The Tide of Unmaking (The Berinfell Prophecies #3) 1.5Stars

 

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Title: The Tide of Unmaking
Series: The Berinfell Prophecies #3
Author: Wayne Batson & Christopher Hopper
Rating: 1.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
Pages: 349/60
Words: 139K/24K
Publish: 2012

I dnf’d this at 60 pages because while seven years have passed and characters are now turning 21, they are still acting like 14 year olds and being written as such. My patience for that was stretched in book 2 and so I’m just done. There is no reason for me to continue :-(

★✬☆☆☆

From the Publisher

Seven years have passed since the Lords of Berinfell - Tommy, Kat, Jimmy, Johnny, Autumn and Kiri Lee - watched the horror of Vesper Crag wash away, as well as their fallen kinsman, Jett Green. But with Grimwarden in exile, the realm of Berinfell finds itself ill-equipped to weather the coming storms. Kiri Lee begins to whisper of ghostly visitations. Taeva, Princess of the Taladrim, desperately seeks out the Elves of Berinfell to rescue her kingdom. And the genocidal Drefid Lord Asp launches his campaign to conquer Allyra. And Earth. But far worse still is a consuming terror on the horizon: an unstoppable force that threatens to devour all creation and all hope. Nations will crumble, loyalties will be tested, and even the might of Berinfell’s Lords may not be enough to stem The Tide of Unmaking.

Son of the Black Sword (Saga of the Forgotten Warrior #1) 4Stars

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Title: Son of the Black Sword
Series: Saga of the Forgotten Warrior #1
Author: Larry Correia
Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 396
Words: 140K
Publish: 2015

I bought this book in hardcover back in 2015 when it came out. Correia had come out to a book signing at a local bookstore (that sadly is no more) and I had pre-ordered a book for him to sign. I got sick that weekend so Mrs B went in my place and she ended up having a blast. She enjoyed the stories Correia told and thought he was quite the character. I read this book but never read any more of the series. I wanted Correia to finish the series and not crap out on me like other authors had done. I didn’t think Correia would do that, as his steady output of the Monster Hunter International books was a testament to his staying power and his Grimnoir trilogy showed he could wrap a storyline up well, but I wasn’t going take a chance. Now, I still bought the books as they came out, I just didn’t read them. I wanted to support Corriea and make sure he was financially incentivized to finish things up. Well, in February Correia released the final book in this Saga of the Forgotten Warrior series, which meant it was time for me to start the ball rolling. I did hesitate, as I am currently re-reading Correia’s Monster Hunter International series and I wondered if it would be better to not start Forgotten Warrior until that re-read was over. Correia as an author hits all my high points though, so I decided to get a double helping, help offset some of the bad books I’ve read this year.

And THAT is all the history of how I arrived at this point, with this review. Some books don’t have a story behind them, but some do. Truly, I must be the Chosen One ;-)

This is Correia’s first real foray into the Epic Fantasy world and I wondered how he’d handle things. I needn’t have feared. Everything I have loved about his writing in other books was here. But he made things interesting by giving the world a very Indian oriented culture. With a caste system that is as unyielding and terrible as India’s own, to the name of the main character, Ashok (if any of you are Dilbert fans, maybe you remember Ashok the Indian intern?), this was not steeped in Medieval European fantasy. I quite enjoyed the change.

I also enjoyed the whole “false identity” reveal about Ashok. That can always go either way for me, but it worked here. It helped show just how terrible the world was that we were reading about that something like this could happen. I know I’m not going into details, but just in case there is some schlub who cares about spoilers but hasn’t read the story yet, I’m being deliberately vague. Don’t worry, I won’t be this way for the rest of the books. Needless to say, what we learn about Ashok changes everything and is the fulcrum upon which this story hangs.

The reason this isn’t getting 5stars is two-fold. First, I almost never give out 5stars on an initial read anymore. I’m an experienced enough reader now to understand that the “new factor” plays a huge part and a 5star read should take that completely out of the equation. See my PS below in regards to Point One. Second, Ashok isn’t so much a “character” as he is a force of nature. Now, that is deliberate on Correia’s part, as it plays to the whole Identity reveal that I mentioned before, but I still didn’t care for it. I trust that Ashok will become his own persona over the next five books.

And that wraps things up. I had a lot of fun with this book and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series as the year progresses.

Ps,

I didn’t even remember reading this book initially. It wasn’t until I wrote this review and was about to put it into Calibre that I found I had read and reviewed it back in 2015. Thankfully, I only had to rewrite a few sentences and add a tag to bring this into line with reality.

★★★★☆

From the Publisher

After the War of the Gods, the demons were cast out and fell to the world. Mankind was nearly eradicated by the seemingly unstoppable beasts, until the gods sent the great hero, Ramrowan, to save them. He united the tribes, gave them magic, and drove the demons into the sea. Yet as centuries passed, Gods and demons became myth and legend, and the people no longer believed. The Age of Law began.

