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THE WHITE TOWERS by ANDY REMIC

Posted on August 12, 2014 by Bookwraiths

The White Towers by Andy Remic

Genre: Fantasy — Grimdark

Series: The Rage of Kings #2

Publisher: Angry Robot (June 17, 2014)

Author Information:Website | Twitter

Length: 460 pages

My Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.

With The White Towers (The Rage of Kings Book 2), Andy Remic does something amazing. He takes the members of the Iron Wolves and actually begins to turn them into some semblance of human beings without losing their grimdark appeal!

For those of you have not read my review of THE IRON WOLVES I’m sure that seems somewhat nonsensical, but trust me when I say that our heroes are some of the most despicable, vile, and loathsome humans you will ever come across. From pit fighters to drug addicts to kidnapper/serial killers, the Wolves run the gamut of human depravity. Honestly, when reading the first book of the series, I felt dirty for even routing for them to not be hanged for their crimes against humanity. But as I said, in book two, Andy Remic begins the slow transformation of these monsters into something more than classic grimdark caricatures.

The story picks up right where book one ended: the remaining Iron Wolves have saved the Kingdom of Vagandrak from Orlana the Changer’s army of mud orcs and inhuman “splice” only to be arrested and sentenced to death by mad King Yoon. Now, they must not only find a way to save their sorry assess from the hangman’s noose but also somehow escape the impregnable fortress in the Pass of Splintered Bones. But even if they succeed in doing those things, none of them are prepared for what awaits them back in their homeland. For Orlana’s coming has awoken another enemy of Vagandrak: the Elf Rats. These twisted denizens of the toxic land far to the north have returned to their ancient homeland, determined to avenge themselves on their human tormenters and wipe the scourge of mankind from the very earth itself!

From this great beginning, Mr. Remic weaves a grimdark story that spends a great deal of time on the characterization of the individual Iron Wolves. KiKi, Captain of the Wolves, has her unusual childhood and magical powers explored. Dek the Pit Fighter opens up about his family. Narnok of the Axe begins dealing with his wife’s betrayal and his vile torture. Trista the Serial Killer turns into more than a murdering ice princess. Even Prince Zastarte exorcizes his demons to an extent and explains how he had been lead down the path to serial killing. Not that any of these epiphanies by the Wolves washes them white as snow or changes their inherent evilness. Monsters they might still be, but at least, Mr. Remic begins to explore the why of their insanity. That, in and of itself, made the characters more real and more compelling to me.

Another thing that Mr. Remic does a good job of doing here is giving readers a less over-the-top villain. Book one suffered, in my opinion, from the fact that Orlana the Changer was so evil, so ridiculously inhuman that all her actions seemed surreal. Here, though, the author finds the right balance between vile and fantastical with the Elf Rats. Sure, they are genocidal monsters, but their reasons for being such are clearly articulated, allowing a reader to understand why they hate the humans of Vagandrak so much and what they hope to gain from their behavior. Perhaps that doesn’t seem very praise worthy, but after book one, I thoroughly enjoyed knowing exactly why the bad guys were killing everyone.

With all that being said, I want to assure grimdark lovers that even with Mr. Remic spending more time on characterization and explanation The White Towers is still a blood spattering grimdark fantasy. There are pages and pages of gory atrocities, fierce battles, and monstrous genocide. Sex also plays a major role here, and more than a few of our heroes are bi-sexual, which leads to several uncomfortable moments when the less open-minded members of the group discover this. So if you loved The Iron Wolves or just are overdue for a hit of grimdark, pick this one up. Just make sure, though, that you have a clean rag next to you to wipe all the blood off your face as you read it.

I received this book from Angry Robot and Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

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CHECK OUT MY REVIEWS OF THE RAGE OF KINGS SERIES
THE IRON WOLVES

Posted in 3 Stars, Epic, Fantasy, Grimdark, High, Sword and Sorcery | Tagged Andy Remic, best fantasy, best fantasy books 2014, best grimdark fantasy 2014, best grimdark fantasy series, The Iron Wolves, The Rage of Kings, the white towers | 5 Comments

FUN DAY MONDAY, OR THE BOOKS THAT WILL HELP ME SURVIVE THE WEEK AHEAD (AUGUST 11, 2014)

Posted on August 11, 2014 by Bookwraiths

It is that most horrible of times: Monday!

The day I have to put my big boy suit on and jump back on the corporate escalator to nowhere.

This week I’m going to finish up a couple of series by D.P Prior and read my first Joe Abercrombie novel. (Yeah, I’m a bit behind on the times with that last one, I know.) Anyway, as for Mr. Prior, I’d never heard of his books until stumbling onto them last weekend while surfing around amazon.com, but now I’m a big fan. His stories remind me a lot of the sword and sorcery fare of Michael Moorcock in works like Elric of Melnibon and Corum; both of which I’ve always really liked.

So without any further explanation, here are the books I will be reading this week.

THE UNWEAVING (SHADER BOOK 3) by D. P. PRIOR

Goodreads description:

Shader has failed and Sektis Gandaw now holds all the pieces of the Statue of Eingana. Despair hangs like a pall over the battered armies of Sahul and Aeterna. It’s now just a matter of time …

A sliver of hope comes in the form of Shadrak the Unseen, who has the means to travel to the source of the coming cataclysm, the black mountain at the heart of the Dead Lands on Aethir.

