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Hughes' Fantasy Reviews 2013


Signor Finzione

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Dawnthief - James Barclay

The Diamond Throne - David Eddings

Magician's End - Raymond E Feist

x

Excellent haul :D! I own the first book in English (unread), the second in Dutch (unread, hope to buy an English copy) and the third is on my wishlist (waiting for the paperback release etc). I hope you enjoy the books :)!

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Even in a charity shop? :o

 

Ha, the only way I'd find them in my local charity shop is if I donated them in the first place :giggle2:

 

 

Thanks for the info! I'm looking forward to meeting this Sparhawk - according to the book's cover he's the 'best-realised hero in modern fantasy'. Belgariad book 1 has been on my wishlist since you first recommended it - I have a feeling it'll get bought at Christmas time with my grandma's annual festive gift of 'money in the card'. :giggle2: Or sooner, if the upstanding individual who donated these books to the shop carries on feeling charitable. :D

 

Got to love blurb like that :lol:  He is good, though - but he's no Druss  <<snooty look>> :giggle2:

 

 

I wonder which of us will eventually read it first? :giggle2:

 

Maybe we should coordinate? :shrug:  Although the prospect of starting yet another series at the moment (bearing in mind my latest plan) is slightly . . . exhausting  :lol:

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x

Excellent haul :D! I own the first book in English (unread), the second in Dutch (unread, hope to buy an English copy) and the third is on my wishlist (waiting for the paperback release etc). I hope you enjoy the books :)!

 

Thank you! I'm always glad to hear that it's not just me who buys books and then doesn't get around to reading them. :giggle2: I would have waited for the paperback of 'Magician's End', too, but it was only £3.50 and I couldn't resist! Now I just have the buy the rest of the books that come before it . . . :D

 

Ha, the only way I'd find them in my local charity shop is if I donated them in the first place :giggle2:

 

That's exactly the problem I usually have! This is the first time I've EVER found fantasy books in a charity shop. Then again, I never donate any myself (I could never bear to part with them) so I can't exactly complain. :giggle2: The British Heart Foundation put stickers on their books saying "read it, then bring it back again!". I shuddered at the thought and peeled them off. They're mine now, preciousssss:giggle2:  

 

Got to love blurb like that :lol:  He is good, though - but he's no Druss  <<snooty look>> :giggle2:

 

When I finally get around to reading some Gemmell I'll let you know if I agree. ;)

 

Maybe we should coordinate? :shrug:  Although the prospect of starting yet another series at the moment (bearing in mind my latest plan) is slightly . . . exhausting  :lol:

 

Good idea! I think I'm going to put it on my TBR for 2014, so maybe we could do it then? Athena, you're more than welcome to coordinate too. :)

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Thank you! I'm always glad to hear that it's not just me who buys books and then doesn't get around to reading them. :giggle2: I would have waited for the paperback of 'Magician's End', too, but it was only £3.50 and I couldn't resist! Now I just have the buy the rest of the books that come before it . . . :D

 

I thought you'd read them all already :o

 

 

 

That's exactly the problem I usually have! This is the first time I've EVER found fantasy books in a charity shop. Then again, I never donate any myself (I could never bear to part with them) so I can't exactly complain. :giggle2: The British Heart Foundation put stickers on their books saying "read it, then bring it back again!". I shuddered at the thought and peeled them off. They're mine now, preciousssss:giggle2:  

 

Lucky you, to have all that shelf space :D

 

It's the shelf space that I find precious :lol:

 

 

When I finally get around to reading some Gemmell I'll let you know if I agree. ;)

 

Don't be silly, of course you'll agree! :yes::D

 

 

Good idea! I think I'm going to put it on my TBR for 2014, so maybe we could do it then? 

