It’s been an extremely busy and hectic run to the year end, and that has materially limited my ability to read and write reviews. However, as promised to Netgalley, here are a couple of recent reads for your consideration:

Dark Matter

This year I’ve been fairly underwhelmed from my reading choices… not that much to be excited about. And then, “Dark Matter”… brilliant. All accolades and comparisons to Michael Crichton are richly deserved, An intriguing concept, fantastically executed. Reminiscing of Family Guy’s “Road to the Multiverse” (one of the all-time favorites), Dark Matter takes you on for a thrilling ride across parallel universes, quantum physics, Schrodinger’s cat, and so much more. The novel is clearly set up for a movie (which I understand is in development), and perhaps therein lies why it falls just a bit short. The plot moves at such a speed that it feels you rushed and gasping for air at the end… and you’re left wondering if there was more room to develop the story and the characters, more pages to be read, more twists and more turns. Leaving readers wanting more is not always a good thing. Nonetheless, this was probably one of my favorite reads this year, and can’t recommend it enough. 5 out of 5.

The Bear and the Nightingale

One always associate fantasy with new worlds, new mythologies. Oddly, you don’t always have to build a new world to capture the reader’s imagination… just look around and there will be sufficient magic in our world to astonish us. And that is what “The Bear and the Nightingale ” achieves so wonderfully: building from old Russian tales and myths, mixing it with a history that is real, yet feels alien to the western world, and you end up with an astounding tale of life in old Siberia, filled with magic, wonder, mystery. A lovely novel, definitely worthy of your time. 5/5.

The Impossible Fortress

I was born in 1981, so I’m technically more of a 90’s kid… but perhaps growing up in Colombia (where things came to us a bit later then), or being highly influenced by my older, for whatever reason, always been a sucker for the ’80s! And nothing says more 80s than “The Impossible Fortress,” a lovely, nostalgic, quirky novel about teenage love amidst the dawn of videogames. It was highly enjoyable, properly capturing the angst of high school and first love. A recommended read, particularly to those like me that enjoy everything 80s set. 4.5 out of 5.

The Ferryman Institute

The concept of a ferryman, a guide to the underworld, has been present throughout mankind, from the Greeks (Charon in his boat down the river Styx) to Egyptians (Anubis, the jackal headed dog), to St Peter at the Heaven gates, all myths and religions have a view of the afterlife and the need for souls to be guided. The Ferryman Institute makes use of this extensive material and puts together a witty, funny and crafty story that’s truly worth your time. I enjoyed reading this book, and happy to recommend it. 4.5 out of 5.

Smoke

Smoke starts with a very interesting and intriguing concept… what if your sins would show to the world in the shape of smoke and soot? What if every lie, every evil thought could be there for all to see? The novel gets excellent marks for originality, and to be fair it starts really really good. The story of two friends in a rich boarding school where your nobility is judged by the cleanliness of your shirt, thrust into a plot to free the world from the extreme purity brought forth when evil can be seen. In many ways Smoke channels His Dark Materials, and that’s very strong praise. However, somewhere along the line, amidst twists, escapes and conspiracy theories, the book loses its way and at the end you barely muster interest. Shame… this could’ve been something special. 3.5 out of 5.

I received an advanced copy of Chasing Embers via Netgalley, and shortly after the good people at Little Brown Book Group asked me if I would be interested in participating in a blog tour… how exciting! Had to ask what a blog tour was of course, being fairly new to the blogosphere, but still, quite pleased for the opportunity.

As such, took great interest in reading the book, and got ready to prepare a good, honest, more comprehensive review of Chasing Embers than my typical short blurb on recent reads… so here goes!

First off, Ben Garston, the main character, is a dragon… don’t think I need to send a spoiler alert here… it says so right in the cover! But the trick here, is that the dragon takes human form and lives as a typical human (mainly) in present times. And at interesting times as well, as a new being from Egyptian mythology is awakened and brings havoc to Ben and the world. I won’t go into further details here (this is a review, not a summary) but suffice to say, lots of chasing, fighting, world-hopping, magical battles, and the like ensues.

