I am a partially employed Canadian science teacher with visions of grand travel and incredible adventures. When not immersed in work I maintain a small backyard garden, where I try to protect my crops of corn, tomatoes and other vegetables from the neighbourhood wildlife. The all-important library, my source of entertainment and discourse, is a comfortably short walk away.
Paladin is a book that I had on my wishlist for a long time. It languished there for so long in fact, the book became unavailable for a time before getting a new edition. Paladin is the debut novel by Sally Slater. It is the story of Sam – aka Lady Samantha. She has run away from her father, the Duke, to join the ranks of the heroic Paladins.
Sam is your classic tomboy. The only child, she is indulged by her mother and scolded by her father. The impetus of change in Sam’s life is two pronged, the expectation that she is to marry within the year is announced to her. Rebelling against this edict causes Sam to run from her father. Found by her mother, a Demon catches them as they are returning home. The death of her mother is the big push for Sam to hide her gender as she seeks a place with the lauded Paladins.
This opening is not so unfamiliar a story. What is different about Paladin, is the stuff happening more in the background. Sam is a trainee throughout most of the tale. She starts her training in the Paladin fortress. But it is not long before her trainer, the esteemed Tristan Lyons and fellow trainee, the half demon Braeden are sent off on a mission.
It seems simple enough, gather information on the rebels in the west. Only, things become far from straightforward as growing evidence of corruption among the elite ranks of the Paladins arises. Paladins are supposed to fight the demons that ravage the land. But what happens when you start fighting other Paladins? Added to that, are the secrets Braeden and Sam are keeping.
I liked the pacing kept by the book. It could have slowed down at any number of points. It could become a story about training, like a school book story. It could have focused more on the complications of hiding her gender – it definitely explored some interesting complications associated with that. Interestingly, while the novel followed three perspectives – Sam, Braeden and Tristan – it was also about the lies that had been told by the people in charge.
The story was about change and change of perspective. There was a great deal of focus on the relationships between three three main characters and how they evolved over time. But what I find myself reflecting on is what is happening in the world. How the High Commander is so corrupt and manipulative. How he is bringing about the Second Age of Shadows. His big revel at the end does explain why more demons are terrorizing the land and how Braeden came to exist. It also explains why the Paladins, the supposed protectors of the people, have become corrupted. Why so many more demons are terrorizing the land and why the Paladins are increasingly not present to drive back the monsters. What I don’t know is how the High Commander learned to ward, since that form of blood magic was thought lost.
Paladin book cover – image from the internet.
It ends with war looming between the Paladins and the ‘rebels’ of the west. Sam is willing to fight in the war against demons and paladins, but first she is going to help her best friend, Braeden break the seals chaining him to the High Commander’s control. In that way, this book feels like a beginning. Yet, as of writing this, it is the only book I can find by the author. Which means it is not part of a series. I kind of hope that it remains a stand-alone. I hope that it remains feeling like the introduction to a bigger, sweeping saga that the reader is left to imagine.
I really enjoyed this book. The characters were fun. The pace was strong. The was complex – more so the further you read. I give this book 4.5 stars out of 5.
It has been months since I have been to a movie – in the cinema. But the other day I went to see Top Gun Maverick. If you like the original Top Gun movie, then I think you will love this sequel. It is everything that you think of when you hear the words Top Gun – military uniforms, cocky pilots, fast motorcycles and even faster airplanes.
Overall, I would say that Top Gun Maverick was better than I expected. But not as good as I would hope.
Top Gun Maverick – image from the internet.
I liked the secondary focus on the relationships between Pete (Tom Cruise) and the other characters (fast planes will always be the primary focus). In many ways I liked that the ‘villain’ was a nondescript insulation in a nearly impossible to reach location that needed to be exploded with a high degree of precision. There was an elegance to the simplicity of the objective.
But as a selfish viewer, I really wanted more.
Tom Cruise was either smiling or emotional – where emotion equates to quick bursts of anger or sadness. These were really his only two modes of existence and fortunately for movie goers, smiling was the more prevalent of his expressions. He was a man in motion, running, motorcycle riding or flying. Which means there was little time left for deeper character exploration.
Tom Cruise plays Capt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in Top Gun: Maverick from Paramount Pictures, Skydance and Jerry Bruckheimer Films.
And that is what I would like to have seen. Development of the other characters. There were a lot of them. And the important ones are all recognized by single attributes:
the girl pilot,
the nerdy navigator,
the black American pilot,
the Asian navigator,
the cocky-arrogant young pilot (to differentiate from the old Top Gun crew),
the black supporting guy – who must have been a personal aid to Tom Cruise cause he showed up everywhere,
the angry old admiral,
the angry younger admiral,
and the love interest woman.
