Selso Xisto's Particle Horizon - Review

Particle Horizon by Selso Xisto

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


It is always such a thrill to read a new story from a new author. There are countless stories out there and not all are good reads, but every once in a while you come across a true gem. Particle Horizon is certainly one of those. It is fast paced. It is action filled. It has interesting characters and a fascinating theme - religion vs science. Not only the planet Earth, but the entire universe is at risk in this thrilling space opera.

I am the first to admit that some of the sci-fi novels out there are at times too difficult for my below average math and science skilled brain to fully grasp. Not so with Particle Horizon, it is fully understandable for us mere mortals.

Yes, it has some advanced technical descriptions and explanations. Yes it has plenty of fascinating sci fi elements, but in my opinion the vocabulary is not too difficult to grasp, nor do the sci fi aspect overshadow the flow of the story. In my opinion, it is one of those rare novels that works for both fiction lovers and science fiction lovers.

All in all, Particle Horizon is a novel I can highly recommend, even if you don't normally read sci-fi, or have never read a sci fi novel in your life, I urge you to pick up this one. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. I know I was.

Now the wait for the next Selso Xisto novel begins, because this is an author I want to read more of.



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The Dark Thorn by Shawn Speakman

What breaks a man, which choices a man makes can ultimately lead him down the opposite path of what he initially wanted, what atrocities are a man capable of doing given the conviction he is doing the work of good, the work of God? There are some very fascinating issues Shawn Speakman delves into with his story, The Dark Thorn.

This urban fantasy brings the reader into the wonderful world the Arthurian era with Knights Templar, powerful fey, secret tools and weapons of magic. It also gives us a glimpse into the history of the Catholic Church and its war on paganism.

The protagonist, Richard McAllister, is a broken man living on the streets of Seattle. Still, he is much more than a homeless miserable shell of a man; he is a Knight of Yn Saith charged with guarding the Seattle Portal into Annwn, a world unknown to most. A world the fay of the Arthurian Britain escaped into when the Roman Church and its Knights Templar hunted down anything and everything connected with Pagan belief. There are several portals around the world. With the help of a mysterious wizard, Merle, the knights work both for and against the Church in order to keep the two worlds separate.

The Dark Thorn tells a thrilling tale of overcoming personal hardship while fighting to prevent events of catastrophic scale destroying not only one, but two worlds. It is a tale religious extremism, greed and hunger for power, but also of perseverance, personal growth and accepting responsibility even at a high personal loss. There are turns and twists that will take you completely by surprise and keep you wanting ever more.
Shawn Speakman's words create visual fodder for your imagination. He has created a universe of his own that I want very much to see more of. His characters are believable with both unforgivable flaws and honorable bravery. His writing style is very much his own, but some of it, like his style of description, reminds me of the early works of Terry Brooks. The way he mixes the life of modern day world and the secret world of Fay and its Seelie Court reminds me of the universe of Jim Butcher and the main protagonist's self loathing and bitterness reminds me of Donaldson's Thomas Covenant.

I highly recommend this book and I believe it'll leave you like me; wanting more.

Embassytown by China Miéville; Review - Cara-style

I ordered me a signed copy of Embassytown earlier this spring, from a friend of mine; Shawn Speakman who runs the The Signed Page . I didn't request anything other than mr China's signature, but I was over the top thrilled to discover I was granted a little personal greeting all the same, a quotation by Kaynes: "Words ought to be a little wild". How true. They really ought to, don't they?!?

I first met this word-smith in his book; Perdido Street Station , one of his New Crobuzon novels and it absolutely blew my mind away. Most of his work has blown my mind away and this novel is no exception.

The blurb on the book cover says it quite well:
"China Miéville doesn’t follow trends, he sets them. Relentlessly pushing his own boundaries as a writer—and in the process expanding the boundaries of the entire field—with Embassytown, Miéville has crafted an extraordinary novel that is not only a moving personal drama but a gripping adventure of alien contact and war.

In the far future, humans have colonized a distant planet, home to the enigmatic Ariekei, sentient beings famed for a language unique in the universe, one that only a few altered human ambassadors can speak.

