Tag Archives: mystery

Why You Need to Read: “The Mask of Mirrors”

Rook & Rose, #1: The Mask of Mirrors

By: M.A. Carrick                                                                    Audiobook: 23 hours 13 minutes

Published: January 21, 2021                                                   Narrated by: Nikki Massoud

Genre: Fantasy

            Still, she insisted that obsequiousness was part of the role, and no amount of correction from either Ren or Alta Renata could stamp it out. Sighing, Renata put in her earrings—formerly Letilia’s—while Tess retrieved ribbon, brushes, needle, and thread, and set to work, (2: The Face of Gold: Isla Prišta, Westbridge: Suilun 4).

            There is a young adult portal fantasy series titled Stravaganza by Mary Hoffman. Each book in the series follows an unhappy teen who stumbles upon a magic talisman, which transports them to a world that is similar to 11th century Italy. In that world these travelers find others like themselves, and they help them fight against a family which is similar to the infamous House Borgia. In that series, both magic and alchemy are studied and practiced by the characters in secret from their enemies. This series was a fun read and it had me wondering why a similar series didn’t exist (where I had access to it). While The Mask of Mirrors, the 1st book in the Rook & Rose trilogy—by M.A. Carrick is not a portal fantasy set in Renaissance Italy, I could not help but make comparisons throughout my reading of this book to the Stravaganza series. 

            There are 3 protagonists who mingle within their social circles consisting of other characters. The 1st protagonist is Arenza Lenskaya—a.k.a. “Ren”—who is a con artist and a thief. She has just returned to Nadežra with her sister, Tess, after being away for 5 years. Back then, Ren, Tess, and their brother, Sedge, were planning on leaving their knot—group of thieves bonded by blood and by magic—when their leader, Ondrakja, killed Sedge as punishment. Ren poisoned Ondrakja as payback, and then she and Tess fled the city. Now, the 2 young women have returned with a plan: infiltrate House Traementis—one of the noble houses—as the long-lost niece, Alta Renata Viraudax, in order to swindle away some of their fortune for themselves to live off from. Tess will play the role as Alta Renata’s handmaiden while Ren will play the role as a young noblewoman. Meanwhile, Era Donaia Traementis, the head of the House, is unsure what to make of the vagrant who may or may not be the daughter of her willful sister-in-law, Letilia Traementis. At the same time, her children, Leato—who is around Renata’s age—and Giuna, are excited to meet their “cousin,” especially since there are rumors that their House is cursed. Renata mingles with members of the other Houses so that she can claim her “position” faster. She befriends House Acrenix, she angers House Indestor, and meets up with Derossi Vargo—a known crime lord and businessman—who has a proposition for Renata and House Traementis. 

            The 2nd protagonist is Derossi Vargo—known simply as Vargo. It should be mentioned that Vargo’s dealings are as unknown as the crimes he has committed in the past. Thanks to his network of knots, Vargo knows what Renata seeks, and he is willing to assist her, for a price. One thing the denizens of Nadežra know about Vargo is his ability to perform numinatria—a form of magic based on geometry (and gods)—which he learned from an “unknown” individual. On the side, Vargo continues operating his “business.” However, after an attack at one of his locations, Vargo sends out his best men to investigate. This includes: Nikory, Pavlin Rainieri—who works in the Vigil, the police force—and, another who has ties to Renata and Tess. Strangely, Vargo cooperates with the Vigil with this case and “other” ones. 

            The 3rd protagonist is Captain Grey Serrado. He is one of the leaders of the Vigil, and he takes his job very seriously. He is willing to investigate the crimes on the streets of Nadežra so that trust can build up between the Vigil and the denizens, especially the poor. For example, when children start going missing only to return claiming they can’t sleep, Grey meets with Arkady Bones—the boss of the largest knot in Nadežra—and asks her for information about it. At the same time, he is investigating the explosion which cause his brother’s—Kolya’s—death; and, Era Traementis wants Grey to investigate Renata’s “identity.” Later on, when another attack occurs, Grey begins to wonder whether or not everything could be connected.

            All three protagonists find themselves involved in a conspiracy of politics and magic. Together with their friends and their allies, Ren, Vargo and Grey use their talents and their abilities to work towards their goals, and to save the city of Nadežra from destruction. The question all 3 are asking is: who is behind all of these crimes and why?

            There are 3 plots in this novel—1 per protagonist. Ren is conning her way into House Traementis as a long-lost relative of theirs. When she learns that helping them with their financial troubles can give her what she wants, she agrees to meet with Vargo in order to keep up the con. When her plans begins to overwhelm her, Ren transforms into Arenza and uses her pattern deck—similar to tarot cards—to read people’s spirits and relationships while learning about the ongoings on the streets. Unfortunately, when Alta Renata Viraudax becomes sought out by several individuals, Ren begins to wonder whether or not she is in over her head. Vargo is trying to move beyond his criminal status so he can be recognized as the businessman he has worked hard to become. However, someone is using his reputation in order to blame him for the death of Captain Serrado’s brother. Not to mention, his “mentor” keeps directing him in the direction he wants Vargo to go in. Grey has a lot on his mind; and, the cause of his brother’s death is at the forefront. Then, children start dying in the streets and it isn’t from hunger or violence. And, of course, the noble houses are fighting amongst themselves, again. Grey wonders why no one is taking the deaths of the street children more seriously, until the reason presents itself to him.

