Category: Fantasy

Fallen Gods by James A. Moore

On By The Unseen LibraryIn FantasyLeave a comment

Fallen Gods Cover

Publisher: Angry Robot

Publication Date – 2 January 2018

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Those looking for a fast-paced action fantasy adventure to really get the blood pumping should prepare themselves for Fallen Gods, the latest novel from one of the leading authors in dark fantasy, James A. Moore.

Brogan McTyre, former soldier of the Kingdom of Stennis Brae, is a damned man.  After the Grakhul, the servants of his world’s cruel gods, took his entire family, Brogan risked everything to save them from being sacrificed.  Although he failed, his actions resulted in the disruption of sacred rites, a desecration he compounded by killing or enslaving all of the Grakhul.  Now with the gods angered beyond all belief, their dark heralds, the He-Kisshu, have unleased terrible storms and intense acts of destruction across the Five Kingdoms.  The only way they will stop the destruction and avert armageddon is with the sacrifice of Brogan and his companions.

Now Brogan and his men, including his loyal second-in-command, Harper Ruttket, are being hunted.  Everyone is out to capture them – not just the servants of the gods but anyone seeking to survive the oncoming destruction.  As Brogan and his men flee across the Five Kingdoms, their adversaries start to become more powerful and demonic in nature, and not even an army of mercenaries will be able to save them.  Their only hope might be an item of immense power: a sword containing the heart of a slain god hidden within the Broken Mountains.

Elsewhere, Myridia the Grakhul leads her remaining sisters to salvation while trying to avoid the shadowy Night People hunting them.  Niall Leraby and Tully, two freed former sacrifices, seek safety in Niall’s home city of Edinrun but find it already in the grips of an intense magical madness.  Brogan’s former king, Bron McNar, and his fellow rulers of the Five Kingdoms must find a way to appease the gods before their lands and people are completely destroyed.  Beron the slaver seeks revenge against Brogan and the men who brought the wrath of the gods down on him and his people.  But Beron is serving a darker master; one who may prove to be an even greater threat to the world then the gods.

As the world he knows breaks down around him, can Brogan claim the power he needs to survive, and will it be enough to stop the utter chaos he has unleashed?

James A Moore is a renowned author of dark fantasy and horror who has written more than 40 books in his career.  Some of his previous works include the Serenity Falls trilogy, the Seven Forges series and the Subject Seven series.  Fallen Gods is the second book in The Tides of War series and is the sequel to his 2017 action extravaganza, The Last Sacrifice.

This is a perfect book for readers who are looking for an action-packed adventure story.  Moore has made sure to include a large number of varied battles and fight sequences through this book, as well as several other intense action scenes.  These action sequences are also enhanced by the author’s use of crazy and inventive fantasy creatures that are encountered by the book’s characters.  In addition to the unique creatures that Moore introduced in the previous book in this series, the characters within Fallen Gods are also forced to contend with numerous new creatures and opponents.  Not only do they encounter rampaging gods, magically powered soldiers and maddened slavers, they are also forced to contend with corrupted and demonically mutated Grakhuls and He-Kissus that are even more freaky than the original versions.  As a result, this is an extremely fun dark fantasy book than contains enough action to excite any reader with a pulse.

As soon as a reader starts Fallen Gods it will quickly become obvious that there is a lot going on within this book.  Moore makes use of several recurring narrators throughout the books and is constantly implementing quick-fire changes between them.  Each of the narrators has their own unique storyline filled with their own side characters and adventures throughout different parts of Moore’s fantasy world.  There are also several interludes told from the perspectives of minor characters and groups away from the story’s main characters.  Whilst many of these interludes contain key plot points and set up later scenes with one or more of the main characters, a number have been included to explore the rest of the Five Kingdoms.  In particular, they show how a range of different characters are experiencing the wrath of the gods and the associated destruction, as well as the various ways in which they are attempting to survive.  Moore does a great job of tying the varied storylines and interludes together at the end of the book, as most of the main and minor characters have been subtly placed in or have had their focus turned towards a singular location where they will all meet up.  As a result, Moore is able to showcase large portions of his fantasy landscape to the reader whilst also expanding on his fascinating narrative of a world suffering divine punishment and the craziness that results.

While there are a number of positives to Moore having such a huge range of narrators and storylines, Fallen Gods does seem a bit overcrowded at the start.  However, readers should be reassured that each of the individual storylines is very easy to follow and they should have no problem viewing all of the storylines together as one cohesive and enjoyable plot.  That being said, new readers could possibly benefit from starting with the first book in the series, The Last Sacrifice.  While Moore does a really good job of explaining the vast majority of the book’s story elements, there are one or two features that may confuse new readers when they are first introduced.  Most of these are eventually explained later in the book, so readers will only be in the dark for a short period of time.  However, there is at least one plot element that originated within The Last Sacrifice which could prove to be slightly confusing to the uninitiated.  That said, if a reader wishes to start their exploration of this series with Fallen Gods, they should have no problem enjoying this excellent action adventure.

