Twisted Kingdom

For fifteen years FitzChivalry Farseer has lived in self-imposed exile, assumed to be dead by almost all who once cared about him. But that is about to change when destiny seeks him once again. Prince Dutiful, the young heir to the Farseer throne, has vanished and FitzChivalry, possessed of magical skills both royal and profane, is the only one who can retrieve him in time for his betrothal ceremony--thus sparing the Six Duchies profound political embarrassment...or worse. But even Fitz does not suspect the web of treachery that awaits him or how his loyalties to his Queen, his partner, and those who share his magic will be tested to the breaking point.

I had picked this book up at some point in time because I had heard good things about Robin Hobb, and this was the only book one that the bookstore had by her at the time. That was as far as it went at the time, though. I had always planned to get around to her and never did. The other day I was at the bookstore and I was talking to a friend of the person I was with. They read fantasy, the person I was with does not, so they were asking me for some recommendations. I asked for some back, and they said that their favourite author was Robin Hobb. That night I went home and collected this book from my shelves and decided to finally see what the fuss was about.

I did wrong. When I bought it, I did not look up her books, so I did not know that I should have read her Farseer Trilogy first. I know that now, and plan to backtrack to that trilogy before completing this one. It is the suggested method of reading her books, and I should have done it in the first place. My only big complaint with Hobb is that I think the book could easily have been shorter. The first part of the book lays the background for things, but I thought it was a lot of stuff that was not entirely necessary. That was my only really big complaint with the book, too long.

The trilogy follows FitzChivalry as he tells the story of both what is happening now, as well as recounting what has happened in the past. He was first introduced in the Farseer trilogy, which is why you should read it first, and is a very interesting character. It has been fifteen years since the events in the last trilogy, and by all accounts, Fitz has gone from one extreme to the other. He is leading a very calm and collected lifestyle with his pet wolf and his adopted son. Most people believe him to be dead, so it is very easy for him to hide out and not have visitors from the outside world. Things are changing, though, and suddenly he finds himself quite the popular character, as people from his past start to look him up.

Truth of the matter is, Fitz annoys me in the beginning. I mean, he is supposed to have such an interesting past, but he appears so ordinary in the beginning. He is very straight and narrow, and his lifestyle is not really anything to write home about. I understand that it is how people want to live, but it is dull at times to read about. To be honest, the book only really picks up when the Fool enters the story. An old friend from Fitz’s past, he livens the book up for several chapters, but then he goes away. You start to worry that the book is going to go downhill, whether it is worth keeping on with, but the back of the book says that something is going to happen, so I keep reading waiting for the events that it mentions to happen. Thankfully, I do not find that the book falters all that much after the Fool leaves. And, he comes back, so no worries there.

The real importance of this book is a story about a search for a kidnapped prince. The central thing that happens is Fitz and the Fool searching for him. The rest of the stuff that happens is just lead up so we get to know the characters and stuff. I can see this being a bit boring if you have read the other trilogy. Anyways, Fitz starts to be an interesting character after he has the chance to spread his legs a bit. Accompanied by his faithful wolf, which I will let the book explain the significance of, the book gets interesting. Overall, I think that Hobb has a lot of potential. She has also written a book about fear and prejudice that even if it is not about things present in our society, it is reflective of our own culture. I recommend Hobb for fantasy readers. She really did write a good book, even if I thought it was a bit too long. I look forward to reading more from her.

4/5

The Light-Bearer's Daughter tells the story of eleven-year-old Dana, who is about to emigrate to Canada from Ireland with her father, despite her protests. If she leaves, how will she ever find her mother, who disappeared when she was three?

As Dana grapples with her father's decision, she is unwittingly drawn into the world of Faerie. She encounters a mysterious young woman who calls her into the woods. There, Dana is charged with an important mission: she must carry an urgent message from the High King of Faerie to his second-in-command deep in the mountains. If she succeeds, Dana will be granted her heart's desire - any wish will come true.

