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| 1938570332
| 9781938570339
| 1938570332
| 3.77
| 49,848
| Jul 27, 2023
| Apr 11, 2023
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liked it
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None
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Notes are private!
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1
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Apr 11, 2023
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Apr 11, 2023
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Dec 07, 2022
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Hardcover
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| 0316504386
| 9780316504386
| 0316504386
| 4.16
| 6,383
| Mar 28, 2023
| Mar 28, 2023
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really liked it
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4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2023/04/24/... Infinity Gate is at least the sixth novel I’ve read by M.R. Carey, but proba 4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2023/04/24/... Infinity Gate is at least the sixth novel I’ve read by M.R. Carey, but probably the first that deals with “harder” sci-fi themes like artificial intelligence and the concept of an infinite number of worlds within a multiverse. Enter the Pandominion, made up of roughly a million worlds—all versions of Earth, just in different dimensions—united through an alliance based on politics and trade. The story begins by informing readers that we will be following the lives of three characters: Hadiz Tambuwal, a brilliant scientist living in her version of Lagos, Nigeria which is a crumbling city plagued by an energy crisis and food shortages; Essien Nkanika, who exists in another version of Lagos, looking for a way to escape his poverty and indentured servitude; and finally, in a Lagos that is highly unlike any of the others, Topaz Tourmaline Fivehills is a sentient rabbit who makes a new friend at school—a relationship that will change the course of history for many worlds across the Pandominion. We are first introduced to Hadiz, busy at work in a research station even as the world ends around her. Unwilling to let even the apocalypse interrupt her studies, she accidentally stumbles upon a way to travel to alternate universes, offering her a way off her dying world. This is how she ends up meeting Essien, with whom she begins a brief but passionate romance. She reveals to him her origins, as well as the secrets of her research into the multiverse. But Essien, who only has his own survival in mind, has other plans, setting in motion a series of events that lead to disastrous results. Much later on, we see how profoundly the ripples of these actions have spread and affected other worlds when we eventually meet Topaz and her new friend Dulcie on their version of Earth called Ut. Infinity Gate is a veritable tome which the publisher lists at 544 pages long, which starts to make sense once you realize how much story is packed into it. Not only that, the content is dense and not anything I would consider light reading, but then that’s to be expected whenever you deal with subjects like the multiverse. The plot also eschews a more traditional trajectory, bouncing the reader’s attention to wherever the story requires it. To tell the truth, books featuring unconventional narrative structures tend to lose me quickly, but somehow Infinity Gate worked for me. It’s a testament to Carey’s talent and experience that the novel works as it does without falling apart or descending into a chaotic mess. The characters had a lot to do with this. For example, much of Hadiz’s research and explanations into her methods of traversing the multiverse came across as mumbo jumbo, but it was thanks to the charisma of her personality that kept me interested in reading. Love them or hate them, each of Carey’s characters had backstories and motivations that made their decisions (even the less-than-wise ones) convincing, especially in Essien’s case. Then there’s Topaz, perhaps the most fascinating character, for obvious reasons. Paz lives on an Earth where evolution favored a different animal—in this case, rabbits—leading them to become the dominant sentient species. Zooming out, there is an overall conflict tying together all these different characters and worlds affecting the Step technology used by the Pandominion to travel between the universes. These processes are closely regulated by an AI called the Registry and a military arm made up of super-soldiers known as the Cielo, and they of course are none too happy with the unsanctioned activities of Hadiz, vaulting her to the top of their most-wanted list. Much of the action from the book also stems from the discovery of the Ansurrection, an analogue to the Pandominion but made up of a collection of worlds ruled by intelligent machines. As to be expected when two great empires collide, war will be inevitable, and it’s anyone’s guess what will happen. Now is also a good time for a warning that, as the first of a series, Infinity Gate only touches upon the oncoming war and will not offer any resolutions, even ending on a somewhat frustrating cliffhanger. That said, I suppose I can be forgiving considering that the overall setup was intriguing, establishing a solid foundation for the next book. With Infinity Gate, M.R. Carey has proven he is a versatile writer by exploring what appears to be a new and quite a different direction for him. He hits all the right notes, providing a well-paced, entertaining, and smooth reading experience despite having to tackle some relatively complex ideas and theoretical concepts. I can’t wait to see what happens in the sequel. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Mar 28, 2023
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Mar 29, 2023
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Aug 09, 2022
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Paperback
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| 9781509865925
| 1509865926
| 3.87
| 8,637
| Aug 20, 2020
| Aug 20, 2020
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liked it
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3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2020/10/15/... Let me just start by saying that I don’t think Adrian Tchaikovsky is actua 3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2020/10/15/... Let me just start by saying that I don’t think Adrian Tchaikovsky is actually capable of writing a bad book, but some are definitely better than others. When it comes to The Doors of Eden, I would probably place it somewhere in the middle as I quite enjoyed it, but I also didn’t think it was his best. Once again, we may have high expectations to blame here. The Doors of Eden is told through multiple perspectives which are all kind of jumbled and layered on top of each other, because this is a novel involving parallel worlds and alternate timelines. We begin with childhood-friends-turned-lovers Lee and Mal, two young women who’d bonded over a lifelong interest in cryptozoology, heading off into the Bodmin Moor to investigate rumors of a creature known as the Birdman. But something strange happened to them out there in the wilderness, something Lee knows she can’t explain without coming across like she’s completely lost her mind. All that mattered was that at the end of the day, only she emerged from the moorlands while Mal was gone, vanished without a trace. Next, we meet M15 agent Julian Sabreur, who in his more private moments likes to compare himself to James Bond. He has been placed in charge of providing security and protection for government physicist Kay Amal Khan, a foul-mouthed chain-smoking trans woman who has become the target of a racist hate group. But when the attack comes, it is not Julian’s team who ends up stopping it. While no one actually witnessed the massacre, the attackers appeared to have been ripped apart by someone or something very big and very strong, judging by the grisly bloodbath left behind in Dr. Khan’s living room. Tasked with finding out what happened, Julian finds himself going down a rabbit hole of conspiracy, mystery, and the unexplained. Meanwhile, it has been four years since Mal’s disappearance, but the grief has not abated for Lee. Incredibly, one day she gets a phone call from Mal, who simply tells her she wants to meet—like she hasn’t been gone this entire time. Even more confounding is when Lee finally does see Mal again, her girlfriend does not appear to be the same person. Everything eventually comes to a head as Julian shows up on Lee’s doorstep, led there by a grainy image taken of a woman who was believed to be dead. First off, I’m a big fan of sci-fi stories about alternate universes and parallel worlds. I love the endless possibilities they offer, and the mind-warping questions they always seem to leave behind. But on the flip side, these kinds of books often have a lot going on in them, and sometimes, the intricate web of plotlines and character lives can get a tad overwhelming. Tchaikovsky did a great job organizing multiple threads and streamlining the overall narrative, but I think even he stumbled at times and lost control of the story because it occasionally felt like things got away from him. This was especially the case as we delved further into the middle sections of the book, where the storytelling didn’t feel as tightly plotted or well-paced. Case in point, I knew something was up when I realized I found more pleasure in reading the interludes from the point of view of Professor Ruth Emerson discussing the evolutionary trajectory of various alternate Earths and what they might look like. I mean, granted I’m a biology nerd, but also, the truth is, for most of the book, I just didn’t find the main storyline or any of the main POVs to be all that interesting. In focusing his attention on developing the science and the world-building, it almost felt as if the author neglected to develop his characters with the same amount of care and detail. For a long time, they were mostly defined by their diversity labels, and only later on did the deeper aspects of character-building come in, like personality, interests, and values. Perhaps that was why I never really felt too connected or sympathetic towards the characters. Still, The Doors of Eden was by no means a bad book—it kept me turning the pages, after all. That said, I thought it could have been better—more entertaining and engaging at least, if the characters had been better developed right off the bat, and if the pacing had been a bit more even. Admittedly, I also expected a lot going into this novel, so that might have played a part in how I ultimately felt too. But is the disappointment going to make me any less excited to read the author’s books after this? Heck no. Like I said, you’re pretty much guaranteed a good read whenever you pick up something by Adrian Tchaikovsky, especially if you enjoy original and clever ideas in SFF. Children of Time remains my go-to recommendation when it comes to his work, but if the sound of The Doors of Eden captures your interest, I would check it out. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Oct 07, 2020
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Oct 10, 2020
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Feb 05, 2020
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ebook
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| 0399587446
| 9780399587443
| 0399587446
| 4.20
| 13,026
| Nov 27, 2018
| Nov 27, 2018
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really liked it
