Dark Fantasy: sub-genre or marketing ploy?

In recent years a new sub-genre has appeared in UK bookshops. Always located close to the Science Fiction & Fantasy shelves, the proudly labelled "Dark Fantasy" section contains a somewhat strange mix of books, mostly written by women.

But what IS Dark Fantasy? Is it a bona fide sub-genre? Or is it a marketing term, used to cover the range of paranormal romance/urban fiction/young adult titles that have proliferated since the success of Twilight, aimed at the post-Harry Potter generation of female readers?

Wikipedia gives a definition of sorts, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_fantasy] but starts by stating

"A strict definition for dark fantasy is difficult to pin down."

The entry goes on to say that

"The term itself may refer collectively to tales that are either horror-based or fantasy-based."

but what DOES seem clear is that there is a supernatural element, be it monsters, magic or a combination of both. Classic books such as Dracula by Bram Stoker or Grimm's Fairy Tales fall into this definition as they straddle the divide between Horror and Fantasy. They contain elements of both and have sinister undertones, as do the works of Edgar Allan Poe and H.P.Lovecraft. By the same definition, Stephen King - particularly his early novels, like Carrie and Salem's Lot - could be classified as Dark Fantasy; so too many books by Neil Gaiman, Angela Carter, Clive Barker, Tanith Lee or Anne Rice. Yet these authors are not to be found on the Dark Fantasy shelves.

So what do the booksellers and publishers classify as Dark Fantasy? Well... from recent browsing in my local Waterstones [one of the last remaining UK chain of bookshops] it seems to be a combination of Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, light Horror and Young Adult books - mostly written by women and largely aimed at women too. I sometimes wonder if this section has been created in the light of the Twilight phenomena, a marketing ploy to capture the (mainly) teenage readership of the popular Stephenie Meyer series.

The feisty, 'kick-ass' female protagonist protecting the world from the 'evil' supernatural beings is a popular theme. There are a number of long-running series that fit in this category - the Sookie Stackhouse books by Charlaine Harris, the Anita Blake novels by Laurell K. Hamilton or the Women of the Underworld series by Kelley Armstrong for example. Another series that is similar is Jim Butcher's Dresden Files, however, the protagonist here is a male wizard and you will find these books shelved in the general Science Fiction & Fantasy section, not under the heading of Dark Fantasy!

A high proportion of Paranormal Romance books can be found in the Dark Fantasy section. Sherrilyn Kenyon's Darkhunter series, J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood novels and Christine Feehan's Carpathian series are some of the more well known examples, all involving some form of the vampire mythology. But it isn't all 'sexy vampires'. P.C. Cast's Goddess Summoning series draws from Celtic and Greek mythologies. Atlantis is the basis for the Lords of the Underworld series by Gena Showalter. But in all of these series romance is a central theme, with the the mythology and worldbuilding providing context. However, it is fair to say that the background and history of the central characters, whether they be ancient Greeks converted to Dark Hunters by Artemis or Atlantean warriors, is worthy of any speculative fiction novel. It is the emphasis on romance that places these books firmly in the marketing section 'Dark Fantasy' thus keeping them well away from the sword and sandals aficionados and the space opera fanboys!

So, in conclusion, it seems clear that what is now labelled 'Dark Fiction' in UK bookshops today is a marketing construct, catering for the current fashion for vampires (mainly of the non-sparkly type, thankfully!), werewolves, shape-shifters etc. with a loosely romantic plotline. The publishers and booksellers are keen to feed the appetites of the older teenage/early 20's women, now that the Twilight series is complete. Five years ago this section didn't exist, now it commands 4 or 6 columns of shelves in my local shop, albeit tucked away around the corner from the 'real' Fantasy and Science Fiction. Dark Fantasy is quickly becoming speculative fiction's 'dirty little secret' and is dismissed (or completely ignored) by many  genre commentators. Yet there are some very good writers tucked away there. One thing I would suggest, however... if Gail Martin, Poppy Z Bryte, Nancy Collins or Tanith Lee were starting out today, would their books be classified as Dark Fantasy?

REVIEW: A Darkness at Sethanon by Raymond E Feist

A Darkness at Sethanon by Raymond E Feist
Publishing Information: Paperback; 464 pages
Publisher: Spectra; 1 January 1987
ISBN 10: 9780553263282
ISBN 13: 978-0553263282
Series Volume IV in the Riftwar Saga(US) Volume III (UK)
Copy: Out of Pocket
Reviewer: Tyson

Synopsis: "An evil wind blows through Midkemia. Dark legions have risen up to crush the Kingdom of the Isles and enslave it to dire magics. The final battle between Order and Chaos is abotu to begin in the ruins of the city called Sethanon.

Now Pug, the master magician sometimes known as Milamber, must undertake an awesome and perilous quest to the dawn of time to grapple with an ancient and terrible Enemy for the fate of a thousand worlds."

The final book in the original Riftwar Saga was a disappointing read and very predictable. Last week I reviewed Silverthorn, which felt like a giant prologue for this book. Darkness At Sethanon takes place roughly a year after the events in Silverthorn and really is two stories in one. The first story focuses on Arutha as he decides to take the battle to the enemy and hopefully, through faking his death, be able to surprise the legions of darkness that is preparing to destroy the realm. The other story is of Tomas and Pug as they must travel between worlds and find the one person that can help them defeat the evil before it gains a foothold in Midkemia and then spreads through other dimensions and worlds.

Arutha's story takes him north where he meets a former enemy that he never expected to encounter. I really liked this portion of the book. It was the first time I enjoyed reading about Arutha since the Magician. The action was done really well and with an old favorite returning made for some great dialogue. With the hordes of darkness preparing to overwhelm everyone in the city there was a bit of strategy used in the conflict. While not very in depth it was written very vividly and I found myself turning page after page to see the outcome.

The other story in A Darkness at Sethanon is regarding Pug and Tomas. Pug has received all the instruction he can from the ancient elves and with luck he will be able to face the coming darkness. There was a lot of build up to all of his education in Silverthorn and while he does become far more powerful than he was previously, I don't see where he ever really used it. He was basically used as a battery for another famous magician to use to perform magic. On top of that, his role was not all that instrumental in the final conflict. For that Tomas was needed. Pugs year long training and education was never really utilized. I felt cheated. The entire quest that Pug and Tomas undertake felt like filler to stave them off until everybody else was in their proper position for the final conflict to take place. When we get to the final act the battle that Arutha was engaged in and all the time Pug and Tomas put in on their quest was a huge let down. It was over far too soon and the end result was not that satisfactory. Of course, it sets things up for later Riftwar novels but I was hoping for something epic in scope, a roar, what I got was more of a whimper. The epilogue was also very predictable.

While the origianal Riftwar Saga is a classic, if I could do it all over again I would have stopped at Magician (Magician:Apprentice and Magician: Master). Magician feels like a complete story. Silverthorn and A Darkness at Sethanon feel more like a sequel as they start nearly where Magician ends but the focus shifts away from what made Magician such a great book(s). While I did set out and attain my goal of finally reading Feist, I was a little disappointed with how the original Riftwar Saga ended. I am not sure if I will read another Feist novel as the last two books in the series were bitter disappointments and the way in which it ended left me unsatisfied.

Plot 7
Characters 6
Style 5

Overall 6.5/10

REVIEW: The Waste Lands [The Dark Tower III] by Stephen King

The Waste Lands [The Dark Tower III] by Stephen King

Publishing Information: 1991 (first publishing) 2003 (current edition)

Publisher: Signet, Mass-Market Paperback, 590 pgs

ISBN-13: 978-0-451-21086-9

Series: The Dark Tower, Book #3 (of 7)

Reviewer: Andy

Copy: Out of Pocket



Synopsis: (from inside cover): Roland, the last gunslinger, moves ever closer to the dark tower of his dreams and nightmares as he travels through city and country in Mid-World - a macabre world that is a twisted image of our own. With him are those he has drawn to this world: street smart Eddie and courageous wheelchair-bound Susannah. Ahead of him are mind-bending revelations about who and what is driving him. Against him is arrayed a swelling legion of foes-- both more and less than human.

There is something about The Dark Tower series that seems very piecemeal. Considering that there were long stretches between each book. this isn't surprising. The first installment, written by a young King still finding his inspiration in a fog of drugs and alcohol, was very vague and uncertain, and it was clear that King was still wrestling with an amorphous idea still nascent in his imagination. Despite its lack of shape. the mysteriousness of the book led to some genuinely eerie moments such as Roland's visit to Tull and his meeting with the barmaid Alice. King was adding a healthy dose of horror to his dark fantasy, and the result was an ominously disturbing novel. But, it was certainly unclear where exactly King was taking us in Roland's journey to the shadowy place known only as the Dark Tower.

