View from Valhalla

Category: books

  • Book Review #138: Oblivion (Rakkan Conquest Book 1) by Andy Blinston

    Title: Oblivion
    Author: Andy Blinston
    Genre: Fantasy
    Published: 2020
    Located: Amazon
    Formats Available: Audiobook, dead tree and ebook
    Rating: PG for disturbing scenes of violence with several involving children

    It’s been a while since I’ve added a review to the blog. It isn’t that I haven’t been reading, it’s just that I haven’t been reviewing. To be honest, many of the books that have existed on my iPad in the last year are from big name authors that have budgets for advertising and much had all ready been said about them. I mean, who really needs another Dresden review? (But seriously, if you do, let me know.. I guess I can write them up too.)

    What I haven’t done lately is follow through on my inclination to read more indy published or self published authors. I believe Mr. Blinston falls into this category and I am aware that he is currently publishing on Amazon through their KDP program.

    So, on to the review.

    Synopsis:

    Once a god.

    Now a target.

    They stole the greatest part of him, and he damn well wants it back. 

    Waking confused on a still battlefield, Darius knows he must be a great fighter, because all around are the bodies of lesser warriors. As he gathers himself up, he has but a singular memory that haunts him. 

    There’s only one more thing he knows. 

    He wasn’t just a god… 

    …but an assassin of gods. 

    In the midst of a centuries-old war between the human empire and savage invaders, Darius finds his name uttered with terror and curses by both sides. 

    How do you fight when you don’t know on which side you belong? 

    Follow Darius, his loyal panther, and the secretive Alexandra in this dark fantasy series as they’re hunted by a sinister enemy who wants to finish what he started. (Stolen from the Amazon listing for the book.)

    Review: I am a subscriber to the BookBub listserve. Once a day, I get an email from BookBub with book titles that are currently on sale, free or drastically reduced. The recommendations are based on my preferred reading types on their site. I was made aware of BookBub by my favorite author, (who also happens to be self published) Nathan Lowell. Mr. Blinston’s novel was suggested to me and, I admit, the cover immediately grabbed my attention. A good cover is hard to deny, and Mr. Blinston’s novels do indeed have extremely professional covers. Once I read the above synopsis, I figured it was worth the loose change in my pocket to give it a shot. I’m glad I did.

    Characters: Darius is hard to peg. Without spoilers, it is safe to say, that Darius quest for identity initially makes him a bit of a blank slate. He has no passions and yet is easily angered. Initially, he’s not a sympathetic character, but regardless, I found him intriguing. Lyra, his panther, needs to have a larger role in forthcoming books, and I’ll leave it at that. Lex (Alexandra) has many secrets making it something of a chore to know whose side she is really on.

    Suffice it to say, that singularly, I don’t know if any of the characters from Oblivion would rank highly with me, but as a cast, taken as a whole, I became very interested in where the story was going, and found myself routing for Darius as the novel unfolded.

    Plot: I’d characterize Oblivion to be a quest driven book. However, it isn’t your normal quest, and it isn’t your normal questing party. As you travel with Darius, you’re unsure who is the hero, and whom is the villain. I truly dislike anti-heroes, so I admit to being a bit concerned at different points along the way. Darius’ quest is to find himself. The part of himself he woke up missing. I will state that I was a bit surprised with how Mr. Blinston found an ending to this first book in this series.

    Recommendation: I really enjoyed Oblivion and found it read very quickly and left me wanting more. Let me speak just a bit about the “more”.

    There are many storylines introduced in Oblivion that are not tied up by the final page. I sincerely hope that they are addressed by the end of the series. However, since only the first two books (Oblivion and Viridian Legion as well as a prequel short story) currently exist, I have a feeling that it might be awhile until I find out. (Yes, Viridian Legion is currently on my iPad.)

    There is a feeling of the Roman Legionnaires being dropped into a fantasy world with this novel, though there is not a lot of world building. I do hope for more character study in future novels in the series, but am comfortable giving Oblivion a two out of two raven recommendation. Both Huginn and Muninn enjoyed it, though Muninn was a bit more pensive.

