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Books of 2017

Tracey Dyck 35 Comments

It is a truth universally acknowledged that bookdragons are nosy little creatures, always snuffling around each other’s shelves to see what friends are reading, buying, and reviewing.

 

I say that fondly, being a nosy bookdragon myself. And I’m counting on the fact that most of you are of the same species, because here’s a look at all the books I read in 2017, with miniature reviews to boot! Aren’t I a helpful dragon?

 

January

Knife // R.J. Anderson
reread // better than I remembered // fairies // loss of magic // musings on the nature of art // human interaction // big tree
 
The Purpose Driven Church // Rick Warren
how to foster healthy church growth // rather textbook-ish // better for pastors, maybe?
 
The Lightning Thief // Rick Riordan
hilarious // best chapter titles ever // camp half blood // grumpy adults // powerful kids // the humor, though
 
Blue Lily, Lily Blue // Maggie Stiefvater
pretty prose // Blue is relatable // poor Noah // wandering plot, in a good way and a bad way

 
 

February

The Five Love Languages (Singles Edition) // Gary Chapman
practical // excellent advice for how to love people better

 
 

March

Winter // Marissa Meyer
best series finale in the history of ever // crazy Winter // space // everyone gets separated // all the sass // putting rice in Cinder’s head // heartbreaking stuff // did I mention best ending ever?

 

The Spirit Contemporary Life // Leon Fontaine
down to earth // inspiring // reaching people with God’s love can be so natural

 

The Shack // William P. Young
meh // heavy on the sermon, light on the story

 
 

April

Storm Siren // Mary Weber
incredibly relatable protagonist // deep themes // cool world // the guy smells like “pine and honey and sunbeams” but shush, that’s normal // crazy horses // tattoos // lightning storms

 

Outriders // Kathryn Mackel
reread // nifty world // tech fused with medieval-like lifestyle // sporadically inspiring

 

Trackers // Kathryn Mackel
same as above // decent, but should’ve had a sequel to wrap things up

 

The DNA of Relationships // Gary Smalley
changed my life // relational hurt springs from a vicious cycle of fear // be the bigger person // communication

 
 

May

Finally // Wendy Mass
twelve-year-old drama // cute // killer rabbit // everything goes wrong

 

Crazy Dangerous (audiobook) // Andrew Klavan
reread in audio format // creepy and endearing at the same time // magic Sam Hopkins // trains // bad choices // eerie girl // intense ending // awesome narrator

 

The Purpose Driven Life // Rick Warren
reread // sorry, not my cup of tea // a few good lessons, though // learned the most from studying the parts with which I disagree

 

Green Rider // Kristen Britain
classic high fantasy // horses // fantastical creatures // Karigan needs to get a backbone // twisty ending // will probably continue series

 
 

June

The Shadow Throne // Jennifer A. Nielsen
kingdoms at war // the sass // friends // “catastrophic levels of bad behavior” // saw the ending coming // loved it anyway // smashing finish to the Ascendance Trilogy

 

The Reluctant Godfather // Allison Tebo
delightful // quirky characters // fluffy chocolate cake // Burndee is Howl with a mixing spoon, basically // quotable humor

 

The Raven King // Maggie Stiefvater
more pretty prose and a pretty cover to match // Gansey // social agenda, no thank you // too much swearing // ultimately a disappointing conclusion

 
 

July

Scorpia // Anthony Horowitz
secret agents // double agents // exotic locations // fun Mission Impossible vibes // gadgets // narrow escapes

 

Solitary (audiobook) // Travis Thrasher
reread (except in audio format) // creepy little town // creepy little high school // creepy pastor // old vinyl records // no cell service // dark beginning to an ultimately hopeful series

 

Reapers // Bryan Davis
dystopian Chicago // escorting souls to the afterlife // ethical dilemmas // prison // standing up for the defenseless

 
 

August

Ink and Bone // Rachel Caine
Library of Alexandria didn’t burn // withheld knowledge // magic // Oxford // black market // classmates // the muddiness of war

 

The Penderwicks // Jeanne Birdsall
childhood whimsy // summer // romping escapades // curious neighbors // butterfly wings // Hound // friendship

 

The Fatal Tree // Stephen R. Lawhead
the universe is shrinking // nobody panic // British loveliness // ley lines // sprawling adventures // redemption

 

Some Kind of Happiness // Claire Legrand
blue days // depression // finding wholeness through the Everwood // cousins // summertime // “giving up is not an option. and if you have to keep going, you might as well smile while doing it.”

