Deadhouse Gates, Malazan Book of the Fallen 02

Deadhouse Gates is the second novel in Steven Erikson's epic fantasy series, the Malazan Book of the Fallen. Deadhouse Gates follows on from the first novel, Gardens of the Moon and takes place simultaneously with events in the third novel Memories of Ice.

Set in a brilliantly-realized world ravaged by anarchy and dark, uncontrollable magic, Deadhouse Gates is the thrilling, brutal second chapter in the Malazan Book of the Fallen. A powerful novel of war, intrigue and betrayal, it confirms Steven Erikson as a storyteller of breathtaking skill, imagination and originality.

Gardens of the Moon, Malazan Book of the Fallen 01

Gardens of the Moon is the first novel in the Malazan Book of the Fallen epic fantasy series written by Steven Erikson. It was published in 1999 and in 2000, it was nominated for a World Fantasy Award as one of the year's best fantasy novels.

The trade mark of Erikson's books in this series is multiple layered storylines and a large cast of characters. The complexity of the plot and the number of characters present a substantial obstacle to a complete enjoyment of this book. I was also of the impression that Erikson did not want to make it easier on the readers. It reminded me of the swimming teaching technique when the one is thrown in the deep water and has two options: learn to swim or drown. I, for myself, survived, and plan on continuing with the series but I am afraid that many a reader will not reach the shallow end, both to the regret of the reader and the author.

Reading in 2019.

This is the list of books that I read last year with a few thoughts on each one.

The Sword by Joshua Luna Vol. 1 – 4

An excellent graphic novel in four parts. A very interesting mix of mythology and superheroism. Great use of artifact, i.e. sword, as a plot device.

The Liar’s Key by Mark Lawrence

The second part in the Red Queen’s War trilogy. Made me love Lawrence very much. The characterization in the entire trilogy is fantastic.

The Wheel of Osheim by Mark Lawrence

The conclusion of the Red Queen’s War. I loved how fantasy was blended with science. Lawrence is a great author.

Reading in 2018

For the first time I decided to take up the reading challenge on the Goodreads social network. I have managed to complete the challenge, although I felt a bit like cheating because I included some graphic novels in the list.

Be that as it may, here is the list of books.

1. The Metabarons, Alejandro Jodorowsky, Juan Giménez, first part (four of eight books)

A fireworks of ideas, beautifully drawn, a joy to read.

2. The Magic Mountain, Thomas Mann

Huge piece of literature. A bit hard to plough through at times but rewarding in the end.

3. David Weber, Uncompromising Honor

The final chapter in the saga of Honor Harrington. A satisfactory conclusion, and a very enjoyable read.

Rogue One: New Hope for Star Wars!

After the dissapointment I experienced watching The Force Awakens I decided not to watch any more Star Wars installments. When Rogue One came to the theatres, I was rather adamant to hold on to my decision, in spite of good reviews.

However, something happened that changed my mind. My cousin from abroad was visiting us and since both of us love movies, we soon came to the subject of Star Wars. He had the similar opinion of TFA but he was absolutely thrilled with Rogue One. When we said goodbye, he said to me that I just had to see the film. I had no choice.

And I am so glad for that.

Storm Front - Wizard PI and His First Case

Jim Butcher has hit a homerun with his Dresden Files series of novels. By his own confession, he wrote the first book, under the name Semiautomagic, at a writing course, trying to prove to his teacher that it would be horrible. It turned out to be completely opposite.

The main character is private investigator and wizard Harry Dresden, the world’s only consulting wizard. He works as a private investigator and police advisor. In the world of The Dresden Files, magic is real, along with vampires, demons, spirits, faeries, werewolves, outsiders, and other monsters. But most of the people still do not believe in the supernatural. When he works with the police, he is engaged by detective Karrin Murphy, head of special investigations unit, the unit that deals with the strange cases.

