Ship of Fools by Richard Paul Russo

Ship of Fools (Unto Leviathan) by Richard Paul Russo
Publication date: December 31st 2001
Publisher: Orbit Books
Format: Kindle eBook
Buy it here: Amazon, The Book Depository

Goodreads Description

On a ship without a mission ... No one remembers where they came from or where they're going. For hundreds of years, the starship Argonos, home to generations of humans, has wandered throughout the galaxy, searching for other signs of life. Now, a steady, unidentified transmission lures them toward a nearby planet. On a planet without inhabitants ... The colony has vanished. But deep within the planet's steamy jungles, the exploration team find horrible evidence of its fate: a cavernous chamber neatly filled with rows of skeletons, each one hanging on its own hook.

On a collision course with the unknown ... Once more, a signal lures the crew of the Argonos. Haunted by what they have seen, they have no choice but to follow - deep into space, where an alien mystery waits.

I should start by saying that for many years I had searched fruitlessly for a true modern sci-fi horror novel that was actually set in the future, in space. With this book, I thought that I had found it. Well... I have, but not in the way I anticipated.

Ship of Fools or Unto Leviathan, (I personally prefer the latter title) is beautifully written and Russo did a fantastic job at building steady tension throughout the book. This book encompasses many themes such as religion, politics, society and progression, but none of them were ever really elaborated on which is a shame because they added some weight to the story and saved it from becoming another Alien/Event Horizon knock-off which genuinely helped flesh out a society the readers know very little about.

I had listened and reflected all this time without interrupting, and I finally questioned her - "Does God know everything that will happen?" 

Moving on to the aliens. You should know that they are very much a background piece in the civil war aboard the Argonos (the archetypal giant spaceship carrying the remnants of humanity through the void of space) and are never fully revealed to the audience (except once, very fleetingly), although the grisly fates of their victims leave little room for speculation as to their motives.

This brings me on to the main problem I had with this book: it gave me far more questions than answers. This is fine, but why go to the effort of constructing such an intricate socio-political system, lace it with reference and satire to ultimately have it amount to nothing but an echo of something that could have been a modern epic. This made it fall short.

Perhaps if the ending answered some questions, perhaps if the aliens were revealed or there was at least a satisfying conclusion to the story I would forgive it. But unfortunately the attempt to leave it open to reader interpretation fell flat for me. Why do so many authors do this? It's very lazy and makes the book feel unfinished, especially after such a masterful build up of tension and suspense.

This book tries to be character-driven and succeeds on some levels, although they never truly feel like real people. They disappointingly fall into clichés such as the over zealous bishop, the stressed ship captain struggling with the burden of responsibility, and the priest who holds unorthodox views about God. I also struggled identifying with the protagonist, whose moral and logic seem very questionable at times, and I often found myself wondering, “why the hell would you do that?”

Although the characters aren’t the best realised, their interactions are often insightful and believable. Their musings on philosophy, the universe and the very nature of God are often poignant and well thought out, which makes the gaping plot holes and damp squib ending so much more upsetting. This is an intelligent book and creates a vivid and interesting (if not a little bleak) universe, yet does not answer any of the questions the readers are screaming to be answered.

The overall pacing of the book is a riveting slow burn laden with tension ending with nothing in particular. It feels like 300 pages or so are missing, but this is still a good read and one I’d recommend to sci-fi/horror lovers. Just don’t expect the story to payoff.

Perhaps like the inhabitants of the Argonos it’s all about the journey... Or maybe, just maybe, Richard Paul Russo will bless us with a sequel!

The Heart of Betrayal by Mary E. Pearson

The Heart of Betrayal (The Remnant Chronicles #2) by Mary E. Pearson
Publication date: July 7th 2015
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co.
Format: Audiobook via Audible
Buy it here: Amazon, The Book Depository

Goodreads Description

Held captive in the barbarian kingdom of Venda, Lia and Rafe have little chance of escape. Desperate to save her life, Lia's erstwhile assassin, Kaden, has told the Vendan Komizar that she has the gift, and the Komizar's interest in Lia is greater than anyone could have foreseen. 

