Sarah Chorn's Blog, page 84

The Value of “Comfort Books”

I’ve never been a person who was into easy reading. Popcorn books have never been my thing. I enjoy my literature deeper, darker, and with a nice bite. That’s just how I roll. However, with recent life events, I’ve found myself turning to those short, sweet, fun books more often than I ever really have before. It has made me reevaluate how I look at the books I read, and why I choose some books over others.

In the reviewing community, I often see words like “comfort reading” or “popcorn book” or others that mean the same thing. Usually these words are thrown around with a more negative connotation than a positive one. A book that is summed up as being a comfort/popcorn book is usually one that I won’t generally check out. For some reason, “comfort read” automatically means that the book will be of a lower quality than others.

However, recently, I’ve really been challenging that belief of mine. Life events have been transpiring, and I’ve wanted to turn to literature more for comfort, fun, and taking a vacation away from reality more than anything else. I’ve been reading a lot of urban fantasy books, some young adult books, and a lot of books that I’ve seen on other websites that have been summed up as “comfort” books or “popcorn” reads. Basically, I’ve been reading the books I usually avoid like they are covered in some horrible communicable disease.

In the years that I’ve been reviewing, I’ve learned that people who review typically read differently than the average reader. We don’t read better, but differently. I think we pay attention to more of the details and nuances that totally escaped me or didn’t matter when I wasn’t reviewing. Now, of course with blanket remarks, there will be people who this observation doesn’t apply to. Sometimes I think this different, detailed style of reading makes many of us reviewers (me included) purists, who have a certain standard and refuse to acknowledge the books that are below our standard. Yes, I’m guilty of this. The thing is, sometimes something happens that makes me realize how ridiculously wrong I was.

There are a lot of reasons people read, and there are a lot of reasons authors write the type of books they write. Words like “comfort” and “popcorn” don’t mean a book is subpar or beneath notice. There is a time and place for comfort reading, and those books shouldn’t escape our notice. Recent events, and my bend toward having fun while I’m reading rather than a desire to examine the nature of life has made me realize that these comfort books are just as well written, just as fun, just as vibrant and alive as the deeper, edgier and more thoughtful books.

Perhaps these comfort books won’t make you think about the meaning of life or make you look at politics differently, but there is something really important to be said for a book that can comfort someone when they need it most. Comfort books don’t have to be challenging, they are more like a warm hug at the end of a hard day – the embrace you get when you need that embrace the most. An author who can accomplish that feeling in his or her readers has real impressive storytelling skill, and that’s something I really haven’t noticed or acknowledged until recently. There’s something incredible to be said for a book that makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside after a day of stress-induced headaches.

So what is the point of this whole diatribe? Try something new. Don’t reject or refuse to explore certain books because reviews have trigger words in them that put you off. Part of the joy of reading, whether you read as a reviewer, editor, author, or the average human, is to explore something new and stretch your horizons. We read because living one life isn’t enough for us. We read because we want to experience something new. We read because we want to take a vacation.

We read because it is fun. Period.

It’s a new year, and each new year I challenge myself to read a genre I typically try hard to avoid (this year it is YA and “comfort books”). That may seem like a ridiculous tradition of mine, and it probably is, but what fun is life if we aren’t willing to taste something different once and a while? I’m already discovering that there is a true art in writing a book that can touch a reader on a soul-deep level and remind that reader just what it feels like to be embraced and comforted, warmed after a very cold, hard. It takes some serious skill to sell me a happily ever after ending in a world where things seldom end that way.

Challenge yourself to read something new this year, something you typically wouldn’t read. You’ll be glad you did.

Books I’m Eyeing

Whew… what a week. Getting used to waking up at the crack of dawn (actually, the moon is still shining bright when I go to work) is taking some getting used to. I had to wake up at 3:30am today, which is why the blog was silent. I’m still pathetically behind on Special Needs in Strange Worlds, but if things work out the way I hope, I should be kicking that off again with a post being written and sent to SF Signal this weekend. Regarding this website, working 40 hours a week is definitely affecting my reading and website time… as in, I have enough strain at work, I want to spend my time on my website having fun and celebrating all the things I love about reading, rather than complaining or picking it apart. Maybe that makes me a Pollyanna. I realized that my drama free resolution for this year might be incredibly easy for me to keep due to that.

To sum it up, I’m tired, and I want some time to hopefully write some stuff for next week so I have to do less when I’m tired next week. Instead of a review, I’m going to (re)launch my (hopefully) weekly Books I’m Eyeing column.

Books I’m Eyeing serves a few purposes:

1) It points my readers in the direction of some great books/reviews they might have overlooked

2) It gives deserving websites much deserved attention

3) I don’t have a ton of time to comment on websites, so Books I’m Eyeing is a way for me to show other blogs that I pay attention to how hardcore you are.

So here are the books I’m eyeing this week, and the websites to blame them on. What books are you eyeing?

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Shadow Bridge – Gregory Frost

Discovery blamed on: The Completist 

About the Book

“You rattle the darkness where you walk, Jax.”

Enter Shadowbridge, a world of linked spiraling spans of bridges on which all impossibilities can happen. Ghosts parade, inscrutable gods cast riddles, and dangerous magic is unleashed.

Monstrous creatures drain the lives of children and for a price, you can sample their fleeting quintessence–provided the creatures don’t sample you instead.

