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Danny Has Been Reading...
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A deadly education : a novel
by Naomi Novik
An unwilling dark sorceress destined to rewrite the rules of magic clashes with a popular combat sorcerer while resolving to spare the lives of innocents. By the award-winning author of the Temeraire series.
Danny's Review: There are a lot of magical boarding school books out there, but this is arguably one of the better ones. In fact, if I had to sum up the premise it would be: "What if Hogwarts wanted to eat the children sent there?" Survival at the Scholomance isn't guaranteed, but the alternative to attending is worse. Despite how dark that sounds, the book has a healthy dose of humor to it, and explores themes of class and privilege in an accessible way.
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Storm Front
by Jim Butcher
Harry Dresden, professional wizard, investigates supernatural crimes in modern day Chicago as a consultant for the police. When a mob boss's henchman turns up dead under mysterious and supernatural circumstances, Harry must find out who is killing people before he becomes their next target.
Danny's Review: The first book in the long running Dresdan Files series. Butcher's wizard detective, Harry Dresdan, is a quintessential urban fantasy series that shouldn't be missed. A blend of mystery and fantasy with plenty of action and fast paced plots. By book 4, Butcher hits his stride and the books are consistently strong from there on out. Now up to 17 volumes, it'll also keep you busy for a while!
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Race the Sands
by Sarah Beth Durst
The worst souls are reborn into eternal torment as terrible murderous monsters called Kehoks. Each year, Kehok riders compete for money and glory, with the year's winning Kehok also earning redemption and reincarnation into a non-Kehok body. A pair of strong and determined women risk everything in their quest to become monster-racing champions as the political situation in their country becomes less and less stable.
Danny's Review: This book is utterly fantastic. The characters are incredible, the pace is perfect, and the plot is riveting. If you have any interest at all in monster racing, determination, and a dash of political intrigue, give this a go, I don't think you'll be disappointed.
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A study in Charlotte : a Charlotte Holmes novel
by Brittany Cavallaro
Rival teens Charlotte and Jamie, descendants of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson, investigate the mystery of why they are being framed for murder at their American boarding school
Danny's Review: A fun modernization/retelling of Sherlock Holmes. At times I find Charlotte Holmes a chore to read about, but I feel the same about the real Sherlock as well, so that's probably a point in this book's favor. If you like Holmes retellings, this one's worth reading.
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Warrior of the Altaii
by Robert Jordan
A previously unpublished novel by the late best-selling author of the Wheel of Time series finds the leader of the Altaii people reaching out to a visitor from another world to save his people from environmental hazards and dangerous adversaries.
Danny's Review: This is definitely a throwback to a different time in fantasy, and I'm not sure it fits in well with the modern fantasy landscape except as a curiosity. As a fan of Jordan's other epic series, The Wheel of Time, I was delighted to see some of those ideas expressed in an earlier form from the same author. The story is a passable barbarian tale similar to Conan (which Jordan also wrote several of), but I wish some of the more intriguing (and female) characters hadn't been sidelined for the majority of the book. The pseudo-torture elements in the middle section also fell flat for me. Recommended for fans of Wheel of Time who are curious about Jordan's earlier thought process, or for fans of old school barbarian books, everyone else should probably pass on this one.
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All systems red
by Martha Wells
A hardcover rerelease of the Hugo and Nebula Award-winning debut finds a team of scientists and their self-aware droid fending for survival on a distant planet when a neighboring mission goes dark. By the New York Times best-selling author of The Wizard Hunters.
Danny's Review: Short and delightful. Ask yourself: if I were a security robot programmed for murder and became self aware, what's the first thing I'd do? For Murderbot, the answer is watch a ton of entertainment feeds while still doing her job - keeping a group of scientists safe as it becomes more and more clear that someone is trying to kill them all. This is a short read, only a couple hours, so I'd recommend it to just about anyone looking to dip their toes into sci-fi. Good news if you like it, there are additional volumes, but this one also stands well alone.
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Ship of smoke and steel
by Django Wexler
Isoka, an eighteen-year-old ward boss in the port city, Kahnzoka, uses the power of Melos to earn money to protect her sister, but when her magic is discovered by the Emperor's spymaster, she is sent on a mission to steal Soliton, a legendary ghost ship,or her sister will be killed.