But Shader, Shadrak, and Rhiannon discover that Aethir brings a new set of challenges: the Sour Marsh—an oozing malignancy from the nightmare realm of Qlippoth; an arrogant senate that seeks to appease rather than fight; and a volatile secret at the heart of the ravine city of Arx Gravis: a dwarf with no name who could prove the most stalwart of allies… or the deadliest of foes.

Old love has turned sour and regrets run deep. Shader is sick of killing, but can see no other way. Rhiannon’s last defense against all she has lost is a self-destructive rage; and Shadrak’s niggling conscience is causing him more trouble than he needs. Loyalties are called into question, yet all three must bury their differences if they are to find a way into Sektis Gandaw’s impregnable base and prevent the Unweaving of all things.

BUY THE BOOK AT AMAZON

THe AXE OF THE DWARF LORDS (THE NAMELESS DWARF BOOK 2) by D. P. PRIOR

Goodreads description:

One foot into the lands beyond the Farfall Mountains and the nightmare begins.

Nils wishes he’d never taken the job to escort a dwarf with no name on a madcap quest for redemption. Ilesa reckons she should have asked for a bigger bounty, and Silas is beginning to think the grimoire he stole from the Academy has a sinister will of its own.

Nameless, on the other hand, is having the time of his life. After all, what more could a dwarf want than a horde of undead to splatter with his axe, a shape-shifting woman who does dwarf especially well, and a wizard who can produce ale out of thin air?

But his ever fragile mood takes a turn for the worse when he discovers a terrible secret at the bottom of the sea—an unstoppable horror that destroyed an entire race, and a mythical axe that brings back the darkest of memories from his recent past.

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HALF A KING (SHATTERED SEA BOOK 1) by JOE ABERCROMBIE

Goodreads description:

“I swore an oath to avenge the death of my father. I may be half a man, but I swore a whole oath.”

Prince Yarvi has vowed to regain a throne he never wanted. But first he must survive cruelty, chains, and the bitter waters of the Shattered Sea. And he must do it all with only one good hand.

The deceived will become the deceiver.

Born a weakling in the eyes of his father, Yarvi is alone in a world where a strong arm and a cold heart rule. He cannot grip a shield or swing an axe, so he must sharpen his mind to a deadly edge.

The betrayed will become the betrayer.

Gathering a strange fellowship of the outcast and the lost, he finds they can do more to help him become the man he needs to be than any court of nobles could.

Will the usurped become the usurper?

But even with loyal friends at his side, Yarvi finds his path may end as it began—in twists, and traps, and tragedy.

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So what are you reading? 🙂

Posted in Fantasy, Funday Monday | Tagged best indie fantasy novels, Chronicles of the Nameless Dwarf, D.P. Prior, Funday Monday, Half a King, Joe Abercrombie, Michael Moorcock, new fantasy releases 2014, Sektis Gandaw, Shader, Shattered Sea, The Nameless Dwarf | 7 Comments

TOUGH TRAVELING — QUEST OBJECTS

Posted on August 7, 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.

7th August 2014 – QUEST OBJECTS

QUEST OBJECTS can be various, but are quite strictly defined by the Rules. They are:

1. Material Objects. Cups, jewels, orbs, rings, scepters, stones, and swords.
2. Places. Hidden Kingdoms, islands, old ruined cities, stones, temples, valleys and fountains.
3. Persons. Apprentices, hardship, princes.
4. Knowledge. Usually for birthright or magic or both.

The ultimate fantasy trope! Perhaps overused but one that never seems to go out of style completely. From the quest for the Holy Grail to Tolkien’s fantasy masterpiece Lord of the Rings, quests have been the engine driving many a great novel – at least in part. Plus there are just so many good ones to choose from, so let’s take a look at a few of my favorites.

1. MATERIAL OBJECT: THE BELGARIAD by DAVID EDDINGS

Other than Tolkien’ Lord of the Ring, I personally have never read a fantasy series that uses the quest for a material object to drive the story as much as David Eddings’ The Belgariad did. Here the first four books are basically a quest to recover the stolen Orb of Aldur and return it to its place in the island-kingdom of Riva. The fifth book in the series deviates from this quest somewhat, though it still involves a group having to take the Orb of Aldur to a specific place at a specific time for a world changing prophecy to unfold. So in my book (other than Lord of the Rings), this series is the best representative of the object driven quest.

BUY BOOK ONE OF THE SERIES ON AMAZON

2. PLACE: CHRONICLES OF THE BLACK COMPANY (#4-9) by GLEN COOK

After the devastating battle at the Tower of Charm, the remnants of the once feared Black Company are in tatters with nothing left to hold them together. Some of these life long mercenary brothers are not ready to let go of the old company however, and once Croaker is made Captain, he finds a new quest to keep his remaining brothers around: return the Annals of the Black Company to the legendary city of Khatovar. Legend has it that the Free Companies, which the Black Company was part of, marched from this city long ago, but all Croaker knows about Khatovar is that the stories suggest that the city lies far to the south at the other end of the world. And so the great quest to discover and reach Khatovar begins, leading Croaker and the Black Company into many adventures that they would never have envisioned.

