#SPFBO Review : Fortune’s Fool (Eterean Empire #1) by Angela Boord
13 April 2020
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Angela Boord, Eterean Empire #1, Fortune's Fool, SPFBO
Fortune’s Fool is my sixth (or seventh if you include my own entry) finalist that I’ve read for the second stage of the SPFBO competition leaving me with three books to be read and reviewed by the end of the month. It’s going to go to the wire I think.
Fortune’s Fool is a pseudo-Italian/historic story of warring families and revenge. At the heart of the story are two characters, plenty of misfortune, meddling gods and many secrets and the plot jumps back and forth over a dual timeline that gradually provides us with sufficient history to piece together what’s really going on. The TL:DR version of this review is this is an impressive book. It’s well written, the central characters are well drawn and the world building is excellent. On top of that Boord is a persuasive writer. Her prose is very easy to read and in fact the writing is so good that I barely noticed that this was such a hefty chunkster of a book. I did have a couple of little issues but seriously, this is a very good read.
Fortune’s Fool is a very character led story. As the story begins we meet Kyris di Nada. A mercenary with a reputation and a metal arm. Kyris is a woman disguised as a man. She’s searching for someone and asking many questions that will eventually draw the wrong sort of attention and a job that will give her a chance at revenge. Now we jump back in time and meet Kyrra dAliente. Born into privilege she is the only child of a wealthy House who provide the best silk of the region. Unfortunately Kyrra falls foul of a plot upon her family and their estate. Young and headstrong, Kyrra is a little prone to rush in and think little of the consequences and that, coupled with her naivety lead her into a shocking situation with terrible repercussions that lead to the downfall of her family and the loss of her name. This is a time when a stranger comes into Kyrra’s life, Arsenault. Hired by her father for unknown purposes Arsenault seems to come and go, disappearing for long spells at a time but when he’s on the estate he starts to pay attention to Kyrra and the two start to develop a strong attachment. Arsenault is a fascinating character with something of a sketchy memory – which I won’t elaborate on – but which does sometimes make you wonder if he’s totally reliable.
The world building is good and develops over the course of the story with intriguing politics and descriptions that pull you in with details of food and clothes together with different settings that really help to build up a feel for the place whether we’re on the Aliente estate, in a hunting lodge or milling round the streets and over packed market places of the towns and cities.
I always enjoy stories that involve a dual timeline and this is a particularly fine example. The present shows us the gritty underworld that Kyris inhabits. In fact the two different threads are surprisingly different in style and tone. As is often the case I did find myself forming an attachment to one storyline more than the other and in this instance it was the past thread that really intrigued me. In fact that leads me onto one of the first issues I had. There is quite a divide between the past and present timelines and in the earlier chapters this can lead to some confusion about what’s taking place in the present, particularly with some of the conversations which can be a little befuddling. All I can say is that you have to bear with this element as the gap between the two timelines lessens.
The other slight issues that I had related to the fact that the supporting characters are not as particularly well developed. The real focus is on Kyrra and Arsenault and I’m not really grumbling about that but it did occur to me that the other characters were sometimes a little too easy to forget and I’m not entirely sure how convincing Kyris was in disguise as a man. Don’t get me wrong, I loved that particular element to the story but it felt very easily skipped over sometimes. But, little issues aside. I enjoyed this and would certainly like to read more from this world. And, yes, I realise I haven’t given much time here to the gods and magic but they play a pivotal role and they’re an element of this world that I would love to know more about.
I would like to thank the author for providing a review copy. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 8.5 of 10 stars.
Friday Face Off : A cover that is atmospheric
10 April 2020
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Atmospheric covers, Books by Proxy, Friday Face off
Here we are again with the Friday Face Off meme created by Books by Proxy . This is a great opportunity to feature some of your favourite book covers. The rules are fairly simple each week, following a predetermined theme (list below) choose a book (this doesn’t have to be a book that you’ve read), compare a couple of the different covers available for that particular book and choose your favourite. Future week’s themes are listed below – if you have a cover in mind that you’re really wanting to share then feel free to leave a comment about a future suggested theme. I’ve also listed events that take place during the year, that I’m aware of, so you can link up your covers – if you’re aware of any events that you think I should include then give me a shout. This week’s theme:
Moody – a cover that is atmospheric,
A lot of the new themes are open to interpretation which might make choosing the covers and seeing other’s choices very interesting. I can’t stress enough that this is all about your own interpretation and hopefully this new open feel to the meme will bring a larger selection of books and covers. It’s not supposed to be hard work, there are no rules, just enjoy yourself.
