The Storm Beneath the World by Micheal R Fletcher
12 March 2024
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Michael R Fletcher, The Storm Beneath the World
My Five Word TL/DR Review : Well, Blown Away Am I
So, I picked up this book and I admit my initial thoughts were, ‘really, why insects?’ I mean apart from the fact that I’m one of those raging wusses who wants to run screaming at the sight of an insect, is this a gimmick of some sort, write a story and replace all the characters with insects instead just to be different? How very wrong I was. This story is brilliant. I was absolutely gripped virtually from the get-go, it’s stunningly unique, I loved the characters and the world building is impressive.
I’m tempted to say Bugs Life meets X-Men but that would give you too cosy a picture – and cosy isn’t a word you associate with this author. Or YA for that matter – even though the MCs are still young(ish). In a nutshell, there are some rather brutal scenes, or bloody – well, icky. Don’t be fooled into thinking this is going to be baby unicorns and rainbows but at the same time don’t be put off by the author’s ‘grimdark’ reputation because you’ll miss out on a seriously good read.
The Ashkaro are insects – yes, they have human like attributes, they talk, they feel, have aspirations, fears, raise families, run businesses, but their behaviours are also largely governed by the fact that they are insects. This is a matriarchal society, the females are much larger and stronger than the males, there is a queen, the females go out to war, etc. Also there is a caste like system which seems to be based on how bright and colourful is the insect’s carapace, the higher up in the system the more names you have, so the Queen has five names, whilst a lowly dull bodied Ashkaro might have only one. This system is easily apparent as the story progresses. We initially meet a three named female and from her perspective we discover much about the world – no info dumps though, the information is relayed as the story unfolds and feels like a natural part of the narrative. Some of the Ashkaro develop a Talent, the scope for these Talents is vast and ranges between the skill to carve trinkets to the ability to make powerful suggestions. It sounds great doesn’t it, you want one of those talents, you know you do. Except, here’s the rub, Talents are considered dangerously addictive, they’re pleasurable to use and eventually lead to apathy, madness and ultimately death. If an insect develops a Talent they become known as Corrupt and are immediately removed from their family and life – to who knows where – they don’t come back after all..
So, these insects basically live on floating islands, As it happens, one of these islands is travelling ominously close to another one, war looms and it seems a plot is afoot to use Talented youngsters as spies or assassins.
There are some moments of genius in this as well as some fantastically emotive scenes that I can’t really discuss but which really give the author a chance to demonstrate that these are insects, they’re not human, and whilst they might share certain character traits they rely heavily on things that are completely alien to us – such as antennae. I won’t say any more.
I can’t really tell you too much more but I can of course suggest that you read this book and I am using my very own powers of suggestion right now. Obi Lynn Kenobi “This is the book you’re looking for”.
The only downside – I would like the next book now please if it’s not too much to ask.
I received a copy, courtesy of the author, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 4.5 of 5 stars
Crucible of Chaos of Sebastien de Castell
11 March 2024
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Reviews, Court of Shadows, Crucible of Chaos, Mystery, reading, Sebastien de Castell
My Five Word TL:DR Review : Twisted Mystery Meets Dark Fantasy
I picked Crucible of Chaos up last year shortly before Christmas and I don’t think my frame of mind was in the right place for the bleakness of the setting so I put it down. I always intended to pick this one back up – the opening chapters were fantastic after all – it just took me a little longer than I’d planned.
As the story begins we meet Estevar Borros, a sword fighting magistrate and investigator of the supernatural. He’s making his way across a causeway to Isola Sombra where a towering abbey is literally in chaos. The monks seem to have gone crazy and talk of new Gods, demons and strange worship abounds. Can our investigator get to the bottom of these shenanigans.
I won’t really go into the plot because there lies the road of spoilers.
This is another clever murder mystery that brings the winning investigative style of one character into play and combines supernatural elements that quickly escalate into all out mayhem.
Estevar is an interesting character indeed. He’s sharp witted, sharper tongued and yet can turn on the charm when it benefits him. His mule, Imperious, is seriously the perfect sidekick – I loved that mule and I won’t deny that I felt more concern for his well-being than I did for any of the other characters.
