Category: Fantasy
A Girl Named Disaster by Nancy Farmer
(Cover picture courtesy of this wiki.)
Nhamo’s mother is dead, and her father is gone. When she learns that she must marry a cruel man with three wives—before her twelfth birthday—she runs away. Alone on the river, in a stolen boat, Nhamo is swept into the uncharted heart of a great lake. There, she battles drowning, starvation, and wild animals, and comes to know Africa’s mystical, luminous spirits. Nhamo’s journey will transport readers into her world, in a story that is poignant, humorous, dramatic and extraordinary.
This isn’t actually the first time I’ve read this book but I hadn’t read it for several years so when I saw it in the library the other day I decided to give it another try. I remember loving it, but how was it this time around? Well, it was okay. It’s nothing really all that special, despite the fact it was a Newberry honor book in 1997.
It’s an interesting look at life in remote Africa that’s both interesting and unsettling. On one hand, it was fascinating to see the spirituality of a different culture. On the other hand, there were definitely some practices like the ngozi marriage Nhamo was going to be forced into that really are terrible. Nancy Farmer manages to balance out these ‘good’ and ‘bad’ elements in a non-biased way that tells a good story. I obviously can’t speak as to how accurate things are portrayed but Nancy Farmer included a bibliography and some further explanations for things she alluded to in the book.
Nhamo is an excellent character. Sometimes she’s surprisingly mature, surviving out in the bush on her own for months at a time. Other times she’s very immature, throwing temper tantrums that you would expect from pretty much any preteen girl. This is definitely aimed at more of a middle grade audience so I think readers of this age will be able to identify well with Nhamo, despite the cultural differences.
The only thing that stops this book from being a great book is the pacing. When things are interesting Nancy Farmer’s pacing was way too fast. And when things were more boring the pacing became uneven and the plot slowed down to a crawl. It reflects the actual time Nhamo spends in certain places but it doesn’t make for the most interesting read, believe me.
So was A Girl Named Disaster as good as I remember? No, but it was still a pretty good story and if you have a preteen or young teen that likes to read I’d definitely recommend this book.
I give this book 3.5/5 stars.
Feyguard: Spark by Anthea Sharp
(Cover picture courtesy of Anthea Sharp’s blog.)
Superstar gamer Spark Jaxley’s life might look easy, but she’s part of an elite few who guard a shocking secret; the Realm of Faerie exists, and its dark magic is desperate for a foothold in the mortal world.
Aran Cole hacks code and sells his gaming cheats on the black market. It’s barely a living, and one he’s not proud of. But when he turns his skills to unlocking the secrets behind Feyland—the most exciting and immersive game on the market—he discovers power and magic beyond his wildest dreams.
Spark’s mission is clear; pull Aran from the clutches of the fey folk and restore the balance between the worlds. But can she risk her life for someone who refuses to be rescued?
[Full disclosure: I requested and received a free ebook from Anthea Sharp in exchange for an honest review.]
In Feyland: The Twilight Kingdom one of my favourite characters was the teenage gaming superstar Spark Jaxley. She was sassy, tough and a talented gamer and I wanted to learn more about her. Imagine my surprise and happiness when I learned that the first book in the spin-off series would actually feature Spark as a main character.
I was far from disappointed, believe me. Spark sure is a sassy, tough and talented gamer but she’s also a teenager who’s lonely in her fame. Her fame makes it hard for anyone to see her as a real human being requiring company that’s on the same level. I liked the whole it’s-lonely-at-the-top angle Anthea Sharp gave her because it’s far more realistic than Spark revelling in her fame 24/7. Of course there are advantages (mainly the gaming itself) but I found it interesting to see Spark not just as a good gamer, but as a lonely teenage girl.
Aran Cole was also a fascinating character. He’s extremely poor and one of the best hackers out there when it comes to finding game cheats. He certainly has the motivation to improve his station in life and he’s not afraid to manipulate people to get what he wants. Aran’s not your typical cold-hearted criminal, though. Although he tries to hide and deny his feelings, he does feel quite a bit of guilt about his hacking. Especially when it lands Spark in danger later on in the novel.
So basically you have two awesome characters. How was the world-building? As with the original Feyland trilogy, the world-building is fantastic. I liked that Anthea Sharp focused more on the real world with this one, especially the gaming culture that Spark is so immersed in. It gives you a better picture of her imagined future where extreme wealth and poverty stand in stark contrast to one another. Of course she also adds some new stuff to Feyland itself, but the new information we learn is mostly about the real world.
The plot was so fast-paced that although I intended to only read a few chapters, I ended up finishing the whole book in one sitting. Spark is one of my favourite main characters and her and Aran’s story was fascinating. They’re both great characters in a fast-paced novel with three dimensional world-building. What more can you ask for?
