REVIEW: The Green Mile by Stephen King

The Green Mile by Stephen King
Publishing information: Paperback
Publisher: Gollancz; 21 August 2008
ISBN 10: 0575084340
ISBN 13: 978-0575084346
Series: N/A; Standalone
Copy: Out of Pocket
Reviewer: Kathryn

Blurb: “The Green Mile: Those who walk it do not return, because at the end of that walk is the room in which sits Cold Mountain Penitentiary's electric chair. In 1932 the newest resident on death row is John Coffey, a giant of a black man convicted of the brutal murder of two little girls. But nothing is as it seems with John Coffey, and around him unfolds a bizarre and horrifying story.

Evil murderer or holy innocent – whichever he is – Coffey has strange powers which may yet offer salvation to others, even if they can do nothing to save him.”

Like many people, I'd seen the adaptation of The Green Mile with Tom Hanks, and I really enjoyed it. It was touching, it was beautifully shot, and it was a very well-made film. It's often the case with adaptations that the film loses sight of the book and changes too many things, but thankfully The Green Mile is not one of those, as I was about to find out.

Written as a serialised novel, The Green Mile is made up of six parts and they tell the story of the Green Mile and a few of its residents, but also of its wardens and their families. Our narrator for this journey is Paul Edgecombe, the supervisor of E Block which also known as “The Green Mile” due to the colouring of the linoleum floor. We are shown these events through what is effectively Paul's autobiography, written in 1996 in a nursing home, and this gives us two different points of view. Both viewpoints guide us through John Coffey's last months on the Green Mile, occasionally referring to past events for details and character development, and how the strange, near-silent giant affects everyone's lives.

The Green Mile is best described as a thriller with some supernatural events. As is perhaps typical for King, he brings Christianity into the mix and, unlike Carrie where it is used by Carrie's mother as a tool of destruction, in this book King uses the religion as a way of understanding and it also shapes the actions of the guards. Again being typical for his writing style, King creates very interesting and life-like characters that contrast each other, and he looks at them and portrays them in a way that few do. The emphasis on religion also helps bring another level of meaning to the fates of the characters, regardless of their morality.

In terms of King's writing, this is him at his best. Paul never feels as if he's an artificial construct, instead the prose feels natural, and King peppers it with terms and phrases that lend it an air of authenticity. Paul talks in a way we wouldn't today, but he's still understandable. The Green Mile is little different from King's previous works in that it is quite gruesome at times, especially when Ol' Sparky is involved, and there is a fair amount of foul language and some rather sinister thoughts are talked about by some of the cast. As this is a collection of shorter pieces, there is some overlap between some chapters as the final paragraphs of one part will often begin one of the first chapters in the following part, which can disrupt the flow of the book a little if you read it in a short period of time. I also felt that at times some of the minor characters were hard to distinguish between, especially the “floaters”, a group of wardens who were not permanently stationed in Block E.

In closing, I'm full of praise for this book. This is Stephen King at his very best. It grips you, it makes you want to read on to find out more about John Coffey, and the serialised nature makes it very easy to read and allows the plot to flow beautifully. The characters are brilliant and mostly well defined, and you will care about many of them. An excellent read, and highly recommended.

Plot 9/10
Characters 8/10
Style 8/10

Overall 8.5/10

REVIEW: The Grave Thief, by Tom Lloyd

The Grave Thief, by Tom Lloyd
Format: Paperback, 490 pages
Publisher: Pyr, ©2009
ISBN: 978-1-59102-780-5
Series: The Twilight Reign - Book 3
Copy: out of pocket
Reviewer: PeterWilliam

Back of book: FOR ISAK, THE TIME FOR HEARTLESS DECISIONS AND RUTHLESS ACTION HAS COME IF HE IS TO SAVE THE LAND FROM ITS OPPRESSORS...

Scree has been wiped from the face of the Land in a brutal demonstration of intent. While those responsible scatter to work on the next step in their plan, the stakes are raised - all the way to the heavens - as the Gods themselves enter the fray. Returning home to a nation divided by fantaicism, Lord Isak is haunted both by the consequences of his actions in Scree and by visions of his own impending death. As the full extent of Azaer's schemes becomes clearer, he realizes prophecy and zealotry must play their part in his battle plans if there is to be any chance of surviving the coming years. As a white-eye, Isak has had to embrace the darker parts of his own soul, but now the savage religious fervor sweeping his nation must also be accepted and turned to purpose, in the name of survival. With the battle lines vague and allegiances uncertain, the time for heartless decisions and ruthless action has come. Two figures oppose Isak and his allies: the greatest warrior in history, who dreams of empire and Godhood, and a newborn baby whose dreams have no limit.

In this third installment to The Twilight Reign series, Lloyd has hit full stride. Each major element of his story crafting has distinctly tightened up.

Previously, the cavalier approach to dialogue and/or character interaction kept the reader at arm's length when reading through more dramatic stretches of story. It did not 'read' consistently with the rest of the tale. The Grave Thief is more adept at drawing the reader into the dramatic, with credibility, than the previous two books were. Otherwise, Lloyd's style remains the same - which is more than adequate.

While there are no new characters of note, the characters within the story each take on a level of gravity, or relevance, not previously possessed. To be sure, principle characters to the story have not diminished in their relevance, but the more peripheral characters have each noticably developed significant depth and relevance to the story on the whole.

Following the collapse of the city of Scree, in The Twilight Herald, all contending factions are drawn to the twists of fate in the Circle City. A city of merchants and commerce, it is, largely, devoid of the militant strength to defend itself in the face of the moves and counter moves of the Vukotic family, Lord Styrax of the Menin nation, the shadow - Azaer, King Emin's Brotherhood, the Farlan nation - led by Lord Isak - and the gods themselves.

While The Grave Thief does not answer as many questions as hoped for, it certainly did induce a great deal of anticipation regarding the next book in the series (thankfully, it came out 2 days after completing the read of this one). To say that The Grave Thief ended on a cliff hanger would be an extreme understatement. As a recommendation, I would suggest having book four - The Ragged Man - on hand prior to finishing The Grave Thief.

In summary, Lloyd and his series continue to improve on a good thing with each successive installment.

Characters - 10
Plot - 10
Style - 8

Overall: 9.5/10

REVIEW: Century of the Soldier by Paul Kearney

Century of the Soldier by Paul Kearney

Paperback: 814 pages
Publisher: Solaris - 2 Sep 2010 (UK)
ISBN-10: 1907519084
ISBN-13: 978-1907519086
Copy: Reading Copy sent by the publisher
Reviewer: Yagiz

The time of the wolf is at hand...

Struck down in his moment of victory, Hebrion's young King Abeleyn lies in a coma, his city in ruins and his fiancée and former lover vying for the throne.

Corfe Cear-Inaf, now a colonel, is given a ragtag command of ill-equipped savages and sent on a hopeless mission by a jealous King who expects him to fail.

Richard Hawkwood and Lord Murad return bearing news of horror on a savage new continent, with something terrible lurking in the hold.

The Church is tearing itself apart, even as the champions of truth fight to bring peace between Ramusian and Merduk; but in the far West, a terrible new threat is rearing its head...

The Century of the Soldier collects the final three books in Paul Kearney's explosive The Monarchies of God series, revised and expanded for this edition: The Iron Wars, The Second Empire and Ships From The West.

It felt great to go back to The Monarchies of God. I loved the first volume called Hawkwood and the Kings and I was really looking forward to this volume containing the last three books of the series.

