Smorgasbord Fantasia

So after having watched the trailers forever, the glorious epic is finally here, on the big screen and I managed to watch Deniss Villeneuve's fever-dream science fiction magnum opus in its full glory in the theatres. And yes, it is magnificent, it is weird, it's frustrating but in all senses, a visually grand spectacle that is a thoughtful and thrilling movie experience. Dune has been, by far, one of the all time favourite sci fi books. Not withstanding the countless embellishments written on top of that original trilogy or the prequels and the multiple lead-ups to the events that unfold in Dune, the first book Dune itself is book far ahead of its times and an incredibly engrossing read. So how does Deniss Villeneuve translate this complex world of shifting sands, shiftier political machinations and the emotional fracas to the big screen?  I loved it, and I may be biased, but what the heck.  At the centre of all the conflicts, is Paul Atriedes, heir to the Great House of Atri...

The Wolf Road by Beth Lewis , almost went under my radar. But boy, am I glad I picked it up at least now. I frankly didn't have much expectation heading into the story but the singular voice of "Elka" and the lyrical quality of the writing, not to mention, the intriguing post-apocalyptic set up of a wild frontier land, just swept me away and before I even realised, I was deep into the book - hooked into the fascinating story of survival and coming-of-age of a young girl in the cold unforgiving lands up north in a wild Wild West setting.  Elka, who grew up with her 'nana' till she was seven years, dreams of her parents who have gone 'north' searching for gold, joining the 'gold rush' up there. Even as she yearns for the love of parents she has never known, her world is shattered one day when a hurricane hits her home and she wakes up in an unfamiliar forest. That is when she meets the mysterious 'trapper' - who for some unfathomable reason, ...

 The Genius has done it again! Joe Abercrombie , a master storyteller with his pulse on the bleeding dark heart of our society, has given us yet another masterpiece in the rousing, heart-wrenching conclusion to the Age of Madness , the new trilogy series set in the same world as the First Law trilogy - with this book, The Wisdom of Crowds.   So for readers catching up new on this series, this review contains obvious spoilers of what has transpired before and I would advise, not to continue but to go pick up the whole trilogy which, in my humble opinion, is another crowning achievement in the epic fantasy genre. So, the Civil War ravages through the country and our newly appointed King Orso, has to contend with a bloody revolution in the Capital Agriont, led by the Burners. Leo and Savine, despite having suffered a humiliating defeat at that battle of Stoffenbeck, find reasons to cling to their life and scanty ambitions even as the tides turn. Back in the North, Rikke also has ...

 This week, on our Waiting on Wednesday meme, we are featuring a sequel to one of the stunning epic fantasy debuts of this year, back in Jan that focused on  Norse-inspired mythology, stunning world building and frenetic action. Hall of Smoke by H M Long was an early favorite novel of mine, this year.  In Jan'2022  Temple of No God (Hall of Smoke # 2) releases. And it promises the same vein of feverish excitement, action and world building, with some of our favorite troubled characters coming back.    After a brutal war between the gods, Hessa – High Priestess of the Eangen – has brokered a fragile peace. Through great sacrifice, she has forged an alliance between warring tribes and introduced her people to the true god.   But a new threat is growing across the southern border. In the remnants of the once-great Arpa Empire, three factions are vying for the imperial throne, and the vast well of raw magical power only accessible to the Arpa Emperor. ...

Anthony Ryan 's books have been a bit of a hit and miss, with me. I wrapped up his first trilogy - after having been really impressed by The Blood Song , the rest of the books in that trilogy was a bitter pill to swallow, a disappointment. And then I kept away from his Draconis Memoria books. His Raven's Blade duology seemed interesting but I haven't gotten around to read them as yet. And this year, Anthony has released a brand new series with this opener - The Pariah , book one in the Covenant of Steel series that traces the dramatic rise and fall of Alwyn Scribe, outlaw, scribe, soldier, legend.  This book is a marked departure, in terms of Ryan's style and writing as well, which was a welcome change for me. Written in a sublime prose, that never grows tiresome, the worldbuilding of The Pariah is subtle, effective and organically grows on you as you read. It's in fact, so well done that I didn't realize that Ryan has built up an entirely new world, which de...

 I have recently concluded that the best kind of audio-books are mysteries or thrillers. And psychological thrillers are definitely up there at the top. And so I stumbled onto Alice Feeney , hailed as the queen of the domestic twisty psychological thrillers ( "His & Hers" ) and her latest, Rock Paper Scissors is again a domestic puzzle-box of a story with unreliable narrators, harrowing shocking twists and fabulous storytelling that goes deep beneath the layers presented.  The story is about Mr and Mrs. Wright - Adam and Amelia, who have won a weekend getaway to the Scottish highlands, a stay at this romantic secluded church, known as the Black Loch Chapel. This is a last-ditch attempt by both of them to save their marriage, which is on the rocks. But once they get to this isolated church, they realize that the secluded chapel may not be the most romantic place on earth. While the views themselves are to kill for, the place is creepy, almost haunted, gothic. With a histo...

 Featuring our recurring meme to bring out some of the most anticipated releases in the SFF genre, today we are featuring Daniel Abraham's new epic fantasy series, called The Kithamar Trilogy with the first book in the series named Age of Ash. So Daniel Abraham is of course the famous 'half' of the writing duo that gave us the critically acclaimed The Expanse science-fiction series and before, has the fantastic Dagger and Coin series ( which, I have yet to finish, sigh guilty!) But I cannot wait to jump onto this new one ( Seems like a long wait though!)  Kithamar is a center  of  trade and wealth, an ancient city with a long, bloody history where countless thousands live and their stories unfold. This is Alys’s. Alys is simply a petty thief from the slums  of  Longhill, but when her brother is murdered, she sets out to discover who killed him and why. But the more she discovers about him, the more she learns about herself, and the truths she finds are more...