Review: Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff

 “What’s that? You say you’ve got a Japanese Steampunk novel with mythic creatures, civil unrest, and a strong female protagonist? I’m afraid I missed everything you said after “Japanese Steampunk.” That’s all I really needed to hear.”

 

-PATRICK ROTHFUSS,       

#1 New York Times best Selling author

 

 
 

The quote above adorns the cover for Stormdancer, the debut from Jay Kristoff and book one of The Lotus War trilogy (Indiebound, Book Depository, Amazon). Rothfuss’ blub above is what initially grabbed my attention for this book, months before its publication and months prior to my receiving an early copy. I’ll be honest – it got me excited. It sounded cool and while I know people have mixed opinions on Rothfuss’ books, I can say that I really enjoy his story telling ability and find him to be a genuinely entertaining person – just the sort of person who could get me excited about a book through a short blurb.

 

And so I fell into the trap. You see, if you asked me I’d tell you that blurbs don’t mean much to me. That they often can’t be trusted and you really need to carefully parse the words to make sure you’re not being bamboozled. So, let’s do that with Rothfuss’ blurb. To me, it looks like he’s commenting on a summary of the book, and not really the book itself – in fact, a careful read of the blurb makes me think that he had not read the book prior to giving it. And this is the best part – he flat out admits it all – saying that the term Japanese Steampunk is the only thing he was really interested in hearing.

 

So, I’m lead to the conclusion that this big and enticing blurb by Rothfuss is actually quite meaningless and not representative of the book itself since he hadn’t even read it. And since I’ve already admitted that it was this blurb that piqued my interest in Stormdancer, I must admit to blurb bamboozlement – and that is an embarrassing admission for me, a ‘respected’ review blogger of 6+ years. But, let’s not dwell on that and get to some discussion of the book – because I did actually read it and what I have to say about it is a bit more than a blurb.

 

In brief, the Japanese Steampunk angle has already been covered by Rothfuss. And yes there is civil unrest, at least one mythical beast (a griffin), and a strong female protagonist (at least surficially). I’ll go ahead and add that the society is completely dependent on the refined product of lotus flowers, which has lead to a sort of industrial wasteland full of pollution and drug addicts with an endless war distantly persecuted and dwindling natural places and creatures all under tyrannical rule.

 

The plot of Stormdancer follows a standardized checklist for epic fantasy – it’s an autocratic political system with overly cruel leadership, there is a mysterious resistance movement, a young teenager is the hero (Yukiko), one parent is dead, there are issues with her father to be overcome, Yukiko has magical abilities, impossibly a mythical creature appears, Yukiko promptly develops a magical bond to said creature, and then Yukiko sets out to topple the government. Anyone who is well read in epic fantasy will easily know the outcome of this book – right down to who dies and who lives. Now, this isn’t necessarily a big flaw – someone who has not read a lot of epic fantasy may think that this is a wonderfully unique book, though to me, the plotting was tiresome at best.

 

On to the writing – as we all know a really well told story from a great storyteller can make it easy to overlook a lot of flaws. Kristoff comes off rather mixed here – at times his writing is really good, surprising good for a debut author and showing lots of potential. However, there are some pretty bad pacing issues – particularly with the beginning third of the novel which essentially serves as poorly presented infodump that lays out all the details of the rather cool world he’s created. However, there is no subtlety and no nuance. And while I really enjoy the world that Kristoff has created, he lost a fair be of credibility by bludgeoning the reader continually with the horror and injustice of the environmental and human tragedy at hand.

 

And all this adds up to an overall criticism of the book that I hate to make – it’s too YA – in all the bad ways it can be. To further explain, YA books can be very powerful and rather more complex than many people give them credit for. And the best of them often cross over with great success beyond the traditional YA market. Stormdancer doesn’t do this – the lack of subtlety, the lack of nuance, the strait-forward plotting – it has been done over and over again and only reinforces the common criticisms YA books get from more mature audiences. This isn’t to say that Stormdancer won’t work out well for the traditional YA audience, only that I don’t see it moving far past it.

 

The Japanese-inspired setting is probably thing that got me most excited initially. I am really enjoying the trend of late for (epic) fantasies to be set in worlds that are not inspired by medieval Britain (or Europe at all). And though curious, I’m rather under-read in when comes to Japan-inspired settings. So, I rather enjoyed this aspect of Stormdancer. However, I have seen some pretty harsh criticism of the Japanese-like culture and language that Kristoff creates. And having read those criticisms, I’m much less excited about the Japan-like world than I initially was. So, read them if you’d like to see some analysis of where Kristoff (mostly) gets it all wrong.

