http://www.imperialpurple.net A modest book review site Thu, 01 Jan 2009 10:23:50 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en K.J. Parker Colours in the Steel The Fencer Trilogy Vol. 1 Orbit 1998 Sometimes it takes me a little while to catch up on my reading. Colours in the Steel is ten years old now but still worth a review for those, like me, who weren't aware of it. Orbit have been reprinting it ... http://www.imperialpurple.net/2009/01/01/colours-in-the-steel/ J.J.R. Tolkien Edited by Christopher Tolkien Illustrated by Alan Lee The Children of Húrin HarperCollins 2008 I have literally (and I mean 'literally' literally) lost track of the number of times I have read The Lord of the Rings. It is a towering work of fiction. On the other hand, I have never been a ... http://www.imperialpurple.net/2008/11/30/the-children-of-hrin/ Terry Pratchett Nation Doubleday 2008 Terry Pratchett has achieved such a reputation now that his latest book - Nation - does not even have any blurb. It is assumed that you will buy it just because it is by Pratchett, never mind what it is about. Well, it worked for me. I bought it ... http://www.imperialpurple.net/2008/11/17/nation/ Robin McKinley Chalice Putnam 2008 I have been a great fan of Robin McKinley since discovering the Damar books (The Blue Sword and The Hero and the Crown) more than twenty years ago. A new book by her is always a reason for celebration. McKinley has two levels of writing - slightly fey fantasy ... http://www.imperialpurple.net/2008/10/14/chalice/ Garth Nix Illustrated by Sholto Walker One Beastly Beast Allen and Unwin 2008 One Beastly Beast is a collection of four children's stories by Australian author Garth Nix. Only one (The Princess and the Beastly Beast) is actually new, the others being first published in 1998 to 2000 but since I have never read ... http://www.imperialpurple.net/2008/09/21/one-beastly-beast/ Naomi Novik Empire of Ivory Harper Voyager 2007 Earlier this year, I reviewed Black Powder War - the book before this one in the Temeraire series. I had reservations about it and gave it three stars. This one is better although not perfect. Temeraire and Laurence have returned to England with the precious fire-breathing ... http://www.imperialpurple.net/2008/09/19/empire-of-ivory/ Lilith Saintcrow Night Shift Orbit. 2008 Earlier this year I reviewed Saintcrow's Working for the Devil. For me, Night Shift is a slightly better book although there are aspects which are not to my personal taste. It is the story of Jill Kismet, the resident demon hunter in the city of Santa something-or-other. I ... http://www.imperialpurple.net/2008/08/28/night-shift/ Liz Williams Snake Agent Night Shade Books 2008 (original edition 2005) Inspector Chen is a police detective in "Singapore Three" - one of a series of artificial islands. His special responsibility is for crimes involving the supernatural and for liaison with Hell. His wife is a demon who has a pet badger-spirit ... http://www.imperialpurple.net/2008/08/25/snake-agent/ Lisa Lutz Curse of the Spellmans Simon and Schuster 2008 Curse of the Spellmans is the sequel to The Spellman Files which was published in 2006. I didn't review the original (Imperial Purple didn't exist then) but I enjoyed it a lot. As well as being smart and sassy it had a surprising ... http://www.imperialpurple.net/2008/08/07/curse-of-the-spellmans/ Pamela Freeman Deep Water Orbit. 2008 Disclaimer: same as for Blood Ties Deep Water is the second volume of Freeman's Castings Trilogy following Blood Ties. I gave Blood Ties four stars and Deep Water is better. The Australian edition is available now - the rest of the world must wait until September. It continues the ... http://www.imperialpurple.net/2008/07/27/deep-water/