I read RJ Barker's The Bone Ships the other day (review scheduled for Sept. 2) and knew it would be probably another year before the next in the series came out.
So I ordered Age of Assassins, the first in Barker's Wounded Kingdom trilogy.
Age of Assassins is a fantasy, a sort-of murder mystery, and a political conspiracy. The world-building is typical of medieval fantasy and isn't as innovative as that of The Bone Ships--not that I mind the comfort of a familiar trope or two.
Fifteen-year-old Girton Club-foot is an apprentice to Merela Karn, legendary assassin. Merela has been summoned by the queen of Maniyadoc for an unusual mission, not an assassination. The queen fears an assassin has been hired to kill her son, heir to the throne, and she tasks Merela and Girton to uncover the person who hired the assassin. "To catch an assassin, use an assassin."
Merela, who knows the queen, is reluctant--but the two have a past history and she has no choice but to accept the mission. Aware of the dangers, Merela offers Girton the opportunity to leave. Girton, however, has been with Merela since he was six years old and is fully committed to Merela. In order to mingle with those in the castle for their investigation, Girton, a skilled swordsman, becomes a clumsy squire, and Merela uses the cover of Death's Jester.
Age of Assassins was RJ Barker's debut novel, but the skill level puts him among the best.
Purchased.
Fantasy/Intrigue. 2017. Print length: 432 pages.
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What else do I do besides reading? Mail art, gardening, craft stuff, trying to get at least 10,000 steps a day. And the normal chores of laundry, etc. when I feel like it. :)
Michael J. Sullivan excels in his world-building and character development. Age of Legend, the fourth book in this six book series, takes place after a gap of five years from the last book and during a stalemate in the war.
Persephone takes a backseat during this book and other characters get their time in the spotlight.
Sullivan writes the kind of epic fantasy that keeps you turning the pages, engrossed in the characters and in the action. If you decide to read the series, start at the beginning (Age of Myth) to see the character development and the beginning of the rebellion.
I started with Age of Myth in 2016. Then--knowing that it would be at least a year until the next book, I binged on the The Riyria Revelations, starting with the Theft of Swords and was completely caught up with the characters and suspense.
Honestly, as much as I've enjoyed the books in the Age of Legends of the First Empire series, I still think my favorites are the books in The Riyria Revelations trilogy. I still think of Royce and Hadrian as real people. :)
Read in May. Blog review scheduled for July.
NetGalley/Grim Oak Press
Epic Fantasy. July 9, 2019. Print length: 480 pages.
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Jeff Wheeler excels at world-building and character development and in his various related series has created some complex, layered, and engrossing plots. Despite the fantasy genre, the plots are those that we understand perfectly as human behavior, both positive and negative. People with good intentions make mistakes; people who crave power and dominance are willing to do violence in order to control others--real world problems set in make-believe worlds.
My favorite series is the Kingfountain series, but I've enjoyed the Harbinger series as well. In Broken Veil, the fifth Harbinger book, Wheeler wraps up the series in a tense and exciting finale.
Cettie of the Fells and Sera Fitzempress have evolved as they played their parts in the battles between Kingfountain and Harbinger. Their roles in this story may be finished, but because Wheeler keeps connections between all of his worlds, characters often appear in other books. One of my favorite Kingfountain characters (from a previous era) makes an appearance in Broken Veil.
If you enjoy thrilling, imaginative, and visual worlds try one of Jeff Wheeler's several series!
You can get a look at Kingfountain here and Harbinger here.
Read in April, blog review scheduled for May 26.
NetGalley/47 North
Fantasy. June 11, 2019. Print length: 346 pages.
The Witchwood Crown: The Last King of Osten Ard #1 by Tad Williams continues a fantasy saga first published in 1988. Whew, that's a long time to wait to continue a series. I have not read the first three books (Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn) of the original trilogy, but since the events in The Witchwood Crown take place thirty years later, it is not a requirement.
The book is very long, has a huge number of characters and is set in numerous places among several cultures in this fantasy world. The pacing is sometimes slow, but the slower portions alternate with intensely interesting sections.
