Sarah Chorn's Blog, page 62

Knight’s Shadow – Sebastien de Castell

About the Book

Tristia is a nation overcome by intrigue and corruption. The idealistic young King Paelis is dead and the Greatcoats – legendary travelling magistrates who brought justice to the Kingdom – have been branded as traitors. But just before his head was impaled on a spike, the King swore each of his hundred and forty-four Greatcoats to a different mission.

Falcio Val Mond, First Cantor, with the help of fellow Greatcoats Kest and Brasti, has completed his King’s final task: he has found his Charoites – well, one at least, and she was not quite what they expected. Now they must protect the girl from the many who would see her dead, and place her on the throne of a lawless kingdom. That would be simple enough, if it weren’t for the Daishini, an equally legendary band of assassins, getting in their way, not to forget the Dukes who are determined to hold on to their fractured Kingdoms, or the fact that the heir to the throne is only thirteen years old. Oh, and the poison that is slowly killing Falcio.

That’s not even mentioning the Greatcoat’s Lament.

606 pages (hardcover)

Published on March 5, 2015

Published by Jo Fletcher Books

Author’s Webpage

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This book was sent for me to review by the publisher.

—

I was a huge fan of Traitor’s Blade, so when Jo Fletcher Books contacted me about reading and reviewing Knight’s Shadow, I jumped on it. de Castell somehow managed to mix epic fantasy with the fun and enthusiasm of The Three Musketeers perfectly. I was really excited to see what was going to happen next.

Things have changed quite a bit since the last book. While the main characters still retain their humor, there is a definite darkness that hangs over the book from the first page. Falcio is dealing with something that serves as a sort of ticking time bomb, making all of his actions and all of the consequences matter so much more than they otherwise would. Kest is dealing with a curse that is turning into something that is a bit more than he expected it to be. Brasti is the sort of emotional pendulum in all of this. Into this we add a few more essential characters, and a plot that has expanded and become more complex in surprising ways.

Falcio, despite his struggles (which I really don’t want to go into in detail due to spoilers) has a lot on his plate. He needs to put the heir on the throne, keep said heir safe, build support for said heir, and defeat an army, all while keeping himself alive as long as possible. We also meet the Tailor, a character who has just as much, if not more pull and influence than Falcio. The two have an interesting relationship as they maneuver to set the stage for their own revolution. Falcio’s ability to sense what needs to be done, making him seem a bit too good to be true, is balanced nicely by the Tailor, who isn’t afraid to put him in his place and think of better ideas.

A few female Greatcoats were also introduced to the plot, and though these two are sort of important minor characters, they quickly became some of my favorite in the book, adding levity to dark and dismal situations. Furthermore, they were completely unafraid to put the men in their place, and it was quite entertaining to see how the group of three changed and transformed into a group of five, and how the women added so much not only to the group, but to the book as a whole. They were a fantastic balancing factor to the novel that lacked some of that balance in the previous book.

Knight’s Shadow is quite a bit darker, and longer, than the previous novel. It is also quite a bit more intricate, and has quite a bit more plot in it. Rather than three men on a quest, now it’s a bunch of people against the world. The land of Tristia is falling apart, and Falcio and crew show readers a lot of just how it has fallen apart, and how it is fraying, in their travels. The author did a wonderful job showing readers more of the world, and more of its intricacies in very memorable ways. None of the world building was wasted, and in fact most of it seemed to work into the plot perfectly.

In a lot of ways Knight’s Shadow is a lot more graceful than its predecessor. There is more artistry to how the story is told. Rather than hitting readers over the head with details and plot points, de Castell just lets it flow. Though the middle does lag a bit, and some of the scenes are far more graphic than readers might expect, there is a lot less stress put on certain parts of the book and certain points of character development that made this easier to read, and a lot easier to enjoy. Furthermore, everyone had a direction and an end goal in sight. While they might get derailed along the way, that end goal and those various directions helped keep the book focused and that focus kept it interesting.

The ending was a slam-dunk, in my humble opinion, tying up just enough to satisfy readers, while keeping it open for the next book in the series, which I predict will take off with quite a roar. In fact, the ending impressed me so much I am absolutely itching to read the next book in the series. It was quite impressive how the book managed to end with equal parts of hope and despair. In fact, that is the tone for the book as a whole – equal parts hope and despair.

Knight’s Shadow is full of edge-of-your-seat action, plenty of tension, surprising twists and turns, and deft world building, a vast and surprisingly intricate plot and an ending you won’t forget. Yes, the middle does feel a little slow, and there are some parts of the book that are shockingly dark, but this is one hell of an installment to a series that I loved from the first page, and love even more now. I cannot wait for the next book.

 

4/5 stars

 

The Voyage of the Basilisk – Marie Brennan

About the Book

Devoted readers of Lady Trent’s earlier memoirs, A Natural History of Dragons and The Tropic of Serpents, may believe themselves already acquainted with the particulars of her historic voyage aboard the Royal Survey Ship Basilisk, but the true story of that illuminating, harrowing, and scandalous journey has never been revealed—until now. Six years after her perilous exploits in Eriga, Isabella embarks on her most ambitious expedition yet: a two-year trip around the world to study all manner of dragons in every place they might be found. From feathered serpents sunning themselves in the ruins of a fallen civilization to the mighty sea serpents of the tropics, these creatures are a source of both endless fascination and frequent peril. Accompanying her is not only her young son, Jake, but a chivalrous foreign archaeologist whose interests converge with Isabella’s in ways both professional and personal.

Science is, of course, the primary objective of the voyage, but Isabella’s life is rarely so simple. She must cope with storms, shipwrecks, intrigue, and warfare, even as she makes a discovery that offers a revolutionary new insight into the ancient history of dragons.

352 pages

Published by Tor

Published on March 31, 2015

Author’s webpage

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This book was sent for me to review by the publisher.

—

The Voyage of the Basilisk is the third book in Memoir by Lady Trent series by Marie Brennan. While it isn’t necessary to read the previous books in the series, it is advised, as they are all incredibly enjoyable and some of the conversations refer to points of the previous novels that were addressed.

The Voyage of the Basilisk is a bit different from previous novels. So far, each novel has taken place in one location, allowing Isabella to really get into the local culture and study the dragons more extensively. In this installment of the series, Isabella has taken two years to plan a trip around the world to study dragons all over.

The world, due to the extended voyage, expands by leaps and bounds as Isabella gets to visit numerous ports in numerous lands to study many different dragons. They are in some ports for a month or so, others they only visit for a brief time. However, Isabella gives readers a window into the myriad of different cultures in her world. Brennan does a great job at creating new cultures while using existing cultures in our world as an obvious influence. The world is different enough to be captivating, but unique enough to get my imagination going.

There are, of course, politics that come into play, and new individuals with their own stories and mysteries are met. The new, wider world, and the introduction of interesting politics, and new characters adds a new dynamic to the series, and makes the book more exciting than I expected it to be.