Classic quest for a place that sets up the rest of the great stories Glen Cook concocts.

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3. PERSON: CHRONICLES OF THE CHEYSULI by JENNIFER ROBERSON

This multi-volume epic centers on the Prophecy of the Firstborn, which is a generational quest to recreate the magical race which once held sway in the lands ruled by Homana’s Mujar. Each novel in the series focuses on individuals who are caught up in this prophecy and either intentionally or unintentionally help bring about the birth of the Firstborn.

A classic – though very ambitious – person quest that Jennifer Roberson did a great job of writing and making interesting. I enjoyed the series immensely back in the day and always recommend it to classic fantasy lovers.

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4. KNOWLEDGE: DARWATH by BARBARA HAMBLY

Three thousand years before, the monstrous Dark had sprung from loathsome underground lairs to destroy most of humanity. Somehow, the ancients drove back the black tide and slowly rebuilt the world. But now, the Dark have arisen again! Their ravenous hunger for human flesh having brought civilization around the world to its knees, turning the pitiful handful of survivors into embittered refugees hiding in age old fortresses during the night.

The only hope for the world lies in the once mighty Kingdom of Renweth, where Ingold Inglorion and a few thousand people have managed to find refuge in the ancient fortress Keep of Renweth. There, the mightiest wizard of this embattled world desperately tries to rediscover the knowledge of the ancients. For if he does not, there is no hope for humanity to survive this rising of the Dark!

Great quest for knowledge! Great series that not enough people have read. Go buy it today!

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So there are my picks. Hope I named a few series that you might like to try. Have fun reading. 🙂

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT MY BEST OF FANTASY LISTS.

Posted in Fantasy, Lists, Tough Traveling | Tagged Barbara Hambly, best fantasy series, Chronicles of the Black Company, Chronicles of the Cheysuli, Darwath, David Eddings, Glen Cook, Jennifer Roberson, The Belgariad, Tough Traveling | 22 Comments

LADY RAWHIDE

Posted on August 5, 2014 by Bookwraiths

My rating is 2 out of 5 stars.

If Zorro had a sidekick, Lady Rawhide probably would not be the kind of vigilante he’d pick out. Nope, with her sexy, gravity defying bodice and thigh high boots in a very camouflaged red and white, our fierce heroine is dressed more for a stripper pole than a Western gun battle, but then again, Red Sonja wears a chainmail bikini to sword fights, so who am I to criticism her, she’s holding the big guns . . . I mean, big gun, after all. (Sorry, had an old Skid Row song pop into my head there.) The lack of clothing aside, Lady Rawhide has one major problem in this graphic novel: ninguna historia! Something that even her rather noticeable assets cannot hide for long.

You see the story here revolves around a gang of outlaw cowgirls, who have each experienced horrible oppression at the hands of the Mexican government. Some of these young ladies have had their families murdered in front of them. Others have been beaten and brutalized by soldiers. But no matter the individual acts of savagery they’ve suffered through, the simple fact is that every one of these outlaw women have vengeance on their minds, and they are determined to punish the corrupt Mexican Governor and his evil U.S. Government backers – no matter how many innocents get killed in the crossfire!

Then there is Lady Rawhide. She is a very refined Spanish Lady who straps on a gun and a mask and picks up her whip every night to become a masked heroine for the oppressed people of Old Mexico. Erupting from her hidden cave, she risks life and limb meting out justice to the evil los soldados. However, even as she fights this despicable bunch, she finds herself having sympathy and perhaps more for their leader: the honest and patriotic Captain Reyes. But Lady Rawhide’s true quandary comes when she discovers one of the cowgirl outlaws and learns of their plan to kill and destroy their way to the Mexican Governor. Now, our scantily clad heroine finds herself torn between bringing the Governor or the cowgirls to justice.

The set up of the story is decent enough for a Western, and honestly – ignoring her outfit for a moment – Lady Rawhide fits the mold of the classic Zorro myth: hiding by day as a normal Spanish landholder before turning into a masked vigilante at night. The writer even devotes more than a little time trying to develop her character, letting a reader know about her life, her allies, her enemies, her motives as well as showing where her sympathies lie. But once you get past the setup, this story just fizzles. Sure, there are fights galore. A big battle at the end. Unfortunately, though, there is no emotion and no suspense in the story, which made it difficult to read.

With that being said, the artwork really needed to carry this graphic novel. You know, the illustrations being so beautiful, so amazing that they made you forget about the plot holes and narrative missteps of the writers. Here though, it did not really happen. Sure, Lady Rawhide looks amazing in that stripper sort of way, but even in her red and white glory, she can’t stop you from noticing the less than stellar artwork around her much less the glaring absence of a digestible story. Because, honestly, there are some spots in this book where the quality of the art drops considerable, and that is something that just cannot happen in a graphic novel where the art is the star of the show.

Now, as I’ve mentioned in other reviews, I like the occasional B movie-type graphic novel. I read them knowing they are not the next Watchmen or whatever. Nothing wrong with a bit of sugar coated super-heroine eye candy every now and again. But with that being said, the story still matters, and if there is not a story . . . then you better make sure that the art is spectacular. Unfortunately, Lady Rawhide failed in both areas, and the best parts of the book were the cover sketches of her auto sexy.

