Book Review: The Midnight Library

Between life and death there is a library.

When Nora Seed finds herself in the Midnight Library, she has a chance to make things right. Up until now, her life has been full of misery and regret. She feels she has let everyone down, including herself. But things are about to change.

The books in the Midnight Library enable Nora to live as if she had done things differently. With the help of an old friend, she can now undo every one of her regrets as she tries to work out her perfect life. But things aren’t always what she imagined they’d be, and soon her choices place the library and herself in extreme danger.

Before time runs out, she must answer the ultimate question: what is the best way to live?

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig is liquid catharsis. A dying woman hops between multiple parallel lives, trying to find one where she belongs.

Book Review Roundup: March’s End

Where I round up some quick reviews of books I don’t have the time or inclination to give a full review for.

Book Review: The Memory of Souls

Potential Spoilers Ahead: The Memory of Souls is the third book in the A Chorus of Dragons series. As such, the blurb for this book and the following review will inevitably have some level of spoilers for the previous books. I’ve tried to keep those spoilers to a minimum, but you have been warned.

THE LONGER HE LIVES
THE MORE DANGEROUS HE BECOMES

Now that Relos Var’s plans have been revealed and demons are free to rampage across the empire, the fulfillment of the ancient prophecies—and the end of the world—is closer than ever.

To buy time for humanity, Kihrin needs to convince the king of the Manol vané to perform an ancient ritual which will strip the entire race of their immortality, but it’s a ritual which certain vané will do anything to prevent. Including assassinating the messengers.

Worse, Kihrin must come to terms with the horrifying possibility that his connection to the king of demons, Vol Karoth, is growing steadily in strength.

How can he hope to save anyone when he might turn out to be the greatest threat of them all?

The Memory of Souls by Jenn Lyons is an explosively good sequel that takes almost every element of the previous two books and turns it up to 11. The characters especially shine in this middle entry of A Chorus of Dragons.

Book Review: The Name of All Things

Potential Spoilers Ahead: The Name of All Things is the second book in the A Chorus of Dragons series. As such, the blurb for this book and the following review will inevitably have some level of spoilers for the previous book/s. I’ve tried to keep those spoilers to a minimum, but you have been warned.

You can have everything you want if you sacrifice everything you believe.

Kihrin D’Mon is a wanted man.

Since he destroyed the Stone of Shackles and set demons free across Quur, he has been on the run from the wrath of an entire empire. His attempt to escape brings him into the path of Janel Theranon, a mysterious Joratese woman who claims to know Kihrin.

Janel’s plea for help pits Kihrin against all manner of dangers: a secret rebellion, a dragon capable of destroying an entire city, and Kihrin’s old enemy, the wizard Relos Var.

Janel believes that Relos Var possesses one of the most powerful artifacts in the world―the Cornerstone called the Name of All Things. And if Janel is right, then there may be nothing in the world that can stop Relos Var from getting what he wants.

And what he wants is Kihrin D’Mon.

The Name of All Things by Jenn Lyons lives up to the promises of the first book, delivering an epic story that intersects and continues the story. The eccentric narrative style and convuluted history and identities of the characters may put some people off, but for me it just adds to the charm.

Series Pitch: Shadows of the Apt

Now that I’ve completed my journey through Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Shadows of the Apt series (minus a couple of short story collections) I thought I’d write a spoiler free overview of the series, a sort of primer for those who might be interested in starting the series. While I found some ups and downs, I really enjoyed my stay in the world of the Apt.

What’s the TLDR?

The Shadows of the Apt series is an epic fantasy series that revolves around war, diplomacy, industrial revolution and the tension between the old ways (magic) and the new ways (technology). In a world where people have the powers of bugs, an empire of Wasp-kinden try to extend their reach across the Lowlands, a collection of city states, through artifice, subterfuge and brute strength. Meanwhile, dark old powers seek to reclaim some measure of their former glory.

Mini Reviews: Inside-man and Reaper

Sometimes I don’t have a whole lot to say in a review. When that happens, I bundle two smaller reviews together. Below are my reviews for Inside Man by K.J. Parker and Reaper by Will Wight.