Meanwhile, nothing is straightforward: there's Rafe, who lied to Lia, but has sacrificed his freedom to protect her; Kaden, who meant to assassinate her but has now saved her life; and the Vendans, whom Lia always believed to be barbarians. Now that she lives amongst them, however, she realises that may be far from the truth. Wrestling with her upbringing, her gift, and her sense of self, Lia must make powerful choices that will affect her country... and her own destiny.

This review may contain spoilers for the first book.

That ending was absolutely heartwrenching! Mary E. Pearson impressed me with the first book of The Remnant Chronicles, The Kiss of Deception, but she impressed me even more with The Heart of Betrayal. There's something about her writing that draws me in; that makes me want to delve deep into this world she has created. Not once was I bored while reading this book. Everything had a purpose, every chapter contained snippets of information that eventually became relevant later on. This made for a very 'complete' book and a VERY satisfying read.

“We had a terrible start… doesn’t mean we can’t have a better ending.” 

Princess Lia, First Daughter of the House of Morrighan, has found herself in the Kingdom of Venda among those she had always believed to be barbarians. All of a sudden she once again finds herself pushed back into the limelight as a prisoner of war - a victory for the Vendans and a showpiece for the Komizar who is the invincible and power-hungry leader of the Vendan people.

Lia has 99 problems, and the Komizar is definitely one. That's disgustingly cliché of me, but it's true. Haha!

We see Lia's character grow even more throughout this book. She learns how to wield in her favour the manipulation that's constantly thrown at her. Her amiable nature attracts many of the Vendans towards her, many of whom show her great loyalty and respect in a place where she's supposed to be despised. She's witty and observant, but at times she's too bold for her own good. She's quite a complex character as you never truly know what she's going to do next. She readily plays the men at their own games and learns many skills which I've no doubt would be useful to her if she ever became Queen.

We still don't know much about her gift, but it caught me off guard when I  found out she's not the only main character who possesses it! Who is it? You'll have to find out for yourself ;)

In my opinion, this series hasn't been raved about enough.

I highly recommend the audiobook version as the narrators did a fantastic job. Emily Rankin had the perfect voice for Lia and I found myself engrossed in the story for hours because the narrators kept me submerged in the world.

Rafe - I was 100% team Rafe throughout the whole book until the end when I started to sway between him and Kaden. I still think I'm team Rafe though.

Kaden - God, he was so unpredictable! Throughout I was asking myself, is he loyal to Lia or will his loyalty to the Komizar win? At times I felt sorry for him, but then I remembered why Lia was in Venda in the first place. 

Calantha - I hated her, then I loved her. There's so much more to see from her and I really do hope we get to see more of her in the next books - that we get to see more of the REAL Calantha. 

Aster - Probably my favourite character in The Heart of Betrayal. She was one of the sweetest girls I've ever read in fiction. I won't say anymore about her as you'll have to experience her for yourself, but damn you Pearson!

Fantastic read.  

The Silver Pigs by Lindsey Davis

The Silver Pigs (Marcus Didius Falco #1) by Lindsey Davis
Publication date: October 3rd 2006
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Format: Paperback
Buy it here: Amazon, The Book Depository

Goodreads Description

Discover one of the world's favourite detectives, as his first case leads him into conspiracy, murder and adventure ...In 1989 THE SILVER PIGS introduced the world to laid-back first-century detective Marcus Didius Falco, his partner Helena Justina, his law and order pal Petronius, and his indomitable Mother - who became some of the most celebrated characters in historical fiction. Now reissued in a special new edition to celebrate publication of Falco's twentieth investigation, THE SILVER PIGS sees Falco cynically eyeing up the new Roman emperor, Vespasian. Our hero, a private informer, rescues a young girl in trouble and is catapulted into a dangerous game involving stolen imperial ingots, a dark political plot and, most hazardous of all, a senator's daughter connected to the traitors Falco has sworn to expose.