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

Buy Lady Rawhide Volume 1 at Amazon.

Posted in Graphic Novels, Pulp Fiction | Tagged Dynamite Entertainment, Eric Trautmann, Graphic novel, graphic novels 2014, Joseph Michael Linsner, Lady Rawhide, Milton Estevam, Zorro | 1 Comment

THE LASCAR’S DAGGER by GLENDA LARKE

Posted on August 4, 2014 by Bookwraiths

My rating is 3 out of 5 stars.

The Lascar’s Dagger by Glenda Larke is one of those novels that sort of defies assignment to a particular category. On one hand, it has lots of interesting and unique concepts about magic and religion that surely makes it a fantasy. But on the other, it focuses more on political intrigue and personal betrayals than on fantastical creatures or otherworldly powers, and so it reads more like historical fiction. The simple fact is that The Lascar’s Dagger is something in-between, reminding me a lot of Katherine Kurtz’s Deryni novels – which is not a bad thing in my proverbial book.

The tale itself focuses on a priest named Saker Rampion, who also serves as an undercover agent for the Pontifect of the Va-Faith (Think Pope of the Catholic Church here). While out on a fact finding assignment, Saker runs afoul of another agent, gets into a brief fight and winds up with the lascar’s dagger. A magical item that refuses to leave his side even if he abandons it or throws it into a bay. (Think Percy Jackson’s sword Riptide.) Thereafter, Raker is reassigned to a new mission as the spiritual adviser to the prince and princess of the Kingdom of Ardrone, where our young priest finds himself immediately embroiled in court politics and other things even more insidious.

Inadvertently joining Saker Rampion in Ardrone is a young woman named Sorrel Redwing. This lady was unhappily married and grieving after her dead daughter before the murder of her husband. Thereafter, she finds herself on the run from the law, desperate to save herself from the avenging wrath of her husband’s rich family. Eventually, Sorrel is run to ground at a holy shrine, where she finds her savior in Princess Mathilda of Ardrone as well as her gift from the gods. Soon after, our wanted young woman finds herself ensconced at court, using her god-given gifts as a spy for Mathilda while becoming well acquainted with Saker Rampion.

From the meshing of Saker and Sorrel’s individual stories, Glenda Larke pens an interesting tale that focuses on political scandals and betrayals, the insatiable lust for exotic spices and gold, and the eternal conflict between the godly forces of good and evil. While all this is done without non-stop action, it is still enjoyable, and the fact that Ms. Larke spends most of her time focusing on characterization should not be a deterrent to picking up this entertaining tale. For in place of those sword fights and magical battles, a reader is gifted with a fully developed world, populated with interesting characters, and soon, every person upon the pages is someone you know, gifted with their own unique background, likes, dislikes, strengths, weaknesses, and reasons for their actions. Saker Rampion, for instance, might be the main character and hero, but he is nowhere near a white knight in shining armor and has numerous weaknesses that cause him to appear selfish, arrogant, stupid, and naive at various points in the novel. The same can be said of Sorrel Redwing, who has her magical blessing but also her own foibles – including steadfast loyalty to Mathilda, who is at best a naive princess and at worst a conniving, self-absorbed brat. But that is okay, because Raker and Sorrel’s flaws make them so very easy to identify with and throughout the story, they grow, becoming more than a sideshow upon the pages but rather living, breathing people.

So while I tend to lean toward more action packed fantasy fare, The Lascar’s Dagger was a nice change of pace. One I could truthfully recommend to my reading friends who want a slow, detailed political fantasy. This novel might not be filled with dazzling duels, sorcerous battles, or zombie apocalypses, but it has enough intrigues, scandals, betrayals, and magical elements to keep a fantasy fan turning the pages. Plus it has all those unique and interesting characters.

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

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Posted in Fantasy, Low | Tagged epic fantasy series, glenda larke, new epic fantasy 2014, new fantasy novels 2014, Saker Rampion, Sorrel Redwing, The Forsaken LAnds, The Lascar's Dagger | 5 Comments

FUN DAY MONDAY, OR THE BOOKS THAT WILL HELP ME SURVIVE THE WEEK AHEAD (AUGUST 4, 2014)

Posted on August 4, 2014 by Bookwraiths

It is that most horrible of times: Monday!

The day I have to put my big boy suit on and jump back on the corporate escalator to nowhere. So in anticipation of this most horrid of days, I found myself browsing the Amazon Kindle store on Sunday, getting my reading material in order. (I’m really not that organized, but I wish I was.) And since I like to try out a few indie fantasy novels every year, I found myself reading about the fantasy stories by author D.P Prior, whose novels sounded interesting and whose reviews peaked my interested, so I downloaded a couple books and will try him out this week.

So without any further explanation, here are the books I will be reading this week.

