Review of The Sworn by Gail Z. Martin
Mar
16
2011
The Sworn
by Gail Z. Martin
576pp (Paperback)
My Rating: 3/10
LibraryThing Rating: 3.67/5
Goodreads Rating: 4.23/5
 

The Sworn is the first book in a new fantasy series by Gail Z. Martin, The Fallen Kings Cycle.  It starts about 6 months after the end of Martin’s previous series, The Chronicles of the Necromancer (composed of The Summoner, The Blood King, Dark Haven, and Dark Lady’s Chosen, respectively).  In spite of the fact that it is a continuation of the story began in these other books, it is supposed to work as a starting point even for new readers to the series and introduces some new characters while keeping many familiar ones.  A sequel, The Dread, is scheduled for release in early 2012.

Contrary to popular belief, it’s not good to be the king, at least not if facing the same obstacles Tris Drayke must overcome.  He has become a powerful summoner and defeated Jared the Usurper to take his place as the rightful king of Margoaln.  However, the usurper’s reign disrupted the former tranquility the nation enjoyed as well as creating financial hardship.  Tris’s marriage to Princess Kiara of Isencroft contributed to further turmoil in both kingdoms, who do not get along and are not pleased about sharing a joint crown.  This will not be resolved until each of the two kingdoms has its own heir, but Tris and Kiara’s first unborn child was nearly assassinated, leaving them to wonder if the first of these heirs will be healthy.

Furthermore, Tris begins hearing rumors of a dark mage beyond the sea while a plague runs rampant through the kingdoms.  He discovers the secret to winning the imminent war may lie with the Dread, the mysterious protectors of the barrows guarded by the Sworn, and determines to learn all he can about them – and try to enlist their aid in the upcoming struggle.

Gail Z. Martin appears to have a rather large fanbase, so when the first book in her new series found its way into my mailbox, I didn’t have to think twice about reading it.  Unfortunately, while The Sworn has worked for many others, I found it did not suit my personal taste.  Part of this may have been due to not having read the first series.  While this novel is supposed to be the start of a brand new series, it’s very obvious that it’s not really the beginning.  The prologue was a five page long summary of what happened before, and it throws out so many character names at once that it’s extremely difficult to keep track of them all.  In the first two paragraphs, I just counted 13 names of brand new characters!  With this, there is the immediate feeling that one is picking up in the middle of a story instead of starting a new one, and perhaps with more of a stake in the characters and their situations, I would have enjoyed it more.  Also, trying to make this story accessible to new readers was a hindrance since the forward momentum of the story was quite often interrupted to fill readers in on what happened before or who a certain character was.

In addition to stopping rather often to keep readers informed on the past, it was extremely detailed and much longer than it needed to be.  A lot more description than necessary was spent on describing character’s appearances and clothing.  Considering the length of the novel, not a lot seemed to happen at all.  There’s a large number of character viewpoints, and the plot seemed to progress very slowly as each character seemed to learn very similar details about the situation without adding anything new.  There were three or four chapters toward the end in which it largely felt like each viewpoint was focusing on the same new-to-them revelations – but it wasn’t anything new to me since I felt like I had just read the same exact news in the chapter before.  It seems as though this book largely exists to set up the next volume, especially considering the main action seems about to begin on the very last page.  For a book that is nearly 600 pages long, that’s a lot of time spent setting up what comes next.

The amount of setup may not have been much of a problem if the journey and the characters were more appealing; however, I found both to be quite dull considering my own personal inclinations.  While it is an interesting change of pace to see so many creatures associated with urban fantasy in a secondary world fantasy (vampires, shapeshifters, ghosts, and zombies), The Sworn is largely a story about good vs. evil. This is a trope I’ve tired of reading about unless the characters can win me over, and most of these characters are rather generic, as well as too dutiful and near-perfect to be compelling.  For example, Tris is the greatest known mage at the time, Jonmarc is an unbeatable warrior, and Carina is the best healer.  Aidane was one of the more unusual characters with the ability to converse with and submit her body to ghosts.  As she used this gift to survive as a prostitute for people who wished to be reunited with people from their pasts, she was one of the more different characters in the story, but she also did not strike me as an engaging protagonist.  No one had a personality that really made them stand apart from the other characters; they were largely defined by their special characteristics.  Also, everyone was entirely devoted to doing the right thing, and while this makes them admirable it also makes them boring and not very realistic.  On a couple of occasions, someone was prepared to put themselves in a potentially deadly situation for the good of the kingdom, and the reactions of those who loved them was some sadness but it was overshadowed by understanding and acceptance – no real internal conflict, just resignation to what must be done.

Not only does The Sworn feel like it is picking up right in the middle of a story, but it also feels like one long setup for the next book that ends right when the action is about to pick up.  It’s also not geared toward my particular taste as a more traditional fantasy story with a very clear line drawn between good and evil, which is where the main conflict appears to lie.  The main protagonists tend to be very powerful, special, and devoted to the common good with no glaring human flaws to round them out – and that just contributed further to my lack of interest in this novel.

My Rating: 3/10

Where I got my reading copy: ARC from the publisher.

