Book Title: The Seer’s Secret Author: Brittany Fichter Book Series: Legacy of the Time Stones (Trilogy)
Spoilers Ahead!
The Seer’s Secret book cover – image from the internet.
A curse has settled upon the land. It has turned the sun poisonous. So people have sought shelter and safety underground. In the Walled City, the last humans have created a refuge using shafts of light to grow their food-plants which are tended only at night. Outside the city, monstrous creatures still prowl the land. To guard the people against their attacks, warriors train in the citadel.
Eirin is one such individual. Selected when she was young, Eirin has spent the past 12 years training with the city’s most promising warriors. Learning how to protect herself and the other inhabitants of the city. Only Eirin is not a good warrior. Compared with those around her, she is weak, unskilled and a liability. It is only her position as the King’s favourite that has kept her in the citadel. With her final tests coming soon, Eirin knows she will fail and finally return to live with her family. At least that is the future she sees.
Recent attacks on the city by the shape-shifting monsters have whispered secrets. Seer, they said. Eirin doesn’t know what that means. She doesn’t know a lot. Like why the King has kept such a weak warrior at the citadel all these years. Or the worry Eirin’s mother has about the unborn baby. Things become even more confusing when the King calles Eirin to him. In a sudden motion, the King sends Eirin, his Heir, Drystan and several other warriors from the city and into the dying lands beyond. The King promises an answer to the unlikely group, if they can find one old woman living beyond the safety of the city’s walls.
Eirin and Drystan are the two protagonists throughout the story. Their past is complicated by some undisclosed incident that happened six years earlier. Their presence is made more challenging by the King’s order for Drystan to protect Eirin at all costs.
Added to the mix are Drystan’s best friend and long-time companion, Qeb. From Eirin’s year group are Alys, Eirin’s best friend, Nuru, Eirin’s nemesis, and Thane, a promising warrior. Mistress Alanna is the adult of the party, in that she has experience outside the city walls.
Of course leaving the city is a challenge. The world beyond is not what our party of explorers expect. It is both more and less dangerous than they had been told. There are people out there, shape-shifters, who are not evil. In fact it is only once they leave the city the greatest secret is revealed, our heroes are not human. They are the monsters they have sworn to destroy. It was a well set up plot twist that made sense to the story. That along with how they deal with the sun-sickness I thought was really interesting.
The evolution of the relationship between Eirin and Drystan was enjoyable to read. It was a predictable romance, but still well written for the most part. The twist about Drystan’s parents was not specifically expected, but nor did it feel out of place. Learning that Eirin was the only human worked well with the setup of the story.
The other thing I thought was pretty interesting was the choice of shape-shifters. Literally every mythological creature the author has heard of is present. From the English Fae to Japanese kitsune. There are your standard greek creatures and Thunderbirds from North American First Nations. While I like the eclectic mix of species, I preferred when everything was renamed to something different. At least, I thought it was odd when the names shifted from Alfar to Elf.
My biggest complaint with the story was the pacing. It had a strong and interesting start heavy with world exploration and mystery. The ending is more muddled and drawn out. There is no clear climax. There is a big emotional punch when Drystan learns that Alanna is his mother, moments before she dies. The remaining members of their small party are sent back to the Walled City, while Eirin and Drystan escape on the back of a dragon.
Only the story continues with Eirin and Drystan heading west, then getting caught by the people from their home, then imprisoned, then escaping – but not before some more exposition can explain what is happening. I get the importance of explanations, and while the section could have been interesting, it felt more like a waste of time after everything that came before. Finally, Eirin and Drystan escape the city and the Elders who have decided to focus on amassing power and control rather than correcting the curse. And yet, we are not done until Drystan battles the city’s elite warriors, turns into a dragon and more of Eirin’s yearmates join the pair in their escape. In the attempt to pack the ending full of twists, exposures and conclusions, it dragged and lost its emotional punch.
The Seer’s Secret book cover for the trilogy – image from the internet.
While I am kind of curious to know how the curse is lifted, I am not excited about the next book. This is a trilogy according to the title. From what has happened in this book, the next is shaping up to be the traditional book of betrayal. A conflict in perspective, a few new characters and I foresee the fracturing of friendships (and the budding romance) between Eirin and Drystan. This rift could potentially expand to Eirin and the rest of their party too – after all she is the only true human in the group. She will likely make many friends with other true humans, jealousy will arise, motivations will be questioned, friendships will break. Of course, most of this will be overcome in book three.
So, while I did like the book – giving it 4 stars out of 5, I am not waiting with high anticipation for the next novel. I might read it. I might not. It is difficult to say at this point.
It is movie review time! The movie is Mr. Malcolm’s List. It is a light-hearted, fluffy regency romance along the lines of Pride and Prejudice if it were written by a modern author. It was fun and very predictable. The plot was predictable – which is mostly good for me as I got what I expected.
Spoilers ahead.
Movie poster for Mr Malcolm’s List – image from the internet.
There were some very interesting moments. I liked Lord Cassy, who played the part of supportive fool very well. I liked the issues that were mentioned (but not fully developed) in several of the scenes. I would say the overall plot of misunderstanding and expectation is a good starting point for a romance.
So much like modern times, appearance is everything. Julia Thistlewight is trying to engage the affections of the most eligible Honorable Mr Malcolm. When he appears to snub Julia, it becomes the fuel for a caricature. Feeling publicly embarrassed and deeply unhappy about the experience, Julia uses her cousin to better understand the sudden change in attention. Discovering that Mr Malcolm has produced a list of requirements for his prospective wife, Julia comes up with a scheme to bring the wealthy bachelor down a peg or two. Julia enlists the help of a school friend, Selina Dalton, to enact her revenge.
