Fantasy / Horror Reading in September 2022

[Prairie_Dog]

Did not know this series; sounds interesting PD! Have ordered vol 1: The Atrocity Archives.

It’s a great series! It mixes Lovecraftian cosmic horror, dry dark comedy, and spy novel elements. It is pretty extensive, so if you like it, there’s lots more to read!

 

[Sfinx]

I am so behind on this series....

If it helps, sfinx, my review of The Atrocity Archives for SFFWorld is HERE. From 2007!

Thx Mark! $2.73 does not seem too large an amount to spend on something you describe as: "great entertainment, if somewhat grim in places, and deserves a read from those willing to take the ride."
While I was shopping, also finally got around to ordering All Systems Red, vol 1 in Martha Wells' The Murderbot Diaries. Looking forward to both!

 

[Sfinx]

It’s a great series! It mixes Lovecraftian cosmic horror, dry dark comedy, and spy novel elements. It is pretty extensive, so if you like it, there’s lots more to read!

I like Lovecraft, dry dark comedy, spy novels AND extensive series! In for a treat then

 

[Westy]

I read The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward – a thriller/horror about a serial killer and a missing girl, and an attempt to catch the killer. But it’s much more than that, which as the reader you find out as the many plot twists are uncovered.

It's hard to go into much detail without spoilers, but the story follows the points of view of Ted Bannerman, his cat, and sometimes his daughter Lauren when she’s there. As it progresses, things begin to reveal themselves; the abduction of a child years ago, her sister’s investigation into her appearance – and then all these things turn out to be not what you expected.

It’s very well done, some reveals are genuinely shocking, it’s well paced throughout, and the conclusion is also unexpected and satisfying.

There’s also an afterword from the author which describes the background of how the story came about, and even the bibliography also gives strong hints as to what’s going on - both may spoil the book to a degree if read first (a habit I often do but luckily not in this case).

A very clever, absorbing book and recommended if this sub genre appeals (probably something Randy M would like I think!)

 

[Agent Cormac]

American Gods

I read American Gods when it first came out around 20 years ago and liked it, marking it down as a book worth reading again. However, my reading tastes took a different direction into epic fantasy and space opera and I gave my copy of the book away. The version I have just finished is the Headline illustrated edition and is 12,000 words longer than the original.

For those unfamiliar with the concept of the book, it relates the journey of Shadow, who is released from prison and recruited by an enigmatic character called Wednesday. What follows is partly a quintessential American road trip, during which Wednesday attempts to garner the support of the old gods in a war against the new American gods of consumerism and technology. Central to the book is the idea that belief creates and sustains gods, and any waning of belief has a commensurate effect on their power. On their journey, Wednesday and Shadow meet with Egyptian, Slavic, African and North American gods, to list but a few. Throughout the book there are also interludes telling the tales of other old gods, some of them long forgotten and only living on in folklore.

About halfway through I paused to think about the feel and tone of the story and melancholy came to mind, and then a couple of pages later Shadow’s dead revenant wife described Shadow using the same term. It is a melancholy story in some ways, as the old is superseded by the new and not always in any meaningful or spiritual way. Don’t get me wrong, many of the gods in the story are not likeable and are out for their own ends, though in that respect they mirror the people who created them.

My last two reads have both been Hugo winners, a fact that is entirely coincidental and unrelated to any (perceived) desire of mine to work through a list of recipients of the award. For the most part I ignore awards as they tend not to reflect my own tastes in reading and what makes an outstanding novel. What I can say is that American Gods came close to my ideals; it was offbeat, certainly, but was a story that carried me along despite its eccentricities; it was interesting and, above all, it was well written. I will definitely be reading the other stories linked to this book.

 

[Sfinx]

Finishing part II of KJ Parker’s Engineer trilogy: Evil for Evil.

