By Ana on February 29, 2008
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Each month Thea and I choose one book that we both review. Last month’s was The Time Traveler’s Wife and we read it because it was the choice of our book club. This month, we chose to read Lord of the Fading Lands, due to the rave reviews online and the fact that Katie from Ramblings on Romance listed it as her top 1 read of 2007.
This month though we decided to change the format and instead of two reviews we are writing a joint one. Well, sort of.
Hope you like this one!
Title: Lord of the Fading Lands
Author: C.L. Wilson
Review number: Ana’s 20th and Thea’s 16th
Genre: Fantasy/Romance
Stand alone or series: Book 1 of the Tairen Soul series which will have 4 or 5 books.
Summary: Long ago, in the magical holocaust known as the Mage Wars, the immortal Fey and their allies fought to defeat the grasping evil of the Elden Mages and their dark-gifted supporters. During those wars, in a fit of grief-induced madness caused by the death of his mate, Fey shapeshifter Rain Tairen Soul nearly destroyed the world in a blaze of tairen fire.Now, a thousand years later, the fierce Fey king must fight to save his race from the brink of extinction and once again stop the evil rising in the homeland of his enemies, the Eld. The key to his success lies in the mortal city of Celieria, where the Mage Wars began, and with a young woman whose soul sings to him in ways no woman’s ever has, whose presence reawakens the primal fury of the tairen within his soul, and whose vast, untapped power can either save or destroy him and his people.
Review:
First impressions:
Ana: I literally just finished reading the book and everything is really fresh in my mind and if I were less emotional I could probably do a good job but as the emotional reader that I am, right now I only care to say WOW, I LOVED THIS BOOK. I loved every single thing about it and I can only berate myself for not reading it sooner.
I also realize that I have no idea on how to write this review.
Mostly because two sides of me are battling for attention: the side that loves fantasy and will tell you that this is a wonderfully crafted magic book and that Mrs Wilson has met my most wildest expectations in the development of a new world, which has its own languages, geography, peoples. There are the inner laws of the Magic world and a whole History that goes back thousands of years. Suffice to say that I kept thinking LORD OF THE RINGS, which is my favorite Fantasy novel and one of my top 5 best books of all time. People that know me well, know that I do not take my Lord of the Rings comparisons lightly and when I do so with Lord of the Fading Lands, I am giving it the highest compliment I could give to a book.
The other side of me, the side that loves Fairy Tales and Romance will tell you that the romantic aspect of the book is as sublimely crafted as the Fantasy side if not more. It has all the aspects of an epic love story and if the Fantasy is LoTR reminiscent then the Romance reminds me of a Cinderella story, my favorite fairytale.
But really, I must end the battle inside me because in this book the romance and the Fantasy do not exist without the other.
Thea: I also very much enjoyed this book. Well written, good array of characters, a solid (if somewhat rehashed) plot in a compelling universe. When I discovered that this is Ms. Wilson’s debut novel, I instantly became even more impressed. I’m not sure I loved this book more than any other I have read this year, but it certainly was enjoyable and a good, fast paced read.
As a fantasy lover, I was pleased with the universe Ms. Wilson created. As Ana says above, it is very Lord of the Rings. Understandably, LOTR is a genre defining work, and its influence is going to be felt in every author’s foray into high fantasy. Lord of the Fading Lands portrays an epic struggle between Good (the Fey and the Celierians who are neither good nor evil, but men) and the rising Evil (the Eld, evil mages)—which, let’s face it, is always gonna feel a bit reheated. I had some problems with the power hierarchies and ‘rules’ of the universe, but this didn’t detract from the general reading experience.
The romance was sweet and much more believable to me than the political intrigue subplots or the world building and magic wielding. I loved the characters of Ellie and Rain, and I am so incredibly happy that Ms. Wilson doesn’t fall into the pitfall of rushing characters together romantically.
My actual overall first impression of this book is how interesting it is that it was marketed as a romance, as opposed to a fantasy novel. I’ll cut to the chase—there’s no sex in this book, which is a romance novel staple. There is far more emphasis placed on character development and the fantastic elements of the story than there is on quivering loins. I wonder if this was an editorial decision, or Ms. Wilson’s own decision? Surely had this book been marketed as a fantasy, I highly doubt it would have received half the press and following it has now.
On the plot:
The scope of the story is grand and with an epic quality to it.
The scope of the story is grand and with an epic quality to it.
The Dark is Rising, and it happens to coincide with the fact that the Tairen are dying. And if the Tairen die, the Fey people will follow suit to their strong connection. The Tairen Soul, the King of Fey is desperate for a solution and dares to ask the Eye (…) to show him the way. The eye, shows him the figure of a red-haired woman who is the one that will save the. It just so happens that Ellie, the adopted daughter of a woodscrafter is also the Truemate of Rain. A truemate is the person that shares the soul of a Fey, the connection going beyond that of a wife or a mate of the heart and it is the most precious gift a Fey hope to receive in its existence. It doesn’t happen to everyone, it hasn’t happened in over a thousand years but most importantly it has never happened to a Tairen Soul.
After receiving the strange vision from the Eye, Rain makes his first appearance in Celeria in a thousand years, and he hears his truemate’s call. The Tairen within lashes out and tries to claim the mate of his soul, and Ellie—oblivious to her importance—is frightened. The book follows as Rain struggles to court Ellie and win her trust, for if their souls do not bond, Rain will die. The stakes for having such a rare gift of a truemate are exceptionally high, especially for the last Tairen Soul. Rain knows that he must be successful, because Ellie is not only his truemate, but represents salvation—she is the dying Tairen and weakening Fey’s hope for survival. Having now found his truemate and this incredible hope for the future, Rain immediately assigns a quintet of his finest Fey warriors to protect her and her family with their lives.
Ellie is no ordinary woodcarver’s daughter. Abandoned in the woods as a babe, Lauriana and Sol took her in and treated her as their own. Ellie has suffered from terrible nightmares and seizures since she was a child, and does not want to admit that she has a deep and exceptionally powerful magic within her, for she also feels that there is a great darkness there and she struggles to keep it hidden and safely locked away. Someone haunts Ellie’s dreams, and calls her to reveal herself to him in a cold, cruel voice. Ellie knows that above all else, she must stay hidden from The Shadow Man of her dreams, for if the darkness within her is ever to surface, she is capable of great evil and destruction.