I really enjoy novels that mesh mythology and modern times… if done well. Earlier this year I read a book called The Immortals showcasing Greek Gods living in modern New York, and it was highly enjoyable. So, coming into Chasing Embers, expectations were high. I actually lived in Egypt for a year when I was a kid, so my interest in Egyptian mythology has always been more than healthy. Also, a sucker for anything fantasy related (as you may have seen from my reading habits). So, went full on into the novel with high hopes. Unfortunately, the issue with expectations… they are rarely met. And this case was no exception.

So, Chasing Embers – an intriguing concept, a solid world building, an incredible amount of research into countless myth and fantasy lore… yet not that great of a story. Hard as I tried to get into it, failed to be engaged. Main fault lies with the main character itself. Just not interesting enough… Ben is a bloody dragon, yet all I got is this whiny, annoying person that I just couldn’t care enough for. Where was the wit, the sarcasm, the fun? Not to be found in a centuries old dragon, I’m afraid. Add to that the fact that none of the other characters are worthy of note to be honest, and you just stop caring about what drives the story and barely manage to the end. The writing style doesn’t help… slightly banal, sometimes overdescriptive and unnecessarily repetitive, not enough of a unique voice to make the novel stand out in a very crowded urban fantasy scene.

My sense after reading Chasing Embers, is that it was a good idea, but poorly executed. But it is not all gloom and doom. Those responsible for marketing the book have compared it to Jim Butcher’s Harry Dresden books, and rightly so. Here’s the thing – in my mind, the first few Dresden books weren’t that great. It was only in the third or fourth novel that the story really took off, that the character found its feet and the series took off to stand out as a benchmark in urban fantasy. The world and backdrop to Chasing Embers is quite interesting, and should the characters become more compelling, and the writing more polished, one sees the potential for something great. But for now, at least on a stand alone basis, it was just okay.

Give it a 3 out of 5 – not that great of a read, but sufficient elements here to make me look and potentially give the inevitable sequels another shot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, I know… haven’t reviewed a book in a while (haven’t actually read much recently either!).

Been very busy at work… but more importantly, this happened:

Will try to catchup on reading / reviewing, but don’t keep your hopes up! It will be busy for a while…

 

 

Reviewing some further books, for those looking for some reads in these Brexit days! All come courtesy of Netgalley.

The Fireman

Without question one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. Clearly my favourite read this year, and I can’t recommend it enough. This is the end of the world as it ought to be writte. Fantastic novel, really enjoyable!

The Stiletto

I was a massive fan of The Rook, the first book in the series. Had been looking forward to the sequel for quite some time, disappointed with the multiple delays in publication which made the expectation grow and grow. And when it finally arrived, I jumped right in. It was a good book, a fun read, but never nearly as good as the first one. And that was disappointing… as expectations where very very high. It’s a sequel that focuses on expanding the characters and the universe, but in doing so, loses a lot of the wit and charm that made The Rook as special as it was. Still a good read, and now looking forward to the third in the series, but with slightly less enthusiasm as before. 4 out 5.

The Sudden Appearance of Hope

I was fascinated by Claire North’s “The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August.” Was one of my favourite reads in recent times…. and as such have promptly followed the author’s next offerings. Her follow-up, “Touch”, was an intriguing concept, but I found the second half of the book too tiresome and fatiguing… so where would “The Sudden Appearance of Hope” fall under the spectrum? Sadly, more towards the latter. A very original premise, a girl who keeps being forgotten and turns to the one profession she could do with her gift / curse… professional thief. The concept makes it worth a read in its own right… but unfortunately, the middle section of the book is an incredible drag, The writing, at times to reflect streaming consciousness, loses its charm very quickly, and you just keep reading in the hope it ends soon… Shame, because I really enjoyed the concept and premise, but found the tone a bit too preachy, as if trying to hard to make a stand, to give a message. Top marks for originality, but the long (and largely pointless) middle act brings the score down…. 3.5 out of 5

So, yes… been a while. Been quite busy, and only now trying to catchup on my reviews. Have managed to read a bit, though, thanks to my (getting insufferable) commute. Actually, only now as I write and go through the list of outstanding reviews for Netgalley, I realise how bad I’ve been at keeping up. Oh well, it’s not like I get paid for it!!

