A Sorcerer's Treason / Sarah Zettel

A Sorcerer's Treason

category: fantasy, author:

Sarah Zettel

book 1 of Isavalta
original copyright 2002,
read in April 2011

Agamedes' opinion: 7 out of 10

This book is a lot of fun. Imaginative world, engaging characters, straightforward plot. It does seem that Zettel has been paid by the word... but at least she does know when to stop.

A young woman leaves her safe but uncomfortable everyday life, to discover that she is a super-powerful magician in another world. Nothing new so far! Yet the fantasy world has a range of interesting characters -- both human and non-human.

I recognise Baba Yaga, the name, at least. And her cottage on chicken legs, an old familiar idea. Are the foxes and crows similarly derivative? Who cares! They fit well in the story! And it's a relief to have the heroes' efforts tangled up by semi-human spirits -- rather than driven by anthropomorphic yet inhuman gods.

Taltos the Assassin / Steven Brust

Taltos the Assassin

category: fantasy, author:

Steven Brust

a three novel omnibus of the Dragaera series:
book 5: Jhereg, original copyright 1983
book 3: Yendi, original copyright 1984
book 6: Teckla, original copyright 1987
read in March 2011 (and before, several times, from about 1999)

Agamedes' opinion: 9 out of 10

Nine out of ten -- "really, really good" -- for all three books? Let me explain.

I read Jhereg and thought, Wow! that was a lot of fun! With occasional touches of humour, likable characters, complex plot in a well-rounded world... Sure, the hero kills for gold. But he's a nice guy. Nine out of ten...

Then there's Yendi. All of the above, plus a plot which -- by its depth -- expands on the "reality" of the fantasy world of Dragaera. Yet there's something not quite right... Is it the casual way in which the hero kills one of his henchmen for doing something just a bit stupid? Sure, the henchman will be brought back to life. But still... the hero is just a bit less "fun"... Perhaps this is worth just eight out of ten, purely on the grounds of loss of gloss for the hero.

Finally, Teckla. Each book is based around one of the seventeen "classes" of Dragaeran society. (Well, eighteen. If you count the lowest class of "Easterner", or "human".) Teckla are the peasants. The ignorant, the uneducated. The downtrodden masses who -- in this book -- are yearning to be free.

Cast a Bright Shadow / Tanith Lee

Cast a Bright Shadow

category: fantasy, author:

Tanith Lee

book 1 of Lionwolf
original copyright 2004,
read in March 2011 (and before, in April 2009)

Agamedes' opinion: 5 out of 10

This is a miserable book. You like a happy ending? Forget it. You like sympathetic characters? There are none. This book is simply a litany of woe.

It's also a dream-like fantasy. And I don't mean that to sound positive. Illogical and inexplicable things happen because -- we have to believe -- because the gods decide that these things will happen.

Book of Dreams / Traci Harding

Book of Dreams

category: fantasy, subadult, romance, author:

Traci Harding

original copyright 2003,
read in March 2011

Agamedes' opinion: 5 out of 10

I just can't make up my mind about Harding's books. They are generally girly, sweet, new-age-mystic and cheerful. They target young teen girls who like a happy ending in every chapter. I should, by rights, absolutely loathe them all. (The books, not the girls.) Yet I rather enjoyed each of the first two Harding books that I have read...

btw: To see my reviews for other Harding books, click on the "author:harding" link at the bottom of this review.

Now we come to Book of Dreams...

And Harding has gone just a bit too far... For me.

Playing God / Sarah Zettel

Playing God

category: science fiction, author:

Sarah Zettel

original copyright 1998,
read in March 2011

Agamedes' opinion: 9 out of 10

Right near the beginning of this book I thought, Surely these people can't be that altruistic!? Then it seems that they were. Then it was shown that they were not... An ideal plot twist that is a complete surprise -- but no surprise at all !

This is great science fiction...

First, there are the humans. They have the technology, they have the good intentions, they want to help the aliens. The aliens need help... or do they? Perhaps one character has it right, that the aliens should be left alone to solve their own problems. The alternative is to create a depressed, degraded, cargo cult culture.

Should the humans help, by protecting the aliens from themselves? The alternative is, to let the alien culture risk taking a path to its own self-destruction. Remember Knut the polar bear? It's that sort of dilemma...

Gene of Isis / Traci Harding

Gene of Isis

category: fantasy, author:

Traci Harding

book 1 of Mystique
original copyright 2005,
read in March 2011

Agamedes' opinion: 7 out of 10

Actually... this book is a bit silly! But I enjoyed it :-)

To Ride Hell's Chasm / Janny Wurts

To Ride Hell's Chasm

category: fantasy, author:

Janny Wurts

original copyright 2002,
read in March 2011

Agamedes' opinion: 8 out of 10

Strangely enough, I can't help but think of Bat out of Hell... Janny Wurts writes the way Meatloaf sings: with melodramatic passion, blood, sweat and tears... Way, way, over the top. Though Meatloaf has possibly less of the blood :-)

The hero is strong and silent. So tough, so experienced and skilful, he's almost a super-hero. The heroine is fun, tough, beautiful and regal. (Well, she is a princess.) The villains are sneaky, violent and very, very evil.

Yet they are all (except for the villains) likeable.