|
|
Content by David Roy
Reviewer Rank: 55
Helpful Votes:
2543
|
|
Learn more about Your Profile.
|
Reviews Written by
David Roy (Vancouver, BC)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
This is a first book? John Scalzi, I hate you...and love you, 13 April 2009
At times, I am so jealous of John Scalzi. He seems to have more writing talent in his little finger (not to mention his middle one!) than many people do in their entire bodies. What brings this feeling to mind today? Having just read Scalzi's first novel, Agent to the Stars and realizing that it's one of the funniest, yet also kind of profound, novels I've read in a long time. Curse you, Scalzi!! But I just can't put it down.
I don't know whether Scalzi has any history in Hollywood or in the agent field, but he captures the whole Hollywood scene perfectly, at least to these layman eyes. There's the cutthroat negotiations of getting back-end deals versus front-loaded ones for his actors, lots of talk about the movie-making business (as well as TV too) and just an amazing amount of detail that either demonstrates Scalzi's knowledge or his research ability. Granted, it's all taken a step above reality into the mildly absurd, but that's what this novel is: an absurdist science fiction novel.
Scalzi's characteristic wit shines through, but the book is also laugh-out-loud funny too. There are just so many moments that I burst out laughing that I'm surprised my wife didn't have me committed. Joshua, the Yherajk ,that Thomas has to deal with, has obviously learned a lot about Earth culture, and he makes some wonderful comments about the whole thing, especially when he inhabits the neighbour's dog as a way to get around less noticeably. Some of the humor comes from the situations Scalzi sets up, some are just wry Hollywood asides, and some are sarcastic jokes. None of them fell flat for me, however.
Better yet, much of the humor actually comes from the characters, who are solid as usual under Scalzi's care. Even the bimbo Michelle becomes endearing as the novel goes along, and I loved the relationship between Thomas and his administrative assistant, Miranda. Joshua, of course, is beautifully done and the rest of the Yherajk are as well. There is just not a false note in any of the characters.
That's not to say there aren't any problems. No book is perfect, even less so a first novel. There are a couple of slow spots, including the sequence where Thomas' boss explains to him how the Yherajk came to him. There is definitely some good humor involved, but for some reason I found my attention wandering during this part. Also, the ending is a bit too wrapped up with a bow on top. Scalzi uses the device of a number of newspaper and magazine articles to detail what happens during the last year leading up to the alien revelation to the world. This would have added at least 100 pages to the book to write normally (and perhaps more to do it right), so perhaps it's understandable. I found that it distanced me from the characters and the events more than I would have liked.
That being said, Agent to the Stars is a wonderful book that is perfect for those looking for a good laugh. It is science fiction, but the humor in the novel makes it accessible to all readers. There are a few SF concepts that the non-genre reader may have to get through the head, but it's well worth it. Scalzi is a great writer, and this is a great read.
David Roy
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
If the woman's worth ten coppers, how much is the book worth?, 13 April 2009
Morgan Howell's first series, Queen of the Orcs, definitely had its ups and downs, with pedestrian prose but great society-building. With that series complete, what would Howell do for an encore? I bring you the first book in his new series, A Woman Worth Ten Coppers. It's an intriguing book, far better written than his first series, but it still has a few bumps to get over. Unlike his first series, it wasn't written all at once and published in a monthly fashion (the second book is coming out later this year), so there is hope that these bumps will be smoothed out in subsequent books. As it is, Howell sets up an interesting world and tells a pretty good tale.
Introductory books to a series have a lot of setting up to do, and Howell takes that burden on even more than most. There is a lot of setup in A Woman Worth Ten Coppers, and for a while I was annoyed by the seemingly glacial pace of the book. Howell gets Yim and Honus together fairly quickly, but then they start out on their journey and we get a lot of background information on the both of them, or on the world in general and how it works. Each are holding secrets from the other, Honus alternates between being considerate of Yim and being surly and dismissive of her, the latter usually when her questions of him start to get too close to things he doesn't want to talk about. They spend so much time talking past each other, hiding things that the reader is already aware of, that I seriously wanted to reach into the book and knock their heads together.
Things do change as their journey continues, though, and I started becoming more interested in both of them and how their destinies would intersect. This also happens as we learn more about the world in general (one which is much larger than the one he created in Queen of the Orcs, which was one of my criticisms of that series).
