https://blog.vollink.com/tags/book-review+fantasy/ Recent content in book-review+fantasy on On My Mind... Hugo -- gohugo.io Thu, 03 Oct 2019 01:36:00 -0400 https://blog.vollink.com/post/2019/10/the-snow-queen/ Thu, 03 Oct 2019 01:36:00 -0400 https://blog.vollink.com/post/2019/10/the-snow-queen/ Title Illustration I read somewhere that the story of Disney's Frozen was based on this book, so I decided to read and review it for this blog.   I want to be clear that there is almost nothing that the story of Frozen has left in common with this original fairytale, except for a talking reindeer.  This is a short read, and I've linked to the full text via Project Gutenberg in the book information block below. https://blog.vollink.com/post/2019/09/the-graveyard-book/ Wed, 18 Sep 2019 12:00:00 -0400 https://blog.vollink.com/post/2019/09/the-graveyard-book/ Book cover The Graveyard Book isn't a horror novel, but it is absolutely goth and macabre. The story follows a boy from 18 months old when his whole family is murdered and he wanders off into the night through his childhood as he is raised in a graveyard by two ghosts and a vampire as guardian (who supplies physical things, like food and clothes).  At one point, we meet a werewolf and ghouls as well. https://blog.vollink.com/post/2019/08/peter-pan/ Wed, 07 Aug 2019 00:05:00 -0400 https://blog.vollink.com/post/2019/08/peter-pan/ Book cover Originally a play, then released in book form as Peter and Wendy, this book is the basis of Disney's cartoon movie, Peter Pan.  The movie is surprisingly faithful to the book with the exception that Disney's version doesn't portray deaths that the book does. Problematic doesn't begin to describe this experience.  Like a lot of classic literature, defenders will point out that this is a product of its time. https://blog.vollink.com/post/2019/07/master-and-apprentice/ Wed, 24 Jul 2019 12:00:00 -0400 https://blog.vollink.com/post/2019/07/master-and-apprentice/ Book cover Set before the first prequel movie, this book follows Jedi Master, Qui-Gon Jinn, and his Jedi Apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi, on a diplomatic mission set forth by the Jedi council.  They are sent to a planet, Pijal, that we haven't seen before, which really is a great way to see the author's creativity. We are presented with a wide array of new characters on this new world, like the Jedi Rael Averross, who has been the regent of Pijal for the last 8 years, and the escaped slave Rahara Wick. https://blog.vollink.com/post/2019/07/treasure-island/ Wed, 17 Jul 2019 12:00:00 -0400 https://blog.vollink.com/post/2019/07/treasure-island/ Book Cover Every once in a while, I try to get in a review of a classic.  Something that some of my readers are likely to have read themselves.  I do this, mostly, to help readers calibrate my taste...  That is, it seems likely enough that some readers are likely to disagree with everything I like, and might find it compelling to read a book that I really didn't like. https://blog.vollink.com/post/2019/05/spinning-silver/ Wed, 01 May 2019 17:48:00 -0400 https://blog.vollink.com/post/2019/05/spinning-silver/ Book cover This is the second book that I've reviewed by Naomi Novik, the first was Uprooted.  At a high level, there are some parallels between these books, but they are definitely different worlds.  Here's a quick overview of the setting: A Jewish girl of about 16 named Miryam lives in a medieval small unwalled town with the name of either Pakel or Pavys, but the residents simply called it town which is a third of the way between two larger cities in the Kingdom of Lithvas. https://blog.vollink.com/post/2019/01/comic-darth-vader-1-25-by-charles-soule-art-giuseppe-camuncoli/ Wed, 23 Jan 2019 12:00:00 -0500 https://blog.vollink.com/post/2019/01/comic-darth-vader-1-25-by-charles-soule-art-giuseppe-camuncoli/ Issue 1 cover If you read my review of the book, Oracle Year, I mentioned that Charles Soule writes for comic books, this is one of them that I've kept up on, and have read from start to finish, as this run ends at #25, though Charles Soule will have more to write for Marvel in the Star Wars world. This series starts moments after the end of Star Wars episode 3, Revenge of the Sith, and tells the story of both Darth Vader becoming the Dark Jedi Master under Palpatine, but also tells of the growth of the Empire during that time. https://blog.vollink.com/post/2018/11/a-guile-of-dragons/ Wed, 14 Nov 2018 12:00:00 -0500 https://blog.vollink.com/post/2018/11/a-guile-of-dragons/ Book cover The book starts in a very promising place.  