Traveling these spans is a brilliant, secretive shadow-puppeteer called Jax, who knows all the stories of love, of war, of the gods, and even of Death and his lover.

But Jax has more than a few secrets, too–not the least of which is his true identity: that of Leodora, daughter of the greatest storyteller who ever played the spans, and the woman known as the Red Witch.

—

Maze – J.M. McDermott

Discovery blamed on: The Skiffy and Fanty Show

About the Book

From every corner of time and space, sometimes people go missing without a trace. They never come back.

Get lost in the long stone halls of the maze with the ones that find each other, form tribes, scrape out a life from rocks and sand. Their stories interweave. Maia Station is a scientist ripped from stasis, but she has no tools to test the way things are. Instead, she raises her daughter as best she can and survives. Wang Xin once had his head dipped in water, and a djinni in the water entered his eye. He sees the future, exactly as it was supposed to be if he hadn’t seen the light, but it does him no good in the life he has. In a world much like our own, Joseph comes home from a ten year high school reunion and encounters a light in the darkness. The light speaks.

My name is Jenny. Put me in your lung. Breathe deep.

—

The Summer Prince – Alaya Dawn Johnson

Discovery blamed on: Fantasy Book Critic

About the Book

A heart-stopping story of love, death, technology, and art set amid the tropics of a futuristic Brazil.

The lush city of Palmares Três shimmers with tech and tradition, with screaming gossip casters and practiced politicians. In the midst of this vibrant metropolis, June Costa creates art that’s sure to make her legendary. But her dreams of fame become something more when she meets Enki, the bold new Summer King. The whole city falls in love with him (including June’s best friend, Gil). But June sees more to Enki than amber eyes and a lethal samba. She sees a fellow artist.

Together, June and Enki will stage explosive, dramatic projects that Palmares Três will never forget. They will add fuel to a growing rebellion against the government’s strict limits on new tech. And June will fall deeply, unfortunately in love with Enki. Because like all Summer Kings before him, Enki is destined to die.

Pulsing with the beat of futuristic Brazil, burning with the passions of its characters, and overflowing with ideas, this fiery novel will leave you eager for more from Alaya Dawn Johnson.

—

Absorption – John Meaney

Discovery blamed on: Civilian Reader

About the Book

600 years from now on the world of Fulgor, Roger Blackstone aches to see the mythical Pilot’s city of Labyrinth.

In 8th Century Norseland, a young carl called Wulf kills a man, watched by a mysterious warrior who bears the mark of Loki the Trickster God.

In 1920′s Zurich, Gavriela Silberstein enters the long, baroque central hallway of the Eidgenossosche Technische Hochschule where Einstein so recently studied.

And on a nameless world, not knowing his human heritage, a silver-skinned youth tries to snatch back an Idea – but it floats away on gentle magnetic currents.

There are others across the ages, all with three things in common – they glimpse shards of darkness moving at the edge of their vision, they hear echoes of a dark, disturbing musical chord, and they will dream of joining a group known as the Ragnarok Council…

Absorption is the first novel of Ragnarok, a new space opera trilogy of high-tech space warfare and a mindblowing new rationale for Norse mythology.

—

Dead Things – Stephen Blackmoor

Discovery blamed on: The Ranting Dragon

About the Book

Necromancer is such an ugly word, but it’s a title Eric Carter is stuck with.

He sees ghosts, talks to the dead. He’s turned it into a lucrative career putting troublesome spirits to rest, sometimes taking on even more dangerous things. For a fee, of course.

When he left L.A. fifteen years ago he thought he’d never go back. Too many bad memories. Too many people trying to kill him.

But now his sister’s been brutally murdered and Carter wants to find out why.

Was it the gangster looking to settle a score? The ghost of a mage he killed the night he left town? Maybe it’s the patron saint of violent death herself, Santa Muerte, who’s taken an unusually keen interest in him.

Carter’s going to find out who did it and he’s going to make them pay.

As long as they don’t kill him first.

—

The Bread We Eat in Dreams – Catherynne M. Valente

Discovery blamed on: Far Beyond Reality

About the Book

Subterranean Press proudly presents a major new collection by one of the brightest stars in the literary firmament. Catherynne M. Valente, the New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making and other acclaimed novels, now brings readers a treasure trove of stories and poems in The Bread We Eat in Dreams.

In the Locus Award-winning novelette “White Lines on a Green Field,” an old story plays out against a high school backdrop as Coyote is quarterback and king for a season. A girl named Mallow embarks on an adventure of memorable and magical politicks in “The Girl Who Ruled Fairyland—For a Little While.” The award-winning, tour de force novella “Silently and Very Fast” is an ancient epic set in a far-flung future, the intimate autobiography of an evolving A.I. And in the title story, the history of a New England town and that of an outcast demon are irrevocably linked.

The thirty-five pieces collected here explore an extraordinary breadth of styles and genres, as Valente presents readers with something fresh and evocative on every page. From noir to Native American myth, from folklore to the final frontier, each tale showcases Valente’s eloquence and originality.

—

 

 

A Turn of Light – Julie E. Czerneda

Discovery blamed on: The Ranting Dragon

About the Book

The village of Marrowdell is an isolated pioneer community, but it is also the place where two worlds overlap, and at the turn of light–sunset–the world of magic known as the Verge can briefly be seen.

