Faebound

Faebound by Saara El-Arifi, 386 pages

When the world was created, three deities created three races of beings — the fae, the elves, and the humans — but due to wars amongst them, the elves are the only race that remain, and they're now battling among themselves. When elven warrior Yeeran makes a mistake that leads to her banishment, however, she quickly learns that everything she was taught is wrong, that fae still exist, and they have a much more complex relationship with elves than she ever thought. Oh, and they REALLY don't like elves, which is particularly bad as Yeeran, her sister Lettle, and friend Rayan soon become lifelong prisoners of the fae.

This trilogy-starter is full of complex characters, excellent worldbuilding, and a clever magic system unlike any I've read before. While there were a few things that happened a bit more quickly than I anticipated, overall the book was excellent, and I look forward to finding out what happens in the second installment.

The Time of Contempt

 

The Time of Contempt by Andrzej Sapkowski (1995) 331 pages

The Time of Contempt is the second novel in the Witcher series. In this story, we are seeing the effects of a brewing war between the kingdoms and Nilfgaard. The story begins where Blood of Elves left off, with Yennefer bringing Ciri to Aretuza, the school of magic, to hone her skills and receive proper instruction. On the journey, they run into some issues in the big city outside of Aretuza. Ciri is allowed to venture around the city with an escort, and they attempt to free a wyvern who is being held captive by a man who is selling tickets to see the poor creature. Things quickly get out of hand and Ciri and Fabio, her escort narrowly escape the mess. Ciri activates an amulet which brings attention to her location by other sorceresses in the city. She soon is captured by Tissaia de Vries, a sorceress who instructed Yennefer at Aretuza. Luckily, Yennerfer finds Tissaia and her companion holding Ciri, but soonafter Ciri once  again escapes from the inn they are staying at in order to find Geralt, who is supposedly in a nearby town. A horrible storm is brewing with extremely bright lightning which is illuminating the farmland and nearby tower of Lara, which was once a portal created during the Conjunction of Spheres. While trying to find Geralt, and while Geralt is trying to find Ciri, they all witness The Wild Hunt, a spectral phenomenon of horsemen riding across the sky, similar to "the 4 horsemen of the apocalypse". 

Ciri finds Geralt, and Yennefer teleports to them both. Geralt and Yen have not spoken in about three years. They were told once that they were made for each other, but nothing would come of it because "something more" was needed. They figured out that the "something more" was Ciri. 

Continuing on, the first night of Aretuza, an attempted Coup begins with some sorcerers who have betrayed their comrades in order to gain favor with Nilfgaard. Emperor Emhyr of Nilfgaard wants the mages chapter to be dispersed due to their unfavorable massive loss at Sodden. Ciri disappears, Yennefer cannot be found, and Geralt is taken hostage by Djikstra's men. 

Geralt gets away, Ciri manages to escape but is soon chased after by Cahir, the black knight. Ciri overpowers Cahir but decides not to kill him. The story leaves off with Ciri waking up in the middle of a desert, and narrowly survives. She tries fire magic on her own to save a unicorn's life, but because of this action, her magical capabilities were revoked.

The Witness for the Dead

The Witness for the Dead by Katherine Addison, 232 pages

Set in the same world as the lovely Goblin Emperor (really, you should read it — it's very hopeful and good), this short novel follows the devout Thara Celehar in his calling as a Witness for the Dead. What does that mean? Well, it means that Celehar has the ability to get mental impressions from the recently deceased, helping solve problems regarding everything from contested wills to murders (both of which are covered in this book), as well as tracking down the occasional ghoul. This book skirts the line between high fantasy and mystery, and like the Goblin Emperor, is wonderfully realized. While Celehar is a minor character the Goblin Emperor, it would certainly help to read that book before you pick this one up.

The Goblin Emperor

The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison, 446 pages

The half-goblin third son of an elvish emperor's cast-off fourth wife, Maia has no expectation of ever becoming the ruler of the Elflands. But then his father and two half-brothers are killed in a zeppelin crash, and, unlikely as EVERYONE finds it, Maia is suddenly the new emperor. The Goblin Emperor follows Maia's awkward transition from banished embarrassment to imperial rule, and bring along a surprising amount of hope for the future of the Elflands. Perhaps because of his rough upbringing, Maia is kind, thoughtful, and, yes, naive — but he also takes the unwanted job seriously, and wants the best for the empire. While the names and speaking styles were confusing, I very much enjoyed this book, and I look forward to discussing it with the Orcs & Aliens on Monday.

The King of Elfland's Daughter

The King of Elfland's Daughter by Lord Dunsany, 240 pages.
The 1924 fantasy classic by Edward John Moreton Drax Plankett, the eighteenth baron, Lord Dunsany, was recommended by Neal Gaiman in his 2015 book, The View from the Cheap Seats. I read the book weeks and weeks ago, and I have held onto the book for a long time trying to think of something to say about it. It is an original and decent work of fantasy, but it didn't really grab me. 'Nuff said.

The Goblin Emperor

The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison, 446 pages.
An intricate, engaging account of a half-elven, half-goblin prince fourth or fifth in line for the crown, who has been banished to the countryside by his emperor father, and who then finds suddenly finds himself brought back to court after a tragedy strikes his family. With no real training, and no idea on whom he can rely, Maia must find a way to survive and rule.
Addison does a great job of weaving all the setting, the historical background of her world, the language and the myriad of characters into the flow of the story (though there is a helpful cast of characters in the back of the book).
This book finished second in fractious Hugo voting this year. I think that I would have voted for Ann Leckie's Ancillary Sword, but I am a bit of a partisan there.