Five Dances with Death is a historical/fantasy adventure in which, much like the sorceress Plume plunges her husband into ethereal travel, the reader Five Dances with Death is a historical/fantasy adventure in which, much like the sorceress Plume plunges her husband into ethereal travel, the reader is firmly immersed in a distant time and place to live in the mind and body of Angry Wasp as he tries to save both his country and his daughter during the onset of the Spanish conquest of Mexico.
The writing is a perfect blend of description while maintaining the feeling of having been translated, which grants the the storytelling an authentic voice. In places, the dialogue is both shocking and humorous. The internal dialogue shows such truth and heart, I found myself growing fond of the rash young man who danced with both demons and nobility.
Often I found myself stopping to reread lines that were especially insightful. In one example, Angry Wasp was asked how he and a trader could both want the same thing, yet they could never agree on anything. Angry Wasp replied, "Time after time, your ideas betray the very principles we warriors believe in. You want to ignore insults. You wish to befriend invaders. You want to risk your head to see the obvious." I love the combination of primitive and noble thought--the adherence to ideals pursued to their absolute end. Even when Wasp has his greatest desire in hand, he will not betray the guiding principles of his life to attain it. The struggle is fascinating, as is this "Aztec Supernatural Adventure Novel."
This novel reminds me of another that I enjoyed, Prophets of the Ghost Ants. (I seem to be intrigued by rash and imperfect young heroes on the road to greatness.) Those brash warriors make me wince, yet their actions are never boring. So many NY Times-tooted books that quickly draw large followings seem --often, but not always-- to be shallow, or empty. I'm finding gems among debut writers without all the marketing hype to launch them. I do hope they find their audience as well.
I found nothing to complain about during the entire read of this novel. --And that is highly unusual. I'm now a fan of Mr. Briggs, and am looking forward to the sequel.
Merged review:
Five Dances with Death is a historical/fantasy adventure in which, much like the sorceress Plume plunges her husband into ethereal travel, the reader is firmly immersed in a distant time and place to live in the mind and body of Angry Wasp as he tries to save both his country and his daughter during the onset of the Spanish conquest of Mexico.
The writing is a perfect blend of description while maintaining the feeling of having been translated, which grants the the storytelling an authentic voice. In places, the dialogue is both shocking and humorous. The internal dialogue shows such truth and heart, I found myself growing fond of the rash young man who danced with both demons and nobility.
Often I found myself stopping to reread lines that were especially insightful. In one example, Angry Wasp was asked how he and a trader could both want the same thing, yet they could never agree on anything. Angry Wasp replied, "Time after time, your ideas betray the very principles we warriors believe in. You want to ignore insults. You wish to befriend invaders. You want to risk your head to see the obvious." I love the combination of primitive and noble thought--the adherence to ideals pursued to their absolute end. Even when Wasp has his greatest desire in hand, he will not betray the guiding principles of his life to attain it. The struggle is fascinating, as is this "Aztec Supernatural Adventure Novel."
This novel reminds me of another that I enjoyed, Prophets of the Ghost Ants. (I seem to be intrigued by rash and imperfect young heroes on the road to greatness.) Those brash warriors make me wince, yet their actions are never boring. So many NY Times-tooted books that quickly draw large followings seem --often, but not always-- to be shallow, or empty. I'm finding gems among debut writers without all the marketing hype to launch them. I do hope they find their audience as well.
