The Revenge of Eli Monpress Review

The Revenge of Eli Monpress (Spirit’s War & Spirit’s End – Eli Monpress #4 & #5)

Rachel Aaron

Publisher: Orbit

Eli Monpress is vain. He's cocky. And he's a thief.
But he's a thief who has just seen his bounty topped and he's not happy about it. The bounty topper, as it turns out, is his best friend and master swordsman, Josef. He's been keeping secrets from Eli. Apparently, he's the only prince of a rather feisty country, and he's been ordered to come home to do his duty. This means throwing over personal ambitions like proving he's the greatest swordsman who ever lived.Family drama aside, Eli and Josef have their hands full. The Spirit Court has been usurped by the Council of Thrones and someone calling herself the Immortal Empress is staging a massive invasion. But it's not just politics - the Immortal Empress has a specific target in mind: Eli Monpress, the greatest thief in the world.

*Sigh* I have a massive crush on Eli Monpress. He just charms me with every adventure, every outrageous scheme, every wink. I adore Miranda’s stubbornness to stick to her morals no matter what. I love Josef and Nicco’s loyalty to each other and Eli. I love the idea of objects and elements having spirits, thoughts and opinions. I just love this series and I’m so sad that it has come to an end. That one of the reasons I’ve been holding off reading this for so long as I didn’t want it to end. But what an end! Wow! I already read and reviewed Spirit’s War when that came out on kindle last year (read it here) so this review is just for the final book – Spirit’s End.

Spirit’s End is how all fantasy series should end – with the stakes higher than ever before, with each character getting a chance to shine, with each subplot and question answered and the world never being the same as it was before! After the devastation and upheavals of Spirit’s War, things don’t get any easier here with the Shepherdess finally getting her hands on Eli, the Demons outside still scratching their way into the world and the Spirit Court divided. Some of the book is taken up with tying the loose ends from Spirit’s War, with Josef’s island still devastated and in need of recovery and the Spirit’s Court’s refusal to go to war for the Council of Thrones also has consequences. Nothing is forgotten and there are consequences for everyone from their actions.

While the stakes are higher than ever before, Rachel Aaron has retained the joyful banter between characters and Eli can always raise a smile or two no matter what is happening. With the world altering events, these light touches enable the story to balance the dark and light. The characters are all true to themselves – and for most of the final 250 pages I could barely breathe as it felt like there was one climax after another. I kept thinking it couldn’t get any more tense – and then it did! This has been one of my favourite Fantasy series I’ve ever read with a delightful balance of character, plot and world-building that manages to hit all the right notes for frantic fun and deadly consequences.

While I will miss Eli and co and can see the possibility for more adventures in this world, I’m happy with where we end. Plus I’m really looking forward to Rachel Aaron’s next story! I think this series gets stronger with every book and only having five books means it’s not as overwhelming a fantasy series such as The Wheel of Time. Go on, give it a go! The books get better and better as you get to know the characters and the wider world is explored. But remember Eli is mine! J

Recommended for fans of Patricia Briggs and Scott Lynch. 10 out of 10 

The Spirit War Review

The Spirit War (Legend of Eli Monpress #4)
-       Rachel Aaron

Publisher: Orbit (Kindle only in UK until November)

Eli Monpress is vain. He's cocky. And he's a thief.
All Eli Monpress wanted was the biggest bounty in the world. He never meant to have obligations, or friends, but master swordsman Josef Leichten and Nico, the daughter of the dead mountain, have saved Eli's life too many times to be called anything else. But, when a friend upsets your plans and ruins all your hard work, what's a thief to do
What started as a simple side trip to help a friend is rapidly turning into the most dangerous job of Eli's career, but he can't back out now, not when Josef needs him. But when you're under attack from all sides, even the world's greatest thief can find himself cornered, and it's going to take all the fast talking Eli can muster to survive the next few days

Eli is back! After what feels like a far too long a break, Eli, Josef and Nico are back, but before they can think up a new heist Josef’s bounty is raised – to more than Eli’s! Eli won’t let this stand but first they have to return to Josef’s home in order to confront his past. Meanwhile Miranda is learning some deep secrets at Shaper Mountain, and somewhere across the seas the Immortal Empress is stirring...

