A book review: The Infernal Devices trilogy by Cassandra Clare (The Infernal Devices #1-3)

I was sprawling on a couch, relaxed and enjoying a lovely Sunday afternoon, when an idea suddenly lit up on my mind: “Life is too short, why not read something different, something I never imagined myself reading?” My quest, to adventure outside of my reading comfort zone, took me to Goodreads, the hub of all bookish adventures. I browsed at its “recommended book” section, and there on the cyberspace, The Infernal Devices greeted me.

What is The Infernal Devices? Authored by Cassandra Clare, this is a trilogy of YA fantasy/romance novels. The Infernal Devices has conquered the hearts of millions of young readers, and it also has a huge following from the female readership.

“Great!”, I thought. YA fantasy is a minority in my reading domain, and I don't usually read romance novels. Everything about The Infernal Devices smells of chick-lit, and this is exactly what I was looking for on this occasion.

I trekked to the local library, walked (gingerly) to the YA isles, and loaned the entire trilogy. I came home with all 3 books: Clockwork Angel, Clock Prince, and Clockwork Princess. I stared at the covers of these novels. Other than the author's name, Cassandra Clare, those covers betrayed no information about the story. I did not know what to expect inside those pages. But hey, I already borrowed the books. So I opened Clockwork Angel, the first installment in the series, and dived headfirst into the story. In the next 2 weeks that followed, The Infernal Devices occupied most of my spare time. 3 weeks later, I am sitting down on the same couch, writing a review for this trilogy and sharing my thoughts on it.

How should I begin my review? Let me start it by telling you a story about a young girl named Tessa Gray.

Synopsis:

Since a time immemorial, the forces of light and darkness clashed in battles. These struggles shaped the course of history, and its echoes can be heard and felt by all creatures of this world; including a 17 years old girl called Tess Gray.

The year was 1878. Under the gray and misty sky of London stood Tessa, who came to England from America. In her heart, Tessa bore the hope to be united with her brother. Instead of finding a warm family reunion, Tessa discovered her brother was missing. But that was not all, upon her arrival on the English shore, Tessa was kidnapped and forced into London's underworld. A world of supernatural reality, a world where a group of semi-angelic beings, known as Shadowhunters, waged wars against the dark creatures of the night.

It suffices to say, this new experience opened Tessa's eyes to a world she didn't know existed. It also marked the beginning of a new chapter in her life, where she was attracted to two mysterious boys, Jem and Will, both were Shadowhunters of the London Institute. Having her heart split in two, however, is not the only problem for Tessa. For she possessed unusual abilities, and Tessa did not know who, or what she was. The only person who held the key to solve this mystery, was also Tessa's mortal enemy.

This is how Tessa Gray's story began, but how will it end?

My thoughts on this book:

Firstly, I am reviewing the entire trilogy. This is because I believe these books should be read back to back, as one story. If you are toying with the idea of reading this trilogy, then I strongly recommend that you pick up all 3 books and read them sequentially.

Now that's out of the way, the short summary for my thoughts on The Infernal Devices is - I like these books.

However, if you want to know why I like these books, then please feel free to read on.

The first thing that struck me about The Infernal Devices, was its well-written characters. The portrayals for all characters, from the 3 protagonists, the supporting characters, to the villain, they will leave lasting impressions on your mind. Each character has a distinct personality, and none of them feel like cookie cutters. Furthermore, these characters didn't remain static, they grew and change as the story unfolded. On a few occasions, some characters in these books developed in ways that took me by pleasant surprise. Meanwhile, readers followed the journey of the story's central character, Tessa Gray, whose tale is weaved by both joys and sorrows. Cassandra Clare did an excellent job at depicting, how Tessa's experiences lead to the subtle, but gradual transformation of her character. I also want to applaud Cassandra Clare for a non-sexualized depiction of Tessa Gray, where the spotlight was often shined on Tessa's personal qualities. I think the depiction for Tessa is both welcoming and refreshing, especially because in the world of fantasy fictions, the depictions of women are often sexualized and objectified.

The Infernal Devices has werewolves, vampires, demons, angels, and lots of sword fights. At the story's centre stage, however, IS a love triangle. Indeed, it seems to me, the supernatural elements and the sword fights are just vehicles for exploring the love triangle between the 3 protagonists; Tessa, Will, and Jem. All right, so you are about to roll your eyes at the mentioning of a love triangle, but hold on a second and hear me out! Ok, look, these books definitely smell cheese on quite a few occasions, but I enjoyed reading about the love triangle here nevertheless. Why? A story about a love triangle often involves romantic feelings based on jealousy, selfishness and possession. However, the love triangle in The Infernal Devices is different. Tessa, Will, and Jem were in a love triangle, but their love is noble and courageous; instead of jealousy there is trust, instead of selfishness there is sacrifice, and instead of possession there is giving. While the love triangle between our 3 beloved protagonists is a tad dramatic and cheesy, but their story is on the whole, upbeat and positive, and I liked it. Perhaps you think this kind of story is unrealistic, that the reality is a lot uglier than the stories, that no one can be as near flawless as these characters. I agree with you. But hey, maybe this is why we read pages and pages about made up characters and their fictional lives, because stories inspire us to be better people and there it lies the value of fictions.

I also want to make a note about the diversity of characters in The Infernal Devices. In speculative fictions, there aren't many lead characters who are Asian males. In Hollywood movies, for example, the “biggest” role an Asian male character can play in the story, is a supporting character; and often these Asian male characters are portrayed as thick accented, asexual martial artists, or some gangster from China Town who can't even speak English. The reason? Some people said it is because casting Asian male leads won't make money. If this is true, then I want to applaud Cassandra Clare for having the courage and the open mind to casting two biracial male leads in her books. As I mentioned earlier, at the centre of this trilogy lies a story about a love triangle between 3 protagonists. One of the protagonists, is a young man called Jem. In the story, Jem was born of an English father and a Chinese mother. He grew up in Shanghai, he carried a walking stick with a jade dragon on its top, and Jem spoke Mandarin throughout the entire trilogy. 

