Book Review: I, Morgana by Felicity Pulman

I, Morgana by Felicity Pulman

Standalone book
Publisher: Momentum Books
Release Date: 26th June 2014
Read Date: 29th June 2014
Tagged under: 2014 read, book review, review copy, fantasy, historical, mythology, 2.5
Pages: 174
Buy at: Amazon

You know my name, but you don't know my story...

After being schooled in magic by Merlin and promised a kingdom, Morgana is robbed of her birthright and betrayed by everyone she has ever trusted. Risking everything for revenge, Morgana uses her magical arts to trap Merlin, threaten her half-brother King Arthur, and turn away the only man she will ever love. In destroying King Arthur and Camelot, Morgana sets into motion a catastrophe that can only be reversed if she can learn from the past in time to protect our future... and so fulfill an ancient prophecy. 

In the tradition of The Mists of Avalon comes a new story of Morgan le Fay, one of the most enigmatic and reviled characters in Arthurian legend.

Book Review: The Immortal Crown (Book #2) by Richelle Mead

The Immortal Crown by Richelle Mead

Series: Age of X (Book #2)
Will need to read the first book prior to reading this one
For the beginning of the series, click here
Publisher: Penguin Books Australia
Release Date: 29th May 2014
Read Date: 31st May 2014
Tagged under: 2014 read, adult fiction, fantasy, mythology, 4, review copy
Pages: 432
Buy at: Amazon, The Book Depository

The War of the Elect...

In the wake of Gameboard of the Gods, religious investigator Justin March and the beautiful supersoldier assigned to protect him, Mae Koskinen, have become firmly enmeshed in investigating reports of the supernatural and the return of the gods both inside and outside their country's borders. With this highly classified knowledge comes a shocking revelation: not only are the gods vying for control of humans, but the Elect - those special humans marked by the divine - are turning against each other in bloody fashion. 

Justin and Mae's mission takes a new twist when they find themselves assigned to a diplomatic delegation headed by Lucian Darling, Justin's old friend and rival, into Arcadia: the Republic of United North America's dangerous neighbouring country. Here, in a society where women are commodities and religion is intertwined with the government, Justin discovers powerful forces at work even as he struggles to come to terms with his own reluctantly-acquired deity. Meanwhile, Mae - grudgingly posing as Justin's concubine - has taken on a secret mission of her own: finding the illegitimate niece her family smuggled away years ago. But with Justin and Mae resisting the resurgence of the gods in Arcadia, a reporter's fortuitous connection with someone close to Justin back home threatens to expose their mission and the divine forces the government is determined to keep secret.

Book Review [Spoiler Free]

The Immortal Crown is the second book in Richelle Mead's new series, Age of X, which began last year with the publication of the Gameboard of the Gods. As far as sequels go, this one is certainly very impressive. Everything stepped up into the next gear. There is more action, more plot development, more secrets and information unveiled and, of course, more supernatural forces at play.

Last warning: please read the first book before continuing on with this review. Although it's spoiler free for this book, it will contain details regarding the first book, possibly spoiling it for you.

In The Immortal Crown, Justin and Mae, along with Lucian and his delegation, heads into Arcadia, the Republic of United North America's (RUNA) neighbouring country. Each of them have their own motives. Lucian wants to win his election. Mae wants to find her missing niece. And Justin has to, however reluctantly, follow the guidance of his deity.

While Gameboard of the Gods is a solid enjoyable read, the sheer volume of information with regards to the world building at times overshadows the overarching plot. Not so in this sequel. Don't get me wrong, The Immortal Crown still contains a heavy dose of world building. While the reader is familiar to the world of RUNA, Arcadia, which is only briefly mentioned in the first book, is very different. Religion is just as powerful as the government. Women are submissive properties of their men. And the country is a mix of rich and poor, modern technology with old-fashioned labour.

The pacing, however, definitely steps up a notch. With the majority of the foundation set in the first book, The Immortal Crown is free to focus on multiple concurrent plot lines that run through this book. As Justin and Mae slowly stumble across more and more revelations, the pieces of the story slowly come together like that of a jigsaw puzzle. While much has been revealed in this book, there is definitely a sense that there is more at play here than what Richelle Mead is willing to show. She definitely has plenty of trump cards up her sleeve, if the ending is anything to go by.

The characters are still as flawed and well-developed as they were in the previous book. Despite their flaws, there is always reason to their decisions and actions, making them highly relatable to the reader. It is no surprise that readers will come to care for both Justin and Mae and in turn, be heavily invested in their relationship. 

