Jessica Strider

Pros: fleshed-out characters, interesting world, fast paced

Cons: pay close attention or you'll get lost quickly, some aspects not explained well

Pay very close attention to the first few chapters of the book as you're dumped into the action with no background information beyond what you can gleam from conversations. Once you've got a feel for the players, the world, and the stakes, sit back and enjoy the fast paced ride.

The story is told through mostly alternating chapters from the points of view of Rachel White and Peter Bloom. Note that their timelines don't match up right away (his story starts a few days after hers). I was impressed at the amount of background detail you eventually learn about the pair, and how that makes you care about them, even while they're making choices that are hard to sympathize with. I especially liked the difficult relationship Rachel has with her husband. It was great seeing a married woman as a protagonist that took into account the prejudices she faced as well as the sacrifices she made to reach her position.

The worldbuilding is well done and takes into consideration how the discovery of a literal afterlife affects the living. Summerland itself is a little hard to picture (understandably as it's got a 4th dimension that isn't time) but adheres to a particular set of rules. I would have liked more information on how the ectotanks and flyers worked, because they sounded terrifyingly awesome.

This is a unique spy thriller that's worth picking up.

Pros: interesting protagonist

Cons: short

Murderbot is a SecUnit made of half cloned human parts and half mechanical parts that's hacked its governor module so it no longer has to obey commands. It's been assigned to provide security for a small survey group looking at a new planet. But the group encounters an unknown hostile life form that wasn't mentioned in the original survey report, which makes them wonder what else was missed - or possibly removed on purpose.

This is a 100 page novella, so it's fairly short. That means it's light on the world-building and character development. While you get to know Murderbot pretty well, the other characters, with the exception of Gurathin (who's a light antagonist) and Mensah (the group leader) felt interchangeable. Having said that, Murderbot is fascinating and you really get inside its head.

The plot was interesting and quick paced. There are some tense moments, though the ending comes up so fast it didn't feel particularly climactic (which may be due to my reading the story in 2 sittings instead of all at once).

It's fun and entertaining and I'll definitely read the next one.

Pros: brilliant world-building, fascinating characters and situation

Cons: some stories were very impersonal

The Commonwealth of Pax started as a group of volunteer colonists leave the horrors of war on Earth to begin a hard life on star HIP 30815f. Almost immediately they discover that the plant life on their new home world has varying degrees of intelligence, and that another alien species left ruins of a magnificent but failed city.

The novel is told from the points of view of one of the first settlers and six descendants, one from each of the following generations. Each generation faces new problems and challenges, from predators, from the plant they've allied with, internal strife, and the rediscovered aliens.

Most of the stories are told with an element of reserve, that allows some of the more unpleasant things that happen to leave little impact on the reader. By the time I got to know each character their segment ended. Though I'm glad that the rape scene was written in a clinical rather than sensationalist manner, on the whole I much preferred the longer stories that allowed me to really immerse myself in the character's lives. Higgens' section especially touched me deeply.

The sentient plants were handled well. I didn't understand a lot of the chemistry involved, but there's explanations for how the plants communicate - with humans and with each other. I loved the bamboo's learning curve, from wanting to domesticate these strange but helpful animals to being a contributing member of their community.

The world-building was excellent, with whole alien ecologies and while plants and animals were given names reminiscent of Earth, it's clear they're VERY different.

During the second story I was shocked at how far the parents had fallen from their own constitution and their use of Earth tactics they claimed to hate. I'd have expected that kind of break to happen much later in the colony's lifespan.

This was a fascinating book.

Pros: brilliant world-building, fascinating diverse characters, interesting premise

Cons: can get very emotionally heavy at times

The China of this future has a Bounty of unmarried men. Lee Wei-guo is a 44 year old gym owner and coach and the general of the Strategic Games army Middle Kingdom. He's finally saved enough money for a dowry, but only as a maximum - a third husband. His matchmaker has only found one interested family. The Wus looks good on paper, but Wei-guo's two dads aren't convinced. And they're right. May-ling's first husband is an undeclared Willfully Sterile, a gay man who, if outed, would lose contact with his son among other punishments. His brother and May-ling's second husband, Xiong-Xin (who prefers to be called XX), is a potential Lost Boy. He's an autistic computer security genius with whom May-ling is terrified of having a child through their mandated weekly conjugal sessions, because if their child is also a Lost Boy, the child would be taken from them. As Wei-guo gets to know the family and decides he wants to join it, politics and their personal problems make that outcome less and less likely.

The book shows four points of view, starting with Wei-guo's and extending to May-ling and her husbands. It's great seeing the four people, how they interact, why they act the ways they do, what they believe and feel. There's so much complexity to the situations presented in the book that it's great seeing the same problems from various viewpoints. It allows you to sympathize with everyone, even as they annoy, betray, anger, and love each other.

