Tag Archives: Fantasy

The Alchemist’s Touch

alchemists_touchCombining his own spin on a school for sorcerers with the paranoia of a political thriller, Robinson has created a tale that will appeal to fans of both character- and plot-driven fantasy.

Ebon Drayden discovered as a child that he possessed the gift of transmutation, one of the four schools of magic. However, his father forbade him to learn; a prohibition that only grew stronger after the death of Ebon’s older brother left Ebon heir to his father’s share of the Drayden merchant empire. Finally, just before his seventeenth birthday, his aunt convinces the family to let him join the Academy. Over a decade older than the other first year students, he is alternately mocked for his ineptitude and feared for his connection to one of the most distrusted families in Underrealm; a situation that only deteriorates when his father demands he perform a few simple tasks in exchange for continued study.

Certain events in this book overlap events from the Nightblade arc. However, they are presented with sufficient surrounding detail that they will not lack weight or clarity to readers who enter Underrealm here.

All of the events take place within the King’s Seat, capital city of the realm, with most taking place within the Academy itself. As such, the background focuses on depth where Nightblade displayed the width of the world. However, Robinson maintains his lightness of exposition, preventing this focus from turning the story into a lesson.

Indeed, Robinson makes the actual lessons that Ebon attends free of lectures. In addition to serving as a powerful vessel for Ebon’s sense of lacking the understanding other mages have had since childhood, this mystical “feel the magic rather than follow the steps” approach skilfully avoids the issue of writing a set of instructions that both sound like rules of magic and don’t make that magic seem as mundane (in process if not in ingredients) as any other subject.

While the curriculum differs strongly from that of most real world schools, student life is immediately recognisable. Students form hierarchies and cliques based on a school of magic being better or worse, respect and power within the student body goes to those who are the most forceful not the most worthy, and the bookish and odd are outsiders still.

However, what differentiates this from many “ill-at-ease youth enters a school/society/paramilitary force for those with magical gifts” tales, is that Ebon is – apart from starting his training much later than usual – not that special. Although he is a scion of a powerful family, he does not bear the traits of a destined hero; he shows no unusual gift lost to the ages; he is – for a mage – a decent and dutiful but unremarkable youth.

His only potential advantage – that of the Dreyden lineage – is a burden to him, as he is too decent to be the man who would use its power while still bearing the reputation of one marked by unpleasant deeds. A reputation made closer to the truth by his father’s demands.

Ebon’s lack of a manifest destiny renders him a highly empathetic character. While his options include those not available to the reader, his choices must be made with the same lack of a universe conspiring for his success that readers face. As such, he is likely to seem as familiar to those who had pleasant school days as those who were consigned to the periphery.

The supporting cast share the same qualities as both Ebon and the background. Similar, rather than a broad mix, they are distinguished not by the unique roles and skills that Loren and her companions displayed through the Nightblade arc, but by differences of character and viewpoint. While each mage is shaped by their magical school, even the most briefly mentioned of mages is defined by more than their spells.

Overall, I enjoyed this novel greatly. I recommend it to readers seeking a fast-paced fantasy with an interesting, but not overpowering, magic system.

I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for a fair review.

About The Reviewer

Dave_Higgins

Dave Higgins writes speculative fiction, often with a dark edge. Despite forays into the mundane worlds of law and IT, he was unable to escape the liminal zone between mystery and horror. A creature of contradictions, he also co-writes comic sci-fi with Simon Cantan.

Born in the least mystically significant part of Wiltshire, England, and raised by a librarian, he started reading shortly after birth and hasn’t stopped since. He lives with his wife, two cats, a plush altar to Lord Cthulhu, and many shelves of books.

It’s rumoured he writes out of fear he will otherwise run out of books to read.

Learn more about Dave and his work at http://davidjhiggins.wordpress.com/

Wilde’s Fire

wildes_fireWilde’s Fire by Krystal Wade is a YA/NA adventure story about a young woman who learns that she is more than she knew.

Katriona is a great character and her journey is well told. After dreaming for years about another life, one in a world full of magic and demons, Katriona never expected to actually go there. But a camping trip to a favorite spot with her sister and best friend becomes the beginning of her new life: as the chosen one who needs to save the people she never knew she was a part of.