Jem is biracial, but these books portrayed him for having a very deep and strong connection with his Asian heritage. This is probably the first time, when I am encountering a work of speculative fiction where an (arguably) Asian male character is the lead. Furthermore, the cover art for the 2^nd book in this trilogy features the picture of Jem, and the model's look was obviously a young Asian man. In my research for writing this review, I encountered an interview with Cassandra Clare (click here to read the interview), where she revealed an interesting story. Cassandra had always insisted the model for Jem to be an Asian male. The initial draft for the cover art, however, had the model wearing a full hat and pulling it halfway down his face. Upon seeing this cover art, Cassandra wasn't happy about it, and she insisted a re-shooting of the photo to reveal the model's full face, an Asian face.

I admire Cassandra Clare's audacity and open mindedness to include diversity in her books. Did her books sell badly as a result of having an Eurasian (arguably Asian) male lead and an Asian male model on the book's cover? No, her books sold tens and millions of copies. It is a massive hit! I hope more writers will follow Cassandra's suit and bring diversity into the world of speculative fiction.

The Infernal Devices surprised me, and I am very glad to have picked this trilogy to be my adventure for experimental reading. The only (and very minor) complaint about these books, is the extended epilogue at the end of its final installment, The Clockwork Princess. I thought the epilogue was too long and it was dragging the story. Having said this, when the story reached its final pages, the tale of Tessa, Will, and Jem concluded beautifully, on a hopeful tone. The ending was bittersweet, but it was a marvelous ending that left me thinking about it for days after I finished the book. Look, even someone like me, who is obviously NOT the target audience for this type of books, enjoyed The Infernal Devices immensely. Therefore, I think my own story can vouch for the quality of these novels. I recommend this trilogy to my fellow readers, especially to those who are fond of YA fantasy novels of a romantic persuasion.

A Book Review: The Outsider Test for Faith by John Loftus

On a night Stygian black, Sigurd Doomhammer, a Viking and a neo-druid, prayed to Odin and pleaded the Allfather to heal his friend, Hrolf Breakspear, who is sick and bed-bound. Hrolf took some medicine, and on the next day he miraculously recovered from the illness.

After Sigurd discovered his friend's miraculous recovery, he prostrated himself on the floor and exclaimed: “Allfather has answered my prayer and healed Hrolf! Odin be praised!”.

The answered prayed from Odin strengthened Sigurd's faith in Odinism.

However, Sigurd's Christian friend, C.S. Druis, disagrees.

C.S. Druis: “Odin did not answer your prayer.”

Sigurd: “Then who answered my prayer and healed Hrolf?”

C.S. Druis: “The medicine healed Hrolf”.

Siguard: “Hmm, then you should apply the same explanation to your own Christian prayers, too. Last time, when your friend, John Linux, was sick, he took some medicine and you prayed to the trinune god of Christianity. The next day, John recovered and you also claimed the triune god of Christianity answered the prayer. Therefore, if you say Odin did not answer my prayer and Hrolf was healed solely by the medicine, then the same explanation should be applied to your Christian prayer too, that your triune god did not answer your prayer but it was the medicine alone that healed John Linux!”

C.S. Druis was stunned into a momentary silence. After giving it some thoughts, Druis replied: “Ok, then I tell you, a demonic spirit known as Odin answered your prayer, to deceive you into worshiping the false god.”

Sigurd: “Where is your proof that Odin is a demon? Come to think of it, I say Yahweh is a demon. The reason he answered your prayer and healed John Linux, was to deceiving both of you into worshiping the false god of Christianity! You should repent of your sins and come back to Odin”.

On the clock, awkward seconds passed, and C.S. Druis finally uttered: “Hmm, then I tell you, it was not the medicine alone that healed Hrolf, and it was not Odin who answered your prayer. It was Yahweh who answered your prayer despite the fact that you prayed to the wrong god”.

Sigurd: “Really? Then this means, Yahweh, despite knowing that I was praying to the false god, and knowing that an answered prayer would only strengthen my faith in Odin, yet Yahweh deliberately answered my prayer anyway, and deceived me into believing Odin answered my prayer. If this is your god, then you need to reconsider what sort of god would deliberately trick people into worshiping the false god, then punish them for it.”

C.S. Druis: “Ok, then what about the numerous times when your prayers weren't answered? What about the time when your wife, Freya Shattersword, died from cancer despite your sincere prayer to Odin? Surely, the inconsistency between answered and unanswered prayers is an indication that Odin doesn't exist and he never answered your prayer at all?”

Sigurd: “If I pray and Odin does not answer it, then it simply means the things I prayed for is not in Odin's will. The way of Allfather is not my way, but above my way. Odin is the wisest, he knows all and he knows the best. Furthermore, as a viking cum neo-druid of 30 years, I have had personal experiences with Odin, and I know he is good. Therefore, I have faith that Odin works for the good of all those who worship him. Hail to the one-eyed Allfather! But come to think of it, your Christian prayers are often unanswered too, so what is your explanation for unanswered Christian prayers?”

C.S. Druis, red in the face, ejaculated: “Damn you, Sigurd Doomhammer! You just stole my argument for unanswered Christian prayers!”

STOP

I hope you found the narratives (above) entertaining. Why did I bring the mock debate to an abrupt end? Well, for two reasons:

Reason A:

I see no point continuing the mock debate, because it could continue for a LONG time. Let me just give you one possible scenario where the debate could go next; C.S Druis could have retorted with a defense similar to Sigurd's and ward off the question of unanswered Christian prayer, then Druis could proceed to quote that Yahweh has a specific nature (dubbed nature X) that Odin doesn't have, then say to Sigurd, because Odin doesn't have nature X, so Odin is not the true god. Upon hearing this, however, Siguard could have retorted with the same argument, saying that Odin has nature Y, and since Yahweh doesn't have Y, so Odin is the true god. At this point, an outsider observes that both sides are committing a logical fallacy called “begging the question”. That is, assuming a premise P in their religion is true, then ask the competing religion to demonstrate premise P. When the competing religion fails to demonstrate P, conclude the competitor is wrong. In such a logically fallacious argumentation, all religions can just beg each other questions, and none of them can ever demonstrate definitely which belief is true. It would be a stalemate! It would be a fruitless and a pointless labor!