The world-building in the book is top notch. I was impressed with how carefully the author approached this potential future. The government is integrated into so many aspects of regular life, in ways that make public dissension difficult to impossible. Maintaining an aura of party support is second nature to all of the characters, as is reading between the lines of what is acceptable to say/do to understand what people actually mean. It's a world that becomes more terrifying the more you learn about it. I was glad there was a section explaining how the Helpmates (the women who meet once a week with men to work off sexual tensions) were organized. There isn't much mention of life outside of China, though the China First party line does frown on foreign wives, if not state sanctioned foreign sex workers. No issue is clear cut. While homosexuality is treated like a genetically inherited disease, those who declare themselves Willfully Sterile and get sterilized have a place in society. The book shows that many gay men hide their status, not willing to leave families or be seen as other by society. It's a complex issue and it's handled with the recognition that there are many sides to all difficult issues (even if some of those sides are abhorrent to us and the protagonists).

I was also impressed by the clarity of language used to explain the thoughts that went unspoken and the acts that went undone. There are no pulled punches over how emotions work and the difficulties encountered when people with different ways of interacting are forced into close relationships. XX's annoyance at being second guessed by his brother and wife, the difficult choices May-ling must make with regards to her marital vows when considering having XX's child, Hann's being a pawn in the games of his company partners, create three dimensional people with problems that seem simple from the outside, but have no easy solutions.

There is a sex scene between May-ling and XX that's very uncomfortable to read. While it's graphic, it is also important for understanding a lot of the interpersonal problems the family has.

Elements that I thought were window dressing for the purpose of world-building, for example the strategic games Wei-guo plays, turned out to have a major impact on the story later on, so read carefully.

Obviously I can't speak to how accurately the author grasped the modern Chinese mindset.

This is a brilliant book.

Pros: told through images and text, some tense moments, fun characters, fast read

Cons: most of the conflict is due to Hugo keeping secrets

Hugo Cabret lives in the Timekeeper's room inside a Parisian train station. When an elderly toy maker catches him stealing a toy mouse, the man takes a notebook Hugo received from his deceased father. The notebook contains images of an automaton Hugo's trying to fix, images that cause a startling reaction from the old man.

The book follows Hugo as he tries to get the notebook back and interacts with the man and his goddaughter, Isabelle. There are old movies, magic, clocks, thefts, and lies. The best part of the book is that the movies and automata discussed are all real.

This is a fun - and fast - read. Some sections are told through full page illustrations rather than text, giving the book the feeling of a movie. The immediacy of the action and Hugo's point of view narrative enhance that feeling.

There are some tense moments, especially towards the end of the book.

While I can understand Hugo's fear of being taken from his current home and his fear of what would happen to him, it has to be said that most of the problems he encounters throughout the book are due to his inability to trust others, even after they've been proved trustworthy and his compulsive need to keep secrets. Things would have resolved much faster had he told Georges why the notebook was so important to him.

Though it's a thick book (due to the images) it really is an easy read, perfect for readers of all ages.

Pros: interesting story, good character development

Cons: limited description

Amelia dreams of heading to Mars, but she can't afford the flight and doesn't want to be an indentured servant, so she continues to eek out an existence in Mexico City, making ends meet by doing occasional jobs as a paid friend.

This is a novella funded by an IndieGoGo campaign, which I supported.

Amelia isn't the most likeable character, as evidenced by her limited Friendrr clientele, but she is an honest one. A string of bad luck left her somewhat bitter and depressed as her dreams become harder and harder to achieve. As the story progresses she both becomes a better friend and person in some ways while also making bad decisions that could land her in an even worse position. By the end of the story, seeing her deal with difficult circumstances, I really liked her.

It is fairly short and while I'd have enjoyed more description the story works very well as is. It's interesting hearing about life in Mexico City. The story doesn't say what year this takes place, though given the dates that are mentioned it can't be too far into the future.

It's a quick read if you're looking for something a little different.

Pros: thought provoking, fascinating characters, interesting premise, tight prose

Cons:

Melanie loves the story of Pandora. She loves attending Miss Justineau's class, where she heard the legend. She doesn't love Sergeant Parks, who sometimes makes Miss Justineau look sad, or Dr. Cauldwell, who's responsible for some of her classmates going away and never coming back. She likes her routine, and when that routine changes, all of their lives are irrevocably altered.

This is a post-apocalyptic story with zombies (called hungries) that will feel very familiar. But Carey's prose and storytelling ability makes it a brilliant addition to the subgenres.

The book alternates between several viewpoints but starts with Melanie, explaining her day, her week, her life. She's such an intelligent girl and the author manages to explain so much of what's happening - and what's wrong in the world - by her observations of her normal life. Pay close attention, as there's a lot of detail, with certain things being inferred rather than told outright.

I loved the rivalry between Miss Justineau and Dr. Cauldwell, both of whom believe very strongly that they're in the right about the issues they face, and it's hard at times to say they aren't, even when their points of view are opposite. There are some great thought provoking moments, particularly around Dr. Cauldwell's work and Melanie's coming of age. Even Sergeant Parks has some introspection as he questions the experiments he's been helping.

