Order
“Words of Radiance” HERE
Read
An Excerpt HERE
With
The Way of Kings, Brandon Sanderson began what he intends
to be a 10-volume epic fantasy series called The Stormlight Archive. It's massive, it's ambitious, and it's
wonderful.
If
anything, I actually enjoyed Words of
Radiance more.
At
upwards of 1000 pages, this isn't a book that you're going to read in one
sitting unless you are superhuman. But the plot drives forward, and unlike
other massive epic fantasies I've read, every word is working hard for the
story and I never get the feeling that it could stand to lose a couple hundred
pages. It's long, and it's worth it.
Sanderson is trying to do so much, complicating everything in a
beautiful way, but sometimes to a degree that sometimes leaves me more confused
about what information I actually know. He has a tough balance to walk to give
enough answers so that readers aren't completely overwhelmed, while he adds
more questions and complications to others he's already asked. Mostly he's
walking that line well. For instance, I think he's nailing the release of
information about the Parshendi.
We're getting information about the Radiants
and spren at a good rate as well,
but I am totally confused about the Voidbringers
at this point.
Structurally,
my only problem is that there are too many interludes after Part 1. Sanderson has talked
before about what he's trying to accomplish, but dropping what is
essentially a short story collection so early on and all at once killed the
momentum. While I knew going in I wasn't going to finish the book in one
sitting, the successive shifts left me tired and relieved that I had a clear
stopping place to put the book down.
On
the other hand, I think structurally the ending of Words of Radiance felt a lot tighter than in The Way of Kings. All of the main POV characters were physically in
the same place, their arcs and climaxes were connected to the same event, and
while there's no way Sanderson could
have arranged that in The Way of Kings,
it really worked in Words of Radiance.
And
then there are the characters. Kaladin's
characterization was a bit inconsistent at points: I love how clever Sanderson is, and that adds to the
voice of many of the characters, but sometimes he slips quips into Kaladin's dialogue that don't belong
there (especially when characters across the board comment about his utter lack
of humor). It cuts Kaladin's broodiness
a bit (and how he broods!), but also
caused me to do a couple of double takes at the text.
On
the other side, I am so interested in the direction Shallan's character took this book, and it was really a breath of
fresh air from Kaladin's chapters.
The contrast of their different reactions to awfulness emphasizes their agency
and choices, and I absolutely love that.
We
also got to explore Adolin more,
which I really enjoyed. And Wit
remains amazing. His bits and epilogues are possibly my favorite part of this
series so far, though it is hard to choose.
12:00 AM | 
Posted by
Robert |
Order “Lockstep” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
I'm not normally a
hard science fiction reader, but the premise of Karl Schroeder's latest novel Lockstep
intrigued me. Then I started reading and it sucked me in.
So for those of you
who are likewise not normally into hard SF, Schroeder does a good job of explaining the hard science aspects
without writing down to the reader, which is a tricky balance to pull off. I do
think he went overly detailed into world-building aspects that weren't really
necessary for the plot, but I think that's also a target audience issue as well
(in that that's not what I'm looking for in a novel, but many hard SF readers
would).
What I loved most is
that Schroeder fully explores the
implications of his core conceit thoroughly. We understand how and why this
technology came into existence, he convinces us of the plausibility of it and
also its advantages, and then he explores just about every way it can go wrong
or be abused. But he doesn't stop there: this isn't a dystopian outlook on the
future, because the next step is what people can do to fix it, not by getting
rid of the technology entirely, but by changing society. He goes deeply into
the implications in politics, economics, and technology (though he mostly
ignores anthropology in world-building outside of societal structures, there's
so much else going on that didn't bother me much). Given the recent spate of dystopia in SFF, I really enjoyed his approach to the future
that goes beyond abuses and into actively thinking about how we can shape our
world.
I appreciated a
teenage protagonist that is both smart and mature even with adolescent
concerns, and the family dynamics were really interesting. It did feel like the
characters acted because the plot needed them to make those choices, though,
rather than acting like actual people. And our protagonist somehow never gets
around to asking questions until he's in a situation when the person he's
asking has an excuse to cut him off, which felt like a very blatant way to pace
exposition. As much world information as he needs to convey to the reader, it
definitely needs to be paced, but the problem is that the plot is full of
twists that the reader has no way to predict because we never have the
information soon enough. Not having the opportunity to put together the clues
does keep the reveals surprising, but it also keeps the reader more outside of
the narrative than engaged in the plot.
So despite some
character and plot bumps, the exploration of the ideas and setting was strong
enough to carry me through to a satisfying conclusion. I'll definitely be
looking up more of Karl Schroeder's
work.
Visit the Official Site of Death's Academy Here
OVERVIEW: The Death’s
Academy entrance exam for Midnight Smith is quickly approaching. There’s just
one problem: Midnight is the worst exam taker the academy has ever seen. If
Midnight wants to ever step foot inside the school, he’ll have to join forces
with the hated Guardian Angels, and together face the deadliest creatures in
the world—the dreaded Unicorns. Becoming a Grim Reaper has never been more
hilarious!
