#catherine fisher

[haveyoureadthisbook-poll]

[coulson-is-an-avenger]

i don't think I'll ever get over how hard the aesthetic of Incarceron goes. It's fully high monarchy Baroque. It's fully Steampunk. Those two worlds are distinct and separate but colliding and pulling at each other, intimately entertwined. There's high politics and assassinations and secret societies and duels at masquerade balls. There's dragons made from rust and bones and scrap metal and a thousand red eyes in the dark as the prison comes alive. There's entire forests and climates and monsters all twisted of repurposed metal that hunger for the people trapped within their artificial biomes. There's a sentient ai that builds itself a body because the only way it can fathom freedom is in the form of a human. Nothing of the world is real. Nothing of the world is fake. Only one man of legend has ever survived Escape. More people need to read this fucking duology.

[agayhurricane]

Finally some news about the upcoming book in the Incarceron series, Lachrymere!

[pleas3pretendimnothere]

Let's review July! Did a lot of reading this month, so let's jump right into it.

The Wicked King

By Holly Black - This is Black's sequel to The Cruel Prince, which I read with a friend for a book club. Years later, after the series gained traction on BookTok, we decided to read the sequel. My friend somewhat enjoyed Prince. I did not...

Black met my low expectations perfectly! I remembered very little of Prince, but I believe by the time I read the series' third book, I MIGHT remember this one. While Prince is disjointed and flimsy, King is only disjointed! The plot this time around is, at least, competent. Still, the reader must survive Black's poor prose and then attempt to understand the mess of a world that is this series. Faerie is a poorly developed kingdom, and the beats lack any feeling of import, resulting in constant, unsatisfied confusion. Every chapter, I asked, "What?" "Why?" "Who?"

What kind of kingdom even is Faerie? What sort of power does it hold? Why do mermaids want control of this land? Who are all these random, single-use characters? How am I supposed to believe the MC is a badass when all she ever does is get slapped around and tricked?

And yet...Black has once again succeeded in charming me. The absolute failure of worldbuilding is amusing. Repeated anger and frustration and bafflement carried me all the way through to the end. Nonsense, and more nonsense, and by the epilogue, I was at a circus having a blast. Why would I expect anything less from Holly Black? Coldest Girl in Coldtown was unparalleled bad literature! Holly is the queen of terrible books, and I am but a humble servant of her court!

BookTok never lets me down. If you're looking to read a bad book for fun, Holly Black is always the answer. But if you're looking for something interesting or thought-provoking, SKIP IT! Read this next book instead...

Lyonesse

By Jack Vance - Now THIS is what good fantasy is supposed to be! It was whiplash, reading King and Lyonesse back to back. It felt like finishing my CapriSun and finally pouring myself a glass of champagne.

Lyonesse, though written at a snail's pace typical of a lot of older fantasy, is a bedtime story fantasy banquet. The read is long but comprised of small, episodic adventures that make consuming the story in many short sessions an easy accomplishment. Vance's tale surrounds Princess Suldrun's tragedy and her lover Aillas's quest to rescue their spirited-away son. The world of conqueror nation Lyonesse is detailed yet mysterious; it is complicated and horrifying, and stakes are peppered in where you least expect them. Powerful characters come and go, and twists jump out of nowhere, bringing excitement to an otherwise relaxing read.

And speaking of relaxation, Vance's prose is to die for. This is beautiful fantasy fiction about magic and curses, faeries and ogres, wizards and witches and wars and politics! It frightened, shocked, and enchanted me. I will definitely be reaching for the sequel! BUY IT!

The Speed of Darkness

By Catherine Fisher - I have finally reached the last book in Fisher's Obsidian Mirror series! To recap, Obsidian Mirror was great fun. The Slanted Worlds brought new excitement and adventure to the story. The Door in the Moon was...a departure from its high-tension predecessors. And the series' conclusion was...meh.

I was incredibly disappointed with Darkness. Fisher's writing remains fast-paced and fun, but the finale fails to make sense of this sci-fi time-traveler tale. Plot-holes previously overlooked are addressed and then dismissed, sort of in a lackluster wink-wink fashion that feels like a slight to reader's intelligence. Characters remain one-note, failing to change or improve in any meaningful way. The villain's origin is addressed quickly and then falls flat, feeling poorly thought through. Things just sort of...finish. And that is that.

A new, interesting character from the distant past is introduced, but they are thrown away halfway through the book. It's just failure after failure, which was a huge letdown. After really enjoying the first two books, I am said to say in regards to the whole series, you should SKIP IT! Read Fisher's Incarceron series, and only that.

The Girl in 6E

By A.R. Torre - This book is so strange. So, so very strange. It's short and sweet and fun. But...is it good?

