11 August 2015
I do really like this author. In both books I have read of hers, she strikes a good balance between sweet and lively.
This book takes place in a different kingdom than the previous with people of a different type of talent. The title character, Fire, is the last of her kind, a sort of super-predator variant of humans. Everywhere she goes, the mere sight of her drives people mad, either with lust or envy or horror. Consequently, she often hides herself and her most outlandish characteristic, her vibrantly, flame-colored hair. Not to sound pompous, but I can kinda relate given the attention I draw down here in south Texas.
Regardless, again, simply a good and interesting book. Certainly one I would recommend to people.
Thursday, August 13, 2015
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Inca Gold - Clive Cussler (Dirk Pitt Series, Bk. 12)
22 July 2015
I have read many Clive Cussler books. Dirk Pitt is the original character of his books. This particular one is interesting, as always, but not his best or most creative. That being said, you will always win if you pick up a Clive Cussler book.
I have read many Clive Cussler books. Dirk Pitt is the original character of his books. This particular one is interesting, as always, but not his best or most creative. That being said, you will always win if you pick up a Clive Cussler book.
Saturday, July 11, 2015
Graceling - Kristin Cashore (Seven Kingdoms Trilogy, Bk. 1)
8 July 2015
I found this book listed in an article titled "# books as enchanting as Harry Potter" and thought, "Eh, why not?" Perhaps not as enchanting as HP, but pretty close, I will certainly give it that. I will be reading the other two books in this series that are already written and keep an eye out for future publications.
It's cute and fun, but didn't cut out slight gore and mild sex, a pretty good balance of everything in a simple piece of fiction.
Conclusion: Recommended, particularly if you like stories like Harry Potter or slightly more action oriented (read murdering) versions of Julia Quinn or Amanda Quick.
I found this book listed in an article titled "# books as enchanting as Harry Potter" and thought, "Eh, why not?" Perhaps not as enchanting as HP, but pretty close, I will certainly give it that. I will be reading the other two books in this series that are already written and keep an eye out for future publications.
It's cute and fun, but didn't cut out slight gore and mild sex, a pretty good balance of everything in a simple piece of fiction.
Conclusion: Recommended, particularly if you like stories like Harry Potter or slightly more action oriented (read murdering) versions of Julia Quinn or Amanda Quick.
Thursday, July 9, 2015
The Maze Runner – James Dashner (The Maze Runner Series, Bk. 1)
3 July 2015
This is a good book. If it had been around when I was a
“young adult reader” (which would have been the ages of 9-13 for me) I would
have been all over this. However, as it happened, it’s just a good book. Not as
dystopian as other things I’ve read, not close, so if that’s your favorite
genera, it might be a bit of a disappointment. And the mystery isn’t really all
that mysterious, you can figure it out right away what has to be going on
(having read Ender’s Game years ago, it already put me on the right track in
knowing what was going on and a likely explanation of why). BUT it was still a
pretty good book, definitely worth picking up while you wait on the next
installment of whatever your other favorite series is.
Hellblazer: The Devil You Know – Jamie Delano et. al. (Compilation 2)
1 July 2015
The last story in this collection, and consequently the one freshest in my memory, I did not like. It was a little too convoluted for my taste. That aside, this collection was better than the first because it goes into the actual happenings at Newcastle, which is heavily referenced in both the previous collection and the television show (the impetus for me to finally get around to reading these). It starts off with a dated, but fantastically fun, romp into the 80’s idea of what the ether would be like (think gay Tron) to escape a devil come to claim Constantine’s soul.
I like the way these pit the flamboyantly bright colors popular in the 80’s against the incredibly dark verbal material. It is a delightful contrast that doesn’t allow it to stray too far in either direction. The exception this was that last story in this collection mentioned before. However, one of the following quotes is still from that section.
Great quotes from this:
#1) "Life's only duty is survival. We are all gods or demons-exerting the energy of will to squeeze the anarchic creativity of nature into our own image.
