Latest Book Reviews and Comments
Who knew? I started writing a blog over a year ago and vowed to write one entry every day. As I got into the process, I discovered it got easier, not harder. At the end of the first year, I compiled all the entries and ended up with nearly 120,000 words! That's longer than The Ark Lords and Rome's Evolution. It's been good practice and I still have a long way to go. I hope you'll check out the book. The price is right (free everywhere except Amazon + B&N who make me charge 99 cents). Anyway, enjoy.
Although my taste generally runs more towards epic fantasy door-stoppers, with massive world-building and bloated casts of characters, Moth and Spark was an enjoyable diversion. I could have done with less romance and more dragons, and would have preferred to see the middle act shortened in favor of expanding the final act, but that's simply a matter of personal preference, and not a criticism of the book - which delivers on exactly what it promises. Anne Leonard's writing style fluctuates a bit here, with the opening chapters actually coming across as stronger and more polished than the heart of the novel, but overall the entire book is solid. Corin is nicely established in the opening chapters as a capable leader, a young man with a good heart, who happens to be laboring under a compulsion. Tam is similarly established as a strong young woman, not just smart but clever, who aspires to rise above her caste. Both characters are a bit too perfect, a bit too pure, but while that might otherwise be a flaw, their romance works precisely because of it. As for that romance, I thought it was very well played out, even if it was rushed. Their dialogue was natural - amusing at times, tender at others - and their relationship progressed very well. The fact that they complement each other so well, with Tam's newly revealed visions conveniently serving Corin's role in fulfilling the prophecy, was not surprising. What was surprising was the fact that, while the connection provided them with purpose, it was not relied on as the primary connection between them. I've seen that done before (I'm looking at you, Terry Goodkind), especially in stories where insta-love is necessary to the plot, and it always feels artificial. The court intrigue and military drama surrounding them, however, wasn't nearly as strong or as detailed. There were glimpses here and there of a solid high-fantasy core, but Leonard always seemed to pull back just as I was getting into things. To be fair, that element clearly is not the focus here, but it did have an impact on how I read the story. As for the final act, make no mistake, there is some fantastic action and adventure in the closing pages. It approaches silliness at times, and there were a few plot/tactical holes that made me groan, but it was a heck of a lot of fun. The final chapters move along at a great pace, with some genuine moments of dramatic tension, and the ultimate climax more than pays off on the promise of the opening prophecy. For those readers in the mood for a light, romantic fantasy, then Moth and Spark is a great pick. For those readers who come for the romance, but who walk away wanting more of the epic fantasy elements then it may just be the perfect gateway novel as well.
There's at least one book each year that strives to be the next big mainstream/genre crossover . . . one book that tries to achieve a sort of mainstream literary respectability, while still managing to resonate with genre fans. More often than not, those crossovers don't work, and just end up disappointing one group, while alienating the other. As such, I'm always a bit reluctant to give those books a read, but read them I do, hoping that, this time, there really is a crossover success in the making. With that said, I am pleased to declare that The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August is indeed the first crossover success of the year. Whoever Claire North really is, she (or he) demonstrates a flair for literary magic here, coupled with an honest love for the genre. At its roots, this is a hard science fiction novel, one that deals with the complexities and paradoxes of time travel, as well as the intellectual and political drivers of scientific progress. In different hands it could have been dense and dry, boring to some, and bewildering to others. Fortunately, Claire North is able to easily convey such lofty concepts and explore them in a conversational manner. There is a definite 'geek' factor to the conversations between Harry and Victor, which are often as amusing as they are fascinating, but the discussion never goes over the head of mainstream readers. It's a smart book, but one that tries very hard not to boast about its own intelligence. On the surface, this is a mainstream novel about one man's journey (okay, journeys) through life. It's a story of love, loss, triumph, sorrow. In fact, there's an almost Dickensian feel to the story of Harry's birth, his complicated parentage, and his ever-changing idea of family. For, you see, no matter how long or short his life, Harry is reborn to the same