The book is definitely geared more for suspense than horror, though there are some horrifying scenes. The ending too, will remind readers of a memorable horror novel. The real question of the book lies in whether Dr. Cauldwell will find a cure for the hungries, and if the means she uses justify the ends she's trying to achieve.

The story starts slow in order to really introduce the characters and the world before things get messy. The prose is tight, and the story, while not fast paced, is highly compelling. It's a brilliant novel.

Pros: interesting setting, fascinating story, complex depictions of and around black and gay characters

Cons: not particularly scary

Jason Thorn (aka Thistledown) flew planes over the trenches in WWI. After some bad times, he's landed a job flying post in Africa. But the flight there is diverted to Bavaria, Germany, where an experiment has gone wrong. An experiment with a creature Jason has faced - and survived - in the past.

This is a direct continuation of Eutopia: A Novel of Terrible Optimism, picking up 20 or so years after that one ends. All of the survivors show up and play major roles in the book. It's interesting seeing how their lives have progressed, but also sad, as some of them don't recover from their ordeal as well as others.

It's very interesting learning more about the jukes and their parasitic nature. Unlike with the first book, when you knew when the characters were under the creature's influence, in this book characters often reexamine their memories to discover they've forgotten things or were completely unaware of them. It make most of them unreliable narrators, but imparts their feelings of confusion and hesitancy very well.

The plot is pretty interesting, trying to figure out what happened to Jason, who and what Orlok is, and whether the Nazi's will get their ubermensch.

Several of the newly introduced characters are gay, which was handled well considering the location and period the book takes place (Germany and France in the 1930s). One of the gay characters considered it a disease and was looking for a cure, while others were more comfortable with who they were. For the most part the principle characters around them were supportive or, at least, not derogatory regarding them.

Race, obviously comes up given Doctor Waggoner is black and married to a white woman. Again, I was impressed with how that was handled, especially entering Germany. The introduction of the jazz band and the treatment of its members was well done, showing racism in a more individualistic rather than stereotypical manner.

I didn't find the book particularly terrifying (unlike with the eugenics of the first one) despite the presence of Nazis and some horrible things going on. There are some uncomfortable scenes and the ending was unsettling.

It is a good sequel. It answers a lot of questions raised in the previous book and shows what happens to everyone. It also shows that however much you run, sometimes you can't escape your past.

Pros: lots of twists and turns, great character moments, touching ending

Cons:

Picking up immediately where Requiem left off, Neb still needs the staff that Vlad Li Tam is using to terrorize the Y'Zirite Empire. Amyle D'Anjite has disappeared with her kin-dragon, on a mission to oppose Neb and the work he and Patronus are doing on the moon. Orius, Lysias, and Rudolfo work towards clearing the Named Lands of Y'Zirite soldiers. In the aftermath of the Final Dream, Winteria Bat Mardic begins preaching again. And mysterious allies finally show themselves.

This is the fifth and final book in the Psalms of Isaac series. I've long since given up trying to figure out what's going to happen next in these books. There are so many surprises and major twists. A new group shows up in this book that ends up playing major roles along the various storylines.

While I sympathized with (and in some cases agreed with) a few of Vlad Li Tam's actions, there hit a point where I agreed with other characters that he needed to be stopped. Jin Li Tam makes some surprising choices, and I was impressed with how Rudolfo dealt with his further losses.

At one point I was convinced that the author had forgotten about Lynnae, Jacob's wet-nurse, and so was very happy that she turned up again.

The ending was fantastic. It came with more revelations about the people, and really tied off a lot of character threads. There were tears (in book and in person), and moments of joy.

If you like intrigue and haven't picked these books up, you're missing out.

Pros: tense, makes you second guess what's going on, fascinating characters

Cons: repetition, some gore

Fifteen year old Koichi Sakakibara moves in with his grandparents at the beginning of his third year of middle school. A collapsed lung keeps him from attending the first week of class and he finds things... odd when he does start school. Everyone seems tense and there's a girl who sits at the back that no one seems to acknowledge is there. He slowly learns of the third-year Class 3 curse, a phenomenon that leaves members of Class 3 and their immediate family dead.

I loved the two main protagonists, Koichi Sakakibara and Mei Misaki (note, following Japanese custom most characters are called by their last names, so I'll be doing that in my review). It was interesting seeing Sakakibara's illness, his hesitation when joining the class, trying to figure out what was happening, his consideration of and compassion towards Misaki, his gratitude towards his grandparents. He's a highly sympathetic character going through difficult times. Misaki is equally interesting, and quite different, being standoffish and mysterious. Seeing their friendship bloom was great.

The book has a very tense atmosphere. You're just as in the dark about what's going on as Sakakibara and it makes for an eerie first half of the book, wondering what's up with Misaki, wondering what the curse is. When things start going wrong it's quite terrifying. There are a number of twists to the story, making you question and re-question what's happening.

