Saffron and Brimstone

 Saffron and Brimstone: Strange Stories by Elizabeth Hand  240 pages

Summary from Goodreads: This new collection (an expansion of the limited-release Bibliomancy, which won the World Fantasy Award in 2005) showcases a wildly inventive author at the height of her powers. Included in this collection are "The Least Trumps," in which a lonely women reaches out to the world through symbols, tattooing, and the Tarot, and "Pavane for a Prince of the Air," where neo-pagan rituals bring a recently departed soul to something very different than eternal rest. Written in the author's characteristic poetic prose and rich with the details of traumatic lives that are luminously transformed, Saffron and Brimstone is a worthy addition to an outstanding career.

And here's what I thought: I re-read this book usually once a year because I enjoy some of the stories so much. Each time I read them, I usually re-discover something I had forgotten about, which is fun. The first story, about an unusual young woman and moths, never fails to captivate me. And I really love The Least Trumps, as well. Hand's writing style is really descriptive and evocative and I often savor a sentence or two in a story. Her description of being tattooed is the most accurate I've read -- "It's more like carving your own skin with the slanted nib of a razor-sharp calligraphy pen or writing on flesh with a soldering iron." 

Across the Green Grass Fields

 Across the Green Grass Fields by  Seanan McGuire  174 pages

Summary from Goodreads: Regan loves, and is loved, though her school-friend situation has become complicated, of late. When she suddenly finds herself thrust through a doorway that asks her to "Be Sure" before swallowing her whole, Regan must learn to live in a world filled with centaurs, kelpies, and other magical equines―a world that expects its human visitors to step up and be heroes.  But after embracing her time with the herd, Regan discovers that not all forms of heroism are equal, and not all quests are as they seem…

And here's what I thought: This is the 6th book in the Wayward Children series. In this story, the main character is Regan, a girl who has just learned something very important about herself and who is now struggling with that information. And who she has just told.  

Growing up, Regan has a pretty normal life and while she doesn't have a lot of friends, she is best friends with Heather, one of the most popular girls at school. Heather's not really a very good friend. but because of her, Regan is able to navigate through many social situations pretty easily. However, as she gets older and other girls start to enter puberty, Regan stands out because she's not developing as quickly. As it turns out, Regan is intersex, something that her parents explain to her and that she does some research about on her own. And, as you might guess, she tells Heather . . . and that turns out to be a very bad decision.

But then Regan discovers a door in the woods, with "Be Sure" woven into the branches and steps through into The Hooflands, a place populated with centaurs, unicorns and other hoofed creatures. At first, it's terrifying but she soon finds a group of centaurs who accept her into their own family. But hanging over Regan's head the entire time is a prophecy that when a human enters the Hooflands, they must be given to the queen because whenever a human shows up, something bad is going to happen in this world.

There's a lot in this very short book about destiny and what that means and what you do with it. And how these expectations can be a heavy burden, but it's easier if you have family and friends to share it with.  I won't spoil the ending or what happens with Regan in this world. But, if you have read any other books in this series, you know about these magical doors: they always show up again and children can step through, back into their own world.

I did like that McGuire's main character is intersex and like the other books in this series, there is a lot of thoughtful commentary woven through the story about people and society and the expectations people have of one another (and how those social conventions really don't always mean very much).

The Very Best of Charles De Lint and The Ivory and The Horn by Charles De Lint

 

The Very Best of Charles De Lint by Charles De Lint  425 pages and  The Ivory and the Horn by Charles De Lint  318 pages      Total : 743 pages

Both of these books contain short stories (one of them is duplicated) by De Lint that are mostly set in the fictional city of Newford.  "In the city of Newford, when the stars and the vibes are right, you can touch magic. Mermaids sing in the murky harbor, desert spirits crowd the night, and dreams are more real than waking."

I have read many of De Lint's books and sometimes, I really like them and then . . . I get a little tired of them. My favorite stories are the ones set in Newford because I like imagining this city that has dark, scary places, but also some nice-sounding bookstores and bars. De Lint does have some recurring characters in these stories and for some of them, it does help if you have some backstory. An example is Jilly Coppercorn --- if you have read the book The Onion Girl, then the stories in these books are better because you have some of her backstory already. De Lint also ties music into many of his stories, which has the effect of making me dig out my CDs of Celtic folk music. Again, not a bad thing -- but after a bit, I want something else.