I have to admit I’ve missed Eli and friends. I really enjoyed the slow way in which each of their pasts and motivations has been revealed over the course of this series – answering questions but also raising more. This time Josef is the focus as we discover why he wants to become the world’s greatest swordsman and what drove to leave behind his family – and has called him home again. The Shepherdess is also more prominent as we learn a lot more about her and how the spirit world works. While Eli is as charming as usual there isn’t as much as before for him to put his charm to good use, as this time he and his friends are not skulking in the shadows but have themselves embroiled in politics at a global scale. Some of the light-heartedness has gone in exchange for full on war with the stakes much higher than ever before.

The writing is involving and drags you along – I really couldn’t stop reading at times. I loved the action and the story. I loved Miranda’s principals even as I rallied against them. I finally felt she caught up with the rest of us here as to what was going on with Eli and the spirit world. Plus Gin was a great protector as ever.

This is very fast moving with many more characters than ever before – which really rounds out the world. Even the bad guys are given time to explore their motivations. There are a lot of shades of grey – which if your hero is the greatest thief in the world is expected! A truly exciting read, with so many elements adding to a breath-taking finale. And my, what an ending! Yes, it’s a cliff-hanger! I want to read Spirit’s End now! But I have to wait to until November...*sob*

This is fantasy with a intriguing magic system, compelling characters, fast action and an element of fun. Just what I love!

Recommended for fans of Michael J Sullivan and Kristin Cashore. 9 out of 10.

The Spirit Eater Review

The Spirit Eater (Legend of Eli Monpress 3)

-       Rachel Aaron

Publisher: Orbit

With the pressure on after his success in Gaol, Eli Monpress, professional thief and degenerate, decides it's time to lie low for a bit. Taking up residence in a tiny seaside village, Eli and his companions seize the chance for some fun and relaxation. Nico, however, is finding it a bit hard. Plagued by a demon's voice in her head and feeling powerless, she only sees herself as a burden. Everyone's holiday comes to an untimely close, though, when Pele arrives to beg Eli's help for finding her missing father. But there are larger plans afoot than even Eli can see, and the real danger, and the solution, may lie with one of his own and her forgotten past. If only Nico could remember whose side she's on.

Wow. Just wow. After a yummy starter in The Spirit Thief and a tasty fish course in The Spirit Rebellion, we get the most delicious, scrumptious main course in The Spirit Eater! It has all the things I loved about the first two books – dripping with amusing banter,  seasoned with daring escapades and served with great action scenes. Plus this time we get additional information about Nico and her demon seed and the league of storms and the shepherdess, which has only been hinted at previously. And we find out what Eli does with all his loot! J

Eli shows some true emotional depth as he can’t refuse to help a friend and then struggles to trust his partner, Nico when he finds out more about her past. Miranda is hard on Eli’s heels and determined not to let him slip through her fingers once again. And this time she’s working with two mysterious men from the council – Sparrow and Tesset, both of whom are intriguing additions that leave me wanting to know more. That’s what I love about this series – the answers to questions are given but not handed to you on a plate. To find out you have to keep reading – and when the writing this smooth and the story so interesting it’s no chore!

I love the humour – so many fantasy books take themselves too seriously. Here the stakes are raised, you care about the characters, but there is still great fun to be had. I love any scene which has both Miranda and Eli in – they really spark off each other and their conversations had me smiling all day. Miranda who has been so straight and narrow previously, starts to learn that there are shades of grey in the world. Her ghosthound, Gin is as much a delight as ever. I could just go on mentioning the layered characters and how there are so many hints at what there is to come, but it would be much easier if you read the books as well.

This is my favourite Eli book so far – and now I can’t believe I have to wait until next year for The Spirit War! If you want some fun adventures in a unique magic system, then start hunting down Eli and see if you catch him! J

Recommended for fans of Karen Miller and Jennifer Fallon. 9.5 out of 10.

