spreading destruction across the vast reaches of the thristy land. In this chaos arises a young heretic called El Murid, who begins a mad crusade to unite the tribes and build for them a new empire raised upon the bodies of their enemies! Some very religious and fanatical “Desert Nomads” here.

Buy A Fortress In Shadow: Chronicle of the Dread Empire at Amazon.

3. THE AIEL – WHEEL OF TIME by JORDAN and SANDERSON

Okay, I know this might be cheating a bit. Yeah, the definition of desert nomads has them having herds of horses that they presumably ride into battle on. But the fact of the matter is that whenever I hear “Desert Nomads” mentioned in the same sentence with fantasy series the Aiel are who come to my mind immediately. These guys are the epitome of what fierce, desert nomads are suppose to be like. Sure, they might not overwhelm anyone with their mounted cavalry, but these desert warriors have to be on the list of best all time.

Buy The Eye of the World: Book One of ‘The Wheel of Time’ at Amazon.

4. THE CALORMEN – THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA by C.S. LEWIS

These dark-skinned men with beards, flowing robes, turbans and scimitars come from a land of deserts and their main method of warfare is their mighty horsemen. In The Horse and His Boy, Mr. Lewis portrays these slave holders and ostentatious people as residents of huge cities, so I don’t know if they are exactly “Desert Nomads” but they are definitely desert horsemen. For that reason, they are on my list.

Buy The Horse and His Boy: The Chronicles of Narnia at Amazon.

So what Desert Nomads did I miss?

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT MY BEST OF FANTASY LISTS.

Posted in Fantasy, Lists, Tough Traveling | Tagged A Fortress in Shadow, Aiel, C.S. Lewis, Calormen, Dread Empire, Glen Cook, Krasians, Peter V. Brett, robert jordan, The Chronicles of Narnia, THE DEMON CYCLE, The Desert Spear, The Eye of the World, The Horse and His Boy, THE WARDED MAN, The Wheel of Time | 7 Comments

CRIMSON & CREAM by C.M. SKIERA

Posted on October 15, 2014 by Bookwraiths

My rating is 3 out of 5 stars.

Crimson & Cream is a fantasy tale that focuses on 13-year-old twins Eadriel and Elvar, who have fallen on hard times and are desperately trying to unravel their tortured past and create a magic future. While following the familiar coming-of-age trope, the book is an engaging YA novel that will quickly win over lovers of that genre.

Born to teachers at the revered school of magic at Dwim-Halloe, these twins seemed to have a wonderful future set for them: a privileged life, loving parents, reserved spots at the school of magic, and an endless supply of books to devour. But that brilliant future came crashing down the day the king outlawed magic in his realm.

Not only outlawed it, but made it a crime for anyone to teach it. And soon, the king’s guards arrived at the twin’s front door, taking away their parents to imprisonment and death, and leaving them desperate, homeless orphans in a city that hated them.

Thankfully, an orphan street gang takes the two in, renaming them Flotsam and Jetsam and teaching them how to eke out a living on the unforgiving streets. Thereafter, every night the twins scavenge and pilfer for their sustenance and profit before slinking off into the sewers at night with the other members of their gang to hide from the morning sun and the local authorities. And while this existence is far removed from their life before, the boys have readily accepted it and thrived in their new family.

But things never remain the same – even in the sewer of human existence. And soon, one of their nightly forays finds Flotsam and Jetsam fleeing for their lives down an abandoned well and into the darkness beyond, where they encounter something that will change their lives forever!

Well written and throughly edited by C.M. Skiera, Crimson & Cream is an adventure tale of daring escapes and desperate discoveries filled with interesting characters, evil villains, frightening monsters, and black magic. Yes, it is definitely a YA fantasy, targeted more toward the adolescent audience, but that merely means it is filled with more excitement, more fun, and more light-hearted escapades. So if you are a lover of fantasy YA, YA in general, magical adventures, or coming-of-age tales, then this is a novel you should definitely pick up.