Jenn Nalynn belongs to both Verge and Marrowdell, but even she doesn’t know how special she is–or that her invisible friend Wisp is actually a dragon sent to guard her… and keep her from leaving the valley. But Jenn longs to see the world, and thinking that a husband will help her reach this goal, she decides to create one using spells. Of course, everything goes awry, and suddenly her “invisible friend” has been transformed into a man. But he is not the only newcomer to Marrowdell, and far from the most dangerous of those who are suddenly finding their way to the valley.

The Grendel Affair – Lisa Shearin

About the Book

We’re Supernatural Protection & Investigations, known as SPI. Things that go bump in the night, the monsters you thought didn’t exist? We battle them and keep you safe. But some supernatural baddies are just too big to contain, even for us …

When I moved to New York to become a world famous journalist, I never imagined that snagging a job at a seedy tabloid would change my career path from trashy reporter to undercover agent. I’m Makenna Fraser, a Seer for SPI. I can see through any disguise, shield, or spell that a paranormal pest can come up with. I track down creatures and my partner, Ian Byrne, takes them out—usually saving my skin in the process.

Our cases are generally pretty routine, but a sickle-wielding serial killer has been prowling the city’s subway tunnels. And the murderer’s not human. The fiend in question, a descendant of Grendel—yes, that Grendel—shares his ancestor’s hatred of parties, revelry, and drunkards. And with New Year’s Eve in Times Square only two days away, we need to bag him quickly. Because if we don’t find him—and the organization behind him—by midnight, our secret’s out and everyone’s time is up.

304 pages (paperback)

Published on December 31, 2013

Published by Ace

Author’s webpage

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

—

I’ve been on an urban fantasy kick recently, which is weird for me, but it is also just what I need right now. Life has been stressful and sometimes I just need to unwind. Urban fantasy tends to give me light but fun books that are quick reads. When I’m stressed, that’s what I need. The Grendel Affair hit my mailbox at just the right time. It did what I needed it to do perfectly.

The Grendel Affair is a sort of hybrid police procedural/governmental sort of book with a quirky main character who is easy to laugh with (and at), but also easy to sympathize with. Makenna is one of those characters that will probably seem rather cookie-cutter, and she is in many ways, but she’s endearing despite that. She has a quip for just about everything. She seems to have a knack for getting herself into ridiculous and unpredictable situations, and she’s also incredibly pretty. It’s all the things that most authors write into their urban fantasy characters, but despite all of that, she’s a lot of fun, and most importantly, she makes mistakes, and those mistakes often propel the plot.

Supernatural Protection & Investigation is one of those super-secret agencies that is out to police all of the nasties that the humans can’t know about. Again, that is fairly cookie-cutter. I’ve read a lot (a lot) of books involving an organization of that nature before. However, Shearin does a great job at really fleshing out how the organization is ran, and the power struggles that are involved in it. There is a distinct chain of command, and it is nice to see that her characters don’t just have free reign. Instead, Makenna and her cohorts have to function within both social and organizational boundaries. This might seem like a weird thing for me to point out, but it is nice to see these small realistic details thrown into the books I read. It makes them feel so much more realistic.

The supernatural creatures are both fairly typical and rather unique and entertaining at the same time. For example, how many books have you read where one of the characters is an actual dragon hidden behind a human mask (of sorts)? It’s entertaining, but aside from that, there are the all of the creatures you’d expect, like vampires and werewolves and etc. While they don’t dominate the readers time, they are there, and I was kind of let down by how typical they felt.

The plot moves forward at a rapid pace, often skipping from one chaotic incident to the next with very little time in-between. In fact, I ran into the same problem with The Grendel Affair that I often run into with my urban fantasy. For the life of me, I can’t figure out how these people pack so much activity into one day. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it is a trend I tend to notice with a lot of the urban fantasy books that center around mystery and plenty of action. However, this also means that The Grendel Affair pulls you in almost instantly and doesn’t let go until you read the last word. No matter how you look at that, it’s a good thing, and Shearin has a knack for really absorbing her readers in her book.

You might see me toeing around the one primary issue I had with this book, and I guess it is time for me to come out and just say it. The Grendel Affair is tons of fun, but it’s pretty much exactly what you’d expect from an urban fantasy book. Our protagonist has a knack for finding herself in trouble. There’s alluded-to sexual tension. There’s plenty of action and a mystery that only Makenna can solve as the primary focus of the novel. It’s all stuff that I’ve seen before, but this is kind of different. The Grendel Affair is very well done, no matter how you cut it. It’s a load of fun and the fast pace is just right.

I almost hate saying that a book is popcorn, because so many people think that’s a bad thing. The truth is, it really isn’t a bad thing. Not every book I read needs to be some challenging novelty that redefines the way I look at literature. Sometimes I want to sit back, crack open a quick, fun, lighter read, and just enjoy myself. In times like that, The Grendel Affair is the perfect medicine. Is it perfect? No. Will it make you rethink how you looked at Shakespeare’s epic works when you were in college? No. It’s fun, and well written, and sometimes that’s more than enough. I look forward to seeing where Shearin takes this series next.

 

4/5 stars

The Cusanus Game – Wolfgang Jeschke

About the Book

Biologist Domenica Ligrina fears her planet is dying. She might be right.

