Galaxy in Flames (Horus Heresy Book 3) - Ben Counter

Writing this without spoilers is going to be difficult...

It might come as a bit of a surprise to some of you that I have rather enjoyed reading about Space Marines in The Horus Heresy. I have watched every single character grow and change throughout the three books. Some for the better, some for the (much) worse.

I knew this book was going to be tough to read from an emotional point of view, I just wasn't prepared for HOW tough. I spent the last two books getting to really like two of the core characters. Their companionship grew throughout the novels and added a much needed lighter approach through some of the darker aspects of the novel. The characters are so well written, that they soom so real. I don't want to write spoilers in this but just make sure you either steel yourself because believe me, you will not be prepared for the way this novel ends!

What I am now going to talk about is the irony that struck me involving the Great Crusade. Clearly, this novel upset me but I take comfort in the characters standing up for what they believed in. They believed that their side of the argument was right, that they were doing the right thing and standing by their Emperor. Who told them to go and spread his word and destroy anyone who disagreed with the secular way of man. If that is what it right then what does that tell you about the other side? If I have learned one thing about the Imperium of Mankind, is that it has one warped sense of humour (no pun intended).

Either way, I enjoyedthe read and I have not cried over a book since Oy died in The Dark Tower, it goes to show how well written the book is and I look forward to the next installment. I doubt I will be prepared for that either!

Horus Rising (Horus Heresy book 1) - Dan Abnett

It had been a while since I read anything. Not even going to add a decent into that sentence because my work life has been manic. My own fault of course but that is not the subject of this post.

My stretch of non-reading has been broken by Horus Rising by Dan Abnett. This is not something I would normally read. I have very little interest in the Warhammer 40K universe and was determined to not really get on with this book and anything it might contain. I didn't like Space Marines so what could this story possibly do for me?

I was hooked from page one.

The characters this book contains are utterly engaging, adding a very human elements to the genetically enhanced super 'people' that are Space Marines. They have enough personality to make me care about what happened to them and I was gripped, forgetting to breathe at some points within the story.  The charisma of the main character is such that the reader really does care about what goes on, what happens to him and why he does what he does. Coupled with a cast that has a good sense of humour, it makes this story utterly engaging.

The world in which this is set is vast and I was a little daunted that I would not have a clue what was going on within the setting. No such thing happened! It was all explained carefully within the book but in such a way to make it interesting, there was no information dump at the beginning of the novel, which would have made it stale. I'm not going to say how it was done as that would be a spoiler but believe me when I say it is cleverly done.

Only thing I will say about Abnett's technical skills are his use of similes; there are rather a lot of them, which I found rather curious. When there was more than one if a paragraph it became a bit jarring but overall it wasn't much of an issue for me. The masterful way in which ABnett writes makes this a wonderful book to read, even for people who are not heavily in to the 40K universe. Give this one a go, it is well worth it.

Mistborn: The Final Empire - Brandon Sanderson

My word! I managed to finish a book in the five minutes a day I now get to read. That's the five minutes between getting into bed and passing out exhausted every night. My training course is intense and is keeping my very busy. I'm loving what I do though so nothing to fear there. Onwards to Sanderson's novel then...

This is the first high fantasy book I have read in a long time. I read it as a paperback (not on kindle *shock*) and I must say, it was a blinder. The plot kept me guessing throughout and there are some twists and turns that I didn't see coming. I was left guessing until the very end when the resolution happened and this left me a happy reader. I love to keep guessing, I detest obvious plot and this novel was far from that.

The world-building in the novel is right where it should be. I invested a lot of time reading the six hundred or so pagesof it and every one was worth it. The world was well thought out, highly developed and above all, believeable. The split between the nobility and peasent class, or Skaa, is well thought out and there is enough information to show the vastness of the world. The 'magic' system is like nothing I have ever read before, it was well balanced and had enough limitations to make it real. Top marks from me Sanderson, well done.

I shall also touch on character, which as you know, is a thing close to my heart. All the characters are believeavle, if not likeable (and most of them are). At first, one of the protagonists, Kelsier, appears to be a bit of a 'Mary Sue' type, like Kvothe in Rothfuss's The Name of the Wind but it soon becomes apparent that this is not the case, his flaws are just hidden to begin with. I do like a character with flaws, it makes them that much more real to me. The trials that he and his friends face are real and they each act according to their talents.

I'm going to leave it there for this novel, just leave with the final note of how much I liked it. It was a welcome change from some of the rubbish fantasy I have read. Go and read it, it is well worth the time investing in.

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!!

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.

The Heresy Within (The Ties that Bind) - Rob J Hayes

It was a gamble this novel, a 77p buy from Amazon when I couldn't decide what to go for and nothing on my to read list was screaming at me to be read. I do love reading independent novels but they can be hit and miss as they don't necessarily have the same resources as those books issued from a publishing house. This one is one of the best I have ever read.

