Magic of Thieves: Legend of Dimmingwood book 1 - C Greenwood.

 

I have been a bit remiss with my blog posts of late, once again due to the lack of time to read during my teacher training year. That said, I did get time to read a fair bit over Christmas but failed to update due to lack of anything regarding motivation. January has rolled around and so has the guilt. Here is my latest read and my thoughts on it.

The best part of this novel by far was the characters. The story follows the journey of the protagonist through her early life up until her late teenage years. The reader is told on numerous occasions that she has inherited the ability of magic, an ability that she would be hunted for and slain by the evil types who currently rule that part of the world. Her entire village was slain and she was orphaned. She end up banding with a bunch of thieves and living in the woods with them until she leaves. She is engaging and certainly has her limitation. The progression from child to moody teenager is well written and she came across as a balanced character to me.

The overall plot for the novel is generally OK, however, to me, it seemed as though it was a set-up novel. The end sees our protagonist leaving her childhood home in search of something (I'm not saying what) and to me, it seems the rest of the novel was all back story. It was well written and held my interest well enough, however I feel a lot of it could have been paraphrased and inserted into another volume to skip over some of the more tedious details.

To say this story was bad would be a lie, it has some very good actions scenes in it and it is wonderfully easy to read - perfect for a Christmas evening or two when all you want to do is relax. However, if you want a perfectly crafted masterpiece with plot twists and turns at every intersection, this is not the novel for you. Good dialogue and interesting characters are present but it just needs something more than background information. I will say, it was a freebie on the Kindle Store and did offer some enjoyment. I am unsure about reading any followup however, unless they too are free and I have nothing better to read at the time.

Before They are Hanged - Joe Abercrombie

It seems my ability to consume books has returned seeing how I finished this number in just over a day - I did sleep as well so don't go accusing me of staying up all night to read!





I have mentioned before how much I enjoy Joe Abercrombie's work and the main reason for this is his characterisation. I mentioned a couple before and as promised, here are my thoughts on one of the strongest in the series. I could hardly talk about the series and leave out the grumbling bitter Inquisitor could I? I try to ask myself why I like the character so much. He's sarcastic to the point of scathing and more bitter than sucking on a whole bunch of lemons. If I knew him in the real world, he'd drive me crazy - in the bad way. That said, his internal monologue and jaded view of his world had me laughing out loud and agreeing with some of his opinions. If there is someone who needs to catch a break, its this guy.

Moving on from Sand dan Glokta. World-building! Once again, the depth of detail that Abercrombie goes into with the different parts of his world are fabulous. There is just the right amount to keep the reader interested; I was never bored while I was reading about the ruins some of the characters travel through. I never found an author who could make sand seem interesting and yet, there I was, captivated. The depth of the myths in the novel are brilliant too and they lend a depth to the novel that is missing in so many I have read. The world is a cruel place and this is mirrored in the events that have happened in the past. I don't want to ruin it for you by telling you what happens, I just urge you to go and find out for yourself, it is worth it.

The plot in this part of the trilogy isn't brain busting and isn't going to reinvent the wheel. That said, it isn't exactly predictable either and despite this being a re-read for me, I kept turning the pages (clicking the button) because I needed to know what happened next. Most of the details I have forgotten as I read it over two years back. For it to do this a second time goes it show the staying power of this novel.

I can't say much more than go and find a copy and give it a go!

The Fellowship of the Ring - JRR Tolkein

Things have been a bit crazy in life lately so haven't had as much time for reading as I would have liked. I have also chosen to read a rather difficult book so its taken a bit longer than I first thought. Sorry for my silence but there you have it, life happens sometimes and you can't help but get swept up in it.



This book is a classic! There can be no other word for it. I once read the set when I was in my early teens and cannot remember much of it. I have watched the films countless times and seeing how I enjoyed The Hobbit I thought I would give them another bash. Maybe I would enjoy them more with 'older' eyes. I did!

Tolkien may be a plagiarising numpty (for want of a better word) but that man can write a decent story in a fantastical world. There are elements that everyone will recognise, for instance, the naming of a river 'Wetwang' is familiar to me. Not as a childhood insult you immature lot, but as a village located near where I live. There are many sources of inspiration in the novel and some of them you can't help but notice. I found some of these a little jarring to read, it jolts you out of the world at times and leaves the reader feeling a bit jilted. However, the world Tolkien has created is rich and diverse and it soon stops being an issue.