FORMAT: Death's Academy is a middle grade novel. It is
humorous and contains elements of mystery and adventure. It stands at 249 pages
and was published January 14, 2014 by Cedar Fort Publishing & Media.
ANALYSIS: What do you get when you take hoodies, angels,
unicorns, and humans and combine it with gumdrops, lollipops and candy? Well,
you get the world that was created for Death's
Academy by Michael Bast.
I came across Death's
Academy by accident while browsing my library's website. The synopsis
appeared to be a combination of a Harry Potter meets Percy Jackson concept
mixed with the humor that is found in Diary of a Wimpy Kid. So, I figured I'd give it a shot and I am glad
I took a chance, as this novel is one of the best middle school novels I've
read in a while.
What makes Death's
Academy so good? It is the voice that Michael Bast brings to the novel. He
has a way of telling the story in a fun, humorous style that doesn't seem to
get old. There are running jokes throughout the book, but Bast knows how to toe
the line between keeping the jokes alive and making sure they don't get old.
Bast knows how to bring humor to the story. There were
several parts that I found funny, and most certainly if I were a child in
middle school there would have been other parts that were just as hilarious. Death's Academy certainly has enough to
keep the average adult reader entertained, but it is a book that is targeted to
middle school, so there are plenty of fart references and other middle school
humor elements thrown in.
In addition to the smooth, humorous voice, Death's Academy is unique, funny and a
little bit 'out there'. Taking a look at all the elements of the book separately
– guardian angels, grim reapers, unicorns, candy villages, and humans – it
would seem like someone just took whatever thought came into their head and
threw it down on paper. Even if this is what Bast did, he did it successfully.
Everything in Death's
Academy seems to connect to each other and make the plot flow. There is
just enough backstory provided that readers aren't lost, but readers aren't
bogged down with lengthy explanations. The backstory that is provided is enough
to make the characters stand on their own, but allows the readers to grow and
learn with the characters.
What is nice about Death's
Academy is the readers aren't rooting for the typical 'good' guy. Night,
the main character, is ultimately a bad guy, but he isn't. He looks out for his
friends, has difficulty killing things, and really wants to do what is best for
everyone. Sure, he's a little mouthy and strong willed, but he works for the
story and is relatable to almost everyone who reads this book.
If you are looking for detailed, in-depth plot elements, you
probably aren't going to find it with Death's
Academy. There is enough to keep the story going, but adult readers will
certain find holes in the story – and if you are looking to nitpick, I'm sure
there is something there to find.
While I enjoyed Death's
Academy, there is something that I would – if I had the power – change. I
believe the title of the book is a bit misleading. It is more of a prequel to Death's Academy. The main character –
Night – spends his time worrying about getting into the academy and really
doesn't spend one moment at the academy.
The lack of Death's
Academy doesn't take away from the novel, and once other novels are added
to what one can assume will be a series it will make sense. However, it is a
good setup to what will be a very promising series.
Overall, Death's
Academy was a major surprise for me. I loved the main character and found
him believable. In fact, I was rooting for him and felt a little bad for him at
times. I really think Death's Academy
is a great read for almost everyone. It is a great 'read aloud' book for
families, while older more independent readers will find it a fun read. Adults
will certainly appreciate the humor and creativity that is obvious with this
novel.
I look forward to reading more from Michael Bast and hope
the Death's Academy series will
continue. I know I'll be waiting for more.
Monday, August 4, 2014
Mini-Reviews: “American Craftsmen” by Tom Doyle, “Full Fathom Five” by Max Gladstone” & “Shattered” by Kevin Hearne (Reviewed by Casey Blair)
Order
“American Craftsmen” HERE
Read
An Excerpt HERE
American Craftsmen by Tom Doyle is the first of a new series (or so I assume, given the
epilogue) and is set in modern America, but with a layer of alternate magical
history on top of it. The book reads like a thriller and is very action-packed,
similar in pacing to Larry Correia’s
Hard Magic. I could have stood some
breaks in action, honestly, with more time to flesh out the implications of
everything going on (because there is a
lot going on), but that's more a matter of preference: if you want constant
action, American Craftsmen has it in spades.
As
you might expect from the title, this book deals with a lot of issues in what
it means to be American, duty, loyalty, and service, and how none of those are
tied to religion or ethnicity. I loved that we got an ethnically Iranian female
character who is not only not portrayed as a villain, but is totally
indispensable and saves our two lead soldiers' bacon many times over. I think Doyle balanced the different cultural
perspectives well, and he really took advantage of their point of views. There
are characters with some very narrow or strict worldviews that are appropriate
given their history and shape how they interact with the world, but none of
them are straw men as they all have different beliefs, and the text never feels
didactic. Also, the author avoids some very easy-to-fall-into traps and manages
some complex issues as the plot rockets along at breakneck speed.
Order
“Full Fathom Five” HERE
Read
An Excerpt HERE
Read
FBC’s Reviews of “Three
Parts Dead” & “Two
Serpents Rise”
It's
no secret that I'm a huge fan of Max
Gladstone's secondary world urban fantasy series. In the third and latest
installment, Full Fathom Five, the
author has once again nailed the setting as fundamentally integral to the
story. For instance, the tropical island of Kavekana has a rich history and
traditions of its own but thrives on tourism, building corporate-managed idols
for wary clients.
