Review: The Infernal City by Greg Keyes

The Infernal City by Greg Keyes

The Infernal City: An Elder Scrolls Novel
Greg Keyes
Del Rey, 2009

Forty years after the Oblivion crisis a strange floating city appears over the oceans of Tamriel and begins a long journey towards the continent of Morrowind.  Swept up in its wake is the youthful and alchemically inclined Annaig and her long time Argonian friend Mere-Glim.  The two find themselves drawn into the strange ecology of the floating city Umbriel as it leaves destruction in its wake.  Drawn by Annaig’s magical plea for help is the world-famous hero Prince Attrebus who suddenly discovers some hard truths about himself and his friends.  Thrown into the mix is a hardened dunmer somehow tied to the Daedric Prince Azura.

Review: The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold

The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold

The Curse of Chalion
Lois McMaster Bujold
Harper Eos, 2001

Nominated for a World Fantasy award in 2002 The Curse of Chalion marked a shift for Bujold from the sci-fi adventure of Miles Vorkosigan to a more sedately paced fantasy novel.  As commander of a border garrison Castillar Lupe de Cazaril held the fort against the enemy for longer then anyone expected.  Peaceful negotiations prevailed and the fort was sold to the enemy.  Unfortunately for Caz he was  “mistakenly” left off the list of ransomed men and quickly sold into slavery on Rocknari galley.  Returning home from several years of exile he is looking not for revenge but for a quiet job as servant or kitchen help.  Instead he finds himself quickly placed as the secretary and tutor to the Royina Iselle, whose brother will inherit the throne.  Caz is forcibly thrust back into court politics where he must do his best to safeguard the well-being of Iselle while at the same time confronting the very men who forced him into exile.

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

A Young Man Without Magic

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 that feels more or less incomplete.  In A Young Man Without Magic our titular young man is the recently-educated and well-to-do Anrel.  His parents were killed in a arcane experiment when he was a child and he was taken in by his uncle, also a Mage.  Anrel, unfortunately, is indeed without magic which in a society ruled by mages means that, despite his birth, Anrel is nothing more then a mere commoner.  A commoner yes but one educated with the finest instruction money can buy.  Returning home from school Anrel finds his boyhood friend Valin, a mage raised from common blood, now something a radical; preaching the importance and power of common man in the governance of society.  When Valin runs afoul of a local lord and winds up dead Anrel’s brash attempt to honor his friend’s memory provokes an avalanche of consequence that sends him on the run.

Review: Servant of a Dark God by John Brown

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 fantasy’s yesteryear but Brown, through delicate crafting of his world manages to avoid this potential pitfall creating something that, while it hearkens back the roots of classic fantasy, manages to become something slightly different.

The world of Servant of a Dark one is ruled by the mysterious and powerful Divines who ask for and wield the “fire” or life energy of their subjects in order to power their magic.  We learn over the course of the novel that the Divines weren’t the only ones in charge and a multitude of conquered people are not necessarily satisfied with their rule.  One such people, the Koramites, are a subjugated minority, servants to the powerful Mokkaddians who, in turn, serve the Divines.  Tossed into this mix is a magical abomination and the machinations of unknown powers that plunge one small corner of this world into near chaos.

Read on for more, though some minor spoilers may occur….

Review: The Other Lands by David Anthony Durham

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 the Akaran family and their empire.   Like the first book The Other Lands is a different from many fantasy novels today and its pacing, structure, and themes all seem informed by Durham’s experience with historical fiction.  If you’ve yet to read the first book there are definite spoilers here.

Review: The Adamantine Palace by Stephen Deas

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 in the titular palace.  The power of the nobles of the world stems from what looks like a combination of perceived divine mandate and the harnessing of dragons.  The novel follows the tumultuous events that occur when one dragon, Snow a perfect white, is lost and unable to be tended by the mysterious alchemists as all dragons are.  Amidst this several powerful nobles vie for the role of Speaker double dealing and politicking their way to the top.  Politics, betrayal and violence ensue spinning a tangled web of consequences.  Perhaps the most startling thing, for me at least, and a potential detriment to many readers is the difficulty in finding a protagonist.

Review: Dust of Dreams by Steven Erikson

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 large and sprawling as this one it becomes harder and harder to review as the series has gone on.  Which makes Dust of Dreams, the penultimate volume (really part 1 of a 2 part novel), a bit difficult to review.  Things are even more difficult here because for some reason my heart just wasn’t in this read.  890 pages read in half hour spurts (my lunch break) since I received the book in August means things aren’t exactly fresh in my mind.  Even my co-workers, frequently observant of the near roulette speed with which my lunching reads change, were quick to point out (and chide) at my glacial trek through Dust of Dreams.

As with any late series review I recommend not reading on if you’ve haven’t read earlier volumes.

Sa souvraya niende misain ye: Identity and The Gathering Storm

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 out loud but there was something vaguely Erikson in that exchange) or even summarizing the plot up until this point I will recommend that you check one of the many fine reviews already out there.  Instead I’d like to take the time to look at, and praise, the theme that runs through the entirety of novel: identity.

WARNRING: There are likely spoilers below!  If you haven’t read the book yet reading beyond this point might ruin some things for you.

Review: Soulless by Gail Carriger

Soulless by Gail Carriger

Soulless
Gail Carriger
Orbit, 2009 (Forthcoming September 29, 2009)

Soulless is a supernatural steampunk romance from debut author Gail Carriger.  Soulless owes a lot to Jane Austen and, as far as I can tell (having only read the zombie infused remix), Pride and Prejudice in particular.  The novel follows a one Alexia Tarabotti who, as her name shows, despite being British was “cursed” with an Italian father.  Alexia is a self-professed spinster who also happens to have no soul in the most literal sense.  Known as a preternatural her soulless existence means that her touch cancels out the supernatural abilities of the various “immortals” that populate London.  Consisting mostly of Werewolves and Vampires Alexia’s London is one in which humans and immortals live side by side with full knowledge of one another’s existence.

Review: Whitechapel Gods by S. M. Peters

Whitechapel Gods by S. M. Peters

Whitechapel Gods
S. M. Peters
Roc, 2008

Whitechapel Gods marks my first foray into the steampunk genre during my steampunk extravaganza this month.  It is perhaps a bit of an odd book for a first choice since it is entirely lacking in airships and heavier on horror then adventure but it is rife with clockwork automatons and steam powered weaponry.  In truth Whitechapel Gods is something like steampunk as envisioned by H. P. Lovecraft or Stephen King.

In a post-industrial London, Whitecapel has been walled off by the strange deific figure known as Grandfather Clock, inscrutible and unwilling consort to the even more unfathomable Mama Engine.  Smoke and toxic gases turn the already dingy atmosphere of Whitechapel into a hostile place while a horrid clockwork disease transforms citizens into horrid amalgams of man and machine; robbing them of any hope of death.  Men given over to Grandfather Clock collect citizens to be added to a monstrous construction of man and machine while silent automatons known as the Boiler Men enforce Grandfather Clocks will and stamps out rebellion.  Amidst this oppressive atmosphere a rag-tag bunch of criminals and patriots seek to kill both gods and free the downtrodden citizens of Whitechapel.  Whitechapel Gods is a novel rife with familiar sights twisted into horrific visages and though the novel suffers from some issues with pacing manages to ensnare its reader with that imagery.