ELI MONPRESS GIVEAWAY!

I hope you've all been enjoying Eli Monpress week so far - I know I have! Now Eli may be the greatest thief in the world, but even he wouldn't turn down something for nothing (although he might be a little suspicious!). And I'm offering one lucky person the complete series of Eli Monpress books so far - that's a copy of The Spirit Thief, The Spirit Rebellion and The Spirit Eater.

Rules are pretty simple, cos I get easily confused!
 - Just fill in the form below.
- Open Internationally (as long as The Book Depository ships to you)
- Ends at midnight GMT 7th October.
- Don't have to be a follower (although I won't object!)
- Just fill in the form below - Good luck!

Oh, and this isn't necessary to enter but I'm curious...if you were able to steal one thing (for a short time only, of course you'll return it!), what would it be..? Answers in the comments. It can be anything in the world. Personally, I'd 'borrow' a fully manned sailing ship for a two week holiday around the Mediterranean. Sun, sea and plenty of books! Bliss! :-)

<GIVEAWAY CLOSED>

The Spirit Rebellion Review

The Spirit Rebellion (The Legend of Eli Monpress 2)

-          Rachel Aaron

Publisher: UK – Orbit

Eli Monpress is brilliant. He's incorrigible. And he's a thief.
He's also still at large, which drives Miranda Lyonette crazy. While she's been kicked out of the Spirit Court, Eli's had plenty of time to plan his next adventure. But now the tables have turned, because Miranda has a new job -- and an opportunity to capture a certain thief.
Things are about to get exciting for Eli. He's picked a winner for his newest heist. His target: the Duke of Gaol's famous "thief-proof" citadel. Eli knows Gaol is a trap, but what's life without challenges? Except the Duke is one of the wealthiest men in the world, a wizard who rules his duchy with an iron fist, and an obsessive perfectionist with only one hobby: Eli. 
It seems that everyone is hunting for Eli Monpress.

The Spirit Rebellion picks up shortly after the end of The Spirit Thief with Miranda returning to the Spirit Court having let Monpress go in exchange for his help and Eli and his friends looking for a replacement cloak for Nico, the demon seed. This is a more than satisfying second course from Rachel Aaron. We learn more about Eli’s past as well as hints about the demon seed maturing in Nico. In addition there is some element of the politics Miranda has to deal with. I love her constant ethical dilemma between obeying the Spirit Court and doing what is best for her own spirits – even if she was feeling a little sorry for herself at one point. Luckily her spirit-hound is able to keep her from wallowing too much.

My favourite thing about this series are the conversations between characters – they banter, they complain and there is little exposition so it is through actions that you discover what is happening. The magic system of this world is fantastically original to me with everything having its own spirit – doors, roofs, wheels, wind, fire and even roads with wizards being people who can hear what these spirits have to say and able to persuade them to do certain things. This means that at times it’s the ‘inanimate’ objects that the characters are fighting against.

The writing is easy to slip into and you go through pages like a shark through the water – smoothly and devouring. Eli is a charming anti-hero with his swordsman playing more a straight hero role – at least as far as Nico is concerned. My one regret about The Spirit Rebellion is that Miranda and Eli didn’t get to spend much time together – I would have a loved a lot more flirting and to see them rub each other up the wrong way! Now I’ve had my starter and fish course – I’m hoping for a strong third course (and a meal with plenty more courses to come!). J

Recommended for fans of Patricia Briggs and Karen Miller. 8.5 out of 10.

My Book Boyfriend: Eli Monpress!

Missie at the Unread Reader, has this great meme where we share our book boyfriends - you know the guys who make you swoon and come make for each time in your favourite book? Now, I've been spying and drooling over other people's book boyfriends for quite a few months now and hoarding all my men to myself. So esepcially for Eli Monpress week, I'm introducing my first book boyfriend, the man himself - ELI MONPRESS.