Isabella takes her young son, Jake, on the journey with her, which gives readers an insight into her family dynamic, and her mothering (as she seems to disregard her skills as a mother a lot). It’s a lot of fun to see how her small family keeps her sane at some points, and frustrates her at others. In short, the addition of her family on this journey is quite humanizing and welcome.

It was really wonderful how Brennan shows a clash of cultures, and Isabella’s way of navigating through foreign waters with poise. As with the previous books, Isabella has a mind of her own, and a way of finding excitement and adventure (with or without dragons) wherever she goes. However, the thing I like most about Isabella is that she’s no wilting flower. In a Victorian style world, with so much working against women, Isabella is constantly strong, wading through treacherous waters with a good attitude and a desire for more. She never loses sight of who she is.

The Voyage of the Basilisk is a book I honestly didn’t expect to enjoy. I’m not a big fan of books that take place in ships. I don’t know why, I’m just not. The first half of the book takes place mostly with Isabella and company traveling from one location to another in search of dragons. The plot didn’t really get incredibly interesting until the halfway point, when there is a shipwreck and the crew of the Basilisk end up as guests of tropical islanders. Things get pretty interesting at that point.

As always, Isabella finds and discovers a lot of new species of dragons, all of which are incredibly interesting. The mix of science and exploration is absolutely addicting, and despite the fact that the book started a bit slow (I’m sorry, I genuinely have minimal interest in nautical plots), things really took off. The world expands tremendously, and the characters gain depth and breadth. Isabella has more confidence in herself and her abilities. Jake, her son, was beyond welcome as a main character as he allowed readers an insight into the family dynamic between him and his mother, and brought some youthful vim and vigor to the book.

Basically, The Voyage of the Basilisk was another strong, welcome, and fun installment to a series I’ve started looking forward to each year. This is the sort of lighthearted, easy to read fantasy novel that fans of the genre should look out for.

 

4/5 stars

The Great Self-Published Fantasy Blog Off | Mini Reviews – Round 2

My first round of books was very, very strong, which had me all sorts of excited for the next round of books. Unfortunately, this is the first round of books where I didn’t finish all of them. That’s really hard for me. I absolutely hate not finishing a book, but in reality, I’m not obligated by anyone but myself to actually finish any of these books, and if I’m being completely honest, not many real agents would (from what I know of them).

So this is the first round where I DNF’d some books, and others really impressed me. This is also the first round where I really came to terms with the fact that I’m not really doing this right. I’m acting like a reviewer rather than an “agent” of sorts. It’s something that comes so naturally to me it takes some real thought for me to break out of that role. When I slush read for publishers, I almost never read the whole book. I usually give each book about three chapters and then I’m done if I’m unimpressed. If I’m impressed, I’ll read further. I should probably try and slip into that mindset, but I think I’ve already set the tone for myself thus far, and it would be unfair to everyone else if I changed my mind all the sudden. So, I’ll keep on keeping on.

I really do need to write an apology to this group of five. I have delayed your mini-reviews by over a week, and that’s no fault of yours. My life has just been absolutely insane, and it’s been hard for me to keep up.

Well, onto the mini reviews.

—

The Bone Wall – D. Wallace Peach

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This is the first book that hit my DNF pile. The style is fantastic, and the prose were fluid and artistic. The world and plot had such potential to wow me, but it just didn’t work. The world, a sort of post apocalyptic under-the-dome type thing was hard for me to believe. There is almost no technology, but somehow there are lampposts. A few thousand people live there, but there is no explanation of how their resources come to them, for a few examples. I had a hard time feeling any real relationship between characters, and the pacing was off, sometimes things went a bit too fast and sometimes they went a bit too slow. All of this worked to keep me rather detached from the book. It’s a slow burn, and takes some effort to get into. When I realized that, I put it aside. However, as I said above, the writing was beautiful, I just felt the book could have used a bit more thought and depth regarding world, characters and their relationships, and plot pacing.

Rating: Did not finish

Award: Beautiful prose

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The Darkness Undivided – Jesse Jones

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This book has a lot of heart, which is refreshing. Sometimes the prose would really take off and the language would be nothing short of beautiful, and the plot would match. I enjoy tropes. I think tropes and tropes for a reason – they work, but sometimes authors can fall into a comfort zone with tropes. Comfortable isn’t always better, and this book lacked some of the daring qualities I look for in my literature. Great writing aside, there were too many plot holes early on, and the author focused too heavily on tropes without enough of his own vision. Furthermore, this book could have used a bit more in the way of professional editing. In essence, this is a book about good vs. evil, and that storyline has been done and done and done, and sometimes it works, but due to the fact that the plot is so familiar, it requires something a bit more unique to catch my eye and this one just fell short. Regardless, the author’s enthusiasm was obvious, and his protagonist’s love for adventure was rather infectious.

Rating: Did not finish

Award: The most heart

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Stranger’s Descent – Tony Barrett

(I couldn’t find this book on Amazon to link to)

Stranger’s Descent has a lot going for it. It doesn’t really fit in any one genre. It has a Wild West feel, which I love, including magic, villains, dust, struggle and everything else. Stranger is a hard character to pin down. He’s pretty mysterious, with a rather loaded past that slowly gets revealed (in part) as the plot unravels. The other characters are distinct with their own voices, but those voices tend to get lost as the tension mounts. There are a lot of politics and conflict, and the world is pretty dark but the characters are lovable and enjoyable in their context. There is obviously room for Barrett to expand in future books, and as this is the first book in a series, I think the rest of the series should be pretty exciting. However, nothing is perfect, and sometimes the writing was a bit thick. Some of the characters felt a little too flawless to be believable. This book was a breath of fresh air, and while it’s not perfect, I enjoyed it immensely.

Rating: 3/5 stars

Award: Best setting

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Bloodrush – Ben Galley

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This book came out of nowhere and it was impossible for me to put down. First, notice that stunning cover art. Seriously, it’s amazing. Secondly, this book has a truly unique, fascinating magic system. Galley seems to know just how to strike the balance between fantasy and reality. The protagonist, Tonmerion, is a young boy whose world is turned upside-down. There isn’t really anything unique about that, but he’s forced to relocate and the world ends up being different from what he expected it to be. Fell Falls, Wyoming, is far different than London, and it’s the perfect setting for an eerie, almost Neil Gaiman approach to reality – a twist and a turn and the world is both the same and far different than anything you expect it to be. Tonmerion is more than he appears, and he has to learn about himself, and the world he lives in as he grows into an adult. Galley hits the right notes with adventure, love, and coming of age, and it was absolutely captivating. Honestly, this one is superb.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Award: Most Captivating

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The Five Elements – Scott Marlowe

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There are young adult books, and then there are books about young people that can appeal to just about anyone. Sometimes the two converge. I think this is one of those kind of books. It’s a book about fifteen-year-olds. Usually I see that age, and I kind of shut off. I’m really not into young adult books, which is my own flaw, but I do enjoy books about young people. I don’t know if the distinction means anything to anyone but me, but there it is. At its heart, this is a book about two friend who take two very different routes to get to the same place. It’s really interesting how Marlowe decided to tell their respective stories, and is pretty well done. The magic and fantasy of the book add a nice spice to things and keep the plot interesting and even unexpected. Life experiences can change people, and change friendships, and I felt that Marlowe addressed that complex issue in a realistic way that young adults and adults can both enjoy. The book kind of loses it’s get-up-and-go after the start (which is, by and large, the best part of the book). Naming conventions don’t usually bother me, but I did have a hard time keeping some of the names, which could get pretty annoying at times. Sometimes Marlowe went too far into the details and gave readers step-by-step instructions about how mundane things were done, which got tiring and could bog things down. Regardless, this is a promising book that will appeal to fans of young adult, and adult books that are young at heart.