 

The Five Times I Met Myself // James L. Rubart
regret // what if you could give advice to your younger self? // consequences // second chances

 

The Beast of Talesend // Kyle Robert Schultz
fairytales in 1920’s-esque world // detective  work // brothers // beastliness // spunk and humor // throwing rolls at people’s heads

 
 

September

Spindle Fire // Lexa Hillyer
sisterhood // sight and touch and speech tithed away to fairies // snow // intrigue // travel // at times enchanting, at others stilted

 

Five Magic Spindles // Rachel Kovaciny, Kathryn McConaughy, Grace Mullins, Michelle Pennington, Ashley Stangl
heartwarming Old West // exotic eastern-like mythology // glowing ghosts and crazy castles and also a chicken // classic romance and dragons // sci-fi tombs and virtue names

 
 

October

Beyond the Gateway // Bryan Davis
ramping up the suspense // I am so hooked // the Gateway // corrupt authority figures // radiation // motorcycle // more ethical dilemmas // cliff-hanger

 

Reaper Reborn // Bryan Davis
exhilarating action // even worse ethical dilemmas // fires and disasters // manipulation // battle of wits and morals // who to trust? // aftermath

 
 

November

Prodigy Prince // Natasha Sapienza
colorful world // epic superpowers // evil shapeshifters // a prince and his sentinels // fast paced

 

The Tomb of the Sea Witch // Kyle Robert Schultz
mermaids // Nick goes undercover as a teacher // chaos and hilarity // the Mythfits // grouchy dragon // so many twists // “I don’t suppose you have any chalk?”

 

A Time to Die // Nadine Brandes
a countdown, obviously // wolves and crazy people and trains and cities and wilderness // confusion // finding purpose // made me think a lot

 

A Midsummer Night’s Dream // William Shakespeare
capricious fairies // double-crossed lovers // forest // Puck // comedy of errors // love looks not with the eyes // amusingly uneducated folks putting on a play

 
 

December

Hollow City // Ransom Riggs
peculiar children // long quest // rescue the bird // war-torn London // killer bees // gypsies // creepy wights // another cliff-hanger

 

The Phantom Tollbooth // Norton Juster
philosophical and charming // words versus numbers // common sense // a watchdog, a humbug, and a boy in a car

 

Nicholas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King // William Joyce
Santa is a Russian bandit king with a soft spot for children // magical village // moonbeams // nightmare creatures // a merry spectral boy // North’s compass always points to himself, of course

 

The Maze Runner // James Dashner
no one tells Thomas anything // lots of running // Newt is his awesome, grouchy self // unremarkable writing but exciting plot // the moral of the story is that boys like food and insults

 

Stats

This year I read 40 books, amounting to 13,119 pages! (That’s not counting the six college textbooks I finished or the one nonfiction book on leadership I’m still reading.)
 
Here’s the breakdown on genres:
 
 

It’s no surprise that once again, fantasy dominates! I am, however, surprised that I read no romance or historical fiction like in previous years. And there’s more nonfiction here than I have ever read in a single year, thanks to leadership college. Oh, and hidden among those listed categories are four rereads, two audiobooks (also new for me), and four indie books! I’m rather pleased to have upped my indie game, which was woefully nonexistent before 2017.

(By my estimate, I also bought or was given about 38 new books! Yikes! Some I read this year, but most are on my TBR. At this rate, I may never catch up!)

According to Goodreads, my average rating this year was 4.4 stars–coincidentally, the same as it was the year before. Either I’m too kind with my ratings, or I just tend to read really good books???

 
 

Most-read authors: 3 by Bryan Davis, 2 by Kyle Robert Schultz, 2 by Maggie Stiefvater, and 2 by Kathryn Mackel.

