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Ahoy there me mateys! For those of ye who are new to me log, a word: though this log’s focus is on sci-fi, fantasy, and young adult, this Captain does have broader reading tastes. Occasionally I will share some novels that I enjoyed that are off the charts (a non sci-fi, fantasy, or young adult novel), as it were. Today I bring ye a historical fiction. This book was part of the booty haul of 2016 and it was exciting to read another book off that list.
This novel is set in Ohio before the U.S. Civil War and takes place at Tawawa House, a summer resort (that actually existed). It is a complicated place because though the area had anti-slavery sentiment, the retreat is known to be a place where Southern slaveholders can bring their black slave mistresses and leave the wives behind. This juxtaposition of the free blacks and slaves at a resort is what lead me to pick up the book.
The book portrays four slave women who come to the resort every year. Lizzie, Reenie, and Sweet are friends tied together by their circumstances. While they have varying relationships with their owners, they look forward to the trip to see each other and have some autonomy over their days when the men are out hunting or camping. Their dynamic changes when Mawu arrives.
Mawu is not complacent and has high self-esteem despite her situation. She brings new ideas to the other women and is especially keen on the idea of running. Lizzie and Sweet have children back home and don't want to leave them. And Mawu seems likely to get them all in trouble.
This book is full of complicated relationships and emotions. I grew to really care about the four women. While I am glad I read this book, I cannot say that it was enjoyable. Reading about slavery, subjugation of the female body, etc. is uncomfortable at best and horrifying at many, many points of the novel. And learning at the end of the book that this specific place did in fact exist was even more heart wrenching. The small highlight was the resort was a real part of the underground railroad and the property was purchased in 1856 and turned into Wilberforce University, the nation's oldest private historically African American institution of higher education. I also appreciated learning about the lives of free blacks in the area though it is not the focus.
This book is recommended if the reader can stomach the subject matter. The novel really does show the complexities and evil of slavery through the lens of slave women who have strength and intelligence. I am also glad the book led me to explore the history of yet another hidden element of the story of slavery in the U.S. Letting those truths not be forgotten is worthwhile. Arrr!
This novel is set in Ohio before the U.S. Civil War and takes place at Tawawa House, a summer resort (that actually existed). It is a complicated place because though the area had anti-slavery sentiment, the retreat is known to be a place where Southern slaveholders can bring their black slave mistresses and leave the wives behind. This juxtaposition of the free blacks and slaves at a resort is what lead me to pick up the book.
The book portrays four slave women who come to the resort every year. Lizzie, Reenie, and Sweet are friends tied together by their circumstances. While they have varying relationships with their owners, they look forward to the trip to see each other and have some autonomy over their days when the men are out hunting or camping. Their dynamic changes when Mawu arrives.
Mawu is not complacent and has high self-esteem despite her situation. She brings new ideas to the other women and is especially keen on the idea of running. Lizzie and Sweet have children back home and don't want to leave them. And Mawu seems likely to get them all in trouble.
This book is full of complicated relationships and emotions. I grew to really care about the four women. While I am glad I read this book, I cannot say that it was enjoyable. Reading about slavery, subjugation of the female body, etc. is uncomfortable at best and horrifying at many, many points of the novel. And learning at the end of the book that this specific place did in fact exist was even more heart wrenching. The small highlight was the resort was a real part of the underground railroad and the property was purchased in 1856 and turned into Wilberforce University, the nation's oldest private historically African American institution of higher education. I also appreciated learning about the lives of free blacks in the area though it is not the focus.
This book is recommended if the reader can stomach the subject matter. The novel really does show the complexities and evil of slavery through the lens of slave women who have strength and intelligence. I am also glad the book led me to explore the history of yet another hidden element of the story of slavery in the U.S. Letting those truths not be forgotten is worthwhile. Arrr!
Ahoy there me mateys! I didn't know that Yoon Ha Lee was going to write a sequel to dragon pearl but I was happy to get me hands on a copy. This series is called the Thousand Worlds and is a young adult science fantasy from the Rick Riordan Presents imprint. While this can be read as a standalone, I believe it be better to read these in order as the events in this book take place after book one and have spoilers.
