King's Dragon by Kate Elliott

It begins with a civil war...For though King Henry still holds the crown of Wendar, his reign has long been contested by his sister Sabella. there are many eager to flock to her banner, and there are ways to make even the most unwilling lord into a weapon pointed at the heart of Henry's realm. — Torn by internal strife, Wendar also faces deadly raids from the north by an inhuman race, the Eika. And now terrifying portents are being seen; old ruins restored to life under the light of the full moon and peopled by the long vanished Lost Ones; dark spirits walking the land in broad daylight.

And suddenly two innocents are about to be thrust into the midst of the conflict:

Liath, who has spent her early years fleeing from unknown enemies, is a young woman with the power to change the course of history if she can only learn to master her fear and seize what is rightfully hers.

While Alain, a young man who may find his future in a vision granted by the Lady of Battles, must first unravel the mystery of who he is -- whether the bastard son of a noble father, the half-breed child of an elfin lord, the unwanted get of a whore, or the heir to a proud and ancient lineage. For only when he discovers the truth can he accept the destiny for which he was born.

Liath and Alain, each trapped in a personal struggle for survival, both helplessly being drawn into a far greater battle, a war in which sorcery not swords will determine the final outcome, and the land itself may be irrevocably reshaped by the forces unleashed...

I'm really not feeling much up for a long, drawn out review of this book. I've been slowly slogging through for a couple months...I broke my own "never read two books at once" rule because I just couldn't get into it. 

I really couldn't tell you why. The characters were interesting and complex. The magic system was okay, the world was generic but that can be overcome. The writing was good. The story had potential (it is the first book in the series, after all). But I just...couldn't quite get into it. It was like you never got to the point of the book. There was no climax or turning point or anything...if there was, I missed it completely.

Either way, I think some would love this book. I'm not giving it away just yet, because I felt like I was sooooo close to liking it. It just didn't do it for me, and I'm tired of it sitting there mournfully on my goodreads. Don't let my review of this book deter you from this author though. I loved her new book, Cold Magic.

Bottom Line

 To sum it up: I really couldn't tell you.

Overall Rating: 2 / 5

Buy or Try? Try

More? 1 / 7

Content

Plot: 3 / 5

Setting: 2 / 5

Characters: 3.5 / 5

Style
Pace: Slow.
Descriptiveness: Middlin'

Fantasy factor: High Fantasy

Green Rider by Kristen Britain

Yknow how there are some foods that make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside? When it's cold and rainy outside, you curl up with some tomato soup and grilled cheese (cut diagonally of course) under a blanket in front of a warm fire. Well this book series is like that for me. It was published in 1998, but I read it sometime in high school (2000-2004). A friend gave it to me, and I was skeptical...but it quickly changed into one of my favorite books, and Kristen Britain is one of those authors I always look out for new stuff from. Since her new book just came out, Blackveil, I decided to reread and review the entire series.

On her long journey home from school after a fight which will surely lead to her expulsion, Karigan G'ladheon ponders her future as she trudges through the immense forest called Green Cloak. But her thoughts are interrupted by the clattering of hooves as a galloping horse bursts from the woods, the rider slumped over his mount's neck, impaled by two black-shafted arrows. As the young man lies dying on the road, he tells Karigan that he is a Green Rider, one of the legendary messengers of the king, and that he bears a "life and death" message for King Zachary. He begs Karigan to carry his message, warning her not to read it, and when she reluctantly agrees, he makes her swear on his sword to complete his mission "for love of country." As he bestows upon her the golden winged-horse brooch which is the symbol of his office, he whispers on his dying breath, "Beware the shadow man..."

Karigan's promise changes her life forever. Pursued by unknown assassins, following a path only her horse seems to know, and accompanied by the silent specter of the original messenger, she herself becomes a legendary Green Rider. Caught up in a world of deadly danger and complex magic, compelled by forces she cannot understand, Karigan is hounded by dark beings bent on seeing that the message, and its reluctant carrier, never reach their destination.

I haven't read this book in years, so I really wasn't sure if I would adore it as much as I used to. This time around, I read it with a more critical eye, but it was still very enjoyable.

