Tag Archives: book review

Season of Sequels: The Burning Page

The Burning Page is actually book 3 in Genevieve Cogman’s series: The Invisible Library.

Image from the internet.

Title: The Burning Page (book 3)

Series: The Invisible Library

First book in the Series: The Invisible Library

Author: Genevieve Cogman

Genre: Multi-universe fantasy

Synopsis: The Burning Page continues the story of Librarian Irene and her dragon assistant Kai. It does an interesting job of discussing several repercussions from the previous story – The Masked City. Irene is still on probation for her actions – becoming involved in politics and saving Kai. What should have been another easy fetch-and-retrieve task marks the start of more problems and danger for Irene. Alberich is back and he has a plan to destroy all that Irene cares for. With the very Library at stake, Irene finds trouble drawn to her. Betrayal, danger, death, and books are all twisted together in this next installment of the Invisible Library.

Image from the internet.

What was good: I like the way the Burning Page brings forth some of the consequences the characters face because of decisions made in the previous stories. As always I was interested to see Vale again and double intrigued by his current problem with chaos contamination. He became even more Sherlock Holmes-like, with his own drug problem and difficulty stilling his mind. That his essence and future came into question was well thought-out. I am curious to see how that will play out in the next book and if he will continue to assist Irene.

The story of Alberich was both good and potentially terrible. His discussions with Irene are great to question the purpose and ethics of the Library and its Librarians. However, if he continues to dog Irene through every novel, I will become heartily bored and frustrated with what is turning out to be an unrealistically powerful enemy. He should have been killed in this book, but only time will tell if that was the case.

What was less impressive: I think my biggest concern with this story was the conclusion. It felt both rushed and not quite conclusive. I don’t mind having some dangling threads, but the manner in which the story ends (almost abruptly) feels like the author didn’t know what she wanted to do and so left every door open. That is worrisome, because some threads need to end so we can find new plots to explore.

Image from the internet.

How it compared to the first book: I think I liked this story more than book 2 and about as much as book 1. There were lots of elements of the plot that I really did like. There was a bit of mystery to be solved and old characters came back in a new light. It also did a good job of continuing to build the fantastical, Victorian-like setting of Irene’s current world post while also exploring a couple of other settings.

Prognosis: I like this series. It is always a good read and I will be back again for book 4: The Lost Plot.

Rank and Reason: 4 out of 5, consistently good and imaginative writing with solid characters and interesting plots.

Season of Sequels: Of Bone and Ruin

This a book, a sequel, I actually bought, spending real money! Of Bone and Ruin is the direct sequel to T.A. White’s Dragon Ridden novel.

Image from the internet.

Title: Of Bone and Ruin (book 2)

Series: Dragon Ridden Chronicles

First book in the Series: Dragon-Ridden

Author: T.A. White

Genre: Sci-fi-fantasy hybrid

Synopsis: Of Bone and Ruin begins a little time after Dragon Ridden. Our female lead, Tate is back and struggling to adapt to the world she finds herself living in. Her memories, and thus her entire past, continue to be a mystery to Tate. Rather than continue struggling at school for developing magical skills, Tate is offered the chance to work. It is a dangerous, life-threatening job that will bring Tate in contact and conflict with the heads of various factions living on the planet. Tate’s nearly non-existent mediations skills are challenged when she is given the role of witness in settling the dispute of who owns rights to a recently uncovered archeological find.

What was good: Of Bone and Ruin continues Tate’s journey of fitting in and self-discovery, though I am not certain how much headway was made in that department. I suppose if you look at Tate’s relationship with her dragon, than things do improve over the course of the novel. We also learn a bit more about several of the secondary (or even tertiary) characters which is interesting.

What was less impressive: It seemed that some characters have information that they should not. There were a couple of instances when motivations and character consistency appeared off. However, I am not certain if this was done intentionally to make the reader think and look at the information in a different light.

I am both fascinated and put-off by the strange mix of science-fiction and fantasy. We have ancient, abandoned spaceships with crazy advanced technology and genetic manipulation alongside straight up magic. The need for blood, specific genetics, to use certain equipment is a difficult balancing act for me. Occasionally it seems artificial and randomly imposed into the story, while at other times it resonates strongly with the sci-fi mood.

This book certainly left me more confused about the difference between the Creators and the Saviours, which I hope is to be addressed in future stories. And while I really enjoyed the elements of sci-fi past coming through in the first book, Dragon Ridden, I found those moments nearly contradictory in Of Bone and Ruin.

