Beth Tabler's Blog, page 177

Review – Dragon Mage by M.L. Spencer

 

The most essential part of any book for me, the characters, were some of the best-drawn and most memorable (for me) for this type of novel.

 

It has taken me a long time to write this review. Startlingly, it has taken me far longer to write this review than it took me to literally devour almost one thousand pages of the book that is the epic fantasy Dragon Mage, Book One of Rivenworld, by M.L. Spencer.

Spencer, writer of the Rhenwars Saga and the Chaos Cycle already has plenty of stature as a fantasy author. Spencer’s debut novel in the Rhenwars Saga, Darkmage won the 2012 IndieReader Discovery Award for Fantasy, and was a Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off (SPFBO4) semi-finalist. Spencer’s Chains of Blood, first installment of the Chaos Cycle, won Silver in the 2020 Readers’ Favorite Awards for Fantasy.

But Spencer is perhaps best known for Dragon Mage, which, in my estimation, is one of the most hyped Indie fantasy books to come along in recent memory. Seldom have I picked up a book that is so weighty in expectations, to match its considerable page-count.

There was plenty of room for a let-down here, and to be candid, I was concerned about it. As it turns out, I had nothing to fear. Dragon Mage lived up to billing, and then some. It was so outstanding, that I am currently pondering it, along with two others I have read so far, as my book of the year in these early months of 2022. We’ll see how the rest of the year shapes up before I do any anointing, but let’s get to the review.

This book embodies some of the most timeless and classical of fantasy tropes. The big one here is that of the downtrodden youth with unknown power or authority who would otherwise be mired in obscurity, except that they are the chosen one.

The chosen one, in this case is neurodiverse protagonist Aram. Aram is a boy who is raised by his mother in a small, remote fishing village. The unfortunate youth lives a life of being ostracized and bullied for being different from other youths.

But though seen as an oddball, Aram is truly special. Aram perceives that colours are assigned to people’s auras. Additionally, Aram has opal-coloured eyes, and his blood does not bleed red, as one normally would. Still, despite these disparities from the rest of his village, all Aram wants to do is be accepted, win the attention of the girl he admires, and enjoy making knots, which is his favourite pastime. But destiny holds other plans for Aram.

Aram is attacked by some of the relentless bullies, but is saved by an older boy named Marcus, the other main character, who becomes Aram’s friend and protector. While Aram dreams of becoming a sailor, Marcus too yearns to escape the isolated village, and his abusive father. A bard, passing through the village, is looking for youths to audition their talents, for an opportunity to leave the village and travel with the bard.

This appears to be Marcus’ big chance, but fate intervenes when Aram ends up auditioning for the bard, and sets events in motion that propel Marcus and Aram off on a dangerous quest, where both will discover their important lineages, abilities, and destinies. And the fate of these two could not be more critical to the fate of the world.

For Aram is a Savant, and has potential to be a dragon-riding Champion, the likes of which the world has not witnessed for centuries. Meanwhile, Marcus, who is found to be unaffected by magic, is fated to be Warden, who guards Champions.

The brilliance of this book is that, for the most part, as I alluded, the heart of the plot is full of many of the typical fantasy cliches. It’s a coming-of-age story, that despite the fabulous, evocative prose, stupendous character development, thrilling action scenes, and all the other superlatives about the book, those who care about tropes will likely won’t find the basic premise very innovative. But who needs the wheel reinvented when you can write as dynamically as Spencer can?

The most essential part of any book for me, the characters, were some of the best-drawn and most memorable (for me) for this type of novel. Aram and Marcus are in the Frodo and Sam stratosphere, and perhaps now my favourite fantasy bromance duo. Their relationship was truly special, and pulled at the heartstrings. Marcus’ loyalty, kindness, yet pragmatism make him a gem.

But the sensitive, extremely well-handled manner in which Spencer wrote Aram was top-notch. Aram’s dogged determination, courage, and nobility, along with the fact that he is the ultimate underdog, will make readers root for him from the start, and keep on cheering for him. Spencer has crafted two very realistic, simply remarkable characters that will stay with me for a long time.

The secondary characters are very well done too, my only quibble being wanting a little more exploration of and complexity from the villains. But this is a story where for the most part good is good and evil is evil, and the greatness of Aram and Marcus compensated for any want of mine for more development of the tertiary players.

The world-building is phenomenal. Spencer creates a sundered existence for the inhabitants of her world, and provides a great backstory as to the cause of the sundering. In times past, archons (evil mages) sought to gain increased power by assimilating “essence”, which would be created by destroying the world. Erok, the world’s Champion, altruistically gives up his life to sunder the world, in order to save it from the archons’ apocalyptic plans.

