This one is a tough call. Whilst I enjoyed it a lot, and it's certainly clear that Pratchett has settled into his new writing style well (some books b...moreThis one is a tough call. Whilst I enjoyed it a lot, and it's certainly clear that Pratchett has settled into his new writing style well (some books back I was seriously worried that his well-advertised condition was proving too much for him), there is also the growing sense that he is running out of places to go with his well-established characters. We lost Death a long time ago, and the Witches had to be diminished to a supporting cast for Tiffany, who has now come to the end of her story. In the end, I felt I learned nothing new about Sam Vimes this time out that I didn't know before I started. And whilst this is hardly a criticism - perhaps I am expecting too much - there was a distinct sense of retreading old ground; even the "goblin" story felt a bit too much like the "orcs" from Unseen Academicals. But the set-pieces are as good as ever - the Austen tea-party and the village face-off are fabulous, and the river sequence is more epic than anything we've really had before (harking right back to the apocalypse scenarios from early-mid period Discworld), and the running gags manage to stay the right side of funny.
As usual, even deja vu Pratchett is way better than pretty much everyone else.(less)
Any series of books that has reached #9 is one (or both) of two things: successful enough to have a readership base to sustain itself / intricate enou...moreAny series of books that has reached #9 is one (or both) of two things: successful enough to have a readership base to sustain itself / intricate enough to mean that new readers should absolutely not start here. Whilst I have no idea about the first condition (although I imagine it can't just be vanity publishing!), the second is most definitely true. Although the basic plot is sufficiently independent to be comprehensible to newcomers, the universe building is not explained at all, and several crucial parts of the dénouement do require background knowledge to understand.
Duane's Wizard series is very strange in one particular way - the first book was written nearly 30 years ago* but the timeline of the story is very compressed: only a couple of years have actually elapsed in "real" time. But she has been forced to make the technology upgrades that have transformed our life in the last few decades, which makes for a weird experience if you read the first one now. *I think that it was only the mid90s reprint that reawakened interest in the series and led to the new books though.
Still all that hardly matters. This is another solid entry in a generally pretty solid series, with some proper character development and tantalising hints of what is to come. The core story is a fine romp, albeit a tad predictable, and the resolution is satisfying even if Kit and Nita come across as being far too nice given what has gone before.
And the major loose end still dangling is nicely set-up for the next volume. Can't wait.(less)
It's always hard to read a book based around technology which is so clearly dated; you find yourself pausing to consider how silly it sounds today. Wh...moreIt's always hard to read a book based around technology which is so clearly dated; you find yourself pausing to consider how silly it sounds today. When I first read it twenty years ago it was a little ahead of the game and still sounded slightly old-fashioned; now it clearly isn't even that! But in the end that doesn't matter. What matters is whether the story is good, whether the characters are engaging, whether the writing works. And in all of those respects, it is still as good today as it was when I first read it. Sure, it is self-indulgent (which keeps it from a 5-star rating) and some of the plotting is a bit of a stretch, but the conceit is wonderful and the occasional twist catches you by surprise. It's also a fine meditation on theology - what it might truly mean to be God, what "all-powerful" and "all-knowing" might actually mean, and why those who try to limit God to the size of a human imagination are missing the whole point. (less)
An amazingly depressing book in the unerring way it nails our inability as a species to evolve beyond selfishness. But I also find it extremely satisf...moreAn amazingly depressing book in the unerring way it nails our inability as a species to evolve beyond selfishness. But I also find it extremely satisfying as a clever blurring of the SF/Fantasy boundaries, with ideas bursting out all over the place. The slow-burning horror of Fidipur is especially well-handled.
One thing I am uncertain about is that I first read this in one edition but purchased a different edition - and I think that several sections (presented as some sort of plot exposition) that I recalled from the first version were definitely not present in the version I bought. (And their absence makes the book far, far better.) Can anyone tell me if I am dreaming about these excisions?(less)
This book has been sitting on my shelf for several years and I was surprised to find that I hadn't read it after all.
It's a nice SF/Fantasy "romp" - a...moreThis book has been sitting on my shelf for several years and I was surprised to find that I hadn't read it after all.
It's a nice SF/Fantasy "romp" - a direct application of Clarke's Third Law executed in a relatively original fashion, although, being forty years old, it perhaps doesn't feel quite so original now.
