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Book Review: Sword-Singer by Jennifer Roberson

Today I put aside my work to read, and finish, Sword-Singer by Jennifer Roberson.  It is the second in the Sworddancer saga, with Sword-Dancer being the first.

Here again Roberson shows that, more than anything, she is a character writer.  These books, as I’m seeing more and more as I read, are not about plots but purely and simply about the characters.  The plot is weak, a little skeletal, and only crops up as a catalyst for the characters and character growth.  I’m not really complaining, just observing, because, for these novels, that technique works.

I think that, in all of Roberson’s work, these characters have the strongest voices.  In fact I’d be willing to say Tiger’s voice is stronger than many characters I’ve read in most of fantasy.  The first person POV has a lot to do with that, and helps it, but there is a lot and I mean a lot of personality in the Sandtiger.  And Del, while in many ways a character that you’ve seen before, is made unique and all her own through that POV and given a strong presence with Sandtigers own voice.

Since the plot is relatively weak, the things that truly drive the characters, truly drive the books, and truly make them interesting (beyond the magic swords of course!) are the moral and truly human questions and issues that are raised.  What is honor?  What is revenge?  When is forgiveness the best?  What is truly the right thing to do?

I love these sort of themes in books, those philosophical underlying questions that are answered (or attempted) by the acts and deeds of the characters.   In Sword-Dancer, it is these issues that drive our characters for than the plot and so the reader has to think about them as they go.  I love a book that exercises my brain.

I have to be fair and say that, in Sword-Dancer, the answers to the those questions are a little straight forward,  a bit easier, compared to say Dark of the Gods, but that doesn’t make them any less substantial.  Or heartwrenching.

The ending of the book essentially based around these questions of honor, revenge, and the notion of ‘what is right.’ And then the ending is made heartwrenching and haunting because the reader knows the characters and an extremely deep and personal level (since these books are about the characters remember!) and wants the right thing to be done between Tiger and Del, even if they can empathize with those in the wrong (Del).  Because of this sort of ending, the readers just want more.

Clever Clever Ms. Roberson

I’m really admire the character development in these books.  I think Roberson’s done it better here than in anything else she’s written and if anyone needs an example of a purely character driven novel, then read these.  You won’t be disappointed. It does take about 50 pages for this book to really start getting good and interesting, so give it a little bit of time, especially if you haven't read Sword-Dancer which forms the foundation between the relationship between Tiger and Del.  And, although the two are lovers, don't worry, the book is not a stupid romance.

I'm looking forward to the next ones.  Plot wise, *shrugs* we’ll see what comes.  I’ve heard these books described as a play, and this was only the second act.  Honestly though, I can’t wait to see these characters again and how things will change and develop between them.

Voice Test

The SF/F forum over at Writer’s Digest is currently holding a mythical creatures contest—write a story about a mythical creature and submit.  It’s just for fun, no prizes, just bragging rights, and it is also just another chance to share a story with others (which is why we’re all writers I think).  Anyways, one thing I found interesting is that part of the judging process goes by votes from other members of the forum.  The stories are uploaded by an admin with authors remaining anonymous and the members vote.  I think it’s a pretty fair process, and I understand how important it is that authors remain anonymous so that loyalty to a particular writer doesn’t play a role.

Here’s the interesting thing though: is it really truly anonymous?

I’m not saying this as any sort of critique; in fact the Mods are doing their best to keep it fair.  Instead, I’m saying this as a truly interesting point and what can be a very interesting side experiment.  By putting up a bunch of stories anonymously, the author’s voice will be the only real identifying mark, so whose voice stands out?  Who has a strong enough voice that you can identify the author without seeing the name?  Or just a recognizable voice, style, general preference of genre that you can look at the story and go “ah, that’s [name].”

So because I’m a science nerd, I’m conducting this little side experiment.  I am taking people who said they are going to enter and putting hypotheses down of themes I think I will see and things I think about when I think about their writing and their voice, etc.  We’ll see how accurate I am.

