| Books! Where are the great books?

SHATTERED SHIELDS edited by JENNIFER BROZEK and BRYAN THOMAS SCHMIDT

Posted on November 19, 2014 by Bookwraiths

My rating is 3 out of 5 stars.

Shattered Shields edited by Brozek and Schmidt is an anthology focused on military fantasy, specifically heroic struggles and epic combat. Here seventeen short stories and novellas explore the vast expanse of military fantasy in all its varied forms from adventures in hither unexplored worlds to new tales from established worlds such as David Farland’s Runelords, Elizabeth Moon’s Paksenarrion, and Glen Cook’s Black Company. But no matter the setting, what each tale does superbly is capture that fantasy feeling of swords clashing, arrows flying, warriors screaming, and magic flashing in the most varied of any genre: military fantasy!

With all that being said, I’d like to focus on a few stories that really grabbed my attention.

First, “Ashes and Starlight” by David Farland was a story that began slowly, took a bit of concentration to understand the dynamics of the situation and the characters, but then moved along quickly to a furious conclusion. And while the action and adventure was enjoyable, what this tale did best was introduce me to the Runelord universe; a place that, without a doubt, I’ll be visiting again in the near future.

“The Fixed Stars” by Seanan McGuire impressed in its ability to walk the fine line between fantastical and mysterious. This October Daye story was filled with magical beings, god-like creatures, a war between the gods and their children, and the boundless hope that through destruction the future could be saved. It was intricate, elegant, and enveloping in its fairy tale construction but endowed with enough visceral combat to keep any military fan happy. Great story.

“The Smaller We Are” penned by John Helfers focused on the remnants of fairy fighting a losing battle with the hordes of humanity. And while the combat comes at you furiously and frequently, it is the philosophical undertones dealing with humanities desire to rule over or destroy everything we see that raises this one above the rest.

“Rising Above” is an effort by Sarah A. Hoyt which mesmerizes in its alternative history setting and fantastical creatures, similar to Naomi Novik’s Temeraire series.

“A Cup of Wisdom” by Joseph Zieja was a fantasy filled with philosophical lessons, as a young boy going into his first battle learns not only about himself but also about those he faces.

“Words of Power” is an alternative fantasy future dreamed up by Wendy N. Wagner where world war has erupted and magic has turned warfare into one of magical constructs striving against one another. And it is the role of our guide Kadar to help repair and return these behemoths of magical might to the front lines to hold off the enemy.

In “Deadfall” Nancy Fulda introduces a reader to a land tormented by screaming savages brought to the land upon their sky-rafts and pushed around the globe as they live upon the floating islands of the sky. Oh, and magic rains from that same sky.

John R. Fultz carefully crafts the tale of “Yael of the Strings”, and how some bad luck on his part led him down the path to immortality.

“First Blood” allows lovers of Elizabeth Moon’s Paksenarrion to return to that world, following along behind a young squire who finds himself riding toward his first battle.

And my personal favorite was “Bone Candy” by Glen Cook. This novella is set in the Black Company universe between The Black Company and Shadows Linger, taking a brief look at the continued adventures of my favorite mercenary company as they help Lady retake her empire from the vanquished rebel forces and somehow keep from getting too embroiled in the constant backbiting and political machinations of the Taken. It was a story I’d longed to read ever since becoming a fanboy of the series way back in the 1980s, and I can only hope it might be a sample of things to come with this untold history of the Black Company.

Overall, Shattered Shields was exactly what I envisioned it being: a book filled with military fantasy fun. Sure, I did not love every story as much as I did my fix of the Black Company, but there were a number of tales that really surprised and enthralled me. So definitely give this one a try, because I’m sure there is something in this book that you will fall in love with.

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 Shattered Shields (BAEN) at Amazon.

Posted in 3 Stars, Anthology, Fantasy, Short Stories | Tagged best military fantasy anthology, best military fantasy stories, Bryan Thomas Schmidt, David Farland, ELIZABETH MOON, Glen Cook, Jennifer Brozek, military fantasy, Paksenarrion, Runelords, Shattered Shields, The Black Company | 2 Comments

THE SHADOW NOW by DAVID LISS and COLTON WORLEY

Posted on November 18, 2014 by Bookwraiths

My rating is 2 out of 5 stars.