The translation doesn't clarify any social or cultural Japanese aspects of the book (aside from explicitly pointing out the meanings of the written characters (kanji) used for various people and place names. This doesn't affect understanding of the story, though knowing some of this myself did add to my enjoyment of the book.

I did notice there was a fair amount of repetition with regards to conversations and plot points. The afterward to the paperback edition (printed at the back of the English edition) mentions that the book was originally serialized, which probably accounts for that.

There is some gore as several deaths are described. It's a little graphic at times.

One thing that annoyed me was that the ending turned on a fact that the narrator (ie Sakakibara) knows, but you - the reader - do not. So it's possible for him to figure out the final twist but much harder for you to do so.

On the whole, if you're looking for a creepy read, this is a good choice.

Pros: great story, lots of intrigue

Cons:

Picking up immediately where Antiphon finished, Requiem follows everyone as the Y'Zir forces conquer the Named Lands. Jin has taken her son to the Y'Zirite capital, Ahm's Glory, and met the Empress she's supposed to kill. Rudolfo has been given a position of authority within the Empire that he doesn't want but can't refuse. Vlad Li Tam searches for the Wizard's spellbook to go with the staff he carries. A strange mechanical has emerged, sharing dreams with Charles the Arch-Engineer of Mechanical Science and giving Winters hope that the Final Dream of her people has not been lost. And Neb is on the moon, unsure of what to do.

There's no reintroduction of people or events so be sure to brush up on the previous books before starting this one. Though the book does contain a glossary at the end if there's a character, etc. you don't recognize.

There are a lot of great turns in the book and we're finally getting more answers than twists as prophecies reach fulfillment. There's still a lot of political intrigue and quiet action, and several things that happen at the end of this book imply a great number of twists for the final volume.

This is a fantastic series that interweaves a great many plots and really keeps you guessing.

Pros: excellent creature building, diverse cast, some tense moments

Cons: several minor items made me lose immersion, minor inconsistencies

Seven years ago the entertainment company Imagine's ship Atargatis was lost in the Mariana Trench. Video, called a hoax by most, showed mermaid like creatures attacking the ship. Now, a new ship is being sent to find out what really happened.

There's a great diverse cast. It was interesting seeing the hearing impaired twins interact with and without their translator (though I was surprised more people didn't consider handwriting or typing notes to communicate with them). I really liked Victoria, and seeing her determination to discover what happened to her sister on the Atargatis. The book had some great friend duos between Victoria and Luis and Olivia and Ray. It's not common to see close and supportive male/female friendships so it was great seeing those. While I didn't particularly like Dr. Toth, I loved her mixture of curiosity and fatalism when it came to the mermaids.

The mermaids, or sirens as Dr. Toth preferred to call them, were incredible. They're both alien and based on deep ocean creatures, beautiful and terrifying. I was impressed that the author makes it clear how they became objects of myth while also being quite different from the stories they inspired. I loved the hypotheses regarding aspects of their biology, mannerisms, and communication. The creature building was brilliantly done.

I appreciated that the romantic elements came with a healthy dose of communication and a lack of manufactured drama. It came up quickly but felt organic to the story.

There were several conversations and minor issues that kept bumping me out of the story. This ruined my immersion and lessened the tension. For example, when scientists start boarding the ship Ray and Olivia point people out to each other. Ray sees Luis Martines and knows a surprising amount of information about his life and field of study. He's even read one of Luis' academic papers. While I'll accept that Olivia and Ray were given a crew manifest, he definitely knows more than a cursory search would bring up, even if Martines' wealth makes him an intriguing subject. But then he doesn't know who Dr. Toth is, which makes no sense if he studied the crew, considering she's more famous and important as a subject for their work.

Another scene with Olivia made me pause when she thought about her family: conservative father, liberal mother. Apparently her mother doesn't think she should ever have sex due to her ‘condition', which doesn't seem ‘liberal' to me. Had Olivia framed her thought explaining that her mother believed she was liberal but her words to Olivia proved otherwise, it would have made more sense.

I noticed several minor inconsistencies. I'm not sure if other readers will find these as distracting as I did. Thankfully the last hundred pages or so didn't include any of these so I was able to really get into the action and feel the suspense and horror of the ending.

The book wasn't perfect but it has some great creatures and the ending is excellent.

Pros: interesting characters, high attention to detail, diverse cast, nuanced politics

Cons: more military minutiae than I personally like though less space battle action than military SF fans may be looking for

His Highness Lieutenant Sikander Singh North, Nawabzada of Ishar, is assigned to the Aquilan Commonwealth starship Hector as its new gunnery officer. Well aware that few Kashmiris serve in the Commonwealth officer corps, he must prove himself to his new crew members who look down on the colonial system of his birth.

Amira Ranya Meriem el-Nasir, niece to Sultan Rashid and Crown Princess of Gadira is concerned by the politics of her home world. As a colony of the Republic of Montreal, Gadira has made great strides in modernizing. This has increased the power of the Beys, but many of her people have lost jobs, and religious insurgents fearing for the traditions of their people are becoming more powerful.