I enjoyed the clarity of his writing, which has a good visual style, and the characters were generally distinctive and well defined. But ultimately I found the overly political thrust of the book to be deeply, well, shallow. Whilst it was refreshing not to have undiluted libertarianism presented as being the only logical position (cf. Rand or Heinlein), even the admission that there are flaws in the preferred philosophy was offset by the presumption that no other political theory (Marxism in particular) had any redeeming features whatsoever - particularly given the slightly cheeky use of "thesis-antithesis-synthesis" at one point.
However, it's a fun read and makes me wonder why I haven't read more of this series.(less)
...and this is a positive masterclass in how to take a really hackneyed idea and make it feel completely new.
Structurally, I think this is the weakes...more...and this is a positive masterclass in how to take a really hackneyed idea and make it feel completely new.
Structurally, I think this is the weakest of the three. But that's inevitable when you get to the third part of a trilogy (just ask Philip Pullman!) There are an awful lot of loose ends to tie up, and, not content with that, they decide to add an entire massive backstory that was strictly unnecessary (I think that pretty much the whole thing could have been resolved without needing the Khory subplot at all.) Not to mention the borderline racism of the Chengwei who don't exactly have a terribly original culture, not to mention very few redeeming qualities (unlike all the other "bad guys" in the story, who are often given proper motivational reasons for their actions.)
And, having been quite subtle previously, there are a couple of occasions here when they feel it necessary to club the reader over the head with one specific concept so that when the relevant moment actually arrives it doesn't feel like the clever resolution that it should. Not that it still isn't clever, but I felt a little less impressed than I might have done if they had let me work it out for myself.
The setpieces are fantastic (the defence of the Fort is gripping, and the showdown in the Crystal Palace is very vividly realised), and once again the characters are well-drawn and they all get their moment in the spotlight.
The climax feels rushed (although I think that is part of the point - in a sense we already know what is going to happen, so why dwell on it?) Although the way revelation about Elora's parentage and the Deceiver's true story are both ever-so-brilliantly stuck right in the middle of it is nothing short of genius. But the epilogue is nigh-on perfect.
An under-rated series, in my opinion. If you're looking for something a bit different, give this a go.(less)
For me, this is the best of the series. Sure, the first one gets the fun of defining the world and the plot for the reader, and the third gets the big...moreFor me, this is the best of the series. Sure, the first one gets the fun of defining the world and the plot for the reader, and the third gets the big finish.
But this one is the story of Elora Danan growing up. The central plot is a fairly standard mythic arhetype, but it provides a perfect hook to permit Elora to move from spoiled brat to perhaps understanding how she can be the prophesied Saviour of the Realms, and it does it in a most unexpected way. Dougay is a fine creation, and although there are times when he gets annoying, this is actually in keeping with who he is (in the same way that Rool and Franjean work well.)
Again, the descriptive work is excellent, the expansion of the world continues (Sandeni is very well realised) and the narrative flow fits together cleverly so that the reader can stay just far enough ahead of the characters whilst still being properly surprised. And the big revelation at the end is a genuine shocker, whilst still making perfect sense out of everything we have learned.
In passing, let me note that this book comes with a little Venn diagram at the front, showing the Twelve Realms and how they interact and relate to one another. Now I have to say that I wonder if there was a change between the first volume and these last two, in order to make the big finish actually work. Given that one of the threads is that all the Realms should have been present at Elora's Ascension, it's abundantly clear that although one is significantly absent, there are two others that are only present by implication (death, in the form of the death of a significant presence, and despair in the sense that the Ascension was flawed.) It is strongly implied that there should have been physical manifestations of all the Realms, but that would be tricky for those two. And, of course, the whole issue of Chaos/Demons is skipped over entirely - are they a Realm, or are they outside the Realms? I'm still not entirely sure...
Anyway, that's beside the point. This is the highpoint of the series for me, because it gets to have fun - it doesn't have to resolve anything, the characters grow and evolve and the plot can take a bit of a backseat whilst still being important.(less)
For those of us who understand that George Lucas really can do "story" better than most, but does need someone else to bring it to life effectively (s...moreFor those of us who understand that George Lucas really can do "story" better than most, but does need someone else to bring it to life effectively (see The Empire Strikes Back for proof), this is the example par excellence.
This is one of my favourite fantasy series, because it does genuinely new things with a tired old structure, and it all works. The world-building given to us in this first volume is a masterclass of show not tell - the relationships of the Twelve Realms that underpins the whole structure is subtly developed, with much of it left to the reader to deduce which is a nice change (although I think there is some evidence that a part of the Realms design changed between this book being finished and the next one...)