I'd like to start off this review by saying that I had very high expectations for this book. As a student who has just finished her minor in Classical Studies, I have a huge love for all things Ancient Roman and Greek. I had heard people compare the protagonist, Falco, to Sherlock Holmes and after a few minutes of reading I could see exactly where the comparisons were coming from. Falco is an eccentric private investigator who lives in 70AD Rome. Slightly earlier than the 1800s I'll admit, but the similarities are definitely there. This is not a bad thing, of course - but I had a constant feeling I had 'read this before'.

Falco chases after a girl running for her life across the streets of Rome, and upon meeting her he gets caught up in a conspiracy in the trading of silver ingots (hence, Silver Pigs). After getting to know a little more about the girl (Sosia Camillina) a mystery begins to unravel which leads to the girl's death and Falco being employed by her Uncle who happens to be a Senator to find out who murdered his niece. He embarks on a journey to Britain with Helena Justina who is the senator's daughter and the girl's cousin. From there they begin to solve the puzzle of the Silver Pigs together.

I really wanted to love this book. On the face of it, it seemed like the perfect read for me. Ancient Rome, a Sherlock Holmes-like investigator and a mystery. But I'm afraid this book fell a bit flat for me.

Davis is quite heavy on the adjectives and I'd have liked to have read more 'show, not tell'. The writing slightly spoiled this book for me. Some of the characters didn't seem very realistic (Caesar, for example) and I found myself struggling to read through some tedious parts of the book. On the plus side, Davis knows how to write comically - Falco has many genuinely funny moments.

I rapidly flung the long ends of my toga round us both.
"My own theory is, warming up women was what the founding fathers had in mind when they invented this..."

I was pleased to learn that I had not guessed the ending correctly.

Falco - The protagonist. He's a lovable character and if Davis had created Falco differently, I probably wouldn't have finished this book. He's slightly misogynistic, but get real - this book is based in 70AD Rome. I would have found this book much less realistic if the men weren't misogynistic. However, Falco does have a certain amount of respect for women - for his mother and Helena Justina in particular. 

Helena Justina - I liked her. She's more of a complex character than Falco. Is she a realistic portrayal of a 1st Century AD Roman woman? As we don't have much of a voice from the women of Imperial Rome in historical sources, I don't know. I found her to be quite modern, in a sense. Throughout the 2nd half of the book, I was rooting for the relationship that was beginning to unfold between her and Falco. It was all very sweet. I was totally shipping them! But I assume, as there are a whopping 20 books in this series, other women may come into the picture. I'd like to think I'm wrong.

This is a decent book, but I won't be continuing the series. 

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles #2) by Marissa Meyer
Publication date: February 5th 2013
Publisher: Feiwel and
Friends
Format: Paperback
Buy it here: Amazon, The Book Depository

Goodreads Description

Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She's trying to break out of prison--even though if she succeeds, she'll be the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive. 

Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn't know about her grandmother or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother's whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner.

Oooooh! Marissa Meyer, I love you! Once again, she has flawlessly weaved a classic, well-known fairy tale into a dystopic world. When I first picked up Cinder (# 1), I thought the merging of the two (very) different genres would be too much, but after reading a few chapters, my mind was blown. It totally works in ways you wouldn't expect. This requires much talent and imagination.

Before I begin, I'd like to point out that this review WILL contain Cinder spoilers, so read Cinder first! - shoo.

In this installment, we meet Scarlet Benoit. As you can probably guess from the name, cover and series, Scarlet plays the role of Little Red Riding Hood alongside Cinder (Cinderella). We find out that her grandmother (or, grand-mére) has disappeared without a word, leaving her bloodied ID chip behind wrapped in a cheesecloth.

“I think I realized that I would rather die
because I betrayed them, than live because I betrayed you.”

After much disappointment from the authorities, Scarlet decides to take her grandmother's mystery into her own hands and go out and search for her - no matter what it takes. Meanwhile, in Scarlet's world, everyone is talking about Cinder - the cyborg girl who dared to attend the Eastern Commonwealth's annual ball and turn it into a royal disaster. The embarrassing situation has been plastered all over the news, and Cinder has been forced to go into hiding to dodge the wrath of her evil aunt, Queen Levana.

