The Black Unicorn

The second book of the Magical Kingdom of Landover series by Terry Brooks. 

Ben Holliday is not a native of Landover, but he is now it's king and has been for about a year. But one night most of the members of the castle of Stirling Silver have dreams that seem more prophetic than regular dreams. Questor Thew's dreams of the location of his elder brother's books of magic, Ben dreams of troubles back on Earth with his friend Miles, and Willow dreams of the Black Unicorn.  Questor gets the books of magic, but one is burned and the other is full of pictures of white unicorns. Willow hasn't returned by the time Ben comes back having found everything okay with Miles. As he sleeps again, he finds himself dreaming of having lost the medallion, a vital trinket that holds his identity as King of Landover. Upon waking he finds that it wasn't a dream Meeks (Questor's elder brother) has magicked himself into Landover and has taken the medallion, both of which should have been impossible. Meeks has also changed Ben to look like some commoner and himself to look like Ben. Ben gets run out of the castle and called a thief by his friends. He how has no identity that anyone but a random talking cat that decides to follow him. 

Compared to the first book, this one had more to it and that had more more invested into the story. The plot had more going for it over all, questing for your own identity and this mysterious unicorn, though walking around to the same three places as they did in the first one seems to be a redundant occurrence which can get old fast. I understand that Landover isn't that large of a kingdom, but it can be repetitive. 

Character development for Ben was big this time, specifically on his identity not just in Chicago but as Landover's King and that he's going to stick by those guns and not give up on them. Others, however, still lacked growth. I don't think the kobolds or Willow (let alone the dragon or Nightshade) will ever get much actual development in growing as people (or dragons). We do see more of Willow being resilient and given the chance to turn back she didn't, but characters are supposed to be more one trait. Willow needs to be more than devotion and constancy, which are great qualities--don't get me wrong--but she would need to be more to be a well rounded character. 

It had a decent writing style and did keep me engaged. Some of the twists I didn't see coming, but others were easy to spot. But it somewhat ended the same way as the previous book, a battle with the Paladin. Although the reader described what was going on with the fight, my mind just skipped through it. Nothing intensely engaging happened and it seemed very similar to the first book, which was disappointing. 

Magic Kingdom for Sale/Sold

 This is a book that my husband has been trying to get me to read for nearly a decade.... It's taken me a while to get to it. Sorry, love. 

Ben Holliday is a lawyer in Chicago who is still grieving over the death of his wife and unborn child. He has no motivation in his life except for work and he is miserable. Looking through a Christmas catalog only for the uber wealthy, he spots a peculiar add about a Magic Kingdom for sale for 1 million dollars. What kind of heist is this? Who would fall for that? Well, when he can't get it out of his mind, he inquires with the add agency and it's a legitimate add. He actually purchases it. 1 million isn't that much to him, especially with a full refund guarantee if he's not satisfied. Any change would be good for him now. Anything is better than this stagnant feeling and dwelling in grief. So he goes, and finds out that it is for real. The first moment he steps into Landover where his first contact is a demon that tries to chase him down and then a dragon that he has to sneak by. The court wizard, who is really bad at magic, named Questor Thews takes him to his rundown and tarnished castle that is being run by a man who was turned into a dog and two kobolds. Not the welcoming parade and fanfare he might have assumed would accompany a king to a magical kingdom. With no authority other than the medallion he was given and the ragtag team of counselors, he decides he's not going to give up. Well, at least he has 10 days to fully decide. 

My rating of a 4 Star is generous. I'd probably give it more of a 3.75, but I haven't done quarters in my rating system, so.... 

Magic Kingdom For Sale:Sold! is an old school fantasy book, published in 1986 and it feels it. It's as if back in the 80's only guys read fantasy (which they might have) and it was very much published for them. There are two whole girls in this story, one is beautiful and fanciful, devoted with her entire heart (after just one meeting) and the most gorgeous being he's ever seen; while the other is an ugly old witch who is one of the three most powerful beings in Landover. There is no in between, it is simply two extremes. Willow did fall in love at first sight because it was fated to be and would willingly die for him if it would save him even though they had only met for about five minutes. Upon their next meeting of another five minutes she pledged herself. This is extremely unrealistic, fantasy or not, and I didn't like it. She has no personality besides her devotion to him. "I must stay with you, Ben" is something she says often in almost every book I've ready thus far. It most defiantly, in my opinion, fails the Bechdel Test which I honestly didn't think was much of a problem (probably because I mainly read more recent publications or those written by women). 

