This is a sad, sad tale indeed. A sighting of a UFO in a small rural village incurs a thorough investigation from a team of officials from Beijing. This incursion brings about a gradual but catastrophic series of events that leads to a community all but vanishing in identity as it becomes influenced by contemporary blandness. There is hope and black comedy installed into the writing itself, but the hope is for a better life in the city, not for the triumph of a vanishing community.
A very interesting novel, one that can easily be read in one sitting. Xiaolu Guo uses interviews with the members of the village of Silver Hill to tell her story, giving you peripheral vision of the story itself. I was not keen on the idea behind this and didn't see how the technique could be maintained throughout. However, it works, and the style itself is perhaps a comment on the voice of the population of Silver Hill, that it is only vocalised through others, and that it has been reduced to a piece of paper locked away in a file in the basement of some nondescript government building. There is certainly the implication that these people don't matter enough to speak for themselves.
I am making this sound far too depressing, but in many ways this is a sad tale and should be treated as such at the right points. But there is light at the end of the tunnel, a blossoming romance dispels some of the sadness and the warm, yet dark, humour with which the novel is told overshadows some of the misery. There is some brilliant wit injected into the words of the villagers, and the progress of the plain Kwok Yun as a character is just delightful. Kwok Yun is the lucky character that originally spots the UFO and is thought of by her peers as an unintelligent woman with no chance of marriage, yet sometimes she seems like the most intelligent one of the lot. Kwok's simplicity and innocence draws the reader in, it allows her story to perhaps be the little glimmer of hope, as she finds love and moves on from Silver Hill.
Now, that darn UFO. This is the catalyst that pulls Silver Hill into the abyss and as such is an easy metaphor to identify. This is an invasion, not of the alien variety, but of the modern life mentality. Chief Chang's plans to change her village into a place for visitors begins with the sighting of the UFO, the phone calls start and she decides to plan a new future for her and the people of the village. This future is one that sees nearly every villager lose their place. Supermarkets, apartment blocks and tarmac take over and the beauty and tradition of rural China dwindles. What is so sad about this is that the Chief forgets the needs of her people even if she sees the changes as being positive to their wealth and their place in the world. She has their best interests at heart but never actually consults with them. The talk of Mao might imply that this is in some way the role the Chief assumes, one that is steeped in a desire to be better without considering consequence.
I am not the most knowledgeable person concerning China's modern history, but this novel certainly made me think about it and perhaps with a bit more context on my behalf I would have gotten a bit more enjoyment out of it. That said, this was a good read, just the right amount of quirky and clever to keep you reading through to the end. Worth reading if you want to try something a little different and especially worth reading if you know more about China's history than I do!
Sexy black proof copy on the table in the staff room, yes please. There seems to be an abundance of titles at the moment that have been released with the word Pure in the title, probably best not to confuse them all as the Orange Prize winner by Andrew Miller is very, very different from this grim apocalypse laid out by Julianna Baggott. This novel is likely to be referred to as a "Hunger Games" for adults, but I don't think that does it justice. This is a cleverly written dystopia novel that echoes elements of Justin Cronin's "The Passage" and even Stephen King's "The Stand". I am not saying she matches the rather legendary talent of Mr. King, but I feel it is more appropriate to compare this novel to his work than it is to compare it to "The Hunger Games". In saying that however, this would be a brilliant novel to move onto after Suzanne Collins' masterpieces as it is certainly of the same genre and would be a good branch between Teen and Adult Fiction.
We are thrown mercilessly into the world of Pressia, a survivor of The Detonations, a series of bombs set off in America that genetically mutated or killed anything outside of a safe haven known simply as 'The Dome'. Pressia must create small trinkets to earn food for herself and her Grandfather, in order to survive the barren and dangerous wasteland left behind by the bombs. Everyone is mutated in some way, mostly by being fused to objects or other living beings. Pressia wields a doll's head as a fist, fused to her wrist and her Grandfather wheezes through a handheld fan lodged in his throat. This broken community lives in the shadow of 'The Dome', a place where a select few breathe clean air and are known as 'Pures'. No one can get into or out of the Dome, or so both populations are led to believe. Pressia's life is changed forever when she helps a young man escape death in an alley by the hands of thugs as she soon realises that he is a Pure, escaped from the Dome and is on a mission to find someone. A mission that will take Pressia deep into the heart of corrupt leadership and connections to her own identity she thought all but lost.
