You’d have thought that with all the lockdowns and working from home, I’d have done a lot more reading this year. But no, (according to Goodreads) I’ve actually only finished one more book in 2020 than I did in 2019. (44 against 43).
However, an interesting fact has emerged from the statistics – I seem to have read a lot of trilogy’s or parts of trilogy’s. Two complete ones, in fact, and seven first or second books in a trilogy. Sometimes, first and second books! So that’s my focus for this years review.
The first complete trilogy I read was a steampunk fantasy series by Rod Duncan: overall title ‘ The Fall of the Gas-Lit Empire’. A bit of a misnomer, that, since by the end of the trilogy the ‘Gas-Lit Empire’ may have been a little shaken, but is far from fallen. I understand that Duncan has planned two more trilogy’s set in this universe – nine books in total, I worked it out myself – so I suppose there’s plenty of time to get to it.
But, to consider just the three I’ve read, this is a beautifully atmospheric series set in an England that is divided between North and South – not just by culture or by accent, but actually separated into two very different nations. The history of how this came about has been worked out in some detail and skillfully woven into the narrative. Duncan avoids information dumping, instead letting the reader see his world through the eyes – and the adventures – of his main character, the remarkable Elizabeth Barnabus – of whom I will say no more for fear of spoilers, but she is a person as fully realised as the world she inhabits.
I read straight through the entire trilogy, and certainly hope to pick up the story in the next set.
Later on in the year, I read another fantasy trilogy straight through – but one of a very different flavour. This was ‘The Shattered Sea’ by Joe Abercrombie, who is particularly known for writing in the ‘grimdark’ sub-genre. This trilogy is supposedly aimed more at YA readers, and for that reason is a little less grim and a little less dark (also a bit shorter). But it’s a very fine difference in shading as far as I could see. Set in a medieval world with strong Nordic tones it’s harsh, violent and filled with intrigue of the worst kind – i.e. dark plots and deep betrayals.
But one thing I like about Abercrombie is that through all the gritty realism he still manages to weave some bright threads of hope. There is courage, and honour, and even love: not all choices lead to downward paths, and sometimes it is possible to stand in the light.
Add to this some brilliant world-building and an immersive word flow – the result is a series that kept me fully involved throughout.
But one thing I like about Abercrombie is that through all the gritty realism he still manages to weave some bright threads of hope. There is courage, and honour, and even love: not all choices lead to downward paths, and sometimes it is possible to stand in the light.
Add to this some brilliant world-building and an immersive word flow – the result is a series that kept me fully involved throughout.
So, on to the trilogy’s not yet completed.
Jean Gill has been one of my favorite authors for a while, ever since I came across her excellent historical fiction ‘Troubadours’ quartet. Recently, she’s been writing fantasy with a strong ecological message. The ‘Natural Forces’ series began with ‘Queen of the Warrior Bees’ which was one of my top reads last year. The second book, ‘Arrows Tipped With Honey’ picked up the story and expanded it further, revealing more of Gill’s excellent world-building and character development.
The fundamental conflict throughout the series is between the strictly controlled and closed world of the Citadel and the free, open and natural world beyond its walls. The Mages who rule in the Citadel will do anything necessary to preserve their power, but there are secrets hidden with the walls which even they do not know…
‘Natural Forces’ is a parable of our own worlds conflict between the natural world and human power structures that seek to either control of destroy it. But it is also a wonderful bit of storytelling – you can read it on both levels. Looking forward to the third book, due out in 2021.
(I’ve been reading some of Jean Gills other work as well. ‘How Blue Is My Valley’ is a funny and fascinating account of how she and her husband moved to Provence in France: ‘With Double Blade’ is a poetry collection that I’ve just started dipping into).
My best author discovery this year has been N. K. Jemisin. I’m now two books into her ‘Inheritance’ trilogy and looking forward to the third. The only thing holding me back is the knowledge that once I get into her world of gods, godlings and humans – all brilliantly imagined, with a dazzling array of personalities, talents and flaws – it becomes very difficult to extricate myself! I have to avoid starting it any time I have other commitments, because this is a writer who keeps me up late.
You’ll have noticed by now that I have gone very long on the fantasy this year. So for variety, let me mention a crime / mystery / thriller, ‘The Girl Who Played With Fire’ by Stieg Larsson. The second in the Millennium series, it picks up the ongoing story of Lisbeth Salander, surely one of the best characters ever created in any genre. Though there are actually six books in the series, only the first three were completed by Larsson before his death, so I can include it as part of a trilogy.
I do have my issues with the book, but it was an absorbing read in spite of those. I particularly liked the way the plot developed naturally from the character and history of Salander as already introduced in the first book. Another series I plan to continue with next year.
I do have my issues with the book, but it was an absorbing read in spite of those. I particularly liked the way the plot developed naturally from the character and history of Salander as already introduced in the first book. Another series I plan to continue with next year.
Switching to SF, I must mention ‘Gideon the Ninth’, first in the ‘Locked Tomb’ trilogy by Tamsyn Muir. It’s been labelled ‘Lesbian necromancers in space’, which I suppose is catchy, but inaccurate, and makes it sound like an erotic cartoon. It’s a much more subtle and finely nuanced story than the tag implies. The lesbian part is more to do with relationships than sex, and the space part is incidental, since nearly everything takes place planetside. The necromancy is more a science than magic, and the whole thing is worked out with a wonderful precision to give an excellent backdrop to an absorbing mystery. Part two is on my want to read list.
I could keep going, but, enough. Almost enough – I just want to mention some other, non-trilogy but excellent books from the past year.
‘The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry’ (Rachel Joyce) – deep, quirky, amusing and moving.
‘The Art Fiasco’ (Fiona Veitch-Smith) – fifth in the series about Poppy Denby, a female reporter and investigator of murders in the 1920’s.
‘Twenty Things to do after You Die’ and ‘Begat: Tales of Disappointment’ by Philip Skotte – connected stories exploring a possibly afterlife, and how issues from this life might be finally faced and resolved. Easy to access, but laced with profound thinking and sparkling with hope.
So... 2020. Undoubtedly a year we'll remember for a lot of reasons, many of them bad. But it has at least had a lot of good reading to help us through it - and there's more to come in 2021! Enjoy.
‘The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry’ (Rachel Joyce) – deep, quirky, amusing and moving.
‘The Art Fiasco’ (Fiona Veitch-Smith) – fifth in the series about Poppy Denby, a female reporter and investigator of murders in the 1920’s.
‘Twenty Things to do after You Die’ and ‘Begat: Tales of Disappointment’ by Philip Skotte – connected stories exploring a possibly afterlife, and how issues from this life might be finally faced and resolved. Easy to access, but laced with profound thinking and sparkling with hope.
So... 2020. Undoubtedly a year we'll remember for a lot of reasons, many of them bad. But it has at least had a lot of good reading to help us through it - and there's more to come in 2021! Enjoy.