Again this week I had a few books in mind but I wanted to avoid books I’ve used in the past and the other books I thought of didn’t have alternative covers. I eventually went for more of a horror book – Fevre Dream by George RR Martin. Plenty of atmospheric covers for this one:
My favourite:
This one really appeals to me. It’s ghostly looking and there’s something about the paleness of the steamboat – like it’s a reflection of the pale countenance of the vampires contained within and then the blood red waters seem to give a hint of the deadly goings on.
Do you have a favourite?
I’ll be updating the list in order to include forthcoming events that I’m aware of so that you can perhaps link your themes up where possible (if you know of an event you’d like to share then let me know in the comments). As always, if you wish to submit an idea then leave me a comment – or if you’d like to host a week then simply let me know 😀
Next week – out of focus – double vision or all a blur
Future themes: (if you’re struggling with any of these themes then use a ‘freebie’ or one of your favourite covers) (I’ve added some new themes – some of these are slightly different, in order to avoid too much repetition I’m trying to make the themes more of a suggestion that everyone can interpret how they like.
2019
17th April – out of focus – double vision or all a blur
24th April – Armour – ‘“Pretty armour doesn’t make a warrior.”
1st May – Canine – “And then there were cats, thought Dog.:
8th May – graphic novel cover – “Love belongs to Desire, and Desire is always cruel”
15th May – pink – as pink as cotton candy – any cover that is pink
22nd May – Sorrow – a cover that makes you feel sad
29th May – Silhouette – an island, a person, anything you like
5th June – Flight – any type of flight – to flee, to fly
12th June – The bodice ripper – exactly as it seems
19th June – Time – time waits for no one
26th June – Windows – windows to the soul?
Can’t Wait Wednesday : The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson
8 April 2020
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Alexis Henderson, Can't wait Wednesday, The Year of the Witching, Wishful Endings
“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme that was originally created by Breaking the Spine. Unfortunately Breaking the Spine are no longer hosting so I’m now linking my posts up to Wishful Endings Can’t Wait Wednesday. Don’t forget to stop over, link up and check out what books everyone else is waiting for. If you want to take part, basically, every Wednesday, we highlight a book that we’re really looking forward to. This week my book is : The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson – and this is why:
A young woman living in a rigid, puritanical society discovers dark powers within herself in this stunning, feminist fantasy debut.
In the lands of Bethel, where the Prophet’s word is law, Immanuelle Moore’s very existence is blasphemy. Her mother’s union with an outsider of a different race cast her once-proud family into disgrace, so Immanuelle does her best to worship the Father, follow Holy Protocol, and lead a life of submission, devotion, and absolute conformity, like all the other women in the settlement.
But a mishap lures her into the forbidden Darkwood surrounding Bethel, where the first prophet once chased and killed four powerful witches. Their spirits are still lurking there, and they bestow a gift on Immanuelle: the journal of her dead mother, who Immanuelle is shocked to learn once sought sanctuary in the wood.
Fascinated by the secrets in the diary, Immanuelle finds herself struggling to understand how her mother could have consorted with the witches. But when she begins to learn grim truths about the Church and its history, she realizes the true threat to Bethel is its own darkness. And she starts to understand that if Bethel is to change, it must begin with her.
Expected publication : July 2020
Top Ten Tuesday : Books I just bought
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme where every Tuesday we look at a particular topic for discussion and use various (or more to the point ten) bookish examples to demonstrate that particular topic. Top Ten Tuesday (created and hosted by The Broke and Bookish) is now being hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl and future week’s topics can be found here. This week’s topic is :
Books I Bought/Borrowed… because
Okay, so, I’ve gone for my most recent acquisitions. Do I really need a ‘because’. Yes? Well in that case – ‘because’ – books!