 

Sounds like a plan :smile:

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I thought you'd read them all already :o

 

Not all, unfortunately. I've read the earlier ones (Riftwar saga, Empire trilogy, Serpentwar saga, Krondor's sons and Riftwar legacy) but none after that. I own a few of them, but not all in the right order, so am waiting till I have them all. I suspect a good part of my 2015 TBR will be taken up by the entire works of Raymond E Feist. :giggle2:

 

Lucky you, to have all that shelf space :D

 

It's the shelf space that I find precious :lol:

 

I probably don't have nearly as many books as you do. :giggle2: I have 3 full bookcases in my spare room at the moment, and a load of random piles of books knocking around in the kitchen/living room. Hope to acquire a new bookcase within the next few months. :D I also have an attic if things get desperate. :giggle2:

 

Don't be silly, of course you'll agree! :yes::D

 

:D Spoken like the snake from The Jungle Book? :giggle2:

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I probably don't have nearly as many books as you do. :giggle2: I have 3 full bookcases in my spare room at the moment, and a load of random piles of books knocking around in the kitchen/living room. Hope to acquire a new bookcase within the next few months. :D I also have an attic if things get desperate. :giggle2:

 

I think it's safe to say you have way more than I do.  I only have one narrow bookcase, and three shelves on the wall :shrug:

 

 

:D Spoken like the snake from The Jungle Book? :giggle2:

 

Trusssssssssssssssssssst in me :giggle2:

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Great Red Seas review! I'm gonna be doing a re-read next year :D

 

I love finding SF/Fantasy in a charity shop, a few of them in Cambridge even have a dedicated shelf! The Oxfam book shops even have whole bookcases! Very dangerous to go in them.

 

Hope you enjoy your purchases!

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Good idea! I think I'm going to put it on my TBR for 2014, so maybe we could do it then? Athena, you're more than welcome to coordinate too. :)

x

It sounds like a good idea :). I only have Dawnthief though, I have the other two books in Dutch and I would much rather read them in English. I don't know yet when I'll be buying the English versions, since no one on this forum had mentioned this author much before I wasn't sure if it was going to be any good to be honest. I can always hope I find the English paperbacks somewhere cheap, though! Otherwise I hope to be buying them sometime, but there are just so many books I want to buy.. (if I like Dawnthief, at least. If I don't like it then there's no need to buy the other ones unless I really want to find out what happens).

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I think it's safe to say you have way more than I do.  I only have one narrow bookcase, and three shelves on the wall :shrug:

 

Does that mean I win? :giggle2: How many do you have on your Kindle, though?

 

Great Red Seas review! I'm gonna be doing a re-read next year :D

 

I love finding SF/Fantasy in a charity shop, a few of them in Cambridge even have a dedicated shelf! The Oxfam book shops even have whole bookcases! Very dangerous to go in them.

 

Hope you enjoy your purchases!

 

Thanks for liking my review. :D I'm so jealous of you and your charity shops! I swear I'm the only person up north who reads fantasy - I'm lucky if I can find a single fantasy book amongst all the autobiographies and granny porn.

 

x

It sounds like a good idea :). I only have Dawnthief though, I have the other two books in Dutch and I would much rather read them in English. I don't know yet when I'll be buying the English versions, since no one on this forum had mentioned this author much before I wasn't sure if it was going to be any good to be honest. I can always hope I find the English paperbacks somewhere cheap, though! Otherwise I hope to be buying them sometime, but there are just so many books I want to buy.. (if I like Dawnthief, at least. If I don't like it then there's no need to buy the other ones unless I really want to find out what happens).

 

Well, we'll do Dawnthief and then see how it goes from there. :)

 

Maybe we should all start a fantasy reading club on here, and pick one book a month to try and read. :o

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Review: 'The Republic of Thieves' by Scott Lynch

 

Lynch+-+Republic.jpg

 

Locke and Jean barely escaped with their lives from what should have been the greatest heist of their career, in the port city of Tal Verarr. Now they head north, looking for sanctuary and an alchemist who can cure the poison that is slowly killing Locke. They find neither, but with their luck, money and hope exhausted, they receive an offer from a power that has never had their best interests at heart: The Bondsmagi of Karthain.


 

In exchange for the chance that Locke might be saved, the Bondsmagi expect the two Gentlemen B*stards to rig an election in their home city of Karthain. They will be opposed. The other side has already hired the services of Sabetha Belacoros, the one person in the world who might match Locke’s criminal skill, and the one person in the world who absolutely rules his heart.
 