In the end it will be good to see how recognizable your voice is from among the masses.  Does it fade and is it absorbed into the masses?  Or is it simply and unequivicably yours?  Granted it would be better if I had a bigger sample size…but hey :)

Side note:  I know, I’ve been reading sword singer *forever* but it’s been a busy few weeks!  I promise I'll move on to something new soon!

Gandalf: gray-cloaked vandalizing jerkface

Well, at least in The Hobbit.

Let me back up a step.  It’s spring break for me, and the drive from school to home sweet home is 7 hours long.  So I picked up a copy of the unabridged Hobbit on cd.  I was really looking for it on tape, since I’m old school and my car only has a tape deck, but what can you do? So I popped it in and it made for a nice drive.

But as I was listening I realized what a jerk Gandalf was.  I mean really!  He comes off, first of all, as a wandering crazy.  The kind of guy who’s been around the block a couple times and who’d you’d want your kids to stay away from. Almost like some sort of crazy hobo.  Granted, this could be just the hobbit perspective, but Gandalf doesn’t do much to help it.

He starts of by being really mean to Bilbo.  Bilbo is offers him a happy cheery greeting and Gandalf throws it right back in his face! 

"What do you mean?" he said. "Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not; or that you feel good this morning; or that it is a morning to be good on?"

I mean really Gandalf, what’s wrong with, ‘hi’ ??

And then he marks up Bilbos door!  His freshly painted door I might add.  You’d think, being a wizard and all, when he went to erase said mark he could just magic it away.  But no, that’s not Gandalf’s style.  He just dents the door instead. *thumbs up*

Another example of Gandalfs assholery is that poor little Bilbo doesn’t even want to be on this adventure, doesn’t want any part of it, but Gandalf pretty much forces him to come.  He gives Bilbos wants and feelings a giant ‘Screw You,’ and for what?  A bunch of dwarves and their gold!  It wasn’t like it was sauron or a great threat to all the lands.  It was to help a bunch of greedy dwarves.  And he sends Bilbo off on this adventure with nothing!  He sends him running out of his hobbit hole with absolutely nothing and doesn’t even allow him to eat breakfast.  Of course this is after he’s insulted his cleaning skills.

Gandalf continues to show he’s a jerk as the trip continues.  He always helps himself first and then the dwarves second, and when someone points out he’s wrong or finds something out before him he behaves like a five year old child and gets surly about it.

"What do they say?" asked Gandalf and Thorin together, a bit vexed perhaps that even Elrond should have found [the moon letters] out first…”

See?

What happened to him between the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings that he became this wise old man everyone trusts?  Why did people even trust him in The Hobbit? 

Maybe it’s the hat and the beard. And with that stick he could be some sort of ninja.  A hairy ninja.

I don’t know why.  But you know, if Gandalf ever shows up at my house, I’m going to electrify my door.

Something Delicious

I’m home for spring break and I’m preparing an Italian feast for my friends.  Spaghetti and meatballs made from scratch, garlic cheese bread not made from scratch since I forgot my bread pans, and a chocolate cherry cake roll thingy for dessert.

 Chicken meatballs with onions sauteeing in a pot..gettin' ready for their sauce

 Sauce all herbed up and ready to simmer...I don't know why the bay leaf looks like its glowing

 Feast!

So its not exactly a feast more like a nice meal, and as I’m preparing it, I can’t help but think of real feasts, and of course that leads me to think about the one man who  can right feasts like no other.  The one man who can write about feasts and make you, as the reader, want to try everything on the menu. It’s because of him that I was so stoked to try elderberry juice in England—although I promptly spit it out I still had to try it.

That man, if you haven’t already guessed, is Brian Jacques.

Brian Jacques is probably the only author who can pull off writing two pages about food and make it okay.  Yes, you may skim them, but if there is one thing I remember about the Redwall series, it was the food.  It makes your mouth water and it just blows my mind with the sheer creativity of the dishes.  Listen to these passages from Mossflower:

“After all, who could resist roast chestnuts served in cream and honey, or clover oatcakes dipped in hot redcurrant sauce, celery and herb cheese on acorn bread with chopped radishes, or a huge home-backed seed and sweet barley cake with mint icing, all washed down with either October ale, pear cordial, strawberry juice of good fresh milk.”