"If I break faith with you then may the seas rise up and drown me, may the green hills open up and swallow me, may the stars of heaven fall on me and crush me out of life for ever" - The ancient oath of the mountain tribes

The book starts with a short recap section called "The Story So Far". Even though the two volumes are not published much apart, it's good to have such a section at the beginning. It can even be useful for future re-reads. The prologue that comes after is rather poignant and with the first chapter the reader gets introduced to a new character: Princess Isolla. Her character develops and promises good things for the rest of the book while King Abeleyn lies in a coma.

"A warrior's end for the last of the warrior kings. When you are gone, all the little men will come out from under the stones" - Golophin

The first book concentrates mainly on Corfe and his men-at-arms. We also read about the monks Albrec and Avila as the importance of their overall role starts to become more obvious. At the same time the court of Abrusio in Hebrion becomes the scene of intrigues during the unexplained absence of the King. The arrival of Princess Isolla, the sister of King Mark, adds a great twist to the story. The lovers of court intrigue and war scenes and manoeuvres will be delighted with this third book of the series.

"Soldiers die - that is what they do. They do not expect to fall, and so they keep going. But in the end that is what happens. Men who have no hope of life, they either cease to fight, or they fight like heroes. No-one knows why, it is the way of things."

While the third book talks only about the Old World, the forth book takes us back to the New World. It starts with Hawkwood and his companions.

An old prophecy from and old church man: "And the beast shall come upon the earth in the days of the Second Empire of the world. And he shall rise up out of the west, the light in his eyes terrible to behold. With him shall come the Age of the Wolf, when brother will slay brother. And all men shall fall down and worship him."

This forth book is probably my favourite in the series. Its end is so strong that my heart was stuck at my throat the way that I thought only Guy Gavriel Kay could do.

"When men have faith in themselves, Father, they do not need to have faith in anything else."

The first four books cover the events happening during a year. Whereas the fifth book's prologue jumps 9 years ahead. The prologue is followed by another jump in time, 6 years this time, with the start of the first chapter. Therefore the reader is carried 15 years in the future in the last book of The Monarchies of God. The concluding book of the series is different than the rest. It has a different tone.

A quick note about the extended sections: Because this is my first time reading the series, I couldn't compare the first publication with this one.

Throughout the series, especially towards the end, in various sections, I expected Kearney to write more but he knows how to get to the point and follow the main plot without stretching the sub-plot endlessly. I appreciated this side of his style.

One of the colourful things of The Monarchies of God is the secondary characters that are torn between good and evil, duty and moral, moral obligations and social pressure such as Aras and Betanza. Kearney's characters are extremely well worked out but even in these secondary characters he does a great job. Their dilemmas keep the reader on the edge.

One of the major differences between Kearney's characters and those of other authors of great epic fantasy stories such as Steven Erikson and Joe Abercrombie, is that Kearney's characters feel real. Reading Erikson or Abercrombie, I can find dozens of memorable quotes throughout the book, because their characters are wise in their own way. These great quotes lift the reader's spirit and create an aura around the character whom the reader attaches herself to. However Kearney's characters don't have that extra layer. They are just men and women like us, pushed to the front by the twists of fate or made heroes for some and cursed by others.

The second omnibus containing the last three books of The Monarchies of God delivers what was hoped after a great first volume and satisfies the expectations raised very high. Every page of this great series was an extreme pleasure to read and it was hard to turn the last page over memorable characters who are going to stay with me for the days to come. If you like epic fantasy such as G. R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire or Steven Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen, do yourselves a favour and read The Monarchies of God.

Characterization: 10
Style: 9
Plot: 10

Overall Rating: 9.5/10

REVIEW: Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire

Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: DAW (5 Nov 2009)
ISBN-10: 0756405718
ISBN-13: 978-0756405717
Reviewer: Cara
Copy: Bought online

From the back of the book:
The world of Faerie never disappeared: it merely went into hiding, continuing to exist parallel to our own. Secrecy is the key to Faerie’s survival – but no secret can be kept forever, and when the fae and mortal worlds collide, changelings are born. Half-human, half-fae, outsiders from birth, these second-class children of Faerie spend their lives fighting for the respect of their immortal relations. Or, in the case of October “Toby” Daye, rejecting it completely. After getting burned by both sides of her heritage, Toby has denied the fae world, retreating into a “normal” life. Unfortunately for her, Faerie has other ideas.

The murder of Countess Evening Winterrose, one of the secret regents of the San Francisco Bay Area, pulls Toby back into the fae world. Unable to resist Evening’s dying curse, which binds her to investigate, Toby is forced to resume her old position as knight errant to the Duke of Shadowed Hills and begin renewing old alliances that may prove her only hope of solving the mystery… before the curse catches up with her.

Rosemary and Rue is the first in a promising new Urban Fantasy series from Seanan McGuire, newly announced winner of the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer (Hugo Awards, 2010). Instead of the usual vampire or werewolf type novels in this sub-genre, this features the world of Faerie which exists parallel with our own world. As I love anything related to the Sidhe and similar Celtic mythology I was immediately attracted to this book. Knowing, from the cover blurb, that it was also a murder-mystery increased it’s appeal.

October “Toby” Daye is a half-human, half-Daoine Sidhe changeling. Looked down upon as a half-breed by the Sidhe and obliged to hide her Faerie features from humans, Toby has some issues with her identity. Events some 14 years prior to the main storyline (told in the Prologue) have led her to reject her Faerie heritage and hide away in the human world of San Francisco, living a lonely nocturnal existence as a supermarket. The brutal murder of the Countess Evening Winterrose of Goldengreen pulls Toby back into Faerie as she is bound by a powerful spell to investigate her friend’s death. This forces Toby to renew her alliances in the world of Faerie and resume her former career as a private investigator, something she had hoped to avoid.

From the outset we are thrust into the hidden world of Faerie and Seanan McGuire has created a detailed society, complete with its own traditions and culture which draws heavily from existing Celtic mythology. There are varying ‘races’ in Faerie, the Daoine Sidhe being the aristocracy and rule fiefdoms within San Francisco from their ‘knowes’, under the overall control of the Queen. We also encounter Cait Sidhe (cat shapeshifters), Undines (water spirits), Selkies and Kitsune, amongst others. The worldbuilding is excellent and, for me, enhanced the murder-mystery plot, giving it a additional dimension.

Toby’s investigation into the murder of Evening Winterrose was very well done – I didn’t guess who was behind the killing at all, though with hindsight there were several clues along the way. It served as an excellent introduction to several characters who I suspect will feature heavily in future novels in this series. Toby is a liege of the Duke of Shadowed Hills, Sylvester Torquill and his wife, Luna, is an endearing and sympathetic character. Their daughter, Rayseline is married to Connor, a Selkie who has some possible romantic history with Toby. My favourite of all is Tybalt, King of the Cait Sidhe, whose disdain for Toby is very apparent, yet he also seems to care for her wellbeing. Although only a minor role in Rosemary and Rue, my guess is that we will see a lot more of Tybalt in future novels.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed reading Rosemary and Rue and Toby is a strong, yet troubled lead. The quality of writing and style is better than many current urban fantasy offerings and Seanan McGuire shows much promise as a writer to watch, this view being supported by her recently receiving the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer (Hugo Awards, 2010) As the first in a series, much of the book was setting the scene and providing us with basic history of the various characters and locations as well as introducing us to the hidden world of Faerie, it’s culture and mythology. I have now ordered the next two October Daye books and look forward to reading more of her adventures and exploring the world of Faerie further.

Plot: 7
Characters: 8
Style: 8

Rating: 8/10

REVIEW: Hawkwood and the Kings by Paul Kearney

Hawkwood and the Kings by Paul Kearney

Paperback: 704 pages
Publisher: Solaris (5 Aug 2010)
ISBN-10: 1906735700
ISBN-13: 978-1906735708
Copy: Reading Copy sent by the publisher
Reviewer: Yagiz

The western world is burning...

