Review - Gates of Hope by JE Hannaford

 

This is my first review of the SPFBO X competition finalists books. Gates of Hope by JE Hannaford is an engaging story with more than a dash of the fantasy epic about it. There is a deceptively large amount of world-building behind it within the land of Caldera. It is dominated by craters after an event called The Rending, in which people dwell in areas named semiclaves. Their world is bound up with the ancient history of the Aulirean Gates, and conflict with the race called awldrin, which sealed the gates closed. And beyond their settled areas, the Edgelands and threats like the dangerous flying xotryl creatures are encroaching 

It follows the viewpoints of three main characters. Darin is a young man who finds himself apprenticed as a So'Dal, an organisation of magical healers whose abilities centre around the use of special plants. However, he finds himself also bonded to a moonhound, enchanted beasts with the power to communicate telepathically and walk through dreams. And when Darin then finds himself involved with a hidden, elite group of men, his adventures truly begin. 

Suriin is also a young apprentice So'Dal on the same world. She must deal with the fate of her father who was unfortunately poisoned while on a journey. Suriin's impetuous nature and good intentions affect a difficult choice she must make. Lastly, the third POV character, Elissa, is from a separate world, Tebein, which has been harshly oppressed by the sinister race of the awldrin. Her decision to leave her harsh home community of DragonsBreath to join another society, based on harmony and understanding, has tragic but also, ultimately hopeful consequences. 

I found the magic system of Gates of Hope unusual, based as it is around music, dreams, plants, wefts and...whistles?! The story and characters are engaging, and the moments of youthful elation we experience with Suriin and Darin were some of the most enjoyable for me. But I also thought it could have done better with some more driving plot force and momentum. There were some sections that seemed a bit indulgently cosy, and rather a lot of time is spent on the characters' own inner thoughts and musings. Anyway, it's a promising start to a series.

Rating: 3 stars (out of 5)

⭐⭐⭐

Review - Warlords of Wyrdwood by RJ Barker

 

Book two of RJ Barker's Forsaken series shifts us deeper in to the fascinating world of Crua. Once more we get superb fantasy world-building, and this is a more polished, shorter, stronger book than the first. A warning that this review contains many spoilers, so if that's something you want to avoid, stop reading now!

The story begins with the fate of Udinny (the monk of the virtuous god, Ranya) who we learn after her death has crossed over into a spirit world. There she faces a wide range of trials and adventures in her mission as a servant of Ranya. Then we are moved back to Cahan and the villagers of Harn, faced with the continued threat of the Rai and their forces. They battle to flee their original village, then make a long trek into Wyrdwood. There they establish a new village with the aid of the Forestals. This is until they are betrayed by Sorha, the former Rai vanquished earlier by Cahan, who out of revenge leads their enemies to them. Sorha once again struggles with hatred and her former desires in her life as a Rai, and also uses her talent as a 'duller' who can negate others' powers.

At a certain point, some of the chapters take the viewpoint of Ont, previously one of the most pig-headed, close minded characters of the first book. He has now been redeemed, and in the unlikeliest of happenings he is transformed into an enlightened monk of Ranya. He proves himself brave, seeks after wisdom and even becomes a leader (in a way) of the village of New Harn.

We are also introduced now to Dassit, a trunk leader of the southern Red army of the Rai, the losing side. Over time, we learn that her character is that of a world-weary soldier, embittered by experience, who genuinely cares for her troops and their struggle for survival. She has long relied on her second-in-command, Vir, and together they try to prepare for and fend off the siege of a doomed town.

It is soon after at a pivotal section of the book that several different groups of characters learn about the true nature of the taffistones, and how their network allows magical travel between locations. They are led through the stones to the hidden city of the Forestals, Woodhome. There, Venn, the character whose nature is a special case as a trion, learns from the Forestals' Lens group the true extent of their powers as a 'conduit'.

