When Days Tilt is a story about two worlds - our own, circa 1850s, and its darker, stranger mirror image. Unwittingly uniting or at least connecting tWhen Days Tilt is a story about two worlds - our own, circa 1850s, and its darker, stranger mirror image. Unwittingly uniting or at least connecting these two worlds, is teenaged Ava, a watchmaker's daughter who has never really felt as if she fits in or belongs in the London of our world. A chance encounter plunges Ava into Donlon, a city like and completely unlike her own. A strange, frightening and wonderful place. But Donlon has its own dark secrets and Ava is soon pitched into its struggles, along with Jack - a Donlon blacksmith . What if the answer to who she really is and why she doesn't belong, is an answer she doesn't want to hear?
This is an excellent example of children's fiction, straddling the divide between older junior fiction or mid-grade, and the older end of the YA spectrum. By turns whimsical and gritty, the story is a fast paced fantasy adventure which has some very deep emotional themes at its core. As well as exploring what the absence of a parent can mean to a child and charting the turbulent waters between mother and daughter, When Days Tilt takes a long hard look at identity. Without an understanding of who we are and where we've come from, it's impossible to set healthy boundaries with others or know what we want from life. This is a theme that will definitely resonate strongly with children entering adulthood. In addition, 'time' plays an important part in this book. It's the one thing no-one is making any more of (or is it?) and it's the only unit of measurement that has any real value, so what happens when people are selfish and greedy with a resource that belongs to everyone? I don't want to stray into spoiler territory but beneath the engaging prose and fun fantasy story, some genuinely hard questions are being asked.
Overall this book is charming, poignant, funny and gripping. A must read for slipstream fantasy fans, young and old. Looking forward to the release of book 2. ...more
Audio ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Audio review - narrator was brilliant. Excellent reading and really captured Winston'sAudio ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Audio review - narrator was brilliant. Excellent reading and really captured Winston's mindset throughout this harrowing novel.
The book - there's a reason that this is a classic. While I do believe Orwell suffered from leaning into the inbuilt human negativity bias too much at times, the message of this book is as relevant today as when it was first written. Yes, I know the year 1984 was a few decades ago now, and we're not living in the futuristic high tech societies promised by fifties sci-fi, but it really doesn't matter. 1984 and it's pov character Winston, speak to the human need for freedom and curiosity and the terrible consequences of that when you live in a society that intends to train you into certain lines of thought. There are frightening parallels here with our own society. The way those at the top contribute to keeping a dirt poor and repulsive underclass in place and a frustrated, mean and angry middle class above them. In 1984 this is carefully engineered. Someone is in control. It's a diabolical plan but there is a mastermind. In our own reality, no one is flying the plane and that's even more frightening.
In many ways the message of this book - question everything, do not succumb to lazy thought patterns where you don't verify information, strive to be free in your own mind at least - is reflected in trends in social media. It is so easy to end up with our own 'Big Brothers'. We form echo chamber communities online, expelling voices who disagree with ours. We pursue our own confirmation bias instead of accepting that it's possible to completely disagree with an opinion or a piece of information and yet still consider it from all angles. I genuinely believe this is an essential skill we are losing and we will be the poorer for it. The way it's so easy to fall from grace at the least infraction against the crowd is also shockingly apposite. Consider the last time you saw a Twitter dragging. It's so easy to get drawn in, and yet people say and d stupid things or may even have a point. Views contrary to yours are not necessarily evil.
I could go on but that's the subject for a podcast episode I think so I'll end it here. Orwell makes some excellent points. If this is a book you've always meant to read, don't put it off. It's not a happy story but it is an important one....more
Audio arc provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
I'm not sure what I expected when I went into this book, but I quickly found myself caAudio arc provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
I'm not sure what I expected when I went into this book, but I quickly found myself captivated. It's fantasy in the sense that it's set in a different world - but don't expect dragon or magic - and it's alternate history in that it borrows heavily for mores and manners from a sort of quasi regency/ Victorian/ Edwardian time period. There are cars and trains but not the sleek muscle machines and diesel run engines of today. The status for women and men and the roles assigned are largely pre- WWI. In short it feels like speculative fiction even though you can't point to any specific element and say 'aha!'
Audio review first - this is told in 4 POVs - Claire Dryden, now Magister Ludy (head mistress or head magister of the strange school). Leo Martin in the present and Leo Martin in diarised past form and the Rat. The three narrators did an excellent job of bringing the characters to life and making them distinct. It was a pleasure to listen to.