Rating: 3/5 stars

Award: Most Endearing Characters

 

My favorite book for this group of five was…..

Bloodrush by Ben Galley

My next group of five will be:

1. Whispers of War – Sean Rodden

2. Monsters of Elsewhere – Matt Waldram

3. City of Roses: Autumn into Winter – Kip Manley

4. Children of the Fallen – Eve Peters

5. Searching for Nada – Jeff Haas

 

Dark Eden – Chris Beckett

About the Book

On the alien, sunless planet they call Eden, the 532 members of the Family shelter beneath the light and warmth of the Forest’s lantern trees. Beyond the Forest lie the mountains of the Snowy Dark and a cold so bitter and a night so profound that no man has ever crossed it.

The Oldest among the Family recount legends of a world where light came from the sky, where men and women made boats that could cross the stars. These ships brought us here, the Oldest say—and the Family must only wait for the travelers to return.

But young John Redlantern will break the laws of Eden, shatter the Family and change history. He will abandon the old ways, venture into the Dark…and discover the truth about their world.

Already remarkably acclaimed in the UK, Dark Eden is science fiction as literature; part parable, part powerful coming-of-age story, set in a truly original alien world of dark, sinister beauty–rendered in prose that is at once strikingly simple and stunningly inventive.

441 pages (paperback)

Published on April 1, 2014

Published by Broadway Books

Author’s webpage

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This book was sent for me to review by the publisher.

—

Dark Eden took two tries for me to get into it. It wasn’t the book, I think I just wasn’t in the mood (I’m a mood reader) for this kind of story the first few times. However, I recently gave it a go, and I couldn’t put it down.

The book is unlike anything I’ve read before, which really worked in its favor. Eden is a surreal planet that is captivating and absolutely unique, with a haunting beauty despite its eternal darkness. It’s a world where light comes from the plants growing on the planet, rather than from the sky like we are used to. The story goes, a hundred and some odd years ago a small group of people crashed their space plane (space ship… whatever) on this planet. A few decided to go back to earth and get help, bring people back, rescue those left behind. Those left behind, two people, started their own society.

The society left behind, known as Family (because they are all related and descended from those two original people), has lived the same way since those first people left. They live in the same area, in the same houses, with the same traditions, all in the hopes that someday Earth will come for them. They are completely stagnate, but so full of hope. It’s heartbreaking.

So, of course you get one visionary in the group, one person who sees that things aren’t working. Family is too big, food is scarce and getting harder to find. John, our visionary, is quite a young man, but don’t let that trick you into thinking this is a young adult book. This absolutely isn’t. People on Eden have to grow up pretty fast, and in every reasonable way, John is just as adult as I am.

Beckett uses multiple perspectives to tell his story. While most of the story is told from John, and his faithful friend Tina’s perspective, there are a few others in there as well. Beckett does a great job at keeping the personalities and voices distinct, which is something that many authors who use multiple first person perspectives struggle with.

It’s absolutely fascinating to see how this society has evolved over time, and how it has impacted language and the culture in general. Earth, after all this time, has turned into a sort of mystical land, and the understanding Family has of it borders on religious. It drives so many of their actions and interactions. When John challenges the status quo, it isn’t just the politics and social structure he is upsetting, but this near religious fervor these people feel for all things Earth, including their hope for getting back there.

The start of Dark Eden was fairly slow, but it managed to reach a rolling boil pretty quickly. And I should mention that that slow start is pretty important to setting the stage, explaining the cultures, and much of the unique qualities of the planet Eden. Once family separates, the book is impossible to put down. John and his group have to grow up very fast, and Beckett does a fantastic job of showing the personal and interpersonal challenges a visionary faces. John is a much more complex character than you’ll first anticipated.

Tina had the ability to see into the heart of the matter, and in many cases she keeps John balanced when his desire to always move on, on, on kept him from seeing a lot of the smaller details that made up the big picture. Jeff was perhaps my favorite character, a clubfoot boy who no one wanted to have with them. He ends up being the one who sees the truth of things, and figures out how to do many things which, in many ways, ends up saving John and his group. If I have one regret, it’s that I wish he had more stage time than he actually gets.

Dark Eden starts small, but quickly grows into something absolutely magnificent. Yes, this book took me a few tries to really get into, and for the life of me I can’t really figure out why (other than “I wasn’t in the mood). It blew me away. Beckett thought of everything. All the details I love so much are here, the world is one of the most unique worlds I’ve ever run across. The story is captivating, the characters are loveable, the writing is flawless.

Dark Eden is a book worth reading. In fact, I’m absolutely itching to get my hands on the next book in the series. I can’t stop thinking about it, and that probably says more than anything I’ve written in this review.

Bring on Mother of Eden.

 

5/5 stars

 

 

The Shattered Court – M.J. Scott

About the Book

First in a new fantasy series from the author of the Novels of the Half-Light City.

Entangled in a court ruled by tradition and intrigue, a young witch must come to terms with newfound power and desire—and a choice between loyalty and survival.…

The royal witches of Anglion have bowed to tradition for centuries. If a woman of royal blood manifests powers, she is immediately bound by rites of marriage. She will serve her lord by practicing the tamer magics of the earth—ensuring good harvests and predicting the weather. Any magic more dangerous is forbidden.

Lady Sophia Kendall, thirty-second in line to the throne, is only days away from finding out if she will be blessed—or perhaps cursed—with magic. When a vicious attack by Anglion’s ancient enemies leaves the kingdom in chaos, Sophia is forced to flee the court. Her protector by happenstance is Lieutenant Cameron Mackenzie, a member of the royal guard, raised all his life to be fiercely loyal to the Crown.

Then Sophia’s powers manifest stronger than she ever imagined they would, and Cameron and she are inextricably linked in the process. As a witch unbound by marriage rites, Sophia is not only a threat to the established order of her country, but is also a weapon for those who seek to destroy it. Faced with old secrets and new truths, she must decide if she will fight for her country or succumb to the delicious temptation of power.

336 pages (paperback)

Published on April 28, 2015

Published by Roc

Author’s webpage

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This book was sent for me to review by the publisher.

— 

The Shattered Court is a book I completely took a chance on. I saw the cover art, liked it, and decided to give it a shot. This isn’t my typical book. It’s fantasy romance, emphasis on the romance.

However, despite that, I enjoyed it.

Sophie is in line for the throne – distantly. She’s thirty-second in line. She’s one of the privileged, and shortly after the book starts, we learn that not only is Sophie powerful (in a world where power seems to be weakening), but she’s shockingly powerful. There is some political upheaval (which is never really fully explained), and Sophie meets Cameron.