SWORD OF THE ARCHON by D. P. PRIOR

Goodreads description:

Plague strikes the city of Sarum, and the dead rise from their graves. The liche, Dr. Cadman, has discovered a long-hidden artifact and perverted its power for his own selfish ends. But an ancient evil from beyond the stars is drawn by its use and turns hungry eyes upon the Earth. These are the times of Unweaving, the times Deacon Shader has been prepared for since the day he was born. A man of prayer, deeply troubled by a contradictory faith, he is also the deadliest warrior of his generation. As events spiral out of control, and Creation itself hangs by a thread, the paradox at the heart of Shader’s life may just be the last desperate hope of all the worlds

THE NAMELESS DWARF by D. P. PRIOR

Goodreads description:

The dwarves have gone!

Thousands have been slaughtered in the blood-drenched streets of their ravine city by one of their own wielding a demonic axe.

The survivors have fled beyond the mountains, heading into a realm haunted by the nightmares of a twisted god.

When Nils Fargin, son of an underworld boss, is hired to find them, he travels with his client to seek the advice of a lowlife mage. With what he learns, he should have asked for more money.

The trail leads them to the domain of the terrifying Ant-Man, who is rumored to eat the flesh of anyone refusing to pay his toll.

And as if that wasn’t enough, it turns out Nils’s client is none other than the Nameless Dwarf, better known to his kind as the Ravine Butcher.

So what are you going to be reading? 🙂

Posted in Fantasy, Funday Monday | Tagged best indie fantasy, best indie fantasy series, Chronicles of the Nameless Dwarf, D.P. Prior, Deacon Shader, fantasy books 2014, Shader, Sword of the Archon, The Nameless Dwarf | 1 Comment

LEGENDS OF RED SONJA

Posted on August 2, 2014 by Bookwraiths

My rating is 3 out of 5 stars.

Since reading read Red Sonja Volume I: Queen of Plagues by Gail Simone and Walter Geovanni, I’ve begun to consider myself a Sonja fan. Sure, the chainmail bikini still strikes me as sort of silly, but at least when Simone and Geovanni are handling the character, the great story and artwork overshadows the negatives. So whenever I stumbled upon anything Red Sonja and Simone or Geovanni’s names are attached, I have to give it a try.

Legends of Red Sonja is the latest graphic novels about the red-haired she-devil. It collects Legends of Red Sonja #1-5 and has an overarching story about a group of savage mercenaries who continue to hear campfire tales about Sonja’s exploits as they are hunting her down for execution. The “unique” thing about this collection is that writer Gail Simone hand-picked eleven of the most popular female writers from the world to help her pen these stories. Tamora Pierce, Mercedes Lackey, Marjorie M. Liu, Nancy A. Collins, Kelly Sue DeConnick, and Rhianna Pratchett to name a few.

After finishing Legends, all I can say is that I really, really love the way Gail Simone tells a Red Sonja story. I mean, this lady has always been a favorite comic writer of mine from her Birds of Prey days, and she very deftly handles the serious and silly of Sonja unlike no other. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of the “guest” writers whose tales run the gamut from ridiculous to plain stupid. To say that they generally missed the boat with their versions of Sonja is being tactful. Honestly, if not for the overarching story crafted by Simone, this whole graphic novel would be down right amnesia worthy.

As for the illustrations, we have a whole group of people chipping in. Noah Salonga, Cassandra James, Phil Noto, Jim Calafiore, Jack Jadson, and others contributing throughout. But even with so many people adding their own unique brush strokes, the art is stellar more times than naught, capturing the essence of this kind of sword and sorcery tale. Unfortunately, there are other times (And far too many of them) when the illustrations are downright horrible – at least in my opinion.

In summation, Legends of Red Sonja is a decent graphic novel. The artwork runs the gamut from great to below average, but it still does an okay job of illustrating the story. However, while Simone’s portions of the tale are superb as always, the guest writers leave a lot to be desired. While I realize everyone has a different writing style and concept of a character, I expected that the “guest” writers would tailor their stories to be more in line with the vision and tone of Simone’s version of Sonja; something the majority of them did not do. So as you decide whether to read Legends or to pass it over, just understand this is not the Simone/Geovanni version that convinced so many of us to give the red-haired she-devil another try.

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

BUY THE GRAPHIC NOVEL ON AMAZON

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT MY REVIEWS OF OTHER RED SONJA NOVELS
RED SONJA: UNCHAINED
RED SONJA: QUEEN OF PLAGUES

Posted in Graphic Novels, S & S | Tagged Best Graphic Novels, Dynamite Entertainment, Gail Simone, Jack Jadson, Kelly Sue DeConnick, Marjorie M. Liu, Mercedes Lackey, Nancy A. Collins, Red Sonja, Rhianna Pratchett, Tamora Pierce | 1 Comment

TOUGH TRAVELING – PRINCESSES

Posted on July 31, 2014 by Bookwraiths

31st July, 2014 – PRINCESSES

PRINCESSES come in two main kinds:

1. Wimps.

2 Spirited and wilful. Spirited Princesses often disguise themselves as boys and invariably marry commoners of sterling worth.

What’s not to love about princesses? Though I do prefer the spirited and wilful variety more than the wimpy one. Anyway, here are a few of my picks.