This novel follows Sebin, who is a member of the tiger clan. All they want to do is follow in his uncle's footsteps and become a Spaces Forces captain one day. But then they learn that their uncle has been declared a traitor. Sebin starts his cadet training in uncertainty. And on their first day, everything goes wrong. Sebin will have to choose between his old family and the potential new one.
I really enjoyed Sebin and their tiger magic. I also loved his fellow cadets and their developing friendships. Sebin did seem to be a kinda super cadet with skills beyond their years. But Sebin was extremely sympathetic due to the situation they found themselves in. I also loved getting to see Min again. I love the blend of space adventure with magic.
I did think this book has a lot of fun twists and think it is a great sequel. I would read more in this series. Arrrr!
This novel follows Sebin, who is a member of the tiger clan. All they want to do is follow in his uncle's footsteps and become a Spaces Forces captain one day. But then they learn that their uncle has been declared a traitor. Sebin starts his cadet training in uncertainty. And on their first day, everything goes wrong. Sebin will have to choose between his old family and the potential new one.
I really enjoyed Sebin and their tiger magic. I also loved his fellow cadets and their developing friendships. Sebin did seem to be a kinda super cadet with skills beyond their years. But Sebin was extremely sympathetic due to the situation they found themselves in. I also loved getting to see Min again. I love the blend of space adventure with magic.
I did think this book has a lot of fun twists and think it is a great sequel. I would read more in this series. Arrrr!
Ahoy there me mateys! I don't read a ton of self-published novels but have been interested in the SPFBO ever since I started blogging. One of me crew, Matey Lynn is a judge in the contest. Every year I make a list of those nominees that interest me, based on her reviews, and I am slowly working through them. This book was a finalist in the 2020 contest.
This is a fantasy where a person's eye color determines whether they can use magic or not. Blue or green is good. Brown is normal. Ye follow three main characters though the division of page time varies. Chrys is a general who has a monster in his head that only he knows about. It is, of course, constantly trying to escape. Laurel is a forest dweller who has teen angst and a relationship with a cool wolf. Alverax appears later in the book having died and came back to life. The conflict is that magic users are being kidnapped for their blood. Chrys' investigation causes a ruckus and he has to protect his wife and unborn child.
I enjoyed the magic system even if it seemed simplistic. I really liked Chrys and the creepy voice in his noggin. Alverax was the character I was most sympathetic to even though he didn't get a lot of page time in this book. I loved the forest life. But ultimately this book was just okay. The plot was the weak link for me and truly fell apart after the halfway mark. The good vs evil conflict lacked nuance. The story flow seemed a bit choppy. The humor elements, especially when used in the dialogue, didn't work for me. As the book progressed I found a lot of the choices made to be either nonsensical or too easy. And I didn't like the ending.
I have no regrets about reading this one but will not be reading more of the series. Arrrr!
This is a fantasy where a person's eye color determines whether they can use magic or not. Blue or green is good. Brown is normal. Ye follow three main characters though the division of page time varies. Chrys is a general who has a monster in his head that only he knows about. It is, of course, constantly trying to escape. Laurel is a forest dweller who has teen angst and a relationship with a cool wolf. Alverax appears later in the book having died and came back to life. The conflict is that magic users are being kidnapped for their blood. Chrys' investigation causes a ruckus and he has to protect his wife and unborn child.
I enjoyed the magic system even if it seemed simplistic. I really liked Chrys and the creepy voice in his noggin. Alverax was the character I was most sympathetic to even though he didn't get a lot of page time in this book. I loved the forest life. But ultimately this book was just okay. The plot was the weak link for me and truly fell apart after the halfway mark. The good vs evil conflict lacked nuance. The story flow seemed a bit choppy. The humor elements, especially when used in the dialogue, didn't work for me. As the book progressed I found a lot of the choices made to be either nonsensical or too easy. And I didn't like the ending.
