JRR Tolkien: Interview from 1968

An interview with Tolkien, originally published in The Telegraph magazine on March 22. 1968.

For a fascinating look at the author behind the myth, and the discussion of his "epic fairy-tale", language, fairy-tales and the world of Middle Earth, in an era when fantasy wasn't fantasy yet.

What is also fascinating, is the language and skill of the article itself, this is before the media-zation of information. When writing was well written, and enjoyable to read in any medium.

 - Tolkien’s imaginary landscapes grew out of his predilection for creating languages. “Anyone who invents a language,” he said, “finds that it requires a suitable habitation and a history in which it can develop. A real language is never invented, of course. It is a natural thing. It is wrong to call the language you grow up speaking your native language. It is not. It is your first learnt language. It is a by-product of the total make-up of the animal.” Read the full article - telegraph.co.uk :

Book Review: A Darker Shade of Magic

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

Narrated by Steven Crossley 

Series: A Darker Shade of Magic Book 1

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received a free copy of this audiobook from the Ford Audiobook Club. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I enjoyed this book, and the reader was excellent. The book reads more like a contemporary fiction book or magical realism, though this book is all Fantasy otherworld/hidden worlds Fantasy.

The author has presented the reader with a historical London setting, and combines it with unfamiliar parallel worlds, it is a fascinating, concept, I give Schwab credit, in the length of the novel, she has attempted to world build not just one, but four worlds at once. This may have resulted in an expansive, but less developed world building, that includes a bit of info dumping" or "stop and smell the roses moments", that pull the reader out of the action, and storyline.

Overall, A Darker Shade of Magic is a good, and different fantasy read, with interesting and engaging characters. This is a fantasy book, that is not all encompassing and has a medium learning curve.

Details:
Series: A Darker Shade of Magic Book 1
Published February 24th 2015 by Tor Books
Links:
V.E. Schwab


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Book Release: The Aeronaut’s Windlass

The Aeronaut’s Windlass.  The Aeronaut’s Windlass is the first book in Jim Butcher's upcoming Steampunk series, The Cinder Spires.

To be released September 29, 2015.

Sample Chapters:

Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two

Chapter Three
Chapter Four

I received an early uncorrected proofs copy of this book from the GoodReads First Reads Program.


I was thrilled to get the chance to read a new Butcher series!

The ever wonderful, Butcher wit and dialogue, add to that ... Magic, steampunk, privateers, talking cats and airships!!!

With a touch of swashbuckling, The Aeronaut's Windlass is a bit magical, a bit off worldly, and all action.  It reminds me of the old high seas movies (or in this case high skies) with the ship to ship battles.

I will be re-reading this when it is released with the audiobook version.

Details:
Published September 29th 2015 by Roc

Jim Butcher’s The Aeronaut’s Windlass debuts at number 5. on the New York Times Best Sellers Hardcover Fiction List for  Oct 11, 2015 - Oct 25, 2015.

Links:
Jim Butcher

Mark Lawrence: Fantasy: What's new?

Interesting blog on modern fantasy, by Mark Lawrence the author of
The Broken Empire series: Prince of Thorns, King of Thorns, Emperor of Thorns, & Prince of Fools.

Mark Lawrence: Fantasy: What's new?: Modern fantasy has increasingly taken the war between good and evil away from elves and orcs, staging it instead within an individual's skull. ....

Book Series Review: Bedlam's Bard

Bedlam's Bard series by Mercedes Lackey with Ellen Guon and Rosemary Edghill

My rating: 4 of 5 stars (Series Overall)

This was a re-read of the Bedlams's Bard series. I originally read these books, when they were first published, and devoured them as soon as each was published.

Urban fantasy before it was called Urban Fantasy. At the time I remember being entranced and thrilled with the changes and modernization of fantasy.

Years, Decades later this series still rings true, it is enjoyable, enchanting Mercedes Lackey. With a bit of magic, hard looks into cultures and places that were not so common in Fantasy books at the time, Just enough disturbing looks into real issues and the plight of runaways and children mixed with the good vs evil and struggles of not just the humans, but also the magical and Fae in this world.

I will say I was again a little disappointed when the world moved from the enchanting world of the Re-Faires to the streets of New York - breaking this into 2 series within one.

Books:
1. Knight of Ghosts and Shadows (1990) with Ellen Guon.
2. Summoned to Tourney (1992) with Ellen Guon.

