Book #100 of 2020: A Gathering of Shadows by V. E. Schwab (Shades of Magic #2) An unfortunate continuation of the thin plot and character motivation issues that are keeping me at a distance from this fantasy series. The biggest event in this second volume is a magical tournament that isn’t even mentioned until a …
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Book #93 of 2020: The Midnight Lie by Marie Rutkoski (The Midnight Lie #1) This fantasy novel takes a little while to grow on me, but once the narrative clarifies into the story of a sheltered heroine learning to ask for what she wants — including the love of an alluring new female acquaintance — …
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Book #91 of 2020: Spellhacker by M. K. England I like this novel’s conceit of magic as a tightly-controlled natural resource that criminals are hired to siphon off from the government pipeline, and I definitely appreciate author M. K. England’s commitment to representing diversity of race and gender in this setting. Among other inclusive elements, …
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Book #90 of 2020: Conrad’s Fate by Diana Wynne Jones (Chrestomanci #5) This fifth Chrestomanci volume — in both publication and author’s suggested reading order; actually the second chronologically — has a great set-up, but it throws out too many intriguing complications that aren’t given the development they’d need to land with any proper impact. …
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Book #88 of 2020: The 13½ Lives of Captain Bluebear by Walter Moers (Zamonia #1) I absolutely adore this wild and whimsical adventure novel, detailing the tall-tale nautical escapades of a talking blue bear. (Life inside a stable tornado! The famous dueling liars of Atlantis! Impressment on the biggest ship in the world! Microscopic mini-pirates!) …
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Book #83 of 2020: Assassin’s Fate by Robin Hobb (The Fitz and the Fool #3) The closing chapters of this 2017 fantasy novel form a meaningful sendoff to the hero and world first introduced in 1995’s Assassin’s Apprentice. Overall, however, the book is far too slow and exposition-heavy — and because the larger Realm of …
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Book #71 of 2020: The Unspoken Name by A. K. Larkwood (The Serpent Gates #1) I love this science-fantasy setting and its radical diversity of race and sexuality with no bigotry in sight, but the actual plot here is dreadfully slow. And the protagonist who should be fascinating — a lesbian orc priestess who flees …
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Book #70 of 2020: The Magicians of Caprona by Diana Wynne Jones (Chrestomanci #4) Returning to a book from one’s childhood can sometimes be a letdown, but I’m pleased to report that this fourth Chrestomanci volume (in the author’s preferred reading order; actually the second to be published and roughly the fifth chronologically) is far …
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Book #65 of 2020: The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter (The Burning #1) Ignore the generic title (and the fact that the book barely contains any dragons at all) — this is an incredible series and authorial debut, originally self-published in 2017 before gaining critical buzz and being acquired by Orbit for wider release. …
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Book #64 of 2020: Nine Princes in Amber by Roger Zelazny (The Chronicles of Amber #1) This 1970 series debut is a bit of a ride, but I’ve definitely enjoyed it. Opening on an earthly amnesiac gives the story both grounding and a distinctive flavor, and the fantasy worldbuilding is interesting once it does start …
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