Flight of the Eisenstein (Horus Heresy Book 4) - James Swallow

So I am still on the 'Heresy Train' and show no signs of stopping at the moment. The fourth installment of the series was less traumatic emotionally, which was a relief, but no less exciting.

The first thing I want to mention about this book is how damned exciting the narrative is. I ended up reading this at a break neck speed; the pace was phenomenal. I found myself consuming the words as fast as I could because it was so exciting! 

Wanting to know what happened also managed to keep me up at night and that had not happened for a long time. It is a real credit to Swallow, how he is able to keep the pace going and the action exciting enough.

Although the pace is break neck, it does not skimp on the development of characters either. They are no replacement for those lost in the previous novel, I don't think anyone could replace them. Instead. Swallow builds upon those introduced and fleshes them out to create characters that are worth caring about. The dry wit of Garro lightens a lot of the darker scenes within the novel and helps lift the spirits in the most dire of circumstances. The supporting cast, some known, some new, are realistic and for good or ill, add another layer to the novel

The writing in the novel is a lot less clunky than in the previous installments. There are a lot less similes and the metaphors are a lot more subtle. It makes for a clearer read in my humble opinion and is less jolting from the action of the story itself.
 

Up Next: Fulgrim - Book 5 by Graham McNeill

Check out the other blog for more war-gaming stuff http://theblackhandschapter.blogspot.co.uk/

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.

Follow the Stone (An Emmett Love Western) - John Locke

I have once again strayed into the realms of the Western for entertainment dear readers, this time from a recommendation by a friend who said this book was an easy read and even better, it was free. Free being the magical word in this time of austerity I decided to take her up on the offer and give it a go.

It wasn't a bad read either. I do enjoy a good Western and this novel isn't shy on that count. The details are all there and the characters all counted for - a cool gunslinger, a fiesty maiden and a bunch of whores, lets not forget the Indians and the cowboys either. Mix this up with an intricate setting and you've got yourself all you need for a Western novel. The characters are easily recognised and fairly simple too. There is no great need for understanding with this novel, the characters do what is expected of them and I feel this simplicity is part of the enjoyment I took. I knew I wasn't going to be reading a gret epic from the first page but this didn't put me off at all. I knew the hero was going to end up sleeping with at least one of the prostitutes during the journey and I knew there was going to be some form of change on his part too - that's what story is after all right?

The plot of the novel is somewhat predictable however and I found I could guess what was going to happen before the words appeared. Most of the time I would find this annoying however in this novel, because I knew what I was getting, I found it was a good thing. John Locke may be the first 'kindle millionnaire' but he hasn't written a great masterpiece nor shocked the world with beautifully crafted writting.

I liked this novel for all its simplicity and I didn't pay a penny for it which was nice - which is a good thing. If you want a simple easy throw-away read, this is the book for you. If you want some hardcore detailed writing with fast paced fights and gunslinging wizards, go and read The Dark Tower series... Until next time!!

Teacher Training, Time and Stephen King

I have been rather busy of late. I am into my third week of teacher training and I am enjoying every minute of it. Even the planning and the work I have to bring home. I love anticipating what the children are going to get from my lessons and what their reactions will be. Consequently, I have had far less time to read but don't get me wrong, I am still reading

I also have to confess I am re-reading some of The Dark Tower as I fell in love with it the first time and sometimes you just need something that you love. I have consummed The Drawing of the Three and have nearly finished The Wastelands. Here are my thoughts on the second reading:

I still love it. I have still ploughed through and read far too late into the night. The language is still fabulous and yet easy to read and the plot as gripping as it was the first time. This time however, I have the benefit of being able to read a bit slower as I know what is going to happen. I can savour the action scenes without reading at a break-neck pace to see who lives and who dies. My goodness they are wonderful! The metaphor and similies are enough to make the English fanatic in me die a bit (in happiness) and yet, it isn't overpowering or obnoxious.

I also noticed how creepy one of the characters in The Wastelands is the one pictured above. Blaine makes the above novel look more like a horror than a fantasy novel. The mental train verges onto the point of being terrifying and the warnings written by Jake at the start of the novel should be heeded. I won't say too much but I will lament my complete imeptitude at riddles. I'm just glad I wasn't on that mono!

That said, I should get back to these lesson plans, they won't complete themselves! I hope I can keep reading when I can.

