Grasping for the Wind

Book Review: The Somnambulist by Jonathan Barnes

* Genre: Urban Fantasy, Mystery
* ISBN: 0061375381
* ISBN-13: 9780061375385
* Format: Hardcover, 368pp
* Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
* Pub. Date: February 05, 2008

"Be warned. This book has no literary merit whatsoever. It is a lurid piece of nonsense, convoluted, implausible, peopled by unconvincing characters, written in drearily pedestrian prose, frequently ridiculous and willfully bizarre. Needless to say, I doubt you'll believe a word of it."

Any novel that warns you, up front and without any real apology, that it will be a bad a piece of fiction, certainly piques my interest. In The Somnambulist, Jonathan Barnes does just that. Told entirely as a history from a witness to the proceedings, this novel, while unoriginal, was still fun to read.

Those moviegoers who saw The Illusionist or The Prestige (also a book by Christopher Priest) will be delighted with Barnes’ tale. The chief character is Edward Moon, a magician and conjurer whose sidekick is the mute and amazingly impervious Somnambulist. Like the characters in those movies, Moon has a gift for observation, a skill that in Victorian London gives provides him with the diversion of amateur detecting. His methods are similar to those of his contemporary Sherlock Holmes, although Barnes does not write of them in any detail. When two brutal murders occur that seem unexplainable by Scotland Yard, Moon is brought in to help solve them. In the meantime, the Directorate, represented chiefly by the albino, Skimpole, wants to have Moon work on a separate case that the Directorate believes means that the city of London’s survival itself is at stake. Moon is convinced that the two cases are connected and sets out to discover the truth, along the way meeting the stranger characters of Victorian London such as a bearded lady, a man traveling backward in time, a famous poet, and a human fly.

What Barnes has done with his novel is not truly original. Like Christopher Priest’s The Prestige and The Illusionist starring Edward Norton and Jessica Biel, Barnes novel is a gothic Victorian tale centered on the character of a magician. Also copying Neil Gaiman’s novel and miniseries Neverwhere, The Somnambulist uses the characters of London’s history (Gog and Magog, Lud) as part of the warp and weft of the story. He even goes so far as to introduce a pair of murderers that are very nearly carbon copies of Gaiman’s Mr. Croup and Mr. Vandemaar. This will make the novel appeal to fans of those books and movies certainly, but it makes me wonder at Barnes ethics.

Still, the novel is very fun to read. The story is fast pace and exciting. The identity of the villain is not revealed till late in the book and I must confess, I was surprised at who it was, although it should have been obvious. This is a mark of a good mystery. The scenes are varied and interesting, but not always well-connected. The ideology of the villain is fantastic and humorous. It provides a few chuckles through the narrator’s sardonic wit.

Barnes has a great facility with the English language. All though not difficult to understand or verbose, Barnes is not afraid to use large words where a simple one would work. Take the title for instance, The Somnambulist. Somnambulism is essentially sleepwalking, but sleepwalking is not really a part of the story, but the word is interesting. It does provide some of the metaphor for the story, as Moon's name, the Somnambulist and a character called the Sleeper all relate back to the title. It is also the name of Moon’s conjuring assistant, who is a minor character throughout the story, but who plays a vital role in the climax. The title is actually really unrelated to the story, having only a tenuous connection to the plot, so I do feel that the publishers did the book a disservice by calling it that. Barnes’ use of weird and wonderful words gives the story a panache that greatly enhanced my enjoyment of it.

Although the story is unexceptional in plot, the characters are interesting if lacking in depth (but I was warned about that, after all.). All are the dregs and outcasts of London society, or at least those on their way out, such as Moon. Choosing such characters story drive the story adds a bit of penny-dreadful sensationalism to the novel. The only characters whose psyches we really explore are Moon’s, the narrator’s, and Skimpole’s and those really only on the surface. Barnes is telling a mystery/adventure story in the setting of Victorian London so the reader should approach this as a story that is fun to read but in any way philosophical.

Barnes’ use of the first person narration and the memoir style of writing are part of the fun of reading it. I spent a goodly portion of the book wondering who the unreliable narrator was, and the reveal of who he is in fact is rather fun scene. The narrator interjects, to humorous effect, several times into the story. It reminded me a lot of the novel I, Strahd in its style although with a more humorous cast. I’d like to see Jonathan Barnes use this style again, as I think he cleverly uses it.

I thought that this was very fun to read. Barnes has a wit and humor of the type I enjoy. The novel is that type of story that author John Zakour would call “bubblegum for the brain”. It is entertainment for a horrible-no good, very bad day. Fans of Gaiman’s urban fantasy will enjoy this novel (although they should be aware that there are some very suspicious similarities) as well as any moviegoer who enjoyed the mystery of The Illusionist (though it is not quite so clever). There are a lot of correlations between this book and Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell although where that was literary in form (and massive), The Somnambulist is pulp fiction (and short).The Somnambulist is a comedy and a farce, written to make its reader’s laugh. If you are looking for some light entertainment this is an excellent novel to pick up.

A Year of Reading 2008

This is a continually updated list of all the books I have read in the year 2008. Links are to reviews I have written for some of these books. You can also look at my list for 2007.

