Beth Tabler's Blog, page 175
July 6, 2022
Review – EMPIRE OF THE VAMPIRE by Jay Kristoff
From holy cup comes holy light;
The faithful hand sets world aright.
And in the Seven Martyrs’ sight,
Mere man shall end this endless night.
If you thought vampires were going out of style, reports of their demise seem to be greatly exaggerated, as proven by the rise of “The Empire of the Vampire” (Book One of the “Empire of the Vampire” series) by outstanding author Jay Kristoff to the New York Times Bestselling charts.
After reading it, I can see why. This novel, the first book I’ve ever read by this author, was gory, breathtaking, and brilliant. Overall, a gothic, brutal masterpiece.
In the novel, Kristoff whisks the reader off to the fictional realms of Nordlund, Talhost, Ossway, and Sudhaem: the Empire of Elidaen. Elidaen is a once vibrant place that is now dimming under the shadow of the vampires encroaching, slowly, inexorably taking over the denizens of humankind. The sun has vanished, and with it, the last impediment to vampires gaining full strength, and the ability to finally vanquish their human foes.
There are four vampire clans, but one has emerged preeminent over all the others: Blood Chastain, who sports the sigil of the wolves. Blood Chastain seeks to put all of the former Empire (including rival vampire clans) under their heel, and are very close to accomplishing their goal. Still, the crowning achievement of their coup d état may be that they have managed to capture the infamous Gabriel de León, last of the Silversaints, the Ordo Argent.
The Silversaints were a half-vampire, half-human – palebloods. They are a chivalric order, sworn to defend the Holy Church, and the Empire, acting as a tool of God, destroying vampires and other monsters, trying to save humanity from the overwhelming tide of darkness descending on the land.
“We hunt and kill those monsters that devour the world of men. Faekin and fallen. Duskdancers and sorcerers. Risen and wretched. And oui, even highbloods. Once vampires lived in the shadows. But now, the highbloods do not fear the sun. And the Forever King’s dark legion grows nightly. So we, the sons of their sin, must pay the burden of the cost. We shall stand, or all shall fall.”
But you can’t keep good undeads down, and the Silversaints are no more, destroyed in the war versus the vampires. As the only remaining of his elite order, Gabriel expects immediate death, rather than captivity, however the vampire empress is determined to have Gabriel recount the story of his life, and have that story recorded for vampire posterity, before he is executed. Another vampire, a historian named Jean-François, is sent to pry the tale out of Gabriel. The grouchy, recalcitrant Gabriel grudgingly agrees.
Hence, the book is narrated by Gabriel, speaking all about his shocking, heart-breaking, and bloody life as the bane of vampires.
Similar to the format of famous books “The Name of the Wind” by Patrick Rothfuss, and “Interview with the Vampire” by Anne Rice, Gabriel recounts his tale to the educated, smooth, elegant, wity, and orderly but disdainful Jean-François. Gabriel’s story has several distinct timelines, so there is some hopping around, rather than a strictly linear narrative. For example, one timeline is about Gabriel’s childhood, what fuels his desire for revenge and how he joins the Silversaints, and rises to become their most feared warrior. The other timeline involved Gabriel having grown to manhood, and already become a legend.
Gabriel’s jumping around in his story irritates his chronicler, Jean-François, but the reader need not fear. Kristoff does an exceptional job of keeping things well sorted for the reader, and the shifting timelines only builds the sense of tension and dread as we discover the mysteries surrounding the Silversaint Order, the vampire war, and the quest for the Holy Grail, that vampires fear as the only possible weapon that could bring about an end to their domination. And Gabriel seems to be the only being living to have found it. And lost it.
The character work in this book is stupendous. It all starts with Gabriel, a fascinating person, who grows up actually really wants to be a hero, and seeks glory at every opportunity, but the cost of celebrity is high. Gabriel has a difficult time coping with his lot in life as a half-vampire. His adoration of and devotion to his mother, his difficult relationship with his abusive step-father, and his desire to protect his siblings, garner him sympathy. But his gruff, sometimes callous, insensitive, and arrogant attitude, world-weary and disenfranchised stance, though understandable, runs him afoul of even those who care about him most.
Yet, in the end, he is a fabulous character, hilarious, resourceful, and full of heart, and a never-say-die resilience. And, of course, a completely daunting, vampire killing-machine. Far from infallible, but extremely formidable.
The supplementary characters are awesome. The other Silversaints, their unique personalities, and Gabriel’s sometimes volatile relationship with them, especially Greyhand and De coste, make them very compelling. The other main players, Astrid, Chloe, and Dior, are very well-drawn, and their interactions with Gabriel make for some very humorous, poignant, and gut-wrenching moments. The baddies, especially the charismatic and terrifying Voss family, will make you shiver with fear, and shake with hate.
But my favourite element of the characterization was the repartee between Gabriel and Jean-François. Always ultimately menacing, with a veneer of haughty civility and snoberry, Jean-François’ sophisticated wit is juxtaposed beside Gabriel’s ruthless, sweary, crude, and biting humour. Gabriel knows he’s a dead man walking: when Jean-François has the information he wants from Gabriel, Gabriel is going to die in excruciating agony.
But the incentive is for Gabriel to prolong his life as long as possible, in as much relative comfort as possible. Jean-François also knows that while he is more powerful than Gabriel, the last Silversaint has a reputation for being wily, and cannot be underestimated or trusted to go down without taking vampires with him, perhaps even Jean-François. It makes for a captivating dynamic, as the two mortal (or immortal if you wish) enemies even have some moments of mutual admiration, or even empathy, even though you know, eventually, only one of them can leave the room where Gabriel is being imprisoned, alive.
For, regardless of surviving captivity, the implication is that Gabriel is not meant to live a long life, because Silversaints become overwhelmed by the vampire side of their heritage, and take the noble way out when their craving to satiate themselves on human blood becomes too strong, as they age. The noble way out, that Silversaints take, is voluntary assisted suicide.
“Better to end this life than lose your immortal soul. In the finale, that is the choice before every paleblood alive. Live as a monster, or die as a man.”
The world-building is wonderful, lush, late medieval-early Renaissance inspired, with a dash of French je ne sais quoi. The wonder of the cathedrals, the poverty of the downtrodden villages, and the majesty and fading splendour of the halls and courts of the rich and powerful, are drawn with immaculate care. The magic and religious system will be familiar with many of our myths and legends about vampires, and Christianity-inspired faith, with a martyred Messiah, patron angels, abbots, and the like.