Reason B:

The mock debate was just a case in point, when religions debate each other, they have no objective method to show who is right and who is wrong. I'd wager, 99% percent of the time, whatever argument made by one religion, can be used by a competing religion too. If we put an apologist for every religion known in the world in one room and ask them to debate which religion is the truth, they would reach a status of mutual paralysis, a stalemate, where none of them can prove each other true or wrong. This is the point I was driving, and I think I have made the point clear. So there is no need to continue with the mock debate.

Therefore, if you would excuse me for killing the fun, I would like to jump straight into my book review. Today, I am reviewing a book titled: “The Outsider Test for Faith”, written by John Loftus.

Who is John Loftus? A former Christian apologist, Mr. Loftus was also an ordained Christian minister until he left Christianity. He studied under William Lane Craig, a famous Christian apologist. But Mr. Loftus changed his mind about Christianity, and he became an atheist. John Loftus has written a book called “Why I became an atheist: A former preacher rejects Christianity”, I have not read Why I became an atheist, but apparently in that book Loftus detailed his journey from a being preacher to being an atheist.

Although 2 years has passed since I deconverted from Christianity, but until this August, I have never read a book about religious skepticism. Why did I begin to read books on religious skepticism? This is because I was interested at finding out if there are ex-Christians out there, who deconverted for similar reasons to mine. This is why the title, The Outsider Test for Faith, captured my attention. For I too, searched for a way test my own religious faith as an insider, and it was the major reason that led to my deconversion from Christianity. My own journey to deconversion took 18 months. It was a traumatizing journey. It was heartbreaking. During that time, I thought deeply about my religious faith. I was constantly deep in thoughts. I critically examined every aspect for Christianity, from history, philosophy, hermeneutics/theology, theodicy, textual criticism, and science. It was a time when my entire being was utterly consumed by the search for the truth. To give you an example, I remember one day, while walking down the road, I almost got hit by a car because I was so deep in thought about the inconsistencies between the 4 Gospels. It suffices to say, I took the search for truth very seriously. I was determined to let the truth guide me even if the truth is not what I thought it was. At the end of it, the truth dragged me, kicking and screaming into non-belief. Perhaps, my story shall be told one day. For now, however, let me continue to review this book.

What is the outsider test for faith, and why is it important?

An outsider test for faith, is simply to testing your own religion as if you were an outsider to it. It is to testing your own religion by using the same standard of skepticism that you applied to the religions you do not believe in. No faith-based skepticism is allowed. Sounds easy, right? I tell you, this is easier said than done. In this book, John Loftus outlines very simply and beautifully, how this can be done. But let me just say, in order for this test to work properly, self-honesty and courage are keys. A religious believer needs to be brutally honest with him/herself if their religion actually passes the test. In order for the test to work properly, one needs to be courageous and honest enough, to let the truth lead you where you should go, even if the truth is not what you think it is.

But why is it important to test your religion? John Loftus argued for the importance of having an objective testing method, by invoking A) The Religious Diversity Thesis, and B) The Religious Dependency Thesis.

What are these? I am sure most people have observed, in the past and the present, ten thousands of religions exist in the river of human history. Most of these religions are mutually exclusive. They all claim to be the truth, but they contradict each other. This also means, not all religions can be the truth. Most likely only one of them is true, or none of them is true. This is called The Religious Diversity Thesis (RDVT).

Next, we have also observed, people's religious beliefs depend on geography and culture. If you were born in the Middle East, then you are likely to become a Muslim. If you are born in America, then you are likely to become some sort of Christian. If you are born in East Asia, then you are likely to become Taoist/Buddhist. This is known as The Religious Dependency Thesis (RDPT).

Given both RDVT and RDPT, we arrive at the following conclusion: 1) Not all religions can be true, they are mutually exclusive, most likely one of them is true, or none of them is true. 2) Since your religious belief is likely determined by the geography/culture you were born into, then given 1), your current religion is likely false.

So how can you know your religion, or any religion, is true? Surely you would need an objective method for testing your religion. Otherwise, you could easily land up in the infinite, but fruitless debate similar to the mock debate that I constructed at the beginning of this review. Yes, this is why The Outsider Test for Faith is important. And John Loftus tells you how to do it. Read this book if it sounds interesting to you.

The question is, do you dare to take the test?

Post script:

I need to mention, this book is VERY repetitive. This is because Loftus was addressing the various objections against The Outsider Test for Faith (OTF). Whatever objection you have about OTF, Lotus has most likely addressed it in the book already. This is the reason for this book to be repetitive.

Personally, I enjoy reading them nevertheless, because I think Loftus did an excellent job at refuting the strange excuses that Christian apologists made up to protest against OTF. Furthermore, Loftus correctly pointed out the unreasonable demands made by Christian apologists. For example, Loftus correctly observed, Christians often demand to see their faith is impossible before they will even consider it is improbable. Loftus hammered the nail on its head for this one. Why? I have observed the same unreasonable demand from Christian apologists too. Let me give you an example. A famous Christian apologist called John Lennox once debated Michael Shremer, who is a sceptic of great renown. At the end of their debate, a member of the audience asked John Lennox a question:

“What will change your mind about Christianity?”

John Lennox replied, “The historical evidence that Jesus didn't rise from the dead will change my mind about Christianity. My faith is based on historical evidence”.