1. ARISTA ESSENDON OF RIYRIAN REVELATION BY MICHAEL J. SULLIVAN

Sure, Arista was not a favorite of mine at the beginning of this series. She was the classic rich, self-absorbed and a bit clueless (not dumb, just innocent) princess, being the daughter of the King of Melengar and the sister of Alric, the heir to the throne. Heck, she was so naive that she is duped into releasing someone from a magical entrapment, but as the stories go by, Arista develops into an all-around great person: powerful, kind, and caring. Without her, the Riyrian Revelations would not have been as nearly as much fun as it was.

Read my review of the first novel: THEFT OF SWORDS.

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2. AERIN OF THE HERO AND THE CROWN BY ROBIN MCKINLEY

This is one of the first strong princesses I recall reading about back in the day. I’ve never forgotten her, but I don’t think I could describe her better than the Goodreads blurb of the book.

Although only child of Damar’s king, and best friends with heir Tor, Aerin is “the only pale-skinned redhead in a country of cinnamon-skinned brunettes”. When convalescing, she reads about fighting dragons, experiments with kenet herbal dragonfire-proof burn ointment, and learns to ride her father’s old wounded warhorse Talat. After Tor gives her lessons and a sword, her opponents, though small and almost fatal from the first, increase in size and danger. Immortal mage Luthe gives her the Blue Sword Gonturan, relates her true history, and prepares her for a huge battle with evil, but not the discovery of her country’s lost Crown.

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3. KEELY DAUGHTER OF THE LION BY JENNIFER ROBERSON

Another strong princess from back in the day, and one with a whole book just about her struggles. Once again, I think the Goodreads blurb describes proud and strong Keely better than I ever could.

She is Keely, twin sister to Corin, and daughter to Niall, the ruler of Homana, and she alone has the power to shapechange into any form—a power akin to that of the Firstborn. Like her brothers, Keely has been chosen to play a crucial part in the Firstborn’s prophecy. Yet Keely is no weak pawn to be used in men’s games of power and diplomacy. Trained alongside her brothers in the art of war, gifted with more of the old magic than most of her close kin, she will not easily give way even to Niall’s commands, nor be forced against her will into an arranged marriage.

But others besides Keely’s father have plans for her future. Stahan, the most powerful Ihlini sorcerer, is preparing a trap from which even one as magically-gifted as Keely may find no escape. And in the deepwood, another waits to challenge Keely—an outlaw fully as dangerous to her future freedom as Strahan is to her life…

BUY BOOK ONE OF THE SERIES AT AMAZON

4. MIST OF THE DREAD EMPIRE SERIES BY GLEN COOK

Glen Cook’s Dread Empire series is a world spanning affair, heavy on character interaction as well as gritty politics and warfare. The cast of amazing characters Mr. Cook concocts here is rivalled only by his more well-known series: The Black Company, and among the list of stellar heroes and heroines, villains and villainesses portrayed by Mr. Cook is Princess Mist.

Mist is a kickass wielder of magic from The Dread Empire. She was well on her way to become the overlord of all when she sort of lost interest and found herself in love with the wrong man and banished from her home. Finding a sanctuary with King Bragi of the western kingdoms, she sets about plotting and scheming to find herself then find away to return to her homeland and take over the Dread Empire. She is strong, sensual, and one hell of a princess. The only reason she is so far down my list is that she has to share the pages of the series with so many other characters that she never really is the star of the show. But hey, Mist could be the star of my show anytime.

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5. CE’NEDRA OF THE BELGARIAD/THE MALLOREAN BY DAVID EDDINGS

Another princess from the far away olden times of fantasy. You know, back in the 1980s and 1990s before grimdark reigned supreme. Anyway, any list of princesses has to have this Imperial Princess of Tolnedra. She was the daughter of Ran Borune XXIII, Emperor of Tolnedra, and the Dryad Ce’Vanne, and she was know to all the other girls in Tolnedra as the Jewel of the House of Borune, because she was beautiful, smart, cunning, and you damn well better call her what she wanted because her daddy was the Emperor!

Wilful and stubborn, Ce’Nedra runs away from the imperial palace at age 15 to avoid being sent to Riva in accordance with the Accords of Vo Mimbre, thereby beginning an international crisis, but our princess doesn’t really care. After traveling for a time with Belgarath and Polgara’s group, she finds herself attracted to a poor, farm boy named Garion — who later turns out to be a lot more than that.

Throughout the Belgariad, Ce’Nedra slowly turns from a spoiled brat into a powerful woman; eventually strapping on her golden armor and leading the armies of the west to battle the god Torak. Quite the princess and worthy of a shout out on this list.

Read my review of the first book: Pawn of Prophecy.

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5. LAURANA KANAN OF THE DRAGONLANCE CHRONICLES BY WEIS AND HICKMAN

Another princess from my teenage years. God, I’m beginning to see a trend her. Lol! Be that as it may, Laurana is another willful, courageous, charming and incredibly beauty princess. As the youngest child of the elf king Solostaran, the Speaker of the Sun who rules of the elves of Qualinesti, she was given a lot of freedom by her father and naturally fell in love with the wrong person: Tanis Half-Elven. Not only was Tanis a half-breed but he was also her foster brother. (Damn, isn’t there a law against that or something? Just saying.) Naturally, our princess’ family frowned upon their match, and they are pleased when Tanis decided to leave Qualinesti. Unfortuantely, Laurana promises never to give up on him but remained true to her vow to be with him.