And the wonderful character development, especially of "Thorn Drumheller" is equally good. Sure, there was a problem in that they needed to kill off their two main "human" protagonists from the movie, only to replace them with almost equivalent figures, but you soon come to appreciate the new alongside the old.
But it's the story I like. It's a plot that promises much, and rarely lets up once it has got going, although it does take a little while to properly kick-off. There are some oddities in the pacing, and there is definitely an issue with one of the key characters (who exhibits strong sorcerous powers although the conclusion implies that prior to that point he really shouldn't have them) but in general the Quest structure is nicely subverted, there are a couple of proper shocks and a moral dilemma or two. And I particularly like the slow shift of focus in the last part of the book from Thorn to Elora, which is very nicely handled.
It's all set-up, of course, and yet it rarely feels like that; the hints that are dropped about the bigger story aren't signalled with neon lights and the twists are often surprising. And I think it gets better from here on.(less)
Probably my favourite "Midkemia" book, perhaps because it is more self-contained than any of the others (apart, perhaps, from The King's Buccaneer) an...moreProbably my favourite "Midkemia" book, perhaps because it is more self-contained than any of the others (apart, perhaps, from The King's Buccaneer) and yet, despite the sprawling story, never gets out-of-hand.
And, of course, it introduces Nakor, one of the great characters of the series, who merits a star by himself - he always feels to me as though he accidentally fell into the Feist universe from somewhere else, but somehow he fits perfectly here.
The story itself, about duty, honour and friendship, is hardly ground-breaking, and there are almost no surprises of any kind. And, as with the Kingdom, the Empire of Kesh is very well realised without being simply a clichéd rehash of stereotypes (although it does slip close to that at times, the pace of the book means it never gets in the way.)(less)
It's hard to say things about this one without spoiling it - especially as the completely unexpected resolution is genuinely heart-breaking but far mo...moreIt's hard to say things about this one without spoiling it - especially as the completely unexpected resolution is genuinely heart-breaking but far more so if you don't know about it.
But there are some brilliantly unsettling bits quite apart from that. The scene with Tom and Nita is very effective, as are the equivalent ones on the alien planets, and the section in the Throne Room.
And not forgetting the enjoyably tense climax (which involves no less than three Deus ex Machina*) although she does cop-out a little in the aftermath, which cheats somewhat in resolving things. But that's a small niggle in an epic story that doesn't ever feel rushed.
(*yes, I know that's not really what they are. But they sure feel like it when they are slightly unsubtly introduced at their various points - they might as well have been suddenly dropped in with no warning, which is what a proper DeM is. OK, apart from the last one.)(less)
It's easy to see that this is essentially the warm-up act for the next one Wizards at War.
From the Choice story on an alien world to the always funny...moreIt's easy to see that this is essentially the warm-up act for the next one Wizards at War.
From the Choice story on an alien world to the always funny "culture shock" of the alien wizards on Earth, this doesn't put a foot wrong. And after too long out of the limelight, Darine gets a fun storyline with clear long-term ramifications.(less)
A very clever entry in the series, this deals with the issue of parental loss in a genuinely unexpected way. And it also finally confronts head-on the...moreA very clever entry in the series, this deals with the issue of parental loss in a genuinely unexpected way. And it also finally confronts head-on the "elephant in the room" of all modern world fantasy: that if you have superpowers/magic, why can't you solve everything?
And the ending is wonderful. I didn't find it as affecting as that of #8, but probably that's because I haven't personally experienced that sort of loss (as compared to the situation in #8.) But I would certainly put this book on the reading list of a teen who had - it's mature and unflinching and yet very positive at the same time.(less)
This is a little self-indulgent really - it's more of an excuse to romp through Irish mythos than anything else.
Not that she doesn't do it well; it's...moreThis is a little self-indulgent really - it's more of an excuse to romp through Irish mythos than anything else.
Not that she doesn't do it well; it's nice to finally have a story which is larger than our heroes can handle, even if they have to provide the critical input at the right moment. (less)
As a geek, this will inevitably always be my favourite of the series, which makes my rating slightly less that useful here. (It should only merit 4 st...moreAs a geek, this will inevitably always be my favourite of the series, which makes my rating slightly less that useful here. (It should only merit 4 stars really...)
From the opening sequence (which brought back memories of our own first computer arriving!) through to the moment of the Choice, the story fairly rattles along, even if it is a bit too easy to see that the whole Nita/Kit storyline is rather redundant (other than for the "family" subtext.) But pretty much the whole of Darine's experience on the planet is fantastic and even though the outcome can never be in doubt, the journey there is genuinely thought-provoking.