Read Chapter One

Other Reviews:

Review of The Native Star by M. K. Hobson
Mar
13
2011
The Native Star
by M. K. Hobson
387pp (Paperback)
My Rating: 9/10
LibraryThing Rating: 3.76/5
Goodreads Rating: 3.78/5
 

The Native Star, M. K. Hobson’s debut novel, has been nominated for the Nebula Award this year.  This historical fantasy, set in an alternate America in the year 1876, had piqued my curiosity so when The Book Smugglers announced a Nebula Readathon I knew it was time to read it.  I am so glad I did – I was hoping to like it, but I didn’t expect to love it as much as I did.  A sequel, The Hidden Goddess, is scheduled for release on April 26, and it’s still not soon enough because as soon as I finished The Native Star that was the only book I really wanted to read next.

Making a living is becoming tougher for Emily Edwards, a young witch living in Lost Pine, California, with her adoptive father.  She’s had to take over her father’s work as a magic user, and there have been so many medical bills for her father that they’re barely managing to feed themselves. To make matters worse, many of the townspeople have begun ordering their magic from a corporation, Baugh’s Patent Magicks, leaving less opportunity for Emily to earn money for the two of them.  Out of desperation, Emily casts a love spell on Dag Hansen, the most successful man in town, so he will marry her and provide for her and her father.

However, Emily’s plans go awry.  The night of the dance when Emily suspects Dag will propose to her, an old man is asked to use magic to reveal some truths they don’t know about.  His first revelation is that Emily has performed some bad magic, but after Dag tells him to not to speak badly of Emily, he reveals that the zombie miners at Old China have gone out of control.  Everyone believes this to be ludicrous, but Emily is concerned since at least part of his prophecy was indeed accurate.  She sneaks away from the dance to go check it out for herself, only to be followed by Dreadnought Stanton, a traveling warlock whom Emily despises as an arrogant, pompous know-it-all.  Of course, Mr. Stanton cannot let Emily face a horde of zombies by herself, particularly since he is more knowledgeable about such matters than she is.

The two arrive at the mine to find out what the old man said is indeed true.  The zombies found a blue stone and for some reason it caused them to become enraged.  Emily and Mr. Stanton manage to escape, but once they’re out of danger, Emily realizes this blue stone has become embedded in her hand – and neither she nor the extraordinarily scholarly Mr. Stanton know why or how to remove it.  Mr. Stanton promises to do some research, and the next morning he suggests Emily go to the university for magical studies in San Francisco to get help.  The decision becomes easier for Emily when he offers enough money in exchange for her father to manage without her, particularly since the stone prevents Emily from performing magic herself.  Also, she really wants to be able to reverse the love spell she cast on Dag.  After Dag heard Emily was seen with Stanton after she disappeared from the dance, he went into a frenzy destroying his buildings because they reminded him of Emily and the life he wanted with her.  So Emily agrees to spend one or two weeks going to San Francisco with Mr. Stanton, but neither of them are prepared for just how long the journey will be – or just how dangerous, as many will stop at nothing to try to retrieve this mysterious stone from Emily’s hand.

The Native Star is an immensely fun book containing adventure, an intriguing alternate history/western setting with lots of magic, and a little bit of romance.  From the description, I really didn’t expect to be enamored of it, and I probably never would have picked it up if I hadn’t heard it was good from other reviewers.  However, it hooked me almost immediately, particularly because it didn’t take long at all for me to love the two main characters and become invested in seeing them succeed against all the dangers that were thrown their way.  They were both flawed, but they also remained likable.

In spite of her practice of bad magic by forcing a man to love her, Emily is a sympathetic character.  It’s not a spell she casts lightly, and it’s quite clear that she feels that it is a last resort.  In addition to the fact that her conscience bothers her, she doesn’t even love Dag nor does she particularly want to marry him – but she does worry about what will happen to her father if their financial situation does not improve quickly.  Throughout the course of the novel, it’s shown that this is in keeping with Emily’s character.  She’s a woman of action and not the type to sit back if she has a method at her disposal she can use, no matter how risky or unladylike it may be.  Yet she doesn’t seem foolhardy, just like someone who is doing the best she can – and she’s also capable of admitting she was wrong and trying to set things right, as she does when she realizes just how miserable she’s made poor Dag.

Emily also has her prejudices, which becomes clear when she and Stanton encounter some Native Americans.  Her thoughts about these people are not very kind, nor are some of the comments she makes to Stanton such as when their Holy Woman is scrutinizing her:

 

“Sizing me up for the cook pot, no doubt,” Emily muttered. [pp. 84]

While her attitude is harsh, I also got the impression at the time that it was largely due to naivete and Emily’s opinion could very well change.  This was the first time she’d really been away from Lost Pine, so she’s been sheltered her whole life and probably only knows what she’s read in some of the magazines or heard from some of the townspeople.  By the end, she seems more accepting, and it would be more difficult to like her if she didn’t considering the role the Native American Holy Woman plays.

On the subject of prejudice, Emily also holds quite a bit of disdain for Stanton and has ever since the first time she saw him in their town.  Her view of him has never changed, as she sees him as far too lofty and prideful for his own good:

 

Emily let out a sigh and prepared to be annoyed. For when it came to being annoying, Dreadnought Stanton never disappointed.

He was a Warlock, and the manner in which he typically delivered this left the distinct impression that the word must be spelled in strictly capital letters. He was a Warlock, a member of a lofty brotherhood whose kind ran factories, advised ancient monarchs, and were appointed to cabinet posts in Washington, D.C.;  doers of great deeds who turned the tides of war and vanquished monsters; superior men who shored up the underpinnings of reality and other extremely splendid and eye-opening things.