 

Favorite new-to-me authors: Rick Riordan, Mary Weber, Jeanne Birdsall, Kyle Robert Schultz, and Nadine Brandes! All of whom have lots of other books I need to dig into this year, come to think of it . . .

 

Least favorite book: Um, probably a toss-up between The Shack and The Raven King. Neither one was completely horrendous, but the former was poorly written and the latter was a soup of disappointment flavored with nice writing.

 

Favorite books: Dear me, how do I choose? There were quite a few really good ones this year! All right, if I forced myself to narrow it down, I would say . . .

  • Winter
  • Crazy Dangerous
  • Ink and Bone
  • The Fatal Tree
  • The Penderwicks
  • Five Magic Spindles
  • The Tomb of the Sea Witch
  • A Time to Die
  • The Phantom Tollbooth
  • the entire Reapers trilogy
 

Ahem. I did not just list a quarter of the books I read this year, noooo . . .

All in all, it was a good reading year! I would have liked to have read more, but much of what I did read was satisfying, and I did top last year’s total by five books. I also digested some nonfiction, discovered some new series and wrapped up some old ones, and spent half my time in the wonderful world of fantasy.

Okay, bookdragons, now tell me: what were YOUR best books of 2017?

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Book Reviews: Beyond the Gateway + Reaper Reborn by Bryan Davis

Tracey Dyck 24 Comments

Happy Sunday, everyone! Sorry I missed posting yesterday. I chose homework and an evening with friends over publishing this post on time, and while I wish I was a superhero and could get everything done, obviously I’m not. Thanks for bearing with this mere mortal!

Today I’m excited to be sharing not one, but TWO awesome book reviews! I feel like I’ve been doing more reviews than normal lately, which is . . . odd . . . because my reading time is diddly squat these days. Anyway! Remember a couple months ago when I reviewed Bryan Davis’s Reapers? Shortly thereafter, I went ahead and read the rest of the Reapers Trilogy back to back.

THIS IS BIG. I ALMOST NEVER DO THAT. When I start a series, I usually take my time between books because I don’t want to get tired of that storyworld. You can have too much of a good thing, right? (I mean, there’s also the opposite problem, where sometimes I take too long to continue a series, and end up forgetting all the important stuff.) But I had the next two Reapers books sitting oh-so-temptingly on my desk, calling for me to discover how the story continued. So I did it. I read an entire trilogy within several weeks, and the final two books I read back to back. That should tell you how good they were!

Now, I have a weird, hard-to-define rating system when it comes to books. I rated Reapers 5 stars, and it deserved every single one of those stars. But I’m rating Beyond the Gateway and Reaper Reborn as 5 star reads too–except I loved them even MORE. See, there’s a whole range of 5 star books in my mind: there’s the “this was a solid book, I really enjoyed myself, and would gladly recommend it” kind of five stars. And then there’s the “THIS BOOK WAS INCREDIBLE; EVERYONE, GO READ THIS NOW” kind of five stars. These last two books fall squarely in the latter category!

I can’t disclose much about their plots because #spoilers, sweetie, but I’ll try to review them anyway. They’re perfect for this autumnal, “spooky” time of year, too.

Funny story: this cover jump-scared me. I was studying it up close while on break
at work, when I suddenly saw those creepy eyes in the background FOR THE FIRST TIME.

Book 2: Beyond the Gateway

This picks up exactly where Reapers left off. Whereas book 1 took some time to lay important groundwork before getting into the action, book 2 launches Phoenix and his friends right into the thick of things. Don’t get me wrong–book 1 wasn’t slow by any means! It just didn’t get truly intense until the latter half. Not so this time! Beyond the Gateway swept me up within the first few chapters, and nothing let up until the very end.

No.

Check that.

Nothing let up at all. Of course there are times of rest to give the reader (and the characters) a short breath, but overall, the plot feels like that long climb at the beginning of a roller coaster before it sends you plunging into an adrenaline-pumping adventure. So. Intense.