Ashok Vadal has been chosen by a powerful ancient weapon to be its bearer. He is a Protector, the elite militant order of roving law enforcers. No one is more merciless in rooting out those who secretly practice the old ways. Everything is black or white, good or evil, until he discovers his entire life is a fraud. Ashok isn’t who he thinks he is, and when he finds himself on the wrong side of the law, the consequences lead to rebellion, war—and destruction.

• Son of the Black Sword (2015 Review)

The Voice of the Mountain (Silver John #5) 3Stars

 

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Title: The Voice of the Mountain
Series: Silver John #5
Author: Manly Wade Wellman
Rating: 3 of 5 Stars
Genre: Folk Fantasy
Pages: 182
Words: 56K
Publish: 1984

This was probably the most action’y of the Silver John books. John actually hits someone (he has in other books, but it is always very down played) and in the process tosses him over a cliff edge and kills him.

Up to that point, right at the end, this is a book of building the villain up to be a threat to the whole world and throwing folksy spells at each other. Oh, can’t forget the name dropping of the Mystical Books of Power *insert eye roll

The villain of the piece, Ruel Harpe, has built up his evil mystical credentials with the help of a talisman and several books of evil. All he needs to complete his collection and set his plans in motion is to find, read and use the Gospel of Judas. He finds it, uses John to steal it and is in the process of making full use of it when John does his thing and puts paid to Harpe.

There are several women involved, for their evil witchy powers and not for their sex appeal, and John redeems them all, even to the point of the witch with the black powers professing she’ll only use the power of white witches now. Syncretism at its most ridiculous.

But this followed the exact same pattern as all the previous Silver John novels so I knew I wasn’t getting a masterwork of literary import. These are what they are and Wellman makes no apology for that. This was also the final Silver John novel, as Wellman died within a couple of years of releasing this. All I have left are a collection of the Silver John short stories that I believe come chronologically before most of the novels. I have a feeling the short story format is going to work much better than any of the novels.

★★★☆☆

From the Publisher & Bookstooge

Silver John - so named for the lithe and powerful strings of his ever-present guitar - is back. In this fifth and most exciting novel in the series, Manly Wade Wellman's popular hero is called by the voice of Cry Mountain... into a confrontation with his most threatening adversary.

There are a wealth of cryptic stories about Cry Mountain, and as John listens to the tales of eerie, hostile animals, of brave daredevils who fared up the slopes never to return, and hears the enigmatic, unnatural keening voice emanating from the mountain, his adventuresome spirit is aroused. Too curious and intrigued - some might say foolhardy - to be dissuaded, John begins his long, perilous trek up the steep mountainside. There he finds mystery and danger enough for any man, and eventually meets the courtly, assured Ruel Harpe, descendant of the infamous Micajah Harpe. John soon discovers the darker side of Ruel Harpe's hospitality and finds honesty and courage the only weapons against powerful sorcery and temptation.

Harpe has a mystic talisman that gives him his powers. John snatches it away and Harpe goes over the edge of a cliff and dies. All of his magically powered things stop working or disappear and John and Co leave the mountain, having made the world a safer place for everyone.

Brotherhood of the Wolf (Runelords #2) 3Stars

 

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Title: Brotherhood of the Wolf
Series: Runelords #2
Author: David Farland
Rating: 3 of 5 Stars
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 559
Words: 213K
Publish: 1999

Farland has some really neat ideas with this series. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have the same skill at creating fleshed out characters. This felt like reading 500+ pages of a Terry Brooks book. If you’ve ever read Terry Brooks, you’ll know what I mean. If you haven’t, don’t worry about it.

By the end of the book I REALLY wanted to know what happens next, but I didn’t care what happened to ANY of the characters. That’s not a good combination.

The reavers (another species that might be the up and coming species that displaces mankind, as mankind has done to other species) were a great addition and we get some really broad hints at what their end game is. But they are, once again, a generic threat without being “characterized” to my satisfaction. They should have remained beasts and not sentient beings.

I can see why this was as popular as it was at the time of publication. The Wheel of Time series was taking the world by storm but had slowed down to molasses and Farland was putting out these books every year to 18months and he kept the plotting much tighter than Jordan was doing. But my goodness, I can also see why this never became a Fantasy Behemoth.

I was looking ahead and according to Wikipedia, there is a narrative break in the story after book four, when the story moves on to Gaborn’s son (Gaborn is the Earth King). I think I’ll read up through book four and just let things go after that.

I rated this 3stars, but it was skirting the edge of the 2.5, really closely. I also know myself well enough that now that I’ve decided to read through book 4, I will. Call me pigheaded!