The House in the Cerulean Sea

 The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune   398 pages

"When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he's given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days.

But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn." (Goodreads)

And . . . I now have one of my favorite books I read this year!  I absolutely loved this book --- it was interesting, charming, funny, made me laugh, made me get choked up . . .  and an overall great story. Whimsy? It's here. Serious thought-provoking stuff? It's here. A variety of different types of characters and a touch of romance? Got it!  For anyone who ever felt like they didn't belong, weren't understood, and just wanted to be accepted and loved ---- this is your story.  And hey, if you never felt like this, this is also your story --- because there's a lot here about learning about others, understanding and being empathetic. 

A Deadly Education: A Novel

A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik  320 pages

This is the first book in Novilk's new series, The Scholomance, about a school of magic. However, this is no friendly Harry Potter world.  Indeed - "There are no teachers, no holidays, and no friendships, save strategic ones. Survival is more important than any letter grade, for the school won’t allow its students to leave until they graduate… or die! The rules are deceptively simple: Don’t walk the halls alone. And beware of the monsters who lurk everywhere."

I had really been looking forward to this book. Reviews made it sound amazing and I really enjoyed Novik's Temerarie series.  Unfortunately, I just didn't like this book. While I don't mind the idea of a school of magic where many things are dangerous, and I don't mind unlikeable character, this story felt exhausting to read after a while.  The main character is unlikeable, relentlessly so --- and while there's some explanation later in the story, and a bit of character growth, I found her to be tiring.  I liked some of the monsters, and I loved the description of the library (of course), but the bits of dark humor in the story weren't enough for me to find it enjoyable. Instead, it's a bit of a slog . . . there's almost never any letup of the monsters, of the danger, of the endless explanations (which aren't always full explanations) of the danger, the horrors that await students, etc etc.  I wanted to like this book more than I did.

A Game of Thrones

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin    835 pages


"Long ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the north of Winterfell, sinister and supernatural forces are massing beyond the kingdom’s protective Wall. At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the land they were born to. Sweeping from a land of brutal cold to a distant summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, here is a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens."  (summary courtesy of Goodreads --- because I can't figure out how to summarize this without taking a full page to do it).

I finally got around to reading this. I had meant to, and then started watching the show on HBO. My husband, who has read all the books in this series, warned me the show wasn't following the books 100%, so I waited on reading the books.  But now, with more reading time on my hands, I took the opportunity to read this first one.

Having watched the HBO show, I felt it was a little easier to follow some of the plot lines. I could tell this first book is a bit rough around the edges --- Martin's writing style needs a little polishing, so I'm hoping this improves in the next book. I did enjoy how the chapters move from character to character, and I found this book to be a much quicker read than I had originally anticipated.

Ghost Story

Ghost Story: A Novel of the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher  481 pages

"When we last left the mighty wizard detective Harry Dresden, he wasn't doing well. In fact, he had been murdered by an unknown assassin.

But being dead doesn't stop him when his friends are in danger. Except now he has no body, and no magic to help him. And there are also several dark spirits roaming the Chicago shadows who owe Harry some payback of their own.

To save his friends—and his own soul—Harry will have to pull off the ultimate trick without any magic... "  (summary from Goodreads)

This story picks up from the end of the last book in the series where Dresden was shot.  The story flies from there with Molly now in her twenties and more powerful than ever, horrible monsters, people from Dresden's past who are the complete opposite of what they were and ghosts and wraiths galore.   I don't want to give too much away but this is the most different Dresden story, yet.   Yes, I highly recommend it to all Dresden fans middle-school on up.

 - Shirley J.

Changes: A Novel in the Dresden Files

Changes: A Novel in the Dresden Files Series by Jim Butcher 

14 hours 45 minutes    438 pages

"Long ago, Susan Rodriguez was Harry Dresden's lover-until she was attacked by his enemies, leaving her torn between her own humanity and the bloodlust of the vampiric Red Court. Susan then disappeared to South America, where she could fight both her savage gift and those who cursed her with it.

