My thanks to Canelo for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Oracle’s War’, the second instalment of the Olympus series by David Hair and Cath Mayo in exchange fMy thanks to Canelo for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Oracle’s War’, the second instalment of the Olympus series by David Hair and Cath Mayo in exchange for an honest review.
The story picks up shortly after the events in ‘Athena’s Champion’, which I would urge newcomers to the series read first as it establishes the characters and settings.
Here Prince Odysseus is sent on a quest to redeem his family’s honour after malicious interference in his sister’s marriage by Tiresias, the greatest seer (and suspected sorcerer) of the age. Odysseus soon finds himself sailing to the island of Delos with his trusted companions.
Delos is the site of an important shrine to Artemis and a new prophecy uttered by a young seeress there has caught the attention of the gods, including his patron Athena. The seeress is being held in seclusion but Odysseus is determined to interview her. Adventures, escapades and a war against the City of Thebes follow.
This was excellent storytelling and draws on the tale of the War of the Epigoni. I had loved the first in the series and yet felt that this exceeded it. There is a great deal of action and intrigue yet it also has humour, which is especially evident in the ongoing banter between Odysseus and his companions, Bria and Diomedes.
Odysseus is such an amazing character and tales of Ancient Greece are certainly in vogue at present with two novels appearing in the 2019 Women’s Prize for Fiction shortlist. A useful glossary is included at the end of the narrative.
I am very impressed with this series and will be waiting expectantly for the next in this wonderful series.
Merged review:
My thanks to Canelo for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Oracle’s War’, the second instalment of the Olympus series by David Hair and Cath Mayo in exchange for an honest review.
The story picks up shortly after the events in ‘Athena’s Champion’, which I would urge newcomers to the series read first as it establishes the characters and settings.
Here Prince Odysseus is sent on a quest to redeem his family’s honour after malicious interference in his sister’s marriage by Tiresias, the greatest seer (and suspected sorcerer) of the age. Odysseus soon finds himself sailing to the island of Delos with his trusted companions.
Delos is the site of an important shrine to Artemis and a new prophecy uttered by a young seeress there has caught the attention of the gods, including his patron Athena. The seeress is being held in seclusion but Odysseus is determined to interview her. Adventures, escapades and a war against the City of Thebes follow.
This was excellent storytelling and draws on the tale of the War of the Epigoni. I had loved the first in the series and yet felt that this exceeded it. There is a great deal of action and intrigue yet it also has humour, which is especially evident in the ongoing banter between Odysseus and his companions, Bria and Diomedes.
Odysseus is such an amazing character and tales of Ancient Greece are certainly in vogue at present with two novels appearing in the 2019 Women’s Prize for Fiction shortlist. A useful glossary is included at the end of the narrative.
I am very impressed with this series and will be waiting expectantly for the next in this wonderful series....more
“One of the guiding principles of dryadology,” I said, “is this: do not cross the sort of Folk who make collections of human body parts.”
My thanks to “One of the guiding principles of dryadology,” I said, “is this: do not cross the sort of Folk who make collections of human body parts.”
My thanks to Little, Brown Book Group U.K. Orbit for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands’ by Heather Fawcett.
This is the sequel to ‘Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries’ (2023) and continues the adventures of Emily Wilde, the foremost expert on the study of the Hidden Folk, and her infuriatingly charming fellow scholar, Wendell Bambleby.
As this is a continuous story I would suggest that it is best to read them in order for continuity. In addition, I don’t wish to stray into spoiler territory for Book 1 for those who may not have yet read it - so just a brief overview.
Emily’s new project is the creation of a map of the realms of faerie. This takes her to the picturesque Austrian Alps. She is accompanied by Wendell and her niece, Ariadne, who had arrived in Cambridge with a deep-rooted love for dryadology. Ariadne is now serving as Emily’s research assistant. The project involves unraveling the mysterious workings of faerie doors. Many adventures follow.
I was pleased to reunite with these characters, including Emily’s canine companion, Shadow. In addition to the enthusiastic Ariadne we are also introduced to Wendell’s cat, Orga.
Heather Fawcett skilfully blends horror with whimsy, including some fantastic action sequences along the way. Emily’s wry observations in her journal were a pleasure to read. Overall, I found ‘Emily Wilde's’ Map of the Otherlands’ a worthy sequel to the first book. Again, it was well written and full of fascinating faerie lore. As I reached its final page I was pleased to see the statement: ‘The story of Emily Wilde and Wendell Bambleby will continue in Book 3’. Hurrah! ...more
“When the nights deepened, swallowing daylight by the hour. When winter whispered its frozen song across the land. When the promise of snow could be t“When the nights deepened, swallowing daylight by the hour. When winter whispered its frozen song across the land. When the promise of snow could be tasted in the air. Then, and only then, would the grand doors to the manor house on the cliff be flung open to the night.”
My thanks to HQ for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Upon a Frosted Star’ by M.A. Kuzniar. I subsequently purchased its hardback and audiobook editions.
