Category Archives: Young Adult

Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult

McLeod, Suzanne: The Shifting Price of Prey (spellcrackers.com IV) (2012)

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By Thore Hansen – http://www.gyldendal.no/Barn-og-ungdom/6-9-aar/Zaga
http://voicewithinthecards.wordpress.com
Garden Fairy by Brian Froud – http://worldoffroud.smugmug.com/
The Shifting Price of Prey – Design Nick Castle – http://nickcastledesign.com/
The Goblin who Stole a Sexton by Hablot Knight Browne – http://familychristmasonline.com/stories_other/dickens/gabriel_grub.htm
http://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/33600000/Wow-_-captain-jack-sparrow-33627003-2250-1405.jpg
http://www.lovetripper.com/caribbean/2222006-trinidad-carnival.html

The Shifting Price of Prey is the fourth book in the story of Genvieve Nataliya Zakharinova Taylor, her past, her present and her potential future. You definitely need to have read the previous three novels to get the most out of The Shifting Price of Prey.

As you might have noticed in my previous reviews of the spellcrackers.com serial, I have used art from various sources to represent the creatures/people in Suzanne McLeod’s stories. I have tried to stay true to the characters she describes, but the only one I am certain of is Ricou. Ricou loves putting on the glamour of Jonny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow. Good choice Ricou. There is just something about Jack Sparrow as presented by Jonny Depp that leaves a lot of women (including myself) wanting to stare. I love the choice McLeod made there.

Ricou and Sylvia are incredibly cute together. The Bitter Seed of Magic showed us the extent of their love across the boundaries of race. Their mothers aren’t pleased with Sylvia and Ricou choosing each other. In The Shifting Price of Prey these same two mothers are still conniving to get their way with Genvieve. One of the many things I love about fantasy and science fiction is the way real life issues are brought to light in a manner that makes me think. Perhaps taking issues into the land of imagination make them clearer and easier to understand for me. Because I find it terribly confusing to try to understand why something like color should make us hate each other and not want our children to love each other. It’s just really weird and illogical in my mind.

Another thing I really enjoy about reading Suzanne McLeod’s story of Genny and her friends is the way she shows us the silly excuses we use in our lives to justify what we do. Take Finn. He drops in from taking care of his daughter. In The Bitter Seed of Magic it is highly likely that Nicky had been raped into pregnancy. Finn and she went off into Between with the other girls who had become pregnant so the babies and the women would be safe. That is completely understandable and Genny agrees wholly with what he does. But Finn is incredibly stupid when it comes to one thing in his life and this time (again) he uses the dumbest excuse to rationalize his actions. I love the way McLeod reveals the issue to us and also my own reaction when I hear his excuse. I cannot help feeling sorry for Finn with his blind side. I also cannot help but wonder what my own blind sides are.

I have met people like Mr. Lampy. Shudder. Genny’s reaction is something I identify with. Mr. Lampy’s creep factor is way out there and as we read through The Shifting Price of Prey it keeps on rocketing. Which is why I absolutely loved Cat-Girl’s question and Genny’s answer at one point. Way to go both of them!

Tarot cards are something I know nothing about, except for what I have seen in movies or read about in fictional works. After reading about the ones in The Shifting Price of Prey I am no closer to becoming a fan of them. If there is one thing that is certain in Genvieve’s life it has to be that nothing comes to her the simple and easy way. Oh, no! Suzanne McLeod has to make her fight for every little answer. As a reader I love, it but I tend to feel sorry for the poor characters who have to suffer the author’s pen.

Anyways! I had fun with The Shifting Price of Prey. Suzanne McLeod met my expectations completely and I certainly look forward to reading the next installment of this serial.

Reviews:

The Shifting Price of Prey on Amazon.co.uk, Kindle, Book Depository, Waterstones

My review of:

  1. The Sweet Scent of Blood
  2. The Cold Kiss of Death
  3. The Bitter Seed of Magic

Carnival Fantastique is based on the Carnival in Trinidad

Science Fiction, Young Adult

Simpson, David: Sub-Human (Post-Human 1) (2012)

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Because of the way my head works, I think that for me it is best to start the series with Sub-Human. This what I chose to do, so too late now. David Simpson discusses the (dis)advantages of the two ways to read the series.

I see Sub-Human as a story about who has the right to definitions and the lengths to which people will go to enforce their definitions upon others.

What is intelligence?

At what exact point do 1’s and 0’s come to life?

What is a human?

What arguments do we use to justify killing others so we can be “right”?

The Purists are fine with injecting certain soldiers with “nano-infusions”. Yet these infusions change people into super-humans/super-soldiers who can withstand extreme conditions. The Purists are also fine with using dirty bombs to destroy those they consider techno-friendly. Nor are they afraid of killing their own people. In fact, I think it would be safe to say that the Purists represent what I would call an extreme point of view. Yet I sometimes wonder if those kinds of views are becoming increasingly popular because they seem to hold uncomplicated answers.

When the soldiers from the US go on a mission with an AI robot that specializes in heavy trauma suspended animation body bags it makes me wonder exactly who it is that profits from the Purists being in government. Have those who profit been able to use their long-term thinking caps? Hmmm.

Seen from my point of view I found Sub-Human a realistic portrayal of the idiotic decisions we humans make over and over again. A look back into history will show us a frightening tendency toward self-destructive behavior, except now our weapons are a bit more destructive than they used to be. It also clearly shows how hypocritical we are when our own lives are on the line.

Review:

Sub-Human available on Amazon USA

Fantasy, Mystery, Young Adult

McLeod, Suzanne: The Bitter Seed of Magic (Spellcrackers III) (2011)

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http://worldoffroud.smugmug.com/Books
Morrigan: https://journeyingtothegoddess.files.wordpress.com
http://gatherer.wizards.com
“Bean Sidhe” by Alessandro Cristiano at elfwood.com
Danu: http://www.thesilverbranch.org/goddess/power/danu.html

Detective Inspector Helen Crane of the Metropolitan Police’s Magic and Murder Squad embodies the law of unintended consequences to me. As we saw in The Sweet Scent of Blood and The Cold Kiss of Death DI Crane is out to get Genvieve Taylor. Helen is a Witch. Genvieve a Sidhe. Crane’s hatred is not due to their two races, or rather not directly. In her youth Helen Crane went through a traumatic experience that has caused her hatred for both the Sidhe fae and for Vampires. Poor Genny hasn’t a clue why DI Crane is out to destroy her, but Genvieve Taylor is the one who has to live with the consequences of that long-ago experience.

Spellcrackers.com is both serial and series. If you want to understand the overarching story of the whys and whereofs of the search for a solution to the fae sterility problem you will need to read the preceding novels. But if all you want is a fun mystery then you can read The Bitter Seed of Magic on its own. That also goes for The Sweet Scent of Blood and for The Cold Kiss of Death.

Our mystery in The Bitter Seed of Magic has to do with the strange circumstances around the deaths of fae women. They turn up glamoured to look like human girls. At the very least all magic should have been washed away by the River Thames from which they were pulled. But this is not the case. Obviously magic is involved and because of its nature Genvieve becomes involved. At first only to remove the spells on their bodies. Then it becomes personal – due to the matter of the feud DI Crane has instigated.

Genny’s own past comes to haunt her. She meets long-lost relatives. Her nickname for one of them is Mad Max (no irony intended) and that should tell you what you need to know about him. Others of her relatives also make an appearance in Genvieve’s life, but I will leave you to find out just who they are on your own. Lets just say that Mad Max is not the only crazy family Genny has. Perhaps crazy is the wrong word for their personalities. Amoral might be a better one or maybe just ethically different seeing as none of them are human.

One thing our experiences with Genvieve Taylor shows is that curses are a whole lot simpler to cast than to undo. In fact that goes for all of our experiences in life. In general it seems to be easier to prevent than to fix. Poor Genny. Left having to fix the idiocy and thoughtlessness of others. She is not on her own though and that could help. Having friends does seem to make my troubles easier to bear. New friends turn up in Genny’s life making her troubles a little less complicated as well. She will need those friends considering just who is pushing Genvieve around. Phew. I am so glad I am not her. Boring is good is my motto when it comes to my own life.

But excitement in the form of stories and excellent authors is another matter. Suzanne McLeod not only makes Genvieve Nataliya Zakharinova Taylor  come alive for me but also very much makes me care what happens to her and her life and her friends.

Reviews:

The Bitter Seed of Magic on:  Amazon.co.uk,  Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, Books.A.Million, Chapters.ca, IndieBound, Penguin.com, Powell’s, The Book Depository

Read Chapter 1

My review of:

  1. The Sweet Scent of Blood
  2. The Cold Kiss of Death

Fae dictionary

Fantasy, Reading together, Young Adult

Britain, Kristen: Mirror Sight (Green Rider V) (2014)

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Sketch idea for “Mirror Sight” by Donato Giancolo, 2014
Final AS cover for “Mirror Sight”
Mirror Sight by Donato Giancolo, 2014; Final result
Sketch idea for “Mirror Sight” by Donato Giancolo, 2014
Sketch idea for “Mirror Sight” by Donato Giancolo, 2014
Final cover for “Mirror Sight”; Jacket art by Donato Giancolo, jacket design by G-Force Design
Mirror Sight by April Schumacher, 2013; on pallanoph.deviantart.com

My son and I managed to finish Mirror Sight just in time. We are entering a new phase in our lives with him going off to college. Hopefully this will not be our last story to be read together. Hopefully this isn’t the last book of the Green Rider series either. It did have a sense of closure to it. Except maybe not.

Once again we have enjoyed ourselves immensely. Kristen Britain‘s writing lends itself to being read aloud, something I wish all writers could learn from. She did throw in a couple of tongue-twisters this time but I consider that a chance to laugh together and good practice in getting my mouth around new sounds. Anyways, excellent writing from the oral point of view.

On to content. Let’s take my son first. He loved this story about Karigan and her journey into the future. When Blackveil ended with Karigan trapped in the sarcophagus, my son wanted to write Kristen an extremely irate letter stating how cruel he thought she was toward him as a reader. Not so this time. He seemed to enjoy himself very much. There were a couple of spots that both he and I found funny. One was when the professor caught Cade and Karigan fighting. We also very much enjoyed the interactions between Miriam and Karigan and the meeting of the Riders underneath the glass ceiling. Another funny incident was the table Cade, Karigan and Silk were sitting at during Silk’s evening of entertainment. Neither of us enjoyed the way Stirling treated Cade nor the way he and others had treated Yolandhe. But we found Silk’s animal encounter in the museum satisfying and also Yolandhe’s way of getting back at both Silk Sr. and Stirling. Very satisfying. He was impressed with Ms. Britain’s background information at the end of the book about her time as a guide. We are both people who like details like that. When we were finished my son wanted me to find out if there was to be another book in the series.

In the past I used to ask myself a lot of “What if?” questions. Perhaps all of us do. Kristen Britain must have done so herself at times, as Mirror Sight is very much about what could be given certain choices or events. While we never discover what could have happened in real life, Karigan has the chance to see what might be if certain events take place. The future she lands in isn’t a pleasant one but in many ways it reminds me of the one many of us live in.

Sometimes I wonder if we humans see how destructive we are with our inventive abilities. While all species on this planet consume and procreate without a thought for balance, we seem to have taken things up several levels from the other races inhabiting earth. In that sense Karigan’s future is very similar to our own present.

Women’s place in society had been extremely curtailed in the time Karigan landed. Karigan’s real time seems somewhat like my own space in time and the opportunities women have here in Norway. The future she lands in is much more like the lives that women of Afghanistan, Iran, Yemen, Oman, Quatar and so on are living. In Mirror Sight their only role is to bear children (sons) and be property. Servants are somewhat freer (but way poorer) and slaves, well they are slaves and treated as such. I believe my reaction to suddenly having to live a life like that would be much like Karigan’s to having to adjust to her experience. But in addition to having to adjust to being a woman in such a place, Karigan has to figure out a way to get back to her own time. Britain hasn’t made life any simpler for Karigan by doing this to her main character.

Oppression is very much a part of the life Karigan lands in. Eastern Germany, the Soviet Union, Russia today, Egypt and increasingly the US are only some countries that come to mind when the propaganda of the government and the curtailing of people’s rights of Karigan’s future are shown.

As entertainment Mirror Sight is a wonder. From her first story about Karigan G’ladheon, I have been enchanted with Kristen Britain’s writing and was happy when my son shared my enjoyment. These are fun, interesting, informative stories that help me question my own version of truth.

Reviews:

Mirror Sight available at: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, Penguin

Available in audio at: audible, iTunes

My reviews of:

  1. Green Rider
  2. First Rider’s Call
  3. The High King’s Tomb
  4. Blackveil
Fantasy, Young Adult

Stewart, Sean: Nobody’s Son (1993)

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Nobody's Son - Sean Stewart

In looking for a beginning to the story of Shielder’s Mark, one point could be the abandonment by Mark’s father when Mark was four years old. We never discover his father’s story but Mark carries the wounds from that abandonment until almost the very end of the story. Part of his coming of age / growing up entails coming to terms with the scarring from that long-ago day and the years after.

Another beginning could be with the other father/son story of the novel, one the lies one thousand years into the past of Mark’s present. This father/son tale is much, much darker than the one of Mark and his father. With its revelation to Mark and the reader comes an understanding of the magic of the land and how Old men and ghosts play a part in it.

Nobody’s Son is a painful and riveting tale. When I look around I see so many people who have sought approval of the previous generation yet never received it. Having two sons myself I worry that they will feel that they do not measure up to whatever they might perceive our expectations of them to be. Both parents and children go through growing up processes that entail letting go of things, people and pasts. Growing up hurts. At least that is my experience and it is one that never ends.

Gail is the prize Mark has chosen as his reward and what a reward. Both soon learn that the other is a person in their own right and not just some imagined object that will fill an empty spot in their own lives. The development of their relationship shows clearly the sacrifices women of the nobility had to make compared with the sacrifices of the men. Watching Gail come to realise the necessity of her sacrifice and her willingness to make that sacrifice hurt. We demand too much of our daughters and not enough of our sons.

Even after my third or fourth reading of Nobody’s Son, I am still left with a with sense of having read something wonderful.

Happily you can borrow this at the link below as an ebook.

Reviews:

Nobody’s Son on Open Library

1993 Aurora Award, Best Canadian Science Fiction or Fantasy novel published in English

1993 Canadian Library Association Award, Best Young Adult Novel of the Year

Fantasy, Young Adult

Tinker, Jamie: The Widow’s Warning (2013)

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The Widow's Warning - Jamie Tinker

The Widow’s Warning is book no. one of a story that is supposed to encompass at least one more novel/novella.

Authors who venture into interpretations of fantasy that I am unused to fascinate me. Or rather their stories do. Jamie Tinker has created a dark story with an apparently obvious ending. That is until we discover that one of the pieces on the board is unpredictable to the Head Prophet.

The temptation to tinker/manipulate/steer people’s lives must be difficult to resist for a person who claims to see into the future. But the problem with the future is that it has not been lived yet. Perhaps things will happen as the prophet has seen or perhaps the pieces seen are just a small part of something that isn’t all that bad. We can’t really ask for more in life than having lives that are fairly good. Life is going to knock all of us on our faces at one point or another, so why not have the same happen to prophecy.

One thing is certain. Neither Theron nor Serina wish for the prophesied future to come to pass. Others also want to stop whatever powers Serina has to bring to the board. All three players chasing earina have permanent solutions in mind when it comes to manipulating fate. People are like that. We seem to prefer permanent solutions. But the problem with that is how difficult it is to change death. Once you have killed a person – weeellll! What if you were wrong and have made things much worse?

I found The Widow’s Warning a fascinating and entrancing read. I would like to find out what happens to Serina and Theron in their journey to what seems an inevitable ending.

Reviews:

On Amazon Kindle

Adventure, Fantasy, Young Adult

Flynn, Sabrina: A Thread in the Tangle (Legends of Fyrsta I) (2013)

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Cover 1 by Nele Diel / Cover 2 by ???
Cover 1 by Nele Diel / Cover 2 by ???

A Thread in the Tangle can be read by itself. Although the ending was abrupt and clearly meant as a cliff-hanger, the dilemma of the story was resolved.

“No, absolutely not,” Sotaen said shaking his head. “The nymphling is worth far too much. You’re nothing but a barbarian. How do I know you won’t sell her yourself, or take her for yourself when she come of age? Your fondness for women and debts are well known in my court.”

Isiilde is the nymphling Emperor Sotaen and Wise One Oenghus are talking about. Nymphlings are coveted by men, raped by men and forcibly married away to the highest bidder.

Our own world is not much different from the world of Fyrsta in that regard. Selling women into marriage is still a common practice. Slavery is a condition millions of people suffer through today as well. Having to live with the knowledge that your life is not your own and that at any time anything can happen to you if your owner wills it so must be gruesome. Slaves of old have shared their experiences with the world.

At four Isiilde doesn’t quite realize what it entails to be considered an object in the world of wealth. But she will learn.

Thankfully, her allies are powerful and devoted. Oenghus has reasons of his own for protecting Isiilde so fiercely. Her other ally is also a Wise One and the Archlord of the Isle all in one person. Marsais allows the two to live on the Isle under the protection of the Wise Ones until Isiilde comes of age.

Marsais and Oenghus are old friends. They both stand against the Void and the terrors it can unleash. Now their mission is to make Isiilde’s life as good as it can be until it is time for the bidding to begin. A Thread in the Tangle is full of humor and welcome relief from what lies in the future. Isiilde’s less than stellar ability to focus on anything for more than 5 seconds at a time gets her into trouble time and again. Good thing she is Marsais’ apprentice.

Being a nymph is a challenge in the world Isiilde is born into. Where once upon a time they had been revered for their connection with nature, they were now seen as sex-toys for the wealthy. Once the Guardians had defined them as less than sentient, it was a free-for all with regard to sexual abuse. When Isiilde learns of that history from the MUCH older Marsais she is angry.

I found the idea of a tooth fetish funny. What a cool creature Flynn introduced into her story along with that fetish.

A Thread in the Tangle fit me. There were some hiccups, but I see that other reviewers have addressed those. Flynn managed to combine humor, tension, sadness and magic into a world that I stayed in all night to finish.

Reviews by:

A Thread in the Tangle on Smashwords

A Thread in the Tangle on Amazon

A Thread in the Tangle on Barnes & Noble

Various on deviantart.com: Silverbeam / Birgit Engelhardt / Lileya / i-a-grafix / Bohemian resources / Cathy E. Child / Starraven
Various on deviantart.com: Silverbeam / Birgit Engelhardt / Lileya / i-a-grafix / Bohemian resources / Cathy E. Child / Starraven
Horror, Science Fiction, Short story/novella, Young Adult

Berg, Albert: Derelict (2009)

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Derelict

Derelict is a proper little horror tale. Even I was able to figure this out. Berg managed to keep the creepiness going throughout the story by little tricks and cues. There was absolutely no doubt in my mind that Derelict was going to have a horror ending, and it did. Cue applause.

While all the horror elements were present in this story about the three space sailors checking out the empty ship, Albert Berg trod the fine line between just enough (for me that is) and too much. I’m guessing my level of dealing with horror is at about the young adult level. Anything tougher than that and I’m frightened out of my knickers. This is one of the serious draw-backs of being a flow addict.

Derelict is about three sailors checking out the seemingly empty Persephone that has docked at their space station on Mars. I would not have liked to be in Warwick’s place as the truth slowly unfolds.

Reviews:

Derelict:

  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B00558WOZG
Mystery, Science Fiction, Short story/novella, Young Adult

Hall, Tyler Rudd: The Death of Jonas Wakefield (King and Wakefield) (2013)

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The Death of Jonas Wakefield
Cover design by Chris Pratt

It never ceases to amaze me to find that I am the first person to review a story I like.

When I first saw that Jonas Wakefield was an Imp detective I fell for the abbreviation and thought he was either an Imp or he investigated Imp crimes. He does investigate Imp crimes, but Imp is an abbreviation for implants (the sort that allow you to live your life more or less in virtual reality). Jonas Wakefield is more of a maximalist when it comes to being fitted with the best he can afford in implant technology. His like of staying in virtual reality has made him enough of an expert that people come to him and his semi-partner Reagan King when they need something looked into “over there”.

Reagan King’s profession is funny considering the tendencies of her partner. She happens to be an Imp counselor, meaning that she counsels people who struggle with virtual reality addiction. Each partner depends on the other when their own expertise regarding virtual reality comes to short.

In the story The Death of Jonas Wakefield a husband suspects foul play when his wife disappears in virtual reality. He seeks out Reagan who then calls in Jonas to assist her in this matter. Foul play indeed. As the title suggests Jonas dies and is taken to an appropriate facility afterwards. I enjoyed this strange facility. Fascinating place for a corpse to go to. Not your usual kind of mortuary.

A fun mystery staying true to the genre while including futuristic elements.

The Death of Jonas Wakefield

  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B00E4CSLKQ
Fantasy, Short story/novella, Young Adult

Lee, Yeongdo: Over the Horizon (오버 더 호라이즌) (2004)

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Over the Horizon

Yeongdo Lee (李英道 / 이영도) is a new discovery for me. Considering how poor my Korean reading abilities are, that is no wonder. Again, it was the cover that drew me in.

Over the Horizon is the first novella in a three-story collection. It was released on Kindle for free and boy am I glad I downloaded it. While Amazon shows this short story to be 92 pages long, those pages include a whole lot of intro information at the end about Yeongdo Lee and his other work.

I love the cover. It is a perfect introduction to our story and true to both the spirit and the letter of the novella.

Tyr Strike, our main character, happens to be a human with an orc for a boss. He is the assistant sheriff who does not want to go out into the snow to visit Professor Mataphi at Thuja Hall. Professor Mataphi is acting decidedly out of character and the sheriff wants to know what is troubling him.

What Tyr Strike ends up having to deal with is the rescue of the soul of a violin from the thief Horizon.

In a sense it is almost as if Over the Horizon is a ghost story in the way it is presented. But it isn’t. Not really. But it is eerie and thought-provoking. Most of the thought-provocation comes from me being a Viking caught in the grip of the faery world presented in a Korean manner (translated into English).

Highly recommended by me.

Science Fiction, Thriller, Young Adult

Soucy, Glenn: Blood Tithe I (2010)

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Blood tithe

First off, I love this cover.

Blood Tithe is a serial. Too many questions are left unanswered at the end for it to be anything else. Obviously, I recommend that you begin with this novel. I believe Blood Tithe is Soucy’s first novel and it bears signs of just that. But Soucy manages to overcome most of those problems by keeping his characters interesting and active.

“Once someone is altered, they can gather energy from every living thing.  If they take that energy and wrap it around their heart, and then give it to another person, it creates a Blood Tithe. From then on, every time the original person collects more energy, the one he made the Blood Tithe automatically gets their fair share.” Glenn J. Soucy

I have been trying to remember what five-year olds are like while reading Blood Tithe. I can see a person his age falling for the temptation of the forbidden. You do not have to be five to fall for the forbidden. But five is how old Jeremy is when he goes against the commands of his parents and finds his life irrevocably changed. The point in his life when the sins of World War II genetic research comes back to haunt a community. I loved the tension Soucy managed to keep going full pace when Jeremy met Howler and his desperation during their subsequent meetings.

If Jeremy had been my son, would I have become afraid of him? Ideally, my answer should be a resounding no. As most of us end up learning, reality and ideals often do not blend. I really do not know which parent I would have become.

When we meet Jeremy at 13/14 life has become dire. He has done something he feels awful yet justified about in an eye for an eye sort of way.

In choosing to jump from Jeremy as little to Jeremy as teen-ager Glenn Soucy has undertaken a task that many authors shy from for good reason. Blending the two without getting details wrong or messing up on details is where we see that a stricter editor would have made Blood Tithe great.

Reviews:

Halloweenpalooza

Adventure, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult

Chester, Deborah: Realm of Light (Ruby Throne III) (1997)

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Cover art by Dan Craig Cover design by Rita Frangie
Cover art by Dan Craig
Cover design by Rita Frangie

Just a reminder. The Ruby Throne trilogy is a serial and, therefore, the individual installments need to be read in order.

Why do we do the things we do in life? My personal opinion is that the system of propaganda we grow up with focuses our attention on some matters and away from others. Pleasantville becomes a constant state for us rather than a place to visit when we need to rest from reality. When two systems meet, dissonance arises and our minds and bodies begin the fight of where we are going to end up.

For Caelan and Elandra that end stop was a place where they chose to confront their veils and try to strip some of them away. The tools they have utilized thus far on their journey through life are no longer adequate and must be exchanged for others that will cause more pain in the short run. Growing pains, I believe such hurt is called.

On the journey through the hidden ways Caelan makes Elandra drink her cup of veiling while he chooses to see the world of Lord Beloth for what it is. But as their journey together through the kingdom of Beloth continues Elandra fights her veil and comes through choosing to see what is rather than hide from it. For both of them the truth is frightening but at least both of them finally have the opportunity of seeing what is.

Who survives and who dies is something you will have to discover for yourself.

Reviews:

  • Series: Ruby Throne
  • Mass Market Paperback: 395 pages
  • Publisher: Ace (October 1, 1997)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0441004806
  • ISBN-13: 978-0441004805

My review of:

  1. Reign of Shadows
  2. Shadow War
Adventure, Fantasy, Young Adult

Chester, Deborah: Shadow War (Ruby Throne II) (1997)

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Cover art by Dan Craig Cover design by Rita Frangie
Cover art by Dan Craig
Cover design by Rita Frangie

Shadow War is book no 2 of the Ruby Throne trilogy. You need to read Reign of Shadows first in order to get the necessary back story.

The Ruby Throne trilogy is assuredly a “hero’s tale”. For the hero to evolve, certain trials must be survived. Life-threatening lessons always seem to be par for the course. By the time Shadow War begins both Caelan and Elandra have survived their share of difficulties and are about to face even more danger. As with Reign of Shadows neither has met the other person yet, although Caelan has heard of Elandra.

Elandra’s half-sister Bixia has disappeared completely. After her passionate threat of destroying Elandra, I had thought that we would see her again. All we get as a reminder of Elandra’s old life is a scene between Hecati and Elandra.

Caelan is now the property of Prince Tirhin.

Elandra is on her way to becoming Empress Sovereign.

Although their lives are incredibly different, there is one strong similarity. Both Elandra and Caelan depend upon another person’s approval to stay alive. Both Caelan and Elandra admire their captors yet worry about the control their rulers have over their lives.

For Elandra there is real hope of gaining some control. Kostimon is training her to take on the duties and privileges of Empress Sovereign so that he need not rule alone during his last years alive. Whether he actually means to go through with this has yet to be seen.

Caelan admires Prince Tirhin and thinks the prince holds him in special regard. Perhaps this regard is great enough that Caelan might win his freedom. But lets face it. As long as Caelan holds more value to Prince Tirhin as a slave, that is what Caelan will remain – no matter what words the prince uses to maintain Caelan’s illusions. I guess the question then becomes: How long is Caelan going to allow himself to be fooled by Prince Tirhin’s promises?

Initially, letting go of our illusions can hurt more than the pain caused by those illusions.

