Bloodshot by Cherie Priest

Bloodshot by Cherie Priest

Aside from the overindulgence in semi-colons and "And" at the beginning of sentences, this was a fun read. The plot is a bit predictable and leaping from time to time, but the main character is interesting enough to keep me reading. Her neurosis goes overboard from time to time, but usually within context. She's not a perfect character and her issues aren't contrived.

I very much appreciated the fact that this was, I believe, the first urban fantasy with a female lead that did NOT spend ridiculous amounts of time describing the rippling hotness of the potential love interests in the books (bonus points for one of them being a "kick ass drag queen"). Not that Raylene was immune to this. It just wasn't dwelt on with ridiculous detail and when a romantic moment came, it was tender and, well, romantic, instead of just hawt dirteh sex. That can come later.

3 of 5 stars

Wild Seed by Octavia E. Butler

Wild Seed by Octavia E. Butler

What a fascinating book. I read Mind of My Mind first, where I met the main characters here, but as that was not their story, they did not have much depth. Reading Wild Seed, it made me somewhat disappointed that they did not have as much to do in the sequel, but as the book progressed, I came to appreciate their diminished roles in Mind of My Mind since their story was told so completely here.

The first striking thing about this book is that it takes place during the time of slave ships where tribes were kidnapping and selling their neighbours. Doro took many of these slaves for his little breeding project, but never treated them as other slaves were treated. But they were no less slaves. Through fear and/or reverence he controlled them. More often than not, his people loved him for what remains almost inexplicable reasons.

Meanwhile, Anyanwu, semi-immortal like Doro, becomes one of his people - as much as it is possible for Doro to tame the "wild seed" that she is.

Again, there is an all-mother/father theme, but one that is far different from what Mary creates in Mind of My Mind. Again, too, the notion of good and evil is forced on you. Is Doro evil for what he does? Is Anyanwu evil for allowing it?

In the end, I came to the realization that this book was, in fact a love story. A strange and twisted romance that crosses every taboo subject regarding sexuality, humanity, loyalty, propriety, marriage...

5 of 5 stars

Kingdom Come by Mark Waid

Kingdom Come by Mark Waid

Never have I respected Superman as much as I did after reading this comic. Superman and I have a rocky relationship. I have never been a big fan of his because he’s just too perfect. And I have a hard time caring for perfect characters. I won’t go into that rant again. This isn’t about that.

This is set in an AU (alternate universe). Superman has retreated to solitude after a hero named Magog is acquitted of killing Joker—who went on a killing spree in Metropolis, a bender that resulted in Lois’ death. When humanity expresses that Magog is where superheroism should go, Superman leaves them to that, seeming to lose quite a bit of faith in people.

Shortly thereafter, humanity learns that heroes left unchecked terrorize the just and the unjust alike and aren’t too different from the “villains.” They only care about fighting and destroying what they personally perceive as threats to the people (such as one “hero” attacking immigrants), much of which is personal prejudices and biases.

Then, Wonder Woman appeals to Superman to come back after a devastating battle between the “good” guys and the “bad” guys leaves Kansas in ruins and millions dead. Reluctantly, Superman returns, but things don’t go as smoothly as hoped when he’s faced with opposition from this new school of heroes, enemies, and even old allies, namely Batman.

This seemed to be a commentary on old school superhero comics versus today’s ultra-violent, grim “heroes” who seem more intent on destroying half the city than saving human lives with Superman representing how heroes used to be and Magog representing these new “heroes.”

I thought it was interesting (and superb storytelling) that the story isn’t told from any of the heroes’ point of views. Instead, the story is told by Norman McCay, a minister and a friend of Sandman who has “inherited” Sandman’s powers after his death. McCay is struggling with his faith and, like Superman, has lost some faith in humanity. Before his death, Wesley Dodds (Sandman) had apocalyptic visions that most people thought were the result of senility. He passed these visions on to McCay.

A being known as Spectre uses McCay to bear witness to the madness unfolding between the heroes and tells him that he must ultimately pass judgment on them, to decide who is right and who is wrong, a decision that proves difficult because both sides start making rash decisions in this “war.”

And while logically, readers know that Magog is wrong (and even that plays interestingly into the story), you can’t say the old school heroes are completely “right” either. Some of them, such as Wonder Woman, have their own reasons behind that fight as well, causing them to be as brutal and decisive as the new heroes. And you can even somewhat see the new heroes reasoning for their actions.

Superman is presented very human here, making it hard for me to hold a grudge against him. He’s a man who has lost a lot, and even though he won’t admit it, he’s living in some kind of bubble that filters out the rest of the world. He reluctantly comes out of retirement and makes tough decisions, while questioning if this is really what it’s come to.