In 2021 I read and fell in love with ‘Midnight in Everwood’, Kuzniar’s debut novel that was a reimagining of ‘The Nutcracker’. Here the ballet theme is continued, focusing upon Swan Lake creating an enchanting tale that was a perfect winter read.
In 1922 struggling artist Forster is walking with his roommate Marvin through London when they see papers fluttering down. Each one reads: ‘Second star to the right and straight on ’til morning.’ Forster is perplexed though Marvin knows that it is an invitation to a very special party at a manor in the country.
They arrive at the glamorous party and Forster sees a ballerina, with whom he becomes instantly fascinated. In 1923 Forster is on tenterhooks until the day he and Marvin discover new invitations, this time with a theme linked to F. Scott Fitzgerald’s recently published novel, ‘The Beautiful and the Damned’. So it’s all jazz and flappers and of course he meets the mysterious ballerina again.
Marvin discovers that she is Odette Lakely, owner of the manor. Yet she and her aristocratic parents had been listed as lost on the Titanic though she claims that she is no ghost. Her story is revealed to be much stranger and involves her time as the principal ballerina with Rothbart’s Theatre of Enchantments. No further details to avoid spoilers.
While this is not a direct retelling of Swan Lake, it contains many elements from the tale, including the transformation of a woman into a swan and the presence of Rothbart, here a theatre owner, choreographer, and illusionist. Yet is he more?
In between his encounters with Odette Forster’s relationships with his friends are explored as well as his career as an artist in London and France, where he meets Picasso.
In general this felt a darker tale than ‘Midnight in Everwood’ as indeed the tragic elements of Swan Lake contrasts with the lightness of The Nutcracker. I felt that M.A. Kuzniar perfectly evoked the glamour of the 1920s period setting.
Overall, I found that ‘Upon a Frosted Star’ was a stunning mix of ballet, a mysterious curse, modern art, and Jazz Age glamour. It was beautifully written with rich descriptions throughout.
“This has always been my struggle. Neither side accepts me fully. I’m tired of the separation between my two halves, the border that divides both worl“This has always been my struggle. Neither side accepts me fully. I’m tired of the separation between my two halves, the border that divides both worlds, assimilating one side while going back to the other, speaking the language of the invader and the language of the invaded, back and forth until I become lost somewhere in between.”
My thanks to HarperVoyager for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Sun of Blood and Ruin’ by Mariely Lares.
I was drawn to this historical fantasy by its stunning cover and premise of a combination of Mexican history and Mesoamerican mythology.
Leonora de Las Casas Tlazohtzin is the daughter of the Viceroy of New Spain (Mexico) and a native woman and so is very much caught between two worlds. While she is the jewel of this 16th Century court and promised to the heir to the Spanish throne, she has another name: Pantera the masked vigilante, a shapeshifting sorceress with a blade. No one suspects that Leonora and Pantera are one and the same. Yet there is an ancient prophecy that threatens her future. In her quest to unravel its meaning she has both allies and adversaries. No further details to avoid spoilers.
I had mixed reactions to this novel and found the first part somewhat patchy in terms of pacing, though this improved as the story progressed. My biggest issue was that I found very little sense of the period setting.
Given that this novel is set in the 16th Century, the way that its characters speak and act felt way too modern. I usually find this kind of anachronistic language and behaviour to be more common in Teen and YA fiction. Indeed, I felt that ‘Sun of Blood and Ruin’ read very young although marketed for adult readers.
However, I did enjoy the exploration of the clash of cultures following the fall of the empire of Montezuma II by the conquistadors and the inclusion of Mesoamerican mythology; especially that linked to animals such as the jaguar and the shapeshifting lore. As noted above I did feel that after a hesitant start, that the novel did improve and I felt more engaged.
Overall, while I found ‘Sun of Blood and Ruin’ something of a mixed bag, I still felt that it held promise and likely will read Book 2 when it is published.
“Miss Abigail Wilder was not supposed to use her magic in front of the tea ladies. Never use your magic in front of the ton, her father had told her. “Miss Abigail Wilder was not supposed to use her magic in front of the tea ladies. Never use your magic in front of the ton, her father had told her. Once you do, they’ll never let you rest – you’ll be doing useless magic tricks until you’re old and grey.”
My thanks to Little, Brown Book Group U.K. Orbit for a review copy via NetGalley of ‘Longshadow’ by Olivia Atwater. I complemented my reading with its unabridged audiobook edition again narrated by Madeleine Lesley.
This is Book 3 in Atwater’s Regency Faerie Tales series, which blends a queer Regency romance with a Faerie-themed fantasy. The book opens with a handy Dramatis Personae. While there are some overlapping characters with the previous two books, ‘Half A Soul’ and ‘Ten Thousand Stitches’, each book can be read as a standalone.