Danny's Review: This is not nearly as good as Wexler's adult series. Nothing about this YA debut is terrible, but it's also not exceptionally great either. You'll find a lot of common YA tropes here, though the characters and story are good enough to finish. The use of present tense may be off-putting to some. Isoka herself is a tough character to identify with at the beginning, but she gets better as the book goes. There's some graphic content here as well. Recommended for older teens or fans of YA fantasy novels.
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The wolf of Oren-yaro
by K. S. Villoso
"A queen of a divided land must unite her people, even if they hate her, even if it means stopping a ruin that she helped create. A debut epic fantasy from an exciting new voice. "I murdered a man and made my husband leave the night before they crowned me." Born under the crumbling towers of Oren-yaro, Queen Talyien was the shining jewel and legacy of the bloody War of the Wolves that nearly tore her nation apart. Her upcoming marriage to the son of her father's rival heralds peaceful days to come. But his sudden departure before their reign begins fractures the kingdom beyond repair. Years later, Talyien receives a message, urging her to attend a meeting across the sea. It's meant to be an effort at reconciliation, but an assassination attempt leaves the queen stranded and desperate to survive in a dangerous land. With no idea who she can trust, she's on her own as she struggles to fight her way home"
Danny's Review: This book was a slow starter for me, but it picked up after the first third. The main character's unique blend of competence and naivete are intriguing, as is the Asian setting. If you like your main character to be a fighter, and you don't mind a bit of a slow build-up to the real action, this one's a good one!
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Gideon the Ninth
by Tamsyn Muir
Raised in a hostile undead world where she would escape servitude and a zombie afterlife, Gideon becomes a bodyguard to her childhood rival who hopes to achieve power by serving their emperor. Gideon tells jokes and stabs things to secure her freedom in a solar system of swordplay and cutthroat politics. A first novel.
Danny's Review: If you don't like sarcasm, stay away from this book. Fortunately, I do like sarcasm, and Gideon was snarky in all the right ways. Necromancers who turn out to be lovable weirdos? Check. Weird pseudo-science magic and a mysterious off-screen undead emperor? Check. A few questionable motives and mysterious disappearances and monstrous murders? Check, check, and check. Unfortunately, the space elements are almost incidental. Not to be missed if anything above sounds interesting, but don't expect much in the way of sci-fi. This leans much more heavily fantasy.
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Strange the dreamer
by Laini Taylor
In the aftermath of a war between gods and men, a hero, a librarian, and a girl must battle the fantastical elements of a mysterious city stripped of its name.
Danny's Review: Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy was well-written, but suffered from poor pacing, side characters more interesting than the leads, and the occasional plot hole. In Strange the Dreamer her literary skill is on full display and coupled with a perfectly paced, dynamic narrative filled with dynamite characters - both the leads AND the supporting cast. Strange the Dreamer is more adventure than traditional fantasy, with a strong hidden-cities and lost-artifacts vibe. The themes of hate, mercy, and justice run strongly throughout this volume and its sequel. The best part? The sequel is also fantastic, and the story is complete at a duology - however, be aware that this will almost certainly tie into a crossover with Daughter of Smoke and Bone because it takes place in the same multiverse. Recommended for all fans of fantasy and adventure.
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Uprooted
by Naomi Novik
A tale inspired by the "Beauty and the Beast" story follows the experiences of Agnieszka, who becomes the latest girl chosen to serve an immortal wizard who protects their village from the malevolent forces of a nearby forest.
Danny's Review: The pre-generated summary above is good, but that's only the beginning. I found this to be an intriguing book all around, from the pure evil and twisted schemes of The Wood, to the grumpy wizard who tries his best to mentor the heroine despite their magics being dissimilar. At times the lead character borders on Mary Sue territory, though the journey she takes and the way her character develops make up for it in many ways. While this is not a retelling of any particular fairy tale, it has many fairy tale elements, so it's not to be missed by fans of that genre.
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Leviathan wakes
by James S. A. Corey
After Captain Jim Holden discovers a derelict, abandoned spaceship, he unearths a secret that threatens to throw the entire solar system into war and a vast conspiracy that could mean the end of the human race.
