Deathmaker by Lindsay Buroker

Goodreads: Deathmaker

Ah,  Lindsay Buroker . . .  

A lady who can spin a mean yarn!!!! 

This one is full of pirates, flying machines, and a sharp-shootin' gal who who can skin your nose with a rock from a hundred yards away. 

Set in a steampunk world complete with magic, war, adventure, plenty of escapes, and a good dollop of a fancy gooey concoction with remarkable metal-melting properties, it's brilliant stuff. I just loved it. 

In fact, my traitorous heart even thinks it prefers this little number to Lindsay's Emperor's Edge series!! 

How is that possible when I do love Amaranthe and Sicarius so much? (If you haven't read those books you are doing yourself a serious disservice, and I would suggest you rectify that oversight without further ado.)

But as much as I love A&S from Emperor's Edge, Cal and Tolemek from Deathmaker have absolutely stolen my heart. 

Cal is the ultimate impetuous shoot-first-ask-questions-later heroine. 

Tolemek - despite his dastardly nickname Deathmaker - is a smart, Captain Jack Sparrowish (Pirates of the Caribbean) hero with a penchant for making gooey substances (from snake and spider venom) with both deadly and benign properties. 

The chemistry between these two sworn enemies is fun to read, although, unlike Balanced on a Blade's Edge (the first in this series) this is more of an adventure than a romance. For those who loved Balanced on a Blade's Edge, Ridge, Sardelle and Jaxi also appear in this one. That said, Cal and Tolemek are definitely the show-stealers.

As we can expect from Lindsay, the action is fast-paced and riddled with her usual witty dialogue. There is even an unexpected twist at the end to keep it from becoming predictable. 

And . . . tara tara . . . no deluge scene! No water at all! To understand this reference see my Blade's Edge review. 

So, after this rave review, what didn't I like? 

Okay, I admit, this sounds shallow, but the cover . . . 

I know, I know, I did choose this one when Lindsay posted her options on Facebook for comment, but it was the best of a boring lot . . . 

Maybe it's just me, but I find the blue very dull. Tolemek deserves better . . .

So, if you haven't read this yet, I suggest you rush out and buy it. And in case you are wondering how much Lindsay paid me for this review . . . nada - other than a free copy for comment. 

But, let it be said, hand on heart, this is my honest opinion of a fantastic story. I can't wait to read more about these guys. 

cheers
Gwynn

Balanced on the Blade's Edge by Lindsay Buroker

Lindsay Buroker is one of the few authors for whom I will rearrange my reading schedule, so when she called for reviewers for her latest book, Balanced on the Blade's Edge, I was there. Just like I stopped what I was doing on Facebook (mindless trawling, if I'm honest) to follow the link to her help-me-choose-a-cover-for-said-book post. Happy to announce that I picked the cover she finally went with. Don't you just love it?

So, all this might lead you to believe that I am biased about her writing and that you can in no way trust this review. Not so. I love Lindsay's work but I'm not totally blind to her quirks and foibles. To find out more, read on . . .

Balanced on a Blade's Edge is a gripping, fun read in which we meet two charming characters: Ridge and Sardelle.

Ridge is a fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants colonel with more demerits than medals who is sent as a punishment to command a vital prison mine in a hostile environment. I loved him. Great character and I would definitely like to read more of his exploits. How about some novellas of his early days, Lindsay?

Sardelle is a sorcerer who went into stasis three hundred years ago and woke to find her world destroyed, and now a bunch of blood-thirsty, sex-crazed miners are rummaging through the rubble. Luckily the new commanding officer is hot and seems to have a interest in this strange new 'prisoner'. . . Sardelle has all the usual kick-butt qualities we expect from Lindsay's heroines. But what made her interesting was that although she has mega-power in a world of mundanes, she can't use any of it in case the numbskulls burn her at the stake for being a witch. Nice twist. It also made for a sizzling ending.

So with characters in place, what follows is a typical Lindsay Buroker extravaganza. Regular readers of her works will recognise - and love - the usual sharp-witted banter that flows so easily from her pen. They will also be familiar with another of her favourite plot devices . . . yes, there is another deluge scene. Lindsay does love destroying things with water, and it makes fun reading even if it is a bit predictable. There, you see, not a blind reviewer throwing out bouquets - there's an implied criticism there. I admit to an eye roll when the water came, and yes, it robbed the story of its fifth star. But maybe that's just me . . . The rest of her readers may still love the water.

What I did love, though, was the freshness of the:
1. Setting. A prison mine that was once the home to a dynasty of sorcerers. Good stuff!
2. The magic. I loved the concept of Jaxi, the soulblade who could speak in Sardelle's mind. To find out more about that, you will just have to read the book.
3. Flying. That was fun, but I would have loved to know more about the flyers Ridge flew. 
4. The ending. Coooool! And so unpredictable. Only trouble was, I was miserable when it was all over.

So, yes, I loved Balanced on the Blade's Edge and would definitely want to read more about these characters. I am sure that world has a place for a wild flyer colonel and a displaced sorcerer. 

How about it Lindsay?

