Category Fantasy Books

Feb 22 2016
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Series Review [So Far]: Mistborn 4-6 (Wax and Wayne) by Brandon Sanderson

Shadows of Self by Brandon Sanderson
The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson
Bands of Mourning by Brandon Sanderson

The Wax and Wayne Series [So Far]
(Mistborn 4-6)
by Brandon Sanderson
4.75/5 stars

I’m a huge Sanderson fan, and these latest books in the Mistborn saga are just three more very compelling reasons why he’s one of my favorite authors.

If you aren’t familiar with the Mistborn series, here’s a little more about it: Sanderson originally meant to tell the story across three trilogies (a high fantasy, a contemporary, and a science fiction). The first set (Mistborn 1-3) was published between 2006 & 2008. Somewhere along the way, while working on a plethora of other projects, Sanderson got a wild hair and decided to add what I’m calling a “bonus” series – a set of four books that focus on the characters Wax and Wayne. This bonus series, set a few hundred years after the first Mistborn trilogy, is a fantasy/mystery hybrid set in an era resembling the 1920s. While these books are strong enough to stand on their own, readers would benefit from exploring the entire series in order of publication (starting with Mistborn: The Final Empire) to fully enjoy the rich history and nuances of character this saga has to offer.

This spoiler-free review will focus on the Wax and Wayne series (thus far) as follows:

The Alloy of Law:

I really enjoyed this novel and thought it was a great introduction to both the new era and characters within the Mistborn saga. The characters all caught my attention right away with their interesting backstories, but Sanderson really only scratched the surface of their depth in this first book. The mystery was also engaging, but it’s not until the next few books where you see how it ties in to the arc of the saga as a whole. Overall, The Alloy of Law was a light first read that’s entertaining and worth your time… but you ain’t seen nothing yet!

4/5 stars

Shadows of Self:

After finishing Shadows of Self, I was certain it would be my favorite of the series, it was that good (and yet IT GETS EVEN BETTER in the final book). It not only brought in a fresh mystery that clearly tied into the overall arc of the series, but also offered a glimpse into a few characters’ pasts. Strength of character is easily one of the trilogy’s best elements, and I particularly appreciated the chance to learn more about each person’s quirks and inner motives. This book is when I knew for certain that Wayne, the loyal sidekick of the story, was my favorite character because a) he’s hysterical and b) it was fun to see him in his element (incognito, doing very serious detective stuff… wink wink). Also, as hinted at earlier, there’s a point in this novel where things start to tie back to the original trilogy in a way that had all of my nostalgic meters beeping off the charts. But the tiebacks were subtle, which made them accessible to new readers of the saga. Overall, Shadows of Self was a very strong work filled with mystery, action, humor, and a few surprises that might just knock your socks off (I’m still looking for mine, they flew so far).

4.75/5 stars

Bands of Mourning:

I could barely put Bands of Mourning down. Every single last page was engaging and exciting, culminating towards an ending that had me stalking the author for news on the next one (which is on hold for a couple years while the author finishes up Oathbringer, the third book in the Stormlight Archive series, and incidentally the only series I’d be okay with postponing this one for – can you say amazing?!). What stood out to me about Bands of Mourning, aside from the obvious aforementioned character depth, world building, excellent action scenes, and spot-on pacing, was that it felt like Sanderson had an absolute blast while writing it. It maintained its serious base plotlines while at the same time managing to be positively hilarious. I laughed out loud for what felt like most of the book while still reveling at all the twists and turns. Sanderson gets yet another A++ for execution on this one, landing it not only as my favorite book of the series so far, but one of my favorite books of all time!

5/5 stars!

Overall, is this bonus Mistborn trilogy worth your time? Definitely. Fans of the series will enjoy the continuation and delight in the new characters while newcomers will (hopefully) be intrigued enough to go back and see where the saga started. I consider Sanderson a must-read for any fan of the fantasy genre, and this latest set of books are no exception!