★★★☆☆

From the Publisher & Bookstooge

Raj Ahtan, ruler of Indhopal, has used enough forcibles to transform himself into the ultimate warrior: The Sum of All Men. Ahtan seeks to bring all of humanity under his rule-destroying anything and anyone that stood in his path, including many friends and allies of young Prince Gaborn Val Orden. But Gaborn has fulfilled a two-thousand-year-old prophecy, becoming the Earth King-a mythic figure who can unleash the forces of the Earth itself.

And now the struggle continues. Gaborn has managed to drive off Raj Ahtan, but Ahtan is far from defeated. Striking at far-flung cities and fortresses and killing dedicates, Ahtan seeks to draw out the Earth King from his seat of power, to crush him. But as they weaken each other's forces in battle, the armies of an ancient and implacable inhuman enemy issue forth from the very bowels of the Earth.

The Reaver Mage is killed, the rune of destruction of man is destroyed and Raj Ahtan and Gaborn are still enemies. They go their separate ways to deal with the overall Reaver threat. Gaborn has the blessing of the Earth removed from him for Choosing Raj and then allowing him to be attacked.

Bone Swans 2Stars

 

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Title: Bone Swans
Series: -----
Author: Claire Cooney
Rating: 2 of 5 Stars
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 236
Words: 95K
Publish: 2015

Last year Bookforager reviewed this collection. In her review, she sounded exactly how I felt when I would read a Patricia McKillip book. As McKillip is now dead and will not be writing any more stories, I was hoping that maybe this Cooney girl could pick up the slack. Saying I had high hopes was putting it mildly.

Things got off to a rocky start. There was an introduction by Gene Wolfe, as he knew Cooney. I despise Wolfe’s writings, so when he praises someone, that’s a big old warning sign to me. I knew that biased me so I went into the actual stories determined not to let Wolfe ruin this for me. No fear on that account, Cooney did that all by herself with no help from anyone.

I have described McKillip’s writing as fire and silk, rounded stones in a small brook creating that soothing babbling sound. Her writing was poetry in lyrical form. Cooney had that same poetical format and even I could appreciate it. However, Cooney was rotting granite (if you have ever come into contact with rotting rock, you know how vile it is) in the midst of a swamp of effluent. Every story set my teeth on edge. My back was completely riled. I hated this collection. I’m not going to go into specifics in this review because I don’t want to give any more of my time to even thinking about Cooney. I know nothing about her beyond the introduction by Wolfe and I want to keep it that way.

If you are curious about the book’s contents, read Bookforager’s review. She did an admirable job and I have no hesitation about recommending her review.

★★☆☆☆

From the Publisher & ToC

A swan princess hunted for her bones, a broken musician and his silver pipe, and a rat named Maurice bring justice to a town under fell enchantment. A gang of courageous kids confronts both a plague-destroyed world and an afterlife infested with clowns but robbed of laughter. In an island city, the murder of a child unites two lovers, but vengeance will part them. Only human sacrifice will save a city trapped in ice and darkness. Gold spun out of straw has a price, but not the one you expect.

Introducing C. S. E. Cooney

Life on the Sun

The Bone Swans of Amandale

Martyr’s Gem

How the Milkmaid Struck a Bargain with the Crooked One

The Big Bah-Ha

The Holmes-Dracula File (The Dracula Files #2) 3Stars

 

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Title: The Holmes-Dracula File
Series: The Dracula Files #2
Author: Fred Saberhagen
Rating: 3 of 5 Stars
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 189
Words: 68K
Publish: 1978

Dracula gets conked on the head, loses his memory for a bit and spends the book tracking down the villains who did this to him. Sherlock Holmes is looking out for a crazy guy who drains people of their blood and a psychopathic doctor. Worlds collide as Dracula and Holmes team up to stop a second Black Plague from enveloping London.

Much, much, much more enjoyable than the previous book. Most of that is because this was a brand new, wholly original story. But still just a 3star read in general. I find it rather ironic that I enjoyed this book more than the previous one but still rated it the same. Part of that is because that’s all this book is worth. It’s a good, disposable read that I have zero interest in ever re-reading.

Thankfully, Dracula doesn’t completely change character here. He’s still the totally unreliable narrator from the first book, with an ego the size of Europe. In this book’s setting, that’s actually a good thing. It worked, unlike in the Dracula Tape. Holmes on the other hand, felt very cardboard cutout’y. Saberhagen uses Doyle’s style of Watson doing the narrating for Holmes’ side of the story and he didn’t quite have the writing chops to fully flesh out a character being written about by another character. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think that’s an easy thing at all. Doyle did a masterful job of it and we’re all enriched by him making that conceit a “thing”, but it takes more skill than I feel Saberhagen had. Saberhagen aped it well enough, but didn’t have it down comfortably.