So, the other characters. Well the monks have split into different factions. It is believed that new Gods are arising and nobody can agree on what exactly will come next. Some of the monks are taking a very militant stance, others have spiralled into drunken mania. And, the Abbot is dead – and yet refuses to stay buried. I liked Estevar, he’s a mash up of clever thinking and daring bluff. He’s not as young or fit as he once was and is hampered by a serious sword wound that he incurred before travelling to the island. I mean seriously – at points, I was thinking will you just give the man a break for goodness sake! He is joined on his investigation by a young woman who is determined to help and keen to learn, Caeda. I really liked her, she wriggled herself into my affections and there is, well, a double twist, coming your way with her involvement. I didn’t see either coming.
The setting for this one definitely plays really well into the story. People sometimes say that the setting is almost like another character and in this case that’s definitely true. A small island, battered by storm and sea, demons arising, tall windy towers, crypts beneath. It’s all wonderfully dark and menacing and creates the perfect atmosphere.
In terms of criticisms. Well, I think at first the darkness of the abbey was a little too much, also the pacing, after the initial causeway ‘incident’ dipped a little for me, although, as I already mentioned, I think some of that is due to my own mindset at the time.
What I can say is that once I picked this one back up I had no problem easily falling into the story. Indeed, the pace is totally ramped up for the finale and in fact becomes almost over the top daunting, you can’t see how these characters are going to get through these trials in one piece! And, I became fully absorbed by the overarching mystery and Estevar’s investigation.
Overall, this was a clever combination of fantasy and mystery. Dark and a bit brutal, wicked in parts, well written with a style that made me frequently smile. I look forward to reading more from the Court of Shadows series.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 4 of 5 stars.
Booking Ahead/Weekly Wrap Up
10 March 2024
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Reviews, Booking Ahead, Caffeinated Book Reviewer, Fantasy, SPFBO, Sunday Post, Weekly wrap up
I’m trying to get back into the habit of doing a round-up of the week just completed and also take a look at my plans for the forthcoming week. I rather got out of the habit of doing so but I would like to reinstate this type of post as I feel it keeps me on track. So, I’m linking up to The Sunday Post over at Kimberly’s Caffeinated Reviewer. Without further ado:
Books read this week:
This week I’ve had less time for reading and blogging – life ‘things’ keep getting in the way – in particular the freezer going on the blink involving lots of running around cleaning up and cooking things that I wouldn’t otherwise have been cooking plus overall very bad weather and storms and wind blowing things into places they shouldn’t be. Still, I managed to complete The Classified Dossier – Sherlock Holmes and Dorian Gray by Christian Klavier. I then went off track slightly and picked up Murder Road by Simone St James which I loved and in fact have already reviewed. Finally I picked up Oracle by Thomas Olde Heuvelt. I was hoping to complete this by the end of the day but I’ve been side tracked again so probably one to complete next week now.
Complete Oracle by Thomas Olde Heuvelt. I then have one final review book for March, Play of Shadows by Sebastien de Castell. After that I’m going to see if I can complete the rest of my SPFBO finalists. I’m also hoping to provide an update next week followed by reviews – one to be posted every few days (once I’ve drawn up my schedule).
Reviews Posted:
- The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden
- The Classified Dossier – Sherlock Holmes and Dorian Gray by Christian Klavier
- Murder Road by Simone St James
- SPFBO Finalist
- SPFBO Finalist
- SPFBO Finalist
- SPFBO Finalist
- SPFBO Finalist
- The September House by Carissa Orlando
- Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
- The Storm Beneath the World by Michael R Fletcher
- Crucible of Chaos by Sebastien de Castell
Friday Face Off : Murder Road by Simone St James
8 March 2024
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Friday Face off, Murder Road, Simone St James
Today I’m returning to the Friday Face Off, originally created by Books by Proxy). I’ve missed these for the past few months and so would like to get back to comparing covers (and hopefully I will be updating this page with a new banner. This is an opportunity to look at a book of your choice and shine the spotlight on the covers. Of course this only works for those books that have alternative covers (although sometimes I use this to look at a series of books to choose a favourite). . So, if you have a book that has alternative covers, highlight them and choose your favourite. If you’re taking part it would be great if you leave a link so I can take a look at what you’ve chosen.