    You can find out more about the author of Oblivion, Andy Blinston at https://andyblinston.com

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  • Book Review #137: Imager

    Title: Imager
    Author: L.E. Modesitt, Jr.
    Genre: Fantasy
    Released: 2009
    Located: Chirp, Amazon, Apple’s Books
    Formats Available: Audiobook, dead tree and ebook
    Rating: PG for suggestive content, mild violence, explosions and mischief.

    As I’ve mentioned before, I love books, but hate subscriptions. Audible was a no go for me, I just couldn’t justify the cost for the return (not meaning to demean anyone that loves it. If you find it a good value, good for you!). Chirp just works better for me, especially since I limit myself to the “deal” sections. A month or so back, I picked up a book by Modesitt. I’ve enjoyed a book or two of his in the past, but was unfamiliar with the Imager series. I purchased it (at the time) for less the $5 and gave it a listen.

    So, on to the review.

    Synopsis:

    Although Rhennthyl is the son of a leading wool merchant in L’Excelsis, the capital of Solidar, the most powerful nation on Terahnar, he has spent years becoming a journeyman artist and is skilled and diligent enough to be considered for the status of master artisan-in another two years. Then, in a single moment, his entire life is transformed when his master patron is killed in a flash fire, and Rhenn discovers he is an imager-one of the few in the entire world of Terahnar who can visualize things and make them real.

    Rhenn is forced to leave his family and join the Collegium of Imagisle. Because of their abilities (they can do accidental magic even while asleep) and because they are both feared and vulnerable, imagers must live separately from the rest of society. In this new life, Rhenn discovers that all too many of the “truths” he knew were nothing of the sort. Every day brings a new threat to his life. He makes a powerful enemy while righting a wrong, and he begins to learn to do magic in secret. Imageris the innovative and enchanting opening of an involving new fantasy story.

    Production/Narrator: The production of this audiobook is topnotch. The narration is fair.

    The narration is done by William Dufris. I’ve never listened to anything read by him before. He has a surprising range and capability of doing multiple voices. The only problem I had is that I enjoyed the voices of the supporting character much more than I did his actual voice, which of course is the main character’s and the one used to narrate the story. Since voice is a personal preference, I can’t and won’t mark it down. The quality of the production from Tantor Audio is top notch and the story lasts a respectable time, coming in just four minutes under 18 hours.

    Grade: A

    Story: I really enjoyed Imager. More than I’ve enjoyed a mass market fantasy novel in a good long time. I don’t know what it was, the characters, the storyline itself, or the way Mr. Modesitt used the supporting characters. I’m guessing it was a bit of all of the preceding. I very much enjoyed the take on magic he uses, which he calls imaging, and the geopolitical ramifications of the nation he has created on his characters.

    Grade: A

    Verdict:  I really did enjoy Imager and feel comfortable giving it my highest two raven rating!

    Two Ravens

     

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  • Book Review #136: Cape Grace

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    Cover art

    Title: Cape Grace
    Author: Nathan Lowell
    Genre: Science Fiction, Space Opera
    Released: 2020
    Located: Amazon
    Formats Available: ebook, paperback coming soon
    Rating: PG-13 for violence and abuse

    I would be willing to bet that Nathan Lowell has been reviewed more on View from Valhalla than any other author. It isn’t because he pays me (he doesn’t) or because I count him as one of my few true friends (I do). It’s because he writes amazing stories. It is through his stories that our friendship began, but I can honestly say that if you have the chance to talk to Nathan, you’ll want to count him as a friend as well.

    So, on to the review.

    Synopsis: When Otto Krugg’s daughter follows in his footsteps, he’s faced with the task of changing a century long rule that will force her to make decisions no one should have to make.

