Retribution by Mark Charan Newton

THEY'LL KILL TO HIDE THE TRUTH. HE'LL KILL TO FIND IT. 

Having just solved a difficult case in his home city of Tryum, Sun Chamber Officer Lucan Drakenfeld and his associate Leana are ordered to journey to the exotic city of Kuvash in Koton, where a revered priest has gone missing. When they arrive, they discover the priest has already been found - or at least parts of him have. But investigating the unusual death isn't a priority for the legislature of Kuvash; there's a kingdom to run, a census to create and a dictatorial Queen to placate. 

Soon Drakenfeld finds that he is suddenly in charge of an investigation in a strange city, whose customs and politics are as complex as they are dangerous. Kuvash is a city of contradictions; wealth and poverty exist uneasily side-by-side and behind the rich facades of gilded streets and buildings, all levels of depravity and decadence are practised. When several more bodies are discovered mutilated and dumped in a public place, Drakenfeld realizes there's a killer at work who seems to delight in torture and pain. With no motive, no leads and no suspects, he feels like he's running out of options. And in a city where nothing is as it seems, seeking the truth is likely to get him killed ...

Retribution is the second Lucan Drakenfeld novel, following Drakenfeld.

Following on from last year's Drakenfeld, Retribution is a nice continuation of the series, providing a keen mystery and a clever solution, playing with the idea of victim/perpetrator and the theme of revenge. Drakenfeld is a pleasant narrator, a clear successor to C.J Sansom's Shardlake, while his female companion and bodyguard gets some much needed and appreciated development here. 

Fans of Newton's earlier work will feel somewhat let down by the world building - Drakenfeld's world is a clear Roman cypher, mingling elements of Late Medieval / Early Renaissance Europe, without any particular attempts to bring in any of the clever New Weird stylings of the Legends of the Red Sun. The Drakenfeld series, though, continues to do what it set out to do - write a historical mystery series in a fantasy world - and to do it extremely well!

I gave Retribution 4 stars. 

Wrat-Up 2014 - Top Ten Fantasy Books

 

Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson

An excellent continuation of Sanderson's extremely ambitious series, putting the spotlight on the main female character Shallan. The other characters also get a lot of screen time and the book - while huge in term of number of pages - sped by thanks to the impressive pace Sanderson manages to maintain.

The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton

A touching, haunting and heart-breaking historical fantasy, The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender is part family history, part coming-of-age tale, part historical thriller. Dealing with faith, family and death, and told with the beauty and complexity of a fairy tale, Walton's novel is deserving of lots of praise.

The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison

The novel that proved stand alone fantasy can work and work extremely well, The Goblin Emperor is a wonderful change from the grimdark trend that a lot of modern fantasy has embraced. A classic fantasy novel of an underdog character finding the strength to overcome major obstacles, the wonderful story is accompanied by fantastic prose.

Unwrapped Sky by Rjurik Davidson

From my review:

"Every so often, I read a fantasy novel that reminds me why I love this genre. Unwrapped Sky is one of those! Full of imaginative concepts, flawed and multidimensional characters and some fantastic prose, Rjurik Davidson’s debut is a fantastic opening to a new series, reminiscent of China Mieville’s Perdido Street Station, while not quite reaching the heights of that masterpiece."

Fool's Assassin by Robin Hobb

From my review:

"A slow-moving, glorious exploration of a truly amazing character, Fool's Assassin is a triumphant return to the world of Fitz and the Fool, to the world of Buckkeep and the Mountain Kingdom, to the world of assassins, Skillmasters and dragons."

Sparrow Hill Road by Seanan McGuire

From my review:

"Once every so often, a book comes along so awesome, so perfectly tailored for your reading tastes of the time that it can leave a reader giddy. Sparrow Hill Road was that for me. A tale of ghost stories, hitch hikers, crossroads and Americana, Sparrow Hill Road is epic in the best sense of the word: a story that crosses time and space, descending down through multiple levels of reality and oozing with haunts and ghouls." 

The Emperor's Blades by Brian Staveley

The debut of the year for me, The Emperor's Blades combines great characters with fantastic world building, all of it tied up with crisp, fast-paced writing that keeps the pages turning.

