Category: Sci Fi/fantasy - Alyce Caswell - Author

Alyce Caswell - Author

The Troublesome Middle Child

2/7/2022

Fevered Star (Between Earth and Sky #2)
by Rebecca Roanhorse

Convergence has come and gone - and so has the Crow God, leaving behind Serapio, an empty vessel. Serapio is surrounded by new worshippers and new enemies, including the Sun God's vessel who survived via betrayal. He is divided from Xiala, who has found herself caught up in what might be the beginnings of a war. Meanwhile, Tova remains darkened by a black sun.

The fascinating characters and world building from Black Sun are still present here, but as happens with all fantasy trilogies, book 2 was always destined for Middle Book Syndrome. Characters are moved about and separated for the sake of being separated - not unusual when MBS has struck - which bogged things down a bit for me. Looking forward to the conclusion, which I hope will deliver.

Worth the Wait

29/6/2022

Black Sun (Between Earth & Sky #1)
by Rebecca Roanhorse

The Convergence is coming to Tova, a city ruled over by its priests - and a city due for upheaval. The Sun Priest, Naranpa, is too busy to do anything about it, as she must outmanoeuvre her political enemies of risk losing her title. Elsewhere, Xiala is given a ship, a crew, and cargo due in Tova before the Convergence. But that cargo includes Serapio, a blind man whose destiny is steeped in blood.

I really enjoyed this, for the most part. Roanhorse has created some fascinating, flawed characters that I didn't know what to make of - which usually would bother me, but didn't on this occasion. Roanhorse's writing is impeccable and perfectly fits the epic fantasy genre here, showing just how much range she has underneath the sci-fi/fantasy umbrella. Overall, an excellent book, but it stumbled at the last hurdle. Novels like this one obviously need to set up the sequel - however, it was done at the cost of this book's climax.

Note: I first preordered this on Kobo back in 2021, only for the preorder to fail when the publisher (presumably) yanked it and then went radio silence for months, before throwing it onto Kindle only. I was very annoyed by this, which delayed my reading of this book. But it was worth the wait.

Far From A Frosty Reception

26/6/2022

Frost Hands (The Mutation Files #1)
by Imogen Elvis

Tensions are rising while a new law requiring mutants to register themselves is being discussed. Eric wants to protect other mutants, but maybe there's a wrong way to go about it. He'll have to choose between betraying his stepfather or doing what might be the right thing. But can he trust mutants who are being deployed against their own kind?

I would have loved the heck out of this as a teenager - okay, adult!me still loved the heck out of it. Frost Hands ticked all the boxes for me: likeable characters finding their way in the world, said characters actually acting their age, cool powers, incredibly tense scenes, a villain who isn't hokey. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

Until the Soul Singer Sings

25/6/2022

The Shattering Song (Song Magic #2)
by Imogen Elvis

Briar and her friends have already sacrificed much in trying to stop Lord Sachio from taking over the kingdom, but they have not yet succeeded. A dangerous trip to Mizra, the capital, may yield the allies and resources they need - or it may result in even greater sacrifices, if they can't avoid the punishment for so-called treason. Either way, this is the end of their journey.

While this is an excellent and satisfying conclusion to the story, I do feel that it might have worked better if it had been expanded over a trilogy. That said, I very much enjoyed spending time with Briar, Kade and Lara once more. I became attached to them so quickly! Elvis masterfully creates characters that you want to root for and protect as soon as you meet them.

This is the YA Fantasy You're Looking For

20/6/2022

The Crystal Tree (Song Magic #1)
by Imogen Elvis

Briar is a soul singer, a magician who can heal. But her magic offers no protection when the Nameless Ones come to her new home and abduct her sister. Briar immediately wants to rescue her - though this will mean travelling and joining forces with strangers who have secrets that can endanger their lives, as well as the entire kingdom.

For a while now, I've felt that something is missing from trad published YA fantasy. I can't say exactly what it is, but I guess I'll be cliche and say they're missing...the magic. The Crystal Tree brought back the magic for me. It threw me right back to my childhood in the 1990s and was the comforting blanket that I very much needed. This is a brilliant indie YA fantasy - and beautifully written too.

