Passage at Arms by Glen Cook

Glen Cook is best known for his Black Company series, a military fantasy chock full of action. However, Cook has also turned his hand towards the science fiction end of the spectrum occasionally, resulting in books such as Passage at Arms, which has just received a new edition out by Night Shade Press. Seeing the book out on the shelves, I decided to pick it up and finally give Glen Cook a try.

Passage at Arms follows a crew of “climbers,” who are part of the human army that is engaged in a war that they are slowly losing. These climbers live in cramped conditions, and each has a history to them.

That’s it. There is no more story. The book feels like shell, very empty inside. The first-person narration, which is uncommon in much of today’s fiction, is especially irksome as the protagonist is far from likable, bordering on irritating, whiny, and off-putting. The aliens that the humans are fighting are not even mentioned for long stretches, making this entire plot seem meaningless. More time was devoted to the main characters inability to understand physics than to any major plot device.

This book was unfinishable. It took a force a will to get past the first chapter, which was confusing, slow, and dull. I had hopes that it would pick up, as the cover calls Passage at Arms a classic repeatedly, but that was a vain hope. The story, or what little story it has, never moves, just stagnates, and makes this book one I couldn’t make myself finish. It is a shame that this couldn’t have been better, as I had such high expectations, from all the good I had heard of Glen Cook, but Passage at Arms did not deliver in the slightest. Based on what I forced down:

3/10

Devil May Care by Sebastian Faulks

As thriller fans know, there are a lot of books out there, but only a few classics. Some will cite The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan of The Riddle of the Sands by Erskine Childers, while others will point to The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John le Carré, The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum, or First Blood by David Morrell. Then there are the authors attached to thriller fiction that are on every fans must read list, be they the above mentioned or others, such as Matthew Reilly, Michael Crichton, or James Patterson. But when it comes to characters, there are few that can come even close to James Bond. From Ian Fleming, through all of the authors who continued Bond’s story after Fleming’s death, to today, 007 reigns supreme in both film and fiction. Which means, among other things, this thriller fan needed to get his act together and finally read a James Bond novel.

The timing was perfect, as the newest Bond novel is out on the shelves. Sebastian Faulks has taken the mantel as the latest in a long line of authors writing as Ian Fleming and producing new tales of 007. In his latest, Devil May Care, we are introduced to an older James Bond, who may be losing his edge. Following the murder of an Algerian drug smuggler, Bond is recalled from his mandatory vacation, during which he was to decide his future as 007, to investigate the matter. The drugs link back to a pharmaceutical giant, who is more than he seems.

As Bond tracks this man down, he also is wrapped into the web of Scarlett Papava, who wants to find the same man as Bond to rescue her sister, Poppy. As the tale travels from London to Paris to Tehran, she follows along with Bond in his search for the man who wants to bring down Britain by undermining its youth with drugs. Bond meets up with colleagues from both Persia and the USA, and goes all out to track down his culprit.

Written very fast paced and engagingly, Devil May Care flies by, with James Bond alternating between running, shooting, and the occasional down moment when he is left to ponder the mysteries surrounding Scarlett. Faulks does a brilliant job of making James Bond, a larger than life icon, into a very human character, who has both attributes and faults. All of the characters feel very realistic, and the setting is spot on, as Faulks never once misses a beat of working in the era of pre-American involvement in Vietnam. From the guns to the cars, no detail is off. Faulks even manages to make a play by play of a tennis match exciting to read.

Perfect as a summer beach read, this novel reads quick and is fun at every moment, never dragging for a second. As thrillers come, there are not many out today that can be as consistently entertaining as Devil May Care. He may have a few years on him, but James Bond is back, and better than ever.

9/10

Quidditch Through the Ages by J. K. Rowling

As with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Quidditch Through the Ages is another book taken from the world of Harry Potter, one that he refers to repeatedly in the series. Quidditch Through the Ages is not vital to the storyline of the seven book Harry Potter series, nor is it pivotal in any of the events that occur. It is simply a book to give more background on the series, in particular quidditch, the most popular sport for those of the magical persuasion.

Quidditch Through the Ages contains everything from the detailed history of the beginnings of the sport a thousand years ago, to explanations of the history and purpose of the four balls used in the game. All of the players’ roles are described. Brief histories of each of the famous teams from the UK are included, as are overviews of quidditch as played on all of the continents, following its spread throughout the world.