Scarlet has two protagonist's throughout the book. We get to read from the point-of-view of both Scarlet and Cinder, which was really nice. Cinder is introduced again in chapter four, which I was over the moon about. I loved Cinder as a character, and was excited to read about what she was doing alongside Scarlet's chapters. She's as determined as ever to figure out what she needs to do and is trying to work out how to control her glamour. We see her escaping from prison with a new character called Thorne (one of my favourite new characters, by far). We get to read back and forth between Scarlet and Cinder (and we get to read about what Kai's up to, too!) - this makes such a delicious reading experience when the two protagonists collide for the first time.

As Scarlet decides what to do about her grandmother, she comes across a street-fighter called Wolf. Now, I automatically know what you're thinking, but the book isn't that predictable ;) Together, they embark on a quest to save Scarlet's grandmother and bring her back to their farm in France where she belongs. This is YA, so expect romance!

Scarlet - I loved how her feisty personality mirrored Cinder's and I love how much she cared about her grandmother, willing to sacrifice herself for her grand-mére's safety. She's not afraid to voice her opinion and hurt the people who get in her way.

Cinder - Once again, an amazing character. Meyer really took the time to breathe life into her and make her multidimensional. I loved the banter between Cinder and Thorne and how their friendship develops. I loved how she puts others before herself, even though she's of Lunar (and royal) descent.

Wolf - Ahh, the love interest in this book. The mysterious Mr. Wolf who is fascinated with his new-found discovery of tomatoes. I was a bit wary throughout the book, because his name is well... Wolf. We discover at the beginning of the book that he is a street-fighter with unnaturally sharp fangs. But is he really just a street fighter? You'll have to find out for yourself.

Thorne - The funniest character throughout the whole book - he once started a riot about the soap in prison being too drying. An ex-convict by force. Though flirtatious (I loved the part when Iko and him first... uh... (kind of) meet), and sometimes a bit dopey and naive, he appears to have a heart full of gold - putting himself on the line in order to help Cinder and her cause (even though he doesn't know who she truly is).

I can't wait to read Cress! Bring it on, Meyer!

The Curious Telephone Box Library

I found this little gem while walking through my part of London yesterday evening in Brockley, Loampit Hill.

Somebody was already inside, browsing through the books that had been left by local strangers. This requires a lot of trust from the public. There are, of course, no scanners at the door and no one to tell you when to bring the book back. Yet, the shelves seemed to be absolutely overflowing with books.

This little library is open 24/7 with a built-in light. It was renovated by a man called Sebastian Handley and I think he's a pretty awesome man for doing this for the local community.

This part of London isn't exactly the safest, but this project appears to have worked well - even in this area.

Upon entering, the space was surprisingly not cramped. There was plenty of space for both of us. The books ranged from Dan Brown to The History of Castles to cookbooks, children's books, general fiction, autobiographies and everything in between. There were nice little notes all around.

I was greeted with a message on the ceiling that read...

"It's not what you get, but what you leave behind"

There are two rules. If you take a book, replace it with another. If you wish to borrow a book, you are trusted to return it within a reasonable amount of time.

I'd love to see more of these throughout the city! What a great find.

Fever by Lauren DeStefano

The Iron Queen (The Chemical Garden #2) by Lauren DeStefano
Publication date: January 25th 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Format: Paperback
Buy it here: Amazon, The Book Depository

Goodreads Description

Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion, but danger is never far behind. Running away brings Rhine and Gabriel right into a trap, in the form of a twisted carnival whose ringmistress keeps watch over a menagerie of girls. Just as Rhine uncovers what plans await her, her fortune turns again. With Gabriel at her side, Rhine travels through an environment as grim as the one she left a year ago - surroundings that mirror her own feelings of fear and hopelessness. The two are determined to get to Manhattan, to relative safety with Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan. But the road there is long and perilous - and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and young men die at twenty-five, time is precious. Worse still, they can’t seem to elude Rhine’s father-in-law, Vaughn, who is determined to bring Rhine back to the mansion...by any means necessary. In the sequel to Lauren DeStefano’s harrowing Wither, Rhine must decide if freedom is worth the price - now that she has more to lose than ever.