Cahan once more struggles with his increasing feelings for Furin, the Leoric of the village. This time it is because in an earlier battle he succumbed to a temptation to draw power from bluevein of the forest, meaning he could now drain energy from anyone just by touch. It is a corrupt power source which proves to be uncontrollable for him, and whose origin it is revealed is linked to the dark god, Zorir. When Furin is captured, Cahan and his supporters must make a bid to rescue her from death at a rendezvous point, near to the enchanted Slowlands.

The sinisterly obsessed Skua-Rai of the northern Rai, Saradis, plots with Sorha to trap Cahan by using Furin as bait. Meanwhile, it is revealed Saradis has been corrupting the imprisoned Cowl-Rai, Nahac (also Cahan's sister), whom she has driven into suffering and madness. Saradis is a fanatically devoted servant of the dark god, Zorir, who seeks the end of the world. But things do not go exactly according to Saradis' plan, as both Cahan and Sorha are plummetted down a crevasse into a dark underworld. There they find themselves in the mysterious city of legend, Anjin, where they encounter the blind Osere. These creatures are not as previously thought, i.e. not demons, and together Sorha and Cahan travel with them until they are forced into a final battle with Zorir, the god himself. Zorir has been trying to trap and use Cahan's power by dragging him into the dark ruins underground. Unfortunately, in the end Zorir is able to capture Cahan and exploits his power, using it to ascend to the over-world. All looks dark! Now Zorir needs only Venn, the final part in his diabolical plan...

My favourite characters this time around were Dassit and Ont. Ont, while pursuing a new course as a monk, finds himself in a burgeoning relationship with Ania, the Forestal. The most heart-wrenching chapter of the whole book is without doubt the one where Ont awakens and finds the tragic extent of his injuries: he has been cruelly injured and blinded.

The revelations we get about the world of Crua are definitely what keep me reading: the nature of blue vein, the god Zorir, the roots of the cloudtrees, the myth of the Star Path, the Hetton, the background of the Forestals, the Osere and the holy city of Anjin. I also particularly enjoyed the more taut writing style of this installment, and its tone which can vary from the magically metaphysical with Udinny's journey to short, vibrant bursts of phrases in the battle and chase scenes. Once more, the atmospheric setting of Wyrdwood radiates throughout, and also that of the shadowy underworld of the Osere. And the plot and the experiences of the main characters get more disturbing as we get caught up in all of it: a sign of dark fantasy working at its best.

Rating: 5 stars (out of 5)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review - The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett

 

I have been making an effort to catch up with books published in 2024, and here's my first installment. Despite admitting I am only an occasional mystery tale reader, everything in The Tainted Cup just seems to my eyes to be done enjoyably right, with sure-footed dialogue and vivid atmosphere. Within the first chapter we are introduced to two appealing main characters, the inspector of the Iudex, Ana, and her apprentice assistant, Din. A variation on Sherlock and Watson, this unlikely pair are plunged deep into a murder case and a conspiracy that will affect the Empire of Khanum.

We get some standard 'murder mystery' plot elements in the initial set up, weirdly macabre crimes and victims, some hidden secrets, a trail of clues and of course 'the hook': we as the reader increasingly want to know why the deaths have taken place. The backdrop is the setting of the sprawling Empire, with its division by wealth and privilege into 'circles'. The third circle is for the least fortunate, as it lies closest to the shoreline and its wall, imperilled by leviathan beasts resembling giant kaiju. Society is structured into layers, with the military, the aristocracy and elite power given to many through arcane 'grafts'. I found it quite accomplished science-fantasy world building.

Ana is the eccentric, mysterious and obsessed inspector, bent towards the investigation like a predatory dog after bone. As her apprentice, Din must take advantage of his own special power of 'engraving', and turn his taciturn manner and even a learning disability to his own advantage. Both Ana and Din show true integrity in their quest to resolve the central mystery. My favourite character, however, is the gruff old soldier, Miljin, who despite his brusque manner and world-weary wisdom often shows compassion and caring to the others.