One thing I loved was Phoenix’s journey. His principles are tested time and time again. He stumbles. He questions. But he grows. Oh, does he grow! The spiritual side of things starts coming to light in this book, clearer than in the first, and it’s a new realm of thought for Phoenix.

That’s another thing I loved! Most of Bryan Davis’s male heroes are noble, upright, God-fearing men, but Phoenix is cut from slightly different cloth. He definitely wants to do the right thing, but his moral compass has no true north to which it points. (Yet.)

Speaking of which, it’s here that the author starts using the book’s speculative elements to their full potential. In a world where souls cannot instantly travel to their eternal destination, but must be reaped and deposited at a Gateway, the story is rife with opportunities to explore faith, eternity, doubt, and free will. Those things were hinted at in the first book, but here the characters dive right into those sometimes-murky waters in search of truth.

And I, of course, was gobbling it all up.

This book also widens the reader’s experience of the Reapers’ world. Some time is still spent in dystopian, run-down Chicago, but about half of the book takes you to the Gateway itself, and that new setting opens up a plethora of mysteries and answers and still more mysteries.

Back to the characters–remember how I didn’t totally love Shanghai before? I’ve changed my mind on her now. She is amazing. Somehow she became more real, vulnerable, and lovable in this book.

All the characters, really, are fantastic! But the villains, guys–THE VILLAINS. I HATE THEM SO MUCH. I don’t think I’ve hated someone as much as I hate Alex in quite some time.

That being said, Phoenix had to grapple with some verrrry interesting things regarding the fine line between justice and mercy! (If you can’t tell, I adore ethical dilemmas in fiction.)

And naturally Beyond the Gateway ended with a cliff-hanger! Good thing I had the next book on hand . . .

Don’t you just love that cover? All the amber tones,
the flying dust/debris, the light…

Book 3: Reaper Reborn

So I thought book 2 was intense. HA. Book 3 ratcheted it up a few notches!

Villainous people play even crueller mind games on Phoenix.

Even more people are in great danger, with their lives hanging on his decisions.

Chicago is burning.

People are being gassed, bombed, and tortured.

Creepy robots called illuminaries are everywhere.

With new allies and new threats, Phoenix starts getting paranoid–and understandably so. He doesn’t know who to trust at first, but pretty soon he’s forced to trust others in order to take down the corrupt Gateway system and save the people he cares about. Here we see Phoenix stronger than ever before, both physically and character-wise. Seeing him finally get mad at a certain somebody who keeps harping on “his principles” and refuse to take any of that junk was so satisfying! And at the same time, Phoenix is struggling more than ever, sacrificing more than ever, and–

Right, I said there’d be no spoilers. Just go read the trilogy already so we can talk about all the juicy parts!

I have to say, while the book held the reader side of me captive, my writer side was also grinning as I pieced together the genius plot Bryan Davis wove together. He answered questions I barely knew I had, and built it all up to a heart-pounding climax!

You know what else he did? He tied this trilogy to the Time Echoes trilogy!* Old-time readers of his will be thrilled to find the connections, and new readers will hopefully be curious enough to go pick up those other books. The ties between the two series are so clever! I honestly got so excited when Scarlet, a Time Echoes character, was mentioned in passing a few times.

*formerly titled Echoes from the Edge

And after all the cliff-hangers and suspense, the ending of Reaper Reborn was positively perfect. There are huge consequences to everyone’s actions, but there is also enough happiness and satisfaction that by the time I reached the final page, I was content. (Unlike many YA dystopian novels that seem to favor bleak endings . . .)

I know reviews should be balanced, and I should mention any quibbles I had with these books . . . but there were none. This reading experience was full of the heart, courage, mystery, faith, well-rounded characters, and tight plotting I’ve come to expect from Bryan Davis.

On that note: when I pick up new books by beloved authors who were my favorites during childhood or teenhood, I’m usually a bit worried that my memories are too kind–that I’ll find the new book lacking somehow, and all the magic will crumble.