Other books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes

Feb 18 2016
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Book Review: The Furies of Calderon by Jim Butcher

furies of calderonTitle: The Furies of Calderon

Author: Jim Butcher

Series: that The Codex Alera #1

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 3/5 stars

The Overview: For a thousand years, the people of Alera have united against the aggressive and threatening races that inhabit the world, using their unique bond with the furies – elementals of earth, air, fire, water, and metal. But now, Gaius Sextus, First Lord of Alera, grows old and lacks an heir. Ambitious High Lords plot and maneuver to place their Houses in positions of power, and a war of succession looms on the horizon.” “Far from city politics in the Calderon Valley, the boy Tavi struggles with his lack of furycrafting. At fifteen, he has no wind fury to help him fly, no fire fury to light his lamps. Yet as the Alerans’ most savage enemy – the Marat – return to the Valley, he will discover that his destiny is much greater than he could ever imagine.” Caught in a storm of deadly wind furies, Tavi saves the life of a runaway slave named Amara. But she is actually a spy for Gaius Sextus, sent to the Valley to gather intelligence on traitors to the Crown, who may be in league with the barbaric Marat horde. And when the Valley erupts in chaos – when rebels war with loyalists and furies clash with furies – Amara will find Tavi’s courage and resourcefulness to be a power greater than any fury – one that could turn the tides of war.

The Review:

I am a huge Dresden fan and loved the unconventional means by which this series came into existence –

It’s basically a series of half a dozen books set two thousand years after a lost Roman legion travelled through a rift to a world where pokemon exist, and now the legionnaires live and work with pokemon, except they’re called “furies” (I’m not even making this up, he did it as a dare after being called on one of his assertions by a crowd at a convention: He said everything in writing is about execution. They said prove it. He said give me three crazy horrible topics and he would make something out of it. They said lost Roman Legion, Pokemon, and the Zerg. A year later he released Furies of Calderon).

-D.R. Sylvester at www.drsylvesterfiction.com (who was kind enough to clue me in with this comment on one of my posts. You should check out his blog – it’s one of my favorites).

Needless to say, I knew I had to at least give it a try. And I liked it!

It’s probably not the strongest series starter I’ve ever read, but it was at least consistently entertaining from start to finish. And the characters were fantastic – so many great POVs, and each brought something special to the story. I liked all of them pretty equally and am most excited to see where their paths lead next. Great characterization is definitely one of Butcher’s storytelling strengths, and Furies of Calderon was no exception.

It’s a good thing the characters were good because their minor, interpersonal conflicts are what got me through the story when I found the overall arc a bit too narrow. Butcher kept this first book on a fairly minor scope, which I didn’t like, but I have a lot of hope that its potential will be realized in the next few installments. There just wasn’t enough focus on the handful of things that initially drew me in. For one, the furies (Butcher’s interpretation of Pokémon) didn’t play as big of a role as they could have, to the point where it felt almost as if the wielders were controlling elements rather than elemental beings. Also, there were strong references at the beginning of the book about an academy for these fury-wielders, which wasn’t expanded on it all throughout the rest of the story. There’s plenty of time for these things to become the focus in a six book series, so I’m not too stressed, but they’re definitely the things I will be specifically looking for going forward. How well they are brought to life will ultimately determine my overall satisfaction with the series.

At the end of the day, Furies of Calderon had great characters, good writing, a somewhat narrow focus, and some excellent ideas that were a bit under-realized (but with colossal potential). Incidentally, this is almost identical to how I felt about the Aeronaut’s Windlass – the first book in his newest fantasy series. I’m very hopeful that both will dazzle me in books to come. After all, even the magic that is Harry Dresden took a couple of books to really get going.

Other books you might like:

 by Niki Hawkes

Aug 7 2015
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Mini Book Review: The Cloud Roads by Martha Wells

cloud roadsTitle: The Cloud Roads

Author: Martha Wells

Series: The Books of the Raksura #1

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 3/5 stars

The Overview: Moon has spent his life hiding what he is — a shape-shifter able to transform himself into a winged creature of flight. An orphan with only vague memories of his own kind, Moon tries to fit in among the tribes of his river valley, with mixed success. Just as Moon is once again cast out by his adopted tribe, he discovers a shape-shifter like himself… someone who seems to know exactly what he is, who promises that Moon will be welcomed into his community. What this stranger doesn’t tell Moon is that his presence will tip the balance of power… that his extraordinary lineage is crucial to the colony’s survival… and that his people face extinction at the hands of the dreaded Fell! Now Moon must overcome a lifetime of conditioning in order to save and himself… and his newfound kin.

