Book Review: Last First Snow

Title: Last First Snow

Author: Max Gladstone

Genre: Fantasy

Page #s: 385

Publication Date: 2015

Location in Series: 4^th book in the Craft Sequence

Summary: It has been 40 years since the God Wars rocked Dresediel Lex, 40 years since the gods they had worshipped for who knows how long were broken on their own alter. The King in Red now begins an audacious plan to renovate the Skittersill, the poorest district in the city but in order for the work to be approved he must wrangle an agreement from the Skittersill’s population.

Good Points:

• Wow. WOW. Just. Fucking wow.
• Simple things first, everyone but Elayne is a character of color. Dresediel Lex is a fictitious Aztec city, everyone but Elayne is a denizen of that city.
• Badass older female character.
• While I don’t remember Three Parts Dead focusing much on Elayne’s age this one mentions several times how old she is and how old she feels.
• Badass females all around.
• Elayne, Chell, Mina, for the major ones, a ton of minor ones as well.
• Women from different walks of life all proving how badass they can be.
• Badass transmale character.
• I’m assuming here, since when it is revealed that the character’s body does not match the image they have presented there isn’t much time to talk about how they identify BUT since Full Fathom Five had a transwoman protagonist I’m going to assume that the character mentioned is trans.
• Of course, the King in Red has to be mentioned as he’s a gay sorcerous skeleton and I love him.
• Even if he was a dickweasel the entire book.
• Temoc!
• I did not go into this book expecting to like Temoc. After the events of Two Serpents Rise… well. Let’s just say when I heard this book was going to feature Temoc I was disappointed. I did not expect anything good to come of it. BUT WOW! Surprise!
• Loved his relationship with Caleb and Mina. Love how it had to change as the book went on and things went to shit. Loved it.
• Interesting, twisty plot.
• While one plot twist kind of becomes obvious the moment it happens it’s still a great twisty plot. And I loved how every character failed. Like, the whole mess couldn’t be traced directly to one person (although, fuck you Kopil) and instead each character has to shoulder the blame of the complete CLUSTERFUCK that comes around.
• Except Caleb and Mina.
• Great action scenes! Fascinating world! Great magic! Flawed characters! READ IT.

Bad Points:

• WOW was this book a fucking downer. Like. Wow. Like, it’s so good, but totally a downer!
• I’m honestly not sure how I feel about the Red King’s characterization in this book. Like, because, he’s a total DICKWEASEL the entire book and I really do remember loving him in Two Serpents Rise.
• I have to wonder if that says more about Caleb and his PoV than anything else.

Triggers:

This book is about a civil protest gone horribly wrong with a magically powered dictator who hates the religion the protestors practice.

It’s not pretty.

• Child Abuse
• Religious Persecution
• Mentions of past mind control

Rating: 5/5

Book Review: Maplecroft

Title: Maplecroft
Author: Cherie Priest
Genre: Fantasy/Horror
Page #s: 435
Publication Date: 2014
Location in Series: 1

Summary:

The people of Fall River, Massachusetts, fear me. Perhaps rightfully so. I remain a suspect in the brutal deaths of my father and his second wife despite the verdict of innocence at my trial. With our inheritance, my sister, Emma, and I have taken up residence in Maplecroft, a mansion near the sea and far from gossip and scrutiny.

But it is not far enough from the affliction that possessed my parents. Their characters, their very souls, were consumed from within by something that left malevolent entities in their place. It originates from the ocean’s depths, plaguing the populace with tides of nightmares and madness.
Good Points:

• Lesbian main character
• Character suffering from chronic illness
• Epistolary style (not as dry as classic epistolary, has a more modern tone)
• Lovecraftian plot
• Fun ties between science, magic and Lovecraftian creatures
• Focuses on what happens to a family post-tragedy
• Tight plot
• Didn’t lose steam near the end/reveal key points of the final showdown and ruin it all

Bad Points:

• Light on horror (I didn’t lose any sleep but then I handle Lovecraft better than anything else)
• Epistolary style (depends on if you enjoy that kind of thing or not)

Triggers:

• Straight up murder
• Creepy things trying to get into your house

Rating: 5/5

Book Review - Nadya

Title: Nadya
Author: Pat Murphy
Genre: Fantasy/Western
Page #s:  382
Publication Date: 1996
Location in Series: Stand Alone

Summary: The majority of Nadya follows the story of Nadya Rybek’s travel from Missouri out to Oregon in the 1830s. There are five other points of view, her parents, her first love, her second love, and her third and final love.

Nadya is born to Dmitri and Marietta, one a Polish immigrant the other from France. She grows up tending farm in Missouri and has a happy enough life, to start. The fact that she and her parents are all werewolves doesn’t throw a kink in their plans until the arrival of the Jones family.

After her parents’ murder Nadya decides to try her luck out west. She cuts her hair and claims to be a man. That is where she meets Elizabeth, a young woman who had been heading to California with her father before illness took him and left her alone with nothing but the contents of her wagon and the team of oxen to her name. She, Nadya, and an orphan from another wagon party travel together. On the way (and this section is the bulk of the novel) they find love in each other’s arms.