Full Fathom Five starts off with a bang,
but then it takes a while before I understood protagonist Kai's personal stake in the plot. I love what Max does with the relationships in this book, both between people
and gods and in romantic relationships and responsibility to congregations, how
the nature of those relationships and boundaries can change without or, of
necessity, breaking. This book has a fantastic cast of women and non-white
characters, including a few from Three Parts
Dead and Two Serpents Rise who
play pivotal roles in the new novel. Full
Fathom Five can be read as a stand-alone, so if you're new to the series
feel free to jump in here.
Order
“Shattered” HERE
Shattered is the seventh and
latest installment in Kevin Hearne's
urban fantasy series, The Iron Druid
Chronicles, and in my opinion it's much stronger than the last couple of
volumes. The prose did feel a little clunky in the beginning, but the plot
makes a lot more sense and actually feels like we're back on track in terms of
overall arc, rather than just laying groundwork for later books. The biggest
point of irritation for me is that Kevin
has essentially ret-conned earlier god deaths, which robs them of emotional
impact and makes them feel like plot devices rather than events that actually
matter, so we'll have to see how that plays out. But with the addition of Atticus' archdruid to the cast we get a
new perspective on the world, and Granuaile
gets to go off on her own druidic adventures. We spend time with both new and
familiar pantheons, and through it all Hearne
threads some very complex issues that I think were handled very well.
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
"Heritage: Book One of the Gairden Chronicles" by David L. Craddock (Reviewed by Cindy Hannikman)
Visit David L. Craddock's Official Website Here
Visit David's Goodreads page Here
Visit David's Facebook page Here
OVERVIEW: Book One of
the Gairden Chronicles Prince Aidan Gairden's life was planned out for him 800
years before he was born. On his sixteenth birthday, he will take up Heritage,
the magical sword wielded by his mother and generations of Gairden ancestors
before him, and lead the kingdom of Torel into a new golden age of peace and
prosperity.
That's how his mother envisions his impending reign. Aidan prefers to see it as decades of sitting in an uncomfortable chair listening to old men bicker over property lines and taxes. If Aidan had his way, he would leave the sword and throne behind for a life free of responsibility.
To Aidan's utter shock, Heritage grants his wish. In front of his parents and the entire kingdom, the sword rejects Aidan, leaving Torel without an heir.
While Aidan struggles to find his place, an ancient evil awakens and provokes a war between Torel and the warrior tribes of the west. Thrust upon a bloody trail of deception and corruption, Aidan is forced to make a desperate choice: lead Torel in a war he does not believe in, or be banished from his home and family forever.
That's how his mother envisions his impending reign. Aidan prefers to see it as decades of sitting in an uncomfortable chair listening to old men bicker over property lines and taxes. If Aidan had his way, he would leave the sword and throne behind for a life free of responsibility.
To Aidan's utter shock, Heritage grants his wish. In front of his parents and the entire kingdom, the sword rejects Aidan, leaving Torel without an heir.
While Aidan struggles to find his place, an ancient evil awakens and provokes a war between Torel and the warrior tribes of the west. Thrust upon a bloody trail of deception and corruption, Aidan is forced to make a desperate choice: lead Torel in a war he does not believe in, or be banished from his home and family forever.
FORMAT: Heritage is the first novel in the Gairden
Chronicles. It is a YA fantasy novel that is filled with adventure elements. It
stands at 326 pages and was published by
Tyche Books Ltd. on July 30, 2014.
ANALYSIS: Reading a debut author in the fantasy genre, or
any genre, is always a hit-or-miss experience. There are authors who hit the
ground running with a hit, there are authors with talent that just needs a
little 'fine tuning', and there are authors who seem to struggle.
David Craddock, while not completely new to the fantasy
world, has released the first book in his YA fantasy series, and he falls
within the first category of authors. Heritage is a page-turning, captivating,
well-written YA novel that really leaves you wanting more – in a good way.
One of the first things that is obvious right off the bat is
that Craddock knows how to build an entire fantasy world without engaging in
tedious info dropping. Many times authors will overload readers with lengthy explanations
and backstories to help aid in the world building, while others have a 'fly by
the seat of your pants' approach where readers learn as they read.
Craddock knows how to create a world that readers can relate
to, understand, and feel a part of, without having to boggle down readers or
waste time with lengthy explanations. This is vital to the next part –pacing.
Sometimes while reading, I notice that novels are either
paced too fast or too slow. I found Heritage to be paced at a just right speed.
It had me turning pages and wanting to read further ahead, but I didn't feel
rushed.
Last, but not least, is character development. The norm
nowadays seems to be that you can't write a good fantasy novel with great world
building and character development, and keep it under 400 pages. Craddock shows
that this is not the case.
I really felt connected to the characters. It did take a
little time to warm up to them, get to know them a little, but by the end I
wanted more. I wanted to see what happens next, go through more adventures with
them.
