Stormlord's Exhile by Glenda Larke

Stormlord's Exile was everything I was hoping for.

This finale to the Watergivers trilogy pays off on existing storylines and while following the usual form of fantasy novels, managed to do a lot that was new and different. It's one of the things I can always count on Glenda Larke for, to give me a traditional fantasy with non-traditional elements. (For an example on how to bore me to tears, see Eregon).

One positive aspect I mentioned in my review of the first novel was the world-building, and that hasn't changed. I love this world's distinctive culture and priorities. It's definitely not the usual medieval-style world. In fact, I believe it's meant to be futuristic Australia, which is probably why it resonates so deeply with me. If I were a mad genius that could engineer humans to have a super-power to survive the fall of the civilization, the ability to manipulate water would be top of the list. (That or immunity to any kind of venom - the number of times I came close to being bitten as a kid kind of freaks me out in retrospect...)

Moving on, the characters are straightforward while losing none of their complexity. Jasper's feud with his brother ended in an unexpected way that was oddly satisfying, and I enjoyed the twist in the storyline involving Laisa and Senya. Laisa is the most perfect villain ever, because she's not really a villain; she's a survivor. At one point in the book, someone muses that while Taquar has no true moral code, Laisa does, but is perfectly capable of putting it aside when it conflicts with her self-interest. Senya could be taken as a deconstruction and reconstruction of the annoying two-dimensional love-rival cliche. No spoilers, but a lot of things I found previously irritating about her are explained here.

I can't go into much more details without ruining the plot, but I was very happy with how this trilogy turned out. It's the kind I'd love to see turned into a movie or mini-series. George Miller would direct, Claudia Black would be Laisa, Rose McIver would be Ryka. I give this book a big red stamp of approval.

One thing I should note is that Stormlord's Exhile was rather hard to find. I eventually hard to order in from Pulp Fiction in the city (FYI, they are amazing. Very friendly and very reasonable prices). Apparently there were only 11 copies left with Harper-Collins and it's no longer in print, so if you want a brand new edition, you'd better hop to it.

"We have lived too long attached to our past, a past that should mean nothing anymore."

Master Post - High Fantasy

See below my masterlist of fantasy I've read (not comprehensive - still updating). Those marked in red have been reviewed, those in black haven't been. Links are included. 

I've split this list into separate sections, to make it easier to navigate. Enjoy!

Epic:

Books or series in the style of Tolkien or Robert Jordan where the world-building is vast and the action is big. 


The Broken Well trilogy by Sam Bowring - An interesting deconstruction of the black and white encoded morality common to high fantasy. Contains a very genre-savvy villain, for a given value of 'villain'.

Strange Threads by Sam Bowring - Series featuring a very disturbing villain, but has an interesting take on magic as an aberration rather than a natural phenomenon.

The Black Magician by Trudi Canavan - A series about a low-born girl who discovers she has forbidden magic.

The Bitterbynde by Cecilia Dark-Thornton - The first book of this series contains fascinating ideas about memory and identity, but the second and third are a huge letdown. Recommended cautiously.

Battle Axe by Sara Douglass - First book of the Axis trilogy. A fairytale on a bad acid trip and my first love in high fantasy. Also see the sequel Enchanter and Starman. 

The Wayfarer Redemption by Sara Douglass - Sequel series to the above Axis Trilogy, wherein every bad decision comes back to haunt the characters. Cruelly knocks down every trope set up in the prequels and makes me love it anyway.

Beyond the Hanging Wall by Sara Douglass - Stand-alone book. One of Douglass' early works. A decent read about restoration of the rightful ruler to a land.

DarkGlass Mountain by Sara Douglass - Series that's both sequel and canon-welding for the Wayfarer Redemption and Beyond the Hanging Wall. A definite must-read for any fans of the previous trilogies, but anyone else should probably avoid.

Medalon by Jennifer Fallon - I had some serious problems with the brother-sister relationship, as outlined in my review. I'm much more fond of the sequel Treason Keep, which introduces the very likable Princess Arina.

Symphony of Ages by Elizabeth Haydon - The main female character was a moronic twit, but everyone else was fine and the world-building was original. A friend of mine with usually good taste loves this series, if that makes a difference.

Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan - Gorgeous writing of a world where reality is not quite what it seems. Deals with nasty topics like rape and incest, but doesn't fetishize them.

