Thorn of the Night Blossoms is a good entry point into JC Kang’s world. Whether you only just get to know the Dragon Songs Saga series or you already read one the books and you are interested to learn more about Jie’s past, you won’t be disappointed.
So, I am just going to leave it there and say: If you’re like me and been hearing lots of good things about this author but haven’t had the opportunity, or weren’t sure where to start with his work…well, then this is a great place to jump on the Mark Lawrence bandwagon.
There were a few things I was unsure of – like why just being from Ordshaw made Tova a special interest to anyone in the first place, and some of the ending was a bit unclear to me. But this did what I think these extended series novellas should do – and that is get me interested in the world, give me a taste without giving me everything, and do it while being a ton of fun. In that, this book succeeded on all levels.
This issue has less short stories, but it contains more other content. Such as an article in memory of Gene Wolfe, an interview with Gareth L. Powell, a game review of Sekiro, bookreview of Uncanny Collateral, a movie review of Illang, an article about the legacy of Sheri S. Tepper and an analysis about the Gormenghast series.
You absolutely have to read this book if you like Moore’s books, love humor, want an alternative history about who Jesus was, enjoy reading about adventure, drama and prefer a character driven story. In short: READ THIS BOOK!
This is a very dark book/series all around – you know how Hell gets depicted as this scary screwed-up place full of intense horror images, and nasty stuff happening to good people… well, that’s the main world in this book.
Priest of Bones deserves all the hype it got. If you ever wondered what would happen if you mixed a priest and the Godfather, then you can finally get your answer. Priest of Bones is an unputdownable character driven fantasy about organised crime, magic, political intrigue and a world left by the gods. I already can’t wait for the sequel, Priest of Lies to learn what happens to these lovely rogues called Pious Men next.
If you enjoyed Ivanna in Banebringer and want to know more about her past, Sweetblade is going to be right up your alley. If you liked the world and magic and are looking for more of that then you’ll need to wait for Banebringer’s sequel. If none of that matters then this is just a good solid read and has me even more excited for the sequel to Banebringer.
Ghosts of Gotham is fast paced, magical and one that is hard to put down. I don’t think I’m far from the truth if I say that this was only the beginning of a series that would rival his Daniel Faust one. I urge you to give it a chance if you like: Greek mythological figures in a modern setting, protagonists with mysterious and dark past, magic, characters you can enjoy hating and wondering about (Regina), and a mystery which means leaving bodies all over the place. In short: it has everything you might wish for!
The characters were awesome, a neat and easy to digest world, and I will be looking for the next in this series because it was an enjoyable story all around.