Heritage is definitely a wonderful start for not only the
series, but Craddock's future at a fantasy writer. The quality of writing and
pure talent that is evident will only improve as time goes on. Readers will
notice that the influences authors like Terry Brooks, R.A. Salvatore, Robert
Jordon, and David Eddings had on Craddock.
I really look forward to seeing Craddock grow as a writer
and hopefully leave a lasting impact on the fantasy genre. I will be awaiting book 2 and consider it a 'must read'. Fans of Brooks,
Salvatore, Jordon, and pretty much any other fantasy author will be sure to
enjoy this novel. Anyone who is thinking of venturing into fantasy will also
enjoy it, as it serves as a great intro to fantasy.
AUTHOR BIO: David L. Craddock lives with his wife and
business partner in Ohio. He is the bestselling author of Stay Awhile and
Listen: How Two Blizzards Unleashed Diablo and Forged a Video-Game Empire -
Book I, and Heritage: Book One of the Gairden Chronicles, an epic fantasy
series for young adults. Please follow along with him on his website/blog at
DavidLCraddock.com.
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s review of “Magic Bites” & “Magic Burns”
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s review of “Magic Strikes” & “Magic Mourns”
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s review of “Magic Bleeds” & “A Questionable Client”
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s review of “Magic Slays” & “Magic Dreams”
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of "Magic Rises"
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s review of "Retribution Clause" & "Magic Tests"
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of "Gunmetal Magic" & "Magic Gifts"
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of "Magic Rises"
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s review of "Retribution Clause" & "Magic Tests"
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of "Gunmetal Magic" & "Magic Gifts"
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s Interview with Ilona Andrews
AUTHOR INFORMATION: Ilona Andrews is the pseudonym for the husband-and-wife writing team of Ilona Gordon & Andrew Gordon. Together, Andrew and Ilona are the co-authors of the New York Times bestselling Kate Daniels urban fantasy series and the romantic urban fantasy novels of The Edge. They live in Texas with their children.
OFFICIAL BOOK BLURB: No matter how much the paranormal politics of Atlanta change, one thing always remains the same: if there’s trouble, Kate Daniels will be in the middle of it…
As the mate of the Beast Lord, Curran, former mercenary Kate Daniels has more responsibilities than it seems possible to juggle. Not only is she still struggling to keep her investigative business afloat, she must now deal with the affairs of the pack, including preparing her people for attack from Roland, a cruel ancient being with god-like powers. Since Kate’s connection to Roland has come out into the open, no one is safe—especially those closest to Kate.
As Roland’s long shadow looms ever nearer, Kate is called to attend the Conclave, a gathering of the leaders from the various supernatural factions in Atlanta. When one of the Masters of the Dead is found murdered there, apparently at the hands of a shapeshifter, Kate is given only twenty-four hours to hunt down the killer. And this time, if she fails, she’ll find herself embroiled in a war which could destroy everything she holds dear…
FORMAT/INFO: Magic Breaks is 381 pages long divided over eighteen chapters, and a prologue and an epilogue. In this book, narration is in the first-person, exclusively via Kate Daniels and as a journal entry (prologue) via Barabas. There's also a short story included; "Magic Tests" which is set after the events of books 5. There's also a map of Atlanta, a character list as well as an author note included. Magic Breaks is the seventh volume of the series, therefore it would be very inadvisable to jump in to the series from this point.
July 29, 2014 marks the North American hardback and e-book publication of Magic Breaks via Ace Books. Cover art provided by Juliana Kolesova.
ANALYSIS (Mihir): For all Ilona Andrews fans, this has been the book that we have been waiting for. Magic Breaks is the first time when Roland makes an appearance and is about his introduction and his confrontation with Kate. However this is not the FINAL book in the series, we are assured of three more (atleast)...
Magic Breaks is set after the tumultuous events seen in Magic Rises and after the cross-Atlantic journey, Kate is not sure what to expect next. Things have settled comfortably with the Atlanta pack as Curran goes to work with Panacea and is able to fortify his territory. Things are going well as much as they can but when Curran is suspiciously called away for a hunt to placate a bordering pack that has access to silver. Kate being the consort is then is forced to attend a conclave meeting with the People. The plot thickens when a high-ranking master of the dead is found murdered. With all signs pointing towards a shape-shifter, things get tense as Kate's most hated adversary returns to give her 24 hours to hand over the murderer or Roland's war comes to Atlanta. From then on it's a race against time, as Kate and the pack have to figure what really happened and how to clear this mess from the Pack’s plate.
What can I say; Magic Breaks has been a very fast-paced & superbly satisfying read. Infact I'll go ahead to say this book will be in my top three of my year-end lists. If you love the previous books then prepare to have your mind blown. This book has all the positive attributes of the series that we all love. Awesome action sequences, terrific characterization and a great cast of characters; We get a POV from Barabas as part of the prologue and also Desandra takes center stage in pack politics. As a character, she’s pure gold as we (readers) are never quite sure what or how she’ll react. After the events of this book, I’m definitely interested to what happens within the Wolves now that Desandra is laying claim to certain positions.