    When Jimmy Pirano gets tasked with enforcing that rule – no matter what – he goes down the rabbit hole to try to find out who established the rule. And why they can’t let it go. (Stolen from Amazon)

    Story: This is a sequel and a prequel of sorts. Nathan is most well known for his Golden Age of the Solar Clipper stories. Ishmael Wang lives and breaths in many of our hearts. If you haven’t read these books (or listened to them) I recommend you stop what you’re reading now, and go obtain a copy of Quarter Share. The rest of the series will be waiting for you. The second book in the series (Half Share) introduces us to the character of Sarah Krugg as a young adult and shares with us some of the tragedy she’s all ready experienced. Many readers I’ve conversed with have been haunted by Sarah’s story since they first encountered her.

    Mr. Lowell many years ago wrote a story centered on the planet of St. Cloud, South Coast, in which we met the Krugg family, and watched the boy, Otto, that would grow to be Sarah’s father become a young man. Cape Grace finally tells us the story of the previously lost years of Sarah’s childhood.

    Setting: Cape Grace takes place predominantly on St. Cloud, a company owned planet where all inhabitants either work for the company or are married to somone that does. If one of these two conditions are not met by the time you’re 18, you are expelled. There is one exception to this rule, and this exception drives the story.  Both South Coast and Cape Grace are centered in fishing villages along the coast of the planet. Life on the coast is comprised of hardwork and hard people.

    Characters: The story revolves around Sarah and her father Otto. Both are complex beings and are dealing with issues and trials that reduced me to a quivering mass on more than one occassion. Mr. Lowell excels at writing complex characters. His characters are almost always beautifully flawed in all the right ways.

    Verdict: Cape Grace is truly amazing. It’s painful in a way that you know it has to be, but that knowledge still doesn’t really prepare you for the reality. There will be a third book in the series, but Mr. Lowell has indicated that Sarah’s story is complete. Anyone that has read Mr. Lowell’s books can verify when I say, he never has promised us a happy ending, and this one was more bittersweet than most.

    Grade: A+
    Just buy it.

    Disclosure: Alhtough I did beta read this story for Mr. Lowell, I did not receive this books in return for a review, and I did purchase a final copy.

    Obvious self promotion: As a reminder, I will review books (in ePub or audio) provided for review, but they will be noted as such.

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  • Review #135: Agents of the Crown (The Complete Series: Books 1-5)

    Screen Shot 2020-01-24 at 12.13.46 PMTitle: Agents of the Crown, Books 1-5
    Author: Lindsay Buroker
    Genre: Fantasy
    Released: 2018-2019
    Located: Audible, Amazon, Apple’s Books
    Formats Available: Audiobook and ebook
    Rating: PG for suggestive content, mild violence, explosions and mischief.

    So, for my first review after years away from the game, I settled on the series Agents of the Crown by Lindsay Buroker. If you’re a longterm reader of View from Valhalla, you might recall I had initially discovered Ms. Buroker due to her Emerpor’s Edge series (which I do recommend). The original version of those books were released as a podcast serial and were read  by someone I was familiar with on Twitter. Boy do times change. I am no longer on Twitter (sorry, it’s morphed into something I don’t enjoy), and I am not part of the same reader/author community I was before. To say I am rusty, well, that doesn’t even remotely describe how I’m feeling. However, I am still an avid reader, and when I can afford it, still love a good story being read to me while I drive.

    So, on to the review.

    Synopsis: In a far away kingdom, an immensely powerful soul is trapped in a jewel called a dragon tear. Whoever holds it has access to great magical power, but, as in all times and places, power is seductive and dangerous.

    And, as with all trapped souls, this one wants to escape.

    ~

    Orphaned at a young age, Zenia Cham has fought and scraped her way into a position of honor as an inquisitor for one of the city’s temples. But an even greater destiny awaits. Impressed by her deeds, the king offers her a prestigious position as one of his elite Agents of the Crown.

    The missions will be dangerous, and she’s not sure she wants the partner she’s being assigned—a cocky noble lord from a wealthy estate—but she has the opportunity to distinguish herself as she serves not only the city but the entire Kingdom.