Dreadnought Stanton was a Warlock, and during his tenure in Lost Pine, he never seemed to tire of reminding people of that fact. [pp. 19]

It’s also quite clear that Emily is not entirely unjustified in her annoyance at his presence as he does indeed seem to be rather pompous, telling her he insists on accompanying her to check out the potential zombie issue because “I can’t let a female with such dangerously antique notions of magic–not to mention such a questionable code of ethics–face a pack of zombie miners alone” (pp. 29).  Yet he also proves to be brave and reliable, and Emily eventually comes to respect him as she gets to know him better even if he does remain a sort of walking encyclopedia magica.

As much as I loved the characters and their conversations, there’s far more to recommend than just the two main protagonists.  The world is also very well-drawn and through the course of Emily and Stanton’s travels a lot is learned about it and different views on magic.  There are three main schools of magic: credomancy, animancy, and sangrimancy.  Credomancy involves influence through manipulating beliefs, animancy is earth magic/herbalism, and sangrimancy is a dark, blood magic.  There’s a wide variety of views on practicing magic, and some would persecute anyone who does.  It also appears there is much more to magic, depending on which area of the world one is from, but there are only some brief glimpses of this.

There’s also lots of adventure, betrayals and hardships along the way.  I particularly enjoyed that it was actually a perilous journey and Hobson didn’t end it with everyone coming away unscathed (although I did also think there was less horror at what happened than I would have expected, but I guess there were some bigger preoccupations that could have put this in perspective).

The conclusion wrapped up the main part of this novel nicely, but it also leaves one with a lot of questions for the next novel since it hints that something much bigger is happening.  A little more is revealed in this final section about what went on behind the scenes, but it also leaves open more possibilities and sets up a sequel.

Simply put, I absolutely loved The Native Star and cannot wait to read the The Hidden Goddess.  It had me glued to the pages, desperately wanting to know what happened next, and completely invested in the two main characters and their mission.  At the same time, it introduced a fascinating alternate world in the 1800’s and left some tantalizing pieces about both the bigger picture and the two main characters’ pasts.  It’s very different from what I’d expect to see nominated for the Nebula, but it was both enchanting and memorable enough that it’s easy to see why it was nominated.

My Rating: 9/10 (I dithered a bit between an 8 and a 9, but in the end, this one has really stuck with me so I’m going with a 9.)

Where I got my reading copy: I bought it.

Read Chapter One

Other Reviews:

The Leaning Pile of Books
Mar
13
2011

This week was another huge week for books – I received 3 review copies, got 5 books as gifts from a friend, accepted one e-book review copy, and downloaded a free e-book offered to me by the author on Twitter.  And now that I just finished The Native Star by M. K. Hobson for the Nebula Readathon I have no idea what to read next (especially since I really just want the sequel to The Native Star right now – I loved it!).

The ReturningThe Returning by Christine Hinwood

The Returning, a young adult novel set in a medieval fantasy world, will be released in hardcover and as an e-book in the US on April 14.  The moment I saw this book it grabbed my attention due to the cover quote by one of my favorite young adult authors, Megan Whalen Turner:

 

A beautiful examination of the complexities of love and loyalty in the aftermath of war.

Yes, I definitely think I need to read this one. (Updated to add: This book was previously released in Australia with the title Bloodflower.  This is the first time this book has been released in the US.  Thanks to Orannia for the heads up that it had been previously released under a different title depending on which country you are in.)

An intense story of love, loss and turmoil in the aftermath of war. A first novel by a uniquely talented author.

Vivid, compassionate and totally absorbing, Bloodflower follows the fortunes of young Cam Attling and all those whose fates entwine with his.

Cam has a hunger, an always-hunger; it drives him from home, to war, from north to south. When he returns from war alone – all his fellow soldiers slain – suspicion swirls around him. He’s damaged in body and soul, yet he rides a fine horse and speaks well of his foes. What has he witnessed? Where does his true allegiance lie? How will life unfold for his little sister, his closest friend, his betrothed, his community, and even the enemy Lord who maimed him?

With extraordinary insight and literary skill, Hinwood weaves their stories to create a tale of romance, adventure and everyday life in croft and manor house and castle. Her style is unique. Her characters will hijack your heart.

Wereworld: Rise of the WolfWereworld: Rise of the Wolf by Curtis Jobling

This young adult novel is already available in the UK, and it will be released in the US on September 20 (in hardcover).  There are plans for two more sequels.  I’m not sure this is my type of book, but it does seem to be getting quite a few good reviews so perhaps it would be worth trying at some point.

‘You’re the last of the werewolves son. Don’t fight it…Conquer it’. When the air is clear, sixteen year-old Drew Ferran can pick up the scent of a predator. When the moon breaks through the clouds, a terrifying fever grips him. And when a vicious beast invades his home, his gums begin to tear, his fingers become claws, and Drew transforms …Forced to flee the family he loves, Drew seeks refuge in the most godforsaken parts of Lyssia. But when he is captured by Lord Bergan’s men, Drew must prove he is not the enemy. Can Drew battle the werecreatures determined to destroy him – and master the animal within?

Wereworld: Rise of the WolfWaking the Witch by Kelley Armstrong

The eleventh novel in the Otherworld series (formerly known as Women of the Otherworld) will be released in paperback on April 5.  It is already available in hardcover and an e-book, and an excerpt containing the first three chapters is available here.

Question for those who have read the series: It sounds as though the books feature some different characters and this particular book has a new narrator from the previous volumes.  Does it work as a stand alone?  Or is it really necessary to read the first ten (!) books to read this one?  Since Kelley Armstrong is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and I’ve heard good things about this series, I am curious about it but I’m also not sure if it’s a good idea to start here.