This week I’ve chosen a book that I’ve just literally read and reviewed (and loved I might add). Murder Road by Simone St James. Here are the covers:
Well, I like both of these. The first very dark and the lights shining along the road. The second has a somewhat more sinister feel to it with the lonely character.
My favourite: I really like the second cover, you can just tell the book is going to be creepy, but if you really look at it it looks more like the figure is walking in the forest, which actually I do understand, but I think the road and the lights seems more fitting given the story, plus I like the dramatic impact of the colours.
Which is your favourite?
Join me next week in highlighting one of your reads with different covers.
Murder Road by Simone St James
7 March 2024
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Reviews, Horror, Murder Road, Mystery, Simone St James
My Five Word TL:DR Review : Absolutely Loved It. Deliciously Creepy
I went off track a little and decided to pick up Murder Road a little earlier than planned. I couldn’t help myself, I’ve been wanting to read this author for so long and in fact have previously purchased at least two of her other titles but not yet managed to pick them up. Anyway, I was excited and sometimes the heart wants what the heart wants so I just went for it. And this does not disappoint. This was so wonderfully creepy. Believe me when I say those other books I already own – yep, they’re getting bumped to the top of the TBR. I love this combination of dark horror and supernatural elements all swirled together in such an intoxicating fashion.
So, Murder Road. Starts with a couple of newlyweds on the way for their honeymoon. I immediately cottoned onto these two. They have a relaxed vibe with each other that belies the fact that they only met six months ago. In a nutshell they feel right together. Anyway, they’re lost. They’re driving down a very dark road, hemmed in with trees and not another soul in sight. At this point, they’re not particularly concerned, maybe they’ll turn round and backtrack. Just as they’re making plans to go back the way they came they spot a lone woman on the road. They can’t just drive past without checking she’s okay, which upon closer investigation she clearly isn’t. Taking the young girl on board they drive to the nearest hospital – all the while being chased down by a mysterious black truck. By the skin of their teeth they make the turnoff and deliver the injured woman, only to discover within short order that she has died and they seem to be the prime suspects for her death.
The couple find themselves almost under arrest and taken to Coldlake Falls by the police, their car impounded and not so politely requested to stay at a local B&B until required for questioning. They are staying put and the honeymoon is just a distant dream.
Right. What did I like about this.
As I mentioned I really liked the central couple. The story is told by April and she has such a great voice that I was almost hypnotised. Eddie is also a great character, he has a certain strength that just radiates from him, he’s polite and people seem to immediately warm to him. Both of them have an inner strength that has been earned through bitter experience but in finding each other it’s as though they’ve found their own ‘home’. I just really liked them if you can’t already tell. The way they’re being treated seems so unfair but it soon becomes clear that this isn’t the first death on this particular road. Atticus Line has witnessed a number of murders over the years and it feels like our hapless couple are about to be scapegoated.
I also really liked Rose. She runs a local B&B although she never seems to have any customers and the locals make her life miserable, accusing her of murdering her husband, a wild accusation that the police simply smile at and make no attempt to counter. She’s a quirky character, a bit abrupt at first but she soon softens and helps the couple to start their own investigation. If they’re going to be under a strange form of ‘house arrest’ they might as well make the most of their time and try to clear their names.
I felt like this was perfectly paced and really well plotted. It’s a chilling ghost story that really did make me look over my shoulder on more than one occasion. When I’m reading I sit with a window at my back and sometimes, if it’s a particularly scary book, I get the horrible feeling that I’m being watched, it gives me the goosebumps.
The setting was also really good. You have this small town vibe, I think the residents themselves lived in a form of suspended horror – which felt almost inevitable with this creepy road where death so frequently occurs. There’s a local urban myth that the road is haunted by a particular ghost, and if you spot her, she’ll be the last person you ever see. And yet still, young people travel the road alone, hoping to hitchhike their way to the nearest beach.
On top of this our two central characters are being slightly cagey about their own pasts and inevitably these secrets are going to reveal themselves.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book and really couldn’t put it down. The writing is really engaging. The dialogue flows well. The plot is intriguing and there are some wonderfully spooky elements that gave me a serious case of the shivers.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 4.5 of 5 stars
