Lamplighter: Monster Blood Tattoo: Book 2

Lamplighter: Monster Blood Tattoo: Book 2 (Monster Blood Tattoo #2)

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4.2 of 5 stars 4.20  ·  rating details  ·  1,719 ratings  ·  167 reviews
Set in the world of the Half-Continent—a land of tri-corner hats and flintlock pistols—the Monster Blood Tattoo trilogy is a world of predatory monsters, chemical potions and surgically altered people.

Rossamünd Bookchild is finally becoming a lamplighter. Sworn into the Emperor’s service, his duty is to light the lamps along the Emperor’s highways, and protect all travelle...more
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Published May 27th 2007 by Listening Library
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Betsy
You can like the first book in a new fantasy series. You can love a first book in a new fantasy series. You can compare that book to the works and worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien or Philip Pullman, if you’ve half a mind to do so. But no matter how much you love a book, when you see that its sequel is a whopping 711 pages long you may find yourself somewhat reluctant to pick it up. I’m a busy reviewer. I get sent a lot of books to read and I’m only able to review a tiny portion of them. If a book is 7...more
J.Elle
When a book has somewhere close to 100 pages of an appendix with definitions and explanations of terms and things found in the book, I draw the line. Thumbs-up D.M. Cornish for creating an amazing new world. Thumbs-down for making it nearly impossible to understand unless I devote serious, and I mean SERIOUS, time to reading that cumbersome appendix (which I refuse to do). Which then means, I am half confused for a good three-quarters of the book. (And COME ON, is anyone DYING to know all about...more
Tama Wise
Heck, what can I say about a book that has made me excited about reading again? Waiting eagerly for the next installment like a young child? There's just something very magical about this series, and this book has only continued that, broadening the world and making the story only more deep and disturbing.

Following orphan Rossamund as he becomes a Lamplighter in the Most Serene Emperors service, it quickly becomes more apparent than the first book that something is truly rotten in the world. The...more
George Shirer
I'm always a bit leary of the second book in a trilogy. The second book, for me, is the make-it-or-break-it book. It often determines whether or not I'll buy the third, or leave the series unfinished.
I'm pleased to report that in Lamplighter, Mr. Cornish succeeds wonderfully in continuing the adventures of Rossamund Bookchild and his associates.
Having finally made it to Winstermere, Rossamund begins his training as an apprentice-lamplighter, a soldier in the Emperor's service charged with lighti...more
Bonanza Jellybn
These two books (Foundling & Lamplighter) have been the most fulfilling, unfulfilling stories I've consumed in quite some time! (That being written with sincerest of compliment intended.)

These may be dark for small children, and most assuredly too imaginatively detailed for those little ones. In the sense that it takes place in parallel, aged world similar to our own in history, but not... and the author introduces each chapter with definitions of words/things that exist only in this place....more
ICPL Staff Picks
I’m love-love-loving this Young Adult fantasy series even though this second book was gigantic (715 pages). A great high-fantasy tale with a gripping plot and characters that are more than just Harry Potter -slash- Tolkien spinoffs. Lamplighter two finds bookish Rossamund beginning his apprenticeship lighting the lamps that keep the Emperor’s highways somewhat safe from roaming bands of monsters (bogles). He’s joined in this new book by a headstrong girl and meets up with old friends from the fi...more
Olgy
This book review of LAMPLIGHTER was originally posted to the CCF site. It's re-posted here with permission.
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The second book in D.M. Cornish's Monster Blood Tattoo series, Lamplighter, is as engrossing as book one and should grab middle grade students' attention just as much. [ISBN: 978-0399246395; Putnam Juvenile; May 1, 2008; Ages 9-12]

Lamplighter has enough adventure-filled pages to keep boys interested in reading it. With the addition of Threnody to the cast, girls will also f...more
Thermopyle
I want to like this book more than I actually did. D.M. Cornish has built an intriguing world world almost over-filled with minute detail and glimpses of deep histories. Also, I'm a sucker for books like Anathem or Dune that make extensive use of made-up words. Yes, this is one of those books with a large glossary and a definition at the start of each chapter.