There were numerous features of worldbuilding and magic I loved. One of them was Ashdrinker, the possessed sword that Gabriel wields, and acts as not only a fearsome vampire-slaying weapon, but also as companion, and even conscience for the legendary Silversaint. I adored the various powers and attributes given to the different vampire houses, the political and religious intrigue, and the apocalyptic concept of “Daysdeath”.
I must comment here on the glorious artwork, illustrations, and maps that adorn the book. They are simply fantastic.
The themes explored in the book are myriad, and they are compelling. Addiction, torture, self-sacrifice, self-preservation, tragedy, revenge, bigotry, homophobia, loss of faith, death, grief, loss, vanity, the pursuit of glory, religious zealotry, defying and trying to change one’s fate, hopelessness and despair, are all part of this book. Of note, if you don’t like profanity, this book won’t be for you. As noted, Gabriel’s language especially is pretty colourful and consistent when it comes to the cussing.
This is a dark book, blood-soaked, lots of throat-cutting (and of course throat-ripping), lots of profanity, bleakness, and despair. There is also lots of dignity and grace, and courage in the face of hopeless odds, so the book is not all nihilism.
The fight scenes are spectacularly gruesome, and some of the quieter, introspective moments, or expressions of love or friendship and nobility will bring a tear to the reader’s eye. The romances are lovely, the camaraderie is stirring, and despite the sense of impending doom, the success by many of the humans to carve some beauty out of the grim, besieged, and sunless existence, really made this book shine.
This is a chonker of a book, but all credit to Kristoff, in that it’s a complete page-turner at just over 700 pages of gorgeously-illustrated, luscious hardcover for my edition. Kristoff’s prose is stellar, and you’ll look up from the end of the book wondering where the time went, and absolutely wanting more, right away.
This book is astonishingly good! Five stars for “Empire of the Vampire”, and I’m all in for any subsequent books in the series!
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Review – The Law by Jim Butcher
THE LAW: A DRESDEN FILES NOVELLA by Jim Butcher is the latest story set in the wonderful world of Harry Dresden. Despite the fact I have some criticisms about the books, it remains one of my favorite urban fantasy series. Harry is just so damn likable, his flaws aside, and the writing style is just a warm Pop Tart to the brain.
Unfortunately, a big cloud hangs over this volume and that is the fact it is the first story since the controversial death of an important supporting cast member. If you pick up this audiobook, prepare to be spoiled for it as it is a follow-up story to BATTLE GROUND. I admit to being one of those fans in denial who suspect they’ll be back sooner than later but we’ll see how that goes in upcoming books.
Anyway, Harry is in a deep depression due to the aftermath of said Battleground. Lots of people are dead as well as someone he loves so he’s suffering PTSD. This being a book and not real life, the best way for Harry to recover is to help the innocent. In this case, it’s a former prostitute turned owner of a mildly-successful children’s tutoring business. Her ex-pimp is out of prison and wants imagined tens of thousands that he assumes she’s making.
It’s a very noir premise and falls onto the same sexist tropes that Butcher has been regularly criticized for but I’m pleased to say there’s almost zero sexual tension between Harry and his client. I’m also pleased to say the book includes Bob the Skull after a fairly lengthy period of his being downplayed in Harry’s activities. That’s because this is the first “Harry does private eye things” story in awhile.
So, what did I think? Well, it was okay. I bought both the audiobook version of the Kindle Unlimited version and generally think both are worth the money (though given KU is free…). Jim Butcher does the narration for this book rather than James Marsters and actually does a decent job. However, it does have one particular flaw and that’s Jim Butcher struggles with the same problem as Supernatural.
Bear with me. Basically, Supernatural was never so good as it was dealing with episodic evils and after they managed to fight the Devil in Season 5, they could never really manage to lower the stakes down to a reasonable level for its premise. Here, Harry is dealing with a pimp and some supernatural nasties but Jim insists on having a god involved.
It’s not that it’s going to end with a throwdown but Jim wants to make sure that our empowered Harry can’t do it even he wants to, which I feel is silly. We also have an ending which is, “let the law rather than personal justice decide things.” Which is not Jim Butcher’s fault but feels like a very unfortunate message these days and even this novel has numerous characters express how being lawful only benefits a certain type of American.
In conclusion, I’m going to still give this one a thumbs up because I’ve missed Harry doing noir detective work, and seeing him rusty as well as more morally ambiguous in his methods works well. This Harry assumes roughing up the guy is something he can pull off as the Winter Knight for example. But Harry is Harry and about as intimidating as a big old puppy dog. It also gives a good denouement for the life-changing events of Battle Ground.
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#FirstChapterFirstParagraph – To Be Taught If Fortunate by Becky Chambers
“We step out of our solar system into the universe seeking only peace and friendship – to teach, if we are called upon; to be taught, if we are fortunate.”
Check It Out
What is To Be Taught, If Fortunate About?
At the turn of the twenty-second century, scientists make a breakthrough in human spaceflight. Through a revolutionary method known as somaforming, astronauts can survive in hostile environments off Earth using synthetic biological supplementations. They can produce antifreeze in subzero temperatures, absorb radiation and convert it for food, and conveniently adjust to the pull of different gravitational forces. With the fragility of the body no longer a limiting factor, human beings are at last able to journey to neighboring exoplanets long known to harbor life.
A team of these explorers, Ariadne O’Neill and her three crewmates, are hard at work in a planetary system fifteen light-years from Sol, on a mission to ecologically survey four habitable worlds. But as Ariadne shifts through both form and time, the culture back on Earth has also been transformed. Faced with the possibility of returning to a planet that has forgotten those who have left, Ariadne begins to chronicle the story of the wonders and dangers of her mission, in the hope that someone back home might still be listening.
First Chapter, First Paragraph
I never knew an Earth that was unaware of life elsewhere. The Cetus probe scooped up bacteria-laden samples from Europa’s geysers twenty-nine years before my birth; the first rover photographs of fossil arthropods on Mars arrived while my parents were still in trade school. I don’t know what it was like in those lonely years before when our view of Earth’s place in the universe was one of a solitary haven, an oasis in a galactic desert. In some ways, I wish I did. I wish I could’ve been there the day the first positive results were radioed back from Cetus. I wish I could tell you what it was like to be in one of the old mission controls or research labs or newsrooms, learning in real time with the rest of the planet that our small world-view had been magnificently blown apart. But by the start of my life, just three decades later, extraterrestrial life was common knowledge, something every kid took for granted. Humans are nothing if not adaptable.