But why has the High King of Faerie chosen Dana for this mission, and what does it have to do with her long-lost mother?

I have to say again that this is truly a great series to invest your time in. Book 3 in the Chronicles of Faerie series following on from The Hunter’s Moon and The Summer King, this story follows other girls’ adventures to save fairy from impending disaster. This little girl is rather young compared to the other girls in the first two books, as she is only eleven-years-old. We learn through the course of the book, though, that she is not a regular little girl. She has aspects of strength that she is not aware of and secrets that she has chosen to not remember. Her mother left her when she was very young, and Dana has always felt like it was her fault.

She has always lived in Ireland, but her father is from Canada. He came to Ireland for a trip, met Dana’s mother, and decided that he did not see any reason to return to his homeland. Dana is getting older, though, and he finds it hard for a single man to deal with a child that is entering her teenage years, so he decides that it is time to move closer to his family so that the female members can help with her up-bringing. Dana does not know if she wants to leave her home, though. She keeps thinking that her mother will return, and she will not be able to find them if they live in a different country.

Anyways, Dana encounters the faerie folk, and suddenly her life takes a very different turn. She has been commanded to carry a message to one of the faerie kings because for some reason he has made it so that only humans can get near where he rests. So, Dana is sent out to stop him because the faerie folk need him. It is quite an adventure for an eleven-year-old, and the faerie that gives her the mission is often not sure if she can handle it. It means leaving her father for an unknown period of time and setting out in the forest by herself. She does not know who is friend or foe; she just has to keep her wits about her to get the message out in time.

Dana is a good heroine. Sometimes she ages the book, making you aware you are reading about a young child, but Melling writes so well that it really captures your attention. She does not just write simply to write, she has studied folklore and things, so she has a basis for everything that she is saying. It improves the quality of the story, making it better than some of the other faerie books that are on the market. I particularly like that there are translations and pronunciation guides provided at the end so you understand the Gaelic.

All in all, I like this series. I am reading book 4 right now, but it will likely be March before I review it. I like it, but I got a bit Melling’d out, so I am reading it slowly.

4/5

Hourrah, hourrah! This is our first review for an e-book and we hope that everyone will enjoy it :)

Wings of Love by Dayna Hart
published in February 2007 by Forbidden Publications, available here.

Aimée is about to celebrate her 21st birthday and is very excited about it. However, her life suddenly takes a new turn and changes forever when she starts seeing fairies. The news does not please her mother, Cristina, at all and her behavior becomes even more erratic and high-strung than usual. It is only when Aimée meets Lael, a cupid fairy, that she discovers that her life, her mother and her father - a father that she has never known - are linked tightly to the world of fairies and that they need her.

Nath is in black and Kailana is in this colour.

Review: This is the first fantasy e-book that I have read and I think it holds a lot of promises. The story is a bit slow at the beginning and a bit confusing which is due, I think, to Ms. Hart trying too hard to be mysterious. However, the pace picks up and it becomes very interesting once Aimée meets Lael, as the truth unveils. This is my first fantasy e-book too. Normally I avoid e-books because I find it hard to read on the computer. I get too distracted. I agree that it starts off a bit slow, but my problem with it is more that just when the book gets interesting, it ends. I found the book too short. I was glad to hear that there is supposed to be a sequel because now I want to know what happens next.