Out of all of the subplots, 2 garner the most connections to the plots throughout the narrative. The first subplot is the magic used by the Vraszenians. Some have power to use numinatria, some use astrology, and some use a pattern deck. To non-Vraszenians, they believe much of the “magic” is based on superstition. However, too many unusual ailments—including a new drug—starts to affect everyone to the point where everyone begins to ask, who is powerful enough to stop it. The second subplot surrounds the figure of The Rook, the infamous outlaw from legend who offers “justice” to whoever needs it the most—usually the poor and the orphaned. Yet, The Rook finds himself in a bad situation. On the night Captain Serrado’s brother was killed, several witnesses reported seeing The Rook at the building. But, there is one thing which doesn’t add up: The Rook does NOT kill. So, what happened that night? There is a lot going on within the narrative, but the plots and the subplots develop at an appropriate rate so the readers can keep track of everything that is happening to all of the characters. The subplots are essential for the plot developments within this story. 

The narrative is told in 3rd person limited from the points-of-view of Ren, Vargo and Grey. While each of the protagonists don’t know everything that is happening, the reader(s) know because they follow the events from their P.O.V.s and their streams-of-consciousness which are essential throughout the narrative. In addition, readers get a few passages from the P.O.V.s of some of the other characters, which allows for everyone’s thoughts and emotions to be known, which allows these characters to become more rounded. The sequence of the narrative can get confusing at times due to certain events being told and retold through someone else’s P.O.V., but this grants readers with the complete knowledge of everything that is happening at once. The memories, the flashbacks, and the visions are pivotal as well. The narratives are presented in a way that makes all of the characters reliable, and each one can be followed easily. 

The style M.A. Carrick—the joint pen name of both Marie Brennan and Alyc Helms—use for The Mask of Mirrors resembles an urban fantasy mystery where both magic users and con artists and vigilantes are involved. All of the characters know something bad is about to happen, and the protagonists are doing everything they can to find out who is behind it and to stop it. Not to mention, someone is using magic to harm children; but, whose magic is powerful enough to do such a thing? Both the magic system and the world-building transports the reader(s) to a fantasy world which will remind them of something from 19th century Italy (and maybe France?). An argument can be made here that both Ren and The Rook are homages to the fictional character, Arsène Lupin (think Persona 5), the gentleman thief and master of disguise created by French writer, Maurice Leblanc. The allusion to Leblanc’s series is obvious to those fans. Will one protagonist solve the mystery before the others, or will all 3 protagonists find a way to work together? The mood in this novel is jeopardy. Every single character is risking themselves in order to survive and to continue to make their way in the world. The tone in this novel is executing actions in order to do what needs to be done. Each protagonist finds themselves in scenarios where they must ask themselves whether or not their desires mean more than those of (several) others. 

The appeal for The Mask of Mirrors have been positive. A majority of the readers (so far) have given this book the highest praises. I would recommend this book to fans of the Hidden Legacy series by Ilona Andrews, the Chimera trilogy by Cate Glass, and any fantasy series with expansive world-building set within an urban fantasy world (i.e. City of Lies, Nevernight). I listened to the audiobook edition of this book, which was narrated by Nikki Massoud. Her performance, her voicing of all of the characters, and her pronunciation of all of the nouns made it easy to distinguish one from another. Thanks to her performance, I was able to keep track of everything that was happening throughout the narrative. Yes, this is a dense book, but it has a fast pace and the buildup to the events towards the end of this book will leave readers craving to read the next book in the series, The Liar’s Knot, when it is released at the end of 2021.

The Mask of Mirrors is one of the most underrated fantasy books of the year. M.A. Carrick presents a blend of fantasy and mystery within a world complete with nobles, vigilantes, magic users and characters who are trying to learn about themselves as they survive the madness within their city. Do not be intimidated by the size and the narrative style of the book. I promise you will fall under its spell.

My Rating: Enjoy It (4.75 out of 5). 

Reading Check-In: July 31, 2021

What book have you finished reading recently?

O!M!G! This book…WOW!

I started reading this eARC at the beginning of the year, but I had to stop because of classes. It turns out that I stopped at the right spot because I was able to dive back into the story when the story, the plot and the characters continued to developed.

It’s not speculative fiction, but it’s still enjoyable so far. I haven’t watched the movie yet, but I did read some of the Sherlock Holmes books as a kid so I had high hopes for this book. This is the 7th book in the series and the only one I’ve read so far; and, it’s an excellent spinoff!

What are you reading currently?

I’ll be reading this book throughout the weekend. I don’t know whether or not I’ll finish it by then, but I expect to make some more progress.

There are 2 plots within this story, but it seems like only one of them will continue onto Book 2!

What will you read next?

There is a reason why I started reading this book, which I can’t get into yet. That being said, I should have tried to read the eARC I received when I had the time.

I should read this book before the next one in the series is released.

I haven’t forgotten about this book!

I want to read this book BEFORE its publication.

I know my list of books keeps getting shuffled, but I read what I want when I’m in the mood and when I have the time.

Why You Need to Read: “Fugitive Telemetry”

The Murderbot Diaries, #6: Fugitive Telemetry

By: Martha Wells

Published: April 27, 2021

Genre: Science Fiction

            But whatever, now I just needed intel for threat assessment so I could figure out if GrayCris had killed the dead human or not and go back to my happy boring life on Preservation Fucking Station, (Chapter Three).

