+ Prismatic : Nicolee Baxter
+ The Chronicles of Kydan Trilogy : Liz Grzyb
+ Armageddon's Children : Grant Watson
+ Carnies : Russell B Farr
+ The Devil You Know : Karen Miller
+ Hydrogen Steel : Liz Grzyb
+ Blackbeard: The real pirate of the Caribbean
: Lev Lafayette
+ Belladonna : Andrew Williams
Lothian Books, 2006
ISBN: 0 7344 0968 0
362 pages
RRP: AU$19.95
Review by Nicolee Baxter
Sydney, Australia. 1789. An early settlement of English soldiers and convicts struggle to survive. They find it difficult to grow food, their rations are dwindling, they are unaccustomed to the weather, and morale is low. An unknown disease infects the settlement. Its victims go mad and are prone to violence and other depravities.
Sydney, Australia. 1919. A reclusive doctor is encouraged out of retirement to fight an outbreak of the unknown disease. His study of the disease provides a way to contain the disease but not a cure. He makes the ultimate sacrifice in the hope of destroying the disease forever.
Sydney, Australia. 2006. A young woman discovers two old corpses by the river shoreline. The discovery unleashes the unknown disease once more amongst the population of Sydney.
These stories of the three separate time periods were interwoven very successfully. Each chapter dealt with a different time period and the chapters cycled through them in the same order. It was always clear which time period you were reading about. However, it was not always clear what was going on within the chapter and characters did not always seem to behave as their character should (particularly in the 2006 chapters), even allowing for the fact that there was an epidemic of madness. For example, why was the rebellious, aggressive Jacqueline embarrased of her tattoos?
I found the narratives concerning 1789 and 1919 much more interesting than the 2006 narrative. The modern day story seemed to be passing time while the 1789 and 1919 chapters developed their plots. Jacqueline, a character from the 2006 narrative, appeared to simply wander about, encountering the same infected people. There were a number of instances where she set out for a destination, presumably with a purpose, but upon arrival the purpose was forgotten or abandoned.
Upon finishing the book, the overall plot did fall into place. As I went back over various passages to write this review, I was able to appreciate the prose much better as I was no longer concentrating simply on what was going on. There were some passages with quite powerful and beautiful descriptions, even though what was being described itself was not always beautiful. The book contains only minimal horror (I was awaiting far more brain-eating) and is suitable for teens and up.
Prismatic shared the 2006 Aurealis Award for Best Horror Novel. You can read the first chapter online at Prismatic.
Prismaticcan be found at Dymocks Online or Slowglass Books
Born of Empire
Pan MacMillan Tor, 2005
ISBN:9780330421775
528 pages
RRP: AU$19.95
Rival's Son
Pan MacMillan Tor, 2006
ISBN: 9780330422437
480 pages
RRP: AU$19.95
Daughter of Empire
Pan Macmillan Tor, 2006
ISBN: 9781405037204
432 pages
RRP: AU$32.95
Review by Liz Grzyb
This trilogy is a fabulous fantasy epic, telling the story of a kingdom's ambitious expansion efforts while it simultaneously crumbles from within. Hamilay, led by the ruthless Empress Lerena Kevleren, stages a secret colonisation attempt to the far-off city of Kydan. Out of sight of the Empire, the colonists attempt to reincarnate Kydan into a new power independent of Hamilay. The biggest problem facing them is the Sefid, the magical power source that only Kevleren family members can access through the sacrifice of something (or someone) they care about.
Born of Empire begins with Empress Lerena's ascension to power and the first rumblings of the idea of a colony. It seems like a great way for Lerena to get rid of unwanted family members while conveniently strengthening her political power against neighbouring Rivald. We meet several characters who are significant to the trilogy and follow their converging paths to Kydan.
Rival's Son is the second in the trilogy, where the plot definitely thickens. After the deaths of sympathetic characters at the end of Born of Empire, we are thrown into the colonists' integration into Kydan and the development of a more independent nation. Our protagonists begin to work together and some very interesting relationships develop. Meanwhile, back at home in Hamilay, Empress Lerena is feeling the strain of power, especially after sacrificing her nearest and dearest to the Sefid in return for magical Wielding.
Daughter of Independence, the final instalment, ramps up the tension a notch, with the inevitable invasion of Kydan by Hamilay, Kydan's own plans for expansion, and Lerena's grasp on mental health growing more and more rickety. I'm sure I was holding my breath for a good chunk of this novel, waiting for the suspense to break.
