The Shadowed Sun - N. K. Jemisin

RATING: THREE STARS

Gujaareh, the city of dreams, is suffering. It has been ten long years since the events of The Killing Moon; ten years in which the once great city has now been occupied by Kisua – a people that know nothing of peace and worship false gods. The result of this is a decadence of the likes Gujaareh has never known: there are starving homeless on the streets, crime has risen and the great anger of violence is beginning to take root in the hearts of its people. In short, the peace of their daily lives – peace which is valued above all else as the basis of their religion – is beginning to shatter.

Worse still, a strange plague is spreading through the city that kills those infected in the sleep. Its victims die alone and in agony, too distressed to ever find their way into the eternal peace of Hananja’s afterlife. The narcomancers that serve Hananja – devout priests that follow her teachings in their dream magic – are at a loss and grow ever more concerned as the plague resists every attempt they make to cure it.

But Guraajeh faces more problems that it knows: the heir to the city’s throne still lives – a young prince who has grown up among a barbaric race of warriors, where he has done nothing but cultivate his anger and hone his prowess for war…

The Good

Just like its predecessor, The Shadowed Sun is both imaginative and enjoyable to read. N. K. Jemisin has really gone wild while she delved into the dream magic her world uses, showing once again how devastating its power actually is. Jemisin’s rather unique form of magic is definitely interesting to read about and she’s really managed to weave it into the daily lives of her characters, adding to the plausibility of Gujareen culture.

Furthermore, Jemisin’s point of view characters have been developed well in themselves and I found that I was able to warm to them quite quickly. Jemisin has managed to create very distinctive personalities that are very evident while reading and really seem to affect the events of the story in a believable manner.

The Bad 

One of the only things I didn't like about The Shadowed Sun, is that is barely featured any of the characters from the previous book. Although these characters do appear and Jemisin has developed her new characters well (which actually fit in perfectly with story), it would have been nice for the ‘familiar faces’ to have had more of a prominent presence.

Another major issue that I had with The Shadowed Sun was in its lack of action. Although this didn't actually make the book any less interesting to read, it would have been nice to have actually read some of the battles and fights in ‘real time’, rather than reading about them post-hoc once they had finished. Admittedly, some of the action was ‘real time’, but I feel that Jemisin could have made the book much more engaging if they all were – one bit (which I won’t reveal) in-particular!

My Thoughts

Overall though, I enjoyed reading The Killing Moon and think that it’s a satisfying ending to Jemisin’s Dreamblood duology. The book is sensual, filled with stunning imagery throughout and really gives the sense of a suffering people that need to be liberated. In fact, I would go as far as saying that Dreamblood is a rare gem of a duology that you should seriously consider investing your time in – N. K. Jemisin is definitely a very talented writer that we should all look out for over the years to come!

Dune - Frank Herbert

RATING: FOUR STARS

Dune. Here's a book that needs no introduction, and I'm sure that many of you have heard of it to some degree (even if it is just been in passing until now). It is Frank Herbert's timeless science fiction classic about Arrakis - a desert planet with so little water on its surface that is it almost uninhabitable for human life; a desert planet that is inhabited only because of the unique melange spice mined there because of the vitality it brings to human health.

It is a planet where only the strong have been able to survive, and only then by adapting to conserve each and every drop of the living-giving water that is worth far more than gold. The Fremen they are called, tribal warriors that have managed to endure and eke out a living where few other could; who have been down-trodden and suppressed by the long and cruel regime of House Harkonnen. The rule of the Harkonnen's ends, however, when House Atreides is gifted with Arrakis and its melange-mining rights by the great Padishah Emperor himself.

Duke Leto Atreides is reluctant to accept the gift, especially because it involves leaving his water-rich home world behind, but knows that he has very little choice - he can feel the jaws of a Harkonnen trap closing tight and begins to realise that Arrakis provides an answer to the danger, despite also being the cause. This answer is the Fremen, the warrior people who have hatred for Duke Vladimir Harkonnen in their very blood. It is the Fremen that he must win if he is to save his son, Paul, and beloved consort, Jessica.