Now, the characters. I think that Aimée is an okay heroine. The main problem I see with her personality is that she acts and sounds like an 16 years old girl instead of a 21 years old woman. Since the story is quite short, readers do not have time to connect fully with her so it's quite hard to form an opinion; however, I think that Aimée would have been more likable and readers would have been more sympathetic/compassionate with her if she'd been described as an 16 years old girl. As for Cristina, she's not very likable and it's all due to her attitude. It's hard to tell whether she's a good mother or not, it's hard to tell whether she loves and cares for Aimée or not. I guess she's bitter and have grieved too much? Although her attitude is understandable by the end of the book, it is not excusable. Finally, Lael - probably the most interesting character of the book. He's very intriguing and steals the show from Aimée by his look and personality. I found Aimee really childish, too. I do not think that she acts almost 21 years old at all through the book. I thought she could have been represented a bit better, or as Nath says, be about 16 instead of 21. I liked Aimee enough to read the whole book in one sitting. Her mother annoyed me, though. She was believable for our time frame, though, a time frame where women are looking for new ways to stay young. Cristina is very big in the plastic surgery and other age-saving methods. It makes her hard to read because her face does not reveal facial expressions. You do get to understand her by the end of the book, but I am not sure if she handled situations that well. Lael was my favourite too. Just look at the picture on the front of the book and remember that he is cupid, of all people. Not your conventional cupid, huh? He was my favourite character in the book, and I look forward to seeing more of him in future books.

Verdict: As a story, this book falls short a little bit as there are many unanswered questions at the end and the beginning was quite slow and confusing. However, if this book is the beginning of a series, then there's a whole lot of potential and I'll keep reading just to find out more about Lael and Aimée. I agree. When I finished it I wondered about the ending. It made a big difference to me to learn that there were more to come, it makes the book better to know that I will hear more about Lael and Aimee in the future. I look forward to seeing more from them in the future!

Wow! I just, just finished reading the third book of the series and that's pretty much all I can say, wow. Actually, no, I have plenty to say :P First, I'd like to thank Mailyn, for the recommendation, and also Ames, for her review which gave me the little push I needed to start the series. I have to admit I've seen the books many times at the bookstore and I've picked up one many times, but aviation has never truly been my forte and I've always put them back on the shelve. So when Mailyn gave me a list of rec, I didn't realize that do the link between the title and the book till I was at the bookstore :P Anyway, for all those that luv fantasy and still haven't read it, find and read it!!!



Temeraire series by Naomi Novik: 4.5/5

The series is set during the Napoleon Bonaparte war era between France and well, the rest of Europe. Although planes do not exist, these countries possess an air force composed of dragons and valiant aviators. However, in Britain, being an aviator is not very glorious as these soldiers are taken away from their family at 7 y.o. and trained. In addition, Britain's aviation force is quite small as the country is not big and the resources to feed these dragons, limited. Thus, the chances to become a captain, i.e. aviator, are slim and opportunities, rare, especially as some of the dragons are inherited (they outlived humans) and aviators for eggs are pre-selected.

Dragons existed all over the world, but the best breeders are the Chinese, as they were able to tame the dragons first, long before the Romans. Many different breeds exist; they can be small, big, fast, have particular offensive abilities (spit fire or acid), etc. The rarest breed are the Celestials, a Chinese breed usually reserved to royalty, with the unique abililty, the "divine wind."

Book One - His Majesty's Dragon: 4.75/5
published in March 2006 by Del Rey

Will Laurence is the captain of the Reliant and part of the Britain's Navy. During his journey, his crew was able to overtake a French ship with an egg aboard. All were very happy, figuring out the prize money it would bring them, till the ship doctor announced that the egg would hatch in less than a week. According to European's customs, dragons have to be harnessed as soon as they are hatched from the egg and before they eat or else, they will fly away and become feral (rogue). However, usually, the person who harnesses the hatchling becomes the aviator and thus, in this case, it would mean a change in career completely. Thus, one person was drawn from the crew. However, the dragonet had a mind of its own and chose Laurence as his aviator. Laurence then names him Temeraire and together, both, start their training in order to join force to Britain's Corps and defend against France. Along the way, Laurence and Temeraire will forge a very strong friendship as well as discover that Temeraire is one of the precious and very rare Chinese Celestial dragon.

Review: I really love this book and I have to admit this is my favorite among the three books so far. I love it because of Laurence and Temeraire's friendship; how it started and how it grew. In addition, I enjoyed the whole training and Temeraire's friendship and interaction with the other dragons as well. I like how Laurence had to adjust to his new position and how much he has come to care about Temeraire, very touching. Basically, a very good first book that set the bar very high.