January February March April May June
July August September October November December

January

Series 65: Uniform Investment Adviser Law Exam Manual by Kaplan Financial
The Prodigal Troll by Charles Coleman Finlay
Instant Knowledge by the editors at mental_floss
The Somnambulist by Jonathan Barnes
In The Beginning by the editors at mental_floss
Eberron: Bound by Iron by Edward Bolme
Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder
Bash Down the Door and Slice Open the Badguy edited by W. H. Horner
Hunter's Run by George R. R. Martin, Gardner Dozois and Daniel Abraham
A Bit of Madness by Emmanuel Civiello and Thomas Mosdi
Goblin Hero by Jim C. Hines
The Shadow and Night by Chris Walley
Dragon Outcast by E. E. Knight

February

Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse edited by John Joseph Adams
Breach the Hull edited by Mike McPhail
Confessor by Terry Goodkind
Blood Ties by Pamela Freeman
Sojourn Volume 6: The Bezerker's Tale by Ian Edgington and Greg Land
Forgotten Realms: Neversfall by Ed Gentry
Infoquake by David Louis Edelman
The Golden Cord by Paul Genesse
Grimspace by Ann Aguirre

March

The Death of the Necromancer by Martha Wells
Madhouse by Rob Thurman
The Dead Guy Interviews by Michael Stusser
The Hidden City by Michelle West
Klassic Koalas: Ancient Aboriginal Tales in New Retellings by Lee Barwood
Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie
Growingold with B. C. by Johnny Hart

April

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
Small Favor by Jim Butcher
Heroes Adrift by Moira J. Moore
Misspelled edited by Jule E. Czerneda
Flash Fiction Online, April 2008 edited by Jake Freivald
Rolling Thunder by John Varley
Empress by Karen Miller
Phytosphere by Scott Mackay
Goblin War by Jim C. Hines
Return of the Sword edited by Jason M. Waltz

May

Shadowmarch by Tad Williams
Forgotten Realms: Obsidian Ridge by Jess Lebow
Iron Man: Beneath the Armor by Andy Mangels
The Court of the Air by Stephen Hunt
Bloodheir by Brian Ruckley
The Martian General's Daughter by Theodore Judson
The Four Forges by Jenna Rhodes
Midnight Never Come by Marie Brennan

June

A Darkness Forged in Fire by Chris Evans
Wizards edited by Jack Dann and Gardner Dozois

July

August

September

October

November

December

January February March April May June
July August September October November December

A Year of Reading 2007

The Year is Done! I hope you had a great one and have high hopes for 2008. Below is a list of all the books I read in 2007 (I like to keep track because I am just that hyper-organized). The final five have reviews written that I just haven't posted because every review deserves a suitable amount of time at the top of the blog. You will see them in January of 2008.

January February March April May June
July August September October November December

January

Tuf Voyaging by George R. R. Martin
Condensed Knowledge by the editors at mental_floss
Crown of Stars by Kate Elliott
In the Ruins by Kate Elliott
Gifts by Ursula K. Le Guin
Changing Planes by Ursula K. Le Guin
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson
The Ladies of Grace Adieu by Susanna Clarke
Monks and Mystics by Mindy and Brandon Withrow
Outposts: Journeys to the Surviving Relics of the British Empire by Simon Winchester
Dying of the Light by George R. R. Martin
Life@Work by John Maxwell
The Children of Men by P.D. James
Forgotten Realms: Frostfell by Mark Sehestedt
The Druids by Peter Berresford Ellis

February

The Magic of Recluce by L.E. Modesitt, Jr.
Forgotten Realms: Sacrifice of the Widow by Lisa Smedman
Dragon Champion by E. E. Knight
Forgotten Realms: Double Diamond Triangle Saga by Various Authors
Outwitting History by Aaron Lansky
Forbidden Knowledge by the editors at mental_floss

March

Three Blind Mice and Other Stories by Agatha Christie
Witness for the Prosecution and Other Stories by Agatha Christie
Rome 2006 by Rick Steves
Supplement to the Italian Dictionary by Bruno Munari
Keats and Italy by Various Authors
The Last Sin Eater by Francine Rivers
Teacher Man by Frank McCourt
Night by Elie Wiesel
Dachshunds for Dummies by Eve Adamson
Legend by David Gemmell
Midshipwizard Halcyon Blithe by James M. Ward

April

Forgotten Realms: Depths of Madness by Erik Scott de Bie
The Regatta Mystery and Other Stories by Agatha Christie
The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman
Shakespeare's Kings by John Julius Norwich
On Becoming a Leader by Warren Bennis
The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain
Black Gate: Issue 10 Spring 2007 by John O'Neill (ed.) and Howard Andrew Jones (ed.)
Forgotten Realms - Unclean: The Haunted Lands, Book I by Richard Lee Byers

May

Dragon Avenger by E. E. Knight
Eldest by Christopher Paolini
Scatterbrained by the editors at Mental_Floss
The Prestige by Christopher Priest
Real Estate Finance for Investment Properties by Steve Berges
The Clerk's Tale by Margaret Frazer
The Bastard's Tale by Margaret Frazer
The Hunter's Tale by Margaret Frazer
Forgotten Realms - The Gossamer Plain: The Empyrean Odyssey Book 1 by Thomas M. Reid
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
The King's Buccaneer by Raymond E. Fiest
The King Beyond the Gate by David Gemmell
The Unhandsome Prince by John Moore
A Fate Worse than Dragons by John Moore
Maskerade by Terry Pratchett
The Truth by Terry Pratchett
Carpe Jugulum by Terry Pratchett

June

Interesting Times by Terry Pratchett
The Fifth Elephant by Terry Pratchett
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
Night Watch by Terry Pratchett
Monstrous Regiment by Terry Pratchett
A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah
The Restorer by Sharon Hinck
Another Fine Myth/Myth Conceptions by Robert Asprin
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
Father of Dragons by L. B. Graham

July

Black History Through Blue Eyes: The Debt the World Owes to Africa by James Seymour
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
Forgotten Realms: Scream of Stone, The Watercourse Trilogy Book III by Philip Athans
The Case of the Missing Books by Ian Sansom
Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser
Lud-in-the-Mist by Hope Mirrlees
Dangerous Visions edited by Harlan Ellison
The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith
The Widow's Tale by Margaret Frazer
A Rhyming History of Britain by James Muirden, David Eccles (Illustrator)

August

More Than A Hobby by David Green
Real Estate Investment Trusts: Structure, Performance, and Investment Opportunities by Su Han Chan, John Erickson, Ko Wang
Tipperary: A Novel by Frank Delaney
Explorer's House: National Geographic and the World It Made by Robert M. Poole
Forgotten Realms: The Howling Delve by Jaleigh Johnson
A Life Well Spent: The Eternal Rewards of Investing Yourself and Your Money in Your Family by Russ Crosson
Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank
The Telling by Ursula K. Le Guin

