/ˈfan(t)əsē/ noun. a composition, free in form, typically involving variation on an existing work or the imaginative representation of a situation or story; a fantasia.
Rachel Smythe has created a cotton-candy colored, contemporary re-telling of Hades and Persephone. It is a very pretty creation but, like the start of most graphic novel series, lacks a little in the storytelling.
I also had trouble telling some of the characters apart. In some panels their features were so blurred that it was impossible to tell who was who.
That being said, I’m not sure that I am the intended audience for this work. The bright colors and quick pacing make me think this may be more appropriate for young adults.
It is shelved with the adult selections at my library, but nothing in the story is inappropriate for teens 14+.
I enjoyed the artwork more than the story itself. It is very pretty and stylized with flourishes and smooth edges.
Recommended for readers who enjoy their mythology being told with a fresh new voice and perspective.
It’s like the foreign legion for nerds,” I said, and laughed. “With polar bears.” “Or seals,” Aparna added.” pg 32, ebook
Master author John Scalzi penned a lovely book about large creatures in an alternate dimension. That ending though… no spoilers in this review so I won’t say much more about it other than it was a huge disappointment.
“We think we’re smart,” Niamh repeated. “And because we think we’re smart, we only looked at what we wanted to look at and didn’t think to look past it.” pg 165
I was looking for a light-hearted fiction read, which this book is. The characters are diverse and it was quite fun to discover the world Scalzi created for them.
The kaiju themselves are fascinating. Again, I don’t want to say too much and ruin the best part of this book- the creatures.
I liked the humor in the story even though the same gag is used multiple times. It lends a sense of familiarity in the middle of an alien world.
Though it does get a bit repetitive after a little while.
All that being said, I only recommend this book to Scalzi fans. I could not get over that ending.
Magic Vol. 1 is a beautiful beginning to a fantasy series based on the card game, “Magic the Gathering.”
The story is quite busy for a first volume, bringing together a number of characters and introducing a fairly complex system of magic.
At least, it seemed like a lot to me as I’ve never played Magic the Gathering and have no idea how it goes. To those who are familiar with the game, this might be less of an issue.
The artwork is gorgeous. I love when talented artists team up with great writers to produce graphic novels. I believe that is the case with this book.
I’m interested to see where this goes. Recommended for fantasy readers ages 14 plus because of some violence.
Her search takes her to London where, after a night of violence and supernatural scares, she discovers a whole other world existing alongside the every day one.
This is a world of magic and legend, and mysterious, ultra-cool booksellers.
“Susan hesitated and looked back. The monstrous bug was still writhing, but something else was happening now. A dark fog was flowing up the stairs.”
“Children’s writers,” said Merlin. “Dangerous bunch. They cause us a lot of trouble. … They don’t do it on purpose… But quite often they discover the key to raise some ancient myth, or release something that should have stayed imprisoned, and they share that knowledge via their writing. Stories aren’t always stories, you know.” pg 59, book
The characters and their sparkling dialogue are the high points in this fantasy tale for young adults.
I was also fond of the heroes being a bunch of booksellers. The only change that would have raised that, in my opinion, was if author Garth Nix had made them librarians. But that’s just me. 🙂
The world Nix has imagined, though intriguing, never moves beyond the entirely predictable. I suppose I wasn’t the intended audience for the story, but I believe a great book entertains all ages.
“I never knew anything about the Old World or any of this stuff before I met Merlin.” pg 67, ebook.
Although, now that the world is created, I could see this being the first entry in a fun, light-hearted series. We shall see.
Only recommended for young adults who are looking for fantasy reads. Adults readers may find themselves longing for more complexity.
“I have begun a Catalogue in which I intend to record the Position, Size and Subject of each Statue, and any other points of interest.” pg 6, ebook.
Piranesi is an explorer of a strange world in which water runs through the ruins of Grecian-esque temples filled with statues both beautiful and grotesque. He calls this place: the House.
“Outside the House there are only the Celestial Objects: Sun, Moon and Stars.” pg 6, ebook
He doesn’t remember how he got there or a life prior to entering the House. The reader gets to discover his forgotten past along with him in this mystery/fantasy novel.
His only point of contact with a living, breathing person is a man Piranesi has nicknamed, ‘the Other’. He meets with the Other about twice a week. Despite this lack of community, Piranesi manages to survive and soldier forward with his explorations.
“Perhaps even people you like and admire immensely can make you see the World in ways you would rather not.” pg 227, ebook
In that way, Piranesi is somewhat like an ode to introverts- a whole world to explore by yourself. In other ways, it feels like a nod to a lost world of crowded museums and libraries.
The recent pandemic has twisted the ideas of community and togetherness- sometimes I feel like Piranesi as I wander through stacks of books that people aren’t perusing as much anymore. Or hosting library events where no one shows.
Author Susanna Clarke has put her finger on a sore spot in the zeitgeist and the result is a compulsively readable book.