The Last Arguement of Kings - Joe Abercrombie

So, I have finished the trilogy for the second time and I must say, I am as pleased with it this time as I was last time.





The final book is as good as the other two and although there has been some wide discussion about the ending of the novel, I found that I was still pleased with it. It is in keeping with the rest of the book and suits the themes that Abercrombie has chosen to work with. The ending may not seem fair to many readers however, I would point out that nothing in these books are fair. There is only one person who seems to come off better than they started (I'm not saying who) and when you really think about it, you're not really sure if that's the case. The ending is a good point for discussion and I look forward to discussing it at some lengths with the significant other when he gets round to reading it for himself.

Once more, the characters in the novel are fab and there is no telling who is going to be alive after the many many fights there are. It doesn't seem to matter how good, or bad, they are at fighting, luck plays a healthy part in the novel and it works well. I've not touched really on magic in the series yet as it appears to play a minor role for the most part. The magician character seems to start off nice but soon descends to the levels of the more base characters, especially with what you learn in the final part of the series. However, the magic system is well thought out and the details are woven into the story so when it comes to the forefront it appears to have been there all along.

The only thing that I found to be a bit of a drag in this final part of the trilogy was the many many many fight scenes. There are loads of them and after the fifth I found they were a bit wearisome to read. They are well written and also essential to the plot but I got tired of reading them. That said, it is not something that detracted from the overall enjoyability of the trilogy and I would suggest you go and read them, they are a delight.

The Blade Itself - Joe Abercrombie

I knew I had to read something amazing coming off the back of the last set of books I read. I know I am going to miss those characters so I decided to go with something I have read before but never reviewed.

I love the characters in The Blade Itself. I remember them being amazing the first time round and the second they are just as well written, if not likable. I had forgotten how arrogant and exactly how much of a whinge-bag the noble character was. It was hard to sympathise with his petty complaints but that didn't mean he was awful to read about. if anything, he highlights the genuine struggle of some of the other characters. The reason I have a lasting appreciation of the swordsman illustrated on the cover there, is his loving the small things that we all take for granted: safety, food, a hot bath. These little things bring a tear to his eye and I found that rather heartwarming - Say one thing of Logan Ninefingers, say he appreciates the small things...

Don't get me wrong, this isn't a book for the faint hearted. The world in which it is set is a cruel broken one; the discarded wrecks of it's folly lie shattered throughout the novel, from the broken inquisitor (my favourite character, more on that next time) to the wreckage of government failings. The world is as flawed as our own and I was shocked to be reminded of how well it has been crafted. The inherent racism within the novel and the ignorance of the nobility that goes with it was well written and there wasn't a time when I was jolted out of the world by a jarring word or someone doing something irregular.

The one thing I will say about the book is that there is not much resolution at the close, there is a little but this really is a set up book for the rest of the trilogy. If you're after a stand alone then this isn't the book for you. That said, I already know how awesome the rest of the novels are and they are worth reading. The language of the book is perfect, its not so simple to be boring yet neither is it complex. Joe Abercombie has found the right balance between character and plot to make this novel a real page turner. I'd recommend it to anyone!

The Price of Faith (The Ties that Bind 3) Rob J Hayes

Well, it took me just over two days to read the last of the trilogy I have been so enjoying this past week and lets just say, Rob Hayes didn't take the pressure off for one moment. I couldn't read the novel fast enough, here's why.

Once again, the characters really bring the story to life. I was delighted to find out my two favourites from the first novel returned and the changes they'd gone through made them that little bit more interesting. The relationship between the two was made even more real for me when the novel starts with them apart after an argument. Hayes drip feeds the details over the first few chapters, the element kept me reading to find out how they would resolve their differences. I really wanted them to sort it out so they could move on together. I'm not going to tell you the outcome as that would spoil the novel but believe me, it comes as a surprise.

I want to talk about the fight scenes in the novel as well, I haven't mentioned them so far and I feel I should. They are brilliantly written. Not once did I find myself skimming over the words to find out what happened. I read every blood-stained chest-stabbing brutal move and believe me, there are more than a few fights throughout the series. The detail is enough to be a bit gross but not too gruesome that it becomes tedious. Each character has an individual style and this is reflected in the narrative. It is clear a lot of effort has been taken while crafting these scenes and that is something a lot of other authors could learn.