I give this book 5/5 stars.
The Golden Apple by Michelle Diener
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(Cover picture courtesy of Goodreads.)
Kayla’s world has been turned upside-down . . .
Her father has made her the prize in a deadly, impossible tournament, and Kayla has retaliated in the only way she knows how; by choosing her champion beforehand. But taking control of the outcome changes the game completely, and when the real reason behind the strange test becomes apparent, Kayla realizes not just her life, but her entire kingdom is at stake.
Rane’s honor is torn in two…
In order to save his brother, Rane will do whatever he has to–including deceive and betray a princess. He knew nothing about this tournament would be easy, but when it turns into a deeper, far more sinister game, Rane is forced to see it through to the end, or leave his brother at the mercy of their enemy.
Now their fates are entwined, and they must venture into the deep, dark forest together . . .
Kayla and Rane are bound to one another by an enchantment and Kayla’s actions. But the sorcerer forcing them to do his will may have miscalculated, because no-one comes out of the Great Forest unchanged. No-one.
The Golden Apple is loosely based on the fairy tale The Princess on the Glass Hill.
[Full disclosure: I asked for and received a free ebook copy from Michelle Diener in exchange for an honest review.]
As you guys probably know by now, I’m not the biggest fan of fairytale retellings. Usually they’re simplistic, boring and utterly predictable. Usually.
The Golden Apple is anything but usual, however.
The thing I found most striking about this book is the complexity of the plot. This isn’t your typical straightforward quest where the heroes venture together, defeat the villain and come home to live their happily ever after. No, in this one Rane and Kayla are forced to confront their deepest fears, do things they never thought they would and work together to try to save their entire way of life as well as their lives. Just when you think Michelle Diener is going to wind things down for the conclusion she throws another wrench in the works. It’s definitely the kind of book that keeps you on the edge of your seat.
I found the complexity of the plot surprising, but my favourite element of this book was the characters. Kayla isn’t your typical pampered princess but neither is she a kick-butt action hero. She is not always able to defend herself but she does try and eventually succeeds as her abilities grow. It’s nice to see a female character who learns she has an ability and seeks to control and manage it rather than deny its existence and whine about it. Rane is also interesting. He loves his brother Soren and he’s willing to manipulate Kayla to free him but then he begins to fall in love with her. It’s not an easy journey for both him and Kayla but I like how the viewpoints alternated to show their different perceptions of the world around them.
Finally, the world-building was some of the best I’ve ever seen in a fairytale retelling. I loved learning about the history of the kingdom of Gaynor in small chunks as well as learning about the powerful sorcerers that live in Michelle Diener’s world. How wild magic is actually created was fascinating, but it makes sense. How the sorcerers deal with wild magic is just so in line with human nature that I had to laugh when I learned how they contained it. I don’t want to give too much away, but I guarantee that once you learn who created wild magic and why it seems confined to the Great Forest you’ll laugh too.
Basically, this is a great book. It’s one of the best fairytale retellings I’ve ever read and although it doesn’t come out until March 24 I can’t wait for the sequel The Silver Pear already.
I give this book 5/5 stars.
Beached by Ros Baxter
(Cover picture courtesy of NetGalley.)
How far will a gentle sea princess go to save the home she loves?
When the clerk at a burger joint is assaulted for trying to sell a fish burger to a hot blonde, it’s just the beginning of a clash between Land and Sea. The world is going mad, and Princess Lecanora is on a special mission to stop it. There are just a few complications…
First, life on the land is a bit harder to adjust to than expected, what with the wearing of clothing and the consuming of delicious (but pointless) calories. Second, the most evil magician the world has ever seen wants her as his bride — consensually or otherwise. Finally, a completely inappropriate gun-toting mercenary who goes against every one of her pacifist principles keeps rocking her world.
As the forces of darkness gather, Lecanora must come to terms with the lengths she will go to in order to save the sea home she has always known, and the land she has come to love.
[Full disclosure: I received a free ebook copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
When I requested this book through NetGalley I had no idea this was the second book in a trilogy. Even when I went to check on Goodreads there was no clear indication this was part of a series, so I went ahead and requested it unsuspectingly. Still, I’ll try my best to give Beached a fair review. (If you’re curious, Fish Out of Water is the first book.)
This one for me was a solid ‘meh’. Sure the characters were fascinating and I could definitely appreciate the world-building but this book lacked emotion. I was being told Lecanora was confused, sad and/or in love, but I never really felt it. Even when there was supposedly a heart-wrenching death scene, I never really felt the grief of all the characters that witnessed it. Ros Baxter’s writing just lacked emotion.
