tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27325492832051256492024-03-13T07:38:34.661+00:00The Queen of BladesBook reviews, movies, pointless thoughts. **Currently CLOSED for review requests until MAY**Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14630052657331654443noreply@blogger.comBlogger87125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2732549283205125649.post-92077166277782420882018-01-12T14:06:00.000+00:002018-01-12T14:06:35.377+00:00The Gods Awful Book Slump...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large;">I have spent the last few months in what can only be described as the mother of all book slumps. It was awful. Imagine no longer enjoying your favourite hobby, all the while thinking you'll never love another book again. A fate I'd not wish on (almost) anyone. I had no motivation to read, and none to review. And when did read everything was meh. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I think it started when I went back to work. Suddenly all my attention was focused on the job, and the free time I had left was going on Taekwondo (and washing, piles upon endless piles of washing). There just weren't the hours in the day. So, I stopped reading. Not what I wanted to do, but if I'm not enjoying anything what is the point? I read because I love stories. I love putting myself in the characters' shoes, feeling what they feel. Good, bad, angry, heartbroken, or whatever. If I can't connect I will very quickly loose interest, and the last thing I wanted was to force myself to read. It's not fair on the book.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Well, now that work is quieter, and I have my obsession with taekwondo under control things are returning to normal. I'm also doing less hours at the library, so I have extra reading time! YAY!!! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Crucially, I was able to kick off the New Year with a rather fantastic book, namely <i>Kings of the Wyld</i> by Nicholas Eames. A book I had, up until recently, been ignoring for fear of not liking it. Yes, I often find books like these don't live up to the hype they produce. Also my mother says I'm antagonistic anyway. I can't help but hate anything universally loved.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">To my surprise and delight I loved <i>Kings</i> from the very first page! Some great action, some hilarious dialogue, and a few touching moments too. I'm just about a third of the way through and can't get enough. It feels so good to be stealing away to a quite corner to read. And <i>wanting</i> to as well. I had believed I would not feel that again for a long time, but this book has brought me back from a nasty place I'd rather not visit again. I can't imagine anything worse than no longer getting any joy from something you used to love. So thank you, Mr Eames. Also, did I mention how fucking funny it is? </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14630052657331654443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2732549283205125649.post-21824148923756128762017-09-13T13:59:00.000+01:002017-09-13T13:59:13.571+01:00So I'm Back... Again: Giveaway Time! <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: red;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">I'm clearing some space on my shelves, so let's have a giveaway!!</span></b></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkwwN_aLWzpKPetb8pPn5v9wmgJA10HzjvsuQxz-2MD5anfkR21FpqwMvbx_P58LLwIW13mbRqNql7_LXTjJIBc0Fv04tnfPGo_xetFvdBDLtsmFHIu9cKfz9ZRfeCkPTi9zGm_xmhKN_7/s1600/giveaway.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="832" data-original-width="1200" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkwwN_aLWzpKPetb8pPn5v9wmgJA10HzjvsuQxz-2MD5anfkR21FpqwMvbx_P58LLwIW13mbRqNql7_LXTjJIBc0Fv04tnfPGo_xetFvdBDLtsmFHIu9cKfz9ZRfeCkPTi9zGm_xmhKN_7/s400/giveaway.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Do you like my fnacy vintage filter?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Follow and RT this tweet: https://twitter.com/queenblade_blog/status/907937873172877312</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;">P.S. Double chance if you follow my blog too!!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Bloglovin' counts too: https://www.bloglovin.com/@traceykimcairns</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;">I currently have none BOOOHOOO!!! Woe is me.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14630052657331654443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2732549283205125649.post-12003020551721042002017-09-07T16:33:00.000+01:002017-09-07T16:33:56.419+01:00Book Review: A Gathering of Ravens by Scott Oden<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBpK691Xjh3Dxo6CyBgcutRbs8vUMiTplaoXOW2ciulxsL1shFISVou_nMvOW3advsmxYDmvEqSm9DgqfCllfClEnEnjL1Vr_F4mtOrJeQYEj5Bzno9S-uSyjpRxXm7f3woVVQQe0reRHE/s1600/ravens.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBpK691Xjh3Dxo6CyBgcutRbs8vUMiTplaoXOW2ciulxsL1shFISVou_nMvOW3advsmxYDmvEqSm9DgqfCllfClEnEnjL1Vr_F4mtOrJeQYEj5Bzno9S-uSyjpRxXm7f3woVVQQe0reRHE/s400/ravens.jpg" width="263" /></a></div>
<span id="freeText13181695584241674237"><i>To the Danes, he is skraelingr; to the English, he is orcneas; to the Irish, he is fomoraig.
He is Corpse-maker and Life-quencher, the Bringer of Night, the Son of
the Wolf and Brother of the Serpent. He is Grimnir, and he is the last
of his kind--the last in a long line of monsters who have plagued
humanity since the Elder Days.<br /><br />Drawn from his lair by a thirst
for vengeance against the Dane who slew his brother, Grimnir emerges
into a world that's changed. A new faith has arisen. The Old Ways are
dying, and their followers retreating into the shadows; even still,
Grimnir's vengeance cannot be denied.<br /><br />Taking a young Christian
hostage to be his guide, Grimnir embarks on a journey that takes him
from the hinterlands of Denmark, where the wisdom of the ancient dwarves
has given way to madness, to the war-torn heart of southern England,
where the spirits of the land make violence on one another. And thence
to the green shores of Ireland and the Viking stronghold of Dubhlinn,
where his enemy awaits.<br /><br />But, unless Grimnir can set aside his
hatreds, his dream of retribution will come to nothing. For Dubhlinn is
set to be the site of a reckoning--the Old Ways versus the New--and
Grimnir, the last of his kind left to plague mankind, must choose: stand
with the Christian King of Ireland and see his vengeance done or stand
against him and see it slip away?</i></span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText13181695584241674237"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>A Gathering of Ravens</i> was one of the 2017 releases that I was really looking forward to. I was super excited when I was approved for a copy. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText13181695584241674237"><span style="font-size: large;">I can only be honest when reviewing, otherwise what's the point? So, here goes. I didn't love it. I didn't hate it either. I just didn't connect with it at all. I really wanted too. Everything about the blurb screamed "perfect for Tracey!!". And yet, I was underwhelmed. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText13181695584241674237"><span style="font-size: large;">Why? Is it me? The vast majority of my fellow reviewers loved it. I struggled to form any kind of connection with the characters, and the plot I found a tad lacklustre. I'm loathe to say it, but it's true. I seem to be in the minority, though. And in this case I'm happy that most of my esteemed 'colleagues' disagree with me! </span></span><span id="freeText13181695584241674237"><span style="font-size: large;">This is one of the reasons I always say to people "Don't take my word for it, go read it yourself!" </span></span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText13181695584241674237"><span style="font-size: large;">I did enjoy Grimnir's insults, though.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText13181695584241674237"><span style="font-size: large;">Verdict: Sadly I can give no more than 6/10 </span><i> </i></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14630052657331654443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2732549283205125649.post-79390740023575314082017-08-04T12:48:00.000+01:002017-08-04T12:48:01.024+01:00Where Have I Been?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large;">So, some of the more observant among you may have noticed a distinct lack of new content. Yes, I have been rather busy over the past 2 months and as a result my poor neglected blog has fallen way down the list of priorities. As has my reading. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">What could possibly be more important than books and talking about books? Well, I have got a job. Hooray! I have money! Money for more books, which I don't have much time to read anymore...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Anyway, I was initially planning on taking a short hiatus (maybe 2 weeks) from here, but that evolved into 1 month, which in turn became almost 2 months. Now I just need to catch up on my reviews.... </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">In addition to getting legitimate employment, I have also left my volunteering post at the library and started volunteering at another library (my local one), yeah the cuts have hit hard up here. We have quite a few volunteer libraries in our district these days, and more are added every year. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Much of my Friday mornings since April were taken up with 'volunteer training'. You might think I know what to do by now, but no, this one was slightly more complicated. I also took on a greater role of responsibility at this library. We have now been operational for 3+ weeks and things are going well. I won't bore you with details, but suffice to say, people can and are using the library. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">As well as the job and volunteering, I also started Taekwon-do, which has all but taken over my life. Quite a large portion of my free time is taken up practicing the different kicks, and four-directional punches and blocks. It's so much fun though. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">My plan is to try and get one review done every day, until I've caught up. Whether I stick to that plan is another story all together, have I mentioned I'm really lazy anyway? </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Until then</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14630052657331654443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2732549283205125649.post-47917801285255131042017-06-14T10:14:00.001+01:002017-06-14T10:14:20.368+01:00Shattered Minds (Pacifica) by Laura Lam<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKKuLeAx9mrAXddDsQwPsLs9GhbpkYRwQZM_GlMX90KF441svbISDdm-AgDPSxAGoCS-d0um3fOXMQ-Z6Q3m4CXUdpiGKvzwDPVa6JN75iV9jvQoEzQjavcUHtngSzp70wdALomVbvtE5X/s1600/shattered.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="309" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKKuLeAx9mrAXddDsQwPsLs9GhbpkYRwQZM_GlMX90KF441svbISDdm-AgDPSxAGoCS-d0um3fOXMQ-Z6Q3m4CXUdpiGKvzwDPVa6JN75iV9jvQoEzQjavcUHtngSzp70wdALomVbvtE5X/s400/shattered.jpg" width="260" /></a></div>
<i><span id="freeText12220958077420853521">She can uncover the truth, if she defeats her demons<br /><br />Ex-neuroscientist
Carina struggles with a drug problem, her conscience, and urges to
kill. She satisfies her cravings in dreams, fuelled by the addictive
drug ‘Zeal’. Now she’s heading for self-destruction – until she has a
vision of a dead girl.<br /><br />Sudice Inc. damaged Carina when she worked
on their sinister brain-mapping project, causing her violent
compulsions. And this girl was a similar experiment. When Carina
realizes the vision was planted by her old colleague Mark, desperate for
help to expose the company, she knows he’s probably dead. Her only hope
is to unmask her nemesis – or she’s next.<br /><br />To unlock the secrets
Mark hid in her mind, she’ll need a group of specialist hackers. Dax is
one of them, a doctor who can help Carina fight her addictions. If she
holds on to her humanity, they might even have a future together. But
first she must destroy her adversary – before it changes us and our
society, forever.</span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">*Thanks to Tor Books UK for providing me with an ARC*</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Set in the futuristic corporate state of Pacifica, Shattered Minds tells the tale of Carina. A drug addicted young woman with murderous impulses. In this future, crime is virtually non-existent. Instead, citizens can live out their fantasies in a virtual reality, known as the Zealscape. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">For the most part it has been a huge success. After all, who wouldn't want to punch their boss in the face? Or stab their husband when he leaves a wet towel on the bed? Again. Or teabags in the fucking sink? Ahem.... Anyway, a small portion of the population have an adverse reaction to the drug used to enter the Zealscape, these people are typically violent individuals. Just like Carina. Every spare moment of hers is spent under the influence of the drug Zeal, torturing, maiming, and finally killing her victims.Yeah she's messed up. And she knows it.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Its on one of these murderous virtual binges that Carina has a 'vision', someone has implanted external data into her Zealscape. As she delves deeper into the mysteries of the data, she begins to find a reason to live. Even if that reason is taking down the biggest corporation around! </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Through her journey, Carina begins to unlock memories of her past, and in doing so find some peace. This is very much a story of redemption. A very satisfying one.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Verdict: 8/10</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14630052657331654443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2732549283205125649.post-33557220863350081362017-06-06T11:36:00.001+01:002017-06-06T11:38:58.024+01:00Godblind by Anna Stephens<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv9T2mnFvLtTnpgGCpIynfcFQHstxmfgjGhipXDRIIQ9UlmYOtOf7ua8vb5VLzg1c4PvOtJsFE-G6LxhPQnAYK5CUer2IkmWxJPkkwFAJ0IB8yVM-12hCTmRkmQw866W3-6L_s_OFq8HX7/s1600/godblind.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="308" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv9T2mnFvLtTnpgGCpIynfcFQHstxmfgjGhipXDRIIQ9UlmYOtOf7ua8vb5VLzg1c4PvOtJsFE-G6LxhPQnAYK5CUer2IkmWxJPkkwFAJ0IB8yVM-12hCTmRkmQw866W3-6L_s_OFq8HX7/s400/godblind.jpg" width="258" /></a></div>
<i><span id="freeText12120770687317275673">The Mireces worship the
bloodthirsty Red Gods. Exiled from Rilpor a thousand years ago, and
left to suffer a harsh life in the cold mountains, a new Mireces king
now plots an invasion of Rilpor’s thriving cities and fertile earth.<br /><br />Dom
Templeson is a Watcher, a civilian warrior guarding Rilpor’s border. He
is also the most powerful seer in generations, plagued with visions and
prophecies. His people are devoted followers of the god of light and
life, but Dom harbors deep secrets, which threaten to be exposed when
Rillirin, an escaped Mireces slave, stumbles broken and bleeding into
his village.<br /><br />Meanwhile, more and more of Rilpor’s most powerful
figures are turning to the dark rituals and bloody sacrifices of the Red
Gods, including the prince, who plots to wrest the throne from his
dying father in the heart of the kingdom. Can Rillirin, with her inside
knowledge of the Red Gods and her shocking ties to the Mireces King,
