The Ascendant Stars by Michael Cobley

This final chapter of Cobley's Humanities Fire trilogy does an admirable job of tying up the many plot threads introduced in the first two novels. It even manages to produce an overall context which explains how the diverse stands tie together. I still think there are too many strands and too many characters crammed in to this short series however. Three volumes is just not enough space to adequately deal with all of the characters and their stories. The abbreviation required to fit everything in ensures the books retain a cracking pace but it also causes confusion and makes the tale less satisfying than it should have been.

I will certainly look out for more books by this author but next time Mr. Cobley please drop a few characters or add a few volumes.

The Fade by Chris Wooding

Intriguing world where the population has been forced underground by changes which made the light from their planetoids suns deadly. The heroine of this tale is a member of the cadre, an elite agent bonded to one of the ruling families of her faction. Her world view is shaken when her husband is killed in battle and she is taken prisoner nevertheless her unique skills ensure that she won't be out of the action for long.

I enjoyed this well written tale but I found the ending to be far from satisfactory. The outcome of the tale was not only obvious but to me also disappointing.

I don't know if this is the start of a series but it could be and perhaps we would get a more satisfactory ending in further episodes.

A Memory of Light by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson

I finally did it. I finished the Wheel of Time. It is only fifteen years since I embarked on this quest but those who joined at the beginning waited twenty three years for the conclusion of the monumentally epic saga. A saga that spans 14 books (plus a few short stories) and that has even survived the death of its creator.

Should you read the Memory of Light? Well that question is superfluous. If you have read the other 13 tomes in this story then you have no choice. You must read the conclusion. You can rest assured however that Sanderson has done a masterful job at bringing all the threads of this vast story together. All is tied up and all is finally resolved. Long time readers of the series will know that Jordan himself excelled at creating a rich believable world infused with complex characters and their equally complex and entangled storylines. He seemed almost unable however to close off any storyline. thread. Each new book introduced new characters and new plot threads to the despair of those of us who longed to see how the story turned out. Well Sanderson, working from Jordan's notes has finally told us. 

The bigger question really is whether or not I would recommend a new reader to start this saga? What is it all about really?

Well it is the story of a humble farm boy from a backwards village who finds his simple world disrupted by evil and who is led away on an adventure by an experienced magician (albeit a female one). The once humble farm boy discovers that he is the subject of prophecy and that he must develop his own latent powers to eventually confront a terrible evil that lives in a dangerous mountainous region in order to save the world. 

Sound's original? Of course not. But I believe that Jordan's re-telling of the monomyth is the most important version since Tolkien.  Jordan lacks the scholarly erudition of Tolkien but he makes up for it with incredible depth and the complexity of his world and his story lines. Yes the saga has flaws. Some of them deep. While the first few books of the series are completely enthralling it loses its way a bit in the middle. Even the confusing middle books however are rich with details and depth. Now of course with Sanderson's help the series draws to a stupendous conclusion. Of course you should read this. If you care about fantasy you should read it. If you care about storytelling you should read it.

The Magician's Apprentice by Trudy Canavan

This book is apparently a prequel to Canvasbacks successful Black Magician  trilogy. There is a lot to like about the book. War, wizards and magic make a compelling setting. Canavan also writes well and her characterisation is strong. However certain niggles got to me. Given that the while theme of the book is about t a small nation pulling together to fight ought an invasion from a large aggressive neighbor the strategic and tactical ineptitude of all involved is upsetting. Some of this can be attributed to the unpreparedness of the nations involved but I can't shake through the idea that Canavan reality hasn't thought through the idea of warfare.

For example the countries rely for offence and defence entirely on a simall group of wizards. The book does emphasise how powerful wizards are, effectively invulnerable to conventional weapons while capable of wreaking enormous damage. Invulnerable that is until that is until they run it of magic which typically happens a short while after the start of a major battle. A few cavalry men with lances could prove handy at running down these exhausted wizards or even some archers to apply pressure to their magical shields. Yet Canavan chooses to employ her glass cannon magicians without any escort of conventional troops at all. That is ridiculous. These magicians are supposed to be aristocracy. They should at least have personal guards for dealing with non magical threats.

Invasion: Book One of the Secret World Chronicle by Mercedes Lackey, Steve Libby, Dennis Lee and Cody Martin

An alternative history where superheroes (meta humans) have become common place since the second world war and an organisation called Echo strives to harness their powers for good. Things begin to go awry when  echo bases all over the world are invaded by power armoured super soldiers bearing the swastika logo. This book has a surprising number of authors and yet it all hangs together well. It is a thumping good read and I am keen to continue with the rest of the saga.

EDIT: I just found out that the Secret World Chronicles were originally released as a series of podcasts available from here:  http://secretworldchronicle.com/
This is both interesting and perplexing. I am torn as to whether I should continue the series by listening to the podcasts or by reading the book version.

Nimbus: A Steampunk novel by B.J. Keeton and Austin King

What a terrific new world these authors have created. A world where humans have been forced to live on islands in the sky in order to escape a deadly cloud of corrosive gas that covers the surface of the Earth. Trade is done via airship and precious water needs to be harvested from storm clouds. There is a pretty exciting adventure story in here too. The novel also features strong characterisation, easily overlooked in steam punk / fantasy novels but so important for hooking you into the story and the world. A word of advice though - I didn't really like the prologue, I felt it was weak and out of character with the rest of the book. Just keep reading it gets much better as you go on.

Orphaned Worlds by Michael Cobley

This second book in Cobley's Humanity's Fire saga stirs thing up a bit.  Word has gotten out about the ancient  artifact on the planet of Darien and a plethora of groups organic and machine, real space and hyperspace want to use it for their own means. Just about all of them are converging on the once backwater world. This makes for a great story with many complex layers but it is in danger of getting confusing. It almost feels as if Colby's stage is too small for the number of actors upon it. At times it seems pretty clear who are the main heroes and villains to watch but then another thread unravels and you begin to wonder if the main plot is happening elsewhere. Is this masterful story telling or is it just a lack of discipline by the author? It remains to be seen how the final novel ties it all together. I am certainly interested enough to want to find out.