Emily Tillema Book Reviewer: October 2011

Sheepfarmer's Daughter by Elizabeth Moon

The Deed of Paksenarrion: Book 1

Paksenarrion - Paks for short - is somebody special. She knows it, even if nobody else does yet. No way will she follow her father's orders to marry the pig farmer down the road. She's off to join the army, even if it means she can never see her family again.

And so her adventure begins... the adventure that transforms her into a hero remembered in songs, chosen by the gods to restore a lost ruler to his throne.

Here is her tale as she lived it.

The deed of Paksenarrion is one of my all time favourite series. Elizabeth Moon is well known for her science fiction series Serano Legacy and Vatta’s War, both which are some of my favourite science fiction novels. You know what... scratch the first statement; Elizabeth Moon is one of my all time favourite authors! However, as fantasy novels go, the Sheepfarmer’s Daughter is one of my favourite re-reads. The novel is based on the journey of a young woman Paksenarrion (or Paks for short) who wishes to escape from her farming family and the mundane life they have planned for, so she runs away and joins a mercenary troop. It is a bumpy journey as she learns military life and interactions, and eventually faces great hardship and conflict to become a warrior for the gods.

There is a lot of explanation on the mercenary way of life and training, but I personally feel this enhances the story, as it explains the beginning of the character Paks, and how she evolves into her later roles in the coming books. Paks is a pleasant, relatable character, who has a strong sense of right, and direction. If you like military fantasies, or heroic magical fantasies then this is the book for you. I cannot recommend it enough, and I believe once you read it you will be itching for the rest of the series!

Sheepfarmer's Daughter by Elizabeth Moon, Orbit Books ©1988, ISBN: 9781857236408

★★★★★

Lonely Werewolf Girl by Martin Miller

As teenage werewolf Kalix MacRinnalch is pursued through the streets of London by murderous hunters, her sister, the Werewolf Enchantress, is busy designing clothes for the Fire Queen. Meanwhile, in the Scottish Highlands, the MacRinnalch Clan is plotting and feuding after the head of the clan suddenly dies intestate. As the court intrigue threatens to explode in all-out civil war, the competing factions determine that Kalix is the swing vote necessary to assume leadership of the clan. Unfortunately, Kalix isn t really into clan politics - laudanum s more her thing. But what s even more unfortunate is that Kalix is the reason the head of the clan ended up dead, which is why she s now on the run in London...

What can I say about this book...? I really did not enjoy it. There is nothing too wrong with the plot; however the storyline does not really come to a fulfilling conclusion at the end. The story follows various characters within a completely dysfunctional werewolf clan which are all fighting for power, prestige, or in the main character’s case; to be left alone. The book is based around the main character, the ‘lonely werewolf girl’, Kalix, who is exiled from her family and on its hit list. She is a druggie hooked on laudanum, and from the sound of it, pretty much anorexic, who hooks up with some hippies who allow her to stay with them, and who then get pulled into the werewolf’s family politics.

My main problem was not so much the writing, although it is written in jerky style, you eventually get past that. I believe my main problem liking the book lay with the main character Kalix. I just did not find her an enjoyable character, or one that I could relate to in any way. I don’t approve of drugs, and I found that fact that she was a druggie a bit off-putting, having said that though, there are series where the main character is a druggie (like Unholy Ghosts by Stacia Kane) that I have found highly enjoyable. I found Kalix to be too vulnerable, violent, self-abusive, petulant and angry to relate easily too, and that put the whole book off for me, considering it is based mainly around her.

I normally love werewolf books, and I was so excited when reading the blurb, and was completely let down by an unfulfilled storyline and un-relatable main character. I would not recommend it as a good paranormal fiction, however sometimes you have to try things out for yourself. Let me know what you think?

★

Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder

Keep your head down. Don't get noticed. Or else. I'm Trella. I'm a scrub. A nobody. One of thousands who work the lower levels, keeping Inside clean for the Uppers. I've got one friend, do my job and try to avoid the Pop Cops. So what if I occasionally use the pipes to sneak around the Upper levels? The only neck at risk is my own. Until I accidentally start a rebellion, fall in love with an Upper and become the go-to girl to lead a revolution.

I first started reading Maria V. Snyder with her study series, which I loved. I then continued excitedly to her Glass series which I loved even more, her characters and world she created were so exciting and fantastical. So I was excited and intrigued when I came across her new Inside series, which, as a science fiction book is much different to the series and world I fell in love with.

This book is a young adult, which adults and young could read alike. The story is based on characters that have been living Inside for thousands of weeks, where people have been separated into two different class levels, one of workers (lowers) and one of rulers (uppers), where the lowers are subjugated to the rule and punishment of the uppers, and the population is controlled. Why they are Inside is unknown, why they are separated into classes in unknown, and one scrub, Trella sets to find out why.

There is something about Maria V. Snyder’s writing I am always going to enjoy. She makes her characters strong, enjoyable and relatable. I can’t say that I love it more than her Glass series, but I still did highly enjoy it. The dystopian setting creates an interesting and complex world that the reader will love exploring, and there are plot twists you won’t see coming. If you like science fiction, interesting characters and interesting plot, or even if you have read Maria V. Snyder’s other series and enjoyed them, then I recommend picking up this series, you will find it satisfying.