On the plus side we have:

+ Parker’s razor sharp humor and observations on the ‘condition humaine’
+ Really well thought out world, including all its geo-political manoeuvrings
+ Convincing and well paced action sequences
+ Mini-courses in all sorts of stuff; including falconry, the hunt in general, metalworking and, of course, fencing

OK, but not spectacular:

+/- Storyline about two dukes and an engineer, all propelled by their personal strengths and weaknesses to actions and places they’d not exactly foreseen

Somewhat annoying stuff:

- Key characters’ returning ramblings, specifically about the destructive force called love
- Ever degrading likability of said characters
- Tedious chapters, especially those concerning Psellus

All in all, an entertaining but to be honest not great read. Still 8 out of 10 because of Parker’s wit and writing capabilities. Will hold off reading part III though - now trying to decide between Stross’ Atrocity Archives or Wells’ All Systems Red…

 

[Westy]

American Gods

I read it at least over 12 years ago and don't remember much of it, and at the time thought it was OK but not really great. But it's strange that a few scenes still stick in my head even today, so maybe a re-read might result in a better appreciation for it.

 

[Randy M.]

I read The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward
[...]
A very clever, absorbing book and recommended if this sub genre appeals (probably something Randy M would like I think!)

Thanks. It's on Mount TBR. I thought I would get to it this summer, but that didn't work out. Soon-ish, though.

 

[Agent Cormac]

I read it at least over 12 years ago and don't remember much of it, and at the time thought it was OK but not really great. But it's strange that a few scenes still stick in my head even today, so maybe a re-read might result in a better appreciation for it.

Similar to how I felt after reading it the first time, Westy; the story always stayed with me even though I didn't remember it as being brilliant. It's one that definitely improves with a reread.

 

[Hobbit]

Thanks. It's on Mount TBR. I thought I would get to it this summer, but that didn't work out. Soon-ish, though.

Might be worth saying at this point that we're working on October Halloween reviews.... Randy is putting forward his usual eclectic suggestions, and the rest of us mere mortals are adding material when we can....

Can't guarantee it, but if there are any suggestions for review, we'd be happy to add them to the pile. (Mind you, there's enough in mine to last until about 2035!)

 

[pogopossum]

Just finished the above. Like all of the 13 Mercy Thompson books (and others in the Mercyverse) it is a mix of paranormal adventure, mild horror, with creatures of various supernatural types, mixed with a little romance in an almost bodice ripper style. I enjoyed it quite thoroughly as a light diversion, but for people unfamiliar with the series I would not recommend it.
Some of the author's books have been best sellers. The author centers her universe on werewolves, but the most interesting creations are generally of other species: vampires, fae, ancient gods, witches of a nasty sort, and numerous others.
I see by using the google search engine above, focusing on SFF World posts, that the series has been mentioned quite favorably numerous times over the years.
The reason that I would not recommend this book to newbies is that a large part of what made it particularly entertaining to me was not just Briggs' mix of creative interspecies conflict, but the development of several familiar characters. If you haven't read her previously, these developments and even the way she introduces characters will leave you wondering, Huh? What the hell is that about? Or, "Why should I pay attention to him/her/it?

So use the Google browser to find one, or better yet several, earlier book(s) in the series and if you enjoy it/them, come back to Soul Taken. It will be worth it.

 

[tpetty]

Clash of Iron by Angus Watson. sequel to Age of Iron. Fantasy take on the Roman invasion of England.

 

[Randy M.]

Finished Kecksies and Other Twilight Tales by Marjorie Bowen, a very solid collection of short ghost stories. I'll probably have more to say about it later.

 

[Raf]

Started Miles Christian's (Christian Cameron alter ego) "Against All Gods" this morning. An alt world story of Bronze Age humans with real living gods ruling them. Interesting start.

 

[N. E. White]

Started reading She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan. Good start (excellent first line), but I'm stalling in the middle. I'm saving the rest to read during an upcoming trip. I hope it is good!

 

[Prairie_Dog]

I just finished Nona the Ninth the newly released third book in The Locked Tomb Series by Tamsyn Muir (pictured). Like the previous two books, it’s amazing and very different. It takes place in a science fantasy setting where technology and necromancy coexist. There’s more background given in this book on how this universe came to be, which is in chapters that are interspersed with the actual narrative of Nona’s story.

Nona is a simple girl, barely an adult physically, and only months old mentally. She is open and caring, and has a job as a teacher’s aide at the local school. She lives on a planet that is mostly composed of refugees who are just trying to survive. She has a group of friends that she wants to be a part of. Her caretakers are interesting people, two of whom inhabit one body. Of course, none of this is as simple as it seems.