Overall, this is an exciting and highly charged book that makes the most of its dark fantasy premise.  Readers will love the overarching story of a world experiencing the wrath of its vengeful gods, which Moore masterfully tells with his huge range of narrators and point-of-view characters.  This is a fantastic sequel to The Last Sacrifice, and I can’t wait to see what madness occurs in the next instalment of this series.

My Rating:

Four stars

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Season of Storms by Andrzej Sapkowski

On By The Unseen LibraryIn English Translation, Fantasy6 Comments

Season of Storms Cover

Publication: Gollancz

English Edition Translated by David A. French

Publication Date – 19 April 2018

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The legendary Andrzej Sapkowski returns with a fun and exhilarating addition to one of the best fantasy franchises to ever come out of Europe, The Witcher.

Geralt of Rivia is a Witcher, a powerful mutant tasked with protecting ordinary people from the monsters that infest the various kingdoms and lands of the Continent.  Witchers wield a range of weapons in the fight against evil, from magical signs to powerful potions.  However, their main weapons are two swords: one made of steel, the other made of silver.  These swords are a symbol of status for a Witcher and are irreplaceable.

However, after being falsely arrested by corrupt city guards, Geralt’s swords disappear, having been stolen by unknown thieves.  Upon his release, Geralt will move heaven and earth to reclaim his weapons.  But all manner of people desire the weapons of a Witcher, and his search only throws up false leads.

The theft could not have come at a worse time.  In order to obtain his freedom, Geralt is coerced by the sorceress known as Coral into hunting a demon around the sorcerer stronghold of Rissberg.  Geralt must determine who among the fortress’s scheming sorcerers is summoning the demon forth, and stop their rampage.  At the same time, he and his old friend Dandelion must contend with the various plots taking place within the court of the King of Kerack as his heirs battle for power.

Can Geralt contend with the foes set against him, or will the loss of his faithful swords result in his destruction?

Sapkowski is one of the most popular and well-known writers of fantasy fiction in Central and Eastern Europe, where his books have achieved a cult following.  Sapkowski is best known for The Witcher series of books.  This series, which was mostly written in the 1990s, focuses on the monster hunter Geralt of Rivia and his adventures throughout Sapkowski’s dark fantasy landscape.  These books served as the basis for the popular video game series of the same name, which is how many people would be familiar with Sapkowski’s characters and stories.  The Witcher books were also adapted into both a movie and television series in Poland, called The Hexer, and Netflix has recently commissioned a new American television series based on the books, also called The Witcher, which is currently in the early stages of production.

Season of Storms is the latest The Witcher book Sapkowski has released.  It was originally published in 2013 in Polish, but an English translation of the book has only just been published.  This is a standalone book that is set between some of Sapkowski’s original short stories which were captured in his second book, The Last Wish.  While Season of Storms is a standalone book, it does contain a number of hints to some The Witcher stories chronologically set after it.  It also features a number of characters from the other books in the series, including a series of interludes that focus on Nimue, who appeared in two previous books and who many may recognise as the Lady of the Lake of Arthurian legends.  The scenes featuring Nimue in Season of Storms are set more than a hundred years after the rest of The Witcher books and contain some potential hints about the eventual fate of the series’ main characters, as well as some cryptic discussions between characters that could be open to some interesting interpretations.  As a result, people who have read the other books in the franchise will really appreciate Season of Storms for these call-backs and references.  However, while the book may be especially appealing to past readers, it is also a perfect place for readers unfamiliar with Sapkowski’s work to get started, as it does not rely on other books in the series for plot details.

Sapkowski continues to explore his fantastic fantasy world in this latest book, as Geralt quests into new areas of the Continent.  Most of the story focuses on locations and settings not previously explored in previous books of the series, giving fans of this franchise a much wider view of this detailed fantasy world.  Knowledge of the world is also expanded through the fun use of excerpts from in-universe fictional books, which offers a range of entertaining facts and jokes.  Readers will also be impressed by the wide number of foes and monsters that Sapkowski has fit in this book.  Throughout the story Geralt has to contend with magical mutations, humanoid hybrids, powerful magic users, werewolves, kitsunes, gangsters and marauding soldiers.  This rich array of opponents adds a lot to the story’s excitement and is wildly appropriate for a story about a monster hunter.

Another notable part of Season of Storms is the range of intriguing mysteries Geralt needs to solve in order to complete his quest and survive.  These mysteries are interspersed throughout the story’s fantasy adventure and include the main mystery of who stole Geralt’s swords, the political mysteries in the Kingdom of Kerack and the investigation into why summoned demons are attacking communities in the forest.  These mysteries have a large level of sophistication and do a great job of keeping the readers interested and intrigued throughout the book.  The various mysteries also combine really well with the book’s fantasy elements and strike a good balance within the book.  This exceptional combination of elements within Season of Storms impressively captivates the readers and creates an enticing overall story.