I have no regrets about reading this one but will not be reading more of the series. Arrrr!
Ahoy there me mateys! No one is sadder than I am that this book walks the plank. I love Kate Elliott's work and was excited to read this. However, for such a short book, I really struggled to engage with it. The book started out interestingly with a servant, Fellion, being in indentured bondage because of her magical abilities. I enjoyed the take on elemental magic. I was very intrigued by Fellion secretly teaching people to read. Unfortunately the promising setup quickly disappeared.
Fellion is reluctantly drawn into a quest with a group of rebels at which point her intelligence and feisty attitude vanish. I wasn't thrilled about the original quest but was even less happy with the dramatic and abrupt diversion of the plot to a rescue mission. The politics became too complicated. The characters were unlikeable. And there were just too many unanswered questions. The book also had some odd sounding dialogue and a horrible ending.
Ultimately, this felt like a poor rough draft or outline for a longer novel. I wanted better. Arrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Tor.com!
Fellion is reluctantly drawn into a quest with a group of rebels at which point her intelligence and feisty attitude vanish. I wasn't thrilled about the original quest but was even less happy with the dramatic and abrupt diversion of the plot to a rescue mission. The politics became too complicated. The characters were unlikeable. And there were just too many unanswered questions. The book also had some odd sounding dialogue and a horrible ending.
Ultimately, this felt like a poor rough draft or outline for a longer novel. I wanted better. Arrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Tor.com!
Ahoy there me mateys! This be the first book in the series and I will certainly be reading the next. Ye follow triplet princesses who have been raised for espionage and deception. At sixteen they are being married off to princes of neighboring kingdoms as the first step in their mother's plan to become Empress of the continent. Though willing participants, each daughter finds unexpected circumstances in their new homes. Can they survive without each other? Do they want to?
The premise sounds quirky and that is why I wanted to read this. There were problems with this book. The sisters were at times hard to tell apart. Despite their oh-so-amazing training, all three are naïve and don't seem to use many of the skills they supposedly know. And the romance elements are very silly. These things would usually be a deal breaker but I had a lot of fun nonetheless.
While the plot was quite over-the-top, I did enjoy the many curveballs that the author threw in from the very beginning. I may have rolled me eyes a lot but I also rolled with the entertainment of it. In fact, I didn't realize how long the book was until I had finished and looked up the page count. I enjoyed the learning about the neighboring kingdoms and the star magic. I really loved how the book ended and set up the future craziness. I shouldn't have liked these book given me personal preferences but I was won over in the end. Arrrr!
Thank ye kindly Delacorte Press for the eArc!
The premise sounds quirky and that is why I wanted to read this. There were problems with this book. The sisters were at times hard to tell apart. Despite their oh-so-amazing training, all three are naïve and don't seem to use many of the skills they supposedly know. And the romance elements are very silly. These things would usually be a deal breaker but I had a lot of fun nonetheless.
While the plot was quite over-the-top, I did enjoy the many curveballs that the author threw in from the very beginning. I may have rolled me eyes a lot but I also rolled with the entertainment of it. In fact, I didn't realize how long the book was until I had finished and looked up the page count. I enjoyed the learning about the neighboring kingdoms and the star magic. I really loved how the book ended and set up the future craziness. I shouldn't have liked these book given me personal preferences but I was won over in the end. Arrrr!
Thank ye kindly Delacorte Press for the eArc!
Ahoy there mateys! Though the First Mate and I have very different reading tastes, occasionally we do recommend books to each other. Books the First Mate introduced to me included xom-b, holes, and the perks of being a wallflower. He and I both read the following:
the unexpected mrs. pollifax (Dorothy Gilman)
We read and talked about the book and I enjoyed his viewpoint so Iordered asked him to write a review. So you get one from me and a bonus additional review from me crew. Please note that I write like I talk and the First Mate writes like he thinks. Hope you enjoy!
