Hot pilots slug it out with the galactic overlords in a collection that will please series fans.
In a trio of novellas, supporting characters take center stage to battle treachery and cement alliances with aliens while the series’ protagonist is off on a quest.
Separately published in 2021 as e-books, the three tales included here string together both personal and political developments: Sunreach sees empathetic fighter pilot FM and engineer Rig, both White, awkwardly reach the smooching stage while learning how to work with adorable talking slugs that have cytonic powers. Violet-skinned Alanik has to overcome mistrust of humans to enlist their aid in fending off an attempt by supporters of the oppressive galactic Superiority to take over her planetary government on gas giant ReDawn in the eponymous second story. Finally, in Evershore, Skyward Flight leader Jorgen, who reads as Black, discovers both command potential and superpowers of his own while coordinating a defense of the valiant (if furry and squirrel-sized) kitsen. All three episodes kick up the action with both large- and small-scale battles in air and space—all brisk if remarkably low in explicit fatalities—dovetailing neatly in the end into the closing events of Cytonic (2021). Sanderson credits Patterson with the lion’s share of the writing but adds five deleted scenes from his series opener, Skyward (2018), with commentary as a literary lagniappe. Each novella opens with skillful character portraits in contrasting styles by the two illustrators.
Hot pilots slug it out with the galactic overlords in a collection that will please series fans. (Science fiction. 12-15)Pub Date: April 5, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-56785-2
Page Count: 640
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: April 12, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2022
Eragon continues his Rider training in this dense sequel. After the epic battle at Farthen Dûr, Eragon travels to the elven city Ellesméra to complete his magical education. There he learns from Oromis and Glaedr, a wounded Rider and his dragon who have been hidden for years, ever since Galbatorix overthrew the old order and slew the Riders. Meanwhile, inhuman servants of Galbatorix have invaded Eragon’s home village Carvahall, hoping to capture Eragon’s cousin Roran. Roran leads the villagers to join the Varden rebellion against Galbatorix’s tyranny. Another epic battle concludes the story and brings the cousins together just in time for a revelation of dark secrets. Suffused with purple prose and faux-archaic language, this patchwork of dialogue, characters and concepts pulled whole cloth from the fantasy canon holds together remarkably well. Dramatic tension is maintained through the interweaving of Eragon’s and Roran’s adventures, though too much time is spent on the details of Eragon’s training. Derivative but exciting. (Fantasy. 12-15)
Pub Date: Aug. 23, 2005
ISBN: 0-375-82670-X
Page Count: 704
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2005
BOOK TO SCREEN
SEEN & HEARD
Visually stunning but there are many better—because they are less rigidly traditional—versions around.
A stately rendition of the Arthurian legend, garbed in sumptuous dress.
With much use of rich golden tones and his customary fanatical attention to detail, Riddell fills every available space, from page corners to broad pictorial borders and wordless full spreads, with grave knights in extravagant full armor, slender damsels and crones in flowing silks, luxuriant castles and chambers, and frighteningly bestial giants and other monsters. Crossley-Holland’s retelling of the Matter of Britain is less impressive, though he does cover the main Christian-inflected storyline (with a few additions, such as the tale of Gawain and the Green Knight). By adding care for the Earth as a knightly task, he introduces a contemporary note. But the women are still malign witches, flighty incompetents, or temptresses—and along with having Sir Lancelot mansplain early on that “women are the same as us, but different” (“Strange creatures,” says Sir Tristram. “Their feelings are so strong,” whines Sir Geraint), the author doubles down later by mystically declaring that the Holy Grail is actually Mary, at once male and female. But if the sex all takes place behind euphemisms or closed doors, at least, there is much rousingly explicit gore in narrative and visuals, and both Arthur and the annoyingly all-knowing Merlin wind up as properly available for return comings. Some of the Round Table knights, such as Sir Lamorak, are depicted with brown skin.
Visually stunning but there are many better—because they are less rigidly traditional—versions around. (Illustrated fantasy. 12-15)Pub Date: April 11, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-5362-1265-5
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Candlewick Studio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2023
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