The latest book in The Witcher franchise is a brilliant new adventure that stands just to the side of the previous short stories and established longer series.  Season of Storms provides pulse pounding adventure in Sapkowski’s beloved fantasy world while also telling a series of intense interlocked stories that make great use of several riveting mysteries to drag in the reader’s attention.  This is definitely a strong recommendation for those readers who have enjoyed Sapkowski’s literary works in the past.  However, general fantasy fans and those who have only experienced The Witcher franchise through the games will enjoy this excellent and electrifying read.

My Rating:

Four stars

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Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Young Adult3 Comments

Ash Princess Cover

Publisher: Pan

Publication Date – 24 April 2018

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From an exciting new voice in young adult fantasy fiction comes a powerful tale of independence and freedom.

Ten years ago the Kalovaxians invaded the peaceful island nation of Astrea, killing its guardians and enslaving the entire populace to work in the island’s magical gem mines.

Theodosia was only six when Astrea was invaded and her mother, the Fire Queen, was murdered before her eyes. Since then she has lived in her former palace as a prisoner to the cruel and despotic Kaiser, who seeks to destroy all trace of the Astrea culture and language. Given a new title, the Ash Princess, and forced to endure constant humiliation and punishment for her people’s rebellion, Theodosia has become a subservient creature, trying to survive as she waits for any sort of rescue.

When the Kaiser forces her to perform a terrible act, Theodosia is no longer willing to stand back and watch her people suffer. With unexpected allies suddenly close at hand, Theodosia stops a plan for her escape and instead chooses to remain at court to obtain information for the rebellion.

However, the Kalovaxians are a cruel and merciless race of warriors who excel at raiding and destroying the lands they conquer. Theodosia soon realises that supplying information to her companions is not enough; she needs to find a way to strike at the heart of the Kalovaxians and disrupt their tight control of Astrea. When opportunity presents itself, she must risk everything to give her people a shot. It is time for the Ash Princess to rise.

Ash Princess is the debut novel from Laura Sebastian and the first book in a young adult trilogy with a lot of potential.

This story is told completely from the point of view of the main protagonist, Theodosia, with a large amount of the book dedicated to her growth as a leader. Theodosia starts the book as a completely broken person, having been oppressed and abused for years and kept as a symbol of humiliation. As the story continues, Theodosia detaches herself from the persona she created to survive and starts to finally oppose her captors. Watching her obtain the courage to fight back is an integral part of the book, and her attempts to become the ruler her people need are touching and emotive. There is also a riveting inner conflict within Theodosia as she debates whether to hurt people that she cares about, even if her actions could bring relief to her people. While Theodosia strongly wishes to save her people and defeat the invaders, there is also a great desire to not become like the enemies she hates. The character runs a fine line throughout the book as a result, and many readers will enjoy how Sebastian examines this inner conflict.

Sebastian has included an intricate background setting for her electrifying story. The nation of Astrea had been brutally subjugated 10 years before the start of the story and is currently ruled by the Kalovaxians. Because of how total this subjugation has been, with a large number of deaths and the rest of the populace forced to do heavy labour, very few characters originating from Astrea are featured within the story. This background of a near-obliterated country is dark and grim, but serves as the perfect setting for an inspiring story of freedom and rebellion. The antagonists of the story, the Kalovaxians, are also the perfect villains for such a story, as they are undeniably evil. All of the Kalovaxians–even the milder ones that consider themselves Theodosia’s friends–are power hungry, destructive and feel that they are superior to all other peoples. The use of the setting and the antagonists within Ash Princess adds significant impact to the main story and forces the reader to care about the fate of the main character.

Readers of Ash Princess will enjoy the covert activities that take place as part of the main story. In order to find a way to liberate her country, Theodosia needs to infiltrate and influence parts of the oppressive Kalovaxian society. The scenes were she attempts to seduce, manipulate and commits acts of sabotage are compelling and one of the more intriguing parts of the books. In addition to the protagonist’s actions, there are also the secret plans that the Kalovaxians are undertaking. These plans are rather dark and include magical experiments on Theodosia’s people. These Kalovaxian plans result in some interesting actions from Theodosia and play a significant part in the plot. The fascinating gem magic of the Astrea plays an interesting role in the clandestine actions of both the protagonist and antagonists, and fantasy-minded readers will enjoy the resultant exploration of this branch of magic.

Ash Princess is a poignant tale of hidden strength and the fight for freedom. This is a satisfying start to Sebastian’s first series which introduces a memorable main character and a powerful story that makes full use of its awesome background story elements. This is an ideal choice for readers looking for their new fix of young adult fantasy fiction.

My Rating:

Four stars

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The Defiant Heir by Melissa Caruso

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Five-Star Books, LGBT+16 Comments

The Defiant Heir Cover.jpg

Publisher: Orbit

Australian Publication Date – 24 April 2018

World Publication Date – 19 April 2018

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Melissa Caruso follows up her extraordinary debut with another unmissable magical adventure.

