Arabella of Mars by David D. Levine

Arabella of Mars is clearly an original take on sci-fi. I was blown away by the details of the story, despite the fact that everything about space travel was fictional and unrealistic. David D. Levine was able to merge science fiction, fantasy and steampunk effortlessly in this epic space adventure.

I'm usually a stickler for facts when it comes to space and science in novels, but in this case, because everything was done purposely, I really don't mind the way the author reinvented space travel. The ships that fly between Earth and Mars are very similar to the airships often seen in steampunk. Clearly the author thought long and hard about space travel and I love how much detail was included in the novel. The native inhabitants of Mars, with their insect-like lifeforms, are obviously fictional, but the way they're described and their detailed culture makes them almost believable. The tension between the Mars natives and humans is one of the many conflicts in the book, despite years of a somewhat peaceful co-existance.

Arabella is a wonderful character. In my opinion, she's the perfect new settler of Mars. She adventurous, inquisitive and obviously has tremendous respect for the Mars natives.  She's also a tomboy, and her mother blames this on her being raised on Mars. To make sure Arabella grows up to be a proper Englishwoman, her mother forces Arabella to move to a completely different world: London, England. She clearly isn't cut out for Regency England. As soon as she realizes that her brother, back on Mars, might be in trouble, she leaves everything behind and joins an airship crew under the guise of a boy in order to head back to her home planet. With no experience as an airman she quickly learns her way around the ship.

When the captain of the ship, Captain Singh, discovers her aptitude for automatons and navigation, he takes her under his wing and teaches her how to use the navigation automaton. The relationship that develops between Arabella and Captain Singh, is at first a professional one, but slowly, Arabella starts to develop strong romantic feelings for her Captain, especially while caring for him during a coma. When it comes to romance, the book was clearly written by a man because it felt really awkward and inexperienced. The two of them make a great pair, and despite the clumsy almost non-existant romantic scenes, I still love the direction in which the two characters are heading

This book is a blend of many genres, including steampunk, science-fiction and fantasy. It has pirates, automatons, space battles, a mutinous coup, a siege on Mars, a little bit of romance and so many other great things. Arabella of Mars can definitely be read as a stand-alone but I really hope to see more of Arabella and Captain Singh in the future. They make a great pair and I think their story has only just begun. A must read!

Read More

by Tynga at Sunday, August 07, 2016

 airships, automatons, BEA, David D. Levine, Fantasy, Macmillan, mars, Review, Science Fiction, Science-Fiction, Space, steampunk, Tor Books  2 People left their mark

✎

A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab

Kell is a daring traveler where Rhys is more the daring ‘playboy’.  Maybe if Rhys could go to the different worlds that Kell can, he wouldn’t have such an exotic taste in lovers (probably not).  He probably would not tempt fate by smuggling trinkets from those worlds the way Kell does.

A Darker Shade of Magic by Victoria E. Schwab is truly a study in contrasts and complements.  Whether it’s magic, people, places or proclivities, the story in this book arranges them before our eyes tempting us to choose one or just sample many.

The people from these worlds run the gamut from dishwater gray to blindingly brash scarlets.  Since Kell has the unique ability to travel among these world by color (Red London, White London, Gray London and Black London).  The scenes and settings do a wonderful job of evoking the overall mood of each London.  Hue and tone do much to tell us about the atmosphere and history of each setting without getting bogged down in over-intricate descriptions.  The same can be said for most of the population of each, as well.

One of my favorite points to pick at when it comes to a world building in the genre of fantasy is: the magic system.  Some come off too complex while others are seem to have no rules whatsoever.  This story does well by slowly lifting the veil from what it shows yet, leaves us wanting to find out more about what was not revealed. I believe it's one of the elements that shows this story could do well as a series.

There are some exceptions to that rule in each of the worlds.  I won’t go into those so that I can avoid potential spoilers.  I will say the characters we get the most acquainted with have the feeling of real people even if they are from bland or exaggerated worlds.  There are two notable exceptions that I believe was on purpose.  I won’t go into why I think so (spoilers!)