parents, in the exact same situation, every time . . . but with the memories of all his past lives. Everything else about him changes - who he loves, what he does, how he dies - but he always begins the same way. There's a sad inevitability to his life, in that no matter what he does he will always die to begin again, but there's also a wondrous sort of potential in how he chooses to live each new life. Just beneath that literary surface, nurtured by those genre roots, is the heart of the story. As we quickly learn, Harry is not alone in his cycle of rebirth and remembrance. In fact, there's a legendary/mythical Chronus Club that has arisen over the centuries to bring them all together, an informal group that's as much about playing elaborate games as it is about maintaining the temporal status quo. While members are free to dabble with possibilities and experiment with new experiences, there are key events that must be allowed to proceed as they always have before. That means no assassinating Hitler before he comes to power, no preventing JFK's assassination, and no interference in the fate of the Twin Towers. Of course, when you're talking about immortals, reborn with lifetimes of memories, it's no surprise that one or two should be tempted to break the rules . . . which brings us to Victor. Without spoiling too much, Victor is a man much like Harry, except he's not content with merely living one life after another. He's begun advancing technological progress across the globe, picking up where he left off with each new life, bringing progress to mankind faster and faster, with an eye towards becoming something more than just physically immortal. Burdened with the knowledge that Victor's efforts are hastening the end of the world, bringing it closer each and every time, Harry takes it upon himself to interfere. It is their complex relationship that ultimately drives the narrative, keeping the reader engaged, and providing the true emotional and intellectual heart of the story. Here are two men who understand each other better than anybody alive, who share so many of the same hopes and dreams, and who have been friends, allies, adversaries, and mortal enemies, depending upon the life lived. It's the strength of Harry as character that keeps us engaged, and his strength as a narrator that keeps us from getting lost in the sometimes scattered recollections of his lives. Just as importantly for a book involving time travel and resurrection, there's genuine tension to the story, and honest surprises along the way. Even the final confrontation is perfect, tying up all fifteen lives in a manner that not only makes sense, but which is as ingenious as the story demands. All said, The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August is an exceptionally well-written novel, one that flows quickly and easily in spite of the lofty ideals sometimes being explored, and which offers something of substance for all readers, no matter how their shelves may lean.
With Morningside Fall, Jay Posey's Legends of the Dustwalker saga is beginning to remind me of Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn Saga. Both series started off strong, with first novels that really impressed me with their imagination and their storytelling, and which guaranteed I would keep on reading. Unfortunately [minor spolier here], the second volume in both series suffers from the absence of the protagonist who made the first book so compelling. That absence made this a frustrating reading experience for me. The world building was taken to the next level, the threat of the Weir was far better explored, and we finally get something of a primary antagonist in the final portions of the book. In addition, the writing was just as solid as it was in the first book, contributing to an enhancement of the overall atmosphere. There really was a lot to enjoy and appreciate here, but Wren is no Three, and that's a very big 'but' indeed. I didn't like Wren much in the first book, and I didn't come to like him any better here. He's too innocent, too precocious, and too vulnerable. I wasn't necessarily looking for him to stand up and become a hero, but I was hoping he would serve some purpose other than to be the typical kid who needs to be rescued. He just rubs me the wrong way, leaving me exasperated and anxious to move on to the next scene that doesn't center on him. As for his mother, I really liked the darkness and the edge of Cass in the first book, but at lot of that seems blunted here. Sadly, it seems as if she's just not as interesting without Three there to challenge her on a personal and intellectual level. It's not a bad read, and the last 100 or so pages are worth sticking it out for, but it was a long, slow, difficult read getting to that point. I found myself skimming in places, and getting tired of all the walk-on auditions to replace Three as Wren's guardian. Morningside Fall definitely suffers from middle-book syndrome, adding to the issue of trying to replace a protagonist, but it ends with enough promise to make a third book a likely-to-read, if not quite a must-read.
