Book #173 of 2018: The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander (The Chronicles of Prydain #1) Somehow I missed out on this series when I was growing up, which is a shame, since this first novel has turned out to be an excellent classic of children’s fantasy literature. The tone is somewhere between J. R. …
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Book #171 of 2018: Trickster’s Choice by Tamora Pierce (Daughter of the Lioness #1) At this point in her wider Tortall series, author Tamora Pierce can easily spin a great story… when she can manage to get out of the way of her own worst impulses. And for the most part here, she does. This …
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Book #168 of 2018: The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty (The Daevabad Trilogy #1) This fantasy novel goes far on the strength of its worldbuilding, which depicts a gorgeous Middle Eastern setting inspired by Islamic folklore that’s markedly different from the Eurocentric genre norm. While I sometimes had trouble keeping track of all the …
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Book #166 of 2018: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black (The Folk of the Air #1) Although I like the protagonist and some of the other female characters, I’m pretty lukewarm on this book as a whole. The plot has long periods of inaction and a few moments that seem to come out of nowhere, …
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Book #162 of 2018: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J. K. Rowling (Harry Potter #1) It’s a little hard for me to be objectively critical about the Harry Potter books, which, although not my first introduction to children’s fantasy literature, were nevertheless a formative and beloved part of my childhood. Still, I’ve always …
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Book #152 of 2018: Everless by Sara Holland (Everless #1) This YA fantasy novel can sometimes lean a bit hard on its tropes, but as the story progresses, it proves to be a cut above the usual fare for the genre. There are solid twists and unexpected flairs, and its system of time magic — …
Book #149 of 2018: The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch (Gentleman Bastard #1) Over a decade and countless rereads later, this long-time favorite of mine is still an incredible read. It’s an Ocean’s Eleven or Mission: Impossible style heist story crossed with a Godfather-esque tale of honor-bound criminal vengeance, all set in a …
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Book #145 of 2018: Playing with Fire by Derek Landy (Skulduggery Pleasant #2) Tighter and funnier than the first book, which was already a solid piece of children’s urban fantasy. Having introduced this world and its characters in the previous volume, author Derek Landy is here free to simply set them loose on their next …
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Book #121 of 2018: Skullduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy (Skullduggery Pleasant #1) Fantasy novels about a child discovering a hidden world of magic alongside our own are a dime a dozen at this point, and this book is a fine exemplar that doesn’t really distinguish itself in such a crowded field. I especially wish that …
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Book #114 of 2018: Renegades by Marissa Meyer (Renegades #1) The beginning of this YA superhero novel creaks under the weight of so much exposition, and when author Marissa Meyer does manage to show and not tell, the results generally feel more like standard comic book cliches than anything particularly original. Remembering how I hadn’t …
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