The Mini Review:

I can say with absolute confidence that I’ve never read anything quite like The Cloud Roads. My initial reaction after finishing it was “what a cool book!” and that can largely be attributed to the author’s expansive world-building. I feel like I’m pretty well-read in fantasy and, while authors dazzled me all the time with their interpretations of familiar concepts, I very rarely come across anything that strikes me as truly original. The Cloud Roads oozed with originality, everything from the sentient inhabitants (including the main protagonist, himself) down to even the most minute flora and fauna. All were unique (and fabulous). All of these creative elements created a strong atmosphere that was easily my favorite component to the book.

Moon, the POV character, was a lot of fun to read about – I can’t think of very many books that boast a nonhuman as a main character. He and those of his race revealed a complete, foreign culture that was as believable as it was alien. As fascinated as I was with his species, I found Moon a little difficult to relate to. Not because he was alien, but because the conflicts he faced didn’t grab me (not to mention they were drawn out a little too long for my tastes… which could also have been a pacing issue). Overall, I’m left feeling a bit torn – I would like to pick up the next novel if for nothing else than to re-immerse myself in the creativity, but don’t feel emotionally attached to the character enough to pick it up anytime soon. Overall, I enjoyed the story and would still definitely recommend it to people in the mood for something different – it was a cool experience.

Other books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes

Aug 3 2015
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Book Review: Fool’s Quest by Robin Hobb

August 11, 2015

Title: Fool’s Quest

Author: Robin Hobb

Series: The Fitz and The Fool #2

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 5/5 stars!

The Overview: After nearly killing his oldest friend, the Fool, and finding his daughter stolen away by those who were once targeting the Fool, FitzChivarly Farseer is out for blood. And who better to wreak havoc than a highly trained and deadly former royal assassin? Fitz might have let his skills go fallow over his years of peace, but such things, once learned, are not so easily forgotten. And nothing is more dangerous than a man who has nothing left to lose…

The Book Review:

After loving Robin Hobb for so long, I kept thinking there’d come a point where her work would stop dazzling me at every turn. That maybe I’d get used to it or something. What I didn’t expect was to love her more and more with every book, and Fool’s Quest was one of her best yet!

After following Fitz’ journey for eight books now, I am at the point in the story where every minute revelation about the characters or the world (and the history and magic within it) strikes me as profound. I find myself completely immersed in the pages, eagerly seeking my next discovery – discoveries that percolate in my brain and keep me thinking about them months, even years later. But that’s just the kind of brilliant storyteller Robin Hobb is. I remember with the same vivid clarity things that happened in the first trilogy as I do those that happened within the last book. The ending of Fool’s Fate rocked my world so much, it’s partially responsible for why I started a book blog (I just HAD to talk about it).

I think part of the reason these books have such an impact is the culmination of story. What made Fool’s Quest so profound is that it finally converged Fitz’ tale with Hobb’s other stories (Liveship & Rain Wild) that were only on the periphery up until this point – and it was AWESOME in the truest sense of the word. It’s as if all that came before was one long buildup to this brilliant moment where everything finally converges… AND THEN THE BOOK ENDED!!! And I’m on the floor sobbing because I have to wait another year to experience the final book in the trilogy.

What makes these books hard to wait for is what also makes them so special to me. They evoke real emotion and a sense of love and loss that is almost unparalleled by anything else I’ve ever read. Hobb continues to make a very compelling case to claim the spot as my favorite author. When I think about my reading experience, I’m always grateful for her books and how they’ve shaped me as a reader, reviewer, and writer.

Overall, if you like fantasy, I consider Hobb a must-read. The slow pacing of her stories allows you to savor every moment and become completely immersed in this world and these characters. I always come away with a fulfilled sense of having lived another life. I can’t help but recommend them as often as I can – start with Assassin’s Apprentice, you won’t regret it!

