It's been a few months since I read the first book, but I didn't have too much trouble remembering who was who and the basics of the world. That said,It's been a few months since I read the first book, but I didn't have too much trouble remembering who was who and the basics of the world. That said, I found this to be very slow to start. It takes 100 pages for someone to die, and at that point the pace and tension finally kicked in. I had already been told that this was a weaker book and the third book was better, so I was prepared to grit my teeth and work through it. The setting in this one feels too insulated. Even though there is magic and plenty of fae and changeling characters, I didn't get that wonderful sense of overlap between the real world and faerie that I enjoyed in Rosemary and Rue.[return][return]I was also frustrated because many of the big twists at the end were easy to predict early on, and Toby isn't a very good detective. There were obvious questions that just plain weren't asked, just to drag the plot onward. However, the action was still done well, so I was still able to enjoy the book, though I'm more leery about the series now....more
I think one of the reviews on Amazon summarizes this best: June Cleaver as a ninja warrior of God.[return][return]Barbara Everette is a Mississippi soI think one of the reviews on Amazon summarizes this best: June Cleaver as a ninja warrior of God.[return][return]Barbara Everette is a Mississippi soccer mom and devoted Christian. She's also trained in multiple disciplines of martial arts and an excellent markswoman. Little does she know that a weekend getaway will land her in a huge mess of a Cajun cult trying to summon a rather nasty demon, and thus introduce her to a new line of work in the government's secretive Special Circumstances division.[return][return]John Ringo manages to make some creative twists on the newfangled Buffy-the-Vampire-Slayer-grows-up theme. Barbara may be a Christian, but she's no Bible thumper, and she doesn't usually preach at people; this causes some conflicts amongst her new peers who are mostly pagan and bullied by so-called Christians as they were growing up. Barb constantly has to battle against people's poor expectations of her and her tolerance. Ringo's definite strength is during action scenes. He builds suspense and you can picture the battle scenes, movie-style. His descriptions... not so much. I really got tired of Barbara's well-endowed chest being mentioned and commented on by random folks. Okay, she has big boobs, I get it. The best part of the book is Ringo's dead-on lampooning of a small sci-fi convention, complete with intellectual debates, the socially-inept, and snarking authors obviously based on real authors. The obvious slam on Robert Jordan had me giggling out loud, especially as the plot developed.[return][return]This was a fun and fast read, and I'd like to read more in this series. It's nice to see a fantasy book that isn't anti-Christian, but actually explores the dynamics between religions old and new and makes good points about how you can tolerate folks without compromising your morals....more
This book took a long time - almost two weeks - to read, and not simply because it was 722 pages. The book had to get packed up, briefly, along with eThis book took a long time - almost two weeks - to read, and not simply because it was 722 pages. The book had to get packed up, briefly, along with everything else as part of a cross-town move. But now most stuff is unpacked, and the book is concluded.[return][return]I keep seeing The Name of the Wind mentioned everywhere online. Apparently it's one of the biggest sensations in the fantasy genre in the past year. The reviewer blurbs at the beginning constantly cite George R. R. Martin, which is a fitting comparison looking at the width of the binding alone. Unlike A Song of Ice and Fire, this first novel of the Kingkiller Chronicles is mostly in a first-person viewpoint. Kvothe is a peculiar character. He is real, deep, and flawed as any human should be. We begin knowing that Kvothe is somehow begin a mythical hero within his own lifetime, but now he's trying to live a simple life as an innkeeper. The truth has a way of emerging, and Kvothe begins to tell his life's tale to a chronicler, and the reader is along for the ride. And what a ride it is![return][return]At times, Kvothe infuriated me when he did stupid things; it was like watching The Flintstones and wanting to yell at Fred to stop being a blockhead. There are some slower points in the book where I wondered if I should keep going, then boom - the action picks up and the better plot elements like the Chandrian zoomed back into the story. It's a good book, but I wasn't as ecstatic over it as others seem to be....more