I know speeding fighter planes are going to feature dominantly in the movie, but they could have cut back on some of the cockpit moments of heavy breathing to build some characterization through conversation between the other pilots. I am pretty confident it would have improved the film. I certainly would have enjoyed a slightly more complex plot.
Top Gun Maverick movie poster – image from the internet.
Maverick does a great job of feeling nostalgic. The opening immediately harkens back to the classic scenes and images from the first Top Gun. Even the music is a link back to Top Gun. The new generation of pilots feel like modern analogues to the original cast – though this is more supposition than fact since I don’t really remember the original movie very well. The motorcycle is still there, the sunset shots of airplane landings and takeoffs still look good on the big screen. And some of the original cast have cameos in this sequel.
Like I said at the start, if you are a fan of Top Gun, then I think you are going to love Maverick. It delivers on its promise of fast planes, Tom Cruises’ smile and a hurrah ending.
It is launch day for Death of an Academic! This is the first book in a new murder mystery series following retired police detective Nancy Sharpe. You can find the ebook on your favourite ebook store site.
To celebrate the release, I interviewed Kevin about writing Death of an Academic. Here is what he said about the experience:
1 – What was the inspiration for this book?
I grew up in a household which loved murder mysteries. Not that I was the child of private detectives. Mostly my mother really enjoyed a good whodunit. I have fond memories of Murder, She Wrote, Midsommer Murders, Columbo, Clue and Death by Murder. I suppose I’ve always leaned a little closer to the humorous side of the genre rather than the deathly serious.
2 – What inspired the character of Nancy Sharpe?
Given my preference for a more lighthearted tone, I thought an older, wiser and retired detective would be entertaining to write. Having several figures in my own life to draw inspiration from, I chose to make Death of an Academic a love letter to my godmother who has been such a bright presence throughout my life.
3 – When in the writing process did you know who the murderer was?
As my first mystery novel, I wasn’t entirely certain how one goes about plotting actual murders. I’ve always been told to “write what you know” but I thought I’d keep from delving too deeply in the research on this subject. I had several possible culprits in mind as I began and sort of let Nancy Sharpe hone in on the most appropriate one for me. Then, of course, I went back and ran the story through several edits so it looked like I knew what I was doing the entire time.
3 – Who was your favourite character to write?
Honestly, I really enjoyed writing Scott Sharpe. I felt I got to bumble the most with him. Though there were some other standouts which I’m excited to see how readers receive them.
4 – What was the hardest part about writing a murder mystery?
Oh goodness, it might be simpler to ask what was the easiest. To which I’d answer: coming up with a multitude of reasons for wanting someone dead. I suppose, out of all my struggles, getting the tone of the police force itself was the trickiest. I didn’t want to fall too heavily into genre tropes so I tried to have a retired officer who was fondly remembered by her workplace. But I also wanted to be sensitive to the discussion of policing in the modern world as well. It was a delicate balance which I hope I got right.
5 – How long did it take to write this book?
I made an effort to finish this story in a more timely manner. I have a tendency for fiddling with things trying to get them just right. I really wanted a stress-free… well, less-stress novel. This project initially began as a National Novel Writing Month challenge and I liked it well enough, and it was received well enough, that I thought I could clean it up. In total, I think it took about four months though that was spread over a longer period of poking amongst many different projects.
6 – What characters in your book are most similar to you or the people you know?
I would say Professor Gingrich; I really identify with the dead.
7 – How did you come up with the title for your book?
Well it was a laborious process of brainstorming and workshopping. Really had to dig deep and sort through multiple options and variations before presenting a list to our focus group… ok, it’s literally just the premise of the book. I’m fairly certain it was just a quick reminder of what I was doing for my NaNo challenge.
8 – Do you have any other closing comments?
I had a blast working on this book and it turned out to be a lot of fun to write. I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I did.
Nancy Sharpe’s retirement is an unassuming affair. She has her son’s laundry to clean, knitting to learn and volunteering to attend. So her family is naturally concerned when they discover a letter from her old work. There’s been a murder at the university and the Royal City Police would like one of their best detectives to come out of retirement to help resolve the case.
Unfortunately, it seems, academics are not well loved on campus. The list of suspects grows ever longer as Nancy investigates a jealous wife, rebellious students, political extremists, violent gang members and even the highly competitive university staff themselves. Secrets abound within the ivy choked walls. The question quickly changes from who would kill the academic to who had killed him first.
