I know everyone is busy and the world is falling apart, but could we get more Ilona book reviews for our self imposed isolation. I could use some escapism right now.
Sean
This is going to be an off-brand recommendation. Usually, we try to recommend books that will appeal to people who read us. I haven’t read any of those lately. Gordon is reading an early Piers Anthony. The title is KIAI! (Jason Striker,) which is, according to him, a “martial arts men’s adventure. If they wrote a book to go along with Big Jim action figures from the 70’s, this would be that book.” Make of that what you will. He says the martial arts are very well written and there are ninjas at the end.
I am also reading a martial arts book, but mine is more fantasy. I am on book 3 of this series, which for me is nothing short of a miracle.
Sacred artists follow a thousand Paths to power, using their souls to control the forces of the natural world.
Lindon is Unsouled, forbidden to learn the sacred arts of his clan.
When faced with a looming fate he cannot ignore, he must rise beyond anything he’s ever known…and forge his own Path.
This is a terrible synopsis, so let me explain this a little bit. It’s a fantasy world, slightly reminiscent of Ancient China in that everyone is a martial artist and they wear robes. The similarities end there.
Our hero, Lindon, lives in a Sacred Valley, an idyllic green valley sheltered by tall mountains. Everything in the Sacred Valley revolves around madra. Madra is a magical force that permeates the world. Each living being has it and every aspect of the world produces it. There is fire madra, water madra, earth madra. Even sunlight generates madra.
Madra can be absorbed. Martial artists cultivate it by pulling it into their core and refining in, using it to push their bodies beyond human limits. Madra enables them to do incredible things. It can give them enhanced sight and indestructible bodies. It allows them to hurl weapons of pure magic and animate constructs. Plants that absorb madra for a long time bear magical spirit fruit and beasts who are exposed to it gain powers, intelligence, and become sacred.
As the martial artist become more proficient in their handling of madra, they begin climbing up the ranks of cultivation. First comes Wood, when you are nothing. Then Copper, which gives you enhanced senses, then Iron which reshapes you body, then Jade, which gives you foundation, then legendary Gold which comes with devastating power. In the Sacred Valley, everyone hopes to attain the rank of Jade.
The more Iron fighters and Jade martial artists a clan has, the stronger it is. That’s why early on, the clans test their children. Each of them dips their hand into a bowl of pure madra and it shows their predestined path. They could become Strikers, Enforcers, Forgers, or Rulers. Each specialization comes with its own unique set of powers.
Lindon is tested. He is a dud. He has magic, he feels madra, but when he dips his hand in to the bowl, nothing happens.
This is a catastrophic development. He is a source of shame to his family and his clan. An abomination, who must be shunned. Nobody will train him. He grows up learning ways to survive in a clan where a child half his age can murder him at will and nobody would bat an eye. He pushes himself, desperately trying to claw his way to Copper and failing.
Then the world ends and everything changes.
This is competence porn of the highest level. Lindon starts at less than zero. He is actually in the negative and he climbs out of that hole, slowly, but surely, at great personal cost. The world is very interesting, but Lindon himself is the main draw.
When beginning writers ask us about characterization, we usually try to explain that the character must be a product of their environment. Lindon is very much a product of his upbringing. He was weak and at the mercy of everyone, so to survive he develops an entirely different set of skills than his peers. He is forced to use his mind to keep on breathing, so he is smart. If he can cheat to win, he will. If he sees an opportunity to trick his opponent, he will take it. Despite being shunned, he is kind and compassionate, but most of all he is hungry to learn. He is starved for knowledge and when he finally finds a teacher, he excels in unexpected ways.
The book has a merest hint of romance. He meets this badass girl, Yerin, who is terrifying, and he travels out of the valley. Most of it is about different types of madra and how to use them and different martial arts. As I said, I’m on book three and I love it. But it’s different from our work in tone, so it may not appeal to you. As always, try the sample first.
Buy links: Amazon KU.
Will Wight’s website: https://www.willwight.com/
I also want to thank you for all your wonderful books. I just haven’t seen anyone mention Wen Spencer. She is one of my favorites.
Also if anybody is still interested Effie is doing very well.
I’ll second both of those thoughts. Thank you and Wen Spencer’s Elfhome is also a favorite of mine.
I think I will binge read Cat and Bones…. and, I do love Karen Chance’s Cassie Palmer.
Thanks for the recommendation! Just finished binge reading this series, ugh cliff hanger endings =) can’t wait for the next book
I’m going to jump right in and try this. I’m on a bit of a fantasy high after reading the new Anne Bishop and the entire black jewel series to get ready. I just want more!!!
I read this awhile back and really, really enjoyed it. Totally bummed that it’s not a complete series but yay for more books! LOL. It is pretty different from what I usually read, but it sucked me in and I was very glad I picked up the first book on a whim. Great recommendation!