Thus the place where our main characters live, called “The World Above”, was created. This world is characterized by an absence of magic, with those who have the capabilities to wield it largely unaware of their bloodlines and skills. Sinister forces want to find those who are ignorant to their enormous powers and either kill or corrupt them.

Meanwhile, “The World Below” is where magic openly resides. In that same vein of being ignorant to one’s abilities, Aram causes a tear in the fabric of the purgatory between the worlds, known as “The Void”. Due to “The Void” being populated by horrific monsters, of course this sort of rift is a real concern for humankind. While the concept of rent worlds is not new, it is exceptionally well done by Spencer, and I loved every aspect of her world-building.

Of course, we can’t forget to mention the dragons, when speaking about this book. Let’s keep this part simple. Other than “the gold standard” for me (and many) in G.R.R. Martin, in terms of dragon warfare, Dragon Mage is THE best in terms of what I have read in fantasy. Absolutely spectacular. Another quick tangent about this book, relating back to G.R.R.M.: while it reads mostly like a YA heroic fantasy, this book has some really dark moments, and like G.R.R.M. characters that you might not expect die harshly. Dear reader: don’t fall in love, you will have your heart broken.

The real testament to how great this book is: it’s a tome, but it reads like a 300-page light read to me. It was completely engrossing, beautifully written, and hit me in all the feels. The inseparable friendship of Aram and Marcus, the intricacy of the magic system, the delightful and heart-breaking moments, the adroit way in which Aram’s neurodiversity was dealt with, the detailed, beautiful writing, the great fight scenes, tension, everything about Dragon Mage was fantastic. It was a long book, one of the longest fantasy books I have ever read (even though I can handle the chonkers), but I could have read another thousand pages – I did not want it to end.

This book far exceeds the nominal five star rating, so no point in trying to assign it one here. The best compliment I can give Dragon Mage, by M.L. Spencer is: Dragon Mage is why I read, and love, epic fantasy.

I originally thought the book was a standalone, but I hear a sequel is in the works. There is ZERO question that I will be reading any follow-up to this story by a brilliant author, who has become one of my must-read writers, by virtue of how much I was enamoured with Dragon Mage.

Read Dragon Mage by ML Spencer

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Review – Bigfoot Hunters by Rick Gualtieri

 

…for people who love trashy horror movies but intelligently written.

 

Bigfoot Hunters is the first horror novel by Rick Gualtieri after a successful career as an urban fantasy and comedy writer. I was expecting something more like his Bill the Vampire series when I first heard this book announced rather than what I actually got: which is a literary slasher novel. Even the title is misleading because the cryptid hunters are not a group of badasses prepared to take down a yeti. They are closer to a bunch of nature show enthusiasts who are badly outmatched by the events going on.

Cover for Bigfoot Hunters: Tales of the Crypto-Hunter, Book 1 The premise is a typical slasher movie setup: a bunch of horny college students are going to the middle of the woods in order to find excuses to bang (or even do away with the excuses). Once there, they soon find themselves being stalked by a Bigfoot. Much to their surprise, they are rescued by a group of cryptic hunters. Unfortunately, what they think is a small problem with a lone predator swiftly turns into an enormous horde that makes 30 Days of Night look tame.

Bigfoot Hunters goes with the premise that sasquatch are normally quite peaceful and not a creature that would ever attack humans. These ones are suffering from a condition that has driven them mad and made them predatory. It’s an interesting take on a slasher movie monster and adds a small bit of sympathy to the creatures that are otherwise horrifying as well as relentless killers.

Much effort goes into the world-building of how sasquatch has been able to keep hidden from mankind for the entirety of human history. It’s not that believable but Rick Gualtieri still makes the attempt and for that I appreciate it. The cryptid hunters of the United States government are more like park rangers than dedicated monster hunters as well. They even have the cute job of running a show that seeks cryptids on television but is actually a cover for making them look fake.

Despite this cute premise, this is definitely in the horror genre rather than urban fantasy. The sasquatch are shown to be genuinely terrifying and there is a massive body count among the characters. Not just the ones you’d think would die, die too. No, this is a fairly brutal bloodbath and entirely worthy of Friday the Thirteenth or Halloween-style massacres. It actually feels like two separate 1:30:00 long horror movies, really, and that’s good value for my money.

The characters are a mixture of likable, dislikable, and in-between with Rick wisely making sure that they feel authentic even if they’re jerks or not. There are no heroes or villains but there are people who are brave versus those who are scummy. The body count doesn’t particularly favor one side or the other either. At least at the start.