And the ending, wow. I actually got a little misty-eyed there, and I’m not even that familiar with Shazam or his exploits. And the art really was able to pull out a lot of emotion in this story. It was breathtaking, enhancing an already well-written tale. Overall, this was a great read. Definitely goes on my favorites list.

Final Verdict: 

5 of  5 stars

Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve

Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve

A friend introduced me to this book and its opening line:

It was a dark, blustery afternoon in spring, and the city of London was chasing a small mining town across the dried-out bed of the old North Sea.

I loved the concept of this book - mobile cities hunting each other like animals, trying to survive in a post one-minute war future. London is one of the greater cities, but even it will falter if it does not find better hunting grounds.

The first protagonist we meet is Tom, a friendless orphan, who soon becomes wrapped up in the espionage brought on board London by Hester Shaw - a once pretty girl, hideously scarred by Tom's hero, Valentine, against whom Hester seeks revenge. Valentine is also the father of Katherine, who in turn meets shy engineer, Pod, as she searches for the truth about her dad. The four of them are, typically,very unlikely heroes and, what I appreciated more, unlikely couples. I was pleasantly surprised by their ultimate fates and the fate of those they meet along their journeys. Not everything needs a Hollywood ending.

The book fails slightly on delivery. Some things feel a bit rushed, and I was frustrated by the change of tense that usually came when dealing with an 'evil' character. Initially the change to present tense is bound within the respective chapters, but when everything and everyone comes together in the end, it becomes an annoyance.

This isn't enough of an issue to prevent the book from being enjoyable. It is part of a series based on an interesting concept, so I am curious to learn more about this future.

3 of 5 stars

Sorrows of Adoration by Kimberly Chapman

Sorrows Of Adoration by Kimberly Chapman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is not a book I would have picked up of my own volition, but since it was written by a friend and lent to me by another and I initially started reading it out of that "obligation" of friendship.

At 2:00 Wednesday morning, I finally decided I needed to get to bed. And then I spent all of Wednesday in a melancholy book funk because I was so smitten with the characters and the what will happen next. That night, I was up until the wee hours again to finish it.

Sorrows of Adoration starts out in, what I assume, is a typical romance novel manner. (I say "what I assume," because I don't read that stuff. The only romance novel I've ever read is the one I snuck from my sister's collection... the one about sexy aliens...). I didn't mind the overindulgence of lovicuddles and kisses and proclamations of love, partially because I am a closet romantic, but mostly because I knew, based on the title and the blurb, that this wasn't going to last.

Plus I know Kimberly Chapman. There is no way she was going to give me a squishy romance novel!

Soon enough, the Big Bad Thing^TM happens, and the results of that event is where this book takes a dynamic twist that removes it from the ranks of silly romance. It delves deep into the darkness of emotion and relationships, proving the phrase "you always hurt the ones you love." It even goes well beyond the feminist twist trope of a strong female who doesn't need a man to save her.

4 of 5 stars

Namaah's Kiss by Jacqueline Carey

Naamah's Kiss by Jacqueline Carey

I've read the original Kushiel Trilogy three times, but haven't been able to finish the last book in the series involving Imriel de la Courcel. I've had Namaah's Kiss sitting beside my bed for well over a year and finally decided to pick it up and was instantly swept back into that world. Carey's writing is so elegant and her ability to paint a picture with her words is undeniable. Of course, I could be biased because I already know the world and most of its history, but I don't believe a new comer would be lost.

This trilogy begins many generations after the events of the last six books, which makes it a refreshing return for me. The histories of many events and people are often mentioned, but only in a way to quietly remind old readers and to subtly inspire new ones to seek them in their entirety.

Once again, we have a main character, Moirin, who is an outcast, but unlike Phedre and Imriel in the past, she is not a victim. She has grown up knowing unconditional love, which serves to guide her in finding her destiny as much as the various gods of her heritage do.

The blurb for this is misleading. It implies great adventure, but in fact, Moirin does not embark on the mage/warrior-princess/dragon-filled epic until almost 500 pages in. That leaves 500 pages where Carey artfully defines her character and all the intricate relationships and political intrigue of Terre D'Ange.

When it comes time to depart for Ch'in, the departure is just as jarring for the reader as it is for Moirin. Here it was a slightly less compelling read because of this, perhaps. Whereas with Kushiel's Dart, the heroine's journey climaxes in a war where we already know the setting and the people, here, it is slightly more difficult to appreciate these new characters and what is at stake.

Still, despite a somewhat disappointing ending because of the disconnect, it is still enough to entice me to read on...