The best thing about this novel is the characters. From the moment I started to the very end, I was interested in what happened to all of them. I cared whether they lived or died and what's more, they were not the generic characters found in a fantasy novel. The inquisitor, Thanquil, has the compulsion to steal things in order to calm his nerves. The female fighter has her fair share of quirks, including not wanting to fight and the theif guy seems to always find himself in a fight which is never (always) his fault. The three come together and work towards their goal in an interesting way which is a real delight to read.

The world in which the novel is set is a harsh one, this is reflected in the narrative. I would never recommend this book to under eighteens. It deals with some rough themes and it doesn't skimp on the details or the swearing. Normally this would irritate me in a novel but Hayes makes it work well. The language reflects on the lives of the characters. The ones that swear are the ones who have had a tough time and it works well. Even the sex in the novel is rough and I'm going to be honest, it doesn't skimp on that either. There are times when characters are running naked through the street and instead of seeming silly, it comes across as a reflection of the harsh world they live in.

There are a couple of things that could use improving through the novel and this is the editing for the most part. There are spelling errors and a few clumsy sentances which could easily be solved with another set of editing but this is a minor complaint as I enjoyed the novel that much I hardly noticed. The same goes for the cliche terms that have crept in, the novel is that good I could ignore them!

All in all, this was a great recommendation from Amazon and I am more than pleased with the read. I have already purchased the sequel and have read 20% of it already. This hasn't happened since I read The Dark Tower series, which you all know how much I love. I recommened you go and read this book if you can, its well worth it/

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.

Lust, Money and Murder - Mike Wells

 

This book was a total change from what I have just read and was a free recommendation from people via Twitter. I thought I'd give it a go as it's not something I would 'normally' read (although I am no longer sure what that is).

The first part of this book wasn't great for me. The author tries to cram in a lot of back story as his main character grows from little girl to adult. Key events are mentioned and highlighted but most of this is done in narrative form. While this is very well written, it prevents the reader from getting to know the character very well. I thought it erected a barrier between myself and the protagonist and made it difficult for me to get to know her properly. Don't get me wrong though, the narrative is very well written, there isn't a word there that doesn't belong and neither does it drag on and on, or ponder over insignificant details.

Narrative takes a sharp exit at about half way, which was when I truely started to enjoy the book. We see things from the point of view of a well developed, flawed character. She finds herself with the wrong person despite her best efforts to do the right thing. Nor is she perfect at everything, she had things she isn't so good at and it makes it easy to like her. It is the opposuite of the first half of the novel and is well worth the wait.

The pacing picks up during the second half of the novel and after this I found myself unable to stop reading, despite a tent needing to be packed and such other matters. I was a little disappointed with the ending but that's a personal preference. It's not about closure, the ending just snuck up on me and I was expecting things to be a little more rounded. I guess I'll have to read the second one to find out what happens. A cunning marketing ploy from Mike Wells no doubt - it worked. Go and read this book, its worth a go!

HMS Surprise - Patrick O'Brian

This is the third installment of O'Brian's series and as I have enjoyed the last two, I thought I would go for the next to see if it was as good as the last.

The novel built on the themes and characters of the last two novels and introduced some new ones too. It was a joy to read even though it was written along similar lines to the last. The parts I found most amusing was Jack's inability to remember cliche sayings. He often merged two together and got them totally incorrect. As well as adding an amusing aspect to the character it shows genius on O'Brian's part for using cliches in a new way. Jack was rather hurt when other characters pointed out his failings and couldn't quite understand what he was doing wrong. It built on his already well established character and was enjoyable.

This time, the characters found themselves in India and the description of the setting is vivid and a credit to the author. I could almost smell the places they visited, feel the warmth of the humid sun and hear the cries of different people as they explored their surroundings. O'Brian is a master at conveying meaning through the eyes of his characters. The same scene is described totally differently depending on who is leading that particular section of narrative - it really is a treat to read. The sea battles are written in such a way, you can't read fast enough, you have to know what happens and the suspense is fantastic.

Also much improved in this novel is the time/location jumps. Many of the long sea voyages are glossed over - who wants to read about the monotonous six month voyage from England to India one day at a time? Important events are well written and this time, instead of just jumping forward, there is an explanation. The transition is much smoother and it makes a better read. The naval jargon is still there but at this point, I have learned enough to know the difference between sets of sails so it no longer seems to be much of an issue (for me anyway).

I am going to take a break form the series however, I don't want to have too much of a good thing! It's not finished though, I shall return to it in time. They really are worth a read!

The Iron Man - Ted Hughes

 

It hasn't taken me that long to finish my latest read, partly because it is a children's story that I am looking at next term and partly because it is such an enjoyable tale.

It is a well known story and it has been around for a long time, first published in 1968, it has been read by many children at school. Even I can remember doing this story when I was in primary school and I hope to be able to recreate some of the fond memories with the children I will be working with.

This is a wonderful story. The plot is simplistic and easy to follow yet loses no enjoyability in this account. It has been hailed by some as a modern day fairy story and I agree with this description. The tale follows the formula for this genre. I don't want to divulge too many plot details as I want readers to go out and try this book but I will say that the growing friendship between a boy and a giant metal man is touching.