The Chronicles of Kydan are an extremely well-written series of novels. The characterisation is immaculate, with a large cast of characters providing tension, sympathy, admiration and comic relief. The setting is also intricately constructed. After reading the trilogy I feel that I could walk down any street in Kydan, point out the sights and call to various characters by name, without making a single mistake.
I wouldn't recommend reading the novels out of order, but as a continuous narrative they tell a compelling and elaborate story about families, relationships and power. If you enjoy fantasy, you'll love this!
Born of Empire, Rival's Son and Daughter of Independence can be found at Dymocks Online or Slowglass Books
Penguin Orbit, 2006
ISBN: 1-84149-479-8
369 pages
RRP: AU$32.95
Review by Grant Watson
Terry Brooks made quite a name for himself back in the 1970s with his epic fantasy novel The Sword of Shannara. It peaked at the top of the New York Times bestsellers list, and pretty much sparked off the popular fantasy genre we all enjoy today. People often point to J.R.R. Tolkien as the "father of modern fantasy", but I think they're incorrect. Tolkien wrote meticulously researched and painstakingly constructed myths that were inspired by Norse legends and folk stories. Terry Brooks, in contrast, took what he needed from Tolkien and constructed a fast-paced, breezy adventure that was entertaining and easy to read.
I don't say the above to criticise Brooks. There is no thinly veiled stab at popular fantasy here. He wrote a populist, and subsequently popular, fantasy novel that acted almost as a blueprint for the thousands of novels — good and bad — that have followed in the following decades. Brooks continued to write as well, following Sword up with a string of sequels that were often superior to his original. (The Wishsong of Shannara in particular was an excellent book.) He also branched out, creating new franchises in the form of the parallel world adventure of Magic Kingdom for Sale (Sold!) and the modern urban fantasy of The Knights of the Word.
Armageddon's Children begins a new trilogy of novels for Brooks, and initially seems to be a post-apocalyptic sequel to The Knights of the Word. Then unexpected details creep in, surprises rear their unexpected head, and suddenly the truth behind his new trilogy becomes clear. Armageddon's Children is a link, ending the world of one franchise and simultaneously acting as a prologue to his famed Shannara books. It's a poor fit, and smacks as clearly of lazy artistry as when Asimov attempted the same with his Robots and Foundation books. There is no need to form the two fictional universes into one — if anything, it weakens both of them.
The writing style is workmanlike and readable, as Brooks' fiction usually is. Fans of the author may find it highly enjoyable. The hard-core may find the weaving together of all their favourite books utterly irresistible. For me it's an unnecessary distraction that lets down an otherwise reasonably enjoyable book.
There's more to recommend in Terry Brooks than most critics (and fantasy fans) give him credit for. Sadly, however, those things are not present in Armageddon's Children. With two more novels to come in the trilogy, it may be some time before we see anything worthwhile from this author again.
Armageddon's Children can be found at Dymocks Online or Slowglass Books
Lothian, 2006
ISBN: 0-7344-0969-9
322pages
RRP: AU$19.95
Review by Russell B. Farr
Carnies is the impressive debut novel by Western Australian writer Martin Livings, part of the ill-fated Dark Suspense series.
Journalist David Hampden follows a lead on a Dervish Carnival to the quiet town of Tillbrook, almost dragging his unmotivated amateur photographer brother Paul with him. This plunges the pair into a mire of trouble involving lycanthropes, bikies and Tillbrook's residents, tired of living with a secret for over 100 years.
Livings weaves a complex tale of alliances and counter-alliances. He exposes these groups as being less than homogenous, revealing internal powerplays and struggles, often with bloody conclusions. It is this complexity, and attention to characterisation, that sets Carnies apart from the average horror novel. There are the usual buckets of blood and gore, but it is what goes on around this that makes the book an excellent debut.
The only thing this novel didn't do was scare me: I enthusiastically devoured this book over a couple of late nights sitting in bed, with the neighbour's dog barking up a storm, and was able to turn out the light without hesitation. While the unpredictable plot made me fearful for the characters, I felt the novel could have done more to scare the reader. But if you like to be entertained without being scared, Carnies is an excellent choice.
As debuts go, this action-packed novel combines elements of horror and suspense with excellent pacing and sense of setting. Livings has done an excellent job of capturing the Western Australian country town — while Livings credits this to spending time around Margaret River, Tillbrook reminded me of a cross between Katanning and Cranbrook.