From the Captain:
When the First Mate read this book, he told me all about how entertaining the main character is. The premise of the novel is that Mrs. Pollifax is a retired grandmother who has lost the spice of life. Her answer - to become a spy. And thus an improbable but charming heroine begins her adventures. I wanted something light and fluffy and this was so much fun. I adored the set up for the novel, the ending, and the character herself. Mrs. Pollifax just wants to see the best in everyone, even if they are cold-hearted criminals. Her niceness is what leads to her success. Well that and her intelligence despite her sometime naiveté. There are some flaws. This book was written in 1966 so there are racial and ethnic descriptions that are unsettling even if Mrs. Pollifax doesn't seem to judge on outside attributes alone. Also the middle of the book bored me just a bit with all the time in the cell. But I did enjoy the audiobook and could see meself reading another at some point. Arrrr!
From the First Mate:
The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax is a Cold War era spy novel that brings a Children's literature sensibility and morality in a way that subverts the tropes of its own particular sub-genre. Given the amorality and ever present paranoia that is typical to such spy novels, what emerges is a delightful curiosity: a spy novel with heart.
When we meet Mrs. Emily Pollifax she has found herself to be in a bit of a rut. Widowed and with grown children, all that remains in her life are the various social clubs in which she's a member. We even get a brief scene where she contemplates ending it all by jumping off of the roof of her apartment building in Newark, NJ before realizing that there is one more adventure that she'd like to try. Mrs. Pollifax goes to Washington DC with the intention of becoming a spy for the CIA.
Okay, yes, the plot and series of miscommunications that lead to Mrs. Pollifax becoming a spy are preposterous. And, yes, the Operations Chief, Mr. Carstairs, is probably way too nice of a person to be running operations for an organization that routinely tortures and kills people (especially during the height of the Cold War). But if you're able to suspend that disbelief, what happens after Mrs. Pollifax departs for her mission is pure delight.
Overall we get to hang out with an intelligent, kind, and decent person while she outwits her adversaries and takes a compassionate interest in all those around her. In a way, Mrs. Pollifax reminds one of Jessica Fletcher from the Murder, She Wrote television show in that she's always underestimated by those in authority and many of her successes stem from the fact that she treats everyone with respect and kindness. Though there's off-stage murder and torture, the proceedings in the novel are never too grim and Mrs. Pollifax is always working on a plan. There might be a little too much coincidence and convenience in the plot for some readers, but I thought it all fit in with the tone of the character.
The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax is the first book in a 14 book series, so if you like the character and her types of adventures, there's plenty more to satisfy. I've read about half of the series so far and they're all enjoyable in pretty much the same way. None are too complex, all have to do with Mrs. Pollifax going on foreign assignment, and all feature Mrs. Pollifax befriending a wide assortment of characters. Apparently this first book was adapted twice into film, in 1971 with Rosalind Russell, and again in 1999 with Angela Lansbury (I wasn't the only one who thought of her, apparently).
Recommended for Murder, She Wrote fans, people who like unconventional spy stories, and Cold War era fans who enjoy a break from the grim and the gritty. Definitely avoid if coincidence driven plot annoys you or your spy novel needs are more paranoiac or gritty.
the unexpected mrs. pollifax (Dorothy Gilman)
We read and talked about the book and I enjoyed his viewpoint so I
From the Captain:
When the First Mate read this book, he told me all about how entertaining the main character is. The premise of the novel is that Mrs. Pollifax is a retired grandmother who has lost the spice of life. Her answer - to become a spy. And thus an improbable but charming heroine begins her adventures. I wanted something light and fluffy and this was so much fun. I adored the set up for the novel, the ending, and the character herself. Mrs. Pollifax just wants to see the best in everyone, even if they are cold-hearted criminals. Her niceness is what leads to her success. Well that and her intelligence despite her sometime naiveté. There are some flaws. This book was written in 1966 so there are racial and ethnic descriptions that are unsettling even if Mrs. Pollifax doesn't seem to judge on outside attributes alone. Also the middle of the book bored me just a bit with all the time in the cell. But I did enjoy the audiobook and could see meself reading another at some point. Arrrr!