This book was a bit half-and-half for me. I'll start out by saying that I enjoyed Fever for the most part, but at the same time I feel a little disappointed. This book made me feel like I was on a children's roller coaster. Some aspects of it were quite disappointing and boring but the highs throughout this book didn't really make up for the disappointment as the action wasn't THAT thrilling. However, I did push through it and I managed to enjoy some of the book. Enough to feel satisfied, at least.

“Everyone should remember being born.

It doesn't seem fair that we only remember dying.”

It was interesting to learn about the outside world and finally see what it's like. The circus-like red district setting was quite enchanting and haunting at the same time. Although, not much happens here and I didn't get to meet many characters (I would have liked to have known more about the girls and men and how they felt about the whole situation). I mostly remember Rhine and Gabriel just sitting in a tent, and there's only so much description of a tent I can take. Madame is quite a character and she makes this part of the book humorous, but I eventually started to REALLY dislike her with a passion. I hope she doesn't come back in book three.

Maddie - She's a little gem and it takes a lot of talent to create such a massive personality for someone who never says a word throughout the entire book. I liked her from the very beginning. I felt like she was holding a lot of secrets. The only way I can explain it is when you look at your dog, you see this silent wiseness in his eyes. Maddie is like a faithful dog (in the best possible way of course, Maddie).

Rhine - She grows slightly more stronger throughout the book, but I didn't really see much character development there. She stays pretty neutral, and then gives up hope a little nearer the end (this turns around once the cliffhanger comes into place, as we see in lots of books).

Gabriel - Don't even get me started with Gabriel. What a boring character! This is probably the character I don't like the most so far, even Vaughn has a more interesting personality than Gabriel. It feels like he is the designated love-interest character, but then it stops there. He has no special presence, and he hardly says anything (I mean, he has his moments, but then it all suddenly stops and he turns back into the boring love-interest again).

I can't wait to meet Rowan, he sounds quite interesting.

Hopefully this trilogy will end with a bang!

So far, so good, DeStefano.

The Selection by Kiera Cass

The Selection by Kiera Cass
Publication date: April 24th 2012
Publisher: HarperTeen
Format: Paperback
Buy it here: Amazon, The Book Depository

Goodreads Description

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon. But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks. Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself—and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

This was a magnificent start to a (very) promising trilogy. We meet America Singer (cringeworthy name, I know) who lives in Illéa (future U.S.A.) where everyone is separated into castes. Castes range from 1-8, with each caste having a role in society (1 being the highest ranking, the royalty etc and 8 being the 'scum' of society). America is a five. She comes from a family of artists and is fond of music and singing.

"True love is usually the most inconvenient kind."

When a Prince comes of age in Illéa, he hosts The Selection (think The Bachelor combined with The Hunger Games - that's a pretty common comparison in the book community). It's Prince Maxon's turn, and 35 girls are chosen (which is supposedly through a lottery system) to go to the palace and compete for the Prince and the chance to move 'up' in society. This is all broadcasted on television (see how it's similar to The Bachelor?), and with it comes perks and money.

America is not interested in entering The Selection as she's already in love with Aspen, her secret boyfriend - who is unfortunately a caste below her. Marrying him would mean lowering her status in society, but she's prepared to do it because she loves him. He feels inferior to her and doubts himself and his ability to provide for her and their future children. This causes him to beg her to enter The Selection - to have a chance at a better life. America doesn't expect to be chosen out of thousands of girls, but she does it anyway to please Aspen and her family.

What happens next will change her life forever.

One thing I must mention first is that cover! I know you should never judge a book by its cover, but this cover looks so beautiful and intriguing. No?

I found the concept of this book quite different. I'm pleased to say it worked for me. I can't wait to read the next one!

America  - I loved the character development for America in this book. She starts off shy and unsure of herself (sometimes quite self-conscious), but she soon learns how to 'play the game' and not take things too seriously. When it comes to Prince Maxon, however, she makes it perfectly clear how she feels about the whole situation (which I found extremely funny). Sometimes I felt like shouting at her for doing the wrong things and sometimes I felt like giving her a high-five. You can tell she really cares about her family and would do anything to help them.

