Category: Book Review
Fire and Sword by Louise Turner
(Cover picture courtesy of Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park.)
On the 11th of June in 1488, two armies meet in battle at Sauchieburn, near Stirling. One fights for King James the Third of Scotland, the other is loyal to his eldest son, Prince James, Duke of Rothesay. Soon, James the Third is dead, murdered as he flees the field. His army is routed. Among the dead is Sir Thomas Sempill of Ellestoun, Sheriff of Renfrew, whose son and heir, John, escapes with his life. Once John’s career as knight and courtier seemed assured. But with the death of his king, his situation is fragile. He’s the only surviving son of the Sempill line and he’s unmarried. If he hopes to survive, John must try and win favour with the new king. And deal with the ruthless and powerful Lord Montgomerie. . .
[Full disclosure: I received a free ebook copy through the blog tour in exchange for an honest review.]
I have to admit that I know pretty much nothing about Scottish history so after reading Fire and Sword I can confidently say that I actually learned something new. Even better, most of it is accurate and based on the real life of John Sempill in a time of turmoil and civil war.
Although we do get to see a couple of different viewpoints, the main character is undoubtedly John Sempill. Poor John is not very inclined toward violence but at his father’s behest fights for the King of Scotland against the king’s own son James. It’s there that he’s defeated and finds his own father’s body after learning that the young rebel James has won the throne.
John is plagued by uncertainty throughout the whole novel as to his fate because he fought for the losing side. His father even died on the losing side. Luckily even though he’s not exactly in a position of power, Lord Montgomerie eventually takes him under his wing and the two of them form a rather uneasy alliance. One of the things that stood out for me the most in Fire and Sword were Louise Turner’s characters. John was very memorable as he grew from a sort of clueless teenage boy to a slightly more confident, wise young man. The most memorable was (surprisingly) Lord Montgomerie, who is the sort of man that would be very hard to deal with in real life but is easy to love as a character in fiction. He’s a law unto himself and isn’t always the most diplomatic but when he forges friendships they last a lifetime.
This is by no means a fast-paced novel. It is, however, highly detailed and well paced so that the narrative eventually sucks you in and doesn’t let go. The tension slowly ratchets up not only because of the events of the time but because of how the characters react to them. John himself creates quite a lot of the events of the novel with his little rebellion so you could say that this novel is both character-driven and plot-driven. Whatever it is, it works and I couldn’t put my Kindle down.
Since I knew nothing of the period what I really appreciated was Louise Turner’s attention to detail. She described everything from the food to the clothes to the landscape of Scotland in perfect detail. It was never boring because the descriptions were well-balanced with dialogue and internal monologue from the characters. Best of all, she made me feel like I was right there along with the characters. I felt like I really was back in time watching these events unfold and you really can’t ask for more than that in historical fiction.
Even if you know nothing of Scottish history like I did I’d highly recommend picking up Fire and Sword if you like historical fiction in general. This is her debut novel and I think we can all look forward to her future works.
I give this book 5/5 stars.
Amazon Barnes and Noble Goodreads
Giveaway
To win a $20 Amazon Gift Card please complete the Rafflecopter giveaway form below. Giveaway is open to US residents only.
Giveaway ends at 11:59pm on June 30th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
Winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter on July 1st and notified via email.
Winner have 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.
Sworn to Defiance by Terah Edun
(Cover picture courtesy of Terah Edun via email.)
Ciardis Weathervane returned to the imperial court of Sandrin to unite her foes. But her efforts hit a stumbling block. The imperial kind. She never thought that before rallying an empire, she’d have to fight the emperor himself.
An imposter sits the throne and the court she turned to for help is in turmoil. Ciardis hasn’t survived assassination attempts, torture and really bad luck to be taken down by her own ruler. So she devises a plan. But first she needs to get Sebastian and Thanar to agree. Each seems to love her in their own way. But neither is listening to her. Pushing them to put aside their differences, in an effort to ward off catastrophe, might be harder than displacing an emperor who would do anything to keep his throne.
Butting heads at court isn’t Ciardis’s only problem. With the princess heir’s threat looming she is forced to travel to the mythical city of Kifar, where it is up to her small group to stop the destruction of the entire city while heading a rebellion that could foment a revolution. It wouldn’t be the first revolution that Algardis has ever known. But with Ciardis Weathervane at its head—it would certainly be the last.
[Full disclosure: I received a free ebook copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.]
When I realized that this wasn’t the last book in the Courtlight series as I had believed it to be, I’ll admit I got a little nervous. After all, where could the story possibly go from here? It seemed like Terah Edun was wrapping things up already in Sworn to Secrecy, the fourth book. And when there were several pages of backstory right at the beginning I was even more skeptical about this fifth book.
