The House of Sacrifice (Empires of Dust #3) by Anna Smith Spark
23 August 2019
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Anna Smith Spark, Empires of Dust #3, The House of Sacrifice
And so comes to an end Anna Smith Spark’s brilliantly brutal Empires of Dust. And what a very fitting end to the series it is. This series is not for the faint of heart, it’s downright grim, it’s unapologetically bloody and it’s written in the most unique, almost poetic, prose I’ve ever come across.
I think this is possibly one of the hardest reviews I’ve had to write. A combination of not wanting to give anything away coupled with arguing with myself about my own feelings. To be clear, this is a great ending to this series, it’s perhaps not my favourite book of the series (that still remains The Tower of Living and Dying) but it’s so true to itself that it’s positively perfect. There’s a loss of hope here, a weary sort of recognition that nothing will ever be enough and a perfect telling of one man’s descent into madness.
So, what can I tell you about this book. It went in directions that I didn’t expect at all. It contains the same starkly beautiful prose as the first two instalments and it has definitely left me gagging to find out what this author will come up with next. Will this book be for everyone? Definitely not. This is a story that almost sucks the life and soul out of you when reading, the despair, the madness, the fear, the hysteria. It’s just so bloody dark, it’s like a black hole – no light, no reflection just all consuming. Lets just be frank, the laughs are few and far between and any sense of hope almost non-existent, I think the only hope that you really hanker after is retribution and whilst there’s an element of that there’s also the realisation that the same thing happening over and over again is kind of inevitable – the only difference being the ruthless conqueror. History has shown us this very thing and this series is a perfect embodiment of that blood thirsty ambition to dominate that has repeated itself throughout the ages. I can’t deny that it took me a while to read this one, which isn’t a reflection on how good the book is but more that things are definitely bleak and sometimes I had to escape to something a bit more fluffy and fun loving with unicorns and rainbows.
Marith and Thalia. Wow, what a journey they take us on. The two of them together though. You’d hope that somehow they’d become more human, more sympathetic, more anything really. But no. They’re both a bit (aka a lot) monstrous, Marith more so than Thalia although she doesn’t exactly break a sweat out trying to curb him. They both have their own crosses to bear and sadness to deal with, they’ve both come so far together that in some respects they don’t like each other at all and yet in others they can’t bear to be apart. They’re a riddle indeed. I can’t help thinking about Alexander the Great when reading about Marith. The ambition, the charisma and the ruthless desire to conquer. Marith thinks himself godlike in fact that’s probably the only thing left that he could strive for after conquering all else and his belief of his own invincibility is his only weakness.
I recall in a previous review describing this author’s style as hypnotic and that still stands. I’ve also mentioned that her style has a poetic feel – and yet I don’t really read poetry so there’s a conundrum right there. The best way to describe this, for me, is that the prose is wonderfully descriptive whilst being distinctly brief. It’s the very opposite of, say, Tolkien or Dickens (both authors that I like btw). And, to be honest, f you can use simply 5 words to describe a field, a tower, a battle and yet still conjure a vivid picture then why not – although I will say that I imagine this takes a hell of a lot more skill than you would imagine and this is an author who makes it look deceptively easy.
Overall, this has been a remarkable series. I have so much respect for this author not only for her vision and writing chops but also for having the guts to take this series to the bitter end and give it the fitting conclusion it deserves without shirking or trying to wrap everything up too nicely.
As mentioned above, be aware that this series definitely falls into the grimdark category, it isn’t a YA read and there are elements to these stories that would not be everyone’s cup of tea so take heed. I’m not going to tell you to read or to not read this – you know your own selves better than I do so hopefully you’ll make the right choice for you. I would just say that this is a fine series, groundbreaking in style of writing, fascinating in it’s reflection of history and on point in terms of today’s modern fantasy reader.
I received a copy courtesy of the publisher, through Netgalley, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
Friday Face Off : A cover that is a movie tie in
23 August 2019
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Books by Proxy, Cassandra Clare, City of Bones, Friday Face off, Movie tie-ins
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, compare a couple of the different covers available for that particular book and choose your favourite. Future week’s themes are listed below – the list has been updated to help out those of you who like to plan ahead – 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:
A cover that is a movie tie in
I can think of a lot of books for this week’s themes. In fairness. I’m not overly fond of movie tie-in covers as a rule – probably related to the whole notion I have about reading the book before seeing the film. Anyway, hope everyone found this an easy week. Here’s the book I chose: City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1) by Cassandra Clare and here are the covers:
My favourites :
And my favourite
Probably an unusual choice given all the colourful and dramatic covers available. I like the simplicity of the design in terms of two colours and all the little details just appeal to me. Plus I like the font.