September

Black Gate Issue #11 by John O'Neill (ed.)
The Surrogates by Robert Venditti, Brett Weldele
Shadowstorm by Paul S. Kemp
Forgotten Realms: Swords of Dragonfire by Ed Greenwood
Forgotten Realms: Shadowstorm by Paul S. Kemp
The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie
Honored Enemy by Raymond E. Feist and William R. Fortschen
Murder in LaMut by Raymond E. Feist and Joel Rosenberg
Forgotten Realms: Storm of the Dead by Lisa Smedman
The Elephant and the Dragon: The Rise of India and China and What it Means for All of Us by Robyn Meredith
The Innocent Mage by Karen Miller
Union of Renegades by Tracy Falbe
Winterbirth by Brian Ruckley

October

Wind Follower by Carole McDonnell
The Sagittarius Command by R. M. Meluch
The Summoner by Gail Z. Martin
Making Money by Terry Pratchett
Crystal Rain by Tobias Buckell
Goblin Quest by Jim C. Hines

November

Scarlet by Stephen R. Lawhead
The Princes of the Golden Cage by Nathalie Mallet
Green Rider by Kristen Britain
The Phoenix Unchained by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory
Forgotten Realms: Stardeep by Bruce Cordell
The Awakened Mage by Karen Miller
Forgotten Realms: The Orc King by R. A. Salvatore
Ragamuffin by Tobias Buckell
A Prayer for the Damned by Peter Tremayne
The Blue Haired Bombshell by John Zakour
Hedge Hunters by Katherine Burton
Sails and Sorcery: Tales of Nautical Fantasy edited by W. H. Horner
Shimmer, The Pirate Issue edited by John Joseph Adams

December

Eberron: The Orb of Xoriat by Edward Bolme
Sojourn: The Sorcerer's Tale by Ian Edgington and Greg Land
Across the Face of the World by Russell Kirkpatrick
Forgotten Realms: Crypt of the Moaning Diamond by Rosemary Jones
Fellowship Fantastic by Martin H. Greenberg and Kerrie Hughes
Genetopia by Keith Brooke
The Tales of the Last War edited by Mark Sehestedt
Bad A** Faeries edited by Danielle Ackley-McPhail
Robin Hood and the Beasts of Sherwood by Clayton Emery
Tides by Scott Mackay
Auralia's Colors by Jeffrey Overstreet

January February March April May June
July August September October November December

Book Reviews by Title

These are the my book reviews, categorized alphabetically by the title. (Click here for categorization by author.) "The" doesn't count towards the title.

You can also subscribe to an RSS feed of my reviews at librarything.

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

A

A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah
A Rhyming History of Britain by James Muirden (author) and David Eccles (illustrator)
Across the Face of the World by Russell Kirkpatrick
Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank
Are Women Human? by Dorothy Sayers
Auralia's Colors by Jeffrey Overstreet
The Awakened Mage by Karen Miller

B

Bad-A** Faeries edited by Danielle Ackley-McPhail (et al.)
Badger's Moon by Peter Tremayne
Bash Down the Door and Slice Open the Badguy edited by W. H. Horner
Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie
Beyond the Summerland by L. B. Graham
Breach the Hull edited by Mike McPhail
A Bit of Madness by Emmanuel Civiello and Thomas Mosdi
Black Gate: Issue #11 edited by John O'Neill
Black History Through Blue Eyes: The Debt the World Owes to Africa by James Seymour
The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie
Bloodheir by Brain Ruckley
Blood Ties by Pamela Freedman
The Blue-Haired Bombshell by John Zakour

C

The Children of Men by P. D. James
The Clerk's Tale by Margaret Frazer
Confessor by Terry Goodkind
The Court of the Air by Stephen Hunt
The Crown of Stars Series by Kate Elliott
Crystal Rain by Tobias Buckell
Condensed Knowledge by the editors of mental_floss

D

Dangerous Visions edited by Harlan Ellison
The Dead Guy Interviews by Michael Stusser
The Death of the Necromancer by Martha Wells
Dragon Champion by E. E. Knight
Dragon Outcast
The Druids by Peter Berresford Ellis
Dying of the Light by George R. R. Martin

E

Eberron: Bound by Iron by Edward Bolme
Eberron: The Orb of Xoriat by Edward Bolme
Eberron: The Tales of the Last War by Mark Sehestedt
The Elephant and the Dragon: The Rise of India and China and What it Means for All of Us by Robyn Meredith
Empress by Karen Miller
Eragon by Christopher Paolini
Explorer's House: National Geographic and the World It Made by Robert M. Poole

F

Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser
Fellowship Fantastic by Martin H. Greenberg and Kerrie Hughes
The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman
Flash Fiction Online, April 2008 edited by Jake Freivald
Forgotten Realms: The City of Splendors by Elaine Cunningham and Ed Greenwood
Forgotten Realms: Crypt of the Moaning Diamond by Rosemary Jones
Forgotten Realms: The Gossamer Plain by Thomas M. Reid
Forgotten Realms: The Howling Delve by Jaleigh Johnson
Forgotten Realms: Obsidian Ridge by Jess Lebow
Forgotten Realms: The Orc King by R. A. Salvatore
Forgotten Realms: Road of the Patriarch by R. A . Salvatore
Forgotten Realms: Shadowstorm by Paul S. Kemp
Forgotten Realms: Stardeep by Bruce Cordell
Forgotten Realms: Swords of Dragonfire by Ed Greenwood
Forgotten Realms: Unclean by Richard Lee Byers

G

Genetopia by Keith Brooke
The Gift of Pain by Paul Brand and Philip Yancey
Glory Road by Robert Heinlein
Green Rider by Kristen Britain
Goblin Hero by Jim C. Hines
Goblin Quest by Jim C. Hines
Goblin War by Jim C. Hines
The Golden Cord by Paul Genesse
Grimspace by Ann Aguirre
Growingold with B.C. by Johnny Hart