Eli is a thief, actually he's the greatest thief in the world with an ever growing bounty on his head. Or as his wanted poster says when we first meet him -

Eli Monpress - bounty, paid dead or alive,

20,000 Council Gold Standard Weights.

Wanted on 157 counts of grand larceny against a noble person, 3 counts of fraud, 1 charge of counterfeiting and treason against the Rector Spiritualis

But that doesn't mean he's evil. Lord Whitehall, member of the Council describes him as

"A two-bit con man with a flair for the dramatic."

 or as Miranda Lyonette says -

"Thinking he's not evil isn't the same as liking him. He's a scoundrel and a lawbreaker and a thief, not to mention a liar and though I will admit he's not a bad sort of guy underneath all that, it hardly makes up for the rest." 

However, I would gladly welcome him any time. He's charming -he can talk the trees into bending over backwards for him - literally! He has great trust in his friends and partners and while he can turn most situations to suit himself, at the end of the day he does do the right thing. And who doesn't like a bad boy with a heart of gold underneath? So far there has been little romance for Eli, but I'm sure I can change that! Plus if I ever bored of him, I can always turn him in for the bounty! :-)

Today I have Brandon Routh playing Eli as I think he has the perfect combination of cheeky grin and smouldering eyes. Plus yummy!

So would you kick him out of bed? :)

Audiobook: The Spirit Thief Review

The Spirit Thief (The Legend of Eli Monpress 1)
-   Rachel Aaron

Publisher: UK - Orbit

Performed by Luke Daniels

Eli Monpress is talented. He's charming. And he's a thief. But not just any thief. He's the greatest thief of the age - and he's also a wizard. And with the help of his partners - a swordsman with the most powerful magic sword in the world but no magical ability of his own, and a demonseed who can step through shadows and punch through walls - he's going to put his plan into effect. The first step is to increase the size of the bounty on his head, so he'll need to steal some big things. But he'll start small for now. He'll just steal something that no one will miss - at least for a while. Like a king.

I first read The Spirit Thief a few months ago so for Eli Monpress week rather then re-read it I thought I would listen to the audio book. So I was able to spend 8 hours and 19 minutes of unabridged re-introduction to this fascinating world...

The Spirit Thief is a fun romp of a fantasy novel. It’s an action orientated adventure with a charming but mysterious leading man and his equally mysterious companions. Most of the story is told through the point of view of Miranda, a ‘good’ wizard who is trying to catch Eli for ruining the reputation of the Spirit Court with his thieving ways. Eli’s character, past and motivations remain shrouded in mystery but tantalisingly teasing the listener (reader). The only thing he seems focused on is increasing the bounty on his head. In comparison Miranda is driven by her honour and morals – she comes over as a strong moral character, capable and intelligent. Her interactions with her ghosthound are a joy to read and I hope that she continues to follow in Eli’s footprints for some time to come in order to keep him on his toes!

One of my favourite things about listening to this first story in the series again was Luke Daniels performance of the characters. To me, he nailed Eli’s voice – his charm and confidence as well as his focus on what he wants. And I won’t be able to read about Gin the ghosthound any more without hearing that gruff voice! Luke’s performance was great – each character was individual and I really felt he added to the basic story by giving depth and layers to the plot.

The system of magic Rachel Aaron has created seems different (to me at least!) with everything having a spirit – not just living things such as trees and animals but also rope, stone, rivers, fire. The wizards have the ability to talk to spirits and ask them to help. Eli particularly seems good at gaining helps from spirits – in the first scene he charms the prison door into opening for him! The system isn’t explored in detail as it is normal to these characters - but the abuse of spirits becomes an important point – is it right for humans to inflict their own will on other spirit’s souls? Mostly though the story is a variety of heists, fights and magical battles as Eli races around the kingdom of Mellinor causing trouble – and it is a lot of fun. I got caught up in the excitement and had a huge grin on my face at many of Eli’s antics. My one niggle is that I was left wanting to know more about Eli and his companions – I didn’t feel like I knew them that much more by the end than I did at the beginning. It did leave me desperate to move straight onto the second book! J

In the end The Spirit Thief is like a Caesar salad  - a great start to the meal that whets your appetite for more but not quite enough on its own. And luckily I have the next two book reviews for you later in the week! J

Recommended for fans of David Eddings and Peter V Brett. 8.5 out of 10

Welcome to Eli Monpress Week!!