With so much danger about, can the unassuming Nancy be able to wrestle the truth of Professor Gingrich’s murder from those involved? Or will the guilty grow more desperate as she narrows in on the culprit? Perhaps, in the end, it will be the police who are taught a lesson on committing the perfect crime.
Book cover for Death of an Academic.
Continue reading for an excerpt from Death of an Academic:
Scott poked his head into the entryway. He heard neither a kettle boiling nor a game show jingle. He closed the front door behind him, kicking his shoes onto the empty plastic mat. He hung his jacket on the naked coat rack.
“Mom? Are you home?”
He shouldered the laundry bag with a grunt. He could still smell his rugby uniform inside. The powder room was dark as he tossed the bag on the tidy laundry room floor. The machines were quiet and the shelves empty of detergent bottles. Scott frowned when he saw the bright plastics in the garbage.
Hopefully there were more in the supply closet.
“Hey, Mom! Just thought I would stop by and say hi!”
Scott made his way to the kitchen. He filled the kettle. “I’ll boil you a cup of tea!”
He immediately fixed an instant coffee. He poked amongst the small collection of glass containers in the fridge. None of the leftover meals enticed him. An open package of hotdog weiners lay in one of the crispers but there were no signs of buns anywhere.
Scott thrummed his fingers against the open door while he considered his prospects.
“I’ve got a break from work. Things are going pretty well. I was speaking with Karen from finance! You remember? I told you about her! She said she noted some changes in projected spending. She thinks they may be freeing more funds for full-time hires. So that could come about in the next quarter!”
He settled for the meatloaf. He popped the lid and gave it a quick whiff. Frowning, he tossed it back and grabbed the stir fry. He took it to the microwave and gave it a good zap.
“Oh, hey! How is that new Knitting and Novels Club going? You were supposed to start that last week, weren’t you?” Scott looked at the small pile of envelopes on the counter. There were several bills, a letter from his cousin Katie, and an unmarked envelope. It was open and bore only his mother’s name.
“Kim said Aunt Laurie was starting spin class. That’s something, right? It’s important to keep moving at your age. And it’s not too hard on the joints. I’m sure you’d do just fine.”
While the microwave counted down, Scott picked up the envelope. Turning it over, he saw a sticker for the Police Associations Christmas Gala of 2018 on the back. A german shepherd in the middle bore a striking Santa hat while a bright green bauble hung from the O in police.
The microwave beeped. Scott retrieved his meal.
“It would probably be an excellent way for you to meet people! It’s early in the mornings. Ten o’clock, I think! So it shouldn’t interfere with your volunteering. Once or twice a week would be enough.”
He grabbed a fork, took a mouthful of old stir fry and pulled out the letter. As he read, his chewing slowed. Once he got to the end, he spat out his rubbery chicken.
“Well, shit.”
He took another bite of the stir-fry before he pulled out his phone. He hit the first number on his speed dial. While it rang, he read the letter again to make sure he hadn’t misunderstood.
“Kimberly Sharpe, Indigenous Affairs and Housing. How may I help you?”
“Kim, it’s Scott. I’m at mom’s. She’s at it again.”
There was silence on the other end. He heard his sister clear her throat. “How do you know?”
“Well, she doesn’t seem to be here and I’m talking to myself like a madman.” Scott looked about the dark kitchen. “I also have a letter from local PD in my hand and…”
“Shit!” He heard her tapping on her keyboard. There was a long sigh. “Alright. I’ll see what I can do.”
“Alright.”
“Oh and Scott?”
“Yes?”
“Stop going to mom’s for a free lunch.”
The call died. Scott looked down at the unsatisfying meal in his hands. He took another bite and scoffed. “What does she know anyway?”
He tossed the letter back on the pile as he shuffled off to the laundry room and set the machine. It was clear his mom wasn’t going to be coming back soon enough to do it herself.
Nancy Sharpe sat on the bus, crochet hook and single knitting needle in hand, and peered over the edge of her spectacles balanced on the tip of her nose. Her legs dangled from the end of the blue reserved seating and she kicked her worn shoes idly in the gap between sole and floor. Her tongue screwed out the corner of her mouth as she tried to loop the yarn over the hooked end. She pulled the needle, wrapping the thread about the other and through the weave. She held her work up.
It looked like she had fashioned a lovely mess. She sighed, checking the reference card next to her.
The line read: Ch 2. Dcfp around first st. Dcbp around next st. *Dcfp around next st. Dcbp around next st. Rep from * around. Join.
