Genre: Fantasy

Review – Dominion vol 2: The Sandman

Posted August 8, 2024 by Nicky in Reviews / 0 Comments

Review – Dominion vol 2: The Sandman

Dominion: The Sandman

by Thomas Fenton, Jamal Igle, Steven Cummings

Genres: Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Mystery
Pages: 50
Series: Dominion #2
Rating: three-stars
Synopsis:

A gripping supernatural thriller of biblical proportions...quite literally. When detective Jason Ash arrives on the scene of a particularly strange murder in the suburbs of New Orleans, little does he know that he is about to take on the case of a lifetime. As dead people begin to come back to life, revealing that they hail from a realm where angels fight for power, it becomes clear that an epic battle between good and evil is at play, one threatening the very future of humanity.

The second volume of Thomas Fenton’sĀ Dominion,Ā The Sandman,Ā still has the weird page numbering issue I mentioned with my review of the first volume: some places say 150 pages (ish), while Amazon says 50. The version I read said 50. That said, it picked up from the first volume in a way that made sense, and it doesn’t feel like I’m missing any story, so I guess it’s a weirdness in page-numbering on the Amazon files (or just bad numbering from other places).

The second volume has Jason Ash discovering a little bit more about what’s happened to him, finding that he can read the script of angels, getting unexpected offers of help, and finding himself to be apparently psychic (at least, when he needs to be). It continues to be fairly predictable in its story beats.

It was surprising to me how swiftly the various abduction sub plots are wrapped up, and yet I’m really not sure how Jason’s story can be wrapped up satisfactorily with just one more volume of this length. I guess that remains to be seen; I remain curious enough to continue.

Rating: 3/5

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Review – Threading the Labyrinth

Posted August 4, 2024 by Nicky in Reviews / 2 Comments

Review – Threading the Labyrinth

Threading the Labyrinth

by Tiffani Angus

Genres: Fantasy
Pages: 357
Rating: one-star
Synopsis:

American owner of a failing gallery, Toni, is unexpectedly called to England when she inherits a manor house in Hertfordshire from a mysterious lost relative.

What she really needs is something valuable to sell, so she can save her business. But, leaving the New Mexico desert behind, all she finds is a crumbling building, overgrown gardens, and a wealth of historical paperwork that needs cataloguing.

Soon she is immersed in the history of the house, and all the people who tended the gardens over the centuries: the gardens that seem to change in the twilight; the ghost of a fighter plane from World War Two; the figures she sees in the corner of her eye.

A beautiful testament to the power of memory and space, Threading the Labyrinth tells the stories of those who loved this garden across the centuries, and how those lives still touch us today.

Tiffani Angus’Ā Threading the Labyrinth seemed like a promising choice: the idea of “garden fantasy” sounds fascinating, especially for someone who thrived onĀ The Secret Garden rereads as a child (even if I am not really an outdoorsy person, not even as outdoorsy as the back garden). Overall, though, it just didn’t come together for me as it skipped and slipped through time, jumbling characters together and echoing them here, there and everywhere. At one point toward the end of the story the sections got really short, almost like the author ran out of patience with filling things out.

There were some lovely descriptions, and scenes which revealed character beautifully or were intriguingly mysterious. At other times, I almost couldn’t tell what was going on. In the end I found myself having difficulty not just skim-reading, because I didn’t seem to be getting anywhere.

Ultimately, not one for me, I think. Perhaps a little more patience with it is rewarding for some, but for me it just didn’t work out.

Rating: 1/5

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Review – Love Everlasting, vol 1

Posted August 1, 2024 by Nicky in Reviews / 2 Comments

Review – Love Everlasting, vol 1

Love Everlasting

by Matt Hollingsworth, Tom King, Elsa Charretier

Genres: Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Horror, Mystery, Romance
Pages: 136
Series: Love Everlasting #1
Rating: four-stars
Synopsis:

Joan Peterson discovers that she is trapped in an endless, terrifying cycle of"romance" -- a problem to be solved, a man to marry -- and everytime she falls in love she's torn from her world and thrust into another tear-soaked tale.