3 of 5 stars

Mind of My Mind by Octavia Butler

Mind of My Mind by Octavia E. Butler

This was a surprisingly short read, which I picked up as part of the Seed to Harvest series, but have read before Wild Seed.

I'm not sure what I ultimately expected, but what was there was a bit of a let down. There were many themes and issues raised, but none truly pursued. Most notably so was the issue of race. For the most part, characters physical appearances were only vaguely described. Most times, when we came to know someone was Black, it was because Mary was making a comparison or wishing/pleased someone was so (ie wanting to know why Doro had chosen a White husband for her, or being pleased that Doro appeared to her in a Black body). Rachel's race is introduced as a non sequitur that serves no further purpose but to add to Jan's "Oh god, niggers," comment later (we learn earlier that Jan is racist when a Black boy happens past her and therefore we assume she is White, as there does not seem to be any other option but Black or White).

Later, Emma angrily raises the issue of non-telepaths being referred to as "mutes," which she compares to "niggers." Beyond her brief tirade, this is not addressed again beyond the obvious comparison of mutes being used as slaves to the Patternists (though here, the mutes are all very content and mistreatment by Patternists is punished). Emma's tirade is particularly hypocritical since she is as much a slave to Doro as all the rest of Doro's children whom he keeps in line with violence and threats of death.

Overall, this was a very disturbing theme. The notion that one man is working to breed people with super human powers, particularly telepathy. Those who are failed experiments are left to die, while the successes eventually come together thanks to Mary, who is Doro's ultimate success and thereby becomes his ultimate rival. Between the two of them, there are thousands of people running around the country with the ability to control minds, or inflicting horrible violence against others because they can't control their own minds. Apparently, domestic violence is caused by this lack of control in active and latent telepaths.

There is an attempt to offer a mother/father juxtaposition, where Doro is the cruel male figure whom his children love, though they know he cares nothing for them and would quickly kill them. Mary is the mother figure whom we assume is the representation of nurturing, but in fact, while she displays much greater conscience than Doro, she's most certainly not a Mother Theresa figure.

One thing I did appreciate was the fact that there was no good vs. evil. Doro might have been considered an evil worthy of destruction, but how much of Mary could truly be considered "good?"

3 of 5 stars

Supergods by Grant Morrison

Supergods: What Masked Vigilantes, Miraculous Mutants, and a Sun God from Smallville Can Teach Us About Being Human by Grant Morrison

This book is a wealth of information and insight on the industry that even includes suggested further reading and a thorough indexing. The book inspired many interesting discussion points for my book club, but while I appreciate Grant Morrison's passion for comics, Grant Morrison's passion for Grant Morrison and his industry biases were quite clear.

This was a difficult read, mainly because of the writing itself. It is clearly written by someone used to having his words quickly translated into images. Without the images here, he was overcompensating and it began to seem as though he fell in love with all the words on his screen, reviewing each sentence, adding some more adjectives, then duplicating each sentence and switching in some synonyms.

Occasionally, his descriptions were aided by comic covers or pages. I would likely have less issue with the writing had this been written into a coffee table format book that included more images.

It is important to note that most of the images that did appear were from DC Comics, the company and characters which dominate the book, making it clear who's side Morrison is on.

The book is subtitled, "What Masked Vigilantes, Miraculous Mutants, and a Sun God from Smallville Can Teach Us About Being Human," which is addressed initially, mostly through Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman, but this focus is eventually lost, with the second half of the book focusing instead on Grant Morrison. It turns out, this is actually an autobiography (and blatant promotion of past and upcoming works) that, as a friend noted, probably didn't have enough to make a full book, so add the comic history... To his credit, Morrison did manage to make it through over 100 pages before pointing out how successful Arkham Asylum was and remains, but by the second half of the book, entire chapters are dedicated to his works and his trials and tribulations with Marvel and a clear bitterness towards Image (though his description of Image characters, artistry and books is apt).

He did manage to speak with initial kindness towards Marvel and its earlier creations, with a surprisingly pithy description of the X-Men. Later, when he goes into his time on New X-Men, he at least shows some level of humility in terms of the criticism his storylines received.

2 of 5 stars

Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman

Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman

As a sequel of sorts to American Gods and based on word of mouth that told me that this was very much unlike the much darker predecessor, I wasn't sure what to expect, although, anything centred around Anansi promised to be charming.

The book started rather slowly with an intentionally boring character, Fat Charlie Nancy, who's greatest stress was an embarrassing father, something many a teenager can sympathize with. Knowing what we know of his father, the trickster god Anansi - which Fat Charlie did not learn until his father's death - made the dull circumstances of Charlie's life oddly compelling as, at some point it was certain that things would change. Change came in the form of his brother, Spider, who was very much Charlie's opposite and proceeded to take over Charlie's life, literally, with everyone falling in love with Spider, including Charlie's fiance.