Woah, that sounds very intellectual and academic, isn't it? Well, let's think carefully about Lennox's reply. What kind of historical evidence can actually prove that Jesus didn't rise from the dead? A Christian once said to me, if an ancient document surfaces, and testify that Jesus didn't rise from the dead, then Christianity will fall apart. Really? I think even if such an ancient document do surface, Christians will just proclaim such a document is not credible. And rightfully so, how can a piece of old paper with writings on it, be serving as a definitive proof that Jesus didn't rise from the dead? Meanwhile, some Christians told me, if the body of Jesus surfaces, then they will abandon their faith. Hmm, really? We do not have the biological or anatomical features of Jesus, so how will you know a pile of bones belong to Jesus?

In other words, in reality, there is almost no way a historical evidence, be it an ancient document or a pile of bones, can ever be used to successfully argue against the case of resurrection. John Lennox is asking to be shown his faith is impossible. Lennox might just as well say “nothing will ever, ever change my mind about Christianity”. See? Christians will demand to be shown that their faith is impossible before considering it is improbable.

On the other hand, I think we can say Christianity is false because of the many errors, failed prophecies, and contradictions in the Bible (and a lack of good evidence to support the Bible's claims on supernatural events). But the problem is, Christians just re-interpret the Bible to sweeping all these problems under the carpet so they can continue to believe. The funny thing is, a friend of mine once demonstrated, you can apply the same modus operandi that Christians are using to re-interpret the Bible, to outside of religion and resolving error and contradiction in ANY verbal or written statement. In other words, if we apply the astonishing way Christians are treating the Bible, consistently, to outside of Christianity, we will be arriving at a bizarre position where error and contradiction do not exist at all - nothing will be wrong and everything could be right; and by its extension, everything can be believed and rejected.

My friend and I had similar thoughts about this. Indeed, this was where my journey to deconversion started 3 years ago when I realized, with the way I was treating Christianity, even if it is wrong I still wouldn't know it is wrong.

Enjoy reading John Loftus' book, I think this is a beautiful piece of work for religious skepticism. Until the next time, happy reading!

A Book Review: The Wheel of Osheim by Mark Lawrence (The Red Queen's War #3)

All good stories must come to an end. With a heavy sign, I reluctantly turned to the last page in The Wheel of Osheim, waving goodbye to Jalan and Snorri, whose epic sagas, known as The Red Queen's War, have spellbound and dominated much of my spare time in the past two weeks. I do not know when a story of such excellence will come knocking at the gate to my reading world again, but I know brilliant authors of the fantasy genre are busy at work to bringing us quality novels. Meanwhile, The Red Queen's War trilogy is entering my ever-growing list of favorite fantasy series. I tell you, The Wheel of Osheim brings a sublime ending to, in my opinion, one of the best fantasy trilogies of the 21^th century.

Synopsis:

Prince Jalan slogs in a desert wasteland under a scorching sun. In his pocket Jalan carries an ancient gift from Loki, The Liar's Key, which he bore out of hell itself to be delivered as a price to his cunning and fearsome grandmother, The Red Queen. But where is Jalan's friend, the fierce viking warrior, Snorri? As the fate of the Norse warrior lies in mystery, Jalan tries to leave the nightmare of hell behind. He toils to journey north, back to the kingdom of Red March, where he can finally exchange The Liar's Key for the return of his debauched life; a life of wine, women, and wagering.

The mind of the universe, however, does not cooperate with the plans of men. Deep in the bowels of The Broken Empire sits The Wheel of Osheim, an ancient, powerful device from the time of Builders. It mounts Builders' dooming magic as its wheel spins faster and faster, threatening to crack the world and bringing an end to all things. That is, unless someone or something can stop the wheel. This is when a key that can unlock any door becomes very handy, such as Loki's strange gift. 

Just like that, the survival of the world suddenly depends on the actions (or inactions) of a craven prince and his trickster key. But how can anyone trust the fate of the world on someone as selfish and spineless as prince Jalan? Well, if the world cracks then there is nowhere to run and hide, so perhaps when push comes to shove, the certainty of doom may yet force a coward into performing deeds of wonder?

My thoughts on this book:

I wish the story of Jalan and Snorri never ends. Had The Wheel of Osheim been longer by 500 pages I would nevertheless read it gladly. This novel is marvelous, and I don't think anyone can ask for a better ending than this book. 

The Wheel of Osheim picked up the story from the cliff-hanger finish in The Liar's Key. The story is told in the first person, from the perspective of Jalan, who found himself trapped in a desert wasteland. The reason for Jalan's predicament is not given to the readers initially, but it is revealed gradually at the progression in this book. In this novel, Jalan is still a coward. He is still far from being a paragon of virtue. Jalan would still lie to save his own hide, and he would still hold a child in front of him as a shield. But in this book, I could clearly see that Jalan is not the same person from Prince of Fools - the character development is amazing! By this book, Jalan has traveled a perilous road and he has grown in wisdom if not in courage. Meanwhile, I continued to smile toothy grins at Jalan's misadventures. Despite his many flaws, Jalan's cowardly thoughts greatly amused me, and I found Jalan a relatable character because his moral compass points to a murky gray.

The story of Jalan exemplifies the genre of grimdark fantasy, because just like the real life, this story is set in a world where nothing is black and white. Its protagonists are also not as simple as good and evil. Jalan, like the rest of us, is just a human being limited by the human condition. He does what he thinks is the best under the circumstances he was given, and his choices and actions are neither good or evil. I mean, before you want to judge Jalan, you should ask yourself if you could have done better under the same circumstances. Grimdark fantasy has a realistic way to do characterization, and it is far superior to the “all or nothing” worldview painted in Tolkien and C.S Lewis novels where characters are often caricatures of real people (I mean, Odin's beard, don't get me start talking about my objection to The Chronicles of Narnia, where, through the character of Eustace, C.S Lewis grossly vilified informed skepticism. I hate those books because of it). This is also why grimdark fantasy remains the champion in my reading domain.