I really loved the art in volume one of Tom King and Elsa Charretier’s Love Everlasting. It’s stylised and expressive, with well-differentiated characters and designs. It’s a fun race through a bunch of different styles of love story, with the main character Joan Peterson always dying just as soon as she’s declared her love for someone.

The fact that Joan — and a weird masked cowboy — are the only constants does mean that there’s not really much character-building, especially as Joan herself isn’t really exactly the same in every single scenario. The concept is the most interesting thing there, rather than the character (though Joan’s approach to her problems is, ah, entertaining).

By the end, it’s getting a touch too repetitive without any explanation, but it’s a really fun concept, and I am itching to know a bit more. I hope the second volume will explore the plot stuff from the fifth issue and deepen the story a bit.

Rating: 4/5

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Review – The Hands of the Emperor

Posted July 28, 2024 by Nicky in Reviews / 1 Comment

Review – The Hands of the Emperor

The Hands of the Emperor

by Victoria Goddard

Genres: Fantasy
Pages: 899
Series: Lays of the Hearth-Fire #1
Rating: five-stars
Synopsis:

An impulsive word can start a war. A timely word can stop one. A simple act of friendship can change the course of history.

Cliopher Mdang is the personal secretary of the Last Emperor of Astandalas, the Lord of Rising Stars, the Lord Magus of Zunidh, the Sun-on-Earth, the god. He has spent more time with the Emperor of Astandalas than any other person. He has never once touched his lord. He has never called him by name. He has never initiated a conversation.

One day Cliopher invites the Sun-on-Earth home to the proverbially remote Vangavaye-ve for a holiday.

The mere invitation could have seen Cliopher executed for blasphemy. The acceptance upends the world.

Belatedly posting a book I read in 2022, and apparently never cross-posted the review of here!

I really lovedĀ The Hands of the Emperor. It’s a huge book in which not a lot actually happens, but it’s full of hope and heart, with a central relationship of love and respect that had me riveted. I was recommended it as “imagineĀ The Goblin Emperor from Csevet’s point of view”, and that’s sort of fair — except that you have to imagine that Csevet has Maia’s drive for reform and for goodness.

Cliopher is the Last Emperor’s secretary, and has been slowly pushing a revolutionary agenda for the world now that the Fall (a magical event you mostly learn about through its personal effects on Cliopher and somewhat on the others) has changed everything. He has opinions and morals informed by his Islander background, and these influence his place at court, how people see him, and the fact that he finally decides to reach out to the Emperor as a person and offer to take him on holiday.

From that unfolds one of the book’s major themes: the Emperor Artorin’s need for freedom, his past before he became Emperor, and his growing reliance on Cliopher to change things and help him find freedom by finding his heir.

Cliopher is in some ways a bitĀ too capable, a bitĀ too perfect, and there are so many scenes of people getting their comeuppance because they weren’t kind to Cliopher, or didn’t understand his work and his morals, etc, etc. But it’s enjoyable every time, and it’s especially enjoyable because Artorin decides he must make other people see and respect Cliopher. The friendship between them is lovely.

It’s a long read, but one which I savoured completely. I’m looking forward to reading the other novels and novellas in this world, and my only complaint is that it stopped too soon and we didn’t get to see whether Tor retires to live with Cliopher, Conju, Rhodin, etc. There are so many scenes I loved that I couldn’t talk about them all, and several which I reread again immediately because I wanted to feel it all again right away.

I haven’t talked about a quarter of what there is to discover in this book, but that’s OK. You can go and discover it for yourself.

Rating: 5/5

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Review – Dominion vol 1: The Resurrection of Jason Ash

Posted July 25, 2024 by Nicky in Reviews / 0 Comments

Review – Dominion vol 1: The Resurrection of Jason Ash

Dominion: The Resurrection of Jason Ash

by Thomas Fenton, Jamal Igle, Steven Cummings

Genres: Fantasy, Graphic Novels
Pages: 49
Series: Dominion #1
Rating: two-stars
Synopsis:

A gripping supernatural thriller of biblical proportions...quite literally. When detective Jason Ash arrives on the scene of a particularly strange murder in the suburbs of New Orleans, little does he know that he is about to take on the case of a lifetime. As dead people begin to come back to life, revealing that they hail from a realm where angels fight for power, it becomes clear that an epic battle between good and evil is at play, one threatening the very future of humanity.

