FANTASY REVIEW: Castle 5: Fair Rebe; - Steph Swainston

Release Date: 24/11/16
Publisher: Gollancz

SYNOPSIS:

Steph Swainston's much-anticipated return to her uniquely imagined fantasy world of the Fourlands.

Fifteen years after the last devastating Insect attack, the immortal Circle is finally ready to launch an offensive against their implacable enemies. This time they have a new weapon - gunpowder. Hopes are high.

But the Circle's plans are threatened when the vital barrels of gunpowder go missing. Jant, the Circle's winged messenger, is tasked to investigate. Soon it becomes clear that the theft is part of a deadly conspiracy . . . and Jant and his friends are among the targets.

As tensions rise, Jant races to foil the conspirators. Can he expose them in time - or will the crisis blow the Fourlands apart?


REVIEW:

Fantasy is a genre that every so often has an author not only try something a little different but also helps to pave the way for new talent, and for me Steph is one of those authors who likes to push the boundries to help take the genre in a different direction. Here pulling into this title, set in the Castle universe is a tale that brings terrorism into a full scale battle where the reader gets to see that not all faces of warfare are armes facing off against each other.

The writing is crisp, the character faulted and for me thats what helps bring them to life, the fact that no matter what foibles they have their acts of heroism really stand out for the fact that they feel like real people. Add to this great dialogue alongside a plot that once it sweeps you up won't let go all round makes this a thrilling ride. Magical.

FANTASY REVIEW: Above the Snowline - Steph Swainston

BOOK BLURB:

This is Jant Shira's life before the drugs took over, as a hunter in the mountains. Awian exiles are building a stronghold in the Darkling mountains, where the Rhydanne hunt. Their clash of interests soon leads to bloodshed and Shira Dellin, a Rhydanne huntress, appeals to the immortal Circle for justice. The Emperor sends Jant, half-Rhydanne, half-Awian, and all-confidence, to mediate. As Jant is drawn into the spiralling violence he is shaken into coming to terms with his own heritage and his feelings for the alien, intoxicating Dellin. ABOVE THE SNOWLINE tells the story of Jant's early years in the Circle and shows the Fourlands as you've never seen them before.


REVIEW:

Since Steph first came to my attention with her Troy series I’ve kept a close eye on all her releases as I really do like her pace, her descriptive prose and above all her characterisation. Within this offering is a tale, which is totally self-contained. It is always good when an author does this as it allows new readers a chance to try them without having to get behind a huge catalogue. Steph’s writing really is some of the best out there and whilst I still think her Troy books are superior, this is a cracking fantasy novel with characters that are not only flawed but also heroic as they struggle against their fates.