Difference between revisions of "Newest Fantasy Reviews"
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| + | |title=Landline | ||
| + | |author=Rainbow Rowell | ||
| + | |rating=5 | ||
| + | |genre=General Fiction | ||
| + | |summary=Georgie McCool has always known what she's wanted and pursued it until she has it. She got her dream job writing comedy, she's about to get her own show, and she got her dream guy, Neal. | ||
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| + | Only, she's not so sure she has him anymore. | ||
| + | |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1409154912</amazonuk> | ||
| + | }} | ||
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{{newreview | {{newreview | ||
|title=The Winner's Curse (The Winner's Trilogy) | |title=The Winner's Curse (The Winner's Trilogy) | ||
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|summary=Gray Wolf is the new magic drug in town but it's a mite more evil than the usual sex potions and enchanted uppers and downers. Gray Wolf ensures that the user becomes a craven devourer of flesh - human flesh. Kate Prospero, cop seconded to the MEA (the government agency charged with clearing the streets of dirty, illegal magic) has her work cut out. Unfortunately this work includes having to go into the Cauldron, the dangerous underbelly of a town called Babylon. However Kate has a lot to prove, having been born an adept in that very underbelly and now having to face the forces that helped create the tragedy still haunting her. Also, if she didn't have enough to worry about, her ex-lover is implicated in Gray Wolf's manufacture and her kid brother is choosing his own way in life; not a good thing, not a good thing at all. | |summary=Gray Wolf is the new magic drug in town but it's a mite more evil than the usual sex potions and enchanted uppers and downers. Gray Wolf ensures that the user becomes a craven devourer of flesh - human flesh. Kate Prospero, cop seconded to the MEA (the government agency charged with clearing the streets of dirty, illegal magic) has her work cut out. Unfortunately this work includes having to go into the Cauldron, the dangerous underbelly of a town called Babylon. However Kate has a lot to prove, having been born an adept in that very underbelly and now having to face the forces that helped create the tragedy still haunting her. Also, if she didn't have enough to worry about, her ex-lover is implicated in Gray Wolf's manufacture and her kid brother is choosing his own way in life; not a good thing, not a good thing at all. | ||
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>035650297X</amazonuk> | |amazonuk=<amazonuk>035650297X</amazonuk> | ||
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Revision as of 10:50, 3 July 2014
Landline by Rainbow Rowell
Georgie McCool has always known what she's wanted and pursued it until she has it. She got her dream job writing comedy, she's about to get her own show, and she got her dream guy, Neal.
Only, she's not so sure she has him anymore. Full review...
The Winner's Curse (The Winner's Trilogy) by Marie Rutkoski
Kestrel has two alternative futures ahead of her. As the daughter of a general of a vast, expansionist empire, she can make a politically advantageous marriage or she can enlist in the military. Kestrel doesn't want either and her life is spent in a delicate game of manoeuvres with her father as she tries to put off the decision. Full review...
Shadow of the Wolf by Tim Hall
The child Robin Loxley is mysteriously separated from his father during what had been a routine foray into the forest. In grief and bewilderment Robin becomes a loner, choosing to raise himself. He's more than happy with the solitary lifestyle until he meets Marian Delbosque, spoilt daughter of local gentry. Their friendship is cemented as they play together but their future won't all be childish games. They have a quest and Robin, as a winter-born, has a destiny that he can't begin to guess. The clue is in the mysterious words he heard whispered in the forest after his father's disappearance: Not yet. Too soon. He must suffer the wounds. Full review...
The City by Stella Gemmell
The City has been fighting for centuries, be it the recognised war of Red versus Blue fuelled by the mysterious Emperor or the daily fight of the Dwellers struggling for existence in the sewer settlements. Such oppression breeds unlikely heroes. A former general, now a fugitive from a questionable justice, a 16 year old soldier trying to out-run her father's reputation, a famed Red army leader and a little girl who believes in someone whom others hardly notice any more; these carry hope for the City, whether the City realises it or not. Full review...