It's a good thing that Howell's characterization and mood setting has improved, because sadly the prose hasn't, or maybe I'm just not the intended audience. Most of the sentences are short and a bit stilted. The dialogue (especially the accented way some of the characters speak) seems a bit simple, though it's definitely hiding some adult concepts. It's an adult novel (no explicit sex or language, just ideas), which jars with the more basic prose. It just feels off.
Finally, slavery seems to be a major issue in Howell's books so far, as both series have had a slave as the main character (or one of them). It will be interesting to see how Howell continues to deal with this, considering the fact that Yim herself is given a slave late in the book. She's initially uncomfortable, and it will be interesting to see how that discomfort increases, or whether she will get used to it.
Ultimately, I did enjoy A Woman Worth Ten Coppers, though not as much as I might have otherwise. I'm looking forward to the second book to see where things go from here.
David Roy
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
A typical middle book in a trilogy...or is it? Still not that interesting, 13 April 2009
The Pirate King, book two in R.A. Salvatore's Forgotten Realms series called "Transitions," suffers greatly from middle-book syndrome, as well as just not being as interesting as the first book, The Orc King. The pacing of the book just seems off, a large part of the book is filled with characters I didn't care much about (and a couple who I had trouble telling apart occasionally), and it just seemed too much like a transitional novel. You might not think that's a bad thing in a series called "Transitions," but this one goes a bit too far in that direction.
The major problem I had with The Pirate King is that too much of the action is removed from the characters who I actually like, Regis and Drizzt. Salvatore cuts back and forth between the two companions and the events in Luskan, and I found myself losing interest in the horrible events going on in that city, especially after the first assault on the Hosttower. The main pirate captain who dreams of becoming the Pirate King, Kensidan, just isn't that interesting a character, despite his Machiavellian machinations to wield political power once Deudermont is removed. The dialogue didn't grab me, the plots and counterplots going back and forth among the captains, Greeth, and Deudermont, all seemed so pedestrian. These events didn't have the oomph of the first book, and the characters weren't interesting enough to cover for that.
Also, Drizzt and Regis seemed too far removed from the action. When they're in Luskan, they get involved, and things become much more immediate. They actually succeeded in making me care about Luskan and what was going on there. My favorite scenes, though, were those when the pair was up north, looking for Wulfgar, trading tales of the past and showing just how much they have changed in the many years since they all became friends.
I did love the action and characterization of the regulars (Drizzt and Regis are the only ones in most of the book). It was nice to see somebody who is almost a match for Drizzt in a fight, as it often doesn't feel like he's in any danger when you're reading about him in a melee. Also, the action doesn't seem quite as forced as it did in The Orc King, though that could just be me getting used to Salvatore's writing style again. Overall, I did enjoy a large part of the book, whenever Drizzt and Regis were "on screen." I also liked how Salvatore has them deal with a couple of moral dilemmas that makes the book seem a bit more "adult" than many Dungeons & Dragons novels.
Overall, I was disappointed in The Pirate King, but I would still recommend it for those who are interested in this type of fantasy novel. I wouldn't necessarily recommend it as a novel alone, but the series itself seems to be on strong footing and this is just a minor crack to step over in your enjoyment of the whole. Take it for what it's worth.
David Roy
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Taking a walk on the wild side, 13 April 2009
Are you a fan of movies? Not just any movies, but those cult classics, such as Rocky Horror Picture Show, or the low-budget movies that are showcased in Grindhouse? If you are a movie fan at all, you should definitely take a look at a new book called The B List. Edited by David Sterritt and John Anderson, this book consists of a series of short essays on various films, B movies in which the authors find some value and quality. It's also a nice tour through the bottom level of film's history looking for some gems that almost nobody has seen.
The book is divided into a number of categories, from film noir to "neo-noir" to sci-fi classics and road movies and many more. Thus, we get an eclectic mix of movie recommendations (the only one that's really not a recommendation is Roger Ebert's essay on Pink Flamingos, which he originally did not give a rating to and explains that he did not because "stars seem not to apply. It should be considered not as a film but as a fact. Or perhaps as an object."). These are movies that, despite the fact that many have fallen by the wayside, the authors feel deserve recognition.
I've been a fan of Roger Ebert's for a long time, so it was a pleasure to see that he contributed five essays to the book. However, the rest of the entries in the book are also very good. As is usual with any book that has many contributors, some articles are better than others, but I can honestly say that there wasn't one that I found badly written. All of the authors are noted film critics, and all of them have presented thoughtful treatises on the pictures on question. Readers of The B List will find many ideas for movies to rent the next time they are at the video store.
