Review- The Angel of the Crows

The Angel of the Crows
By: Katherine Addison
Website: https://www.fantasticfiction.com/a/katherine-addison/
Release Date: June 23rd, 2020
Publisher: Tor Books
Rating:


If you are a fan of historical fiction and alternative history writing this story is definitely for you. Also, if you are a fan of Sherlock Holmes then this story is 100% even more for you.

Now, before moving into the story itself there are a few things I wanted to clear up as I found them out for myself as I finished this novel. First, the author Katherine Addison is the same person as the author Sarah Monette. It appears that for different genres and topics Monette has applied her pen name Addison, so keep that fun fact for yourself if you want to read more of her writing. Second, and this is direct from the author herself in the Author’s Note – The Angel of the Crows began as a Sherlock wingfic fanfiction.

Now, to talk about this wonderful book itself. I am, admittedly, a fan of all things Sherlock Holmes so to see a reimagining of the story with different characters (Crow being Sherlock and Doyle being Watson) was fun for me. The explanation for why the characters are the way they are fits so well that I found myself smiling wide. Crow, being an angel whose domain is all of London, thus explaining his heightened senses and sometimes odd behavior as Sherlock, is wonderful in his odd ways. Doyle, much like Watson, is suffering from a leg injury and from having been in the war however his injury is of a spectral nature as he was attacked by what is known as a Fallen angel i.e. one that is now filled with dark, nefarious energy and power.

Throughout this book we cover the well-known Sherlock Holmes stories of “A Study in Scarlet,” “The Sign of the Four,” and “The Hound of the Baskervilles,” but Addison didn’t stop there and also had our heroes join the hunt for Jack the Ripper.

Honestly while I wish some lesser-known Sherlock tales had been picked or that things had been reworked a bit more to make them feel new or extremely different I did enjoy the way that Addison connected the dots between these classic stories and our newly reimagined characters.

If you’re a fan of Sherlock Holmes, alternative history or the idea of these characters being redone in a way that breathes new life back into these classics I would definitely suggest you pick up this book. While it wasn’t life altering it was a quite enjoyable read and I was impressed with Addison’s style. I may be picking up her other works soon.

Review – The Haunting of Tram Car 015 by P. Djeli Clark

The Haunting of Tram Car 015
By: P. Djeli Clark
Release Date: February 19, 2019
Publisher: Tor.com
Rating:


The Haunting of Tram Car 015 by P. Djeli Clark is a fantasy novella set in a 1912 Cairo that is ripe with magic, djinn, and a haunted tram car. Set in the same universe as Clark’s short story A Dead Djinn in Cairo, it is a real treat that you don’t want to miss. I haven’t had so much fun reading a book since Catherynne Valente’s Space Opera.

Review – Standard Hollywood Depravity by Adam Christopher

Standard Hollywood Depravity
By: Adam Christopher
Release Date: March 7, 2017
Publisher: Tor.com
Series: Ray Electromatic #1.5
Rating:


I can finally say I’ve finished the Ray Electromatic series. Standard Hollywood Depravity by Adam Christopher is a novella set between the first and second books in the series. It’s a short, fun mystery that can be easily read as a standalone story if you haven’t read the first novel in the series Made to Kill.

Review – Taste of Marrow by Sarah Gailey

Taste of Marrow
By: Sarah Gailey
Release Date: September 12, 2018
Publisher: Tor.com
Series: River of Teeth
Rating:


I haven’t had quite this much fun with a series in a very long time. There is something inherently wonderful about a cast of flawed characters traipsing about in hippo infested waters of the American South. Today we are going to take a look at Taste of Marrow by Sarah Gailey, the second novella in the River of Teeth series.

This story picks up two months after the conclusion of River of Teeth. The characters who survived book one are split into two – Adelia and Hero in one place and Archie and Houndstooth in another. A lot of themes are touched up on this novella. There are discussions on love and what you must give up or not give up for love. Friendship, family, companionship.

Review – River of Teeth by Sarah Gailey

The River of Teeth
By: Sarah Gailey
Release Date: May 23, 2017
Publisher: Tor
Series: River of Teeth (#1)
Rating:


I haven’t read a book I had this much fun with in a long while. River of Teeth by Sarah Gailey is simply pure fun, filled with wonderfully memorable characters, and lots of hippos. It’s the sort of book you can get lost in, the one you can’t wait to finish but don’t want to end.

Review – I Only Killed Him Once by Adam Christopher

I Only Killed HIm Once
By: Adam Christopher
Release Date: July 10, 2018
Publisher: Tor Books
Series: Ray Electromatic Mysteries #3
Received From: Publisher
(All reviews are our own, honest opinions.)
Rating:


Today, July 10, 2018, marks the release of I Only Killed Him Once by Adam Christopher, the third and final novel in the Ray Electromatic Mysteries series. This is a great science fiction noir mystery series featuring the very last robot in operation working as a hit man using the cover of a private detective when unwanted eyes begin to pry.

Review – From Unseen Fire by Cass Morris

From Unseen Fire
By: Cass Morris
Illustrator: Tran Nguyen (Jacket Art)
Release Date: April 17, 2018
Publisher: Daw Books
Series: Aven Cycle #1
Received From: Publisher
(All reviews are our own, honest opinions.)
Rating:


You may not know this, but my family is just chock full of history buffs. My father’s a history professor, my brother works at a museum, my sister gives talks at conferences about historical monuments, and I was an art history student once upon a time. So my excitement wasn’t very surprising when I first heard a book being described as ‘ancient Rome plus magic’. And that was exactly what we received in From Unseen Fire by Cass Morris.

Review – Killing is My Business by Adam Christopher

Killing is My Business
By: Adam Christopher
Release Date: July 25, 2017
Publisher: Tor
Series: Ray Electromatic Mysteries
Received From: Publisher
(All reviews are our own, honest opinions.)
Rating:


It may not be immediately obvious from the SFF theme of this blog, but I love a good mystery story. The Ray Electromatic Mysteries by Adam Christopher scratches both itches. Killing is my Business is the second book in this series. It is set in a 1960s noir Los Angeles, features a robot assassin nee private detective, and is more fun than it has any right to be.

What can I say? Robots are cool, damn it, and there should be more stories with them. Or maybe it’s my twelve year old self talking. Either way, I love this concept. I love this series. And more people should be talking about it.

Review – Toru: Wayfarer by Stephanie R. Sorensen

Toru: Wayfarer
By: Stephanie R. Sorensen
Release Date: February 17, 2016
Publisher: Palantir Press LLC
Series: Sakura Steam #1
Received From: Publisher
(All reviews are our own, honest opinions.)
Rating:


Sometimes it’s a synopsis that catches your eye. Sometimes it’s the cover. Sometimes it’s the author’s name, or the genre. For me, it was the setting the setting and cover design. Toru: Wayfarer by Stephanie R. Sorensen is a book that’s been on my radar since it was first released back in February of 2016. When I finally got my hands on a copy, I was quite the excited bookworm.

Unfortunately, the excitement didn’t last.

Throwback Thursday: Drums of Autumn

Drums of Autumn
By: Diana Gabaldon
Website: http://www.dianagabaldon.com/
Release Date: December 30th, 1996
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Series: Outlander Series
Award: All About Romance (AAR) Annual Reader Poll for Favorite "Other" Romance & Honorable Mention for Favorite Couple (1998)
Rating:


We are at book four in this series and now I find myself starting to, sadly, wane in my love for the series. This book, to date, is as far as I’ve read and I need a bit of a break after this one as I’m slightly disappointed in this book and, truthfully, I need to find time to read the books that follow this one. Spoiler alerts ahead, once again.