Review of the book - Montverre is a strange and exclusive school where the best and brightest (male only) minds study for the Grand Jeu - the great game. The Grand Jeu is a historic institution surrounded by theatrical tradition and fierce competition. It's never fully defined in the story but it reads as a combination of maths, music, science, literature and natural philosophy creating something that is part art, part science and part magic. I wanted to know more about it but also didn't feel disappointed that the mystery was never solved. The main characters, Leo and Claire, have both achieved great success built upon a scaffolding of lies. When Leo is disgraced by the ministry and sent into exile at Montverre, he is the last person Claire wants to see. Already beset by the challenges of being Magister Ludy in a discipline that does not allow women to become scholars, trying to resist increasingly disturbing political movements such as purity laws, Claire has no time for an ego centric arrogant man who left Montverre many years before without completing his term. Meanwhile the Rat prowls the dark corridors like a secret waiting to come to fruition...
This was exquisitely written. I can see it being a Marmite book for readers because it isn't action packed and the focus is very much on character interaction and the themes of classism, injustice and gender politics. Leo is going to annoy some people too because he starts off very sexist - not misogynist, he doesn't actively hate women - and he only improves slightly by the end of the book. Personally I found this minor change more profound. If you are benefitting from a system set up for you and everything in your upbringing endorses you and rejects women as inferior, then teaches you not to see the inequality, you're not going to have a Demascan conversion in the space of less than a year. But Leo is questioning the way things are, quietly. He rejects the purity laws and acts on this doubt. He's forced to acknowledge that Claire is a superior Grand Jeu player. And that's usually the tipping point for someone absolutely blinkered by prejudice - seeing one superior example opens the door to questioning the entire institution. However, this will not be quick enough for people who think that a complete one-eighty on ingrained childhood and adulthood beliefs are more realistic. In addition, Leo is bi-sexual and has clearly come to terms with that so he's obviously capable of questioning. His worst trait in my opinion, is the fact that he is lazy in his thinking. Do not assume Claire exists to teach him to be a better person. She very much has her own agenda and is often at odds or crossed purposes with Leo. She is just as flawed despite being the far less privileged person. And the story is not about this directly either, but looks far more about how truth and lies and competition in friendship can both lock the parties involved in as well as tear them apart. I don't want to veer into spoiler territory but I'll round up by saying I found this book stunning, exquisite and very satisfying. ...more
Audio arc received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Audio review first: I liked the narrator. He brought out the characters well and was Audio arc received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Audio review first: I liked the narrator. He brought out the characters well and was pleasant to listen to. Perhaps I'm imagining it, but it felt as if he wasn't desperately interested in some of the large bodies of prose in between dialogue. That could just be my perception of course and didn't detract from a sterling performance.
And on to the book. It would be easy, since this is another large tome of alternate historical fantasy where magic is added to the Eighteenth Century, to compare this book to Jonathan Strange and Mr Norell. It's certainly likely to appeal to a similar audience. However, Parry's ambition historical fantasy is set as much in France and the West Indies as in England. Against the backdrop of the abolitionist movement against slavery, the French Revolution and the struggle for greater rights for commoners in England, Declaration uses the inclusion of magic to examine this complicated political and violent time. Fair warning this is a slow burn story that meditates far more on politics than it examines magic. The point, I think, is that anyone can have magic (for magic read personal power, aptitude and ability) but only upper classes are alllowed to use it; only approved magical ability is permitted - if your bloodline comes from a dark magic background, chances are you'll be euthanised at birth or 'braceleted'; and over seeing all this are the Knight Templar - a stand in for the Church (which was very hand in glove with both politics and slavery in 18th C.)