And the ending! I still have mixed feelings about it. I'm heavily disgruntled at the last major plot development before the end. But the plot twists that followed really steps up the anticipation for the next book. Without revealing much more, all I can say is that I felt the issue was dealt with rather abruptly and I didn't appreciate that. However, the two end reveals - one with regards to a deity and the other with regards to a mortal - those literally made my heart leap when my mind connected the dots.

Overall: 4/5

The Immortal Crown is definitely a step up from Gameboard of Gods and the anticipation is high for the next book. All the Gods have come out to play and the battle might be out in the open sooner than any of the characters think. 

Disclaimer: A complimentary copy of the ebook was provided to me by the author and publisher in exchange of an honest review. The views expressed above are entirely my own and are in, no way, affected by the source of this book.

Book Review: Gameboard of the Gods (Book #1) by Richelle Mead

Gameboard of the Gods by Richelle Mead

Series: Age of X (Book #1)
Publisher: Dutton Adult
Release Date: 4th June 2013
Read Date: 22nd May 2014
Tagged under: 2014 read, fantasy, mythology, 3
Pages: 448
Buy at: Amazon, The Book Depository

You'll know her by a crown of stars and flowers

In a futuristic world nearly destroyed by religious extremists, Justin March lives in exile after failing in his job as an investigator of religious groups and supernatural claims. But Justin is given a second chance when Mae Koskinen comes to bring him back to the Republic of United North America (RUNA). Raised in an aristocratic caste, Mae is now a member of the military's most elite and terrifying tier, a soldier with enhanced reflexes and skills. 

When Justine and Mae are assigned to work together to solve a string of ritualistic murders, they soon realize that their discoveries have exposed them to terrible danger. As their investigation races forward, unknown enemies and powers greater than they can imagine are gathering in the shadows, ready to reclaim the world in which humans are merely game pieces on their board.

Book Review [Spoiler Free]

Richelle Mead is the #1 New York Times bestseller author of the hugely popular Vampire Academy series as well as its companion series Bloodlines. Her new series - Age of X - is an ambitious adult series set in a futuristic world of the Republic of United North America (RUNA) where religion is under heavy government control, genetics separates people into patricians who clung to their ethnic heritage and are marked by genetic defects and plebeians who are the result of the country's genetic mixing programs, and the hint of supernatural is ever present in a largely atheistic society.

Sounds confusing? Don't be, there's plenty of explanation in this book to guide you.

My first reaction to the Gameboard of the Gods is awe at the sheer amount of world building that Richelle Mead had put into this book. This is most definitely her most ambitious series to date. Everything from the countries - RUNA vs Eastern Alliance (EA) - to the transport to the tech that the people uses are detailed in this book. The comparison between the different societies and how they are run, the advantages of their system plus their flaws, have all been discussed at length. The sheer amount of information that have been introduced allows the reader to fully delve into this world and when the characters use their egos or discuss Cain, the reader is so well integrated into the fictional world that there is rarely any moments of confusion.

The downside of such extensive world building is of course, the actions get bogged down by too much information. The overall plot of this novel, when you boil it down to its essence, is fairly straightforward. Someone, or a group of someones, are out there ritualistically murdering a string of what appears at first to be unrelated individuals. In any other suspense thriller, the mystery element would be at the forefront of the reader's mind whilst reading. However, in this book, it read like an introduction to the world of Age of X and discovering the killer was the secondary plot.

What I also appreciate of Mead's writing is that all her characters are well-developed and flawed. Justin is a substance-abusing womanizing git whose remarks borderlines on being rude at times yet at the end of the day, his protectiveness of his family and those he considers he's indebted to redeems him somewhat. Mae is cold and quick to judge, but she is strong, can hold her own in a fight and is loyal to those under her protection.

Overall: 3/5

Despite what appears to be a low-rating for this book, I do have high hopes for this series and am very excited about the next book, The Immortal Crown, which just came out a few days ago. Now that the world building is fully complete and all the major characters are established, I feel this series will improve by leaps and bounds. Fans of Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series may be disappointed as this is nothing like her previous series but I'd still recommend this book for those interested in something a bit more complex.

Book Review: Raising Chaos by Elizabeth Corrigan

Raising Chaos by Elizabeth Corrigan

Series: Earthbound Angels (Book #2)

Publisher: Red Adept Publishing

Release Date: 4th February 2014

Tagged under: 2014 read, YA-fiction, mythology, fantasy, 4, review copy

Pages: 270

Buy at: Amazon

When good fails, chaos rises to the challenge...