It’s a pretty obvious setup, and much of the novel will be predictable to many readers, but that really didn’t take away from my enjoyment much. Scott crafted an interesting world, full of potential and ready for exploration, from the magic system which gains shape and form as the book progresses, to the religion and culture(s) that are introduced, and the characters – none of whom end up being who you expect they are.

Sophie took some time to grow on me. She is the cookie-cutter character, the good girl who wants more but doesn’t know how to get it. She is absolutely (almost annoyingly) innocent as her position as a lady-in-waiting has kept her pretty sheltered from life. It takes some time, and some catastrophe, for her to become something a little more interesting, to break out of the mold a bit. However, Scott’s use of her as a protagonist was pretty genius. In many ways she’s an outsider looking in on a system that makes about as much sense to her as it makes to the readers at this point. She has a rather powerful perspective, and she’s easy to relate to.

Perhaps my biggest complaint with this novel was the fact that it felt much like prologue, a setup to something more, rather than an actual book. Scott introduces readers to the magic system, to a clash of countries, and a political upheaval that never gets fully explained. It’s obvious that Scott plans on elaborating on all of these things, but I missed the well-rounded feel and good exploration for some of these important world building aspects that I really enjoy in my books.

Yes, this book has some issues, but Scott does a lot really well here, too. There are nice plot twists that I didn’t expect. The romance is heartfelt and genuine. There are small touches throughout the book that add a lot of depth and serve to keep readers interested, like how magic turns hair red, and many of the religious myths and mysteries give some history to the world, the culture, and the magic that plays such an important role. Sophie, being outside the system in many ways, for reasons you’ll learn about as you read the book, tends to put a lot of these things in perspective for readers. Plus, Scott’s writing is superb, flowing and evocative, full of emotion and sensation.

The romance follows a pretty typical path, and while the attraction is pretty much based in magic when the book starts, it’s interesting to see how the characters open up to each other, and slowly a real, believable relationship forms. Cameron is a rather stand-offish character at the start of the novel, but he opens up a bit, and becomes the cornerstone Sophie can lean on as she has to navigate treacherous political waters that can easily overwhelm her.

The ending, honestly, surprised me, and was probably my favorite part of the book. While the rest of The Shattered Court follows a pretty typical path (despite the fact that many things weren’t really explained in depth or detail), the ending was quite surprising, and opens up a lot of room for Scott to explore more of her world, the politics, and the magic which could (and will) gain more depth.

However, that ending is also a bit of a cliffhanger, and while I enjoyed it, cliffhangers are generally frowned upon by many readers.

So, The Shattered Court. It’s not really what I expected (which wasn’t much because I read this book purely because of the cover art). It was fun but I enjoy my books to be a bit more fleshed out, and important points to be explained in more detail. Despite that, and the fact that this is a fantasy romance (not my typical book), I really look forward to seeing what happens next. Scott is a great writer, the world is lush and vivid, and the characters grow on you until you don’t want to part with them. This isn’t a deep and intense saga, but something you’ll probably want to pick up on a rainy weekend when you need a vacation from, well, everything. It ended up being exactly what I needed, right when I needed it.

 

3/5 stars

A Crown for Cold Silver – Alex Marshall

About the Book

An outstanding, game-changing epic fantasy debut featuring an unforgettable female warrior.

FIVE VILLAINS. ONE LEGENDARY GENERAL. A FINAL QUEST FOR VENGEANCE.

Twenty years ago, feared general Cobalt Zosia led her five villainous captains and mercenary army into battle, wrestling monsters and toppling an empire. When there were no more titles to win and no more worlds to conquer, she retired and gave up her legend to history.

Now the peace she carved for herself has been shattered by the unprovoked slaughter of her village. Seeking bloody vengeance, Zosia heads for battle once more, but to find justice she must confront grudge-bearing enemies, once-loyal allies, and an unknown army that marches under a familiar banner.

A CROWN FOR COLD SILVER is an outstanding epic fantasy debut featuring an unforgettable warrior.

656 pages (hardcover)

Published on April 14, 2015

Published by Orbit

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This book was sent for me to review by the publisher.

—

I’ve been kind of burnt out on epic fantasy recently. While I do enjoy it when I’m in the right mood, so often I feel like I’m reading the same story retold with a few new decorations here and there. Perhaps I am a bit too cynical, but that’s just how I’ve been feeling. It takes quite a unique epic saga to attract my attention these days.

A Crown for Cold Silver is everything you’d expect in epic fantasy. There’s a quest (of sorts), a ragtag group of mismatched heroes (or villains), barbarians, magicians, gods, religion, cultural upheaval and everything else. There’s multiple sides, and a true tapestry of characters.

On the other hand, Marshall does a fantastic job of turning tropes on their heads, which is incredibly refreshing. In Marshall’s world, women and men are basically equal, which is a rarity in so much epic fantasy. Zosia, a character I instantly loved, is much older than the typical protagonist in an epic fantasy tale. She’s strong, capable, absolutely surprising, with enough drive to keep her moving forward and keep readers interested.

But the book isn’t about gender roles. In fact, the roles of men and women, and their equal treatment, is so engrained in Marshall’s world, it’s a non-point. Sexual preference is also turned on its head. It’s not a secret, shadowy thing, and it’s not something that society is focused on. Instead, the open acceptance of a multitude of sexual preferences is just a fact of life. It’s refreshing, and it’s brave. Marshall’s treatment of these hot-button topics is gently edged, and almost more powerful due to that.

A Crown for Cold Silver would be much shorter if it wasn’t for a mistake made at the start of the book. While it does take some time for the plot to get moving, that mistake ricochets throughout the book, and is an interesting catalyst for the events that take place, as well as the deep history that is uncovered throughout the book.

Zosia and her band of villains are, in many ways, over-the-top, which is part of their appeal. They are larger than life. None of them are what you’d expect. One character is struggling with addiction, a few play impossible power games, one is content living the life he’s living, and then we have Zosia, whose past is nothing short of riveting, and she has plenty of secrets of her own. Her dog, Choplicker, is not really a character, but he could be and he’s definitely worth paying attention to.

Each of the character perspectives that Marshall deals with are well crafted, with their own voices and motivations. Their pasts are a checkerboard, and often as interesting as the present that is unfolding around them. You’ll love some, and you’ll hate some. You’ll certainly wish some of them get more stage time than they get, and you’ll perhaps wish that others were a bit more believable than they end up being.

It’s really wonderful when an epic fantasy author can make the history that fuels the world he or she ahs created as real as the plot that is developing for the reader. Marshall really excels at that. Zosia was, once upon a time, a revolutionary warrior who managed a coup of the government and installed herself as queen. However, she wasn’t that good at it, and things happened which pushed her into hiding (grossly paraphrased). That incident lives on throughout the book, and still fuels much of the political turmoil and changes that evolve throughout the book. Marshall does a fantastic job at showing how single events can echo through the years in unfathomable ways.

