The Subtle Knife by Phillip Pullman

I'm torn on this book.  On the plus side, The Subtle Knife really expanded the universe (universes?) of the series.  As it says in the introduction, the first book was set in a world like our own, but different.  This second book actually begins in our world, but then broadens in scope to a multiverse of settings that all seem to be connected, somehow or another.  Characters can slip from world to world via tears--cuts?--in the fabric of the universes themselves.

On the flip side, while the ideas were interesting, I just couldn't get into the story or the characters.  Lyra Silvertongue, the indomitable lead character from the first story, seemed relegated into supporting, and at times even...subservient?!...role in The Subtle Knife.  She took a back seat to Will, a strong-headed boy with a tough past and fractured family.  It's not that I didn't like Will, but I never really connected with him or understood what made him tick.  The story in this book becomes much darker, and old villains from the first book resurface more powerful than ever, to a degree that seemed contrived.

Ultimately, the book ended on such a down note that my daughter and I felt compelled to take a break from the series and seek out lighter fare.  It was disappointing, because we thoroughly enjoyed the strong female lead and empowering tale of the first book, and had hoped for more.

Dead Man's Steel

Dead Man's Steel is a good, satisfying conclusion the Grim Company trilogy.  We get complete character arcs for most of the key characters, and resolution of most of the conflict and drama set up in the first two books.  This is a rough world, and one can't expect everything to resolve in happy ending fashion.  Nevertheless, conclusion was fitting, appropriate, and compelling.

The book takes some significant risks.  We finally get to see the Fehd in their full glory, and it turns out that they come with a notable sci-fi slant to them that puts them at odds (intentionally) with the rest of this swords-and-sorcery universe.  Several of the seemingly-insurmountable foes go down relatively quickly, setting the stage of other, arguably even greater conflict as the book goes on.  When the dust settles, the author's playground will have permanently changed.

I think there were a few places where the book didn't hold together quite as well as Sword of the North.  We repeatedly get to re-live the various characters' astonishment at the technology of the Fehd, to a degree that seemed overplayed.  And as the disparate characters all converge together into one party fairly late in the novel, we can almost see the author's glee, but it results in some moments that were a bit too campy for my tastes.  Nevertheless, what I keep coming back to is how deeply satisfying it was to see virtually all of the many plot threads from the first two books run to their conclusion here, with innumerable unexpected twists and turns along the way.  It was a terrific series, with characters that I came to genuinely care about, despite their many warts.  I look forward to reading more from the author in this and other worlds.

4 out of 5 stars.

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman

All her life, Lyra has lived at Jordan College in England.  She grew up among the old scholars as a rough-and-tumble rugrat, befriending the child servants who worked at the college, climbing the old buildings, exploring the old crypts, and generally getting up to as much mischief as she could.  One time, as part of a "war" between groups of children, she ended up stealing a houseboat and cruising down the river with it.  That all changed one day when her mysterious uncle, Lord Asriel, came to visit the scholars of the college, only to have the master of the college attempt to kill him...

The Golden Compass was a really interesting book.  It provides an alternate reality that differs in only a few ways from our early-1900's Europe.  Most significantly, every human possess a daemon, which is a sort of animal familiar that serves as an immediate animal companion throughout their lives.  In early life, daemons can shift between forms at will, but around the person's puberty, the daemon will take on a permanent animal form.  While the book is the story Lyra's journey, much of the mystique and conflict revolves around the connection between a person and her or his daemon.  Lyra travels to cities and to the frozen north, befriends a sentient armored bear, and earns the name of Lyra Silvertongue.  It's a heck of an adventure.

I read this with my 8-year old daughter.  It's probably the most mature book that we've read together.  She is a veteran of the Warriors series, which has its share of violence, but other parents should know that bad stuff happens in this book.  Despite the fairly slow and stodgy beginning of the story at Jordan College, she loved the book from the start.  A lot of that probably has to do with Lyra, who is a willful, strong, kid who loves to push boundaries.  We both enjoyed the book a great deal.  We're moving directly into book 2.  A clear 5/5.

Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch

I've seen The Lies of Locke Lamora described as a sort of Ocean's Eleven story in a fantasy setting.  That's arguably how that book begins, but unlike Ocean's 11, you never really get to see a plan develop past its fledgling stages, much less come to fruition.  While things hardly could be said to go according to plan in this story, I think the Ocean's Eleven descriptor fits Red Seas Under Red Skies far better.  Locke and Jean spend two years planning an enormous heist, and you get to follow along as they ride by the seat of their pants, somehow navigating death trap after death trap as they work toward their goal.  If anything, much of this story is even more light-hearted than the first novel.  It no doubt helps that, by now, I am firmly in Locke and Jean's camp, and revel in their witty banter and outrageous hi-jinks, whereas it took me a while to warm up to the characters in the first novel.