Book Two - Throne of Jade: 4.25/5
published in April 2006 by Del Rey

By the end of His Majesty's Dragon, Laurence and Temeraire discover that Temeraire is a Celestial dragon (he was previously mistaken for an Imperial - a very rare Chinese breed, but not as precious as a Celestial), and his egg was intended to be a gift to Napoleon Bonaparte. Now, China has sent a delegation to demand Temeraire's return; however, the dragon is unwilling to be separated from his aviator, as Laurence is to be separated from him. Seeing no other solution, the delegation accepts that Laurence accompanies Temeraire to China, since it is only under this condition that Temeraire would go. However, the journey to China is going to be long and anything can happen...

Review: Basically, I like every scene between Temeraire and Laurence, as well as Temeraire and his crew and dragon friends and scene of Temeraire's growth. What made me enjoyed this book less than the previous one is that there is a lot of politics involved and in addition, many wanted to separate Temeraire and Laurence. In my head, I know that of course, both will remain together since there's more books in this series and so on... My problem is the doubts that both are having, their fear of being separated - it makes me uncomfortable. To see such a friendship in danger, just makes my heart aches. It helps that both were willing to do some sacrifices in the end for the other to be happy, but at the same time, I can't help it to wonder if both are content now.


Book Three - Black Powder War: 4.5/5
published in May 2006 by Del Rey

In order for Laurence to remain Temeraire's aviator, he had become the Emperor's adopted son. Now, both of them along with their crew are preparing to go back to Britain, their home. After seeing how dragons were treated in China compared to in Britain, Temeraire has great plans in his mind to improve dragons' living-style in Britain and cannot wait to get home. However, their departure is delayed by a fire which destroyed the dragon transporter and at the same time, Laurence receives order to fetch 3 eggs purchased by Britain from Istanbul, Turkey. Debating the situation, Laurence decides in the end that they must reach the eggs as soon as possible, as one of them will soon hatch and they cannot risk to lose the dragonet. Thus, Laurence, Temeraire and their crew engage on a long journey through land (as opposed as sea - the way they came)... However, very little goes as planned.

Review: This was a very interesting story, a bit more action-based I'd say, than the others. Lots of battles and you can feel that the situation is becoming very critical - Bonaparte is gaining a lot of territories, many are surrending, etc. There is a lot less of politics, which I thank the author and adding to the storyline is revenge - while in China, a prince tried to kill Laurence and instead was killed. His dragon, an albino Celestial named Lien, blames Laurence and Temeraire for the death of her aviator and thus, sets out to help Bonaparte to see Laurence and Temeraire lose everything - their country, their friends, etc. Really, I enjoyed it a lot, especially the new dragonet's birth and how Temeraire acts - jealous big brother. The only thing which I felt sad about is Temeraire's ideals for a new living style for the dragons. It is very noble and ideal of Temeraire, but practically, it will be very hard to implement. Of course, Laurence tries to warn Temeraire, but at the same time, he doesn't want to shatter all of the dragon's hope... so I think this part of the storyline puts a bit of strain in their relationship. Oh, and I miss Temeraire's dragon friends T_T


Overall

Characters - Laurence is issued from nobility; however, he is only the third son and not heir. His relationship with his father is quite strained, as his father would have preferred Laurence to become man of Church instead of a soldier, and now, becoming an aviator is like a demotion in his eyes. Laurence is, how to say, a very proper man - good manners, judicious choices, long thinking, very conscious of his position and his surroundings, etc. He is not a stuffy shirt, but a 30-something years old man with a very level head on his shoulders. I like his character a lot as he is quite new and refreshing. We're not talking about a rake or an alpha male, and so he is very different than most main characters. However, I have to say, it's bit hard to connect with him, as his thinking and his ways are from another era. Nonetheless, a very interesting and well-developed main character.

Our second main character, critical to this story, is Temeraire! My description of Temeraire would be a very intelligent/genius little boy - okay, with frightening weight and ability to fly :P By the end of the third book, he might be 2 -2.5 years old. He is so very innocent and with so much to learn. Temeraire is a Celestial dragon, the only one in Europe - he is very intelligent, able to learn stuff and languages, interested in everything, curious about everything. He's also very protective of the persons he loves... He's also very wise at times... Overall, a very complex character, but you can't help but love him and find him cute. He's also the comic relief in the series which you need, because after all, the stories take place during war time.

These two are really the main characters and they carry the story on their own :P There's a myriad of other characters tho: Granby- the first lieutnant, Keynes - the doctor, Maximus and Lily - Temeraire's dragon friends, etc. They all play a role in the series, but they're not the focus.


Story & Writing - Well, what can I say about the writing style? Can't complain for sure. What I'm impressed the most at is how Ms. Novik was able to bridge the action or more important scenes together. Time flows quite rapidly, the story is not dragging at all. This is tricky, especially on long journey like the ones on which Temeraire and Laurence embark on. So really... the only thing I'd had like is a bit more description of the different breeds of dragons - it's also very difficult to keep tracks of all of them, but luckily, there's now a wiki page to help.

As for the story, I really enjoyed them. All three stories are very different from each other and continuous. What I mean is that, they don't only just fight, fight, fight. They have a mission to achieve, a goal and it is not the same in each of the book and so it adds novelty to each book. However, don't be mistaken - this is war time, and Ms. Novik is not shy about killing characters - crewman, dragon, etc. which does cause me a lot of heartache T_T

The Covers - They're all very nice :) I like them a lot, especially the dragons the image inside the , I don't know, compass, watch?

Am I keeping this book? Hell yes! Need to ask?

Anything else? Lots :D 1. Here is Ms. Novik website, livejournal, as well as the wiki page.
2. Ms. Novik has signed another contract with Del Rey for 3 other books (Yay!). The 4th one is name Empire Ivory and is coming out sometimes this Fall (it's too far away!). The 5th book will come out in 2008 in hardcover. Still no news of the 6th book.
3. Apparently, Peter Jackson has optionned the Temeraire books :)
4. For those who have read the 3rd book and the excerpt that is at the end of the book, please read (Spoilers ahead): I'm going to die, if I have to wait till Fall arrives. I need to know which dragons are dead and which ones are alive. Please, please, please, Maximus and Lily must be alive! And Excidium too, please, please, please. T_T
5. Ames, Mailyn, if we beg Ms. Novik, do you think she'll send us an ARC?

Book Description:

The award-winning author of The Mysteries returns with another captivating novel in which modern-day enigmas and age-old myths come together with spellbinding results. Here is an enchanting tale set in a land rich with folklore–and ripe for a rekindling of the old ways.

Nestled on the coast of Scotland, Appleton was once famous for its apples. Now, though the orchards are long gone, locals still dream of the town’s glory days, when an Apple Queen was crowned at the annual fair and good luck seemed a way of life. And outsiders are still drawn to the charming village, including three very different American women.

Enchanted by Appleton’s famously ornate, gold-domed library, divorcée Kathleen Mullaroy has left her cosmopolitan job to start anew as the town’s head librarian. Widowed Nell Westray hopes for a quiet life of gardening in the place where she and her husband spent their happiest moments. And young Ashley Kaldis has come to find her roots, and learns that the town’s fortunes turned when her grandmother was crowned Apple Queen–then mysteriously disappeared.

When a sudden landslide cuts Appleton off from the wider world–and the usual constraints of reality–the village reveals itself to be an extraordinary place, inhabited by legendary beings, secret rooms, and the blossoming of a rare fruit not seen in decades. Most unexpected is a handsome stranger who will draw all three women into an Otherworld in which luck and love will return to Appleton–if only one of them will believe.

Lush with the romance and allure of ancient traditions, The Silver Bough will propel you into a land where, as in Eden, the bite of a single apple can alter the whole course of reality.

