Two sides to a story: Darker Angels by MLN Hanover

Warning: This book contains adult language and sexual content.

Bryce's Take:


Darker Angels continues The Black Suns Daughter series from Daniel Abraham, AKA MLN Hanover. In this second installment, more mayhem ensues, as main character Jayne receives a phonecall that there's a demon loose in New Orleans.

This book surprised me initially, since I expected for Jayne to have progressed a little bit more in her understanding of the supernatural and what was going on around her. The book begins more quickly than I had thought it would, taking place just a few weeks or months after the first book. Development-wise, Jayne is coming into her own a little more as a character, which I liked. This is going to be one of those reviews where I say that if you liked the first book, you'll like the second one as well. The twists and turns didn't seem quite as exciting to me this time around, and I figured out what was going on about twenty pages before the characters, but that's to be forgiven. Maybe the foreshadowing was too heavy, or maybe I was particularly brilliant in my insight.

This book is an opportunity for the reader to really settle in and get into the series. Jayne's a little more mature, and a little more thoughtful. Those polished gems of ideas about demons moving from person to person, using them as horses don't shine quite as much as they used to, but that's only because the idea isn't brand new anymore. This second effort is worthy of the original, and expands the world that this story is taking place in. I also love that Jayne has the means to travel the globe, since so many urban fantasy books revolve around the idea of "one wizard, one town." I enjoy that the scenery changes with each book, and Abraham does just enough to get me into each new setting. Using New Orleans in this second installment was brilliantly done, and I enjoyed the atmosphere that it created for the book.

Darker Angels (8.5/10) is a worthy sequel to Unclean Spirits, and I'm definitely looking forward to continuing the series later this fall when Vicious Grace is set to come out.

Darren's Take:

Darker Angels was a very good sequel to Unclean Spirits, and I think I like this series maybe slightly more than Bryce, because I didn't think that anything wasn't polished or shiny. The idea still had a lot more fleshing out to do (the demons I mean) and this book delivers. I'm gonna surprise you all and... agree with Bryce about the rest of what he said. If anything, this book delves even deeper into the emotional angle, and by the end I wasn't sure that Legba was all that bad (it's not a spoiler if you have no context). I found myself able to get emotionally invested (at least slightly) in a demon, a serial killer, and a guy who really needs to stop being such a dick and get laid (I can kind of understand that one, hehehe). I'll keep this short, only saying that it was an interesting turn for the plot to take, and it didn't suffer at all from the dreaded Book 2 Lull that happens so often in trilogies.

Another 9 of 10, and I hope that I can be one of your ARC readers in the future, Mr. Hanover (Or Mr. Abraham, whichever you prefer).

Two Sides to Every Story: Unclean Spirits by M.L.N. Hanover (aka Daniel Abraham)

Warning: This book contains adult language and sexual content.


Bryce's Take:


Unclean Spirits is the first book in Hanover's Black Sun's Daughter urban fantasy series. So far, there are two books, the second being Darker Angels. The third book, Vicious Grace is due later this year.

The book tells the story of Janyé, a college dropout who learns that the death of her uncle Eric has suddenly, and quite completely, changed her life. Not all of these changes are for the better. As with all urban fantasy, we quickly learn that all of the creepy crawlies from our nightmares are quite real. This series deals (so far) with these demons as unclean spirits that inhabit the bodies of their victims, allowing them to move about in our world and to reproduce and do whatever it is really bad things do with their free time. Along the way, we'll meet some pretty nasty fellows, including the bad guy of this book, a Mr. Coin. What can I say? Money is the root of all evil.

Janyé is a strong character, and I enjoyed spending time in her head. Hanover (Abraham) does a solid job writing a woman who is complex, and sexual without being your cliché bombshell. The other characters feel very much like the characters from Jim Butcher's Dresden files. They're not terribly deep just yet but, given enough books, they'll be much more fleshed out.

Of course, there's a romance in the book between Janyé and a man named Aubrey. I have to admit that I was impressed with how it took center stage in a lot of the decisions the characters made, but wasn't over-done so that I was throwing up in my mouth a little.You see, I like a little romance in my urban fantasy, rather than a little urban fantasy in my romance novels, and Hanover has catered to people like me. I just don't feel like romance needs to be the center of every urban fantasy out there, and I'm tired of the blonde bombshell heroines in their leather pants. Thankfully, the romance is well done and the only leather was worn by men on motorcycles, so we're cool.

Probably the thing that I would praise most about this book was that it was "smart." Now, just saying that doesn't mean much. What I'm trying to say is that people thought things through, debated with one another, and formed logical plans. And when everything went straight to hell, it did so in a logical manner. The bad guy seemed realistic, and their try/fail cycles (look it up, ye un-writerly) made sense. It was "smart" urban fantasy, rather that a story about some busty blonde that falls in love with a zombie/werewolf/biker/night-shift manager and somehow learns that all things other-wordly are real, and goes out to right the wrongs. It was the story of a woman seeking revenge against a bastard that had killed her favorite relative and was after the closest thing she had to friends, and that makes sense.