This is truly a carnival of the weird, a collection of broken, mutated individuals, whose strength in survival is a testament to their endurance. Baggott creates such vivid imagery, the characters we encounter leap from the pages and burn their identities into you retinas. So brilliant and so unusual, I was almost expecting the descriptive imagery of the novel to somehow damage the integrity of the narrative. I was so very wrong. Every little detail and every little happening is integral to the story, everything has a role to play. Prior to picking this up I did go through a few reviews online, and one stood out as saying that it seemed as if there are too many unessential stories in the plot itself. I can only assume the person that wrote the review never finished the novel itself, because they couldn't be more wrong. This is crafted almost to perfection, nothing stood out as unfinished, and in spite of this being the first in a series it ends well, the quest to find Partridge's mother comes to a conclusion and it is through this quest that more questions are raised and are unanswered. So really, this leads well into what will be the second novel.
The narrative itself is told in chapters headed by Pressia, Partridge (the escaped Pure) and Lyda (left inside the Dome), there is also one chapter headed as El Capitan. This approach gives the reader a much more rounded view of each of the characters and of the lives they lead. Pressia's chapters were my favourite, probably because she is the character with the most depth and the most courage. The blossoming and fraught story of love between Pressia and Bradwell (a boy with live birds fused, flapping in his back) is just beautiful.
Baggott works with a lot of themes in the novel, family, loss, identity and even religion. In the opening pages the week following the Detonations is set out for us as flyers are dropped from the sky, into the arms of those left outside the Dome.
"We know you are here, our brothers and sisters.
We will, one day, emerge from the Dome to join you in peace.
For now, we watch from afar, benevolently."
Those inside the Dome have assumed the role of a deity, creators that control the fortune of those within and without the boundaries of their safe haven. I think we all know what happens when individuals adopt the role of God, it never ends well for them. This is certainly the case for the man in charge of the Dome. More and more of the cracks beneath the surface emerge as the narrative goes on and we are exposed to his role in the horrific Detonations and to his own desperation. This is a brilliant warning, and one that fits well into this apocalyptic future.
As with any good fantasy, there are of course some startling revelations and twists but it would certainly ruin the story if I were to reveal them in this review. You can see some of these coming and the narrative allows you to second guess yourself a lot, this novel was just great fun to read.
Another part of it that I loved was the description of the landscape outside the Dome, ripped apart by the brutal detonations. Everything is covered with ash, an ash that whips up storms and fills peoples lungs. The landscape itself is also full of danger as there are living beings that have fused to the very ground itself, Dusts that prey on anything that moves. These monsters are brilliant and make more than one appearance in the novel. The attack by a swarm of Dust mice is particularly memorable. So bleak and so barren, it conjures up some amazing visuals as you read. It is not just the Dusts that pose a threat, there are also death marches by an insurgent group called the OSR that also steal away children as soon as they turn sixteen. Such a dangerous world to be a part of, yet somehow there are those that survive.
I could go on and on about the different oddities that surface in the novel, but I would be here all day and it is probably best for the reader to stumble upon these treasures themselves. Basically, you should read this, it is absolutely fantastic and I can't wait until the next one comes out!
Hunger Games + Death of Grass = An uncontrollable thirst for teen dystopia novels
I have been rooting though my rather large collection of reading copies lying about in the flat and have tracked down all of the ones that squeeze nicely into the Dystopia theme, and Starters by new author, Lissa Price, was on the top of the ever increasing pile. An eye catching book with a beautifully rendered sketch on the front of a girl with mismatched eye colours, I knew nothing of the book or the author and I do so love surprises.
