Reading and discussing the epic fantasy novel Melokai by Rosalyn Kelly for your book club? Here are fifteen questions that should help to get the conversation flowing.
1) What were your first impressions of Melokai? Did it hook you from the start or did it take a while to get into?
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At the time of Melokai, Ramya is thirty-two years old. Born in Riaow, the capital of Peqkya, she was placed in the pen led by Kafya, as Peqkian custom dictates ‘No baby will ever know it’s parents and no parents will ever know their baby’.
From an early age, Ramya showed great promise as a warrior and entered the profession at age fifteen. She quickly became known as the greatest warrior in Peqkya due to her skill at chariot warfare, multiple opponent combat, and archery, as well as her endless energy and how she never seemed to tire in a fight. Ramya liked her tongue. She wasn’t ready to give it up, not yet. The Melokai rolled it around her teeth, touched it to the roof of her mouth and brought it down with a satisfying cluck.
She glanced at Chaz. The scholar’s mottled black and white hands cupped his face, his body rocking with the movement of his horse, eyes glazed. They continued through the circular streets of the city in silence, both soon to lose the ability of speech, but neither with anything to say.
Book Review: Blackwing (The Raven's Mark Book 1) by Ed McDonald (published by Gollancz)
This epic fantasy has received glowing reviews and is a big contender for ‘best fantasy book of 2017’. And rightly so, because it is a great read. Captain Ryhalt Galharrow is an older, experienced, battle-scarred soldier employed to hunt down spies and traitors, who invariably run into The Misery. This is the name for the wasteland that lies right outside the city walls, which was the site of a huge battle between the Republic and the evil Deep Kings. The magic wrought during that war – and the powerful weapon used – blasted, twisted, and generally screwed up the area, but also drove back the Deep Kings. For many years, these Deep Kings have been reluctant to attack again for fear of this weapon. Book Review: The Grey Bastards (The Grey Bastards Book 1) by Jonathan French (published by Ballymalis Press)
This epic fantasy is a boisterously good read – it’s rude, sweary, has lots of crude sex references and macho male banter, women are often referred to as ‘quim’ or ‘cunny’ (or worse) and it opens in a brothel! But despite that, the (majority male) characters are believable, likable and clever, the setting is well realised and intriguing and the action-packed pace carries the plot along well, with a few surprises here and there.
Book Review: Prince of Thorns (The Broken Empire Book 1) by Mark Lawrence (published by Harper Voyager)
Grimdark fantasy Prince of Thorns is a dark, gruesome read with an evil bastard of a main character, but I loved it! It tells of Prince Honorous Jorg Ancrath who, at nine years old, witnesses the horrific murder of his mother and brother which sparks an unyielding desire to wreak bloody revenge. Jorg leaves the comfort of the castle to cut his teeth on murder, rape and brutality with a band of outlaws.
Book Review: The Ninth Rain (The Winnowing Flame Trilogy Book 1) by Jen Williams (published by Headline)
Fantasy novel The Ninth Rain is set in an amazingly rich world with an intriguing past, curious creatures and gods, and with a touch of Sci Fi thrown in. It tells the story of an unlikely trio: a human, a fell-witch and an Eboran who are searching for an answer to the mysterious Jure’lia, or worm people, who invade their world every few hundred centuries flying in from the sky in great behemoths, woodlice-like creatures, that carry beetle soldiers. The last invasion, the Eighth Rain, was thought to be the one that ended them all, but all signs are pointing to a ninth… Her palms prickled and a hollow dread feeling swept from her belly up to her chest. Tamza stood to the side of the stage in the great marketplace, staring at the wooden planks, forcing herself to notice every flaw, raised nail, splinter. To not think about what was coming.
She had positioned herself behind a group of loitering fire eaters, to keep as much distance between her and the audience. Most performers had been on already, to cheers or boos, depending on the fickle mood of the onlookers. Some, like her, were still waiting their turn. But Tamza’s act was the headline of the Festival of Many Gods, and tonight, for the first time, she’d be performing without her father. She’d be the one speaking… from that stage… to the entire town gathered in the square. Tamza gulped down the ticklish nerves that crawled up her throat. It was almost time.
Audiobook Review: Paternus (Paternus Trilogy Book 1) by Dyrk Ashton (published by Paternus Books Media)
I won a free audiobook of Paternus in a giveaway hosted by the author. Intrigued by the blurb, I started listening immediately and - mind blown – this book was brilliant! It’s a unique blend of urban, contemporary, mythical fantasy, and it features the most incredible beings – called the Firstborn.
Book Review: The Queen of the Tearling (The Tearling Trilogy Book 1) by Erika Johansen (published by Bantam Books)
This fantasy novel was a good, solid read. There seems to be some debate about whether this is adult fantasy as there are adult themes including graphic violence and lots of swearing (towards the end) but the plot is quite simplistic and the main character is nineteen so it does feel like a young adult novel. Either way, I wouldn’t say it wowed me and I found some parts of it odd / unnecessary / slow, but I enjoyed it and, for the most part, liked the author’s writing style.
Book Review: A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic Book 1) by V.E. Schwab (published by Titan Books)
This fantasy was an enjoyable read set in an imaginatively crafted world which consists of four Londons: red, grey, white and black. It follows the story of an Antari magician called Kell who can travel through the ‘doors’ that connect each of these worlds.
Book Review: DarkSkull Hall (The Mage Chronicles Book 1) by Lisa Cassidy (published by Tate House)
This YA fantasy is super enjoyable, a quick read with intrigue, well-formed characters, vivid descriptions and excellent worldbuilding. I was completely hooked by the prologue, the writing effortlessly bringing the scene alive for me, and I raced through the novel after that brilliant opening.
Book Review: The Blade Itself (The First Law Book 1) by Joe Abercrombie (published by Gollancz)
Completely torn by this book. I have read so many glowing reviews of it and had some very high hopes for it. I really wanted to love it. It’s lauded as one of the best grimdark fantasy series of recent times and I was looking forward to a gritty, dark and twisted tale with some morally ambiguous characters to love/hate. I’ve read Half a King, the first book of Abercrombie’s YA fantasy series The Shattered Sea, which I enjoyed, and I was hoping this book was going to be darker and grittier.
Book Review: The Black Prism (The Lightbringer Series Book 1) by Brent Weeks (published by Orbit)
Brilliant book! I was completely in awe of the storytelling, worldbuilding, magic system and believable, likable yet flawed characters. And, oh my, the twists that I just didn’t see coming blew me away! This story focuses on the complex, delicately held together world, of the Seven Satrapies sixteen years after a massive battle between two brothers, both of whom are prisms. But there can only be one and the good guy, Gavin Guile, won. Or did he? I won’t post any spoilers here, but believe me, the twists are great. Book Review: Thief’s Magic by Trudi Canavan (published by Orbit)
This fantasy novel focuses on two characters: Tyen and Rielle. Tyen lives in a world where magic powers industry and although the industrial progress has been startling, it is sucking the magic out of the world and leaving a trail of Soot in its wake. Apart from powering industry, magic is not allowed to be used. Tyen is a student at the Academy which guards the use of magic and Thief’s Magic opens with him finding an intriguing book whilst grave robbing with his archaeology professor for the Academy. This book turns out to be trouble for Tyen. Others want it as it contains secrets that people want to expose or people want to hide, and it has a strange hold over the student which leads him to do anything he can to protect it. |
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