The Tropic of Serpents (A Memoir by Lady Trent) by Marie Brennan
We are in sequel territory, so we must hope that things have escalated for Lady Trent, and that she is finding life even harder than before. And it is – as much as she would like to go dragon hunting with her husband she cannot. (And by dragon hunting I don't mean killing them, I mean being a natural historian for the species in a world that would rather massacre them for industrial purposes). Here, repressed by the Victorian society she lives in, she can just about raise another exhibition together, to a different corner of the world, but she won't find herself with the possibility of observing dragons – she is instead faced with the demand that she MUST hunt dragons… Full review...
Queen of the Dark Things by C Robert Cargill
Colby Stevens lost his best friend to an army of fairies six months ago. And things haven't got much better since. The Seventy-Two, a powerful and angry bunch of demons want Colby to deal with the Queen of the Dark Things. But Colby knows, whatever the demons have planned for him, it isn't good. Whatever he does is playing into their plans in some way or another. Full review...
Dead Man's Hand by John Joseph Adams (editor)
Dead Man's Hand features short stories with themes ranging from time travel and vampires to theology; at first glance it definitely appears to be an eclectic mix. These stories are linked by the genre of the weird west, which is defined by its elasticity. John Joseph Adams' helpful introduction outlines the main features of the weird west and provides a clear, insightful guide to this little-known genre. Far from being mismatched, the eclectic nature of this collection is in fact the greatest strength of the weird west genre. Unconstrained by narrow generic conventions, the authors in this collection have plundered the deepest depths of their imaginations. The result? A colourful, memorable and, above all, imaginative collection of fiction. Full review...
Justice: Tainted Realm: Book 3 by Ian Irvine
The final battle. The ultimate price.
The dead, regenerated King Lyf and his Cythonian army are poised to attack as is the army of Axil Grandys, complete with the other four of the five legendary Heroes. Rix has to stop them all with the help of Tali (the escaped Pale slave), Glynnie (the ex-maid), and an army of Rix's own who would rather fight him than fight for him. As Lyf and Axil both hunger for the final master pearl that sits beneath Tali's skull, the endgame approaches. Meanwhile Tobry, former best friend of Rix and now an unpredictably dangerous Caithe shape-shifter, is still alive and without hope. Although the 10 year old Rannilt would argue with that last bit. Full review...
Skin Game (Dresden Files) by Jim Butcher
Harry Dresden is and has been a lot of things: the only wizard in the Chicago phone book, PI, reluctant Knight of the Winter Court, even apparently dead. Now it looks as though he's about to relive the death bit but a bit more permanently. The parasite in his brain is still killing him while he's stranded as warden on the island penal colony of Demonreach. Hold tight though – the good news is that he's about to be liberated. The bad? The liberator is Queen Mab who wants Harry to do a bit of robbery beside a former arch enemy of his. If he refuses, the parasite will kill him and then slope off to kill everyone he knows and cares about, including his little daughter Maggie. However, nothing is simple, even this. There are catches, hell's bells there are! Full review...
Manifest Destiny Volume 1 by Chris Dingess, Matthew Roberts and Owen Gieni
It's 1804 and some newly-American soldiers are expanding the territory to the west, at the orders of President Jefferson – orders which allude to the pioneering party encountering some very unusual things. And they do – first a huge arc of greenery, putting the modern reader in mind of the Missouri landmark arch as bastardised by something along the lines of the Statue of Liberty in the original 'Planet of the Apes'. But when that site gets attacked the weirdness certainly starts to show itself… Full review...