The character development for pretty much anyone besides Ben is extremely minimal. Many feel very two dimensional. Most of the quirks that the characters have are surface level (dogman, bad at magic, green lady, dragon, evil witch). They feel almost like caricatures or stereotypes who are happy to stay in the stereotype.  Nothing really happens to them. 

The plot of the book is very simple. *spoilers* He comes into Landover, finds it's rundown but is willing to work through it, goes to different people to help him gain some authority which kind of works, and then has to fight a demon who would try to kill him at the end of a year anyway. It's not complicated at all and is kind of a let down. 

I feel like this book hasn't aged well and if it weren't for my husband liking as much as he did the last time he read it and the fact that I can listen to it as an audiobook, I probably wouldn't have read on. But I have. 

The Black Unicorn is better. 

Fablehaven

 This is a book that I'm glad I picked up. I am reading it to my son and he is very invested in it as well. 

Fablehaven is about a brother and sister who go to live with their grandparents for a few weeks while their parents are away during the summer. Grandpa Sorenson has some strict rules around his Connecticut home, especially to stay out of the woods because there is a tick infestation and he doesn't want them to get hurt. Kendra is more than willing to stay near the house reading and figuring out the little mystery Grandpa Sorenson gave her with the keys in the playroom, while Seth on the other had has a hard time doing what he's told. Off adventuring he goes while everyone's back is turned and finds a pond that is imaculately cared for and an old lady hidden deep in the woods. Muriel gnaws at a rope and talks to the little creatures that surround her. Why is she out there and what else is Grandpa Sorenson hiding. What Seth and Kendra end up finding out is that Grandma and Grandpa Sorenson are caretakers of a magical preserve. The butterflies that are constantly flittering around the gardens are actually fairies and Muriel is a witch bound to her little hut by strong magics to keep the rest of Fablehaven safe. But when Seth doesn't listen to the rules Grandpa and the other adults get taken and it's up to Seth and Kendra and a chicken to find the adults of Fablehaven before Fablehaven is destroyed. 

This was a great book. The world building behind all of the light and dark creatures in the Fablehaven preserve was grasped both my son and I. The time goes by too quickly before we have to get ready for school in the morning (when I read to him). Each plot twist and turn was fun to explore. 

I particularly like bookish Kendra and adventurous Seth. They are foils in a way to each other, as siblings often are. And although Seth is often portrayed as reckless and doesn't listen to the rules, you can see how he isn't an awful person. We get to see his reasonings, even if some of them aren't as honorable as moral would dictate. As the story progresses, he learns (as all children should) that our actions have consequences and we will end up having to live with them.  

Please Take My Brother Away

Please Take My Brother Away was a hilarious manga that was turned into an anime as well as a life action K-Drama. 

A brother and sister live together after their parents sticky divorce and must survive each other. It is a short, fast, slice of life that is just too funny. 

I don't know much more to say other than it's hysterical and I finished it in a day. I really want to find the anime for it, but the K-Drama is on Netflix. 

If you're looking for a pickmeup story, this one is great. 

Rhythm of War

 The fourth installment of the Stormlight Archive series by Brandon Sanderson was amazing. 

The world of Roshar has turned on it's head. The Desolation is here and the enemy is at their front door. Traitors have been found amongst their ranks and countries around the world are being taken over or willingly joining the enemy which can mean doom for Dalinar and his Knights Radiant. Queen Navani is sent to deal with the ever day of Urithiru and is constantly propelling the inventors forward to help end the war.  In a year of fighting, Kaladin and his Windrunners have found honor in the enemies they have been fighting and an old friend turned traitor causes a lot of havoc for the once Bridgeboy who suffers heavily with PTSD. Refugees flee including Kaladin's parents and war abounds. Adolin and Shallan must travel to Shadesmere and must convince the Honorspren to join their cause so there can be more Windrunners to defeat the constant stream of enemies. And not all of the enemies are what they appear. All want the war to be over and some of the enemy are will to help Dalinar's side instead of the Old Gods. 

This was a very exciting story and one that went in a direction that I didn't think it was going to. I read this book well after it came out and knew of some spoilers, so I was able to not cry at a certain point, but I was wholeheartedly unprepared for what came after and how touching it was that tears streamed down my face at the lakeside. So well written just like everything Brandon Sanderson does write. 