There was one thing that had me rolling eyes though. Holmes and Dracula look similar enough that even Watson gets them mixed up in a bar room brawl (♪bar room blitz♪). Turns out that Dracula is Holmes daddy from an affair Dracula had with Holmes’ serially unfaithful mother. Come on, really? And to make things even more awkward, young Mycroft had to kill Holmes’ mother because she’d turned, or something like that. It was all very “backstory” and didn’t work and made me cringe. And yet now, thinking about it, I’m laughing my head off at how badly it was executed. That obviously wasn’t Saberhagen’s intent, but hey, whatever gets me through the book ;-)

I’m definitely going to be reading more of these, eye rolls and all.

★★★☆☆

From the Publisher

1887, London, Victoria’s Jubilee -- criminals threaten to release thousands of plague infested rats on the day of celebration. The extraordinary powers of the Count and sharp mind of the Master Detective team up to avert a catastrophic public disaster. (And, the reader discovers more than a deerstalker hat and an Invernes Cape in Holmes’ family closet.)

City of Stairs (The Divine Cities #1) DNF@19%

 

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Title: City of Stairs
Series: The Divine Cities #1
Author: Robert Bennett
Rating: 1 of 5 Stars
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 88/464
Words: 28K/148K
Publish: 2014

Due to the inclusion of certain subject matters, I am dnf’ing this book and will not be reading any more by Bennett.

★☆☆☆☆

A Gathering Evil (Dark Conspiracy #1) 3Stars

 

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Title: A Gathering Evil
Series: Dark Conspiracy #1
Author: Michael Stackpole
Rating: 3 of 5 Stars
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 276
Words: 98K
Publish: 1991

This is a trilogy by Michael Stackpole. He was a staple for me growing up. He wrote some kickass standalone fantasy novels, he wrote a bunch in the Star Wars Expanded Universe (back when Star Wars’ book were still good, even when they were bad) and he wrote a couple of original series. He also wrote in other universes, what I now call Franchise Fiction. He wrote in the BattleTech series, and really, his Star Wars stuff was franchise fiction too. But it was stuff I grew up on in the 90’s and early ‘00’s and formed what I wanted and looked for in stories. He pretty much stopped by the early ‘Teens and as such, I haven’t seen new stuff from him in years.

So I decided to go back and read some of his older stuff. Stuff I hadn’t read. I wasn’t interested in his Battletech stuff, as I tried to read a couple of books by other authors in that Franchise and didn’t care for it at all. I’d never played the game and had no connection, which meant I wasn’t going to try. That left me with this trilogy, originally called The Fiddleback trilogy and some standalones. I wanted to get a taste and a trilogy is the best way to do so in my opinion. Longer than a standalone book but not a bloated, unfinished monstrosity like Game of Thrones.

Only to find that this trilogy was based on an Role Playing Game (rpg) called Dark Conspiracy. And that this was now known as the Dark Conspiracy trilogy. I found all of this out AFTER reading the book. You might be wondering why I am going on and on and on about this.

That is simple. 

This is Proto-Litrpg and next to the Romance genre, Litrpg is the lowest rung on the ladder. I spit on Litrpg. If I was the hero, Litrpg would be a Nazi Zombie and I would be doing the world a favor by killing it. If Litrpg was a hero, it would be as a pathetic, spineless pos protagonist like Shinji Akari (from the anime Neon Genesis Evangelion) and it would be my DUTY to kill him and get a real hero in his place. Needless to say, I don’t like Litrpg. Thus, finding out that this trilogy is proto-litrpg was like drinking a bottle of coke only to find out afterwards that someone had peed in it. GROSS!

And Yet.

Stackpole was still good enough of an author to make me enjoy the story. That’s why it got 3stars. Now that I know he has “pee’d in the Coke bottle” I’m not sure how I’ll feel about the next two books. But that’s another month’s problem, right? I know, I’ll just buy a new, sealed Coke bottle for the next book and call it good enough ;-)

★★★☆☆

From the Publisher & Bookstooge

Tycho Caine is a man with a mission. He's sure of that. But, waking up in a body bag with amnesia, he not sure of much else. Except that someone wants him dead. An exciting adventure novel of a near-future world where technology and occult mysticism merge. Dark forces and hidden masters conspire to control humanity, and Tycho Caine needs to figure out which side he's on.

An interdimensional being wants to invade Earth and Caine was his catspaw. But an opposing Earthly psychic has turned Caine to his side and now it is up to Caine and small group of misfits to stop this Entity from entering their world and devouring it.

To Become a Marked One (Demon Slayer #15) 3.5Stars

 

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Title: To Become a Marked One
Series: Demon Slayer #15
Author: Koyoharu Gotouge
Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Manga
Pages: 192
Words: 9K
Publish: 2019

I did enjoy this volume more than the previous one, but that was because the focus was on Tanjiro and him doing all the additional training that each of the demon slayers and Pillars had to go through. The parts where it was group oriented or about the Society of Pillars discussing things, I lost interest. I am not a group oriented guy and I like reading about the Lone Hero, not the Avengers. When I was perusing Wikipedia for the chapter titles and summary, I read through the summaries for the rest of the volumes. I think I’m going to stop reading with this volume. Too much group stuff going on.

