The Librain……retired

I completed one very thick book this week. It was Mark Lawrence’s The Wheel of Osheim (#03 in his The Red Queen’s War trilogy). What a book! Please check out last week’s Reading Roundup post for more details of the previous two books in the series.

The Wheel of Osheim by Mark Lawrence

Before I write any more, here is the blurb:

All the horrors of Hell stand between Snorri Ver Snagason and the rescue of his family, if indeed the dead can be rescued. For Jalan Kendeth, getting back out alive and with Loki’s key is all that matters. Loki’s creation can open any lock, any door, and it may also be the key to Jalan’s fortune back in the living world.

Jalan plans to return to the three w’s that have been the core of his idle and debauched life: wine, women, and wagering. Fate however has other plans, larger plans. The Wheel of Osheim is turning ever faster, and it will crack the world unless it’s stopped. When the end of all things looms, and there’s nowhere to run, even the worst coward must find new answers. Jalan and Snorri face many dangers, from the corpse hordes of the Dead King to the many mirrors of the Lady Blue, but in the end, fast or slow, the Wheel of Osheim always pulls you back. In the end it’s win or die.

This last book in the trilogy appears to bring the story arcs of Lawrence’s first series – The Broken Empire – and his second series – The Red Queen’s War – together in a final conclusion. Of course, the author could decide to revisit this world and his wonderful characters – I certainly wouldn’t complain!

Anyway, I simply had to give the book the full five stars and here is my review – it was very difficult to write as my head is still spinning!

It’s official: Mark Lawrence has now joined my very select list of favourite authors. Make way whilst I read everything he has ever written! Then I will wait with bated breath for him to write even more amazing books!

OK, so it’s now obvious that I loved this final episode of his The Red Queen’s War series. I loved the excitement, the sheer adventure, the surprises, the interesting way this book was crafted, the brilliant characters and, probably most of all, the laugh-out-loud black but joyous humour. Because I really did laugh aloud…

”Come!”…
”Come? You just took my bloody sword. What am I supposed to use? Bad language?”

The character development is great and the weaving together of fantasy and science fiction gives us a cracking plot. I really can’t write any more without giving something away. So, please read Mark Lawrence…

…but just let me get in front of you in the queue…

A Book of Bones by John Connolly

I have one more book by Lawrence left to read, but my next book will be A Book of Bones by my absolute favourite author, John Connolly. I cannot wait to get started so will tell you about it in next week’s Reading Roundup.

Happy Reading to you all!

Best wishes,

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I have enjoyed two very large fantasy books this week: Mark Lawrence’s Prince of Fools and The Liar’s Key (books #01 and #02 from his The Red Queen’s War series). Currently, I am reading the final part of the trilogy: The Wheel of Osheim.

Prince of Fools by Mark Lawrence

I actually read Prince of Fools back in 2016, but decided to read it again as I had found the rest of the series on our Library’s catalogue and had put in requests. In the end, I am glad that I did this as I couldn’t really remember the details of the story, just the basic outline. Also, it’s a great book, so well worth enjoying for a second time! Anyway, this is the blurb:

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.

The Red Queen is dreaded by the kings of the Broken Empire as they dread no other.

Her grandson Jalan Kendeth – womaniser, gambler and all-out cad – is tenth in line to the throne. While his grandmother shapes the destiny of millions, Prince Jalan pursues his debauched pleasures.

Until, that is, he gets entangled with Snorri ver Snagason, a huge Norse axeman and dragged against his will to the icy north…

Back in 2016 I gave the book four stars, but didn’t write a review on Goodreads. This time I increased the star rating to five and wrote the following:

I loved this book. Such a great mix of blood thirsty adventure, gruelling quest, larger than life characters, magic and black humour. Jalan is such a well-written character. Although I am sure that I wouldn’t like a real-life version, he is such fun to read. I really like the way that the author gets inside his head and shows the reader Jalan’s thoughts, unpleasant and cowardly though they may be. He is such a contrast to Jorg, in the previous series, and also to the usual brave and knightly fantasy heroes in most books of this genre. How he gets into and out of scrapes is such fun!

The other characters in the book are well drawn also, with plenty of variety and development. The plot is exciting and full of adventure. I do hope that the rest of the series lives up to this cracking beginning!

This book and this author are highly recommended.

The Liar’s Key by Mark Lawrence

As soon as I finished the first book, I grabbed the second one, The Liar’s Key, straight away and immersed myself in it. Here is the blurb:

The Red Queen has set her players on the board…

Winter is keeping Prince Jalan Kendeth far from the longed-for luxuries of his southern palace. And although the North may be home to his companion, the warrior Snorri ver Snagason, he is just as eager to leave. For the Viking is ready to challenge all of Hell to bring his wife and children back into the living world. He has Loki’s key – now all he needs is to find the door.

As all wait for the ice to unlock its jaws, the Dead King plots to claim what was so nearly his – the key to the underworld — so that his dead subjects can rise and rule.

This time, I gave the book four stars and wrote this review:

I enjoyed this book, but was a little disappointed to find out that it wasn’t quite as good as Prince of Fools. I was also surprised because this book has won awards! However, it is still really worth reading and I did award it four stars. Perhaps Mark Lawrence raises the game so much with his writing that, when he creates a book a little less brilliant than before, the resulting offering jars?

Anyway, my issues were quite small, really. The journey in the first half of the book becomes a bit tedious, although Lawrence uses various devices to help the reader along. Jalan’s homecoming is very amusing and the second half has a change of pace. It all just seemed a bit too long! The humour wasn’t quite so good either and it was so clever in book one.

A little bird has told me that the final book, The Wheel of Osheim, is totally amazing, however, so I will pick that up right now…

The Wheel of Osheim by Mark Lawrence

The third book, The Wheel of Osheim, was waiting in my book pile as I completed the second and I have now read the first few chapters. Great so far! I will tell you about it next time. If you are a fantasy fan, I really recommend Mark Lawrence.

Happy Reading to you all!

Best wishes,

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