In the second book, King's story began to take shape. Roland met some unlikely companions, and a link was established between our world and mysterious Mid-World, the home of the gunslingers. While giving his story some direction and being less obscure, King was able to maintain a bit of the dark tone of the first book, as the characters wrestled with addiction, mental illness, and the loss of bodily extremities. King demonstrated that he not only had a talent for creating a dark and disturbing world, but he could also construct a plot in that world, and this was indeed a recipe for success.

King had admitted in the meantime that he didn't exactly know where this story was going as he was writing it, and he must follow his characters to see where they would lead him. In the early 90's, King entered Mid-World once again for the third installment of this series. The eerie style that characterized the first two books has been taken down a few notches. Instead of weed-chewing drug users and cannibalistic mutants, where have been introduced to a giant cyborg bear and a talking train. It felt as if King was trying to make his story less of a horror story and more of a fantasy adventure. The book suffers somewhat for it. At other times, I question King's understanding of human psychology and human relationships. One female character, after battling a mental illness where she continually put herself in dangerous sexual situations, agrees to regress to her old behavior. The result is a rape scene that demonstrates a very shallow understanding of the seriousness of rape. Other times, King's characters seem to develop their relationships and conduct themselves in unintuitive ways, leading to a generally unnatural feel. Its times like this where I find it difficult to suspend my disbelief.

Still, there is plenty to like here. The recipe of Western, high-fantasy, and post-apocalypse is somewhat unique and King balances the flavors nicely. King definitely has a handle on the Western, as fans of the genre will recognize many familiar conventions here. King is able to write plenty of quality action/adventure scenes, leading to a very Hollywood-ready feel. Despite King's apologies in the afterword for what might be interpreted as a cliffhanger ending, I found it to be a natural stopping point. But though the book wasn't a complete disappointment, it certainly did not live up to the standard set by its predecessor.

Plot……….8.5/10



Characters………6.5/10



Style……….6/10







Overall……….7/10

REVIEW: Silverthorn by Raymond E Feist

Silverthorn by Raymond E Feist
Publishing Information: Paperback; 343 Pages
Publisher: Batnam Books; 1 December 1993
ISBN 10: 9780553270549
ISBN 13: 978-0553270549
Series: Book 3 in the Riftwar Saga
Copy: Out of Pocket
Reviewer: Tyson

Back of the Book: "A poisoned bolt has struck down the Princess Anita on the day of her wedding to Prince Arutha of Krondor.


To save his beloved, Arutha sets out in search of the mytics herb called Silverthorn that only grows in the dark and forbidding land of the Spellweavers.


Accompanied by a mercenary, a minstrel, and a clever young thief, he wil confront an ancient evil and do battle with the dark powers that threaten the enchanted realm of Midkemia."

Not long ago I reviewed the first two books in the Riftwar saga, Magician: Apprentice and Magician: Master (One book if you live outside the US) and enjoyed them very much. It can be hard to find English books in South Korea so I ordered the remaining two books in the first Riftwar series. After finally receiving them it didn't take me long to pick them back up and complete the series.

Silverthorn takes place not long after the events in Magician: Master, things are finally slowing down and the kingdom is preparing for a wedding. Within a few pages a dark and sinister plot is uncovered and the quest begins. The book has the feel of a quest and that is exactly what we end up getting. The only problem is that most of the intriguing characters from the previous novels are shifted to the back of the book. Pug, who I really like, has very few pages dedicated to him although he is a key player in the series. Instead we follow Prince Arutha and his friends as they hunt down the antidote for his soon to be bride Anita.

We do have Jimmy the Hand, a young thief to keep us entertained. Unfortunately, even he has trouble keeping the book interesting. Thankfully the book is not that long. The pacing was decent but the fact that you have invested two books with Pug and Tomas and then start to read Silverthorn only to find second rate characters is hard to swallow. However as you read the book you realize that it is just one gigantic prologue that sets up the final book Darkness at Sethanon.

Silverthorn, is a bit of a let down since the first two books in the series were excellent. I know that it is just a large build up to the final confrontation in the last book in the first Riftwar series.

Plot 5
Characters 6
Style 7

Overall 6/10

REVIEW: A Dance With Dragons by George R.R. Martin

A Dance With Dragons by George R.R. Martin

Publishing Information: 2011 (first publishing) 2011 (current edition)

Publisher: Bantam, Hardcover, 959 pgs

ISBN-13: 978-0-553-80147-7

Series: A Song of Ice and Fire, Book #5

Reviewer: Andy

Copy: Out of Pocket



Synopsis: (from inside cover):

In the aftermath of a colossal battle, the future of the Seven Kingdoms hangs in the balance--beset by newly emerging threats from every direction. In the east, Daenerys Targaryen, the last scion of House Targaryen, rules with her three dragons as queen of a city built on dust and death. But Daenerys has thousands of enemies, and many have set out to find her. As they gather, one young man embarks upon his own quest for the queen, with an entirely different goal in mind. Fleeing from Westeros with a price on his head, Tyrion Lannister, too, is making his way to Daenerys.. But his newest allies in this quest are not the ragtag band they seem, and at their heart lies one who could undo Daenerys's claim to Westeros forever. Meanwhile, to the north lies the mammoth Wall of ice and stone-- a structure only as strong as those guarding it. There, Jon Snow, 998th Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, will face his greatest challenge. For he has powerful foes not only within the Watch, but also beyond in the land of creatures of ice. From all corners, bitter conflicts reignite, intimate betrayals are perpetrated, and a grand cast of outlaws and priests, soldiers and skinchangers, nobles and slaves, will face seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Some will fail, others will grow in the strength of darkness. But in a time of rising restlessness, the tides of destiny and politics will lead inevitable to the greatest dance of all.

Its been a long wait. For years until this book was released, I often encountered bitter A Song of Ice and Fire fans. There was always a certain pessimism that was characteristic of Martin fandom (much like Chicago Cubs fans)- though they loved the books, they weren't holding their breath that Martin would ever complete the series. Some even believed, that Martin had lost his grip on the story, introducing too many new characters and tangent plotlines, leading to a consensus that the books were going seriously downhill. The fourth book, A Feast For Crows, had been the worst received ASoIaF book yet, and many fans had sworn that they would abandon the series rather than put their time and energy into a ship that was sinking fast (or not very fast). However, a hit show on HBO reminded former fans what they loved about the series, and the timely release of A Dance With Dragons - just a month after the end of the first season, propelled the book to the very top of the bestseller list.

But when it comes to gritty fantasy, ASoIaF is still one of the best things out there. Martin's ingenious blend of historical fiction and low-magic epic fantasy helps endear fans who wouldn't normally read the genre. Not only that, Martin's unflinching use of realism and Machiavellian treachery finds its influence in real-world history, and the series is evidence that some of the best characters and stories have already been played out in reality. Martin employs magic sparingly, leading to him utilizing genuinely clever plot devices rather than the ad-hoc deus ex machina rubbish so often utilized by less talented storytellers. There's a reason why Martin is still one of the best out there - and it most certainly is related to the time he takes between novels. Constantly writing and rewriting is part of Martin's craft, and other writers could take a lesson from his attention to detail and willingness to perfect his language.

Even though I agreed with the majority opinion that AFFC was in fact the weakest book of the series, I still thought it was still an interesting installment. Martin was still evolving as a writer, and there was especially a lot of attention paid to world-building and character development. It did not contain as many of the heavy hitting big moments of previous books, but I trusted gratification would come eventually, and characters still needed to transition from point A to point B before that could happen. A Dance With Dragons, on the other hand, was the perfect synthesis of the old Martin and the new Martin. Westeros and Essos are more richly imagined than ever before, and there are plenty of big highlight moments from characters we haven't seen in over 10 years.

Although many fans still remain pessimists - this book renewed my faith in Martin. Isolated plotlines are beginning to converge and there is indeed a light at the end of decades-long tunnel. ADWD proves also that Pentos is just as fascinating of a continent as Westeros, and that the Wall is still one of the greatest architectural wonders in all of literature. The iconic characters we love and hate are just as interesting as before, and one former bastard turned lordling with a sadistic passion for flaying his prisoners might be the most despicable villain yet. I have few complaints here. Some fans will find the pacing and long voyages frustrating, but a series I once read about a hobbit carrying a magic ring contained plenty of long voyages as well. If instant gratification is what you are seeking, wait for Season 5 of HBO's Game of Thrones. However, if you want to read one of the masters of fantasy continue his excellence, read this book.