The orphaned daughter of a sorcerer and a half-demon, Savannah is a terrifyingly powerful young witch who has never been able to resist the chance to throw her magical weight around. But at 21 she knows she needs to grow up and prove to her guardians, Paige and Lucas, that she can be a responsible member of their supernatural detective agency. So she jumps at the chance to fly solo, investigating the mysterious deaths of three young women in a nearby factory town as a favour to one of the agency’s associates. At first glance, the murders look garden-variety human, but on closer inspection signs point to otherworldly stakes.

Soon Savannah is in over her head. She’s run off the road and nearly killed, haunted by a mystery stalker, and freaked out when the brother of one of the dead women is murdered when he tries to investigate the crime. To complicate things, something weird is happening to her powers. Pitted against shamans, demons, a voodoo-inflected cult and garden-variety goons, Savannah has to fight to ensure her first case isn’t her last. And she also has to ask for help, perhaps the hardest lesson she’s ever had to learn.

Luck in the ShadowsLuck in the Shadows by Lynn Flewelling

This is the first book in the Nightrunner series.  It’s followed by Stalking Darkness, Traitor’s Moon, Shadows Return, and The White Road.  Glimpses, a collection of short stories related to the series, was also recently released.

For the past couple of years, one of my friends and I have been exchanging some of our favorite books read during the previous year.  This year I have promised to read the first book in the Nightrunner series plus its sequel, which I’ve been told is also a much better book than the first novel in the series (not just by her since reviews I’ve read of the first two books have said the same thing).

When young Alec of Kerry is taken prisoner for a crime he didn’t commit, he is certain that his life is at an end. But one thing he never expected was his cellmate. Spy, rogue, thief, and noble, Seregil of Rhiminee is many things–none of them predictable. And when he offers to take on Alec as his apprentice, things may never be the same for either of them. Soon Alec is traveling roads he never knew existed, toward a war he never suspected was brewing. Before long he and Seregil are embroiled in a sinister plot that runs deeper than either can imagine, and that may cost them far more than their lives if they fail. But fortune is as unpredictable as Alec’s new mentor, and this time there just might be…Luck in the Shadows.

Stalking DarknessStalking Darkness by Lynn Flewelling

This is of course the second book in the Nightrunner series and the one that is supposed to be amazing. I’m really looking forward to starting this series for several reasons:

1. I like reading books about thieves.
2. This is supposed to be a great series and I have actually wanted to read it for awhile.
3. Lynn Flewelling is a Maine native like myself (although she doesn’t live here anymore).
4. Recently, I decided I wanted to try to read more high fantasy written by women this year (which I used to, but I’ve branched out into reading a lot of different types of fantasy so I don’t read quite as much of it as I once did).

With the Leran threat laid to rest, Alec and Seregil are now able to turn their attention to the ancient evil which threatens their land. The Plenimarans, at war with Skalans, have decided to defeat their ancient enemy by raising up the Dead God, Seriamaius. The early attempts at this reincarnation—masterminded by the sinister Duke Mardus and his sorcerous minion Vargul Ashnazai—once left Seregil in a sorcerous coma. Now, an ancient prophecy points to his continuing role in the quest to stop Mardus in his dread purpose.

Seregil’s friend and Mentor, the wizard Nysander, has long been the guardian of a deadly secret. In a secret, silver-lined room hidden well beneath the Oreska, he has served for most of his 300 years as the keeper of a nondescript clay cup. But this cup, combined with a crystal crown and some wooden disks, forms the Helm of Seriamaius, and any mortal donning the reconstructed Helm will become the incarnation of the god on earth.

Nysander holds the cup and Mardus the wooden disks—one of which was responsible for Seregil’s coma—but the crown must still be located. Threatened under pain of death by Nysander to keep his quest a secret even from his loyal companion, Alec, Seregil is dispatched to find the last missing piece of the Helm so that he and Nysander can destroy it. But this is only the beginning of one of his deadliest journeys ever, for the prophecy also holds that four will come together in a time of darkness, and gradually all that Seregil values is placed at risk as he, Alec, Nysander and Micum are drawn into a deadly web of terror and intrigue.

Lord of Snow and ShadowsLord of Snow and Shadows by Sarah Ash

This is the first book in the Tears of Artamon trilogy, which is one of the other series my friend read last year that made it to her favorites list.  It sounds very interesting, a sort of Russian inspired fantasy series.  This article on Suvudu talks more about it, and here is an excerpt from it.

All Gavril Andar has ever known of life is the sunny clime of his southern home, his beautiful mother, and his love of painting. Until his peace is shattered – and his destiny decreed – by the arrival of a group of fierce clan warriors from the north. The father he has never known is dead. The man who ruled the wintry kingdom of Ahkendir, a man in whose veins ran the burning blood of the Drakhoul, has been murdered by his enemies.

Blood. The liquid that will seal Gavril’s fate. For becoming Drakhaon means not only ascending to the throne of Azhkendir, but also changing – changing, in subtle ways at first, into a being of erxtraordinary power and might. Becoming a dragon-warrior. One that must be replenished with the blood of innocents in order to survive.

Kidnapped by the warriors, Gavril is incarcerated in Kastel Drakhaon, with no means of escape from the isolated, ice-bound kingdom. Expected to avenge his father’s death, and carefully watched by neighbouring rulers waiting for their chance to move against him, the untested Gavril must fight to retain his human heart and soul in the face of impending war – and the dark instincts that threaten to overpower him…

Prisoner of the Iron TowerPrisoner of the Iron Tower by Sarah Ash

This is the second book in the Tears of Artamon trilogy.

