Tag: books

Top Ten Tuesday

Posted March 1, 2016 by Nicky in General / 10 Comments

This week’s theme is Top Ten Books for if you’re in the mood for [x]. I’m gonna go with complex fantasy worlds!

Cover of Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay Cover of The Bards of Bone Plain by Patricia A. McKillip Cover of The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson Cover of A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan Cover of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke

  1. Tigana, Guy Gavriel Kay. All kinds of stuff here — politics, magic, storytelling, music, love…
  2. The Bards of Bone Plain, Patricia A. McKillip. Gorgeous, and lots to bite into.
  3. The Traitor Baru Cormorant, Seth J. Dickinson. If you’re sick of fantasy stories in which queer people suffer, maybe not, but I love the fact that this makes being an accountant seem exciting.
  4. A Natural History of Dragons, Marie Brennan. Dragons! In a semi-historical-ish setting. Just read it; I love it.
  5. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, Susanna Clarke. I know it’s a hell of a read, but there’s a lot of rich detail, careful characterisation, as well as throwbacks to Victorian fiction.
  6. California Bones, Greg van Eekhout. Unusual magic system? Got it right here!
  7. Warbreaker, Brandon Sanderson. I’d say Elantris, but I’ve somehow started and not finished reading that twice now. Either of these books seems to have very intriguing settings, though.
  8. Sunshine, Robin McKinley. Want vampires, only actually weird? Magic? Alternate world post-apocalyptic stuff? Go!
  9. Assassin’s Apprentice, Robin Hobb. Okay, it’s the start of an epic series which shows no sign of closing, but come on. Here Fitz is endearingly young and things are not, yet, quite as dark as they will get…
  10. Magician, Raymond E. Feist. Makes this list from pure nostalgia, really — Arutha searching for the cure for Anita in Silverthorn was just, oh, the most romantic thing when I was a teen. Also a major major epic world, with a lot going on.

Cover of California Bones by Greg van Eekhout Cover of Warbreaker, by Brandon Sanderson Cover of Sunshine by Robin McKinley Cover of Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb Cover of Magician by Raymond E. Feist

What would you add to my list? Gonna try anything I’ve included?

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Review – Sunset Mantle

Posted February 29, 2016 by Nicky in Reviews / 2 Comments

Cover of Sunset Mantle by Alter S. ReissSunset Mantle, Alter S. Reiss

I’ve always enjoyed epic fantasy (as a genre, anyway; there are probably individual stories I’ve disliked), so I was excited to see Sunset Mantle in Tor.com’s novella lineup described as such — and doubly encouraged by Jo Walton’s endorsement on the cover. Epic fantasy has such a problem of scope sometimes: you need the world to feel huge, while also giving intimacy with a handful of characters, to make both the setting and the plot work together. Sometimes that makes a book balloon out into multi-volume epics like Steven Erikson’s Malazan books, or George R.R. Martin’s Westeros novels.

So I was very intrigued to see what someone would do without a pre-established world, within the slim confines of a novella. And I think Alter S. Reiss does a pretty good job of sketching in a wider society: tribes, clans, reaches, links both economic and feudal, with politics that dictate what happens in this story while also hinting at greater complexities. There’s the ‘madding’, too — some kind of battle rage, and a system of customs surrounding it which aren’t explained fully, but which shape the circumstances of the story. And Reiss does indeed keep it to a handful of characters: really just Cete, the first character we meet, and Marelle, the blind woman whose embroidery work enchants him, and with whom he falls in love.

If military fantasy is your thing, the battles and the training are here: Cete has to work to pound his unit into shape, to make them work together (of course), and there’s two major battle scenes. I think the only battle scenes I can think of that are evoked more clearly are some in Bernard Cornwell’s The Winter King; the clash of the enemy lines is present in both, and there’s a real idea of the sweat and muck and blood and terror.