Lastly the humor never truly fails to stop the story from becoming abysmally dark. Kate and all of our favorite characters are back in this one and so many others from the previous works make some memorable appearances. Their presence however is entirely justified and unlike the last Sookie Stackhouse book, wherein everyone just showed up to bid adieu. The authors make sure that the tension is never completely resolved and the readers will be flipping pages to see what all is encompassed within this tale.
For me, I loved how the authors melded a murder mystery, their version of "the mines of Moria sequence" which just simply will blow most reader minds and lastly a confrontation between a father and daughter. If you think that you can predict what will happen, I'll gladly inform you that you will be wrong. The action sequences are amped up and there's some new additions to the rich were mythology that the authors have built up so far. Then there are further revelations about Kate's past, Roland, her magic and some subjects that are highly spoilerific to eve mention. Safe to say that this book does everything but bring you to the edge of a mental orgasm before tipping you over savagely of course.
CONCLUSION: This is truly Epic Urban Fantasy & Ilona Andrews are just the best (watch out Jim Butcher) when it comes to writing in this under-appreciated genre. Plus as a freebie, the authors have also included MAGIC TESTS, a short story about Julie , which I have previously reviewed HERE.
ANALYSIS (Casey): Magic Breaks is the latest (not the last!) of author duo Ilona Andrews' Kate Daniels urban fantasy series, and it's a strong addition to the set. For me, the most important part of a story is the characters, and over the last six books the authors have introduced a ton of fabulous characters. Sadly some of my favorites aren't on screen for much of Magic Breaks (Julie, Raphael, Dali, and even Jim is mostly in the background). On the other hand, a fan-favorite villain is back and causing all kinds of problems (I won't spoil it for you), my favorite volhv Roman makes a cameo, we get to explore Master of the Dead Ghastek's character a lot more, and the pack's newest werewolf from the previous book is hands-down my new favorite character.
If you're less familiar with the series, none of that means much to you, so let me say this as well: we spend a lot of the series meeting and developing side characters, and the authors don't forget about them. They're starting to tie all of them in to the main plot and it's wonderful to see how they all fit together.
I loved the political maneuvering not just within the magical community (shapeshifters, masters of the dead, witches, etc.) but also with the police and the knights. The authors effectively used the limits of each group's power and authority to heighten the tension. The resolutions for the continuing problems of Ted Moynohan and Jennifer hit the mark perfectly. It isn't just the characters that are coming together in Magic Breaks: the world-building and all of the subplots are paying off.
Now, the authors have made no secret of the fact that this is the book in which Roland, Kate's mythological father and our series' Big Bad, appears on stage for the first time. I think they did a great job with Roland of balancing portraying him at once as evil yet also extremely intelligent and only dubiously insane, because the ethical ambiguity (especially from his perspective, inasmuch as we can tell) makes him even creepier. Like, fantastically creepy. The final note of this book is absolutely perfect in that respect.
After all the build-up for Roland, though, I have to say the climax lacked some tension for me. Once Kate actually got to Roland, their meeting went remarkably smoothly. And the action Kate has to take during the climax in order to save everyone — while a serious move — didn't seem anywhere near as difficult a decision for Kate as other confrontations in the book. Maybe because it's the only one that ever had a chance of working (the authors drop enough hints early on about Roland's goal for Atlanta so that we already know it had to be coming), her choice didn't feel all that momentous, but more like a matter of course. It is, however, still an epic throwdown.
It also bothered me that no one even tried to fight Roland. Without even attempting, everyone simply understands that he's too powerful to defeat, so they back off or negotiate terms each time a real confrontation seems imminent. So far we've mostly seen his power used indirectly, which, while in character for him, makes the stakes a little ambiguous. Kate may not be ready to face him directly yet, but that is something I'll want to see in later books.
Of everything the authors do in this book, I think my favorite part is how much trouble being in charge causes for Kate and Curran. It makes spending time together nearly impossible, not to mention time together alone. It makes taking a day off to rest and recover from nearly fatal wounds actually impossible. It means all the most serious problems are their day-to-day lot; there are no easy ones. It means everything they say or do, even the most innocuous side comments, is watched, analyzed, and interpreted, and their most casual and innocent interaction has dire consequences down the road. It means they're responsible for every one of their people, no matter if they're stupid or obnoxious or insane.
And while they handle it, we see the toll it takes on them. We see that while they both do the work — and it is undeniably work — because they care about their people and about each other, the power brings them no joy. In point of fact, it only brings them trouble. And in the end, faced with Roland, it doesn't bring them safety, either.
CONCLUSION: The authors have been building this for a while, and I love how all those tensions boiled over in this book. They handled it beautifully. I'm really excited about where this series is going. Everything seems to be culminating at last, and given the course and foreshadowing of Magic Breaks it looks like the authors have great things in store for us.
OFFICIAL BOOK BLURB: No matter how much the paranormal politics of Atlanta change, one thing always remains the same: if there’s trouble, Kate Daniels will be in the middle of it…
As the mate of the Beast Lord, Curran, former mercenary Kate Daniels has more responsibilities than it seems possible to juggle. Not only is she still struggling to keep her investigative business afloat, she must now deal with the affairs of the pack, including preparing her people for attack from Roland, a cruel ancient being with god-like powers. Since Kate’s connection to Roland has come out into the open, no one is safe—especially those closest to Kate.