With tensions mounting, the Hector is sent to Gadira to protect the commonwealth's consulate and commercial interests even as another major power works to destabilize the planet's government.

There's a lot going on in this book, predominantly the examination of pre-WWI style colonization. We see this from Sikander's view, as someone whose country is modernizing but still has economic and political issues, as well as with Ranya, whose country is caught in a clash of colonial interests. Aside from insurgents, we're not shown much of how big events impact ‘little' people, but it's quite interesting seeing the various power plays at higher levels. It's easy to see who the players are with regards to their historic influences, though I'm not sure to what extent the details of the book are influenced by real history.

There's a lot of nuance with regards to how Sikander is treated and how he reacts to those around him. He's constantly aware of who he is and what that means in the larger picture of his service, his home world, and himself. But the book doesn't harp on issues, it examines them and shows the reality of the different situations, then moves on as time passes and conditions change.

There are three point of view characters, and I really enjoyed seeing the two mentioned above (the third isn't a character we're meant to like). The characters must deal with a variety of issues, which keeps them feeling fresh and fully realized.

There's a high attention to detail - much of it military in nature. Personally I found it a bit much though I suspect military history buffs will enjoy learning more about the ships, armaments, tanks, etc. being mentioned. Fans of military SF may find that there's less military minutiae and action than they'd like, as the main focus of the book is on the politics and character based drama rather than military strategizing. The book uses generally realistic physics for its one space battle, which was fun to read.

While they were sometimes hard to follow I enjoyed the variety of titles used (I found it fascinating that titles often changed depending on the speaker as well as the location).

This book has a high amount of world-building and politicking and minimal military action, and I enjoyed it a lot.

Pros: lots of action, character development, satisfying series ending

Cons: at a disadvantage if haven't read the novellas

This is the fifth and final volume of the Demon Cycle. A lot has happened as Arlen and Jardir finally take their party down to the core. Their captured mind demon alerts them that the hive is close to swarm, but it's too late for them to help their friends and loved ones who are about to be overrun at the new moon. All they can do as they journey below is hope they've prepared those they leave behind well enough to survive on their own.

There are a lot of point of view characters, some for the first time. This allows the reader to see events all over Thesa as the demons attack. And they attack hard. The book does a fantastic job of consolidating all of the people and places that have been visited in the series.

Having said that, I was surprised that the people and events of some of the novellas were referenced without preamble. Derek from Brayan's Gold shows up with no introduction and I'm assuming the novella Messenger's Legacy (which I haven't read) explains why Ragen and Elissa aren't in Miln when The Core begins. While I felt Briar was properly introduced in The Skull Throne, when Regan and Elissa showed up it felt like I'd missed a chapter, as there's no explanation of what they've been doing though there are a few cryptic hints that they were in Laktown looking for Briar. Once they were back in Miln I found their political situation quite interesting.

There is a lot of action both with the defenders up top and those penetrating the deeps. The battles are varied, as the mind demons fight dirty. Once or twice we're shown the after effects of a scene rather than a scene itself, which lessened the impact of some tragedies. But on the whole it's a whirlwind of battles intercut with preparations for surviving the next battle.

I liked that Arlen and Jardir continue to develop as people. Seeing Jardir start to question his beliefs as he learns more about Kaji's own descent while Arlen starts to realize there may in fact be a Creator after all, was kind of neat. I thought that the birth of Leesha's child and the politics surrounding its identity were handled well.

There are a number of touching, heartfelt moments in the book. I particularly liked when Jardir says his goodbyes.

The final battle was hard fought and gave a very satisfying ending for the series.

Note: This book review contains spoilers for book 3, The Daylight War.

Pros: lots of politics, lots of intrigue, complex characters, the last 100 pages will blow you away

Cons: have to wait for the next book

Both Arlen and Jardir disappear after their fall from the cliff, putting Inevera in a difficult position to keep her sons alive and off the Skull Throne, while maintaining the unity of the clans that she and Jardir fought so hard for. Leesha and her companions return to the Hollow where she agonizes over what to do about her coming child, her growing love for Count Thamos, and organizing the gatherers. The Hollow leaders are soon called to Angiers by the royal family. Leesha, to help cure the Duke's infertility; Gared, to find a wife; and Rojer, to introduce his Krasian wives to the court. Meanwhile, Arlen has a dangerous plan in mind.

Get ready for deep intrigues and a lot of politics. This book is fast paced and a quick read, despite its near 700 pages (which includes the ever helpful Krasian dictionary at the end).

