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The Martyr by Anthony Ryan My rating: 4 of 5 stars Master Alwyn Scribe is back! Escaping death with only a throbbing headache in Anthony Ryan's 'The Martyr' another rip roaring adventure of heroic, despite Alwyn's protests, fantasy. Everdine Courlaine's ascent as a risen Martyr has truly set the cat among the pigeons in the Duchies, with the Covenant and the King wary of her rapidly growing popularity with the Churls. It is a popularity that could well destabilise their positions of power and one thing power hates it is a rival. Add in Shilda's Testament that Alwyn holds regarding the King's parentage and The Covenant Company finds itself in quite the pickle. Luckily as it turns out the King has a cunning plan to accept Everdine into his loving embrace as a Sword, to then be promptly unsheathed and sent to defend a ruined castle on the border with a belligerent and heretical Duchy with only the King’s writ in lieu of resources. Who better to face the heretics than a risen Martyr and if the Martyr doesn't come back well that would be a shame wouldn't it....but plans never really go according to er plan, certainly when Alwyn Scribe is involved. In a world of religious fervour a schism is forming and war is bound to follow all Alwyn really wants to do is run and survive like a true outlaw yet something keeps him in the Covenant Company regardless.... Religious fervour and political machinations form a compelling background to The Martyr but it is Alywn's outlaw cynicism that really shines through. Admittedly I kind of hate first person narratives especially ones set on a future voice that kind of drops spoilers, but as Alwyn ponders his own and other's responses to Evidine's Risen Martyr, some intriguing philosophical comparisons arise. The supporting cast offer examples of the truly devoted, the non-believer but loyal friend, the practical believers, to go alongside Alywn's reluctant cynic. A good contrast is offered through the 'heretical' Aludians who believe a slightly different version of religious events. Again fanatical and pragmatic believers provide interesting foils for Alwyn's tale as he encounters fanatics who want to cleanse and the nobles who just want to defend their own. As events escalate the theological and political machinations that occur breathe life into a complex set of characters and shroud Albermaine in a bit of moral ambiguity..... The political moves drive the action which is suitably epic though Alwyn's first hand prose is prone towards bland recounting, (see I told you I hate first person narratives). The world building rescues it though with each encounter given depth through Scribe's philosophical recollections and observation of allies and foe alike. A good old siege allows for some eventful scenarios, a ruined castle, vastly outnumbered, the dangling possibility of no reinforcements, daring raids, skirmishes, knightly charges by irrepressible youths make for an entertaining read, Scribe even allows himself some humour amidst the stress of it all. Scribe's recollection of past events allows some deep retrospective introspective character growth to shine, the good/bad dichotomy between outlaw thief and noble knight is played with beautiful. As the events progress Alwyn’s reluctant soldier/scribe remains in the thick of it all and his responses offer tantalising questions, posits narrative ambiguities that keep characters and action compelling to read. The breadcrumb hints of magic and supernatural vibes from The Pariah are pleasingly expanded on. Again Alwyn's personal conflict of believer Vs cynic drives the compelling ambiguity of theological, political and personal schisms. Mysteries are revealed only to lead to more mysteries, what Alywn knows and what he believes about his world and his allies are cast in doubt, yet love and loyalty are a powerful drug and with a spectacular blood soaked consummation all bets are off...... An exciting character driven epic fantasy that twists through faith loyalty and devotion, The Martyr is a step up from The Pariah and I am really excited for the Traitor View all my reviews

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And Put Away Childish Things

And Put Away Childish Things (3) by Adrian Tchaikovsky My rating: 4 of 5 stars Imagine CS Lewis presented as an episode of Inside No'9 and you get the dark comic horror of Adrian Tchaikovsky's And Put Away Childish Things. A fever dream take on children's classics featuring a bitter and frayed middle-aged actor cum Kids TV presenter's, a fanatic fan-club cum occult cult, a fairyland cum nightmare, just think of Narnia, and twist it to bleak despair and you get the jist... Tchaikovsky always manages to pack a lot into these little novellas of his, from Bowie to The Thundercats and the weird feelings cartoons gave you in the 90s, funny pop culture refs and insightful social commentary lurk within the narrative. It is also a pandemic book, capturing the otherworldly quiet of lockdown, where a semi-famous TV presenter could literally disappear for months into a fantasy land and no one would really notice and really didn’t we all disappear into a depressingly bleak fantasy land for a while? Despite the despair And Put Away Childish Things is an astute parable of embracing adulthood, or at least coming to the realisation that the past and the golden age of youth may not always be the halcyon fields of green we thought and that growing up might be more something many of us will have to come to terms with (eventually)…. View all my reviews

