The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin

Book 1 of The Inheritance Trilogy

Rating: 4 out of 5


It’s hard enough for somebody to create a story that’s truly unique and refreshing. It’s even more amazing if an author does it in her first try. N.K. Jemisin’s first offering The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms immediately captures the reader’s attention right at the first page. It is a book of great, fantastic and intriguing ideas. Many of which are fit to be consumed by the modern 21st century audience.

Yeine, the lead character in the story, grew up among barbarians. Her mother, however, came from the Arameri family, the same family that rules only just about the entire world. Yeine’s mother forsook an empire to be with the man she loved and that didn’t sit well with Yeine’s grandfather. In fact, Yeine suspects it even got her mother killed.

Yeine got herself summoned to the capital city, Sky; where she went hoping find the answers to her mother’s death. Instead she found herself declared an heir to the throne. From now on she is a prisoner of fate, and a target for murder… by men and gods alike. Yeine now must find her way through the byzantine maze of politics, find allies in a world where no one can be trusted, and trust her fate, literally, to the gods - the same gods, by the way, who have fallen from grace and are now prisoners of men, used as tools for conquest, subjugation and oppression - the same gods who, if she isn’t careful, are just as happy to see her life ended, for very peculiar reasons.

Jemisin’s characters are powerful. And we’re not really talking about beings capable destroying worlds, but they are characters who leap off the page as if they are flesh and blood, which is strange to say for creatures that are, in reality, improbable. This is very true for one character in particular, the dark god, Nahadoth – wrathful, dangerous, brooding, complex, oh, so very wonderfully complex – he is the very soul of the story. One could imagine the author having fun writing about him.

From the very start, one could see that The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms is not your typical fantasy story. The flavor isn’t your typical type of quasi-medieval or even renaissance European setting, but quite overtly has strong tones of South Asian with a touch of East Asian, African and North American influences. Even the main character isn’t Caucasian, but probably of either North African, Middle Eastern or South Asian features. She is dark, and thank the gods for that, because it is quite refreshing seeing a fantasy world through different eyes, and it isn’t out of place. In fact, N.K. Jemisin shows that it can work. A good storyteller can make it work. Moreover, the author also brings a decidedly feminine touch to the story that isn’t quite off-putting to male readers.

N.K. Jemisin’s story is an amazing blend of fantasy and mythology and even and evolving myth-making where gods are involved and the stakes are not just the entire world, but the whole cosmos, but she manages to make the story low-keyed and not another large grand epic-scaled opus. It is convoluted, but not confusing, and quite easy to follow. Jemisin has weaved a story of contradictions and is another of those works that continues the trend of bucking traditions and taking the genre into new directions. If there’s any weakness, it is that her fantasy world is not defined so much in the book as much as you’d expect in any fantasy work. But Jemesin writes her story in a way that almost states that world-building is sometimes too much overblown in importance anyway that sometimes authors tend to forget other important story features: story and characters. And this is where she put her money on.

The gods must have listened because she’s hit a winner. Those Hugo and Nebula and World Fantasy Awards recognitions say so. And this is just the first book, by the way.

The Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb

Book 1 of The Farseer Trilogy

Rating: 4 out of 5

Bastard sons of kings. How many times have we read fantasy stories about them? Well, Fitzchivalry isn't exactly a bastard son of a king, he is a bastard son of the king's heir. Sent away by his maternal grandfather, he finds himself being taken by the royal household who can't really afford to totally acknowledge him, since his mother was lowborn. He is taken under the care of the heir's stablemaster and is taught to tend to the horses.

That by itself should have been the end of the story. But Fitzchivalry's (or more commonly "Fitz") seemingly harmless arrival into the castle sets in motion a chain of events that shakes the foundation of the succession and unknowingly puts his life in danger. He discovers he inherited strange powers from his father's lineage, is secretly sent under the tutelage of one of the royal advisors, Chade, and is taught to become an assassin in order to become a pawn of the king. Meanwhile, the realm itself is threatened by foreign raiders and in their wake they leave a horror more horrible than any wanton destruction they could possibly leave behind, of which no answer has yet been found.

It is difficult to pinpoint why this book captures the attention of the reader as soon as they open the first page. It may be the writing of the author, Robin Hobb; or it maybe the boy, Fitz, whose story draws people in. Hobb in some way attracts sympathy towards the main character and keeps readers coming back to the story. Which is amazing because her style is simply... simple. It isn't articulate like Tolkien, or lyrical like Herbert. Her story isn't mind-boggling like Mielville, or doesn't have the gritty realism of Martin, or the vast overwhelming scope of Erikson.

Her characters, if one looks closely, with a few exceptions, are just like any other character from any other fantasy book. Yet they stand out. There isn't a great warrior, or that cool sneaky dude. It isn't even action-filled. For all intents and purposes, this book should have been boring. Yet still, Robin Hobb draws us in. Maybe because she also breaks a lot of standards that have come before her that the story comes out interesting. Maybe it's the uniqueness of the plot and the setting (even though the world-building hasn't really been extensive).

Whatever it is, it says a lot about Robin Hobb. The Assassin's Apprentice (and its series) has been a favorite for many for years now, and its not because of the usual things fans love about speculative fiction. This book is liked mainly for its story, and the way it has charmingly wormed its way into the hearts and minds of its readers, proving once and for all that all a story needs, really, is simply good story-telling. And, thankfully, this is just the first Robin Hobb has to offer. Lucky for us, there's more.

The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss

Book 2 of the Kingkiller Chronicles

Rating: 4 out of 5

When people began to criticize old school fantasy as unimaginative, they weren’t talking about the genre itself. What was wrong with old school wasn’t the style; it was the various authors that recycled the same old concepts almost to the point of direct substitution. And so newer, brighter writers began a new trend in fantasy and made it grittier and edgier. And while the new trend undoubtedly propelled fantasy to new heights and made the genre recover its creativity, it seemed something was being left behind. Fantasy seemed to have lost what brought readers into it in the first place: its sense of wonder - the sense that you were in a realm that is magical, a place of dreams.

Sometime in the late 90s, one J.K. Rowling introduced readers to the world of Harry Potter, and proved that fantasy can still go back to its roots and still capture that old magic and captivate the heart and minds of readers with enchantment. All that was needed was a little bit of creativity and heart, even though some of the concepts weren’t quite that original anymore. While the Harry Potter series was aimed for young adults, it didn’t take long until old school magic recaptured the more mature readers.

The enigmatic Kvothe captured the imagination of readers when Patrick Rothfuss unleashed upon an unsuspecting world his first novel, The Name of the Wind. The orphan who clawed his way out a personal tragedy to exasperate the masters of the local University of magic with his silly antics, unwittingly save a town from a fire-breathing dragon-like reptile, and have his heart broken numerous times by the woman of his dreams, has claimed a spot in the pantheon of great fantasy characters in only his first outing (whether this is permanent remains to be seen), in spite of the fact that his story is incomplete and readers have just only seen hints of the person he is to become. Amazingly, Rothfuss has seemingly made Kvothe into some legendary figure even though his accomplishments have yet to be printed in his books. This is probably the first time that a fictional character has gained a reputation before his story has even been completely read. Quite remarkable, considering that the character for most of the story is still struggling to get out of his teens. Also, this only puts much pressure for the author to deliver according to the high expectations he set himself.