Image from the internet.

How it compared to the first book: In the end, I still preferred book one. I feel like we got a better understanding of Tate and her extraordinary past in Dragon Ridden than in book 2, Of Bone and Ruin. It is that back story that has the greatest draw for me. So my biggest fear is that the author will tease only hints about the past in the vaguest way while writing an ever expanding and convoluted succession of sequels. I hope I am wrong. I hope that each book helps to shed light onto the origins of this world and is complicated past.

Prognosis: I find this world to be an interesting mix of sci-fi and fantasy. There is magic and genetic engineering. There are archaic elements to the civilizations mixed with more modern ideas, dress, manners, and language. It is different and that is perhaps the element that will bring me back for a third book – should another be written.

Rank and Reason: 3.5 out 5 – because I thought there were too many inconsistencies between this book and the first book in terms of who the world works and the past.

Season of Sequels: To Catch a Queen

I have been reading sequels of books recently, so while I cannot introduce new authors I can at least comment on how their series is going. That said, I don’t think I actually commented on Shanna Swendson’s first book, A Fairy Tale. Anyway, this post will focus on the direct sequel entitled: To Catch a Queen.

Image from the internet.

Title: To Catch a Queen (book 2)

Series: Fairy Tale

First book in the Series: A Fairy Tale

Author: Shanna Swendson

Genre: Modern Fantasy with Fairies and Fairyland

Synopsis: Sophie Drake is again needed in the Realm. Someone is impersonating the Queen and banishing undesirables back into the Human world. This is causing trauma and in some cases death for those involved. But that is not the only problem Sophie has to deal with. She is still working hard at freeing Jen, worrying about her sister, and balancing royal duties with the image of a normal life. Fortunately, Sophie has friends who will come to her aid, both human and fey.

What was good: The characters really sell this book and the series in general. Sophie is a strong, go get-it-done sort of woman. In her 30s she is a little older than many of your heroines, which I certainly appreciate. I even love her one-sided romance, which is done well and believably. Emily adds the optimism and recklessness of youth even if she isn’t that many years younger than sister Sophie. Michael brings the perspective of the uninitiated. He is the stoic cop that finds himself confronting the supernatural. This again is handled well.

What was less impressive: My biggest struggle with the book is the fey. I am not a huge fan of fairies, which is amusing considering how much I enjoyed the story. Despite half (or more) of the story taking place in fairyland – aka the Realm – I mostly enjoyed how the author dealt with the land and denizens living there. It is still not my favourite set-up, but it was not the terrible mess it could have been either.

The other problem I had was the fetch quest feel of this particular story. The feeling of mystery never did develop, instead it felt like the longest and most frustrating game of go and collect … [insert next item on the list].

Image from the internet.

How it compared to the first book: The first book, A Fairy Tale, was better. The story was stronger and more engaging. Partly because you didn’t know how things were going to end or in fact what was going on. To Catch a Queen follows book 1 closely in time. It picks up the thread of the tale, but is not nearly as strong a narrative as the first book.

Prognosis: It was an okay sequel. I appreciate the attempt to do something a little different, to watch the characters grow and change throughout the narrative. However, looking at it as a single story, it was pretty mediocre. Still, I am interested enough that I want to read the third tale in this series, to see if the author can find a new tale to tell.

Rank and Reason: 3.5 out of 5 – not nearly as strong a story as book 1 in the series, but not terrible either. I do enjoy Sophie as heroine.

Book Review – Brother’s Ruin

The book Brother’s Ruin is a novella. It is short and thus I feel it is only fair that my review be reflectively brief.

Book cover taken from the internet.

Title: Brother’s Ruin

Author: Emma Newman

Genre: Fantasy; Gaslamp

Synopsis (giving nothing of import away): Magic replaces science in this Victorian-period fantasy. Magic is owned entirely by the Empire in the form of the Royal Society. Any child of power is taken from their family, by force if necessary, to be properly trained and indoctrinated – for the safety and security of the Empire of course.

Charlotte Gunn’s lower middle class family has come upon some difficult times. But when her brother Benjamin offers to be tested by the Royal Society and join the league of mages, Charlotte only sees danger and ruin on the horizon. It will take a great deal of determination and quick thinking to protect her family and herself from those who could and would destroy them.