Now Arianna Ortega, Duchess of the Red Court, has discovered a secret Susan has long kept, and she plans to use it-against Harry. To prevail this time, he may have no choice but to embrace the raging fury of his own untapped dark power. Because Harry's not fighting to save the world...

He's fighting to save his child."  (summary from Goodreads)

Wow!   Loads of action, monsters everywhere.   Susan Rodriquez is back, so is Sonya.   Lots of  jaw dropping stuff happens in this one and you won't know the good guys from the bad until the very end.  OMgosh!   This one will literally make you feel as though the wind is knocked out of you.   YES!  Read this one - it will blow you away what you find out here.   Dresden fans unite!  I highly recommend this one to Mature middle schoolers on up.

 - Shirley J.

Warbreaker

Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson   592 pages

"Warbreaker is the story of two sisters who happen to be princesses, the God King one of them has to marry, the lesser god who doesn't like his job, and the immortal who's still trying to undo the mistakes he made hundreds of years ago. Their world is one in which those who die in glory return as gods to live confined to a pantheon in Hallandren's capital city and where a power known as BioChromatic magic is based on an essence known as breath that can only be collected one unit at a time from individual people. By using breath and drawing upon the color in everyday objects, all manner of miracles and mischief can be accomplished. It will take considerable quantities of each to resolve all the challenges facing Vivenna and Siri, princesses of Idris; Susebron the God King; Lightsong, reluctant god of bravery; and mysterious Vasher, the Warbreaker."  (summary courtesy of Goodreads)

I have had this book on my shelf for years and kept putting off reading it (because library books always have a strong call . . .). Once I started reading and got into the story, I was kicking myself for not picking it up sooner because I really enjoyed it!  I have read other books by Brandon Sanderson and felt he was great at not only storytelling, but also worldbuilding. This book is no exception, where your knowledge of the world in the story grows with each chapter. You also learn things at the same time as a few of the characters, so the story is unfolding and you feel a connection to the characters. 

Wheel of Time series

The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan   11,898 pages

I recognize that I have neglected to post this series as the books were read over the past few months; however, I contend that this is not a series as much as it is a single story that simply took volumes of books to tell. I am not a fan of this genre, so I challenged myself to read The Wheel of Time series, epic fantasy novels written by Robert Jordan. The various books were published from 1990 to 2013, prolonged by the author’s death in 2007; given detailed notes for the final book that the author was in the midst of writing, fellow fantasy writer Brandon Sanderson completed the story that was so voluminous that it was told in three separate volumes. The series is noted for its length (check out the page count!), its well-developed magic system, the extremely large numbers of subplots, the intricate detail of its imaginary, and the extremely large number of characters (different accounts state between 1800 to 2800 named characters in the series!).

The publisher sums up the nearly four and a half million words as follows:

Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time is a story that takes place both in our past and our future. In his fantasy world, the Dark One, the embodiment of pure evil, is breaking free from his prison. The overall plot is about a man who learns that he is the reincarnation of the world’s messiah and is once again destined to save the world from the Dark One—but possibly destroy it in the process. This saga is not only his story, but the story of an entire world’s struggle to deal with war and change, destruction and hope.

At its core, The Wheel of Time is about the struggle between good and evil, and the way that that battle exists not only on a grand scale, but in the hearts of the ordinary people fighting it. The story has many traditional European-style fantasy elements and themes combined with some strong Eastern themes such as reincarnation and the cyclic nature of time weaved in to make it more unique. Add to that a richly populated fantasy world, with creatures, many original races (human and otherwise), expansive lore, epic battles, unrelenting magic, and deeply memorable characters, and it’s hard to imagine an epic tale that can come even close. The Wheel of Time has all the makings of the next big fantasy TV series…which is coming to the small screen in 2020. I am glad I read it but will admit that the phenomenal detail distracted on more than one occasion, which I attribute to reading the entire series at once. If I had read each book as it was released, I don’t think that level of detail would have been so tedious. If you love long, epic fantasy series in which you get heavily invested in the characters and their world, read this series!  The Wheel of Time is very detailed and draws you in—if you enjoy the first book, you will have to keep reading.  If you don’t enjoy long books in which there are a lot of detailed imagery or the characters are not constantly battling, don’t read this series; with so many books and so many characters, you may get lost or bored along the way.