3. Bedlam Boyz (1993) by Ellen Guon.
4. Beyond World's End (2000) with Rosemary Edghill.
5. Spirits White as Lightning (2001) with Rosemary Edghill.
6. Mad Maudlin (2003) with Rosemary Edghill.
7. Music to My Sorrow (2005) with Rosemary Edghill.
8. Bedlam's Edge  (2005) - Short Story Anthology, with Rosemary Edghill

Details:
Published between 1990 and 2005 by Baen Books

Series is part of the Elves on the Road universe, which also includes:

• Bedlam's Bard
• Diana Tregarde
• SERRAted Edge
• Doubled Edge

Links:
Mercedes Lackey

Rosemary Edghill

Ellen Guon ( as Ellen Beeman Game Credits)

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Book Review: The Book of Phoenix

The Book of Phoenix by Nnedi Okorafor

Who Fears Death Prequel

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Book of Phoenix is the prequel to Nnedi Okorafor's World Fantasy Award-winning novel,  Who Fears Death.


Rarely do I read a prequel that surpasses the novel, but that is exactly what Nnedi Okorafor has done with The Book of Phoenix. This book is magical, it is a story tellers story.






Details:
Series: Who Fears Death
Published May 5th 2015 by DAW


Links:
Nnedi Okorafor

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Book Review: The Golem and the Jinni

The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker
George Guidall (Narrator)

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow .... I stayed up too late to finish this one...
Review to follow later after I have had time to process.







Awards:

•  Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Debut Author Best Fantasy (2013) 
• James Tiptree Jr. Award Honor List (2013) 
• Nebula Award Nominee for Best Novel (2013) 
• World Fantasy Award Nominee for Best Novel (2014) 
• Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Adult Literature (2014) 
• Harold U. Ribalow Prize for Jewish fiction (2014) 
• VCU Cabell First Novel Award (2014) 
• The Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey “One Book, One Community” (2015) 

Details:
Published April 23rd 2013 by Harper Audio

Links:
Helene Wecker
Episode 141 of Speculate!–Helene Wecker Novel Review (The Golem and the Jinni) by GREG
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Book Review: Fablehaven

Fablehaven by Brandon Mull

Fablehaven Book 1 

 My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Fablehaven by Brandon Mull, is difficult to review, It really depends on the age and reading level. As a Middle Grade book, I would give it 2 stars. As a Transition or Early Chapter Book, or book to read to even younger children, I would give it 4 stars.

In an era of children's books like Harry Potter, Inkheart, and Steelheart to just name a few, Fablehaven does not quite hit that level of story or character development. The book is longer like a Middle Grade or Young Adult book, but the reading level and complexity falls short.

If I consider this as an early chapter book or Transition Book then Fablehaven rates much higher compared to many of the other books offered for this 6-9 age group. This would also be a great intro to fantasy series books, as a book that could be read to even younger children. At this transition book age level, or as a book to read to younger children I would give this book 4 stars.

Details:
Series: Fablehaven
Published July 1st 2006 by Shadow Mountain

Links:
Brandon Mull

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2013 Nebula Nominees Announced

Women Authors of Science Fiction and Fantasy Swept the Fiction Awards this year.

All of the fiction awards for 2013 were awarded to amazing women authors of Fantasy and Science Fiction. The Nebula Awards have for several years recognized women and authors of color. It is a great sign of the pendulums swing, I now am looking forward to the day that this is not actually news, and we can move beyond the need to point out how amazing this is.

2013 Nebula Awards

Novel 

Ancillary Justice, Ann Leckie (Orbit US; Orbit UK)  

Nominees:

We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves, Karen Joy Fowler (Marian Wood)
The Ocean at the End of the Lane, Neil Gaiman (Morrow; Headline Review)
Fire with Fire, Charles E. Gannon (Baen)
Hild, Nicola Griffith (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
The Red: First Light, Linda Nagata (Mythic Island)
A Stranger in Olondria, Sofia Samatar (Small Beer)
The Golem and the Jinni, Helene Wecker (Harper)

Novella

The Weight of the Sunrise, Vylar Kaftan (Asimov’s 2/13)   

In her compelling new novella about the Incan empire, Vylar treats us to an alternate look at the history of the New World.
 Read Free Online Version

Nominees:

Wakulla Springs, Andy Duncan & Ellen Klages (Tor.com 10/2/13)
Annabel Lee, Nancy Kress (New Under the Sun, Arc Manor/Phoenix Pick)
Burning Girls, Veronica Schanoes (Tor.com 6/19/13)
Trial of the Century, Lawrence M. Schoen (lawrencemschoen.com, 8/13; World Jumping)
Six-Gun Snow White, Catherynne M. Valente (Subterranean)

Novelette

The Waiting Stars, Aliette de Bodard (The Other Half of the Sky) 