Another wish: that I could tell you I always wanted to be an astronaut. That’d be a much better story, wouldn’t it? Some of my colleagues could (and can) claim that. An entire life set in motion by the sight of Saturn’s rings through a sidewalk telescope, or a furious sense of purpose imbued the instant they saw those first fuzzy images of a cloud-flecked blue-green exoplanet. I can claim none of those inspirations as my own. I was four when the Tarter space telescope photos came back, and I do actually remember being shown them. My mother lifted me onto her lap in front of her tablet. Her voice was hushed with wonder, and she held me tight.
First Chapter, First Paragraph -; Cryptofauna by Patrick Canning
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July 4, 2022
Review – The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
I was very moved by this book on an emotional level, and that is the sign of a fantastic writer.
Lover of all manner of mythology that I am, it took zero persuasion for me to read Madeline Miller’s debut novel, The Song of Achilles, a retelling of the famous poem the Iliad, traditionally believed to be written by the legendary Homer.
The fact that I already read and loved Circe, the mega-bestselling second, and highly acclaimed book by the same writer, only sealed the deal. I had long planned to read this book (and everything that the brilliant Miller writes) but #FebruarySheWrote, where I read exclusively female authors who use the pronouns she/her, was the perfect time. This was my last read for #FebruarySheWrote, and I ended things in fine fashion with this amazing novel.
This book has made tons of “best of” lists, and has certainly brought home the trophies. Among them, the book won a 2012 Women’s Prize for Fiction, the 2012 Orange Prize for Fiction, and the 2013 Gaylactic Spectrum Award for Best Novel, just to name a few of the accolades.
After reading the book, I can certainly see why it has racked up the prizes. I stayed up late last night, and spent most of the day today reading the novel, as I had absolutely no desire to put it down. It was incredible!
For those unfamiliar with the Iliad, upon which the book is based, the Iliad is an 8th century work that chronicles the major events of the famed Trojan War. In this massive conflict, a conglomerate of Greek states invaded and besieged the city of Troy. The cause was the affair between Prince Paris of Troy and Helen of Sparta, said to be at the time the world’s most beautiful woman.
Helen was married to King Menelaus of Sparta, but ran off with Paris, seeking refuge in Troy. Using this act as the catalyst for war – though the Greek confederacy also covets Troy for other reasons – Menelaus, urged on by his brother Agamemnon, allies with the other Greek leaders, and compile the notorious great armada of “a thousand ships” to retrieve “the face (Helen) that launched” them. Sailing for Troy, the alliance attacks the city. A ten-year siege ensues.
The legendary scion of gods, Prince Achilles of Phthia, was perhaps the most renown hero amongst a LOT of luminaries (Odysseus, Hector, Ajax, to name a few) mentioned in the Iliad. He is the most skilled warrior in the world, and victory for the Greek confederacy was believed to hinge on his otherworldly talents as a soldier.
Described in the Iliad as being a killing-machine of fiery temper, Achilles is an interesting choice to take centre stage in Miller’s love story, the story of Achilles and Patroclus. Patroclus is mentioned in the Iliad as a dear friend to Achilles, and the only reason Achilles returned to battle and after being insulted by Agamemnon.
After Patroclus is killed by Hector, brother of Paris and said to be the only warrior who might best Achilles, in a fit of rage, Achilles slaughters numerous Trojans, until he gets to Hector. Eventually, the two great rivals duel, but Achilles emerges victorious, and Hector is slain. Still vengeful over Patroclus’ death, Achilles dishonours Hector’s body by hitching it to his chariot, and dragging it three times around the besieged city.
While the Iliad does not mention Achilles death, the follow-up poem the Odyssey, notes he died in battle during the siege, as prophesied. Supposedly, Paris managed to shoot Achilles in his heel, killing the great warrior, and avenging Hector’s death.
Legend holds Achilles was dipped in the River Styx by his mother, the nymph Thetis, making him impervious to harm, and only vulnerable on his heel (where Paris shot him), which Thetis used to hold him while dipping him in the river. Hence of course, the saying “Achilles heel” as being synonymous for an exposure, and the tendon above the heel named for the half-man, half-god.
Miller’s book sticks largely with the Iliad, and builds on the long-held assumption by many historians that Achilles and Patroclus were indeed deeply and passionately in love. The Song of Achilles, is told first person by Patroclus.
Patroclus is also born a prince, and first sets eyes on Achilles at feats of sport, where the unnaturally swift and eerily beautiful Achilles stands out to Patroclus by beating all the other competitors in a foot race, by a very wide margin. The surly and unkind King Menoetius, father of Patroclus, insults his son, who is unathletic. Meneotius uncharitably notes that Achilles is how a son should be, rather than Patroclus.
From that time forward, Patroclus dislikes Achilles. Later, Patroclus is banished from his father’s realm, for killing the son of another nobleman, after being bullied by the other child. Patroclus ends up being sent to the kingdom of Achilles’ father, Pelus. There, Patroclus’ animosity towards Achilles turns into admiration, and then love.
Achilles feels the same, and into adulthood, they maintain their affair, despite the disdain for Patroclus of Achilles’ divine mother, the fearsome Thetis. Patroclus gets in the way, for Thetis, of Achilles’ grand destiny to be the greatest living warrior, and having his name live on throughout the ages due to his role in the coming Trojan War. Thetis plays the role of everyone’s worst in-law nightmare, with magical powers, and a hate-on for Patroclus.
But the real issue is that Achilles is foretold to die in battle if he goes to Troy. He can go, and die in glory and eternal reverence, or live a longer life, without the fame. Patroclus endures the agony of knowing the man he loves greater than life itself is doomed.
This brings a deep poignancy to the story, as we know tragedy will irrevocably cut short the love between the two men. Half-god Achilles also mourns what will come, but handles his grim future with courage and stoicism, except, in turn, when it comes to losing his beloved Patroclus.
The poetic, redolent prose of Miller is certainly worthy of Homer’s original work. And, as with Circe, the book is impeccably researched, and one feels one is back in mythical ancient Greece, a place of gods, nymphs, centaurs, great heroes, and legendary feats.
Apparently, The Song of Achilles was ten years in the making, and Miller takes her time pacing the tale, the way she took some time to complete it. The book reads like a slow-burn romance that remains completely epic in scope, flawless in characterization and ultimately, a masterpiece of literature.
I must also comment on Miller’s touching, tear-inducing foreword. I applaud Miller for one of the reasons she wrote The Song of Achilles. Miller knew that representation of LGBTQ2IA+ stories instruct and enlighten readers not from the community, and allow members from the community to see stories about them, because these stories should be heard, widely known and taught. Using the “Iliad”, a story that remains popular down through the ages, was an excellent vehicle to accomplish this goal.