★★★★

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

The Millenium Trilogy; Book 1

Forty years ago, Harriet Vanger disappeared from a family gathering on the island owned and inhabited by the powerful Vanger clan. Her body was never found, yet her uncle is convinced it was murder - and that the killer is a member of his own tightly knit but dysfunctional family. He employs disgraced financial journalist Mikael Blomkvist and the tattooed, truculent computer hacker Lisbeth Salander to investigate. When the pair link Harriet's disappearance to a number of grotesque murders from forty years ago, they begin to unravel a dark and appalling family history. But the Vangers are a secretive clan, and Blomkvist and Salander are about to find out just how far they are prepared to go to protect themselves.

I once again watched the movies before I read the books, and I am glad that I did, as I enjoyed the movies, but I would have picked them to pieces if I had read the books first. May I just say; if you have seen the movies, and thought they were not too bad, then you need to pick up The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and the rest of the Millennium trilogy, as they FAR surpass the movies. Now I know that this is not a fantasy of science fiction book, but I will occasionally post reviews on general fiction books if I believe that they are worth the time, and are worth people branching out from the preferred genres, and this is most definitely one of those books worth branching out for.

These books are highly addictive, fast-paced and riveting. The first book introduces us to the main character Lizbeth Salander, and is a little slower paced then the next two, as it introduces the plot and characters and how they tie together, but the next two explode into action and keep you on your toes as you race through the mysteries and plots revealed. If you have seen the movies and found Lizbeth’s character hard to understand or relate to, then I think that understanding to some extent can be found within the books, as the character is much more approachable, more explored and better explained. There are also quite large differences in how characters are portrayed within the book as compared to the movie, most largely apparent in Mikael Blomkvist and Lisbeth Salander.

If you like mysteries, stories of intrigue, deceit, strong, colourful characters and well put tother plots then you will enjoy the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and the Millennium Trilogy. Don’t put it off like I did, get out there, borrow a book from a library or friend, sit down, strap in, and prepare to be blown away.

★★★★ For the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
★★★★★ For The Girl who Played with Fire & the Girl who Kicked the Hornets' Nest

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

The first volume in the Song of Fire and Ice series.

In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the North of Winterfell, sinister and supernatural forces are massing beyond the kingdoms protective Wall. At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh an unyielding as the land they were born to. Amid plots and counterplots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, the fate of the Starks, their allies, and their enemies hangs perilously in the balance, as each endeavours to win the deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones.

It was only after watching the first season of Game of Thrones that I began to read this series, and can I just say, I have never seen anything, ANYTHING that has stuck so closely to a book before. The rule usually goes the books are always better, in this case the book is on almost on par with the series (meaning they are both AMAZING), but as always, the book just has that little bit more.

The books are incredibly well-written and largely focused on the characters, which are so rich and full of life you immediately have your favourites, and the ones you hate, and boy will you hate! Each chapter is dedicated to a different character that each focus on their own battles, but all based around intrigue and plots for one throne, and all essentially tie together. My only problem with this setup, is that as soon as I established a bond with my favourite characters I was tempted to skip through other characters storylines just to get to my favourite (which I didn’t as I would have missed out on essential storylines), but it is tempting!

As the saying goes; “Winter is coming”, and boy will you want winter to come, so you can snuggle down with these gigantic tomes and work your way through this epic tale. The series currently consists of five novels of which I have read all of, and highly recommend to all. If you love the books then check out the tv series and vice versa, don’t let the fact that there are still two books and however many episodes to come stop you, you will be missing out!

Working Stiff by Rachel Caine

Bryn Davis knows working at Fairview Mortuary isn't the most glamorous career choice, but at least it offers stable employment - until she discovers her bosses using a drug that resurrects the clientele...as part of an exortion racket. Now Bryn faces being terminated (literally) wit extreme prejudice.

With the assistance of corporate double agen Patrick McCallister, Bryn has a chance to take down the bigger problem - pharmaceutical company Pharmadene, which treats death as the ultimate corporate loyalty program. She'd better do it fast before she becomes a zombie slave - a real working stiff.

She'd be better off dead...

I really enjoyed Rachel Caine’s Outcast Season and The Morganville Vampires series, which are different takes on the general vampire books you find, as well as a series about genies (come on, how awesome!). So I was really interested when I read the blurb of her new book ‘Working Stiff’, as it sounded like a totally different take on the zombie fiction that you can find.

And it is, the whole concept and story is quite unique. It is set in modern times, and the main character Bryn is a former Iraq serving military member, whom comfortable around death, goes to work for a funeral home. She finds her new employer entangled in hidden sinister works, which leads to her death, and re-awakening as a zombie. This alive state is only kept by a drug; Returne, which she needs shots each day, but unfortunately the supply hinges on her being useful to the makers of Returne. ..

The scenario’s presented within this book feel so realistic, you could actually believe this happening, and the character Bryn is a good, strong heroine who you can relate to in her vulnerabilities and strengths. I was engrossed in the storyline and characters from beginning to end, and of course the added hint of romance with a sexy character always keeps a story interesting! If you like, action, suspense and mystery, with a hint of romance (and of course zombies!) then you will enjoy this book. But please, if you are a mad scientist, don’t go getting any ideas now!