 

Likewise I have some issues with Yukiko, the strong female protagonist. The truth is that I generally find her annoying – perhaps it’s due to an (accurate?) portrayal of teen angst (I mean what teenager isn’t annoying when it comes down to it). And it certainly doesn’t help that the bonding/taming of the griffin was done so unconvincingly. But mostly, I think it’s because Yukiko as a character is completely framed from a male point of view (even though it’s supposed to be her story). It’s all about her falling in love with this guy, her relationship to her father, her hatred of the (male) Shogun, her bonding with the (male) griffin, etc. After thinking on the book for a while, I think this maybe one of the biggest flaws and could be the underlying explanation for why it just never comes together as it should, in spite of some rather fun storytelling that occurs along the way. Even though I’m not a huge fan how she frames her arguments, I’d be pretty curious to see what Requires Only Hate would say about this book – evisceration comes to mind.

 

So, this has turned out to be a pretty negative review, beginning with the admission of being hoodwinked by a well-written (from a certain point of view) blurb. But, that’s not the full story. A truth is that baring some of the big pacing issues that occur mostly in the first third of the book, the storytelling was strong enough to keep me interested. It’s not a book that I ever considered not finishing. However, I doubt I’ll be reading the sequels either. It was after reflecting on my thoughts of the book for a while (which I do with pretty much every book I read) that I realized that I had some real issues with it. I think that most fans of epic fantasy probably will too – and that means most of the people who read this blog regularly. But, for someone who is new to epic fantasy, particularly someone who is a teenager, this book will probably work very well and I expect that they would enjoy it a lot. So, while in the end I would say this isn’t the book for me or most of the blogger tribe I run with, it probably is a book for a lot of people browsing the YA section at a bookstore (or equivalent).

Review: Dancing With Bears by Michael Swanwick

Prior to reading Dancing With Bears (Indiebound, Book Depository, Amazon) I had only read one novel by MichaelSwanwick – The Dragons of Babel (Indiebound, Book Depository, Amazon, my review). At that time I raved about how much fun the book was, how subversive it was and simply how well it was written. Dancing With Bears is no different in that respect, though the subject matter is, which serves to highlight the versatility of Swanwick and as a rebuke of my neglecting to read more Swanwick until now.

 

Dancing With Bears is set in a future that is described as ‘post-utopian’ where a pair of classic highwaymen, Darger and Surplus, journey to Moscow. The world is a striking mix of future technology and genetic engineering and the regression to pre-industrial times in the aftermath of a great war with artificial intelligence (ala Terminator). A few remaining machines of the internet hive-mind have designs on a new war with Moscow as their first target while Darger and Surplus simply set out to make a lot of money. Of course chaos ensues (as it always seems to in the wake of Darger and Surplus) in the wonderfully competent and satiric style that Swanwick pulls off so well.

 

The first and most obvious subversion that Swanwick employs is the concept of a post-utopian world. Science fiction is awash in post-apocalyptic ideas, so the slight tweak to make it post-utopian is clever, though it could easily fall flat in the hands of a lesser writer. The difference between post-apocalyptic and post-utopian is one of perspective more than anything – the focus is not on the apocalyptic, but on the near-utopia that precedes it. That in itself is not enough, for Swanwick completes the subversion by setting this story in Russia, where the culture and history combine to a prevailing attitude that questions whether or not Russia ever actually experienced the utopia of their post-utopian world.

 

The post-utopian Moscow that Swanwick creates is a curious mixture of regency style class structure, crazy genetic engineering, and heavy-handed secret police with a lot of sex, a drug that makes everyone have even more sex, an underground world of outcasts, and the plotting of a resurgent technological enemy. Throw in a few genetically engineered virginal concubines gifted to the Duke of Muscovy, a Byzantium spy and the designs of Darger and Surplus and the term boiling point becomes outright explosive.

 

While I’ve continually thrown around the term post-utopian in a way that would suggest that is the main point of the book, its focus. Which is not really correct – the book really does rally around the classic highwaymen, Darger and Surplus (one is an English gentleman and the other a genetically engineered dog-man from the Vermont). The rogue-ish adventures as these accomplished con-men confidently undermine the entire Russian aristocracy in attempt to profit could almost be considered a fun take on sword and sorcery if Dancing With Bears wasn’t so obviously pointed at post-apocalyptic science fiction. It’s simply a whole lot of fun as Swanwick continuously fuels the satirical funeral byre with an underlying wry humor.

 

Everything I’ve written above only hints at this uproariously weird novel of the future with designs on the past and present. Nothing is immune to satiric wit of Swanwick and his enigmatic duo of confidence men, one whom is literally a dog. Sex, drugs, and rock and roll cybernetic wolves in human clothing combine in a drug-fueled rave of political revolution under the iconic sway of a resurrected Lenin and religious fervor as a couple of con-men make off with the gold – that’s one hell of a description for a book. This is not a novel for everyone, but it certainly was a novel for me. And once again I’m left feeling that I really must read more Swanwick.

Unfettered Anthology with New Wheel of Time Story (and others)

Unfettered edited by Shawn Speakman came about as a project to help Speakman pay off debts from a serious medical condition he has struggled with. Speakman is a bit of industry insider since he runs The Signed Page and many authors volunteered stories to help. Early inidcations had me excited so it was an anthology that I had my eye - good cause or not, it has a great lineup.