So here goes:

The High Mountains of Portugal – Yann Martel 

This one comes courtesy of Netgalley. Massive fan of Life of Pi, so was very excited about a new book from Mr. Martel. But if you’re looking for a similar book, you’re not going to find it here. This time around, is three stories set at different times during the 20th century, mainly linked by grief and the remote mountains of Portugal. The stories are well written and developed, but perhaps the linkage between the three is not strong enough to make you feel that you read a full novel instead of a short story collection. Though I enjoyed some passages, and in particular the last story of the Canadian senator and his monkey, on a whole the book didn’t do it for me. Again, maybe way too high expectations. As I said, I went looking for Life of Pi, and got something else. An okay book, but not something great. 3.5 out of 5

The Immortals – Jordanna Max Brodsky

I’m a big Greek mythology fan, and I love stories with the Greek gods in modern times… if they’re told right. Thankfully, “The Immortals” gets it right! I enjoyed the book thoroughly, given its strong character building and excellent use of the old myths to run the story along. Perhaps the plot, which revolves around Artemis following a string of murders, could’ve been slightly more compelling and with better tempo. Nonetheless, the clever use of the Greek gods keeps driving you along and wanting more. Noting that this is the first of a planned series, one can forgive the book’s shortcomings and look eagerly at the next installments. Well recommended. 4.5 out of 5

The Widow – Fiona Barton

Every now and then I veer away from my typical sci fi / fantasy books to read a good crime thriller. And this book was highly touted as the next big thing. I wouldn’t go that far…it was an interesting read, and it had some good moments. The structure of the book was quite clever, told through the different viewpoints rounding it out nicely. But the ultimate ending (some reviewers highlighted the twist… I didn’t find any twist…) was a bit disappointing. So, a nice read, but not something to be too excited about. Let’s give it 3.5 out of 5

Arena – Holly Jennings

 

An interesting take on the future of e-sports.. where technology evolves in such a way that we get to watch gladiators fight to their virtual deaths.It was on okay read, with some high points (the virtual battles were very well developed), but the main story felt a tad derivative and not particularly memorable. An okay read, but nothing to get too excited for. 3 out of 5

Click Here To Start (A Novel) – Denis Markell

Hailed as a “Ready Player One” for a younger audience, “Click Here to Start” involves three kids facing a real life escape game to solve a very interesting mystery case. The book was generally entertaining and fun to read, but I found the tone and premise of the book a tad dumbed down… yes I know it’s meant for kids, but so was Harry Potter… you don;t need to write as a child to speak to one… It had all the typical stereotypes, a poorly developed villain, and some gaping plot holes that never get resolved. So, while I really enjoyed the concept, found the execution a bit wanting. 3 out of 5

 

Here’s a couple of reviews for some recent reads… 

All the Light We Cannot See – Anthony Doerr (courtesy of Netgalley)

  
This was a truly incredible novel, fully deserving of all the accolades it won (the Pulitzer, no less)… amazing characters, extremely well-written, a powerful story, all the elements you seek in a novel and more. 

What worked:

Everything… but specifically, the characters (Werner and Marie, so well developed), the story (humanising both sides of the WW2 story in a unique, heart-warming way), the structure (the short chapters, the back and forth between characters, the to and fro pre and post the siege of Saint Melo), I can go on, but rather why don’t you read it and see for yourself?

