Reading in Fantasy / Horror, January 2022

[pogopossum]

Thanks Marc. Read it. I only miss my Stross one book at a time.
But it was only released this month in the US- so I am not really late.
Currently re-reading his collection Wireless, with three (3!) Hugo winning novellas.

 

[Hobbit]

Currently re-reading his collection Wireless, with three (3!) Hugo winning novellas.

I have a copy of that one in UK hardback! Really liked Missile Gap, if I remember right.

 

[Windshadow]

He put this up on his blog last week:

Obligatory Hugo eligibility post
By Charlie Stross
Because the novella publication date slipped into 2022, I have just oneHugo-eligible publication this year.
Obviously Invisible Sun is a no-hoper in the best novel category—it's book nine of a series in a deeply unfashionable subgenre—but it's alsothe last Merchant Princes book, which means the Merchant Princes series is eligible for nomination in the "best series" category.
(It's also eligible for the Sidewise Award for alternate history, but it already won that once, back in 2007.)
Anyway: if you enjoyed the Merchant Princes series this is the last opportunity to recognize it with an award.
So: what, if anything, have you published in 2021?

 

[Agent Cormac]

The Stone Sky

It’s been four months since I read the first two books of this trilogy. The first of them, I enjoyed; the second, less so, as it seemed to be the customary trilogy filler. Thinking on this, perhaps I should moderate 'enjoyed' to more like appreciated as neither of these books was truly enjoyable. They were just too intense for that. And that’s how The Stone Sky, the final book of the trilogy also came across. I appreciated the explanation of why the seasons began. I appreciated the clarification of Hoa’s part in the story, and I appreciated the denouement of the storyline that started in the first book. I also appreciated the scope and sheer inventiveness of the overall story and the quality of the writing. But 'enjoyed' in the sense that I was constantly drawn back to what was taking place, wanting to know what was going to happen next? No, not really. Different stories engender different feelings and experiences, I know, and I fully accept and support that stories should be able to do so. But I guess that using my 'constantly drawn back to what was taking place' measure, The Stone Sky did not impart the degree of pleasure I like. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad read, far from it.

 

[Hobbit]

Think you've hit my issue on the head there, AC. I appreciated the writing of the first book, but found it hard going - I didn't love it, and eventually DNF. Pleased someone's finished it (and the series), though!

 

[Raf]

Color me a new Kim M. Watt fan. On the 3rd book of the Gobbelino London P.I. ( of Leeds, not London, lol) book series and enjoying them immensely. Nicely surprised to say the least. Talking cat and fae notwithstanding, the tales are tightly knit urban fantasy / detective stories.

I was expecting something light & silly. Instead I'm in the middle of an urban fantasy landscape that includes reapers, sorcerers, zombies, punk fae, missing unicorns & high magic. Marathon reading from one novel to the next.

I'll post reviews on each book once I finish the series.

 

[suciul]

Finished Servants of War by L Correia and S Diamond; the first volume in a military fantasy set in a world with magic and goddesses that was colonized in the past by humans from presumably our world who built a sort of early industrial civilizations while pushing the original inhabitants in far corners or in another even more desolate world; as of the start of the book, there is a long running war between the two most powerful nations, Kolakolvia (a sort of Tsarist Russia with a whiff of the Soviet Union, poorer, but with large human resource and a powerful magical "cyborgs" front line unit, The Wall, that compensates for its technological disadvantages) and Almacia (a generic "western nation", possibly modeled on the Wilhelmine Germany - we never really have any Almacian character so far in the book beyond the generic cannon fodder and all we know is through Kolakolvian eyes- more advanced technologically and prosperous, with better weapons including artillery and lethal gas); both powers operate under the aegis of one of three Goddess, "The Sisters" (the third protects the natives) and their fight is mostly about trying to control/deny control of the isolationist magical nation of Praja, which neither side can subdue as of now.

In a sideshow that eventually intersects with the main storyline, an old man hides in a neutral prison (currently under Almacian control)

The main storyline follows three main pov's, Ilarion Glaskov, a new recruit for the Wall after his village is annihilated by powerful magic from the third realm and he, the only survivor is marked as the Sister's protegee and sent to the front to atone; Kristoph Vals, a high ranking agent in Kolakolvia's Secret Police and direct report of the infamous (originally Prajan magi, now Kolakolvian by "adoption") chancellor of the empire, Nicodemus Firsch - brutal, cynical and with no scruples or mercy, Kristoph is very ambitious and he regards himself as quite patriotic, so has (very private) reservations about the foreign born chancellor, but of course he bides his time and looks for powerful tools to help him advance; the third character, Natalya Baston is an experienced scout sniper, Rolmani ( a sort of "people of the road" which have some magic too and who were persecuted for a long time by both empires until it dawned on their leaders to use them instead) and whose parents are "guests" of the empire to ensure her collaboration; discovering a deadly secret, she tries to make a deal with Kristoph (who actually saves her life from a night ambush in the city, as he has a weakness for "pretty girls in distress") and becomes embroiled in the highly dangerous business of magic and empire

And so it goes, with a lot of energy, fairly brutal and unsanitized descriptions of trench battles and dark magic until a good stopping point which promises a lot for the next installment.

