The Strangled Queen by Maurice Druon

This book continues the story of the French throne after the death of Philip the Fair (IV). Louis X, Philip's son, inherits the throne, but he must decide what to do with his unfaithful and inconvenient first wife. In the meanwhile, a variety of other people are making their own plays for power. I enjoyed this story: it really makes the history and the people come to life.

The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie

This book was an engaging fantasy that brought in a variety of historical references in intriguing and new ways. There's conflict all over the Union: the northerners are trying to take back Angland (and the Shanka are pressing in as well), and there's pressure from the Empire in the south as well. The book follows four unlikely protagonists: Logen Ninefingers, who's only just lucky enough to stay alive, who has come from the North in search of a great Magus, Captain Jezal dan Luther, a fop with a lot of luck who realizes that there may be some things worth fighting for, Inquisitor Glotka, who lost everything as a prisoner of war, and now suffers through every day--and makes everyone else around him suffer as well, and Bayaz, a wizard who may just be the first among many and who may have returned from myth (he last appeared as himself during the reign of Herod the Great) just in the nick of time. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of this trilogy.

A Memory of Light by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson

This volume concludes Robert Jordan's series, The Wheel of Time. It is massive in every sense of the word: it wraps up an epic story, it contains a cast of characters in the hundreds, and one of its chapters is almost two hundred pages long. Sanderson does an admirable job bringing Jordan's material to a close--a task that Jordan himself was having trouble doing (as evidenced by the meandering plots of the last few books he wrote). There are still elements of the series that bother me (Rand's three women, as one example, and the huge number of plots, for another)--but most of these elements seem to have sprung out of the middle of the series, when Jordan seems to have lost the thread. And thread is really the right word for this series in particular, because so much of the magic and mythology is based on the idea of weaving--a metaphor which really struck me as I was reading this book. I was actually really satisfied with the ending. It was thoughtful, it was surprising at times, and it neither shied away from tough consequences and deaths nor unduly punished its characters. I think I will remember and ponder the ending for a long while, and I could even see myself re-reading the series at some point in the future--which I would have been much less likely to do before reading this book.

Songs of the Earth by Elspeth Cooper

This book is a fantasy story about Gair, an orphan who has magical powers--that mark him as a witch. There were some interesting elements (especially the idea that the church has something to hide in the history of its rise to power). However, the book felt very repetitive: lots of ideas from other series (from the Wheel of Time, to Star Wars, to Lord of the Rings). While I understand that lots of fantasy tropes are repeated from series to series, there wasn't a lot of originality in the ways that Cooper used them. Also, the main romantic pairing of the book was off: technically the relationship was forbidden by the rules of the school--a point that was made much of until people in charge found out about the relationship--and then it didn't matter at all. I'll be interested to see where this series goes, but I certainly hope it improves.

First Lord's Fury by Jim Butcher

In this book Tavi faces the ultimate challenge and the last battle for Alera against the Vord queen. He also must assert his rightful position as First Lord of Alera against a variety of challengers and rivals. Once again, Tavi's unusual upbringing allows him to be more resourceful and clever than his predecessors and his sense of honor and charming personality help him to earn the respect and cooperation of a wide variety of peoples. This book brought the Codex Alera to a fitting and enjoyable conclusion.

Princeps' Fury by Jim Butcher

When Tavi and his companions arrive in Canea in this book, they discover that the Vord have all but conquered the whole land, except for one range. Meanwhile, the Vord are pressing Alera too, and it's all Gaius Sextus can do to stop them temporarily. I think that one of the advantages of this series as a whole has been its episodic nature: Tavi (and the other main characters) deal with a given problem or issue in a book, and then they often skip a few years (so we don't get a lot of filler material). But as the series draws to a close, we're not skipping so much time any more. I'm looking forward to seeing (I suspect) Tavi defeat the Vord and bring new hope to Alera.

