Signor Finzione Posted February 13, 2015 Author Share Posted February 13, 2015 New books! These are some of my pre-orders from Christmas time. I'm really excited to read all three of them . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted February 13, 2015 Author Share Posted February 13, 2015 (edited) . . . however, I'm not nearly as excited about the books as the cats are . . . about the box they came in. Edited February 13, 2015 by Signor Finzione Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 New books! These are some of my pre-orders from Christmas time. I hope you enjoy your new books ! . . . however, I'm not nearly as excited about the books as the cats are . . . about the box they came in. Awwwww ! So cute. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted February 15, 2015 Author Share Posted February 15, 2015 I hope you enjoy your new books ! Awwwww ! So cute. Thanks Gaia! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted February 15, 2015 Author Share Posted February 15, 2015 Review: 'House of Chains' by Steven Erikson In Northern Genabackis, just before the events recounted in 'Gardens of the Moon', a raiding party of savage tribal warriors descends from the mountains into the southern flat lands. Their intention is to wreak havoc among the despised lowlanders, but for the one named Karsa Orlong it marks the beginning of what will prove an extraordinary destiny.Some years later, it is the aftermath of the Chain of Dogs. Coltaine, revered commander of the Malazan 7th Army is dead. And now Tavore, elder sister of Ganoes Paran and Adjunct to the Empress, has arrived in the last remaining Malazan stronghold of the Seven Cities to take charge. Untested and new to command, she must hone a small army of twelve thousand soldiers, mostly raw recruits, into a viable fighting force and lead them into battle against the massed hordes of Sha'ik's Whirlwind. Her only hope lies in resurrecting the shattered faith of the few remaining survivors from Coltaine's legendary march, veterans one and all.In distant Raraku, in the heart of the Holy Desert, the seer Sha'ik waits with her rebel army. But waiting is never easy. Her disparate collection of warlords - tribal chiefs, High Mages, a renegade Malazan Fist and his sorceror - is locked in a vicious power struggle that threatens to tear the rebellion apart from within. And Sha'ik herself suffers, haunted by the private knowledge of her nemesis, Tavore...her own sister. House of Chains, the fourth instalment of Steven Erikson’s incredible Malazan Book of the Fallen,returns to the dangerous and rebellious desert continent of Seven Cities. This was also the setting forDeadhouse Gates, the second book in the series, and there is a poetic sense of symmetry in the journey of the new untested Malazan army as they retrace the path of those tragic events. That they are quite literally walking in the footsteps of the legendary Coltaine is a perfect metaphor for their struggle to defy all expectations and complete the seemingly impossible task they have been assigned: to defeat the Whirlwind rebellion once and for all. Despite this symmetry and the return to Raraku, House of Chains in no way feels repetitive, or even remotely similar to Deadhouse Gates. The tone is completely different, and although the plot is largely focused on the events of the Whirlwind there is a huge amount of reference to wider events that makes House of Chains feel much more like an instalment of a sweeping epic rather than the almost standalone story of Deadhouse Gates. Erikson delves further and deeper into the Malazan mythology, introducing us to primal beings from the dawn of time – such as the Eres’al and the Deragoth – and flinging them headlong into the main events. The depth of worldbuilding evident here, particularly the skilful interweaving of complex histories and events is astounding, and Erikson manages to interlace multiple storylines together seamlessly. As with other books in the Malazan series, there is revelation after revelation, increasingly creating the impression that everything within this universe is connected in some way. Although the events of House of Chains are not on quite as grand a scale as previous books, it nonetheless conveys an atmosphere of epic grandeur: through the setting, through embedded references to history and ancient mythology, and through the unique and captivating tone and atmosphere present in all the main books of this entire series. However, in spite of his staggeringly ambitious storytelling, Erikson never loses sight of the one thing that really brings this series to life: the enormous cast of diverse and unforgettable characters. In addition to revisiting a few old favourites – cynical Sergeant Strings, deadly assassin Kalam Mekhar, and of course the diabolical and insane High Priest of Shadow Iskaral Pust – House of Chains also introduces several staple characters of future books in the series, such as Tavore’s Fourteenth Army, the exiled yet noble warrior Trull Sengar, and the undead outcast Onrack the Broken, not to mention one of the best characters of the entire series: the mighty Karsa Orlong. The characters are, as always, fantastically well-written and incredibly varied: there are flawed heroes, greedy mages, grizzled veterans, brave barbarians and tired commanders, as well