If this manga had stayed focused on Tanjiro, I suspect I would have kept on to the end. The following page is WHY I like Tanjiro as a character so much. He’s still smiling and being friendly, but he tells the unvarnished truth to the Pillar. No hate, no fear, just wanting to move on with his training so he can reach his goal.

★★★✬☆

From Wikipedia

"Dawn Approaches"

"Daybreak and First Light"

"The Rumble of Victory"

"A Request for Instruction"

"To Become a Marked One"

"A Place to Be"

"Visitor"

"Full-Strength Training"

"Welcome..."

With his new sword Tanjiro destroys Hantengu, and after risking herself to protect the villagers, Nezuko is bathed in sunlight, but to everybody's surprise she is not harmed by it. Once learning of it, Muzan discovers that Nezuko attained the power he spent his entire life looking for. Knowing that Muzan is determined to confront them directly to capture her, the Demon Slayers make preparations for the final battle against him.

Venom and Song (The Berinfell Prophecies #2) 3Stars

 

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Title: Venom and Song
Series: The Berinfell Prophecies #2
Author: Wayne Batson & Christopher Hopper
Rating: 3 of 5 Stars
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
Pages: 437
Words: 141K

While I enjoyed this, it was simply too long. This second book in the Berinfell Prophecies was over 100 pages and 40,000 words longer than the first book. That is a significant increase for a middle grade book. I think part of the issue is that having seven main characters with multiple other side characters AND a villain just bloats things up no matter what. Trying to give each of the kids enough page time to make them stay relevant to the story while using adult elves to fill in historical and training gaps made it almost impossible to see any scene that could have been cut.

I enjoyed the various training scenes as the kids learned how to use their powers but also how to use them as part of the group. No one of them was obviously “better” and it was made clear that they were stronger as a whole than as disparate parts. While I “agree” with that, I have always preferred the lone wolf kind of hero and story.

During the climactic battle at the end where it appears that the Spider King dies, I was wondering what they (the authors) were going to do to for the third book. I had a momentary thought of “Well, maybe the Spider King isn’t really dead. Nahhhh, they wouldn’t do something so obvious.” Sure enough, the authors went that route. That is the problem with reading books meant for a less experienced set of readers.

I am glad I read this and I’m ok with having a new pair of authors run across my radar. I know both of them have written other things, so depending on what I think of the final book in the Berinfell Prophecies will determine if I seek out any more stuff by them or not. I’m totally on the line at the moment.

★★★☆☆

From the Publisher

Now in the strange realm of Allyra, the Seven young lordsconfront a traitor in their midst, a creature-infested forest, teenage fearsand doubts, inexplicable mysteries . . . and the Spider King himself. In a rigorous training program that makes boot camp looklike Disneyland, the Seven must quickly learnto harness their own powers, work as one, and elude the Spider King's spies.But as the ancient Berinfell Prophecies are revealed, the Seven soon discovertheir training might not be enough. To stop the Spider King they must also unravelthe secrets of the Rainsong, travel to a creepy, trap-infested fortressto find the legendary keystone, and lead the Berinfell Elves in an attack on the Spider King's own turf.

The Hanging Stones (Silver John #4) 3Stars

 

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Title: The Hanging Stones
Series: Silver John #4
Author: Manly Wade Wellman
Rating: 3 of 5 Stars
Genre: Folk Fantasy
Pages: 178
Words: 56K
Publish: 1982

So, it might be hard to make out, but that cover shows John hiding on one of the capstones of the New Stonehenge while a werewolf carries a body over its shoulder.

The werewolves in this story are sad, pathetic creatures eking out a miserable existence. They are not alpha predators, they are scavengers of the lowest sort. I rather like that. Puts them into their proper place. The downside is that they aren’t much of a threat, except at the end where they come together in a massive group. While John and Co have to face them, it ends up being taken care of by a group of magically resurrected neanderthals. Yeah, it’s like that.

This was just as low key as the previous Silver John books and boy, it kind of grated. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed this but it was like eating rice with a couple of grains of sand mixed in. Irritating.

Still the best Wellman stories that I’ve read though. Understated folk fantasy, it just works.

And once again, the cover is probably the best part :-)

★★★☆☆

From the Publisher & Bookstooge

This Silver John adventure takes the honey-voiced folksinger to the site of a rising replica of Stonehenge, which selfish and ruthless millionaire Noel Kottler is building in Appalachia as a money-making tourist attraction. A pack of werewolves who live nearby spell trouble for his plan, though --- and even they may not turn out to be his worst problem. Eventually, a warlock raises a tribe of ghost made flesh neanderthals who destroy the werewolves and hang the millionaire on the Hanging Stones to prevent him desecrating what Stonehenge stood for.