Now, I haven't read a ton of urban fantasy, maybe only twenty books or so, so you'll have to forgive my ignorance. A question, though. Does everyone have to have the crap beat out of them at the beginning and the end of the book? It just seems like this happens a lot, and if I ever write an urban fantasy, I'm going to try to stay away from this.

Unclean Spirits (8.75/10) is a very solid beginning to an urban fantasy series that I'm sure I'll enjoy. It keeps the clichés to a minimum while still playing with elements familiar to fans of the genre. I'll look forward to reading Darker Angels soon and giving a full report.

Darren's Take:

Unclean Spirits was an interesting  book in and of itself, but I think it represents a great step towards respectability for one group of writers: men who write female characters. There are quite a few people (women mostly, though I hope no one gets angry at me for pointing out that distinction) that think that men are frankly unqualified to write women, though there are those who take it far enough that it seems they feel men are drooling idiots when it comes to anything with breasts (which is actually possible, now that I think about it). There are even panels about male authors who write female characters at such places as LTUE, etc. I believe it was Tracy Hickman who said something to the amount of "Men write women as men with breasts" and I think he has a fair point, FOR THE MOST PART. MLN Hanover (Daniel Abraham) is quite the exception. His main character, Janye`, is not only emotionally believable, but as Bryce said, she's not the buxom superhero we normally see. Superhero, maybe. Buxom, I dunno, it never mentions that, but the point is, she's real enough to form an emotional bond with. Maybe it was just me, but I kind of understand what she's going through (at least at the start) with the whole family doesn't understand you, college dropout, nowhere to go, few friends thing. I've been there( I'm still kind of there) and that made the book speak to me more than I think it otherwise would. I'll not go on long, because Bryce already said all that needs saying about the plot and such, but I will agree that I look forward to the next two books, and the next ten if it so happens. I like this writing style, and it's quite interesting to note that it is completely different from his style in Long Price Quartet. I give it a 9 out of 10.

The Week in Reviews....In Review

"Humour is a funny thing though isn’t it? ‘Blonde Bombshell’ wasn’t my thing but, like I said earlier, if you’re already a fan of Tom Holt’s work then it could very well be yours..."- Graeme's Fantasy Book Review

"The Passage (*****) is a superbly-written, well-paced and convincingly-characterised novel where the situation and characters remain in the imagination long after it is finished. This could be the start of something major indeed."- The Wertzone

"‘The Reapers are the Angels’ is a beautiful read and one that is thoroughly worth looking out for if you’re a fan of zombie fiction."- Graeme's Fantasy Book Review

"...if you’re ready to do some running then ‘Sleepless’ is a book full of rewards for those who ready to go looking for them. Not an easy read by any stretch of the imagination but one that I very much enjoyed."- Graeme's Fantasy Book Review

"The Adamantine Palace, provides a fast, fun escape into a world with just enough political intrigue and some pretty nasty dragons. However, it’s far from perfect and simply fails to stand-out in the crowded epic fantasy genre."- Nethspace

"Despite the tropes, Blake Charlton wrote an engaging -- if not the most original -- story. Spellwright makes for a good reading experience that does bring back memories."- Pat's Fantasy Hotlist

"The Horrifying Presence was a complete surprise. I didn't think it was possible for writers of this quality to languish in relative obscurity for so long. Why are all of this man's works not widely available in the English speaking world?"- Speculative Fiction Junkie

"Brett proves that fantasy doesn't have to be overcomplicated and it doesn't have to follow fantasy tropes of sword and sorcery. It's just a great book that has everything you want..."- Fantasy and Sci-Fi Lovin' News and Reviews

"If you haven't read Mr. Hussey's adult fiction, you absolutely should do so right away, but I can't give as strong an endorsement to his debut work for young adults."- Speculative Fiction Junkie

Review: A Shadow in Summer by Daniel Abraham

A Shadow in Summer is the first of a four book series (a complete one, no less) by Daniel Abraham called The Long Price Quartet. Let's see here, how to describe this book. Hrm.....well, it reminded me somewhat of Acacia: War with the Mein by David Anthony Durham in that it was a very political fantasy book. Now, that absolutely does NOT mean it was a boring book, or that Abraham had a political agenda in writing it. What it does mean is that the magic system is used in more gray areas, and less "Orcs are evil, we must needs rid the planet of their plague," areas. The book moves along fairly quickly, though it does start off somewhat slowly, and it has just the right mix of action, intrigue and mystery to keep you turning pages.

A Shadow in Summer opens us up to a new world by telling the story of several characters, most notably Amat, Liat, Maati and Otah. Their stories, naturally, come together in a plot that foreshadows horrible disaster for their city of Saraykeht, and great changes to the world as a whole.