I’m not entirely sure what’s going on with the page numbering and so on with Thomas Fenton’s Dominion, as the versions of each volume on Amazon have only around 50 pages, though elsewhere they consistently get shown as 150 pages. The cover images match the cover images for the versions with 150 pages, so… it’s just weird.

So hopefully what I’m reading isn’t just a fragment missing the last two thirds, but I can only read what’s available, in any case. Volume one of Dominion feels fairly typical: the beginning is a little confusing, but then it switches to the point of view of a young cop, who quickly gets drawn into a conflict involving angels (and gains strange powers as a result).

That’s about as far as this first volume goes, with the conflict wrapped around the story of child kidnappings that gets the cops involved. I’m curious where it’s going, but it feels like I’ve seen this story around before… several times.

Still, I’ll be picking up the next volume to see what the author does with the setup, so though I’m fairly lukewarm, it’s not that the story wasĀ bad.

Rating: 2/5

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Review – Summers End

Posted July 21, 2024 by Nicky in Reviews / 0 Comments

Review – Summers End

Summers End

Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Mystery
Pages: 265
Series: Shady Hollow #5
Rating: four-stars
Synopsis:

A unique take on dark academia, featuring everyoneā€™s favorite vulpine sleuth, Vera Vixen.

Itā€™s late August in Shady Hollow, and the heat has intrepid reporter Vera Vixen eager to get away. She agrees to chaperone the annual field trip to Summers End, an ancient tomb built by an early woodland culture, along with her good friend Lenore Lee to come with her.

But when the two enter the tomb, they find bones that are distinctly moreā€¦modern. Digging a little deeper, Vera and Lenore discover that the deceased was involved in a recent excavation at the site, and very unpopular with their colleagues. Now the fox and raven have to delve into the dark world of academia and archaeology to determine which creature thought they were clever enough to get away with the perfect murder.

Summers End is the latest in Juneau Black’s Shady Hollow series, and it takes the story out of the immediate environs of Shady Hollow, to a nearby archaeological site which has obvious analogues with sites like Stonehenge and Newgrange: it’s both a tomb and a calendar, surrounded by ritual and stories. Vera and Lenore are there to chaperone some kids to see the site and learn about it, and have a little bit of a holiday.

And of course there’s a murder, and of course Vera Vixen has to be in on it — not least because, predictably, someone important to her is involved (if only by proxy). We learn a little more about Lenore, and about her sister, who ends up accused of the murder. It’s a neat way of taking us out of Shady Hollow and ensuring that it doesn’t feel too much like the supposedly friendly little town is rife with crime (same with the previous book, which turned out to be a very different sort of crime).

I enjoyed the setting, though the dramatic denouement started pushing into being a little too much. I was surprised that we didn’t see more of Orville, but on reflection it’s actually quite nice to still see Vera operating separately — she’s an independent fox, and while she enjoys partnering up with Orville (inasfar as that’s appropriate given she’s aĀ reporter, not part of the police), it’s nice to see her going solo. Or, as in this case, with her own sidekick.

If the other books in the series leave you cold, I doubt this’ll change things, but I found it a fun installment.

Rating: 4/5

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Review – The Winter Prince

Posted July 17, 2024 by Nicky in Reviews / 0 Comments

Review – The Winter Prince

The Winter Prince

by Elizabeth E. Wein

Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fiction
Pages: 216
Series: The Lion Hunters #1
Rating: four-stars
Synopsis:

The story of Medraut - strong, skilled, daring, and never to be king...

Medraut is the eldest son of Artos, high king of Britain; and, but for an accident of birth, would-be heir to the throne. Instead, his younger half-brother, Lleu, is chosen to be prince of Britain. Lleu is fragile, often ill, unskilled in weaponry and statesmanship, and childishly afraid of the dark. Even Lleu's twin sister, Goewin, seems more suited to rule the kingdom.