The characters remain complex, with tough decisions to make and lots of compromises between how they want the world to become versus dealing with how it actually is. I loved the scenes from Ashia's point of view, getting to know her and the other sharum'ting (female warriors). Their training was interesting, as was the family politics she was thrown into with regards to her marriage. I felt both admiration for her and pity for her situation. Though I started to find Leesha irritating in book 3, here she's back to the woman I admired in books 1 and 2, only with more responsibilities and harder choices to make. I love Inevera as a character, even though she can be quite horrible at times. This book made me again appreciate her intelligence and drive while pitying her when things start to spiral out of control. Abban's manipulation of power made him less sympathetic in this book, but his storyline remains intriguing. The interplay between Rojer and his wives is so interesting, especially given their various abilities.

Unlike book 3, this one doesn't end with a cliffhanger, but it will have you cursing the fact that book 5 isn't out yet. The last hundred pages or so really ramps up the action as all of the political maneuvering comes to fruition in unexpected ways. This series continues to get better and I can't wait to read what's going to happen next.

Pros: characters continue to grow, several people get much needed dressing downs, lots of romance (and sex), more background on the dama'ting

Cons: several characters in Everam's Bounty have similar names, which got confusing at times, cliffhanger ending

The Daylight War picks up directly where Brett's previous book, The Desert Spear, left off. The third in the Demon Cycle, I can't give much of a synopsis without seriously spoiling the previous books. So all I will say is that you learn more about the dama'ting, from Inevera's POV as she grows to womanhood within the organization and both Arlen and Leesha return to the Hollow, much changed by recent events.

The characters continue to grow, with - and I loved this - several of them growing backbones and telling the interfering people in their lives to butt out while they make life changing decisions. It was great seeing Rojer come into his own and Gared getting some much deserved recognition for his contributions. I'm still not sure how I felt about some of Leesha's decisions but I loved seeing Arlen's relationship.

One of the most interesting parts of the book was Inevera's upbringing and her reasoning behind certain decisions. You also learn a lot about pillow dancing, as most of the characters in the book indulge in it, multiple times.

This only happened a few times, but there are several characters in Jardir's court at Everam's Bounty whose names start with ‘A' and who all appear in the same scenes, specifically Ashia, Asome, Ashan and Asukaji. There's a glossary of certain characters and terms at the back of the book (called the Krasian Dictionary), but I've found using those with ebooks (the form of my review copy) more hindrance than help. Context usually helped with who was whom, and the author tried to remind the reader of everyone's connections, but there were a lot of similar names in this book.

The ending is shocking, with a sudden cliffhanger that will have your cursing the fact that the next book isn't out yet.

If you've liked Brett's previous books, this is a superb follow-up. If you haven't read Peter Brett and like well written fantasy, I urge you to give him a try.

Pros: excellent characterization, immersive writing, fast paced

Cons: some readers may not like the brutal realism of the narrative (lots of rape - though nothing is graphically described)

The Desert Spear is one of those rare books when the sequel is better than the first book. Mr. Brett really comes into his own in this book.

The plot (and if you haven't read The Warded Man/Painted Man this will contain spoilers):

Jardir, now proclaimed Shar'Dama Ka (Deliverer), has left the desert to conquer- ahem - unite the men of the North under his banner in preparation for Sharum Ka, the final battle with the demons.

Through flashbacks we get to learn how Jardir progressed to his current position, creating a sympathetic, though still brutal, antagonist. And if you don't like realism in your fantasy (rape, bullying, etc.) you won't like this.

Meanwhile, Arlen, going solely by the name ‘the Warded Man', tries to ally the northern nations to fight against Jardir's forces. During this mission he encounters many people he hasn't seen since his childhood, meetings that cause him to question the decisions he has made. And though others hail him as their deliverer, he has no desire to take on that role.

Finally, we are reintroduced to Renna Tanner, whose father Harl became too friendly with his daughters after his wife's death. Her story is quite horrific.

Mr. Brett's characters are fascinating, and remain complete people, each with good and bad points. Even Leesha, Deliverer's Hollow's herb gatherer who, under a different author would be insufferably perfect, is written so well you like her despite her many many abilities. Each character's story is interesting and heartbreaking in its own way. In fact, I wanted to skim by the (well-written) fight scenes just to get back to the character based storylines, they were so good.

The demons get nastier, with a new breed introduced who are watching the two potential deliverers.

Final verdict: read these books. Peter Brett's one of the best new epic fantasy writers around.

The Warded Man (called The Painted Man in Britain) is told from three character's viewpoints.

There's Arlen, who's tired of hiding from the demons that rise from the ground each night, battering the wards (magic that keeps them at bay but which fail all too frequently). He wants to bring the fight to the demons but all the offensive wards were lost centuries ago.

Then there's thirteen year old Leesha, who's ecstatic at the thought of marrying Gared, until one lie from him destroys her trust and propels her towards a very different goal in life.

Finally there's Rojer, trained to be a minstrel, required by circumstance to travel beyond the free cities, but due to a horrific childhood memory, terrified of being outside at night where the demons are not kept away by stout walls as well as the warding.

As the characters age, they are each propelled towards very different destinies than they once believed. And when their paths cross at the end of the book, things REALLY get interesting.