From the First Mate:
The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax is a Cold War era spy novel that brings a Children's literature sensibility and morality in a way that subverts the tropes of its own particular sub-genre. Given the amorality and ever present paranoia that is typical to such spy novels, what emerges is a delightful curiosity: a spy novel with heart.
When we meet Mrs. Emily Pollifax she has found herself to be in a bit of a rut. Widowed and with grown children, all that remains in her life are the various social clubs in which she's a member. We even get a brief scene where she contemplates ending it all by jumping off of the roof of her apartment building in Newark, NJ before realizing that there is one more adventure that she'd like to try. Mrs. Pollifax goes to Washington DC with the intention of becoming a spy for the CIA.
Okay, yes, the plot and series of miscommunications that lead to Mrs. Pollifax becoming a spy are preposterous. And, yes, the Operations Chief, Mr. Carstairs, is probably way too nice of a person to be running operations for an organization that routinely tortures and kills people (especially during the height of the Cold War). But if you're able to suspend that disbelief, what happens after Mrs. Pollifax departs for her mission is pure delight.
Overall we get to hang out with an intelligent, kind, and decent person while she outwits her adversaries and takes a compassionate interest in all those around her. In a way, Mrs. Pollifax reminds one of Jessica Fletcher from the Murder, She Wrote television show in that she's always underestimated by those in authority and many of her successes stem from the fact that she treats everyone with respect and kindness. Though there's off-stage murder and torture, the proceedings in the novel are never too grim and Mrs. Pollifax is always working on a plan. There might be a little too much coincidence and convenience in the plot for some readers, but I thought it all fit in with the tone of the character.
The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax is the first book in a 14 book series, so if you like the character and her types of adventures, there's plenty more to satisfy. I've read about half of the series so far and they're all enjoyable in pretty much the same way. None are too complex, all have to do with Mrs. Pollifax going on foreign assignment, and all feature Mrs. Pollifax befriending a wide assortment of characters. Apparently this first book was adapted twice into film, in 1971 with Rosalind Russell, and again in 1999 with Angela Lansbury (I wasn't the only one who thought of her, apparently).
Recommended for Murder, She Wrote fans, people who like unconventional spy stories, and Cold War era fans who enjoy a break from the grim and the gritty. Definitely avoid if coincidence driven plot annoys you or your spy novel needs are more paranoiac or gritty.
Ahoy there me mateys! I am not sure where I heard about this self-published dystopian. This ended up being a strange read where I adored the first half and didn't like the second half at all.
The beginning deals with the life of Corim Colleran who is born into the bottom tier of society called the General Order. Like most dystopians, life is rigidly controlled. The interesting aspect of this world is the regulated life spans and how sex work is built into the society. The death and sex are not graphic but the ramifications of how both are used were kinda fun in a weird sort of way. For example, sexual education is built into the school curriculum. At a certain age at school, the General Order is required to have sex during the school day in controlled circumstances while watched by robots. Sex is natural and encouraged and being selected as a sex worker after graduation is a high honor. The healthy attitude towards sex was interesting. Of course there was a dark side due to class distinctions later too.
Death is also dealt with unusually. Men in the General Order only live until 36. Women until 37. As societal rank increases, as established by birth, so does the number of years ye live. Dying is also humanely controlled in how it occurs. I actually loved how these elements worked even if it was sad to watch the characters go through it. One of the main conflicts of the book is that Corim's wife, Kiri, is killed out of time. Her body is revived for three days so she can say goodbye before dying for good.
Though the three day grace period makes little sense intellectually, as a dystopian rule it had interesting consequences. I loved the relationship between Corim and Kiri. Ye watch them grow up and fall in love and start a family while knowing that the 36 year deadline is approaching fast. Of course Kiri's death and how it affects her family are horrible. But both the death and sex worker aspects had me riveted.