“Seafood and potato stew, that’s the skilly.  It’ll put hairs on your chest like a giant sea dog.  There’s plenty of pepper and sea salt in it, too.  Finish it all up and show me a clean plate, then I’ll dish you up some of my own warrior’s recipe: plum and chestnut duff in cream and beechnut sauce.”

See?  See?  How amazing do those things sound?  How does that man do it?  He has to be thinking about food 24/7 to come up with such things that make, not only the characters in the books mouths water, but my mouth water as well! 

And if you think those passages sound tasty, just wait until you read the abbey feasts!  Abbey trifle…mmm *drool*

I did a little bit of research and there is a Redwall Cookbook .  I think an investment in necessary.

the Music of Words

I think we all know that sentences can have a certain rhythm or beat to them, in the number of clauses, the turn of the word and so on, which affects a readers’ experience.  We know words can have the same rhythm, beats, or patterns depending on the number of syllables or the placement of the word in a sentence.  Both of these things contribute to the mood or the tone of a piece, but something I think people ignore, or don’t realize as much are the sounds of the letters with in the words themselves.

I’ve touched on this briefly before in a post about eyes and orbs.  Certain letters have certain sounds that can add fluidiy to a piece or staccato, depending on the feel you, as the writer, want.  Short sounding letters, or words with harsher sounds are good for harsher scenes, such as words with prominent ‘k’s, ‘b’s’ ‘sh’s’, ‘p’s’ etc. Fluid words, gentle words, soft sounding words are good for romantic love scenes, or scenes you want the reader to envision as slower.

Let’s take a look at two sentences with one word difference and see how the sound of the word affects the feeling of the entire sentence.

He crushed his head against a stone

He beat his head against a stone

While the two are synonyms, the connotation is, of course, slightly different, but the way in which you say the words helps to emphasize the difference enough that the reader gets two different images.

Say the word ‘crush’, and say the word ‘beat.’

Which takes longer to say?

Which do you envision as a slower process?

See what I mean?

Both ‘crush’ and ‘beat’ are single syllables but the length or the slowness of the word ‘crush’ comes from the ‘cru-‘ combination, specifically the long ‘r.’  Then, a bit of a beat comes in to the word with the ‘sh’, bringing an upswing in tone to the end of the word.  As a result you get the impression of a slower process, thanks to the beginning, but still something harsh with the sharp ‘sh’ after the smooth ‘cru-‘.

Beat, on the other hand, is pure staccato.  The ‘b’ sound is sharp and short, the ‘t’ sound is sharp and short and the ‘ea’ combination is said quickly.  It’s quick , which gives the reader the impression of a quick, fast movement and more importantly sharp in its sounds.  Sharp sounds are reminiscent of sharp stabbing pain, opposed to the slow torturous pain from ‘crush.’  Therefore if you want an aggressive, fast paced fight scene, beat would be a perfect word.

The pattern of sounds with in words also can contribute to the overall rhythm of a sentence.  In the first example, crushed as the upswing on the ‘sh’, adding and up and then down to the way a reader says the sentence.  Beat itself is one note, thus if you want to keep your sentence flat, maybe more serious, beat is a good word to use.  If you want to give it a slightly more lyrical quality, use ‘crushed’ because it has more of a variation in tone.

I know, it sounds a little technical, but it actually adds and helps with the flow and rhythm of individual sentences.  Taking into consideration the sounds with in a word, the sounds within a sentence, and the sounds within a paragraph, a story can make beautiful music.

The Man with the Twisted Lip

In The Man with the Twisted Lip, a distraught woman’s husband, Mr. Neville St. Clair, has gone missing.  To make matters worse, she thought she saw him in a second floor window in the seedy opium district and when she tried to enter the building, she found a dirty beggar in the place of her husband.  The beggar has a suspicious amount of money and is taken in for questioning.  She implores her friend Dr. Watson and of course his dear friend Sherlock Holmes to investigate.

The mystery is solved, naturally, by Holmes.  Mr. St. Clair was the beggar in question and was leading a double life.  On the way to the police station, Holmes turns to Watson and tells him exactly what Mr. Neville St. Clair will look like.  Holmes has never met Mr. St. Clair before and yet, when they wash the beggar and reveal St. Clair, Holmes’s description is right on the money.