Snorri is the second protagonist in this sweeping saga. For a large portion of this book, however, our fierce Viking warrior is missing in action. So a reader may have questions about Snorri's whereabouts. I do not want to spoil the story, so let me just say this unstoppable Norseman, along with other characters from the earlier book, did rejoin Jalan's final adventure to stop the breaking of the world. I also believe most readers will be very satisfied with the way this book tied up the story of these characters at the end.

In my reviews for The Liar's Key and Price of Fools, I mentioned the story of Jalan is set in a post apocalyptic world, where humanity has spent centuries in recovery after a disastrous event wiped out our civilization, and mankind has once again, reached a civilization level of the medieval equivalence. Jalan's world has “magics”, and there are also traces of remnant technologies from the bygone era. In the previous books, the author did not fully reveal the history of Jalan's world, and no explanation was provided for the origin of its “magics”. The Wheel of Osheim, being the conclusion of this trilogy, provided all the missing pieces in the puzzle. Readers of this book will finally have a complete picture of what happened in Jalan's world, and where its magics are coming from. I was very impressed by the way Mark Lawrence brought together these things. Yes, setting a fantasy story in a post apocalyptic world has been done before (such as Jack Vance's timeless work, The Dying Earth), but in this book, it is a wonderful and creative transition from fantasy to science fiction, and the premise is convincing. In my opinion, Mark Lawrence has demonstrated why he is among the best fantasy novelists of our era.

The last paragraph in The Wheel of Osheim made me grin from ear to ear. It was hilarious! At the same time, I felt a bit sad at bidding Jalan and Snorri farewell. The Red Queen's War trilogy is great and I want to read it again in the future. Gentle readers, I heartily recommend this black gem to you. If you are fond of fantasy novels akin to A Song of Ice and Fire and The Farseer's trilogy, then I believe you will love The Red Queen's War.

A Book Review: The Liar's Key by Mark Lawrence (The Red Queen's War #2)

The Liar's Key stands proudly as the second installment in a dark epic of three parts, The Red Queen's War. This trilogy, grim in its story but humorous in its tone, features a very fascinating world, where readers follow the misadventures of two unlikely friends; a cowardly prince known as Jalan, and a fearless Viking warrior called Snorri. The journey of Jalan and Snorri opened with an excellent novel, Prince of Fools, and continued in The Liar's Key. This sequel exemplifies the modern fantasy literature, where it creates a wonderful fusion of science fiction, grim dark fantasy and Norse mythology.

Synopsis:

In Trond, inside a tavern that stands wavering against the chill blast of the northern wind, prince Jalan rose from a warm bed to greet another wintry morning. He desires nothing more than returning to the luxurious and the decadent life of his southern palace. But the winter stands in Jalan's way, turning the land into a frozen tundra and putting all travels to the south on hold.

However, Jalan is not the only one who is burning with the desire to journey south. His friend, a Norse warrior called Snorri, is also eager to leave, to embark on a suicidal quest to challenge all of Hel, for the sake of bringing his murdered family back to the mortal world.

Snorri holds an ancient gift from Loki, The Liar's key, and it can open every door. Including the door to Hel. Jalan, on the other hand, does not like his friend's mad plan of rescue in Hel. After all, Snorri's quest may entangle them in a bagful of life threatening situations, none of it can be considered prosperous in the eyes of a craven like Jalan. But a series of unforeseen circumstances banded Jalan to Snorri, so a cowardly prince and a fearless viking once again, set out on a misadventure and becoming pawns in a game of Red Queen's war.

My thoughts on this book:

On Goodreads, I rated Prince of Fools five out of five stars. So how does one rate a sequel that is even better than its 5/5 predecessor? If I could award The Liar's Key with six out of five stars then I would do it. If you liked Prince of Fools, then you will love The Liar's Key.

Prince of Fools gave readers an initial impression that Jalan and Snorri lived in a pseudo, medieval European world, one that is typical in the fantasy genre. As the story unfolded, however, readers gradually came to realize the story is actually set in a post apocalyptic world, our world. Where a thousand years has passed since an apocalyptic event destroyed our civilization, and mankind has once again climbed to a phase equivalent to the medieval era after spending centuries in recovery. Meanwhile, we were also told that people in Jalan's world use magic. So how does the magic work, and where did the magic come from? This is where the story of Jalan takes a twist and blends fantasy with science fiction. Prince of Fools gave off some hints and clues about the origin of this “magic”, but it did not fully reveal its history. In The Liar's Key, its author provided further clues to solve this puzzle, where he introduced readers to an extinct group of people known as the builders, an apocalyptic event called The Day of Thousand Suns, and a “magical” place known as The Wheel of Osheim.

With a bit of imagination and deduction, most readers should be able to figure out those terms are referring to us, and our technology. A reader comes to realize, a pre-scientific civilization would use those terms to describe the inventions from a world of advanced technology (for example, imagine in a pre-scientific culture, if a group of desert nomads encounter a spacecraft then how will they describe it? A chariot of fire, perhaps?). Having said this, while The Liar's Key did provide further clues for piecing together the history of Jalan's world, but it did not reveal everything. Instead, the author cleverly shrouded the origin of its magic in further mystery, giving his readers a glimpse of what really happened in the past. Meanwhile, we get a sense that everything in this book is paving the way to a grand finale, and the answer to this puzzle will play a major role at deciding the fate of Jalan's world. This book added suspense to Jalan's story, and by the end of it, I was very eager to read the sequel.

Other than mounting suspense, The Liar's Key also excelled in its character development. As its predecessor, the story here continues its narration in the first person – that is, Jalan is telling the story. The first person narration takes readers into Jalan's head, witnessing his thoughts and feeling. This narrative worked especially well here because we are following the story of a coward on a dark adventure. Yes, in this book Jalan is still his cowardly self. He is still the kind of person who would hold out a child as a shield. While Jalan is not the most despicable protagonist in the fantasy genre (Stephen Donaldson's creation, Thomas Covenent, holds that title), but he is definitely not a paragon of virtue. Far from it. However, Jalan's flaws and cowardice also made him a very relatable character. I mean, how many adult readers can relate to a flawless and mighty hero such as Aragorn? In The Liar's Key, Jalan didn't become more heroic, he became wiser. Jalan also matured and he begins to see things differently, sometimes even selflessly. It is amusing to see that Jalan felt disturbed at finding himself developing a conscience. In the first book, Jalan was the prince of fools. Is he is still a prince of fools in this book? I leave my gentle readers to decide for themselves, after they spend sometime with our dear prince. But it suffices to say, Jalan's misadventure often tickled my funny bone.