Firefly - short-lived but never forgotten

I don’t think that since the birth of television, something that lived so short left such a deep and lasting impact in popular culture. 

After a recent Firefly re-watch I decided to write a few words about it. The story of Firefly is all but incredible. It was a show created by Joss Whedon, after his success with Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. He said that he had wanted to make a western but since he loved spaceships so much, he decided to place it in space. He described is as a story of nine people looking at the darkness of space and all seeing different things. 14 episodes had been made before the show was canceled by the Fox Network. I often think that the person who made this decision still hides this fact in shame, hoping that it will never be revealed.

Black Mirror - modern day Twilight Zone

 Rarely does it happen that something of this quality and genre-related flies so low under my radar that I completely overlook it. Well, it did happen this time but thanks to a very dear friend who recommended it to me I watched the first two seasons in one sitting and was left with quite an impression. Thank you O.

Black Mirror is created by Charlie Brooker and the first two seasons consist of 6 episodes in total.  Each episode is a separate story with different actors. In this, it is reminiscent of the old series that I loved to watch - The Twilight Zone. I do not know if the young know about this series but it was one of the greatest genre shows and it is good to see that the format is still vital and that it withstood the test of time in this new incarnation.

Warcraft: The Beginning - or just a missed opportunity

This is a rare opportunity for me to be current in my reviews so it would be a pity to waste it. Last night, I went to the cinema with a friend who was dying to see Warcraft, the movie on the big screen, being a huge fan of the game. He said to me, “I have spent so many nights and days playing this game, so what is another two hours.” I knew that he was just downplaying it, but I played along. He needed the company, and I thought that I could write a review for my little blog.

I, myself, have never played the game, but having some idea about it from the media and the trailers, and since I am always for the things fantastic, I was OK with the idea of watching this movie at the theatre. 

Shadows of the Apt - progress update III

I have just finished The War Master's Gate, the penultimate book in the series. Just a few thoughts: I am glad to say that the quality remains high throughout the entire series, and this book is no exception. There are some new characters, and they are well rounded, and reminiscent of the characters from the start of the series. There is a feeling of a circle closing. One more book to go and I feel tingling in my fingers, eagerness to start the last installment in this true epic. I hope to find time to write something more about it when I have finished reading. Until then, keep moving forward!

Werthead's History of Fantasy - fantasy reader's heaven

One of my favorite bloggers has written a fantastic (no pun intended) series of articles on the history of fantasy literature. They represent a great read no matter if you are already well acquainted with the genre or your interest has merely been sparked by the Game of Thrones TV series or Lord of the Rings movies. You can find it here.

Shadows of the Apt - progress update II

I finished The Air War, and loved it. I immediately started reading the next book in the series: The War Master's Gate. It is not disappointing. Far from it. The series is quite long, but worth every moment. I think I will be sad when I finish.

Shadows of the Apt - progress update

I have just finished the 7th book in the series, Heirs of the Blade, and jumped right onto the next one - The Air War. That is one of the biggest compliments that I can give to a series. This is one big, sprawling yet engaging epic. I cannot recommend it enough. Great story, well rounded characters, and that sense of urgency and trepidation that forces the reader to read on. I hope to write a review of the entire series when I have reached the end. Until then, try it, I guarantee that you won't regret it.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Triumph or Disappointment?

I was very excited, to put it mildly, when I sat in my seat, with my 3D glasses on, and waited for the lights to be turned off. It has been a while since I saw a Star Wars movie at the cinema and I was determined not to let anything ruin the experience. I have managed to find a suitable sitter for the boys. The venue was half empty, with no loud teenagers anywhere in sight. The reviews of the film were great - over 90% fresh at the Rotten Tomatoes, and everything was pointing towards a happy ending. 

At the beginning, everything was looking promising. (Warning: Spoilers approaching!) The text with the explanation what happened since episode VI quickly introduced us to the fact that the bad guys are now called the First Order, and that they are opposed by the Republic and Resistance (instead of Rebellion). To tell the truth, I was too excited to think about this, or the disappointment would probably have come much sooner that it had.

