Books #7

Gotrek & Felix: City of the Damned
David Guymer
Time travel, ghosts, a new weird cult dedicated solely to following Gotrek and Felix, and Be'lakor the First Daemon Prince; this book has it all and more. Comparing this book to the previous Gotrek and Felix collection of short stories is like trying to compare prime rib to overcooked strip steak. Sure, they are both beef, but one is lacking all juice and flavor. This book really brought me back into the gritty world of the empire that Gotrek and Felix inhabit.

Although I have been lax to recommend that last few Gotrek and Felix novels to those individuals who are not as invested in the series as I am (having read all of the books, short stories, and listened to the audio dramas), I can say this book is a good fantasy novel that is worth recommending. The story isn't earth shattering, but it is entertaining. And is a quick read that shouldn't take more than a week's worth of lunch breaks.


River of Doubt
Candice Millard
Author of the previously read and reviewed Destiny of the Republic, Millard's River of Doubt follows Theodore Roosevelt's "Darkest Journey" down the aptly named River of Doubt, a previously uncharted tributary of the Amazon. I purchased this book because I really enjoyed Destiny of the Republic. I wasn't sure what to expect with the novel and was greatly surprised. Millard has a way of weaving historical fact into a story that carries the reader through a fantastical journey. This time, the journey follows Theodore Roosevelt after his failed 1912 Presedential run on his speaking tour and exploration of South America.

The novel delves deeply into the reasons why Roosevelt's trip down the Amazon cost the lives of three of the men on the trip - from initial poor planning, lack of realistic supplies, lack of knowledge of the portion of the river they would be descending, and a general failure to understand the task at hand. This was a story that I had never head about the former President, and gives great insight into his character and the character of his companions. If you love interesting history, this is a book that you should definitely pick up.

Empire of Blue Water
Stephan Talty
Empire of Blue Water is a historical non-fiction novel about Captain Morgan in the Americas. It revolves around the rise of pirate and privateer culture in the Caribbean, focusing specifically on the rise and fall of Captain Morgan and with him, the rise and fall of Port Royal, Jamaica. Stephan Talty is the gentleman who also wrote The Illustrious Dead, the novel about Napolean's march into Russia and how Typhus (not the 40k character) helped destroy one of the largest armies the world had seen up to that point.

I found myself enjoying this book much more than The Illustrious Dead. The book was better written, I believe, and covered a much more enjoyable subject matter: privateers and pirates. I had heard some of the history of Captain Morgan's exploits in the Caribbean, but Talty does a fantastic job of following his trials and successes from initial small raids on Spanish ports to the ultimate destruction of Panama City (causing the city of be re-built several miles away as all the original buildings were burnt down). The novel also delves deeply into pirate culture examining the manner in which they were paid, how they chose missions and captains, their tactics, and general life. Pirates of the Caribbean this is not!

Assassin's Code
Jonathan Maberry
Another novel in the Joe Ledger series. This novel sees Joe and his team combating fucking vampires in the Middle East (I know, the stories are getting a little out of hand). Meanwhile, an ancient foe from the Middle Ages is looking to blow up key areas throughout the world with nuclear weapons. High tension and high drama drive this heavily action-oriented novel. The novel was an okay read, with an okay story line. I found nothing truly special about this book compared with the others in the series, and found certain parts of the story lacking. Jonathan Maberry really knows how to write fast paced action, so when the bullets and fists are flying, the novel is very engaging. However, the novel slows to almost a crawl when no one is fighting. Unless you really want to read all of the novels in the series, this is one I would suggest you skip.





The Desert Spear
Peter V. Brett
The second novel in the Demons Cycle trilogy, this novel moves the action to the far East and sees the rise of Jardir, another human warrior who seems destined to lead mankind against the Demons. This novel was a neat sequel to The Warded Man, but did not have the same ingenuity and sense of magic that the first book had. Part of the problem, I think, was that this book only addresses the main characters in the first book in passing. Instead, there are several new characters who become the focus for this novel including Jardir and his wife Inerva. The novel is interesting in the way that it creates a second society - one who still has the heart and skill to fight Demons - at the edge of the previous lands. It is obvious from reading this book, that the entire novel is a set-up for the final book in the trilogy. At no point does this novel stand on its own feet. It requires all the knowledge about magic, wards, and demons learned in the first book, but doesn't advance the overall timeline or plot, leaving us at the same point as the first novel, just from a different character perspective. For this reason, I was not as interested in the novel as I was the first one.

Princep's Fury
Jim Butcher
The fifth novel in the Codex Alera series. This novel sees Tavi, now recognized as the Grandson of the reigning leader, sailing towards Canea to try and forge a peace-treaty with the Canim after defeating some of their leaders in the previous novel. This novel sees Tavi grow more as a character and begin to learn the cost of leading men. It also sees the return of all the familiar faces, both friends and enemies, including the main evil of the series, the dreaded Vord.

The more I read these books, the more excited I get for the final confrontation between the Empire, its allies, and the Vord. Many aspects of this novel can be predictable, but I still found myself reading this novel whenever I got a chance. Its very action driven, and I think Butcher has a good grasp on how to keep a novel moving forward in an action-oriented adventure.



First Lord's Fury
Jim Butcher
The last novel in the Codex Alera series. Tavi, as first lord, must do battle against the world's greatest enemy, the Vord. This novel ends the six-book run of the Codex Alera series. This was a bittersweet novel, in that there seemed to be many questions left, particularly on the future of the characters, but I guess that is to be expected in this genre. These questions would also give Butcher the ability to revisit the series at a later point, if he desired, and easily write another series of novels focusing on how the world has changed since the ending of this book.

I was pleased with Tavi's overall, though predictable, character arc. But, I more enjoyed the character arcs of many of the other supporting characters like Tavi's uncle, the ex-cursor Fidelias, and Tavi's best-friend Max. I think it was the wonderful supporting characters of the novel that really helped develop and flesh out the world around Tavi and keep the story more grounded than it otherwise would have been. As I have stated before, this is a great little fantasy series, and one that I would suggest to readers looking for something new, but with the same familiarity of sword and magic fantasy.

Deadly Heat
Richard Castle
The latest tie-in novel to the television show Castle (quit your judging, I love this show). These little mystery novels are a delightful little pleasure when I am in the mood to read something simple, quick, and fresh. The novels are similar in tone and humor to the television show and I managed to read the entire novel on the flight from Reno to Milwaukee before WaaaghPaca this year. It was quick, interesting, and carried on with characters that I have grown to enjoy over several novels and seasons of the television show. It is not the greatest novel, or even a great mystery, but it beat looking out the window or talking to someone on the flight. And, I am sure that I will read the next on when it comes out.