The High Druid's Blade by Terry Brooks

A stand-alone adventure set in Brooks' Shannara universe, The High Druid's Blade follows a new character, descended from the Leah family, as he tries to save his sister from a dark magician. A breath of fresh air in the Shannara series, epic and intimate at the same time, all with Brooks' characteristic elaborate prose.

Stone Mattress by Margaret Atwood

A fantastic collection of short stories here from Atwood, ranging from a murder mystery to the exploration of the effect three people had on one another's lives. I thoroughly enjoyed the first three, connected stories, but all of them had something to bring to the table.

The Buried Life by Carrie Patel

From my review:

"A fantasy murder mystery to start with, The Buried Life could be termed science fantasy - while not made obvious, there are clear indications that the underground world of the book is our future. While the murder mystery is tied up nicely, providing a pleasant sense of closure to that part of the book, there are larger events that take over towards the end and set up the stage nicely for the follow-up (due out in February)."

Waistcoats and Weaponry by Gail Carriger

Class is back in session...
 
Sophronia continues her second year at finishing school in style--with a steel-bladed fan secreted in the folds of her ball gown, of course. Such a fashionable choice of weapon comes in handy when Sophronia, her best friend Dimity, sweet sootie Soap, and the charming Lord Felix Mersey stowaway on a train to return their classmate Sidheag to her werewolf pack in Scotland. No one suspected what--or who--they would find aboard that suspiciously empty train. Sophronia uncovers a plot that threatens to throw all of London into chaos and she must decide where her loyalties lie, once and for all.

Gather your poison, steel tipped quill, and the rest of your school supplies and join Mademoiselle Geraldine's proper young killing machines in the third rousing installment in the New York Times bestselling Finishing School Series by steampunk author, Gail Carriger

Gail Carriger burst onto the fantasy scene a few years ago with her Parasol Protectorate series, a fantastic historical urban fantasy, full of great characters, humourous dialogue and exciting action scenes. A kind-of-prequel - set earlier than the first series though initially seemingly without any of the same characters -  the Finishing School Series continues in the steampunk vein of the first series, adding the setting of a floating espionage school masquerading as a finishing school. While the first book did not blow me away, I enjoyed it enough to carry on. The series has got steadily better and this, the third book, is fantastic.

Following Sophronia and her friends once again, Waistcoats and Weaponry sees major changes in the status quo, as werewolves plot rebellion and vampires strike at mechanicals. Forced to take possession of a runaway train, Sophronia and her friends go up once again against the Picklemen. There are major changes in store before the book reaches its end, all of which Carriger handles with her usual humour. Her writing continues to be a delight, full of wit and funny turns of phrase, and Sophronia really grows as a character, willing to go once more against the prevailing societal pressures of her time. Her relationship with Soap is especially well handled here 

Setting up the final book in the series nicely, Waistcoats and Weaponry finally begins to bring the Finishing School Series up to the same level as the Parasol Protectorate. 

I gave Waistcoats and Weaponry 4 stars.

The Buried Life by Carrie Patel

 

The gaslight and shadows of the underground city of Recoletta hide secrets and lies. When Inspector Liesl Malone investigates the murder of a renowned historian, she finds herself stonewalled by the all-powerful Directorate of Preservation – Recoletta’s top-secret historical research facility.
 
When a second high-profile murder threatens the very fabric of city society, Malone and her rookie partner Rafe Sundar must tread carefully, lest they fall victim to not only the criminals they seek, but the government which purports to protect them. Knowledge is power, and power must be preserved at all costs…

The Buried Life is one of those books that I had to read at the right time to get into - I had tried to read it a few months ago and it didn't quite gel for me - that may be due to the fact that I had read a few similar books around that time. Whatever the reason, I put it aside but it had interested me enough for me to want to pick it back up again, which I did back in October (yes, I know, bad blogger, bad! :))

A fantasy murder mystery to start with, The Buried Life could be termed science fantasy - while not made obvious, there are clear indications that the underground world of the book is our future, with books and cultural references serving as clear nods to our own world. This makes for a nice twist on the Victorian-esque, gaslight ambiance the book is set in. While the worldbuilding was good, where The Buried Life excelled was in the characters. I really enjoyed getting to know Liesl, Rafe and Jane: a washer-woman who is not mentioned in the blurb but who I would say is probably more important to the plot and more interesting as a character than the other two. Her Relationship with Roman proves to be a hinge for the story and her actions have major effects on the future of Recoletta.