Years later, the two erstwhile lovers meet up again during the War of the Lance, and Laurana goes on to become a commander of armies, a hero in her own right, and Tanis’ significant other. She might not be the bad girl, but Laurana always gets what she wants. Take that Kitiara, you skank!

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HONORABLE MENTIONS

While that completes my list of “Princesses”, I have to mention a couple of very worthy royal ladies that were not on my list only because they did not fit the fantasy definition of “Princess” that I was working with.

1. MARA OF THE ACOMA IN THE EMPIRE TRILOGY BY FEIST AND WURTS

She was called back from her training when a rival clan kills her whole family. Set up to fail and allow her house to fall into ruin, Mara grabs the reins of power, finding a way (no matter how personally brutal to herself) to strengthen her clan and begin the rise from desolation to preeminence in this amazing world. She plots, bends tradition, avoids assassination attempts and trades her heart for power in order to save the Acoma from destruction. Mara might not be a “princess” but she was an amazing woman, mother, and ruler.

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2. ALIERA E’KIERON OF DRAGAERAN NOVELS BY STEVEN BRUST

One of the stars of the Dragaeran novels penned by Steven Brust. As the Lyorn Records describe her:

Aliera e’Kieron is a Dragon, the daughter of Adron and Verra. She specializes in sorcery and exercises great skill with a blade. She currently wields the Great Weapon Pathfinder. Her other interests include genetics.

Aliera is short for a Dragaeran. Her eyes are normally green but turn grey or blue when experiencing anger or aggression, as is the mark of an e’Kieron. Her hair is blonde, which is also a characteristic of the e’Kieron line, and is very rare for a Dragaeran – especially a Dragon.

Aliera descends from the most prestigous line of Dragons. That is, her lineage can be traced back to Kieron himself. The three known members of this line (Kieron, Adron, Aliera) are seen, generally, to be arrogant, to operate at an individual code, to be highly ambitious and to posses a firey temper – even for a Dragonlord. Aliera naturally responds with immediate aggression to all shapes and varieties of challenges but has a more open strategic mindset than a Dzur. She is loyal to friends, and secretly holds both her father Adron e’Kieron and her cousin (on her father’s side) Morrolan e’Drien as personal heroes.

When we meet her, she is often annoyed by something or someone.

Aliera is one bad “princess” without a doubt as well as the future ruler of her world. Worth a mention, even though she is not exactly a princess in the normal mold.

See some of my reviews of the series.
Jhereg The Phoenix Guards

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3. PRINCESS LEIA OF STAR WARS

No, Star Wars isn’t fantasy. And no, she shouldn’t be anywhere near this list. But you know what? When anyone says “Princess”, Leia is the one I immediately think of. As a teenager I enjoyed her pictures on my wall, and as an adult, I’ve appreciated reading about her in the Expanded Universe books. Leia is everything that a princess should be in my opinion. Plus she looked really good in that metal bikini. Yeah, I went there. Well, not exactly went there, but you know what I mean. God, some of you guys have dirty minds.

Read my review of one book about Leia: RAZOR’S EDGE.

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BE SURE TO CHECK OUT MY BEST OF FANTASY LISTS.

Posted in Fantasy, Lists | Tagged best princesses in fantasy, Chronicles of the Cheysuli, David Eddings, Diana Wynne Jones, Dragonlance Chronicles, Dread Empire, margaret weis, Michael J. Sullivan, PRINCESSES, raymond e. feist, Riyrian Revelations, Steven Brust, The Belgariad, The Mallorean, Tough Traveling Thursday, tracy hickman, vlad taltos | 25 Comments

REIGN OF ASH by GAIL Z. MARTIN

Posted on July 30, 2014 by Bookwraiths

My rating is 3 out of 5 stars.

Where Ice Forged (Book One of The Ascendant Kingdoms Saga) was an interesting fantasy twist on post-apocalyptic fiction, Reign of Ash is an entertaining but forgettable story that spends far too much time focused on familiar, fantasy tropes and vampires.

What does one do when a whole civilization built upon magic sees magic vanish completely from the world? It is a very novel question that Gail Z. Martin set into motion in book one and which I assumed would be the focus of this second novel in the series. So as Reign of Ash began, I envisioned gritty stories of those left behind’s struggle to survive as well as the spotlight being focused on the main character of the novel, Blaine McFadden, desperately trying to discover a way to return magic to the world. Unfortunately, Reign of Ash was not the novel I expected it to be.

Oh, Gail Z. Martin does focus much of the story on Blaine McFadden, but here he spends as much time trying to deal with his growing attraction for his female friend from Edgeland as he does dealing with the horrors of civilization crumbling. Sure, there are chapters that detail food shortages or pay lip service to the lawless state of the world, but it never seems that the harshness of life ever really touches Blaine or his companions. At every turn they find a former friend to help them or an ancient scholar leaving them clues or – God forbid – another cell of vampires wanting to serve and protect his important ass. So very quickly, it becomes fairly unbelievable that Blaine is living and traveling in a war torn and devastated land.