Although impatient to return to the Fading Lands where Ellie will be safe from any threats, Rain must submit to the Celierian marriage customs and wishes of her family. While courting Ellie and trying to earn his trust, the Fey also must make diplomatic assurances and amendments with the Celierian King Dorian. The Celierians want to open a trading agreement with the Eld, claiming that the evil they represented and all the mages who were cause of the old war are long dead. Rain is the only one who senses that the Dark is Rising and knows above all else that the Eld are not to be trusted, but the seeds of doubt in Celieria have already been sown. The mages of the Eld are sneaky and subtle, and work through suggestion, doubts and fears, trying to turn Celieria against the Fey. There is intrigue involving the court, as a mage infiltrates and tries to turn Queen Annoura of Celieria and her court against King Dorian. Border skirmishes also occur and Fey steel is planted at the scene, again causing doubts and fears to surface.
And all the while, the Dark is Rising.
On the characters:
Ana: All characters are well developed, in my opinion.
I liked specially Ellie’s family, how her father is a strong and honourable man. How her mother is a deeply religious woman with very tangible fears about her daughter’s future. Her sisters were extremely cute.
The Fey quintet was amazing. And the friendship and bond that they share leaped from the pages of the book. Their fierceness and willingness in defending their queen along with their humorous exchanges made the sequences where they were present a delight.
Rain is fantastic hero. Even though he is Tairen Soul and the King of Fey he is still very much flawed. He is not a instantly wise, patient King. He doesn’t know everything and makes mistakes, both in his way of dealing with the politics and in his courtship.
In fact once upon a time he almost destroyed the world in a moment of madness after the death of his first mate, which was a woman he chose not a woman chosen for him. He at first struggles to accept Ellie as he thinks he is being unfaithful to his mate of the heart. But a mate of the soul trumps everything – because she is the other half of him.
Ellie is Cinderella – a peasant upgraded to Queen is a few moments who has to cope with the changes in her life, and with her inner feelings of not being worthy of devotion and the fact that as the truemate of a Tairen Soul she must be as powerful as he is. And she struggles to accept the magic in her.
Thea: I agree—the characters were compelling and rich.
While I can’t say I was digging the whole “Cinderella” thing, I loved that Ellysetta was not breathtakingly beautiful or incredibly confident. She is awkward and shy, but despite her timidity has flashes of deep steel beneath. When people belittle her or those she loves, Ellie’s transformation from quiet ordinary girl to Fey Queen is remarkable, and had me rooting for Team Ellie, guns blazing.
Rain also is a wonderful hero—he’s dominant and wild, but thank the Lord of the Light he is not just another growly Alpha Male dragging his woman off by the hair. He is haunted by the former mate of his heart Soriel—the woman he scorched the world for—and must reconcile his past heartbreak with the needs of his soul. Also, he’s not very good with courtship (besides the wonderful presents he gives), which provides some much needed levity to his character.
Another character that I loved was that of Bel, Ellie’s sworn second protector after Rain. A hardened, soul shadowed Fey warrior, Ellie manages to thaw his heart and give him hope again. You cannot help but love Bel, reading this book.
Also, the array of secondary characters was well written and more than simple stock cardboard. From Ellie’s quintet to the members of the Celierian court, each character had dimension and believability. For example, Queen Annoura is petty, spiteful towards Ellie—but not because she is simply EEEVIL and empty headed. She is ambitious, but her motivations stem from love of her husband, the King. When the mage tries to seduce her and turn her against her husband, Annoura is able to shake off the spell. Very impressive stuff.
Further considerations:
Ana: All the political ramifications of the battle that is sure to approach with the possible ensuing darkness : alliances will surely have to be forged between peoples in order to survive the threat but with the pettiness of the Queen of Cieleria, the stubbornness of mortals who have short memories and can not remember the evil things will not be easy.
We loved the fact that the bond between truemates must be worked. It is not a given and it doesn’t signify instant love. Even though they share a soul, there must be a period of courtship initiated by Rain and until Ellie accepts herself and him there can never be a true bond between them. It is interesting to note, that she can still deny him and carry on with her life. On the other hand, he will die if the bond doesn’t complete. Not only his life hangs by a thread so does the future of the Fey and of their world.
Thea: Word! The bond between trumates is not easily earned and cannot be completed with a simple “yes”. Both must share every facet of their being with the other—darkness and light both. Without this final bond, as Ana said, Rain will die. I also found it interesting that early on in the novel, after Rain discovers his truemate Ellie, his heart still yearns for his lost former love. The fact that the heart can rebel from the calling of the soul is wonderfully done, and lends an authenticity and originality to Ms. Wilson’s romance. I loved it.
Final Observations, recommendation and rating:
Ana: The book ends but the story is nowhere near its conclusion. The tale will span for another three books or four books, which is great for the development of the storyline and the different plots. Plus that fact that Ms Wilson doesn’t have to rush to conclude the story in less than 400 pages gives a great depth to the romance as well. To the romance readers out there: the romance is extremely well done, with all the elements of a soul mate story: Possession, Protection, lust. As this is considered a Romance above all , I am pretty sure of a happy ending. FYI, book one ends on a high note on their relationship with the first thread of their bond connecting them.
I finished the book and rushed to my TBR shelf to get the sequel because I was smart enough to buy it once I reached page 200 of Book 1. I wanted to remain in the world CL Wilson wove out of her magic hands.
To me it was a gripping tale of love and magic that I am certain will captivate both fantasy and romance lovers.
Thea: I too am very pleased that Ms. Wilson knows she has a good thing going, and isn’t impatient on either the romance or the fantastic spectrum. The opening and baring of one’s whole soul, especially for characters like Ellie and Rain is not a simple thing. Similarly, for real, palpable danger to threaten this universe, I appreciate the slow building of tensions and dastardly plots Ms. Wilson is amassing.
I did have a (very) few problems with certain aspects of the book, which detract from giving it a higher rating. Firstly—the power hierarchies. How are the Fey, especially Rain, so incredibly gifted with magic? They can control all the elements, Rain is an exceptional magic weaver AND has the ability to transform into a Tairen, and they can heal wounds, and they can read minds, and they can create force fields, and they are deadly warriors, etc etc etc. There simply cannot be this unlimited supply of magic without any consequence. Weaving a spell has no physical effect on the weaver, they can cast as many spells as they want for as long as they want without tiring or having their powers depleted. It’s like if someone was an incredibly fast runner, but was able to run a marathon at a 100m dash sprint pace, without ever breaking a sweat or needing a break. For every action, there must be a reaction—power doesn’t come from nowhere. Also, if the Fey are this badass and powerful, how can they not sense the magework of the Eld?
Also, I found it irritating that Ellie of course has her own unlimited supply of power and is not just a woodcarver’s daughter but actually possesses the skills of a master mage, able to weave spells subconsciously and is more powerful than everyone else. It gave me nasty flashbacks of The Black Jewels trilogy and Jaenelle with her dozens upon dozens of black jewels and limitless power supply.