Overall, I really enjoyed this book despite expecting a much lighter, more action packed fantasy. I enjoyed what Parry did with characters such as William Wilberforce, William Pit (both of whom I already knew a fair bit about) and Robespierre. I think the story relies on the reader either already knowing a bit about the time period and the big events or relies on them being willing to find out. Naturally the French revolution, the slave trade and the class discontent was far more complicated than this but Parry does a good job of making it accessible without dumbing it down too much. There's plenty of character development and everyone acts with good reason. The magic system is interesting if a little sparsely described - mostly it's just hitched onto historical record and I confess that I would have liked a little more. However, this was entertaining and informative and I especially enjoyed Wilberforce and Pit's friendship. Highly recommend....more
Another great instalment in a cracking series. In this volume, the military has contracted Dame Isabella and Tom Wilker as experts to oversee a dragonAnother great instalment in a cracking series. In this volume, the military has contracted Dame Isabella and Tom Wilker as experts to oversee a dragon breeding program in Akhia. This is effectively an arms race against the Yangese, whose kyliga's made of dragon bone present a danger in the threatening war. Of course there is no chance that Isabella is going to limit herself just to overseeing a small population of fire drakes, not when there are deserts to explore, political intrigues to unravel, a labyrinth built by the Draconians waiting to be discovered, not to mention the possibility of seeing Suhail, the linguist again. Brilliant, action packed and intelligent sff packaged as natural history and scientific exploration. Highly recommend....more
Still really loving this series. In this episode, Isabella is finally able to undertake a journey seven years in the planning and voyage around the woStill really loving this series. In this episode, Isabella is finally able to undertake a journey seven years in the planning and voyage around the world studying sea serpents, winged serpents, fire lizards and more. Dispensing with convention entirely, she decides to simply take her 9 yr old son with her and some of the best parts of the book were watching her and Jacob form a better understanding of each other and a closer relationship. While the focus is in an alternate history 19th C naturalist studying dragons, Brennan also weaves in different cultures, different religious practices, an understanding of societies were more than two genders and same sex marriages are the norm and many other facets of this fascinating world. I suppose if you want your dragons to be magical creatures approached entirely from the realm of fantasy (of SciFi - let's not forget Anne McCaffrey)then this may not be for you but I've always been fascinated by the dawn of naturalism and the discoveries of Darwin and Mary Anning so I love this more biological 'David Attenborough' style approach. Utterly spellbinding. ...more
What more can Lady Trent possibly have to discover on the matter of dragons? You may well ask and the answer is a far bigger one than you probably expWhat more can Lady Trent possibly have to discover on the matter of dragons? You may well ask and the answer is a far bigger one than you probably expect. No spoilers but this was a very satisfying conclusion to the series. In her late thirties now, Isabella takes an exploratory trip with her husband over what seems to be fantasy Tibet. They are about to discover a hell of a lot more than any one bargained for and the cost will be high. This series has been brilliant. A refreshing take on fantasy natural history and alternate history. Highly recommend....more
It's now a tradition to preorder Jodi Taylor's St Mary's xmas story then wake up on xmas morning to find it's been auto delivered to your e-reader abdIt's now a tradition to preorder Jodi Taylor's St Mary's xmas story then wake up on xmas morning to find it's been auto delivered to your e-reader abd now you have something to read shilst making xmas dinner. It's a holiday highlight.
This year was a twist in the illegal christmas jump with a farewell time trip for Major Guthrie - who picked Bannockburn. As a member of clan Bruce I obviously appreciated this. Some new characters, tantalising but frustrating hints and we finisg up with a Christmas party. A bloody good time was had by all. As always I highly recommend this entire series....more
Having taken a leisurely two books to build up to this point, Bray now has the Diviners fully in place as a team and it's all kinds of awesome. Once aHaving taken a leisurely two books to build up to this point, Bray now has the Diviners fully in place as a team and it's all kinds of awesome. Once again the themes are deep, the history is rich and well researched. The world building is stellar and feeds directly into the story. There's more emphasis on Memphis and Theta in this book - which I loved because they are two of my favourite characters. There was also a fair amount on side character Bill Johnson, who has taken me from indifference to 'my precious' with a side trip through 'I'll kill you!'
That's not to say the other characters don't get their arcs advanced, because they do. Ling and Henry take a bit of a back seat after the last book but they are still very much present. Evie, Jericho and Sam have a lot of tangled threads to sort out - this book really doesn't pull punches with any of them. Mabel, a non-diviner, really reaches for a future for herself with tragic consequences. Meanwhile the team learn a lot more about Project Buffalo and its connection with both the eugenics movement and with the wealthy entrepreneur who made Jericho the man he is today. But there's another connection for the King of Crows is nearly upon them and he's always hungry...
The themes in this book dwell a lot more on race and exclusion, bringing into sharp relief how segregation of different races was enforced; how rights and privilege's were withheld; and how personal freedoms - even the freedom to love whomever you wished was severely curtailed. This book was far more of an ensemble piece in some ways and the main ghost story was less a focus than a way of trialling the new team dynamic. Personally I found that really worked but I am very definitely in this for the entire series, so like Bray, I'm playing the long game. That might not be everyone's bag.