So would he live up to it in the second book? The Wise Man’s Fear opens the very next day as the one that ended the first book. Kvothe is back in the University, now promoted in status, with access to materials once forbidden to him, still clawing to find money to support his day-to-day living, still haunted by his thoughts of a particular girl, still determined to chase figures that supposedly only exist in legend, still playing his lute and his music. The book would soon take him to fend off enemies within the university, be sent off to a distant town and fight bandits, perform services for a noble, encounter a beautiful seductress, learn of the ways between sexes, become a fighting machine and rescue fair maidens in the hands of vile men. And before one starts to think that one might have heard of this story before… stop. It isn’t exactly the same one you think you read about. And therein lies the talent of Patrick Rothfuss. He took old school ideas, wove some creativity, and recaptured the magic and the imagination that made old school fantasy so… well… magical.

In The Wise Man’s Fear, readers begin to see more of the world Rothfuss has created, in quite a way unique to the series: by storytelling within storytelling. It is one of its integral themes. Rothfuss while telling his story takes us, at the same time, into the mind of a storyteller. Into the magic of weaving stories to entertain, whether through song, through music or through poetry. And by doing so giving the saga its heart and its passion. And Kvothe’s story is nothing if not passionate – and so is Rothfuss’ storytelling.

There are improvements that come about as Rothfuss having tasted success before. For example, his supporting characters, while mostly almost identical in the first book, are more fleshed out now and have bigger roles. But at the same time there are lingering problems from the first book. It does seem that this book could have benefitted from removing a number of pages. There were parts that it did seem that there was a lot of nothing really going on. Rothfuss also does have some trouble transitioning the story from one story thread to another sometimes making the transition seemed quite forced.

But are these enough to take away from the beauty of the book? Not really. No. The story of Kvothe remains as enigmatic, funny, witty, outrageous, foreboding, grim and marvelous as before. And by the end of the book, readers get a glimpse of the dark larger-than-life personality that Kvothe is stated to become. Not quite there yet, but one could almost taste it in the wind (pun intended). And it’s exasperatingly maddening. But it only makes one sit in exciting anticipation for the coming out of the next part of the story of the man who is reputed to battle an angel for the sake of the woman he loves. And whether this indeed happened remains to be seen.

Blood of the Mantis by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Book 3 of The Shadows of the Apt

Rating: 4 out of 5

How does one follow up on a action-packed grand war epic? Well, Adrian Tchaikovsky did it by making things a little bit mellow in his third book, Blood of the Mantis. After three bloody battles that leveled one city, almost destroyed one, and put another in a practical state of siege, one shouldn’t wonder that the characters of the Shadows of the Apt series are practically exhausted. And, probably, so would the readers, too.

Tchaikovsky quiets things down by making Blood of the Mantis a story of subterfuge and espionage and political wrangling - which doesn’t mean things slow down to a crawl. The Wasp Empire is still on the march, although a little bit jarred on their tracks. While they have taken the industrial city of Helleron and razed the Ant-city of Tark, they lost an Army to an ambush by Mantis warriors, and almost got another destroyed by the Ants of Sarn, if not for the timely arrival of a new powerful weapon, the snapbow, forcing the army of Sarn into retreat in disarray into their city. Now, the Wasps are regrouping and preparing to make the final investment of Sarn all the while keeping an eye on their main prize of Collegium and also towards the exotic Spiderlands.

Meanwhile, in the capital city, plans are set into motion for the recovery of an ancient artifact that may just give to whoever happens to hold it, the power to destroy nations. Magic, it seems, contrary to what people have come to believe is not dead in this world and is preparing to make a huge comeback. Already in this book, the characters indeed find themselves battling shadow-forms that are clearly magical in source.

In order to counter the Wasps, Stenwold Maker, the Beetle-kinden who has now been fighting his own personal war against the Wasps for decades now sends his allies into two directions. He sends Cheerwell and Nero towards the Spider-city of Solarno, while the Achaeos leads Tisamon, Tynisia into a frontier town searching for the missing ancient artifact before it can get to the hands of the enemy, taking with them for assistance two renegade Wasps, the hunter Gaved and one very notorious Major Thalric, formerly of the Rekef. Moreover, Stenwold himself, who through a strange twist of fate came into possession of the plans of the dreaded snapbow, has to decide whether to proliferate it to his “allies” in the Lowlands, who could just as easily use the weapon on one another.

Tchaikovsky ably weaves the plot that is becoming more and more complex as the series moves on without missing a beat. And as before, his strong point remains his characters, as unique as they are; his characters breathe life that complements his plot. More and more, his series is becoming an exploration of man's worst activities: the desire of one society to dominate others for national interests, man's fascination with war as a social means, and the arms race - the desire of man to create more and more complex ways do destroy his own society without ever realizing it.

But with the ever-increasing size and complexity of the plot, the number of significant characters also increases. This means that some of the characters don’t get focused on the current storyline. For this book in particular, it is rather disappointing that Thalric, who was probably the most enigmatic and charismatic character of the previous two books (and an antagonist, at that) is relegated to a background role for this book.

The world-building remains on the surface, too - as it was in the first two books. Sure, there are new and interesting kindens, we get a glimpse of interesting races ready to make major impact on succeeding books, but the readers, as your typical epic fantasy followers, would find themselves wishing there was more background stories concerning these peoples, this cities and cultures, because from what you read, they sure are interesting. One just wishes there is more.

Still, at the end of the day, Tchaikovsky has delivered yet another good installment on the series and a fine contrast to the slam-bang action one went through in Dragonfly Falling. Certainly, he delivers a book where the story, the characters and the world built becomes more and more interesting as the plot progresses. For most of the readers the final chapters will for sure make them wish they had their hands on the next chapter of this wonderful story.

Dragonfly Falling by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Book 2 of 6 of Shadows of the Apt

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Adrian Tchaikovsky offers us a profound thought: if weapon-makers were mandated that they should be the first ones to test the weapons they create on live subjects then maybe the arms race would slow down. But then again we are talking about mankind with all its faults, including, for some, a particular fascination for mass destruction.

This is just one of the themes presented in the second installation of The Shadows of the Apt series which started with Empire in Black and Gold. In Dragonfly Falling, Tchaikovsky amps up the level of action and offers and amazing story of battles. It includes two desperate city-sieges and a set-piece battle and they blow away everything in their path.

After the events of Empire…, the Wasp Empire continues on their mission to control the Lowlands and are two full armies are on the march. One is headed for the Ant city of Tark, while the other heads towards Kes, another Ant city. No one seems to be capable of stopping such a juggernaut as the Lowland cities are still disunited – the city of Collegium itself, where the main protagonist Stenwold Maker bases his activities against the Wasps, refuses to believe that the Empire is aiming towards the center of learning that is their city.

Meanwhile, the characters from the first book are separated from each other going through different missions: Totho and Salma head for Tark to spy on the Wasps; Tisamon has taken his daughter Tynisia to a dangerous quest towards his homeland, where half-Spider-kindens aren’t exactly welcome on the pain of death; Cheerwell and Achaeos are in Sarn, trying to convince the Ant-kinden there to send help to Collegium in fighting the Wasp army.

By now the reader is now used to the idea of human-insect hybrids that makes up the races of this particular world, and that these “kindens” are subdivided into those that understand technology and those that remain tuned to the old world of magic (if it did exist). The concept takes off in this book and soars to delirous heights. Fast flying machines battle the skies against giant flying insects, huge zepellins drop incendiary bombs on a city evoking images akin to World War I or II, automotive machines (tanks) plow through armies, and new weapons are invented that shoot projectiles capable of piercing through the sturdiest armor. Tchaikovksy paints an amazing world that blends quasi-medieval cultures with steampunkish technology and it paints quite well in his canvas.