A weaver of tales, a caster of spells, and a writer of rare imagination, Sarah Ash lends her unique vision to epic fantasy. In this captivating continuation to her story, the author of Lord of Snow and Shadows revisits a realm filled with spirits and singers, daemons and kings.

Gavril Nagarian has finally cast out the dragon-daemon from deep within himself. The Drakhaoul is gone—and with it all of Gavril’s fearsome powers. Though no longer besieged by the Drakhaoul’s unnatural lusts and desires, Gavril has betrayed his birthright and his people. He has put the ice-bound princedom of Azhkendir at risk and lost.

Emerging from his battle with the Lord Drakhaon scarred but victorious, Eugene of Tielen exacts a terrible price. He arrests the renegade warlord Gavril Nagarian for crimes against the Rossiyan Empire and sentences him to life in an insane asylum—for the absence of the Drakhaoul is slowly driving Gavril mad. But Eugene has another motive as well. He longs to possess the Drakhaoul—at any cost to his kingdom and his humanity. With Gavril locked inside the Iron Tower, three women keep his memory alive. His mother returns to the warmer climes of her homeland, where she foments the seeds of rebellion. A young scullery maid whose heart is broken by Gavril’s arrest sends her spirit out to the Ways Beyond. And even the emperor’s new wife is haunted by her remembrances of the handsome young painter who once captured her soul.

The five princedoms of a shattered empire are reunited. The last of Artamon’s ruby tears adorns Eugene’s crown. But peace is as fragile as a rebel’s whisper—and a captive’s wish to be free.

Glowing with the powers of light and darkness, Prisoner of the Iron Tower will astonish and enthrall you, as courtly intrigue collides with the fantastic—and good and evil become as nebulous as the outlines of a dream.

Prisoner of the Iron TowerChildren of the Serpent Gate by Sarah Ash

This is the third book in the Tears of Artamon trilogy.  I really hope I like them since my friend sent me the whole series!

In this third novel in her acclaimed Tears of Artamon saga, Sarah Ash once again transports readers to a realm where sorcery collides with political intrigue…and where one man haunted by a dark legacy is locked in a fierce struggle between the forces of good and evil battling for supremacy within him….

Gavril Nagarian is believed dead–perished in the heat of battle. But the Lord Drakhaon of Azhkendir lives on. Now he is entrusted with a sacred mission: to rescue the aged Magus, who has been kidnapped and in whose possession are the five priceless rubies that compose the fabled Tears of Artamon. Ancient law decrees that whoever possesses the coveted stones has the power to impose his rule over the five princedoms in the Empire of New Rossiya.

But the task exacts a cost. The Drakhaoul that destroyed his forebears has penetrated Gavril’s psyche and is gaining power over his soul. With the dark forces inside him seeking immortality, Gavril must feed on the blood of innocents–or die.

Toppled by the loss of the Tears of Artamon, Emperor Eugene of Tielen is tormented by his own daemon. Now he must defend his lands against King Enguerrand of Francia, who claims ownership of the Tears. But both men share a common goal: to destroy Gavril Nagarian and the Drakhaoul that lives within him once and for all.

Ingenious and unforgettable, Children of the Serpent Gate delivers a thrilling conclusion to the epic trials of a man of honor in a world run amok–a calamity that can be laid to rest only by an Emperor’s Tears.

Ten Ruby TrickTen Ruby Trick by Julia Knight

This is only available as an e-book.  I don’t read a lot of e-books at the moment, but how could I resist a fantasy pirate adventure with some romance when the author offered a copy for review?  It looks like a lot of fun.

Privateer Van Gast thrills in capturing treasure; delights in pulling off elaborate scams; and has an outrageous reputation with the ladies. But there is only one woman for him: fellow privateer Josie—seductive, brave and unpredictable. He’s hoping to make their relationship permanent, until he raids the wrong ship. Now slavers are stalking him, his crew is verging on mutiny and Josie has disappeared.

When she reappears with a new mark wanting Van Gast’s help running the ten ruby trick con, he senses trouble. It seems like Josie has joined up with mage-bound slavers to turn him over to their Master. Van Gast is about to take the biggest risk of all—and find out the true meaning of trust and betrayal.

In Her Name: EmpireIn Her Name: Empire by Michael R. Hicks

This is the first book in a trilogy, and is available in as an omnibus also containing Confederation and The Final Battle.  All the books are available in paper format or as e-books.  I don’t normally read self-published books, but I have heard some very good things about this one so when I was offered the opportunity to download the first book for free I took it.  Some sample chapters are available online.

In the first book of an epic futuristic fantasy trilogy, this is the coming-of-age story of Reza Gard, a young boy of the Human Confederation who is swept up in the century-long war with the alien Kreelan Empire. Nightmarish female warriors with blue skin, fangs, and razor sharp talons, the Kreelans have technology that is millennia beyond that of the Confederation, yet they seek out close combat with sword and claw, fighting and dying to honor their god-like Empress. Captured and enslaved, Reza must live like his enemies in a grand experiment to see if humans have souls, and if one may be the key to unlocking an ages old curse upon the Kreelan race. Enduring the brutal conditions of Kreelan life, Reza and a young warrior named Esah-Zhurah find themselves bound together by fate and a prophecy foretold millennia before they were born.

