Oldies But Goodies {Put This One on Your TBR List} Book Review: The Saint of Steel Series by T. Kingfisher by Karen S. Wiesner

 

Oldies But Goodies

{Put This One on Your TBR List}

Book Review: The Saint of Steel Series by T. Kingfisher

by Karen S. Wiesner

 

 

Beware potential spoilers! 

To describe T. Kingfisher's medieval fantasy The Saint of Steel series as romance is a bit off the mark. No doubt it has lateral shoots toward it but those tendrils into the genre are anything but conventional. The language and love scenes are unexpectedly crude, the way erotica can sometimes be, though all volumes frequently dip into the (frequently eye-rolling) tender mawkishness of traditional romance offerings. I suspect strongly that the author intended exactly this unorthodox straddling of categories when she was writing it. 

Whatever its classification, for the most part, I found it to be a breath of fresh air. Full disclosure: For all intents and purposes, I stopped reading romances (other than the young adult variety) about twenty years ago. I can't really say that was a conscious decision. More that I'd expanded past the romance-heavy books that dominated the reading of my twenties and early thirties. And, admittedly, I no longer cared for the requisite love scenes that were so much a part of this genre. I discovered another nice thing about audiobooks is that you can fast-forward past sections in 15-second intervals. I did that a lot with these. In any case, it was a bit strange for me to take up a romance series--unconventional as this was--again after all this time away. 

Once I'd finished with Kingfisher's audiobook of A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking (I reviewed it recently on this blog), the only available audiobooks by this author on my library app were these four books in The Saint of Steel series. Weirdly, all of them were available to check out there and then, so I was able to listen to them back-to-back. The fact that they were readily obtainable when none of her others were made me wonder if they weren't any good. Luckily, I found that wasn't the case. I also learned that when something is "DRM free", as I think this series is, it means that unlimited electronic copies are distributed. No waiting lines! Nice for readers, probably not so much for the author or publisher. 

The premise of this series is that an order of berserker paladins loses the Saint of Steel they serve when he dies. Unthinkably--to me anyway--in this fictional medieval time period the series is set in, these saints are venerated as gods; in fact, the words "saint" and "god" pretty much mean the same thing here. After his death, his followers go on a mad rampage of death before they're broken. That's covered in a short prologue in Book 1. Years later, the seven survivors have been taken into the service of the (irreverent but amusingly so) Temple of the Rat, made up of lawyers, healers, and other community service workers. Here, they can again do good. 

By nature, paladins are selfless, chivalrous, and honest to a fault. However, these knights are forever in danger of losing themselves to the berserker rage (called the black tide) they can't control once its unleashed. I loved how natural the world building in this medieval setting is in the author's hands. She does medieval effortlessly, as if she herself actually lives in that time period. 

There are four books in this series:

Paladin's Grace, Book 1 (2020)

Paladin's Strength, Book 2 (2021)

Paladin's Hope, Book 3 (2021)

Paladin's Faith, Book 4 (2023)

 

In Paladin's Grace, the knitting paladin Stephen is the focus. Grace is a perfumer he rescues one night and then the two become embroiled in a conspiracy plot against the crown prince as well as investigating necromantic serial killings in which the victim's heads are chopped off; black magic clay heads are then implanted into the corpses to make an army of monsters. 

This story had some clichéd romantic elements. Stephen was such a do-gooder he was always worrying about losing control whenever he and Grace found themselves in a compromising sexual situation. Frequently, that led to sex between them being tabled, which got a little stale after a while. Grace is also the victim of a philandering husband who made her believe she was frigid and so she spends a lot of wasted time pushing Stephen away on that premise. The first actual love scene was a little icky for me--as far from romantic as it gets. I wanted to shout, Please, close the door! I believe the author wrote it the way she did to avoid all potential for purple prose or swooning. She may have gone a little too far on that point. I learned after that to fast-forward to get past these excruciating scenes. That said, the rest of the romance and suspense plotlines were, at turns, fun, funny, sweet, and even heartwarming. The happily ever after between Stephen and Grace was, fittingly, out of the ordinary for a romance novel as well, in that the couple didn't have a picket fence and 2.5 kids in their future. They would both continue as they had been, only now they were together. I really liked that Grace's best friend Marguerite was a very avant garde character. The reader didn't know what she might do next. I also liked the introduction of a race of talking badgers that are a part of human society in this medieval world. 

Book 2 in the series, Paladin's Strength, takes up paladin Istvhan's (mentioned in Book 1) story. He's paired with Clara, a very large (nearly his own considerable size), capable woman who's a nun from a secretive order. Clara is hiding something shocking and intriguing that really adds something to the story. Her sisters have been kidnapped. She doesn't know why, but she intends to find out. Istvhan's company--that she originally thought was a band of mercenaries--helps her and, along the way, finds out that the necromantic serial killer from Book 1 is still on the loose. 

There's also a gnole in this story, as there was in Book 1 (I don't think it's the same one) who accompanies Istvhan's company. I loved this interesting, unexpected character. Additionally, we got to revisit Stephen and Grace's happily ever after, which was nice. I liked the main characters, their amusing repertoire, and the romance that seemed joyfully inevitable despite their circumstances. However, as in Paladin's Grace, the angst that Istvhan and Clara go through about whether they should be allowed to fall in love and have sex with each other gets really annoying with such a long book. Teenagers are less angsty than Kingfisher's couples in this series. At one point (64% into the 16-hour audiobook), Clara thinks to herself, What's wrong with me? I should have been riding this man until we both walk funny. That about sums it up. Just do it already! The author also has far too many albeit plausible (but still annoying) interruptions getting in the way of sex. The overwhelming build-up tends to make the actual event disappointing when it finally comes. I'm beginning to fear the entire series might suffer from this particular malady. 