I found nothing to complain about during the entire read of this novel. --And that is highly unusual. I'm now a fan of Mr. Briggs, and am looking forward to the sequel....more
I enjoyed this story quite a bit. It's a female version of Faust, even more interesting, IMO. Very well written, too. Highly recommend. I enjoyed this story quite a bit. It's a female version of Faust, even more interesting, IMO. Very well written, too. Highly recommend. ...more
An unusual mystery story. Intriguing at the beginning that was full of an overwhelming amount of detailed information that could not possibly be imporAn unusual mystery story. Intriguing at the beginning that was full of an overwhelming amount of detailed information that could not possibly be important, so I skimmed a lot until around page 100. Then, I was hooked and enjoyed the uniqueness of the setting and story. The character, Piranesi, was humorous and refreshing with excellent dialogue throughout. I loved seeing the development of his understanding of the Other, and the descriptions of the house with many rooms. It was an enjoyable read. ...more
Holds a mirror to our irrational fears and extreme behaviors. Even sensible people get caught up in illogical reactions and fake news spread by our leHolds a mirror to our irrational fears and extreme behaviors. Even sensible people get caught up in illogical reactions and fake news spread by our leaders. Loyalty is not the answer. Blind loyalty can be deadly. I enjoyed this story set in Wales. Magical and mystical elements flesh out the characters and balance elements in this fantastical, yet relevant story. ...more
This is one of the best takes on dragons and unicorns that I've read in quite awhile. In the Dragon Throne, there are four kingdoms in a magical land This is one of the best takes on dragons and unicorns that I've read in quite awhile. In the Dragon Throne, there are four kingdoms in a magical land that consists of dragons, unicorns, and two with humans. One of the human kingdom is aligned with dragons, and the other with unicorns. There have been wars, but recent times are peaceful. The story follows court intrigue during the making of a queen in the kingdom which sides with dragons. We learn that dragons can travel through time, which makes their actions quite puzzling. The queen befriends a unicorn, who is connected to the magic of the land and has powers of his own, such as the ability to heal.
More complications propel the story forward. Magic in the land is dying and the king of the third kingdom is to blame. How and what he is doing was an intriguing surprise as this fantasy is lifted to the realm of science fiction.
I quite enjoyed the characters. The dialogue was spot on, and the writing flowed well and was beautiful at appropriate times. There was a slight dip in the middle, but the pace quickened again once Fianna was crowned. This is the first of a series, so cliffhangers are expected. One unsatisfying dangling thread was the fading away of the antagonistic aunt when King Anton was introduced. I imagine we will be seeing more of her in the next installment. A promising start to a series which will engage those who appreciate a little sci/fi with their fantasy. ...more
I enjoy reading novels with complex plot lines that require the reader to be on the alert, puzzle clues out for themselves, and allow the author free I enjoy reading novels with complex plot lines that require the reader to be on the alert, puzzle clues out for themselves, and allow the author free rein in imagination. All the better, Dreamers is also rich with originality and well developed characters.
Wilson Cole, aka, Will, the hero, is not perfect--far from it. Will is an appropriate name, because the actions he takes of his own free will, for good or bad, motivate the story. Little does it matter whether you sympathize with him or not--you will agree with the urgency of his mission. Traditionalists may have a problem with that, but who cares what they say. The story is complex and the hero is flawed. Deal with it, or go pick up a Victorian novel and stop torturing authors who step outside the box.
Other characters play various roles: Alex Gumbold, representing reason and morality, and others who act as guides, representations of purity, etc. Ancient mythology concerning Satan and his crew's rebellion against heaven enters into the core of the story as the divisions between realms are blurred and reality is stretched to include worlds of dreams. The antagonist reminds me of Freddie Krueger, only worse, and more dangerous.
Oh, and there is a twist at the end that may shake you up a bit. The story was fine without it, but I like twists and turns. I've read reviews by readers who whine if they can anticipate the ending, and I've seen others who whine if the story doesn't fit into their expectations. I'm of the former category. As long as the author thought all the pieces through well enough to make them fit, then the greater the surprise, the better. ...more
Now that I've allowed the story to dwell in my thoughts for a month, I've settled on the best way to describe my experience: reading Forever Human was Now that I've allowed the story to dwell in my thoughts for a month, I've settled on the best way to describe my experience: reading Forever Human was like viewing a literary kaleidoscope. To be more precise, in the beginning, the kaleidoscope was close up, say at the tip of my nose. What I saw were pretty colors, interesting dialogue and characters, but I struggled to see how or where they fit into a story. As I progressed through the novel, the kaleidoscope was at arms length, then by the end, seated across the table from me was a face with a devious grin. Good show!
The love story between the main characters has already exposed by other reviewers to personify an idealistic relationship between science and art--and the story is richer if the reader is aware of that. The supporting cast carry much of the story's momentum: a fascinating villain, kooky woman, and a very big dog. They provided quite a few chuckles and the visuals will remain with me for a long while.
