Horns – Joe Hill
Hachette Livre Gollancz, 2010
437 pages
RRP: AU$32.99
ISBN: 978-057-507917-5

Reviewed by Kate Smith

Horns was an interesting read, however I was initially thrown off by the blurb on the back, the phrasing of which made me imagine the story would be very different in terms of tone.  Once I had reconciled expectations and reality, I was able to settle in to enjoy a generally well written tale of a man’s journey to discover why he lost everything.

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FlashForward – Robert J Sawyer
Hachette Livre Gollancz, 2009
320 pages
RRP: AU$19.99
ISBN: 978-057-509101-6

Reviewed by Kate Smith

FlashForward is the story of a science experiment that results in unexpected consequences and discusses the nature of time and whether the future can be altered.  Having never watched the TV series that appeared some time recently I cannot say whether it was accurate to the text, however I’m sure that it was faster moving than the novel.  FlashFoward was a very interesting read but was not exactly a page turner that keeps you up until three in the morning.  Having said that, not all novels need to be, and FlashForward asks you to think about the concepts it brings to mind rather than skimming through a straight forward plot.

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Lord Sunday – Garth Nix
Allen & Unwin Children, 2010
324 pages
RRP: AU$15.99
ISBN: 9781741145915

Reviewed by Kate Smith

The Keys to the Kingdom series has been a thoroughly enjoyable read and the final part of the tale does not disappoint.  While the series is aimed at younger readers, adults will also be able to enjoy a diverting story if they allow themselves to read Lord Sunday for what it is and what it is meant to be – a well written and simple tale.  It is not absolutely necessary for someone to read the first six novels in order to understand events, however it is advised in order to understand why the different characters are motivated as they are.

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Conan the Barbarian Omnibus – Robert E Howard
Allen & Unwin Crows Nest, 2009
653 pages
RRP: AU$29.99
ISBN: 978-1-74175-851-1

Reviewed by Kate Smith

Conan the Barbarian was excellent.  It was an easy enough read to be enjoyable, with enough in what would appear to be a fairly basic premise to be interesting.  Many people are acquainted with Conan at least in passing but this will be knowledge from the movies that have been made at various times.  Less people, perhaps, will be familiar with the novels that have been written by others.  I have enjoyed the movies but not so much the novels, and I approached this volume of short stories curious but without any great expectations.  Very quickly I was engaged.

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A Madness of Angels – Kate Griffin
Hachette Livre Orbit, 2009
472 pages
RRP: AU$22.99
ISBN: 978-1-84149-733-4

Reviewed by Kate Smith

A Madness of Angels was a read that I could not put down, enjoyable not only because it was an interesting story but also because it was different to the norm of this genre of novel.  While the plot for the story does not appear to be particularly distinct from the blurb, from the first chapter it is clear that there is something different to Griffin’s work.  Matthew Swift is a sorcerer who has been fundamentally betrayed by his mentor and friend.  He must bring together groups with little in common apart from their enemy to find ways to trust each other and to work together to bring about the demise of the monolithic organisation that is the evil within London.  However, despite what appears to be several familiar story lines, including the seeking of revenge, there is so much more to this novel.

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Dreamscape – Paul Kidd
Kitsune Press, 2005
288 pages
RRP: US$22.50
ISBN: 978-1-84753-242-8

Reviewed by Kate Smith

Don’t read any review of this book that would give you any ideas about its plot!  Just read it and enjoy it for what it is and for how it unfolds.  And then go back and read it again. (more…)

The Foreshadowing – Marcus Sedgwick
Allen & Unwin Dolphin, 2006
278 pages
RRP: AU$14.95
ISBN: 1-84255-517-0

Reviewed by Kate Smith

The Foreshadowing is set in Britain and France during the years of World War One and tells the story of Alexandra Fox, a young woman born into a middle-class, well-regarded family during those years.  Having seen future deaths at different moments since the age of five, Alexandra must cope with what these mean, with the fact that her family refuse to acknowledge that she has this ability, and with the ongoing World War that is changing her world and her family.  After the death of her older brother, Alexandra decides that she cannot accept her vision of her other brother’s death and finds her way to France to try to save him from the fate she has seen.  In order to finally reach him she is aided by a dispatch rider who also has visions of impending deaths. (more…)

Dream Warrior – Sherrilyn Kenyon
Hachette Piatkus, 2009
314 pages
RRP: AU$19.99
ISBN:978-0-7499-0905-5

Reviewed by Kate Smith

Dream Warrior is a story set among the ancient pantheon of the Olympian Gods who still exist in the modern day.  With war breaking out, the ancient Greek gods have to look to an individual they exiled thousands of years ago, Cratus, for help.  It comes down to a defender of dreams, Delphine, to try to convince this god not to join the side of dark and to fight for those who have persecuted him for six thousand years.  In this process he learns to trust and she learns to embrace emotions she has never experienced before.

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Wicked – Gregory Maquire
Harper Collins, 2008 (reprint)
538 pages
RRP: AU$19.99
ISBN: 978-0-06-135096-2

Reviewed by Kate Smith

The story of the life of the Wicked Witch of the West is a very intesting premise for a number of reasons. The Wizard of Oz is an iconic story in our culture and has been made reference to in many other forms of text, including television, over the years. Whole cartoons have been based around it and single lines have become part of standard communication. Tapping into that interest while adding to the story and at the same time giving readers a chance to think about how people become who they are always stood a good chance of success. The author has not failed in this.

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The Blood of Elves – Andrzej Sapkowski
Orion Gollancz, 2008
RRP: AU$32.99
ISBN: 978-057-508318-9

Reviewed by Kate Smith

Having read, and thoroughly enjoyed his previous book The Last Wish in so many ways, I was a little disappointed in The Blood of Elves. The story continues its focus on Geralt of Rivia but begins to show the larger scope of events in the world.

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