Before I get started I do want to throw in a disclaimer of sorts. I am not promising that I will review all of these. I may, and yet I may not, but irregardless I want to thank the folks who took the time and expense to send them to me by listing them here for your viewing pleasure.
Lamplighter by D. M. Cornish (Putnam Juvenile: May 1, 2008)
Rossamund Bookchild has successfully negotiated the treacherous route to High Vesting. But even within the sturdy walls of the great city, he is far from safe. For the path to becoming a Lamplighter is fraught with dangers - and not just from the dread monsters who lurk in the wilds. Rossamund will need all his wits to survive his training. And he must watch his back too, for enemies from his past are never far behind. Stunning in scope and rich in detail, alive with memorable heroes and villains and brimming with new and original science and magics, D.M. Cornish's tale of scolds, scourges, smugglers and shrewds will thrill and captivate, and leave the reader desperate for more.Gift of the Unmage by Alma Alexander (HarperTeen: March 13, 2007)
Who knew you'd be a true weaver? Great things have been expected of Thea, the seventh child of two seventh children. Now, with Cheveyo, a mage, Thea has begun to weave herself a new magical identity, infused with elements of the original worlds. But back home, Thea keeps her abilities hidden and attends the Wandless Academy, the one school on Earth for those who have no apparent magical talent. It is there that Thea realizes that her enemies are hungrier and more dangerous than she knew. What's more, her greatest strength may be the powerlessness she has resisted for so long.Spellspam by Alma Alexander (HarperTeen; February 10, 2009)
What do you get when ordinary e-mail spam becomes infused with magic? Spellspam—and it's not supposed to exist. As far as Thea and her friends know, computers are meant to be inert vehicles for storing magic spells, not magical processors themselves. But all that seems to have changed as students at Wandless Academy find themselves the victim of practical jokes—with magical consequences—simply by opening an e-mail. Now the spellspams are getting worse, and it's possible there's someone behind them who is not just bent on stirring up trouble but has a much scarier and more wide-reaching agenda. Until now, Thea has been the only person she's ever met who can reach through the computer using magic. But someone else is out there, and even her friends can't help her track down the source of the spellspam before it gets much, much worse.Cybermage by Alma Alexander (HarperTeen: February 10, 2009)
This year at the Wandless Academy feels all wrong to Thea. Her best friend, Magpie, will barely give her the time of day. Ben's been moody and dismissive. Since when did Tess have a boyfriend? And why is Humphrey May, agent for the Federal Bureau of Magic, lurking around the Academy? Thea is out of sorts—in all ways, magical and otherwise—and that's before she discovers she's an elemental mage, a category of magician so rare that only four others are known to exist. Now the Federal Bureau of Magic needs Thea's help to unlock the mysterious white cube—the same cube found over the summer in the professor's house, the same cube the dangerous Alphiri are still after. To stay ahead of the Alphiri and the wiles of the FBM, Thea needs her friends—all of them. From a world woven with magic and suspense comes Alma Alexander's Cybermage, the final installment of the richly invented Worldweavers trilogy.The Frogs of Doom by Tim Byrd (Putnam Juvenile: May 14, 2009)
There is never a dull moment when it comes to Doc Wilde and his family of swashbuckling explorers. Brian and Wren have been trained from an early age to keep up with their worldfamous father. With their driver Declan mac Coul and their butler Phineas Bartlett in tow, there is no obstacle they can’t overcome, no evil they can’t defeat, including mutant frogs from another dimension.With an over-the-top nod to classic pulp adventure series, Tim Byrd has created a rip-roaring ride. Buckle your seat belt, and hold on tight!
The Adventures of Corwyn by Chad Corrie (Aspirations Media; illustrated edition edition: May 13, 2008)
SEE THE WORLD OF TRALODREN® THROUGH THE EYES OF A BARD!Get ready to see The World of Tralodren® in a whole new light as this anthology showcases Corwyn Danther, “Famed Bard of the Midlands”, and the various exploits which have him getting into all sorts of situations. Not only do these tales show and explain more of this fascinating fantasy setting, but also reveal what goes on in Tralodren™ when there aren’t epic struggles afoot with the planet hanging in the balance.
Whether if it’s the frozen Crown of the World or a simple village resting in the Grasslands of Gondad, Corwyn explores, experiences and explains part of the mysteries, horrors and beauty he encounters– all to the reader’s enjoyment. These stories and assorted appendices should prove entertaining to anyone familiar with The World of Tralodren®, and/or serve as a great starting point for those who wish to experience it for the first time.
Welcome to The World of Tralodren®, a place rich in history, faith, and tales of adventure of which these stories are but a handful of many.