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Wild

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61948975-wild" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Wild: Tales from Early Medieval Britain" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1660339508l/61948975._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61948975-wild">Wild: Tales from Early Medieval Britain</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21681886.Amy_Jeffs">Amy Jeffs</a><br/> My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5374726564">3 of 5 stars</a><br /><br /> Wild, a sequel of sorts to Amy Jeffs' bestselling Storyland, returns the reader to the poetic landscape of medieval Britain conjured by a unique artistic approach to history. <br /><br />Wild is a small selection of stories inspired by medieval poetry and tales found in, The Exeter Book and other medieval sources that are perhaps less well known. <br /><br />Jeff's tales are haunting and emotive, rich in sensory details; touch and temperature, noise and frosty fingers, the crisp of decay touched leaves, warriors call and sing. A natural world and wild landscape that bring old words shrouded time to imaginative life. <br /><br /><i>'and so my spirit soars beyond the heart's restraints'</i> <br /><br />Chapter two a hauntingly melancholic highlight where loneliness stands out for a delicate twist to an epic saga <br /><br /><i>'their ordeals passed away' 'so to will mine'</i><br /><br />Old poetry and it's import for medieval society vague for modern uninitiated reader is still full of emotive humanity. Helpful commentaries elucidate on meanings and how the old poetry sheds light on a rich artistic culture in Medieval Britain, the medieval perspectives and understandings reflecting how they perceived the world they inhabit. <br /><br />The mix of modern iterations, translated originals and modern commentary providing a smooth and engaging link betwixt past and present. <br /><br />As with Storyland Wood engravings (the authors own) imbue chapters with a haunting gothic edge; the silhouette of leafless trees, hunched figures in empty spaces, bursts of white life amidst the darkness....emotive juxatpositions of humanity <br /><br />The Old English poems (and modern translations) are appendixed at the end. The old English words that I love to speak out loud, to pronounce (badly)....to feel myself in an old ancestors life. Wild is a beautiful book to draw you into medieval Britain, to the Saxon's and their miserable epic poetry .... <br /> <br/><br/> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/92386898-jeff">View all my reviews</a>

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The Pariah

The Pariah by Anthony Ryan My rating: 3 of 5 stars If you have read Anthony Ryan's books before then his newest adventure The Pariah will be very familiar, but is that good or a bad thing? Hard men doing hard men things, kings, knights, outlaws, bastards with noble lineage, northmen based on...well er northmen, whilst a potent religiosity swirls in the background with a hint of the supernatural being real. The Pariah has all the hallmarks of Bloodsong adapted for a new world. I like it despite Ryan now occupying the same creative space as bands who release similar sounding albums year after year. There is enough of a twist to the beginnings though to stave off accusations of 'playing it safe' with a set style. The Pariah begins with young outlaw Alywn and a band of not so merry men accosting a royal messenger, rather un-Robin Hood like these outlaws are true miscreants; cutthroats, murderers, whores, a burgeoning psychopath, a gay couple and a religious zealot, led by a grizzly Robin Hood stand in determined to claim a birthright rather than help the downtrodden. It is an interesting start that plays a slight of hand with the first person narrative. Told from a future Alywn who likes to hint at what's to come provides some intriguing mystery whilst also ruling out any sense of jeopardy, like Vaelin Al'sorna before him Ryan's choice of narrative trick swathes his hero in plot armour. Refreshingly honest to the reader, heroism lies in the journey after all, no need for shocks, that's been done.... Oh wait there is a twist, and the Robin Hood plot gives away to shocking betrayal and a bloody quest for vengeance, all the while being informed by future Alywn that all of present Alywn's plans for bloody vengeance aren't going to go, well er, according to plan... certainly because ' shockingly' Alwyn finds himself in a cage destined toward the Pit Mines, because that's never been done in fantasy before.... Anyway, the Pariah works mainly because despite the familiarity, Alwyn as a character, is slowly moved away from being a discarded outlaw out for petty vengeance. The plot is most interesting at the moments where Alywn desperately clings to his petty outlaw identity despite his natural intelligence leading him to being drawn into something grander. Interesting, mysterious, boorish, antagonistic, the side characters are plentiful, they variously help, hinder, inspire Alywn in equal measure creating a plethora of dramatic episodes within which Alywn's story and character can slowly evolve and develop. And I do mean slowly as The Pariah is a long book that takes it's time and reads like near a 600 page set up, which is a bit bothersome, but there are enough elements to satisfy heroic fantasy fans and some intriguing potential to the story. View all my reviews

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A Fatal Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