And this book expands the universe quite significantly, introducing the Crossings and also expanding on the idea of the Avatar, both of which are key parts of the series in the future.
In the all-too-crowded "Teen Fantasy" section of the market, this is a stand-out entry, possibly because it was written before the recent revival of t...moreIn the all-too-crowded "Teen Fantasy" section of the market, this is a stand-out entry, possibly because it was written before the recent revival of the genre. The central premise is pretty traditional (lonely and bullied teen discovers superpowers and/or alternate world) but there is a real feeling of a carefully worked out backstory here even if later books in the series have to do a bit of retcon work on it.
But all the basic elements are well-handled - that magic should have a physical cost, that "evil" is always alone whilst "good" is many, that keeping a secret from your family is hard and so on. But Duane also brings in some unique ideas: the Manual is a particularly clever one, and the underlying foundation of the "Choice" that drives all the stories in myriad ways is nicely introduced.
Oh, and the fact that our heroes have clearly Hispanic names isn't commented upon at all; it's just taken for granted. Now that's subtle.(less)
Rather better than I expected, but still a little less than it might have been. The conceit of having Dumbledore writing footnotes works surprisingly...moreRather better than I expected, but still a little less than it might have been. The conceit of having Dumbledore writing footnotes works surprisingly well, even though it is only there for the last few pages, in which JKR addresses some of the criticisms that had been levelled at her after DH (which, to be fair, she does reasonably well.)
And the other stories are pretty decent, capturing a genuine fairy tale feel whilst clearly existing in the Potterverse. (less)
One of the best kids fantasy series, it's hard to believe that the first volume was written more than forty years ago, with the subsequent ones follow...moreOne of the best kids fantasy series, it's hard to believe that the first volume was written more than forty years ago, with the subsequent ones following over the next ten years - I am just old enough to remember getting Silver on the Tree when it first appeared; the wait was almost as bad as for Deathly Hallows! The difference here being that SotT is so much more successful because Cooper wasn't trapped by a preordained format, even if the outcome was always going to be the same.
So the first book is a classic children's adventure story, with a bit of magic thrown in, but handled in a nicely low-key sort of way; it's unclear whether Cooper really had all of her masterplan in mind at the time although there are plenty of surreptitious visits by the Old Ones throughout the book, albeit not acknowledged as such. And the quest is pretty traditional too, even down to the bad guys needing to be terminally stupid for the plot to work.
But it's the second book, The Dark Is Rising, that is the clear stand-out title and the reason I give the series as a whole five stars. Here, Cooper stripmines English mythology and delivers a tightly-integrated, completely coherent world that sets up the series and does some good retcon work on the first book. Sure, she doesn't exactly shake the archetypes (the Dark must essentially always be One, where the Light is always Many etc.) but to be fair the story needs them to work. Unlike the first book, this one is full of surprises and the key themes of sacrifice and misunderstanding are unexpectedly subtle and well-handled.
Greenwitch and The Grey King are much lesser works. The first is merely a better and more accomplished version of Over Sea Under Stone (but which would not work without that original story), and the second feels like a weird place-holder - a lengthy prologue to the finalé.
But oh boy, what a finalé. Silver on the Tree takes all the threads of the story and ties them together in a gloriously satisfying whole. Yes, we know how it is going to end, because it can't end any other way. That's hardly the point. The shocks are genuine; the big reveal is handled to perfection and even the inevitable climax doesn't outstay its welcome.
Those people who rave about Harry Potter need to be reminded that stories of that calibre (and I really do like HP!) do come along more frequently than you might expect. And, sadly, they are also forgotten just as quickly - or, worse, eviscerated by a movie version that shows no real understanding of or even interest in the story (as happened here, or with The Golden Compass) because they think SFX are all that matters. Rant over.(less)
In many ways this could never live up to the first two books, but it is the natural conclusion to the series, as Hardy takes his story to its logical...moreIn many ways this could never live up to the first two books, but it is the natural conclusion to the series, as Hardy takes his story to its logical conclusion and explores more of the alternate dimensions that form the backdrop to his universe.
There's not much to say really, other than the fact that the story is perfectly satisfying, and the conclusion works to finish the book and the trilogy very well. There are some more twists to the "Laws of Magic" that were explored in the previous books, with yet another perspective added to the mix, this time by way of a non-human character who doesn't understand emotions in quite the same way.