As Richard Laymon novels go, Island is definitely one of his lesser works. It's a shame, because it seemed to have so much potential for the patented Laymon brand of bloody carnage and lustful insanity. I mean, here we have one sexually frustrated young man and four scantily-clad women, all of whom are stranded together on a tropical island, with a sadistic murderer on the loose, and a possible traitor within their ranks. While we do finally get a glimpse of the twisted potential in the last 160 pages, it's largely fleeting (just a couple of chapters of true depravity), and the final twist seems like something Laymon only dropped it in there because he knew the reader would expect it. If only somebody - particularly Rupert or Kimberly - had decided to take a walk along the beach, we could have skipped a lot of filler and gotten right to the good stuff. The whole journal approach was entirely wrong for the story, and Rupert was a weak choice for a narrator. We get page after page after page of Rupert writing in his journal and obsessing over which of the women he'd like to fantasize about most, what little they're wearing, and just how many different ways he can try to sneak a peek of just a little bit more flesh. Okay, so that's not entirely fair, since he does tell us about the killings, but his habit of blurting out the fact that something horrible happened or somebody else has died, then backtracking to tell the story, quickly grows tiresome and robs the book of any real suspense. There were several points where the book had the chance to go sideways, to take one of those patented WTF turns that Laymon does so well, but he never takes the bait. There is a very nice bit of play with one of the sisters, leaving us to keep changing our mind as to whether she really is on the killer's side, and some dark suspicions laid out regarding the dead father, but that's really it until we get to those final pages. By then, the whole story has become so drawn out that what should come as a brilliant shock instead falls flat. It almost feels as if Laymon wrote himself into a corner, needed to find a clever way out of it, and ultimately settled for something less. I really wanted to like Island, and I think the core of a classic Laymon story is hidden in there, but it's far too long and very poorly executed. At his best, Laymon can get your pulse racing and your imagination running wild, leaving you feeling giddy (and guilty) with the need to reread that last crazy scene. Here, though, he just leaves you looking at the clock and counting the pages left, futilely hoping that all will be redeemed.
Okay, so let me put this one into context for you. I don't read nearly as much science fiction as I used to, and military science fiction is a sub genre I've really only dabbled in. However, I do appreciate a good alien invasion story, and I was already curious about Weston Ochse's Seal Team 666 series, so I decided to give Grunt Life: Task Force Ombra a read. While I likely didn't enjoy it as much as a fan of the genre might, it was still a good, solid read with some elements that surprised me. The story has an interesting start, with a well-foiled suicide attempt atop a bridge that includes a pop-culture Lethal Weapon reference. It's an important connection, in that both are action-packed stories, with moments of sorrow and darkness, and elements of dark humor to alleviate that darkness. In fact, the idea of suicide and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are not just elements of the story, but the driving force behind Task Force Ombra. By taking a hard look at where such dark thoughts come from and what they can do to a human being, Ochse sets up an interesting sort of evolutionary defense against the overwhelming psychic influence of the alien invaders. As for those invaders, I like the fact that Ochse allowed to be so . . . well, alien. Although insect-like in their appearance and behavior, there's more to his aliens that just that easy sort of comparison. Their mental/emotional abilities dwarf anything humanity can imagine, and their motives are incomprehensible. In fact, while there is some debate about who they are and what drives the alien Cray, understanding that motivation simply isn't important to a grunt - understanding how to stop them, hurt them, and kill them is. The opening arc of the story was, by far, the most interesting to me. Getting to meet the suicidal men and women recruited for Task Force Ombra, seeing how they're trained/conditioned in prison-like conditions, and watching as they engage one another in a confessional sort of catharsis is fascinating. Ochse devotes a considerable amount of time to setting the stage for his grunts, and I liked that. The explosion of all-out hostilities and actual war against the Cray, lacks quite the same depth, although it never forgets where it (or its grunts) came from. Having said that, there are still some interesting elements to the war, with experimental guns, swords, and well-armored mecha providing a very sci-fi contrast to the very human (and haunting) idea of massive airliners being used in suicidal attacks. A fast-paced story with some daring ideas, Grunt Life: Task Force Ombra is a must-read for fans of the military science fiction genre, and definitely worth a read for sci-fi fans in general.
The third in her series of dark fantasy collection, Cursed Children of Naor is another strong, entertaining read from Justyna Plichta-Jendzio. As was the case with the first two collections, the book is comprised of three stories connected by theme, mythology, and setting. A Son of the Wolf Pack opens the collection on a bit of a weak note. The werewolf take is an interesting mix of horror and fantasy, but it just seems too familiar. Fortunately, the typical red herrings as to who is the werewolf are deliberately obvious, almost as if we're being challenged not to believe. What ultimately redeems it, however, is the final revelation as to who really is the werewolf, along with the deeper mythology surrounding the curse. Shroud of the Past is a more original tale, transporting us from the frozen lands of the opening story to a more medieval pastoral setting. Here, we get an interesting look at race and gender in the world of Naor, with a very different sort of evil working behind the scenes. I quite liked what Justyna did with this one - it just felt like a magical story, and one with some interesting women at its heart. With Dragon’s Race we change setting and story once again, moving into the dangerous deserts, and into a more heroic sort of fantasy. I hesitate to call this one a coming of age story, but it is very much centered around a young man forced to confront his destiny. This feels like the biggest and richest tale in the collection, as well as the most traditional. It takes a while to get going, but once it does it hits all the right buttons. Justyna writes very well, with an imagination that's equal to her narrative talent. Her grasp of dialogue and mythology is what really drives her writing, with the the episodic nature of the stories keeping things fresh. I would like to see a longer novel from her at some point, simply to have time to follow a group of characters once we get to know them, but that's not a complaint, just an idle wish. If you've yet to visit Naor, then Cursed Children of Naor is a great place to start.