A Fatal Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum: Murder in Ancient Rome by Emma Southon My rating: 3 of 5 stars There is a distinctly un-academic tone to Emma Southon's A Fatal Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, a history of murder in ancient Rome that combines true crime with ancient history. Irreverent examples include 'senators stabbing the shit out of each other', 'fuck off massive buildings' and my favourite regarding Roman land policies 'we can get through this together; I believe in us'. Though personally I actually quite enjoyed studying Roman land policy reform, as it ended in riot and murder lulz. It's always nice when an author can indulge two distinct passions, though fortuitously enough Romans apparently loved a bit of murder so the intersection between True Crime and Ancient Rome isn't as incongruous as you'd imagine. The tone also strays toward cutting satire that is surely going to wind up stuffy conservative types, for example of said land reforms the poor wanted space to have a wash, the rich to frolic in massive vineyards and to not see the poor. Sounds horrible, glad we've progressed from that level of inequality….. It's also a slight case of the author doth protest too much, willing to yada-yada through the Roman land reform policies leading up to senator Tiberius Gracchus' murder then proceeding to succinctly sum up said reform policies because try as you might to focus on a murder, you can't really escape the fact senatorial murder is a culmination and the important bits are really what proceeded it. There is a delicate balance struck between the author’s schlocky 'True Crime' tone and scholarship one I think Southon just about gets away with, treading the fine line between stupid and clever. Although the focus is pretty much on the joke of doing a vulgar history book, think Horrible Histories for adults, there is good scholarship and important points laying underneath. Each chapter covers a different type of Roman murder; In Law, In the Family, In Marriage, murdering slaves, murder by magic and obviously killing emperor's which happened quite a lot. Each chapter is split into case studies of specific murders, usually summing up the life of the murderer or victim, the location, the means, the motives etc and using this as base from which to elucidate on how Murder was viewed through the roman lens and often linking this into modern commentary. Despite the joke of a vulgar history it can be pretty dark, brutal and grim reading. There is a tendency to venerate the Romans and particularly Roman writers and Southon’s modern politics presents a stark and challenging perspective to this traditional veneration. There is also an argument to say that the unrelenting focus on providing a snarky vulgarity limits true academic argument, leading to a lack of complexity and nuance, to the perspectives provided. A slightly less than perfect academic book is either a travesty or godsend depending on how you like your reading. View all my reviews

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The True Bastards

The True Bastards by Jonathan French My rating: 4 of 5 stars The True Bastards (Jonathan French) continues the riotous Grimdark adventures of the Half-orc Hoofs, pseudo-biker gangs struggling to survive in a lawless inhospitable land. Following on from the calamitous events of The Grey Bastards, Fetching is now voted in Chief of the newly titled True Bastards. The only female half-orc to ever join a Hoof, let alone lead one, has a major job on her hands, rebuilding and rehoming a devesated Hoof, the Bastards' golden boy and Fetch's one-time lover Jackal departed on a quest for vengeance and stalwart childhood friend Oats exiled to something called the Pit of Homage leaves Fetch's leadership in a perilous position. It would be a crying shame at this inappropriate time for ruthless and nefarious enemies to rear their heads, and of course multiple do. French really does create some memorably malignent villains. But he also creates a strong, motivated heroine. Fetch's characterization and development is a stand out in The True Bastards, the shift of perspective from Jackal to Fetch is welcome, allowing for a deeper character to take centre stage than the golden boy. As Fetch tries to save the Hoof from extinction, a wide range of obstacles and challenges materialize, at times deeply personal, others horribly monstrous. Fetch's temperment is stretched to the limit, her insecurities flair angrily in the face of misogyny, despair and the tragic hard choices that come with power. But Fetch is up for the challenge of leadership, at times her temper gets the best of her but Fetch becomes more open to others' perspectives, making use of others' skills, even if that choice is not easy and possibly deadly. A fallable but rounded leadership style is expressed through subtle changes from The Grey Bastards, the Slops, aspiring Hoof members, are now referred to by name reflecting a more thoughtful sense of leadership, it also adds a bit more emotional oomph when inevitably blood flows. Other female characters are introduced in another good change from The Grey Bastards. Perhaps as a nod to the more questionable depictions of women in the preceding book, the new female characters are at first mistakenly taken to be whores, before proving to own their own agency beyond the purely sexual. It's a much better read than The Grey Bastards in that regard, but don't fret Grimdark lovers it's still a brutal horrible scabrous world, the pit of flesh a stand out in the repugnant bit of nastyness stakes laid down by the tenets of grimdark grimness. The less said about 'gushing' the better, simply a ridiculous unneeded addition. The villains are also memorably vile, the rival Hoof chief Knob is, er well a Knob, he's joined by a particualy smarmy cavalero as well as arrogant Tines and the horrific Ruin Made Flesh, who as big bads go, is quite big and quite bad. That's a lot of villains for Fetch and the Bastards to deal with but the plot paces them out well and there may well be some twists, shocks and revelations along the way. Whilst the main action centres on personal challenges to Fetch, lurking in the background is Hispartha slowly re-encroaching upon the lots, and possibly Crafty manipulating events whilst evading Jackal's search. A good slow burn narrative that ties the trilogy together. As Fetch battles her way through adversity more of Hispartha's and the Lots' history and politics is revealed, Fetch's response leads towards a greater battle than simply rebuilding and rehoming a Hoof. At heart the true bastards is a classic tale of outsiders, minorities, marginalised, despised, forgotten about until they get in the way of power and by the end it's not hard to see why Fetch (the Hoofs and the Lots) seems to be willing to die for a parcel of hot dusty inhospitable land. Because it's not really about the land as such, it's about the idea, the freedom, to point your hog in any direction and ride, to thumb your nose at power identity and politics, to be The Free Bastards.... View all my reviews