Review of The Lens and the Looker by Lory S. Kaufman
Mar
11
2011
The Lens and the Looker
by Lory S. Kaufman
336pp (Paperback)
My Rating: 5/10
LibraryThing Rating: 2/5
Goodreads Rating: 3.8/5
 

The Lens and the Looker is the first book in the Verona trilogy, a young adult series by Lory S. Kaufman.  Since the series takes place after a time of dystopia but isn’t quite a utopia, the author has been referring to it as post-dystopian fiction.  The first volume in the series will be released on March 16, and The Bronze and the Brimstone is scheduled for release on July 12 of this year.  The third book does not yet have a title or release date.

In the 24th century, the world is a very different place.  Humanity has recovered from nearly dying out and with the help of AIs they have created a better society.  One of these improvements is the invention of History Camps, in which a time from the past is re-enacted so young people can learn from past mistakes – and learn to appreciate just how wonderful the world they live in is in comparison.

Seventeen-year-old Hansum is already too rebellious for his own good, and when he scores a 0 on a test, the dean decides it’s time he was taught a lesson from Deep-Immersion History Camp.  Although Hansum is upset by the fact that this means his communication implant has to be removed while he’s away for 2 weeks, he’s not terribly concerned about his time at the History Camp.  It sounds like a fun opportunity to teach mess with the enactors’ plans and teach them a lesson in return.

When he arrives at the camp, a recreation of Verona  in the year 1347, Hansum meets the two other teenagers who will be learning with him: Shamira, a 15 year old girl, and Lincoln, a 14-year old boy.  The two boys are apprenticed to a lens-maker and must learn to make lenses while the girl is appointed to kitchen duty.  The three decide to play along with the enactors at first and pretend to be good children truly interested in learning about their duties in 14th century Italy.  However, they get their revenge and reveal their true colors in the end.  For their punishment, they are sent to the loft of the barn where they meet Arimus, a man from the future who actually takes them to Verona in the year 1347 – where they must learn to behave and be useful to their Master or face the very real consequences of starvation.

The Lens and the Looker is a bit of mixed bag.  On the one hand, it’s often a very readable story based on some very compelling ideas and by the last third it’s really starting to become an entertaining book.  On the other hand, some of the writing is rather clunky, it can be quite cheesy, and the aforementioned ideas need to be fleshed out more.  Also, it could have used much more careful copy-editing as this finished book was full of typographical errors and misspellings.

The reason this novel appealed to me was the idea of the History Camps, which I found to be a very intriguing concept.  They were created with two main goals in mind: studying the past in order to prevent making the same mistakes in the future and gaining a better appreciation for just how far the world has come since then.  These are admirable aims, and I was looking forward to seeing how they were handled.  However, this installment dealt very little with how this worked.  Only the first third of the book takes place in the History Camp, and it left me with more questions than understanding of just how these camps contributed to making society a better place.  Hansum and his new friends spent one day at the camp and in that time they dressed like people from the time period they were in and were given Italian names.  Then they started learning how to make lenses (in the case of the boys) and manage a kitchen (in the case of the girl).  It’s easy to understand how this type of hard work would help young people better appreciate life in the more technologically advanced 24th century or teach them discipline, but I’m not really sure how making glasses, cooking, and cleaning are going to make one better understand the mistakes of the past.  As the three teenagers did not actually get through their entire History Camp sentence, though, perhaps seeing the entirety of a trip to History Camp would have made this more apparent.

Also, I found myself very curious about the ethical implications of going away to History Camp based on some of the smaller details.  When Hansum leaves for the camp, he’s told to leave his toothbrush behind because they did not have them during the time of the camp he was going to.  Obviously, during the 24th century they have better technology so perhaps they can techno-magically undo any damage caused by not brushing one’s teeth for an extended period of time, but I couldn’t help but wonder just how far they were willing to go to make the History Camp experience realistic.  It did mention that the children were constantly watched and it was ensured that they were safe, but I would have liked to have a better idea of the line between responsibly caring for the children and creating an authentic-feeling environment.

Since Hansum is whisked away to the History Camp at the very beginning of the story, there’s very little time spent in the 24th century and much of what is revealed about this time is told in a clunky fashion.  Hansum just got a 0 on a test, and he makes a deal with Charlene, the AI in charge of him: if he can pass the same test, she’ll ask permission for him to keep his communication implant.  When retaking the test, Hansum once again gets every single question wrong, so Charlene corrects him and goes on to explain some of the differences in population between the beginning of the 21st century and the 24th.  This feels very contrived, and it also leaves out a lot – such as what the disaster was that nearly caused humans to be extinct.  Other than the static population number, the AIs, the communication implants, and the History Camps, very little is known about life in the 24th century.

As this is only the first installment in a trilogy, perhaps there will be more answers to the questions about the History Camps and the 24th century in the next two books (as well as why people from the future tend to speak in verse to the point where it begins to get irritating).  However, there were some grievances the next two books cannot make up for, such as the cheesy naming.  The main character, a good-looking boy, is named Hansum.  This may not be so bad except there is an ugly character named, conveniently enough, Ugilino.  Also, there were some inconsistencies with how their Italian translators worked.  When they arrive in Verona, the three teenagers are given translator implants so they can speak Italian.  This seems to work relatively well, even for translating a lot of words that don’t quite have an Italian equivalent.  Yet when Lincoln is trying to ask where he can go to the bathroom (eventually using specific terms since bathrooms of course did not exist) he can’t get this across to someone else until he makes the appropriate noises.  This just seemed like an excuse for including some silly bathroom jokes instead of anything relevant to the story, particularly since it seemed as though his translator should have been good enough to pick up these common words.

