Posts tagged with "fantasy"
Death and the Librarian and other stories
Posted by Ultra Violet on 01/11/11
Friesner was called the "First Lady of Funny Fantasy" by Booklist, and although there is quite a bit of humor here, I also found these stories to be rather touching. Two of the stories in this collection are Nebula Award winners. I liked that they are very traditional fantasy stories set in contemporary times.
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
Posted by Ultra Violet on 05/17/11
I read this dark, atmospheric tale of the Napoleonic wars and faeries some time ago and loved it. I just found out that a movie is in the works. The New York Times has some information about it.
The Golem and the Jinni
Posted by Ultra Violet on 05/24/13
Chava, a golem brought to life by a disgraced rabbi, and Ahmad, a jinni made of fire, form an unlikely friendship on the streets of New York until a fateful choice changes everything
- See more at: http://ahml.info/catalog/record/2030853?itemrecord=0#sthash.rkUHdfSu.dpuf
Chava, a golem brought to life by a disgraced rabbi, and Ahmad, a jinni made of fire, form an unlikely friendship on the streets of New York until a fateful choice changes everything
- See more at: http://ahml.info/catalog/record/2030853?itemrecord=0#sthash.rkUHdfSu.dpuf
It's the last part of the 19th Century, and an evil Jewish mystic creates an incomparable golem who ends up lost and alone in New York City. Blending in to the human population is hard enough for Chava, but getting involved with Ahmad, a Jinni who has been cruelly trapped in human form thousands of years ago, causes even more complications. Their uneasy alliance stems from their shared situations, but their natures are so far from each other that they are constantly butting heads.When Chava's creator comes to America, Ahmad and Chava must fight for their lives and try and outwit a mastermind with no conscience.
This is a fun, fast read with great details of 19th Century New York, particularly the Jewish and Syrian neighborhoods and lifestyles. The Jewish tradition of the golem and the Middle Eastern stories of the jinn add a delightful twist.
The Ladies of Grace Adieu
Posted by Ultra Violet on 12/06/11
A delicate collection of short stories with a slight tinge of the sinister. Great wintertime reading with a pot of tea. Clarke creates a sensuous world of mystical beings and rich settings.
The Magician King
Posted by Ultra Violet on 09/25/11
Quentin, Julia, Eliot and Janet are established as the kings and queens of the magical land of Fillory after their harrowing adventures in the first book in this trilogy, The Magicians. It is well worth reading or re-reading the first book because there are many references to specific occurrences from it. The first book set up the story of our anti-hero, Quentin, and how he goes from a depressed introvert in Brooklyn to being a student at an exclusive school for magic. (Yes, it's a bit like Harry Potter, but it is decidedly darker). In this second book, Quentin finds the life of a magician king to be a bit boring. He longs for the days of danger and adventure. When trouble shows up, the others are content to leave it be, but Quentin jumps head-long into the depths of peril, while being forced to face his past and his inner self.
There is not quite the happy ending in The Magician King that there was in the first book, but if there is meant to be a third, that makes sense. It is a bit of a cliff-hanger. I have read reviews on both sides of the fence about this one. No one seems to be neutral about this book. You either love it or hate it. I couldn't stop reading it and I closed it thinking, "I can't wait for the next one!"
Titus Awakes
Posted by Ultra Violet on 07/30/11
Mervyn Peake wrote three novels in the Gormenghast Series, Titus Groan, Gormenghast, and Titus Alone. He created an original world that has been compared to Tolkein in quality. His wife, Maeve Gilmore, an artist and sculptor, wrote this final novel, Titus Awakes based on the notes left by her husband when he died in the 60's.