The best part of this novel, for me, was discovering the characters all over again. There is so much more detail in the books about the individual characters and how they interact. The Frodo in the book has so much more spirit and fire than the version in the film and is much more likable. Sam is also more fun and invokes more interest from the reader. I would go so far to say that the characters Peter Jackson has made are a watered down version of the ones in the novel, a lot was lost in translation from book to film.

I will say this however, the book is a tough read. The word order in some places make the meaning hard to grasp and at times, it can be a bit of a slog. I don't know whether Tolkien did this in purpose - it does give the words a sort of ethereal quality - or whether it is a product of the time it was written in. Either way, this novel is not for the feint-hearted but for those that want to see what the father of all fantasy novels is like.

Orphan (The Key to Magic) - H Jonas Rhynedahll

A brief return to books that I often find hit and miss: ones that Amazon recommend to me via email. I've had this one on my Kindle for a while and have been meaning to get round to it however the lure of The Hobbit was too much to resist. Still, here we are now with my thoughts on my latest read.

The book was a good read, the heroes of the book were instantly likeable and followed a decent journey through to the end. It wasn't all easy for them and there was a large amount of pain and suffering along the way. The main protagonist, Mar, is easy to relate to and a genuine care for what happens to him builds from the very start of the novel. The action begins right at the start of the novel and leaves the reader asking questions and wanting to know more about whats going on. The other 'hero' type character is introduced when he saves Mar from certain doom in the first chapter. Although not as likeable as the hero, he certainly has an air of mystery about him which keeps a reader interested and wanting to know more.

The world building in this novel is very good and a credit to the author, it seems complete and some of the desert setting made a nice change to read about. I certainly enjoy reading about different settings and the ruins in this novel made for a nice change. It had an Indiana Jones feel to it and was a pleasure to learn about. The general plot of the book was decent as well, interesting enough to keep me interested and yet different enough to have its own unique take on things.

However, this novel is far from perfect. Aside from a couple of spelling errors - which I am coming to accept as a fact of life with all novels - there are a few things that could have made this book a lot better. Overly complicated names began to be a bit of a bugbear with this novel. They seem other worldly and may add a fantasy feel to the book but they are also a pain to actually read. For example 'Ihthyrl Magics' would be much easier to read as Ethereal; names also get this sort of treatment, 'Rynthrahl, Freghth and Karhle' are all examples of those that would be better off simplified. Just makes it easier to read. The other aspect that made this book a bit difficult to follow in places was the narrative, towards the end, it jumps from side to side without much warning and at times it made it hard to understand which side was which. Again, something that could have been simplified to make it easier to read

My final point is on the magic of the world. How it works was explained as scientifically as such a thing could be and that worked well. What I found hard to believe that the street thief Mar could learn in half a day, by trial and error no less, what took magicians years to perfect. It was the only thing I found grating in the novel and although it is a central point to the plot, could have been altered to be more 'realistic'.

Other than these points, this is a very good novel and I shall be on the look out for the sequel in the near future.

The Hobbit - J R R Tolkien

Maybe I jumped on the band wagon a bit with this one but after seeing the film I felt a bit guilty about never reading the book. I have now remedied the situation and here's what I think.

The book was very easy to read, maybe because it is primarily published as a children's book. I was a bit apprehensive at first as it was written in 1937 and Tolkien also has a bit of a reputation of being wordy but I was pleasantly surprised. It was a thoroughly enjoyable read without having to decipher any meanings or read between the lines. The reader is drawn into the world by the brilliant narrations of the author, not cajoled or bullied into believing that the world is reality, like some books I have read. The style is down to earth and friendly, however each character was his own voice which is distinct! Never at any time does Gandalf sound like Bilbo.

The songs in the novel add another element that is rarely found in other stories in this genre. They add a level of humour on some occasions, for example, when the dwarves are captured by the goblins and marched off to the under mountain they inhabit, they sing a song with onomatopoeic words. The scene would otherwise be full of threat. Some would think that this device detracts from the scene but I feel it adds to an otherwise dangerous scene. The song of the elves as the heroes approach Rivendell for the first time. It adds a sense of mischief and wonderment to what would be an otherwise bland scene.