From there, the story continued on a reasonably expected path, with Charlie growing increasingly upset with his brother's infiltration, until suddenly, the mythology of the Anansi stories and the reality truly came crashing together in odd and unpredictable ways that resulted in a book that I'm adding to my favourites list, if only for the strange smile it left me with.

I've known Anansi stories, but some how, I won't look at spiders the same way again. Charlie and Spider are fascinating characters and their twisted relationship with each other and with their father is frustrating and endearing at the same time.

I understand now why Neil Gaiman is a favourite among fans. His imagination is immense and enjoyable. His reimagining of mythologies is impressive. Special consideration for the accurate portrayal of delightful old Jamaican ladies!

4 of 5 stars

Eat The Dead by Siddharth Kotian

Eat The Dead by Siddharth Kotian

Last night while gaming with friends, I read this during moments in our mission where people were leveling or working on adding enhancements to their character before moving on to our next missions. The story took place in India and played around with the Aghoris. If you're not familiar with them, they're followers of Shiva who believe everything is sacred, everything comes from "God." They're known for their cannibalism. They eat corpses because they believe that keeps them in touch with "God" and that it helps them to transcend their earthly body and keeps them in touch with the universal mind. Other than that, they're vegetarians.

I knew this before I read the book because I have intense interest in theology and the beliefs of people. And it was cool to see it in the comic. I think Kotian did a very good job of explaining the Aghoris. And this book had a great premise surrounded around the Aghoris and the fate of five strangers who (most of them unaware, except one) are trying to "better their karma" by breaking a negative karmic circle that they began together in a former life hundreds of years ago. But because it was a one shot the story suffered greatly. It just wasn't meant to be a one-shot, in my opinion.

The descriptions of the the Aghoris and a creature called the Adrika were well-written. However, you don't get a chance to care about the characters like you ought to, and these were characters you definitely needed to know more about, especially Joel, for this story to be as gripping as it could've been. In other words, it would've benefited from being more than a one-shot. (And that bitter ex-boyfriend hate text that Raj wrote could've been taken out because we got he hated his girlfriend for breaking up with him. Something else could've filled that space... LOL)

Some one-shot horror comics work, but there was too much going on this for me to feel completely satisfied with it. So even though I said I'd give it a 2.5, it's on the lower end of that.

Final Verdict:

2.5 of 5 stars

Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist

Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist

Simply put, this is a vampire novel. A young boy who shows repressed homicidal tendencies befriends a vampire named Eli, a friendship that forces his whole world to change. I'm sure everyone knows that by now, but unlike so many vampire novels today, there's nothing sparkly or darkly seductive about this world. It's evil, twisted, and ugly.

The ugliness of it all is what made this compelling. This is a fairly fast-paced read despite the page count, crafted so well. The story makes you want to keep turning as you read about horror after horror, defeat after defeat. And yes, in some of this, you do feel a sense of triumph when bad things happened to the characters who "deserve" it in this book.

I wanted to say that the characters in this novel have few redeeming qualities, but while some of these characters are truly disgusting human beings, most of them are just people struggling against poverty, alcholism, and other real world problems. Their lives become so entwined with each other because of Eli. You do manage to feel some sympathy toward some of the characters, but that doesn't take away from the ugliness of this story.

Final Verdict:

4 of 5 stars

Wayward Son by Tom Pollack with Jim Alves and John Loftus

Everything changes early one morning when Dr. Amanda James gets a call from an old college flame and fellow archaeologist, beseeching her to travel to Italy to help solve the puzzle of a mysterious set of bronze doors at a new dig site. Much to her surprise and bemusement, Amanda also receives an offer of stardom and celebrity from billionaire Luc Renard on the same day. The only catch? The job is in Tokyo, requiring Amanda to leave everything of her life behind including her current work at the Getty Museum. Unable to turn her back on archaeology and all the research that she loves, she turns down the offer, but Renard is not someone used to taking no for an answer...

At the dig site in Italy, Amanda takes up the challenge solving the secret of the bronze doors. Sealed by a code inscribed in ancient languages including Chinese and Egyptian, the researchers believe the doors should open up to an underground vault buried beneath a hundred feet of ash from the eruption of nearby Mount Vesuvius. Once inside, Amanda discovers a room full of relics, including two unknown figures eternally locked in what appears to have been a struggle, killed and frozen in time by the volcanic effusion.

It is then Amanda suddenly experiences a shocking vision -- the life and times of the notorious Biblical figure Cain. Through her visions, she learns the truth -- that Cain actually walked the earth for thousands of years, cursed for the murder of his brother. Trapped in his immortal life, this is a story of Cain's road to redemption and fight to resist the devil's temptations.

