Latest Book Reviews and Comments
Wonderful tale of Stacy, the Empire Princess, and how the series by Graham Diamond began.
I loved Midnight! I love all of L.J. Smith's books. She just has a way of sucking you in that you can't escape. The book is really hard to put down. The bad news is that it ends on a huge cliffhanger and L.J. Smith can't write any more of the books thanks to the publishers. This was posted on her website: “I fought tooth and nail to write those books--I fought until my agent wouldn't support me, when she said I would be sued and she wouldn't fight with me anymore, and I WROTE Phantom. But instead of edits what I got back was a letter to Clare the ghostwriter telling her to completely change my book. I HAD NO CHOICE IN THE MATTER. I was deceived by Alloy and got no support from Harper.” Guess we'll really never know the truth of how the author intended to end TVD stories.
Alexandra Bracken's novel is a stunning debut. The plot is simple but not too simple, it flows on naturally. For that it's easy to follow, but it also surprises; you cannot always predict what's coming. The theme of one's responsibility towards one's country and home is repeated through the novel. However, the biggest part of the story, like often in YA novels, revolves around the relationship between the two main characters. The good part is, that their relationship and it's changes were not artificial, they were identifiable. Brightly woven was a book that delighted and, in my opinion, is one of the best YA novels of 2010.
To put it simply, this book, and the rest of the series, is the greatest work of Fantasy to come out since the Lord of the Rings was published. It is a perfect mix of humor and seriousness, both vast in scope and narrow in focus. It creates a world full of magic, but it is a world that is harsh, gritty, and even more diverse than our own. There is both good and evil, but there is no black and white. The series manages to be innovative and yet still retain many of the traditional trappings of a fantasy series. There is a sense of vast antiquity behind these books, as if you are picking up and dusting off the ancient writings of a long dead empire. Gardens is a great introduction to the series, full of great characters you will love, hate, or reserve judgment for. One thing about this series that sets it apart and above all else is its incredible intricacy. There is no wasted text in these books, an incredible feat considering the length of them. Every action and character in this series is tied into the primary plots. Yes, plots. There are three primary story arcs, though as the series progresses they blend together until they are less distinguishable. There are also large numbers of smaller arcs within the main ones. As i said earlier, nothing is wasted or fails to add to the plot. I simply do not have enough room to extol all of the virtues of this series, so let me finish by urging you to read these books. If there is one series that should not be missed, this is it!!
Exodus is a gripping book. It is a memorable book. I could not put it down. But sometimes describes too much and there is not much action. Mara’s island is drowning. Is there any hope for the people of Wing? She meets a mysterious fox in the weave. He tells her of a forgotten town in the sky. Will they get there? I would recommend this book to girls 11+! This is a book you must read! I rate it 4.5 stars!
Exodus is set in the year 2099, when the Earth has all but drowned and only a few islands remain habitable. Mara is confined to her fast-disappearing island home of Wing, which is ravaged by fierce storms and an ever-dwindling supply of food, and where every night she escapes into a virtual world known as the Weave. One night, she discovers ‘proof’ of the mythical Sky Cities – entire cities that rose into the sky and kept their inhabitants safe from the flooded world below – and sets about convincing everyone of their existence, keeping secret the fact that she only discovered their existence from a talking fox, who may or may not be an enemy… She convinces the community to set sail on a terrifyingly dangerous journey to find these Sky Cities; but what will they find there? I really wasn’t sure about this book at first – the blurb made it sound a teensy bit corny and when I started reading it, there wasn’t much of a story (in fact, the story doesn’t really kick off until about 75 pages to the end) and the present tense in which it is written takes a bit of getting used to – but I was intrigued by this incredibly detailed future that Bertagna had created and was interested to know what would happen when the story did kick off; and boy, am I glad I did! Not to say that there was no story before the ‘pick up the pace’ point – the book was beautifully written throughout and those pages were quite vital to the plot of the story, as well as essential in making connections with the characters in the book. The characters are all really well developed and you genuinely care about them when horrible things happen to them. You also really feel for them and their situation – after all, the book in set just 90 years away, in a world that struggles to survive because of extreme flooding; a world that is frighteningly likely to happen and it could be our great-grandchildren that live in the nightmare-world, making it an eye-opening, powerful read. An exceedingly beautifully written and thought-provoking read. I cannot wait to read the rest of the trilogy!
A good quantum romp with plenty of action and interesting characters and settings. Rajaniemi makes you work at it a bit, though; the environment is complex and it's up to you to figure it out. There is also a lot attention given to unfinished storylines - you get the sense that there is large saga looming.. Still, I enjoyed it! Will buy the next one as well.
