Review: The Shadow Master

Shadow Master: The Shadow Master | Craig Cormick

Published by: Angry Robot, June 24th 2014

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 342

Format: Ebook

Source: Purchased

In a land riven with plague, inside the infamous Walled City, two families vie for control: the Medicis with their genius inventor Leonardo; the Lorraines with Galileo, the most brilliant alchemist of his generation. 

And when two star-crossed lovers, one from either house, threaten the status quo, a third, shadowy power – one that forever seems a step ahead of all of the familial warring – plots and schemes, and bides its time, ready for the moment to attack...

Assassination; ancient, impossible machines; torture and infamy – just another typical day in paradise.

That ending! Now I HAVE to read the next book just to get some answers. There was so much to like about this - fantasy that's compelling and intricate without being dense and so slooooow like a lot of other fantasy I've tried lately. Plus great characters with secrets upon secrets, famous faces, and shock upon shock within the story itself. So good.

My only issue isn't with the book. My copy had A TONNE of errors and typos that I presume won't have made it to the final copy. Since I bought it directly from Angry Robot's website, and it wasn't a galley, I was pretty surprised by this.

Characters ★★★★☆

Setting/world ★★★★★

Writing ★★★★☆

DNF Review: Steal The Sky

The Scorched Continent: Steal The Sky | Megan E. O'Keefe

Published by: Angry Robot, January 5th 2016

Genre: Adult, Fantasy

Pages: 448

Format: Ebook

Source: Angry Robot, via Netgalley

Detan Honding, a wanted conman of noble birth and ignoble tongue, has found himself in the oasis city of Aransa. He and his trusted companion Tibs may have pulled off one too many cons against the city’s elite and need to make a quick escape. They set their sights on their biggest heist yet—the gorgeous airship of the exiled commodore Thratia.

But in the middle of his scheme, a face changer known as a doppel starts murdering key members of Aransa’s government. The sudden paranoia makes Detan’s plans of stealing Thratia’s ship that much harder. And with this sudden power vacuum, Thratia can solidify her power and wreak havoc against the Empire. But the doppel isn’t working for Thratia and has her own intentions. Did Detan accidentally walk into a revolution and a crusade? He has to be careful—there’s a reason most people think he’s dead. And if his dangerous secret gets revealed, he has a lot more to worry about than a stolen airship.

Another DNF? For gods' sakes, 2016!!

I like my fantasy fast, and this just ... wasn't. It starts off with a bang but after that, it feels drawn out, and each thing that happens reads like a repeat of stuff that's already happened. There was action, but it didn't feel like action. It just read really slowly.

It didn't help that I didn't care for Detan. I liked him in the beginning but his immature, irresponsible personality got really grating really fast. I get the feeling he's meant to be funny and charming but nah. He was doing these really reckless things for the tiniest reason, and I kept wondering what the point was... I liked Ripka, and would have enjoyed this book more had it been from her POV, I think. 

All that combined into me having no care whatsoever what happened to the characters or with the story.

The world is superior, though, and the world building was very well done. I just wish I liked everything else, and that it wasn't so slow. Also what the heck is with the ship on the cover? Tricked me into thinking the majority of the book would be set on it! Nope, Detan just wants to steal it but doesn't bother getting around to stealing it (at least not in the first half!)

DNF @ 45%

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The Waterborne Blade (ARC Review)

Waterborne: The Waterborne Blade | Susan Murray

Published by: Angry Robot, May 5th 2015

Genre: Adult, High Fantasy

Pages: 512

Format: Ebook

Source: Angry Robot, via Netgalley

The citadel has long been the stronghold of Highkell. All that is about to change because the traitor, Vasic, is marching on the capital. Against her better judgement, Queen Alwenna allows herself to be spirited away by one of the Crown's most trusted servants, safe from the clutches of the throne's would-be usurper.

Fleeing across country, she quickly comes to learn that her pampered existence has ill-equipped her for survival away from the comforts of the court. Alwenna must toughen up, and fast, if she is even to make it to a place of safety. But she has an even loftier aim - for after dreaming of her husband's impending death, Alwenna knows she must turn around and head back to Highkell to save the land she loves, and the husband who adores her, or die in the attempt.

But Vasic the traitor is waiting. And this was all just as he planned. 

This book started off a little slow, but I liked the characters enough to read until it got better. The Waterborne Blade got kinda interesting when they reached the monastery (I forget the name now), when it was impossible to know who was on Alwenna's side and who was plotting to hand her over to the usurper King. But I lost interest in that after a while - which about sums up how I felt about all of this book. I enjoyed it (a lot in some parts, with the rituals and blood magic and action bits) but after a while I got bored and wanted to move onto something new. I suppose the slow pace kinda hindered my enjoyment a bit, but I still did really like certain parts. 

