My rating:
add to my books
Loading...
No Present Like Time (Fourlands #2)
The incredible follow-up to Steph Swainston's acclaimed first novel, The Year of Our War, No Present Like Time is a superb work of literary fantasy.
God is still on vacation, the Emperor still leads the war against the insects, and his cadre of immortals is still quarreling among themselves. But a new land has been discovered, one that holds the secrets of centu...more
God is still on vacation, the Emperor still leads the war against the insects, and his cadre of immortals is still quarreling among themselves. But a new land has been discovered, one that holds the secrets of centu...more
Paperback, 396 pages
Published
February 1st 2006
by Eos
(first published 2005)
There is a good chance some of your friends read this book. Sign in to see!
sign in »
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
This book is currently not featured on any Listopia lists.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
208)
All of the qualities that made "The Year of Our War" a great read are present in the sequel. The Immortals have fantastic abilities and interesting relationships with each other and the world of mortals. The Insects, though much less emphasized, are scary and ferocious. The history of the Fourlands looms in the background, growing more distinct in places, while expanding into further foggy territory that invites delectable speculation. Swainston's prose remains elegant and yet robust, ...more
view all 6 comments
The interesting premise continues to develop with more good plot twists. If you insist on 100% plausibility even in fantasy, maybe go elsewhere. In fact, I'm developing a bit of a feeling that there had better be a good explanation at the end for the Shift and some other highly-unlikely things Swainston is presenting. I've been disappointed before by other authors in the same way. I fear the answer will be, "Hey, it's New Weird, just go with it, man."
The Time Bug is one of...more
The Time Bug is one of...more
A friend suggested I read Steph Swainston and, not realising this was the second in a trilogy, I picked this one because I liked the title (the first appeared to be about war, which did not appeal).
It is an interesting twist on the basic high fantasy novel. God is on holiday and the Emperor and his picked elite of immortals are in charge. The world is being overrun by giant insects. A sub-group of the 'human' people have vestigial wings. The book's hero is the only flying 'huma...more
It is an interesting twist on the basic high fantasy novel. God is on holiday and the Emperor and his picked elite of immortals are in charge. The world is being overrun by giant insects. A sub-group of the 'human' people have vestigial wings. The book's hero is the only flying 'huma...more
I really enjoyed the first in this ‘verse, The Year of Our War, and while I didn’t like this one quite as much is still makes for a great read. Our hero, once again, is Jant. A member of the immortal Circle, dedicated to serving the Emperor San and the Fourlands, protecting them. Five years have passed without attack from the Insects, and Jant is clean. Although still a drug addict. And with his wife’s affairs, and San’s orders that he, phobic about the sea as he is, is to be sent on a mission a...more
"New Weird"; it's not all that weird.
It's fantasy that's a little more fantastical, but I hadn't thought anything of it until I read that term in a review.
Liked it!
Read it fast!
If you liked the first one, The Year of Our War, you'll like the second.
If you like China Mieville, you'll find the writing less gross/gritty
It's fantasy that's a little more fantastical, but I hadn't thought anything of it until I read that term in a review.
Liked it!
Read it fast!
If you liked the first one, The Year of Our War, you'll like the second.
If you like China Mieville, you'll find the writing less gross/gritty
http://nhw.livejournal.com/876968.html[return][return]Having enjoyed The Year of Our War, I was looking forward to Swainston's second book; and indeed it was a good read. Here she has put more effort into world-building: the island empire of the previous book is only one of three locales, the other two being Tris, a newly discovered island off to the east, and Epsilon, a parallel dream-city into which Jant, the narrator, escapes when he has taken sufficient drugs. There is less office politics, ...more
This 2nd book didnt disappoint. Here's my review
http://croftfantasyreads.blogspot.com/20...
http://croftfantasyreads.blogspot.com/20...
Less original than the first volume, and with some increasingly simple-minded politics.
Great follow-up to _The Year of Our War_. Swainston doles out more choice tidbits and comes up with new and interesting situations for the the protagonist and his compatriots. Once again, refreshing fantasy.
Good stuff. Looking forward to the next volume in the series.
Okay book. Not as good as the first one, Year of our War
Sweetapple
marked it as to-read
Maria
marked it as wish-list
Rhydanne
marked it as to-read
Henrik
added it
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
