The Leaning Pile of Books
Dec
16
2018

The Leaning Pile of Books is a feature where I discuss books I got over the last week—old or new, bought or received in the mail for review consideration (often these are unsolicited books from publishers). Since I hope you will find new books you’re interested in reading in these posts, I try to be as informative as possible. If I can find them, links to excerpts, author’s websites, and places where you can find more information on the book are included.

One finished copy and two ARCs showed up last week—all of which sound fantastic! But first, here’s last week’s new review in case you missed it (I LOVED this book):

  • Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri — “Empire of Sand, Tasha Suri’s fantasy debut novel inspired by Mughal India, is magnificent. Though there is plenty of darkness within its pages, there is also an abundance of light as the main characters fight back against evil and injustice—not with the strength of force and weapons, but with the strength of hearts and minds. It’s a wonderful exploration of themes like choice and connection, and it’s also a treasure trove of rich storytelling with its vibrant characters and relationships, fascinating world, and beautiful writing.”

And now, the latest book arrivals!

The Unbound Empire by Melissa Caruso

The Unbound Empire (Swords and Fire #3) by Melissa Caruso

The final book in the Swords and Fire trilogy will be released on April 30, 2019 (trade paperback, ebook).

The publisher’s website has excerpts from the first two books in the series:

  1. The Tethered Mage (2018 Gemmell Morningstar Award Finalist)
  2. The Defiant Heir

The Unbound Empire is one of THE 2019 releases I am most excited about since The Defiant Heir is one of my absolute favorite books of 2018. I have reviewed both of the previous novels:

  1. The Tethered Mage — “The Tethered Mage is a fantastic first novel that particularly excels at characters, worldbuilding, and telling the type of compelling story that leads to late-night-to-early-morning binge reading.” (I stayed up until 2:00 AM reading it because I HAD to know how it ended!)
  2. The Defiant Heir — “The Tethered Mage is an excellent debut novel that set a high bar for its followup, but The Defiant Heir takes the series to the next level in every way.” (Kathe, a character introduced in this installment, made things very interesting…)

I was also pretty excited to see the recent news that Melissa Caruso is writing another trilogy set in this world!

 

The final volume of the Gemmell Morningstar Award-shortlisted Swords and Fire fantasy trilogy, in which political scion Amalia and her bound fire warlock Zaira must save the Empire from a ruthless, magical enemy. Perfect for fans of Tamora Pierce, The Queen of the Tearling, and Uprooted.

While winter snows keep the Witch Lord Ruven’s invading armies at bay, Lady Amalia Cornaro and the fire warlock Zaira attempt to change the fate of mages in the Raverran Empire forever, earning the enmity of those in power who will do anything to keep all magic under tight imperial control. But in the season of the Serene City’s great masquerade, Ruven executes a devastating surprise strike at the heart of the Empire – and at everything Amalia holds most dear.

To stand a chance of defeating Ruven, Amalia and Zaira must face their worst nightmares, expose their deepest secrets, and unleash Zaira’s most devastating fire.

Terran Tomorrow by Nancy Kress

Terran Tomorrow (Yesterday’s Kin #3) by Nancy Kress

The conclusion to the Yesterday’s Kin trilogy, which grew from Nancy Kress’ Nebula Award–winning novella Yesterday’s Kin, is out now (hardcover, ebook, audiobook).

The publisher’s website has excerpts from all three books in the series:

  1. Tomorrow’s Kin
  2. If Tomorrow Comes
  3. Terran Tomorrow

This is another series I’ve rather enjoyed, and I’m curious to see how it ends. I’ve reviewed the previous two books in the series, plus the original novella (which is also the beginning of the first book in the trilogy):

  • Yesterday’s Kin — “Yesterday’s Kin is a wonderful science fiction book, and it’s impressive how full the story is despite its succinctness.”
  • Tomorrow’s Kin — “Though I did feel that the first third was stronger than the new additions, Tomorrow’s Kin as a whole is both smart and engaging—once I started reading it, I had a difficult time putting it down!”
  • If Tomorrow Comes — “If Tomorrow’s Kin has some flaws…but it has its strengths as well and offers an intriguing look at how a society like Kindred’s could have come to be—and how they could have reacted to an existential threat.”
 