Nominees:

Paranormal Romance, Christopher Barzak (Lightspeed 6/13)
They Shall Salt the Earth with Seeds of Glass, Alaya Dawn Johnson (Asimov’s 1/13)
Pearl Rehabilitative Colony for Ungrateful Daughters, Henry Lien (Asimov’s 12/13)
The Litigation Master and the Monkey King, Ken Liu (Lightspeed 8/13)
In Joy, Knowing the Abyss Behind, Sarah Pinsker (Strange Horizons 7/1 – 7/8/13)

Short Story

If You Were a Dinosaur, My Love, Rachel Swirsky (Apex 3/13) 

Nominees:

The Sounds of Old Earth, Matthew Kressel (Lightspeed 1/13)
Selkie Stories Are for Losers, Sofia Samatar (Strange Horizons 1/7/13)
Selected Program Notes from the Retrospective Exhibition of Theresa Rosenberg Latimer, Kenneth Schneyer (Clockwork Phoenix 4)
Alive, Alive Oh, Sylvia Spruck Wrigley (Lightspeed 6/13)

Ray Bradbury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation

Gravity (Alfonso Cuarón, director; Alfonso Cuarón & Jonás Cuarón, writers) (Warner Bros.)

Nominees:

Doctor Who: ‘‘The Day of the Doctor’’, (Nick Hurran, director; Steven Moffat, writer) (BBC Wales)
Europa Report (Sebastián Cordero, director; Philip Gelatt, writer) (Start Motion Pictures)
Her (Spike Jonze, director; Spike Jonze, writer) (Warner Bros.)
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (Francis Lawrence, director; Simon Beaufoy & Michael deBruyn, writers) (Lionsgate)
Pacific Rim (Guillermo del Toro, director; Travis Beacham & Guillermo del Toro, writers) (Warner Bros.)

Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy

Sister Mine, Nalo Hopkinson (Grand Central)  

Nominees:

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown, Holly Black (Little, Brown; Indigo)
When We Wake, Karen Healey (Allen & Unwin; Little, Brown)
The Summer Prince, Alaya Dawn Johnson (Levine)
Hero, Alethea Kontis (Harcourt)
September Girls, Bennett Madison (Harper Teen)
A Corner of White, Jaclyn Moriarty (Levine)

Damon Knight Grand Master Award: Samuel R. Delany
Special Guest: Frank M. Robinson

Links:

SFWA : 2013 Nebula Awards Winners Announced

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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Book Review: Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson

Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Words of Radiance  by Brandon Sanderson is the second book in the Stormlight Archive series, where The Way of Kings built a great world, and a fantastic story, Words of Radiance (WoR) soared to new heights and depths in fantasy, and genre fiction.

Words of Radiance is NOT a stand alone, this is one where you do have to read the first book.

Read my review of the physical book and artwork: The Words of Radiance: A Work of Art.

Synopsis review of The Way of Kings Book one in The Stormlight Archive:

The Way of Kings (TWoK) is a brilliant start to a proposed ten book epic fantasy series. It has all the epic essentials and archtypes; a young boy, and a young girl, a Hero's Journey, and a Heroines Quest, A Fallen Hero, Good vs. Evil and the expected fantasy huge cast of characters.

But Sanderson doesn’t stop there like any fantasy there is detailed world-building. Sanderson's world is vibrant and teeming with; diverse flora and fauna, fantastical beasts, unique cultures, court intrigue and politics, history, mythology. Oh and he manages to expertly add in foreshadowing, red-herrings, Chekov's guns, plot twists (Well, more like twists, turns, twirls and flips).

What is missing from TWoK is much of the epic fantasy pitfalls. The story, characters and world have depth and are full, without tedious exposition. There is a lack of info-dumps, long descriptive 'journey' chapters, and no characters feel flat or there just for plot effect.

TWoK was full, it took all the tropes of epic fantasy and turned them upside down, pushed them to new levels, it was epic it was amazing.
Words of Radiance (WoR) is the second book in The Stormlight Archive where The Way of Kings (TWoK) built a great world, and a fantastic story, Words of Radiance soared to new heights and depths in fantasy, and genre fiction.

On to a No Spoilers Review of Words of Radiance:

WoR has everything mentioned above in the TWoK review synopsis, and then more times 10. WoR is an intense read. Sanderson has delivered with Words of Radiance. WoR goes above and beyond expectations, this is an action packed fast paced book(All 1088 pages of it!) with intensity and depth.