To quote from my review of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (the review can be found here): The big push of the book, as mentioned in the preface written ostensibly by Albus Dumbledore, is to raise money for Comic Relief UK, to help children living in poor countries world-wide. Using fiction as a vehicle for social good is an important aspect of the world of words that is frequently over-looked today, particularly by big name authors, so this is a breath of fresh air, and for the cheap price, more than worth the good it will do.

Continuing the trend of the super short book, Quidditch Through the Ages gives an hour or so of entertainment, and is a fun look at the history of the sport. Much more accessible and entertaining than Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, this book develops well for its short length, and is a nice diversion. Add in the cheap cost and the good cause, and this one is more than worth it.

[A brief note to those of you wondering about the absence of numerical ratings: since “Fires of War” was a single short story, and both Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and Quidditch Through the Ages are even shorter than “Fires of War,” it is difficult to give them a serious, well-thought-out review. Therefore, to avoid drastically over- or under-rating the books/story, I didn’t give a number. These numerical ratings will return with Devil May Care.]

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J. K. Rowling

Rowling is obviously best known for her seven book series chronicling the time Harry Potter spends at Hogwarts, learning to be a wizard, but she has done three books that aren’t immediate members of the core storyline, although they are in fact all related to her famous series. Two of them, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and Quidditch Through the Ages, are both written as books that Harry encounters in his years as a student, while the third, The Tales of Beedle the Bard, is a replication of a book important to Hermione in the seventh and final novel, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows. Since The Tales of Beedle the Bard is involved with the seventh book, I’m waiting to review it until I’ve read all seven novels, but the other two are more relaxed aspects of the saga, and I am using them as an intermediary between the third and fourth novels.

The first of the two books, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, is more or less an encyclopedic compilation of descriptions, details, and anecdotes about the assortment of creatures hidden from the muggle world by wizards. The introductory material, which is extensive, gives interesting insight into the Ministry of Magic’s part in the hiding and protection of these creatures, as well as reasons for conservation. What follows are very short bits about each creature, written in a straightforward manner.

The big push of the book, as mentioned in the preface written ostensibly by Albus Dumbledore, is to raise money for Comic Relief UK, to help children living in poor countries world-wide. Using fiction as a vehicle for social good is an important aspect of the world of words that is frequently over-looked today, particularly by big name authors, so this is a breath of fresh air, and for the cheap price, more than worth the good it will do.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is a very small book, that hints at Rowling’s potential while being a touch dry at times, but gives fun looks at the background to Harry’s world, is cheap, and is for a good cause. More than worth it for the completists and the huge fans, but maybe not worth it for the casual reader.

“Fires of War” by Nick Kyme

When I saw that the Black Library was releasing a new series following the space marines chapter called the Salamanders, I was very excited. All of the talk about the series, and the incredible cover art, really got me amped. The new series, dubbed the Tome of Fire Trilogy, is written by Nick Kyme, known for his editing work on books such as Tales of Heresy and Heroes of the Space Marines, both co-edited by Lindsey Priestly, as well as being the author of Assault on Black Reach: The Novel, which I found a bit lacking (for details, please see my review).However, I was still pretty excited about the series, and was biting at the bit to get into the series more.

Then I discovered that the good people at the Black Library had put up Kyme’s short story from Heroes of the Space Marines, “Fires of War,” up for free online (“Fires of War,” in its entirety, can be found here). The story acts as a prequel to the Tome of Fire Trilogy, and was the perfect way to get a bit more into the story.

“Fires of War,” a novella length tale, follows the Salamander chapter as they head to a world being overrun by the Cult of Truth, a Chaos-oriented group that desires to destroy the planet. We are introduced to a number of characters I assume will be important in the trilogy, both good and bad, and a special artifact is stolen that will have deep repercussions.

Kyme seems to suffer from the same ailments that marred Assault on Black Reach: The Novel, mainly drawn out pieces that move far too slowly, followed by excellent scenes full of action and excitement, then being replaced by more very dryly-written plot-moving scenes. Kyme seems to stumble when he is building the story, but once he gets there, his action takes off and shows his true talents.