Well, folks, I’m happy to report that the Reapers Trilogy shows Bryan Davis is at the top of his game! His older books will always hold a special, nostalgic place in my heart, but these newer ones are so skillfully written that they hold a place of equal value. I won’t be forgetting my time with Phoenix in futuristic Chicago anytime soon!

Have you read the Reapers Trilogy yet? Do you like dystopian books? Who’s the last villain you loathed with your entire being? And, most importantly, WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO PUT THESE BOOKS ON YOUR CHRISTMAS LIST?

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Book Review: Five Magic Spindles

Tracey Dyck 24 Comments
Goodreads // Amazon

When Rooglewood Press published a collection of Cinderella retellings a few years ago, Five Glass Slippers, I snatched it up. To my delight, the creative spins on a tale that’s been told hundreds of times blew me away.

And when the next collection of Beauty and the Beast retellings, Five Enchanted Roses, came out, I was even more delighted! It was clear that all these writers deserved to win the contests Rooglewood was hosting; these were talented, creative individuals, all with their own distinctive approach.

Well, I’m happy to report that the third collection, Five Magic Spindles, is just as wonderful as its predecessors! In fact, it might be the most unique set of retellings yet.

The Man on the Buckskin Horse // Rachel Kovaciny

When I first heard that one of the stories was a Western, I was . . . well, skeptical. I don’t read Western books or watch Western movies all that often. I’m a fantasy nerd at heart!

But within the first chapter, Rachel Kovaciny had me hooked with her dry humor and the no-nonsense midwife Emma Thornberry. I didn’t think it was possible to plunk Sleeping Beauty into a log cabin, toss in a farmer and a gunslinger, and come out with anything remotely like the original fairy tale. But she did it!

“The closer I get to fifty, the rarer sensible folks become.”

Favorite Things:

  • Emma. She’s practical and blunt and hilarious. Why don’t we have more books from middle-aged perspectives?
  • Snark!
  • Palmer, the swoon-worthy gunman, has a deep backstory packed into just a few pages.
  • I felt like all the characters had a history–their own stories, their relationships with each other, everything.
  • It was such fun picking out all the Sleeping Beauty elements in this wildly different setting. I won’t spoil anything for you, but it was definitely creative!
  • The heartwarming ending.

Not-so-favorite Things:

  • I must have missed a detail, because I thought Palmer was about 20 years older than he actually was, right up until the end. Oops.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one, and flew right through it. 4.5 stars!

Guardian of Our Beauty // Kathryn McConaughy

I remember when Anne Elisabeth Stengl (the lovely author who runs Rooglewood) shared a collection of first lines from a bunch of writers entering the Five Magic Spindles contests. And I still remember how Kathryn McConaughy’s first line about a king drowning in daughters jumped out at me. That same amusing, old fairy tale style is all over her story!

This is possibly the most exotic tale of the collection. Despite being written in a slightly more distant manner, I was fully immersed in the Middle Eastern-inspired setting and its almost mythological flavor.

Palli did not know how she could save anyone. But if all she had to was sleep–well, she could do that! She slept every night. When her other small sisters wondered why Palli went so willingly to bed, Palli only blinked at them and said, “It is good practice.”

Favorite Things:

  • Palli, the Sleeping Beauty character, was so sweet and altruistic.
  • All the cool creatures! They were what gave the story a mythical slant. At first, they seemed random, but I should’ve known better–they all became important later on.
  • The setting. It felt like there was a whole world to explore.
  • Political happenings that were realistic, not ideal, but still not dry at all.
  • Neriya, the prince: oh my goodness, he’s a sweetheart too! So brave and endearing.
  • The God Who Answers. I shan’t say more. It’s best to read it for yourself.

Not-so-favorite Things:

  • At times, like when I thought the inclusion of the creatures was random, it felt like the story meandered. But in the end, it did tie together, so this isn’t completely a negative!

This was another pleasant surprise! A solid 4 stars.

The Ghost of Briardale // Grace Mullins

I think I was most excited by this middle story when I first read the blurb. I mean, it takes place in an insane asylum! Forgive me, but I have an odd fascination with both crazy characters–both the creepy psychopathic kind and the lovable/gruff/off the rocker kind.

