My father and I have for the second time finished Hexwood by Diana Wynne Jones

My father and I have for the second time finished Hexwood by Diana Wynne Jones, Mistress of the Multiverse and Lady of Endless Surprises.

A seamless blend of Fantasy and Sci-Fi, for us this is THE Jones book that set the standard for originality that is nothing short of sheer genius coupled with surprises that had us literally banging our heads against the bed, yelling "We've been Jonesed!" Yes, for us "Jonesed" is a verb. There is a reason why we view Jones as second only to Tolkien, after all. Hence reading Hexwood again for the first time in over a decade was like seeing very old friends again and reliving some of the most memorable moments in all our long years of reading together.

Fire Emblem Heroes: Book VIII

Usually I consider myself fairly quick on the uptake regarding game trailers, but this one has me baffled. That we are navigating Yggdrasill and dealing with those who inhabit it is obvious, but that is as far as I can make out. The nature for the conflict is at present beyond me.

Music to start the month

I am in a festive mood this Holiday Season, so I shall begin the month not with a quote but rather a song:

I have started Princess of the Sword, Book 3 of Lynn Kurland's Novels of the Nine Kingdoms

I have started Princess of the Sword, Book 3 of Lynn Kurland's Novels of the Nine Kingdoms.

Rescue missions and romance, seriously evil wizards and stealing arcane secrets, a dark legacy to undo and hopefully defeat a Black Mage along the way. I have a feeling that putting this book down will be, in its way, no less a challenge than anything Morgan and Miach have to face. Point of order, I also do not think that schools of wizardry should have Masters of dark magic as part of the faculty.

I have finished The Mage's Daughter, Book 2 of Lynn Kurland's Novels of the Nine Kingdoms

I have finished The Mage's Daughter, Book 2 of Lynn Kurland's Novels of the Nine Kingdoms.

Nothing is as it seems in the Nine Kingdoms, and no one, apparently. But the heart endures even in the face of rampaging trolls, grumpy royal grandfathers, and seriously evil magic. They say that ignorance can be overcome but that prejudice will destroy you, and thank goodness Mhorghain overcame it. But overcoming what killed her mother will be a different matter altogether, even with archmage Miach by her side.

I have started The Mage's Daughter, Book 2 of Lynn Kurland's Novels of the Nine Kingdoms

I have started The Mage's Daughter, Book 2 of Lynn Kurland's Novels of the Nine Kingdoms.

They say that ignorance can be overcome but that prejudice will destroy you, and it is my dear hope that Morgan does not become an object lesson of that statement regarding her determined loathing of mages. Something of an ironic loathing given both her past and likely future, so here is hoping Miach can earn both the mark of the sword and her affection before the true war begins.

My father and I just finished The Secret of Lillian Velvet by Jaclyn Moriarty, the fifth book of her Kingdoms and Empires Series!

My father and I just finished The Secret of Lillian Velvet by Jaclyn Moriarty, the fifth and unexpected book of her Kingdoms and Empires Series (which apparently is NOT finished after all!) 

Would that I had a Genie bottle or, better yet, a Genie handy; the first would hopefully let me dream what I am supposed to write here and the latter grant me a wish for the perfect thing to be written. Lacking either, I suppose I am going to have to help myself - which are Genies' goals for humans anyway, so I guess it is fitting that I have neither. If that sound rather convoluted then perhaps I have begun writing the perfect post after all, for this book was more than "just another day in the Kingdoms and Empires". It showed that Moriarty is truly the literary heir of the great Diana Wynne Jones, for NO other author possesses such sheer genius in weaving story threads across time itself! Meaning it was first confusing then intriguing then a heartstopping thrill-ride watching Lillian Velvet use her wits and the contents of a pickle jar to meet and help the Mettlestones. Linear causality is overrated anyway.

I would say goodbye, only I am dead certain this is not the last we have seen of the Mettlestone family (or, hopefully, Lillian as well), past or present. So until next time, whatever time within the Kingdoms and Empires that may be!

(By the way, Jaclyn Moriarty obviously had WAY TOO MUCH FUN writing this book.)