It appears that a number of the marriageable young ladies of London are mysteriously dying and Abigail Wilder is determined to discover why. Abigail's father, the Lord Sorcier of England, is convinced that a dark lord of faerie is involved though Abigail has different ideas.
In order to discover the truth she is willing to match her magic against that of Longshadow, a lord of the sluagh with dominion over the dead. Neither her father nor London high society believe that she is capable of doing so. One person who does have confidence in her is Mercy, a self-taught magician who is also a laundress. She soon joins in Abigail’s investigation. Longshadow’ was another charming tale in this series. I loved Abigail’s relationship with her ghost brother, Hugh, and of course with Mercy. As in the previous two books issues of class are explored between the fashionable ton and the rest of society. There were also plenty of rich descriptions both of locations in Regency London and of the faerie realms.
I love Olivia Atwater’s writing and she is on my list of ‘must read’ authors.
My thanks to Pan Macmillan Tor for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Bookshops & Bonedust’ by Travis Baldree.
This is a prequel to Baldree’s cosy fantasy ‘LegeMy thanks to Pan Macmillan Tor for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Bookshops & Bonedust’ by Travis Baldree.
This is a prequel to Baldree’s cosy fantasy ‘Legends & Lattes’ and relates a tale of Viv, the orc barbarian, during her younger years when she was adventuring with renowned mercenary company Rackam’s Ravens.
When Viv is wounded during a hunt for a powerful necromancer, she is forced to remain behind and recuperate in the sleepy beach town of Murk. She is bored and worried that she’ll never be able to return to her life.
She spends her time exercising her injured leg and building her strength. One day Viv wanders into Thistleburr Booksellers, a struggling secondhand bookshop. She discovers that she quite enjoys spending time in the company of Fern, its foul-mouthed proprietor. Yet it isn’t long until adventure shows up in the bookshop all on its own. No further details to avoid spoilers.
What a treat this was including its wonderful supporting cast such as Potroast, Fern’s gryphet, and Maylee, the dwarf who runs the Sea Song Bakery. It was also fun to see how Fern tempted reluctant reader, Viv, into embracing new reading material.
This was quite a slow burn though in due course there is plenty of action. It definitely held my attention and I ended up reading it in a single day.
Overall, I enjoyed ‘Bookshops & Bonedust’ very much and it certainly encourages me to look into Travis Baldree’s earlier writings as well as keep an eye out for future projects.
“Whenever I try and shove corpse management off onto someone else, they tell me I should keep at it because I’m so good at it, and this actually happe“Whenever I try and shove corpse management off onto someone else, they tell me I should keep at it because I’m so good at it, and this actually happens to be true. Even so. When it’s your friends you’re hauling about, it’s different. No, that’s not quite accurate. It’s the same, but with heartache as well as backache.”
My thanks to Little, Brown Group U.K. Orbit for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Saevus Corax Gets Away with Murder’ by K. J. Parker.
This is Book 3 in Parker’s Saevus Corax Trilogy in which Saevus Corax’s tale comes to an end. As this is a continuous story that unfolds over its three books, it is advised to read them in order for continuity.
In the battlefield salvage business, it’s important to regard death as a means to an end. In other words, when the blood flows, so will the cash. Yet even though it’s clear that a big war is on the way, Saevus Corax has had enough. It’s time to retire.
Before he can do that he needs to put his affairs in order and get away with one last score that will fund his retirement. Yet he finds that there are plenty of challenges along the way, as well as reunions and partings.
This proved a satisfying conclusion to Corax’s journey with bittersweet elements. Over the course of the trilogy I became quite attached to this playful trickster and admired Parker’s world building throughout. Overall, I found ‘Saevus Corax Gets Away with Murder’ and the trilogy as a whole a great read with its blend of comedy, adventure, and historical fantasy coupled with Saevus’ entertaining narration. Having completed it encourages me to now look into the other writings of K.J. Parker/Tom Holt.
“It occurred to me that most scavengers keep from being prey by operating in flocks, or packs. Birds of a black feather flock together”
My thanks to Li“It occurred to me that most scavengers keep from being prey by operating in flocks, or packs. Birds of a black feather flock together”
My thanks to Little, Brown Group U.K. Orbit for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Saevus Corax Captures the Castle’ by K. J. Parker.
This is Book 2 in Parker’s Saevus Corax Trilogy in which the irrepressible Saevus Corax continues to relay to his audience the picturesque adventures he has in the battlefield salvage business.
Following the latest salvage, their camp is attacked. No money is taken though five of Corax’s key men are missing. He is confused as to why they would leave.
Then he is summoned to a meeting with an elderly woman, clearly known to him. He says of her: “From time to time she happens to me, like earthquakes, economic collapse or the plague, and so far I’ve survived all the outbreaks, but a man only gets so much luck in one lifetime.”
