Pyramids

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It’s very fun and interesting to come across a story with a particular setting, written by an author whose works you’ve been frequenting, think you can guess how the story is going to go, and then be completely derailed and bamboozled when the story takes a turn beyond anything that you imagined. I can tell you, it’s bloody delightful. I just experienced it with the seventh Discworld novel: Pyramids.

Teppic was sent away from his home, the kingdom of Djelibeybi, to get an education and be trained by the Assassin’s Guild in Ankh-Morpork. But this was not suited to the task that he had assigned to him by fate. When Teppic inherits the throne much earlier than he expected, his conflicting world views of the Old and the New are the first in a plethora of problems that soon arise: problems that include, but are not limited to, the construction of the Great Pyramid, an explosion of time, the rising of the dead, and an infestation of gods.

I think this has to be my favourite Pratchett tale so far. Given the way that he takes a specific theme or phenomenon from human history and society and then fashions an entire narrative around it e.g. theatre in the previous book, Wyrd Sisters, I looked at the cover of Pyramids and thought, ‘wonderful, this will be a fun and quirky take on ancient Egyptian culture’. Well, I was sort of right, but mostly wrong. Pyramids is a story about the Old World coming into contact with the New, the inevitability of change and progress, and a science-fiction cataclysm that happens when the stoic practitioners of the ‘old way’ meet with the free-minded younger generation of ‘the new’.

Some of the funniest sequences to date can be found within this book’s pages including a football game of the various Sun-gods, a luncheon with the greatest philosophical minds that results in no conclusions being arrived at, and a stalemate Trojan war where both sides have the same horse-brained idea. Against a brilliant desert setting we have a number of memorable characters including a black-clad king covered in knives, a barely clad handmaiden who is against the idea of being eat by crocodiles, a camel with the sharpest mathematical mind in the world, and a pair of brothers who, through architecture and accounting, discover quantum physics.

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Pyramids is a delightfully funny and exciting instalment in the Discworld, making it bigger, wider, flatter, taller, minute and elongated all at the same time.

Author: Terry Pratchett, 1989

Published: Originally published in Great Britain by Victor Gollancz Ltd, 1989. Pictured edition published Corgi, Great Britain, 1990.

Pyramids is the seventh book in Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series. It follows behind, The Colour of Magic, The Light Fantastic, Equal Rites, Mort, Sourcery, and Wyrd Sisters.

Black Powder War

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Jumping from one war into another, this week I left the pine forests of the Spanish Sierra and the guerilla warfare of the Civil War and traversed the deserts of the Ottoman Empire before coming to the city of Danzig, besieged by Napoleon’s forces. That’s right, in record time I have closed the cover of book 3 in Novik’s Temeraire series.

While the decadence and wonders of China have been pleasing Temeraire, Captain Will Laurence cannot wait to set sail for England. And for once, it seems that luck or the fates are on his side. Before he can prepare his crew for the long sea voyage home, new orders arrive for him and Temeraire: they are to leave China immediately and fly back to England, stopping over in Istanbul to collect three priceless dragon eggs newly purchased from the Ottoman Empire. But the journey is fraught with many perils, not least of which is the wrath of Lien who blames Temeraire for the loss of her princely companion and vows to destroy everything and everyone he holds dear.

While I found myself struggling a little bit with Throne of Jade, this book very quickly restored the love and excitement for this series that I experienced reading the first book. Whereas the conflicts of the previous book were rather more internal than anything else, the dramas of Black Powder War are compellingly external with Novik starting to throw more and more trials at our heroes. Over the course of 300+ pages we see Laurence and Temeraire combat extreme dangers of the desert, feral dragons, political conspiracies, outrageous escapes, and the terrifying advancement of the French Grande Armee. The book is compelling from the very first page; the horizons and boundaries of the world widened to encompass new friends, new foes, and new dragons.

But while it seems that our heroes are being externally battered from all sides, Novik perfectly uses these external dramas to further the character development of Laurence and Temeraire. As Temeraire sees and learns more of the wider world, he begins to have thoughts about the rights of dragonkind and starts to question, lament, and aspire to change the way in which his home country sees and treats dragons. While Laurence tries as gently as possible to mould Temeraire’s opinions so that they do not sound so rebellious, he discovers that there is some truth to his dragon’s observations and in the process of war he learns that a change of mind is sorely needed.

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There’s plenty of action, mystery, and drama sprinkled with moments of light-heartedness and comedy that makes Black Powder War a fantastic third instalment in what’s proving to be a truly captivating series.

Author: Naomi Novik, 2006

Published: First published in Great Britain by HarperCollinsPublishers, 2007. Pictured paperback edition published by HarperVoyager, Great Britain, 2007.