I received this book from the author, in exchange for an honest review.

Buy Crimson & Cream (The Oxbow Kingdom Trilogy Book 1) at Amazon.

Posted in 3 Stars, Fantasy, Low, Self-Published | Tagged C.M. Skiera, crimson & cream, fantasy YA novel, indie fantasy YA books | 1 Comment

Author Feature: Charles Yallowitz

Posted on October 15, 2014 by Bookwraiths

Check out this interview with a great indie fantasy author, then go check out his entertaining fantasy YA series.

Nicholas C. Rossis

Regular visitors will surely recognize Charles Yallowitz, author of Legends of Windemere. Charles is one of the top commentators over here, and I am always looking forward to his witty, thought-provoking comments. As such, I consider him one of the great new friends I’ve made since publishing my epic fantasy series Pearseus a little under a year ago.

Thinking it’s high time we got to know a little more about this lovely gentleman, I asked him to be interviewed and he kindly agreed. You can also watch him live on Sally Sue Ember’s show CHANGES on Wednesday Oct 22nd, from 10-11 AM (EST).

The Usual Questions

Hi Charles, it’s great to have you here! What inspired you to write Legends of Windemere?

This book series is loosely based on a Dungeons & Dragons game that I played in college. At the time, I was working on earning a…

View original post 2,034 more words

Posted in Author Spotlights, Interview | Tagged author spotlight, Charles E Yallowitz, Legends of Windemere | 3 Comments

THE ROADS TO BALDAIRN MOTTE by GARRETT CALCATERRA, CRAIG COMER, and AHIMSA KERP

Posted on October 14, 2014 by Bookwraiths

My rating is 3 out of 5 stars.

The Roads to Baldairn Motte is an epic fantasy in the vein of Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire and Erikson’s The Malazan Book of the Fallen, in that it has a large list of characters, each with different plots, all of whom are caught up in a continent spanning war. Where those more famous epic fantasy series are crafted by one author, however, this novel was penned by three – Garrett Calcaterra, Craig Comer, and Ahimsa Kerp, and with that in mind, this book is amazingly cohesive and easy to follow along with, even though each story is different in tone and style than its sister tales.

Here the stories show a huge war being played out in a well-developed land of medieval times. There are political machinations ongoing in these realms of kings and nobility; upheaval is ripping the land apart; and armies and navies are being sent out to wage war. Where other series tend to focus on the “power players” of these types of conflicts, here the three authors decided to take a different approach, shining the spotlight on the more common folk in the tale, showing how these whores, sailors, and other “normal” people find their life impacted by the conflict between their “betters.” Something that gave this fantasy a very different flavor than my normal reads.

The other thing that made The Roads to Baldairn Motte a bit different was the writing approach to this tale – the novel being divided into three distinct sections. Here, Garrett Calcaterra, Craig Comer, and Ahimsa Kerp each developed their own vision of this ongoing conflict with different characters in their own unique sections of the novel. Nothing about the world itself or its ongoing conflict changed, but the stories themselves were distinctly different in focus and viewpoint. And while there were recurrent characters who appeared throughout, each of these was seen in different lights in each author’s story. Something that caused the reading of this story to be out of the ordinary, feeling more like an anthology tale than a single novel.

Now, naturally, all was not completely rosy when three authors are writing what is basically one long tale. Honestly, there were points in the tale where it seemed the current author was trying to wrap up a lingering thread from his coauthors’ section as quickly as possible. And many times, I felt that there was not enough groundwork laid for scenes or plots that were going to continue in the next section of the book, or to put it another way, things were told to me instead of being shown to me. But other than those complaints I had no major issues with the story as a whole.

Overall, this was a well developed and crafted fantasy novel. It had enough world building to establish the reasons for the war and its combatant’s motives and desires as well as enough description of important events to build the story to its conclusion. There were more than a few memorable characters to keep me interested, so while this story did not blow me away, it was definitely an entertaining read and well worth a try for epic fantasy fans.

Buy The Roads to Baldairn Motte at Amazon.