Cheers
Gwynn

The Transfer - A Divergent Story by Veronica Roth

The Transfer (Goodreads)

Oh boy, prepare yourself for a fan rave. . .

I saw this Ebook short story on a blog this week and HAD to have it because it's about one of my favourite book boyfriends of all time - Four AKA Tobias Eaton from the Divergent series.(Goodreads) A quick download from Amazon and it was mine.

The story opens prior to the Choosing Ceremony and it takes us up to Tobias's first night in his new faction, Dauntless. I'm thrilled to say it was amazing. I gulped it down, barely coming up for breath. It gives such good insight into his terrible home life with his Abnegation father - the motivation for his switch - and into his psyche. We also learn how he got his nickname - Four. After reading this, I love him even more now, if that's possible.

But the best news is that this is the first in a series of five short stories written from Four's perspective due to come out over the next year. I can't wait to read them. 

So how many stars for this little quicky? A full five five gleaming ones. If you love Divergent then you have to read this. 

Cheers

Gwynn

The Narrowing Path by David J Normoyle

The Narrowing Path (Goodreads)

I found this gem of a book on Netgalley and was struck by the cover: definitely intriguing. The blurb clinched the deal, luring me in . . .

Only the strongest, smartest and most ruthless will survive.

Every six years, the world draws nearer to the sun. In Arcandis, those who want to live must claim the limited places in the Refuge, a series of underground caverns cooled by the sea.

The teenage boys of noble birth are sent out into the city to demonstrate their wits and strength. Some prove themselves in combat, others display their empire building skills, still others attempt to kill off their rivals. Out of over a hundred, only six will be selected by the leaders of the great families and allowed a place in the Refuge. The rest will perish, one way or another.

Not only is thirteen-year-old Bowe younger and weaker than most of the other boys, he has no family to support him. He is expected to die on the very first day of the narrowing path. Instead he begins a journey no one could have anticipated.

Unable to resist The Hunger Games feel of it, I immediately requested it and am delighted to say that it delivered on all its promises. I started reading in the evening and found myself still awake at three in the morning when I turned the last page on my Kindle. I was so impressed that I filed it into it's own category under the author's name. I only ever do that if I intend reading more of an author's work. The rest of the books get shoved into a genre category.

Okay . . . so what made it so good?

The book is definitely dystopian (thoroughly brutal in fact) but it has a high fantasy setting! Anyone familiar with my blog will know that fantasy and sci-fi are my first loves. That said, one of my reading delights this year has been the discovery of some great cross-over books that mash different genres together - like this one - making for a fascinating read. As far as I can see, it's mainly indie-authors who are daring to write like this, and David J Normoyle has done it very well in The Narrowing Path.

The plot kicks off without too much backstory or preamble and we are in the world of Arcandis, following the fortunes - and misfortunes - of Bowe Bellanger, our young hero. I was instantly sucked in even though the first few pages bombarded me with names and titles and quite complicated aspects of Arcandis life. I admit, it could be an overwhelming beginning, but I was so intrigued by the action that I barreled through it and was hooked. 

Bowe Bellanger is a delightfully flawed hero with a giant-sized heart. He captured my sympathy instantly and although sometimes he made some really stupid decisions as he battled to stay alive on the 'path', I was rooting for him all the way through. Be warned though, this book is not for the faint-hearted: deaths - gruesome ones - occur every few pages. In that aspect it makes The Hunger Games look like a church picnic. 

Bowe also has some strange ideas about girls. But given his background and age, I found it quite acceptable. He is the perfect gentleman to the high class damsel in distress, but cannot cope with the tough, kick-butte peasant girl (whom he secretly fancies) who helped save his life a few times. I suspect this is going to be an area explored by Normoyle in subsequent books and I imagine young Bowe is going to learn some short, sharp lessons about dealing with women. I can't wait to read about them.

From that, you can guess that I will be reading the next two books in the series: The Treacherous Path and The Collapsing Path. You can bet on it.

So how many stars for The Narrowing Path? A solid four star read!

I will be doing an interview with David Normoyle on Wednesday when I will be giving away a couple of his books. It will be well worth stopping by for a chance to win.

Cheers

Gwynn

WOW, WOW, WoW: Crown of Midnight by Sarah J Maas

Crown of Midnight (Goodreads)

Are the publishers serious? 

I have to wait a whole year for the next installment in the Throne of Glass series? 

You're kidding me, right? 

No? 

Dang! 

That's a shame. 

Honestly, there should be laws against that kind of reader abuse. 

Crown of Midnight is everything and more than I hoped it would be. The writing is good, the tension unremitting, blood flowed readily, and the plot moved along at a rapid clip, leaving me hanging on, unable to put the book down. I started reading in the afternoon and was still awake at one in the morning when Erin awoke having an allergic reaction. Although we ended up taking her to the emergency room, I still managed to read in snatches while we waited for the doctors to see her. Bad mother! Bad mother! Thankfully, she recovered well and we finally got to bed at six in the morning. After a three hour nap, I was up, back in the book. It's that good.