Series: Black Powder War is the third book in Novik’s Temeraire series, following behind Temeraire, and Throne of Jade.

For Whom the Bell Tolls

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Taking a break from my favourite genre of fantasy for a week (before diving right back in with the next instalment in the Temeraire series), I have revisited my project to read my way though 1001 classics of literature. This week I took a trip to a war-spattered Spain with Hemingway’s For Whom the Bell Tolls.

Slinking through the pine forests of the Spanish Sierra, a band of Republican guerillas make plans to blow up a vital bridge, thus hobbling an escape route for when a planned attack begins. Robert Jordan, an American college professor turned dynamiter, has been given this greatest of responsibilities. But so many things are against the band and threaten the mission: the weather, the band’s leader’s waning devotion to the cause, and young Maria; a woman who has escaped from the clutches of Franco’s rebels and who Robert Jordan has fallen in love with.

I have an interesting relationship with war novels. I’m not particularly drawn to them. I won’t pick up a book because it’s a war book. But I have read a few war novels and while there are some that were really not my cup of tea, I have rather enjoyed most of them.

Despite the simple external narrative of For Whom the Bell Tolls, the book achieves rather a lot in the way of exploring its characters internal narratives, their conflicts, beliefs, ambitions, and perspectives. The inner workings of the central band of characters are revealed through stories and anecdotes of their past that they share with Robert Jordan, usually in a cave over a bowl of wine. It’s through these stories that we also get a voyeuristic peek into another world, that of Spain during the Civil War. Hemingway describes the people and places with an observational and explorative voice, that comes no doubt from his days as a reporter for the Kansas City Star, as well as an active love and fascination: he was passionately involved in bull-fighting and visited Spain during the Civil War, which makes this book more personal and the narrator’s voice more authoritative.

It's a character-driven story about comradeship, self-evaluation in the face of changing circumstances, and the malleable state of the human condition: its weaknesses and strengths. Amidst the violence and politics, there are compelling bouts of romance and poeticism that colour the narrative and give it further depth and longevity.

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Modern readers may struggle with the dialogue and the censored parts where rhyming words or simply ‘obscene’ or ‘obscenity’ are used rather than the actual word, but for the most part For Whom the Bell Tolls is a compelling and intriguing novel that makes one think, feel, and question. It’s a deep and layered story with a surprising type of ending.

Author: Ernest Hemingway, 1941

Published: First published in Great Britain by Jonathan Cape, 1941. Pictured Vintage edition published By Vintage, Random House, London, 1999.

Wyrd Sisters

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After a lengthy hiatus in my quest to read the entirety of my partner’s Terry Pratchett collection in the library, I am back into it having just closed the cover on book six in the Discworld series: Wyrd Sisters.

On a dark and windswept night on the moors, three witches meet to… well, just catch up. Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, and Magrat make up a most unlikely coven, each with different ideas about what the life of a witch should look like. But one thing they can agree on: witches never meddle in politics. However, this firm stance is subjected to severe reconsideration when the King is murdered and a mad Duke takes over the kingdom of Lancre; one who would see all witches in irons. As the ghost of King Verence and indeed the Kingdom itself begs for a bit of meddling, it falls to the ‘wyrd sisters’ to set to… and it’s not as easy as some playwrights would you have believe.

Pratchett’s Discworld series is established as one of the greatest, comedic, fantasy series in publication and there’s no question as to why. Aside from establishing a very weird and original world; the lore, history, and geography of which is drip-fed to readers through their perseverance in the series, each book is a parody or funny discussion about the phenomena that make up human history. Wyrd Sisters, obviously a reference to Shakespeare’s Macbeth puts the theatre under the scrutinising spotlight of the author.

A humorous retelling (sort of) of the story of Macbeth, Pratchett flips the roles around so that it’s the witches who become the heroes and the hero falls back to supporting character. While the central drama is happening, Pratchett then looks at the magic of the theatre: the actors’ abilities to captivate audiences, the craftsman’s ability to make something fake look like the real thing, and the awesome power of words to bend and twist the minds and beliefs of the people so that even history and truth becomes unstable.

We see the return of Granny Weatherwax, the highly regarded witch who first appeared in Equal Rites, and get to see her use magic like she never has yet. Indeed, Weatherwax and the Lancre coven become a very funny narrative tool that is metafictively analysed midway through the book, bringing an even cleverer layer of humour to an already towering cake.

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Filled with magic, murder, madness, and meddling, Wyrd Sisters is a hugely entertaining story that makes up the history of the Discworld.