The Eye of the World

                          782 pages

The Great Hunt

                                   681 pages

The Dragon Reborn

                            675 pages

The Shadow Rising

                             981 pages

The Fires of Heaven

                           963 pages

Lord of Chaos

                                     987 pages

A Crown of Swords

                             856 pages

The Path of Daggers

                           672 pages

Winter’s Heart

                                    766 pages

Crossroads of Twilight

                        822 pages

Knife of Dreams

                                  837 pages

The Gathering Storm

                          766 pages

Towers of Midnight

                             864 pages

A Memory of Light

                              912 pages

                                                       11,898

“The Wheel of Time turns, and ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legends fade to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth comes again. […] There are neither beginnings or endings to the turning of the Wheel of Time. But it was a beginning.”

Posted by:   Regina C.   (submitted to Jen 12/28/19)

Neverwhere

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman 337 pages

"Richard Mayhew is a young man with a good heart and an ordinary life, which is changed forever when he stops to help a girl he finds bleeding on a London sidewalk. His small act of kindness propels him into a world he never dreamed existed. There are people who fall through the cracks, and Richard has become one of them. Now he must learn to survive in this city of shadows and darkness, monsters and saints, murderers and angels, if he is ever to return to the London that he knew."   (courtesy of Goodreads)

I think I've read this book more than 10 times.  While not as sophisticated as his later books, this story is one that always captures my imagination.  Every time I read it, I remember things but then come across details I had completely forgotten.  I enjoy the characters, and the way that some of them are completely good or completely bad --- but the more interesting ones aren't as easy to figure out.  This is Gaiman's first book, so it's not without flaws --- but it's one of my favorite books.

MIddlegame

Middlegame by Seanan McGuire 528 pages

"Meet Roger. Skilled with words, languages come easily to him. He instinctively understands how the world works through the power of story. Meet Dodger, his twin. Numbers are her world, her obsession, her everything. All she understands, she does so through the power of math. Roger and Dodger aren’t exactly human, though they don’t realise it. They aren’t exactly gods, either. Not entirely. Not yet.

Meet Reed, skilled in the alchemical arts like his progenitor before him. Reed created Dodger and her brother. He’s not their father. Not quite. But he has a plan: to raise the twins to the highest power, to ascend with them and claim their authority as his own.

Godhood is attainable. Pray it isn’t attained."    summary courtesy of Goodreads

I absolutely loved this book, which I kind of expected because I enjoy many of the author's other books. I went with the Goodreads summary because admittedly, I don't think I could write something that made as much sense.  Suffice to say, this story is about two people who are connected in an extremely powerful way.  It's Order and Chaos, and not something as simple as Light versus Dark ---- these two have the power to completely remake the world.

McGuire does a great job of bringing some amazing characters to life in a real-world setting, so that you can actually suspend your disbelief pretty easily and imagine that these people could be walking around in the world. I loved how McGuire would go into so much detail about the power of math (in a way that made sense to me, a non-math person), but also how powerful language can be and how words can move the world. Absolutely a fantastic book.

And a funny little coincidence --- I read this book and finished it over the weekend, and then picked up and finished the Sonja Blue collection --- and both have a Hand of Glory in them, and used in a way to move the story along.

Gideon the Ninth

Gideon the Ninth  (The Ninth House #1) by Tamsyn Muir 448 pages  I read a galley - book is due out September 2019

"The Emperor needs necromancers.  The Ninth Necromancer needs a swordswoman. Gideon has a sword, some dirty magazines, and no more time for undead bullshit.

Brought up by unfriendly, ossifying nuns, ancient retainers, and countless skeletons, Gideon is ready to abandon a life of servitude and an afterlife as a reanimated corpse. She packs up her sword, her shoes, and her dirty magazines, and prepares to launch her daring escape. But her childhood nemesis won't set her free without a service.