I originally got this book at the end of 2006 during my reading lull. I got inspired to read it because of a review from another blogger. I am glad I read it. I had never heard of or read Lisa Tuttle before, so I was glad to try this out. It was a worthwhile read.

I seem to be on a fantasy kick lately. I really enjoyed this book. It was a bit of a fairy tale taking place during contemporary times. It is about a small town that most people are not even aware existed, Appleton. Suddenly, though, everything is about to change. Three Americans travel to the pennisula for very different reasons. Each woman tells her story, with the help of a few males, to explain what happened on Appleton to put it on the map.

I had some moments of deja vu reading this book. There was this scene that was very odd. The librarian, one of the main characters, went to visit the old librarian and she met all her ancient relatives. Considering how odd it was, I was surprised to feel like I had read a similar scene before. Kathleen was my favourite aspect of this book. By adding in the library, it added a large reading aspect to this novel. I have to also say that the library in this book sounds absolutely gorgeous! I would not mind visiting there.

Nell is hard to understand in the beginning. She has been living in Appleton for a while now, but she has become rather reclusive. It is not until she starts to explain her past that we understand her future. She is one of the key notes to this book, the safety of Appleton ends up in her hands because she is the only person on the famous island that still grows apples. the enconomy suffered and apples became unhelpful. Nell is resurrecting that age old tradition.

The young character is Ashley. She has traveled to Appleton to find out why her grandmother left Ireland and traveled to America. It was the family secret, and she feels the need to learn where she came from. Her grandmother's past is heavily involved in what her grandmother did years ago. She travels back at the time when her grandmothers past needs to be corrected.

Overall, this is an interesting book full of magic and make-believe. There are many other things happening, too. It is the sort of book where you have to believe in the unordinary, even if the characters in the book are having a hard time with it.

4/5

Book Description:

Mechanic Mercy Thompson has friends in low places-and in dark ones. And now she owes one of them a favor. Since she can shapeshift at will, she agrees to act as some extra muscle when her vampire friend Stefan goes to deliver a message to another of his kind.

But this new vampire is hardly ordinary-and neither is the demon inside of him.

I just finished reading this new book from Patricia Briggs. The sequel to Moon Called, which I read last year, this was a good way to start of February. This book has quite the paranormal cast of characters, there are werewolves, vampires, fae, witches, and many more characters to attract your interest. Patricia Briggs is best known for her fantasy novels, but this move to paranormal fantasy has been quite enjoyable. I started to read her backlog of books, but I have not read them all yet. I have lots of time to do so, though, while I wait to see if there is going to be a book three, and if there is, when it will be out.

In this book, Mercedes is proving to the paranormal world that she may not fit into the categories that their society has made for non-human creatures, but she is worthy of many "bad" guys. Mercedes is a Walker. She has the ability to turn into a coyote. The Walkers were destroyed many years ago by the Vampires, so a part of Mercedes heritage has been lost. She knows what she is, but the only people that can really tell her what she is capable of are the vampires, and they are not talking. Mercedes learns a bit more about herself in this book, though, mainly because it is the vampire society that she is helping.

One of the things that I like about this book is that she writes tastefully. There are hints at romance, but other than a few kisses, the book has been pretty tame in that department. That means that there is more time to concentrate on action. Many people will not read fantasy novels by female authors because there generally is a great deal of romance, but so far Briggs has done a good job in giving the readers action and a strong female that you can respect.

There is the potential for the books to go in any direction. I am worried, there is a bit of a hint at a possible love... situation... that could present itself. I hope that Briggs figures out what she wants Mercedes, um, doing, before she writes the next book because the last thing I need is there to be more about the romance and less about the fantasy. So far she has done a very good job. I believe that this book stands up well to the one that came before it. Let's just hope it stays that way!

That being said, I liked the first book better. Not by a lot, but I am not getting into part ratings, so I will give it a 4/5 and you can pretend it is like a 4.25 or something.