Big Foot Hunters is notably not part of Rick Gualtieri’s Bill the Vampire universe despite the large role that sasquatch play in those books. Furthermore, they are entirely different from the spirit animals in that setting. It kind of makes me wonder what novels about those creatures would have been like. Still, I really enjoyed this one and recommend it for people who love trashy horror movies but intelligently written. This is a bit like Cabin in the Woods in that respect. I listened to the audiobook version and have to say I recommend it over the Kindle version, though both are excellent.

Read Bigfoot Hunters

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Review – Against All Gods – by Miles Cameron

 

For me, every book begins with the characters, and the characters in this book were absolutely fabulous.

 

Scheming, megalomaniacal, utterly egotistical gods, caring for nothing but their own pleasures, indulgences, and cruelties, and holding onto and increasing that power, at the expense of all other life, and using mortals as their pawns. But the mortals are tired of the game, and the bravest among them, aspire to overthrow the gods, and be free from their despotism.

Yet, the gods have MAJOR internal issues, and they may just tear themselves apart before the mortals can have their day, destroying the world in the process.

This is the premise of my most recent, fantastic read, penned by the incredible Miles Cameron.

Christian Cameron (otherwise known by pen names that include Miles Cameron, and Gordon Kent) is one of my all-time favourite authors. This prolific, best-selling author of over 40 novels, has penned one of my top ten fantasy series ever: “The Traitor Son Cycle”.

When Cameron offered me the incredible opportunity to receive an Advanced Reading Copy of his upcoming new fantasy release, “Against All Gods” (Book One in “The Age of Bronze Series”), in exchange for an honest review, I could not type, “Yes, please!” quickly enough. And I’m so glad I did.

The story moves back and forth fluidly between the mortals and the divine characters. The reader is introduced at the onset of the book to the ethereal court of the current King of the Gods, Enkul-Anu, who rules from the high mountain of Auzu, where the pantheon of the gods resides.

Enkul–Anu is a shrewd, calculating leader, who rules with a heady mix of tyranny and manipulation. Still, the ruler of the gods likes his carnal pleasures, and fiendishly delights in pain to those who oppose him. This lord of gods cannot rest easy on his throne, however, as he and his followers overthrew the previous divine regime to ascend to their current heights. They are considered “The New Gods”, having successfully rebelled and replaced “The Old Gods”.

So Enkul-Anu is cagey, suspicious of everyone, fearing of being toppled in turn. He keeps the humans harshly in line, through pure fear of his retribution. He does the same with his entire court of gods, including his offspring and consorts. He watches for any signs of insurrection amongst the gods and goddesses, ready to crush it. He also keeps an eye on some of the survivors from the Old Gods, whom he considers “The Enemy.” Chief among them, Temis and Tyka. Enkul-Anu is also concerned that his senior gods have gotten distracted, old and useless, and the younger ones are plotting, incompetent, and flighty.

But most of Enkul-Anu’s headaches are about to come of the human variety, in largely the form of the following players:

Gamash, an old warrior, and a magus, who was a great hero, and former tool of the gods, has lost his beloved daughter, killed callously by one of Enkul-Anu’s subordinates. Gamash vows revenge, and is willing to court Enkul-Anu’s enemies, to get that vengeance. Gamash turns to a mysterious blacksmith and his apprentices for aid, to fashion weapons made of a substance that can possibly slay a god.

Meanwhile, performer Era, uses all her wits, athleticism, and courage, to flee death and destruction, and along the way adopts an enigmatic young orphan boy, whose stuffed bear seems to predict the future.

Pollon a scribe, and his friend Atosa, a jeweller, are wrongfully imprisoned and tortured for trying to do the right thing.

Zos, a veteran mercenary, who is also a daring bull-leaper, is given a suicide mission by his masters, and the cynical warrior might be becoming tired enough of life to not care.

Finally, Aanat, a master captain, and trader, wants to keep his ship, and his family who are its crew, safe from harm. He and his people are also pacifists, and take an oath not to harm others. But in a particularly savage world of gods, monsters, and barbaric humans, keeping that oath has never been more difficult.

For me, every book begins with the characters, and the characters in this book were absolutely fabulous. The iniquitous gods are hilarious in their excesses and their wickedness. Gorged on sex, violence, and vanity, and filled with all the human insecurities, weaknesses, and downright pitiful self-absorption, these gods are anything but magnanimous and worthy of veneration. But again, they are also freaking hysterically funny! Druku and Sypa especially had me snickering with their antics. Nonetheless, it was the big cheese, Enkul-Anu, and his constant cursing and derision about his fellow gods really got me laughing out loud.