The daily life of a chaos demon is delightfully sinful - overindulging in Sri Lankan delicacies, trespassing on private beaches in Hawaii, and getting soused at the best angel bar on the planet. But when Bedlam learns that the archdemon Azrael has escaped from the Abyss in order to wreak vengeance against the person who sent her there - Bedlam's best friend, Khet - he can't sit idly by. 

Only one relic possesses the power to kill Khet, who suffers immortality at Lucifer's request: the mythical Spear of Destiny, which pierced Christ's side at His crucifixion. Neither angel nor demon has seen the Spear in two thousand years, but Azrael claims to know its location. Bedlam has no choice but to interpret woefully outdated clues and race her to its ancient resting place. 

His quest is made nearly impossible by the interference of a persnickety archivist, Keziel - his angelic ex - and a dedicated cult intent on keeping the Spear out of the wrong hands. But to Bedlam, "wrong" is just an arbitrary word, and there's no way he's letting Khet die without a fight.

Book Reivew [Spoiler Free]

Back in March, I had the pleasure of reading the first book in the Earthbound Angels series - Oracle of Philadelphia, the review of which you can find here. I really enjoyed that book so when the opportunity came to continue on the series with the second book - Raising Chaos, I immediately put my hand up.

Once again, I was not disappointed. Raising Chaos is as good as, if not better than, the first book.

Following the events of the first book, Khet and Bedlam went on with their lives, expecting Azrael to be in the Abyss for at least a couple of decades if not centuries. However, while hanging out in a bar that's frequented by angels and demons, Bedlam finds out that not only is Azrael back, she has come back with a plan. Knowing full well that Lucifer will never let Azrael collect her agreement with Khet, she has an alternative plan - finding the Spear of Destiny - and with that in her hands, nothing will stand in her way to claim Khet.

This book is an excellent follow-up to the first book in the series. The pacing of the plot kicks up a notch or two as you realize things are no longer in balance as they have been and changes are in the air. Khet is on the move and keen for a change of scenery. Bedlam is looking for the Spear of Destiny and trying to keep a step ahead of Azrael. And even the angels get involved in this mess.

A key highlight of this book is Corrigan's handling of the multiple POVs. There is rarely any confusion with regards to which character you are following. Each character's tone and personality shines through the writing. There is the soothing calm tone of Khet, the bizarre and hilarious rambles of Bedlam and the sarcastic yet honest commentary of Siren. All three POVs are entertaining in their own right and have their own, separate stories to tell. (Bedlam's POV is a personal favourite of mine!)

And the ending! I'm possibly not the only one who's left speechless regarding the ending. I won't reveal what it is but rest assured, it's amazing. Sit tight and be prepared to be entertained!

Corrigan's twist on things shines through once more. I'm constantly pleasantly surprised at the way she casts shades where there's light and brightens what appears to be dark. There is no simple black of white. Angels are not inherently good and even they have regrets over their decisions and actions in the past. And demons are not all bad. The relationships between the angels and demons are complicated and intriguing. 

Overall: 4/5

A very worthy follow-up of Oracle of Philadelphia. I would definitely recommend this, as well as the whole Earthbound Angels series to those looking for good urban fantasy.

Disclaimer: A complimentary copy of the ebook was provided to me by the author and publisher in exchange of an honest review. The views expressed above are entirely my own and are in, no way, affected by the source of this book.

Book Review: Oracle of Philadelphia by Elizabeth Corrigan

Source: Oracle of Philadelphia
by Elizabeth Corrigan

Oracle of Philadelphia by Elizabeth Corrigan

Series: Earthbound Angels (Book #1)

Publisher: Red Adept Publishing

Release Date: 20th March 2013

Tagged under: 2014 read, YA-fiction, mythology, fantasy, 4, review copy

Pages: 222

Buy at: Amazon

How much is one good soul worth?

Carrie works at a diner in South Philadelphia, dispensing advice to humans and angels wise enough to seek her counsel. But there are some problems that even the best advance can't solve. 

Her latest supplicant, Sebastian, is unique among those who have sought her aid. He sold his soul to a demon in exchange for his sister's life, but his heart remains pure. 

Carrie has lived for millennia with the knowledge that her immortality is due to the suffering of others, and she cannot bear to see another good man damned when it is within her power to prevent it. 