And while there wasn’t a lot of those kinds of craziness going on, the delightfully convoluted plot was more than enough to keep me engaged! There’s a ghost, a dwarf who can’t turn invisible, a miniature prince turned human-sized, a Slavering Swamp Beast, and buckets of enchantment. There’s gloomy dungeons, locked towers, and a courtyard full of statues. Doesn’t that sound fun?

Never before in his life had Franz wished this much to throttle anyone, but there were important reasons why he couldn’t. First, she was a girl, and he would never hit a girl even if she were as annoying as this translucent green creature.

The second reason was that he was helplessly strapped, so, even if she’d been some sort of brute, the only harmful thing he could do was glare.

Favorite Things

  • Franz. Dear, dear Franz! He’s exactly the kind of unlikely hero that I love to cheer for! As a banker’s clerk wrongly committed to the asylum, he tries so very hard to be the True Hero everyone is looking for. He’s not strong enough to slay a dragon, he’s never saved anyone, and the only thing he has going for him is a big heart.
  • While Franz was the kind of hero I love to cheer for, Mara was the kind of antagonist I love to hate.
  • Roselee, the green ghost, was adorable.
  • The fairies were trapped in the forms of a squirrel, a chicken, and a lizard. (Yep. You read that right.)
  • Lots of banter.
  • All the magic! It was so layered and complex, with each chapter revealing more and more of the enchantment. I was kept guessing the whole time.
  • A certain subplot I won’t name was really sweet.
  • A satisfying ending.

Not-so-favorite Things

  • Not much to say here, except for the very minor disappointment of not including crazy people in the way I expected.

All in all, this was a complete pleasure to read. Props to Grace Mullins for her twisty plot and lovable characters! 5 stars!

Spindle Cursed // Michelle Pennington

Before I knew that all these stories were actually amazing, the presence of a good ol’ high fantasy amongst the less-traditional genres was a relief. Spindle Cursed guaranteed at least one story I’d love. And, though all the other stories proved to be far better than I foresaw, I was right about this one–I did love it! It follows the original tale a bit more closely than all the others, but still stands apart in its fleshed-out storyworld and vibrant characters.

The story primarily follows Prince Edmond, a rather dashing, serious, down-to-earth character who completely stole my heart. But all the others were fantastic too! Aaaand this is the only story to include an honest-to-goodness dragon. Instant brownie points right there.

“Martin, I am a fool,” Edmond called.

Reining in his horse, Martin turned his craggy face to look back in surprise. As Edmond drew even with him, Martin inquired, “Would Your Highness wish me to agree with you or disagree?”

Favorite Things:

  • DRAGON.
  • Classic fantasy settings that popped off the page rather than settle into dusty clichés.
  • Lona, the fairy who looks after the sleeping princess, lives alone in the thorn-riddled castle and has gone utterly mad. It’s wonderful.
  • The rapport between Edmond and Martin reminded me of Sage and Mott from The False Prince at times.
  • Lady Rhoswen is another one of those love-to-hate-them villains!
  • A neat twist on the sleeping curse.
  • Arabella was noble and good-hearted and all around a likeable princess.
  • I absolutely loved how Michelle Pennington dealt with the romance. There was still the magical kiss, but it required a genuine relationship to develop first. It was done really well!

Not-so-favorite Things:

  • At times, some of the action scenes seemed to take a step outside the character’s head and became less immersive.

This was a fantastic addition to the collection! It kept a more traditional fairy tale slant, which I loved. 4.5 stars.


Out of the Tomb // Ashley Stangl

Sci-fi is something I haven’t read much of either (although there’s more of it in my reading diet than there is Westerns), so I wasn’t completely sure what to expect. I needn’t have worried, because Out of the Tomb was superb! Ashley Stangl thrust me right into a teeming new world full of flora, fauna, and gadgetry I’d never heard of, yet made me feel right at home.

But it was the raw, relatable characters that won me over completely. Tanza, though an alien girl, was a rough-around-the-edges protagonist who wormed her way right into my heart. And her tale flipped Sleeping Beauty upside down, because this time, it’s a prince who gets woken!