On the continent of Eruvia lies the Serene Empire of Raverra.  Ruled by the Doge and the Council of Nine, the Empire’s power comes from its mages, the legendary Falcon Army.  When a mage comes to power in the lands of Raverra, they are conscripted as a Falcon and bound to a Falconer, a non-mage who can choose to unleash or bind their Falcon’s power with a word.

However, the Serene Empire is not the only great power on Eruvia.  To the north lies the mysterious nation of Vaskandar, controlled by a dangerous group of mages known as the Witch Lords.  Each Witch Lord is a powerful vivomancer whose magic grants them control over all living beings, such as animals, plants and even humans.  After years of peace, several of the Witch Lords desire additional territory and are preparing for war against the Serene Empire.  Large forces of soldiers and the Vaskandar’s dreaded chimeras amass on the border while covert attacks are undertaken against the Serene Empire’s most powerful Falcons.  But before the Vaskandar can formally declare war, all seventeen Witch Lords must meet in a conclave to agree to a course of action.

Lady Amalia Cornaro is heir to one of the oldest and most powerful families in all of the Serene Empire.  Formerly a sheltered academic, her life dramatically changed when she was accidently bonded to the rebellious teenage runway Zaira, a rare and destructive fire warlock and the most powerful mage in the Empire.  Despite a turbulent and resentful start to their relationship, Amalia and Zaira have come to a mutual understanding following their adventures in the city of Ardence.

As the tension between the two nations increases, Amalia and Zaira are sent as a military deterrent to the border province of Callamourne, ruled by Amalia’s grandmother.  Despite their presence, it quickly becomes apparent that forces are conspiring to bring the war to pass, especially with spies and assassins targeting Amalia and Zaira directly.  Determined to maintain the peace, Amalia knows that the only way to prevent the war is to infiltrate Vaskandar and attend the conclave on behalf of the Serene Empire.

Entering Vaskandar is a dangerous proposition.  Each Witch Lord has their own territory which they rule absolutely thanks to a mysterious bond to the land that allows them to control all living creatures within their boundaries.  In addition, Amalia already has powerful enemies among the Witch Lords.  The deadly Lady of Thorns holds a grudge against her entire family, and Amalia and Zaiara have experience with the machinations of the Skinwitch Ruven, whose plot could cause great destruction.

Their only hope to influence the conclave may come from the mysterious Crow Lord, who has taken an interest in Amalia.  However, the Crow Lord is playing his own game, and Amalia and Zaira are the perfect pawns.

Melissa Caruso is a relatively new fantasy author whose first book in the Swords and Fire series, The Tethered Mage, was released in late 2017.  The Defiant Heir is a direct sequel to this, and is set a few months after.

The Tethered Mage was one of the surprising hits of last year.  What started out as an intriguing sounding fantasy novel turned into one of the most exciting and memorable debuts of 2017 and proved near impossible to put down.  Caruso maintains this trend of excellent writing in The Defiant Heir, which continues to the provide the same great characters, fantasy adventure, worldbuilding and amazing story writing that made her first book such an irresistible read.

Caruso has chosen to expand her fantasy world in The Defiant Heir by detailing the nation of Vaskandar and focusing on its rulers, the Witch Lords.  While Vaskandar was mentioned and one of nation’s vivomancers, Prince Ruven, was a secondary antagonist, this area of her world wasn’t really explored in the first book.  For this book, Vaskandar is a major location and the protagonists spend a large portion of the story within its boundaries.  As a result, Caruso has produced a significant amount of fascinating lore about this country, especially when it comes to the Witch Lords.  The focus on the Witch Lords is particularly interesting as Caruso has developed complex backstories, powers, plots and motivations for many of them, which adds immensely to the story.  In addition, despite the fact that they all study the same branch of the magic, each of the Witch Lords has their own speciality and their appearance and abilities are different as a result.  This is especially noticeable during the numerous magical duels that occur throughout the book, where these differences allow for a wider variety of magical action.  It is also quite fun when the various Witch Lords use their powers to show off with memorable entrances and appearances during the opening scenes of the conclave.

Readers should also keep an eye out for Caruso’s focus on character development within The Defiant Heir for the two main characters.  Amalia’s growth is the most significant, as circumstances force her to become a more savvy and decisive political player, very much like her mother.  As a result, she is forced to make a number of tough decisions and struggles to maintain her morality in a harsh world where her options are becoming more and more limited.  There is also the growing realisation that her position may not allow her to have the personal life she wants, and this greatly affects her relationship with the dashing Captain Marcello, the main love interest of the first book.  This is a well done bit of character development that will draw the reader in emotionally, especially when it comes to Amalia’s most significant decision in the book.

Zaira’s development is more subtle, as she is not the book’s narrator, and is mostly a continuation of the transformation from inverted loner to team player that started in The Tethered Mage.  However, it is more realistic to see that this growth is a slow process, and her stubbornness is not automatically fixed in the span of one book.  The same could be said about the satisfying but gradual development in the relationship between the main characters.