I am still asking myself that. 6E follows a traumatized cam girl who has isolated herself from the world in an attempt to assuage her violent fantasies. She soon realizes one of her clients may have kidnapped an innocent girl and forsakes her studio apartment/prison cell to kill the man. The premise is bizarre, and though the read was refreshing, it was very oftentimes...silly?

I don't know. The main character is just so SiCk AnD tWiStEd, it just comes off as funny? She reminded me of myself when I was 15 and convinced I wasn't like other girls. Perhaps this character choice was intentional, as our MC has become so disconnected from the real world, and trauma does do funny things to people. However, it does seem very possible that Torre intended for this character to be frightening and strange, not immature and laughable, as she is instead. I just...I don't know.

Important to mention Torre writes steamy novels. This was probably the most explicit book I've ever read, but there was a creepy nuance to the sex scenes that was intriguing. Lots of research was clearly done on how cam girls make their living, and it was enlightening to learn about, honestly!

Besides that, the plot is rushed, the MC cringe, and the climax too-easy. If you're looking for a sexy, unserious thriller, this is a good RENT IT!, but otherwise, it doesn't accomplish anything phenomenal. I don't think I'll be picking up the sequel, though I will be keeping the book in my collection for now. SKIP IT!

Archenemies

By Marissa Meyer - This is Meyer's sequel to Renegades, and I'm going to keep this review short and sweet. I devoured this one.

Archenemies is just fun, pure, absolute fun! Just like Renegades, Meyer's post-apocalyptic superhero world is once again a charming read front to back. Think YA My Hero Academia or Spiderman. It's The Boys, but adorable and unoffensive! Typically, I am highly critical of YA books, but I have nearly nothing to critique about Archenemies. The world is intriguing, and the writing is quick and snappy, a la Riordan. There are few distractions from the cat-and-mouse plot (looking at you, Holly), so it's incredibly easy to lose yourself in the likeable characters and the dramatic irony of the story. This series is not nearly talked about as much as it should be!

If you like YA adventure x stakes, this is a fantastic roller-coaster-ride series so far. Let's hope the finale is good too! If this stuff is your cup of tea, I'd recommend you not pass this one up. BUY IT!

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

By Stieg Larsson - All right, so if you follow trending books, you know everyone wouldn't shut up about this one around 2010. And then, out of nowhere, she vanished. Nobody talks about Tattoo anymore. NO ONE!

And I'm not too surprised. This book was not nearly as good as I was expecting. Though the mystery of the story is intriguing, its just sort of fallen out of fashion. Nazis and biblical crime and edgy manic-pixie dream girls? That's just so two thousand and late, man. I commend Larsson for trying to address the abuses faced by women in the world and how broken systems fail them, but his book falls into stereotypes that weaken his intent. While Lisbeth is certainly likeable, she is, at the end of the day, "not like other girls". She's special--neurodivergent, intelligent, violent, and sexual. This sort of depiction does not exactly paint Larsson as on Team Feminist. While Lisbeth's narration is likeable, she remains a male fantasy.

And unfortunately, ALL female characters fall into stereotypes. Mikael has sex with a manic-pixie dream girl, his sexually-free friend with benefits, and a forlorn, sexually-repressed neighbor. For the women he DOESN'T fuck, there is a crazy old lady, a virgin victim, and a chaste, religious daughter. Every other competent character is, well, a man. Oof, Stieg, oof. Your intent is there, but the execution misses the mark.

Because this novel was such a cultural phenomenon for a short time, I'd still recommend you RENT IT! It was a fun, easy read with a good translation, and I am interested to read the sequel. But by no means was this the wildest mystery novel I've read, by NO means. I daresay I enjoyed some Sally Beauman stuff better!

[bookcoversonly]

Title: The Clockwork Crow | Author: Catherine Fisher | Publisher: Walker Books (2020)

[kiki-de-la-petite-flaque]

Walls have ears. Doors have eyes. Trees have voices. Beasts tell lies. Beware the rain. Beware the snow. Beware the man You think you know.

– Catherine Fisher

[gigabyte-flare]

For the asks 👀 👀

27. What’s your favorite book? Or just one you’ve read a few times? 

Ok so my favorite book is a series of books by Catherine Fisher

I will gush about this series until I'm blue in the face. Relic Master is an absolutely brilliant series. It's a unique fantasy that leaves you with more questions than answers. I recommend it to literally everyone.

She also wrote the equally as excellent Incarceron series if you like something more dark, steampunk, and dystopian, also very highly recommended.

[bmacreadz]

"Incarceron" by Catherine Fisher

"Incarceron" is about a prison. It's also about the people that are connected to the prison - with the prison, in the prison - the journeys they take, the problems they solve, the friendships they develop, the nightmares they overcome together, and their impenetrable self-reliance.