“Who knows what the devil that means,” she muttered as she pulled the yarn free.
She started hooping it haphazardly around the needles again. It was ineffective. But it looked like she knew what she was doing.
She didn’t but, at this point, looks were good enough.
The bus jumped as it hit the speed bump and rounded the corner into the university bus loop. Several students gathered up their bags and queued before the doors. Looking out the window, Nancy saw more youths as they chatted amongst themselves on their way to and from class. The autumn wind swayed the colourful maple trees as their leaves tumbled above the students’ heads.
Worn paths in the cobble between the limestone buildings were filled with excited first years. Campus maps were clutched in rosy fingers as the lost meandered amongst the ivy-draped institution. Meanwhile, experienced students chatted on their phones and cut through side doors into the numerous buildings wreathed with welcome banners.
The bus lurched to a halt beside a row of stops. The speakers crackled what, with some liberal interpretation, was the university loop.
The students stumbled from their seats and filed out the doors in a heaving mass.
“This is it, lady!” the driver called, holding a hand to keep the new load from flooding the vehicle.
“Thank you,” Nancy said, gathering her supplies into her little handbag.
“University Road.” The driver snorted back some phlegm.
“You wouldn’t happen to have seen any police cruisers around, have you?” As the driver blinked emptily back, she smiled. “Well, thank you kindly for your assistance.”
She reached into her purse and held out a small, wrapped strawberry candy. The driver looked at it.
“Oh, thank you. Uh. Have a nice day, miss.”
The bus beeped as it lowered and Nancy Sharpe hopped off. She looked around the University of Galt’s quad. The grey stone of the University Centre loomed over the bus loop. A wide banner snapped in the wind above the quadruple set of black bordered doors.
“Conference for Psychographic Analytics and Data Processing. All Welcomed!”
An image of two young individuals crowded a computer monitor. A black boy pointed over the shoulder of the white girl as they both grinned triumphantly at what was, no doubt, a blank screen.
Several papers on the walls bore thick arrows indicating the direction to the conference rooms. More advertisements plastered lamp posts or electrical boxes calling for tutors, offering tutoring, rooms looking for roommates, roommates looking for rooms, desperate needs for textbooks and those desperate to offload their old editions, along with a solitary call for a missing cat.
“Like its own little bubble,” Nancy nodded. The smells of autumn swirled through the air.
It was largely the scent of pumpkin spice and anxiety.
While the next tide of students surged upon the bus, eyes glued to their phones and iPads, Nancy mused at how things had both changed yet stayed the same. Then, she felt her bag vibrate.
“Oh dear!” She reached inside, rifling past the mangled yarn and useless needles until she felt the disgruntled phone. She checked the number, then held it close to her nose. She pressed several of the flashing buttons until a timer appeared and the screen changed from a pleasant daffodil to existentially challenging blackness.
“Hello!” she shouted at the thing. A number flashed in bright print. “Hello?” She waited. Then, she raised it to her ear.
“—and Scott was just by and you weren’t home and if I’ve told you once then I’ve told you a thousand times—!”
“Oh, Kim, dear! What a pleasant surprise!” Nancy turned around on the pavement looking for a sheltered nook from the wind. “How nice it is to hear from you. Things are going well?”
“Mother! Are you there?!”
“Yes, I am here.”
“Where? Exactly?”
“Ah,” Nancy paused for a moment. She adjusted her glasses and looked up at the pole. “University Centre North Loop Platform Eleven.”
“And what are you doing there!” Sanctimony dripped from each syllable.
“Why, talking with you, my dear.”
“Are you working a case!”
“Oh, heavens no. I’m retired, Kim.” Nancy smiled as students brushed past her to form another socialless queue beneath the shelter.
“Scott is at your place.”
“Oh, he probably has dirty laundry.”
“Mother! You aren’t!”
“Aren’t what?”
“You spoil him! That’s why he hasn’t developed into a proper adult!”
“He’s just busy,” Nancy said. “And it’s nice to see him again. You know, he has been up north for so long. And he’s still got to finish his moving and—”
“He’s been there for four months!”
“Well, these things take time.” Nancy adjusted her glasses. She spied a young man in a crisp police uniform walking down the sidewalk. She stepped from her post and waved. The officer took a moment to scout the tall students until he alighted on the diminutive Nancy. He smiled, waved back and quickened his step.
