Review: The Retrieval Artist by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

5 stars for The Retrieval Artist by Kristine Kathryn Rusch.

I have always wanted to read this book, the book that introduces Miles Flint to the world and subsequently leads to the birth of the entire Retrieval Artist series. Yes, I may have read all seven books in this series, but somehow, there is always this nagging feeling at the back of my mind that something is amiss. So, I am delighted to be able to read this short story now.

Searching for an interstellar Disappeared is a lot harder than finding a missing person. Here, we see Miles Flint, the best and quickest Retrieval Artist in the business, in action - that stretches from Armstrong Dome, one of the colonies on Moon, to Sahara Dome on Mars, to Gagarin Dome on Moon - all because of a case that has turned personal.

I enjoy this short novel tremendously. It feels very much like meeting up with a good old friend and reminiscing about old times. And the best part? Everything is seen and told through the eyes of none other than Miles Flint.

The Retrieval Artist series is never complete until one has read the book that started it all; well, at least that is how I see it. Yes, I have come to complete this one terrific science fiction series. Finally.

Review: Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik

5 stars for Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik.

The book title reminds me time and again of the miller's daughter in Rumpelstiltskin. I may even agree that the very idea of Spinning Silver originates from this children's classic book, yet Spinning Silver is remarkable in its own right.

The story is about a girl, a moneylender from a small town, who can turn silver into gold; from a hundred pennies into a silver kopek, and from twenty silver kopeks into a golden zlotek.

The initial 10% or so of the novel is business as usual, nothing special about the moneymaking activities. In fact, the story is so slow moving and uneventful that I teeter on the edge of abandoning this book for another. It also does not help that the story is narrated by more than one person, making it all the more confusing to read and follow.

Needless to say, I am happy beyond words that I persist in my pursuit of spinning silver into gold for soon enough, I am transported deep into a magical realm, first of winter and snow, then, one of fire and flame. A monster of ice and a monster of fire. As is, there is more to this icy monster than meets the eye. One exists because of the other and for good reasons.

Indeed, Spinning Silver is an enthralling and spellbinding story that explores the dynamics of various relationships and what it means to be human against all odds. Though the many different first person perspectives is not of my preferred style, the author successfully captivates me with her writing and imagery that I willingly let myself be sucked into the magical adventures of Miryem, Wanda, Sergey, Stepon, Irina, Mirnatius and Magreta. On top of it all, I love the underlying message that the story presents: everything happens for a reason.

Well, I shall leave it at that for now and say no more, else you will lose half the fun of immersing yourself in this fantasy novel.

Review: Uprooted by Naomi Novik

5 stars for Uprooted by Naomi Novik.

This book must have been uprooted from Heaven's ground and magically planted to take roots on Earth. It is a beautiful story, charming and captivating in all its originality.

Do not judge this book based on the peculiarity of a title and overlook it for good. As the chinese idiom goes, the phrase 臥虎藏龍 (Wò hǔ cáng lóng) totally applies to the story here. Translated, it means 'Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon', in which the words 'Tiger' and 'Dragon' refer directly to people with special hidden talents.

In a sense, there is a tiger and a dragon in this book. Well, if a tiger of magic is considered as one, then there certainly is one such crouching in the female protagonist, Agnieszka, waiting to be discovered and unleashed. As for the dragon.. this Dragon does not eat the girls he takes, no matter what stories they tell outside the valley. Though this dragon is not a real fire breathing one, it is close enough; a wizard and immortal whose name tasted of fire and wings, of curling smoke, of subtlety and strength, and the rasping whisper of scales.

Besides the two enthralling main characters, the marvellously melodic prose of love and war brings out a kind of beauty that goes beyond skin deep to touch my soul and flutter my heart. On the surface, this story may read like a first-rate fantasy built upon a world of mystery and enchantment, of fighting evil and corruption. But often enough, there is no clear-cut case of good versus evil for there is always a good reason behind everything. In the end, in the heart of it all, Uprooted is about learning to let go, to free oneself from obsessing thoughts and from unhappy feelings. And that basically is what makes this fantasy story epic.

Now that I have reached the end of a magical adventure with a deeply satisfying conclusion, I cannot help but yearn for more. Perhaps one day, the author may have a change of mind and turn this standalone novel into a series. Why not, right? A girl can always hope.

Review: The Alchemist’s Flame (The Final Formula #3) by Becca Andre

4 stars for The Alchemist’s Flame (The Final Formula book 3) by Becca Andre.

Thus far, the author has done a remarkable job on the opening paragraph of each instalment in the series that makes me eager to keep the pages turning.

Here goes for the current book..

"A practicing alchemist doesn’t spend all her time indoors. The profession offers many opportunities to escape the confines of the lab. There are ingredients to be gathered, potions to be delivered, and as was the case today, necromancers to spy on. Purists may not lump the last into an alchemist’s job description, but I found myself in this position so frequently that I had begun to think of it as part of the job."