Like last week I’ve added a Mr Linky here so that you can leave a link if you wish or please leave me a link in the comments so we can all visit and check out each others covers. Thanks
I’ve updated the list and included themes through to the end of 2019 – I’ve also included 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 that let me know in the comments). I also have a list prepared for 2020 and so will set up a separate page soon for forthcoming themes. As always, if you wish to submit an idea then leave me a comment.
Next week – A cover that is predominantly yellow
Future themes: (if you’re struggling with any of these themes then use a ‘freebie’ or one of your favourite covers)
2019
30th August – “I wandered lonely as a cloud” – a cover that is predominantly yellow
6th September “Warm September brings the fruit” – a cover that is seasonal for Autumn/Fall
13th September – Friday the 13th – unlucky for some! A cover with ‘curse’ in the title
20th September – “Your hair is winter fire,January embers.” – A cover featuring hair
27th September – Freebie
4th October – “Feed me Seymour” – A cover that is 60s horror
11th October – ““And, though there should be a world of difference between the smile of a man and the bared fangs of a wolf, with Joss Merlyn they were one and the same.” – a cover featuring an Inn/Hotel
18th October – “It’s your favorite scary movie, remember? He had on the white mask, he stalked the babysitters.” – A cover featuring a scream
25th October – for Halloween – pick any scary cover you like
(I’m hoping that November will once again bring to us SciFiMonth – Twitter @SciFiMonth)
1st November – A cover that is predominantly grey
8th November – “big badda boom” – a cover that features an explosion
15th November – “No thinking thing should be another thing’s property, to be turned on and off when it is convenient.” – a cover featuring a robot
22nd November – A cover that is Futuristic
29th November – “When a day that you happen to know is Wednesday starts off by sounding like Sunday, there is something seriously wrong somewhere.” – a cover that is 60s sci fi
6th December – Now is the winter of our discontent, Made glorious summer by this sun of York” – a cover that puts you in mind of winter
13th December – A cover that features a temple/or religious icon
20th December – Longest Night – a dark and foreboding cover
27th December – the festive season – a cover that is glittery or sparkling
(2020 – January is Vintage SciFi month so I’ll be including possible themes to take that on board.
Turning Darkness Into Light by Marie Brennan
22 August 2019
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Marie Brennan, Turning Darkness Into Light
Turning Darkness Into Light gave me exactly what I expected, it met my expectations and in fact surpassed them in some ways. It’s a lovely fantasy of manners style story that brings to us the granddaughter of Lady Trent as she becomes involved in something of a mystery. Told in an epistolary format we read of events through a series of different formats including letters, diary entry and notebook entries. I was thoroughly entertained, The writing style is just lovely and I can’t help thinking that if Jane Austen wrote fantasy she might very well have come up with something similar to this.
This style of storytelling is something I really enjoy. Of course, it does require some reading between the lines or purely joining up the dots but that just helps to make it even more tantalising. I would say that I think this stands very well on it’s own two feet. I don’t think it is necessary to have read the Lady Trent series of books in order to understand this at all but, for readers already familiar with this world there are some blasts from the past that are lovely to read from.
Audrey Camherst is the granddaughter of Lady Trent and has turned her attentions to scholarly pursuits. As such Audrey is gaining respect and renown in the field of philology – the translation of ancient languages – so when a set of ancient Draconian tablets are discovered – and Audrey is asked to work on their translation, she is only too keen to jump on board hoping that the work will lead to something new and exciting. As it happens the work is the start of Audrey’s own adventures. The tablets could possibly reveal the early ways and beliefs of the Draconian people and with an important case coming up, with huge decisions that will have an impact on how the Draconian people live, well, everyone is waiting anxiously for the work to be complete.
Basically the Draconian people are a different race and reactions to their existence has not always been positive to say the least. Their lives are restricted in terms of movement and the upcoming debate could see massive changes to their lifestyle if things go well, allowing them greater freedom of movement. I’m not going to go too much further into the plot or the Draconians because to do so could be a spoiler not only for this book but also for the Lady Trent series. Suffice to say there are machinations afoot and not everyone has the best interest of the Draconians at heart.