At the end of Throne of Glass (review), Celaena is crowned King's Champion. Now in Crown of Midnight she has to make good on her appointment as his personal assassin because his killing list comes at her thick and fast. Using skill and stealth, she juggles between his expectations and her own need to resist him and his commands. At the same time, she is still immersed in the secret - and deadly - world of magical beings, both dark and light, who try to control her allegiance. Throw the gorgeous Prince Dorain (who has his own challenges in this book) and the brooding, handsome Chaol Westfall into the mix, and it makes for a heart-stopping page-turner. For those allergic to love triangles, relax. This is not one of those.

Celaena is amazing in this book: brutal, fragile, tragic, bold, brilliant, misguided, flawed. She is without doubt my favourite heroine of all time. Amaranthe Lokdon from the Emperor's Edge series (reviews here and here) runs a close second. Sometime I will do a comparison between them.

Because this book is darker - much - than the others in the series (with the exception perhaps of The Assassin and the Underworld review here), there is less of her usual swagger and witty lines. This does not detract from the story at all, and I will safely say that this books has won it's place in my top ten reads of 2013. It's definitely a five star read. Here's to a loooong year of waiting for the next on the series . . . 

cheers

Gwynn
P.S. I bought this book with my own hard-earned cash.

A brilliant ending to an amazing series: Shades of Earth by Beth Revis

Shades Of Earth (Goodreads)

For pure originality, depth of characters and imaginative world-building you cannot beat the 

Across The Universe series. (Goodreads) 

In this, the final book in the series, Amy and Elder and fifteen hundred of the Godspeed residents land on their new home, planet Centauri-Earth. Unfortunately, they quickly discover that the planet is far from welcoming. Hostile is how I would describe it. The stories they had been told before leaving the Godspeed about 'monsters' are real. They are being picked off like flies, with someone dying - often brutally - every day. But before Elder can even establish his leadership, Amy immediately sets about unfreezing her parents and the other military personnel and scientists. This brings instant conflict. So instead of working together, the Earthborn and Shipborn fight each other instead of their common enemies - the aliens who already inhabit the planet.

So what did I think of Shades of Earth? 

I admit it took me a while to get into. But that was for a very simple reason: Amy made some early decisions that made me really cross. (I tend to get very invested in books I love) But in hindsight, if she hadn't been so selfish and stupid I suppose we wouldn't have had such a thrilling read. So I guess I forgive her. Elder did, so how can I be so hardhearted?

The pace is fast, the tension high, and the characters hopped off the page. 

Beth Revis needs a round of applause for her world-building. 

As she says in the acknowledgement section of the book: 

"the problem with discovering a whole new world is that it could be anything, and without the guidance of Ben Schrank and Gillian Levison, Centuri-Earth would be nothing but a pale imitation of what it is now. They made me dig into the sandy soil and uncover what lay beneath the surface of the planet; they tilted my head to the skies so I could see the pteros flying there, and they led me to the poisoned heart of the world and helped me to discover a way to cure it."

And what a thrilling ride that journey was.

 Once over my fit of pique with Amy, I sucked Shades of Earth up like I was there.  I felt every bit of tension, every pain, every loss (and trust me, people die in this book. There are no sacred cows. If a character needed to die to move the plot along, then . . . off with their heads)

The book definitely showed us the seamy side of human nature. Greed. Prejudice. Fear. Beth Revis asks us to decide what really makes a person a human being. Very thought-provoking.

The Heroes?

For me, the real hero of this story is Elder. He became a man in this book, a leader anyone would be proud to follow. Amy? She got off to a slow start, but by the end she had found her place in the world and became a person of real substance. I salute what she made of herself, despite the horrendous challenges she was put through.

The Love?

The romance was there, but it definitely took a back seat to the action. And that suited me fine. A love triangle threatened, and for a moment I thought Amy was going to do something really unforgivable, but her love for Elder held true to the end. I was very pleased about that. I think I would have coughed up a pteros egg if a love triangle had developed.

Stars?

Five gleaming galaxies. 

Other series Across the Universe competes with

If you love the Under the Never Sky series (my reviews here and here), then you will enjoy this too. Other brilliant series which also run neck to neck with Across The Universe are: Daughter of Smoke and Bone (My reviews here and here) and The Grisha. That gives you an idea of how amazing these books are.

Have you read the series? If so leave a comment, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

cheers

Gwynn
P.S.  In case you're wondering, I own two copies of this book: The Kindle version and the paperback. I bought both. Why the paperback? I had to complete my paper collection. I love looking at the covers!

INDIEpendence Day bloghop from 2 - 5 July

Indie-authors? Some of us love them. Other won't touch them. 

Me?

I have read as many awful traditionally published books as I've read indie. 

And I've read as many brilliant indie books as I have read traditional. 

So as long as the indie book has been properly edited, I'm there, happy to dive in and enjoy the ride.

What do you think? Leave a comment and let's chat.

In the meantime . . .

This week, as part of INDIEpendence Day (hosted by the Indelibles), I'm sharing my all-time favourite indie author with you: Lindsay Buroker.