What was good: The world was imaginative and the main lead was engaging. There was just enough happening to keep you gripped with anticipation over the next scene.

What was less impressive: What you have to understand is that I am not particularly fond of short stories. Good stories are meant to be enjoyed over time. While they should leave you wanting more they should also be long enough to explore the world and characters. Short stories are by their very nature, unsatisfyingly brief. When done well, they are tantilizing morsels that make your realize how hungry you are. This is not a sensation I enjoy. I want full length novels. Good stand-alone books are preferred and short stories are generally avoided.

This was a novella, thus a slightly awkward position of being neither a proper, full-length book but neither was it a short story. It read more like a children’s book than one for adults – due mostly to its length.

Gaslamp fantasy was a new term for me and it took a little reflection to determine its meaning. From this I have settled upon the following definitions:

Gaslamp fantasy – used to describe a world, often Victorian in period, whose magic is treated like science and is the substitute for technology. Highly ordered magic used to create technological advances of an older period setting; high magic, less machinery (though not absent)

Steampunk fantasy – used to describe a world, also frequently Victorian in period, whose technology takes on an almost magical quality and is certainly beyond the abilities of actual period history. Fantastical machinery in an older period setting; low magic, high mechanical devices.

Prognosis: I am intrigued and look forward to more of Charlotte’s adventures as she is bound to change her world whether they are ready or not. I am just hoping I don’t have to wait too long for the next story; and that it is a bit longer!

Rank and Reason: 4 out of 5 stars for being well written, inventive but a trifle simplistic.

A Natural History of Dragons: A Memoir by Lady Trent

Yes, I have been reading. But nothing I have read has inspired much thought for discussion. So do not expect much from today’s book review. I will try to do better at some future date.

** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

Image of the book cover from the internet.

Title: A Natural History of Dragons: A Memoir by Lady Trent

Author: Marie Brennan

Genre: Fantasy

Synopsis (giving nothing of import away): Lady Isabella Trent, preeminent dragon naturalist lays before the reader her beginnings into a career that would make her famous from Scirland to the furthest reaches of Eriga. The start of her story lays in childhood and Isabella’s early obsession with dragons. The book continues until the conclusion of her Vystrana Mountain expedition.

What was good: I like that the author created an original world. I like the description of dragons as another type of animal to be studied. It is successful in its stylized memoir format.

What was less impressive: I did not like the memoir format. Sure it was accurate. It echoed reading Darwin’s Origin of Species. Which meant that it was largely impersonal, vaguely scientific in style and almost dry considering we are discussing dragons. I did not engage well with the main character. Despite efforts to round out the character, I found Isabella largely cold and distant. The word and secondary characters were similarly distant and unapproachable.

Because of the memoir format, it was difficult to have an overarching plot or classical story element. Despite these inherent challenges, the author shoved one in there. Unfortunately this plot was seemingly tacked on at the end of the book and introduced an element of magic that did not fit well with the science bend of the book.

Solid effort, but I struggled to connect with any of the characters. And the side notes became something I skimmed over uninterested.

Prognosis: Since this series appears to be available at the library and I have been bored of late, there is a chance I might continue with the series. I wouldn’t invest money into the book, but the fact that I am willing to mention it on the blog means it is not trashy. And that is something at least. Still, I am not rushing out to read more of Lady Trent’s banal adventures.

Rank and Reason: 4 out of 5 stars for being well written, inventive but still a dry read.

Burning Bright – Melissa McShane

Image from the internet.

My last book review was a rather lengthy one – at least for me. This promises to be exceptionally short. Every so often I get lucky and a book on my wish list becomes free! Always exciting. Without much thought about what book I was “purchasing” I loaded up my new digital read.

That is not entirely true, I vaguely remembered something about a Regency-like period and a new mage discovering she had the ability to burn things. What I didn’t pay attention to was the author’s name. Thus, I was expecting more of a trashy romance when I started to read: Burning Bright by Melissa McShane.

While there is romance, sort of, in the background of Melissa McShane’s books, they are not what I would describe as trashy. They are not really all that focused on the romance either. Actually, the author is pretty good about establishing a friendship between the two love-interests before anything so scandalous as a kiss happens.

The story centres around Elinor, who wakes one day to discover that she is an Extraordinary Scorcher after nearly setting her entire house on fire. Not wanting to remain in the same residence of her father and not willing to submit to his choice in husband, Elinor offers her talents (as a fire-starter and stopper) to the navy. They are busy with wars and pirates, something Elinor feels she can assist with.

