Stefan

Just read: World's End, by Mark Chadbourn

2010-01-06T15:14:01Z

World’s End served up enough excitement, mythological depth, and interesting characters to keep me reading to the end. I’m usually not a big reader of contemporary fantasy or dark fantasy, but I definitely look forward to reading the next book in the series, Darkest Hour.

Read the rest of the review here!

PS The FTC wants you to know that the publisher of this novel sent me a free review copy. So there.

Next up: Well, I read a bunch of books since this one already - it took a while for this review to pop up because I wanted to read the entire trilogy. The reviews of the next 2 books should pop up soon. Right now I'm almost done with "Diving into the Wreck" by Kristine Kathryn Rusch.

2009 reading report

2010-01-02T01:21:48Z

This year I read a total of 70 books, which is 5 more than last year.   (This is surprising. I had less time to read this year because my son now only takes one nap as opposed to two, which cut my reading time more or less in half. However, thanks to my persistent insomnia, I made up for that by reading a lot at night.)

The entire list can be seen here. The ratings are on a scale from 1 to 5, which more or less corresponds to the way GoodReads uses the ratings: 1: I didn't like it, 2: It was okay, 3: I liked it, 4: I loved it, 5: It was amazing.

Out of these 70 books, 39 were fantasy, 27 were SF, 1 was horror, 1 was non-fiction, and 2 were short story collections that contained both fantasy and SF. Usually I read more or less equal parts SF and fantasy, but because I now review for FanLit, I ended up reading much more fantasy than usual - and that's likely to continue.

I rated 4 books only 1 star, 10 books got 2 stars, 25 books got 3 stars, 21 got 4 stars, and 10 books got the maximum of 5 stars. Lots of higher ratings this year because I discovered some great writers, and I tend to pick my reads very carefully anyway.

Apparently the average length of the books I read this year was 461 pages. There were a couple of short novellas in there, but that was probably offset by a bunch of omnibus editions (which I only counted as 1 book for my tally).

Best fantasy published in 2009: Palimpsest by Catherynne M. Valente. Stunning book. Thanks to tsubaki_ny for pointing me in its direction!

Best "older" fantasy I read this year (books that were published before 2009): To Ride Hell's Chasm, by Janny Wurts. This novel is as close to perfect as fantasy can get, in my opinion.

Best SF published in 2009:  Julian Comstock: A Story of 22nd Century America, by Robert Charles Wilson. One of the best SF novels I've ever read, and it's a crying shame it hasn't won any major awards yet.

Best pre-2009 SF I read this year: Dying Inside, by Robert Silverberg

Horror: I only read one true horror novel (The Strain, by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan). One too many, it turned out.

Non-fiction: Again, I only read one book in this category (Idiot America, by Charles Pierce). Great book.

Best short story collection:  The Best of Gene Wolfe. If you read SF, you must buy this book.

Best writer I discovered this year:  Janny Wurts. I cannot believe no one ever made me read her books before this year. I've read 4 of her novels this year (the aforementioned To Ride Hell's Chasm, and the first 3 books in the "Wars of Light and Shadow" series) --- all of them easily 5 star books. I look forward to getting into Arc III of her series very soon.

My favorite over-all book I read in 2009: I'm going to have to split this one between "Julian Comstock" (Robert Charles Wilson) and "To Ride Hell's Chasm" (Janny Wurts). These books aren't just my favorite books of 2009, but some of the very best genre novels I've ever read.

All the links above lead to my reviews of the books in question. Some of these reviews have also been published on FanLit.

Please drop me a note letting me know what you think of this list... and what your favorite reads of 2009 were.

2009

2010-01-01T03:21:32Z

I feel like I should write something about the change to 2010. All I can come up with is this:

Ten years ago, everyone was going on about Y2K. People were going on and on about whether the 21st century started on 1/1/2000 or 1/1/2001. Now, of course, we all know Y2K was nothing to worry about, and the 21st century really started on 9/11/2001.

I will write a wrap-up about my reading in 2009 at some point tomorrow. For now, I have a Chimay Grande Reserve in front of me, and a beautiful family to spend the evening with.

Happy New Year to all.