 

Now a full table of contents has been revealed that includes a few suprises. The biggest one that caught my mind is "River of Souls" by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson. Clearly it's a Wheel of Time short story/novella or similar and Jason from Dragonmount tweeted it was related to A Memory of Light (Indiebound, Book Depository, Amazon) in some way. But right now any details are still haven't gone public. My guess is it's a short story set after events in A Memory of Light and the Wheel of Time series, but that's only a guess - I sure hope its not simply an excerpt (unlikely since the description of Unfettered calls them all original stories).

 

Anyway, I'm not more excited and have just pre-ordered my copy of Unfettered. You should do the same. And check out that table of contents - it's full of goodies that go well beyond Wheel of Time (there's Terry Brooks and Shannara, Patrick Rothfuss, Tad Williams, Daniel Abraham, Jacqueline Carey, and many more).

EDIT: The point of view for the Wheel of Time story is Demandred and it is a deleted scene(s) from A Memory of Light. Below is a quote from a Torchat event:

“River of Souls,” the forthcoming Wheel of Time short story featured in Unfettered is a collection of scenes that illustrate Demandred/Bao the Wyld’s story leading up to A Memory of Light.

Mini-Review: Whispers Underground by Ben Aaronovitch

Whispers Underground is the third book in the Peter Grant urban fantasy series by Ben Aaronovitch (Indiebound, Book Depository, Amazon). These books have essentially become must-reads for me for a variety of reasons – they are short, they are fun, they are well-written, and they offer more than just the standard urban fantasy template, particularly with the police procedural aspect thrown in. And I suppose that being set in London is another big plus since it’s a city both foreign and familiar to me that I find immensely interesting.  

First – ignore the description on the back cover of the book. It’s one of the worst I’ve ever read – it does not in any way reflect actual events and feelings in the book. Yes, there is an American FBI agent and yes she seems to be a conservative Christian. However, that is a tiny tangent and not really much of an issue at all – in fact, she’s rather likeable and I wish the synopsis had not made me predisposed to disliking her. It’s really unfortunate that the publishers did such a disservice to the book with this synopsis.   

 

In Whispers Underground Peter is called to investigate the murder of an American art student and the son of a US Senator. The murder takes place in a subway tunnel, which of course leads Peter deep into the Underground, often guided by a particularly untrustworthy informant. The murder plot itself is not terribly interesting and the eventual solution is a bit unconvincing. However, the strength of Aaronovitch’s writing is more in the police procedure and the interlacing of the supernatural with the reality we all think we know as told from the point of view of a well-created and out-right interesting main character. In many ways the murder simply doesn’t matter as the main investigation and a few tangents further real the reality of Aaronovitch’s London. 

 

Whispers Underground continues in the direction that Aaronovitch has set for the series – it may be focused around a single investigation, but further groundwork is laid for growth of the Folly (the team of ‘supernatural’ investigators), for future confrontation with a particularly nasty bad guy, growth of Peter and Leslie’s (potential?) relationship, and more hints of the wider world of magic.  

 

In short, Whispers Underground is another great installment in the Peter Grant series. It may not be the greatest of the series, but it’s more than good enough to keep me coming back for more.  

 

 

And on a separate point, I’m quite happy that Del Rey has finally decided to abandon the white-washed covers of the first two books.

Review: Range of Ghosts by Elizabeth Bear

I remember a time not so long ago when it seemed every (epic) fantasy book out there was set in some medieval Western European analog, particularly a British analog (presumably because they speak English there, though the notion of what languages were actually spoken and sounded like in medieval Britain is probably not well appreciated, but I digress). The trend over the last year or two has been to reverse the Euro-centric focus of the past with most new (epic) fantasies inspired at least in part by non-western cultures. I love this positive evolving of the genre, though I must say that the novelty of it has worn off a bit with its popularity.

 

Range of Ghosts by Elizabeth Bear (Indiebound, Book Depository, Amazon) follows this new trend with inspiration from the Asian steppes, Mongol hordes, mountain Buddhists and desert caliphates. Of course there’s magic, an interesting set of very real gods that literally change the sky above, and a quest. Range of Ghosts shows Bear executing at her best – the economy and ease with which she unveils the story shows a mastery of her craft.

 

Range of Ghosts centers on Temur, a prince of a great empire of the steppes. One of his uncles aims to take over the empire, with the typical slaughter and great battles that ensue. Temur escapes and flees to a mountain empire to the south where he finds himself on a quest of survival, rescue and vengeance in the company of some interesting and not all human companions.

 

The economy with which Bear writes Range of Ghosts stands out as one of the biggest triumphs of the book. It’s an epic fantasy, the opening of the Eternal Sky trilogy, and it’s only 334 pages long. It’s not that the book is without depth, or that the characters are lacking development, or that the world is not built well enough. It’s simply that no word, no sentence, no paragraph is wasted. And the language flows almost poetically, harkening back to an earlier time in epic fantasy and the likes of Le Guin and McKillip. The near-poetic style of writing helps to set the tone of the setting and culture, completing the otherworldly feel that the best of fantasy can achieve.