There are a number of red herrings we meet along the way, and even some enemies revealed as hiding in plain sight. We eventually get to see the real story behind the shady aristocratic Hazas family, in their ruthless quest to increase their own power. And the dramatic revelations, mainly deduced by the delightfully nutty Ana, are given to us in a way that pleasingly resolves the questions we, as readers, wanted to ask. It's quite well-done how details in the sotry that previously seemed unimportant are brought back once more as vital clues in the final solving of the mystery.  My only small gripe was some of the philosophizing about the Empire and the characters describing it in terms of metaphors, less might have better in this area.

Rating: 5 stars (out of 5)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review - Shoestring Theory by Mariana Costa

 

The central plot of this book involves a mage who invokes a spell that allows him to time travel back to a point in his life where many things that went wrong have not occurred yet. Cyril Laverre is the main character, reliving his life again, given the chance to right wrongs which were made the first time around. The kingdom of Farsala was blighted, and he seeks to thwart his former lover, Prince Euphrates, who he blames for its downfall. As a time travel story, it reminds one of a number of old Twilight Zone episodes or the film "Peggy Sue Got Married".

However, Cyril and Euphrates were permanently bound earlier by a foolish, youthful lovers' vow that can be both a blessing or a curse. We see some convincingly flawed characters as the book progresses: Euphrates was tempted by power, and corrupted its use to his own ambitious ends; Cyril was a foolish lover who missed a lot going on around him, now regarding himself as incompetent or of neglecting things he should have paid attention to. Princess Tigris is a rebellious royal who must learn to control her impulses, and I found her to be by the far the most engaging and interesting character of the book (especially after she is "transformed"). I also was intrigued by the nature of Cyril's Aunt Helene, a reserved elder mage who tries be a responsible guardian for him, while at the same time hiding her awkwardness with expressing emotions by a sharp manner towards him.

In the first two-thirds of the book, there was a bit more angst and self-recrimination from Cyril than I would have liked. Also, not that much occurs, or when it does I'm afraid that I didn't find it that enjoyable. However, we get some strong details for the settings: the flamboyantly stylish and aristocratic kingdom of Farsala, where Cyril's sanctuaries are gardens and woods, and private chambers. This contrasted with the neighbouring land of Cretea, which is held up as quite different and expansive. The ruler of Cretea, King Atticus, presents himself as a picture of humbleness and good character, and we are invited to trust him...

At the two-thirds mark, however, everything picks up. We get startling revelations about both the sinister-seeming Euphrates and the pleasant-seeming Atticus.  The action also properly kicks off, as three of the characters must stop a diabolical plot from wiping out the kingdom of Farsala. Cyril discovers his rash hastiness can actually be a strength, and also finds his true potency in magic as a possible future Grand Mage. 

The story has cozy moments but it doesn't quite fit the 'cozy romantasy' bill: stakes are high, for one thing (the fate of a kingdom and even the environment, a concern of high fantasy). There is also an unusually bleak beginning with a character committing an act as a last resort of desperation. However, as things move along we see a lot more wit and cheeky dialogue (especially involving Aunt Helene, who often precipitates Cyril falling to pieces) which redeems a lot.

(Thanks to Angry Robot Books and Netgalley for an ARC of this book.)

Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review - The Trials of Empire by Richard Swan

 

Cover - The Trials of Empire by Richard Swan

I hope this post finds you well. I haven't been, I've been sick with a cold, but on the plus side it has given me time to finish reading The Trials of Empire, book three of the Empire of the Wolf series by Richard Swan. And I've got great news, it was the second 5-star read I've experienced in a row.

I get the feeling this book has puzzled a few other reviewers and booktubers, primarily because of its switch away from mystery and political intrigues of the earlier installments to epic battles and supernatural horror. All I can say is that this new mix worked for me, and I honestly feel that Swan has saved the best for last. As a book, it succeeds at building up a genuine feeling of threat and dread for the main characters. In particular, the eerie atmosphere of the dreams visions by the young Helena as she is haunted by an otherworld of demons. The stakes are raised much higher as the main characters struggle through perils in order to regain the capital city of Sova and in battles against the fallen priest, Claver, and his diabolical allies. The locks that were previously kept on the horror content are finally released, as various characters must navigate through the home territories of the monstrous demon lords themselves. And an unexpectedly taut trial prosecution scene near the end did not disappoint.