The humans, who Cameron clearly identifies as the protagonists, are also really humorous. But they also have heart, complex motivations, and most are at least somewhat morally grey, save for the Harkans, who I found to be very noble overall. Era was my favourite: uncompromisingly proud of and comfortable with her sexuality, resourceful, tough, full of life, lust, and the kind of friend you want in your corner. Zos’ combination of charisma, world-weary skepticism, and bravado, made for a really dynamic character as well. The odd little boy Daos, and his relationship with his foster mother, Era, will melt your heart, and Cameron will also force you to care, a lot, about the donkey!

The world-building was incredible, inspired by ancient Greek mythology, filled with magic, mythical creatures and diverse races, lofty temples, and sword and sandal heroes. Bronze age technology, marauding cannibalistic tribes, horrifying monsters, half-god / half-human offspring of the gods, indiscriminate liaisons with mortals running rampant, and hey – A REALLY DANGEROUS DRAGON, what more could you want?

The landscape is beautifully depicted by Cameron, lovely, yet utterly bleak and brutal at the same time. Set in the backdrop of a time before steel, when the economy was based on a bartering system. Cameron’s vivid descriptions make the reader feel like they are living in the time when gods walked the earth, bred mortals, and made half-god children.

Special note: I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the loving, polygamous lifestyle of the Harkans, and about the inscrutable “Dry One” who the human crew encounters. The Dry Ones are feared and hated monsters, but the one the protagonists encounter seems to indicate potential for otherwise.

While this book is sometimes zany, often irreverant, the themes Cameron explores are very dire, including canibalism, ritual human sacrifice, slavery, betrayal, unmitigated greed, torture, sexual assault and murder, to name a few, so reader be warned. As expected with a writing master such as Cameron, these themes are handled with aplomb, dark humour, and a glimmer of real hope.

A huge theme is whether or not humans have been tricked all their lives, ascribing virtue to gods who are by no means worthy of such adoration. Some mortals cling to their worship of the gods, despite the evidence plainly in their face all along that the gods were detestable. The gods feel the humans are beneath contempt, just playthings, but necessary to feed their existence, and the humans become equally contemptuous of the gods, due to the god’s oppressive treatment of their mortal subjects. Once this happens, and the humans open their eyes to how badly the gods behave, it seems war is unavoidable, because without mutual respect, neither party can value the lives of the other. Even the peace-loving Harkans.

There is chilling foreshadowing however, that should the audacious mortals somehow manage to survive, and in fact succeed in their quest, will they simply become that which they despise, providing more of the same sort of cruelty and capriciousness, if they manage to supplant their divine masters?

I fear a “here’s the new boss, same as the old boss” outcome, if any of the humans manage to remain alive by the end of the series. Because, as we have learned throughout history, absolute power can corrupt absolutely (or “eternally” as the cover of the book notes), as the saying goes.

Cameron’s prose is great. The writing is taunt, economical, yet somehow also so descriptive and luxuriant, and it always keeps you glued to the pages, making for a compulsive read:

“Dekhu was an island of degradation and torment. They witnessed hundreds of acts of cruelty under every decaying portico. On one ruined mosaic floor, two slaves fought with staves, both of them covered in blood; on another two women danced with chillingly unsensual lasciviousness. Whips cracked, fists pounded, and for the most part, the victims were blank-faced, unresponsive, less inclined to rebellion than donkeys or mules.”

In typical Cameron fashion, the battles are bloody, thrilling, and some of the best fantasy has to offer. There are only a handful of writers who can write combat like Cameron (an expert on ancient warfare and weapons, and a reenactor). He is simply one of the best at it, anywhere. Your heart will beat faster with every sword stroke, or blast of magic, as you wring your hands over the fate of your favourite characters, and are stupified by the level of realism Cameron brings to a fight scene. The author makes you hear, see and FEEL it all, and transport you into the heat of the desperate struggle for life and death. Phenomenal.

This fantasy book is epic, really witty, dark, violent, and glorious.

Every time I think I have my “best books of the year” list sorted, here comes a book like “Against All Gods” to throw a wrench in my well-made plans. Cameron is at the top of his game here: highly, highly recommended. Go get it!

Read Against All Odds

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An Interview With Robert Jackson Bennett

Robert Jackson Bennett’s trilogy is a lot of things, a novel about pain and growth, Sancia is not the same character we started with, about found families and the importance of relationships we make along the way in life. It is also about power, magic, and technology. But most of all The Founder’s trilogy is ending. It has had a beautiful arc and we end with a kernel of hope. You can read the final installment of the Founders trilogy with this month’s release of Locklands.

Bennett was gracious enough to have a conversation with Ryan Howse and myself regarding this trilogy, writing, and what he has going on in the near future.