Nancy Kress returns with Terran Tomorrow, the final book in the thrilling hard science fiction trilogy based on the Nebula Award–winning novella Yesterday’s Kin.

io9―New Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books You Need to Put on Your Radar for Fall

The diplomatic mission from Earth to World ended in disaster, as the Earth scientists discovered that the Worlders were not the scientifically advanced culture they believed. Though they brought a limited quantity of the vaccine against the deadly spore cloud, there was no way to make enough to vaccinate more than a few dozen. The Earth scientists, and surviving diplomats, fled back to Earth.

But once home, after the twenty-eight-year gap caused by the space ship transit, they find an Earth changed almost beyond recognition. In the aftermath of the spore cloud plague, the human race has been reduced to only a few million isolated survivors. The knowledge brought back by Marianne Jenner and her staff may not be enough to turn the tide of ongoing biological warfare.

The Unicorn Anthology edited by Peter S. Beagle and Jacob Weisman

The Unicorn Anthology edited by Peter S. Beagle and Jacob Weisman

The Unicorn Anthology will be released on April 19 (trade paperback, ebook).

It includes stories by Peter S. Beagle, Patricia A. McKillip, Jane Yolen, Garth Nix, Carrie Vaughn, Caitlín R. Kiernan, Margo Lanagan, and more. The publisher’s website lists the table of contents.

 

Unicorns: Not just for virgins anymore. Here are sixteen lovely, powerful, intricate, and unexpected unicorn tales from fantasy icons including Garth Nix, Peter S. Beagle, Patricia A. McKillip, Bruce Coville, Carrie Vaughn, and more. In this volume you will find two would-be hunters who enlist an innkeeper to find a priest hiding the secret of the last unicorn. A time traveler tries to corral an unruly mythological beast that might never have existed at all. The lover and ex-boyfriend of a dying woman join forces to find a miraculous remedy in New York City. And a small-town writer of historical romances discovers a sliver of a mysterious horn in a slice of apple pie.

Review of Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri
Dec
12
2018
Empire of Sand
by Tasha Suri
pp (Trade Paperback)
My Rating: 9/10
Amazon Rating: 4.5/5
LibraryThing Rating: 3.86/5
Goodreads Rating: 3.98/5
 

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Empire of Sand, Tasha Suri’s fantasy debut novel inspired by Mughal India, is magnificent. Though there is plenty of darkness within its pages, there is also an abundance of light as the main characters fight back against evil and injustice—not with the strength of force and weapons, but with the strength of hearts and minds. It’s a wonderful exploration of themes like choice and connection, and it’s also a treasure trove of rich storytelling with its vibrant characters and relationships, fascinating world, and beautiful writing.

In short: I loved Empire of Sand and found it deeply affecting.

Empire of Sand is the story of Mehr, a noblewoman by virtue of her father’s governorship and an outcast by virtue of her mother’s Amrithi ancestry. When Mehr was young, her mother taught her about their heritage: of the power that dwells in their blood as the descendants of the gods’ children, who once had children of their own with humans. She taught her to draw her own blood for protection against the gods’ children still roaming the land, who had vowed never to hurt one of their lineage; she taught her their stories; she taught her how to dance the rites of their people.

When Mehr was still just a child, her mother was exiled and returned to the desert, leaving her and her baby sister behind. Mehr grew up with a stepmother who despised her and did all she could to prevent Mehr from teaching her sister about Amrithi history and traditions. Largely isolated within her father’s home, Mehr had only one true friend with whom she could be herself, another Amrithi woman called Lalita who had looked after her in her mother’s absence.

Lalita, who has been hiding the fact that she’s Amrithi for years, visits Mehr one day bearing news that she believes her identity may have been compromised and that she must leave. However, a rare dreamfire storm—in which the dreams of the gods sleeping beneath the desert visibly shape the world—is imminent, and she cannot resist staying just a little longer so she and Mehr can dance the Rite of Dreaming together.

But when the dreamfire begins to fall, Lalita does not come. Knowing her friend must be in trouble to miss such an opportunity, Mehr sneaks out of the house to go to her, but having lived a rather secluded life, she does not know how to get there. She desperately begs the gods to take her to her friend’s home, and to her surprise, the dreamfire shows her the way. Though she finds blood and death, she does not find Lalita—but the Empire’s religious leader finds Mehr when she awakens her ability to control dreamfire, rare even among Amrithi.