The writing is incredible. Fast action sequences alternate with stretches of introspection, so you feel you really know the characters - both the good and the bad - and what they're working towards. The world is written with such detail that you can almost step right into it. The Warded Man is an epic novel that comes up with a lot of fresh ideas. An excellent read.

Pros: some interesting twists, great characters


Cons: somewhat predictable

Antonina Beaulieu is a rich 19 year old from the country, joining her cousin and his wife, Valerie, in the city of Loisail for the Grand Season. Quick to speak her mind and unable to remember proper city etiquette or the names of important society members, Nina also has telekinetic abilities, her poor control of which has caused her problems in the past. When she meets the telekinetic performer Hector Auvray at a party, they quickly grow closer and her dreams of a romantic marriage seem assured.

But Hector has a past with Valerie, the beautiful woman who criticizes Antonina's failings at every turn. And his attentions towards Nina aren't what they seem.

For the most part the book's plot follows the traditional category romance beats. Set in a fantasy world that mimics the late 1800s/early 1900s, it reminded me at times of Jane Austen's Persuasion and at others of Mary Robinette Kowal's Shades of Milk and Honey.

The characters were wonderful. I started off the book liking everyone, even people I probably wasn't supposed to. Though I knew Hector's initial interest in Nina wasn't real, I still liked him and thought that having your heart broken by a ‘good' guy is better than some alternatives. I even felt some pity for Valerie, forced to marry someone for money to help her family despite having met the love of her life. The personal motivations and actions of the characters felt honest and the fallout of their decisions, earned.

While telekinesis isn't a major part of the story, it does come up fairly often and it's great seeing Nina learn more control over her abilities.

I really enjoyed this.

Pros: fascinating story, get some concrete answers

Cons: lots of detail

Picking up where book two leaves off, Acceptance follows three individuals: Saul, the lighthouse keeper in the days before Area X; the Director and the lead up to the twelfth expedition; and Control and Ghost Bird, wandering through Area X, looking for the Biologist on the island.

While I enjoyed Saul's story the most, it was fantastic finally learning more about Area X's creation and the Southern Reach's real inner workings. While not every mystery is solved, enough concrete answers are given that having to interpret some for yourself is fine.

The story does get bogged down in details at times, making some parts harder to get through than others. I found my mind wandering at times and had to reread sections to make sure I wasn't missing something essential.

It was a good conclusion to the series, bringing in a lot of elements from both of the previous books.

Pros: interesting characters, interesting mystery

Cons: drawn out, boring at times

John Rodriguez, or Control, as he prefers to be called, is assigned as the new director of the Southern Reach project, the organization that oversees Area X. His assistant director, Grace, is openly hostile, while the remains of the science team are a helpful, if slightly unhinged bunch. Even his handler, the mysterious Voice, whom he phones reports in to daily, becomes antagonistic towards him as the days pass. Control isn't sure how he's supposed to bring the agency under control considering the opposition, especially when it becomes clear that secrets have been kept from him.

While it's not essential to read book one in order to understand the majority of this book, the biologist does play a role and some information from Area X makes more sense if you have read that book.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I enjoyed getting to know Control and seeing the inner workings of the Southern Reach. While I understood some of Grace's resistence to his being there, her continued undermining of his job started to grate on my nerves. Indeed, about 200 pages into the book I began to realize that I didn't like any of the characters and no longer cared if Control succeeded in his mission.

I really wanted to learn more about the organization and Area X, but the book's more interested in the inner working of Control and how the various revelations affect his mental state. While the mystery was interesting, so little was uncovered by the 3/4 mark and in such roundabout ways (scenes intercut with other scenes, making it hard at time to piece together what was present and what was past) that I found myself getting bored and no longer caring what was going on. Things picked up in the last third of the book, getting first fascinating, and then kind of boring again.

The book brings up a lot of new questions but doesn't answer many. I'm wary of reading the third book for fear that no answers are coming.

Pros: terrifying yet plausible premise

Cons: things go predictably badly

Vlogger David Callow meets with the creator of OptimiZer, Xan Brinkley, and is offered the staring role in a new entertainment program. The show is called MindCast and will broadcast what David's thinking, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

David is a fairly apathetic character when the book starts. He doesn't really care about anything other than the number of views and likes his videos get, barely paying attention during the meeting that changes his life. He's not particularly satisfied with the way his life is going, though he projects an image for his fans of a life that is fun and glamorous. So it's interesting seeing him come to a slow realization of what having his thoughts projected to the world means with regards to his privacy, his safety, and his sense of self.

I was shocked by how few questions David had about the program. While he doesn't seem to care about his privacy in general, he never asks how things like going to the bathroom or having sex would be dealt with. David is oblivious to the potential downfalls of having everyone able to see his thoughts at all times, so the conversations that point out how this technology can be used or abused are interesting. Even more interesting are the early unexpected side-effects, some of which I hadn't considered.