The world that Tolkien writes in is perfect, there is no other word to describe it, just perfect. There is so much detail that the reader learns which makes the novel rich, however there is much that is not touched on and this is what makes the world complete. The added mystery of not knowing anything is far better than having every aspect explained. Gandalf's power is never explained, nor is where Beorn originates from and it is this that makes the world seem real.

There are many other brilliant points about this novel and I could go on and on about it however, it would be better if you went and found out for yourselves, go and read this book, its well worth it!

Approaching the Dark Age; Orchestra - Matthew Chivers

I'm going to have a tough time doing this book justice as I'm reading it off the back of a series everyone in the world knows I love. Still, I will try to do my best at it.
 
Orchestra has both good and bad points like most books, I shall start with the good! The story is further developed through the novel and you get to see some genuine progress from the characters. They grow a lot more in this book than the last and I found myself interested in what happened to them. Maledream is no longer the spoilt rude brat he was at the beginning of Resonance and Angelite is a lot less irritating. Even the support characters have changed which is great. Not giving too much away, I think the one who grew the most was Crazy John due to some catastrophic events that happen. Keep an eye on him while your reading, he's worth watching!

The way the characters interact is good too, just like the last book. The squabbles and banter between Maledream and Neveah brings the characters to life. The teasing between them all shows how the relationships between the characters have changed. I hope this continues into the next book.

The world building is also very cleverly done. Chivers has put a lot of thought into this aspect of his writing and it clearly shows while your reading. I love how crystal energies are harnessed and found the 'learning' parts of the book fascinating. I keep wondering whether I should magpie it and do something similar for my own work but that would be cheating right?

OK, the not so good stuff: I know Chivers is dyslexic and for him to create a novel of this length is a true victory, however, saying that, there are more than a few words that are the incorrect one, example: pale and pail, weather and whether. I know its a small thing but it is distracting for a reader. It breaks immersion and lets be honest here, having someone else read through the work would solve this problem.

The next issue, and probably my biggest with the book was the use of other people's phrases. I spotted three in there and they bugged me. 'Make it so' belongs to Picard, 'I love it when a plan comes together' is from the A Team and 'At last we will have revenge' was uttered by Darth Maul. Rather famous lines said by big characters. Maybe it was a shot at intertextuality, I don't know, but I found it jarring.

The last thing I will mention that needs working on is dialogue. Some of it is OK, some of it really does need looking at. People just don't speak to each other that way. Some more clipped words and slang would be great. Although keeping the slang in speech is a must!

And that's your lot. I did enjoy this book despite the issues I found and I think Chivers works very hard to achieve this. It shows in his writing and long may he continue, it's a vast improvement on the first novel and it shows in the virtual pages! Keep it up!

The Wind Through the Keyhole - Stephen King

I got the latest Gunslinger book for my birthday, which made me a very happy person I can tell you. I've been meaning to get my grubby little paws on it for a while and it was well worth the wait.

It was delightful to open a book and find Roland and Co in it. Something that has been disappointing me when I have opened other books lately. King seems to have ruined a lot of things for me by having awesome characters I want to read about. Not a bad thing, this new book was ace. King uses the story within a story frame set for this novel and does so masterfully. The flow of the stories are perfect and fit together seamlessly proving once again that he is a master author.

I was a bit concerned that this novel would turn out to be a cash in on a complete series, that the tone of this book wouldn't fit in with what I've come to know and love. I couldn't have been more wrong, all the flavours from the original novels are in the book and yet we still manage to learn new things about the characters. The themes that permeate theother books are present, although its more subtle as the majority of the novel is set in Roland's past.

The use of language is such a high standard in the novel that I don't even know where to begin, it is easy to see why King has built himself an empire! The same can be said for the world building More detail is added to Mid-World that we didn't know about and although the place is dying, you can really see the place with deep colour.

I could praise this book all day and then go some more but really, it speaks for itself, go and read it. You don't need to have read the other Gunslinger novels to follow the story which makes it a wonderful introduction to the series. However, it has also made an old fan like me very happy once more.