However, you will have to do a lot of the research yourself. It's almost criminal that a book like this rarely mentions, and only in passing if it does, whether a movie is out on DVD or not. Many of the older movies might not be, and a notation would have been very helpful. The authors are singing the praises of these movies; you would think they would want to make it easier for the reader to find them so they can revel in the juicy filmic goodness as well. Sadly, you're on your own.
Despite this failing, The B List is an excellent collection of film commentary. The love for these movies shines through in almost every essay, and the writers do a good job of intriguing you into doing that search. So forget those big budget blockbusters for a moment, those "live-action" films that are more computer graphics than anything else. Take a walk through the seedy underbelly of Hollywood, take a gander at films that bend the genre just a little bit, or are made so cheaply that the quality of the story has to take you through it. Pick this book up, find something you might be interested in, and give it a try. I think you'll be glad you did.
David Roy
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You're just a scholar trying to keep me down, aren't you?, 13 April 2009
Included in "Unearthing Ancient America" are 37 articles ranging from Roman coins found off the coast of New Jersey to Vikings in Minnesota and Templars in Newfoundland. The articles themselves are very interesting, resulting in a good read for anybody who has an interest in ancient America. That's assuming they're not one of the "censors" keeping all of this information from the general public, of course!
The book is divided into a series of chapters, from Ancient Artifacts to Subterranean Mysteries and Underwater Discoveries. The subject matter is quite varied, with a couple of articles on copper-trading barons in the Great Lakes area, a Crystal Pyramid of Wisconsin's Rock Lake and various figurines and artifacts found either underwater or in deep caves in the Midwest. Thus, the reader never gets bored with one subject as the next article could be on something quite different (occasionally, there is a follow-up or supplementary article following the first one). For those who have only read, or are only familiar with the popular history of the country, most of these articles are quite intriguing, even as some offer more evidence for their theories than others.
Occasionally, the author of an article goes "way out there" and comes to some wild conclusions, but thankfully that's not very often. Most of the articles are interesting in their own way, all of them are short, but occasionally there is one that takes forever to wade through as the authors spend so much time detailing every little bit of their discovery and theories that they forget to actually make it interesting to the reader (with the exception of the small subset of people who might be as fascinated as they are with what they found).
Still, "Unearthing Ancient America" has a lot to recommend it. There is, of course, the occasional sniping at mainstream historians and scholars who want to keep all of this quiet (the introduction has most of this, though some of the articles do too), but most of the time they provide good detail on what the discovery is and what it could mean. It's fascinating stuff, and kept me interested as I made my way through the almost 300 pages of the book. Most of the articles are short and to the point, which makes picking the book up and reading in small segments very easy.
Keep an open mind when you're reading and you should enjoy it. Unless, of course, you're one of these vile censors who would love nothing more than to make sure the "standard" history of America is all that people know. If that is you, I would bet that Frank Joseph is willing to take you on one-on-one.
David Roy
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
Hey, Forgotten Realms books aren't that bad!, 13 April 2009
"The Orc King" is an excellent first novel in the "Transitions" series of Forgotten Realms books by R.A. Salvatore.
Salvatore examines how a people can set aside their racial prejudices for the greater good. I have to admit that the way Salvatore goes about it is a bit cliched. Bruenor has the deep-seated hatred of all things Orc that stems from way back, and he's very reluctant to trust Obould at all. He's firmly convinced that Obould's orcs that are camped a short march from Mithral Hall are there for a lot more than farming. So isn't it convenient that there is a force of orcs who are dead-set against Obould's plan to peacefully coexist with the Dwarves, thus illustrating to Bruenor that these are Obould's true intentions. That being said, Salvatore's handling of the whole situation is quite mature. It's nice that there is still plenty of distrust there, even though Bruenor is willing to finally accept the peace that Obould's offering. It's something that could be shattered at any moment, and it threatens to fall apart very easily.
Salvatore takes the "Transitions" name of this series to heart, making changes in all of the major characters that have been with us since the beginning. Wulfgar, the barbarian who has loved Catti-brie for many years, finally has some decisions to make as he has come to accept that she loves Drizzt. Events of previous novels (I'm assuming, anyway) have shown him that he must do what is right for his adopted daughter and then make his own way in the world. Catti-brie, the human woman who is also Bruenor's adopted daughter, was injured in the previous novel, which brings about changes in her life and her profession that she never saw coming. Regis, the halfling, doesn't change as much, but he's much more mature than I remember, and events from past novels are weighing on him. Drizzt himself doesn't change much, but he brings a sense of stability that helps anchor the book.
