Archive | August, 2023

Enchanting Alternate Stories: Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher and The Dragon Waiting by John M. Ford

16 Aug

Thornhedge
by T. Kingfisher
I have written about some of Kingfisher’s works in the past including Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking and What Moves the Dead. Her work tends to be in the fantasy and horror genre. Much like Defensive Baking, this novella takes a new spin at the fairytale genre, in this case Sleeping Beauty with what felt to me like a bit of the frog prince in the mix. Instead of focusing on “the princess” in the tower it follows the adventures of Toadling, a changeling, who fills in for the fairies in bequeathing what could be a gift or curse. Kingfisher says in her endnote that she was inspired by the idea of why someone feel the need to surround the tower with such a substantial barrier. I liked where that reasoning lead her in Thornhedge. I also liked that she brought in more fairies from folk stories and some historical details for her piece; the knight in this story is a Muslim. At just over a hundred words, this novella is a quick read filled with both whimsy and menace; it manages to be both contemporary as well as hearkening back to the darker magic of Grimm Brother’s original collected tales. I received an early copy of the story from Netgalley and the publisher in order to provide an honest review.

The Dragon Waiting
by John M. Ford
From Alternate Fairytales we move to Alternate History. The Dragon Waiting was originally subtitled, “a masque of history” which is a fitting description since behind the novel lurks some of the history of the British crown, with both some slight spins on the general facts but also stirs in supernatural details like sorcery and vampirism. A lot of our recent book discussion picks for our Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Discussion at the library had been new works such as Paradox Hotel and Siren Queen, but for July we went with this classic novel from 1983 by John M. Ford, which won a World Fantasy Award for Best Novel in 1984. The novel, along with much of Ford’s work, was in copyright limbo for years, which was only recently resolved. Neil Gaiman, a favorite author of mine, had written a glowing review of the work and he and others compared it positively to Game of Thrones, another book discussion pick, so I had high expectations going into the work. The group overall felt though the original characters were intriguing, to truly enjoy the story, a knowledge of the actual historic events the book was drawing from was necessary. We have two upcoming book discussions in September for the Science Fiction Book Discussion Group, one on Saturday, September 2 and another on Thursday, September 28.

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager

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A Captivating Narrative: Golden Son

9 Aug

Almost everyone has that one series they wish would be adapted into something. Be it film, anime, books, or video games, there’s something out there they know exists that would make for an excellent adaptation if placed in the right hands. The idea of us seeing that thing on screens big or small is something that excites us. 

One such series is the Red Rising saga by Pierce Brown.

Published in the 2010s (2014, 2015, and 2016 respectfully), the trilogy tells us the story of Darrow, a Heldiver and a Red, living underground on Mars where society has been classed based on eye and hair color (Golds, Silver, Bronzes, Reds, Pinks, etc), each one maintaining some genetic benefit or another. Each color has a ranking in the class system, with Golds being the highest and Reds being the lowest.

With book two, we find that things have drastically changed since we last saw Darrow. We find him two years after the events of book one, commanding a fleet alongside his friends, Roque and Tactus. They are participating in a test for the Academy and House of Mars, the final an almost easy win for Darrow.

It is a test that he fails spectacularly.

Now, he has new struggles to overcome and must be reminded of what it is that  he’s fighting for and why he has come so far. In Golden Son we meet new enemies and allies. We see just how deeply The Society’s control actually goes and the lies they’ve upheld for so long. 

With this premise in mind, Brown weaves for us a captivating narrative that draws us into this world and the new struggles that Darrow must overcome if he is to lead his rebellion against the Golds. The character narrative immediately pulls us in and holds a grip that refuses to let go. However, the key difference this time is that while there are some battles, this book is mostly a battle of politics within the world of The Society, but manages to make those battles as thrilling and intense as the ones from The Institute.

New characters also make an appearance, some quickly becoming fan favorites while others become fearsome enemies who present new threats to Darrow and his mission to take down the Golds who rule The Society with an iron fist.

Questions from book one are answered and new questions arise in book two, all of which lead to an ending that will make readers immediately reach for book three. If you are seeking a Roman inspired sci-fi read with a second book that doesn’t fall flat, then run to our library and pick up Golden Son at once. You can also read my post about book one here.

Written By:
Lauren Lapinski
Information and Digital Services Assistant

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