Tag: Book Review

Review: The Crown Conspiracy

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146902Title: The Crown Conspiracy
Author: Michael J. Sullivan
Pages: 324
Series: The Riyria Revelations #1
Read via: Kindle

Review: Michael J. Sullivan writes some really delightful fantasy stories. Having now finished two of his novels (see my review of Age of Myth) I have a better sense of his overall writing style–charming characters, witty dialogue, swift-moving plots, adventure, humor, wizards, political intrigue, etc. I’ll take that combination any day of the week.

Something else I noted in my prior reading of Sullivan was his ability to construct interesting side characters. Myron, the wide-eyed monk, is another instant classic. Similarly, Royce and Hadrian, the novel’s protagonists, are a very charismatic duo. Their absence from any scene immediately makes it less compelling.

There is certainly a sense of a “long game” being set up in The Crown Conspiracy that will span the six novels of the series, and I’ll certainly be following things through to the end to see how it all unfolds (assuming the books maintain this level of quality).

★★★★¼ out of 5

Review: All Our Wrong Todays

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51wbhjrkalTitle: All Our Wrong Todays (2017)
Author: Elan Mastai
Pages: 384
Read via: Kindle
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Mashup: The Martian + Dark Matter + Back to the Future

It was truly a delight to read a novel with such a perfect blend of wit, adventure, and poignancy. Mastai writes with a smart, self-assured edge that makes his wonderfully absurd plot feel plausible and all the complexities of time travel seem straightforward. I fully expect (and hope) that All Our Wrong Todays will be a hit when it is released next year and I look forward to the movie adaptation that is already in the works.

★★★★½ out of 5
✪ SPECULATIVE SHELF STARRED BOOK

Review: The Fifth Season

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Title: The Fifth Season
Author: N.K. Jemisin
Pages: 500
Series: The Broken Earth #1
Read via: Kindle

Summary: The continent of The Stillness is in perpetual motion. The only relief comes from orogenes, individuals who can quell earthquakes and bring calm to the earth. While all of society benefits from their gifts, the orogenes must cope with outside forces that seek to manipulate, control, and oppress their people.

Review: It is always tricky to objectively rate a title that has earned such critical praise. I had heard wonderful things about N.K. Jemisin’s The Fifth Season, and while it didn’t quite live up to the hype, it also didn’t disappoint. As a reader, it’s always refreshing to be dropped into a world you know nothing about. Jemisin uses colloquial slang and terms several times before it’s clear from the context what they mean. This provided a welcome challenge, but it also delayed my ability to shift attention to what was actually happening until about halfway through the book.

Jemisin establishes such an interesting and unique world that was fascinating to uncover. In a way it didn’t feel like fantasy, as the world is gritty, fully realized, and there’s no talk of magic. Everything just is as it is, and it’s written in a way that makes it all seem very believable. I’m interested to see where Jemisin takes this world and these characters next.

★★★½ out of 5