Aside from Jalan, The Liar's Key also cast Snorri as the second protagonist. In this book, our fearless viking takes on a role of a support character, albeit an important one. Snorri continues to surprise me, as the story revealed this unstoppable viking is not just a barbarian warrior of the fantasy archetype. This novel also introduced two new characters, Kara and Henan, both of them played major roles in the story. These two characters developed a dynamic friendship with both Jalan and Snorri. Together, this band of mismatched adventurers set out on a remarkable journey, and this book told their story in a perfect pace, not too fast, and not too slow.

It is very rare, when the quality for a middle book in a trilogy surpasses the first one. The Liar's Key is bigger and better than Prince of Fools in every way. This book not only expanded all the good things from the first book, but it also paved the way to a promising finale, titled, The Wheel of Osheim. If you like fantasy novels but you haven't read The Red Queen's War trilogy, then I really think you are doing your reading world a disservice. Meanwhile, if you have already read Prince of Fools, then you MUST, I repeat, must, read The Liar's Key.

A Book Review: Prince of Fools by Mark Lawrence (The Red Queen's War #1)

Last week, I flipped to the first page in Prince of Fools, and read:

“I’m a liar and a cheat and a coward, but I will never, ever, let a friend down. Unless of course not letting them down requires honesty, fair play, or bravery.”

Hurrah! I instantly fell in love with this novel. At last, I have discovered another black gem, emitting the grimness and the darkness of those tales from the age of 'heroes”.

Prince of Fools, written by Mark Lawrence, a renowned fantasy novelist, is the first installment in a trilogy called The Red Queen's War. Who is Mark Lawrence? How can you not know Mark Lawrence? All right, if you are not a reader of the fantasy literatures then we can forgive you for not reading Mark Lawrence's works. But if you enjoy reading books from authors such as Joe Abercrombie, George R.R. Martin, Robin Hobbs, or Steven Erikson, then you are committing a capital offense against your reading world by not reading his books. If you belong to the later category, make haste to a bookstore or a library, and pick up a trilogy called The Broken Empire (A.K.A, the thorn guy. Come on, George R.R. Martin have also read the books about this thorn guy).

A few years ago, with The Broken Empire trilogy, Mark Lawrence made a debut in the literary world. It was an instant hit. Following the trilogy's conclusion, Dr. Lawrence set himself on a quest to weave another trilogy, and Prince of Fools was born.

Synopsis:

Prince Jalan Kendeth of the Red March stands gloriously on the cobble-stoned street of Vermillion. His handsome face, beaming with a radiant smile, lends grace to a powerful frame 6 foot tall, and casting the very picture of an ideal royalty. Aside from his good looks, Jalan has a reputation for valor too. “The hero of Aral pass”, they said, when our young prince fended off an invading army all by himself!

All right, all right. I can sense my fellow readers are about to cry, “cheesy” and “cliched”. So let me tell you the truth about Jalan instead. After all, everyone loves the truth behind a twist in the story, heh?

The truth - our dashing, romantic prince Jalan is a gambler, a drinker, and a seducer of women. Jalan has never acquired a proficiency in a useful skill, but he is very good at being a coward and it lends him some sort of invincibility.

Jalan's decadent life ended, on a night when he attended an opera in the city. By a freakish accident, Jalan became magically entangled with a fierce Norse warrior. Together, this duo, one a cowardly prince who is not afraid of being spineless, another a valiant warrior who is afraid of being craven, set out on a misadventure to undo the malicious spell that binds them. Along their journey, Jalan uncovered a reality; his heroic peer and his cowardly self are pieces in a game of war, controlled by his fearsome grandmother, the Red Queen.

My thoughts on this book:

I love reading and I read books from many genres, but fantasy literatures will always be the champion in my reading domain. I cannot pinpoint the reasons that attract me to the fantasy genre. Perhaps one day I will sit down, and pen an article to discussing the virtues of the fantasy literatures. But for now, it suffices to say I adore fantasy novels because: 1) Fantasy books are (usually) well written, 2) Fantasy books usually have good characterizations, 3) Fantasy stories are usually set in creatively and wonderfully imagined worlds, and 4) Fantasy stories somehow reach us in a way that facts cannot.

Prince of Fools ticks all 4 items on this brief checklist.

Firstly, let me quickly discuss its writings. Mark Lawrence wrote fluidically and powerfully in this book. The author captured the characters and the scenes in fine details without bogging down the story's pace. Every scene in Prince of Fools, from a buzzing crowd in a big city, a slog on the country road, to a perilous battle on a frozen tundra, were depicted picturesquely, aiding its readers to envision and immerse themselves in the story's world. This book used the first-person narrative. That is, the story is narrated by the protagonist, and from his view only. While this narrating method may limit our explorations into the minds of other characters in the book, but a first-person narrative worked exceedingly well in Prince of Fools.

Why? Remember, we are following the journey of Jalan, a cowardly prince and a detestable character whose moral compass points to a murky gray. Especially when it comes to matters about saving his own hide. In this case, a first-person narrative takes readers into the head of Jalan, settling us at the front seat and bore witness to the inner struggles and the thoughts of a craven man. Let me just say Jalan's thoughts are hilarious, enough to warrant a laughter-induced coma, but it also disturbed me because I could relate to him. Jalan's narratives will reveal why he is the price of fools, but before you pass down a judgment on Jalan consider this; if a 7 foot troll, or a flesh eating zombie is chasing you, can you honestly say you will behave more valiantly than Jalan? And I think this the major strength for this book; readers will come to a disturbing awareness that its protagonist, a detestable character according to all our standards, is also a person who we can easily resonate with.