An atomic disaster in Germany has contaminated Northern Europe with radioactivity. Economic and political calamities are destroying the whole planet. Human DNA is mutating, plant species are going extinct, and scientists are feverishly working on possible solutions. It becomes increasingly apparent that the key to future salvation lies in the past. In 2052 a secret research facility in the Vatican is recruiting scientists for a mission to restore the flora of the irradiated territories. The institute claims to have time travel. When Domenica’s sometime-lover tells her that he knows her future but that she must decide her own fate, she enlists despite his ambiguous warning.

The Middle Ages hold Domenica spellbound. She immerses herself in the mysteries, puzzles, and peculiarities of a culture foreign to her, though she risks changing the past with effects far more disastrous than radiation poisoning. Perhaps there is more than one Domenica, and more than one catastrophe.

540 pages (hardcover)

Published on October 15, 2013

Published by Tor

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

—

I’m not really that into time travel, as a general rule. Don’t get me wrong, it can be rather fascinating, but I always have a really hard time making myself believe in anything that is going on. It just doesn’t seem plausible enough to me. So, when I do run across a novel involving time travel that I even moderately enjoy, it stands out.

The Cusanus Game takes some time to get used to. For one thing, a good chunk of the book takes place in Italy, which isn’t a big deal, but one name in Italian looks very similar to every other Italian word (to me). Secondly, the novel takes place in a sort of dystopian future, and while the big cataclysmic event that has brought the world to that point in time is made clear to readers, it is done so very slowly. There is an odd mixture of too much history lacking, and in some cases, a bit too much history than is absolutely necessary. These two situations put together will probably automatically turn off a good chunk of readers who start this book, so be warned.

The futuristic world is very real, and incredibly gritty. Jeschke has absolutely no problems with making his readers uncomfortable, or pushing their comfort zones. This isn’t a bad thing, in fact, I tend to enjoy it in the books I read, but no matter how “okay” with things you are, the world that Jeschke is presenting readers is a very dark, very dirty one, and he infuses his atmosphere with that dark and dirty desperation to the point where readers will acutely feel it. Sometimes it can be a bit overwhelming. However, this is actually a point that really shows off just how good of an author Jeschke is. No matter how you feel about the book itself, Jeschke is one of those authors who knows how to manipulate atmosphere, and absolutely flood his readers with it.

Domenica is a character that I still can’t quite figure out. While most of the book is told from her point of view, I never really felt attached to her at all, and this is true with all of the characters. There’s a distinct line between character and reader that Jeschke never really crosses. He’s telling you a story, he’s not immersing you in it, and I felt that very acutely. Domenica was interesting, but at the end of the day she never attached herself to me. That’s true with all of the characters. While they are interesting  and well done, there is a serious line that the reader will probably never cross. You’ll be reading about something that happened to someone you never knew, you won’t be reading about a character that becomes part of you.

The blend of history and future is rather fascinating and well done. In many ways, this was probably the strength of the book. Jeschke did some serious research beford writing The Cusanus Game and it pays off. The future is raw and real, and if not completely believable, it is rather plausible. The past is well researched to the point where I learned quite a bit from it. While I never really bought the actual activities of Domenica, the setting(s) she found herself in were real and vibrant and Jeschke really utilizes his skill with atmosphere and stunning research well to make it all weave together so perfectly.

The Cusanus Game was originally written in German, but the English translation is absolutely flawless to the point where, unless you know it was written in another language before you read it, you probably won’t ever know. And that’s the miracle of the whole thing. It’s a stunningly written novel that really shows off just what a talented author Jeschke is. Whether or not you enjoy its content is another issue. Sometimes you have to just sit back and praise someone for their skill with the written word, and this is one of those times.

But.

No matter how much I praise this book, I keep coming back to the one problem that I’m circling around in this review. I just didn’t buy it. It was well done, atmospheric, well written, and multifaceted – all the things I typically love in the books but it just didn’t work for me. The characters were too distant for me to really care too much about. Their motives behind many of their actions were understandable, but not really believable. I can sum up my overall feelings of the novel like that. I just don’t buy into it. It was very well written, and researched incredibly well, but I never got to the point where I could suspend my disbelief long enough to feel invested in the novel at all. Which is unfortunate, but you can’t really win ‘em all.

 

2/5 stars

Malice – John Gwynne

About the Book

A black sun is rising …

Young Corban watches enviously as boys become warriors under King Brenin’s rule, learning the art of war. He yearns to wield his sword and spear to protect his king’s realm. But that day will come all too soon. Only when he loses those he loves will he learn the true price of courage.

The Banished Lands has a violent past where armies of men and giants clashed shields in battle, the earth running dark with their heartsblood. Although the giant-clans were broken in ages past, their ruined fortresses still scar the land. But now giants stir anew, the very stones weep blood and there are sightings of giant wyrms. Those who can still read the signs see a threat far greater than the ancient wars. Sorrow will darken the world, as angels and demons make it their battlefield. Then there will be a war to end all wars.

High King Aquilus summons his fellow kings to council, seeking an alliance in this time of need. Some are skeptical, fighting their own border skirmishes against pirates and giants. But prophesy indicates darkness and light will demand two champions, the Black Sun and the Bright Star. They would be wise to seek out both, for if the Black Sun gains ascendancy, mankind’s hopes and dreams will fall to dust.

