Book Review: New Amsterdam by Elizabeth Bear

New Amsterdam by Elizabeth Bear

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Reminiscent of the shorter stories of Sherlock Holmes, each chapter is a separate mystery. Unfortunately the book misses the mark.

Elizabeth Bear has mixed and crossed many genre lines in this book. Including: Detective Mystery, Romance, Paranormal, Alternate Histry, fantasy, and Steampunk, but does not invoke any of them enough to have the world building add to the stories.

The main characters, a poly-amorous 1000 + year old vampire detective, Sebastien de Ulloa, and forensic sorceress Lady Abigail Irene Garrett; are interesting concepts, and could heave been great, but the format of the book limits the depth that may have been possible in a cohesive story-line. We are told too much of them and not actually shown any of the traits that would make the protagonists real or truly interesting.
As for the mysteries and antagonists, we have nothing that makes us care about them or want to know bad enough to keep turning pages.

One of the few series I have started and have no real desire to read the next book. I do not think this review has any bearing on any of Bear's other series or works, there are many others that I have loved, this one just did not appeal to me.

Book Review: The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

Gentleman Bastard series Book 1

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A fresh perspective in a fantasy novel, with a pace that pulls you in and pushed you on. The characters are rich and well developed, and intriguing. A fantasy built on city world building combining the best of fantasy and urban fantasy for believable and fascinating worldbuilding.

Unfortunately I found it difficult at first to move past the language used in the book initially it was jarring and pulled me out of the story. Though I am very glad I was able to move beyond this as I feel this is one of the best fantasy series written

I received this book for free from the GoodReads First Reads Program in exchange for an honest review. After receiving the free copy I re-read the book. I think I enjoyed the book even more on a second read through.

With a second reading I was less distracted by the language and the sheer newness of the world and was able to really enjoy and appreciate the gritty and in depth world that Scott Lynch created.


Details:

Series: Gentleman Bastard Book 1
Published July 27th 2006 by Bantam Spectra

Awards:
World Fantasy Award Nominee for Best Novel (2007) 

Compton Crook Award Nominee (2007)

British Fantasy Award Nominee for Best Novel (2007)

Tähtifantasia Award Nominee (2008)

Links:
Visit authors website: http://www.scottlynch.us/index.html
Authors Blog: http://www.scottlynch.us/blog/

Awesomeness ...  


 

Girls Who Read is a poem, written and performed by poet, writer, teacher, actor, spoken word performer, and rap-battler, Mark Grist. 

The video from Roundhouse London, is a testament to how powerful and beautiful poetry can be. With today's tendency towards sound bites and twitter talk, it is wonderful to see the return of the spoken word performance. This movement towards (or backwards) to the power of words and language to convey idea's and tell stories is part of the human experience. The oral tradition, From the early Norse saga's and the bardic traditions of the middle ages to the Izibongo, African praise poets, who for centuries performed oral recounting's of a tribal chief’s accomplishments. The Romans's took oration and words to a level of importance that we have not seen since. The Tibetan Paper Singer or Grags-pa seng-ge carried a similar role in Central and North Eastern Asia. He recounted ongoing stories about kings and their accomplishments. His historical poems were often tens of thousands of lines long.

Book Review: Unknown by Rachel Caine

Unknown by Rachel Caine

Outcast Season, book 2 

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really liked this book, and yet I feel terrible that i did, it is so disturbing.
Rachel Caine weaves a disturbing and heart wrenching story, drawing on some of the most horrific historical and current events of mankind and war. The main character Cassiel is a true heroine, the romance in the story is believable and does not diminish either into stereotypical roles.

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Book Review: Undone - Outcast Season Series by Rachel Caine

Undone by Rachel Caine

Outcast Season Series, book 1

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Rachel Caine has managed to intricately weave a secondary viewpoint story line that seamlessly follows along the main story arcs of her amazing Weather Warden series, written like an Epic fantasy, split into different books instead of combined.

Though I am still waiting for a true epic multiple viewpoint and story arc Urban fantasy this is very close, I think that what little was missing in the scope and 'epicness' of the Weather Wardens, is fulfilled with this secondary series.

As much as I loved Joanne and the main characters of the Weather Wardens, I think the author has improved, the story by not relying on the typical urban fantasy snarky "I can beat up the bad guys, make humorous comments, and still wear great heels" heroine. With Cassiel we get a strong heroine with flaws and real internal conflicts.

The only negative is that the book it too short feeling more like a novella that a full book, and talk about cliff-hangers!



Authors website: Rachel Caine

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Book Review: Ill Wind - Weather Warden Series by Rachel Caine

Ill Wind by Rachel Caine

Weather Warden Series 

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Rachel Caine's Weather Warden series is one of the many series that has been sitting buried in my to-read list for too long.

Ill Wind, is the first book, in this unique urban fantasy, and once I started I could not stop and continued on to read the entire series. So my review is of the series as a whole. Short story - I absolutely loved it!

A true urban fantasy devoid of vampires, the author has woven a story that is part weather channel, part storm chasers and part epic fantasy.

The writing is so good, that I forgot I was reading Urban Fantasy at times, there is a tendency in this genre for strong characters and/or plots, but a simpler style of writing and world building where the magic and supernatural elements are involved. This book and series breaks that formula with well developed world-building, a strong magic system that is tied to the world and feels believable and probable, and all the foreshadowing and inter connections of an epic fantasy.

Links:
Rachel Caine


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