            I LOVE MURDERBOT! And, I’m so happy that both Martha Wells and TorDotCom continue to write and to release stories about this snarky, astute and loyal rogue SecUnit. Following up on the success of the Murderbot novel, Network Effect—which, I haven’t read yet—fans get to read, Fugitive Telemetry, the next novella in the series, whose story takes place AFTER the events in Exit Strategy and BEFORE the events in Network Effect. 

            Murderbot, the rogue Security Unit, is starting its new life on Preservation Station after rescuing Dr. Mensah from GrayCris. However, that is easily said than done. Dr. Mensah is experiencing P.T.S.D., certain members of her team still don’t trust Murderbot—for example, it can’t use its name because it might scare everyone off—and, oh right, there was a murder of human and Station Security is trying to figure out what happened. Murderbot is worried that GrayCris might have something to do with it and decides it’s going to investigate the scene so it can go back to adapting to its new life. Whether or not it wants to admit it, Murderbot wants to continue protecting Dr. Mensah and her team. It would never admit it, but it feels both welcomed and needed by them.

            The plot in this novella focuses on the murder mystery at Preservation Station. Who was the dead human? Who wanted him dead? Is there a connection between the dead human and GrayCris? Regardless, Murderbot is willing to work with Station Security—through its own methods and strategies—to put its humans at ease. The subplot in this novella is Murderbot becoming acclimated with its new life. While it is no longer a SecUnit for hire, Murderbot is not one to relax—although it wants to very much. In order to adapt to its new life, Murderbot has to compromise with Station Security, Dr. Mensah, and its instincts. 

            The narrative is told from Murderbot’s point-of-view in the past tense. The name of the series is more than a hint as to how the narrative is presented, which is in the format of a report that recounts all of the events after they occurred. Given that Murderbot is an A.I., the narrative includes the sequence of events based on its stream-of-consciousness, which makes it a reliable narrator. This brilliant narrative technique presents a straightforward and hilarious narrative that can be followed by readers easily.

            The style Martha Wells continues to use in her Murderbot series reminds us that diaries are private for a reason. Murderbot keeps track of his actions and activities in a way sci-fi fans believe an A.I. would when necessary. And honestly, if all reports were written the way the author has written for her protagonist, then they all would be just as entertaining to read. The mood in this novella reflects a dark comedy—or, a style of comedy that points out a subject matter that is too serious to present straightforward. There is a “dead human” and Murderbot has no intention of using euphemisms because everyone else is “upset” about it. The tone reflects agency, especially Murderbot’s. Say whatever you want about it, but Murderbot knows A LOT about humans, which is why it is so reliable to its allies. 

            So far, the appeal for Fugitive Telemetry have been positive. Several other readers and fans have given this novella 4- and 5-star reviews. This latest novella is an excellent addition to the series and the science fiction canon. And, with Network Effect winning this year’s Nebula Award for Best Novel, fans can relax because they are not the only ones who love this series. In fact, we can expect at least 3 more Murderbot books in the future. Where will those books fall within the series? We’ll have to wait and see.

            Fugitive Telemetry is a humorous murder mystery story that happens to be about a prickly A.I. who refuses to admit that it cares about humans. Fans can rest easy because neither the author nor her protagonist have lost their spark in this latest entry. Newcomers to the series have no idea what they’re in for and they should be prepared to binge read the series, and then wait for the next book with the rest of us. Now, I have to read Network Effect!

My Rating: MUST READ IT NOW (5 out of 5)!!! 

Thank you TorDotCom for sending me an eARC of this book!

Why You Need to Read: “City of Lies”

Poison Wars, #1: City of Lies

By: Sam Hawke                                                                      Audiobook: 18 hours 16 minutes

Published: July 3, 2018                                                          Narrated by: Rosa Coduri, Dan Genre: Fantasy                                                                                                         Morgan

                        I was seven years old the first time my uncle poisoned me, (1: Jovan).

            “The Land Down Under,” is also known as the continent, Australia. Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania make up the region with its own flora, fauna and culture. Before The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy, Australia was known for famous people such as Steve Irwin and Huge Jackman, but there have been some notable speculative fiction authors from the continent, too. Both Garth Nix and Juliet Marillier have had their books published in the U.S. since the 1990s, with Kim Wilkins and Jay Kristoff following them in the 2000s, presenting readers with a new spin on the genre. Now, there are two more authors from Australia that have captured everyone’s attention. The first is Devin Madson; and, the other is Sam Hawke, the author of City of Lies, the first book in the Poison Wars series.

            The story follows Jovan and Kalina—brother and sister—who have been training to take over their “Tashi,” their uncle Etan’s position as advisor and protector of the Chancellor (and his heir), as well as a poisoner, someone who tests all of the foods in order to avoid poisoning—both accidental and deliberate. At least Jovan, who is younger, has been training to be their Tashi’s heir. This is because Kalina didn’t pass her uncle’s testing, so she has been finding ways to prove herself to her family, so she doesn’t have to return to the family home away from the Talafan Empire’s capital. While Jovan learns everything about his upcoming role and travels the Empire with the Chancellor’s nephew, Tain, Kalina reads up on everything about the Empire so she can be of use when the time comes. Unfortunately, Jovan, Kalina and Tain are thrust into their roles when their uncles—a member of the Council and the Chancellor—are poisoned and die before Jovan and Kalina can identify the poison and find the antidote for it. From there, Jovan and Kalina must figure out who and what killed their Tashi and the Chancellor, and why. Besides Tain, Jovan and Kalina are accompanied by Marco—a Warrior-Guilder—and, An-Hadrea, a young woman from Losi of the Ash Estates, who meets Jovan and Tain and explains to them about the Darfri, their religion, and their role in the death of the Chancellor. Jovan and Kalina are the protagonists, yet they are able to grow due to their interactions with Tain, Marco and An-Hadrea.

