Seeing Redd

57. Seeing Redd (The Looking Glass Wars) by Frank Beddor. 371 p. Published August 2007.

This second novel follows immediately after The Looking Glass Wars. Alyss has taken her place as Queen of Wonderland but still worries after her aunt Redd, whose daring dive into the Heart Crystal – the source of all imaginative power – provided a last minute escape. Doing what they can to piece the queendom back together after Redd’s disastrous rule, Alyss and her advisers often end the day in exhaustion, a fact that King Arch of the neighboring Borderlands is willing to exploit. Sending an attack of Glass Eyes, a weapon salvaged from Redd’s army, Arch inflames fears of Redd’s return and uses the Diamond family to get Molly, Alyss’ bodyguard, to unwittingly trigger a devastating explosion in Wonderland’s primary transportation system, the Looking Glass.

Meanwhile, Hatter Maddigan, who has taken a short vacation to mourn the passing of his beloved, stumbles upon proof that Molly is, in fact, his own daughter. He rushes back to Wonderland in hopes of finding her, but is too late, the young girl taken back to King Arch under the guise of a third party’s kidnapping. Hatter follows her into the Borderlands, neglecting a direct order from Alyss.

Redd, who had spent the intervening months on earth to gather an army, finally returns to Wonderland in hopes of navigating her long-neglected Maze and gain full control over her own powers of Dark Imagination. Alyss is hard pressed on all sides, knowing that her country cannot survive a fight on two fronts, and is forced to make a decision that will change the face of Wonderland forever.

From the start it was obvious that, unlike the first book, Seeing Redd couldn’t rely on the novelty of retelling Alice in Wonderland. Instead, Beddor begins to build upon the story, making it his own. On the one hand, he does a marvelous job, developing a sense of realism in the characters. At the same time, much of Seeing Redd came across as monotonous, spending too much time delving into motivations and machination and the story only begins to pick up towards the rear of the book. Ending with a cliffhanger, Seeing Redd leaves a lot for the third and final novel.

Rating: 2 out of 5

Foundation

56. Foundation (Valdemar: The Collegium Chronicles) by Mercedes Lackey. 340 p. Published October 2008.

This is the latest book in Lackey’s Valdemar Series and starts to catalogue how the Collegium is founded (hence the title) through one of its earliest pupils, Mags. An orphan, Mags is raised to work in a mine, digging jewels out of the rock from dawn till dusk and fed the meagerest of meals. He and the other orphans do their best to keep their heads down and out of trouble, knowing that there is little hope outside of simple survival. But when a Companion appears, accompanied by a Herald, things change in ways Mags never imagined.

Taken to Haven, Valdemar’s capital, astride his very own Companion, Mags is enrolled in the newly founded Collegium to train his gift of Mindspeech. But the college is so new that all of its buildings are still in construction and the housing shortage places Mags in the stables. As he adjusts to life as a Herald-trainee, Mags makes friends among the trainees from the other colleges (Healers and Bards) and in the city. Soon enough, thanks to his particulawr gift, Mags is buried in intrigue and political subterfuge. But when a overwhelming blizzard burries the campus, one of his friends goes missing, and Mags must do all he can to save the life he’s grown to love.

Lackey is an amazing wordsmith, her descriptions of the world as vivid as the characters she populates it with. But Foundation, while starting a new chapter in the Valdemar universe, fails to provide anything of real substance. This growing-up-with-magic tale, while engrossing, just doesn’t compare to the vivid and inspiring books that compose the rest of the world. Frankly, it comes off as an attempt at hooking some of the growing young adult audience.

The books of Valdemar are some of my favorite from High School, and while Foundation doesn’t do them justice, hopefully the following novels in the Collegium Chronicles will rise to the challenge.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Storybook Love

GN 25. Fables Vol. 3: Storybook Love by Bill Willingham. Illustrated by Mark Buckingham and Steve Leialoha. 190 p. Published May 2004.

Storybook Love is composed of four tales which, while separate, weave together to provide a glimpse of Fabletown. First comes Jack, the lovable rogue of beanstalk, candle, and every other get-rich-quick scheme. Looking to gain some prestige, Jack joins the South in the American Civil War, and flees when the war turns sour. After winning a magical bottomless sack from the Devil, Jack finds a rich lady abandoned to die in her house. Attracted by her wealth and beauty, Jack vows to trap Death himself in order to save her, as always neglecting the consequences.

The second story, now back in the present, reveals a threat to Fabletown as an overzealous reporter threatens to expose the Fables, mistaking them for a nest of Vampires. Using a complicated plot involving Sleeping Beauty, who’s spell of sleep spreads like a contagion the longer she rests, Bigby Wolf calls upon Prince Charming, Jack, and Bluebeard to scare the reporter into submission. But when Sleeping Beauty won’t wake to Prince Charming’s kiss, an unexpected savior must rise in the form of Flycatcher, the Frog Prince.