The only down-side to this novel is that it has now ended. As well as the odd spelling error but we'll brush that under the carpet again as the rest of it is so wonderful. I do hope that there are more books forthcoming from Hayes as I am a definite fan and shall add him to the 'to watch' list, along with the likes of Scott Lynch and Douglas Hurlick. My suggestion is to find a copy of these novels and give them a read, they are well worth it.

I also dread the hangover this series is going to give me so I am going to go and read something that is good and of a similar taste to this; Joe Abercrombie's First Law Trilogy, here I come!

The Colour of Vengeance (The Ties that Bind Book 2) - Rob J Hayes

I have to say I was really looking forward to getting my teeth into the next book in the trilogy seeing as I loved the first one. It took me about 3 days to read and here are my thoughts:

I couldn't put my kindle down. I couldn't consume this book fast enough it was that good. The second novel follows the story of The Black Thorn, who we should all be familiar with from the first novel. It depicts how he survives by the hand of the very organisation he hates. What follows is a whirlwind of searching across the wilds for the one who 'killed' him in the first place. The novel features some new characters as well as some old ones. The blend of characters is, once again, fantastic. However they are not static carbon cut-outs; there is excellent development and they are all multi-dimensional and intreging. Even the villains, and believe me, they are nasty, all have something they want - they're not bad for being bad's sake which makes you just want to read on and find out where their journey will take them.

The world is as bleak as it is in the first one. Betrayal seemed to come naturally to those inhabiting it and the tough lives the characters lead is reflected in the language spoken. I believe I mentioned this in my first review so won't go on about it again, it works so well for me so I feel I have to give it another salute here. The lives and characters put me in mind of those from Joe Abercrombie's First Law trilogy, another set of books I loved, yet Hayes has made his story his own. I can see the influence yet it is not a rip-off or re-telling.

I do have two criticisms, one is the spelling again, however this does not detract from the read. I was so interested in what was going on that I didn't care that much (which is a big thing coming from me, I usually slate people for this). The other was the lack of mention of the Arbitor and the Blademaster. I was surprised there was no mention of them at all other than the Black Thorn thinks they are dead - which we know is false due to the end of the last novel. I loved those two characters and was sad when they didn't turn up. I have since learned they are in the third novel - awaiting to be read on my kindle - so feel a bit relieved about that, I NEED to know what happened to them!

One again, a fab read from Hayes and I cannot wait for the next one. I am already dreading the book hangover from this set, whatever comes next is going to have to go some to beat it. Thanks Rob Hayes for creating such a wonderful story once again.

Den of Thieves - David Chandler

It's good to be reading fantasy novels again. I mean, I have enjoyed my sojourn into the sci fi genre but like all trips, it's good to be home once more. This novel was recommended to me by my other half, who read it and said I would enjoy it. So I gave it a go.

The novel starts in very typical fantasy setting with a very stereotype hero with a magical sword. I had to take a deep breath to prevent the obligatory 'here we go again' thoughts before plodding on with the novel. I was dreading meeting the helpless damsel and the gutless thief - all ancient stars of countless genre novels since the genre began. However, I was pleasantly surprised. The Stereotypes ended there and Chandler puts a very good spin on worn out tropes. The thief is far from gutless, though he does show fear in the face of his challenges. The knight follows his beliefs but he is made out to be living in a story book rather than the real word of the novel. He is mocked, goaded and insulted throughout and believe me when I say he has a lot to learn!

The world building in the novel is thorough and I had no trouble immersing myself into the city in which it is set. I loved the different aspects of the city viewed through the protagonist’s eyes. There is a decent balance between rich, poor and everything that comes in between. It has been well thought out and really comes to life; the city is teeming with life, much like a real living place.

There are only a couple of issues I have with the novel. One is the lack of foreshadowing around a major part of the plot. I won’t spoil it but I feel the author just dropped it in there for shock factor. It was a bit too out of the blue for comfort in my opinion. The other was the telling explanation at the end. I don’t need to be beaten around the head with the answer; I worked it out for myself. A subtler touch would leave the reader a little more satisfied with the ending.

These are minor issues however and do not detract from the novel as a whole. I recommend reading this one for yourselves as it is a beautifully written book. It does have a sequel so I will be looking at that in the near future!

