Kris’ Book Reviews

Dark profession of tortures isn’t to often described in fantasy literature. Wouldn’t it be fun to read how they torture people ? Probably for some psychos Fortunately this book focuses more on other aspects of torturers life.
We are following the life of a young apprentice in the Guild of Torturers which learns his profession.

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The cold north, home of the aggressive Erlings, quarrelsome Cyngaels and civilized Anglcyn. This the where Guy Gavriel Kays next book takes us. And as the last three books it tells a story about the world which takes much from ours. This time the story takes place around X century (if you like to think in real world terms).

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It’s not the first time when Guy Gavriel Kay takes the reader on a journey to an alternative world which, with few exceptions (two moons, somehow changed coastlines, slightly different gods) resembles ours. This time we are presented with a history of conflict between two religions (with a drop of third one) that happens on peninsula of Al-Rassan.

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This is the first book of the Baroque Cycle, a new series by Neal Stephenson, unlike his previous works, it is not a cyberpunk novel but historical and quite a good one.First volume of this series takes place mostly in two time lines, the first is places in early 18th century Massachusetts and the second one is Daniel Waterhouse’s flashbacks into the second half of 17th century’s England. In the former part, Daniel is on his way from America to England, and in the latter author presents Daniels life beginning with studies on university and meeting Newton.

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Lancre kings baby has been born and it should be named on an official ceremony. As this is a baby of royal blood, many aristocrats from neighboring states are invited, but unfortunately also count Magpyr with his family, which happens to be vampires (or vampyres). Besides that, king sent invitation for a new priest. The Witches aren’t happy with neither of those facts (at least Nanny Ogg), because Priests of Om used to burn witches (as a result of terrible translation of its sacred book), and vampires are to blood thirsty. Read the rest of this entry »

The Unseen University is in danger its librarian is sick and constantly changes his shape. He is the only one that is capable of traversing in the library and staying alive, as a result of his sickness, students and professors cannot borrow books.A rescue team is formed of the Universities staff (Archchancellor Ridcully, the Bursar, The Lecturer in Recent Runes, The Dean of Pentacles, The Senior Wrangler and Ponder Stibbons), they come up with a way to cure the librarian by casting a spell and changing him back to his human form. All that they need to do this is his real name. Unfortunately the only person that knows the name of this orangutan librarian is Rincewind which currently is missing, and lost on the last continent named XXXX.

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It is the third book of the Wheel of Time series, and probably my last review of this series. The book starts similarly to the “The Great Hunt”, and probably will end also the same as two previous books.We start off few months after the end of previous part, the final battle that was presented there wasn’t really final (again!), and the Dark One isn’t dead. Rand (the new Dragon), Perrin, Moiraine and the soldiers from Shienar are hiding in the mountains. Rand is afraid of his powers, and eventually, after a Trollock attack on the camp, escapes from his friends. Al’Thors escape and Moiraine search for him is one of the three plots that make up the book.

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I wasn’t happy with the first book of the famous “The Wheel of Time” series, but I said to myself, that one more book and that’s it.The plot starts after the ‘killing’ the Ba’alzamon, which of course, isn’t dead (the series spans quite a few books, so what I have expected?), Rand and his friends stay in Fal Dara fortress. Along with theme there is a prisoner Padan Fain, which in the previous book occur to be controlled by the Evil One (at least partly). But all good things end quickly, and Fain is rescued by Darkfriends and Shadowspawn, taking the Horn of Valere and Matt’s strange knife (without which he will die soon).

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I heard a lot about Kay’s work, some bad, but mostly good things, and now it is time to write what I think of one of his books.The books story takes place on a Palm Peninsula, formerly divided into small countries, but 15 years before the main action of Tigana, the Palm was invaded by two sorcerers, eventually splitting the Peninsula in half. One of the sorcerers is Alberico a warlord from Barbadior empire, and the other is Brandin, the king of Ygrath.

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