While the murder mystery is tied up nicely, providing a pleasant sense of closure to that part of the book, there are larger events that take over towards the end and set up the stage nicely for the follow-up (due out in February). I for one will be eagerly waiting to download it to my Kindle on the day of release!

I gave The Buried Life 4 stars.

Fool's Assassin by Robin Hobb

 

Nearly twenty years ago, Robin Hobb burst upon the fantasy scene with the first of her acclaimed Farseer novels, Assassin’s Apprentice, which introduced the characters of FitzChivalry Farseer and his uncanny friend the Fool. A watershed moment in modern fantasy, this novel—and those that followed—broke exciting new ground in a beloved genre. Together with George R. R. Martin, Robin Hobb helped pave the way for such talented new voices as Scott Lynch, Brandon Sanderson, and Naomi Novik.

Over the years, Hobb’s imagination has soared throughout the mythic lands of the Six Duchies in such bestselling series as the Liveship Traders Trilogy and the Rain Wilds Chronicles. But no matter how far she roamed, her heart always remained with Fitz. And now, at last, she has come home, with an astonishing new novel that opens a dark and gripping chapter in the Farseer saga.

FitzChivalry—royal bastard and former king’s assassin—has left his life of intrigue behind. As far as the rest of the world knows, FitzChivalry Farseer is dead and buried. Masquerading as Tom Badgerlock, Fitz is now married to his childhood sweetheart, Molly, and leading the quiet life of a country squire.

Though Fitz is haunted by the disappearance of the Fool, who did so much to shape Fitz into the man he has become, such private hurts are put aside in the business of daily life, at least until the appearance of menacing, pale-skinned strangers casts a sinister shadow over Fitz’s past . . . and his future.

Now, to protect his new life, the former assassin must once again take up his old one. . . .

Before I start this review, it is important to understand that the books that make up Robin Hobb's vast tapestry - from the original Assassin's Apprentice to the more recent Blood of Dragons - are some of my favourite fantasy novels. I adore Hobb's writing style and of everything she has written the adventures of Fitz and the Fool have a special place in my heart. I read the second Fitz trilogy at a very important time in my life (the few years while I was dating, getting engaged to and marrying my wife) and as such it is very difficult for me to be anywhere close to objective when it comes to writing down my thoughts about this return to Fitz.

You have been warned! :)

Fool's Assassin picks up a few years after the events of Fool's Fate. As with many other Robin Hobb's books, this is a slow burn as we settle back into Fitz' skin and see the life he has built for himself in his father's old estate. For once, we see Fitz enjoying his life - he has Molly, he is rebuilding his relationship with his daughter and he has found some kind of balance with the demands of the throne and his former mentor Chade. It was such a joy to see all of this, to rediscover these characters, to watch Fitz finally enjoy a moment of happiness with Molly, that the opening chapters, while extremely slow paced flew by. That is not to say that nothing happens in these early pages - almost from the get-go we are introduced to a mystery that has burst into Fitz' life: a pale-faced messenger who is murdered before she can tell Fitz why she is here. For anyone who is a fan, it is easy to guess at least a vague idea of the identity of the messenger and the message she is carrying.

The first book covers quite a large swath of time, allowing Hobb to deal with something that happened in a prior novel - Fitz was healed by an overwhelming use of the Skill and as such he is not aging at the normal rate. Hobb handles this very carefully as he watches his wife Molly grow older while he remains - physically, at least - in his early thirties. This also allows for one of the best fakeouts of the book as Molly seems to descend into senility, convinced that she is pregnant while showing no outward signs. As months and then years go past, it becomes tragically clear that the whole thing is in her mind... Until suddenly she gives birth!