Author: Terry Pratchett, 1988

Published: Published in Great Britain by Victor Gollancz. 1988. Corgi edition (pictured) published 1989.

Wyrd Sisters is the sixth book in Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series, following behind The Colour of Magic, The Light Fantastic, Equal Rites, Mort, and Sourcery.

Throne of Jade

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This week we’re back on the seas with Captain Laurence and Temeraire in the exciting, intriguing, and emotional second instalment in Naomi Novik’s Temeraire series: Throne of Jade.

Captain Will Laurence, formerly of His Majesty’s Navy, has adjusted to life in the British Aeiral Corps and now cannot imagine a life without his draconic companion, the Celestial Temeraire. But trouble is afoot. Prince Yongxing from China has been sent to demand the return of Temeraire to his homeland and, in an effort to try and obtain peaceful relations with the eastern Empire, Laurence and Temeraire are set to embark on a several month-long journey to China, knowing that when they reach the exotic east they could be separated forever.

In book one the bond between Laurence and Temeraire was established, now we see it put under strain as the world gets bigger and Temeraire begins to learn more about its various natures, cultures, and human behaviours. For a series that is about a historic war with the added fantastical element of dragons, the Temeraire series travels at a reasonably leisurely pace with the majority of the drama manifesting itself in the form of emotional espionage, blackmail, and manipulation, with some very cool battle sequences thrown in. In Throne of Jade the central drama comes from Temeraire’s curious nature being molded, sometimes malevolently, by the experience of seeing slave labour, the difference in the treatment of dragons in the East and West, new cuisines, and being back amongst his own family. While Temeraire’s horizons are being expanded, Laurence’s are shrinking as he is torn between duty to his country and duty to his closest friend, as well as a number of sinister attempts on his life.

Things take a slightly political turn, but not in a boring way. As I mentioned before, most of the intrigue stems from ethical and emotional dramas that occur in the enemy’s trying to sever the bond between Laurence and Temeraire. Readers are then rewarded for their perseverance with some truly great battle sequences that are rich in gory imagery and action. Things get a little more violent and intense, but then there are some beautiful scenes that describe the grandeur and gorgeousness of China that wash away the metallic taste of bloodshed.

In terms of character development, we see the most change in Temeraire. Still a relatively young dragon, his curious and naïve mind that so bewitched us in the first book, is subjected to an overload of new senses and experiences and there is something of the father-and-pre-pubescent offspring in the dynamic of his and Laurence’s relationship. A time ripe for any attempts to create tension between the two and draw them apart from each other. But the fiercely loyal nature of Temeraire is also flexing here and it’s really lovely to see what conclusions he draws from his experiences and how he plans to apply them to life moving forward.

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Admittedly I didn’t find Throne of Jade as engaging as the first book, but I chalk that up to the first having the added bonus of being the novelty of a new series, a story that my recently departed grandmother would have loved, and it acutely reminding me of Tamora Pierce books. Now the true pace and tone of the series has settled in and I am still absolutely here for it: a wartime saga dealing with the emotional trials of the trade rather than another epic fantasy filled with battles and spoils. Time to go online and get the next instalment…

Author: Naomi Novik, 2006

Published: First published in Great Britain by HarperCollinsPublishers. Pictured edition published by HarperVoyager, London, 2007

Throne of Jade is the second book in Naomi Novik’s Temeraire series. Its predecessor is Temeraire.

A Curse For True Love

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Well, I’m now back to where I was many months ago when I did not have a ‘To-Read’ pile on my bedside table. I have just closed the cover on the conclusion to Stephanie Garber’s Once Upon a Broken Heart trilogy and I’m sure that already, someone somewhere in the film industry is working to secure the movie rights.

Evangeline’s life is a living fairytale. She is married to a handsome prince, lives in a legendary castle, and will one day be queen of the Magnificent North. She only wishes she could remember how this happened. Evangeline’s memories are gone, but Prince Apollo has a put a name to the culprit: Lord Jacks. But after some attempts on her life, Evangeline is not so sure that everything is as it seems. Did Apollo really come back from the dead to be with her? If so, where is the love she should feel for him? As her heart and her head begin to conflict with one another, Apollo determines to ensure that Evangeline remains unaware of the price paid for this happy ending. There’s only one way: killing Jacks the Prince of Hearts.

With more secrets festering, more obstacles appearing, and the occupants of the central love triangle being segregated, Garber has written the chapters with the omniscient narrator following the three central protagonists: Evangline, Apollo, and Jacks. It’s really the best way to ensure that the book retains its power to make the reader compulsively page-turn. With her memories gone, a book that solely followed Evangeline would be boring/almost impossible and getting to see what Apollo and Jacks are doing as well as understand their reasoning adds more depth to their characters, not to mention we get to see more of the newly awakened ancient family of the Valors.