I enjoyed this book a lot more than I expected to, and people will inevitably draw parallels between Marshall and Abercrombie, and other grimdark authors that are important movers and shakers in the genre right now. The comparisons are apt, and if you’re a fan of grimdark, then you’ll probably want to check this one out.

But, as with all things, nothing is perfect. I mentioned above that I think some of the characters could have used more stage time, and some didn’t feel very believable. Some parts of the book felt like they dragged on a little too long, while other parts could have used a bit more exploration. I would have enjoyed more cultural depth and details (but I’m a sucker for that kind of thing). Many of the tropes are turned on their heads, and this will be a polarizing point for readers. Many will find that refreshing, others will find it overwhelming and detracting from the overall believability and enjoyment of the plot.

A Crown for Cold Silver was a lot of fun, and quite surprising. It wasn’t perfect, but as far as epic fantasy goes, I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected to. The writing was fantastic, the world was wonderful, and the characters were delightful. This is a series I will be watching closely. While this book won’t work for everyone who reads it, it is certainly worth giving a try if you’re looking for something different, a bit offbeat, but with all the epic sprawl and feel that you enjoy in your grimdark fantasy.

 

4/5 stars

The Grace of Kings – Ken Liu

About the Book

Wily, charming Kuni Garu, a bandit, and stern, fearless Mata Zyndu, the son of a deposed duke, seem like polar opposites. Yet, in the uprising against the emperor, the two quickly become the best of friends after a series of adventures fighting against vast conscripted armies, silk-draped airships, soaring battle kites, conspiring goddesses, underwater boats, magical books, as a streetfighter-cum-general who takes her place as the greatest tactitian of the age. Once the emperor has been overthrown, however, they each find themselves the leader of separate factions—two sides with very different ideas about how the world should be run and the meaning of justice.

640 pages (hardcover)

Published on April 7, 2015

Published by Simon & Schuster

Author’s
Buy the book

—

Before you read too much of this, I can sum up the entire review with the following:

This book was amazing. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. Everything about it rocked my world.

You can stop reading now. Really, everything else I’m going to say is going to reiterate what I just said.

The Grace of Kings is a huge breath of fresh air. I’m getting kind of turned off by epic fantasy. It’s not that it doesn’t interest me, I’m just sick of the western settings, the similar cultures, etc. The Grace of Kings is nothing like that. Set in a Far East world, with a subtle (if nonexistent) magic system, full of myth and history, this is one of those books that the genre has been crying for.

Liu first got my attention with his superb translation of The Three Body Problem (another book that absolutely blew my mind with all its amazing). When I saw that he was writing his debut novel, he had my full attention. I wasn’t sure how it would turn out, but I knew I wanted to read it. Liu is a stunningly talented author, and The Grace of Kings shows his style. His prose reminded me of Guy Gavriel Kay, lyrical and flowing, carrying readers forward effortlessly through a world that is complex, and superbly crafted.

Liu is a true wordsmith. I think the man could write a shopping list and I’d enjoy reading it.

The Grace of Kings is the tale of an empire, and a revolution. However, the genius is that the book doesn’t stop there. Liu goes into just as much detail about how this group of countries recovers and comes to grips with their world after the revolution. Insert a few gods, and a ton of diverse and intriguing cultures, and plenty of legends that are just as interesting as the book itself, and you have a book on your hands that is not just captivating, but also absolutely intriguing.

The world is stunning, and managed to be just as surprising and complex as the plot and the characters, and surprisingly sprawling. There are hints of lands that haven’t been discovered yet, or hints of places beyond the horizon. There’s room for Liu to expand and grow his world, but he doesn’t really need to. The lands that his characters traverse are diverse, complex, and interesting enough to keep any reader occupied.

The characters were astounding. They were rich and complex, with plenty of flaws that keep them interesting. Kuni and Mata are absolute opposites, but Liu worked their opposite elements together to propel the plot and move it beyond just interesting and firmly into captivating. The genius part of their development was just how important each character’s flaws became in the story being told. They weren’t just flaws, they were humanizing aspects that made this already interesting story emotionally appealing.

This is probably a weird thing for me to say, but I like an author who isn’t afraid to kill off his characters. The Grace of Kings has the sort of carnage that George R. R. Martin would appreciate. Nothing is sacred, and right when you expect one character to do a certain thing, Liu turns it all on its head and pulls the rug out from under you.

There is a lot I can say about The Grace of Kings, and there is a lot I want to say about this book, but I generally try to wrap up my reviews right about now (and I need to go to bed). I’m going to end it here.

I’ve said all you need to know in the first part of my review – this book is amazing. It is so complex and sprawling it defies any effort on my part to box it in label it. It’s epic, and refreshing, with some absolutely stunning writing and characters that you’ll never forget. This is one of the best novels I’ve read so far this year, and while the year is still young, I think this one will be on my top-ten list.

Bottom line: This book is award-worthy.

 

5/5 stars

In an aside, the audiobook was very well done. Michael Kramer does a great job with pronunciation (which keeps me from having to guess how a name is supposed to be said). He didn’t waste too much time on doing voices – they are just different enough without being distracting. In fact, the way he read the novel allowed me to focus more on the story being told than how the story was being told (if that makes sense).

 

The Affinities – Robert Charles Wilson

About the Book

In our rapidly changing world of social media, everyday people are more and more able to sort themselves into social groups based on finer and finer criteria. In the near future of Robert Charles Wilson’s The Affinities, this process is supercharged by new analytic technologies: genetic, brain-mapping, behavioral. To join one of the twenty-two Affinities is to change one’s life. It’s like family, and more than family. Your fellow members aren’t just like you, and they aren’t just people who are likely to like you. They’re also the people with whom you can best cooperate in all areas of life, creative, interpersonal, even financial.

At loose ends both professional and personal, young Adam Fisk takes the suite of tests to see whether he qualifies for any of the Affinities and finds that he’s a match for one of the largest, the one called Tau. It’s utopian–at first. His problems resolve themselves as he becomes part of a global network of people dedicated to helping one another, to helping him, but as the differing Affinities put their new powers to the test, they begin to rapidly chip away at the power of governments, of global corporations, and of all the institutions of the old world; then, with dreadful inevitability, the different Affinities begin to go to war with one another.

304 pages (hardcover)

Published on April 21, 2015

Published by Tor

Author’s webpage

Buy the book

This book was sent for me to review by the publisher.

—

The Affinities is a book that’s right up my alley. I love social science fiction books, and I’m really interested in technology and how said technology impacts relationships. This book has all of the above. It contained the full recipe for me to fall in love with it.

And in some ways I did love it.

The writing is superb, and Wilson seemed to know just how much readers would want to know about the characters, and never overwhelmed the plot by their lives or personalities. The focus of the book, the social SciFi aspects of it, are well done and absolutely captivating. There is a lot here for readers to think about, and plenty of meat to chew on.

Adam Fisk is a sort of everyman, and this makes him the perfect person to tell this story. He’s rather displeased with his life, not upset by it, more bored than anything else. He is the perfect candidate for Affinity testing. Affinities in themselves are rather interesting – a social phenomena that puts like personalities into small social groups. These affinities are a fairly new thing. People love to be in them, feeling intimate connections they haven’t felt anywhere else, but not everyone tests into them.