Posted in 3 Stars, Anthology, Fantasy, Low | Tagged AHIMSA KERP, Baldairn Motte, best independent fantasy series, best indie fantasy novel, CRAIG COMER, epic fantasy, epic fantasy series, GARRETT CALCATERRA, THE ROADS TO BALDAIRN MOTTE | 1 Comment

FUN DAY MONDAY, OR THE BOOKS THAT WILL HELP ME SURVIVE THE WEEK AHEAD (OCTOBER 13, 2014)

Posted on October 13, 2014 by Bookwraiths

The work week begins. Time for me to strap on my business suit and head back into the office to save the world one case at a time. And usually, I have a list of books that are going to help me through the trials and tribulations of life, but last week, something horrible happened: real life interfered in my reading!

The nerve of work deadlines and family problems rearing their heads!

Since I’m still trying to finish up reads from last week, I wondered what I should post here, then I decided I’d list a few fantasy series I really need to try out and see which one you guys think I should start first.

So help me out a little with my next reading choice.

1. MISTBORN: THE FINAL EMPIRE (MISTBORN) by BRANDON SANDERSON

Most of you are Sanderson fans. On the other hand, I’ve never read any of his books. When I tell my reading friends this, they understandable get upset. After they can breath again, they inevitable tell me I have to fix this terrible problem right away. Mistborn is the book that they always instruct me to start my journey into Sanderson fandom with.

So is this the Sanderson epic that will blow my mind, or should I begin somewhere else?

2. THE LIES OF LOCKE LAMORA (GENTLEMAN BASTARD) by SCOTT LYNCH

“In this stunning debut, author Scott Lynch delivers the wonderfully thrilling tale of an audacious criminal and his band of confidence tricksters. Set in a fantastic city pulsing with the lives of decadent nobles and daring thieves, here is a story of adventure, loyalty, and survival that is one part “Robin Hood”, one part Ocean’s Eleven, and entirely enthralling…” – Goodreads

Does it live up to that description?

3. THE BLADE ITSELF (THE FIRST LAW) by JOE ABERCROMBIE

This is the book that began the grimdark revolution according to some articles. Not going to waste the time posting a synopsis, since most of you have read this series. (At times, I think I’m the only fantasy fan who hasn’t.) And this novel has been toward the top of my “To be read” list for a while, but then I tried Half a King (Abercrombie’s YA fantasy novel) and I wasn’t quite as eager to start this one. Should I be?

4. THE NAME OF THE WIND (THE KINGKILLER CHRONICLES) by PATRICK ROTHFUSS

This epic fantasy masterpiece, as it is called, gets lots of hype. But even people who seem to love it also scatter in tidbits of negativity about Kvothe being a bit Gary Stu, or the writing being long winded, or nothing much happening for large parts of the novel, or that a reader knows more about Kvothe’s current financial situation than anything else. All these things flashing before my eyes as warning signals of a dull reading experience.

Just so you know, I’m a simple man with humble demands from my stories. I simply want an interesting tale that will transport me to a world far away where I can tag along behind some people having a grand or exciting or suspenseful adventure. Poetic language is fine, but I personally do not read fantasy to be awed by the stellar sentence structure and immaculate usage of punctuation or for philosophical theories. I’m past that point in my life journey.

So what I want to know is if this is an exciting story?

5. THE BLACK PRISM (LIGHTBRINGER) by BRENT WEEKS

“Gavin Guile is the Prism, the most powerful man in the world. He is high priest and emperor, a man whose power, wit, and charm are all that preserves a tenuous peace. But Prisms never last, and Guile knows exactly how long he has left to live: Five years to achieve five impossible goals.

But when Guile discovers he has a son, born in a far kingdom after the war that put him in power, he must decide how much he’s willing to pay to protect a secret that could tear his world apart.” – Goodreads

Interesting. But I have to admit I’m wary of Weeks, because of the numerous negative reviews of his writing style. Things like “teenage boys fantasy” and “video game storytelling” have been used by a few reviewers. That isn’t what I’m looking for. So should I be concerned or not?

