The Wolf Age

After reading a ridiculous number of novels, we’ve managed to glean a few morsels of wisdom. The key to reading and enjoying novels of different genres and sub-genres is to know what to expect. With Epic Fantasy you prepare for large novels, and slow-paced sections punctuated by sprawling battles. With Mystery/Thrillers, you expect contrived dialogue, and a mandatory twist. Hard SF? You have a dictionary handy for those unavoidable moments where the author makes you feel completely dumb. When it comes to Heroic Fantasy/Sword & Sorcery, however, you need to be prepared for something completely different.

Sword & Sorcery is like white-water rafting. You let yourself get carried by the torrent. Sometimes it is rough. There will be brief, calm moments that lull you into complacency right before the next series of rapids. If you fight against the current, you get nowhere. If you go with the flow, and become part of the ride, you soon find you are grinning ear-to-ear, and having the time of your life.

Reading a James Enge novel is like that, and his latest novel THE WOLF AGE is no exception.

THE WOLF AGE stars Enge’s crooked-shouldered protagonist, the Maker Morlock Ambrosius. When sober, Morlock is a terrible foe. When drunk, he is a different type of foe altogether. He can seemingly make anything. It is his gift. It is also, as the saying goes, his curse. THE WOLF AGE finds Morlock having abandoned everyone dear to him. His self-imposed exile removes his loved-ones from the danger and imminent doom that is focused on him.

And of course, this being Morlock, nothing goes right.

The novel begins with Morlock being taken captive by a community of werewolves. And by community, we mean a civilization. Morlock’s goals, in the beginning, are simple. Survival. Escape. All the while, the Strange Gods are using him and everyone else in the area to attain a goal.

THE WOLF AGE is Sword & Sorcery. That means all sorts of death and destruction, followed by more death and destruction. The pacing is fast, and the action is visceral. Enge usually has a fair bit of humor to offset the grim tones, but that humor is largely absent for the beginning quarter of the novel. It is done to great effect. An early action sequence pits Morlock against a werewolf. The resolution had even us saying, “Well geez, that was BRUTAL.” Grim doesn’t even begin to encompass the beginning. The reader feels just how hopeless Morlock is. So amazingly well done.

As the novel progresses, the humor returns. Enge writes dry wit better than most authors, and it is what keeps his novels from being dragged down in hopelessness. As we mentioned earlier, beware the lulls in the novel. Beware those points where everything is rainbows and jellybeans for the characters. Enge is about to sucker-punch you with awesomeness.

THE WOLF AGE is the third Morlock novel, but if you felt like it, you could read it first. Enge does an incredible job making the werewolf civilization seems unique and realized, and he inserts Morlock into that learning process along with the readers. What this does is let new and old readers alike learn about what kind of man Morlock is. Would you be better served reading the novels in order? Well duh. You always are. And Enge’s first two novels are freaking great.

THE WOLF AGE isn’t perfect. There are times when progression in the novel is jumbled and overly chaotic. Sometimes descriptions—especially of Morlock’s inventions—aren’t clear enough. The werewolf names can really blend together. But really all this doesn’t matter. The novel is just plain enjoyable. The themes of racism and individualism are abundant. And even more than that, loyalty and the ability to look past the surface of things.

James Enge might be one of the most underrated novelists out there at the moment. For whatever reason, authors like Enge, JV Jones, and others don’t get the recognition they deserve. If you haven’t read anything by James Enge, you are missing out. Go grab the first two novels, BLOOD OF AMBROSE and THIS CROOKED WAY. Also read his short story “The Singing Spear” in the SWORDS & DARK MAGIC anthology. If you let yourself get washed away in the flood of Enge’s stories, you may find yourself with another author to put on your “favorites” list.

Recommended Age: 18 and up.
Language: Hardly any. There are a bunch of made up werewolf insults and insinuations though.
Violence: Oh yes. Werewolf politics is a violent practice.
Sex: Two graphic scenes.

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Posted in Books We Like , Dark Fantasy , James Enge

Book Review: Nice and Mean by Jessica Leader

Nice and Mean by Jessica Leader
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication date: June 2010
ISBN: 9781416991601
Source: ARC provided by author

 

Marina is mean, while Sachi is nice.  The two girls are just as different as possible.  Which is why they are both unhappy to be assigned partners on a video project.  Marina wants to do a fashion video, while also exacting revenge on one of her frenemies.  Sachi would rather do something meaningful, with interviews.  Will they be able to find some way to work together?