This is what I bought most recently – and this isn’t as bad as it looks, these are purchases spread over the last three months and all bought using gift cards – and in fact, I still haven’t used my last gift card up – so very happy about that 😀 See if you like the looks of any of these. Unfortunately I didn’t make a note of where I saw these recommended but if it was you then thank you 😀 Now I just need to find some extra time in the day and all will be good.
A Time of Courage (Of Blood and Bone #3) by John Gwynne
6 April 2020
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: A Time of Courage, John Gwynne, Of Blood and Bone #3
Wow. Yes, I thought I would be consistent – my reviews for the previous two books in the series started that simply and so in the interests of continuity I thought I’d conclude with the same note and, on an incredibly happy note I’m overjoyed to be able to conclude with such high praise.
This third book really blew me away. I loved the first book, I adored the second book but this book, it made me cry, it made me laugh, it made me so annoyed that I wanted to rip a tissue. It’s packed with feelings. The tension is so intense, the battles are furious, the pacing is crazy. I just loved it. I would actually give this a higher rating than 5/5 if I could. Well, who’s to say I can’t. 6 out of 5 stars – there, call the rating police.
Now, if you haven’t yet read this series but intend to do so then just be aware there might be spoilers below, although I highly doubt it as I’m planning on skirting around the plot.
This instalment, in a nutshell, is the perfect culmination to the series. It brings everything together in one huge explosive battle (after a bit of to’ing and fro’ing that is), chucks the pieces into the air and then chops, shoots and stabs the whole lot as it falls to the ground. Then stabs a few more things as well for good measure. Seriously though, there is a lot of fighting in this instalment – and the thing is, I loved it all. Well, apart from some of the deaths – but truth be told you couldn’t have a make or break situation like this without the loss of some favourite characters.
This final instalment is once again told with multiple POVs but this time an additional character is added. So we once again have Riv, Drem, Bled and Fritha but now Jin joins the storytelling and this adds a whole new world of ‘hell hath no fury’. I have to say the characters in this series are absolutely awesome. I love them, even when I really hate them! Seriously this is top characterisation. I was on the edge of my seat with worry. I think I already mentioned I cried. And some of the scenes made me almost cry with relief. Particularly some of the scenes with Bleda. In fact the chapters between Bleda and Jin are absolutely compelling. And the relationships are like a masterclass in writing whether its friendship, love, hate, revenge or desire.
I don’t think I can really write too much more here and that isn’t because I don’t want to but because I’m in serious danger of gushing so much that it becomes simply embarrassing.
All I can say to conclude is that this entire series was perfect from start to finish. I didn’t have any criticisms at all which is unusual to say the least and I read this final instalment with my heart in my throat. I always pick up the last book and wonder if it will live up to the rest of the series and this one really does, in fact it goes beyond. Gwynne doesn’t pull any punches to be fair and I have to applaud that. In an end of the world style story where everything is on the line, lives are lost. Bittersweet though.
If you like epic fantasy then I can’t recommend this series enough. Do yourself a favour and read it. My only regret is that I didn’t read the earlier series by Gwynne set in this same world and now I’ve read the conclusion it’s highly unlikely that I’ll go back, but it is what it is and you never know – one day.
Truth and courage. The truth of the matter is that I loved this series, this story and these characters, as much as Lord of the Rings – there, I’ve said it, and that’s about as high praise as I can think of right now. Tolkien might not be for you though so don’t be distracted by that comment – I’m talking about the pure joy of reading right now, not necessarily style. Courage is something you’re not going to need because you will be hooked from the beginning to the end, although you might need some courage because this book feels like you’ve literally been sucked through some kind of tunnel and are living in this world, and seriously, it’s not a world in which I want to live – I’m an absolute lily livered coward and I have no shame at all about admitting it – and with monsters running and flying at great speed towards you, gnashing their teeth and swinging their war axes, well, a little courage couldn’t hurt – although, getting bumped up onto the shoulders of a huge white bear, who happens to be one of the good guys, makes it all kind of worthwhile.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. the above is my own opinion.
Rating 5 of 5 stars (6 if it was possible)
Books and travelling with Lynn 