This has never been more important in (shockingly) a frightening new movement to ban books – including and especially LGBTQ2IA+ books – in the Western world, in the 21st century. Below is an excerpt from Miller’s foreword:
“I wanted to push back hard against the homophobia surrounding discussions of Achilles and Patroclus’ relationship. I wanted my LGBTQIA+ students to know they weren’t alone…from wedding ceremonies to Pride Fest…”
I was very moved by this book on an emotional level, and that is the sign of a fantastic writer. Miller is definitely a fantastic, best-selling writer. If you want to read a sensational novel about Greek mythology, a doomed love affair, and a plaintive, yet brilliant, unique, and engaging representation of allegorical heroes of the past, Song of Achilles should be extremely high on your TBR. Of course, five stars here!
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Fantasy and Science Fiction That Features Strong Women or Woman’s Rights
“Don’t let the bastards grind you down.”
Books are glorious as they can stand on the uncharted precipice of “what if” and ask, “What if the world was different?” How would we feel about that? Authors take to pens or keyboards to make sense of the world. And unlike any other genre, SFF allows authors the freedom to ask big questions in creative circumstances. This freedom is how we got stories like The Handmaid’s Tale or Ursula K. Le Guin’s The Left Hand of Darkness that challenged gender roles and biases. Or, She Who Became the Sun by Shelly Parker-Chan that boldly reimagines the rise of the founding emperor of the Ming dynasty. There is true power in the “pen.” It can sway people, change minds, and bend the future.
Due to current events in the US, we as a team came together and selected a few novels that touch on women’s rights or women’s roles. This list is obviously not complete. Its depth and breadth would have to be ten times larger and contain more viewpoints from different cultures and backgrounds. Many of the plights of women including those identifying as female are universal but not all of them. However, this is an excellent selection of books to get one started.
1.A Natural History of DragonsBy Marie Brennan
Do you feel like women are being told where they belong and what they are capable of/ should have access to by people who have no business doing so? Let Lady Trent take you on her journey into the world of science in a society that very much doesn’t want to let her do so.
– Taylor from Maed Between the Pages
About A Natural History of Dragons
You, dear reader, continue at your own risk. It is not for the faint of heart—no more so than the study of dragons itself. But such study offers rewards beyond compare: to stand in a dragon’s presence, even for the briefest of moments—even at the risk of one’s life—is a delight that, once experienced, can never be forgotten. . . .
All the world, from Scirland to the farthest reaches of Eriga, know Isabella, Lady Trent, to be the world’s preeminent dragon naturalist. She is the remarkable woman who brought the study of dragons out of the misty shadows of myth and misunderstanding into the clear light of modern science. But before she became the illustrious figure we know today, there was a bookish young woman whose passion for learning, natural history, and, yes, dragons defied the stifling conventions of her day.
Here at last, in her own words, is the true story of a pioneering spirit who risked her reputation, her prospects, and her fragile flesh and bone to satisfy her scientific curiosity; of how she sought true love and happiness despite her lamentable eccentricities; and of her thrilling expedition to the perilous mountains of Vystrana, where she made the first of many historic discoveries that would change the world forever.
Buy from Amazon
2.The Year of the WitchingBy Alexis Henderson
A dark fantasy story with an oppressive religion that tries to keep our main character Immanuelle from her witch-y heathen female ancestry. But maybe that’s what she needs in the end to find herself.
– Taylor from Maed Between the Pages
About The Year of the Witching
A young woman living in a rigid, puritanical society discovers dark powers within herself in this stunning, feminist fantasy debut.
In the lands of Bethel, where the Prophet’s word is law, Immanuelle Moore’s very existence is blasphemy. Her mother’s union with an outsider of a different race cast her once-proud family into disgrace, so Immanuelle does her best to worship the Father, follow Holy Protocol, and lead a life of submission, devotion, and absolute conformity, like all the other women in the settlement.
But a mishap lures her into the forbidden Darkwood surrounding Bethel, where the first prophet once chased and killed four powerful witches. Their spirits are still lurking there, and they bestow a gift on Immanuelle: the journal of her dead mother, who Immanuelle is shocked to learn once sought sanctuary in the wood.
Fascinated by the secrets in the diary, Immanuelle finds herself struggling to understand how her mother could have consorted with the witches. But when she begins to learn grim truths about the Church and its history, she realizes the true threat to Bethel is its own darkness. And she starts to understand that if Bethel is to change, it must begin with her.
Buy from Amazon
3.The Bear and the Nightingaleby Katherine Arden
Poetically written and based on Russian folklore, our main character Vasilisa finds her agency through exploring her pagan historical roots. The touch of magic is everywhere if you know where to look.
– Taylor from Maed Between the Pages
About The Bear and the Nightingale
Katherine Arden’s best-selling debut novel spins an irresistible spell as it announces the arrival of a singular talent with a gorgeous voice.
“A beautiful deep-winter story, full of magic and monsters and the sharp edges of growing up.” (Naomi Novik, best-selling author of Uprooted)
Winter lasts most of the year at the edge of the Russian wilderness, and in the long nights, Vasilisa and her siblings love to gather by the fire to listen to their nurse’s fairy tales. Above all, Vasya loves the story of Frost, the blue-eyed winter demon. Wise Russians fear him, for he claims unwary souls, and they honor the spirits that protect their homes from evil.
Then Vasya’s widowed father brings home a new wife from Moscow. Fiercely devout, Vasya’s stepmother forbids her family from honoring their household spirits, but Vasya fears what this may bring. And indeed, misfortune begins to stalk the village.
But Vasya’s stepmother only grows harsher, determined to remake the village to her liking and to groom her rebellious stepdaughter for marriage or a convent. As the village’s defenses weaken and evil from the forest creeps nearer, Vasilisa must call upon dangerous gifts she has long concealed – to protect her family from a threat sprung to life from her nurse’s most frightening tales.
Buy from Amazon
4.Monstressby Marjorie M. Liu and Sana Takeda
For those who may feel powerless at the moment, find catharsis in a world run by matriarchal societies and chock full of morally grey characters that live by their own moral code.
– Taylor from Maed Between the Pages
About Monstress
Steampunk meets Kaiju in this original fantasy epic for mature readers, as young Maika risks everything to control her psychic link with a monster of tremendous power, placing her in the center of a devastating war between human and otherworldly forces.
Buy from Amazon
5.The Deepby Rivers Solomon, Daveed Diggs, William Hutson, and Jonathan Snipes
What would happen if the pregnant women thrown overboard during the transatlantic slave trade gave birth in the ocean? How would their stories be remembered and passed down through the generations? Solomon explores this beautifully through poetic prose and mermaids.