The story intermixes romance and fantasy-adventure, with the balance falling more of the romance side. Given the genre, it’s not a surprise that it was very dramatic. I found it great fun, a light read that pulled me into an engaging world with an interesting plot. Wade is a fine writer who makes excellent use of the tropes of the genre while still presenting a fresh story. It’s the first book in a trilogy.

I’ve not read the rest yet, but plan to go back for more.

About The Reviewer:

BRYANT-CroppedSamantha Bryant is a middle school Spanish teacher by day and a mom and novelist by night. That makes her a superhero all the time. Her debut novel, Going Through the Change: A Menopausal Superhero Novel is now for sale by Curiosity Quills.

Learn more about Samantha and her work at http://samanthadunawaybryant.blogspot.com/

A Facet For The Gem

Facet_GemWhat happens when evocative writing and compelling storytelling collide and fuse together? You get a powerhouse novel like C.L. Murray’s A Facet For The Gem, a tale unfolding in a generously described and developed world.

We enter this world through Morlen’s viewpoint. We find him struggling to make his way among people who have rejected him, living in a land in the midst of unrest and on the verge of far worst. An outcast, Morlen will gradually uncover his true identity and discover how his nascent yet to be unveiled power may provide the key to arrest the dark forces threatening to overpower two kingdoms.

Before I go on, I will note the things that bothered me, namely point of view hopping and frequent, somewhat lengthy backstory exposition through dialog. As most readers won’t notice these nits (or indeed, might expect them in this genre), and given how the writer’s fluid style glides right over these imperfections, I will move on to say there’s much to commend in this story.

First and foremost, the narrative comes through with a strong, often lyrical voice. I must confess it took me a chapter or so to fully accept and immerse myself in phrasing that seems more appropriate for a book written in the 1800s. Yet, it fits here. It not only fits, but it wraps, drenches, and infuses the narrative with an ethos and mood that firmly establishes it as other-worldly. It also comes through in dialog without sounding ponderous and wooden—quite the unusual achievement.

As for the story itself, the characters and their struggles flow with and support the plot. The author does a good job of presenting us with an array of characters with diverging, yet intersecting interests and conflicts. The ongoing and roiling struggle for power and dominance in the midst of war frames the protagonist’s journey to discover both his place and power. Adding deep and rich backstory to the present, the author also builds the tale on a strong foundation.

Often, fantasy stories feel shallow, all about the, well, fantastical events unfolding now. But not here, where a well-grounded and developed past feeds the present and is, for the most part (minus the dialog exposition) laid out well and without ponderous encumbrance.

Yet, in the area of characterization, I must offer one regret: “where are the women?” I asked more than once. But for one minor character, and one promising character who at the fifty percent mark is more or less relegated to a background role (she literally flies away after we’ve just met her), Facet gives us a too heavily male-dominated world.

Eventually, this regret turns to relief, then excitement, when that princess returns to the foreground with a forcefulness and strength of will that lifts the story to new heights of conflict and renewal. If a tiny bit of the regret remains, it only does so to wish we had met her far sooner.

In terms of plotting and story advancement, I never felt the story drag. Events pressed forward at a good clip, intensifying the swirling conflict of a war-torn world. Those battle scenes leading to the climax come fast and vivid, thanks to the author’s descriptive powers.

Though I am glad–very much so–that I gave Facet a try, I usually stay away from fantasy stories. I often find myself struggling to find something fresh, a story that doesn’t feel like rehash or warmed up leftovers from a thousand stories before it.

If I chose to ignore other aspects of the story, I suppose I might be tempted to say the same about Facet. There are magical swords, power-dispensing talismans, flying eagles, fiendish beasts, the super dark villain, space-transcending portals, and other tropes one has come to expect in a fantasy romp. And yes, in the end, we encounter the romantic entanglement that should have perhaps bloomed or suggested itself sooner to more fully satisfy.

It is on that basis (plus those nits) that I do not give this novel the full 5 star treatment, even though in the end I recommend it as a story fantasy fans will thoroughly enjoy. And if you want writing that soars and inspires, prose that chooses every word with care and driving determination, you would do well to pick up this book and fly on eagles’ wings into a world the author has thoughtfully crafted for us.

About The Reviewer

Eduardo_SuasteguiIt took Eduardo Suastegui a while to discover he was an artist trapped in an engineer’s body. With formal education in math and science, affirmed through hands-on engineering experience in designing, building, and integrating gadgets of varying complexity, he always kept daydreaming. Throughout his life, that daydreaming fed technological innovation.