Prince Maxon - One word: swoooon. You'll have to experience him for yourself. I think he's a bit misunderstood because he's shy and mysterious, but I'm rooting for him.

Aspen - America's now ex-boyfriend - but she still has feeling for him. Unfortunately, I don't like him very much. Even towards the end when he tried explaining himself, I still didn't like him and couldn't help but question his intentions. He seems quite... flat and meh I don't care about him and I hope he just goes away, but I have a feeling he won't :(

I loved the other characters like America's new friends and her maids. I also love America's sister and I hope we get to learn more about her.

Great book - I hope the rest of the trilogy is just as good!

The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Queen (The Iron Fey #3) by Julie Kagawa
Publication date: January 25th 2011
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Format: Paperback
Buy it here: Amazon, The Book Depository

Goodreads Description

My name is Meghan Chase. I thought it was over. That my time with the fey, the impossible choices I had to make, the sacrifices of those I loved, was behind me. But a storm is approaching, an army of Iron fey that will drag me back, kicking and screaming. Drag me away from the banished prince who has sworn to stand by my side. Drag me into the core of conflict so powerful, I'm not sure anyone can survive it.

Ohh, Julie Kagawa - you've done it to me again. The emotions. The characters. The tension. The beautiful, eloquent writing that causes me to howl with laughter and cry at just the right time. The Iron Fey series is truly a work of art and I've no doubt the characters will stick with me forever. These books hold a special place in my heart. The covers don't do them justice. I would start fangirling if I ever met Julie Kagawa. I can only hope that one day my writing skill will get anywhere near hers.

“I wished that, for once, faery tales - real faery tales, not Disney fairy tales – would have a happy ending.”

As the story begins, we see that Meghan, Ash and Puck are still banished from the NeverNever. Once again, I found myself caught in the midst of a new adventure from the offset. Real s**t is going down in Faery as iron is slowly destroying the land, threatening to consume the Summer and Winter Courts, the Fae and everything they've ever know. A new false Iron King is on the loose, and there seems to be no stopping this one. Iron is spreading like the plague, even faster than before - making everything sick in its path.

But never fear. Faery can count on a handful of badasses to bring the false King down. Meghan, Ash, Puck, some new amazing characters and a certain talking cat are here to save the day, but they've got a hell of a job to do.

Allow me to swoon over the characters.

Meghan - She is as badass as ever. Julie really did an amazing job at developing her character from the first book up to the current plot. We see her shine in this third instalment, especially towards the end when she really takes her own and embraces her destiny. She realises that she is capable of more than she ever realised and learns to cherish the friends she meets along the way.

Ash - Ash's love for Meghan seems to be forever growing, leaving his family behind to look after her. He's still the cold Winter Prince, as he was in the other books, but in The Iron Queen we see a few changes. He learns that in order to protect Meghan, he needs to learn how to let her flourish and teaches her how to fight. He's still protective (
I mean, he becomes her friggin knight), but not so much, and this causes us to see more of his true character throughout the book. I'm still rooting for him.

Puck - He's still the mischievous faery he's always been, but jealousy takes hold of him in this book as Ash and Meghan get closer. Regardless of the 'lovebird's' relationship, he's as determined as ever to stay by Meghan's side to be there whenever she may need him. We see banter flick between Ash and Puck at times (sometimes at inappropriate moments), which is hilarious.

Grimalkin - My favourite fictional cat of all time! He once again stays near Meghan, popping up whenever the trio needs his cat wisdom. I'm curious to see what Grimalkin's up to in the next book. Here's one of my favourite quotes:

“Grim, wait. Are you sure you'll be all right?"
Grimalkin smiled. "I am a cat."
And, just like that, he was gone.”

New characters like Glitch and little Razor were absolutely excellent. I loved how the characters still grieved over Iron Horse, even after he was gone. We see how he truly sacrificed himself for the cause. I do miss him, but we still feel his presence throughout the book.

Don't let the glitzy cover put you off, this book is for ANYONE who loves fantasy.