The Sum of All Men (Runelords #1) 3Stars

 

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Title: The Sum of All Men
Series: Runelords #1
Author: David Farland
Rating: 3 of 5 Stars
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 517
Words: 194K
Publish: 1998

Grim. That is the word to describe this book (and I suspect, the series). I suspect that is why I gave it 2stars back in ‘08 and never read any more. Now that some time has passed, I wanted to try the series again.

What I noticed this time around, specifically, was the utter lack of hope. Yes, there were embers of hope within individuals, but they were based solely upon their ability to do something about the situation. Considering who they were facing (Raj Ahten was pretty much at god level with all of his endowments), that hope was really wishful thinking and not true hope. There was no prophecy. There was no entity with greater power than anybody in the story. It was very much a “we are on our own and must make do” kind of story. If that appeals to you, then I highly recommend this book.

These books were written when the Wheel of Time had slowed to a crawl. Farland managed to write the first four books within a four year period. Then he slowed down due to life circumstances and as far as I know, the series never got past book 8 and remains unfinished, because Farland died. “He’s ded Jim”. I suspect I will be reading the first tetralogy and call it a day.

Series and authors like Farland and Jordan and Martin should be a serious warning to readers, especially those who think their favorite author is going to live forever (coughSandersoncough. Have you seen that guy? He’s almost 50 and is going to have a heart attack by then if he doesn’t lose a lot of weight. He’ll kill himself and then where will all the fans of his Stormlight Archives be? Up a creek without a paddle, that’s where). This is the reason I am such a fan of trilogies. Tell your story and then be done. The Runelords was originally going to be a trilogy before it bloated up to an 8book unfinished monstrosity.

Now, that there is a mighty lot o’ complaining, yessiree. I do acknowledge that. It mightn’t even make you question why I gave this 3stars and why I would continue with the series. It is because it is an intriguing story. Farland has actually thought out the logical consequences to his magic system, and while it is extremely depressing, it makes total sense. I am looking forward to someone in the story working out yet more shenanigans.

The covers are all by Darryl Sweet, the same guy who did the covers for the Saga of Recluce and the Wheel of Time. Don’t be put off by them, this story is very different from those. Sweet had one mode of drawing and that was it.

★★★☆☆

From Wikipedia

In the universe of The Runelords, there exists a unique magical system which relies on the existence of distinct bodily attributes, such as brawn, grace, and wit. These attributes can be transferred from one individual (or animal) to another in a process known as "giving an endowment". Lords who have taken many endowments become extremely powerful, almost superhuman, and are known as Runelords.

Seeking the hand of the Princess Iome Sylvarresta, Prince Gaborn Val Orden is sidetracked when the Wolf Lord Raj Ahten invades the Kingdom of Heredon, seeking to rule all of Rofehavan.

• The Sum of All Men (2008 Review)

The Mu of Muichiro (Demon Slayer #14) 3Stars

 

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Title: The Mu of Muichiro
Series: Demon Slayer #14
Author: Koyoharu Gotouge
Rating: 3 of 5 Stars
Genre: Manga
Pages: 191
Words: 9K
Publish: 2019

While this was better than the previous volume, this series is fast losing its appeal to me. I’ll read the next volume next month and if my enjoyment level doesn’t go up, I’ll probably abandon the series.

★★★☆☆

From Wikipedia

"Awful Villain"

"Swordsmith"

"The Mu of Muichiro"

"Coming Back"

"Trading Insults"

"Abnormal Situation"

"A Passing Moment of Excitement"

"Mitsuri Kanroji's Life Passes Before Her Eyes"

"Get It Together, Moron!"

After coming to terms with his own past, Muichirō defeats Gyokko, while Tanjiro and the others struggle against Hantengu. While the battle rages on, Haganezuka races to reforge Tanjiro's new sword and deliver it to him.

The Dracula Tape (The Dracula Files #1) 3Stars

 

This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress & Blogspot by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission
Title: The Dracula Tape
Series: The Dracula Files #1
Author: Fred Saberhagen
Publish: 1975
Rating: 3 of 5 Stars
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 186
Words: 76K

When I was looking around for another series to add to my tbr, I ran across these and didn’t really pay attention to the author. I probably should have, as I haven’t had the best luck with Saberhagen for the most part. However, it has been over 8 years since I last read a book by Saberhagen, so when I realized this series was by him, I figured I’d give him another chance.