As Roland’s long shadow looms ever nearer, Kate is called to attend the Conclave, a gathering of the leaders from the various supernatural factions in Atlanta. When one of the Masters of the Dead is found murdered there, apparently at the hands of a shapeshifter, Kate is given only twenty-four hours to hunt down the killer. And this time, if she fails, she’ll find herself embroiled in a war which could destroy everything she holds dear…
FORMAT/INFO: Magic Breaks is 381 pages long divided over eighteen chapters, and a prologue and an epilogue. In this book, narration is in the first-person, exclusively via Kate Daniels and as a journal entry (prologue) via Barabas. There's also a short story included; "Magic Tests" which is set after the events of books 5. There's also a map of Atlanta, a character list as well as an author note included. Magic Breaks is the seventh volume of the series, therefore it would be very inadvisable to jump in to the series from this point.
July 29, 2014 marks the North American hardback and e-book publication of Magic Breaks via Ace Books. Cover art provided by Juliana Kolesova.
ANALYSIS (Mihir): For all Ilona Andrews fans, this has been the book that we have been waiting for. Magic Breaks is the first time when Roland makes an appearance and is about his introduction and his confrontation with Kate. However this is not the FINAL book in the series, we are assured of three more (atleast)...
Magic Breaks is set after the tumultuous events seen in Magic Rises and after the cross-Atlantic journey, Kate is not sure what to expect next. Things have settled comfortably with the Atlanta pack as Curran goes to work with Panacea and is able to fortify his territory. Things are going well as much as they can but when Curran is suspiciously called away for a hunt to placate a bordering pack that has access to silver. Kate being the consort is then is forced to attend a conclave meeting with the People. The plot thickens when a high-ranking master of the dead is found murdered. With all signs pointing towards a shape-shifter, things get tense as Kate's most hated adversary returns to give her 24 hours to hand over the murderer or Roland's war comes to Atlanta. From then on it's a race against time, as Kate and the pack have to figure what really happened and how to clear this mess from the Pack’s plate.
What can I say; Magic Breaks has been a very fast-paced & superbly satisfying read. Infact I'll go ahead to say this book will be in my top three of my year-end lists. If you love the previous books then prepare to have your mind blown. This book has all the positive attributes of the series that we all love. Awesome action sequences, terrific characterization and a great cast of characters; We get a POV from Barabas as part of the prologue and also Desandra takes center stage in pack politics. As a character, she’s pure gold as we (readers) are never quite sure what or how she’ll react. After the events of this book, I’m definitely interested to what happens within the Wolves now that Desandra is laying claim to certain positions.
Lastly the humor never truly fails to stop the story from becoming abysmally dark. Kate and all of our favorite characters are back in this one and so many others from the previous works make some memorable appearances. Their presence however is entirely justified and unlike the last Sookie Stackhouse book, wherein everyone just showed up to bid adieu. The authors make sure that the tension is never completely resolved and the readers will be flipping pages to see what all is encompassed within this tale.
For me, I loved how the authors melded a murder mystery, their version of "the mines of Moria sequence" which just simply will blow most reader minds and lastly a confrontation between a father and daughter. If you think that you can predict what will happen, I'll gladly inform you that you will be wrong. The action sequences are amped up and there's some new additions to the rich were mythology that the authors have built up so far. Then there are further revelations about Kate's past, Roland, her magic and some subjects that are highly spoilerific to eve mention. Safe to say that this book does everything but bring you to the edge of a mental orgasm before tipping you over savagely of course.
CONCLUSION: This is truly Epic Urban Fantasy & Ilona Andrews are just the best (watch out Jim Butcher) when it comes to writing in this under-appreciated genre. Plus as a freebie, the authors have also included MAGIC TESTS, a short story about Julie , which I have previously reviewed HERE.
ANALYSIS (Casey): Magic Breaks is the latest (not the last!) of author duo Ilona Andrews' Kate Daniels urban fantasy series, and it's a strong addition to the set. For me, the most important part of a story is the characters, and over the last six books the authors have introduced a ton of fabulous characters. Sadly some of my favorites aren't on screen for much of Magic Breaks (Julie, Raphael, Dali, and even Jim is mostly in the background). On the other hand, a fan-favorite villain is back and causing all kinds of problems (I won't spoil it for you), my favorite volhv Roman makes a cameo, we get to explore Master of the Dead Ghastek's character a lot more, and the pack's newest werewolf from the previous book is hands-down my new favorite character.
If you're less familiar with the series, none of that means much to you, so let me say this as well: we spend a lot of the series meeting and developing side characters, and the authors don't forget about them. They're starting to tie all of them in to the main plot and it's wonderful to see how they all fit together.
I loved the political maneuvering not just within the magical community (shapeshifters, masters of the dead, witches, etc.) but also with the police and the knights. The authors effectively used the limits of each group's power and authority to heighten the tension. The resolutions for the continuing problems of Ted Moynohan and Jennifer hit the mark perfectly. It isn't just the characters that are coming together in Magic Breaks: the world-building and all of the subplots are paying off.