I will say this. Elinor does not dress as a boy to hide on the ship. That would have been silly. Instead she is kept as segregated as possible from the rest of the crew spending much of her time in the Captain’s quarters. It was a surprisingly reasonable set up.

Image from the internet.

Further, the story revolves around Elinor’s adventures helping to root out the pirate problem in the Caribbean. Her Captain love-interest was a reasonably developed character, a little too shiny but otherwise fine. Over all, it is a solid, clean read.

As for my problems with the book. First, Elinor’s tyrannical father was not well-developed. He was Evil! It was clearly done as motivation for Elinor, but left me with a completely unrealistic feeling. My second nit-pick is the pacing. It was a bit slow. Finally, the magic system which was crucial to the plot was not clearly defined nor did it feel integrated into the world. I think the biggest irksome moment was when we are introduced to the skills of a Bounder half way through the story. I didn’t even realize that one of the sailors had this skill. It felt rather tacked on as the author realized she needed scenes to happen in more than one location.

I would give it a solid, generic good rating. Nothing overly offensive (the father can be shoved to the side), nothing overly fantastic (magic system was okay).

Firebrand by Kristen Britain

The uglishest cover for a Green Rider book thus far. Really don’t like this one. Image from the internet.

Three years later and we have a new Green Rider novel. Sure, I hated the last book and despaired of any future books. But, well, I am bored and the library had a copy. So, once more I will turn my attention to the series on a downhill trajectory from really great to oh-so-dull as we review Firebrand by Kristen Britain.

I am pretty sure this 800 page monstrosity is the longest Green Rider book to date. To those who have perused any of my book reviews, it can come as no surprise that I thought the novel was bloated and the writing mediocre at best. But before we go any further, I just want to assure the adoring fans of the Green Rider Universe: If you loved the first 4 books in the series (no one really liked book 5), then you will undoubtedly love this one too. If you are just starting with Firebrand, I really have to question your thought process. Who comes into an epic fantasy series at book 6?

Over the past couple days, and long-winded pages, I have been ruminating on exactly what I was going to write about. I confess, I am really not sure what to say. I didn’t like the book, but die-hard fans will? True, but hardly a detailed post. I suppose we must look at what I didn’t like and for that we are going to have spoilers. So, be warned!

Like Mirror Sight and Blackveil, Firebrand suffers from too many words/too many pages. It is unnecessarily long. While, it is an improvement over Mirror Sight that was such a low bench mark I really feel it should not count as an accomplishment. Now, to be honest, I did not re-read all the past books before picking up Firebrand. I just couldn’t be bothered. So, perhaps it is my failing memory that has the Evil Grandmother still in Blackveil. Which I thought was an unexplained problem as in Firebrand she is way up north. It is possible I forgotten this transition.

A better version of the cover. Image from the internet.

I’m not cranky, I am emotionally damaged – see that makes me a real and complex character!

So, our spunky heroine Karigan is about 25 years old. Over the course of the saga she has gone from runaway school girl to demi-god. Which brings me to my first major complaint of power creep. In order for Karigan to progress as a character, she becomes increasingly stronger in each novel. She has gone from being able to use a sliver of magic to disappear to being the avatar of the death god with the power to seal the dead and direct the spirits of the recently deceased.

Mostly, she is akin to a god; the one person who can survive anything and do anything. It is more than just a little over the top. Of course, the fact that there are other superheroes, I mean powerful characters does not diminish the ridiculousness of it. Reading about Karigan now requires more than just a little suspension of disbelief, because everything she has done in her short life span is over the top. She is the most capable rider (as is evidenced by the missions she is sent on), she is a sword-master, an honorary Weapon, a friend (maybe?) to the Queen (it is complicated), a friend of the mystical Elt, a friend to the Golden Guardian, the true love any important man to enter into the novels (including, but not limited to the King, Alton, Yates, Enver, Cade, etc.) and inspiration to everyone else (who isn’t Evil).

Yes, I realize that the author then tries to balance Karigan’s super-amazingness with flaws, but being cranky or suffering from grief/torture are not really striking a semblance of realism. Her problems are either stupidly small or overwhelming large that it only emphasize how unrealistic the character has become.

Green Rider – still my favourite book in the series. I do like my beginnings. Image from the internet.

