Book Review: Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal

Shades of Milk and Honey

Glamourist Histories, book 1

by Mary Robinette Kowal

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ok I admit, I messed up and put off reading this book for far too long.

Shades of Milk and Honey has been sitting in my to-read pile since the book came out in 2010. The only excuse I can make is that I tend to read books in phases, though epic fantasy has always been my main dish genre, I seem to run through phases with preferences in the side dishes I read.

Recently I have been devouring urban-fantasy along with my epic fantasy, but I have gone through phases of fantasy with a side of Sci-fi, classics, mythology or non-fiction. I had a long period where historical-fiction was in competition for replacing fantasy as my mind meal of choice, so a book that melds historical fiction with fantasy was definitely a must read.



With a Jane Austen like simplicity, Kowal has evoked a book of another time, both with the content and the prose and language used. The research and accuracy of the era and time are apparent without feeling like you are reading a history text instead of a fictional work.

The magic and fantasy is melded into the story in a seamless and unobtrusive way. Aligning the magic in the book with the historical relevance of women's arts, and skills, including the background and importance of those things in the historical context of a woman's value and marriageability was brilliant, and well done.

There is a magic in the pacing of the book, the prose and quietness of the book are deceiving, this is as much a page turner as many action packed books, but it doesn't feel like it while you are reading.

I should have read Shades of Milk and Honey sooner, the only good thing about postponing it is that I can move on to the rest of the series immediately.

I recommend the Glamourist Histories for anyone that is a fan of Regency romances, Jane Austen, historical-fiction, or fantasy of any sub-genre.

Awards:

• Nebula Award Nominee for Novel (2010)
• Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award (RT Award) Nominee for Fantasy Novel (2010)
• Locus Award Nominee for Best First Novel (2011)

Details:
Series: Glamourist Histories
Published August 3rd 2010 by Tor Books

Links:

Mary Robinette Kowal

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Book Review: Three Parts Dead by Max Gladstone

Three Parts Dead by Max Gladstone

Craft Sequence  Book 1

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Three parts Dead hooked me with its cover it is beautiful and empowering. If you follow Jim C. Hines,  you will know how rare and wonderful this is in a speculative fiction book!

This book was hard to read, hard at times to put down, and harder to review.

Gladstone has created something that is its own, blending the lines between contemporary fiction, steampunk, magic realism, paranormal, urban fantasy and epic fantasy. In many ways it reads like a Magical Realism, Urban Fantasy, or Paranormal book, it is however, set in a different world, so technically this is a Fantasy book.

Three Parts Dead has all the criteria for a great speculative fiction or fantasy book; an interesting mix, of technology, magic, gods, goddesses, power, religion, politics. Gladstone has included the young protagonists, the magic school, the older mentors, and the evil antagonists. Add in gargoyles, vampires, mages, skeletons a bit of steampunk, dead gods and a bit of a mystery.

The ideas and concepts behind the world are what carry this book, and make it an interesting read despite the flaws. In many ways there really are too many concepts, ideas and too little time spent in this world to develop any of the world, ideas or characters to any extent.

As a fantasy book, it falls short in many ways, there was very little world building information, I felt lost and not sure where this was taking place. This is another world, yet we really never get a picture of the world, and all of the metaphors and descriptions were "earth based", which only added to the confusion on where this all was taking place, or what the characters or world were like. In some ways this felt like a condensed cliff notes version of what could have been a great trilogy.

The omniscient POV took some time to adjust to, with an over kill on exposition interjected with dialogue. There is a lot of information given, but much of the world building or side reminiscence did not help to clarify or aid the story. It is like the author threw in commentary on people or things here and there in a "it's fantasy I need world building descriptions, without actually world building, explaining things that needed explaining or making it relative."

As a reader this book is worth it just because it is different and has unique concepts. I really wish his had been more of an epic fantasy with more book (or books) to explain all of the fascinating world, religion, politics and concepts that we only got hints of.

Read more on Tor.com about Three Parts Dead and more great books from the Reddit Fantasy Lists Under-Rated and Under-Read Fantasy.
Links:
Max Gladstone

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Book Review: Raising Steam by Terry Pratchett

Raising Steam by Terry Pratchett

Book 40  in the Discworld Series

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Classic Pratchett Discworld meets the age of steam.

Full of Pratchett word play and puns, this is a read for Discworld fans, it is not a stand alone, so start earlier in the series to really enjoy it.

Raising Steam, is both a tribute to the age of steam engines and the romance of the railways. Raising Steam unlike many Discworld novels does not limit the plot and story to one area or small group, we get bits and pieces of much of the Discworld and many of our favorite characters.

This is the Discworld that races at the speed of a train, indicative of the plot and the reality of both the age of the railways, it also makes the Discworld a much smaller place.

Raising Steam wraps up many of the stories and characters we have loved over the years. In some ways it is good to see our favorite fantasy world settle down and grow up, and to imagine the future as it will play out. In other ways I am saddened, knowing that there may be a limited number of Discworld books in the future, and my favorite world is basically riding into the sunset.

Pratchett once again manages to poke fun, and make a statement on the world. The small minded groups that are causing a ruckus and the slamming by the Discworld so called News, are symbolic of any number of different groups or agenda's around the world today.

Details:
Series: Discworld
Published November 7th 2013 by Doubleday

Links:
Sir Terry Pratchett


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Foolishness - Literary Style

Literary Shenanigans

I have collected here some literary related April Fools for 2014.

Brandon Sanderson Releases a deleted interlude that offers new insight into a minor character who is very important to WORDS OF RADIANCE


DRESDEN FILES coming to BROADWAY!
First, there were novels. Then it became a TV show. Then a comic book. Now, Harry Dresden is going where no urban fantasy book series has gone before. In Spring 2015, THE DRESDEN FILES conquers Broadway.

New Discovery: Goodreads to Publish Lost Jane Austen Novel

Author Jeff VanderMeer announced on facebook that he’d be writing a novelization of the popular game Candy Crush.

Ada Hoffmann Releases the programming schedule for Dinosaurcon 2014

Jim Hines is compiling a list of links to more foolish things on his  April Fool's day Roundup.

ScreenRant had George R. R. Martin fans nervous with this article: Martin Working With Co-Writers to Finish ‘Game of Thrones’ Books

Listen to or read The Legend of Roboninja over at Lightspeed Magazine

Some interesting facts on Fools Day by The Disorganised Author

Words of Radiance Deleted Interlude

Brandon Sanderson has released a deleted Interlude from an important minor character in Words of Radiance. 
Words of Radiance Deleted Interlude: Stick

Also  at brandonsanderson.com the latest Shardhunt unlockable is up: the deleted prologue to Sandersons Hugo Award-winning novella The Emperor's Soul.