The Good
I have to say that I was very impressed with Dune and think that Herbert has done a superb job with this book. He has managed to develop an impressive ensemble of characters that I really warmed to; has put a lot of thought into the workings of Arrakis and how humans could survive in such an arid environment; and has developed a believable future society for us (once we have finally ventured into the stars).

I admit that some of the stuff Herbert has imagined has to be taken with a pinch of salt (such as his whole concept of the Bene Gesserit), but, over all, he has developed a believable level of technology that isn't too far fetched like many science fiction authors do. This technology is interesting to read about as Herbert really shows how it fits into society and adds to the story as much of it is necessary for survival on Arrakis.

The story itself is also excellent and exciting, although it is predominantly political intrigue so I can't give much away about the plot without ruining it. Rest assured though, that Dune is a real page-turner that is full and twists and action!

The Bad
I think that one of the biggest problems Dune has is its complexity. It's not the story itself that's complex, but simply the sheer scope of the world that Herbert has created. He literally throws the reader straight into the deep end of his universe and begins talking about all these fictional objects of technology, religious rites and social connotations that he has made up with very little explanation of what they are (almost as if he just expects the reader to know). Admittedly, this is a brave method of writing and clearly shows Herbert's confidence as a writer, but it did make following the book a little difficult at times. Herbert has included a glossary at the back of the book to help us out, but I've ever really been a fan of authors doing this and found the continuing necessity to keep flicking back to it a bit irritating really.

In addition to this, Dune also has a weird chronology and is actually split into three novellas that are set years apart from each other. Although each story follows the same overall story arc, it does mean that there are huge 'gaps' in the characters' lives that would have been enjoyable to read about. Really, I got the feeling that Dune is actually two normal length novels that Herbert has tried to condense into one (in three parts).

My Thoughts
The problems I had with Dune did little to mar my enjoyment of it, however, and I still think that the book is brilliant. It is imaginative, exciting and Herbert has really delved into the science that surviving on such a hostile planet as Arrakis would require. Dune is definitely a book that all science fiction fans should invest in and has set the scene for the rest of the Dune Chronicles to be an interesting read.

Dune.

Brayan's Gold - Peter V. Brett

RATING: FOUR STARS

In Brayan’s Gold, Peter V. Brett gives us yet another slice of Arlen’s unwritten story as he tells of a daring messaging run he makes while he is still a young guild apprentice. Being deep into the mountains, the run can only be described as arduous at best and wouldn't normally have been given to an untested messenger at all. That is, of course, if the usual messenger hadn't broken his leg. With no-one else to turn to, the messenger’s guild must give the mission to Arlen and the wizened messenger who is asked to take him beyond the safety of the city’s walls.

As always, Arlen is desperate to test himself against the savage Corelings that stalk the wilds and is only too eager to take on the mission – being determined to deliver a cache of thundersticks to the count of Lord Brayan’s coveted gold mine. However, he quickly finds that the run isn't as easy as he first anticipated and finds that not only is the delivery of his wares jeopardised, but his life nearly comes to a violent and untimely end.

My Thoughts

Just like The Great Bazaar, Brayan’s Gold is a short novella that fills the gap between two of the Demon Cycle’s main instalments. The novella is set between The Painted Man and The Desert Spear, and provides a captivating escape into the ruins of Brett’s desolate world. Aside from being well written and imaginative, Brayan’s Gold is fast paced right from the first page and was extremely difficult for me to put down. It really shows the true grit of Arlen’s character, revealing once again the lengths he will go to in order to survive the Corelings and resist bowing down to them out of fear. In fact, I will say that Brayan’s Gold is a gripping read that will leave you more than ready for the third novel in the series, The Daylight War.