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4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2018/12/18/... If there’s one thing I can say about The Invisible Library series, it’s that 4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2018/12/18/... If there’s one thing I can say about The Invisible Library series, it’s that I can count on the books being consistently solid and entertaining. That’s why I always look forward to picking up the next installment, and that was most definitely the case too with The Mortal Word. In this fifth volume of the series, the war between the Fae and Dragon-kind is heating up. Attempts to broker a peace treaty are jeopardized when a high-level dragon is found stabbed to death, and naturally the dragons are quick to point the finger at their sworn enemies, the Fae. Our protagonist, the time-traveling, parallel-worlds-hopping, book-stealing Librarian agent Irene Winters, is thus tasked to get to the bottom of who committed the murder before the situation can devolve any further. Joining Irene on the investigation is also Vale, her talented detective friend, along with some backup from dragon prince and former Library apprentice Kai. Meanwhile, the peace talks must go on. As a representative of the Library, Irene must oversee the meeting with the eye of a neutral mediator, as well as ensure that the process goes smoothly. However, someone is bent on disrupting the talks with poisoning and deadly sabotage attempts, causing even more trouble for Irene and her team. With the stakes so high, anything can happen now to tip the fragile balance between Order and Chaos, potentially threatening the fate of countless worlds connected to the great interdimensional Library. Somewhat breaking with tradition, this installment does not involve much book stealing or hunting. Instead, granting Irene one of her long-held childhood dreams, Genevieve Cogman sends her protagonist sleuthing in an entertaining and wonderfully executed murder mystery plot. It was quite a treat to see Irene relish in this role, which includes plenty of new responsibilities requiring her to exercise different talents and skills. But it’s not all fun and games as our girl learns that with leadership also comes accountability and all the pressures that come along with it. Worse, her new position plunges her into the complicated world of Library politics, and more than once, Irene is forced to pit her own professional standards against her loyalties and natural instincts to follow orders. By following a more traditional mystery plot, however, this book also features a more conventional storyline as well as a less elaborate and flamboyant setting. Compared to The Lost Plot, the previous novel which transported readers to a world reminiscent of the American Roaring Twenties complete with fedora-wearing, tommy gun-toting, jazz-listening gangsters, the worlds of The Mortal Word seemed downright tame. However, Cogman knows balance. The areas of character development and relationship dynamics are where this one shines. As a Vale fan, I was very happy with the prominent part he ended up playing in this novel. I was also pleased with the attention given to the bond between Irene and Kai, especially given the all the recent challenges they’ve been through together. I also loved how the story made more room for characters like Lord Silver, as well as some truly fascinating Fae figures like the countess or the princess. All told, this was another exciting and fun-filled romp through the myriad worlds of The Invisible Library along with my favorite Librarian spy, and I particularly enjoyed the elements of mystery and intrigue that featured so strongly in The Mortal Word. The combination of humor, adventure and the constant pleasure of not knowing what to expect always makes picking up an installment of this series a special treat. Every book is a surprise, and I’m eager to find out where Genevieve Cogman will take her fans next. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Dec 11, 2018
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Dec 12, 2018
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Jan 23, 2018
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Paperback
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| 039958742X
| 9780399587429
| 039958742X
| 4.17
| 16,181
| Nov 30, 2017
| Jan 09, 2018
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really liked it
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4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2018/01/25/... Now that the Invisible Library series has become firmly established, the sto 4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2018/01/25/... Now that the Invisible Library series has become firmly established, the storylines are just getting better and better. Thematically, The Lost Plot is more mysterious and adventurous, drawing heavily from Dragon vs. Fae politics, and there are also strong attempts to involve as many world-building elements as possible. That said though, I do feel this installment takes a step away from series arc that has been developing for the last three books; the plot of this one is a lot more “standalone” than the others, which might make it a good jumping on point for new readers, but of course I would still highly recommend starting from the beginning if you can. The Lost Plot once again follows protagonist Irene Winters, an agent of the secret organization known as the Invisible Library whose members are tasked with traveling to alternate worlds to procure rare books (and yes, sometimes that means stealing them). When the book begins, Irene is offered a business proposal by a mysterious stranger. The would-be client, clearly a dragon, wishes to pay handsomely for her services to obtain a rare copy of Journey to the West, one of Chinese literature’s greatest classics. However, because of the Invisible Library’s official mandate to remain neutral in matters regarding the Dragons and the Fae, Irene’s first instinct is to decline. Only, it turns out that not all Librarians are as responsible as she is when it comes to playing by the rules. From her contact, Irene finds out that one of her colleagues had accepted a similar deal to find the book from another dragon, and if this information were to get out, it could cause some serious conflict with the Fae and possibly spark an all-out war. Unable to walk away now, Irene turns to her apprentice Kai for help, and together they travel to an alternate world reminiscent of 1920’s New York to seek out the Librarian who has put all their futures in jeopardy. The Lost Plot might be them most entertaining book of the series so far. It’s nice to see the story taking full advantage of its premise, making use of the interdimensional library aspect to transport readers to strange new worlds—or, in this case, exploring interesting historical periods. Anything is possible in this series, and this time, Irene and Kai’s adventures take them to a time of fedoras, Prohibition, and tommy gun-toting gangsters. The Roaring Twenties are one of the most iconic decades in American history, and you’ll find all its hallmarks in this novel, from the instantly recognizable fashion styles to the clandestine speakeasies and all that jazz. As if attempting to extract the Library from the middle of a long-standing Dragon vs. Faerie rivalry weren’t enough, our characters also find themselves having to deal with interfering police chiefs and greedy mob bosses who are all trying to get a slice of the action. From beginning to end, this book was non-stop and fast-paced fun. I also liked how this novel featured a dragon-centric storyline, which of course raises some important questions about Kai’s role in the Library. The ending with the courtroom-like setting and suspense was almost more than I could bear. However, as someone who has followed this series since the beginning, I noticed too that the focus has shifted slightly away from the conflicts of the previous novels, with the scope widening to encompass the Invisible Library’s role and exploring its significance in this world. This was something I’d wanted for a long time, so I was quite happy to see The Lost Plot go down this path. That said, there are some trade-offs. Here you will find little development in the areas regarding Alberich or the mystery behind Irene’s parentage, for example, and for those answers, I suppose we’ll have to wait for a future sequel. Vale fans should also be forewarned that he does not feature much in this novel, a point to which I will admit to a twinge of disappointment myself, since I’ve grown to like his character a lot. But oh well, you win some, you lose some. All in all, The Lost Plot was another exciting and satisfying sequel which reminds me once again why I’m glad to be reading this series. There’s a reason why I keep coming back for more. If you’ve been enjoying the mysteries of the Invisible Library and the interdimensional adventures of its agents thus far, then you’ll want to pick this one up too. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jan 22, 2018
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Jan 23, 2018
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Jan 14, 2017
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Paperback
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| B01CZCW2NS
| 4.05
| 20,071
| Dec 13, 2016
| Jan 10, 2017
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really liked it
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4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2017/01/16/... I have to say this series is really starting to grow on me. While it’s still 4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2017/01/16/... I have to say this series is really starting to grow on me. While it’s still true that the books are more about the entertainment factor over the substance—not that there’s anything wrong with that, I might add—there’s no denying how great it feels to watch a series evolve over time. I for one can always go for a bit of fluffy fun, but I’m also enjoying how the story and characters have all come such a long way, making The Burning Page my favorite book in The Invisible Library sequence so far. Last time we saw Irene and Kai, our two secret librarian agents have managed to survive a harrowing foray into the worlds of dragons and Fae, even if it’s only by the skin of their teeth. There have been repercussions, however. The higher-ups have placed Irene on probation, relegating her back to grunt work like simple fetch-and-retrieve missions for the great interdimensional library. Everything seems to be falling back into a routine—that is until one day Irene and Kai find themselves stymied when, after completing their latest assignment in an alternate world, their way back home inexplicably goes up in flames. It seems someone has been deliberately sabotaging the portals that lead in and out of the Library, and Irene has a good idea who that person might be. If you have not read the first two books, I recommend now that you skip to the end of this review to avoid possible spoilers. Still, even from the beginning we’ve been hearing about Alberich, the mysterious arch nemesis of our protagonist. Back then, he may have been nothing more than a “bogeyman” myth used to frighten young librarian agents-in-training, but he has since grown more powerful, becoming a very real and very dangerous threat to the Library. Alberich has been playing the long game, patiently carrying out plans that have been laid down long ago right underneath the librarians’ noses. Now the time has finally come for him to reveal himself, and he will not stop until the Library is destroyed. All throughout this book I wanted to cheer and shout, “Now we’re getting somewhere!” Genevieve Cogman has been teasing the Alberich angle for the last two books, and The Burning Page is where we finally get to have some answers. I also like how we’re seeing more threads come together. Instead of being presented with more throwaway scenarios, the story here actually builds upon events that came before so that the series as a whole is feeling a lot more cohesive and complete. Cogman is throwing out plenty of twists and surprises as well, definitely raising the stakes. For a “middle book” of a series, this one is surprisingly full of new and thrilling plot developments. I also felt more invested in this book than the two that came before, and I’m sure character growth had a lot to do with it. While it’s clear Irene, Kai and Vale are still based on literary ideas, they’re gradually filling out their personalities and becoming more than just their archetypes. And it’s not just the characters either. Overall there are steady improvements in every area, including world-building. In my reviews of both The Invisible Library and The Masked City I talked about the lack in the role of the Library itself. Not that I didn’t enjoy zipping to and from all these different, interesting worlds with our librarian protagonists, but at the end of the day I would have liked to learn more about the inner workings of their headquarters. The Burning Page offered a lot more on that front, giving readers a look at the hierarchy and politics within. All told I’m glad I’ve decided to continue with this series, as it’s only getting better and better. Not gonna lie; being a book lover, I might have initially jumped on board for the cool premise about a secret library and its network of universe-hopping librarian spies, but now I’m staying for the excitement and the awesome characters. It’s a very addicting series, and I can’t be more pleased to hear there are at least two more installments incoming. Audiobook Comments: Acting on the recommendations of a few audiophile friends, I decided that for this installment to also give the audiobook edition a try. I’ve heard some amazing things about narrator Susan Duerden, and it wasn’t until afterwards that I realized I’ve actually listened to her work before (for the audio of Daniel O’Malley’s The Rook). In my opinion she does an even better job as the narrator for this book because her voice is just so perfect for Irene, and when she reads her dialogue I can even picture the character’s mannerisms in my head. If you get the chance to listen to this series in audio, I can’t recommend it highly enough. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jan 10, 2017
