Tag Archives: book clubs

Feb 18 2013

Your Pick for Nik! – March Nominations!

To cast your vote, just leave a comment indicating your chosen titles (up to 3) – and may the best book win!

It’s that time again for us to pick our next book!

Voting starts today (February 18, 2013) and you’ll have all the way until Sunday the 24th to choose your favorites (Remember: YOU CAN VOTE FOR MORE THAN 1).

For those of you new to the book club, Your Pick for Nik! is a monthly feature where I turn over control of my reading list to you!

Here’s how it works: I will nominate titles from my TBR list and YOU will choose which one gets featured. It can be one you’ve already read and want to discuss, one you want to read but wish to see my feedback on first, or – and this is my favorite part – you can read it along with me!

Depicted below are my 10 nominees* for March. Simply vote for your favorite, and let the best book win! At 10:00 am (MST) on Monday the 25th I will announce the winner. Come the end of March, I will post a thorough review of the chosen title – and hopefully find out what you thought of it as well!

March’s Nominations: 

b2Title: The Cloud Roads

Author: Martha Wells

Series: Book of the Raksura

Genre: Fantasy

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.

b1Title: Geist

Author: Philippa Ballantine

Series: Book of the Order #1

Genre: Fantasy

Overview: Sorcha, powerful protector of the Empire against malevolent hauntings, is called to a small settlement. But more is occurring there than “geist” activity. It’s a conspiracy of evil that reaches back to herown Abbey. Even if she survives, what hell would she be returning to?

.

b3Title: The Selection

Author: Kiera Cass

Series: Selection #1

Genre: Teen Fiction

Overview: For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn’t want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she’s made for herself—and realizes that the life she’s always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

b4Title: The Darkest Minds

Author: Alexandra Bracken

Series: Darkest Minds #1

Genre: Teen Fantasy

Overview: When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government “rehabilitation camp.” She might have survived the mysterious disease that’s killed most of America’s children, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control.

Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.

When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she’s on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her—East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents.

9780441016945_p0_v1_s260x420Title: Death’s Daughter

Author: Amber Benson

Series: Calliope Reaper Jones #1

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Overview: Calliope Reaper-Jones so just wanted a normal life: buying designer shoes on sale, dating guys from Craig’s List, web-surfing for organic dim-sum for her boss…

But when her father—who happens to be Death himself—is kidnapped, and the Devil’s Protege embarks on a hostile takeover of the family business, Death, Inc., Callie returns home to assume the CEO mantle— only to discover she must complete three nearly impossible tasks in the realm of the afterlife first.

c2

Title: Beautiful Creatures

Authors: Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Series: Beautiful Creatures #1

Genre: Teen Paranormal Romance

Overview: Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she’s struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town’s oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

gggTitle: Hounded

Author: Kevin Hearne

Series: Iron Druid Chronicles #1

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Overview: Atticus O’Sullivan, last of the Druids, lives peacefully in Arizona, running an occult bookshop and shape-shifting in his spare time to hunt with his Irish wolfhound. His neighbors and customers think that this handsome, tattooed Irish dude is about twenty-one years old—when in actuality, he’s twenty-one centuries old. Not to mention: He draws his power from the earth, possesses a sharp wit, and wields an even sharper magical sword known as Fragarach, the Answerer.

Unfortunately, a very angry Celtic god wants that sword, and he’s hounded Atticus for centuries. Now the determined deity has tracked him down, and Atticus will need all his power—plus the help of a seductive goddess of death, his vampire and werewolf team of attorneys, a sexy bartender possessed by a Hindu witch, and some good old-fashioned luck of the Irish—to kick some Celtic arse and deliver himself from evil.

1111Title: Seraphina

Author: Rachel Hartman

Series: Seraphina #1

Genre: Teen Fantasy

Overview: Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty’s anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high.