Beth: You have won or been nominated for various awards, including the Locus, Shirley Jackson, and World Fantasy awards. Was the writing process the same after a nomination or win? Or was the writing process different?

Ehhhhh, not really. I utterly lack all insight into how awards lists are generated and then how the awards themselves are then given out. I suspect each one functions in a completely different way, and that method changes hugely from year to year, based on the jurors. As such, trying to build a career around awards would be a little like trying to develop a daily routine on what color cars you see go by your house each morning.

Beth: You wrote that you get a lot of ideas about vacuuming; I get that. Vacuuming is meditative. Is it true you were vacuuming your living room and listening to St. Vincent’s “Digital Witness” when you came up with the idea for Foundryside? What about City of Stairs or Vigilance?

Kind of. I listen to music to try to capture mood: the ambience, the vibes. I definitely have songs that are tied to specific scenes, and I used to try to summarize them on my blog. (Example.)

However, having reviewed the traffic on those blog posts, I quickly came to the conclusion that ain’t nobody give a fuck about that stuff, so I gave up and keep that to myself now.

People want to see maps and drawings, stuff like that. Nobody cares about your mixtape. It’s a humbling realization.

Beth: Your early work and some of your short fiction has a strong horror element. Do you plan on returning to that kind of work in future projects?

Nope! I like dollars. I get to buy food with those things. Unfortunately, people are unwilling to exchange dollars for short fiction. Hell, people already get pissed off and yell at me on twitter because they gotta pay a couple dollars for this thing I spent three, four years making. I bet most people would only buy short fiction for a handful of bottlecaps and a small bag of dirt.

Beth: What attracts you to the horror genre? What attracts you to fantasy?

People like the idea of a world that’s bigger than you. They like the feeling that there’s more out there, that this isn’t all there is.

What’s more interesting is to flip that around and explore the crawling suspicion we all share: what if the world is bigger and more fantastical and alive than we think, but it doesn’t give a shit about us? What if we’re just bugs to it? Or what if it’s actively hostile to us?

I like fantasy for the same reason. For some folks, fantasy is a power trip, an imaginary world where you can shoot fire from your hands. For me, it’s about that weird feeling of being small in a big world.

Beth: Do you read horror? If so, what kind of horror do you find scary as a reader?

Not really! I mostly stick to nonfiction these days. That stuff has no shortage of horrors, but they’re all bland and mundane and terrifyingly easy to imagine happening again. Nobody wants to read a fantasy novel about the Holodomor.

Ryan: Along those same lines, your early work also touched on lots of Americana. What was it about this that fascinated you?

Well, I live in America. I keep all my stuff there.

I guess I felt like in the 2010s we were trying to figure out a national identity of who we were, and I wanted to reflect on that conversation. However, now we are all just screaming at each other and trying to kill each other, and I have less to say about such an exchange.

Ryan: You’ve mentioned Le Carre as an inspiration for The Divine Cities. Who would be the big one for The Founders trilogy?

Probably Terry Pratchett. Pratchett was always secretly a science fiction writer, anyways. You could feel all the big ideas and complex systems bleeding into his works. I wanted to do that, but in my own way.

It was that, and the classic science fiction films I watched as a kid. When I was younger, you usually watched science fiction and read fantasy. I’m not sure why it worked out that way. But I remember watching Blade Runner when I was around ten, and feeling this intense, beatific melancholy at the idea of identity merging with technology, and how the wonders of science didn’t make it any easier to just go about being a person every day.

I feel like the best cyberpunk stories touch on that melancholy: the sudden awareness that you are, in a way, a temporary system image of a person, like the imaging of a machine. But this one might not be one you can restore.

Another was the show Halt and Catch Fire. I respect how the show was willing to totally change locations and times from season to season. We see these people at different eras of their lives facing totally new issues. That was inspiring, and gutsy.

Beth: Can you tell us where we are in Locklands?

War has eaten the world, and Berenice and Sancia and their survivors are on the run. They’ve invented and invented and changed and changed, until they’ve built a little bubble of egalitarian utopia that challenges what it even means to be human anymore. They changed because they had to, and they’re starting to have a vision of a posthuman world they could found together – until they get some very bad news, and realize their enemy might have found a way to alter the world on a grander scale than they can imagine.

Beth: How has Sancia changed over the course of the three books?

I think Sancia very much reflects the arc of maturity, the growing conception of the world beyond you. She is both literally and figuratively forced to grow up very fast. I think many young people experience this arc, where you’re full of revolutionary fervor and insist that unless your ideals are adopted by the world at large, the world will cease to be; but then the world keeps on going, maybe picking up some of your ideals or maybe not, and you start to comprehend the macro level systems that are shaping your choices and life as you live it.