Plot………8.5/10



Characters………10/10



Style………10/10





Overall………9.5/10

REVIEW: The Metalmark Contract by David Batchelor

The Metalmark Contract by David Batchelor
Publishing information: Kindle, Paperback; 250 pages
Publisher: Black Rose Writing; 3 March 2011
ISBN 10: 1612960111
ISBN 13: 978-1612960111
ASIN: B004Y60T3E
Series: Book One
Copy: Provided by author
Reviewer: Tyson

Synopsis "The alien Metalmark offered mankind a starship and its advanced technology in a trade for the rights to planet Mercury and moon Triton. What could go wrong? But his appearance sent the nations of Earth into turmoil as many people suspected danger and a trick. Our dreams of futuristic breakthroughs made Metalmark a celebrity in the West, but inflamed the Islamic world. A scientist with the space agency and a CIA spy became two of Metalmark's defenders. Our chance to join superior beings and travel the stars depended on the clash of futurists with ancient traditions. Could he sell us the means to a quantum jump in progress? But . . . he wanted Mercury and Triton for habitats where his species could spawn . . . what did that mean?"

It has been a while since I have read a first contact novel. So, when presented with the chance to read the latest first contact novel by David Batchelor, I jumped at the chance.

The Metalmark Contract is a frustrating book. Not so much because it is poorly written, but due to the fact that many of the decisions made by mankind in the novel makes you want to stand up and shout that they are making a terrible mistake. When the alien named Metalmark comes to Earth requesting to meet with the United Nations to engage in trade, he asks for the planet Mercury and the moon Triton for spawning grounds. While our leaders first question why he requires those two heavenly bodies it is soon forgotten. They ask for as much information on the two space bodies but then quickly forget it when events start to spin out of their control. I would like to have seen some more discussion or details on the two planets and their advantages to keeping them, but once Metalmark shows Earth his amazing technology they forget that they may need Mercury or Triton. It really frustrated me as I am not sure that a contract like this would have been ramrodded into law so quickly. China seems to be the only country who is leery of what Metalmark is asking for and what he is giving in return. The President of the United States is true to form and plays the part of a puppet only it seems that the alien has managed to play the strings to perfection.

Metalmark is very interesting, without giving away too much about him (you will have to read it to find out more about him). He is very charismatic and has definitely done his homework on humanity. His true motives are hidden from everyone, he also does a great job of deflecting any and all information that humans try to glean from him about his origins or his species. It probably helps that he has a CIA agent and NASA scientist doing their utmost to shelter and protect him from any real negative publicity. While there is a medium-sized cast in this novel, they are juggled quite well and Batchelor does a great job of introducing them and keeping them interesting throughout the story. They also do a decent amount of growing as the novel continues.

The end of The Metalmark Contract leaves many questions to be answered and everyone's fate is left up in the air. But for a first novel it is quite good. It only lagged in one or two places and that was to set things up for the next event. The Metalmark Contract is an interesting premise as first contact is based on a need of commerce instead of friendship or the advancement of knowledge. There is also a lot of mystery involved in the novel as we are never fully told what "spawning" means and what it implies. Metalmark's physiology is also interesting and much different from what we usually encounter in science fiction novels. The Metalmark Contract is a fun read and sadly a quick read. You will also have to wait until the next novel is completed before you find out more about the implications of the contract forged between mankind and its latest neighbor. Recommended.

Plot 7/10
Characters 7/10
Style 7/10

Overall 7/10

REVIEW: The Magicians by Lev Grossman

The Magicians by Lev Grossman

Publishing Information: 2009 (first publishing) 2010 (current edition)

Publisher: Plume (Penguin), Trade Paperback, 402 pgs

ISBN-13: 978-0-452-29629-9

Series: Standalone (sequel recently released)

Reviewer: Andy

Copy: Out of Pocket



Synopsis: (from back cover): Quentin Coldwater is brilliant but miserable. A high school math genius, he's secretly fascinated with a series of children's fantasy novels set in a magical land called Fillory, and real life is disappointing by comparison. When Quentin is unexpectedly admitted to an elite, secret, college of magic, it looks like his wildest dreams may have come true. But his newfound powers lead him down a rabbit hole of hedonism and disillusionment, and ultimately to the dark secret behind the story of Fillory. The land of his childhood fantasies turns out to be much darker and more dangerous than he ever would have imagined…. The Magicians is one of the most daring and inventive works of literary fantasy in years. No one who has escaped into the worlds of Narnia and Harry Potter should miss this breathtaking return to the landscape of the imagination.





           One of the most significant characteristics of much of contemporary narrative art (including both fiction and film) is the self-awareness of the storytellers and the readers. Since we've all grown up reading genre fiction, we understand the conventions of genre and as authors we can play with these expectations in hopes of avoiding the tiresome and cliche paths worn by earlier writers. Some authors and filmmakers take it so far as to be self-referential, making the very characters in their books knowledgeable about the the kind of stories in which they themselves exist. The most familiar examples are in cinema/ In Wes Craven's Scream the characters identify a set of rules to follow if they find themselves victims in a slasher film and the killers are trying to reenact the horror films that they were raised on. In Gary Ross' Pleasantville, the idealized 1950's nuclear family sitcom life, such as Leave it to Beaver are infected with the technicolor realism of the modern world. In HBO's the Sopranos, the strip-club owner and gangster Sylvio is always trying to mimic Pacino characters, usually leading to very poor results.

           Lev Grossman's The Magicians, is an attempt to create a postmodern, self-aware, self-referential story about fantasy. The "hero" Quentin is a dreaming escapist, still fantasizing late into his teens about falling into a rabbit-hole like the children in the Fillory books, a direct reference and imitation of C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia series. Instead he finds himself in a Hogwarts-style school for the magically gifted - leading to serious disappointment. Quentin finds that studying magic isn't that much different than studying much of any other discipline and there are no evil wizards to vanquish or epic quests to embark on. This school for magic is given of a heavy dose of realism - fights between jealous students, casual sex, and partying creates a more realist University type atmosphere than the family-friendly adolescence of Hogwarts. Fantastic elements like ridiculously childish anthropomorphic characters are juxtaposed against a jarringly harsh pessimistic realism to often hilarious results. I don't want to give away specifics here, but a giant bunny chasing after a character with knives was a wonderfully absurd moment.

           The story itself is not always as shallow as its privileged rich-kid characters - much of it revolves around how long we should follow childhood fancies, as they often come at the expense of loved ones - and how even the fantasy worlds in which we wish to escape can disappoint us with their own particular realism. This is a fantasy for people who grew up reading fantasy and now are cynical about fantasy. Reliance on magic is even sometimes symbolic of addiction - just another way Grossman brilliantly thwarts our escapist daydreams. The concept here is brilliant - my only gripe is with some of the execution. The post-grad second-half of the book, which should be the more interesting half feels rushed and shallow, as if Grossman himself doesn't want to spend time in the world he has created. Fantasy fans should tread carefully - this isn't as much of a nostalgic tribute to your childhood favorites as it is a quasi-satire. This might explain why popular magazine-critics tend to favor it more than hardcore fantasy fans. Despite this, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and if you don't take the genre too seriously, it certainly shouldn't be avoided.







Plot……….8.0/10



Characters………8.5/10



Style……….8.0/10







Overall……….8.0/10

REVIEW: Wizard of the Pigeons by Megan Lindholm

Wizard of the Pigeons by Megan Lindholm
Paperback: 298 pages
Publisher: Voyager; (Reissue) edition (4 Oct 2010)
Originally published: 1986
ISBN-10: 0007112564
ISBN-13: 978-0007112562
Reviewer: Cara
Copy: Bought online

From the back of the book:
Seattle: a place as magical as the Emerald city.

Subtle magic seeps through the cracks in the paving stones of the sprawling metropolis. But only inhabitants who posses special gifts are open to the city's consciousness; finding portents in the graffiti, reading messages in the rubbish or listening to warnings in the skipping-rope chants of the children.

Wizard is bound to Seattle and her magic. His gift is the Knowing - a powerful enchantment allowing him to know the truth of things; to hear the life-stories of ancient mummies locked behind glass cabinets, to receive true fortunes from the carnival machines, to reveal to ordinary people the answers to their troubles and to safeguard the city's equilibrium.

The magic has it's price; Wizard must never have more than a dollar in his pocket, must remain celibate, and he must feed and protect the pigeons.

But a threat to Seattle has begun to emerge in the portents. A malevolent force born of Wizard's forgotten past has returned to prey upon his power and taunt him with images of his obscure history and he is the only wizard in Seattle who can face the evil and save the city, his friends and himself.

I first read this book in the late 1980's, when it was originally published, but forgot all about it until I was browsing online and stumbled across a review of the re-released edition. I then remembered how much I enjoyed the book at the time and tracked down a copy. Re-reading it was an enjoyable experience, particularly in light of how popular urban fantasy has become in recent years. However, this is 'true' urban fantasy, in that the city plays a central role and is integral to the plot. Indeed, I would suggest that this book has been a significant influence on many current urban fantasy writers.

Wizard of the Pigeons has as it's main character a homeless war veteran who also happens to be a wizard of some considerable power. His power is dependent upon him observing several rules; listening to people even when what they have to say is hurtful, giving away more than he receives, remaining celibate, never having more than a dollar in his pocket, feeding and protecting the pigeons.