    How could she say no?

    There’s just one problem. The king gives her a mysterious dragon tear that’s nothing like the other magical gems she’s seen. She may need its power to stay alive in this perilous new job, but dare she rely upon it?

    Production/Narrator: The production of this audiobook is topnotch.

    The narration is done by Ms. Vivienne Leheny. I’ve never heard Ms. Leheny read a book before, but she does an admirable job. She does a good job of making good use of inflection rather than voice modulation in making the characters unique. What I mean by that is that Ms. Leheny does change the pitch of her voice to a degree, but leans more heavily (in my opinion) on making each character’s word pacing and diction a bit different rather than relying on pitch. I much prefer this because it is always jarring to me to hear men trying to sound like women, or women trying to sound like men. I enjoyed Ms. Leheny’s voice work quite a bit and wouldn’t hesitate in buying another book narrated by her.

    The rest of the production shines as well. I don’t recall a single artifact being heard during the roughly 45 hours of audio the five books entail. (I didn’t add each one, but rather took an average of 9 hours per book. If someone wants to do that which I was too lazy to do, I’ll gladly update the review.)

    Grade: A

    Story: So, if you’re a fan of Ms. Buroker, you know she’s somewhat prolific. I’ve probably read 15-20 books by her in the last year (okay, listened to some too). Yes, her Emporer’s Edge is what starting me down this path, but I’ve enjoyed several of her series (not to be mentioned yet, they might be reviewed later ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ). When I discovered Agents of the Crown on a severe discount several weeks ago, I went ahead and bought all five. (If you’re an Apple user, it looks like the audio version is still cheapest at Apple’s Books.) Since then, I’ve been looking for excuses to be headed down the road, as that’s when I listen to audiobooks.

    Setting: The setting of the book is a fantasy world of Ms. Buroker’s creation. One issue you have when listening to a book is you’re never sure of the spellings, and in my case, even remembering the names of places is more difficult without the word recognition. However, it really doesn’t matter to me because this is my favorite kind of world. One with dwarves, elves, orcs, unicorns, trolls, ogres and (yes) dragons. Magic is not easily assessable but not necessarily rare. Firearms are used alongside swords, maces, and hammers. I very much enjoyed Ms. Buroker’s world and would love to visit. At least the human settlements.

    Characters: Ms. Buroker might be faulted due to the fact that many of her characters through multiple books share many of the same characteristics. There is often an insecurity that is characteristic of at least one of the main players. Here, it is somewhat apparent in both. There is almost always a love story waiting to jump out of the pages, and Agents of the Crown is no different in that regard. However, I maintain this is only a fault if you don’t like Ms. Buroker’s characters. And this is a situation that has not been an issue for me yet. Zenia and Jevlain, Cutter and Lornish, and the ever present Ree (spellings are mine, sorry) were exceedingly fun and I enjoyed the many hours spent with them.

    Plot: In the five stories told in making this series, there truly are five unique stories. Yes, they are connected in a very convincing and important way, but it isn’t one long continuous story. Each of the stories was very good and enjoyed them all. Did I have a favorite? Hmmm… I don’t know. The last, Dragon’s Tear, I enjoyed quite a bit, but it might be standing out the most because I finished it this morning.

    I can say this: If you try book one, and it isn’t for you, I don’t feel you have any need to progress. However, if you enjoy it, boy howdy, you’ve got some good hours of reading/listening ahead of you.

    Grade: A-

    Verdict:  I really did enjoy Agents of the Crown and, along with finding my old review files, these stories were tantamount in making me decide to begin reviewing again. If you like a good fantasy/romance that is well told with sarcastic and fun characters, I have no trouble recommending Agents of the Crown.

    Thanks.. and don’t forget to choose joy!

    Disclosure: I did not receive these books in return for a review. I purchased them from Apple’s books at a time when they were nicely discounted.

    As a reminder, I will review books (in ePub or audio) provided for review, but they will be noted as such.

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