Tag Archives: fantasy

Book Review of The Calling Tree: A Tale of Immortality, by C.F. Waller

I received an Audible copy of C. F. Waller‘s The Calling Tree through AudioBookBoom.

Description from Goodreads:
Dominick Dunn is in people acquisition. When the phone rings he shuffles off to the far corners of the globe to retrieve the captured, then turns them over to his employer. He doesn’t actually believe these people are immortal, but the pay is good and he likes to travel. Despite rumors that his quarry meets an unthinkable fate at the hands of his employer, he’s content with his lot in life.

Aaron Wessker is miserable. His life has not gone according to plan. Trapped in a dead end job bartending in Vegas, he longs for a family he lacks, or at least the possibility of a girlfriend.

Their lives are about to intersect, causing them both to rethink their place in the world. More importantly they will have to change their opinions of the possibility of immortality.

Unfortunately for both of them they will have to do this very quickly. Dunn’s quarry is also being pursued by something much more deadly than his employers.

Dominick Dunn is about to become the hunted and Aaron’s world is about to be turned on its side.

Review:
A solid three stars. Awesome cover and I enjoyed the story and the characters a lot, but there is a formalness to the writing that never let me wholly sink into it. And as I listened (I had the audio version) I finally figured out what created this terseness. Two things: there is s decided lack of contractions and the speech tags are too often not simply ‘said.’ I’m not one who claims a writer should never use anything other than “”bla, bla, bla,” she said.” But it sure is hard to make “”bla, bla, bla,” she reiterated” as inconspicuous. None of this is helped by Baker‘s narration, which, though smooth, is additionally stiff in places, with a couple oddly pronounced or emphasized words. As an aside on the narration, I greatly disliked the echoing effect used to show internal thoughts.

There were one or two possible consistency issues that I raised my eyebrows at. For example, at one point a waitress walked by after I was sure the characters had left her bar and gone to a different restaurant. Maybe I misunderstood something, but…

Lastly, there were a few aspects of the story that irked me a little, though these are personal pet peeves and might not bother others. Most of them are men relating to women issues that I figure are symptoms of a male author, as there is a decided male gaze.

One, every waitress in the book is hit on by someone. The vast majority of female background characters, in fact, only seem to be there for a man to comment on. Two, the ‘hero’ gets the girl for no apparent reason at the end. I suppose just because that’s what is supposed to happen. There is nothing up to that moment to suggest there is a romance in play or even that she is a woman interested in romance. Three, (sorry to be vague, but I’m trying to avoid a whole spoiler) the very last little twist isn’t possible without the ‘wife’s’ death. And since they all know that would be inevitable in order for that twist to occur, that means they threw her life away in the end. This seems unlikely if he loved her so much, but also and more importantly, makes her feel like a substance-less prop, as female characters so often are.

All in all, not bad at all, but maybe not my favorite of the year.

Book Review of Thunder Hunter (Viking Soul #1), by Rachel Medhurst

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I won a copy of Rachel Medhurst‘s Thunder Hunter from Audiobook Access. Oddly enough, I already had a kindle copy of it and it’s included in the Bad Magic compilation, which I also happen to have. So, I have three copies of the book somehow.

Description from Goodreads:
A thousand years, that’s how long I’ve been hunting the Fallen Ones that escaped Freya’s field. One hundred and ninety five down, five to go. Just five disgusting evil spirits until I die and Thor’s thunder will be returned to him. Nothing will stand in the way of me completing my mission, not even the woman who claims to be a descendant of Freya. I will kill the next Fallen One, no matter what.

Review:
Well, I did not like that AT ALL. I have rarely come across a ‘hero’ that I liked less than Trigger Thunder Hunter. There was 100% no character development to him except that of horn-dog, sexist misogynist His constant internal dialogue about every woman he saw irritated me beyond bearability. Every waitress, female villain, club-goer and passer-by on the street had to be remarked upon. Even the ones he was actively battling to the death. I swear every single one had a pert bottom or lush lips or a pinched waist and EVERY SINGE ONE threw themselves at him. (Talk about a male gaze, geez!) He was beyond nsufferable. I hated him.

AND Here’s the thing, Trigger is said to have had sex with several of the female descendants of Loci. (You might notice him having sex to be a theme of this review. It sure was of the book.) I know the author meant this like him being so irresistible, having such machismo that any woman would want him, even his enemies. But this makes no sense to me. I could not fathom how women who had been raised since birth to believe a man evil and it their moral duty to kill him could turn around and let their guard down enough to have sex with him. So, the only way I could make the idea of him having sex with the women he turned around and killed make sense was through coercion and/or rape. And once that idea set in, I couldn’t lose it. At one point he had a little black dress from a past lover/victim in his home to lend out. But it had also been made abundantly clear that he didn’t ever bring anyone home. So, did he have sex with her, kill her and then bring the dress home as some sort of macob trophy?