And through it all, Tchaikovsky introduces more new kindens, and expands the world-building, making for a more interesting setting, giving special focus on the Ants - those disciplined, martial race of tough warriors who can communicate through their thoughts. And they are both the good guys and the bad guys.

Tchaikovsky writes a spectacular action and it succeeds in gripping the reader not only because of the great pace (that, daresay, would give Steven Erikson, the current master of epic fantasy battle scenes, a run for his money), but also for the insightful thoughts that the author drops into them. Example, in one scene he tackles the question of the arms race. Would man just keep on finding new and better ways to kill each other? Or would it somehow stop because

“the weapons would become…so terrible that if anyone used them… everyone would die.”

Sadly, Tchaikovsky also presents a possible answer in the next line:

“There is no weapon so terrible that mankind will not put to use. On that day that you describe, the end of war would come only after the end of everything else.”

Has the human race reached that point?

Moreover, Adrian Tchaikovsky did not leave behind what made the series interesting in the first place: character development. Each of the character grows. (One main character in this story would become something no one probably would expect.) Even the antagonists are quite fully developed. The author knows how to build rich fully-dimensioned characters and they help keep the reader in the story.

Of course, there are shortfalls. Despite the amazing races, places, gadgets, technologies or personalities that the story has, the world doesn’t have a rich history and background. It would have been great if readers knew, say, how the Commonweal came to be established; what the culture of its people is; what happened during their 12-year war with the Wasps. Or who founded the college city of Collegium. Or why the Ant-kindens want to kill each other. There is none of that. Or at least, they haven’t been revealed yet. And the world still comes up a little shallow, as it did in the first book; and pales when one thinks about the worlds of Tolkien, Erikson, Martin, or even just the city of Bas-Lag from Mielville.

Yet, this doesn’t take away the fact that the reader will walk away with one heck of an adrenaline-filled story. The amazing three battle scenes alone would be worth one’s while. New interesting characters are introduced, although at the expense of page-time for some of the existing ones. Ugly politics, nefarious schemes, dark forces and ominous portents, a great blend of technology and magic. One would be hard-pressed not to love this book.

Boneshaker by Cherie Priest

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Contemporary speculative fiction writers nowadays love to mix and match sub-genres. It illustrates a willingness to explore the limits of the possibilities open to them.

Take, for example the latest work of horror/sci-fi author, Cherie Priest, Boneshaker. It is alternate history - it takes place in Seattle, Washington, USA during the late 19th century at the time of when rumors of gold in the frozen Klondike brings prospectors to the area from all over the place, even as far as Russia. However, in this world's Seattle, the American Civil war hasn't yet ended and has been going on for decades now. It is steampunk (fast becoming a favorite of many new authors), where clockwork technology exists. And there are also zombies....

The story evolves when Russian prospectors commission a Seattle inventor named Leviticus Blue to create a machine that would make it possible to drill through the hard Alaskan ice. But when Blue tests his creation, things go awry which unleashes a wave of destruction on a major part of the city and caused many deaths. But that isn't the worst part. The machine inadvertently releases some sort of gas that was hidden deep beneath the city, which makes those who breath it turn into... zombies.

Turn the reader's attention to the widow of Leviticus Blue, now called Briar Wilkes, who now many years later tries to eke out a living on what is left of the Seattle outskirts trying, but not quite succeeding, to escape the past. She is with her son, Zeke, who was born just after the incident, whom she also tries to protect from the history of her family. The problem is that, Zeke does not want to distance himself from it and refuses to believe the bad name placed upon his family and himself. Frustrated, and exasperated at his mother for not telling him anything significant about the event, and interested in clearing his family's and his father's name, Zeke decides to find the truth by entering the inner city, now cut off by an encircling wall, entering the place where the Blight (the gas that was unleashed) runs rampant, entering a city full of "rotters"... yep, that's what they call the zombies.

This forces Briar to go after Zeke in hopes of ever seeing him alive again. She enters a city, surprisingly still full of people... who are still alive. Who earn a living by some means. A city now seemingly being ruled by some inventor who calls himself Dr. Minnericht, and very much resembles the man who was once Leviticus Blue. Needless to say, Briar must approach this man where her son will surely be drawn to, and somehow force herself to face the truth of the events that happened years ago with the rampage of the machine called the Boneshaker.

The idea of steampunk and zombies is quite appealing and Cherie Priest delivers quite well. The language and the style is light and an easy read. Her characters are fascinating - from the airship captains, the one-armed lady whose remaining limb is bionic, the armored tough guy and more. Although there is a feeling that some of these characters aren't developed enough in this story and the climax seems to happen a little bit too quickly. But the work is interesting, and more importantly, entertaining. And one couldn't go wrong with that. And being nominated for the Hugo and Nebula awards certainly shows that Ms. Priest did something right.

The Warded Man by Peter V. Brett

Rating: 4.5 out of 5


Night is death and the sun brings life. Literally. Such is the world in the debut novel of Peter V. Brett, The Warded Man (published as The Painted Man in the UK), the first of an unnamed series. At night, the demons (or corelings, as they are called) come and kill everybody in sight. Man's only hope are wards (arcane writings that stop demons). Therefore every house is warded, as is every city wall. But it is small comfort to the populace as wards may fail (writings may fade, or get covered by dirt or some other materials) and when the demons get through, those lucky enough die quickly. Only few men dare come out at night, these are the Messengers. They are those who dare the night, guarded by their wards out on the road between cities. They bring letters, news and trade goods from one place to another – they are the lifeline of cities in man's eternal battle with the Core (or Hell). But man is losing the fight against the demons. For reasons, wards may fail, men get killed (or “cored”) every night. Humanity's numbers are getting smaller.

The Warded Man is the story of three young children. One is Arlen, forever haunted by the memory of what he perceives as his father's betrayal. He runs away from his home, somehow manages to survive, and strives to become a Messenger, traveling from place to place, refusing to let the demons imprison him in one place.

Another is Leesha, stifled by the traditional role of girls in her society, chooses to learn to become a Gatherer (or a healer). And with that knowledge comes not only the healing arts, but some simple sciences in making materials and chemicals that could not only affect human biology but also harm corelings. She will learn that among the Gatherers' knowledge are hidden some of the long-forgotten science that once have been able to defeat demons and allow men to be safe at night.

The last child is Rojer, who would be orphaned by a coreling attack of his village. Fate will make him tread the path of a Jongleur (an entertainer), valued for the happiness they bring (however short) through their performances, allowing people for a moment to forget their dark troubles, and through their storytelling give a small sense of hope (however fleeting) that somehow things will change.

At a glance, readers may groan about another coming-of-age type of story. But Peter V. Brett has ably managed to pull it off through his well-rounded characters. His is a captivating tale, albeit a dark one. There are very few light moments in it. In fact, it is almost a story without hope, and there is quite a heavy atmosphere to it. However, many readers would surely be absorbed by the tale.

The author tackles many themes. One would be courage. What does it really mean to be really brave against what many would perceive as a hopeless situation where the penalty for a wrong move would be death. How much would people be willing to sacrifice in the face of certain death? For friends, for family, for love, if the only possible outcome is one's own destruction? Is heroism just another name for idiocy? Brett tackles this question as honestly as he possibly can. What does it mean to be truly free?