Harrowhark Nonagesimus, Reverend Daughter of the Ninth House and bone witch extraordinaire, has been summoned into action. The Emperor has invited the heirs to each of his loyal Houses to a deadly trial of wits and skill. If Harrowhark succeeds she will be become an immortal, all-powerful servant of the Resurrection, but no necromancer can ascend without their cavalier. Without Gideon's sword, Harrow will fail, and the Ninth House will die.


Of course, some things are better left dead."  (Summary per Goodreads)

I used the summary from Goodreads because I couldn't think of a better way to summarize this story. I found this was not a quick read, even though I was enjoying the book, simply because there's a lot of detail to keep track of. You aren't given much backstory on either the characters or the world they live in, and while that's ok, I found I was sometimes going back and double-checking the list of characters at the front of the book just to keep track of who was who.  I did like that this is a kind of adventure/mystery/swords and sorcery-necromancy story. I liked that Gideon is a character who doesn't try to be something she isn't; she enjoys her sarcasm and plainly states how she feels about things. I also liked the queer elements in this story, as well as the way that the author plainly puts how characters feel about each other.  I also liked that the necromancy here has yucky elements, which is what you'd completely expect but somehow can get scrubbed out of stories.  I loved the bone necromancy of Harrowhark and the other characters, as well as the other elements of necromancy.  This is a gothic fantasy/science fiction story that not be for every reader, but was something I enjoyed. And I'm already looking forward to the second book, which is annoying considering this book isn't even published yet.

The Rook

The Rook by Daniel O'Malley   496 pages

"The body you are wearing used to be mine." So begins the letter Myfanwy Thomas is holding when she awakes in a London park surrounded by bodies all wearing latex gloves. With no recollection of who she is, Myfanwy must follow the instructions her former self left behind to discover her identity and track down the agents who want to destroy her.   (summary from Goodreads)

This book was a re-read for me, but because I hadn't picked it up for a while, parts of the story felt completely new again. This is one of my favorite books, full of snarky, dark humor.  It's clever and engaging, with a main character that I enjoyed more and more as the story progressed. Myfanwy (pronounced Miffany ... like Tiffany but with an M) wakes up with no recollection of who she is. Luckily, her previous self has left her all kinds of notes, which tell her a bit about herself, and her work. I really loved this idea, that a character is discovering who they are, while we are, based on notes left by themselves. And the world O'Malley has created here is our world, with just that bit of a supernatural twist to make it fun. So there are plenty of things that are recognizable, and then new things thrown in (kind of like the show Supernatural... or Sanctuary). I liked how the author gave us this secret organization, full of its own odd characters (some likeable, some dangerous... some both), and a mystery to figure out. Going through it, I had my suspicions about who might have wanted Myfanwy dead.... and then would frequently change my mind and choose another person. Loved it.

And Myfanwy? She's a treat of a character -- practical, clever, a bit ruthless once she becomes comfortable with herself, and with a good sense of humor. It's obvious that the Myfanwy we meet at the beginning is not really the same woman she was before. It's almost like she's able to shed the somewhat timid person she was before, and just be a bit more confident --- after all, she doesn't have much to lose. As her previous self explains, she has risen to the top ranks in the organization by being a superior administrator ---- but it turns out that there is much more to Myfanwy than meets the eye. As she discovers things about herself (not just from the notes and letters and large binder of material she's left for herself), she really turns out to be quite extraordinary.

I think the author did a great job with not only the storyline, characters, and pacing .... but he also does an exceptional job of writing a female main character. What I mean is: I never stop believing her for a moment. What I sometimes find in stories, when authors write a main character of the opposite sex, that there is something that gives me pause, or gets me stuck momentarily. It is a fact that men and women use language differently (linguistics), and this is the kind of thing that can happen where I'm reading along and suddenly there's a trip ...... I think to myself, a woman (because I'm female), just wouldn't say that that way. The one example that always stands out in my mind is Robert Hellenga's book, The Sixteen Pleasure, where all was going swimmingly until the main character said something so ... male. This never happened in this story. That's one of the things that really made this a wonderful read for me.