Helena, the narrator as ever, is on a personal journey to break free of her feelings for and attachment to Vonvalt, her former mentor and a Justice of the empire. We get to see her heroism in the tasks she is given: to retrieve a sacred fire, to fetch a weapon from a demon lord and to cut the tether between Ramayah and Claver. She is also a foil against Vonvalt's self-centredness and driving impulses: Helena must restrain and remind him of the correct humanist and moral actions to follow.

Vonvalt is presented even more in this part of the series as a flawed character. His natural arrogance, impatiently ruthless demands and sense of superiority can be a weakness, as is his morbid curiosity about the forbidden Draedist arcane lore without a limitation of moral wrongness. His partial redemption near the end is as welcome as his heroism and ability to take over and direct the people of the city. But the spell book that is hinted at to still be in his possession at the end will put you in doubt...and possibly leave developments open to a sequel series.

There are constant questions throughout the story as to the ethical rightness of certain actions. Vonvalt's argument is always that because of the need to save many lives any action is justified, no matter its correctness and even if you makes you as bad as the enemy at times. This moral dilemma is at the heart of the book and surprisingly doesn't bore you with tedious details. 

Some highlights I found were the wolf-men, the Kasar, and the view of their believable society, culture and warlike ferocity. My favourite character was Agraexes the trickster, an otherworldly spirit on the side of the main characters who has marked Helena as his own. And satisfyingly we at last get the "dirt" on Claver: revelations of his fall and possession, and deals with devils.

I thought this third book was easily the best in the series.

Rating: 5 stars (out of 5)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Review - The Navigator's Children by Tad Williams

 

Review - The Navigator's Children by Tad Williams

 

Over the years, many of us readers have come to know what to expect from Tad Williams when another Osten Ard book drops. A common nickname for him in newsgroups and forums has been "the master", and we look forward to another installment where once again he shows his talent for writing a long, slow-burn epic story. In this case, the fourth book in the Last King of Osten Ard series does not disappoint even though it weighs in at a formidable 1,300 pages. The main focus of the story are the shapeshifter people, the Tinukeda'ya, the "navigator's children". Mysteries that have been stringing us along are finally resolved, sinister arch villains get dealt with, and the cast of characters find their way to a hopeful conclusion.

 

The book is structured into three parts: in the first, the Norns led by the maniacal Queen Utuk'ku move towards the mysterious valley of Tanakiru. At the same time, Morgan, the grandson of the High King, and Nezeru travel in order to discover the true nature of the "Witchwood Crown". Meanwhile, a host of other characters in different locations also struggle after the Norns' recent decoy attacks and actions start them on a path that will converge on the valley as well.

In the second part, the setting of the valley of Tanakiru is central and we get to experience a fast-paced, vivid sequence of pursuits and battles which I found truly engrossing. There are also complications and a violent effort by the people of Hernystir to retake their homeland from the crazed ruler, Hugh. After this major conflict in the second part is resolved, the rest of the book is a slow winding-down but it still manages to keep your attention.

The fate of the manipulative traitor, Pasevalles, is dealt with in the third part of the book. Simon and Miriamele must focus on taking their land of Erchester back. We then get the full details on the purpose of the Witchwood Crown and the origins and driving wishes of the shapeshifters, the Tinukeda'ya. With a kind of "group mind", they seek for their own future to achieve their own agency and freedom.