Fantasy creep – where did all this magic come from?

Along with the power creep of the main character there is fantasy creep. That is the incremental increase in fantastical or magical elements to a story. This occurs in fantasy novels where the author strives to recreate that sense of world-building wonder only ever achieved in the first book of a series. Stubbornly, however, the author will continue to dream up wondrous beasts or magic infused elements in their vain attempt to bring back that first rush of amazement felt by the reader.

It never works.

Worse, it creates an internal logic problem. We are told that magic is leaving the lands. That is was scoured from the kingdom thousands of years ago – literally they killed people who had magic. That even the Elt have noticed its decline over the centuries. Then suddenly it is coming back? All because of a breach in the wall, or because the author forgot that this was a low magic world? No explanation. As for the reactions of the people, well, they are hesitant but largely accepting. No one seems to question why we now have Griffins, that didn’t exist three books ago. Or the mirror man – which seemed largely out of place. Nope, this reads like an author who loved the little bit of magic too much and now we are suddenly swimming in it.

Elt improvements – they are now Vulcans!

Image from the internet.

I have previously commented on the Tolkein flavoured Elt (they are the now stereotypical elves) and their lack of originality. Well, someone heard by complaints because not only do we suddenly have half-Elt they are also emotionally-stifled. The problem with the half-Elt is the fact that these beings had apparently not been seen in the lands for several hundred years prior to book one. While that was changed in later books – because naturally our heroine must have an Elt connection – it still seems odd that half-Elt would exist now.

But more importantly, why are they like the Vulcans? Emotionally stoic until it is mating time. Then they have no control over the sexual urges. This is the best you could do for a character flaw? Really?

There was a mission – oops, I nearly forgot.

So, Karigan goes off on an impossible mission to find the moose people, I mean the p’ehdrose and Estral’s father (the Golden Guardian). When the story eventually gets going, we spend most of the time tracking down the missing musician or following the kidnapped King. We have more time with the Second Empire and our dearly departed Grandmother. We are briefly introduced to more Evil characters, because someone has to die by the end. Spoilers, someone from the Good Team parishes too (can you guess which one?).

Image from the internet.

After plodding through the woods, facing freezing cold winds, working in the mines, being physically tortured and finally destroying the Second Empire’s most recent camp we are left wondering, what did happen to our diplomatic mission? And why is Karigan sent anywhere for talks when she always ends up in a battle? Not the diplomat I would choose.

Never fear, you may have thought the author forgot about the p’hedrose, or decided the rest of the mission would be saved for another over inflated book. I would be wrong in this case. Nope, Karigan meets and treats with the p’hedrose in just about 2 chapters tucked in at the end, making us wonder, why it took 200 pages for her to leave the castle in the first place?

Wait, we didn’t forget about these characters – see, they are right here at the end.

Now, I know there are some people out there who hate Lord Amberhill. I am not one of them. Well, at least I liked him in The High King’s Tomb. I was fond of this sword thrusting charismatic thief. And clearly the author was too, because she carried him through book 4 and made him more of a feature in book 5. When it came to book 6, Firebrand, well, I thought poor Lord Amberhill had been forgotten; along with several Green Riders.

Image from the internet.

But that was not the case. Nope, she makes mention of our dear Lord Amberhill as a point of conversation between two green riders in the dying pages of this epic work. Yup, 800 pages and Lord Amberhill is relegated to a passing comment on the very last page. A real clutch character we have here.

Where’s the connection – why did we have Mirror Sight?

There was one question that kept running through my mind as we trailed after Karigan and sat with the Queen (confined to her bed like a good pregnant wife): What was the point of Mirror Sight. Book 5 had zero barring on the characters and plot of Firebrand. And to those who argue otherwise, I challenge you to think about the events really closely.

With a few minor tweaks, Karigan could have been just as emotionally scarred from her adventures in Blackveil. The mysterious reference to the weapon that some super-minor characters are searching for could have come from another source. The mirror eye could still have resulted from the end of Blackveil. The p’hedrose could have been convinced to join the cause for other reasons. Really, with very little effort Mirror Sight could be erased from the series without a problem. Emphasizing once more that it was a waste of a novel.

 

Image from the internet.

