Something Red by Douglas Nicholas

Something Red by Douglas Nicholas

 Release Date: September 18th, 2012

From debut author Douglas Nicholas comes a haunting story of love, murder, and sorcery. During the thirteenth century in northwest England, in one of the coldest winters in living memory, a formidable yet charming Irish healer, Molly, and the troupe she leads are driving their three wagons, hoping to cross the Pennine Mountains before the heavy snows set in. Molly, her lover Jack, granddaughter Nemain, and young apprentice Hob become aware that they are being stalked by something terrible. The refuge they seek in a monastery, then an inn, and finally a Norman castle proves to be an illusion. As danger continues to rise, it becomes clear that the creature must be faced and defeated—or else they will all surely die. It is then that Hob discovers how much more there is to his adopted family than he had realized.

An intoxicating blend of fantasy and mythology, Something Red presents an enchanting world full of mysterious and fascinating characters— shapeshifters, sorceresses, warrior monks, and knights—where no one is safe from the terrible being that lurks in the darkness. In this extraordinary, fantastical world, nothing is as it seems, and the journey for survival is as magical as it is perilous.

(From the publisher)

Something Red is a story that I was drawn to for its historical fantasy elements. One of my favourite all time authors is Canadian Guy Gavriel Kay who writes with a wonderfully unique blend of real history hidden beneath worlds touched with fantasy. Douglas Nicholas's novel promised to be similar, a blend of history and folklore.

As it was, the story was slow to start and I wasn't sure if I would be drawn into the book or not after the first fifty pages.  The world of thirteenth century England did come alive as we are slowly introduced to the main character of Hob. I didn't feel an immediate connection with Hob, who doesn't seem to fit in among the more interesting and clearly magical Molly and Nemain, and the mysterious Jack, all of whom are initially more intriguing secondary characters. By the time the characters are attacked at the ford, the first real excitement in the story, Hob's heroic nature begins to be revealed.  It's also around this point in the story that you realize the author is building up momentum to an epic ending.

Nicholas does two things exceptionally well in this book. Firstly he does a marvelous job at making you feel trapped in the castle, with an epic snow storm raging outside. You can almost feel the sense of dread along with the characters that something is ensnaring you like prey. The second aspect that is well executed is all the very subtle little clues that were being left along the way that points to the ending. It took me by surprise, and that made it a wonderful read. Something Red also has two quite love stories that are magical in their trusting, simplicity. In the end, its a charming coming of age story for Hob as he grows up to be someone that even he doesn't expect.

Top Ten Tuesdays: Bookish Confessions

Hosted by the Broke and the Bookish

Top Ten Bookish Confessions
Everyone has at least one bookish confession.  Join us in spilling our deepest held secrets around one of our most beloved pastimes. Everyone has a bookish confession. What's yours?

Here are my Top Ten Bookish Confessions (I don't think I'll make it to ten, but we'll see how this goes).

1. I have on occasion returned a book given to me in order to either pick up one that I really wanted instead, or get a different copy of the book that fits in with the other editions I have of the same series. I can't help that I'm a little picky about my shelf.

2. I do judge what other people read, but only in fun. (50 Shades of Grey readers, I'm looking at you!) I really don't care that you like romances novels more than anything else, or have never read Harry Potter. Okay maybe I care about that last one a little. But seriously I read too many books that aren't marketed towards me to judge other's book choices. I just may give you some grief for them ;)

3. I am always tempted by books that get turned into movies, but I tend not to get around to reading them, especially if I see the movie first. Call it laziness, or whatever you like, after that I just can't be bothered. Besides, reading the book first is always more enjoyable to me!

4. I very rarely let other people borrow my books unless I know that I will see them in the very near future to get said book back, or I know they will treat the book with as much or more respect than I do. As a result, my library tends to stay at home. Maybe I would feel better if I put personalized book plates in all my books and kept my own circulation system.
 

A Storm of Swords by George R. R. Martin

A Storm of Swords

Of the five contenders for power, one is dead, another in disfavor, and still the wars rage as violently as ever, as alliances are made and broken. Joffrey, of House Lannister, sits on the Iron Throne, the uneasy ruler of the land of the Seven Kingdoms. His most bitter rival, Lord Stannis, stands defeated and disgraced, the victim of the jealous sorceress who holds him in her evil thrall. But young Robb, of House Stark, still rules the North from the fortress of Riverrun. Robb plots against his despised Lannister enemies, even as they hold his sister hostage at King’s Landing, the seat of the Iron Throne. Meanwhile, making her way across a blood-drenched continent is the exiled queen, Daenerys, mistress of the only three dragons still left in the world...