6. GARDENS OF THE MOON (THE MALAZAN BOOK OF THE FALLEN) by STEVEN ERIKSON

“Bled dry by warfare, the vast Malazan empire simmers with discontent. Sergeant Whiskeyjack’s Bridgeburners and surviving sorceress Tattersail wanted to mourn the dead of Pale. But Darujhistan, last of the Free Cities, holds out, Empress Lasseen’s ambition knows no bounds, and the gods intend to intervene.” – Goodreads

I’m not intimidated by many things. Dealing with murderers on a daily basis will toughen your skin, I suppose. But I’m not ashamed to confess that the sheer immensity of this one terrifies me. So should I even try? Help me decide.

7. BLOOD SONG (RAVEN’S SHADOW) by ANTHONY RYAN

“Vaelin Al Sorna was only a child of ten when his father left him at the iron gate of the Sixth Order. The Brothers of the Sixth Order are devoted to battle, and Vaelin will be trained and hardened to the austere, celibate, and dangerous life of a Warrior of the Faith. He has no family now save the Order.

Vaelin’s father was Battle Lord to King Janus, ruler of the unified realm. Vaelin’s rage at being deprived of his birthright and dropped at the doorstep of the Sixth Order like a foundling knows no bounds. He cherishes the memory of his mother, and what he will come to learn of her at the Order will confound him. His father, too, has motives that Vaelin will come to understand. But one truth overpowers all the rest: Vaelin Al Sorna is destined for a future he has yet to comprehend. A future that will alter not only the realm, but the world.” – Goodreads

I’ve heard all the hype, but what I need to know is the hype true.

8. FURIES OF CALDERON (CODEX ALERA) by JIM BUTCHER

“In the realm of Alera, where people bond with the furies-elementals of earth, air, fire, water and metal, fifteen-year-old Tavi struggles with his lack of furycrafting. But when his homeland erupts in chaos-when rebels war with loyalists and furies clash with furies-Tavi’s simple courage will turn the tides of war.” – Goodreads

Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files speaks for themselves, but epic fantasy is a different genre that his talents might or might not translate to. Plus, I’ve heard this series is ancient Rome with Pokemons. I can’t think of a description that is a bigger turn off. So what is the truth?

9. BLACK SUN RISING (THE COLDFIRE TRILOGY) by C.S. FRIEDMAN

This one has been on my radar for years, since I really enjoyed Friedman’s In Conquest Born series back in the day. Naturally, though, I’ve kept putting it off until a day when I was caught up with my reading. Something that obviously isn’t going to happen. But it sounds really interesting.

“On the distant world of Erna, four people–Priest, Adept, Sorcerer, and Apprentice–are drawn together to battle the forces of evil, led by the demonic fae, a soul-destroying force that preys on the human mind.” – Goodreads.

10. WIZARD’S FIRST RULE (SWORD OF TRUTH) by TERRY GOODKIND

I’ve had this book on my “to be read” list ever since it was first published long ago. I even watched the short lived “Legend of the Seeker” television series and thought it was okay. Nothing special, mind you, but not so horrible I immediately turned the station. But I’ve never tried the novels out. So what is stopping me, you ask?

Reviews. The sharp divide between people who love it and hate it has always scared me off. The sexual brutalization, political rants, and Gary Stu main character being my main turn offs.

So should I give it a try or not?

11. HIS MAJESTY’S DRAGON (TEMERAIRE) by NAOMI NOVIK

“Aerial combat brings a thrilling new dimension to the Napoleonic Wars as valiant warriors ride mighty fighting dragons, bred for size or speed. When HMS Reliant captures a French frigate and seizes the precious cargo, an unhatched dragon egg, fate sweeps Captain Will Laurence from his seafaring life into an uncertain future – and an unexpected kinship with a most extraordinary creature.