While I will continue to argue the author’s best books were still the first two in the series (Green Rider and First Rider’s Call), there is merit in saying Firebrand is an improvement (slightly) over Mirror Sight. If I could offer a suggestion or two. Perhaps it is time to re-evaluate the over-arching narrative. Does Karigan really have to the main character? Could we not branch out and explore some other issues and other people? Tamora Pierce is fond of series too. However, I think she was really cleaver in her handling of her fantasy world of Tortall. Pierce has several characters and thus different story arches all in the same world. She can move forward or backward in time as her fancy dictates. And regularly has four books for each of her characters, who then appear as cameos in other books. I think this helps to keep individual books from become bloated and any one character from becoming too powerful (though that might be arguable). Certainly, this method allows the author to explore her creativity more. Then we could look at a future as seen in Mirror Sight, still in the same world only facing different problems. That, I think would be really interesting.

Book Review: Veronica Speedwell Novels

Book cover from the internet.

There is a reason that I always start with book one in a series. It is the book that lays the groundwork and sets the tone and background for the characters.

That said, it is probably good that I started on the second book (accidentally) and not the first. For the first book is not nearly as well written as the second book and I am not convinced I would have finished or continued otherwise.

Book cover from the internet.

So, what are the books I am talking about? It is a new series by Deanna Raybourn. Book 1 is entitled: A Curious Beginning and book 2 is called: A Perilous Undertaking.

Having read A Perilous Undertaking first, I am going to start the discussion here. And we will start on a positive. A Perilous Undertaking is reasonably well written. The level of language is appropriate (even though they use fecundity incorrectly). Generally though, it seems the author did their research well. I learned that Veronica is the name of a plant. The novel is peppered with the scientific names of butterflies, which I assume are correct (though I didn’t actually check). The introduction of the two main leads: Veronica Speedwell our narrating female protagonist and her partner in science and detectiving Stoker (Revelstoke Templeton-Vane). I like the way the relationship is set up in the second novel between these two characters.

Further, the author did one of the best summaries of a first book I have seen in a very long time. We learn all the pertinent information in bits and pieces appropriately scattered throughout the novel. There is not a chapter dedicated to summarizing earlier events, it is all worked in quite nicely – at least for someone who has not read book one. I don’t know if it would be tedious if you had done things in the proper order. So, overall, I think book two: A Perilous Undertaking.

Book cover from the internet.

Book one: A Curious Beginning was a flop for me. It was not nearly as clean, well-organized or interesting. This is in part due to the fact that I already knew what was coming. That said, the writing should have carried me through the story. It didn’t, so the question is why?

The Veronica Speedwell novels are set in Victorian England, about the time the Queen celebrates her jubilee. The offspring are grown into adulthood with children of their own. There is no magic, no mythical creatures and no unusual technology (steampunk). Yet, the stories are pure fantasy. As fantasy, I am willing to overlook many things that would not actually happen during that time period. After all, I do like spunky female leads.

Unfortunately the author does not sell it well enough. Veronica is telling the story much like a memoire, not my favourite style. But the greatest offense is the “telling” not “showing” aspect of the writing. I am constantly reminded that Veronica is a scientist. Veronica:

A scientist is always logical, and I am a scientist.

I am not a simpering female, because I am a scientist and I do not have emotions.

A scientist is always organized and tidy. Why are you not more clean, Revelstoke, because you are a scientist.

Book cover from the internet.

I am a scientist, so it is only natural that I want to sleep with men outside of wedlock. Because being a scientist makes me curious. Unless we are talking about my personal history. Then I don’t care that I was a foundling, raised by two maiden aunts. And strange things start to happen when I burry the last of my aunts. Because that can’t possibly have anything to do with me.

The main protagonist is a pretentious twit who is so selfish that she is essentially oblivious to the rest of the world. Which is rather entertaining, as this 25 year old character has supposedly loved and lost, and traveled the world, escaped dangers, killed men and captured the most rare of butterflies!

For a person with so much worldly experience Veronica is an idiot about the plot of her story. When her home is ransacked and strangers suddenly appear to whisk her off to London saying she is now in terrible danger, Veronica thinks nothing is amiss. Even when that person is found murdered, she believes that this string of odd events is completely unrelated to her. Really? Can one individual be that disconnected from reality? But don’t worry, when she finally allows herself to believe that things might be a bit trickier than she thought, Veronica will convince Stoker to science out the problem. They will solve the murder, uncover the secrets and … save the day, I suppose. Like I said, the story is pure fantasy.

Book cover from the internet.