For Richard Hawkwood and his crew, a desperate venture to carry refugees to the uncharted land across the Great Western Ocean offers the only chance of escape from the Inceptines' pyres.

In the East, Lofantyr, Abeleyn and Mark - three of the five Ramusian Kings - have defied the cruel pontiff's purge and must fight to hold their thrones through excommunication, intrigue and civil war.

In the quiet monastery city of Charibon, two humble monks make a discovery that will change the whole world.

Aekir, the Holy City, has fallen and all now seems lost, but even on the eve of destruction the Faithful still war amongst themselves...

If I had to write one thing about Paul Kearney's Hawkwood and the Kings, it would be "Simply the best fantasy series I've read in years and years". Then, I would be quoting Steven Erikson, the author of the brilliant Malazan Book of the Fallen series. That alone would be enough for some, including me, to give this book a chance.

At the start of the book, its prologue promises a fast-paced story: A bunch of fishermen find a ship wreck on the rocks. Even though most believe that a ship from west is bad omen, some of them are brave enough to climb on board for the riches that it potentially carries. They find the ship devoid of life and all crew slaughtered, just before falling victim to something lurking in the dark corners of the hull. The events of the story take place 129 years after the events of the prologue.

The setting of the book is similar to the 15th century Eurasia. The west is a multi-cultural group of kingdoms following the religion founded by Ramusio who is a Jesus-like figure and who lived 5 centuries ago. Church is very powerful and its heart beats at Charibon, which is an autonomous city-state and it is governed by the elders of the Church. Their head is the High Pontiff.

The main story starts with the fall of Aekir, the Holy City on the eastern frontier and seat of the High Pontiff Macrobius who falls with it. This gives a multitudes of opportunities for power hungry Prelates to do a deadly dance around the vacant Pontiffship seat. The craziest of them all is Prelate Himerius who is in search of more authority by becoming High Pontiff and who is killing heretics in Abrusio. The heretics are the unfortunate Dweomer-folk, the people who are touched by or who can wield magic.

"...so they will have to elect a new High Pontiff, a man who shows by his actions that he is not afraid to incur the ill-will of kings in the struggle to fulfill God's plans, a man who has the good of the Kingdoms at heart, who is willing to purify them with the fire."

The western kingdoms face a big threat from the east. Merduks, people of the steppes, march west with a sizable army. Following my 15th century projection, Merduks would be portrayed like Turkic or Mongol nations. However as their religion, founded by the Prophet Ahrimuz, has a big role to play in the story, I would imagine them as Ottomans, who's best epoch was the 16th century.

And typical to this era, Kearney augmented the classic medieval fantasy setting with gun powder, cannons and arquebuses.

"There, that was what power looked like. It was a gleam of iron on the barrel of a cannon; the glitter of steel at the head of a lance. It was the oak of a warship's hull. These things were not the trappings, but the essence of power, and those who thought themselves in positions of authority often forgot that, to their lasting regret. Power in this day and age was in the muzzle of a gun."

One of the highlights of this series and one of the aspects that make it truly great is its multiple story lines with various points of views. I'm certain each reader will have their favorite thread with their favorite characters however each one of them is captivating. They are well balanced and well synchronized, except probably during the second book where there is a quiet large section that contains Hawkwood's story line. It's not to say that it is not a page-turner.

The main protagonist, Richard Hawkwood is a captain therefore Kearney uses quite a lot of nautical terms. Even though I'm not really familiar with some of them, I never felt an awkwardness because the story is so captivating that it just flows smoothly.

Some of the important characters are introduced late during the story. Avila and Albrec are such characters. Even though the reader can feel that their actions will change the fate of the world, they add a humourous touch to the story.

The characters in general are very well developed. They are just people, mostly with good and bad in them. It is very easy to relate to them and to strongly feel about them.

In a very small section of the book, in the very beginning, Sibastian Leger is buying time for the refugees fleeing Aekir. At the same time, Merduk cavalry is monitoring the progress of the refugees without intervening. They are channeling them along Searil road without killing the non-combatants. 8000 Torunnans are fighting a hopeless rearguard battle against 12 times their number. This part reminded me of Erikson's Coltaine and his Chain of Dogs. I wonder if this small section of the book gave a few ideas to Steven Erikson that he used in Deadhouse Gates and House of Chains.

Last but not least, both books in this omnibus contains a well-drawn map that I had to use regularly before I got familiar with the setting.

Hawkwood and the Kings is a masterfully written book built on an exceptionally well realized setting. This first volume, containing the first two books of the series, proves that Kearney's The Monarchies of God can well be on a par with the bests such as G. R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire and Steven Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen. I cannot recommend it enough if you are a fan of Martin, Erikson or Abercrombie. You are in for a feast of breath-taking adventure.

Characterization: 10
Style: 9
Plot: 10

Overall Rating: 10/10

Memorable Quotes

"No man could truly say what he was until he had been pushed to the edge of things with the precipice of his own ruin staring up at him. Things changed that close to the brink, and people changed too. Rarely for the better." - Corfe

"Which is another reason why clerics don't merry. Women have too many demons in them! I believe all clerics have mothers. though." - Avila

"Loyalty and ambition: those two irreconcilable qualities without which a man is nothing. It is a rare individual who can balance both of them in his breast." - Queen Dowager Orelia

REVIEW: The Stormcaller, by Tom Lloyd

The Stormcaller, by Tom Lloyd
Paperback: 449 pages
Publisher: Pyr, ©2008
ISBN: 978-1-59102-693-8
Copy: Out of pocket
Reviewer: PeterWilliam

From the back of the book: In a land ruled by prophecy and the whims of Gods, a young man finds himself at the heart of a war he barely understands, wielding powers he may never be able to control.

Isak is a white-eye, born bigger, more charismatic, and more powerful than normal men...but with that power comes an unpredictable temper and an inner rage he cannot always hide. Brought up as a wagon-brat, feared and despised by those around him, he dreams of a place in the army and a chance to live his own life. But when the call comes, it isn't to be a soldier, for the Gods have other plans for the intemperate teenager: Isak has been chosen as heir-elect to the brooding Lord Bahl, the white-eye Lord of the Farlan.

The white-eyes were created by the Gods to bring order out of chaos, for their magnetic charm and formidable strength make them natural leaders of men. Lord Bahl is typical of the breed: he inspires and oppresses those around him in equal measure. He can be brusque and impatient, a difficult mentor for a boy every bit as volatile as he is.

But now is the time for revenge, and for the forging of empires. With mounting envy and malice, the men who would themselves be kings watch Isak, chosen by Gods as flawed as the humans who serve them, as he is shaped and molded to fulfill the prophecies that circle him like scavenger birds. Divine fury and mortal strife are about to spill over and paint the world with blood.

The Stormcaller is the first book in a powerful new series that combines inspired world building, epoch-shattering battles, and high emotion to dazzling effect.

Well, that's more than a mere blurb, but it does pretty much cover the main plot points. And a fine plot it is. While the info dump/assimilation quotient goes above average here, there is a Dramatis Personae at the end of the book for the reader to untangle all of the various personages walking through the storyline, as though it were a subway station. The faction tracking portion of keeping the plot straight was a bit difficult due the double-edged sword of: 1) info dump and, 2) lack of information on things that will probably be revealed in later installments. Other than the aforementioned potential snags, the plot of the story is engaging. The story elements of the setting (or world-building, whatever) have a nice mix of the imaginative and the "tried and true."