Captain's Fury by Jim Butcher

In this book Tavi is masquerading as Captain Rufus Scipio, and his successes against the Canim have made him more political enemies than allies. But when he discovers that some of his suspicions about his parentage (that he's the First Lord's grandson) are confirmed and that his mother has been pretending to be his Aunt Isana his entire life, he's faced with a crisis of trust. The fate of the realm depends on his ability to take up a new mantel as Princeps. I really enjoyed this book. While I liked the idea of Gaius Sextus having to do without his furies, those scenes weren't as interesting as Tavi's. These books are not the most epic high fantasy I've ever read, but the series is well-plotted and very enjoyable.

The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien

It took me longer than usual to read these books this year; I think I both got tied up in library books and busy doing other things than reading. When I did finally read them, I was most struck by the language and the structure this time around. Tolkien has a very good ear for the English language--so he was able to make his book sound like something that's come out of thousands of years of mythic history--while still using subtle differences in dialect to distinguish between the types of characters (and he has a series of invented languages from which the Lord of the Rings was supposedly translated that add a layer of complexity to his work). The structure is also very well done--things that open earlier in the story close later on (even Fredegar Bolger, who was left at Crickhollow in an attempt to foil pursuers is accounted for when the hobbits return to the Shire after destroying the Ring). I think this happens most clearly in the case of Smeágon/Gollum: his fall in Mount Doom is clearly foreshadowed by the oaths he swears on the Ring while he helps Frodo and Sam into Mordor. Despite the clear losses that everyone suffers in the story, it's really a hopeful tale: good can prevail, at least one age at a time, and we know it is good, not just because we are told so, but because it treats those who have done it evil with kindness and mercy; we can also track evil in its self-defeating hostility to all, even its so-called allies. I really love these stories--and I can't wait for the movies about The Hobbit, which start this December!

Cursor's Fury by Jim Butcher

In this book Tavi finds himself shuffled off to a legion where he should be far away from the impending civil war. Of course, as these things go, this legion quickly becomes the only thing standing between the Canim and Alera--and Tavi becomes the only officer left standing. There were several parts where I felt the story was getting a little pat--things were difficult for Tavi, but he got just the crucial piece of information or aid or insight at the right moment. Still, I think this series is doing a good job balancing having a wide scope but still keeping the characters and the range of action manageable. Every time I finish one of these books, I can't wait to see what happens in the next one.

Towers of Midnight by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson

The penultimate volume in the Wheel of Time series has convinced me that not only was Brandon Sanderson the correct choice to finish the series when Robert Jordan died working on what he thought was the final volume, but also that Sanderson has given the series a stronger ending than Jordan would likely have been able to. I find the new style much clearer: I have a stronger grasp of how all the pieces come together to make a cohesive story (granted, all the threads should be coming together because it's the end, but in the middle volumes of the story, it felt like there were tons of characters wandering around doing things for no clear reason). I would have liked to see a little more of Rand, but I am guessing that we'll see lots of him in the final volume. I'm more excited about what happens in the end of the series than just finally reaching the end, now, and that's a change for the better.

Academ's Fury by Jim Butcher

In this book we jump ahead several years to see Tavi at school in the capital. He must step in to protect the First Lord as a threat from the first book (the Vord) becomes mobile and increasingly threatening. At the same time, his uncle Bernhard and Amara are fighting the threat in Caldera and his aunt Isana is negotiating the politics of the capital in an attempt to get help for them. Not only was this sequel very enjoyable, it gives further evidence of a well-plotted series.

The Land of the Painted Caves by Jean Auel

The end of this book did have more conflict in it than some of the previous books in this series, but I think that it suffers from the same basic problem (and one that the Outlander books also face, to a certain extent): Auel is more interested in how people lived at the dawn of the human race than in telling a story with believable characters and the kinds of conflict that make you want to keep reading. She does a beautiful job with the setting, but it starts to drag in these long volumes.