Melissa Caruso once again shows why she is one of the brightest new stars in the fantasy fiction.  The Defiant Heir is an outstanding continuation of her first series that introduces significant and exiting lore to her already intriguing universe while providing significant development to her main characters.  If you haven’t already discovered the magic of Caruso’s Swords and Fire series, you are in for a serious treat.

My Rating:

Five Stars

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King of Ashes by Raymond E. Feist

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Five-Star Books21 Comments

King of Ashes Cover

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Australian Publication Date – 5 April 2018

World Publication Date – 8 May 2018

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For over 30 years, one of the most reliable cornerstones of fantasy fiction has been the books of Raymond E. Feist.  Starting with the 1982 fantasy classic, Magician, Feist has produced 30 books, all set in the worlds of Midkemia and Kelewan, as part of his long running Riftwar Cycle.  King of Ashes is the first book Feist has written since he ended the Riftwar Cycle in 2013.  It is also the start of The Firemane Saga, a new series which is set in a completely different universe to the Riftwar Cycle and introduces the reader to an exciting new story.

The continent of Garn was once home to five kingdoms, the greatest of which was the Kingdom of Ithrace.  Ruled by the red-haired Firemanes, Ithrace was known for its culture and creativity.  However, following a great betrayal, Ithrace was destroyed and its king executed.  In order to avoid any retribution, the power-hungry King of Sandura ordered the deaths of every member of the Ithrace royal family, and not even their legendary affinity for fire could save them.

Now, 17 years later, war is returning to Garn.  Ancient pacts of peace are failing, and the four kingdoms are out of balance.  As the kingdoms and the independent baronies prepare for a new conflict, rumours of a hidden heir to Ithrace’s throne begin to surface.

In the previously peaceful Covenant Lands, Declan, a young and talented blacksmith, is forced to flee slavers raiding his village.  Carrying the rare knowledge of crafting the legendary jewel-steel, Declan flees to the Barony of Marquensas, where he hopes to create a new life for himself.

Meanwhile, in the feared and hidden island nation of Coaltachin, three youths, Donte, Hava and Hatu, are being trained in the way of the Quelli Nascosti assassins, learning how to spy, steal and kill.  All three of the young agents are eager to explore the world outside of their island home, but they quickly find themselves under attack.  The mysterious group of assailants seem to have been trained in a similar way to the assassins of Coaltachin.  Whoever these attackers are, they are unafraid of the young assassins and have a particular interest in capturing Hatu, an orphan with red hair and a fiery temper.  As events transpire, these young people find themselves in the heart of events that will transform Garn forever.

Feist delivers a fantastic and absorbing read that once again illustrates why he is one of the preeminent writers of fantasy fiction in the world today.  His latest book is a classic fantasy tale set within another unique and memorable universe and is one of the most thrilling and addictive releases so far this year.

King of Ashes is the first book in a brand new trilogy that has definite potential to expand out into another long-running series.  As a result, Feist presented this book as a set up for the rest of the series, rather than a stand-alone book.  Substantial time was spent establishing the characters, world and overall story, and introducing elements to be further explored in future instalments of the series.  While some questions are answered towards the end of the book, a number of mysteries still remain.  King of Ashes proved very hard to put down—an impressive feat, considering it was 545 pages long in the hardcover edition.

Feist has done a lot of work building up this new fantasy location, producing some amazing settings and locations.  The characters venture to large cities, small towns, fortified keeps, grasslands, forests and various islands.  There are also several scenes set on the ocean, which allow for some intricate sequences involving ships and naval combat.  It also appears that, despite how far many of the characters travel, they have only just brushed the surface of the continent mapped out in the front of the book.  This area of land appears to be less than half of the entire continent of Garn, which indicates wider adventures in future books.  There were also some brief mentions of other continents existing on this new world, which may be a possible indication of plans to expand this series past its initial trilogy.

While Feist introduces a number of new kingdoms and peoples throughout his story, many readers will really enjoy his inclusion of the Quelli Nascosti assassins on the island nation of Coaltachin.  In the story, the nation of Coaltachin, also known as the Invisible Nation, is ruled by the Quelli Nascosti assassins, who work throughout the continent as assassins, spies and informants.  Feist spends a significant amount of time focusing on this group of assassins, displaying various aspects of their society, operations, influence throughout Garn and varied training techniques.  As a result, they are the most fleshed-out group of characters within King of Ashes and are a definite highlight of the book.  Readers will really enjoy the significant focus Feist puts on this group, as this results in a number of high-intensity scenes with covert activities and exciting action.

Feist tells most of the story through three prominent characters, Declan, Hava and Hatu.  All three of these characters have fascinating and unique accounts to follow, although all of them could be considered to be coming-of-age stories.  Hava and Hatu are both members of the Quelli Nascosti, and it is through their eyes that we see most of the secretive nation and their actions.  Hatu is involved in action throughout the continent, encountering mysterious foes and discovering his hidden destiny, while Hava’s story focuses on more specialised training and a secret side mission.  Declan’s story is a classic fantasy story of a young man trying to find his way in life while overcoming destructive elements.  There are some more classic fight scenes in this storyline, and some very detailed descriptions of blacksmithing.  Each of these storylines is extremely enjoyable to read and provides different insights into this exhilarating new fantasy universe.

