The High King by Lloyd Alexander
The High King is the fifth and last book in the truly wonderful Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander, preceded by The Book of Three, The Black Cauldron, The Castle of Llyr, and Taran Wanderer, all of which are necessary reading if you want to fully understand and enjoy this last installment. The High King,
August 15th, 2007. Rebecca Fisher and Bill Capossere´s rating: 5 | Lloyd Alexander | Children | SFF Reviews | no comments |
The Woman Who Loved Reindeer by Meredith Ann Pierce
Set in a prehistoric fantasy setting of ice and snow, The Woman Who Loved Reindeer refers to its two main characters: the young Caribou and the child she names Reindeer. As someone who experiences prophetic dreams, Caribou lives alone until her sister-in-law brings to her a golden-haired child. Claiming that it is not her husband Visjna’s child (Caribou’s brother), Branja begs her to take in the child before Visjna returns from the season-long hunt and so that the child’s true father cannot come to claim him.
August 14th, 2007. Rebecca Fisher´s rating: 4 | Meredith Ann Pierce | Stand-Alone, Young Adult | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Be a Player, Not a Pawn.
Garth Nix’s Mister Monday begins a brand new children’s fantasy epic: The Keys to the Kingdom. This Australian author is fast-becoming one of the biggest names in fantasy with his reinvention of the genre and his intricate, fascinating plots. Unlike other such authors, who place their heroes in a medieval realm of magical swords, horse-back riding and dragons, Nix follows the example of writers such as Philip Pullman,
August 14th, 2007. Rebecca Fisher and Ruth Arnell´s rating: 4, 5 | Garth Nix | Children | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Alphabet of Thorn by Patricia McKillip
Once again Patricia McKillip crafts a wonderful story, and although I must admit that I haven’t read all of her novels, I think it’s safe to say that Alphabet of Thorn is one of her best works. Out of her many books I have read, this one is definitely my favourite. Her beautiful language, her startling imagery, her intricate plot, her mind-twisting ideas… all come together in this stunning story.
In a beautiful cliff-top palace by the sea (so high that one cannot hear the ocean from the top) a coronation is taking place for the young and inexperienced Queen Tessera.
August 10th, 2007. Rebecca Fisher´s rating: 5 | Patricia McKillip | Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | no comments |
The River at Green Knowe by Lucy M. Boston
As the third book in Lucy Boston’s Green Knowe series, readers who are moving through the books chronologically may be a bit surprised at the extreme change of formula in the story that dictated the two previous books. There is no Tolly or Grandmother Oldknow and their discoveries of past inhabitants of the house, but rather two elderly women who rent the house and send away for a niece and two children from “the Society for the Promotion of Summer Holidays for Displaced Children.”
August 10th, 2007. Rebecca Fisher´s rating: 4 | Lucy M. Boston | Children | SFF Reviews | no comments |
The Realms of the Gods by Tamora Pierce
The Realms of the Gods is the final book in Tamora Pierce’s Immortals quartet, and probably the best. As one can possibly guess, it’s nearly impossible for someone to begin reading this series at this book — you at least have to read Book Three: The Emperor Mage, though ideally you should have all three previous books under your belt: Wild Magic and Wolf-Speaker just to have the complete picture of what’s going on here.
August 10th, 2007. Rebecca Fisher´s rating: 5 | Tamora Pierce | Young Adult | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Sorcery and Cecelia (The Enchanted Chocolate Pot) by Patricia C. Wrede
To best understand Sorcery and Cecelia one has to first flick to the back of the book in order to read the authors’ afterword in which they explain the format and history of their story. After hearing of a game called “The Letter Game,” Patricia Wrede and Caroline Stevermer decided to have a go — each took on the persona of two young women in a more magically flavoured 1800’s, and wrote to each other concerning their activities.
August 6th, 2007. Rebecca Fisher and Tadiana Jones´s rating: 4 | Caroline Stevermer, Patricia C. Wrede | Young Adult | SFF Reviews | no comments |
The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman
At the end of The Subtle Knife, things were dire. Lyra had been kidnapped by her mother Mrs Coulter, whilst Will was left in the company of two angels with the subtle knife (which can create windows between worlds) and the altheiometer (that communicates with the mystery substance known as ‘Dust’). Refusing to accompany them to Lord Asriel, who is on the verge of war with Heaven itself, Will enlists the angels help in tracking down Lyra, and is soon joined by Iorek Byrnison,
August 5th, 2007. Rebecca Fisher´s rating: 3 | Philip Pullman | Children | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Abhorsen is the final book of Garth Nix‘s Old Kingdom trilogy, which could basically translate into the second half of Lirael (the first installment Sabriel stands on its own, but its follow-up Lirael needs Abhorsen in order for the story to be completed). In the final chapter of Lirael, our four travelers Lirael, Sameth, Mogget and the Disreputable Dog have found sanctuary (albeit temporarily) at the Abhorsen’s House where further revelations concerning Lirael and Sam’s connection are discovered.
August 4th, 2007. Rebecca Fisher´s rating: 5 | Garth Nix | Young Adult | SFF Reviews | no comments |
The Elf Queen of Shannara by Terry Brooks
“Goodbye Wren That Was…”
The third volume of THE HERITAGE OF SHANNARA quartet, and also the most insular. Although there are brief mentions of what fellow-heroes are up to, The Elf Queen of Shannara almost exclusively focuses on Wren, quite different from the other three books that tell the over-arching story from various points of view.
The deceased Druid Allanon has given three scions separate quests that must be fulfilled if they are to defeat the mysterious and sinister Shadowen and the totalitarian Federation that is slowly encroaching upon the freedom of the Four Lands.
August 2nd, 2007. Rebecca Fisher´s rating: 3 | Terry Brooks | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Pretty challenging book. Cut by half, speed up the cadence. Trying to figure out the plot, the main point of…
Thanks for the kind words, Marion! Coming as they are from a professional writer, they are much appreciated!
Wonderful review, Sandy.
The "body count" bothered me a bit less because being dead seemed more like an inconvenience than anything else... unlike…
Detailed, thoughtful review, Bill. I'm going to read it for two reasons. First, Karen Russell wrote it, and second, it…