672 pages (hardcover)

Author’s webpage

—

Here is a secret for you, dear website reader: I am getting kind of fed up with epic fantasy. It’s not that I don’t like the genre, because I do. It’s just that I am getting sick of the same old stuff being regurgitated in these huge tomes. Epic fantasy seems to be a genre that is turning into a love-it-or-hate-it type thing for me. I am probably just getting a little jaded with my reading.

When I got Malice, I was pretty excited. Gwynne’s name screams “Wales” to me, which is a beautiful country. I hate everyone who lives there because I am a jealous creature and we jealous creatures tend to feel some sort of jealousy fueled loathing toward anyone who lives in places that are so pretty they make my eyes hurt (/sarcasm font).  Of course, Wales has a long, rather complex and slightly bloody history, as well and I seriously hoped that Gwynne would fuel his book with that, and make it come alive with the history of where his name seems to come from.

Honestly, what do I know? The name is exotic, and until after this post goes live, I will try my absolute hardest not to learn more about the author than what I assume from reading the book (it’s a weird quirk of mine). The thing is, I had high hopes for a sense of history and place when I went into this book (isn’t it kind of amazing the kind of crap I assume from someone’s last name?). In many ways, Malice exceeded my expectations. There are plenty of words that lack vowels (erm… excuse me, Welsh) and plenty of history that screamed British Isles to me. I dig that stuff. It worked for me, and it gave the book a feel of time and place that I wanted it to have so badly.

Don’t get confused. Malice is set in a secondary world, but a lot of the nuances, the cultural identities, the social norms, are reminiscent of our own world. This fact will either delight readers (like myself) or really disappoint them. On the one hand, it is a lot of fun to read epic fantasy books that are set in worlds similar to our own. It gives the book a sense of relatability that it otherwise might have lacked. And it is kind of fun to read a book that plays so acutely on our own history and cultures, and wonder “what if.” I enjoy that kind of thing. On the other hand, fans of epic fantasy might find themselves disappointed and feel like the Welsh and history and setting of it all isn’t nearly unique enough for their taste. It might feel rather borrowed and lacking in creativity.

That’s the main problem with epic fantasy, in my opinion. It toes a fine line. Either books are too similar to (insert another book/historical time period/country found on the globe here) or they aren’t similar enough. Either way, the authors of these books will have readers that will dig their similarities/exoticness or they will find readers that hate it. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it is a problem that many authors face, and it is absolutely no different with Malice.

Malice is told from a few different points of view, as many epic fantasy books are. As with most other books, some of the perspectives will resonate with readers more than others. There is a span of age, as well. A few of the characters (one in particular) are young, and most of the others span various points of adulthood. Readers might also find that some characters are easier to sympathize with and understand than others due to the unfortunate fact that time seems to pass for each character at incredibly different rates. Some of the storylines feel like they go on way too long, and others don’t feel like they go on long enough. This really made some characters feel more interesting and real to me than others, and gave the book a rather unbalanced feel in regards to the narrative itself.

The main story with Malice is probably what might make the jaded epic fantasy readers roll their eyes more than anything else. There is the stirrings of war, a fractured kingdom, a precariously balanced reign of a king, people who hate other people; plenty of politics, and in the middle of this stew is a prophecy. Usually I kind of mentally turn off when someone says the word “prophecy” to me, and I know plenty of other readers will, as well, but there is a prophecy, and there is a ton of civil unrest. The viewpoint of different characters in different social positions giving readers different perspectives on a very complex situation. The odd passage of time has a tendency to make the book feel like it moves incredibly fast at some points, while at others it takes a long time for Gwynne to reach the point of all his development.

Despite the prophecy aspect, it works out fairly well.

You might have scrolled to the end of this review and realized that I gave this book 3/5 stars. You might be wondering why, because there is plenty going on here that readers will (and do) surely enjoy. The fact is, Malice is an enjoyable epic fantasy romp, and while I truly enjoyed the sense of history and place, it was a rather unevenly yoked novel. The odd way that Gwynne deals with the passage of time can make it hard to believe, or understand, some characters. It might take readers a little time to get used to Gwynne’s flow with writing. The plot itself, while complex and sprawling in scope, feels more like an echo of other epic fantasy books that I’ve read before, rather than a book that is unique in its own right.

So what am I saying? Malice is worth reading if you are in the mood for some epic fantasy that won’t really challenge or amaze you. This book felt more like a setup for further books in a series rather than anything else. In all truth, I was a little disappointed, but Malice did its job well. It was grand in scope and size, and if it lacked a little finesse at some points, I can almost forgive them. Malice is a slightly shaky start to what could potentially grow into a grand, very strong series. The fact remains, despite its various flaws, Gwynne has taken the tried-and-true epic fantasy that has been written and written again and again and revived it, breathed fresh life into it, and made it something new. Is it perfect? No, but it has the ability to entertain and remind readers of all of the reasons they fell in love with epic fantasy in the first place.

 

3/5 stars

Dirty Magic – Jaye Wells

About the Book

The first in an all-new urban fantasy series by USA Todaybestseller Jaye Wells.