"He lived a simple life upon the streets of the city, passing among the folk like the wind passes among the flowers, unseen but not unfelt. He was known, to the few who knew him, simply as Wizard."

He is a gentle character, scarred from his mysterious past but someone who genuinely cares about people. As the story open Lindholm takes us through his daily routine and shows how he interacts with the residents of Seattle and with the city itself. But soon warnings begin to appear; something dark and evil is approaching, something that threatens Wizard personally. By tempting him to break his rules, the presence is also threatening Seattle by weakening Wizard's magic and creating an imbalance within the city.

The secondary characters are well drawn and support Wizard in his battle against the malevolence. Cassie embodies the female archetype and is a strong magical presence and a good friend to Wizard. She seems to be a shapeshifter of sorts, but this is not made clear and adds to her mystery. Of the other wizards who live in Seattle's streets, Rasputin and Euripedes have their own forms of magic and rules which they live by. The evil that is coming is focused on Wizard and it is he who must ultimately confront it however much his friends want to help.

And it is this that makes the book stand out among the current crop of urban fantasy books. There are layers of ambiguity within the narrative, mostly relating to Wizard's past, which is vague to say the least. Is he a Vietnam vet or has he experienced much earlier conflicts, such as Troy for example? How much of his personal experience is real or allegorical? Is the whole magical, good versus evil conflict a metaphor for post-traumatic stress disorder, or a descent into madness? For a short book, there are certainly plenty of thought-provoking ideas.

As the book progresses, Wizard becomes more unreliable as a narrator. His perceptions are misleading as he begins to come apart mentally. There is little action as such, no face-on battles with an evil entity, but rather an internal conflict reaching a point of no return. This is what makes Wizard of the Pigeons a fascinating read. It is not straightforward fantasy yet the magical elements are central to the plot. The strength of the book is the characterisation and the insight into Wizard's world.

Another aspect of Wizard of the Pigeons that stayed with me from my first reading over 20 years ago is the role of Seattle in the book. At the time, I knew little about Seattle, but the descriptions of the city made me want to visit, if only to experience the locations myself. Megan Lindholm's writing brought the city alive and gave it an endearing personality all of it's own.

"On the far western shore of a northern continent there was once a harbour called Seattle. It did not have much of a reputation for sunshine and beaches, but it did have plenty of rain, and the folk who lived there were wont to call it 'The Emerald City' for the greenness of its foliage. And the other thing it boasted was a great friendliness that fell upon strangers like its rain, but with more warmth." (opening paragraph)

With my recent re-reading, I gained the distinct impression that Wizard could not have existed in any other US city, but perhaps my perceptions have been influenced by the fact that most of my favourite bands come from Seattle and surrounding areas [Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Screaming Trees, Nirvana, Pearl Jam et al].

Overall, Wizard of the Pigeons is a book to savour. While definitely fantasy, it does not conform to the expected current urban fantasy standards, which is no bad thing!. The quality of the writing combined with the lead character's ambiguous nature make strong combination, resulting in an enjoyable and thought-provoking gem of a book.

Plot 8/10
Characters 8/10
Style 8/10

Overall 8/10


Note: Megan Lindholm is better known as Robin Hobb, author of The Farseer trilogy, The Liveship Traders trilogy and The Tawny Man trilogy, amongst others.

REVIEW: The Essential Moon Knight Vol. I (Marvel Essentials)

The Essential Moon Knight Volume 1 (Marvel Essentials)
Publishing Information: Paperback; 560 Pages
Publisher: Marvel; 22 February 2006
ISBN 10: 9780785120926
ISBN 13: 978-0785120926
Series: Volume 1 (three volumes currently at time of review)
Copy: Out of Pocket
Reviewer: Tyson

Back of the Book: "Debuting as both enemy and ally of the Werewolf by Night, Moon Knight's three personalities equaled one eerie adventure after another by Moench, Miller and more! Earning enemies like the brutal Bushman and the macabre Morpheus early in his career, Moon Knight also teamed up with Spider-Man, the Thing, and others against well-known and forgotten villains alike! Spun by Cyclone! Caught by Crossfire! Plus: an early fight with the Purple Man alongside Luke Cage! Featuring Topaz from Witches and the original White Tiger! Includes black-and-white stories not reprinted in more than two decades! Collects Werewolf By Night #32-33; Marvel Spotlight #28-29; Spectacular Spider-Man #22-23; Marvel Two-In-One #52; Hulk Magazine #11-15, 17-18, 20-21; Marvel Preview #21; Moon Knight #1-10."

I am a fan of the latest edition of the Moon Knight comics. It is a little more gritty and mature for the average comic book and has a decent story arc. With comic books rather hard to find in South Korea when I came across the Essential Moon Knight Volume 1, I had to pick it up. I know a decent amount about his origins and his motivations for doing what he does so reading about his early adventures looked like a sure fire winner.

Sadly, this is not the case. Perhaps I was spoiled by reading a more compelling story arc with the latest incarnation of the character. In Essential Moon Knight Vol. 1 the character begins the book feeling real campy and not as impressive as I read about shortly before moving to Korea. He mainly is a guest star on some of the biggest Marvel titles. His introduction to the Marvel Universe was not as clear cut as it could have been. We are told he is an expert and highly sought after mercenary and hired by a secret organization that wants to capture a werewolf, he wears silver and that is about it. While I have never read Werewolf at Night before it looked like a decent and compelling comic for its time. However, for an introduction to a new character it felt incomplete.

After Mark Spector/Moon Knight's introduction he goes on a tour of other famous characters: Spider-man, Hulk, and others. The artistry starts out looking campy, then goes to impressive and finally ends nearly where it began. The stories are decent but not anything that you will really remember or care to remember as most of the story arcs are just a few issues. Moon Knight jumps in does his thing to either partner up or disrupt things and then jump right back out. While this is fairly common with new characters it never really felt as if he had any impact on things when the greater picture was taken into account. Then you get to the ten issue run of Moon Knight and you can see the character finally take shape and get a real feel for the superhero.

Even for a fan of Moon Knight, I was not all that impressed with Essential Moon Knight Volume 1. It was great to see his origins, but I found the stories were a little dated and in all honesty, boring. There are a few real winners in the collection; however, based on the amount of reading you have to do to get there and the constant doldrum I am not sure it is worth it for the reader. Moon Knight is a compelling character but for an opening collection of his stories, it fails to capture the character or your imagination. Truth be told, I was bored while I read it.

Plot 6
Character 7
Style 6
Artwork 6

Overall 6/10

REVIEW: inSyte by Greg Kiser

inSyte by Greg Kiser
Publishing Information: Kindle
ASIN: B004YWKIB6
Copy: Provided by author
Standalone
Reviewer: Tyson

Synopsis: "inSyte is a paranormal thriller that will appeal to readers of Michael Crichton and Stephen King

It’s Tampa Bay and the year is 2020. Ex-Navy SEAL Mitch "Double" Downing discovers how to tap into the internet with his mind. His new inSyte provides transparent access to the sum of all human knowledge recorded since hieroglyphics. More than mere information – Mitch can see into men’s hearts and be all places at all times (easy in an ‘always on’ surveillance society with fourth generation tweets). Sort of like God.

But inSyte has ideas of its own as the software exposes a politician’s “divine” plan that will unwittingly slaughter millions of people. Is killing the man the only way to prevent Armageddon? The politician’s daughter would probably disagree. And she happens to be the love of Mitch’s life. Losing Kate would be too damn much collateral damage.

At the center of the conflict is a wolf-like killer who will stop at nothing to murder the ex-Navy SEAL.

And Mitch must come to grips with inSyte’s dark side – a dominating addiction that soon controls his thoughts and places him on a steep slide to self destruction."

inSyte was a novel I was not expecting. When it arrived in my email box I was not sure what to make of it, as the premise sounded interesting but I was curious to see if it would work.

The beginning of the novel we are given a handful of characters, some portraying the all-American hero, others were very dark and brooding. It was a great mix. Mitch is an intriguing character, he is rather level-headed even though he has created an amazing device that could change the world. His background is that of a Navy SEAL, I was a bit confused at this part as he was still in college yet, he had already been in the armed services and was still able to hit on (successfully) the coeds on campus. It was a minor wrinkle but it nagged at the back of my mind when he was on his dates throughout the story. Mitch is also joined by his friend and former squad mate at college. They were decent characters and it doesn't take long for you to really start rooting for them.

We also have several bad guys in the novel. The Russian hitman/enforcer has some distinct animal-like characteristics and his charisma really draws you into the story. Another reason is that he is never really fully developed, there are a lot of holes and by the end of the novel you never really get a clear understanding of just what he is or what he could be. It is a mystery that I will not divulge here.