Roland of the High Craigs: Evil Arises by B. R. Stateham (Booklocker.com, Inc. October 20, 2008)
On a certain distant planet two species of intelligent sapiens exist. One is human, the other a bipedal humaniod with the skin like that of snakes. Snakes who have two opposing colors arranged in unique patterns. These unique combinations of colors indicate both an individual and a clan affiliation. The combination of, say, green and yellow would indicate one clan and red and black would indicate another. This species is referred to as 'dragon.' For over a thousand years dragon and man have fought each other. Powers known and unknown, both in their world and in the supernatural world, vie to bring the final confrontation between the to its ultimate end---one or the other must destroy his nemesis if it expects to survive.In the midst of this titantic struggle a warrior-monk-wizard by the name of Roland of the High Crags is asked by a dying dragon lord to rescue his only surviving heir, a seven year old dragon princess. The child is a Pearl Princess, the last of the five Pearl Princesses dragon prophecy said would be born to the dragon. This Fifth Sister, as she is called, is destined to grow up and unit all of dragonkind together under her banners and lead them against humanity.
The warrior-wizard knows what his monastic training expects him to do---kill the child and thwart dragon prophecy. He does just the opposite. He agrees to save the child and whisk her off to safety where he will train her natural powers in the 'Netherworld' (the supernatural) and hone her into a dragon prophecy-killing weapon. Maybe.
Prophecy of Kings Trilogy by David Burrows (David Burrows; 1st edition: September 4, 2008)
Fate brings four men together. Kaplyn, Lars, Lomar and Vastra. These are good, strong personalities; Kaplyn is noble; Lars a rough diamond while Vastra provides the sinister element - the character you do not know if you can trust or not. Lomar is an Alvalan and his people know that demons will soon cross the divide. He has an uncommonly strong link with his shaol, a type of guardian spirit, and he can foresee future events.The tale takes them on a journey through the magical ruins of Tanel into a nightmare tower, a labyrinth of tunnels protected by spells, and from there through the majestic forest realm of Gilfillan where the forest's defences nearly destroys the small party. In a cavern, deep in the heart of a mountain they find an ancient magic that could help them to find the Eldric.
Unwittingly though they start a chain of events that nearly destroys their own world. A collision of magic tears apart the fabric between the worlds allowing the shade of a dead emperor to cross. A choice has to be made, to confront the evil of Trosgarth with a dragon leading the army or to face the enemy alone and vulnerable, for Kaplyn dare not trust dragons.
In an uncertain future, Priests of Ryoch unleash the power of their shaol, becoming omnipotent warriors. Krell tribes gather, death knights are resurrected while grakyn rule the air. Thrace is besieged and alone for betrayal has turned Allund against them. The enemy acquire the power Kaplyn and the others have found and with it they can open a gateway to Hell....
The Third Sign by Gregory A. Wilson (Five Star (ME): June 17, 2009)
Calen Gollnet lives in a tumultuous world. Surrounded by hostile forces bent on its destruction, his country Klune has been free for ten years, having thrown off the yoke of oppression thanks to a small group of heroes known as the Covenant; but the cost of this freedom was great, and the nation's liberty is becoming tenuous. The Covenant is broken, and Klune is now kept safe only because of a treaty struck between the human king and a race of honorable but xenophobic mercenaries known as arlics who have patrolled Klune's borders for the past decade. But the treaty is due to expire, and both the arlics and humans are restless, each claiming that they have been weakened by their dependence on the other.As negotiations between the two sides break down and dark armies gather while politics bogs down the governors of city and country, Calen flees from the army attacking his home city, unaware that there is more to fear than mortal warriors; the appearance of the horrifying Soul Wall and other omens point to the fulfillment of the Prophecy of Return, in which it is said that three signs will signal the return of a great evil. The first two signs have come to pass, but the prophecy is obscure on its final prediction: the tide of the conflict may be changed by the third sign, but no one knows what that sign is, or whom it will favor.
The Third Sign is an epic fantasy, in the tradition of J.R.R. Tolkien and Robert Jordan, whose unique combination of suspense, mystery, political intrigue and sword and sorcery will draw readers in as they search with the characters for the answer to the most important question: what is The Third Sign?
*Note* Links take you to the book/author's website
4 comments:
I got Doc Wilde too! I started reading it mostly out of curiosity.
Nice appreciation post! I see you got another series!
Third try:
oooooooooooooooo the WorldWeavers series look FANTASTIC.
*checks for mistakes*
*all seems fine*
*leaves*
*g*
Nice set of new reads! Bet you find time to read, just grab a blanket when you head out. :)
Hehe!
Good idea! I'll use it to cover up my wheelbarrow, spade, potting soil, mulch and garden hose and read instead!
Post a Comment