Now it will be con artist against con artist in an election that couldn’t be more crooked, all for the benefit of the mysterious Bondsmagi, who have plans within plans and secrets they’re not telling . . .
 
The Republic of Thieves is the long-awaited third instalment in the Gentlemen B*stard Sequence, and takes place several weeks after the ending of Red Seas under Red Skies. Locke Lamora is suffering from the effects of poison, and he and Jean Tannen must do the unthinkable – work with their worst enemies – in exchange for a cure.
 

I have to start by saying that it’s inevitable that The Republic of Thieves is going to be held up against the standards of the first two books in the series; and I’m very sad to say that it fell somewhat short of my expectations. The first two books – particularly Red Seas under Red Skies – were tense, fast-paced and exhilarating; The Republic of Thieves is fairly slow, plodding and uneventful. It doesn’t have the sense of urgency that characterised the other books, and the characters don’t really seem to have much to lose (or gain). Since the stakes aren’t as high, neither are Locke’s grand schemes as complex and exciting as those that filled his previous adventures in abundance.


 

The Republic of Thieves follows the same format as Lynch’s previous books, with interludes from the past (mainly focusing on the gang’s performance of the play ‘The Republic of Thieves’) dispersed throughout the main story (the election in Karthain). However, the other books had a few short interludes that added to the main story; fully half of The Republic of Thieves is comprised of ‘interludes’, so much so that it’s like reading two separate books alongside one another. While both the past and present tales are good, the parallel tale of the Gentlemen B*stards’ performance of the eponymous ‘Republic of Thieves’ is, for me, the strongest aspect of the story. I would have preferred to see it as a separate novella – it was basically the main focus of this story, but both plotlines suffered (or so I felt) from the constant (and sometimes frustrating) switching back and forth. Both tales are enjoyable, but to have them interwoven in such a way meant that the main plot lost momentum at every turn.
 
I didn’t really appreciate the revelation about Locke’s ‘true’ identity. I thought it came out of nowhere, and felt that it was unnecessary to reveal it in such a manner. I’m also not too keen on how the book ended – I would have liked some closure on the flashbacks (Was Chains pleased with their achievements? What did he do about Moncraine?), but I’m guessing this will be continued in the next books.
One other minor thing that really bothered me was the misspelling of ‘stories’ as ‘storeys’ – it really started to grate on me since it’s used quite frequently, although I guess that’s a fault with the editor and not the author.
 

Despite these criticisms, I did enjoy reading The Republic of Thieves. One aspect of the book that I felt did live up to my expectations was the character of Sabetha. She’s very well-written: as cunning and intelligent as Locke, yet much more ruthless, while at the same time possessing a certain charming femininity. She is very likeable, and the gradual unveiling of the history of the tentative relationship between her and Locke is very well done. The fact that she also has a special friendship with Jean is a nice touch, and her devious strategies to try and beat him and Locke are pitiless but amusing. It’s also brilliant to finally see the full complement of the Gentlemen B*stards – Sabetha has always been absent from the flashbacks in previous novels, and her presence changes the dynamics of the group in a fun and interesting way.


 

To sum up, then, I liked the book, but I think it suffered for having such a high standard to try and meet. I’d say the main plotline deserves 3/5, but I enjoyed the flashback tale so much that I’m bumping the overall rating up to 4.
 
My rating: 4/5 (for ‘The Republic of Thieves’ sections rather than the ‘5-year election’ chapters)
Edited by Signor Finzione
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Well, we'll do Dawnthief and then see how it goes from there. :)

 

Maybe we should all start a fantasy reading club on here, and pick one book a month to try and read. :o

x

Most of the time I prefer to read what I want when I want. I tend to look at my mood and see what I feel like reading. I read a fantasy book only one in, I don't know, five? I'm not quite sure what the ratio is these days. But if you lot are reading a particular book I can always see if I feel in the mood to read it too (if I have it) :).

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x

Most of the time I prefer to read what I want when I want. I tend to look at my mood and see what I feel like reading. I read a fantasy book only one in, I don't know, five? I'm not quite sure what the ratio is these days. But if you lot are reading a particular book I can always see if I feel in the mood to read it too (if I have it) :).