Carnies is the most impressive debut novel I have read in some time. It captures a novelist making the transition from short stories, finding his feet with pacing while knowing how to develop an idea.
Carnies can be found at Dymocks Online or Slowglass Books
Orbit, 2006
ISBN: 1-84149-413-5
480 pages
RRP: AU$19.95
Review by Karen Miller
Better start with a disclaimer on this one. I was given a copy of this novel, the first in a series, by the Marketing Director of Orbit UK when I was there meeting the team who'll be publishing me next year. This means you could perceive I have a conflict of interest here, since Mr Carey and I are playing on the same team. I feel I don't, since if I hadn't enjoyed it so much you'd never know I'd read it. I tend not to talk about books I've read and didn't like. But if I do like them I want to tell people. And it doesn't seem fair to a great writer not to declare my affection publicly, even if we are on the same team. So here goes.
Orbit has classified The Devil You Know as 'horror', but personally I'd place it in the 'dark fantasy' box, along with Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden Files. There is a superficial resemblence: both series deal with an alternate contemporary Earth (the US for Butcher, London for Carey), both series use a first-person narrative with a male protagonist. But where Butcher adopts a rather nudge-nudge-wink-wink tongue in cheek style, I find the tone of Carey's novel more serious. There is wit, yes, but no talking skull.
Carey's hero, Felix Castor, is a freelance exorcist who earns his crust by casting out ghosts from homes and businesses throughout London. He hasn't worked for a year, his last ghostly encounter nearly killed him, but a variety of debts force him to take on a job that, on the surface, looks pretty straightforward. It isn't, of course. And the more involved Felix becomes with learning the hideous truth about the ghost he's been hired to banish from an academic archives complex, the closer he comes to an encounter with the kind of spirit he's just not strong enough to survive. Soon Felix finds himself fighting not only the dead and the never-alive, but humans who've done things as monstrous as any demon, and his chances of surviving unscathed are looking grim.
Felix is a great central character: quirky, dedicated, compassionate, with a healthy dose of self-deprecation that prevents him from being pompous. Carey, his creator, is an experienced comic writer whose credits include X-Men, Fantastic Four and Hellblazer, which was filmed as Constantine. He's clearly comfortable in the company of ghosts and demons and supernatural beings, and he has a fine narrative style to complement his great characterisations. The narrative is constructed in an interesting, challenging way, which requires the reader to really focus and pay attention. There is something 'horrible' about the story's central truth, but this isn't a splatter book. It's a well-crafted, page-turning adventure on the dark side, and I highly recommend it to fans of supernatural thrillers. A second book in the series, Vicious Circle, is also available and a third will be published next year.
I can't wait.
The Devil You Know can be found at Dymocks Online or Slowglass Books
EDGE, 2006
ISBN: 1-894063-20-1
367 pages
RRP: US$19.95
Review by Liz Grzyb
Hydrogen Steel is K. A. Bedford's third novel, published by the excellent folk at EDGE. It is set in the same universe as Orbital Burn and Eclipse, but is further into the future than the previous two novels. Earth was destroyed long ago and is a mythical memory of almost religious proportions. Humanity is spread across the universe in various civilisations based on planets or whole systems.
Bedford is a master at creating likeable yet flawed protagonists, and he has excelled with ex-cop Zette McGee. She retired from detective work when she discovered a closely guarded secret: she was in fact, a 'disposable' – a flesh and blood android. Zette had made a pleasant life for herself in Serendipity until she is drawn into a conspiracy bigger than humanity. Her detective skills are tested to the limit as she tries to unravel the strands of mystery while evading increasingly intricate traps.
The pacing of Hydrogen Steel is great — we dive into a fast-moving adventure story with progressively more intense complications. Sometimes it seems that these complications should be too much for our intrepid heroine, but the mind-boggling efforts of modern medical technology enable the survival of the protagonist and thus the plot.
Reading the previous two Bedford novels would be helpful, but the reader doesn't need to have read the previous stories in order to enjoy Hydrogen Steel; the references to previous novels are few and serve to orient the familiar reader rather than being imperative to the plot. When comparing the novels, Hydrogen Steel is closer to Orbital Burn than Eclipse, being an adventuresome blend of noir and traditional space opera.
Hydrogen Steel is an enjoyable read, littered with powerfully godlike Fireminds (the Hydrogen Steel of the title), complex technologies, action and noir mystery. The characters are believable and sympathetic, the setting is intricately planned out and the ending is much more satisfying than the somewhat deus ex machina resolution style of the previous novels. It's not surprising that Hydrogen Steel was nominated for the Aurealis Awards for 2006. If you liked Orbital Burn and Eclipse, don't delay in grabbing yourself a copy of Hydrogen Steel. If you haven't read any of K. A. Bedford's novels, now's a great time to start!