Highly recommended for a dark military fantasy with lots of gore and magic, but also one that makes you turn pages until the end

 

[Agent Cormac]

Hmmm...not due out until March 22nd in the UK it seems.
Looks good, though.

 

[Sfinx]

The God is Not Willing

I'd missed this one! Having thoroughly enjoyed the Malazan series by Erikson, I eventually picked up an Esslemont - hoping to be as transported and immersed as before. Unfortunately, this was not the case...He's probably a good guy, upstanding citizen and all, and obviously been a very good influence on / sidekick for Erikson -- but the writing...argghh. So very happy to learn Erikson himself has returned to Malazan.

 

[Sfinx]

My favourite out of all Abercrombie's books. You're right about there being no good guys in these books but that's what makes them fun. Sand dan Glokta will stay with me forever.

Agree. Actually, I've found all his stand-alone novels to be better than the various series. Having said that - the series are still VERY good!

 

[Sfinx]

Talking of re-trying, guess what I'm trying (AGAIN)....

Don't torture yourself unnecessarily Mark Consider this 'the one that got away' (and count yourself lucky)

 

[Westy]

I read The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle after seeing it had various best novella nominations in 2017 - and turns out it was well deserved!

Charles Thomas Tester is a young black man who hustles to make ends meet with his father at home, but after he delivers an ancient occult book things start happening in a very Lovecraftian way.

It was very well done, genuinely creepy and weird at times (especially towards the end), set in Jazz-era New York where the racial divide is still strong. It also had an interesting structure, where the first half was from Tom's point of view and it then switched so the second half was from policeman Malone's - but it worked well.

 

[Hobbit]

Don't know if you've seen this, Westy, but Randy M reviewed it for one of his Halloween sessions in 2016 and loved it: REVIEW

 

[Westy]

Don't know if you've seen this, Westy, but Randy M reviewed it for one of his Halloween sessions in 2016 and loved it: REVIEW

Didn't realise, good to know (was thinking this might be something he'd like)!

 

[Raf]

Color me a new Kim M. Watt fan. On the 3rd book of the Gobbelino London P.I. ( of Leeds, not London, lol) book series and enjoying them immensely. Nicely surprised to say the least. Talking cat and fae notwithstanding, the tales are tightly knit urban fantasy / detective stories.

I was expecting something light & silly. Instead I'm in the middle of an urban fantasy landscape that includes reapers, sorcerers, zombies, punk fae, missing unicorns & high magic. Marathon reading from one novel to the next.

I'll post reviews on each book once I finish the series.

Finished the 4 novel "Gobbolino London" Series. A totally engaging urban fantasy series concerning the lives and cases of Gobbolino & Callum London, Private Investigators of Leeds. Gobbolino being a cat and Calllum his human partner.

Book 1 - " Scourge of Pleasantries" - A Book of Power is on the loose. Once merely a repository of spare power for sorcerers. Over the eons, eventually such receptacles take on a sentience of their own. Usually with terrible consequences for the current holders. Gobbolino and Callum are hired my a mysterious woman to find a missing book.

Book 2 - "Contagion of Zombies". Zombies abound. G & C London must find the source & stop the plague. Necromancers make their play.

Book 3 - "Complication of Unicorns". Unicorns are not nice. Who knew?...but the herd is missing. Gobbolino & Callum try to help an old...friend?...of Callum find his herd and his kidnapped sister. Callum's somewhat shady past comes into play.

Book 4 - "Melee of Mages". Necromancers...just can't seem to get shed of those. Gobbolino and Callum are hired by a Magician to find his son. But, as usual, things take a bad turn.

No one can bend reality and tear open universes and have more fun doing it than Ms. Watt.

I've kept the reviews short so as not to spoil anything for those who might want to read these books. But for me the underlying theme has more to do with honor, loyalty and love. And extreme heroism by some of the most unlikely of characters. Great fun and I can't wait for Book # 5.