Okay, I finished this one. Wish I could say it was a great reading experience, but I can’t.

Yeah, I am going to explain, so stop now if you have any medical problem that might be adversely affected by my bitching.

This comic collection is an attempt to update the classic 1930s pulp fiction character The Shadow, who amazed fans for decades with his daring vigilante ways and mysterious physic powers. And here the story picks up with our masked man returning to modern America after decades spent in self-imposed retirement in a monastery in the Far East. Naturally, this means that Shadow now finds himself a fossil of old American ideals in a modern, global world.

But while Shadow is definitely not a hipster anymore, crime is still crime, and the sheeple public of America still need a protector, so when innocent citizens begin dying in droves from seemingly random acts of terrorism around the metropolitan area, our “Mad Men” type billionaire dons his red scarf, puts on his dark hat, loads his pistols, and begins tracking down the vile villains. An investigation that isn’t as straight forward as it would have been in the “good old days.”

So why didn’t I like this re-boot of The Shadow, you ask?

Let me list the reasons.

1) The art was not for me. Colton Worley went for the knockout punch with a neo-pulp, dark, and moody feel that just did not excite. Sure, it was different. Definitely, it set a somber mood. But it also was very hard on the eyes, making it difficult to follow the characters and action across the pages, and actually overshadowed the story it was suppose to be “helping” to convey. By the end, I found myself wondering how blood splatter or rain or gunshots was going to be incorporated into the next page rather than what was going on with the story itself.

2) The story by David Liss sizzles then fizzles. (Damn, that reminds me of many a date I had when younger.) Anyway, the book starts off well enough, as it firmly takes ownership of the pulpy roots and history of The Shadow, then gives a reasonable explanation of how this old school dude could still be a masked vigilante, and begins a standard but well thought out story of him having to head back out to save this modern city that he barely recognizes. Where everything goes horribly wrong, however, is when the mastermind behind the terrorist attacks is revealed. This revelation is so easily guessed, so utterly lacking in adequate explanation that it derails the momentum and leads the rest of the tale down a traditional good guy versus bad guy, big fight at the end trajectory that is not deviated from in the least. A big disappoint.

3) The Shadow himself. Amazingly, this dislike of the old-school, scarfed man has nothing to do with his pulp roots or generic backstory. Rather, I grew tired of every interaction between him and other people being about how “behind the times” and “unhip” he was. I mean, in Captain America (old school comics, modern re-boots, and the movies) this issue of a man-out-of-his-own-time has been dealt with, and sure, an old fashioned man will occasionally take an action that seems odd to his modern contemporaries, but those miscues will get fewer and fewer as he assimilates into society. But here everything about The Shadow is always how “traditional” and “old fashioned” he is. It got old really quick.

4) The female characters were pretty forgettable. In this corner, we have a young bad girl who is overpowered with a huge ego to boot. In the other, we have a hip, modern woman whose world revolves around trying to prove that she is equal to any man, even if he is a masked vigilante with psychic powers and decades of crime fighting experience. Needless to say, I did not find either female lead very interesting, at all.

To sum up, I had high hopes going into this read of The Shadow Now, but it let me down. It is, however, worth you giving a try to see if it is more to your liking.

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

Posted in 2 Stars, Graphic Novels, Pulp Fiction | Tagged 1930s pulp fiction characters, Colton Worley, David Liss, Dynamite Comics, pulp fiction, pulp fiction graphic novels, The Shadow, The Shadow Now | 1 Comment

VEIL OF THE DESERTERS

Posted on November 15, 2014 by Bookwraiths

Veil of the Deserters by Jeff Salyards

Genre: Fantasy — Grimdark

Series: Bloodsounder’s Arc #1

Publisher: Night Shade Books (June 3, 2014)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 464 pages

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars.

When I finished Veil of the Deserters, I declared loudly on Goodreads “Damn that was good!”, going on to describe it as “one of the best fantasy novels I’ve read in a quite a while.” And after a few weeks to mull over my initial reaction, not only do I stand by those words but confidently anoint this book the best fantasy I’ve read this year. So let me explain why you should get on board this fanboy train and start loving Bloodsounder’s Arc too.

