Review: Ice Cracker II by Lindsay Buroker

Title: Ice Cracker II
Author: Lindsay Buroker
Genre: steampunk, fantasy, novella
Series: The Emperor's Edge series #1.5
Published: December 2010
Pages: 60
Rating: 3/5


This is my first foray into the world Lindsay Buroker has fashioned for The Emperor's Edge series, and it was just as fun as another novella by the same author that I thoroughly enjoyed, Flash Gold. I'm a big fan of the way the author writes, and the stories she creates are original and a mashup of almost all my favorite genres: fantasy, steampunk, a little mystery and some well-written, hinted at chemistry rather than a full-blown romance. I randomly picked this to start before The Emperor's Edge itself because it is a very short novella, only about 60 pages, but Buroker seems to work rather well within the confines of a short story. Her writing flows well and the dialogue and interaction between the characters, is witty and one of the best aspects of the novella ("I know this is dangerous, probably more for you than me-- my poster just says wanted, yours says kill on sight..").

But don't be mistaken, there is enough happening in those tooshort sixty pages to keep the plot moving briskly. Assassins, deceptions, conspiracies abound, making this an intricate and convoluted short story. As with the other novella I've read, the pages fly by with speed and I was sucked completely into the story.

There is not very much characterization or character depth in the story, for two reasons. One, the author is using recurring characters from other works of hers in which they have more detail and personality ascribed to them. Reason two: there's only so much punch you can pack in 60 pages. With all that the novella has going on, the amount of depth created for each of the two is perfect. Amaranthe is a fun, vivacious character. Above all, she was resourceful and self-sufficient. I always enjoy reading books with strong, believable, kickass female characters and Lindsay Buroker seems to write them often and reliably. She's also smart, without being obnoxious or having it be her fatal flaw.

Sicarius was silent and intriguing as the talented and deadly assassin who is trying to outrun his dark past; clearly, I'll be focusing on him in the future books in this series I read.

My only complaint is the same as it was for Flash Gold: I simply want more. This was shorter even than that, and was over far too quickly. I know there is The Emperor's Edge and its soon-to-be-released sequel (yaaaaay!!) Dark Currents, but it's such a shame to be pulled back out of such a well-crafted world so abruptly. Not to say the resolution was not well done, because it was, it just came too fast for my preferences. I guess I'll just have to read The Emperor's Edge, then Encrypted (it's a prequel, apparently set 20-25 years before The Emperor's Edge) and wait patiently for Dark Currents. 

 Also,  Ice Cracker II was FREE for Nook and only $.99 for the Kindle, so really, you have absolutely nothing to lose by giving them a chance. 

And definitely, definitely check out Lindsay's full-length work, The Emperor's Edge. The price was recently dropped from $2.99 to just $.99 in both formats in anticipation of the next novel in the series' release.

Other can't-afford-to-miss deals for ebooks:

Tominda Adkins' first novel, Vessel, Book One: The Advent is only $.99 for Nooks, as well as the Kindle. Here's the blurb:  

They're divine. They're almighty. They're about six thousand years late.
They're the Vessel, five living gods born to smite an ancient anomaly of death. That's what beloved pop legend Jesse Cannon is saying anyway--after claiming to be a Vessel himself. It's enough to make his long-suffering assistant Jordan hand in her two week's notice. She might not survive one week, however, because Jesse's divine vision is no myth. Something is stalking them both, and it's not a crazed fan . . .
Book I brings the fledgling deities together (on a tricked-out tour bus, of course) for the ride of their immortal lives. There's Ghi, a sweet amnesiac who may or may not be a terrorist--or a devout lover of soap operas. Jackson, a smart-mouthed, firefighting mama's boy. Corin, a filthy rich philanthropist who cannot function without his smartphone. And Khan, a legally blind convict with a penchant for arson, nicotine, and prostitutes. Each remarkable in his own right, each born of questionably immaculate conception, and each, as far as Jordan is concerned, utterly unprepared to deliver anyone from evil. Unearthing the Vessels' calling will take them from the banks of a forgotten Nile tributary to a Toronto truck stop, from the set of Oprah to the gates of Hell and back. Along the way, they must survive not only one another, but flesh-eating tentacles, water gun assasins, prehistoric priestesses, undead groupies, powerful hangovers, cut-off jeans, and one very fed up celebrity assistant. Gird your loins: this armageddon is just getting started.

I don't know about you, but that sounds worth checking out to me!

Amaretto Flame, a paranormal young-adult novel by author Sammie Spencer is only $2.99 currently.

Blurb: When Olivia's high-priestess banishes her to a human town for a summer, Olivia is terrified. With news coming in from Eagleton through Olivia's brothers, Olivia learns that the deadly Venator are actively attacking other covens.
As Olivia struggles to fit in with her new human friends, things become more tense in Eagleton. Her high-priestess seems to be willing to do anything to keep Olivia away at a time when she could help most.
When Olivia meets Jackson Vance, a hot musician with messy hair and an eye for the ladies, things become infinitely more confusing. When Olivia is attacked in the human town, she discovers there's a bit more to Jackson's story than she thought. Uncovering the secret means possibly destroying everything Olivia has ever fought for.