Seraphina Dombegh has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered—in suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the captain of the Queen’s Guard, the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs. While they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect her own secret, the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life.

c3Title: Pure

Author: Julianna Baggot

Series: Pure #1

Genre: Fantasy

Overview: We know you are here, our brothers and sisters . . .
Pressia barely remembers the Detonations or much about life during the Before. In her sleeping cabinet behind the rubble of an old barbershop where she lives with her grandfather, she thinks about what is lost-how the world went from amusement parks, movie theaters, birthday parties, fathers and mothers . . . to ash and dust, scars, permanent burns, and fused, damaged bodies. And now, at an age when everyone is required to turn themselves over to the militia to either be trained as a soldier or, if they are too damaged and weak, to be used as live targets, Pressia can no longer pretend to be small. Pressia is on the run.

a1Title: Alien Taste

Author: Wen Spen

Series: Ukiah Oregon #1

Genre: Scifi/Urban

Overview: Abandoned as a child, Ukiah Oregon was found running with a wolf pack. Now considered one of the greatest trackers in the country, this private investigator puts his nose to the ground to track down missing fugitives. When he crosses paths with a criminal gang called the Pack, Ukiah discovers just how much he has in common with the Pack.

Feb 2 2013
Image

Your Pick for Nik! – January’s Review: Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

22Title: Falling Kingdoms

Author: Morgan Rhodes

Series: Falling Kingdoms #1

Genre: Teen Fantasy

Rating: 2/5 stars

The Overview: In a land where magic has been forgotten but peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest is simmering. Three kingdoms grapple for power—brutally transforming their subjects’ lives in the process. Amidst betrayals, bargains, and battles, four young people find their fates forever intertwined.

The Review: 

The cover and overall idea for Falling Kingdoms grabbed my attention as soon as it came out of the box. I immediately stopped what I was doing and thought, “Oooh! I definitely want to read this!” Having finished it just last week, I’ve been trying to figure out why I didn’t like it as much as I thought I would…

There was nothing particularly “wrong” with the book: the characters were well-rounded and interesting, the overall plot line was well-woven, and the writing style left me nothing to complain about. What’s more, I think a lot of people out there are really going to enjoy the story and get behind some of these characters. The book is being advertised as a sort of hybrid between the Game of Thrones Saga and Graceling, and that’s exactly what it read like. For some reason, however, it just didn’t quite work for me. I’ll spend a lot of time in the following sections illustrating why, but suffice to say I’m disappointed I didn’t get more from January’s selection.

[Spoiler Alert! You may want to skip down if you haven’t read the book yet]

Story

Pieces of Game of Thrones and Graceling definitely make an appearance in this novel, and with two such great draws for inspiration, this book could’ve been fantastic. I actually think Rhodes did a good job incorporating both stories, but I feel like she left out the best elements that made each of the books so special.

Graceling is an adventure involving teens doing extraordinary things to save their kingdoms and that is certainly present here, but it is also one of the most memorable love stories I’ve ever read and the main reason why it’s one of my favorites. Within Falling Kingdoms, I didn’t feel more than an ounce of relationship development throughout the whole thing, even if you count the incestuous stuff. Cleo and Theon had some potential, but even then readers were told they were falling in love and never shown until right before he was killed. For a teen book, I feel as though this was her biggest missed opportunity. There are ways to incorporate a love story without making it gushy.

Game of Thrones, on the other hand, had a highly original perspective and was told with a bit more of an edge than was typical within the genre. There were also many moments of unexpected events which added to the overall appeal and suspense of the story. Falling Kingdoms copied Martin’s multiple storylines format, took the edge out to make it accessible for teens, and brought in unexpected elements that I feel hurt the plot more than it helped.

World-Building

I thought the world-building was pretty much non-existent. Sure, there was a bit of cultural development, but everything else was fairly generic. I kept getting the impression that Rhodes didn’t pay any attention to the physical geography of this world. There are supposedly three separate distinct cultures living in partitioned areas (ruled by individual monarchs), yet it seemed to take only a few hours to travel between each kingdom. I just don’t see how the cultures could’ve remained independent, or for that matter, have enough people within for three kings to rule within such tight parameters. And, speaking of people, other than the main characters, there was really nobody else around… where are the subjects these three kings are trying to rule over? Anyway, I really missed this element of the story and hope the author spends some time on creating atmosphere in future books.

