Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell, by Brandon Sanderson

I greatly admire Brandon Sanderson's fantasy.  All the stories I have read seem very complete and well-developed, and this story is no exception.  I just discovered why--he has them all tied together under the Cosmere, an overarching structure of "Shardworlds" that allow for different world structures but fit together.  You learn something every day.

Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell is set in a world where some manner of fantastic tragedy has created a place where the dead turn into dangerous "shades" that require careful preparation to deal with.  Fortunately they follow some logical rules.  Our protagonist, Silence, owns an inn in the middle of Shadow territory, and is a bounty hunter as well as an inkeeper.  Tough life, since her fence is a government agent putting the squeeze to her.  This makes a good setup for a strong story, with lots of action and a world that has a nasty potential beauty, just a little like Sean McMullen's Greatwinter trilogy, though it's kind of a stretch. 

3 stars from me.  Fun to read.

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The Road to Roswell, by Connie Willis

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