 

However, for all the beautiful economy of the language, I found it a bit challenging to become fully engaged in the book and its characters at first. While I won’t say I was disinterested, I didn’t care as much as I should have for the first third of the book or so. I can’t fully explain why this was, but it was a bit of a hindrance to me fully engaging with the story and its characters. I suspect that it’s mostly due to the necessary set-up of an opening book in a new world and something on an unconvincing opening romance (though I really like the direction this appears to be going by the end of the book).

 

But, once the set-up is complete, the pace really gets going. The interplay between the characters is well presented – their depth, conflict, uncertainty, confidence, even arrogance is very nearly priceless. And there’s just enough humor interlaced with the tense, dangerous, and even tragic moments to bring things to life.

 

Elizabeth Bear is one of those authors that should be talked about more in the circles I populate. She is one of the most prolific SFF authors of the last decade, with a huge range in her story telling. I’ve read a bit here and there, though I’ve always planned to read more (as one would guess from the number of her books that rest on The Stack of books to be read). I’ve seen it said that Range of Ghosts is her best yet – I don’t feel I’ve read enough of her books to comment there – but it is good, quite good and it should be getting more buzz than it has. 2012 is turning out to be a very good year for the fantasy genre, a year that shows it’s grown up a bit, seen the world and realized that there is way more to it than medieval Britain. Bear belongs at the forefront of this discussion. But perhaps the best thing I can say about Range of Ghosts is this: I really, really want to read the sequel, The Shattered Pillars (Indiebound, Book Depository, Amazon). Like now*. And so should you.

 

 

*I suppose I could read one of the companion novellas, such as Bone and Jewel Creatures (Indiebound, Book Depository, Amazon).

Whisky/Bourbon Review: Maker’s 46

Bourbon Whisky

 

 

Style/Region: Kentucky

Age: -

Barrel: Barrel Finished with Oak Staves

Alcohol: 47%

 

Water added: No

Nose: Sweet with a thick caramel smell and hints of honey and oak.

Mouth Feel: Thick, velvet and smooth.

Flavor: Smooth and sweet. Flavors of caramel, honey and oak with hints of malt.

Finish: Lingering smooth sweetness with oak.

 

Overall Impressions: Overall a bit harsher than my usual scotch. The malty/caramel flavors are thicker, heavier and sweeter. A very nice drink. It’s well balanced and quite a big step up from the run-of-the-mill bourbon and a nice change in pace from my typical evening dram.

Book Received + Update

So, I spend a good chunk of my holiday weekend organizing my books and doing a major cull - and you'll see in the photo below that it's an on-going battle for me. But a good one. Anyway, a big goal this weekend is for me to get at least one (and hopefully more than one) review written and posted. Otherwise I may bump up against a big trip and it'll be many more weeks. Range of Ghosts by Elizabeth Bear (Indiebound, Book Depository, Amazon) is my number one priority in that. But I also owe reviews for Whispers Underground by Ben Aaronovitch (Indiebound, Book Depository, Amazon) and Dancing with Bears by Michael Swanwick (Indiebound, Book Depository, Amazon). I may also do a short write-up about Two Ravens and One Crow - a novella by Kevin Hearne (Amazon), but for that it's really just more of the same, so there's not too much to say (which is to say it was a fun novella to read).

 

And so far, I have to admit that I'm quite happy with my purchase of a Nook SimpleTouch. I like the e-ink and I like having it seperate from other electronic media - I can still feel like I'm 'urling up with a good book rather than sharing the bed with books, email, youtube and all the other electronic distractoins that come with a tablet. And i'm finding that navigating the world of different formats and DRM isn't so challening with the help of Calibre and a few helpful plug-ins. But it would sure be easier if publishers and e-reader/tablet providers would wise-up and use a common format that is DRM-free.

 

Anyway, on to the books received:

 

Books Received: August 10 - September 7, 2012

 

The Great Labor Day Purge

So, because I actually need to access my home office (and because I value my marraige) I spent the holiday weekend organizing all my books, mostly to get rid of as many as possible. The 2 photos below should make the problem clear.

 

After a few hours of work I was this far (the piles are actually organized - trust me):

 

 

 

After a bit longer (still orgainzied, just lest distinguishable. My son launched a great expedition to climb Mount TBR):

 

 

 

And finally, I dicovered that I do actually have bookshelves back there.

 

 

19 boxes of books.

 

 

 

They are on there way to a combination of a local used bookstore and the library (though I imagine quite a few will find their way into the recycling system). I'm exhausted, but it's nice to have my office back. Any bets on how long it'll take before I'm drowning again?