If you're new to my blog, you probably don't know that I'm involved in a passionate love affair with Lindsay Buroker's Emperor's Edge series (Goodreads). For my previous raves and to read my review of the first book click here and here! 

Today, it's the turn of Book Two - Dark Currents, (Goodreads) - to be loved. 

But first, what's it about? 

The Goodreads blurb sums it up beautifully . . .

It's been three months since former enforcer Amaranthe Lokdon and the notorious assassin Sicarius thwarted kidnappers and saved the emperor's life. The problem? Nobody knows they were responsible for this good deed. Worse, they're being blamed for the entire scheme. With enforcers and bounty hunters stalking them, and the emperor nursing a personal hatred for Sicarius, it's going to be hard to earn exoneration. When Amaranthe's team discovers mutilated bodies in the city aqueducts and a mysterious illness incapacitates thousands of citizens, she and Sicarius see an opportunity to solve the mystery and prove their loyalty. But they'll have to defeat vengeful shamans, man-eating predators, and deadly mechanical constructs, all while dodging imperial soldiers who would rather kill them than accept their help. Nobody said exoneration would be easy.

 Okay, with that out the way, let me tell you why I loved Dark Currents.

1. It's written from two POV's.

Amaranthe and Books, the disgraced history profession turned outlaw, share the stage.  

This adds real depth because not only are we following the main adventure, we also learn about Books, his background, fears and weaknesses. His sub-story adds to the richness of the plot. I'm glad Buroker chose to highlight him first because he seemed to me to be the weakest character. Not anymore. After Dark Currents, he's a vital asset to the team. And what would Maldynado do without Books to tease?

2. The plot and the setting are so original. 

Come on, high fantasy (which I love) set against an era of steam! How can that not thrill? Then you throw in the crazy magic with soul constructs and amazing mechanical devices and you're off to a hectic ride. 

3. More twists and turns than a spiral staircase. 

Honestly, the plot grabs you by the throat from the first page and doesn't let go until the last, leading you along such a convoluted path that it's impossible to second guess what will happen next. The tension is unremitting, broken only by the relentlessly funny dialogue.

4. The dialogue.

It's so sharp with endless one-liners which left me laughing out loud. Lindsay Buroker writes brilliantly.

5. The characters.

As I've said before, they're so real, I swear they live and breath in a parallel universe. 

Now, I'm not the only obsessed idiot out there. There's vibrant Fan Art page on Pinterest where other (more talented) hopeless cases like myself have created some stunning pics of the characters. I share three of these with permission from Lindsay Buroker. 

A great new Emperor's Edge group scene from Vaudevillian on the EE forum: the-emperors-edge... #fantasy #steampunk 

Amaranthe (in front) Sicirius (in monochromatic black) Books (leaning over the manuscript) Maldynado (disowned aristocrat, turned gigolo, turned outlaw) with his outlandish hat. Aksytr (wannabe magician . . . I mean Practitioner) pouring over a Made (Magical) Construct. Bald-headed Basilard.

Now for a look at the two POV characters in Dark Currents . . .

Our heroine, seen through the eyes of Jennifer, EE Fan Artist. 

I think it's a pretty good rendition of what the kick-butt Amaranthe looks like.

I must admit, this is not how I pictured Books. 

I saw him as much older and  . . .  fussy, almost like an old woman with wet knickers. By the end of Dark Currents, I held him in much higher esteem!

Pity the artist didn't leave a name. 

Well I think that's enough raving for one day. Anyone would think Lindsay is paying me to say all these nice things. I promise you, she isn't! I bought this book with own hard-earned cash. 

Stars?

Need I say it? Five, of course.

Where can you buy Dark Currents?

Firstly, I must tell you that book one, Emperor's Edge, is free everywhere.

Dark Currents is available on Amazon/ Smashwords/ Barnes & Noble

TO FIND THE OTHER BLOGS ON THE HOP, CLICK HERE

Cheers

Gwynn

PS.  The next EE series review will be of Deadly Games (Goodreads) which I will post next week. As a special treat I have an interview with Lindsay Buroker that I'm excited to share with you. I will also be posting a couple more pieces of fan art. In the meantime, don't forget to check out the link on Pinterest.

Outcast by Adrienne Kress

I was looking for something new and fresh when I requested Outcast (Goodreads) off Netgalley. I'm delighted to say that the book delivered on every level. And look at that cover. Isn't it great?  

In Outcast, we meet Riley, our socially awkward, hyper-intelligent heroine who has recently lost her best friend/almost boyfriend Chris to kidnapping angels. Or that's what the whole town - whipped into a fervour of angel worship by the local pastor - likes to believe happened. Once a year, for the last six years, angel-like beings have swept down from the sky, swooped into town, and carried off the young and healthy at an event the townspeople call the Taking. Chris fell victim last year and Riley still isn't over it yet.

