Daniel Serrano Robles is a chemical engineer specializing in combustion systems who takes a job at Schirmerling Tire and Rubber in Akron, Ohio. He warns his new boss, Ben Hodges, that the superheater for boiler #3 is too weakened to continue to use. Daniel also discovers a secret meth lab which, unknown to Daniel, is run by the Captain of Security of STR, Patrick O’Brien. Daniel is fired for his warnings and decides to head to California with his girlfriend Carol. His past follows him when O’Brien frames him for the meth lab and Hodges frames him for negligence when the boiler inevitably explodes. Even Carol deserts him. The only person who could help Daniel with his problems is Nancy Benet, who Daniel recently met in California and she wants to begin a relationship with him.
Summary
The things that I liked the most about this novel were the historical touches added for the 1969/1970 setting (Kent State) and making the protagonist an engineer which made the technical details important. The writing is crisp and the descriptions help the reader understand the setting. There are four aspects of the novel that could have been improved. First, Daniel is not sympathetic enough. He appears to be a contentious and competent engineer, but there is nothing else about him that leads the reader to want him to succeed as the protagonist. He does not act, he reacts to the situations. He is only redeemed by Nancy’s actions.
The second point is that Nancy should have been introduced in one of the first three chapters. She is just too important to the story to introduce her halfway through the novel. Chapters with her alone in California could have built up into her first meeting with Daniel, which would have enhanced the narrative. Thirdly, where was O’Brien? He should have been a constant threat to Daniel throughout the novel. Maybe, two more scenes where he almost catches him would have ratcheted up the suspense enough. Lastly, there were a total of ten viewpoint characters. That’s way too many. Daniel, Nancy, and O’Brien are enough, maybe add detective Grueden for variety.
There wasn’t enough time in the viewpoint of characters’ heads to develop their motivations. Fewer viewpoint characters would have increased the reader’s investment in the character’s plight.
Recommendation
This novel has a few strengths to recommend it. It is clear that the author has the necessary command of the description of the setting and the ability to drive the action to completion. Some structural and motivational choices detracted from the narrative, which makes me more intrigued by reading the author’s next novel.
Links
This is the link to the Goodreads page of Superheat by MB Wood.
This is the link to my review of Somethin’ for Nuthin’ by M. T. Bass. Cleveland. Albert and Waxy fail their Intro to Philosophy midterm and run off to Alaska to seek their fortune. It is a similar book; combining mystery and thriller.
Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang is an eight-story short story collection. The story called Story of Your Life was adapted into a movie called Arrival. The title of the newest edition is Arrival and the book cover depicts the movie poster. I read the 2002 edition of this book and include that picture in this review. These stories were all published in anthologies or magazines over a span of twenty-two years. Story of your Life might be the best story in this collection, but the other stories all interesting and well worth reading.
Summary
Notes about the eight stories follow in the order that they were published in the collection.
The Tower of Babylon follows Hillalum on his journey up a fantasy version of the Tower of Babel. What he finds at the top will change his view of the world.
In Understand, Leon Greco gets an experimental treatment using hormone K, which increases his intelligence exponentially. The story is a variation of Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes. Leon tries to comprehend the implications of his expanded mind.
Renee is a mathematics professor who must come to terms with the ramifications of a successful proof of Division by Zero.
In the Story of Your Life, Louise Banks is a linguist who is attempting to decipher an extraterrestrial language. Discovering the heptapod’s language will have a major impact on Louise’s future.
Robert learns the Seventy-Two Letters that will bring a golem to life. What he does with that knowledge will impact the future of the human race.
The Evolution of Human Science is a very short story about the role of humans after super-intelligent metahumans have taken the lead in all new research in science.
Neil Fisk finds out that Hell is the Absence of God after he experiences trials like the biblical Job when angels come to earth and randomly bestow miracles and catastrophes. The story explores the true nature of devotion.
