Guest | Fantasy Literature: Fantasy and Science Fiction Book and Audiobook Reviews

Street Magic: Good characters wander around

Street Magic by Caitlin Kittredge

Inspector Pete Caldecott is baffled. A rash of child abductions has swept London and all of her leads are turning up bad. The good news is that the lost kids are turning up alive; the bad news is they’re… changed — blinded and usually raving mad by the time the police turn them up.

Pete is almost ready to throw in the towel when a blast from the past suddenly crosses her path. Jack Winter, her sister’s boyfriend from almost a decade ago, shows up and tells her where to find one of her missing children.

June 1st, 2009. Guest´s rating: 2.5 | Caitlin Kittredge | SFF Reviews | no comments |

Storm Glass: Great characters, no tension

Storm Glass by Maria V. Snyder

Opal, a student magician at the Keep in Sitia is having problems learning how to control her magic. Known as a “one-trick wonder” by the other students, Opal has a strong relationship with glass and glass making, but can do little else with her skills.

When a glass problem comes up in the storm lands, Master magician Zitora takes Opal with her to see what the problem is. As it turns out, the storm orbs that all the stormdancers use to capture the power of raging storms are breaking and killing stormdancers.

April 24th, 2009. Guest´s rating: 3 | Maria V. Snyder | SFF Reviews | no comments |

The Mountain’s Call: A stinker

The Mountain’s Call by Caitlin Brennan

I really thought I would like Caitlin Brennan’s White Magic Trilogy, I really did! The Mountain’s Call started off so well, very Harry Potter-like with the herioine headed off to this mystical school where she was to learn about the White Horse Gods… but as it went on and on and on… it lost its thrill.

The plot, though intending to become more intense, only became more and more dull. The whole plot is culminating in this “Dance”

March 11th, 2009. Guest´s rating: 2 | Caitlin Brennan | SFF Reviews | no comments |

The Stone Prince: Cheesy entertainment

The Stone Prince by Gena Showalter

A pre-warning: The Stone Prince contains cheesy content. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Jorlan En Sarr is from another planet. He’s also a prince on his home planet and a warrior who was sent to Earth in the form of a statue by his evil brother who just happens to be a sorcerer. On Earth, Jorlan is awoken from his stone state by Katie, a practical tomboy who renovates houses for a living. After Katie miraculously awakes Jorlan the next 2/3 of the book are scenes of heated sexual tension along with a little silliness (I laughed particularly hard when Jorlan tried to use a spatula as a weapon).

February 9th, 2009. Guest´s rating: 3 | Gena Showalter | SFF Reviews | no comments |

Heroics for Beginners: Very funny!

Heroics for Beginners by John Moore

This is one of my favourite fantasy books ever. It might not have the epic scope of The Lord Of The Rings, nor the immersive quality of Feist’s Riftwar Saga, but what it does have going for it it has in spades: it’s very clever. This is The Hitch Hiker’s Guide To The Galaxy of fantasy novels. Forget Terry Pratchett, Tom Holt, and Robert Rankin. John Moore is far funnier.

The Decoy Princess: Slowly drew me in

The Decoy Princess by Dawn Cook

Princess Contessa of Constantinopolie has a pretty good life. She’s an expert shopper, has parents who love her and are good rulers, and is looking forward to her upcoming engagement to Prince Garett of Misdev. So what if a few pesky assassins try to get in her way? She’s been well trained to ward them off — she’s not worried.

Oh, but she should be. Prince Garett, not taking the advice of his father, arrives in Constantinopolie early, almost six full months before the formal engagement is announced.

January 14th, 2009. Guest´s rating: 4.5 | Dawn Cook | SFF Reviews | no comments |

The Kingdom Beyond the Waves: Trust issues?

The Kingdom Beyond the Waves by Stephen Hunt

Imagine a post-apocalyptic Dickensian world where the main character is a female Indiana Jones. This is the setting we find ourselves in when reading The Kingdom Beyond the Waves. Amelia Harsh is our protagonist; a swinging (as in ropes and vines) heroine who has been ostracized from all colleges but one, where she has been taken under the wing of an elderly professor who puts up with her larger-than-life adventures in the field and her frowned-upon theories of their ancient predecessors.

November 11th, 2008. Guest´s rating: 3 | Stephen Hunt | SFF Reviews | no comments |

Centaur Aisle: Apply this review to any Xanth novel

Centaur Aisle by Piers Anthony

Piers Anthony‘s Centaur Aisle is one of his many Xanth books — Xanth being the magical land these stories are set in, filled with dragons, ogres, and really bad puns. Often the puns provide clues to the riddles and plot twists and sometimes it takes a while until you have enough information to realise how certain puns will effect the story. Other times the puns form the basis of the flora and fauna of Xanth. For instance, a cocoa tree provides hot chocolate drinks.

October 9th, 2008. Guest´s rating: 2 | Piers Anthony | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |

The Tale of Krispos: Fairly enjoyable alternate history

THE TALE OF KRISPOS by Harry Turtledove

The opening chapter of The Tale of Krispos really sucked me in. There is realism, which I’m always a fan of, and there are hardly any wasted words. At least that’s how it is at first — but more on that later. Harry Turtledove does a great job of describing what is going on by working the information you need into the narrative in natural ways rather than just straight-out telling you certain facts.

The three books that make up The Tale of Krispos — Krispos Rising,

September 12th, 2008. Guest´s rating: 3.5 | Harry Turtledove | SFF Reviews | no comments |

The Eldarn Sequence: A good story told poorly

THE ELDARN SEQUENCE by Robert Scott & Jay Gordon

THE ELDARN SEQUENCE is a good story told poorly.

This review was difficult for me to do. Partly because I’m writing it on a day off work while home sick and partly because there are characteristics of these books that really annoy me, but reflect some real-world political and cultural positions and I want to review the book without offending anyone inadvertently. If you are offended by anything here, just assume that you’ve read it incorrectly and that I am really the most tolerant and inoffensive person anywhere in the world,

September 7th, 2008. Guest´s rating: 0.1 | Robert Scott | SFF Reviews | no comments |

Author: Guest

Street Magic: Good characters wander around

Storm Glass: Great characters, no tension

The Mountain’s Call: A stinker

The Stone Prince: Cheesy entertainment

Heroics for Beginners: Very funny!

The Decoy Princess: Slowly drew me in

The Kingdom Beyond the Waves: Trust issues?

Centaur Aisle: Apply this review to any Xanth novel

The Tale of Krispos: Fairly enjoyable alternate history

The Eldarn Sequence: A good story told poorly

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