So how did Holmes know?

He was probably playing Guess Who

Mr. St. Clair disguised himself as the exact opposite of his normal appearance. Holmes knew because it is the easiest way to disguise one’s self.

I think this can be applied to writing easily if we think about creativity.  To be creative you want to do something different or unusual or something unexpected.  However,  taking something, like a mythical beast, or a gender, or a person, and trying to make it new and creative by making it the opposite of what the common conception of it is isn’t necessarily the most unexpected or unusual way to go.

Like in The Man with the Twisted Lip, it’s the easiest way to go about making something new, be it creature or identity.  And the problem with that is, if it’s easy that means lots of people will probably do it, and have already done it most likely, and it won’t be creative; It is almost to be expected that going the complete opposite direction is the most common way of being creative with something.

Now I’m not saying creativity can’t then be gained by plot, characters, and all the other elements of a story.  It most definitely can.  I’m not talking about the creativity of a story as a whole, but rather the creation of one certain element within that story.

For example: making a unicorn creative and new by turning it into an evil killing machine.  I don’t really find that to be a brand spanking new, earth-shattering concept and won't really stick out to me when I'm reading.  Or even make me go 'wow.'  Instead, take the unicorn concept in a more unexpected direction you will probably get a better response.

Making smaller, less dramatic changes, can speak far louder than something that's completely opposite and will really add to the writing.  It will be less expected, and therefore seen as more creative.

Book Review: Shadowrise by Tad Williams

Shadowrise is the much anticipated--well by me at least--third book of Tad Williams’ Shadowmarch series.  And it was completely and utterly worth the wait.  The storyline, voice, characters, etc.,  merges seamlessly with where Shadowplay left off and, after such a long time between and many other projects for the author, I’m impressed that the story can pick up as easily as it did.  The pacing was smooth, the plot was as intricate and satisfying as ever and I can’t wait for the next.

Shadowrise continues to follow the struggle of Southmarch and its people against the invading army of Qar, angry gods, and an invader from the southland of Xis.  Briony is finding her way through intrigue in the Syanese court, where several attempts at poisoning leaves her knowing not quite who to trust.  Barrick is still behind the Shadowline, trying to find his way toward Qul-na-Qar  with the help of his faithful guide, Skurn.  After an encounter on Cursed Hill, he is given 'gifts' by the Dreamless to find his way using Crooked’s Roads and into Sleep where he opens a door and is led by the King to Qul-na-Qar where he is told about the fireflower and his own heritage.  Ferris Vansen and the Funderlings struggle against invasion beneath Southmarch castle as the aurach of Xis travels his way up the coast with the very interesting intentions in mind.

In this book, the scope of the story-line is widened to take in greater evens i.e. the gods.  Where Shadowmarch focused on the Qar, Shadowplay the Qar, the growing enemy of Xis, and the betrayal of the Tolly’s, the struggle with the Gods was only just hinted at toward the end.  In Shadowrise the reader finally gets to see an even bigger picture and the first pieces of the puzzle are beginning to click into place.  For the reader at least.  The characters are only beginning to see the greater picture.

The thing I love about the Shadowmarch series, and all of Tad Williams’ series, is the characters.  As I read, I find I care more about what happens to the characters than what happens with the plot which is a very good thing.  Such a technique makes the story seem more real as if these are events happening to people, versus, this is a plot being controlled by an outside hand. There is a real connection with the characters; as I’ve said before, I really connect with Briony in a way I’ve rarily connected with other characters.  Because the characters are all so different and so wonderfully done, I’m looking forward to the characters figuring things out, interacting with each other and I truly can’t wait to see what happens to them, versus what happens with the plot.