Glimmerglass, the first in Jenna Black's Faeriewalker series is only $2.99! The second in the series is out and priced at a decent $9.99, so the first is really a steal! Kindle link here.

It’s all she’s ever wanted to be, but it couldn’t be further from her grasp…

Dana Hathaway doesn’t know it yet, but she’s in big trouble.  When her alcoholic mom shows up at her voice recital drunk, again, Dana decides she’s had enough and runs away to find her mysterious father in Avalon: the only place on Earth where the regular, everyday world and the captivating, magical world of Faerie intersect. But from the moment Dana sets foot in Avalon, everything goes wrong, for it turns out she isn't just an ordinary teenage girl—she's a Faeriewalker, a rare individual who can travel between both worlds, and the only person who can bring magic into the human world and technology into Faerie.  

Soon, Dana finds herself tangled up in a cutthroat game of Fae politics. Someone's trying to kill her, and everyone seems to want something from her, from her newfound friends and family to Ethan, the hot Fae guy Dana figures she’ll never have a chance with… until she does.  Caught between two worlds, Dana isn’t sure where she’ll ever fit in and who can be trusted, not to mention if her world will ever be normal again…

And if you read and liked that book, the author has a short novella out for free, set in the same universe/series as Glimmerglass. Remedial Magic is the title and it can be found here and here. There's a veery tiny synopsis out for it:

Delve deeper into the world of the fae with a Faeriewalker bonus story.

Having a prodigy for an older brother is not so fun…especially one who is magic wiz-kid. But Kimber has a plan to finally step out of his shadow.

I bought the first and downloaded the free novella because, well, it's pretty and half of them were free and I'm a magpie with serious impulse control problems.

C.C. Hunter (apparently a pseudoym), who pens the Shadow Falls series, also has a free novella out, set in the world of her full-length works. The name is Turned At Dark, (Kindle link here) and it's a paranormal/supernatural YA about a young girl named Della dealing with her cousin's death. Blurb:

Independent and strong-willed Della Tsang did not believe in ghosts, until she sees her dead cousin in a dark alley. She did not believe in vampires, until she turns into one. Should she follow her vampire cousin’s lead and walk away from everything she knows, or join Shadow Falls, a camp for special teens.

I've already downloaded this one to my lovely Nook, hoping to read it next week. The first in the series, Born at Midnight, was just released in March and is wasting away in my tbr pile. 

M.R. Mathias' The First Dragoneer is currently FREE for both the Nook and the Kindle. It's an introductory novella into Mathias' Dragoneer's Saga series. Blurb!: When two young men go on a hunt that they know will be the last hunt of their youth, they decide they want it to be an unforgettable outing. When they cross a ridge leaving the protection of their kingdom behind, they find a cavern that looks like it needs to be explored. In the cavern they find exactly what they were looking for. In this stoney hole lives something they will never forget!

Reviews: The Riyria Revelations by Michael J. Sullivan & Flash Gold by Lindsay Buroker

Starting off with Riyria, this is specifically regarding the first three The Crown Conspiracy, Avempartha and Nyphron Rising, as I have yet to get my grabby hands on the last three. I read the three I own within successive three days. I was hooked from the first book and my addiction grew with each new entry in the series. Let's get started:

Title: The Crown Conspiracy

Author: Michael J. Sullivan
Genre: fantasy
Series: The Riyria Revelations #1
Published: October 2008
Pages: 296
Rating: 3.5/5

This is a terrific beginning to a sure-to-be very entertaining series. Sullivan starts off very well in his first published novel with the first of the Riyria Revelations. Conceived as a series of standalone books with a larger story linking characters and themes, each novel has its own plot, climax and resolution that are contained within the same novel.
A gang of likable rogues, most notably led by Royce Melborn and his buddy-cop-esque comrade Hadrian Blackwater (bonus points for using the name Hadrian!) are working in the city of Medford, using the nobility to fleece out targets; they are successful, entrepreneurial thieves. Both are dangerous, sarcastic and interesting characters. Royce is the more malevolent, withdrawn character of the two and has a rather mysterious, mostly unexplained dark past. He is sarcastic and caustic, giving the very real impression very little in life matters to him. Unlike him, his friend Hadrian is talkative, more open and easygoing and better with people in general. Hadrian supplies most of the light banter throughout the book and a lot of the humor as well. . Alric is the unwitting, untried Crown Prince of Melengar that gets caught up in the tangled web around the two thieves. Over the course of the events in the book, Alric matures a great deal and his character went from a selfish childish boy to an honorable man.
In terms of female characters, the options seem to be rather limited: Gwen, the clever and kind prostitute with a heart of gold, and Arista, the Princess of Melengar, a determined intelligent young woman. Gwen makes scant appearances in the novel but it is made clear she's much more than her profession. She's also clearly one of the few 'real' ties that Royce has with other people. Arista is more in the spotlight, being of the royal family and acting regent of her kingdom. She's capable, smart and daring enough to be the only one to search out the dangerous, inscrutable Esrahaddon. She doesn't rely on her position as princess to lead a vapid or shallow life, in fact, she's the first female to attend Sheridan University, studying magic. She's daring and slightly unconventional from normal 'fantasy' ideas of a princess, which is enjoyable and refreshing.
It's a fairly light fantasy series, as opposed to the darker, grittier (I'm really tired of that word as applied to fantasy books but yet can't think of a better) trend. It's very fluid and easy to read. The pacing is excellent; the exploits and adventures move the plot forward marvelously and without adding unnecessary action. The focus is clearly on the characters, the betrayals, alliances, secret meetings, rather than on world-building or giant armies marching into calamitous battle.
A very nice beginning to a fresh and vivid new series from a very promising author.