To avoid spoilers I won’t reveal who she is to him though it fills in more details about his chequered past. Being an unreliable narrator, Corax does have a tendency to drop these occasional bombshell revelations. It transpires that the reason his men were taken is to force Corax into capturing a castle. If he refuses or fails, his men will be killed. So he has no choice but to give it a try. Given that it’s Corax involved, the conventional rules of siegecraft are unlikely to be followed. No further details to avoid spoilers.
I have taken quite a shine to Corax, I expect it is partly due to how he so effortlessly embodies the archetype of the Trickster. It also feels apt that he has taken a name associated with the raven.
Overall, I found ‘Saevus Corax Captures the Castle’ a great deal of fun, blending fantasy adventure with its appealing tongue-in-cheek narration by Saevus Corax. The final book in the trilogy, ‘Saevus Corax Gets Away with Murder’, is due to be published in December.
“Just as I was about to leave the big tent, a voice called out a name, one I hadn’t heard in years. … He said the name again; then, “It’s me.” I knew “Just as I was about to leave the big tent, a voice called out a name, one I hadn’t heard in years. … He said the name again; then, “It’s me.” I knew that, of course. “My name is Saevus Corax,” I told him. “Do I know you?” I wasn’t lying. I’d just left a word out: nowadays my name is Saevus Corax.”
My thanks to Little, Brown Group U.K. Orbit for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead’ by K. J. Parker.
This is Book 1 in Parker’s Saevus Corax Trilogy. In it Saevus Corax tells his story. He quite openly declares himself an unreliable narrator and compares lying to farming or landscaping; as a way to “control your environment and make it better”. It’s a bold statement and sets the tone for what follows.
Currently he makes a decent living as a Battlefield Salvage Contractor, through some would call him a grave robber. He and his crew clear battlefields: picking things up such as swords, armour, and arrows and of course disposing of the bodies. Not the nicest job but somebody has to deal with the dead.
Something else that Saevus has buried is his past. Unfortunately, in this he didn't quite succeed….
Before I started reading I wasn’t aware that K. J. Parker is the pen name of Tom Holt. While I have read a number of Holt’s books, this is my first experience of K. J. Parker.
As this is the first in a trilogy, I will reserve my judgement on the plot as I am planning on reading all three. There was plenty of action in this novel and Saevus’ tongue-in-cheek narration was very entertaining.
Overall, I found ‘Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead’ a great introduction to Parker’s work with strong character development and world-building. I look forward to reading more adventures with Saevus Corax and company. ...more
“An interesting thing happens, when a man is defeated in combat by a woman . . . He tells nobody.”
My thanks to Simon & Schuster Children's UK for an e“An interesting thing happens, when a man is defeated in combat by a woman . . . He tells nobody.”
My thanks to Simon & Schuster Children's UK for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Sisters of Sword and Shadow’ by Laura Bates. This is the first in a fantasy duology. I was aware before starting it that it was written for a Teen/YA readership and kept this in mind while reading.
In the time of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, Cass is a young woman who on the day of her sister’s wedding dreams of freedom rather than an arranged marriage. When out walking, she is attacked by a mounted brigand who snatches her mother’s locket and rides off. Then a beautiful leather‑clad woman on horseback rides up to her, extends her hand and asks: “are you coming?”
Cass doesn’t hesitate and stays with the mysterious woman even after the locket is successfully retrieved. They travel north and the woman, Sigrid, brings her to the Northumbrian estate of Lady Angharad, the widow of a wealthy merchant. There Cass is introduced to the Sisters of Sword and Shadow, a group of female knights who are training to fight, protect their community, and right the wrongs of men.
Cass is quickly drawn into their world, finding a sense of belonging. Due to the need for secrecy, Lady Angharad resorts to subterfuge so that the larger world believes that her husband is always conveniently away on business. When the Sisters do ride out or take part in tournaments, they conceal their identities and so are believed to be men. The chief baddie is Sir Mordaunt, who is taking a lot of interest in Lady Angharad’s status and therefore threatens the future of the Sisterhood and the women and girls who have found sanctuary there. No further details to avoid spoilers.
Laura Bates is a feminist activist who has written a number of nonfiction books on the subject and is engaged in projects that assists girls and young women to find their voices. According to her Acknowledgments, this was a very personal project as she wrote “there is also an urgent need for feminist joy and that is what this book represents for me.”
Clearly this novel was written with a feminist agenda and while I appreciated Laura Bates desire to write an Arthurian novel that explored different roles for its female characters than what she describes as either the wife/love interest (Guinevere) or the witch/enchantress (Morgan le Fey), I felt that she ignored that there have been other Arthurian retellings as well as nonfiction works that highlighted lesser known female characters.
Here it seems that the women are basically dressing up as blokes and it took some considerable suspension of disbelief to imagine they carried this off successfully.
Also, I was disappointed that there was hardly any fantasy elements in the novel; while there were plenty of fights, jousts, and melees; plus armour and chain mail. Yet these elements were anachronistic when added to concerns about Picts and Saxon invaders. So, it wasn’t particularly faithful to any historical period and just a bit of a mishmash in that respect.
