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

Darkwitch Rising: Cornelia rising

Darkwitch Rising by Sara Douglass

The setting is Restoration London. Cornelia, Brutus, Coel, Genvissa, Asterion, and assorted friends and enemies are walking the earth yet again, as is a mysterious new character who has the potential to throw a wrench in all of their best-laid plans.

This is Cornelia’s story more than anyone else’s, as she matures further. Noah, as she is called in this life, is a far cry from the bratty Cornelia of Hades’ Daughter, and even the staunchly loyal Caela of Gods’

September 2nd, 2007. Kelly Lasiter´s rating: 3.5 | Sara Douglass | SFF Reviews | no comments |

Red Seas Under Red Skies: Locke and Jean take a cruise

Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch

Red Seas Under Red Skies is Scott Lynch’s follow-up to his debut fantasy The Lies of Locke Lamora, and the second in the planned Gentlemen Bastard sequence. The first book asked the question: what would happen if all the guys from Ocean 11 were teleported into the usual fantasy setting? Red Seas Under Red Skies asks: what would Brad Pitt and George Clooney do if the rest of Oceans 11 were killed off in movie one?

August 30th, 2007. Bill Capossere, Greg Hersom, Marion Deeds and Skye Walker´s rating: 3.5, 4, 5 | Scott Lynch | SFF Reviews | 3 comments |

Feast of Souls: Impeccably plotted

Feast of Souls by C.S. Friedman

There is only one way to do magic, and that is to expend life force to power it. Witches spend their own life force, and die young. Magisters have discovered how to spend the life force of another, and are nearly immortal, burning through consort after consort, while keeping the source of their magic a tightly guarded secret. No woman has ever become a Magister because they are unwilling to sacrifice others. No woman until Kamala, steeled by a life of child prostitution, secretly becomes a Magister.

August 24th, 2007. Ruth Arnell and John Hulet´s rating: 3.5, 4 | C.S. Friedman | SFF Reviews | no comments |

The House of Power: A set up novel

The House of Power by Patrick Carman

The House of Power is the first installment in Patrick Carman’s ATHERTON trilogy. As such, it is expected that there be some ‘setting up’ for the next book. These expectations are surpassed, as there is little else but setting up for most of this book.

Halfway through The House of Power all that was still happening was the suggestion of more problems, and it seemed that I would have to read the rest of the trilogy to get any answers at all.

August 14th, 2007. Skye Walker´s rating: 3.5 | Patrick Carman | SFF Reviews | no comments |

Heresy: Interesting enough to make another trip to Aquasilva

Heresy by Anselm Audley

Anselm Audley begins a somewhat non-traditional fantasy series set in what was one of the most creative environments I have read recently. The main character of Heresy, Cathan, is very typical for most fantasy in that he has powers he doesn’t know about, is the son of a nobleman, and gets caught up in a major struggle that will affect the world. Cliché…

The bad guys are a group of fanatical priests who are trying to control the whole world and make the worship of their God the only acceptable form of religion.

August 9th, 2007. John Hulet´s rating: 3.5 | Anselm Audley | SFF Reviews | no comments |

The Summoner: Happily impressed

The Summoner by Gail Z. Martin

The Summoner is the first book that I have read by Gail Martin, but I was happily impressed with this first installment of The Chronicles of the Necromancer. I didn’t love it, and there seemed to be some rough patches throughout the book, but on the whole it was interesting.

Central to this story is a lust for power and what happens as a result. The main character, Martris “Tris” Drayke, is not very unique,

July 21st, 2007. John Hulet´s rating: 3.5 | Gail Z. Martin | SFF Reviews | no comments |

Spellsinger & The Hour of the Gate: TMNT meets Tolkien

Spellsinger & The Hour of the Gate by Alan Dean Foster

… Well, perhaps not Tolkien, but I had the urge for alliteration in the title. Spellsinger is a fantasy series quite unlike any other. While the anthropomorphisation of animals is certain not a new thing, Alan Dean Foster has done something out of the ordinary with it here. To give you some idea, if you can imagine the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles characters in a fantasy setting, then you’ll have some idea of what to expect.

July 21st, 2007. Guest´s rating: 3.5 | Alan Dean Foster | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Fitting end

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

There’s good news, middling news, and bad news in the final Harry Potter installment, a book that replicates in many ways the unevenness of the series as a whole. First the good news. The main character, which has always been the book’s strength, continues in that vein through most of the book. Harry’s oh-so-realistic ongoing grief at his parents’ deaths, his sometimes-bends-but-never-breaks bond with Hermione and Ron, his coming-of-age process through idol-worship then respect then disillusionment then adult understanding with Dumbledore,

Wit’ch Fire: Fortune favours the bold

Wit’ch Fire by James Clemens

Wit’ch Fire was a genuine impulse buy. I had read no reviews nor received recommendations — I was simply in the bookshop, liked the cover and plot synopsis on the reverse, and listened to my gut. Foolhardy, perhaps, but sometimes fortune favours the bold. This time, it did.

Wit’ch Fire is the first of a series of five books by James Clemens, also known to mystery and adventure fans as James Rollins and to others as the former veterinary surgeon Jim Czajkowski — his real name.

July 14th, 2007. Guest´s rating: 3.5 | James Clemens | SFF Reviews | no comments |

Covenants: No way is this guy a soldier

Covenants by Lorna Freeman

I am a soldier, and Rabbit, the main character of Lorna Freeman’s Covenants, is a joke.

Freeman is just all over the place with Rabbit — he’s willing to tangle with someone one minute, and the next minute he’s hiding under his blankets because he’s afraid? The premise of Covenants is very interesting and I enjoyed the plot, but it bugged me that Rabbit acted like a scared kid half of the time and a foul-mouthed tough guy the rest.

June 24th, 2007. John Hulet´s rating: 3.5 | Lorna Freeman | SFF Reviews | no comments |

Rating: 3.5

Darkwitch Rising: Cornelia rising

Red Seas Under Red Skies: Locke and Jean take a cruise

Feast of Souls: Impeccably plotted

The House of Power: A set up novel

Heresy: Interesting enough to make another trip to Aquasilva

The Summoner: Happily impressed

Spellsinger & The Hour of the Gate: TMNT meets Tolkien

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Fitting end

Wit’ch Fire: Fortune favours the bold

Covenants: No way is this guy a soldier

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