Title: Avempartha
Author: Michael J. Sullivan
Genre: fantasy
Series: The Riyria Revelations #2
Published: April 2009
Pages: 331

Rating: 4/5

Avempartha is the second in this series of standalone novels called the Riyria Revelations, and picks up two years after the infamous escapades of Royce Melborn and Hadrian Blackwater in Essendon castle. The first book was primarily about a simple sword heist that was not-so-simple at all and all the fall out from said sword-theft/assassination. The second book centers more on the machinations of the Church and whatever measures it deems it has to take to find the Heir and crown him as Emperor once more.
Avempartha is a fine sequel to The Crown Conspiracy, building on the knowledge of the world we have from the previous book to create an intricate, delicate and creative world. More backstory on the history of the world, the Empire, the devious Nyphron Church, the elves and dwarfs are all expanded upon from the first book, creating a credible and believable basis for a world-wide tension among all the races.
No longer in Alric's realm, we find our heroes in Colnora, a moderately sized city and the urban center of Avryn, where they are stunned to learn someone has been asking for them... by name. Investigating this anomaly, Royce and Hadrian find themselves enmeshed with a force even they cannot defeat alone. New employers are encountered, new foes to fight and of course, more intrigue to entangle me in these books. My personal favorites, the charming and funny Pickerings, also make an appearance in the novel with two scions of the House, Mauvin and Fanen, joining our intrepid rogues in an unprecedented showdown.
The Art, as magic is called in this universe, is expanded upon greatly from the information in the first book. We learn more about what used to be possible, how Art functioned and was needed in the days of the Empire to its sad decline to the state it is in during the novels. Esrahaddon, as inscrutable as ever, appears as a harbinger of evil? good? One is never certain what his end game is, who he is using and most of all, what he knows. Esra is by far the most dynamic character in the series thus far, though Hadrian is another personal favorite of mine.
Arista is another main character in this novel as Melengar's foreign diplomat and official Ambassador, but her brother Alric does not appear. Arista continues to grow into a flawed, intelligent and above all, believable character. At times frustrating, at times determined and likable, Arista continues to grow and change as a character. She challenges her brother and wants more from life than to be a wife and mother and will do whatever is necessary to achieve her aims. Royce and Hadrian and clearly the heart of the series. Their interactions and dialogues show clearly they are old friends that can count on each other, and in the end that's one of the things that keeps me coming back to this series, the relationship between Riyria.

The rest of the series after Avempartha is: Nyphron Rising (review to follow later in the week), The Emerald Storm, Wintertide and the forthcoming Perceliquipis. They're all fairly inexpensive on ereaders. The first four were under $5 each and the rest not much more that $6-$8.

Additionally, if you have a Nook, you should definitely search for Linday Buroker's Ice Cracker II. Or I even did it for you and all you have to do is click that link! Or even this one! Mine was free for the Nook on bn.com and though I've yet to read it yet, I was very impressed with Buroker's short steampunk novella Flash Gold.



Title: Flash Gold
Author: Lindsay Buroker

Genre: steampunk, novella
Series: N/A
Published: April 2011
Pages: 75 pages
Rating: 3.5/5

 My review of said novella:

A short, vastly entertaining steampunk short story with a sled dog race, betrayal, alchemy and contraptions unheard of.  With just enough action between enemies and interaction between our two lead characters, this story was a quick, pleasurable and engaging read.
Kali was just the right amount of feisty -- not enough to be obnoxious but no pushover -- clever, and believably self-reliant. Kali is smart and determined to win her race and get out of Moose Hollow forever.
The best part of the story is the chemistry, dialogue, and interaction between Kali and the cryptic Cedar, and the fluid, humorous narrative which moves along quickly. The action and tension build rapidly and keep your interest throughout. One of the main reasons I love steampunk (and at a larger view, fantasy) is because the author can be completely, uniquely creative and inventive and that's just what Buroker did here. Her Yukon is recognizable, but undeniably her own. This was a highly enjoyable novella that I would love to see expanded upon or succeeded by a follow-up. I would have rated this a 5-star book, but I just simply wanted more to the story; I need to know what Cedar's real name is! I want to know what Kali does with the rest of her father's legacy!'


I'm taking a break from Riyria (and A Song of Ice and Fire) and indulging in China Mieville's Embassytown now that its arrived.