Fake Reviews - They're Everywhere

So, most of us have always suspected that many of the reviews in places like Amazon are fake, but now it's finally making the headlines. The NY Times showcases a fake review factory and how reviews are bought and paid for. And now Forbes discusses just how prevelent they are at Amazon and how much harm they do.

 

This is why I don't read Amazon reviews. It's one of the reasons why I don't post my reviews on Amazon. My advice - find a few good reviewers you trust and stick with them.

 

Thoughts?

Review: Forge of Darkness by Steven Erikson

Steven Erikson made his mark on the fantasy genre with his 10-book Malazan Book of the Fallen series (review) and now he returns with Forge of Darkness (Indiebound, Book Depository, Amazon), the first in a trilogy that can be equally regarded as a prequel to the Malazan series and as a good place to start if you’ve been too intimidated to jump into a 10-book series.

 

Anyone who has read this blog for long enough (or simply read the review I linked above to the Malazan series) knows that I’m a big fan of Erikson. I think Malazan (even with all its faults) is one of the best and most significant fantasy series ever written and it’s no surprise that I feel that Forge of Darkness continues that tradition of excellence. So, you now know at the start of this review that I am a fan and I’m inherently biased toward really liking pretty much anything that Erikson writes. And for those who are concerned with such – there are no spoilers in this review for either the Malazan series or Forge of Darkness.

 

Forge of Darkness begins The Kharkanas Trilogy, taking places at least several hundred-thousand years prior to the events of the main series. It’ set in a world that is best characterized as the original realm/dimension of the world that Erikson later explores in the Malazan series. It centers on the Tiste people prior to their eventual division into Tiste Andii, Tiste Edur and Tiste Liosan in a time of impending civil war. Other races/beings (and even characters) are seen to varying degrees that readers of Malazan will recognize. However, the focus on this novel is really the self-destruction of a society and the advent of inescapable change in the reality of their world.

 

I imagine that most readers of this review want to know one of two things, both of which really boil down to ‘should I read this book’. Those initial two items are 1) ‘I’ve not read Erikson before, can I start with Forge of Darkness’ and 2) ‘I’ve read Malazan (or at least some of it) and how does this relate and is it worth it for me to read Forge of Darkness’. For the first, I do believe that those who haven’t read Erikson could start with Forge of Darkness. All of the characters (even those that play supporting and even starring roles in the Malazan series) are introduced as if the reader knows nothing of them (and indeed, this is actually a very neat issue that I will tackle later in this review). The setting is introduced as if the reader knows nothing. It is new (or so old so that it is new for those who have read Malazan), and more importantly, it shows Erikson’s writing style, what he values in his writing and even what he hopes readers will focus on. The narrative organization is a bit more traditional than Erikson uses for Malazan with a clear introduction to the series in Forge of Darkness and linear progression through the narrative. But the writing style is entirely consistent with what I recognize as Erikson’s style, all the way down to the deliciously meta dialogue, dark, brooding philosophical musings and the use of too many points of view.

 

For fans of Malazan, many of the characters of Forge of Darkness are well known from their roles in the Malazan series. Foremost of course is Anomander and his two brothers, but there are many other of the Tiste that we’ve only seen hints of before, many of the elder gods (though before they are recognized as elder or even gods), a few Jaghut and there is mention of such races/species as the Thel Akai, Forkrulkan, Jheck and Jhelarkan, the Shake, and the dog runners (Imass). I predict that really hardcore fans will be both ecstatic and a bit enraged by Erikson’s handling of characters long known and loved (to varying degrees). The characters that we see here are different – first and foremost, they hundreds of thousands of years younger, and quite often, very literally young. They are in development, they haven’t yet seen the millennia of hardship and pain to come, the power of magic has not yet come into the world, the gods are relatively unknown, and the realities of mortality and immortality are not comprehended. Memories from the original series are likely not as factual as fans would like, perspective is always key and Erikson immediately plays a ‘get out of jail free’ card at the start with a Prelude that explains that this text is a story told by a poet who happily admits to presenting it the way prefers to so that the thematic goals are properly achieved. Oh how this enrages fans and brings me joy (but much more on this here).

 

But, to bring the circle back around, I believe that this is a must read for fans of the Malazan world. I imagine that most fans are like myself and have forgotten many of the details of the massive, million-work plus series. The generally small supporting roles played by and often vague references to the Tiste we see in Forge of Darkness are equally, forgotten, misremembered and remembered in the fog of the aftermath of the Malazan series. And that’s fine – we get to meet them all again for the first time and in addition, we get to see the shattering of the ancient world and the birth of the one the series takes place in. And it’s all told though Erikson’s brilliant writing.

 

In Forge of Darkness Erikson shows a deeply moving and tragic beginning of the end of a civilization. In many ways this story belongs in the Dying Earth sub-genre. Not only is the Tiste civilization moving toward a civil war, but the entire world is in the beginning stages of being remade. And the forces behind this inevitable decent equate those of the human condition that Erikson writes to in everything he does. The Tiste civilization is destroying itself through all of the realities of human motivation – power, segregation of society, religious fervor, neglect, ambition, etc. The land has been destroyed, used up. The spoils of a great victory in war prove to be poison. And as always, the best of intentions have tragic consequences.