In order to renegotiate his contract, Carrie must travel into the depths of hell and parley with the demons that control its pathways. As the cost of her journey rises, Carrie must determine how much she is willing to sacrifice to save one good soul. 

Book Review [Spoiler-Free]

Reading from an author for the first time is always a refreshing experience. There is always that element of surprise because I'm never quite sure what I'm in for. There is little expectation yet at the same time, there is no guarantee of a good time either. It's really 50/50. 

I found that I strangely enjoyed this novel.

Carrie, as the title of the book suggests, is the Oracle - the one from whom all the legends in the various cultures and religions originated. She has been roaming the earth for the past eight thousand years or so, settling in different spots for a while before moving on again. In modern times, she finds herself running a diner in South Philadelphia, with only her two friends, the angel Gabriel and the demon Bedlam to keep her company. That is all about to change when Sebastian, a seemingly ordinary human, walks into her diner and changes her resolve about not interfering in demonic trades of souls.

To begin with, this is an easy read. I really didn't have any struggle in getting the hang of the world or the state of balance between the angels and demons. Carrie's narrative throughout the book is soothing and calm. I found the transitions between the past and the present quite smooth and nicely done. Information came when you needed and they never interrupted with the flow of the story. The characters were all very well developed.

The story itself is interesting to say the least. While there is never any high-powered action that is common in some of the other urban fantasy works of late, the whole premise of the story is entertaining and uncovering Carrie's past as well as her relationships with the individual angels and demons kept me engaged for the majority of the novel. That, along with the soothing narrative, is why I said this is an easy light read.

I guess the reason I found my own enjoyment of this novel puzzling is because as I was reading, while I can find facets of the novel that made the novel enjoyable, I could also spot inconsistencies or faults that could just as easily make it not so enjoyable for others.

The main one being: you really do have to read this book with an open mind.

Not being religious myself, I didn't really have any qualms with Corrigan's twists on ancient history and the way she portrayed the angels and demons. In fact, I quite liked most of the twists she threw in there, especially the big one at the end. However, I'm not quite sure if that can be said about every reader out there. While I don't think this will raise the hackles of Christians the way The Da Vinci Code does, I still think some people may find the world in the Oracle of Philadelphia wanting.

Secondly, Corrigan wrote some beautiful passages in the book, with this one being my favourite:

I had spent millennium after millennium standing on the sidelines, doing nothing with my powers for fear of making the world a worse place or fear of losing my own comfort. I needed to know that I believed in something, that I stood for anything other than being some kind of cosmic doormat. And maybe I needed to risk losing everything in order to discover what I had.

And some of her descriptions in the world about the settings are amazingly detailed. Yet that didn't carry across to everything. Some of the angels and demons didn't get any description beyond their hair and eye colour, making it hard for me to visualise them. But that didn't detract too much from the overall experience.

Overall: 4/5

I really enjoyed this book. The writing for the majority is beautiful and Corrigan's twist on things interesting. I would recommend it to readers who are looking for urban fantasy and who won't be too fussed by the lack of fast-paced drama or action.

Disclaimer: A complimentary copy of the ebook was provided to me by the author and publisher in exchange of an honest review. The views expressed above are entirely my own and are in, no way, affected by the source of this book. 

Book Review: Seer of Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier

Source: Seer of Sevenwaters
by Juliet Marillier

Seer of Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier

Series: The Sevenwaters Novels (Book #5) - all can be read as standalones

Publisher: Pan Macmillan

Release date: December 1 2010

Tagged under: adult fiction, fantasy, mythology, 2014 read

Pages: 402

Buy at: Amazon

One last summer before her awaited destiny...

Sibeal has always known that she is destined for a spiritual life, and is committed to it with all her heart. The only thing left for her to do before she enters the nemetons is to spend the summer visiting her sisters, Muirrin and Clodagh, on the northern island of Inis Eala. 

But Sibeal has barely set foot on the island before a freak storm out at sea sinks a ship before her eyes. In spite of frantic efforts, only three survivors are fished alive from the water, and one of them, a man Sibeal names Ardal, clings to life by the merest thread. 

Life continues on the island, as it must, and Sibeal befriends Ardal as he begins to regain his health. But it becomes clear there is something unusual about the three shipwrecked strangers. Why won't the beautiful Svala speak? And what is it that the gravely ill Ardal can't remember - or won't tell? When a visiting warrior is found dead at the bottom of a cliff, and an attempt is made on Ardal's life, Sibeal finds herself a pawn in a deadly game. The truth will be far more astonishing than she could ever have believed - and the consequences for Sibeal unimaginable.