help Rilpor win the coming war?</span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Move over Abercrombie and Lawrence! You too, Fletcher.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">In the past it has been noted that there are almost no mainstream female GrimDark authors. Sure, there are those that write dark fantasy, and horror, and even stray into the morally grey area we love so much. But they tend to be slightly tamer than their male counterparts. I'm not sure why, maybe because they think 'females write only for females' rule applies? Well not any more! Here at last we have a true GrimDark book, written by a female author that can not only stand up to the male competition, but also kick it in the balls! Halleluyah! Or should that be 'Praise the Red Gods!'?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Human sacrifice, attempted rape, murder, and mass-murder. That is only the first chapter! Seriously, you can read it <a href="http://www.starburstmagazine.com/home/18130-godblind-sample" target="_blank">here</a>. After I read that I knew I had to get my hands on a copy. Thankfully the lovely folks at NetGalley were happy to oblige my indulgence.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Set in the world of Gilgoras, this follows the struggles of the followers of the Red Gods. They have been exiled to the freezing mountains for the past 995 years. All they want is to claim back the land they feel they are entitled to. Land presently occupied by the followers of the Fox Goddess. Led by their king and priestess, they launch a rather audacious attack on the citizens Rilpor. Naturaly this is not an ill advised last attempt to claim back their land, but a carefully laid plan. All to allow their gods to pierce the veil into the physical world and win their war.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">This story is being marketed as 'for fans of ASoIaF', now that may be true in a sense, there are big differences between the two. Godblind is less than half the length of the average GRRM door stopper, there are not nearly as many PoV's. The pace is relentless. I flew through this in no time at all, and that was with limited reading time. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I thoroughly enjoyed the brutality, the betrayal, the absolute genius of Lanta. She is written just perfectly. And *that* torture scene. Even made me flinch. Brilliant. Make no mistake, this is not for the fainthearted. But GD fans will be pleased.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Verdict: A blood soaked 9/10 </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">*I received an e-copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review* </span><br />
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14630052657331654443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2732549283205125649.post-89595191167578637662017-05-09T21:39:00.000+01:002017-05-09T21:44:34.279+01:00Book Review: Skullsworn by Brian Staveley<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJtXnucD9t_rPx0923aY5xCwuQfyVrTyBLjHGb_EJN6OK34tzmQzILaJpEF00p-4fLL7oWqn4WqmxFl372xVJ4eWe9ldf-UWC41zhrNgrKzgrCZxdBBkdFt-_vy4sEhXs1gAKEwfwzbQyz/s1600/skullsworn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJtXnucD9t_rPx0923aY5xCwuQfyVrTyBLjHGb_EJN6OK34tzmQzILaJpEF00p-4fLL7oWqn4WqmxFl372xVJ4eWe9ldf-UWC41zhrNgrKzgrCZxdBBkdFt-_vy4sEhXs1gAKEwfwzbQyz/s400/skullsworn.jpg" width="258" /></a></div>
<span id="freeText7702369215611436284"></span><br />
<i><b>For one apprentice assassin, the clock is ticking . . .</b></i><br />
<i><b> </b>
</i><br />
<i>Pyrre Lakatur doesn’t like the description skullsworn. It doesn’t capture the beauty of her devotion to Ananshael, God of Death. And she’s not an assassin, but a priestess.
Or she will be, if she can pass her final trial. The problem isn’t
killing, as Pyrre has spent her life training for this. The problem is
love. To pass the trial, she will have fourteen days to kill seven
people detailed in an ancient song, including one true love, ‘who will
not come again’. However, Pyrre has never been in love, time is short,
and if she fails she’ll be given to her god. </i><br />
<br />
<i>Pyrre’s not afraid
to die, but she hates to fail. So a month before the trial begins, she
returns to the violent city of her birth, where she once offered an
abusive father to the god. Here Pyrre hopes to find love – and end it
with the edge of her knife.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">You know when everyone is talking about a new author/series and you just don't have the time to fit it in, and then by the time you do you're 2 books behind everyone else? Well that was me in 2014. The Emperors Blades was everywhere, and I missed out. The same thing happened with books 2 and 3. I wanted in on the action! I just didn't have the time to squeeze it in. Fortunately, Skullsworn provided me with the perfect excuse to sample Staveley's writing and be in on the action! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Full disclosure. I cried. Yeah, I do that a lot.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Pyrre is such an incredibly awesome character. She's tough, but not cliched. Capable, but not unbeatable. Vulnerable, but not afraid. I just love her. I cannot stress enough how well written she is. I wish more authors would take their cues from Staveley, sometimes those gender traps are just too easy to fall into. I'm so glad there are none here.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Skullsworn follows Pyrre on the toughest challenge she has faced. In order to become a full priestess of Ananshael she must gift him seven lives in 14 days. One of which is someone whom 'makes her heart sing with love'. In other words find someone, fall in love, kill them. All in 2 weeks. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Pyrre is a very accomplished woman, she approaches every problem with a well thought out plan. She begins her journey by returning to her childhood home Dombâng, and then inciting a revolution in order to get close to a former flame. Its actually a very good plan (I'm simplifying it a lot). She comes up with the perfect cover, she meticulously plans everything, down to her 'completely noncoincidental run in at the swimming baths'. Meticulous planning however, is part of Pyrre's biggest problem. Unfortunately for her, you can't plan to fall in love, all part of the expensive lesson she must learn.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I have always had a love for the first person PoV and this one is so brilliantly done, I just 'get' her. Pyrre is my kind of character. Quite possibly another one to add to my 'Best of' list!!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Verdict: 9/10 </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">*I received an e-copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14630052657331654443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2732549283205125649.post-56491438160257386812017-05-09T21:04:00.000+01:002017-05-09T21:04:52.731+01:00Audio Book Review: Revolt (Godsknife #1) by Timothy C. Ward<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3XrMyBqHIR9n7TTq0Ibhhf8ZvIoW2yRJzLgl1UbZ9oiVQag2l9DDLEGieAcFOh8h0y0iKRdXyQ0KxEM1BDGj-OKT3xg-5FJsBfpRcU3r4hCUpO_zffGV3Gg_3lk1LNmlvB3pQECOSWcy4/s1600/revolt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3XrMyBqHIR9n7TTq0Ibhhf8ZvIoW2yRJzLgl1UbZ9oiVQag2l9DDLEGieAcFOh8h0y0iKRdXyQ0KxEM1BDGj-OKT3xg-5FJsBfpRcU3r4hCUpO_zffGV3Gg_3lk1LNmlvB3pQECOSWcy4/s400/revolt.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span id="freeText15046785837103138729"><i><b>An apocalyptic battle for godhood in the rift between Iowa and the Abyss...</b><br /><br />A
fleet of enlarged praying mantises have invaded Des Moines, Iowa.
Swarms of cicadas are turning survivors into winged soldiers.
Orchestrating the war zone is a priestess of Order, who's pursuing
godhood, and the nation of followers who’ll get her there.<br /><br />Caroline's
new friendship parts the veil between reality and myth, as a recruiter
of Order needs her to hide him from capture. In their escape, the boss
she’s loved like a father reveals his elevator into the Abyss.<br /><br />In
this new world, Caroline finds a usurped god and an angry ghost eager
to make her their gateway back to power. What if the person her friends
will need is heartbeats away from becoming the real threat?<br /><br />Written by: Timothy C. Ward <br />Narrated by: Stephanie Neff <br />Length: 9 hrs and 30 mins </i></span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText15046785837103138729"><span style="font-size: large;">I am officially no longer a audio book virgin!! Yay! Honestly, I had no idea they were so great. Housework no longer interferes with my books! </span></span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText15046785837103138729"><span style="font-size: large;">When the author contacted me offering a chance to listen to his book I was delighted. And a little apprehensive, what if I didn't like the narrator? Will I still be able to enjoy the story if I wasn't keen on the voice pumped into my ears? Well, rest assured the narration was really good! Stephanie does a brilliant job! </span></span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText15046785837103138729"><span style="font-size: large;">The plot revolves around three different factions of religions(?), I guess it's the closest match, Order, Maker, and Chaos. These factions are forever warring with one another in the hopes that one will gain some foothold over the other two. They have been at it for ages. Until Shila, the Order Mistress, decides she wants to end the eternal war forever, by winning of course. In an audacious and carefully crafted plan, she unleashes some nasty mantis/human hybrids on the unsuspecting populace of Iowa. Poor sods.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText15046785837103138729"><span style="font-size: large;">Among the people caught up in the insect apocalypse are Caroline and Anthon, the former a young woman working in a doctors office and the latter, a Order mage tasked with recruiting new faces. Anthon does not agree with Shila's aggressive tactics, and Caroline is just running for her life! Naturally there's more to her than she even knows, thanks to her mysterious and regrettably deceased parents.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText15046785837103138729"><span style="font-size: large;">This had such a fast pace, at times I thought how did we get from checking out colleges to weird Abyss elevators in such a short time? It was a little tough to keep up at times. But I rather enjoyed the craziness of it all. Totally unlike anything I have read in recent memory. You shouldn't read this if you have praying mantis phobia though.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText15046785837103138729"><span style="font-size: large;">Verdict: A fast and crazy 7/10</span></span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText15046785837103138729"><span style="font-size: large;">*Thanks to the author for kindly providing me with my very first audio book review copy* </span><i> </i></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14630052657331654443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2732549283205125649.post-62594571159178037022017-05-03T14:39:00.001+01:002017-05-03T14:39:49.347+01:00Book Review: He Said/She Said by Erin Kelly<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span id="freeText14338540339691466656"><b>Who do you believe?</b><br /><br />In the hushed aftermath of a total eclipse, Laura witnesses a brutal attack.<br /><br />She and her boyfriend Kit call the police, and in that moment, it is not only the victim's life that is changed forever.<br /><br />Fifteen years on, Laura and Kit live in fear.<br /><br />And
while Laura knows she was right to speak out, the events that follow
have taught her that you can never see the whole picture: something -
and someone - is always in the dark...</span></i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText14338540339691466656"><span style="font-size: large;">*Copy received from NetGalley in exchange for an hones review*</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText14338540339691466656"><span style="font-size: large;">*Mild Spoilers* </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText14338540339691466656"><span style="font-size: large;">Well despite this book being about an alleged rape, it's not actually about rape. And despite being called 'He Said/She Said', it's never in doubt as to whom the guilty party is. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText14338540339691466656"><span style="font-size: large;">I had high hopes, the blurb sounds quite fascinating, and it started out very well. There was plenty of mystery, intrigue and drama. And suspense too, I stayed up till the wee hours on at least 2 nights. Sometimes though, when the mystery is finally revealed, it just doesn't live up to the hype. Such is the case here. My biggest issue with books like this is that the main female protagonist always has some form of mental illness. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText14338540339691466656"><span style="font-size: large;">Whether it be a simple 'breakdown', anxiety, stress, depression, you name it, as soon as the truth is revealed they seem to just bounce back. Totally fine. 'Yes you lied to me for years and made me think I was crazy and were sleeping with my best friend/sister/mother/cousin/co-worker, but I'm okay now. You can see the kids every other weekend.' </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText14338540339691466656"><span style="font-size: large;">What? I'm sorry but that is not how it works! May we have some real representation of mental illness in our popular literature, please? Anxiety and depression are things that will dog you for the rest of your life. Removing a toxic individual does not cure it. It may help a little for a little while, but eventually sufferers will find themselves back in the same place. It's a continuous battle. There is now quick fix.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText14338540339691466656"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>But, I digress.</b> </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText14338540339691466656"><span style="font-size: large;">Laura and Kip both live in fear. Laura suffers from a nasty case of anxiety and she's pregnant. So when Kip plans an eclipse chasing trip with a friend, she's naturally very nervous. And scared. Kip is also rather scared, the person they have been running from for the past fifteen years may try to catch up with him. Oooh exciting! It was, for a while. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText14338540339691466656"><span style="font-size: large;">There was so much tension build-up, but in the end, very little pay off. The climax left me cold, and the whole truth of what happened in Cornwall in 1999, was very underwhelming. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText14338540339691466656"><span style="font-size: large;">What could have been an amazingly frank look into the fallout of a sexual assault turned out to be a standard 'web of lies' novel. I felt the story lacked direction as we shift from the events of 1999, to the present. The only part that I really enjoyed is Laura's recollection of meeting Kip for the first time and falling in love. I thought that was beautifully written. Alas, the rest of it was just okay.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText14338540339691466656"><span style="font-size: large;">Verdict: 6/10 </span></span><i><span id="freeText14338540339691466656"> </span></i></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14630052657331654443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2732549283205125649.post-24434122670357474272017-04-21T13:50:00.000+01:002017-04-21T13:50:03.011+01:00Review: The Ninth Rain (The Winnowing Flame Trilogy #1) by Jen Williams<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i><span id="freeText4191999660368693745">The great city of Ebora
once glittered with gold. Now its streets are stalked by wolves.