– Taylor from Maed Between the Pages
About The Deep
Octavia E. Butler meets Marvel’s Black Panther in The Deep, a story rich with Afrofuturism, folklore, and the power of memory, inspired by the Hugo Award–nominated song “The Deep” from Daveed Diggs’s rap group Clipping.
Yetu holds the memories for her people—water-dwelling descendants of pregnant African slave women thrown overboard by slave owners—who live idyllic lives in the deep. Their past, too traumatic to be remembered regularly is forgotten by everyone, save one—the historian. This demanding role has been bestowed on Yetu.
Yetu remembers for everyone, and the memories, painful and wonderful, traumatic and terrible and miraculous, are destroying her. And so, she flees to the surface escaping the memories, the expectations, and the responsibilities—and discovers a world her people left behind long ago.
Yetu will learn more than she ever expected about her own past—and about the future of her people. If they are all to survive, they’ll need to reclaim the memories, reclaim their identity—and own who they really are.
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6.The Language of Thornsby Leigh Bardugo
A collection of small stories form the Grishaverse (other reading in this universe not required); many of which focus on women making choices about their own lives- choices that are best for them.
– Taylor from Maed Between the Pages
About The Language of Thorns
See the Grishaverse come to life on screen with Shadow and Bone, now a Netflix original series. Inspired by myth, fairy tale, and folklore, #1 New York Times-bestselling author Leigh Bardugo has crafted a deliciously atmospheric collection of short stories filled with betrayals, revenge, sacrifice, and love. Enter the Grishaverse… Love speaks in flowers. Truth requires thorns. Travel to a world of dark bargains struck by moonlight, of haunted towns and hungry woods, of talking beasts and gingerbread golems, where a young mermaid’s voice can summon deadly storms and where a river might do a lovestruck boy’s bidding but only for a terrible price. Perfect for new readers and dedicated fans, the tales in The Language of Thorns will transport you to lands both familiar and strange—to a fully realized world of dangerous magic that millions have visited through the novels of the Grishaverse. This collection of six stories includes three brand-new tales, each of them lavishly illustrated and culminating in stunning full-spread illustrations as rich in detail as the stories themselves.
Buy from Amazon
7.The Gate to Woman’s CountryBy Sheri S. Tepper
This complicated story takes place 300 years after a nuclear holocaust destroyed nearly everything. Men and women are divided. I chose this story because, while some might say that it is divisive in a “love it/hate it” way, it does ask interesting hypothetical questions. The biggest is, “Is all of this worth it?”
-Beth Tabler
About The Gate to Woman's Country
Tepper’s finest novel to date is set in a post-holocaust feminist dystopia that offers only two political alternatives: a repressive polygamist sect that is slowly self-destructing through inbreeding and the matriarchal dictatorship called Women’s Country. Here, in a desperate effort to prevent another world war, the women have segregated most men into closed military garrisons and have taken on themselves every other function of government, industry, agriculture, science and learning.
The resulting manifold responsibilities are seen through the life of Stavia, from a dreaming 10-year-old to maturity as doctor, mother and member of the Marthatown Women’s Council. As in Tepper’s Awakeners series books, the rigid social systems are tempered by the voices of individual experience and, here, by an imaginative reworking of The Trojan Woman that runs through the text. A rewarding and challenging novel that is to be valued for its provocative ideas.
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8.The Handmaid’s taleby Margaret Atwood
This book hardly needs an introduction from me, it has close to 40 years of readers across multiple generations and is now a wildly popular HBO series. The story follows Offred as she lives, struggles, and survives under a gender-based fascist regime. Offred’s body is not her own, and her struggles are more poignant now more than ever before.
-Beth Tabler
About The Handmaid's Tale
Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures instead of words because women are no longer allowed to read. She must lie on her back once a month and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant, because in an age of declining births, Offred and the other Handmaids are valued only if their ovaries are viable. Offred can remember the years before, when she lived and made love with her husband, Luke; when she played with and protected her daughter; when she had a job, money of her own, and access to knowledge. But all of that is gone now . . .
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9.Voxby Christina Dalcher
A story where men control everything down to how many words are spoken from a women’s mouth. Women are silenced in a very real way.
-Beth Tabler
About Vox
Set in an America where half the population has been silenced, VOX is the harrowing, unforgettable story of what one woman will do to protect herself and her daughter.
On the day the government decrees that women are no longer allowed to speak more than 100 words daily, Dr. Jean McClellan is in denial—this can’t happen here. Not in America. Not to her.
This is just the beginning.
Soon women can no longer hold jobs. Girls are no longer taught to read or write. Females no longer have a voice. Before, the average person spoke sixteen thousand words a day, but now women only have one hundred to make themselves heard.
But this is not the end.
For herself, her daughter, and every woman silenced, Jean will reclaim her voice.
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10.Once and Future Witchesby Alix E. Harrow
“The dragons were slain and the witches were burned and the night belonged to men with torches and crosses.”
In my humble opinion, Alix E. Harrow can do no wrong. This story is about suffragette witches. Three women who repair their torn relationships, step up and fight for women’s and witches’ rights in Salem Massachusets circa 1893.
-Beth Tabler
About Once and Future Witches
In 1893, there’s no such thing as witches. There used to be, in the wild, dark days before the burnings began, but now witching is nothing but tidy charms and nursery rhymes. If the modern woman wants any measure of power, she must find it at the ballot box.
But when the Eastwood sisters–James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth, and Beatrice Belladonna–join the suffragists of New Salem, they begin to pursue the forgotten words and ways that might turn the women’s movement into the witch’s movement. Stalked by shadows and sickness, hunted by forces who will not suffer a witch to vote-and perhaps not even to live-the sisters will need to delve into the oldest magics, draw new alliances, and heal the bond between them if they want to survive.
There’s no such thing as witches. But there will be.
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11.The Jasmine Throneby Tasha Suri
The Jasmine Throne is, more than anything, a story of the strength of women. Clever, strategical strength, such as Malini’s. The strength to survive and thrive despite extreme hardship and tragedy, like Priya. Even the strength to rebel in whatever way a person is able, like Bhumika. Alone, each woman is a force to be reckoned with. Together, they will shake the world.
I loved that each of them used their own strengths, and not one of them was ever the stereotypical “damsel in distress”.