"Incarceron" follows two storylines. One storyline tells us of Finn, who is inside the prison. How did he get there? Who is he? What are these "visions" that haunt him daily? Finn's main goal is to figure out who he is and then, maybe, figure out how to find his old life.

The other storyline follows Claudia, the daughter of the prison warden whose main goal is to understand the game that's being played in the Court and then play it better than all of them.

An incredible cast of characters accompanies us on our journey through "Incarceron." We have Finn's companions: Keiro, Gildas, Attia, and several others who are the object of their interests as they make their way along the winding paths of Incarceron. It's no secret that their sole interest is Escape (sic), as is most inhabitants' of the infernal prison. However, Incarceron is notorious for having no way out, nor any way in. The mystery of this book is found in the efforts of these characters in figuring out the lies from the truth that have been told to them throughout their entire existence in the prison.

Our other cast of characters are found throughout Claudia's story: the Warden (her father), Jared (her tutor), the Queen, and the members of the Queen's court. Like I previously mentioned, they're all caught up in playing the "games" of the Court. Lying, scheming, and pretending their way through their lives so that they can control their way to the top of the metaphorical leaderboard.

Unsurprisingly, these storylines end up weaving together pretty flawlessly. I won't give anything away, but rest assured there is purpose and planning in everything Fisher writes in this book. There are several things you have to pay attention to in this story - the most important, in my opinion, being the chapter intros. They're perfectly placed and everything ends up making sense if you've taken the time to read them.

I first read "Incarceron" when I was in high school and I can't exactly remember how I felt when those life-altering revelations were made in the book. What I can remember is how much I loved it, which is why I wanted to read it again. This story is incredibly unique. It sticks out and although I would categorize it as a fantasy, it sort of holds a bit of everything.

The only thing this book lacked for me was romance. I love a good romance, and this doesn't really hit that mark. We definitely aren't promised romance with either of the books in this duology, so I can't say that I am disappointed with it. Still, I'm hoping the second book, "Sapphique," has a little more of a romantic layer within it. I have to say, even without the romance, "Incarceron" is such a good read. It's fast-paced and intriguing, mysterious, and definitely requires the reader to use their imagination. "Incarceron" made me question everything and I'm so glad to have picked it up again.

[dragoneyes618]

This was the past. The only past left. Captured by light, frozen in a rigid image. Gone. But if you could re-enter it; if you could go back to that place and be that person again, if you could live that moment again, better, without the stupid remarks, the arguments, the mistakes, wouldn't that be a thing worth taking all the risks in the world for?

- Obsidian Mirror, Catherine Fisher, page 185

[thegirlwiththelantern]

Starspill

Title: Starspill Author: Catherine Fisher Publisher: Firefly Press Demographic: Children’s Genre: Fantasy Synopsis: It’s been one hundred and forty years since the Wolf swallowed the Sun, so why are all the cats in the dark, fog-shrouded town of Starspill bothering Zac about it now? He just wants to stay warm, listen to stories, and work hard for his brother as an apprentice starsmith. But the…

[wallflowerglitter]

[jimmycarterghostland]

I have The Slanted Worlds novel by Catherine Fisher. It's book two of the Obsidian Mirror series. I'm a bit fond of this book. One thing that irritates me, though, is the emotional coldness. Like, I don't get the feeling that the characters care about each other. And that makes it hard for me to connect with them. Like, Maskelyne is supposed to be Rebecca's boyfriend, but they don't seem like it at all. Seriously, not at all! They never even kiss. Rebecca seems like his work assistant more than anything. It's weird. There's no physical affection between them, either. I hate that.

I also have a problem with the multiple POVs per chapter thing. I wish it were like the A Song of Ice and Fire books, where there is one POV per chapter. It makes things easier to read. And it would be nice if the character's ages were stated more. Plus, I hate the main villain, Summer, as a character. She's annoying more than anything.

But there is some stuff I like about the novel. Sarah, the girl from the future, is my favorite character. And the prose is good. This book has great similes and imagery. The novel could be better, though.

[roseunspindle]

Books with “F” Authors I Own and and Need to Read Part 1

[awholelottabi]

Walls have ears. Doors have eyes.

Trees have voices. Beasts tell lies.

Beware the rain. Beware the snow.

Beware the man You think you know.

- Catherine Fisher, Songs of Sapphique

[pleas3pretendimnothere]

My mystery pain improved somewhat this month, so I was able to read four books! I'm still behind my 1-book-a-week goal, but whatever! I care more about my body feeling better. And it's too bad none of these books really stood out this month!

