Review – The Peace of Freysdal by Michael Richards

A young adult book based on an intriguing setting, The Peace of Freysdal is comfortably part of the long canon of fantasy books. Magic and intrigue fold into each to produce an interesting opening novel.

After an incident at a research facility in the fiefdom of Thraden, a young thrall, Jaren, learns that he has the ability to control radiant energy. His master, witnessing his power, decides to promote him from indentured slave to apprentice. But, his teacher is a man driven and twisted by the nature of his magic. Light-twisters can use radiant energy, sourced from different materials to create numerous elemental forces. And, places like Thraden, employ such people to produce items used by the common folk.

It’s an intriguing and complex magic system. The more Jaren learns, the more is revealed about the Light-twisters. The complicated nature of using the power and the possible consequences of it. Evil lurks beneath such force and Jaren’s struggle with his own new found capabilities is a clever ploy to mirror the coming-of-age themes riven throughout the story. Yet, his training isn’t without purpose. His master, one who would end slavery, is a target with many enemies and the constant assassination attempts prompt him to accelerate Jared’s learning by sending him out with a supply train. It’s a decision that brings to light some large implications.

The constant attacks of his master’s wagons and fiefdom aren’t random. There’s something much larger at play and it’s soon clear that treachery is involved. As Jaren and his fellow apprentices begin to work together, the truth sets up even bigger problems as the story builds to a suitably epic conclusion.

Whilst this is a Young Adult book (far from my usual choice) it is a well thought out story that is firmly planted with fantasy tropes; a coming of age journey, an unlikely hero, and a battle between good and evil. What’s most impressive is the hard magic system of radiance used in The Peace of Freysdal, one which clearly displays the author’s background in science. Intrigue, action and impressive thaumaturgical abilities, this is a one for YA fantasy fans.

Review copy

Published by Lodestone Books

Review – Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry

An insightful take on the zombie apocalypse, Rot and Ruin has been a book I’ve wanted to read for some time. A fast-paced and well constructed story, it’s little wonder it’s so often touted as exemplary of the genre.

Unexpectedly, Rot and Ruin is marketed as YA – not something I realised until beginning the book. And, whilst the opening chapter did pitch Benny, the main character, in the light of a spoiled brat, the book quickly picked up the pace and shed any clumsy elements behind. Benny, on the cusp of turning fifteen and required to find a job unless he is willing to forgo half his rations, is a difficult protagonist which is clearly the point. His character arc over the book is designed to leave childishness behind as he realises what the world beyond the fence is really like.

Set over a decade after the zombie uprising, the story focuses on Benny and his brother Tom, a bounty hunter. Tasked with finding and “quieting“ people’s zombified relatives, Tom is very different to the other hunters. But, it’s not until Benny is forced to join the family business that he realises what really goes on both inside the town and beyond its borders. As the brothers undertake a job, Benny begins to see zombies and humans differently. It’s cleverly handled and reveals a lot about the human condition, especially in light of recent global events. Ideas of conscious ignorance and the blind acceptance of the status quo are deftly considered as the duo journey through a world abandoned by humanity.

Yet, whilst the zombies appear to be the most disturbing factor, it is, as ever, other people who prove to be the real monsters. This idea of decision making and free will is, again, neatly and intelligently handled, leaving little doubt as to who the really dangerous predators are. Tom and Benny’s story shifts to these problems as they try to save a teenage girl from an awful fate, making for a riveting and tense adventure against the odds.

Gripping and engaging, Rot and Ruin had me invested in Benny’s journey of discovery and his consequent fight to beat the real monsters. Yet, it was surprisingly emotional at points, especially his relationship with his elder brother and the realisation that he’d been wrong about Tom all along.

Excellently crafted and exceptionally thoughtful, it’s a great addition to the zombie apocalypse canon.

My copy

Published by Simon and Schuster

Review – The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

Fascinated, as I am, by zombie horror, I heard that Carrie Ryan’s novel was a good addition to the genre, albeit at YA version. What I didn’t expect was how emotionally and intelligently well crafted it would be. Gripping, engrossing and thought provoking this is a book that will stay with me for a while.

Set in a far, post-apocalyptic future, Mary’s village is an idyllic enclave in a sea of death and ruin. Fenced off from the forest from which the Unconsecrated (zombies) roam, the village is ruled by the religious order of the Sisters. Everything is controlled and disciplined and conditioned by the command to survive and continue the growth of the human race. But, for Mary, life within the fences is not enough; it can’t be enough that the whole of humanity is contained in the village nor that this is all that life offers.