In book one Scourge of the Betrayer , Mr. Salyards introduces his readers to the young, scribe Arki, who accepts a commission to record the exploits of a group of foreign soldiers. He believes it will be a break from his dull life chronicling the exploits of self-aggrandizing merchants and petty noblemen, but he might not have known everything he was getting into, quickly finding himself neck deep in secret, political intrigue. Plus, his employer, Captain Braylar Killcoin, seems to be possessed by a cursed flail that bombards him with the stolen memories of those he slays in battle. (Not that Arki is complaining out loud about false advertising or anything.)

From this unique “embedded journalist” beginning, Scourge goes on to weave a textured, realistic, and complex tale of Arki trying to survive in this brutal world of war and intrigue. Quickly, he begins to become desensitized to the violence around him (though he isn’t comfortable with it) and is forced to acknowledge the brutal pragmatism of many of the heinous deeds Captain Braylar and his soldiers practice routinely. And through the simple process of not dying and not betraying his wary employers, he gradually is taken into the inner circle of the Syldoon warriors; something that finally allows him (and the readers of Scourge) to start to understand all the things going on in the story.

Now, I realize some readers were put off by book one due to the slow developing story. (Even Mr. Salyards has acknowledged in interviews that he understands this criticism of Scourge.) But where book one laid the foundation for Arki and Captain Killcoin’s tale, Veil of the Deserters unleashes it in its full glory.

The plot and character revelations come fast and furious in book two. We learn more about Captain Braylar and his mysterious flail; more about the personalities and history of the Syldoon warriors surrounding Arki; and more about the immediate schemes and the long term ones that have lead these elite warrior to spend years away from their northern home.

Deeper world building. Where there were merely a few brief glimpses of this interesting fantasy world in Scourge, here there is so much more revelations about its nations, their history, the mysterious Godveil, the world before the Deserter gods abandoned mankind, and Captain Braylar’s cursed flail’s role in it all. Each piece of lore fitting seamlessly with the next until a vibrant, living world slowly begins to grow before a reader’s eyes.

Realist battles continue – only they are bigger and more frequent. And when I say realistic that is what I mean. These are not Hollywood movie fights, where the hero kills twenty people without a scratch and without getting one hair out of place. Nope, Mr. Salyards carefully crafts well-thought-out and organic fights, where armor matters, numbers count, and the realities of brutal men hacking at one another with sharp edge instruments of death are not glossed over. Not to say that Veil of the Deserters is a gorefest, because Mr. Salyards doesn’t overdo the blood and guts, but rather that he shows the realities of war in a medieval-type setting. People die hideous deaths. Those that survive may be horribly wounded or maimed. And those that escape with their life are scarred by the experience of dealing death and find themselves grieving over their own dead.

Creepy magic users. In Scourge the magic was rather sparse throughout and spoken of in whispers by everyone, but in Veil the Memoridon make an early appearance and are major players in the whole book. And somehow, Mr. Salyards is able to reveal enough about the memory witches to make them understandable but not totally stripping them of their mystery and inherent creepiness.

Kickass female character. While this is a testosterone driven series, Captain Killcoin’s sister Soffjian is introduced and holds her own against all of the brutal Syldoon warriors – instilling instant fear in all but the strongest men. Plus, she is a Memoridan, which only makes her that much more interesting.

Syldoon political machinations. Oh, yeah, readers get to go back to the capital city of the Syldoon Empire, experiencing all the brutal scheming of the warrior elite of the world, and through this change of scenery, Mr. Salyards sets up book three of the series, which looks to be a great one.

So after hearing all the great things about Veil of the Deserters and Bloodsounder’s Arc, why are you still reading this review? Go buy book one, sit down for a nice, intense read, get the world and the characters in your mind, then plunge into Veil where the story catches fire. Look forward to talking to all of you after we read book three next year! (Next year, right, Mr. Salyards?)

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

Purchase the book at Amazon.

Posted in 5 Stars, Fantasy, Grimdark, Low | Tagged Arki, best fantasy 2014, best grimdark 2014, best grimdark fantasy 2014, BLOODSOUNDER'S ARC, Captain Braylar, JEFF SALYARDS, Scourge, VEIL OF THE DESERTERS | 10 Comments

Lookin’ Good: The Very Best of Kate Elliott

Posted on November 12, 2014 by Bookwraiths

Far Beyond Reality

Coming soon from Tachyon Publications: The Very Best of Kate Elliott, which is the author’s first collection of short fiction and essays. I’m very excited about this one, as I primarily know Elliott from her fantasy novels and (confession) don’t think I’ve actually ever read any short stories by her.

