Corpselight by Angela Slatter Blog Tour

I am delighted to be involved in the blog tour for Corpselight by Angela Slatter which is the second volume in the Verity Fassbinder series. If you haven't already read the first book Vigil then get it and read it now, for your own good. This is a gritty urban fantasy set in Brisbane featuring Verity a half Normal, half Weyrd so she has a foot in each world but since she works for the Weyrd council she spends a lot of time dealing with Weyrd and weird stuff. Working for the Weyrd council is a bit like working for the city council only more dangerous and with greater probability of encountering tails and fangs. Verity is tough, brave, super strong, pigheaded, cynical, smart thinking and soft hearted. Imagine Phyrne Fisher transplanted to modern day Brisbane and clothed in doc martens, jeans and leather jacket except on top of all that, in this instalment Verity is also heavily pregnant. As Verity investigates mysterious drownings across the city and does some snooping for an insurance company she is targeted by some muderous kitsune and goes into early labour, luckily she is rescued by a mystery woman, who it turns out has a past very much entangled with Verity's. The storytelling is top notch; it's fast paced, wickedly funny and delightfully dark and the plot is never rushed, even though there is a huge amount of story and information conveyed. Each character is properly fleshed out and well rounded and there are twists that you just won't see coming. This is a perfect read for fans of Rivers of London or the Dresden Files or for any reader that likes their comedy razor sharp and their heroines daring, caring and devil may care.
The book is being launched in the UK/Ireland  and Australia simultaneously so the blog tour is international which is really exciting and includes many bloggers who took part in the blog tour for Vigil last year, because Angela Slatter is the kind of author that inspires fandom. Details of the rest of the blog tour are below, just click to enlarge and you can read my review of Vigil HERE

The Strange Case of Madeleine Seguin

A striking blend of fiction and fact William Rose’s novel focuses on a patient at the famous Salpêtrière Hospital in Paris as the 19^th Century draws to a close. The author presents us with a series of reports, case notes and letters written by the various characters who each for their own reason has a particular interest in Madeleine and her development. Through the letters we are given a glimpse into the decadent world of the fin de siècle and the various groups and salons; the experimental young artists and poets, those dabbling in magic and the occult and the scientists and psychiatrists who both help and experiment on the people they treat. There is a gothic undercurrent to the narrative which makes it darkly compelling and sinister. There is a sense of hedonism and thrill seeking amongst a number of the protagonists which intensifies the decadent and gothic atmosphere of the story.

The book places the mad girl at the centre of the story but as in life it is not her voice we hear, instead we only learn about her through others. The author presents a fascinating insight into a particular place and time; The Countess fascinated by the devil, the young artist seeking an introduction into society, the young doctor and his rejection of religion in favour of science and the professor as a kind of impresario using his patients as props to impress. The author’s interest in psychoanalysis and art is apparent and makes for an intriguing combination. A recommended read for fans of Diana Bretherick.

Reviewed for HNR Issue 78

https://historicalnovelsociety.org/reviews/the-strange-case-of-madeleine-seguin/

Rebecca Newton and The Sacred Flame by Mario Routi

Rebecca Newton and the Sacred Flame is a high fantasy, high octane adventure for Young Adults which will apppeal to those who have read and loved the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan and the Starcrossed books by Josephine Angelini as Mario's book is also set in the world of Greek Myth. The story features gods and monsters, immortal beings and mythical creatures and a battle between the forces of good and evil. The world building in this novel is vast in scope and takes a while to establish. The action mostly takes place in the Land of the White Sun which was built by the ancient Gods who live in the Elysian Fields and who also built Tartarus where demons and Titans dwell. Rebecca has grown up on earth unaware that she is an Orizon, a child of the Land of the White Sun but it is clear that she is an exceptional young woman from our first introduction to her; as she communicates fearlessly with a hungry lion. Rebecca journeys to the land of her ancestors and trains in fighting with a variety of weapons. She soon proves herself to be an adept and skilled soldier, a born leader and a thoughtful and mature young woman in fact her teachers believe her to be the most highly skilled Orizon soldier in many years. She attracts the attention of the leader of the kingdom of Beast King Turgoth and Rebecca discovers good and evil are harder to define that she thought. 

Although this book is aimed at a young adult audience it is written in high fantasy style which can at times veer off from the action towards more traditional storytelling becoming somewhat verbose. Too often it feels that the pace and action are sacrificed on the altar of detail and description. The character development also suffers as the narrative jumps from head to head presenting a variety of back stories and introspection rather than dialogue as would be more common in most YA novels. This won't bother fans of the high fantasy genre but may be off putting for some younger readers. The book has an interesting premise and a well constructed plot and a slow burning love story that builds from a slightly implausible beginning and makes the reader want to read on despite some of the minor irritations in the writing style. This book is winning praise from a variety of quarters and is bound to have broad appeal. You can learn more about the author at his website Mario Routi 

This book is published by Oak Tree Press http://www.oaktreepress.co.uk/ and I was sent a free copy in exchange for an honest review. Rebecca Newton and the Sacred Flame is available in paperback and e-book now.