Lake Silence

Lake Silence by Anne Bishop  402 pages

Why yes, it's # 6 in The Others series by Anne Bishop (a series I've been working my way through recently).

While this book doesn't continue the story from books 1-5, it is set in the same world and references a few of the characters from the first 5 books.  What's consistent is the way the world is: "Human laws do not apply in the territory controlled by the Others–vampires, shapeshifters, and paranormal beings even more deadly. And this is a fact that humans should never, ever forget . . . "

Vicki DeVine is one of our main characters in this story. She's been through a divorce, but has gained a rustic resort near Lake Silence in a human town that isn't human controlled.  If you're confused by that, it's really going to help if you're read the first book in this series.  While Vicki has started to rehab some of the cabins and start her life over again, things come unraveled when a human body is discovered nearby. The investigating detectives seem to want to pin the man's death on Vicki, even though there isn't any evidence that a human could have killed the victim.  Who really murdered this guy? And what does have to do with Vicki?   And . . .  the story is off and running.

I continue to enjoy this series and find these engaging stories with characters I like.  I was glad that this book went in a different direction, expanding the world beyond the characters in books 1-5.  It was nice to have some new characters while still enjoying the "rules" that Bishop has set up in this world. And, while I found part of the story to be a little predictable, it didn't take away from the enjoyment of the book.

In an Absent Dream (Wayward Children #4)

In an Absent Dream (Wayward Children #4) by Seanan McGuire    204 pages  I read a galley - book will be published in January, 2019

Lundy is a serious girl who would rather study, read and dream than grow up, become a housewife and live up to the expectations of the people around her. And why not, after all? When she finds a doorway to a world that is founded on logic and reason, where you give and expect fair value in return, she thinks she's found her paradise. Of course, everything costs, especially at the goblin market. Lundy believes she understands fair value, although when her time in this world is drawing close to ending, she makes a bargain. However, this kind of bargain never plays out well . . . for anyone.

This is the fourth book in McGuire's Wayward Children series and while I have loved all of the books so far, this is the one I loved the most. McGuire paints her characters and her worlds in such a way that you become instantly immersed and I felt the character of Lundy resonated the most with me out of all of the books (so far).  The motto of this world when Lundy enters it is "Be Sure," and you begin to understand the seriousness of that as Lundy does, so you experience the story with her.  This world holds some unforgettable characters, some of whom you're not sure if you can completely trust, so there is a sense of danger that runs through this story.

I found this book to be absolutely beautiful and will admit that by the end, it broke my heart (although I have a sliver of hope left). As soon as I finished it, I wanted to read it again --- definitely the sign of a great story!

The Silver Witch

The Silver Witch, Paula Brackston, 308 pages

Tilda Fordwells has just moved to the Welsh lakeside cottage of her dreams, but her husband Mat isn’t there to share it with her – he recently died in a car accident. She lives there peacefully, running every day, rescuing a hound, dealing with her fritzy electricity, and creating ceramic art. But as an archaeological dig by the lake progresses, Tilda realizes she can do magic – and an evil force from a thousand years ago is beginning to stir.

I was disappointed by this book. The pacing was not great, and the flashback chapters (to the pre-medieval Celtic settlement in the location, where a witch deals with political intrigue) felt not fleshed out, like they were there merely to buttress the main plot. I never got a real sense of place from the book, which is surprising because the author is actually from the area it’s set in. I was hoping for something more like Susan Cooper’s The Dark Is Rising series, which is deeply rooted in British folklore, but The Silver Witch never quite reaches the peak it attains to.

The Mountain of Kept Memory, Rachel Neumeier, 448 pages

The king of Carastind has somehow offended the Kieba, the last living remnant of the dead gods’ power. When unrest in the neighboring kingdom leads to a threat of invasion, Prince Gulien must travel to the Kieba’s mountain in hopes of regaining her favor. Meanwhile, Princess Oressa, who has spent her life pretending to be meek and avoiding her father’s baleful eye while secretly learning everything she can of statecraft, must step out into the light and use her knowledge and skills to save the kingdom.