Now, with a new Taking looming, she's in no mood for angels. So when one arrives in her backyard, looking to kidnap her, she does what any self-respecting Southern girls would do - she blasts it in the face with a shotgun. So far so good. Only when the dust settles, it isn't an angel lying at her feet but a very hot, very naked young guy named Gabe. After an understandably rocky start, Riley and Gabe set off to solve the mystery of the angels. Along the way, they also discover romance. Gabe, with all his worldly experience, meets his match with the very insecure Riley. I thrilled at their love. It was perfect. Not too fast. not too slow. Beautifully sketched with a totally unexpected twist at the end.

The Characters

They are delightful. I so enjoyed being in Riley's head and could read many more books with her as a narrator. She is so dry, so wise, so sharp, and so awkward, all at the same time. And Gabe? He's the perfect bad good guy. He successfully charmed every girl in town - including me (I took up residence for the duration of the book) The minor characters also step off the page. The pastor who control the town with his angel fever is exactly what you'd imagine such a person to be. Fantastic.

The Angels

While Adrienne Kress's angel-lore is very different to my own personal angel theology, it's well thought out and had me convinced for the duration of her story. What more can an author ask for? Whether I still see Archangels in such a poor light, I'm not so sure . . .  But that's why we read, isn't it? To explore other ideas and to enjoy other possibilities.

Sex and Language

There is some bad language, but it's pretty innocuous.  Although Gabe spends the first chapter naked, there is nothing steamy in this book. It's a fantasy I would happily let my kids read. So if you're looking for a fun read, this is it. I ripped through it in a day, lapping up every moment of the action.

Stars

Four shiny angels with gleaming gold wings.

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read it.

Cheers

Gwynn

Emperor's Edge by Lindsay Buroker

 A High Fantasy Novel Set In An Age Of Steam

It's been a while since a series of has captured my imagination quite like the Emperor's Edge (Goodreads). Although I've followed Lindsay Buroker's blog for ages, I was more interested in reading about her success as a self-published author than bothering about her books. Okay, okay, I know, that doesn't make any sense, but it's the truth. (She has a great blog, by the way, if self-publishing is your thing) Anyway, I happened upon the Emperor's Edge quite by chance. I uploaded a Kobo app onto my iPhone and saw EE for free. So I did what any book fiend does, I downloaded it, thinking I'd read it in snatches when stuck waiting in the car, playing mum's taxi to my kids.

Huh! So much for my well-laid plan. I started reading, and after two small pages (an iPhone screen is not that big) I was hooked. Lost. Captivated. Enthralled. I tore through the series and still haven't come up for air. Everything else I have on my bookshelves - virtual and real - has paled into insignificance.

So what is this book about?

Amaranthe Lokdon is a rarity, a female Imperial law enforcer. Dedicated, ambitious, sharp left kick, obsessive compulsive cleaner, she's definitely good at her job. She can deter thieves and pacify thugs, if not with a blade, then by toppling an eight-foot pile of coffee canisters onto their heads. But when ravaged bodies show up on the waterfront, an arson covers up human sacrifices, and a powerful business coalition plots to kill the emperor, she feels a tad overwhelmed. 

Worse, Sicarius, the empire's most notorious assassin, is in town. He's tied in with the chaos somehow, but Amaranthe would be a fool to cross his path. Unfortunately, her superiors order her to hunt him down. Either they have an unprecedented belief in her skills... or someone wants her dead. 

Staying alive puts her outside the law. Now with a sizeable bounty on her head, she pulls together a band of fascinating, hilarious characters to form an organization called the Emperor's Edge. It's mission? To protect Emperor Sespian from his enemies and to clear her name. 

But not all the wonderfully drawn characters share such noble goals. Maldynado (disowned  aristocrat, turned gigolo, turned outlaw) agrees to join EE because he wants a statute of himself erected (probably showing his erection!) in the centre of town. Aksytr (a sullen kid chucked out of his gang of cut-throats) wants an opportunity to study magic, banned in the Empire. Basilard (enslaved and forced to fight for his life in a gambling pit) wants slavery abolished. Books, the disgraced history professor - well I'm not sure what he wants! 

Anyway, all this adds to the fun, leading to a rollicking, fast-paced romp through the streets of Stumps, the capital city of Turgonia. Nicknamed Stumps because a few generations back an emperor whose name I can't remember decided to behead all the city's statutes, leaving only stumps! That's the level of detail in the world building. And trust me, the characters are that rich too.

As you can see from my ravings, I really loved this book. If you like swashbuckling action, with sharp dialogue, tons of laughs, beautifully flawed characters, and a brilliantly imaginative plot, then you will love it too.

This is a five short sword read. You can download it for free everywhere. But be warned, you will come back for more.

cheers
Gwynn

PS. And don't worry that it's indie published. You would never have known if I hadn't told you it was.

Ender's World edited by Orson Scott Card

Have you ever heard the rather disparaging English (as in UK) phrase 'to be an Anorak'? 

No.

I didn't think so, seeing as most of my readers come from the USA and Russia. So let me explain:

An anorak is a person - usually male - who, while dressed in an anorak to protect him from the foul English weather, spends all his spare time sitting at the end of the runway at his local airport watching and noting - in painstaking detail - the comings and goings of all the airplanes. He then tells his friends (those who still have friends) about his finds, quoting registration numbers, engine types and each flight's punctuality. A thoroughly anal activity. 