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The Grey Bastards

The Grey Bastards by Jonathan French My rating: 3 of 5 stars If you ever thought that the Sons of Anarchy needed to be cruder, lewder and contain 100% more orcs then The Grey Bastards by Jonathan French is the book for you!! The Grey Bastards are a fantasy version of SAMCRO where half-orcs ride actual hogs, (instead of hogs) hold out in a club-house-cum-fortress and raise general hell with all and sundry. The set up vibes SOA following the upstart half-orc Jackal with Brutish but loyal buddy Oats butting heads with a conniving domineering old gang leader Claymaster. Derivative or ode to it's inspiration, the fantasy setting at least keeps it fresh. The plot builds around this dynamic, colourful members of the Hoof (biker gang) are introduced, loyalties, bonds and the world they inhabit are explored. The POV follows Jackal and his two closest friends Oats and Fetching as a violent encounter sets in motion the plot. Multiple conflicts, both personal and political are hinted at until events conspire to force inter hoof confrontation. For the upstart Jackal gunning for leadership it doesn't exactly go the way it is suppose to, betrayals and revelations follow. Where SOA is the inspiration for the plot, D&D is for the world-building. The standard fantasy creatures; elves, orcs, halflings, centuars feature heavily but there are also some more niche RPG creatures from the giant raptors, the rohks, to disgusting flans called Sludges that bring the brutal and dangerous nature of the Lots Land to life. Each race and creature serve the plot well, either as obstacles, challenges or a means to expand the dramatic conflicts of Hoof life. This helps the narrative to stay exciting and colourful rather than focusing just on the Clay vs Jax...sorry Claymaster Vs Jackal strand. And truly once events realign this strand the story begins to come into it's own in interesting and exciting fashion. The Grey Bastards is also peak Grimdark, brutal and cruel in its misogyny. The half-orcs are hyper sexualised full of phallic humour and lust. They're teen boys really....the comaradery is squalid and filthy but genuine, occasionally funny often ridiculous, definitely not for the faint of heart. The misogyny is not that funny though. Women mostly exist as whore or mothers, or both which is a... err problematic view of femininity to say the least....and the only female character with true agency has to fit masculine tropes to survive...for me the women have it tough trope in Grimdark is past it's sell buy date...but if you don't take the Grimdark dressings to serious The Grey Bastards is rollicking good fantasy. A colourful cast well augmented by a well-plotted narrative with enough action, intrigue and twists to keep you reading lifts the Grey Bastards above it's more scabrous elements. A unique offering for those who can stomach it. View all my reviews

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The Ice Dragon

The Ice Dragon by George R.R. Martin My rating: 4 of 5 stars George RR Martin's The Ice Dragon is short novella for younger readers. Set within a world reminiscent of Westeros but written before. The story is simple and seemingly a far cry from Martins world conquering series. But a kernel of the thematic darkness and ambiguities of Martin's later work lurk underneath. So if The Ice Dragon is not quite A Game of Thrones, what indeed is it? Well... The Ice Dragon is an enchanting fable, where dragons fly, a fairy-tale of childhood innocence, where wild dreams and fantasies are imposed upon by brutal realities. The Ice Dragon has the impersonal nature of folklore, yet a discreet intimate heroism where you can root for good over evil. The Ice Dragon is an ode to winter, to fields of white where stillness and silence is all.... Beautifully illustrated by Spanish Artist Luis Royo, whose shades of charcoal grey bring this chilly melancholic tale to life. The Ice Dragon is a legend that will make Martin fans rejoice for winter is coming…. View all my reviews

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Beak, Tooth and Claw

Beak, Tooth and Claw: Living with Predators in Britain by Mary Colwell My rating: 5 of 5 stars The intro to Mary Colwell’s Beak, Tooth and Claw: Living with Predators in Britain holds harrowing revelation, Great Tits, those burly favourites of the bird table, have been known to use their acorn smashing beaks to splinter the skulls of hibernating bats and eat the brains, leading one expert to christen them with the epithet 'Zombie Tits'. It’s changed my view of them to be honest. It's the Predator paradox you see, a human form of categorisation that doesn't do subtle. Some animals despite obvious murder tendencies don't get classed as predators, they don't fit the Beak, Tooth and Claw aesthetic....Predation is more about human perception and the meaning people give to their relationship to nature. Our perceptions of nature are why so many larger predators are persecuted over the smaller less obtrusive death machines. Getting to the heart of this paradox and the persecution of Mesopredators is what Colwell’s book is all about, and it makes for fascinating, if sometimes brutal reading. Nature and wildlife conservation is an emotive subject and Colwell doesn’t shy away from the conflicts, seeking to find an answer on how to live with medium sized predators in a modern and industrial Britain. Each chapter deals with a specific predator, Foxes, Badgers, Corvids, Birds of Prey, Seals and finally Wildcats, Wolves and Lynx. Colwell offers a considered argument for each, summing up their history of persecution, their rebounds and the current issues affecting their survivability in a human world. Taking in the alternative perspectives, Farmer’s anecdotal evidence against the science facts and statistics, what you believe is probably down to your own principles, Colwell leaves it up to you to decide, and her own views are often hauntingly expressed. Excerpts of famous poetry and literature stand by the words of farmers and conservationist in balanced ambiguity, the practical beside the emotional. Colwell helps navigate a complex argument with intelligence, empathy and wit, revealing fascinating facets of British culture and our relationship to the natural world around us. Beak, Tooth and Claw doesn’t shy away from the brutal and wild nature of predator and prey dynamics, the zombie tits may sound incongruous but they have nothing on Grey Seals peeling smaller Common Seals like oranges. Despite the bloodletting Beak, Tooth and Claw also has its captivating beauty, the snuffling badger, the sauntering urbane urban fox, and to us the pitch black shadow of ravens, a frisson of the macabre, but to other corvids and their high ultra-violet range eyesight, they are a blaze with dazzling colours.... Beak, Tooth and Claw is a fascinating, emotive and powerful, for anyone interested in wild Britain and the struggle for conservation I highly recommend it. View all my reviews