PS I'm kinda sad I won't be able to see the ski-jumping in Garmisch-Partenkirchen tomorrow - a tradition of my parents since before I was born. Almost 15 years in this country, and this is the first time I'm seriously home-sick.

PPS On the plus side, my two year old spent his nap time (when he was supposed to be sleeping) singing Three Little Birds by Bob Marley, verbatim, at the top of his lungs. It was beautiful.

Just read: "Iorich" by Steven Brust

2009-12-18T19:29:15Z

Iorich is a lovely addition to the VLAD TALTOS series. … If you’re already a fan of the VLAD TALTOS series, you’ll have a blast with Iorich. And if you’re not familiar with the series yet, do yourself a favor and go find a copy of The Book of Jhereg right now. You won’t be disappointed.

Please check out the rest of my review on FanLit here! (This is one I actually was fairly happy with, for once.)

Disclaimer: The FTC wants you to know that Tor provided me with a free review copy of this novel. So there.

Next up: Still working on book 2 of the Age of Misrule trilogy by Mark Chadbourn. I'm also eying the copy of "The Windup Girl" by Paolo Bacigalupi I just received. What a gorgeous cover!

Just Read: "Not LessThan Gods" by Kage Baker

2009-12-17T04:30:49Z

As a long-time fan of Kage Baker, I was extremely pleased with Not Less Than Gods. If you’re in the market for an excellent SF series, I’d probably still recommend starting with In the Garden of Iden first, but Not Less Than Gods is a solid addition to the Company series and works surprisingly well as a standalone novel. Read the entire review here! Disclaimer: The FTC wants you to know that the publisher of this novel provided me with a free review copy. So there. Next up: well, I've read a bunch of other stuff, but I'm trying not to post my reviews here before they get published on other sites, so there's a bit of a backlog. Right now I'm on book 2 of Mark Chadbourn's Age of Misrule trilogy, which has been very enjoyable so far.

Just a live track from my favorite band ever

2009-12-13T05:33:08Z

I saw them live on this tour, back in Belgium, about 20 years ago. I would pay a lot of money to experience that concert again.

Still here (sort of)

2009-12-05T00:33:46Z

Read a bunch of stuff lately, but not much in the way of novels. Hence no reviews. Did read Iorich by Steven Brust (out next month), and enjoyed it. Dude needs to write more quickly. A review should pop up soon-ish.

Right now I'm in that rare mood where I don't really feel like reading novels, plus it's the weekend (when I rarely get any reading done), so, yeah. Maybe next week.

Meanwhile, go read this - it's clever and hilarious.

By the Mountain Bound, Elizabeth Bear

2009-11-20T16:57:57Z

…If you enjoyed All the Windwracked Stars and are curious about how it all started, definitely check out By the Mountain Bound. It contains some powerful scenes, tons of beautiful, poetic prose, and a highly original fantasy universe. However, while I have the utmost respect for Elizabeth Bear’s talent, I simply didn’t enjoy By the Mountain Bound as much as I wanted to.

Read the entire review here!

Disclaimer: The FTC wants you to know that the publisher provided me with a free review copy. Hum dee hur dee hur.

Next up: I'm already 2/3 done with "Iorich" by Steven Brust - so far, everything I'd hope for in a Vlad Taltos novel. I also have the Catherynne Valente novella "Under in the Mere" going, and am itching to get into my advance copy of the new Company novel by Kage Baker.

Nightchild, by James Barclay

2009-11-20T16:54:34Z

… In Nightchild, James Barclay basically does everything he did in the first two books of the CHRONICLES OF THE RAVEN, but just a little bit better. The novel is more tightly written, the characters have by now acquired some depth, and the plot is less simplistic. While the hectic pace of the first two novels occasionally lent them a cartoon-like quality, Nightchild is more evenly paced, better crafted, and simply a more enjoyable read…

Read the entire review here!

Disclaimer: The FTC wants you to know that the publisher provided me with a free review copy. So there.