Avice Benner Cho, a human colonist, has returned to Embassytown after years of deep-space adventure. She cannot speak the Ariekei tongue, but she is an indelible part of it, having long ago been made a figure of speech, a living simile in their language.

When distant political machinations deliver a new ambassador to Arieka, the fragile equilibrium between humans and aliens is violently upset. Catastrophe looms, and Avice is torn between competing loyalties—to a husband she no longer loves, to a system she no longer trusts, and to her place in a language she cannot speak yet speaks through her.  "

I don't think I can adequately describe the journey this novel takes you on. I am not even sure I want to, because it is a journey that should be experienced, not told, or explained. It is a fascinating, exhilarating and fast paced journey. I loved every part and every word of it.

It isn't for everybody, this style, or genre. There are odd new words like; "Immer" - a person who immerse into deep space, dive into "immer", or the "out". There are the odd, what I call, sci-fi words like "datchips", "wespcams" and so on as there ought to be in a proper sci-fi novel. It may take you a few pages to get into the lingua, but in my opinion that is also how it ought to be.

Avice Benner Cho's story isn't just a story about her life, how she was born in a ghetto in a city on the edge of known space, how she grew up, matured and arrived where she is at the end of the book. It is a story about much more.

It's a story about language and culture; about how different cultures meet and how such a meeting changes things and leave both cultures different forever afterwards. It is about moral topics of what is good or bad; right or wrong. It is about maturing and learning as you go. It is about making choices or, perhaps changing your mind and alter your set course, because the well sorted out reasons you based your choices on in the first place, have completely changed. It touches themes such as we face in our world today. Ghettos, religions, culture and race. It faces elite society, poverty, slavery, violence and control. It faces politics, trade, spying, corruption, power games and war. 

We meet Terre, or humans and we meet aliens. Among humans the Ambassadors are among the least human-likes; genetically engineered humans who can speak Language. Among the aliens, the Ariekei, or the Hosts are who we get to know best, although if you asked me how they looked like and to draw you one, I'd fail. Miserably. Not because of any lacking from the author's side, but because I'm no good at that sort of thing. 

Embassytown is a ghetto in a city on Ariekei, owned by the Hosts. The humans are the settlers and are allowed there by the grace of this alien race. They have a sort of understanding between them that has worked for a long time and there is trade mutually beneficiary for both parties. Then something happens and things start to unravel at an alarming pace and we're spectators to a galloping race towards a catastrophic war and an end with no apparent solution at hand.

We are told the story from the protagonist Avice's point of view, but even though we are told about her opinions, dreams and fears, we aren't given more than glimpses of her personal inner self. The tone is set somewhat aloof, which gives us the story in a sort of documentary-ish account of what happened and happens as the journey of her life takes place.

There is love, found and lost, there is joy, sex, sadness and grief. And it all feels real, but at the same time it's not a story about a female character alone, it is a story about a different culture, of an entire world and way of life; recognizable and familiar, still completely different from ours at the same time. And I found it intriguing and fascinating. Almost overwhelmingly so. Like how they speak Language. I can't explain it without giving away spoilers, but I am dead certain it must have been a bitch to work with and actually write. 

It is a story that will linger in my mind and in my thoughts for a long time and Embassytown is a book I will  pick up and read again. I am sure that when I do, I will be surprised by all the 'new' stuff I'll rediscover on my 2nd journey through the pages from cover to cover. I also have a secret dream that we'll be seeing more of Avice, Spanish Dancer and their universe in the future.

All in all Embassytown was a great read. I recommend it highly. It is well worth both your time and your money. If you haven't read anything by this author before, I'd urge you to read his New Crobuzon novels and if you're into fast paced mystery and/or crime dramas, his newer novels The City & The City and Kraken 

Raymond E. Feist's A Kingdom Besieged - not quite a review

I was thrilled when this book finally landed in my mail box. I'm always thrilled when I get a new book in the Midkemia series, although, I have to admit the thrill hasn't been quite as big as it used to be before Wrath of a Mad God. I miss Nakor and I don't think I'll ever quite forgive Feist for killing off my all time fantasy character.