In general, I enjoyed this story and its characters very much, though it was far too long. There were two external plotlines and both got the full treatment. While I think they were both well done, the book seemed nevertheless excruciatingly endless. The angst could have been blessedly cut and taken with it a good one or two hundred pages. 

The gay paladin, Galen, mentioned in Book 1 and having played a large role in Book 2, is in the spotlight in Paladin's Hope. In the first book, we learned that he's struggled more with survival after the Steel Saint's death than the others. His nightmares used to end in a berserker rage, but he's found that being on the road helps temper the bad dreams quite a bit. He now goes weeks or longer without having one. 

In this story, Galen is paired with a lich-doctor (a physician that works among the dead, determining causes of death for city investigations) named Piper. Piper has a useful, intriguing skill that aids him in his profession. He calls it "wonder working"--when he touches a dead body, he can see what happened the last few seconds of their life before death. When a tenacious and brave constable gnole decides there are too many mysterious bodies piling up, he enlists Piper and Galen's to help him find the source. That's the only suspense plotline in this book, and that made it a lot shorter to get through, which was nice. Unfortunately, Galen and Piper are just as tormented with worry as the previous couples, so fast-forward, fast-forward, fast-forward! 

Side note: The Saint of Steel series books are also associated with some of Kingfisher's other titles set in the same medieval fantasy world. The umbrella series is referred to as "The World of the White Rat" and includes The Saint of Steel as well as Clocktaur War (with two books) and the novel Swordheart. I intend to read all of those soon and maybe review them here. The reason I mention this is because, in this story, Galen talks about how he'd had some experience with "wonder" (mechanical and possibly magical) doors and machines. The two stories in the Clocktaur War may tell this story Galen references. I'll have to see. Early in Paladin's Hope, Galen, Piper and the gnole are forced behind a wonder door, into a labyrinth filled with deadly traps they'll have to get through to escape. 

In the course of the book, readers briefly get to see the happily-ever-afters of the two previous couples, which I enjoyed. I liked the fully-fleshed out characters and the new mystery plot in this tale that's nicely focused without too much expansion from that point. 

 

The final book in the series, Paladin's Faith, features Marguerite and paladin Shane, her bodyguard. She's trying to escape a former employer who's part of a powerful organization that wants her dead. Along the way, the couple have to dodge a demon-led cult that's out to get them. Additionally, Marguerite, Shane, and another paladin--a female named Wren--go undercover to hunt for an artificer who's crafted a device that could devastate the world. Also, though I never really thought about it before, the suspicious death of the Saint of Steel that all these paladins served is brought up in this book as yet another suspense angle. 

Again, this story was far too long and overburdened with subplots upon subplot. Combine this with yet another angsty romance between two people who spend far too much time telling themselves they can't anything with the other, and it's a surefire recipe for overload. Sigh. The female paladin Wren, who's like a sister to Shane, added an interesting viewpoint to this tale. Despite the negatives, I did enjoy the overall story, the compelling cast of characters, and the multi-faceted mysteries were capably handled from start to finish. 

Note that according to the author, though there are seven surviving paladins, these are the only four stories she intends to write (well, Wren is a paladin and a good chunk of her story was told in this last book, so perhaps we can say five stories were told within the four books, leaving potentially two untold), though further entries aren't out of the realm of possibility in the future. I expect Kingfisher didn't initially anticipate writing more than a trilogy with The Saint of Steel but Marguerite probably got a lot of requests for a story of her own. I for one would have felt disappointed without finding out what happened to her after Book 1. 

To sum up, if you're looking for something unusual and unconventional in your romance reading, this series is certainly worth your time. Beware the teenager apprehension you'll get around every corner between the couples, but, alas, that's what audiobooks and fast-forward buttons are for. 

Karen Wiesner is an award-winning, multi-genre author of over 150 titles and 16 series.

Visit her website and blog here: https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/

and https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/karens-quill-blog

Visit her publisher here: https://www.writers-exchange.com/Karen-Wiesner/

Fellow-Passengers to the Grave by Karen S. Wiesner

 

Fellow-Passengers to the Grave

by Karen S. Wiesner 

I've spent the last several years trying to find exactly the right word to describe a situation in which a choice by someone else is made that you don't necessarily celebrate, support, or even agree with--and yet you nevertheless go along with it in compassionate graciousness. 

Like clothes I'm discarding as just not quite right, I've tried on several words that are close to the sentiment I'm striving for yet don't fully cover it. In each case, for a few minutes, I think "That must be the word I'm looking for." Then a little time passes and I realize yet another term is inadequate to describe it. Over and over, I've tossed inefficient sentiments away, and I anticipate, by the end of this article, I'll shelve another incompetent wanna-be. Here's my reasoning for turning close-but-no-cigar options aside: 

Respect, these days, suggests a ladder that must be climbed. Frankly, the connotations make me squirm. It should mean "worthy of regard" and every person on the planet receives it by simple virtue of being part of the human race. Yet we've turned this term into some kind of an obstacle course in which we test the worthiness of someone and, if they're found lacking, we withhold basic human regard. Aren't equal rights a foundation that demands we learn to see every living being as worthy of respect, and therefore we don't pass judgment on their personal decisions? 