At first, I thought I would love Wayward Son, based on my love for archaeology and the description of the book on various websites like Amazon and Goodreads. However, the book was nothing like I expected. Don't get me wrong, this was a well written book with a rather creative story. My problem with it isn't so much what the book was about, but with the way it was marketed.

From the synopsis, it sounded like a tale of suspense and adventure, something I would really love. As it turned out, this was not the case. I think I was initially drawn to these particular lines of the description: "Amanda is shocked to discover evidence left behind by a notorioius Biblical killer, who long ago wandered off the pages of history. When a strange relic unveils the miraculous truth about this villain, Amanda must battle sinister forces intent on suppressing her stunning revelation, before it alters the destiny of millions."

While the beginning of the novel started off promising, I have to say that description did not actually reflect the content of the book at all. The bulk of the story itself is actually much more low-key and subdued, and not as heart-pumpingly exciting as the synopsis made it sound. The life of "Biblical killer" who turned out to be Cain played out more like a historical drama, and he wasn't really portrayed like the "villain" as stated. While Wayward Son did have a touch of mystery and suspense, the description is unreliable. I would say this book would be more at home on a Christian fiction shelf.

I'm still glad I picked it up for the synopsis, misleading or not, because I don't know if I would have read this book otherwise. It's an intriguing read, though my only caveat to other potential readers, of course, is to be wary of the novel's descriptions.

My Rating (out of 5)

Hexed by Kevin Hearne

Atticus O’Sullivan lives an interesting life. On the surface, he's an ordinary young man, making his living as a New Age book store/tea shop owner in Tempe, Arizona. In actuality, Atticus is a 2100-year-old druid, the last of his kind.

Just weeks after his harrowing run-in with an ancient Celtic god who was trying to kill him, Atticus's life is threatened again -- only this time, the bad guys are a coven of dangerous witches with a dark past, and they're going after his friends too. And as if that wasn't enough, a fallen angel is eating students at a local high school, Bacchants have come to town to wreak havoc and debauchery, and an angry albeit sexy Celtic goddess is setting fire to his kitchen. What is a druid to do?

Hexed is a fun, charming and worthy follow-up to the first book. All the action and humor that made Hounded such a great read is back for this second installment.

That said, so are the things I wasn't so keen on. First let me just say that I like the fact that Atticus is different, and that he doesn't act the way you'd think a 2100-year-old protagonist should. Still, for someone so ancient, he remains disappointingly shallow. For the most part, I enjoy his frat boy humor and his attmempts to make light of a situation with references to pop culture, but the old adage "too much of a good thing" comes to mind. The ironic thing is, it starts making Atticus feel less realistic to me and more fabricated. Perhaps when you start acting more modern and cracking more geek jokes than any other contemporary urban fantasy protagonist out there, it might do to dial things down a bit. I for one would love to see more of his millennia old wisdom come through just a little more.

The story, while enjoyable, also felt less coherent than the last one. Just like Hounded, Hexed was great in that its plot was made up of multiple threads, each action-packed and interesting in their own way, but it didn't come together as well as I'd hoped. Reading it almost felt like reading three separate short stories that were related, but didn't tie together very smoothly.

One thing I did like was seeing more of Atticus's problem solving process. A criticism I had about the last book was how he seemed too powerful to ever be in any real danger, thus removing some of the element of suspense. In Hexed, however, some of his weaknesses came to light. He is still very powerful, but there were more situations in which he found himself with his back against the wall in very real trouble, or needed some help or rescuing from a friend. It shows some of his resourcefulness, and you start to gain an understanding of how he was able to survive and adapt for so long.

All in all, a good book and a decent sequel, and I'm looking forward to picking up the third installment. Recommended for fans of urban fantasy who are looking for some fun, light reading.

My Rating (out of 5)

Hounded by Kevin Hearne

On the surface, everything about Atticus O'Sullivan appears ordinary. Early 20s, good-looking, and living in Tempe, Arizona, he shares his house with his Irish Wolfhound Oberon, bikes to work and runs a New Age bookstore/tea shop. No one suspects that Atticus is actually a 2100-year-old druid, the last of his kind.

The truth is, he has been on the run for centuries, guarding a mystical sword from a Celtic god who is trying to kill him. But over time, Atticus has grown quite powerful himself. It's time to bring the fight to the enemy, and with a little bit of help from his friends, Atticus might just survive this to live a little longer.

A new book by a new author, I remember why this book got my attention. After browsing for a while, I eventually picked it up because it seemed like everywhere I looked, the consensus is the same: "Recommended for fans of the Dresden Files."