The literary styles (yes, I meant to use the plural) are a menagerie that the reader will have fun identifying. I missed quite a few; Tom Conyers kindly provided a list at the end.
Especially for lovers of history and literature, this novel will present a fun and challenging read.
This was an unexpected gem. I enjoyed the writing and structure of the narrative, but readers who are confused by nonlinear timelines may find this no This was an unexpected gem. I enjoyed the writing and structure of the narrative, but readers who are confused by nonlinear timelines may find this novel a challenge. The characters were well drawn--both male and female. I loved the sensual descriptions--just below my tolerance for overwriting, yet better as a first person narrative than any novel I've read this year.
I'm not a romance reader (romance novels generally lead to yawns or laughter), and while I wouldn't call this a romance novel, it is about love, which is something else altogether. The emotions are intense, but, interesting conflicts come from brave and unconventional (for the times) choices. Are there dreams and goals more powerful than love? Our culture would have us believe love trumps all, and love usually is so physically and emotionally powerful, that all else pales. However, in a repressive society, the greater struggle is sometimes to break social barriers. What if the two goals are in conflict? (view spoiler)[ A woman during the 1920s decides to follow her longtime dream of going to medical school instead of postponing or giving her dream up for a man whom she loves intensely. (hide spoiler)]
The fun aspect of the book is that the narrator is a woman in between life and whatever comes after. She is a poltergeist with limited abilities to effect matter. Her explanation of what she is and what she can do, is scientific rather than spiritual-oriented. The rules of inbetween-ness are interesting, and consistent.
So, I'm surprised none of my GR friends have read this. Either I'm rating the book highly because I'm in a good mood, or people have unfortunately let this one slip by. I'll certainly check out more titles by Ronlyn Domingue.
James E. Matteson's debut novel, The Beginning of This, the End of That is one unique and ambitious mixing of a post-apocalyptic utopia with fantasy aJames E. Matteson's debut novel, The Beginning of This, the End of That is one unique and ambitious mixing of a post-apocalyptic utopia with fantasy adventure--complete with those irritable and vindictive gods of yore, dual-edged magic potions, and elves, lots of elves--carrying with it an exploration of philosophical topics that range from spiritual paths to governmental rules. For the author's bravery in the telling, the story deserves 5 stars.
The fantasy adventure is presented as a series of legendary tales starring two college graduate students who step through a portal into what appears to be medieval Europe. If that sounds convoluted, just you wait, because the story of those students, who I suspect are from a time in our future, are also about 1000 years older than the book's principal narrator--a fictional editor who provides commentary and generally helps the reader keep the tales in perspective--which is no easy task.
But, it works--mainly due to how the story is framed: An iron asteroid hits the earth, wiping out civilization. A new civilization is formed and evolves peacefully. Story/legends/myths, as always, become the vehicle of history and ideas, as well as a means to ask questions, such as, was the Earth hit by an asteroid, or was the previous civilization purposely destroyed by an alien race? 1000 years later, from this new utopian civilization, a scholar at a university publishes a series of myths with illuminating editorial. One word of advice for those planning to read this novel--the footnotes are essential components of the story.
On the subject of the many tangled subjects explored by The Beginning of This, the End of That--this is not a philosophy primer, but one that jumps directly into some of the more interesting nuances. Those with some subject background will recognize and appreciated the depth. One can tell the author has given his topics considerable thought.
