E.G. Stone's Blog, page 7

Book Review: Rizel by Alexzander Christion

I may be biased, because I am a language nerd of extreme measures, but I really, really like Alexzander Christion’s books. They are inventive, story-wise, and stars and stones, the language used to paint the story? Superb.

1. Thoughts on the plot

Rizel takes place after Shefa becomes bonded to the Pform. And, as is usually the case with Christion’s books, things fall to pieces. The sky shatters, war is all but on the steps of the world, and Shefa and his friends must journey to a distant place in order to learn a way to stop it.

The plot in this book is reasonably complex, and I would definitely not approach this without having read the other books. As is the case with epic fantasy of this porportion, there are many adventures and winding quests that eventually lead to the whole. I think this book does a good job of using those not as just “side tasks” but ways to advance the knowledge of the world and characters and story.

2. Thoughts on the characters

I always love the array of characters that are in these books. Shefa, obviously, is entertaining to read. But the range of personalities that is presented, as well as needs and desires and actions that are shown and explored is impressive. I find some of the character motivations to be a bit mysterious, but that usually gets resolved later in the book, or in future books. 

Fara is definitely a favourite of mine, though. 

3. Favourite part

The battle scenes. I’ve read a lot of books, and there are only a couple of other authors who can actually make a battle scene exciting for me to read. The scenes in these books are fantastic, described in such excruciating and sublime detail as to be almost real. (Except you’re glad they’re not, because it’s a bit gruesome.)

4. Critique

My only real critique for this book is that it ended without giving me all the answers I wanted. And that means I have to wait for the next book. What a tragedy.

I will say in general, that if you do not have a love for poetic language, these books are not always easy to read. Grammatically, there are forms here that are not commonly used in modern English. All correct, but not common. It’s prose with poetry and flair, and as a linguist and language nerd, I love it. Excellent book!

The post Book Review: Rizel by Alexzander Christion appeared first on Quill and Pen Society.

Book Review: The Gifts of Pandora by Matt Larkin

There are some authors out there who, when they have books for you to read, demand all your attention. You then stumble back into the world a little bleary-eyed, but so much the better for it. Matt Larkin’s books have this effect. Always. 

1. Thoughts on the plot

The Gifts of Pandora is the first book in the Tapestries of Fate series, which I just realised is a prequel series to the Gods of the Ragnarok Era series (did I think otherwise literally the whole book? Pffff). No matter what order you read the series in, I can say that the books will not disappoint. This book follows Pandora as she navigates a world ruled by Titans and Olympians, not all of whom take into account the Men around them. Oppressed, especially as a woman, Pandora tries to survive. But when an encounter with the Oracle Prometheus brings about a series of events that are ordained by Fate, Pandora does whatever she can to change it. Including stepping through time.

This book is fascinating in the way that it combines some of the stories that are familiar about the Greek gods, and makes them entirely different, yet recognisable. Stories weave together to create a tapestry, if you will, of events that will change the world. I really can’t say a whole lot about the plot, because a) spoilers and b) everything is so well woven together that it’s impossible to talk about without a) spoilers. All I can say is that it was definitely fascinating, entertaining, and twisty!

2. Thoughts on the characters

Now, I’ve read several other of Matt Larkin’s books, and have some theories on the interweavings of the characters. One character in particular. And I am gratified to say that I am correct. Of course, I shall say nothing on that matter because, a) spoilers.

All the characters, though, have a depth that is hard to find in other books. I like the history of the characters, their personality, the way that they interact. It’s all fascinating, and whether I liked the character as a person or not, I was eager to read more. A difficult feat when recrafting familiar legends.

3. Favourite part

Having my theories confirmed. I am ridiculously pleased that I managed to piece some of the interweavings together.

4. Critique 

Frankly, my only critique is that it ended. I must, as such, immediately go out and read the next book.

Overall, you cannot possibly go wrong with any of Matt Larkin’s books, but The Gifts of Pandora is a great place to start. Be prepared, though. Once you delve into this world, it’s really hard to pull yourself out. Excellent read! 