The characters really work for this tale. One could conceivably describe the characters as Eddings-esque (as a categorization, not necessarily a criticism), but it would be more fair to describe them as being withheld from unnecessary over-complication and, yet, still vibrant. Each character carries a key emotive role, for the reader, and it worked in this instance.

The tale is third-person in nature, even during several key dreamscape sequences. One gets the sense that the author was attempting to veer away from the third-person during the dreamscape sequences, but didn't completely commit to doing so.

Overall, a very fun read and debut. One which shapes and stores an expectation for the next book in the series.

Characters - 8
Plot - 9
Style - 7

Overall: 8/10

REVIEW: Shadow's Son, by Jon Sprunk

Shadow's Son, by Jon Sprunk
Paperback: 278 pages
Publisher: Pyr, ©2010
ISBN: 978-1-61614-201-8
Copy: Out of pocket
Reviewer: PeterWilliam

From the back cover: In the holy city of Othir, treachery and corruption lurk at the end of every street, just the place for a freelance assassin with no loyalties and few scruples. Caim makes his living on the edge of a blade, but when a routine job goes south, he is thrust into the middle of an insidious plot. Pitted against crooked lawmen, rival killers, and sorcery from the Other Side, his only allies are Josephine, the socialite daughter of his last target, and Kit, a guardian spirit no one else can see. In this fight for his life, Caim only trusts his knives and his instincts, but they won't be enough when his quest for justice leads him from Othir's hazardous back alleys to its shining corridors of power. To unmask a conspiracy at the heart of the empire, he must clam his birthright as the Shadow's Son...

This work was certainly a quick read, without any slow portions. It's a rather straightforward tale of an assassin, Caim, who struggles with elements of his past. Elements he clearly does not fully understand. Some such elements arrive in the present and, consequently, threaten any possibility of a future. Caim spends the majority of the tale playing catch-up to others' agendas. Agendas which have no spare room for Caim to continue consuming oxygen.

Our protagonist, while very skilled, does have another layer. He has some ethereal connection to the realm of shadows. This connection manifests on occasions where Caim is intensely afraid or angry. His lack of direct control of this connection causes some complications. When active, Caim's connection to the realm of shadows allows him to be completely unobserved - possibly even invisible. As the tale unfolds, the reader becomes aware that this connection may do more than Caim suspects.

The tale also gives us a couple of other main characters to this tale, in the form of a love interest and side-kick. Josephine, the love interest, is introduced to the reader as something of a naive, bubble-headed socialite. Events unfold abruptly which carve the innocence completely off of her. Kit, Caim's side-kick, is an ethereal being that has been with Caim since he can remember. Even Caim has no idea what Kit really is, and where she goes when she whimsically vanishes, either because of boredom or in a fit of pique. In fact, even when present, Caim is the only person capable of seeing Kit. Sprunk's characters are not overly complex, but are well rendered for their roles in the tale.

Sprunk's tale is composed, and reads, from your garden variety third-person limited omniscient perspective. Of particular note, is Sprunk's plot. While Sprunk hints and foreshadows a great deal about the realm of shadows, the nature of Caim's companion, Kit, and Caim's past, it is not done in the sort of glaring, over-the-top, super-charged fashion that is becoming increasingly common (not necessarily a "bad" thing - simply a different approach). Sprunk is very measured and deliberate with the doling out of content in his debut. Indeed, there is the sense that Sprunk will have his readers returning for further episodes (I'm reminded of Kung Fu and The Incredible Hulk - of 1970's American television) of Caim - the Shadow's Son.

While I may not have liked it as much as Tyson, I would recommend it. In summary, Shadow's Son is a fair debut effort. It does not burden the reader with massive assimilation workloads (e.g. cast of characters, innumerable political intrigues, geography, magic system) and maintains the reader's attention throughout. While the tale was, in a sense, simplistic, only the tip of the iceberg has been exposed thus far. Sprunk has a great deal of room in which to expand and elaborate on Caim, his world and his story.

Characters - 6
Plot - 7
Style - 6

Overall: 6.5/10

Review: The Escapement, by K.J. Parker

The Escapement, by K.J. Parker
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Orbit, ©2007
ISBN 10: 0-316-00340-9
ISBN 13: 978-0-316-00340-7
Copy: Out of pocket
Reviewer: PeterWilliam

From the back of the book: The engineer Ziani Vaatzes engineered a war to be reunited with his family. The deaths were regrettable, but he had no choice.

Duke Valens dragged his people into the war to save the life of one woman -- a woman whose husband he then killed. He regrets the evil he's done, but he, equally, had no choice.

Secretary Psellus never wanted to rule the Republic or fight a desperate siege for its survival. As a man of considerable intelligence, however, he knows that he has a role to play -- and little choice but to accept it.

With The Escapement, K.J. Parker brings the Engineer trilogy to a close. The climax that has built thus far, explodes (literally) before the gates of Mezentia. The result, while not necessarily expected or anticipated, is in keeping with the style Parker has set thus far. In that sense, the ending seemed symmetrical and orderly, while also being bittersweet -- probably more bitter than sweet.

The destruction brought about by love and duty is a dominating theme throughout. In that sense, each character defines their circumstances as, "having had no choice." While I found the characters' reasoning, positions and definitions unpersuasive, it remained consistent, coherent and self-contained.

Truly, there is a malaise that underlies the characters, theme and totality of the tale. I wouldn't necessarily link it to the concept of 'depressing' proper, but would attempt to pin it down as "dysthymia, secondary to PTSD."

One item that was very noticeable to me was that the cultures within the tale had a near-total absence of any spirituality. There were no priesthoods, deities or religions, which seemed rather unusual since nearly every culture among our species has something to that effect. Within the trilogy, such things are briefly addressed by stating that certain cultures (i.e. Mezentine, Vadanai) used to have such things. I don't recall where they went, but it was treated as a vestigial element of the culture that had long since fallen away.

Without interviewing the author on the matter, it isn't likely to be discovered if the temperamental, and spiritual, apathy was a part of the plot design, or if it was the subtle influence of the author's own experiences/worldview. It does make me wonder, as though I were plagued with an inexorable itch, what the person behind the K.J. Parker pseudonym is really like.

Either way, the Engineer trilogy was a wonderfully composed and executed trilogy, which has convinced me to go forth and acquire every other work by K.J. Parker that I can find. Based upon the Engineer trilogy alone, Parker deserves a larger profile than he/she (frackin' pseudonyms!) currently has.

Plot - 9
Characters - 9
Style - 9

Overall - 9

Guest Blogger: John Ottinger III

Reviewing Those “Tough” Books

By John Ottinger III

Bio: John Ottinger III’s reviews, interviews and articles have appeared in Publishers Weekly, Black Gate, Strange Horizons, Fantasy Magazine, SF Signal, Sacramento Book Review, Thaumatrope, and at Tor.com.

So for some strange reason, Pete thought I might make a good guest blogger for this blog. (I have no idea why he would think that.) Being horrible at coming up with worthwhile topics without a prompt, I asked Pete what he would like me to comment on. His response was one I get fairly often e.g. How do I deal with my own bias in reviewing a book I love/hate?

The short answer is: I don’t normally have to.

Long answer: The truth is, there rarely is a book I absolutely love or a book I absolutely hate. Strong emotion is not something I have much of in my life. I was raised a stoic and a pragmatist, and I approach my reading the same way. I love to be entertained by a book, but there are very few that leave me gushing over it. (By inference, you know that if you ever read a review in which I gush, run out and buy it, quick!)