The story moves in a similar style to a Tom Clancy novel where there is plenty of intrigue and action as the story progresses. While it is the future not much has really happened aside from the fact that the world's cities are wired wirelessly, and poverty is a major concern. Kiser does not expand too much on it but it does appear that he is forewarning us of things to come if we continue on our present path of logging in to our online worlds instead of actually interacting with our fellow man.

inSyte was a nice change of pace and an interesting novel. There is just enough science fiction for the scifi lover in you and action and adventure for anyone who enjoys military novels. There is also a bit of urban fantasy thrown into the mix to make you wonder just what else is in Kiser's world. While this novel sadly would never have made it onto my radar without the author requesting that I review it, I am glad he did as I found myself a hidden gem. Recommended.

Plot 7
Characters 8
Style 7.5

Overall 7.5/10

REVIEW: The City & The City by China Miéville

The City & the City by China Miéville

Publishing Information: 2009 (first publishing) 2009 (current edition)

Publisher: Ballantine Books, Hardcover, 312 pgs

ISBN-13: 978-0-345-49751-2

Series: Sequel

Reviewer: Andy

Copy: Out of Pocket



Synopsis: (from inside covert): New York Times bestselling author China Miéville delivers his most accomplished novel yet, an existential thriller set in a city unlike any other - real or imagined. When a murdered woman is found in the city of Beszel, somewhere at the edge of Europe, it looks to be a routine case for Inspector Tyador Borlu of the Extreme Crimes Squad. But as he investigates, the evidence points to conspiracies far stranger and more deadly than anything else he could have imagined. Borlu must travel from the decaying Beszel to the only metropolis on Earth as strange as his own. This is a border crossing like no other, a journey as psychic as it has physical, a shift in perception, a seeing of the unseen. His destination is Beszel's equal, rival and intimate neighbor, the rich and vibrant city of Ul Qoma. With Ul Qoman detective Qussim Dhatt, and struggling with his own transmission, Borlu is enmeshed in a sordid underworld of rabid nationalists intent on destroying their neighboring city, and unificationists who dream of dissolving the two into one. As the detectives uncover the dead woman's secrets, they begin to suspect a truth that could cost them and those they care about more than their lives. What stands against them are murderous powers in Beszel and in Ul Qoma: and, most terrifying of all, that which lies between these two cities. Casting shades of Kafka and Philip K. Dick, Raymond Chandler and 1984, The City & The City is a murder mystery taken to dazzling metaphysical and artistic heights.





Before beginning The City & The City, I knew that China Miéville was one of the most creative young writers on the shelf. The first two Bas-Lag books defied categorization, and proved that Miéville was a visionary. But, though I was enamored with world of Bas-Lag and all its weird and grotesque appeal, the resolutions were unsatisfying at best, containing some relatively disappointing moments.



China Miéville's the City & the City demonstrates real maturation as an author. Where I found Miéville overly verbose in the past, his hard-boiled style in The City & The City was succinct and satisfying. The style became more understated, which made Mievelle sound less like an adolescent trying to shock and more like a mature writer creating an atmospheric noir environment. Thematically, there is unity to this book - Miéville found an interesting premise and ran with it, writing a high concept novel worthy of Philip K. Dick or Ursula Le Guin.



Its not clear if The City & The City is quite science fiction. It takes place in present day, with a technology and pop culture very close to our own, in a fictional city in Europe. Actually it takes place in two cities that are really one city. Confused yet? You should be. The twin cities of Beszel and Ul Qoma are coincident in time and space and it requires a shift in perception to travel from one to the other. This shift in perception is called breaching, and its a serious crime, more serious than murder and will basically result in the perpetrator disappearing off the face of the earth. Luckily, the citizens of these twin cities are brainwashed from birth to compartmentalize what they perceive, allowing once city to completely remain below the level of consciousness.



The novel is not merely gimmicky - because the concept improves the plot. This is a murder mystery and witnesses to a murder become especially problematic when certain citizens are conditioned to ignore someone being murdered in the street. China Miéville really has done something quite interesting and original here. The book serves as a postmodern deconstruction of the very concept of location, and a political exploration of divided societies. These themes are echoed in the references to Derrida, Zizek, Gaza, and the Berlin wall. The interesting thing the story reminds us is that all cities are merely man-made fictions, and an individual's perception really can be altered by social institutions. Oh, yeah, and aside from all this, there's a pretty good murder mystery too.







Plot……….8.5/10



Characters………8.5/10



Style……….9/10







Overall……….9/10

New Abercrombie Covers

Take a look at the recent trade paperback editions:

REVIEW: The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie (Kindle Edition)

The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie
Publishing Information: Kindle
Publisher: Orbit; 7 February 2011
ISBN 10: 0316044989
ISBN 13: 978-0316044981
ASIN: B00480O978
Standalone
Copy: Out of Pocket
Reviewer: Tyson

Synopsis: "This blood-drenched, thought-provoking dissection of a three-day battle is set in the same world as Abercrombie's First Law Trilogy (The Blade Itself, etc.), but stands very well alone. Union commander Lord Marshal Kroy coordinates the fight with the aid of a motley group of incompetent, self-important officers. The strangely sympathetic Col. Bremer dan Gorst is officially a royal observer who nurses a burning desire to kill or be killed. Leading a much smaller army against the Union is Black Dow, whose grip on the throne of the Northmen is tenuous and based on fear and brutality. Calder, a slippery and cunning egotist, advocates peace while plotting to take Black Dow's place. Abercrombie never glosses over a moment of the madness, passion, and horror of war, nor the tribulations that turn ordinary people into the titular heroes."

There is no denying that Joe Abercrombie is quickly becoming a fan favorite for fantasy readers. With The Heroes, he should win over everyone else. I am sure many other reviewers will say that this latest novel is gritty, it is, but it is mostly bloody. Even though there is a lot of warfare and many great characters meet their maker in a violent way, the book does a really great job of telling a story.

The Heroes takes place over a few days as the North and the Union meet up for a final confrontation. A few of the Northmen, the Dogmen, are scouts for the Union and play a role in the novel but the majority of the novel for the Union side takes the prospective of Bremer Dan Gorst. A character that was first introduced during The Blade Itself trilogy. For the North side the majority of the prospective takes place through a new character Craw and Prince Calder, the second son of the king. The Heroes really shows you just how far Abercrombie has come into his writing as an author. The characters really come alive in the novel, from the get go you have a strong description of everyone involved and the dialogue that you find throughout the book is tight. When the warriors are discussing tactics or just taking a breather from the action, they feel real. It is as if you are standing there listening to real individuals complain and describe their past and sharing their experiences.

Perhaps the best thing about The Heroes is that we finally return to the North. Nearly everyone wants more of the Northmen first introduced to us in The Blade Itself. Black Dow has staked a claim as the ruler of the North and the Union wants to stop their advance. Which leads us to a small hill known as The Heroes. It is very reminiscent of many battles in Vietnam or Korea when men would go to their deaths all for a meaningless piece of land countless times only to leave the area with a no idea whether or not their friend's death meant anything in the bigger picture or if their contribution helped weaken the enemy's resolve. By providing us with both army prospectives it is hard to pick which side I wanted to win. The Northmen are some very interesting characters with many likable characters. The Union only has a handful of characters that I enjoyed reading about. Tunny's comments and actions had me laughing on many occasions as he instructed his greenhorns in the military craft, or lack of military craft.

Even though this is a fantasy novel, the very idea of dying in conflict is very real and the setting for The Heroes is just like that of many modern day settings or from previous historical conflicts. I could not help but think of White Horse Hill or Pork Chop Hill where countless men from both sides died on a nameless hillside that was later abandoned for other political and military goals. The battles are fast, furious, and gruesome. The scenes depicted are impressive and Abercrombie shows his flair for telling a quick-paced battle. And there are plenty of battles to go around with many different prospectives. Each day brings with it deadly consequences and heart racing action.

Perhaps the one question everyone will ask is, does Logan Ninefingers, The Bloody Nine, show up in the novel. Unfortunately, he does not. He is mentioned in the novel on several occasions and his legend is bigger than ever as the mention of his name inspires fear in all but the bravest of fighters. I was a little disappointed that he was not featured in the book; however, I will say that I have a feeling that he is coming and that this novel just makes us salivate at the very idea of his return. I hope that I am correct in that assumption.

The one bad side to the Kindle and I will continue to say this until somebody listens, is the maps. The Heroes have a handful of maps that show the various positions of the two armies and on the Kindle you can barely make anything out. I did not have to study the map very long or hard to understand the troop positions and movements but, the fact that they are so small and do not come out very well on the Kindle may deter others from reading the book in this format. Instead opting to go with the physical book to actually see what the map has on it. eReaders need to do something to improve the maps the books contain. This is not something that Abercrombie should be blamed for but publishers and who ever converts the physical book over to the various eReader formats need to improve the quality of maps and images for those of us that want to read electronically.