I was also pleased to observe she wrote a slightly shorter novel. After the brick that is Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, I was expecting this to be another 1000 page tale. Clarke tells her story, and tells it well.
Recommended for readers who love portal fantasies or any reader who dreams about worlds beyond the day-to-day. Thanks for reading!
Finn is trying to figure out who she is and so is the rest of the world- which itself is on the verge of something big, something having to do with the magical creatures. Author Sara Roethle calls these creatures, ‘Faie,’ who disappeared years ago and now are reappearing all over the place.
The group’s trip into the fairy forest was my favorite part. That whole section had me flying through the pages, I just had to know what was going to happen next!
Sadly, this is only the first installment and I was left with so many questions: will Finn ever figure out who she is? Will Aed come to terms with his shadowy past? Will Iseult clear his family name?
Guess I’ll have to read the next novel to find out…
This book, the first in a series, reminded me of Katharine Kerr’s Deverry saga. We have an old, wizard type person in Aed (Nevyn in Deverry), who is trying to help a young female, Finn (Jill in Deverry), come into her powers. Then there’s the confused, tormented, perhaps love interest, Iseult (Rhodry in Deverry) and a whole cast of other characters who are along for the ride.
And, like Kerr’s creation, the world that Roethle has crafted is very large and unexpected with, sometimes terrifying, creatures.
I’d recommend Tree of Ages for anyone who loves high fantasy.
If you like this, I’d also suggest Katharine Kerr’s Deverry (start with Daggerspell) and Kage Baker’s The Company series (start with In the Garden of Iden).
Baker’s world is more of a steam punk/historical fiction/low fantasy type place, but I think that the relationships that she has knit together were quite like what Roethle has made in Tree of Ages.
Here’s a short book trailer for “Tree of Ages” by Sara C Roethle. Available on all digital platforms for only 99 cents: https://books2read.com/u/bw8XAe
I received a free copy of this book through Goodreads First Reads. FTC guidelines: check! And thank you for reading.
**Spoiler alert: for those who haven’t had the chance to read this classic tale. Please read before you enjoy this review!**
A Wrinkle in Time begins in a deceptively normal way: on a night with wind-tossed trees and a howling rain storm. From there, award-winning author Madeleine L’Engle takes readers literally to the stars and beyond in this extraordinary coming-of-age fantasy novel.
I first read about the adventures of Meg, Charles Wallace and Calvin when I was eleven or twelve years old. It was during my early bookworm phase, when I was still learning there were genres that I enjoyed more than others.
I was swept up in the adventure part of this story- facing down the shadows and ‘It’ in my subconscious mind and heart. I remember thinking the Aunt Beast portion of the story was boring and being disappointed Meg’s father was a real man with flaws rather than a superhero who could solve all of her problems.
Looking back on that interpretation now, I see my own burgeoning psychological development and the belief that my parents were some kind of godlike beings- something that most if not all children pass through at some point or another. When did you discover that your parents were real and fallible, just like you?
However, listening to the audiobook as a fully grown adult with a daughter of my own, I was struck by Meg’s strength and bravery. It takes a great deal of inner resolve to face down society’s expectations and the numbing experience of living soullessly every day, following someone else’s school or work schedule and agenda. (A real life version of the pulsing, all-encompassing brain of L’Engle’s fantasy world.)
How many days have I awoken only to race off to the hamster wheel of the work week- toiling away so the highly-paid minds of the CEOs could rest easy, knowing that the company was producing product (whatever industry that may be) and providing value for the shareholders? More than I’d care to admit, before I discovered the safe haven of the librarian’s world.
In my own effort to find my calling, I was reminded of Meg’s struggles to survive her encounter with It, not just survive but decide how her body and mind should function. In some ways, the modern work experience feels like someone else dictates how many breaths you should take per minute or what rhythm your heart should beat.
I had the good fortune of listening to an audiobook that has L’Engle speaking a brief introduction and then an afterword read by one of L’Engle’s granddaughters.
The granddaughter (I’m embarrassed I don’t remember her name) shared the details and struggles of L’Engle’s life- including the rejection of her manuscript by numerous publishing houses and the shade some readers threw her way for their own interpretations of her story. Some claimed the book was too overly Christian while others thought it promoted witchcraft. Her granddaughter said L’Engle was baffled by the hate mail.
Photo by Abstrakt Xxcellence Studios on Pexels.com
Curious how a reader’s lens of perception shapes the experience you have with a book. As I mentioned earlier, as a child I thought this book was a grand adventure. As an adult, I see it as a metaphor for living in the modern world.
I’m keen to have my own reluctant reader try this book and share what she thinks about it.
Recommended for everyone but especially those who find themselves a beat or two out of step with the proverbial Its of the modern world. This book reminds you that you’re not alone.
I enjoyed the book more than the movie- but here’s the trailer for those who like movies more than books.
Since the end of August, I’ve been working on reading Deadhouse Gates, the second book of the massive series, Malazan Book of the Fallen.