Danny's Review: The Expanse is hardcore science fiction for people who don’t like hardcore science fiction. It has just enough science fiction to be believable, but never strays so deep into the details that it becomes inaccessible. It’s a great balance of characters, has a fast narrative pace, and you'll enjoy a couple interesting twists along the way. Each book in the series is (kind of) a different kind of novel – from the vaguely noir sci-fi of this first book to the solar system politics of later volumes with a dash of Lovecraftian-inspired horror sprinkled throughout. Fans of the TV show should be aware that the books are different, though not to the detriment of either - both are excellent in their own way.
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Magic bites [sound recording]
by Ilona Andrews
Earning a living cleaning up magical messes, mercenary Kate Daniels is drawn into a power struggle between two factions--necromancers and shapeshifters--within Atlanta's magic circles when her guardian is murdered.
Danny's Review: I'm not usually one for urban fantasy. If you've read one, you'll probably recognize the basic outlines of the characters and plots in this book. At its heart this is a basic police procedural with supernatural elements (primarily shapeshifters and vampires). The future-of-our-world premise makes me roll my eyes: magic and technology are in flux, when one is working the other isn't. And yet... There's something satisfying about watching the story unfold. It's like a tired, but comfortable, pair of shoes that fit just right. Terrible cover art. Recommended for those looking to break into urban fantasy (this hits all the genre hallmarks), or for those looking for a comfortable retread of familiar plots. As a side note, each book in this long running series improves upon the previous entries - so while Magic Bites is comfortable but not particularly special, you may find yourself hooked the deeper in you go.
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The thousand names
by Django Wexler
Winter Ihernglass poses as a man to enlist in the Vordanai Colonials and must form an allegiance with a new colonel, appointed by the king to restore order, after she is promoted to a command post.
Danny's Review: See that pre-generated summary of the book above my review? It's terrible. Disregard it completely. It makes the book sound like Mulan. While Winter is a woman posing as a man in the military, it is not THAT story. Not even close. And that summary makes no mention of Marcus at all, who is the second major viewpoint character (half the book is from his perspective) and who is actually forging a tentative allegiance with the new and mysterious Colonel Janus. Winter and the Colonel talk to each other twice in the whole book, maybe three times if I forgot a scene. Terrible summary. Good book though. There is a decent amount of flintlock military fiction here, with tactics, morale, and supply lines being strong factors. The setting is vaguely middle-eastern, with supernatural elements well foreshadowed and playing a stronger role towards the end. Best of all, the quality is steady throughout. It was easy to pick up, hardly ever felt like a chore to read, and ended nicely in a good place that left me looking for the sequel. I would say that if anything I've said sounds interesting it's worth a try at least, and that you'll know if it's for you once you've read through the prologue and first two chapters.
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Promise of blood
by Brian McClellan
Successfully staging a coup to expose corruption and bring relief to the poor, Field Marshal Tamas inadvertently provokes a war with the Nine Nations and is betrayed by greedy former allies, a situation that forces him to rely on his estranged son and a retired police inspector who is being blackmailed.
Danny's Review: Promise of Blood is proof of concept for so-called "Flintlock Fantasy" or "Gunpowder Fantasy." With an interesting magic system involving sorcerers, gun wielding powder mages, and those with a knack, Promise of Blood delivers a compelling story filled with intrigue, action, and mystery. The backdrop is reminiscent of the French revolution, making the setting a lively country in turmoil. Meanwhile, the book tackles some weighty themes while never allowing the main characters to sink too deeply into the moral morass. Well worth the read.
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The lies of Locke Lamora
by Scott Lynch
Vowing to bring down the omnipotent crime boss running the city, a group of Gentlemen Bastards, led by the eccentric Locke Lamora, sets out to beat the Capa at his own criminal game, taking on other thieves, murderers, beggars, prostitutes, and thugs in the process.
Danny's Review: This is a re-read for me, and one of my favorite books of all time, and seriously? That stock summary above must have been written by someone who had only heard about this book from a friend who was relaying the Amazon summary over a spotty phone connection. Lies of Locke Lamora is as charming as the protagonist, as sharp as his friend's axes, as brilliant as his mentor-a thief posing as a blind priest, scamming the citizens with false sermons. The book is fantastically written, with one of my favorite openings of all time. From there it mixes all-too-relevant anecdotes about Locke's early life with a present plot bursting with intrigue, crime, and top notch con artistry. My single complaint about the book is the lack of strong female characters, a complaint that is remedied by the arguably better sequel, Red Seas Under Red Skies.
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