She turned her back on the spindle and rifled through the boxes of antique medical tools, falling into a quiet rhythm as she searched for anything of value. Most people found tombs eerie, but Tanza luxuriated in the peace.

A man’s voice, deep and smooth, flowed through the silence. “I beg your pardon, but are you robbing me?”

Favorite Things:

  • Tanza is bacon-flipping SMART. She robs high-tech tombs for a living and definitely knows how to look after herself.
  • Prince Auren is absolutely adorable. So confused and old-fashioned and struggling to understand the ways of a world one hundred years ahead of him.
  • The concept of virtue names was genius, and it made me love Auren and Tanza even more. I won’t explain it, because that’s something else you need to read for yourself!
  • Maybe it was just the genre, but somehow I got a few Lunar Chronicles vibes . . .
  • There’s so much culture, history, and worldbuilding jam-packed into this novella, and all without resorting to too much telling.
  • Hovercars!
  • Plot twist!
  • The Moon-Cross Festival scene was my favorite thing ever. So precious!

Not-so-favorite Things:

  • Nothing to report here, unless you count my severe distaste for Keffer, Tanza’s low-life boss.

I think, surprisingly, this might have been my favorite story in the collection! The ending nearly made me cry, which is difficult to do in less than a hundred pages. I would gladly follow these characters into more adventures. 5 stars!

Overall

A rollicking Western. A world of priests, princes, and flying cats. A castle woven in complex enchantments. A prince brave enough to face a dragon. A sci-fi adventure. Five completely different stories that somehow all paid homage to the original Sleeping Beauty we know and love.

This is a strong collection indeed! Just like the two books before it, there’s bound to be something in it for everyone; yet you may be pleasantly surprised by stories you didn’t even expect to like. I’m giving Five Magic Spindles a smashing FIVE STARS. This is one book I’ll be eager to return to in the future!

If you’ve read Five Magic Spindles, which was your favorite story? If you haven’t, tell me which ones looks most promising! (And then get thee to Amazon and go buy it!)

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Book Review: Reapers by Bryan Davis

Tracey Dyck 13 Comments

Reapers.

The word conjures images of hoods, scythes, and shadows. Death, ghosts, and the veil between here and eternity.

Reapers by Bryan Davis delivered on pretty much all of the above, minus the scythes. We’ve got an urban setting, wandering souls, dark alleyways, grit, ethical dilemmas, futuristic tech, and the big dystopian staple: untrustworthy power figures.

Read chapter one for free HERE.

Two teenagers, Phoenix and Singapore, male and female Reapers, collect the souls of the dead and transport them to the Gateway where they will travel to their final destination . . . or so they are told.

A small note: I read this book back in July (a.k.a the mad rush to finish The Brightest Thread in time for Realm Makers), so it took me longer than usual to finish. I don’t like when that happens, because I think it can distort my opinion on the book’s pacing.

Reapers started out super interesting, don’t get me wrong! (And it’s actually funny how I’ve nearly memorized the first paragraph from all the times I’ve read it in Bryan Davis’s writing how-to blog posts.) We get an engaging first look into Phoenix’s everyday world–a mostly solitary life of watching over his Chicago district, collecting souls, and smuggling medicine to the sick and dying in his neighborhood.

But after the first bit, it felt like the story slowed down. We spend four or five chapters following Phoenix, Singapore, and two other Reapers all the way to a Gateway depot and back. Which isn’t all bad, because although it was thoroughly detailed, it was necessary detail. Without getting the process of reaping clear in my mind, I think I would’ve floundered later on in the story. But because everything was meticulously laid out right away, big explanations weren’t needed later. So really, I have just a small quibble with that pacing issue.

Once I hit the midway point, the pace really picked up! Big plans, sneaking around, action, danger–yes! I positively sped through the second half of the book. The stakes keep rising, trust issues between characters get shakier, and the tension just all-around builds.

And can we just talk about the concept of reaping for a minute? Because it’s a really sad job to have. I wouldn’t want to be the one called to every deathbed, the one to sweet-talk confused and wandering ghosts into trusting me, the one to carry the burden of all these souls to the Gateway. Some of these Reapers are pretty epic heroes for doing all that!