Back in ‘14 I called his Berserker book dry and pedantic and “workmanlike” (and not in the good way). This was very much in the same vein. What saved it from an ignominious 2star rating and series abandonment was reading about Dracula try to justify everything that took place as chronicled in Bram Stoker’s Dracula. He’s an unreliable narrator and what’s more, he’s a big fat whiny loser. It was hilarious. I don’t know if Saberhagen intended things to turn out that way, but my goodness, watching Dracula perform mental contortions of unfathomable proportions to justify himself was better than going to the circus.

For this book to work, you really need to have read Dracula, not just know the basic premise but have read it and be familiar with it. Which leads to the biggest drawback, for me, in regards to this book. I knew, roughly, what was going to happen and was bored. Dracula’s re-writing of the events aren’t different enough to make this book stand out as something truly new. Kind of like watching an actor’s commentary track on a movie. Sure, it is a little different and you get a slightly different view, but it is not a different movie. Same with this book, and since it wasn’t in epistolary format, it automatically wasn’t nearly as good as the original.

With all of this complaining, I’m still giving this 3stars. Dracula is a great story and even Saberhagen couldn’t cover that up. I’m really hoping that the next book is more original though, or I’ll have to dnf the series.

★★★☆☆

From Fandom.com

The Dracula Tape is a novel by Fred Saberhagen where Dracula tells his version of the events in the Dracula novel.

Dracula tries to paint himself in a better light and while some of his claims ring true (like the issue of blood type and the blood transfusions Lucy Westenra received) others (such as what happened on the Demeter) have an unreliable narrator quality about them.

According to this novel the final events of Dracula took place in early November 1891.

Per this novel the fates of the other characters are:

Jonathan Harker - dies of apoplexy in 1938 while raging at Neville Chamberlain.

Mina Harker - dies of old age in 1967; rises as a vampire her youth restored in the "present" day

Lucy Harker (Mina's daughter) - still alive

Quincey Harker (Mina's son) - killed in the Battle of the Somme, 1916

Moving Pictures (Discworld #10) 3.5Stars

 

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Title: Moving Pictures
Series: Discworld #10
Author: Terry Pratchett
Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 267
Words: 97K

When I read this back in ‘07, I really didn’t like it. I gave it 3stars back then, but it was one of my least favorite Discworld reads to date.

This time around, I thoroughly enjoyed this, mainly because Pratchett just skewers Hollywood and movies and it totally aligns with my absolute disgust with movies and the people who make movies and tv their hobby. Brainless, gormless, garbage. While Pratchett and I didn’t see eye to eye on many, many things, I am man enough to admit that he got at least one thing right. Hollywood is evil and does so much damage that it is incalculable.

With that, I just HAD to bump this up a coveted half star. I know Pratchett is wriggling in his grave with pleasure. He should be.

★★★✬☆☆

From Wikipedia.org

The novel begins with the death of Deccan Ribobe, the last member of an ancient order tasked with 'remembering' Holy Wood through ceremonial chanting, and the escape of an influence from Holy Wood Hill. Several months later, the alchemists of the Discworld have invented moving pictures. Many hopefuls are drawn by the siren call of Holy Wood, home of the fledgling "clicks" industry – among them Victor Tugelbend, a dropout from Ankh-Morpork's Unseen University and Theda "Ginger" Withel, a girl "from a little town you never ever heard of", and the Discworld's most infamous salesman, Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dibbler, who introduces commerce to the equation and becomes a successful producer. The business of making movies grows rapidly, and eventually Victor and Ginger become real stars, thanks to the help of Gaspode the sentient dog (who also develops a manager-client relationship with Laddie, who everybody considers to be the real Wonder Dog, although in fact is very simple-minded). Holy Wood for a while becomes an effervescent place full of humans, dwarfs, alchemists, demons (which essentially constitute the main technological device to make movies), and trolls (among whom is Detritus) all living in harmony.

Meanwhile, it gradually becomes clear that the production of movies is having a deleterious effect on the structure of reality. After Victor discovers the body of Deccan and the ancient order's record, Ginger is possessed by an unspecified entity and she and Victor find an ancient, hidden cinema, complete with a portal to the Dungeon Dimensions. Back in Ankh-Morpork, during the first screening of Blown Away (a parody of Gone with the Wind) which the senior wizards of the Unseen University are also attending, a creature from the Dungeon Dimensions breaks through. Victor fights it (in what eventually becomes a parody of the movie King Kong also featuring the Librarian of the Unseen University), having discovered that he could exploit Holy Wood magic and the narrative conventions of the clicks if he had a camera pointing at him. However, after the creature is defeated, Victor and the Librarian realise that the creatures will still try to get through from the Dungeon Dimensions and that Ginger in her possessed state was not trying to summon them but trying to keep them from coming through (possibly as a result of being descended from the High Priestess of Holy Wood). Returning to the ancient cinema at Holy Wood, Victor and Ginger witness a golden statue of a warrior (reminiscent of an Oscar) come to life and travel through the screen to defeat the creatures.