            The plot of the story is two-fold. First, is who poisoned the Chancellor and his advisor. The second is the rebellion that causes a siege within the capital. The questions are: who are the rebels? Are they the lower class? Are they the religious fanatics? What do they hope to accomplish? As these plots unravel and develop, the subplot develops alongside the plot, which is the growth of the roles Jovan, Kalina and Tain take on. Tain is the Chancellor and Jovan must step up into the role of advisor as he aids and protects Tain while solving all of the mysteries behind the poisonings and the rebellion. Meanwhile, Kalina finds her purpose during the siege, and grows into the role she created for herself. The subplots are necessary in this story because it demonstrates how the world—real or fictional—keeps going and the characters have to adapt to the changes in order to survive the larger dilemma. Both the plots and the subplot develop and move at an appropriate pace. 

            The narrative follows the points-of-view of both Jovan and Kalina as the events in the capital of the Talafan Empire unfold from the poisonings to the siege to the revelations of everything that led up to it all. The narrative is told in 1st person and both Jovan and delve into the history and the politics of the Empire as they try to piece together the mystery that led to the deaths of their Tashi and the Chancellor, as well as the current siege. Both brother and sister are reliable narrators as their streams-of-consciousness provide their thoughts and their emotions as everything occurs. Not to mention, the time frame of the narrative provides a realistic approach from traveling through the country to how long military sieges can last. All of these components make the narrative easy to follow. 

            The style Sam Hawk uses is very intriguing. Yes, readers are familiar with multiple P.O.V.s and political backstabbing in such stories; yet, not too many fantasy stories start off as a low fantasy with magic having a “smaller” or a “limited” role within the story. This novel focuses more on the conflict while introducing the magic as a secondary bit of world-building. This is why each chapter opens with a (known) poison to the protagonists and not about the various Guilds or noble families, because the poison used to kill the Chancellor, which leads to all of the events in the story, has to be determined before someone else gets poisoned. The mood of the novel is a conundrum. Everyone is trying to solve several mysteries within a “short” time frame. The tone of the novel is the disclosure of those mysteries and what the revelations of them means for all of the characters affected by the poisonings. 

            The appeal of City of Lies have been positive. While the author has won several awards in Australia, Sam Hawke has received international praise and accolades as well. The author was even nominated for the Astounding Award for Best New Writer, which is given during the Hugo Awards. This novel joins the canon alongside other political fantasies such as A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin and The Kingdom of Liars by Nick Martell. And, with how this story ended, it makes the upcoming sequel—Hollow Empire, to be released in December 2020—an anticipated book of the year.

            I listened to the audiobook, which was narrated by Rosa Coduri and Dan Morgan. Both narrators were excellent as Kalina and Jovan, respectively. However, I was very impressed with how the two narrators seemed to tell the story at the same pace. I’m not sure whether or not the two of them recorded their parts at the same time, but they did an excellent job with keeping the pacing of the story balanced.

            City of Lies is a brilliant debut novel about the realities of politics and society within a fantasy world. Sam Hawke delivers a strong story about dealing with the bigger issues while maintaining composure so that even personal affairs can be handled discreetly. The guide of poisons reminds me of what I learned of plants from gardening and from Girl Scouts. I’m looking forward to reading and to learning more about the magic system in the upcoming sequel. This novel is extremely underrated and should be read by readers and by fans of the fantasy genre. Let us all wait and see what the author gives her readers next!

My Rating: Enjoy It (4.5 out of 5).

Why You Need to Read: “Gideon the Ninth”

The Locked Tomb #1: Gideon the Ninth

By: Tasmyn Muir                                                                   Audiobook: 16 hours 50 minutes

Published: September 10, 2019                                              Narrated by: Moira Quirk

Genre: Dark Fantasy/Gothic

            When as a young and disinclined member of the Locked Tomb Gideon had painted her face, she had gone for the bare minimum of death’s-head that the role demanded: dark around the eyes, a bit around the nose, a slack black slash across the lips. Now as Harrowhark gave her a little palm of cracked mirror, she saw that she was painted like the ancient, tottering necromancers of the House: those ghastly and unsettling sages who never seemed to die, just disappear into the long galleries of books and coffins beneath Drearburh. She’d been slapped up to look like a grim-toothed, black-socketed skull, with big black holes on each side of the mandible.

            Gideon said drearily, “I look like a douche,” (5). 

            Hype and marketing for a book is an interesting feat some people find themselves in. Publishers and bookstores—usually through marketers—are paid to advertise such books for sale. Librarians read these books in order to determine whether or not the book(s) are “appropriate for their library and/or community.” And, reviewers—including book critics and bookbloggers—read these books and give an opinion on why each book should or should not be read. There are moments when reviews are controversial because they don’t match with the public’s opinion or the hype surrounding the book. That’s not to say that the book is “bad” or written poorly, but it didn’t meet the expectations of the reader. For me, this is what I felt while reading/listening to Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir.

