Three - Review

Title:  Three

Author:  Jay Posey

Series: Legends of the Duskwalker #1

Synopsis:  "The world has collapsed, and there are no heroes any more.

     "His name is Three, a travelling gun for hire in a dying world.  He has no allegiances, no family, no ties.

     "Against his better judgment, he accepts the mantle of protector to a sick woman on the run, and her young son.  Together they set out across the plains in search of a mythic oasis, attempting to survive the forces that pursue them, and the creatures of the dark.

     "In these dark times, a hero may yet arise."

Review:  I love post-apocalyptic stories.  A world that's our world but not our world at the same time is fascinating.  Three now ranks right up there as one of my favorite post-apocalyptic novels.  We are never told exactly what ended civilization, but the remaining survivors live in fear of the Weir.  The weir are like electronic zombies.  Are they robots?  Are they people turned into robots? Are they Borg?  Are they Cybermen?  We aren't sure, but they are scary as hell. 

     The main character Three grudgingly takes responsibility for Cass and her son Wren who are on the run from a group of criminals almost as scary as the Weir.  We learn some mysterious truths about Wren and Cass as they run from their past.  Three is a fast-paced novel that keeps you on the edge of your seat, and I loved it.  The world building and character development are wonderful.  I only wish that we had been told what caused the apocalypse that caused this amazing world.  I recommend running right out and buying Three by Jay Posey.

Publisher:   Angry Robot

If you like this book you may want to read:

The Warded Man by Peter V. Brett (read BookGirlR's review here)

Seven Forges  by James A. Moore

The Buried Life by Carrie Patel (read BookGirlR's review here)

Lamp Black, Wolf Grey: Review

Title:  Lamp Black, Wolf Grey

Author:  Paula Brackston

Synopsis:  "Artist Laura Matthews finds her new home in the Welsh mountains to be a place so charged with tales and legends that she is able to lift the gossamer-fine veil that separates her own world from that of myth fable.

     "She and her husband, Dan, have given up their city life and moved to Blaencwm, an ancient longhouse high in the hills.  Here she hopes that the wild beauty will inspire her to produce her best art and give her the baby they have longed for.  But this high valley is also home to others, such as Rhys -- the charismatic loner who pursues Laura with fervor -- and Anwen, the wise old woman from the neighboring farm who seems to know so much but talks in riddles.  And then there is Merlin."

Review:   This was my first novel by Paula Brackston.  I wasn't really sure what to expect.  I'm a big fan of magical realism in literature though, so I figured I would give it a shot.  I was expecting Lamp Black, Wolf Grey to be  a quirky romantic story set in a modern world where magic just happens to be real.  It's not that.  Lamp Black, Wolf Grey is a strange, emotional, combination of historical and modern novel. 

     It's not a heavy read.  I was able to read the entire thing in just over 3 hours.  I didn't get very emotionally involved in the story or with the characters; but I was entertained.  There are actually two stories being told in Lamp Black, Wolf Grey.  Laura's story is set in the present and Megan's story is set in the past.  I actually didn't like the strange combination.  I would have preferred it if the novel had either all been set in the present or all in the past.  The combination of both caused neither storyline to ever be fully fleshed out and thus I felt that the novel was lacking.  Thus said, if you are looking for a quick read, I say go ahead and read Lamp Black, Wolf Grey; you will be entertained.

Publisher:  Thomas Dunne Books

If you like this book you may want to read:

The Book of Speculation: A Novel by Erika Swyler

The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen (Read BookGirlR's review here)

When Life Gets In The Way

I've been doing a lot of reading lately, and not a whole lot of reviewing.  Therefore, I have declared November "Catch-up Month".  Expect a lot of extra reviews over the next few weeks.  I'm also pushing my Editing and Marketing Services for Writers hard from now on.  My dream is to be able to make enough that I can quit my retail job and make a living working from home.

In other news, SuperSteve and I purchased our tickets for Star Wars: The Force Awakens.  Fandango crashed, which I found hilariously funny.  But we were still able to get our tickets for IMAX 3D opening night.  Because of my love for all things Star Wars I have declared December "Star Wars Month" during which I will be reviewing many Star Wars novels.