The affinities themselves rise in power, and Wilson does an excellent job at showing just how this happens, and the changes it entails. The Tau affinity, Adam’s affinity, gains power, wealth, and other capabilities. Other affinities are also changing from the fledglings they started out as, into powerful entities. This creates some rather fascinating (and dangerous) power struggles that span the globe, as these groups are worldwide. An affinity’s actions create ripples and the transformation from a social group to a political power is nothing short of riveting.

Coupled with that are political and global tensions. This is, perhaps, where I felt the book lacked a bit. The Affinities starts with Adam being caught in a riot. After that point, the politics drop into the background, barring a few mentions here and there. It isn’t until the middle of the book, and much more toward the end, that these politics and global wars and strife get mentioned in any real sense. That’s fine, the buildup is appreciated, but I was never quite sure what exactly was causing all of this to happen.

I feel sort of silly admitting that, perhaps I missed something while I was reading (it has been known to happen). However, I never was clear on what caused all of this global strife, and I never was incredibly clear on how the affinities, and the war between different affinities, fit into these global politics except for in the vaguest sense. Maybe I’m not supposed to see it, or maybe I am and that part of the book didn’t sink in. Regardless, there seemed to be a lot of buildup between the global politics and the politics between affinities, and I never understood how, or if, the two were related.

The Affinities is a lot of things, but it absolutely isn’t what I expected it to be – in this case that is both good and bad. Yes, this is a social science fiction book, and yes, there is a lot to think about, but this turned into a largely personal novel with an ending that left me feeling rather… dissatisfied. It lacked the power I anticipated. There was so much that was well done, but I couldn’t ignore how many pieces didn’t quite connect. There was a lot about the affinities that was interesting, but required a suspension of disbelief for me to absorb.

And that’s really what got me. This is a personal story of a man finding himself in the middle of a world full of chaos. It’s interesting, and thoughtful, and very well done, but it had the potential to be so much more.

So is it worth reading? Yes. Of course it is. Anything by Robert Charles Wilson is worth reading. I do, however, think this will be a rather polarizing novel. It’ll either work for you, or it won’t. It is worth trying, though. There is a lot here to love, not the least of which is the stunning talent that Wilson possesses.

 

3/5 stars

Cover Reveal | Binary by Stephanie Saulter + Excerpt

For what its worth, this is probably my favorite series going right now. It’s fantastic, well written, with characters you can’t help but love. More than that, it is an important series, highlighting diversity in all different forms, in thoughtful, considerate ways that will really stick with readers and provoke thought. I am going to be really, really sad when this series is over and I try very hard to sing its praises to just about everyone.

So when I was asked if I wanted to do a cover reveal for the United States version of the book, I jumped on it. Yes! Yes, I want to do this thing. I want all of you to read this series and love it as much as I do, and if this gets anyone curious, than I’ve done my job.

Read my review of Gemsigns (buy the book)

Read my review of Binary

Visit the author’s website

Without further rambling on my part, here is the cover (I absolutely love it).

About the Book

When confiscated genestock is stolen out of secure government quarantine, DI Sharon Varsi finds herself on the biggest case of her career… chasing down a clever thief, a mysterious hacker, and the threat of new, black market gemtech.

Zavcka Klist, ruthless industrial enforcer, has reinvented herself. Now the head of Bel’Natur, she wants gem celebrity Aryel Morningstar’s blessing for the company’s revival of infotech – the science that spawned the Syndrome, nearly destroyed mankind, and led to the creation of the gems. With illness in her own family that only a gemtech can cure, Aryel’s in no position to refuse.

As the infotech programme inches towards a breakthrough, Sharon’s investigations lead ever closer to the dark heart of Bel’Natur, the secrets of Aryel Morningstar’s past… and what Zavcka Klist is really after.

Excerpt of Chapter 3

Eli waited until the room was almost full, with crowds still

massed in the aisles, before slipping in as inconspicuously as pos- sible. He was recognizable enough, especially in this crowd, for a few heads to turn, but no one spoke to him as he found a seat near the back, and he did not think he had been spotted by any of the orga- nizing staff. He had no wish to be hailed from the stage by whatever functionary was conducting the Festival’s formal launch, as could very easily happen if they knew he was there.

There was no risk of such notice from the evening’s keynote speaker, but he nevertheless felt an almost juvenile aversion to her dis- covering that he was in attendance.The terms on which they had last met had not been friendly. Mikal was down in front, among the other city officials, and it amused him to imagine the reaction that facing the giant gem would likely evoke; though doubtless she had been steeling herself since the election to keep her feelings well hidden.

Still, this last-minute trailing of a major announcement was a curious development, one which had attracted a flurry of comment from the business newstreams. He could understand Aryel’s desire for a first-person report.

He had glimpsed her as he made his way inside the massive build- ing, fluttering to earth near the stage that had been erected on the riverwalk’s great park. Greeting Lyriam no doubt, and satisfying her- self that all was in readiness for those attending the festivities at his invitation. Disability, either physical or psychological, was virtually unknown among norms but still distressingly common among gems. The older ones in particular had been designed, reared, and trained at a time when such matters barely rated consideration. Even though they had all since been raised to legal equality with norms, ensuring that crippled, disfigured, or dysfunctional gems got the assistance they needed still took a fair amount of coordination and cajoling.

The people here, he thought as he looked around him, were probably about equally divided between those who had fought early and with diligence for those freedoms and support, and others who had clambered aboard the bandwagon but in truth would have slept no less well had the bad old days of gemtech domination never ended. They would not wish for a return to it, not now that their consciences had been pricked, but there was a malleability about them that the woman he had come to hear would understand well how to manipulate.

Not unlike Aryel.

The thought felt immediately both unworthy—vile, even—and intriguing. Eli picked at it as the program got under way. Aryel too knew how to play people, how to express a perspective and inspire a response. He wondered if the only real difference between the two women was that he happened to share the winged gem’s sense of values.

He quickly decided—some deeply skeptical part of his mind whispered it might be too quickly—that it was more than that.Ary- el’s approach was subtle. She used neither brutality nor blackmail; her weapon was an almost preternatural ability to persuade, a man- ner that was somehow both emotive and calmly rational.What she thought you should do became, after a few moments’ conversation, the only logical thing to do.That intellectual clarity and ability to communicate had put him in her corner. It was how she had hauled her people out of their postemancipation limbo and into the light.

That and her beauty, and the magic of her wings.

He emerged from his reverie in time to applaud the last of a parade of dignitaries.There were a few seconds of bustle before the lights tightened down again to illuminate only the stage.The Festi- val director reappeared on it, staring owl-like into the gloom of the audience, and gathered up his full pomp to announce that as they were no doubt aware, the chief executive of the Bel’Natur conglom- erate would be the final speaker.What was less well-known, he told them, was that Bel’Natur had been early and generous supporters of the Festival, helping to fund much of the launch and the monthlong program of events. He was sure they would all give a very warm welcome to a woman many had heard of but few—unlike himself of course—had been privileged to meet: Zavcka Klist.