Otherwise, her characters were good. I like how Rania is a tough-talking cop (one of my favourite types of heroines). She’s an actual strong female and I liked seeing her compared to Lecanora, who is more gentle and naive about the world of humans. I liked Rania better than I liked Lecanora, but that’s more of a personal preference than anything. Despite the lack of emotion, Lecanora was well fleshed-out and I could relate to her struggle to find who she is and who she wants to be.
The plot was very fast-paced. There was twist after twist and although the ending was a little predictable, I appreciated the fact that the climax itself was not. Overall I really couldn’t tell where the story was going and Ros Baxter’s writing kept me on the edge of my seat. She has a talent for suspense and I suspect with a little work on the emotional side of her writing that she could make my top 10 list of favourite authors. As it is, I generally liked the characters, the world-building and the plot but the lack of emotion was a definite downside.
The world-building was fascinating. I liked how Ros Baxter borrowed from Norse mythology to create Aegira rather than going for your typical sort of mermaid story. The way the rulers of Aegira are chosen because of their curse is fascinating as well and I liked how that plot point was resolved by the end. Obviously I missed out on some things because I didn’t read the first book, but there was enough of a summary in the first few chapters that I could get the gist of what happened in the first book.
So overall? A decent novel, but it would have been better with some more emotion.
I give this book 3.5/5 stars.
The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison
(Cover picture courtesy of Goodreads.)
The youngest, half-goblin son of the Emperor has lived his entire life in exile, distant from the Imperial Court and the deadly intrigue that suffuses it. But when his father and three sons in line for the throne are killed in an “accident,” he has no choice but to take his place as the only surviving rightful heir.
Entirely unschooled in the art of court politics, he has no friends, no advisors, and the sure knowledge that whoever assassinated his father and brothers could make an attempt on his life at any moment.
Surrounded by sycophants eager to curry favor with the naïve new emperor, and overwhelmed by the burdens of his new life, he can trust nobody. Amid the swirl of plots to depose him, offers of arranged marriages, and the specter of the unknown conspirators who lurk in the shadows, he must quickly adjust to life as the Goblin Emperor. All the while, he is alone, and trying to find even a single friend… and hoping for the possibility of romance, yet also vigilant against the unseen enemies that threaten him, lest he lose his throne – or his life.
This exciting fantasy novel, set against the pageantry and color of a fascinating, unique world, is a memorable debut for a great new talent.
[Full disclosure: I received a free ebook copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
Can I just say wow?
That one word pretty much sums up my whole experience with The Goblin Emperor. Really, it does. The world-building was unique and three dimensional, the characters were memorable, the political intrigue was constant and the plot was fascinating. I’ll start with my favourite part of the whole novel, though: the world-building.
This world of goblins and elves is amazing; there are no other words for it. At first it seemed like a traditional nobody-becoming-king story, but then I realized that Katherine Addison had put her own unique twist on it. This isn’t your typical fantasy world, oh no! It’s set in a society where airships are used, where technology is slowly being more and more relied upon but there are people trying to hold back progress. The monarchy is still around and I like how the court was infused with a more Eastern flavour. If you’re familiar with the Chinese and Japanese forms of monarchy you’ll be able to pick out where Katherine Addison borrowed from those cultures to create her world. It’s honestly refreshing to see a writer take old elements from Western fantasy (elves and goblins) and put them in an entirely new setting.
Maia, our confused protagonist, was wonderful. He was the fourth half-goblin, half-elf son of the former Emperor, who died in an accident that took out the three in line for the throne ahead of him. Maia was never raised to be Emperor, in fact he was abused physically and mentally by Setheris, the exile sent to look after him. Seeing him suddenly in a position of supreme power over everyone is quite a jarring change but it feels like he deserves it. Except that the position of Emperor isn’t all its cracked up to be: there are plots against his life, he has no friends at court and he has absolutely no privacy. It’s stressful for him but I love how he learns to navigate the politics and set himself apart from his father as a just Emperor.
The only thing that could have used a little work was the plot. Don’t get me wrong, though. It was fascinating, very intense at times and I couldn’t put the book down. But it would have been nice for Katherine Addison to reveal a little more information to her readers just a little sooner. She did a good job avoiding info-dumps but I would have definitely preferred a little more information about her fascinating fantasy world sooner. The names were a little confusing and extremely hard on my poor English-speaking tongue, but once you immerse yourself in her fantasy world you start to get the hang of them and the formal vs. informal pronouns and titles.
If you like fantasy or steampunk (or both!) you’ll love this book. Go out and pre-order it immediately because it comes out on April 1.
I give this book 4.5/5 stars.