So, what I really liked about this. Firstly, the characters. Audrey is a lovely character to read about. She has a feisty/stubborn streak and clearly takes after her grandmother in that respect as well as her blatant disregard for social conventions that don’t fit the way she wants to live or behave. She isn’t perfect to be fair and almost reaches a point in this story where things feel like they’re getting out of control a little. Her own ambitions and secret desire for fame of the sort her family already enjoy leads her sometimes to rush at things with little regard for the bigger picture. But, I liked this about her and let’s be honest, it can’t be easy living in the shadow of Lady Trent. I also really liked the supporting cast, Kudshayn, who is roped in to the work of translating the tablets is a great character and proves himself to be quite handy in a tight spot! Cora is the niece of Lord Gleinheigh – the archaeologist (although I use that term reluctantly because with his careless attitude to ancient antiquities he’s little more than a grave robbing-glory hunting hoarder. Cora is an interesting character indeed. She takes things very literally and has a very strict code when it comes to undertaking things that are asked of her. I think she made an excellent addition to the team.
The setting and world building are also brilliant. I felt like I could just sink into this alternate Victorian steampunk world with perfect ease. The politics and characters brought the place to life and the attention to detail was spot on at the same time as not being overbearing.
In terms of criticisms. Nothing too serious. I wasn’t in love with the footnotes that were attached to the translations – but I think that’s a comment more about formatting than anything else, I don’t find that footnotes work as well when reading on Kindle for some reason. It’s just so easy to flip back and forth between the pages of a book when you’re reading a physical copy and so footnotes, glossaries and maps become a little more cumbersome or awkward when reading an e-book.
Overall, little niggles aside, I thought this was a lovely read. The writing is perfect and the story is very cleverly laid out. I would read more from this world without any hesitation whatsoever and I sincerely hope that the author plans for more adventures and mysteries to draw Audrey into.
I received a copy courtesy of the publisher, through Netgalley, for which my thanks the above is my own opinion.
I would rate this 4.5 of 5 stars
Can’t Wait Wednesday : The Wolf of Oren-yaro (Annals of the Bitch Queen #1) by K.S. Villoso
21 August 2019
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Annals of the Bitch Queen #1, Can't wait Wednesday, KS Villoso, The Wolf of Oren-yaro, 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 Wolf of Oren-yaro (Annals of the Bitch Queen #1) by K.S. Villoso. What can I say – I want this book! That is all.
A queen of a divided land must unite her people, even if they hate her, even if it means stopping a ruin that she helped create. A debut epic fantasy from an exciting new voice.
“They called me the Bitch Queen, the she-wolf, because I murdered a man and exiled my king the night before they crowned me.”
Born under the crumbling towers of Oren-yaro, Queen Talyien was the shining jewel and legacy of the bloody War of the Wolves, which nearly tore her nation apart. But her arranged marriage with the son of a rival clan should herald peaceful days to come.
However, her fiancé’s sudden departure before their reign begins puts a quick end to those dreams, and the kingdom is fractured beyond repair.
Years later, Talyien receives a message, one that will send her across the sea. What’s meant to be an effort at reconciling the past becomes an assassination attempt. Stranded in a land she doesn’t know, with no idea whom she can trust, Talyien will have to embrace her namesake.
A wolf of Oren-yaro is not tamed.
Publication date: February 2020
TTT : Favourite Fantasy Tropes
20 August 2019
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: That Artsy Reader Girl, Top Ten Tuesday, Tropes
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:
Favorite Tropes
There’s a reason why tropes are used a lot – basically, done well, they make for some rather excellent reading as my list below shows. I’ve chosen today’s topics from the Tough Travelling fantasy meme that I used to enjoy taking part in. Run by Nathan at The Fantasy Review Barn the idea was to come up with examples each week that fit Diana Wynne Jones Tough Guide to Fantasyland. Here are a few of the topics we covered:
Pirates:
PIRATES range the seas in force, though most of them operate individually…The sole qualifications are that they must be rough and ruthless, which a penchant for dressing gaudily.’
The Dread Pirate Roberts from The Princess Bride by William Goldman. Much feared, his daring and sword fighting abilities precede him. However, there’s more to Roberts than at first meets the eye???? I won’t give it away here though.
Mentor:
A tour official who will be at your service until halfway through the tour, when you will unexpectedly lose him‘
Chains – and the Gentlemen Bastards
The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch. Chains is a great character. He teaches his little band the art of subtlety, how to blend in with a crowd, how to spot a mark, how to speak multiple languages, cook, read and fight with their weapon of choice. His charges are experts in the art of disguise and deception. They play the long game and entertain with their snarky humour and bad language!