I suppose the only unsatisfying note is that we don’t know how the politics continue to play out, how Cete and Marelle weather the changes, and whether Cete ever really receives the rewards he deserves. And really, I do want to know: having got this invested in Cete and Marelle, I want to know what happens, whether they have children, and whether those children come to inherit, and — and — and —

Rating: 4/5

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Review – The Winner’s Curse

Posted February 28, 2016 by Nicky in Reviews / 6 Comments

Cover of The Winner's Curse by Marie RutkoskiThe Winner’s Curse, Marie Rutkoski

I avoided The Winner’s Curse for far too long because something about it just put me off — the pretty lady in the dress on the cover, maybe? The fact that I vaguely associated it with Kiera Cass’ The Selection somehow (similar cover aesthetic + the idea of winning/losing something?) and that doesn’t really appeal to me? In any case, I did read the first page… and then the first chapter… while sat on the floor in a bookshop in Belgium. At which point I decided I’d better buy it before someone came to scold me in Flemish and I had to reveal I knew not a word of the language. (Or worse, had to employ my terrible A Level French.)

When I did read it, wow. Okay, there are some issues, I think, which have been articulated in reviews like this one, which discusses the portrayal of slavery. I think the book does touch a little bit on some of those questions, and the sequel definitely seems to so far, but it is fairly light. Can people ever be friends when the question of ownership lies between them? Can there be love?

I love Kestrel. I love that she’s strong and capable, but not necessarily physically. I think my initial reaction to friends is worth quoting: “I love that Kestrel is strong because she’s a strategist, and not because she can break all your bones or shoot you in the eye socket like Katsa (Graceling) or Katniss (The Hunger Games). I love that she’s a musician and she’s afraid of her hands being ruined. I love the relationship between her and her father: trusting, loving, but also tentative. (I’ve read a spoiler and I’m not sure if I even believe how it’s going to work out, wtf.) And while I don’t majorly ship Arin and Kestrel, I do believe in the push-pull connection between them.”

Arin… I’m less sold on. His emotions are powerful and sometimes contradictory; I sometimes wanted more time spent in his head to really understand what was going on. When he talks about things Kestrel had no idea about — like him being whipped the day before she takes him with her as an escort — I didn’t see anything hinting specifically at that myself, so it felt like a spurious reason to resent her. Which also would make sense with their relationship, but…

I do love the faintly Greek/Roman setting to the way the world of The Winner’s Curse is set up here; it definitely feels like that rather than generic medieval Europe, which is always refreshing.

So yeah, eagerly going onto the second book; super glad I have the ARC of the last book.

Rating: 4/5

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Review – Courage is the Price

Posted February 27, 2016 by Nicky in Reviews / 0 Comments

Cover of Courage is the Price by Lynn E. O'ConnachtCourage is the Price, Lynn E. O’Connacht

Disclaimer: I know Lynn pretty well. I did buy the book myself, now available in a print copy! But I do know her, and my blog is actually hosted by her.

That said, it doesn’t much affect my review. I mostly liked Courage is the Price: I liked that Rue has anxiety and that it shapes the story profoundly; that Rue has to face that fact and figure out how to work around it, how to help her friend despite it. I liked that she’s pretty privileged and that, up to the point of the story, people have pretty much allowed her anxiety to run wild by keeping her sheltered.

And Priti, a supporting character who becomes Rue’s friend, is awesome too. Casually trans, poorer than Rue, and more aware of the world — and willing to reach out and help Rue get over that kind of thing, even though they’re both bullied at school.

The background is cool too: the spaceship colony world, the ‘imaginary friend’ who turns out to be just a different sort of being and quite, quite real, and indeed suffering her own struggles. I wasn’t a major fan of Ghost herself, because I know that all the methods she was using to cajole Rue out of her anxiety are ones which don’t work, and that she let herself be an excuse for Rue not to seek out anyone else. And, of course, that she didn’t tell Rue who and what she was, or even anything about her and why it would be bad for the two of them to have so close a bond.

Rue’s anxiety takes up a lot of the story, plus her strained relationship with her parents, who don’t really want the daughter they’ve got and expected someone quite different. That sometimes makes the pacing drag a little for me — especially since I know darn well what a panic attack feels like, and was torn between sympathy and wishing I could shake Rue out of it. Probably a personal frustration there: it’s difficult for me to see someone, even a fictional someone, doing things which I know actually fuel anxiety and make you more afraid in the end.