Collection Review: Spoils of War

Tales of the Apt is a companion series to the best-selling decalogy Shadows of the Apt (Tor UK), gathering together short stories from disparate places and supplementing them with a wealth of new tales written especially for the series. Together, they combine to provide a different perspective, an alternative history that parallels and unfolds alongside the familiar one, filling in the gaps and revealing intriguing backstories for many established characters. A must read for any fan of the Shadows of the Apt books, where epic fantasy meets steampunk and so much more.

Summary: Spoils of War by Adrian Tchaikovsky is a solid collection of short stories set in the world of Shadows of the Apt. Few stories stand out, but every one is enjoyable, and all add new aspects to the world.

Book Review: Salute the Dark

Potential Spoilers Ahead: Salute the Dark is the fourth book in the Shadows of the Apt series. As such, the blurb for this book and the following review will inevitably have some level of spoilers for the previous books. I’ve tried to keep those spoilers to a minimum, but you have been warned.

Uctebri’s long search for the Shadow Box is finally over. Now the vampiric sorcerer can begin his dark ritual. The Wasp-kinden’s Emperor believes this will grant him immortality, but Uctebri has his own plans – for the Emperor and the Empire.

The mighty Wasp armies are on the march. And now war is imminent, spymaster Stenwold can finally separate allies from false friends. For the Empire won’t stop until a black and gold flag hangs over Collegium, Stenwold’s home city.

Tisamon the Weaponsmaster could chose to face the Wasp Emperor himself with a blade in his hand. But he’d need to abandon friends and family, embracing degradation and loss. Yet is he driven by Mantis-kinden honour, or being manipulated by something far more sinister?

Summary: Salute the Dark by Adrian Tchaikovsky is the fourth book in the Shadows of the Apt series, and the end of the first main story arc. It delivers aplomb with world changing events, epic confrontations and terrible losses.

Book Review: Blood of the Mantis

Potential Spoilers Ahead: Blood of the Mantis is the 3rd book in the Shadows of the Apt series. As such, the blurb for this book and the following review will inevitably have some level of spoilers for the previous books. I’ve tried to keep those spoilers to a minimum, but you have been warned.

Achaeos the seer has tracked the stolen Shadow Box to the marsh-town of Jerez, driven by the ghosts of the legendary Darakyon. But he has only days before this magical artifact will be lost to him forever . . .

Meanwhile, the Empire’s dread forces are mustering for their next great offensive. Stenwold and followers have only a short time to gather allies, before the enemy’s soldiers march again – conquering everything in their path. If Stenwold cannot hold them back, the hated black and gold flag will fly over every city in the Lowlands before the year’s end.

And should the Shadow Box fall into the hands of the power-mad Emperor, nothing will save the world from his relentless ambition.

Summary: Blood of the Mantis by Adrian Tchaikovsky is the third book in the Shadows of the Apt series, and frankly a little disappointing after the highs of Dragonfly Falling. While it is still perfectly readable, the book felt mostly full of detours and setup for events to come.

Book Review: Dragonfly Falling

Potential Spoilers Ahead: Dragonfly Falling is the 2nd book in the Shadows of the Apt series. As such, the blurb for this book and the following review will inevitably have some level of spoilers for the previous book. I’ve tried to keep those spoilers to a minimum, but you have been warned.

The Wasp Empire’s armies are on the move. The city of Tark will be first to feel their might, now preparing for siege. And within its walls, Salma and Totho will take a stand alongside their Ant-kinden brethren. But they’ll face weaponry and numbers such as the Lowlands have never seen.

Meanwhile, the Empire’s secret service has deemed Stenwold Maker too dangerous to live. So Major Thalric is dispatched to eliminate Stenwold and destroy his beloved city of Collegium. For if this centre of learning is lost, it will crush all hope of intelligent resistance.

As the Empire’s troops continue their relentless advance, their young Emperor pursues another, even darker goal. His success would trigger a reign of blood lasting a thousand years.

Summary: Dragonfly Falling by Adrian Tchaikovsky is the second book in his Shadows of the Apt series, and builds excellently upon the foundations laid in the first book. More effectively than the first book, it balances setup and action in equal measure, and gives many of the best characters from Empire in Black and Gold a chance to shine.