Tag: Orbit

Review: Gods of the Wyrdwood

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“His past lay in a shadow he wanted none to cast light upon”

Title: Gods of the Wyrdwood (June 27, 2023)
Author: R.J. Barker
Pages: 640
Series: Forsaken #1

As a big fan of R.J. Barker’s Bone Ship trilogy, I was excited to sink my teeth into his follow-up series. Here he trades guillame for gasmaw, shipwife for skyraft, and hag for hetton. I was impressed by Barker’s ability to once again conjure up an entirely new world filled with distinct and fascinating flora and fauna. 

We’re dropped directly into this fully-formed world and left to puzzle out what is going on with Cahan, our main character with a dark and mysterious past. The subsequent events are mostly a means to unravel Cahan’s background and set up how he’s positioned to reshape the world of Crua.

The action and buildup are satisfying, but the quieter moments are not as engaging and the story beats sometimes feel repetitive. That said, the ingredients are definitely here for a compelling series. With an opportunity to build upon the groundwork laid down in the book, I’m very intrigued to see where the next books will venture.

★★★¼

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review: The Lost War

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Title: The Lost War (2019; May 16, 2023 reissue)
Author: Justin Lee Anderson
Pages: 528
Series: Eidyn #1

It jumps out of the gate with a strong opening and an interesting premise and finishes with a flourish, but I found the intervening chapters to be fairly standard high/epic fantasy fare that never blew me out of the water.

Justin Lee Anderson does a beautiful job introducing the characters, the stakes, and the world at large, but I just wasn’t as invested in the subsequent proceedings as I hoped to be. It’s surprisingly light and funny and I found myself reminded of Michael J. Sullivan’s Riyria books with a splash of Mike Shel’s Iconoclasts trilogy (sans its darker impulses). If you loved either of those series, I think you’ll enjoy this too.  

★★★

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review: The Blighted Stars

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Title: The Blighted Stars (May 23, 2023)
Author: Megan E. O’Keefe
Pages: 544
Series: The Devoured Worlds #1

While I was initially drawn in by the incredible cover art, I was pleased to find that the book itself is terrific too!

The main plot centers on the mining of earth-like worlds for a precious mineral named relkatite. Unfortunately, the unintended aftereffect of the mining process is a devastating fungal blight that effectively destroys the planet. Not ideal!

We’ve also got 3D printers capable of spitting out human bodies with a neural map/mind in tow. Well, that’s how it’s supposed to work. Sometimes the body misprints. Sometimes the mind cracks after you’ve been printed out too many times, or – gasp! – your mind is printed into two bodies at once.

O’Keefe dives into the unintended consequences of technological progress and humanity’s insatiable push to over-consume our planetary resources as we move throughout the cosmos.

I’m often overwhelmed with sprawling space operas, but the limited narrative scope of The Blighted Stars allows a few central characters and their motivations to stay top of mind. The character development is well-done and the swift pacing kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.

Overall, The Blighted Stars is an exciting start to a promising new series. If the cover art stays cool and the story stays compelling, I’ll certainly be along for the ride.

★★★★¼

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Empire of Exiles

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Title: Empire of Exiles (2022)
Author: Erin M. Evans
Pages: 432
Series: Books of the Usurper #1

A ruined civilization. A sequestered city. And a story told through the eyes of archivists who study the collected works of those cultures lost to time and war. 

You can tell that Evans poured all of her nerdery into this book and it’s impressive to behold. She throws everything under the sun into the worldbuilding and while that sometimes overshadows the murder mystery and character work, it all gels nonetheless.

The world Evans has built up feels ripe for exploration and it’s setting up for a great trilogy. With the murder mystery solved and a larger conspiracy laid bare, I’m intrigued to see what shape the next book will take.

The book is worth it for the incredible maps by Francesca Baerald alone.

★★★¾

Review: The Justice of Kings

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Title: The Justice of Kings (February 22, 2022)
Author: Richard Swan
Pages: 496
Series: Empire of the Wolf #1

An odd thing about this book is that the only character on the cover and the character mentioned in the book’s description as an “unforgettable protagonist destined to become a fantasy icon” is not the main character of the story! It’s certainly an interesting choice and I’m unsure whether or not it is an effective one. Helena, our actual main first-person POV character, is likable and authentic. We see Sir Konrad Vonvalt (the aforementioned coverboy/man) and the story itself through her eyes. It was a tad distracting trying to puzzle out how this served the greater narrative, and I can’t say I ever arrived at an answer.