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Eyes of the Void

Eyes of the Void by Adrian Tchaikovsky My rating: 5 of 5 stars Eyes of the Void, the follow up to The Shards of Earth, avoids the difficult second 'album' curse by playing to the authors strengths, good characters, dire straits and imaginative set pieces with smart meta commentary. The return of the unfathomable Architects places the universe in considerably dire straits, as factions of humanity inch closer to war and alien species act for their own unknowable motivations. As worlds fall to the architects' 'art' The crew of the Vulture God find themselves at the centre of things again as Idris Telemmier's unique abilities to communicate with the Architects make him a prime target for any faction's plans to combat the universal threat. The first part of Eyes focuses on Idris, his motivations and worldview. Now working for the Parthenon, Idris and the crew of the Vulture God are a bundle of mixed and conflicted loyalties, where cultural clashes blend into understandings of others. Idris as a character works well as a something of a philosophical guide, his angsty self-doubt expressing moral and ethical quandaries thrown up by the world/universe building. It's a trait shared by the Vulture God crew, there always seems to be a little more philosophical depth to Tchaikovsky's characterization that makes them seem particularly human.....even some of the more bizarre aliens.... There is a bit less punchy action than the first book, the plot takes a noir-ish spycraft turn as a mysterious packet of data sets rival intelligence agents on a treasure hunt that drags in the Vulture God crew, which in turn drags in old enemies. The action picks up with a great space opera set piece. As a world is slowly destroyed, Idris and the Vulture God crew strive to escape competing kidnapping attempts, whilst being on the verge of resolving some of the universe mysterious, as well as a planet’s cataclysmic demise. It's a good narrative juggling act, capped off by an epic entrance, a plot twist and some noble sacrifice that sets up a more frantic second act that continues with the treasure hunt theme, the treasure this time being altogether more personal. As factions and enemies circle the vulture God crew a few surprising members join in, that continues the conflicted loyalties narrative. Some mysteries are resolved revealing some plot shifting motivations and underneath is a vein of meta political/philosophical commentary, how the powerful can turn down a dark path where once an idea is committed to it is hard to acknowledge as a bad mistake. Even the undeniably villainous characters have subtle depths that lift them above cardboard stereotypes. The action heats up in the final act on an imaginatively hellish planet full of deadly nuclear flowers. As competing factions converge there are exciting payoffs to storylines and just enough revelations and plot twist to keep the narratives hot going into book three. Eyes is typical Tchaikovsky, mixing existential quandaries, modern allusions and good characters with imaginative space opera action. A good second book that delivers on the promise of the first. View all my reviews

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The Fires of Vengeance

The Fires of Vengeance by Evan Winter My rating: 5 of 5 stars "Rage reaches into the world when we can no longer contain the hurt of being treated as if our life and loves do not matter. Rage, and its consequences, are what we get when the world refuses to change for anything less" Fires of Vengeance is a furious sequel to Evan Winter's intense debut Rage of Dragons. Not since David Gemmell have I been so gripped by a brutal chunk of Heroic Fantasy. Brimming with epic duels, blood soaked battles, political intrigues, demonic nightmares and of course the rage of dragons! Fires of Vengeance finds new Queen's Champion Tau slap-bang in the heart of the system he despises. Grudgingly Tau commits to his new Queen's cause, to wrest control of Palm City from renegade Royal Nobles. Whilst the smouldering fires of vengeance ever burn within, Tau seeks to use his closeness to the queen to exact revenge on Odili the noble who orchestrated his father's murder. But as he is drawn deeper into Queen Tsiora's fight against her sister and the Royal Nobel's, long held secrets are revealed that explain the caste system of the Omehi, the lives of the lessers and nobles will forever change. The narrative is pretty much centred the indomitable willed fighting machine Tau. There is quite a lot of gratuitous violence, but it is a violence that has a lot to say. Winter has created a truly compellingly flawed hero in Tau, beset by injury, plagued by demons both literal and figurative, Tau exists in a permanent state of conflicts and trauma, a spectacular case of imposter syndrome. It's a question of what will break first his will or his body. Equally compelling a creation is the Omehi society, a highly stratified unequal society of brutal even murderous hierarchies. Fuelled by a toxic masculinity, an injustice system pushes Tau to always perform better, to be ever more violent against a system that only ever punches down. Tau riles against the system yearning to break its chains whilst simultaneously falling prey to its insidious poison, forever judging his comrades perspectives, Tau is tormented by always having to prove his ability and his existence in a stratified society, in Tau's mind no slack can be given, weakness is shame, even in the eyes of trusted friends. The bleak irony to Tau's fire for vengeance are the repeated cycles of violence. Tau's violent actions have consequences, for himself, his friends, society and in the end perhaps the world. Violence ever begets violence. Perhaps the biggest fight for Tau is in finding the means to change the cyclic violence and to find something more to live for and Winter instils a subtle naivety to Tau that tantalisingly hints towards a healing of Tau’s battered psyche. The modern allusions seamlessly encapsulated within the fantasy setting, says a lot about black experience in injustice unequal societies. It makes for a truly unique take on the system smashing, underdog trope of your archetypal fantasy hero. The Burning is shaping up to be a rather special fantasy saga. Roll on book three. View all my reviews