And as for our hero’s quest to restore magic back to the world, it soon turns into a connect the dots journey. One where all he and his friends have to do is go to Point A and find a marked book that then leads them to Point B where their benefactor has left instructions to Point C where they will find the sacred items needed to lead them to the hidden, magic city. Because there is a hidden, magic city. A place filled with mages, scholars, and an order of knights who are merely waiting for McFadden, or someone else of royal lineage, to connect the dots on their clues and arrive so they can begin the ceremony to reignite the flame of ordered magic in the world. Wham, bam, it’s over, man!

Well, actually it is not over; my review that is. I forgot to mention another problem with this novel: vampires. Let me just go ahead and admit it: I am not a vampire aficionado. Perhaps I have Twilight hangover or whatever, but they have lost their luster for me. Not that I hate them or dislike that other people adore them, because I don’t on either point. It is just that a little vampire goes a long way for me, especially in my fantasy stories, so when it became apparent in Reign of Ash that the vampires were going to play all the main roles in the story from all-knowing benefactors to Blaine’s primary protectors/guides to the villain trying to kill him I went into a diabetic-like coma from TOO MUCH VAMPIRE. My vampire level was way over the too much mark. Hell, it was almost to the death by vampire mark, and I had to quickly inject myself with some zombie gore from The Walking Dead to get my phantasmagoria level back in line. Once again, nothing inherently wrong with all the vampire love in the novel, but it wasn’t for me.

With all that critique aside, I want to be fair and say that – for all its missteps, in my opinion – I still enjoyed the novel. There were many fine moments throughout where the interaction between the characters was well-written, sincere, and heart felt. Especially entertaining were the times when Blaine and his friends journeyed out alone to discover this or that clue and surveyed the wreck of the world or stumbled into adventures that showed me firsthand the state of the world.

So, as you ponder whether to try Reign of Ash, just be aware that this is a novel about vampires, connect the dot quests, a very fortunate hero, and a post-cataclysmic world that seems pretty tame in comparison to other writer’s vision of the end of civilization. It is still an enjoyable read, but it does not stray far from the familiar, fantasy formula that longtime readers of the genre are accustom to.

CHECK OUT MY REVIEWS OF OTHER ASCENDANT KINGDOM NOVELS
ICE FORGED

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Posted in Fantasy, High, Post-apocalyptic | Tagged best epic fantasy 2014, best epic fantasy books, best epic fantasy series, Blaine McFadden, Gail Z. Martin, Ice Forged, Reign of Ash, The Ascendant Kingdoms Saga | 6 Comments

AGE OF DARKNESS VOLUME I (GRIMM FAIRY TALES)

Posted on July 29, 2014 by Bookwraiths

My rating is 2 out of 5 stars.

Zenescope’s Grimm Universe is about to undergo some dramatic changes. For while the ancient war between the Dark Horde and the Guardians has been raging for ages and Wonderland and Neverland have already fallen to the monstrous Jabberwocky and the soul-devouring Pan, now an even greater threat has arisen, as the Dark Queen returns. Her aim to unleash an Age of Darkness upon all four Grimm Realms: Oz, Neverland, Wonderland, and Myst!

Standing against the Queen’s dark tide will be almost the whole Zenescope pantheon of characters, including the Realm Knights and especially Dr. Sela Mathers. But will even such an epic collection of heroes hope to contain the unbridled power and evil of the Dark Queen?

That is the over arching question that begins to be answered in this graphic novel, which is the first volume in what supposedly is going to be three “Age of Darkness” collections leading up to the Realm Wars series. A war that will change the Grimm Universe forever!

After finishing Age of Darkness Volume I, all I can say is that it was a decent read with some interesting stories. The Dark Queen one-shot at the beginning of the book nicely introduces the vile villainous and then sets the Realm Knights into action. The stories that follow contain some really interesting character-driven stories that bring the superhero/mystical action down to real world level, making it clear that all this immense universe changing stuff does not happen in a vacuum and does effect ordinary people. Unfortunately, like many compilation graphic novels, these stories do not have a common plot line that seamlessly drives a reader from one story to the next. Instead, the story bounces around from one character and situation to another with little connection, leaving a casual reader confused about what the hell is actually going on. A major let down for me: i.e. casual reader.

As for the artwork, it is very good. Stylized, action-oriented with the mandatory scantily-clad and sexy ladies throughout. But, as you read the compilation, you will notice that a different artist and/or art team has created each issue. While viewing different artistic styles and representations of familiar characters doesn’t bother me, I know that it does detract from some readers enjoyment of a story, so be prepared for the art to change as the story progresses.

All in all, Age of Darkness Volume I is best categorized as a setup story for the coming Realm Wars. If you are a dedicated fan of the Grimm Universe or a constant visitor, then this graphic volume is a must reading for the future shake up in the universe and is quite enjoyable. If you are just a person wanting an entertaining story that starts at point A and ends at Point B, I’d suggest that you skip this one and start your tour of the Grimm Universe in another place.

Buy Age of Darkness Volume 1 (Grimm Fairy Tales Presents…) at Amazon.

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT MY REVIEWS OF OTHER GRIMM FAIRY TALES
REALM KNIGHTS
WONDERLAND VOLUME III
OZ