H

Hedge Hunters by Katherine Burton
Henry V (Classical Comics Edition) by William Shakespeare
Heroes Adrift by Moira J. Moore
The Hidden City by Michelle West
Honored Enemy by Raymond E. Feist and William R. Fortschen
Hood by Stephen Lawhead
Hunter's Run by George R. R. Martin, Gardner Dozois, and Daniel Abraham

I

Infoquake by David Louis Edelman
The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain
The Innocent Mage by Karen Miller
Iron Man: Beneath the Armor by Andy Mangels

J

J. R. R. Tolkien: A Biography by Humphrey Carpenter
The Junior Books by Dave Ramsey

K

Klasssic Koalas: Ancient Aboriginal Tales in New Retellings by Lee Barwood
Knife of Dreams by Robert Jordan
The Know-It-All by A. J. Jacobs

L

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. LeGuin
Legend by David Gemmell
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson
Life@Work by John C. Maxwell

M

Madhouse by Rob Thurman
Magician by Raymond E. Feist
The Magic of Recluce by L. E. Moedesitt Jr.
Making Money by Terry Pratchett
Master of Souls by Peter Tremayne
The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
Midnight Never Come by Marie Brennan
Midshipwizard Halcyon Blithe by James M. Ward
Misspelled edited by Julie E. Czerneda
Monks and Mystics by Mindy and Brandon Withrow
Moon Gate by David Weldon and William Proctor
More Than A Hobby by David Green
The Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson
Murder in LaMut by Raymond E. Feist and Joel Rosenberg

N

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
Night by Elie Wiesel
The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith

O

On Becoming A Leader by Warren Bennis
Outposts: Journeys to the Surviving Relics of the British Empire by Simon Winchester
Outwitting History by Aaron Lansky

P

Phantom by Terry Goodkind
The Pendragon Cycle by Stephen Lawhead
The Phoenix Unchained by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory
Phytosphere by Scott Mackay
Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder
The Prestige by Christopher Priest
The Princes of the Golden Cage by Nathalie Mallet
The Prodigal Troll by Charles Coleman Finlay

Q

R

Ragamuffin by Tobias Buckell
Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
The Restorer by Sharon Hinck
Return of the Sword edited by Jason M. Waltz
The Rick Steves' Travel Guide Series by Rick Steves
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
Robin Hood and the Beasts of Sherwood by Clayton Emery
Rolling Thunder by John Varley

S

The Sagittarius Command by R. M. Meluch
Sails and Sorcery: Tales of Nautical Fantasy edited by W. H. Horner
Scarlet by Stephen Lawhead
Shadow in the Deep by L. B. Graham
The Shadow and Night by Chris Walley
Shadowmarch by Tad Williams
Shakespeare's Kings by John Julius Norwich
Shimmer, The Pirate Issue edited by John Joseph Adams
Small Favor by Jim Butcher
Smoke in the Wind by Peter Tremayne
Sojourn: The Bezerker's Tale by Ian Edgington and Greg Land
Sojourn: The Sorcerer's Tale by Ian Edgington and Greg Land
The Somnambulist by Jonathan Barnes
The Summoner by Gail Z. Martin
The Surrogates, Vol. 1 by Robert Venditti

T

Teacher Man by Frank McCourt
Thud! by Terry Pratchett
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
Tides by Scott Mackay
Tipperary: A Novel by Frank Delaney
The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn
The Truth by Terry Pratchett

U

Union of Renegades by Tracy Falbe

V

W

Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse edited by John Joseph Adams
Wind Follower by Carole McDonnell
Winterbirth by Brian Ruckley

X

Y

Z

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Book Review: The Princes of the Golden Cage by Nathalie Mallet

Genre: Mystery, Fantasy
ISBN: 1597800902
ISBN-13: 9781597800907
Format: Paperback, 256pp
Publisher: Night Shade Books
Pub. Date: August 2007

Nathalie Mallet’s debut novel, The Princes of the Golden Cage, hits the ground with both feet and takes off running. From the very first page the action is heart-pounding, the intrigue mysterious, and the story creative.

Prince Amir and his brothers are all sons of the Sultan and his harem. Due to divisiveness and strife between warring brothers generations ago, the Sultans now place all their sons in a specially designed section of the palace that closely resembles a prison. In it, they are treated like princes, but are never allowed to leave. Added to the lack of freedom is their fear of each other. In this cage, each brother is seeking to become the next Sultan, but in order to do so, one brother must kill or subdue all the others through sanctioned combat. Amir has never sought to become Sultan and has kept his head down and in his books. But events out of his control are catching up with him. A killer of a magical nature is stalking the halls of the princes’ cage, and its victims die horribly. When Amir is fingered as the culprit, he must team up with his blond haired brother Erik to solve the unsanctioned murders before he loses his head or falls victim to his brother’s murderer.

Mallet has created a medieval Arabian setting reminiscent of the tales of Scherezade in the 1001 Arabian Nights. In fact, as the story is written, it could have been one. Amir relates the events from his own perspective, and the reader almost gets a sense of him relating the story of these events to us over a campfire years later. Mallet has a conversational style of writing that leads the reader to feel that Amir is talking to us, giving us the play by play of the narrative. This made the reading light and easy. Its first person perspective is a help, not a detriment, as it also allows Mallet to keep a sense of mystery in the story, as the reader only knows what Amir knows.

And for this story, that sense of mystery and intrigue is essential. Mallet does a great job of creating varied characters, all of whom provide excellent suspects. Nor does she resort to deus ex machina to solve the mystery she creates. Amir follows a step by step trail of clues that lead the reader to a fitting and surprising conclusion. After I finished the book, I thought back on the story, and saw all the clues that Mallet had given me, but that I had glossed over in choosing other suspects as the murderers.