Mystics come to her father’s household with a document signed by both the Maha, the head of the faith, and the Emperor, declaring they intend to honor Mehr with marriage to an esteemed man of their order. Enraged by the poorly disguised command and the certainty that this cannot end well for Mehr, her father arranges for her to flee. Mehr refuses: she realizes they’ll find her eventually and fears what they may do to her family, especially her young sister, in the meantime. She’s quickly wed to Amun, whom she was only allowed to meet once before their hasty wedding, and brought to the temple.

There, Mehr discovers the dark secrets of the Empire’s success and longevity—and the Maha’s plan to use both sides of her heritage to bind her to perform rites that are anathema to Amrithi. But her new husband has perfected the art of finding loopholes that allow him to resist the Maha’s orders, and with his help, Mehr believes she may be able to free them from their bonds and set things right with the gods…

Empire of Sand is an emotionally intense, memorable novel—one that I expect to be toward the top of my favorite books of 2018 list. I first read it a couple of months before its November release and found it captivating, but I waited to write about it since I didn’t want to review it too early. I actually ended up rereading much of it recently in hopes of better doing this wonderful book justice, and as compelling as I found it before, I found it even more compelling the second time. Those first 50–60 pages no longer seemed slow to me, and I appreciated how they showed a glimpse into Mehr’s early life and relationships, especially given that a major theme of the novel is the impact of connections between people. Though I still thought the occasional brief preludes interspersed between Mehr’s story were unnecessary (though not uninteresting), I loved everything else about it from the magic and mythology, to the lovely writing, to the characters, to the romance, to the themes—but, most of all, Mehr.

Courageous, determined Mehr is the heart and soul of Empire of Sand. Though it is her unusual magic that sets events in motion, it’s Mehr who primarily drives the story: not merely because of what she can do, but mainly because of who she is. Every single choice Mehr makes, no matter how seemingly small or constrained by terrible circumstances, influences the course—this is truly her story, one that could not have unfolded the same way were anyone else at its center. The calmer moments are often the ones that stand out the most—when Mehr chooses hope over despair, kindness and honesty over manipulation and distrust—because these choices clearly shape what follows and cascade to create the eventual outcome. Mehr’s choices affect her relationships with others, her ability to work with and learn from them, as well as how much support she receives when she does inevitably falter or make mistakes.

In particular, Mehr’s choices, determination, and optimism affect the development of her relationship with her new husband, Amun—as do his own choices and determination in return. Having been caught in the Maha’s web for longer than Mehr has been, Amun does not have her optimism. However, he does have cunning and fortitude, and his refusal to simply give in to the Maha’s commands—despite the high personal cost of fighting them—and his honesty with Mehr about their situation allow the two to begin building trust. There’s no immediate attraction between the two; instead, their romance grows naturally from their shared circumstances as they become allies and come to understand one another. Mehr and Amun are well matched since they both have vast reserves of inner strength, and they also inspire and help each other. Together, they discover ways to forge a new path for themselves even after it seemed as though their choices had been taken from them.

Though I found Mehr and Amun (both as individuals and as a couple) to be the highlights, Empire of Sand is an exquisite book overall. The prose is not especially dense, and it flows well and features some elegant descriptions of the desert, the gods’ children, and Mehr’s surroundings and feelings. Her third person perspective is straightforward without leaving room for subtlety, but I also felt as though it conveyed more about her childhood and how it molded her than what was stated through her narrative. The mythical world adds both beauty and darkness, and the expertly woven-in themes exploring oppression and resistance, choices, and the strength of bonds between people add depth and insight that make this book stand out even more.

Empire of Sand is an extraordinary debut, a phenomenal novel, and a wonderful feat of character-driven storytelling. I absolutely loved this unforgettable book, and I’m looking forward to reading more by Tasha Suri.

My Rating: 9/10

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

Read an Excerpt from Empire of Sand

The Leaning Pile of Books
Dec
02
2018

The Leaning Pile of Books is a feature where I discuss books I got over the last week—old or new, bought or received in the mail for review consideration (often these are unsolicited books from publishers). Since I hope you will find new books you’re interested in reading in these posts, I try to be as informative as possible. If I can find them, links to excerpts, author’s websites, and places where you can find more information on the book are included.

Last week was a pretty good mail week with some very intriguing upcoming releases!

Holy Sister by Mark Lawrence

Holy Sister (Book of the Ancestor #3) by Mark Lawrence

The final installment in the Book of the Ancestor trilogy will be released on April 9, 2019 (hardcover and ebook).

