Book #134 of 2019: Witchmark by C. L. Polk (The Kingston Cycle #1) A charming story, both for its Edwardian-flavored fantasy setting and for the tender gay romance at its heart. The worldbuilding details of bicycle traffic and early electric lights stop just short of twee, but my favorite is possibly that there’s no signs …
Tag Archives: fantasy
Book Review: The Binding by Bridget Collins
Book #133 of 2019: The Binding by Bridget Collins There’s a decent gay love story somewhere in here, but overall this is a real mess of a novel. The entire arc of the first third is just an ignorant protagonist gradually becoming more informed about the magic of the setting, which is frustrating since it …
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Book Review: Dragon Keeper by Robin Hobb
Book #130 of 2019: Dragon Keeper by Robin Hobb (The Rain Wild Chronicles #1) The fourth series in Robin Hobb’s larger Elderlings saga starts out pretty slowly (and doesn’t improve much on that front, if memory serves). That’s a common fault in the author’s works, but it’s so aggravated in this initial Rain Wilds novel …
Book Review: The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
Book #128 of 2019: The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman (His Dark Materials #1) Another old favorite that I’m revisiting, this time in anticipation of the upcoming TV adaptation. This trilogy ultimately goes in some odd directions (and I was underwhelmed by its recent prequel), but the first novel is a masterful piece of fiction, …
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Book Review: Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster by Jonathan Auxier
Book #123 of 2019: Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster by Jonathan Auxier For the most part, this is a really lovely look at a young chimney sweep in Victorian London and her friendship with a magical soot creature who comes to life and becomes her protector. It captures the feeling of …
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Book Review: Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
Book #122 of 2019: Elantris by Brandon Sanderson Brandon Sanderson’s debut novel is full of the rich worldbuilding, intricate magical systems, and ballroom intrigue that have now made him a household name within the fantasy genre. Although there are some cracks that show on a reread and mark this as a first book — like …
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Book Review: Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier
Book #121 of 2019: Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier (Wildwood #1) The middle of this story picks up somewhat, but I feel like the beginning and end are both pretty typical fairy tale exercises, and the one major twist is easy to spot from a mile away. I also just think I want way more …
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Book Review: Seventh Decimate by Stephen R. Donaldson
Book #120 of 2019: Seventh Decimate by Stephen R. Donaldson (The Great God’s War #1) Stephen R. Donaldson has long been one of my favorite authors, so I’m disappointed to confirm that this 22nd published novel is possibly his weakest yet. The early worldbuilding is sparse to the point of feeling allegorical, and the tone …
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Book Review: Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal
Book #112 of 2019: Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal (Glamourist Histories #1) This Regency drawing-room pastiche has an interestingly low-key magical element, but the characters and plot leave a lot to be desired. The whole novel is full of wide-eyed speculation over who likes who — which is silly because both …
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Book Review: Nightingale’s Lament by Simon R. Green
Book #111 of 2019: Nightingale’s Lament by Simon R. Green (Nightside #3) I’ve been enjoying this pulp paperback series far less on a reread than I did when it was my first introduction to the urban fantasy genre back in high school. The main plot has yet to really kick off beyond vague portentous rumblings, …
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