And this is a mystery fantasy novel. A peculiar subset of the fantasy genre, it combines a mystery with the magical elements of fantasy. Often, this results in a story that sets up a deus ex machina type solution. Some magical element is forgotten or not known about by the reader, and ends up being the key to the solution. Most mystery readers dislike this, as we prefer to follow a trail of clues to the solution to the mystery. Mystery fantasy novels are often unfair to the reader, who at least wants a fighting chance of guessing “who did it” before the conclusion of the novel. Mallet gives you that chance, but weaves the clues to the solution so subtly into the narrative that you will most likely miss them when you read it.

The Princes of the Golden Cage does suffer some first novel jitters. I found the grammatical structure that Mallet uses occasionally jarring. (I used to be an English teacher, and am very in tune to such things.) Mallet is a Canadian, and her English is different from my American version, so it is possible that her structure might just be chalked up to that. However, I got used to it after a few pages, and while I recognize that I might not have put together a sentence the same way she did, it is not wrong per se. Most readers who haven’t been English teachers would even notice. I also noticed a few odd mistakes. At one point she mentioned the word “Slovakian” to describe people from a foreign country, but previously she had established people from that country with a different name.

Still, the action was a lot of fun to read. Her fight scenes, while short, really get your heart pounding. There is a love interest in the story as well, and she is not some mewling sycophant. In fact, most of the primary women characters are strong, each in their own way, and do not take a back seat in this story of dueling princes. The magical elements are a part of the story, but do not drive the narrative, something that is essential when writing a mystery with fantasy elements. It is the mystery and Amir’s character that make the story as fun to read as it is. I especially appreciate Mallet avoiding magic as the only solution, instead relying on a combination of Amir’s intelligence, the help of his friends, and one magical element to provide the ultimate solution to the story.

Nathalie Mallet provides several surprises and plot twists that I, an avid reader of both mysteries and fantasies, did not see coming. Yet she gave me all the clues I needed to solve the murders long before the solution was actually given. Her weaving of the clues into the story was well done. Fans of fantasy will enjoy the Arabian Nights feel of the story. If you have enjoyed the Dabir and Asim stories of Howard Andrew Jones you will like this tale as well. I highly recommend this debut adventure / mystery tale. The Princes of the Golden Cage is a well crafted and enjoyable story.

Book Review: Honored Enemy and Murder in LaMut by Raymond E. Feist

Authors: Raymond E. Feist, William R. Forstchen, Joel Rosenberg
Genre: Fantasy, Mystery
ISBN: 0060792833; 006079285X
Pub. Date: June 2006 and July 2007
Series: Legends of the Riftwar Series, #1 and #2
Format: Paperback, 323pp and Paperback, 384pp
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Raymond E. Feist has always been notable for his willingness to share the world of Midkemia. From its very inception, the world of Midkemia had been a collaborative effort (something Feist notes in all his acknowledgments and dedications). The second trilogy Feist wrote was a collaborative effort with Janny Wurts, and the computer game Betrayal at Krondor had to be by its very nature. Although more recently Feist has written the bulk of the stories in Midkemia on his own (as much as any author can), he has returned to the tradition of collaborative effort in his Legend of the Riftwar series.

Taking Feist’s world of Midkemia, using his name and notoriety as well as that of other noted authors (William R. Forstchen and Joel Rosenberg wrote the first and second books, respectively), the series returns to the time of the first Riftwar, wherein the Tsurani have invaded Midkemia from their own world of Kelewan. Each book is a stand-alone novel. The first book in the series, Honored Enemy, is notable for its military descriptions, and for the strange situation two small companies of Tsurani and Kingdom soldiers find themselves in. It almost seem like the story could have been taken from a historical event in any of Earth’s wars. (Which makes sense since William R. Forstchen is also author of the acclaimed Gettysburg series, co-written with Newt Gingrich, and a military historian.) Fans of military history or survival stories might find some appeal in this book, though fantasy fans are the most likely to benefit.

The second in the Legend of the Riftwar series, Murder in LaMut, takes three of Joel Rosenberg’s characters from his own fantasy series, renames, and transplants them into Midkemia. Sort of like a Three Musketeers of fantasy, these mercenary soldiers find themselves caught up in a web of political intrigue that they are wholly unprepared for. The murder of the title doesn’t take place until the last 50 pages, but the mystery of the murder begins from page 1. Although not really comparable with genre mystery novels, and probably not appealing to those who read them, Murder in LaMut will appeal to fans of the fantasy mystery subgenre (a very small one I might add) and to any readers who enjoy a long slow build-up of mystery and don’t mind a rather simple conclusion to it.

The writing in both is classic Feist. The story is simple, and usually revolves around the growth or change of key characters, and the challenging of their preconceptions. Honored Enemy does this more than Murder in LaMut, but both see characters taking on roles they had not expected to, or making life changes that only their circumstances could have forced.

The novels themselves will make little sense to someone not already familiar with the world of Midkemia. References to characters from other books, oblique references to events described in the original Riftwar series are prevalent, and background on these events is lacking. Still, these novels could be read by someone with only a basic knowledge of Midkemia, and still be enjoyed. The third novel in the series, Jimmy the Hand, co-written with S.M. Stirling will return to a much beloved character, and looks to be interesting but is not slated for publication until August of 2009.

I do recommend these books as fun sword and sorcery stories set within the world of Midkemia. The events and plot are not world-shattering, but they were fun to read. Best comparisons would be some of the shared world novels like the Forgotten Realms or Dragonlance wherein authors write about localized events and stories within the grand scope of a developed world. Feist fans will love these stories, as it will develop the world of Midkemia, but those new to it should start with Feist’s first novel, Magician.

Gaiman on Poe

Here's an essay by Neil Gaiman (modern master of the macabre) on Edgar Allen Poe (father of the mystery and many a macabre story).

While he lived he was America's finest writer, a poet and a craftsman whose work made him very little money, even as his poems, such as "The Raven", were widely quoted, adored, parodied and reviled, while writers he envied, such as Longfellow, were far more successful, commercially. Still, Poe, for all his short life and unfulfilled potential, remains read today, his finest stories as successful, as readable, as contemporary as anyone could desire. Fashions in dead authors come and go, but Poe is, I would wager, beyond fashion.