I also found it rather hard to feel much connection with Cass as she seemed to have turned her back on her family without a backward glance. Some of the supporting characters made more of an impression even though they felt underdeveloped. The attitude towards men seemed very reductive with all, apart from one, being misogynistic and even the far away knights of Arthur’s court being rotters.
Overall, I found ‘Sisters of Sword and Shadow’ an okay read, which will probably appeal to many but it didn’t really work for me. The cover is lovely though.
“Herein I intend to provide an honest account of my day-today activities in the field as I document an enigmatic species of faerie called “Hidden Ones“Herein I intend to provide an honest account of my day-today activities in the field as I document an enigmatic species of faerie called “Hidden Ones.” This journal serves two purposes: to aid my recollection when it comes time to formally compile my field notes, and to provide a record for those scholars who come after me should I be captured by the Folk.”
My thanks to Little, Brown Book Group U.K. Orbit for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries’ by Heather Fawcett.
Emily Wilde is the foremost expert on the study of faeries and is currently writing the world's first encylopaedia of faerie lore. She may be a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher, yet Emily Wilde is not very good when it comes to dealing with people.
In October 1909, she begins her latest fieldwork arriving with her canine companion, Shadow, on the Scandinavian island of Ljosland. All Emily is interested in is her research and has no intention of befriending the townspeople of Hrafnsvik. Still, it proves hard for her to ignore their offers of assistance.
Her peace is further disrupted when her dashing yet insufferable academic rival, Wendell Bambleby, turns up on the doorstep with a pair of his graduate students in tow. While her goal is to uncover the secrets of the Hidden Ones - the most elusive of all faeries - she finds herself on the trail of another mystery: who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want?
This novel was enchanting with its playful take on Edwardian academia. Emily Wilde peppers her journal with scholarly footnotes on the field of dryadology. It feels as though Heather Fawcett had great fun writing this faerie romp. I certainly enjoyed reading it.
Overall, I found ‘Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries’ a delight. It is beautifully written, well paced, and incorporated plenty of Scandinavian lore on elves, trolls, fairies, and other supernatural creatures into its narrative, including cautionary tales about human-Fae interaction. I felt that the romantic elements were well integrated into the plot without overwhelming the fantasy.
The next book in the series, ‘Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands’ will be published in January 2024 and I can hardly wait.
“It is a truth universally acknowledged that the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter must be a witch.’
My thanks to Quercus Books Jo Fletcher Books“It is a truth universally acknowledged that the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter must be a witch.’
My thanks to Quercus Books Jo Fletcher Books for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet, Witch’ by Melinda Taub.
This is a lively reimagining of Jane Austen’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’ in which Miss Lydia Bennet puts pen to paper to relate the events and aftermath of the classic story from her own perspective.
We all know that the five Bennet daughters suffer from the fact that their father’s estate is entailed only to male heirs and that their mother is anxious that they all make advantageous marriages.
However, Lydia has entirely different concerns. She is a witch, an apprentice to her aunt, Mrs Philips. In addition, her best-loved sister, Kitty, is a barn cat and her familiar, though Kitty is seen by everyone as a human girl and can transform at will.
“Many a lonely young girl makes a companion of a pet. What happened next, though, was far from ordinary. I made believe that my cat was my sister, and my family indulged me, as one does with an imaginative and spoilt child. … Kitty this, Kitty that, was the refrain in our house, until one day, they were not humoring me—they saw her, too.”
Then there is Wickham who is every bit as wicked as portrayed in ‘Pride and Prejudice’ and more so given his origins! Alongside the usual pretty frocks, bonnets, and balls, the story is packed with magic, witches and covens. There’s even a dragon and the quest for a powerful magical jewel.
Lydia’s account does tend to jump about in time and location though she is portrayed as a flibbertigibbet as she had been in the original novel.
In the Author’s Note Melinda Taub writes: “This book is an amalgam of history, folklore, one and a half Jane Austen novels, and a bunch of stuff I made up from whole cloth.” I was pleased to see the inclusion of Miss Maria Lambe, who had appeared simply as Miss Lambe in Austen’s unfinished novel ‘Sanditon’. Miss Lambe was a wealthy heiress from the West Indies and was Austen’s only Black character. In this reimagining she plays an important role in Lydia’s life.
Melinda Taub points out that Miss Lambe’s situation in her novel was based on fact as “at this time mixed-race heirs were often disinherited by English courts in favor of their white relatives.”
Overall, I found ‘The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet, Witch’ an entertaining Regency romp with added fantasy elements. It held my attention throughout and I enjoyed it very much. ...more
‘Man or Minotaur? Hero or villain?’ - cover tag line.
My thanks to Pan Macmillan for an eARC and to Macmillan U.K. Audio for a review copy of the unabr‘Man or Minotaur? Hero or villain?’ - cover tag line.