As usual with Terah Edun, my skepticism and anxiousness was for nothing. After the initial info dump things quickly picked up and just wouldn’t let go. I had intended to only read a few chapters before bed but once I got past the exposition (which was important) I couldn’t stop and ended up finishing the book at one in the morning. Yes, the plot was that fast-paced and there were that many awesome twists. But first I’ll start with the thing that surprised me most: the characters.
Once again the characters surprised me. Ciardis is finally demanding respect from others and not caring what they think of her (unless they’re trying to kill her). She’s started to master the commanding air of her mother and is becoming knowledgeable about the intrigues of the Algardis court. And finally, finally she’s made up her mind about where she stands with Sebastien. I won’t tell you which way she decided, but let’s just say that I was both surprised and pleased with her stance until the little complication with Thanar was thrown in. Sebastien too has grown up, even though he’s only sixteen years old. He’s finally starting to take responsibility as the prince heir and is even more determined to save Algardis from the blutgott that’s threatening to destroy their entire world. He’ll do whatever it takes, even journey to a city that’s been sealed off from the rest of the world for 50 years.
Once again Terah Edun took the time to expand on her world-building just a little bit more. We finally learn more about the special connection Ciardis and Sebastien have as well as the rather unfortunate consequences of the Thanar complication coming into play. This is quite literally the most heart-wrenching, complicated and realistic love triangle you are ever going to see. I swear it’s not the typical love triangle, mainly because Ciardis is a woman that finally knows her mind but even she can’t control people like Thanar. I also liked how we finally learn that there may be a way to stop the blutgott but that it’s way more complicated and dangerous than you’d expect.
Basically, I got everything I could have wanted out of this fifth installment in the Courtlight series: romance, character development, a complicated plot and an expanded world. You really can’t ask for more in a series and after that insane cliffhanger I’m so anxious for Sworn to Ascension, book 6.
I give this book 5/5 stars.
Amazon Barnes and Noble Goodreads
After the End by Amy Plum
(Cover picture courtesy of Amy Plum’s website.)
She’s searching for answers to her past. They’re hunting her to save their future.
World War III has left the world ravaged by nuclear radiation. A lucky few escaped to the Alaskan wilderness. They’ve survived for the last thirty years by living off the land, being one with nature, and hiding from whoever else might still be out there.
At least, this is what Juneau has been told her entire life.
When Juneau returns from a hunting trip to discover that everyone in her clan has vanished, she sets off to find them. Leaving the boundaries of their land for the very first time, she learns something horrifying: There never was a war. Cities were never destroyed. The world is intact. Everything was a lie.
Now Juneau is adrift in a modern-day world she never knew existed. But while she’s trying to find a way to rescue her friends and family, someone else is looking for her. Someone who knows the extraordinary truth about the secrets of her past.
[Full disclosure: I requested and received a free paperback from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.]
A post apocalyptic book that isn’t actually a post apocalyptic book? No Insta-Love? Just a hint of magic? If any of these sound interesting, you’ll like After the End.
I began reading this book with low expectations. In the beginning it seemed like your pretty typical YA novel but then Amy Plum put some very interesting twists in to throw readers for a loop. Even though the blurb spoils the big reveal, it’s still kind of a shock to learn that Juneau’s whole life has been a lie. Her elders have lied to her for years and now suddenly she has to cope in a modern world she’s only read about in outdated encyclopedias.
Juneau and Miles are both three dimensional characters that are very, very different. Miles at first seems like your typical spoiled rich boy, but as he spends time with Juneau I like how he sort of grows out of that attitude and tries to do things for himself. Juneau thinks Miles is an idiot for not knowing how to do these things but eventually accepts that he is knowledgeable too, just in a different way. As you’ve probably guessed by now they fall in love but it’s by no means Insta-Love and there are a lot of hurdles along the way.
The plot was surprisingly fast-paced. It’s not a one-sitting book, but it is the kind of book you want to sneak away to read as often as you can, even if it’s only a couple of pages at the time. I would have liked some more description in some places, but Amy Plum’s writing is still excellent and she has a good sense of how to balance action and description. The points of views also change between Juneau and Miles at a more natural rate so it doesn’t feel like Amy Plum changed points of view just for the sake of dragging the plot along.
Basically, this is not your typical post-apocalyptic book and because of that (and the cliffhanger ending) I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.
I give this book 4.5/5 stars.
Evermore by Alyson Noël
(Cover picture courtesy of Alyson Noël’s website.)
After a horrible accident claims the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever Bloom can see people’s auras, hear their thoughts, and know someone’s entire life story by touching them. Going out of her way to avoid human contact to suppress her abilities, she has been branded a freak at her new high school — but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste.
Damen is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy. He’s the only one who can silence the noise and random energy in her head – wielding a magic so intense, it’s as though he can peer straight into her soul. As Ever is drawn deeper into his enticing world of secrets and mystery, she’s left with more questions than answers. And she has no idea just who he really is – or what he is. The only thing she knows to be true is that she’s falling deeply and helplessly in love with him.