Book Review: The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

Author: Alexander McCall Smith
Pub. Date: February 2003
Format: Paperback, 240pp
Publisher: Knopf Publishing Group
Personal Rating: 3.5/5
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, by Alexander McCall Smith reminds me of nothing less that Donald J. Sobol’s (creator of Encyclopedia Brown) two-minute mysteries. In Sobol’s short story collection, a simple case is described, and the reader is asked to solve it based on the clues provided. The answer was often overly simple, although many readers failed to recognize it.

Smith has taken the idea of the simple mystery, fleshed it out with thoughts and praises of Africa and particularly Botswana, and made the easy mystery fun again. Smith’s main character, Precious Ramotswe, is a lovable, fat, sometimes silly, but always perceptive private detective in Botswana, a country on the East Coast of Africa, just north of South Africa. Mma Ramotswe as she is more appropriately known (Mma being like Mrs. for English speakers.) has set up a detective agency on the proceeds of her father’s death. This is strange in a male-dominated society, but Mma Ramotswe makes an excellent go at it, solving several mysteries along the way to a climax that brings down an important figure in Botswana society. Sort of like an African Miss Marple.

Although not short stories like Sobol’s, Smith’s mystery novel has the taste of them. The chapters read like individual stories, although Smith elegantly weaves them together with an overarching plot line involving a missing boy and the illegal (but prevalent) practice of witchcraft.

Smith’s obvious love for Africa and Botswana come out in his heartfelt depictions of Africa, as seen by Mma Ramotswe. Americans will get a look into a culture both like and unlike our own. Smith shows the reader how Africans appreciate beauty in different ways, how their truly chauvinist society highlights our own freedoms, and how Africa, both the people and the land are something to be valued.

I enjoyed The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, although I don’t feel it lived up to its mystery label. I felt this more to be a fiction story about Africa, with simple mysteries a way of moving plot forward and allowing back story highlighting African history and culture. Still, Precious Ramotswe is a likable character, and fans of Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple are likely the readers who drove this book to the top of the National Bestseller lists.

Book Review: The Clerk's Tale

Medieval murder mysteries are a small but growing subgenre of the mystery category. Ellis Peters was its most famous pioneer, and her Brother Cadfael mysteries are still sold in stores, even after her death in 1995. Since her first Cadfael mystery, A Morbid Taste for Bones, a lot of imitators have cropped up, thereby creating the medieval murder mystery. Peter Tremayne, Sharon Kay Penman, Kate Sedley, and Michael Jecks are all immensely popular.

But no series or characters (other than Peters) are nearly as popular as the Dame Frevisse Mysteries, by Margaret Frazer (a pen name for two collaborators originally, now only one writer pens the books, although she kept the name). A two-time Edgar award nominee, the Frevisse mysteries are set in the tumultuous 15th century in England. A time of great upheaval, and political machinations (England was embroiled in the Hundred Year’s War with France and Agincourt was not long past) it provides a perfect backdrop to Frazer’s mystery, The Clerk’s Tale.

Each of her titles has a nod to the famous chapters of Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. In fact, Dame Frevisse, the heroine of the story is actually a distant relation to Chaucer, through a marriage, although the connection is remote enough that Frazer is free to write her stories without needing to fictionalize historical personages.

The Clerk’s Tale is a particularly interesting addition to the tale of Frevisse (a nun at the priory of St. Frideswides) as the murdered man is none other than her nemesis the crowner Master Montfort. Crowners were men who investigated murders, and held the inquests to determine causes of death. They did not punish, but rather served more of a detective role. Frevisse had had many occasions to clash with the self-serving and ambitious Montfort before, more often than not leading to Frevisse’s pointing out his wrong conclusions.

As the story unfolds, the majority is told from the perspective of Frevisse. She is a pious nun, although her quick mind and cynical nature lead her to question many of the things other people assume to be true. In this case however, she is being asked to investigate the murder of a man she loathed. This creates an interesting conflict, that Frazer explores well without belaboring the point, of her desire for justice and her desire to have nothing to do with the man. This leads to some soul searching by Frevisse throughout the course of the investigation. While the mystery itself is not overly complex, and is rather easily solved by the reader, it is the characterization of Frevisse that ultimately makes this story a worthwhile read.

Some of the story is told from the point-of-view of Montfort’s clerk, a nervous, unassuming man, who finds solace and comfort in his scrolls and the words on them. The contrast between the clerk and Frevisse is stark, but as the plot moves forward, the reader will find that perhaps they are kindred spirits after all. The clerk’s tale is not developed as much as it should have been, and since his past plays a large part in a decision he later makes, I would have preferred to know why he decides as he does, rather than the way Frazer leaves it enigmatic.

The historical background of the story is well-developed, and Frazer shows her knowledge of England in the 15th century, even to go so far as to research the medieval town of Goring, the site of the murder, using the original terrain to create a “locked door” style mystery.

The failure of the novel comes in the solution to the story. It is both simple and trite, with all being revealed through explosions of anger, rather than the quick wittedness of Frevisse. This is disappointing, as in previous books of the series, the murderer was not easily identifiable, and the solutions to the cases were clever. However, this is more than made up for by the development of Frevisse as a character, especially her struggle to love the unlovely, and pursue the holiness of her vocation.

A good example of being “in the world but not of the world” the Frevisse character exemplifies the struggle all religious people have with serving God, and serving their fellow man. And if she solves a good murder mystery while she’s at it, mores the better.

Book Review: Badger's Moon

This is a resurrection of an old post.