-Jodie from WItty and Sarcastic Book Club
About The Jasmine Throne
Author of Empire of Sand and Realm of Ash Tasha Suri’s The Jasmine Throne, beginning a new trilogy set in a world inspired by the history and epics of India, in which a captive princess and a maidservant in possession of forbidden magic become unlikely allies on a dark journey to save their empire from the princess’s traitor brother.
Imprisoned by her dictator brother, Malini spends her days in isolation in the Hirana: an ancient temple that was once the source of the powerful, magical deathless waters — but is now little more than a decaying ruin.
Priya is a maidservant, one among several who make the treacherous journey to the top of the Hirana every night to clean Malini’s chambers. She is happy to be an anonymous drudge, so long as it keeps anyone from guessing the dangerous secret she hides.
But when Malini accidentally bears witness to Priya’s true nature, their destinies become irrevocably tangled. One is a vengeful princess seeking to depose her brother from his throne. The other is a priestess seeking to find her family. Together, they will change the fate of an empire.
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12.The Queen of Bloodby Sarah Beth Durst
So many books strip women of the femininity in an attempt to make them look strong, completely ignoring that women are strong already. The Queens of Renthia shows different kinds of strength. Daleina is hardworking and headstrong. Any character that is introduced as wanting to kick fate in the face is one I’m going to love.
The Reluctant Queen (book 2) introduces Naelin, whose power comes second to her desire to protect her children. The term “mama bear” grossly underestimates what Naelin becomes when she feels her children are threatened. There are many kinds of badass women, and Naelin shows a facet of female strength that isn’t often represented in fantasy.
-Jodie from WItty and Sarcastic Book Club
About The Queen of Blood
An idealistic young student and a banished warrior become allies in a battle to save their realm in this first book of a mesmerizing epic fantasy series, filled with political intrigue, violent magic, malevolent spirits, and thrilling adventure
Everything has a spirit: the willow tree with leaves that kiss the pond, the stream that feeds the river, the wind that exhales fresh snow . . .
But the spirits that reside within this land want to rid it of all humans. One woman stands between these malevolent spirits and the end of humankind: the queen. She alone has the magical power to prevent the spirits from destroying every man, woman, and child. But queens are still just human, and no matter how strong or good, the threat of danger always looms.
With the position so precarious, young women are chosen to train as heirs. Daleina, a seemingly quiet academy student, is under no illusions as to her claim to the throne, but simply wants to right the wrongs that have befallen the land. Ven, a disgraced champion, has spent his exile secretly fighting against the growing number of spirit attacks. Joining forces, these daring partners embark on a treacherous quest to find the source of the spirits’ restlessness—a journey that will test their courage and trust, and force them to stand against both enemies and friends to save their land . . . before it’s bathed in blood.
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13.Legacy of the Brightwashby Krystle Matar
“…you never really recovered, so much as you learnt to go on living even though you were falling apart.”—Krystle Matar, Legacy of the Brightwash
“And that’s what makes it so painfully, soulfully, and beautifully human. Brightwash uses fantasy like a safecracker’s tool to break its characters open and lay their contents out with the lightest of touches.
Matar’s prose is deep, mournful, and gorgeous, able to bring out both the deep physical and emotional wounds the characters experience throughout the story. And although the world is light on its fantastical elements, Matar manages to make it feel absolutely strange and familiar all at once – books like Caleb Carr’s The Alienist and China Miéville’s The City and The City come to mind. This is dark stuff written so beautifully that you can feel the grime on the walls and the grit in every crevice – both in the world and the characters themselves.”
-From the review by author G.M. Nair
About Legacy of the Brightwash
Follow the law and you’ll stay safe. But what if the law is wrong?
Tashué’s faith in the law is beginning to crack.
Three years ago, he stood by when the Authority condemned Jason to the brutality of the Rift for non-compliance. When Tashué’s son refused to register as tainted, the laws had to be upheld. He’d never doubted his job as a Regulation Officer before, but three years of watching your son wither away can break down even the strongest convictions.
Then a dead girl washed up on the bank of the Brightwash, tattooed and mutilated. Where had she come from? Who would tattoo a child? Was it the same person who killed her?
Why was he the only one who cared?
Will Tashué be able to stand against everything he thought he believed in to get the answers he’s looking for?
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July 3, 2022
Review – MESS EFFECT: A NITPICKERS GUIDE TO THE WORLD THAT FELL APART by Shamus Young
MESS EFFECT: A NITPICKERS GUIDE TO THE WORLD THAT FELL APART by Shamus Young (DM of the Rings) is a work that I picked up when I heard of his passing (RIP). I am a huge Mass Effect fan and an author so it seemed like an excellent book that would discuss the series from the perspective of its storytelling.
Specifically, it’s a discussion of how the once-beloved (and still beloved) series went off the rails in such a way that it got EA voted Worst Company of the Year. It also has a Mass Effect: Andromeda section.
You can tell how much you’re going to love this book or dislike it probably by the following statement: “Shamus really liked Mass Effect, he thought Mass Effect 2 was an utterly nonsensical mess with good characters, and Mass Effect 3’s failures are primarily due to 2’s nonsensical plot.” If you agree with that, it’ll be a lot of agreeing and if you disagree with that, then it will probably have some issues for you.
I’m a huge fan of Mass Effect 2 and think it’s the best of the trilogy. I recognize its flaws, however, and just because I disagree with an author’s interpretation doesn’t mean that I think the book is bad. Still, a lot of the middle part of the book was me going, “You don’t want to work for Cerberus because it’s icky bad evil but you’re a Spectre, which means that you’re supposed to work with morally ambiguous people. It’s part of being a spy.”
Shamus Young handles much of the book from the unconscious bias of playing a Paragon Shepard, IMHO, and that is something that he’s never really able to shed nor seemingly aware of. This isn’t necessarily saying he’s wrong, though. A huge chunk of the fandom played Shepard as a Paragon and Sole Survivor with the view Cerberus is absolute evil as well as a group that they would never work with even for the greater good. They also played a Star Trek-esque idealistic Shepard so the trilogy taking the stance the Citadel Council races aren’t necessarily humanity’s friends would also feel hugely disappointing. Others like the emphasis on realpolitic and betrayal that they’d argue, like me, were in ME to begin with.
Now is the above paragraph is something that makes sense to you and is the kind of thing you’d like to read, then this is absolutely the book for you. It’s a detailed discussion of the politics, world-building, storytelling choices, and ideas of Bioware’s sci-fi universe. It also very much takes the opinion that the retcons and deliberate forced morally ambiguity of the games as well as incompetence of the Council races were mistakes than choices. I LOVE this sort of thing even when I wish I could type up a bunch of response posts about how much I think he’s wrong.