Stiff monuments, memorial only to the poverty of our imaginations. So swim. Embrace thought. Think.
Think what you are - what you would wish to be. Construct your future. Mold reality into a pleasing shape. Push on through - but know that all the world is subject to the arbitrary rule of sex and death."
#2) "Closed in the ruins of my room, it seems gravity increases its grip on me, focusing all my energy inward - -
Engulfing the nebulous fire of anger in my black, pulsating heart - -
Squeezing it remorselessly into glittering diamonds of pure, mathematical fury.
It is as if, turning over a stone, I have revealed the meaning of my life - and that meaning scuttles and spits and is called hatred.
And that hatred is ugly.
And that hatred is beautiful.
If he could read my mind - demon or no - he would be afraid.
I owe him a monstrous debt, and I swear - between the despair of heaven and the hope of hell - that debt will be paid in full."
The last story in this collection, and consequently the one freshest in my memory, I did not like. It was a little too convoluted for my taste. That aside, this collection was better than the first because it goes into the actual happenings at Newcastle, which is heavily referenced in both the previous collection and the television show (the impetus for me to finally get around to reading these). It starts off with a dated, but fantastically fun, romp into the 80’s idea of what the ether would be like (think gay Tron) to escape a devil come to claim Constantine’s soul.
I like the way these pit the flamboyantly bright colors popular in the 80’s against the incredibly dark verbal material. It is a delightful contrast that doesn’t allow it to stray too far in either direction. The exception this was that last story in this collection mentioned before. However, one of the following quotes is still from that section.
Great quotes from this:
#1) "Life's only duty is survival. We are all gods or demons-exerting the energy of will to squeeze the anarchic creativity of nature into our own image.
Stiff monuments, memorial only to the poverty of our imaginations. So swim. Embrace thought. Think.
Think what you are - what you would wish to be. Construct your future. Mold reality into a pleasing shape. Push on through - but know that all the world is subject to the arbitrary rule of sex and death."
#2) "Closed in the ruins of my room, it seems gravity increases its grip on me, focusing all my energy inward - -
Engulfing the nebulous fire of anger in my black, pulsating heart - -
Squeezing it remorselessly into glittering diamonds of pure, mathematical fury.
It is as if, turning over a stone, I have revealed the meaning of my life - and that meaning scuttles and spits and is called hatred.
And that hatred is ugly.
And that hatred is beautiful.
If he could read my mind - demon or no - he would be afraid.
I owe him a monstrous debt, and I swear - between the despair of heaven and the hope of hell - that debt will be paid in full."
#3) Your soul dies if you stop dreaming.
#4) Kid: See… I told ya he wouldn’t be here. You shoulda listened. You’re so stupid, Mom!
Mom: Don’t say that - you . . . you lyin’ little weasel! He will too come.
#4) Kid: See… I told ya he wouldn’t be here. You shoulda listened. You’re so stupid, Mom!
Mom: Don’t say that - you . . . you lyin’ little weasel! He will too come.
Constantine: Sure lady – and shit don’t stink. Vicious little brat, though, probably turn out to be a writer or some other kind of psychopath.
Monday, June 22, 2015
Wizard and Glass - Stephen King (Dark Tower Series, Bk 4)
15 June 2015
This is the fourth book in the Dark Tower series, Stephen King's one epic saga. The largest chunk of this story is actually the background of Roland, which is heavily referenced up to this point but never explained. So maybe 550 of the 700 pages of this book are devoted to this story.
My favorite part about Stephen King is he will tell you what is going to happen, but you will still read it anyway! From the very beginning, you know the girl dies and even that she burns, but the details of why never come out. As I read this book, you eventually met Susan and, despite knowing she dies, hope that somehow King was wrong. You hope that something has changed. You don't want her to die and as the time gets closer you read with increasing trepidation. You are convinced the very next time she screws up, she's dead . . . but then she's not. And the next time, and the next, until you're emotionally exhausted when. . . . BAM she's dead. And you don't even know what to do with yourself.