The Door In the Moon

By Catherine Fisher - This is the third book in Fisher's Obsidian Mirror series. The previous two books I enjoyed for their fast pacing and colorful characters. I did recommend adventure-enthusiasts read them! However, this third book may have changed my opinion somewhat...

This book feels like filler. By the end, I was asking, "Was an adventure in mid-revolution Paris really necessary?" It all felt a bit like pandering to the dramatic allure of this historical time period. The reader realizes the setting and thinks, "Uh-oh! How will our heroes get out of this one!" At least, I suppose that's what was the intended effect... It didn't pay off for me. Instead, the book shuffles things around in a way that should feel refreshing, but instead disappoints. Side characters whom I care very little for are reintroduced and made pivotal to the plot. Meanwhile, the series' most likeable characters are pushed into the background. This mix-up destroyed Fisher's usual intense pacing! And the big ending...well, it could have easily been the ending to the previous book. Why, why, why? What happened here!?

It's tough to be three books into a series and realize you've just read a worse book. You ask, "Do I still care?" And I think I do. The previous books were strong enough, so I will be finishing the series. I'll give my final verdict then!

Life After Life

By Kate Atkinson - A book opens with a woman assassinating Hitler. You, having freshly opened the scene in your mind, must decide: heroic, or campy? That question haunted my entire read.

The majority of Life is fantastic. Our protagonist Ursula Todd is reliving her own life over and over again. Each time she dies, she relives her life with new instincts, her own intuition linking her to the mistakes of her past failed lives. We as the readers see Ursula make mistakes, and then improve upon them in the next life. We see her at her lowest, and then at her highest. She makes decisions that have positive effects in some ways, and negative effects in others. Consequences riddle each small decision. Atkinson's ability to jump between lives, sometimes in ways that can be quite confusing to the reader, brings a huge amount of fun to this read. The reader constantly asks, "What will she do different? Will her life be better or worse? Do any of her decisions actually matter at all?"

And then you remember she is somehow going to kill Hitler. Huh???

Ultimately, Atkinson made it make sense. I too would kill Hitler if I realized he was the source of all despair in all my multitude of lives! Most importantly, this is emotional, thought-provoking literature. I often found myself reflecting on my own life and the decisions I make every day, how the smallest things might affect me years down the line. And then, I wonder if any of it really matters, or if it will all just end up undone.

I really enjoyed this read, but it is quite long, and the Hitler stuff comes off as quite distracting in this year of 2024. Still, I'd highly recommend you RENT IT!

Akata Witch

By Nnedi Okorafor - A thirteen-year-old American, albino girl of Nigerian parents returns to Nigeria, where she discovers she is part of a secret society of magic-users that spans the globe. It's giving Harry Potter and Percy Jackson, folks. It's a lot of fun.

Okorafor has written a children's novel that brings the readers into the world of African magic. It's tantalizing, it's magical, it's whimsical, and, in a wonderful Riordan-esque way, still quite serious! There are stakes and risk, and our adorable cast of characters must navigate huge responsibilities suddenly placed on their shoulders. And the story, the world, always, always, it's strange, and it's fun! I had a blast reading this.

Not a lot to say about Witch, but it's a delightful, quick and easy read. If you're looking for something light and refreshing like Rick Riordan, definitely RENT IT!

God Emperor of Dune

By Frank Herbert - And now for something completely different. The brilliant new Dune film inspired my return to the books, all of which I'd gobbled up. Dune was incredibly detailed and wise. Dune Messiah was a reflective finale to its predecessor. Children of Dune brought us back into the weird intrigue and horror of Arrakis. And God Emperor...um. Don't read this book....

Wow. This book was bad. I didn't think it possible, but hoo boy! The people weren't kidding when they said "Just read the first three!" This book is a miserable, patronizing slog.

There is virtually no plot. The God Emperor Leto II spends 80% of the book taking guests into his chamber and philosophizing at them. Herbert's writing is astonishingly nuanced and intelligent--to a fault. There's so much nonsense wordplay, that at some point, you just stop trying to understand any of it. You lose interest. You ask, 300 pages in, "Wait, what the hell happened to Siona???" Then, when Duncan cries out in fear of two girls kissing, you ask, "Is Dune bad??"

And the philosophy! Good god, it's dated. Hope you enjoy sexism and homophobia in your worldly discussions! Just know I spent a lot of time laughing. (That's right! Male armies always tend towards homosexuality, which always leads to self-destruction! I so agree, Frank!!)

If you loved Dune like I did, you will not love this book. If you MUST read it, I'd advise a tailored reading experience, where all the pointless nonsense is skipped. That would be a good 70%. Otherwise, SKIP IT!

[phunnyphis]

just finished the stones of venice