One other theme that is sprinkled all throughout the book is the question of Religion and Atheism / Science and Faith . This theme is taken up in the story and Brett approaches it from both sides and from all angles using all arguments used by all. This is a question unresolved by the end of the story and is going to be a central theme of the whole series and some people would certainly bristle whenever this subject comes up.

The Warded Man is certainly a very impressive debut work. The last time this reviewer felt compelled with a story as this one may have to go back and point to George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones. It is dark, but it is a great read. And it places Peter V. Brett high among the tier of contemporary fantasy writers. Highly recommended.

Empire in Black and Gold by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Book 1 of Shadows of the Apt

Rating: 4 out of 5

Adrian Tchaikovsky’s real name is Adrian Czajkowski (pronounced the same way). It was thought that the Polish spelling of his name would confuse potential readers and so his surname was given its Latinized spelling. Whatever… this reviewer always thought that it is a good story that always attracts readers and not how an author spells his name, especially if the new pseudonym seems to borrow from a famous classical Russian composer. But if you have a story as good as Tchaikovsky’s first offering, Empire in Black and Gold, you can spell your name any way you want.

The Wasp Empire is on the march. They have just conquered the city of Myna and are now poised to invade the Lowlands. One man, Stenwold Maker, who just escaped the fall of the city, has decided to make the detriment of the plans of the Wasp Empire his life’s work. He becomes a member of the council of the city of Collegium where he tries to spread his warnings against the coming catastrophe. The problem? No one believes him. It has now been 20 years since the fall of Myna and the Wasps seem to have their attention elsewhere.

But Stenwold is sure they are coming. He has established a school which he can use as a vehicle to teach students of the dangers of the Wasps and find suitable recruits for a spy network he also planted within the Lowlands. But the enemy knows this and is now making plans to eliminate Stenwold lest someone starts to believe him, because the time has indeed come for them to make their move. This forces Stenwold to send four of his most cherished students into the jaws of danger, possibly never to see them alive again.

Looking at the plot, one wouldn’t be faulted for thinking this is another one of those “evil empire invades peaceful land threatening to engulf the place into a dark age” kind of story, and the thought would probably be right. But Tchaikovsky capably manages to bring a fresh look into this story and present something new. Tchaikovsky’s concept presents a world not of dwarves and elves and any of the usual fantasy creatures. In his world, humans (or human-like creatures) have developed in ways that they have acquired features and characteristics that are similar to insects. Hence, each community (or race) of these people seem to be classified according to their “totem” insects with their own unique characteristics.

There are the Beetle-kinden, who are tough as well as great artificiers (machine-makers). The Spider-kinden are known for their beauty and their deadly subtlety and decetifulness. The Dragonfly-kinden are graceful flyers and exceptional archers. The Ant-kinden are great fighters and are capable of linking minds which they use to perfectly coordinate their actions. The Mantis-kinden are the best individual fighters in the world. The Moth-kinden are night-fighters and the only remaining practitioners of the art of sorcery (if it ever was real). And, of course, the Wasp-kinden, the story’s antagonists, who are ferocious warriors of great number and posses a deadly “sting” in the form of some sort of plasma blasting from their hands. There are more of these kinden, and they are presented in the book.

The world is also not your usual medieval-flavored fantasy world of fairies, dragons and wizards. This is a world were early scientific technology has begun to appear and the kindens are subdivided into the “inapt” – who once ruled most of the lands but who can’t understand the concepts of technology which is the cause of their downfall; and the “apt” – former subjects who because of their proficiency in technology are able to break the bonds of subjection and rise as powerful city-states. It has elements of steampunk and more. There are gunpowder weapons, repeating bolt guns, airships, single-wing flyers, automotive “walkers” and electric-powered trains. And magic is practiced by a few and is disbelieved by the vast majority as nonexistent.

It is a world that is unique and fascinating, but that in itself isn’t just the reason why this book is good. Adrian Tchaikovsky creates a story that is well-thought, and quite interesting. The story has a good pace and easy to read; the action scenes are quite exciting. One can easily get immersed in the story and before one knows it, the reader is halfway through the book.

However, as good as the story is, the main strong point is the characters. Well-rounded and quite alive, they have well-defined strengths and weaknesses that readers will find themselves able to relate to all of them, including the main antagonist of the story, Captain Thalric, who is probably the most interesting and sympathetic persona, if one can say such things for story antagonists (but then again, George R.R. Martin made a living of doing just that).

The bad part? Sometimes the reader might wish there was more information and background on the world Tchaikovsky has created, because interestingly enough the author offers nothing in this book with regards to distant history, culture or society structure of each of the kindens (at least in this book, there are five more books coming up), making his world seem a little bit “shallow” without any soul. But the story isn’t finished yet, so we may get more data in later installments.

Tchaikovsky has made a quite commendable effort for Empire in Black and Gold as an initial work. With an easy-to-read style, fascinating concept and great characters, he gives readers something to look forward to in the coming months and years as the Shadows of the Apt series unfolds. Another good news? Book Two is out almost at the same time as Book One and it seems that readers do not have long to wait before the succeeding books hit the stands. Always a plus for any epic fantasy writer.

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

Rating: 4 out of 5

It is one of the most familiar stories of the 20th century. Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, visits the newly acquired territory of Bosnia. There, in the city of Sarajevo, he and his wife are tragically killed by assassins. Their deaths became the catalyst that sparks the events that lead to the eruption of the First World War between Great Britain, France, Russia and their allies, against Germany, Austria-Hungary and their allies, a pivotal event that would change the subsequent history of the world forever.

This is the event which starts off Scott Westerfeld’s novel, Leviathan. But any similarity with that monumental historical event of 1914 ends there. In the book, the countries at war are divided not just according to political divisions but also by scientific philosophy. On one side are Germany and Austria-Hungary, also known collectively as the “Clanker” nations. Their society is based on reliance in mechanical technology where in this world, they have created innovative war machines, including various forms of steampunk versions of those famous Star Wars Imperial Walkers.

On the other side are the “Darwinists”, relying on the advancements in biology or, more precisely, genetic engineering. In this world Charles Darwin, not only formulated the Theory of Evolution, but taken his studies a little further and deciphered the genetic codes of all organisms. Using this knowledge, various creatures’ genes were manipulated into the purpose of the development of new species of animals that are tailor-made for the use of human society. This includes monsters that were developed for the purposes of war like the kraken, a gigantic octopus or squid (or possibly a combination of both!) that could crush a galleon in its tentacles, or bats that would eat metal-piercing darts and ‘drop’ them on a certain target. And then, there is the showcase of all, a large whale that is capable of floating in the sky and serve as a massive airship capable of bringing destruction to the enemy, of which one is named the Leviathan.

In this story, Archduke Franz Ferdinand leaves behind a son and heir, Aleksandar, of whose future and very life is placed into jeopardy upon his death. In order to save the boy, some of the Archduke’s loyal retainers devise a plan of escaping inside a Stormwalker and make a mad rush towards Switzerland before anybody is wiser.

Meanwhile in Britain, a young girl, Deryn Sharp, pretends to be a boy in hopes of being accepted into the British Air Service where she wishes to follow in the footsteps of her late father. She joins just in time as Great Britain finds herself embroiled in a coming war. And soon enough the stories of Alek and Deryn follow the same path where it seems that, for the moment, their futures are intertwined.