Thrust into the rarified world of the Aerial Corps as master of the dragon Temeraire, he will face a crash course in the daring tactics of airborne battle. For as France’s own dragon-borne forces rally to breach British soil in Bonaparte’s boldest gambit, Laurence and Temeraire must soar into their own baptism of fire.” – Goodreads

Sounds good. Your thoughts?

12. THE DEEDS OF PAKSENARRION by ELIZABETH MOON

“Paksenarrion, a simple sheepfarmer’s daughter, yearns for a life of adventure and glory, such as was known to heroes in songs and story. At age seventeen she runs away from home to join a mercenary company and begins her epic life . . . Book One: Paks is trained as a mercenary, blooded, and introduced to the life of a soldier . . . and to the followers of Gird, the soldier’s god. Book Two: Paks leaves the Duke’s company to follow the path of Gird alone—and on her lonely quests encounters the other sentient races of her world. Book Three: Paks the warrior must learn to live with Paks the human. She undertakes a holy quest for a lost elven prince that brings the gods’ wrath down on her and tests her very limits.” – Baen publishing

I tried the first book in the series when it was initially published years ago. We didn’t hit it off. Now, though, I’m older and wiser. Is it worth giving it another go?

Posted in Fantasy, Funday Monday, Lists | Tagged ANTHONY RYAN, BLACK SUN RISING, BLOOD SONG, Brandon Sanderson, BRENT WEEKS, C.S. FRIEDMAN, CODEX ALERA, ELIZABETH MOON, epic fantasy, FURIES OF CALDERON, GARDENS OF THE MOON, Gentleman Bastard, HIS MAJESTY’S DRAGON, Jim Butcher, Joe Abercrombie, LIGHTBRINGER, MALAZAN BOOK OF THE FALLEN, MISTBORN, MISTBORN: THE FINAL EMPIRE, NAOMI NOVIK, patrick rothfuss, RAVEN’S SHADOW, Scott Lynch, STEVEN ERIKSON, Sword of Truth, TEMERAIRE, TERRY GOODKIND, THE BLACK PRISM, THE BLADE ITSELF, THE COLDFIRE TRILOGY, THE DEEDS OF PAKSENARRION, the first law, THE KINGKILLER CHRONICLES, THE LIES OF LOCKE LAMORA, THE MALAZAN BOOK OF THE FALLEN, THE NAME OF THE WIND, WIZARD’S FIRST RULE | 8 Comments

JIM BUTCHER’S THE DRESDEN FILES: WAR CRY

Posted on October 12, 2014 by Bookwraiths

My rating is 4 out of 5 stars.

The Dresden Files: War Cry is a comic collection of the series written by Jim Butcher and Mark Powers. And while I have just begun my travels with Harry Dresden, I have to say that this tale was just as gripping and entertaining as Storm Front (which is the only book I’ve read in the series thus far.)

The story itself is set four months after the events depicted in Dead Beat, the 7th novel in The Dresden Files. As constant readers of the series will know, at this time, the White Council is waging what appears to be a losing war against the vampire forces of the Red Court. In fact, things are so desperate that they’ve “drafted” the inexperienced and the outcast wizards to help reinforce the ever thinning ranks of the Wardens.

Naturally, Harry Dresden, a wizard for hire from Chicago, is one of the misfits enlisted, even though the White Council has long viewed him with suspicion for things that happened in his past. But the threat from the Red Court being what it is, all that is temporarily forgiven, and Harry is sent out on a Warden mission.

And boy what a mission it is! Harry is dispatched with a small team of inexperienced Wardens to rescue a handful of mortals who live in a snow-covered town in the middle of nowhere.

Naturally, things start going wrong from the get-go for the group. First, Harry’s ever dependable car breaks down. Then they find that they have no time to evacuate the premises but must make their stand at the mortals home. And worst of all, no one, not even Harry, knows why they are doing this? Why these people are so important to the Red Court? Why the White Council wants to save them? And if these mortals are important, why did the Council only send Harry and a few misfit Wardens to protect them?