And the same holds true for the opposite end of the spectrum. Just like I don’t salivate over most books, I also don’t generally despise them either. It takes quite a lot to get me to truly hate a book. Lazy plotting, egregious and frequent grammatical or spelling mistakes, or bland characters might turn me against a book. I have also, on occasion, but a book down because it was just not the right time. For instance, I was reading Michael Flynn’s Up Jim River once upon a time. I didn’t know at the time it was part of a series, so I had a little trouble getting into the novel. Once I knew it was part of a series, I set it aside until I can read the prequels. Additionally, I kept finding that the only time I had to read this book was late in the evening when I was very tired, and anyone who has read Flynn knows that one’s full attention is required because it is just so chock full of intelligent writing. So I put it aside and turned to something easier for a time. (I still have yet to finish that Flynn book, but I will, someday.)

But basically, I approach my reviewing with the idea that I will be entertained, that there will be some things I like and don’t like about the book, and that my goal in writing a review should be to point these out, give supporting reasons for my claims, and perhaps point out how others might like the very things I don’t or vice versa. Reading is an experiential art, and reviewing such as I do should reflect that. (Critical essays are another thing entirely, of course.)

Do I ever toss a book; leave it unfinished due to being really horrible? Rarely, and if I do, you won’t even know about it. I won’t write a review or likely mention I even read it. Because I have learned and important lesson of reviewing – time, place, and past experience all factor into the enjoyment of a book. I am a human being (though my wife sometimes disagrees) and therefore I experience the world subjectively. While I try to be objective in my reviews, the truth is that I cannot fully compartmentalize, and if I had a long day at work, trouble in my personal life, or am simply tired of reading the same old subgenre of SF, it is better I put the book aside for a time and come back to it at a more appropriate time. I have an epic fantasy right now that I started, didn’t like, but that I think I would like if I hadn’t just read five epic fantasies in a row. It’s time to take a break and read some steampunk and some space opera, and then return to the book so I can give it the fair shake it deserves in light of its unique qualities. Sure, I may still find things I don’t like, but at least I can more accurately say it was because I did my best to be objective, and not let my personal life or reader’s fatigue cloud my judgment.

I think that is what reviewers need to do whenever they read a novel they “don’t like”. You need to examine yourself carefully, your assumptions, prejudgments, personal life and possible reader’s fatigue. Are you making snap judgments because your boss yelled at you at work today? Did the baby keep you up all night so you were tired when you read the end of the novel? Were you just sick of the same old story elements time after time, and so judged a book not on its own merits but because you had bored yourself with over-reading of a particular subgenre? No matter how objective we try to be, we cannot ever do it fully.

So how do I deal with the “tougher” aspects of reviewing? I look to myself to see if these reason this book is tough to finish or review has more to do with me than it does with the book. Because honestly, publishers want books that sell, and while they may put repetitious content out, they are certainly not going to put out some book that is truly crap (except in rare cases.) If you, as a reviewer, cannot find both the good and the bad in a novel, then isn’t more likely to be your fault than the fault of the author?

=====================================================
Here at Speculative Book Review, we are interested in having, and actively encourage, guest bloggers to stop in from time to time. Grasping for the Wind is a great place to catch up on more than just books and a site I regularly follow. If you enjoy books, games, movies, comics, art and anything else that might be related to sci-fi or fantasy fiction, then you will certainly find something there to enjoy. Needless to say, John's book reviews alone are worth checking into.

REVIEW: Evil for Evil, by K.J. Parker

Evil for Evil, by K.J. Parker
Paperback: 684 pages
Publisher: Orbit, ©2006
ISBN 10: 0-316-00339-5
ISBN 13: 978-0-316-00339-5
Copy: Out of pocket
Reviewer: PeterWilliam

From the back cover: CIVITAS VADANIS is in trouble. The Mezentines have declared war, and the Mezentines are very focused on their goals when it comes to killing.

DUKE VALENS, of Civitas Vadanis, has a dilemma. He knows that his city cannot withstand the invading army; yet its walls are his sole defense against the Mezentines. Perhaps the only way to save his people is to flee, but that will not be easy either.

ZIANI VAATZES, an engineer exiled by the Mezentines for his abominable creations, has already proven that he can defend a city. But Ziani Vaatzes has his own concerns, and the fate of Civitas Vadanis may not be one of them.

The war upon Civitas Eremiae, by Mezentia, is all but complete. The ultimate goal of which, however, has not been achieved. Several of the individuals marked for death, by Mezentia, have survived. As a result, Mezentia's eye turns to Civitas Vadanis and it's remarkable amount of native wealth, in the form of silver mines. It won't be long before Mezentia manufactures a pretext upon which to make Civitas Vadanis the next target of the war.

In fact, who can hope to be safe from Mezentia. Indeed, the only thing they seem to fear are the vast, innumerable hoard of Cure Hardy beyond the desert. The Aram Chantat tribe alone numbers over one million. The only solace for Mezentia is that there is no easy path across the desert. If there were, or one was discovered, Mezentia would be facing what would amount to certain annhiliation, a fact Ziani Vaatzes is poignantly aware of and hopes to exploit.

And then, a most unique political alliance is proposed. Among all these machinations, Ziani Vaatzes continues to poke, file, trim, shave, thread, calibrate and nudge events into an alignment most suited to his own ends. Indeed, Parker's core message is that, for love, a human being will do anything. It is the direct by-product of this dynamic that gives humanity it's notions of "good" and "evil." While I may not agree, you can certainly see that Parker has an extremely coherent and salient point.

The characters are much the same: the Eremian Duke Orsea and his wife, the Duchess Veratriz; the Eremian Duke's former chief of staff, Miel Ducas; the Vadanai Duke Valens; the exiled Mezentian engineer, Ziani Vaatzes; and the Mezentian bureaucrat Lucao Psellus, who is slowly unwinding, and understanding, several intricately laid webs. The only new character installment of note is the unusual and bizarre, Gace Daurenja. What Vaatzes does for the story, Daurenja does to Vaatzes. Daurenja is able to twist and mold Vaatzes to fit his own agenda. As each man vies to incorporate the other into their plan, which one will come to a complete understanding, thus mastering, the other first? It would seem the outcome is overwhelmingly dependent upon the answer.

The more I read this trilogy, the more difficulty I have in pinning down a definitive description of Parker's style. It reads like a hybridization of the third-person voice and narrative, interwoven with first-person thoughts cavalierly tossed onto the page. I really, really like it - with one minor exception.

With perhaps 150 pages to go in the book, I became mildly aware of an acute irritation I was developing toward some of the characters. In stopping to analyze precisely why and what, I realized it wasn't the characters, but a particular theme beginning to be espoused by multiple characters. It was the theme that concepts such as duty and love are the true motile power for other concepts - like good, evil, creativity and destruction. Apparently, love makes the world go round. Some of the characters began to bemoan their individual circumstances because love, duty, or both, had 'done them wrong.' The Self-Pitysburg Address was tolerable once, but after reading it from Orsea, Ducas, Veratriz and Valens, it went from being old to an irritant rather quickly.

All in all, however, this is the strongest 'middle book' to a trilogy that I have yet read. K.J. Parker has, with this book, lived up to the standards set for me in the previous one, and I now look forward to getting my hands on all-things-K.J. Parker that I can find.

Characters - 9
Plot - 10
Style - 9

Overall - 9.5/10

REVIEW: Kethani by Eric Brown

Kethani by Eric Brown
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Black Library (6 May 2008)
ISBN-10: 184416473X
ISBN-13: 978-1844164738
Copy: Bought online
Reviewer: Cara

From the back cover:
It takes an alien race to show us our humanity.

When a mysterious alien race known as the Kethani make contact with the people of Earth they bring with them the dubious gift of eternal life. These enigmatic aliens will change the course of the human race forever but also touch people’s lives on a personal level, not least in a small town in the English countryside. But do the Kethani have a hidden agenda and will the human race choose to evolve or turn in on itself in the face of this momentous revelation?