The last story is called Liking What You See: A Documentary. It explores the unexpected problems developed when it becomes possible to have a procedure called calliagnosia, where the patient can no longer judge people by the way that they look.
Recommendation
Clearly the star in this collection is Story of Your Life. I can understand why it was turned into a movie. The visual medium brought an extra layer of depth to the audience by them being able to see the alien language and follow Louise’s dilemma. The other story that stands out to me is the Tower of Babylon. I liked how Chiang mixed the biblical story, a historical story, and a fantasy story together. I am glad that I read this collection, because each story raised an intriguing point to ponder.
Links
This is the link to the Goodreads page of Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang.
My review of Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson. Red Mars is an SF novel about the struggle early explorers have in colonizing Mars. It is a hard SF novel like Stories of Your Life.
Red Country by Joe Abercrombie, First Law World Series Book #6
Introduction
Shy South has many problems. Her farm was burned by bandits and the bandits took her younger sister and brother away across the Far Country. Their farmhand, Gully, was hung until dead. She must decide if she is up to the task to track down and rescue her siblings. Her only help comes from her cowardly stepfather named Lamb, though he has secrets that could help her in her quest. She must fight tribal members who live in the Far Country who are called Ghosts, a mercenary captain bent on obtaining the rumored treasure of the Ghosts and the remnants of an ancient empire as well if she is to achieve her objectives.
Summary
The author brings his grimdark mentality to a mix of fantasy and western tropes in this novel. The story starts in Shy’s hometown of Squaredeal. Her and Lamb search for Shy’s siblings, Pit and Ro, in the town of Averstock. They join a sort of wagon train, called a Fellowship, that’s headed to the mountains where there are rumors of gold. They try to avoid the Ghosts hunting them and the mercenary force lead by Nicomo Cosca, who is employed by the Union to seek out the rebel named Conthus.
Cosca’s lawyer named Temple joins the wagon train as it heads to the mining town of Crease. They must pass the Old Empire bridge that crosses the Sictus river. Cosca follows them and believes that the Ghosts are hiding a huge treasure. The final showdown is at the Ghost city of Ashranc where Shy gets the chance to achieve all that she wants.
Recommendation
I question whether Shy should be the main viewpoint character in this novel. Lamb is the character who changes the most. He is the one who drives the action. Maybe my opinion is colored by having read the previous book in the First Law World called Best Served Cold. In that book, the main viewpoint character was named Monza. She seeks revenge against the men who left her for dead. Her character was more intriguing to me than Shy and in comparison Shy is a pale shadow of her.
I would have liked to read the book with Lamb as the main viewpoint character, but Red Country is about Shy’s journey to save her siblings. It was an interesting attempt at putting western themes into the First Law World and well worth reading. However, I am more looking forward to reading the second First Law Trilogy, which the author is working on at this time.
Links
This is the link to the Goodreads page of Red Country by Joe Abercrombie, First Law World Series Book #6
This is a link to my review of Promise of Blood by Brian McClellan, The Powder Mage Series Book #1.
This book is similar in tone and grittiness to Red Country. The book is a gunpowder fantasy. There are three main characters. The book opens with the story of Adamat. He is a retired detective. His magical gift is a perfect memory. Tamas is the second main character, a wise leader of men. He is a powder mage, a person that can use gunpowder as magical dust to heal oneself or to manipulate bullets. The third main character is Tamas’s son Taniel. Taniel is a powerful powder mage, the action hero of the story. He uses gunpowder as a narcotic. His reaction to snorting gunpowder is a cross between snuff and cocaine. This is a link to my review.
Lock In by John Scalzi, Book #1 of the Lock In Series
Introduction
Twenty-five years after a global pandemic virus, Chris Shane’s second day on the job as an FBI agent includes a complicated murder as the first order of business. The thing is, Chris cannot physically examine the murder scene. Chris has Haden’s Syndrome. It is a disease that has a slim chance that the person affected cannot physically move their body anymore and become what is known as locked in. The person affected can, however, have their brain fitted with a neural net that lets them either manipulate a specially attuned person called an Integrator or an automaton called a threep. Chris uses a threep and the murder appears to be Haden related. Chris must discover the perpetrator or everyone that has Haden’s Syndrome will be in jeopardy.