“Look, mom. You are retired, as you just said. You are supposed to stay home, with your feet up and relax. Like a normal retiree. Don’t get involved in anything. Don’t go tracking down anybody. Just stick to watching reruns of the Wheel of Fortune and clipping coupons from old flyers. Also, aren’t you doing some volunteering at the school today?”
“Oh, no. They… told me it was unnecessary to come back.”
“What did you do?!”
“Nothing!” Nancy insisted. The pregnant pause on the other end assured her that wasn’t enough explanation. “Well, a few of the children asked me what I did. And you know, it’s not proper to deny young minds their curiosity. And some were eager to know what handcuffs were like. And it was all perfectly safe, you see, as I certainly had my spare keys and—”
“You didn’t!”
“I’ve got to go,” Nancy said as the policeman drew near. “It was so nice talking to you, Kim. We should call each other more often.”
“No! Don’t you dare hang up on—”
Nancy smiled as she hung up on her. She made sure to bury the phone deep in her purse, well insulated amongst her yarn, so it was much easier to ignore the muted shaking from the insistent redial.
Nancy briefly wondered if there was a way to turn it off that didn’t involve completely draining the battery. “Officer Pitman, what a pleasure it is to see you!”
I read a book! And it is not part of an older series I have already commented on. I read a new book in a new series by a new author and it was good.
Book cover for Guardian of Chaos – image from the internet.
Guardian of Chaos by Michelle Manus follows the adventures of Nyx Fortuna, an amnesiac living on Earth – for the first five pages of the book anyway. Within moments, our protagonist is pulled into the Between, a magic waystation that guards the entrance to earth. But the fun doesn’t just stop there, immediately appointed Guardian of the Station, Nyx is almost as quickly assigned the impossible task of tracking down an escaped criminal – with zero training. She stumbles her way from deadly assassins to a prison planet and back again. Making friends and enemies alike, Nyx’s life of near invisibility suddenly becomes filled with others and their various demands on her.
Overall, Guardian of Chaos is a fun romp through a fantasy-space setting. There are some magical creatures, some deadly chaos threats and other words to explore and become acquainted with. The writing was solid. Nyx was a good protagonist with enough of an unknown past – amnesiac, missing the first 20-ish years of her life – to hook the reader. The side characters have personality and their own goals, sometimes aligned and sometimes not with Nyx’s.
There are a few things that I will knit-pick otherwise this review would be dreadfully dull and pointlessly short. First, the lazy use of tropes when establishing Nyx. This is the main protagonist and deserves more than American cliches. For example, she has an unwarranted predilection for back shirts and jeans. Which doesn’t make sense when she was so broke, she was down to some twelve dollars in her pocket. At that point, I am pretty sure she would jump at the chance to wear a nice suit if it was clean and especially if it was tailored to her physic. The love of her clothes feels like it is playing into the girl-next door ideal that America is setting up. This beautiful person in seemingly plain clothing designed to make the character relatable, even if they are not ‘normal’.
Nyx’s obsession with coffee. While I appreciate she is not a raging alcoholic, as a non-coffee drinker I find this tiresome. Along with the clothing, this feels lazy. Like no thought was put into why she would love coffee or black clothing. I also don’t love the way coffee becomes a substitute for food. Why are heroines poor eaters, but still have the ideal body type? This perpetuates the terrible idea that a woman can have poor eating habits but still have a beautiful (and often powerful) body. I get that books are fantasy, but can we ground some of this in reality?
So when Nyx arrives at Earth Between Station, she becomes bonded to the Station’s Avatar, which she promptly names – despite the avatar saying it is not necessary. Fantasy trope: names have power. Now, I am not opposed to Nyx naming the Avatar, which seems fine to me. But everyone in the story comments on it. And Nyx, despite knowing the Avatar for 6 seconds, suddenly crusades for equal rights. I appreciate morally upstanding citizens, but this felt forced. And it wouldn’t have taken much to make it better.
First, you could establish the habit of Nyx naming everything because she longs for a friend. This is reasonable since it is quickly established she is nearly invisible to the people of earth and life is terribly lonely. Second, you could say that as guardian she feels the connection with her Avatar, so the Avatar feels like a real person to her. Or that she has always championed for the rights of talking lifeforms. But when every character comments on how odd this is, you better explain why Nyx, so new to this world, is sticking with the name. Because, if she was that lonely, I am pretty sure she would do her best to fit in and make friends with the new people who suddenly notice her.
