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Good Reading : JULY 2016
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GOODREADINGMAGAZINE.COM.AU GOOD READING JULY 2016 38 SCI-FI / FANTASY WOM word of mouth RATINGS ★ ★ ★★ ★★ ★★★ ★★★ ★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★★★ RG The Bone Queen Alison Croggon Cadavan is only a boy when he encounters a dark sorcerer who recognises his inherent power as a Bard and tries to enslave him into service. Breaking free of the spell, Cadavan begs his father to be allowed to leave home and train to be a Bard, a weaver of spells and magic, who can shape the destiny of the world in which he lives. His father refuses, but when Cadavan is old enough he leaves. As young man, promising much in his gifts for power and magic, he draws himself in to a web of dark intrigue and danger as he tries to overpower the approaching great evil that threatens the world of Pellinor. But so much darkness can taint even the best intentioned souls, and Cadavan releases in to the world the Bone Queen, a destroyer who seeks to annihilate light in the world and return it to chaos under the rule of the Nameless One. Cadavan’s quest to restore balance to his world has already cost him his dearest love and his place in Lirigon. He’s now exiled forever to the outer realms of Pellinor to live with the shame and guilt of his failures. But when the Bone Queen and her servants threaten to destroy the very substance of the world they live in, he is reluctantly drawn back into a conflict he started in order to make a final reckoning. In this prequel to the other ‘Pellinor’ books, Croggon’s gift for character brings a sense of knowing not only about the world we are reading of, but also about the souls of the people inhabiting it. This book is an enjoyable read for those looking for character-driven fantasy and is a good starting point for those not familiar with the world of Pellinor, as it sets the ground for much of what takes place in later books. ★★★★ Penguin $32.99 Reviewed by David Johnson The Lyre Thief Jennifer Fallon The world of Hythrun has reconciled itself to the fact that Xaphista, the god ruler of Karien, is dead, killed by the Demon Child years ago. As the dust settles in Karien, the rest of the land continues on with the daily grind of trade, politics and betrayal. In order to guarantee free access to vast trading routes beyond the borders of the desert kingdom of Fardohnya, the king has brokered a deal to marry off one of his many daughters to the elderly lord of Highcastle. His daughter, Rakaia, has other plans after she finds out from her mother that she is not the king’s daughter but the bastard child of one of his generals. Her plan is simple: convince her low-born serving girl sister, Charisee, to come with her and take her place at the wedding, leaving Rakaia free to escape not only the life of the palace but also the impending wrath of her ‘father’ once he tortures the truth out of her mother. Meanwhile, Mica, a minstrel of note and a young man with a complex and intriguing background, is convinced by the voices he hears in his head to steal an innocuous-looking gold medallion, a small lyre on a chain. The only problem is that this medallion belongs to Gimlorie, the God of Music, and Mica has no idea that this simple act of stealing a small token could well undo the entire universe around him. Jennifer Fallon’s work shows the influence of ‘The Lord of the Rings’, A Game of Thrones and other similar epic fantasies. The story moves along at a readable pace. It‘s formulaic in its approach, but it will engage those who want an enjoyable read that isn’t overly challenging in its scope or plot. ★★★ Voyager $29.99 Reviewed by David Johnson settles in Karien, the rest of the land continues of the palace but also the impending wrath of her ‘father’ once he tortures the truth out of her mother. and a young man with a complex and intriguing background, is convinced by the voices he hears in his head to steal an innocuous-looking gold medallion, a small The Bone Queen Alison Croggon CCsorcerer who recognises his inherent power as a Bard and tries to enslave him into service. AUSTRALIAN AUTHOR AUSTRALIAN AUTHOR
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