The last thing patrol cop Kate Prospero expected to find on her nightly rounds was a werewolf covered in the blood of his latest victim. But then, she also didn’t expect that shooting him would land her in the crosshairs of a Magic Enforcement Agency task force, who wants to know why she killed their lead snitch.

The more Prospero learns about the dangerous new potion the MEA is investigating, the more she’s convinced that earning a spot on their task force is the career break she’s been wanting. But getting the assignment proves much easier than solving the case. Especially once the investigation reveals their lead suspect is the man she walked away from ten years earlier—on the same day she swore she’d never use dirty magic again.

Kate Prospero’s about to learn the hard way that crossing a wizard will always get you burned, and that when it comes to magic, you should be never say never.(

400 pages (paperback)

Published on January 21, 2014

Published by Orbit

Author’s webpage

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

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Jaye Wells isn’t an author that I am incredibly familiar with. In fact, I think I’ve only read one of her books before. However, I enjoyed her writing style, and I am rather stressed out right now so fast, easy, light reads are what I’m in the mood for. Thus, Dirty Magic scratched my itch. I’ve also been fairly lucky regarding urban fantasy recently. I’ve run across a lot of good UF books that have just hit me right – no overwhelming sexual tension, women that are strong because they are, rather than because they have tattoos and ooze sex appeal. Books that are fun, but thoughtful at the same time. Books that make me want to kiss the authors who wrote them for writing urban fantasy the way it was meant to be written. M.L. Brennan is one of those authors, and this book has put Jaye Wells in that camp as well.

Dirty Magic tells the story of one Kate Prospero, a woman with plenty of baggage to lug around as she struggles through life taking care of her teenaged brother and barely making ends meet. Slowly Wells reveals the fictional (somewhat superheroish) city of Babylon, and as Kate is fleshed out, her history (much of which remains a mystery) is also deliciously divulged to readers. In fact, it’s probably the pacing in regards to world building and character development that really makes Dirty Magic shine. Things aren’t revealed all at once, or even all in this novel. Instead, the foundation is set and enough questions are answered that will satisfy readers, but readers will have to work for those answers, which makes them so much sweeter.

Dirty Magic is an interesting mix of police procedural and personal drama. Usually I sort of turn off with police procedural, but Kate is an interesting character, and her past is unique enough to lend her an interesting perspective in what is happening. These two things work together to ensure that readers who might be turned off by police work might find themselves engaged despite themselves. However, the mystery is nicely balanced with Kate’s own personal issues, which she struggles with as the case unfolds and gets personal. Maybe that sounds a bit campy and trope-ish, but it really isn’t. Wells has a unique way of twining together a delicious and complex mystery with Kate’s own personal issues. All of this works nicely together to make Dirty Magic absolutely surprising and addictive.

Dirty Magic isn’t just propelled by Kate and her police buddies against the world, but Wells fills the book with some fascinating secondary characters, from Kate’s friend who acts as the voice of reason, to her neighbor Baba, who is the sort of old wise woman/batty neighbor, and some absolutely fascinating characters that Kate hits up for information on occasion. The secondary characters really add a unique, almost gritty feel to the novel which it would have otherwise lacked, and they make Kate’s life, and Babylon itself, seem so much more interesting and dynamic. It’s not just a place that Wells wrote about. These secondary characters really makes Babylon, and the story, stand out and present readers with some very interesting dynamics that can be both humorous and personal at the same time.

With all of that said, you might be wondering just what would hold me back from giving this book a raving five star review. Despite how wonderful it was, and no matter how much it scratched my itch at the right moment, Dirty Magic is the first book in a series, and it very much feels like it. Entertaining? Yes. Unique? Yes. Characters you can love? Of course. However, I never could move beyond the fact that Dirty Magic felt like more of a set up to the rest of the series rather than a book that can stand on its own legs. In fact, when I really think about it, I loved this book so much because I’m excited about what will happen next, not necessarily because of all of the things that happened here (though I did love all of those things).

Dirty Magic got my attention. Wells told a hell of an entertaining story in a fascinatingly unique world populated with very real characters that are easy to care about. Yes, this novel felt more like a setup for the rest of the series than anything else, but as far as setups go, this is probably one of the most entertaining ones I have ever read.

Bravo, Jaye Wells. Bravo.

 

4/5 stars

Fortune’s Pawn – Rachel Bach

About the Book

Devi Morris isn’t your average mercenary. She has plans. Big ones. And a ton of ambition. It’s a combination that’s going to get her killed one day – but not just yet.

That is, until she just gets a job on a tiny trade ship with a nasty reputation for surprises. The Glorious Fool isn’t misnamed: it likes to get into trouble, so much so that one year of security work under its captain is equal to five years everywhere else. With odds like that, Devi knows she’s found the perfect way to get the jump on the next part of her Plan. But the Fool doesn’t give up its secrets without a fight, and one year on this ship might be more than even Devi can handle.

330 pages (paperback)

Published on November 5, 2013

Published by Orbit

Author’s webpage

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

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Fortune’s Pawn took me two tries to read, not because I didn’t like it, but because I tend to enjoy my SciFi a bit more Peter F. Hamilton-ish than Military-Guns-Action. I like the sprawling epics that really take me out of my universe and immerse me in something else. That’s why I enjoyed Ancillary Justice so much, and that’s why I struggled with Fortune’s Pawn. This is one of those books that is more surface level, more action and fun, than sprawling worlds and unique societies.