It’s a fun novella, anyway, and I’d like to see more of the world, and of Priti. Rue is… not my favourite character ever (sorry Lynn), but she does grow and change and learn, and maybe towards the end she’s becoming a more interesting character. But really, gimme more Priti!

Rating: 4/5

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Stacking the Shelves

Posted February 27, 2016 by Nicky in General / 22 Comments

Yay, Saturday! I should probably be doing my assignment, so you can probably expect tons of comments today from me.

Books bought

Cover of A Matter of Oaths by Helen S. Wright Cover of The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski Cover of Unnatural Habits by Kerry Greenwood Cover of Murder and Mendelssohn by Kerry Greenwood

I picked up Helen Wright’s book after a chat/recommendations thread on Twitter, and of course I had to grab The Winner’s Crime before I could read The Winner’s Kiss. I did pick up a couple of other books for my permanent collection, too, but all ones I’ve already read and often even had as ebooks. And, hurrah! My Phryne Fisher collection is complete, as I have quietly amassed the other books I originally borrowed, too.

Received to review:

Cover of The Wolf in the Attic by Paul Kearney

Read this week:

Cover of Sunset Mantle by Alter S. Reiss Cover of The Story of Kullervo by J.R.R. Tolkien Cover of The Wicked + The Divine Vol 3 by Jamie McKelvie and Kieron Gillen

Cover of An Atlas of Tolkien by David Day Cover of The Perilous Gard by Elizabeth Marie Pope Cover of An Earthly Knight by Janet McNoughton

Reviews this week:
Shiver, by Maggie Stiefvater. I wasn’t as impressed as I hoped, but I did enjoy it, and Stiefvater definitely has a great touch with atmosphere. 3/5 stars
Dead Man’s Embers, by Mari Strachan. Set in Wales in the aftermath of the Great War, this isn’t exactly the most cheerful read, but very well written. 4/5 stars
Ms Marvel: Last Days, by G. Willow Wilson & Adrian Alphona. The Amazing Spider-man stuff included is pure filler, but there’s good development of Kamala and her close friends/family in the main part. 4/5 stars
City of Blades, by Robert Jackson Bennett. No surprise here that I was bowled over. Just as good as the first book. 5/5 stars
Rebel of the Sands, by Alwyn Hamilton. I wasn’t as wowed as everyone else seems to be, but it’s definitely enjoyable and I love the setting. 3/5 stars
Old Man’s War, by John Scalzi. A very fun reread, gotta love the main character’s snarky voice. Light, but satisfying. 4/5 stars
Flashback Friday: A Canticle for Leibowitz, by Walter M. Miller Jr. A classic by now, I called this book a ‘wry smile at humanity’s expense’. 4/5 stars

Other posts:
Giveaway: A Gathering of Shadows. Slide in under the wire and get a chance to win one of two copies of V.E. Schwab’s new book.
The Comfort Zone. A discussion about what might constitute my comfort zone (and a resolution to, perhaps, push out of it).
Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Enjoyed That I Didn’t Expect To. Kind of ties in with the comfort zone discussion, since I had trouble identifying what mine is, and that was the original prompt.

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Review – A Canticle for Leibowitz

Posted February 26, 2016 by Nicky in Reviews / 0 Comments

Cover of A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller JrA Canticle for Leibowitz, Walter M. Miller Jr.

Originally reviewed 29th January, 2013

I’ve been meaning to read this for, literally, years. I’m glad I finally got round to it. I was expecting something a bit more dry, I think, but actually A Canticle for Leibowitz is full of humour. There’s a lot of dark themes, yes, but there’s also a sort of understanding of human nature. A wry smile at our own expense.

How convincing you find it might depend on whether you believe the underlying idea: that we are more or less doomed to repeat history over and over. I don’t believe that, not really, but there is something painfully true in Canticle as well. It might also depend on your relationship to religion, which is very much central to the book — centred as it is around a monastery — although it treats that fairly lightly in some ways, and notes the ironies that creep in. The veneration, for example, of a man for all the wrong reasons.