Things I Liked:
It was a fun and interesting look at the life of tween girl politics.  Marina simply annoyed for almost the entire book, but when she realized just what she was like, I liked that she tried to change.  I also liked that it wasn't a total turnaround.  She didn't turn into a sweet and nice girl in all ways, but she did manage to tone down her attitude.  Sachi was the one I identified with, as I believe I was much like her.  Quiet and easily walked over.  [Hopefully I was nice, too!]  I liked how she saw that she was that way and found small things to do to change that.  It was an accurate if somewhat scary look at middle school girls.  Scary, in that I really didn't remember being that obsessed with fashion, looks, and being so nasty when in seventh grade.  Guess I am out of date.

Things I Didn't Like:
It was really slow moving.  There didn't appear to be much in the way of plot, but it was more like a character development exercise than much of a story.  I'm sure tween girls will enjoy the drama.

Read-alikes:
Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen
Shug by Jenny Han
I So Don't Do Makeup by Barrie Summy

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: ****

Am I the only one who seems to have blocked my junior high experience?

Posted as part of Tween Tuesday, hosted by GreenBeanTeenQueen.

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Posted in 4 stars , middle grade , realistic fiction , review copy , tween tuesday

Listless Monday, Body Parts Edition

Listless Monday was inspired by both Amanda at A Bookshelf Monstrosity's feature Books by Theme and Court at Once Upon a Bookshelf's Listed feature.  Be sure to check out their lists!

I love that none of these books is actually on the list, but they all have lips on the cover - I guess I'll have to do a list with books that have parts on their covers. 

I thought it would make a fun sort of Halloween edition to list books that have body parts in their titles.  Obviously, the content of the books might not be scary, but it could make a fun display.  You know, a few hands here and a bone or two there.  It was a fun list to create, anyway.

Body Parts Edition 

Alcatraz Versus the Scrivener's Bones by Brandon Sanderson
The Skin Beneath by Nairne Holtz (suggested by Buried in Print)
Best Foot Forward by Joan Bauer
Big Mouth and Ugly Girl by Joyce Carol Oates
Bones of Faerie by Janni Lee Simner
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
Does My Head Look Big In This? by Randa Abdel-Fattah
The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm by Nancy Farmer
The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler
Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev
Fall on Your Knees by Ann-Marie MacDonald (suggested by Buried in Print)
A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
The Golem's Eye by Jonathan Stroud
Heart's Blood by Juliet Marillier
Lemonade Mouth by Mark Peter Hughes
Lips Touch: Three Times by Laini Taylor
The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd
The 39 Clues: The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan
My Big Nose and Other Natural Disasters by Sydney Salter
The New Moon's Arms by Nalo Hopkinson (suggested by Buried in Print)
Silent to the Bone by E.L. Konigsburg (suggested by Buried in Print)
Thief Eyes by Janni Lee Simner
The Third Eye by Lois Duncan
Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges
Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume
The Twisted Heart by Rebecca Gowers (suggested by Buried in Print)

Any suggestions?

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Posted in listless monday , lists , not a review

The Queen of Sinister

THE QUEEN OF SINISTER is the second book in the Dark Age Trilogy by fantasy author Mark Chadbourn. This trilogy is the second of three that tells of the time when the boundaries between our world and next have run thin and allowed Celtic gods and nightmares of legend to cross over. If you caught my review of THE DEVIL IN GREEN (the first of this trilogy) you’ll probably understand that I was a bit hesitant going into this book. Like a good reviewer though, I dove into it with my eyes and arms open, hoping for some goodness, because I just love you that much. Ah, the things we do for you...

THE QUEEN OF SINISTER starts off completely different than its predecessor. Where Devin in Green had a car chase, a galloping horse, and a host of nasty bad guys, Queen starts off with a whole host of people dead, a plague ripping across the countryside, and the poor doctor that is torn up that she just can’t do more. I loved the fact that it looked like we were going to get into character in this one. Everything swirled around our doctor-friend, Caitlin Shepherd, and how she was dealing with the mess of a newly mangled world. Then Frank Crowther shows up and says that Caitlin has to come with him, to cross to the other side and help him find a cure for the plague. A quest! To say I was interested would be putting it mildly. Movement! Purpose! Exactly the things that were missing from the last book.

Despite the fact that I liked the opening sequence, I was quickly disappointed by what followed. The cast got pretty large, rather quickly, and I soon found myself wondering why all these people were acting the way they were. In what I read, there was little consistency of character to be found, unless it was the fact that they would all stop and stare agog at the psychedelic colors of some vista or other. I still wanted to see what the end held though, so I did something that I’ve never done before: I gave up on the characters and read the book just for the scope; go in for the ideas and the imagination, for the wonder of the thing. In stepping back, I found that I began to like the book a bit more. It became more of an adventure book, with unknown perils and creepy spies. I just had to remove myself from caring about what the characters were doing. Or in understanding their logic. Or in seeing how one event naturally led them to the next conclusion. Okay. I guess I can do that. Do any of you like books this way though? I don't. Even though there was purpose, the whole thing felt wide open. It seem like a lot of bad stuff happened because that’s the way the world is. But I was okay with it. I may have even been able to finish it all with this somewhat positive outlook, but the end flipped back around and gave me a character/emotional ending.

