Next SFF Author: Ben Aaronovitch

Rating: 3

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At the Back of the North Wind: Best and worst of Victorian children’s literature

At the Back of the North Wind by George MacDonald

The Meaning Will Come with the Thing Itself…

George MacDonald wrote hundreds of stories throughout his lifetime (not surprising considering he had eleven kids!), most of which were fantasies that drew on a rich variety of sources: mythology, fairytales and Biblical mysticism. Credited by C.S. Lewis as the main inspiration behind The Chronicles of Narnia, MacDonald’s dreamy little tales (especially this one) are a strange blend of frustrating ramblings and sublime imagery. Love it or hate it,

The Magician and the Fool: A post-modern fever dream

The Magician and the Fool by Barth Anderson

Jeremiah Rosemont is a far-fallen academic star, an art historian with specialized knowledge of — and uncanny experience with — tarot decks. Having exiled himself from the United States, he finds his wanderings through Nicaragua interrupted one night by the mysterious delivery of a plane ticket to Rome. There, he stumbles into a maelstrom of occult forces and figures gathering around a deck of uncertain origin and powers. Another figure with links to the deck is the Boy King, a vagrant in Minneapolis with strange and formidable talents.

Here There Be Witches: Beautiful illustrations

Here There Be Witches by Jane Yolen

Jane Yolen’s anthology is centered around the topic of witches and holds a wide range of writing styles, whether it be poetry, short stories, retelling of legends or dialogue. This variety of these stories and their tones sometimes makes a rather mish-mashed collection; the serious stories don’t quite fit with the light-hearted ones and you feel as if they should be in separate books. On the other hand, the range means that there’s something for everyone and one gets to see the many sides of witches and their crafts.

A Touch of Chill: Characters teeter on the edge of reality

A Touch of Chill by Joan Aiken

Joan Aiken is one of my favourite authors, best known among children as the writer of the alternative-history series The Wolves Chronicles. She is also a writer for adults, and the same sense of imagination, wit and mystery found in her earlier books are found in this collected anthology of creepy and twisted short stories. Although the title claims that these are stories of “horror, suspense and fantasy,” this is a little misleading. It’s not that these stories aren’t any of these things,

Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow: Not too deep

Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George

Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow is an ultimately frustrating retelling of “East of the Sun, West of the Moon,” a Norse fairytale about a girl (who is never referred to by name) and an enchanted white bear. It just happens to be one of my favorite fairy tales. Jessica Day George stays very true to the original story, while judiciously adding details to fill out the sparseness of the tale. She gives us a reason that the girl in the story has no name,

Nine Gates: Worth it for the sake of the hell scenes

Nine Gates by Jane Lindskold

The Orphans — at least in their current incarnation — had proven to be a chatty group. Hardly anything, from something as minor as what to have for dinner, to the planning of major expeditions did not get talked over — sometimes, she suspected, to the frustration of their allies from the Lands.

Sometimes to the frustration of the reader, too. The “talkiness” of this cast of characters was an issue in Thirteen Orphans, and it hasn’t gone away in Nine Gates.

December 31st, 2009. Kelly Lasiter´s rating: 3 | Jane Lindskold | SFF Reviews | no comments |

Veil of Shadows: A little disappointing

Veil of Shadows by Jennifer Armintrout

I’m sad to say that I was a little disappointed in Veil of Shadows. I loved the first Lightworld/ Darkworld novel, Queene of Light, and while I didn’t like Child of Darkness quite as much, I was intrigued by the plot elements that Jennifer Armintrout moved into place during that book.

The first part of Veil of Shadows deals with Cerridwen and Cedric’s journey to Ireland,

December 30th, 2009. Kelly Lasiter´s rating: 3 | Jennifer Armintrout | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |

Torn: A middle book

Torn by Julie Kenner

It’s hard to review Torn without spoiling the big twist in the previous book, Tainted! So, I’ll just say that Torn follows the further adventures of Lily Carlyle, now Alice Purdue, as she attempts to keep demons from overrunning the Earth. Meanwhile, her thorny relationship with Deacon continues, her handlers have teamed her up with a partner, and now Lily has custody of her traumatized little sister, Rose.

Rose is now facing a violation that might well be worse than what she suffered in the previous book.

December 30th, 2009. Kelly Lasiter´s rating: 3 | Julie Kenner | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: An amusing gimmick

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith

This is a book that straightforwardly declares its content from the presentation of both cover and title. With the bloodied portrait and the “and zombies” appendage, what you get here is precisely what appearances promise: no more and no less. This is Jane Austen’s manuscript, almost in its entirety, with sporadic scenes of zombies inserted.

The result is an amusing gimmick, but nothing that is astoundingly witty or which sheds new light on familiar characters or situations as most parodies are wont to do.

December 17th, 2009. Rebecca Fisher´s rating: 3 | Seth Grahame-Smith | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |

Muse and Reverie: I wanted more

Muse and Reverie by Charles de Lint

Muse and Reverie is a brand new collection of short stories set in Charles de Lint’s fictional city of Newford. Now available in one volume, these stories have been published in other venues over the last decade. While there are some good stories, and only one real clunker, Muse and Reverie lacks the same magic that has characterized de Lint’s earlier collections.

I may have been at a disadvantage,

Next SFF Author: Ben Aaronovitch

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Recent Discussion:

David C Walton on Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil: Ambitious, atmospheric, and ultimately unevenJuly 5, 2025
Do it! One of the best things I've read in recent years.
Marion Deeds on Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil: Ambitious, atmospheric, and ultimately unevenJuly 5, 2025
This reminds me. I want to read Addie LaRue.
Bill Capossere on Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil: Ambitious, atmospheric, and ultimately unevenJuly 3, 2025
We’re in total agreement David!
David C Walton on Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil: Ambitious, atmospheric, and ultimately unevenJuly 3, 2025
I felt just the same. The prose and character work was excellent. The larger story was unsatisfying, especially compared to…
Marion Deeds on Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil: Ambitious, atmospheric, and ultimately unevenJuly 3, 2025
Hmmm. I think I'll pass.