The third reading was one of Peter Tremayne’s Irish mysteries. Badger’s Moon is a book filled with stunning description and detail of the pre-medieval Irish world. A.D. 667 is the time and of course, the place is Eirann. I find the mystery interesting and often surprising. I rarely ever can figure out the culprit, although all of the clues are there for me to see, plain as day. The other point I would like to make about this book is that I do find its arguments that it was all right for monastics to marry because it was more “natural” less than compelling. It is true that God created woman for man and man for woman, but unfortunately its nature is corrupted due to sin. This then means that the argument that marriage between monastics is just as compelling as the argument for celibacy, at least to me. Both have inherent sin in their lifestyles, so the argument holds no water. Of course, I do not have a problem with having monastics marry (after all, my preacher is married and he is as close to a monastic as the Protestant tradition gets) but I also have no problem with monastics choosing celibacy as well. I just think that the argument Tremayne presents (I don’t know if he believes it himself) is not compelling enough. And yes, I am aware that his is a work of fiction and not meant to be a theological argument, but if a writer brings it up, he better be able to defend it, even in fiction.

Book Reviews by Author

These are my book reviews, categorized alphabetically by the author's last name. (Categorization by title is available here.)

You can also subscribe to an RSS feed of my reviews at librarything.

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

A

Abercrombie, Joe The Blade Itself; Before They Are Hanged
Abraham, Daniel Hunter's Run
Ackley-McPhail, Danielle (et al.) Bad-A** Faeries
Adams, John Joseph Shimmer, The Pirate Issue; Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse
Aguirre, Ann Grimspace
Alcorn, Randy The Treasure Principle

B

Barnes, Jonathan The Somnambulist
Barwood, Lee Klassic Koalas: Ancient Aboriginal Tales in New Retellings
Beah, Ishmael A Long Way Gone
Bennis, Warren On Becoming A Leader
Bolme, Edward Eberron: The Orb of Xoriat; Eberron: Bound by Iron
Brand, Paul The Gift of Pain
Brennan, Marie Midnight Never Come
Britain, Kristen Green Rider
Brooke, Keith Genetopia
Bryson, Bill The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid; The Mother Tongue
Buckell, Tobias Crystal Rain; Ragamuffin
Burton, Katherine Hedge Hunters
Butcher, Jim Small Favor
Byers, Richard Lee Forgotten Realms: Unclean

C

Carpenter, Humphrey J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography
Chapman, Gary The Five Love Languages
Civiello, Emmanuel, A Bit of Madness
Cordell, Bruce Forgotten Realms: Stardeep
Cunningham, Elaine Forgotten Realms: The City of Splendors
Czerneda, Julie E. (ed.) Misspelled

D

Delaney, Frank Tipperary: A Novel
Dozois, Gardner Hunter's Run

E

Edelman, David Louis Infoquake
Edgington, Ian Sojourn: The Sorcerer's Tale; Sojourn: The Bezerker's Tale
Edwards, Kim The Memory Keeper's Daughter
Elliott, Kate The Crown of Stars Series
Ellis, Peter Berresford (see also Peter Tremayne) The Druids
Ellison, Harlan Dangerous Visions
Emery, Clayton Robin Hood and the Beasts of Sherwood

F

Falbe, Tracy Union of Renegades
Feist, Raymond E. Magician; Honored Enemy; Murder in LaMut
Finlay, Charles Coleman The Prodigal Troll
Forstchen, William R. Honored Enemy
Frank, Pat Alas, Babylon
Frazer, Margaret The Clerk's Tale
Freedman, Pamela Blood Ties
Freivald, Jake Falsh Fiction Online, April 2008

G

Gemmell, David Legend
Genesse, Paul The Golden Cord
Goodkind, Terry Phantom; Confessor
Graham, L.B. Shadow in the Deep; Beyond the Summerland
Green, David More Than A Hobby
Greenberg, Martin H. Fellowship Fantastic
Greenwood, Ed Forgotten Realms: The City of Splendors; Forgotten Realms: Swords of Dragonfire

H

Hart, Johnny Growingold with B.C.
Heinlein, Robert A. Glory Road
Hinck, Sharon The Restorer
Hines, Jim C. Goblin Quest; Goblin Hero; Goblin War
Horner, W. H. (ed.) Sails and Sorcery: Tales of Nautical Fantasy; Bash Down the Door and Slice Open the BadGuy
Hughes, Kerrie Fellowship Fantastic
Hunt, Stephen The Court of the Air

I

J

Jacobs, A.J. The Know-It-All
James, P.D. The Children of Men
Johnson, Jaleigh Forgotten Realms: The Howling Delve
Jones, Rosemary Forgotten Realms: Crypt of the Moaning Diamond
Jordan, Robert Knife of Dreams

K

Kemp, Paul S. Forgotten Realms: Shadowstorm
Kirkpatrick, Russell Across the Face of the World
Knight, E. E. Dragon Champion; Dragon Outcast

L

Lackey, Mercedes The Phoenix Unchained
Land, Greg Sojourn: The Sorcerer's Tale; Sojourn: The Bezerker's Tale
Lansky, Aaron Outwitting History
Lawhead, Stephen Hood; Scarlet; The Pendragon Cycle
Lebow, Jess Forgotten Realms: Obsidian Ridge
Le Guin, Ursula K. The Left Hand of Darkness

M

Mackay, Scott Tides; Phytosphere
Mallet, Nathalie The Princes of the Golden Cage
Mallory, James The Phoenix Unchained
Mangels, Andy Iron Man: Beneath the Armor
Martin, Gail Z. The Summoner
Martin, George R.R. Dying of the Light; Hunter's Run
Maxwell, John C. Life@Work
McCarthy, Cormac The Road
McCourt, Frank Teacher Man
McDonnell, Carole Wind Follower
McPhail, Mike (ed.) Breach the Hull
Meluch, R.M. The Sagittarius Command
Mental_floss Condensed Knowledge
Meredith, Robyn The Elephant and the Dragon: The Rise of India and China and What it Means for All of Us
Miller, Karen The Innocent Mage; The Awakened Mage; Empress
Moedesitt Jr., L.E. The Magic of Recluce
Moore, Moira J. Heroes Adrift
Mosdi, Thomas A Bit of Madness
Muirden, James & Eccles, David (Illustrator) A Rhyming History of Britain