Now, the authors have made no secret of the fact that this is the book in which Roland, Kate's mythological father and our series' Big Bad, appears on stage for the first time. I think they did a great job with Roland of balancing portraying him at once as evil yet also extremely intelligent and only dubiously insane, because the ethical ambiguity (especially from his perspective, inasmuch as we can tell) makes him even creepier. Like, fantastically creepy. The final note of this book is absolutely perfect in that respect.
After all the build-up for Roland, though, I have to say the climax lacked some tension for me. Once Kate actually got to Roland, their meeting went remarkably smoothly. And the action Kate has to take during the climax in order to save everyone — while a serious move — didn't seem anywhere near as difficult a decision for Kate as other confrontations in the book. Maybe because it's the only one that ever had a chance of working (the authors drop enough hints early on about Roland's goal for Atlanta so that we already know it had to be coming), her choice didn't feel all that momentous, but more like a matter of course. It is, however, still an epic throwdown.
It also bothered me that no one even tried to fight Roland. Without even attempting, everyone simply understands that he's too powerful to defeat, so they back off or negotiate terms each time a real confrontation seems imminent. So far we've mostly seen his power used indirectly, which, while in character for him, makes the stakes a little ambiguous. Kate may not be ready to face him directly yet, but that is something I'll want to see in later books.
Of everything the authors do in this book, I think my favorite part is how much trouble being in charge causes for Kate and Curran. It makes spending time together nearly impossible, not to mention time together alone. It makes taking a day off to rest and recover from nearly fatal wounds actually impossible. It means all the most serious problems are their day-to-day lot; there are no easy ones. It means everything they say or do, even the most innocuous side comments, is watched, analyzed, and interpreted, and their most casual and innocent interaction has dire consequences down the road. It means they're responsible for every one of their people, no matter if they're stupid or obnoxious or insane.
And while they handle it, we see the toll it takes on them. We see that while they both do the work — and it is undeniably work — because they care about their people and about each other, the power brings them no joy. In point of fact, it only brings them trouble. And in the end, faced with Roland, it doesn't bring them safety, either.
CONCLUSION: The authors have been building this for a while, and I love how all those tensions boiled over in this book. They handled it beautifully. I'm really excited about where this series is going. Everything seems to be culminating at last, and given the course and foreshadowing of Magic Breaks it looks like the authors have great things in store for us.
My fantasy series 'The Adarna Chronicles' is set, for the most part, in the empire of Adarna. The world that the empire of Adarna exists within is directly comparable (in many respects) to Earth in the classical period. I refer to it as a historicalish fantasy world. It's not a parallel universe or a world with a slightly different history, but it does share some striking similarities to the real world.
I debated for some time whether I should go for an alternative reality version of Rome, but by creating Adarna I gave myself the freedom to stray from reality to a greater degree whilst at the same time allowing myself some scope to surprise the reader with the differences (which are many), between the world of Adarna and the real world, that are revealed as the series progresses.
The tale came together in my mind around a single scene that I just could not shake out of my head. The problem was that the scene took place in the middle of a battle. I spent a year dismissing the idea as I knew that starting a book in the middle of a battle was not the best way to engage the reader, as they would not be invested in the characters (essentially they would not care if the characters lived or died). Having wrestled with this problem for what seemed like an age, I decided that I just had to start writing. For some strange reason, whilst anything after the battle was easy to write, there simply wasn't anything to find (in the depths of my subconscious) prior to the battle that had any real relevance to the story. It was as if (and this sounds a little corny, I know) the story just wasn't there before the battle.
'Empire Under Siege', the first book in the Adarna chronicles begins in the chaos of battle and because of this the writing style for the first few pages is urgent, staccato and, perhaps, disorientating, but I would imagine that is exactly what a battle is like. I had to get through the first few chapters to establish some key plot points going forwards. There have been a few comments from reviewers in this regard but most agree (thankfully) that it works out alright as the rest of 'Empire Under Siege' deals with the aftermath of the battle itself and builds the characters and the interactions that (in my mind) are an essential build up for the rest of the series.
I debated for some time whether I should go for an alternative reality version of Rome, but by creating Adarna I gave myself the freedom to stray from reality to a greater degree whilst at the same time allowing myself some scope to surprise the reader with the differences (which are many), between the world of Adarna and the real world, that are revealed as the series progresses.
The tale came together in my mind around a single scene that I just could not shake out of my head. The problem was that the scene took place in the middle of a battle. I spent a year dismissing the idea as I knew that starting a book in the middle of a battle was not the best way to engage the reader, as they would not be invested in the characters (essentially they would not care if the characters lived or died). Having wrestled with this problem for what seemed like an age, I decided that I just had to start writing. For some strange reason, whilst anything after the battle was easy to write, there simply wasn't anything to find (in the depths of my subconscious) prior to the battle that had any real relevance to the story. It was as if (and this sounds a little corny, I know) the story just wasn't there before the battle.