How to Make Friends with Demons, by Graham Joyce

2009-11-19T01:19:04Z

…How to Make Friends with Demons is another great example of Graham Joyce’s distinctive style. Narrator William Heaney is a more or less regular middle-aged man: boring government job, divorced with two kids, likes seventies music, has a drinking problem. Oh, and he believes that there are 1,567 varieties of demons that can possess anyone at any time. Someone else claims to have identified 4 additional demons, but Heaney thinks he’s just confusing demons with psychological conditions — and then labels excessive footnoting as a demon a few sentences later.

Read the full review here!

Disclaimer: the FTC wants you to know that the publisher of this novel sent me a free review copy.

Next up: Just finished my re-read Lois McMaster Bujold's "Ethan of Athos" for discussion at Beyond Reality. My next read will be Catherynne Valente's novella "Under in the Mere" (due out next month from Rabid Transit Press).

"All the Windwracked Stars", by Elizabeth Bear

2009-11-13T18:57:57Z

All the Windwracked Stars is the first book in the EDDA OF BURDENS trilogy by fantasy and SF author Elizabeth Bear. The novel is a very original blend of fantasy, science fiction, steampunk and mythology, and while it has some weaknesses, its originality sets it apart in a genre that’s all too often filled with cookie-cutter material.

Please check out the full review here!

"In Between", R.A. MacAvoy

2009-11-11T17:38:05Z

…As a newcomer to the works of R.A. MacAvoy, I enjoyed In Between, mainly because of Ewen, who deserves a full novel, but also because of the subtle spirituality of the story. At about 100 pages, this is a quick, enjoyable read that hopefully will be the base for a full-length novel in the future.

Please read my full review on Fantasyliterature.com!

DISCLAIMER: The FTC wants you to know that the publisher of this book sent me a free review copy of this novella. So there.

Next up: I already finished Elizabeth Bear's "By the Mountain Bound" - review should appear on FanLit soon. I also read "Makers by Cory Doctorow but haven't written anything about it yet. After this I'm going to read Graham Joyce's newest, "How to Make Friends with Demons", and also do a quick re-read of "Ethan of Athos" for the upcoming discussion on Beyond Reality.

Reading reading reading...

2009-11-05T19:21:06Z

I'm putting the finishing touches on my review of "All the Windwracked Stars", but will probably read "By the Mountain Bound" before finishing and publishing it. It's an amazingly complex novel to encapsulate in a short review, and I'm guessing the prequel will add another layer to it.

Meanwhile I'm also 3/4 done with "Makers" by Cory Doctorow, which is entertaining but not as impressive as "Little Brother", I think.

I'm also on Twitter now. Confusing so far, but it's fun to see updates from the few authors I've managed to track down.

Just read: "Noonshade" by James Barclay

2009-11-02T22:27:45Z

Noonshade is another wild action movie in the shape of a novel, full of adventure, battles and magic. What it lacks in depth, style, and originality, it makes up for in entertainment value and pace. If you enjoyed Dawnthief, there’s no doubt in my mind that you’ll enjoy Noonshade just as much.

Read the full review here!

Next up: "All the Windwracked Stars" by Elizabeth Bear.

Interesting post about the world of Joel Shepherd's "Sasha"

2009-11-02T19:15:48Z

Just spotted this interesting article by Joel Shepherd about the fantasy world he created for his novel "Sasha" (reviewed here earlier).

Just read: "Sasha" by Joel Shepherd

2009-10-28T19:49:31Z

… I thought Sasha was excellent, especially given that this is Joel Shepherd’s first fantasy novel. It offers a huge fantasy world, a fascinating heroine, heart-pounding descriptions of both small-scale sword fights and full-on warfare, several characters that genuinely grow and change, and — maybe most importantly — the hint that this is just the start of what could become a great series. While I wouldn’t rank it quite as high as George R.R. Martin’s A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE, I think Sasha will go down very well with fans of that series.

Please check out the full review here!

DISCLAIMER: The FTC wants you to know that the publisher of this novel provided me with a review copy. So there.

Next up: "Noonshade", sequel to "Dawnthief" by James Barclay. About 100 pages in, it seems a bit better than the first book.