My thanks to Pan Macmillan for an eARC and to Macmillan U.K. Audio for a review copy of the unabridged audiobook edition, both via NetGalley, of ‘Once a Monster’ by Robert Dinsdale. The audiobook is narrated by Justin Avoth.
I have been intending for some time to read one of Robert Dinsdale’s novels and was excited by his retelling of the myth of the Minotaur set in mid-nineteenth century London.
London, 1861: Ten-year-old Nell has been an orphan since the death of her mother four years previously. All she has are vague memories and a pair of satin slippers. Nell now belongs to a crew of mudlarks that work a stretch of the Thames along the Ratcliffe Highway looking for treasure, all of which they are obligated to turn over to their master, Benjamin Murdstone, or face his wrath.
One day Nell discovers a body on the shore. While this isn’t the first corpse that she’s encountered, it is the strangest. He is nearly seven feet tall with matted hair covering his legs and the suggestion of horns. Nell’s fellow mudlarks are only interested in the man’s boots and the contents of his pockets, yet she feels protective towards him. Then the figure draws breath – and Nell makes a decision which will change her life forever. No further details to avoid spoilers.
What a magical tale! I was completely captivated by the story of Nell and the aptly named Minos. The premise of a mythic creature from ancient Crete walking through the world for thousands of years was quite compelling. As the bond between Nell and Minos grows, he shares details of his earlier life with her. Minos is heartbreakingly noble though there are times when the monster emerges.
Nell has dreams of becoming a dancer and Minos encourages her aspirations and shares tales of the past: “They don’t dance the ballet, not in London – not yet. But they’ve been dancing it for hundreds of years in Rome. They dance the ballet in Paris and St Petersburg.”
‘Once a Monster’ is a Dickensian novel both in its setting and style. It is rich in its descriptions of London, alive with characters that span the social classes.
With respect to the audiobook, Justin Avoth is an established actor with stage, film, and television credits. He has a rich, smooth voice that brought the novel’s characters and setting vividly to life.
Overall, I felt that ‘Once a Monster’ was an amazing novel. I loved that Robert Dinsdale had brought a figure from ancient myth into a historical setting. I found it a genuinely moving story full of hope and acceptance. Based on this positive experience I plan to read more of Robert Dinsdale’s work in the near future.
“Bone dog, stone dog . . . black dog, white dog . . . live dog, dead dog . . . yellow dog, run!”
My thanks to Titan Books for an eARC via NetGalley of “Bone dog, stone dog . . . black dog, white dog . . . live dog, dead dog . . . yellow dog, run!”
My thanks to Titan Books for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Nettle & Bone’ by T. Kingfisher.
Having recently read ‘Thornhedge’, I decided to read one of Kingfisher’s earlier titles that has been on my TBR for ages. I was immediately captivated by this dark fantasy.
Princess Marra is the third-born daughter of a minor king, who rules a small city-state that houses the only deep harbor along the coast of two rival kingdoms. Her elder sister, Damia, enters into an arranged marriage with Prince Vorling of the Northern Kingdom. However, five months later her body is returned home. Then her other sister, Kania, becomes his second wife. When she turns fifteen Marra enters a convent.
Marra enjoys her life there as she has more power and freedom as a nun than as a princess of the realm. Years pass. When accompanying her family on a visit to the Northern Kingdom, Kania says to her: “Listen! If I die, don’t let her marry you off to the prince. Run away. Ruin yourself. Whatever it takes. Don’t let her drag you into this hell along with us.” Frightening words.
Marra realises that Prince Vorling is abusing Kania and decides to find a way to rescue her - by killing him. In order to obtain the tools to accomplish this she seeks help from a powerful dust-wife (a gravewitch). Elspeth agrees to help if Marra can complete three impossible tasks.
This is just the beginning of Marra’s quest. She is joined by Elspeth, Bonedog, a magically reanimated dog made of bones, Agnes, a reluctant fairy godmother, Fenris, a former knight, and Finder, a chicken possessed by a demon. This unlikely team plan to somehow take out the prince and free Marra's family and their kingdom from his tyrannous rule.
Kingfisher manages to incorporate some quite gruesome segments alongside lighter, sweet scenes. I feel that it take considerable skill to negotiate that line between the light and dark successfully. I especially enjoyed the descriptions of the Goblin Market.
Overall, I loved ‘Nettle & Bone’ and found it a satisfying fantasy with excellent world building. I enjoyed this very much and felt that Marra was a wonderful lead with a quirky supporting cast....more
“Gunnhild Ozurardottir, if you come with me, I can teach you not only how to gain the knowledge of the spirits as a seeress does, but all manner of wi“Gunnhild Ozurardottir, if you come with me, I can teach you not only how to gain the knowledge of the spirits as a seeress does, but all manner of witchcraft I know: how to curse and to heal, to conjure storms and befuddle enemies, to cast charms to protect and destroy, to use the runes for magic, and to travel out of body.”
My thanks to Titan Books for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Weaver and the Witch Queen’ by Genevieve Gornichec.