By the last third of the book, the story is really starting to become interesting, particularly as the three teenagers have to adjust to their new lives and develop into functional human beings contributing to a household.  There’s some romance and adventure and it is shaping up into a very fun scenario with some definite possibilities for the next installment, particularly concerning just how badly Hansum and his friends mess up the timeline as they introduce some more modern technology into the past.

The Lens and the Looker has the potential to be a start to a good series, but it’s difficult to judge on its own merits since it does feel like it is largely setting up the next two books.  The first two thirds have some awkward parts, but it is hitting its stride by the final third of the story, which gives the impression that there’s a lot we’re not being told.  Perhaps when the full story ends, many of the ideas about the History Camps and the 24th century will be better fleshed out as well.

My Rating: 5/10

Where I got my reading copy: Review copy from a publicist.

Guest Post by Lory S. Kaufman
Mar
10
2011

Today I have a guest post about where characters come from by Lory S. Kaufman, author of The Lens and the Looker, to share with you.  The Lens and the Looker is the first book in the Verona trilogy, a YA science fiction trilogy in which three teens from the 24th century are sent back to 14th century Verona.

The Lens and the Looker

“Where do characters come from?” You might as well ask, “Is there life on other planets?” This is a question to give a writer pause.

Lincoln was the first character to materialize, sometime around 1989. Yikes, 1989! I was writing an ensemble piece at the time with, I think, seven main characters in the one book. The characters all went back in time in twos and threes, to different times in history, and their stories were loosely related. At the time I thought I was writing adult science fiction but with teenage characters.  I don’t think the concept of young adult literature was that differentiated at the time.

Then life got in the way. Sometime I had to put my writing aside for weeks and months, a few times for over a year. But I never lost the impulse, the need to create . . . to write.

I started taking writing classes and reading books on writing (don’t ask why I didn’t do this earlier). After many starts and stops, by the time I finished the first draft I had a tome of over 240,000 words, or about 800 pages. That’s when I realized I was trying to do what all first time writers do — write the perfect novel that include every scrap of detritus hanging about in my head. I cut the protagonists to three in 2005, and that’s when Hansum and Shamira showed up as composites from all the scrapped characters.

At first I wrote my characters with no specified intention. They just came out of my subconscious and foiled against each other in what I saw as interesting and “telling” ways. When the second draft was completed and reviewed, I saw how a character was contradictory to itself and in subsequent rewrites I would struggle to make changes to make them consistent. It was like sculpting a character out of plasticine. When pushing down to reshape something, a new lump would show up on the other side. I’d attempt to fix one plot hole and another one would take its place. At the beginning of 2008 I took some online classes through Writers Market and met Bonnie Hearn-Hill, a great mystery and young adult writer, and a very strict, but caring, teacher. Her first impressions were that the book is two and a half times too long and I must pick one character to be the central protagonist, having the other two support the other. My daughter, Jessica Suzanne Kaufman, who is a natural and talented editor, became my line editor and actually suggested a way to break the book in two and make two novels out of it. It took a year to accomplish this feat and, by this time, I was, more or less, retired, so I began writing every day.

Convinced I was ready to make my debut, but wanting to do it right, I decided to find the best science fiction editor I could and pay him whatever he asked to read and critique my work. That’s when I found Lou Aronica, a former publisher at Bantam and Avon books and the man who picked five Nebula winners in a row. I was very sure he would read what I had and pronounce it a masterpiece.  What I got back was eight pages of general overview notes, ending with, “there’s a lot of work to be done, but I see that something could come out of this.”

Half elated, half disappointed and totally exhausted, I went on vacation for a week. Then I girded my lions for whatever it would take to bring this thing to the next level.

In the process of this next rewrite, I took a giant step back and wrote essays on each character including what their purpose was.

Lincoln was to become a support character. He represented my younger self, as a boy, someone who did very poorly in school and was very frustrated and depressed, but on the outside he was a wise guy. Lincoln’s purpose would be to be thrown into the big bad world and either sink or swim. His character would show that, although people must be able to stand on their own, they cannot succeed on their own. Where Lincoln’s name came from, I think it has to do with Abraham Lincoln, but I still don’t know how. I guess I just liked the sound of it.

I wanted Shamira to be a person who had scads of artistic talent and to show that people who front projects must use artistic people to bring their own visions to life. She is strong, though misguided and jaded at the beginning, and she represented the adolescents who rebel against everything for rebellions sake, but often that rebellion is a sign that people have a hidden spark in them. When real life and a crisis intervene, the life skills their parents and education has taught them come to the fore. As for Shamira’s name, I thought I made it up. When I researched it, after the fact, I found it is Hebrew for protector. Sometimes we hear things and they lie around in our brains for years, till they just pop out. I love that about brains.

Then there’s Hansum. As the main protagonist, I wanted a name that would stick out. Remember the female character in the movie, Dirty Dancing? Her name was Baby and I always remembered it. The character I was writing was physically good looking, tall and athletic, so Hansum just popped into my mind. I was worried it would be seen as cheesy, but nobody’s laughed yet . . . that I know of.  Hansum’s talent is that of being a natural leader. Intelligent, but not necessarily an expert in any specialty, his burden becomes having expectations put on him and then struggling to succeed.