Summary
The novel is an interesting mix of a sci-fi thriller and a police procedural. The best part is the world-building on the effect that Haden’s Syndrome could have on society. It felt like it could have been a multi-episode arc of NCIS. If that is the story that you like to read, then this novel hits that spot.
Recommendation
I think that Scalzi was trying to play with two things with this novel; developing the ramifications of Haden’s Syndrome and to play around with writing gender and race. The world-building worked for me. It is never specified whether Chris is a male or a female. I have my opinion, but nothing written has changed that opinion. Chris’s race is not specified until later in the novel, so thinking about that revelation is thought-provoking.
Chris’s FBI partner Leslie Vann appears to think like a man, but I took it as a woman surrounded by males in law enforcement and taking their phrases as her own. I appreciated that Scalzi chose to explore these subjects, even though it might not have been totally successful because at times the writing felt forced. I am glad that the novel promotes discussion about gender and race. That does mean something. I would recommend this book if only for that.
Links
This is the link to the Goodreads page of Lock In by John Scalzi.
The Kinshield Legacy by KC May, Book #1 of The Kinshield Saga
Introduction
The Kinshield Legacy by KC May begins the story of Gavin Kinshield. The fantasy kingdom of Thendylath has been without a king for many years. The previous king has decreed that whoever solves the runes of the five magical gemstones on a tablet in a cave will become the next rightful king. Kinshield is a descendant of the previous king’s second in command, who may or may not have caused the previous king’s downfall.
Kinshield has had visions of solving the runes and has obtained two of the five gems. He does this anonymously so that no one knows he is the riddle solver. The solver of the last rune will become king. The sorcerer Brodas Ravenkind wants to find out who has been solving the runes and wants to take over the kingdom. Only one man will become king. Kinshield does not want the responsibility and Ravenkind will do anything to become the next king including murder.
Summary
Gavin Kinshield is a warrant knight. Warrant knights are part sheriffs and part bounty hunters. He goes around the kingdom dispensing justice. Without a king, the petty lords need warrant knights to keep the peace. The blacksmith Risen Stronghammer is beholden to Kinshield because he had heroically saved his wife from drowning in the river. The Stonghammer’s are from a small of stature race from Farthan. Risen fashions a magical sword for Kinshield using the gems Kinshield had obtained and some magic from a Farthan enchantress. Kinshield encounters Daia Saberheart of the Viragon Sisterhood. The Sisterhood is a warrior and monk mercenary company. Kinshield charms her with his selfless personality despite his uncouth manners. Kinshield enlists her aid in his mission to find a man worthy to be king. Risen and Daia helps Gavin in his efforts to defeat Ravenkind and find a king for the kingdom.
Recommendation
Gavin Kinshield is a likable character. Maybe he is too much the charming rogue with the bulging biceps. The kingdom is a somewhat generic medieval fantasy world with a sort of dwarves in the Farthans. Risen is a fun character in short bursts. Daia and the Sisterhood were good for the story. I wanted Gavin and Daia to become more romantically involved, maybe in the sequel. Ravenkind should have been more than the mustache-twirling villain. Despite my reservations, I enjoyed this novel very much and would like to continue to read the rest of the saga.
Links
This is the link to the Goodreads page of The Kinshield Legacy by KC May.
My review of Chronicles of the Black Company by Glen Cook. It is a novel like The Kinshield Legacy. The Black Company is a medieval fantasy mercenary group and Croaker tells their tales.
Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson, Book #1 of The Mars Trilogy
Introduction
Red Mars begins as the story of the first hundred people who make a permanent home on Mars. Among the first hundred is the first man who had set foot on Mars on an earlier mission, John Boone, the leader of the American group, Frank Chalmers, the leader of the Russian group, Maya Toitavna, the leading engineer Nadia Chernyshevski, the leader of the outpost made on the moon of Phobos, Arkady Bogdanov, a physicist and a proponent of immediately terraforming Mars, Sax Russell, a geologist and a proponent of leaving Mars in its original state, Ann Clayborne, and the leader of the farm team, Ai Hiroko. They face the challenges and dangers of Mars and of themselves to begin to transform the face of Mars so it can be inhabited for generations to come.
Summary
The first hundred come to Mars on the spaceship Ares after a long journey. They settle in a group of bunkers which they called Underhill. The beginning of the novel focuses on a love triangle between Maya, John, and Frank. Ann’s position is referred to as the Red position and Sax’s position is referred to as the Green position. The United Nations Organization Mars Authority (UNOMA) holds the final decision and favors exploiting the raw materials found on Mars to the benefit of the people of Earth.
Many outposts are built with the direction of Nadia and a mass emigration is enacted. A space elevator is constructed, the water at the north pole is mined, an ice meteorite is broken up in the Martian atmosphere, and large holes called moholes are drilled into the surface of Mars. Not everyone is happy with the current conditions and this leads to revolution.
Recommendation
The world-building in this trilogy is impressive. It details a rational and likely method for the terraforming of Mars. The author writes a wonderful description and creates interesting characters. The only problem that I have with the novel is that the author relies heavily on the narrative summary. While the technique of narrative summary can help tell a story that takes place over many years, it limits the connection the reader feels with the characters. The story continues in Green Mars and concludes in Blue Mars. Another book of short fiction contained within the Trilogy’s timeframe was also released and called The Martians.
Links
This is the link to the Goodreads page of Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson.
Hope and Red by Jon Skovron, Book #1 of the Empire of Storms
Introduction
Hope begins the novel as the lone survivor of her village. The village was exterminated by the order of biomancers. Biomancers serve the emperor and can manipulate any living thing. Their power is a mix of science and magic. She is taken in by the Vinchen warriors, who practice a variation of kung-fu training and philosophy. She vows vengeance on the biomancers. Red begins the novel as a young boy, is taken in by Sadie the Goat, and they become notorious pirates. After some adventures, he takes to the streets of New Laven and learns the trade of a thief.
Summary
Hope learns the ways of the Vinchen warriors as the only female ever so trained. She must leave the island of the Vinchen warriors and sets to sail with Captain Carmichael on the trading ship Lady’s Gambit as a fighter. Red is helped in his thieving exploits by his friends Filler and Nettles in the New Laven slum of Paradise Circle. New Laven is the largest and most populated island of the Empire of Storms.
The Empire is ruled by the emperor from the island of Stonepeak. Red’s crew become embroiled in the plans of the gangster overlord Deadface Drem. Deadface Drem has made a sinister pact with the biomancers, which has threatened all of people of Paradise Circle. The third viewpoint character in the novel is the biomancer, Brigga Lin. Brigga Lin is searching for the long guarded secrets of biomancers. Those secrets have a big payoff at the end of the novel.
Hope heads to New Laven after witnessing other atrocities committed by the biomancers. When Hope and Red meet halfway through the novel, the novel takes off showing their vengeance on the biomancers, the gangsters, and the empire.
Recommendation
The author describes this novel as a kung-fu, pirate, and gangster adventure. I heartily agree. This is a fun and fast-paced novel, which includes many twists and turns. The twists at the end set up the next volume called Bane and Shadow, which is due to be released on February 28, 2017. I have preordered it and look forward to reading it then.
Links
This is the link to the Goodreads page of Hope and Red by Jon Skovron.
This is the link to my review of Black Prism by Brent Weeks. The Black Prism is book one of the Lightbringer series. The Lightbringer series is like the Empire of Storms series because they are series with both fantasy and magic.