Framed by her coming-of-age, when she will be betrothed to another and asked to become a wife and mother, she loses her own parents one after the other. Questioning the meaning of love as her own mother decides to become an unconsecrated so as to join her husband in the forest, Mary tackles some huge, problematic questions about duty and desire. What’s worse is when she is abandoned by her own brother and friends and left to the Sisters.

During her isolation she encounters secrets and realisations about her world that only fuel her need to escape. When the fences are breached, her wish comes to fruition – though in a most terrifying way. What unfolds is a gruelling journey. Mentally, physically and emotionally, she and her friends must battle to survive. But Mary seeks more than survival; she wants to live.

A hugely poignant novel for our current world, where duty and the greater good collide with desire and self-wants, The Forest of Hands and Teeth asks some excellent questions about the human condition. About what makes a life, about sacrifice and love, and especially, about being and the memories that make us up as people.

Mary is a fascinating protagonist as she tries to break beyond her indoctrination to realise the life she seeks. Yet it is her friends Cass, Harry and Travis who create the sounding board against which so many of these questions, and answers, are found.

Wonderfully written, The Forest of Hands and Teeth is an intense and compelling read that builds to a breathtaking conclusion.

My copy

Published by Gollancz

Review – Doctor Who: The Essential Terrance Dicks Vol. 1 continued

Terrance Dicks wrote over sixty Target novels during his life and its easy to see why his work is such a favourite with fans of Doctor Who. Turning the TV series into engrossing, exciting adventure books, his stories are essential Whovian reading.

Continuing his battle against the Daleks across time and space, the Doctor finds himself stuck on Earth in Doctor Who and the Day of the Daleks. With his Tardis not cooperating, the Timelord and his assistant Jo Grant find themselves attached to UNIT. But, when a peacekeeping mission to protect an important political delegation goes wrong, threatening to spark WWIII, the Doctor realises something much more nefarious is at work.

Strange apparitions are bent on stopping a high ranking British figure from attending a meeting with Russian, Chinese and American delegates. It soon becomes clear to the Doctor that these ghosts are from the future. In classic Doctor Who fashion, he and his assistant become embroiled in a twisting tale of time travel, alien invasion, human rebellion and deceit. Faced with saving Earth once again from the evil Dalek forces, the Doctor unpicks a tricky temporal problem to save the day.

Full of action, adventure and an apocalyptic future, Day of the Daleks features some interesting commentary on human resistance, opposition to invading and cruel ideologies and what people will convince themselves of in order to survive. Another, brilliant classic well worth reading.

Review copy

Published by BBC Books

Review – Doctor Who: The Essential Terrance Dicks Vol.1

A collection of early Doctor Who stories, first published as Target novels, these volumes bring back the nostalgia of Saturday nights spent hiding behind the sofa as Daleks invaded the streets of London. Adapted from the TV show, Terrance Dicks is quintessential Doctor Who reading.

Though a little dated in it’s language, these stories bring back the original Doctor in all his glory. Beginning with Doctor Who and the Dalek Invasion of Earth, Terrance Dicks manages to build a brilliant picture of a future Earth ravaged by the alien robots. With his granddaughter, Susan, and companions Ian and Barbara, the Doctor finds himself in London, almost a century removed from his targeted timeline. What quickly becomes apparent is that this future is one of ruin and destruction.

When Ian and the Doctor attempt to scout for answers and supplies, things quickly unravel. Susan and Barbara disappear – taken to an underground HQ by a ragged band of human survivors whilst Ian and the Doctor are confronted by robomen and Daleks. Ever the inquisitive mind, the Doctor wants answers; his companions just want to escape the horrors that have befallen humanity.

What ensues is a quick, nicely constructed adventure. As Barbara and Susan join the rebel humans, Ian and the Doctor take on the Daleks at their own game. It’s a short, punchy ride but far from saccharine; sacrifices are made and lots of characters fall foul of the Daleks superior weapons. However, just like the TV show, it’s wrapped up in satisfying fashion, highlighting the Doctor’s humanity in opposition to his stark intellect, ready for the next episode.

Review Copy

Published by BBC Books

Review – Nyxia Unleashed by Scott Reintgen

I’ve categorically failed to post a best of 2018 and I’m still struggling with all manner of other time consuming activities which have made a real dent into my reading/blogging time. But, I’m nothing if not stubborn, and with a number of great books on the shelves waiting to be read, I’m adamant that I’ll keep this blog alive.

The first book in Scott Reintgen’s series was thoroughly enjoyable, hitting all those satisfying tropes like the sci-fi military boot camp and the big-bad shadowy corporation behind everything. The cast of characters was novel for their diversity and their real-world problems but also very easy to empathise with as they fought and competed to ‘win’ their opportunity to visit an alien planet and make their fortune.

