Signor Finzione

If she doesn't then the cover art, not to mention the titles, are a bit misleading, don't you think? Thanks Tim! Highly recommend a return to Abercrombie - I'm enjoying my re-read a LOT. There are three Lady Trent books out so far, with potentially two more in the works.

^ Love this.

Definitely. I think, for me, the first time I read all of Abercrombie's books I left big gaps between them and so didn't pick up on many small things, like the role of Valint & Balk, and Yoru Sulfur. This is the first time I actually realised that both Mauthis and Sulfur appear in BSC. Because I forgot? The thing with the First Law covers is that not only look awesome, but feel awesome too. Yes! The bits that are most tense/exciting are the bits that don't actually feature dragons at all, such as when they find that cave. I hope there are at least some dragons in the next books. Even if they're only little ones. It remains to be seen whether it'll go on my 'all time favourites' list, or just my '2015 favourites' one.

Maybe you should read more books you hear about from me. (*cough* Empire *cough*) Aw you guys.

Review: 'A Natural History of Dragons' by Marie Brennan “You, dear reader, continue at your own risk. It is not for the faint of heart—no more so than the study of dragons itself. But such study offers rewards beyond compare: to stand in a dragon’s presence, even for the briefest of moments—even at the risk of one’s life—is a delight that, once experienced, can never be forgotten. . . .” All the world, from Scirland to the farthest reaches of Eriga, know Isabella, Lady Trent, to be the world’s preeminent dragon naturalist. She is the remarkable woman who brought the study of dragons out of the misty shadows of myth and misunderstanding into the clear light of modern science. But before she became the illustrious figure we know today, there was a bookish young woman whose passion for learning, natural history, and, yes, dragons defied the stifling conventions of her day. Here at last, in her own words, is the true story of a pioneering spirit who risked her reputation, her prospects, and her fragile flesh and bone to satisfy her scientific curiosity; of how she sought true love and happiness despite her lamentable eccentricities; and of her thrilling expedition to the perilous mountains of Vystrana, where she made the first of many historic discoveries that would change the world forever. I’ve got nothing against dragons, especially when they play such a vital part in so many awesome fantasy series. After all, dragons are integral to the whole mythos of Steven Erikson’s Malazan Book of the Fallen; dragons feature prominently in such celebrated fantasy works as Terry Pratchett’s Discworld and Raymond E. Feist’s Riftwar Cycle; and of course the entire plot of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit couldn’t have existed without that most iconic of dragons: the mighty Smaug. This is all well and good; I’ve no objection to a few dragons here and there so long as they’re serving some kind of function within the story, be it as an awesome plot device or as a way of setting the scene. But when their presence in a novel seems to serve no other purpose than just sort of existing . . . well, that’s when dragons start to feel kind of stale. And ‘stale’ is not a word that should be used when referring to giant flying monsters. And this is where the first of the Memoirs by Lady Trent makes its grand entrance. Here, Marie Brennan has accomplished something extraordinary: she has made dragons fresh and exciting again, no easy feat in today’s competitive and draconian-saturated SFF market. Remember when you first discovered fantasy, and felt that awesome thrill of wonder and possibility? A Natural History of Dragons takes us back to that giddy moment through the wonderful character of Isabella, and the captivating tale of her childhood passion for dragons. Unlike so many modern female fantasy protagonists – who are often termed ‘strong’ characters as a result of their skills in either weaponry or manipulation – Isabella is strong in that she remains true to her own nature in the face of her male-dominated surroundings. Despite her outwardly ‘outrageous’ behaviour, Isabella retains her girlish charm and naïveté; she never compromises her femininity, in spite of her ongoing struggle against the social restrictions of a strictly patriarchal society; and most importantly of all, she continues to cling to her lifelong passion – the study of dragons – even when the pursuit of this passion seems like an impossible dream. She is, quite simply, a hugely likeable and sympathetic protagonist. Furthermore, Brennan’s narrative voice is beautifully elegant and consistently engaging. In fact, the entire novel is suffused with the observant wit and wry humour of Jane Austen or Charlotte Bronte, with the fantastical subject matter providing an intriguing vehicle through which the author probes issues of class, gender and morality – though it never once sounds preachy. Add to all this a delightful cast of secondary characters, continually subtle yet vivid settings – particularly the eastern-European-esque wilderness of Vystrana - and frequent injections of self-deprecating humour, and you have the essence of Marie Brennan’s wonderful tale. A Natural History of Dragons is always engaging and entirely charming, and abounds with moments of tension, humour and emotion. Isabella may just be my new hero, and the Memoirs by Lady Trent my new favourite series. 5/5