 

The most evident of the frameworks that Erikson chooses to explore the death of a people and world is through family. Almost every relationship shown in the book boils down to that of family – parenthood, mothers, fathers, kids, bastards, father and mother figures, absence, brother, sister, grandmother, etc. This exploration of family is powerful and not easily pinned down, but everything comes down to it. From the over-arching rise of the religious figureheads (and gods) of Mother Dark and Father Light, to the evil daughters of Draconus, to the his troubled bastard son, the Purake brothers and their devotion to each other, the unhealthy love of a painter for his sister, and so on. Civilization and indeed the entire world is presented as an extended family, though not necessarily a traditional one. All of the pain, love and dysfunction coalesce into something tragic, though, if I know Erikson as I think I do, ultimately hopeful.

 

Through this Erikson explores some of the concepts that human nature (and the fantasy genre) tends to hold in high regard – justice, grief, vengeance, right vs. wrong, aristocracy, sexuality, sacrifice and others. These explorations often come from the minds and conversations of people that many would not associate with such deep explorations – the young, the soldiers and even the servants.

 

But, no worries for those craving action, there is plenty of action, though it flows at metered pace. There are quests across alien, desolate lands. Creatures emerge from the Vitr. Battles are fought, slaughter rendered. Death comes, magic descends and a proud son greets the Lord of Hate, who writes an unending suicide note.

 

One of the aspects I found most interesting in Forge of Darkness is just how Erikson deals with his characters – particularly with characters who many of his readers feel that they know from the Malazan series. In this, Erikson introduces us to them as if the reader knows nothing about them. And for the fans who feel that they do know something about these characters – well, in many ways Erikson shows them that they actually don’t know anything about them, at least at the time when this series is occurring. The time difference between the two series in not a few years, but a few hundred-thousand years. All too often, we think that we know someone, and we never expect them to change. Especially our favorite characters from books. In this case Erikson is dealing with characters who have unending life-spans, though they are mortal. However, the intellects of his characters essentially human. In hundreds of thousands of years, things change, people change, details forgotten or misremembered, perspectives alter and what was once important is not so anymore and vice versa. Erikson plays with the perception, anticipation and assumption of his readers. Some will cry foul, but I am enjoying the contrast and relish my musing their journeys between events of the series..

 

Erikson has often been charged with composing long beginnings that ever so slowly build to an unrelenting and action-packed convergence of events. Forge of Darkness is the long, slow build up for The Kharkanas Trilogy. Resolutions are not provided, nor is the triumphant ending of most opening books of trilogies. It informs, it reveals the tragedy and sets the stage for what is to come. In many ways, it is Erikson writing at his best, and only slightly less confusing. It is the writing I crave to read, a writing in which I find equal parts joy, melancholy, and sadness that are (thankfully) shaped by a wit that makes me laugh. I am satisfied, yet I crave more.

Author Intent versus Fan Desires

Or why fans hate Steven Erikson’s inconsistencies and Erikson doesn’t care

 

This is a rant that has been building in me for years now. And it is a rant that I think many readers of this blog will disagree with, perhaps quite vehemently, as I unapologetically scream that fantasy fans are way too often rigid, short-sighted idiots who willingly choose to ignore the point of the books they read.

 

Throughout the Malazan series there are inconsistencies, particularly in regards to the timeline. Characters appear who are much older than they should be, timings within the books don’t line up, characters will think of events that haven’t happened yet, etc. Whether such things began as intentional or not, they have persisted, and many of the Malazan fans have gritted their teeth, pulled their hair out and screamed aloud of the problems of these issues. Some have even stopped reading Erikson altogether due to these inconsistencies (and Erikson’s reactions to them). Along with these inconsistencies comes further complaint about a lot the more philosophical aspects of Erikson’s writing. Especially, the long, rambling and sometimes evangelical way they can be presented in.  

 

Erikson is often asked about these and his response has remained consistent, though the tone and personal wear of his response has varied. He is not bothered by them, and in some cases things were deliberately chosen in spite of the inconstancies with the story that has come before. There are good reasons for why he’s not bothered, though many fans choose to ignore them do their own perspectives. First, Erikson is an archeologist and therefore a student of history, long history. He knows that facts are in the eye of the beholder, perspective rules and that no history, however complete, is perfectly consistent. Nor is the world he creates.

 

Furthermore, Erikson is not after a consistent world creation or perfectly derived lists of characters and events. He is all about exploration of the human condition, as well as exploitation and exposition of the fantasy genre. He is intentionally subversive in his writing and often flat-out derisive. He will spit in the face of the reader to make his point, and that is often his point. And the reader’s journey is more complete for it.