Only the author struggles with the pacing of the plot in A Curious Beginning. She also fails to create a proper tension between Veronica and Stoker. Stoker being another character who has loved and lost (a wife apparently), worked in the navy as a surgeon, learned knife throwing from a traveling show, hunted the greatest mammals on earth, published important scientific papers, nearly died, fell into the depths of despair, struggled back from the brink, and more! All before the age of about 30 (I think). Yes, her characters have done it all, or nearly. And while the author wants to tease a relationship between her two leads, she doesn’t want them to settle into anything just yet. So it is an on-again, off-again sort of writing; which is tedious.

To summarize: Veronica is a woman with modern sensibilities living in Victorian England. She is a scientist and will remind you of this fact repeatedly. She is sort of forced into the company of Stoker, another scientist, who she can trust and respect because he is ruggedly handsome with a fascinating scare down the side of his face (though the eye does still work – so he is not too damaged) and bad-boy demeanor. Together, they will track down Veronica’s past (not actually much tracking needed), thwart her murder and chum together in book two in order to solve another murder.

While I would rate the books as a good solid mediocre. Book two is certainly the better written of the pair. My suggestion, skip book one and start with A Perilous Undertaking.

December Bookshelf

Well, as we cross into the New Year it is a time of reflection. So I thought I would look back on some of the books I read in December.

 

Book cover from the internet, not owned by me.

The Palace Job by Patrick Weekes

This was by far my favourite book of the season. It was different, new and high adventure. The story revolved around a thief out to procure a book from one of the heavily guarded vaults in the Republic. To accomplish this goal, she collects a varied group of individuals each with a unique skill set. But even that does not make the task much easier as her opponents are both crafty and ruthless.

It was reminiscent of Ocean’s Eleven, if the story was set in the most fantastical of fantasy worlds. This was a high fantasy landscape filled with floating cities, magic, monsters, fairies and gods – or at least their devoted and powerful worshipers.

It was exciting, engaging and so much fun. This is a story I would recommend for those in search of high adventure and some cleaver thieves. Yes, I do plan on reading any and all sequels to this book.

 

Dragon-Ridden by T.A. White

The dragon-ridden may be a fantasy blend of human and dragon souls, but what set this story apart was not the protagonist suffering from amnesia or the solidly crafted fantasy world. Rather, what has me reflecting back on this book was the surprising element of science-fiction; space travel and colonists from another world. There was just enough information shared with the audience for me to piece together the back story of the protagonist, who has woken from cryogenic sleep after a very long time. That she came from another planet, I don’t think is debatable. That she was part of the crew, a leader, who became the worshiped gods of old is rather intriguing.

While I approach the blending of space travel and a more historic fantasy world with caution, I do feel this author was able to pull off the blend of magic and genetic splicing. I would be interested to read a sequel if they were to write another.  Though, I would not rate this book as high as The Palace Job, there were some character actions and words that seemed too forced or awkwardly presented, there was much to interest me in this story that I would give the author another chance.

 

Book cover from the internet, not owned by me.

Cast in Flight by Michelle Sagara

Cast in Flight is book 8 or 9 in the series by Michelle Sagara. I hadn’t really enjoyed the previous book and was figuring I had pretty much finished with the series, even if the author hasn’t. Certainly the first couple of chapters had me wondering if I would just return this book to the library. But I kept at it (I didn’t have anything else out at the time) and in the end I really enjoyed this one. There was more talking, more relationship building and much less fighting. For me it was far more interesting. Funny as I would also say it was far more political in story than many of the other books in the series. Politics is something I usually shy away from. This time I was delighted to spend a book following the lives of Kaylin and her various friends. That said, I am not committed to reading the next novel. And still feel the best series as those in the 4 book range. This one is certainly very, very long.

 

Book cover from the internet, not owned by me.

The Bird and the Sword by Amy Harmon

Fairy tale in feel the Bird and the Sword started out more interestingly than it ended. It was filled with just enough magic and mystery to make it interesting, but it did start to lag as we progressed through it. Not based on any one fairy tale the story had many familiar elements.

The magic system was sort of interesting in the manner in which it was tied into religion. However, the cliché of burning all witches as mostly boring. I was interested in the way that the protagonist was mute. However, I still question the explanation that she could not communicate telepathically until she could read. The reason being that she didn’t have the words. But she was not deaf, so she still had the words, just not in written form. This a felt was a very weak explanation. And reflective of the whole. Mostly good, an easy read, but not as solid as it could have been. I still enjoyed it, just a little lower on the rating scale.