Other than Jalan, a second major character also played a centre role in the story. His name is Snorri, a fierce Norse warrior. Upon the first glance, Snorri appeared to be a stereotypical barbarian warrior. But as the story unfolds, readers will discover this fearless Norsemen is not without fear (I won't spoil the story). Furthermore, while Snorri contrasted Jalan in every way, but his character is also far more complex than meets the eye. I think it suffices to say, by the end of the story, I became very fond of both Jalan and Snorri despite their many flaws.

The trademark of the fantasy genre is a story setting in a creatively imagined world. The worldbuilding in Prince of Fools ranks very high on the scale of creativity. Initially, the story appeared to be set in a typical fantasy world, of pseudo medieval European culture, swords and magics. But as the story unraveled, I discovered the story of Jalan is set in a post-apocalyptic world - Our world. Jalan's story belongs to a time, hundreds of years after an apocalyptic event wiped out our civilization, and humanity has once again reached a level equivalent to the medieval era. But this book also has magics, so where are the magics stemming from? Without spoiling the story, let me just say Jalan's world has a VERY interesting “magic” system. This is where Prince of Fools traversed from fantasy into the realm of Sci-fi (I will quickly mention Mark Lawrence is a research scientist in artificial intelligence, and he deployed some knowledge from his trade in this book. But saying more will be providing too many spoilers).

I adore Prince of Fools. I can probably heap even more praises on this book and discuss its virtues endlessly. However, I believe my brief review already placed enough information into the hands of my fellow readers, those who have never heard of, and those considering to read this novel. My verdict, Prince of Fools is definitely worth a read, especially if you enjoy fantasy novels telling grim and dark stories colored in the shade of moral gray. As for me, it is high time for sailing into the next adventure of Jalan's, a book titled, The Liar's Key.

Until the next time, happy reading!

A Book Review: The Mountain by David Lynn Golemon (Event Group Thrillers)

The biblical story about the great flood and Noah's ark is a topic causing heated debates. Archeological evidence does not support the case for an enormous flood described in the Bible. But The Epic of Gilgamesh, a Sumerian mythology predating the book of Genesis by more than a thousand years, told a similar story, almost identical in structure but different in theology, about a colossal flood and a mighty ark.

This discovery begs a question; did the bible copy the flood story from mythologies of ancient near east?

Historical context can shed light into this mystery. Modern scholars are rapidly reaching a common agreement. The flood story was very popular in the culture of ancient near east, and it exalted a pagan religion that also dominated the society at the time. During their exile, the ancient Israelites most likely encountered the flood narratives, then borrowed it, turned its theology upside down into a story exalting the god of Abrahamic religion instead. The “retelling” of the flood narratives would have served the polemic function for the nation of ancient Israel - a theological fight against their neighboring, pagan super powers, as well as provided an origin story for the Israelites.

I agree with the assessments from modern scholars. Their explanation not only fits the evidence at hand, but it also takes into account, the historical contexts, the motives, and the culture of the ancient near east. Furthermore, it would hardly come as a surprise for religious teachers to smuggle their own religion into a pagan culture, by borrowing a story about pagan gods and turning it into a story exalting their own religion instead. In fact, one can observe similar occurrences elsewhere in the history of Christianity. For example, during the Christianization of Scandinavia, in order to infiltrate and evangelize the pagan culture of Norsemen, Christian monks rewrote and retold, the Skaldic poems and the Eddas, turning stories exalting Norse gods into stories exalting Christianity instead!

These modern discoveries are raising good questions; or food for thoughts, if you like, regarding the claim that the Bible is the words from the creator of the universe. I leave my fellow readers to pondering on these fascinating questions. While the biblical story about the great flood and the prodigious ark are undergoing a reality check, but if this story is true and archeologists can unearth the remains of Noah's ark, then a mere glimpse of its glory would be enough to make a person dropping his jaw to the floor. An expedition to unearth the remains of Noah's ark may be an unattainable goal, but it certainly makes excellent materials for a thriller novel. At this point, I assure you that my introduction is relevant to the novel being reviewed today, and I hope you found the above information interesting.

Indeed, in The Mountain, the 10^th installment belonging to a series called Event Group Thrillers, novelist David Lynn Golemon weaved an electrifying, paranormal thriller about the unearthing of the world's most legendary ark at the onset of the American civil war.

Synopsis:

In 1863, the American Civil war moved towards a closure. War leaders from both the North and the South gathered to forge a secret alliance. This arrangement would charge a group of military elites, the best and the bravest soldiers from both Union and Confederate, on a secret expedition to unearth the truth behind history's greatest mystery. The expedition and its secret alliance would never enter any American history book. Nevertheless, should the expedition succeeded in its goal, the discovery alone would heal the war-torn nation.

As president Abraham Lincoln and general Robert E. Lee shake hands and sealed their secret alliance, Event Group was born. Under the leadership of Colonel John Henry Thomas, for the first time since 1861, the Northern Blue and the Southern Gray would stand alongside each other, shoulder to shoulder, and embarking on a perilous quest far away in the heart of the Ottoman empire, to unearth the fabled ark of Noah.

In the distant land, mount Ararat stood proud under the radiant sun. Its frozen peak concealed a secret, millennia old, and guarded by a dark, murderous entity who awaited for a time to unleash its horror on the planet. Would Colonel Thomas and his men uncover the ark? Or would they wake a chthonic terror and dooming mankind?

My thoughts on this book:

The world of thriller fictions is filled with tons of stories about treasure hunts. If the premise for The Mountain sounds familiar to you, then you are not alone in this. When I picked up this book from the library, I was expecting it to be another treasure hunt story too. As I buried myself into the bowels of the story, however, I soon discovered my original expectation was off centred.