Fairground:
Fairground- This is like a MARKET, except it is much , much bigger and planted somewhere right in the middle of nowhere so that everyone can get to it. There will be rows and rows of TENTS and BOOTHS…
The Troupe by Robert J Bennett
The Troupe is a coming of age fantasy about a young boy who runs away to join the fair! Well, he runs away to join the Vaudeville circuit and search for his father.
So George, much like Nellie the Elephant, packed his trunk and joined the strange and mysterious world of The Troupe. They follow a gruelling schedule, in fact you’ll be lucky if you can catch a performance. Are the Troup running away from demons, they’re certainly followed by faceless men in grey who blend with the shadows. The imagination and fantasy contained here is really fantastic. It’s a gripping story.
The Troupe has its own strong man and a puppet master (creepy at all) and the Master of the show gives a spellbinding performance at the conclusion of each event that leaves the audience, quite literally, spell bound.
APPRENTICES.
Apprentices are people who are training for a trade or skill, which means they are usually quite young and bad at what they do. Most of the time they are like nurses during an operation, being there only to hand the master his tools. They seem to have to do this for a good many years before they get to do anything more interesting, and it is therefore not surprising that some of them get restless and either try to do the interesting stuff themselves or simply run away. The Rules state that if an Apprentice tries to do the interesting stuff on their own it will blow up in their face. If they run away, they will learn all sorts of things very quickly and also probably prove to be the MISSING HEIR to a Kingdom.
Phèdre nó Delaunay – Jacqueline Carey’s Kushiel’s Dart. Originally trained in Naamah’s arts Phedre becomes a trainee or apprentice to Anafiel Delaunay de Montrève. Along with Alcuin Phedre will learn a number of things, including languages and the art of being covert in preparation for becoming a spy at court.
SNARKY SIDEKICKS
Why is everyone so serious all the time? Perhaps they need a friend that is there with a quick bit of wit to liven up the day… even if the day is looking to quickly turn to blood.
Reiches – a squirrel cat from Sebastien de Castell’s Spellslinger series – I love this critter. Not everybody understands him but he’s definitely snarky and it turns out he loves a hot bath with buttery biscuits on the side.
Assassins
Assassins are ubiquitous throughout fantasyland. Sharp-eyed readers (or even dull-eyed ones) will notice that their hooded forms often adorn book covers, and that they frequently appear – rather improbably – not to mind being the sole focus of our attention. Whether they’re spotlight hogs or camera-shy and brooding, most assassins will have trained for years and are very, VERY good at their job (i.e. killing people for money).
Mia Covere – from Nevernight (The Nevernight Chronicles #1) by Jay Kristoff. Mia is a young protagonist when the story begins and she attends a school for assassins where staying alive is the most important lesson of all. Mia can use the shadows to cloak herself in darkness and in fact the shadows themselves provide her with the constant presence of a companion – a cat she calls Mr Kindly. To be clear this book is not a YA novel – there is plenty of bloody violence and other material that would be unsuitable for younger readers so don’t be misguided by Mia’s age or the school type setting. Hogwarts this isn’t.
A LADY AND HER SWORD
Fantasyland is full of threats. A lady and her sword can keep those threats at bay.
‘I am no man’… –
Yup – I’ve gone for Lady Eowyn – who is rather a dab hand with a sword as it happens- Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings – lets just be honest, this list would not be complete without Tolkien!
NEW BEGINNINGS
A new leaf, a new life, a complete change of pace for a character in fantasyland is how most stories start. Bad people get a second chance, farm kids leave the farm, or a soldier gets a new post. From there adventure await.
Grim from Dreamer’s Pool by Juliet Marillier. At the start of the story Blackthorn, wrongly imprisoned, escapes prison with one of her fellow prisoners – Grim. This is a great book and all about new beginnings.
INDEPENDENCE BATTLES
The good fight. Casting off the chains of tyranny! No one in fantasyland refuses the call of the good fight. And what fight is more important in fantasyland than FREEDOM?
Red Rising by Pierce Brown – in which a teenage boy called Darrow tries to help his people break free from their lives as miners and almost slaves to the richer upper echelons of society known as the Golds. I wondered if this one really counted – as it’s not really the bigger battle in the first book – it’s more about infiltration. But, ultimately it is about the good fight.
Dead Gods
Fantasyland had gods, right? And now they are dead. Dead Gods are not forgotten though, often they are still just influential to the land as they were when living.
The Gospel of Loki by Joanne Harris – in which ‘Ragnarok’ is brought about by the Gods trying to avoid fate. Told by the trickster Loki. Few Gods will survive in this retelling of Norse mythology.
Books and travelling with Lynn 