I can see why -- both are narrated by a male protagonist in the first person with a modern, "hip" voice. Both are humorous and full of pop culture and geek references. Harry Dresden has a talking skull named Bob, Atticus O'Sullivan has an Irish wolfhound he talks to named Oberon. They both keep paranormal company like werewolves, witches and vampires. In each story there's always some bad guy trying to kill them, leading to much action and magical combat. It's inevitable that comparisons will be drawn between these two series.

Atticus, however, is over two millennia old and a druid. And despite taking place in modern day Tempe, Arizona, Hounded is steeped in ancient Celtic mythology and culture.

I had a lot of fun reading this book. I was pleasantly surprised to find it better than the average debut urban fantasy novel, though I still have my criticisms. Atticus can be a bit too smug for my taste, and while for the most part hilarious, at times of the dialogue and references can feel a bit forced. I understand that Atticus is very successful at fitting in, but it still almost feels as if the author is overcompensating in trying to make readers believe it.

I am also curious as to how this series will progress in terms of character development. Obviously, Atticus is very powerful, what with a couple thousands years under his belt to perfect his art. Throughout the course of the novel, one realizes he has "faults" but not real faults, because regardless, a very simple solution always presents itself in good time. This to me is the difference between this book and the Dresden Files. One thing I love about Harry Dresden is the character growth we see in him with each subsequent novel. He is a flawed protagonist with limits to his power, often surrounded by foes more powerful and skilled than he is, and there is a healthy level of suspense because the reader gets the feeling he is in constant danger. As he overcomes his challenges, we get to see Harry grow as a character and see his magic skills increase as the series progresses.

To be honest, I don't know if we'll get to see a lot of that in the Iron Druid Chronicles. When you can turn into an owl and fly away, heal your wounds by making contact with the earth, or make anything invisible you don't want seen, Atticus does seem to already have a magical solution for every problem, or have friends that do and help him clean up. There were also some plot gaps and situations that lacked resolution, but they were also conveniently explained away.

Still, I am very interested to see how things will turn out. Like I said, it was a fun read overall, and it's always refreshing to read a good new urban fantasy novel. I will definitely be picking up the second book as well as the third.

My Rating (out of 5)

Big Box of Books - Waiting for Westeros Edition

Back before I started reading almost exclusively on my Kindle, I kept most of my new books in cardboard boxes on the floor -- there was just no more room on the shelves! But thanks to going digital a couple years back, I have the precious shelf space again. Still, I like the mental image of a big box of books so I'm going to use it for the name of this feature, even though now it's in the metaphorical sense.

Not gonna deny it; this month I am most looking forward to A Dance with Dragons by George R. R. Martin. But there's time for other books too, and here are a few titles I added to my to-read list this week:

Wayward Son by Tom Pollack, John Loftus, Jim Alves

Goodreads Description: Buried near Italy's Mount Vesuvius is a remarkable observatory containing artifacts dating to the earliest record of human events. Only one person; the Getty Museum's Amanda James; can unlock the mysterious doors that guard the chamber. But once inside, Amanda is shocked to discover evidence left behind by a notorious Biblical killer; who long ago wandered of the pages of history. When a strange relic unveils the miraculous truth about this villain, Amanda must battle sinister forces intent on suppressing her stunning revelation; before it alters the destiny of millions.

This book first caught my eye when saw it in a Goodreads giveaway but the description enticed me so much that I just went to Amazon and bought it dirt cheap for my Kindle.

The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt

Goodreads description: Hermann Kermit Warm is going to die. The enigmatic and powerful man known only as the Commodore has ordered it, and his henchmen, Eli and Charlie Sisters, will make sure of it. Though Eli doesn't share his brother's appetite for whiskey and killing, he's never known anything else. But their prey isn't an easy mark, and on the road from Oregon City to Warm's gold-mining claim outside Sacramento, Eli begins to question what he does for a living–and whom he does it for.

With The Sisters Brothers, Patrick deWitt pays homage to the classic Western, transforming it into an unforgettable comic tour de force. Filled with a remarkable cast of characters–losers, cheaters, and ne'er-do-wells from all stripes of life–and told by a complex and compelling narrator, it is a violent, lustful odyssey through the underworld of the 1850s frontier that beautifully captures the humor, melancholy, and grit of the Old West and two brothers bound by blood, violence, and love.

This looked interesting, and I figured my historical fiction shelf is in dire need of some good old nitty-gritty Western.

