Book Review- A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab

Title:  A Darker Shade of Magic

Author:  V. E. Schwab

Series:   A Darker Shade of Magic #1

Published:   27 February 2015 by Titan

Length:   400 pages

Source: Publisher

Summary : Most people only know one London; but what if there were several? Kell is one of the last Travelers magicians with a rare ability to travel between parallel Londons. There is Grey London, dirty and crowded and without magic, home to the mad king George III. There is Red London, where life and magic are revered. Then, White London, ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne. But once upon a time, there was Black London...

Review: Kell is one of the last Antari, a blood magician. As the adopted brother of the prince in Red London, where magic is prized, he hops between the other Londons- White, ruled by a ruthless brother/sister duo, Grey, without magic at all, and occasionally Black, which was wiped out by London, on diplomatic missions. He’s also a smuggler. At some point he meets Lila,  a thief from Grey London, as he’s smuggling artefacts between the worlds. She hopes to be a pirate and adventure, and with Kell she gets more adventure than she’d thought as they try to return an artefact he’s taken.

I wanted to read this because, as you may have noticed, I am a little obsessed with London and its variations. I’ve enjoyed the London based urban-fantasy I’ve read so far, and the idea of four Londons, each very very different, intrigued me. Also, Schwab posted on Goodreads a summary of elements:-magic, cross-dressing thieves, Londons (plural), and a royal who is equal parts Prince Harry and Jack Harkness- whichdefinitely caught my eye.

The characters are fun and fleshed out. I think my favourite was Rhy (the aforementioned royal mashup of Harry and Captain Jack) who starts off providing comedy and then by the end he’s more than that and you just want to hug him. Then come the Dane twins, the cruel rulers of White London, who I loved reading about as they do evil things.  Kell and Lila, I really enjoyed seeing their friendship develop, but I didn’t care for them as much as I did for Rhy, Astrid, and Athos.

The writing was good in places and bad in places. There’s a lot of world building to start with, and partially though the middle. I love how each London is completely different and how each world the London is in is completely different in elements like language, rulers, and general ambiance. While the world building to start is brilliant, it also makes the book slow down, and for me, it never picked up the pace or interest/adrenaline levels,  even with all the plot twists and the fight scenes, which is probably the main reason I didn’t enjoy this as much as I was hoping. It did pick up towards the end though.

Overall:   Strength 3 tea to a historical fantasy novel set across three beautiful worlds but, for me, was let down by the pacing and plot.

Links: Amazon | Goodreads | Author website |

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Book Review- The Mirror Empire by Kameron Hurley

Title: The Mirror Empire

Author: Kameron Hurley

Series:  Worldbreaker Saga #1

Published:  26 August 2014 by Angry Robot

Length: 569 pages

Warnings: semigraphic sex, assault, graphic gore

Source: Netgalley

Other info: Hurley has written many things, like God’s War and We Have Always Fought.

Summary : On the eve of a recurring catastrophic event known to extinguish nations and reshape continents, a troubled orphan evades death and slavery to uncover her own bloody past… while a world goes to war with itself.
In the frozen kingdom of Saiduan, invaders from another realm are decimating whole cities, leaving behind nothing but ash and ruin.
As the dark star of the cataclysm rises, an illegitimate ruler is tasked with holding together a country fractured by civil war, a precocious young fighter is asked to betray his family and a half-Dhai general must choose between the eradication of her father’s people or loyalty to her alien Empress.
Through tense alliances and devastating betrayal, the Dhai and their allies attempt to hold against a seemingly unstoppable force as enemy nations prepare for a coming together of worlds as old as the universe itself.
In the end, one world will rise – and many will perish.

Review: Two worlds exist, mirrors of each other, and two versions of people exist, one in each world. Doorways can be opened between them, but you can only cross into the other world if your double in that one is dead. In one world, the Kai, the leader of the magic workers,Kirana, dies mysteriously, leaving her ungifted brother Ahkio  to take her place. In another story line, Lilia was pushed through a door to escape death. Many other stories weave together to form the story of this mirror empire.

I read this because Kameron Hurley's  blog posts are really good and Angry Robot had this on offer from Netgalley and I'd heard of really good diversity  and so I read this.

I haven't read high fantasy for some time,I think, and it shows. I did infer lots of things about this world  and my head picture is probably completely different to Hurley's.