King of Ashes is the latest book from fantasy legend Raymond E. Feist and represents an outstanding start to a fantastic new series.  Featuring multiple coming-of-age stories, this is a pure fantasy tale set within an intriguing and detailed new universe.  This is mandatory reading for fans of Feist’s previous work and comes highly recommended for all fans of the fantasy genre.  I cannot wait for the next book in this series.

My Rating:

Five Stars

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Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Young AdultLeave a comment

Children of Blood and Bone Cover.png

Publisher: Henry Holt and Company

Australian Publication Date – 13 March 2018

World Publication Date – 6 March 2018

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A brand new magical world is born in Children of Blood and Bone, the enthralling first book from a talented new author.

In the nation of Orisha, magic was once controlled by the maji, powerful practitioners who were respected and feared throughout the land.  However, that all changed eleven years ago, when magic suddenly and mysteriously died, leaving the maji powerless and confused.  Taking advantage of this uncertainty, the magic-fearing King Saran struck out, arresting and killing all the former maji.  Now the people of Orisha consider magic evil and all links to the old order are shunned.  Those children who would have become maji, if not for the death of magic, are known as diviners.  Made distinctive by their white hair, they have become a second-class citizenry within Orisha and are routinely targeted by abusive guards and crippling taxes as King Saran seeks to slowly kill them all off.

Zelie Adebola is one of these diviners and remembers what it was like before magic died.  Haunted by the death of her maji mother and still defiant after years of oppression, Zelie is determined to survive.  However, when a chance run-in with an ancient scroll awakens her latent magical abilities, Zelie is given an unexpected chance to restore magic to the world.  With the help of her brother, Tzain, and the rogue princess, Amari, Zelie must reclaim three artefacts and travel across Orisha before the solstice.  If they fail, magic will be gone forever.

As the trio encounter the dangers that lurk throughout Orisha they must also contend with a dangerous force that is following them.  Amari’s brother, Prince Inan, has been tasked by the king to hunt the fugitives down and ensure that magic can never return.  However, Inan’s own latent magical powers have surfaced, and he is torn between the burning powers in his head and his father’s instilled hatred of all things magical.  Will his sudden infatuation with Zelie save him, or will it lead to his destruction?

The greatest threat to the quest may come from Zelie herself, whose powers over life and death may turn out to be too dangerous to control.

Children of Blood and Bones is the first book from Nigerian American author Tomi Adeyemi.  It is a bold fantasy adventure targeted towards the young adult demographic, and has already received significant hype from various sources, including discussion about a possible movie adaption.

One of the most obvious things that will appeal to potential readers is the considerable work and imagination that Adeyemi has put into her fantasy creation.  The central focus on a group of oppressed magic users who have lost their power and influence is particularly engrossing, as is the distinctive magical practice and lore that Adeyemi has used.  The detailed landscapes and cities of the nation of Orisha do a wonderful job of catching the imagination, especially as the characters traverse a number of different locations, each with their own unique environments and features.  There are also a number of intricate battle scenes that add significant excitement to the narrative, including a particularly memorable sequence where the main characters participate in a massive ship-to-ship gladiatorial battle in a flooded desert arena.

In addition to the above elements, readers will enjoy the use of multiple character perspectives throughout Children of Blood and Bone.  Three of the main characters, Zelie, Amari and Inan, each narrate their own chapters and provide a detailed overview of the story from their point of view.  There are many quick-fire perspective changes that serve to give multiple different viewpoints of the same event.  This is particularly useful as much of the book is dedicated to Zelie, Amari and Tzain being closely pursued by Inan.  Seeing how close Inan gets to the protagonists through these separate perspectives adds a lot of tension and suspense to the book.  It also works well in enhancing many of the larger battle scenes, especially the above mentioned gladiatorial naval battle.  The different viewpoints also allow the reader a clear picture of the ideological breakdown of Adeyemi’s world, as the readers are given insight from both the oppressed diviners and the paranoid King Saran

Adeyemi’s clever use of multiple narrators also allows for a clearer view of the personal and group development of the main characters, which can be seen not just through their own eyes but through the eyes of the other narrators.  Amari’s change from spoiled princess to hardened warrior is fun and heart-warming.  The changes to Zelie and Inan as a result of their dramatic internal conflicts are much more intriguing and draw the audience in emotionally.