Scott Westerfeld created a story aimed at a young audience, but it is still an enjoyable story for readers of every age. The writing is simple and clear. And the two main characters are well fleshed out and interesting.

Westerfeld also plays with various themes. Firstly, while the story is based on his vision of an alternate past, he presents possible visions for the future, with mechanical wonders and genetically engineered creatures. He also gives readers a look at the present through the ideologies of the two warring sides. Through them, Westerfeld depicts the outlooks of two social philosophies: the conservative Clankers and the liberal Darwinists. It is particularly interesting to read the way each side views the other: the Darwinists sees the Clankers as somewhat backward, afraid of innovation and too much tied to tradition. While the Clankers see the Darwinists as irreverent, godless and playing at being God.

All in all, it is a wonderful story with very fine two main characters, and is very enjoyable to read. It doesn’t hurt that elements of steampunk are effortlessly integrated into the tale. In fact, it is probably one of the best stories which incorporates the said sub-genre of speculative fiction. If there is a downside to this, it is the fact that the reader can easily be immersed in the story, that it may seemingly end too quickly. It is the first book of a series, and Leviathan only sets things up. Leaving the reader fussing over when the next installment would arrive.

Midnight Tides by Steven Erikson

Book 5 of the Malazan Book of the Fallen

Rating: 4 out of 5

The world where the Malazan Empire exists is a vast world and includes continents where the Malazan name has never been heard. Here in this fifth novel of the epic Malazan Book of the Fallen, Steven Erikson takes us to those other places and displays more of his breath-taking and vivid imagination through world-building and myth-making. Erikson takes epic fantasy to the limits and beyond.

By doing so, Midnight Tides, seemingly represents a break from the continuity of the previous four novels. It is a different place, the story seems to have occurred in an earlier time period than that of its predecessors, and only one persona is familiar to the readers – an earlier, younger version of a Tiste Edur character named Trull Sengar, who only had a relatively small role in the fourth novel. Midnight Tides is the story of two empires, a kingdom based on total control of the resources of the continent – the Letherii Empire; and the newly-formed conglomeration of tribes previously warring against each other – the Tiste Edur (a group of people also fleetingly glimpsed in the preceding books). Lether, who has succeeded in campaigns of subjugating its neighbors in order to control their natural resources has only one great obstacle left before the total domination of the continent, the tribes of the Tiste Edur. However, the Edur have finally realized the only way stop the coming inevitable onslaught is to stop their in-fighting and unite against the larger enemy.

The tale unfolds mainly through the stories surrounding two families. The Sengars of the Tiste Edur – the warrior brothers Fear, Trull, and Rhulad, who become pivotal in the realization of the formalization of the Tiste Edur empire through their trials and most of all, disappointments; and the Beddicts of Lether, brothers also – Hull, who plans to betray Lether to the enemy; Tehol – making his way through Lether society as a seemingly-failed businessman, and Brys – the Emperor’s Champion. However, as it turns out in the other novels, the unfolding war is just a part in the bigger conflict among the gods who seem to manipulate the destiny of mortals. And it is through these immortals that Erikson reveals the background behind the history and myths of the peoples of this world, and connects the fifth novel to the vast unfolding story of the Malazan Empire.

Midnight Tides also is a novel where Erikson presents a society that is so overtly familiar to the contemporary world. He presents a society eerily and uncomfortably familiar to some readers, more particularly American society and the various mother nations of Britain and Western Europe that contributed to its culture and people. In explaining Letherii society, he presents the forces that molded today’s Western-driven culture. He presents a people relying not only in a monetary system, but on a systematic system of managing debts and credits; a society believing in the supposedly inherent greatness of its culture and its “manifest destiny” to impose that culture throughout their world; he presents a government that aims to protect the “interests” of its society by assuring that other cultures become subordinated and taken advantage of; a military that increasingly relies on impersonal destructive weaponry, taking away what little was left of humanity in what was already the most inhumane acts of society. Erikson gives a scathing rebuke of today’s ultra-competitive society bred in today’s media:

…You take your natural vices and call them virtues. Of which greed is the most despicable. That and betrayal of commonality. After all, whoever decided that competition is always and without exception a healthy attribute? Why that particular path to self-esteem? Your heel on the hand of the one below. This is worth something? Let me tell you, it’s worth nothing. Nothing lasting. Every monument that exists beyond the moment – no matter which king, emperor or warrior lays claim to it – is actually a testament to the common, to co-operation, to the plural rather than the singular.

Steven Erikson, by the way, is an archeologist by profession before he became a writer and has studied past cultures and histories. He probably knows what he is talking about. This background in archeology also shows in his writing in this novel and all the rest. His places are dotted with ruins here and there and helps define the culture of one of the people of his books and help tell their history. His writing has also shown a vast improvement from the first novel, and considering the story of Midnight Tides is, in the surface, just barely connected to the past four books, it’s almost seems like this is the way Erikson would like to start a series had he had the chance. His writing becomes crisper and clearer. And humor (albeit dark and sarcastic) has now become fully integrated.

On the other hand, some of the chinks in his writing still remain. Particularly the problem of giving ample time to develop a vast number of characters – nine hundred pages of fine print still isn’t enough. He still leaves explanation to things and events up in the air leaving this for further novels, or for the reader to research back.

Fortunately enough, Erikson’s story is so entertaining and so engrossing that the reader just moves on and enjoy the remarkable tale conjured from the creative imagination of a great writer and discovers a world so vast and dynamic, it rivals and probably surpasses any other fantasy world created before it. And the journey is only halfway over, which is great news for fantasy fans.

This review ends with Erikson's astute observation of man's progress through history:

We have a talent for disguising greed under the cloak of freedom. As for past acts of depravity, we prefer to ignore those. Progress, after all, means to look ever forward, and whatever we have trampled in our wake is best forgotten.

Second Foundation by Isaac Asimov

Book 3 of the first Foundation trilogy

Rating: 3 out of 5

This is the final book of Isaac Asimov's first Foundation trilogy, which was started with Foundation and continued with Foundation and Empire. The first story arc of that small outpost of knowledge at the edge of the galaxy, trying to shorten the projected 30,000 years of chaos to a mere 1,000 years by following the plans of Hari Seldon and his science of psychohistory, is coming to a close. But the Foundation, based on the planet Terminus, which has risen from obscurity to replace the Galactic Empire as the premier civilization in the galaxy has fallen to the powerful mutant known as the Mule. The long-dead Hari Seldon's well laid plan for the future is in ruins.

Or is it? For it seems that Hari Seldon has indeed planned for every contingency and has established a Second Foundation in an unknown location. This Second Foundation is the direct opposite of the First Foundation which had depended on physical science to develop their society. Instead of using physical science, the Second Foundation was composed of "psychohistorians" and developed a few mental capablities that access the human mind and having the directive of making sure Hari Seldon's plans would be fulfilled under any circumstances. These are capabilities which the Mule, now the undisputed ruler of the galaxy, consider a threat to his existence. So he devices a plan to find the Second Foundation and crush it once and for all.

The book Second Foundation, similar to the second book, is actually divided into two story arcs. The first details the aforementioned search of the Second Foundation by the Mule, followed by the story of the inheritors of the First Foundation making their own search for the Second Foundation, which they deem, for reasons to be mentioned in the book, as a threat to their own humanity.