It just kinda felt like…cheating. If the good guys are omniscient and all powerful, where’s the risk and danger? We all know Ellie isn’t *really* going to turn (and stay) to the dark side. Heck, even in Harry Potter, Harry is just an average wizard with a wide streak of luck and enough grit and tenacity to get through all his terrible ordeals. Why make Ellie some SuperPowerfulMageMaster?
Notable quotes/parts:
Ana:
Romance: Rain and Ellie’s first encounter when he feels her distress out in the crowd and flies to her and waves some brand of magic around them and says the usual Fey words to the truemates: “your soul called out, mine answered. Beloved.” Every single time, any of the truemated couples say that to each other, it brought tears to my eyes. I kid you not.
Fantasy : the sequence when the two Fey friends battled to their death, without being able to summon magic to help themselves. Fighting side by side as they did for over a 1,000 years and their sorrow was truly heartfelt.
It was Fantasy heaven. Brilliant and heart breaking.
And I want the Mages to die. Every single one of them.
Thea: I quite enjoyed the scene where Ellie first touches Bel and lifts the weight of shadows from his heart with her kindness. Also, the first game of stones between Ellie and Rain makes you go “awww!”
I also have to admit I have admiration for the sneaky, subversive mage and his well planned out ploys to turn Celieria against the Fey. Villains should be villainous and capable, and the Eld certainly are that. Well done!
Ana’s Rating: 10. One of the best books I ever read. To be honest though, I was torn about which rate to give. My first thought was “It’s a 10!” Then I thought, I should wait to read all the instalments to see how the whole thing proceeds and decided to give it a 9. But then, writing this review, I realised HOW MUCH I enjoyed myself whilst reading it and a 10 it is!
Thea’s Rating: 8 Excellent. While I very much enjoyed this book, it’s not exactly Kushiel’s Dart or A Game of Thrones. But, it’s good reading, I cannot wait to pick up the sequel and get back into Ms. Wilson’s world. I definitely highly recommend this book to everyone—it’s a keeper.
I am an emotional reader.
I love to read. Which probably sounds like the most obvious thing in the world since I share a blog about book reviews but really, I LOVE to read.
I love the act of reading. Of sitting down with a book in my hands and get immersed in a story. I love the mere physicality of it. Most of all, I love the emotional side of reading.
I have been a bookworm for as long as I can remember and yet I still surprise myself with my reactions to certain books. I can have such guttural reactions to some stories – positive or even negative ones. I am not one for calm, controlled reactions. Some books can make me sob, some books can make me laugh until I feel pain on my side. Some make me dream, some send me into crazy Internet research about a particular historical event. Dear Partner, who is not much of a reader, much less an emotional one, is always picking up my pieces, bless his soul, but definitely thinks I am well, crazy.
The interesting thing though is that I can never predict WHICH books will make me want nothing more than to hug the book (yeah, I hug my books. The “crazy” theory is starting to sound correct now, isn’t it?) or to throw it at the wall. It’s like opening a Pandora’s Box, every time.
For example, I never would have expected to like Twilight so much and yet I did. I devoured the book and I was still thinking about it for days after finishing it. And I may be writing the understatement of the century but it still awes me how different people react so differently to the same things.
The first time I realised how I can react to a story in a guttural way was when I read Wuthering Heights. I was 15 and spending the weekend with my best friend at the time. We were both bookish teenagers and were going through a “gothic” phase – reading stories about Vampires (Anne Rice’s), Dracula etc. and we thought we should give Mrs Bronte a go.
We both read the book at the same time and when we got to the last scene between Cathy and Heathcliff – where she lays dying and they have a convo where he says she is dying out of her own accord and that she pretty much will carry his soul to her grave and that he can and will forgive her for killing him but he can’t forgive her for killing herself. And that after chastising her for choosing another man over him:
“You teach me how cruel you’ve been – cruel and false. Why do you despise me? Why did you betray your own heart, Cathy? I have not one word of comfort. You deserve this. You have killed yourself. Yes, you may kiss me, and cry, and wring out my kisses and tears; they’ll blight you – they’ll damn you. You loved me–then what right had you to leave me? What right–answer me–for the poor fancy you felt for Linton? Because misery, and degradation and death, and nothing that God or Satan could inflict would have parted us, you, of your own will, did it. I have not broken your heart–you have broken it; and in breaking it, you have broken mine.”
It is one of the most powerful, gut wrenching scenes I have ever read to this date. There are people out there who don’t like this book at all but me and my friend? Sobbing through the whole thing. I am not talking about silent tears here, I am talking about doubling-on- your-gut, tears-streaming-down-our-faces gut wrenching.
Then we started to talk about said scene and to my utter and complete surprise, it dawned on us that we were both crying for different reasons. My friend was crying for Cathy, for all of the things she missed in life because she didn’t choose Heathcliff and his passionate ways, because she was dying and would never see her baby.
Now, me? I couldn’t care less for Cathy, good riddance to the ninny coward! I was crying for Heathcliff , because he loved her with everything that he was , because he was losing the only one that understood him. (I also realised then that I tend to side with the heroes, but this is a matter for another post)
I know it may sound naive but I do like when I am so absorbed in a story that my emotions are all over the place. I can feel uber excited or extremely sad or deeply satisfied after reading a book. I am trying to make a point here but I am not sure which. Maybe the fact that I love reading. Because it makes me so emotional.
Now, you tell me, am I crazy?
Title: If Angels Burn: A Novel of the Darkyn
Author: Lynn Viehl
Review Number: 15
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Dark Fantasy
Stand alone or series: First book in the Darkyn series
Summary: (From amazon.com)
Alexandra Keller is Chicago’s most brilliant reconstructive surgeon. Michael Cyprien is New Orleans’ most reclusive millionaire-and in desperate need of Dr. Keller’s skills. In the heart of the Garden District, Alex encounters the extraordinary Cyprien, uncovering a love Alex is willing to embrace, even if she must sacrifice her heart and soul to do so.
Why did I read the book: Having recently read and reviewed Stardoc by S.L. Viehl, some commenters clued me in that this same author had made a venture into the paranormal romance genre, writing as Lynn Viehl. Since I was so impressed with Stardoc, and from the positive comments, I decided to give her Darkyn novels a try.
Review:
Dr. Alex Keller is a rockstar in the cosmetic surgery world. She’s been on the cover of Time Magazine and been proclaimed as the “Fastest Scalpel in the World”. What’s more is she works pro bono, taking on cases of disfigurement from accidents and violent crimes, preferring to help those who most need her skills over rich, vain clients. As she and her brother are wealthy from the deaths of their adoptive parents, Alex can afford to be scrupulous.