Prince of Thorns - Mark Lawrence

I've had a few misses lately with my choice of books, so when my kindle recommended this one I was a bit dubious. What a surprise this book turned out to be, from the first page the dark tone was set and carried throughout the rest of the novel.

The world building in the novel is subtle and puts me in mind of Paul Hoffman's The Left Hand of God, without being so obvious, Lawrence doesn't name any places after pies for instance but draws heavily on the religion of 'Roma' and the dead languages of this world. At least those are the two things that stuck out the most to me. He did it in a tasteful way and it doesn't detract the reader from the story, which is brilliant.

Technically, this book is a real change from my usual reads as well, it is written from a first person point of view. Everything you read about it seen through the eyes of the 'protagonist' and I use that word loosely in this case. There are no long winded descriptions as most things he comes across he has seen before, a brief sentence here and there is all that's needed and it works well. The reader is left to fill in the blanks, making this book a work of your imagination as well as the author's. I don't like to be spoon-fed details so this was a real treat to read.

The characters in the novel are dark, the whole outlook of the book is bleak, and the people populating it are no exception. It was hard to find a sympathetic ground with them to start with but as the story progresses and you learn the reasons why, it becomes easier. I was not altogether at ease with the 'means to an end' justification for the protagonist's actions but you can't love them all right?

All in all, this book was a superb read, I chewed through it in a few hours and I'd recommend you go and do the same. The language is easy to follow and the story well worth the attention!

Thinblade - David A Wells

This book wasn't great, in fact, I don't even think it was that good. I couldn't finish it due to a number of reasons although I did try my best to do so. It has it's OK moments but those are far outweighed by the books downfalls.

I'll start with the positive; most of the characters are well rounded individuals and a lot of thought has gone into their development. The protagonist is a carbon copy of your generic hero and as a result is dull, uninteresting and predictable. The support cast is far more interesting, there's an alchemist character, Lucky, who has all kinds of different tricks that he uses to aid the group. He also has a big interest in food and often hands it out to people while conducting his affairs, this little detail is what makes him a better character than all the others in the novel put together.

The relationships between the characters is shown very well in points though the  novel, I won't go into it much but to illustrate my point there's this. After the hero thinks his father has been killed, someone shouts for 'Lord Valentine', at this point, our hero starts looking around, assuming the call was for his father, not him. It was a nice touch.

Some of the writing in the novel is very good, in fact, aside from the odd cliche here and there, its well written. What annoyed me so much I had to put the book down, was the constant repetition of the plot. I'm savvy enough to know what's happening the first time, one recap is OK, every time we meet a new character is just too much, it was like having it rammed down my throat and not to mention a little patronising. It got to a point where these little reminders would happen just before a fight. It destroyed the tension the author had created in previous paragraphs and interrupted the pacing.

Then there's the description. This book has more than it's fair share of description, of everything, all the time. It got boring to read. I don't really care what the guy fighting the hero looks like, where he came from or what he had for lunch. I care about how he gets killed. It's the same for every building they come across. Yes, I admit, its well written and some of its useful, but it could use thinning out to help the flow of the novel and to keep the reader interested.

You'd think with all that description that everything would be covered in the book right? Not so, there was an episode in the novel where generic hero has to rescue generic princess from generic bad guy. He does so after gaining a huge chunk of skills for free (he reads a skillbook... seriously?) and mullering the henchmen, great. What is omitted is how the baddie escapes. You just get a short sentence saying he got away. How? With all this descriptive power, you'd think Wells would be able to come up with something better than that. Most disappointing!

All in all, I wouldn't recommend reading this book in its current state. It needs another read through and the issues with it fixing before I even consider looking at the sequel.

Re-review: Approaching the Dark Age - Resonance - Matthew Chivers

After the comments on my last review of this book, I agreed to read an updated version and write another review. Thankfully, it was much improved. I managed to finish it this time and, to my surprise, enjoyed parts of it too. I'll start with the positive before moving on to some of the books more dodgy areas.

The characters are now a lot more likable. I found myself enjoying the banter between Maledream and his friend Neveah, both of which have become more rounded individuals and not so two dimensional. Angelite as well was a much better character, yes, she is weepy, a bit of a sap and at times pathetic, but she also has her strong points. her foil, Boris, balances her out and both women work well together. If Angelite was on her own, she'd drive you bonkers but together, all is well.

