I always love reading a book that so thoroughly surprises me with twists I don't expect that I am left speechless and squirming with glee. This book not only accomplished surprise, but it also consistently intrigued me into reading more, even when the pace dragged. It was worth the reading marathon a million times over! The ending was so satisfying, in part, because it turned everything in the story completely on its head; but I also was incredibly impressed by how every single small detail was vital to the story, nothing wasted or overemphasized, and the final effect was like staring at a tapestry from two inches away only to step back and realize that whoever made it was a master of their art.
Two magicians shall appear in England. The first shall fear me; the second shall long to behold me The year is 1806. England is beleaguered by the long war with Napoleon, and centuries have passed since practical magicians faded into the nation's past. But scholars of this glorious history discover that one remains: the reclusive Mr Norrell whose displays of magic send a thrill through the country. Proceeding to London, he raises a beautiful woman from the dead and summons an army of ghostly ships to terrify the French. Yet the cautious, fussy Norrell is challenged by the emergence of…
Robin Hobb isn't a stellar writer, but her characters live like no others. You are immediately invested in the life and loneliness of the bastard Fitz. His world is enchanting, but quite ordinary at the same time. I absolutely LOVE how Robin Hobb always writes her characters into a corner so that the choices they end up making are the inevitable ones, no matter how painful it might be.
Voyager Classics - timeless masterworks of science fiction and fantasy.
A beautiful clothbound edition of Assassin's Apprentice, the first book in the critically acclaimed Farseer Trilogy.
In a faraway land where members of the royal family are named for the virtues they embody, one young boy will become a walking enigma.
Born on the wrong side of the sheets, Fitz, son of Chivalry Farseer, is a royal bastard cast out into the world, friendless and lonely. Only his magical link with animals - the old art known as the Wit - gives him solace and companionship. But the Wit, if…
Although I was disappointed by the ending, this entire series was an amazing fantasy adventure full of extremely fascinating, likable characters, high stakes, intriguing mystery and plot twists, and unforeseen resolutions! I loved all the allusions to pirate tropes that were so masterfully crafted into the story! And the sub-plot of the serpents kept me guessing till the very end.
'Even better than the Farseer books. I didn't think that was possible' GEORGE RR MARTIN
The triumphant conclusion to the magnificent Liveship Traders series.
The dragon, Tintaglia, released from her wizardwood coffin, flies high over the Rain Wild River. Below her, Reyn and Selden have been left to drown, while Malta and the Satrap attempt to navigate the acid flow of the river in a decomposing boat.
Althea and Brashen are sailing the liveship Paragon into pirate waters in a last-ditch attempt to rescue the Vestrit family liveship, Vivacia, who was stolen by the pirate king, Kennit; but there is…
A widower and a spinster, Ambrose and his sister Mattie are the last of the Bancrofts. Now they have returned to London, ready to rejoin society. But death is not something one can outrun. Ambrose tries to draw Mattie out of her grief with all the distractions Victorian high society can offer, hoping that orchestrating her happiness will curate his own. But Ambrose's pushing soon leads to a scandal that has them both fleeing to their country seat in disgrace. At Linwood Manor, Mattie and Ambrose aren't as alone as they think. Taking advantage of Mattie's desperate need to find freedom, a vanishing room lures Ambrose's sister into an illusory paradise. When Ambrose vows to get his sister back, by force if necessary, he finds himself up against an otherworldly power bent on her destruction and Mattie's bitterness turned to hatred. When Mattie commits the ultimate betrayal, Ambrose realizes he never stopped protecting her long enough to learn what she really wanted. Despite her rejection, Ambrose tries to reconcile with Mattie, hoping for a second chance to be brother and sister. But before he learns to let her go, Ambrose is broken in body and mind, far beyond his capacity to endure. When the dust settles, will Mattie be lost to him forever? Will Ambrose be the last of the Bancrofts?