And I didn’t care in the slightest. Augh!

In the end, this book seems to have given its readers three things:

1) A wider view of the world as it “really is”, including some crazy stuff from the other side—in other words, a whole lotta world-building;

2) A setup for Ms. Caitlin to become a Daughter of Dragons (though by the end I still don’t know if this was even accomplished or not);

3) Solid proof/evidence that mankind is lazy/selfish/crappy, and without helping/goading/forcing from the gods of the Celts, we’d simply never make it. Positively sucks to be us.

On this end of things, I can see that a lot of these three things were in THE DEVIL IN GREEN as well, and I’m not so sure that I’m liking the trend here. Maybe though, it's because I'm not the one doing the manipulating. I certainly have no qualms against pointing any of you in the right direction when necessary... ((Evil chuckle, dry-washing of hands))

Chadbourn’s prose is still good here; world-building, something to be noticed; characters, not much to root for; over-arching story, fairly lackluster. If you’re into books that you can skim through without much involvement, are into it for the author’s imagination, and are looking for a quick read, this book will probably fit right into Slot C (for cool) with you. For me, it was more like Slot I (interested) to A (annoyed) to R (removed) to H (humbug!). I liked some of it. The rest just made me mad. Loads better than its predecessor, but not by enough to matter.

BookInTenWords: Overly flawed heroes find the gods know better than they.

Recommended age: 18+, for a little bit of everything
Language: Not a whole lot, but a bit of every type
Violence: Some, though more should probably be said about the gore of diseased/decaying bodies
Sex: A couple people mentioned as being together under the covers, and one fairly graphic "spiritual ritual" by a female character.

Mark Chadbourn’s Website

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Posted in Books that are Mediocre , Fantasy , Mark Chadbourn

Book Review: Gone by Michael Grant

Gone by Michael Grant
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publication date: June 2008
ISBN: 9780061448782
Source: Library

 

The world changes in an instant.  All the adults, everyone over fourteen, disappears in a single moment.  As the children and teens left attempt to come to terms with this new world, there are no boundaries, rules, or parents to control things.  Chaos begins to rule and the bullies, those with interesting special new powers, begin to take over.  Not only does everyone have to take sides, but they need to figure out what to do to stop what happens with they turn fifteen.  Or they will disappear too.

Things I Liked:
What an intense story!  You can't put this one down, because it will still be sitting in your brain saying, "What happens next?  What will they do?  AH!" until you decide to pick it up again.  It was fast-paced and things kept happening in very quick succession; there was definitely never a dull moment.  I liked how it unfolded too, showing us a little at a time.  It was also very scary to see just how kids will respond in the situation - it felt quite realistic in how it portrayed kids who are sadistic and power-hungry and those who are reluctant leaders.  Interesting, frightening, and compelling.  And making me need to grab the second one from the library soon!

Things I Didn't Like:
It really had me depressed, almost throughout the entire book.  Sometimes I just didn't want to pick it back up because I didn't think I could handle any more bad stuff (but then I HAD to know what happened).  It was also a touch too violent for my tastes, especially when I kept thinking about the ages of the children.  

Read-alikes:
Chaos Walking Trilogy by Patrick Ness
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
The Maze Runner by James Dashner

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
surprisingly few, considering

mrg-factor: X
also not a lot, maybe a few suggestive parts

v-factor: ->->->->->
it is quite violent, some of it is graphic and disturbing

Overall rating: ****

Do you freak out sometimes looking at disaster-type books and wonder how you would respond in that situation?

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Posted in 4 stars , dystopian , Fantasy , gone series , paranormal , Young Adult

Book Review: Mistwood by Leah Cypess

Mistwood by Leah Cypess
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Publication date: May 2010
ISBN: 9780061956997
Source: Library

The shifter has been a legend in Samorna for hundreds of years, but Isabel can't remember any of that.  She only remembers being called back to the kingdom by Prince Rokan, who she will protect with her life.  As her memory slowly returns, she begins to wonder why Rokan called for her when he did - what threat to his life did he decide warranted bringing the Shifter to the palace? 

