Adam Stemple

This review is also available on my blog, Read Till Dawn.

Honestly, just look at that cover. Does this look like a good book to you? Snail's leggings are truly hideous, and Aspen . . . well, he kind of looks like a girl. Which is kind of ironic, thinking after having read the second book.

Yeah, I've already read the second book as well. Because while The Hostage Prince looks very mediocre from the cover, it's actually really, really good. My mother, who also read it, was willing to make a show more special library run the day the second book (The Last Changeling) came in, even though she'd been running around all day doing errands, just because she wanted to read it so badly. She finished it that same night.

The thing about the Seelie Wars books is that they don't pull any punches - sometimes literally. As middle grade fiction goes, this series is surprisingly dark and full of violence (a lot of it implied, but some deaths actually shown). This makes the tale that much more gripping for the main characters, and makes me love them that much more for not being like the people (er, creatures) around them. Because they live in a world of ruthlessness, where any sign of mercy or sympathy is treated like a deadly crime, their own behavior becomes that much more endearing. I love the way that they begin the book behaving the way most people of their respective classes would to each other (the prince completely in charge, Snail completely submissive), but then the wall between them breaks farther and farther down as the story progresses. There just reaches a point when you're in danger and it's more important to grab someone's hand and drag them away than it is to ask their permission for touching them, you know?

Snail makes for a great main character, because she's not a huge rebel. Honestly, I'm sick of stories about girls raised in servitude who spend all of their time revolting. Snail is the low of the low, and she knows it. She understands her own position of weakness, and while she may get a little bitter from time to time (when the nobility get especially capricious), and she never loses her own self-respect, most of the time she just goes along with however things are going. She begins to gradually lose this mindset of needing to "keep her place" as the story goes on and she develops a friendship with Aspen.

Speaking of the prince, he's not always the brightest bulb. But then again, I think that goes along with his upbringing. He's basically just meant to be a placeholder to keep war from breaking out between two kingdoms; there's really nothing he can be expected to actually do with his life besides that, so he hasn't exactly gotten a lot of stimulating training or anything. I love him a lot, though, especially as the book goes on and he begins to discover things about himself and how the world works that he had never even considered before (for example: just because someone isn't born into royalty, doesn't mean he or she is good for nothing more than cleaning up after you - she might actually make a great friend, too).

So yeah, I'm a huge new fan of the Seelie Wars series (and of Jane Yolen's!), and I can't wait to read the third book. Keep an eye out for my review of book two, The Last Changeling, in the next couple of weeks! show less

Fun take on a Jewish legend that honestly appraises the both upsides and downsides of having a strong but unsophisticated golem as your bodyguard. The kids in this are recognizable and mostly appealing (well, except for the bullies). The adults I have more issues with, especially the principal, who claims to know everything that's going on at school but does little to stop it from happening until he himself almost gets slugged. The end seems a bit pat but does provide a life-affirming show more message and some hope that the school will be a better place in future. show less

Eh. It's not bad for a YA book, but I found it very hard to find anyone I wanted to root for, let alone identify with. Aspen/Bran is a wimp - he's spent 7 years there, mostly (according to what we're told) yearning after the twin princesses and taking lessons. No friends - we don't get to see him talking to Jaunty, and Old Jack Daw has his own agenda, but he's never (apparently) even talked to anyone else, just interacted with those assigned to him. Nor has he made any enemies - he's just show more "gone along to get along", taking no action. Snail's lack of drive is more reasonable, since she has many fewer choices in her life - but she has acquaintances at best (plus at least one enemy), no real friends. Chekov's gun - her appearance should be very important, since it's carefully described several times, but it seems to be irrelevant, at least as far as this book goes. The book also ends...not on a cliffhanger, but without any solid ending. It's Part One of a single story, not even the first book of a trilogy - a good series has completed arcs within each book as well as the overall arc. Overall eh. I'm not sorry I read it, and I _might_ even pick up the second book if I happen to come across it, but I won't be looking for it. I was surprised, afterward, to notice Jane Yolen's name on it - I would have expected better from her, so I suspect it's mostly Stemple's writing. show less

‘Duster’ is the phenomenal new fantasy novel from Adam Stemple, The subject of dead gods has been presented to readers before, but never told quite like this. Adam has a gift for storytelling, weaving his words around you and ensnaring you in his world.

There was war, and oddly enough, the Gods were losing. The Galloch, a race of giants, was winning. To turn the tide, the Gods were forced into creation - the Illenthrell from stone, Duarsteri from cats, and mankind from young Haggan’s show more own hands. And so the battle was won, at least temporarily. But the Gods’ creations turned on each other.

Mika is long retired from the King’s Own army, when marching and fighting the Duarsteri, or ‘Dusters’ kept him busy. He has happily settled into this calmer existence, running a tavern with his lovely wife Jehannna in the town of Cairburn, watching as his three sons grow into men. Life is good and Mika is content, for the most part.

The happy picture is torn apart when a Duster half-breed comes seeking the couple’s middle son, Ferran. The Duster doesn’t ask nicely, and Mika finds himself forced to use his wits to get rid of his assailant. Then comes the immediate question, why is a Duster looking for Ferran?! The boy is known to be a bit of a party animal, enjoying his ale and the very addictive Mad Apple. For the life of him, Mika cannot figure it out. He immediately goes in search of his son, hoping to find him before anyone, or anything, else does.

One of the first stops is the local den of darkness, run by Gair, Mika’s best friend and army mate. Gair offers prostitution and gaming, alcohol and Mad Apple, anything to suit the clients vices - but no help for Mika. Although… as he continues his search, Mika is rather clumsily followed by one of Gair’s working ladies, who tells him that his friend desires a night time meeting. Mika wonders at all the secrecy surrounding the meeting, and why Gair couldn’t have just told him what he knew. Little does he know that this almost perfect world is about to be spun around, torn inside out and upside down, then blasted apart at the seams!

A tale rich with imagery, action and love; the kind a bard would love to put to tune. It’s a rollicking great read from start to finish! show less