After the death of his mother and the remarriage of his father, David, a 12-year-old boy, increasingly retreats to his room, where the books talk to hAfter the death of his mother and the remarriage of his father, David, a 12-year-old boy, increasingly retreats to his room, where the books talk to him. And at the bottom of the garden, he hears his dead mother's voice calling him. While in the garden during a violent storm, David is pulled into another world where he immediately encounters a huntsman, who sets the boy upon a quest to find his mother and, by way of doing so, save the society he's found himself in. A somewhat grim re-imagining of several well-known fairy tales help propel our young hero along his journey to his mother, and to the truth.
In the year 3016, the Second Empire of Man spans hundreds of star systems, thanks to the faster-than-light Alderson Drive. No other intelligent beingsIn the year 3016, the Second Empire of Man spans hundreds of star systems, thanks to the faster-than-light Alderson Drive. No other intelligent beings have ever been encountered, not until a light sail probe enters a human system carrying a dead alien. The probe is traced to the Mote, an isolated star in a thick dust cloud, and an expedition is dispatched.
In the Mote the humans find an ancient civilization--at least one million years old--that has always been bottled up in their cloistered solar system for lack of a star drive. The Moties are welcoming and kind, yet rather evasive about certain aspects of their society. It seems the Moties have a dark problem, one they've been unable to solve in over a million years.
This is the first collaboration between Niven and Pournelle, two masters of hard science fiction, and it combines Pournelle's interest in the military and sociology with Niven's talent for creating interesting, believable aliens. The novel meticulously examines every aspect of First Contact, from the Moties' biology, society, and art, to the effects of the meeting on humanity's economics, politics, and religions. And all the while suspense builds as we watch the humans struggle toward the truth. (Amazon blurb) ~~~~ This classic science fiction novel has been posted on my bookshelf profile as "Currently Reading" for months now. And I have been reading it. Sort of. A few pages here, a few pages there, a full and complete chapter in one sitting once or twice. In the meantime, I've completely finished reading three or four other books. Today I thought about picking it up again but couldn't remember where I'd put it. And so, today I officially give up on reading this novel.
Not that there's anything wrong with the story. It's a fine story, what bits of it I've read. But somehow it's failed to completely capture my interest...No, that's wrong. My lack of interest is not the story's fault. For some unknown reason, this particular hardcore SF novel doesn't suit my current frame of mind. And there are far too many other books gathering dust on the shelves to spend any more time with the Moties and the crew of the MacArthur. ...more
11/3/2008: Oops! Just saw that I didn't write a review. And it's been a while since finishing it, so let's just say I liked it, it was a worthy sequel11/3/2008: Oops! Just saw that I didn't write a review. And it's been a while since finishing it, so let's just say I liked it, it was a worthy sequel, and I saw some of the plot twists coming since book #1....more
A Victorian boarding school story, a Gothic mansion mystery, a gossipy romp about a clique of girlfriends, and a dark other-worldly fantasy--jumble thA Victorian boarding school story, a Gothic mansion mystery, a gossipy romp about a clique of girlfriends, and a dark other-worldly fantasy--jumble them all together and you have this complicated and unusual first novel.
Gemma, 16, has had an unconventional upbringing in India, until the day she foresees her mother’s death in a black, swirling vision that turns out to be true. Sent back to England, she is enrolled at Spence, a girls� academy with a mysterious burned-out East Wing. There Gemma is snubbed by powerful Felicity, beautiful Pippa, and even her own dumpy roommate Ann, until she blackmails herself and Ann into the treacherous clique. Gemma is distressed to find that she has been followed from India by Kartik, a beautiful young man who warns her to fight off the visions. Nevertheless, they continue, and one night she is led by a child-spirit to find a diary that reveals the secrets of a mystical Order. The clique soon finds a way to accompany Gemma to the other-world realms of her visions "for a bit of fun" and to taste the power they will never have as Victorian wives, but they discover that the delights of the realms are overwhelmed by a menace they cannot control. Gemma is left with the knowledge that her role as the link between worlds leaves her with a mission to seek out the "others" and rebuild the Order. (Amazon blurb) ~~~ First thing I have to say is I adore the artwork on the cover: a young woman viewed from the back, clad in her chemise and corset, shyly modest yet alluring. Lovely.
