Category Fantasy Books

Sep 2 2013
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Your Pick for Nik – August’s Review: The Sharing Knife: Beguilement by Lois McMaster Bujold

9780061796753_p0_v1_s260x420Title: The Sharing Knife: Beguilement

Author: Lois McMaster Bujold

Series: The Sharing Knife #1

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 4/5 stars

The Overview: Troubled young Fawn Bluefield seeks a life beyond her family’s farm. Enroute to the city, she encounters a patrol of Lakewalkers. The necromancers armed with human bone knives fight “malices”, immortal entities that draw out life, enslaving humans and animals. Dag saves Fawn from a malice – at a devastating cost. Their fates are now bound in a remarkable journey.

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The Review:

Story: I have read dozens of romance novels with a fantasy twist, but I have never before read a robust, rounded fantasy with a full romance focus. It was the very first true hybrid of the genres in my eyes and I have to say, if all romances were presented in this format I doubt I’d read much else. Usually, the biggest draws for a fantasy novel are world-building and events (fight scenes, magic/spell casting, etc. – basically: external conflicts). Romances, on the other hand, often focus exclusively on character and inner conflicts. To find a romance with such an authentic, rich fantasy world kind of blew my mind. I daresay this series is a sub-genre all its own and the unique mix of the two worlds was my favorite element of this story.

Pacing: As a strong character-driven story, most of the conflict was centered around the two main characters’ relationship and, as a result, was very slow-developing. While fantastic for a love story (because as far as I can tell, no one likes an insta-love) readers expecting a lot of action would probably have gotten bored. Personally, I enjoyed the relationship focused so much that I was totally engaged throughout the entire novel. In fact, some of my favorite parts took place when the pacing was at it slowest. Every scene in Beguilement was absorbing, and I lost myself to the internal conflicts of these characters more than once.

World-Building: I am always impressed when an author can come up with a compelling magic system. The magic in the story wasn’t earth-shattering, but it had some really cool history behind it, and I liked what it added to the story. The magic wasn’t the only thing with great history – the different cultures highlighted in the book were fascinating, and you can tell the author spent a lot of time on their development. Also, the villains in this book stems from and enhanced the history of this land (and, in my opinion, are what sold the book to me as a true fantasy). It really set up a strong foundation for what promises to be an excellent series!

Writing: This author screams of awareness. Although the story came across effortless, while analyzing it I could see several conscious decisions made by the author to shape this book into something amazing. Everything from side characters to settings were carefully orchestrated to build up the conflicts and draw you in further. I wish I could break it down more clearly, because it really was all the little things added up that made this a good novel. I applaud this author for not only understanding enough about story and genres to produce this amazing hybrid, but also for her talent as a writer to make everything in this world come alive!

Overall, I am thrilled this book was chosen for the YPFN book club, and I genuinely look forward to seeing where the story goes next!

Recommended Reading: As this one is heavily romance based, I would probably be more inclined to hand it to someone who likes love stories. It is an excellent crossover book for people who love romance and want to try fantasy, and vice versa.

by Niki Hawkes

Other books you might like:

Discussion time! (May contain spoilers):

Who was your favorite character?

I think Dag (although I really enjoyed Fawn’s aunt). I see him as an honorable character, and loved how he coped with villains, troop mates, and Fawn’s family.

What was your favorite part of the story?

The fact that it was a true mix between fantasy and romance… And done so in a way that brought out the best of both worlds.

We learned part way through the book just how much older Dag was than Fawn… did the significant age difference bother you?

For a while, I felt like it should. I think what saved it for me as that we got a chance to see just how genuinely Dag cared for her and there were no creepy alternative motives surrounding his relationship with this much younger girl. The characters evolved into so much more than age that I ended up coming out with a positive opinion of it. I don’t know that that positive opinion of the gap would transfer over to real life, however.

Did the lack of action after the first quarter of the book bother you?

No, Because I could see that wasn’t the point of the story. If you are going to focus so much on internal conflicts that the external take a backseat, it better be brilliant. And you know what? It was.