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Jan 14, 2017
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Sep 02, 2016
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Kindle Edition
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| 1447256255
| 9781447256250
| 1447256255
| 3.95
| 26,257
| Dec 03, 2015
| Dec 03, 2015
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liked it
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3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2016/09/08/... The Masked City is another fantastic adventure chronicling the exploits of 3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2016/09/08/... The Masked City is another fantastic adventure chronicling the exploits of Irene Winters, a secret agent for an interdimensional library. I literally cannot find anything to dislike about the last part of that sentence. In fact, the only reason I’m not rating this higher is because of the reduced time we get to spend within the said interdimensional library, as well as some of the supporting characters (and if you recall, those were the elements I had wanted get more of out of the previous volume as well). Still, it meant we got to see our protagonist grow into her role and develop further as a character, and I was happy to see this sequel tap into the same fun adventurous vein which provided the drive for The Invisible Library. When the story begins, Irene is a Librarian-in-Residence, having earned her position as an agent in the alternate version of London that we saw from the first book. She is in the middle of working on an assignment when all of a sudden, her apprentice Kai is kidnapped. With the help of her detective friend Vale, Irene is determined to uncover the mystery of who took Kai and why, unaware of the dangerous path this will set them on. For time immemorial, forces of Order and Chaos have remained locked in conflict. The mighty dragons representing the former are always at odds with the Fae which represent the latter, fighting for control over the many worlds that exist in the multiverse. However, some worlds are inherently high in Order or Chaos, naturally predisposing them to one faction or the other. Irene has reason to suspect that Kai has been taken by Fae to one of their worlds, which would mean disastrous consequences for her apprentice if he is not recovered soon. To save Kai, she’ll have to go undercover and infiltrate an alternate Venice, reputed to be the masked city because every day is the Carnival there and the party never ends. Deep in the heart of Fae territory where Chaos is so thick that even the great Library cannot help her, Irene has only her own skills to rely on to find and rescue Kai. In The Masked City, our heroine goes full-on secret Library spy, using all her knowledge of Language and subterfuge to survive a cutthroat world where the Fae are manipulative and merciless. We get to see her gain confidence and set aside the doubts that plagued her in the first book, where she constantly worried about her competition or questioned whether she deserved such a high profile assignment when she was only a junior Libarian. For one thing, this is Irene’s mission and her mission alone; Kai is not only her apprentice but her responsibility, and that’s not something she takes lightly—even if it means she will receive no help, and failure could cost her everything. The story continues to be fast-paced and entertaining. The books in this series make for light, fun popcorn reads, and this sequel once again delivered exactly what was promised. Cogman further develops the world, expanding upon the role of the Library. She also fleshes out the conflict between the Dragons and Fae, and delves deeper into the lore of both sides. More importantly, we get to learn more about the motivations of these factions, whereas we only got to scratch the surface in the first book. Some questions are answered, and more mysteries are also introduced. I love how this series is full of potential, and we’re just starting to explore the many possibilities. Our characters’ journey to this book’s astonishing version of Venice is a prime example. That said, my only regret is that we didn’t get to see much of the Library itself. Also, Kai spends the bulk of this book kidnapped and imprisoned, so we didn’t get to see much of him in action at all, which is a shame because he was my favorite character from the first book (for reasons I can’t go into in this review, because if you haven’t read The Invisible Library yet, it would be a spoiler!) However, these are just minor issues based on my personal preferences; beyond them, it was difficult to find much fault with this sequel. Once more, I am happy to recommend this series to all bibliophiles and fans of “books about books”. As a book lover, I also saw a lot of myself in Irene, who just can’t help but feel an affinity to all things literary and bookish! I really enjoy the characters, the story, and the concepts. I’m really looking forward to the next book, The Burning Page. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 31, 2016
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Sep 02, 2016
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Jun 07, 2016
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Paperback
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| 1633882020
| 9781633882027
| B01AQNYP6K
| 3.60
| 252
| Jan 24, 2017
| Jan 24, 2017
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liked it
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3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2017/01/12/... I had a nice surprise when I picked up Department Zero. The book initially 3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2017/01/12/... I had a nice surprise when I picked up Department Zero. The book initially caught my eye as a cross-genre science fiction and fantasy adventure about infinite alternate realities, as well as a secret society of agents who have to traverse multiple worlds to clean up interstitial messes. But as if that isn’t cool enough already, Paul Crilley doubles down by tying everything into the Cthulhu mythos and giving this one a nice shot of Lovecraftian horror. The story stars Harry Priest, a man with one hell of a tough job. He’s in what you would call “biohazard remediation”, which means he cleans up dead people for a living, usually at the site of accidents, murders, suicides, and unattended deaths where the body has had plenty of time to decompose in the stifling L.A. heat. You name it, Harry’s seen it. But still, nothing could have prepared him for his latest assignment. On what he thought was another routine call, Harry arrives to a gore-splattered abandoned motel room in the middle of nowhere, and sees something he shouldn’t have. Before long, Harry finds himself the target of savage spiders and monkey creatures and other frightening monstrosities that shouldn’t exist. The attacks soon lead him to meet up with Havelock Graves of the Interstitial Crime Department, an agency that polices the multiverse. After being recruited into the ICD, Harry learns all about the network of interdimensional gates and their access to an infinite number of worlds in which there’s always someone, somewhere, sometime trying to break the rules of universe-hopping. Unfortunately for Harry though, Graves is determined to get back on top after his team is disgraced—and isn’t above using our protagonist as bait to draw out a Cthulhu cult that has dastardly plans to destroy the multiverse by awakening the Great Old One. The first time I read Paul Crilley was a few years ago when I picked up his novels in the Tweed and Nightingale Adventures series, though at the time I hadn’t known he predominantly wrote Middle Grade and Young Adult titles. I was excited when I learned that he was branching into adult speculative fiction with the recent Poison City, and now Department Zero. As expected this one was a blast, combining a mix of action, adventure, and just plain weirdness. It’s also extremely fast-paced, the pages flying by as we’re shunted from one oddball situation to the next. In many ways, the plot reminded me of some crazy video game, which isn’t too surprising considering Crilley’s biography includes writing credits on five computer games (one of them being Star Wars: The Old Republic, a favorite of mine). Keep in mind too that Department Zero is a multiverse story where literally anything can happen, and indeed the author also makes the most out of this by unleashing his imagination, allowing this parade of horrors and wonders to move at full speed. That said, at times this hectic approach feels overwhelming. The plot will continue charging on ahead even when you wish it would take a breather for a couple pages, regroup and recuperate and maybe spend a few moments getting to know our characters better. Many of them have zany personalities but then they end up being largely forgettable, and Harry himself feels roughly sketched and underdeveloped for a protagonist. He has a failed marriage, a dead-end job, a young daughter that he wishes he can spend more time with, as well as a bucketful of regrets—but I couldn’t connect emotionally to any of his problems. A part of me thinks this might have something to do with the writing style. First-person present tense can feel a bit awkward even at the best of times, and I don’t know if it was the best narrative choice for this story. There’s also the tone of the humor, which sometimes feels over-the-top and a bit forced, though at the same time Crilley also serves up some epic snark, leading to memorable dialogue and hilarious one-liners. At the end of the day, Department Zero is a light and entertaining novel guaranteed to shake you out of your typical urban fantasy routine. While it might not be that deep, and the humor and pacing might take some getting used to, the story’s quirky premise is perhaps the foremost reason I would recommend it. Readers who enjoy a mix of genres and concepts will especially get a kick out of this snappy, imaginative adventure. If you happen to like your UF on the eccentric side, then this book will be like treating yourself to the most amazing all-you-can-eat buffet. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Dec 27, 2016
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Jan 2017
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Mar 22, 2016
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Kindle Edition
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| 0765387468
| 9780765387462
| 0765387468
| 4.31
| 171,210
| Feb 21, 2017
| Feb 21, 2017
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liked it
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3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2017/03/19/... My impression after I finished A Conjuring of Light was that it was defini 3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2017/03/19/... My impression after I finished A Conjuring of Light was that it was definitely better than the first book, but I think the second one was still my favorite. As this was a series that took its time growing on me though, I had a lot riding on this concluding volume—yet when all is said and done, I’m actually quite happy with the way this novel turned out. The ending was very satisfying and epic, despite having to take an inordinately long and windy road to get there. This story begins right after the end of A Gathering of Shadows, so if you have not started the trilogy yet, beware of possible spoilers in this review for the first two books. If you’ve been following along up to this point though, you’ll know that Kell has become an Antari in exile, distrusted by his adopted parents the king and queen of Red London, even after everything he has done and given for his beloved brother, Prince Rhy. Lila Bard, hailing from Grey London, has come a long way since her days as a common thief after discovering her abilities as a magician, but now she must learn to master her powers before they consume her. Meanwhile, Captain Alucard Emery of the ship Night Spire is another skilled magician, and he has since returned to London to be at the palace with Rhy, with whom he used to have a relationship. In the aftermath of all the turmoil though, a dark force has risen, threatening the fates of all. Something always rushes in to fill a vacuum, and not surprisingly, the broken balance has created an opportunity for a new king to emerge and seize power. At last, the battle of the Londons has come to a head, and now our characters must set aside their differences and work together in order to defeat a common foe. Even an Antari needs help once in a while, and if they can’t all unite to combine their strengths, everything will be lost. A Conjuring of Light was great because of the answers. Finally, we get resolutions to a lot of mysteries left hanging from the previous books. We learn the consequences of the destruction of Black London, as well as what has become of the dark magic moldering in its wake. We also find out about the links to White London, and what happened there to cause such a threat to Red London. In addition, the characters are greatly developed in this installment, exploring their histories and relationships. Kell and Lila finally get to a point where they must examine what they are to each other—allies, friends, or perhaps something more? Lila herself became less belligerent and unbearable too, I was pleasantly surprised to find, so that was a nice bonus. The complex bond between Alucard and Rhy also gets some attention in this novel as the two of them reconnect and get the chance to clear the air. I was even happy to get to know more about Holland, whom I always felt was a bit underdeveloped—until now. The not-so-great part about this book? I found the first half to be somewhat trying. If you’ve been following this series, then I’m sure you’ve noticed: each installment has been growing in page count since A Darker Shade of Magic, and I won’t deny that when my copy of A Conjuring of Light first arrived I found myself making side eyes at its thickness. I had serious doubts that all 600+ pages of this book would hold my attention equally, and unfortunately I was right; the first half of the book just didn’t interest me as much, filled with meandering plot threads and filler-type scenes that felt like they were simply there to stall for time. It’s a shame that my overall experience was dragged down by the beginning or otherwise my rating would probably be higher, so thank goodness that the pacing stepped up in the second half to clinch the finale. In short, I loved the ending. In fact, I felt the entire second half was very strong, as that’s where most of the best parts can be found. I’m talking action and intrigue, pacts and betrayals, magical conflicts and battles at sea. All this ultimately builds to an unforgettable climax, one that will not disappoint. I also have no doubts that the conclusion will also leave fans of this trilogy happy, since it ties things up so well. So was A Conjuring of Light worth it? Absolutely. It was a slight struggle to get to the end, but when I finally got there I had no regrets. Despite its ups and downs, Shades of Magic was an enjoyable trilogy overall and I would recommend it for its sheer imagination and sense of wonder and magic. Taken as a whole, it is an impressive achievement by V.E. Schwab and I continue to look forward to what she will do next! ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Feb 28, 2017
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Mar 05, 2017
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Mar 16, 2016
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Hardcover
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| 0062443151
| 9780062443151
| B01AFY97BI
| 3.51
| 868
| Oct 04, 2016
| Oct 04, 2016
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liked it
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3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2016/10/04/... The first thing you should know about The Rift Uprising is that while it may 3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2016/10/04/... The first thing you should know about The Rift Uprising is that while it may be published under adult sci-fi and fantasy imprint Harper Voyager, it is patently, most assuredly, a Young Adult novel. Thinking there would be at least some crossover appeal, I did have to go through a brief adjustment period to alter my expectations, because I believe target audience matters. Indeed, once I donned my “YA reader” hat, I found this one easier to enjoy, and I think it has quite a lot of potential for fans of YA. The story takes place in 2020, following the life of a seventeen-year-old girl named Ryn Whittaker, who is a Citadel—an elite super-soldier created by a secret military program in response to more than a dozen mysterious rifts opening around the world back in the mid-2000s. These rifts turned out to be portals to alternate Earths, and when it became clear that scientists were unable to close or control what came out of them, governments around the world decided to cover the whole thing up in a massive, coordinated global conspiracy. An important development that came out of this though, was the arrival of a more advanced humanoid race from a parallel world who gave humanity the technology to protect themselves and guard the rifts. This technology involved implanting individuals with a cybernetic chip that would enhance their physical and mental abilities, turning them into powerful fighting machines. Problem was, adults didn’t do well on the implants; every single one who was a part of the initial experiment died. So instead, the government decided to put this technology in seven-year-olds (because somehow, the scientists were able to determine that young, still-developing brains were more resistant to the chip’s fatal effects) without the children’s OR their parents’ knowledge and consent. These kids would eventually become the Citadels, once their implants get activated when they turn fourteen. This is what happened to Ryn, who has been living a double life for the last three years, ever since she found out what was done to her. At home she has to pretend to be a normal teenager in front of her family, who are blissfully unaware of the truth behind rifts and Citadels, and think that their daughter is part of a gifted government school program. In reality, Ryn patrols a nearby rift, either putting down enemies that come through or helping relocate non-hostile otherworld entities called “Immigrants” to one of the many sprawling internment camps around the world (which are also covered up by their respective governments, of course). I’ve gone into the specifics of the premise because I feel so much of the Rift conspiracy doesn’t hold up to scrutiny. A large, widespread plot involving thousands upon thousands of people in more than a dozen countries, hiding the fact that they’ve been experimenting on hundreds of children (and praying that their parents are all idiots and won’t notice) while stashing countless hordes of interdimensional aliens in gigantic compounds located in thickly settled areas around the globe? I find it a little too farfetched and hard to believe that the world has been kept in the dark for so long, especially in this age of satellites and air travel, hungry media outlets and wary whistleblowers, class-action lawsuits and social media. In some ways, reading this book reminded me of how I felt while reading Divergent—that is, the setup is really cool, but a lot of the explanations are either iffy or require lots of logical leaps. If you don’t mind rolling with the punches though, or if you are reading this for the story and not the world-building, then this won’t be an issue. Also to keep in mind is the fact that, as with most YA novels, there are certain tropes to watch for. There’s a romance, which I’m tempted to label instalove, because from the moment a boy named Ezra walks through the rift into Ryn’s world, she becomes utterly smitten with him. However, because all Citadels are conditioned to fly into a berserker rage the moment they make skin-on-skin contact with the object of their affection or anyone they feel even remotely attracted to (which is weird, because if you could condition any kind response into the Citadels, wouldn’t it make more sense to make them, say, violently ill at the thought of sex, instead of just plain violent? Less chance of putting your own soldiers or any number of innocent bystanders in the hospital and creating a media incident, if you’re inclined to keep the lid on a massive conspiracy, right?) Ryn and Ezra find themselves in the unenviable position of not being able to physically express their love for each other. I wish I could say that Ryn’s motivation to blow the conspiracy wide open was driven by more noble reasons, like a desire to free herself and her fellow Citadels from the government’s yoke, or to save the Immigrants by helping them return to their home worlds. But the truth is, Ryn was mostly thinking about sex when she started on her mission to find out the truth about her implant, and the reason why she kept on fighting was because she was desperate to get laid. It’s admittedly a selfish and somewhat flimsy rationale, and therein lies another big reason why I saw this book as more YA than adult—mainly because I think an adult audience might be less patient with Ryn, who for the bulk of the book was a walking ball of angsty hormones with only one thing on her mind. What I really loved though, was the mystery behind the rifts. Whatever may drive them, Ryn and Ezra make a great team uncovering the truth together, with him using his brains and her using her muscle. I enjoyed the suspense as it was gradually revealed how the portals work, and why the government might be going to such lengths to hide them from the world. I also liked the idea that anything at all can come out of the rifts, and I got the feeling the author had a bit of fun with that. Descriptions of the Village, where Immigrants from alternate worlds are relocated, were also amazing to behold. Imagine a neighborhood made up of a hodgepodge of different habitats and buildings to accommodate all manner of interdimensional beings. There’s even a menagerie to house all the otherworldly animals and creatures that come through. All told, if you’re looking for a fun and entertaining sci-fi YA novel to spend a rainy afternoon with, The Rift Uprising might be exactly what you’re looking for, especially if you have a fondness for romance-driven stories. The world-building isn’t too deep and the adolescent characters might be motivated by their very adolescent yearnings, but nevertheless this book is a superfast read and its quick pacing also means never a dull moment. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Sep 28, 2016
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Sep 30, 2016
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Feb 25, 2016
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Kindle Edition
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| 1101988649
| 9781101988640
| 1101988649
| 3.74
| 61,218
| Dec 15, 2014
| Jun 14, 2016
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really liked it