Glass Thorns - Thornlost by Melanie Rawn
The Touchstone Players are back and now mostly married but the show must go on. Talking of which, it's their playwright Cayden's 21st naming day. He's come of age but his aristocratic mother would still rather he went to court as a courtier than the entertainer that his wizard/elven/fae heritage equips him for. However Cade has other concerns. He, the dwarf glister, Mieka who wields Cade's magic, Rafe (who manipulates it) and Jeska the masker (who can literally become anyone) are no longer the court favourites. Also, you remember the danger that Cade foresaw for Mieka from Mieka's wife in his elsewhen premonitions? Well, there's more! (There follows some spoilers for the previous novels so read them first before reading on.) Full review...
The Secrets of Life and Death by Rebecca Alexander
A girl covered in magic sigils dies in London watched by Jackdaw (Jack) Hammond. Jack had tried to cure her but the girl escaped. Now Jack has another chance to provide the treatment linking them with Elizabethan alchemist/mathematician/royal advisor John Dee. Indeed some would even call Dee a sorcerer. Jack could achieve so much if she does it better the next time but the fight won't be easy. She's not the only one who wants her new subject, although she may be the only one who knows how to save her. Full review...
Hilda and the Black Hound by Luke Pearson
Hilda and the Black Hound is the fourth book in the “Hildafolk” series, each of which is a self-contained tale about a highly inquisitive little girl and her adventures. This time Hilda joins the Sparrow Scouts and befriends a house spirit whilst in the meantime a mysterious beast stalks the town of Trolberg. Full review...
The Wild Ways: An Enchantment Emporium Novel (Enchantment Emporium 2) by Tanya Huff
Charlie Gale, the lass who has magic in her music (literally!), leaves the rest of the family behind to play at a Celtic festival on the Canadian coast. You can never leave the Gale family behind though even when the problem is an oil company drilling offshore in a seal sanctuary area. This may not be a popular occupation but the oil company has the clout to use a little leverage. Charlie pits herself against them with the help of a Selkie family but in the process (family link incoming) also pits herself against the formidable Aunt Catherine. Back home Allie is having trouble with Jack, the young sorcerer dragon they rescued from the underworld last time. Indeed, in the Gale households there's no such thing as peace and quiet anymore! Full review...
The Science of Discworld IV: Judgement Day (Science of Discworld 4) by Terry Pratchett, Ian Stewart and Jack Cohen
The wizards of the Unseen University are custodians of Roundworld. It may be different from their own turtle-carried Discworld (it's round for a start!) but they're still rather fond of it. However, there's a problem: the Church of the Latter Day Omnians have taken a shine to it too and would like to claim it. A court case will decide the winner, a court case that will have a guest spectator. For Marjorie Daw (yes, like the nursery rhyme) has arrived from Roundworld just in time. What on Earth will happen next? Full review...
Kindred by Octavia E Butler
Life is a nightmare for black women (and indeed men) back in the southern USA in 1815. For Dana that's just history as she lives over a century away with her husband in their new LA apartment. However one day everything changes: Dana starts to feel faint, the edges of her modern life blur and she's back in the era that can take more than her liberty. She knows her time travel is somehow linked to plantation owner's son Rufus but that doesn't help. In fact its knowledge that could make matters worse. Full review...
The Boy with the Porcelain Blade by Den Patrick
Lucien has reached his 18th birthday and final testing. This is the important one for Lucien is Orfano and as such lives for the day when he passes and can be adopted by one of the four houses. He hopes for the Fonteini, the house of fighters and with it will come an understanding of all the mysteries of Landfall. However there are some mysteries that are secrets even from the Orfani and for a very good reason. Full review...
A Lovely Way to Burn (Plague Times Trilogy 1) by Louise Welsh
The summer of the great heat wave is also the summer of death. Stevie thought nothing of the three establishment pillars turned snipers; the news just didn't register. Then the illness came: plague-like symptoms sweeping across the world. When Stevie's boyfriend dies it's easy to put it down to the pandemic but Stevie has a hunch and she won't stop till she's followed it, no matter what happens or who tries to stop her. Full review...