In the end most things return to normal (also because the Patrician and the wizards make it clear that they will not allow any more movies to be produced ever again), although dwarfs find themselves inexplicably singing "Hihohiho" while mining. Victor and Ginger have a last dialogue over the meaning of Holy Wood and being famous, and Gaspode and the other animals under the influence of Holy Wood lose their ability to reason and speak. The ending lines depict a poetic scene about the fragility of Holy Wood dreams.

• Moving Pictures (2007 Review)

• All of My “Discworld” Reviews

• All of My “Discworld: Rincewind” Reviews

• All of My “Discworld: Witches” Reviews

• All of My “Discworld: Death” Reviews

• All of My “Discworld: The Watch” Reviews

Transitions (Demon Slayer #13) 2Stars

 

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Title: Transitions
Series: Demon Slayer #13
Author: Koyoharu Gotouge
Rating: 2 of 5 Stars
Genre: Manga
Pages: 190
Words: 9K

I realized that while I really like Tanjiro and his two friends, I simply don’t care for any other of the side characters. And this volume is chockful of other characters.

I definitely struggled to get through this. I sure hope volume 14 works better for me.

Bookstooge out...

★★☆☆☆

From Wikipedia

"In the Way"

"Thank You, Tokito"

"Won't Die"

"Sneaking Around"

"Pretentious Artist"

"Transitions"

"Bright Red Blade"

"Wanted: Respect"

"To Be a Hashira"

Hantengu and Gyokko attack the Swordsman Village and Tanjiro fights them, with help from Muichirō Tokitō, the Mist Hashira, Mitsuri Kanroji, the Love Hashira and Genya Shinazugawa, the younger brother of Sanemi, the Wind Hashira, who is eager to be acknowledged by his older brother.

Conan, Lord of the Black River (Conan the Barbarian #23) 3Stars

 

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Title: Conan, Lord of the Black River
Series: Conan the Barbarian #23
Author: Leonard Carpenter
Rating: 3 of 5 Stars
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 230
Words: 79K

This was slightly better than the previous Conan book by Leonard Carpenter, but it really feels like Carpenter is missing some essential ingredient to really make this feel like a Conan novel. Whatever.

I hadn’t realized that Carpenter has written eleven of these pastiches and did so from 1986 to 1996. As such, it does matter which order you read them. This one, Lord of the Black River, was the last to be written. It makes reference to previous characters (of whom I had no idea who they were) and situations, but it was all surface level stuff so it didn’t REALLY matter.

Unfortunately, this was exactly the same in tone as Conan the Hero. Why TOR allowed Carpenter to write so many Conan novels is beyond me. Maybe because he could churn out one a year for eleven years in a row? I have nine of the eleven on my tbr (including this and the previous one) and I have a feeling that I’m going to end up sounding like a recording for each one. These are adequate hyborean age sword fantasy stories, but they are not Conan stories.

Excitement, that is what is missing! In one scene, Conan and the crews of the ships he is commanding are sailing down a big river. They encounter a gigantic electric eel (this scene is the basis for the cover) and eventually kill it. But the entire scene lacked excitement. It should have been scary, tense, thrilling. Instead, it was very lackadaisical and pedestrian. It was like reading about a group of tourists crossing the street in New York City. And even I can imagine ways to make that exciting. A boring Conan story is anathema to me, so we’ll see how many more I get through before trying another author. (already being in the mindset of quitting is not a good place to be)

★★★☆☆

From Wikipedia

After successfully fulfilling his commission to overthrow a tyrannical baron in Koth, Conan travels into Baalur, a city-state in Shem. The queen of Baalur, Rufia, needs his aid. Baalur is suffering from a plague cast upon it by Zeriti, an old enemy of his previously believed dead. Zeriti seeks to settle a score dating from Conan's previous encounter with the two women, told in the story "Hawks Over Shem", and her curse is transforming Rufia's subjects into hideous zombies.

With an army of Baalurian soldiers, Conan begins his journey to retrieve a white lotus, the primary antidote for removing Zeriti's cruse, said to only bloom near the source of the Styx, the infamous black river. His army marches across the city-state of Nedrezzar before reaching the port city of Asgalun, where they set sail for the Styx, which serves as a boundary between Shem and the ancient kingdom of Stygia. The crew follow the river down a vast tributary to the east and travel south as it flows into the Black Kingdoms. The expedition encounter many dangers along the way, including pirates, hostile local rulers, religious cults, and cannibals before reaching the Styx's headwaters.

At the source of the Styx, they face their worst and final challenge, Zeriti's bloodthirsty undead lover. However, the white lotus is finally secured and Conan's crewmembers return down the river. After a final encounter with Zeriti in Asgalun, they return to Baalur and cure the city's inhabitants.

• The “Essential Conan” Trilogy

• All of My “Conan” Reviews