Just read: "Conjure Wife" by Fritz Leiber

2009-10-26T16:34:56Z

Conjure Wife is a 1943 horror novel by master fantasist Fritz Leiber, who is best known for his excellent FAFHRD AND THE GRAY MOUSER stories. While Conjure Wife is usually labeled as horror, the recently released trade paperback edition from Orb is marketed as "the classic of urban fantasy" — maybe to latch on to the recent surge in popularity of that sub-genre? Regardless of which genre it's placed in, Conjure Wife is an excellent novel that definitely deserved a re-release.

Check out the rest of the review at the Fantasy Literature website!

Next up: I'm already halfway through "Sasha" by Joel Shepherd, which so far is much better than I expected.

Just read: "Dawnthief" by James Barclay

2009-10-21T16:47:46Z

Dawnthief is the first book in James Barclay's CHRONICLES OF THE RAVEN trilogy (followed by Noonshade and Nightchild). In addition to the trilogy, the author also published four LEGENDS OF THE RAVEN novels and one Raven novella, as well as two ASCENDANTS OF ESTORIA novels and the stand-alone Vault of Deeds. Dawnthief was James Barclay's first published work in 1999 and, in the author's words, "came from a personal frustration with the pace, style and character matter of other fantasy novels." Its aim, again quoting the author, was "to entertain readers". If entertainment was the novel's only goal, I'd consider Dawnthief a success, despite several issues that a critical reader might find difficult to ignore.

First of all, Dawnthief's plot and setting are so simplistic that they wouldn't look out of place in a YA novel. The continent Balaia is split right in half by a mountain range. The only crossing points are the narrow Understone pass in the middle, and two bays to the north and south. To the east of the mountain pass is the civilized world, including a feuding nobility and four rivalling colleges of magic. To the west of the mountains are the Wesmen, basically primitive Bad Guys who have waged war on the east in the past, as well as the prison of the evil Wytchlords.

In this setting we meet the Raven, a famous group of seven mercenaries consisting of six warriors and one elf mage. One of the Raven's fighters is called The Unknown Warrior - that's actually the name he goes by, capitals included, and yes, his friends address him as Unknown Warrior or, maybe more affectionately, "Unknown". After encountering this name several times in the first chapters of the book, I had so much difficulty taking it seriously that my eyes started to cross, but in a strange way the name is really part of the fun atmosphere in Dawnthief - and, surprisingly, even ends up having real significance in one of the few original fantasy ideas to appear in this novel.

At the start of Dawnthief, the Raven is engaged in the defense of one baron's castle from the attack of another noble, and in the course of the fight they stumble into another dimension and encounter a Dragon. Denser, the "Dark Mage" (connected to Xetesk, the more evil college of magic) recovers an artifact from the dragon, and this item turns out to be one of the components for Dawnthief - an immensely destructive spell that will prove vitally important in the defense against the resurgent Wesmen and the threat of the Wytchlord's resurrection.

From that point on, the novel basically never slows down: sword fights, magical battles, a damsel in distress, more sword fights, full-on warfare. Frequently, Dawnthief reads like a particularly hectic AD&D campaign, with the party of heroes traveling hither and yon across the land, collecting spell components, getting injured and healed in battle, making wisecracks as they cut down their enemies or get cut down themselves (word of warning: James Barclay has taken a page from the George R.R. Martin "Don't get too attached to my characters" school of writing).

As this was James Barclay's first novel, it's maybe not surprising that the prose isn't always as smooth as it could be. Especially in the early part of the novel, run-on sentences pop up like clockwork, but given the author's commercial success, I would guess that those problems have been smoothed over in his later books. I was more surprised to see not one but two names misspelled in the "Cast List" of Pyr's otherwise lovely trade paperback edition, released in September 2009. (At this point, I also want to point out how wonderful it is that Pyr is re-releasing the CHRONICLES OF THE RAVEN at such a quick pace - one novel per month, with Noonthief out in mid-October and Nightchild right on its heels in November. It's great not to have to wait for the next book!)

Dawnthief is the literary equivalent of an entertaining action movie. You're not going to, say, a Michael Bay movie for the deep characterization, multi-layered plot or artful cinematography. You want fast-paced action, fights, special effects, straightforward escapist fun. Dawnthief delivers all of those in spades. What it doesn't deliver: well-rounded characters, an unpredictable plot, any semblance of depth. If you're looking for any of those, Dawnthief is not the novel for you. On the other hand, if you're willing to turn off your brain and enjoy a fast-paced and action-packed fantasy romp, Dawnthief is a fun and quick read that never gets boring. Maybe most surprisingly of all, I'm actually looking forward to reading Noonshade.

