Weaver’s Lament has the same elements to recommend it as did its predecessor Brother’s Ruin, but it also has the weaknesses too. The premise is interesting, the world has promise, but nothing is really developed enough for the ideas to really come together. Part of what annoys me is that I’ve read some of Emma Newman’s full novels, so I know she’s capable of good world- and character building, and even if it is YA and a novella, there’s so much that left out that […]
Getting on the Saga Bandwagon
I’ve seen friends and others rave about the amazingness of the Saga series for some time now. After finally getting around to reading volume 1, I can now say I get it, I finally understand what the fuss is about. The world of the story is interesting and makes you want to know and understand more of the history and various races and planets involved, the characters are unique and engaging, and the different plot threads being set up all each intriguing but clearly somehow […]
Grammar Fixing Magic
Imagine fantasy and historical fiction are fused into a mystery, like what you’d get with a mash-up of Umberto Eco’s Name of the Rose, anything by Terry Brooks, and Harry Potter. The result, if it’s decently done, would be Ironfoot (Book 1 of the Enchanter General). There’s a touch of historical reality in the social divisions between the native Saxons and the ruling Normans, which is probably accurate given the setting in 1164 England. The brief cameos by Eleanor of Aquitaine, Henry II, and a […]
Maybe J. K. Rowling should, I don’t know, write a new story?
First, I want to say J. K. Rowling seems like a lovely person. Despite creating one of the most popular – and lucrative – fantasy series in the world, she has never glossed over her experiences with poverty and depression. She founded a neurology clinic in honor of her mother and is a champion of disadvantaged children and single parents. She dropped off the Forbes billionaire list partly because she donated so much to charity, and until lately, her Twitter game has been killer. Unfortunately, […]
We need to talk about Haruki
My other possible title for this review was “Now I know how to quit you”. You see, I have a long, complicated relationship with Murakami. I read Wind-Up Bird Chronicle something like thirteen years ago. I devoured that book. It was weird and fun and compelling. And deeply unsatisfying. Much like his other books, the whole is far less than the sum of its parts. And yet, I keep reading more. I’m honestly not sure why, when there are so many books to read in this way-too-short […]
It Deserves a Better Description than “Nigerian Harry Potter”
When I saw Akata Witch in Overdrive, it was dubbed the “Nigerian Harry Potter“. I had always been a fan of the Harry Potter movies, but didn’t care enough about the writing in the actual books. So I never truly appreciated what this could really mean to a fan of the series. But I knew enough about it to be intrigued and gave it a try. The book is very similar to Harry Potter in a couple of ways. The main character is Sunny, an albino African-American who is bright […]