The questions are meant to generate conversation, so feel free to answer any or all in the comments area. If you also wrote a review for Beguilement, let me know and I will add a personalized link in this review. 

Aug 24 2013
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Book Review: Dragon Keeper by Robin Hobb

4703450Title: Dragon Keeper

Author: Robin Hobb

Series: Rain Wild Chronicles #1

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 5/5 stars!

The Overview: Too much time has passed since the powerful dragon Tintaglia helped the people of the Trader cities stave off an invasion of their enemies. The Traders have forgotten their promises, weary of the labor and expense of tending earthbound dragons who were hatched weak and deformed by a river turned toxic. If neglected, the creatures will rampage–or die–so it is decreed that they must move farther upriver toward Kelsingra, the mythical homeland whose location is locked deep within the dragons’ uncertain ancestral memories.

Thymara, an unschooled forest girl, and Alise, wife of an unloving and wealthy Trader, are among the disparate group entrusted with escorting the dragons to their new home. And on an extraordinary odyssey with no promise of return, many lessons will be learned–as dragons and tenders alike experience hardships, betrayals . . . and joys beyond their wildest imaginings.

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The Review:

In my eyes, Robin Hobb is the epitome of an amazing fantasy author. Every element of writing I expect from my books she always delivers brilliantly, and is easily one of my all-time favorite authors. I didn’t think she could do anything to make me love her more… until she wrote a series about dragons!

She has written about dragons before, but takes it to the next level of brilliance in this latest, amazing series: The Rain Wild Chronicles. It follows the life cycle of dragons, makes them just as important as the humanoid protagonists, and celebrates just how beautiful and shall we say unhuman they really are.

I love how well-developed Hobb’s characters are. They always feel like real people, and their flaws make them endearing. What’s great about Dragon Keeper is that she applies that same talent for character development to dragons. I found the whole thing entirely fascinating and loves how much of an active role the dragons had in the story – we even get several chapters from the dragon’s POV.

Part of the reason Hobb’s characters are so memorable is that she takes a lot of time within the story developing them to their fullest. Her novels, while not lacking in either setting, plot, or events, are strongly character-driven. A lot of times the larger scope of the story takes a backseat to the inner conflicts of her characters. I have to say, I’ve never been bored despite the slower pacing. Hobb’s works are like trickles of water running into streams – A bit narrow and unremarkable at first, but eventually growing into raging rivers that give you an exhilarating ride to the end. I have never been anything less than completely engaged, and I absolutely love that about her works.

Overall, if you are a dragon-lover like me and haven’t yet picked this up you’ll kick yourself for waiting so long when you finally do (I know I did).

Recommendations: While this series can be read as a standalone, the characters within are ones we’ve seen before. In fact, this book is the culmination of everything we’ve been working towards in a previous series. Even though dragons don’t play a huge role in the earlier novels, they are still well worth your time to read. The last book in the Tawny Man series was so profound that it was one of the main reasons why I started this blog (I’d read a phenomenal book and had no one to tell… that had to change). :-)

So, if you’d like to start from the beginning (the recommended path) consider following the order below from left to right:

by Niki Hawkes

Other books you might like: 

Dragon Champion Review

Jul 25 2013
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Book Review: Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb

6460575Title: Ship of Magic

Author: Robin Hobb

Series: Liveship Traders #1

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 5/5 stars!

The Overview: Bingtown is a hub of exotic trade and home to a merchant nobility famed for its liveships–rare vessels carved from wizardwood, which ripens magically into sentient awareness. The fortunes of one of Bingtown’s oldest families rest on the newly awakened liveship Vivacia. For Althea Vestrit, the ship is her rightful legacy unjustly denied her–a legacy she will risk anything to reclaim. For Althea’s young nephew Wintrow, wrenched from his religious studies and forced to serve aboard ship, Vivacia is a life sentence. But the fate of the Vestrit family–and the ship–may ultimately lie in the hands of an outsider. The ruthless pirate Kennit seeks a way to seize power over all the denizens of the Pirate Isles…and the first step of his plan requires him to capture his own liveship and bend it to his will…

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 The Review:

Robin Hobb has quickly become one of my all-time favorite authors. In my eyes, she can do no wrong, and here’s why: she has mastered every aspect that I consider when evaluating fantasy novel. Her world building, writing, characters, story, magic, and pacing are all phenomenal – and then she adds… something extra. An X-factor of sorts that tips her novels from enjoyable to profound. I am still reeling from her Tawny Man trilogy almost a year later (Fool’s Fate), and have said before that it’s part of the reason why I wanted to start a book blog – it rocked my world and I had to share.