The world building seemed a lot more complete as well. I enjoyed learning about the Dark Age lands and Meridia as well. The role of the Creators and how the Anunaki fit into the equation as well. These parts of the book are well thought out and clearly a lot of research has gone into it. The post apocalyptic world is dark and yet still has hope for the future.

The first half of the book, I will admit, was a struggle to read, I wasn't really hooked until about half way through, when I read the Council of the Anunaki. The chapter really got me interested as it introduced a large element of risk for the characters. Stick it out until then and you'll really be rewarded for your efforts.

Now for some not so positive elements. I'm afraid to say that there are still a lot of grammatical and technical errors in the novel. Mostly these are incorrect words, like too instead of to. These could easily be solved by having another person proofread the book, which is what friends/family are for right?

Some of the metaphors, while inventive, didn't make much sense, for example, "Thousands of candles within the Council Hall began blowing themselves out and relighting themselves like a beautiful opera..." Not sure how the candles relate to opera and this is just one example of many. There are also contradicting adjectives throughout the book and after a while, this gets annoying. There is also the use of many cliche terms, such as "tail between his legs" which are just lazy, there are far better phrases to use than this tired old term.

OK, so to sum up, I enjoyed the read this time and managed to finish the book, it still has its issues but it is well worth a read. I admire Chivers for admitting to his novel being flawed and going a long way to fixing some of the problems.

The Dark Tower - Stephen King

It's been one hell of a ride but today I came to the end of Roland's journey. I finally finished Stephen King's epic fantasy tale and what can I say? I loved it.

The writing has been fantastic throughout and the story has kept me guessing too. It twists and turns in directions that you don't expect, as it has done all through the long series. The characters develop through the story, never staying the same but learning from their journey.

I will touch on the ending of the book. I was warned by my partner that it was infuriating and it made him fall out with the series. I thought the exact opposite of this; the ending is subtly explained through the book if one knows where to look. Let's be honest, if you've come this far, you know that King puts subtle hints about the coming plot in his writing. It's just a case of being awake enough to spot them. I'd rave about it endlessly but I don't want to give it away so I'll stop there!

My only regret about this series is reading it in one massive session, I would advise future readers to have a break around book four, not because the next books are rubbish (far from it) but spending that much time with the same characters will drive you a bit bonkers. Just like spending an extended amount of time with the same people will drive you mad.

Either way, go and read these books, you won't be disappointed.

Song of Susannah - Stephen King

I have one major major issue with this book.

What author, in their right mind, puts themself as a pivotal figure, in thier own book? Seriously! This is the biggest ego trip I have ever had the displeasure to read. The longer the story went on, the more I was outraged. I can't believe King had the audacity to stick himself in one of his own books. I write myself, as some of you will know, and feel that King broke on of the cardinal rules of writing. Who knows themself so well that they are able to portray themself accuratly in fiction without making themself look vain-glorious and self obsessed? Although King writes himself as a normal average guy, it still verges on ridiculous and it most definitely did not sit well with me.

This major flaw aside, I once again enjoyed reading the story of the gunslinger and his pals. The pace, which was a bit slack in Wolves picks up again, returning to the break-neck speed I so enjoyed about the last four novels. The companions draw closer to the tower and thier end goal and the sense of threat is present throughout the novel. We learn more about the characters as we read through the novel and I am under no illusion that there is still much to be learned. The journey is by no means over.

I only have one left in the Dark Tower series and I am very much looking forward to finding out how it all ends. I have been forewarned by those I live with that I won't be happy with it so am also a little anxious. It may well be I have to be alone when I read it but rest assured, there will be a post about it, for better or worse!

The Wastelands - Stephen King

I have to admit, these reviews are probably going to be a bit repetitive for the next few books. I have chewed my way through the third volume of The Dark Tower and I don't seem to be showing any signs of stopping yet. It is as good as the others and well worth the three days I spent doing nothing else but reading it. Instead of giving away copious amounts of plot details, I do hope you will go and read this book and I don't want to spoil it for anyone. Not will I  spend another blog worshipping the pants off Roland (Although....). I will focus this blog post on the world building skills found within the novel.

