Friday Face Off : “Ludo ….. down”
26 July 2019
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Between Two Thorns, Books by Proxy, Emma Newman, Friday Face off, The Split Worlds
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 liste d 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:
“Ludo ….. down” – A cover that is Upside Down
The two books that sprang to mind for this were Neverwhere and I am Behind you but, I’ve featured both of those covers previously so wanted something different. I’ve gone instead for the first book in Emma Newman’s Split World series. This is a fantasy world that is quite different. We have the modern day version of Bath, the land of the fae which exists alongside and then a layer in between separating the two – a reflection of the modern day version of Bath but that is set back in time. Anyways here are the covers – only two I’m afraid this week
I like both of these covers. The first has lots of little details taken from the story and I love the font. The second is very dramatic with the top and bottom banners that make the centre piece stand out. I think if push came to shove my favourite would be :
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 featuring children
Future themes: (if you’re struggling with any of these themes then use a ‘freebie’ or one of your favourite covers)
2019
2nd August – “There are children here somewhere. I can smell them.” A cover featuring children
9th August – “I’m disinclined to acquiesce to your request.” – A cover featuring Pirates
16th August – “The haft of the arrow had been feathered with one of the eagles own plumes” – a cover featuring feathers
23rd August – A cover that is a movie tie in
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
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.
All is Fair (The Split Worlds, #3) by Emma Newman
All is Fair is the third book, in the Split Worlds series by Emma Newman, that I’ve been reading as part of a readalong. This is an unusual world where fae exist – in exile and the mundane world in which we live is separated from the fae by the Nether world. I’m not going to elaborate too much on the previous books because, and maybe wrongly so, I’m going to assume if you’re reading this review you’ve already read the first two and, if you haven’t you really need to do so and you also need to beware of spoilers).
So, at the end of the last book Will has finally achieved the throne of Londinium in a rather ignominious way, Cathy is recovering following the attack upon her person, Max and his sidekick the Gargoyle are still investigating the deaths at their Chapter and Sam is becoming more embroiled in this alternative world than he ever suspected with the Elemental Court now playing a key role in his life.
How can I describe the Split World series. It’s a series set in the modern world – with a period regency style world jostling alongside it seperating the mundanes from the fae and the elementals. A world where nothing is ever quite what it seems and behind the morning dresses and polite afternoon teas is unrest. This series is a slow burner, there’s no mad action here, things happen at their own pace and yet underneath, simmering under the surface are a number of storylines that are gradually heating up.
And, I have to hand it to Miss Newman, she writes these characters in a way that just makes you fume! Literally! Well, personally, I think she’s writing the characters in that way. For example Will. He’s a noble from the Nether world, he’s privileged and used to having what he wants but he’s also quite indoctrinated into this world and so, although he seems like he might change it seems that every other thing that he does right he does another three things that will just infuriate the socks off you. Yes, this is a very sexist world, the women in the nether are repressed and those that speak out or either silenced using charms or transported elsewhere. The Agency help with this. The Agency are a strange and corrupt organisation. They keep things running smoothly in this world but they’re far from above world.
Now on top of this we have the fae who are quite a bunch of schemers. A surreal bunch of characters, scheming and wicked. We also have the sorcerers – sorry I forgot to mention them earlier – of course there is a massive scheme afoot, one that I can’t mention. What I can say is that the newest edition to the sorcerer’s world is very interesting – Rupert.
It’s difficult to say too much here. There is a grand sweeping plot and so it would be very easy to spoil the story. What I can say is that by the end of the story the foundations have been laid for change and things look as though they’re about to get very interesting (by which I mean go to hell in a handcart).
I’m very much looking forward to No.4.
I received a copy of All is Fair from the publisher through Netgalley. The above is my own opinion.
Books and travelling with Lynn 