Medraut cannot bear to be commanded and contradicted by this weakling brother who he feels has usurped his birthright and his father's favor. Torn and bitter, haunted by jealousy, self-doubt, and thwarted ambition, he joins Morgause, the high king's treacherous sister, in a plot to force Artos to forfeit his power and kingdom in exchange for Lleu's life. But this plot soon proves to be much more - a battlefield on which Medraut is forced to decide, for good or evil, where his own allegiance truly lies...

It’s really hard to know what to say about Elizabeth E. Wein’s The Winter Prince, because I’m still muddling through what I think about it — even though I’ve read it before. It’s an Arthurian story, written from the point of view of Medraut, reflecting largely on his relationship with his brother (Arthur’s legitimate son), Lleu, and his relationship with his mother, Morgause. Morgause haunts the story, scarring Medraut’s mind as much as on his body.

In a way, a good quarter of the narrative feels like a fever dream (which makes sense, given that Medraut literally has a fever throughout most of it). The relationship between Lleu and Medraut never entirely makes sense, fraught with jealousy and hurt and anger, weighted by things that shouldn’t be said (and which Lleu says anyway).

It’s beautifully written, and the darkness of Morgause’s hold over Medraut is well done. Nobody here is a particularly good person, with a streak of cruelty deep in them all (some of the things Artos does and says to Medraut are not just). As an examination of that cruelty, it’s powerful.

I don’t know if it quite comes together for me fully, but I remember loving the following books quite a lot, and I’m looking forward to revisiting.

Rating: 4/5

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Review – In Deeper Waters

Posted July 12, 2024 by Nicky in Reviews / 0 Comments

Review – In Deeper Waters

In Deeper Waters

by F.T. Lukens

Genres: Fantasy, Romance
Pages: 307
Rating: three-stars
Synopsis:

A young prince must rely on a mysterious stranger to save him when he is kidnapped during his coming-of-age tour in this swoony adventure that is The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue meets Pirates of the Caribbean.

Prince Tal has long awaited his coming-of-age tour. After spending most of his life cloistered behind palace walls as he learns to keep his forbidden magic secret, he can finally see his family's kingdom for the first time. His first taste of adventure comes just two days into the journey, when their crew discovers a mysterious prisoner on a burning derelict vessel.

Tasked with watching over the prisoner, Tal is surprised to feel an intense connection with the roguish Athlen. So when Athlen leaps overboard and disappears, Tal feels responsible and heartbroken, knowing Athlen could not have survived in the open ocean.

That is, until Tal runs into Athlen days later on dry land, very much alive, and as charming--and secretive--as ever. But before they can pursue anything further, Tal is kidnapped by pirates and held ransom in a plot to reveal his rumored powers and instigate a war. Tal must escape if he hopes to save his family and the kingdom. And Athlen might just be his only hope...

F.T. Lukens’Ā In Deeper Waters is a fun story in which (spoilers ahead, kind of, but they’re mild and obvious ones) a prince falls in love with a merman, while struggling with his own hidden magic. There’s a bit of a Little Mermaid retelling woven in with Tal’s story, giving Athlen some background and helping round out the denouement.

It’s a quick read and obviously not really aimed at an adult fantasy reader, so it’d be unfair for me to judge it by the same yardstick as I would a book aimed at my usual reading tastes. For me, the romance all felt a bit quick and superficial (though very like my memories of being a teen), and the fast pace made the danger and peril seem pretty low-key (even though it’s life and death for Tal).

I did like Tal’s relationships with his siblings, which felt genuinely warm, but felt the theme of the royal family’s treatment of their people was very lightly treated and could’ve gone further. It’s made clear to Tal that something’s up, but it’s like his one gesture fixes that problem and it slides into the background.

World-building wise, there’s nothing here that isn’t required for the story, giving it a bit of an empty feeling round the edges of the map. Again, that’s probably asking too much of what this book is meant to do. Bottom line is that it was a fun quick read, all the same!

