The Book Plank

Best Books of 2015 So which books did I enjoy the most? Compared to the other lists this was definitely the hardest one to make. I would have loved to make this a 10 book list but I had to stick to my own set rules. After a lot of contemplation I came down to the following 5 books. Just as with Harry August Claire North/Catherine Webb managed to shock and awe me with Touch a terrific blend of Science Fiction and Thriller. As I said in the review, this book would make a perfect storyline for a movie. The new Bourne series? It has my vote.  Sebastien de Castell wrote a solid entry with Greatcoats  last year but has really outdone himself with Knight's Shadow this year. In every possible way he has raised the bar for himself. The book itself is action packed. Sword fights, arrows zooming through the air and of course magic and gods that walk the Earth. Time Salvager  is the best time traveling book of this year. Welsey Chu had proved himself with the Lives of Tao and ...

Best Epic Fantasy of 2015 Epic Fantasy. Swords or magic? Anything is possible. There are lots of variations on this theme. It's no longer a knight on a quest for a golden chalice. The stories have gotten a lot in terms of complexity and character development. Below are my favorite Epic Fantasy book of 2015. Brain Staveley's debut, The Emperor's Blades,   featured last year also on the Best Epic Fantasy list. This was precisely one of those book that had everything that I mentioned above. It laid a solid foundation for the series, but this is just a start and no guarantee for a good series. With the sequel, Providence of Fire, did proof that Brian Staveley is a terrific author he used the foundation flawlessly in his sequel. There are some definite bold moves in the ending of the book that will pay on the third book.  A Darker Shade of Magic was one of my most anticipated book of 2015. When I read V.E. Schwab's Viscous I knew she was destined to do great things and thi...

Review Round-up February Here are my favorites of February, which books did you enjoy reading the most? Cheers, Jasper --------------------------- 1. Touch by Claire North, Orbit So what finally remains to said is: Read this book! Claire North's is on a sure fire winning streak. Just as with The First Fifteen Lives , Claire North has gone out of her league with the story of Touch . Touch for me was a definite darker tinge story that The First Fifteen Lives , owing to the chasing and also with the body jumping. Kepler is shown as a very interesting and enjoyable protagonist and has his work cut out for him. One thing that I totally forgot to mention was the control that Claire North has with body jumping, it is easy to jump from person to person, but in all case none of the ghosts do this. The details and bigger picture that Claire North shows with body jumping and inhabiting it, an action reaction sequence makes a very nice whole to the story. And let's not ...

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab, A Darker Shade of Magic #1 Kell is one of the last Travelers—rare magicians who choose a parallel universe to visit. Grey London is dirty, boring, lacks magic, ruled by mad King George. Red London is where life and magic are revered, and the Maresh Dynasty presides over a flourishing empire. White London is ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne. People fight to control magic, and the magic fights back, draining the city to its very bones. Once there was Black London - but no one speaks of that now. Officially, Kell is the Red Traveler, personal ambassador and adopted Prince of Red London, carrying the monthly correspondences between royals of each London. Unofficially, Kell smuggles for those willing to pay for even a glimpse of a world they’ll never see. This dangerous hobby sets him up for accidental treason. Fleeing into Grey London, Kell runs afoul of Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She robs h...

(p)review forecast February part two Here are my selected books for the second half of February, what will you be reading? Cheers, Jasper 1. Guns of the Dawn by Adrian Tchaikovsky, Tor A standalone, action-packed pseudo-Napoleonic historical fantasy adventure from the esteemed author of the Shadows of the Apt series. Denland and Lascanne have been allies for generations, but now the Denlanders have assassinated their king, overthrown the monarchy and marched on their northern neighbour. At the border, the war rages; Lascanne's brave redcoats against the revolutionaries of Denland. Emily Marshwic has watched the war take her brother-in-law and now her young brother. Then comes the call for more soldiers, to a land already drained of husbands, fathers and sons. Every household must give up one woman to the army and Emily has no choice but to join the ranks of young women marching to the front. In the midst of warfare, with just enough training to hold a musket, ...