Review: 'Best Served Cold' by Joe Abercrombie Springtime in Styria. And that means war. There have been nineteen years of blood. The ruthless Grand Duke Orso is locked in a vicious struggle with the squabbling League of Eight, and between them they have bled the land white. While armies march, heads roll and cities burn, behind the scenes bankers, priests and older, darker powers play a deadly game to choose who will be king. War may be hell but for Monza Murcatto, the Snake of Talins, the most feared and famous mercenary in Duke Orso's employ, it's a damn good way of making money too. Her victories have made her popular - a shade too popular for her employer's taste. Betrayed, thrown down a mountain and left for dead, Murcatto's reward is a broken body and a burning hunger for vengeance. Whatever the cost, seven men must die. Her allies include Styria's least reliable drunkard, Styria's most treacherous poisoner, a mass-murderer obsessed with numbers and a Northman who just wants to do the right thing. Her enemies number the better half of the nation. And that's all before the most dangerous man in the world is dispatched to hunt her down and finish the job Duke Orso started... Springtime in Styria. And that means revenge. Damn, but I’d forgotten how bloody awesome this book is. Darker, bloodier and even more entertaining than Abercrombie’s First Law trilogy, Best Served Cold is the ultimate tale of revenge; a tale packed with pain, fury and absurdity from its spectacular opening sequence to its final poignant pages. The story is of course set in the world of First Law, though several years after the events of the original trilogy. Here we are introduced to the ‘exotic’ land of Styria, a fractured continent hosting a decades-long civil war at a time commonly referred to as the Years of Blood. Although Best Served Cold could probably be read as a standalone story, the sheer amount of references to the original trilogy that it contains – not to mention cameo appearances from several characters – means that those already familiar with the events of First Law will likely enjoy it considerably more than those new to Abercrombie’s world. The premise of Best Served Cold is simple: heroine is betrayed - heroine gets back up again - heroine sets out to get revenge. And at first it really is that simple. Monza Murcatto, the infamous Butcher of Caprile, sets her sights on seven enemies, and vows to do anything she needs to in order to see them all dead. Recruiting a merry band of thugs – including a poisoner, a Northman and a torturer – she embarks on her glorious mission. But perhaps revenge isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Perhaps the people she trusts are the ones holding the knives . . . and perhaps Monza herself isn’t quite everything she appears to be. Best Served Cold is Abercrombie’s absurd and bloody take on the otherwise ordinary revenge trope: absurd because of its eclectic mix of characters, and bloody because of the chaos they cause. But it’s also an insanely fun and entertaining journey, with the plot taking something of a backseat to colourful characters who gradually reveal themselves to be so much more than the exaggerated caricatures they first appear to be. The world in which they live is equally colourful, with vicious politics and treacherous leaders continually influencing critical events. The settings in particular are fantastically vivid and immersive: even now I can clearly visualise every bloody sunset, picture every pane of glass in the roof of the Banking House of Valint and Balk, startle at the canal boats looming out of the fog in gloomy Sipani and wonder at the majesty of impregnable Fontezarmo. Though Styria is certainly not a place anyone in their right mind would choose to live, I found I could picture its various regions just as vividly as if I’d actually been there. Although often dark and suffused with bleakness, Best Served Cold is also frequently hilarious, particularly those chapters told from the viewpoints of Nicomo Cosca and Castor Morveer. Ironic observations, humorous dialogue, self-deprecating comments and hilariously inappropriate remarks are particular specialties of Abercrombie’s, and Best Served Cold abounds with all of them. Abercrombie cleverly blends grit and gore with laughter and levity, all of which conspire to create a perfectly dark, gritty tale of revenge and ruin. This is Abercrombie at his absolute best. 5/5

I have this one on my wishlist too. Reviews are very mixed though . . .