Characterization

Because of the choices she made within the plot – specifically killing off characters and following too many story-lines at once, the whole book read like one giant, glorified prequel. At no point during 95% of the book was I sure who I was supposed to rooting for and against (for that matter, I’m still not totally sure). The excellent prequel started with Sabina killing her sister, giving readers and interesting villain right off the bat. Just when we started learning where her story was going to develop, Rhodes killed her off, leaving readers relatively villian-less halfway through the book.

As for the heroes, Cleo has somehow emerged as the one with a quest before her, yet I feel as though Lucia’s developing magic (and the tension between her and her brother) is the real driving force behind story. I can’t help but wonder what it would have been like to read two totally different books following each storyline because I actually think they’re stronger on their own. Concerning the others, Jonas’ motives for revenge were a tad irrational for me, and we really don’t get to see what type of thinker he is until the end of the book. We also never get to see Ioannes’ motives in the first book, and what little we know about him got flipped near the end anyway. Hence, an excellent prequel for the story that’s actually starting in the next book.

Writing Style

As mentioned earlier, there’s nothing I can criticize about Rhode’s writing style. In fact, had the plot decisions not detracted from the book as a whole, I would probably be praising her for certain elements at this point. She did a great job of showing the inner turmoil and duality of all the various characters, making it easy to get on board and feel for their plights.

On a minor note, there was an awful lot of false tension and “soon to be revealed” secrets in this book. I believe she was trying to build suspense and keep people turning pages, but I’m the type of reader that likes to have as much information up front as possible. Secrets are great, but if the protagonist knows something, I’d like to know it too. It helps explain motives and reveal character which allows me to fully invest myself into their struggles.

[End Spoilers]

Pacing

I will say that the prequel to this book was incredibly grabbing! After reading it, I hunkered down thinking “this is going to be epic! I’d better get comfortable…” Fifty pages and a dozen characters later, I was half asleep waiting for the story to start. Too many characters make it very difficult to get the plot moving. It also can steal away momentum further along because the author constantly has to drag the reader back and forth between characters. It is a risky tactic, as you are literally giving your readers permission to have a short attention span with your work. You also take the risk that readers will get bored with one or another of the characters (mostly because this format doesn’t allow you time to develop each one fully, and readers aren’t sure who to invest their attentions in). I know many people who have admitted to skipping entire chapters when this happens, particularly with J.R. Ward and George R.R. Martin books. I’m not saying it can’t work, I’m just saying it’s a risk an author needs to consider when outlining.

Overall, I wish I could’ve had more positives for this book. I have the tendency to be harsher on books that I’ve been looking forward to, and I think that might have been the case here. I am honestly hoping for one of you to reply with: “You’re crazy, this book was amazing!” because I feel like I might’ve been a bit hyper-critical of it. In any case, I hope I like next month’s selection (Drowning City by Amanda Dunham) a bit better.

Other books you might like:

Now Let’s Discuss!

I love composing these reviews, but I’m most looking forward to hearing what YOU thought of the book:

  • What are your overall impressions/ratings of the book?
  • What were your favorite/least favorite elements?
  • Who was your favorite character/storyline?
  • Is Niki too harsh a critic? ;)

by Niki Hawkes

Jan 28 2013

Your Pick for Nik! – February’s Selection!

2Thank you all for your votes!

This month’s winner is… Drowning City by Amanda Downum!

A thorough review and discussion for this book will take place on March 1st, so there’s plenty of time to pick it up if you want to participate. I am super excited to read this one and look forward to hearing what all of you thought about it as well!

For more information on the Your Pick for Nik! book club,  click here. 

**Don’t forget to tune in Friday February 1st for the review and discussion of January’s Selection: Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes.**

“If you think reading is boring, you’re doing it wrong.”

Jan 21 2013

Your Pick for Nik! – February’s Nominations!