Sadly, once the Kiri aspects were over, the book completely lost me. I thought the world building was fascinating before the author tried to explain how the world evolved that way. How the truth was exposed and what the truth was just felt lame to me. Corim fights the system because of how it affected his wife. His view for the new future seemed simplistic and silly. Corim went from feeling like a fully realized character to a caricature. The other characters after the half way mark seemed even flimsier. The two halves seemed almost like they were parts of two different books written by different people. So I don't really think I could recommend this one even though the first half was fantastic for me. Arrrr!
The beginning deals with the life of Corim Colleran who is born into the bottom tier of society called the General Order. Like most dystopians, life is rigidly controlled. The interesting aspect of this world is the regulated life spans and how sex work is built into the society. The death and sex are not graphic but the ramifications of how both are used were kinda fun in a weird sort of way. For example, sexual education is built into the school curriculum. At a certain age at school, the General Order is required to have sex during the school day in controlled circumstances while watched by robots. Sex is natural and encouraged and being selected as a sex worker after graduation is a high honor. The healthy attitude towards sex was interesting. Of course there was a dark side due to class distinctions later too.
Death is also dealt with unusually. Men in the General Order only live until 36. Women until 37. As societal rank increases, as established by birth, so does the number of years ye live. Dying is also humanely controlled in how it occurs. I actually loved how these elements worked even if it was sad to watch the characters go through it. One of the main conflicts of the book is that Corim's wife, Kiri, is killed out of time. Her body is revived for three days so she can say goodbye before dying for good.
Though the three day grace period makes little sense intellectually, as a dystopian rule it had interesting consequences. I loved the relationship between Corim and Kiri. Ye watch them grow up and fall in love and start a family while knowing that the 36 year deadline is approaching fast. Of course Kiri's death and how it affects her family are horrible. But both the death and sex worker aspects had me riveted.
Sadly, once the Kiri aspects were over, the book completely lost me. I thought the world building was fascinating before the author tried to explain how the world evolved that way. How the truth was exposed and what the truth was just felt lame to me. Corim fights the system because of how it affected his wife. His view for the new future seemed simplistic and silly. Corim went from feeling like a fully realized character to a caricature. The other characters after the half way mark seemed even flimsier. The two halves seemed almost like they were parts of two different books written by different people. So I don't really think I could recommend this one even though the first half was fantastic for me. Arrrr!
Ahoy there me mateys! I don't read a ton of self-published novels but have been interested in the SPFBO ever since I started blogging. One of me crew, Matey Lynn is a judge in the contest. Every year I make a list of those nominees that interest me, based on her reviews, and I am slowly working through them. Book one was a finalist in the 2020 contest. I had so much fun that I immediately read the second book too.
This series follows Mennik Thorn ("Nik") who is a second-rate mage. I love him. He works as a mage-for-hire and generally does very poorly for himself. He agrees to help his best friend Benny (a thief) with a job and all hell breaks loose. Nik scrambles to get himself and his friend out of trouble. I enjoyed this combination of his ineptitude and his too nice for his own good self. Nik does have skills when he lets his brain catch up with his mouth.
I really enjoyed the magic system, world building, and characters. Benny's daughter in particular is a hoot. The magic system has some familiar elements but was still unique enough in how it was used. Dead gods play a part. The world is a port city that is gritty and cutthroat. I really enjoyed how the Ash Guard (a force that polices magic) worked. That element added major fun to the story.
Book two is a bit more of the same, in a good way. Nik has to pay some debts from the first book, gets in massive trouble, and has to work his way out of it. I really enjoyed the mystery aspects of this one. He has to solve a weird murder that happened with lots of witnesses. The solution at the end was just a bit off for me but I loved the ride. I found both books in the series to be humorous and fun.
The series could be done with book two. But I wouldn't mind some more. Arrrr!
Side note: Check out Matey Lynn's review of the first novel.