However, there is one patient who persistently requests her services, and won’t take no for an answer. The mysterious Mr. Michael Cyprien, via his assistant offers Alex up to $4 million to fly out to his home in New Orleans and perform surgery on him—which Alex takes as a blatant show of wealth and arrogance, and detects something sinister. She informs Cyprian’s assistant that he has to go to a hospital to have any surgery performed, recommends colleagues that could perform the surgery, but firmly refuses to consider his case. Michael, however, is not having any of it, and has Alex abducted (read: drugged up on ether) and forcibly brought to his Louisiana manor to perform the surgery. Upon awakening, Alex is justifiably outraged…until she finally sets eyes on Cyprian and sees the extent of his injuries. His face has been brutally crushed, and covered in thick ragged scar tissue. He has no eyes, as the tissue has healed over them, no nose, and a gaping hole for a mouth. Alex is a healer and empathetic by nature—her curiosity is piqued, and as a medical doctor she cannot resist the mystery in front of her. That Cyprian survived such a brutal mauling that left him without a face is astounding enough—and then he shows her why he needed the Fastest Scalpel in the World. Upon being cut, Cyprian heals almost immediately. Any other surgeon would take too long, and his face would heal over mid-procedure. Seeing the once in a lifetime challenge before her, Alex accepts and is successful beyond all expectations—Cyprian is restored to his former beauty. He awakens and opens his beautiful eyes, and unfortunately for Alex, succumbs to bloodlust. Cyprian is not, as Alex postured, a medical miracle but in fact a Darkyn; a creature akin to vampires, an ancient race that survived the Black Death and roam the earth damned to eternal life. Michael manages to stop himself from killing Alex but in the process has infected her, and she begins her own journey from human to undead. Determined to ignore Michael and the magnetic pull they have towards each other, Alex tries to fight the infection using her medical savvy. Meanwhile, her brother (who is a priest) searches frantically for his estranged sister, and stumbles into The Brethren—a secret order of priests dedicated to hunting down and destroying the Darkyn.
Overall, this was a good read. I enjoyed Ms. Viehl’s characters, and I liked the spunky heroine she created in Alexandra (even if she was just Cherijo with a regular scalpel in Louisiana as opposed to a lascalpel on K-2). Alex’s dogged refusal to drink blood and accept becoming a Darkyn as she searched for a ‘cure’ felt genuine. Similarly, her brother’s struggle with celibacy and faith certainly was not a comfortable topic to read, and the torturous scenes involving him weren’t pleasant either—but they were effective and lent dimension to these characters. Ms. Viehl writes a smart story, and she doesn’t pull her punches.
The actual romance between Cyprian and Alex was enjoyable as well—they are two very stubborn characters, and the attraction they feel for each other is realistically portrayed. Alex has rough edges and refuses to be dominated immediately by Michael, exhibiting her strength of will and spunk (even telling him at one point to bite her ass, packing a nice punch as well). Michael himself was a bit of a wanker though (to borrow a phrase from Ana)—a bit stock in the growly possessive mate department. I enjoyed the romance as an almost afterthought to the actual story however, and I suspect this is why the book garners negative reviews.
What Ms. Viehl does best though is weave multiple storylines with deftness. The subplot involving Alex’s brother and the hideous torture and rape he undergoes at the hand of the Brethren is terrifying, yet engaging and relevant to the overall story. The baddies here really are bad; not your typical incompetent idiot villains. There are other subplots involving other characters, most notably the character of Thierry Durand who has been driven mad after being forced to watch his mate raped, tortured, then murdered by the Brethren.
This is a complex and dark book—not so much a paranormal romance as it is dark fantasy or horror. I’d warn romance fans that are expecting another sexy vampire fluff tale; Ms. Viehl isn’t about that. Think more along the lines of Anne Bishop than Kresley Cole—except Ms. Viehl is far superior to both authors, in this reviewer’s humble opinion.
Notable Quotes/Parts: Some of the truly haunting scenes involve Alex’s brother and his flashback to missionary work in South America, and his initiation to the Brethren. Ick…but in a well written, creepy way.
Additional Thoughts: Something else to note for the romance fans. I have not read that many romances, but in those I have read, reproductive parts are described with indirect adjectives and discrete nouns (i.e. “his manhood pushed against her”, “his throbbing member”, etc).
In this respect, Ms. Viehl calls a spade a bloody shovel, if you know what I mean.
Verdict: I enjoyed this book. Ms. Viehl proves again that she can write an engaging, fast paced story, and I’ll probably be picking up book 2 sometime in the near future. I still prefer the Stardoc series, but her foray into the paranormal genre has everything I could have asked for.
Rating: 7 Very Good
Reading Next: The Good, the Bad, and the Undead by Kim Harrison
Title: 30 Days of Night
Graphic Novel by Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith
Movie directed by David Slade; starring Josh Hartnett, Melissa George, and Danny Huston
In honor of today’s dvd release, I thought I’d write a review for 30 Days of Night from graphic novel to the big screen.
Before watching the movie in the theater, I purchased and read the graphic novel by Steve Niles with art by Ben Templesmith. I very much enjoyed the novel, especially because of the artwork. The colors are splashed and runny watercolor, dreary inky blackness with slashes of blood red cutting through the murk and gloom. It’s unconventionally stunning, and memorable because of it. I loved that certain frames would be almost panoramic in their beauty, but then the next few frames would be scribbled and ragged. I love reading graphic novels, and although my experience with them is pretty limited for me, the art in 30 Days of Night was different from anything else I had ever encountered in the genre. These were guttural and simplistic, and I would recommend buying the book if only for the unconventional nature of the art within.
Story-wise, the premise is delicious and something you want to sink your teeth into (hardy-har! I start with the lame puns again). The Alaskan town of Barrow is at ‘the top of the world’, above the arctic circle and preparing for its upcoming 30 days without sunlight. The story follows Eben, sheriff of the town, and his wife/deputy Stella. Having already taken out all cell phones, cars, and killed every sled dog in the town, as night falls, creatures of darkness descend on the town. And by creatures of darkness, I mean Vampires. Not your sexy leather clad vamps that you find in paranormal romance novels, but hideous, dangerous, bloodthirsty animals. Led by ancient vamp Marlow, they swoop in on Barrow and immediately begin to make hamburger meat out of all the unsuspecting residents. Those that manage to escape the initial attack hide out and try to stick out the 30 days until the sun rises again, in a sort of zombie cabin story. While the premise is intriguing, pretty quickly readers realize that the story is more of the same old cliché. Character development is pretty sparse, but seeing as the novel is only around 80 or so pgs long, that’s to be expected.
That is, until the ending—which I am so glad was preserved in the movie. Talk about an interesting twist.