The old saying is true: The Devil is in the Detail and King has this down to a fine art. The world in which the story is set is a post apocalyptic danger zone, no too dissimilar to our own. The points of reference and objects that are easily recognisable can be a little discomforting too. At one point our troupe of adventurers are forced  to cross a decaying suspension bridge, this is made scarier for myself as I live near one and had a perfect image of what was happening. The crossover from our world to theirs is highlighted fully when a downed Nazi plane is found and explored. This would seem a bit ludicrous in a fantasy story, had not 2 of the main characters already crossed over.

The explanation of the plane is left out, due to Roland not being aware of how it arrived there in the first place. Both him and those they encounter are fond of explaining these things with the simple adage: 'The world has moved on.' This also gives reason for why most, if not all, the technology in the world no longer works. The world has simply left these things behind, no longer finding a use for them.

The more you read, the more you come to realise that it is not just the physical things the world has moved on from. Time and distance also seem a bit slippery in Roland's world and this can leave you feeling a bit disconnected, there is no point of reference, for example, we don't really know how old Roland is, maybe he doesn't either (Or I am yet to find this out of course).

Either way, the little details like this, makes Roland's world an interesting, if not altogether pleasant, place to spend your time.

Next comes: Wizard and Glass (it's good, I am half way through it) in a few days time.

The Guardians: Christopher Williams

Ah! The joys of modern technology! This review brought to you from the joy that is iPhone! Seeing how I read on a Kindle this should not be as surprising as it is. Still, it's been a while due to various work related factors for which I apologise.

This book was average at best, dire in most places. There was nothing I care about! The main character had what seemed like big obstacles to overcome but it turned out to be all too easy. There was one incident where our hero had to fight an arrogant toff of a noble . He won! Good for him. Instead of the noble being all resentful like a spoilt brat should be, he just decided to respect the hero instead... Seemed like a big missed opportunity for decent conflict in my opinion. The hero leads
His newly trained squad to where they are being garrisoned and receives an officer commission for it. All he did was walk some men over grassland, all too easy!

The time jumps come across as lazy authorism as well. (I know it's not a word but it works). Most of the squads training is skipped over. Instead of
Making use of a great time for character development, this pivotal time is glossed over in a matter of words. What a waste!

Then we have the elves... What a cliche! They fit every single one of the stereotypes and add nothing unique about this key fantasy race. They have been flogged and packaged that many times it takes a lot to get me interested in them. This book is just another rehash of an old cliche - boooring!

It really is a shame because like so
Many books I read, it had good potential. Another round of editing, yes I found countless spelling mistakes, and a little more thought would make this a story worth reading.

Taming Fire (Dragonprince Triology book 1) - Aaron Pogue

After the disaster that was my last read, this book was a delight! It wasn't perfect and if it had followed something like Doug Hurlick's Among Thieves it might not have been such a success but such as it is, this book is well worth a read.

The storyline is pretty simple, telling of a young convicted thief's son, who's working as a shepherd to escape his father's crimes, is found by a wizard and offered power he has not really dreamt about. Couple that with his more than decent knowledge of sword-play you'd think he'd have an easy ride to the status he has never had... Nothing could be more wrong. The author has no qualms about making things difficult for his character, he spends more time injured, shunned or being tortured than getting where he needs to be, it makes a welcome change from reading about characters that are good at everything or learn everything easily.

The book has a good mix of politics, magic and dragons and the plot twists in good ways during the first two thirds of the book. It got a little predictable at the end and I felt as though the ending had been rushed a bit. We all like our hero's to win the day and get the girl but in this book, the girl turned out to be someone he'd had a two minute conversation with at the start of the book and not seen since until right at the end. She seemed more of a plot point than a real character.

There are other characters in the novel that could be a bit more developed as well. The wizard who finds our hero plays a major part at the start of the novel, gets injured and then is never seen again. Why did he go to all the effort of fetching the young shepherd if you're going to ignore him... Even after you recover?

The world is well thought out and the magic system the author has used is different to what I have read before which is a welcome change. It is a step away from your traditional fire throwing cliche and a step towards something else, this alone makes the book worth a peruse.

Despite these flaws, this novel is well worth a read. I enjoyed it and will be reading the follow up sometime soon.