Finally, the character flaw. The best characters have a good character flaw. The strange attachment to black jeans and t-shirts or her obsession to coffee are clearly not flaws to the author. Instead Nyx is a nerd? Geek? It is not clear. It is also not a flaw. Reading fantasy novels is hardly a flaw, and Nyx seems to read mostly the popular works. I personally think she is selfish and deaf to the feelings of those around her, but that is not an intended perspective. The author did try to play up the clueless aspect, but even then Nyx has kickass skills from her forgotten past – which further diminishes any tarnish her few nerd/geek references might make.
Book covers for the series Nyx Fortuna – image from the internet.
Still, Guardian of Chaos was sufficiently interesting that I will likely try the next book in the series. Being harsh I would give this book a 3.5/5 star rating – but that could just be me feeling critical tonight.
A Sharpened Axe is a fairy tale inspired story of Samiris, a young woman struggling to support her family during the curse that has blanketed the country of Leiria. It has the lovely feel of a traditional fairy tale. And there are enough elements to draw similarities to Beauty and the Beast. However, this is not a retelling of a classic and that is what I love best about A Sharpened Axe. It is its own story!
When a fae princess places the Crown Prince under a curse, the furthest reaches of Leiria are hit the hardest. The land becomes barren and people struggle to find enough food to live. Samiris’ father was a wealthy lord of a prosperous farm, but he now suffers from the Wasting sickness. Samiris’ mother died with the birth of her younger sister some twelve years earlier. In response, Samiris teaches herself to use the axe so she can harvest wood in the forest to keep their home heated and help ease the pain of the illness destroying her father.
Things are rough. Samiris is facing a marriage she doesn’t want in order to abide by the inheritance laws of the country. Until she is Chosen as one of the twenty young women who are selected each year to fall in love with the Crown Prince. Each year, one woman from the group faces the Questioning. And each year that woman is burned alive by magic for not having actually fallen in love with the Crown Prince and he with her.
Afraid of what the extended absence would mean for her family, Samiris rebels against going north to the capital city. The one place in the country where abundance still remains, a stark contrast to the starvation and poverty Samiris knows. She is disparaging of the Crown Prince and the other nobility. She is caustic towards the other Chosen woman, who in turn are catty bullies towards her unrefined manners and appearance.
Book cover for A Sharpened Axe. Image from the internet.
Samiris is particularly antagonistic towards Duke Artem Trego, Captain of the Royal Guard, who was sent to fetch Samiris when she didn’t respond to her summons as Chosen. This relationship starts off brilliantly with both parties frustrated with the other person. Naturally, they banter and over the course of the story they fall in love. It was a slow progression that was well crafted and reminiscent of Eliza and Darcy. I am a sucker for friction turned friends turned lovers as a story progression. So naturally I ate this up!
I think there is a fair bit of change in the main character’s perspective on life at court. Although I did find Samiris a bit repetitive at times. She also helps to bring a different point of view to some key members of the court with her own way of looking at things. I like that she is focused on making everyone’s life better. For a woman who can and does fight with an axe, many of her other skirmishes were fought and won with words (and some kindness).
For me the biggest weakness surrounds the scheming nature of the court and those involved in the whole Chosen program. There is a scene in a back alley, where Samiris and her maid overhear two people discussing this year’s crop of girls and clearly planning that none should successfully fall in love with the Crown Prince, who naturally is physically unattractive. Unfortunately this was not followed up. Sure it ties to killing off one of the girls at the end of the story, but really it leaves too many unanswered questions. For example, who picks the women that are to be Chosen? And how easy/hard is it to sneak in and murder one of them. What other changes in the court have been manipulated by this political group? It was a good idea, but not fleshed out properly.
My other question comes at the end of A Sharpened Axe. When it is revealed that the man everyone thought was the Crown Prince, was just a scholar yanked into position by the curse. So, was the woman being his mother actually his mother or the mother of the real Crown Prince? And if the dowager was the biological mother of the scholar, then does the real Crown Prince actually have any family? And why did Lady Evanora not take more control over the court? She seemed far too passive and in the background.
Despite these lingering questions, I really enjoyed A Sharpened Axe. I was hooked from the first chapter and ate my way through to the end. The characters were great. I really enjoyed the dialogue. The setting was interesting. I am now sad that I read it too quickly! Overall I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars for a wonderful fairy tale!
Knight from the Ashes -series: Crown and Crest Book 1 -by Shari L. Tapscott, Jake Andrews Spoiler Warning!
Knight from the Ashes is a fine book, particularly for young adults. It is going for high fantasy and fun. The biggest problem is that between the jacket-cover style description and the sample chapters I had developed certain expectations which, in the end, were not met.