And this is where Hobb lays to rest any fears those who are not rabid fans like me that she is not simply retelling the same story again. For the first time in the Fitz series, we are provided another voice - that of Bee, Fitz' strange, wonderful and miraculous baby girl. From the moment she is born, we are given alternating viewpoints of Fitz and his daughter, giving us extra insight into the character we know and love as another person describes him to us. Bee is a great new character, whose mysterious origin seemed obvious to me, but that was part of the charm, waiting for the other characters to wake up and realise who she had to be. I won't give away exactly who and what Bee really is, but the revelation right at the end is definitely worth it.

As usual, Hobb does a great job of dragging you behind Fitz' (and later Bee's) eyes and making you feel for them both. Their emotions are so real, so visceral, which is what has gained Robin Hobb so many fans over the years. We not only read about Fitz, we truly become him, because Hobb's writing is so immediate and yet so lush that it is almost impossible not to get swept up in it. As the book progresses, Fitz' simple happy life is slowly chipped away, notably through the arrival of two characters who I am sure we will all love to hate (FitzVigilant and Shun), so the emotional heft of the work really picks up as we reach the conclusion.

The conclusion... Heartbreaking, exciting, glorious and inevitable all at once, Hobb manages to bring a beloved character back and moments later tears Fitz' heart out. I dare any fan of these characters not to let slip an involuntary gasp when Fitz realises who exactly he has stabbed in town (I'll keep from spoiling who exactly that is!) As Fitz ominously explains in the epilogue: the darkest time of my life had begun.

A slow-moving, glorious exploration of a truly amazing character, Fool's Assassin is a triumphant return to the world of Fitz and the Fool, to the world of Buckkeep and the Mountain Kingdom, to the world of assassins, Skillmasters and dragons. Hobb does a great job of reintroducing her characters in such a way that even someone who has never read any of the other books would be able to pick it up and quickly understand what is happening. While it starts off slow, the book plays with expectations, introducing a new viewpoint for the first time and creating, in Bee Farseer, a wonderful new character. The ending, heartrending and hugely exciting, bodes badly for Fitz in the future, but based on the last two trilogies, that bodes well for all of us readers as this new trilogy progresses.

Without hesitation, I give Fool's Assassin 5 Witness Stones out of 5.

The Mirror Empire by Kameron Hurley

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When the dark star rises, worlds will collide and nations will be extinguished. Thrown through a portal when she was only a child, a troubled orphan struggles to learn the truth about her own past, while a new ruler fights to hold his country together in the face of a civil war. Invaders from another realm are decimating whole cities, while a general is called upon to eradicate her father’s people. In the end, the truth about the invasion will come to light as many worlds face destruction…

The Mirror Empire has been one of the most highly anticipated novels so far in SFF circles, mentioned, hyped and reviewed on most of the biggest blogs. I read the first book in Hurley’s sci-fi trilogy a couple of years ago and enjoyed it, so I was looking forward to this one, especially after hearing how imaginative the world building was. While I definitely enjoyed that aspect of the novel, I struggled with some of the rest of it, notably the character work. Outside the main characters, I found it difficult to keep a track of who was who, not a problem I generally have despite reading a lot of epic fantasy. I think what irritates me the most is that I can’t put my finger on exactly why I had such difficulty keeping the various characters straight in my mind. Also, I did not feel any sense of urgency while reading – this is nowhere near being a novel that kept me reading far into the night. On the positive side, the breadth of imagination on display is awe-inspiring, from living trees to huge mirrors that allow passage between worlds. And Hurley is definitely a talented writer whose prose is a joy to read. The story itself just failed to gel with me, unfortunately.

 
I gave The Mirror Empire 3 stars.

Sparrow Hill Road by Seanan McGuire

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She has many names. The Phantom Prom Date. The Girl in the Diner. The Spirit of Sparrow Hill Road. But when she was alive, she was called Rose. Rose Marshall. Victim of the man called Bobby Cross, she now lives in the midnight America, amongst the routewitches and ambulomancers, the crossroads ghosts and the poltergeists. Sixty years after her death, though, Bobby Cross still haunts her. The man who sold his soul to live forever has only ever let one soul slip through his fingers and he has no intention of giving up until Rose is added to his collection. Welcome to the ghostroads.