I always think of this book as simple, bright fantasy, but really it's pretty dark in places. There is a definite horror element to it, but not so much that I wouldn't be able to read it at night. There are some legitimately creepy things that happen on Karigan's ride to the castle. The depth of the writing is somewhat inconsistent, but not to the point of being distracting from the story.

For example, the relationships that Karigan forms seem to come out of nowhere with people she just met. She's somewhat snarky and stubborn, and she is very determined to get out of the castle, so I'm surprised that everyone seems to like her immediately. In that way, it is a light read. But I feel like the lightness, for lack of a better word, of the people aspect is balanced out with the heavy darkness of the plot. It's not fluffy to the point of ridiculous, but just enough to make it so you're not slogging through horror after horror. 

Britain has said that she likes to give her readers a sense of closure, and you certainly get that with this book. It's not the end of the story at all, but nobody's hanging off the edge of a cliff by a toenail. All in all, I enjoyed this book just as much as I always have. Any book following The Broken Kingdoms had an uphill battle ahead, so I think it was a good choice to reread a book I loved so much.

Bottom Line

 To sum it up: A good book for anyone who likes interesting adventures, a very evil baddy, and a strong heroine

Overall Rating: 4 / 5

Buy or Try? Buy

More? 1 / 4 so far. Unsure of how many there will be total...it was initially to be a trilogy.

 

Content

Plot: 4 / 5

Setting: 3 / 5

Characters: 3 / 5

Style
Pace: Fast
Descriptiveness: Prose

Fantasy factor: High Fantasy

Amazon.com link

Challenges: 2011 Fantasy Reading Challenge, Read Me Baby One More Time

The Broken Kingdoms by NK Jemisin

WARNING: I try to avoid spoilers, but they are possible (even probable), since this is the second book of the Inheritance Trilogy. The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms (review here) is the first. I recommend reading them in order.

I know it's only been a couple days since my last review, but I just could not put The Broken Kingdoms down. I thought about it when I was driving to work. I thought about it at work. I wished I could read it on the treadmill and at dinner tonight. And now I'm really sad that it's over. From the back cover: 

In the city of Shadow, beneath the World Tree, alleyways shimmer with magic and godlings live hidden among mortalkind. Oree Shoth, a blind artist, takes in a strange homeless man on an impulse. This act of kindness engulfs Oree in a nightmarish conspiracy. Someone, somehow, is murdering godlings, leaving their desecrated bodies all over the city. And Oree's guest is at the heart of it. . . 

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms was only the second book I ever reviewed for my site. I remember enjoying it, but being slightly put off by the tone of the novel. I think, in truth, it may have been the protagonist was not one I could relate to easily. I found Oree a much more likable narrator. I was very impressed with the fact that although this novel is also narrated in first person, like The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, Oree is very obviously a very different voice from Yeine. I imagine that it is very hard to pull off two distinct first person accounts.

As in the previous novel, I found this world to be incredibly intriguing and complex, I think even moreso. I was a bit lost at the very beginning because it's been a good long while since I read the previous novel and this one takes place 10 years after the events of the first. However, Jemisin throws little "reminders" in there for recurring characters and continuing story arcs, so I was able to follow the plot without feeling the need to run out and read the first one again. That's a pet peeve of mine, given the enormous gaps there usually are in between series releases. It's also not a clumsily thrown in explanation either...very artfully done.

As I had mentioned in my review of the first book, the author inserts a lot of sidenotes and afterthoughts into the narrative. In The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, that was somewhat distracting. I didn't feel like the sidenotes and afterthoughts were necessarily relevant to the story. In this case, each seemed very pertinent and seemed shorter. This was probably one of the things that gave Yeine and Oree their distinct voices.

I just love this series. It's a unique perspective on divinity and their interactions with mankind. I am especially intrigued by the gods' interactions and relationships to each other. I always finish these books and start to think about the nature of gods, their nature, and find myself comparing the theology to current, real world theology. I enjoy books that have meaning, and that cause you to walk away thinking. Although I must say, the emotional side to this story makes it hard to walk away.