I also think I missed something crucial as to how everything fits together in terms of plotlines. There's Zezeli,an army captain, who goes campaigning and then.has to find her husband Anavha (who we followed for a bit then I think we stopped following him which was sad because I liked him). Other characters I liked include Roh, Ahkio, Taigan, Gian and many others. Most of the main characters really.  They were all developed, and their stories were intriguing and I wanted to carry on reading about them despite me not fully understanding the links between them all.

The worlds are well developed. Polyamory and female led relationships and strong belief in magic and a  coherent magic system can be found, and settings range from army camps to cities to frozen areas.

The writing is descriptive, even in the very gory areas. It felt like  a long book, but it didn't feel slow. i didn't want this book to end!

characters' storylines clearly overlap in places, but in others, it felt like we were just following someone without it feeding in to a main thing.  I didn't mind, because the small plots were well written and interesting, but I would like to see more convergence in any future novels.

Overall:  Strength 4 tea to a book I enjoyed for its characters' individual plots, despite them not all coming together.

Links: Amazon| Goodreads| Author website |

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Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

451 pgs.
Target audience: Young adult
Rating: Dragon

In the kingdom of Goredd, a peace treaty allows dragons and humans to live together. However there are those on both sides who will stop at nothing to dismantle this agreement. Fear and mistrust run rampant among the citizens as the treaty anniversary approaches. Seraphina has a secret, one which she must keep hidden from both sides. Her mother was a dragon and her father a human, making her half dragon. As a uniquely gifted musician Seraphina is engaged as a music teacher under the tutelage of Viridius, the court composer. Her only confidant is her mentor and dragon uncle, Orma, who creates a counterfeit mother to disguise his niece’s true heritage. No sooner is Seraphina ensconced in her new job than Prince Rufus is found decapitated implicating a draconian killer. The arrival of the leader of the dragon world, Ardmagar Comonot, does little to alleviate the already tense atmosphere. Seraphina befriends her student, Princess Glisselda and the devilishly handsome Prince Lucian Kiggs, fiancé to Glisselda. Together Seraphina and Kiggs uncover a secret plot to assassinate the Ardmagar and to break the treaty. Although Seraphina’s intimate knowledge of dragon culture serves to be invaluable to their investigations, she worries that her continual need to lie will jeopardize not only her friendship with Kiggs and the princess but put the kingdom in danger. This is a brilliantly written book and so engrossing it’s very hard to put down.  The plot is fantastic, unique and intricate and like a good stew, the more it simmers the better it gets. Readers will savor each delicious moment. There is a cast of characters and a glossary at the end.Plus it has a fabulous cover. The only thing missing is a map.

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The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

432 pgs.
Target audience: Young Adult
Rating: Dragon

This book is adventure at its finest. Elisa is the youngest princess of Oravalle, chosen at birth as the new bearer of the Godstone. As such she is destined to perform a great service. Overshadowed by her much thinner, more beautiful sister, Elisa doubts her worthiness. In a political move, she's betrothed to the king of a neighboring kingdom. No sooner has she arrived in Joya d'Arena to take on her new responsibilities, when a rebel faction kidnaps her. She's suddenly faced with obstacles almost too onerous to bear, but she slowly gains confidence in herself and the trust of others. There's danger, political intrigue, battles, betrayal and just the right amount of romance. Fans of Tamora Pierce's books will love this book. I certainly hope that Rae continues to write because it was a joy to read.

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Seer of Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier

432 pgs.

Target audience: Young adult

Rating: Dragon

The latest in the Sevenwaters series by Marillier introduces us to Sibeal, the fifth daughter of the Lord of Sevenwaters. She is a seer and druid in training. Her mentor, Ciaran, sends her to the island of Inis Eala to spend time with her sisters and determine whether the contemplative life of a druid is what she truly wants. When a ship suddenly shipwrecks on the island, she rescues a man who's washed up on shore and can remember nothing. The two other survivors, a Norseman and his mute wife add to the mystery of what happened to the ship. As Sibeal helps the stranger recover his memory, she finds herself emotionally drawn to him. The rich characters and compelling plot leave you wanting more. You need not read the first four books to enjoy this one. Some of the characters carry over from previous books, but there is enough explanation that it doesn't marr the reading experience. Although the first three of this series must be read in order, after that the stories become enough removed from the original three that they can be read independently.