In Unleashed, the group have landed amongst the alien Adamites to a surprisingly warm reception. But, as ever with Babel, nothing is as it seems as the company continue to pull strings behind the scenes for their own nefarious purposes. However, unlike the opening novel, the tension here loses some of its power and the author is forced to rely on repetitive emotional confrontations to pull the story along. Don’t get me wrong, Unleashed is still chock full of excellent world-building and intriguing prose, and the author doesn’t shy away from treating his actors with the very real characteristics of the current, teenage generation’s attitudes and ideas. Where things seemed, to me at least, to stall was in the need to bridge the gap between the first book and the third, setting up a scenario that will clearly pay fruit but which felt a little too drawn out. It is perhaps a difficult ‘second album’ issue.

Unleashed is still a great read, especially for those invested in the characters and world (of which I am sure there are plenty). We see the protagonists grow and mature, dealing with difficult circumstances and relationships all the while navigating an alien world. Trust and truth are tested to the extreme as the group try to understand where they stand, though, in the end, they realise it is only together that they will survive the various honey traps set for them by Babel. The last quarter of the book explodes with potential, setting up the next novel perfectly.

Unleashed is a title that could refer to all manner of ideas explored in the book, from the substance the crew are sent to mine, to their own anger and frustration at Babel, or the plans of the Adamites themselves. Nyxia continues to be an intriguing series and the story of the teenage crew remains as gripping and fraught as ever.

Review copy

Published by Penguin

Review – Nyxia by Scott Reintgen

Sometimes I feel guilty for reading a book so fast considering how much effort the author must have put into the novel. But, it’s also a testament to just how enjoyable it was to read, and that goes doubly for Nyxia. Billed as a YA novel, Nyxia definitely hits all the right notes for a coming-of-age adventure yet it is also a brilliantly written, gripping tale of a young man struggling against the odds to ensure that his family and his future are more than his social status would dictate.

Emmett is a thoughtful, brave, complicated teenager who, as the protagonist, carries the story on broad shoulders. Plucked from poverty along with nine other hopefuls, he is whisked away on a journey that will change his life forever, though only if he can survive. In a near-future, Emmett and the others are contracted to travel to a distant planet by a company with technology far beyond his wildest imagination.

However (and there’s always one), whilst the explorers will be made exceptionally rich, they must compete with each other to secure their place with the company. It’s a competition of ruthless rules, changing goalposts and huge rewards; for a group of impoverished teenagers, the stakes are massive. Nyxia captures all of the emotionally charged games, the tentative alliances and the brutal struggle to succeed brilliantly, keeping the pace high and the action engaging.

The company, Babel Communications, and more importantly the man in charge, Marcus Defoe, is both alluring yet dangerous though even Emmett’s street smarts can’t give him the edge he needs to take control of the situation. Constantly on the back foot, desperate to succeed and being forced to make choices designed to break even the toughest, mentally and physically. Yet, looming behind the competition is the planet Eden, it’s humanoid population and, more importantly the substance they are all travelling for – Nyxia. It’s something no-one really understands containing power and ability of epic proportions and a history that Babel is trying to hide.

Nyxia is a gripping, engaging and fun read. Scott Reintgen has created an amazing cast of characters with a protagonist who is captivating in his honest struggle to survive yet succeed along with worldbuilding that holds the promise of amazing sequels.

Review copy

Published by Penguin Books/Michael Joseph

Review – Revenger by Alastair Reynolds

Another first for me as I review both the book and the audiobook of Revenger by Alastair Reynolds. Check out the blurb below..

The galaxy has seen great empires rise and fall. Planets have shattered and been remade. Amongst the ruins of alien civilisations, building our own from the rubble, humanity still thrives. And there are vast fortunes to be made, if you know where to find them…

Captain Rackamore and his crew do. It’s their business to find the tiny, enigmatic worlds which have been hidden away, booby-trapped, surrounded with layers of protection – and to crack them open for the ancient relics and barely-remembered technologies inside. But while they ply their risky trade with integrity, not everyone is so scrupulous.

Adrana and Fura Ness are the newest members of Rackamore’s crew, signed on to save their family from bankruptcy. Only Rackamore has enemies, and there might be more waiting for them in space than adventure and fortune…

This has been billed as a Young Adult science fiction novel and, whilst it isn’t the usual hard sci-fi of Alastair Reynolds, that takes nothing away from story. It’s still brilliant, big idea stuff and, as ever with Reynolds, the worldbuilding is wonderful, creating a universe both far futuristic and alien with equal measure. Hints and ideas come together to form a fantastical picture, mixing space ships and pirate lore to produce an engrossing setting.