What took me so long? Personal life issues aside, this book is a beast.
“Icarium turned to him with a faint smile. ‘I am my own curse, Mappo. I have lived centuries, yet what do I know of my own past? Where are my memories?” pg 22, ebook
What is the book about? Here’s a summary from Goodreads: “In the vast dominion of Seven Cities, in the Holy Desert Raraku, the seer Sha’ik and her followers prepare for the long-prophesied uprising known as the Whirlwind. Unprecedented in size and savagery, this maelstrom of fanaticism and bloodlust will embroil the Malazan Empire in one of the bloodiest conflicts it has ever known, shaping destinies and giving birth to legends.”
In addition to a handful of characters from the previous book, readers are introduced to Felisin, Tavore, an entire host (two or three hosts really) of warriors and epic leaders, new magical warrens, monsters (some old, some new) inhabiting these warrens. And more, so much more.
My favorite character in this entry wasn’t even human, it is a house- Azath. It is one of a handful of magical places that connect worlds together and holds secrets that even the bravest among us do not dare to know.
I would get so much reading done in a place like that. :p
My other favorite character is a historian, Duiker. He’s living and remembering the history of a band of soldiers who are working to save refugees from a vengeful desert army.
“The historian stepped outside into the rain, drawing in lungfuls of clean, cool air as he once more wrapped a cloak about him.” pg 45
It is a march with no end in sight. In fact, it takes up much of the 834 pages of the ebook.
Most of this story is occupied with war and it is very grim. For readers who like dark fantasy, this would be a good pick.
It was not a time to be alone, in the heart of slaughter, where every piece of wreckage or burnt and torn flesh seemed to cry out silent outrage. Sites of battle held on to a madness, as if the blood that had soaked into the soil remembered pain and terror and held locked within it the echoes of screams and death cries.” pg 225
I can’t say it was my cup of tea. I’m far too optimistic for dark books. But I made it through this one.
“The unknown pursues the ignorant, the truth assails every scholar wise enough to know his own ignorance, for that is the meaning of unknowable truths.” pg 512
Besides the characters, my other favorite part of this book is the magic system which author Steven Erikson continues to reveal one measly crumb at a time.
“The Wickans know that the gift of power is never free. They know enough not to envy the chosen among them, for power is never a game, nor are glittering standards raised to glory and wealth. They disguise nothing in trappings, and so we all see what we’d rather not, that power is cruel, hard as iron and bone, and it thrives on destruction.” pg 556
I thought I had a map in my head of the warrens from Gardens of the Moon and how they all fit together. But Erikson upended that map in this book. I expect he’ll probably do it again in the next one- if I ever attempt it.
It is easy to see why, despite its difficulties, this series has a serious fan base. It is complex enough that you’re either totally into it, or totally out. I think I fall somewhere in-between.
Only recommended for fans of dark fantasy. Everyone else, steer clear.
In a fantasy realm where the races of humankind, elves, dwarves, and gnomes have ceased to co-exist peacefully, there lives a princess whose inner power, if left uncontrolled, could destroy the world. Geralt of Rivia, also known as the Witcher, and his friends, are tasked with not only protecting this girl but also instructing her so that her abilities don’t destroy her mind from the inside-out.
“Ciri had heard such reassurances in the past. … Now she believed it. Because it was Geralt of Rivia, the White Wolf, the Witcher, who said it. The man who was her destiny.” pg 11, ebook
But there are forces in this world who are seeking Ciri for other reasons. She has the potential to be a force for the greater good or a weapon of chaos.
“Difficult times are approaching,” she said quietly. “Difficult and dangerous. A time of change is coming. It would be a shame to grow old with the uncomfortable conviction that one had done nothing to ensure that these changes are for the better.” pg 23, ebook
I picked up Blood of Elves because I recently watched most of the Netflix show based on the video games and also these books. I thought Blood of Elves was the first in the series, but apparently I missed a short story collection prior to this book.
That didn’t lessen my enjoyment of this tale, but I do enjoy having context. Andrzej Sapkowski does a good job of dropping bread crumbs about who Witchers are, who Ciri is, and the complex interactions of the different powers in the world, so newcomers to the book-version of the story, like me, can keep up and it doesn’t feel like an information dump.
“You are not learning in order to kill and be killed. You are not learning to kill out of fear and hatred, but in order to save lives. Your own and those of others.” pg 59, ebook
A small complaint though, and I had this same comment about the Netflix show, is that the storyline bounces around quite a lot. If you’re not paying attention, or reading carefully, you’re in danger of losing the thread because this isn’t a simple world nor is it populated by one dimensional characters.
Sapkowski shines in the dialogue between these characters, especially during the action sequences. It is easy to see why a video game was created using this material.
“Remember,” she repeated. “magic is Chaos, Art and Science. It is a curse, a blessing and progress. It all depends on who uses magic, how they use it, and to what purpose.” pg 147, ebook
Highly recommended for fans of the genre, the games or show. Blood of Elves delivers.
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