Range of Ghosts

If I had not received the sequel to Range of Ghosts from the publisher, I can honestly say that Range of Ghosts would never have entered my radar. I'm fairly picky when it comes to my high-fantasy, and one of the qualifications is that the strange-name to familiar-name ratio be fairly balanced. Range of Ghosts was definitely not balanced.

However, I took the leap and purchased Range of Ghosts because I am unable to just dive into the second book of the series without having read the first. To be honest, about 100 pages in, I thought I was just going to have to suck up a loss because I just couldn't get into the story. Then things started to happen.

So if you are like me and struggle with strange names and terms and trying to get your imagination wrapped around an extremely detailed and exotic world, let me lay out for you a little bit of the things you might just see in this series.

First, each kingdom has a different sky. You know which kingdom you are in by looking up - and the skies change according to who is in power. Cool, right? Yeah, I thought so once I figured it out.

Second, fluid sexuality is alive and thriving in this book. Characters can switch from male to female and back due to special circumstances.

Third, horses named Dumpling are fantastic characters. I won't spoil the surprise.

Fourth, females (barren and fertile) have immense power. I loved this aspect of the book and, frankly, it's a strong reason for why it's receiving this review. I am fascinated by Edene, awed by Once-Princess Samarkar, and a little bit in animal love with a certain tiger.

I would recommend ignoring the summary of this book, as it just doesn't do the complex nature of the story justice. Take your time, get to know the characters, and rest assured by the end of this first book, you will be rewarded ( )

At my age, I should know better than to pick up the first book in a just-begun fantasy trilogy. That only ever ends in tears.

But if I had to do it, this one was a good one to pick. Bear is very deliberately writing in a fantastic universe based on Russia and Asia rather than Europe, and the difference in archetypes, assumptions, and customs is really very refreshing. This book involved rather a lot of scene-setting and not all that much real action, but I am totally prepared to sit back and let the world unspool at its own pace. ( )

The premise: ganked from BN.com: A powerful new fantasy from Hugo award–winning author Elizabeth Bear, Range of Ghosts creates a world both deep and broad, where a sorcerer-prince seeks world domination to the glory of his God.

Temur, grandson of the Great Khan, is walking from a battlefield where he was left for dead. All around lie the fallen armies of his cousin and his brother who made war to rule the Khaganate. Temur is now the legitimate heir by blood to his grandfather’s throne, but he is not the strongest. Going into exile is the only way to survive his ruthless cousin.

Once-Princess Samarkar is climbing the thousand steps of the Citadel of the Wizards of Tsarepheth. She was heir to the Rasan Empire until her father got a son on a new wife. Then she was sent to be the wife of a Prince in Song, but that marriage ended in battle and blood. Now she has renounced her worldly power to seek the magical power of the wizards.

These two will come together to stand against the hidden cult that has so carefully brought all the empires of the Celadon Highway to strife and civil war through guile and deceit and sorcerous power.

My Rating: Good Read

While I wasn't emotionally engaged, once the story picked up and I got a feel for the characters and the world, it's a pretty compelling read. The world-building and magic feels unique for an epic fantasy (or at least unique to me), and it's not often you get epic fantasy influenced by the East, so that made it doubly fascinating. Elizabeth Bear is always a solid writer, and I managed to finish this book in three days, which is pretty impressive, considering that Bear tends to be one of those writers I have to take a wee bit longer with. Yay for extra time! But in all seriousness, I'm glad I got to read this now, so that I can give this fair consideration for the Hugo nominations. Anyone who'll be nominating needs to give this book a whirl. I'm looking forward to next year's sequel, Shattered Pillars.

Spoilers, yay or nay?: Nay. The full review may be found at my blog, and as always, comments and discussion are most welcome. If you're interested in the full review, just click the link below!

REVIEW: Elizabeth Bear's RANGE OF GHOSTS

Happy Reading! ( )

...If there is one point of criticism I could direct at this novel, it is the fact that it is probably going to be more of a long novel in three parts than a trilogy. There is a strong climatic scene at the end, in which Samakar shows impressive physical strength, but it is also something of a cliffhanger. There is no way you can finish this book and not want to read the sequel Shattered Pillars. Personally I can live with that. All things considered, Range of Ghost is an impressive novel in terms of world building, characterization and prose. It is quite simply one of the best books I've read this year. I guess the good thing about getting to it late is that I won't have to wait too long for the second book, which is expected in March 2013. Bear has placed Shattered Pillars high on my to read list.

Full Random Comments review ( )

http://cscs.umich.edu/~crshalizi/weblog/algae-2012-03.html#range-of-ghosts ( )