I had read great reviews of this novel in the past and finally read it last year. The praise is well-founded. The framing story is about an innkeeper called Kote. He reveals himself to be the legendary wizard Kvothe and then details his life of adventure and magic to the Chronicler who transcribes the tales. How much of his tales is the truth or an elaboration has yet to be determined?
Sequels do not always match the wonder of the first novel, but this one does. It works as an extension of the first novel. It’s been a long wait for the third novel, The Doors of Stone, but I see why it must be this way. It must be very difficult to maintain the quality of the narrative considering that all the threads must be completed to have a finished series. The three parts should read like one long novel. It is the story of Kvothe from apprentice to master.
This is the second book in the Stormlight Archive. While the first book is mainly focused on Kaladin’s story, this novel expands on Shallan’s story. Many events occur by the end of this long novel and set up the third book, called Oathbringer due to be released in 2017, which features the story of Dalinar.
The magic system in this fantasy, called chromaturgy, involves the magician turning various colors of light into a substance called luxin. The luxin can be manipulated into items depending upon which color of light is used. This novel focuses on the struggles of Gavin Guile as he tries to preserve the balance of light in chromaturgy and tries to rule the peoples of the Seven Satrapies as the Prism. Gavin may be the ruler, but he has many problems that plague him, including interacting with Kip, Dazen, Karris, Corvan, Liv, and the mysterious Lord Omnichrome.
This book was adapted for television by the SyFy Channel as the first season of The Expanse. That is why I initially chose to read this novel. I enjoy examining the comparisons from book to screen. Some examples are The Man in the High Castle, Games of Thrones, and the Harry Potter series. The Expanse is set in the future in the solar system, where the Terrans, the Martians, and the Belters (people who live beyond Mars) all vie for materials and power. The main characters are captain Holden and Detective Miller. They must unravel who has released an alien virus called the protomolecule and why it was released.
Novels Six to Ten of the Novels That I Read in 2016
The author describes this novel as a mix of kung-fu, pirate, and gangster adventure. I heartily agree. This is a fun and fast-paced novel, which includes many twists and turns. Hope begins the novel as the lone survivor of her village. The village was exterminated by the order of biomancers. Biomancers serve the emperor and can manipulate any living thing. Their power is a mix of science and magic. She is taken in by the Vinchen warriors, who practice a variation of kung-fu training and philosophy. She vows vengeance on the biomancers.
Red begins the novel as a young boy, who falls into becoming a pirate. After some adventures, he takes to the streets of New Laven and learns the trade of a thief. When Hope and Red meet halfway through the novel, the novel takes off showing their vengeance on the biomancers and the empire. The twists at the end set up the next volume called Bane and Shadow, which is due to be released on February 28, 2017. I have preordered it and look forward to reading it then.
This series mixes muskets and magic. The magic system uses gunpowder as its base. The protagonists can use gunpowder to enhance their stamina, accuracy in shooting, and self-healing ability. The exploits of Field Marshall Tamas, his son Taniel, and Inspector Adamat can be followed in the trilogy. A second trilogy starts when Sins of Empire is due to be released on March 7, 2017.
The sequel to Leviathan Wakes expands the conflict in the Expanse series. Captain Holden of the ship called Rocinante is back. The crew chooses to help Prax, whose daughter has been kidnapped from the moon of Ganymede. Ganymede has been attacked by enemies unknown as witnessed by Martian Marine Bobbie Draper. United Nations Under-Secretary Avasarala also becomes involved in the plot as the four characters unravel what has transpired between Earth, Mars, the Belt, and the kidnappers. Most of these events will be covered in the second season of the SyFy Channel program called The Expanse. The first episode is scheduled to air on February 1, 2017.
