by Lancelot Schaubert
Publishing Date: 2023
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 5.0
Review: Awesome short story. I want a full novel or series on Black Jack!
Tap and Die
Monthly Archives: April 2023
The Scarlet Alchemist #1
Kylie Lee Baker
Publishing Date: 2023
Genre:YA Fantasy
Rating: 4.4/5
Review: As I got deeper into the story line, it began to dawn on me that an entrenched identity centered on race was alive and well in the contemporary fantasy genre. So, there must be an authorial progenitor to this “identity” an lo and behold, the protagonist mirrors in almost exacting presentation.
Yeah, we get it, you’re of mixed race. I am all for the presentation if the story line is not compromised by constant structured racial poignancy. In this instance the movement failed to progress or develop the main character in any meaningful way, as they were constantly mired in their own constructed identity. Racial constructs that rely solely on outside influences to maintain relevancy tend to limit the characters’ greater expression. Low self-esteem and constant negativity does not a developed character make. We see internalization with every confrontation, whether good or bad, with an inescapable persistence in racial identity prevailing. The supporting cast are lightly developed, as Zilan’s narrative overrides their involvement. Prince beta-male might have been developed with more complexity, yet the result is a diminished character who fails at grabbing your attention. In short, his whining and constant vacillations become tedious. Perhaps what should be presented to the YA reader is a process to overcome internal challenges by being accountable and discarding associative blame.
Despite my narrow POV, this is still a well written novel with a good story line and blistering movement. The prose flows smoothly, scene transitions are logical and built with descriptive detail. And, for some reason, I am always pulling for Zilan as she is constantly punished by her circumstances. If you are looking for continuity in a fantasy novel, this is not it. If you want to escape to another place with vivid imagery and an entertaining story line, this is for you. I think the author will only get better as she learns to evolve ALL of her characters in concert with the movement.
The Jinn-Bot of Shantiport
Publishing Date: 2023
Genre: SciFi
Rating:3.7/5
Review: Pretty dam awesome other than some deus ex moments where circumstances easily fall into place to drive the story line. The characters were crafted quite well even though they did not mature with movement. This lack of depth did not in any way detract from the story line.
What I liked a lot was the constant turns during the reveal. Every opening is surprising in content and execution. Outcomes rarely meet expectations and dialogue can be abrupt as it is lengthy. The characters are pretty thick in the head as in once they are told something pivotal to their quest, they ignore or gloss over its significance.
The eutopian society that Lina speaks of in fervent gasps, may reflect the authors diminished perspectives. UBI, socialist democracies are used to paint a fix on an endemically rotten world. Problem is, all the fixes presented have a history of failure, coupled with misery.
An entertaining ride for sure.
Heliotrope
Publishing Date: 2022
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 4.6/5
Review: This was a pleasant surprise. Heliotrope is at once accomplished in presentation with a grand foundation in characterization.
I was never a fan of detail writing due to some exposure to English writers that tend to belabour the mundane. In this instance, that minute attention with every character in concert with consistent movement, expanded the story line in breadth. Really artfully done. I felt shorted by the pacing, then wished this story would never end. A contradicotry flight of emotion, sated by fantastic writing.
In short this was f’ing really good, and am happy to add Palmer to my fave list of authors. I want the next in this series, NOW!
Engines of Chaos
Publishing Date: 2023
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 3.3/5
Review: This installment sat on the edge of a 4 star rating, often plunging to 3 stars based on a repeated pattern of phrasing. “Bile rising” in his or her throat was an oversused pattern. “So what”?, you say. Well, phrasing when done right, uses a mix of words that derive the same meaning, phrase to phrase. For instance, use “bile rising” once or twice but intersperse with a different phrase to denote disgust or a twist on the oft use phrase like, “Gorge” or “Acid” or a lengthy description like the “acid thrust of bile surging against my molars” etc.
The characters are well built with an infusion of new to make it interesting. There are some expected and unexpected die offs. Some killed the story line, others enhanced it. The ones that deserve it, of course, keep on keeping on as we love to hate. The constant bad luck and rubbish odds for our protagonists is lengthy to a fault. The fault being, believability. Hey lets lose two legs, an arm, our eyes and leave us for dead floating in the sea or, pluck out an eyeball and run through the desert for months without water. blah, blah. Not buying some of this shjt but overall an entertaining read.
Better pick it up for the finale’.
The Dresden Codex #1
Doomsday Match
Publishing Date: 2023
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 1.2/5
Review: Oh woke, where is thy sting? Fantasy author extroidonaire from Kalifornia with MIXED RACE KIDS, whom are all brilliant, splash through the jungle with their dying Mexican goddess/Mom. Evilly shapeshifting Mr. Evil….er, jaguar guy with a penchent for sexual restraint tosses them into a game of death with a white racist family from Montana. Why they are so racist they throw epithets while fighting to the death, and stuff.
The novel got mired in tropes without an original or creative thought. How many times do we traipse down the well used story line trail? The main character seems to know everything about Mayan culture while admitting he knows nothing about it. He just happens to overhear people talking in a parking lot, and then pages of cultural backstory ensue. I have a better idea. Instead of a dying diabetic nurse, why not make her a sexy archeologist with blood sugar issues?
I will definately pass on this series.
Viking Jam 