I love Alwenna, and Weaver, and Drew. I think they're all great characters. I thought the threat/villain was pretty realistic, and scarier for it. And I liked the world, even if it didn't feel particularly unique. What was unique was the free merchants, and I'm still not entirely sure whether they're trustworthy or dodgy or looking out for Alwenna. I guess I'll find out in the next book. For me, this book was lacking magic - there were parts of it throughout, but I wanted more actual magic in the first half, wanted to learn more about Alwenna's water magic, but judging from the ending, the second book will more than make up for it!

An interesting high fantasy with great characters (but not enough magic!)

Characters ★★★☆☆

Setting/world-building ★★★☆☆

Writing ★★★☆☆

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The Singular and Extraordinary Tale... (ARC Review)

The Peculiar Adventures of John Loveheart, Esq: The Singular and Extraordinary Tale of Mirror and Goliath | Ishbelle Bee

Published by: Angry Robot, June 2nd 2015

Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Historical

Pages: 194

Format: Ebook

Source: Angry Robot, via Netgalley

1888. A little girl called Mirror and her shape-shifting guardian Goliath Honeyflower are washed up on the shores of Victorian England. Something has been wrong with Mirror since the day her grandfather locked her inside a mysterious clock that was painted all over with ladybirds. Mirror does not know what she is, but she knows she is no longer human.

John Loveheart, meanwhile, was not born wicked. But after the sinister death of his parents, he was taken by Mr Fingers, the demon lord of the underworld. Some say he is mad. John would be inclined to agree.

Now Mr Fingers is determined to find the little girl called Mirror, whose flesh he intends to eat, and whose soul is the key to his eternal reign. And John Loveheart has been called by his otherworldly father to help him track Mirror down… 

I enjoyed this book, but not as much as I thought I would have from reading the first chapter. The title set me up for a book 100% about Mirror and Goliath, and while it is, it's all in a very roundabout way. Example: the policement main characters are investigating a girl who was killed by the man who made the clock that Mirror's grandfather stuffed her into. The story this book told wasn't the story that the title made me expect, but it was still very, peculiarly good.

I loved the parts about Mirror and Goliath the most. Mirror's sharp, inquisitive manner and Goliath's big-bear safety made them a truly unique pair. I didn't enjoy the parts that involved other characters as much as I enjoyed M&G's chapters - this would 100% have been a 5 star rating if it'd been all those two. There's something purely interesting about them. I want to know everything about their lives, their whole stories with nothing left out.

There were a lot of things I loved about this book. I've already touched on my two favourite characters. The setting is the Victorian Era brought to life with wonderful words and lyrical similies. I highlighted huge swaths of text on my kindle - it's that good, entirely, exquisitely quotable. The story is dark and twisty and exciting, too. But I just didn't connect with a good portion of the characters, and at some parts I was reading and thought 'why are we hearing about this person? can we go back to the main story now?'. The similies, while lovely and evocative, got a little too repetitive after a while. Everything was fairy tale, or from a fairy tale, or reminiscent of a fairy tale character. This was more than likley intentional on the part of the author but it got a bit tedious towards the end. Still would 100% recommend, though.

A solid, original fantasy with writing that overflows with imagination and magic.

Characters ★★★☆☆

Setting/world-building ★★★☆☆

Writing ★★★★☆

The Buried Life (ARC Review)

Buried Life: The Buried Life | Carrie Patel

Published by: Angry Robot, March 3rd 2015

Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Steampunk

Pages: 336

Format: Ebook

Source: Angry Robot, via Netgalley

The gaslight and shadows of the underground city of Recoletta hide secrets and lies. When Inspector Liesl Malone investigates the murder of a renowned historian, she finds herself stonewalled by the all-powerful Directorate of Preservation – Recoletta’s top-secret historical research facility. 
 
When a second high-profile murder threatens the very fabric of city society, Malone and her rookie partner Rafe Sundar must tread carefully, lest they fall victim to not only the criminals they seek, but the government which purports to protect them. Knowledge is power, and power must be preserved at all costs…

The Buried Life started off great. A well-crafted world, characters with depth and integrity, endless secrets, and a complex murder mystery. I was hooked.

I liked the first half better than the second, honestly. I loved the mystery around the murders, the build up, the investigation in the beginning. I started to lose interest around the middle, when the plot felt to lull, but I still really enjoyed the story. The characters aren't exactly easy to love but they're fascinating. They make you want to know more about them. I liked some more than others; Roman was my favourite - he's charming and secretive and intimidating. Plus he was a complete mystery and it drew me in.

The world is great - Recoletta is a vivid underground city with a touch of magic. I honestly loved the setting; it was probably my favourite part of the whole book, how unique the language used to describe it was, and how it created a clear visual in my mind.

My only problem was it felt to seriously slow around the halfway point and I wasn't as excited by it as I was in the beginning. Because of that it took me a while to read, which lessened by enjoyment. It felt like it had a hundred extra pages at least.

Still, a dark and gripping mystery with a rich and well imagined world.

Characters ★★★☆☆

Setting/world building ★★★★☆

Writing ★★★☆☆