As he took to the stage to make his introduction, in the instant after the lights went down, the door through which Eli had entered was pushed open once again.There was a rustle as some latecomer slipped quickly in.

When they did not immediately walk past him on the way to one of the few empty seats, he glanced around. He was astonished to recognize the distinctive profile of Aryel Morningstar against the soft blue glow of exit lights, stepping back against the wall, wings tucked in tight. A murmur started as those on either side of the aisle realized who stood there and he saw her raise a finger sharply to her lips.The murmur died away and she folded her arms, standing still as a stone.

Zavcka Klist stood in the spotlight, gazing out into the darkened auditorium while perfunctory applause died away. She carried no tablet, and ignored the lectern onto which a prepared speech might have been projected. She seemed, Eli thought, to be letting them all take a good long look, the better to emphasize whatever point she had come here to make.

She had changed little in the years since they had last met face to face. Slightly taller than the norm average, blond and dark-eyed, she was possessed of a harsh aristocratic beauty. She had the gift of elegance, of wearing expensive clothes well and looking glamorous with little embellishment. She had favored scarlet lipstick then, he remembered, but no longer; her mouth was now a softer shade, and the lines of her stylish summer suit less stridently autocratic.

But she was still Zavcka Klist.

She still wasted little time on pleasantries.

“Our involvement with the Festival of the Future has struck many as anachronistic,” she began. “You may well wonder how a company that was on the brink of collapse not so very long ago, part of an industry whose day many consider done, can imagine itself to have much of a future.You all know I’m not exaggerating when I tell you that the last few years have been, to say the least, challenging.”

There were a few titters of nervous laughter that degenerated hastily into scattered coughs.

“The financial challenges have been obvious and serious, but I am happy to report that they have largely been overcome. Bel’Natur remains a leader in agricultural gemtech and as a result we are once again approaching the levels of turnover and profitability that we enjoyed before the abolition of commercialized human gemtech.”

The silence rippled out. It was as though a stone had been dropped into the massed memories of a century’s shame; a deep, still pool of guilt and recrimination around which, by mutual and unspoken agreement, most norms preferred to tiptoe as silently as possible. Zavcka stared straight into the audience as she spoke, eyes traveling slowly along the seated ranks of gems and norms, a mingling made possible only by the abolition of which she spoke. Eli, who already knew what a bravura performance she was capable of, nevertheless found himself holding his breath.

“That was, of course, a watershed for the company, as indeed it has been for all of society.You will not be surprised to learn, ladies and gentlemen, gems and norms, that the cultural challenges it presented to us at Bel’Natur were beyond anything we’d ever dealt with. I’m not going to insult your intelligence by pretending that we had no difficulty facing up to the facts of our history, learning the lessons from it, and instituting the changes, both in our business practices and in our company again. I am certainly not going to insult your sense of justice by suggesting that no wrongs were done.”

A loud murmur, with more than a hint, Eli thought, of the kind of self-righteousness beloved of those who preferred not to consider their own complicity. People shifted and muttered to each other. He kept his eyes on the back of Mikal’s head, shoulders and half a torso higher than anyone else’s, and noted that he had not moved a muscle.

Zavcka stepped back a couple of paces, hands up in capitulation. “Let me say this, loud and clear, so no one can be in any doubt where Bel’Natur stands on this today:Wrongs were done, and we did them, along with the rest of the industry. And while we could justi- fiably add that a medical crisis and lax regulation and social apathy were contributing factors, that doesn’t actually let us off the hook. It has been a difficult thing to come to terms with, collectively and individually. I might not have been the chief executive during that time, but as you know I’ve been in this business for many years and I, like all of us, should have known better.”

Eli felt an almost overwhelming disorientation. He remembered his first conversation with Zavcka Klist, just days before she took over the top job at what had once been the world’s most presti- gious gemtech.There had been no humility then, and precious little contrition. He could not square that recollection with the apparent sincerity on display before him. He shook himself and glanced back at Aryel. Her arms were still folded across her chest, a counterpoint to the high bulge of her wings, and he could almost see the frown she bent toward Zavcka.

He shifted his own attention back to the woman in the spotlight.

“So we deal with the past,” Zavcka said, and she seemed to be looking directly at Mikal before turning away to pace the stage. “We admit our mistakes, we try to help the people we hurt, and we move on. And moving on is what I mainly want to talk about this evening, ladies and gentlemen. Moving on is why we’re all here. In our case that involved a lesson from the past, and what we think it means for the future.

“As we examined the series of events that led us to where we are now, we noted the parallels between the way breakthroughs in genetic engineering were applied without due consideration for the consequences and the way advances in information technology had been adopted with reckless speed a century and a half ago. Now we know where the latter led us—to the Syndrome, and a crisis that demanded we develop modification techniques just to survive. But what became apparent is that although society used gemtech to solve the problems created by infotech, we nevertheless abandoned infotech. Progress came to a crashing halt once the Syndrome was identified. Our technical capacity is almost exactly the same as it was at year zero.That is neither necessary nor desirable.”

She raised her hands again, this time a gesture of inclusion and uplift.The room murmured again, this time an expectant little rip- ple. They were hanging on her every word. Eli could not entirely conquer a reluctant sense of admiration.

“We believe that the next great advances in science and technol- ogy, the next wave of improvement in the way we live our lives, will come from picking up where we left off with infotech. So what I came here to tell you today is that, far from being consigned to the garbage can of history, the Bel’Natur Corporation is changing course.We are launching a major, long-term research and develop- ment program into computing and information technologies.We now know how to do it safely, and as we travel down this new road we will be integrating what we’ve learned from human gemtech— both the scientific breakthroughs and the ethical imperatives. Over the next ten years we are going to be investing over a billion cred- its, creating thousands of new jobs, and bringing to market dozens of new products. We are going to be combining our unparalleled expertise in neural architecture with new concepts in software and hardware.We are going to launch the next phase of infotech.”

The midsummer sun was still high enough above the horizon to cast a golden glow over the gathering crowds on the riverwalk an hour later. Eli let himself be carried along in the flow of people heading toward the park, until he could step aside into a little nook where two ancient chestnut trees sheltered an empty bench. He sank down onto it and tried to think.

Zavcka had wrapped her speech up quickly.The grandee who had introduced her bounced back onstage, grinning widely, and invited questions. Eli wondered if Aryel would stay and challenge or slip away as unobtrusively as she had arrived, but she did nei- ther. Instead she had waited until the lights came up, waited until they touched the wall where she stood and Zavcka Klist’s eyes had focused on her and widened, before she sidestepped quickly to the door and out. By then people were on their feet all over the room and salvos were being fired at the stage.

They ranged predictably from anxious inquiries about safety, to what sorts of products she thought might emerge, to quantifying the economic impact. She had gone straight to Mikal’s raised hand, though, despite knowing that he must be about to ask her to explain precisely what she meant by integrating human gemtech.