The magic system is very interesting, in that it's heavily involved in commerce and trade. I've always wondered why more people didn't use their superpowers to make money, and it looks like Mr. Abraham has penned a tale that I can finally sink my economical teeth into. The poets are essentially magicians who use their studies and words to capture the Andat, thoughts made into words made into demigods. One such creature is the Andat Seedless, a cunning, ruthless element that wants nothing more than to be free of the bonds of slavery and to strike back at his master for having given him form. The story of Seedless' intricate plot to destroy Heshai, his master, and gain freedom ultimately draws all the characters in and sets up a wonderful fantasy series.

A Shadow in Summer (9/10) doesn't feel like a first effort from an author. Granted, Abraham has many short stories to his credits, and did spend time at the fantastic Clarion West workshop with authors such as George R.R. Martin and Connie Willis. His polished craft shows, and I'm eager to get to more of his books. For those of you who are more inclined to purchase something from the urban fantasy section of the world wide web, you might be interested in some work Abraham did under the pen name M.L.N. Hanover. The two books in that series (so far) are Unclean Spirits and Darker Angels, and I'll be trying to get my hands on both for upcoming reviews.

Review: Oath of Fealty by Elizabeth Moon

So to start off, I'd like to thank the author for a wonderful experience (yet again) and to say that I really look forward to the next book.

If that didn't give away my feelings towards this book, well... you aren't paying attention.

Oath of Fealty is set in the same universe as the Deed of Paksenarrion, and in fact takes place only a day or so after that series ended. It takes the viewpoints of other characters in the books, namely Dorrin, Arcolin, Stammel (somewhat) and the Duke Phelan, and tells their stories. All the others are still around, and we see Paks from time to time, but it isn't about her anymore, which is an interesting turn for this series to take.

The characters, as usual, are quite superbly written, and convey their emotions in a believable manner. They are well developed, and also quite entertaining from time to time, which is a good sign that they are well written (the characters themselves are entertaining, not just the plot).

I can't say too much about the plot without spoilers, so I won't. Suffice to say, some things need solving, and the crew is back to do the job.

There is little I can say in detriment to this book, and even less that I want to (writing critically about books you really enjoyed is a lot harder than you would think). The only thing I had been hoping for was some glimmer into what Paks and King Falkieri were doing in Liar's Oath, but I'm assuming that we'll get to that point.

Thank you, Elizabeth Moon, for a great read that I couldn't put down, and for coming back to this series after all these years. This is one of my favorite fantasy series of all time, and I am literally counting the days until I hear about book 2.

10/10.

This, in my opinion, is my runner up for Must Buy Book of 2010 (Changes still takes the title, though just barely.) For veteran fans of the series such as myself, it could well take the top spot. READ IT. It's good for you.

But first, if you haven't read them, you should read The Deed of Paksenarrion, and The Legacy of Gird (the two previous series). The first is a trilogy, the second is just two books, and in my opinion they are worth EVERY MOMENT spent reading them. That is all.

Just a quick drop post to tell you what's going on.

So I'm now officially a contributor to the blog, and as such, I'm going to tell you what I'm reading right now, and that is:

Oath of Fealty by Elizabeth Moon.

Moon has been one of my favorite sci-fi and fantasy (yes, both) authors for quite some time, and I was ecstatic to learn about this book, because it is a continuation of one of her older (and in my opinion best) trilogies, The Deed of Paksennarion. I wanted for so long to read more in that universe, because it is full of life and interesting things, and now I get to! Needless to say, I'll be done soon, and you'll have a full report from me. Thanks for tuning to this site, and hopefully you'll come back soon and often.
Darren

The Week in Reviews

A new feature here at The Intelli-Gent Reviews, "The Week in Reviews" will be posted every Monday morning, unless I'm lazy. If that's the case, it will be posted whenever the heck I want to do it. I'll be linking to some of my favorite Sci-Fi and Fantasy review sites, and I really hope they don't mind, since I haven't necessarily asked....um.....permission?

"‘Shadow Prowler’ doesn’t bring anything new to the table at all, and I’m still wondering if there’s a problem with the translation, but it is a lot of fun and has me waiting for the sequel to arrive."- Graeme's Fantasy Reviews

"I was very, very impressed with 'The Hunger Games' and would much rather spend my time with this series than with anything from the "Twilight" universe."-  Fantasy and Sci-Fi Lovin' News and Reviews

"From time to time any avowed escapist such as myself needs a shock to the system – and King Maker provides just that. The wonderfully creative premise and horrific reality make it a book that should be read. Unfortunately, it is a flawed work that undermines the weight of the powerful punch it should deliver."- Nethspace

"Beneath the Surface is a strong collection punctuated here and there by near perfect stories. No one is better at writing compelling nightmares than Mr. Strantzas." - Speculative Fiction Junkie