What didn’t:

Very little… perhaps the ending gets strung out a bit too much, maybe it could’ve ended much sooner. But I’m nit-picking… 

Verdict:

5 out of 5. Amazing book. Go read it.
All the Birds in the Sky – Charlie Jane Anders
  
When you go to buy a book, be it online or at an actual bookstore, you’ll typically find Science Fiction and Fantasy as one section… I guess both genres cater to a similar type of reader. Yet, as far as I could remember, it is quite rare for a novel to combine both. Then along comes “All the Birds in the Sky.” Look up how people classify the novel, and you’ll find a fairly even split between Sci Fi and Fantasy… The thing is, it actually worked. Though the book could’ve done with a little bit of a better plot, the overall concept of merging the two genres was well-executed, and I enjoyed the read.

What worked:

The main characters, particularly Patricia, were very well developed. The setting of the novel itself worked wonders, as it allowed us to track the development of these characters through their formation years into adulthood. You end up feeling for these characters, and that’s a great accomplishment in any novel.

What didn’t:

Overall, the story was a bit weak, and it felt more developed for the entire purpose of showing how magic and science can work for the same goal than anything else. It feels a bit of a missed opportunity to not develop more the actual learning of magic or of science, or the supporting characters on each field. Despite great main characters and an interesting concept, as it happens when the story is just not the powerful, by the time the end comes you are not as hooked as you wanted to be. 

Verdict:

I enjoyed the book, thought it had great moments and found the concept of mixing magic and science quite well made. The story was weak, though, and ultimately it feels like the book didn’t deliver as much as it had promised from the start. A good, solid read, but unfortunately not a great one. 4 out 5.

My final read of 2015:

The Grace of King – Ken Liu (courtesy of Netgalley)

The first in a planned series, The Grace of Kings was a good fantasy epic, with solid world-building and a fascinating mythology angle. It’s being hailed as the next Game of Thrones… I wouldn’t go that far, I’m afraid.

What worked…

Set in the fictional islands of Dara, relying heavily on China and Japanese history, the world building was really well thought and built. The author added an element of mythology reminiscent of the Iliad, which I thought worked wonderfully.

What didn’t work…

The book was just a bit too long, and the character development was odd. Some characters are given quite a lot of description, only to be discarded very quickly without much regard. After a very slow and paced build, the novel seems to rush to the end too quickly, and perhaps underwhelming.

Verdict

The novel could’ve used major editing, as it was just a bit too long and not paced well enough. Nonetheless, an interesting and enjoyable read, particularly as it had some great mythological elements that made it stand out of the rest. Would be looking out for the next in the series, but won’t be holding my breath for it.

4 out of 5 stars.

2015 is now in the books. Here’s a quick look back at what I read, watched, and played.

What I read

I read a total of 32 books this year. Those days were I could read over 50 books a year are long gone. In any case, 2015 won’t go down as a banner year for my reading… in fact, there were few books I rated particularly highly this year. Readers of this blog will note that I found most books read this year okay at best. Oh well… below my top reads of the year, those that came close, and those that completely missed the mark:

Top reads:

• The Martian – this book came out in 2014, but I only got around to it this year. And what a book it was. Probably among the best sci-fi books I’ve ever read. If you haven’t read it (and haven’t seen the great movie adaptation either) please don’t hesitate to grab a copy.
• The Bone Clocks – Another 2014 book, that I managed to read in 2015. David Mitchell can do no wrong in my mind, and The Bone Clocks was an incredible novel. Part sci-fi, part adventure, part dystopia, part thriller, part everything. Fantastic read.
• Fantasy Life – People that know me know I’m mad about Fantasy Football (and pretty good at it as well!). Any person interested in the game (or the sport), should give this book a go. And even if you don’t, but want to understand why it drives such obsessive behaviour, then give the book a go as well!