The character growth too becomes very apparent in this book, especially in Barrick.  As much as I adored the relationship between the twins, they needed to be split up.  And they were.  Where Briony got more attention in Shadowrise, and got her selfish edges knocked off, in Shadowplay, the spotlight shifts more towards Barrick and its Barricks turn to reflect character changes.  He loses some of the whiney, poor me quality, he had before, a result, I think after losing (he believes) Ferris Vansen and another companion.  I think his interactions with the king in Qual-na-Qar also provided him with another opportunity to grow.   Being able to really sense and I think really feel another’s pain and feel like he had a good use allowed him to start taking a step over an invisible threshold.

In Shadowrise, I really feel as if the series standing alone now from Memory Sorrow and Thorn, for which I’m really thankful.  I was afraid Tad Williams’ was going to pull a David Eddings.  When I first read Shadowmarch I felt that there was a lot of overlap with Memory and was a bit disappointed.  Southmarch castle and the Hayholt were similar, the Qar were similar to the Norns with a similar threat etc.  There were a lot of the same flavors there.  However, as the plot as progressed and the scope of the troubles has gotten larger i.e. we’re beginning to see the bigger picture, Shadowmarch has broken away from Memory.  The gods have been introduced and the Qar have shown that they’re not the enemies or same sort of enemies at all that the Norns were.  Briony is not like Miriamele, and there are completely different aspects in themes within the book.  In a way Shadowmarch is less classic.

Any fan of Tad Williams’ or the Shadowmarch series should be completely satisfied. Shadowplay simply represents creative, intricate, well molded fantasy that leaves you with feeling as satisfied as if you've eaten a delicious meal. The book doesn’t drop the plot, nor does it plod along.  The characters continue to be interesting and well crafted.   And, most importantly, we won’t have to wait as long for the next book!  Pure win right there.

As a final note I still and always will love the Funderlings.  I’m a geologist, so it’s kinda hard not to.  I can tell some research went into those little guys and I always have a deep appreciation for anyone who bothers to research my lonely little field that is so essential to good fantasy world building.

Thin Line

I think a good story recognizes that, when it comes to a struggle or antagonists, nothing should be 100% clearly black and white.  A good antagonist has reasons behind doing what he does.  The reasons may not often be good, but many times the antagonist is not evil for the sake of being evil, and giving them a human reason for their actions makes the antagonist more real.

In the case of Shadowrise, Tad Williams does this by taking the concept of right and wrong, and turning it on its head.

In the beginning of the Shadowmarch series, we’re introduced to the Qar, who have ‘antagonist’ stamped all over them.

 Okay, so it's not this obvious

They are attacking settlements, and the Shadowline (behind which they live) is slowly creeping forward, drawing everyone into its misty mad realm.  And one of their most powerful people, Lady Yasammez, has a serious grudge going on.  Our protagonists are all ‘sunlanders,’ aka those not living behind the shadowline, or those who are not fairies/slaves of fairies, whom Lady Yasammez hates with a passion.

Evil right? 

But the twist is that it was the Sunlanders, our good guys, who first attacked the fairy folk and sent them behind the shadowline centuries before.  It was our protagonists who hit first and did what was wrong first.  In a way, the Qar are doing what the good guys in any number of fantasy novels would do: fighting the oppressor and taking their revenge.

As Kayyin says to Lady Yasammez  (The Qar woman who is leading this charge, which is borne primarily by her hate and anger) about the sunlanders:

They are not so different from us as you might think. 

Bam!  That’s it in a nutshell.  What a perfect, fascinating, and wonderful statement.

When thinking about the ‘enemy,’ whoever they are, it’s important to remember that the line that separates them from the ‘good guys’ may be very very thin.  What motivates them may be, in their eyes, correct.  The right thing to do.  In Lady Yasammez’s eyes it certainly is.

But that line, as thin as it is, may let us, as the readers relate to the enemy but it still is a line.  While you’re allowed to see that you’re good guys weren’t always so good, it doesn’t excuse Lady Yammez for the horror she reaps at Southmarch.  Or for what she drives her own people into.  She lets her own hate rule her.

Now, there is a lot to Lady Yasammez, and, in true Tad Williams style, there is a whole lot more going on than what I’ve mentioned above.  But what I’ve mentioned above is a small important point, not only about realistic antagonists, but giving the situation a hint of the same complexity of real world situations.  It gives the story and the writing a deeper quality and truly makes it more real.