The Heroes is an outstanding novel and an impressive addition to the world Abercrombie has created. I do suggest reading his novels in publication order as there are many recurring characters and nearly everyone from previous novels is given a mention. Although if you haven't read his previous works you could easily get by, but I feel you will miss some of the little touches that Abercrombie has added to the enrichment of the novel. The Heroes is my favorite Abercrombie novel to date and I look forward to seeing him top this one, which should be very difficult to do. The Heroes was pretty much the entertainment equivalent of riding a unicorn down a mountain while drinking from a goblet filled with the laughter or children. Highly recommended.

Plot 10
Characters 10
Style 10

Overall 10/10

REVIEW: Progeny: Children of the White Lions by R.T. Kaelin

Progeny: Children of the White Lions by R.T. Kaelin

Publishing Information: 2010 (first publishing) 2010 (current edition)

Publisher: Terrene Press, Trade Paperback, 662 pgs

ISBN-13: 987-0-6154210-3-2

Series: Volume 1

Reviewer: Andy

Copy: Provided by Author



Synopsis: (from from back of book): Nikalys and his sister Kenders grew up living in a peaceful life in the quiet farming village of Yellow Mud…until one blistering hot summer day when they go to the nearby lake for a swim. When they reach the lake, they see an unknown mage conjure a massive water creature hundreds of feet tall. They watch in horror as the monstrous creation plunges toward their home, apparently drowning all in its path, including their parents and older brother Jack. As the only survivors, brother and sister strike out on their own, hoping to discover the reason their home and family was destroyed. They must make their way through a countryside where magic is outlawed, punishable by imprisonment or even death, while struggling with the revelation that Kenders has magical abilities herself. Ancient, powerful forces still seek them on their travels -- some intending to eliminate the threat they pose and some hoping the help them fulfill a destiny of which they are unaware. Myths and legends come to life, whacking the pair along a journey they never could have imagined possible.



Since I was a child, I've been regaled by authors with tales of seemingly ordinary village youths who find they have a secret destiny to battle the forces of evil. These stories are devoured by pubescent teenagers everywhere because the heroes in the story are so relatable to the readers - they, like the protagonists, wish to escape their mundane and menial everyday tasks in order to find that their lives actually hold some deeper significance. Perhaps they have been bestowed with the title of "the Chosen One" or passed down some magic sword through a hereditary line, an inheritance that charges the bearer with some sacred duty and power. These themes occur in everything from Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain to Goodkind's Sword of Truth, following a archetypical blueprint identified and diagrammed by Joseph Campbell in the Hero With a Thousand Faces inspiring films like the original Star Wars trilogy.



Progeny, by R.T. Kaelin, is another one of these stories. Early in the book, two village youths named Nikalys and Kender, soon after watching their entire village decimated by a giant water elemental, find that they are actually adopted, have hidden powers instinctively available to them, and must hide from an evil Wizard who wishes that they didn't exist. Kenders (not to be confused with the Dragonlance race), is the female of the pair and can see and manipulate color-coded ribbons in the air known as "strands" producing magical effects. Nikalys, her brother realizes that he has catlike reflexes and innate martial abilities. They are both coached by a shapeshifting wild man named Broedi - a caretaker with the task of watching over these especially gifted children by the genetic parents.



The book is massive - its a large trade paperback with 662 margin-less pages. Disappointingly though, the action moves at a snail's pace. The book is sorely in need of an editor as pointless anecdotes and lackluster world-building take up many of the pages here. There is nothing quite original about this world - the races are Tolkien inspired, gods are at war, magic is outlawed, etc, etc - all things we've come across a hundred times before. I am not a victim of modern culture's pull toward instant gratification, and I enjoy a bit of travel and world-building in my fantasy, but there is barely anything original or captivating about the world Progeny inhabits - the book was reminiscent of a long and tiresome family road trip where you can predict the bickering of your relatives before it even occurs.



Much of the exposition is force fed to us in an unnatural way leading to clumsy dialogue. Additionally, magic is too often used as a substitute for more clever plot devices as the characters seem to find much more difficult and indirect lengths to magically solve their problems than was necessary. Did the evil Wizard really need to recruit his whole class of student Wizards and destroy an entire village and cross his fingers hoping he'd disposed of his targets? It came off as not quite discreet and bit of overkill. Did the the merchant-wizard-gnome actually need to use mind-control on the University's magistrate in order to use him for a teleport spell and then banish him to a permanent vacation? Much of this simply comes off silly and childish, taking away from the more serious elements of the story. If this is your first foray into fantasy you might find something new and interesting here - but really there are better books out there that tell vastly similar stories. Part of the problem with telling a story that has been told so many times before, is that you aren't likely to eclipse the great names that pioneered the genre.





Plot……….2.0/10



Characters………3.0/10



Style……….1.5/10



Overall……….2.0/10

REVIEW: The Hunter by Theresa Meyers

The Hunter by Theresa Meyers
Publishing Information: 2011 (first publishing) 2011 (current edition)
Publisher: Zebra/Kensington, Mass-Market Paperback, 335 pgs
ISBN-13: 978-1-4201-2124-7
Series: Book One of the Legend Chronicles
Reviewer: Andy
Copy: Provided by Publicist

Synopsis: (from from back of book): They're the Chosen-- Winchester, Remington and Colt -- brothers trained to hunt down supernatural beings using the latest steam-powered gadgetry. Its a hard legacy to shoulder and it's about to get a lot more dangerous… Colt Jackson has gotten his name on many a wanted poster with success in the family business: hunting supernaturals across the frontier. Lately, though, there's a sulfur stink in the wind and the Darkin population is exploding. A rift in the worlds is appearing. To close it, Cold will have to do the unthinkable and work with a sexy irresistible demon to pass arcane boundaries no human alone can cross.

When I received Teresa Meyer's The Hunter in the mail I was genuinely excited to read it. I am a sucker for a western/steam punk hybrid, and though the cowboy on the cover looked like the Marlboro Man shooting a laser beam, my first grade teacher always warned me not to judge a book by its cover. Maybe I should have taken a closer look at the cover of this one.

Little did I know, The Hunter, for all intents and purposes, is a romance novel. One of the two central lovebirds is actually a succubus that looks more like a supermodel. Lilly, is the quintessential damsel in distress or rather demon in distress. Her counterpart Colt, cleverly named after the firearm, is always nearby to catch her when she's falling or prop her up on his mechanical horse. The fact that there are still women out there that go for this sort of thing in this day and age baffles me to no end. Not to mention, Lilly, obviously embodying the deepest fantasies of every young lady, can instantly and magically change her outfit on command, making her some sort of demon fashion designer from the abyss.

And Colt always notices Lily's outfit. In fact, Lily's outfits are so appealing to Colt he often stops the action so the two can make out. And Lilly's kisses should not be underestimated. Lilly's kisses can open doors that have been magically locked in abandoned mines. In one scene, Lilly even pouts when Colt does not pay attention to her long enough (she's an excellent role model for young women everywhere) While all this occurs, the male hero Colt is perpetually excited (we know this because of the constant references to the bulge in his pants). Colt must not have read the warning on his package of Cialis, because when you get a priapism you are supposed to call a doctor immediately.

Of course, I joke because I'm clearly not the intended audience for this book. Even excluding all the romantic elements, the book is full of cliches. The plot involves finding pieces of a magic book stashed away that contains instructions on how to stop the impending bad guy apocalypse. Yes - dire circumstances, indeed. But not so dire that the characters can't stop to make out. Yet. for all the tedious superficiality here, Meyers is not an altogether untalented writer. She has the ability to craft a sentence - if she could only tell a more worthwhile story.


Plot……….2.0/10

Characters………0.5/10

Style……….3.5/10

Overall……….2.5/10

Battleship Trailer

If you love the board game, will you love the movie?

NPR's Best Science Fiction Fantasy Ever Written

NPR has decided to compile a list of the greatest Science Fiction and Fantasy novels of all time. So far, they've whittled it down to 100 nominees and are asking listeners to cast votes on 10 for the title of the Greatest Science Fiction and Fantasy of all time. Finally, the Speculative genre gets some recognition from America's public news source.

You can cast your vote here.

REVIEW: Queen of Kings by Maria Dahvana Headley

Queen of Kings by Maria Dahvana Headley
Paperback: 448 pages
Publisher: Bantam Press (21 July 2011)
ISBN-10: 0593067045
ISBN-13: 978-0593067048
Copy: Bought in bookshop
Reviewer: Cara

From the back of the book:
Once there was a queen of Egypt... a queen who became through magic something else...
In 30BC, as Octavian Caesar and his legions marched into Alexandria, Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, learned that her beloved Mark Anthony had taken his own life. Desperate to save her kingdom, her husband and all she held dear, Cleopatra turned to the gods for help. She summoned Sekhmet, goddess of death and destruction, and struck a mortal bargain. And not even the wisest scholar could have foretold what would follow...
For saving Anthony's soul, Sekhmet demands something in return: Cleopatra herself. Transformed into a shape-shifting, not-quite-human manifestation of a deity who seeks to destroy the world, Cleopatra follows Octavian back to Rome. She desires revenge, she yearns for her children... and she craves human blood.
In Queen of Kings, meticulously researched historical fiction and the darkest of fantasy collide in this spectacular reimagining of a story we thought we knew so well.