as plenty of despicable villains and unhuman antagonists. I personally really enjoyed the developing relationship between Lostara Yil and Pearl: Erikson is adept at creating unconventional chemistry and realistic relationships within a relatively small amount of page time, and I felt personally invested in everything that was happening to these two characters in particular. The plot of House of Chains follows a slightly unconventional format in that the first quarter or so of the book focuses entirely on one character, before reverting to the characteristic shifting POV narratives used throughout the previous books. The tale at the beginning – of Karsa Orlong’s rise and fall prior to the main events of the series – is so good that I feel it could easily have been extended to fill the entire 1,040-page novel by itself. Instead, we have a spectacularly condensed account of Karsa’s origins and development that spans the course of several months and numerous continents, and finishes in a way that leads perfectly into the main events of the story. These events are rarely less than thrilling, and although there are a few less-than-exciting sections – particularly those centred around Gamet, as well as a few repetitive exposition scenes regarding the nature of light, dark and shadow magic – this occasional slowing of pace allows us to take a welcome step back from the otherwise climactic series of events. Erikson’s awesome talent for creating exciting convergences continues to manifest in House of Chains, and the way he manipulates the rapidly shifting POVs to increase the pace, build tension and maximise momentum is, as always, nothing short of masterful. Once again, I’m in awe of Erikson’s storytelling. The combination of clever pacing and intense narrative, along with its complex web of events and unique characters truly earns House of Chains the title of ‘epic’, and continues to reinforce The Malazan Book of the Fallen as the best and most ambitious epic fantasy series I’ve ever encountered. 5/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Fili is so, so beautiful! I love looking at pictures of cats in boxes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 (edited) Cats in boxes Brilliant review of HoC, Laura - now I don't have to re-read it and write one myself, cos I couldn't do better House of Chains also introduces several staple characters of future books in the series, such as Tavore’s Fourteenth Army, the exiled yet noble warrior Trull Sengar, and the undead outcast Onrack the Broken, not to mention one of the best characters of the entire series: the mighty Karsa Orlong. But . . . But . . . Karsa was in Deadhouse Gates first Trull and Onrack are two of my favourite characters in the whole series. Interesting how most of my faves (apart from Karsa) are pairs Edited February 16, 2015 by Karsa Orlong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted February 16, 2015 Author Share Posted February 16, 2015 Fili is so, so beautiful! I love looking at pictures of cats in boxes. Thank you! Although that was Kili, Fili's near-identical sister. It's ridiculous how many empty boxes we have lying around our house, mainly because the cats spend more time playing with them than with their toys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted February 16, 2015 Author Share Posted February 16, 2015 Brilliant review of HoC, Laura - now I don't have to re-read it and write one myself, cos I couldn't do better Cheers Steve. No, please re-read it at some point - I'd love to know whether your Malazan Amnesia is more or less severe than mine. Can't believe how much stuff happened that I'd forgotten about! But . . . But . . . Karsa was in Deadhouse Gates first No he wasn't! Toblakai was. Trull and Onrack are two of my favourite characters in the whole series. Interesting how most of my faves (apart from Karsa) are pairs Hmm, yeah, he does like his pairs, doesn't he? Though they don't get much better than QB and Kalam. I LOVED Trull and Onrack's bits during this re-read, though I'm sure I never really liked Onrack much during previous reads of the series. It gave me goosebumps at the end, when he was preparing to listen to Trull's story - it sets up MT perfectly, and almost made me want to dive straight in. Can't believe how much I enjoyed reading about Pearl and Lostara this time. Those two! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Great review! I'm glad you enjoyed re-reading the book . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Cheers Steve. No, please re-read it at some point - I'd love to know whether your Malazan Amnesia is more or less severe than mine. I wish I could summon the enthusiasm for fantasy at the moment. I almost started Applecrumble's latest over the weekend but somehow managed not to No he wasn't! Toblakai was. Denial! Hmm, yeah, he does like his pairs, doesn't he? Though they don't get much better than QB and Kalam. *cough* Tehol and Bugg *cough* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted February 16, 2015 Author Share Posted February 16, 2015 Great review! I'm glad you enjoyed re-reading the book . Thanks Gaia! I love this series so much - it just gets better with every re-read, which is so rare. I wish I could summon the enthusiasm for fantasy at the moment. I almost started Applecrumble's latest over the