The Quickening by Fiona McIntosh - No, not the Highlander phenomenon. Though I guess it does have a few things in common. The magic in this series is simple, logical and wreaks an almighty amount of havok. Highly recommended. 

Valisar by Fiona McIntosh - I never got beyond the first book, however, she has done great things with other series, so it may have improved.

Fisherman's Children by Karen Miller - Some nice world-building, but the main character really annoyed me.

Power and Majesty by Tansy Raynor Roberts - I avoid the sequels, but the first is a fantastically entertaining piece of decadent world-building.

Splashdance Silver by Tancy Rayner Roberts - One of the few comedies on this list, in the style of Terry Pratchett. Riffs high fantasy so hard it will have you in stitches. Also see the sequel Liquid Gold.

The Dark Griffin by KJ Taylor - A well-thought out take-that at bond animals with an omniscient morality licence. Tackles themes of discrimination and racism. 

Daughters of the Storm by Kim Wilkins* - First book of an unpredictable tragedy with characters that are neither good nor evil, and leaves just enough threads dangling for the sequel Sisters of Fire. Can't wait to see where this series goes.

Non-Western:

Books or series that have imaginative world-building - not the usual Western medieval fare. 

Born of Empire by Simon Brown - Has some great world-building, but falls down in plot, characters and just about everything else.

Threshold by Sara Douglass - Depicts a very problematic relationship with serious issues of consent, but still an extremely entertaining read about an Eldritch abomination trying to devour a world resembling ancient Egypt.

Tales of the Otori by Lian Hearn - A beautifully written depicting of changing times within a Japanese-like culture.

Nevernight by Jay Kristoff - A book about an assassin school set in a civilization reminiscent of ancient Rome. By turns hilarious and tragic. Thoroughly recommended.

Watergivers by Glenda Larke - A power struggle set in a barren world where the aristocracy has the ability to manipulate water. Thoughtful exploration of the harsh realities of this system.

Mirage Makers by Glenda Larke - A great main character with an interesting mix of honor and underhandedness, torn between the culture she was born into and the one she was raised by. I've read the first book, but am struggling to get through the second.

The Aware by Glenda Larke - Contains a kick-ass female protagonist. Not my favorite book, but a good way to spend a few hours.

Havenstar by Glenda Larke - Walks a fine line between science fiction and magic in a dark dystopian future. Great story with a very sensible, cynical protagonist.

Godspeaker Trilogy by Karen Miller - Vivid characters struggling through a brutal, violent world. Though the first book was set in a fascinatingly different culture, the second and third revert to standard medieval fare (but are still very good!).

Romance:

Books that focus mostly on romantic relationships. 


The Last T'En by Cory Daniells - A combination romance and political thriller, where the last of an ancient bloodline must seduce a conqueror to save her kingdom. A little trashy, but very addictive.

The Devil's Diadem by Sara Douglass - Also could fit into the alternate history list below. Features fairies and demons and deadly family secrets.

Medair by Andrea K. Host - Deals with cultural imperialism and loss. Is one of the few books to have a main character's triumph be about accepting failure.

Seven Waters by Juliet Marillier - Nicely written series about Celtic myths. The point-of-view characters are all-perfect Mary-Sues who never make a mistake or a misstep but if you can ignore that, they're a good read.

The Captive Prince by C. S. Pacat - A gay romance political thriller. Yes, it is all of those things. This restored my faith in romance after the beating it took from Twilight.

Mage Heart by Jane Routley - The first half is fantastic, the second half focuses way too much on the yawn-worthy romance. Also see the rather violent sequel Fire Angels.

Shattered Court by MJ Scott - A light, fluffy romance with some interesting ideas below the surface. Very easy read and good for a lazy afternoon.

Giants of the Frost by Kim Wilkins - A reincarnation love-story with vikings. Switches between the modern world and the realm of the gods, so falls into high fantasy by default.

Historical: 

Series or books that take place more or less in our own history, even if it's an alternate version of history.

The Troy Game by Sara Douglass - You will either love this or hate this quadrilogy. It melds fantasy, myth and history into a two-thousand year old competition to control a powerful labyrinth within London. Characters are born over and over against to scheme and betray each other. A guilty pleasure of mine, but my brother loves it too, so make of that what you will.

The Crucible by Sara Douglass - Unless you have problems with alternate depictions of Christian beliefs, you need to read this trilogy. It's smart, subversive and just damn fun to read.

The Ancient Future by Traci Harding - Is this a good time to admit I don't really enjoy Traci Harding's work? Probably not - I'll just go skulk in a corner and hide my face in shame...

