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Often, the second book in a trilogy is accused of something called “Middle Book Syndrome.” The idea is that the second book in most trilogies is mostly filler and very little plot movement really happens. And often it is true. But if anyone accuses Brian Ruckley’s second book in The Godless World trilogy, Bloodheir of suffering from middle book syndrome, I’m afraid I will have to scoff in his face.
Bloodheir moves the story from the personal to the epic.
June 1st, 2009. John Ottinger (guest)´s rating: 5 | Brian Ruckley | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Reaper’s Gale by Steven Erikson
In modern fantasy literature, there are certain select works that define the genre such as The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia, Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time, George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice & Fire, the Shannara novels by Terry Brooks, and Stephen Donaldson’s Thomas Covenant Chronicles among others.
May 26th, 2009. Robert Thompson´s rating: 5 | Steven Erikson | SFF Reviews | no comments |
E.E. Knight’s Vampire Earth is one of the most interesting military fantasy series around. Watching the maturation and evolution of the main character David Valentine has been very intriguing because Knight has done the right things. Val has been through the proverbial wringer in terms of losing friends, getting hurt, and dealing with leaders who are more concerned with their own career than doing the right things for the Soldiers they lead. In many ways, Knight’s tongue-in-cheek commentary on bureaucrats and indictment of self-serving Officers has been his most powerful theme.
May 22nd, 2009. John Hulet´s rating: 5 | E.E. Knight | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
I really loved this novel.
The blurb for Elom got me: “The Clan of the Cave Bear meets Close Encounters of the Third Kind.”
William Drinkard is not your typical debut novelist. He served in the Alabama State Legislature for twelve years, and even was the Senate Majority Leader. He’s still involved with politics, but not as an elected official. When one hears such things, one wonders,
May 18th, 2009. Tia Nevitt (guest)´s rating: 5 | William Drinkard | Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | no comments |
THE LEGENDS OF KING ARTHUR TRILOGY by Rosemary Sutcliff
There are countless retellings and adaptations concerning the life and times of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, and I’m not even close to having read all of them. Therefore, it’s impossible for me to say that Rosemary Sutcliff’s version is the definitive Arthurian retelling. However, it’s certainly one of the best. Told in Sutcliff’s graceful prose that is both epic and intimate when need-be, and the tricky subjects like incest, adultery and bloodshed are conveyed without being either too prudish or overly graphic.
May 18th, 2009. Rebecca Fisher´s rating: 5 | Rosemary Sutcliff | Young Adult | SFF Reviews | no comments |
The Prodigal Troll by Charles Coleman Finlay
Although many cultures have a similar story, the most famous prodigal is that of the parable of Jesus told in Luke 15:11-31. In it, a young man takes his inheritance, leaves his family, and seeks his fortune in the wider world. He soon learns that the world is a cruel place and ends up returning to his father. The term “prodigal” eventually came to mean one who returned after a long absence, usually after finding trouble apart from their families.
The prodigal in Charles Coleman Finlay’s The Prodigal Troll is Maggot,
May 12th, 2009. John Ottinger (guest)´s rating: 5 | Charles Coleman (C.C.) Finlay | Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Goblin War is a completely different novel from the first two novels in this series. Those two books were constrained by the small world of the lair and its surrounding caves. The goblins never left the caves under their mountain, for all the adventures that they had. This meant that the second novel, while having a different set of circumstances, was much like the first in plot and style, and didn’t add too much that was new to Jig the Goblin’s story. But in Goblin War,
May 11th, 2009. John Ottinger (guest)´s rating: 5 | Jim C. Hines | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Well, here’s the finale of Jack Vance’s Lyonesse, and I’m sorry to see it end. This novel was about Madouc, the changeling princess of Lyonesse, and her interactions with Casmir, Sollace, Aillas, Dhrun, Shimrod, Throbius, Sir Pom-Pom, Umphred, Twisk, et al.
Madouc maintains the quality of this excellent trilogy — it’s filled with clever prose, charming characters, and lots of imagination. Jack Vance’s careful planning produced a tight plot and Madouc wrapped up all the loose ends from Suldrun’s Garden and The Green Pearl.
May 8th, 2009. Kat Hooper´s rating: 5 | Jack Vance | World Fantasy Award | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
Santa Olivia by Jacqueline Carey
I’m not actually sure if Santa Olivia (2009) is technically a fantasy novel. The heroine, Loup Garron, has unusual abilities, but she gets them by way of genetic engineering, not magic (her father was a top-secret military experiment). However, if you’re a fantasy fan, don’t let this dissuade you! There’s plenty here for a fantasy reader to love. Santa Olivia is a coming-of-age story; it’s a story about being a misfit; it’s a story about an underdog up against towering odds;
May 6th, 2009. Kelly Lasiter´s rating: 5 | Jacqueline Carey | SFF Reviews | no comments |
The City & The City by China Miéville
It’s impossible to discuss China Miéville’s The City & The City without discussing its premise. I don’t consider this much of a spoiler, as the reader is pretty fully confronted with the premise about 20-30 pages in, but it is led into with hints here and there so before hitting the premise, I’ll offer a very short summation and recommendation in the next two paragraphs, followed by the full discussion which includes the premise.
Despite the title’s promise of more urban New Weird fantasy along the lines of Perdido Street Station,
May 6th, 2009. Bill Capossere and Marion Deeds´s rating: 4, 5 | China Mieville | BSFA Award, Hugo Award, Stand-Alone, World Fantasy Award | SFF Reviews | no comments |
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