This first book of Stewart's acclaimed Arthurian Saga examines the childhood and maturation of Merlin. From his birth, Myriddin Emrys is set apart froThis first book of Stewart's acclaimed Arthurian Saga examines the childhood and maturation of Merlin. From his birth, Myriddin Emrys is set apart from other children, and not merely because he was born a bastard to a Welsh princess. He is strange and precocious, using his intellect even when his burgeoning magical powers didn't serve him. After his grandfather the king is killed, Merlin flees from the household. God leads him on a strange path northward into foreign lands, but Merlin doesn't fear. He has seen his own death, and he knows that in the intervening years Britain will change and he will be an instrument of many kings.[return][return]Honestly, I avoided reading this book for years because I think King Arthur has been done to death. I thoroughly enjoyed the first 3/4 of the book since I wasn't familiar with Merlin's mythology and thought the plot came together beautifully. However, as Uther became a central figure, I liked the story less. This is completely my own bias. Mary Stewart is an excellent writer, and it's easy to see why this series has remained a consistent seller for decades. However, I won't be continuing with the next volume....more
I received this book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewer program.[return][return]The first thing I must discuss about this book is the physical foI received this book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewer program.[return][return]The first thing I must discuss about this book is the physical formatting. This tale of star-crossed lovers is done with unique accordion-style pages, with Brendan's story on one side and Evelyn's on the other. The construction is really quite beautiful. This means that the book has no spine. If I didn't care about the condition of the book, I could probably stretch it out over four or five feet. The pages are of a sturdier material than most book pages, but I still bent a few by accident. I have small hands, and the book just fit in my grasp. If it had been any larger, I would have had a hard time holding it together to read. I am glad that it came with a hard slipcover for shelf use.[return][return]The tale is basically the same, told from different perspectives: as Evelyn is visiting in Cornwall, she comes across Brendan, a bookkeeper's son. The two immediately hit it off and spend a glorious week together. Brendan tells her the tale of Sir Gawan, and the truth of the matter (i.e. that they are indeed the cursed lovers Gawan and Elowen) is clear to the reader but not to them. The writing is well done and the atmosphere is beautiful. I read Evelyn's tale first and was frustrated a but by the ending. However, when paired with Brendan's version, it works better. The stories are also very short (a good thing, considering the format of the book). I also enjoyed the illustrations, as they added to the classic feel of the piece.[return][return]But is it worth recommending or buying? As solid as the writing is, I was left wanting. There were no major surprises between the viewpoints, and I suppose I expected a greater twist. Still, as a matter of book design it's quite impressive....more
There are mere fantasy novels, and then there are works of art. This is both. I had never read Bujold's work before, though I've heard a lot about herThere are mere fantasy novels, and then there are works of art. This is both. I had never read Bujold's work before, though I've heard a lot about her. This book has made me a convert to her writing.[return][return]The protagonist of the story is Cazaril, a man broken and battered by life's cruelty. A spiteful lord arranged for him to be sold into slavery, and by whim Cazaril survived. He returns to the land of his youth, looking far older than his age and scarred mentally and physically. This is where the book begins. He becomes a secretary and tutor to the beautiful, headstrong sister of the heir to the throne of Cardegoss. Caz's fondness for his young charges grows, but their connections bring about the thing he dreads most of all: a return to the royal court, and a confrontation with the enemies who doomed him to slavery. When dark magic brings about unusual results, Caz finds out the royal family carries a dreadful curse... and his student, the Royesse, is blighted as well.[return][return]The story is deep in political intrigue and also in theology. The land of Cardegoss holds an interesting array of gods who are very involved in the lives of their followers--including Cazaril. The writing is eloquent and the story manages to be gripping, even when nothing seems to be happening. The tension is there. The plot fits together better than any puzzle I have ever owned, and the characters...! I loved Cazaril. Even at the beginning, completely broken and mere steps from death, he carries a quiet nobility. The Royesse Iselle and her lady-in-waiting are vivid, brilliant women who don't let society's gender constraints form them to domesticity. The bad guys are truly bad, and yet utterly believable. This book is everything a good fantasy novel should be, and I hated to see it end. This will be one of my favorite books of the year, no question....more