Book Review [Spoiler-Free]

After a long week at work, I had been all set to sit down and catch up on my backlog of books to review. I had even narrowed my selection down to either The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick or The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman. But then, before I started, I decided to continue on reading Seer of Sevenwaters, which I started a couple of days ago, and suddenly found myself unable to put the book down. And once I was done, I went and devoured the next book in the series, Flame of Sevenwaters. Now I can't think of anything but the Sevenwaters novels so here's the review.

I first came across Juliet Marillier's work in high school when the cover of the first book in the series, Daughter of the Forest, caught my eyes. On a whim, I borrowed it, consumed it over the span of a couple of days and fell in love with Marillier's style of writing. In fact, as I type this, I couldn't help but think I should have mentioned her works in the Feature Follow Friday post as well. Some of her novels are retellings of old familiar fairy tales and others might be as well, though I'm not too familiar with the stories. Every single one is beautifully woven together as a series yet each one is a standalone, which is awesome and completely ruins me for waiting around for new releases in an unfinished series.

Back then, there were only three novels in the Sevenwaters Trilogy: Daughter of the Forest, Son of the Shadows and Child of the Prophecy. Then, when I went to the library recently, I discovered that there are now three new books in the series. Seer of Sevenwaters is book #5 and it follows the story of Sibeal as she spends one summer before her sisters in Inis Eala before she returns home to lead a spiritual life. 

Wow, Juliet Marillier has not lost her magic.

The story, though seemingly simple on the surface, just continues to unfold and develop as you turn the pages. It is a slow but steady read and some readers may have issues with its pacing. Even myself, familiar with Marillier's style of writing, often find myself bouncing in my seat like a little child impatient for the storyteller to continue on with the tale. And Marillier does feel like one of those wise woman who sits by the fireplace and regales children both young and old with her stories. The language is stunningly beautiful, the imageries she create vivid and the characters are all strong and well-crafted. And when everything all comes to a head, as it does towards the last third of the novel, I was practically chewing on my fingernails as I willed my eyes to read faster so I can find out what happens. The ending is beautiful and justified, leaving me perhaps a little bit stunned as I did not see it coming at all. 

Plus, one of the best thing about Marillier's works are that they are all standalones so you can be assured of a decisive conclusion at the end of each novel. While they are all linked up to each other as part of the Sevenwaters series and characters from previous and future works feature in each other, you don't need to have read the previous ones in order to understand what's going on. These books never end in a cliffhanger nor do they give you the sense that it's one plot stretched thinly over several volumes because the publisher wants to make more money. Each novel has its own protagonists, its own obstacles, and its own unique set of adventures to tell.

All in all, I really did enjoy reading it and the book certainly does have Juliet Marillier's magical touch stamped all over its pages. However, I can't help but feel this volume is perhaps the weakest of all six novels in this series (only by a slight margin though). Sibeal, being a trainee for the spiritual life, is not a woman of headstrong action with a thirst for adventure, though she is nevertheless brave and fearless in the face of danger. And for a major part of this novel, I was afraid there wasn't going to be any adventures like the ones in the previous novels. Perhaps this is all due to the fact that this story did not take place in the familiar forests that us readers have come to know and love.

Also, I should note that these novels are not for everyone. I've already mentioned the issue of pacing and for those readers who love fast-action style of novels or are pressed for time when they read, I probably wouldn't recommend these. These works really do have that idyllic story-telling pace to them, which really needs patience and time for the reader to truly enjoy and love them. In addition, Juliet Marillier is unapologetic in her depiction of certain adult issues such as abuse and rape so if you aren't fans of those being in the books you read, I'd recommend you to steer clear. I still remember feeling semi-traumatized after my first read of Daughter of the Forest. (But not all of her works contain these themes, but I thought I should mention it just in case)

Overall: 4/5

It's a solid read and I always enjoy Juliet Marillier's works. However, I do accept that they are not to everyone's taste nor is Seer of Sevenwaters perhaps the best one to showcase. For those who are interested in trying some of her novels, I'd strongly recommend the original Sevenwaters Trilogy or even her other works such as the Bridei Chronicles. For the YA-fiction readers out there, try her YA works such as Wildwood Dancing or its sequel Cybele's Secret.