The third tale heralds the return of Snow White after her ordeal on The Farm. But Bluebeard and Goldilocks, seeking to seize power of Fabletown, have a different plan. They bewitch Bigby and Snow, forcing the pair to take a vacation out in the wilderness where they’ll be vulnerable. Goldilocks, armed with her proven marksmanship, follows them with murder on the mind. But things are never so simple, and as Bigby and Snow waken from the enchantment, the tables begin to turn in their favor. Meanwhile, Bluebeard looks to seize control of Fabletown, but is foiled by Prince Charming, who proved his ability adjudicating the tribunal after the Farm’s revolt.

Returning to time of the Fables’ exile, The Lilliputians are the focus of the final tale. Looking to join the war against The Adversary, a ship full of these tiny warriors set sail. However, arriving in the old country, they soon realize what a disadvantage their size is in battle. Unable to return home, the Lilliputians join the other Fables in exile with one additional problem – no female Lilliputians. With only Thumbellina for all of them to pine over, one of the Lilliputians sets himself a quest: to return to the old country and retrieve the magic seeds that birthed her kind.

In this third volume of Fables, we learn what love means to the Fables. To the Liliputians it has become a challenge of both their vigor and loyalty to the cause. For some like Jack, it is a foolish and fickle thing of greed and lust. For others, such as the Frog Prince, it is pure, honest, and unrequited. And for Snow and Bigby, Love is a thing that cannot be denied, no matter how much they try.

Storybook Love is the volume I’ve been waiting for. With most of the character generation and world building finished, and a solid plot history to stand upon, this volume really shines. Plot twists, humor, and subterfuge abound, providing a truly marvelous experience. While closing the stories of some characters, this volume offers plenty of intrigue to promise an exciting fifth volume.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Other Reviews of Storybook Love: Fyrefly’s Book Blog

Animal Farm

GN 24. Fables Vol. 2: Animal Farm by Bill Willingham. Illustrated by Mark Buckingham and Steve Leialoha. 128 p. Published August 2003.

This second volume of Fables continues where the first left off, as Jack and Rose begin their community service. While Jack is stuck cleaning, Rose must tag along with her sister Snow White as penance. When communication to The Farm is cut, Snow must investigate. The Farm is the Fables’ upstate property used to house those Fables who aren’t able to move among humans. Snow takes the opportunity to bring Colin, one of the three little pigs, back to the Farm, but along the way find strange signs of trouble.

When they arrive, Snow and Red find themselves behind enemy lines. The pigs, along with Goldilocks and her bear family, have sparked revolution in the hearts of the Farm Fables. Armed to the teeth, they prepare to descend on the City Fables and wrest away control of Fabletown. Seeing an opportunity, Red joins the revolution, leaving Snow to flee for her life.

Truthfully, I was expecting more from Animal Farm, but with dozens of new characters and an unfamiliar backdrop, there is too much world building going on for much of the story to shine through. However, the parts that make it through the clutter – Goldilocks’ relationship with the bears and the heroism of Reynard the Fox being good examples – are priceless.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Other Reviews of Animal Farm: Fyrefly’s Book Blog

October ‘08 Wrap Up

October was a decent month for reading, friends, and life in general. Work, not so much, but you can’t have everything. I was surprised at my reading pace this month, especially after the problematic last few. Then again, there’s nothing quite like the onset of a cold fall to keep you in bed curled around a decent novel.

So, here’s the breakdown:

1. Viewpoints Critical by L.E. Modesitt

2. Cally’s War by John Ringo

3. Wellspring of Chaos by L.E. Modesitt

4. The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor

5. Ordermaster by L.E. Modesitt

Number of Pages: 1,992

With almost 1,000 pages over September, I even managed to also squeeze in the 1st volume of Preacher and Batman: The Dark Knight Returns for the Graphic Novels Challenge.

Now, my predictions for November are a bit complicated. On the one hand, I’ve got 4.5 books on my shelf ready and rearing to go. On the other, I’ve joined the few, the proud, the insane. That’s right, this year I’m attempting NANOWRIMO (if you think it sounds like some exotic act of ritual suicide, you’re not far off).

If you haven’t heard, November is National Novel Writing Month (NANOWRIMO). The goal: 50,000 words written in 30 days. Thankfully, I do have a few things going for me: a friend or two participating, a few more backing me, a roommate very willing to be my sounding board, and another with all the technical know-how it’ll take to make me not sound like a moron.

So, while I’ll do what I can to maintain review posting, I get the feeling a few will be pushed back to December. Until then, here’s my badge of honor: