Review: A Study in Darkness

A Study in Darkness by Emma Jane Holloway

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



True to its title, A Study in Darkness is much darker than the first book, A Study in Silks. Moving from the comfortable home and vibrant social sphere where we met Evelina Cooper, we now return with her to the desperate part of London where survival is almost impossible and a string of murders is taking place (yes, it's a new take on Jack the Ripper). The cast is scattered, each one dealing with problems resulting from the scandalous events of the Season largely in isolation from one another. It's a bleak outlook.

One thing I enjoy about this series is that there are so many villains - and I'm not always sure who is really a villain and who is just misguided or coming at the world from a different point of view. It keeps me guessing. However, there is an awful lot of the villains having the upper hand in this book, with few victories. That's why I enjoyed it much less than the first, simply because it was all dark and desperate. Anyone who reads my reviews knows that I don't like to read books that are dark and depressing, so it shouldn't be surprising that I was glad to finish this one. I really didn't feel the length of the first novel, but these 475 pages began to drag. I just hope that the title of the third book, A Study in Ashes, isn't an indication of another 450 pages of completely depressing material to come.

As far as the various mysteries go, there are never really any clues that help you along. I wanted to be solving something, but instead the characters were stuck without information, hopeless and at the end of their ropes, and so was I. Sherlock Holmes makes more than a cameo appearance but he is also unable to solve anything. I'm not sure how his involvement will go over with true Holmes fans, since I haven't read any of the originals and can't judge how consistent he is with the original character. But be warned that he takes on a larger role than he did in the first novel and you could love it or hate it.

Since the ending is a cliffhanger, and all is poised for disaster, I'm glad the last book is already due out and I do have the galley in hand to read. I just need a break before plunging into whatever comes next.


**Received free arc for review.



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Review: River Secrets

River Secrets by Shannon Hale

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Of the Books of Bayern so far, I like this one the best. A series that started out as a fairytale retelling has evolved into a fun high fantasy with a mystery to solve and a likable main character. It takes place in the neighboring, exotic country of Tira, the country that invaded Bayern in Enna Burning. It's a dangerous diplomatic mission that starts to go wrong immediately with charred bodies showing up and sentiment against Bayern still raw with memories of Enna's burnings. Enter the trickster, Razo. He's small and wiry, good with a slingshot and terrible with a sword, and he can find things out that no one else can. Is it enough to save Bayern from another war?



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Review: Sojourn

Sojourn by Jana Oliver

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Alternate Victorian historical mystery with time travel and shapeshifters, and Jack the Ripper on top. There are three mysteries including the Ripper plot, and oh yes, John Keats is a character. I'm not sure what purpose that served - he's not even a poet in the book! So this is a bit of a mish-mash of historical figures and events, with paranormal and sci fi elements. Interesting, but not totally polished.



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Review: First Lord's Fury

First Lord's Fury by Jim Butcher

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Good ending to the series, but seriously heavy on the battles. It got a bit much for me, and I missed the more personal interactions of the characters. It's something that's becoming common in epic fantasy finales, I'm finding. Maybe it's because I'm not a guy that I need a break from all the fighting for some conversation?



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Review: The Dragonbone Chair

The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Out of the older tradition of fantasy writing, this one takes its time and builds slowly, carefully, meticulously, until we have a world and conflict that feels real and surprising in the present with the depth that a long history provides. Really good stuff if you're patient enough to let it simmer.

I will admit to being bored at times, and frustrated with Simon's ignorance and naivete, especially in this first book. What I would consider to be the introduction takes about 200 pages. Then it's not really until the end of this book that it really reaches the pace and depth that spurs you on to pick up the rest - immediately.

No, it's not your quick fantasy fix, but it's infinitely more satisfying than the easy-in, easy-out fantasies that abound these days. I've now read the series twice in spite of the slow start, so I feel that it merits a place on my favorites shelf.



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Review: Far in the Wilds

Far in the Wilds by Deanna Raybourn

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



"Africa is a land of dreams and memories. It is rifts of remembrance stitched together with the sighs of time."

The writing in this prequel novella is beautiful. It's evocative and vibrant, and makes me want to read more about this wild place, as a prequel should do.



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Review: The Queen of Attolia

The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Queen of Attolia is full of political intrigue, the sort between nations at war, not really between individuals for the most part. The maneuvering is mostly at a distance, either with armies or secret attacks. I did enjoy it, but not really until the second half of the book when the action between nations started to get more personal. Well, aside from the beginning, which was full of action - and wow, I can't believe what happens to Eugenides! But the first half of the book is him dealing with what happened at the beginning - not a very pleasant time - and with no clues as to what else he has on his mind. I do like twists, but without any clues at all, I find it kind of boring until the plot twists actually begin to surface.

So, I'd rate the second half of the book 4 stars, but because of the first half, I didn't like it as much as my other 4 star books. 3.5 stars.




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Review: Divided Allegiance

Divided Allegiance by Elizabeth Moon

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Elizabeth Moon does a great job at character development in this series. She takes a sheepfarmer's daughter from being completely naive and ignorant of the world outside her village and realistically broadens her worldview and her understanding of herself and her purpose. The first book in the trilogy felt limited because it was - Paks only grew so far in those years in the mercenary company. It's in this second book that she really starts to come into her own.

Divided Allegiance still seems to wander somewhat randomly in the beginning because Paks is wandering randomly, trying to find a new place. As the book progresses, though, she starts to make her own decisions about the type of fighter she wants to be and to learn when to trust and when not to. Her adventures are captivating and formative, and we see the world more clearly - and the magic. If you missed magic in the first book, you won't be disappointed in this one.

Paks experiences some wonderful high moments in this book, but she also loses tragically. The last part of this is truly heartbreaking and the ending is hopeless. What a twist! I thought I knew where it was all headed, heroic-fantasy-style, and it suddenly took a completely different turn. I loved it, even with the sadness and darkness I felt. I just had to know what happened to Paks and continued reading book 3 without pause.



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Review: Murder on Black Friday

Murder on Black Friday by P.B. Ryan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



The Nell Sweeney series has really grown on me. Each book has been better than the last. In this one, there are two deaths related to Black Friday, the day the price of gold crashed in 1869. Will performed the autopsies and enlists Nell to help him investigate the supposed suicides. There are plenty of people with motives to kill and secrets to cover up. I didn't figure it all out before the end, and it's always pleasant to be surprised.

Will and Nell's relationship is so full of impossibility and longing you could cut the tension with a knife. It's achingly sweet and frustrating at the same time. You can feel their love (not lust) without hope, and of course that's the story that makes me want to continue reading the series. This had just the right mix of mystery to relationship development. Recommended to anyone who likes a mix of historical mystery and sweet romance.



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Review: Once a Princess

Once a Princess by Sherwood Smith

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Once a Princess had its fun moments, especially the parts relating to the pirate and crew. Sherwood Smith writes appealing heroes, and they're what keep me reading since the heroines tend to be frustrating (I've read two of her duologies now).

Aside from the pirate story line, it was just ok. It starts out in our world, but the main story is in another world that has magic. Once in the other world, the heroine continues to talk like an American and to make references to American culture - this is maybe natural for a two-world story, but I just like my fantasy to be less connected to the real world and these references kept intruding.

I also thought this was going to be YA, given the ridiculous cover (I only managed to get past the cover by the book being free). But it's not - the main character is a grad student, mid-twenties. She doesn't really feel that mature to me, even though she is very independent. Too independent, to the point of stubbornness at times. I felt like she should have been willing to accept more help since she was tossed into a world she only knew as a small child. It could have been more interesting if she developed relationships with those she met instead of refusing to trust anyone.

I'm sure this review is making you want to run out and buy this right away! I do have to say that there's something about Smith's writing that keeps me interested even when I'm silently objecting to the things that bother me. I wanted to finish the story and bought the sequel right away (but I also feel the two books should have been one). So I guess I liked it well enough, and it kept me entertained for a weekend, but it's not a high quality gem that I'll treasure forever.



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The Siren Depths - Martha Wells

The Siren Depths by Martha Wells

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



The Siren Depths answers some questions that I had hoped to learn about in the second book and the Fell also return as a threat. Most importantly, though, Moon finally figures out his place among the Raksura.

This is great high fantasy. The stakes are still not world-wide, even though they are higher in this book than the previous ones. But they are high for the characters and the Raksura Courts, and the world remains vivid and exotic - a world to get lost in.

I love the details on interactions between Courts, the political intrigue and cultural nuances, and the attempts to communicate cross-culturally with groundlings. It feels very real with these different cultures that are full of misunderstanding and opposing perspectives. It's not a black and white world, and it's completely absorbing. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of reading this novel. This is going down as one of my favorite series. The story wraps up everything it needs to, but I can't help hoping there will be another book about the Raksura someday. I'll miss this world.

Review: Shaman's Crossing

Shaman's Crossing by Robin Hobb

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Robin Hobb is one of my favorite Fantasy authors. She not only provides detailed worlds and characters with wondrous magic, but characters that I can feel. She is one of the few authors that have actually made me cry. It's an activity that is extremely rare for me in real life, and I tend to avoid weepy books or movies because they just make me feel manipulated. But that was not the case with Hobb - the emotion she pulled out of me was much more real.

All of this to say, I've loved each of the books in the Farseer and Liveship Trader worlds that I've read so far, but the Soldier Son trilogy is completely different. The tone, the feel of the world, the setup of the characters - it all feels foreign. It took me a while to warm up to it. This first book felt quite dry until near the end when I started to see some of the world's magic. And I definitely had less empathy for the characters, as if I was watching more from a distance than in Hobb's other series.

I'm saying all this to warn you not to go into this series expecting something 'like' Hobb's other books. If you don't go in with that expectation, I believe it stands on its own merit. I enjoyed each book of the trilogy more than the one before it, and once I got to the third book I was completely drawn into this world. It took me longer to get there, but once I did, I was impressed yet again. It went on my favorites shelf with the others.



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Review: The Serpent Sea

The Serpent Sea by Martha Wells

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



In the Books of the Raksura, Martha Wells has created a lush world with imaginative cultures and fascinating species. The culture of the shape-shifting Raksura is so foreign and detailed, but she makes it extremely accessible to the reader. It's such a pleasure to read.

It becomes more clear in the Serpent Sea that this is not epic fantasy. The focus is not on a grand scale, but on the fate of a single, struggling clan in a large, indifferent world. We get glimpses of that world, but mainly we learn about the Indigo Cloud clan and their fight to survive.

The Fell are not present in this book, as the clan has escaped to a colony location that their ancestors abandoned years earlier. The descriptions of their new home at the top of a giant tree are beautiful. I feel like I've been there. I feel like I want to live there!

Now it is time to rebuild the clan and to connect with other Raksura - and to do what is needed to make the colony tree a viable home again. This has its share of danger and intense moments while Moon and his companions are on a mission away from the Court, and I felt the danger almost personally because I've come to care about these characters and their individual fates.

It took me a little while to figure out what this was going to be about, and it moved a bit slowly in the beginning, so I didn't feel it was as amazing as the first book. Still a favorite though.



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Review: The Viscount and the Witch

The Viscount and the Witch by Michael J. Sullivan

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



This is a very short story about Hadrian and Royce in the early days of Riyria. Just a teaser, really. A large chunk of the ebook contains the first chapters of Riyria Revelations, so it was shorter than I expected. That said, it's always fun to read more of this team, even when it's just a single scene.



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