As much as I was interested in the world-building on display, I found the plot sluggish and the characters and their journey through a ver...more
Anne Hamilton
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Jeremy
This series kind of reminds me of the beginning of the Philip Pullman 'His Dark Materials' trilogy in the choice of world setting. There is a mish mash of mideval and renaissance culture cues that make things familiar to the reader. Good ploy. Hmm. Anyway, this series is turning into a real keeper. The suspense is well paced, although the main characters prime internal conflict, a failure to understand the world around him, moves forward at a frustratingly slow pace. The author dropped like seve...more
Kendrawesome
I have to say, I really enjoy the world that Cornish has created--a dark fantasy land sorta merged with 18th-century contrivances (guns, lamps, etc.). It's most akin to the Abhorsen series (Garth Nix), except set 200 years earlier--what with the constant threat of monsters (instead of the undead) but replete with magic. Except in this tale, the magic is pretty much all a surgical enhancement--sorta gives it a steampunk or cyberpunk vibe.

I think it's great that Cornish has given enough thought to...more
Ms. Library
I wanted to like this series more than I did: However, I had a hard time finishing it. I had to make myself sit down and read it. It felt more like an assignment than a joy, which is not really what I am looking for in a fantasy novel. I understand that some sections of books, especially high fantasy, can drag on a bit. However, I never truly connected to the characters, and I would often drift off to think about other things. The style was a bit dry, and although the world-building was excellen...more
Deb
Nov 25, 2008 Deb rated it 3 of 5 stars  ·  review of another edition Recommends it for: fantasy fans who want a breath of fresh air
Recommended to Deb by: Tracy
I really like this series, but man. Any words that are created for this series are really well explained in the book, the 100+page dictionary in the back is just redundant and heavy. This is the first time I've had to give a book minus stars for portability. It's a YA book! Harry Potter-sized tomes should be the exception, not the rule!

/rant, beginning of review:

In this book, Rossamund finishes his Lamplighter training months early because his whole class is hustled onto the field after a series...more
Martine
The events of the second book start almost two months after the first one and, according to the starred review of the Library Journal:

“Book Two of the epic series Monster Blood Tattoo, Lamplighter, promises twice the action and the adventure, twice the fascinating characters and incredible creatures, twice the excitement and entertainment! Enter the world of the Half-Continent, and don’t forget your hat!”

My first thought was: ‘hey, wait, I rated 5 stars for Book One, how can this get any better?...more
Shari  Mulluane
There is plenty to love about this book and the series so far. Aside a vivid world, even pacing, and an easy to follow single PoV there are great illustrations, done by D.M. Cornish, sprinkled throughout the book and an extensive glossary (110 pages) in the back in case you lose track of all the unusual terminology. There are also some things that concern me given the recommended reading age of 12+. Some readers (by no means all) are going to be put off by the extensive world building. Most of t...more
Hollowspine
Another rollicking adventure for Rossamund as he continues his journey becoming a lamplighter. He finds it little different than his life at Madam Opera's, he feels ostracized for his late appearance, his small stature and his gentle temperament.

When Threnody, a Peer trying to escape her mother's controlling hand, joins the lighters Rossamund gains a new, if surly, friend. He also finds solace when he's sent to help out Numption, a wounded glimner, who spends his days polishing lamp panes and g...more
Jessica
2nd book in D.M. Cornish's Monster Blood Tattoo series. The continuing story or Rossamund Bookchild was great. I am unsure, however, if what age group this series is written for. I think any book with a 100 page glosssary at the end is a bit in-depth for kids who may give up with so many unfamiliar words. I, on the other hand, got lost in the world of The Half Continent. I recommend it highly for adults and smart teens.

Also how long am i gonna have to wait for the 3rd book? Factotum-may 2010? 1...more
Ollie
Rossamund finally begins his apprenticeship as a lamplighter. His job requires that the lamplighters venture out daily to light and extinguish highway lamps. Tension mount as monster attacks begin to occur more frequently, the admittance of the first female lamplighter apprentice, the increase of strange events and the discovery of mysterious secrets. There are monsters everywhere, lamplighters are also fighters, killing every bugaboo, bogle and nicker in sight. Rossamund secretly challenges soc...more
K T
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Erin
Torn on this one. Absolutely love the story of Rossamund after reading the first book I knew I would have to finish the series. And this one had a spectacular ending so I'll have to start the final book right away. Problem is, I have trouble with all of the made up vocabulary...it's overwhelming. In fact, the book has a 114 page "Explicarium" which contains all of the definitions, etc. While I have complete respect for the level of imagination that the author put into this, I'm just not willing...more
Brooke Shirts
Just as in the first book of this series, I'm very much impressed with the world-building (every element of this fantasy culture is garnished, guilded, and fully fleshed-out, down to the cuffs on the characters' outfits) but the sucker was too darn long. Slow pacing, a rather predictible plot (seriously, why do benevolent leaders employ sinister underlings who always, always overthrow them?) made this book drag on for me. The Big Reveal at the end was something I had been counting on since the b...more
April
I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as I did the first but still a solid tale.