While Adeyemi explores several themes throughout the book, the most intriguing is her examination of power and the responsibility to wield it.  Within Children of Blood and Bone, the maji have had their magical power taken away from them and are oppressed by the king as a result.  The subsequent quest to return magic to the world raises certain ethical questions, like whether an oppressed group should suddenly have destructive powers returned to them?  Within the book there a number of characters who have dissenting views on the subject, but only Zelie and Inan are in the unique position of seeing both parts of this debate.  Inan has always been taught to fear and hate magic, but his perception of magic changes when he gains his own powers, meets Zelie and experiences the oppression brought on by his father.  As a result, his opinion about the future of magic is changed multiple times throughout the book.  Zelie on the other hand, has experienced oppression all her life, and is at first determined to bring back magic.  However, when she uses her own destructive powers and sees the devastation caused by other magic users, she starts to question her previously held beliefs.  This fascinating internal debate is masterfully woven in the story through the books narrators, and it will be interesting to see how this debate continues in any future books.

Children of Blood and Bone is an intricate and ambitious young adult fantasy debut that includes a first-rate, emotionally charged story.  Set in an inventive new universe and featuring slick use of characters and multiple narrators, Children of Blood and Bones lives up to its significant hype.

My Rating:

Four stars

Vallista by Steven Brust

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Vallista Cover

Publisher: Tor

Australian Publication Date – 28 November 2017

World Publication Date – 17 October 2017

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One of fantasy’s most iconic heroes returns in Vallista, the latest book from acclaimed fantasy writer Steven Brust.

In the world of Dragaera powerful and long-lived humanoids known as the Dragaerans are the planet’s dominant species, while humans, called Easterners, are second-class citizens.

Vlad Taltos is a rare anomaly, being an Easterner with a title, money and influence.  Having made his name as an enforcer and assassin, Vlad was a respected member of House Jhereg, the Dragaeran clan in charge of the Empire’s organised crime.  However, Vlad’s relationship with the Jhereg has deteriorated.  Having betrayed his clan, Vlad has spent the last few years on the run, hunted day and night by ruthless assassins.  Luckily, Vlad has friends in very high places, including the Empress, some powerful sorcerers, a necromancer and even a Dragaeran god.

Throughout his travels, Vlad has had several meetings with Devera, a small Dragaeran girl who is the daughter of one of his many powerful friends.  Devera is a mysterious creature of considerable power, an overabundance of enigma and a casual relationship with the rules of time.  Devera has once again appeared to Vlad, requesting his help and leading him to a mysterious manor that has suddenly materialised by the sea.

Despite the fact that the manor should not even exist, Vlad enters, only to find himself trapped with the manor’s mysterious inhabitants.  The inside of the manor is a weird collection of rooms and corridors altered by magic and no longer obeying the rules of reality.  Mirrors teleport people from room to room, mysterious portals lead to the ancient past, and a certain door leads to the Halls of Judgement, the Dragaeran afterlife.

The more Vlad explores, the more he understands that the manor is home to many lies and death.  The overly helpful servants are determined to keep the manor’s past a secret.  No one will explain how an unused and empty kitchen keeps providing Vlad with warm meals.  On top of this, Vlad encounters a ghost unaware of how she died, a mutant deformed by magic, and a powerful demon determined to kill him.

In order to escape, Vlad must uncover the manor’s bloody history and reveal all of its inhabitants’ dark secrets.  With his sarcastic familiars and a sentient sword to aid him, Vlad must use every trick at his disposal to survive while trying to interpret some beguiling visions of his own past lives.  If only Devera, his only guide, would stop disappearing in the middle of every conversation.

Vallista is the 15th book in Brust’s iconic Vlad Taltos series, and is set before the 14th book in the series, Hawk.

One of the most appealing features of Brust’s books has always been their trademark combination of fantasy world-building, action, adventure and fun comedic undertone.  Brust continues this trend in Vallista, creating a fast-paced book that delivers several exhilarating action scenes and a good amount of comedy without compromising the fantasy elements of the plot.  Fans of the Vlad Taltos series will be excited to see an in-depth look at Devera, a minor character who has long mystified readers, as well as visions into several of the titular character’s past lives.

Brust also has an enjoyable habit of combining elements of other genres into his stories.  This ensures that many of the books in the Vlad Taltos series are transformed into different genres, such as murder mysteries, political thrillers or heists contained within the fantasy setting.  Vallista continues this trend with its interesting and unique fantasy mystery.  The main character is forced to uncover the secrets of the mysterious manor in which he is trapped in order to escape.  As a result, Vallista reads a lot like a typical mystery, which is enhanced by the book’s various fantasy elements.

Vallista also borrows several elements from classic haunted house tales.  The main character is trapped and imperilled, the house is filled with servants reluctant to reveal their secrets, and ghosts, monsters and strange events are around every corner.  However, as this is a fantasy book, our hero has far more experience in dealing with such things, and quite a lot of the book’s humour revolves around Vlad responding to the manor’s various challenges.

Unsurprisingly, this book will appeal greatly to those readers who enjoyed the previous instalments of the Vlad Taltos series.  At the same time, this is one of the most inclusive fantasy series that I have ever read.  Burst is very good at succinctly explaining the universe’s lore so that new readers will easily be able to enjoy Vallista every bit as much as any seasoned veteran of the Vlad Taltos series.

