The Republic of Thieves - Scott Lynch

The Blurb: Having pulled off the greatest heist of their career, Locke and his trusted partner in thievery, Jean, have escaped with a tidy fortune. But Locke's body is paying the price. Poisoned by an enemy from his past, he is slowly dying. And no physiker or alchemist can help him. Yet just as the end is near, a mysterious Bondsmagi offers Locke an opportunity that will either save him - or finish him off once and for all. 

Magi political elections are imminent, and the factions are in need of a pawn. If Locke agrees to play the role, sorcery will be used to purge the venom from his body - though the process will be so excruciating he may well wish for death. Locke is opposed, but two factors cause his will to crumble: Jean's imploring - and the Bondsmagi's mention of a woman from Locke's past . . . Sabetha. The love of his life. His equal in skill and wit. And now his greatest rival. 

Locke was smitten with Sabetha from his first glimpse of her as a young fellow-orphan and thief-in-training. But after a tumultuous courtship, Sabetha broke away. Now they will reunite in yet another clash of wills. For faced with his one and only match in both love and trickery, Locke must choose whether to fight Sabetha - or to woo her. It is a decision on which both their lives may depend.

Some slight spoilers will be present in this review, but mostly of book two of the series, Red Seas Under Red Skies. I tried to avoid it as much as possible.

This is the long awaited third installment in the Gentleman Bastard series by Scott Lynch. The cover is stunning, really a stand out and a nice spin on the hooded men that does not seem to want to go away. It looks like a painting and I'd gladly hang a print in my house, and you can't say that about too many covers.

I love Lynch. His prose, style, pacing and worldbuilding. The first book in the series, The Lies of Locke Lamora, sits in my top three favourite book I've read in my life. I'll try to keep my inner fanboy out of the way as much as possible.

When we left Locke and Jean at the end of Red Seas Under Red Skies, Locke just drank some nasty poison to save his friend from doing the exact same thing. We meet up with them where Locke is suffering the effects of his selfless act and Jean is busy buying, pleading, threatening and kidnapping anybody who has the slightest chance of helping Locke. The feeling is pretty grim, with Locke dying by inches. Then Patience - a bondmagi - show up and makes them an offer that's impossible to refuse.

As all Gentleman Bastard fans know, the magic users in Mr. Lynch's world formed their own city, Karthain, and they are quite apart from the world in general. If someone has enough money they can hire a bondsmagi for certain tasks and they are mistrusted and feared by most of the common people. And hated by Locke and Jean. Hey, they have some solid reasons.

Patience convinces them that she can help Locke, but for a price of course. The elections of Karthain are imminent and the factions inside the magi choose outsiders to run the election campaigns, for fun of course. If you were close to all powerful you'd also do weird crap to keep yourself amused wouldn't you? The big drawcard for Locke is that Sabetha, his Gentleman Bastard accomplice and the love of his life, has been contracted by the other magi-faction.

Throughout the previous two books we've read of the impact that Sabetha had on Locke in his youth, and I've been interested in her since the first few hints was dropped. Of course Locke accepts the offer for help and the price he has to pay.

What follows is a romp throughout Karthain. There are some rules that the elections has to follow, but not as many as you would think. Sabotage, bribery and all round hilarity ensues and makes the story a hoot to read.

Mr. Lynch uses flashbacks quite well and a lot in this book, fleshing out the back story between Locke and Sabetha in the process. We also get to read quite a bit about the Sansa twins which is bittersweet, seeing as they were murdered in Lies, and their interactions with each other is damn well done. We discover quite a lot about Locke and his origins which I really appreciated and did not really expect.

The pacing in the flashbacks is quite different and slower than the main storyline, so it almost feels like it's there to take a breath between all the action. I did not mind this, as it helped separate the two timelines well.

The interaction between Locke and Sabetha is brilliant. When they are matching wits it's magical, seeing as she is just as smart as Locke and makes him stumble quite a few times. When they are alone and Locke's insecurity and love for her comes to the fore it made for some touching reading.

