Empire in Black and Gold (Shadows of the Apt 1) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I must admit that I was originally ambivalent about giving Empire of Black and Gold a read. The back cover outlines a world where tribes of humans have taken on certain aspects of insects; with such a premise, the potential for a REALLY stupid, unbelievable story is definitely there. Finally I picked up the book and was glad that I did. Far from being silly, Tchaikivsky takes the world he creates and makes it completely believable; suspension of disbelief is no problem. Tribes of humans have developed certain aspects of insects; ant kinden are warriors with the ability to think collectively, beetle kinden are intellectuals and master builders, Mantis Kinden are great martial artists and individual warriors (different from the ants who tend to fight collectively). Spider-kinden are spies etc.
The world is being threatened by the Wasp Kinden, a flying, war-like people that one cannot help comparing to the Roman Empire. It is up to a diverse group of college students representing different kinden to convince the world that the Wasps are a real threat. There's the rub. Adrian Tchaikovsky's insect world is one that has just left it's own dark ages, an age ruled by religious/mystical fanatics and their killer enforcers the Mantis Kinden. The world has moved into an age of "reason" and the new god is one of profit. And just like in our world its' many peoples are more than willing to bury their collective heads in the sand and pretend that the conquering of their neighbors by the Wasps is justified. All of this in order to maintain there lifestyles...even if that denial could potentially mean slavery and death. In the words of Pastor Martin Niemöller:
When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.
When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.
When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.
When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I wasn't a Jew.
When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.Although this is a fantasy novel, the themes are human and are happening today in different disguises. Tchaikovsky tackles fear of the "other", racism and classism. I was thoroughly entertained and can't wait for the next two novels in the trilogy to be released.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Empire in Black and Gold (Shadows of the Apt 1)

Get 32% OFF

Click here for more information about Empire in Black and Gold (Shadows of the Apt 1)

Read More...

Charlie Bone And The Shadow Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Charlie Bone and the Shadow by Jenny Nimmo was a great addition to her series. I teach Science and also run the Literary Guild Reading Club for our school. So I like to read what the kids are reading. I also like to be able to recommend books to them that I think they will like. I have enjoyed the Charlie Bone series. Her writing is easily read and she has a nice use of words. The characters are well developed and the students relate to them well. She has a nice mix of good and evil characters with a lot of humor thrown in. The book is a nice length and the ending makes you anticipate the next book.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Charlie Bone And The Shadow

The enchanter Count Harken is back to take his revenge on the Red King's heirs, starting with Charlie Bone's family! Charlie's ancestor has been kidnapped and imprisoned in the dark, forbidding land of Badlock, and it's up to Charlie to save him. Traveling through a painting to the terrifying countryside, Charlie and his best friend's dog, Runner Bean, take up the quest. But when Runner Bean gets trapped, Charlie needs the help of his friends. Can they get past an army of trolls, rescue Runner Bean and Charlie's ancestor, and get out before it's too late?
Can Charlie outwit Court Harken and his sinister troops, or will the prisoners be doomed to being held captive in Badlock forever?


Jenny Nimmo is an award-winning author who lives with her painter husband in a converted mill in Wales. Her books include THE SNOW SPIDER, winner of the Smarties Prize, EMYLN'S MOON, THE CHESTNUT SOLDIER, and GRIFFIN'S CASTLE, which was shortlisted for the Smarties Prize, the Carnegie Medal, the Whitbread Award, and the W.H. Smith's Mind Boggling Award. THE OWL TREE won the Smarties Gold Prize Award for six- to eight-year-olds, and THE CHARLIE BONE books have repeatedly found their way on to bestseller lists.

Get 21% OFF

Click here for more information about Charlie Bone And The Shadow

Read More...