When back in time, in the 14th century, he is renamed Romero, and he falls in love with a beauty name Guilietta. It’s not too big a leap to realize that a sub plot of the first series is that it’s in part a Romero and Juliet story. Same city, similar names, close time period. And it’s fun.

It took a year and three more rewrites to come up with what is now entitled The Lens and the Looker. The darn thing has changed into a trilogy. It’s been a long road. You can find out more at www.history-camp.com . You can also “like” the History Camp Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/historycamptrilogy?v=info.

Thank you, Lory!  It was rather interesting to learn more about the process of developing the main cast from The Lens and the Looker.

Guest Review of The Skin Map by Stephen Lawhead
Mar
07
2011
The Skin Map
by Stephen Lawhead
448pp (Kindle)
My Rating: 4/10
LibraryThing Rating: 3.5/5
Goodreads Rating: 3.74/5
 

The Skin Map is the first book in Stephen Lawhead’s new Bright Empires series, which he describes as “the most challenging work I’ve ever undertaken.”  Lawhead is the author of such excellent fantasy series as the Pendragon Cycle and the King Raven Trilogy, so he certainly has the pedigree to take on a work of the scope that he describes on his website as the future of science fiction and fantasy.  Unfortunately, one is left not only wondering what is revolutionary about the book but what is unique about it at all as it recycles popular storylines from the past twenty years and is ultimately disappointing as a stand-alone book.

Kit Livingstone is a standard issue–if somewhat wishy-washy–modern-day Londoner, much more concerned with avoiding crowds on the Tube than quantum physics or mystical esoterica.  Or at least he was, until one day he deviates from his normal commute and wanders down a dark alley where he meets his long-lost great-grandfather Cosimo.  After a strange conversation he decides to simply walk away, but quickly discovers that the exit isn’t quite where he left it: nor is the alley, or even London itself.  Instead he’s been transported to another time and place, and is only able to get back home with Cosimo’s help.

Even after Cosimo brings him home, Kit has trouble simply returning to his normal life; he’s seen too much, and really, his life wasn’t that great to begin with.  So he drags his girlfriend Wilhelmina back to the alley and triggers the transportation again, only to discover that it is not quite as easy as Cosimo made it look and Wilhelmina doesn’t arrive with him, lost somewhere in space and time.  So begins a search for Wilhelmina that ranges from ancient Egypt to Portuguese Macau to Habsburg Prague and uncovers a variety of friends and enemies, all of whom seem to be after the same artifact: The Skin Map, the only map that shows how to navigate through the portals, hubs, and lines that allow all of this extra-dimensional travel.

I said in the opening above that I found the book disappointing.  A large part of that disappointment comes from it being a Stephen Lawhead book, who I generally find to be an excellent author even when the story he’s telling may not be the best (see: Grail).  The Skin Map is, frankly, just not a well-written book.  The characters are quite thin and spend a great deal of time trying to explain the implications of the world’s time/space travel system.  It is based on the idea that ley lines serve as tunnels between worlds in a multiverse, and though there is some prevarication on this point, the multiverse seems to be a pretty standard version of the many worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics.  Far more words are spent on getting this point across than are necessary, and the characters (mostly Kit) are in such awe of the concept that they don’t come across as modern–certainly, they’re not fans of sci-fi or fantasy, at the very least.  Paradoxically, despite spending so much time explaining what the ley lines do, there is almost no explanation of how they work.  Sometimes they seem to be based on natural phenomena, sometimes human will, and sometimes narrative convenience, but nowhere in this book are the mechanics of what’s going on explored and so the reader is often left wondering exactly why what just happened took place.

The long infodumps explaining ley lines and generally shallow characters made me feel like this was intended to be a YA sort of book, though Kristen assures me it isn’t (and I asked several times).  Normally I don’t have any problem with YA books–I often like them better than books intended for adults since they tend to have a level of wonder and imagination that adult books usually lack.  The Skin Map has the negatives that are often associated with YA books without the positives, though.  Kit spends most of the book either whining or reacting to events that are happening to him instead of setting out to explore the world(s).  Wilhelmina, who is initially described in less-than-glowing terms, quickly becomes a much more likable character than Kit or Cosimo and I enjoyed reading most of her sections.  The POV character who I found the most intriguing is the original creator of the skin map, but unfortunately he is also the character that we spend the least time with.

But all of that aside, beyond the plot and characterization the part of The Skin Map that is most distressing to me is the quality of the writing at the line-to-line level.  For example, the first eight pages of the book have Kit navigating the London Tube.  While I’m told that Londoners take a sort of perverse pride in the spaghetti-on-a-plate nature of the Underground, opening a fantasy book with a narrative version of Mornington Crescent is simply not a good idea.  In other places the clichés are so thick and common that they have become meta-clichés in popular culture:

 
“You won’t get away with this.” Kit gave the blade a shove with his foot.

“No?” The man moved toward him. “I think you’ll find I already have.”

…really?  Without irony or anything?  Presumably “if not for you meddling kids” is being saved for later books in the series.  From the man who wrote Merlin and Taliesin, I expect more.

The Skin Map is clearly designed to be the first book in a series and suffers as a result of setting up the world’s mythos, but the flaws are deeper than can be explained away by that excuse.  Instead of being revolutionary and deep it is a shallow rehash of every many-worlds story written in the last few decades.  Maybe it will become wonderful as Lawhead moves deeper into the story, but I’m not sure I’m interested enough to find out.

My Rating: 4/10

Where I got my reading copy: A giveaway of the eBook on Lawhead’s Facebook account.