'Empire Under Siege', the first book in the Adarna chronicles begins in the chaos of battle and because of this the writing style for the first few pages is urgent, staccato and, perhaps, disorientating, but I would imagine that is exactly what a battle is like. I had to get through the first few chapters to establish some key plot points going forwards. There have been a few comments from reviewers in this regard but most agree (thankfully) that it works out alright as the rest of 'Empire Under Siege' deals with the aftermath of the battle itself and builds the characters and the interactions that (in my mind) are an essential build up for the rest of the series.
A large part of the book revolves around the impact that trauma can have on individuals and it is fair to say that at least one of the main characters may be suffering from a form of post traumatic stress disorder. I wanted to try to look at what really happens to men who survive these situations as (I think) in many fantasy books this is not addressed and the hero just struts through the book, essentially invincible, to the end. This aspect of the series is definitely influenced by stories that I have heard from my grandfather, whose own father survived the first world war and was highly decorated for bravery. I never met my great grandfather and I don't think he had PTSD, but his story (which I may try to tell one day) and that of his family has made me think deeply about the nature of good and evil and how the 'little man' must feel when caught up in events beyond their own control.
Having been an ardent fantasy fan from the age of nine, when I first read 'The Lord of the Rings', I would say that I have a diverse portfolio of influences. Professor Tolkien stands head and shoulders above all in my mind and I don't think he will ever be equalled, but other influences include:-
Stephen Donaldson - (both the excellent 'Thomas Covenant' books and the 'Gap into conflict' books), who brings stark realism and harrowing themes to his work on occasion. He also builds great characters with depth and realism. I hated Thomas Covenant on sometimes, but I hated him because he was written as a complete and imperfect human being.
David Gemmell - What is there left to say about the late, great master of action? I read 'Legend' and fell in love with his writing. No one writes battle scenes quite as well as he did and I think I drew much from him when writing the action scenes in 'Empire Under Siege'.
Terry Pratchett - This might seem like a strange one but there is a lot to be said for using a fantasy world to highlight the inadequacies of our own society and its rules and institutions.
Julian May - A great science fiction author whose influence can probably be seen in the 'bear, bull and hawk' in my work- although not directly, for the record (slight spoiling ahead) they categorically are not aliens. The 'Saga of the exiles' is, in my view, a truly brilliant piece of work.
There are, of course, many other influences, but I think these are the ones that have most affected my writing of the 'Adarna chronicles' the most. I am now working on the second book of the Adarna chronicles, which is entitled 'Phoenix Rising' and should be out before the end of July. I love it when readers reach out to me through social media, it is really good to get constructive feedback so I would encourage anyone who wants to know more about my work to do just that....
Having been an ardent fantasy fan from the age of nine, when I first read 'The Lord of the Rings', I would say that I have a diverse portfolio of influences. Professor Tolkien stands head and shoulders above all in my mind and I don't think he will ever be equalled, but other influences include:-
Stephen Donaldson - (both the excellent 'Thomas Covenant' books and the 'Gap into conflict' books), who brings stark realism and harrowing themes to his work on occasion. He also builds great characters with depth and realism. I hated Thomas Covenant on sometimes, but I hated him because he was written as a complete and imperfect human being.
David Gemmell - What is there left to say about the late, great master of action? I read 'Legend' and fell in love with his writing. No one writes battle scenes quite as well as he did and I think I drew much from him when writing the action scenes in 'Empire Under Siege'.
Terry Pratchett - This might seem like a strange one but there is a lot to be said for using a fantasy world to highlight the inadequacies of our own society and its rules and institutions.
Julian May - A great science fiction author whose influence can probably be seen in the 'bear, bull and hawk' in my work- although not directly, for the record (slight spoiling ahead) they categorically are not aliens. The 'Saga of the exiles' is, in my view, a truly brilliant piece of work.
There are, of course, many other influences, but I think these are the ones that have most affected my writing of the 'Adarna chronicles' the most. I am now working on the second book of the Adarna chronicles, which is entitled 'Phoenix Rising' and should be out before the end of July. I love it when readers reach out to me through social media, it is really good to get constructive feedback so I would encourage anyone who wants to know more about my work to do just that....
Official Author Website
Buy the book HERE
AUTHOR INFORMATION: Jason K. Lewis lives in Britain with his wife and young son. He spent his childhood glued to books by authors such as David Gemmell, Stephen Donaldson, Julian May, Stephen King, Terry Pratchett, C.S. Lewis, George R.R. Martin and J.R.R.Tolkien. He is the author of the science fiction Novelette 'Paradise' and the fantasy 'Empire under siege' which is the first book in the epic Adarna chronicles.
Buy the book HERE
AUTHOR INFORMATION: Jason K. Lewis lives in Britain with his wife and young son. He spent his childhood glued to books by authors such as David Gemmell, Stephen Donaldson, Julian May, Stephen King, Terry Pratchett, C.S. Lewis, George R.R. Martin and J.R.R.Tolkien. He is the author of the science fiction Novelette 'Paradise' and the fantasy 'Empire under siege' which is the first book in the epic Adarna chronicles.
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