Railsea by China Miéville

This book tells an engrossing story set in a faintly recognizable but outlandish world. Islands of what might look to us like normalcy are connected by the railsea, train lines that twist & tangle over earth too dangerous to walk on (where moles, worms, & earwigs have grown in size & become genuine dangers to humans). Technology is salvaged by some trains, others carry goods, wage war, or engage in piracy. But we're treated to a ride on a moler, which hunts the massive animals of the railsea. In part, I loved this book for its imaginative world, & in part for the conceits which seems to speak to some primitive part of humanity (you can't step on the ground, or else!). I enjoyed seeing Sham ap Sooprap grow up. But mostly I loved it because in telling its story so well, it talks back to many other great books: Moby Dick, Robinson Crusoe, & Treasure Island, to name three obvious starting places. This is the kind of fantasy that got me started reading fantasy, & it's the kind of fantasy I want to read again & again & again.

The Shelters of Stone by Jean M. Auel

This book suffers from the same problem as many of the earlier books in the series: Auel is more interested in figuring out how people realized that men are biologically related to their children than in telling a good story. In this installment Ayla and Jondalar arrive at his home after he has been away for five years. The conflicts in the story are of two types: first, some people dislike Ayla because they are petty, jealous, and ashamed of themselves. Second, Ayla want to have it all (be a spiritual leader and a wife and mother) and even though there are no rules against it--and several women who do it successfully--and everyone says that she can do it, she's not sure she can. These conflicts point to a central problem with Ayla: she never has any meaningful conflicts that put her own identity or values into question. In every conflict, the narrative positions her as clearly in the correct, and having such a perfect protagonist is of no real interest.

The Furies of Calderon by Jim Butcher

This book combines a magical system inspired by Pokemon and the idea of a lost Roman legion (albeit thousands of years after they were lost) to set up a pretty interesting series. It took a little while to get how the magic works straight, and obviously the main character (Tavi) is more than he seems--some of the plot ideas were predictable, but the story is enjoyable and fast paced. It's not as funny as the Dresden Files, but I'll be interested to see where this series goes next.

Plains of Passage by Jean Auel

This book, like those that come before it, gets too hung up in the minutiae of prehistoric life and what the characters thought about the world, and loses its sense of direction. I enjoyed the section where Ayla and Jondalar saved a group from a tyrannical woman ruler the most. It's not that I mind all reflection, but in this series, things get pedantic.

The Gathering Storm by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson

This book begins to solve some of the problems plaguing the later Wheel of Time novels. Its plot is finally moving forward again toward the Final Battle and a logical conclusion. I really enjoy the White Tower sections--Egwene has really come into her own. Not much of Elayne, Mat, or Perrin in this book. I'm still frustrated by several of the characters' and cultures' conceptions of honor (especially the Aiel), but I think Sanderson's role in the series has helped to get things moving again. Looking forward to the last two books.

The Wind Through the Keyhole by Stephen King

This book is definitely the best in the Dark Tower series. In some respects, it's just a side note, a pause in the story, a place that you wouldn't even necessarily have known was a gap until it is filled in. But it really clarifies the relationship between Roland and his mother, and in its limited scope, it is beautifully done. Well worth reading even if the rest of the series frustrates you. The plotting (with stacked stories) is magnificent, and I really felt the story spoke to the heart of what it means to reach the Dark Tower.

Crossroads of Twilight by Robert Jordan

The stakes may be a bit higher in this book, but the Wheel of Time continues to turn a bit too slowly for my taste. I appreciate the vast complexity of the world, but the significance of this installment to the overall plot continues to elude me. I often lose track of which character is which, and on whose side they're fighting, if I'm even supposed to know. I'm very interested to see how the series plays out, but it's not as immediately compelling as some other long series I'm embroiled in at the moment.

Quicksilver by Neal Stephenson

This book presents a complex and intriguing portrait of the Royal Society around the time of its founding, mixed with adventures in European politics and espionage. Some of the characters (particularly Eliza) are really compelling, and it's a treat to see the great minds of the Royal Society in action. There's a lot of attention to cryptography, mathematics, and science in this book, which I enjoy. If anything, it's lacking a clear plot: there are elements to various stories that play out very clearly, but overall, I'm not quite sure where this story is headed. I'm willing to give the second and third books a chance, though.