I love how Brandon isn't scared to touch some hot topics, specifically mental illness. He doesn't just skim this lake, he dives in and gives voice to people's legitimate troubles. It's not just a "happy" story of war and everyone is willing to kill everyone else to win. It's the after affects of so many hard situations that change us. It's the coming to terms with those circumstances. Brandon does what Kaladin does in bringing the sufferers into the light instead of hidden away in dark holes inside a mountain. He also shows us that not everyone is as black and white as they might appear on the outside. People have ulterier motives and will likely surprise you when they are given the chance. 

These character arches are amazing in that they are sticky, people slide into old habits, they think they are doing the right thing just to find out that it might not have been so right. It feels so real and makes me want to write like him. 

Fly Me To The Moon (Tonikaku Kawaii)

 

Fly Me To The Moon is a slice of life story for a boy named NASA (like the space association) and a girl who saves his life. He vows he will marry her, but she disappears. He goes through school, graduates at the young age of 16, and suddenly she shows up and asks if he still wants to marry her. He's been looking for her for years and says yes, so they get married. They live in his tiny little apartment and get to know each other. Part of the suspense and intrigue in this story is that neither of them knows anything about being intimate and they both think it would be very improper to touch much let alone sleep with each other (other than actually resting). When his apartment burns down, they move temporarily into a bathhouse (run by a mom and her two daughters who are his age, whom he's helped out with accountant work in the past). Jealousies and friendships accrue. 

In going into it, I didn't realize it was a slice of life, so I was anticipating a thick plot and was slightly disappointed. There was this implication that she is some kind of moon spirit or guardian, but then that never really goes anywhere. I haven't finished the whole series because it was getting king of long (as slice of life stories sometimes do), but I did enjoy what I did complete. 

There were many really cute moments that I don't think would happen in real life (because of the attitude of "we shouldn't touch more than hand holding," "kissing makes me embarrassed," "I shouldn't look because I'm not supposed to" when they are actually married and all of that is fine in practically ever culture that I'm aware of). They are sweet and kind to one another and shows a good marriage which is nice for a change when there are so many awful marriage or the "Mom and Dad are off on business trips for the whole story or don't exist all together." 

I really wish they would have added more into the whole Moon Guardian thing. The slice of life aspect of it is fine, but I really wanted them to do something more with her paranormal powers--like how the heck did she actually safe him! 

Warbreaker

 Rereading this one was one of the best ideas. 

Siri was the left over princess, but suddenly she is the most important person in two kingdoms. Instead of Vivenna, the important sister the perfect princesses, Siri is chosen to marry the Godking to stop a war. Thrown into unknown politics and told she isn't supposed to even talk to her new husband, Siri is extremely over her head. Vivenna knows how out of her depths Siri is and goes to to save her, but now her only contact is dying of a horrible sickness and she is now on her own. Vasher is also in town with his own reasons to get into people's business. 

The characters in this story are amazing. I think the growth that the main characters go through and how drastically they can change when circumstances require it, shows the reader that we can all do hard things, things we never believed we could ever do--I'm especially looking at you Vivenna. 

The magic system is unlike any I've seen anywhere else and there are so many possibilities. To have your magic powered by your Breath and the colors around you is ingenious. As for all of Brandon's magic systems, it is extremely well thought out and although it takes us a while to get a full description of what potentially could happen (as opposed to Mistborn which gives us the explanation right up front) we get the jist of it enough to not have us be totally lost. I very much appreciate the rules being laid out and having hard and fast rules as opposed to other books with magic where it takes a few nonsensical words of "Power," a wiggle of the fingers, and some form of intent and absolutely anything or nothing can happen. Those other kinds of magic systems seem cheaper to me and can get the writer out of situations they otherwise wouldn't be able to logically get themselves out of. For Breath and it's magic systems, there are rules that can't be broken and yet also many facets that help them to do amazing things. They are tools used for many ways but there are still impossibilities that must be worked around. It's good, thought-out worldbuilding which I very much enjoy. 

The first time I read the book (this is my second), I thought that the ending happened too quickly, that maybe there could have been another chapter or three to elongate the suspense. However, upon this second reading, I enjoyed it so much more and the ending, although somewhat abrupt, didn't feel like it wasn't warranted. Each of the characters got their moments of doing something great--Lightsong you will forever be in my heart--and empowering which end up changing what will be happening in the future for the world and off-world for the Cosmere as a whole. 

I know that Brandon is going to write a sequel to this story, and while he's had this one out for well over a decade, I believe he's "close" to starting this next project. Brandon writes fast and consistently so we won't be waiting for it never to happen (which happens for other writers where their series' go unfinished). It might take another few years, but all of Brandon's readers are eagerly await for the next Warbreaker book.