Tag Archives: book

Sep 7 2013
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Book Review: Wrath of a Mad God by Raymond E. Feist

1196299Title: Wrath of a Mad God

Author: Raymond E. Feist

Series: The Darkwar Saga #3

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 4/5 Stars

The Overview: The Darkwar rages upon Midkemia and Kelewan, bringing bleak days of destruction and despair. To save the future of both worlds, the powerful sorcerer Pug and select members of the secretive Conclave of Shadows must journey deep into the dangerous realm of the bloodthirsty Dasati, there to carry out an audacious mission that has little, if any, chance of succeeding. In Midkemia, young warriors Tad and Zane, and their fellow soldiers, protect the Kingdom from raiders. And Pug’s beloved wife, Miranda, finds herself a prisoner of the Dasati and, even more ominously, of Pug’s nemesis, the evil sorcerer Leso Varen. Salvation may come from a friend thought long dead, an unlikely ally whose remarkable powers will be sorely needed in the momentous battle to come . . . a final, fevered onslaught against the most malevolent agents of evil ever known.

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The Review:

Feist’s books have a special place in my heart as they were the novels that introduced me to the world of fantasy. I love his plots, his settings, and his characters. They are all memorable and dynamic and the main reason why I pick up each new book. These later works by Feist contain a great balance of new and old, which I love because it keeps the story both fresh and nostalgic at the same time.

As sad as I am to say it, I think Wrath of a Mad God was my least favorite novel so far in the 20+ list of books from him that I’ve read. I loved the premise for this story, but I had a little trouble with the concepts. They seemed a bit self-indulgent, requiring a great deal of explaining. When you need it fifty or more pages to explain to your audience what’s going on (especially so far in a series where the framework of the world and its realities are already pretty well-established) your concepts might be a bit too convoluted.

Another thing I noticed with this book (which I can’t decided if it’s a good or bad thing) is the fact that the series as a whole has slowly transformed from fantasy to science fiction. There is no space travel, but people from different worlds still find ways to interact through magical rifts and wrinkles in dimensions. While this shift in genre is interesting, part of me misses the epic fantasy feel of his earlier works.

Overall, I am slightly dissatisfied, but only when comparing it to the standard of other Feist novels. Nostalgia aside, I should also mention (without spoilers) that the ending of this book blew my mind and I genuinely can’t wait to see what happens next!

Recommended Reading: I usually hand the first book (Magician: Apprentice) to anybody wanting to try fantasy. It’s an excellent representation of the genre, and one I think fans of Terry Brooks and David Eddings would enjoy. Also, for any Feist fans who haven’t yet made it this point – keep reading, it’s worth it!

by Niki Hawkes

 Other books you might like:

Sep 6 2013
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Outs This Month – Noteworthy Releases September 2013!

This gallery contains 15 photos.

Ideally, this should have been posted on Monday, but I had too many things to cram into the week to make it happen. I never thought I’d get to the point where I had more ideas for posts then space … Continue reading →

Sep 5 2013
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Book Review: All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill

13514612Title: All Our Yesterdays

Author: Cristin Terrill

Series: Cassandra Chronicles #1

Genre: Teen Fantasy

Rating: 5/5 stars!

The Overview: “You have to kill him.” Imprisoned in the heart of a secret military base, Em has nothing except the voice of the boy in the cell next door and the list of instructions she finds taped inside the drain. Only Em can complete the final instruction. She’s tried everything to prevent the creation of a time machine that will tear the world apart. She holds the proof: a list she has never seen before, written in her own hand. Each failed attempt in the past has led her to the same terrible present—imprisoned and tortured by a sadistic man called the doctor while war rages outside. Marina has loved her best friend James since the day he moved next door when they were children. A gorgeous, introverted science prodigy from one of America’s most famous families, James finally seems to be seeing Marina in a new way, too. But on one disastrous night, James’s life crumbles apart, and with it, Marina’s hopes for their future. Now someone is trying to kill him. Marina will protect James, no matter what. Even if it means opening her eyes to a truth so terrible that she may not survive it. At least not as the girl she once was.

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 The Review:

All Our Yesterdays seems to garner mixed reactions from the amazing book bloggers I follow. Because it wasn’t getting across-the-board rave reviews, I decided to pass on it. I have to thank the marketing team at Netgalley for putting it back on my radar, because I absolutely loved it! It had me from the first page, and I set aside all my other books until I finished it (which is a rare thing for me, as I usually have about ten different books going at once).

One of my favorite things about this novel (there was a few) is how well the story was organized. Everything unfolded almost effortlessly, yet I know it must’ve taken a ton of work. It flowed so well that I forgot to take notes for this post (which, with really awesome titles, I don’t need the notes anyway because I’m so fired up about them).  In my eyes, it was brilliant.

While the concept and world building were amazing, the real strength of this novel is in character development. Each character was distinct, vibrant, and written well enough to make me feel personally invested in their struggles. The range of dynamics she was able to get surrounding each individuals’ personality blew my mind. They were incredibly profound characters, and I guarantee I won’t be forgetting about them anytime soon.