Accept implies one person is in the high position of having a say in the private choices another makes. No one is and no one should. Everyone has free will, not just one. I have no right to question someone else's choices, whether to agree or disagree with them, especially if I don't want my own dissected and then ripped to shreds in endless debates as if someone is heading a "God of the Universe" committee. When it comes to someone else's beliefs, we have to have that kind of humility. Who do we think we are if I supersede other humans' judgments in how they run their own lives? 

Tolerate is another term that's not quite right. With this one, there is a willingness to accept the feelings, habits, and beliefs of others that are different from our own. Unfortunately, this one has also become a bad word in terms of the negative connotations it suggests. For religious people, the word seems to demand a compromise of principles or the condoning of bad behavior, which is not at all the direction we should be going. On the other side of the coin, for some it infers, "You have to agree with me--or else." So often, "But I won't give the same courtesy" is the unspoken tagalong to such a selfish sentiment in behavior if not verbally. It's so easy for people to convey by their intolerance that their own beliefs are superior; therefore, other human beings must change to suit them or else punishment will be meted out in the form of spurning, bullying, or far worse violence. Where's the freedom in that? Don't compassion and the right to our own opinions matter anymore? 

Forbear is a word I found when I went to an online dictionary and looked up synonyms of the previous words I discarded. I was impressed with this term on the whole, since it conveys patient restraint and discernment rather than harsh sentencing. Here, too, though, there's undoubtedly a bit of negativity, probably because of its connection to banking and because the phrase "long-suffering" tends to join it too often. You can almost see someone rolling their eyes, sighing loudly, and saying grudgingly, "Well, all right, I'll practice forbearance, but only if I absolutely have to." If not for that, this particular word might be one of the closest I've discovered to what I want to convey in this situation. 

 

Recently I had a new thought on this subject (bear with me; there's a parallel coming): We human beings breathe air because we have to in order to survive. In the same way, when another person makes a decision we would almost rather they hadn't--and yet we have to live with that choice--we need to convey something like respect, genuine acceptance, tolerance, and certainly patient, restrained forbearance because we realize that our opinion is beside the point and a non-factor. Our response has to be the same as needing air to survive. It is what it is. Our feelings don't factor into other people's choices. They can't. They unequivocally don't. They shouldn't. Straightforward accommodation on our parts is the only acceptable response. This term implies displaying selfless hospitality, of seeking to meet the needs of others above our own, serving their best interests, and humbly and willingly bending like a reed if we can provide assistance to those in need around us. 

But, no, once again, a word for a moment holds brilliance, then falls short in the next span of time. Accommodation also lacks perfection in conveying what I'm looking for because of the negative climate we live in. In today's world, accommodating someone else's wishes indicates having to force ourselves to do something for a dubious or moot "good cause". 

Sigh. I suspect this search of mine is a lost cause because no such word actually exists. Alternately, humans may change the meaning or intention of language by popular opinion, or, bottom line, our experiences with certain words shape us emotionally for good or ill. One man's truth is another's trash. Not everyone derives the same meaning we do with words. 

Nevertheless, at Christmas-time, I always think of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. My search for the perfect word fits this theme. One eloquent quote for that timeless story that comes to my mind is how we're all "fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys". "Creatures bound on other journeys"--intimates that we have nothing in common with each other, no means of finding mutual understanding or the slightest reason to get along and work together. Do we actually think that way? We've all gone that route a time or two in our lifetimes, as unpleasant as it can be to admit in retrospect. But the key to integrating as fellow-passengers on this journey we call life is in the accommodation of others, mutual cooperation, and realizing we're not alone in this world. We can't live as though no one and nothing else but ourselves matters. Consider: 

You do you. Allow me to do me. Let others do them. 

You don't have to like everybody but do at least strive to get along. 

The best way to love someone is not to judge; it's not your place. 

Do to others as you want done to yourself. Yes, even if you don't get the same in return. 

Pay it forward "blindly" so as not to judge the person you're trying to help--do it as an act of gratitude to those anonymous ones that gave generously in your own life. 

Compromise and accommodation are often the only paths to peace. 

A gift that's earned or merely a repayment of a debt isn't a gift. The best gift is that of self, bestowed magnanimously. 

Anne Frank said, "No one has ever become poor by giving", but, serendipitously, many become rich by giving of themselves. This accommodation binds instead of breaks the individual as well as the whole. Let's find a way to live in peace on our journey together, fellow-passenger. 

Karen Wiesner is an award-winning, multi-genre author of over 150 titles and 16 series.

Visit her here: https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/

and https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/karens-quill-blog

Visit her publisher here: https://www.writers-exchange.com/Karen-Wiesner/

{Put This One on Your TBR List} Book Review: Sworn Soldier Series by T. Kingfisher by Karen S. Wiesner

 

{Put This One on Your TBR List}

Book Review: Sworn Soldier Series by T. Kingfisher

by Karen S. Wiesner 

This post contains my 200th

Alien Romances Blog book review!

 

Beware spoilers! 

Sometimes a reader experiences serendipity when she finds an unexpected treasure in an author who fills a hither-to-unknown empty space inside her. T. Kingfisher (the author's grownup--as opposed to "not written specifically for children"--pen name) is the pseudonym of Ursula Vernon, a versatile writer, illustrator, and artist. She came to my attention when I bought an immaculate (used) hardcover book by her called "What Feasts at Night"--without realizing it was the second in a series. The fact that it's a follow-up to an earlier novella was told within a short sentence on the back cover that read "set in the world of "What Moves the Dead". Elsewhere (aka, not on or in the book anywhere), it was described as a sequel to the aforementioned "Dead" book. Sigh! Would it kill publishers to make these things a little more obvious for struggling readers? Honestly, I sometimes think publishers don't really want to sell books. Apparently, it's not widely known that a book that's part of a series is a selling point! Mind you, the fact that this series is actually called "Sworn Soldier" was another thing I only found out on the author's website. This isn't indicated anywhere else useful. Note: When the third book in the series was released, there was finally a reference to it being part of a series on the back cover. 