Henrik is a soldier questing to become a sealed Knight, a position of respect. Certainly a station well above his blacksmith origins. He has his eyes focused tightly on the seal, which would bring him up to level with the beautiful princess.
Clover also has royal aspirations. She is already a lady-in-waiting to the princess, who Clover despises. Beautiful, noble born and raised largely by her male relations, Clover oscillates between delicate damsel and adventuring tomboy.
Book cover for Knight from the Ashes. Image from the internet.
When Henrik is sent on a supply run north, he ends up being asked to keep a close eye on Clover. The two are quick to bicker and declare their disdain for the other. The description read, “By the time they reach their destination, they are more than ready to be rid of each other.” Between this line and the starting chapters (sample portion), I thought this was setting up to be a good antagonistic relationship turn to love. I was right, but I expected more head bashing and less falling into the liquid splendor of the other’s eyes. They banter and snipe at each other, but all too soon they are feeling the feels and pining with desire for the other person.
The pacing was off for me. I really liked the mutual dislike for the other person that was expressed at the beginning of the story. I would have liked to see that carry through to the end, where they could start to feel less antagonistic. After all this is going to be a series, so we don’t want to rush the romance too soon. Or you risk setting up the same cycle for all the rest of the books, which I find tedious. Also, the two main characters focus too much on each other. I would really have liked them to connect with one of the side characters more. The side characters felt more like after thoughts, there to be some window dressing and show how amazing Henrik and Clover are in contrast. In fact, they were so background to the story, I am not bothering with their names.
Another aspect that was a struggle for me, was the high fantasy world building. I suppose that is my own fault. I did read “troll-pit” in the blurb, but I didn’t take that to mean this was going to be a Tolkien inspired world of high elves, humans, hog-people, rock-gnomes, wood elves, trolls and all sorts of other fantasy creature. I can appreciate the author was trying to make the different races a little different from their Tolkien versions, but I don’t see the point. I don’t see what the different races bring to the table. Why do we have wood elves and humans and high elves and hog-people and rock-gnomes and trolls and… Also, because you can see the romances being set up, what are the procreation possibilities? From a line dropped early in the book, Clover is supposed to have high elf in her family tree, suggesting that humans can mate with high elves. But can they also have children with the wood elves, which have antlers? What about the hog-people or rock-gnomes? I was not feeling the multi-race system being set up in Knight from the Ashes.
Finally, I am confused about the magic in this world. It seems like it is held in distaste. Expect when it is healing magic because people are always getting hurt. And what are the powers of necromancy? Is it the ability to speak to the dead and learn how they were killed? Or can a necromancer raise an army of zombies? The level of magic and its tolerance was unclear in the book.
I did like the jacquesalaupe – a bunny with antlers that grows huge and vicious when threatened. This is probably my favourite critter in the world because it is not a troll, or rock-gnome or hog-people or elf… It is different, cute and scary, and just makes me smile. I also liked Clover’s ability to use a bow 🙂
Book covers for the first two books in the Crown and Crest series; book 1 is Knight from the Ashes, book 2 is Forged in Cursed Flames. And yes, these covers are fantasy tropes.
I can see where Knight from the Ashes is going to be a fun adventure for some people. It just wasn’t for me. Clover was too inconsistent in her strong independence or desperately needing help. And really, why is she there? Henrik is cold and competent and way too blood thirsty. I would give Knight from the Ashes 3 stars out of 5. It was fine, reasonably enjoyable, but not quite my thing.
The Salamander Prince -series: Refurbished Fairy Tales Book 1 -by S.R. Nulton
I liked the Salamander Prince. It had a calm and relaxed tone about the writing. It was almost passive in the story telling with very little overt action and a great deal more introspection. Which in the right mood is a joy to read.
I liked the strong female enchantress that we follow as she is abruptly married to a cursed salamander and then forced to leave her home in the woods. Grace is a charming character, faulted, powerful and with a wicked sense of humor. She is great.
As Grace travels from her cottage on the edge of the forest to a new kingdom, she passes through some different lands with some different kinds of people. I liked that each land was known for something, greed, military, family… There were some interesting locations visited in the story.
Book cover for the Salamander Prince. Image from the internet.
What first struck me was a line from the prologue, “It’s a tale of broken souls and corruption that pitted brother against brother.” I kept waiting for things to go wrong. I kept waiting for some terrible betrayal. But the story ran smoothly. It never actually felt like the characters were playing for high stakes. The abundance of magic was always present to smooth over problems (or cause them when the plot needed a push). It was a very quiet feeling story.