Kethani is a superbly crafted novel that examines the consequences of first contact with an alien race, and the choices faced by those whose lives are touched by these visitors from the stars. This is science fiction at its powerful, literary best.

I read Kethani when it was first released 2 years ago and it had an immediate impact, so much so that I devoured it in one go. I just couldn’t put it down. Yet this is a quiet, introspective book which focuses almost completely on a group of friends who meet in a local pub every Tuesday night. Over a few pints they discuss life, the universe and everything. And this is how Eric Brown tells us of the Kethani and their miraculous gift of immortality, shown through the filter of ordinary, everyday people like you and me. After reading a lot of action-packed fantasy, I decided to re-read Kethani as a kind of literary ‘chill-out’to current world events, and I remembered why I loved it so much first time around.

Kethani is basically a “what if…” scenario that examines life, immortality and contact with an alien race. The plot is straightforward – Earth is given the technology for immortality by benign aliens who do not ask for anything in return. What makes this book so interesting is how humanity reacts to the Kethani’s gift. Some embrace it wholeheartedly, others reject it outright and religious ideology is severely threatened. Who needs the promise of heaven when the Kethani offer the reality of life everlasting? But instead of presenting us with a narrative about the Kethani and their motives, Brown chooses to use a group of friends in a small Yorkshire town as the vehicle for his book. And this, for me, is what made Kethani special.

I found out long only recently that Kethani is really a collection of short stories, first published in magazines like Interzone and in anthologies, linked together by Interludes. In parts, this shows as there is some annoying repetition, but overall works well as each story explores a different aspect of the Kethani’s impact on Earth and human society by telling us of a real example. As a book, it is a beautiful tale of humanity being 'helped' by seemingly benign aliens to achieve immortality and venture out into the stars. It reminded me of the Uplift series by David Brin in that respect, but the Yorkshire small town setting surprisingly softened the tone.

The use of everyday people discussing world events and relating personal experience drew out the ethical and moral implications of the first contact through discussion. This was a fascinating approach as it made the situation a lot more realistic for me. What I personally recall about major world events is flavoured by where I was and who I was with when they happened; it is the same here. Each member of the group has their own opinion and life experience to bring to the discussion. For example, Khalid is a doctor so he has a scientific and medical bias. He was my favourite character and we find out most about what happens to people who choose reincarnation after their death through his experience, or at least as much as he is willing to recount. For the Kethani’s gift is a choice, one that many people elect to forgo, for religious or other personal reasons.

We never actually ‘meet’ the Kethani. We learn they are an advanced species, with enemies both on earth and elsewhere in the universe, but they remain mysterious, seemingly benign benefactors. Human mistrust of the unknown or alien is clearly demonstrated through characters commenting on news reports or religious edicts, and at times I found myself wondering ‘do they [the Kethani] have an ulterior motive?’ I liked that the book made me ponder the human reaction to an alien race that ‘comes in peace’ and I did ask myself if I would accept the Kethani implant that provides the technology that kick starts the reincarnation process at point of death. Would I want to go to the Kethani home world and be re-educated? How would I be changed by the experience? Would I want to return home to my family and friends or travel around the universe promoting the Kethani version of immortality? These questions are covered by many of the stories in the book, but much is left to the reader to consider.

As a straightforward science fiction first contact novel, Kethani has little in the way of plot, and the aliens only really appear as shadowy background influences. Instead we get a philosophical debate presented in a series of interconnected short stories and this is what made Kethani great for me. It is not a style that everyone will enjoy, indeed some of the reviews I have read online really slate the book for that very reason. While I loved Kethani and got a lot from it in an ethical sense, I consider it a “Marmite” book… you will either love it or hate it. But there are some challenging issues raised and for an unusual take on the first contact trope, I think Kethani lives up to the recommendation from Stephen Baxter quoted on the front cover:

“Vivid, emotional, philosophical, this is a work to feed the mind, heart and soul.”

I would recommend Kethani to anyone who is despairing of the human race and the mess we are creating of our home. A utopian get-out clause maybe, but a hopeful dream of human potential is one worth holding on to.

Plot: 6
Characters: 8
Style: 7

Overall rating 7/10

REVIEW: The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley

The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
Paperback: 1009 pages
Publisher: Sphere; (1982)
ISBN-10: 0722119577
ISBN-13: 9780722119570
Copy: Bought in bookstore
Reviewer: Cara

From the back cover:
Here is the tragic tale of the rise and fall of Camelot – but seen through the eyes of Camelot’s women: the devout Gwenhwyfar, Arthur’s queen; Viviane, high priestess of Avalon and Lady of the Lake; above all, Morgaine, possessor of the Sight, the wise-woman fated to bring ruin on them all…

I must be honest from the outset, this is one of my all-time favourite novels ever. I first read it way back in the early 80’s and this book gets re-read about every 7 years or so. Yes, it is a long book at over 1000 pages, but the rich detail and range of characters are worth the time invested in reading The Mists of Avalon. Marian Zimmer Bradley wrote a series of books after this one, tracing the history of Avalon back through the ages, but none of these match the grand retelling of the story of Camelot.

I will not summarise the plot as it is already well known, however, here we have the full story of King Arthur told by the women in his life. Principle of these is Morgaine, half-sister to Arthur, Priestess of Avalon and mother of Mordred. She represents the old religion of the Goddess and Celtic Britain, a way of life being threatened by the rise of Christianity. She uses her gift of Sight and magic to manipulate those around her, using them as pawns in her power struggles, yet she believes all her actions are predestined by fate. Misguided and vengeful, she is a tragic character who lives to see all she loves die around her. The Mists of Avalon is really Morgaine’s story.

The main theme in The Mists of Avalon is the dying of the old Celtic traditions and way of life. A world where women had spiritual power and the Goddess held sway is being eroded by the rise of the Christians and their patriarchal God. Arthur is caught in the middle and tries to balance both sides but ultimately he fails. It is this theme that has caused controversy among present-day Christians who complain that the book portrays their religion as intolerant and misogynist. Personally I loved the detail of the pagan religion as practiced at Avalon. Viviane, the Lady of the Lake is another strong character and her role in Arthur’s conception and eventual rise as King is pivotal to the plot. As her influence wanes, so does the Celtic Druidic society she represents. A large part of the book is set in Avalon, a kind of spiritual retreat where, at various times, Morgaine, Arthur, Galahad, Lancelet and others spend time learning the ways of their ancestors.

This is a book about women and how their role in society is shaped by the predominant religion. The viewpoints of Morgaine, Gwenhwyfar, Viviane, Igraine and others serve to show us the influence women had in the daily life of Celtic Britain. While men held political power, women were the guardians of spirituality. Certainly the women in The Mists of Avalon are, for the most part, strong characters full of intelligence and a desire to protect all they hold dear.

My one criticism is that The Mists of Avalon is over long and has a tendency to ramble in places. There is a large cast of characters, all of whom have their own role to play in the story, but I found that there was too much background information given about minor players, which was confusing at times. Despite this, I will continue to re-read The Mists of Avalon periodically because of the sympathetic depiction of Morgaine, a woman who wants to preserve her traditions and her religion but oversees their demise.

