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3.5/5
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I originally got this as an ebook from the library just so I could read Patrick Rothfuss's short story about Bast, but then I read the foreword and became enamored, and decided to just go for it.
Started: 4/3/22
Finished: DNF -- I read more than a normal book's worth of this, and then got sick of incomplete stories. I enjoyed reading part of this, though.
Homecoming by Robin Hobb
Rating: 5/5
Summary:
Along with a group of traitors to the crown, a rich woman who's husband committed treason is dumped in a foreign land with no supplies and the instruction to colonize the area and return it to the former glory hinted at in religious texts. When the group arrives they are met with nothing but boggy land; caustic water; and a strange magic madness that causes people to wander in to the dangerous woods, humming a haunting tune, never to return, and to dream of dancing and lives that are not their own. The settlers have no supplies and no hope, but they do know two things: the land is dangerous, and no one is coming to bring them home.
Thoughts:
This story was stunning. The character development of the protagonist growing from a prissy rich woman into a capable leader was an interesting and accessible "in" to the fantasy world, and the story only got better from there. The first half felt more like The Swiss Family Robinson than a fantasy novel, since there was a lot of arguing and survival, but I was okay with it, since it was a gentler, more natural introduction to the magic. And the magic was super cool. It felt eerie and haunting, and the conclusion with the idea that the characters had lived past lives there before was perfect. Reading this book gave me the feeling of complete immersion that I used to get reading YA fantasy after school in middle school. It was lovely. I absolutely want to find other books by this author, if this story is any indication of what her other works are like.
The Word of Unbinding by Urusla K. Le Guin
Rating: 2/5
Summary:
After being captured by a sinister villain, a wizard explores his power to break free.
Thoughts:
I have to assume this story was a continuation of one of Le Guin's other books, because for me, reading it without any context, it was kind of awful. There was no interesting world building, no character building, no beautiful writing. Le Guin has won a million awards and is said to be one of the best Fantasy writers ever, but I was very unimpressed by this story.
The Burning Man by Tad Williams
Rating: 3.5/5
Summary:
As an old woman, Breda tells the tale of her youth: at first after moving with her exiled stepfather, Sulis, and his company to a crumbling fortress, Breda sees only joy and industry. Then her mother dies, and Sulis slips into gloomy and introspective despair. When she discovers Sulis and her lover, Tellarin, are planning on traveling under the fortress in the hunt for a mysterious magic, Breda resolves to follow, but she is unprepared for exactly what she will see.
Thoughts:
This was an interesting story. The character development was pretty minimal, but I liked how the story was framed. The climax of the action was exciting, too. I would consider reading something by this author if I didn't have anything else to read.
As The Wheel Turns by Aliette de Bodard
Rating: 3/5
Summary:
A woman who was chosen to make an important choice is chased through her lives, rebirth by rebirth, by Tiger and Crane, the representatives of the sides of her choice.
Thoughts:
This felt more like ancient mythology than new fantasy. The idea of the wheel of rebirth was super cool, but should have been taken farther. I didn't hate the story, but I also wasn't particularly impressed.
The Alchemist by Paolo Bacigalupi
Rating: 3.5/5
Summary:
In a world where using magic causes deadly bramble plants to sprout, an alchemist works to build a machine that can kill the plants. Though he wants only to create a life where he can use magic to save his daughter from an illness without causing harm by creating more brambles, when he tries to sell his invention to the ruler of his land, he quickly learns that there are people willing to do anything for power and for magic.
Thoughts:
This story was pretty mediocre. The ending was interesting, and there were some twists that were cool or that frustrated me (in a good way) but there was no piece of the plot that felt all that surprising. In the same way, the characters were interesting but no one really stood out. I may be biased, because I hated Shipbreaker so much in 8th grade, but I don't really intend to try any of Bacigalupi's other books.
Sandmagic by Orson Scott Card
Rating: 3/5
Summary:
After his father is murdered by invaders, a young boy goes on a journey to find magic powerful and dark enough to aid his revenge.
Thoughts:
This was okay. I liked how villainous it was. Aside from the end, I could imagine that it was a villain origin story accompanying a full fantasy novel about having to defeat the villain, but the end negated that. I didn't hate it, but it didn't encourage me to read anything by Card, either.
The Road to Levinshir
Rating: 4/5
Summary:
In an excerpt from The Wise Man's Fear, Kvothe tells a piece of his story: When he stumbles upon a group of bandits masquerading as a group of Edema Ruh, Kvothe takes justice into his own hands.
Thoughts:
While obviously any piece of The Wise Man's Fear is amazing, I was disappointed that this was just an excerpt, not a new story. I'm going to have to look elsewhere for the short story about bast.
Rysn by Brandon Sanderson
Rating: 4/5
Summary:
A trader's apprentice learns a lesson in a strange new world.
Thoughts:
I've been hesitant about reading Brandon Sanderson books, because there are so many, and they are so long, but I liked this story a lot. It was different and interesting, and it reminded me a little bit of The Name of the Wind, at the beginning when Kvothe is learning with Abenthy. If my TBR runs out, I might try one of Sanderson's books.
When The Gods Laugh by Michael Moorcock
Rating: 3.8/5
Summary:
A pessimistic and reluctantly villainous protagonist goes on a desperate hunt for a book that may contain the Truth about what God and the world.
Thoughts:
This story was super odd. Maybe it was the fact that the protagonist was called Elric and was constatly referred to as "the albino," which felt really weird. I love a morally grey character, but I was a little confused about what direction Elric was morally grey in: he felt more like a sword-wielding Eyeore than anything else. The book was also really sexist. Apparently the author considers himself a feminist, but the one female character in the story didn't do anything cool, but instead tagged along worrying about safety and having sex with Elric. The world building seemed interesting enough that I might try a full-length novel of Moorcocks, but I was unimpressed by his novella.
Mother of All Russiya by Melanie Rawn
Rating: 4/5
Summary:
The recently widowed Grand Princess of Russia devises a violent and magical plan to maintain power while exacting revenge on her husband's killers.
Thoughts:
This really was more like historical fantasy than high fantasy, but because of my weird preoccupation with Russia, I enjoyed it a lot. I liked how dark it was, but even I found such blasé violence to be a little eerie.