Salvatore writes the action scenes just as well as I remember, though occasionally they are a bit too detailed. The reader gets a feel for the flow of the action, but sometimes it gets so detailed that it's almost like he's choreographing it for the reader rather than letting the reader just get a sense of what's going on. It did help me see the action step by step in my mind, but it also felt very mechanical at times. It's a question of style, though, and obviously this style has a lot of fans. I like it, but it begins to grate on me after a while.
Just a couple of minor notes before I close. The type in my copy of this book is almost microscopic, supposedly to keep a reasonable page count despite the huge number of words. Don't try to read this in bad light. Secondly, the "map" at the beginning of the book is almost totally useless for following any events in the story. You see where Mithral Hall is in relation to the Orc kingdoms, but other than that, you're on your own. I couldn't even follow our heroes' expedition to the lost Dwarven city on this map, which really annoyed me.
"The Orc King" is a great first book in the Transitions series, though it probably would mean even more if I was familiar with the last 6-9 novels. There is a lot of backstory, though Salvatore rarely loses the reader in the retelling of it. It does feel like you've missed a lot, but you won't be at a loss to follow the events in this book. What more can you ask of an author who has written so many books previously in the series? It's worth checking out if you like this sort of thing. Don't let the Forgotten Realms tag turn you off.
David Roy
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Hell is bureaucracy, 24 May 2008
I greatly enjoyed Liz Williams' "Snake Agent", partially for the excellent characterization but also for the unique setting. Williams captures the Chinese atmosphere perfectly, and I've heard from other sources that she does it pretty accurately. I'm not that familiar with the details of Chinese culture, but it certainly seems accurate to my limited knowledge. Most importantly, it *feels* right. She gets the mood down perfectly, an oppressed city, stifling heat (it's unclear whether that's due to global warming or the proximity to Hell, or if that's just Singapore's climate) and a mix of high-end neighborhoods and downtrodden slums. Her version of Hell is wonderfully portrayed too, massively bureaucratic and structured, with various ministries in charge of doing things to keep evil in the real world. However, there are certain rules they have to follow, and they can't step on each others' toes. Zhu Irzh is on the Vice Squad not to prevent and control Vice, but to make sure that everything's being done properly. We don't see Heaven in the novel, but we do see how it interacts with the real world and with Hell, as Hell's minions do have to watch their step so Heaven's bureaucracy doesn't get involved. Williams' description of everything makes you feel like you're there, sweltering in the heat or down in Hell when Chen has to go there to finish his mission.
Chen is an extremely interesting character. He's married to a demon who has escape from Hell because of an attempted forced marriage (all of this happened in a previous unpublished adventure). He's world-weary, but he's definitely good at what he does. He's on the outs with his goddess right now, which will make visiting Hell a bit tougher because he won't have her protection. Zhu Irzh is a wonderful creation, a demon with a few ethics; he's not a "good" demon, but he wants to make sure everything runs smoothly and correctly. Chen and he form an interesting relationship of respect but distrust, and their interplay is a lot of fun to read. In fact, sometimes Zhu is a more interesting character then Chen, especially with little details such as how he keeps on getting his favorite coat messed up and how annoying he finds that. The ending of the book promises that in subsequent novels, we will be seeing more of Zhu, which made me very happy. I wasn't quite as impressed with Chen's wife, but she started to hold her own as her storyline moved forward. Williams also has a handle on her minor characters, making them distinctive even if they aren't a major part of the plot.
I really did enjoy Snake Agent, and would recommend it highly to any fantasy or science fiction fan looking for something just a little different. The book can be slow going at times, but that's usually because you're spending more time immersed in the setting and Williams' wonderful prose. I'm usually a quick read, and I was a bit annoyed at first that this book was taking me so long. Then I realized that I was enjoying my stay in it and it was all right. It's an interesting setting and a wonderful book.
David Roy
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three men and the world they shaped, 24 May 2008
The 1860s decade was tumultuous in many ways, though for many Americans the only thing that comes to mind is the Civil War. However, as Michael Knox Beran explores in his book Forge of Empires: Three Revolutionary Statesmen and the World They Made, much more was going on around the world than just that. The foundations of the 20th century in both Germany and Russia, as well as the rest of Europe, were also being forged at this time. In his excellent book, Beran gives readers a running narrative that often compares and contrasts the three main revolutions going on at this time, how they were different but also how they were similar.