Plot: 10
Characters: 9
Style: 9


Overall rating 9/10

REVIEW: Entangled by Graham Hancock

Entangled by Graham Hancock
Hardcover: 448 pages
Publisher: Century; First Edition (1 April 2010)
ISBN-10: 1846055539
ISBN-13: 978-1846055539
Copy: Bought online
Reviewer: Cara

From the inside cover:
Time is not what it seems...
When a drug overdose causes Leoni, a troubled teen from twenty-first century Los Angeles, to have a near death experience, her soul is lifted from the modern world and flung into a parallel time 24,000 years in the past. There her fate becomes entangled with that of Ria, a young Stone Age woman fighting for her life against the ferocious Illimani, an army of evil led by the vicious Sulpa, a powerful demon determined to destroy humanity.

As the invaders annihilate Ria's people, inflicting torture and human sacrifice, Sulpa moves ever closer to his ultimate goal: to manifest physically in the twenty-first century and condemn all mankind to perpetual slavery. The hour is late and any chance of stopping him seems lost. But there is still hope, if Leoni and Ria can rise to the challenge fate has set them. Uniting outside the flow of earth time, they must venture forth into regions of wonder, master their own deepest fears, and fight battles they could never have prepared for, if Sulpa is to be defeated... 

I must admit I was somewhat intrigued when I first heard about Entangled. Having read several of Graham Hancock’s non-fiction books, I was familiar with his controversial theories about ancient civilisations (Fingerprints of the Gods) as well as his more recent explorations into shamanism and altered states of consciousness (Supernatural), so I was hoping he would incorporate at least some of these ideas into his first work of fiction. The cover blurb indicated a time travel/battle against evil plot and I secretly feared that Entangled might end up being the fantasy equivalent of the movie Battleship Earth… oh she of little faith!

What we get in Entangled is a fast paced narrative with two excellent lead characters in Ria and Leoni. The action switches between the Los Angeles of today and a Stone Age Europe with both young women travelling to a spirit world, “the land where everything is known”. But as the story progresses, we learn much more about the nature of the spirit world and how it is accessed, an aspect I particularly enjoyed. This isn’t some fluffy cloud romanticised heaven but a weird and alien environment where things are not quite as they appear. There is even some quantum mechanics-type science thrown into the mix, which works surprisingly well.

Strangely the summary missed out what I consider to be an important feature of the Entangled, and that is the inclusion of the Neanderthal people (the Uglies) in the story. The descriptions of the culture and rituals are similar in many ways to those in Clan Of The Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel (a favourite of mine), a very sympathetic portrayal, I thought. The danger they face from the invading Illimani threatens their very existence as a species, and forces them into a change that goes against their nature. The battles scenes are a bit gruesome at times as are some of the activities of the Illimani. Graham Hancock conveys a very real sense of menace and evil, and we are under no illusion about the nature of their leader, the demon Sulpa.

Entangled is told from two points of view, with each chapter alternating between Ria in the Stone Age and Leoni in Los Angeles. This worked well for me and, with the chapters being quite short, it was easy to follow both strands. However, I found the characterisation to be a bit weak, lacking sufficient emotional depth. Another flaw, in my view, was Ria’s modern-style dialogue, which jarred on occasion and seemed inappropriate. Somehow I don’t think ‘badass’ was a commonly used word 24,000 years ago.

In conclusion, I enjoyed reading Graham Hancock’s first novel and the ending would indicate a sequel is to follow. As an adventure story, it works because of it’s zippy pace and there is plenty of action to keep you turning the pages. There are also very interesting insights into altered states of consciousness and the role drugs (both natural and chemical) play in accessing the spirit world. Entangled poses some interesting questions about the early human race and what ancient knowledge we in our high-tech society may have lost over the millennia. So, it’s bring on book two, I say!

About the author:
Graham Hancock is the author of The Sign and the Seal, Fingerprints of the Gods, Keeper of Genesis, Heaven's Mirror, Supernatural and other bestselling investigations of historical mysteries. His books have been translated into twenty-seven languages and have sold over five million copies worldwide. His public lectures and broadcasts, including two major TV series for Channel 4, Quest for the Lost Civilisation, and Flooded Kingdoms of the Ice Age, have further established his reputation as an unconventional thinker who raises controversial questions about humanity's past. Written with the same page-turning appeal that has made his non-fiction so popular, Entangled is his first work of fiction.[from amazon.co.uk]

Plot: 8
Characters: 7
Style: 7

Overall rating 7/10

REVIEW: Wolfsangel by M.D.Lachlan

Wolfsangel by M.D.Lachlan
Paperback: 448 pages
Publisher: Gollancz; trade paperback (20 May 2010)
ISBN-10: 0575089598
ISBN-13: 978-0575089594
Copy: Bought online
Reviewer: Cara

Summary:
Wolfsangel is a story of Vikings and mad gods, a story about hunger – for love, for life and for death.

Wolfsangel opens with a raid on a Saxon settlement led by Authun, a Viking King cursed with the inability to produce an heir. Having sought the counsel of the witches of the Troll wall, he leads his warriors on a mission to steal a child born of the gods. But he finds two babies, identical twins, and takes them both, along with their disfigured mother, back to his lands. There the twins are separated, one, Feileg, is given to the witches and the other, Vali he keeps to raise as his heir.

We follow both boys as they grow to maturity. Feileg lives the cruel life of a berserker child till the age of seven when he is given over to the wolves. Vali leads a more (relatively) pampered existence as King Authun’s heir, fostered in the realm of King Forkbeard. Determined to prove his love for Adisla, Vali captures Feileg, not knowing they are twins, and brings him back to Forkbeard’s village. There, Adisla shows kindness to the captive wolfman and when she is captured by raiders, the brothers unite to find her and rescue her from slavery.

A tale in the tradition of the Norse sagas, Wolfsangel evokes the harsh, cruel world of the Vikings, with their fierce warrior culture and dark, demanding gods. Life is harsh, particularly for Feileg, and M.D.Lachlan does not hold back in his descriptions of raids and battles, capturing the bloodlust and ruthlessness of the men, for whom death holds no fear. A counterpoint to the visceral reality of the warriors is the female witch cult hidden behind the Troll wall. The Witch Queen is a sinister character, her mind twisted and warped by the tortuous feats of endurance that enhance her magical abilities. This is no sparkly magic but rather the magic of nightmares and demanding gods.

There is a twist in Wolfsangel, but one which has been highlighted in the pre-release publicity (though I will not reveal it here, just in case). I would have preferred to come upon this through reading the book rather than the plot summaries, as it would have been a spectacular revelation. But this is only a minor complaint and did not spoil my enjoyment of the novel. The book begins as an historical narrative, with occasional glimpses of magic and the role of the gods, but as the story gathers pace, the gods interfere and we are promised more of Odin, Fenris and Loki in the series to come. I particularly liked Loki, the trickster god, who had a minor role here and, I hope, will feature more in subsequent books.

I appreciated M.D.Lachlan’s style of writing. There was an almost journalistic, factual feel to the prose, which was intercut with more dreamlike sequences. I found this reflected the lives of the main characters with their harsh and practical reality yet supernatural belief in the gods and their powers. The plot races along at a cracking pace, delivering an action-packed, exciting read. Wolfsangel will appeal to anyone who is interested in Norse mythology and Viking life. It is a quest novel at heart, but also a story of love and humanity. The exploration of the relationships between the three main characters was very well done and added emotional depth to an all-action adventure without slipping into sentimentality.

Having been aware of Wolfsangel for some time, I was pleased that it did not disappoint. I was fascinated by the gods Odin and Loki and their influence on the human characters. The witches too were deliciously dark and sinister and I would love to see more of them in the next book in the series. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed reading M.D.Lachlan’s fantasy debut. A quote from Joe Abercrombie on the back of the book sums up Wolfsangel perfectly:

Part fantasy, part horror, part historical adventure, bound up with a tight, lean style and featuring some of the strangest and most sinister magic I’ve encountered.