The clean and simple style of Asimov's writing remain. It is, however, still flavored with that mid-20th century style that admittedly makes his writing somewhat outdated and the dialogue a little bit cheezy. And it is clear that sometimes the best scientific minds don't make the best artistic style which may turn away contemporary readers and may not have the impact it had 2 to 5 decades ago. Asimov could be very logical in his approach to storytelling that he sometimes forgets that actual people are involved in the events he presents. For example, his telling of a battle scene in space has the atmosphere of watching a video game where the destruction of vessels and the losing of lives are presented as casually and "unfeelingly" as can possibly be.

Having said that, Asimov presents ideas that are astounding even today and presents his own thesis in some aspect of the story of humanity. This landmark work, along with other books of the series, is a must-read for science fiction fans, if only for the importance it had with the genre. And with this series, along with his other works, Isaac Asimov demonstrates why he is one of the most brilliant minds of the 20th century and one of its greatest writers, if just in terms of ideas, and not in style. His first Foundation trilogy is a true classic.

House of Chains by Steven Erikson

Book 4 of the Malazan Book of the Fallen

Rating: 4 out of 5

Steven Erikson returns to the Seven Cities for his fourth book of The Malazan Book of the Fallen series, House of Chains. The last time readers visited the continent was on the second novel Deadhouse Gates, where they were witness to the grueling march of Fist Coltaine's army and refugees now known as the Chain of Dogs with its tragic end at the gates of the city of Aren.

Now, the Adjunct Tavore Paran - sister of the Bridgeburner captain, Ganoes Paran (last seen with the rest of his company in Memories of Ice) - has arrived. And she must bring together a band of new recruits with the few remnants of Coltaine’s forces for the purpose of marching against the massed armies of the Chosen One of the Whirlwind Goddess, the Sha’ik, who also is, unknowingly to the Adjunct, actually her sister, Felisin Paran.

Meanwhile, the gods are making their moves. The Chained God, of the House of Chains, (the house of gods from which this book is titled after) is recruiting and building his forces. Yet, he is not the only one with plans and schemes. Cotillion, Patron of Assassins is sending his own people to shadowy missions for purposes only known to him. Among them, the Bridgeburner assassin Kalam Mekhar, and the pair of Apsalar and Cutter (formerly known as Crokus of Darujistan).

These are just some of the numerous characters whose stories are told in House of Chains, and Erikson shows his ability in being able to blend all their tales into one great book. He had lots of practice, with three enormous tomes preceding this one and his improvement shows with each installment of his tale. He’s style is smoother and less cluttered, especially if compared to the first novel of the series - readers who loved the tale has to sometimes wonder in amazement, by this time, how one ever got through reading Gardens of the Moon. And the answer is: because it has all been such an incredible epic, so far.

The tale is divided into four parts, and for the first quarter of the book, Erikson diverges his style and presents it in a straightforward tale following the actions and events surrounding one character, Karsa Orlong of the Uryd tribe of the Teblor as he leaves on a quest for glory. His is a journey that starts in the continent in Genebackis and ends up affecting the events in the Seven Cities. Karsa even becomes the most developed character of the whole series up to this point. Then for the next three chapters Erikson goes back to his familiar style where he juggles the readers from one story thread to another, a style admittedly frustrating and confusing to some, compounded by the fact that Erikson, as is already well-known, doesn’t engage in exposition in order to explain what is really happening.

However, by now, this unapologetic style by the author seems to have a purpose. By telling his tale without any explanation of a few things, the reader is placed in the shoes of the characters. If the character is bewildered, the reader feels that confusion. Revelations occur at the same time for the character and reader creating a kind of bond between the two.

And as always, approaching the end of the book, Erikson slowly merges each storyline to an exciting and action-packed conclusion full of amazing and spellbinding scenes and also not without great pathos in the unique way which is also, by now, expected of the author.

House of Chains is a more-than-worthy continuation of a storyline that has captured the attention of readers for some time now. Unlike the two previous books preceding it which were essentially war stories, this episode is more of an adventure saga of different characters even if written against the backdrop of the approaching confrontation of two armies, but it is no less as good as the others. Erikson expands his world even more introducing his readers to some more races and creatures, highlighting the depht of the world the author created. What is even more amazing is that by this time, old characters from the previous books have managed to reach legendary status story-wise, and in the hearts of those who love the books. The name “Bridgeburner” and “Whiskeyjack” now evokes incredible emotions from everyone who knows their story. Such is the effect of Steven Erikson work. That is how amazing this series has been. And the fun shows no sign of slowing down.

Foundation and Empire by Isaac Asimov

Book 2 of the first Foundation Trilogy

Rating: 3 out of 5


The Galactic Empire had been dying and they didn’t know it. And how could they? It was an empire so vast that it encompassed the Milky Way and had colonized worlds; the human population had reached an extraordinarily vast number. But one man saw the signs. That man was Hari Seldon. Using the science of psychohistory, Seldon was able to determine that the Galactic Empire would fall within three hundred years and would be followed by thirty thousand years of barbarism before a new and prosperous power would emerge from the ashes and restore order.

However, Hari Seldon, can plot a course that would control the events of the future and be able to reduce the age of barbarism to a mere one thousand years. He can do this also by using the science of psychohistory, because psychohistory is the science of the behavior of human masses, of mobs, of human society. And in the future, the number of human population has grown so vast that the actions of a single individual would become less significant when measured up to the action of the group as a whole. And by controlling the factors or stimuli that affect the probable reactions of a human society, psychohistory can plot that society’s future. Central to Sheldon’s plan is the establishment of two Foundations at “opposite ends of the Galaxy" and their existence is so devised so as it would bring about a new, powerful and stronger Second Empire within a millennium

Such was the premise of Isaac Asimov. And in his first book, Foundation, he tells the story of one of those Foundations in the first few centuries of its existence as they began simply as a settlement for scientists at one end of the galaxy, through how it was separated from the hegemony of a rapidly disintegrating Galactic Empire; to how they managed to maintain their independence from the emerging free “kingdoms” in the periphery, through being the only repository of knowledge and science in the area; to becoming the center of “religion”; to being the controller of trade; to being the most powerful state in its sector.

And now, in Foundation and Empire, the Galactic Empire, though reduced to a fraction of its original size was still the most powerful force to be reckoned with and has finally taken notice of what it perceived to be a challenge to its dominance, dwindling though it may be. An ambitious general has taken it upon himself to restore the glory of the empire by forcing a confrontation with the Foundation, destroy it once and for all, and assimilate its territory back under the Galactic Empire’s jurisdiction. And for the Foundation’s citizens, their hope rests upon on whether the events facing them were within the now-long-dead Hari Seldon’s plans and prophesies.

However, someone of extraordinary talent is emerging from the shadows: a mysterious individual known only as The Mule. And he seems to have the power greater than the might of whole planets, a power that may have been unseen in Hari Seldon’s plan. The power to unravel and spoil the well laid plans of psychohistory.

Isaac Asimov continues his brilliant exposition on the behavior of human society and expounds on the causes of its rise and fall. And through this book he presents various ideas on the course of humanity: (1) No matter how advanced or powerful a nation becomes, if it fails to grasp the lessons of history, it will sow the seeds of its own destruction from within, and (2) there are moments in history when an individual will emerge who has the capability/talent/charisma/character to change the course of nations, for better or for worse, an individual whose very life becomes a focal point in history, capable of controlling by sheer force of will the destinies of societies; individuals who are in themselves, for lack of a better term, sheer forces of nature, “mutants” of history.