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3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2016/06/09/... Speaking as someone who loves to read, I just can’t help but get these war 3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2016/06/09/... Speaking as someone who loves to read, I just can’t help but get these warm fuzzy feelings for books about libraries. After all, what could be better for an avid bookworm, than being immersed in a story about a place filled with books, books, and more books? Well, Genevieve Cogman’s The Invisible Library does one even better. Oh, this book has libraries, all right—interdimensional libraries, established across multiple worlds, all interconnected and run by a secret society of librarian spies! Collectively, this network is known as the Invisible Library, and their members are tasked with the utmost important mission: to procure and archive important works of fiction from all of the different realities, for the purposes of preservation and research. Our protagonist is Irene, a junior librarian agent. When the book opens, Irene is just returning home to the Library, having completed her latest assignment in the field and looking forward to some time off. However, no sooner had she reported in than she is given a new mission. This time, her superiors are sending her off to an alternate London where magic and steampunkish technologies dominate. Furthermore, Irene is given a new assistant, a mysterious young man named Kai. Together, they are to retrieve a rare book of fairy tales and bring it back to the Library before it can fall into the wrong hands. Yet by the time Irene and Kai arrive at their destination, they find that the book has already been stolen. Tangled in a mystery involving vampires and fae, killer automatons and dashing detectives, it soon becomes clear they are on no ordinary mission. As soon as I heard the premise, I just knew I had to check it out! This novel ended up being an incredibly fun book which uses the idea of parallel worlds to great effect, allowing the reader to ponder its infinite possibilities. This particular story takes us to an alternate London with magic and paranormal creatures, but then who knows what might come next? The potential here is simply staggering. And of course, the Library itself is also fascinating concept, with librarians who can work magic by using a secret Language. Their order’s primary purpose raises some important questions—questions that I was glad to see are ultimately addressed by the main character. For instance, what responsibilities, if any, does the Library have? What good is keeping a vast store of knowledge after all, if you don’t ever apply the information you learn? Is it even ethical what Irene and her peers are doing, plundering alternate realities for important books with no thought to what will happen to the worlds and their people? The argument is that a love for books should be good enough, but is it really? That Irene is willing to consider these questions shows that she is different from a lot of her fellow librarians. Despite being born to life in the Library, she’s also not one to follow its rules blindly, making her a flexible agent who can think quickly on her feet. Still, her loyalty is beyond reproach. Even when faced with a competitor trying to steal credit for her work, Irene will never let pride or anything else get in the way of her mission, thinking instead of the greater goal. When the stakes are this high, it’s nice to have such a smart, efficient and good protagonist at the helm. Still, in spite of the interesting ideas and thoughtful themes, the plot of The Invisible Library is relatively simple. It’s also a light read that has the distinct feel of being the first book a series, with room to grow in terms of character development and world-building. I for one would love to see more of the Library itself, and to learn more about its inner workings. Several of the secondary characters could use some fleshing out as well, including Vale, who is currently shaping up to be a romantic interest for Irene. For all that she is attracted to his Sherlock Holmes-like persona, I personally wouldn’t mind seeing Vale’s character grow a bit further past the “great detective” archetype. Similarly, the villain feels too lightly sketched at the moment, and needs to become more than just a bogeyman-type character for me to feel like he is a true threat, though by the end of the book I think we’re taking a step in the right direction. While there’s no denying The Invisible Library is a book more about action than substance, I can hardly complain about that! The story is loads of fun, the characters are great, and the concept holds lots of promise. Any weaknesses I felt were very minor, and I have a feeling subsequent novels in this series will have everything covered. I had an amazing time with this book, which I would heartily recommend to all bibliophiles and lovers of “books about books”. Looking forward to the sequel! ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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May 23, 2016
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May 28, 2016
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Nov 27, 2015
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Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 0765376474
| 9780765376473
| 0765376474
| 4.21
| 208,374
| Feb 23, 2016
| Feb 23, 2016
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really liked it
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4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2016/03/27/a... The moment I learned that Kate Reading and Michael Kramer would be performin 4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2016/03/27/a... The moment I learned that Kate Reading and Michael Kramer would be performing the audio edition of A Gathering of Shadows, I knew this was the only format of the book I wanted. I’m a big fan of the audiobook power couple, who has narrated a bunch of my favorite fantasy series including Brandon Sanderson’s The Stormlight Archive, and I couldn’t have been more thrilled when I saw both their names attached to this sequel to A Darker Shade of Magic. The story begins approximately four months after the first book. Without spoiling anything beyond what’s already in the publisher description, this is a relatively short time for the characters to come to terms with all that’s happened, considering the widespread repercussions. White London’s creepy rulers the Dane twins may have been dealt with, but that ordeal has nonetheless changed brothers Kell and Rhy’s lives forever. The antagonist Holland was also vanquished through the rift to Black London, left for dead with the shadow stone, the pesky thing that started all this trouble in the first place. But when all was said and done, Lila Bard had decided to walk away, leaving Kell with only his memories and the guilt. This prompts Rhy to sneak Kell into the upcoming Element Games (which is kind of like this world’s Olympics of magic) in the hopes that it would cheer his brother up. Meanwhile, Lila has stuck around in Red London, meeting up with a pirate crew and becoming their best thief. However, her captain turns out to be one of the most talented magicians in the realm, and his intention to compete in the Games also steers their ship towards the capital. Little do our characters know, they’ll all be seeing each other again very soon—and unfortunately, that doesn’t preclude old enemies showing up as well. The good news is, I liked A Gathering of Shadows more than the first book. I wouldn’t say A Darker Shade of Magic was a disappointment exactly, but I had also expected a lot more from V.E. Schwab, after she first blew me away with Vicious. Despite its unique premise and the excellent world-building, ADSOM was missing an edge somehow, and I could only point to the lackluster characters. In spite of their interesting backstories, Kell and Lila both suffered from having standard personalities and no remarkable presence. Still, I enjoyed the fast-paced narrative and the action-filled plot, and thought that ending set things up nicely for a sequel. I knew I was intrigued enough to want to continue the series, and it was my hope that the characters will finally grow on me. And in a lot of ways, they did. I’m still not completely invested in Lila, but unless there’s an overhaul to her personality and she becomes less obnoxious, I doubt I ever will. She’s all about the grandiosity but weak on substance, and every time she opened her mouth to spout about running away from good things, I wanted to roll my eyes. Happily, Kell on the other hand has become a much more interesting character. The drastic changes he went through in the first book has transformed him into a protagonist I actually want to root for, going from the spoiled child who doesn’t realize how good he has it, to the man who self-sacrifices for the sake of others. The story is also so much better! The Element Games was obviously the centerpiece of this novel, and I liked the excitement surrounding it. The only negative is how long it took to build up to the event, and the somewhat flimsy reasons for Kell and Lila to get involved. The insanity of the tournament and explosive action of the magician duels in the matchups are well worth the wait though, and the second half of the book is definitely a lot stronger than the first. Relationships between the characters are getting twistier and there’s also a side plot bringing back something from the past to haunt them again. Obviously we’ve not seen the last of Black London, and its rise will mean very bad things for all the other versions. Plus, I think I made a great choice going with the audiobook version. With respect to Steven Crossley who did an excellent job narrating the first book, A Gathering of Shadows worked even better for me because of having two narrators. Michael Kramer read Kell’s perspective chapters, bringing the character to life. Kate Reading was great too, even though her voice was probably less of a match for the younger, less-refined thief Lila. There’s a reason why they’re two of my favorite narrators though, because they can make almost anything work. Overall, I’m glad I decided to continue with this series because I was hoping I would like the second book better than the first—and I did. The abrupt ending was kind of cruel, but it was an effective cliffhanger to make me even more curious about book three. A solid sequel, and I look forward to see what will happen next. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Mar 14, 2016
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Mar 16, 2016
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Apr 30, 2015
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Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 0385744072
| 9780385744072
| 0385744072
| 3.23
| 7,680
| Feb 10, 2015
| Feb 10, 2015
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did not like it
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1 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2015/02/21/y... When I requested this book from NetGalley, this was in the description: “For 1 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2015/02/21/y... When I requested this book from NetGalley, this was in the description: “For readers of A Game of Thrones and The Hunger Games comes an epic new series.” I realize similar claims get thrown around a lot. Still, even in cases where I don’t agree, most of the time I can at least understand why a comparison to ______ might be made. When it comes to this book though, I’m mystified. This is nothing like Game of Thrones OR The Hunger Games. Not even a little bit. I knew an ambitious declaration like that should have immediately put me on my guard, and I guess I really should have trusted my instincts. “Epic” is also debatable. While we have a story spanning the globe, from the highlands of rural Scotland to the bustling streets of Hong Kong, the scope of the narrative is actually quite limited. Most of what we get is personal drama revolving around just a handful of characters. Needless to say, Seeker wasn’t exactly my cup of tea. It always pains me to write a negative review, so rather than expound on all the things that didn’t work for me, I’ll just list and briefly talk about them. - First, I’m not in the habit of DNFing. I read this whole book from beginning to end, but even now I would be hard-pressed to tell you what a Seeker is exactly, or even what they do, beyond the very generic fact that they should be “fighting evil”. That it’s never explained in detail just seems like a gross oversight to me. When most of the characters are Seekers and the ACTUAL TITLE of the book is Seeker, you’d think something like that would be at the forefront. Instead, there is very little to no “Seeking” going on in the book…or whatever it is that Seekers do. - What exactly are the Dreads? I know they’re supposed to be witnesses, mediators or judges (Judge Dreads?) but how do they fit into this picture? Where do they come from and what is their history? How did they get involved with the Seekers? I. Have. Absolutely. No. Idea. - Unsurprisingly, I found world-building to be sorely lacking, practically non-existent. You have to understand, I’m not asking for info-dumps or to have my hand being held through the whole book, but I do need a starting point, SOMETHING to anchor me. I felt like I was thrown into this world and the author just expects me to know everything and doesn’t see the need to provide any background information. - The writing is simplistic and contrived. There are a couple chapters where things aren’t so bad, but most of the prose feels clumsy. The dialogue feels forced. There’s a lot of telling, and not enough showing. Many strange quirks in the writing, like poorly executed time jumps (I actually thought I missed a few pages) which probably relates back to the lack of world-building. - Speaking of time jumps, just when exactly are we supposed to be? One moment it seems like we’re in medieval Scotland and the next, BOOM, we’re in present day (or futuristic?) Hong Kong. If you’re going to have your characters jump back and forth through portals, you should establish both time and place! - The characters are pretty bland and unengaging. Quin is a far cry from the kickass heroine she’s meant to be; instead, it feels like her whole purpose is to be a trophy for the two boys who are in love with her. It was so frustrating to watch John and Shinobu fight over her like she’s a piece of meat. The plot thread that involves her losing her memory also makes me understand now why some readers hate amnesia storylines. So she spent more than a year essentially suppressing her own memories? And she’s suddenly a healer? All that “brutal training” she supposedly received didn’t seem to amount to much. - The romantic side plot is unimaginative and I wasn’t convinced of any of the relationships. I think this is partly due to the awkward writing style, and unnatural dialogue (especially when the characters were discussing their feelings for each other, I couldn’t help but cringe). - This probably comes as no surprise, but for most of the book, I felt like I had NO IDEA what was going on. More than a few times, I wondered to myself if my ARC was missing huge chunks of the story, as so much of it made no sense. I’m sure there’s a good overall premise in here somewhere, but it was not well executed. Instead, we are left with a whole lot of confusion. In general I don’t like to DNF, and not only because I’m a completionist. Sometimes a book can be weak in the beginning, but then redeem itself with a strong conclusion. There have been times where I almost put down a book, only to end up absolutely loving it when I finish. I admit it doesn’t happen often, but now I’ve developed a habit where when book that don’t blow me away at first, I always hold out in the hopes that it will get better. But unfortunately, this just didn’t happen with Seeker. I did hear that there is talk of a movie adaptation for the book. Thing is, I actually think the book would work better as a live action film with its exotic settings, bombastic action sequences, and young attract protagonists. It would make a great cinematic experience, but to achieve a similar awe-inspiring feeling, I’m afraid large swaths of the book would have to be more rigorously edited and perhaps rewritten. There are lots of interesting ideas in here, with an intriguing mix of science fiction and fantasy, and it’s really just a shame that the book falls short of its full potential. I will not be continuing this series, sadly. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jan 24, 2015
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Jan 29, 2015
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Jan 12, 2015
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Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 0765376377
| 9780765376374
| 0765376377
| 3.54
| 159
| Feb 03, 2015
| Feb 03, 2015
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liked it
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3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2015/01/29/b... UPDATED: Giveaway of 3 copies of Echo 8 (US/CANADA) 2/2/15 - 2/11/15 http:// 3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2015/01/29/b... UPDATED: Giveaway of 3 copies of Echo 8 (US/CANADA) 2/2/15 - 2/11/15 http://bibliosanctum.com/2015/02/02/g... Echo 8 is the first novel I’ve read by Sharon Lynn Fisher, but I’d known from before that her work is usually characterized by mixture of Science Fiction and Romance elements. That sounded just fabulous to me, and well, ultimately I believe one’s overall enjoyment of this book will entirely depend on how much you prefer in your balance of each genre! With themes like alternate worlds and parapsychology at its core, Echo 8 follows a brilliant young researcher named Tess Caufield in a near-future where doppelgangers have begun appearing mysteriously and randomly from a parallel universe. As far as Tess and her team could tell, these shadowy “Echoes” are from an alternate earth that has been struck by an asteroid, but how these hapless individuals ended up being here, and how to keep them alive on this world after they have teleported are questions scientists are still trying desperately to work out. However, Echoes also have the unfortunate tendency to drain the life energy from people they come in physical contact with. This consequently led to the assignment of FBI special agent Ross McGinnis to Tess’s security detail, much to her chagrin. This arrangement is further strained when Jake, the latest Echo to dislocate to Seattle Psi from the other earth touches Tess and almost kills her, setting off a chain reaction that will have profound significance for all three lives. Remember what I said earlier about how you like your balance of sci-fi and romance? After finishing Echo 8, I’ve determined that this book is without question heavier on the latter. The scientific theory and technology involved in here is sufficiently explained but clearly written in a way so that the reader can enjoy the story without having to look beyond the surface details. Those used to harder sci-fi with a stronger emphasis and comprehensive look at the technical aspects won’t really find it here. On the other hand, if you’re fancying yourself a good romance, then you definitely won’t be disappointed. No question about it, Fisher has a real talent for writing hot, sweaty, passionate lurrrrrve. Perhaps a bit too fast and intense for me, if I’m to tell the truth. Heck, I’m all for scorching love scenes, and I’m not exactly a fan of crawling slow burn romances either, but I’d prefer to see a relationship proceed at more of a simmer. In Echo 8 we’re thrust into a complicated love triangle almost right away, and the first time two characters get together it happened very quickly, too quickly for me to be truly convinced of their feelings for each other. In general, the weight of the romance also came at the expense of story and character development. Often I could tell that the plot yearned to be something bigger, something more, but all told it ended up being rather straightforward and predictable. There’s not much depth to Tess beyond her obsession to help Echoes and her complete lack of concern over whether or not she gets killed trying to do it. This drives Ross crazy of course, but his soft spot for Tess means it never takes much to talk him into letting her do anything she wants. We go through this cycle repeatedly with these two characters, while Jake pines for Tess and struggles with his feelings for someone he knows he can never have…or can he? Like the science fiction aspects, we’re given just enough information about the three main characters to appreciate the twisty relationship dynamics behind their…unique situation. The level of romantic drama here is extremely satisfying, but once again, some readers might find themselves wishing for more out of the plot and characters. In sum, Echo 8 has a very interesting and ambitious premise, even if it doesn’t quite reach its full potential. It is first and foremost a Romance, and in this area the book indubitably excels, practically burning up the pages with its fast-paced love story and red-hot desires flying all over the place. It’s perhaps too strong on the romantic side of things for my tastes, but I suspect those readers who are more inclined towards that will enjoy this novel very much. Everything about it is designed to appeal to genre fiction readers who enjoy a very healthy dose of romance, and without a doubt it is successful in this endeavor. And I have to say, even with the issues I mentioned above, I liked this book and found it to be a fun read. ...more |
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1
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Jan 05, 2015
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Jan 10, 2015
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Oct 06, 2014
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Paperback
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| 0698164172
| 9780698164178
| B00KWG60OC
| 3.85
| 216
| Nov 03, 2015
| Nov 03, 2015
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liked it
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3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2015/11/08/r... Dreamseeker is the sequel to Dreamwalker and the second novel of C.S. Friedm 3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2015/11/08/r... Dreamseeker is the sequel to Dreamwalker and the second novel of C.S. Friedman’s Young Adult portal fantasy series–though it also has high crossover appeal for readers of adult spec fic. In addition, it features a uniquely fresh take on parallel worlds. With multiple genres colliding here to form an eclectic picture of magic and mysticism meeting advanced technology and scientific theory, you can expect to see an interesting blend of sci-fi and fantasy elements too. The novel starts by immediately and mercilessly tossing us right back into the story, which picks up shortly after the end of the first book. As such, I probably wouldn’t recommend starting the series here because it cannot be read as a standalone, and the narrative does not provide much in the way of reminders when it comes to what happened in Dreamwalker. It’s been quite a while since I read that book myself, but after a while I was able to piece together all the details and remember again. Our protagonist, Jesse Drake, has discovered that she is a Changeling. Not only is she not the person she thought she was, she is shocked to find out that she isn’t even from this universe! On the surface, Jesse realizes this explains a lot. Ever since she can remember, she has been dreaming of all these strange places. As an artist, she has been incorporating much of her dream aspects into her work…until one day, her paintings attract the attention of someone from an alternate world. Jesse’s adventures following those events ended up resulting in the destruction of one of the dimensional gates into this world, allowing her to escape from her shadowy enemies. But just because she’s home now doesn’t mean she’s safe. And now she has starting dreaming some dark and disturbing things. Furthermore, there is the situation involving Jesse’s mother, who hasn’t been the same person since the injuries she sustained in an attack that was aimed at her daughter. To save her mother and to protect herself and her family, Jesse is going to have to face her enemies and enter their world once more. Despite the direness of the situation, however, the plot of this book did not quite grab me as much as the first one. I think this was due to several reasons. First, there was the confusion of trying to remember what happened in the first book. Story-wise, I could recall most of what happened, but it was the finer details I struggled with, like the magical mechanics behind the fetters. I also think I could have benefited from some brief reminders or explanations into the backgrounds of all the other characters, especially when it came to Jesse’s allies in the other world like Isaac and Sebastian since they both played pretty big roles in this book. Second, the character I would actually have liked to see more of was mostly absent, which surprised me. Devon, whom I had hopes would be shaping up