Second thing: I don't usually read young adult novels. This story may change that habit. Although it's obviously targeted at teenage girls, it's well-written and engaging enough to keep the attention of this reader who is long past her teen years.
Gemma is an intelligent and likeable heroine, with abundant curiosity and more than a little courage. She forges her place in the unknown and hostile environment that is a Victorian finishing school, and gleefully explores her newly-found magical abilities. I found the relatively easy acceptance into the above-mentioned clique somewhat unbelievable (I was a semi-outcast teenage girl once), but gladly suspended my disbelief for the sake of the storyline.
A nicely done novel. I look forward to the sequel. ...more
Amazon blurb: A book chronicling one of the worst human disasters in recorded history really has no business being entertaining. But John Kelly's The Amazon blurb: A book chronicling one of the worst human disasters in recorded history really has no business being entertaining. But John Kelly's The Great Mortality is a page-turner despite its grim subject matter and graphic detail. Credit Kelly's animated prose and uncanny ability to drop his reader smack in the middle of the 14th century, as a heretofore unknown menace stalks Eurasia from "from the China Sea to the sleepy fishing villages of coastal Portugal [producing] suffering and death on a scale that, even after two world wars and twenty-seven million AIDS deaths worldwide, remains astonishing." Take Kelly's vivid description of London in the fall of 1348: "A nighttime walk across Medieval London would probably take only twenty minutes or so, but traversing the daytime city was a different matter.... Imagine a shopping mall where everyone shouts, no one washes, front teeth are uncommon and the shopping music is provided by the slaughterhouse up the road." Yikes, and that's before just about everything with a pulse starts dying and piling up in the streets, reducing the population of Europe by anywhere from a third to 60 percent in a few short years. In addition to taking readers on a walking tour through plague-ravaged Europe, Kelly heaps on the ancillary information and every last bit of it is captivating. We get a thorough breakdown of the three types of plagues that prey on humans; a detailed account of how the plague traveled from nation to nation (initially by boat via flea-infested rats); how floods (and the appalling hygiene of medieval people) made Europe so susceptible to the disease; how the plague triggered a new social hierarchy favoring women and the proletariat but also sparked vicious anti-Semitism; and especially, how the plague forever changed the way people viewed the church. Engrossing, accessible, and brimming with first-hand accounts drawn from the Middle Ages, The Great Mortality illuminates and inspires. History just doesn't get better than that. ~~~~~ It may be morbid, but the Black Plague absolutely fascinates me. The concept that some seven hundred years ago this disease killed at least one-third, and perhaps as much as one-half, of the population of the entire world simply boggles the mind. And I can't read enough about it.
Kelly's book about this world-changing pandemic focuses on the path the disease took as it spread, and the devastation it left behind in each part of Europe it touched. (A lack of contemporary documentation prevents him from the same thorough analysis of the disease in Asia.) We follow the Plague's path in more-or-less chronological order as it passes through each major port in turn, and then spreads inland, leaving death and poverty and destruction in its wake. He shows us the daily lives of affected individuals by quoting their diaries and letters, as well as the economic and social impact of the disease on villages, towns, and entire countries.
It's hard to believe I never read this book as a child, but it's true. I'm glad to read it as an adult, when I can fully appreciate Sendak's artwork aIt's hard to believe I never read this book as a child, but it's true. I'm glad to read it as an adult, when I can fully appreciate Sendak's artwork and subtle humor. This is a children's book that truly deserves every accolade and award showered upon it. It has a home in our permanent library now, for any child that comes along to enjoy. ...more
Blurb from the back of the book: ...the breathtaking story of Calliope Stephanides, and three generations of the Greek-American Stephanides family, whBlurb from the back of the book: ...the breathtaking story of Calliope Stephanides, and three generations of the Greek-American Stephanides family, who travel from a tiny village overlooking Mount Olympus in Asia Minor to Prohibition-era Detroit, witnessing its glory days as the Motor City, and the race riots of 1967, before they move out to the tree-lined streets of suburban Grosse Pointe, Michigan. To understand why Calliope is not like other girls, she has to uncover a guilty family secret, and the astonishing genetic history that turns Callie into Cal... ~~~ After allowing this book to languish on Mt. TBR for at least two years, it has been read at last. And enjoyed very much! Now I know what all the fuss was about. This novel moves along at a rapid pace, alternating the Stephanides family history and Calliope's formative years with glimpses of Cal's life at the time the novel is written. Marvelous, engaging, sympathetic characters all around. A wonderful story, and a true treat to read....more
What child has not, at one point or another, wished for different parents? Coraline didn't get different parents, exactly; they looked like her own paWhat child has not, at one point or another, wished for different parents? Coraline didn't get different parents, exactly; they looked like her own parents but they weren't quite right. And those button eyes were only the beginning of the wrongness.