Unfortunately that love doesn’t last once they reach California. Nadya heads North where she meets Jacob Lowell. She finds happiness with him and his community of outcasts but their happiness is, once again, threatened.

Good Points:

• No one gets raped!
• Nadya is bisexual, finding love with both men and women, but the bulk of the novel focuses on her relationship with Elizabeth.
• Reads a bit like lesbian fanfic of the Oregon trail NOT THAT I AM COMPLAINING!
• Not a new take on werewolves but there are no sparkly vampires present.
• Unsure of how true to life the encounter with the Cheyenne tribe is but they are treated respectfully by Nadya. Jacob Lowell’s tribe and status as half-white are also treated respectfully.
• The cast is very well rounded, each PoV used to perfection.
• Multi-racial community founded at the end.
• Fun sex scenes!

Bad Points:

• Unsure of how true to life the portrayal of the Cheyenne and Massuam are, as well as the Jacob’s experience with the Klukwalle.
• Just prior to them reaching California the story starts to drag, losing my interest for pages at a time.

Triggers:

• No one gets raped but a rape attempt is mentioned.
• Bestiality – although it depends on how you qualify it? As a wolf, Nadya retains some human thoughts and emotions but does not think like a human. One sex scene where she is mounted by a male wolf.
• Murrrrrrrrder
• Racial slurs, largely regarding Native American tribes but one or two applied to African Americans.

Rating: 4.5/5

Book Review - Lady Knight

Title: Lady Knight
Author: L. J. Baker
Genre: fantasy
Page #s: 323
Publication Date: 2007

Summary: Riannon is a knight in a land where women simply don’t become knights. She is mocked, scorned, and plagued by phantom pain from an old wound. After leaving the latest lord to employ her services Riannon finds herself indebted to her cousin Aveline when it turns out that the battle wound she suffered years ago is ensorcelled and, without Aveline’s help, she will surely die. After swearing herself to the service of the Goddess Riannon becomes a paladin under Aveline’s thumb.

Through her service she meets Eleanor, a widow who has lost two husbands and avoids a third by paying a bribe to the crown. While traveling with Riannon Eleanor finds herself falling in love and Riannon, likewise.

Their romance strikes rocky points from start to finish, the first rock being that Riannon is a woman and Eleanor has previously only deserved men, and then later Eleanor’s marriage due to Aveline’s schemes for a holy war. At the end, however, they ride off into the sunset together.

TW – killing (she’s a knight and at war most of the time), rape, mentions of rape, arranged marriage, victim blaming, love spells, misogyny, slurs…

I think I got all of it.

Good Points: Written by a lesbian about a lesbian! Well, Riannon is a lesbian at least. Aveline is also a lesbian.

Riannon is a bad ass knight! Who, eventually, everyone respects. She’s a war hero!

Aveline is stone cold and lets no one fuck with her and no one get in her way.

It’s really, really well written.

The romance is adorable, the flirting is FUCKING ADORABLE.

THE SEX IS FANTASTIC.

Srsly these are the most fun sex scenes I’ve read this week.

Riannon avenges Eleanor’s rape, murdering her rapist. Her family backs her up and she and Eleanor ride off into the sunset together to live HAPPILY EVER AFTER ALRIGHT.

Bad Points: Eleanor has no interest in other women besides Riannon. WHILE THAT IS TOTALLY OKAY and sexuality and gender are both incredibly fluid things it is a little irksome that instead of a lesbian/bisexual romance you have a lesbian/straight except for Riannon romance. Sorry, that might just be my pet peeve.

Lots and lots and lots of misogyny. Until Riannon comes out as the hero of Vahl she is ostracized by pretty much everyone.

Aveline is a stone cold bitch and screws anyone who gets in her way over. She arranges for Eleanor to become married to an old man for political influence. Geoffrey, the old man, is at least not his son, Ralph, who is a misogynistic ass hat.

Who rapes Eleanor.

Geoffrey proceeds to blame Eleanor.

I’m a little skeeved out by the crusades/holy war plotline too.

Rating: 4/5

Book Review - Sword Masters

For all it's papyrus titled glory this was actually a really fun read.

Title: Sword Masters
Author: Selina Rosen
Genre: Fantasy
Page #s: 313
Publication Date: 2008
Location in Series: First, there is a recently published sequel I am considering as well
Trigger Warnings: Rape, miscarriage, abuse, lots of straight up killing

Summary: When Tarius' father, Jabon the breaker, is killed by attacking Amalite's she chooses to quit her life on Kartik, her home island, and instead become a Swordsmaster of the Jethrik, as her father had. Unfortunately the Jethrik allow neither Katabull or women to become Swordsmasters and Tarius' is both. She hides her identity from her friends, teachers, and the woman she loves. Her skills earn her accollades and the king's regard.

Then it all comes crashing down around her.

Eventually she and Jenna rebuild a new life from the ashes of the old and wipe the Amalite's out entirely.

