Fantasy Book Critic reviews Guardians of the Desert

“Guardians of the Desert reads very much like its own novel too, not like a second half of a larger book…I will recommend it unreservedly to anyone loving a good traditional fantasy novel.”

So say Liviu Suciu and Cindy Hannikman of Fantasy Book Critic in their review of Leona Wisoker’s Guardians of the Desert, sequel to her acclaimed debut Secrets of the Sands. They do their usual thorough job of reviewing the novel, discussing the book itself as well as their reactions to it. If you read fantasy (and if you don’t, what are you doing here, anyway?) Fantasy Book Critic should be on your follow list, for penetrating and sharp-eyed evaluations of new books in the genre. And we appreciate those taking the time to turn their sharp eyes on this book.

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Library Journal recommends Guardians of the Desert

More great words about Leona Wisoker’s new novel:

“Having risen to the position of desert lord, the noblewoman Alyea of Peysimun must learn to wield her power wisely in a world where humans must contend with the enigmatic ha’reye, a people more ancient than humanity. Alyea entrusts her political education to Deiq of Stass, who struggles to conceal his half-ha’reye blood even as he navigates the intrigues of the human world. Meanwhile, forces are at work to throw a peaceful world into chaos. Wisoker (Secrets of the Sands) captures the feel of a desert culture as well as the convoluted politics of human and not-so-human societies. VERDICT: Compelling characters and a colorful setting make this a satisfactory multivolume fantasy.”

The book will be available March 29, but you can pre-order it now. We’ll be holding launch events in Williamsburg, VA on April 2 and at RavenCon on April 9. Come out and party with us, and see what the fuss is about.

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SF Revu recommends Guardians of the Desert

Fans of Leona Wisoker’s Secrets of the Sands are anxiously awaiting the release of the sequel, Guardians of the Desert, at the end of this month. SF Revu columnist Colleen Cahill sums up their feelings:

“When the second book in a series comes out, especially one I enjoyed a lot, I take up the book with mixed feelings. Will it live up to the first book or will I end up disappointed?”

Fortunately, this second book does not disappoint.

“I not only enjoyed Guardians of the Desert, but it was full of surprises. What a good combination of the unexpected and excitement; who could ask for more?… For its complexity, intriguing story, and (as in the first volume) for its characters I find totally fascinating, I heartily recommend Guardians of the Desert.”

Read the full review here.

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Library Journal reviews The Shadow of the Sun

This week’s edition of Library Journal includes a review of The Shadow of the Sun by Barbara Friend Ish. Reviewer Jackie Cassada has this to say:

“Once a king in his own right, Ellion brought scandal and death to his family. Swearing never to practice magic again, he sought refuge as a bard in the lands of the Tanaan, creatures of the Fae. When the high king of the Human Realms is assassinated, Ellion discovers that a rogue wizard threatens both humans and Tanaan. Agreeing to act as protector of the Tanaan princess Letitia, Ellion faces dangers that test his vows and draw him ever deeper into the darkness that threatens the world.

Ish displays a skill in language and character building that holds promise for future volumes in this series.

VERDICT: Rooted in a Celtic atmosphere and reminiscent of the works of Patricia Kenneally Morrison and Marion Zimmer Bradley, this fantasy debut deserves a wide readership.”

So far this review is print-only. We’ll post a link to the review online when it’s posted on the LJ site.

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A librarian recommends Secrets of the Sands

The Williamsburg Regional Library has a very cool blog in which they feature one book recommendation per day. Yesterday’s book was Secrets of the Sands by Leona Wisoker. Reviewer Neil Hollands calls the book

“a strong first fantasy, an epic with a desert setting as fully realized as that in Frank Herbert’s classic science fantasy Dune.”

He performs the public service for non-genre readers of explaining that fantasy books require a certain amount of patience of a reader while the author sets up the world in which her characters will play. But he also explains why it’s worth the effort:

“[I]t’s when they reach the exotic desert lands that the story really takes off. Wisoker has crafted the landscape, society, and culture of the desert country in detail that leaps off the page. Out of their element, Alyea and Idisio must navigate this culture with care. Mysterious advisers may be friends or foes, and little is as it seems. The two young protagonists are in over their heads–far deeper than they first realized.”