Now, let me be clear, that’s not a slam on Fortune’s Pawn. Some books just work for people while others don’t. That has nothing to do with the actual qualities of the book. I just don’t want to eat something salty if I’m aching for sugar. With all that aside, however, I have to admit that I am pretty pleased that I gave this book another shot. Despite the fact that it isn’t what I typically look to read, it was a worthy investment of my time and I truly enjoyed it.

Here’s the thing, Fortune’s Pawn is going to divide readers pretty decently. Again, that’s not a bad thing, but that’s the way it will probably be. This is a lighter book, full of action and military might. Also, romance, complete with the savory eye candy and plenty of lust. So, basically what this boils down to is Fortune’s Pawn is one of those books that will thrill military SciFi readers, while dazzling those readers who enjoy plenty of lust in their plots. Not for everyone, though. People who enjoy a bit more sprawling epic to their SciFi might find out that Fortune’s Pawn is not to their taste.

“If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” – Toni Morrison

That quote really rings true with Fortune’s Pawn. Bach wanted to read an action packed SciFi romance, so she went and wrote one. That’s what makes this book truly unique. You can really tell that Bach wanted this written and she really poured a lot of herself into it. It is light hearted and a lot of fun, but it is also crazy unique. There aren’t a lot of military SciFi books featuring badass women like our protagonist Devi. In fact, there’s only one other series I can think of off the top of my head that fits the bill, and even then, there are all the elements that make urban fantasy so much fun poured into this action-and-guns SciFi novel, like romance and lust. That doesn’t happen in SciFi much.

Bach really blends together a lot of genres with Fortune’s Pawn, and she twists a lot of tropes into something uniquely hers. However, she handles the issues of gender in SciFi perfectly. The cook is a man, and the lead badass is a woman. My female self roared with pride whenever Devi put the smack down just as hard as any man. Furthermore, Bach proves that it is possible for women to kick ass and take names, while enjoying some tender moments and romance. You see, so many books sacrifice tenderness, quiet moments, and raw emotion in favor of badassitude, and Bach doesn’t do that and I loved her, and her novel, for it.

Fortune’s Pawn moves at an incredibly fast pace. The action starts early and keeps going almost continually. Perhaps my one qualm was the fact that Devi’s armored suit was so powerful that she, at times, had almost no vulnerability, and sometimes it’s the vulnerability in military action that makes it truly interesting. However, it is forgivable. Bach has an easy way with her writing that makes it easy for readers to feel engaged and absorbed in the plot. Things might feel a touch predictable, but that won’t matter to many readers because you’ll be having too much fun to care.

Bach really wrote something unique here, and I hope more people who might feel a little turned off by the premise give it a try. Fortune’s Pawn is one of those books that might turn a lot of people onto SciFi, especially those who might have been turned off by the genre before. Bach wrote the book she wanted to read, and it shows. Full of enthusiasm and action, love, lust, and everything in-between, Fortune’s Pawn is a rare genre-blending gem that shows that sometimes coloring outside of the lines creates the most beautiful pictures.

 

4/5 stars

Iron Night – M.L. Brennan

About the Book

Underemployed by day. Undead by night. 

Underachieving film theory graduate and vampire Fortitude Scott may be waiting tables at a snooty restaurant run by a tyrannical chef who hates him, but the other parts of his life finally seem to be stabilizing. He’s learning how to rule the Scott family territory, hanging out more with his shapeshifting friend Suzume Hollis, and has actually found a decent roommate for once.

Until he finds his roommate’s dead body.

The Scott family cover-up machine swings into gear, but Fort is the only person trying to figure out who (or what) actually killed his friend. His hunt for a murderer leads to a creature that scares even his sociopathic family, and puts them all in deadly peril.

Keeping secrets, killing monsters, and still having to make it to work on time? Sometimes being a vampire really sucks.

320 pages (paperback)

Published on January 7, 2014

Published by Roc

Author’s webpage

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

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Iron Night has been on my radar since M.L. Brennan released her first book, Generation V. Generation V was fun, a very unique twist on a stale genre, and it put the author on the map. Iron Night is something totally and completely different. While it has the same tone and thematic elements as the first book, it really shows the author’s potential. If Generation V was wonderful, then Iron Night is over-the-moon spectacular.

Urban Fantasy feels like a rather fluid genre to me, and that’s part of the reason why I pick on it so much. A series might start out with a cool detective who-done-it feel, and two books in it will change and obviously be a series focused around romance. That’s fine, and it seems to work for most people, but it hasn’t ever really worked for me. That’s one thing that I can’t say for Brennan. The second book feels much the same as the first in terms of characters, world, plot, and various developments. That’s not saying that surprising things don’t happen, but it is saying that the series doesn’t suddenly turn into a soft-core porn type thing. Props for that.

The characters grow and develop quite a bit from Generation V. Fortitude Scott is still the same old Fortitude Scott from the last novel, but he has more responsibilities and he is inevitably maturing, which he is coming to terms with. He seems more at peace with his place in the world, and it gives him an easier manner regarding his relationship to his family that he lacked in the previous book. There’s less strain about him, and more ease which gives way to humor. Suzume, the kitsune shifter, was the absolute light of the book for me. She had a humor that would make me break out in laughter (and my husband thinking I am insane). She brings a levity to the book that made the pages just fly by. Fort’s brother, Chivalry, is also a fun addition to the book. Fort’s family interactions are awkward in the extreme and that can often be fairly hilarious.