Night Broken (Mercy Thompson) by Patricia Briggs
Phew. That's the sound of relief I gave when I found this book, the eighth in this lengthy genre series, was on form. As the quality had hardly ever dipped in the past you might be wondering why I sounded particularly anxious this time. Well, book seven was that dip, and this time round things have changed – for the first time the British market gets a hardback. But we've not jumped the shark. If anything, the fantasy side of this series is following on from book six – River Marked and the fae implement that was so much a feature of that book is being requested by a dangerously powerful character. But the urban fantasy side of this series is not without its dangerous characters – as Mercy is forced to bring the worried, frantic yet exceedingly manipulative figure of her husband's first wife into the shelter of their household… Full review...
The Shattered Crown (Steelhaven: Book Two) by Richard Ford
The king is dead… his city is next shouts the strapline, and it's not wrong! Following on from Herald of the Storm, Janessa is the new queen and is quaking; she's young, inexperienced and watching the massed hordes of Amon Tugha approach to rout the kingdom of Steelhaven. This isn't the only problem her father's untimely death has left her with; there's a whole heap of trouble (internal as much as external) and hardly anyone Janessa can trust. Little Rag is now in the Guild but it's not all she dreamt it would be or as safe as she'd hoped. Meanwhile Merrick the ex-mercenary and Kaira, the former spear maiden are settling into their new job as bodyguards to the Queen. Merrick, though, has other things to think about as his past comes back to haunt him. Waylian the witch's assistant is still alive, which is good. And Regulus? He just wants to offer his men's swords in defence of Steelhaven but just didn't realise how difficult that would be, even before the fighting officially starts. Full review...
The Islands of Chaldea by Diana Wynne Jones and Ursula Jones
Imagine a story – a good old-fashioned adventure with journeys and magic and villains and young people finding their strengths despite the odds, and coming at last to the place they belong. Then imagine another story, a heart-touching one this time, about the writing of that story, and you have the whole of this charming book. Full review...
Libriomancer by Jim C Hines
Pulp fantasy may be frowned upon by some who believe that novels should be about emotions, inner journeys and despair. Fantasy and science fiction can have all these things as well, but they can also be fun, entertaining and laser pistols. ‘Libriomancer’ by Jim C Hines is a great example. It is a book that follows Isaac Vainio, a Libriomancer who has the power to draw magic from books. He must use this gift to good effect when one day, whilst sitting comfortably cataloguing, he is attacked by three vampires. Does that sound fun to you? If so, read on; if not, this may not be the book for you. Full review...
Ghost Train to New Orleans: Book 2 of the Shambling Guides by Mur Lafferty
After delivering The Shambling Guide to New York, a travel guide for the coterie of the undead, Zoe the inadvertent citytalker goes to New Orleans to research the next one. She sets off with a feeling of foreboding, but perhaps she's being overly pessimistic? I mean, she's travelling with two gods, (one of whom is a rather strident ex-Valkyrie), a baby dragon, two vampires (one of whom hates her) and Arthur, her boyfriend the Public Works employee. (Yes, Public Works as in the body that polices and, where necessary, clears away the coterie.) Oh and by the way, Arthur may be turning into a zombie soon. The trip will be fine; what could possibly go wrong? Full review...
Moth and Spark by Anne Leonard
Prince Corin has been bewitched by the dragons, something he'll forget until the time is right for him to free the fire breathers from enslavement to Emperor Hadon of Mycene. It doesn't stop there though - that's not all he's been bewitched by. The commoner Tam happens to be attending the summer court at his palace; a house party for unmarried debs to find the husband of their parents' dreams. Tam isn't actually looking but Corin finds her anyway. However their world doesn't run as smoothly as their hearts: war is about to start, murderous treachery stalks the palace and Tam has visions she can't explain. Although as time goes on their purpose becomes clearer. Tam and Corin realise that their reason for being together extends beyond love – they've been brought together to save the world. Full review...