Starters is set in a future a healthy distance away from the present, with holo technology saturating the human landscape and a world dealing with the aftermath of biological warfare. The Starters are essentially children, and Enders are of an older generation, capable of living past the 200 years mark. Anyone in between perished during the conflict as a result of an infection spread by spores, lending to the name of the war as the Spore Wars. Callie is a Starter, and one without any legal guardian, with both parents dead she must squat in abandoned buildings with her younger brother Tyler in order to survive, all the while trying to avoid getting shipped out to the Institution, a place for any unclaimed Starters and a place where you would never want to end up. In order to provide a better life for herself and her brother, Callie makes the difficult decision to offer her body up for use to Prime Destinations, a company that 'rents' the bodies of Starters out to wealthy, thrill seeking Enders. But nothing is ever that simple, and on her final contracted job Callie is inhabited by an Ender with a plan, a plan to expose Prime Destinations for what it really is and someone who is willing to kill to get her own way.
This was an excellent exploration of humanity, and such an awesome way of stretching and testing the relationships between the very young and the very old. Callie's characterisation is strong and really becomes the driving force for this fast paced, inventive narrative. I am by no means saying I have not come across similar concepts before, I mean I loved the TV series "Dollhouse" which deals with similar ideas for a more adult and cult TV based audience. However, Callie is a very fresh and interesting character, one with which the reader can easy empathise as she takes on the role of being a parent as well as a loving sister. Her decisions are almost all based on her being able to offer Tyler something more than the life they now lead, trying to take back some of the life they once had. She is an admirable girl whose deepest emotions and fears are laid bare for us to devour in very much the same way as her body is used as a holiday in the novel.
Set amongst the action, the thrills and the epic plot twists we are also treated to some romance, not too much, but just enough to get you rooting for Callie to steal a kiss with the wealthy and incredibly handsome Blake. Not forgetting that there is the implication of a blossoming love triangle. Even this element of the plot is not what it seems, and I just love how Price makes every little detail matter, every interaction and every memory, even down to the tiny detail of a photograph taken on a mobile phone that becomes an important key in the relationship between Callie and Blake. It is this wonderful grasp of plot and character that makes this such an engaging read.
Starters is a hard book to ramble about without giving too much away of the plot, it is a novel that is much more fun to be surprised by as a reader rather than approached with an intimate knowledge of it's key players. So I shall cease my rambling, to a point.
This is beautifully written, poignant read for the "Hunger Games" generation of teens (and adults) that challenges our very notion of what it is that makes you who you are. Deliciously sinister and packed full of promise for further instalments in the the series. Starters does end well, and you are not left with too many loose ends, just the right amount to make you want to read on in the follow up novel "Enders" which I believe is due out next year (2013). I loved this novel and I always enjoy a quick read, you can't go wrong with something like this, it has a little bit of something for everyone....unless you detest science fiction, in which case, go pick up a Mills and Boon novel or read some Jane Austen. This one gets a massive thumbs up from me and I will be sharing it amongst my friends just to see if they agree.
I had never heard of John Christopher and in turn, of course, I had never heard of his most famous novel "The Death of Grass". I am rather thankful for our lovely library here in Chichester as this skinny little book looked the perfect size for a short read and the blurb on the back grabbed me right away. I will warn you, this is not a happy book, it is by all accounts brilliant, however it is one of the bleakest books I have ever had the pleasure to read.
*****BEWARE SPOILER ALERT*****
A deadly virus wipes out all types of grass, including crops, as it sweeps through Asia. Horror stories of piles of bodies and cannibalism filter through to the media in the United Kingdom, but no one is really worried because the Government tell them they have a plan. They have an anti virus that will wipe out the Chung-Li virus before it lays any further waste to civilisation. The Government......are lying. The Chung-Li virus makes it's way to every corner of the globe and slowly depletes the landscape of it's life giving grasses. John Custance sets out from London with his family and gathers companions along the way as he plans to reach the sanctuary of his brother's farm in the formidable valley of Blind Gill. The group must face tough decisions and brutality along the way as humanity reverts to it's rawest form of survival instincts and morality all but vanishes from its embrace.