 

We'll see how you feel when it comes to it. I'm hoping to read it at some point next year, anyway. :)

 

Shame you didn't like it as much as the others, do you think the two stories could be read separately from each from? I.e. read all the Interlude chapters first then go back and read the others?

 

I think it would have worked better if they were separate. It would mean a lot of faffing around if you tried to do it, though. :giggle2: I really do think that all the flashback chapters should have been self-contained as a separate novella (with maybe a few of the relevant parts inserted into RoT, as with the previous novels), but then, there wouldn't be much left to happen in the actual novel . . .

 

From what I've read elsewhere, the majority of readers were disappointed with 'Red Seas' but thought RoT was better, whereas I think 'Red 'Seas' is the strongest of the three. I'll be interested to hear what you think when you eventually read it. :) 

 

Have you read any Phillip Pullman books, Signor?

 

I read Northern Lights a few years ago and quite enjoyed it (far better than the film!), but couldn't seem to get into the next in the trilogy (Amber Spyglass?). Does he write any adult fantasy, or is it mainly along the lines of YA? Always looking for recommendations. :)

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I think it would have worked better if they were separate. It would mean a lot of faffing around if you tried to do it, though. :giggle2: I really do think that all the flashback chapters should have been self-contained as a separate novella (with maybe a few of the relevant parts inserted into RoT, as with the previous novels), but then, there wouldn't be much left to happen in the actual novel . . .

 

From what I've read elsewhere, the majority of readers were disappointed with 'Red Seas' but thought RoT was better, whereas I think 'Red 'Seas' is the strongest of the three. I'll be interested to hear what you think when you eventually read it. :)

 

Hmm ok, I'll see what others say, might be worth trying to read them separately. I preferred Lies to Red Seas but only just, mainly because I love a good origins story  :giggle2:

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Signor, I loved The Golden Compass movie even better than I liked Northern Lights. I thought the movie was brilliant. It made me love Iorek Byrnison -- whereas in the book he's not that lovable. I have only one more to read in the Northern Lights saga and that's Lyra's Oxford. But you might like Pullman's Sally Lockhart novels. Though they are mysteries they still have an element of fantasy to them. I read all of them in the saga and they are great!

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It made me love Iorek Byrnison -- whereas in the book he's not that lovable.

 

Crikey, I thought he was brilliant in the books, a truly memorable character.  I felt like cheering every time he turned up :D   I connected with the book from the first page, but the movie left me so disappointed :shrug:

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Hi!

 

Really? I loved Iorek more in the movie plus they changed the reason why he didn't become King of Svalbard which I thought made Iorek more lovable. In the book, to me, he was a bit rough and wild. What made you dislike the movie?

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I didn't hate it, but it didn't compare to the book.  I felt it was watered-down to the point where it was just a series of action sequences linked by clunky exposition.  The book has a wonderful flow to it that the movie lost completely.  It felt rushed, to me.  I thought the changes to Iorek Byrnison's character weakened him from the rock he is in the book.  It was generally just a missed opportunity, I think :shrug:

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I didn't hate it, but it didn't compare to the book.  I felt it was watered-down to the point where it was just a series of action sequences linked by clunky exposition.  The book has a wonderful flow to it that the movie lost completely.  It felt rushed, to me.  I thought the changes to Iorek Byrnison's character weakened him from the rock he is in the book.  It was generally just a missed opportunity, I think :shrug:

 

Hence why there hasn't been a sequel, one of the more expensive 'missed opportunities' in film history. For the record I agree with you.

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I didn't hate it, but it didn't compare to the book.  I felt it was watered-down to the point where it was just a series of action sequences linked by clunky exposition.  The book has a wonderful flow to it that the movie lost completely.  It felt rushed, to me.  I thought the changes to Iorek Byrnison's character weakened him from the rock he is in the book.  It was generally just a missed opportunity, I think :shrug:

Hi Karsa!

 

I agree with you that a lot of what's in the book was not inculded in the movie. Perhaps because Nothern Lights is so long they had to make it shorter for the movie. I know that Phillip Pullman did have a say in how it was portrayed and was pleased with the movie.