Reviews:

My review of Reign of Shadows

Adventure, Fantasy, Young Adult

Chester, Deborah: Reign of Shadows (Ruby Throne I) (1996)

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Cover art by Mary Jo Phallen
Cover art by Mary Jo Phallen

Lessons to be learned.

Every experience life throws at us teaches us a lesson. Sometimes those lessons are only applicable to ourselves and our own lives. For others the understanding they draw from their experiences might potentially affect a whole world. As the Ruby Throne trilogy is an epic fantasy, we expect the main characters to fall into the latter category. Epic fantasies have the tendency to make those lessons as harsh as possible for the age group intended.

For both Caelan and Elandra these life-lessons include deception, demon-magic, beatings and servitude. Elandra and Caelan withstand the horrors of their lives with the qualities that epic heroes have: honor, courage, stubbornness and an innate belief in the rightness of their intended actions. As usual, both make mistakes and suffer for those mistakes (when Caelan ignores the bell that one time too many).

We get to know Caelan best. I think about 2/3 of Reign of Shadows is about Caelan’s experiences at school, his experiences immediately after school and his experiences four years down the road. We get to know Elandra during her Cinderella period and while staying with the Penestricans.

Indications of their challenges come through Caelan’s meeting with the haggai and Elandra’s encounters with Hecati. Both serve to introduce us to the baddies of the empire of Emperor Kostimon. The biggest baddies of them all are Lord Beloth and Lady Mael (evil deities bound by the good gods). Neither haggai, Hecati, Lord Beloth nor Lady Mael are creatures/people/deities one wishes to encounter. Unless you are into that sort of thing of course. And some of the people we meet in the novel are into some or all of these creatures.

I enjoyed Deborah Chester’s writing. She kept me interested throughout Reign of Shadows. Her take on epic fantasy was fun and age appropriate. Although  some of the violence was harsh, it wasn’t gory. Reading Reign of Shadows I knew that down the road something would have to happen between Caelan and Elandra but exactly what wasn’t given. After all, Caelan’s and Elandra’s places in society were moons apart when the novel ended.

It has been many years since I read this trilogy the first time, but I believe I enjoyed it as much now as I did then.

  • Series: Ruby Throne
  • Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
  • Publisher: Ace; Reprint edition (January 27, 2004)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0441011667
  • ISBN-13: 978-0441011667
Adventure, Fantasy, Short story/novella, Young Adult

Creaney, R.J. Leathern Men (Kozef & Ceinan I) (2012)

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Cover art by Renè Aigner
Cover art by Renè Aigner

This adventure story is about 56 pages long. It is about two mercenaries who make their living selling their services to people Kozef and Ceinan feel deserve it. These two guys live for the fun of fighting. I am definitely not that kind of person. Fighting scares me and that seems to be the problem in Thieudan.

You know, it is interesting how a large group of people is willing to be dominated by a smaller one if the smaller group utilises some form of violence to rule. We do it all over the world. Our governments are one example of people letting others rule on behalf of themselves and the rulers having potential violence as a tool to enforce that rule. If that rule is more or less of a benign character, then hey – I’m one of those being ruled. But if we had moved to Thieudan at the time Kozef and Ceinan arrived there, we might not enjoy life a whole lot.

Using the Tanner’s Guild as our baddies shows us some of their trade. The Tanner’s Guild rule with terror. Punishment meted out to those who do not obey are line with the Tanner’s trade. Water-boarding takes on new meaning when a tanner does it to you. But their trade can also be used against them. I particularly enjoyed Ceinan’s cow-trick.

I have placed Leathern Men as a young adult novel. I kind of feel that the target group is among the younger ones of that age group. There is some violence I would hesitate to allow a child to read, but I’m really not certain about my judgement on this one. Predictability and the clear “good vs. evil” angle is my main reason for placing R.J. Creaney’s story in this age group. I had fun with it.

Reviews:

Published: Aug. 24, 2012
Words: 15,710
Language: English
ISBN: 9781301211616