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Ogres Review

Ogres by Adrian Tchaikovsky My rating: 5 of 5 stars Ogres are bigger than you. Ogres are stronger than you. Ogres rule the world. It’s always idyllic in the village until the landlord comes to call. Because the landlord is a literal ogre and ogres rule the world. So when impetuous headman’s son Torquell dares to strike the landlord’s he inadvertently sets himself on a quest that will expose the ogres’ secrets and dark sciences that ensured their rule. Adrian Tchaikovsky's new short novella is brimming with sharp satire, don’t be fooled into thinking Ogres is mere fantasy, behind the fantasy façade, the steampunk bowler hat wearing vibes, lies cutting social commentary on our modern world and the intersection of climate change, capitalism and inequality. Not just content with criticism of the present, Ogres also gives us a future shock of speculative sci-fi, where a futurist's nightmares come to life, science being used to inevitably worsen the status quo. Tchaikovsky creates a genuinely dystopian world, referencing its sci-fi forebears, in the soylent green, the monster is man, it was earth all along vein, hmmm that's good satire. Torquell’s journey to escape the ogres is presented like a heroic quest, a charming archetypical fantasy quest, heroism, rebellion and overcoming the monsters, but undertaken in a more unconventional modern way. It's nice to see education and reading books as the hallmark of heroism, faith placed in the humanities as opposed to the government’s obsession with STEM subjects. The second person perspective drawing you intimately in as if Tchaikovsky wants you to indeed be the hero. Ok, you got me I’m a humanities guy. And then the narrative twists, revolution, rebellion, the politics of war, elements that leave notions of heroism ambiguous and you're suddenly reading a critique of capitalism/slavery/freedom and left with a big picture philosophical questioning on the nature of humanity. Ogres is a chilling little fairy tale fit for the modern world. View all my reviews

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Human Kind

Human kind: A Hopeful History by Rutger Bregman My rating: 4 of 5 stars Rutger Bregman's Human kind: A Hopeful History is a 'book about a radical idea, that deep down, most people are really pretty decent. It's a crazy idea, just go on twitter, or watch the news. People are the worst, right? If that's what you're thinking, then you really need to read this book. Human kind is history from a fresh perspective, that of positivity, something many of use probably need right now. And Bregman's energetic, anecdotalesq prose does just that, without losing scholarly rigour. Bregman provides some shrewd criticism of how myths and narratives about humanity's 'savage nature' have developed, influencing psychology experiments and mainstream culture alike. Lord of the Flies has a lot to answer for. Context, details matter. It's through thorough investigation that Bregman is able to overcome the dubious interpretations, the media lies and the bad science to get to something altogether more positive. Turns out humans are really giant friendly puppies. Radical idea right? You must be barking? Have you seen the news? What about the Nazis?! Valid questions that have been anticipated by Bregman. Human kind addresses how prehistoric man turned from a hippie commune, to civilization, to empires, kingdoms and global CEOs. It's not great reading, it's kinda dark, distressing even, to think that our great civilizations, cultures and institutions are a wrong turn, that our inherent puppiness can be lead horribly astray. 'Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely'. Pertinent stuff, particularly now. But what if the defining nature of humankind was a mistake, from the enlightenment to now, what if modern societies were built around a mistaken belief in humanity's inherent selfishness and what if institutions could be built towards presuming the best in humans rather than presuming the worst? Is there a way back to our lost inner puppy? Well yes, actually there is, Play! What!? Play!? Are you mad?! Humanity needs structure, discipline, good grades, sales targets, boring repetitive jobs.... No, apparently not. Bregman explores ways in which better societies can be built and one of the more fun methods explored is play. Again modern myths of human nature are exposed to shrewd criticism, fascinating modern case studies are aligned with evidence from our prehistoric ancestors to make a compelling case for the freedom and creativity that play brings to humanity. The strictures of school and work environments are laid bare as traps, 'shut kids in cages and they behave like rats' being a particularly succinct quote. Democracy is another method explored, real democratic communities as opposed to voting for whichever political aristocracy you fancy. Real world case studies are again used to great effect to argue that political engagement can thrive when communities have an actual stake in decision making, or something to fall back on rather than the punitive system we call ' welfare benefits'. And there are plenty more real world examples that Bregman gives, where reversing our perspective of humanity from punitive to positive leads to interesting conclusions. Naive and saccharine!? Maybe? But Bregman builds a compelling long narrative of human psychology, simply by reversing perspective, and I found the logic of Bregman's history quite persuasive. Wishful thinking, perhaps? But Human kind sets out a clear compelling argument for a more positive society, culture and civilization. A way back to our inner puppy. View all my reviews