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The Enchantress: The secrets of Nicholas Flamel, volume 6 by Michael Scott.

509 pgs.
Target audience: Young adult
Rating: Griffin

 This sweeping saga comes to a close with a bang – a ten on the action Richter scale. There are earthquakes, collapsing bridges, monster battles, major magic, fighting atop a pyramid, and a spectacular airship crash into a legendary tree. The end of the world battle takes place on two planes. The Perenelles try to save San Francisco from the final monster invasion before their powers are depleted and they die. Sophie and Josh, the twins of legend, travel ten thousand years into the past with the magician Dr. Dee and Virginia Dare where they are coerced by Osiris and Isis to usurp Aten’s power and rule over Danu Talis. Of course beloved characters Scathach, Prometheus, Shakespeare, Joan of Arc and Palamedes make an appearance as well as more than a few new ones. Meanwhile dark elders are combining forces against those fighting on Alcatraz.Readers will be relieved that questions behind Abram’s prophecy “The two that are one must become the one that is all. One to save the world, one to destroy it” are nicely resolved. The author’s knowledge of mythology is astounding and he layers the plotline with the most fantastical, historical and legendary characters with customary ease. The story is so packed full, almost too full with multiple plotlines overlapping, long dead characters coming back to the story alive and well through time travel, major revelations, characters abruptly switching loyalties, a family reunion, and an all-out humani rebellion against the Elders. Despite its fractured and cluttered storyline, it is a satisfying conclusion to the series and a must for fans.

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Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore
539 pgs.
Target audience: Young Adult
Rating: Dragon

Synopsis from inside front cover
"In a world where a small percentage of people have an extreme skill called a Grace, King Leck's Grace allowed him to tell lies that everyone believed.
     When Bitterblue became queen at ten years old, she thought her father's murder meant the end of his violent, sociopathic influence.
     She was wrong.
     The intensely anticipated companion to the New York Times bestsellers Graceling and Fire is even more 'rageful, exhilarating, wistful,' and romantic. Now eighteen and believing her advisers are overprotecting her, Bitterblue begins sneaking outside the castle at night to walk the streets of her own city, disguised and alone -- risking her life as well as her heart."

Review

Epic and high fantasy fans will love this book, they will curl up and sink into this spellbinding and delectably thick fantasy like a big comfy armchair. Even though Bitterblue is a sequel, it can be enjoyed as a standalone. But rest assured, once readers are pulled into this world, they won't want to leave until they've consumed them all. Bitterblue is a strong entry in this magnificent saga with inspiring characters and a powerful plotline. The inner battles the young Queen faces in order to heal her kingdom from the horrifying abuses of her father, King Leck, will have readers completely transfixed and wanting to help. Fans of Graceling will be happy to find that Katsa and Po and other familiar characters play an integral role and will be enchanted by the host of new characters including a sexy and charmingly reckless love interest for Bitterblue. There's plenty going on within the castle walls, on the streets of Bitterblue City and the neighboring kingdoms to keep readers captivated and to leave them wanting more from this gifted fantasy writer.  The who's who guide and beautifully rendered maps are just icing on the cake. Recommended for fans of other epic sagas such as the Pellinor quartet by Alison Croggon and the Seven Realms books by Cinda Williams Chima.

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Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey
416 pgs.
Target audience: Young Adult
Rating: Dragon

This is an outstanding companion to Dragon's Keep although it can be enjoyed as a standalone book. The kingdom on Wilde Island, mourning its king and anxiously awaiting the return of the prince, is in the hands of the bloodthirsty and evil regent, Sackmoore. The fragile alliance between fairies, dragons and humans is strained. On one of the regent's witch hunts, Tess, who has the gift of firesight, is accused of witchery and is forced to flee with her two best friends, Poppy and Meg. They're offered shelter by a royal huntsman, Garth who is the younger prince in disguise. Tess soon discovers that her father is fey which explains her gift. The dragons play a larger role in the latter half of the story. The pace is slow at first but builds to an amazing climax keeping the reader riveted to the page. All the characters are fully drawn and come to life on the page.This is a must for epic fantasy lovers. There's romance, adventure, history, mythology and political intrigue all against a beautifully rendered medieval landscape. What more could you ask for?

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