This method of storytelling is also perfect for this climactic third act because a lot of the ‘action’ is character-driven rather than event-driven, as its predecessors were. With the quest narrative to open the Valory Arch complete, the characters now are driven by their own desires to find the truth, bring more to their story, and turn away from heartache.

Garber continues to lean heavily into the cliched fairytale setting and quest for true love, almost to the point of making a mockery of the genre. However, despite her saccharine prose and syrupy scenes of castle life, she manages to retain a sense of sincerity and celebration of the fairytale power of love, thus appealing to all the sooky romantics (like me) that make up her readership.

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While it sometimes feels like the pace is disjointed – a side effect of the narrator following three different protagonists- A Curse For True Love is a romantic and satisfactory ending to a very over-the-top and aggressively epic fairytale love story. I absolutely can see myself rereading this series in a couple of months’ time. The Once Upon a Broken Heart series is a must-have for romantics, lovers of fairytales, and enthusiasts of YA fiction.

Author: Stephanie Garber, 2023

Published: Hodder and Stoughton, Great Britain, 2023

A Curse For True Love is the conclusion to Stephanie Garber’s Once Upon a Broken Heart trilogy, following Once Upon a Broken Heart and The Ballad of Never After.

The Ballad of Never After

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Well it’s official. I have been cursed to be unable to physically put down this trilogy, having just finished the second book in a record 3 days. Either that or these books are just that compelling! The second instalment in Stephanie Garber’s Once Upon a Broken Heart trilogy proves to be even more thrilling, decadent, and enticing than its predecessor, with new curses, new betrayals, and new complications obscuring Evangaline Fox’s road to finding her happy ending.

After Jacks’ latest betrayal, Evangeline is determined to never trust him again and hopes that with her own special magic, she might still be able to get her happy ending that Jack’s took away. Apollo is not dead, merely in a suspended state and Evangeline devotes her time to trying to find the magical means to wake him. That is until he wakes up on his own and promptly tries to kill her. But it’s not really him. Apollo has been cursed. With time against her, Evangeline finds herself again entering into a tentative partnership with Jacks to find four magical stones and open the Valory Arch: the only thing that can break the curse on Apollo and save them both.

Gripping excitement from the first page, The Ballad of Never After has more sinister curses, more betrayals, and more plot twists that keep the fingers flying. Now that introductions are out of the way, the story gets into the nitty gritty of who these characters are and what they desire, all of which is being shaped by the events taking place around them.

Where the first book sampled the Cinderella story with the wicked stepmother and the manipulative stepsister, this book follows the story of Beauty and the Beast with the central relationship between Evangeline and Jacks taking on a much more solid shape. The tragedy of a doomed romance is at very heavy play here, along with the exploration of love by exposure.

Evangeline becomes a strange sort of heroine, as she begins to think more with her heart rather than her head and drives the story with her impulsive actions that only prompt internal consideration at their most dramatic moments. One would think that, at this stage, she’d give up on the North and go back to the Meridian Empire where she might be able to find a nice boy, settle down, and have a comfortable ever after (until Jacks’ cashes in on the final kiss she owes).  Between her first love who’s now a vampire and has tried to kill her once, her husband who was bewitched to love her and then cursed to hunt her down and kill her, and her fast-becoming true love who is an Immortal Fate and the source of all her current misfortunes, Eva’s track record for heroic fairytale males is not great. But of course, it’s all this emotional turmoil that comes with these characters that makes the story so compelling.

The world becomes bigger, brighter, and sometimes more beautiful, as the protagonists venture further into the Magnificent North on their quest to find the stones. The quest narrative then gives Garber a fantastic avenue in which to dole out the history and lore of this magical world, extending its beauty and fantasy as well as revealing some of its more terrible and tragic aspects.

Garber’s dramatic and saccharine prose continues to make every sentence positively drip with syrupy, fantasy vibes, made a little more adult and exciting with the introduction of sex. Even sex in the Magnificent North is dramatic, romantic, and dangerous and at times the book takes on a new and exciting vibe of teasing, mild erotica.

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The Ballad of Never After is a very exciting and compelling sequel that has definitely gotten me completely hooked. Filled with action, adventure, romance, tragedy, magic, and marvelous dresses, I can’t wait to see how it ends.

Author: Stephanie Garber, 2022

Published: Hodder and Stoughton, an imprint of the Hachette UK Company, Great Britain, 2022. Pictured edition published 2023.

The Ballad For Never After is the second book in Stephanie Garber’s Once Upon a Broken Heart trilogy.