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Hence why there hasn't been a sequel, one of the more expensive 'missed opportunities' in film history. For the record I agree with you.

 

The film did quite well worldwide, but it not so well in America, and that's what killed it, I think.  Certainly, if you hunt around, you'll find plenty of detail as to why they didn't go ahead, but - as it involves religion - it's probably best discussed elsewhere.  It seems New Line got scared off due to opposition from certain quarters.

 

I'm glad you liked it cuppycakes :smile:

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Review: 'Beyond the Shadows' by Brent Weeks

 

Weeks+-+Beyond+the+Shadows.jpg

 


A new queen has usurped the throne and is leading Cenaria into disaster. The country has become a broken realm with a threadbare army, little food, and no hope. So Kylar Stern plans to reinstate his closest friend Logan as King, but can he really get away with murder?

 

In the north, the Godking’s death has thrown Khalidor into civil war. To gain the upper hand, one faction attempts to raise the goddess Khali herself. But they are playing with volatile powers, and trigger conflict on a vast scale. Seven armies will converge to save – or destroy – an entire continent.
 
Kylar has finally learnt the bitter cost of immortality, and is faced with a task only he can complete. To save his friends, and perhaps his enemies, he must assassinate a goddess. Failure will doom the south. Success will cost him everything he’s ever loved.
 
Beyond the Shadows is the third and final instalment in Brent Weeks’ Night Angel trilogy. The trilogy so far has followed the life of Kylar Stern, a young man who has developed since childhood from an orphan thief to a trainee assassin (or ‘wetboy’), and who has now finally taken on the role of the immortal Night Angel, the embodiment of justice.
 

The most entertaining parts of Kylar’s tale are his interactions with both Durzo Blint (his mentor) and the black ka’kari (the magical item that is the source of his special powers), which are full of easy humour and sarcasm. However, these conversations don’t happen very often, and Kylar’s chapter are mainly focused on his complicated relationships with Elene and Vi. This book also has a wider scope than the others: we see more of the world and its inhabitants. While this gives the book something of a grander scale, I actually miss the focus of the first two books, which were mostly set within the streets of cities. The first book particularly focused more on character development within the confines of the city’s underworld, and I think that approach was actually stronger than that of this book, which mostly seems to be ‘send the characters to loads of different places on loads of flimsy pretexts’.


 

One of the things I do really like about the plot is that there is always something happening:  lots of little events occur within the tales of most characters, which helps to make the novel a fairly fast-paced read (although some of the events are a bit contrived). The way the various plotlines finally entwined was fairly well-conceived, and the final battle definitely had a feel of the epic about it. The sacrifice involved in the defeat of evil is somewhat glossed-over, but adds a nice sense of loss and emotion. However, I feel that the payoff was somewhat unsatisfactory, mainly because

it revolved around the man characters gathering around an artefact, Power Rangers-style, and using previously unmentioned magic to end the epic battle and instantly transform the battlefield into a place of beauty.

 

For me, some of the strongest plotlines were those of the ‘supporting’ characters. I particularly enjoyed the portrayal of Dorian’s descent into darkness and subsequent redemption; and Vi Sovari’s search for friendship and acceptance was my favourite storyline in the whole trilogy. The characters of Sister Ariel, Solon Tofusin and Feir Cousat were also fun to read about, but unfortunately they are very minor and don’t feature as much as I would have liked. On the other hand, there were many characters I simply could not engage with, and whose chapters I found a little slow and dull, which meant that I didn’t sympathise with them enough to feel the appropriate emotional impact of their various fates. I think this is one aspect that detracted from my enjoyment of the book: the fact that Weeks has so many good characters yet does not seem to develop them as strongly as he perhaps could have, while placing too much focus on characters who are a little two-dimensional.


 

There are plenty of aspects within the book that make it gripping – such as the torture of Kylar, the fate of the usurper queen Terah Graesin, the mystery of the Dark Hunter and the continual revelations about Durzo Blint – but there is also plenty of stuff in between that makes it, well, less-than gripping. I did enjoy reading it, but as the conclusion of a trilogy? It goes out with more of a whimper than a bang.
 
My rating: 3/5
Edited by Signor Finzione
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