The post Book Review: The Gifts of Pandora by Matt Larkin appeared first on Quill and Pen Society.

Book Review: Ravenne by Claudia Blood

I have a fondness for time travel that is probably a bit overwhelming to people who encounter me on the street. So when I got the chance to read a time travel novella by Claudia Blod, I was quite excited.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Ravenne, whose daughter perished in a terrible accident. Only, Ravenne learns that she may not have, and must travel through time to find her again. Using such methods as near lightspeed travel, bending space, and other really cool technology, Ravenne learns that her future-self has been manipulating things, and that she may not be the only one.

As far as plots go, I think the premise of this book is really interesting. Time travel is always interesting, partly because there are so many different ways to go about it. I liked the exploration of the technology, and the different changes that Ravenne experienced during her near lightspeed journeys. However, I think the plot itself was a little thin. The entire novel seemed to focus on the technology, which is fine, but the drama of the beginning and the search for her daughter never seemed to expand past the basic plot point stage. 

2. Thoughts on the characters

As far as characters go, I think Ravenne could have been very interesting indeed. She is a mother on a mission, and there are so many different ways to go about exploring her psyche and character. Some of that was there, especially with Lucky, but otherwise the whole focus was on the technology. I especially was disappointed in that we never really learned about the enemy in Ravenne’s future, who is so determined to see her fail. This person only appeared about 3/4 of the way through, and even then it was vague. There were other side characters who I think where interesting, but none really seemed to stand out.

3. Favourite part

I really liked the worldbuilding in this book, because it looked at Earth at several different points in its theoretical future, which is both very cool and slightly disturbing. I liked the extrapolation of certain events and the way that these events became such major, world-changing things.

4. Critique

Apart from the plot being a bit thin on the ground (which, honestly, I do get because this is technically a prequel novella), my biggest critique for this book is a nitpicky, indie author thing: the cover does not fit the genre at all. The current cover looks like a fantasy novel, or perhaps a romantic fantasy or something similar. I was not expecting time travel at all until I read the blurb just before my review read. I still enjoyed the book, but was not expecting it.

Overall, I would say that Ravenne was an interesting, entertaining time travel adventure. I really enjoyed the technology and am always pleased to read a book about time travel. A good book.

The post Book Review: Ravenne by Claudia Blood appeared first on Quill and Pen Society.

Why the Post page is suddenly empty?

I usually post book reviews (and in the past author interviews) to my blog as well as to the dedicated Book Review tab. However, in the process of updating my website, the data was lost. I have managed to restore everything except the author interviews page (which, as I no longer offer interviews, is not a huge loss, though I do apologise to any authors who were interviewed by me previously). The blog posts, however, are gone.

I will be posting book reviews, and some other articles about editing and language and fiction writing, here in the near future, so keep an eye out!

Book Review: Host by Chris Lodwig

I like reading sequels to books, because sometimes I know precisely what I’m getting into and am thrilled, and other times I have absolutely no idea what’s going to happen and am still thrilled. Chris Lodwig’s Host, the second book in the Systemic novels, was a case of the latter. And, oh, my, did it work well.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book takes place a couple hundred years after the events of book one, where the System (technology, AI, etc.) was powered down. The world continues under the care of the Professors who teach the System to villages under their care. Reyan is a girl who doesn’t quite fit into her village and goes with the Professors when they come on their annual trip. But as she starts learning about the System, she discovers that things are not quite what they seem, and maybe what’s being taught isn’t quite right.

This book’s plot was fascinating to me. I honestly could not predict what was going to happen moment to moment, and yet everything flowed well and made perfect sense. Reyan’s unique experiences really illustrated the world, and the events fit in with that distinct world view with drama and intent. And THAT ENDING! AAAAAAHHHHH!