I think some fans would have preferred I keep with the revolutionary spirit – but most revolutions fail. And most young people who fight in them get killed on the front lines, or get rounded up and shot. That’s how history shakes out. And I think in Locklands, she knows that.

Sancia is not quite the protagonist of Locklands, because by this point, she’s too wise to be a protagonist. Your protagonist has to be dumb enough to try some really dumb shit for the book to be entertaining. But Sancia, by this point in the series, is too smart to be that stupid. She sees the arc of her story, and the story of her people, and is content to live it – including its end.

Beth: What’s the scene from Locklands you’re proudest of?

I would say the very, very end. That, or a moment where Berenice has a memorial for someone who’s now gone. You learn a lot about her, and what she’s going through.

Ryan: The Divine Cities is a trilogy that started as a standalone. The Founders was a trilogy from the beginning. What was the difference in writing those stories?

I think the tricky thing is that as an audience member, I want the stories of the characters to be fully resolved in each installment. I want things to have closure. I don’t want to have to open wounds back up and mess with them more – yet this is what the series demands of you.

So that’s the balance you have to strike: the idea that each installment of a series is like an era of a life, where you face issues and struggle to resolve them. (There are series out there whose installments offer no closure and just kind of stop, and I think they suck.) But just like in real life, things aren’t truly closed, but just somewhat resolved – and yet, the world keeps going, with all its disappointments and worries.

I think that’s how the best sagas work. They are aware of the flow of time, and understand how time doesn’t respect how you feel about the eras of your life. It just keeps ticking on, and it’s all too content to reopen old wounds.

Beth: Now that you are ending the trilogy, did the story end how you envisioned it?

Actually, yeah! The last scenes are ones I wrote in my head way back in… hell, 2015? 2016? It felt deeply, deeply strange to write them in 2021. It was like time traveling: looking through glass and seeing your younger self sliding by, unaware that your older self is sharing this moment with you.

Beth: I found that the political dynamics of power in The Founders in a society based on intellectual property were written very well. Did you research this topic before writing the novels, or were the power struggles dynamics evident to you from the start?

Nope! I just figured that was how shit would shake out. Maybe part of it was how I’d listened to news stories long ago about how algorithms were patented, these complex mathematical and logic puzzles that were inscrutable to most people, yet were now bound up in laws, protected by the justice system. It did feel like magic.

Beth: What is next for you?

I’m gonna shoot from the hip, and say you might be seeing me do the high fantasy equivalent of Knives Out.

The original interview is here

READ THE FOUNDRY TRILOGY

Check Out Some of Our Other Interviews

Six Elementals Interview – E.G. Radcliff

Interview with Jed Herne, Author of Siege of Treboulain

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Review – Trouble With Cursed by Kim Harrison

 

I could not be happier with where everything is going.

 

Reading Trouble With Cursed by Kim Harrison, I am struck by how lucky urban fantasy, as a genre, has an author like Harrison among its ranks and how happy I am that Harrison returned to The Hollows. When the series “officially” ended in The Witch With No Name, Harrison had done a bang-up job wrapping up the series. It was a spectacular conclusion to the 14-book story of Rachel Mariana Morgan. However, Harrison had more stories to tell. Rachel has more life to live and more adventures. So here we are, three books past the end of the series, and I could not be happier with where everything is going.

“It never ceases to amaze me how someone can possess the world or nothing at all, and still have their happiness hinge on the small moments between them and the ones they love.”

Trouble with Cursed starts with Rachel working as the Subrosa of Cinncinatti. A Subrosa being a heavy hitter in the interlander community. She and vampire Pike Welroe take their role very seriously now that the former head vampire of the city is stuck in a cage as one pissed-off vampire mouse. Once they police some citizens, Rachel and Pike end up in a coffee shop covered with blood and gore. They hold the city under the illusion that the former crazy head vampire is still in charge. But their hold is tenuous at best. There are quite a few moving pieces and warring factions that want to see Pike and Rachel fail.

The other big plot thread is the Hodin and the ongoing drama of the demons. They have spent millennia making up the rules and enslaving people to do their bidding. But times have changed. There is a common thread throughout the novel of Rachel doing her Subrosa duties to the best of her abilities, even if it destroys her in the process. The different factions push Rachel to her limits.

Trouble with Cursed is a very typical Kim Harrison novel, which is to say it is exciting and well written. I enjoyed the plots and entanglements between the different races. It is quite a feat that we are in book 14, and the stories do not feel formulaic. The dialog is tight, and the characters are fully realized. Frankly, she could spin off any of these characters into their own novels and have them be successful. I would easily throw money at a pixy novel about Jenks.