Tormalin the Oathless has no taste for sitting around waiting to die
while the realm of his storied ancestors falls to pieces - talk about a
guilt trip. Better to be amongst the living, where there are taverns
full of women and wine.<br /><br />When eccentric explorer, Lady Vincenza
'Vintage' de Grazon, offers him employment, he sees an easy way out.
Even when they are joined by a fugitive witch with a tendency to set
things on fire, the prospect of facing dow</span></i><br />
<i><span id="freeText4191999660368693745"></span><span id="freeText4191999660368693745">n monsters and retrieving
ancient artefacts is preferable to the abomination he left behind.<br /><br />But
not everyone is willing to let the Eboran empire collapse, and the
adventurers are quickly drawn into a tangled conspiracy of magic and
war. For the Jure'lia are coming, and the Ninth Rain must fall...</span></i><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span id="freeText4191999660368693745"><span style="font-size: large;">*Copy received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*</span></span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText4191999660368693745"><span style="font-size: large;">Wow. That was amazing. I don't usually go all fangirl, and when I do its never so public, but Holy Shit is this awesome!! </span></span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText4191999660368693745"><span style="font-size: large;">I'd not really heard much about this book, it release was rather 'under the radar'. It was only when a Goodreads friend read and enjoyed it that I was interested. I was lucky enough to be approved for an E-copy from NetGalley. So here we are. </span></span><br />
<span id="freeText4191999660368693745"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span id="freeText4191999660368693745"><span style="font-size: large;">This story begins with prologue split between two different times, one 200 years before the present day and one 50 years before. I must confess when I began this book and saw the '200 years ago' heading I assumed that the timeline would be all over the place. I have never been happier to be proven wrong! Both these scenes are vital to the plot and the readers ability to empathize with the characters. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText4191999660368693745"><span style="font-size: large;">The main plot revolves around the previous invasions of an alien race, known as the Jure'lia or Worm People. These beings have attempted to conquer the world of Sarn for a thousand years. Every few hundred years they come, and every time they have been driven back by the near immortal Eboran. The Eborans had until a few hundred years ago been sustained entirely by their great tree god Ygseril. At the end of the last conflict (The Eighth Rain) Ygseril began to wither, and then died. The Eborans and their great city began to wither. Soon they became desperate, turning to human blood to sustain themselves. War broke out between the humans and the once saviours. And then disease began to spread among the Eborans, the very blood they were consuming was in fact poisoning them.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText4191999660368693745"><span style="font-size: large;">Tormalin is one of these Eborans. Unable to sit around and watch his people and city slowly die, he decides to travel out into the world. There he meets Lady Vincenza 'Vintage' de Grazon, an eccentric explorer. The two embark on quest to discover more about the Worm People and the artifacts they have left littered all over Sarn. From the very beginning I loved Vintage, she is just an amazing woman. In a world totally governed by superstition and fear she is one of the very few brave enough to ask questions. Where do the Jure'lia come from? Why do they want Sarn? How can the humans stop them without the help of the Eborans? </span></span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText4191999660368693745"><span style="font-size: large;">Among the PoV characters we also have Noon, a Fell-Witch imprisoned in the Winnowry, a kind of witch jail/drug factory. When Noon has a terrifying dream, she decides she needs to escape her prison before the Ninth Rain comes. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText4191999660368693745"><span style="font-size: large;">This book was such a surprise and delight, I absolutely loved it. The characters were fantastically written, the world building is amazing, and some of the scenes in Ebora through the eyes of the last handful of inhabitants, were just heartbreaking. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText4191999660368693745"><span style="font-size: large;">This is going on my 'Best of 2017' list for sure.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText4191999660368693745"><span style="font-size: large;">Verdict: Fantastically amazingly brilliant 10/10 </span></span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText4191999660368693745"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span id="freeText4191999660368693745"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><br />
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<span id="freeText4191999660368693745"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><br />
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<span id="freeText4191999660368693745"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><i><span id="freeText4191999660368693745"> </span></i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14630052657331654443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2732549283205125649.post-7259083709676779572017-04-21T12:56:00.000+01:002017-04-21T12:56:00.958+01:00Book Review: Slow Bullets by Alastair Reynolds<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i><span id="freeText9018541867099129207"></span></i><br />
<i>A vast conflict, one
that has encompassed hundreds of worlds and solar systems, appears to be
finally at an end. A conscripted soldier is beginning to consider her
life after the war and the family she has left behind. But for Scur -
and for humanity - peace is not to be.</i><br />
<br />
<i>On the brink of the
ceasefire, Scur is captured by a renegade war criminal, and left for
dead in the ruins of a bunker. She revives aboard a prisoner transport
vessel. Something has gone terribly wrong with the ship.</i><br />
<br />
<i>Passengers
- combatants from both sides of the war - are waking up from
hibernation far too soon. Their memories, embedded in bullets, are the
only links to a world which is no longer recognizable. And Scur will be
reacquainted with her old enemy, but with much higher stakes than just
her own life.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I'm not usually the biggest lover of novella's. Anything below 200 pages and I generally feel short-changed. This one however was different. I really liked it. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">We begin in the midst of a vast conflict. The galaxy is divided. Hundreds of worlds are at war. Hope is on the horizon though, a ceasefire is imminent. Scur is hoping to return home and retire from her life of military duty. She is not so lucky however, she is captured by a commander from the other side of the conflict, tortured, and left for dead. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">And then she wakes up in a stasis pod, on board a ship. The war they all fought in is over, has been for a long time. In fact everything is different, planet they were meant to travel to is not there, the navigation system does not recognize any of the star systems around them. As the passengers begin to realize the extent of their dilemma old enemies have to cast aside their differences and work together. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">When everything you have ever known changes in the blink of an eye, priorities have to change very quickly, sacrifices have to be made. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">And also, thanks to this book, I will never allow a robot to operate on me!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Verdict: super spacey 8/10</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">*I received an e-copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14630052657331654443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2732549283205125649.post-2303081866318455262017-04-20T11:40:00.000+01:002017-04-20T11:40:45.607+01:00Authors and Gender<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large;">I am a mod for a Goodreads group the specializes in grimdark fantasy. Every 2 months we nominate a book to read and then discuss it over there. Most of the time its completely straight forward. Members nominate a book, and then the choices get thrown together and we have a poll do decide the winner. Simple. Most of the time. Bear with me, its all relevant to my point.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">For our latest read a member suggested we have female only GD authors. I thought 'what a brilliant idea', instead of having the usual suspects, we could have something totally different. Whilst searching the web for a book to nominate, I came across many possibilities. </span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Some of these books sounded rather good.</span> I had to discount many of them because it was never stated on any of their blogs, or GR author pages that they are actually female. Most of them only went by the first and second initial, and a last name. Some just had gender neutral pen names. Which is fine by the way, and often a clever marketing ploy. (I had a customer in the library tell me he doesn't like books by female authors!) In this instance though, I had to ignore many of these books because I didn't know either way, the whole point was to have only female authors in the running. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">When I finally did pick my choice I did so because I thought they were definitely a woman. I was totally convinced until another member pointed out that they may not be. By this time we had established our list of authors. The next day another member posted a link where the author in question is referred to as '<i>he</i>'. I should stress that at that time I did not know of any instance where this particular author has stated either way whether they are male or female. Normally I really couldn't give 2 flying fucks if an author is male or female or neither or both, its their stories I want. This time around it was important. I'm a stickler for rules, and having a male author in a female only poll defeats the entire purpose! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">After spending some time feeling very stupid for assuming a gender to someone whom I have never met, I promptly removed their book from the poll. Rules is rules, after all. I then sent a message out to all the members, apologizing for my idiocy, and inviting them come back and vote again. Phew! That was close.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">10 minutes later I got a message from another member (who is also an author) confirming that the author is in fact <i>female. </i>Fuck, was all I could think. Fuck, fuck, fuckety, fuck. And then another member posted a link to a podcast where you can clearly hear she is a woman. So I got to feel doubly stupid, on the same day, for the exact same reason. Needless to say I was rather annoyed at that point, but I managed to restrain myself from loosing it on the Internet over something quite trivial. After it was revealed to me that the author was in fact female, I decided to just leave it. If a member of the group thinks the book should be back on the poll they are welcome to tell me so, otherwise, I'm very much over this whole thing. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">So why have I ranted about crap that nobody cares about? Well, for one why can't authors just say whether they are female or male or whatever. I suppose I have answered my own question with my previous statement in the library customers declaration that they don't read female authors. I would tell him that's stupid, but I want him to keep coming back! It really shouldn't matter in this day and age. Readers can't even tell the difference in prose between male and female authors anyway! It's the stories we're after. </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14630052657331654443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2732549283205125649.post-14679870473002933342017-04-01T10:50:00.002+01:002017-04-01T10:50:58.576+01:00Red Sister (Book 1 of the Ancestor) by Mark Lawrence<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil7_r8qo6ai734Y-M-c04ORGk6rSIx9HjOSnHScNmfEMpE03mp93OL7TAz8XdkTlEesE3UaiYCAtovClzKnp-7GJOli5yPqhxgDbjltY4AXxKLZmNlHSrGE9ipXHuVgvJWZ6TOF6P_5Bml/s1600/red+sister.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil7_r8qo6ai734Y-M-c04ORGk6rSIx9HjOSnHScNmfEMpE03mp93OL7TAz8XdkTlEesE3UaiYCAtovClzKnp-7GJOli5yPqhxgDbjltY4AXxKLZmNlHSrGE9ipXHuVgvJWZ6TOF6P_5Bml/s400/red+sister.jpg" width="263" /></a></div>
<span id="freeText3491614130036907573"><i>I was born for killing – the gods made me to ruin.</i><br /><br /><i>At
the Convent of Sweet Mercy young girls are raised to be killers. In a
few the old bloods show, gifting talents rarely seen since the tribes
beached their ships on Abeth. Sweet Mercy hones its novices’ skills to
deadly effect: it takes ten years to educate a Red Sister in the ways of
blade and fist.<br /><br />But even the mistresses of sword and shadow
don’t truly understand what they have purchased when Nona Grey is
brought to their halls as a bloodstained child of eight, falsely accused
of murder: guilty of worse.<br /><br />Stolen from the shadow of the noose,
Nona is sought by powerful enemies, and for good reason. Despite the
security and isolation of the convent her secret and violent past will
find her out. Beneath a dying sun that shines upon a crumbling empire,
Nona Grey must come to terms with her demons and learn to become a