The exploration of societal breakdown here is terrifying. The swiftness with which people resort to barbarism to save themselves, to survive, is truly harrowing. Even with John and his group's first leg of the journey we see them taken to the extreme of shooting their way through manned roadblocks, killing those that are trying to keep them confined in the doomed metropolis of London. From the very start of the narrative is is clear that authority loses it's function, it is no longer of any importance. The Government makes plans to drop hydrogen bombs on the largest settlements in England in order to kill enough people to make food supplies stretch that much further. It is this final revelation that pushes society to the brink, people start to riot, they start to kill and it all becomes a case of the survival of the fittest. This really is a world you would not like to set foot into, but is it one that could become our own future? This is certainly the question Christopher is trying to raise here, a grave portent of things to come.
The journey that John takes is as much a metaphorical one as it is a physical one. His experiences of brutality, rape, theft and life threatening situations build a big change in character as the narrative progresses. He starts as a father and a loving husband and ultimately becomes a tribal leader, someone who must make hard, cutting decisions about life or death and about the usefulness of his followers. Even his own family begin to fear him. The biggest turning point for John is when he allows Pirrie, a vicious pit bull of a man, to execute his own adulterous spouse, a woman hell bent on sleeping her way to the top of the food chain. She makes the fatal error of making a pass at John and Pirrie sees it as his right to finally do away with the wife that has wronged him for so many years. It is this allowance that turns the dynamic of John's group, his tribe, into something altogether more sinister and Pierrie's role as somewhat of a lieutenant becomes set in stone. John knows he needs this crazy rifle wielding psycho for his skills with a gun, and his tactical approach to defence and attack. Even when Pirrie asserts his right to take a new wife, a young girl still captured in the throes of childhood, John allows him this right, against the behest of his own wife. The old order of morality slowly becomes lost, and barbarism rises it's ugly head to the surface.
I found it truly fascinating that the loss of one type of plant could cause such devastation and would love to investigate further as to the validity of the claims made in the narrative. Something as simple as the disappearance of grass snowballing out of control as the livestock that feeds on it dies, and in turn human food sources dwindle. Regardless of the possibility of this, the idea in itself is inspired and gave birth to the apocalypse of this narrative. It really is amazing what we take for granted, just imagine a world with no green fields, no crops, I am sure it would be remarkably barren and not at all easy on the eye (not to mention of course the famine that would rip through the land).
Having been written in the 1950's, during the tense era of the Cold War, it is no surprise that Christopher has leant towards the dramatic theme of apocalypse. This particular apocalyptic vision is disturbing because we become our own downfall, we let go of the things that hold a society together and lose ourselves along the way. England becomes a war zone, destroyed and made perilous by it's own citizens. If this is not a warning worth heeding I don't know what is.
Maybe even more poignant now than it was when it was first released, "The Death of Grass" is a brilliantly written novel that allows us to investigate, to ask questions about and to fear the coming of an unexpected threat. Easy to read, yet still written with skill and pace, this is the perfect novel for fans of H.G. Wells and even fans of J.G. Ballard's "Drowned World". There is so much one could write about the themes, the tense relationships and the rapid progression of barbarism but it would take me hours and hours to write a piece worthy of this narrative, and some serious rereading of course.
This is a novel that should be considered by a wider audience as a modern classic and I am so glad that Penguin Modern Classics have brought this almost lost masterpiece back into print. An amazing, albeit incredibly bleak, read.
Oh and just a warning, there was a film adaptation made of this novel titled "No Blade of Grass", don't bother with it, even the author couldn't sit through more than a couple of minutes of it as it was a heap of crap. Read the book, don't ever, ever watch the film!