I share this with you because I'm an Ender's Game Anorak. (Review here)

I have to be. I mean who else would have squealed with delight on seeing a book with the word Ender in the title on Netgalley? And then, without bothering to read what it was about pounced on the mouse, clicked the request button, said a quick prayer that I'd be approved, all in less time than it takes most people to sneeze. At that point I started reaching for my Anorak.

But the final confirmation of my Anorak status came when I downloaded the ARC of Ender's World (Amazon) onto my Kindle. It was only then that I discovered to my absolute delight that it's actually a book of essays about Ender and his world written by . . .  yes, you guessed it! Other Ender Anoraks!

How fantastic is that! A whole book devoted to reading about how amazing Ender Wiggin is, what a natural born leader he is, how he fits into the Jungian hero mold, all the while being the classic Hero With A Thousand Faces. There is even a chapter extolling the value of him being short! Did you know most successful people are below average height? I didn't either.

Finally, if that wasn't enough magic, there are also pages and pages devoted to genuine Q&A with Orson Scott Card. For an Anorka, what could be more amazing than getting into OSC's mind, seeing his motivations and the depth of his knowledge of his Enderverse?

Enderverse - I love that word!

And you know what else, if that had been all this book was about, I would have been a very satisfied reader.

But there was more. A lot more. As a writer, I learned so much as the contributing authors - bestsellers in their own rights like Neal Shusterman, Janis Ian and Aaron Johnston - dissected Ender's Game, exposing the nuances of OSC writing. For me, this was a real bonus. If you're a writer - even if you don't write Sci-Fi - it will be well worthwhile reading this book, because you will come away with a new set of insights into our art.

So how many stars? 

Definitely four! I loved it and am grateful to the publisher for giving me the ARC to review. So to my fellow Anoraks out there, Ender's World is not to be missed.

cheers
Gwynn

Review: Trail of Bones by Chris Salisbury

“No mercy, No rules – Welcome to the Trail of Bones!”

Don't you hate it when you read a book you know is good, very good in fact, but you don't enjoy it? 

I do. I hate it so much because I know neither the book nor the author deserve my condemnation.  That's what happened to me with Trail of Bones. 

But before you think, okay, I won't bother with this, let me put my review into perspective. 

I felt the same way about The Hunger Games. Brilliant book. Amazing characters. Stayed up all night to read it. Imaginative plot. Wall-to-wall action. Felt I needed therapy afterwards. Trail of Bones checked every single one of those boxes. I even think it was better written than The Hunger Games.

So what went wrong? 

The answer is simple. I felt too much for the characters. I've told you all before, I'm a total wuss. Because I became so attached to Magnus and Kelor, I didn't want to see them suffer, and trust me, in this book they suffer. Big Time. So perhaps I was the wrong person to review this . .  

Maybe now would be a good time to tell you a little of the plot.  

Trail of Bones follows the tale of two amazingly real animals (in this fantasy world people and animals can talk to each other). The first (and the one I liked the most) is Magnus. He's the runt of a litter of Shade Wolves who wants nothing more than to be a loyal, strong member of the pack. But when an ancient enemy threatens his friends and family, he faces a choice which tears him from all he’s known and loved.

The other hero is Kelor. A giant panther born in captivity, Kelor knows nothing but suffering and loss. He struggles to find his place in a world of terror where he battles to protect his family without succumbing to the darkness lurking inside him. I blew hot and cold about Kelor. Sometimes his arrogance really irritated me, but at other times, I felt so much love and compassion for him. In the end, he came out tops. I have great hopes for him in the sequel.

Anyway, back to the plot. 

Magnus and Kelor fall captive to a really vile man named Warden. (He makes Snow from The Hunger Games look like a nice guy.) Totally without scruples, Warden and his sidekick, Korwin, an equally horrible elf, put together a roadshow - the battle of the beasts known as ‘The Trail of Bones’ - in which Magnus and Kelor are forced to fight to the death against a string of other enslaved animals and humans. 

Sounds a bit Hunger Games-ish, right? It is. 

Except in Trail of Bones the bodies of the dead are used for a magical ritual . . . can't say more, you have to read the book to get the highly imaginative details. And yes, this book is imaginative. That - and it's characters - is one of it's great strengths. Pity about the cruelty . . . I will tell you though that this is the first in a series about Magnus and Kelor. That's a clue to the ending . . .  

Maybe I can end my review by saying there was so much that was fantastic about this book that I wish I could just come out and say I loved it. 

 

But I can't. Still, please don't let my review put you off. You may have a stronger stomach than I do and you would miss something really amazing by not reading it. 

Stars? 

Three blood-stained panthers who can take on the world and win.

Like all of Kathy's blog tours (I Am A Reader, Not A Writer) there is a GIVEAWAY.  

Yah! 