The publisher’s website has excerpts from the first two books in the series:

  1. Red Sister
  2. Grey Sister

It made my day when I discovered this was the contents of a mystery package! This series has compelling characters I’ve become quite invested in, and I very much enjoyed both of the previous novels (particularly the first):

  1. Red Sister — 9/10
  2. Grey Sister — 8/10
 

The third book in the thrilling and epic Book of the Ancestor trilogy from international bestselling author Mark Lawrence.

Powerful novice Nona Grey must fight to survive in “a fantastic world in which religion and politics are dark and sharp as swords, with magic and might held in the hands of wonderful and dangerous women.”*

*Library Journal

The True Queen by Zen Cho

The True Queen (A Sorcerer to the Crown Novel) by Zen Cho

The True Queen, a new story set after events in Zen Cho’s Regency fantasy Sorcerer to the Crown, will be released on March 12, 2019 (trade paperback, ebook, audiobook).

It appears to be too early for excerpts from the upcoming novel, but the publisher’s website does have an excerpt from Sorcerer to the Crown.

My reaction to Sorcerer to the Crown was a complicated one—though I liked it and thought it was well done, it seemed like I should have loved it and I’m not quite sure why I didn’t—but I did enjoy it and am curious about this new tale set in the same world (and discovering what Prunella has been up to!).

 

In the follow-up to the “delightful” Regency fantasy novel (NPR.org) Sorcerer to the Crown, a young woman with no memories of her past finds herself embroiled in dangerous politics in England and the land of the fae.

When sisters Muna and Sakti wake up on the peaceful beach of the island of Janda Baik, they can’t remember anything, except that they are bound as only sisters can be. They have been cursed by an unknown enchanter, and slowly Sakti starts to fade away. The only hope of saving her is to go to distant Britain, where the Sorceress Royal has established an academy to train women in magic.

If Muna is to save her sister, she must learn to navigate high society, and trick the English magicians into believing she is a magical prodigy. As she’s drawn into their intrigues, she must uncover the secrets of her past, and journey into a world with more magic than she had ever dreamed.

Tales from Plexis edited by Julie E. Czerneda

The Clan Chronicles: Tales from Plexis edited by Julie E. Czerneda

This anthology of stories set in Julie E. Czerneda’s Clan Chronicles universe (and edited by her!) will be released on December 4 (trade paperback, ebook).

The editor’s website has more information on the book and the table of contents, which includes stories by Tanya Huff, Karina Sumner-Smith, Fiona Patton, Violette Malan, and more—plus a story about Sira and Morgan written by Julie E. Czerneda!

The publisher’s website also has an excerpt from Tales from Plexis.

 

Authors explore new corners of the Clan Chronicles universe in an anthology that brings readers into the lives of the alien inhabitants of one of the sci-fi series’s most memorable locations

Welcome to one of the iconic settings of the Clan Chronicles: the infamous interstellar shopping extravaganza of the Trade Pact known as Plexis Supermarket! A market and meeting place, Plexis is where pirates rub shoulders with freighter crews, where the rich come to party and the out-of-luck chase that last opportunity, where anything can be bought or sold and only your airtag tells the truth. Most of the time.

Dock your starship, pay your parking fee, and enter. You’ll never know what you’ll find. Or who you’ll meet. Because here, for the first time, Julie E. Czerneda has opened the airlocks to her fellow scribes and lovers of all things Trade Pact to produce this anthology of remarkable, all-original stories.

Learn the beginnings (and kitchen secrets) of the famed Claws & Jaws: Interspecies Cuisine. Solve mysteries. Slip through service tunnels or shop with goldtags!

Want the truth about Turrneds? The Neblokans? How Terk met his partner? More of Raj Plexis and Bowman? The way to Ansel’s heart? Kurr di Sarc. Huido. Manouya. Those balloons.

Plexis awaits your pleasure.

The Leaning Pile of Books
Nov
18
2018

The Leaning Pile of Books is a feature where I discuss books I got over the last week—old or new, bought or received in the mail for review consideration (often these are unsolicited books from publishers). Since I hope you will find new books you’re interested in reading in these posts, I try to be as informative as possible. If I can find them, links to excerpts, author’s websites, and places where you can find more information on the book are included.