We also discover why the Bondsmagi exist as they do, and the explanation is damn brilliant and I never saw it coming. In a few lines Mr Lynch manages to give reasons that makes sense and it fleshes the world out nicely for the following books. 

There were quite a few twists in this book that was done well enough to catch me off guard, and that made this book damn good. Whatever you think will happen, doesn't. I got the feeling during the book that this is Mr. Lynch enjoying himself, a master storyteller delivering his tale with flourish and style. It was a real fun book.

Will it stick in my head as the first one in the series managed to? I don't think so. There are passages that stand out and really touched me, especially between Locke and Jean, but as a whole it was good, not memorable. If you like Locke and the Gentleman Bastards, read this book. You'll love it.

7/10

No Return - Zachary Jernigan

The Blurb: On Jeroun, there is no question as to whether God exists--only what his intentions are.

Under the looming judgment of Adrash and his ultimate weapon--a string of spinning spheres beside the moon known as The Needle--warring factions of white and black suits prove their opposition to the orbiting god with the great fighting tournament of Danoor, on the far side of Jeroun's only inhabitable continent.

From the Thirteenth Order of Black Suits comes Vedas, a young master of martial arts, laden with guilt over the death of one of his students. Traveling with him are Churls, a warrior woman and mercenary haunted by the ghost of her daughter, and Berun, a constructed man made of modular spheres possessed by the foul spirit of his creator. Together they must brave their own demons, as well as thieves, mages, beasts, dearth, and hardship on the perilous road to Danoor, and the bloody sectarian battle that is sure to follow.

On the other side of the world, unbeknownst to the travelers, Ebn and Pol of the Royal Outbound Mages (astronauts using Alchemical magic to achieve space flight) have formed a plan to appease Adrash and bring peace to the planet. But Ebn and Pol each have their own clandestine agendas--which may call down the wrath of the very god they hope to woo.  

Who may know the mind of God? And who in their right mind would seek to defy him?

First off, not a fan of the cover. I do not know if I have been spoiled by some beautiful book covers recently, but this snarling dude put me off a little bit. Onto the book itself.

The world that Mr. Jernigan created here is simply brilliant. It's interesting with hints of history that should come into play in later books. With uncrossable oceans, all of humanity is landlocked on one continent. There are other continents of course, inhabited by Elders, a slumbering race that ruled in earlier times. The Elders do not decompose on death, and the people of Jeroun harvest their bones and use the dust as currency, their skins as armour and most of the rest as magical ingredients. 

The god of this world, Adrash, abandoned the people years ago. and now float in space looking down on his world. He created the Needle, spheres spinning in space, as the ultimate doomsday weapon should he feel he needs to use it should the world go beyond saving.

The eldermen, children with some Elder DNA in their systems are born with some weird physical mutations and they can do magic. The Royal Mages are the astronauts of the world, using Alchemy to travel to space to observe Adrash and the needle. The politics going on behind the scene with the mages is done with a deft touch, as it is how it would be. Despite having a stated unity of purpose, the two most powerful mages Ebn and Pol each work privately to their own goals. Ebn's growth throughout the book is probably the best during the book, and his personal journey was the most satisfying for me. 

Vedas is a badass. One of the best fighters in existence. Having grown up with the Black Suits, he knows violence and little else about the world or his place in it. He gets chosen to represent his Order in the tournament of Danoor. On his travels he meets the construct Berun, built by a mighty mage. Berun is also damn cool, an artificial man who shows good growth throughout the book for someone who isn't technically human. Churls is an ordinary mercenary  tasked with leading them to Danoor.

The naivety of Vedas was a little irritating at first, but as he got comfortable with his companions and his place in the world, he got a lot better to read. Doing so much in one book was difficult, but it's mostly done well.  Some of the fighting scenes could have been better, since some of them felt a little sterile. I understand that Vedas is a highly trained fighter, but having him feel some rage or desperation would have made him feel more human.