Then, last year the movie version hit theaters, and I eagerly attended on opening day…err, night. Directed by the talented David Slade (of Hard Candy fame), I was excited to see how the book would translate in movie form. For the most part, I was not disappointed. The visual direction was spot on—using frames from the art in the graphic novel and extrapolating with movie magic. The dark, oppressive feel that was portrayed so well in the book was masterfully adapted in the movie—as was the slick, heady violence of fresh crimson blood on the bleak landscape. Mr. Niles did not shy away from gore and violence in his book, and Mr. Slade honored this in his film. There is a whole lot of blood and carnage in this movie.
The acting is decent—no one is gonna win an academy award, but nothing horrendous either. I actually liked Josh Hartnett in the role of Eben. I also liked the liberty the movie took in having Eben and Stella estranged. Yes, it is a cheap character ploy that amounts to cheesiness ultimately, but it gave a bit more insight to these characters that was not provided in the graphic novel at all. Another point I should mention, that I loved about both the book and movie is the restraint the writers displayed in regards to who the vampires are, where they came from, what their history is, etc. There was no data dumpage in either format. More often than not, when trying to rationalize the irrational and explain origins it comes across as hokey and contrived, and is a tempting pothole for many a horror story. 30 Days of Night is content to leave things as they are—vampires invade because there is no sunlight for a month and they are free to wreak havoc and carnage on an isolated town. That’s all we really need to know.
Marlow and Creepy Vampire Chick
There was, however, one aspect of the movie that I was extremely disappointed with: The Vampires themselves. They looked wonderful, all jagged teeth and distorted faces, dripping with dark blood…but who the hell made the executive decision to have them speak a different language?! All the vamps communicated in a series of growls and clicks (which were subtitled for the audience), in addition to Standard English. At first it was kinda cool, but after the third vamp-only interlude involving Marlow cocking his head from side to side speaking (an unconvincing version of) gibberish to the other vamps’ opening and closing their formidable jaws making hissing/squealing noises, it got old. Furthermore, it doesn’t even make sense! Many townspeople became infected and resurrected as vampires. Upon resurrection, how on earth would they be able to magically speak and understand this new language that they had no understanding of in their former lives?! Is the vampire language naturally imbued in their blood? It was a bad decision, in my opinion.
The same shortcomings the novel had were understandably present in the movie. There’s no way in hell any humans would have made it 30 days to see the sun rise—in all honesty, they’d probably be toast within the first week. The overall plot has been done numerous times before, 30 Days of Night could be considered a rehash of every cabin story since Night of the Living Dead, just this version happens to be at the North Pole. With Vampires. The shocking ending of the novel was preserved in the movie—and while extremely badass and cool to read/watch, again doesn’t make logical sense. But I’m willing to suspend disbelief—we are talking about vampires after all.
Verdict: Overall, I enjoyed the graphic novel and I felt that the movie adaptation did it justice. While this isn’t the most groundbreaking or original work out there, it’s certainly worth checking out. I know I’m picking up my dvd tonight.
Rating:
Graphic Novel - 7 Very Good
Movie – 6 Good, Recommend With Reservations
Title: Honor’s Splendour
Review number: 19
Genre: Romance / Medieval
Stand alone or series: Stand alone
Summary: In the feuding English court, gentle Lady Madelyne suffered the cruel whims of her ruthless brother, Baron Louddon. Then, in vengeance for a bitter crime, Baron Duncan of Wexton—the Wolf—unleashed his warriors against Louddon’s main. Exquisite Madelyne was the prize he catured…but when he gazed upon the proud beauty, he pledged to protect her with his life. In his rough-hewn castle, Duncan proved true to his honor. But when at last their noble passion conquered them both, she surrendered with all her soul. Now, for love, Madelyne would stand fast…as bravely as her Lord, the powerful Wolf who fought for…Honor’s Splendour.
Why did I read the book: I am reading Julie Garwood’s backlist.
Review:
Duncan of Wexton has always lived by the rule of discipline. He is tough knight, a Baron who has pledged allegiance to King William II and has put his duty as a landlord ahead of the need to be a loving brother to his three younger siblings. His is an ordained world and there is no room in his life for laughter or joy. Until he gets acquainted with chaos personified in the form of Lady Madelyne . She is the sister of his sworn enemy, Baron Louddon , another favourite of the king. Louddon has raped and badly injured Duncan’s sister and as revenge, Duncan destroyed his castle and captured Madelyne whom he expects to use as pawn in their battle of wills. But as soon as they have their first interaction he knows that he will never let her go.
It doesn’t matter that she drives him crazy or that she subverts his whole household into loving her. She even manages to turn his crazed stallion into a lamb who feeds from her hands. Everything without even realising what she is doing – she is the epitome of innocence and she has no idea of her true value because her whole life she was treated as a pile of nothing by her father and brother. But she is also courageous as she tries to cope with her fears and her feelings towards Duncan. They eventually need to get married so he can fully protect her and then their lives together start with Madeline realising that her power lies in the way she fiercely faces him, even when she is shaking inside. The moment they both realise that theirs is a bond of love is as sweet as it is funny.
Her interactions with his family are deliciously amusing and she becomes mother hen to everyone. But she is also so absent minded that she goes about her way suffering her near-death experiences which gives everyone near-heart attacks. Duncan succumbs to the unavoidable by eventually letting joy into his life and with her help, bridges the distance between him and his brothers and sisters.
All secondary characters are interesting and fully developed and I particularly liked Duncan’s sister storyline from her suffering after being brutally raped to her interactions with her fiancée, Gerald. The moment he avenges her is truly a moment of triumph.
As usual with Julie Garwood’s stories we are presented with a rich story of love in a well-researched historical background: The machinations of King William’s court are interesting to read and the scenes when they have to attend the Court to face Lauddon are extremely well written as are the battle scenes when have a grasp of the gruesome business of killing people. Madyline is caught in the middle of it a couple of times and her distress is so palpable, it is heartbreaking.
Honor’s Splendour is sweet, exciting, funny at times and sad at others. Truly, a gem.
Notable quotes/ parts: When she has a fever and starts hallucinating , thinking that everyone around her are characters from Homer’s Odyssey. It was completely hilarious to read as she struggles with the fever for three days whilst battling Duncan’s brother thinking he is a Cyclops!
Additional thoughts: The historical background when the story is set is a time of turmoil for England. William II is less than a respected King. No one seems to have liked him, specially not the Church with whom he had many problems. He was killed by an arrow while hunting in a quite controversial accident. Henry, his youngest conniving, brother, assumed the throne after his death. Both appear in Honor’s Splendour. And we have some glimpses of what could have been their interactions.
Verdict: I love novels set in medieval times and this is one of the best I read.