Fans of The Locked Tomb Series will get a lot out of this book! It will also not be straightforward or easily grasped, but would we expect anything different? Nona’s simple, childlike, and likable point of view makes this a different sort of story. Nevertheless, the narrative of The Locked Tomb will be advanced, and some its history revealed. It’s a wild ride getting there, and it had me enthralled the whole way. The story will continue (and be concluded?) in the future forth novel Alecto the Ninth.

 

[Gkarlives]

Currently working on "The Silent Tower" by Barbara Hambly.

 

[Decrepit&Senile]

Currently working on "The Silent Tower" by Barbara Hambly.

Seeing your post, the author's name rang a bell. I was sure I'd read something of hers in the dim past, but couldn't for the life of me remember what or when. I figured it had to be a fairly early fantasy read, likely sometime between 1985 and 1990. I checked Amazon. Nothing rang a bell. I let the matter drop, until today. While ago, I did what I should have done from the start, read Hambly's Wikipedia entry. Scrolling through its bibliography section, I came to the three books comprising her Darwath Trilogy. Those sounded familiar. I returned to Amazon and checked out book one: The Time of the Dark. It's cover is all wrong. Publication date is 2011, too recent. I returned to Wikipedia. There, Time of the Dark is listed as a 1982 publication. Amazon's date is obviously for a reprint, which also explains the unfamiliar cover. Though I recall absolutely nothing of it, I'm positive I read the Trilogy. At some point, I might see if I can find it buried within my fantasy storage boxes, assuming it's not among about 40 fantasy titles I shamefully sold to a used-book store in preparation for an overseas military assignment in the late 80's. (I've never forgiven myself for having done so.)

ADDENDUM: A revelation came to me after the fact. I'm now sure I re-read the Trilogy not many years ago. I recall it as being mediocre but entertaining.

 

[Gkarlives]

Seeing your post, the author's name rang a bell. I was sure I'd read something of hers in the dim past, but couldn't for the life of me remember what or when. I figured it had to be a fairly early fantasy read, likely sometime between 1985 and 1990. I checked Amazon. Nothing rang a bell. I let the matter drop, until today. While ago, I did what I should have done from the start, read Hambly's Wikipedia entry. Scrolling through its bibliography section, I came to the three books comprising her Darwath Trilogy. Those sounded familiar. I returned to Amazon and checked out book one: The Time of the Dark. It's cover is all wrong. Publication date is 2011, too recent. I returned to Wikipedia. There, Time of the Dark is listed as a 1982 publication. Amazon's date is obviously for a reprint, which also explains the unfamiliar cover. Though I recall absolutely nothing of it, I'm possible I read the Trilogy. At some point, I might see if I can find it buried within my fantasy storage boxes, assuming it's not among about 40 fantasy titles I shamefully sold to a used-book store in preparation for an overseas military assignment in the late 80's. (I still haven't forgiven myself for having done so.

ADDENDUM: A revelation came to me after the fact. I'm now sure I re-read the Trilogy not many years ago. I recall it as being mediocre but entertaining.

It is a great trilogy but not bad and actually has two more books I believe but have not read them. I loved here Dragonsbane books better.

 

[Raule]

Just finished the above. Like all of the 13 Mercy Thompson books (and others in the Mercyverse) it is a mix of paranormal adventure, mild horror, with creatures of various supernatural types, mixed with a little romance in an almost bodice ripper style. I enjoyed it quite thoroughly as a light diversion, but for people unfamiliar with the series I would not recommend it.
Some of the author's books have been best sellers. The author centers her universe on werewolves, but the most interesting creations are generally of other species: vampires, fae, ancient gods, witches of a nasty sort, and numerous others.
I see by using the google search engine above, focusing on SFF World posts, that the series has been mentioned quite favorably numerous times over the years.
The reason that I would not recommend this book to newbies is that a large part of what made it particularly entertaining to me was not just Briggs' mix of creative interspecies conflict, but the development of several familiar characters. If you haven't read her previously, these developments and even the way she introduces characters will leave you wondering, Huh? What the hell is that about? Or, "Why should I pay attention to him/her/it?

So use the Google browser to find one, or better yet several, earlier book(s) in the series and if you enjoy it/them, come back to Soul Taken. It will be worth it.

I started reading this series this year (and the related Alpha and Omega books). Mainly, I was looking for something to read from my local library, and they actually have most of them, so I’m reading them in the order they were written as they become available. I’ve read through book 8 so far. They work well as popcorn reads.