I’m of two minds about this novel. On the one hand, the worldbuilding is very cool – the gods’ death unleashed plagues across the land, as well as leaving powerful artifacts scattered around, ready for mortals to misuse. The Kieba averts the plagues and works to reclaim the artifacts – but is she doing so in the best interests of humanity? And the Kieba’s doorkeeper/secretary/AI, the kephalos, is very interesting. However, the racial and gender politics at play weren’t really critically engaged with: Tamarist, the enemy kingdom, is full of dark-skinned people with a brutal method of ensuring succession and a penchant for keeping women in literal golden cages; meanwhile, Carastind, a land of light-skinned people, has a very cookie-cutter patrilineal succession, and Princess Oressa has never left the palace in her life, a parallel which could be powerful if it felt deliberate. Additionally, the pacing is very odd. Each section feels like, “Oh, this is the real plot. Oh, THIS, is the real plot,” until the book ends. And to my eternal frustration, the cover was clearly designed by someone who hadn't read the book (and didn't understand that that arched window looks like an A).

As I wrote this review, my opinion has shifted. I don’t think I really liked this book. There are certainly much better paced and better thought out fantasy novels out there, and a reader should look for those instead.

The Black Tides of Heaven

The Black Tides ofHeaven, JY Yang, 237 pages

Twin siblings Mokoya and Akeha, children of the Protector, have grown up away from her tyrannical influence, in the Grand Monastery. Mokoya has developed the ability to prophecy the future, and Akeha has always blended into the background, keeping an eye on everything and everyone. But as they grow, they grow apart, and the Rebellion against their mother’s rule grows as well. Is Mokoya merely a pawn under the Protector’s influence? Should Akeha join the Rebellion, or will that put the two twins in opposition?

I feel like this novella suffered from the same affliction as Everfair, trying to span too great a length of time with too low a page count. Thankfully, it’s less glaring in this book, being shorter and only have two major characters. I thought the worldbuilding was good, especially the magic system and how it complemented technological advances – it reminded me of The Legend of Korra in a way. As much as I love traditional swords-and-sorcery fantasy, it’s nice to mix it up with some actual technological development (isn’t it incredible how weaponry hasn’t changed in well over six thousand years in The Lord of the Rings). Generally I liked The Black Tides of Heaven, I just found it slightly unsatisfying.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

The Lord of the Rings:The Return of the King, J.R.R. Tolkien, 405 pages

Isengard has fallen and the Riders of Rohan make ready to ride for Gondor, where the Dark Lord Sauron’s next hammer-stroke will fall. Aragorn, the long-lost heir to the throne of Gondor, prepares to fulfill his destiny. The Ringbearer Frodo lies poisoned and captured, with only his faithful Sam to rescue him from a tower full of Orcs. Mount Doom, the end of the Quest, is in sight, but Sauron’s power and menace is vast and overwhelming. Will Frodo and Sam be able to destroy the Ring? Can Gondor stand against the onslaught of Sauron?

This is the third and final chapter of The Lord of the Rings, and it’s far and away the hardest to get through, even for a superfan like me. There is perhaps an excessive focus on locations – even though I’ve read this many times, I had a finger ready to flip to the maps at the back of the book, to find Dol Amroth, the Stone of Erech, or the road through Mordor. And, it must be said, the pacing is difficult – the book goes on long after you expect it should end (the infamous Scouring of the Shire, though critically important to Tolkien’s purpose, can feel interminable, especially if the reader is not expecting it). All that being said though, I very much enjoyed The Return of the King. Tolkien’s sense of humor is more subdued in this volume than in the previous ones, but his writing is still rich and deep with unexpected beauty.

I’ve read The Lord of the Rings probably over ten times since I was a child, and this is the first time I’ve read the entirety of the Appendices included at the end of The Return of the King, which probably bear mentioning. Tolkien was an obsessive linguist, and he included an immensely detailed section about his various languages and scripts invented for the book, which was rather over my head but somewhat intriguing nonetheless. The Appendices are not necessary for a casual reader’s enjoyment of the book (in fact, they would certainly not appeal to someone who struggled with Tolkien’s occasional dry pedantry), but one wanting to know more about the events of the distant past alluded to in passing would find their wishes satisfied by the in-depth exploration of the history of Middle-Earth presented here.