A Darker Shade of Magic by Victoria E. Schwab is a very entertaining and thought provoking book.  It has wonderfully colorful settings and characters and a very interesting system of magic.  It does address some mature situations about sex and sexuality and there is some occasional rough language.  That along with the violence has me putting this in the PG13 zone.

Read More

by Tynga at Wednesday, September 02, 2015

 Fantasy amp; Magic, Magic, Purchased, Review, Shades of Magic, Tor Books, V.E. Schwab  4 People left their mark

✎

Wild Cards I Edited by George R. R. Martin

I hope that nobody is getting too tired of my love affair with anthologies.  This one, however, is an anthology with a difference.  More than just stories along a common theme, Wild Cards is a single story but, from many mouths.  Martina and Dozois bring together the talents of many authors to tell  us a tale of many tales.  We get to see the genesis of a class of humanity.  We even get to meet the creator of this class and get a peek into it's intent.

Tracking character development is a rather tricky since, while it is a unified story, it's told in a patch work of tales and a variety of characters.  There are a few, such as Dr. Tachyon, who are fixtures throughout, but, some only have the span of a chapter or two.  With all of that, you can get a sense of the characters and their struggles.  Most do what they are meant to do, act as set pieces to chart the societal changes that this new class of people have instigated.

I said before that it is a patchwork of stories and though that is true, there is one central narrative that bonds all the short stories and makes it less obvious that there is more than one story teller.  If you see the subtle differences in the descriptions of scenes and circumstances as a way to highlight the differences in the point of view it's written from rather than differences in the writers, the story becomes even richer.

To me, this book brings to mind a mix of the old style comic books and the old pulp fiction novels.  There is a kind of back to basics 'earthiness' to the writing and stories themselves.  This makes them an easy yet entertaining read.

Whether taken strictly as a well formed story or as allegory for modern treatment of people with the differences, these stories are engaging and thought provoking.  If you enjoy old-style science-fiction with a few modern twists, this book will be a good addition to your collection.  This one is definitely for the more mature of audiences and lands deeply in the PG13 range because of violence and adult content.

Read More

by Tynga at Wednesday, May 20, 2015

 aliens, Dystopian, George R.R. Martin, Purchased, Review, Science Fiction, Tor Books, Wild Cards  2 People left their mark

✎

The First Confessor (The Legend of Magda Searus #1) by Terry Goodkind

Magda Searus is a newly widowed woman who's husband was the First Wizard.  With no real magical abilities of her own, Magda is left to defend herself with her strength of will and her wits.  This, the beginning of her story, takes us deep into political, societal and magical intrigue.

When I first picked up this book, I had no idea what to expect from it.  I enjoy high fantasy and hadn't delved into it in earnest for a while now.  The First Confessor gave me a chance to get away from modern cities, shiny vampires and werewolves with cellphones.  Those are all fun and I love variations on themes but, sometimes you need to go old school.  This book takes us back to castles, armor and wizards.

Magda comes off as a strong and strong willed woman in a society that usually does not put up with  that sort of thing.  I love strong female characters, lead or not.  Magda is not quite the "Mary Sue" type of character.  She has plenty of faults and makes a misstep or two along the way.  Most of the rest of the characters do have a tendency to fade into the background unless they are directly interacting with Magda.  Some of the characters were a bit flat especially in comparison to the main character.

I liked the overall story and the magic system of the book.  There were times when the characters were a bit loquacious and repetitive.  I understand the use of repetition to illustrate length or depth.  This did not seem to be that.   Most of what I noticed could easily been cut back some and the flavor of the story not be harmed.

Overall, this is a good story of awakening power and the struggles of good and evil.  I don't know if I will pick up the rest of the series but, for those who like high fantasy I would recommend trying it out for yourself.  There are some violent enough scenes that but this deep into PG13 area.

 



 

Read More

by Tynga at Wednesday, February 25, 2015

 High Fantasy, Magic, Purchased, Review, Terry Goodkind, The Legend of Magsa Searus, Tor Books  1 Person left their mark

✎

Lock In by John Scalzi

This book is original and intelligent on so many levels that I really hope this review will incite at least a few people to read it. Personally, I didn't know what to expect when I picked it up. I thought a science fiction novel would be a nice change of pace, however, it's important to note that even if it does have its place in science fiction, it can also be categorized as a mystery thriller.