Hobb actually has some of the most slow pacing of any novel that I’ve read – but it works because she makes everything relatable and writes it beautifully. The magic and the remarkable characters within these books make them worth reading in their own right. But it’s the little things – the daily acts done by average people just trying to make their way in the world – that makes them so special and absorbing.

These characters are real – I’m convinced of it. Their behaviors and personalities are so lifelike that they have to be going through these struggles in some distant universe that Hobb just happens to have access to. They are just so human, and so vibrant in that humanity that you can’t help but love them. They are flawed, they make mistakes, and they don’t always say the right thing, but they are real. This trilogy in particular features several different viewpoint characters, and while that can sometimes take momentum away from the story, in this case it only adds to it. You know Hobb chose to tell their perspective for a reason, so it’s only a matter of sitting back and enjoying their journey until their true purpose is revealed.

Overall, if you are interested in the ultimate high-seas adventure in a rich and vibrant world accompanied by excellent characters faced with endless possibilities, this may be the trilogy for you!

Recommendations: I hand this author to anyone looking for a great fantasy series – especially if they mention dragons. When an author has multiple series, you don’t usually need to read them in any particular order. In Hobb’s case, one of the reasons she is so profound is that each series builds off of one another. I would recommend reading them in the following order from left to right (depicted below are the covers for the first books in each series):

Other books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes

May 25 2013
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Book Review: A Shadow in Summer by Daniel Abraham

a1Title: A Shadow in Summer

Author: Daniel Abraham

Series: The Long Price Quartet #1

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 5/5 stars!

The Overview: The powerful city-state of Saraykeht is a bastion of peace and culture, a major center of commerce and trade. Its economy depends on the power of the captive spirit, Seedless, an andat bound to the poet-sorcerer Heshai for life. Enter the Galts, a juggernaut of an empire committed to laying waste to all lands with their ferocious army. Saraykeht, though, has always been too strong for the Galts to attack, but now they see an opportunity. If they can dispose of Heshai, Seedless’s bonded poet-sorcerer, Seedless will perish and the entire city will fall. With secret forces inside the city, the Galts prepare to enact their terrible plan.

In the middle is Otah, a simple laborer with a complex past. Recruited to act as a bodyguard for his girlfriend’s boss at a secret meeting, he inadvertently learns of the Galtish plot. Otah finds himself as the sole hope of Saraykeht, either he stops the Galts, or the whole city and everyone in it perishes forever.

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The Review:

I will be the first one to admit that the overview sounds a little boring and convoluted. The first time I picked it up in a bookstore, I almost disregarded it right away and put it back on the shelf. The reading gods must have been looking out for me that day because for one reason or another I cracked it open to read the first page… And didn’t stop for thirty minutes. It was fascinating and engaging – starting out by introducing a complex communication system that involves intricate hand gestures that conveys everything from emotion to social status. And you know what? It only got better! Abraham then went on to developed a mind – blowing magic system that was as dangerous as it was beautiful. These elements combined with an unforgettable writing style made for one of the most original stories I have ever read!

Both the communication and magic systems went a long way to build this world, but Abraham expanded on it anyway and created a stunning city that I can still remember vividly years later. Top that off with an incredible cast of characters (who will have you laughing and crying with them by the time the series ends) and you have one of the most memorable stories on the market. All of the characters were amazing and they only got better with each book.

I loved every minute, and I’ll say it again: this was easily one of the best series I’ve ever read. I will definitely be reading it again and will DEFINITELY be buying anything else this author publishes (be on the lookout for my review of The Dragon’s Path – the first book in Abraham’s latest series – hitting the blog sometime next month). Outstanding!