This is not a lazy read, and if you try to read it when you should be dozing, I expect you could become quite lost. It's worth the effort however, as are most novels that are in fact, novel. ...more
This was a pleasure. I read in the evenings and for this novel, I always looked forward to returning daily to the poetic prose and magical landscape o This was a pleasure. I read in the evenings and for this novel, I always looked forward to returning daily to the poetic prose and magical landscape of Elfland. The writer, you can tell, is mature and steady in his craft, beautiful minded, and simply perfect. His voice is calming and rich. Something interesting--I loved Infinite Jest too, but that novel is 180 degrees different from The King of Elfland's Daughter. Foster's voice, while clever and insightful, felt unstable, wobbly, and exploring the world like a bright child might, grabbing hold of shiny objects and giving sometimes rather eloquent descriptions of human frailty. Lord Dunsany, on the other hand, is full, mature, ripe and steady. His messages and observations are subtle, deep, and time flows like a ancient running stream. I loved both, but this one, I read with a hungry heart. ...more
After reading the first few pages of The Least Envied, I knew this story was going to be special. The opening plopped me into the world—I felt the gri After reading the first few pages of The Least Envied, I knew this story was going to be special. The opening plopped me into the world—I felt the grit in my teeth and sensed the heat on my face. The immediate danger in the form of Wogs quickly drew me in. This was an unusual world, somewhat similar to ours, but where we are reluctant visitors. And we have a mission.
Intriguing characters are introduced. Some appear commonplace—like retired men sitting outside a five-and-dime, except these folks hang out on rooftops. From these old coots, our dive into philosophy begins. The first topic, and one that drives much of the story, centers around the concept of heroes—who they are, how we choose them, and what makes heroes different from ordinary folks. But the story doesn't stop at simple answers, nor single questions; making one's way in the world is far more complex. This is an adventure full of mystery, trials, and self-discovery.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of this work is the humor. Sean DeLauder continues his wry style that won my admiration in The Speaker for the Trees . The characters are often fantastical, and their dialogue spot on perfect wit. DeLauder is a master of quirk.
Essentially, what begins as a mission to record the life of one small boy turns into a desperate struggle to save the world. One can, of course read it as an intriguing story that readers of any age will enjoy, but connections to current issues are evident for adults. In fact, I can envision a parent reading this story to their child, much like Lord of the Rings has been read for generations, and then that child will reread it in adolescence, and again, in adulthood, read it to their own offspring. Subjects are brought up and discussed in a way that initiates discussion—such as taking personal responsibility for one's actions.
The journey here is long, allowing the reader to become immersed in a strange and fascinating world. I quite admire the talent and effort required to produce such a manuscript. I recommend that you go ahead, treat yourself and begin the journey. It'll leave you exclaiming, over and over again, “Amazeballs!”...more
Richard Bunning describes his novel as speculative fiction, rather than fantasy or science fiction, and with him I must agree. Although fantasy and scRichard Bunning describes his novel as speculative fiction, rather than fantasy or science fiction, and with him I must agree. Although fantasy and sci/fi take place in imaginary worlds and often have sociopolitical themes, the focus of speculative fiction, from my understanding, is to pose and answer "what if?" questions.
Questions considered in Another Space In Time include, what if 1. organ donor recipients retain a connection with their donors? 2. when you die, you are transported to another world? 3. people on worlds that receive recycled souls from earth resent the wave of immigrants? 4. people had more evidence that their consciousnesses did not end with death? 5. a world existed whose sun was a pulsar? 6. a world existed where the population could learn from mistakes made on Earth? 7. you were an immigrant and the native people could read your thoughts?
--and there are others.
Mr. Bunning has worked out answers and played with other ideas in his novel. To keep it interesting and quicken the pace, he added a crime mystery. To satisfy romance readers, he wove in a love story. The result is a novel that fulfills the need for a plot, conflict, characters, arcs, etc. while also serving as a vehicle for exploring aspects of "every-man philosophy".
The story took awhile to draw me in. Partly, the writing style is formal and wordy. In some respects, the beginning felt like stepping into a boat at the dock where the boat rocks quite a lot until you settle and pick up the oars. At that point, the Rodwell character, from whose POV the bulk of the story is told, establishes himself as somewhat timid, gentlemanly, and quaint. Funny, even. Readers watch his metamorphosis from an ineffective British government worker to an intelligent man's Rambo. Thoughts of multiple lifetimes and a love interest will do that for you.