The real star of this book is the setting that was created. It's unique and interesting as hell. I can't wait to read more of the wonderful word of Jeroun.

A solid début and a wonderful world.

7/10

The Whitefire Crossing - Courtney Schafer

The Blurb: Dev is a smuggler with the perfect cover. He's in high demand as a guide for the caravans that carry legitimate goods from the city of Ninavel into the country of Alathia. The route through the Whitefire Mountains is treacherous, and Dev is one of the few climbers who knows how to cross them safely. With his skill and connections, it's easy enough to slip contraband charms from Ninavel - where any magic is fair game, no matter how dark - into Alathia, where most magic is outlawed.

But smuggling a few charms is one thing; smuggling a person through the warded Alathian border is near suicidal. Having made a promise to a dying friend, Dev is forced to take on a singularly dangerous cargo: Kiran. A young apprentice on the run from one of the most powerful mages in Ninavel, Kiran is desperate enough to pay a fortune to sneak into a country where discovery means certain execution - and he'll do whatever it takes to prevent Dev from finding out the terrible truth behind his getaway.

Yet Kiran isn't the only one harboring a deadly secret. Caught up in a web of subterfuge and dark magic, Dev and Kiran must find a way to trust each other - or face not only their own destruction, but that of the entire city of Ninavel.

I know this book was published in 2011 and generated quite a bit of buzz at the time. It was more an accidental Amazon purchase more than anything else to be honest. 

First off, Ms. Schafer knows what she's doing. Her sentences are beautiful and flowing, sucking you into the story. Dialogue is effortless and the worldbuilding that went into the book brilliant.

The two books that I read before this was a struggle to get through. I just could not get into the flow of them at all. The first few chapters of this book was a joy to read. Ninavel is beautifully constructed. The city is bustling, characters and cast varied, and it sounds like it's rich in history. The whole book could have been based in the city and it would have been good.

The thing is, Dev is a smuggler and outrider, both quite extramural careers. So of to the mountains we go! It becomes clear that Ms Schafer is a mountain climber, since it's a big part of the story. Dev scrambles up everywhere. It's not my cup of tea, but it was introduced in a smart way, so I'll take it. The journey over the Whitefires are a huge chunk of the story, but there are enough conflict to get me by.

The magic system isn't fully explained in the book, which I like. There are enough explanation and hints of how everything fits, and it's quite unique and done well. I wish magic was used more. Kiran, an apprentice mage, is quite a wet blanket for most of the story. He rolls over easily in most situations. I understand that it's because he has been shielded from the outside world for his whole life by his master, but I expected him to get some more backbone as the story progressed. I know he is a mage being hunted by his master, but some personal strength shining through would have been welcomed. 

There are a few twists and turns and some weird decisions made along the way to force the story in a certain direction. The bad guys are solidly bad, not grey as most are these days. Murder, torture, power hungry. All the classics. 

All in all it was an enjoyable holiday read  If you like magic and mountain climbing, it's a definite must read.

7/10

Tricked - Kevin Hearne

The Blurb: Druid Atticus O’Sullivan hasn’t stayed alive for more than two millennia without a fair bit of Celtic cunning. So when vengeful thunder gods come Norse by Southwest looking for payback, Atticus, with a little help from the Navajo trickster god Coyote, lets them think that they’ve chopped up his body in the Arizona desert.

But the mischievous Coyote is not above a little sleight of paw, and Atticus soon finds that he’s been duped into battling bloodthirsty desert shapeshifters called skinwalkers. Just when the Druid thinks he’s got a handle on all the duplicity, betrayal comes from an unlikely source. If Atticus survives this time, he vows he won’t be fooled again. Famous last words.

