Review: City of Lies

Read if you like: poisoners and poison-testers, fantasy sieges and wars, and characters that are fleshed out and easy to love.

City of Lies | Sam Hawke

Series: Poison Wars

Genre: Epic Fantasy
Released: July 3rd 2018
Pages: 560
Format: Ebook
Source: Publisher

I was seven years old the first time my uncle poisoned me... 

Outwardly, Jovan is the lifelong friend of the Chancellor’s charming, irresponsible Heir. Quiet. Forgettable. In secret, he's a master of poisons and chemicals, trained to protect the Chancellor’s family from treachery. When the Chancellor succumbs to an unknown poison and an army lays siege to the city, Jovan and his sister Kalina must protect the Heir and save their city-state.

But treachery lurks in every corner, and the ancient spirits of the land are rising...and angry.

Genuine characters you can root for, a main character with (well-written) anxiety, a main character with chronic illness (who's a super badass), religion represented well and honestly, and a secondary-world siege? Plus MAGIC and GODS at the end? And POISON the whole way through? This is everything I wanted. Plus it wraps up very nicely at the end so you could read it as stand-alone if you're not into series. This book is so good, honestly.

4.5 stars

Review: The Last Namsara

Read if you like: secondary fantasy with interesting magic systems and beliefs, characters you can root for, and dragons.

The Last Namsara | Kristen Ciccarelli

Series: Iskari

Genre: YA High Fantasy
Released: October 3rd 2017
Pages: 432
Format: Ebook
Source: Publisher

In the beginning, there was the Namsara: the child of sky and spirit, who carried love and laughter wherever he went. But where there is light, there must be darkness—and so there was also the Iskari. The child of blood and moonlight. The destroyer. The death-bringer.

These are the legends that Asha, daughter of the king of Firgaard, has grown up learning in hushed whispers, drawn to the forbidden figures of the past. But it isn’t until she becomes the fiercest, most feared dragon slayer in the land that she takes on the role of the next Iskari—a lonely destiny that leaves her feeling more like a weapon than a girl.

Asha conquers each dragon and brings its head to the king, but no kill can free her from the shackles that await at home: her betrothal to the cruel commandant, a man who holds the truth about her nature in his palm. When she’s offered the chance to gain her freedom in exchange for the life of the most powerful dragon in Firgaard, she finds that there may be more truth to the ancient stories than she ever could have expected. With the help of a secret friend—a slave boy from her betrothed’s household—Asha must shed the layers of her Iskari bondage and open her heart to love, light, and a truth that has been kept from her. 

This was not what I expected at all. I really like how the main character journeys from villain to hero, from dragon hunter to dragon rider. I could have done without the romance and I didn't love the rebel camp but there were elements I really liked. Character development is amazing, and I like the main character, as well as her cousin. The dragons were pretty awesome, too, though I wish they were more characters than they actually were.

I enjoyed the action and suspense, and this was a really good fantasy book with some memorable moments. The world didn't stand out but I think it'll be expanded on in later books. I liked it.

4.5 stars

#FreeReads - Stag's Run

Read if you like: queer romance, sweeping fantasy worlds, political tension, assassinations

Stag's Run | Zaya Feli

Series: Iron Breakers

Published by: Zaya Feli, November 18th 2016
Genre: Fantasy, LGBTQ+
Pages: 237
Format: Ebook
Source: Free on Kindle

Ren Frayne is the bastard son of the Queen of Frayne, a title he’s more than comfortable with when it brings him limited responsibilities and all the luxuries of life he could ever want. But when the king and Ren’s half-brother, Crown Prince Hellic are brutally murdered, Ren is accused. Now, he is forced to flee the city together with the mysterious prisoner Anik who may know how to survive in the wild, but who seems to have an agenda of his own, one that may spell danger for Ren.

Ren’s accuser now sits on his family’s throne, and things are about to get much, much worse. It may be time to seek help in unexpected places. 

There's a lot I could talk about with this book - the great characterisation, the growth, the well written world, the tense and exciting politics, the fast pace that kept me reading - but I just want to dwell on one particular plot point, and that's the fact that cows basically save the day. Cow soldiers. Cattle as secret weapons. This book is great - read it!

The Queen of The Tearling (ARC Review)

The Queen of The Tearling: The Queen of The Tearling | Erika Johansen

Published by: Bantam Press, July 17th 2014

Genre: NA, Epic Fantasy

Pages: 432

Format: Ebook

Source: Random House UK & Bantam Press, via Netgalley

Kelsea Glynn is the sole heir to the throne of Tearling but has been raised in secret by foster parents after her mother - Queen Elyssa, as vain as she was stupid - was murdered for ruining her kingdom. For 18 years, the Tearling has been ruled by Kelsea's uncle in the role of Regent however he is but the debauched puppet of the Red Queen, the sorceress-tyrant of neighbouring realm of Mortmesme. On Kelsea's 19th birthday, the tattered remnants of her mother's guard - each pledged to defend the queen to the death - arrive to bring this most un-regal young woman out of hiding...

And so begins her journey back to her kingdom's heart, to claim the throne, earn the loyalty of her people, overturn her mother's legacy and redeem the Tearling from the forces of corruption and dark magic that are threatening to destroy it. But Kelsea's story is not just about her learning the true nature of her inheritance - it's about a heroine who must learn to acknowledge and live with the realities of coming of age in all its insecurities and attractions, alongside the ethical dilemmas of ruling justly and fairly while simply trying to stay alive...

Queen of The Tearling was both everything I expected and the complete opposite of what I wanted. I have a lot of conflicted opinions about it, hence the huge review. This book is a sweeping high fantasy, with a girl rising to rulership of a corrupt kingdom and dealing with all the consequences of putting said kingdom right. 

HOWEVER. For most of the book, it just plods along at a snail's pace. Stuff happens, but it doesn't really feel like much is happening, to me at least. Kelsea didn't even make it to her castle (keep) until 30% into the book, at which point I knew a lot of back story about the world, but little else. It meandered on in the same way, all the way to the end.

I couldn't seem to read more than 10% in one go, which averaged about 40 pages, though it felt like I was reading double that amount. The book itself had the feel of something about 600+ pages long. Along with that, I think my main problem with Queen of The Tearling was its lack of threat. Sure, there was a looming war on the horizon but it felt distant, impersonal. There were no real stakes, and because of that the book felt flat. 

Don't get me wrong, there were aspects I loved - like the world. Johansen did a great job setting up the Tearling and Mortmesne, despite the often winding info dumps. It was unique and fascinating, with a seat of corruption and evils as deep as hell. It was really cool to see mentions of things that exist here (Grimm's fairy tales, for example), to put together the pieces that Tearling was a land separate from ours, but still very much in the same world. I even liked the characters. Kelsea is alright, a decent enough main character, but I adore Mace, her guard. If the book was just about him doing whatever it is he does every day, I think it would have been 100% more exciting.

I liked this book, but there just wasn't enough in it for me to really enjoy reading it. I finished it, but that was a mix of determination and love of the Mace (and Mace is the only reason this isn't a 2.5 star rating.) I wish there'd been more of Mortmesne, more immediate threats, and less of the long stretches of information. All in all, an okay epic fantasy, but not recommended for people looking for adventure, action, or a fast pace.

Characters ★★★☆☆

Setting/world building ★★★☆☆

Writing Style ★★☆☆☆

The Queen of the Tearling is destined to be a fantasy classic. Johansen’s writing is assured, confident and thrilling. I can’t wait for the next book. 

- AMY McCULLOCH, author of The Oathbreaker’s Shadow