The horde of characters, as usual with Williams, are nearly always full of definition. Simon, the High King, despite his age must aid his friend Jiriki, and is caught up in the struggle against Utuk'ku. Morgan, the prince, is overcome in the face of his own feelings for Nezeru, and he also yearns to find his missing family. Nezeru, the half-Norn 'sacrifice' warrior, in turn must deal with the dilemmas of family belonging and subservience to an unhinged queen who has fallen down a dark path to oblivion. Her father, Viyeki, is given an opportunity by the Tinukeda'ya and must make a pivotal choice between his own people and his instinctive belief in the right action to follow.

It is good to notice once more that this series is a more mature work than the earlier Memory, Sorrow and Thorn trilogy. There is no longer the heavy-handed symbolism from earlier. The backstory is deep and the revelations we encounter are genuinely surprising. The battle and chase sequences will keep you flicking pages. Williams also once again excels at writing dream sequences, and the young girl, Lilia, left in a strange dream zone and dealing with threats on her own, I found was one of the highlights of the book. Even though she is a child, through her bravery she discovers power in the world of dreams. And despite the vast array of characters and different locations, I never experienced the feeling that the author at any time had lost control of the movement of the story. 

Any work has pieces that could be improved on, and one of these for me would be the tendency for the characters to speak at times what seems like wistful platitudes or bland philosophy. We get a brooding adolescent again and a character repeatedly griping, but luckily it's restricted to just Morgan's love troubles and Simon's distress at being unable to keep Lilia out of harm's way. Two characters didn't seem to particularly be needed much, the scholar Tanahaya and Jesa the nanny, and cutting their parts down would probably have tightened the story up a bit. Also, there is a lesser general "sense of wonder" than in some of the other books. 

But we get a satisfying conclusion to a weighty, rewarding series. One of the books of the year for me.

Rating: 5 stars (out of 5)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

 

 

Review - The Phoenix Keeper by S A McLean

 

The Phoenix Keeper is an accomplished cozy fantasy that introduces new elements into its story while also keeping us in touch with some that are familiar. In a setting that seems parallel to the real world, a zoo containing magical creatures is looked after by Aila and her best friend, Tanya. What we get are superior world-building (probably influenced by the author's background as an ecologist), lively interactions, humour, real concern about the endangerment of animals, lucid descriptions and a genuinely satisfying finale. There are strong friendship and romance bits to the story, and a refreshing viewpoint from a main character with social anxiety. My only small criticism is that two of the main plot happenings felt like they could be predicted from a mile away. But that doesn't stop it being a truly satisfying book.

Aila, the main character, struggles with her life-long anxiety around strangers and large groups. She is an expert in her field, devoted to saving the lives of endangered phoenixes through a breeding program at the San Tamculo zoo. This city strongly resembles San Francisco and the environment seems much like our own, with smartphones and social media like 'Griffingram'. The zoo itself is described vividly and we get a clear picture of tourist crowds, night atmosphere and the animals' habitats and individual personalities. 

Aila's best friend is Tanya, committed and brave. Tanya has her own goal: a volunteering program to assist the zoo. We get to experience the strong friendship between Aila and Tanya, and though their amusing, cheeky interactions can see how much they genuinely care about each other. However, Aila's single-minded obsession with phoenixes can be a weakness, and she must re-learn to pay attention to Tanya's need for help.

Spoiler warning

Luciana is another zookeeper who seems eerily perfect, and is a person Aila has had a long dislike for because of a past misunderstanding. We find out eventually that Luciana conceals a vulnerability when she must deal with the loss of her own creature, a griffin. By gradually co-operating with Aila, we see her barriers break down. 

Then there's an 'enemies-to-lovers' trope as Aila and Luciana's difficulties are reconciled, and through this fresh understanding a romance develops. And another tried-and-true plot element appears later when a 'dark horse' character betrays Aila in a plot against her precious animals. While there's nothing wrong with all this, they're hardly unexpected events when they eventually occur.

The final chase sequence, however, kept me in genuine suspense and was a great way to finish off the book. As was Aila's journey to finding love and personal freedom, with her successes in the faces of of her zoo colleagues, superiors and even a large audience.

Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thanks to Hatchett Book Group & Netgalley for an ARC of this book.