to be Jesse’s love interest in the first book, turned out to have very little to do with this story. It just seemed strange to me that the author would introduce romantic tension between Jesse and Devon, and then Jesse and Isaac, only to abandon this thread all together in this sequel. I can only guess Friedman decided to eschew with the romance completely and just focus on the intrigue, which in truth I wouldn’t have minded so much if Devon hadn’t been one of my favorite characters from Dreamwalker. Ah well, such is life. Third, I know this sounds horrible, but I just couldn’t really understand Jesse’s motivations for going back into the other world. I understood that she wanted to help her mother, and perhaps she was wracked with the guilty knowledge that if it hadn’t been for Jesse, their house probably wouldn’t have burned down and her mom wouldn’t have been injured in the first place. But would it be enough to explain plunging headfirst into danger and possible death again? In the first book, Jesse’s brother Tommy was stolen away, so it made perfect sense to go through the gate to get him back. But in this book, Jesse’s mom is injured but at least her children are by her side. Wouldn’t the best thing to do (at least in the short term) have been to support her mother? By risking her own life, Jesse also risked the potential of piling even more grief and anguish onto her mom’s already fragile frame of mind. These issues aside, however, I actually thought the book was pretty good. In my review of Dreamwalker, I said that the first book was a promising start to what has the potential to become a great new series. I still think I’m right, even if Dreamseeker wasn’t quite convincing, but the events in this sequel succeeds in setting up for more exciting things to come. Only time will tell if the next novel will get us back on track, but I’m looking forward to finding out. ...more |
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1
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Oct 27, 2015
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Oct 29, 2015
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Aug 25, 2014
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ebook
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| 0765376458
| 9780765376459
| 0765376458
| 4.05
| 382,526
| Feb 24, 2015
| Feb 24, 2015
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liked it
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3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2015/09/08/a... Kell is one of the last Antari, a rare magician able to travel across para 3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2015/09/08/a... Kell is one of the last Antari, a rare magician able to travel across parallel worlds in a universe that has four different Londons: Grey London which is mundane and magic-less; vibrant Red London where magic is revered; oppressive White London where a tyrant rules the throne and magic is savage and something to be conquered; and finally Black London, a shell of a city no one speaks of anymore. When a dangerous artifact from Black London finds its way Kell, he and a young thief named Lila must team up to to save all the worlds. Despite my middling rating for this book, I really did enjoy it. However, after the great read that was V.E. Schwab’s Vicious, I admit I was expecting something just as good or better, but this one just didn’t have the edge. What was missing? I’m not sure. The novel’s concept of multiple parallel Londons is brilliant and amazingly creative, and the book should have won me over based on that fact alone. And yet, behind that dazzling curtain, the plot itself is actually simplistic and rather typical, and I’m disappointed that after the deeply complex personalities/relationships Schwab developed between Eli and Victor in Vicious, her treatment of Kell and Lila (your standard outcast-street-thief-with-big-dreams character) proved instead to be relatively unremarkable here. In many ways, my feelings towards this book can be likened to my feelings towards Kell and his magical coat — in the outset, things look delightful, extraordinary, and full of limitless potential…but strip that away and our protagonist underneath doesn’t really stand out, nor does he seem to have much presence. I don’t think listening to the audiobook version affected my enjoyment; in fact, I think narrator Steven Crossley’s performance actually enhanced it, making me like the book even more if I’d read the print version. From the attention this book got, I expected more, but I’ll also admit to being excited for the next book. The events in this set things up nicely for a sequel, and something tells me I’ll probably like it more as the plot and characters mature. ...more |
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1
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Apr 23, 2015
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Apr 30, 2015
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May 21, 2014
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Hardcover
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| 3.85
| 393
| Dec 24, 2013
| Jan 2014
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it was amazing
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5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.blogspot.com/201... It's no exaggeration when I say these books in the Everness series just seem 5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.blogspot.com/201... It's no exaggeration when I say these books in the Everness series just seem to get better and better. The adventure that started with Planesrunner only intensified with Be My Enemy, and now the third installment has taken things even further. Seriously -- I really wish there were more young adult novels like this out there. Empress of the Sun continues the story of Everett Singh and the crew of the Earth 3 airship Everness. Spoilers for books one and two will likely be unavoidable in this review when discussing the third book, though if you haven't read the previous novels you can still probably pick up on the story and follow along, if you don't mind missing out on some of the nuances. Nothing will beat starting this great series from the beginning though, and obviously I highly recommend it! Because Everness is about alternate dimensions and the Multiverse, you just never know where the story might take you next! That's what I love most about these books. And true to form, Ian McDonald starts this one off by dropping us into most bizarre and incredible parallel universe yet. In order to track down and rescue his father, Everett and his friends have taken to world-hopping. Armed with a jump gun and the Infundibulum, they now have the ability to go anywhere on any one of the 10 to the power of 80 worlds in the Panoply. Something goes seriously wrong with their last jump though, and the airship ends up on a strange version of earth which does not appear to follow the rules of astrophysics. It turns out that the alternate earth they are on is actually an Alderson Disk. Not being very well-versed in my science fiction megastructures, this was the first time I've ever heard of such a thing. This is some cool stuff! And not only that, the world they are on is one where dinosaurs never went extinct. Instead, they have evolved over the eons to become the dominant species on this "discworld" (Pratchett fans, eat your heart out!) called the Jiju, whose civilization is 65 million years ahead of ours. Not only is their technology frighteningly advanced, as the main bad guys in this book, the Jiju make the other villains that we've seen so far in this series look like peanuts. What is Charlotte Villiers or even the Nahn compared to these lizard people who have the ability to make the sun dance to their tune? The author sure pulled out all the stops with this one. Blown, my mind is. I also can't decide what I love more about this book: the world building or the character development. The former has clearly impressed me, but as ever, the people in the stories are the most important to me when I read. With every book in this series, I feel closer and more amiable towards Everett and the crew. The relationship between him and Sen is moving forward nicely, and we're getting to the point where their feelings for each other are starting to come to the surface. This book also explores the friction between Everett and Sharkey. The two have not gotten along since the weighmaster suggested selling Everett out to the enemy in order to save the ship, but there is clearly a lot more to this precarious friendship than meets the eye. The members of the crew aren't the only ones getting further developed in this novel. In Be My Enemy, readers were introduced to an alternate Everett, a version of him from another earth who was kidnapped and forced to take the place of real Everett, in order to spy and report to the nefarious factions in the Plenitude of Known Worlds. This doppelganger played a somewhat antagonistic role in the last book, but this one humanizes him and lets us see that deep down he is just like any other boy, with feelings and fears like everyone else. We also get a part of the story told in Charlotte Villiers' perspective, and even though she is the main villain, we are shown that there is a reason for all the things she does. To sum it up, this book just does a fantastic job all around at fleshing out everyone. As someone who places such high importance on characters, I couldn't be happier. Action, adventure, and rollicking good fun! Empress of the Sun has all of that. And of all the books so far, I also have to say this one was the most humorous. There are some sections of dialogue that just made me laugh out loud, especially when it came to the conversation between Everett and Kax the Jiju about human reproduction. Oh my, I still can't stop chuckling when I think of that scene. I'm so glad to see that there will be more of these books. The crew of the Everness still has much to do, and there are still so many worlds out there to explore. I can't wait to see where they will go next. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jan 16, 2014
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Jan 19, 2014
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Dec 26, 2013
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Hardcover
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| 1780876688
| 9781780876689
| 1780876688
| 3.76
| 537
| Sep 04, 2012
| Aug 01, 2013
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really liked it
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4.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.blogspot.com/201... With its intriguing application of quantum physics and topic of parallel e 4.