More recently, that daydreaming has engendered stories about hackers, rogue AIs, and space travel, with more than a few stories about a dog trainer and her K9s sprinkled in. Eduardo loves to dive into fast-flowing, character-driven stories. With each of the books he reads or writes, he hopes to continue that adventure.

More than anything, through his writing, he hopes to connect with readers. He seeks to share a piece of himself with those who pick up and delve into his work.

Learn more about Eduardo and his work at http://eduardosuastegui.com/

Crooks And Straights

crooks_straightsCrooks and Straights by Masha du Toit is a young adult novel centered around a teenaged girl.

Gia always knew there was magic, but she had no idea how entrenched in the magical world she really was. In South Africa, there are two types of people: crooks (magicals) and straights (non-magicals). Gia is a Straight, and she always thought the rest of her family was, too. But with the Purist movement taking over in government, someone she cares about catches the wrong sort of attention, and Gia makes a daring deal to save the ones she loves.

Crooks and Straights thrilled me by introducing me to new kinds of magical creatures I had never heard of before. I was fascinated by the world du Toit created, with its intermix of contemporary South Africa and magical mythologies. I recommend it for readers who like to explore cultures and magic through books.

About The Reviewer:

BRYANT-CroppedSamantha Bryant is a middle school Spanish teacher by day and a mom and novelist by night. That makes her a superhero all the time. Her debut novel, Going Through the Change: A Menopausal Superhero Novel is now for sale by Curiosity Quills.

Learn more about Samantha and her work at http://samanthadunawaybryant.blogspot.com/

Erelia

ereliaI picked this up at Starfest 2016 this year – the cover really drew me in. It was both simple and evocative.  This fantasy novel dives right into the story, beginning with Gavyn recounting a near miss of the life or death variety. You quickly realize that you are watching a number of threads that are loosely woven being drawn in more and more to create something.

But what? Initially, I couldn’t tell what the problem was, in the initial sections that introduced Gavyn, Kiril, and Rek. While other characters get stage time, these are the three main stories that we follow. We discover that their individual concerns are bringing them all together, and I couldn’t tell whether or not that would be a positive meeting. It certainly suggests that the meeting will cause change and problems for more than just these three.

I love Gavyn. I love the idea that someone gives up a pretty swanky life for a life of the unknown, and then, as events unfold, has cause to question his decision, and even bitterly regret it. It usually happened when Gavyn was in fairly dire straits, but I have to be honest – I snickered at his bemoaning his lost life. It’s very believable, and something most of us can relate to. I thought the characterization of him by Odo was rather harsh, but again, it was believable. We see Gavyn through his eyes; seeing him through the eyes of another is a wake-up call to not only Gavyn, but the reader (or at least, this reader).

Kiril is equally interesting. He wants to do the right thing, he knows what the expected thing is, but he no longer believes, or likes it. There are many things in his world, in the structure he’s a part of, that are done in the name of “for the good” and it’s interesting and rather sad discovering that the only good these actions help are the good of those in charge. Sounds real life, doesn’t it? He also has a lost love interest that is not completely in the past, and following his meandering over that is something I like to read.

Finally, we are with Rek, one of the three children featured in this work. I really like him, as well as Laria, one of the other children. The third child, Elsu, drove me mad, and I just wanted him to get a serious grounding. In Kiril and Rek’s world, however, there’s no gray area of “just being kids”. Everyone, even from a young age, understands the societal expectations, and if you don’t follow them, there are consequences. They are far more intense than grounding.

At the end of Book 1, all the threads of these various people are just on the verge of being drawn tight. It ended in a way that suggests there has to be another book. There needs to. I started this unsure of whether or not I would enjoy it. I read it in one sitting, and couldn’t put it down. Lee draws you along in such a manner that you’re turning each new page as fast as you can read it, and before you know it, you’re ready to pull an all-nighter.

If you enjoy fantasy, this is a great book. I am looking forward to Book 2!

About The Reviewer:

LisaHeadshotLisa Manifold is fortunate to live in the amazing state of Colorado with her husband, two kids, two dogs, and one offended cat.

She enjoys skiing and carting kids and dogs to wherever they need to go, and she adores “treasure hunting” at local thrift stores. Her other hobbies include costuming within her favorite fandoms and periods

Learn more about Lisa and her work at http://www.lmmanifold.wordpress.com/