Upcoming Releases - Week of June 2nd

Here are the releases for the upcoming week of June 2 - June 8, 2014

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Books I'm looking forward to:

• Say What You Will by Cammie McGovern
• Prince of Fools by Mark Lawrence
• Say Her Name by James Dawson
• The Disappearance of Ember Crow by Ambelin Kwaymullina

Have so many books I need to catch up to from the last couple of weeks that the only one I'll probably end up reading is Prince of Fools. I'd like to read his other fantasy trilogy, The Broken Empire, first though.

What books are you looking forward to?

Unraveling: The Novice by Trudi Canavan

Title: The Novice

Series: The Black Magician Trilogy Book Two

Author: Trudi Canavan
Genre: YA High Fantasy

Publication Date: April 27, 2004

"Even if a magician's powers surface of their own accord, he will soon be dead if he does not gain the knowledge of how to control them." Alone among all the novices in the Magicians' Guild, only Sonea comes from lowly beginnings. Yet she has won powerful allies—including Lord Dannyl, newly promoted to Guild Ambassador. But Dannyl must now depart for the Elyne court, leaving Sonea at the mercy of the lies and malicious rumors her enemies are busy spreading . .. until the High Lord Akkarin steps in. The price of Akkarin's support is dear, however, because Sonea, in turn, must protect his mysteries—and a secret that could lead a young novice mage deep into the darkness. Meanwhile, Dannyl's first order to resume High Lord Akkarin's long-abandoned research into ancient magical knowledge is setting him on an extraordinary journey fraught with unanticipated peril—as he moves ever-closer to a future both wondrous... and terrible.

  

***

My Thoughts

There is something missing for me with these books. They are 'good' but not as engaging as I would like them to be, or more accurately I think they should have elicited more enthusiasm from me keeping in mind the subject matter. I love magic, and magic schools, and just fantasy in general, so I should have been giddy about these books. There is/was a serial killer on the loose, more problems for Sonea took place, Lorlen, Dannyl and Rothen encountered their own issues, and yet, it was kinds of blah.

I think it's the same problem as the last book. The pacing. Everything is just moving SO SLOWLY. The thing is I usually don't mind the slow pacing as long as it can keep my interest, but these books are cutting it close. Whenever I stopped reading I would keep putting off getting back to the book, but it just wasn't that interesting. Yes there were problems but I never felt that sense of urgency or danger. I don't know if this might be because I simply have never thought the High Lord to be the evil villain everyone keeps thinking he is, so I just don't see the danger. Sure their situation sucks but, that's it. Nothing more to it.

The last two chapters were the only ones that eliciyed any kind of emotion from me (excitement) cause we are FINALLY getting somewhere. After, what like 800 pages between both books, we are actually getting to the meet of the problem. I just think it was 400 pages too long at this point.

With that said I'll finish the trilogy because I it's a nice enough fantasy and I'd like to know Akkarin's secrets :)

So...

Would I Recommend it?

***

Other books in The Black Magician Trilogy:

1. The Mad Apprentice
2. The Magician's Apprentice
1. The Magician's Guild
2. The Novice
3. The High Lord

Unraveling: The Magician's Guild by Trudi Canavan

Title: The Magician's Guild

Series: The Black Magician Trilogy Book One

Author: Trudi Canavan
Genre: YA High Fantasy

Publication Date: January 27, 2004

"We should expect this young woman to be more powerful than our average novice, possibly even more powerful than the average magician."

This year, like every other, the magicians of Imardin gather to purge the city of undesirables. Cloaked in the protection of their sorcery, they move with no fear of the vagrants and miscreants who despise them and their work-—until one enraged girl, barely more than a child, hurls a stone at the hated invaders...and effortlessly penetrates their magical shield.

What the Magicians' Guild has long dreaded has finally come to pass. There is someone outside their ranks who possesses a raw power beyond imagining, an untrained mage who must be found and schooled before she destroys herself and her city with a force she cannot yet control.

  

***

My Thoughts

I had heard such good things about Canavan and The Black Magician Trilogy, so I don't know if it was my own build up or what but I just didn't find The Magician's Guild to be that great. It sure as well wasn't anywhere near bad, but it also wasn't amazing either.

The Magician's Guild had all the aspects needed to make a great fantasy book, except pacing and action. I felt like the whole book just dragged. I could have dropped it at any moment with no qualms. It was engaging while I was reading it but it would lose my attention at times.

If I look at is being just the set up to the story I would say it did a great job in setting it up, bringing in all the players and showing what's going to be the main conflict, but making this a whole novel of over 450+ pages? Way too long.

As far as the rest goes Canavan did a great job with the characters. I liked Sonea, her determination, quick mind, and smart thinking. Such a refresher when characters can actually think for themselves you know? We also have a wide array of side characters, some more important that other but all very well developed. On a side note, is it weird I want Sonea to somehow end up with Dannyl? I don't even know how old Dannyl is but they keep referring to him as young magician so...

The world building was also superb. We don't only get the history of Kyralia but also of the other mayor regions/kingdoms that make up this world plus some of the customs that go with each one.

As for the plot it was quite simple. Finding Sonea and getting her to join the Guild if possible. That was basically it, which is why I found the whole book dragging. I wanted more magic wielding more fighting more SOMETHING, but all we get a little teases here and there. So mean.

Ultimately for my tastes it was lacking in the tension/action category but all in all a solid start to the trilogy.

So...

Would I Recommend it?

***

Other books in The Black Magician Trilogy:

1. The Mad Apprentice
2. The Magician's Apprentice
1. The Magician's Guild
2. The Novice
3. The High Lord

Upcoming Releases - Week of May 26th

Here are the releases for the upcoming week of May 26 - June 1, 2014

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Thursday, May 29, 2014

Books I'm looking forward to:

• City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare
• Nihal of the Land of the Wind by Licia Troisi
• Allies & Assassins by Justin Somper
• Oblivion by Sandra Dawn
• Guy in Real Life by Steve Brezenoff
• One Man Guy by Michael Barakiva
• Guardian by Alex London

Quite the list this week o.o Hadn't realized there were so many I was interested in coming out all in one day basically. I'll wait till some friends read the others and hear their input before I finally decide to read them or not. CoHF and Guardian I will read for sure. Need to know how our Shadowhunters end up and what happens next to Syd.

What books are you looking forward to?