            The protagonist is eighteen-year-old Gideon Nav, an indentured servant of the Ninth House, who are the Keepers of the Locked Tomb. Gideon’s life at the Ninth House has been nothing but harsh, neglectful, and mysterious. Readers meet Gideon as she tries to leave the Ninth House for the 33rd time. Instead, Gideon is bribed by Harrowhark Nonagesimus—the daughter and heir to the House of the Ninth—to train to be her cavalier so that she can train to become a Lyctor, one of the Imperial Saints for the Emperor. Gideon is promised her freedom if she does this “for the Ninth,” so Gideon and Harrow travel to the House of the First to train and to serve. There Gideon meets and interacts with: Teacher—one of the Keepers of the First House and servant to the Necrolord Heights; Abigail Pent and her cavalier, Magnus Quinn, of the Fifth House; Coronabeth Tridentarius and her cavalier, Protesilaus Eldoma, of the Seventh House; and several other heirs and their cavaliers from the other Houses, and a lot of skeletons. Gideon—while reluctant to serve the Ninth House—does take advantage of being away from the only place she’s known, leaves the planet, and trains in swordsmanship. Gideon does have to follow Harrowhark’s orders—to an extent—but, through her interactions with the other Houses and the tasks she manages to complete with Harrow, Gideon grows into the person she wants to be without interference from the Ninth House: helpful, caring, and strong (in a fight). Meanwhile, the other Houses learn that there’s more to the Ninth House than its titular role. 

            The plot of the novel is straightforward: The Emperor (of the First House) has called for the heirs of the other eight Houses to train to be Lyctors in order to serve as replacements for the current Lyctors. So, each heir and their cavalier travel to the First House where they are trained and are tested to the best of their knowledge and their strength. The nominated Hands must figure out the “puzzle” of their House with their cavalier so that the Hand can become a Lyctor. All of this is easier said than done, but all of the Hands are willing to do it. There are a few subplots in this novel. The first surrounds what it takes and what it means to be a Lyctor. Harrow wants to become one, and she is an extremely talented necromancer, but the testing to become a Lyctor is a process that must be solved by the Hand and the cavalier working together. This is interesting because Gideon and Harrowhark do NOT get along. So, in order to get what they both want, they’ll have to put up with each other to accomplish the goal. The second subplot is the mystery of the Ninth House and its establishment, from the Locked Tomb to the childhoods of both Gideon and Harrow. The other Houses are more curious by this than Gideon is, but Gideon doesn’t know, and Harrow isn’t going to talk about it to anyone. Or, will she? The last subplot focuses on the strange occurrences that begin to happen to the Hands and their cavaliers. Everyone is interested in new recruits arriving at the First House, right? All of these subplots work alongside the plot of the novel in order to embellish the world, the characters and the current predicament within this novel. 

            The narrative in Gideon the Ninth follows a present sequence from Gideon’s point-of-view. Her stream-of-consciousness gives readers insight into her thoughts (cynical, yet curious) while learning about the other eight Houses, which is something that didn’t interest her until now. The world-building—which includes the history and the culture of each House—comes from Gideon’s learning of them. The fight sequences and the many revelations come from Gideon’s P.O.V. Some of what is presented to her is told as a recitation and not as a flashback. This means that Gideon’s reactions are genuine and relatable, which make her a reliable narrator. The narrative is intriguing and is easy to follow. 

            The style Tasmyn Muir uses in her debut novel follows Gothic romance. In short—and, according to A Glossary of Literary Terms—“The locale was often a gloomy castle furnished with dungeons, subterranean passages, and sliding panels; the typical story focused on the sufferings imposed on an innocent heroine by a cruel and lustful villain, and made bountiful use of ghosts, mysterious disappearances, and other sensational and supernatural occurrences,” (p. 151). Fans of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, The Monk by Matthew Gregory Lewis, Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, and Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë are familiar with this genre of literature. However, I’m saying that Gideon the Ninth has elements of a gothic novel, NOT that it is one! The “villain” isn’t lustful, the supernatural occurrences—necromancy—is part of the world, and while it does have dungeons and secret passages, the First House isn’t described as being gloomy (when compared to the Ninth House). These gothic elements enhance the story the author is telling, which she does very well. The mood in this novel is anticipation. The summons from the First House does not only contain orders to attend, but also a chance to serve the Emperor, which is something the heirs are taught to do from childhood; and, their cavaliers get to serve their Houses. The tone in this book is dread. In a world where necromancy is the magic used and the setting is gothic, readers should expect more than a few unpleasant things to occur throughout the narrative. 

            I listened to the audiobook, which was narrated by Moira Quirk. She does a great job with narrating the story, voicing the various characters, and with the pronunciation of the characters’ names. I would not have been able to pronounce ANY of those names on my own, so to say that the audiobook was a huge help would be an understatement. The narration kept me engaged with the story as well.

            The appeal for Gideon the Ninth have been positive. Not only has the book, and the author, received a lot of fan and critical acclaim, but also has been nominated for several awards including the Nebula and the Hugo Awards. I can see how this book can become part of the (dark) fantasy canon and how it will have lasting appeal. However, this book neither was worth the hype nor was the best debut novel I’ve read. I’m not the only bookblogger who feels this way about this book. Then again, I’m not saying that you shouldn’t read it. The story itself kept my interest to the end; enough so that I want to read the sequel, Harrow the Ninth, when it is released in September 2020. This book wasn’t my favorite one, but my interest is piqued to where I’m okay with rereading parts of Gideon the Ninth in order to understand the sequel.