Normally I'm a complete bear for structure and I have to admit that the last 20% of this book was a little odd. There's 10% where it seems all the romantic subplots are being tied off and everyone seems to be getting it on - fine with me but seemed strange because its all at once. And then the last 10% is clearly laying groundwork for book 4 and sticks out a bit. I'm at the stage where I will read anything this series wants to throw at me but objectively I admit it looked odd. (Was it a publisher decision to whet the appetite for the final book?) Either way, still a 5 star read for me. I once again devoured the audio book - I've mentioned how awesome January Levoy is, right? Highly recommend this whole series - one of the best YA series I have ever read. Honestly, if you like the Six of Crows found family team dynamic, Bray does it even better with the Diviners. ...more
Another great episode on the St Mary's saga featuring Max, Leon, Peterson, Dr Bairstow, Markham and the gang. Max has finally had enough of renegade tAnother great episode on the St Mary's saga featuring Max, Leon, Peterson, Dr Bairstow, Markham and the gang. Max has finally had enough of renegade time traveller and sworn enemy, Clive Ronan, impacting on her life. Struck by one of her brilliant ideas, Max leaves St Mary's on Secondment and joins the time police. Things go downhill from there - about what you'd expect really. Max manages to piss off everyone from crime lords to T-rexs, and it's not even tea time yet.
This was a really enjoyable episode, slowly inching the main series arc forward while still providing plenty of fun adventures in the meantime. I don't want to say too much more in case I inadvertently drop spoilers but there is some great action and twisty thinking in this one. Plus a moment between our lead duo that many people have been waiting for for several books ;)
Highly recommend this excellent and humorous time travel sci-fi extravaganza series....more
It's become a tradition for me to wait up after midnight on Christmas Eve to wait for delivery of the new St Mary's Christmas story to my kindle so I It's become a tradition for me to wait up after midnight on Christmas Eve to wait for delivery of the new St Mary's Christmas story to my kindle so I can start it immefiately. As the title suggest this is in a different vei than previous installments with the illicit xmas eve jump destination being Mars. It was still funny and entertaining although I would have preferred Max's pov. I'll be interested to see the author do a series on the Time Police since a) I am 90% in this for Max and the St Mary's cast and b) she has done too good a job prejudicing me against them! Highly recommend this entire series....more
If I'm being super picky, the storyline in this second book was very slightly less engaging for me than the plot of book 1. This is still abs4.5 stars
If I'm being super picky, the storyline in this second book was very slightly less engaging for me than the plot of book 1. This is still absolutely my kind of book though. It was great to hear more about the talents. I still love the historical setting. And the characters are as multi faceted and complex as before. I love Kim, Julian has really grown on me (sob!), Alice, Rose, Mrs Babbage, Owen... they're all brilliant. Something Kenyon does especially well is a both disturbing and sympathetic villain. This is as true for her petty antagonists as for her major ones.
In this episode, Kim is chafing whilst waiting for a legitimate mission from the Agency. A series of chilling ritual child murders sees Kim investigating a 'New Age' cult built around the Bloom of Talents at an ancient Welsh castle. Meanwhile, Julian is trying to investigate the disappearance of a Polish asset and a young boy called Martin comes forward claiming the elusive 'sight view' talent. In the world of paranormal spycraft, nothing is what it seems.
While I really want Kim to be going toe-to-toe with the paranormal Nazis, this was an important seasoning episode for her. A fast paced, clever and engaging story with plenty of action. I am going to buy book three - Nest of the Monarch - but my tbr is so huge I don't know when I'll get to it, so if the audio book is forthcoming, that would be great! ...more
I think I must have been exactly in the target audience for this one because it just hit all the right beats for me. Set in an alternate pre WWII BritI think I must have been exactly in the target audience for this one because it just hit all the right beats for me. Set in an alternate pre WWII Britain, At the Table of Wolves follows young journalist, Kim Tavistock as she negotiates the shadowy world of British Intelligence. Yorkshire born, Philadelphia raised Kim, is still recovering from a personal loss which happened while she was a child during WWI. This has sharpened her sense of moral obligation and loyalty to her country, as well as her hatred of the growing Nazi regime in parts of Europe. So what makes this alternate history? Well, in this world, certain people are born with 'talents' - mental abilities which give them an edge over ordinary people. Kim is possessed of a talent called 'the spill' - which in essence means that whatever someone most wishes to hide or keep secret, will be the very thing they confess to her. Other talents include the ability to move objects telekinetically, future view and trauma view, as well as various others. This slight deviation in normal human progression has very subtly altered a few tiny pieces of history. (So this could be classified as urban fantasy- alternate history)
Where some of the luke warm or negative reviews are coming from is, I think, because this is not your typical X-Men style of powered individuals. We're not talking superhumans here. The talents are subtle, and while they are essential to the plot, there's comparatively little in the way of massive, psychic powered explosion or action sequences. So if you're looking for that, or for the more typical strains of urban fantasy with supernatural humans, then this isn't going to deliver. Personally, I found the pre-war setting, the historical detail and the subtle supernatural angle to fit really well with what is essentially a spy thriller. Minor point here, I know we've all seen at least one James Bond film and as fun as they are, let's be honest, real spy work is 90% puzzle solving to 5% frustrated boredom to 5% actual action. This is far more of the George Smiley order of spies than anything created by Ian Fleming. Which really worked for me but if you're a fan of frenetic pace and not having to do too much thinking, this might not hit the spot for you!