deadly assassin if she is to survive…</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">*I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review, thank you!*</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Given that Lawrence is (probably) my favourite author, I was immensely excited for <i>Red Sister</i>. I was expecting to be blown away, I was expecting many many gasps and oohs and aahs. A veritable ocean of wow. Did I get that? Well, not quite. Allow me to explain:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Up until now, I have associated <i>Lawrence's</i> books with a lot of shock factor. And I mean, a lot. <i>The Broken Empire</i> is my joint all time favourite series; and <i>Jorg Ancrath</i> is my all time favourite character. I (stupidly) expected a kind of girl version of Jorg. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">There are some similarities, for example the blending of fantasy and science fiction, some ancient tech, but that is where they end. When we first meet Jorg he is already a formidable, determined young savage, I mean, <i>man</i>. Nona is quite the opposite, she's still finding her place in the world, figuring out what others expect of her and deciding which version of herself she should show them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Much of <i>Red Sister</i> is a coming-of-age tale. And when I say much, I mean, 90% of it. I must confess to being a tiny bit bored at this stage, school was boring when I was a kid and it's still boring now. These parts of the book dragged a little. What kept my attention was the world building, which is amazing. The world that Lawrence has created is incredible. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I think that perhaps my biggest issue was not being inside Nona's head. I truly did miss the first-person PoV. Even the most tedious class can become exciting if you cram enough angry thoughts into it! Sometimes it can be a struggle for me to flesh out the characters of a third-person PoV. However, this does show that Mr Lawrence can write something other than bastards and cowards. An that ending left me begging for more!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I may not have got my girl-Jorg, but what I did get was a fantastically written fantasy novel, with a rich detailed setting and a very intriguing plot. I am so looking forward to where this is going. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Verdict: I think 8.5/10 is a fair score</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Once again thanks Mark Lawrence and Ace Books for providing me with an ARC!</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14630052657331654443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2732549283205125649.post-34631291123304495512017-03-14T14:10:00.002+00:002017-03-14T14:10:32.107+00:00March SFF Releases!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large;">Some very exciting books to be released this year! Here's my 'ooh that looks good' list for March. Enjoy...</span><br />
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<i><span id="freeText12920292165877717099"></span></i><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The City, Awake</b> by Duncan B. Barlow</span><br />
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<i><span id="freeText12920292165877717099"></span><span id="freeText12920292165877717099"></span><span id="freeText12920292165877717099">Barlow's metaphysical
noir The City, Awake is a novel of chemically induced amnesia,
doppelgAngers, fanatics, and killers. Saul, a man without a history,
awakes in a hotel room with a note in his pocket. Hunting for answers,
he must survive rival assassins, a millionaire with an axe to grind, a
shape-shifting femme fatal, a silent hit man, and a psychotic who is
only looking for an exit. Barlow evokes a vast mid-century modernist
cityscape in prose that is by turns hard-boiled, then unexpectedly
psychedelic and delicate. With temporal and spatial distortions
reminiscent of A. E. van Vogt's The World of Null-A, the novel that
inspired Godard's Alphaville, this is a vivid investigation of identity,
scientific speculation, and Biblical Apocrypha. The City, Awake is a
mirror maze of dark streets and darker secrets.</span></i><br />
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<span id="freeText12920292165877717099">Paperback published by <a href="http://stalkinghorsepress.com/" target="_blank">Stalking Horse Press</a> on 15 March</span><i><span id="freeText12920292165877717099"> </span></i><br />
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<span id="freeText12920292165877717099"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>New York 2140</b> by Kim Stanley Robinson</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span id="freeText12920292165877717099"><span id="freeText10305208306234932610"><br /><br />The waters rose, submerging New York City.<br /><br />But the residents adapted and it remained the bustling, vibrant metropolis it had always been. Though changed forever.<br /><br />Every street became a canal. Every skyscraper an island.<br /><br />Through
the eyes of the varied inhabitants of one building, Kim Stanley
Robinson shows us how one of our great cities will change with the
rising tides.<br /><br />And how we too will change.</span></span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText12920292165877717099"><span id="freeText10305208306234932610">Hardcover published by <a href="https://www.littlebrown.co.uk/books/detail.page?isbn=9780356508757" target="_blank">Orbit</a></span></span><i><span id="freeText12920292165877717099"><span id="freeText10305208306234932610"> </span></span></i><span id="freeText12920292165877717099"><span id="freeText10305208306234932610">on 16 March</span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioIHXBouwsMV98jbU8xGb6ZGMXT6lpjY4PE8rFkfo8ky27hVkNASaCl0cbR0a86uCLZ7CmXjPknAoVg0LvpzdZvmndV7NQbg_4pB5ykt_bwsemTN9U6tMcL3iUKZY8FrpX2VbLTUNjYWuC/s1600/uncharted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioIHXBouwsMV98jbU8xGb6ZGMXT6lpjY4PE8rFkfo8ky27hVkNASaCl0cbR0a86uCLZ7CmXjPknAoVg0LvpzdZvmndV7NQbg_4pB5ykt_bwsemTN9U6tMcL3iUKZY8FrpX2VbLTUNjYWuC/s400/uncharted.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText12920292165877717099"><span id="freeText10305208306234932610"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Uncharted</b> by Justine Alley Dowsett & Murandy Damored</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText12920292165877717099"><span id="freeText10305208306234932610"><span id="freeText2348728726184052992">Fated to be a Priestess
of Saegard, Meredith dreams of leading a normal life with a family and a
home of her own, something she'll never have if she swears her life to
the Order. A chance encounter with a stranger in the sacred Celestial
Chamber sends her previously well-ordered life into a tailspin of
adventure and mayhem as she is blamed for the theft of a legendary
artifact. Now a fugitive, Meredith must join forces with Captain
Reginald Lawrence, the son of the man who initially brought her to the
Temple, and his enigmatic business partner, the charming yet at times
infuriating, Grey Rhodes, to find the Celestial Bowl and clear her name.
From the cosmopolitan capital of Saegard to the coast of Ismera and
back again, Meredith's journey will reveal the true nature of her past,
present, and ultimately, her future.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText12920292165877717099"><span id="freeText10305208306234932610"><span id="freeText2348728726184052992">Paperback published by <a href="http://www.mirrorworldpublishing.com/" target="_blank">Mirror World Publishing</a> </span> </span></span><i><span id="freeText12920292165877717099"><span id="freeText10305208306234932610"></span> </span></i></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrWjxHywarBoOyxVQpe5x0CyEcsxsc2qkrAbyz5dtasG_Sg_GfN246BgW5Ffd4PFdtiuIEubzIj4K4NpqbW2pP_ScVyCBniSSt7ClwUrh4q6OZvBt5JgUYMQuvPwdg24aeSUOig9rpA4mR/s1600/orbital+cloud.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrWjxHywarBoOyxVQpe5x0CyEcsxsc2qkrAbyz5dtasG_Sg_GfN246BgW5Ffd4PFdtiuIEubzIj4K4NpqbW2pP_ScVyCBniSSt7ClwUrh4q6OZvBt5JgUYMQuvPwdg24aeSUOig9rpA4mR/s400/orbital+cloud.jpg" width="262" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Orbital Cloud</b> by Taiyo Fujii, Timothy Silver (translator)</span><br />
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<i><span id="freeText12681985482455182422">In the year 2020,
Kazumi Kimura, proprietor of shooting star forecast website Meteor News,
notices some orbiting space debris moving suspiciously. Rumors spread
online that the debris is actually an orbital weapon targeting the
International Space Station. Halfway across the world, at NORAD, Staff
Sergeant Darryl Freeman begins his investigation of the debris. At the
same time, billionaire entrepreneur Ronnie Smark and his journalist
daughter prepare to check in to an orbital hotel as part of a stunt
promoting private space tourism. Then Kazumi receives highly sensitive
information from a source claiming to be an Iranian scientist. And so
begins an unprecedented international battle against space-based terror
that will soon involve the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, NORAD,
and the CIA.</span></i><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText12681985482455182422">Paperback and Kindle published by <a href="http://www.haikasoru.com/orbital-cloud/" target="_blank">Haikasoru</a></span><i><span id="freeText12681985482455182422"> </span></i><span id="freeText12681985482455182422">on 21 March</span><br />
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<span id="freeText12681985482455182422"> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Relics</b> by Tim Lebbon</span></span><br />
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<span id="freeText12681985482455182422"></span><i><span id="freeText7232725087284684158">There's an underground
black market for arcane things. Akin to the trade in rhino horns or
tigers' bones, this group trafficks in mummified satyrs, gryphons'
claws, and more. <br /><br />When Angela Gough's lover Vince goes missing,
she sets out to find him whatever the risk. She learns that he was
employed by the infamous London crime lord Frederick Meloy, providing
bizarre objects beyond imagining. Descending into the city's underbelly,
she uncovers a deadly side to the black market. It might have claimed
Vince, and Angela may be next. </span></i><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText7232725087284684158">Paperback and Kindle published by <a href="http://titanbooks.com/relics-8611/" target="_blank">Titan Books</a></span><i><span id="freeText7232725087284684158"> </span></i><span id="freeText7232725087284684158">on 21 March</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCA5j2EAsMKe5M5BZ1Y95-WjDB_NQ_gVh27TaOzGVSBgUcoSQEPxvfNNbw0znxOfphUMsIbXKSLT1ELu671cUwlm8LKbk8RuMW4_Jwc57kKfMSuOGyyB38oWz9XyIkgFolXD7WwLtrt-7b/s1600/book+of+bera.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCA5j2EAsMKe5M5BZ1Y95-WjDB_NQ_gVh27TaOzGVSBgUcoSQEPxvfNNbw0znxOfphUMsIbXKSLT1ELu671cUwlm8LKbk8RuMW4_Jwc57kKfMSuOGyyB38oWz9XyIkgFolXD7WwLtrt-7b/s400/book+of+bera.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
<span id="freeText7232725087284684158"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Book of Bera</b> by Suzie Wilde</span></span><br />
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<span id="freeText7232725087284684158"><span style="font-size: large;"><span id="freeText6505973836300474525"><span style="font-size: small;">A Viking adventure
fantasy novel which follows the saga of Bera, a young Viking woman who
is struggling to control her invisible twin spirit and develop her
inherited gift of Sight.</span></span> </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText7232725087284684158"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText7232725087284684158"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText7232725087284684158"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText7232725087284684158"><span id="freeText6505973836300474525"></span></span><span id="freeText7232725087284684158"><span id="freeText6505973836300474525">On a long winter
night, Bera is left to defend her stark village alone, and in the
ensuing battle, her dear childhood friend, Bjorn, is killed. When soon
after her father weds her to the chieftain of a rival clan, Bera
realises the unthinkable: his second-in-command is responsible for her
friend’s death. Though she must now learn how to be a wife and a
stepmother to a hostile boy, Bera vows her revenge and sets off on a
path to grow in power and hone her skills in the rough, macho clan into
which she has been sold.<br /><br />As her gifts continue to grow, her
visions of looming disaster become more and more ominous until she has
to make the ultimate choice: Will she choose revenge? Or will she
succeed in leading her people to safety before it’s too late?</span> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText7232725087284684158">Hardcover and Kindle published by <a href="https://unbound.com/books/the-book-of-bera" target="_blank">Unbound</a> </span><span id="freeText7232725087284684158">on 23 March.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText7232725087284684158"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Strange the Dreamer</b> by Laini Taylor</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText7232725087284684158"></span></span><i><span id="freeText436767184203886836">The dream chooses the dreamer, not the other way around—
and Lazlo Strange, war orphan and junior librarian, has always
feared that his dream chose poorly. Since he was five years old he's
been obsessed with the mythic lost city of Weep, but it would take
someone bolder than he to cross half the world in search of it. Then a
stunning opportunity presents itself, in the person of a hero called the
Godslayer and a band of legendary warriors, and he has to seize his
chance to lose his dream forever.<br /><br />What happened in Weep two
hundred years ago to cut it off from the rest of the world? What exactly
did the Godslayer slay that went by the name of god? And what is the
mysterious problem he now seeks help in solving?<br /><br />The answers
await in Weep, but so do more mysteries—including the blue-skinned
goddess who appears in Lazlo's dreams. How did he dream her before he
knew she existed? and if all the gods are dead, why does she seem so
real?</span></i><br />
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<span id="freeText436767184203886836">Hardcover, Kindle and Audio published by <a href="https://www.hodder.co.uk/books/detail.page?isbn=9781444788983" target="_blank">Hodder and Stoughton</a></span><i><span id="freeText436767184203886836"> </span></i><span id="freeText436767184203886836">on 28 March.</span><br />
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<span id="freeText436767184203886836"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Heart of Stone</b> by Ben Galley</span></span><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText436767184203886836"><span id="freeText7765806278532463598">Merciless. Murderer. Monster. He has been called many names in his time.<br /><br />Built
for war and nothing else, he has witnessed every shade of violence
humans know, and he has wrought his own masterpieces with their colours.