In any case, I started reading "What Feasts at Night" only to realize a few chapters in--when the protagonist kept referring to an earlier incident the same characters had endured recently--that this must be part of something larger. Although I wasn't very far along, I decided to look up the author on my Libby library app and see what else Kingfisher had to offer. It was then I found out the truth about "What Feasts at Night" (and my faux pas in yet again! reading the second in a series before the first). At this point, I was introduced to an entire world of eclectic stories from this multi-award winning author that I, somehow, had never even heard of before.

Of particular note is that the main character in this series, Alex Easton, hails from a fictional country called Gallacia, where there are several sets of personal pronouns. In addition to the usual, there's a set specifically for religious affiliations (va/var) and another for soldiers (ka/kan), regardless of their sex at birth, among others. As this series is written in the first person from Alex's point of view, I read Book 2 without knowing whether the protagonist was male or female. Book 1 held the explanation that Alex is biologically female but doesn't identify as such (being a soldier, Alex prefers ka and kan). To make it easier in this review, as it was sometimes very difficult to understand exactly what was meant by certain made-up pronouns in the story, I'll always use the name "Alex" in reference to the main character. 

Since I read Book 2 first, I started to review the two books currently available (as of July 2025) in this series in reverse order. Alas, that didn't work well at all. I owned a physical copy of Book 2, but I couldn't find Book 1 anywhere via my library sources. Because I couldn't wait for it to become available at my very, very small brick and mortar library (I might be old and gray by that time), nor as an audiobook or an ebook via my Libby app, I broke down and purchased a brand-new paperback of "What Moves the Dead". Let's face it: I'd probably want to own a copy anyway. (Let's not talk about the fact that I purchased three of the author's other standalone novels at the same time as this one and will review them on this blog soon, nor the fact that I pre-ordered Book 3 of the Sworn Soldier series there and then.) 

"What Moves the Dead" was published July 2022. As an infectious "new spin on classic Gothic horror" (Booklist)--in this case Poe's wonderful "The Fall of the House of Usher"--I could hardly wait to read this one. I love the original and combining the elements of a very specific cause of Madeline's death in this new story in a familiar setting with suspicious fungi sounded brilliant to me. The first story took place around 1890. 

Side note: It's said that Poe's inspiration for "The Fall of the House of Usher" could have been inspired by two probable events: One took place at the Hezekiah Usher House, an actual place constructed in 1684 in downtown modern Boston, Massachusetts. A sailor and the young wife of the older owner were caught in a tryst by her husband and entombed on the very spot. Revenge served cold--and cruel, indeed! Two embracing skeletons were found in the cellar after it was torn down in 1830. Another inspiration could have been from Poe's mother Eliza's friends' Mr. and Mrs. Luke Usher, who took care of Edgar and her other two children while she was sick and eventually died. 

In "What Moves the Dead", retired soldier Alex gets a message from childhood friend Madeline Usher that she's dying. Upon arriving, Alex sees that the Ushers' crumbling ancestral home is surrounded by not only a dark, disturbing tarn (which is a small, steep-banked mountain lake or pool--I guess I never stopped to wonder what a tarn is myself, so, in case you didn't either, there you go) but strange breeds…fungus? Eww. Madeline's twin brother Roderick was once part of Alex's army company but has become nervous and frail in these years while caring for his sibling. Madeline is indeed sick and weird hair is growing on her arms. Other characters include an expert on mycelium, Eugenia Potter, along with a doctor from America, and Alex's army servant (and kind of a protective father figure) Angus. 

I loved everything about this tight (mild) horror, from the atmospheric setting to the witty, compelling characters to unique plot twists in a beloved tale. However (and this may be a spoiler so skip the rest of this paragraph if that bothers you), the author drastically changed Roderick's character in the end of this story. Instead of being a creepy and possibly incestuous madman, he becomes a selfless hero. Wow, I didn't see that coming!  

"What Feasts as Night", published February 2024, has Alex returning home to Gallacia--presumably just after the events of Book 1--accompanied by Angus and Eugenia. Alex and Angus discover that the caretaker of the Alex's family hunting lodge has died. While the daughter points vehemently to a lung inflammation as the cause of death, villagers are convinced it was the work of a moroi, a creature that can take the form of a moth or a woman and steals its victims' breath by sitting on their chests. Like the first, this story was disquieting but not actually scary despite being touted as horror. That said, it was both cunning and clever with a main character that amused and thoroughly delighted me with unique observations and hilarious side comments. 

With 176 pages, the first in this series was a fairly long novella. The second came in at only 160, but both books had exactly what was needed, no more, no less. I've seldom read an author who doesn't waste the reader's time by making you care what's on a beloved character's grocery list or what they're eating for dinner. In literature, I don't want to be hit over the head with a lot of things I really don't need and perhaps don't even want to know about. Even a character I'm rooting for and therefore I'm invested in isn't someone I care to leave the parameters of legitimate plot development for. Is it fleshing out or really just unnecessary padding? Sometimes it's hard to know and, inevitably, I can't escape the sense that the author is feeling lethargic or particularly enamored with a character, so much so that fawning over his or her every word and deed becomes essential. "Oh, look at Brandon, eating that cheese. Isn't he wonderful?" I'm not the only one who commented on T. Kingfisher's finesse in bringing only what's needed to the table with this series. One reviewer described her writing this way: "every word…feels carefully chosen and deliberately arranged for maximum emotional impact." I also found that to be the case with the previous book I've reviewed of Kingfisher's, A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking, though (or maybe I should say despite) that one was considerably longer at 320 pages.  

