Review: A Young Man Without Magic by Lawrence Watt-Evans

NOTE: Yes, I’m still sick, but apparently I never posted this review.  Oops.   A Young Man Without Magic Lawrence Watt-Evans Tor, 2009 Believe it or not this is my first experience with veteran fantasy author Lawrence Watt-Evans.  While certainly not a bad read by any means it is one rife with problems and one [...]

Sick

I’m sick with the flu at the moment so the blog will be on a short hiatus until I feel better.

Review: Servant of a Dark God by John Brown

Servant of a Dark God John Brown Tor, 2009 John Brown’s debut, and the first in a new series, is a blend of both classic fantasy tropes and more modern themes.  With its unassuming boy hero it might be easy to write this off as a return to the farm hands and kitchen help of [...]

Review: The Other Lands by David Anthony Durham

The Other Lands David Anthony Durham Doubleday, 2009 Durham, known for his historical fiction novels, burst onto the fantasy scene in 2007 with Acacia: The War with the Mein the first in a new fantasy series.  Released back in September The Other Lands is the second book in Durham’s Acacia series continuing the saga of [...]

Worlds of D&D over at Wertzone

I wanted to take a moment to point any D&D fans, new and old, over to the Wertzone where Adam Whitehead has been slowly eking out historical overviews of the various D&D campaign settings that have existed through the ages.  So if players just getting into D&D with 4e want to see some of what [...]

Review: The Adamantine Palace by Stephen Deas

The Adamantine Palace Stephen Deas Orion UK, 2009 (US: Roc, Feb. 2010) Stephen Deas’ debut The Adamantine Palace is a strong debut though not without its problems.  The world of The Adamantine Palace is ruled by several Kings and Queens who in turn are, if not ruled, at least mediated by a Speaker who sits [...]

Fake Curses

When finishing a fantasy novel, particularly a Robert Jordan or Steven Erikson novel, I typically find that I want to add their diverse list of swear words/phrases to my own lexicon.  After reading a section feature the one-eyed soldier Uno I find I want to make every other word of my sentence ”flaming” or “bloody” or, before a particularly [...]

Review: Dust of Dreams by Steven Erikson

Dust of Dreams Steven Erikson Bantam, 2009 [UK] (Forthcoming Jan. 2010 U.S.) More and more I find that reviewing Erikson’s Malazan Book of the Fallen series a difficult prospect.  There is a less of a problem reviewing Ian C. Esselmont’s books set in the same world, they are typically stand-alone novels, but in series as [...]

Sa souvraya niende misain ye: Identity and The Gathering Storm

The Gathering Storm Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson Tor, 2009 There have been a number of well-written reviews for The Gathering Storm.  So rather then belaboring many of the points covered elsewhere or echoing the slightly off-putting voice Sanderson employed for a one Matrim Cauthon (though the elderly aunt conversation did have me literally laugh [...]

Looking Back at October

Well, I admit I kind of lost a bit of steam towards the end there.  I am in the midst of Who Goes There and a couple of stories into Lovecraft Unbound and, if or when I finish, I’ll get some shorter reviews/commentary up.  Of course the last week of October had significant distractions including [...]