Thank you for the series recommendation. I read the first chapter of Unsouled and now hooked. I am on forced leave for at least six weeks ….so need lots of reading material. Only so much spring cleaning and workouts and Coronavirus info overload I can do. Nice to escape into a good book.
I started reading this, thank you for the recommendation! I’m enjoying it so far. Keep the recommendations coming please. I also enjoyed the first 3/4 of Pathfinder’s Way, when it became too romance like I ended up a bit bored so it’s in my “to be finished” category. I also enjoyed Tsumiko’s story that you recommended. I’m an avid reader and I consume books so the more recommendations you have while I patiently wait for your releases the happier I am :).
As an Asian, I had the same reaction to this book that you had to the Grisha series; my own experiences spoiled it and I found it annoying.
We bring out own 50% to the books we read. That’s why I never discourage anyone from reading a book – unless it’s just egregiously harmful – but I always warn that your mileage will vary. 🙂
You might enjoy the Broken Earth trilogy by N. K. Jemisin.
This is one of the tightest narratives I have ever read. I have trouble with suspending belief because my brain is always asking “why, why, why” and pointing out things that don’t make sense. This is particularly true on the second and third read-throughs. But that doesn’t happen here. This story is *tight*.
The story takes place at some point in the unknown future. Earth has been pretty much destroyed several times. Society has made and remade itself over and over but there a constant threat of additional catastrophes on the horizon. The remnants of previous societies scatter the landscapes and their presence is largely unquestioned and unexplored People are too busy trying to survive.
In the current society, people are divided by casts. There are strongbacks (manual laborers) leaders, breeders, and a few others that I can’t remember. You inherit your cast from your mother but you can move into another cast through merit or (in the case of the breeders), good looks and good genes.
Then there are the Rogga. Rogga have the power to manipulate the earth. In a world where Earth is already unstable this is seen has a bad thing and the Rogga are cast out.
However, the Rogga are also needed. They can cause earthquakes, yes, but they can also prevent quakes from shaking their homes and towns. So in addition to be cast out of their homes, they are also sequestered a commune and required to serve the society that they are not allowed to live in.
The protagonists of the story are mostly Rogga. They’re all very much products of their environment. They mostly mean well — there are no classic villains in this tale — but they don’t always do well. In fact, they sometimes do horrible things and then they have to live with them, although the narrative doesn’t really spend much time on that side of things.
There is almost no romance in this tale. There are relationships but no great love story. If the book has one flaw it is that the author may have tried for a love story but it was kind of weird and didn’t work for me. She doesn’t belabor it though so it didn’t take away from the overall narrative for me.
YMMV.
For any interested, the cradle series is FREE for the next five days, pls pick it up it’s amazing.
Only other book I’ve read that is equivalent to kate Daniels world building
What is the cradle series?
The Traveler’s trilogy by Will Wight is free today on Amazon
I’ve literally read the entire series in the past week. These books are so addicting, and now I need the next one! Thanks for the excellent suggestion.
Hi All,
I have come to this a few days later than everyone else so apologies if I am repeating authors that have already been mentioned but I would suggest reading:
Rachel Aaron
Ben Aaronovitch
Katherine Addison
Ilona Andrews (of course)
Rachel Bach
Jenn Bennett
Anne Bishop
Patricia Briggs
Stacey Brutger
Jim Butcher
Rachel Caine
Iver Cooper
Mark E Cooper
J C Daniels
Virginia DeMarce
Jocelynn Drake
Grace Draven
S K Dunstall
Lisa Edmonds
Hailey Edwards
Jennifer Estep
Lindsey Fairleigh
Eric Flint
Jeaniene Frost
Charlaine Harris
Michael R Hicks
Tanya Huff
Faith Hunter
Benedict Jacka
B D Jackson
Darynda Jones
Rosemary Kirstein
Robin LaFevers
Mark Lawrence
Kate Locke
Sarah J Maas
Neve Maslakovic
Seanan McGuire
Steve McHugh
Naomi Novik
Honor Raconteur
Michelle Sagara
Vivian Shaw
Nalini Singh
Wen Spencer
Jenn Stark
Glynn Stewart
Rob Thurman
Megan Whalen Turner
David Weber
T A White
Lol – Linda, I think you’ve been checking my shelves !
I am also late to the thread but have to add Katherine Addison / Sarah Monette. Unfortunately the first 2 books of Sarah Monette’s series, Melusine and the Virtu, are only available in hard cover but they are wonderful. Any Mildmay fans out there?
Thank you so much for your books and for this wonderful recommendation which makes this need for social distancing a little easier to bear.
This series is pure crack, I’d flew through books 1-6 fairly quickly, it’s just addictive like that.
I rec you take a look at The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang but it’s definitely more emotionally engaging than Cradle. Absolutely worth checking out.