Rating: 8
Reading next: A Summer to Remember by Mary Balogh
Title: My Lady Notorious
Author: Jo Beverley
Review number: 18
Genre: Romance/ Historical (Georgian)
Stand Alone or series: first of a series of books featuring the Malloren Sibblings
Summary From Jo Beverley’s website: To save her sister, Lady Chastity Ware hold up a coach. Unfortunately, instead of containing an elderly lord or a wealthy merchant, it holds Captain Lord Cynric Malloren, bored after time at home recovering from sickness. To her exasperation, he insists in helping her, regarding the whole thing as an adventure.
While evading the villain who seeks to snatch her sister’s child, and the military raised to search for all of them, Chastity and Cyn fall deep in love. But Chastity is a ruined woman whose father will never let her marry a Malloren, and Cyn’s brother, the formidable Marquess of Rothgar, will surely not permit such a disastrous alliance
Why did I read the book: Rave reviews everywhere and I was curious to read something by Jo Beverley who is a prolific writer, winner of many prizes. I thought this was a good place to start.
Review:
I had such a great time reading this book! It was immensely entertaining which rather surprised me as I wasn’t especially excited about reading it. I mean, another cross-dressing story? How wrong was I! This was the most fun I had in ages.
We start out with Cyn, a younger brother to the powerful Malloren family who at the tender age of 24 is still trying to prove himself to his older, very charismatic brothers. He has taken up life in the army as a way to live outside their shadow and to fulfil his need for excitement.
Now, after recovering from a fever he is utterly bored and ready for some action which shows up in the form of a mysterious lady who, dressed up as a highwayman, kidnaps the coach he is in. He is not fooled for one moment about her sex but decides to carry on with the charade – he is at the same time amused and curious as to why a clearly well-bred lady has taken such measures.
It just so happens that Chastity, or rather Charles, as he has to call her for most of the book, is desperate to help her widowed sister who is fleeing her horrendous bother-in-law who has taken guardianship of her new-born son. She needs to get Verity to her childhood sweetheart for protection. They also need to escape the clutches of their villainous father who is mysteriously bent on crushing them both.
Cyn decides to help them and figure out that the best way of doing so is by dressing up as a lady with Verity as the nurse for the kid and Charles as the footman. And he does so, by wearing a dress, make up, a wig and red high heeled shoes, the whole shebang! This is such a different turn from the brooding, larger than life type – Cyn is not the bulky kind of hero, he is slim and he has what is described as feminine features including long eye lashes. He is of course, very attractive to Chastity and she has to fight her urges because she still thinks he believes she is a man. And then we get a fast-paced farce that made me roar with laughter at some points.
The story carries on and Cyn is still trying to figure out who the ladies are and then finds out that Chastity is the Notorious Chastity Ware, a woman who has been ruined in the eyes of society when her MOST villainous father arranged for her to be caught in bed with said horrendous brother in law so that she could marry him. Being innocent she refused to do so was beat up and had her hair cut as a punishment (which clearly helps her with her disguise). But never fear because at this point he is clearly falling for her and the early signs of protectiveness are already showing up.
This book is very audacious not only be presenting us with a hero who has no problem with dressing up as a woman but also by placing the characters in rather unusual situations – at one point they end up attending a proper orgy when they run into one of Cyn’s friends. Georgian times were wild baby! And even though they did not participate on the public side of things we still get some glimpses of some crazy caligulesque scenes before they settle on an orgy of their own, in private – that involved grapes, tarts, cream and other food stuff. Their love making is as humorous as their banter. And hot. I did mention the cream right?
And then the author punches us another time in the stomach adding the suspense of not knowing what is going to happen next – they eventually get separated and her father catches up. I was on the edge of my seat and I never felt that she was truly safe. All seemed to be possible and sometimes Cyn is not there to save her.
Cyn was a truly marvelous protagonist, he had such a lightness to his actions and words, always prepared for eventualities and with a marvelous certainty that the Mallorens can do anything! And I felt so much sympathy for Chastity –in a time where women were bound to obey their fathers and eventually their husbands and any signs of rebellion were duly punished. Yet she dared, as much as she could, to hold to at least the power of saying no, no matter the dreadful consequences which she could not escape. Until the wonderful Mallorens came to the scene and all gathered around her like knights in shinning armors once their younger brother declared his intentions.
Oh, there is so much more to be said that about this novel – there are so many tender moments, sensual encounters, funny scenes, adventures and escapades , sword fights and some jaw dropping encounters with Rothgar Malloren, the overpowering oldest brother. He has a story of his own and I for once, can not wait to read it.
This is a perfect example of a fantastic romance novel. It even has a beautiful cover and a sensible title! More of that, please.
Notable quotes/Parts: All the sexual moments in the book involved some kind of food and it was a perfect combination of erotic and funny. Who would have thought that reading about two people eating warm biscuits would send shivers down my spine:
Cyn and Chastity (dressed as Charles, still clueless that Cyn knows she is a woman) bought two Shewsbuty Biscuits and he popped on into her mouth and took a bite of his,
“still walking slowly backward. She took a bite of her own. He trapped her gaze and she found herself watching his lips as he bit again and chewed. He had beautiful lips, with a perfect bow-curve…… The muscles of his throat moved as he swallowed. His tongue slid out. He slowly licked a trace of golden crumbs away from those lips, leaving the gloss of moisture behind. His eyelids lowered sleepily, sensuously and he smiled. (….)
‘Taste, texture, heat’, he said softly, seeming to dare her to take another bite. ‘Life offers such beautifully simple yet rich pleasures for our delight. Taste them with me, Charles’. “
And that pretty much sets the tone to their most heated moments.
Additional thoughts: This is the second book I read which is set in Georgian times, and both had orgies. I read a few things online and it seems that the high classes had a certain joie de vivre that was utterly amoral and decadent. At the same time, it was also the era of the Industrial and Social Revolutions which means that not all members of the richer classes were simply idly sitting in their country houses indulging in their senses. As with any historical moment, there are the nuances, the ups and downs that makes the study of history so interesting.
Verdict: a thoroughly enjoyable book with rich history background, amazing characters and funny and endearing moments.
Rating: 8. Cyn is an absolutely delightful hero. And I can’t wait to read about the other Mallorens.
Reading next: Honor’s Splendor by Julie Garwood
I recently watched this on DVD having missed it on the cinema. Writen and directed by Julie Delphy (of Before Sunset and Before Sunrise fame) who also plays the lead character Marion, Two Days in Paris is a bittersweet tale of love between two people with very different 
backgrounds. Marion and Jack have been together for two years. They live and work in New York where she is a photographer and he, a designer. They just spent two weeks in Venice and now are making a pit stop in Paris before heading back home. In Paris, Jack is introduced to Marion’s crazy family, hip friends and has a glimpse of her former love life as he meets several of her ex-boyfriends. And what was supposed to be a romantic trip all of a sudden turns into a very uncomfortable situation where several truths about themselves and their relationship come to surface.