Also, I am still not clear on this twin soul thing going on in the family. Two brothers, sharing one soul? Other than feeling a connection to each other, what does it mean? I suppose it was only there to explain the dark magic of pitting the brothers against each other.
To be clear, the Salamander Prince is a retelling of the Frog Prince. Which it supposedly combines with King Thrushbeard, but as I am not familiar with that story I cannot confirm. However, it is clear that this is part of a bigger world retelling many familiar fairy tales, some of which are set up as Grace walks her way through the plot.
The book was sweet. Grace was charming. Her husband, the salamander, was fine – but far from memorable. Overall I would give this 3.5 stars out of 5. It might be interesting to see what else is happening in this world by reading some of the others in this series.
Kingdom of Beauty: A Retelling of Beauty and the Beast -series: The Kingdom tales Book 1 -by Deborah Grace White
Apparently I am in a fairy tale reading phase! A Kingdom of Beauty is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It is a well done version without any major surprises. It follows more of the Disney movie version with Felicity and her family expelled from the capital city to some forgotten village. Naturally there is a Gaston-like boorish male in the village who believes Felicity will marry him. And will eventually cause problems for her later on.
Book Cover for Kingdom of Beauty. Image from the internet.
The beast, the Prince Justin, is a self-centered, arrogant male transformed into a hideous beast and locked away in the summer palace, which vanished from the land when the curse took hold. He is cold and very slow to change. He is suspicious of everyone. Which is his fault, because he is now an adult. Although I will say that his upbringing was pretty poor with a horrendous father to instill horrendous ideals. However, I will also point out that the father has been dead for ten years, and Justin’s Uncle could have been a model for being a better kind of human being.
The play on visible / invisible castle and servants is sort of interesting. The inclusion of dragons seems largely superfluous. But I guess this might weave into a larger narrative that the author is clearly building in this world. In addition to the dragons, other fairy tales have been alluded to, so you know more are coming in this series. It is good the author is setting things up early so the stories will all feel connected.
It is also passingly interesting that the sorceress that curses Prince Justin is then surprised at how strong her curse is. And is lasting much longer than she planned. This leads the woman to actively try to help break the curse, ultimately placing Felicity on the path to meet Justin. But also hints at bigger problems on a global scale in this world.
The character progression for Felicity and Justin is solidly done. I cannot fault how things grow and develop between them. Their path is very true to the Beauty and the Beast route. It was all competently done. I suppose my only hesitation with the series (outside of the random dragons) is the predictability. Which is perhaps unfair as I am choosing to read a story that says clearly in the title it is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. For me, I would give this 3.5 stars out of 5. I liked Kingdom of Beauty quite well. It is another solid retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I might even pick up the next in the series.
Book cover for the Legendary Inge from the internet.
I don’t often read the preface before starting a book, but for the Legendary Inge I did. It did not spoil the story, since I know nothing of Beowulf and am also confident this story is at best loosely inspired. First off, I liked the Legendary Inge. It had just enough surprises to make it interesting, but no dramatic twists that come out of nowhere and make no sense. In fact the entire story flowed well together and you could see how the little clues about the characters and plot were sprinkled well in advance.
The Legendary Inge starts with the titular character Inge (Ingrid), accidentally killing a monster plaguing the castle. As her reward, Ingrid is adopted by the king as his son and heir to the throne. While Ingrid might be dressed as a boy when she takes down the monster, she is most unhappy to be slotted into that role. She is the eldest girl in her family of seven children. With her parents dead from a wasting sickness, Ingrid has a lot of responsibilities and no time to play prince to the kin.
Unable to decline the king’s reward, Ingrid is forced to discover that things at the castle are not as they seem. The monster, a terrifying nightwalker, is not the only problem in the castle. The king is going mad according to rumours and the court is a vicious place for the untrained. Inge is forced to face all this as she grows in her own confidence as an individual and learns to accept the great legacy left by her own father.
Book cover for the Legendary Inge from the internet. I think I like this one best of the two.
Well written, the characters are competently developed. While they are a little on the young side, I recognize that I am getting older. Young adults want to read books with characters of their age. Still, the world was interesting. It had that nordic-viking flare, while including plenty of magic to make it truly fantastical. More than the setting, it was the character interactions that sold the narrative. I like books with family, and this had plenty of it. Sure, there were a couple of orphans, because all great legends seem to circle around them. In the end, everything really came back to family – both chosen and blood.
I like the author’s way of writing. The Legendary Inge is a solidly developed story with great characters and a fantastic plot – 4.5 out of 5 stars.
