The first in a trilogy that receives rave reviews but, despite the presence of The Shrander and K-Ship captain Seria Mau Genlicher, the ever present male gaze left me a bit cold. I won’t be continuing down the wormhole to read Nova Swing or Empty Space.
I’m still willing to give Climbers a try though, if I ever find a copy in the library…
Publisher page: Light – M. John Harrison
Peter Grant (now a Detective Constable) and the rest of the magic-wielding team at the Folly are on the trail of Martin Chorley, the Faceless Man, with help from various, better known, parts of the Metropolitan Police and the City of London Police. Lesley May and Mr Punch also feature, as do Beverley Brook and her Rivers of London family, and we meet another of the London River Goddesses – Lulu, aka Walbrook, serving pints in a Shoreditch pub.
Lots of action takes place in the City, from its Roman beginnings to 21st century financial centre, and the new Bloomberg building and the now-displaced Whitechapel Bell Foundry both play key roles.
Publisher page: Lies Sleeping – Ben Aaronovitch
More adventures in magical London (and beyond) for Mage Alex Verus, made even more complicated by the occasional appearance of Not-Anne, a djinn and the ever present political machinations of the Light Council.
Author’s page: Marked – Benedict Jacka
This novel has been on my watch list for a while, so I made the most of spotting the beautifully produced hard back in Barbican Library. The Night Circus is always out on loan, even though it was published 7 years ago.
A mysterious circus that opens only at night, offering customers exotic experiences featuring acrobats and contortionists, ice sculptures and performing animals, magicians and merry-go-rounds.
So far, so relatively normal.
However the origins and operation of the Night Circus are far from normal, and that’s what made this a speedy read at Walton on the Naze.
Tricky to categorise too – sort of fantastic (rather than fantasy) historical fiction.
Author’s page: The Night Circus – Erin Morgenstern
A novella recounting the origins of the Farseer witted line, and the swift change from the witted being regarded as contributing good to Six Duchies society to being outcasts to be pursued and exterminated.
Author’s page: The Wilful Princess and the Piebald Prince – Robin Hobb