weekend but somehow managed not to Somehow? I'll probably get round to it at some point this week. Maybe. *cough* Tehol and Bugg *cough* :O HOW DID I FORGET TEHOL AND BUGG??? Note to self: Must go and read Midnight Tides RIGHT THIS SECOND. Screw Abercrombie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted February 16, 2015 Author Share Posted February 16, 2015 Review: 'Traitor's Blade' by Sebastien de Castell Falcio is the first Cantor of the Greatcoats. Trained in the fighting arts and the laws of Tristia, the Greatcoats are travelling Magisters upholding King’s Law. They are heroes. Or at least they were, until they stood aside while the Dukes took the kingdom, and impaled their King’s head on a spike.Now Tristia is on the verge of collapse and the barbarians are sniffing at the borders. The Dukes bring chaos to the land, while the Greatcoats are scattered far and wide, reviled as traitors, their legendary coats in tatters.All they have left are the promises they made to King Paelis, to carry out one final mission. But if they have any hope of fulfilling the King’s dream, the divided Greatcoats must reunite, or they will also have to stand aside as they watch their world burn… Traitor’s Blade is the first in the Greatcoats series by debut author Sebastien de Castell, and is the sort of novel that has undoubtedly been described by someone, somewhere, as either a ‘rollicking adventure’ or a ‘ripping yarn’. Possibly both. The story follows Falcio val Mond, formerly First Cantor of the esteemed Greatcoats, as he struggles to uphold justice in the corrupt land that killed his King and censured the Greatcoats. Along with his stalwart companions Kest and Brasti, he has spent the five years since the king’s death eking out an ignoble living as a lowly caravan guard. When their client is brutally killed and the Greatcoats framed for his murder, these three musketeers Greatcoats must first run for their lives before attempting to seek out and bring justice to those responsible. However, Tristia’s corruption runs deep, and it seems that this time Falcio may be just a little bit out of his depth. I had a lot of fun with Traitor’s Blade. The first-person narrator is humorous and likeable, and I particularly enjoyed the banter between Falcio and his companions: for the most part it’s witty and gentle, and seems natural rather than forced. The plot is solid and relatively tight, and the pacing is strong and fast; and although the main story is peppered with flashbacks, these are surprisingly not annoying in the slightest. The flashbacks are always brief and relevant to the immediate events of the story, and in no way intrude upon or detract from the main events. Refreshingly, the tone is relatively light-hearted throughout, although Castell shows he’s not afraid to delve into murkier waters with a few dark scenes that make for somewhat difficult reading. The book is by no means perfect. Beneath its likeable heroes and shiny veneer, Traitor’s Blade is riddled with clichés: we have noble outcasts, scheming Dukes, and evil villains (with at least one scene featuring the latter somewhat ill-advisedly revealing their diabolical plans to the captured hero), not to mention an obligatory torture scene, tragically murdered wife and ongoing quest for vengeance. And although I know it’s ridiculous to cry ‘unbelievable’ at a work of fantasy, there are also a few ‘yeah, right!’ moments: for instance, what are the chances of our heroes just happening to arrive at their destination as the city’s equivalent of The Purge is about to take place? And, lastly, I was a bit disappointed that I managed to correctly figure out three of the four major plot twists relatively early on in the story. Griping aside, I found Traitor’s Blade to be a highly enjoyable and fast-paced read, with a focused plot and a protagonist I could really get behind. Even better, the ending is perfectly set up for the events of the sequel, which just happens to be released next month. 4/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 You write very detailed reviews, Laura, they're always a pleasure to read . I'm glad you enjoyed this book. I have to admit, if it wasn't for you I wouldn't have heard of it. Interesting cover! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 (edited) these three musketeers Greatcoats Haha, I thought it was sounding familiar! ETA: He doesn't help himself with his picture! Edited February 17, 2015 by Timstar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Haha, I thought it was sounding familiar! ETA: He doesn't help himself with his picture! His writing's more of a problem than that picture Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 :o HOW DID I FORGET TEHOL AND BUGG??? Shame on you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted February 17, 2015 Author Share Posted February 17, 2015 You write very detailed reviews, Laura, they're always a pleasure to read . I'm glad you enjoyed this book. I have to admit, if it wasn't for you I wouldn't have heard of it. Interesting cover! Aw, thank you Gaia. The cover reminds me a bit of those Karen Miller Kingmaker/Kingbreaker books - maybe they copied her! Haha, I thought it was sounding familiar! ETA: He doesn't help himself with his picture! Yeah, I think his books are definitely some kind of wish fulfilment exercise for him! His writing's more of a problem than that picture Oh, it's not that bad. Anyway, he basically describes himself as a dilettante in his bio, so I imagine he'll get bored halfway through writing his next book and we'll never hear from him again. Shame on you! I know! Seen this? Great picture, though not quite how I imagined either Tehol or Bugg. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Aw, thank you Gaia. The cover reminds me a bit of those Karen Miller Kingmaker/Kingbreaker books - maybe they copied her! Yes, it reminds me of those too. What are you going to read next? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted February 17, 2015 Author Share Posted February 17, 2015 (edited) Yes, it reminds me of those too. What are you going to read next? Well, I'm on a roll and have just finished the latest Powder Mage novel. I might start Abercrombie's new one next, or maybe even move on to the next Malazan . . . How about you? Any fantasy on the horizon for you? Edited February 17, 2015 by Signor Finzione Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted February 17, 2015 Author Share Posted February 17, 2015 Review: 'The Autumn Republic' by Brian McClellan Field Marshal Tamas returns to his beloved country to find that for the first time in history, the capital city of Adro lies in the hands of a foreign invader. His son is missing, his allies are indistinguishable from his foes, and reinforcements are several weeks away.With the Kez still bearing down upon them and without clear leadership, the Adran army has turned against itself. Inspector Adamat is drawn into the very heart of this new mutiny with promises of finding his kidnapped son.And Taniel Two-shot, hunted by men he once thought his friends, must safeguard the only chance Adro has of getting through this war without being destroyed... Promise of Blood, the first book in the Powder Mage series, caught my attention because it offered something a bit different than the standard fantasy fare I’m accustomed to. Its sequel, The Crimson Campaign, I found to be slightly less compelling than its predecessor; yet it seemed to promise that better things were in store, and The Autumn Republic - the grand finale of McClellan’s flintlock fantasy trilogy - definitely doesn’t disappoint. The Autumn Republic concludes events set in motion by Field Marshal Tamas’ coup against the king in Promise of Blood. The result of eighteen years of planning, Tamas and his advisers are now following the coup by attempting to set up a successful republic in place of the monarchy. But their careful plans have been skewered by the surprise arrival of a foreign power in the capital city of Adopest, a power they are helpless to repel since their own army is away on campaign. The Adrans are fighting a war on several fronts, and to make things worse they now have to attempt to deal with the interference of multiple newly-returned gods of incomprehensible power. The events of the previous novel, The Crimson Campaign, represented something of a downward arc (storyline-wise) for most of the characters, as they were thrown into huge events and faced with seemingly impossible odds. The Autumn Republic does a stellar job of gradually turning the tables once more, and it’s incredibly satisfying to see many of the characters developing in ways that allow them to overcome their own obstacles and resolve problems using their own unique skills. I was pleasantly surprised to see Nila get a more proactive role in the story, and for her to actually have the opportunity to develop some personality. During the first two books I found her irritating and irrelevant, but now she has both a role and a purpose, which made me more inclined to ignore the fact that her newfound abilities all-too-conveniently appeared out of nowhere. The pacing of The Autumn Republic is relentless right from the very beginning, much as it was in The Crimson Campaign. This lends a nice feel of continuity following on from the previous book, and helps create the sense of an ongoing military campaign, as do the continual sequences of battles and war-like settings. For the most part this is a positive thing; however, some of the numerous action-heavy sequences can seem a bit dry. I think this is largely due to the author’s tendency to tell rather than show, which makes it feel as though we’re watching from afar rather than from the centre of the action; and the sheer frequency of the battle scenes means that they do become a little bit repetitive. I also feel that perhaps more could have been done with them: the scale of the conflict, particularly some of the larger battles, has the potential to become epic, and yet much of the fighting happens off the page without any sense of tension or climax. Others simply feel as though they are brushed over, with massive engagements involving thousands of combatants described and dismissed in just a couple of lines. However, there were plenty of other things to keep me hooked. There are a whole bunch of incredible twists and exciting plot reveals that I simply never saw coming, including one particularly pleasant surprise involving the return of a certain favourite character of mine. And Inspector Adamat’s investigation storyline was, for me, once again one of the most compelling threads of the story (in fact, I’d be perfectly happy with a series of novels based around Adamat’s time as a police inspector). That’s not to say the major storyline was anything less than thrilling: its grand conclusion, complete with divine forces and earth-shattering sorcery, is pretty damned epic. The Autumn Republic is a satisfying conclusion to a very strong debut series, and I look forward to seeing more from McClellan in the future. 