This series follows Mennik Thorn ("Nik") who is a second-rate mage. I love him. He works as a mage-for-hire and generally does very poorly for himself. He agrees to help his best friend Benny (a thief) with a job and all hell breaks loose. Nik scrambles to get himself and his friend out of trouble. I enjoyed this combination of his ineptitude and his too nice for his own good self. Nik does have skills when he lets his brain catch up with his mouth.
I really enjoyed the magic system, world building, and characters. Benny's daughter in particular is a hoot. The magic system has some familiar elements but was still unique enough in how it was used. Dead gods play a part. The world is a port city that is gritty and cutthroat. I really enjoyed how the Ash Guard (a force that polices magic) worked. That element added major fun to the story.
Book two is a bit more of the same, in a good way. Nik has to pay some debts from the first book, gets in massive trouble, and has to work his way out of it. I really enjoyed the mystery aspects of this one. He has to solve a weird murder that happened with lots of witnesses. The solution at the end was just a bit off for me but I loved the ride. I found both books in the series to be humorous and fun.
The series could be done with book two. But I wouldn't mind some more. Arrrr!
Side note: Check out Matey Lynn's review of the first novel.
Ahoy there me mateys! I don't read a ton of self-published novels but have been interested in the SPFBO ever since I started blogging. One of me crew, Matey Lynn is a judge in the contest. Every year I make a list of those nominees that interest me, based on her reviews, and I am slowly working through them. Book one was a finalist in the 2020 contest. I had so much fun that I immediately read the second book too.
This series follows Mennik Thorn ("Nik") who is a second-rate mage. I love him. He works as a mage-for-hire and generally does very poorly for himself. He agrees to help his best friend Benny (a thief) with a job and all hell breaks loose. Nik scrambles to get himself and his friend out of trouble. I enjoyed this combination of his ineptitude and his too nice for his own good self. Nik does have skills when he lets his brain catch up with his mouth.
I really enjoyed the magic system, world building, and characters. Benny's daughter in particular is a hoot. The magic system has some familiar elements but was still unique enough in how it was used. Dead gods play a part. The world is a port city that is gritty and cutthroat. I really enjoyed how the Ash Guard (a force that polices magic) worked. That element added major fun to the story.
Book two is a bit more of the same, in a good way. Nik has to pay some debts from the first book, gets in massive trouble, and has to work his way out of it. I really enjoyed the mystery aspects of this one. He has to solve a weird murder that happened with lots of witnesses. The solution at the end was just a bit off for me but I loved the ride. I found both books in the series to be humorous and fun.
The series could be done with book two. But I wouldn't mind some more. Arrrr!
Side note: Check out Matey Lynn's review of the first novel.
This series follows Mennik Thorn ("Nik") who is a second-rate mage. I love him. He works as a mage-for-hire and generally does very poorly for himself. He agrees to help his best friend Benny (a thief) with a job and all hell breaks loose. Nik scrambles to get himself and his friend out of trouble. I enjoyed this combination of his ineptitude and his too nice for his own good self. Nik does have skills when he lets his brain catch up with his mouth.
I really enjoyed the magic system, world building, and characters. Benny's daughter in particular is a hoot. The magic system has some familiar elements but was still unique enough in how it was used. Dead gods play a part. The world is a port city that is gritty and cutthroat. I really enjoyed how the Ash Guard (a force that polices magic) worked. That element added major fun to the story.
Book two is a bit more of the same, in a good way. Nik has to pay some debts from the first book, gets in massive trouble, and has to work his way out of it. I really enjoyed the mystery aspects of this one. He has to solve a weird murder that happened with lots of witnesses. The solution at the end was just a bit off for me but I loved the ride. I found both books in the series to be humorous and fun.
The series could be done with book two. But I wouldn't mind some more. Arrrr!
Side note: Check out Matey Lynn's review of the first novel.
I did not like the style of writing in this book which felt more like fiction then non-fiction. How could the author have known what Annie was thinking at the time? Apparently there is a book written supposedly by Annie herself called "Last of the Saddle Tramps" and a documentary. Maybe I would have better luck with one of those. Arrr!