Good Points: KICK ASS LESBIAN PROTAGONISTS.

The Kartik are accepting of m/m and f/f pairings. (Although the Jethrik, who we spend much of the book dealing with, are not.)

Kick. Ass. Lesbian. Protagonists.

Realistic rage at all the crap that goes down.

It's a fun, easy read.

Bad Points: Errrrrrr. There are a lot of skeevy points that I'm going to warn people about.

Tarius' spends most of the novel lying about her gender. She is female and is a lesbian but in order to become a swordsmaster must dress like a man. She never reveals her true gender to Jenna and in fact, when Jenna pushes for Tarius' to have penetrative sex with her Tarius' has another man take her place.

Tragon, who takes her place, is sexually aggressive with Jenna and had previously attempted to rape her. Jenna gets pregnant through their sex. She later loses the baby because of abuse at Tragon's hands.

Rating: 4/5

Title: Tatter Tales

Hirune adjusted the leather straps that ran between her breasts. After hours in the hot sun they would chafe at her shoulders, by the end of the spring she would regain the callouses that Abene’s ointment would sooth away over the winter months. The chafing, blisters and callouses were necessary as the straps were part of the plow that she needed to use to till the field. It almost made her envy her fully equine brothers and sisters.

Almost.

“Hirune!” Nahia called out to her from the other side of the field, then she whistled and flipped her long, russet red braid over one shoulder. “Are you going to dream the day away or get to work?”

Hirune snorted. She had no braid to flip since her hair grew up more than it did down. She had recently shaved it down to her scalp, however, and she would keep it close until winter fell again and they all curled up inside, desperate for anything to keep them warm.  “You’re one to talk. I didn’t see you here yesterday.” She stamped her hooves on the ground before she began pulling the plow. “I see you’ve new leathers.”

The leather straps wrapped around Hirune’s hooves were worn, well loved, also they were scraps from coats and shirts and from the occasional pair of pants that had been traded around the community long enough they were worn through. Nahia’s, however, were a red as vibrant as spilled blood and seemed sewn to the requirements of her hooves.

“Aren’t they beautiful?” Nahia practically purred. Hirune didn’t answer, choosing instead to focus on her footing as she pulled across the field. The sun was still low but the air was warm and Hirune knew she would be sweating from exertion before the mid-day break. When they came halfway Nahia reached out to grasp Hirune’s hand. “I could get you some too, you know.”

“I don’t want any gifts from humans.” Hirune slapped Nahia’s hand away and ignored the other woman’s startled whinny. “Especially not those you need to prance for.”

Nahia’s laughter startled Hirune backwards and she bumped her rump against the plow’s base. “I didn’t prance for these! Although he wanted me to.” Her smile was feral. “It’s a limited edition item, dear. He’ll never sew again.”

Hirune felt deep satisfaction at the thought of Nahia crushing this mystery tatter’s hands and possibly head to bits.

“After the work is done.” She slapped Nahia’s ass when she came to it and smiled down at the ground when Nahia bolted forward. “Keep that pace up!”  

Title: Harpy Strikes a Chord

Seconds before the curse had hit her, she had thought that the loss of her family would be the most painful part. That was before she learned about what a pain feathers were to groom and the sharp cracking pain of a broken wing, before she came to realize that the ‘family’ she thought she would miss was really just the sentimental memories of her childhood.

She did miss them. She missed the songs Trypho would sing to her on dark, stormy nights when the walls of their house were rattled by the wind. She missed Mihail’s gentle touch and Xena’s soft, hidden smiles. She missed sharing secrets with her mother.

But Trypho had been dead for a decade before her curse, mangled by a wolf attacking their flock. Mihail had followed him into death years later, having joined the army he was sent to his death by men rich and plump with lies and money. Xena had lost her soft smiles the day their mother did not return and turned instead to hiding other things.

Xena’s secrets had led to her curse.

But was it really a curse? She had found there was so much more to life when one was not bound by two legs and two hands, when one had the wind to lift you up into the air, the ability to feel the sun on your face and the spray of the ocean without fearing either.

Had she never been cursed she would never have met her new sisters.

“Sister.” They all called each other sister but their words held so much more. Sounds no human could understand or describe. Sister-who-shreds-the-wind and sister-who-bites-hardest blended together with sister-perfumed-as-a-rose and sister-who-sings-sweet, it was all one word and yet many words, sounds and echoes and silences.

“Sister.” She called back, for there was only one response to give.

They smiled at one another, sharp teeth that shone bright under the glare of the sun. Below the rocky crags a lone traveler stumbled, delirious with hunger or thirsty or perhaps merely unsure of his footing. Around him whirled his life story, the screams of his mother at his birth, the cries of his sister when he beat her in some game, screams and tears of friends and lovers that created a whirlpool, drawing the sisters in.

“Sister.” Their third joined them, her claws scratched a symphony onto the rock. “Shall we dine?”

Sharp teeth and hard talons bared they dove as one, three hungry mouths opened in a scream.