Trailer for Captain America: Civil War

I have been very busy lately, hence unable to fulfill my promise regarding the reviews of the Adrian Tchaikovsky's books from the Shadows of the Apt series. However, when I saw this trailer, I simply had to write a few words.

Looks like the heroes are going to clash between themselves, and it looks great. The tone reminded me a bit of my favorite Star Wars movie - The Empire Strikes Back. It is a dark, pessimistic second act and a great introduction to the final installment. This movie is going to be the overture for the next Avengers installment and it looks really promising. I admit that I am a big fan of Marvel movies and though some are better than others, I enjoyed watching all of them. I think they are at their best when they center on conflicts between characters. Having that in mind, this one could be one of the best and I am looking forward to it. 

Empire in Black and Gold by Adrian Tchaikovsky - Insectpunk Fantasy

Empire in Black and Gold is the first book in the Shadows of the Apt series. The series is finished, it consists of 10 books and it has garnered flattering reviews from the blogosphere. I have been circling it for some time and finally decided to give it a go.

At the beginning, the author throws us in the middle of a battle for the city of Myna, where Stenwold Maker and his friends are trying to help the city fend off the attack of the Wasp Empire. In the midst of all chaos, we are presented with barely a sketch of a somewhat different fantasy setting. I really like my FSF this way. At the start, you see a tip of the proverbial iceberg, and then your patience is rewarded as you read along.

Caine Black Knife and Caine’s Law – the Final Chapter?

I have finished reading these two books a while ago but I needed some time to think about them before writing this review, not to mention being firmly clamped in the jaws of everyday life. The reason why I decided to write about both of them is the fact that they can be easily perceived as one novel divided into two parts.

In Caine Black Knife, Caine returns to the place where he had the adventure that made him a star (Retreat from the Boedecken).

Previosly Unknown Map of Middle Earth Discovered

A map of Middle Earth featuring annotations from its creator, J.R.R. Tolkien was recently discovered in a copy of a book owned by illustrator Pauline Baynes.

Baynes had been tasked with illustrations by publisher Allen & Unwin in 1970, and worked with Tolkien to her own map of Middle Earth.

Star Wars VII Trailer 3 - OMG

I like to watch trailers but I was kind of shying away from Star Wars VII trailers because I did not want to see any spoilers. I still remember the time when there were no trailers, and the decision what movie to see was based only on TV and newspaper adds. That was when I saw the original trilogy and I wanted to preserve some of that feeling for this one.

But, alas, I am weak. After so much hype on the Internet, I played it and I am so glad that I did.
It caused all kinds of goosebumps and left me on the brink of tears. When Han Solo said, "It is true. All of it.", I swear, it was one of the most iconic moments in movies that I have ever seen. It relates to both the events in the movies and the real life, a some sort of bridge between generations that grew up on Star Wars, and the new ones. I wish that my kids were a bit older so that they could see this at cinemas.
This movie could surpass Avatar at the box office. Easily. Looks like JJ Abrams has taken the right approach and I cannot wait till December.
See you in cinemas, and of course

May the Force be with you!

Blade of Tyshalle – Perfect Blend of SF and Fantasy II

I have just finished the second book in the Mathew W. Stover’s Act of Caine sequence and I am amazed. This is one of the best books I have ever read. Considerably more ambitious than the first one, this book successfully raises everything to a whole new level.

At the beginning we find Hari Michaelson as a well-off administrator who is trying to cope with his disability resulting from his spine being severed by the sword Kosall at the hand of his arch enemy Berne. Some seven years after the events in the first book, Hari lives with his wife Shanna and her daughter Faith, who share the connection with the Chambaraya, the Overworld River. Ma’Elkoth is a prisoner in some sort of the Overworld Museum, where he teaches magic, and he is Hari’s best/only friend.