Luckily, Richard Swan’s writing flows nicely and made for a pleasant reading experience. The murder mystery nestled inside the larger, empire-spanning conspiracy was compelling and left me curious to explore this world beyond what is shown in this specific story. I’m on the fence over whether I’ll continue on to book #2, but this was a solid start to an intriguing new series.

★★★¾

My thanks to NetGalley and Orbit for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review: The Fall of Babel

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Title: The Fall of Babel (November 9, 2021)
Author: Josiah Bancroft
Pages: 672
Series: The Books of Babel #4 (Series Tracker)

With the final page turned and the curtain now closed, I’m happy to report that The Books of Babel is one of the greatest fantasy series I’ve ever read. Bancroft’s prose continues to possess a unique flavor with dashes of charm, wit, biting humor, and heart that are unmatched by others in the genre.

Throughout this final book, I cared about certain characters more than others, found some story threads more compelling than others, and preferred the quieter, more contemplative moments to the dizzying action sequences and set pieces. Despite my mileage varying on certain aspects of the novel itself, all of the elements coalesced into something wondrous and satisfying in the end.

We’ve been taken on a wild ride since Thomas Senlin first set foot in the magnificent and mysterious Tower of Babel. And while I’m sad to leave this world and cast of characters behind, I’m excited to see what else can be plumbed from the depths of Josiah Bancroft’s imagination. Frankly, I’d devour whatever he writes next – whether that’s a shopping list, appliance manual, esoteric textbook, or (ideally) a new novel! 

★★★★

My thanks to NetGalley and Orbit for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Jade Legacy

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Title: Jade Legacy (November 30, 2021)
Author: Fonda Lee
Pages: 736
Series: The Green Bone Saga #3 (Series Tracker)

Engrossing, unpredictable, and heart-wrenching through to the final page – Jade Legacy is a worthy capstone to an incredible trilogy. I can confidently say that Fonda Lee’s Green Bone Saga is a modern fantasy classic and I feel lucky to have come across such a special series.

Lee’s writing makes everything compelling, even down to the most esoteric matters of the clans’ business empire. And although we’re very familiar with the main players in the warring clans, Jade Legacy further plumbs the depths of these flawed, but captivating characters with an expanded story timeframe and frequent time jumps. This was a smart choice and made for a supremely satisfying concluding book.

There are new avenues Lee could explore in future stories set in this world, but for now I am happy to sit back and marvel at the brilliant trilogy she has crafted. 

★★★★★
✪ SPECULATIVE SHELF STARRED BOOK

My thanks to NetGalley and Orbit for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Jade War

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Title: Jade War (2019)
Author: Fonda Lee
Pages: 592
Series: The Green Bone Saga #2 (Series Tracker)

With the characters, world, and magic system already established, this book hit the ground running and increased the complexity and reach of the ongoing clan war. 

I rarely like a second book in a series better than the first, but Jade War is just excellent. It ups the ante and improves upon many of the elements that made Jade City so good. I can’t wait to crack open the ARC of Jade Legacy currently sitting on my shelf.

★★★★½
✪ SPECULATIVE SHELF STARRED BOOK

Review: The Bone Ship’s Wake

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Title: The Bone Ship’s Wake (September 28, 2021)
Author: R.J. Barker
Pages: 592
Series: The Tide Child #3 (Series Tracker)

Much like a fireworks show, The Bone Ship’s Wake starts slowly before building in pace and intensity to an epic and explosive finale. It’s a satisfying conclusion to a magnificent seafaring adventure trilogy. 

While the first book in this series remains my favorite, the entire saga is worthwhile and this final book is just the cherry on top of a thrilling and bloody pirate sundae. Sounds tasty, right?

It’s been gratifying to watch these characters withstand both literal and figurative storms and come out better for it, but I am certainly sad to see their adventures come to an end. Although this particular saga is at its close, Barker leaves the door cracked open enough should he ever want to return to tell more tales from the Scattered Archipelago. I would happily sign up for another tour of duty in this world. 

★★★★

My thanks to Orbit for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.