That's not to say that there aren't poignant scenes.  As the novel's great twists and turns throw Locke and Jean into ever more dangerous situations, they make friends--and those friends are thrust into those same dangers.  The book somehow managed to keep a smirk on my face for most of it, but still created deep, heartfelt emotion; that's quite a feat by the author.

If there's a criticism to levy at the novel, it's that the story is a bit convoluted.  There are major swings in the narrative that require entire plot lines to be suspended for major parts of the book.  Nevertheless, it does all come together by the end, in one form or another, even if not exactly as one might expect or hope.

But...the characters!  Gods, the characters!  It's not just Locke and Jean, who have risen in my view to one of the best duos in fantasy history.  But their companions in this tale are original, vividly realized, and yet somehow do not pander to the reader.  Even the chief villains of the story, for the most part, have multiple sides to their personalities, and motivations that seem clear, relate-able, and justifiable.

It's one of the faster 700+ page books I've read, and manages to be deeply engrossing throughout most of the tale.  These two Locke Lamora novels have quickly risen to be among my all-time favorite fantasy series.  5/5

Peter and Wendy by J.M. Barrie

This book was a delightful surprise. I'd heard that the original Peter Pan novel was very different from the Disney-fied version. Nevertheless, I was not expecting this delightfully quirky and satirical story. This Peter Pan is a timeless being, a boy who rejects with disdain all things from the grown-up work, preferring to live in a world of make-believe: Neverland.

Neverland in this story is the imaginary world of childrens' play time brought to life, where boys and girls can talk with animals, have make-believe meals that last them days, and can wage war and actually kill pirates with little consequence. The "lost boys" who live there with Peter Pan seem partially aware that all is not completely as it seems, but for Pan this is his preferred world. The story is told with sarcasm and wit. It was a blast to read, and often left me shaking my head and grinning in delight.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

This story takes place a generation after the events in the Deathly Hallows.  I enjoyed the opportunity to dive back in with these characters and see what kinds of people they have become as adults. And the core new characters, Harry's son Albus and Draco's son Scorpius, are well-realized characters that probably have enough to them to support another series (if they can find appropriate antagonists). The story is excellent, and manages to explore both the new child characters and the adult versions of the original characters. It asks some interesting questions, such as how important small acts can be in determining a person's fate.

That said, the execution of the story wasn't quite on the level of J.K. Rowling's solo works. While plays are certainly meant to be seen and not read, there were a few too many moments that seemed to be going for a chuckle or audience applause, and yet didn't do a good job of moving the story along or fitting in with the themes of the world. Nevertheless, it's a fast and enjoyable read, and is pretty satisfying given that it is the last tale we're likely to ever get of Harry Potter and his close friends.

The Lies of Locke Lamora

I don't really have time for a full-length review, but I really enjoyed this book and wanted to leave a quick goodreads review of it.  I thought I'd repost here:

An engaging and very memorable book. I am not a big fan of con-artist stories, and the early parts of this tale really do ask you to buy into the excitement and charisma of its characters. I initially didn't, and as a result was sometimes siding with their victims while still enjoying the ride. As the book progressed, however, the depth of the story grew and grew, and I couldn't help but be swept away in the tale. The world is wonderfully imaginative. A medieval city built upon the ruins of some impossibly vast civilization unknown to modern times. Magic exists, but it's rare in modern day, though alchemy provides an everyday technology to the aristocracy. I'm not sure that I ever really came to "like" Locke Lamora, but I sure enjoyed rooting along with him as he encountered challenge after challenge. It was a refreshingly different book, and I highly recommend it.

Review: Sword of the North by Luke Scull

The first book in this series, the Grim Company, was full of massive, shocking, world-changing events.  Scull built us a fascinating world and then wasted no time in tearing it down in breathtaking fashion.  Sword of the North unquestionably has its one share of realm-shattering changes, but, as its title suggests, this novel a bit more focused on its characters.  The headliner story follows Brodar Kayne and his companion, Jerek the Wolf, as they return to his homeland to help Kayne's son and wife.  Along the way, we learn about their past, and through the eyes of other characters introduced in the first book, see glimpses of what is transpiring in the North.  Meanwhile, Scull's other characters tell the tale of what is happening in Dorminia after the fall of its Magelord, and start to uncover the mystery of the City of Towers to the east.

I've long felt that one of Scull's greatest strengths was his ability to craft deep, unique, and interesting characters.  While we got to meet each of them in the first novel, it is in this book that they really start to shine.  Each has depth, biases, and just enough nobility to keep them likable despite their deep flaws.  Kayne was my favorite character from the first novel, and in this novel we re-live his storied life at both its high and low points.  Kayne is part hero, part pragmatist, and part seasoned warrior well past his prime.  For all of his flaws and weaknesses, and they are many, he has become one of my favorite fantasy characters.