Men, Women & Children by Chad Kultgen

Goodreads description: Chad Kultgen, cult hero and author of the buzz-generating illicit classics The Average American Male and The Lie, cuts to the quick of the American psyche like no other author writing today. In Men, Women & Children he explores the sexual pressures at work on a handful of troubled, conflicted junior-high students and their equally dysfunctional parents. From porn-surfing fathers to World of Warcraft-obsessed sons, from competitive cheerleaders to their dissatisfied, misguided mothers, Kultgen clicks open the emotionally treacherous culture in which we live—in his most ambitious and surprising book yet.

I'll admit it, the World of Warcraft bit caught my eye. Always intrigued to read about MMORPG addiction, fictitious or otherwise.

Elantris by Brandon Sanderson

Goodreads description: "Elantris: gigantic, beautiful, literally radiant, filled with benevolent beings who used their powerful magical abilities to benefit all the people of Arelon. Yet each of these godlike beings had been an ordinary person until touched by the mysterious transforming power of the Shaod. Then, ten years ago, without warning, the magic failed. Elantrians became wizened, feeble, leper-like creatures, and Elantris itself dark, filthy, and crumbling. The Shaod became a curse."

"Arelon's new capital city, Kae, crouches in the shadow of Elantris, which its people do their best to ignore. Princess Sarene of Teod has come to Kae for a marriage of state with Crown Prince Raoden, hoping - based on their correspondence - also to find love. She finds instead that Raoden has died, and she is considered his widow. Both Teod and Arelon are under threat as the last remaining holdouts against the imperial ambitions of the ruthless religious fanatics of Fjordell. Sarene decides to make the best of a sad situation and use her position to oppose the machinations of Hrathen, a Fjordell high priest who has come to convert Arelon and claim it for his emperor and his god."

But neither Sarene nor Hrathen suspects the truth about Prince Raoden's disappearance. Taken by the same strange malady that struck the fallen gods of Elantris, Raoden was secretly imprisoned within the dark city. His struggle to create a society for the wretches trapped there begins a series of events that will bring hope to Arelon, and perhaps even reveal the secret of Elantris itself.

Going back to my first love, fantasy. I love Sanderson's writing, and The Way of Kings is perhaps one of my all time favorite fantasy novels. I still need to re-read his Mistborn trilogy, but before I do that I think I should check out Elantris.

Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson

Christine Lucas, the protagonist of this psychological thriller, has a problem. Years ago, an accident robbed her of her ability to retain day-to-day memories. Each night, her mind erases everything when she goes to sleep, and most days when she wakes, she is unable to remember anything past her young adult years. Her husband Ben is a stranger beside her in the bed she wakes up in every morning, and she is unfamiliar with the middle-aged face she sees in the mirror, still believing herself to be in her early 20s.

Ben does his best to help her cope, keeping her grounded by guiding her through each day with photos, scrapbooks and patience. Then one day, Christine discovers she has been working secretly with a doctor, who has been encouraging her to document each day in her journal. Using it to piece together daily events, she discovers there is more to her past, a past that her husband may have been keeping from her. What do you do when the only person you can trust is only telling you half the story? What can you believe when you don't even trust your own memories?

Before I go to Sleep is like 50 First Dates meets Memento, a dramatic tale that very quickly transforms into a suspenseful, psychological thriller. It is hard to believe this is a debut novel, since beneath the twists and turns lies a very complex theme, a darker truth that many would find difficult to think about. If what makes a person is their lifetime of memories, who are we if we can't recall our lives or even ourselves? Not being able to remember anything is a scary thought. On the one hand, while painful or disturbing memories can be abandoned each night, so will the memories of all the happy times and of those you love. It's a little bit like dying every night, and when I really think about it, I can't help but sympathize with Christine even more.

Given the premise of the novel, I was really curious as to how the author would handle the narrative. Not surprisingly, I found it a little awkward and confusing, but it was nonetheless well executed and better than I had hoped. After a while, I started getting used to the style and structure, and decided in the end that it was the best possible way to tell this story in light of the challenges it presents.

I thought this was a good mystery novel, with a very emotional build up to a startling and explosive conclusion. The only problem with this is that sometimes, I felt like the book was genre-confused, not knowing whether or not it wanted to be a heartfelt drama, or a suspenseful thriller. In the end, I guess it is a little bit of both. If I had known this beforehand, I probably would have liked this book even more, but as it is, I often found myself perplexed with its pacing while I was reading. Some parts of the beginning and middle felt a bit slow, while the ending was anything but.

Still, Before I go to Sleep succeeds at being an entertaining and enjoyable read. It is probably one of the more original stories I've read so far this year, and more thought-provoking than I expected.

My Rating (out of 5)

Naamah's Blessing by Jacqueline Carey

The adventures of Moirin mac Fainche continue in Naamah's Blessing, the third book of her trilogy. It all started years ago, when Moirin left her idyllic home in the wilderness of Alba to fulfill a destiny, seeking to do the will of the Maghuin Dhonn. Her travels have since brought her to the far reaches of the earth, but it appears still the gods have more in store.