One part that really made me uncomfortable is in the last section, which is a lot darker. Suddenly I was forced to question what the characters stood for, whether I stood with them. The whole debate about euthanasia for a child with radiation sickness — that made me feel ill, because I do believe in euthanasia, I don’t believe that pointless suffering should be prolonged and I don’t believe that any deity worth believing in would think so. But that, on reflection, is no bad thing — because despite the light touch, the wry smile, there’s a lot to think about here.

Rating: 4/5

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Review – Old Man’s War

Posted February 25, 2016 by Nicky in Reviews / 4 Comments

Cover of Old Man's War by John ScalziOld Man’s War, John Scalzi

Old Man’s War was a reread, since when I read The Human Division, I didn’t entirely remember all the politics and so on, and decided I’d reread before I read The End of All Things. Besides, Scalzi’s books are good fun, and Ryan @ SpecFic Junkie was reading the books recently and encouraged me to do my reread too. So it was more or less irresistible, and definitely inevitable.

Old Man’s War is a fun ride: lightly written, with moments of pathos and depth as well. You get the aftermath of the main character losing his wife, you get the characters dealing with being thrown into a vicious war, you get them dealing with losing friends and comrades… It touches on humanity, what might make you inhuman, and identity. But there’s also plenty to laugh at, and John Perry is always ready with a smartass comment. “How are you feeling?” he’s asked, after a crash which ripped his body practically to shreds, and time spent regrowing his limbs in a tank.

“Broken up,” he replies.

There’s also interesting aliens and a wider world glimpsed around the edges, which don’t get dealt with as such here, but which play into later books — human vs alien politics, the situation on Earth, specific alien races which Perry’s units get involved with to a greater or lesser extent… And the Ghost Brigades, which become the main topic of the next book, especially reflect upon identity and embodiment.

A thought which occurs in closing: John Perry has the same first name as Scalzi, goes into the military and right away does well and gets promoted, makes the right decision in split seconds during battle situations, even manages to join a special unit and acquit himself well with them even though he has nothing like the same training and way of thinking, he always has the right sarcastic quip…

And I just checked on two people who I knew read both this and David Weber’s Honor Harrington (naming no names on who). Honor is apparently a Mary Sue for being a career soldier who does well in a difficult situation. John Perry is apparently just awesome, and perfectly believable. An ‘everyman’, even.

If that’s not ingrained sexism, I’m a bunny rabbit.

Rating: 4/5

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Review – Rebel of the Sands

Posted February 24, 2016 by Nicky in Reviews / 2 Comments

Cover of Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn HamiltonRebel of the Sands, Alwyn Hamilton

I think Rebel of the Sands is starting to get rather hyped, for its unusual combination of Eastern-type magic (Djinn) and setting (desert) and Western-type attitudes (gunslinging). It opens very strongly, immediately establishing Amani’s voice, and immediately introducing us to the kind of world she’s in, as well as one of the other main characters (and it is obvious their meeting is no coincidence and has a greater plot meaning). My immediate guesses on the plot weren’t bad, but I was a little out on several points, which speaks well of the way things were structured and set up — easy to follow, with the capacity to surprise, while every step and hint is clear in retrospect.

The world-building is pretty fascinating: the meeting of technology and magic, and the melding of attitudes toward both. The Eastern/Western mixture works surprisingly well and feels natural, rather than as if someone pasted the two together for a gimmick.

I wasn’t absolutely bowled over, though; the pacing to me seemed a little off, and the connection between Jin and Amani seemed to grow at least as much in off-page exchanges as on-page scenes. The pace certainly never stalls, but sometimes I could have done with a scene or two extra, so that the flow of the story and the flow of time aligned more. There were sections where I think days and weeks passed, but only a paragraph or two? I liked that the relationship between Jin and Amani grew slowly time wise, but it didn’t always feel as if we saw that growth happening.