After getting caught up last weekend, I’m now resuming regularly weekly updates so there are just a couple of books this week. However, if you missed it, I did (finally!) finish the review I’ve been trying to write for awhile now last week:

  • City of Lies (The Poison Wars #1) by Sam Hawke — Though it involves murder, war, and betrayal, City of Lies is ultimately an optimistic book with sincere main characters at its heart. I found it a little slow at times before that incredible last 30%, but it’s also a standout of 2018 for me because I loved the story and characters.

Astounding by Alec Nevala-Lee

Astounding: John W. Campbell, Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein, L. Ron Hubbard, and the Golden Age of Science Fiction by Alec Nevala-Lee

Astounding was just released last month (hardcover, ebook, audiobook). In the prologue, Alec Nevala-Lee clarifies that it “is not a comprehensive history of the genre, and its focus on Campbell’s circle means that many other writers receive less attention than they deserve.”

The publisher’s website has a sample from Astounding.

 

Astounding is the landmark account of the extraordinary partnership between four controversial writers—John W. Campbell, Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein, and L. Ron Hubbard—who set off a revolution in science fiction and forever changed our world.

This remarkable cultural narrative centers on the figure of John W. Campbell, Jr., whom Asimov called “the most powerful force in science fiction ever.” Campbell, who has never been the subject of a biography until now, was both a visionary author—he wrote the story that was later filmed as The Thing—and the editor of the groundbreaking magazine best known as Astounding Science Fiction, in which he discovered countless legendary writers and published classic works ranging from the I, Robot series to Dune. Over a period of more than thirty years, from the rise of the pulps to the debut of Star Trek, he dominated the genre, and his three closest collaborators reached unimaginable heights. Asimov became the most prolific author in American history; Heinlein emerged as the leading science fiction writer of his generation with the novels Starship Troopers and Stranger in a Strange Land; and Hubbard achieved lasting fame—and infamy—as the founder of the Church of Scientology.

Drawing on unexplored archives, thousands of unpublished letters, and dozens of interviews, Alec Nevala-Lee offers a riveting portrait of this circle of authors, their work, and their tumultuous private lives. With unprecedented scope, drama, and detail, Astounding describes how fan culture was born in the depths of the Great Depression; follows these four friends and rivals through World War II and the dawn of the atomic era; and honors such exceptional women as Doña Campbell and Leslyn Heinlein, whose pivotal roles in the history of the genre have gone largely unacknowledged. For the first time, it reveals the startling extent of Campbell’s influence on the ideas that evolved into Scientology, which prompted Asimov to observe: “I knew Campbell and I knew Hubbard, and no movement can have two Messiahs.” It looks unsparingly at the tragic final act that estranged the others from Campbell, bringing the golden age of science fiction to a close, and it illuminates how their complicated legacy continues to shape the imaginations of millions and our vision of the future itself.

Additional Book(s):

Review of City of Lies by Sam Hawke
Nov
13
2018
City of Lies
by Sam Hawke
560pp (Trade Paperback)
My Rating: 8/10
Amazon Rating: 4.2/5
LibraryThing Rating: 4/5
Goodreads Rating: 3.92/5
 

Sam Hawke’s debut novel, City of Lies, is the first book in The Poison Wars series. Though it’s mostly set in one city, this thick epic fantasy novel becomes increasingly large and sweeping, beginning with mysteries involving sudden deaths and an unexpected siege that lead to deeper discoveries about the past. It’s also an intimate, character-driven story narrated by two siblings who face deeply personal stakes—from their own survival to that of their friends, their family, and their people—while tenaciously pursuing truth and justice. Despite some slow pacing in the middle, I found City of Lies to be one of this year’s standout novels and am looking forward to the release of the sequel, Hollow Empire, next year.

On the surface, Silasta appears to be peaceful. Its nobility consider themselves to be quite civilized given their disdain for violence and turmoil. However, it’s not exactly uncommon for them to be hiding murderous intent underneath their polite veneers—and long ago, one family dedicated themselves to discreetly protecting the Chancellor from subtler methods of dealing death, handing down their knowledge from generation to generation.

On the surface, Jovan’s uncle appears to be the Chancellor’s dearest friend, just as Jovan appears to be the Chancellor’s heir’s dearest friend. Though these friendships are genuine, Jovan’s uncle is also an expert in poisons who proofs the Chancellor’s food and drink—and Jovan is his apprentice, openly training to follow in his footsteps as an experienced chef while secretly training to follow in his footsteps as the next Chancellor’s poison detector.