Hydrogen Steel can be found at EDGE Science Fiction & Fantasy or Slowglass Books
Wakefield Press, 2006
ISBN: 1-86254-708-4
192 pages
RRP: AU$29.95
Review by Lev Lafayette
Non-fiction books are invariably of two types; those that include new research, documentation and theoretical perspectives, the sort of publication that may even earn one a post-graduate degree, and those which summarise existing texts and can be found in any bookshop. The former are rare and usually boring. The latter are common and vary from from excellence to the non-fiction equivalent of penny dreadfuls. Dan Parry's Blackbeard: The real pirate of the Caribbean is unquestionably of the latter school, which brings to question the quality of the synthesis - especially given that the book is a locally produced companion to the "multimillion pound" BBC series of the same name.
Initial readings are quite positive. Despite an gaudy cover (an x-ray of a skull and two crossed cutlasses) and the gloss paper, there is an impressive list of expert sources the acknowledgments, an exceptional and highly evocative use of historical artworks and images from the UK's National Maritime Museum, and a good listing of source material. All of this suggest a text of worthy consideration.
Alas, it is not to be. In this instance the book can be judged from its cover, although certainly not by the title. What follows is a potted history of the classic age of piracy with a child-like attempt to describe the social and physical environment. Edward Teach (Blackbeard) himself receives surprisingly sparse mention through much of the text. Assuming that the book is more about pirates, rather than Teach, it is notable that two of the most exotic and extremes instances of piracy, specifically the speculative anarchist commune Libertia of Madagascar and the cruelty of François l'Ollonais, are not mentioned at all. Also absent is any reference to the history of piracy outside of the "golden age", such as the Sea People of the Aegean, the medieval Narentines, or contemporary instances.
The primary problem of the book is that it doesn't really know what its attempting to do. The middle hundred pages or so contain most of the material about Teach, so the rest of the book seems to be about the setting from an Anglophone perspective, with notes interspersed between chapters, rather like a backstory expressed during the story itself. In doing so, it fails at being about both Teach and about piracy. Worse still, the writing is simply ponderous. Genuinely exciting events, such as The Battle of Ocracoke where Blackbeard met his final fate, read like an essay from a high-school history class. "Then Blackbeard did this... Then Maynard did this... Quote.. Blah, blah, blah".
This book is a heartbreaker on two levels. Firstly, if the text was totally re-written and if it was either focused on Teach or elaborated to be a book on piracy (even just to "The Golden Age of Piracy") it may give complement the beautiful historical artwork. Secondly, it is a terrible shame that both an Australian publishing company such as Wakefield Press, who have otherwise have produced excellent quality non-fiction in the past, and the BBC, for goodness sakes, both seem to have let this quagmire onto the shelves.
Blackbeard can be found at Wakefield Press or Dymocks Online
Harper Collins Voyager, 2007
ISBN: 0-7322-8373-6
510 pages
RRP: AU$20.99
Review by Andrew Williams
For anyone who has read Anne Bishop's other books, nothing in this book will come as a great surprise. Firstly, like most of her other books (the Tir Aliann trilogy and the Black Jewels books) it wouldn't really stand alone well. It would be difficult to get much out of Belladonna without reading the prequel, Sebastian. Happily she's bucking the trilogy trend and going for a duology here. Secondly, the worldbuilding is unique, and interesting. It is familiar enough to hint that it could be our world, in the distant past or future, but alien enough to keep the reader guessing.
Plotwise, the book reads a lot like the Jewels trilogy — it's the story of a young, incredibly powerful woman, who is the only one who can defeat the world-threatening evil at the end of the series. Before the epic battle, she spends most of Belladonna finding True Love (TM), but not getting much sex. Then there's a powerful (but not AS powerful) half-human half-incubus with a temper and a heart of gold. He spends most of the first book, Sebastian, also finding True Love, but getting an awful lot of sex in the process. Seemed a bit unfair, really...
The weakest point, in my opinion, is the portrayal of family relationships. There are assorted pairs of brothers and sisters, parents, and cousins, and (coming from a big family), a few conversations didn't ring true. Other than that, it makes a pretty good read, especially if you like her other work.
Belladonna can be found at Dymocks Online or Slowglass Books
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