The Snow-walker by Catherine Fisher

The Snow-Walker by Catherine Fisher is a teen novel in the form of a 3-part saga inspired by Norse mythology. In this novel, an evil sorceress from a frozen land has taken over a kingdom and sends 2 young cousins to deliver a message to her exiled and supposedly monstrous son. Basically, the cousins discover allies willing to help them fight the sorceress and there is much sorcery, mysterious events, soul-searching and travel to icy wastelands. The other two sagas deal with many of the same characters but bring the humble beginnings of the story to a glorious (yet still somewhat humble) end.

Overall, I enjoy the epic tone, interspersed with witty dialogue and charmingly realized characters who have a lot of spirit. Ancient Nordic culture is always fun to read about, even transposed to a fictitious setting. I had been meaning to check this book out and I am glad I did, there's really nothing I can say that's bad about this book.

the Bartimaus trilogy by Jonathan Stroud

The Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud, including The Amulet of Samarkand and The Golem's Eye, is actually a very well-written and witty series about wizards, demons and a re-imagined London. (I sure love those British authors, hah hah.) Unfortunately, the young protagonist happens to be a douchebag, so I found it a very unpleasant read overall. While the changing perspectives and the cheeky footnotes by the demon were extremely entertaining, I have a hard time justifying my admiration of a series when the hero is actually a jerk. I am told he gets better by the end, so I will try to read the third book, Ptolemy's Gate, just to know what happens. I need justification for staying up so late.

Don't get me wrong, this series is worth your time. I have finally read the last book, and while it was a gripping and dramatic adventure, he is still a douchebag. But one that you can like.

(briefly) series that I didn't like very much

The Sharing Knife (Beguilement) by Lois McMaster Bujold: a medieval fantasy novel that started off with a few interesting twists, but the needless character relationship development at the end was gross and wasn't even remotely interesting. I didn't finish this book and am not inspired to read the rest of the trilogy.

Strange Devices of the Sun and Moon by Lisa Goldstein: if you're into historical England, Shakespeare and Faerie, this book is for you. Eerie and poetic, a philosophical fantasy novel about a widowed bookseller fighting to save her son (and world) from Faerie.

Not Exactly the Three Musketeers by Joel Rosenburg: Typical epic fantasy quest with 3 men apparently from our world set into a magical medieval world. Wizards, sorceresses, dragons galore. Funny, action-packed, but definitely adult.

Crimson Shadow: the Sword of Bedwyr by R.A. Salvatore: This fellow was a NY Times best selling author, so I thought I'd check him out and see if he's all that good. Like most male authors, he deals with action and humor quite expertly, though I had trouble liking any of the characters in this trilogy much. The plot and dialogue, even in Luthien's Gamble, seem awfully shallow and Hollywood-esque in comparison to some of the deeper and admittedly more feminine series I prefer.

Prince of the Blood by Raymond Feist: This was another best-seller author that I decided to give a go. Not bad for a typical swords and sorcery novel. I liked the characters and detailed world building, the dialogue was humorous but not too full of itself, the plot sufficiently complicated. But I wasn't particularly interested in what happens in a massive fantasy epic and after reading Shadow of a Dark Queen, it confirmed my apathy towards future huge undertakings, with the exception of Pratchett of course.

Vellum by Hal Duncan: this urban sci-fi/fantasy novel looked very hip and edgy and Neil-Gaiman-esque, but it was a chore to keep up with the changing perspectives and overall felt extremely unpleasant. Deals with an amazing revelation of biblical and spiritual mysteries and gutsy young heroes who must fight the forces of good and evil, all at the same time. I am not the intended demographic, I think.

(briefly) young adult trilogies by various authors

These trilogies are some of the newer series for young adults and children that I've discovered at my local library. I haven't actually completed a few of these trilogies on account of them not being written or not found or not being intriguing enough for me to finish. In the wake of Rowling's Harry Potter series, there is a surge of amazing stories written for children and teens that would definitely satisfy an older reader. I would recommend Lemony Snicket's dismal 12-volume chronicle of the Baudelaire orphans' tragic adventures, A Series of Unfortunate Events, it is intellectually stimulating while being perfectly depressing.

The Safe-Keeper's Secret by Sharon Shinn: Including Dream-maker's Magic and Truth-teller's Tale, a trilogy with mild fantasy elements. In this medieval world, there are humans born with the ability to keep secrets safe, to tell only the truth if asked, and one human with the ability to make dreams come true. A feel-good series, in my opinion. The romance is not overboard, an especially admirable accomplishment in a young adult book, plus the plot threads are strong, uplifting and rustically emotional. I usually hate rustic country novels, but I thought the humanity developed in such close relationships was really rather touching.

the Johnny Maxwell trilogy by Terry Pratchett: I've only read Johnny and the Dead and Only You Can Save Mankind, and have yet to read Johnny and the Bomb. This children's trilogy, one of his older works, is as hilarious and satirical as only Pratchett can be. It can get a bit painful at times, since the premise of the plot is that Johnny, a rather drab but conscientous British boy, must overcome the horrible-ness of the adult world to save lives that ought to be saved.

