Fantasy

I read Anne Mc Caffrey’s books some years ago and was always drawn to the world of Pern and those magnificent, compassionate dragons. However, I had never read this, the first book of the Dragonriders, and enjoyed seeing how some of the characters I knew and loved came to be. Wonderful, spell-binding reading. Reviwed by: Anonymous

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Two magicians are at odds over how best to use magic to bring greater glory to Mother England in the Age of Napoleon. Great characters and wonderful dialogue! One of the best fantasy in many years, and Susanna Clarke's writing is on par with Neil Gaiman in the fantasy field. Reviewed by: Tom Hammel

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In this novel about a medieval world set seemingly in a region of France, Kay weaves an intriguing tale of war, deception, love, and loyalty between a nation ruled by men and their god and a nation ruled by women and their goddess. A bit difficult to follow at the beginning, as characters are often only briefly mentioned in one chapter, then more fully introduced in a subsequent one without easy to find reminders of who they are, but overall a well written book that’s enjoyable to read. The ending contains completely unexpected twists, which bring the book to a novel close. A nicely-woven story with a nice balance of battle and personal interactions, giving you just enough of a feel for the characters to empathize, but not enough for you to guess their next moves. Reviwed by: B. Sullivan

Read more about Guy Gavriel Kay