Since I've written a novel speculating about life and the hereafter, I thought I'd read other takes on the subject. The Land of Later On offers a uniqSince I've written a novel speculating about life and the hereafter, I thought I'd read other takes on the subject. The Land of Later On offers a unique proposal for the afterlife experience, and a cycle of reincarnation that differs from the religious that espouse such types of soul recycling. The writing flowed and was well edited. The characters were fleshy with added spice of music appreciation and nostalgic romance. In essence, this was an interesting and well crafted story.
As plot and pacing goes, the substance was stretched to novel length, making it seem a bit thin in places. It could have used more plots and subplots, additional conflicts, etc to make a novel. At times I felt I was reading a shaggy dog story. Some novels pull off shaggy dogs, but the meandering must be made amazing, which was lacking here. A bit too straight forward and lacking of gold nuggets or pearls. That said, when the goal was reached, the author pulled out a surprise, and for that, I was grateful. 3.5 stars, but I can't say it lifted to a four for me, which was frustrating due to the potential of several characters that were drawn, pointed the way like a road sign, then forgotten. I would have liked to have known them....instead of the neat and tidy ending which seemed to be the author dwelling on a gimmick. Give me a messy, fun ride over dotted eyes any day, and I'd give a 4 or 5 star rating........more
The Speaker for the Trees is a scifi/fantasy novel wherein humanity is observed and judged through the eyes of an alien race, familiarly known as planThe Speaker for the Trees is a scifi/fantasy novel wherein humanity is observed and judged through the eyes of an alien race, familiarly known as plants. The Council of Plants planted plants (smiled when I wrote that!) on Earth to ascertain why our planet hadn't been conquered by plants (they hadn't seen my yard!), and whether or not mankind is a threat to the universe and should thereby be eliminated. Okay, I'll stop playing with the plant thing. The plot is delicious (because I'm a vegetarian?) and unique in that the alien plants share certain flaws with humans, so the pot calls the kettle black, which eliminates an objective moral superiority thereby showing that tolerance and empathy are the true virtues.
This novel felt easy to read as the style is similar in tone to books such as The Little Prince and Doodling, which, strangely enough, also incorporates toasters. Hmm. Sentences vary from short, staccato ones that startled me and made me laugh, such as: "Hedge exhaled a deep, shuddering breath. He was going to need a toaster."
-- to longer, more convoluted yet with oddly packed truth-isms, such as: "By adulthood humans had trained themselves to be coy and manipulative in response to the coy and manipulative society in which they lived, which led them to believe that everyone was being as coy and manipulative as themselves and were uncertain about what was true and what was not."
Whereas The Little Prince is whimsical and illogical, The Speaker for the Trees manages to be whimsical and logical. Hedge's story is heartfelt, as only beings without hearts can demonstrate. Humans and plants are imperfect, yet the capacity to see beyond the flaws and to care for the sweet vulnerabilities that require a bit of nurturing to bring about a grand flowering--well, that is close to being divine.
If I were pressed to find fault here, I'd say I least appreciated the concept of the Visitors. The Mr. Visitor character added intrigue, and a wee bit of tension, but was not "fleshed" out enough to be truly threatening. For me, the Visitors, though interesting, were the least developed and thereby most disappointing component of the story. There. I was brutal.
Summary: Very enjoyable read. Please do so. ...more
With over a 1000 pages per book of A Song of Ice and Fire, and here, I just finished my 5th, I can honestly say that I've loved and hated, enjoye3.5/4
With over a 1000 pages per book of A Song of Ice and Fire, and here, I just finished my 5th, I can honestly say that I've loved and hated, enjoyed and loathed, admired and ridiculed, gasped and yawned, at parts of the series at one time or another. It has dragged me over a wall and through the snow. I've writhed inside the characters' skins, tasted their food and searched my mouth for missing teeth. George R.R. Martin is an excellent writer, but he can also be bad. The whole work is messy, but I see scaffolding and threads holding it together, encouraging me forward. Several surprises await in this one, not as frequent as the others, but fascinating just the same. One more book, I say. Just one more. ...more
I have a sense of unfairness while reviewing Knock, Knock as I read it on the heels of a far deeper novel and the prose here pales in comparison. I'llI have a sense of unfairness while reviewing Knock, Knock as I read it on the heels of a far deeper novel and the prose here pales in comparison. I'll be as objective as possible, while being subjective as necessary.