In this retelling of Sleeping Beauty, McKinley has re-imagined a familiar world and provided her own deft twists. Katriona is but a girl when she is sIn this retelling of Sleeping Beauty, McKinley has re-imagined a familiar world and provided her own deft twists. Katriona is but a girl when she is selected to be her village's representative at the long-awaited naming ceremony for the new princess. The ceremony goes awry when a wicked fairy arrives, cursing the baby princess to death by her 21st birthday. In a whirlwind of events, Katriona is the one who grabs the baby and makes a run for safety. With the help of animals along the long journey, she and the infant survive. In her remote village, she and her Aunt raise the princess as a very normal sort of girl named Rosie... a girl who happens to have a knack for talking with animals. The threat of attack is always looming, and as her 21st birthday draws near, a confrontation is inevitable.[return][return]I really wanted to love this book. I love Sleeping Beauty. I have fond memories of McKinley's books from when I was a preteen. Even though the magic of the world comes across well, this is a book where almost nothing happens until the end. The first 200 pages are almost all filler and tales of the princess as she grows up. At the end when magic is in full force, things became confusing, especially as a wide cast of animals took over. As much as I liked the setting and the twists in a familiar tale, the book was incredibly uneven for me and I had to force myself to finish....more
With the acclaimed (yet bawdy) poet and playwright Christofer Marley deceased, the members of the Prometheus Club turn to the heir apparent: Kit's rooWith the acclaimed (yet bawdy) poet and playwright Christofer Marley deceased, the members of the Prometheus Club turn to the heir apparent: Kit's roommate, friend, and rival, William Shakespeare. Will Isn't quite so sure about his new role in navigating the political intrigues of court, especially when magic is involved. Nor can he forget the loss of his friend Kit.[return][return]Kit, however, isn't quite as dead as the mortal world believes. Absconded by the Fae, he becomes a prisoner of Queen Mebd and her court. Even as he is bound by immortals, Kit can't let go of his old life and continues to worry about Queen Elizabeth, Will, and the foul persons who maimed and almost murdered him. And as the author of Faustus, Marley knows better than anyone what is at stake.[return][return]I am extremely torn about this book. Bear did a masterful job. It's beautifully researched. Unlike most books set in the Elizabethan period, she captured the very dialogue of the age, complete with wit and meter. Magic aside, it feels accurate and real. The characters are fully-rounded and complex. Will and Kit are very different men, driven by very different motivations, and both are geniuses in their own way.[return][return]However, the negative. Yes, I'm probably a prude, but geez there was a lot of sex in this book. Graphic sex - gay, straight, incest, and more. Sure, it was well-written, but it became excessive and aggravating, especially toward the ending. Some of it was part of character development, but not all, and some of it could be well implied without such detail. Even though I'm curious about the second book in this duology, I won't be picking it up because I fear it will include more of the same.[return][return]In summary: an artfully-rendered historical/urban fantasy, but not for prudes....more
Dealing with ghosts is bad enough. But Harry Dresden, wizard-for-hire, has come across a few new cases that are disturbing on a new level. The ghosts Dealing with ghosts is bad enough. But Harry Dresden, wizard-for-hire, has come across a few new cases that are disturbing on a new level. The ghosts were tortured and worked into a frenzy, making them even nastier than usual. Thankfully, Harry has his friend Michael along to help; Michael's faith in God makes him a powerful ally. However, when their dearest friends begin to show signs of the same psychological torture as the ghosts, they have to work fast to find out who is at fault.[return][return]Oh man, this was a good book. The first book in the series didn't grab me that much when I read it a few years ago, but now I find they get stronger as they go. I had trouble putting this book down. Butcher does an excellent job of keeping the suspense high, and Harry's in constant peril. It's like if George R.R. Martin wrote urban fantasy: no one is safe. I adored Michael, but then, I have a soft spot for noble paladin-types. This kind of dark, fast-paced read reminds me of Rob Thurman's Cal Leandros books, with that same vicious wit to soften the grimness. I'm eager to read onward in the series....more
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