*Thank you Random House Publishing Group, NetGalley, and Robin Hobb for the chance to read and review an early copy of Fool’s Quest– you made my year!!

Other books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes

Jul 8 2015
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Mini Book Review: Blood of Dragons by Robin Hobb

Blood of Dragons by Robin Hobb

Title: Blood of Dragons

Author: Robin Hobb

Series: Rain Wild Chronicles #4

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

The Overview: The dragons’ survival hangs in the balance in the thrilling final volume in the acclaimed River Wilds chronicles fantasy series. The dragons and their dedicated band of keepers have at last found the lost city of Kelsingra. The magical creatures have learned to use their wings and are growing into their regal inheritance. Their humans, too, are changing. As the mystical bonds with their dragons deepen, Thymara, Tats, Rapskal, and even Cedric, the unlikeliest of keepers, have begun transforming into beautiful Elderlings raked with exquisite features that complement and reflect the dragons they serve.

But while the humans have scoured the empty streets and enormous buildings of Kelsongra, they cannot find the mythical silver wells the dragons need to stay health and survive. With enemies encroaching, the keepers must risk “memory walking”- immersing themselves in the dangerously addictive memories of long-deceased Elderlings – to uncover clues necessary to their survival. And time is of the essence, for the legendary Tintaglia, long feared dead, has returned, wounded in a battle with humans hunting dragon blood and scales. She is weakening and only the hidden silver can revive her. If Tintaglia dies, so, too, will the ancient memories she carries – a devastating loss that will ensure the dragons’ extinction.

The Mini Review:

I can’t say enough good things about Robin Hobb. If she’s not my favorite author, she’s at least in my top three. Blood of Dragons concludes her Rain Wild Chronicles, a series which takes place on the periphery of her FitzChivalry books. My favorite thing about these “spinoffs” is the expansion of the world I love and the most excellent portrayal of dragons. Many authors write dragons with human personalities, desires, and motives. Hobb’s dragons are bestial and almost alien in their behaviors and thoughts; in my opinion, every bit as authentic as good dragons should be. It was awesome! I don’t know that we’ll see a continuation anytime soon, but after finally learning more about Elderling lore (often alluded to throughout the entire Farseer saga and finally just scratching the surface of possibilities here) I can’t see her just leaving it at that. If you’re a Hobb fan, The Rain Wild Chronicles is a must-read. If you’re a fantasy fan, this author is well worth your time! Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a new Fitz and the Fool tale to dive into…

Other books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes

Jun 10 2015
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Mini Book Review: Elantris by Brandon Sanderson

Elantris by Brandon Sanderson Title: Elantris

Author: Brandon Sanderson

Series: N/A [Thus Far, Anyway]

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

The Overview: Elantris was the capital of Arelon: gigantic, beautiful, literally radiant, filled with benevolent beings who used their powerful magical abilities for the benefit of all. Yet each of these demigods was once an ordinary person until touched by the mysterious transforming power of the Shaod. Ten years ago, without warning, the magic failed. Elantrians became wizened, leper-like, powerless creatures, and Elantris itself dark, filthy, and crumbling. Arelon’s new capital, Kae, crouches in the shadow of Elantris. Princess Sarene of Teod arrives for a marriage of state with Crown Prince Raoden, hoping — based on their correspondence — to also find love… [continue reading]

The Mini Review:

I have been trying to write this review for well over a week now and I’m not quite sure why it has been so difficult (I mean, how hard can it be to compose a paragraph or two?). I really enjoyed Elantris, which is no surprise considering it’s a Sanderson. There’s something really nice about picking up a novel and knowing it’s going to be good. It contained everything I’ve come to expect from such a great author – fantastic and relatable characters, cool magic system/magical beings, and excellent writing. In the whole scheme of his works, I think Elantris falls somewhere in the middle (keep in mind everything I’ve read from him is 4-Stars or higher). I found countless similarities to his Mistborn trilogy, so if you liked that one there is an excellent chance you will like this one (and vice versa). In fact, there wasn’t anything I DIDN’T like about it… Sanderson strikes again!

Other books you might like:  

by Niki Hawkes