Well, there is certainly a lot more to alchemy than just mixing potions. In this book, not only does the alchemical world continues to build upon itself, I notice an increase in the use of subtle humor that serves to lighten and yet heighten the dynamics between the protagonist, Addie and the rest of the characters. Great work there!

Third book to date and still my favourite character remains unchanged. I swoon over Addie's lab partner and ride, the most cool and clear headed character with old world etiquette who is, fortunately or unfortunately, an all-in-one - undead necromancer, alchemist and Lich King.

Review: The Blood Alchemist (The Final Formula #2) by Becca Andre

4 stars for The Blood Alchemist (The Final Formula book 2) by Becca Andre.

How do you right a wrong? To Addie, the most brilliant alchemical mind of our time, the answer lies with The Final Formula. With that, much of this story still revolves around The Final formula and its unique properties.

I will not say that I enjoy this book through and through seeing that certain characters that get on my nerves - such as the three Huntsman brothers - keep making their appearances, so much so that I am prepared to down my rating of this book to 3 stars.

However, in the end, the Lich King, Ian, convinces me to change my mind. Yes, I like the character of Ian Mallory much more than that of the Flame Lord, Rowan. There is absolutely no doubt about it. For this reason, I am really pleased to find, at the end of The Blood Alchemist, an entire short story dedicated to Ian and Addie.

In fact, this book is a steal because it comes with not one but two bonus short story, The Lich's Lab and A Christmas Formula, both of which are very well written and leave me wanting for more at the end of it all.

Review: The Element of Death (The Final Formula #1.5) by Becca Andre

3 stars for The Element of Death (The Final Formula book 1.5) by Becca Andre.

This novella is cleverly written to spin off a story from where James and Rowan wander off towards the end of book 1 The Final Formula. The story focuses on James and provides a good introduction to the start of an unique relationship between him and Rowan.

To tell the truth, I am somewhat disappointed that this short story is not about our little alchemist, Addie, but all about James and a little walk down memory lane. But I suppose, as Addie's sidekick, James does deserves some attention too.

Overall, an okay read for me.

Review: The Final Formula (The Final Formula #1) by Becca Andre

5 stars for The Final Formula (The Final Formula book 1) by Becca Andre.

I have been reading at a snail's pace of late. It has nothing to do with the writing of the book on hand but everything to do with - for lack of a better word - distractions. For a start, there is the beta reading, then ten days of vacationing in Hokkaido, Japan and finally, my watching of the 2018 FIFA World Cup matches.

I have always wanted to read this book but somehow or other, I never get down to it until my recent flight to Hokkaido. Even then, I did not achieve much reading of this urban fantasy novel in the air as my focus is on completing the beta read.

Come to think of it, I should really have made the effort to read this book earlier. It is good. Very good in fact. It has a beginning that appeals to me, an ending that tugs at my heartstrings, and in between these two, there is alchemy, necromancy, magic and elementary forces (fire, air, water, earth), all of which serve to bring out the best mix of science, fantasy, romance, mystery, suspense, and action to produce the very formula in The Final Formula.

So, what is this Final Formula exactly? Well, go grab a copy of this e-book now while it is still available for free download, and unravel the greatest mystery of all time.

Review: Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

4 stars for Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl.

It is my belief that at some point in time during one's lifetime, one will question the purpose of life and thus begins the quest to search for its meaning. If you are reading this for the same reason as I do.. Welcome to the club!

This is a book about survival.

The first half offers personal experiences of an inside story from the Auschwitz concentration camp, told by the author himself as one of the survivors. He conveys to readers by way of concrete examples, such as situations in a concentration camp, that life holds a potential meaning under any conditions, even the most miserable ones. His account is not so much about what he has suffered and lost, but more so about the sources of his strength to survive.

The second half is about logotherapy, a theory developed by the author who is a neurologist as well as psychiatrist, based on the belief that the human person is motivated by an inner pull to find a meaning in life. And by identifying that purpose in life, logotherapy can help to overcome all struggles.

Dr. Frankl's theories are heavily influenced by his personal experiences of suffering and loss in Nazi concentration camps. He believes that we may not be able to control what happens to us in life but we can always control what we will feel and do about what happens to us; as long as we retain the freedom to choose how we will respond, we are never left with nothing.

I like and enjoy reading the first half of this book where psychological lessons can be learnt from the author's Auschwitz experience. Sadly, the same cannot be said for the latter half. The in-depth studies, discussions and explanatons on logotherapy is just too philosophical for me.

Having reached the end of the book, when all is said and done, it all boils down to "having a Why to live for will enable us to bear the How". The greatest task for any person is to find meaning in his or her life.

Man's Search for Meaning. Have you started yours? If you have not, this book is as good a place as any to start.