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Imperium

Imperium by Robert Harris My rating: 4 of 5 stars Robert Harris delivers a thrilling political tale of tumultuous history with Imperium , first part in a trilogy following the life and times ancient Rome's greatest Orator Marcus Tullius Cicero. Narrated by his trusty slave secretary Tiro, Imperium follows Cicero as he competes against his peers in the law courts of ancient Rome. A petitioner from Sicily sets Cicero against Hortensius, the dancing master of the law courts and Cicero's chief rival, an establishment figure, an aristocrat defending the corrupt and vicious Gaius Verres former governor of Sicily. This class struggle pits eques verses optimates and is Cicero's introduction to the cursus honorum, the ladder of limited political positions through which rich Roman men competed for glory and power. Cicero has ambitions of holding high office, the consulship, but for an idealistic man the cursus honorum holds many dangers, not least physically as murder is a real possibility but it also strikes hard at one's principles and Cicero is set on swimming in this sea of sharks. To gain Imperium how much of himself will Cicero have to sacrifice? Imperium is well researched, prepare for a flood of Roman cognomen and praenomen, a treat for history buffs, confusing for everyone else, but it does set the Roman scene very well. Harris has some strong, thrilling even, narrative foundations to draw from and he captures the political shenanigans, the deals, the threats, corruption and the murder at the heart of Roman politics extremely well. Cicero's glad handing, deal making, and ruminations recalled by Tiro evoke a sense of Roman patronage, where doing favours for lower ranks can help fulfil ambition but can also trap someone, both physically and idealistically, to a much bigger more dangerous fish. Thanks to Tiro's first person narration, imperium has the feel of an eyewitness account, an insider's view of tumultuous history where Rome's Republic begins its shift towards an imperial age. So why did I feel like it was a modern story? Cicero's own words are subtly woven into a prose that sweeps along in a blur of Roman senators and their machinations. Reading the pacey prose feels like watching TV, part detective show, part court room drama as Cicero builds his case against Verres and one glorious day in court Cicero morphs into Lt Columbo having played dumb only to twist with a doozey of a 'oh just one more thing'. Cicero's speeches, for brevity's sake are thankfully edited from his own long speeches the results are less historical but are delivered with the gusto of a climatic Law & Order denouement. As Cicero and Tiro roam Rome and Italy, the former's dictation of political and personal plans gives a whiff of the West Wing and whether its strategizing with allies, celebrating victories or despondent defeats Imperium conjures a feeling of the modern campaign trail of any western politician. Cicero's enmity to the optimates eventual leads to appeals to the mob, where rhetoric matters more than ideals, a now unnerving shadow of modern populism. Character wise Cicero himself comes across as an idealist in a Roman way at least. Caught in the grasp of Pompey the Great's patronage and the enmity of super rich Crassus, to survive Cicero's principles and Roman idealism is put to the test as he tries to secure his own ambition, the Imperium of the consulship. Tiro's loyalty to his master speaks volumes, but he still gives a balanced narrative of a man who could be vain and arrogant in his ambition, yet insecure and vulnerable trapped in a system eating up his principals. Devotion to family, friends and favoured slave gives Cicero a sympathetic air, in a sea of sharks an urban man is easier to root for. Through Tiro's eyes Harris gives us a compelling modern and often thrilling take on politics and the ancient figure of Cicero. View all my reviews

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The long way to a small, angry planet

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers My rating: 3 of 5 stars The long way to a small, angry planet is a smart imaginative debut novel by Becky Chambers, but it's one I didn't really click with. The novel follows Rosemary Harper, a young woman escaping her troubled family life aboard the Wayfarer, a slightly misfit independent spaceship about to take on a massive new job, linking a new dangerous species to the Galactic Commons. The back cover synopsis offers an intriguing sci-fi set up different people/aliens in close confined proximity set upon a dangerous undertaking, particularly when some dangerous secrets are hinted at. However, The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet is a slightly different sci-fi novel. The story is character driven rather than focused on epic action. A diverse cast of characters, human, alien and AI make for an interesting family group dynamic as cultural and species differences are explored. It's all very human stuff though, the aliens are very anthropomorphic really so thematically the book explores sex, love and notions of family, those you have and those you choose but with some interesting/imaginative speculative cultural and physical touches. Everyone, mostly, is also ridiculously kind hearted, the crew of the Wayfarer are good people, and it's all a bit to saccharine for me. Even when danger raises its head in the form of some Skegsis type bird alien pirates, the conflict is resolved with smarts, assessing others needs, talking and common decency, its humane conflict resolution which should be how real world arguments are resolved, but for exciting space opera it doesn't necessarily make. It's tooooo nice. I think the novel suffers from a lack of an antagonist, it’s mostly a workplace drama in an office where everyone’s nice. It lacks jeopardy, there are neither internal nor external conflicts that occur that really spices up the narrative. Big events happen of course, but the crew of the Wayfarer are only really glanced by them. Like the huge events of the real world glancing by out the window strangely affecting us despite the distance. But character and narrative are unbalanced by the end and the emotion played for is unearned. View all my reviews

