Next SFF Author: Ben Aaronovitch

Order [book in series=yearoffirstbook.book# (eg 2014.01), stand-alone or one-author collection=3333.pubyear, multi-author anthology=5555.pubyear, SFM/MM=5000, interview=1111]: 2006.02

Deepwood: Exciting fantasy adventure by a veteran author

Deepwood by Jennifer Roberson

Looking back, Karavans was a typical set-up novel. It focused mainly on worldbuilding, laying down the groundwork for the story, and introducing a diverse cast of characters — Audrun, Davyn, and their children Gillan, Ellica, Torvic, and Megritte; the Shoia guide Rhuan and his partner Darmuth; Rhuan’s cousin and courier Brodhi; fellow courier Bethid; and hand-reader Ilona, among various other supporting players.

So, plot-wise, there may not have been a lot going on, but personally I had no problems with this aspect of the book since Ms.

June 25th, 2009. Robert Thompson´s rating: 3.5 | Jennifer Roberson | SFF Reviews | no comments |

The Fox: A quality sequel

The Fox by Sherwood Smith

After the high standards of Inda, the prequel to Sherwood Smith’s The Fox, it was next to impossible to be better this time. But, still, Smith delivers a quality second book in the series.

After the drama of the first book, Inda was left at sea after being forced from his homeland. Smith had really run Inda through a ragged race of events while growing him slowly into the man he would become. That process continues in The Fox.

May 19th, 2009. John Hulet´s rating: 4 | Sherwood Smith | SFF Reviews | no comments |

Swords of Dragonfire: Some of Greenwood’s more interesting characters

Swords of Dragonfire by Ed Greenwood

Although I generally don’t like reviewing the second book in a trilogy, (middle books often seem to just be filler) I just had to write about Ed Greenwood’s Swords of Dragonfire which continues the early exploits of the Knights of Myth Drannor, some of Greenwood’s more interesting characters. A roaming band of adventurers, loyal to the crown of Cormyr, the Knights are perhaps some of the most successful bunglers in the history of the Forgotten Realms.

May 11th, 2009. John Ottinger (guest)´s rating: 4 | Ed Greenwood | SFF Reviews | no comments |

The Search for the Red Dragon: Quick and enjoyable

The Search for the Red Dragon by James A. Owen

The previous Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica book, Here There Be Dragons, had a clean ending, but The Search for the Red Dragon introduces a new conflict that’s tied to the original adventure.

The strengths — and weaknesses — of the first book continue in The Search for the Red Dragon. The illustrations preceding each chapter are gorgeous, and James A. Owen‘s writing is plain,

Before They are Hanged: Expect more of the same

Before They are Hanged

Before They are Hanged (2007) begins just where The Blade Itself left off and continues the stories of Logen, West, Jezal, Ferro, Bayaz, Glokta, and company. Expect more of the same in this novel: brutal fighting, sickening torture, nasty politics, ruthless characters, and barbarian grammar.

This recipe mostly works — the plot is interesting, the pace is fast, there’s a bit of humor, and the characters are well-developed and continue to grow. I certainly enjoyed the story. There were a few things,

September 1st, 2008. Kat Hooper´s rating: 4 | Joe Abercrombie | SFF Reviews | no comments |

Shadow Gate: This series is shaping up to be Elliott’s best work

Shadow Gate by Kate Elliott

Giant eagles and their reeves who patrol the skies as peacekeepers. Nine Guardians blessed by the Seven Gods to bring justice to the land of the Hundred who have mysteriously vanished. A Qin captain, his young bride and a company of soldiers forced into exile. A slave of twelve years who schemes to buy out his debt as well as his sister’s. An outlander — the youngest and least-favored of seven sons — who can see and hear ghosts goes on a quest in search of his uncle’s bones.

July 16th, 2008. Robert Thompson´s rating: 4.5 | Kate Elliott | SFF Reviews | no comments |

Shadowstorm: Kemp makes the Forgotten Realms a real place

Shadowstorm by Paul S. Kemp

A storm is brewing in the country of Sembia. Erevis Cale must use the powers of Mask to stop it. Civil War is tearing apart the merchant kingdom, and Tamlin, the Hulorn of Selgaunt has made a deal with the last of the Netherese, the Shadovar. Into this turmoil comes the Shadowstorm.

Shadowstorm, Paul S. Kemp’s second book in The Twilight War, continues where Shadowbred left off. Erevis Cale, Drasik Riven, and Magadon continue their quest through the planes.

July 12th, 2008. John Ottinger (guest)´s rating: 5 | Paul S. Kemp | SFF Reviews | no comments |

The Well of Ascension: Plenty left to tell

The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson

Bridge books are always dicey things — many fall into a sophomore slump, meandering along trying to get from A to C with the required stop at B (because everyone knows a fantasy story can’t be told in only two books; three is clearly the sacred minimum — damn you Tolkien!). Luckily, The Well of Ascension (2007) doesn’t fall into that trap.

Mistborn is set in an ashen, mist-filled world whose myths tell of a time when plants were green.

Legacy: Shut up, Fawn.

Legacy by Lois McMaster Bujold

It sincerely hurts me to give Lois McMaster Bujold the “DNF,” but I didn’t get very far into The Sharing Knife: Legacy before giving up. It tried it on audio, with the same reader who read Beguilement (see above).

The first scene was a sex scene: Dag (who’s 55 years old) and Fawn (who’s 19) on their wedding night. I rolled my eyes through most of it, and when Fawn started chatting about her family’s propensity to produce twins and other unsuitable topics for a wedding night scene (this is during the act,

Vicious Circle: Bigger and Better

Vicious Circle by Mike Carey

Out of all of the urban fantasy novels that I read in 2007, Mike Carey’s prose debut (The Devil You Know) was one of my favorites. Basically, Mr Carey took everything that I love about the genre — including the supernatural tangoing with the ordinary, mixing humor with horror, and creating a protagonist that is impossible not to root for — and gave the formula a refreshing makeover. Even so, there was room for improvement and in Vicious Circle Mike Carey has delivered a sequel that is in every way bigger and better than its predecessor.

May 14th, 2008. Robert Thompson´s rating: 4 | Mike (M.R.) Carey | SFF Reviews | no comments |

Next SFF Author: Ben Aaronovitch

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