Star Trek: Into Darkness - Alan Dean Foster

So, I loved the film and as I am unable to go and see it again, I decided to try the book. Alan Dean Foster wrote the novel for the film Alien so I had rather high expectations. Here's what I thought.


As far as a film novelization goes, the book is fine. It followed the storyline exactly. There were no deviations from the plot line, even the speech was nearly word perfect, which was a nice recap if that is what you are after. I was hoping for a bit more than this. Maybe I was foolish to expect some further insights into character motivations and feelings. I mean, I know it was meant to follow the film and such but was it too much to expect a little more life breathed into them? The actors need to do this with their bodies, authors do so with words and as far as I am concerned, this book fails to do so.

Don't get me wrong, some parts of this novel really get the pages turning. The action scenes are a real pleasure to read; the space battles are fraught, fast paced and well read.The characters are true to the originals as well, there was no point that Spock, for instance, did anything un-Spock-like. Kirk was still the cheeky, rough and ready Star Ship Captain and Khan was still the revenge hungry ego-maniac he always has been. This, at least, is spot on in the novel and is a credit to the author.

Here's another downside; some of the language is a bit confusing. The sentences were too long which clouded the meanings somewhat. I had to read some of them several times to understand what the author was getting at - and this wasn't during the uber science parts either. This made it a bit frustrating at times but didn't detract from the overall read.

All in all, this book was an alright read but it lacked some of the insights into the characters that I have come  to expect in other novels. Still, it's not bad and worth a read.

The Gunslinger (again) - Stephen King

Yes, I know, I have already read and reviewed this book. Don't despair, I will read something different next, I promise. I loved it the first time and when this was the only book near me when my kindle decided to die (it just needs a recharge) I was overjoyed.

I've never re-read a book before and been as impressed the second time around than I have with this one. On the first reading you're all blown away with the tension building and then the release, the whirlwind of story and darkness of character sweep you off on an adventure that is like no other you'll ever have. I knew what I was getting myself in for when I picked it up this time, however, with this reading, it is the small details that stand out. There are concepts and ideas mentioned in the novel that are not explained until several novels down the line. It is a real credit to King's skills as a writer that this happens. These details make a lot more sense on a second reading and as a whole, make the story that much more enjoyable.

On the second reading, I no longer had to worry whether I liked the protagonist. This time, I understand his reasons for doing what he does and cannot hate him for it either. Yes, he is still the dark brooding antihero he was before but my perception of him has altered through gained knowledge and this enhances the whole experience. I also didn't feel the same about Jake, the young boy in the story, there was no sympathy for him on his 'experiences' (I won't say what it is, some of you may not have read his yet) as I knew what was ahead. What I didn't reckon on was there being the first chapter of The Drawing of the Three at the end, which has just made me want to read on. I will be disappointed once more when I open my next book and find Roland Deschain isn't in it!

The setting, language and mood of the novel are all as captivating as they were the first time around and I strongly advice those of you who have not read this novel/series yet to stop what you are doing, find a copy and read it. Why are you still reading this drivel? Go!

Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austin

 

It's been a while I know! Some major things happened in the real world over the past couple of weeks which has meant I haven't been able to update but at last, things are settling back down and I am ready to commence reviewing once more. My latest read was like stepping back to my uni days. I've not picked up a 'classic' for some time but thought I should read this one.

I found it a delightful read. I enjoyed it far more than I thought I would and far more than I ever did when I was reading this sort of thing back at uni. The novel flows well and I found the language wasn't too challenging. As with most classics, it was written over one hundred years ago, which means the language could potential be an issue. This was not the case in this novel. I did have to read a couple of sentences more than once but that is a small price to pay for such a great book.

The best thing about this novel is the insight it gives into the way of life during the nineteenth century. Austin has captured many of the social issues facing those of her class and gender and yet the novel doesn't lose any elements of humour while dealing with these issues. One observation made is still true today - “For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbors, and laugh at them in our turn?”- this shows Austin was capable of making good observations of those around her and us them to amuse others.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and would recommend it to those interested in nineteenth century history, particularly the social elements. I'll read her other works as well in the future.

Across A Moonlit Sea - Marsha Canham

The title of this one sounds rather sappy and I've only just realised that. It was a free read through Kindle Store and seeing how I am currently writing about pirates, it seemed to fit well.