For a couple of years now I’ve seen Evermore floating across the blogosphere but dismissed it because the blurb sounded so ridiculously cliché. I mean, a near death experience, a girl with a weird name, a mysterious wealthy boy and soul mates? I don’t think you can possibly fit more clichés into one blurb if you tried. Still, I saw it in the used section of my bookstore when it was having its closing sale so I decided to pick it up anyway. For $2 it wasn’t much of a gamble I’ll admit.
Imagine my surprise when it was better than I expected! I actually sort of enjoyed reading it and wanted to know what happened next. The plot was pretty cliché but I was actually invested in the characters who were somewhat genre-savvy. Ever knows that it’s kind of crazy to be attracted to a guy she just met and that there’s obviously something off about him but she just can’t deny that attraction. She’s not totally naive and eventually she realizes she’s making excuses for why Damen is so different from other teenagers. Sure, she’s stupid sometimes but I like how she’s not your typical YA heroine simply because she does question things.
And yes, Ever does have psychic powers but Alyson Noël made them a burden more than a gift. Her senses are constantly overloaded and she tries her best to avoid touching people because when she does she’s tortured by their thoughts. Her psychic abilities are actually more of a disability in that they really do weigh her down and make her unable to function sometimes (and not just when it’s convenient to the plot). I can completely understand Ever’s little pity party toward the end of the novel; I’d probably end up doing the same thing if I had her curse.
Some of the plot twists were fairly transparent while others were unexpected. Alyson Noël hasn’t really done much new but at least she took the time to put some twists on old tropes. We don’t really get to see much of the abilities of immortals in this novel but we do see some and they were enough to make me want to read the second book in the series. Is this the most original novel ever? Heck no. But it’s not a bad novel and I actually didn’t mind indulging in a little guilty pleasure this time around. Basically, if you’re going to read it keep in mind that this will likely be guilty pleasure rather than high literature and that’s perfectly okay.
I give this book 3.5/5 stars.
Roma by Steven Saylor
(Cover picture courtesy of Liberia Estudio en Escarlata.)
Spanning a thousand years, and following the shifting fortunes of two families though the ages, this is the epic saga of Rome, the city and its people.
Weaving history, legend, and new archaeological discoveries into a spellbinding narrative, critically acclaimed novelist Steven Saylor gives new life to the drama of the city’s first thousand years — from the founding of the city by the ill-fated twins Romulus and Remus, through Rome’s astonishing ascent to become the capitol of the most powerful empire in history. Roma recounts the tragedy of the hero-traitor Coriolanus, the capture of the city by the Gauls, the invasion of Hannibal, the bitter political struggles of the patricians and plebeians, and the ultimate death of Rome’s republic with the triumph, and assassination, of Julius Caesar.
Witnessing this history, and sometimes playing key roles, are the descendents of two of Rome’s first families, the Potitius and Pinarius clans: One is the confidant of Romulus. One is born a slave and tempts a Vestal virgin to break her vows. One becomes a mass murderer. And one becomes the heir of Julius Caesar. Linking the generations is a mysterious talisman as ancient as the city itself.
Epic in every sense of the word, Roma is a panoramic historical saga and Saylor’s finest achievement to date.
When I first started Roma I’ll admit I did have my doubts because of Steven Saylor’s telling rather than showing style of writing. However, I got into the swing of things and actually began enjoying his pared-down style that reads almost like a more intimate nonfiction work about the lives of two ancient Roman clans.
One of the most obvious strengths of Steven Saylor’s writing is the historical accuracy of the novel. He does change some events around and speculate about some things but where there was information available he stuck to the facts. I like how he doesn’t play the origins of ancient Rome straight (i.e. with gods and such) but rather offers up some explanations for how the heck such fantastical stories about Rome’s founding came about. It makes sense and it’s quite possible that some of these things actually happened in a similar way and that’s why I really loved how Steven Saylor stayed true to the history.
His characters are amazing. Every single one has a different perspective and a very unique voice. They all live in turbulent times in Rome’s history so of course their lives are fascinating but it’s how they deal with the changing times that really stands out. Some of the earlier Pinarii are quite snobby about their patrician status; later when the family is poor that’s not really the case. Of course some of the ideas presented by characters will seem utterly absurd to modern readers but they really capture the prevailing attitudes of the time.
I can’t in all honesty call the plot fast-paced but it was very interesting. I mean, how could Roman history not be interesting? We get to see the events surrounding the first sack of Rome, the rise of Julius Caesar, the Second Punic War, etc. All of the major events during the Republic period of ancient Rome are here in the novel or at least are alluded to because the characters are still dealing with the aftereffects of said events. It’s a fascinating look at Roman history and although there was more telling than showing I still thoroughly enjoyed Roma.
I give this book 4/5 stars.