This is Kevin Hearne's fourth novel in the Iron Druid series. It's a pretty fun urban fantasy series thus far, with loads of comedic moments sprinkled throughout the book. This is what I've come to expect from Mr. Hearne's writing. If you do not laugh at least twice per chapter you have a broken sense of humour.

Atticus needs help to die and to hide after the chaos he helped organise on the Norse Pantheon. He turns to the Navajo trickster god Coyote to help him die, which may have been a mistake in the long run. I mean who in their right minds trusts a trickster god? He didn't really have any other choice, but it didn't make the decision any smarter. He also needs about twelve quiet years to train his apprentice Granualie in the art of being a Druid.

One of the most enjoyable aspects was the Navajo culture and history used as the main setting for this book. I know less than nothing about them, so it was fun to read about new gods and beliefs. It was a welcome break from the usually European based mythologies. Mr. Hearne has quite a way to make even the most powerful gods seem approachable and nice in stead of all powerful and wise.

Atticus also fills in some of his earlier years through stories he tells Oberon and Granualie, which supplied more than just a few laughs and gave him real depth. Having a main character that's older than two thousand years gives you loads of history to play with and it was nice to get more back story on the guy. Oberon is his usual entertaining self, he's the coolest dog in modern fantasy. It really makes me wish I could communicate telepathically with my pets.

Coyote tricks Atticus into helping him deal with some of the most monstrous creatures from Navajo myths, the Skinwalkers. Coyote knows Atticus will keep his word, seeing as he is a good Druid and cut from the old cloth as they say.  These Skinwalkers are damn evil and pretty damn scary as any good monster should be. Madness ensues. 

Atticus being a druid makes for some interesting challenges. He cannot do anything to harm the earth and this permeates all his decisions. Earth comes first. It makes him a unique character and made for some interesting and creative solutions to the problems he faced. He's not all powerful and he does not think just of himself of just of winning, but of the well being of others as well as the well being of the world around him.

The book is solidly written, the jokes and dialogue are damn funny and the action scenes are well done. Siodhachan O Suileabhain is fast becoming one of my favourite Urban Fantasy characters.

7/10

The Alchemist of Souls - Anne Lyle

The blurb: When Tudor explorers returned from the New World, they brought back a name out of half-forgotten Viking legend: skraylings. Red-sailed ships followed in the explorers’ wake, bringing Native American goods – and a skrayling ambassador – to London. But what do these seemingly magical beings really want in Elizabeth I’s capital?

Mal Catlyn, a down-at-heel swordsman, is seconded to the ambassador’s bodyguard, but assassination attempts are the least of his problems. What he learns about the skraylings and their unholy powers could cost England her new ally – and Mal Catlyn his soul.

This is the first book of the Night's Masque trilogy by Anne Lyle, which falls under historical fantasy. I do not really care about subdivisions in the fantasy genre, but historical fantasy is big enough to warrant it. One of my resolutions was to broaden my horizons reading wise, and this fits in nicely, seeing as I've read very little historical fantasy up to this point.

The idea behind the novel is quite good. Set in Elizabethan England, the new world has been discovered. There are more than only Native Americans in the New World, Skraylings exist and they can use magic in a mostly seemingly unmagical world. They aren't easily dealt with and most of the common people fear them quite a bit. The Church is a major influence in peoples daily lives and brands them demons. So the potential for chaos is everywhere.

The story centres around Mal Catlyn a gentleman who has fallen on hard times and is thus expendable but useful to the crown. He carries a lot of personal baggage and he most certainly do have his flaws, but all in all he's a solidly developed main character.

There's quite a big focus on actors and plays, seeing as the acting-groups in the city are to perform in a competition in honour of the Skrayling ambassador. Most of the secondary English characters sprout from here. There is a woman disguised as a man, but it is done well enough, with good enough reason that is does not spoil the story. The other guys stand up well on their own, and it was a nice change of pace from the usual wizards, mercenaries and princes.