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.blogspot.com/201... With its intriguing application of quantum physics and topic of parallel earths, Planesrunner secured its spot as one of the most unique young adult novels I read last year. And of course, who could forget the heart-pounding airship battles? When it comes delivering excitement and adventure, Ian McDonald knows his stuff, and I could not wait to get my hands on the next book. Seeing as the third installment of the Everness series is already on the horizon, I thought it best to get right on that post-haste. But first, bear in mind that this review may contain spoilers for book one, since Be My Enemy immediately picks up where Planesrunner left off. Last time we saw Everett Singh, he had managed to escape his enemies by transporting himself and his new Airish friends to another parallel earth. His computer device holding the Infundibulum and the key to the multiverse is safe for now, but it's only a matter of time until their pursuers catch up. Plus, Everett still needs to figure out a way to rescue his father, a seemingly impossible task, seeing as Tejendra Singh is now stranded somewhere on any one of the possible parallel worlds -- 10 to the power of 80 of them, to be exact. Yep, it's a big multiverse. Everett's search for answers eventually leads him to E1, the first Earth to develop a way to jump between parallel universes. It's also the only world amongst the ten known Earths that is sealed off, quarantined, nothing going in and nothing coming out. I won't deny it, I was thrilled that the characters ended up here. The speculations drove me insane in the first book, leaving me wondering and guessing what could have happened to E1 to make everyone so afraid, and now thanks to this sequel, I finally know why. And the reasons are hair-raising indeed! I doff my hat to you, Mr. McDonald. But wait, that's not all. One thing about this book is that it simply does not stop with the surprises, and not least of them is the lengths the bad guys will go to in order to get what they want. Everett's enemies have some wily tricks up their sleeves, stopping at nothing to gain control of the Infundibulum. All I'll say is that in time, the perplexing introduction to Be My Enemy, not to mention that curious title, will be explained. I can't even begin to ponder the future implications of everything that happened here. Take everything that made Planesrunner so great, dial it all up and you get this book: Action? Check. In fact, this story has it in spades. Cleverness? Check. No doubt the book fudged a lot of the science, but it's done for the sake of top-notch storytelling. In spite of that, this book does not patronize the reader, which makes me think this series would appeal to adults and young adults alike. Interesting characters? Check. This book gave me a more in-depth look into Everett's personality, in the most unexpected and unique way possible. As for the supporting cast, I feel like I finally have an idea of who they are. I never gave much thought to Sen in the first book, but now I find her to be a delight. I loved the brief glimpses of the story told from her perspective, and couldn't help but think how awesome an entire novel in her point of view would be. I can dream, can't I? And what about the world building, you ask? Big check. Absolutely fantabulosa. After all, anything can happen when it comes to a story about parallel earths. I was impressed with Ian McDonald's imagination at work in Planesrunner, the way he brought the Airish culture to life and the incredible way he described the world of E3. True to form, he does not hold back for the sequel either, giving the same creative treatment to settings like E1 or the frozen wasteland at the beginning of the novel, despite these being much bleaker and darker worlds. You never know where the story might take you, or what amazing things you'll see next, and that's one of the main reasons why I'm having so much fun. Bring on the third book, I'm ready! ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Dec 30, 2013
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Jan 04, 2014
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Dec 07, 2013
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Hardcover
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| 1616145412
| 9781616145415
| 1616145412
| 3.68
| 1,174
| Dec 06, 2011
| Dec 06, 2011
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really liked it
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4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.blogspot.com/201... Add Ian McDonald's Planesrunner to the list of the most interesting and well 4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.blogspot.com/201... Add Ian McDonald's Planesrunner to the list of the most interesting and well-written young adult novels I've read this year. With the third book coming out soon, I'd initially picked this up to get caught up with the series, but in doing so I also finally discovered why so many readers have been raving about Everness. Adventurous and fun but also fresh and clever, if you're looking for a YA offering that's a little different but has a great story at the same time, consider checking this one out. Planesrunner tackles a topic in fantasy and science fiction that I have a great interest in: multiple universes and alternate dimensions. I have rarely seen it handled with such detail when it comes to YA fiction, though. The protagonist is Everett Singh, whose father is a brilliant scientist and one of the leading researchers in the study of parallel earths. But then Tejendra Singh is kidnapped from the streets of London one day, leaving his son with a mysterious file on his computer called the Infundibulum. The Infundibulum ends up being a map to the parallel earths -- all 10 to the power of 80 of them! -- making Everett the guardian of the most valuable tool in the whole entire multiverse. But there are others who see the Infundibulum as a powerful weapon, nefarious factions in the group of plenipotentiaries of the Ten Known Worlds. To escape their reach, Everett travels to a very different parallel earth. With the help of new friends, he is determined to find and rescue his father, while fighting to protect the Infundibulum at all costs. Hard sci-fi readers will probably find the science behind the quantum physics and theory of multiple universes to be on the light side, but I still find Planesrunner to be a fabulously clever novel. There's enough information to enjoy this fun and action-filled story without getting bogged down with details, and when it comes to his imaginings of parallel earths, Ian McDonald takes things all the way. The sights and sounds in the world Everett ends up in, designated E3, are beyond amazing. It is a world where fossil fuels have never existed, leading to a society powered by a system that can only be described as a souped-up version of steampunk or, as Everett so amusingly observed, "electropunk". Everett ends up being taken in by an airship crew, thus introducing the reader to the rich, imaginative culture and language of the "Airish". The author certainly does not skimp on the descriptions of the people and their way of life, making it easy to picture the setting and put myself right there. I also thoroughly enjoyed the characters, though Everett himself comes off as a bit unrealistic as a 14 or 15-year-old boy. The extent of his intelligence is played up and so farfetched it's difficult for me to feel otherwise, but on the other hand, his more mature point of view and way of thinking might make him more relatable to a non-YA reader, thus making Planesrunner a book that may appeal to a much wider audience. And finally, this book was just plain fun. Where else would I be able to get the craziness and thrills of an actual airship duel outside the pages of this awesome novel? I love YA fiction like this -- quick, clever and full of great ideas. The Everness series is simply "bonaroo"! Looking forward to continuing Everett's journey with the next book, Be My Enemy, and then on to Empress of the Sun, dropping early next year. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Dec 05, 2013
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Dec 07, 2013
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Nov 25, 2013
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Hardcover
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| 0756408881
| 9780756408886
| 0756408881
| 3.42
| 625
| Feb 04, 2014
| Feb 04, 2014
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really liked it
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4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.blogspot.com/201... To my surprise, Dreamwalker turned out to be a pretty big departure from C.S 4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.blogspot.com/201... To my surprise, Dreamwalker turned out to be a pretty big departure from C.S. Friedman's previous works. Still, I was no less charmed by the remarkable story and characters than I had been before I realized this was a book more geared towards the young adult audience. After all, YA fantasy has so much to offer these days, and as someone who enjoys reading this category quite a bit, I found Dreamwalker to be a promising start to what has the potential to become a great new series. I was hooked right away with the introduction to the Drake siblings, Jessica ("Jesse" to her friends) and her little brother Tommy. The book starts off by throwing them into some pretty heavy situations, and I don't doubt for a second that this had something to do with why I was so taken with these characters. Jesse and Tommy's father, who doesn't actually appear in this novel, still casts a dark shadow on the family even years after he walked away from them, by claiming that Jesse is another man's child. To prove to him that this is not true, Jesse's mom takes her to get a paternity test. Yikes, what an awful situation for anyone let alone a teenager to find themselves in, but Jesse's composure and steadfast support for her mother made me appreciate her more as a protagonist and narrator. But of course, these problems are just the beginning. When the DNA test results come back, that's when Jesse's true mettle will be tested. What would you do if you discovered that you weren't the person you thought you were? What would you do if you found out you might not even be part of this world? A new term has gained significance with Jesse: Changeling. Desperate to make sense of her life, Jesse goes on the search for answers and instead finds many others who are in similar situations like hers. The family's problems have touched Jesse's brother Tommy's life as well, though they have affected him in different ways. I have to say his obsession with gaming in the wake of his father's departure broke my heart a little; having spent years playing online games myself and in doing so meeting people who have used this hobby as an avenue of escape, I understand all too well how someone could turn to virtual worlds and internet friends in order to drown out painful feelings. It could happen to anyone, young or old. For me, it is another point to Jesse's character that she doesn't judge her brother, and instead tries to share in his interests by letting him use her weird and disturbing dreams as inspiration for his roleplaying campaigns. When a stranger comes poking around the Drakes' lives and Tommy is kidnapped however, Jesse begins to have the dreaded suspicion that it is all because of her and her dreams. Her mission to get her brother back is what leads her and her new friends on a journey to another world, one that the author has done a phenomenal job of creating. I really enjoyed the premise of this novel, which explores parallel universes and alternate realities. In doing so, Friedman also addresses important social issues like race, poverty and human rights. Overall this is a fun and adventurous novel, but there are definitely some weighty topics of discussion in here. Perhaps my only issue with the book is how jumbled it feels at certain times, perhaps due to the frequent switching of first-person to third-person between some chapters. This doesn't usually bother me in other books, but for some reason it is quite noticeable here. My guess is it has something to do with chapter length and how short some of these third-person intervals are. Some parts of the plot are also resolved too neatly, or too conveniently. For example, at one point in the novel Jesse and her friends meet a character who essentially hands them everything they need to succeed in their quest, though how that character managed to obtain the tools and information in the first place is not really addressed. There are also lots of ideas in play, and how they all relate to each other does make itself apparent until much later in the book, so the first half of the story may feel a bit disjointed. Personally I don't mind stories like this, which are like mysteries that I know will unravel in time. As such, this was a fast read for me because I found I couldn't stop myself from turning the pages. Every person you encounter is a question, because you don't know whose side they're on. I just couldn't wait to see how all the puzzle pieces would fall into place, and the ending was sadly over much too soon. I was actually a little surprised at how quickly it wrapped up. Even so, the ending leaves things wide open for more of Jesse's story (though it is not a cliffhanger, thank you!), and I know I will want to be there to see what happens next. I think as long as you go into this with the knowledge it is going to be different from the author's other books, Dreamwalker may yet surprise you. This is C.S. Friedman tackling the young adult fantasy genre, and I feel she did an impressive job. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jan 14, 2014
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Jan 16, 2014
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Oct 31, 2013
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Hardcover
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