The Autumn Castle by Kim Wilkins - A combination of Narnia and high-octane nightmare fuel. Switches between the modern world and a magical alternate reality.



Teens:

Series or books aimed at teenagers or young adults. Non-explicit violence or sex, or simply avoids it altogether. 


Obernewtyn by Isobelle Carmody - The first book was the best. After this they started dragging out and the author hasn't even gotten around to completing the series yet.

The Witches of Eileanan by Kate Forsyth - Imaginative fantasy world with likable characters. Had the occasional bit of graphic violence, so may not be for every teenager. Recommended with caution.

A Dark Winter by Dave Luckett - A deconstruction of high fantasy's obsession with magic and warfare. A great read for both teenagers and adults.

Silver Brumby by Elyne Mitchell - Beautiful classic series about a lineage of wild horses in the Snowy Mountains. Every child who ever wanted a horse should read these.

Sabriel by Garth Nix - Best teen series ever, full stop. Good for both adults and teenagers. Everyone should read this, along with the sequels Lirael, Clariel and Goldenhand. 

Song of the Summer King by Jess E. Owen - Griffins and cultural imperialism. Fairly simplistic plot but imaginative premise.

The Last Wizard by Tony Shillitoe - This was a pretty decent read, with a protagonist who refreshingly didn't have or need a romance story-line. Definitely for teens though; some of the aesops were a little anvilicious.

Stone Mage and the Sea by Sean Williams - The story drags a little but has some very non-conventional world-building.

Daughters of the Storm by Kim Wilkins

So I know I tend to come on here to bitch about books I don't like or am at best indifferent to... but not today! Today I talk about a book that blew me away.

I went in with relatively low expectations. I discovered Kim Wilkins years ago as part of a university course - she was a guest lecturer for the week covering gothic genre. My opinion back then was that she was a great lecturer (from her I learned the term 'brain-explosion') but I wasn't that impressed with The Ressurrectionists. I went on to read others, like Angel of Ruin and Giants of the Frost, but I never came away feeling really satisfied. Clearly there was something good about them because I kept reading them, but there was an odd depressing after-taste I didn't like.

Then I went to the library last week, intent on picking out Australian authors, and found Daughters of the Storm. I don't know whether my tastes have changed, or Wilkins has become more nuanced, but I loved this book.

The premise is that the King of the Thyrsland is dying, and his five daughters set out on a quest to cure him. Each of them hide secrets that could be the doom of their land, and as their quest unfolds, their secrets begin to be revealed. What really makes this book is the absence of any particular good or evil characters. All of them perform terrible actions, but also good ones. There's only a hair's difference between the protagonists and the antagonists, both sides capable of great selfishness and great selflessness. I genuinely didn't know where some of these characters were going, and found myself surprised several times.

The recurring theme is family. All of the characters are keenly aware of who they are connected to and how they fit into the world, whether they resent it or embrace it. Whether connected by marriage, blood or adoption, family is an immensely powerful force. Betrayal of it has terrible consequences, neglect just as terrible; one could argue that none of this would have happened if the eldest daughter Bluebell had put more effort into forging positive relationships within her family, or had at least paid more attention as to what was going on inside it. Then again, all tragedies require a fatal flaw in their lead, and this is in many ways a tragedy.

I really can't go into any more detail than that without giving things away. All I'll say is this; each character is fully realized in their motivation. They didn't bend to the shape of the plot; they shaped the plot, and when the final scene came, you suddenly see the horrible inevitability of what's been building all along. I cannot wait for the sequel.

"Wild happiness, which had veered so close, now fluttered off on its mad wings. Always beyond her fingertips." 

Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier

So are we still putting women on pedestals now?

I really thought we were past the Madonna/Whore complex, but apparently not. According to Daughter of the Forest, the perfect woman is... well, perfect. She never makes a mistake, never says the wrong thing, she's an accomplished healer by twelve years old, always obeys her moral code to the letter, and suffers in silent martyrdom for the good of her brothers/husband.

And the really, really annoying this is that otherwise, this was a very good book. It was a lovely adaptation of the fairy-tale 'The Seven Swans' with a dreamy sort of mood that conjured up misty, romantic images of pre-Christian Britain. (or possibly Ireland - I was a little unclear on where it was set). The main character, Sorcha, has seven brothers who are cursed by their stepmother to become wild swans and Sorcha must complete a long, painful task to free them. If Sorcha hadn't been so damn perfect, it would have been one of the best books I'd ever read.