I read this book one fine Saturday morning while sitting under a tree at a yard sale. My husband and I were out shopping for books to stock our online store, and while he was wheeling and dealing with the hosts of the sale, I pulled this beauty out of the stack to enjoy.
And enjoy it I did. Although I can see how this story might be unsettling to a sensitive child, I grew up on horror stories and imagine I'd have adored it when I was 8 or 9. I certainly adored it as an adult....more
From Publishers Weekly: Harry Blake, an antiquarian book dealer specializing in old maps and manuscripts, agrees to help Sir Toby Tebbit translate a 4From Publishers Weekly: Harry Blake, an antiquarian book dealer specializing in old maps and manuscripts, agrees to help Sir Toby Tebbit translate a 400-year-old journal, written in code, that Sir Toby has inherited from a heretofore unknown relative in Jamaica. The manuscript chronicles the adventures of a young cabin boy, James Ogilvie, who traveled to the Americas as part of a secret mission for the Elizabethan crown. When a mysterious woman approaches Blake about buying the journal, he refuses to sell. Later, Blake returns to the Tebbit household to discover that Sir Toby has been brutally murdered. Teaming up with rival historian Zola Kahn and Sir Toby's daughter, Debbie, the trio soon join a race to determine the meaning behind Ogilvie's encrypted text. A trail reaching as far back as the Crusades leads toward a holy relic that could be worth millions -- or could be the key to a worldwide terrorist plot. *** Dan Brown has a lot to answer for, number one on the list being the plethora of "hunt for the holy relic" novels he spawned with the incredibly popular The DaVinci Code. Not that Splintered Icon is a bad read: it's fun, enjoyable, and somewhat more believable than many of its cousins. And this particular take on the genre gives us a look at a relatively obscure (at least on this side of the pond) expedition to the New World featuring Sir Walter Raleigh, his cohorts, and a suspected Catholic plot against Queen Elizabeth. That alone makes this novel worth slogging through the unsurprising surprises and not-so-twisty twists of a done-to-death storyline. Or maybe I've just read too many of this type of novel. I do have a weakness for them, regardless of their familiarity.
Notes written on September 14, 2008: I should know better than to delay writing a review. I finished this novel months ago and don't remember a thing Notes written on September 14, 2008: I should know better than to delay writing a review. I finished this novel months ago and don't remember a thing about it, except I liked it and I didn't throw it across the room when I was done. So there....more
This sequel to The Pillars of the Earth is just as sweeping and panoramic as its predecessor, and almost as good. I did get a little tired of one of tThis sequel to The Pillars of the Earth is just as sweeping and panoramic as its predecessor, and almost as good. I did get a little tired of one of the characters and wished she would just marry the man already, but, all in all, Follett has produced another intriguing look at the intricacies of life in a late medieval English village: economic fortunes won and lost, drought, the Plague, witchcraft, and, of course, the omnipresent Church and its involvement in the daily lives of the people. ...more
Whodathunk that 12th century politics and the construction of a cathedral in feudal England could be the foundation for such a fabulous book? This stoWhodathunk that 12th century politics and the construction of a cathedral in feudal England could be the foundation for such a fabulous book? This story is so...I don't know...detailed and nuanced and interconnected and rich and wonderful and I'm all out of adjectives. ...more
"Time is a face on the water," stretching and contorting reality as gunslingers Roland, Eddie, Susannah, Jake and their talking pet "billy-bumbler" Oy"Time is a face on the water," stretching and contorting reality as gunslingers Roland, Eddie, Susannah, Jake and their talking pet "billy-bumbler" Oy continue their quest to prevent the destruction of the Dark Tower and, consequently, save all worlds from Chaos and the Crimson King's evil, red-eyed glare. Roland-the primary hero of King's epic tale, the first volume of which appeared in 1982-and company momentarily fall off the "Path of The Beam" to help the residents of Calla Bryn Sturgis, a farm town. But as Dark Tower fans know, everything follows The Beam, so what looks like a detour may really serve the will of "ka" (destiny). Roland and his posse learn that every 20-odd years the "Wolves" kidnap one child from each set of the Calla's twins, bring them to the Tower and, weeks later, send them back mentally and physically