Tag Archives: fantasy

Found Family Fantasies: Bone Door and The Teller of Small Fortunes

12 May

The Bone Door
by Frances White
The Bone Door is a haunting new dark fantasy/horror novel about a boy who awakes with no memories of who he is and how he got to the mysterious labyrinth he is in. He picks up a found family of other youth as he tries to escape. This story was much darker than I originally expected and those who are sensitive to violence, especially against children, may find this book very intense. However, the violence is not simply gratuitous, but is used to look at themes of overcoming one’s prescribed destiny and situation of birth. Though the story is edgy, it overall brings with it a sense of hope that darkness, even the internal kind can be overcome. If you enjoy The Bone Door you can also check out Frances White’s debut, Voyage of the Damned.

The Teller of Small Fortunes
by Julie Leong
The Teller of Small Fortunes is a charming story about a lonely fortune teller and the found family of friends: an apprentice baker, a reformed thief, and a ex-mercenary looking for his daughter that she meets along her journey. In the story the fortune teller, Tao, is living in is a Fantasy World similar to our own; although it is given a different name in the story many of the details about the main characters birthplace seem similar to China; the author lived in Beijing as a teen. Those who themselves moved to another country in their youth and the children of immigrants will see themselves in Tao’s struggles with reconciling the two worlds she belongs to, that of her current home and the place and culture she was born into. The story also explores the importance of good friendships and ways to build bridges between estranged biological family members. This story will appeal to those who are fans of Legends and Lattes. If you enjoy The Teller of Small Fortunes, you can also check out Leong’s The Keeper of Magical Things.

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager

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New Fantasy Romance Duologies: The Geomagicians and This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me

31 Mar

The Geomagicians
by Jennifer Mandula
The Geomagicians is an intriguing debut novel by Jennifer Mandula. In the novel, Mary Anning isn’t any regular paleontologist, she is a geogmagician. In this historic fantasy world, magic can be stored and drawn from artifacts, the most powerful of which are fossils. Because of sexism she faces she struggles to support herself, even though she is responsible for many spectacular finds. Sometimes in period fantasies the prejudices at the time have been wiped away and though this can provide a sense of cozy escape to our current woes, it sometimes takes me out of the story to see something so far from what the reality would have been that the societal interactions seem less believable than the magic. I liked that this book actually explores how a woman during the era would have to overcome issues of prejudice and thus it makes her successes feel more earned. It also weaves in views on religion with magic in a very unique way. Mary Anning who the character was based on was a real life fossil collector in Lyme Regis who lived from 1799-1847; I think she would have been pleased with Mandula’s charming account. This story will appeal to those who enjoy rivals to romances and those looking for a unique new take on period Fantasy.

This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me
by Ilona Andrews
This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me is the intriguing new novel by Ilona Andrews. One day Maggie wakes up to find that she has been magically transported into Kair Toren, a city that she believed existed only in her favorite (but unfinished) fantasy series. Unfortunately for Maggie this fantasy world is not a cozy one, imagine being dropped into one of the city’s from Game of Thrones and its grimdark conniving politics. Maggie must use her knowledge from the books to make her way in the dangerous and yet magical world. I liked that Maggie is aware of portal fantasies and even mentions truck kun, the notorious delivery truck in isekai anime’s that sends so many unsuspecting teens to magical lands. Her self awareness adds another interesting element to the story. Learning about Kair Toren from the book makes this feel like a story within a story. This book will appeal to fans of The Magicians and those who have wondered what they would do if they were dropped in their favorite story. This is the first in a duology and after finishing this one which ends on a cliffhanger, I’m eagerly awaiting the sequel.

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager

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