In case you're thinking I'm being too hard on Sorcha, think back on all the other books you've read. The most compelling characters were the ones like FitzChivalry of the Farseer Trilogy, who reacted to his social shunning with surliness and anger, and caused as many of his own problems as he solved. Or, if we're going with Australian fantasy, the ones like Axis from Battleaxe, who was an absolute prick but got the job done, usually in a way that ended with bodies on the ground.

In comparison, Sorcha is just boring. She's porridge while Fitz is a rich tender steak and Axis is a spicy curry. And she could have been so very interesting with just a little bit of tweaking. Her brothers all adore her? Okay, make her a little spoiled. She's a prodigy healer? Fine, give her a bit of an ego. Or if she has to have that romance with the foreign leader, then make her kind of a bigot - everyone else is, so it's not like she'll stand out. Otherwise we're just watching someone go through a series of trials from which she learns absolutely nothing because she was perfect to begin with.

Unfortunately, this book was still good enough that I've already read one of the sequels, which has exactly the same problem so I can't excuse it as the author having an off book. Damn her. I'm so confused; I don't know whether to enjoy her books or be furiously annoyed by them. This must be what people who like Twilight feel like.

"I had once told Simon he could make his tale end any way he liked. But this was not strictly true. I set my path straight ahead; but there were others that influenced its course, that diverted and changed and confused it."

Stormlord Rising by Glenda Larke

Second novels are usually when everything starts coming together, and we start to see the shape of what's to come.Stormlord Rising is the sequel to The Last Stormlord, and second in the Watergivers trilogy.

Here we see Jasper (formerly Shale) begin to be a player in politics instead of the pawn. Taquar tries to control him, but that's a little difficult when his entire position depends on Jasper's existence and he doesn't have anything that he can threaten to bring him in line. That, and Jasper really hates him. For a supposedly brilliant man, Taquar seems to be pretty blind about how to inspire loyalty in others or recognizing when someone hates him more than they fear him.

Even more interesting is Terelle, who makes the journey across the Salt with her great-grandfather toward Khromatis, and in doing so learns some startling facts about the history of Watergivers. That, combined with the tension between Shale and the new Lord Gold indicates that there may be a religious crisis in this world's future, like they didn't have enough going on.

While I'm on the topic, I have to say that I really enjoy Terelle's water-painting powers. It's different from the Watergivers; subtle, nearly invisible to the people around them, but potentially even more devastating than the Storm Lord. Also, there's a lovely visual of her 'shuffling images' within her paintings. She is the character I'm most interested in, and I hope to see more of Khromatis in the next book.

Meanwhile, the Rainlord Ryka has been captured by the Reduners and must make horrible compromises to survive. I'm not usually a fan of the 'captor wants a woman who will stand up to him rather than a submissive slave' trope but in this instance, considering the history and twisted psychology of Ravard, it works. It's also satisfying to see that the book doesn't condemn Ryka for her choices, or romanticize her situation. It makes no bones about the fact that if Ryka slips up, Ravard will kill her.

The final battle felt a little ant-climactic, but that was fine, seeing as everything was clearly being set up for the third book. There's enough mysteries left unsolved and enough confrontations left unfinished that there will be plenty of material to work with. The action was imaginative, using the powers of the Watergivers without forgetting their limits, and the characters all had well-developed motivations and goals. With the possible exception of Senya, who is meant to be spoiled and irritating anyway.

I'd recommend this for teenagers and up. There's violence, particularly in how the Watergivers use their powers in battle, and there's a lot of sex with questionable consent, including but not limited to Ryka and Ravard. It's fairly easy to find in Australian bookstores - I got my copy from a clearance outlet - but it's also available in electronic form from Amazon.com. For physical copies, try the following websites:
* Booktopia
* World of Books (second-hand website)
* AbeBooks (second-hand website)

"For the first time in her life, she was aware of herself as a being of water. For the first time, she felt herself, her connections, her place in the world, her desires."

The Last T'en by Cory Daniells

I've finally forced myself to start digging into the Bookfest pile next to my bed. Bookfest is a great place to find series that are no longer as popular as they used to be but it's a bit like fossicking for gold (see what I did there?). You can get some real stinkers and some real gems.

The Last T'en is somewhere in between.