I loved the characters. They were all well developed. No one was entirely a white hat or a black hat, and everyone had motivations for what they did. This was especially apparent with Herr von Ritter, who was a very enjoyable antagonist and more than a little chilling. I also loved the way Kenyon captured the feel of the time both in the upper and lower classes. No one really likes to admit it, but until Germany invaded Poland, Britain contained a lot of people sympathetic to the Nazi cause. (Thank the gods Edward was forced to abdicate!) This is a great book. Deftly woven, subtle and exciting. It makes you wait for the action but the tension is spot on and when it finally does give you an action scene, it really delivers. Intelligent work by an author who really knows whats she's doing and understand what she's writing about. Highly recommend....more
Whilst continuing the main series arc with the intrepid historian Madeleine 'Lucy' Maxwell - Max to her friends - Taylor manages to deliver both anothWhilst continuing the main series arc with the intrepid historian Madeleine 'Lucy' Maxwell - Max to her friends - Taylor manages to deliver both another thrilling, humourous instalment and a very funny, tongue in cheek take on Outlander. I love this series so much. One to read and reread. My only quibble is the length of time between books, which if I'm being reasonable, isn't actually that long but I find it frustrating nevertheless. Highly recommend these fabulous time travelling historians....more
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
First of all I am so annoyed with myself because I missed the fourth book in the series - VaARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
First of all I am so annoyed with myself because I missed the fourth book in the series - Valkarie's Song - which came right before this one. Having said that all of these books are self contained stories so while reading them in order may result in a richer reading experience, you won't lose anything if you do happen to pick them up out of order. I've been utterly addicted to this series since Wolfsangel came out years ago. The mixture of Norse mythology - focusing on the fact that Nordic gods were largely suffered and respected rather than adored because hey they just aren't nice - historical occurrences and weird (or wyrd!) dark magic, they are a GrimDark treat. I think this one may actually be the best in the series so far. You'd think that mixing Norse mythology, werewolves, Ragnarok, the occult and WWII wouldn't work, wouldn't you? But it absolutely does. I've always been morbidly curious by the Nazi fascination with the occult, ad that thread really binds this story together through use of the Elder Futharc (runes). I don't want to post any spoilers. Suffice to say that was a fast paced, twisting and appropriately Stygian ride. If you're a fan of the series, you'll love this. If you haven't discovered the series yet, you have four books to catch up on before this one is released. Highly recommend. ...more
If possible, I enjoyed Robinson's second offering in the Doc Vandal series even more than the first one. Despite their problematic elements, I've alwaIf possible, I enjoyed Robinson's second offering in the Doc Vandal series even more than the first one. Despite their problematic elements, I've always had a soft spot for the stories of Ryder Haggard and Edgar Rice Burroughs and the Doc Vandal series fills that void and surpasses those classic sci-fi adventures. There's something oddly endearing about Doc, clearly the most intelligent and probably genetically superior man in any room, who nevertheless doesn't have a clue about social interaction and is therefore prone to some very amusing and rather stupid gaffes. This story puts the intrepid Vic, expatriate Russian noble, front and centre as her quest for information leads her on a journey - both physically and emotionally - so much further than what she ever expected. There's a light and humorous touch of romance here that's very sweet without giving way to saccharine sentiment. And as it's Doc Vandal this book has all the twists, turns, Nazi experiments and sentient talking gorillas you could wish for. Fabulous fun series of novellas. Highly recommend....more
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