It’s that time again for us to pick our next book! This month I’m making a few changes to the voting process: instead of my usual two-day window for voting, I decided to leave it open for the entire week. Why, you ask? Well, it finally occurred to me that most of you aren’t glued to your computers 24/7 and might actually need more than a day or two to check out the nominations and make a selection. In any case, the voting starts today (January 21, 2013) and you’ll have all the way until Sunday the 27th to choose your favorite. 

For those of you new to this feature, Your Pick for Nik! is a monthly book club where I turn over control of my reading list to you!

Here’s how it works: I will nominate titles from my TBR list and YOU will choose which one gets featured. It can be one you’ve already read and want to discuss, one you want to read but wish to see my feedback on first, or – and this is my favorite part – you can read it along with me!

Depicted below are my 10 nominees* for February. Simply vote for your favorite, and let the best book win! At 10:00 am (MST) on Monday the 28th I will announce the winner. Come the end of February, I will post a thorough review of the chosen title – and hopefully find out what you thought of it as well!

To cast your vote, just leave a comment indicating your chosen title – and may the best book win!

February’s Nominations: 

2Title: The Drowning City

Author: Amanda Downum

Genre: Fantasy

Overview: Symir — the Drowning City. home to exiles and expatriates, pirates and smugglers. And violent revolutionaries who will stop at nothing to overthrow the corrupt Imperial government. For Isyllt Iskaldur, necromancer and spy, the brewing revolution is a chance to prove herself to her crown. All she has to do is find and finance the revolutionaries, and help topple the palaces of Symir. But she is torn between her new friends and her duties, and the longer she stays in this monsoon-drenched city, the more intrigue she uncovers — even the dead are plotting. As the waters rise and the dams crack, Isyllt must choose between her mission and the city she came to save.

1Title: Beyonders: A World Without Heroes

Author: Brandon Mull

Genre: Young Reader

Overview: Jason Walker has often wished his life could be a bit less predictable—until a routine day at the zoo ends with Jason suddenly transporting from the hippo tank to a place unlike anything he’s ever seen. In the past, the people of Lyrian welcomed visitors from the Beyond, but attitudes have changed since the wizard emperor Maldor rose to power. The brave resistors who opposed the emperor have been bought off or broken, leaving a realm where fear and suspicion prevail. In his search for a way home, Jason meets Rachel, who was also mysteriously drawn to Lyrian from our world. With the help of a few scattered rebels, Jason and Rachel become entangled in a quest to piece together the word of power that can destroy the emperor and learn that their best hope to find a way home will be to save this world without heroes.

aaaaTitle: Dragon Keeper

Author: Robin Hobb

Genre: Fantasy

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. 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.

1111Title: Wither

Author: Lauren DeStefano

Genre: Teen Paranormal Romance

Overview: Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion, but they’re still in danger. Outside, they find a world even more disquieting than the one they ran away from. Determined to get to Manhattan and find Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan, the two press forward, amid threats of being captured again…or worse. The road they are on is long and perilous—and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and men die at age twenty-five, time is precious. In this sequel to Lauren DeStefano’s harrowing Wither, Rhine must decide if freedom is worth the price—now that she has more to lose than ever.

castingsTitle: Blood Ties

Author: Pamela Freeman

Genre: Fantasy

Overview: A thousand years ago, the Eleven Domains were invaded and the original inhabitants forced on the road as Travelers, belonging nowhere, welcomed by no-one. Now the Domains are governed with an iron fist by the Warlords, but there are wilder elements to the landscape which cannot be controlled and which may prove their undoing. Some are spirits of place, of water and air and fire and earth. Some are greater than these. And some are human. Bramble: a village girl, whom no-one living can tame … forced to flee from her home for a crime she did not commit. Ash: apprentice to a safeguarder, forced to kill for an employer he cannot escape. Saker: an enchanter, who will not rest until the land is returned to his people. As their three stories unfold, along with the stories of those whose lives they touch, it becomes clear that they are bound together in ways that not even a stonecaster could foresee – bound by their past, their future, and their blood.