Worthy mentions:

• The Water Knife – a very clever view of the future where water has gone… if dystopia is your genre, then this is the book for you.
• The Just City – Athena decides as an experiment to create Plato’s Republic, with incredible consequences. Extremely well-thought up book, worth a read.
• Boo – A lovely read, about life and finding redemption after death. Very sweet.

Disappointments:

• Armada – After the incredible Ready Player One, Ernest Cline’s follow-up was very hyped… it failed to meet its lofty expectations.
• Queen of Fire – Blood Song was an incredible epic fantasy novel… but the rest of the series was quite underwhelming.
• Uprooted – I’m a fan of the first few Temeraire books, but I found Naomi Novik’s latest very derivative and bland.
• The Great Zoo of China – a blatant Jurassic Park rip-off with none of its charm.

 

What I watched

Having a child has made movie going very difficult (and expensive!!) For someone that used to go to the cinema almost every weekend, it has been quite a difficult adaptation process. Nonetheless, still managed to see a few movies and TV series worth noting on the blog:

Top movies:

• Star Wars: The Force Awakens – Yes, it wasn’t very original. Yes it was too much like Episode IV. No, I didn’t care, I loved every minute of it. Can’t wait to see it again and again.
• Jurassic World – It was wonderful going back to Isla Nublar. The movie falters in its last act, but still, the magic of the film made it stay with me for a long time.
• Kingsman – The Secret Service – This movie was soooo much fun. I’m sure it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Worthy mentions:

• Spectre – I’m a fan of Daniel Craig’s Bond, and this was a
• Spy – So bloody funny. Laughed throughout. Highly recommended.
• Mission Impossible – Rogue Nation – The MI movies have stopped taking themselves too seriously, and they are now just fun to watch. Really enjoyed Rogue Nation.
• Mad Max – Fury Road – Incredible action sequences. Great fun.
• Whiplash – “There are no two words in the English language more harmful than ‘good job’.” What a great film

Disappointments:

• Avengers: The Age of Ultron – Was looking forward to it… wasn’t impressed.
• Ant Man – Very average, very mediocre.

Top TV shows:

• Daredevil – What a show. Loved every episode. So well done… and that hallway fight scene. If you haven’t seen it, go to Netflix now.
• Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell – A fantastic adaptation of one of my all-time favorite books. You should give it a go.

 

What I played

At least I managed to squeeze some PS4 time late in the evenings… And did enjoy some good games this year (but not that many)

Top videogames:

• Arkham Knight – The Batman videogames have been incredible, and the conclusion to the Arkham trilogy was really good. I think I preferred Arkham City, but this was still a great game.
• The Witcher 3 – A proper RPG, so much to do, so much to see, with beautiful graphics, acting, storytelling. Fantastic game.

Disappointments:

• The Order 1866 – So looking forward to it… so difficult to get into it.
• Destiny – After all the anticipation… just not good enough.

And that’s it. Bring on 2016… Many movies to look forward to (Batman vs Superman, Deadpool, Fantastic Beasts, Suicide Squad…) and many books too (finally Stilleto, the sequel to the Rook).

It’s been busy… very busy. What with Xmas, work, baby, house move, etc… haven’t had a moment to write down some overdue reviews. So, let’s get right to it:

The Children’s Home – Charles Lambert (courtesy of Netgalley)

Had higher hopes for “The Children’s Home.” Blame the publisher, as it marketed the book with unfounded comparisons, billing it as the next Neil Gaiman, when it was nothing as such. But also blame the book itself, because quite frankly it just wasn’t that good. The story mainly revolves around a young man living as a hermit in a large estate, following a tragic event that left him disfigured. Slowly, random children start appearing in his house, helping him accept his new self while helping others free themselves from the atrocities taking place outside his home. It starts promising… but then sort of fizzles towards the end, leaving you with a sense of “meh.” Truth be told, just not very good. 2 stars