I can forgive him for his multiple continuity errors - like forgetting that Erik married Kitty, etc. I noticed them, went: "oh-uh, someone didn't do their job right editing this" and read on. I could do that and chuckle, while Nakor was still around, I'm experiencing less leniency towards these mistakes and also the lack of new interesting characters in his After-Nakor novels.

A Kingdom Besieged(AKB) has two new interesting characters. The demons; Child and her teacher Belog. Refreshingly different from the usual lot of descendants of former books' long dead heroes.

The other characters are not really that remarkable. There is Pug and his Conclave members and Pug is still the annoyingly slightly boring character that I've always found him to be, nothing new there.

Magnus is as bloodless as always - will his chance of being a proper protagonist and hero ever happen?

There is Sandrina the Sergant Knight-Adamant of the Order of the Shield ofthe Weak and James Dasher Jamison, who has rounded 40 and notice how his body isn't responding as well as it used to - this made me sympathize a lot with this character, though. I have rounded 40 and sadly notice the same. There is a lot of soreness and pain involved to being physically active when you pass the age of 39 and this came well across as Jim spies for his king and the Conclave.

The new young additions are The ConDoin sons of Duke Henry of Crydee; Henry(Hal), Martin and Brendan. There aren't really anything new about them, we've seen them before, we've followed them from a relative carefree adolescence to responsible adulthood so many times through this series there is nothing interesting to add about them. Same goes for Ty, son of Tal Hawkins who becomes a good friend of Hal as fellow combatant of the Masters' Court Championship and fellow student at the University of Roldem.

There is trouble brewing anew. No reports are back from the various spies in Kesh. Jim and Sandrina both travel down there to investigate, Jim to find out about his agents and spies, Sandrina to check out her suspicions of the Black Caps being back. Not only are the Black Caps back, or the Nighthawks as Jim knows them as, but it appears the Pantathians are back as well.

Kesh is clearly planning an invasion of the Kingdom of the Isles and their first goal is the coast of Crydee. It is left to Martin and Brendan to take a stand and protect the western region of the Kingdom. It is left to Pug and his closest Conclave members to figure out why and who and what is behind the scene holding the leash.

*Spoilers* highlight if you want to read

Sure enough, it is the Dread that again works to gain access Midkemia and this time it seems Pug and his friends are going to lose it all. Until the end of the novel where a thoroughly surprising reincarnation of none others than Miranda and Nakor left me completely bedazzled and confused. Is this really happening? Oh, yes. Feist introduced those interesting characters Child and Belog only to make them be reborn as Miranda and Nakor. They escape the demon realm, enters the Hall of Worlds and enters Midkemia through that tavern in LaMut. The last joke where the demon Child asks the demon Belog if he has an orange made me cringe. 

Okay, I have missed Nakor so much. I think it was a mistake of Feist to have him die. But, having him reincarnated again together with Miranda? Oy Vey! Now that's a proper facepalm for yah. I mean, seriously? I'm disappointed. This seems to be a rather awkward way of getting around a major mistake, doesn't it? Having the most popular character come back to life, because it suddenly dawned on you that this character is really who the readers wanted to read about? Earth calling Raymond! 

I'm still going to continue reading the supposedly two last novels in the midkemia series. Maybe I can manage to pretend I never read the books where they died and got reincarnated, maybe I can pretend that they have just been away on a long journey....but I doubt it. 

At the end, I'm left with mixed feeling about this last Midkemia novel. I'm still curious as to how it all will end, but...I don't like it when things get too weird.

Joe Abercrombie's First Law trilogy

Just finished the last of the First Law trilogy books by Joe Abercrombie. Holy f...! Say one thing about Joe Abercrombie, say he's a helluva writer! This trilogy absolutely blew my mind away. Dark, gritty, violent and as ugly as you can get without it becoming too ridiculously so.

The characters are interestingly different and plausible, full of shortcomings, but also honor and strength.
Inquisitor Glokta, the master torturer who is a torture victim himself and thus knows intimately well what sort of pain his occupational instruments can give. He shows an unusual sane insight to the insane twists that life serves him and his dark witted inner thoughts and comments are quite brilliant.