The story takes up directly where the first book leaves off and gives us some new characters to be interested in with a couple of the old ones still around. Again, each chapter begins with the definition of a new word. One of the things I like about this story is the careful consideration Cornish has put into worldbuilding. The clothes and buildings and characters are all very evocative and are helped along by the au...more
Emily
Hehe, a fabulous second installment in the Monster Blood Tattoo trilogy. I find that more often than not, the middle part of trilogies is rather dragging; and while there *were* a few short periods of time (within the story) that things were moving slow, it would always pick back up with a theroscade or some other danger, heh.

I stayed up until 2am reading the last of this book, and let me say, it really ended how a middle book ought to. **MINOR SPOILER** The situation of the protagonists being i...more
Cheryl
A great second book in the Monster Blood Tattoo series by Cornish. Orphan Rossamund Bookchild begins his training as a lamplighter. On his first day along the Emperor's highway they encounter monsters chasing a carriage filled with passengers. The lampligher trainees know as lampsticks and the senior trainers help the passengers fight off the deadly attack. The passengers are women teratologist--monster hunters with the gift of witting. One of their number a young girl is coming to join the lamp...more
Kelly
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Amber Bennett
Started trying to read this book to my husband but kind of struggled with some of the vocabulary so he read it to himself and I got it on CD and listened to it on my iPod which was a convenient way for me to multitask and still get lost in the world of Rossamond and his trials as a Lamplighter. I love this book so much that I now want to buy the first and will definitely buy the next one when it comes out, can't wait to have the whole series on my book shelf so I can revisit Rossamond's world ag...more
Kim (magicsandwiches) Lawyer
Book two in the Monster Blood Tattoo cranks the wheel a few more notches. It chronicles Rossamund's apprenticeship as a lamplighter and his adventures once he finishes. You'd think the job of lamplighter would be a little more benign, however it's anything but. You never know what can happen on the road, lighting lamps, and with the kinds of friends that Rossamund makes (whether he wants to or not), you REALLY don't know what's going to happen. All I can say is, when you finish this book, you'll...more
Caleb
This book was amazing. In many ways slightly superior to its predecessor, Lamplighter boasts a vast of array of fascinating character and twisting and turning plot that refuses to stop even up until the last page. Unfortunately, many of the book's own questions are left unanswered, but young Rossamund's confusing journey through 602 pages is fascinating nonetheless. The author is both an extremely talented writer and artist. His book is filled with nonstop descriptions, especially those of his o...more
Mark Herman
Dec 08, 2010 Mark Herman is currently reading it  ·  review of another edition
So far this series has vastly out-performed expectations. I'm very happy I found this book at a going-out-of-business book store. I'm also quite happy that the owner let me know that this is the second book, prompting me to find The Foundling online (Amazon.com rules) and reading that one first. I like the fact that the main character isn't a "hero". He doesn't think much of himself even while he's able to get through situations that would best many of the hero's he reads about and wishes he wer...more
J
it took me a little longer to get into it, but it was still quite good. my biggest beef is the 'big reveal' at the end of the book--it's something i had been anticipating since the very early part of book one, and something i was sure of shortly after. as he hints and implies not-so-subtly throughout both books, by the time they have someone come right out and name it, i'm thinking everyone--rossamund especially--is a blithering idiot for not guessing it way way earlier. aside from that, however...more
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Lamplighter 6 24 Mar 18, 2012 07:00pm  
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D. M. Cornish (born 1972) is a fantasy author and illustrator from Adelaide, South Australia. His first book is Foundling, the first part of the Monster Blood Tattoo trilogy. The second book named Lamplighter was released in May 2008. The third in the series is yet to be named.

D.M. Cornish was born in time to see the first Star Wars movie. He was five. It made him realize that worlds beyond his ow...more
More about D.M. Cornish...
Foundling (Monster Blood Tattoo, #1) Factotum (Monster Blood Tattoo, #3) Io sono Rossamünd (Monster Tattoo, #1) Legends of Australian Fantasy The Sunken Kingdom

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