For readers looking for well-thought-out recommendations, this blog is a gem. And we couldn’t agree with their assessment of this book more.

 

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Publishers Weekly reviews The Shadow of the Sun

This week’s edition of Publishers Weekly includes a review of The Shadow of the Sun, the debut novel of Barbara Friend Ish, calling the book “enthusiastic epic fantasy”. We thought it was exciting, too.

Meanwhile, PW has this to say:

“The grander conflict that drives the book will be familiar to readers, but Ellion gives hints that his eventual solution to his inner conflict… may yet demonstrate a bit of welcome innovation.”

We’ve seen the outlines of the other volumes. We’re confident it will.

Read the review here.

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Darkcargo reviews Children of the Desert by Leona Wisoker

Just in time for Christmas, nrlymrtl posted a rare Double Review of Secrets of the Sands and the forthcoming Guardians of the Desert by Leona Wisoker. I always enjoy nrlymrtl’s reviews, because she’s a perspicacious reader who picks up on all sorts of subtleties and also because she has a hilarious way with words. This review is no different. Darkcargo’s review gives a reader new to the series a useful impression of what it’s about and observational gems for those who have read the first–as well as a sneak peek at Guardians of the Desert, which will be available at the end of March. The review is definitely worth checking out.

Book Review: Children of the Desert series by Leona Wisoker.

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Darkcargo reviews The Shadow of the Sun

Correction: the Darkcargo reviewer who wrote about The Shadow of the Sun was not Elizabeth, Mistress of Things Darkcargo, but her associate Nrlymrtl. Thanks Elizabeth for setting the record straight!

 

Elizabeth Campbell Nrlymrtl of the Darkcargo Blog shares these thoughts on the forthcoming The Shadow of the Sun by Barbara Friend Ish:

” This was one of those few books a year that would roll around my head during the day when I was not reading it, chomping at the bit to get back to it… I recognized the use of characters from The Tain and several Gaelic words, giving this novel a rich tapestry – the feel of a real, tangible world.”

Read the full review here.

Thanks for the kind words, Ms. Campbell Nrlymrtl! We couldn’t agree more.

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SF Signal on Edward Morris: This Is Exactly What We’ve Been Saying

SF Signal has a review of this year’s edition of The Year’s Best Horror–which includes a story by our own Edward Morris. As you might imagine, reviewer Jonathon McCalmont finds plenty of good things to say about these stories. We were particularly delighted by his take on Ed’s Lotophagi, which pretty much encapsulates what we’ve been saying right along–about that story, about everything that issues from Ed’s fevered brain:

What is most impressive about Morris’ writing is the way in which he manages to perfectly integrate the demands of characterisation, narrative and style into a structure that is not only non-linear but also brilliantly paced and powerfully affecting. Read this story for the way it makes your stomach tighten. Re-read it for Morris’ jaw-dropping technical skill.

Right on, Mr. McCalmont. And congratulations to Ed on some well-deserved recognition.

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Fantasy Book Critic review of Secrets of the Sands

Today on Fantasy Book Critic, Liviu Suciu and Cindy Hannikman team up for a very detailed and thoughtful review of Secrets of the Sands by Leona Wisoker. For those two reviewers’ many fans, the thought and effort that went into the review will come as no surprise; they give a great deal of information on the novel and what makes it work, as well as discussion of their trips through the story. As is always the way on Fantasy Book Critic, if you’ve been uncertain as to whether this was a book for you, Suciu and Hannikman will give you the data you need to decide.

I’m delighted to report they gave the book very high marks. Suciu says,

Highly, highly recommended as a haunting novel and a page turner and an A+ as an average of a solid A thread and an A++ one, while the announced sequel became another asap novel for me.

And Hannikman agrees:

In the end, I was highly impressed with this novel. There is something about this book that makes me want to reread it again. I completely agree with the comparison to Maria V Snyder, Leona Wisoker has tremendous talent and I can’t wait to see what she brings to the table with the second novel of this series. The hardest part is going to be the wait for the second novel.

Read the complete review here. The book will be available March 30, at BN.com, Amazon.com, and bookstores everywhere.

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