Asimov presents his story in a crisp and clear way making the book an easy and fast read and, this time, he even placed a little feel of a mystery story into his work. However, as interesting as these themes may be, there are sure to be flaws. And this time, they are more visible than in the first book. As the format of Foundation and Empire has changed from a series of independent but related short stories with different central characters for each in the first book, to two sets of storylines with a definite set of characters that are constant to each plot, Asimov shows his weakness in characterization. His idea of character development is giving each character mannerisms or speech patterns that may sometimes become so repetitive and annoying. And it doesn’t help that his style of writing is so defined by the styles of his time that it has a sense of being dated. This might pull down the quality a bit for some.

Still, Foundation and Empire, along with the others of its series, is an interesting exploration into the profound ideas of one of the greatest thinkers of the 20th century and one of the cornerstones of modern-day science fiction. It is recommended for anyone interested not only in a good story but of understanding the story of humanity. And these are only small glimpses into the ideas of a great man. He has lots, lots more stories and ideas for readers. Who knows? This series might just get you interested in exploring the author more.

Foundation by Isaac Asimov

Book 1 of the first Foundation Trilogy

Rating: 3.5 out of 5


Thirteen thousand years in the very far future, man will colonize tens of thousands of world in the galaxy. Man would have forgotten the planet of his origin, Earth would just be a far memory in history. His kind would be very successful that they would number in the thousands of millions, all ruled through the Galatic Empire. No, it's not Star Wars, but one of the significant books that signaled the beginnings of the modern form of the science fiction genre. It is Foundation, and it is written by one of the most brilliant minds of the 20th century, Isaac Asimov. The same man who was able to have an amazing number of books to his writing credit - more than 400 of them.

In this future, the great mass of human population, along with the studied patterns of humanity's behavior and society, makes it possible to calculate exact predictions of future events by applying mathematical statistics. This is so because the great weight of numbers of a society, like a mob, would simply drown out any individual initiative. This science would be known a psychohistory and its progenitor is a man named Hari Seldon.

Seldon, by using psychohistory, has predicted that within 300 years, the Galatic Empire will fall. It would be replaced by a 30,000 years of barbarism and Dark Ages throughout the galaxy. This fatalistic foreboding did not suit quite well with the rulers of the Galactic Empire and Hari Seldon was exiled to a far isolated planet in the periphery of the galaxy known as Terminus.

However, this did not worry Hari Seldon. In fact, this is exactly what he wanted. By using methods of psychohistory, he has devised a plan that would reduce the Dark Ages to only 1,000 years and the first step of that plan was to establish a Foundation in a remote place of the empire where a selected group of historians could, without interruption, compile all human knowledge of the whole galaxy into one enormous tome called the Encyclopedia Galactica, as the Dark Ages is being defined as a state of society where knowledge is lost. This premise sets up the whole Foundation series. A study of the breakdown of human society and the important role knowlege and information plays in the formation of civilization.

This book, influenced by Edward Gibbon's History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, was published as separate short stories in Astounding Magazine between 1942 and 1944, was first compiled as an entire book in 1951 as Foundation and became the first of what was initially three books of a series, and subsequently, along with another Asimov story - the Robot series, of which the book I, Robot is a part, became a cornerstone of modern science fiction.

Asimov's style of writing is marvelously clear and crisp and easy to follow. It is short enough to say that one may be able to finish reading the book in a day or three, if one has the inclination. Although modern readers, used to the flash and dash of modern-day style stories may find the lack of action a strain. Asimov's story isn't action-based, or character-based (in fact, there are different protagonists in each different chapter). His is a plot-and-dialog based tale that focuses on themes rather than protagonists. One such theme, for example is the idea of how a more knowledgeable man would take advantage of an relatively illiterate man and take advantage of his superstitions to form or manipulate a religion and control an entire society (a social reality particularly hated by Asimov).

Still, Foundation, along with its two sequels, is a brilliant book and a facinating thesis into man's social tendencies (for better or for worse), and a look at the importance of the role of knowledge on the historical development of man's civilization. It is one of the most important books in the whole of speculative fiction and a great influence in modern culture.

Memories of Ice by Steven Erikson

Book 3 of the Malazan Book of the Fallen

Rating: 4.5 out of 5


It's only his third book of a planned ten-part Malazan Book of the Fallen series but Steven Erikson is redefining the word 'epic'. One can only begin to realize that this is really only the proverbial "tip of the iceberg" that the readers are seeing at this point of the story. It's a marvel to witness the uncovering of his imagination and realize the depth of what he has created. Erikson has created a world that probably surpasses any other fantasy world that ever existed and he has yet seven more books in which he can allow his readers to explore.

In Memories of Ice, he returns to the continent of Genebackis, the setting of his first book, Gardens of the Moon. The Malazan army of Genebackis have now gone renegade under the leadership of Dujek Onearm and Whiskeyjack are trying forge an alliance with their former enemies led by Caladan Brood and Anomander Rake. They would need to find a way to come across a common ground and forget their differences because a new enemy is coming from another direction. The new empire of the Pannion Domin is flexing its muscle and it is a threat more terrible and horrifying than anything they have ever seen before. The first target of the Domin's armies would be the free city of Capustan, and it seems nothing can stop its hordes from overrunning the it. Armies are being formed. Armies that would include the undead, cannibals and beasts. They would however soon realize that this would only be a part of an even larger war. A war that has been going on for hundreds of thousands of years. A war between gods and demi-gods and everybody is being sucked in towards it.

There would be new players in the scene. There will be the caravan bodyguard captain, Gruntle, who escorts his client towards the beleaguered city and finds himself trapped in a desperate siege unknowing of the large part he is going to play in the whole war. There will be Itkovian, one of the leaders of the army hired by Capustan's leaders to defend the city, as he and his group of paladin-knights prepare themselves on what they think what would be their last act in life. There will be Silverfox of the Rhivi, a girl who is much more than she seems growing into adulthood in days instead of years.

Of course, there would be the returning characters from Gardens of the Moon like the aforementioned four war leaders, the irrepresible and enigmatic Kruppe, and Ganoes Paran, Quick Ben and the Bridgeburners (Malazan's own version of Special Forces) with the part they are going to play in these War of the Gods.

As with his previous books, Erikson has a huge cast and a huge plot, and he handles them well. In fact, a distinct improvement from his previous work can be noticed. As before, Erikson structures his plot with having separate story threads, but this time the threads are more cohesive and doesn't make the reader feel like being tossed from one place or another. Each plot thread is now handled smoothly as they ease their way towards the end of the book.

Also, here in Memories of Ice, Erikson's characters become more alive now. They become personalities. Maybe because the readers have already gotten to know them through the first book, but one can now feel being able to identify with each character, even the minor ones. So real have they become, that some readers might find themselves shedding a tear for some of them by the end of the book.

That is not to say that Erikson has already found the perfect formula for his style. Old flaws from the first two books still emerge every now and then. The story starts out slow and doesn't pick up until the second third of the book. It is also still possible for the reader to get confused at the happenings of the plot. And Erikson still doesn't take time to explain things. But these problems become less of a hindrance here in the third book than it was in the first two.

There is one area, though, where Steven Erikson has established himself in the top echelon, probably more any other fantasy writer before him. He has become a master in writing military fantasy. His battle scenes are glorious, exciting, viceral, terrifying and tragic. He doesn't shy away from the gore. However, at the same time, he emphasizes the dreadful emotions one feels on having to fight for one's life and having to take the life of another. He doesn't glorify battle. In fact, he presents it in all its tragedy for what it really is: that despite the circumstances that sometimes make it a necessity, it is still an act of mass murder. That's what makes his battle scenes compelling, and in this book he gifts his readers with not one, but two extraordinary scenes of battle that is heart-pounding and edge-of-your-seat, and one of the best-written. It even includes a sort of "covert ops insertion mission" that would probably make techno-thriller author Tom Clancy sit up and take notice.