Although....the rather epic film poster did make me giggle, epic taglines...."No room the run. No Place to hide". I can see why John Christopher was not best impressed. He imparted a bold and important message, and the film makers seemed to fail in capturing the same feeling. Shocker!
An irresistible purchase, believe me you can't go too far wrong for 99p and it piqued my curiosity, who isn't tempted by the musings of a guy that has immersed himself in the world of ghostly goings on? Well, uber sceptics wouldn't read this I must admit, but I loved the idea of it and have previously heard good things about it from colleagues at work. I will admit I have absolutely no idea who Will Storr is and this is his only book, but, anyone who is willing to sit in a supposedly haunted house for hours on end has my respect. Because, whether you believe in this stuff or not, that's some scary shit right there.
This is a journalistic foray into the world of spirits and ghosts as Storr interviews a plethora of different types of people involved with the exploration, or debunking, of ghostly goings on. Storr also goes into the history of ghostly experiences, the different types of hauntings and some notable events. It is as much an expose as it is a journey for Storr as he battles with his own experiences and opinions over the course of the book. He spends nights in famous haunted houses, holds seances, experiences EVP (electronic voice phenomena) and gets exorcised by a high ranking Vatican exorcist, along with some other decidedly random experiences.
First of all, Will Storr sets out as a sceptic in these endeavours, however, he is quite possibly one of the most unconvincing sceptics I have ever encountered. Storr seems incredibly ready to believe in the things that happen around him in his first vigil with a demonologist in the States, he doesn't just dismiss everything that happens around him with rational explanations. So as far as his stance is concerned I was rather unconvinced, other than that this is a fantastic book. Storr's level of belief peaks and troughs throughout the book as he experiences the truly unexplained and also experiences the frauds, the believers that believe wholeheartedly in their abilities, yet they are clearly leading themselves along a strange and unconvincing path.
The best thing about this piece of work is that is doesn't answer any questions, it just raises further ones. I love this because it inspires you to delve deeper, to ask questions yourself. It certainly has raised some interesting discussions in my household and I think that is what makes a good piece of journalism, it creates a thirst for knowledge and understanding. Storr's extensive research into philosophy, mental illness and science add new levels to the subject of ghosts and the afterlife. I was particularly interested in his basic summary of string theory, how the frontier sciences may end up revealing more about our world than we have ever really known. You can't fault Storr for his thirst for knowledge and his commitment to the research of this work.
Storr is very careful throughout not to ridicule any of his interviewees openly and, to be honest, the real kooks end up ridiculing themselves far too easily. Storr's encounter with a group of mediums is really just laughable as they talk utter rubbish to him, guessing at the identity of a spirit that apparently wishes to communicate with him. The best part was his revelation about the set of Most Haunted, it was an episode I have actually watched, the scripted nature of Derek Acorah's happenings and the utter bullshit they claim to have seen off camera.
Not everything in the book verges on the ridiculous. Storr does encounter some very odd goings on that make you shiver when you read his accounts, and as he himself points out, some of the people he encounters are incredibly rational. It will have you looking for ominous black shadows every night before you go to sleep, it is very, very creepy in places. I even went so far to check out some of the references made to haunted places and exorcisms online, and the details of these cases did not help me sleep at night. I don't recommend you Google EVP, it's doesn't make for a pleasant listening experience, real or not.
Although this book does not answer any of the big questions about ghosts it is still a fantastic read, perfect for anyone who has any level of interest in the subject. It is made all the easier to read due to Storr's delightful humour and wit throughout, and the level of personal interest he bestows to his work. It is hilarious in places and terrifying in others. Expect to spend a lot of time thinking about the subject long after you have finished the book, and it is a piece of work you will find yourself revisiting.
Completely outside of my comfort zone and my first real foray into the espionage genre, and what a place to begin. No one can deny that this is one of Britain's more famous fictional characters and thanks to a massive fan base I am pretty sure there are very few people you will encounter that have not heard of James Bond. I fancied something a bit different and I certainly got that. I have obviously seen a lot of the rather cheesy Bond movies and I have also watched Casino Royale, which was by far my favourite of the franchise (and not just because of Daniel Craig being cast into the lead role). I loved the raw, somewhat harsher Bond that Royale brought to the table, and as it turns out, this is a Bond we see in the novel as well.