Another thing I really loved about this book was the rich description I found. It was beautiful to read and Hughes had a truly unique voice. The book will appeal to both the boys and girls in my group as it is aimed at children and every word Hughes has written shows this. The scenes are vivid without the language being to weighty. The pacing is spot on too, no point is over or underwritten, no word is dead weight in the novel, which makes a welcome change from some books I have read in the past!

The characters in the novel are also well thought out, simple yet balanced. They young boy who befriends the Iron Man will be easy for children to relate to and even the Iron Man himself comes across as a misunderstand giant who is just after something to eat!

I don't really have any criticisms of this novel as its one I grew up loving and one I was too happy to re-read as an adult. I hope the kids I work with will enjoy it as much as I did and still do and that they will attach good memories to it as well. I can only try my best to help them get the most out of it too. If you have never read this story, I would suggest you do so, it is a wonderful book!

Master and Commander - Patrick O'Brian

I have been wanting to read this book for some time and I have finally managed to sit down and do so, between the craziness that is preparing for World Book Day (7th March) and the other tasks that have been assigned to me. Here are my thoughts:

If I could have sat down and read this book from cover to cover without interruption from the real world, I would have. I instantly liked the hero - Jack Aubrey. Many of you will know him as played by Russell Crowe in the 2003 film. He seems to have two states of emotion to begin with, super happy or super angry. Fortunately he gravitates to happy and its so easy to get caught up with his fervor and passion for all things, from his love of music to the enthusiasm for his newest command. He is a simple enough character and easily likeable. I was quick to sympathize with his confusion part way through the novel when one of his lieutenants was forced to make a tough decision without his knowledge and then took his frustration out on Jack. The hero was much like a wounded puppy for a long while and it certainly earned my sympathy. In fact, it became rather hard to remember at points that this kind-hearted character had bite, but he does and wasn't afraid to use it either. His simplicity was delightful, especially after reading some novels with characters that are tough to like or get to know, Roland Deschain for example!

As a complete foil for Jack, is the ships doctor Stephen Maturin. He is a rich character but taken to dark moods and thoughtful contemplation rather than action. The two become fast friends and they work so well together. He is not always serious and there is an air of mischief about Maturin at times which I found delightful, like him putting in foul tasting additions with his medicine to make sure the crew know they are being physicked and when he falls overboard and the rest of the crew jump in to save him. The dynamic is a credit to O'Brian's skills as a writer and one of the reasons I was so hooked on the novel as a whole. The rest of the supporting cast are all individuals and you know who is speaking without it being tagged with a name - perfectly written and well balanced.
 

The story itself is relatively easy to follow for the most part. The sea battles are well written and kept me glued to my kindle. If not for work constraints I would have been reading well into the early hours. The battles were exciting and concise, I had no trouble following the action, nor the thoughts and feelings of the crew involved. I was routing for the crew and the Sophie all throughout their trials. Even the 'duller' aspects of sea life were interesting and well written. However, it was not always easy to tell where the crew were and there were some parts that jumped around. I found from one scene to the next drastic changes had happened. They may be aboard ship one moment and roaming around on shore the next with not much clue as to when that change occurred. This made parts of the novel hard to follow.

 The other aspect of the novel which was difficult to grasp was the terminology. I've studied 19th century sailing ships a little for a book I am working on so know a little bit about the parts of a ship, however I struggled with some of the names. If you don't know your forecastle from your mizzen and your foretopgallant from your mainroyalstay, you're going to have an issue. I'd advise you to keep a dictionary - or smartphone - close by while you give the book a read just to keep which sail is which clear in your head.

Don't let that put you off reading about two of the best characters I have met so far this year. There are 20 books dedicated to them and I'm going to go download the next one onto my kindle now. It's just too much fun not to.

Room 13 - Robert Swindells

This is the book I am looking at this half term with my guided reading group at school. I was given it to read over half term and I must say I enjoyed every word on the page. I tried to keep in mind that this is a story aimed at children while reading and found there was so much I discuss with my group.

The heroine of the book is a young girl named Fliss. She is about to embark on a school trip to Whitby for a 5 day stay. This is something I am doing during the summer term (albeit for a weekend rather than a week) so found it very easy to relate to. I understood her nerves about being away from home for the first time and will no doubt have to help several children cope with this too. She is the rough age of the group I work with and hope they will be able to identify with her too. Fliss is a balanced, well rounded character who's fears and hopes come through in an easy way. She has been expertly written and is supported by a group of characters who are as full as she is.

The plot itself is interesting and I found I wanted to know what happened next from the first page. It is a mild horror, which plays on popular superstitions about the number 13 and references the well known novel Dracula. Young boys in the story use Dracula to terrify the heroine and her friends in a comically typical boyish fashion. The pace of the plot is good and will be suitable for my group to follow without being too much. The plot is horror enough to keep the boys interested as well and anything that gets boys interested in reading is a winner in my book!

Swindell makes great use of language in the novel, it is easy to follow and yet will be enough of a challenge for my ten year olds. It will force them to look up words in a dictionary because I know they won't understand every word written. It's going to be a good book to work on and I am looking forward to seeing the children's reactions. 

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.

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.

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!

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.