Plot: 7
Characters: 8
Style: 8

Overall rating 8/10

REVIEW: Contact by Carl Sagan

Contact by Carl Sagan
Paperback: 432 pages
Publisher: Orbit
Originally published: 1985
ISBN-10: 1857235800
ISBN-13: 978-1857235807
Copy: Bought online
Reviewer: Cara

On the back of the book
We are being watched

At first it seemed impossible – a radio signal that came not from Earth but from far beyond the nearest stars. But then the signal was translated, and what had been impossible became terrifying…

For the signal contains the information to build a Machine that can travel to the stars. A Machine that can take a human to meet those that sent the message.

They are eager to meet us: they have been watching and waiting for a long time.

And now they will judge.

Several people have recommended I read Contact in recent weeks so, having enjoyed the film version, I thought why not and duly ordered my copy. I am very glad I did as Carl Sagan explores more than just what could happen if SETI detects a signal from extraterrestrial intelligence. Religion, politics and human fear and prejudice all play their role in the story of Ellie Arroway’s discovery of a coded message from the Vega star system and the events following on from this.

Contact is Carl Sagan’s only work of fiction, and reflects much of his scientific pursuits, the importance of the SETI (Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence) programme being one. I particularly enjoyed the religion vs. science aspect of the novel, which is particularly relevant today, as science is being severely undermined by the religious right especially in America (e.g. Creationism and the rejection of the body of scientific evidence in support of evolution). A strong theme is one of belief in the human race and hope of a better future for all.

Following the detection of a radio transmission consisting of a string of prime numbers, it soon becomes clear that a more detailed message is contained with the transmission. Blueprints for a Machine are encoded within the transmission and while there is some initial resistance, the project to build the Machine and use it to meet the senders of the message forms the basic plot. Contact is told mainly from the viewpoint of Dr Ellie Arroway, astronomer and Director of Project Argus, similar to the current SETI project, which Sagan championed for many years before his death in 1996. Ellie is one of the five-person team who travel through wormholes to meet the senders who appear to each as person significant in their life.

One distraction, for me, was the occasional foray into scientific theory. I found some of these sections were more like transcripts of a lecture rather than useful background information and was tempted to skip them. They did not add to the story and at some points confused my decidedly non-mathematical brain. Sagan also attempts some socio-political commentary, with mixed success. Given that Contact was written 25 years ago, parts of the book have been overtaken by events and the world political balance has shifted. That aside, Ellie’s experience of discrimination within the scientific community rang very true and, for me, was an important theme in the book.

I enjoyed Contact particularly as it left me questioning the readiness of the human race to encounter extraterrestrial intelligence. I share Carl Sagan’s belief that there is indeed life out among the stars and tend to agree that we need to get our own planet in order before venturing outside our solar system. Having Ellie Arroway as the lead character worked well for me, particularly as her frailties and insecurities made her sympathetic and likeable despite her driven obsessive nature. I felt that there were too many peripheral characters, however, and the plot became confusing and cluttered on occasion. That aside, the larger themes in Contact I found thought-provoking and very relevant to western society today. The science vs. religion debate has taken a (downward) turn that Carl Sagan did not envisage 25 years ago. But the main question I was left with was “Are we, as a species, ready for contact with extraterrestrial intelligence?” I would like to think I am as hopeful of the outcome as Carl Sagan was, but with the current depletion of natural resources and destruction of the environment on our own planet, I wonder if the human race will survive long enough to find out.

Plot: 8
Characters: 8
Style: 7

Overall rating 8/10

REVIEW: Dark Genesis: The Birth of the Psi Corps by J. Gregory Keyes [Babylon 5]

Dark Genesis: The Birth of the Psi Corps by J. Gregory Keyes
Book1 of the Psi Corps trilogy, Babylon 5 tie-in fiction
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Boxtree Ltd; paperback / softback edition (6 Nov 1998)
ISBN-10: 0752221124
ISBN-13: 978-0752221120
Copy: Bought second hand

On the back of the book:
Long before the Babylon 5 space station brought humans face-to-face with alien races, they discovered an extraordinary breed among their very own…

The year is 2115. Shock waves follow in the wake of astonishing news: science has proven the existence of telepaths. Amid media frenzy, panic and bloodshed, Earth’s government steps in to restore order – and establish tight control over the newfound special population… by any means necessary.

Ambitious senator Lee Crawford spearheads the effort, overseeing the creation of the Psi Corps – an elite unit charged with tagging and monitoring all telepaths “for their own protection.” But the real agenda behind the crackdown is one of government control. Many question the telepaths’ origins, while others view them as a coveted weapon. As the Corps tightens its iron grip, the stage is set for a cataclysmic confrontation – one in which the future of Earth will be decided.

For me, Babylon 5 was the best sci-fi series on TV ever, but strangely I never knew there was tie-in fiction until I found Dark Genesis: The Birth of the Psi Corps in a second hand bookshop. My favourite character in the TV series was Alfred Bester*, who, surprisingly only appeared in 12 episodes over the five seasons. He was a senior Psi Corps officer who was particularly devious and not averse to breaking the rules on using telepathy when it suited his own agenda. When I spotted a book that promised to fill in the Psi Corps back story, I just couldn’t resist!

Dark Genesis: The Birth of the Psi Corps covers a timespan of around 100 years, opening with the publication of a scientific research paper proving the existence of telepaths. Once the news breaks, fear and paranoia lead to violence and the persecution of anyone suspected of having telepathic ability. An opportunist politician uses the discovery to further his ambition and is instrumental in setting up the Psi Corps, an organisation created not only to protect telepaths but to identify and control them too. All persons with Psi abilities are required to either join the Corps, face lifetime imprisonment, or submit to a lifetime of drug treatments to suppress their abilities A resistance movement emerges, comprised of ‘rogue’ telepaths who resent the pseudo-fascist culture of the Corps, who by now were attempting to increase their power by selectively breeding highly talented telepaths.

Being already familiar with the Babylon 5 universe, I found Dark Genesis: The Birth of the Psi Corps an enjoyable read. It was fast paced and had some excellent plot twists along the way. There were also small details that only someone familiar with the TV series would pick up on, which I particularly savoured. I thought the reaction of the general population to the discovery of telepaths in their midst was, sadly, all too realistic as was the response of the cynical senator Lee Chapman. Some of the darker aspects of human nature are explored here, but not in the depth I would have preferred.

One notable disappointment was the characterisation. I felt it was too one-dimensional at times. However, given that this book is the first in a trilogy focussed on Alfred Bester, it gives us the history of the Psi Corps that made him the sinister person we know from the TV series. I was pleased to see the appearance of a Vorlon, the enigmatic race personified by Kosh in his encounter suit in the series. Dark Genesis: The Birth of the Psi Corps is an appetiser, a taste with the promise of much more to follow and it does require some prior knowledge of the Babylon 5 universe.

Overall, my view is that this is one for the fans. It is a good read, but I think someone with no prior knowledge of Babylon 5 would struggle a bit. But I am a big fan and I am seeking out the 2nd and 3rd books as I really, really want to read more about Alfred Bester.

*Note: J. Michael Straczynski named the character after the science fiction writer Alfred Bester, since telepathy is a recurring theme in his work (most notably The Demolished Man). Alfred Bester was played by Walter Koenig, otherwise know as Pavel Chekhov in the original Star Trek.
It is worth pointing out that J.Gregory Keyes (also known as Greg Keyes) has since gained success as both a Fantasy and a Science fiction author. He wrote the steampunk/alchemical quintet The Age of Reason and also the Fantasy series The Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone. 

Plot: 7
Characters: 5
Style: 6

Overall rating 6/10