I have always enjoyed the author’s science fiction and the Song of Ice and Fire series. This novel was written in between the two. I had steered away from it because it included vampires because it felt like there was no place interesting to go with that trope. I decided to try it anyway and was pleasantly surprised. The novel is set in the 1850s on the Mississippi River. The story is about riverboat captain Abner Marsh and his mysterious benefactor, Joshua York. They build a big and fast boat and sail down the Mississippi toward New Orleans. York’s past catches up to him and secrets are revealed. These vampires have a well thought out history and biology. It is a science fiction type retelling of the vampire and werewolf superstitions.
This novel is the third book featuring the characters of Wax and Wayne. The Mistborn trilogy featured a different cast of characters and was set in a semi medieval world. There are three magic systems that exist in all of the books; allomancy, feruchemy, and hemalurgy. The technology level of the Wax and Wayne series is roughly Western with guns and trains mixing with the magic systems. In this novel, Wax searches for the legendary bands of mourning and tries to discover the intentions of a secretive group called The Set. The stage is set for a climactic final novel featuring these characters. The seventh Mistborn novel is called The Lost Metal and will be released in 2018.
The Other Ten Novels I Read in 2016
The other novels I read last year were The Man in the High Castle by Phillip K. Dick (This was a reread prepping me for the first season of the Amazon Instant Video series), Tuf Voyaging by George R. R. Martin (This was a reread so I could follow the you tube video series by Preston Jacobs on the Thousand World Stories by Martin), The Slow Regard of Silent Things by Patrick Rothfuss, The Atlantis Gene (The Origin Mystery #1) by A. G. Riddle, Murder at the Kinnen Hotel by Brian McClellan (background short story in the Powder Mage series labeled #0.3).
The Gunslinger (The Dark Tower #1) by Stephen King, A Fire Upon the Deep (Zones of Thought #1) by Vernor Vinge, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Harry Potter #8) by J. K. Rowling, John Tiffany, and Jack Thorne, The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (Wayfarers #1) by Becky Chambers, and Song of the Sea Spirit (The Mindstream Chronicles #1) by K. C. May.
Upcoming Books I Want to Read
Books that I’m looking forward to reading this year that are scheduled to be released this year: -Arcanum Unbounded by Brandon Sanderson on November 22, 2016 -Oathbringer (Stormlight #3) by Brandon Sanderson sometime in 2017 -The Heart of What was Lost (Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn #4) by Tad Williams on January 3, 2017 -Bane and Shadow (Empire of Storms #2) by Jon Skovron on February 28, 2017 -New York 2140 by Kim Stanley Robinson on March 14, 2017
Series that I want to continue reading: -Powder Mage Series by Brian McClellan -Lightbringer series by Brent Weeks -The Expanse series by James S. A. Corey -Mars Trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson
Books I will wait for as long as it takes: -The Winds of Winter (Song of Ice and Fire #6) by George R. R. Martin -Doors of Stone (The Kingkiller Chronicle #3) by Patrick Rothfuss
This is a link to my review of The Land That Time Forgot by Edgar Rice Burroughs, which is a fun quickly-paced science fiction/fantasy adventure story. It has the lost world theme and an interesting method of alternative evolution included in this world. It is just the perfect story for that pre-teen boy to read.
Song of the Sea Spirit by KC May, Book #1 of The Mindstream Chronicles
Introduction
Jora and Boden live in the fishing village of Kaild. They have grown up together like brother and sister. They both face momentous changes in their lives. Boden must take a wife before he joins the Legion and fights to protect the Tree of the Fallen God. Jora is expected to become a wife and produce sons to send to the Legion, but she has the talent of Mindstreaming. Her talent lets her follow the timeline of anyone see meets and then observe the past as they saw it, so no one in her village wants to marry her and risk her seeing everything about their lives. Boden must decide who to marry and Jora must decide what she wants to do with her life.