Written as an account of events by the younger sister Fura Ness this is a tale that will engage readers of all ages. Signing on board the ‘Monetta’s Mourn’ in an attempt to change the fortunes of their family, the siblings are soon caught up in all manner of trouble. Whilst the crew they’ve joined are a hardened bunch, there’s a difference between expeditioners and pirates and Fura gets to see the truth of it first hand.

Her sister taken hostage and herself left on a broken ship with only dead crew mates for company, Fura begins a transformation that will see her put everything aside to seek her vengeance. There’s something that harks back to Treasure Island here but there’s also something darker and edgier at its heart.

The cadence of the story, the slang and colloquial language, the hints of a much greater conspiracy and the immediate threats all combine into a gripping page-turner. Fura is an uncompromising character but it isn’t until the final chapters that things really become clear. Revenger is a tale of retribution and in no short measure; the idea so cleverly woven into Fura’s narrative is how that desire for vengeance warps a person in ways that make them closer to their enemy, closer to the dark, than they ever expected to be.

Alastair Reynolds is a fantastic novelist and his first foray into YA fiction is nothing short of incredible.

Audio book review

This is the first audio book I’ve listened to and it was an interesting exercise. The narrator chosen is clearly skilled at acting as she gives voice to the numerous characters that Fura encounters. Though some sounded different to how I imagined them, I’m positive this is only an issue as I chose to read Revenger first.

Listening to the book offers a different perspective on the story – a slower, more considered one. The ensemble of actors come to the fore slightly more yet the pace of the tale remains, slowly dragging you deeper into Revenger with each chapter.

Personally, I felt that the audio version didn’t do enough justice to the change within Fura that felt so obvious in the book. This is a tale of revenge; of total and absolute vengeance. Fura does everything it takes to find her sister, including some fairly extreme measures. From the teenage girl she was, at the end of the story she has become furious, unhinged to some degree and unwilling to give any quarter, reshaped mentally and physically to the point that her own sister struggled to recognise her. That is what makes Revenger such a fantastic read. In the end, Fura is closer to her enemies than she’d like to admit yet it isn’t something she’d change. Audio version or book, the last chapter of Revenger is a bombshell of a conclusion.

Review copy
Published by Gollancz

Review – Empress of the Sun by Ian McDonald

The third instalment in Ian McDonald’s Everness series, Empress of the Sun pushes the notion of YA literature to its boundaries. I’ve only read two young adult series before: the ubiquitous Harry Potter novels, devoured whilst completing my Masters, and Phillip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy, enjoyed whilst recovering from a broken leg. Ian McDonald’s series deserves to be mentioned alongside those other brilliant YA, coming-of-age type adventures. However, there is a certain darkness and a certain budding adulthood that is maybe lacking in either of those mentioned.

Both Rowling and Pullman’s novels feature struggle and hardship, loss and the battle of good against evil. But, where McDonald diverges is in his ability to make grey those hard choices, to muddy the moral waters of his young protagonist. He also does this against a background of youth as it exists today, particularly in London. The obsession with phones, computers, fashion and football all mingled in with teenage angst that even made this ageing beard hark back to those awkward times.

The Everness series follows Everett Singh as he attempts to track down his father, a scientist kidnapped by a shadowy organisation and taken to a parallel world. Everett is, himself, a bit of a maths wizard and discovers that his father has given him the ‘infundibulum’ – a map to understand and conjure portals to anywhere I’m the multitude of parallel Earths. The series is one long, fantastic thesis on brilliant world building as Everett discovers more worlds, more alien Earths and more strange and intriguing characters – some alternatives to those he knows on his own Earth. It’s on these adventures that he becomes a crew member on an airship (think Zeppelin) as he jumps around the multiverse, battling those who took his father, a version of himself cruelly made into a cyborg, an unrelenting swarm of nanobots intent on total sublimation along with his own angst and fears.

Empress of the Sun does two things brilliantly. It shows the development of Everett as he loses his innocence and idealism and takes on tough, horrible choices. It shows the change from boy into teenager and the struggle it can be. But, importantly, it places Everett firmly in a world (or worlds) where nothing is black or white. The other thing it does is provide a thrilling adventure in a stunningly creative setting where dinosaurs are super evolved beings with millions of years in advanced technology. Everett and the crew are being hunted, their backs to the wall, but still needing to save the known worlds and stay one step ahead of their enemies.

Ian McDonald manages to weave a number of themes and stories brilliantly into his series. His science is believable and deftly handled, his characters (especially the teens) crackle with life, his multiverse is fascinating and the plot is driven with intrigue, emotion and conflict. The Everness books are wonderfully and beautifully written, epitomising what YA literature should be; hugely entertaining yet thoughtful and intelligent.