It's no secret that "Throne of Glass" must be my favourite series EVER. So "The Assassin's Blade" could not be bad. And it isn't. This book contains five novellas, all set before the beginning of "Throne of Glass" itself. The first story ("The Assassin and the Pirate Lord") starts about a year before, is then followed by "The Assassin and the Healer" (which is shorter than the other four, due to the fact it was originally a UK World Book Day Novella), then comes "The Assassin and the Desert", "The Underworld" and, finally, "The Empire". Those five stories in fact tell how Celaena found her way to the Salt Mines of Endovier, where we find her at the beginning of the first book. The story explains a lot of strange remarks, notes and thoughts you get from Celaena. If you have read the books in the main series, this is a must-read. And if you haven't, it's still a must-read.
The novella in this book is pretty good and does a nice job filling in the back story of King Roger. The interesting part is The Honorverse Companion which is written by a team of fans filling in the details of the Honorverse. Dave has had an incredibly active and knowledgeable fan base from the start of the series. Back in the day they congregated on a David Weber newsgroup that was fascinating both from the technical discussions and the participation of the author. More than once, David ended discussions with it's my universe and that's how it works, keep your stinkin' facts to yourself! It was also were the venerable tradition of red shirting started, (after star trek's security, beam me down, I'm here to die) where if you irritated Dave enough, a character in his next book was named after you who almost always ended up dead. For fans of the series of course this is a must read. However, if you are a writer, or a publisher it is worth your while to read this book and the Ring of Fire universe if you want to get a handle on where modern fiction is going. Both of these series are evolving into a model of what future fiction will look like in the internet age. - Ron Restorff
It's very rare for myself to find a novel that can catch my attention, but The Passage did just that and more. I was unable to put this book down and immediately upon finishing i went out and bought the second book. Absolutely loved it!
This is a difficult book to review. Not because it is not good - it is excellent. But because what it leaves you with. I finish so many books these days, and that's it. I have left that authors mind and the universe of those characters, never to think of them again. "The Beggar of Beliefs" is wholly different. I found myself looking up the historical events it references, the timelines, the chronologies, even village names and locations... and all because "The Beggar..." has left me with a gnawing sense of doubt that this is not a work of fantastic fiction... but it could very likely be true. I'm not a conspiracy theorist per se. I enjoyed The X-Files, but that was it. But here we have a book the describes, in amazing detail, the Tunguska event, the nuclear tests of Starfish Prime, a mass poisoning in France - and many more - and links them all with a narrative so sinister that Stephen King must surely be jealous. Because what the author has done is nothing short of remarkable; he has proved the existence of God... but then has also explained that pain and suffering is not just allowed to happen, but it is actively fermented by the shadowy Raven Men, who are heralds of a malevolent Creator. Now I can sit here and scoff and jeer. But when I look at all the violence undertaken "in the name of religion", suddenly I'm not so sure. And when I start to look up key characters, the mocking leaves me completely. George Tate lives, as does Colin Denoon, Sam Cotrahens and a myriad of others. And isn't that the mark of great book? Not just one that sucks you in from the first page, but makes you believe. And I sit here, on cold and stormy night, and I find myself believing in the realm of Sumerland and all its darkness. And that makes me very, very afraid. One for open minded horror lovers everywhere.
Justyna has proven herself to be a highly imaginative and skilled writer. With every book she writes she displays incredible attention to detail, character development and originality. Not only are her stories intriguing and her characters deep and diverse, they are all very original and exciting. They are also quite unpredictable, and after getting into these books you'll realize that you can never trust your initial assessments. As always, the author demonstrates that a lot of work went into making the histories, cultures, belief systems and geographies of Naor. This is clearly a world the author is passionate about, and it comes through clearly in her writing.