All in all, the story was entertaining, but not incredible, yet it is better than earlier Kyme, and shows he is improving. This improvement-trend seems likely to increase, and I know that, once he hits his stride, Kyme will have the Tome of Fire Trilogy flying off the pages. I look forward to seeing what he has in store for us.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J. K. Rowling

After the first two books of the Harry Potter series, I was excited to return to J. K. Rowling’s epic series again. She proved through the first two books to be an adroit storyteller with a knack for telling fun tales, and my return to the world of Harry Potter was filled with relish for the latest adventures of Harry and company.

Following on from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (see review), Harry has returned to live with the Dursleys, who are meaner than ever following Harry’s breakout from the last novel. Everything comes to a head as Aunt Marge comes to visit, and Harry, in a flare of anger, accidentally inflates her. Harry runs away, and his next set of adventures begins, first with a ride on the Knight Bus, and then with a stay at Diagon Alley, where Harry learns even more about the wizarding world, but even more importantly, learns about the escape of a prisoner from Azkaban, the wizard jail. This fugitive, Sirius Black, appears to be after Harry, and nothing is held back in an attempt to save Harry from the fate of his parents.

As Harry returns to Hogwarts, school is as hectic as ever, as dementors (the guards of Azkaban) now populate the gates, and a mysterious new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher arrives. Familiar faces return, Ron’s family the winners of the lottery, Hermione with a schedule so full that even a witch shouldn’t be able to catch up, and Hagrid makes his first appearance as the Care of Magical Creatures teacher. Stricter rules are set in place, as the entire school works to protect Harry from Black.

As with the first two books, the beginning is slow, and things don’t much build up until Harry’s departure from the Dursley’s, but this book seemed to lack a lot of the suspense from the first couple novels. While a good story still, it just seemed to lack that (bad pun time) magical x-factor that made the first two books so wonderful. True to form, the novel excels in its relationships between Harry and his friends, and Rowling continues to write exciting Quidditch scenes. All in all, an enjoyable book that leaves the reader wanting to return for the fourth adventure, but just not up to par with the first two.

7/10

Hunt Through the Cradle of Fear by Charles Ardai

Those of you who have been with Luke Reviews for awhile will remember an early review on this site for Hunt at the Well of Eternity by James Reasoner. As the first in a series of books following adventurer Gabriel Hunt, the book was a wonderful jaunt of global proportions. Gabriel becomes something of a modern day Indiana Jones, travelling the world to collect priceless artifacts and stop evil all in one fell swoop. After the excitement of the first novel, my anticipation of the second novel was built up even more with an interview with Charles Ardai, series creator and author of the second novel, Hunt Through the Cradle of Fear.

Gabriel Hunt’s second adventure begins with his over-the-top escape from the clutches of DeGroet, an evil Hungarian millionaire who won’t think twice about murder if it helps him get his way. DeGroet had kidnapped the beautiful Sheba, and Hunt rescues her and brings her back to the headquarters of the Hunt Foundation, a multi-million dollar organization that goes around acquiring and protecting valuable archaeological odds and ends. However, Hunt and Sheba are not safe back at the Hunt Foundation, as DeGroet sends killers after them, and a world-wide odyssey ensues, with Gabriel chasing DeGroet and the again-kidnapped Sheba to Giza, on to Greece, and beyond, in an adventure that is perpetually flying along.

Ardai creates a very solid, action-packed tale of adventure and mystery, as Gabriel and Sheba race to find the treasure, while at the same time trying to solve the puzzle of just what the treasure is. We are giving a small bit of information into Hunt’s background, as with each book we learn more and more about him, and we also meet his sister, Lucy, who is far more than she seems. Charles Ardai himself, along with his wife Naomi Novik, both make cameo appearances as well, as a tie-in to the special bonus at the end: a surprise adventure novelette.

This novelette, “Nor Idolatry Blind the Eye,” also written by Charles Ardai, captures the story of Malcolm, an over-the-hill adventurer, who takes on one last challenge: finding the idol of the golden calf. This much darker coda to the novel is far more ambiguous and despairing than the usual Gabriel Hunt fare, but well worth the read, and a very pleasant inclusion in this action-packed book.

All in all, this is the perfect book to pick up for a weekend away from work, or to take on a vacation, a light, fast, and adventure-filled set of stories that are wonderful for the summer air.

9/10