Characters

Phoenix: He was great! I’m used to Bryan Davis’s noble, heroic protagonists like Billy from Dragons in Our Midst or Adrian Masters from Dragons of Starlight. And Phoenix is noble and heroic. But he’s got a grittier side to him as well. It’s hard to describe, because it’s not as if he runs around making horrible choices . . . He just feels a shade or two darker than the abovementioned characters. But I loved being in his head.

Singapore: Ah, Sing, should I trust you? I couldn’t answer that question till I was partway through the book, and that answer wasn’t quite what I was expecting. She’s a bit of a wild card, that one. Frustratingly inconsistent. Timid and unsure one moment, brash the next. But not to worry, it all makes sense later on! My uncertainty about her added to the tension for sure.

Shanghai: She’s kind of incredible. No-nonsense, but still kind. Hugely capable and confident, and pretty much one the best at her job.

Alex: I hate her. But she’s the villain, so that’s a good thing! She’s conniving, clever, and manipulative. Every time Phoenix thought he had her outwitted, she revealed another layer of her plan. And have I mentioned she’s ruthless? Seriously, somebody needs to put her away.

Crandyke: Phoenix carries this guy’s soul around in his cloak, much to Crandyke’s displeasure. He’s cranky, sarcastic, but very knowledgeable–so Phoenix isn’t too eager to get rid of him right away. Crandyke’s witty complaints made for quite a few smirks throughout the story, and it was great to have that dose of humor.

Everyone else lives in Spoiler Land, pretty much, otherwise I’d discuss them too!

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Themes

Going into this book, I was interested to see how a Christian author would deal with the element of “Grim Reapers” and the afterlife. Bryan Davis handled it really well! Reapers lands in mainstream territory, so God isn’t talked about, but everything was written tastefully. One question this book asks is, “What if souls didn’t go to their eternal destination immediately, but had to be delivered there?” That’s the role of the Reapers, but as the plot unfolds, we get the sense that this Gateway the souls go through is not what it seems. That perhaps the public is being fed lies, and perhaps the Gatekeeper is not as virtuous as he makes himself out to be. So now I’m even more curious to see where the next two books take that idea!

In the meantime, Reapers offers solid themes on the value of human life, defending the defenseless, trust, honesty, and the kind of teamwork I’ve come to expect from a cast of Bryan Davis characters. Again, I sense that this novel is setting things up for fantastic character arcs in the rest of the trilogy!

And unlike many dystopians, this narrative had a thread of hope woven throughout.

Random Things

  • Some of the futuristic tech reminded me of Bryan Davis’s The Candlestone! Especially the setup of three special pedestals . . . (Anybody else remember that book?)
  • At times I also got a Hunger Games vibe. I remember noting it, but now I can’t remember what exactly made me think of that. Dystopian, teens, themes dealing with death, a villain who’s always one step ahead . . . ? I don’t know, but it was cool.
  • It was fascinating how bold Phoenix was towards Alex. He basically tells her what he’s going to do, stating some of his plans to her face. Considering that most people lie to cover up their plans, I thought it was really interesting to watch this approach play out. You’d think it would be a stupid move, but surprisingly it wasn’t. I won’t spoil anything, though. You need to read it for yourself!

4.5 stars!

I whittled down half a star because the beginning did move a little slow–but again, that could’ve been partially my fault for being so busy.

(A note on the content: based on a few grisly moments, several sad/callous deaths, and some romantic tension, I would recommend this for 16 and up, probably.)

Overall, however, Reapers is a shadowy tale uncovering the dark underbelly of a once-trusted institution. It’s a tale of risk, a tale of taking a stand when all around everyone else is turning a blind eye. It’s got humor, it’s got heart, and once you get going, it’s a hold-your-breath, edge-of-your-seat kind of ride!

If you’re looking for that kind of book, go get yourself a copy of Reapers right this minute! And if you’ve already read this one, I’ll race you to book 2, Beyond the Gateway!

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