N

Norwich, John Julius Shakespeare's Kings

O

O'Neill, John (ed.) Black Gate: Issue #11
Overstreet, Jeffrey Auralia's Colors

P

Paolini, Christopher Eragon
Poole, Robert M. Explorer's House: National Geographic and the World It Made
Pratchett, Terry Thud!; The Truth; Making Money
Priest, Christopher The Prestige
Proctor, William Moon Gate

Q

R

Ramsey, Dave The Junior Books
Reid, Thomas M. Forgotten Realms: The Gossamer Plain
Rivers, Francine Redeeming Love
Rosenberg, Joel Murder in LaMut
Rothfuss, Patrick The Name of the Wind
Ruckley, Brian Winterbirth; Bloodheir

S

Salvatore, R.A. Forgotten Realms: Road of the Patriarch; Forgotten Realms: The Orc King
Sayers, Dorothy Are Women Human?
Schlosser, Eric Fast Food Nation
Sehestedt, Mark (ed.) The Tales of the Last War
Setterfield, Diane The Thirteenth Tale
Seymour, James Black History Through Blue Eyes: The Debt the World Owes to Africa
Shakespeare, William Henry V (Classical Comics Edition)
Smith, Alexander McCall The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency
Snyder, Maria V. Poison Study
Steves, Rick The Rick Steves' Travel Guide Series
Stusser, Michael The Dead Guy Interviews

T

Thurman, Rob Madhouse
Tremayne, Peter (see also Peter Ellis) Badger's Moon; Master of Souls; Smoke in the Wind
Twain, Mark The Innocents Abroad

U

V

Varley, John Rolling Thunder
Venditti, Robert The Surrogates, Vol. 1

W

Walley, Chris The Shadow and Night
Waltz, Jason M. (ed.) Return of the Sword
Ward, James M. Midshipwizard Halcyon Blithe
Weldon, David Moon Gate
Wells, Martha The Death of the Necromancer
West, Michelle The Hidden City
Wiesel, Elie Night
Williams, Tad Shadowmarch
Winchester, Simon Outposts: Journeys to the Surviving Relics of the British Empire
Withrow, Mindy and Brandon Monks and Mystics

X

Y

Yancey, Philip The Gift of Pain

Z

Zakour, John The Blue-Haired Bombshell

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Book Review: Master of Souls by Peter Tremayne

Genre: Fiction, Mystery
Pub. Date: November 2006
Series: Sister Fidelma Series
Format: Hardcover, 320pp
Publisher: St. Martin's Press

The master of souls, a person who cares so little for his own life that he swallows up others lives, creating devastation in his wake. This concept is what drives the recent American publication of Peter Tremayne’s Master of Souls. Tremayne, the fiction pseudonym for Peter Berresford Ellis, noted author and Celtic scholar, has once again entered the world of 7th century Ireland and taken up the character of Sister Fidelma, sister to the king of Muman and noted lawyer.

Master of Souls picks up the story shortly after the events related in The Leper’s Bell. Fidelma and Eadulf are once again called upon to solve a mysterious murder, although this time, they must enter the lands of Muman’s rebellious tribe of the Ui Fidgente. In these politically dangerous climes Fidelma must solve the murder of an abbess, a noted scholar, and a traitor.

Tremayne once again has written a book that anyone who likes a good mystery just cannot put down. The action is continuous, the solution difficult, and the climax full of excitement. Ireland of the 600s A.D. was a wild place, but yet, its laws and government had kept it in relative peace for all that was going on the world-at large. The pocket of law and order found in this tiny far off island is rare, especially for its times.

Tremayne’s repute in his other guise as Ellis, is evident in the rich texture of the description, and his scholarly studies give a depth of meaning to each and every event. Although fiction, the reader might as well be reading a history, as the reader cannot help but learn much about Fidelma’s world. Although Tremayne has dispensed with the historical note in each book, this does not detract from the learning a reader can glean, if only by accident.

I do find unfortunate that the character of Eadulf, in Master of Souls, has become less a character in his own right, and more of a shadow of Fidelma. Where once Eadulf contributed his own thoughts to the matter, and had a more three-dimensional aspect, he now seems only to be a questioner and sort of conscience for Fidelma, without true thoughts of his own. This is a loss to the series I think, and I hope that Tremayne brings back the strong character of Eadulf, allowing him more opinions and more action all his own as in The Leper’s Bell. Let the intelligence that caused him to be chosen for Whitby shine through again.

The work is good, although not especially creative in its plot. But then, I don’t really require much more than that in such books. I did not know the killer before the end, which I think is why I enjoy the series so much. I usually find it rather easy to discover the murderer before time, and so value those works that make it hard, while still being fair in giving the reader all the facts and clues.

You do not have to have any knowledge of the world where the books are set, as Tremayne excellently informs his reader as he goes. If you fear to tackle these books for this reason, know that your fears are unfounded. A joyous romp through mystery and intrigue, Master of Souls is an excellent contribution to the Sister Fidelma series.

Sister Fidelma the dalaigh

I had forgotten how much I love the Sister Fidelma mysteries. Set in A.D. 666 they primarily take place in Ireland, although there is a smattering of travel in Rome and Wales (Cymru). A dalaigh is a lawyer/detective of Ireland. Siter Fidelma is both a nun and a lawyer, talk about having no seperation of church and state. And that is a noirmal state of affairs in the culture of that period.
I love how the author, Peter Tremayne, weaves religion, culture, history and personalities together to make a very complex and intriguing mystery. I get so into them I don't want to stop to eat or sleep until they are finished, and I can't wait to get into the next one. Too bad that they take forever to be puvlished in the States. Oh, well at least twelve of them are already published. I eagerly anticipate each release, almost as much as the newest Forgotten Realms novel. If you love mysteries or Irish history, I highly recommend them.

PS: Peter Temayne is a pseudonym for Peter Berresford Ellis, a highly respected Celtic scholar. So you know the history is pretty darn accurate.