I think NK Jemisin has really hit her stride with this book. The third will be The Kingdom of the Gods, released in September (click here for a synopsis). I have a feeling I will be even more upset when the series ends.

Bottom Line

 To sum it up: Gods + humans. Hilarity does not ensue.

Overall Rating: 5 / 5

Buy or Try? Buy

More? 2 / 3 projected

Content

Plot: 5 / 5

Setting: 5 / 5

Characters: 5 / 5

*Yes really. I waffled about giving out a perfect score out of principle, but I just didn't have anything to complain about at all.*

Style
Pace: Fast
Descriptiveness: Prose

Fantasy factor: High Fantasy

Amazon.com link

Challenges: 2011 Fantasy Reading Challenge

Cold Magic by Kate Elliott

Long time no see, blog friends! A lot has been happening, so I haven't had much time to read. Cold Magic was a quick read, though...I had trouble putting it down. From the back cover:

The history of the world begins in ice, and it will end in ice.

It is the dawn of a new age... The Industrial Revolution has begun, factories are springing up across the country, and new technologies are transforming in the cities. But the old ways do not die easy.

Cat and Bee are part of this revolution. Young women at college, learning of the science that will shape their future and ignorant of the magics that rule their families. But all of that will change when the Cold Mages come for Cat. New dangers lurk around every corner and hidden threats menace her every move. If blood can't be trusted, who can you trust?

I've been waiting for Cold Magic for quite some time now, and for an epic fantasy, it's a very fast-paced read. 502 pages may sound daunting, but the action moves fairly quickly. I was pretty happy about that because I've been dragging through King's Dragon by the same author for a good long while now, and I just can't quite get into it. I had no such trouble with this book.

The characterization is great as well. I was surprised as the characters' true personalities and nuances were revealed. While I can't say I liked all of them, I believed them. Their motivations and attitudes generally made sense, given their upbringings and current situation. As much as this is a fantasy story, the human element takes center stage. Cat and Bee's relationship, although they are cousins, is as close as sisters. There is a lot of betrayal and selfishness in this book, and you really see the dark side of humanity. Everyone, it seems, is looking out for number one. The bright spot is definitely the girls' love for each other. Things are what they appear to be with the two of them: they would sacrifice everything for the other. I think their relationship might be one of my favorite parts of the book.

Based on the cover and the synopsis, I can't say this story ever went as I expected. When I first started writing this review, I was going to open by saying that the back cover of this book was not very descriptive. However, reflecting on the book now, I can't say I fully grasp what's going on in this world entirely. The book cover describes how the book opens, but certainly not how it progresses.

Generally, in an epic fantasy, events tie together to one great event or danger. However, I felt like there was a lot happening in this book but there wasn't one coherent idea of what was going on in this world. Is it a political revolution? Is there something happening in the spirit world? Where's the magic/science clash that is described on the cover? Most of the book is taken up by Catherine's journey, and I think that may be one of the weaknesses of a first person narrative. Our perspective is as narrow as hers is, and I'm not entirely sure that's appropriate for a trilogy that touts itself as "epic" and has such a broad scope as this one appears to have. Elliott slowly reveals information, so I am hoping this will be something that will become more cohesive in the second book.

The world Elliot creates intrigues me. Her alternate history seems to be well-researched (to my untrained eye) and at the very least well thought out. The characters are interesting and several, including the heroine, are likable. Although the storyline of this initial book seems small-scale and somewhat disorganized, I look forward to the second book and the rest of the series.
 

Bottom Line

 To sum it up: A fast paced, epic-ish, steampunk-ish fantasy with loads of promise.

Overall Rating: 4 / 5

Buy or Try? Buy

More? 1 / 3 projected. Cold Steel and Cold Fire will be the 2nd and 3rd books

Content

Plot: 3 / 5

Setting: 4 / 5

Characters: 4 / 5

Style
Pace: Fast
Descriptiveness: Prose, bordering into Poetry sometimes

Fantasy factor: Low Fantasy

Amazon.com link

Challenges: 2011 Fantasy Reading Challenge