The House of Shattered Wings – Aliette de Bodard

This was an interesting read. The world building was really good – Paris ruled by Fallen angels, years after a war between Fallen Houses that destroyed the city, and life trying to return to some normalcy. A world of conspiracies and plots, power games between each House, a potential new war on the horizon. The story itself, though, not so great… you mainly follow two characters (a human foreigner, a new fallen) who somehow find themselves in the midst of an intricate revenge plot against one of the oldest Houses in Paris. But whereas the setting was solidly built, the characters left a bit to be desired, and ultimately, by the time you’re done, you find you didn’t really care enough. Nonetheless, the world the author developed is so compelling, will still have a look for further works in this setting. 3.5 out of 5 stars.

The Private Eye – Brian K Vaughan (courtesy of Netgalley)

I’ve been a fan of Brian K Vaughan since I’ve read “Y the Last Man”, by far one of the greatest graphic novels I’ve ever read. And for Private Eye, Vaughan develops a very interesting concept… a world set 60 years in the future where the “cloud” bursts… exposing everyone’s secrets to the world. The future is therefore focussed on privacy and hidden identities, where the press is now the police force and the paparazzi are vigilantes. A very topical concept, with the world’s attention on privacy laws, leaks, hacks, etc. One wonders if this would’ve worked as a novel more than a graphic novel, as it feels the characters could’ve been developed better, and it may have been better served with the written medium. Nonetheless, liked the main characters, enjoyed the story, and was pleased with the read. 4.5 out of 5.

The incredible success of Game of Thrones on HBO has led to a flurry of TV and movie adaptations of some great books and graphic novels… It is indeed a good time to be alive!

It seems that cable / streaming TV is the way to go, as GoT and The Walking Dead can attest. There are other great adaptations in mainstream TV worth a look (the BBC recently adapted Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell… I thought it was terrific. Highly recommended). But more and more you see the likes of HBO, Showtime, Starz, AMC, Amazon and Netflxix producing extremely good adaptations (see Netflix’s Daredevil for one) and are constantly in th rumour mill for he next BIG thing.

There are countless rumours about new TV adaptations of some of my favourite books, but many times they just stay in development hell and you never know if you’ll actually get to see them (The Dark Tower, Sandman, Y: The Last Man, to name a few). And then they do manage to make a film out of it, and it ends up being terrible or unoriginal (Under the Dome, for instance). So, always a mixed bag, and always a sense of apprehension when someone takes your all-time favourite book and makes a mess of it on TV… And then you spend quite a lot of time telling people that they should still give the book a go!

Here are a couple of upcoming or rumoured TV shows based on books or comics which I will definitely be tuning in:

American Gods, Starz

After years in development at HBO, it seems someone finally managed to get this amazing novel in shape to make it a TV show. I couldn’t recommend Neil Gaiman’s classic more, so really hoping they do a good job with it. As far as I know, Neil Gaiman is even doing some of the writing, which is always a good sign (like win GoT). Production will begin early in 2016, and casting is ongoing. It’s still early, don’t think we’ll get to see it till 2017, but put me down as very excited for this one.

Preacher, AMC

 

Not content with the success of The Walking Dead, AMC went out to see what other comic book they could turn into a hit, and chose Preacher.

Here’s the trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjoYn-0LfMg

For those unfamiliar, the story follows a Preacher, his ex-girlfriend and an Irish Vampire, as they look to track down God and get him to get back to work. The comic series is really really good, and looks like it’s getting the star treatment for TV. It’s scheduled to premier mid 2016, and looks very promising.
11-22-63, Hulu

Stephen King’s genre spinning novel involves a man who finds a way to travel back in time and seek to stop the JFK assassination. It’s an incredible book, beautifully written, and one of my top rent reads. Here’s the trailer of the miniseries…

Looks really good. It comes out early next year.

I’m sure we will get to see many other books being made into TV shows which will have us all very very excited (I heard The Name of the Wind may be getting the TV treatment soon!!). But for the time being, if the three listed above are made right, count me hooked!