Montmorency: Thief, Liar, Gentleman? by Eleanor Updale: This first book of a Victorian thief who transforms himself into a gentleman is just... wow. Adventure and ingenuity and of course, morbid fascination with a criminal given a second chance at life. But I forbid you to read the rest of the trilogy! You may want to know more about Montmorency's adventures, but I found that the plot's interesting-ness declined rapidly with the addition of more characters, who weren't half as cool as the original hero. A terrible waste of a good character, in my opinion. *tears of disappointment*

Monster Blood Tattoo by DM Cornish: A macabre fantasy teen novel about an unfortunate boy who ends up journeying with a monster hunter and you know, develops character and learns about the world. Incredibly well-developed world with unique characters and monsters. It's apparently part of a trilogy, so I have to read more to see if I like the plot much, but it seems well worth the exploration. I also love the drawings the author included - as an "artist," I was genuinely impressed.

Eragon by Christopher Paolini: I am sorry, these are quite possibly the most boring teen fantasy novels I have ever read/heard. Maybe not terrible, just horrifically boring, which is almost terrible. I would say this fantasy trilogy about a boy and his dragon tries too hard to be like Tolkien. Granted, I am being forced to listen to someone narrate it at his own speed, so that may color my opinion. But even if I finished reading the books, I would still think this trilogy too dull and un-revolutionary and so not worth a movie.

The Bitterbynde Trilogy by Cecilia Dart-Thornton

The Bitterbynde Trilogy by Cecilia Dart-Thornton is a beautifully written epic romantic fantasy novel by a talented author. The majority of her writing draw from numerous fairy tales and folk stories. The scope of the fantastic creatures she describes blows my mind, and I used to read encyclopedias of myths and fairy stories for fun. She tends to go Dickinsonian with description, like spending over a page just to describe a person's appearance, but it's elegantly and uniquely written, so I skip it only half the time, hah hah. When the action does happen, it's just breathtaking, full of danger and suspense and tragic romance. The characters are well-developed and complex. The hero/heroine strong, sensible, likeable, but ultimately doomed. And that may very well be the only thing I didn't like about this series. The main story takes place in a very compressed amount of time, with some flashback and some epilogue, so the abrupt ending seems pointless and anti-climactic, even the "happy" alternate ending. But I suppose that makes it all the more artsy and mysterious. My favorite fairytale reference was the Pied Piper of Hamelin, that was... wild, to say the least.

The Crucible Trilogy by Sarah Douglass

The Crucible Trilogy, including The Nameless Day, the Wounded Hawk and the Crippled Angel, by Sarah Douglass makes for an alternate history trilogy experience that is certainly... different. Topics of note include medieval Europe, Joan of Arc, the role of God, Christ and the angels, and allusions to Shakespeare's plays about King Richard the Second. A complex battle between angels and demons for the future of humanity, questioning what is truly good and truly evil, you know, good hearty stuff. I admire the multi-layered characterization and the thoroughly researched storyline, but the entire trilogy goes a little overboard with the shock value, what with someone or something getting horrifically raped every 10 pages, it seems. I know it's trying to be realistic of the times, but shock is not really my thing, even if there was an explanation. I am not sure I would recommend this series to anyone but the most devout of medieval history buffs with a strong stomach.

(briefly) young adult trilogies by various authors

Now for a brief review of various young adult trilogies that have been considered classics. I read some of these quite a while ago, but would recommend them to any pre-teen or teen with an affinity for fantasy and mystery. These don't have their own entries because I don't remember them very well, having read them so long ago, but I doubt anyone would mind.

The Riddle-master of Hed by Patricia Mckillip: a richly layered fantasy trilogy about a harpist and riddlemaster who is also a king. Details an epic quest to battle evil, discover the hidden past and make amends for the future. It is so full of allegory and allusion, I had no clue what was going on most of the time. The language used is incredibly beautiful if also very very vague. I would recommend all of her numerous fantasy novels if you are in the mood for concentrating on the meaning of symbols.

The Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. LeGuin: another fantasy trilogy by a famous author concerning wizards, dragons, demons and ghosts. The story of a proud young wizard who gains his power at great cost and learns of wisdom and happiness. I describe the tone as spare and solemn but lovely in a natural and unassumed way. I was not as fond of the later books, but I still enjoyed them very much. Continues in Tehanu and in an anthology of short stories called The Other Wind.

Ruby in the Smoke by Phillip Pullman: this is a historical fiction trilogy with some elements of fantasy and science fiction. Taking place in Victorian London, it describes the adventures of a brave and intelligent young woman with connections to a dangerous and supernatural past. The last book was incredibly bitter and unpleasant (at least for a teen novel), that seems to be his trend, but overall the drama and mystery of this series will not disappoint.

Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey

Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey is a romantic fantasy trilogy/series with a touch of history. The trilogy is definitely one of my guilty pleasures. Her style of writing is very lush and detailed, with a particular emphasis on politics and culture, which I always like. While the majority of the plot is based on an alternate Renaissance-era Europe, there are occasional forays into the supernatural and spiritual. There is a lot of hanky panky going on, sometimes it is sweet and sometimes it is outright silly, but it's there, so you know.

The first book is a great opener, the middle book, Kushiel's Chosen, lags a little bit in my opinion, but the third book, Kushiel's Avatar, is quite exotic and adventurous and handily wraps up most conflicts. Carey raises the bar for female-fronted adult fantasy novels, and for a romantic series, this is gold, though that isn't saying too much.

The series continues from a male perspective in the Imriel trilogy, dealing with even more politics. I read some of it and did not feel like it held a candle to the original trilogy, it was a bit callous and you know, masculine. But seeing as this series revolves around sadism and masochism, I guess that's to be expected, hah hah.

The Abhorsen Trilogy by Garth Nix

The Abhorsen Trilogy, also known as the Old Kingdom series, by Garth Nix is a fascinating and dramatic fantasy/horror series for young adults. I personally feels it falls into the "trilogy trap" later on because Lirael and Abhorsen didn't really keep up the same level of awesome that Sabriel started.
The series describes Sabriel's ongoing war against the forces of evil (mostly zombies and sorcerors), assisted by various brave individuals who are not all human. The world, one side normal and technological and the other side magical and dangerous, is especially well thought-out. I really liked Sabriel's ability as a necromancer, it seemed very unique.

I think the sudden lull in the second book and the jumbled-up storyline in the third book really did the series a disservice. While I find it anti-climactic overall, the eerily prosaic tone never lets up and makes this series suitably suspenseful. Across the Wall, containing short stories based in that world, makes for a good read, but I think I say that of most anthologies.

(briefly) Arthurian series by various authors

A brief review of various Arthurian series I read throughout highschool and college... To be added to when I remember those pesky other series.

the Pendragon Cycle by Stephen Lawhead, including Taliesin, Merlin, Arthur, Pendragon and Grail: I thought Taliesin was amazing, a legendary treatment of the bard combining the legends of Arthur and Atlantis, but by Pendragon, I was writhing in pain and thinking "Why am I reading such trash?" Couldn't finish it, no matter what critics might say.

the Merlin Trilogy by Mary Stewart, including Crystal Cave, Hollow Hills, Last Enchantment: a promising start, with a gritty and powerful retelling of Merlin's life as a youngster. Like most Arthurian trilogies, ended in tragedy, and I mean tragedy. The Wicked Day, a fourth book about Mordred's life, was actually rather interesting, but still unpleasant to finish.

Hawk of May by Gillian Bradshaw, also Kingdom of Summer, In Winter's Shadow: this one is a slightly more youth-friendly treatment of Arthurian legend, including views from Gwalchmai, his servant Rhys and Queen Gwynnhyfar. No mention of Merlin or Lancelot, this is a more historical and somewhat mystical retelling that ends tragically.

the Fionavar Tapestry by Guy Gavriel Kay, including The Summer Tree, Wandering Fire, The Darkest Road: not exactly Arthurian, but drawing heavily on that legend. This is a daring and brilliantly composed fantasy series of the war between good and evil and the heavy price some heroic individuals must pay. It really affected me when I read it in high school, though that may just be me in high school. Very sad.

the Once and Future King by T.H. White: A very good series overall, but also swimming in tragedy by the end. I would definitely not recommend the last 3 parts for children, even though Sword in the Stone made for a funny movie.

the His Dark Materials trilogy by Phillip Pullman

The His Dark Materials trilogy, including The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass, is an intriguing fantasy-ish/sci-fi-ish series for young adults. Set in an alternate London, it follows the adventures a brave young girl and her daemon familiar, fighting to either save the world or maybe destroy it. The first book I consider a literary work of art, very imaginative and elegant and charming, a must-read for all children. The rest of the series... maybe not as appropriate for youngsters, as the subject and tone starts to befit a cynical pre-teen or teenager who needs yet another reason to hate the world and The Man.

What I like best about this series is its unique view on concepts of Christianity. It is unusual, thought-provoking, daring even. Again, if you are not versed in the Bible or Bible-related literature such as Milton's Paradise Lost, this trilogy's thinly veiled criticism may be totally over your head. But from a purely secular view, the action, mystery, philosophy and drama are worth checking out. Despite my misgivings about the later books, this series definitely ought to be listed as one of the classics of children's literature, and Lyra a role model young heroine, at least for smart and sophisticated children.

The movie looks like it won't live up to the book, that is as I expected. But Nicole Kidman is always worth watching, in my opinion.