It was an ace read. I thoroughly enjoyed every word in this novel and despite the sappy title, the story was anything but. Yes, there was a romantic element to it, it is after all a romance novel, however there was plenty of other plot to keep that side of me entertained as well.

The two lead characters didn't always get along through the novel, even after they'd decided they liked each other and this was a pleasant surprise. It made it more true to life, unlike some other romance books I have read in the past - as soon as two characters discover they 'like' each other, they agree on everything. It takes the tension from the novel and frankly, makes it rather a dull read. Not in this case. The characters continue to fight with each other throughout, how positively human of them! The support cast as well were interesting enough to care about as well, there are some very curious people in this novel and that's what they feel like; people, not just a cardboard cut out.

The detail of the world is spot on too. Canham makes good use of naval language throughout and her description of sixteenth century ships is wonderful, she really transports you back on board one of these vessels. The way Canham writes actions scenes as well is superb. These scenes were exciting to read, I couldn't wait to find out what happened, who got killed, which ship survived and so forth.

It was a real page turner and a pleasant surprise, especially as it was free! I'll be keeping an eye open for any more of her work that's for sure

Forever Neverland - Heather Killough-Walden

I was a bit apprehensive about this novel as I found the other book by Heather Killough-Walden a disappointment. It was one of my first reviews and it can be found here http://rushbysrantsandreviews.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/avengers-angel-lost-angels-book-one.html
I slated it! I was unsure whether to bother with this read and I am so glad I did. I read it in a couple of days and couldn't put it down. I was back to reading in the staffroom and at every available point! Here's why.
I have a long standing obsession with pirates. I believe Captain Hook was one of my first fangirly infatuations at the tender age of... well, lets just say I was young OK! The story of Peter Pan is a complicated one I won't get into now and the idea of a sequel has always left me feeling uncertain. This one is a very different take on it, and it worked for me, we find Wendy Darling being bounced between therapists, John has grown into a disbelieving nerd and Michael a troubled child. Peter has become a nightmare of a teenager who has turned to motor cycles and drink, not a bad thing usually but in this case...

Killough-Walden does all the characters justice, keeping them in check with the originals and adding her own spin on it. The hate between Hook and Pan is explored in detail and the reader learns some abhorrent things about the young hero of Neverland. He comes across as a sulky obnoxious spoilt young man who hasn't learnt a thing since leaving Neverland. He has grown up a bit, in body, but certainly not in mind.

The language in the novel is half decent as well and the action scenes are so well written I could not stop reading, I ignored most things going on around me while I was churning through the pages. The only thing that bothered me was the repeated use of the phrase 'off of' (as in get off of my ship) I find this phrase awkward and it could easily be avoided with a bit of a re-write (Get your ass off my ship)

Apart from this, the novel was a splendid read. The romantic aspect of it was cute and the detail which she writes in is fab. If you're a fan of Peter Pan and fancy a bit of a guilty pleasure, this is the book for you!

The Curse of Chalion - Lois McMaster Bujold

This is one of my favourite stories and I have read it more than once. I have recently re-read it and have decided to pop a review up so I can share its greatness with my readers. 

The novel follows the journey of the hero as he returns to his native lands after spending some time as a galley slave. It turns out he was the only soldier not ransomed after a siege by a jealous military rival. The story begins as he arrives home for the first time in nineteen months and follows from there. His old patroness employs him as a tutor for her granddaughter and despite his best efforts to live a quiet life in an out of the way province, he is soon thrust into the fore-front of the royal court. He is easy to relate to and a genuine sympathy is evoke from the very beginning of the novel as he goes through the readjustment to his new surroundings. The support cast in the novel are also very well written and add another level to the novel, they work for good, or ill, some of them you can't help to hate, all of them are balanced and well rounded, complete characters

The world building in the novel is very good but the best aspect is the detail on the religious beliefs of the characters. The Gods play an active part, albeit through the willing participation of the characters, and this is one of the key themes - free will  and fate, or divine intervention. It is an interesting aspect of the novel and well worth reading for this reason. The rest of the world is well written and presented in an aspect that is easy to understand. The language is easy to follow and its for this reason that I have read this novel again and again.

There are plenty of political complications in the plot line that the central story doesn't occupy you until the second half of the novel. This is not a problem, there is enough going on to keep a reader absorbed and interested. The pace picks up and the tension in the novel makes this a very good book. I've hardly touched on the aspects of magic and how it ties with religion and metaphysics in the novel and there is much much more I could say about how great it is but that would be me waffling on. Go and read the book for yourself and you'll see how great it truly is.