 

Smoke and Mirrors by Jess Haines

Okay, it has been a while since I read this book. What I remember was enjoying the story as frivolous fun. I recall a story about a young woman just finishing college for mages in New York (or some other large city) who decides she needs to find a dragon.

Unfortunately, the story suffered from weak writing. My biggest complaint was character inconsistency. One woman is introduced as a terror who hates the protagonist and tries to kill her on first sight. This same violent individual devises a plan of sharing information that leads yet another character to again try and kill the female protagonist. Only, when this attack does go down the violent woman is immediately and inexplicably regretful. She didn’t mean for this to happen even though she set it up.

The author spent way too much time trying to set up very tried and tired scenes. Characters do things because the messy plot dictates this to be so. The main character is supposed to be proud, strong and independent while simultaneously being poor and desperate. She runs hot and cold, weak and strong with the male lead. The tone changes because the scene requires that change, even if it doesn’t fit with the character development.

The author also plotted as many clichéd moments and stereotypical events as possible into one story. Adding more tropes does not make your story better. Sure I appreciate the take on poverty and agree that being poor does not mean that you don’t work hard. But really, you don’t need to lecture me. And if you are so poor, can you really afford to be stupidly stubborn?

The story was light, mostly fun, but poorly written.

 

Banquet of Lies by Michelle Diener

Of the books listed here, I think it was my most disappointing read. For a book that was taking a real event of political intrigue (a treaty between Britain and Russia if memory serves), the author did nothing with it. I loved the setup of a wealthy, well-traveled and unconventional woman hiding out as a chef in Regency London. It was different and the character’s background was devised in such a way to make this seem plausible. What followed after that was poor characterization and a pathetic attempt to play at spy. The characters were lackluster, the plot was rather silly in the end and overall it fell flat. Yes, I realize that it was categorized as a Regency Romance, but the romance was also very lame and poorly handled. Overall, this was a flop.

The Invisible Library

Book cover for the Invisible Library - taken from the internet.

Book cover for the Invisible Library – taken from the internet.

When faced with the bleak reality of a desperate future, I retreat to the safety of the fantastically written word. While I tend to gravitate, during these dark times, to familiar books it is not always the case.

In contrast to the rest of the media and news, I will share something positive today. I read a good book: The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman.

The book focuses on Librarian Irene as she sent out of the Interdimensional Library into an steampunk inspired Victorian-esq fantasy alternate world; complete with seductive fae, dashing dragons, famous detectives, air ships and of course magic. Irene is pitted against secret cults and Library bogeymen, as she tries to complete her book retrieval before being utterly destroyed by the chaos infecting the world and herself. It is a highly entertaining read.

Another book cover for the Invisible Library, taken from the internet.

Another book cover for the Invisible Library, taken from the internet.

So, what do I love about this book? Well, Irene is a strong, practical and extremely effective Librarian. Evidently good at her job and equally competent at training her new apprentice. I like her spirit, her efficiency and even her questionable moral standing on humans. Irene doesn’t crumple under the pressures of her job, she rises to the challenge with a mix of magic, strength and decisive intelligence.

Although, we the reader, get to spend little time in the mysterious Library, connected to all words yet existing apart from them. I was greatly interested in this intriguing location, filled with even more unique personalities of other ageless Librarians. I was pleased in the handling of all worlds being true, just alternates of each other. This gives the series so many options for future venues; any place, any time, any amount of magic or technology all fit without breaking the laws of the world. It is a great system for storytelling.

Book cover for the Masked City, the sequel of the Invisible Library.

Book cover for the Masked City, the sequel of the Invisible Library.

The supporting cast are similarly rich in their characterizations: Kai, Vale, Silver and Albrech all add a tremendous lot to the story telling with different views, goals and backstories. They compete, support and try to murder our intrepid heroine at different points.

Really, I recommend trying this book. In fact I enjoyed the Invisible Library so much I was quick to take out the sequel: The Masked City from my local Library. It was an equally good story, though it swapped most of the mystery of the first book for inter-world politics. Still, it was filled with adventure, imagination, and of course books!

Conclusion: in the face of so much depressing uncertainty, I recommend the security of a good read and the Invisible Library is an excellent place to start.