While her debut novel, ‘The Witch’s Heart’, was a mythological retelling, this instead is a reimagining of the origin story of Gunnhild, a quasi-historical figure, who appears in a number of the Icelandic Sagas. She is known as the Mother of Kings.
Oddny and Gunnhild first meet as children in tenth century Norway. Yet while Oddny hopes for a quiet life, Gunnhild longs for power. When a visiting wisewoman makes an ominous prophecy involving Oddny, her sister Signy, and Gunnhild, the three girls take a blood oath to always help one another.
Over the years this oath will be tested in many ways. Following an attack on their farm, Signy is taken by Viking raiders. Oddny is determined to save her sister no matter the cost. Far to the north, Gunnhild is studying the ways of a witch. She finds herself drawn to Eirik, the heir apparent to the ruler of all Norway. The novel follows these journeys and the lives that they subsequently touch.
Genevieve Gornichec blends some fantastical elements into her narrative, including the way that witches are able to borrow the bodies of animals and birds in order to travel, oversee events, and occasionally take direct action. The Norse gods are mentioned, though the author clarifies that they are there because the characters believe in them, not that the novel is about them.
After the main text there is an Author’s Note where she provides details of the historical background to her novel and where she utilised artistic licence. This is followed by an Appendix that lists people and terms. Both are useful additions for readers keen to know more.
Even though this novel has a different focus to ‘The Witch’s Heart’, Genevieve Gornichec demonstrates a considerable knowledge of Norse history that alongside her storytelling skills creates a compelling tale.
Overall, I found ‘The Weaver and the Witch Queen’ a well written and engaging read. I have now placed Genevieve Gornichec on my ‘must read’ list of authors of historical fantasy as I appreciate that she writes confidently from a foundation of knowledge of both the history and mythology of the early Scandinavian societies....more
‘France, 1793. Revolutionaries want blood. But vampires bite back.” - cover tag line.
My thanks to Pan Macmillan Tor for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Scar‘France, 1793. Revolutionaries want blood. But vampires bite back.” - cover tag line.
My thanks to Pan Macmillan Tor for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Scarlet’ by Genevieve Cogman.
This is the first book in Cogman’s The Scarlet Revolution series that is a reimagining of Baroness Orczy’s tales of the Scarlet Pimpernel enhanced to include magic and vampires.
The League of the Scarlet Pimpernel are engaged in rescuing French aristocrats, including the vampire ones, who are facing the guillotine,.
Eleanor is a maid employed by Sophie, the Vampire Baroness of Basing. When she serves drinks to the Baroness’ guests, Sir Percy Blakeney and his wife Lady Marguerite Blakeney, they are struck by her resemblance to Queen Marie Antoinette. They recruit her to assist them and the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel in a daring rescue of the surviving French royal family.
Eleanor has no experience of the world or of impersonating royalty though with the assistance of League members she is prepared for the role before they embark in disguise to the Continent. No further details to avoid spoilers.
Genevieve Cogman opens with a few historical notes on the French Revolution and a very useful Dramatis Personae.
In her Acknowledgements Cogman writes: “at seven or eight years old, I loved Leslie Howard in the film version of The Scarlet Pimpernel – no, I wanted to be the Scarlet Pimpernel.” That youthful enthusiasm was later tempered with questions about what underlying social issues had led to the Revolution. The result in the form of ‘Scarlet’ is a playful romp with vampires that is informed by a more serious stance on the politics of the era.
On a side note, the cover art for this novel was very striking and drew my eye immediately.
Overall, I found ‘Scarlet’ a fast paced historical fantasy adventure told against the backdrop of the French Revolution. I enjoyed it very much and definitely will be reading further books in the series.
My thanks to Pan Macmillan for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘She Who Became the Sun’ by Shelley Parker-Chan. It was originally published in July 2021 and My thanks to Pan Macmillan for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘She Who Became the Sun’ by Shelley Parker-Chan. It was originally published in July 2021 and I have since purchased its ebook and unabridged audiobook editions.
This is Book One in Parker-Chan’s Radiant Emperor Duology, which is a queer reimagining of the rise to power of Zhu Yuanzhang, the peasant rebel who expelled the Mongols, unified China under native rule, becoming the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty.
In the novel’s opening in 1345 China is under harsh Mongol rule. In a famine ridden village, the Zhu family are barely surviving. At the request of their father a fortune teller shows two children their fates. For the boy, Zhu Chongba the eighth-born son, there will be greatness yet for his sister - nothing. When a bandit raid wipes out their home and family, the children must find a way to survive. When her brother gives into despair and dies, his sister resolves to overcome her destiny. So she takes on her dead brother’s identity and begins an journey in which she hopes to claim her brother’s greatness and rise as high as she can dream. As it’s an epic covering Zhu’s life from 1345 to 1356 quite a lot happens, so no more details to avoid spoilers.