But as opposing forces maneuver for the final titanic showdown, an army of barbaric wildlings arrives from the outermost line of civilization. In their vanguard is a horde of mythical Others--a supernatural army of the living dead whose animated corpses are unstoppable. As the future of the land hangs in the balance, no one will rest until the Seven Kingdoms have exploded in a veritable storm of swords...
(from the publisher)

I finished the third installment of a Song of Ice and Fire last week. The book confirmed for me again that not only is this series one of the best fantasy series ever written, these books are amazing. Period.

I'll review this in two parts with spoilers under the cut so that those who haven't read it yet, or are simply following along with the TV series won't be spoiled.

The action picks up right where A Clash of Kings leaves off. To recap: North of the wall, Jon Snow has left the night's watch in the north to join Ygritte and a group of wildlings. Sam Tarly and the other black brothers have just heard the horn signalling the others are coming to their place on the Fist of the First Men.  In the Riverlands, Robb Stark has been fighting and winning battles against the forces of the Lannisters, but Catelyn has let Jaime Lannister escape with Brienne to trade him for the lives of her daughters. Sansa Stark has been set free of her engagement to Joffrey Baratheon who is now engaged to Margaery Tyrell following the battle of Blackwater. Arya Stark has escaped Harrenhal and is on the run back to the Riverlands. Bran Stark and Rickon avoided Theon Greyjoy's murderous plans and the burning of Winterfell and are both running away in separate directions.

One thing I love about this series are all the complexities to Martin's plotting. You can feel things coming, and sometimes predict events, but there are so many characters and potential paths for them to take that it often surprises you. Characters meet up with each other in ways you don't expect, and when you're sure a character won't be back again, they pop up somewhere new. Martin's also not afraid to kill off major characters, something that is a bit of a spoiler but should also come as no surprise to those who have read the first two books or watched the first two seasons.  But I think the greatest thing about the series is that the motivations of the characters are so real. I love that characters are not black and white, and you can grow to love a character you previously hated and vice versa.

Some characters are relatively quiet in the third book. We hear almost nothing of Theon Greyjoy and little of Rickon Stark. Fan favourite characters get a lot of action, but I found myself falling in love with new ones. And without giving away too much, lets just say that not much, if anything is resolved at the end. That's to be expected though, as the series is only about half way through at this point (knowing Martin, only a third!).

For those who haven't read it yet, please, please start! The series just keeps getting better and really is better than the TV series which is also so amazing. Keep reading under the cut for spoilers.

(Don't) Judge a book by its Cover

It's the last weekend of the 2012 Olympics. Can you believe it's almost over already? I get so inspired by all the athletes accomplishments. I think, if you're anything like me, you walk away from the Olympics with a sense that you can do anything. But then again, I'm also the person who adores the sappy montages and inspirational athlete stories.

I'm also a complete sucker for a beautiful book cover. It's hard to not shop by cover, especially when there are so many books out there competing for my attention. I think covers when done well are also beautiful works of art and design. And they should also illustrate (see what I did there) something of the feel and mood of the book. The cover is the doorway into the story. It's what gets you excited to dive in.

Here are some of my favorite book covers of books I have not read yet but I am excited to based on only the cover!

Prophecy by Ellen Oh

Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver

 

Wildwood by Colin Meloy

 

The Selection by Kiera Cass

 

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

 

The Nightmare Affair by Mindee Arnett

 

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

 Ombria in Shadow by Patricia A. McKillip

 The Girl who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente

The Alchemyst by Michael Scott

New Releases for Tuesday August 7th

So it's my birthday today. That, along with a holiday Monday in Canada, and of course the Olympics, means I haven't had much time for blogging. But I did get a Kobo e-reader for my birthday which is fun. I'll let you know what I think of it after I've read a book or two on it.

Here's a  list of some of the most interesting titles that came out this week:

The Dog Stars by Peter Heller

A riveting, powerful novel about a pilot living in a world filled with loss—and what he is willing to risk to rediscover, against all odds, connection, love, and grace.