2. Thoughts on the characters

I really, really liked Reyan as a character. She was very clearly neurodiverse, and as someone ND as well, it was something I intimately understood. The particular issues she had, the quirks, the way of seeing the world were all very well described without being “othering” as often happens with ND representation. I liked that she was described as a girl just trying to find her place in a world that she didn’t quite understand, and that didn’t quite understand her. 

I also liked the other characters, and how they interacted with the world as seen through Reyan’s eyes. There were a few other POV segments, and those worked well for the story, but I liked viewing the characters from Reyan’s perspective, because they felt more real somehow.

3. Favourite part

That ending! AAAaAAAAAHHHhhhhhh!

4. Critique

My only real critique is that some of the description of the Systemic requirements (such as decision matrices) were a little vague as to be almost throwaway details, despite being central to the story. I understand that giving mathematical analyses is not always possible in fiction, especially when it’s complicated maths, but I would have liked a little more clarity on how it worked. It’s a very small detail, though, and really doesn’t detract from the story at all.

Overall, I would say that Host is a fantastic second book and I would highly recommend it, and the whole series.

Book Review: Zaidy’s War by Martin Bodek

It has been a while since I’ve read a story, fiction or non-fiction, about World War II. Mostly because a lot of the books I review happen to be in the fantasy genre (though I read everything, it just happened that a lot of fantasy authors signed up all at once), but also because these stories really hit hard. But I think they are very important stories and should be told, so when I got the opportunity to read Martin Bodek’s Zaidy’s War, an account of his grandfather’s time during the war, I was very keen indeed.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Benzion “Zaidy” Malik, a Hungarian Hassidic Jew who was conscripted into the Hungarian army on behalf of the Germans during WWII. The story follows Zaidy as he crosses continents, joints multiple armies, faces down potential canibalism, treks 2600 kilometers, and settles in new lands. Without getting too much into the plot, because it is deep, and I don’t want to spoil it, I can say this is a story about bravery, staunch faith, and determination. It also is not an easy read, because this topic in general is just a hard one to explore. Still, it is well written, well organised, and worth a read.

2. Thoughts on the characters

It can be difficult, sometimes, in non-fiction pieces to really get to know a character, simply because they often focus on events rather than personal interactions. However, I think this book does well at expressing Zaidy’s reactions to the events in such a way that lets the reader know exactly what sort of man Zaidy is. It is impressive and difficult, especially given the style in which the story is written—facts and events placed first, with people as facilitators of those events. 

I will say that some of the other people in the story do not always come through as clearly as Zaidy, but that is understandable. 

3. Favourite part

The description of Zaidy’s home life in Hungary was fascinating, and a very good foundation for the rest of the book. I think it coloured things perfectly and gave a lovely undertone of hope for the people moving through the story.

4. Critique

My only real critique is not really a critique so much as a point of confusion. I received this book in hardcover to read for review, and it is well formatted and crafted, but the actual story only takes up about half of the book. Now, I know that non-fiction pieces require a fair amount of reference material, but I was surprised at how much reference material was actually included in the book. (For example, the original transcripts of the author’s interview with Zaidy.) I know this is common in academic pieces, but I was not aware that it was necessary in trade non-fiction pieces. If I am mistaken, then obviously I need to read more non-fiction pieces! But be aware that the story only takes up about half the pages.

Overall, I would say that Zaidy’s War was a very impactful piece of literature about a man’s journey through the perils and trials of WWII. I think it was well written, crafted finely, and definitely worth a read.

Book Review: The Captivating Flames of Madness by Jeff Parsons

Usually when I read a short story, it is either an individual piece, or an anthology with stories by many authors. It was a fun change, then to see a collection of short horror stories by one author, as in The Captivating Flames of Madness by Jeff Parsons. (Though, I will admit that it took me two stories to figure out that it was a collection of short stories and not a full-length novel, because I was smart enough to not read the blurb. Whoops!)

1. Thoughts on the plot(s)

This collection of horror stories runs the gamut from general depravity of people to the paranormal and terrifying. I will say that most of the stories tended in the direction of the supernatural, but there was a wide range of options. With such a wide range of stories, it’s difficult to comment on the plot of each, but I will say that I liked the variety; they were each very inventive and intriguing. 