Where TWok was a book that hooks a reader to the story and the world, WoR is a character book. In the first book we are introduced too and learn to really like one, all or many of the characters. WoR immerses the reader in an emotional tension filled relationship with the main characters, and many of the non-POV characters. Sanderson takes the reader beyond the interest and standard fan-squeee for the story of his heroes and heroines, to the point where as the reader you are emotionally invested in their lives, struggles and successes.

I could write paragraphs on each of the different characters and how awesome and brilliantly they are written. It would probably take a research paper to describe all of the literary and fantasy tropes, that Sanderson has used brilliantly while completely changing them and making them new and exciting.

In addition to pushing epic fantasy into new and exciting directions,(including genre publishing) Sanderson has broken long held canon on fantasy character portrayals and world building. This is no orphan goes on a journey and saves the world fantasy, it is oh, so much more. The Stormlight Archive is an obvious must read for any epic fantasy fans, but I would recommend this book to anyone that likes an in-depth story with great characters.

Read Brandon's article,  Words of Radiance and the Art of Creating Epic Fantasy

"Whether you've been hyped for Words of Radiance or not, you are not prepared for how fantastic it is."  - Rob Bricken
Read more of this fantastic review over at io9.com: Words of Radiance puts the "epic" back in epic fantasy

Links:

Stormlight Archive on Tor.com 

Brandon Sanderson

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Book Review: The Monarch of the Glen an American Gods Novella

The Monarch of the Glen by Neil Gaiman

American Gods book 1.5

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Monarch of the Glen an American Gods novella. by Neil Gaiman is a nice little addition to the American Gods world. Part novella part epilogue ending to American Gods.

This peak into the months following the ending of American Gods, is a treat for any fans of the series, and of course is typical Gaiman brilliance, with the addition of a bit from Beowulf how can you go wrong?

Gaiman demonstrates with this story that there is much more to tell in Shadow's story and this world, I look forward to seeing more American Gods.

“The Monarch of the Glen” Was released as an ebook as part of an Epic Fantasy StoryBundle and also appears in Neil Gaiman’s 2006 collection Fragile Things.

Details: 
Series: American Gods

Links:
Neil Gaiman
Story Bundle 

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The Words of Radiance: A Work of Art

 Before I review the story I want to comment on the book itself. 

The Way of Kings 

Cover Art by Michael Whelan @Tor.com

Words of Radiance 

Cover by Michael Whelan @Tor.com

This is more than a book it is a work of art. Tor outdid itself when they published the first book in The Stormlight Archive and like The Way of Kings (TWoK), Words of Radiance (WoR) is an elaborate beautifully embellished massive tome. 

The Way of Kings stood out, with stunning cover art by Michael Whelan, and wonderful color endpapers it had the most extensive and best interior art I've ever seen in a fantasy or any novel. Whelan exceeded himself with the Cover Image for Words of Radiance. 

Words of Radiance goes one step further Tor has pushed the limits both on the size of the book, (apparently the largest book they can publish) and on the scope of the interior art and of course the amazing cover and front endpapers by Whelan. Sanderson and Tor have pushed fantasy books into a new territory where the art goes far beyond the typical fantasy, gotta have a map mentality. 

The interior art enhances the experience of reading both books in The Stormlight Archive. The images are not just pictures, they are in-world depictions adds a depth that flows with and is a part of the story. 

The in-world sketches from Shallan and Navani's Journals are an integral part of the story and help the reader to immerse themselves in the diverse and varied world that Sanderson has created. The phrase "A picture is worth a thousand words" rings true here. One image is able to replace chapters of worldbuilding descriptions, allowing Sanderson to move the story along without losing that depth of understanding and detail.

 An in-world Alethi script on some of the images in TWoK gave hardcore fans the chance to try their hand at deciphering and translating this script to find out additional information. In WoR an different version of the script was added for another language/ culture. We also see an expansion of the Glyphs, and their execution and possibilities. WoR even includes an Easter Egg Cosmere artist, (Now that is sneaky). This brilliance by Sanderson to include Easter Eggs, codes, scripts and challenges deserves its own evaluation and post! 

The detailed maps, symbols, and icons throughout both books play a far deeper role than just chapter illuminations, they are part foreshadowing, part worldbuilding, and part mystery. 

Well done Tor and thank you for pushing fantasy to the next level in book publishing.

For anyone that reads e-book versions, or wants to see details for the images Sanderson provides all of the interior art for the books on Sandersons website, see book art links below.

* Read Brandons words on Epic Fantasy and The Stormlight Archive books:
Words of Radiance and the Art of Creating Epic Fantasy.