Would I recommend this to all readers? Yes, I would. Even the hardest of grimdark readers probably would enjoy a lighter fare every now and then. And while this is lighter, Trouble With Cursed isn’t “fluffy.” There is substance to this series, great action scenes, believable characters, and an evolving urban fantasy world that is worth checking out.

Read The Trouble With Cursed

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Review – THE HUNGER OF THE GODS by John Gwynne

 

as with any Gwynne book, the fight scenes are choreographed to perfection.

 

This book kept me reading compulsively the past two days with barely a break only to shatter me into ity bity pieces as only John Gwynne can do! Yet another new personal ‘book of the year’ candidate in THE HUNGER OF THE GODS!

Without futher introduction, let’s get to the review!

The paths of the Battle-Grim and the Bloodsworn collide, as the dragon-god LIk-Rifa, now awoken, makes her plans for world domination, and only the might of another god can hope to oppose her. But that god is also dead, and will need to be raised by mortal hands, and dark magic, if Lik-Rifa is to be defeated. But gods have their own purposes, and the wolf-god Ulfrir is not one to easily suffer being tamed by humans.

So continues the epic saga by heralded fantasy author John Gwynne, begun in “The Shadow of the Gods”, Book One of “The Bloodsworn”, continued in Book Two, “The Hunger of the Gods”. This spectacular Norse-inspired does not disappoint with its second installment.

As in book one, we are treated to three very distinctive and fascinating POVs.

The first POV is Orka, a widow, mother, and unmatched fighter. Orka’s life has been reduced, essentially, to a single minded purpose: to retrieve her son Breca, who has been abducted, and lies in the clutches of forces loyal to Lik-Rifa. But not even a god can stand in the way of Orka’s burning desire for vengeance, and to save her only child. But now Orka’s journey to rescue Breca has reunited her with the Bloodsworn, of which she used to be the leader.

The second POV is Varg, former fugitive, and new member of the Bloodsworn crew, who is just beginning to discover his capabilities as both fighter and inheritor (like many of the other characters) of magical blood that can transform him into a killing machine.

The third POV is that of Elvar, warrior of noble birth, still trying to prove herself, and seek acclaim, among the indomitable Battle-Grim mercenaries. After overcoming challenges to her leadership, Elvar now leads the Battle-Grim, and is discovering the burdens of that leadership. She must lead the Battle-Grim to further riches and glory, and all while accomplishing the mission that binds her to Upsa, which is to rescue Upsa’s son. But all roads seem to lead to Elvar confronting her past, her noble upbringing, and the ruthless father who she spurned, to forge her own path.

“The Hunger of the Gods” adds two POVs that were absent in “The Shadow of the Gods”. Gwynne ingeniously provides us with the viewpoints of some of “the enemies” of the main three protagonists. It is exceptionally done, and I loved getting into the minds of these highly flawed, yet engrossing characters.

The first additional POV we get is Biorr, the heinous traitor in the eyes of Elvar, from the first book. Biorr’s despicable deed haunts him, even though he believes it was necessary. The reader will likely feel some measure of empathy and understanding of why Biorr has acted the way he has, even if it can’t be condoned. Biorr’s anger and desire for revenge on his people who have been enslaved because they are Tainted, is reasonable, and one can see why Biorr has chosen to cast his lot in with the rapacious Lik-Rifa.

The second POV we get that differs from “The Shadow of the Gods” is Gudvarr, another villain of the story. Gudvarr is not all craven, and not unresourceful, but also not far from as politically astute or brave as he believes himself to be. His insecurities and failings are laid bare for the reader, as well as his hypocrisy and cowardice. Still, at times the reader may feel sympathy for this character, who aspires to be a great warrior, and gain the attention of his aunt. His POV chapters also provide some welcome levity, and he fumbles and stumbles his way into great peril, and also great opportunity.

One of the reasons that Gywnne is one of my all-time favourite authors is his outstanding characterization. Gwynne really knows who to portray the physical description and motivations of his characters in a way that appeals to the reader’s senses. Each POV representative has a distinct voice, incentive, and beliefs that shape their character. The characters are forced to constantly examine their goals and objectives throughout the book, and realize that attaining them may cost them everything. Still, they press on, with a growing understanding, and ultimately courage, to face those costs.

While I truly enjoyed all the players in the book, Orka, I believe, will eventually go down as one of the all-time best characters in fantasy literature. The combination of her unequaled prowess in battle, her will, her stoicism balanced with her gentle side, her fierce maternal instincts to protect her child, make her one of the most compelling characters I have ever read anywhere.