All of this is to say that the characters are all in line with who they were before, but they are more well rounded, better developed than they were in Generation V. They are real, and the nice addition of humor (in numerous shades) makes a fairly dark plot a lot of fun, which I wouldn’t expect. Brennan has a way about her where she manages to balance the light and the dark elements of her plot perfectly, and it really is something to savor. In fact, her ability to write a kick-ass plot and fuel it with these unforgettable, absolutely real characters is what makes this book fly by. I expected to spend a few days reading it, but instead I read it in a day, one sitting, actually. I couldn’t put it down.

That’s the magic here. There’s the main plot and plenty of side plots, as well as some very well done, very understated romantic tension. In fact, it is kind of surprising what Brennan can accomplish in a fairly short book. The murder mystery takes center stage, but around this is a stew of interesting developments, from Fort’s personal and physical developments, the relationships with his family, the rule of his mother, his relationship with Suze, power struggles, and so much more. While many of these elements might be understated, they are there, and Brennan develops them and moves them along deftly. She’s got a skill with development in both plot and characters that she really shows off in Iron Night.

The ending feels natural and not the least bit rushed, which is a complaint I commonly have with shorter books. Many of the plot threads are tied neatly together, but there are enough left open that it is obvious that more books in the series are planned. In fact, I cannot wait for those other books. So much was accomplished and so many side plots were left open, that I am beyond thrilled to see where Brennan takes this series next.

So what am I saying here? Basically, I loved this book. I absolutely loved it. Every aspect of Iron Night was done with thought and a wry sort of grace that just worked on every single level. This is urban fantasy the way it should be done. Brennan is a master of her craft. Iron Night is layered, and nuanced, and full of humor and laugh-out-loud moments. The characters are the kind of people I’d like to spend a night with at a bar. Interesting, but believable, and down to earth despite their somewhat surreal elements. Iron Night is a feat; it sets the bar incredibly high, and shows everyone just how fantastic, fun, and thoughtful this genre can be when in the hands of a master.

 

5/5 stars

News – A Change is Coming (A good one this time)

Alright, folks… here’s the deal.

I’ve been working part time at a place for a while. Twenty hours a week. It’s been extra income and a chance for this mama to get out of the house. It has also been a good opportunity for me to get used to functioning in society again after my cancer treatment. However, once the husband lost his job, it became apparent that twenty hours a week wasn’t going to cut it. We need things like money to pay our mortgage, buy food, and health insurance. It was made known to me that a position was opening up at my place of employment which would be full time, a substantial pay raise, a set schedule and all the fun things that go along with that. I went for it, not really expecting to get it, but figuring that I really love where I work, and if I don’t try for it, then I’ll never know if I could have gotten it.

I interviewed with seven other people, all of whom worked at the place longer than me.

Saturday (yesterday), I was called into the HR office and was offered the position. I didn’t expect it, and I will admit that I teared up a bit because we need this so bad right now. Anyway, all of this is boiling down to the fact that I am starting my new job tomorrow (Monday). I start work at five in the morning, which is going to upend my sleep schedule for a while. It will also undoubtably effect my website until I adjust.

Fair warning. I hope to keep things rolling on here, but who knows if it will end up working out that way. Until I get used to my new job and new schedule and all that, things here might be less frequent than they were before.

New Year Resolutions

Apparently this is the day for lists. I figured I’d post my resolutions for this blog and at the end of the year I’ll see how well I measured up.

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1. Read 150 books. in 2013 I read 178 books. My mental goal is 200, but I’d like to get to 150. We shall see.

2. I always try very hard to explore genres each year that I don’t think I like. Last year I explored urban fantasy, and I actually learned that the genre itself isn’t as horrible as I thought it was. This year I want to explore more young adult. I think I give that genre a bad wrap, and that’s not fair because I’ve hardly read any of it. Time to change that. Also, read more books written by women, and books with female leads.

3. I’d like to explore more genre issues. Due to my health battles, I’ve been way too absorbed in myself to really explore too many issues. Thus, the sexism in fantasy and SciFi stuff, the race stuff, the other stuff that people talk so much about are really just issues that I know nothing about, which is stupid, because I am a woman so I should at least know more about the plight of women in SpecFic. That’s just logical. Now that I’m not completely self-absorbed, I’d like to investigate more of these issues and write about them more as I learn and explore them.

4. I’d like to podcast more. I am on the SF Signal podcast occasionally, but I’d love to be on more and different podcasts. I’m waiting to be discovered (har har).

5. I want Special Needs in Strange Worlds to keep growing, and I’d love to contribute to more websites as well. I hope I get more invitations.

6. I don’t want to get sucked into drama. I run this website for fun and when I do get sucked into drama I always regret it, or disagree with my own opinion after an hour. I don’t enjoy pissing contests, drama or other things of that nature. Life is too short. I want this to be fun and drama free. I love reading and talking about what I read, and I want to infuse my website with that rather than anything else.

7. I want to get something published. I am losing hope, but I would like it to happen.

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That’s it. Let’s see how I do!