Fantasy/Horror, with no other pretensions. The scene is an impoverished town in northwest USA, near Seattle, but the ambiance could just have easily been anywhere Appalachian or backwater, Deliverance banjo dueling Tennessee. After awhile, those kind of towns are difficult to find interesting. Does hillbilly witch lore exist in the northwest? It would feel more authentic if the ritual details sprung from an American Indian heritage. In any case, additional details of the spells, herbs, and superstitions would have helped deepen the effect. But I digress. Desperation. Poverty. Accents. Lack of education. Got it.
Placement of the story during a time of transition when witchcraft is essentially dying out is interesting. The generational baton was passed to Marietta, and rejected. In fact, her family's magic appeared no stronger than snake oil, at which point I wondered whether the novel would go the way of Witches on the Road Tonight, where the witch lore was revealed to be mere superstition and stage shows. Miskowski, however, toys with the idea a bit before whipping off the veil and revealing that the evil in her novel is quite real. By this time, the lone witch is over her head and the final battle fulfills the promise that was fumbled in Witches on the Road Tonight. Like The Exorcist, we are left with the chilling thought that upcoming generations have no protection against evil entities with a maniacal desire for life. All that, and murdered children, babies, and puppies. How could I not care? 3.5 stars.
Perhaps it was the writing. While adequate, and edited---nothing magical. Far too many repetitious phrases used to describe certain characters or situations. I winced and wished Miskowski would had reached more often for a thesaurus. That is the unfair part. I've allowed previously read novels to hinder my enjoyment of this one. Still, Knock, Knock is a worthwhile read for witch lore horror fans. ...more
The first section about K'tanu's life was interesting and turned out to be the best material in the novel. My trouble began in the second section whicThe first section about K'tanu's life was interesting and turned out to be the best material in the novel. My trouble began in the second section which zooms to a futuristic time and introduces Chris, an anthropologist, along with clumps of researched information that should have been edited out, and, a strange author intrusion describing ludicrous fiction and attributing it to the ACLU. That bit of prose read like pot-shot, revenge-oriented fiction. Worse--it was out-of-the-blue and somewhat jarring--and not in a good way. Because the author chose to call out the ACLU, a real organization with real accomplishments, the result was to trigger my reader 'propaganda ahead' alert.
I put that behind me in hope of getting on with the story. Unfortunately, the writing felt clunky (uninteresting vocabulary and simplistic descriptions without the magic of Hemmingway) and the characters spoke and moved like puppets being set up to further the author's agenda. Now, I don't have an issue with agendas--we all have them, but opinions and speeches have to feel organic. At one point, a character says, "All intelligent people believe in God." Fine. A character can say that, but time after time, I saw the author's hand in the puppet moving the character's mouth. The effect, the dream of the story, was lost for me, and I skimmed. And skimmed. Too much falling into arms and weeping, dull "I love you" dialogue. Unexciting chase scenes. Finally, I sensed that the entire story was to further an agenda about faith and cloning that was simplistic, one-sided, and without any true persuasive insights. Smart characters 'got it' while the evil ones didn't. The world was drawn in a way to allow the agenda to be right. Fiction should be much more interesting than that.
I will stop here because the novel made me grumpy and I won't inflict that on you. I don't mind disagreeing with an author, but the story, prose, and characters need to be more polished to make the journey, or debate, worthwhile. My apologies to Mr. Kemp, but I didn't like this novel.
George R.R. Martin can write terrific prose that expertly draws the reader into his world and fleshes out characters as unique and interesting as any George R.R. Martin can write terrific prose that expertly draws the reader into his world and fleshes out characters as unique and interesting as any you'll find in Tolkien. Martin's prose itself is a pleasure to read.
However! The plot moved glacially slow in this one and the story's jewels were rare. I grew weary of Cercei's evil ways, bored with Jaime, and well, nearly all the other sub-plots. Corpses and crows littered the landscape. Fine. But Martin could have packed the story with more intrigue and character clashes. I found myself holding my nose and yawning. Still, I will read the next installment. But not today. ...more
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