I love the tag line that's on my copy. On the cover it says "A novel of the near future" and that is chilling thought. To think that a global epidemic could affect so many people, kill a good percentage of the population, and render some people to be locked in, physically paralyzed but still aware, is probably closer to science than it is fiction. The present day outbreak of Ebola in West Africa is still a threat, and recent scares of influenza may have been dramatized by the media but the fact remains that some grave illness could in theory affect the world and the potential for an global epidemic is scary. Obviously Haden's disease in this book is fiction but I think the author did an amazing job in making it as realistic as possible.

For the characters in the novel that are locked in, science and technology has advanced enough in this near future to enable them to interact with the world via a neural implant in the brain that allows them to control a threep, some sort of vehicle/robot for their minds. The beauty of the written word is that even if the narrator of the book is the voice of a young man that uses a threep to get around, it's very easy to forget that his real body is hidden somewhere in a room, unable to move. The narrator, Chris Shane, is a poster child for Hadens, those who are locked in. As a new FBI agent, he didn't expect his first week on the job to turn out like this. As he and his partner, Agent Vann, navigate the world of major technology and pharmaceutical companies, what begins as a simple suicide/murder investigation turns out to be a major corporate conspiracy. The many twists and turns will boggle your mind and will have you rethink the idea of hacking and fraud.

Agent Chris Shane is a very likable character. As a young man of a billionaire family, I admire his commitment to not let his famous past define who he is. He does not want to be a hindrance to the community and as an FBI agent, he believes he can make a difference. It would be easy for any Haden to simply live off the system, to use their disability as an excuse to not work and not  contribute to society but all the Hadens we encounter in the novel are contributing members of society. Among others, we meet Hadens that are lawyers, doctors, coders, corporate CEOs and then some that are simply administrative workers. The possibilities are endless and I love that even if Haden's disease has defined who they are, they are still normal people, trying to live out their lives. We can analyse all we want, but their situation is comparable to those living with disabilities in our world. They are subject to prejudice and bullying, but at the end of the day, they are human beings and should be seen a such.

Overall, I think the author is a genius in combining scientific elements to a possible yet improbable future. As a science geek, I admire authors that blend science and technology in their writing and that aren't afraid to go into details. In this case, it was brilliantly done. I could see this novel developed into a series because the characters are likable and so well established. However, I would be as pleased with a series as I am with a stand alone. The conclusion of the story is open to endless possibilities, yet wraps up the novel quite efficiently. Lock In was the first novel I read from this author and if his other books are as engaging as this one, I will definitely check out his other works.

Read an excerpt

Read the prequel - Unlocked: An Oral History or Haden's Syndrome

Read More

by Tynga at Monday, February 02, 2015

 John Scalzi, Library, Macmillan, Review, Science Fiction, Tom Doherty Associates, Tor Books  2 People left their mark

✎

The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson

In The Rithmatist, Brandon Sanderson takes us to a time and place that might have been.  In this telling, the United States of America has become the United Isles of America.  The reason for them being islands isn't immediately clear in this, the first book of the series.  North America seems to be broken up differently and the influences Europe had over the development of some areas is markedly different.  With that, the more striking difference between their reality and ours is the rithmatists.  They are able to use geometric shapes  and lines to influence the world around them and to create two dimensional constructs to do handle minor tasks.  Rithmatists are selected at 8 years old and trained to use rithmatics.  A large part of their training seems to be combat related.

The main character, Joel, is a young man who is very knowledgeable in the was of rithmatics.  He does not, however, have the ability to use rithmatics.    To make matters worse for Joel, he goes to a top rated school full kids of some of the wealthiest and most influential families.  I like the character and his humble approach.  Often we're given these characters with a chip on their shoulder but, not this time, not really.  I also like the character of his classmate Melody.  She sometimes comes off as a little bipolar at times but, there a certain honesty to her character.  The rest of the characters often don't measure up to these two.  Some characters a little light in development and a few are almost caricatures of the role they play in the story.  I was a little surprise to see that in a Sanderson book.  Most of his principle characters have sufficient depth to them.  He didn't always hit the mark in this book.