Book 3 in this series, "What Stalks the Deep", came out in hardcover on September 30, 2025. I started reading it immediately when it came. In this 172-page story that takes place two years after "What Moves the Dead", the doctor (Denton) from that  book  contacts Alex asking for help, which means visiting America--West Virginia specifically. Denton's cousin disappeared in an abandoned coal mine there, and the doctor is worried. Along with Angus, Alex gets over an aversion to America and weirdness because, once again, a sworn soldier has to do what a sworn soldier has to do. 

As with previous installments, this book was touted as horror when it was only mildly so. Instead, it was set within the environment of something creepy (a deep, dark, labyrinthine "cave") and one that I have a particular enchantment with, so I was immediately drawn into the story. But tension dissolved into more of stunned intrigue, as twist after twist kept me on edge and on a razor precipice of uncertainty. Not once did anything happen in a way that I could have expected. As usual, Kingfisher's trademark humor and suspense kept the pages turning rapidly. I really enjoyed learning more about the various deadly gases that can inhabit mine shafts. In the acknowledgements at the back of the book, the author said the idea for the story came from the works of Lovecraft. Rather than including a potential spoiler, I'll allow readers to figure out what she meant by that on their own. 

By the way, visit the author's website and really check out the covers of the books in this series. They're amazing! In the "What Feasts at Night" acknowledgements, the author says she's convinced the covers that "grace these books…made them as successful as they have been". Oh, it might be a bit more than that, but the designs certainly helped. I freely admit I purchased "What Feasts at Night" on the basis of its extraordinarily intriguing cover. Additionally, the author herself did the gorgeous endpaper art. Kingfisher as an author is the whole package. Trust me, you don't want to miss her work, this amazing series in particular. I hope more treasures set in this fascinating world are in the offing for the future.

Karen Wiesner is an award-winning, multi-genre author of over 150 titles and 16 series.

Visit her website and blog here: https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/

and https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/karens-quill-blog

Visit her publisher here: https://www.writers-exchange.com/Karen-Wiesner/

Oldies But Goodies {Put This One on Your TBR List} Book Review of Four Young Adult Children's Fantasy Selections by T. Kingfisher/Ursula Vernon by Karen S. Wiesner

Oldies But Goodies

{Put This One on Your TBR List}

Book Review of Four Young Adult Children's Fantasy Selections by

T. Kingfisher/Ursula Vernon

by Karen S. Wiesner 

Beware: May contain unintended spoilers! 

 

Finding A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking was rapturous serendipity for me! T. Kingfisher (the pen name of Ursula Vernon) is a versatile author, illustrator, and artist. Unbelievably, I'd never heard of her before reading this book, despite all the awards she's won for her eclectic body of work. She came to my attention when I bought an immaculate (used) hardcover book by her called "What Feasts at Night" (which I'll review in the coming weeks). I wasn't very far along before I decided to look up the author on my Libby library app and see what else she had to offer. One of the few audiobooks of hers available immediately was something called A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking. Literally, this one had me at the title. 

In this 2020 young adult fantasy novel, a 14-year-old named Mona, who possesses a sly, dry wit and "bread magic", discovers a dead body in her aunt's bakery. It isn't long before she realizes those who possess magic in her town are being targeted. There are other wizards set in this unique fantasy world, but none quite like Mona. When she was younger, she'd created (accidentally in the first case) 1) a sourdough starter "familiar" that eats mice when it can't get flour (really, what bread eaters don't know won't kill them) and 2) animated gingerbread men for the customers to fawn over (move over Shrek's Gingy!). Little did Mona realize her most loyal gingerbread man would soon become the commander-in-chief of a gingerbread army Mona has to bake up in order to save the city from a corrupt wizard and his invading army. And that doesn't even get into having to concoct the right kind of shoes for doughboy golem soldiers. 

One of the selling points of this story for me was the realistic portrayal of those in power who shouldn't necessarily be. In this case, the ruler meant well and was willing to do anything to help her people. Also, the heroine is the last person who might be considered a champion. By virtue of the fact that she had the skills (though she didn't realize it at first, of course) and stepped up to use them, she was able to save the day. I'm probably in the minority as one with no interest in reading about a superhero flying in just in time to rescue the entire city. I tend to root for worthy underdogs, and Mona is appealingly that. 

 

Illuminations was a 2022 release. Ten-year-old Rosa comes from a family of illuminators who are the greatest magic painters in the city, but their fortunes have fallen on hard times. Rosa excels at painting fanged radishes. Unfortunately, this art doesn't seem particularly useful when their studio is known for paintings that keep the city safe and running smoothly. Wanting to find a way to be useful to her relatives, she instead accidently releases a vicious monster and then has to figure out how to put it back in the box she foolishly opened. 

I assume the author, who's also a skilled artist, wondered what it would be like for her work to come to life, just as authors wonder what it would be like to step into a world created within a story. This was a cute and very fun story with a hilarious, three-dimensional heroine searching for her place in the world she's been born into and wanting very badly to join with her own legitimate skill. 