I don't like to say 'meh' because that implies the book was bad, and it wasn't. It was just average. It's one of Cory Daniells early series, so as a starting place for a new author it was pretty good. It was easy to read, had some interesting world-building, and presented thorny obstacles for the characters.

The premise is that the cultured island of the T'en has been conquered by General Tulkhan of the brutal Ghebites. The last surviving member of the royal family, Imoshen, must use every tool at her disposal to preserve her people's way of life. She will bind the General to her or die trying.

To be clear; this was a romance. Which means there was a lot of the characters going back and forth on how wildly attractive they found each other, but how inappropriate that attraction was. So if that's your thing you'll enjoy this, but if it's not you won't. For a romance novel, it was positively thoughtful, breaking down the political situation with a surprisingly heard-headed female protagonist who has no issue manipulating the male for survival or political gain. It was no Game of Thrones, but it didn't embarrass itself either.

However, if it's going to be judged as a romance, I have one major criticism. It came dangerously close to having the female protagonist raped by the male, not once, but twice. One of these instances was somewhat justified by him coming from a patriarchal culture in which that behavior was the norm and represented the ultimate gap between their ideologies. One could even say it was inevitable; the brutally logical outcome of these two cultures and these two people with that kind of power imbalance. However the other instance was not necessary to the plot or character development, and came off as a somewhat distasteful attempt to build sexual tension (FYI: rape is not sexy).

That aside, it's an addictive read. I found myself halfway through without realizing it and was annoyed I had to put it down to do something else. Yes, it's kind of trashy, but it's enjoyable and it will keep you entertained for the length of the book. The only major quibble I had with the writing was Daniells' habit of switching point of view without a break in the text. I'd recommend it for older teens and up because it deals fairly explicitly with sex.

Just bear in mind this isn't political fantasy with romantic elements; it's romance fantasy with political elements. How much you enjoy it depends on which end of the scale your preferences lie.

Medalon by Jennifer Fallon

I'm going to say this once, and hope it doesn't get quoted out of context.

There's a right way and a wrong to do incest.

(In fiction, obviously.  I'm pretty certain there's no good way to do it real life.)

The fantasy genre is no stranger to this particular theme, and not just since Game of Thrones. Sara Douglass is infamous for it, Terry Pratchett pulled an ambiguous did-they-or-didn't they in Pryamids, and Glenda Larke tackled it head-on in Heart of the Mirage. They approached it from different angles and different perspectives, but they did so with an awareness that it's a sensitive issue and a controversial topic.

Medalon... I'm going to be really mean here... Medalon was just weird about it.

To give some context, Medalon is based in a world where a corrupt church is in power and oppresses different races and faiths. Two of the main characters, R'shiel and Tarja, are the son and daughter of a high-standing church official. Plot happens, and they discover that R'shiel is not actually the official's daughter, she was just adopted for boring reasons I won't get into. Anyway, what with one thing and another, they run away and start a rebellion because that's how adults handle problems. And during this rebellion, they get cursed by the shittiest love goddess in the multi-verse and decide that despite being raised as siblings they are wildly attracted to one another.

To be fair, this is not entirely different to what happens in the Axis Trilogy or the Mirage Makers. Both trilogies exist in worlds where the ruling class are blessed/cursed (mostly cursed) to only find fulfilling relationships within their own bloodlines. The difference is that these trilogies addressed the inherent issues within this. Characters like Axis and Ligea, who were raised in separate cultures, were revolted by the practice and compromised by finding lovers who were distantly related enough not to freak them out. Characters like Caelum and Zenith played out the full horror of the premise, showing the logical outcome, and it's not awesome.

In comparison, while Medalon attempts to do something similar with the love goddess, it just comes off as a cheap attempt to explain why the two characters suddenly violated such a strong taboo. And don't tell me just because they're not blood-related they're not siblings - there's a lot of adopted people who'd violently disagree. If Medalon was going to go there, particularly in a culture where incest is forbidden, it needed either to show either how screwed up these two characters were that they were okay with it (think Jamie and Cersei Lannister) or the horrible implications of being entrapped into these feelings by a power outside your control (as per Zenith and StarDrifter SunSoar).

As it is, Medalon treats incest as a disposable barrier in it's will-they-or-won't-they romance, and that's not okay. I'm going to hope that the sequels address this issue with more nuance. Otherwise I'm going to be coming back here and ranting some more.

"She had long ago stopped thinking of him as her brother and was envious enough of Mandah to recognise jealousy when she felt it."