            Gideon the Ninth is an ambitious debut which hits enough marks to make for a good and fun reading experience. While I did not enjoy this book as much as other bookbloggers, the story and the world intrigued me enough to finish this book and wanting to read the sequel. Please understand that just because I didn’t enjoy this book doesn’t mean that you’ll feel the same way. That being said, if you want to read a story about necromancers and sword fighting, with gothic elements, then this book is for you.

My Rating: Read It (3.5 out of 5). 

Works Cited 

Abrams, M.H., and Geoffrey Galt Harpham. A Glossary of Literary Terms. 10th ed., Wadsworth, 

            2012. 

Why You Need to Read: “Velocity Weapon”

The Protectorate: Book 1: Velocity Weapon                          

By: Megan E. O’Keefe                                        Audiobook: 18 hours 22 minutes

Published: June 11, 2019                                  Narrated by: Joe Jameson

Genre: Science Fiction/Space Opera

I am called “The Light of Berossus,” the voice said, (Chapter 1, The Aftermath of the Battle of Dralee). 

For every individual in a fandom, there is the moment, in which they were hooked, thus beginning their membership. For me and science fiction, it was my parents’ love for the two Star Trek shows which aired during the 1990s: The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine—yes, Star Wars was part of my introduction to the genre, too. From there, I started reading science fiction novels, until I stopped. Don’t get me wrong, I was still a fan of the genre, but I didn’t read as many books as I wanted to (there were plenty of movies, TV shows and video games, but that’s for another time). Sometime later I got back into the science fiction by reading the recent releases by different authors which had my exploring the genre again. Yet, it was Velocity Weapon by Megan E. O’Keefe which kept my interest to the point where I bought the audiobook so that I could know what happened after my “stop point” in reading the print book. This space opera reintroduced me to the science fiction genre and reminded me why I fell in love with it in the first place!

There are 3 protagonists in this novel, who narrate the events over the course of several years from 3 different settings. First, there is Sanda Greeve. She is a sergeant for the Ada Prime System, and the last thing she remembers is being shot by the Icarions before her evac pod allowed her to escape, onto an enemy ship—an A.I. Smartship. When she wakes up she learns is the only living being on the ship—The Light of Berossus, or Bero—and, when she asks how and why this is possible, she learns that it’s been 230 years since her ship was shot down. Sanda processes this shocking bit of news as she figures out a way to survive in space with a smartship for company. Next, there is Biran Greeve, Sanda’s younger brother, who has just graduated from the academy at the top of his class. This means that Biran will become a Keeper—a member of the Protectorate who leads Ada Prime and is one of the “keepers” of secrets and knowledge of the Star Systems, which are embedded in a chip that gets implanted inside their skull. However, as Biran is giving his speech, the Battle of Dralee—the same battle his older sister ends up fighting in—breaks out. Biran must behave as a Keeper before his indoctrination and before he can wonder whether or not his sister survived the battle. Last, there is Jules, a thief. During the latest heist with her crew, Jules and the others stumble upon two things: a dead body and a room filled with test tubes. There are other characters who interact with these protagonists throughout the story: Lolla and Harlan, Tomas Cepko, Anaia, and Callie Mera; and, they all help the protagonists develop into the people they need to be given their circumstances. Then, there is Bero, who is more than a smartship. It is aware of what’s going on more than its letting on to everyone else. 

The plot of this novel is an interesting one. The Battle of Dralee in the Prime Standard Year 3541 starts the story and the plot emerges from there, from the Greeve siblings. Biran must step up into his role as Keeper, while he breaks protocol in order to search for his missing sister. Sanda is drifting towards another Star System injured and alone on a damaged smartship. She must rely on her training and instincts, and on Bero to survive her situation. There are two subplots, which are related to the plot. The first one is the secret, in which Jules and her crew stumble across and what it could mean for them, for Icarion and for Ada Prime. The second one focuses on Bero and his motivations. Why is an enemy smartship drifting in the middle of Space? And, why did he rescue Sergeant Sanda Greeve? The plot and the subplots develop alongside the characters and the world-building at an appropriate rate, which make it impossible for the readers to lose track of everything that is going on in the story. 

The narrative jumps across 3 different years from 3 different locations from the points-of-view of several characters. All of the narratives are told in first person from the protagonists and the other characters perspectives. Readers must pay attention to the sequence of the narrative because while the narrative is the present for one character, it may be occurring in the past or the future for another character. The sequence of the narrative starts off with puzzlement for both the readers and the characters, but the events within the sequence keep the narrative in one constant motion where it can be followed by the readers and the audience. The characters’ streams-of-consciousness allow readers to know the thoughts of the characters and the reasons they make the decisions and perform the actions they do. There are moments of flashbacks within the narrative, and they provide clues of the bigger story that is being told. 

The style Megan E. O’Keefe uses in Velocity Weapon consists of the jargon of science fiction, the colloquialism of the armed forces, and the terminology for the world of space she cultivated for this series. The idea that two-star systems have been at war with each other for hundreds, or thousands, of years, with Earth as the potential beacon for the establishments for these star systems is an interesting factor to consider for the sort of story the author is presenting to her readers. The author is not presenting a science fiction story about two warring nations, she is writing a space opera—”a space story involving conflict between opponents possessing powerful technologies and abilities on a very large scale”—and about the consequences of hidden technology, which is the tone of this novel. The mood is hostility, including what it entails and how it is dealt with. While it is not that different from other space operas, it’s the way the author writes it that makes it very engaging.