DISCLAIMER:  The FTC wants you to know that the publisher of this book provided me with a free review copy. So there.

NOTE: This review will also pop up on FantasyLiterature at some point in the near future.

Next up:  I'm already well into "Conjure Wife" by Fritz Leiber --- very good so far, and very different from the previous books I've read by him (the Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser stories).

Just read: "Warhost of Vastmark", by Janny Wurts

2009-10-16T17:51:10Z

Warhost of Vastmark by Janny Wurts takes up directly where The Ships of Merior left off. The two books are definitely meant to be read back to back - together they comprise Arc 2 of the author's THE WARS OF LIGHT AND SHADOW series, and some editions actually combine both of them in one cover.

It's hard to give many details of the story without throwing in spoilers for The Ships of Merior, so I'll just say that the ongoing conflict between Arithon and Lysaer, which reached a seeming climax at the end of "Merior", actually balloons to even larger proportions and reaches a stunning high point at the end of the novel. The book contains a hilarious moment of hijinx (the "triple theft") that's so carefully set up and brilliantly executed you'll want to re-read the chapter. Some characters show some (to me at least) unexpected changes, and some previously minor characters develop into very fascinating pieces of the puzzle.

While the story progresses, we also learn more about the world of Athera, its past, and the various groups and factions that make this such a complex and intriguing fantasy universe. The odd side-effect of this slow revelation of world-building details is that you simply want to read and learn more, even as the picture gradually resolves and the story progresses. These novels all have a solid and very satisfying ending, but at the same time they definitely leave the reader hungry for more.

Janny Wurts' novels are generally complex and challenging, and as such they require the reader's full attention. I'm sure people looking for light reading might be turned off by their rich prose and long-term plotting. However, if you're willing to give them the time they deserve, I doubt you'll be disappointed. I've rated the previous two books in this series 5 stars, and astonishingly, Warhost of Vastmark is at least as good as The Curse of the Mistwraith and The Ships of Merior. This is quickly becoming one of my favorite epic fantasies.

DISCLAIMER: The FTC wants you to know that the publisher of this book provided me with a free review copy. So there.

Next up: I'm doing a quick re-read of "Cetaganda" by Lois McMaster Bujold for a book discussion, then jumping into James Barclay's "Dawnthief".

The Very Best of Fantasy & Science Fiction, ed. Gordon Van Gelder

2009-10-11T18:43:05Z

The Very Best of Fantasy & Science Fiction: Sixtieth Anniversary Anthology is an excellent collection of 23 stories picked from the treasure trove of short fiction that's been published in the eponymous magazine over the past 60 years. Editor Gordon Van Gelder — also the editor of the magazine since 1997 — has done an admirable job, picking stories that illustrate the diversity of both the genre and the magazine. As such, this is a great anthology for SF&F fans as well as newcomers looking for a taste.

Read the full review here!

"Imager's Challenge" by L.E. Modesitt Jr.

2009-10-07T23:29:50Z

Imager's Challenge is the second book in the IMAGER PORTFOLIO, the latest fantasy series by L.E. Modesitt Jr. The author is probably best known for his ongoing SAGA OF RECLUCE, but for readers who may be daunted by the length of that series, the IMAGER PORTFOLIO is a great way to try the work of this talented and prolific writer.

Check out the rest of the review at www.fantasyliterature.com!

Janny Wurts interview

2009-10-06T17:13:52Z

Thought I'd pass on this fascinating interview with Janny Wurts. If I didn't have books that need to be reviewed by yesterday, I'd be deep into the next book of her series now!

Argh

2009-10-01T00:28:06Z

I really, really feel like re-reading the Dragon books by Margaret Weis and Tracey Hickman, because of this blog post. I haven't read those books in 20 years or so. They may actually be responsible for dragging me over from reading SF exclusively to once in a while trying fantasy, and now reading about equal amounts of the 2 genres. I'm fairly sure the books weren't that good to begin with, but I loved them when I was a wee teenager. However... do I really need to re-read a couple of 1000 page tomes, given that I have 50+ books on the ole to-be-read pile?