The Gospel of Loki by Joanne M Harris
Loki is a shape shifter and the most recent addition to the Norse gods in the halls of Asgard. He’s there to help the likes of Odin and Thor but sometimes things go wrong or his actions are misunderstood. Loki definitely doesn’t deserve his ‘Trickster’ nickname and will explain why to anyone who will listen. This is Loki's gospel, his long-overdue side of the story and it’s all here: how he arranged a mason to rebuild Asgard (shame about the horse), his marriage to Sygni, the problems fathering a werewolf and giving birth to a foal, what Freyja’s gold necklace cost mankind and, of course, that day Thor became a beautiful bride. (An occasion Thor has never spoken of since for some reason!) Indeed, Loki is there to help and facilitate - if anyone tells you differently, don’t believe them! Full review...
A Natural History of Dragons: A Memoir by Lady Trent by Marie Brennan
We could all wish for a little of Lady Trent in ourselves. It's obvious what she feels she has inside her, for ever since she was a young girl she ignored society and decorum and was interested in science, nature, and the discovery of all that was unknown about dragons. She even went on a hunt for wolf-drakes, disguised as a male, and that's a species that prefers female prey. But as renowned a pioneer as she is, she has never told anyone in such detail of her life stories, starting with this one – a journey to the cold, mountainous land of Vystrana, which successfully uncovered a lot of the truth about dragons – but also a lot that was much harder to explain… Full review...
Unnatural Creatures by Neil Gaiman
I wished I could visit a Museum of Unnatural History, but even so, I was glad there wasn't one... If someone actually caught a werewolf, or a dragon, if they tamed a manticore or stabled a unicorn, put them in bottles, dissected them, then they could be only one thing, and they would no longer live in the shadowy places between the things I knew and the world of the impossible, which was, I was certain, the only place that mattered.
So says Neil Gaiman in the introduction to this anthology of sixteen unnatural creatures (to capitalise or not to capitalise, that is the question). Full review...
The Copper Promise by Jen Williams
Former knight Sir Sebastian Caverson and Wydrin of Crosshaven (aka Copper Cat) are swords for hire. On this occasion they're hired by Lord Aaron Frith of Blackwood to enter the Citadel, of which dark legends abound. They don't know what they need to do once in there, but that doesn't matter. The trip unleashes something that would have made them forget their purpose anyway, not to mention their pay: they awake Y'Ruen, the last god. In return for the alarm call, Y'Ruen breathes death across the known world with a little family assistance but that's not the worst bit. The worst bit (at least for them) is that Sebastian and Wydrin are the only ones who can stop her. Full review...
The Enchantment Emporium (Enchantment Emporium 1) by Tanya Huff
All the Gale family have powers and there are many in the clan, mostly women. This is one of the reasons that 24-year-old Allie (or Alysha Catherine Gale to the aunties) jumps at the chance of moving to the other side of Canada when her gran leaves her a junk shop. Ok, it may not be an ordinary junk shop and it could mean that Gran is dead but the fact that the love of her life has left her for a man makes her mind up. With the help of Joe O'Hallan, a tall leprechaun with a gift for selling yo-yos, Allie sorts out the Enchantment Emporium but once there she hasn't escaped all supervision. Indeed, someone is watching her closely; very closely indeed. Full review...
Dirty Magic: Prospero's War: Book One by Jaye Wells
Gray Wolf is the new magic drug in town but it's a mite more evil than the usual sex potions and enchanted uppers and downers. Gray Wolf ensures that the user becomes a craven devourer of flesh - human flesh. Kate Prospero, cop seconded to the MEA (the government agency charged with clearing the streets of dirty, illegal magic) has her work cut out. Unfortunately this work includes having to go into the Cauldron, the dangerous underbelly of a town called Babylon. However Kate has a lot to prove, having been born an adept in that very underbelly and now having to face the forces that helped create the tragedy still haunting her. Also, if she didn't have enough to worry about, her ex-lover is implicated in Gray Wolf's manufacture and her kid brother is choosing his own way in life; not a good thing, not a good thing at all. Full review...