With Memories of Ice, Steven Erikson has come to stay. His imagination is boundless and the world-building he executed to bring to life this Malazan world is nothing short of genius on par of J.R.R. Tolkien. It is a vast amazing world that is full of amazing beings that would surely become imprinted in the minds of those fortunate enough to read their story.

Dune Messiah by Frank Herbert

Rating: 4 out of 5

It has been twelve years since the Battle of Arakeen at the end of the first book, Dune. Since then, Paul Atreides's Fremen warriors have burst out of the planet Arrakis Dune and have waged Holy War or Jihad against the Imperium bringing everyone to their knees and resulting in the mass slaughter of millions of lives. And now Paul has not only established himself the absolute ruler of the known universe, but also as the leader of a powerful religion: the religion of Muad'Dib, of which his sister Alia is the High Priestess. Having finally established some kind of order, there can be hope of peace, at last.

Or is there? Factions are plotting against Paul, but they do not wish to eliminate him. Instead forces are seeking to control the most powerful man in history. The Bene Gesserit wish to take back their Kwisatz Haderach. The Spacing Guild wish to take back control of the Spice. The Princess Irulan, wife of the Emperor only on paper, wishes to take what she thinks is hers by right. Further, the shape-shifting Bene Tleilax are entering the power games arena, but their purposes are as mysterious as their race. And the key to everyone's plan is a recreated human made from the cells of someone long-dead. In this case, that particular someone was once a beloved mentor who gave up his life for the sake of Paul and his mother.

That is only a small glimpse of the complexities woven by the masterful hand of Frank Herbert as he continues the saga of Dune. In Dune Messiah, Herbert continues the story of Paul Atreides, a man trapped in his own prophesy which he is trying hard to escape. But if one expected to have an idea of where the story was going after reading the first book, they're in for a surprise. Frank Herbert throws dozens of curve balls into the plot and while characters from Dune make their return, none are quite so familiar anymore. Events of the past twelve years have taken their effect on all of them and it is not sure what their motives are anymore.

Furthermore, Frank Herbert takes the book into a different writing style, moving away from the emphasis on action towards a more cerebral and philosophical story-telling. In effect, Dune Messiah serves to finally explain away the motives and events of the first book, and takes each of the characters to their real conclusions. This departure from the previous style, though it might possibly chase away some readers who are expecting the same space opera-type, fantasy feel that was felt in Dune, elevates the story from what was already a spectacular epic, evolving it into something with more depth and soul and complexity that would become the basis of the colossal storyline that would span seven books (cut short, unfortunately by the untimely death of the great novelist). If Dune is the main dish of the series, Dune Messiah is the (forgive the pun) spice that would give it its lasting taste.

In it, Frank Herbert continues to explore his deep themes. He looks at the dangers of combining religion and government and the effects of each towards each other throughout the course of human history. Herbert dares to ask the question: "What manner of weapon is religion when it becomes the government?" And some people may not like his answer. He continues his exposition on leadership, fanaticism and hero worship. And it is in this story that he introduces one of his enduring creations, a concept that would become one of the major plotpoints, and be the main character in all the suceeding books (in a weird kind of way only Frank Herbert could imagine): the ghola of Duncan Idaho. And it is, ironically, through this cloned human, Frank Herbert examines what it means to be alive.

The problem with sequels is that it places in the reader an expectation of what the succeeding stories would be like setting it up for to possibly become a disappointment for its fans. It is only through the genius of Frank Herbert that he was able to pull of a great book that goes against what was expected of it, both in literary style and the course of the plot. Frank Herbert concludes the story of Paul Atreides in a way nobody expects and does it way that is exhilirating and satisfying, but tragic and bittersweet at the same time.

It is possible that one might read the first book, Dune, love it fiercely, pick up the second book, put it down and stop right there and just be satisfied with adoring the original story. But for those who throw away all expectations, absorb the beauty and artistry of Dune Messiah, one might just find himself lost in the universe that revolves around that haunting desert planet, wanting the stay to never end.

Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey

Book 1 of Dragonriders of Pern

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Some time in the far future, mankind has conquered space and colonized planets, one of these planets being Pern. Having made lives for themselves away from their home planet, the people of Pern lost contact with Earth along with most of the technological advancements that helped them reach their new home such that humans have settled in a way of life similar to that of the time of Earth’s High Middle Ages.

But Pern has a secret, undiscovered by the first colonizers that came to the planet. She has a sister, the Red Star, whose orbit brings her close to Pern approximately every 200 years. It is during this period that the Red Star’s inhabitants, in the form of silvery “Threads” make the journey to the more fertile Pern where they cause death and destruction in anything that comes across their path. However, Pern’s inhabitants have an answer. One of the technological knowledge that was not lost was the science of genetics with which humans used to evolve small native flying lizards into what would be called dragons. These dragons would telepathically bond with one young human as soon as they hatched from their eggs and forge a bond that would last a lifetime. It is from this partnership that the dragonfolk would emerge and which would make them the masters of Pern. They would be the main defense against the Threads invasion, a cycle that would last millennia.

However, at the start of the book Dragonflight, the Red Star has not come for 400 years and most people, including some of the dragonfolk have begun to think that the Threads will never ever return and becoming lost in the shadows of Pern’s history. Normal folk now have begun to ignore old traditions. They began to see dragonfolk as tyrants living off the people’s tributes and livestock when they have no use anymore. What’s worse, of the six dragonfolk Weyrs (realms), five of the six have been abandoned and the last one remains underpopulated.

Some of the minor lords like the ruthless Fax have become ambitious and began grab and consolidate power for him conquering neighboring kingdoms including the mountain Hold of Ruatha, of whom Fax destroyed and killed off the ruling family. Unknown to him, one daughter, Lessa, has escaped and is hiding among Ruatha’s common folk plotting to have her revenge one day.

Meanwhile, one person believes that the Threads will come back and that time is closing. F’lar of the dragonfolk knows in his heart that the Red Star is nearing and is hatching a plan of his own to prepare his badly outnumbered kin. He has to find ways to convince people of the reality of the approaching menace, suppress the rising rebellion among the other lords of the land, and find a way to combat the dangerous Threads with what he has. And Lessa has a part to play in that plan.

Dragonflight, though set in a world that is similar to fantasy, is actually a science fiction story. McCaffrey’s dragons do not have the mystical quality of their fantastical counterparts. They have been genetically engineered from small lizard-like reptiles. They chew something called “firerock”, which the dragonriders carry in sacks, to enable them to breathe fire. They can teleport between spaces and also between times. The latter ability would have a very important role in the story. And the bond between rider and dragon is a psychic bond, not a magical bond, and is something similar to how ducklings or goslings bond to their mother as soon as they hatch.

McCaffrey’s writing in Dragonflight itself is easy reading, though doesn’t have the depth of Herbert or Tolkien. Still it is an entertaining tale and there has been no other like it. And it is good enough to attract its own dedicated followers that the Dragonriders of Pern series, of which it the first chapter, has become one of the most beloved stories in speculative fiction, and whose tale is still on-going at this point of time.