A strong cast of characters and an intriguing storyline overshadow the sometimes abundant use of foreign terms known as...
Sauvain’s (Collegium Sorcerorum: Thaddeus of Beewicke, 2011) second fantasy installment features a foursome of heralded, first-year Collegium students who discover their abilities through a series of unexpected adventures.
Talking statues, Lilyput the goblin and eerie laughter from the mysterious Minaret of Power welcome first-year students—Thaddeus of Beewicke, Anders of Brightfield and Rolland of Fountaindale—to the Collegium. While the first volume of Sauvain’s epic fantasy detailed the journey to the Collegium, the second depicts the young sorcerers as they learn hand-to-hand combat and grapple with hostile upperclassmen. Rolland, nicknamed “Prince of Thieves,” finds trouble from the start: He’s pinned to the wall by upperclassmen and later accosted by a demon for using sorcery on campus. Each time, ever-loyal Thaddeus comes to his brethren’s aid. Rolland’s knack for acquiring trouble adds flavor to the storyline, but the thief’s pronounced ability to stir trouble is also a catalyst that helps readers understand the depth of the main characters’ friendship. Dismayed by the popularity of their first-year peers, upperclassmen challenge Thaddeus and company to a game of “Pila Ludere”—a form of soccer using a dragon’s bladder—on Halloween night. Sauvain uses this match as an opportunity to introduce fairies and elves, who help even the odds against the older sorcerers. As the contest nears an end, Thaddeus blacks out and finds himself in a faraway land called “Locus Lapidum Pendentium,” or the place of hanging stones. The baffling history of this desolate region inevitably links the Minaret of Power, the Cin empire, Master Silvestrus and the Collegium. Perhaps the most intriguing deviation from Sauvain’s debut novel is the integration of Zoarr, Prince of Mauretesia, and his unique love–hate relationship with Rolland. Throughout the book, Zoarr, a member of the senior class, strives to prove his loyalty to Thaddeus, Anders and especially Rolland. While Sauvain’s strength is his ability to create dynamic characters, including animals such as talking bird Pscittica and golden dog Bellis, he leaves readers desiring more scenes that shed light on the mystery behind the Minaret of Power. Sauvain dedicates the last 50 pages to explaining the role of each character and clarifying the terminology.
A strong cast of characters and an intriguing storyline overshadow the sometimes abundant use of foreign terms known as “Lingua Imperatoria.”Pub Date: April 19, 2012
ISBN: 978-0615584515
Page Count: 493
Publisher: Louis Sauvain
Review Posted Online: June 4, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2012
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Wood’s tale of greed and violence versus decency is best when revved up and rolling, not just spinning the tires.
A young engineer finds himself in hot water when the bigwigs at his workplace start cutting corners, ignoring his advice and playing dirty.
Daniel Robles is an upstanding, ethically sound engineer who quickly learns that his employers are more interested in the bottom line than the wellbeing of their employees. They often ignore his creditable advice when it comes to safety matters, especially at financially fragile Schirmerling Tire and Rubber Company. Wood capably draws some gratifyingly rude characters: O’Brien, head of security and overseer of a meth lab secreted away at the tire plant, and Hodges, who would rather save a dime than worry about a worker being steamed like a lobster by the company’s dangerously flimsy boilers. Wood also colorfully depicts Robles’ girlfriend, Carol, a deeply manipulative woman not afraid to pull the Lysistrata trick on him in order to get her way. But when Wood uses italicized letters to let readers into his characters’ heads, things get stilted. It’s difficult to imagine Robles thinking to himself, “He says there’s a position at Schirmerling Tire & Rubber in Akron, Ohio, a nice, respectable company. It’s time for a change, a time for something better. And Akron is near Kent, where Hector, my brother lives. Yes, it’s time.” The enjoyable complexity of this thriller—at one point, Robles is being framed in more ways than one—is handled with aplomb by Wood, though certain side plots fail to get the attention they deserve, such as O’Brien’s gambling issues and Hector’s delamination after the Kent State shootings (the story takes place in 1970). Nor does Wood conjure the ambiance of the time, which surely could have cast the evildoers in an even harsher light. The story’s precarious balance keeps readers involved, particularly with Robles’ gathering tribulations, the company’s vileness and a bracing denouement in the boiler room. The sex scenes, on the other hand, are flaccid: “Carol liked his long hair. And he liked to please her, for when he did, she pleased him in ways he really liked.” Like, please.
Wood’s tale of greed and violence versus decency is best when revved up and rolling, not just spinning the tires.Pub Date: March 26, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-387-09251-2
Page Count: 227
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services
Review Posted Online: March 1, 2017
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An uplifting story of personal sacrifice amid historical significance.
Grisanti’s novel combines history, family heritage and love to present the poignant tale of a young African-American woman’s struggle for civil rights.
It’s 1967, and Ruth Yuell is being treated in a Chicago emergency room after police officers invaded a peaceful demonstration she was attending. While waiting for medical treatment, Ruth recounts the story of her life to her white friend, Norma, a journalist, with the plot flashing back to 1939 for Ruth’s birth in St. Louis. Ruth’s father was a respected doctor in the community, yet he couldn’t afford for his wife to give birth in a hospital. So begins Ruth’s childhood and part of her eventual inspiration to join the cause of nonviolent social justice. Grisanti’s writing style flows well but provides scant physical description of characters, and the plot unfolds slowly, with occasional commentary reading like a textbook instead of a novel. For example, while discussing the church’s role in the African-American community, Ruth states: “In the pre-Civil Rights era the church was both a place to worship and a town hall of sorts to get community work done. Truth was there was no representative government for most Negroes. In the South especially, the church was the only place where Negroes could really gather in large numbers on a consistent basis to meet each other at all.” Grisanti’s more memorable scenes show the horror of racism: When teenage Ruth goes out for a drive with friends and while they’re changing a flat tire, white police officers accost them. Police leave Ruth’s pregnant friend lying on the ground in the middle of her miscarriage. Eventually, Ruth enters an integrated college up north where she isn’t harassed or threatened, although she encounters more racism and ultimately goes south to help with the civil rights cause. The strength of the book is in Ruth: Like the biblical Ruth, Grisanti’s heroine is devout and hardworking; she remains brave in the face of hardship. While trying to stop her fiancé’s sister from having sex with an evil man, Ruth is raped by the same man. He’s shot and killed, and Ruth takes the blame in court to save the reputation of her fiancé’s sister. Although the love story aspect can feel a bit contrived, readers will enjoy the sweetness of Ruth’s final revelation.
An uplifting story of personal sacrifice amid historical significance.Pub Date: March 19, 2012
ISBN: 978-0970886019
Page Count: 348
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 24, 2012
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