Jovan and Tain, the Chancellor’s heir, are thrust into their uncles’ roles sooner than expected when both older men suddenly die from an unfamiliar toxin. However, it soon becomes clear that assassination was only the first part of the scheme: an “accident” freed all the messenger birds used to send news outside the city, and the funeral is interrupted by attackers surrounding the city walls.

What’s not clear is why they are under assault—presumably by their own people—and the army is not interested in discussion when approached by a negotiator bearing a peace flag, whom they immediately shoot down. Jovan and his sister, Kalina, are determined to prevent the new Chancellor from meeting the same fate as the last and to make peace with the rebels—but to succeed, they must unravel the web of treachery and deceit before it’s too late for their city…

Given that the plot involves betrayal, murder, and war, City of Lies may sound grim, but it’s ultimately an optimistic novel with sincere characters at its heart: as they work together to get to the bottom of the upheaval within their city, they also work to mend divides between their people out of a true desire to listen, learn, and address any grievances. It’s also a wonderful, well-executed book that I enjoyed immensely. Though I did find the pacing to be a bit slow at times, especially around the middle, I found it nearly impossible to put down throughout the tension-fueled last 30%—and that, combined with the fact that I loved the story and the characters, more than made up for a bit of slowness.

The challenges the characters confront range from navigating new duties to trying to survive during a tumultuous time, but the plot is largely a mystery with the characters questioning whom they can trust. Stories focusing heavily on investigation do not always appeal to me, but this one worked for me since resolving it mattered to main protagonists I cared about and I thought it was well done. Although readers discover the answers plus more about their people’s past and ancient magics along with the characters, it’s logical that they’re misinformed in this case and it does not feel like an authorial tactic intended to keep readers in the dark. This is partially because they make discoveries related to long-forgotten history, but it’s also realistic that the comfortably wealthy and powerful would be oblivious to the concerns of the common people—not due to malicious intent, but due to being isolated and narrow-sighted.

As engaging as I found the story and themes centered on humanity, I thought the highlight was the characters. Both Jovan and Kalina have similarly refined narrative voices befitting nobility, but their perspectives are each their own. Jovan’s point of view largely focuses on poisons (of course!) and his approach to managing his obsessive compulsions. Earlier in the book, I preferred reading his sections largely because of his area of expertise and his close friendship with Tain, a carefree, fun-loving, charismatic person who accepts his new responsibilities with a gravity unexpected by many. Jovan and Tain’s new positions also cause some discord between them, as Tain is troubled by Jovan’s constantly risking his life for him and sometimes disregards his lectures on food intake. It’s also largely through Jovan’s eyes that we see one of my favorite characters later in the book, Hadrea: an undiplomatic, blunt commoner who does not mince words when it comes to what she thinks and feels.

Kalina, however, is a more intriguing character than her brother even though it took longer for me to find her chapters as riveting as Jovan’s. As the elder of the two siblings, Kalina was actually supposed to be their uncle’s heir, but health limitations cut her instruction short. Her respiratory problems and tendency to become ill easily made it impossible for her to build an immunity to poisons without risking her life, and she nearly died when beginning her apprenticeship. Since then she’s covertly trained as a spy and observer, and she uses the fact that people often underestimate her to her advantage. Kalina is determined and resourceful with amazing reserves of inner strength, and it was she who stole the show in the end.

Though these characters are primarily confined to a single small area throughout the novel, the world seems vast given the rich development of this one place’s culture and (eventually) history. Their main governmental body consists of six inherited positions and six Guild heads appointed by merit, who may or may not be from a noble family. These leaders can be men or women, and their family structure is matrilineal. Though they exist in other parts of the world, marriage and fatherhood are not part of their tradition, and young children are generally raised by their mothers and their mothers’ brothers.

City of Lies is a fantastic book with a great premise, enthralling mystery, and compelling three dimensional characters. Even though it lags in places, the last third delivers and the positives far outweigh that one minor negative, making it one of my favorite books of 2018 so far.

My Rating: 8/10

Where I got my reading copy: Finished review copy from the publisher.

Read an Excerpt from City of Lies

The Leaning Pile of Books
Nov
11
2018

The Leaning Pile of Books is a feature where I discuss books I got over the last week—old or new, bought or received in the mail for review consideration (often these are unsolicited books from publishers). Since I hope you will find new books you’re interested in reading in these posts, I try to be as informative as possible. If I can find them, links to excerpts, author’s websites, and places where you can find more information on the book are included.