The story that develops from this setup is pure Harry Dresden fun. It reads like a comic version of a Dresden book. The dialogue between characters is the same. Harry’s internal monologue is the same. But here, that great Jim Butcher story is coupled with stellar artwork by Carlos Gomez, who absolutely captures the frenetic nature of the tale, bringing to life all the magic fights, the mystical creatures, and the characters themselves. And always, Jim Butcher adds just the right amount of narration and explanation to move the story along without detracting from the artwork.

To make it perfectly clear, I loved this comic collection. As a new fan of Harry Dresden, I found this story to be yet another example of how Jim Butcher has caught lightning in a bottle with this urban fantasy hero, allowing him to turn even the simplest story into something very Wow! worthy. I highly recommend this one to all Dresden fans, urban fantasy fans, and lovers of great stories!

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 Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files: War Cry AT AMAZON

Posted in 4 Stars, Dresden Files, Graphic Novels, Urban Fantasy | Tagged Dynamite Comics, Harry Dresden, Jim Butcher, THE DRESDEN FILES, The Dresden Files comics, War Cry | 1 Comment

FEARSOME MAGICS by JONATHAN STRAHAN

Posted on October 11, 2014 by Bookwraiths

My rating is 3 out of 5 stars.

Fearsome Magics is the follow-up anthology to Jonathan Strahan’s Fearsome Journeys. Here fourteen tales set out to explore the essential element of all fantasy: MAGIC!

There are novellas looking at magic in other worlds, magic in the form of mathematical formulas, magic letters, magic superstitions, and even magic chairs. And while there were a few stories that seemed a bit out of place in the anthology, Mr. Strahan generally did a great job of putting together an entertaining anthology, but like every reader, I had my favorites — some that entertained me, some that touched me, some that horrified me, and some that just made me think.

“Home is the Haunter” by Garth Nix is a story that entertained me. The focus here is on Sir Hereward and his magical puppet Master Fitz. These two have been ordered by their liege lord to transport a huge cannon to an allied kingdom by the (supposedly) shorter route of crossing an endless steppes-like plain. Naturally, though, things go awry when they stumble upon a strange tower set beside a shallow sea and discover that they are now the intended victims for a ghostly goddess called the Hag of the Shallows. The tale that follows has lots of world building and spends a great deal of time fleshing out our two protagonists. Sure it could have been more focused, but other than that, “Home of the Haunter” was a fairly entertaining tale.

“Grigori’s Solution” by Isobelle Carmody was a story that touched me. Here an old academic is watching a late night American program when he realizes that the end of the world is announced. As the story progresses, Ms. Carmody deftly crafts a tale where a mathematical equation sets about the end of the universe and explores how a math deficient population would be slow to understand the significance of it all before finally giving into their grief and abandoning civilization and its social norms. Great idea coupled with some excellent writing.

“The Changeling” by James Bradley was a tale that horrified me, not in abject terror but rather in the terrible choices people will make. Here Hannah O’Rourke goes against her family’s wishes and marries the man she loves. When he dies, she finds herself pregnant, ostracized by her family, and her happy life at an end. After her son Connor is born and becomes a strange, almost ethereal creature, the superstition of the village witch and Hannah’s own desire for a better life drives her to a choice that no mother wishes to make. This is definitely a dark tale with a strong horror influence.

“Safe House” by K.J. Parker was a tale that made me think. Here an unlucky wizard is sent to a neighboring country to locate and rescue an untrained magic user. The reason he is selected for the job is that he is more gifted at dying and then magically reforming his body after the locals inevitable catch him, torture him, and execute him as a heretic wizard. The story makes one think about magic, the death of mages, and even has a twisted ending that is a bit humorous.

Overall, Fearsome Magics was an entertaining read. Sure, there were a few stories that I personally could not get interested in. And yes, there were a number of them that did not seem to really explore the central idea of the anthology. But there were also several that I really enjoyed for different reasons. So pick it and give it a try. I’m sure, there is something in this book you will enjoy reading and thinking about.