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Kate Mosse‘s Sepulchre is a historical fantasy — historical fiction with fantastic elements. I enjoy both genres, and this novel features a female graduate student (somebody I can relate to) as one of the main characters, and it’s available for download at Audible, so I thought it would be good entertainment on my commute. I got about ten chapters in before quitting.
The book seems well-researched, is competently written, the tone switches easily from past to present and back,
July 26th, 2014. Kat Hooper and Rebecca Fisher´s rating: 3.5 | Kate Mosse | Audio, Edge, Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | 4 comments |
In Winter’s Shadow by Gillian Bradshaw
In Winter’s Shadow is the final book in Gillian Bradshaw’s DOWN THE LONG WIND trilogy, an elegantly written historical fantasy about King Arthur that’s inspired by the Welsh legends. While the first two books, Hawk of May and Kingdom of Summer, have focused on Gwalchmai (Sir Gawain), this last novel is written from Gwynhwyfar’s perspective. You certainly don’t need to read the previous books to fully appreciate In Winter’s Shadow,
July 25th, 2014. Kat Hooper´s rating: 3.5 | Gillian Bradshaw | Audio | SFF Reviews | 3 comments |
Thorn Jack by Katherine Harbour
For us readers of a certain age, “Tam Lin” and “college” in the same sentence are going to remind us of Pamela Dean’s quirky retelling. But other than profuse quoting of poetry, Dean’s Tam Lin and Katherine Harbour’s Thorn Jack are not much alike and don’t really invite comparisons. You might also think of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight a time or two, as a few of the story’s bones are similar,
July 24th, 2014. Kelly Lasiter´s rating: 3.5 | Katherine Harbour | SFF Reviews | 4 comments |
The Spectral Link by Thomas Ligotti
Subterranean Press has issued two original stories by Thomas Ligotti in a special edition volume titled The Spectral Link. Ligotti is best known for a brooding, gothic style of psychological horror that avoids slashing, gore and disgusting body fluids for a deep, dark, almost spiritual sense of wrongness. He delivers that creepy sense of wrongness in both these tales.
Ligotti’s prose is masterful, as is his control of tone. Tone is not as easy to manage as people might think;
July 23rd, 2014. Marion Deeds´s rating: 3.5 | Thomas Ligotti | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
The Sorcerer: Metamorphosis by Jack Whyte
Merlyn does not want to return to Camulod. He has found happiness in Mediobogdum with his wife, Tressa, and his charge, Arthur Pendragon. However, war is coming. Merlyn’s enemy, Peter Ironhair, has hired mercenaries to attack the Pendragon lands in order to advance the claim of Carthac, a distant relative of Uther Pendragon and a monstrous — some say invincible — psychopath. Meanwhile, the Saxons continue to invade along the southeast coast and there are also rumors of an invasion from the northeast.
Clearly,
July 23rd, 2014. Ryan Skardal´s rating: 3.5 | Jack Whyte | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Sacrifice of Fools by Ian McDonald
Ian McDonald grew up in Belfast, a city known for the turmoil and unrest it has endured because of the conflict between Catholics and Protestants. Some of McDonald’s novels allegorically explore the causes and results of a divided city. In Sacrifice of Fools, McDonald presents a vivid and lively conflicted Belfast, and then he throws a third element into the mix: aliens.
The Shian are a peaceful alien species who, upon arrival on Earth, are allowed to settle in Belfast in exchange for sharing the secrets of their technological superiority.
July 22nd, 2014. Kat Hooper´s rating: 3.5 | Ian McDonald | Audio, Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
The Silk Map by Chris Willrich
The Silk Map is Chris Willrich’s second adventure in the GAUNT AND BONE series. The poet and the thief, along with their bandit friend Snow Pine, are searching for their lost children, and this book takes them on a quest along an ancient trade route where they confront wonders, demons and their own fears.
Willrich has created a world based on ancient China, and the Spice Braid route that Gaunt and Bone follow is patterned on the Silk Road.
July 17th, 2014. Marion Deeds´s rating: 3.5 | Chris Willrich | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
Pyramids by Terry Pratchett
It seems there is no subject too big or too small, too esoteric or too familiar, that Terry Pratchett won’t tackle in DISCWORLD. His 1989 Pyramids, seventh in the series, sees the author exploring Egypt and just entering the groove that would become more than forty novels in the DISCWORLD setting. The humor in Pyramids is some of Pratchett’s best, but the book still leaves something to be desired for plot. As such, I’m guessing it won the 1989 British Science Fiction Award for historical grounding,
July 17th, 2014. Jesse Hudson and Kat Hooper´s rating: 3.5 | Terry Pratchett | BSFA Award | SFF Reviews | no comments |
The Dragon of Avalon by T.A. Barron
Recent republications of The Dragon of Avalon number it as the sixth instalment in T.A. Barron‘s MERLIN series. To be more accurate, it was published *after* the five-part LOST YEARS OF MERLIN and THE GREAT TREE OF AVALON trilogy, but is placed between them in the chronology of events. Confusing, right?
Although reading this in the newly designated order certainly doesn’t give away any spoilers, there’s a definite sense that Barron expects you to have some awareness of the Great Tree of Avalon (it’s kind of like reading The Magician’s Nephew before The Lion,
July 16th, 2014. Rebecca Fisher´s rating: 3.5 | T.A. Barron | Children | SFF Reviews | no comments |
The Unfairest of Them All by Shannon Hale
The Unfairest of Them All is the second book in Shannon Hale’s EVER AFTER HIGH series for children. These are tie-in novels for Matel’s line of EVER AFTER HIGH dolls, clothing, diaries, and sundry accessories. I feel like a real chump for obliviously falling into Matel’s greedy little trap, but I love Shannon Hale’s children’s books, so…. so THERE.
The first book in the series (The Storybook of Legends) was sweet and charming,
July 14th, 2014. Kat Hooper´s rating: 3.5 | Shannon Hale | Audio, Children | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Do it! One of the best things I've read in recent years.
This reminds me. I want to read Addie LaRue.
We’re in total agreement David!
I felt just the same. The prose and character work was excellent. The larger story was unsatisfying, especially compared to…
Hmmm. I think I'll pass.