He cared once, perhaps, but far too long ago. He is bound to his task,
dead to the chaos he wreaks for his masters.<br /><br />Now, he has a new
master to serve and a new war to endure. In the far reaches of the
Realm, Hartlund tears itself in two over coin and crown. This time he
will fight for a boy king and a general bent on victory.<br /><br />Beneath it all he longs for change. For something to surprise him. For an end to this cycle of warfare.<br /><br />Every fighter has a last fight. Even one made of stone.</span> </span></span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText436767184203886836">Paperback and Kindle published by <a href="http://www.bengalley.com/heart-of-stone" target="_blank">Ben Galley</a> on 30 March. </span></span><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText436767184203886836"> </span></span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText436767184203886836">I am going to try and do one of these lists at least once a month, possibly more frequently, so keep an eye out! There are some big releases coming in April...</span></span><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText436767184203886836"> </span></span></i>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14630052657331654443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2732549283205125649.post-1655878889892043352017-03-08T19:55:00.000+00:002017-03-08T19:55:52.717+00:00Annual Review: A Year in the Blog<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Just over a year ago I decided to start yelling about books on the internet. Hooray for me.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja0s1cy6_5PZIhO_4VBVXphYnXTRey0z9nIuGSR-ZL673rAO8pYtG6CJcgoMvISeFbR8JSQPhcxrtRbCpUEfp5LNA2pq4YdiRV-dBsjKrmu0vzScoeKdR8imyX46YaDpvjGuypy9eC1UnB/s1600/birthday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja0s1cy6_5PZIhO_4VBVXphYnXTRey0z9nIuGSR-ZL673rAO8pYtG6CJcgoMvISeFbR8JSQPhcxrtRbCpUEfp5LNA2pq4YdiRV-dBsjKrmu0vzScoeKdR8imyX46YaDpvjGuypy9eC1UnB/s320/birthday.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">At the time I hadn't ever thought I'd continue doing it as long as I have. I figured I'd do it for a few months, get bored and move on to something else. Or, even worse have no-one even look at my blog. The horror. Thankfully, things aren't that bad!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">So, what have I learned over the past year? Well lets take a leaf from my mothers book and make a list! She is obsessed with lists.</span><br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><b>There are always more books:</b> No matter how fast I read or how much I struggle I will never be able to read every book I want to. It's impossible. The tbr is an ever increasing insurmountable peak. </span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><b>I have a habit of over committing myself:</b> I take on way too many books at the same time. I try to set up a schedule, but it never lasts as I continuously add to it. This is a very bad habit, and not to mention a source of stress. At the moment I can handle it, but if I continue to do this I fear I will loose the enjoyment of what I'm doing here, and that is the thing that scares me the most. </span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><b><strike>I'm a lot fussier than I ever thought</strike> I'm a book snob:</b> I have read a few books over the past year that have been (mostly) loved by others. Books that were not loved by me. A few have downright annoyed me by doing so well. My mother always said I was antagonistic, maybe I just hate other people's joy?</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><b>There is such a thing as reviewers block:</b> Yes I made it up, but sometimes especially when a book leaves me with no strong feelings, either positive or negative, I will stare at the screen for hours. I might type a few lines, and then erase them, and then type some more, etc. I can't force the words out, they have to come naturally, and this is very frustrating for me. However, I've never had it that bad that I no longer love what I do here. In this I suppose I'm very lucky. </span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Serious blogging takes serious hard work:</b> When I say serious blogging, I don't mean my page. No, I mean the people that really take it very seriously, they have interviews and giveaways, and cover reveals, and they work fucking ridiculously hard. For very little reward. It's all for the love of the genre. I admire them for that, they are the true heroes, of SFF.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: large;">Over the past year I've learned a little about this world, but I know I have even more to learn in the future. At the moment I still love talking and writing about books, and as long as that is the case I will continue to provide honest reviews and uneducated opinions. And of course thank you to everyone who has liked/shared/commented/followed/tweeted and whatever else the kids are doing these days. </span><br /><div>
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14630052657331654443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2732549283205125649.post-1340899518445109902017-03-08T18:36:00.000+00:002017-03-08T18:36:50.775+00:00Book Review: Ghosts of Tomorrow by Michael R. Fletcher <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBKr-t12pZaXChehnM6TLUHNVcJgxtO1JZsrRyEAx9tqOiPF1DsAZltez3xVxelRGdK8T4U7bnxBilEFcvZSJ6jCD_Ox66m-EDc7Z9hEB1hYjZza_Y0YMQRkYlwkHE-5bDTvniR0kC3av8/s1600/ghosts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBKr-t12pZaXChehnM6TLUHNVcJgxtO1JZsrRyEAx9tqOiPF1DsAZltez3xVxelRGdK8T4U7bnxBilEFcvZSJ6jCD_Ox66m-EDc7Z9hEB1hYjZza_Y0YMQRkYlwkHE-5bDTvniR0kC3av8/s400/ghosts.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
<i><span id="freeText16006082164285698252">The children are the future.<br />And someone is turning them into highly trained killing machines.<br /><br />Straight
out of school, Griffin, a junior Investigations agent for the North
American Trade Union, is put on the case: Find and close the illegal
crèches. No one expects him to succeed, Griffin least of all. Installed
in a combat chassis Abdul, a depressed seventeen year old killed during
the Secession Wars in Old Montreal, is assigned as Griffin's Heavy
Weapons support. Nadia, a state-sanctioned investigative reporter
working the stolen children story, pushes Griffin ever deeper into the
nightmare of the black market brain trade. <br /><br />Deep in the La Carpio
slums of Costa Rica, the scanned mind of an autistic girl runs the
South American Mafia's business interests. But she wants more. She wants
freedom. And she has come to see humanity as a threat. She has an
answer: Archaeidae. At fourteen, he is the deadliest assassin alive. Two
children against the world.<br /><br />The world is going to need some help.</span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Michael R. Fletcher takes a break from torturing the sane characters of the Manifest Delusions world and instead decides to torture us all with scary predictions of the future... </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">What makes a good sci-fi? </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">For me, more than anything I need to 'see' the portrayed reality actually happening. I need to believe it can happen. In this instance I can absolutely see it happening. I believe wholeheartedly that at some point someone will be successfully transfer consciousness into a computer, whether or not we continue the practice is a different story. I believe the climate will change, fossil fuels will deplete. The world that Fletcher has created here is terrifyingly close to what our own future almost certainly holds. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">But aside from all that what also makes a good sci-fi is fun. <i>Ghosts of Tomorrow</i> is expertly balanced between incredibly depressing prediction and thrilling delight. This has bucket loads of fun! How he managed to pull it off I don't know. Hats off to you sir!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">There is are so many different parts to love about this book, it's a combination of my favourite things in film/tv/video games. The relationship between Griffin and Abdul is brilliant. Their dogged determination reminded me of the old buddy-cop movies. Griffin may only be holding it together with a few stitches and a handful of painkillers and Abdul may be on the verge of unstable, but they're gonna solve this case! Can someone please make this film?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Archaeidae and 88, on the other hand, both have a beautiful innocence. Both victims of a terrible tragedy, one longing to be free, one longing only to please. Both are slaves to circumstance. I loved witnessing them grow as characters. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Another thing to love is that cover! It made me sit up and pay attention for sure. Who doesn't want to know about the samurai-cowboy robot? It's cool. People still say cool, right? </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I should come away from this feeling worried about the direction our technology and our lack of care towards the planet is leading us down a irreversible course. A small part of me does, but it's overshadowed by how much genuinely ridiculous fun this was! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Verdict: an entertaining 9/10</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">*I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<i><span id="freeText16006082164285698252"> </span></i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14630052657331654443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2732549283205125649.post-31334968524520544922017-02-27T12:09:00.006+00:002017-02-27T12:09:50.166+00:00Book Review: The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL2Bvl2xtujZJn7ut2j8CiPsoFFdEsP-liP5IhMY99z8z5rzz_RyExCq2eMTmqkPNVcsYE5UytDwtyz9VR696jQKEHmgz2nNYB7XeVVFqf7EzPFIEYOV2OAPjY0X-hRbvM8zAteJv_m5as/s1600/bear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL2Bvl2xtujZJn7ut2j8CiPsoFFdEsP-liP5IhMY99z8z5rzz_RyExCq2eMTmqkPNVcsYE5UytDwtyz9VR696jQKEHmgz2nNYB7XeVVFqf7EzPFIEYOV2OAPjY0X-hRbvM8zAteJv_m5as/s400/bear.jpg" width="257" /></a></div>
<i><span id="freeText15783612031293462285">At the edge of the
Russian wilderness, winter lasts most of the year and the snowdrifts
grow taller than houses. But Vasilisa doesn’t mind—she spends the winter
nights huddled around the embers of a fire with her beloved siblings,
listening to her nurse’s fairy tales. Above all, she loves the chilling
story of Frost, the blue-eyed winter demon, who appears in the frigid
night to claim unwary souls. Wise Russians fear him, her nurse says, and
honor the spirits of house and yard and forest that protect their homes
from evil.<br /><br />After Vasilisa’s mother dies, her father goes to
Moscow and brings home a new wife. Fiercely devout, city-bred,
Vasilisa’s new stepmother forbids her family from honoring the household
spirits. The family acquiesces, but Vasilisa is frightened, sensing
that more hinges upon their rituals than anyone knows.<br /><br />And
indeed, crops begin to fail, evil creatures of the forest creep nearer,
and misfortune stalks the village. All the while, Vasilisa’s stepmother
grows ever harsher in her determination to groom her rebellious
stepdaughter for either marriage or confinement in a convent.<br /><br />As
danger circles, Vasilisa must defy even the people she loves and call on
dangerous gifts she has long concealed—this, in order to protect her
family from a threat that seems to have stepped from her nurse’s most
frightening tales.</span></i><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText15783612031293462285"><span style="font-size: large;">I can describe this book in a single word, that word being 'painless'. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText15783612031293462285"><span style="font-size: large;">There's a fairy tale nostalgia to it, something whimsical, and magical. It's easy to see why many readers love this book. I however, am not one of these readers. Maybe I just hate nice stories? </span></span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText15783612031293462285"><span style="font-size: large;">I had issues with the pacing too, nothing happens for 50% of the book. I understand that is is solely to create the setting and for the reader to bond with the characters and such, but I was bored. Do I really need to know what happened to the sister and brother who have no impact on the story whatsoever? Or even the Grand Prince for that matter? They had very little to do the main plot so why are so many pages dedicated to them? This ruined the first half for me. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText15783612031293462285"><span style="font-size: large;">The second half had it's problems too. The new priest, for example. I can only describe him as Christian Grey circa 1700 (or whenever this is set), he is creepy. As in sex offender creepy. I'm aware that this did and does still happen. But, when you have devout characters their actions are stupid, period. I can't see past their stupid choices because of God or whomever they bow to. Ruined the second half for me.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText15783612031293462285"><span style="font-size: large;">The reason I describe this book as 'painless' is because it was painless to read, I didn't have to concentrate too much. Pages just flew by. The characters never felt truly under threat, I always knew everything would work out fine. For me that is not a good thing.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText15783612031293462285"><span style="font-size: large;"><span id="freeText15783612031293462285"><span style="font-size: large;">My favourite part was the last few pages. I'm a sucker for a tragic goodbye. </span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText15783612031293462285"><span style="font-size: large;"><span id="freeText15783612031293462285"><span style="font-size: large;">Verdict: a not as bad as <i>Uprooted</i> 6/10</span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText15783612031293462285"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span id="freeText15783612031293462285"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span id="freeText15783612031293462285"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><i><span id="freeText15783612031293462285"> </span></i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14630052657331654443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2732549283205125649.post-90262207389017014952017-02-10T14:18:00.000+00:002017-02-10T14:18:44.900+00:00Book Review: The Breakdown by B. A. Paris<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOomPkJ3YHl6bBG85dHTY2B7XKldPvqRto2pf-h2kpdw1deE-1zsbhdI4RyPON-pxA2bClXIgsUhFHOA6FIINESoFFU4b71szGYP3Fc2w206tiwP4hPQJNOA1Ke0i0EiR3lANtZWx4f_hp/s1600/breakdown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOomPkJ3YHl6bBG85dHTY2B7XKldPvqRto2pf-h2kpdw1deE-1zsbhdI4RyPON-pxA2bClXIgsUhFHOA6FIINESoFFU4b71szGYP3Fc2w206tiwP4hPQJNOA1Ke0i0EiR3lANtZWx4f_hp/s400/breakdown.jpg" width="262" /></a></div>
<i><span id="freeText5179996910366993806">Cass is having a hard
time since the night she saw the car in the woods, on the winding rural
road, in the middle of a downpour, with the woman sitting inside―the
woman who was killed. She’s been trying to put the crime out of her
mind; what could she have done, really? It’s a dangerous road to be on
in the middle of a storm. Her husband would be furious if he knew she’d
broken her promise not to take that shortcut home. And she probably
would only have been hurt herself if she’d stopped.<br /><br />But since
then, she’s been forgetting every little thing: where she left the car,
if she took her pills, the alarm code, why she ordered a pram when she
doesn’t have a baby.<br /><br />The only thing she can’t forget is that woman, the woman she might have saved, and the terrible nagging guilt.<br /><br />Or the silent calls she’s receiving, or the feeling that someone’s watching her…</span></i><br />
<br />
<br />