The appeal for Velocity Weapon has been positive for sci-fi fans—which is good—but, minimal for the rest of the speculative fiction community. And, what I mean by that is that it is a great story that seems to be limited to one part of the literary fandom. There is enough of the same themes and ideas found in other works of science fiction and in fantasy fiction, yet it seems that more people would read this book and others like it if given the chance to learn about this story. There is a reason why this book was one of My Selections for Best Speculative Fiction Books of 2019. When I wasn’t able to continue reading this story, I finished it by listening to the audiobook. Joe Jameson’s performance of the characters make them easy for listeners to make out which character is speaking and narrating the story; and, his narration and voice is appropriate for the story that is being read by the listeners. The next book in The Protectorate series, Chaos Vector, will be released in July 2020. Fans of the first book are waiting eagerly to learn what happens next.

Velocity Weapon is an entertaining space opera about family, government conspiracies, A.I. ships, and an ongoing military campaign between nations that will keep readers’ interests from beginning to end. Megan E. O’Keefe demonstrates her abilities for writing engaging stories across the spectrum of speculative fiction. Sci-fi fans should consider adding it to theirs. This book is a reminder that space is a fascinating frontier!

My Rating: Enjoy It (4.5 out of 5). 

Why You Need to Read: “The Murders of Molly Southbourne”

Molly Southbourne #1: The Murders of Molly Southbourne

By: Tade Thompson

Published: October 3, 2017

Genre: Horror, Science Fiction

Winner of the Nommo Award for Best Novella 2018

            The rules are simple.

            “If you see a girl who looks like you, run and fight.

            Don’t bleed.

            If you bleed, blot, burn, and bleach.

            If you find a hole, find your parents.”

            Molly recites the lines to herself many times. She finds herself many times. She finds herself repeating them without intending to when she is bored, (Two).

            The Murders of Molloy Southbourne is an homage to classic horror and science fiction stories such as Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Frankenstein. To say that Molly Southbourne makes the best of her situation through survival is a HUGE understatement. If Tade Thompson’s Rosewater didn’t capture your attention, then his novella will!

            Our first introduction to Molly Southbourne is from the perspective of the person she has shackled in her basement. After a few interesting interactions, Molly Southbourne tells the person her life story. From there, the person—and the reader—learns about the unusual upbringing and life of this tragic individual. Molly Southbourne grew up on a farm with her parents. And, due to an unusual condition, she is home-schooled. In between learning about literature, languages, and mathematics, Molly learns hand-to-hand combat, different types of bleach, and pyromantics. These lessons are essential because whenever Molly bleeds, a clone of her appears; and, whenever a “molly” appears, that “molly” attacks Molly. In order to keep Molly’s condition a secret, Molly is taught how to fight, to kill, to butcher, and to dispose “herself.” As eerie as it sounds, Molly proves to be an intelligent and a resilient individual. Unfortunately, life gets more complicated as she grows into adulthood and attempts to live a “normal” life. Molly continues to grow as a person, but she can neither keep her condition a secret, nor cope with what her condition could lead to. As much as Molly wants to be “normal,” she cannot.

            The plot of the story is Molly Southbourne’s life right up to the prisoner in her basement, and it follows a traditional sci-fi/horror storyline. Molly’s entire life has been stringent due to her “condition,” and as the plot develops, so does Molly, and we all realize Molly can only endure her situation for so long. At the same time, the subplots—Molly’s prisoner, and the root of Molly’s “condition”—are developing. To say both subplots will remind you of a spy thriller would be an understatement. By the time Molly discovers the “truth” of her existence, both the plot and, the subplots converge, and Molly’s character development reaches its end. 

            The narrative starts off in the first-person of Molly Southbourne’s prisoner. The prisoner is disoriented and has no memory of how and why Molly is doing what she is doing. Chapters 2 and 3 are told in flashback by Molly Southbourne and she refers to herself in the third-person. In the last chapter, the narrative switches back to the prisoner’s point-of-view, which is in the present. While it is easy for readers to view the prisoner as a reliable narrator, it is difficult to perceive Molly Southbourne as one. Yes, the narrative is vital to both the plot development and the character development, and it can be followed, but—by the end—both the prisoner and the readers are left with more questions than answers. It is safe to say that Molly Southbourne feels the same way, but she doesn’t know what else to do. 

            The style Tade Thompson presents in this novella is a throwback to the earliest horror stories we now view as classics. The word choice and the sentence structure alerts readers that the author wants your attention. Both the mood—bizarre—and, the tone—apathetic—are obvious as soon as you begin reading the story. The author makes sure that the actions and the skills of his protagonist come across as “normal” and that the condition of Molly Southbourne is “unusual.” Tade Thompson allows readers to determine whether or not Molly’s story is believable. At the same time, the author uses pivotal moments of Molly Southbourne’s life—her first menstrual period, her first boyfriend, etc.—to remind his audience over and over that Molly Southbourne is unique and lethal in her own right. Tade Thompson’s style of writing leaves the story with an open ending; just like the classic horror stories.