Death or Redemption - Gregory Stoakes

I write this review while swigging a lemsip and feeling a bit rubbish. The winter cold has caught up with me it seems. Still, no rest for the wicked, I shall to the best I can with this review before retiring to the comfort and warmth of my bed!

Stoakes has done a good job with this novel, you can tell it's a first attempt but I shall come to that shortly. If I say only one thing (and I won't) about the upsides of this novel it is this; Stoakes can write a fight. The fight scenes are some of the best ones I have read in a while. They pacing is perfect and as I couldn't read fast enough as swords clashed together. There was no shortage of gore and guts either, nor is Stoakes afraid to have his characters injured in a fight either - a good quality in an author!

The characters in this novel are very well thought out too. I love a decent character as regular readers will know and Stoakes doesn't let you down in this area. The hero, Ishbun, grows throughout the story and it is a pleasure to watch him learn from his mistakes. He isn't the only one who travels a physical and mental journey either, the support cast all go through a steep learning curve to get where they need to be and it is this that made the book a good read for me.

The world building in the novel has been well thought through, I enjoyed reading the journey from the desert to a more temperate climate. I loved how it was described and how the group dynamic changed once Ishbun, a native to the desert, arrived in the cooler zones of the north. It was well written!

This book is not perfect. The pacing of the book is a little off, at times it was a bit slow and I felt that some of the passages could have been omitted.Then there is the grammatical problems in the novel. This is a pet peeve of mine and I must say there are a few in this novel. How you can mistake foul and fowl I don't know. (this isn't the only word mis-use) It makes some of the passages difficult to read and really jolts you out of the world. There are also passages that don't make sense, for example, 'The blood pumped freely once more and Nemisa turn to stand and run.' These are simple mistakes that could be simply solved with either another round of editing or by having someone else go through the last draft.

The other bug-bear with the novel was the dialogue. People don't speak in formal English, we use clipped language and contractions, 'It is not' sounds wrong when written as speech, 'It isn't' sounds far better in my opinion and would make the novel easier to read.

All in all this was a decent read, despite the novel needing another round of editing, and I would recommend giving it a go.

The Lies of Locke Lamora - Scott Lynch

 

This is a review of a book I read some time ago. I don't feel bad reviewing it after the event as the book is so good that I can recommend it despite it being a while ago.

The characters make this story as good as it is in my opinion. The protagonist is every aspect of your archetype rogue/thief type without being a stereotype. There is enough mystery in him to keep you guessing and he starts off surrounded with a rather unique gang. It's a small gang and they all have their individual quirks. They are all different and have been well thought out. None of them are perfect and they all have flaws, including our 'hero'. I'm not going to tell you what they are, just that they get our gang into a lot of trouble along the way.

There are many twists and turns throughout the plot of this novel and it keeps you guessing. It is a real credit to Scott Lynch's skill as a writer and some of the language is beautiful to read. It is also wonderful in its simplicity; at no point did I feel the plot was too complex or hard to follow, it made the novel a joy to read. The narrative structure of the novel can be a bit distracting but when you realize how they're used at the end, you'll have nothing but praise for Lynch, trust me on this one!

I cannot finish the review without touching on the aspect of world building in the novel either. It's so well thought out and cleverly done that I would encourage all authors - new and old - to give this book a read, you'll be amazed at what you could learn. The novel is set in the city of Camorr, which is reminiscent of Venice, and its the small details that really embed the reader in the text. The different quarters of the city and the mix of the mundane with the fantastic make this book truly worth reading.

All I can say is that this is a brilliant read and you should give it a go. Scott Lynch has written a sequal, which I need to read again before I review - it involves pirates - and should get to work on the third installment, so I can spread the word about how awesome he is! Go and read this book!

The Left Hand of God - Paul Hoffman

The book I have recently read was really enjoyable in a lot of ways and yet has a good amount of frustrating points as well. Fortunately, its good points out way the bad; so onward with the reasons why!

The first paragraph is the perfect hook! From the very first word, I couldn't stop reading, it is so wonderfully crafted. 'Listen! The Sanctuary of the Redeemers on Shotover Scarp is named after a damned lie, for there is no redemption that goes on there, and less sanctuary." It raises so many questions that you cannot help read on. Of all the books I have read, this has to be one of the best openings I have come across. It rivals the first sentence of The Gunslinger, it's that good. The language through the rest of the novel is just as good and well worth a read if only for that reason.