I love Stephen King.
This is the fourth book in the Dark Tower series, Stephen King's one epic saga. The largest chunk of this story is actually the background of Roland, which is heavily referenced up to this point but never explained. So maybe 550 of the 700 pages of this book are devoted to this story.
My favorite part about Stephen King is he will tell you what is going to happen, but you will still read it anyway! From the very beginning, you know the girl dies and even that she burns, but the details of why never come out. As I read this book, you eventually met Susan and, despite knowing she dies, hope that somehow King was wrong. You hope that something has changed. You don't want her to die and as the time gets closer you read with increasing trepidation. You are convinced the very next time she screws up, she's dead . . . but then she's not. And the next time, and the next, until you're emotionally exhausted when. . . . BAM she's dead. And you don't even know what to do with yourself.
I love Stephen King.
Saturday, June 6, 2015
Dead Until Dark - Charlaine Harris (The Southern Vampire Mysteries, Bk 1)
5 June 2015
This was not a book I intended to read. I was at a friend's house and he just threw it at me for me to read, so I thought I'd give it a shot. I know that the book was the base for the HBO tv show Trueblood only because it prominently displays that information on the cover, and I know that show is about vampires, but that's it. So what I'm saying here, is that I had zero expectations.
I thought the author did a great job on the main character. Most female leads, especially in love-oriented stories simply dither around until things happen to them. There was some of that in this book, but it was a realistic amount when legitimate decision making would take place. The main character takes action sometimes, but also holds back sometimes, avoiding the stereotype at each extreme.
The author did not shy away from the sense of history a small, southern town can hold onto. The "what happened to their offspring" question is one I often wondered about in other immortal/vampire stories. Ms. Harris did leave some holes, but I assume they'll be filled in later on.
This is not the most graphic story I've read by a long, long shot, but it's not PG either. Again, the author creates a great balance between arousing and pornographic. I often lean toward grittier regardless of the topic, pain, joy, sex, fear, revenge. I typically like fully fleshed out, brilliantly vibrant emotions and descriptions. However, I've not been feeling up-to-par as of late and the less detailed sex scenes in this book, at this particular moment in my life, were spot on. I don't believe I could have said that same thing two weeks ago.
Overall, I'd give this book a "good" review. It's not one I'd push on everyone, but if a friend had already read some of my other recommendations and just wanted something simple, I'd throw this title out. I'll likely read more in the series, but I won't have to reign myself in from blazing though them all at top speed.
This was not a book I intended to read. I was at a friend's house and he just threw it at me for me to read, so I thought I'd give it a shot. I know that the book was the base for the HBO tv show Trueblood only because it prominently displays that information on the cover, and I know that show is about vampires, but that's it. So what I'm saying here, is that I had zero expectations.
I thought the author did a great job on the main character. Most female leads, especially in love-oriented stories simply dither around until things happen to them. There was some of that in this book, but it was a realistic amount when legitimate decision making would take place. The main character takes action sometimes, but also holds back sometimes, avoiding the stereotype at each extreme.
The author did not shy away from the sense of history a small, southern town can hold onto. The "what happened to their offspring" question is one I often wondered about in other immortal/vampire stories. Ms. Harris did leave some holes, but I assume they'll be filled in later on.
This is not the most graphic story I've read by a long, long shot, but it's not PG either. Again, the author creates a great balance between arousing and pornographic. I often lean toward grittier regardless of the topic, pain, joy, sex, fear, revenge. I typically like fully fleshed out, brilliantly vibrant emotions and descriptions. However, I've not been feeling up-to-par as of late and the less detailed sex scenes in this book, at this particular moment in my life, were spot on. I don't believe I could have said that same thing two weeks ago.
Overall, I'd give this book a "good" review. It's not one I'd push on everyone, but if a friend had already read some of my other recommendations and just wanted something simple, I'd throw this title out. I'll likely read more in the series, but I won't have to reign myself in from blazing though them all at top speed.
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