While the main plot of the book is fairly predictable, the book's premise, that some people can be so enamoured of themselves that they'll give up all privacy in return for fame, is believable. And the results of such an act, are as horrific as you can imagine. You feel a real sense of dread as the book progresses, for a variety of reasons.

It's a fairly short book and is an entertaining cautionary story.

Pros: adorable wolf, pretty artwork

Cons: some scary images

A little wolf cub is given a rabbit to bring to his ailing grandmother and warned away from an area of the forest where humans live. But little wolves, like little girls, don't always follow instructions.

I'm not sure how to describe the artwork. It looks like watercolours, with most pages having a slight fantasy look to them. There's lush greenery of the forest and strangely stylistic birds and bunnies. The wolves walk upright and have adorable cloaks. The wolf cub himself often poses in ways that show both attitude and emotion. The guard looks rather terrifying and there are a few scarier images though it's on par with other fairytales in this respect.

I liked the little wolf a lot. While he's portrayed as arrogant, he's pretty typical of a child who wants to show some independence but isn't quite as aware of the dangers of the world as he'd like to appear. He also faces some consequences for actions he chooses and has a dreadful moment when he's done something bad and is worried his family will hate him for it. I felt for the little guy.

The story is very much in line with other fairytales. Obviously this one draws upon Little Red Riding Hood, but includes some innovations to the story. You can draw several messages from it or read it for fun.

As an adult I enjoyed this and I suspect children will too.

Pros: deals with an under researched topic, lots of high quality images, excellent supporting information for catalogue items

Cons: parts are very dry and academic, a few catalogue items have no images, out of print

The book consists of the following chapters: 1) Introduction, 2) Dreaming of Jerusalem, 3) Ethiopia Revealed: Merchants, Travellers, and Scholars, 4) Church and State: 16th to 18th Centuries, 5) Ethiopic Literature, 6) Ethiopian Manuscripts and Paleography, 7) Linear Decoration in Ethiopian Manuscripts.
After dealing with the background information, it continues with the Catalogue, consisting of 8) Maryam Seyon: Mary of Zion, 9) Aksumite Coinage, 10) the Heritage of Late Antiquity, 11) the Zagwe Dynasty: 1137-1270, 12) the Early Solomonic Period: 1270-1527, 13) the Late Solomaic Period: 1540-1769.

I found the introduction to be quite dry and academic. While the information was interesting, the delivery was such that I had trouble paying attention. This is followed by a section on Ethiopian contact with the outside world, that is, writings about Ethiopia by outsiders, which was quite interesting and engaging. Then follows several slightly more in depth chapters dealing with the Christian church in Ethiopia through the centuries. These give a bit more grounding in the monarchy and how it used the church to maintain cohesion and power. There's a tiny bit of information on conflicts with Muslims and contact with Europe (and Jesuits) in later centuries. The chapters on literature and manuscripts were both very interesting. I was amazed by how many Ethiopian manuscripts have been preserved via microfilm and digitization, mainly by the HMML (Hill Museum and Manuscript Library). [If you'd like to see their collection, viewing manuscripts online requires a free account. Your application is reviewed by one of their librarians before being granted.] The final chapter before looking at the manuscripts themselves gives a cursory examination of harag decoration. Similar to Celtic knotwork in appearance, harag are “a type of illumination made of bands of colored lines interlaced in a geometrical pattern and used to frame the pages of Ethiopian manuscripts” (p.63). The artwork changed over the centuries.

The catalogue begins with a discussion of the importance of Mary, the mother of God, in Ethiopian devotion, and comprises numerous images of her. There are some comparison images that give local context for some of the elements (for example, a photo showing the entrance to a holy sanctuary with a checkered design around it that explains the checkered background for an icon of Mary).

The second chapter of the catalogue goes over Aksumite coinage. I didn't expect it to be as interesting as it was. It's a great example of how historians must glean information from minimal sources. In this case, the Aksumite kingdom has left little trace, so much of what is known about their kings is due to their names on coins. The coins are shown to scale, which makes the images quite small and it's sometimes hard to see details.

Most of the catalogue images are shown in colour on black backgrounds. The rest are inset with the descriptive text in black and white. In some cases more than one image of an object is used (both sides of a processional cross, several manuscript pages) but not always. With manuscripts, all of the miniatures are mentioned, even if only a few pages are displayed. Similarly, in cases where only one side of a double sided object is shown, the other side is described in the text. I love how some entries have supplementary images to help show how different aspects of art influence each other. Unfortunately, in a few cases images of the catalogue items themselves are omitted.

While there are a few things I disliked about this volume, on the whole it's an exceptional collection of Ethiopian sacred artworks. It's a real shame that this book, created for a specific exhibition, is now out of print, because it's a much needed look at a rarely studied country. Ethiopia doesn't get much mention in medieval (my focus) or other history textbooks, so this is a brilliant addition for anyone wanting to expand their understanding about the rich history and artistic traditions of this amazing country, if - like me - you can find it used.