estepTitle: Spider’s Bite

Author: Jennifer Estep

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Overview: After Gin’s family was murdered by a Fire elemental when she was thirteen, she lived on the streets and eventually became an assassin to survive. Now, Gin is given an assignment by her handler to rub out an Ashland businessman, but it turns out to be a trap. After Gin’s handler is brutally murdered, she teams up with the sexy detective investigating the case to figure out who double-crossed her and why. Only one thing is for sure —Gin has no qualms about killing her way to the top of the conspiracy.

embraceTitle: Embrace

Author: Jessica Shirvington

Genre: Teen Fantasy

Overview: It starts with a whisper: “It’s time for you to know who you are…” On her 17th birthday, everything will change for Violet Eden. The boy she loves will betray her. Her enemy will save her. She will have to decide just how much she’s willing to sacrifice. Dangerously exciting and darkly romantic, EMBRACE is a compelling novel of good and evil, seductive desires and impossible choices. A centuries old war between fallen angels and the protectors of humanity chooses a new fighter. It’s a battle Violet doesn’t want, but she lives her life by two rules: don’t run and don’t quit. If angels seek vengeance and humans are the warriors, you could do a lot worse than betting on Violet Eden.

demonsTitle: The Demon Awakens

Author: R.A. Salvatore

Genre: Fantasy

Overview: A great evil has awakened in the land of Corona, a terrible demon determined to spread death and misery. His goblin armies and fearsome giants ravage the settlements of the frontier, and in the small village of Dundallis their merciless attack leaves behind two shattered orphans: Pony and her lifelong friend, the youth Elbryan. Taken in by elves, Elbryan is raised to become a formidable ranger–a fateful role that will lead him into harrowing confrontation. Meanwhile, on a far-off island, a shower of gemstones will fall onto the black sand shores. These heaven-sent stones carry within them an incredible power–the key to all that is good in the world and all that is evil, and it is up to one young monk to liberate them from the corrupt monastery that harvests them. Pray that they don’t fall into the wrong, clawed hands . . . As the demon dactyl awakens and unleashes a plague of violence as gruesome as it is far-reaching, orphaned friends Pony and Elbryan are compelled by fate to take up a struggle against a sinister force that will tip the balance of good and evil one way or the other….

dragonlordTitle: The Last Dragonlord

Author: Joanne Bertin

Genre: Fantasy

Overview: Dragonlord Linden Rathan, last-born of a race of immortal weredragons, has spent six hundred years alone, searching for his soultwin while his fellow Dragonlords watch over humanity’s Five Kingdoms. When the Queen of Cassori dies mysteriously, Linden and the other Dragonlords are called upon to prevent civil war as two human claimants vie for the regency. As the battle for Cassori rule escalates, Linden becomes the target of the Fellowship, a secret society of true-humans who could actually destroy his immortal life. Then he meets a beautiful young ship captain named Maurynna who may be the only one who can help Linden bring Cassori back from the brink of chaos.

garthTitle: Sabriel

Author: Garth Nix

Genre: Teen Fantasy

Overview: Sabriel, daughter of the necromancer Abhorsen, must journey into the mysterious and magical Old Kingdom to rescue her father from the Land of the Dead.

*Overviews taken from bn.com

Dec 30 2012

Your Pick for Nik! – December’s Review!

warbreakerTitle: Warbreaker

Author: Brandon Sanderson

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 4/5 stars

Characters: My favorite element in Sanderson’s works are always his characters. They are  dynamic, interesting, and you can tell they’ve been developed over a long period of time. For novels written in third person, there is surprisingly a great deal of in-depth personal exploration that usually only comes with first person novels. He somehow managed to give us that fantasy feel while sharing that inner dialog that always makes me feel more invested into the characters’ futures.

After reading Mistborn, I’d always wondered why it was the characters were my favorite element. The magic systems and overall story were strong enough to contend in their own right, but when recommending the series to customers, I always talk about how enjoyable the characters were to read about – even the unlikable ones. After reading Warbreaker and the annotations after each chapter, the author clued me in as to why this is: his characters take action. Inner thoughts and development are indeed good for a story and they let you infer motives and tendencies, but many authors send their characters through inner struggles through most of the book before they finally overcome them to make something happen. Sanderson gives you that inner turmoil, but makes his characters act on them regardless of hangups. That, (along with their obviously well-developed personalities) is why I rave so much about them.

