The Riddle, by Alison Croggon
It's not as laughable as the first book in the Pellinor series, but is ultimately let down by a strangely Jareth-the-Goblin-King-esque Elemental as well as a 'plot twist' that I could see coming a league off and therefore entirely without interest.
The Crow, by Alison Croggon
This is by FAR the best book of the Pellinor series, and the only one I would recommend. It is well-written, explores interesting themes well, features a far more likable protagonist than Maerad, and a tragic plot twist I did NOT see coming at all. It definitely raised my hopes considerably for the final installment of the series . . .
The Singing, by Alison Croggon
. . . Hopes which were promptly smashed into a thousand pieces, ground into dust, and thrown into the garbage. Secondary characters who had been vibrant in 'The Crow' became nothing more than scenery. Nothing unexpected happened--at ALL. Maerad was irritating. A character's dark past that had been hinted at in the first book was never resolved. Basically it was entirely unsatisfying, hollow, and rote. Ugh.
The Dresden Files: Welcome to the Jungle, by Jim Butcher
Another graphic novel? Yes indeed, and quite an entertaining one, too. It's gory and gross but also laugh-out-loud funny, and the art is pretty good--my brother and I were sniggering about some very well-drawn expressions in particular. Butcher has a very smart-alecky, entertaining writing style. I'm going to be calling fast food 'essential wizard supplies' from now on, and that's a good thing.
The Hound of Ulster, by Rosemary Sutcliff
This could potentially serve as an excellent introduction to the mythos of Cuchulainn (one of my favorite legendary/mythical characters--I love Celtic mythology), and which is liberally spiced with usual Sutcliffian moments of poetic beauty, but towards the end of the book Sutcliff seemed to be making a bit too many excuses for Cuchulainn's behavior. She balanced her attempts at making a slightly more sympathetic hero of Cuchulainn and keeping true to the actual stories well in the beginning of the book, but by the end it was too much.
The Isle of Glass, by Judith Kerr
A stellar historical fantasy. This book is beautifully written, original enough to breathe new and vibrant life and immediacy not only into the middle ages but also the theme of elves or fae folk and immortality; elves are so frequently used and abused in fantasy books it's very difficult to do this, but Kerr made her interpretation of the fae folk seem utterly new and yet at the same time utterly classic, and that alone makes me applaud her. There are dark or sordid moments in the story, but always written with careful delicacy, and always to a purpose for the story as a whole. I also really enjoyed how Catholic theology plays such a large part in this story; usually a fantasy writer would disregard theology or use the fantastical elements of the story to attack religion, but this book is respectful and sound. The idea of following an Elven man trained as a priest as he has to come to grips with his immortality in a mortal world, as well as his religious beliefs in a society that believes creatures of magic are without souls, can only be described as brilliant. People don't act anachronistically, but still feel completely real, and the tale is told with a beauty and sensitivity that makes it flow like poetry. This is definitely a cut above most fantasies, and that is what makes it my Book of the Month. (Note: The volume in which I read this book was called 'The Hound and the Falcon', being a 1000+ page behemoth containing all three books in the series: The Isle of Glass, The Golden Horn, and The Hounds of God.)
A stellar historical fantasy. This book is beautifully written, original enough to breathe new and vibrant life and immediacy not only into the middle ages but also the theme of elves or fae folk and immortality; elves are so frequently used and abused in fantasy books it's very difficult to do this, but Kerr made her interpretation of the fae folk seem utterly new and yet at the same time utterly classic, and that alone makes me applaud her. There are dark or sordid moments in the story, but always written with careful delicacy, and always to a purpose for the story as a whole. I also really enjoyed how Catholic theology plays such a large part in this story; usually a fantasy writer would disregard theology or use the fantastical elements of the story to attack religion, but this book is respectful and sound. The idea of following an Elven man trained as a priest as he has to come to grips with his immortality in a mortal world, as well as his religious beliefs in a society that believes creatures of magic are without souls, can only be described as brilliant. People don't act anachronistically, but still feel completely real, and the tale is told with a beauty and sensitivity that makes it flow like poetry. This is definitely a cut above most fantasies, and that is what makes it my Book of the Month. (Note: The volume in which I read this book was called 'The Hound and the Falcon', being a 1000+ page behemoth containing all three books in the series: The Isle of Glass, The Golden Horn, and The Hounds of God.)
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