Summary
Boden decides to marry someone other than Jora and Jora remains a maiden. Boden gives Jora a flute as a present before he leaves for the Legion. She does not know how to play, so she decides to practice by the sea where no one can hear her play. She tries to play her favorite song called song of the sea spirit, but is visited by a friendly dolphin who whistles the song back to her. These are the best moments in the novel. They are Jora’s discovery of the dolphin’s language and her communications with the dolphin called Sundancer. Boden’s travels to the Legion and his experiences there comprise the other half of the novel’s story. The weaker half. He joins the Legion, bonds with his comrades, and discovers a secret that jeopardizes his safety.
Someone is stealing the godfruit that is dropped by the Tree of the Fallen God. If the men of the Legion eat one godfruit in the morning and die that day, then they will live again. This can only happen once per person. Who is stealing the godfruit and why they steal it are the questions Boden must answer. Meanwhile, Jora has been discovered by other Mindstreamers. Mindstreamers are recruited and trained by the Order of Justice Officials. The order supports the Legion and novices are trained in Serocia’s capitol of Jolver. Jora is drafted into the order, she is taken to Jolver, her training begins, and she bonds with the other novices. She views Boden through the Mindstream and discovers the mystery of the godfruit. This forbidden knowledge leads to many complications and ultimately the novel’s climax.
Recommendation
My struggles with this book are one of matching expectations. I thought that this book was going to be a sweet playful jaunt about dolphins and flutes. That changed about halfway through the novel starting with the fate of Gilon. This book had a much darker message about the nature of death and what Jora would do when her power became unlimited. Did she becomes that which she fought so hard against? The answer may be in book #2: The Call of the Colossus. This wasn’t the story that I expected, but the story that the author told still intrigues me enough to read the next novel in the series.
Links
This is the link to the Goodreads page of Song of the Sea Spirit by KC May
My review of The Kinshield Legacy by KC May. In this fantasy, Gavin Kinshield is a warrant knight. He must solve a riddle of runes to save the kingdom.
The Black Prism is Book #1 of The Lightbringer series
Introduction
Gavin Guile is the Prism, the spiritual, military, and political leader of the Seven Satrapies. He rules from the Chromeria using the magical system called chromaturgy. Kip is a teenager from the small town of Rekton. Corvan Danavis is Kip’s mentor and has a secret past. Liv Davavis, Corvan’s daughter, is a member of the Chromeria under Gavin. Karris White Oak, Gavin’s former fiancé, is a member of the Blackguards, an elite force of bodyguards who protect the rulers of the Chromeria. The prisoner is trapped by Gavin in a blue cell. Past secrets and current intrigues pull these characters together and apart. Gavin must keep his secrets hidden or risk losing his position as ruler.
Summary
There is a lot to like in this novel and a lot to unpack. Chromaturgy, the role of the Prism, and the False Prism’s war are the three biggest issues. Chromaturgy is the magical system of the Seven Satrapies. Magicians who use Chromaturgy are called drafters. Drafters are able to take part of the spectrum of light and make a substance called luxin. Luxin can be shaped into many things, with the color of the luxin determining the properties of the item. The colors that can be drafted are super-violet, blue, green, yellow, orange, red and sub-red. Monochrome drafters only draft in one color. Drafters who can draft two color are called Bichromes and multiple colors are called Polychromes. Only one person per generation can draft all the colors and that person is the Prism. The Prism’s main job is to keep the colors drafted by all drafters in balance. The problem was that a second Prism was also born, Gavin’s brother Dazen. Dazen went to war with his brother in the False Prism’s War. He lost. Sixteen years later, the choices that Gavin made back then start to come unraveled. A woman from Rekton sends a message to Gavin that he has a son called Kip. Trying to solve that mystery creates many more for Gavin.
Recommendation
The Black Prism is an amazing book. Gavin is all powerful, handsome, smarter than anyone else, and women love him. He should have no conflicts; he should solve all his problems easily; he should be boring, and I should hate him. The author defies my expectations and makes me want this man to succeed. In another story, he would be the villain. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series, The Blinding Knife.