As usual, you can win $25 Amazon Gift Card or the equivalent in PayPal cash. Don't be shy.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

cheers
Gwynn 

Books vs Movies: Ender's Game Trailer

There are a lot of great book movies coming out this year, but the one I'm most excited for is Ender's Game. For those who don't know this brilliant book, here's the blub from Goodreads:

In order to develop a secure defense against a hostile alien race's next attack, government agencies breed child geniuses and train them as soldiers. A brilliant young boy, Andrew "Ender" Wiggin lives with his kind but distant parents, his sadistic brother Peter, and the person he loves more than anyone else, his sister Valentine. Peter and Valentine were candidates for the soldier-training program but didn't make the cut—young Ender is the Wiggin drafted to the orbiting Battle School for rigorous military training.

Ender's skills make him a leader in school and respected in the Battle Room, where children play at mock battles in zero gravity. Yet growing up in an artificial community of young soldiers Ender suffers greatly from isolation, rivalry from his peers, pressure from the adult teachers, and an unsettling fear of the alien invaders. His psychological battles include loneliness, fear that he is becoming like the cruel brother he remembers, and fanning the flames of devotion to his beloved sister.

Is Ender the general Earth needs? But Ender is not the only result of the genetic experiments. The war with the Buggers has been raging for a hundred years, and the quest for the perfect general has been underway for almost as long. Ender's two older siblings are every bit as unusual as he is, but in very different ways. Between the three of them lie the abilities to remake a world. If, that is, the world survives. Ender's Game is the winner of the 1985 Nebula Award for Best Novel and the 1986 Hugo Award for Best Novel.

My thoughts . . . 

In my view, Ender's Game is one of the best coming-of-age book in all of Young Adult lit. Hefty praise as most books in the Young Adult genre explore the challenges and pitfalls of transitioning from child to adult.

Ender is six when he's drafted into Battle School and twelve when the book ends. By the end of that ride, Ender is no longer a child (if he ever was). He has proved himself a leader with compassion, wisdom and an unfailing ability to win. I love this quote by Colonel Graff which sums him up so perfectly:

"Ender doesn't just win, he wins thoroughly" 

Ender isn't the only character who goes through the crucible. Battle School is filled with brilliant kids, all trying to become leaders in the war against the Buggers. Not all of them make it. Orson Scott Card pulls no punches with his creations. Without mercy or respite, he puts his characters through huge emotional, physical and psychological challenges. Many of them break. It's fascinating - and heartbreaking - watching this happen to children who, thanks to Card's brilliant writing, have become as real to me as my own family.

The setting in the Battle School is wonderfully fleshed-out.  Although Orson Scott Card shows us much of the day to day life our hero, none of those details slow the story. In fact, the pace is fast, action-packed and riveting. 

In hindsight, some of the science fiction was amazingly accurate too. The book was written in the mid-eighties and Orson Scott Card predicted computers in every home, linked to a net - like the internet.  Pretty cool, huh? His Battle School orbits the planet in a similar way that the International Space Station orbits Earth.

But I think the biggest surprise was the ending . . . Obviously, my lips are sealed, but it would not be an exaggeration to say that it literally blew me away. (Pun intended! For those who have read the book)

Do you have to be a Sci-Fi fan to love Ender's Game? No way. The character development and plot alone are good reason to enjoy this Five Galaxy read.

Anyway, back to the movie . . .  I saw the trailer and had to share it with you. 

Orson Scott Card has been VERY involved with all aspects of this movie - which is a blend of both Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow (Goodreads), so we can be confident we're getting the very best director, screen writer and cast.

So, down to the casting . . .

I always saw Ender as much slighter and blonde! So Asa Butterfield is a bit of a mind shift for me, but I think he'll grow on me.

I love Harrison Ford as Colonel Graff! I think that's a stroke of genius there. Although I'm not sure I can imagine a grossly over-weight Harrison Ford . . . my mind just doesn't go there. Maybe they have written that out of the screenplay.

And Sir Ben Kingsley as Mazer Rackham? Fantastic! He's just what I imagined Mazer to be. And the tattoos don't worry me at all. I think they add to the Mazer Mystique!

Another surprise in the looks department is Aramis Knight chosen to play Bean. I had a totally different Bean in mind. Oh well. That is the price we pay for having our favourite books made into movies - someone else's imagination takes over.

As for the other cast, I am happy to see how they perform.

These are my thoughts . . .  expressed in a very long post (sorry about that). Now I would love to hear yours.  What do you think of the cast?
 
cheers
Gwynn

Cover Reveal: Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Woo Hoo . . . I am one excited girl!

By now you all know that I adore Celaena Sardothien, heroine from the Throne of Glass series. (Review of novellas)

Well guess what I saw last night while cruising through Goodreads? The cover reveal of Crown of Midnight, the second book in the series! 

And it is STUNNING. I mean, just look at this . . . 

How that for a chick-butt girl! She has no equal. I am SO glad the American publishers have repented of their evil ways and have given this book the cover it deserves. Check here for my post on the US versus UK cover of a Throne of Glass.

Now for the synopsis of Crown of Midnight

An assassin’s loyalties are always in doubt. But her heart never wavers.
After a year of hard labor in the Salt Mines of Endovier, eighteen-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien has won the king's contest to become the new royal assassin. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown – a secret she hides from even her most intimate confidantes.

