Official Book Review: Kingdom Society: The Black Hood by Nathan Helm

I have finished Kingdom Society: The Black Hood by Nathan Helm and, as the author requested, now give it an Official Book Review. (And if  it seems like I read it surprisingly swiftly well, that is what a week of unexpectedly free evenings and a three-day weekend will do.)

Will somebody tell me how to write a review for something when almost everything one can think of writing would constitute a not insignificant spoiler? So I shall focus on what makes this book special: its uniqueness.

Every author has things they do best, and Nathan Helm's is a very fast plot and flashy – very visual – magical battles so well described that it is like watching an anime (which comes as no surprise since the book was partially inspired off such). Add that to merging Sci-Fi with Fantasy, time-travel, Eight Kingdoms instead of the stereotypical Seven, and a startlingly talkative and very hard to kill enemy in the Black Hood Lord Zallrahn or whatever the fiend chooses to call himself, and one has a book which you literally never know where the next page will take you. In short, Kingdom Society: The Black Hood bends and blends genre tropes and tricks into a most unexpected knot. Goodness knows I do not envy Alyeth, Cindril, the rest of House Zane plus Xylock trying to untie it.

(P.S. If you, dear reader, are an author/publisher and reading this review makes you want to ask me for a review too then PLEASE read my Contact Me? page.)

Four Hundred Turns (Dragonriders of Pern) - Anne McCaffrey (with lyrics)

"Four Hundred Turns" from the Dragonriders of Pern series by the honored Anne McCaffrey. The lyrics are, of course, written by Anne McCaffrey. I merely used AI to provide the music and generate the image.

I am adding "you look like you could live in any century" to my list of favorite compliments from my students.

My father and I just finished The Book Smugglers, Book Four of Anna James' Pages & Co. series

My father and I just finished The Book Smugglers, Book Four of Anna James' Pages & Co. series.

The British Underlibrary may be saved, but there are other plots (so to speak), and other evils in the bookwandering world that were but hinted at before and now come by postage in the form of a poisoned copy of the The Wizard of Oz. But now it is Milo Bolt who drives both story and the magical train Sesquipedalian alongside his friend Tilly in a hunt to find the poisoner and save their families, questing from the Emerald City to the canals of Venice. Along the way unraveling and finding mysteries not written in any book as the circumstances around Milo's life and family are revealed to be bound like book a power struggle between one who takes the phrase "knowledge is power" to obscene lengths and another whom might just be trustworthy. We will found out soon enough, for it is Milo and Alessia's story now. All aboard the Quip!

I have started Kingdom Society: The Black Hood by Nathan Helm.

I have at the author's request started Kingdom Society: The Black Hood by Nathan Helm.

Unique Fantasies are absolutely what I seek, and while two orphans rising to meet their destiny against an ancient evil may hardly be called unique, add time-travel, Gods who fight wars against regular humans and Warlocks, and a returned foe who – unless I miss my guess – is the escaped disciple of a strangely defeated Dragon God, then we have all the makings for a most original Epic Fantasy indeed. Oh, and the phrase "Sometimes the only way to conquer darkness is to embrace it." Goodness knows I hope not, but I also know that Alyeth and Cindrel Zane look like they have their work cut out for them saving Dun’Nahar from the Black Hood. Particularly when visions of the future already show terrible bloodshed and tragedy.

(Naturally the Official Book Review will come after I finish the book.)

Official Book Review: I have finished The Lumen Caligo: Fallen by Lawrence C. Cobb

I have finished The Lumen Caligo: Fallen by Lawrence C. Cobb and, as the author requested, now give it an Official Book Review.

A short, stellar, and utterly unique Fantasy, I am almost at a loss for words for fear of giving out spoilers, for Lawrence C. Cobb does not waste a syllable in this tale that flies fast, sharp, and elegantly as a Angel – or rather, a Lumen or Caligo – soaring off to battle. A contemporary Fantasy drawing off a classic story element from Avatar: The Last Airbender in addition to the legends and myths of our own world, it was a deep pleasure watching Cyrus get thrown into his destiny, identity, and the Bermuda Triangle with surprises around every corner. Luckily he had Auli'i, Kimo and Martian– pardon me, Martin with him to an end, a climax, which was as unexpected as I have ever read. 

Point of order, I am also not surprised in the slightest that Lawrence C. Cobb is, like me, a diehard fan of Nintendo's Golden Sun gameboy game series (a fact he told me). Indeed, ere the end I could all but see Sol Sanctum, Lemuria, and Anemos.

May your light illuminate the darkness before you. May your darkness keep the light from blinding you.

(P.S. If you, dear reader, are an author/publisher and reading this review makes you want to ask me for a review too then PLEASE read my Contact Me? page.)

To the Professor!

Today is J.R.R. Tolkien's 133rd birthday! As Frodo did for Bilbo, the Tolkien Society continues to celebrate Tolkien's birthday in his absence. Their tradition: at 9pm your time raise a glass and toast "The Professor!"