It offers a map.  All of my favorite fantasy novels have included a map, and this leaves me excited for a tale with some traveling.  The first very short chapter introduces some world building back-story, a short story about gods.  Then, on page 19 (or the third page of story) the novel lands in a fantasy space that I find very overused and tired. https://blog.vollink.com/post/2018/10/bloodline/ Wed, 17 Oct 2018 22:38:00 -0400 https://blog.vollink.com/post/2018/10/bloodline/ Book cover I realize that I've read and reviewed a lot of books that I don't really like.  This review isn't that.  I liked the book, Leia; Princess of Alderaan by Claudia Gray so much that when I found out she had another book in the Star Wars universe, I bought it right away. I really like to keep these reviews spoiler-free, and if I really enjoy a book, I actually have a much harder time writing about it, because - well - everything I enjoy about a book seems like a possible spoiler. https://blog.vollink.com/post/2018/09/leia-princess-of-aderaan/ Wed, 12 Sep 2018 12:00:00 -0400 https://blog.vollink.com/post/2018/09/leia-princess-of-aderaan/ Book cover This book is a Star Wars story.  It takes place during Leia Organa's 16th year.  I would like to say that familiarity with the Star Wars universe isn't absolutely necessary, but I cannot be sure of that.  It is, at its base, an exhilarating and sometimes sad, coming of age story, where we see Leia grow from a teen who thinks she's all grown up, to a woman who knows she isn't quite there. https://blog.vollink.com/post/2018/08/norse-mythology/ Wed, 15 Aug 2018 12:00:00 -0400 https://blog.vollink.com/post/2018/08/norse-mythology/ Book cover According to the preface, this book is a carefully researched retelling of surviving stories of the Nordic gods, Odin, Thor, Loki, Freya and others.  Where surviving versions of a story differ, artistic license allows for the best of each to be used. First and foremost, these are Nordic tales.  If you are familiar with these characters from Marvel comics or movies, be prepared to relearn a lot of what you thought you knew. https://blog.vollink.com/post/2018/08/uprooted/ Wed, 08 Aug 2018 12:00:00 -0400 https://blog.vollink.com/post/2018/08/uprooted/ Book cover The descriptions of the country, fashions and even the names of characters channels Poland of the 1500s or 1600s.  The story focuses on a peaceful valley with little villages nestled along the Spindle river, but a dark forest grows nearby.  Corrupted creatures come from the forest late at night and attack human, livestock or both.  Or worse, a cloud of pollen might come in and corrupt a neighbor where they stand, turning them. https://blog.vollink.com/post/2018/08/she-would-be-king/ Wed, 01 Aug 2018 12:00:00 -0400 https://blog.vollink.com/post/2018/08/she-would-be-king/ Book Cover (from publisher) This is divided into two books, THE THREE and SHE WOULD BE KING.  A quote from the Author's Note (before the book even begins): {Gbessa is pronounced "Bessah"} The first book is the story of three characters, each from different places and backgrounds.  Gbessa is exiled from her African village as a witch.  June escapes slavery from a plantation in Virginia. https://blog.vollink.com/post/2018/07/skyward-omnibus/ Wed, 25 Jul 2018 12:00:00 -0400 https://blog.vollink.com/post/2018/07/skyward-omnibus/ Before I start this: I met Jeremy Dale with Kelly by his side on several occasions at various comic book conventions.  I am always on the lookout for a well written all-ages comic book story, and I found Jeremy and Skyward when there were only two issues, self-published and in black and white.  Later, I saw him at a different convention and got issue 3, and he said that issue 4 should be out by NYCC.