I loved returning to the gritty, stunning, atmospheric land of Vigrid that Gwynee has created. Gywnne’s superlative worldbuilding skills continue to be displayed, as evidenced since his previous first series “The Faithful and the Fallen”. Gods walking among us, in the form of giant animals, that can assume human form; witches, trolls, giant ravens, spertus, tennurs, zombies, and a host of other fantastic creatures, populating Gwynne’s world, make for an engaging read. The blood magic of the Tainted – mortals whose blood contains that of a patron god, and enhances their fighting abilities – is a great concept.

Gwynne’s accessible yet lovely prose, evocative, even cinematic writing will continue to delight his fans, as the author paints an incredible landscape of cities built from the carcasses of dead gods, bold heroes, and desperate quests. Gwynne captures the essence of what heroic fantasy should sound, smell, and taste like.

Finally, but certainly not least of all, as with any Gwynne book, the fight scenes are choreographed to perfection. Those scenes are vivid, grisly, exhilarating, and the skill of craft that Gwynne brings to fantasy battles is almost unparalleled. For me, only a few select authors in the genre such as Evan Winter, Janny Wurts, Bernand Cornwell, and Miles Cameron can hang with Gwynne when it comes to depicting intense, blood-soaked confrontations.

“The Hunger of the Gods” is a fantastic follow-up to “The Shadow of the Gods”, and the ending, if it reads as it seems to read, will totally rip your heart out in inimitable John Gywnne fashion.

Five bright stars for “The Hunger of the Gods”! John Gywnne will always be a must-read author for me, and no question, I am very eagerly awaiting the final installment of “The Bloodsworn Saga”!

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Review – Bill of the Dead – Strange Days by Rick Gualtieri

At the edge of chaos, one geek stands tall.

 

STRANGE DAYS is the reboot of the TOME OF BILL series that remains one of my favorite literary guilty pleasures. The second series, called BILL OF THE DEAD, is the start of a new storyline that reverses a lot of the final changes in the finale as well as sets up an entirely new chronicle of what I hope to be an equally lengthy series of books. It’s an entertaining book, one of the author’s best, and fans of the series should definitely pick it up.

If you plan to read the series, I suggest you read the previous volumes first as starting here will leave you thoroughly spoiled for it. Which, I mean, duh as it’s the 9th book in the series (technically 12th counting a few spin-off books). So, discussing the book at length will require some spoilers. Consider yourself warned.
Strange Days is a good return to form for the author and actually an improvement on the original series. In the TOB, Bill was a grossly immature 25-year-old sexist and homophobic jerk who made being turned into a vampire seem lame. It was kind of the point of the series and one the author was aware of that a lot of Bill’s problems were his own making. This volume picks up five years after the end of the previous series and, much to the readers surprise, Bill is a good deal calmer, more mature, and not offending everyone with every other sentence out of his mouth.

Bill is still the same wise-cracking jerk he always was but the author cleverly compares him to one of his friends stuck in a (figurative as well as literal) limbo to show how much the character has grown. He’s in a stable-ish relationship no one saw coming and yet actually works. He’s also mostly put all the supernatural shenanigans in his life behind him.

Obviously, there wouldn’t be much of a story if this remained the case and Bill is forced back into the world of the supernatural. He is reunited with a lot of his earlier associates and they are sent to undo the grand finale of the previous books. I’m okay with this, really, and enjoyed the way it all played out. I admit I wasn’t entirely fond about how some of the characters were handled like Gan, Sheila, and Sally but am interested in how things develop for them. I admit it’s mostly Sally that bothered me because she’s barely in the book. I missed Bill and her interaction. I don’t usually ship characters but I kind of wanted them to make it work.
Bizarre, I know.

The book is full of action and hijinks as our protagonists remain pathologically incapable of making good decisions. When confronted with the prospect of bringing back all the horrible, evil, life-destroying monsters of the past–they decide they can just bring back a few if it means some of the magic that comes with them helps the ex-witches of the world. Nevertheless, every time our heroes do something stupid it is something that is believably stupid and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

In any case, this isn’t the kind of book you should pick up if you’re unfamiliar with the series but should be a tremendous treat for fans. It’s got all of the humor, wisecracks, pop culture references, and crazy shenanigans as before but the protagonist is a good deal more likable.

Check Out Bill of the Dead

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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

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.

 

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

First Chapter, First ParagraphTo Be Taught, If Fortunateby 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.”

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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 &- The Deep By Rivers Solomon, Daveed Diggs, William Hutson and Jonathan Snipes

First Chapter, First Paragraph -; Cryptofauna by Patrick Canning

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