I have always been fascinated by the legend of Cleopatra, so when I read about Maria Dahvana Headley's novel, I knew it would find it's way to my reading pile soon after publication. It is clear from the blurb that this is an alternative history to the one we are familiar with. Cleopatra does not disappear into the pages of history after the death of Mark Anthony and Egypt's defeat by Rome, but instead does a deal with the goddess Sekhmet, exchanging her soul for revenge. The love story of Cleopatra and Mark Anthony continues on after both their deaths and is a central feature of the narrative; indeed theirs is not a romance, more of an obsession. And like all obsessions, it is ultimately destructive. Much of the book is written from Cleopatra's point of view and through this we see how she justifies her actions to herself while she deteriorates into a kind of madness.

There is a lot of destruction, for vengeance Cleopatra-style is on a very large scale, incorporating both the Egyptian and Greco-Roman pantheons alongside some very dark magic. It is this aspect I particularly enjoyed as the various gods and goddesses involved ultimately had their own agendas, with Cleopatra and others being mere pawns in their power plays. To counter Cleopatra's magic, Octavian recruits his own magicians from the corners of the empire. This adds to the fantastical nature of the story as each witch or sorcerer has their own back story, and all three are intriguing characters in their own right. I found the different points of view gave a variety of perspectives along with insights into the motives of the magicians.

Much has been made of the vampire nature of Queen of Kings, possibly to catch the post-Twilight generation. Personally I didn't see this book as being part of the current vampire trend, mainly because the only similarity was that the goddess Sekhmet needed blood (and a lot of it!) to sustain her within Cleopatra's body. This was secondary to the magical elements. A major feature was the political situation within the Roman Empire. Octavian was strengthening his power base after the assassination of Julius Caesar and the conquest of Egypt was central to this, hence his desire to destroy Cleopatra.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed Queen of Kings and found it a gripping and exciting read. While possibly aimed at the older end of the young adult market (or a predominantly female readership), the horror element was certainly present but without the overly-gory, visceral descriptions that I personally find off-putting. The characters were well drawn, with their respective motivations made clear through the various points of view. The magic took a variety of forms; from the wind magic of Usem to the weaving of fates by Audr and the blood magic of Chrysate, Maria Dahvana Headley showed a lot of imagination in her writing. The final denouement, when all the strands finally came together was, in parts, breathtaking. It was worth the wait, as I found the middle of the book dragged a little. Despite this, the characters shone through. Octavian's paranoia and Cleopatra's obsession were balanced by Agrippa's sceptical stoicism and Nicolaus' cowardice.

The blend of historical fiction with dark fantasy was very well done in my view, and made the reading experience a worthwhile one - I felt I had actually learned something of how Rome moved from a republic to an empire.

Plot: 7.5
Characters: 8
Style: 7.5

Overall rating 7.5/10

INTERVIEW: Mark Lawrence

Speculative Book Review is proud and fortunate to have the opportunity to interview one of this year's up and coming debut authors. Mark Lawrence is the author to one of this week's latest fantasy novels releases and one of this year's most anticipated books, Prince of Thorns.

Speculative Book Review- Since this is your debut novel, I would like you to take a moment and let everyone know a little more about you, can you give our readers a quick introduction?

Mark Lawrence- Sure, I’m a research scientist in my 40’s. My mother read me Lord of the Rings when I was seven, and I’ve been hooked ever since. About ten years ago I moved to the States and creative outlets (mainly RPGs) dried up due to lack of time and opportunity, so I started writing short stories and sharing them on online groups. I got a taste for it and wrote ‘Prince of Thorns’ in many little pieces in the dead of night.


SBR- Why should The Prince of Thorns be the next book everyone reads?

ML- Will my publisher kill me if I say I don’t have a good reason? Nine times out of ten the reason I read a book is because a friend said it was good. The remainder usually fall to snap decisions in airports, or classics that I feel I should read and normally end up enjoying despite the fact that technically it’s education. Maybe they should read ‘Prince of Thorns’ because you like it and they trust your judgment?


SB- Your novel has a lot of death and combat, what research, if any, did you do in order to write those events?

ML-I watched a lot of fantasy films (most of them terrible, truth be told) and read a lot of fantasy books. Does that count as research? I also have a talent for collecting random bits of knowledge and find it comes in handy when writing.


SBR- Who did you base the character Jorg on? He seems to be a cross between Machiavelli and Alexander the Great.

ML- The original and broad inspiration was ‘Alex’ from Burgess’ ‘A Clockwork Orange’. I wanted to write about someone violent and destructive who appeared to have no redeeming features save a charisma sufficiently compelling to keep the reader turning pages until the story took hold.


SBR- Which character in the Prince of Thorns was the most difficult/easiest to write?

ML- I don’t recall agonizing over any of it. I guess I just started typing and let it happen. When you have an intriguing character and set them loose on the page, I find they gather story to them and it’s a case of following where they lead. At the time I was writing Prince of Thorns real life was the difficult side of things, and writing an escape.


SBR- Which character from the Prince of Thorns do you identify with the most?

ML- Different parts of me identify with different characters, none of them are close to being a copy of me. Maybe Lundist and Makin. I may occasionally imagine acting like Jorg, but I’ve an overactive imagination. I’m the sort to freeze in the headlights in a real crisis rather than slice my way to the most efficient solution without care for the cost.


SBR- What is the most satisfying aspect to writing?

ML- For me it’s knowing I nailed a scene, knowing it will matter to somebody. If I read it back and it affects me, then I generally know that sooner or later somebody is going to tell me that it really got to them. And I love that. Knowing I captured something timeless on the page. That sounds too grandiose. I’m not writing the stuff of ages here, it’s just a fun tale of swords and sorcery, but I like treading on the edge of what great writers must feel and getting my tiny thrill of it.


SBR- Prince of Thorns is your debut novel and the first in the Broken Empire trilogy, can you give a peek at what to expect in the sequels?

ML- I wrote Prince of Thorns as a stand-alone novel and I hope it can be enjoyed that way. What you won’t get in the sequels is more of the same. Prince of Thorns is a discovery, Jorg turns fourteen and catches up with his past. What comes next is about the future, about Jorg the man rather than Jorg the boy.

SBR- In your novel, Prince of Thorns, it seems as none of your characters are safe, a lot of my favorites came to a violent end, how do you decide who lives and dies in your series?

ML- I’m not a planner – I start each chapter with no real idea where it’s heading and just start typing. Characters who wander too near to the edge of cliffs … fall off.


SBR- What authors/works have most influenced you and what type of influence (e.g. good/awful) were they?

ML- I had a long break from fantasy and only really got back into it when I picked up ‘A Game of Thrones’ by George RR Martin. He opened my eyes to how good fantasy could be, how well it could be written. Recently I’ve been reading more fantasy but my time is very limited, I have a job, writing, and a disabled little girl to look after. The books I’ve enjoyed recently have been by Martin, Hobbs, and Peter Brett. I expect I’m more influenced by modern classics though.


SBR- What are you currently reading and what is in your to-read pile?

ML- Currently I’m reading ‘The Bad Mother’s Handbook’ by Kate Long. I knew her at University. My to-read pile is huge and contains all manner of fantasy authors whose works I should try, not least because people keep saying I write like one or other of them. Top of the pile are Joe Abercrombie, Patrick Rothfuss, and Brent Weeks.


SBR- Aside from your own novel, Prince of Thorns, what series/standalone should people be reading?

ML- Well George Martin and Robin Hobbs hardly need my support, so I’ll say ‘The Emperor’s Knife’ by Mazarkis Williams, coming out this autumn, the first of a trilogy but entirely satisfying as a stand-alone.

imeSBR- Anything you would like to add or perhaps shamelessly plug?

ML- I’m certainly shameless, but I have nothing else to plug.

I guess I’d like to add that the fact ‘Prince of Thorns’ has been so well received thus far and going to be published has come as a great surprise to me, exceeding all my expectations. If it were all to go away tomorrow, I would still count myself immensely lucky to have put a book on the shelves and to have been part of the story.

Speculative Book Review would like to thank Mark Lawrence for taking the time out of his busy schedule to sit down and answer our questions. Prince of Thorns comes out today in the US and 4 August in the UK.

REVIEW: Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence

Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence
Publishing Information: Hardback; 336 pages (373 pages in ARC)
Publisher: Voyager; 4 August 2011
ISBN 10: 0441020321
ISBN 13: 978-0007423293
Series: Book one of The Broken Empire
Copy Provided by publisher
Reviewers Tyson and Yagiz

Synopsis: "The thorns taught him a lesson in blood...