Work had already begun, she said, in the pre-Syndrome era, on direct interfaces. But they did not understand enough then about how the brain was structured and how it worked; progress was slow, patchy, and ultimately abandoned.

“We have the answers to those questions now,” she said. “And while we can regret the manner in which much of that knowl- edge was gained, I don’t think it honors anybody to simply not use it. On the contrary, it seems to me that we have an obliga- tion to turn it into something worthwhile. Much of the origi- nal research focused on disability, for example, and working in difficult environments like space. Or underwater. If we can use what we already know to link this,” she pointed to her own head, “directly to this,” and she took a tablet out of the Festival direc- tor’s hand and held it up with the same restrained theatricality, “then there are so many problems we can solve.”

She handed the tablet back, her attention still on Mikal. “We’re not talking about new gemtech. But I understand the concerns behind your question, Councillor, and I respect them. It’s a question that should be asked.”

A few seconds of silence then, the audience bemusedly contem- plating the unexpected courtesy she was showing to Mikal. Eli could imagine the split-lidded blink with which he filled it, something he thought his friend sometimes did on purpose when he wished to be disconcerting. “There are many questions that should be asked,” Mikal had replied evenly. “And answered. I look forward to it.”

Eli knew her well enough to recognize the flash of anger in Zavcka Klist’s eyes as she registered the rebuke.A few people seemed to realize that they had missed something, but it sailed too far over the heads of most. Mikal sat back, giving up the floor and watching her weather the torrent.

Now Eli kept an eye on the passing crowd until the giant loomed into view. He raised a hand. Mikal waved back and changed course, navigating to the edge of the flow of people so that Eli could fall into step beside him.

“Well,” he said, channeling well-worn irony,“that was interesting.”

Mikal laughed, a gusty tone with an edge of bitterness to it. “Which part? The rebirth of infotech, the recycling of gemtech, or Zavcka Klist being my new best friend?”

“That last one is the killer. Did she speak to you again? I slipped out when it looked like there was going to be mingling. No love lost between us, as you know.”

“I think she would have been nice even to you. She came straight up to me, handshake, congratulations, the whole thing. Said she didn’t think it would have been helpful to get into a technical dis- cussion about neurochemistry from the stage but she didn’t want me to think she was being evasive, they intend to be completely open, blah, blah, blah.”

“Subject to commercial constraints, of course.”

“Of course.Though she did make a point of saying they want to set up a protocol with the regulators to ensure that the protection of intellectual property doesn’t undermine transparency. Quite how you manage that I don’t know, but she’d be very happy for me to help work it out.”

“Blimey. Do you believe her?”

“Do I believe that she wants me on her private stream,or popping by the office? That she mortifies herself nightly over what Bel’Natur did? Over what she allowed to happen to Gabriel, and Callan, and goodness knows how many others? No, no and no. She doesn’t look nearly shredded enough.”

The big man sighed and ran a hand through his hair. It was medium length and a nondescript lightish brown.The modifications he bore were more than sufficient gemsign; his designers had cor- rectly judged that topping them off with a jewel-colored, phospho- rescent mane would have been redundant. His double thumbs left twin furrows on either side of his head.

“But is she now genuinely trying to chart a new course? She might be, Eli. She knows they can’t go back to the old days. Innovate or die, as they used to say at Recombin. Infotech has been stagnant for a long time. We are all Syndrome-safe now, gems and norms, even the Remnants. Bel’Natur might be up to exactly what she says they’re up to.”

“You sound like a politician, Mik.” “Go wash your mouth out.With soap.”

Superposition – David Walton

About the Book

Jacob Kelley’s family is turned upside down when an old friend turns up, waving a gun and babbling about an alien quantum intelligence. The mystery deepens when the friend is found dead in an underground bunker…apparently murdered the night before he appeared at Jacob’s house. Jacob is arrested for the murder and put on trial.

As the details of the crime slowly come to light, the weave of reality becomes ever more tangled, twisted by a miraculous new technology and a quantum creature unconstrained by the normal limits of space and matter. With the help of his daughter, Alessandra, Jacob must find the true murderer before the creature destroys his family and everything he loves.

304 pages (paperback)

Published on April 15, 2015

Published by Pyr

Author’s webpage

Buy the book

This book was sent for me to review by the publisher.

—

Superposition is a book I devoured. And when I finished it, I had to sit back and think about what I had just read. That’s the kind of book this is. It’s a thinking book. Yes, there’s a lot of mystery, and a lot of fun and action, but the concepts that are dealt with, and the way the story is told, almost requires some time to sit back and just absorb what you just read.

I love books like that.

Superposition starts innocently enough. Readers are introduced to the protagonist, Jacob Kelley. He appears to be an average guy, quite smart, and loves his family dearly. Right when you get used to Kelley’s fairly average life, things change. His friend appears, and everything changes, and it changes incredibly fast.

This book is told in a unique way. There’s the Up-Spin and the Down-Spin. One thread tells the story of Kelley’s impending trial, and the other tells readers the actual events that happened to get Kelley to that point. It can be kind of confusing at first until all the pieces click in place, but this method of telling the story allows Walton to really explore a greater depth and length of plot that a novel of this length wouldn’t otherwise allow.

A lot of Superposition deals with science and quantum physics. Walton does a great job at making these complex topics believable and accessible to the average reader. I don’t really understand a lot of what is covered fully, but the general idea was fine to get me through. A huge help with a lot of these complex topics was the preparation for Kelley’s trial, when Kelley has to break down a lot of these topics for his attorney. During these discussions, previous parts of the book that might have confused you will suddenly click into place. A light bulb will turn on, and everything will make perfect sense.

Readers should be aware of the fact that they won’t really understand a lot of what is going on in this novel until you hit those “ah ha!” points and it all clicks together. There’s something really exciting about reading a novel where you are just as confused as the characters living through those events. However, don’t let that confusion keep you from reading Superposition. This is a hugely visual novel, and it’s easy to really get sucked into that. And honestly, that confusion is part of what is really attractive about the book itself. You really don’t get a full picture of what is happening until after it has already happened. Walton keeps you hooked.

The plot moves incredibly quickly, and while some of it wasn’t absolutely believable, the execution and the concepts that Walton plays with really had me hooked. There is a lot of mystery, and due to the unique plot execution, there are a ton of “ah ha” moments as things click into place. However, there is a requirement for readers to suspend disbelief, as some of the aspects of the plot are inferred, or talked about, understood, witnessed but not actually seen (Yeah that’s confusing, but I’m not sure how else to say that without giving away important parts of the book).

Superposition is quite the impressive novel. It’s different than anything I’ve read so far this year. This is a near-future science fiction book crafted with a ton of thought, research, and love on the author’s part. The plot is intricate and absolutely surprising. Walton’s writing and his deft handling of complex scientific topics is superb, but really the thing that impressed me the most was how Walton kept surprising me over and over again as I read. Furthermore, I was rather shocked by how much it resonated with me. I had to take some time to absorb Superposition when I finished it, which is the mark of a truly impressive book. This is one of those rare books that is just as cerebral as it is scientific, and the fantastic balance between the two makes it absolutely addicting.

 

4/5 stars