Historical accuracy really can go take a flying jump in terms of importance in historical fantasy in my opinion, but it does seem that the accuracy is present in the novel. I would have liked a bit more of yo olde London though, since it seemed as if the story could have been based anywhere. It's might be a pet peeve, but it didn't feel dirty enough to me for some reason.

The first half of the book is used to set up the story and a bit of a slog to read, but as soon as the story gets going, it goes off with a hell of a bang and a hell of a pace. It's quite nice, looking back on the book, that there wasn't loads of action with info dumps every second chapter. The info came in at the start, and the action later. The characters were well established by then, with their motivations laid bare. 

The book is well written, the second half is paced well, there are enough hints into what could happen in the next two books that I'm more than interested in the rest of the series. This has the potential to be the introduction to an amazing world and truly wonderful series. 

7/10

The Darkness the comes Before - R. Scott Bakker

The Blurb: Two thousand years have passed since Mog-Pharau, the No-God, last walked among Men. Two thousand years have passed since the Apocalypse.

In a world wrenched by holy war and devastation, a sorcerer, a concubine, and a warrior find themselves captivated by a mysterious traveller from lands long thought dead, a man who makes weapons of insight and revelation. Unable to distinguish the passion that elevates from the passion that enslaves, they fall ever deeper under his thrall, while what begins as a war of Men against Men threatens to become the first battle of the Second Apocalypse.

With this stunning debut, R. Scott Bakker is destined to become the next great fantasy writer of his generation. Set in a world of unparalleled detail and authenticity, populated by truly unforgettable characters, and framed by a profound understanding of the human condition, The Darkness That Comes Before proves that epic fantasy can be at once majestic, intelligent, and terrifying.

I bought this book based solely on the recommendation on the front cover from Steven Erikson, and I can see why he loves this series. The scope is bloody huge. The characters are varied and truly different. Their names are a pain to remember. So, quite like Malazan book of the fallen in that respect.

The book is set after The First Apocalypse destroyed humanity. I still have no idea what or who the No-God is, and that alone ensures that I'll buy the next book. The tantalizing hints that he drops about the history of the world, of the characters and freaky races makes my imagination bubble.

The only problem with this book was that it felt quite slow and meandering for most of it. When the action happened, it was fast and beautiful, and the slow parts were there for more reasons than pacing. This book has some interesting philosophical ans psychological elements, the magic is done well and reviled by most, which puts sorcerers quite low on the totem pole.

It didn't grab me and make me sit up all night reading. I understand the characters were sculpted well, but I didn't care for them. I also did not hate them. Hopefully it gets better in the next book, The Warrior Prophet. It does not mean I'll read the next book though. It interested me enough to certainly continue with the series.

7/10

 

Among Thieves

The Blurb: Drothe is a Nose, an informant who finds and takes care of trouble inside the criminal organization he’s a part of. He also smuggles imperial relics on the side. 

When his boss sends him to Ten Ways to track down who’s been leaning on his organization’s people, Drothe discovers hints of a much bigger mystery. Someone is trying to stir up trouble between lower-level criminal organizations, including the one Drothe belongs to. And there’s a book rumored to contain imperial glimmer (or magic) that a lot of very dangerous people seem to be looking for - including two crime bosses known as the Gray Princes.

When Drothe discovers the book, he finds himself holding a bit of swag that can bring down emperors, shatter the criminal underworld, and unlock forbidden magic…that's if he can survive long enough to use it. 

After I finished the frankly lovely Prince of Thorns a while back, I was a bit stuck what to read. Then, as if by miracle, the friendly guys over at fantasy faction had a "best book of 2011" list going. A lot of the guys on the forum suggested it, so I gave it a go.

Drothe is a criminal. Working for an organisation as a nose, collecting rumours and starting them, protecting his boss and his interest by anticipating what is going to happen based on the information he gathers. Drothe hangs out with Bronze Degan, who is a member of a group of mercenaries. They are fast friends. He's the muscle, Drothe the brains. Is it sounding familiar yet? A lot like Lies of Locke Lamora? That is the main reason why I waited before reading this, since Locke Lamora was bloody brilliant, and I wasn't in the mood for a pale imitation thief story.