<span id="freeText5179996910366993806"><span style="font-size: large;">*Contains some spoilers and incoherent ranting* </span></span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText5179996910366993806"><span style="font-size: large;">I have officially decided that this kind of book is not for me. Same problem I had with Behind Her Eyes. Sure it was a breeze to read. I had it finished in just over 24hrs. Made me feel well-chuffed with myself. And then I moved on, never gave it another thought. In fact, I couldn't even be bothered to post a review. Yes, I feel awful saying that.</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"> I'm sorry I was not moved to care.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I'm frustrated by this book. I'm frustrated by this 'the new Gone Girl' trend. I'm frustrated that publishers and authors think we want the same thing over and over, just in a slightly different package. I haven't even read Gone Girl and I'm fucking sick of it! (I will, someday. I have it on good authority that it is rather good.) So please for the love of all that is sacred stop selling me copies of copies! I should point out that GG was probably not the first, just the most successful. The Hunger Games of this particular sub-genre. I just want something original, is that really too much to ask? </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I never believed Cass was crazy. I never believed everyone around her was innocent. I never believed the killer was after her. I was just skipping along with the story until the was revealed; and then, well, by then I didn't much care. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I don't know if it's me, or if it's a result of my issues with this genre, or if it was really just not that good. Surely if it was I would love it? Wouldn't I? I can't even trust my own opinion on something I read! See? Frustrating.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Verdict: An 'I don't want to be unfair to this', but still uninspiring 6/10</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">*I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. </span><span id="freeText5179996910366993806"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><i><span id="freeText5179996910366993806"> </span></i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14630052657331654443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2732549283205125649.post-23520297999540856762017-01-20T13:58:00.000+00:002017-01-20T13:58:25.983+00:00Best of 2016!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I guess I should have my own 'Best Books of 2016' list. I read a total of 81 books last year, and here are some of my standout titles.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">(Only books published in 2016 will be included in this list)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">In order of publication date:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">1. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQd9AcTkwnUJ-xvuuY4y2xKgdhyu3Az2G6Ox5BcEsV6wEEFydUFeh2Xqi0yOfvwT-scdaFu9Nvmnm7oxg5ePzfCDpU6IE8vEw89bbwPiKZ1eZcaDavgqqSFeBqwIvAXV-JbuChdbUC-2ha/s1600/dragon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQd9AcTkwnUJ-xvuuY4y2xKgdhyu3Az2G6Ox5BcEsV6wEEFydUFeh2Xqi0yOfvwT-scdaFu9Nvmnm7oxg5ePzfCDpU6IE8vEw89bbwPiKZ1eZcaDavgqqSFeBqwIvAXV-JbuChdbUC-2ha/s320/dragon.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Dragon Hunters (Chronicle of the Exile Book 2) by Marc Turner</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I usually indifferent to dragon books, however if you include some politics, assassination, some way awesome magic then you have my attention!</span><b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b><span style="font-size: large;">Permanently.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thequeenofblades.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/book-review-dragon-hunters-by-marc.html" target="_blank"><b>My Review</b></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">2. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-_KUp1X5hJy5eqoXykRtPJyNqQ7D5FHnqg1YjSq5blMtzb8LGihToWp_nl-sw3nVYYnnPwYIXWDGaAw9HThds7DJVFkFsMsKtEmAzg3aqT8Ijahus3W7pEe9zG00oMyQwPXx4ApVi3vJd/s1600/morning+star.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-_KUp1X5hJy5eqoXykRtPJyNqQ7D5FHnqg1YjSq5blMtzb8LGihToWp_nl-sw3nVYYnnPwYIXWDGaAw9HThds7DJVFkFsMsKtEmAzg3aqT8Ijahus3W7pEe9zG00oMyQwPXx4ApVi3vJd/s320/morning+star.jpg" width="210" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Morning Star (Red Rising Book 3) by Pierce Brown</b> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The epic conclusion to the most exciting science fiction series had to be in my list! Obviously.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thequeenofblades.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/review-morning-star-by-pierce-brown.html" target="_blank"><b>Review here</b></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">3.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJxmPx-Z5YB_7jHGOinLc8Xj6KUM12AApS0kjvUHHDo5hyUwKQ4tR_8HJ9XSqvuo45azIRl9f9kCq1s-cGDukfllJXbScU6_C4RU3Tyj_HcdSk_JnMjetruxR5ZxlAwaC80NTITePqO5Xc/s1600/chains.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJxmPx-Z5YB_7jHGOinLc8Xj6KUM12AApS0kjvUHHDo5hyUwKQ4tR_8HJ9XSqvuo45azIRl9f9kCq1s-cGDukfllJXbScU6_C4RU3Tyj_HcdSk_JnMjetruxR5ZxlAwaC80NTITePqO5Xc/s320/chains.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Chains of the Heretic (Bloodsounder's Arc Book 3) By Jeff Salyards</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">What started as a rather interesting tale of some interesting soldiers evolved into something incredible. A worthy addition to my list.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thequeenofblades.blogspot.co.uk/2016/06/book-review-chains-of-heretic-by-jeff.html" target="_blank"><b>Review</b></a> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">4. </span><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp8Q8FD2mKAI3hUnJMFSTSCxkPVQJeWlzF9C6C8dGJU1Hxp18DyIOSo8YjGEISuOlrzINf9aj3huFmJGoFnNtpZIES9O4tEUyIougCUwXSP2g_-cps4ZUBcMHtjYcvM3XpyEYYo7LSQKlK/s1600/those+below.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp8Q8FD2mKAI3hUnJMFSTSCxkPVQJeWlzF9C6C8dGJU1Hxp18DyIOSo8YjGEISuOlrzINf9aj3huFmJGoFnNtpZIES9O4tEUyIougCUwXSP2g_-cps4ZUBcMHtjYcvM3XpyEYYo7LSQKlK/s320/those+below.jpg" width="208" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Those Below (Those Above Book 2) by Daniel Polansky </b></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">This
one had me in bits. It was heartbreaking. Just thinking about it now
takes me straight back to that awful feeling I got when I closed it. I'm
not sure I've ever had a book stay with me as long as this one. Yeah,
I'm going to stop now because I'm actually welling up.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thequeenofblades.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/sort-of-book-review-those-below-by.html" target="_blank">Review</a> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">5.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguXVpSK2TP9YjcCqQxQRa8HMO-Qf6OzkdgXwv1VMnmJHmvGTzoz9y8EwxYbspjKpd4528QyoZr7zcq4qvn-Lb-XQe6OEbasWKD_qaW9nrawyELAqFE0IJsN3Afn9TRVrjL4wVS2PB8VHho/s1600/plea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguXVpSK2TP9YjcCqQxQRa8HMO-Qf6OzkdgXwv1VMnmJHmvGTzoz9y8EwxYbspjKpd4528QyoZr7zcq4qvn-Lb-XQe6OEbasWKD_qaW9nrawyELAqFE0IJsN3Afn9TRVrjL4wVS2PB8VHho/s320/plea.jpg" width="208" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Plea (Eddie Flynn #2) by Steve Cavanagh</b> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">What the fuck is this doing here? This is a fantasy/science fiction blog! Well, I really liked it. I don't read crime often, but this one really got me. It was fast-paced and twisty and just a joy to read. And I will absolutely continue with this series.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thequeenofblades.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/book-review-plea-by-steve-cavanagh.html" target="_blank"><b>Review </b></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">6.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBB2bsGbZWNHfQK9R_OVroHdlI25eQmjXMes0q3Pnv3vKZ6U09ZucvZS5OCfD2n9Go-0MrRWreGovvQ6LdJYdzOCH4J7n7zor-Y6AIHqsRHdRmBML1cpIXZhU6I8CTJ1bBbnDNwdvKpzGs/s1600/wheel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBB2bsGbZWNHfQK9R_OVroHdlI25eQmjXMes0q3Pnv3vKZ6U09ZucvZS5OCfD2n9Go-0MrRWreGovvQ6LdJYdzOCH4J7n7zor-Y6AIHqsRHdRmBML1cpIXZhU6I8CTJ1bBbnDNwdvKpzGs/s320/wheel.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Wheel of Osheim (Red Queen's War Book 3) by Mark Lawrence</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">How could I have a 'best of' and not include Jalan and Snorri? Madness.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thequeenofblades.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/book-review-wheel-of-osheim-red-queens.html" target="_blank"><b>Review</b></a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">7. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh01imxZe5TR8BtHwfNdBXio1-_r_u-fR0BLQvckWs7WXf2d3a1UYVCbBhheZmD3rG1vf5uLvZNHHwrqYkbRRJdIBJq3bQMVzucIuGYgt1vkeVZqArxFn6EabsqTljCYQhRCZEV-501E2RM/s1600/infernal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh01imxZe5TR8BtHwfNdBXio1-_r_u-fR0BLQvckWs7WXf2d3a1UYVCbBhheZmD3rG1vf5uLvZNHHwrqYkbRRJdIBJq3bQMVzucIuGYgt1vkeVZqArxFn6EabsqTljCYQhRCZEV-501E2RM/s320/infernal.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> <b>Infernal by Mark de Jager</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">This was one of the surprises of 2016. A surprise because it was amazing, and a surprise because no-one else seems to have heard of it! You like grimdark? You like some dark humour in between violence? Well then this might just be for you!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thequeenofblades.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/book-review-infernal-by-mark-de-jager.html" target="_blank"><b>Review </b></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">8.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwOiValyIkrdxXzcRj2EpBI0qWAAtjOuipRF0L0QfrvAD3W7cAU8mJz16yt0R9GXHBZ4B7AHeGTdSlgslpL71z-iEy4l2Ja6kDz7ZnaABV9z3727CCBsjmOfIMthpx0J4EgjhWWRtfsAj1/s1600/city+dreaming.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwOiValyIkrdxXzcRj2EpBI0qWAAtjOuipRF0L0QfrvAD3W7cAU8mJz16yt0R9GXHBZ4B7AHeGTdSlgslpL71z-iEy4l2Ja6kDz7ZnaABV9z3727CCBsjmOfIMthpx0J4EgjhWWRtfsAj1/s320/city+dreaming.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>A City Dreaming by Daniel Polansky</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Another one by <i>Polansky! </i>Different to his typical bleak writing, this one was rather uplifting towards the end. Kind of. I certainly didn't require therapy after finishing this one! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thequeenofblades.blogspot.co.uk/2016/09/book-review-city-dreaming-by-daniel.html" target="_blank"><b>Review</b></a> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">9.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-PAvQbLBH4FdvfDrNs0rTU6iiX4mlnV59YFLkiiXRCweExPC77jE7GOy9dvRGb1n94mm1ECOxTYqdoABq3PXARgudaBOO3V3KVuptLGwfaeJS6P_csR18U75caKf1UHVJV8rY1D93Nl8/s1600/wrath.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-PAvQbLBH4FdvfDrNs0rTU6iiX4mlnV59YFLkiiXRCweExPC77jE7GOy9dvRGb1n94mm1ECOxTYqdoABq3PXARgudaBOO3V3KVuptLGwfaeJS6P_csR18U75caKf1UHVJV8rY1D93Nl8/s320/wrath.jpg" width="204" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Wrath (The Faithful and the Fallen Book 4) by John Gwynne</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The final installment of the most incredible epic fantasy series in recent years! I loved every single book. A what a climax!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">No review as I have not posted one yet! Yes shocking, I know. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">10. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFiGDH_EVDv9qSDJFhpL2tqMUxjP9KYpj4RIpye82zcm1aPkPQYAO5AbUoDpD8CWA5bB5I1h4RhneQY4NhRp7R_rP_i8KkmDH85SNCpp5esFjt1yeAbusvWYdP5QNrT5lbigKJmEqc1eRl/s1600/mirrors.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFiGDH_EVDv9qSDJFhpL2tqMUxjP9KYpj4RIpye82zcm1aPkPQYAO5AbUoDpD8CWA5bB5I1h4RhneQY4NhRp7R_rP_i8KkmDH85SNCpp5esFjt1yeAbusvWYdP5QNrT5lbigKJmEqc1eRl/s320/mirrors.jpg" width="212" /></a><b><span style="font-size: large;">The Mirror's Truth by Michael R. Fletcher</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I think this was probably my favourite of the year. I say probably because its almost impossible to</span><b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b><span style="font-size: large;">pick an overall top read. This one comes close though. Grim, violent, and sometimes hard to stomach. The perfect end to a totally fucked up year.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thequeenofblades.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/book-review-mirrors-truth-manifest.html" target="_blank"><b>Review</b></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">*Thank you to all authors for sharing your ideas with us! You have been the glue that has kept me sane in an otherwise confusing and frightening world.</span> </span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14630052657331654443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2732549283205125649.post-86355398444693475612017-01-18T13:50:00.000+00:002017-01-18T13:50:43.132+00:00Book Review: Faller by Will McIntosh<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMlxKty7Y7rSrRfn3fc8dtn1CClXiJkmMXedv8MEpDonYfuTlZJ_D6POlCMmHHm7AFd2FjCzZ6m5H8-Sq6fbmj7OBP87JhE-2PS5Q0yySDW_yiZcTjuRCL0T9L0VfdgLUZMk-TpSZ27XTj/s1600/faller.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMlxKty7Y7rSrRfn3fc8dtn1CClXiJkmMXedv8MEpDonYfuTlZJ_D6POlCMmHHm7AFd2FjCzZ6m5H8-Sq6fbmj7OBP87JhE-2PS5Q0yySDW_yiZcTjuRCL0T9L0VfdgLUZMk-TpSZ27XTj/s400/faller.jpg" width="262" /></a></div>
<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText15415730962986009281">Day One<br /><br />No one
can remember anything--who they are, family and friends, or even how to
read. Reality has fragmented and Earth consists of an islands of rock
floating in an endless sky. Food, water, electricity--gone, except for
what people can find, and they can't find much.<br /><br />Faller's pockets
contain tantalizing clues: a photo of himself and a woman he can't
remember, a toy solider with a parachute, and a mysterious map drawn in
blood. With only these materials as a guide, he makes a leap of faith
from the edge of the world to find the woman and set things right.<br /><br />He
encounters other floating islands, impossible replicas of himself and
others, and learns that one man hates him enough to take revenge for
actions Faller can't even remember.</span></span></i><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText15415730962986009281"><span style="font-size: large;">Sometimes, when I am overwhelmed with book choices, I don't always give certain books a chance to grab me. I must confess this was the case here. Bad Tracey. Please forgive me.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText15415730962986009281"><span style="font-size: large;">I picked this up a month ago, got to around 9% and declared myself bored. I decided to give it another go several weeks later, it's only fair. Yeah, turns out I was three pages away from the action! Stupid Tracey. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText15415730962986009281"><span style="font-size: large;">This was not at all what I was expecting. I figured it would be a typical post-apocalyptic-science-fiction-mystery. You know, guy wakes up with no memory, only a picture and some small clues to suss out what's happening, save the day and get the girl. I was expecting pretty standard stuff. Some of those things do happen, of course, but its the way in which this particular book is done that I found incredibly refreshing. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText15415730962986009281"><span style="font-size: large;">As I said, Faller, wakes up with no memory, and only some meager clues as to who he is and what the hell happened. It quickly becomes apparent that the world suffered some kind of disaster and is a lot smaller than it used to be. Faller, or Clue, as he calls himself initially seems to be the only person intent on finding out what went wrong. Everyone else is to busy trying to survive. The world is not only smaller, its much more dangerous, stores are running dangerously low, and people need to eat. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText15415730962986009281"><span style="font-size: large;">Among the items he finds in his pocket is a toy soldier with a parachute. And naturally he decides to jump of the end of the world! After that, the various flashbacks begin. We learn all about Faller before Day One, and his rather impulsive choices. And what is going on, and why the hell the world has cracked apart. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText15415730962986009281"><span style="font-size: large;">Up until this book I hadn't read any of McIntosh's work before, I will certainly remedy that! This was quite a ride.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText15415730962986009281"><span style="font-size: large;">Verdict: a strong 7.5/10</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText15415730962986009281"><span style="font-size: large;">*I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. </span></span></span><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText15415730962986009281"> </span></span></i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14630052657331654443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2732549283205125649.post-1578513000598139792017-01-17T12:34:00.000+00:002017-01-17T13:01:43.474+00:00Book Review: Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJzETXcAE5yPn7Hmcgxk4nM5zPuf0uFwG4rptESJSCyAqcnRwdAV7NTnBduZf8i9vA8nkWk4CD4TtaUdwLxujRXxnLUk-oj4Vn0ZDks5YHov9ZUVMw1b091UwsAjIzqSiqD9y1EooueilE/s1600/eyes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJzETXcAE5yPn7Hmcgxk4nM5zPuf0uFwG4rptESJSCyAqcnRwdAV7NTnBduZf8i9vA8nkWk4CD4TtaUdwLxujRXxnLUk-oj4Vn0ZDks5YHov9ZUVMw1b091UwsAjIzqSiqD9y1EooueilE/s400/eyes.jpg" width="261" /></a></div>
