My End of Year/New Year Thoughts on. . .

The Dragon Engine

Five war heroes and longtime friends set out on a quest to the Karamakkos Mountains in search of the Five Havens, long-abandoned dwarf cities of yesteryear that fables say still contain untold wealth, and treasures possessing uncanny powers.

The thing is, old wives tales change with the telling, and you can’t put faith in outdated stories that might be founded, more on wishful thinking than on a modicum of truth.

Shaky foundations don’t stop our intrepid five, though, who learn to their cost how quickly drunken promises and fiery resolve can turn to ash. Not long after they set out, their quest turns into a litany of anguish and misadventure, and their lives are changes forever.

Do they live to tell the tale?

This is the first Andy Remic book I’ve read . . . and it won’t be the last!

Filled with lusty deeds; heroic drinking and feasting; villainous scumbags you’ll want to throttle the life from; bone crunching, bloodthirsty battles; adult humor; and language ripe enough to make a drill sergeant blush, it’s like a night out in the filthiest dive on the wrong side of town with your Viking and Klingon buddies.

A frothing tankard of mead, and a well-worn battleaxe of a tale that will give you a definite hankering for carnage on a truly epic scale.

My Thought's On. . .

The Poppy War

I read a lot of science fiction and fantasy. And by a lot, I mean over forty books a year on average. It’s not only because I love the genre, either – which I do. I treat each journey into an author’s imagination as a treasure hunt, you see. It’s as if I’m panning for gold in mineral laden sediment that’s become a little choked in recent decades. (Avid readers will know what I mean). But it’s worth the effort, because every now and then, I uncover a 24-carat nugget that stands out from all the other gems. And “The Poppy War” by R. F. Kuang is one of them.

Fang – Rin – Runin is a war orphan. A girl forced upon a merchant family from a poor province in a society where class and station mean everything. As you can imagine, Rin in looked upon as a burden that the Fang’s want to offload as soon as possible.

Sure enough, the moment Rin reaches fourteen years of age, the Fang’s arrange a marriage for her. She is to wed a man twice divorced and three times her age. Little wonder, then, that Rin rebels. The Keju – an annual national test to find the brightest students in the Nikara Empire – is approaching. Rin takes matters into her own hands. She’s a bright girl with a good mind, and through some artful maneuvering, manages to secure private tuition.

The trouble is, when Rin aces the exams, she finds her success is merely illusory, like fools gold. Why? Entry into Sinegard – the Empire’s most prestigious military school – doesn’t guarantee her troubles are over. Far from it. They’ve only just begun!

Prejudice, bitter rivalry, narcissism – from classmates and instructors alike, make Rin’s life a living hell. But this dark-skinned peasant girl with a strange accent from the south has one thing going in her favor. She’s not a quitter. And when she discovers she is one of only a few people in existence who can summon the power of the gods, well . . . events take quite a turn.

Alas, the gods are unpredictable. Vast in scope. Insanely passionate and impossibly cold and aloof. And when their majesty is brought to bear upon insignificant little humans, the results can be – and often are – catastrophic. Rin witnesses this firsthand when the Mugen Federation declares war upon Nikara.

Far from helping her take control of her own life, Rin finds her future thrown into jeopardy when an avenging god seeks to use her as its conduit onto the mortal plane.

As to how that goes, exactly, you’ll have to find out for yourselves. But in summation:

“The Poppy War” is a fantastically mystical story, operatic in scale, personal in its appeal, and one of the most entertaining, thoroughly satisfying journeys you will ever take through the pages of a book.

Prepare to have your perceptions altered.

This Weeks Review Of. . .

Reanimated

After the events that almost tore their family apart in Australia, life has changed for the better as far as Rebecca Hope-Patko and her husband, Lord Justyn are concerned. They’ve brought Eric and his new sister, Harmony, home to New Jersey, and opened their very own dinner theater – the Ange du Palais. Not only that, but Rebecca has taken firmer control of her personal affairs. She’s learned to look after herself, and volunteered her services and her home to a covert underground railway that helps women and their children escape life-threatening situations.

All starts well. The children are happy; Rebecca receives her first assignment, helping an abused mother and child flee a violent home; and the Hope-Patkos launch their new venture with their very own production of “Ghost Bride” based on the animated adventure – Corpse Bride.

Alas, the specter of past trials and tribulations continue to haunt them. There are skeletons in the closet – and in all sorts of other places they shouldn’t be, come to that. And soon, it becomes obvious that someone’s out to sabotage their every effort. No wonder everyone is spooked, for they don’t stand a ghost of a chance of finding out who is responsible unless they pick through the bones of all the little clues left along the way to put this latest whodunit to rest.

It’s always been a treat to return to the ever evolving world of Lord Justyn and Rebecca. I’ve followed them from the very beginning, and love the way their creator, Laura DeLuca, molds their lives around the theme of popular musicals. It creates an environment you can immediately relate to, and helps you involve yourself in the Hope-Patkos’ struggles as they become embroiled in their latest murder mystery. Very clever . . . and lots of fun!

Christmas is coming. Why not treat yourself and take a peek into something that’s bound to leave you feeling both festive and reanimated for the New Year?

My Thought's On. . .

The War Within

Twenty years have passed since the events recorded in Seventh Decimate. Prince – Now King – Bifalt of Belleger is now married to Queen Estie of Amika, forging an uneasy alliance in order that the two nations can work together for a war they can ill afford to fight. Alas, the Last Repository – the greatest library of arcane knowledge in existence – has to be protected at all coasts. Or so the Magisters say.