 

But this is lost. His continued answers in interviews are lost. Eventually, he began inserting meta commentary of this in his writing (see my reviews of Toll the Hounds and Crack’d Pot Trail).  He seems haunted by the issue, though unmoved in his position. And he continues in Forge of Darkness (Indiebound, Book Depository, Amazon), even doubling down. Below are a series of quotes – one from an interview and the others from the book.  

 

“Histories hide behind other histories, and this Kharkanas trilogy is a layer pulled back, but even there it’s not structured as ‘this is precisely what happened back then.’ Rather, it is a tale deliberately reshaped by the narrator, for motives entirely his own. This detail allowed me to stay fresh in creating the tale, without being too tightly bound to any kind of objective reality.”

-SFF World Interview

 

Let me ask you this, then. Does one find memory in invention? Or will you find invention in memory? Which bows in servitude before the other? Will the measure of greatness be weighted solely in the details? Perhaps so, if the details make up the full weft of the world, if themes are nothing more than the composite of lists perfectly ordered and unerringly rendered; and if I should kneel before invention, as if it were made perfect.

 

Do I look like a man who would kneel?

…

Is my laughter cynical? Derisive? Do I sigh and remind myself yet again that truths are like seeds hidden in the ground, and should you tend them who may say what wild life will spring into view?

…

Should you err, the list-makers will eat you alive.

-Prelude

 

“I am satisfied to think of writing as a desire worth having, whereas its practical exercise is a turgid ordeal I leave to lesser folk, since I have better things to do with the sentient fragments of my brain.”

 

“Thus the argument of a thousand useless geniuses, each one quick to venture an opinion, particularly a negative one, since by their own negativity they can justify doing nothing but complain.”

 Varandas and Haut, p. 496-497

 

As a reader, do the quotes above enrage you or make you laugh? I think it’s a critical question for those who read Erikson’s writing. Erikson writes with a purpose, a purpose often in contrast to reader’s expectations. He’s unapologetic about his purpose. Readers react, some leave, yet many still read. Many will call me an apologist (or worst) in my siding with Erikson on this. Because the inconsistencies don’t matter. They aren’t the point. Look deeper. Read deeper. Forget the lists. Look for the point of it all.

 

And if you find it, let me know. Because I’ll freely admit that I’m still looking – I’ve found much, but the joy is that there is always more to find. And that is the point.

 

And now that it’s time to wind down my rant as become a bit milder it’s time to quote Erikson yet again from an essay recently posted at Tor.com.

 

To be honest, a part of me wants to reach through the inter-ether, close hands on neck, and shout TRUST ME!

 

And while that may seem a bit conciliatory, he can’t help but follow up with

While another part of me, railing even louder in my mind, wants to add a brain-rattling shake and say IT’S NOT AS IMPORTANT AS YOU THINK!

 

But, read the essay, it’s not as bad as it seems with those out-of-context quotes.

Books Received + Update

The new reality of me being crazy busy continues, so don't expect me to be posting regulalry as I have in the (now distant) past. The current pace that you see here is going to continue for the forseeable future - rarely more than 1 post a week, often even less, with about 1-2 review a month. I had hoped to finish Forge of Darkness by Steven Erikson (Indiebound, Book Depository, Amazon) by now and get a review up before I leave for a week at the beach, but that's not going to happen. So, I expect it'll be at least 2 weeks before that review is posted (I have another work trip immediately after my return from the beach). And I still need to write a review for Range of Ghosts by Elizabeth Bear (Indiebound, Book Depository, Amazon).

In other news you probably don't care about, I've finally reached the realization that my current book situation is totally unsustainable - my book cases are literally overflowing and I have dozens of stacks of books (each with at least a dozen books) piling up around the office. Next month I'm planning a major purge and at some point in the near-ish future I plan to get an e-reader of some sort (I'm still uncertain what type - but I hate DRM and don't want to be married to one brand of book seller). That way I should be able to better manage the books I receive and I may even discover the floor of my office again.

And one final thing before I get to the usual filler picture of books I've received. Everyone one of us SFF fans should be loudly trumpeting the landing of the Curiosity Rover on Mars. Actually, pretty much every person. It is an awesome achievement and I have big hopes that it can inspire a new generation of the value and excitement of science and scientific discovery. It's much more than just a robot on another planet and I really wish the media were competent enough to do it justice. Also, did you realize that this is the first time we've actually gotten a true color picture on Mars - in the past they've all been false-color approximations based on assumed physics.

Anyway....

Books Received: July 18 - August 9, 2012

Whisky Review: Caol Ila 12

Single Malt

Style/Region: Islay
Age: 12
Cask Type: not specified
Alcohol: 43%

Water added: Yes

Nose: Smoke and peat with brine and oak and hints of vanilla and apricot.
Mouth Feel: Light, smooth velvet with a nice finishing edge.
Flavor: The nose hits this one perfectly – smoke and peat, with brine and oak and hints of vanilla and apricot.
Finish: Long, lingering peat and oaky brine. It has a bit of a harsh edge about it – in a good way.