Keeping up the deadly charade—while pretending to do the king's bidding—will test her in frightening new ways, especially when she's given a task that could jeopardize everything she's come to care for. And there are far more dangerous forces gathering on the horizon -- forces that threaten to destroy her entire world, and will surely force Celaena to make a choice.

Where do the assassin’s loyalties lie, and who is she most willing to fight for?

The hardcover launches on 27 August 2013 published by Bloomsbury USA Children. I can't wait.


So what do you think? Do you love it as much as I do?


Cheers
Gwynn

Blue Hearts of Mars by Nicole Grotepas: Review

I saw this book yesterday on a few blog I follow, fell in love with the cover and immediately downloaded it onto my Kindle. I then jumped it to the head of my reading queue. I'm so glad I did. I love sci-fi and this didn't disappoint.

Retta lives on Mars, which has been inhabited by humans for two hundred and fifty years. The first colonies were build by Androids. But instead of the machines being dismantled after the building was done, they became more complex, replicating humans in almost every way. They now look so similar that it's almost impossible to tell them apart. Androids think, feel, have souls, procreate and love - just like humans do. But, like all draconian societies driven by prejudice, it's forbidden by law for humans and Androids to marry, even though they live side-by-side in their domed cities. Even being friends is frowned upon.

Of course, something as silly as that does not stop Retta and Hemingway - a super hot, sexy Android - from falling in love. Their relationship catapults them into a rebellion against the government. What follows is an action-packed, fast-paced adventure with a sweet love story.

Nicole Grotepas is not scared to explore some interesting concepts about intelligence, the soul, and humanity. A lot of her views resonate with me. But don't think this is a heavy philosophical book. It's not. It's a quick, fun read with a well-devised plot, interesting characters and amazing world-building.

The book is narrated by Retta and I enjoyed being in her head. She's a fiery eighteen-year-old who can't be kept down by hate or prejudice - even when it comes from her own family. I especially liked Hemingway. He reveals himself to be tough and forthright, but also gentle and protective when it comes to the human girl he loves.

Initially the love between Retta and Hemingway seemed a bit insta, and there's the usual amount of teenage angst one finds in many young adult reads. Happily, their love developed into something credible that I believe will last. One of the things I really liked was the involvement of both Hemingway's and Retta's families. That's very refreshing for a young adult read where absentee parents are usually the norm.

Although I enjoyed the book, there were a few things that bugged me enough to knock off half a star. It's two hundred and fifty years since these people arrived here, but Retta still refers to celebrities, fashion icons and culture from twenty-first-century Earth! It kept ripping me out of Nicole Grotepas's very credible Mars world-building. Surely, after all this time, they'd have there own culture?

In one part of the book they're being chased by very determined government officials. Their images are being flashed to every citizen on Mars. This added greatly to the tension. But as soon as it no longer suited the plot, all their pursuers vanished and no one recognized them. Hmm. That doesn't work for me. But these two things are definitely minor niggles that shouldn't stop you reading this fun book.

All in all I give it three and a half shining Mars moons.

cheers
Gwynneth

Daughter of the Flames by Zoe Marriott: Review

Because I loved FrostFire, I immediately looked for other books by Zoe Marriott. I found Daughter of the Flames, the first book in the Ruan series. It’s a poignant, heart-wrenching story that takes us through war, betrayal, racial hatred, and finally, love.

Zira was orphaned when the Sedorne invaded her country, Ruan. For ten years she’s been hiding, training to be a warrior priestess. That’s until she recklessly – but nobly – rushes to the aid of Lord Sorin, the Sedorne ruler of her district, when he’s attacked in the market place. This single act changes Zira’s life. King Abheron, who had paid the assassins, is none too pleased when Sorin survives. Zira and Sorin are thrust together in a fight to free Ruan from Abheron’s brutal reign and to restore the rightful queen to the throne. (I’ll leave it to you to figure who that queen might be!) To her credit, Zira and her sword proved more than capable of taking on that war. She is a girl who can definitely kick-butt if she has too. But she also has a vulnerability that is very appealing.

I loved this book. The characters are so real and, for the most part, likeable. The exception of course is Mad King Abheron. He’s a great bad guy. A complex man with twisted, but very believable motives, he’s one of the best villains I’ve met in ages – perhaps since The Darkling in Smoke and Bone.

The relationship between Zira and Sorin is anything but predictable. For her, he’s a Sedorne – the enemy – whom she hates. But as the blurb on the cover asks: What if your true love was your deadliest enemy? Zoe Marriott develops this love so sensitively. It was a joy watching it unfold.

As for the world building . . . I could smell the dust in the streets and taste the prawns frying in the marketplace. Ruan is as real as my own back garden.

I give Daughter of the Flame five stars. I will definitely be reading it again.

Cheers

Gwynneth

PS: Don't forget to enter my Kick-Butt Blog Hop giveaway in which you can stand a chance to win a copy of FrostFire by Zoe Marriott or Throne of Glass by Julie J. Maas