Welcome to Eli Monpress week at Mel's Random Reviews. Eli is the star of three book already released - The Spirit Thief, The Spirit Rebellion and The Spirit Eater with another two book due out next year - The Spirit War and Spirit's End. Over the last few weeks I've becoming more and more imersed in Eli's world and the unique system of magic that exists there and I wanted to share what has quickly become one of my favourite fantasy series. So I have a packed week full of posts, giveaways and reviews as we try to track down the greatest thief in the world...

Monday

AM - Welcome post

PM - Review of The Spirit Thief audiobook

Tuesday

AM - My Book Boyfriend - Eli Monpress

PM - Interview with Eli's partner in crime, author Rachel Aaron

Wednesday

AM - Review of The Spirit Rebellion

PM - Eli Monpress Giveaway

Thursday

AM - 60 Second Quick Quiz with Rachel Aaron

PM - Review of The Spirit Eater

Phew - I'm exhuasted just looking at that...think I need to lie down for a while to prepare for the week...hang on...where's my bed gone? Eli! He's been here! Now where did he get to...? J

The Spirit Thief Review

The Spirit Thief (The Legend of Eli Monpress 1)
- Rachel Aaron

Publisher: UK - Orbit

Eli Monpress is talented. He's charming. And he's a thief. But not just any thief. He's the greatest thief of the age - and he's also a wizard. And with the help of his partners - a swordsman with the most powerful magic sword in the world but no magical ability of his own, and a demonseed who can step through shadows and punch through walls - he's going to put his plan into effect. The first step is to increase the size of the bounty on his head, so he'll need to steal some big things. But he'll start small for now. He'll just steal something that no one will miss - at least for a while. Like a king.

The Spirit Thief is a fun romp of a fantasy novel. Anyone expecting deep character examinations or involving political storylines will be disappointed. Instead it’s an action orientated adventure with a charming but mysterious leading man and his equally mysterious companions. Most of the story is told through the point of view of Miranda, a ‘good’ wizard who is trying to catch Eli for ruining the reputation of the Spirit Court with his thieving ways. Eli’s character, past and motivations remain shrouded in mystery – hopefully for further examination in later books. The only thing he seems focused on is increasing the bounty on his head. In comparison Miranda is driven by her honour and morals – she comes over as a strong moral character, capable and intelligent. Her interactions with her ghosthound are a joy to read and I hope that she continues to follow in Eli’s footprints for some time to come in order to keep him on his toes!

The system of magic Rachel Aaron has created seems different (to me at least!) with everything having a spirit – not just living things such as trees and animals but also rope, stone, rivers, fire. The wizards have the ability to talk to spirits and ask them to help. Eli particularly seems good at gaining helps from spirits – in the first scene he charms the prison door into opening for him! The system isn’t explored in much detail but the abuse of spirits becomes an important point – is it right for humans to inflict their own will on other spirit’s souls? Mostly though the story is a variety of heists, fights and magical battles as Eli races around the kingdom of Mellinor causing trouble – and it is a lot of fun. I got caught up in the excitement and had a huge grin on my face at many of Eli’s antics. My one niggle is that I was left wanting to know more about Eli and his companions – I didn’t feel like I knew them that much more by the end than I did at the beginning.

In the end The Spirit Thief is like a Caesar salad  - a great start to the meal that whets your appetite for more but not quite enough on its own. On the plus side the next two books in this five book series, The Spirit Rebellion and The Spirit Eater are out now and I’m hopefully they’ll fill me up – and I already have The Spirit Rebellion on my TBR pile! J

Recommended for fans of David Eddings and Patricia Briggs fantasy series. 8 out of 10

Part of FTC's Speculative Fiction Challange Book 1/12