impaired. Meanwhile, back in 1977 New York City (the alternate world of Roland's surrogate son, Jake), bookstore owner Calvin Tower is being threatened by a group of thugs (readers will recognize them from The Drawing of the Three, 1987) to sell them a vacant lot in midtown Manhattan. In the lot stands a rose, or rather the Rose, which is our world's manifestation of the Dark Tower. With the help of the Old Fella (also known to 'Salem's Lot readers as Father Callahan), the gunslingers must devise a plan against evil in both worlds. The task, however, is further complicated as Roland and his gang start noticing behavioral changes in wheelchair-bound, recovered schizophrenic Susannah. As the players near the Tower, readers will keep finding exciting ties between the Dark Tower universe and King's other books, with links to Black House, Insomnia, The Eyes of the Dragon, The Stand, `Salem's Lot and Hearts in Atlantis. The high suspense and extensive character development here (especially concerning Jake's coming-of-age), plus the enormity of King's ever-expanding universe, will surely keep his "Constant Readers" in awe. (review obtained from Amazon)
This may be one of the best novels Stephen King has written. Well done, Mr. King. Well done, indeed.
2016 Re-Read 2016 is the year I decided I was actually going to finish reading the Dark Tower series. Since I hadn't read this book in at least five years, a re-read was deemed necessary. And that was a good thing, because I had completely forgotten ALL of the events of this story, including the insertion of 'Salem's Lot character Father Callahan, who somehow managed to fall into Mid-World after his humiliation by the Vampire Barlow.
Immediately after encountering "Oz" in Topeka, Roland and his fellow travelers Jake, Susannah, Eddie, and Oy continue on the Path of the Beam, eventually realizing they've left a plague-ridden Kansas behind and re-entered Mid-World. Soon afterward, they are approached by the citizens of the farming community Calla Bryn Sturgis, who ask for their help in defeating marauders known as the Wolves. Said Wolves raid their community once a generation and kidnap roughly half of the children, returning them severely brain-damaged several weeks later. The people of Calla Bryn Sturgis want to put an end to the raids, and view the gunslingers as their only hope.
The gunslinger code to which our heroes have ascribed means not turning down such requests for assistance; thus they are honor-bound to take on this task, provided the majority of the town supports the endeavor and is willing to help themselves. The townspeople do, and the ka-tet begins its preparation for battle, while simultaneously hatching a plan to return to Jake's New York and protect the Rose.
During all this, Roland and Eddie keep a weather eye on Susannah, who exhibits signs that she is not entirely herself. Susannah, while vaguely uneasy and at times on edge, is generally unaware that anything may be wrong. It is, however, and greatly. The demon she distracted with sex [edited to add: I had forgotten the circumstances of this "distraction"; in actuality, the demon raped Susannah, violently, brutally, and repeatedly] while her men "drew" Jake into this world (see The Waste Lands for that story) left Susannah pregnant; Susannah's subconscious mind created another personality, Mia, to deal with the unwanted pregnancy. Mia is dangerous and unpredictable and fiercely protective of her "chap", as she refers to her baby. Roland and Eddie fear she may disrupt, even ruin, their delicately-timed operation against the Wolves. And Mia's is not the only betrayal they fear.
As Dark Tower installments go, this one initially seems like a distraction, a step off the Path of the Beam that in no way furthers the overall story or the quest for the Tower. On its surface, it's a re-telling of nearly every Western ever written: the ordinary law-abiding folk just want to farm their land and live in peace, but the bad guys are intent on shooting up the town at every opportunity; let's recruit the Lone Ranger to get rid of the bad guys and earn our eternal gratitude. (King acknowledges his debt to the Western in an afterword, so he is fully cognizant of his influences.)
But. But. This superficial interpretation does the story a disservice. There's far more than a simple Little Town on the Prairie tale to discover here. With this novel, King appears to be setting up his end-game, with the introduction of the Wolves (who are far more and at the same time much less than we think); the repeated appearances of North Central Positronics technology; the side-trip describing Father Callahan's journey to Mid-World, not to mention the mere existence of Callahan himself in Roland's homeland; and the tension between Susannah, Mia, and the rest of the ka-tet.