Things I Liked:
The story that unravels slowly, bit by bit, is fantastic.  I loved having pieces dropped here and there, one at a time.  Isabel was an interesting character - she would remember things and then try to reconcile the way she felt with those memories.  There were quite a few surprises in store at the end that I really didn't see coming at all.  I liked the twists and paths this story took to arrive at the end.  I was even impressed with the unflinching ending that seemed inevitable, but that some writers might have avoided at all costs.  Cypess was not afraid to make those choices for her ending.  Great story, good strong fantasy debut.  Some awesome quotes:

People did fight who lived in castles like these.  Not with fists and feet and claws, but with words and whispers and influence...It was a fight, or rather a game, with many players and many rules and many strategies. p 14

She had thought, once, that nothing could terrify her as much as the thought of her prince dead.  Now she knew there was something worse.  He could live, but choose to do it without her.  He could turn his back on her and make her useless. p 222

Things I Didn't Like:
Some of the fantasy elements could have used more explanation.  Especially some of the stuff that happened at the end - it was very fast and sometimes unclear.  I wish there had been more information about the shifter and what she was - not to mention especially the last time she stayed in the castle.  Despite the explanation for that, I felt like I wasn't entirely sure what happened.  Still, I look forward to more from Cypess, especially if there is more about Isabelle!

Read-alikes:
Fire by Kristin Cashore
Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
one or two

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->->
quite a few fight scenes, nothing overly graphic

Overall rating: ****

Speaking of awesome YA and MG books, have you gotten your Cybils nominations in yet? Nominations end October 15, and I know a lot of great books have already been nominated (including Mistwood), so hurry!

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Posted in 4 stars , Fantasy , paranormal , Young Adult

The Sword of the Dawn

THE SWORD OF THE DAWN is the third of four novellas by Michael Moorcock in his Hawkmoon collection. The four of these (THE JEWEL IN THE SKULL, THE MAD GOD'S AMULET, and yet to come finale THE RUNESTAFF) are getting singular reprints by Tor and from what I've read here are just some good, old-fashioned, fantasy adventure.

Dorian Hawkmoon and Huilliam D'Averc are friends and compatriots that have gathered their friends and family and fled to an alternate dimension from the attacks of the evil Baron Meliadus. Everything seems well and good for Hawkmoon and his friends when a somewhat familiar visitor shows up in their dimension, saying that he was recently in the court of Baron Meliadus himself. Hawkmoon is certain that this portent spells the end of their peace and safety and so decides to set out with D'Averc to make certain that Meladius is not on their trail. So they take up their crystal rings, which will teleport them through the dimensions, and start their adventure.

For how long ago this story was written (1968), it is still remarkably readable. There is very much the feel of the noble hero about Hawkmoon and D'Averc, on which so many of the protagonists of fantasy past have been built. This comes across very quickly, as does the undeniable hatred that Meliadus has for Hawkmoon and all that are with him. This story was especially interesting in light of the fact that we got to see a bit of the other side of the coin through Meliadus as well. We see some of what he struggles with and parts of the relationship between him and the King-Emperor, whom he serves. We see his fixation upon Hawkmoon. This bit has made me want to go back and read the previous two novels. If nothing else, I want to know how their relationship came to be and what it is built upon. Thankfully, there are two stories previous to this that might just help us out with that.

For the most part, this story focuses on the characters and their quests, though there is still very much the sense of this being an adventure story where we see the strange new worlds and peoples and histories of Hawkmoon's story. I think that Moorcock has done a good job at balancing these two facets of storytelling here, plot and world-building. There are magicians and pirates here, great cities and even greater histories. There's even a solid prophecy for us. Now what would a traditional fantasy be without one of those?

Reading this one has definitely left me with a different flavor in my mouth concerning these kinds of classic fantasy tales. It has intrigued me and got me to wondering just what else is out there, already completed decades ago, that I might enjoy. Granted, I may not come across anything like Abercrombie or Martin or Erikson, the greats of today, but there's a good chance I'll find a quick tale of love or betrayal, adventure or intrigue, mystery or suspense, that will suck me in and make me happy. The rules haven't changed. Good story is still good characters and good plot. You know this. Obviously so does this author.

So pick up something by this guy. Maybe this one, maybe an Elric book, maybe something more recent. Moorcock is still pumping out the goods, but it is nice to see Tor giving his older stuff another push. It's definitely worth the read and the chance to round up some more fans.

Recommended age: 14+, straightforward story that has that sense of wonder.
Language: Nothing that stuck out. Mild, if at all.
Violence: Some sword fighting, a few people die or are drowned
Sex: Implied and very brief.

Moorcock's Official Website

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Posted in Books We Like , Fantasy , Michael Moorcock