Con: Some of the characterization is weak, but with so many characters (the list of characters in the back goes on for 25 pages) and with so many different settings with specific plot lines--in-depth characterization of even central characters would be difficult.
Some of the dialogue is awkward and repetitive, as if to remind the reader what the character had thought or said previously.
Some of the names (of people or places) feel like gargling, and each time one of these awkward names appeared, it gave me pause, interrupting my engagement with the story long enough to ponder the gawky name.
Particularly in Hayholt, I found a lack of background to explain the behavior of certain characters--mostly involving the king and queen and their relationship and guidance or (lack thereof) of the grandchildren. I mean, Morgan's "guards" seem the worst kind of influence. If Simon and Miri have been so concerned with Morgan's drinking and gambling and lack of responsibility (the boy is only seventeen, how long has this behavior been going on?), it feels strange that they have done nothing about it.
Pro: In spite of my complaints, I was thoroughly invested in this huge tome of a book. The parts that were good were very good.
The book doesn't have the overall sense of continuity and cohesion that some great fantasy writers achieve, and yet...in spite of some of the things that bothered me, I was immersed in most of the plot. Usually an ongoing mental conversation about what I perceive as problems in a book will make me lose interest. That did not happen. Something that I can't quite explain shines through what I perceive as flaws. Something compelling above my minor complaints kept me engrossed.
I found these endorsements of Tad William's original 1988 saga impressive:
“Inspired me to write my own seven-book trilogy.... It's one of my favorite fantasy series.”—George R. R. Martin, New York Times-bestselling author of The Games of Thrones “Groundbreaking...changed how people thought of the genre, and paved the way for so much modern fantasy. Including mine.”—Patrick Rothfuss, New York Times-bestselling author of The Name of the Wind
I will certainly read the next in this series because I need to know how all of these characters and situations evolve.
NetGalley/Berkley Publishing
Fantasy. June 27, 2017. Print version: 736 pages.
Assassin's Fate completes the stories of Fitz and the Fool. Which, if you've followed this series of trilogies for years, is a little difficult to come to terms with.
My very favorite is the Farseer Trilogy, but I've loved The Liveship Trilogy, the Tawney Man Trilogy, the Rain Wilds Chronicles. Is Assassin's Fate the end of the adventures of Farseers, White Prophets, and dragons. Twenty years of following these characters and their adventures--and that's it?
Assassin's Fate follow's the kidnapped Bee as the Servants of the White Prophet make their hazardous journey to Clerres. Both Fitz and the Fool believe Bee dead, but they are determined to destroy the Servants and are rushing to Clerres to take revenge, not only for Bee, but for what was done to the Fool. This quest brings together Liveship Traders and Rainwilders as well, reuniting characters from other trilogies; to fail in their mission to eradicate the reign of the Servants is to fail the world as they know it and to fail the dragons. And the dragons have their own reasons to despise the Servants and seek vengeance.
Each trilogy is complete in and of itself, but each trilogy connects to the others, sharing characters, events, and history. Although I'm happy to see the end of the Servants, I am not ready to let go of this world. Having loved Fitz, the Fool, and Nighteyes for so many years, I am feeling bereft that Assassin's Fate might be the end of an era. Well, it is. But surely there will be a place for Bee in this complex world--she has Wit and Skill and too much spirit to remain in the rigid aristocratic role she finds herself in.
Farseer Trilogy
Assassin's Apprentice
Royal Assassin
Assassin's Quest
Liveship Trilogy
Ship of Magic
The Mad Ship
Ship of Destiny
Tawney Man Trilogy
Fool's Errand
Golden Fool
Fool's Fate
The Rain Wilds Chronicles
Dragon Keeper
Dragon Haven
City of Dragons
Blood of Dragons
Fitz and the Fool Trilogy
Fool's Assassin
Fool's Quest
Assassin's Fate
Read in February; blog review scheduled for April
NetGalley/Random House
Epic Fantasy. May 9, 2017. Print length: 976 pages.