Specially with regards to Marion’s way of dealing with the emotional turmoil that they go through – at points I disliked her intensily and clearly sided with Jack but in the end me (and Jack) remember that life is not black and white. At any rate, it was refreshing to see that this time it was the woman with a very colorful past and not the man.
I think the movie plays really well with what we perceive as being the stereotypical Jewish New Yorker and the ultimate cool and hip French bourgeouis. The dialogue is witty and the story some times take a turn to the ridiculously funny but ultimately it is a clever and sometimes poignant story about two people who love each other and who stumble upon the terrible realisation that sometimes it is possible to be with a person without ever really knowing her. And the choice that you have to make at one point to really open up and show your true self. I loved it.
Even though it might be a bit cold outside and still technically is winter, we wanted brighten up with a look to warmer times ahead. We are stoked for the bevvy of superhero movies coming out this year in what promises to be one of the coolest movie summers ever.
In light of all the upcoming awesome superhero blockbusters, this weekend’s question is:
Who is your favorite book to screen (super)hero?
The Batman in The Dark Knight
The Dark Knight himself, the quintessential vigilante that crosses the line between doing what is “good” and doing what needs to be done
Spiderman in the upcoming Spiderman 4
Spiderman, Spiderman…you know the rest. Hailed as one of the best adaptations of a comic to screen ever, Spidey is one popular dude.
Superman in Superman: Man of Steel (working title)
The Man of Steel, faster than a speeding bullet, blah blah blah. Oh wait, this is supposed to be an objective poll? *blushes* You know. It’s Superman.
The Incredible Hulk in The Hulk
Yup, a remake with Edward Norton is in the works. No more “You won’t like me when I’m Ang Lee!” I mean, angry! The mildmannered Bruce Banner’s alterego, the angry, juggernaut-like Green Giant.
Hellboy in Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Demon from Hell, paranormal investigator extraordinaire, and a nice guy under the gruff exterior.
Iron Man in Iron ManTony Stark, brilliant inventor and billionaire, nearly invincible in his armor, and set on saving the world.
Wolverine in X-Men Origins: Wolverine Yeah, he ate up a lot of screen time in the X-Men movies, but you gotta love the berserker adamantium clawed mutant with an attitude
Gambit in X-Men Origins: Wolverine Ok, so he hasn’t been in a movie YET. But what girl can resist the smooth talking Cajun, Remy LeBeau?
Doctor Manhattan in The Watchmen
Nuclear Physicist gone superhuman, with pretty much every power imaginable, including control over space and time
Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
So…kinda cheated on this one, but if we’re talking about summer blockbusters, Indy has got to make an appearance for 2008. Technically the Indiana Jones comics didn’t come out until after Raiders of the Lost Ark, but in this case, we’ll make an exception.
Title: Dead Witch Walking
Author: Kim Harrison
Review Number: 14
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Fiction
Stand alone or series: First book in The Hollows (Rachel Morgan) series
Summary: (From kimharrison.net)
All the creatures of the night gather in “the Hollows” of Cincinnati, to hide, to prowl, to party … and to feed.
Vampires rule the darkness in a predator-eat-predator world rife with dangers beyond imagining — and it’s Rachel Morgan’s job to keep that world civilized.
A bounty hunter and witch with serious sex appeal and an attitude, she’ll bring ‘em back alive, dead … or undead.
Why did I read the book: After the bad taste that Dante Valentine left in my mouth, I needed to read another paranormal heroine who could help salvage some of my battered faith in the genre. Since paranormals are “buy one get one half off” at Borders right now, I had this on the shelf having picked it up along with Working for the Devil. I had heard good things about Rachel Morgan, so warily (but encouraged from the Jim Butcher and Kelley Armstrong recommendations), I eased into the world of The Hollows.
Review:
Rachel Morgan is a witch, working as an underpaid and unappreciated runner for the Cincinnati Inderland Security. The world that she lives in is not too dissimilar from our own—as in most paranormal fiction series’, it’s a world where humans have to share with Vampires, Were-creatures, assorted fae, Witches and Warlocks. You know, the standard fare. Humans are mistrustful and for the most part ignorant, judgmental asses; the supernatural creatures are dangerous, but have to deal with legislation and typical bureaucracy. Except Ms. Harrison’s universe has a funny, quirky tinge to it—after Watson and Crick (and Rosalind Franklin, thank you very much!) “discovered” the double helix structure of DNA, in the throws of the Cold War both the east and west began to fiddle with biological engineering. The ubiquitous tomato was infected by an escaped biologically engineered virus…which became the seed of destruction for humanity. The escaped Angel virus pandemic wiped out nearly half of the human population. While this virus was lethal to humans, most supernatural creatures were immune (exhibiting various reactions due to their unique genetic makeup)…and no longer grossly outnumbered by humans, they Turned. That is, they revealed themselves to the world and became an important, functioning part of society (not that they weren’t important before, but the Turn revealed them to humans).
The Turn led to a relocation of people, the establishment of new government agencies, and new laws. Enter Rachel Morgan, a witch in a career that is going nowhere due to her dislike of paperwork, and a meathead boss she keeps pissing off. The book opens with Rachel trying to tag a Leprechaun for tax evasion, which Rachel takes as an insult to her talents. Helped by pixie sidekick Jenks, and fellow star runner Ivy (a living vampire), Rache stakes out a bar and nabs the Leprechaun. With a golden opportunity in her hands, Rache decides to quit the S.I. and take three wishes from the Leprechaun, before letting her go. Ivy and Jenks decide to also quit, and join Rache in business, snagging two of her three wishes as payment.
Unfortunately, while Rachel quitting the I.S. is no big deal, taking Ivy with her pisses off Rachel’s former boss to no end—and he puts out a nasty death warrant on her head. Hence the title, Dead Witch Walking. The only way to stay alive? Rachel needs a BIG tag to buy out her contract and keep the I.S. off her back, and she focuses on nabbing a renowned charitable businessman who also happens to be a lethal drug lord. In between trying to evade assassins, keep her vampire roommate from coming on to her (and ripping her throat out), and mixing charms from scratch since all her possessions have been cursed and she has a big goose egg in her bank account, that is.
I was very pleased with this book. Rachel Morgan is a worthwhile heroine that isn’t barbed and doesn’t put on a “tough girl” front. Ms. Harrison writes a funny, endearing character in Rachel. She’s young and sensitive, but fair minded when it comes to her friends. Not to mention, she’s pretty funny. Not in a bitchy Anita Blake or cussed-out Danny Valentine kind of way, but in a less jaded, more innocently brazen of way.