            The appeal surrounding The Murders of Molly Southbourne have been positive. The book won the “Nommo Award for Best Novella” in 2018; and, was nominated for the British Science Fiction Association Award, the Shirley Jackson Award, and the British Fantasy Award. The Tor.com eBook Club selected this novella as its June 2019 selection (free ebook!). Readers and critics enjoyed it enough that its sequel, The Survival of Molly Southbourne, is an anticipated follow-up (published July 9, 2019)! The Murders of Molly Southbourne is an amazing addition to the horror (and science fiction) genre and demonstrates Tade Thompson’s talent as a storyteller. This novella is enjoyable to the point where it can be read over and over again; and, readers might find an additional clue surrounding Molly Southbourne’s life during one of their many re-reads (I did!). I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series. 

            The Murders of Molly Southbourne is the perfect story for readers who enjoy horror stories. All of the events that lead to the actions performed by Molly Southbourne and those she loves reminds readers that living with any condition is bearable as long as that individual is willing to bear it. Tade Thompson knows how to present a realistic horror story.

My rating: MUST READ IT NOW (5 out of 5)!!!

Why You Need to Read: “Rosewater”

The Wormwood Trilogy: Book 1: Rosewater

By: Tade Thompson

Published: first published November 15, 2016; reprinted September 18, 2018

Genre: Science Fiction/Afrofuturism 

Winner of the Nommo Award for Best Novel 2017

Apart from the classified stuff about sensitives and the xenosphere, most information about the dome is in the public domain, but it is amazing that the fringe press and conspiracy theorists have different ideas…There are those who believe the dome is a magical phenomenon. I won’t get started on the quasi-religious set,” (Chapter One).

A friend of mine gave me an ARC of this book from one of the many book expos she attends every year. Instantly, I was captivated by the information found on the back of the book. An alien biodome with “healing powers” appears in Nigeria; people with abilities are either forced into hiding, or forced to work for the government; and, the rest of the world—such as the U.S.A.—have found a way to isolate themselves from the aliens and each other. Tade Thompson’s debut novel is a great combination of sci-fi tropes, human behavior, and originality. 

The characters in this novel are not trying to save the world, or travel into space. These characters are surviving within their communities due to secrets and abilities that others would die to know about. Kaaro is the protagonist of the story and we learn about him very quickly; he uses his abilities for the two jobs he has: as a security “monitor” at a bank and as an “informant” for the government. Kaaro is a “sensitive” who can “find things,” and before he worked at the bank and for the government, he was a criminal whose actions caught up with him. Readers learn about Kaaro through his interactions with Femi Alaagomeji, his boss; Aminat, his lover, who has secrets of her own; Molara, a strange being that resides within the xenosphere; and, the mysterious “Bicycle Girl” who may or may not have some knowledge about Rosewater, the biodome and its purpose. This is how readers learn of Kaaro’s character. Kaaro degrades himself, constantly, due to his low self-esteem and his guilt about his past. 

The plot for Rosewateris learning the how and the why the alien biodome appeared on Earth, and why it offers “healing” to humans. The plot unravels as the story moves along with readers asking questions about the biodome, the aliens, and the rest of the world. The multiple subplots: Kaaro’s abilities as a sensitive is being exploited by his employers, Kaaro’s budding relationship with Aminat and the secrets they decide to reveal to each other as they spend more time together, and Kaaro’s past actions and how they connect to the biodome. All of the subplots are connected to the plot of the story, and it’s not what you expect it to be.

The narrative within Rosewateris told from Kaaro’s point-of-view and is told in real-time with the chapters jumping back-and-forth across a time span of 30 years in various, and actual, locations—an achronological plot. With the exception of the chapters labeled “Now,” the narrative focuses on events that provide answers to the readers’ questions about the characters and the setting. Tade Thompson’s narrative—which is similar to the flashback narrative in the TV show, Lost—focuses on parts from Kaaro’s past instead of all of it. This way, readers obtain what is relevant to the story thus keeping it on track.

The style provided by Tade Thompson in the novel uses a reliable narrator. Usually, authors do not reveal whether or not their narrators are reliable, especially in first person narratives. However, with Kaaro readers know he is reliable due to his outlook of his life due to the choices he’s made as well as admitting how and why Kaaro became a criminal and everything else that happens afterwards. At the same time, we learn of Kaaro’s feelings about the biodome through the author’s tone (his attitude) and his mood (how the readers should feel) about the biodome, which is suspicion. The style within Rosewaterprovides several mysteries within this science fiction story.

The appeal surrounding Rosewaterspeaks for itself. The novel was so popular and so immersive that it won the Nommo Award for Best Novel in 2017, and was reprinted by Orbit in 2018. In addition, Tade Thompson’s book was nominated for the John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Novel in 2017. The Rosewater Insurrectionis the sequel to Rosewater, and it is one of the most anticipated speculative fiction books of 2019, which picks up where the first novel left off. Personally, Rosewatermade My Selections for Best Speculative Fiction Books of 2018 for similar reasons.

Overall, Rosewateris a brilliant debut novel that fans of speculative fiction will enjoy. Both the setting and the mention of science and religion provide a sense of realism to the story. My only issue with Rosewaterwas that the plot development and the character development took longer than other recent science fiction stories I’ve read. Yet, the buildup to the reveal(s) by the novel’s end will stimulate readers into reading The Rosewater Insurrectionand other stories by the author. Tade Thompson’s method of telling believable science fiction stories will leave readers entertained and vigilant. 

My rating: Enjoy It (4 out of 5)!