I will say, though, that each story did follow a particular pattern. The character was introduced, there was a sense that things were not quite right, the character stumbled upon the “problem” (or creature or situation or what have you) and then wham! The reveal, then the story ended. This is perfectly fine, as far as form goes, but reading the same structure each time did get a bit frustrating, especially as I was hoping to have a few where the character got to sit with the horror for a bit instead of having a jump-scare style ending. The ending was so sharp upon the climax that it always felt abrupt, like maybe there should have been more. Naturally, this is difficult to do in a short story, and like I said the form is actually fine in general. I was just hoping for some variation.

2. Thoughts on the character(s)

Again, with so many stories, it’s difficult to talk specifically about the characters. I will say that I liked the varied cast in this collection. There were people of all ages, races, cultures, and backgrounds. I found the different people really helped make each story unique and interesting; they didn’t feel like carbon copies of each other with different names thrown in. It was very well cast.

3. Favourite part

I liked the stories that had a bit of mystery to them, but then I’m a sucker for mystery, so what can I say?

4. Critique

My only real critique is the bit mentioned in part one, where the endings and form of the stories felt very similar in structure. I think varying the form would have suited this collection well, but it wasn’t a deal-breaker for me.

Overall, I would say that this collection of short stories was entertaining, perfect for those who want bite sized horror stories to give you a bit of a spine tingle without requiring a whole novel. A good collection.

Book Review: My Daddy the Serial Killer by Cindy Kovacik

I don’t know precisely what I was expecting when I picked up My Daddy the Serial Killer by Cindy Kovacik, but what I got was a very intriguing story indeed!

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Katelyn from the age of six into adulthood, as she discovers her father is considerably more than he seems. She must figure out her place in his plans, and try to escape as best she can. But it’s not quite that easy. It all starts with finding a woman chained in the cellar… Honestly, there’s not a lot I can say about this book that won’t spoil the plot a fair bit, but it was definitely very interesting. 

I really liked seeing Katelyn’s change in perspective on the situation as she grew older. I do think that some of the later events in her teenage years felt more like she was rebelling rather than dealing with her life as the daughter of a serial killer, but it did end up making sense in the end. And there were a few plot holes, but they were fairly minor. I would say that the plot was very interesting!

2. Thoughts on the characters

This book was definitely more about delving deep into Katelyn’s mind than anything. The plot feels fairly mundane compared to the psychological exploration we get. I liked all of her reactions to situations; they felt very much like what a rational person would do under the circumstances, which are very dire indeed. I especially liked the change in her perspective over the years, as both her understanding changes and the situation changes. And it was a very nice interpretation of a serial killer’s unsteadiness, psychologically speaking, as viewed through the eyes of a child.

3. Favourite part

The progression of Katelyn’s perspective over the years was definitely my favourite part. I think it was really intriguing and very disturbing, but in the best way.

4. Critique

The biggest critique I had were the few plot holes. (This section may contain spoilers.) At the part where Katelyn fakes the bruises to show to a teacher and therefore get taken from her father, things don’t turn out as Katelyn expects. However, I am fairly certain that Child Protective Services would not believe a potentially abusive parent over a bruised child when directly told that the parent did it. It’s normal that they would lie to cover up their image, so it doesn’t make sense that Katelyn wasn’t removed. This, and a few other circumstances (like no one ever seemed to question why so many people went into their house but not out) pushed the book a little outside the realm of believability for me. The psychology was great, the practical application was a little lacking.

Overall, I would say that this book was a delightfully disturbing adventure into the world of serial killers. It was entertaining and a quick read. A good book.

Book Review: Journey to Justice: The Adventures of Spider and Ruby by Tanni Haas

It can be difficult, sometimes, to explain concepts to people of all ages in a way that can be easily understood. Especially when the concepts are as complicated as climate change and social justice. I think, though, that Tanni Haas does a very good job of exploring both those topics in a way that is inclusive for people of all ages. Not to mention the book is fun!