There are many interesting themes that are explored in the novel as well.  What price is really worth paying for free will?  At what point should an honest, brave man surrender in the face of an unstoppable foe?  When a town full of scum and lowlifes is slaughtered by an invader, who is in the right?  There aren't firm answers provided to these questions, but the narrative lets you wrestle with them as you watch Scull's characters do their best to achieve their goals--and often fall short.

This is a genuinely excellent book.  While it certainly sets up a dramatic conclusion(?) to the story in the third book, I honestly have no idea what is going to happen, who will survive, or even what "victory" for the characters might actually look like.  Nevertheless, I know that it's going to be exciting to find out.

Review: Pillars of Eternity

What's this contraption?  Mechanical-magic structures
play an important part in this game world.

While it wasn't the first RPG that I ever played, Baldur's Gate was my introduction to DnD.  It, and frankly all of the Infinity Engine games, were terrific.  They combined diverse character options, party-based gamemplay, a fun, strategic "realtime with pause" combat system, and an engrossing story.  That's a formula that was forgotten for a while as games transitioned to 3D.  And while there have been some phenomenal games that have come out using other paradigms, to be sure, the success of the Enhanced Edition games has demonstrated that the Baldur's Gate formula is still popular and desirable.

Seeing this opening, Obsidian kickstarted Pillars of Eternity, a Baldur's Gate-style isometric game designed for modern PC's.  The interface, graphics style, etc, were all built directly upon the principles of the Infinity Engine games, and the story was designed for a mature audience.  While they did not have a DnD license, the style of the mechanics are largely inspired by DnD.  And the result?  It's a really good game.

Lots of great times exploring large wilderness maps,
just like in Baldur's Gate.

The world the game is set in feels like someone's home-brew campaign world, in a good way.  It's full of mystery and therefore a few layers of history beyond the ones that the modern-day people of the gameworld still know.  Somewhat reminiscent to Baldur's Gate (although only in the loosest sense), the story begins as a personal mystery that ends up being intertwined with a local political crisis, and ultimately has ramifications for the gods themselves.  The pacing, in my experience, wasn't the best.  The first half of the tale plays out pretty slowly, but it picks up good speed in the second half of the game and has a terrific finish.  The story does a good job of stressing gray, rather than black and white: you are often faced with decisions without a clear best answer, and I enjoyed the opportunity actually roleplay a character rather than just stick to the designer's preconceived "good" or "bad" responses.

Some towns, like this one, are struggling just to survive

The graphics are fine.  They used the paradigm of what were effectively sprites (though 3D-rendered ones) moving about on a pre-painted background, a la Infinity Engine.  It worked then, and works now.  Some parts are genuinely pretty, though occasionally some of the painted backgrounds got busy enough that, along with the use of a black-out fog of war in unexplored areas, I had trouble interpreting what I was seeing.

The combat engine felt familiar, but was definitely its own animal.  Like DnD, there's an attack roll and a damage roll.  Unlike DnD, there are a number of things that can happen on a hit.  Miss the target's defense by even a decent amount and you can "graze" them, inflicting a small amount of damage.  Hit them easily and you crit.  Furthermore, again unlike DnD, damage resistance (i.e. soaking damage) plays a big role in this game.  By the end of the game, even decent 1-handed melee weapons inflicted only a pittance of damage; most damage output occurred via the slow, heavy-damage ranged weapons like arbalests and rifles, as well as spells.  This actually got pretty annoying, as some characters became almost useless when monsters had damage reduction against certain damage types.  Thankfully, I opted to play a cipher, which consistently manages superb damage throughout the game with both spells and his ranged weapon.

It's a drake, not a dragon.  But there are dragons.

While there are AI options for combat, I found that these rarely did what I want and was compelled to micro-manage all combat in the game.  It was tolerable, but sometimes felt like a grind because most fights worked the same way: open with my cipher's paralyze ability, make sure the tank aggros everyone else, and then start picking foes off one-by-one.  90% of the time, that's the solution throughout most of the game.  Combat difficulty did not progress smoothly. Early on, it was pretty challenging, though usually in a good way.  Later, it became a cake-walk, except for a handful of key foes that seemed designed to test one's mettle.  Those were so much more powerful than anything else I'd encountered that it was bewildering.

In any case, despite the nitpicks, this is a really fun game with a neat story.  It's a long game that can be very engrossing.  I enjoyed the strategy in the combat (despite the grindy nature of it at times), and really enjoyed the emphasis on quests that require the player to make hard, imperfect choices.  It felt like a game targeted at adults, which is exactly the target audience of a title like this.  I give it a solid and warm 4 out of 5.