What can you say about a book full of well-known and likeable characters, a book which is the last installment of a trilogy? You may try to sum it up somehow, to see how it fits into the previous ones. In The City of Sorcery, though, I can see only a good science fantasy novel … Continue reading Darkover Revisited: The City of Sorcery
Category: speculative fiction
Darkover Revisited: Thendara House
My review of The Shattered Chain, the first book in The Saga of the Renunciates, was actually more like a sporking in two parts. This time, my reflections of Thendara House are going to be closer to a review. However, still BEWARE HEAVY SPOILERS, please. Have you ever had an impression that some fantasy/sci-fi books … Continue reading Darkover Revisited: Thendara House
Darkover Revisited: The Shattered Chain, Part Two
Today, we'll delve into the second part of The Shattered Chain by Marion Zimmer Bradley. Twelve years have passed since the first time and now Magda Lorne, a Terran agent raised on Darkover, begins a journey in a disguise of a Renunciate, on Lady Rohana Ardais' orders: she thinks that Kyril, the Lady's son kidnapped … Continue reading Darkover Revisited: The Shattered Chain, Part Two
Darkover Revisited: The Shattered Chain, Part One: Orientalism
The world of Darkover created by Marion Zimmer Bradley is an universe I'd always return to. When I was a teen, books about Darkover were like a symbol to me. A symbol meaning that I knew English well enough to read novels written in it, and that I could buy books from the US at … Continue reading Darkover Revisited: The Shattered Chain, Part One: Orientalism
Heart of Thorns by Bree Barton is Just a Nice YA Fantasy Series
"Heart of Thorns" is a recently published YA trilogy about Mia Rose, a girl from the kingdom of Glas Ddir, betrothed to a prince against her will, a girl who believes that witches, the Gwyrach, are utterly bad. As you may predict, this is only the beginning and everything Mia Rose thinks will be turned … Continue reading Heart of Thorns by Bree Barton is Just a Nice YA Fantasy Series
Fantasy and Orientalism
I'm going to disappoint you. This post isn't about C. S. Lewis and his racism towards Middle Eastern people. This post isn't about Tolkien's coding of Sauron's allies and Easterlings. It's about authors whose works and worlds are almost as famous as Narnia and Middle-Earth. So let's prepare yourself for Terry Pratchett, Diana Wynne Jones, … Continue reading Fantasy and Orientalism
Winter’s Orbit is a Delight
"Winter's Orbit" is a sweeping blend of space opera, novel of manners, and romance, written by Everina Maxwell. It tells the story of Kiem and Jainan. Kiem is a careless prince from the dynasty of the interplanetary Iskat Empire. Jainan is a count from Thea, one of the vassal planets. Being widowed by Taam, Kiem's … Continue reading Winter’s Orbit is a Delight
Darkover Series by Marion Zimmer Bradley is Problematic
So, maybe you know or maybe you don't, but a famous sci-fi and fantasy writer, Marion Zimmer Bradley, was a paedophile hurting her own children. And this crime is the most important problem we should have with her works. However, there are others. And in this post, I'm not going to judge myself or other … Continue reading Darkover Series by Marion Zimmer Bradley is Problematic
Ivory Apples by Lisa Goldstein
It was a very nice trip. It reminded me of Melissa Albert's series on Hinterland, except for less dark-fairy-tale twists and heavy atmopshere. In both cases, there is a story of a girl whose kinswoman has produced a cult fantasy novel to stay far from the public afterwards. And in both cases, there is a … Continue reading Ivory Apples by Lisa Goldstein
I’m not Impressed with Zelazny’s Amber, and Here are the Reasons
So, they say that Chronicles of Amber is a classic. A ten-volumes tale about an Amber prince and his son, a tale of alternative realities and parallel worlds, a symbolic tale of conflict between order and chaos. So they say. And I've read the whole thing, and I'm not that impressed. Maybe I'm based. Or … Continue reading I’m not Impressed with Zelazny’s Amber, and Here are the Reasons