Drowned Wednesday (Keys to the Kingdom, Book 3) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)It's hard to be Arthur Penhaligon. As if moving and being asthmatic wasn't bad enough, now he has had two nightmarish adventures, and dealt with the malevolent Morrow Days. In the third book of Garth Nix's dark fantasy series, "Drowned Wednesday," Nix spins his best story yet in this series.
Arthur and his pal Leaf are recuperating from the strange events of Monday and Tuesday... until suddenly the hospital is flooded. Leaf is abducted by a strange boat, and Arthur finds himself adrift on the Border Sea, on a hospital bed. After he's picked up by a shipful of friendly Salvagers, he finds that he's inadvertantly become the target for the malevolent pirate Feverfew, a mortal-turned-Denizen on a ship of bone.
He also encounters Drowned Wednesday, who has invited him to lunch. But unlike Grim Tuesday and Mister Monday, Wednesday needs his help, because she is cursed: she takes the form of a whale, and has a monstrous appetite. She's willing to give him the Key, but he has to deal with the malevolent Feverfew first, and rescue Leaf. Unfortunately to do that, he will have to take a rescue submarine to a seaport... which happens to be inside Wednesday's stomach.
For some reason, after the publication of "Grim Tuesday," the publishers decided to halt production and rerelease the two previous books in hardcover. As a result, "Drowned Wednesday" took forever to come out. Fortunately, it was worth the wait: as writing and characters go, "Drowned Wednesday" beats the second book and equals the first.
"Drowned Wednesday" more or less fits the mold of the previous novels: Arthur deals with the strange residents (rats and Denizens) of the various worlds, while trying to avoid being killed. It sounds grim, but Nix spices it up with plenty of humor, such as the stamp-collecting Salvager captain. One of the funniest moments has Arthur looking at a book about his adventures, which shows him as a buff action hero.
Fortunately, Nix keeps the story from getting formulaic by giving new twists to the story. Not only is it a seafaring tale, but he portrays the Morrow Day Wednesday as a victim, not a villain. Though Arthur is initially suspicious, it turns out that she's actually rather pitiful. And the final chapter of the book ends on an eerie cliffhanger involving the Skinless Boy.
The biggest change is in Arthur himself. In the previous two books, he was a reluctant hero. But now he is beginning to use the power of the Keys without worrying about it, and he is determined to deal with the other Morrow Days. Okay, he still worries a lot, but he's overcoming that; by the finale, he is much more comfortable as the Heir.
"Drowned Wednesday" equals "Mister Monday" for humorous dark-fantasy goodness. Here's hoping that "Sir Thursday" doesn't take long to get here.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Drowned Wednesday (Keys to the Kingdom, Book 3)

Get 22% OFF

Click here for more information about Drowned Wednesday (Keys to the Kingdom, Book 3)

Read More...

Starfinder: Book One of the Skylords Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)As a teenager, I used to read a lot of fantasy, but as an adult I spend most of my time on memoirs and biographies. Reading Starfinder reminded me of how much I really enjoy the fantasy genre. I was so captivated by Marco's book, I read it in a few days while I was supposed to be working. The plot moves along briskly, and always keeps you eager to find out what happens next. The protagonists, two lonely children named Moth and Fiona, are very believable and sympathetic, while even the villains (i.e. Rendor and Alisaundra) have their redeeming qualities, making it impossible to truly dislike anyone in the story. Although this novel is targeted at young adults and has some important lessons for youngsters about believing in oneself, I think adults will find Starfinder equally enchanting because of the world it creates and its exploration of the themes like free will and faith. The conclusion of the story is left open-ended, all but guaranteeing that there will be a sequel, which is something I'm greatly looking forward to.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Starfinder: Book One of the Skylords

A new fantasy series from the author of The Sword of Angels. Steam trains and electricity are rapidly changing the world. Moth of Calio is obsessed with the airships developed by his friend Fiona's grandfather Rendor, and dreams of taking to the air one day like his heroes, the Skyknights. But not everyone is happy to see humans reach the skies. For thousands of years, the mysterious and powerful race known as the Skylords have jealously guarded their heavenly domain. But Moth and Fiona are about to breach the magical boundary between the world of humans and the world of the Skylords.

Get 24% OFF

Click here for more information about Starfinder: Book One of the Skylords

Read More...