I also think the book has one serious failure and that’s lacking an extensive discussion of the romances in the game. That is definitely not something Shamus cared about and probably imagined Bioware did fine on but they’re such an intrinsic part of the gaming experience that their lack of discussion is noticeable by its absence. He discusses all the characters but not their relationship to Shepard. Which is a shame as I’d love to hear him compare Ashley vs. Liara vs. Tali (or Garrus).
In conclusion, this is a book for hardcore Mass Effect nerds and those who strongly care about things like the economics of the Alliance or how the Turian Navy functions. It’s a fair and detailed work that, sadly, suffers a bit from the fact that he doesn’t include many arguments against his own points. I feel that would have benefited the book a bit more and made it feel more inclusive of alternate viewpoints. Still, we’ve lost a great writer and an even greater fan.
Read Mess Effect: A Nitpickers Guide to the World That Fell ApartReview – The Hand that Cast the Bone by H.L. Tinsley
Review of RIVER OF THIEVES by Clayton Snyder
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#SPFBO8 Review and Cut – The Burnt Watcher by Keith Healing
Book Blurb:The Excise exists to keep the world safe.
This is done in two ways.
First is the Judiciary.
It understands local law and applies it evenly.
The second is the Watcher.
It understands Fear and fights it mercilessly.
Five hundred years ago the old world burned and the Fear rose from the ashes and the Glass. Watchers knew the Fear and found the ways of fighting it, enabling the world to be built anew.
Now the Fear is a memory, a story to remind people why they should not build with stone. The Watchers have all but disappeared, remnants of a time that has passed.
But in a small village in the west of England a retired Watcher suspects that the Fear is not as distant as people believe.
My Review:As I was reading through this piece, there were areas that really pulled me in. If you are looking for a fast paced book, then this is not it, at least in the first section. It was a slow-moving book, almost too slow. While some books have information overload in the beginning, this one almost didn’t have enough.
Master Gray is a Watcher, having been chosen at a young age. While his parents were proud, there was still an element of danger, as he learned. Watchers tended to not last very long. Master Gray has lived a long life, retiring from being a Watcher, until he is called back to assist in a strange case.
While there are a lot of positives about this book, and can hold your attention, for the most part, I didn’t feel this one was strong enough to move on. I think that the slower start, is going to really hurt it. There are some areas where an editor’s finesse could help smooth out some rougher areas.
Overall, decent and interesting – and for those who love a good post-apocalyptic novel, then you will enjoy reading this one!
Read The Burnt Watcher#SPFBO8 – Review and Cut – The Trials Of Ashmount by John Palladino
#SPFBO8 -; Review and Cut – Debunked by Dito Abbott
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July 1, 2022
Review – NORTHERN WRATH by Thilde Kold Holdt
The women in the book are stalwart, heroic, and gritty. They are mothers, daughters, and wives, with plenty of heart and compassion, and conjointly fearsome warriors, leaders, and influencers.
As my May 2022 #DebutFantasy reading winds down, I ventured back into the world of Norse and Norse-inspired historical- fantasy, and picked up “Northern Wrath”, Book One of “The Hanged Gods Trilogy” by Thilde Kold Holt. What did I think of this book?
Let’s put it to you this way: I have never cared so much about a character who was already dead.
The story follows the main POVs of Einer, Hilda, and Ragnar, inhabitants of the village of Ash-Hill, in the cold Viking north, in the land of Jutland (ancient Denmark), within Midgard – the realm of mortals, and worshippers of the old Norse Gods. There are several additional POV chapters, including those dedicated to Siv, Tyra, Sigismund, Muspeldottir, Thora, Finn, and Buntrugg. Yet those first three characters mentioned are permitted the bulk of the narrative voices, and it is their fates that likely the reader will be most concerned with.
The book commences with Einer’s POV, and it is within the first few pages the reader sees young nobleman Einer (maybe) having impossibly slain a huge bear during a berserker fit, and having no memory of HOW he accomplished the incredible feat.
Ragnar, Hilda’s father, is old and dying, and from his daughter’s point of view, his death will not be a good one, because he will not die in battle, with honour, like a true warrior. Furthermore, Ragnar has forbidden Hilda, who aspires to be a hero, the chance to be a shieldmaiden, in order to keep her safe. Hilda chaffes at being held back, but the opportunity for glory will come sooner than she expects.
After Ragnar dies, his soul must traverse The Darkness towards Helheim, the Norse underworld. But it will be a horrible journey, even for someone who is dead. “Death, Pain, Fear.” Remember those three words, for they will haunt you as you read the shocking POVs of Ragnar, and you will wonder if there is a fate far worse than merely dying.
Meanwhile, Einer and Hilda, and their Norse way of life, and worship of the old Gods, are threatened by the danger of invading Christians. The Gods themselves are imperilled too by other powerful forces and the advance of Christianity, but they will not be easily vanquished, and when Gods are fighting for existence, the consequences can be devastating to humans.
Nor will the Jutlanders suffer an attack on their village without seeking bloody revenge. War will follow, intertwining ethereal and mortal combat, heroes will rise, and the world may just come to an end in the process.
So, let’s discuss the character work in the novel. With an abundance of cast members in a novel, sometimes characterization can be diminished. Overall Holdt did a good job of crafting engaging characters, and she warrants special praise for how incredible her female characters were (Siv was my favourite of all the characters in the book, followed closely by Ragnar).
The women in the book are stalwart, heroic, and gritty. They are mothers, daughters, wives, with plenty of heart and compassion, and conjointly fearsome warriors, leaders, and influencers. While I wished for a bit more exploration of their inner feelings and motivations at times, the characters were all certainly realistic, and very intriguing.
This book reads VERY quickly for a 600+ page novel, with a plot that spares no opportunity for pause, and I compulsively read this book in the span of four days: I could not put it down. This book teems with mythology, indomitable warriors, vengeful, traitorous gods, and destiny. So please don’t be scared by the book’ chonkiness: fans of the fast read, come hither.
Connoisseurs of battle scenes such as John Gwynne, Miles Cameron, and Bernard Cornwell would likely applaud the ferocious and thrilling clashes that Thilde Kold Holdt depicts in “Northern Wrath”. They are absolutely top notch: brutal, visceral, realistic, with the kind of build-up and tension (and attempts at character development PRIOR to the battle so that one cares about the outcomes for the players involved) before the conflicts that I require to be truly invested when the blood starts spraying. High, high accolades for Holdt in this regard.