This is the third week in a row of catching up on coverage of new book arrivals, but this feature should resume normally next week (assuming nothing too unexpected happens again!).

There were no new reviews last week; however, I did nearly finish one last week so I expect a new one to be up soon.

Now, here are the rest of the ARCs/review copies that came in while things were unusually chaotic.

The Gutter Prayer by Gareth Hanrahan

The Gutter Prayer (Black Iron Legacy #1) by Gareth Hanrahan

This debut fantasy novel about three thieves will be released on January 22, 2019 (trade paperback, ebook).

A sequel titled The Divine Machine will follow.

 

A group of three young thieves are pulled into a centuries old magical war between ancient beings, mages, and humanity in this wildly original debut epic fantasy.

The city has always been. The city must finally end.

When three thieves – an orphan, a ghoul, and a cursed man – are betrayed by the master of the thieves guild, their quest for revenge uncovers dark truths about their city and exposes a dangerous conspiracy, the seeds of which were sown long before they were born.

Cari is a drifter whose past and future are darker than she can know.

Rat is a Ghoul, whose people haunt the city’s underworld.

Spar is a Stone Man, subject to a terrible disease that is slowly petrifying his flesh.

Chance has brought them together, but their friendship could be all that stands in the way of total armageddon.

The Dream Gatherer by Kristen Britain

The Dream Gatherer: A Green Rider Novella by Kristen Britain

This collection, which contains the novella “The Dream Gatherer” plus two additional short stories set in the Green Rider world, is out now (hardcover, ebook, audiobook).

The publisher’s website has an excerpt from The Dream Gatherer.

 

Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the New York Times bestselling Green Rider series, this short volume introduces readers to new sides of Sacoridia in two new short stories and a novella.

In The Dream Gatherer, Kristen Britain presents a novella and two short stories set in the universe of her best selling Green Rider series in celebration of the twentieth anniversary of the publication of her first novel, Green Rider.

The Dream Gatherer
Dreams can be dangerous. A visit with the eccentric Berry sisters turns dangerous when an arcane device is discovered in their house that can summon dreamers through their dreams, and one of them is a nightmare.

Wishwind
Finding peace during the Long War. Raised in an orphan camp, Green Rider Danalong has known only war and strife, until a shipwreck leaves him stranded on a mysterious island.

Linked, on the Lake of Souls
A story of friendship within a story of friendship. In the sixth volume of the Green Rider series, Firebrand, a wounded Karigan G’ladheon asks her friend Estral to tell her a story to take her mind off her pain. This is that story.

The book includes illustrations and backstory on the creation of Green Rider by the author, and a special introduction by award-winning science fiction and fantasy author, Julie E. Czerneda.

The Way of the Shield by Marshall Ryan Maresca

The Way of the Shield (Maradaine Elite #1) by Marshall Ryan Maresca

The beginning of the fourth series set in the world of the Maradaine Saga is out now (mass market paperback, ebook).

The publisher’s website has an excerpt from The Way of the Shield.

 

The first novel in the Maradaine Elite series blends fast-paced high fantasy and political intrigue.

Dayne Heldrin always dreamed of being a member of the Tarian Order. In centuries past, the Elite Orders of Druthal were warriors that stood for order, justice, and the common people. But now, with constables, King’s Marshals, and a standing army, there is little need for such organizations, and the Tarian Order is one of the last remnants of this ancient legacy. Nevertheless, Dayne trained his body and mind, learned the arts of defense and fighting, to become a candidate for the Tarian Order.

When a failed rescue puts Dayne at fault for injuring the child of a powerful family, his future with the Tarians is in jeopardy. The Parliament controls the purse strings for the Order, and Dayne has angered the wrong members of Parliament. He returns to the capital city of Maradaine in shame, ready to be cast out of the Order when the period of his candidacy ends.

Dayne finds Maradaine in turmoil, as revolutions and dark conspiracies brew around him, threatening members of Parliament and common people alike. Dayne is drawn into the uproar, desperate not to have one more death or injury on his conscience, but the Order wants him to stay out of the situation. The city threatens to tear itself apart, and Dayne must decide between his own future and his vow to always stand between the helpless and harm.

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