Honestly, even if he isn’t a rapist (which in my mind he must be), what sort of man repeatedly, even regularly has sex with women he plans to kill when he’s finished? Not a good one, which might be fine, as the Thunder Hunter is meant to be an antihero, but he sure isn’t one I’m interested in reading about. And I was so sick of his constant commentary on women that I wanted to slap him and the author for writing him. Plus, there was just too little story around his apparent sexual irresistibility.

And just in case anyone has made the mistake of thinking this a romance, give that idea up now. It is not. The only people he was shown actually having sex with were randos in the club while he treated the female main character abominably over and over and over again.

There is just SO much sexism in this book. The whole thing is just steeped in it, and since it’s written by a woman it felt a lot like internalized misogyny to me. Should we expect to be looked at as objects that men can give out as gifts? As I hinted above with Trigger’s very male gaze, ever single women was present solely in sexual context. Even random ones like a waitresses and secretaries. What’s more Trigger, written as THE MAN is shown as so full of himself and arrogant that even goddesses kneel at his feet. What chance have mere mortal women, who must be less than him, have? I absolutely had to force myself to finish this book.

Then there is the 220-year-old virgin girl. 220-years-old and the most important things about her are that she’s small, cute, naive and innocent. Sorry, what? 220-years-old and you expect me to believe she basically hasn’t lived. What’s she supposed to have been doing for 220 years to stay so innocent and ignorant?

Then there is the uncomfortable treatment of queerness. A man who was clearly and openly bi sexual is repeatedly referred to in ways such as having a “confused sexuality.” There is more than one such comment. Trigger seems ok being hit on by men, but it’s always with a sense of making fun of the person attracted to him. There is lesbian sex directed by a man solely for the benefit of a male viewer. It all very very uncomfortable, but it’s supposed to be titillating and dark.

Less egregious than all that were the annoying flashbacks and the way information just happened to fall in Trigger’s lap just when he needed it.

Lastly, the narrator was completely wrong, or at least his portrayal of Trigger was. Trigger was Scandinavian, but Ian Fisher played him a very English. True, Trigger lived in London, but he’s not a Londoner. The very same thing could be said for Chloe, the female side character, she’s Scandinavian but played as English (even when she’s teased for sounding American). This I think is more a reflection of the author choosing the wrong narrator, than him doing a poor job. Because honestly he did a fine job with the actual narration.

All in all, I very much disliked this book and have no desire to continue the series. The writing itself is mechanically fine, but I’m not interested in subjecting myself to more.

Book Review of New Beginnings, by Brandy L. Rivers

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I picked New Beginnings, by Brandy L. Rivers up for free on Amazon. I later picked up the compilation of books 1-3 in the series. Thus, I actually have two copies of it. Lucky me.

Description from Goodreads:
Jess knew her life would never move forward if she remained a part of Gregory’s pack. Some Alpha’s just don’t know how to take care of their wolves. She had managed Gregory’s bar for years but she knew he would never sell it to her.

After one giant mistake, he went from bad to worse. As a psychic, she knew it was a downward spiral.

Taking her future in her own hands, she contacts the Alpha in Edenton. He is happy to sell the empty bar no one has the time, nor desire to renovate, much less run.

Their attraction is unexpected and the last thing either want, but they find the only thing they need in each other.

There is just one problem. Slater’s second in command is plotting against him. Liam will use anything to take over as Alpha.

Plenty of werewolves, an old vampire flame, plus a paranoid second, and don’t forget the psychic with a whole lot of attitude.

Review:
I’m gonna have to go with, “No.” I read this as part of a compilation of the first 3 books in the series. I’m fairly sure it’ll be the only one I actually read. My god, the main character is so incredibly unlikeable. Why do so many authors fail utterly when they try and write strong, independent women? This is no doubt what the author was going for, but instead she wrote a raging, insensitive bitch. The sort I’d cross the road before saying, “Good Morning,” to for fear she’s respond, “Fuck off,” even if we’re perfect strangers. She was rude to everyone on sight. There was nothing likable about her, so I have no clue what the male main character saw in her.

Characters were presented with no history and developed to have no depth. The ‘romance’ was ultra-instant, as in the fell in lust OVER THE PHONE, during a conversation about moving logistics. The villain was bad for no apparent reason and just happened to have been turned bad by his secret boyfriend, which I read as he’s gay, therefore he’s evil. The whole thing was as subtle as a stun gun to the temple and it’s chocked full of subtle, internalized misogyny.

Nope, I need no more of this series.

As a side note, I don’t know what the name of the dude on the above edition is, but I am so sick of seeing him on the cover of romance novels that I legitimately avoid books with him on the front. And the dude on the second edition I’ve seen is pretty close behind.