The story itself is strong and the world in which it occurs is intriguing.  I like steampunk used in real world design as well as in story settings.  Brandon Sanderson has managed to use it here in a way that isn't over the top but, still get that style-sense across.   The book uses some well known tropes throughout.  Some seemed a little too familiar to me.  I still stay true to my there's nothing new under the sun attitude but, I believe authors should be very careful not to get too close other literary properties when courting the same type readers.  I'll just say that a few times when the word "rithmatic" showed up the word "arithmancy" echoed in my head.

This is a very interesting read.  For teens, it shows promise to be an excellent series for them to follow.  The world and magic system Brandon Sanderson has built with this one is still a bit incomplete at this point but, there is great potential there.  There is some mild violence and no sexual content so, I give  this a PG rating for sure.  I'll be watching for the next in this series in the future!



 

Read More

by Tynga at Wednesday, January 28, 2015

 alternate history, Brandon Sanderson, Fantasy, Purchased, Review, Rithmatist, steampunk, Tor Books, young adult  4 People left their mark

✎

The Time Roads by Beth Bernobich

If I had one word to describe THE TIME ROADS I would use brilliant. I've never read anything quite like it in terms of format and story. The book is actually four novellas, but what is so amazing is that all four stories are meant to be read together, and are not supposed to be seen as individual entities. Somehow, even if the main characters and the point of views change from one stories to the other, Beth Bernobich was able to intertwine the stories together to create a rich and complex history of a nation that is facing technological advances and political disruption.

THE TIME ROADS is at first a political story, in an alternate world, where Éire (Ireland) is a powerful empire and Anglia (England) is one of its dependencies. The early 20th century of this alternate universe is when Anglians are searching for independence, or at least to be recognized as a country. It's also the time where great minds of science, or more specifically physics and mathematics, are changing the world. In Europe, technology that could potentially be used in warfare is on every political leader's mind especially since political tension can be felt throughout the continent. It's always obvious that this is an alternate universe, however, it does have some similarities with our own world. Prussia is pushing to expand its borders, Austria is also trying to expand its influence, and Montenegro is cringing as those superpowers flex their muscles. There is also the attempt to create the Union of Nations, an organization that could potentially mirror our own United Nations. The author obviously researched our early 20th century history in order to base her universe partially on ours, but still she managed to add her own twist to create a completely different world.

As the title would have you believe, some of the technology being researched has to do with time. Scientists and mathematicians across Europe are trying to evaluate the riffs of time in order to control it. Science has proven that time can be manipulated, but with very strong repercussions. Looking back, I would say the first two novellas take the time to explain the development of this branch of science, while the other two deal with the political repercussions of time manipulation.

I don't want to reveal too much about the stories because truthfully, they deserve to be read with an open and fresh mind. However, I really want to generate some curiosity for this book. For a world so rich in detail, I wouldn't say the same thing for the characters. Sure, their history and situations explain their emotions and the reason for their actions very well, but because there isn't a true main character, I think the author was limited and possibly didn't want to favor one character over the other.  Áine and Aidrean Ó Deághaidh come close to being main characters, she the Queen of Éire, and he one of her commanders and personal guards. Their stories are definitely intertwined but their timelines don't necessarily follow one another. So when one of the stories concentrates more on one of them, the other character is still present, yet not as prominent.

I'm sorry to say this review doesn't do the book any justice. Beth Bernobich was kind enough to visit the blog a few weeks back and still I can't find the right words to describe THE TIME ROADS. It will definitely bring you on a journey that spans 15 years, in a world that is so like ours, yet very different. The science-fiction/fantasy elements merge wonderfully with the amazing story and will keep you wondering until the very end. A book wouldn't be complete without love, whether it's the love for a country, love for a ruler or romantic love. All three find their way into the book which, in my opinion, makes it a very accomplished story. This book is also intelligent, wonderfully written and above all, captivating. Don't let it slip under the radar.

Read More

by Tynga at Sunday, November 09, 2014

 alternate universe, Beth Bernobich, Fantasy, Publisher, Review, time travel, Tor Books  Leave your mark

✎

The Ophelia Prophecy by Sharon Lynn Fisher

I was really in the mood for some sci fi the other day so I feel quite lucky to have found THE OPHELIA PROPHECY on Netgalley. This is one special book. It's that rare sci fi novel that's accessible to people who aren't die-hard fans of the genre, with a minimal amount of technobabble and a lot of juicy story.

THE OPHELIA PROPHECY has two main characters: Asha and Pax. Asha is an archivist and Pax is the son of the amir of Granada, the leader of this Manti community. They wake up in a reservoir with no idea of how they came to be there. Pax takes Asha with him, to the dismay of both Asha and Pax's sister Iris. The novel evolves from there, slowly revealing the histories of the two species who now inhabit Earth.

One of the most interesting aspects of THE OPHELIA PROPHECY is that you really don't know whose side to choose. Asha and Pax are both extremely sympathetic characters and Fisher does a wonderful job  of showing the reader both sides of their world. It's easy to side with the humans, who've become an endangered species of Earth, but you can also understand why the Manti rebelled against their creators. I loved the push and pull that Asha and Pax feel, particularly Asha, as she learns that there were secrets in her home community of Sanctuary and she is forced to face some uncomfortable truths. Pax is also torn because of his position, his drives, and his beliefs. These come into high relief in the later parts of THE OPHELIA PROPHECY so I won't say much about the specifics but I will say that Pax is compelled to take a stand that causes no small amount of trouble for him.

There's also a romantic connection between Asha and Pax, though it's more of a biological drive for Pax, at least at first. Asha's feelings are much more confused since the Manti are supposed to be her enemy but she receives more kindness and respect from Pax than she does from some of the other humans she encounters along the way. It creates a real sense of conflict as Asha slowly learns why she was in the reservoir and has to reconcile what she's been told about the world with what she sees with her own eyes. Pax is also forced to face some uncomfortable truths about his society and family, making THE OPHELIA PROPHECY a compelling read.

There's also some interesting science in the novel but, as I said at the beginning, it's not the focus of the book. THE OPHELIA PROPHECY is very character driven; it just happens to have a science fiction setting. If you're looking for a book with political and emotional tensions, regardless of genre, THE OPHELIA PROPHECY should be on your list. Fisher has created a complex story and world and you'll really enjoy the ride.

Read More

by Tynga at Monday, March 24, 2014

 Adult, Macmillan, Netgalley, Review, Romance, Science Fiction, Sharon Lynn Fisher, Tor Books  2 People left their mark

✎

The Too-Clever Fox by Leigh Bardugo

This novella is publicized as a companion story to Siege & Storm, the second book in The Grisha series by Leigh Bardugo. I'm afraid to say though that the link between the story and the book isn't clear at all. The only thing I can see maybe is that this story is about avoiding traps, and that Alina was caught in one unaware in the latest installment.

This novella is actually a fable featuring a fox whose very life was threatened by his own mother right at birth. Already at a young age he had a clever mind and thanks to his wits, he convinced his mother not to eat his ugly scrawny self. He overcame many challenges growing up and his smarts allowed him to slowly become accepted amongst the other forest animals. When a terrible hunter came to his forest, he stepped up to save his friends, thinking he was the cleverest of them all.

The fable was kind of cute and it was a nice way to show how strength of character and cleverness can get you out of many difficult situation. I liked ever more that the very bottom of the story is to show that even if you overcome many obstacles, it doesn't mean that there aren't more on the way, and that you should always remain alert. The poor fox grew cocky and it almost cost him his hide.

A nice lesson is shared by author Leigh Bardugo, but because it is so far removed from the series, I would not really recommend it. It's an ok read, but I don't feel like it brings anything to the table. It's a free novella though, so feel free to check it out and judge for yourself!



 

 

Read More

by Tynga at Friday, November 29, 2013

 Fable, Free, Leigh Bardugo, Macmillan, Mythology, Novella November, Review, The Grisha, Tor Books  Leave your mark

✎

The Queen's Army by Marissa Meyer

I think it's safe to say that nearly the entire universe, if not the entire universe, loves Marissa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles series. My anxiety over the wait for CRESS is ever increasing, so I knew that I'd be reading this novella without question. And, boy, am I happy I was able to read this. While it's a very quick read, it's full of background information on our beloved Wolf. This book can be read either before or after SCARLET and the small back-story that it reveals to you will make certain events in SCARLET all the more meaningful.

This novel depicts Wolf's transformation from normal boy into a recruit in the Queen's Army. It shows his journey and inability to keep away from fighting, despite the fact that it's something he never supported. It shows how his desire to observe instead of partake in the action made him all the more skilled. But what I loved most about this novella is the dark and gritty irony of it all. Despite everything, Wolf could not avoid the very thing that he never wanted to happen: becoming the bloodthirsty Alpha that allows his animalistic ways to take over. That's right, we discover how Wolf became Alpha, and it's certainly worth a read.

As far as background information goes, we learn why Wolf isn't the most obedient, why he, if anyone, can be swayed by emotions. We learn what exactly caused the huge rift between him and Ran. It's not something I expected, but that's what makes it all the more heartbreaking. We learn why he hesitates when he nearly kills people in SCARLET, just how he got that scar from that unknown stupid mistake. To sum it up nicely, we learn about his journey and why Wolf is the way he is.

In less then twenty pages Meyer has convinced me that I fully understand perhaps one of my favorite mysterious heroes in all of young adult literature. And now that I've got this beautiful little gem under my belt, my anxiety over CRESS has increased ten-fold. With this knowledge of Wolf, I want to see what is explored in his future and Scarlet's future, not to mention Cinder and Captain Thorne's. And, of course, who doesn't want to meet Cress?

I highly recommend this free novella to everyone. Though it is meant to be read before SCARLET, I recommend reading it after SCARLET only because it'll make you love Wolf even more now that you know the experiences that caused him to act the way he did. However, reading it first will have a somewhat similar effect if you can remember everything. Either way, if you are a fan of this series, this is not a novella to be ignored because of the enlightening character back-story that it provides.

Read More

by Tynga at Thursday, November 14, 2013

 Dystopian, Fantasy, Free, Macmillan, Marissa Meyer, novella, Review, Science Fiction, The Lunar Chronicles, Tor Books, young adult  Leave your mark

✎

The Witch of Duva by Leigh Bardugo

Leigh Bardugo's writing is so addicting to me. THE WITCH OF DUVA is one of her many novellas and it's totally captivating despite the fact that it has no direct correlation with her Grisha trilogy. Instead, it gives you some type of background information for Ravka because it is a Ravkan folklore tale. And let me tell you, it's an addicting and dark folklore tale. It is definitely not one I'd want to be raised with, but one that I, as a reader who loves gritty stories, adore completely today.

This folktale comes off as a Hansel and Gretel re-telling that has a level of darkness that makes it terribly enticing because it's so chilling. Our main character is named Nadya. She's a young girl who is suffering in Duva's famine. Her elder brother went off to put warm food in his belly as a soldier for the King's Army shortly after her mother passed. The widow in town soon marries Nadya's father and this cold, cold creature makes her feel entirely unwelcome in her own home. Her own personal world is being thrown into chaos while Duva struggles to understand why young girls are forcibly disappearing at the edge of the wood. It's all very complex and surprising which gave Bardugo the ability to throw several plot twists at us that were completely unexpected.

Perhaps my favorite theme of this story was how misleading naivety can be. Character motivations are not always what they seem and perceptions can be entirely misleading if you're missing other important cues. It gives you this sinking feeling in your gut. However, it also paved the way for several huge plot twists that completely threw me for a loop. Everything led up to the big reveal in the ending and I've never been so surprised before. Told in an arguably unique matter, we discover the truth once and for all. Let's just say that it is dark, disturbing, and unpredictable. Then again, I would expect nothing less from Bardugo.

Although reading this novella is not essential in understanding anything specific in the series, I'd give it a chance because it's not only wonderfully dark and twisted, but it showcases Bardugo's amazing writing skills.

Read More

by Tynga at Thursday, November 07, 2013

 Fantasy, Free, High Fantasy, Leigh Bardugo, Macmillan, Review, The Grisha, Tor Books, young adult  1 Person left their mark

✎

Allegiance by Beth Bernobich

I've been a huge fan of this series right from the start, when I read Passion Play, the first of the trilogy, a few years back. It's a truly fascinating fantasy world that makes you want to know more about the characters and the kingdoms, despite already having lots of information about them. What makes this trilogy so interesting is the number of strong female characters that are not only admirable, but also authentic. It also has wonderful world building, and the fact that it tells the story through generations of reincarnations makes it that much more interesting.