 

I'm reviewing A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking and Illuminations along with Minor Mage. Though all three of these books have like covers, they aren't part of a series. They do, however, share a similar subject matter hinging on young adult protagonists that possess some form of magic they use to change their own world (and possibly the world at large, or at least their section of it). Also, of course, all the books in this trio are written in Ursula Vernon's pseudonym T. Kingfisher. A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking and Illuminations wonderfully lended themselves to audiobook "readings"--I'm not sure I would have enjoyed them quite as much as I did if I'd read them as ebooks or paperbacks. Both were available as audiobooks through my two library apps (either Libby or Hoopla); Minor Mage wasn't immediately accessible from either at the time I was writing this review. A month or so later, I managed to gain access to the ebook of Minor Mage. I wish I'd been able to get an audiobook copy. It would have been a bit easier to get through. This isn't saying Minor Mage is bad--not in the least. I just enjoyed the way the previous voice actors read Kingfisher's always off-the-cuff, fun stories so much, it was hard not to miss that aspect in my quiet, uninspired reading of it via ebook. 

In the 2019 Minor Mage, 12-year-old Oliver only knows three spells that he taught himself. His training was sporadic and dicey, to say the least, as his predecessor was very old and decidedly senile and had taken to wearing underwear on his head in his final days. Nevertheless, after the former mage passed a few years ago, the village has mainly accepted Oliver as their community magician. Oliver's managed to find what he needs in books to perform the tasks required of him in the time since then. However, when rain isn't forthcoming at a critical point in the season, he's called upon to fetch rain from the Rainblade Mountains. This is certainly nothing he's had to deal with before and he hasn't received the slightest bit of training in this regard from his mentor. Accompanied by his snarky armadillo familiar (who also has a few point of view scenes), he sets off, hoping he can find a way to do what his duty requires of him, with all those in the village counting on him. No pressure, right? Naturally, the journey is fraught with dangers and unforeseen challenges like ghuls (zombies) and bandits for one with very little practical knowledge of magic combined with frequent self-doubt. 

Along the way, Oliver meets up with a bard mage with the questionable ability to make harps (and the occasional fiddle) from the bones of murder victims. While he's actually had a few grieving people request his services in order to discover who murdered their loved one, even those lacking forethought soon regret it once they're forced to endure the screaming, shrieking harp seeking justice for crimes endured in life. Not surprisingly, Trebastian has few friends and is almost always chased out of every town with pitchforks and threats. Before long, Trebastian becomes Oliver's companion and, later, an unexpected friend. 

Kingfisher's trademark blend of heartfelt humor and grave predicaments buoy every page of this book. As in the previous stories in this set, the underlying theme is that heroism is about much more than possessing extraordinary supernatural powers. Instead, it's in the choices, creativity, determination, and moral fiber of the ones wielding, perhaps, less than spectacular gifts. 

 

Another story written under T. Kingfisher's real name, Ursula Vernon, Castle Hangnail, was instantly obtainable as an audiobook, and it fit the basic motif of this review with a young adult magic user as the protagonist. I suppose Castle Hangnail is intended for children (that assessment is directly from the author on her website) because of the author's amazing illustrations filling the pages. At a whopping 372 pages, it's not what I'd generally consider a children's book. It is, gratefully, presented in the same loquacious, verbose writing style that I've come to love from this author's protagonists. This book would appeal to young adults (8 to 12 years is the recommendation though most reading kids, including those younger, would also be smitten). Like with Shriek, I can't imagine adults enjoying it just as much. 

Twelve-year-old Molly is a witch and she needs a job. Castle Hangnail requires a wicked witch, and, though the staff at the castle is uncertain that polite Molly is right for the job, they agree to give her a shot. What a hoot this story is! When I was very young, my favorite author was Ruth Chew. I loved all her good, useful witch stories. I wish Castle Hangnail had been available then. I would have adored this unique, merry, tongue-in-cheek story with a lively cast of characters you can't help but love and champion. Though the audiobook was fantastic, I did miss seeing Vernon's own amazing illustrations accompanying the story, which I previewed on a book distributor's site. Oh, and there were rumors that Disney with Ellen DeGeneres might be making this into a movie, but I couldn't find any follow-up on the initial announcement. The first thing I was reminded of when I started listening to Castle Hangnail were the Hotel Transylvania movies. Like those, this would make a hilarious, not-necessarily-just-for-kids film. 

~*~

All four of these stories were nothing less than nonstop delight. The voice actors for the first two and Castle Hangnail were exemplary, adding so much to the reading, in retrospect it would have been unimaginable to partake without their talent. It only took me a couple days to finish the audiobooks because I didn't want to turn them off. The ebook of Minor Mage wasn't quite as easy to get through yet proved to be extremely enjoyable. 

You certainly don't need to be a child or young adult to enjoy these entertaining, incredibly well written, and engaging, character-driven adventures. As I hadn't, I doubt too many will have read anything else quite like these irresistible tales. So, that about does it--sign me up! I'm a fan of this author and artist regardless of what the genre is. I expect to post many more reviews of T. Kingfisher (and Ursula Vernon's) selections in the future. 

Karen Wiesner is an award-winning, multi-genre author of over 150 titles and 16 series.

Visit her website and blog here: https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/

and https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/karens-quill-blog

Visit her publisher here: https://www.writers-exchange.com/Karen-Wiesner/

Oldies But Goodies {Put This One on Your TBR List} Miss Hickory by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey by Karen S. Wiesner

 

Oldies But Goodies

{Put This One on Your TBR List}

Miss Hickory by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey

by Karen S. Wiesner 

 

Beware potential spoilers! 