Recommendations: If you have read all the classics, from Robert Jordan to Brandon Sanderson, and are looking for your next great series, this is definitely the author for you! I recommend him as often as I can because of how profoundly his work affected me. Fantasy fans out there – this is a must-read!

by Niki Hawkes

Other books you might like:

Apr 10 2013
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Book Review: The Ghost King by R.A. Salvatore

a1Title: The Ghost King

Author: R. A. Salvatore

Series: Transitions III

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 5/5 stars!!

The Overview: When the Spellplague ravages Faerûn, Drizzt and his companions are caught in the chaos. Seeking out the help of the priest Cadderly–the hero of the recently reissued series The Cleric Quintet–Drizzt finds himself facing his most powerful and elusive foe, the twisted Crenshinibon, the demonic crystal shard he believed had been destroyed years ago.

The Review: 

One of the best ones yet! I laughed, I cried, I enjoyed the snot out of this book. Just when I think I’ve read everything he has to offer he comes out with an excellent novel like this that reminds me why I loved the series in the first place.

The last book (The Pirate King) focused more on political uprisings and storylines of secondary characters. While interesting in their own right, I’m glad to be getting back to these beloved characters that could frankly be doing anything at this point and I would still enjoy reading about it. There are so many great characters with epic histories packed into this novel that I wondered how Salvatore manages to keep them feeling rounded and fresh. Most notably is the reappearance of one of my favorite characters, Jarlaxle. He’s one of the best characters in fantasy because he’s dynamic – you are never quite sure whether he’s on our hero’s side and it’s always interesting to see what he does next! I also appreciated the villain of this particular book although the names were so wonky I had a difficult time keeping all of them straight. Without physical bodies as reference (you’ll see) it made those passages a bit boring because they flew right over my head.

Overall, the book felt like the culmination of everything we’ve read so far into one incredibly grand climax to the series. There were several clever tiebacks to past books, and it really had the best bits from everything. This is a fabulous series that I think any fantasy lover shouldn’t be without! There is definitely a bit of violence and darkness in this series, but nothing overly graphic. I usually feel comfortable recommending this everyone 13+.

by Niki Hawkes

Other books you might like:

Mar 8 2013

Book Review: The Pirate King by R.A. Salvatore

a1Title: The Pirate King

Author: R.A. Salvatore

Series: Transitions #2

Genre: Role Playing Fantasy

Rating: 4/5 stars

The Overview: Captain Deudermont has sailed to the pirate city of Luskan on a mission—a mission to once and for all defeat the true power behind the corrupt city: a wicked lich and his cabal of evil wizards from the Host Tower of the Arcane. But the Host Tower has some tricks up its sleeve, as do the pirate captains who would like to see both sides fail.

Captain Deudermont is convinced that he can save this futuristic metropolis, but Drizzt knows better. To save the embattled city and his friend, he returns to Luskan. 

The Review:

These book are fantastic! I consider them must-reads for fantasy buffs and role playing gamers alike! The author never fails to deliver fast-paced, well-rounded books. I love them because they manage to build momentum off of one-another while still maintaining a fully-developed plot within each book. A lot of fun to read, they set the stage for what has erupted into hundreds of Forgotten Realms spinoffs on the market today.

Salvatore has a great talent of taking you to different parts of his world and making each place vibrant and rich. From the frozen tundra of Icewind Dale to the seaside city of Luskan, you will never go without an excellent setting. So far, he’s written a few novels that deal with seafaring and the pirating community, and I argue with myself on whether or not I like them best. They certainly are different than other books in the saga, and I always find them a breath of fresh air (no pun intended).

While there are so many great attributes to this saga, by far my favorite elements are the characters. There are several throughout this series that I have absolutely loved – including the villains. Fair warning, you’d better be ready to read all 25+ novels because half the fun is finding out what happens next!

by Niki Hawkes

If you like this book, you might also like:

  • Sorcery Rising by Jude Fisher
  • Homeland  by R.A. Salvatore (the story that started it all)
  • Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb
  • The Aware by Glenda Larke
  • The Thief’s Gamble by Juliet E. McKenna

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