James McBride's "Deacon King Kong"

 

You can find this item here.

The book is set in 1969 in Brooklyn. The plot itself swirls around how a community is affected by a single shooting. Sportcoat (or Deacon King Kong) shoots a young drug dealer, who he used to coach in baseball, for apparently no reason. The time, history, and more importantly the relationships of the its community, police, mobsters and church-goers all work together or against each other in a book that shows the vitality and fragility of that community.

Now, to be honest, I found this book slow in the beginning; but I did feel like it picked up for me after the first few chapters. The style of writing is very lyrical, and that may be why I found it a little slower (particularly since I just came from a Patterson novel where the pace is much faster). However, the characters felt well-rounded and the way McBride intersperses moments of humour with hardship and each character's fate and faith was well done. 

I can see why his book one prizes, like the Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence. However, I would suggest that this book is for readers who prefer character-driven and dialogue-driven books as plot and action is second place in this novel. 

Links for you

McBride in the Library:

Good lord bird

This title is Fiction.

Kill 'em and leave

This title is a biography of James Brown

Stephen Aryan's "Mage born"

 

You can find this book here.

Aryan has written many books, and this, is the first  in the series Age of Dread. The Library does not have the remainging two books in this series, nor does it have the trilogy that comes before this within the same world ... feel free to request them for purchase if you like this one.

This book comes ten years after the first trilogy, Age of Darkness, and is interesting because as a fantasy novel its focus seems to be on the world being so afraid and horrified by magic that they want to eradicate it. This is about three protagonists in different fields trying to make sure the truth is known and fought for so no more people die, either from magic, or because of the fear of it. 

The book is very detailed and fast-paced (even for almost 400 pages). The characters are well-rounded, and maybe those that aren't come from the previous trilogy and are expected to be understood or known more clearly. The action is very clear and if you want to look at the differences between good and evil, this book highlights the grey in-between just as well. 

Everything was solid about this read, and leads it very open for the next two books that are coming. I recommend it, as long as you are able to get your hands on the rest of the series 😊

Links for you

Read-a-likes in the Library:

Waking land

Callie Bates

The characters in this book are fighting to save their world, even though magic is hated here too. It is strong in world-building and political intrigue as well. 

Author read-a-likes in the Library:

Chorus of Dragons trilogy (we have them all!)

Jenn Lyons

The world-building and writing style is strong; though the themes are not similar between these series. However, like all good epic fantasies, gods and humans must be involved.