<i><span id="freeText3942637978080216393"></span></i><br />
<i>Only two can keep a secret if one of them is dead.</i><br />
<br />
<i>It’s
said that the only people who really know what goes on in a marriage
are the couple themselves. But what if even they don’t know the truth?</i><br />
<br />
<i>David
and Adele seem like the ideal pair. He’s a successful psychiatrist, she
is his picture-perfect wife who adores him. But why is he so
controlling? And why is she keeping things hidden?</i><br />
<br />
<i>Louise, David’s
new secretary, is intrigued. But as Louise gets closer to each of them,
instead of finding answers she uncovers more puzzling questions. The
only thing that is crystal clear is that something in this marriage is
very, very wrong. But Louise could never have guessed how wrong things
really are and just how far someone might go to hide it.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I'm not really sure how I feel about his one. It was very readable, I'm usually not the quickest reader, but this was done in 2 days. I even stayed up till 2am! I haven't done that in ages! So yeah, very easy to get into. There's even a fantastical element to it, so really this should tick all my boxes. If I devoured a 300+ page novel in 2 days surely I must have liked it? Right? Well, you see I honestly don't know. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I shall try to convey my feelings, or lack thereof, as best I can. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I didn't hate it, I am also not tripping over myself to recommend it to every person I know. And it's really difficult to write a review about a book you had no strong feelings about either way. If I had hated it, I could yell repeatedly how awful it is, how every copy deserves to be thrown on a bonfire, how ashamed the author should feel about their work. If I'd loved it, I could yell repeatedly how every single person on the planet (and those off it) should read this work of literary genius. How complete my life now is, having been graced with the author's incredible gift. I can't do that. I can't do either of those things.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I truly believe that every book you read should leave you with something. An idea, a feeling, a memory, a positive (or negative) change of some kind, something, anything. This one did not do that for me. It lacked something. A certain <i>je ne sais quoi. </i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I believe some of my difficulty with this book came from the characters. Some of their actions didn't quite make sense, I had a hard time believing they would do the things they were doing. Lets take Louise as an example. She gets involved with a married man, who is also her boss, and then expects everything to just work out great. She is top of my list of stupid characters doing stupid things. David is another one that didn't quite add up, he gets involved with Louise, knowing all along what would happen if Adele ever found out. Adele was without a doubt my favourite of the three mc, she's seriously messed up, but in her own way she loves David. More than anything. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Through various flashbacks we learn more about Adele and David's past and what actually happened to Adele's parents. Of course, you learn most of this through Louise who has no idea she's being led on. Walk away Louise, walk away. She doesn't.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I'm sure this book will do very well, like I said it's not a bad book. I just don't think these 'housewife thrillers' are my thing.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Verdict: 6/10</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">*I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i> </i></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14630052657331654443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2732549283205125649.post-22336815871642658912017-01-17T11:21:00.001+00:002017-01-17T11:21:54.020+00:00Book Review: Senlin Ascends (The Books of Babel #1) by Josiah Bancroft<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i><span id="freeText10742826731655635860">While honeymooning in the Tower of Babel, Thomas Senlin loses his wife, Marya.<br /><br />The
Tower of Babel is the greatest marvel of the Silk Age. Immense as a
mountain, the ancient Tower holds unnumbered ringdoms, warring and
peaceful, stacked one on the other like the layers of a cake. It is a
world of geniuses and tyrants, of airships and steam engines, of unusual
animals and mysterious machines.<br /><br />Thomas Senlin, the
mild-mannered headmaster of a small village school, is drawn to the
Tower by scientific curiosity and the grandiose promises of a guidebook.
The luxurious Baths of the Tower seem an ideal destination for a
honeymoon, but soon after arriving, Senlin loses Marya in the crowd. <br /><br />Senlin’s
search for Marya carries him through madhouses, ballrooms, and
burlesque theaters. He must survive betrayal, assassination, and the
long guns of a flying fortress. But if he hopes to find his wife, he
will have to do more than just survive. This quiet man of letters must
become a man of action.</span></i><br />
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<span id="freeText10742826731655635860"><span style="font-size: large;">Having heard all the chatter about this book, my expectations were high. As I have said before, I try not to have any whenever I open a new book. However, it was very difficult not to be excited about this, it has a solid 4.5 star rating on Goodreads. Having finished I can't help but feel a little let down. There's nothing wrong with it, I was just not as blown away as I was expecting to be. I have no idea if this is because it came so highly recommended, and as a result I built up my expectations to unattainable heights, or if I just didn't click with this one. I suppose I will never know, not without a time machine anyway.</span></span><br />
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<span id="freeText10742826731655635860"><span style="font-size: large;">Senlin Ascends opens with our hero Thomas and his wife Marya traveling to the Tower of Babel for their honeymoon. Not long after Thomas loses his wife, yes LOSES, she's there and then he looks around and she's gone. Poof! Vanished. It is quite a testament to the writing that I didn't immediately go 'hold on, you lost your wife? WTF?' It's only after I think how absurd that sounds. Thomas then spends a few days moping around trying to find Marya, before deciding he should probably check the Tower. They had, after all, booked rooms on the third rung.</span></span><br />
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<span id="freeText10742826731655635860"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>So lets talk about the Tower.</b></span></span><br />
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<span id="freeText10742826731655635860"><span style="font-size: large;">In all of Thomas' books the tower is described as a marvel, where the brightest minds come to contemplate the universe and other important things. Well, naturally it's not even close to that. It's more like a swamp with evermore confusing and dangerous layers. And those layers are filled with the brightest not-so-desirables. Not at all what stuffy, well mannered Thomas was expecting. He spends the next few weeks blundering around trying to find any hint as to where his beloved wife has disappeared to. In that time he's robbed, beaten, cheated, manipulated, lied too, and so on. The poor man.</span></span><br />
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<span id="freeText10742826731655635860"><span style="font-size: large;">I must admit, I really struggled to connect with Thomas at first. I do however admire his gradual and almost unnoticeable evolution as a character. It's very subtle, and as with most people, he has to make a conscious choice to act differently. It shows how much the Tower changes its inhabitants. I have no doubt that most of them arrived, like Thomas, with ideas and hopes, only to find that this place is not at all what they thought. And so, they all had to evolve, until they became the very thing they feared when they first set foot there. Is it messed up that I want to go too? </span></span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText10742826731655635860"><span style="font-size: large;">I did say that I was not as blown away, but I have not been this excited to read a sequel for a while. Senlin Ascends goes from being a decent 3 star read up to a awesome 4.5 stars in the last few chapters. A clever twist right during the climax left me wanting more. And an admiration for Thomas's determination had a little to do with it.</span></span><br />
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<span id="freeText10742826731655635860"><span style="font-size: large;">Verdict: a pretty good 7.5/10 </span></span><br />
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<span id="freeText10742826731655635860"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b> </span></span><i><span id="freeText10742826731655635860"> </span></i><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14630052657331654443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2732549283205125649.post-1196046297934738842017-01-10T14:23:00.001+00:002017-01-10T14:33:18.720+00:00Book Review: The Mirrors Truth: Manifest Delusions 2 by Michael R. Fletcher<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">Bedeckt defined himself by the list of crimes he was unwilling to commit. It was such a short list. How could straying from it have gone so wrong?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">Bedeckt must undo the damage caused by wandering from his precious list. The Geborene god seeks to remake the world with his obsessive need for cleanliness and perfection, but Bedeckt is going to bring him down. Nothing can stop him. Not even death.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">The two friends he abandoned in the Afterdeath chase after Bedeckt, bent on revenge. Psychotic assassins hunt him. Something cold and evil follows, lurking in the clouds above, shredding reality with its delusions. Madness and sanity war, stretching and tearing the very fabric of existence. </span></i><br />
<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span></i>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Back in 2015 Michael R. Fletcher burst onto the grimdark scene with his outstanding work, Beyond Redemption. Naturally I was drawn to it. It was gross, violent, and too often unputdownable (I'm reliably informed, by me, that is a word). And then the publisher dropped him after book 1, despite having fantastic reviews the sales just weren't where they were expected to be. Unfortunately this is the world of publishing. Well, Fletcher went along and self-published the sequel anyway because a grimdark gem like this deserves to be read. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is by no means a light afternoon read. You need a strong stomach and not just because its grimdark. Fletcher is more or less the king of the sub-genre<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">, for a good reason too.</span> Most authors might <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">allude</span> to a characters' flaws, they might even force <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">said</span> character to confront these flaws, Fletcher grads the reader by the neck and screams it in their face! His creations are bastards, pure and simple. Imagine if Game of Thrones was populated only by people like Cersei and Ramsey, and Jaime Lannister's only redeeming features were his chiselled good looks. You think GRRM is bad because occasionally the bad guys win? Even Abercrombie's characters have some slither of humanity. Fletcher's are just bastards. And yet, I could not tear my eyes away!</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In the Manifest Delusions universe certain people can bend reality to whatever they believe. The more powerful the delusion the more people are sucked into it. Yes, that sounds awesome, but that's just what they are. Delusions. Suffered by crazy people. The<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">se</span> are not nice beliefs. Everyone with some kind of power uses it only to exploit others. Like I said<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">, bastar<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">ds.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">Come back after you've read <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beyond-Redemption-Michael-R-Fletcher/dp/0062387030/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484057879&sr=8-1&keywords=beyond+redemption" target="_blank">Beyond Redemp<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">tion</span></a></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">**Spoilers for Beyond Redemption to follow**</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">After the climax of book 1, our unlikely gang all find themselves in the Afterdeath, which is exactly like it sounds. Like afterlife, just gre<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">y and depressing. Overcome with a compulsion to right his wrongs, Bedeckt sets off on a quest to fr<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">ee the world from Morgen<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">, a boy-god with ser<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">ious dirt issues.</span></span> Escaping the Afterdeath is only the start<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">, and hot on his heals are <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">the <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">oh-so-modest Wichtig and the<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">, ahem, charming Ste<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">hlen. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">No<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">w, in theory, <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">readers </span>should be</span> put off by thi<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">s series.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> I mean, it is bleak and awful and v<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">iolent and full of sick people doing even worse things, and still, I was enthralled. The characteri<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">z</span>ation in th</span></span>is s<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">eries is some of the best I've ever read. I can<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">no</span>t stre<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">ss enough how much I re<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">lated to each an<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">d every one. </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">Wichtig is <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">funny and charming, and a total p<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">sychopath</span></span></span>. He uses and abuses as he sees fit<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">, <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">he'll quite happily step on whomever to get wh<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">at he wants, and yet there's a<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">n <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">unyielding loyalty to his frie<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">nds. A loyalty that he spends most of the book trying to fight against. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">Bedeckt drew me in from <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">the very beginning<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">. <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">A kind of parody of the traditional hero, he's incred<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">i</span>bly well-written. He strongly believe<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">s he is responsible for everything that is happening, and </span></span></span></span>so attempts to rectify it. He is very easy to relate to as a reader<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">. The <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">last sane person in a cra<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">zy world<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"> on an insane quest<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">.</span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">L<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">astly, we come to the lovely Stehlen</span>. I can only describe her as a blac<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">k hole of self-loathing </span>and hate,<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"> wrapped in bitterness</span>, and a <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">yearning</span> to be seen for what she truly is. <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">She longs to be pun<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">ished for her various crimes<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">, <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">but at the same time she <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">desperately wishes to be accepted. But how c<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">ould</span> <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">anyone accept and love her? </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">She is a</span> <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">thief</span> and a <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">mur<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">dere<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">r</span></span></span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> It's these contradictions that make her such a fa<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">sc</span>inating charac<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">ter. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">So, lets get b</span>ack to the plot. Bedeckt</span> escapes the <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">Afterdeath, chasi<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">ng after Morgen<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">; who has been very busy expanding his theocracy. Wichtig chases after <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">Bedec<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">kt, Stehlen goes after Wichtig, and K<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">onig's nas<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">ty reflection sends some very, very nast<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">ies after all of them. And in the meantime<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">, Morgen's reflection is plotting too! </span>Phew<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">. Ther<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">e is a lot going on here! And there'<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">s so much more<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">. </span></span>All I can say is that<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"> I can't wait for the next one.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">In closing all I can say is th<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">is: If you like <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">grimdark, you will like this. It's vile and sick and very twisted, but its <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">fantastically done. </span></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">Verdict: A seriously gross 9/10 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">*I rec<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">eived an e-copy from the author in exchange for an honest review*</span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mirrors-Truth-Novel-Manifest-Delusions/dp/0995312222/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1484057879&sr=8-2&keywords=beyond+redemption" target="_blank">Go get you own<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">!</span></a></span></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14630052657331654443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2732549283205125649.post-23439862805793419242017-01-06T13:35:00.003+00:002017-01-06T13:47:30.699+00:00Book Review: Dragon Hunters by Marc Turner<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_PmOY7YqdmGZ7MQK-yhGTDXDljBZx8-G8Sv7Cw26N417wLRknAE1jPI2a0rvQXyzBCWg0-i0XVy3usrr8CWWXRPf7j2sbX4sYcx2nb_lafs-SV6hSjIMQbG3oXWEPT0duFcvq7yhwQHw8/s1600/dragon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_PmOY7YqdmGZ7MQK-yhGTDXDljBZx8-G8Sv7Cw26N417wLRknAE1jPI2a0rvQXyzBCWg0-i0XVy3usrr8CWWXRPf7j2sbX4sYcx2nb_lafs-SV6hSjIMQbG3oXWEPT0duFcvq7yhwQHw8/s400/dragon.jpg" width="262" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">Once a year on Dragon Day the fabled Dragon Gate is raised to let a sea dragon pass from the Southern Wastes into the Sabian Sea. There, it will be hunted by the Storm Lords, a fellowship of powerful water-mages who rule an empire called the Storm Isles. Alas, this year someone forgot to tell the dragon which is the hunter and which the hunted.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">Emira Imerle Polivar is coming to the end of her tenure as leader of the Storm Lords. She has no intention of standing down graciously. She instructs an order of priests called the Chameleons to infiltrate a citadel housing the mechanism that controls the Dragon Gate to prevent the gate from being lowered after it has been raised on Dragon Day. Imerle hopes the dozens of dragons thus unleashed on the Sabian Sea will eliminate her rivals while she launches an attack on the Storm Lord capital, Olaire, to secure her grip on power.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">But Imerle is not the only one intent on destroying the Storm Lord dynasty. As the Storm Lords assemble in Olaire in answer to a mysterious summons, they become the targets of assassins working for an unknown enemy. When Imerle initiates her coup, that enemy makes use of the chaos created to show its hand.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">*Copy won in a Facebook gi<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">v</span>eaway, thanks to Marc's wife*</span></span></i><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">A<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">h, dragons. Now I know what some of you must be thinking<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">. 'I'm kinda sick of<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"> <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">effing dragons<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">'. Well le<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">t me put you at ease, this book is not, I repeat NOT<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">, about dragons. W<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">HAT!? Yes, there are dragons aplenty, and not the intelligent tal<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">king ones, and no<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">, not the pet ones th<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">at love only one char<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">acter either. <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">They are wild, <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">ferocious, dangerous, man<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">-eaters. <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">They will <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">tear you limb from limb, they're predators<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">, the people are f<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">ood. <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">And yet this book is not about <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">dragons. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">What its really about is a <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">powerful<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"> watermage trying to hold onto her position<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">. <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">And</span> a lost former G<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">uardian, with now<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">here else to go,<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"> a pr<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">ie<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">stess<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"> of the Ch<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">ameleon who is far too naive<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">, <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">and a wor<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">k<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">-</span>shy serge<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">ant sea<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">rching for an a<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">ssassin. Politics and murder. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Lets start with some basic background: In When the Heavens Fall Luker discovers that several of his former colleagues were sent through some mysterious portals by the (bastard) emperor. One of these Guardians finds himself in the Storm Ilse. Left in cell to rot for a few months, Senar Sol is later recruited by the power hungry Storm Lord Imerle Polivar. Once a year the Storm Lords open the Dragon Gate and let a dragon through to hunt and keep the masses entertained. What could possibly go wrong? </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Things very quickly become clear that the Emira is not the only one with plans on Dragon Day, and all our poor characters get caught up in a rather cruel game played by higher powers. On top of the awesome dragon action (which will make you NOT want a pet dragon), we are also treated to some glimpses into the history if the Guardians. And just a slight hint as who was Exiled where. *rubs hands together* I love it when the series plot is revealed. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Once again, Turner uses a rather small cast of Pov's, which once again works a treat. Keeps the reader engaged, the plot moving along, and we get to know each character inside and out. I have to say, he really understands people. Even ones that live in a fantastical, dragon infested world. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Verdict: 8.5/10</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dragon-Hunters-Chronicles-Exile-Turner-ebook/dp/B01AC51VN2/ref=sr_1_2_twi_kin_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1483709668&sr=8-2&keywords=dragon+hunters" target="_blank">And just like When the Heavens Fall, a bargain on Kindle!</a> </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14630052657331654443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2732549283205125649.post-33400869577577522222017-01-06T11:26:00.000+00:002017-01-06T11:26:12.924+00:00Book Review: When the Heavens Fall by Marc Turner<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7VvKqPuuNP5VUNdgvLLvYjcfSt6s1wu-ba_ulE9nWtcBxlaM-4z7-uhVHVl-vyUDxH3cxvz7juYjYimxMKVwxxDmbqwtbmBB5CpKNqtd8MXQzNMeUCCtUW6jEjry9R6iFA494OcNg7yve/s1600/when.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7VvKqPuuNP5VUNdgvLLvYjcfSt6s1wu-ba_ulE9nWtcBxlaM-4z7-uhVHVl-vyUDxH3cxvz7juYjYimxMKVwxxDmbqwtbmBB5CpKNqtd8MXQzNMeUCCtUW6jEjry9R6iFA494OcNg7yve/s400/when.jpg" width="262" /></a></div>
<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">If you pick a fight with Shroud, Lord of the Dead, you had better ensure your victory, else death will mark only the beginning of your suffering.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">A book giving its wielder power over the dead has been stolen from a fellowship of mages that has kept the powerful relic dormant for centuries. The thief, a crafty, power-hungry necromancer, intends to use the Book of Lost Souls to resurrect an ancient race and challenge Shroud for dominion of the underworld. Shroud counters by sending his most formidable servants to seize the artifact at all cost.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">However, the god is not the only one interested in the Book, and a host of other forces converge, drawn by the powerful magic that has been unleashed. Among them is a reluctant Guardian who is commissioned by the Emperor to find the stolen Book, a troubled prince who battles enemies both personal and political, and a young girl of great power, whose past uniquely prepares her for an encounter with Shroud. The greatest threat to each of their quests lies not in the horror of an undead army but in the risk of betrayal from those closest to them. Each of their decisions comes at a personal cost and will not only affect them, but also determine the fate of their entire empire. </span></i><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Shamefully, I didn't pick this up immediately when it was released. I had noticed it on Goodreads, but I had many, many books to read. It was shelved, and joined the back of the line. Yes, I am an awful person. It wasn't until I met Marc Turner that I figured I better get to it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">When the Heavens Fall was compared to Malazan by another reviewer. This set off alarm bells in my head. I love Malazan, no not just love. When I'm reading any of TMBotF, I live in them. I eat, sleep, breathe Malazan. It's my favourite series. So I went into this praying that I would like it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Turns out, there is quite a Malazan<i>ish</i> feel to it. But not so much that people put off by the scale of<i> Erikson's </i>work would be alienated. It had just the right balance of epic scope, well-formed characters, and of course, a few meddling immortals. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The use of only four PoV characters keeps the pace flowing nicely. It quite ingenious actually (even a <i>Malazan</i> superfan like myself has to admit that its tough to keep up at times), by keeping the PoV cast pretty small, Turner keeps the reader engaged and prevents the sometimes occurring problem in epic fantasy of the reader getting bored/overwhelmed/confused. It works very well here. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The characters are fantastic, each one is lovingly crafted. Some are led by a sense of duty, others vengeance, and others pushed by unseen or seen forces. <i>Parolla</i> was immediately a favourite of mine, and <i>Romany's</i> ridiculous sense of entitlement had me hating her at first, and then that gradually evolved into admiration, and then love. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The plot revolves around a mystical book, stolen by a rather nasty old mage, and carried of to an ancient dead city. Various forces conspire to manipulate the mage for their own gains, leading to a convergence of power at the climax. This is everything I love. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I had always thought male authors cannot write female characters, not really. Yeah, they give it a go, and it kind of works. But readers can always tell. I'm happy to be proven wrong here. Authors quite often approach the differences between male and female characters in very stilted ways. 'Men do this' and 'women do that', however the beauty here is that every character is treated as an individual. Their choices are not defined by whether they have breasts or balls. Gender tropes don't normally bother me that much, I grew up with them. I came to accept them as part of reading, always lurking in the background no matter how much you ignore them. But when an author shows the reader it is possible to step beyond these stereotypes its just so, refreshing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I think this series will be one of my new favourites. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Verdict: 8/10 </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/When-Heavens-Fall-Chronicles-Exile-ebook/dp/B00WQ5CUX2/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1483701679&sr=1-1&keywords=when+the+heavens+fall" target="_blank">Excellent value on Kindle too!</a> </span><br />
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