Also check out the gorgeous cover art by Julie Dillon, which illustrates a passage in Elliott’s novel Cold Steel.

The Very Best of Kate Elliott will be available in February 2015.

More info from the publisher:

Strong heroines and riveting storytelling are the hallmarks of groundbreaking fantasy author Kate Elliott (Crown of Stars, Crossroads). Her long-awaited first collection showcases twenty years of her finest work. Captured here are many of Elliott’s previously out-of-print tales, four previously unpublished essays, and a brand new Crossroads story, “On the Dying Winds of the Old Year and the Birthing Winds of…

View original post 228 more words

Posted in Anthology, Fantasy | Tagged Kate Elliott, The Very Best of KAte Elliott | 3 Comments

MUSING: LITERARY SNOBBERY IS BAD, BUT HOW ABOUT FANTASY SNOBBERY?

Posted on November 11, 2014 by Bookwraiths

Like most fantasy fans, I’ve watched Patrick Rothfuss’ response to academic, or literary, snobbery. It highlighted something that we readers have faced at one time or another: literary fiction snobs, who view the “fantasy” genre as “popcorn” fiction fit only for mob consumption. And I would not presume to add to what Mr. Rothfuss said, since he outlined the response to that way of thinking far more eloquently than I ever could, but I would like to touch upon something that seems to have grown up during my decade long hiatus from reading fantasy from the early 2000s to 2012. Something I like to call Fantasy Snobbery.

What do I mean by Fantasy Snobbery, you ask?

Quite simply it is a feeling by current fantasy reader that fantasy before Joe Abercrombie, Brandon Sanderson, Patrick Rothfuss, et cetera are Tolkien clones with no merit because they invariably are set in medieval-type settings with elves, dwarves, wizards, dragons, magic weapons and other bullshit fantasy things like that as integral parts of their story. This inclusion of classic fantasy elements being viewed as “boring” or “not creative” or “so already done” that novels which feature these elements are viewed as — you guessed it — “popcorn” fiction fit for only the lower mob consumption. Definitely not something the finely refined fantasy aficionados would ever dare place their reading noses within.

And that way of thinking, dear readers, is a problem for me. Most likely my angst resulting from the fact that I became a fantasy fan reading those “Tolkien clones”, growing up with all those ridiculous fantasy elements, and falling in love with them.

Now, I know it was a different world back in the seventies, eighties, and nineties when I grew up. Simpler time is the way I recall it. Good guys and bad guys. All those epic clashes between right and wrong. And I’ll be the first to admit that some fantasy back then was popcorn fiction, imitating Tolkien and others to the max, but mixed in with the “lowest common denominators” were some great stories that ran the gamut from coming-of-age masterpieces to fantasy-horror hybrids to fantasy-mafia stories to grimdark-esque. And the fact that some fantasy fans relegate these tales to the trash heap because they dared to utilize the traditional fantasy elements of elves, dwarves, wizards, and dragons is itself BULLSHIT!

I mean, have we honestly progressed to the point in this genre that fantasy only consists of those books that create the next cute magic system? (All Sanderson imitators may raise their hands here.)

Or mimic the next historical period? (Yeah, I’m pointing at you flintlock fantasy.)

Or read like a historical fiction novel? (Grimdarks seem to strive to use the least amount of fantasy elements possible.)

Or set the fantasy elements in the real world? (Urban fantasy take your bow.)

Really? That is all fantasy encompasses these days?

If it is then that is a real shame, because the fantastical realm of the fantasy genre should be wide enough to include everything — including the classical fantasy elements of elves, dwarves, wizards, dragons and bullshit, whose usage stretches all the way back to ancient mythology.

So with that in mind, I’d like to encourage everyone to not be a snob. Whether you’re a literary fiction snob or a fantasy snob doesn’t really matter. Nobody likes snobs you know. They tend to meet untimely ends — especially if they piss off one of my favorite wizards or witches, elves or dwarves, dragons or eagles, goblins or orcs in my favorite old school fantasy.

Posted in Fantasy, Musings | Tagged fantasy elements, fantasy fans, Fantasy Snobbery, Patrick Rothfus Literary Snobbery, patrick rothfuss | 14 Comments

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.