The characterisation in this novel is to die for. They are so well thought out, so clever and so different that I was in love from the start. The protagonist and his companions are essentially Catholic boys being brought up in the cruelest manner. Trained to be soldiers, they are beaten, tortured and abused by their guardians - all before the novel starts. The story follows their escape from the sanctuary and their coming of age in a world very different from what they're used to. As a reader you interact with them, watch the change and become the very real enemies of the ones who trained them. There is real effort that has gone into them and this is another decent reason to read this book.

Hoffman's world-building could use some more thought. One of the things that annoyed me about this novel was the reference to real world places. The name of the city the heroes escape to is Memphis and there are other mentions of real world places, but nothing seems in context. Jesus was 'the one who was eaten by the whale' and although they are meant to show the similarities between our world and Cale's, I found them irritating and lazy on behalf of the author. (In the second book, he mentions a town names Fray Bentos...).

I found a couple of items forgotten as the novel went on as well. You never find out why one of the Redeemers is slicing up young girls for instance and this seems like a major part of the novel.A bottle of perfume Cale finds at the scene is shoved into his pocket and forgotten about, never to be mentioned again.

This novel has issues, that much is certain, but it is well worth a read regardless of these. The characters are beautifully written and as far as I am concerned, this is the most important aspect of a book.

Shoot to Kill - Ben Bridges

This is not a Star Trek novel, although going by the title you may indeed think that. This is another Western novel that I have chewed my way through and I'm going to be honest, really really enjoyed.

Ben Bridges appears to have written more than a handful of westerns, which I was unaware of when I chose this one. Kindle recommended it to me and I gave it a chance, what I found when I got there was good. The book itself is easy to read, fast paced and well written. The fight scenes in particular are just amazing. I read them so fast, I just couldn't wait to find out who lived and who died.

The hero, Carter O'Brien, is your typical western hero, as can be seen on the cover there, however he is beatifully written.Not everything comes easy to him and he doesn't always win a fight! He spends a good deal of his time injured, shot or being beaten up by Mexicans (as every good western hero should). He is engaging for the reader and you care what happens to him enough to overlook his flaws.

The plot for the book starts off seeming like a very basic 'get the evil baddie' affair but Bridges has long mastered the art of twists and this book is no exception! I didn't expect the book to end how it did and that was a welcome surprise. I also liked how the lead character had no love interest in the book to distract him. There was a couple involved along the journey but they were not the focus of the novel, this too was a welcome change.

I really loved Bridges' novel and now know who I can turn to when I feel like endulging in my guilty pleasure next time. If you have a thing for books on the Wild West, I can recommend him to you, its well worth it.

Cast a Dark Shadow - De-ann Black

I felt like reading something different this time. I've read a lot of good fantasy fiction recently and needed a break so have indulged my (not so) best kept secret love affair with westerns. I was hoping this latest ebook would be a decent read but unfortunately it fell somewhere short of the mark.



Like everything, there are good and bad elements to this book. The language was easy to read and I got through it in a couple of days. The story was easy to follow, which after reading a lot of heavy fantasy tales (I'm thinking of The Dark Tower here) it made a welcome change. It was good to read a mystery story. The hero of the book is discovered, unconscious, by a local boy. He is patched up by the local doctor but has lost all this memories, the story follows the hero on a discovery of who he is. Great. It's a fantastic premise and could have been a really good novel.

I'm not going to say anything else about the plot as I don't want to spoil it for anyone but I will say I feel that plot won over character in this novel. A lot of the side cast are two dimensional and flat. They seem to play a role in the book but not do anything else after that. It's a real shame as for me, characters make a novel worth reading. The hero is well thought out though and does go a ways to solve this problem.

Luck seems to play too large a part in the book too. The hero(s) are saved from death by luck more than once and after the second time it starts to feel a bit contrived. Everything fits together a bit too well and it broke reader immersion for me. I just found it too much of a coincidence, which never works well in a novel, in my opinion.

All that said, I did enjoy the read and despite its faults, it is an ok book. I'm not sure what to read next so any suggestions you have would be welcome. So long as I can get it on kindle that is!