Time travel is difficult to do well – there always seems to be several frustrating plot holes. If there were inconsistencies in All Our Yesterdays, Terrill hid them well within her explanations of how time travel works. Her concepts mixed with the clear, beautiful writing has me convinced she is a truly brilliant author – you can tell this project took a lot of thought and planning. Even though I read this as a free digital copy, I liked it so much I bought the hardcover the day it came out. I will definitely be reading anything she publishes in the future!

Recommended Reading: this book is fighting for a place in my top five favorite dystopians! Because of that, I plan on recommending it to fans of that genre – especially to those in the mood for something slightly different. Also to anyone wanting an atypical love story.

Thank you NetGalley and Disney Book Group for the chance to read and review this title!

Other books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes

Sep 4 2013
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Coming Soon: Darkness Splintered by Keri Arthur

16144868Title: Darkness Splintered

Author: Keri Arthur

Series: Dark Angels #6

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Release Date: November 5, 2013

The Overview: When Risa loses the second key to hell, she angers several powerful people, and she’s starting to feel the pressure from all sides. She gets a visit from her father, who gives her an ultimatum: Get back the key or he will kill her friends.Ris4a also finds herself under the scrutiny of the vampire council, some of whom consider her a monster who should be destroyed. But they offer her a bloody bargain: Take on the lethal head of the council, Madeline Hunter, and others will support her. As the search for the keys to hell heats up, Risa realizes that she has no choice. For the sake of the people she loves, she must find the keys — and get rid of Hunter — before the second gate is opened and brings the world closer to all hell breaking loose…

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 Nik’s Notes:

  This week’s Waiting on Wednesday (hosted by Breaking the Spine) I’ve chosen to feature Keri Arthur, the author who got me hooked on the urban fantasy genre. To this day, her Riley Jensen series is among my all-time favorites and I’ve read them several times. As a spinoff series, the Dark Angels has been every bit as entertaining as Riley (who, to my delights, makes some appearances). Although I’m not caught up with this series, I hope to be by the time this one is released in November.

What book are you waiting on?

Sep 3 2013
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Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I Wish I’d Read in School! (8/3/2013)

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 This feature, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, is one of my favorites. This week’s topic:

Top Ten Books I Wish I’d Read in School!

The books I’ve chosen are practically classics within their genres, and simultaneously ones I don’t think I’ll ever get around to reading without outside pressure. I realize that admitting this is literary blasphemy…please don’t yell at me.

#1 The Ultimate Hitchhiker’s Guide: I know, I know. How can I possibly be a fan of science fiction without having read this title? I also included this one in my list of most intimidating titles because I just don’t like “punchy” humor, and I’m terrified I won’t like this iconic series.

#2 The Lord of the Rings: I read (and enjoyed) The Hobbit, but couldn’t get into the trilogy despite my best efforts. I finally gave up on going through the motions of reading the book because I wanted to like it so much. The movies, however, remain my all time favorites, and I have die-hard fans of the books to thank for that!

#3 Brave New World: this is a highly conceptual novel that I always wished my professors had made me read in school. I know a lot of writers I enjoy today took inspiration at one point from this book. Also, my go-to guy for science fiction ranks it in his top three favorite books of all time.

#4 The Chronicles of Narnia: I bought these when I was a kid, saved up my allowance and everything for the big nice boxset… And then they sat on my shelves unread for almost ten years. By the time I finally picked up The Magician’s Nephew I realized just how much I didn’t enjoy allegorical stories (plus, it was kind of boring…).

#5 Jane Austen: The Complete Works: Most women I talked to who have read this author fawn over her to a degree that makes me slightly ashamed I’ve never read her. Aside from the fact that I’m not much of a classic fiction girl, I’ve just never found the storyline or time period particularly compelling.

#6 Dune: This one is on my list because, despite the fact that I’ve not yet read it, I wish it’d been a part of my early discoveries of the wonders of science fiction. This one is the exception on the list, as I am pretty sure I will be reading it within the next year.

#7 Don Quixote: of all the classics, this one appeals to me the most. I find the idea of a armored man attacking a windmill hysterical. I likely won’t ever read it, but I wish my teachers would’ve had it on their required reading list.

#8 The Foundation Trilogy: As another pioneer of the science fiction world, this is another one that I wish would have been part of the “foundation” of my sci-fi repertoire.

#9 Grimm’s Fairy Tales: I find these fascinating, and I think I would’ve really enjoyed studying them in school. I tried reading them a couple of years ago, but there were just too many things I enjoyed reading more.

#10 The Book Thief: I know, it’s amazing, it’s beautiful, it’s original… I really wish it’d been included in a history class at some point because it just doesn’t sound like something in my wheelhouse of books.

  Keep in mind that these books are on my list because deep down I really want to read them, I just haven’t been able to bring myself to.

What books do you wish you’d read in school? Did any of mine make your list?

 by Niki Hawkes

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.