If I have a quibble, it's the same quibble I've had ever since Susannah was first introduced, and that is calling her a "schizophrenic". Susannah does not have schizophrenia; she has a dissociative identity disorder (formerly known as multiple personality disorder). Back in the mid- to late-80s, when King originally wrote the character of Odetta/Detta Holmes, who became Susannah when her personalities merged, it's possible he didn't know the difference. The idea that schizophrenia means "split personality" is common, albeit incorrect. And since King started out with that interpretation, I guess he must follow it through in subsequent novels, if only for consistency's sake. Still irks me....more
Wizard and Glass, the fourth episode in King's white-hot Dark Tower series, is a sci-fi/fantasy novel that contains a post-apocalyptic Western love stWizard and Glass, the fourth episode in King's white-hot Dark Tower series, is a sci-fi/fantasy novel that contains a post-apocalyptic Western love story twice as long. It begins with the series' star, world-weary Roland, and his world-hopping posse (an ex-junkie, a child, a plucky woman in a wheelchair, and a talking dog-like pet named Oy the Bumbler) trapped aboard a runaway train. The train is a psychotic multiple personality that intends to commit suicide with them at 800 m.p.h.--unless Roland and pals can outwit it in a riddling contest.
It's a great race, for the mind and pulse. Movies should be this good. Then comes a 567-page flashback about Roland at age 14. It's a well-marbled but meaty tale. Roland and two teen homies must rescue his first love from the dirty old drooling mayor of a post-apocalyptic cowboy town, thwart a civil war by blowing up oil tanks, and seize an all-seeing crystal ball from Rhea, a vampire witch. The love scenes are startlingly prominent and earthier than most romance novels ("they kiss until blood trickles from her lip").
After an epic battle ending in a box canyon to end all box canyons, we're back with grizzled, grown-up Roland and the train-wreck survivors in a parallel world: Kansas in 1986, after a plague. The finale is a weird fantasy takeoff on The Wizard of Oz. Some readers will feel that the latest novel in King's most ambitious series has too many pages--almost 800--but few will deny it's a page-turner. (Amazon review)
I have long been interested in Roland's backstory, and King delivers it in this well-told tale. As the gunslingers travel the path of the Beam, Roland relates to his fellow travelers the saga of his youth, the story of his lost love, and the root of his sorrow....more
Stephen King returns to the Dark Tower in this second mesmerizing volume in his epic series. Roland of Gilead has mysteriously stepped through a doorwStephen King returns to the Dark Tower in this second mesmerizing volume in his epic series. Roland of Gilead has mysteriously stepped through a doorway in time that takes him to 1980s America, where he joins forces with the defiant Eddie Dean and courageous Odetta Holmes. A savage struggle has begun in which underworld evil and otherworldly enemies conspire to bring an end to Roland's desperate search for the Dark Tower. Masterfully weaving dark fantasy and icy realism, The Drawing of the Three compulsively propels readers toward the next chapter. Set in a world of extraordinary circumstances, filled with stunning visual imagery and unforgettable characters, The Dark Tower series is unlike anything you've ever read. Here is Stephen King's most visionary piece of storytelling, a magical mix of fantasy and horror that may well be his crowning achievement. (publisher's blurb)
Arguably the weakest book in the Dark Tower series, it still serves its purpose of introducing us to pivotal characters Eddie and Susannah (Detta/Odetta). Hard to handle at times -- the lobstrosities gave me the willies -- but worth the effort to get through, if only to advance the story. ~~~ Additional thoughts after reading again in September 2014. I like this better now than I did on previous reads. But the main thing that still sticks out as a flaw -- and I can only account for it by imagining King did insufficient research or maybe the psychiatric community did actually believe this at the time the story was written -- is King's characterization of Odetta as a schizophrenic when she is obviously a multiple personality. Odetta didn't hear voices or have delusions like someone with schizophrenia; she literally became a different person (Detta).
The lobstrosities still give me the willies, though. ...more
I first read this book back in junior high school and never ever ever forgot it. I re-read it again as an adult and am still creeped out by IT. The scI first read this book back in junior high school and never ever ever forgot it. I re-read it again as an adult and am still creeped out by IT. The scene with the children bouncing their balls in unison gives me the shivers. Wonderful stuff....more
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