Overall Impressions: A very nice example of the Islay style, if not a particularly complex example. The peat flavors dominate, but they are rounded off with a nice sweetness, that starts smooth and finishes a bit harsh. A great drink for a cool, rainy evening – especially with the sound of crashing waves in the background.

Sort-of Review: The Winds of Khalakovo by Bradley P. Beaulieu

I finished The Winds of Khalakovo by Bradley P. Beaulieu (Indiebound, Book Depository, Amazon) almost two months ago and have struggled to write a review. It’s not that the book is bad or that it’s great, mostly it’s due to my own crazy schedule and a feeling that I have nothing more to add to the many other reviews out there. So, this is a bit different than my usual review, more of a reflection, but hopefully it serves an ultimate outcome that is at least similar to that of a review.

The Winds of Khalakovo is a debut novel, the first in a trilogy called The Lays of Anuskaya, and one of the many debuts that Night Shade Books has put in the last few years by relatively unknown authors who are doing something a bit ‘different’. With that said, The Winds of Khalakovo is a pretty standard set-up for an epic fantasy published in the current environment: an interesting world, a sort of elemental-based magic, politics of repressed peoples and aristocracy, and a non-western setting. As I’ve come to expect from debut books, the weaknesses tend to be most glaring in pacing, with the typical trouble of balancing showing and telling, info-dumps, and the set-up for the bigger events to come in future books in the trilogy.

Overall, The Winds of Khalakovo is quite successful – the characters are well-rounded and interesting, the Imperial Russian-inspired culture feels fresh (even though non-western settings has become quite popular in the past year or two), the gypsy-like culture of the indigenous Aramahn is well-done, and the action is as much political as physical.

And it’s the politics that I’ve kept coming back to in my almost 2-months of thinking on this. The politics of The Winds of Khalakovo are widely praised as the biggest strength of this book. However, the reaction that I can’t help but come to is this: if the politics in this book are praised as a complex addition to the fantasy genre, what does it say about the genre as a whole? Or to put it another way, if these are good politics, then fantasy must be full of really badly (or perhaps, simply) presented politics. And in my opinion, that is a very sad fact.

When I use the term politics, I’m not really speaking of the politics we are bombarded with by media in our society today (particularly during an election year here in the US). What I am speaking of are the complex relations of people in power, who want to be in power, who were once in power – from the top of society all the way down to the interactions among the least of a society. The shifting alliances, the lies, the truths, betrayal, idealism, heroism, morality, religion, sex, best intentions, selfishness, and flat-out evil, inhumane actions. It’s the politics of people and their interactions. It’s what drives our world and it’s what all too many fantasy novels completely lack. It’s what turns a good story into a compelling novel.

In my opinion, the politics of The Winds of Khalakovo are not complex or particularly deep – I found them rather linear and predictable. But, they do play a central role in the book, much more so than in many other books which tend to focus much more heavily on individual goals and motivations (there’s plenty of that here as well) rather than the complex interactions of many individuals, government, societies, etc. This has only made me realize more and more why those that are praised at the top of genre belong there – they do the politics well. George RR Martin and K.J.Parker immediately leap to the top in this respect. Other authors I love at least have their moments – David Anthony Durham, S.L. Farrell, and RobertJordan (for all his faults it’s the politics of that series that I enjoy the most).

I have neither the intention nor the inclination of diving into the reflection and going deeper into these politics I’m envisioning and how the fantasy genre most commonly fails to succeed in this area. I’m not sure I’m the person for it. But it is an observation that’s been bugging me for a while now. And hell, it probably mostly comes down to my individual tastes and what really compels me as a reader (incidentally, the other thing that compels me the most is almost the opposite of these politics – the mythic, almost poetic telling of an essentially archetypical story).

OK, back to The Winds of Khalakovo. I’m not really intending to criticize this book on its politics – relative to the rest of the genre it does pretty well in this regard. The book is enjoyable and I look forward to finding the time to read the sequel, which reactions indicate is a great follow-up and a large improvement in Beaulieu’s writing. This is yet another promising debut from Night Shade Books, and the direction that they are taking these days is a truly exciting development in a way that I haven’t seen since the early days of Pyr. Knowing nothing else other than that a book has been published by Night Shade in the past couple of years is enough to make me interested.

Books Received Plus Update

So, here is the now standard 'I'm not dead yet' post where I talk about how busy I am, travel, life, yada, yada, yada... Anyway, hopefully I'll find some time to write reviews for The Winds of Khalakovo by Bradley Beaulieu (Indiebound, Book Depository, Amazon) and Range of Ghosts by Elizabeth Bear (Indiebound, Book Depository, Amazon). Maybe one in the next week or so. I'm currently reading (and really enjoying) Forge of Darkness by Steven Erikson (Indiebound, Book Depository, Amazon). I'm travelling to Oakland for several days at the end of the week, so I'll probably be even more quiet than usual. Anyway...

Books Received: June 18 - July 17, 2012