Starlight: Shedding light on Fantasy Books

The first book by L. E. Modesitt Jr. in this new series was “Imager”. A book that had a likable male character who struggles to find his way in life. Why does this happen? He is the son of a wool factor but hates doing business, so is allowed by his parents to enter the guild of artisans where he becomes an apprentice, and then journeyman portrait artist of some skill. During this, he realizes that he has some small skill with imaging which will propel him from artistry on the death of his master, to enter the Imager’s collegium.

Overall, the first book is really good. I like how the male character is not perfect and how the first girl he likes doesnt immediately or ever swoon into his arms. The female characters are well developed and show personality, and it is only later that he meets the girl he will eventually engage in a relationship with.

Full of political meanderings, some might think this book is slow, but I personally like drawn out intrigue that keeps me guessing, and is not obvious in its direction.

In addition, this book is highly detailed so both the first and second book “Imager’s Challenge” are really fun to read if you like a Tolkien’ist type of detail filled imagery.

Politics, intrigue, assassinations (because really what is a good book without some life and death situations), training, not perfect characters and a dash of romance.

Apologies for the late post. Really ill.

Dragon Keeper by Robin Hobb

The latest book that I just finished reading was Dragon Keeper by Robin Hobb. I have to say that from reading her previous books, I was looking forward to this book as she usually has well developed female characters that are able to play a large role within the story.

This book takes place after her Liveship series, and explores the evolution of dragons. The dragon evolution is shown in a gritty light as most eggs that are hatched as serpents don’t necessarily make it back to incubate later into dragons.

As most fantasy books focus on a idealistic romance between characters who face a euro-centric powerful dragon, it was a nice twist for Robin Hobb’s dragons to be born not perfect and part of a pre-existing dragon-elder person civilization. The birth of this batch of dragons highlights their genetic individualism and the importance of incubation.

Central to this path of discovery, is the 2 female characters who journey through their own trials before joining the dragons and continue to undergo intriguing character development. One is a female scholar who has negotiated within her loveless marriage contract the stipulation that she be able to leave her home in Bridgewater and journey to study the dragons. And the other is a young girl who has grown up near the wild amazon like environment, where the very wilds can alter and impact genetics so that some children are born with genetic anomalies such as scales and thus often are seen as taboo or outcasts.

Above all, I would say that Robin Hobb’s book Dragon Keeper full of stories about growth and change, and is a great fantasy read.

I have to admit that I put off reading this book for quite a while. It seemed to always be in my “to be reading later when I can maybe..” pile/folder.

When I started I have to admit that it took me a bit to get into the book, but once I start I found I couldnt put it down. Robin Mckinley has an amazing narrator/style that always seems to whisk me away to what ever realm she has created.

The main character is a boy who lives in a modern era where dragons exist and are dwindling, and while they are protected on the nature reserve set aside for them, it is also illegal to either kill OR save a dragon.

The angst of being a teenager who had his mother recently die, and who is the son of the busy nature reserve/zoo director leads to him being able to travel along on a ranger trip in the reserve. He finds a dragon mother that has been shot by a poacher (which is fried) and sees that the babies she had been birthing are all dead except one.

That leads into an incrediable story in which the boy becomes a surrogate mother for a young dragon that while in its infancy looks less romantic and more like a slug and must be kept near the skin of its surrogate mother till it develops. Mother dragons have pouches which they keep their offspring it, a new development that i loved.

Overall, this book is the coming of age of not just a boy but also the baby dragon he raises, and the dragon group that is in the reserve. I love the book, and I would recommend this book for anyone who has or has not yet read Robin Mckinley.

Her world creation is very well done, and her characters no matter their inner neurosis are well developed and appealing (no whiny 2D characters here).

Give the book a read, I highly recommend it.

And if you want something more paranormal, vampire isk, then I STRONGLY encourage anyone to pick up her “Sunshine” book. I am still awaiting to see if she will do a sequel. Sunshine makes the twilight series look like half cooked pancakes in terms of character depth and story development.

Cheers!

I think that the next book that I will read:

Marta Acosta – Casa Dracula

It looks like a fun urban fantasy/romance book.

Female Character/Sense of humour in the summary.

What better?

Jennifer Estep is coming out with an elemental fantasy series. How cool is that? i am actually looking forward to this and there is a good review on Literary Escapism’s website.

Is it just me or is there not enough assassin fantasy books out there? The most recent ones that come to mind is the series that Brent Weeks did (which was amazing).

Favorite quote:

Fairy: Over hill, over dale

Thorough bush, thorough brier

Thorough flood, thorough fire,

I do wander everywhere”      A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Shakesphere) (II, i, 1-6)

What can I say? The story starts off as Kitty and other members of the celebrity supernatural community are approached to take part in a celebrity tv show. The setting is to be in an isolated mountain lodge where the contestants will be filmed and only have access to the outside world via plane and satellite phone.

I cant say I was surprised when it turns out that this is the setting for the three producers (turn huntsmen) to trap and hunt the supernatural group.

The best part is the end of the book, where everyone is safe (except the pple that are killed off) and how Kitty is able to go with her husband Ben to meet Carmoc as he is released on parole.

Rate: 3/5

A good rainy read, but definitely not a second read book.

So I just finished reading the first and second book by Faith Hunter: Skinwalker and Blood Cross.

Its not a good indication when you can remember the first book’s title more then the more recent one that just came out.

I found the first book to be good, it had a somewhat more unique character type of a vampire slayer, though it drifted into an almost early Anita Blake kind of feel. I found her character to be okay, and the Beast spirit that shared her body to sometimes be the more interesting part of the plot.

The second book Blood Cross really didnt do anything for me, I found it to be pretty simply layed out, there was nothing that makes me want to go and read it again. The role of the Vampire Nun Sabrina is a nice twist, but the fact that Injun Princess spends most of her time debating the sexual assets of at least two guys (Rick and Bruiser) can get tired after a while.

Therefore, I find Faith Hunter’s skinwalker series to be interesting but more set for a rainy day kind of read.

Rate: 3.5/5 (as in, a good read but doesnt really bring me back to read it again)

Yah!~~ I have talked/blogged about this before,

Literary Escapism has a wondering book contest listed. Check it out, its alot of fun.

http://www.literaryescapism.com/

Cheers!

A

I just finished the first book by Rob Thurman. It is okay as an urban fantasy book but gets boring quickly. The main character Cal is underdeveloped and is partnered with his aggresive brother Niko who focuses on protecting his brother Cal from the dangerous Elves.

The only interesting part of the book was the spin put on the other world characters, who mostly were presented as dangerous and evil.

Overall, this book was a good read if you are bored. But otherwise it is quickly forgotten as with the rest of the books in the series. It doesn’t stand well when compared to other urban fantasy books such as Karen Chance.

Rating: 3/5…a good read if you have nothing else on a rainy day.