Jeffy in the Multiverse of Koontz

29/5/2022

Elsewhere by Dean Koontz

Jeffy Coltrane receives "the key to everything" from a vagrant who seems to have a problem with reality. But then cold men in uniforms show up looking for the key, which helps its bearer jump through the multiverse to different worlds. Anyone who uses the key or knows of it is constantly hunted - but now Jeffy and his daughter have a chance to fill a hole in their lives. Is it worth the danger?

Wow, so Koontz really, really excels at pacing. This was unputdownable, even though it wasn't an excellent book. I did enjoy the fact that it was slightly different from other multiverse stories (less time in other worlds = fewer bogged down scenes), but I also felt that things were slightly too easy for Jeffy and co. And the bad guy was seriously stereotypical (you know the type, always the most deviant of deviants). A cracking read, nonetheless.

In the Shadow of the Old Canon

28/5/2022

Star Wars: Brotherhood by Mike Chen

Cato Neimoidia has declared itself neutral in the Clone Wars, but a devastating attack has laid waste to one of its cities and now they are demanding an investigation. Obi-Wan is sent in the Republic's place, newly alone without his former Padawan, and finds that Neimoidians have many more nuances than he realised. And he is more in need of Anakin's help than ever.

While I liked the idea of this book, I felt that it didn't quite live up to my expectations. Too much meandering and too little engagement - an impression not doubt spurred on the prose constantly getting bogged down in lengthy self reflection by the characters. I find myself missing the Clone Wars books of the old canon. They had to follow similar rigid rules, I imagine, but still managed to be exciting and convey a feeling of danger.

This all said, Brotherhood is an easy, undemanding read, just not especially memorable.

Marvel It Ain't

27/4/2022

House of Sky and Breath (Crescent City #2)
by Sarah J. Maas

Bryce and Hunt are trying to lie low and also trying not to "get together" in any fashion, but of course this won't last for long. A boy rumoured to have great power is missing and on his way to the city. Rebels are rising seemingly everywhere - and they are hardly unified. And more of Danika's secrets will be revealed, along with the truth about Asteri.

Hmm. I actually think this is Maas' best work. Her previous books weren't very good, but they were all training grounds for House of Sky and Breath. I feel like this is the book where she finally hit her groove. I was actually invested in this plot and the laborious info-dumping from the first Crescent City book was missing. I was honestly loving this. I was thinking "damn, do I like Maas' writing now?"... and then the ending happened. Such a lazy, self-indulgent thing to do. Look, I get it. It's something most writers think about doing... when they're teenagers (yep, even I've had those thoughts). But while it might be fun to do for your own amusement, it's best kept as an idea and not as an actual plot device in a published novel.

Living Book Limping

19/4/2022

Dead Witch Walking (The Hollows #1)
by Kim Harrison

Rachel Morgan has just quit Inderland Security to strike out on her own and her former boss has it in for her - as in, he's put a price on her head because she took one of his best employees with her. This makes investigating a guy who is running - possibly evenly creating - biodrugs somewhat difficult. There's also the matter of her vampiric roommate...

Hmm. This is definitely a product of its time. I've reread my fave UF serieses too many times so I thought I'd give it a go...can't say I'm impressed. Dead Witch Walking is a typical 2000s urban fantasy novel and a surprisingly weak first entry for a series of this longevity. Rachel isn't a particularly strong or likeable character, though I'd be interested to see how she develops - hopefully she loses her "gay panic" over Ivy? It's somewhat common for characters from the 2000s to insist "I'M STRAIGHT" in certain situations, but honestly it reads like Rachel/Ivy is meant to be endgame lol. And I know that's not the case.

This is How the Trilogy Dies

15/4/2022

Queen's Hope (Padmé Trilogy #3)
by E. K. Johnston

Padmé usually shares everything that she is with the galaxy, especially her handmaidens - but now she has a secret. Something that is hers and hers alone. But the Clone War has begun and stealing moments with her new husband is difficult, especially when she must depart on a clandestine mission and leave loyal Sabé in her place on Coruscant.

I absolutely LOVED the other two books, so this was a little bit of a letdown. I do enjoy how Johnston gives the women of Star Wars a voice, though Queen's Hope contained too many voices and seemed to include some characters just 'cause. Padmé's mission didn't really add much to the plot either. But Johnston did finally make me like Anakin/Padmé together - something I never thought was possible. Ha!