Again, the characters are well-drawn and engaging, and the story rattles along quickly enough that the thin ice it skates over is barely evident.
Not recommended as a stand-alone book, but as a terrific conclusion to a better-than-average fantasy series.(less)
So, after setting up an immaculate universe in Master of the Five Magics, Hardy then manages the audacious trick of turning this whole intricately cr...moreSo, after setting up an immaculate universe in Master of the Five Magics, Hardy then manages the audacious trick of turning this whole intricately crafted set of Laws of Magic on its head.
In a way, what he does is to posit the idea of changing the basic laws of Physics of the universe and then asking how we would cope when the things we depended upon stopped working because the underlying rules they worked by were no longer valid.
It's hard to write about this book without including spoilers, so I'm not going to say any more about the basic plot, suffice it to say that the world is still as sketchy as it was in book one, but the characters are just as well-drawn and the story is far more interesting, probably because it doesn't feel quite as on rails as the first.
And the climax is brilliant - a completely unexpected triumph that is, nonetheless, perfectly consistent.
One of my favourite fantasy series, it works because the underlying principles have been properly thought out and are then explored in interesting way...moreOne of my favourite fantasy series, it works because the underlying principles have been properly thought out and are then explored in interesting ways. Sure, the actual "world" is nonsense - it has no real internal logic, and the basic geography, history, economy and society are merely place-holders, but that's because the whole thing is suborned to the discussion of how a viable "magic" system could work without it becoming simply a crutch to support society. So we get alchemists who have to mass produce, contrasted with magicians who have to be absolutely precise, and sorcerers who risk their minds contrasted with wizards who risk their souls. The specification of basic "Laws" for each type of magic adds enormously to the credibility of the set-up.
In the first book of the series, the principles and laws of the "Five Magics" are explored through the device of sending our hero on a series of increasingly dangerous quests involving a whole array of credible minor characters and even a couple of quite good surprises, especially when the inevitable exposition scene arrives.
And the quest plot is pretty clever, with some great moments of tension even as you think you know how it will work out. But then you go on to the next book, and everything changes. Secret of the Sixth Magic(less)
One of the things I like about Fforde is the way he does world-building. Too often in fiction you get people telling each other things that they clear...moreOne of the things I like about Fforde is the way he does world-building. Too often in fiction you get people telling each other things that they clearly already knew in order to explain either background or plot. Fforde does this too, but usually he constructs the scenes carefully enough that they bring out the necessary information naturally (or, at least, as naturally as an already slightly odd world can do.)
He has a much harder time of it here though, because this time the world is much further away from the whimsical surrealism of Thursday Next - although oddly it also feels a lot more "real" because he is trying to give his world, well, shades of grey. As a result, there is a lot more set-up going on here, with some sequences only included in order to get through some background exposition so that we can understand things enough for the plot to actually work. And he's also not averse to a bit of unsubtle allegory, which jars a little.
It's a fun ride, and there are some unexpected moments that I really enjoyed. But in the end I think I prefer the whimsical surrealism.(less)
The difficulty of comparative reviewing... compared to the first series, this wasn't as good. Compared to much of everything else out there, this was...moreThe difficulty of comparative reviewing... compared to the first series, this wasn't as good. Compared to much of everything else out there, this was fab.
The world Carey has created is well-constructed (even for an AH) and very convincing in its little details. The mix of politics and passion is as good as ever, and the first-person style continues to feel novel - it's a very difficult trick to pull off, without making the reader feel cheated over plot details, but that never happens here.
The only real caveat I have is that I simply didn't take to Imriel as well as Phedre and Joscelin. He grew on me during the book, but he wasn't nearly as original a creation. Still, Carey has set up an excellent story here, and I look forward to seeing it play out.(less)
For some reason I have never read anything else by Holdstock, but this is such an extraordinary book I can't understand why...
The central idea - a wor...moreFor some reason I have never read anything else by Holdstock, but this is such an extraordinary book I can't understand why...
The central idea - a world that is sort of a mirror to and well-spring of our own many myth cycles - is very clever, and the understated way the story gradually draws you into its own universe is rather engaging, if a little tedious. But the thing I most appreciated about the book was its brevity. I half-expected this to be merely the first book of an endless series (which it is, sort of), but it is essentially self-contained and surprisingly short.
A much better read if you are conversant with the more serious works on myth and archetypes (e.g. Joseph Campbell etc) that it is using to shape the story, but still fine in its own right.(less)
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