Hig survived the flu that killed everyone he knows. His wife is gone, his friends are dead, he lives in the hangar of a small abandoned airport with his dog, his only neighbor a gun-toting misanthrope. In his 1956 Cessna, Hig flies the perimeter of the airfield or sneaks off to the mountains to fish and to pretend that things are the way they used to be. But when a random transmission somehow beams through his radio, the voice ignites a hope deep inside him that a better life—something like his old life—exists beyond the airport. Risking everything, he flies past his point of no return—not enough fuel to get him home—following the trail of the static-broken voice on the radio. But what he encounters and what he must face—in the people he meets, and in himself—is both better and worse than anything he could have hoped for.

Narrated by a man who is part warrior and part dreamer, a hunter with a great shot and a heart that refuses to harden, The Dog Stars is both savagely funny and achingly sad, a breathtaking story about what it means to be human.
(from the publisher).

The Iron Wyrm Affair by Lilith Saintcrow

Emma Bannon, Prime sorceress in the service of the Empire, has a mission: to protect Archibald Clare, a failed, unregistered mentath. His skills of deduction are legendary, and her own sorcery is not inconsiderable. It doesn’t much help that they dislike each other, or that Bannon’s Shield, Mikal, might just be a traitor himself. Or that the conspiracy killing registered mentaths and sorcerers alike will just as likely kill them as seduce them into treachery toward their Queen. In an alternate London where illogical magic has turned the Industrial Revolution on its head, Bannon and Clare now face hostility, treason, cannon fire, black sorcery, and the problem of reliably finding hansom cabs.

The game is afoot…

Courtship and Curses by Marissa Doyle

Sophie’s entrance into London society isn’t what she thought it would be: Mama isn’t there to guide her, Papa is buried in his work fighting Napoleon, and Sophie’s newly acquired limp keeps her from dancing at any of those glittering balls. If it weren’t for her shopping escapades with her new French friend Amélie and a flirtation with the dashing Lord Woodbridge, she would think this season a complete disaster.



But when someone uses magic to attack Papa the night of Sophie’s first ball, her problems escalate, especially when it becomes clear that all the members of the War Cabinet are being targeted. Can she catch the culprit and keep her own magic powers hidden long enough to win herself a match?

 Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best. Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined. 

Friday Links

More Olympics (because I'm obsessed) and some book love

I love this list of the 10 craziest moments in the opening ceremony this year. I thought the spectacle was great, but this does make me laugh. (Flavorwire)

Olympic athletes are hot. Apparently so are their spouses. Too many beautiful people in one place (Zimbio)

Olympics 101 (Flavorwire)

And finally this amazing list of some weird child narrators (49th Shelf)

Review: Talisman of El by Alecia Stone

Talisman of El

WHAT IF YOUR WHOLE LIFE WAS A LIE?

One Planet.
Two Worlds.
Population: Human ... 7 billion.
Others ... unknown.

When 14-year-old Charlie Blake wakes up sweating and gasping for air in the middle of the night, he knows it is happening again. This time he witnesses a brutal murder. He's afraid to tell anyone. No one would believe him ... because it was a dream. Just like the one he had four years ago - the day before his dad died.
Charlie doesn't know why this is happening. He would give anything to have an ordinary life. The problem: he doesn't belong in the world he knows as home. He belongs with the others.
(From the publisher)

Sometimes when I read the jacket description of a book it looks like it should be right up my alley, but then when I get it home and take it out to read, it really disappoints. Unfortunately this was one of those times. The middle-grade, almost YA, book promised an interesting plot full of  adventure, fantasy and intriguing characters. All of the foundations for those elements were there, but the delivery was lacking.

The story follows a boy named Charlie who is an orphan, finding his way through one terrible foster home to the next. He has some strange dreams that lead him to meet Derkein, a man who is rapidly aging. Through various plot points that were hard to follow, Charlie, Derkein and two other friends who have little to no impact on the story, find themselves in a dangerous world called Arcadia. Charlie meets an otherworldly race of angels and discovers his destiny.

The plot of the book rolls along at a fast pace. This may be why the story suffered so much. Characters were shallow and often annoying. It's hard to care about what happens to the characters, so plot points and dangers which may have been exciting seemed to come from no where. Often I found myself re-reading sections to see if I missed something. Characters converse about events you feel like, as a reader, you should know about, but there just isn't enough back story or fleshing out of either characters or plot to make sense of it. I enjoy when authors lead you along the bread crumb trail to figure out parts of the future story. In this book you are told so many details that little mystery remains. The ending is obviously leading you towards a second instalment, but it's handled poorly so you're left feeling very unsatisfied as a reader. Overall, a great idea that could have been executed so much better.

**1/2

Centrinian Publishing Ltd, 2012
(I received this book from the Early Reviewers giveaway on Librarything.com)