Dan
These books are a fantasy companion to Becky Chambers’ Wayfarers series, in that they relatively lowkey (although the stakes do get raised in this one) and the villains are largely kept offstage in favour of spending time with likeable characters who are -shock - nice to each other. These characters are mostly all wounded one way or another and the books have a melancholy air, but they don’t dwell on this darkness. Instead they focus on the importance of consolation and the bonds of friendship (even if Thara is terrible at recognising these latter). Ultimately they speak to what we can be instead of what we so often are, which is needed more than ever these days.
These books are a fantasy companion to Becky Chambers’ Wayfarers series, in that they relatively lowkey (although the stakes do get raised in this one) and the villains are largely kept offstage in favour of spending time with likeable characters who are -shock - nice to each other. These characters are mostly all wounded one way or another and the books have a melancholy air, but they don’t dwell on this darkness. Instead they focus on the importance of consolation and the bonds of friendship (even if Thara is terrible at recognising these latter). Ultimately they speak to what we can be instead of what we so often are, which is needed more than ever these days.
Frustrating one this. It started slowly, but I persevered and ended up very much enjoying the middle section, where things escalate and there’s a strong sense of rising terror. But the final act is pretty underwhelming and doesn’t really stand up to much interrogation at all. Almost brilliant, but ultimately falls short.
Frustrating one this. It started slowly, but I persevered and ended up very much enjoying the middle section, where things escalate and there’s a strong sense of rising terror. But the final act is pretty underwhelming and doesn’t really stand up to much interrogation at all. Almost brilliant, but ultimately falls short.
The Corn Bride
** spoiler alert ** The fifth Witches Of Woodville book. If you’re reading this, you’re probably already a fan, and just want to know if this one is any good. And I’m happy to report it is, with plenty of the same lovely and warm but also threatening and scary vibe that has run through the series. I do think there’s a limit to how long we can keep reading tales about Woodville being menaced by occult villains though, which is why I was particularly excited by the epilogue here, which suggests a new direction for the books. I for one am very much up for Faye Bright, SOE!
** spoiler alert ** The fifth Witches Of Woodville book. If you’re reading this, you’re probably already a fan, and just want to know if this one is any good. And I’m happy to report it is, with plenty of the same lovely and warm but also threatening and scary vibe that has run through the series. I do think there’s a limit to how long we can keep reading tales about Woodville being menaced by occult villains though, which is why I was particularly excited by the epilogue here, which suggests a new direction for the books. I for one am very much up for Faye Bright, SOE!
I was a big fan of The Mountain In The Sea, and rated it as one of the most interesting debuts to come along in a while. This one also deals with non-human intelligence, but one closer to today’s headlines. Yes, it’s an AI novel. But what’s most interesting here is the form. It’s told from many different viewpoints, all of whom of have different levels of access to what’s really going on, and it ends up reading like a classic twisty espionage story. More than anything, I was put in mind of Dave Hutchinson’s fantastic Fractured Europe books. And like those, be prepared to be left scratching your head at the end, as you piece together what was really going on. A reread will, I think, throw lots of new perspectives on the novel, but even after a single read through it’s clear Ray Nayler is a hugely promising talent.
I was a big fan of The Mountain In The Sea, and rated it as one of the most interesting debuts to come along in a while. This one also deals with non-human intelligence, but one closer to today’s headlines. Yes, it’s an AI novel. But what’s most interesting here is the form. It’s told from many different viewpoints, all of whom of have different levels of access to what’s really going on, and it ends up reading like a classic twisty espionage story. More than anything, I was put in mind of Dave Hutchinson’s fantastic Fractured Europe books. And like those, be prepared to be left scratching your head at the end, as you piece together what was really going on. A reread will, I think, throw lots of new perspectives on the novel, but even after a single read through it’s clear Ray Nayler is a hugely promising talent.