I loved the fact that in many of the fights, the Gods were by no means passive bystanders, watching from the distance, detached from the momentous clashes. The Norse deities are omnipresent throughout the book, including the battles – either physically present, or imposing their powers to manipulate the payoff. But are these gods truly infallible or invincible, or will they too suffer their losses, just like their human subjects?
This book is very grim, very dark, and very violent. It is beautifully written, but not for the squeamish. Still, there are moments of hope peaking through the clouds. At the very least, readers can pray that those of their favourite characters who survive, will have the mental and physical stamina left to be able to fight another day, in the inevitable battles to come, further on in the series.
The sense of wonder, enchantment, and otherworldly powers permeate the novel, as Holdt’s impeccable research and writing skill brings the reader up close and personal into fascinating elements of Norse cosmology, as we feel completely immersed in that world. The worldbuilding is fantastic, and Holdt’s descriptive prose will make the reader feel as if they too – like our characters – have Yggdrasil, or the deck of a ship, or the slick of blood from a battle, underfoot.
The customs, weapons, religious rites, and culture of the Norse are on full display, and Holdt has created a fully realized, vivid world that will splash new paint on old legends, and make them seem fresh and inventive.
If you like Vikings, the Norse sagas replete with gods such as Odin, Loki, and the like, mystery, honour, tragedy, darkness, desperate last stands, heroic quests, brilliant storytelling, and characters that you will care about, this is your type of book; it certainly was mine!
4.75 stars for “Northern Wrath”! Very much looking forward to “Shackled Fates”, the next book in the series!
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Graphic Novel Review of “Mouse Guard Fall: 1152” by David Peterson
“Take no duty of the Guard lightly. Friends must not be enemies
Just as enemies must not be friends.
Discerning the two is a life’s work.”
― David Petersen
From the publisher,” The forest is a dangerous place for any animal, especially one as small as a mouse. In the past, the mouse world endured a tyrannical Weasel Warlord until a noble band of mouse soldiers fought back. Ever since the Mouse Guard has defended the paces and prosperity of its kingdom. For generations, this league of scouts, weather-watchers, trailblazers, and protectors has passed won its knowledge and skills.
Now three of the Guard’s finest have been dispatched. The mission seems simple: They are to find a missing mouse, a grain merchant who never arrived at his destination. But when they see him, they make a shocking discovery—one that involves a treacherous betrayal, a stolen secret, and a rising power that has only one goal: to bring down the Guard…”
“The best solution is always found at the point of my sword.”―Saxon’s belief
If you were walking around a bookstore and came across this book sitting on a shelf you would think that with its cartoonish depictions of animals wielding swords and bright colors that it was a children’s book. You could not be further from the truth. This is a very nuanced story about betrayal, bravery, endurance, and sincerity; it is most certainly not a children’s story.
artstation.com
To start off, imagine what it is like to be a mouse in the first place they are small, weak, and fearful. Mice are prey animals in nature. Their entire lives are spent in fear of the unknown next predator around the bend. Almost every creature in the forest could be a predator to them. In response, you build your home in the most protected and sheltered spot you can find and hope for the best. Now imagine you are a guard mouse. You are weak and small by nature. However, you have learned to be strong because you have to be. You must be brave because the smaller you are, the more bravery means and there are mice to protect. Thus flows the story of mice who are bravely sent out into the forest to protect the weaker.
Stylistically, the panels are superbly drawn. The illustrations look as if they glow from within like light shining through the trees in autumn. Wind could rush through my room as a read this and I would not be more convinced that it was fall. The illustrator completely nailed what fall is supposed to feel like.
I would recommend this to anyone over the age of ten. I think if a child tried to read this before that age, much of the subtleties would be lost on them. But, I would especially recommend this to any comic book/graphic enthusiasts out there. This is a graphic novel that graphic novel lovers love.
Read Mouse Guard Fall 1152Graphic Novel Review – The Boys by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson
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REVIEW – THE BLADE ITSELF BY JOE ABERCROMBIE
What it is About?The first novel in the First Law Trilogy and debut fantasy novel from New York Times bestseller, Joe Abercrombie.
Logen Ninefingers, infamous barbarian, has finally run out of luck. Caught in one feud too many, he’s on the verge of becoming a dead barbarian — leaving nothing behind him but bad songs, dead friends, and a lot of happy enemies.
Nobleman, dashing officer, and paragon of selfishness, Captain Jezal dan Luthar has nothing more dangerous in mind than fleecing his friends at cards and dreaming of glory in the fencing circle. But war is brewing, and on the battlefields of the frozen North they fight by altogether bloodier rules.
Inquisitor Glokta, cripple turned torturer, would like nothing better than to see Jezal come home in a box. But then Glokta hates everyone: cutting treason out of the Union one confession at a time leaves little room for friendship. His latest trail of corpses may lead him right to the rotten heart of government, if he can stay alive long enough to follow it.
Enter the wizard, Bayaz. A bald old man with a terrible temper and a pathetic assistant, he could be the First of the Magi, he could be a spectacular fraud, but whatever he is, he’s about to make the lives of Logen, Jezal, and Glokta a whole lot more difficult.
Murderous conspiracies rise to the surface, old scores are ready to be settled, and the line between hero and villain is sharp enough to draw blood.
Unpredictable, compelling, wickedly funny, and packed with unforgettable characters, The Blade Itself is noir fantasy with a real cutting edge.
My ThoughtsVery few authors I have read can pull off making the astoundingly three-dimensional fictional characters so compelling that one actually longs that one could sit down and have an adult beverage with these made-up rogues in a tavern and listen to them for hours talking about their life stories.
For me, Glotka is one of the best protagonists (of several in the story) in modern fantasy fiction. Somehow, although the author, Abercrombie, has been heralded by many pundits as the anointed king of “grimdark” fantasy, despite his extremely bloody and realistic fight scenes, images of vicious torture and maiming, even rape, the dichotomy was that I found “The Blade Itself” uplifting and in many ways positive and even tender in terms of its overall tone.
Overall, the book was simply incredible. I love character driven fiction and Abercrombie does not disappoint. I’ve heard criticisms that the entire “The First Law” series is somewhat devoid of good world building but I did not find that to be the case. What I did find was that, while the world created in the novel and the series were excellent, but the characters were SO good that the world building aspect became very secondary, unlike some other works were the magical system, geography, history, etc can sometimes overwhelm and outshine the characters and even the plot.
Abercrombie has become one of my favourite writers and all his accolades at being near the top of the contemporary fantasy writer pecking order is well deserved.
Read The Blade ItselfReview -; The Hand that Cast the Bone by H.L. Tinsley
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