Movie poster for Mr Malcolm’s List – image from the internet.
Of course as Selina plays her part to become the perfect wife according to Mr Malcolm’s list, she is increasingly apprehensive about the deception Julia has planned. Things finally come to a head during a masquerade ball, where Mr Malcolm believes he is proposing to Selina, when in fact it is Julia. Without saying a word, she hands Mr Malcolm a list of requirements for a husband, for which he fails.
For me the biggest issues were the character development and the pacing. We reach this climatic moment of tension, when Malcolm believes he has been rejected and in the next heartbeat, it is clearly shown that Julia was the perpetrator, although Selina was complicit. I would likely have played with mistaken identities longer. But worse than that, there is only one really good scene where Malcolm and Selina talk – well fight – over the deception. Then two speeches of forgiveness between other characters and Malcolm propose successfully to Selina. I think it needed to explore the hurt feelings further. I would have cut some of the earlier wasted time to explore how these two reconcile their different perspectives.
Movie poster for Mr Malcolm’s List – image from the internet.
I suppose in that way, this was not the same as Pride and Prejudice. Elizabeth and Darcy have their misunderstanding earlier (and more than one), and it is really over the course of the story that they come to appreciate and love the other. While this is not the same formula followed in this movie, a longer ending would have made for a stronger story. I also would have sharpened up the dialogue.
The characters and their motivations needed some work. Take Julia, the manipulative friend. We are supposed to be sympathetic towards the woman. But we really need to see how she has suffered because of the public humiliation. We need to see more explicitly her role in society. The story could explore how she is trying to change her personality to attract an eligible husband. For instance, it is demonstrated that Julia is a crack shot with a gun – an extraordinary skill for a female in that world. So build on this. Why is she good with the gun? Is she secretly more of a sporty female, but works hard to hide that aspect in order to appear more lady-like? If so, how else can this be played up so that the audience is more connected with Julia and also for comedic effect.
Movie poster for Mr Malcolm’s List – image from the internet.
Malcolm would have been stronger if he was less silent. I get the stoic vibe they were going for, but there was not nearly enough interaction with other people for anything more than ‘silent-type’ to present. He needs to be thrust into conversation with others, willingly and unwillingly if we are to swoon over the leading man. Afterall, he is supposed to be the catch of the season, and not just because of his money. He also needs to exude more charm.
Visually, it was fun to watch. I am always fascinated how they can film historical images that lack the obvious modern elements – like hydro-poles and such. The costumes were nice. The diversity of the cast was well done. It was a good movie, perhaps not a classic, but decent. A little more polish with the script (the dialogue) and pacing and this would be a really great film. Still, I am giving it 3 out of 5 stars.
Book Title: To Kill a Fae Author’s Name: Jamie A. Waters Book Series: The Dragon Portal
Spoilers Ahead!
To Kill a Fae book cover – image from the internet.
Sabine is a Royal Fae in hiding. Living in a city full of humans, iron and other magical creatures, she has kept her true nature suppressed and cloaked for a decade. That is until one night, she is caught off guard. It only takes a moment, a tiny slip, to open a crack in the careful image she has crafted to guard her secret. And in that moment, she caught the curious attention of a recently arrived ship captain, Malek.
Malek has not come to Akros for smuggling as he claims. He is there for artifacts, old pieces of power that were once used to seal the great portal to other worlds. It was through the dragon portal, Malek’s people first came. It was during their war that much of the world was destroyed. This sent the fae deep into their forests. The fae don’t leave the safety of the trees, at least that is what Malek understood until he met Sabine.
Secrets and prejudices are hard to overcome. The fae hate dragons, but then the fae are also supposed to hate demons and Sabine is tied closely to two powerful demons living in Akros. Hunted and marked for death by her own people, Sabine’s life in Akros has just become dangerously complicated in this fast pace story.
I really enjoyed reading about Sabine. She was just the right mix of physical fighting competence and caring about those around her. She was strong, smart and not clueless. I like that the reader learns more about the world and characters over time. But the protagonist is integrated into the world and knowledgeable about her surroundings – she is not clueless or an amnesiac. Sabine is competent – which makes for a fun read.
She does have that princess power of attracting strong people to her. Her broken family provides the dark past needed to drive her forward into action and adventure. And that is what this story is – the first in a series of object-collecting, world-exploring, ally-making adventures. I enjoyed book one so much that upon its completion I immediately got book two. Which was the same general premise of powering up the magic, Sabine saving some people to create more alliances, and of course collecting the next artifact needed to close the Dragon Portal. From the description of book three, I see this is a trend that will continue through much of the series. Which is not a terrible way of doing things. I just don’t know if I am going to stay interested. I will say, the second book was fun in its further exploration of the world.
To Kill a Fae book cover for the first three novels in the series – image from the internet.
There are a number of magical creatures, many, but not all, are humanoid in some capacity. I feel this story does well with the different mythical races. It has shown that not all individuals from one group, like the mermaids, are the same. Some mermaids are good, some are complete asses. That is true of the fae and dragons and … It is also interesting how the author takes stereotypical characteristics and twists them in a new light. Like how the fae work with and manipulate the balance of debt between themselves and others.
What I am struggling with is the presence of active gods. Granted this is more a personal preference, but I don’t love the inclusion of active gods in my fantasy stories. I am happy if they are part of history. But their power level or attitude or something, just doesn’t seem to work so well when active in the story. Perhaps I just don’t like the idea we are moved like puppets by forces beyond our control. It is my least favourite aspect.
This was a great read, so I am giving it 4.5 stars out of 5.
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.