Dragonborn is full of mystery and magic. It captures your interest and leaves u in suspense. Although the first few pages seem to be boring, dont give up on it. It takes a while to understand and after you get the story, you finally find it interesting. It is based on a 12 year old boy who is left behind, half way through his apprenticeship of becoming a wizard when his master suddenly passes away. Its about his journey during which he makes new friends, develops his skills and finds his true self. Later on in the story you will find it harder to understand what is happening and will leave u in confusion. but that soon clears up and you are directed back to the main plot. This is only the first volume, so the story does not end here. The suspense holds even to the last page and will leave you wanting for more.
so, the last part of Lestats adventures. I am pretty happy with this book, thought it is worse than many of the parts before it. In this novel Lestat is deciring to become a saint (as we all know, it isn't that natural for him). the very best thing of the story is that the old Lestat is back. Since the Interview with the Vampire, Lestat had developed to be a kinda boring creature with only love in his ways and words. now he is again that selfish lord that wants to be worshipped with no question. other ways Blood Canticle is a tired breath of a dying queen. I love Anne Rice and how she writes. the problem here is the lack of old friends. Where's Louis? Marius? Armand? it is all about the new Little Brother and Taltos and high heeled shoes.. not so very interesting. I would have wanted to know, what came to the others.
Although I am the author the review posted below is by fantasy book review for my book. The original review can be seen on their website or the website of my publishers, along with many other reviews. Regards Sean Beech For nearly three hundred years now the Moon lands have known peace. But the Ice Crown of Man been stolen and also the Ancient Howl of the Fennigan Wolves. Their theft robs both races of the power to unite their peoples! But who is responsible; the mysterious Fey; the magical Mages or the lands' erstwhile enemy, the dreaded Dark Knights? The Ice Crown blew me away; full to the brim with much that is fresh and original. Sean Beech showcases an imagination that sets him apart from the mainstream; this is a work of exemplary style and substance. Robin Hobb is an author that I hold in the highest regard, one of the finest exponents of character-driven fantasy. Sean Beech does not pale by comparison. The story opens well and we are quickly and efficiently introduced to the major characters in the story, characters that are instantly lifelike and well realised. This is a strength that helps the reader to become quickly drawn into the Land of the Moon and the events that have, and will, transpire. The Ice Crown is, as already mentioned, very strong on characterisation; there is not a weak character to be found - we have Morkin; the level headed and kind-hearted prince; Luxor, his powerful and loyal protector and friend. Add to this an unforgettable fat tax collector called Grabbit and the carefree 150-year-old mage called Ranabin and you have the foundations upon which this fine tale unfolds. After the fine opening I thought The Ice Crown might settle down into the regular fantasy formula... I was wrong. It was here that the author impressed me most with the introduction to the story of the wolves, or to give them their full title, the Wolves of Fennigan - an intelligent race, capable of speech, and integral to the story. It was moments like this that made the book so enjoyable - just when you thought you had a handle on the story the author goes up another gear and surprises and delights in equal measure. "So they had hunted, like they had in the past, before man had come to these lands. They had stalked their prey, keeping downwind to close the distance. Smelling it, delighting in its scent and the taste it would surely bring to their hungry mouths when they finally caught it." The Ice Crown: Chapter 4 The motives behind the writing of this book (see below) are admirable. I would recommend this book very, very highly to any fantasy fan. 50% of the author's profits from the sale of this book will be donated to the independent charity, the National Literacy Trust; to help change lives through literacy. Sean Beech believes that every child and adult should be encouraged and supported in his or her desire to learn and read. "I am determined in whatever way I can to help improve the reading standards for all in this country, and to that end 50% of my profits from the sale of this and any future works will be donated to charities involved solely in the pursuit of this goal."
I found the first part very thrilling, but it tended to drag later in the book. I could almost visualize the fall of civilization and really connect with the struggle for life. The characters were well thought out and easy to associate with. In general, I liked the book.
An absolutely interesting novel and trilogy. The Bartimaeus Trilogy has remarkably alike feeling to it than there is in Susanna Clarke's novel Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrel. The atmosphere is something I would call delicious. There is some very interesting darkness in them, some very interesting conflicts. The Amulet of Samarkand introduces us into the parallel world of our own, into the history not so unlike than the reality we think we know. I certainly like the feeling of the book which has shadows that go somehow even deeper than the grimy veins of humanity that George R. R. Martin brings us. The Amulet of Samarkand is maybe a softer version Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrel, but it definitely reaches a deep variety of shadows that make so many of the fantasy novels look far too bright in comparison.
All is relative. If I were asked my opinion based on the fact what kind of books I truly enjoy to read nowadays the answer would be: 'Nothing like this, really.' However sometimes I have to think back to when I was just beginning to find the world of books. Back then this sort of book would have been quite a good. It truly depends on how one looks into things: what it comes to true high fantasy capable to swallow you completely - this is not THE book. BUT it is quite nice book for the lot somewhere between childhood and being called young adults. It's for the ones swinging back and fort trying to decide if they could have a peek into fantasy literature but do not have stomach for the full scale of it. Put it together with its sequels and they make a nice set of low fantasy for younger population. This is why I think it's worth of three stars: if I were younger it would deserve more, if I judged it by my present standards it would deserve less - so this is a nice middle point. Like the whole book, it's somewhere in the middle.
Tome of the Undergates was an interesting and readable debut book, but in my opinion it wasn't an excellent book. I both liked and didn't like this book. This book contained interesting things, but unfortunately the author could've written certain scenes better. Fortunately towards the end the book became more interesting and I liked it more than during the first pages. I think that Sam Sykes has potential. I hope that he's able to improve his writing style.