Pacing: ironically, although the characters were making decisions and advancing their own personal stories, it was a rather slow read. This was deliberate on the author’s part, as he mentioned in his annotations that he likes slower-moving books, but it still drug in a couple of places for me. That said, I was never bored. And as odd as it sounds, as soon as I began reading the annotations at the end of each chapter, the story really took off. Perhaps it was because my level of investment into the story had just increased, but likely it was because it gave me a lot more to think about, whether it be storyline or the writing behind it. I also don’t remember a single scene that didn’t either advance plot or reveal character, so overall I think it was a success.

World Building: Anyone who has ever seen my house (or for that matter, ever spent a bit of time with me) knows how much I love color. The idea that there is a world and magic system totally devoted to and focused around color makes me immensely happy. Sanderson always managed to subtly draw my attention back to the vibrant shades and hues that run rampant in this world. It was a delightful contrast to the drab settings I normally picture while reading fantasy, making the story that much more exotic and vibrant. Needless to say, the visual elements the author described in Warbreaker were highly evoking and I appreciated the picture he painted. (there’s your bad pun for the review… you knew it was coming.)

In any of Sanderson’s works you can tell he spends a lot of extra time developing his worlds. From the semi-tropical settings to the viable yet opposing religious systems, it was all very well-conceived. The ideas were excellent and thorough, but the most notable element was the way the author wove this information into the story. Creating a totally new world in fantasy is difficult to do without “info-dumping” on your reader, and I am in awe at how seamlessly he managed to convey loads of information about this place up-front without drawing attention away from the story. Many subtle drop-in details were used, but most of the information we found out through conversations and behaviors of the characters. As this is something I struggle with in my own writing, I found it very helpful to see it done so well.

Writing: While the book contained an excellent example of world building, it also had many other elements of writing that I found insightful. In fact, for any budding authors out there, I highly recommend studying this book to improve your craft. The epub version of this novel (available through bn.com) contain the author’s annotated notes after every chapter. They not only provided extra information on the story as a whole (making it that much more rich and vibrant) but also let us have an inside look at the developmental process that goes into writing a good fantasy novel. Sanderson even provides several suggestions and tips for making a good story even stronger. It was really interesting to read a passage then get the author’s first-hand account of what moods he was going for, what characters he hoped to highlight, and how the scene advanced the plot.

While not everybody approaches writing in the same way, it’s helpful to see inside someone else’s creative process to get a feel of how much work goes into developing a great story. This brings me to my final point: writing, at least good writing, is a lot of hard work. Sanderson, who is by all accounts setting himself up a legacy in this genre went through several drafts and considered thousands of feedback notes before settling on this final product. I admire that constant strive for perfection and I also realize that good fantasy takes hard work, dedication, and time, even for the professionals. If you are working on a novel, don’t let endless hours of rewriting and editing discourage you – your work will show and it will only get stronger.

Overall, this pick was a great read, and one that I’m especially grateful was chosen. I not only enjoyed it, but found inspiration to advance my own novel. I am eager to pick up The Way of Kings next, as at least a dozen people have told me it’s their favorite Sanderson.

by Niki Hawkes

Other Books You Might Like:

Now Let’s Discuss!

I had a lot of fun composing this review, but I’m most looking forward to hearing what YOU think:

  • What are your overall impressions/ratings of the book?
  • What were your favorite elements?
  • Who was your favorite character?
  • Did you predict the plot twists before they happened?
Dec 29 2012

Your Pick for Nik! – January’s Selection!

22Thank you for your votes!

This month’s winner is… “Falling Kingdoms” by Morgan Rhodes!

A thorough review for this title will be posted on February 1, so there’s plenty of time to pick it up if you want to participate. I am super excited to read this one and look forward to hearing what all of you thought about it as well! :)

For more information on this feature click here.

Don’t forget to tune in tomorrow for the review and discussion of December’s Selection: “Warbreaker” by Brandon Sanderson.

“If you think reading is boring, you’re doing it wrong.”