I understood that this was a reimagining of this period of Chinese history, though I began reading with no knowledge of Zhu Yuanzhang and the Ming Dynasty. Still, I was pleased that the author provided on their website some material about the historical figures that feature in the Radiant Emperor Duology.
Once I started my read/listen of this novel, I was quickly drawn into the narrative and quite captivated by it. There are elements of fantasy in the story such as an awareness of the presence of ghosts and the like.
Shelley Parker-Chan is a gifted storyteller and I could appreciate why ‘She Who Became the Sun’ has been so highly praised. The sequel, ‘He Who Drowned the World’, is due to be published in August.
Newt’s Emerald’ is a charming Regency romp blended with fantasy. It’s very light-hearted and proved a quick read.
It was originally written in 1990 asNewt’s Emerald’ is a charming Regency romp blended with fantasy. It’s very light-hearted and proved a quick read.
It was originally written in 1990 as a book within a book thriller and then reworked in 2013. Nix cites his love of Georgette Heyer and Jane Austen as the main influences for ‘Newt’s Emerald’.
Overall, I enjoyed it very much and a little sad it was a one-off. ...more
My thanks to Little, Brown Book Group Orbit for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Daughters of Izdihar’ by Hadeer Elsbai.
This debut novel is the first parMy thanks to Little, Brown Book Group Orbit for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Daughters of Izdihar’ by Hadeer Elsbai.
This debut novel is the first part of Elsbai’s Alamaxa Duology set in Ramsawa, a fictional land inspired by historical Egypt. It is told from two alternating viewpoints.
Nehal is a daughter of the House Darweesh. She dreams of attending the Weaving Academy where she will be able to develop and control her power of bending any water to her will. After this Nehal hopes to pursue a glorious future on the battlefield as part of the first all-female military regiment. However, her family has other plans and has negotiated her marriage to Niccolo Baldinotti.
Neither she nor Niccolo love each other and indeed he is in love with another woman, a poor bookseller named Giorgina. They come to an agreement that it will be a marriage in name only and he will pay her tuition to the Academy while he is free to continue his relationship with Giorgina.
Yet Giorgina isn’t particularly thrilled by the idea of becoming his concubine. She also has her own secret: she is an earthweaver though her untrained powers are dangerously unstable. She finds solace in attending meetings of the Daughters of Izdihar, a women's rights group fighting for greater freedoms in this restrictive patriarchal society.
While they come from very different backgrounds, Nehal and Giorgina discover that they have more in common than they think. Enticed by the group's enigmatic leader Malak Mamdouh, the two women are drawn into a web of politics, violence and threats of war as they find themselves fighting to earn - and keep - a lasting freedom. I was impressed with Hadeer Elsbai’s world building. She opens the novel with maps along with geographic descriptions. While there is no stated time period, the mention of trains alongside palanquins (covered litters) as well as women seeking the vote brought to mind the early 20th Century. However, this is very much a fantasy with a fascinating magical system of elemental weavers and indications of supernatural forces.
There is a subtle sapphic element to the story though I felt that this restraint very much suited the personalities of the women as well as the nature of the society.
‘The Daughters of Izdihar’ was certainly an intriguing opening volume incorporating feminist and recognisable social issues into a fantasy setting. I shall look forward to its conclusion in due course. ...more
My thanks to Head of Zeus - Ad Astra for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘City of Last Chances’ by Adrian Tchaikovsky.
While I have a number of Tchaikovsky’s My thanks to Head of Zeus - Ad Astra for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘City of Last Chances’ by Adrian Tchaikovsky.
While I have a number of Tchaikovsky’s science fiction novels and novellas, I hadn’t to date read any of his works of fantasy. So, I was excited to read his latest, heralded as his ‘triumphant return to fantasy’.
It is a long, complex novel in which Tchaikovsky creates a portrait of an occupied city on the verge of revolution. For the past three years Ilmar, known as the City of Last Chances, has been under the heavy hand of the Palleseen occupation. Ilmar’s diverse population also has to contend with the influence of a powerful criminal underworld, the oppressive hold of its factory owners, and the crippling legacy of poverty. For good measure there’s also an ancient curse on the city.
There has always been a darkness to Ilmar as at its heart is the Anchorwood, a primeval grove of trees, where when the moon is full a portal opens to strange and distant shores. Some say that Ilmar is the worst place in the world and the gateway to a thousand worse places.
I was grateful for Tchaikovsky’s opening lists of the factions of Ilmar and the Palleseen Occupation as well as a handy Dramatis Personae.
As always Tchaikovsky’s world building was excellent though the movement between its multiple character viewpoints, the competing political factions, and the often dense prose did demand a close reading. It wasn’t a novel to zip through.
Amidst the dark fantasy were flashes of humour, including some bawdy moments. I also enjoyed the portrayal of the various gods, including some insect ones. Tchaikovsky really seems to like bugs.
Overall, an intriguing, intelligent political fantasy that proved a satisfying and immersive reading experience. ...more
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