It starts slowly. Very slowly. The story plods along a bit at first as Drothe does his job, mainly as a mid level criminal. As bigger players are introduced, the pace picks up and the story just sucks you in. Drothe and Degan deals with people who they thought of as legends at the start of the book. The Empire and the history behind he Emperor hints at delicious stories to come. Hulick put in quite a lot of legwork on the imperial history, but since it fits it doesn't detract from the story. The thief slang that he uses throughout the book is a bit confusing for the first twenty or so pages, but when you get used to it it really adds to the book. Hulick even explains at the end where he got his ideas and the words from, which was quite a nice touch.

Drothe thinks he is a good guy, but he is a bastard. Throughout the book he betrays just about everyone, justifying his actions as he moves along. That make for some compelling reading, since in another novel Drothe could easily be the bad guy in stead of the hero. 

Is it the same as Lies of Locke Lamora as so many people say? Well, both deals with thieves and both happen in a city, and that's about it in my opinion. The characters are vastly different, and the cities as well. It's a brilliant book and you won't be disappointed if you buy it.

7/10 

City of Hell Chronicles Vol1

The blurb: The Ant-Headed Old One ‘The Great Maurr’ has risen and brought hell to earth. The land is scorched and the human race decimated, eaten or tortured. Only three cities remain, a crumbled, dying version of their former selves: London, Moscow and Hong Kong. The Great Maurr’s own City of Hell dominates most of North America. Its diabolical influence has turned ordinary citizens into torturers, debased slaves, lunatics and zealots.


City of Hell is, as can be gathered from the title, a collection of pretty awesome horror stories. Not my usual cup of tea I must say, but I always like to read new things. Maurr has come to earth to destroy and dominate. Seven writers tell of these trying times.


I must say, it took me a good run to get into the premise of the book. Not reading a lot of horror and not reading a lot of short stories made this quite an interesting read The first story, Genesis by Colin F. Barnes, tells of the coming of Maurr and his minions, with a pretty cool device playing a central role that I would have loved to read some more about. 


Medical Report by Victoria Griesdoorn was done awesomely. It's written as a report, and thus most of the emotional reactions is left out, which makes what happens a lot worse. It was a good way to get to know the bugs a bit better and it works well in the short story format, Possibly my favourite.


The Door From Below by Ren Warrom has the best scariest monsters in the book. The Stock Takers sounds bloody awful, and the powerlessness of the characters against them shines through well. 
London Calling by Kendall Grey made me feel a bit sick. Since that is a huge part of being a horror story, that's understandable. Rane as a character was written well, and the bugs were sneaky bastards this time.
The Lucky Ones by Anne Michaud Made me feel worse than London Calling. It's a tale of despair and the fruitlessness of struggle. It was gripping to read, and right up there with my favourite in the whole book


Final Passage by Belinda Frisch and The Nursery by Amy L. Overley reads a lot alike. Both handle transformation, loss, blood, more blood, vomit and death well. I started to get quite depressed by this time, since this book is quite a crapload of death and dismemberment to take in quite a few pages. 
Sanguine by Victoria Griesdoorn takes a refreshing viewpoint on the whole deal, dealing with human interaction after the invasion. The french terms used felt forced and didn't really add to the story, which in the end is an enjoyable tale about revenge. It was a good point to end on.


Was it a good read? Yes it was. I can't wait for more editions, since there are whole swathes of the globe that wasn't explored in the whole Maurr universe. The blood, guts, death, rapes, disembowelment and horror isn't for everybody. Steer well clear if you do not like bodily fluids. 


If you enjoy a good post apocalyptic tale about the futility of life with extra measures of guts, blood and despair. Get your hands on this book. You'll love it. 


7/10