I find it difficult to describe The Mountain. This book did employ the tropes from the thriller genre; the story revolves around a mysterious artifact, a pending global disaster, and a group of heroes racing against the clock to prevent the catastrophe from taking place. Yet, what The Mountain did exceptionally well is its in-depth, vivid characterization. I mean, words such as “fast-pace”, and “page-turner” usually accompany the selling points for most thriller novels on the market. The Mountain, however, vastly differs from many thriller novels because it is a character-driven thriller.

Set in the American Civil war, the author cast a handful of characters in this yarn. Some characters were Union soldiers, while the others were Confederates. These characters were forced into an uneasy alliance by their superiors, and charged with a mission to unearth Noah's ark. But tensions were strung tight in this “band of brothers”, because fighting in years of civil war had drilled too much hate and grief into both sides. Here the author depicted, so lively and wonderfully, the conflicting and dynamic relationship between these characters; how they started off as enemies but the perilous expedition gradually changed and united them. In this book, David Lynn Golemon showcased his masterful skills at character building and development.

This also means, in comparison to most books in this genre, The Mountain moved at a slower pace because the story takes its time to establish and explore the characters. It was almost if the treasure hunt was only a plot device to move the story along, but the real story was about the characters and their journey from rivalry to comradeship. This book is a slow burner, yes, but it is an unforgettable journey. This is a thriller that rewards a patient reader. On my way to return this book to the library, these characters were still lingering on my mind because I became very fond of them. If I have to describe this book in a few words, then I would say The Mountain is a unique mix between The Dirty Dozen and Indiana Jones, but set in the time period of the American Civil War.

The 10^th installment in Event Group Thrillers did not disappoint me. I think The Mountain is an excellent addition to the series. This book is a prequel, and this is highly unusual considering 9 preceding installments were telling stories set in the modern day. However, I think The Mountain should be an excellent entry point to this series, because it narrates a stand alone story with no loose end at its conclusion. I would recommend The Mountain to readers with a keen interest in the thriller genre, especially thriller novels of a paranormal persuasion.   

A Book Review: Ripper by David Lynn Golemon (Event Group Thrillers #7)

 Who was Jack the Ripper?

A century has gone by since this ghastly murderer traversed the streets of Whitechapel, but the identify of Jack the Ripper remains shrouded in mystery. Speculations have flooded non-fiction books and documentaries, attempting to offer us clues as to who the Ripper could be. Meanwhile, the story of the Ripper has become something of a legend, touching our imaginations and inspiring a generation of movies, TV shows, and novels.

Good old Jack have appeared in a lot of yarns. So how about throwing Dr. Jackal and Mr. Hyde into the mix? Indeed, David Lynn Golemon, the author for Event Group Thrillers, brings us a heart pounding, claustrophobic adventure. It is a novel featuring two iconic characters of nightmare from the 19^th century. It is called Ripper, and this book is not some penny dreadful thriving on cheap scares.

Synopsis:

Blood and gore painted a dimly lit room into crimson red; its horror and stench drove the London policemen to the border of sanity.

It was 1888, and Jack the Ripper has struck again.

Ripper's last victim, whose body was hacked and slashed into a gob of flesh, bore little resemblance to a shell of a mortal kind. Ripper's latest kill, was the also the most vicious one up to date, instilling a lurking fear into the city's tormented soul.

Ripper's reign of terror, however, was about to end that night. London police and a secret organization unveiled the Ripper's identity. They confronted the monstrous killer in his lair. After a night of mortal combat, Ripper disappeared from the foggy streets of Whitechapel, leaving behind a haunting legend.

In 2012, Colonel Jack Collins and Event Group are on a desperate mission in Mexico, to wrench one of their own from the claws of a drug lord. Collins and his men clashed against the Mexican drug cartel, and together they resurrected, by accident, a sleeping monster from the past.

Jack the Ripper, is about to reborn into this world.

My thoughts on this book:

Two weeks ago, I picked out Ripper from a shelf in my local library and bore it home. I expected this book to be a detective/crime thriller tinged with a flavor of science fiction. Yet, when the time came to sinking my teeth into the meat of this novel, Ripper defied my expectation. I had expected a detective adventure, but this book turned out to be more like an episode from Resident Evil. That is not to say Ripper is a bad book. No, the 7^th installment in Event Group Thrillers narrated an entertaining story that also moved at a fast pace. I had a great time reading Ripper, but this book paled in comparison to its predecessor.

My previous outing with Event Group Thriller was a novel called Leviathan, a mesmerizing book that captivated my imagination with a thrilling story and its cast of memorable characters. Ripper, on the other hand, delivered a story equally as energetic as Leviathan, but lacked the compelling characterization that made Leviathan so good. In this novel, the antagonists were stereotypical and wooden. Meanwhile, the main characters, such as Colonel Jack Collins and his team, were portrayed as typical action heroes, the type of action men who shoot and blast their way to a triumphant victory against the villains. It suffices to say, Ripper's characterization did not impress me. The heroes and villains in this book were uninteresting and flat.

Despite a shallow characterization, Ripper did succeed at telling a thrilling story and its suspense will make you biting at your nails. As I mentioned earlier, Ripper reminded me of a Resident Evil movie. This book told a survival horror story, and it was an atmospheric adventure where claustrophobia and tension would clutch you by the throat, compelling you to keep turning the pages until the end of the book. Meanwhile, Ripper also profited from David Lynn Golemon's incredible power of imagination. He weaved together the fabrics from Jack the Ripper and Dr. Jackal and Mr. Hyde, and created an engrossing tale both fascinating and macabre.

Ripper is the kind of book to read when you just want to curl up on a couch with a cup of tea in your hand. The book's characters may be dull and two dimensional, but one can easily forget these flaws and be entertained by Ripper, especially when its story began to unleash legendary monsters and shadowy nightmares upon your imagination. If you enjoy movies such as I am Legend and Resident Evil, then you will probably like this book too. I would recommend Ripper to those who are fond of sci-fi, survival horror type of books.