Once every so often, a book comes along so awesome, so perfectly tailored for your reading tastes of the time that it can leave a reader giddy. Sparrow Hill Road was that for me. A tale of ghost stories, hitch hikers, crossroads and Americana, Sparrow Hill Road is epic in the best sense of the word: a story that crosses time and space, descending down through multiple levels of reality and oozing with haunts and ghouls. More importantly, though, Sparrow Hill Road is the story of a girl and the life she enjoys after her death. Rose is more than the main character here – she is our guide, our friend and our protector against the things that go bump in the night. I fell in love with Rose Marshall and I desperately hope that Seanan McGuire will come back to her – her story seems far from over as you turn the last page. McGuire is a fantastic writer and her other books have been firmly placed on the top of my To Read List after this. Highly, highly, highly recommended!

I gave Sparrow Hill Road 5 stars

The Widow's House by Daniel Abraham

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Spurned by the one woman he has ever loved, Lord Regent Geder Palliako intensifies his war, pushing his men into battle in the name of vengeance. Accompanying her son, who leads the Regent’s army, Clara Kalliam, loyal to the throne but traitor to the man, struggles to balance the woman she used to be with the woman she wants to become. Cithin bel Sarcour, the Regent’s obsession, finds herself trapped in Porte Oliva as the priests of the spider goddess close in. And Captain Marcus Wester discovers the truth about the past as dragons fly in the skies once again…

The Tyrant’s Law ended on one hell of a cliffhanger as Marcus Wester and the renegade priest Kit awoke the last surviving dragon, unleashing the ancient race on the world once more. The Widow’s House picks up the threads in the aftermath of those events, bringing Geder’s growing obsession with Cithrin to a head and intensifying the war that has been building over the past couple of books. Once again, Daniel Abraham does a fantastic job juggling all the different characters, twisting events in ways that are both unexpected and refreshing, and setting things up for the final few books. The truth behind the origin of the war is surprising, as is the decisions made by Clara and Cithrin, but it all remains true to the story and to the people that Abraham has gone to such lengths to create. The worldbuilding continues to grow in complexity and depth, giving The Dagger and the Coin series a breadth that the first volume may have lacked. More importantly, Cithrin grows closer to the character we have been expecting, giving new meaning to the series title. All in all, a fine continuation of an unlauded epic fantasy series.

 
I gave The Widow’s House 4 stars.

Nice Dragons Finish Last by Rachel Aaron

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When Julius Heartstriker – youngest and smallest dragon of his clan – is banished to the Detroit Free Zone and trapped in human form by his mother, he is given a month to prove that he can live up to the ruthless ambitious predators that form his family. If he doesn’t, at best he will be trapped in human form forever. At worst… In a city of modern magicians and run by a vengeful spirit who has no patience for dragons, though, Julius soon discovers that he needs a lot of help if he is to survive. But putting his trust in humans may be more complicated than he at first thought…

I don’t know if it is fair to call Rachel Aaron a rising star in the SFF genre anymore – after a fantasy series (completed), a space opera trilogy (completed) and now the beginning of an urban fantasy series starring dragons, she is definitely an established member of the firmament. Although I am ashamed to say I have not read her fantasy series, I devoured the space opera trilogy she released earlier in the year and this new urban fantasy went straight to the top of the TBR list. It was definitely worth it. Starring a young dragon trapped in human form by his mother, Nice Dragons Finish Last is an almost perfect urban fantasy set in a post-apocalyptic type future where magic has returned on the wings of an asteroid impact, unleashing fairy creatures of all description on the Earth. Amongst those are the dragons, ancient beings who have lain in wait for this return and are now returning to their place at the top of the food chain. Julius, unfortunately, is not a particularly well considered specimen of dragonkind, but through the book he learns to embrace his flaws as strengths, proving himself to his family and the human allies he has surrounded himself with. Nice Dragons Finish Last works as a fantastic coming of age tale as well as an urban fantasy, employing a number of exciting set pieces and unfolding a vast array of worldbuilding to fantastic effect. Aaron knows how to tell a fantastic story and she proves that once again here. Highly recommended! 

I gave Nice Dragons Finish Last 5 stars