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Spider, a HouseBoater who lives on the water with his family. His twin brother Luke gets arrested for leaving their designated area and taken to The Island. Spider goes after him, and meets Ruby, an AquaGrower, who lives in an underwater greenhouse. Together, they learn that this world of water that they inhabit was not always that way, and that their society is inherently unfair. But maybe they can change that…

I think the plot of this book is actually quite inventive, given the two topics that are the primary focus of the book. The plot never felt predictable, though it wasn’t so unfamiliar that I was at all lost. I liked it quite a bit.

2. Thoughts on the characters

Spider and Ruby are interesting characters, I think, especially as far as heroes go. They’re sort of outsiders, at least from the main society on The Island, and have to navigate a new world while also keeping in mind how to fix their own. I think they were perhaps a little stereotypical, in that they seemed to fulfil their roles without having a fully-formed personality of their own, but frankly I still enjoyed reading about them.

3. Favourite part

The inventiveness of the world is absolutely my favourite part. Figuring out how everything works together in a world where the planet it 99% water is very interesting, especially moving from a water-going setting to a land-dwelling one. Well done.

4. Critique

There were, unfortunately, a few logic issues in this book. Granted, it’s middle grade, so you don’t need to have the answers to the universe at your finger tips. However, there were a few small issues, such as how Spider could have lived to the age of 12 by only consuming fish (essential nutrients being missing and such). Also, the time Luke was in prison was only a matter of days, yet the skills he learned were long in the making. There were several other little things like that (such as how Ruby knew how to swim). None of them broke the plot in any way, but they were enough to make me think outside the story.

Overall, I would say Journey to Justice: The Adventures of Spider and Ruby was a fun, entertaining book that had a good message at heart. I enjoyed it. A good book.

Book Review: Shattered Walls by Ulff Lehmann

I hold a great fondness for epic fantasy. It was one of the first books I read (Tolkien) and has persisted to this day. However, there are some epic fantasy authors that just capture the imagination above and beyond what others have done, and Ulff Lehmann is one of them. Thank goodness for the latest book!

1. Thoughts on the plot

Shattered Walls is the fourth book in the series, and it begins right in the middle of, well, battle. This book takes places over a relatively short period of time (a few days to a week, if I am counting correctly), but the amount of action that appears in this book is staggering. Drangar is fighting with the Eye of Traksor against the demon Turuuk and his ageless hordes, only the Eye is walled in and with very little in the way of resources against a demonic army. There are other forces in the mix, but can they hold out against the siege, or is all lost for Drangar?

The plot of this book is just…wow. Normally, I don’t really like battle-based epic fantasy because it can get bogged down in the details very quickly and become boring. Here, there is no boredom. There is only strategy and detail that grabs the mind and pulls you in. And that ending! 

2. Thoughts on the character

This book, I think, is where we really get to see Drangar shine. He has finally started to unravel some of the threads that have brought him to where he is. This realisation, as well as facing the past, the future, and some really, really bad monsters, lets him solidify into a badass character in a very short amount of time. Also, that ending!

The other characters, Bathne in particular, also get some very involved point of view sections, which help to flesh out both the other characters and the situation in which they find themselves. I really like how the overlapping points of view emphasise the different personalities in the mix, as well as driving the action in very specific ways. Also, Bathne is just cool.

3. Favourite part

The ending. I mean, my goodness! 

4. Critique

My only real critique for this book isn’t really a critique at all, but just a warning. Compared to the other books, this one is dark. Not that the first three weren’t dark, but this one delves just a bit into horror more than pure epic fantasy (even of the grimdark variety). I found it fascinating, but it can also be disturbing if you’re not prepared for it.

Overall, I would say that Shattered Walls is probably my favourite of the series so far, and I really, really want to read the next book. Ulff Lehmann remains one of the few authors who can write a battle scene that isn’t boring to me, and I highly recommend this whole series.