The spoiled self absorbed noble born coward Jezal dan Luthor, who thinks so high of himself he nearly reaches climax just by looking at himself in the mirror.

The barbarian Northman; Logen Ninefingers or "The Bloody Nine" as he is also called due to his ruthlessness in fights. He's surprisingly thoughtful, respectful and kind when he's not in one of his bloodrage where he kills enemies as well as children and longtime friends.

And there is Bayaz, the magus, at first seeming like a Gandalf-ish kind and wise old man, but holding and controlling all the strings like a giant venomous spider forever scheming and planning how to use people and situations for his own personal gain. He is every bit as arrogant and megalomaniac as a proper wizard should be.

There are other minor characters that are both brilliantly fascinating and brilliantly disgusting. The mercenary Cosca, the ferocious female warrior/ex slave Ferro, the female red haired torturer and mother, Vitari, the mysterious Yoru Sulfur, Dogman, Black Dow and all the other Northmen that quickly got a special place in my heart.

Bayaz takes his odd group of completely different persons on a long trip to the end of the world and back, a trip where our characters learn some new, some disappointing and a few positive things about themselves and each other. We, the readers, are taken by Abercrombie on a long trip into the ugliness of human nature. Those who are good aren't really all that good when it comes down to it and those who are bad can be fairly decent and downright compassionate at times. Life is neither fair, nor pretty and usually things go from bad to worse. It's cynical, dark and ugly, but there is room for love, compassion and beauty all the same.

I did one mistake, though. I went about it the wrong way. I read his stand alone novel Best Served Cold before I read the trilogy. It's set in the same universe and we meet again some of the characters from the trilogy in this novel, 3-4 years after the events of the trilogy.


***SPOILER ALERT*** (highlight to read)

I spent the entire last book biting my nails just waiting for Logen to be killed by Shivers - all in vain. It never happened. I dreaded it so bad I wasn't sure I could stand reading the last chapter at all.  How stupid of me is  that?!?  The trilogy began and ended with Logan's free fall into a river. We don't really know if he survives, but I doubt he died, he's just too badass to die like that...

Oh and the best part of it all, there are more stories to be told about these characters and I can't wait to see what will happen to Logen, Dogman, Shivers, Glokta, Sulfer, Ferro, Vitari, etc

Perfect Shadow by Brent Weeks

Brent Weeks, author of the The Night Angel trilogy has written a Durzo Blint novella  

“I got a bit of prophecy,” the old assassin said. “Not enough to be useful, you know. Just glimpses. My wife dead, things like that to keep me up late at night. I had this vision that I was going to be killed by forty men, all at once. But now that you’re here, I see they’re just you. Durzo Blint.”

 You can read about it  here

I just ordered me a signed copy *does happy dance* I'm so stoked! The Night Angel trilogy was the kind of read where I almost cried reading the last page of the last book. I just didn't want it to end, ever.

If you haven't read anything by this guy, you are missing out on some great story telling. The Night Angel trilogy is a sort of coming of age story, I guess,  but Azoth is not your ordinary orphan criminal hero, he is training to become a wetboy. Definition of a wetboy may be explained thus; An assassin sometimes calls his victims "target", because he sometimes misses. A wetboy calls his victims "deaders", because he never misses. He's not only trying to survive his childhood, he's trying to survive it while learning to become a magic-using assassin. Durzo Blint is his master and mentor. A  mean, ole', nasty assassin master. (I, naturally, LOVE this character) While growing up and becoming a man, he becomes a pawn in the large game of intrigues and politics that takes place in the huge intriguing universe where these stories take place. A slightly different type of story, gritty and dirty, with a rather dark humour that appeals to me. If dark fantasy appeals to you, if you liked Scott Lynch' Lies of Locke Lamora, you'll enjoy The Night Angel trilogy.

He's started on a new trilogy The Lightbringer - the first book The Black Prism I enjoyed a lot. Very different from the Night Angel books, but with that same dark humour that I love.

I don't often advertise authors and their work, but this guy, he's worth checking out and his work is worth my time blogging about it