Interior Artists: 

Ben McSweeney - Inkthinker. (TWoK, WoR)

Isaac Stewart (TWoK, WoR)

Greg Call (TWoK)

Dan dos Santos (WoR)

The Way of Kings Art Links

Interior Art for The Way of Kings

Read about the Cover Art for TWoK on Tor

Whelan's Cover Art for TWoK 

Words of Radiance Art Links

Interior Art for Words of Radiance

Read about Whelan’s Endpapers for Words of Radiance,Featuring Shallan on Tor.com

View and download WoR Cover Art and Endpapers on Tor.

Michael Whelan's WoR Cover Art 

Links:

Stormlight Archive on Tor.com 

Brandon Sanderson

 

Book Review: Heart of the Mirage by Glenda Larke

Heart of the Mirage by Glenda Larke

Book 1 of Mirage Makers series 

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

After reading Glenda Larke's other series I finally got through my to read list to read this book. I really enjoyed the world-building and historical connections. The characters were not as engaging to me as I usually like, but overall I really enjoyed this book. My only regret is that I did not realize that the next 2 books in the series are not available in ebook format in the US.

Drawing from historical events and basing the language and culture on Ancient Rome, and what feels like a mix of the Australian outback and African deserts, Glenda Larke manages to weave a believable tale of self discovery, and magic while avoiding the standard fantasy trope of medieval Europe.

Authors website: Glenda Larke.

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Book Review: The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente

Fairyland series Book 1

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This middle grade (or even younger) book is a delightful story,for any age. More of a modern day fairy tale than a fantasy.
The story is involving, with enough action and good and bad things happening, to keep any reader engaged. The subtle references and inferences to classic fairy tales will amuse readers of any age.
What it lacks in typical fantasy depth, it makes up for in the unique and quirky voice of the narrator.

Underneath the fun and frivolity, this is really a story of loyalty, friends, and like all good fairy tales leaves you with a moral at the end.

Links:
Catherynne M. Valente

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Book Review: A Memory of Light by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson

A Memory of Light The Final Book in The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson

Wheel of Time Series Book 14

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The end of an age, the end of an epic.
After 23 years,15 books, 11,916 Pages, 684 Chapters,4,416,130 Words, I do not think I have the words yet to say anything about "A Memory of Light" or The end of "The Wheel of Time".

Right now I can only say thank you Robert Jordan for your dream and your story. Thank you to Harriet and Team Jordan and Brandon Sanderson who worked to keep the wheel turning.

Links:
Dragonmount.com a Wheel of Time Community.
Theoryland.com hardcore fan freaks of the wheel of time.
Encyclopaedia WoT A premier resource among when it comes to the online Wheel of Time world. It is exactly what it sounds like.
Authors website: Brandon Sanderson

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Book Review: Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde

Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde

Shades of Grey series Book 1

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am steel reeling, I do not think I have ever read a book like it, and I will need some time to digest and ponder before I could begin any kind of review, is just so new, and different. at this point I can only point to this review and comment by Patrick Rothfuss


Book Quotes:
“You see? I know where every single book used to be in the library.' She pointed to the shelf opposite. 'Over there was Catch-22, which was a hugely popular fishing book and one of a series, I believe.”
― Jasper Fforde, Shades of Grey
“Her areas of expertise are bar codes, book titles and maps - she has an original Parker Brothers map of the world.” ― Jasper Fforde, Shades of Grey

Links:
Jasper Fforde
Shades Of Grey Book Site

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Book Review: The Emperor's Soul by Brandon Sanderson

The Emperor's Soul by Brandon Sanderson


My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Though the The Emperor's Soul is set in the same world as Elantris, it is a stand alone story, and requires no knowledge of his worlds.
This short Novella is brilliantly done, and an example of how versatile Sanderson's writing is, and how he continues to push the boundaries and will continue to be one of the authors that takes fantasy to new levels.

Having read all of his other books, in some ways it felt odd to have such a small book, without the in-depth world building, but Sanderson still manages to fill his world with a fascinating and unique magic system, interesting characters, and a unique world.

Picking up a book for a new author can be risky and daunting when many of Sanderson's books run between 500 and 1000 pages. The Emperor's Soul is a fantastic book to introduce any new readers to Sanderson's worlds and writing.

The main character Shai, is not heroic in the same vein as many fantasies, but this unique take on creativity and art as an heroic trait is brilliant and has such a great new feel to it.

Though the story is fully complex and complete, I did wish, not for more of this story but for the more all-encompassing look into this creativity concept, that a 1000 page book would have had. The length of the book also limited this to a single point of view, which worked well for this book, but in some ways is a tease, since the other characters were still so interesting you want to know them better.


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Brandon Sanderson

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