Just read: "The Ships of Merior", Janny Wurts

2009-09-30T16:59:35Z

The Ships of Merior is the first part of Arc 2 of THE WARS OF LIGHT AND SHADOW, the incomparable epic fantasy series by Janny Wurts. The novel was originally released in 1994, and has most recently been re-released by HarperCollins Voyager in a lovely mass market paperback edition, featuring brand new artwork by the author herself. This is the first US paperback edition of the novel in at least 7 years. Further novels in the series will be re-released in late 2009 and throughout 2010, in anticipation of the next novel in the series, Initiate's Trial, in late 2010.

At the end of The Curse of the Mistwraith, book 1 of the series, the half-brothers Lysaer and Arithon have succeeded in lifting the Mistwraith's fog, restoring the continent of Paravia to sunlight, but in their moment of victory, the Mistwraith's final curse hits them: the two princes are set under a geas of mutual hatred, driven to kill each other with a passion stronger than rational thought. While Arithon goes undercover to avoid war, becoming masterbard Halliron's apprentice, Lysaer begins to gather his forces for a strike against his rival.

If it's been a while since you've read the first book in the series, you'll find the important events of that novel recapped early in the novel, not in the form of a summary but rather as an integral part of the story, usually seen from a different perspective or recounted by another person. In this way, Janny Wurts refreshes her readers' memories while deepening their understanding of this many-layered story. At the same time, there are plenty of surprises in store, including some information about the Fellowship's origin that dizzyingly changes the entire perspective of the series, and some (in comparison minor) twists and shocks that are sure to make you blink.

If you enjoyed The Curse of the Mistwraith, there's simply no reason or excuse not to read The Ships of Merior. The novel features all of the many strengths of its predecessor: meticulous plotting, strong characters, attention to the smallest details of world-building, and most notably Janny Wurts' gorgeous prose. Simply put, I can't think of many fantasy authors who can rival the richness and subtlety of the language Janny Wurts deploys in her novels.

One difference with The Curse of the Mistwraith is the amount of humor in the book. While the earlier book had just a few glimpses of lightheartedness, The Ships of Merior displays this side of the author more often, especially when recounting the exploits of the mad prophet Dakar early in the novel. The grimmer tone of the second half of the book is probably at least in part due to the fact that Dakar spends much of it drunk to the point of unconsciousness.

The Ships of Merior and Warhost of Vastmark, the second book in this Arc of THE WARS OF LIGHT AND SHADOW, were originally envisioned (and published) as one - very large - novel, but have been split into two titles in many editions. Fortunately, one of Janny Wurts' hallmarks is a midpoint climax, halfway through each novel - which in this case has the happy result of creating an unforgettable ending in the last chapters of The Ships of Merior (which were originally the middle chapters of the complete Arc 2). The book ends on an unmitigated nail-biter that left me unable to stop reading until the very end, and eager to get into Warhost of Vastmark as soon as possible.

DISCLAIMER: The FTC wants you to know that the publisher of this book provided me with a free review copy. So there.

Next up: "The Very Best of Fantasy & Science Fiction" - the 60th anniversary anthology of F&SF magazine. Looks excellent so far!

Yay.

2009-09-22T23:34:12Z

I would like to take this opportunity to show off my shiny new galley of "Iorich" by Steven Brust (January 2010).

If only I hadn't just started out on "The Ships of Merior" by Janny Wurts, I'd be reading Brust right now. Still, only 70 pages into "The Ships of Merior", I'm already hooked, so "Iorich" will have to wait until I'm done with this book and the sequel (which are really one big novel split into two books).

Finished "Agent of Change" by Sharon Lee and Stuart Miller. Fun space opera-style SF, interesting universe, very fast and easy reading. I'd file it somewhere near the Miles Vorkosigan books by Lois McMaster Bujold, although it's not the same quality. Still, I'm interested enough to read the next book. After Janny Wurts and Steven Brust.