Rating: 3/5

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Review – Murder on the Titania & Other Steam-Powered Adventures

Posted July 2, 2024 by Nicky in Reviews / 0 Comments

Review – Murder on the Titania & Other Steam-Powered Adventures

Murder on the Titania & Other Steam-Powered Adventures

by Alex Acks

Genres: Fantasy
Pages: 286
Rating: three-stars
Synopsis:

Captain Marta Ramos, the most notorious pirate in the Duchy of Denver, has her hands full between fascinating murder mysteries, the delectable and devious Deliah Nimowitz, Colonel Geoffrey Douglas (the Duke of Denverā€™s new head of security), a spot of airship engineering and her usual activities: piracy, banditry and burglary. Not to mention the horror of high society tea parties. In contrast, Simms, her second in command, longs only for a quiet life, filled with tasty sausages and fewer explosions. Or does he? Join Captain Ramos, Simms and their crew as they negotiate the perils of air, land and drawing room in a series of fast-paced adventures in a North America that never was.

Murder on the Titania and Other Steam-Powered Adventures includes 4 novellas and a short story about piracy, banditry, burglary, jail-breaking, several brilliant bits of detective work and all manner of otherwise lawless hijinks performed by the valiant Captain Ramos and her crew.

Alex Acks’ Murder on the TitaniaĀ is a collection of shorts featuring the same two main characters: Captain Marta Ramos and her second-in-command, Simms. They’re pirates and thieves, but Captain Ramos has an interest in murder — solving it, not committing it. The first story is rather oddly from a different third-person limited point of view, and sits a bit oddly with the others where the hero is more clearly Marta, though it doesn’t make for a bad introduction to the world.

It’s a fun enough collection of stories, with a bit of the Sherlock Holmes archetype about Marta Ramos, though Simms doesn’t quite fit into the Watson mould.

The world around the story is kind of sketched in, which was a bit disappointing. There’s clearly some stuff going on there and thoughts that have gone into it, but… we don’t see a lot of it.

Very distracting to have a Duke of Denver, by the way. That’s Lord Wimsey, y’know — and Gerald is an ass, but he’s not that much of an ass. Peter simply wouldn’t allow it.

Rating: 3/5

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Review – A Mirror Mended

Posted June 19, 2024 by Nicky in Reviews / 0 Comments

Review – A Mirror Mended

A Mirror Mended

by Alix E. Harrow

Genres: Fantasy
Pages: 128
Series: Fractured Fairytales #2
Rating: three-stars
Synopsis:

Zinnia Gray, professional fairy-tale fixer and lapsed Sleeping Beauty is over rescuing snoring princesses. Once youā€™ve rescued a dozen damsels and burned fifty spindles, once youā€™ve gotten drunk with twenty good fairies and made out with one too many members of the royal family, you start to wish some of these girls would just get a grip and try solving their own narrative issues.

Just when Zinniaā€™s beginning to think she can't handle one more princess, she glances into a mirror and sees another face looking back at her: the shockingly gorgeous face of evil, asking for her help. Because thereā€™s more than one person trapped in a story they didnā€™t choose. Snow White's Evil Queen has found out how her story ends and she's desperate for a better ending. She wants Zinnia to help her before itā€™s too late for everyone.

Will Zinnia accept the Queen's poisonous request, and save them both from the hot iron shoes that wait for them, or will she try another path?

A Mirror Mended follows more or less straight on fromĀ A Spindle Splintered, and Alix E. Harrow doesn’t give you a lot of background or reminding about the first book — they’re probably best read back-to-back. They don’t follow straight on in time, but they might as well: part of the issue inĀ A Spindle SplinteredĀ is that Zinnia hasn’t really thought about what the events of the previous book mean for her. She’s running, still.

I found it all somewhat less, well, charming, without Charm so actively in the mix somehow — her love for Zinnia, her determination to help her, is a really strong part of the appeal. She’s not gone, of course, but for the majority of the story she’s in the background, and Zinnia is trying really hard not to think about her too much.

The romance in this book feels aĀ little too speedy, though I think it could’ve worked for me with a bit more time. I still enjoyed what Harrow did with the meta nature of the story, though, and it’s a fun read.

Rating: 3/5

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