Ilse has been the main character since the first book, and for such a young woman, she's been through quite a lot. She went from a weak merchant's daughter to a strong and intelligent fighter. Her role in the political and silent war brewing in the kingdom is a minor but important one. What I admire the most is her ability to survive hardship after hardship, and despite her magical knowledge, it's not something that she can fully depend on. In my mind, that makes is so much harder for her to achieve her goals and in a way, makes me admire her so much more.

Raul Kosenmark is without a doubt my favourite character of the trilogy. Not only because he makes such a wonderful hero, but because he's any unlikely one too. He uses intelligence, deceit and secrecy to achieve his goals instead of brute strength. Sometimes his decisions are a little bit confusing and dangerous, and sometimes they aren't necessarily the right ones, but his focus is always on bringing true peace to his country. His relationship with Ilse is an unlikely one but their love for each other seem realistic and genuine. They've been apart for most of the trilogy and you can't help but want to speed things up to bring them together once again. Their own personal missions to prevent war has physically sent them worlds apart but Raul's main reason of separating himself from his love is to protect her from danger.

One thing that is a little confusing about this novel is the amount of characters that keep being added, even as the end of the trilogy nears. Not only are they more or less important, but the story is actually being told from their point of view. The shift away from the main characters, Ilse and Raul, can be frustrating and confusing, but over all, the addition of all these characters does add depth to the story.

Allegiance takes you on an adventure that keeps you on the edge of your seat. As one king dies, another wants to take advantage and gain more power and control, which can only mean war and death. I can't believe this is the end of the trilogy. It just feel like there could be more to the story, that more tales about the world could be told. I hope Beth Bernobich will be able to write more about her fantasy world and more about Ilse and Raul. I haven't read many high fantasy series but I can honestly say that the River of Souls trilogy is high on my list of favourite fantasy novels.

Read More

by Tynga at Sunday, September 22, 2013

 Adult, Beth Bernobich, Fantasy, High Fantasy, Macmillan, Magic, Publisher, Review, River of Souls, Tor Books  Leave your mark

✎

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

If you’re not a fan of horror and vivid imagery, you’re going to want to stay away from Anna Dressed in Blood. I had incredibly high hopes for this book, but unfortunately, the mechanics of it just left me disappointed for a few reasons.

More than anything, I’d say the one main element that Anna Dressed in Blood was missing was enough backstory. There’s a few key plot points that as readers we just have to accept. First, is that Cas is the only one around who can hunt ghosts. He doesn’t know why, and neither do we, we just have to go along with it. The second, is that Anna doesn’t want to kill Cas when he comes into her house. This one seems like the absolute most important for both characters to explore – but neither does. It’s just laid out there – and the rest of the story and their interactions all stem from this fact. It bugged me to no end that the reader gets basically no answers or explanations.

I’m just going to up and say this – I hated the romance. Sorry! It was incredibly strange, and there was no actual relationship building that we were able to see. It all seemed to happen in Cassio’s head, where we weren’t given much access to at all. Overnight, she was his Anna and his girl and he was infatuated, and the reader really didn’t get a chance to catch up with him on this.

I felt that the pacing was a bit off. There’s two basic story points in Anna Dressed in Blood – and the first takes up about 80% of the book. Which would normally be fine, except that in this case, I actually found the storyline in the remaining 20% had much more potential. It should have had more of a focal point, and lots more exploring, as I feel it’s actually the part of the story that won me over far more than the first.

The character of Anna herself was very interesting. I found I really enjoyed the tension as she tried to remember what happened to her that made her the way she is. However, the secondary characters were bland, and mostly just props to be later killed off as needed. I wanted to love Anna Dressed in Blood, I really did. Unfortunately, I just couldn’t get there.

 

Read an excerpt

 

Read More

by Tynga at Thursday, July 25, 2013

 Anna, Kendare Blake, mac, Macmillan, Paranormal, Purchased, Review, Tor Books, young adult  4 People left their mark

✎