Father brought this book home from the Frankfurt Book Fair. It is really the best bookI have ever read, and I have read over one hundred. To me it is a mixture of Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings and Comedy. It is quite old fashioned but unique. It;s as if it was written 60 years ago but it still has newer language and great characters. James Peck is the asthmatic hero and the wizard goldfis, yes that's right, Mendel is just amazing. I have already started book 2 in the series. I can't recommend this enough!!
It's a shame Twilight series has become so overly popular among young teenage population because this has lead to the fact that ever even admitting having read the book or discussing about it is something to classify being somewhat... well those of you who are not in love with Edward presumably understand. What I'm saying is that the series has become a synonym for sugary teenage love story. This is shame because those people can't see the quite audible fantasy behind the scene of 'the love story of millennia'. Putting aside the romance and the very questionable horror (which I don't seem to find at all) Twilight series has good ingredients for good or at least passable low fantasy: It has quite enough required fantasy elements and epic battle and a whole lot of psychological analysis (more or less adequate) and philosophy of life. And this is the point I enjoy most in the series - it's unbelievably fun to argue with the book concerning points in a view of life with what I disagree with. Truly it shouldn't be that popular and I wish I had read it long before they made the mistake of making a movie of the book and thus ruining it completely.
Rides a Dread Legion represents the class of the very readable and quite entertaining fantasy book even though it isn't anyhow a real masterpiece. Or maybe it should be expressed that on the background there is a hint of a skilled author who just isn't writing his prime work at the moment. What this means is that with worse writing skills this book would belong to a much lower class. There is something very generic in this book, but however it has some interesting notions concerning philosophy of life. Not bad if you wish to spend some of your spare time with a book that has somewhat the ability to grab hold of the reader and delight to the extend that doesn't steal your night's sleep.
The Sword of Shannara truly was one of the biggest dissapointments for a good while. A piece of warning to all who appriciate completed style of writing and deep analysis of human mind and relationship AND fresh and new ideas concerning fantasy genre: If you already have read The Lord of the Rings (as you should have) then beware! In The Sword of Shannara you will find the most precise copy of all the skeletal components of the Lord of the Rings right from the wise Gandalf and brave Aragorn up to safe haven of Rivendell. Al this created with a style hardly to be called a style at all. While The Lord of the Rings is not the psychological analysis in a way todays most celebrated fantasy books are it is a jewell when it comes to skill to combine the story line itself and the archaic writing style. And this is where The Sword of Shannara fails totally: it uses the shortened form used in the Lord of the rings but all the while fails to understand the utter importance of Tolkiens unique style. The best that can be said about The Sword of Shannara is that it has a small piece of adventure flavour to it, although this is accompliced through the proves of The Lord of the Rings and not on its own.
Tad Williams' Shadowmarch series has been a pleasant surprise. This series is well written epic fantasy - the story is good and the characters are interesting. Shadowrise contains good synopses of Shadowmarch and Shadowplay. I think it's great that this book contains synopses of the previous books, because they give the reader a chance to recollect what happened before. Shadowrise is as good and entertaining as Shadowmarch and Shadowplay. It was worth waiting for, because the story is good. The only bad thing is that you have to wait a couple of months before you can read how the story ends. In my opinion Shadowrise is excellent entertainment for fantasy readers. If you've read the previous books, you'll like this book. I'm looking forward to reading the final book, Shadowheart.
Richard Morgan's The Steel Remains is an interesting and well written fantasy book, but in my opinion it isn't an exceptionally good book, because it doesn't bring anything new to the fantasy genre. Some people have said that this book contains lots of explicit sex and violence and that's why it's different from other fantasy books. This is true, but experienced fantasy readers have read about sex and violence before, so they're used to it. Readers who have read only basic epic fantasy may think this book is a bit shocking, but experienced readers will probably think it's just a normal modern fantasy book. The Steel Remains is an enjoyable and entertaining fantasy book for adults, but it isn't a perfect book. It's worth reading, because the story is good and the characters are interesting, but it could be a bit better.
Dreamsongs is an excellent collection of George R.R. Martin's short stories. This collection contains several fantastic, fascinating and well written stories. I think that this collection is a great example of Martin's writing skills. This collection contains such stories as A Song for Lya, Sandkings, The Ice Dragon, The Hedge Knight and Meathouse Man. All these stories are worth reading and so are the other stories. I highly recommend Dreamsongs to all fantasy and science fiction readers. If you've never read any of George R.R. Martin's novellas, you should buy this collection. When you'll read it, you'll soon find out why readers praise Martin.
I think that Daniel Abraham's The Long Price Quartet is one of the best fantasy series ever written. He writes good and fluent prose. Each new book in this series has been better than the previous book, which is quite an achievement. In my opinion The Price of Spring is an amazingly good and well written book. It's a perfect and interesting end to an original fantasy series. I liked the story and I enjoyed reading about the characters. The Price of Spring is a great book. I can recommend it to readers who have read the previous books. I'm sure that you won't regret reading this book.