Abraham Lincoln, of course, was forcing American society to change drastically, with the effect not only of freeing the slaves but also transforming Southern aristocracy from wealthy land-owning based on slavery to a much different class system. Otto von Bismarck, in turn, was in the process of accumulating power for his native Prussia (and for himself, of course) by uniting the various German states into one empirical power under one ruler, thus stamping his mark on the European balance of power for generations to come. Finally, Russian Tsar Alexander II was implementing policies to end serfdom, throwing Russian society into such upheaval that eventually that sniff of freedom turned into just another dictatorship.
Beran explores these three revolutions not only through the eyes of these great and powerful leaders, but also through those people caught up in these momentous events. Walt Whitman, Nietzsche, Leo Tolstoy, Mary Chesnut, Napoleon III and his empress Eugenie, all of them play a great role in illustrating the consequences of various actions. While Lincoln frees the slaves and goes to war to save the union, Mary Chesnut, the wife of a southern landowner, shows us how her society crumbles as the ravages of war reach the Confederacy and obliterate the society that she knew. The rise of Germany and Bismarck's thirst for power results in huge transformations in France as well, culminating in the Franco-Prussian war that finally solidifies the power of the new German state.
Beran uses a form of narrative history in Forge of Empires, with the book going from short section to short section, sometimes encompassing a month, sometimes a few months, and jumping from the US to Germany to Russia and back again. Beran sometimes leaves a section with a "cliffhanger" of sorts, which made the narrative even more gripping but wasn't truly necessary. Structuring the book this way allows Beran to highlight the similarities and differences between the various revolutions, mostly by illustration but occasionally Beran comes right out and compares/contrasts two or even all three.
As months and years progress, Beran shows us how Alexander was a man with big ideas yet without the inability to "sell" these ideas to the Russian people. Rebellion is widespread and there are many attempts on his life, which results in a crackdown and even less freedom. The mechanism of freeing the serfs results in many serfs suffering even greater than they did under serfdom, and the revolution that Alexander started swiftly spins out of his control. Meanwhile, we see the effects of Lincoln's revolution as it affects countries all over Europe. Will England and France recognize the Confederacy, or will Lincoln and the Union army be able to achieve a military victory that will keep them to the sidelines? And what's Bismarck doing during all this?
We see not only the revolutions as they unfold, but Beran ends the book wrapping up the lives of all his "characters," giving us a brief synopsis of what happened in the rest of their lives. He also gives an overview of the far-reaching effect each revolution had on society and world politics, such as how German extreme nationalism eventually ended up with World Wars I and II.
I encourage you to pick this book up. It's interesting, you'll find out a lot about things you may not have known (I'm a history buff, and I had no idea that Prussia and Austria fought a brief war in the mid-1860s). The best thing is that you will get a foundation for much of what happened in the world in the 20th century, told in a fashion that will keep you reading to the final page.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A shiny new edition of an excellent '80s mystery, 21 Feb 2008
It's 2008, and it's the 25th anniversary of the Lawrence Block's Eight Million Ways to Die. So let's put out a celebratory edition! I've never read a Block book, so I'm not sure why this particular book warrants a re-issue in a special hardcover, but it does mark a significant milestone in Matt Scudder's career, so maybe that's why. This handsome hardcover also includes an afterword by Block, so fans of the Scudder series may want to pick this up to at least read that. For non-fans of the series, you can pick it up because it's a very good book.
If you're like me, you'll have to keep reminding yourself that Eight Million Ways to Die was written back in 1983. I kept asking why the characters didn't use cell phones until I remembered. Also, the image of New York as a crime-infested city kept jarring with the way it is now. The title of the book is said by a cynical cop who claims that there are eight million ways to die in New York. While there are probably still quite a few, I don't think there are that many any more.
Block does immerse you in the seedy atmosphere of the New York of 1983, though. His imagery is quite stark, and he constantly has Scudder reading the newspaper, pulling out headlines and news stories about how certain innocent people were killed, and commenting on how these will quickly get relegated to the back pages as something even more monstrous hits the front page. This atmosphere constantly weighs Scudder (and the reader) down, but at least the reader can put the book down if it gets too oppressive. What can Scudder do?