4/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 The old 4/5 again, eh? Sounds better than that Django Wexler rubbish, but any mention of that one fills me with dread and makes my skin go cold Aren't you tempted to try some Napoleonic historical fiction? Cos that's what 'flintlock fantasy' seems to be trying to emulate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 Another good review ! Well, I'm on a roll and have just finished the latest Powder Mage novel. I might start Abercrombie's new one next, or maybe even move on to the next Malazan . . . How about you? Any fantasy on the horizon for you? Well I'm finishing off my library loans first, which are mainly children's and young adult books (the library has some adult fantasy but not a lot of it, and it is in Dutch and I already own most of it in English ). Then I have some books of my own I want to get to (unless of course I cave and borrow more library books ). Fantasy wise for example the first one will be An Unwelcome Quest, by Scott Meyer (Magic 2.0 book 3). I also want to read The Age of the Five trilogy by Trudi Canavan this year, as well as at least one Terry Pratchett book, Elantris by Brandon Sanderson (or the Mistborn series), a book from Ursula K. Le Guin (Earthsea series), and I'm perhaps wanting to re-read either the Chronicles of Lontobyn series by David B. Coe or The Banned and the Banished series by James Clemens (two of my favourite fantasy series), I might also try to read Gardens of the Moon again by Steven Erikson (but I don't want to start too many series at once without finishing them ). I'm not sure what will be the next adult fantasy book I'll read, I have a pile of my own books on my desk, that I want to get to, but I don't think any of them are fantasy except An Unwelcome Quest (my pre-order). Too many books.. too little time . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted February 18, 2015 Author Share Posted February 18, 2015 The old 4/5 again, eh? Sounds better than that Django Wexler rubbish, but any mention of that one fills me with dread and makes my skin go cold Don't say that - Wexler is on my TBR. And don't be so dramatic. Aren't you tempted to try some Napoleonic historical fiction? Cos that's what 'flintlock fantasy' seems to be trying to emulate Dunno. I like McClellan's because it blends military fantasy with stuff like magic and gods. Not sure they had those in Napoleon's day. Seriously, though, I generally steer clear of most historical stuff because the mention of real people and places can tend to pull me out of the story a bit. Why? Is there anything you'd recommend? Well I'm finishing off my library loans first, which are mainly children's and young adult books (the library has some adult fantasy but not a lot of it, and it is in Dutch and I already own most of it in English ). Then I have some books of my own I want to get to (unless of course I cave and borrow more library books ). Fantasy wise for example the first one will be An Unwelcome Quest, by Scott Meyer (Magic 2.0 book 3). I also want to read The Age of the Five trilogy by Trudi Canavan this year, as well as at least one Terry Pratchett book, Elantris by Brandon Sanderson (or the Mistborn series), a book from Ursula K. Le Guin (Earthsea series), and I'm perhaps wanting to re-read either the Chronicles of Lontobyn series by David B. Coe or The Banned and the Banished series by James Clemens (two of my favourite fantasy series), I might also try to read Gardens of the Moon again by Steven Erikson (but I don't want to start too many series at once without finishing them ). I'm not sure what will be the next adult fantasy book I'll read, I have a pile of my own books on my desk, that I want to get to, but I don't think any of them are fantasy except An Unwelcome Quest (my pre-order). Too many books.. too little time . That's a lot of books! It sucks that your library doesn't stock much adult fantasy. I'm also hoping to start the Mistborn series this year, as well as reading at least one Pratchett book (I'm up to Mort in my chronological re-read). The first book of The Banned and the Banished is also on my TBR, though I'm not sure I'll get round to it this year. Glad to see there's plenty of fantasy in store for you this year, anyway! (Especially since Steve's turned traitor against it. ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted February 18, 2015 Author Share Posted February 18, 2015 Went shopping today and couldn't resist a couple of bargains: And, thanks to Primark, I'm now officially a Ravenclaw (and a geek). (They're so comfortable! ) (That's Fili in the bottom corner, doing her best impression of The Flash. I'd already tried taking the picture twice but ended up with Loki's tail in both shots. In the end I realised that trying to avoid cat photobombs is an exercise in futility. ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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