At this stage, the enemy is still unknown. However, that enemy must be great indeed if the protectors of the Repository fear their coming. So, despite the fragile peace, Belleger and Amika work hard in preparation. Existing defenses are expanded; new ones built and fortified; old alliances strengthened as best they can. Even so, a damaging rift still exists: that between Bifalt and Estie, one that might be exploited if the missionary priests of the Great God Rile have anything to do with it.

How do they fare when the enemy arrives at last, revealing a command of the decimates unlike anything seen before?

Only time will tell, but in true Stephen Donaldson style, every step of the way will be described in graphic detail, revealing a depth of narrative and skill that will involve you from the moment you turn the first page. Outstanding work from the master of speculative fiction.

This Week's Review Of. . .

We Are the Dead

For longer than most people can remember, the Shulka – Jia’s invincible master warriors – have kept their nation safe from the ever-present threat represented by the Egril, a savage race they know hardly anything about.

Then one day, the unthinkable happens. The unbeatable are swept aside like chaff, and an invading army the likes of which is impossible to count, sweeps into Jia, wreaking havoc and destroying everything in its path.

Our story follows the lives of some of the refugees as they set out to make their mark and reclaim their land. Some are soldiers; others resistance fighters; most are normal folk doing what they must to survive. All are united in their hatred of a brutal, despicable foe that looks on them as nothing but chattel to serve their purposes and die.

This is no fairy tale. It’s a lesson in endurance and doing what you must to survive until the next day.

I had absolutely no problem immersing myself within the pages of this book. It’s excellent stuff. Riveting. Engrossing. Compelling . . . and a wonderful introduction to what I’m sure will be an epic series.

Bravo to Mike Shackle – if you continue writing adventures like this; you’ve got yourself a lifelong fan.

My Review of. . .

Black City Dragon

In Black City Dragon, the Gatekeeper needs to show his mettle as never before when the puppet master behind a sixteen hundred year-old deception shows their face at last. The thing is, this adversary seems more intent on claiming Nick’s reincarnated lover – Claryce – than him.

That begs the question, why? What is it about Claryce and her connection to the Dacian Draco that’s holds the key to life and death, and ultimately, which reality will survive the coming upheaval?

Perhaps history has got it wrong, and our man isn’t so saintly after all.

Find out in this concluding book of the Black City trilogy that sees megalomaniacs square off against tyrants; humans against feirie; cops against gangsters, and of course, mutant monstrosities against legends made flesh.

This is one of the best blends of historical and mythological fantasy you’ll find. Treat yourself. You won’t regret it.

My Reaction To. . .

Vita Nostra

When I first began to read this story, I must admit, I had difficulty adjusting to its style and some of the phraseology used. But, remembering this is a translation from another language, (Russian), I persisted. And I’m glad I did, for what started off as a dissonant, tongue-tripping slog smoothed out into a magic carpet ride of an intellectual adventure.

Vita Nostra – Latin for Our Life – tells the story of Sasha Samokhina, a teenage girl living at home with her mother, who stands at a crossroads. She must soon decide her future. Does she go off to university as everyone expects to become a tiny cog in part of the big machine that is society, or should she strive for something better?

It’s as she ponders that conundrum that she meets the mysterious Farit Kozhennikov. A man who knows more than he’s letting on, and someone who seems able to compel her to carry out ridiculous tasks as a way of measuring her character.

Whatever that special something is, Sasha has it, and she is offered the opportunity of attending an obscure place of learning nobody seems to have heard of: The Institute of Special Technology.

Sasha accepts that placement against her mother’s wishes, and discovers to her cost how different the institute is.

I’m never one to give away the plot, so all I’ll say is . . .

What follows is a deeply intimate and skilful exposition that deals with – dependent upon your viewpoint and character – some of the major hurdles/stepping stones in life: the nature of reality; the influence of philosophy; the true magic of mysticism; the power of faith – and how all these factors combined can lead to a metamorphosis of self beyond our wildest dreams.

Far from tripping over my hypothetical tongue, I ended up skating through a thought provoking – if disquieting – tale, one that should appeal to the chrysalis in all of us.

Criminals UK

If you’re in desperate need of a breath of televisual fresh air, I’d recommend Criminal UK. This is the first of four anthologies from different countries throughout Europe set almost entirely within a police interview room.

And that’s it!

The crimes in question have already been committed, so there’s no bloodthirsty violence, madcap escape attempts or high-speed pursuits. Neither do you get huge budgets, explosive sets, continent-hopping or intricate action scenes to play with.

Everything takes place within that interview room – or the observation lounge on the other side of a two-way mirror – and the intricacies you do see revolve around the mental agility of the police team dedicated to seeing justice done.

In some respects, Criminal UK reminded me of a stage play, as it’s the skills of the actors that immerses you in the psychology of the procedures involved in obtaining a confession – or in some cases – revealing the truth of what actually took place.

Superb stuff. And compelling too, as its quality TV like this that highlights the power of the human narrative. If you do it right, you don’t need high-octane special effects and state-of-the-art weapons. The minds of a detective and a desperate suspect will do. Each lining up their pieces on the chessboard of the interview; each one hoping their strategy is the one that prevails.

Try it. I guarantee it will leave a lasting impression.