Scudder is an extremely interesting character, and evidently one who changes throughout his series of books. His alcoholism has been a constant presence in previous books, and this is the one where it comes to a head. He's constantly going to AA meetings, commenting on the speakers but not speaking up himself when it comes to his turn. He just can't see himself in these people, despite knowing that he has a problem. There's an interesting running plot element regarding this bottle of Wild Turkey in Kim's apartment, something that keeps attracting him even if he's not there investigating something.
While most of the characters are fairly one-dimensional, serving their purpose in the story and perhaps having one or two identifying traits, Chance himself also stands out as an extremely interesting character. He finds himself being drawn to Scudder, telling him things that he would never tell anyone else. He's an extremely deep character, almost as much as Scudder, and we find ourselves wondering how he's going to turn out as well. When he disappears for a while, I almost found myself dreading that Scudder would find out he got murdered as well.
Block's hard-boiled prose is excellent in Eight Million Ways to Die, and it's definitely what will make me go back and eventually read other books in this series. It's almost a contradiction, sinking into the muck that is New York while also feeling slightly optimistic as Matt comes closer and closer to redemption. It can be brutal at times, but he doesn't revel in the carnage. He doesn't hide from it, but he doesn't dwell on it either, except when Scudder himself does as he's trying to fight off temptation yet again. Block's dialogue is top notch as well, giving the book a noir feel that draws you in.
Eight Million Ways to Die is an excellent novel, and you don't have to worry that you're coming into it in the middle of a series. As a standalone, it's an excellent examination of an alcoholic detective's life. As part of a series, it's a turning point. Either way, you'll lose yourself in the past as 1983 rears its ugly head again. Scudder is great character, and this is a great book.
David Roy
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Slowly getting better...Orcs are still cool!, 12 Feb 2008
The second volume of Morgan Howell's Queen of the Orcs series, Clan Daughter, is better than the first one (King's Property). Unfortunately, that's not saying a lot, as the first one was very flawed but interesting. This time, Howell manages to improve that to just flawed, but still intriguing. He does a masterful job with Orcish society, but once again the characters fall flat and the book is a chore to get through. It's well worth it, though, if only for the Orcs.
First, I have to compliment Howell's society building. I can't really say "world-building," because he doesn't do much with the human side other than some "king under the influence of a dark mage" stereotypes and his reach doesn't really go beyond the one human faction. However, his Orcs are magnificent, and I loved the process of learning how their language and culture work. Howell has created an extremely detailed race, and it's obvious a lot of thought went into it. It's no wonder he wants to explore it.
Dar is the instrument of that exploration, her and her growing attraction to Kovok-mah. It's understandable that she would feel this way, given the fact that it's the rare human who has treated her well. What it also is, unfortunately, is dull. The characters are clearly centerpieces Howell uses to explore the culture, and most bits of characterization show up only to define some other aspect of the Orcs. Thus, the journey to the Orcish homeland, with the exception of a few action scenes, is dry as dust. Things pick up slightly when they get to the Orcish city and we see some intrigue as well. But things don't really get moving until we're back dealing with humans again, and how they interact with Orcs. Once I reached there, it was a breakneck pace to the end of the book, with revelation after revelation, racing to a nice cliffhanger ending.
The map at the beginning of the book isn't any different than the first book, except that it once again shows Dar's journey as it happens in Clan Daughter. Thus, it's useful for helping show the reader just where everybody's going, but my criticism of how small the world is stands. Also, the prose is decent, though once again fairly workmanlike. The scenes are quick throughout the book, making a jarring pace at times.
While all of that made the book slow, it's more than made up for by the depth of detail within the Orcs. For example, Orcs aren't capable of subterfuge (though Dar finds out relatively quickly that this might not necessarily be true). Yes, it's cliched to have a female-dominated society, but Howell demonstrates how this isn't the run of the mill matriarchy found in many fantasy books. Every once in a while, during Dar's journey, we see hints at what she's going to have to do during the rest of the book and in the finale, and how she's going to take her place among the Orcs.
Clan Daughter isn't much better than the first book in the series, but it does show improvement and grips you just enough that you want to keep reading. Even if it's hard to get through, the trip is worth it, and Howell has set it up for a whale of an ending. I just hope he doesn't slow it down again and we don't get 200 pages of tedium before getting to the good stuff. Three times in a row would get really annoying.
David Roy
|
|
|
|