As I am sure most of you are aware, this is the first of Fleming's novels about the famous James Bond. Our introduction to Bond thrusts us into his world of indulgence and risk as he takes on the sinister Russian operative known as 'Le Chiffre'. Bond's mission is to drive him to ruin at the baccarat table, forcing his employers to retire him for his lack of funding. But of course, no one really plays fair and Bond must face his own confusing emotions over a dangerous female agent alongside the terrifying consequences of pushing 'Le Chiffre' too far. We learn about what it takes to become a double 'O' as well and we get our first glimpses of 'M' Bond's elusive boss.
Now, we all know Bond from the films as a charming, ruthless spy with some cringe worthy one-liners and a penchant for martini (shaken not stirred). The Bond in this novel is not what you would expect if you have only seen the films. He is a cruel, cold man that drinks to excess, smokes far too much and has a huge love of gambling, not to mention of course his misogynistic thoughts about women. Yep, that's right folks, the guy hates women and he cannot cope with the idea of having to work with one as his thoughts drift to unprofessional behaviour and weakness. In spite of this Bond is of course a brilliantly drawn character that you can't help wanting to follow through the novel, his drive to focus on the job at hand coupled with his vices gives us a more believable characterisation of a human being, this is not someone who is perfect, and I liked this. I also can't fault him for his love of vodka, a good choice in my opinion.
As for the narrative, just brilliant. It's easy to follow whilst somehow remaining complex, as I am sure all good spy novels need to be. It is also surprising, it's unpredictable, I was open mouthed when the two guys with bombs end up blowing themselves up in a botch job on Bond's life. Flemming's description of said explosion is harrowing, even down to the detail of "an obscene smell of high explosive, of burning wood, and of, yes, that was it-roast mutton." Gory stuff and a definite extreme of attention to detail. I did not expect this from the novel at all so was still in a state of surprise when Bond gets tortured to the brink of insanity or death, whichever got to him first. Incredibly gripping writing.
Perhaps the most dangerous part of the novel was Flemming's description of the game at hand, baccarat. It is not the boring, tiresome explanation I was expecting (I had been forewarned). Let's just say I now want to high tail it off to some fancy casino and play baccarat until I pass out from sleep deprivation or alcohol consumption, whichever hits me first. The description is looped into Bond's playing of the game itself, and it's just brilliant.
It is said that Flemming wrote much of his own personality into Bond's character, and having browsed over his biography online I can well believe that. Flemming was a talented writer but must have been a formidable man and it is sad that he only lived long enough to see two of his novels adapted for the silver screen. It is safe to say he managed to create one of the most talked about and loved franchises of both British cinema and literature. You can now add me to the list of fans, I thought this novel was a fantastic read and will be recommending it to anyone that has not yet picked up one of Flemming's novels (and 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' does not count). I have already picked up a copy of Moonraker to delve further into the world of James Bond.
It is worth pointing out that if you are expecting the novel to be 'exactly' like the film, well, it ain't. Both formats are highly worth indulging in for their own merits, so go get your Bond on.
If a book turns up in the post with a dragon on it there is a very likely chance I am going to read it. Not only did Wyrmeweald boast a rather beautifully drawn white dragon on the front cover but it is also shiny, impossible to resist in other words. Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell are a duo that are not to be trifled with, they have shared a great deal of success with past ventures in the kid's market and it is rather nice to see them venturing forth into the Teenage market with a darker, more adult, fantasy novel. Now let's be honest here, there was absolutely no chance that I was going to dislike this novel and this was obviously the case, I loved every second of it.
BEWARE, I have included some spoilers in this review.