The supporting characters are similarly engaging, and surprisingly complex. Even the big bad villain in this book (and in the next book I’ll bet) is more than meets the eye. The characters of Ivy (Rachel’s sexy, creepy vamp roommate) and Jenks (an unlikely pixie bodyguard) are more than just filler characters or simple sidekicks. The only problem I had with this book is how Rachel kept getting bailed out of trouble by her buddies and hardly ever on her own accord. But, then again, it’s nice to see a main character have friends that s/he can count on, and I liked the vulnerability that Ms. Harrison depicted Rache with.
Good pacing, good characters, and strong writing makes this read—even at 400+ pages—a quick one…and leaves the reader eager for more.
Notable Quotes/Parts: After a scary interlude with her vampire roommate, Ivy tells Rachel that she didn’t mean to come on to her so strongly, just that Rachel was throwing out all the wrong (right?) signals. Ivy hands Rachel a book (Vampire dating guide) to read to make sure the situation doesn’t happen again. Rache reads this portion on the bus:
“”If your vampire lover moves to a more private location in the middle of a conversation, be assured that he or she isn’t spurning you. It’s an invitation. Go all out. Take some food or drink with you to get the jaws loosened up and the saliva moving. Don’t be a flirt. Red wine is passe. Try an apple or something equally crunchy.”
Damn.
“Not all vampires are alike. Find out if your lover likes pillow talk. Foreplay can take many forms. A conversation about past ties and bloodlines is sure to strike a chord and stir pride unless you lover is from a secondary house.”
Double Damn. I was a harlot. I was a freaking vampire hussy.”
It had me in fits! Poor, unsuspecting Rachel.
Additional Thoughts: I liked the genetic spin Ms. Morgan put in her universe. It makes perfect sense that a witch’s (or a were-creature, vampire, warlock, pixie for that matter) DNA is different than regular old human DNA. And it was interesting to see witches and warlocks as a separate species from humans, even though they look identical.
Verdict: If you’re a fan of Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files series, you’ll love Rachel Morgan–Ms. Harrison has a very similar writing style, and the blend of humor and thrills is good fun. I enjoyed this book immensely, can’t wait to dig in to book 2.
Rating: 7 Very Good
Reading Next: If Angels Burn (Darkyn Book 1) by Lynn Viehl
This Episode’s Unearthings: Two of my favorite Daughters–Daughter of the Forest and Mara: Daughter of the Nile
Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier
This is the first book in the Sevenwaters Trilogy. While I have to admit I haven’t yet read the subsequent books, I believe that you can read each independently. Daughter of the Forest Ms. Marillier’s beautiful, haunting first entry, and is a skillful take on the Six Swans fairy tale.
Sorcha should have been born the seventh son of a seventh son. Instead she was born a girl, with six older brothers. Her mother died in labor, breaking her father’s, Lord Colum of Sevenwaters, heart. As an Irish warlord, Lord Colum turned away from the painful memories at his Sevenwaters home and dove single-mindedly into battle against the English, only returning to visit his seven children rarely, and not particularly paying them any attention–especially not Sorcha, who is the splitting image of her mother. Until, one day Lord Colum returns home with a new beautiful bride–who is actually a cruel sorceress. Determined to save her father who has fallen under the Lady Oonagh’s thrall, Sorcha and her brothers try to break her spell in any way they can. The powerful and crafty Lady Oonagh curses them though, and turns the six brothers into swans, doomed to remain as such, save for twice a year when they can return to human form for a day. Sorcha manages to escape, and now is faced with the task of trying to break the curse on her brothers, and save her family. The Fair Folk–faries, fae, whatever you wish to call them–help Sorcha by telling her that if she wishes to break the curse, she must weave six shirts from the burning, thorny starwort weed for each of her brothers. The shirts must be made by her alone, from the weed gathering and thread spinning to the actual weaving and sewing of the cloth. What’s more is, Sorcha cannot speak a word until her task is done, or her brothers remain swans forever.
This is a beautiful, heart-wrenching story of sacrifice, family, and romance. I could not put the book down. I even found myself biting my tongue to keep from speaking along with Sorcha while reading it! I kid you not.
Fantasy fans, romance fans, I implore you–get Daughter of the Forest off your TBR shelves already! It is simply, undeniably, brilliant.
Mara: Daughter of the Nile by Eloise Jarvis McGraw
This is easily one of my favorite books of all time. I first discovered Mara in the 7th grade, and upon finishing the book I immediately flipped it back open to page one to read again. Recently, after reading The Spymaster’s Lady and hearing Ana talk about how she had not read any other spy type romances, I knew I had to bring Mara up in my next Dungeons post.
Mara is an Egyptian slave. She has been sold so many times that she does not know who her parents are, nor does she know where she came from. She is educated and can read and write in both Egyptian and Babylonian thanks to a former master, but now finds herself hungry, bored and rebellious under her current ham-headed (and heavy-handed) owner. She takes a temporary break from her daily work, and sneaks away into the marketplace at Thebes to steal some food and enjoy the day, consequences of a sure beating ahead of her be damned! This frivolous decision on a beautiful morning changes Mara’s life forever, as she attracts the attention of rival spy lords. Bought by an agent of the Queen Pharaoh Hatshepsut, Mara’s gift with language earns her a position as an interpreter between Hatshepsut’s half brother Thutmose and his unwanted Canaanite bride. Mara’s mission is simple–during her sessions with Thutmose, she must keep her eyes out for any means by which messages are being sent to and from the caged prince, for a rebellion is stirring in Egypt. Mara, who cares not for politics, is eager for her chance at freedom and for the challenge her new position as a spy promises her. She makes way to the royal city on a barge, but unknowingly is sharing her ride with the leader of the Thutmose rebellion: the handsome but very dangerous Lord Sheftu. Unfortunately for Mara, her antics in the marketplace were also observed by Sheftu, who enlists Mara as a spy for his camp, thinking that she is naught but a runaway slave (and blackmailing her with exposure and sure death awaiting her as a runaway).
You do see where this is going, dontcha?
Mara, clever creature that she is, decides to play both sides against the middle. However, the more time she spends with Sheftu, the harder it becomes for her to keep her emotions detached and play the double agent.
This book is exquisite. Ms. McGraw wrote it in the 1950s, and the fact that it (as a young adult novel no less!) is still in print today speaks for itself. It is epic without being overlong, painted against a rich tapestry of Egyptian history and vivid prose. Mara is a quick-witted, devious heroine worth loving, and the romance that blossoms between her and Sheftu still gives me the goosebumps. Not to mention the political intrigue and palpable danger in every chapter.
Highly, highly recommended.
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