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A review by kanissa
Range of Ghosts by Elizabeth Bear
5.0
I chose this book based on its setting - one of my recent "kicks". The inspiration for Ms Bear's world comes from the the Black Sea. (Think Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, etc.) In this story, we encounter a nomadic steppes culture and groups of powerful magicians.
At first, the worldbuilding just feels so different from your standard fantasy novel that it was all I could focus on. I dare say on a second reading, there will be many more points to enjoy. But Ms Bear does a fantastic job of sucking you into her world, managing to make it feel both exotic and familiar at once.
I found the main characters to all be very sympathetic, although they never really acted in a way that might try one's enthusiasm for them. For the most part, it seems like a simple quest storyline: go find the kidnapped girl, kill the evil ghosts, seek out powerful allies to help you with the two previous points. But the story was never dull and kept my attention.
Definitely will re-read at some point to see what points I missed out in my first go!
At first, the worldbuilding just feels so different from your standard fantasy novel that it was all I could focus on. I dare say on a second reading, there will be many more points to enjoy. But Ms Bear does a fantastic job of sucking you into her world, managing to make it feel both exotic and familiar at once.
I found the main characters to all be very sympathetic, although they never really acted in a way that might try one's enthusiasm for them. For the most part, it seems like a simple quest storyline: go find the kidnapped girl, kill the evil ghosts, seek out powerful allies to help you with the two previous points. But the story was never dull and kept my attention.
Definitely will re-read at some point to see what points I missed out in my first go!