Rebel of the Sands is definitely inventive and fast paced, and I’m looking forward to the next book. For a debut, it’s pretty amazing. I’m wavering about the rating, but I feel I’m just not enthusiastic enough to give it a four. But for sheer enthusiasm, Charnell @ Reviews from a Bookworm and Cait @ Paper Fury have you covered…

Rating: 3/5

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Review – City of Blades

Posted February 23, 2016 by Nicky in Reviews / 2 Comments

Cover of City of Blades by Robert Jackson BennettCity of Blades, Robert Jackson Bennett

I originally received this to review, and then a friend brought me a US edition of the paperback so I had matching ones. Yay! Don’t be fooled by the UK cover on this post; it’s just because that’s the version I had first. So if you read my recent review of City of Stairs, you’re probably not surprised at all to find that I loved City of Blades. The writing remains incredibly strong, and instead of resting on his laurels and giving us more of Shara, Bennett takes a supporting character from the first book and takes us to a different part of the world. We do get recurring characters — quite a bit of Sigrud, a few glimpses of Shara — and the Battle of Bulikov has a profound effect on the plot, but Turyin Mulaghesh really takes the stage.

Which is just fine with me, since she’s an amazing character. City of Blades gives us a lot more depth on that character: what made her the way she is, what drives her, what she fears, why she serves and when she’ll rebel. Her interplay with Sigrud and Shara is fun because it gives us a new perspective on them, too, and her relationship with new characters like Signe and Biswal allows us instantly to care (though not necessarily feel favourably toward them!).

And the plot, well. Again, Divinities are a key issue, which should surprise no one — and dead is not always quite dead when there are still miracles around. The mystery aspect revolves around a Divinity we haven’t met yet, but Mulaghesh’s experiences in Bulikov (and Sigrud’s knowledge of the Divine) is instrumental in figuring things out.

I don’t think I can actually say more without spoilers, so suffice it to say that City of Blades is just as awesome as City of Stairs, and a bit more heartrending into the bargain.

Rating: 5/5

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Top Ten Tuesday

Posted February 23, 2016 by Nicky in General / 10 Comments

This week’s theme from The Broke and the Bookish is about books you’ve enjoyed recently that weren’t in your typical genre. Well, I’m not sure I have a typical genre, so I’m going to go with books I didn’t think I was going to enjoy quite as much as I did!

Cover of Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo Cover of Miss Phryne Fisher Investigates by Kerry Greenwood Cover of Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie Cover of The Mirror Empire by Kameron Hurley Cover of The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart

  1. Shadow and Bone, Leigh Bardugo. From what I’d read about the Russian-ish setting and so on, and the liking other people had for the Bad Boy Darkling, I was really prepared to dislike this. And then I read it in an hour. Oops.
  2. Cocaine Blues, Kerry Greenwood. I tried to read it once before, and bounced off with many complaints about the writing. Then in the last year I had another go and… loved it and devoured all the books as fast as I could get my hands on them.
  3. Ancillary Justice, Ann Leckie. Okay, everyone told me I’d love it, but after my partner wasn’t 100% sold on it, I was a bit doubtful.
  4. The Mirror Empire, Kameron Hurley. Same with this one. My partner didn’t even finish this one, I think.
  5. The Crystal Cave, Mary Stewart. This was another reread job — the first time I read it, the misogyny really set my teeth on age. I appreciated it more the second time.
  6. The Mirror World of Melody Black, Gavin Extence. I was fully prepared for this to be a disappointment after how much I loved The Universe Versus Alex Woods, and especially after seeing some early reviews. They were all wrong. It was great.
  7. The Accident Season, Moira Fowley-Doyle. It just… didn’t seem like the kind of YA read that was gonna be my thing. And then I four-starred it.
  8. A Taste of Blood Wine, Freda Warrington. I expected silly indulgent vampires. I got a lusciously indulgent vampire story that didn’t dodge the issues, nor humanise the monsters.
  9. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, Ransom Riggs. This either looked too creepy or too young for me, but I ate it and the second book up.
  10. The Traitor Baru Cormorant, Seth Dickinson. After the complaints about the queer tragedy and appropriation and such, I expected to be horrified. Instead, I loved it.

Cover of The Mirror World of Melody Black by Gavin Extence Cover of The Accident Season by Moira Fowley-Doyle Cover of A Taste of Blood Wine by Freda Warrington Cover of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs Cover of The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson

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