Broken Homes brings the Peter Grant series back towards the quality of Rivers of London & Moon over Soho, though it still suffers some of the problem's (read: Boring parts) of it's prequel, Whispers Under Ground. Never the less, this is a one step towards to wake up my interest again, and because of the cliffhanger end it is guaranteed, that I'll get my hands on the next part as well.
A very enjoyable series, if you are a fan of Elizabeth Moon's Vatta series, or Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan series you will find an excellent read in these books. -Ron Restorff
This book was quite an unexpected brilliant discovery for me. The summary doesn't reveal too much so that the tale could be of any type. Hmmm - every description I would write, would spoil the fun and excitement for you, so I leave it at that. Just one more thing: although it's a short story, it has many twists and turns - and although the reader almost always believes to know how the tale will progress: it's wrong - or I'm just bad at guessing ;-).
I've read this book the second time now and it was as indescribably hilarious as the first time. One could say that Pratchett and Gaimann tried to accommodate too much characters in that tale: prophets, angels and demons, fortune teller and witch-finder, Bikers of the Apocalypse, a gang of kids. As each thread of the tale has its own small and great events it never gets boring. Beside the Them I like the Bikers most - just to think of their new means of transport and how one of them has taken over the job from another makes me laugh.
Reached closes the circle on Cassie, Ky and Xander as the rebellion against the Society finally emerges. Condie makes very nice work on describing troubled society and differences between Society and Rising become bit foggy towards the end.
During the years D books have changed. When I first begun to read these novels D was silent and a bit grumby type of antihero. He rarely spoke and when he did, it was as little as possible. Now, on the 16th novel he's become more talkative, more social - and more colder. And the stories involve more and more side characters each time. I guess it's not a bad thing, from the story point of view, but occasionally I do miss the silent type lonely Hunter who has bizarre conversations with his left hand... Lucky for me the hand still is hilarious (and somewhat still a riddle)! ;)
A Canticle for Leibowitz is one of the classics of science fiction. It was the first book to address the modern nuclear threat and cold war issues directly. While the cold war is behind us, it still provides a cautionary tale of what can happen when events take on a life of their own.
If you are a fan of fantasy fiction this is an absolute must read regardless of your age. Not only is it timeless in its own right, but it is the foundation that all fantasy fiction rests on. I have this edition in hardcover and as I make the transition to e-books, this book, with its illustrations, page design and quality binding will forever have a place on my bookshelf. -Ron Restorff
It is quite likely that the author of this book has more than a passing familiarity with the work of Robert Rodriguez, Quentin Tarantino and John Woo. The plot is thin and the characters mostly one dimensional but having said that I found the book very readable and it kept me entertained during a long days travelling however I probably won’t bother to read the rest of the series.
With "Anansi Boys", Neil Gaiman has produced a really great piece of literature. It's a combined "Ghost-Voodoo-Comedy-Family"-epic with lovingly portrayed characters. Neil Gaiman conveys the impression to the reader that it took much pleasure to him in writing this novel and narrating stories about: two young men who are sons of a god, old ladies of the neighbourhood (who one could call "witches"), a potential serial killer and - apparently - normal people. It's real fun to dive into that story: I've enjoyed it completely.
I love this! The story goes on so well. Usually you almost know what might happen next, but then there is something so out of corner. It have been long time since I last time smiled and even laughed while reading a book. I have read many good book which leaves you a good feeling. But this really entertain you, so many ways. Clever, funny, serious.. The story is so close. Maincharacter is so ´simple´ but so clever made. ( I don’t know how to explain). The young boy with childlike thinking, so proud and ready to rule whole world. But same time so wise. In most parts there really happening nothing. No ´action´. But still it is so attractive. You really want to know more. More! Those interlude parts. They give you nice time to breath, rest and think. You have read so deeply the story itself, and only noticed that, when you finally get to interlude. And same time you read the story so hungrily to get quickly in those interlude parts, hoping that they reveals some big secrets. In total this book and serie is so clever and entertaining. How can I wait until the final part will be released! I will starve. This waiting is torture!
If you enjoy Jean M Auel's Earth's Children Series then you will also enjoy this series. -Ron Restorff