Oh god. What would they do without us???

Awesome review Steve! Will comment more when I've finished the book myself, but totally agree about the narrative voice being superbly engaging. Certain little turns of phrase really give it character and humour (such as when she says "horses don't have wings - a fault I have never entirely forgiven them for", or some such), and I've spent most of my time reading it so far with a smile on my face.

Have you heard about the new Alcatraz book coming out next year?

I always used to as well, until the vet pointed out that cats eat birds all the time. For us, our main worry is dangly stuff. Last year Fili swallowed what turned out to be a ribbon (that she'd pulled off a cat toy, no less), and she very nearly died after it got tangled up in her intestines. All that stuff you hear about cats playing with balls of string . . . well, not in our house!!

Yeah, feathers don't last long at all in our house. I think the record is about two hours.

Awwwwwww look at the kittyyyyy!! Torties rule. :wub: As an aside, did that tiger-striped cat ball used to have a white feather attached to it?

I got full marks when someone chose Harry Potter a few weeks ago. Maybe I will . . . add it to the ever-growing list of Gemmell books I own yet still haven't read.

Nice review of King of Ithaca. I'm tempted to add it to my wishlist, since I love Jason and the Argonauts and Clash of the Titans. Although . . . have you seen the film Troy? Odysseus is played by Sean Bean. I'd be picturing all the Greeks as speaking with Yorkshire accents.

Ha, thanks Janet! Wyrd Sisters may be a good point for you to jump into the Discworld - it's not really necessary to have read any of his others before starting it. Dunno, maybe because it's bigger than the others. I've heard really good things about it, though, and the author is one I've been meaning to try for a long time, so I don't mind paying.

Thanks guys! Books have arrived already

Ordered some books with my birthday money: Vicious by V.E. Schwab Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch The House of Shattered Wings by Aliette de Bodard The Falconer by Elizabeth May Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan Ancillary Sword by Ann Leckie

Patrick Rothfuss' The Name of the Wind is perhaps one of the best books I've read. The second Kingkiller book, The Wise Man's Fear, isn't quite as good, but the writing is still amazing. However, it's still uncertain as to when the final book will be released, so you may want to hold of on this one for a while (unless you don't mind waiting). The Farseer trilogy is, as Steve says, very good. I read all three books a few years ago and enjoyed them, but found the third one to be a bit dull. I recently re-read the first one, though, and it was far better than I remembered - I'd solidly recommend giving it a go. The first two Gentlemen B*stards books are simply AWESOME. I didn't rate the third one as highly, but I'd say the series is still well worth your time. As for Riftwar, I'm slowly working my way through every book in that series, many of which are re-reads. The very first book, Magician, is great, but even better is the Empire trilogy: it's set alongside the Riftwar Saga, but focuses on events on the other side of the Rift. Some of my absolute favourite books of all time. And speaking of my favourite books of all time . . . they don't get any better than Steven Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen. I'm currently re-reading the sixth book in the series for the third time: they can occasionally be hard work, but they're incredibly rewarding, and the characters are amazing. This series is the most epic of epic fantasies I've ever read. As for your next read, though, I'd say crack on with The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch - it's great fun.

Readalong! Readalong! Aw, what a cutie! Very unusual for a cat not to like boxes or tight spaces - ours are obsessed with them. Fili once spent ten minutes trying to push her face inside an empty kitchen roll tube. Hence the old washing up bowl, a.k.a. their favourite place to sleep.

Yeah, it was the Amazon sample that really hooked me too.

Here's a practice shot to tide you over! Yes, he's half asleep in a washing-up bowl - don't ask.

Thank yoouuuu! Yeah, Loki was WELL impressed with his wrapping paper hat - wait til you see his Christmas hat! Thanks Claire! I know, it's beautiful, isn't it? I also think the Gospel of Loki cover is really stylish too. Thanks Noll! I know you and Michelle both loved it, and can't wait to give it a go myself. I know! It's ENORMOUS!!! I'm actually really looking forward to starting it, though I may save it for the next school holiday so I can give it my full attention.

And now for the obligatory 'cats + wrapping paper' pictures . . .

Birthday books!! :D A million thanks to Steve for Firefall. Now I don't have an excuse not to read it! :D