Wyrmeweald sets the scene in a fantasy world rife with dragons, travellers and epic, unforgiving landscapes. Micah leaves home to search for his own helping of Returner's Wealth, said to be abundant in the Wyrmeweald, a dangerous and barren place filled with cut throat pioneers and a whole host of dragons just waiting to make the most out of another lost and naive adventurer. As expected Micah's time in the weald is nothing but dangerous, exciting and a steep learning curve as he encounters a whole host of wonderfully drawn characters. After a rather unfortunate incident on the wrong end of a Wyrmekin's lance Micah is introduced to Eli, a man who will become his guide and who is full of surprises about the Weald. Eli is a man of secrets and honour, a rare find. An troubling incident with a dragon's egg results in another addition to this unlikely pair of travellers in the form of Thrace, a Wyrmekin. The trio must work together to overcome their obvious differences and act out a revenge most foul on those that have wronged them and the careful balance of the world of the Weald. Micah must make his own decisions about the influences that surround him and whether or not to respect the dragons of the Weald or to exploit them to earn his wealth.
This is such a wonderful novel about overcoming difference, and is essentially a coming of age novel for Micah (if you can say that about a fantasy novel). Micah's character is so gentle yet strong of spirit that you can't help but be drawn to him and empathise with the losses and gains that he endures in the novel. The budding romance between himself and Thrace is enticing and complicated, and one that you want so badly to bloom in spite of their obvious differences. It is not only Micah's characterisation that is strong, all of the characters you encounter are so intricately woven that they seem real, there are multiple levels to each of them. You will find no one dimensional characters in this novel.
There are just dragons absolutely everywhere in the book, in the landscapes, in the skies, in gatherer's luggage. The people of the Weald live off of hunting or scavenging from dragons, this is how they obtain the coveted Returner's Wealth which is the element that drives Micah into the wilds in the first place. The notion of this is so interesting, and of course indulgent of you are as much of a fan of dragons as I am. The creative genius of these two is utterly overwhelming, and I love it, right down to the stunted blind Wyrme on a rope.
It is not just the story that will grip you, it's the style in which the novel is written. At the beginning the location and time changes from chapter to chapter to build the foundations of the story, and this is done incredibly well. These individual stories gradually merge as all of the parties involved encounter one another within the narrative, every little detail is important, there is no padding whatsoever in the telling. For example, Micah's encounter in a cave as he begins his journey becomes all the more relevant at the conclusion of the novel, the danger he initially faced becoming all the more clear. There are characters like this too, not just locations, Ichabod the Preacher's harsh madness is explained by the time you finish reading and it invokes a great sadness as you realise he is as much a victim as those he tricks on his travels.
This is yet another wonderful addition to the legacy that is Stewart and Riddell and works well as a standalone although it is the first of a series. If you have never read anything by them this is as good a place as any to start and there might be a chance you won't be able to stop. It is brilliant to read something a bit darker, a bit more vicious and all the more tender for it in places, I can't wait for the next one in the series. Maybe they will take a step further after this and explode onto the adult fantasy market as Wyrmeweald really isn't too far off in my opinion. This is a great read for anyone who enjoys a good fantasy, especially if you are after a lighter, quicker read than something as epic as George R. R. Martin or Stephen Donaldson. This is a fantasy world you will love.
Wyrmeweald: Returner's Wealth is out now in paperback with the follow up Bloodhoney just out in hardback.
I am making this sound far too depressing, but in many ways this is a sad tale and should be treated as such at the right points. But there is light at the end of the tunnel, a blossoming romance dispels some of the sadness and the warm, yet dark, humour with which the novel is told overshadows some of the misery. There is some brilliant wit injected into the words of the villagers, and the progress of the plain Kwok Yun as a character is just delightful. Kwok Yun is the lucky character that originally spots the UFO and is thought of by her peers as an unintelligent woman with no chance of marriage, yet sometimes she seems like the most intelligent one of the lot. Kwok's simplicity and innocence draws the reader in, it allows her story to perhaps be the little glimmer of hope, as she finds love and moves on from Silver Hill.