Before the thorns taught me their sharp lessons and bled weakness from me I had but one brother, and I loved him well. But those days are gone and what is left of them lies in my mother's tomb. Now I have many brothers, quick with knife and sword, and as evil as you please. We ride this broken empire and loot its corpse. They say these are violent times, the end of days when the dead roam and monsters haunt the night. All that's true enough, but there's something worse out there, in the dark. Much worse."

Once a privileged royal child, raised by a loving mother, Jorg Ancrath has become the Prince of Thorns, a charming, immoral boy leading a grim band of outlaws in a series of raids and atrocities. The world is in chaos: violence is rife, nightmares everywhere. Jorg's bleak past has set him beyond fear of any man, living or dead, but there is still one thing that puts a chill in him. Returning to his father's castle Jorg must confront horrors from his childhood and carve himself a future with all hands turned against him."

TYSON

Prince of Thorns first grabbed my attention when I saw the cover. A hooded warrior amid a battlefield strewn with the recent dead. While we have seen a lot of our mysteriously hooded figures, this one really drew me in. Then I read what the book was about and I had a really good feeling that I was going to enjoy whatever was contained within the pages of the novel.

Prince of Thorns does its best to tell two stories. One that progresses the story and the other tells us how our hero came to be. Jorg, our protagonist has not had an easy life. It starts out with all the pleasantries of one noble born, but quickly veers to a life of death and mayhem. Jorg's most formative years should have been spent under the expert tutelage of the king but instead he has gone seeking revenge and has learned from the worst of mankind. He is ruthless and will use anyone to further his personal goals. He is not a warrior, but a killer. He is not above sacrificing his own men if it means a quick means to his aspirations. I found myself really liking Jorg even when he was at his most terrifying. The way his mind works was both entertaining and impressive. I could imagine how his own men, who towered over him, would stay on their toes lest they became the next corpse. The fact that some of his men stood at seven feet tall and never turned their back on him, for fear he would take their head spoke volumes.

A few other characters were also very interesting. Rike and Makin. Rike was is described as a massive killing machine with little or no morals. I saw him as a juggernaut and it was interesting to see how he interacted with Jorg throughout the book. Makin was another character that I liked. He was the white knight that had screwed up and was doing his best to guide Jorg and make up for his past errors. To a certain degree they exemplified the two sides of Jorg's personality and they also complimented him very well. There is a large cast of characters that are apart of Jorg's group known as the Brotherhood and many of them stand out. Since it starts out as a large group many of them go unnamed and it was one of my minor complaints. Lawrence has a lot of death in the pages of Prince of Thorns and they take place on both sides of the battles. Many of the brotherhood die and it doesn't really impact the story simply because they are a name or empty suit and nothing else. We only learn their names when they fall in battle. Of course Lawrence does manage to kill off a many of the secondary characters as well. No one is truly safe in Prince of Thorns but many of the early deaths do not mean much as they were never introduced in the first place, which loses its dramatic impact.

The world building is interesting. We never understand just where in time the story takes place. Many famous books and authors are mentioned (IE: Shakespeare, Plato, etc.) and we are told the roads were built by the Romans long ago. We are also told of a great battle that wiped out the mighty nations that once were. While I do not want to spoil the big surprise that comes along the towards the end of the book we do learn more about when the book takes place, but we are still not told specifics, which I thought was a major plus. The majority of the novel has little to no magic. However, towards the second half of the novel it becomes more prevalent and it was a nice change of pace. While I was perfectly fine with there being very little magic in the beginning; however, when the magic does comes out, it is done very well and only adds to the story as it unfolds.

Prince of Thorns really flows. The chapters are rather short and there is not much time for the action to take a breather. There is plenty of hack and slash within its pages, but at the heart of it is Jorg's personal quest to reunite the empire to its former glory and he does not care how he does it or who he must crush under his heels to attain it.

Prince of Thorns is not what I consider a very gritty book, but it certainly is bloody. While there is a lot of death contained within its pages that is just the surface there is a lot going on behind the scenes which is what really drove the story. Jorg has a plan and it is great fun to see how it unfolds. The problem that I have with the novel is that its sequels are not available. The Prince of Thorns is a bloody good time and I plan to stay with it as the series continues. It is sure to be one, if not the, best fantasy debuts I read all year. Lawrence's Prince of Thorns reminds me of Joe Abercrombie, the character'smorals are ambiguous and never safe from their demise. Highly recommended.

Plot: 8
Characters:  10
Style 9

Overall 9.5/10

YAGIZ

Just like Tyson, I came across Prince of Thorns when I first saw its cover on one of the SFFWorld.com forums. I cannot remember where I read it but a study has shown that hooded figures are the most commonly used design elements in fantasy cover arts and Mark Lawrence's Prince of Thorns is no exception. However, this doesn't mean that its cover didn't have a good first impression on me. I clearly remember that I really liked the way that the young warrior stood in the middle of a battle field. In his stance, I felt an air of owning the battle field or being responsible for the atrocities. Maybe, with the help of the book's name, I thought he had the coldness of Damien Thorn of The Omen (Richard Donner's 1976 horror film).

The author, Mark Lawrence, uses first person narrative in his debut novel Prince of Thorns. His story unfolds through the eyes of Prince Honorous Jorg Ancrath, son of King Olidan of the House of Ancrath. Given his status, Jorg probably never knew childish innocence but what he experienced during his childhood changed him forever and made of him a ruthless and remorseless teenager. As the protagonist, the author paints an interesting picture of Jorg's character that easily captivates the reader. Lawrence's style is easy to read and he balances the darkness of the story well with the special humour of some of the characters.

"Tell me, tutor, is revenge a science, or an art?"

Jorg's is not the only interesting character in the book. The Prince is surrounded by the members of his brotherhood and the involvement of some of them in the story is important enough to let the reader appreciate their diverse personalities. I especially liked the beginning of each chapter that starts with a brief explanation of who one of the brothers is.

The setting was the first thing that I wasn't completely satisfied with. It felt like medieval Europe and the main religion felt like Christianity however the author hinted at slight differences. Even though its name isn't mentioned explicitly, mentions of "Jesu", "Lord", "Almighty", "Forgive me father" and various Christian concepts such as the confession and the pope leave no doubt that the religion in question is Christianity. All these nameless hints and implicit assumptions left a bitter taste for me. I love historical fantasy that borrows its setting from real history, I love parallel settings à la G. G. Kay but I don't like these settings that the author never fully reveals and the reader can't really grasp. Hearing the names of Aristotle and Plato wasn't much of a surprise. Nor the names of places such as Persia, Indus and Roma. However mentioning the 19th century German philosopher Nietzsche totally confused me. And were there hints of modern science? Even more confusing!

The second thing that kept me off balance was the age of Prince Jorg. In most of the book, he acts much more mature than his 13-14 years. So I decided to forget about it and consider him as "just a teenager" without really thinking how young he really is. Then he became a memorable character displaying great humour and sarcasm.

"A knife is a scary thing right enough, held to your throat, sharp and cool. The fire too, and the rack. And an old ghost on the Lichway. All of the might give you pause. Until you realize what they are. They're just ways to lose the game."

The author synchronizes well the chapters dealing with flashbacks and the chapters telling the story at present time. Flashbacks give enough background information to fill in some gaps and to answer some of the questions in the readers mind, finally to arouse more curiosity.

"There's a door to death, a veil between the worlds, and we push through when we die. But on the Day of a Thousands Suns so many people had to push through at once, they broke the door. The veils are thin now. It just takes a whisper and the right promise, and you can call the dead back"

Despite a few things that kept my mind preoccupied, I really enjoyed Mark Lawrence's Prince of Thorns, especially after the point when Prince Jorg travels to Mount Honas. That's when the story becomes more interesting with stronger fantasy elements, which are almost too subtle until then. Throughout the book, there are some nagging questions on the reader's mind: "Who is he really? Who's behind this boy? What is the true source of evil, the source of the poison in Jorg's heart?" Lawrence's Prince of Thorns tells an unusual story because it is black, it is desperate, it is tortured, twisted and hopeless. This is a very strong debut novel, which will leave you looking forward to the next installment.

Plot: 8
Characters: 9
Style: 8

Overall 8.5/10

Memorable Quotes

"Hold a thing long enough, a secret, a desire, maybe a lie and it will shape you" - Jorg

"I could go with you Lady. I could take what you offer. But who would I be then? Who would I be if I let go the wrong that have shaped me?" - Jorg

"War my friends, is a thing of beauty. Those who says otherwise are losing" - Jorg

"You got responsibilities when you're a leader. You got a responsibility not to kill too many of your men. Or who're you going to lead?" - Jorg

***Stay tuned tomorrow for an interview with Mark Lawrence the author of Prince of Thorns.