The world was a very different place when Miss Hickory by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey was published in 1946. This was a children's novel, not a picture book with questionably well-done art accompanied by a sprinkling of words across the pages. Miss Hickory has 128 pages, 24,000 words. Back then, children were often read to by other people, usually parents. No doubt, many of these books were far beyond the child's own reading level yet the stories were perfectly understandable to them. The current suggested age for this book is 8 to 12, which boggles my mind a bit, and not simply because I can't imagine too many kids these days picking up a complex book like this. Additionally, back then stories like this one seemed to have a higher purpose than simply entertaining readers. 

Miss Hickory was one of the very first books I ever read on my own as a child. With a protagonist who's a living doll made from a forked apple tree twig and a hickory nut for a head, her story was magical to me. Miss Hickory lived in a luxurious corncob house made by her owner Ann. Miss Hickory is used to being spoiled, but now things are changing. Ann is going away, and selfish Squirrel has decided he likes Miss Hickory's comfy house for his own winter home. Crow helps her find a nest where she can live out the winter, but she'll need to be clever and courageous to survive. The author and her husband lived on a farm with an apple orchard, and she drew inspiration for this story from there. 

When I reread this enchanting story again recently, it was to the realization about just how prickly and hard-headed (sorry) Miss Hickory is. She likes to instruct people how best to live their lives but accepting help from others always leaves her irritated. And sometimes she misses out on wonderful things because of her stubbornness. Hilariously, she also likes be very feminine, and we find several chapters with Miss Hickory being a fashionista by making herself new and beautiful clothing out of things like maple leaves and grass and cherry blossoms. I found it interesting that Miss Hickory took the existence of God for granted. There's a Christmas miracle to be seen, but she misses it because she's too pigheaded to listen to anything Squirrel has to say. Does she learn her lesson through the many chapters in which she and her friends live out their lives on the farm? I'm not sure. But she does learn a lot about herself--her own origin, for one. 

This story was told very strangely. Most of the chapters were from Miss Hickory's point of view, which made sense, as this is the compilation of her adventures during the seasons. However, sometimes we're put into the perspective of another (usually animal) character for no other reason I can fathom other than that the author felt she'd started a story with that particular character and needed closure before going back to Miss Hickory. 

Though Squirrel plucks off and takes a bite of Miss Hickory's head (too scary for modern readers in both words and illustration? probably)--his character is suitably drawn with all the complexity needed for readers to find him endearing despite his actions. He's an animal designed for storing up food for himself, yet he can't seem to remember where he's hidden all his nuts from one minute to the next, let alone over the course of a long, harsh winter. And, frankly, wouldn't he much rather just eat it now? Of course he would! It's easy to root for all of these lovable, fully-fleshed out characters. Though the chapters play out in a seemingly random fashion, the story does actually reach full circle by the end. 

I'd be remiss not to mention the lovely illustrations done by Ruth Chrisman Gannett. I found out they were done by a process called lithography, which is a really archaic (though there are still people who do it) means of photocopying something. Apparently, the artist has to be very careful while drawing on the stone (or similar material) as there are no second chances with this method. Either it's drawn right the very first time--or as close as possible--or a whole lot of time, effort, and materials will be wasted. Find out more about the art of this here https://jerwoodvisualarts.org/art-techniques-and-materials-glossary/lithography/ and be sure to watch some YouTube videos of it actually being done. I found it fascinating. Too much work, definitely, but still intriguing as a precursor to modern-day photocopying. 

Inspired by the incredible artwork in Miss Hickory, I couldn't help wanting to do some sketches from the book myself, which were all done by black and white lithography (although color is possible with the method). I even did one in color, though only the cover of the book has color in the first edition. Does anyone else want an apple now, too? <grin>

  

Miss Hickory Black & White Sketch and Colored Pencil Rendering by @Karen Wiesner

 

Miss Hickory's Corncob House by @Karen Wiesner 

If you do an internet search with the words "Miss Hickory illustrations", you'll see some of Gannett's original designs, including one of Squirrel holding Miss Hickory's still scolding head just before he takes a bite of it. Never fear, Miss Hickory may end up headless, but she's also "heedless, happy" that way. Clearly, her head had been holding her back. 

Children and adults alike will find a timeless, magical world to explore in this well-deserving Newbery Medal Winner. The lesson to be learned (as all these old books had some kind of moral to impart, which I heartily approve) is not to hold yourself back from who you're meant to be--not with the promise of comfort nor with the hurtle of fear of the unknown. 

Karen Wiesner is an award-winning, multi-genre author of over 150 titles and 16 series.

Visit her website and blog here: https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/

and https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/karens-quill-blog and her publisher here: https://www.writers-exchange.com/Karen-Wiesner/

Review for The Sisters of the Winter Wood by Rena Rossner Combined with an Original Article: Unique by Karen S. Wiesner

 

Review for The Sisters of the Winter Wood by Rena Rossner

Combined with an Original Article: Unique

by Karen S. Wiesner 

  Beware spoilers! 

Published in 2018, The Sisters of the Winter Wood is the debut novel of literary agent Rena Rossner, who lives in Israel. I really don't know how to categorize this unusual story. It's a blend of magic and reality, fantasy, folklore, cultural history (specifically Jewish mythology). As to whether it's young adult, I'm not certain. Both protagonists are teenage girls, but I don't know if the intention was for it to be read only by young adults. I was looking for a new audiobook and this one came up, promising to be something atmospheric and supernatural. It was both. The narrator, Ana Clements, was the perfect choice for this material, and I'd go so far as to say that no one else could have done it better. 