Overall, Vallista is fun fantasy adventure that will appeal both to Brust’s established fans and to casual fantasy readers.

My Rating:

Four stars

Blood of Assassins by R. J. Barker

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Blood of Assassins Cover

Publisher: Orbit

Publication Date – 13 February 2018

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War, murder and magic return with R. J. Barker’s assassins in the sequel to his impressive debut, Age of Assassins.

It has been five years since assassins Girton Club-Foot and his master, Merela Karn, started a bloody civil war in the nation of Maniyadoc.  Since then, they have been in hiding, fighting in the borderlands as soldiers for hire to avoid the price on their heads.  However, when Merela is gravely injured, they have no choice but to return to Maniyadoc and seek shelter there.  Girton finds a far different land to the one he visited five years before.  War has turned much of the kingdom into a brutal hellscape, ruled over by war crazed marauders known as Nonmen, while giant flesh-eating pigs roam the wilds.

Amongst this chaos, three kings fight for power, their armies controlling what small tracts of inhabitable land remain.  Girton knows all three of the opposing kings, having spent time among them five years ago.  Two of them hate Girton and his master, falsely blaming them for the deaths of their relatives, the events which started the war.  However, the other of the warring kings, Rufra, owes Girton his life, and may be the only friend the young assassin has.  Since their last meeting, Rufra has turned into a noble king, weighed down by the responsibility of his office and personal grief.

Pledging his loyalty to Rufra, Girton immediately sets about trying to find a spy hidden among the king’s closest followers, navigating camp politics and the fragile alliances that hold the army together.  At the same time, Girton must also solve the murder of a fanatical religious leader whose dangerous followers demand retribution.  Rufra is the fractured nation’s best option for peace, but far too many people want him dead.  Each day the spy is active hastens Rufra’s defeat, and Girton must use every bit of his wit and skill to save his friend.

But the greatest threat to Rufra’s reign may be Girton himself.  Like all assassins, Girton uses forbidden magic to grant himself subtle advantages to aid him in his kills.  However, Girton’s magic has become far too powerful, and he can no longer control the terrible energies within him.  In a world were all magic is outlawed and feared, any evidence of Girton’s abilities would condemn him and everyone he loves to a bloody end.  The last uncontrolled sorcerer turned the kingdom of Maniyadoc into a barren wasteland, and Girton’s power may soon compel him to do the same.

This is the second book in Barker’s The Wounded Kingdom series and is the follow-up to last year’s successful and highly compelling debut, Age of Assassins.  Blood of Assassins is a great addition to the series which builds up the anticipation for the upcoming King of Assassins, which is set to come out in Australia in August 2018.

The fantasy world that Barker has created is an interesting one with several unique features.  While most of the first book’s story was limited to the goings-on within one specific castle, Barker completely changes the script in this sequel by expanding the narrative to the whole realm of Maniyadoc and the fighting going on around it.  Readers of Age of Assassins will enjoy seeing how the devastation of the civil war has changed the kingdom.  The nation of Maniyadoc, which was already described as a fairly dismal place, is now haunted by a new range of monstrous creatures and humans created by neglect and the brutal fighting.  This noticeable change to the scenery of the story helps to affect the overall mood of the book and also acts as a mirror to Girton’s more depressed and hopeless mental viewpoint in the second book.

I often enjoy authors blending different genre types within fantasy books, and Blood of Assassins is a great example of this, as Barker has incorporated elements of political thrillers and murder mysteries.  The hunt for the murderers and traitors at the heart of Rufra’s camp is a well done and produces a compelling mystery that combines well with the book’s action, politics and magic.

Fans of action and battle will not be disappointed, as Barker makes full use of a range of fight scenes.  Action junkies will enjoy the numerous duels, clashes between assassins, larger pitched battles and one notable siege that sees that protagonist fighting to defend a village from a horde of crazed Nonmen while also attempting to hold his destructive magic at bay.  It is also interesting to see how Barker forgoes the enormous pitched battles that are a usual fantasy staple.  Instead this conflict is fought by small, desperate armies over limited amounts of land, which comes across as more realistic, considering the landscape.

Finally, Barker has also done a great job of showing how his main characters have developed since the last novel, particularly taking the time to illustrate how their relationships move and change throughout the book.  Girton has gone from a young and optimistic boy seeking the approval of his master to a taciturn and depressed man, actively resenting his master for the changes and problems in his life.  At the same time, Rufra has gone from a lowly squire seeking a friend and trying to avoid trouble to a man consumed by his responsibilities and personal grief.  These changes lie at the heart of the book and add emotional depth to the story.  It is also warming to see how the friendship between Girton and Rufra lightens both characters and helps heal their emotional wounds.

As a result, Blood of Assassins is a fantastic character-driven story that weaves together action and mystery in Baker’s excellent fantasy world to create a scintillating and addictive read.  This is a marvellous second outing from a bright new star in fantasy fiction.

My Rating:

Four stars

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