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Elder Race

Elder Race by Adrian Tchaikovsky My rating: 5 of 5 stars "Know thyself, the wise man wrote, and yet I know myself, none better, and the knowledge gives me no power." Imagine if Gandalf was an anthropologist space explorer struggling with his mental health .... If that's not enough of a hook for Adrian Tchaikovsky's Elder Race I don't know what more I can say. Elder Race is an entertaining fusion of Fantasy and Sci-fi told through two corresponding POVs. Lynesse Fourth Daughter is the typical fantasy hero, young and impetuous, against her family's orders she searches for a legendary sorcerer to help her fight a demon terrorising the land. But Elder Nyr isn't the archetypal fantasy sorcerer you'd expect, he's not supposed to help for one, and then there's his knowledge of science that tells him the threat can't possibly be a demon.... I really enjoyed Elder Race, it's a quick read but it's brevity still manages to pack philosophical depth and emotional punch. The interplay of fantasy and sci-fi leads to some humorous juxtapositions and misunderstandings. Po-faced fantasy collides with the bungling mundanity of an advanced human's response to a work project. Advanced tech is misconstrued as helpful spirits or familiars and bland explanation translated as enigmatic and fearful mysticism. As the narrative unfolds the application of Clarke's Law becomes charged with real emotional depth and heart wrenching misunderstandings. The loneliness of technological augmentation disguising humanity’s energetic emotions heartbreakingly misconstrued as mighty power. For me, Elder Race was a very moving and powerful piece of modern storytelling. Outside of the genre settings there was a raw personal story of depression and battling one's demons. It’s funny how often others can look all powerful yet inside there is a deep and lonely struggle. Elder Race is full of aspects of Tchaikovsky's writing that I really admire, his sense of humanity and curiosity is on full display. There are so many deep questions about modern human life and its tech solutions lurking in the narrative. Philosophical and moral questions playout as an 'advanced' human meets 'inferior' humans; what does it mean to care? How do people relate across massive cultural differences? And what are the dangerous consequences of basically breaching the Prime Directive? By the end of Elder Race I had the strange sense that the prime directive is actually kinda inhumane.... Another thing I really enjoy about Tchaikovsky is his use of pop culture reference. The demon's creepy body horror zoology reminded me of some Thing I've seen before, but executed well and with entertaining ambiguity. If you've not read Tchaikovsky before Elder Race is a perfect place to start, modern, deep and full of humanity. Read it! View all my reviews

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River Kings

River Kings: A New History of the Vikings from Scandanavia to the Silk Road by Cat Jarman My rating: 4 of 5 stars I was hesitant to buy River Kings: A New History of Vikings from Scandinavia to the Silk Roads , having already read around Viking history I wasn't convinced I'd get much out of another Viking history. I'm glad I did buy River Kings in the end, mostly. In 2017 Cat Jarman came into possession of an intriguing carnelian bead. Found in a Viking dig site in Repton England the intriguing archaeological find kick starts an investigation into its origins far to the east of Repton. Cat Jarman's text is pleasingly plain spoken. It's a style that unlocks the complex new science and technologies of archaeology, particularly bioarchaeology for the reader. It is fascinatingly detective in tone, Jarman working through archaeological finds applies her obvious expertise in modern archaeology to reassess historical collections and finds. Long established theories are put to the test as the new technologies reveal surprising results. Some ideas are affirmed others questioned in quintessential historical debate. River Kings is structured around the reverse journey of a carnelian bead found in Repton back to its origins in the East. This approach offers a fresh perspective on Viking history, particularly for Western European where Viking History often focuses on the North Atlantic, the Sagas, Religious Chronicles and the Rockstar like narratives of Viking raiders. Jarman does make use of written sources to fill in where physical finds lack or to bolster arguments. However, I found the plain speaking style occasionally fosters a loss of critical engagement somewhat reading like un-academic narrative. Which is not to say it lacks scholarly rigour, some almost throw away lines hide real insight. For example, Jarman only takes a few lines to assert Christian monks wrote exaggerations of demonic Vikings to chastise congregations, a succinct delivery of clarity that hitherto hasn't stuck in my mind from reading other Viking history books. The DNA and artefact analysis is really the star of the show though, opening up an intriguing new perspective on the Viking age. Examining burials, bones and artefacts across the Viking world reveals individuals and artefacts from Britain, Scandinavia and the East appearing in often surprising locations. Jarman’s work, for me at least, points to something like economic migration as raiders or traders following resources and cash both inward and outward of Scandinavia. As they say in most crime thrillers follow the money. Jarman provides an interesting multi-ethnic aspect to what was traditionally thought of as a homogeneous Viking world. River Kings is a fascinating easy to read and pretty fresh perspective on Viking History. If you're new to Viking history I highly recommend it, if you've read around a bit I still recommend it, because Viking history is always fascinating. View all my reviews