In this tale, 17-year-old Liba and her 14-year-old sister Laya live with their parents in a remote village. They've been raised in the forest in a very insular way by their Jewish father and converted-but-never-truly-accepted mother. When their parents are forced to leave the girls at home because the roads aren't safe in order to visit their dying grandfather, the sisters are thrust into secrets and discoveries they could never have imagined. Liba, like her father, has the ability to transform into a bear. Laya and her mother can become swans. Neither girl ever had a clue about this prior to their parents leaving. Overnight, the entire world changes for them as dark forces gather and the village is plunged into danger. 

In ways, I found it unfortunate that the author chose to reveal the shapeshifting abilities when the girls are teenagers. So much of this book was overwhelmed with the angst and ardor of two young, impressionable girls who long to explore their sensuality, despite the environment they were raised in. While I found the cultural aspects of the story intriguing, these characters were painted as good, responsible daughter (Liba) and stupid, flighty daughter (Laya). Combine that bland ordinary (in my opinion anyway) with the persecution of a people wherever they go, seemingly, and it strongly began to feel like there was a wider agenda being served up in this chill, supernatural setting. I was looking for the extraordinary, so for that reason, I found myself mildly disappointed when the tone of the story seemed to change to something much more mundane, like bigotry. 

Despite that, as the kiss of winter begins making itself known in my area of the world along with the promise of Thanksgiving and Christmas, like the unmistakable scent of cinnamon and pine needles in the air, I couldn't stop thinking about the deeper issues this story undergirds and makes haunting with its icy refrain. 

"UNIQUE" 

Liba and Laya live in a world that isn't all that different from the one you and I inhabit. That world and this one seems to want to put everyone in little boxes that may not fit and then persecute those deemed undesirable while they're there. Just like Dr. Seuss's Sneetches story, this is one of the things in this life that should never be. Inside those shackled boxes, we learn the horrors of judging, racism, prejudice, genocide… The list of monstrous behaviors is endless for those who see themselves as superior to all others, so much so that they commit atrocities on other human beings. When people begin to think of themselves as special--even chosen by God (why is it that so many madmen in the history of the world believe that?)--sometimes they view this as permission to do terrible things to others who they see as different from them. 

We all share similar origin--whatever color our skin is, whatever the culture or community or religion or gender we're raised in. We're also all born with a predetermined appearance (based on what our parents impart to us genetically), and there's very little we can actually do about what we're given in an external sense. Physical attractiveness is little more than subjectivity anyway. Two people will never agree on what makes anyone beautiful, so why are we so fixed on the outside shell of a human being? Frankly, it's all stupid. Make no mistake--the "ugly" and the "lovely" are both given these things at birth; no one chose them or can claim that they had anything to do with their own fortune or curse in that regard. While it's important to take care of ourselves so we're healthy and fit and as attractive as we can be externally, in truth we should simply be more accepting of each other's exterior appearance, our race, our culture--and our own--yet we're not! No generation ever really learns from this fatal flaw in our thinking that seems to be a factory reset from one age to the next. It's completely senseless how human beings create innate separations in classes, races, genders, and religions. What a celebration it could be if only we could rejoice over the differences that make each of us unique! 

It takes a tremendous amount of grace and character to accept our differences. Twice as much to accept others with the same equanimity! That's why it's so important to put the majority of our focus into what can be controlled, what can be changed, what can be built and bloomed and become--the internal aspect of who we are, the person inside, the being we want to be more than anything. That's where true beauty can be refined. The interesting part about that is that inner beauty can transform the outer shell. A person so remarkable and loving can be physically astounding, even if realistically the outer package may not suggest it can be so. True inner beauty is also the lasting part of a person's identity. Inner beauty transforms every aspect of our being, including our perspective of the world around us. 

I don't believe I'm unique in that I want to be remembered for the person I was in life, for inner beauty and goodness. That's all that really matters in the end. Those are lasting things that can live on even when I'm gone. We can actually make a mark on this world in that way. But it requires us to let go of vanity and accept who we are, where we come from and how we were raised, even what we look like. It requires not seeing ourselves as superior to all others and to instead see everyone as unique and worthwhile. 

Focused on what matters, build a life that has purpose and meaning. It will outlive you, I promise. You'll never regret that part, and it is what will give you joy, satisfaction, and ultimately contentment. The only person you have to give an accounting to while in this life is yourself. So be the inner person you want to be without shame or regret. It will reflect on the exterior. That is something no one can take away from you. 

Never mind the irony that I'm suggesting that you read The Sisters of the Winter Wood (a very Jewish story, at least on the surface) at this time of year--whether the Thanksgiving or Christmas holiday--when most hearts turn to being mindful of what we have. During this time, we seem to reflect more on the things that matter. To seeing the good in ourselves and in others, to being the hope, benevolence, and goodwill that we want to spread to all. Ultimately, this story I'm reviewing this week will make you realize the heart of what's important in life and the role each of us play in the outcome of good and evil. Our choices can impact everything in and around us. Be a change and influence for good. Be the goodwill and benevolence you want to see. Be unique. Above all, remember that the differences in each of us can become the very celebrations that make life worthwhile. 

Karen Wiesner is an award-winning, multi-genre author of over 150 titles and 16 series.

Visit her website and blog here: https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/

and https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/karens-quill-blog

Visit her publisher here: https://www.writers-exchange.com/Karen-Wiesner/