Upon her return to Terre D'Ange, Moirin finds the realm in a state of unease. The royal family is broken, with Prince Thierry, heir to the throne, absent on an expedition to faraway Terra Nova. King Daniel, bereaved over the death of Queen Jehanne, is too distracted to rule. Their young daughter the Princess Desiree is troubled and neglected, her future and happiness in question. Times are rife with uncertainty and political instability.

The story of Naamah's Blessing also has its roots in the events from the first book. When Moirin first journeyed to Terre D'Ange seeking answers in the land of her father's ancestors, her encounters with the D'Angeline people did more than teach her about her heritage -- it also opened up a window to a brand new world. In her naivete, Moirin allowed herself to be manipulated by the charms of Raphael de Merliot, becoming entangled in his plot to summon a fallen angel. Their efforts ultimately ended in failure -- but a costly and deadly one.

Now faced the mistakes of her past, Moirin must take on a dangerous quest to make amends and embark on one final voyage to fulfill her destiny. The future of Terre D'Ange and the lives of people she loves depend on it.

I adore Jacqueline Carey, ever since the day I first discovered the Kushiel's Legacy series. I still remember the wonder and awe I felt when I finished reading Kushiel's Dart, the epic story that started it all. I've been addicted to her books ever since.

Devouring the rest of novels in the series including her second trilogy featuring Prince Imriel, I was thrilled when I heard Ms. Carey was planning on writing a third trilogy set in the same universe, though it would take place generations later, focusing on a half-D'Angeline child of the Maghuin Dhonn. I looked forward to it with anticipation.

And now that Moirin's trilogy is finally complete, I must admit the experience has been both frustrating and gratifying. On the one hand, I feel it is not as strong as the previous two trilogies, yet on the other, I am probably being unfair by making comparisons. After all, Moirin's story was likely meant to explore a different direction, and expand the world of Kushiel's Legacy.

I ended up enjoying Naamah's Blessing quite a bit, but it took some time to get there. I was not initially impressed with the first half of the book, underwhelmed by a rather uninspiring and self-indulgent introduction. There were various attempts at twists and turns, but not once did I find myself feeling any suspense, predicting many of the major steps in the plot that were meant to set up the story. As such, I felt none of the emotional blows I was meant to feel, but simply became increasingly frustrated at how all the events felt forced and telegraphed.

Still, while I thought the first half of the book was lackluster, I have to say the second half made up for much of it. It was Moirin's expedition to Terra Nova that provided the turning point, and it was then I started feeling the thrill again, and marveled at Ms. Carey's way of building new worlds.

I don't mind it when she takes us to faraway places, showing us there is indeed a lot more beyond the borders of Terre D'Ange. Since Naamah's Curse, Moirin has traveled the world, from exotic Ch'in to the dry plains of the Tatar Steppes, from remote Vralia to the lush lands of Bhodistan. The only regret I have is that all this jumping around does not do these places justice. With so many settings, it is impossible to give the same level of attention to the details. Terra Nova, however, received better treatment. I do very much enjoy the way each geographical area and culture in the series corresponds to one in the real world, and I love reading how Carey shapes each place to her owm vision. She succeeded in drawing me in again with her descriptions of this new frontier.

The story itself was nothing elegant, but it was exciting nonetheless. Once Moirin and her companions started on their journey, it was hard to stop turning the pages until the climax was reached and her destiny resolved. D'Angelines are people used to a life of comfort and decadent luxury, so it also something else to read about them out of their element, trekking through the dangerous and unforgiving jungles of Terra Nova.

I have to admit I was never a big fan of Moirin, but after this book I started liking her more. Being so used to the strength and quiet poise of Phedre no Delaunay, it took some time to accept Moirin's voice and her sometimes emotional and impulsive nature. I still got annoyed every time the narrative talked about her eyes stinging or filling with tears, but I think I've finally come to terms with her character. Moirin may seem childish sometimes, but her youth also gives her an energetic and lively view of her life's challenges, which I came to appreciate in this book.

I also started to like her companion and romantic interest Bao a lot more. His character hasn't been very popular with fans for some reason. Still, while he's no Joscelin Verreuil, Bao has been much developed over the last three books and he is very much one of Jacqueline Carey's men. I've always admired her talent for writing male characters, and over time she has given Bao the same treatment she has given to others like Barquiel L'Envers or Hyacinthe, transforming him into a hero I can respect.

There are, however, things I felt the book missed. Once again, Moirin is off to single-handedly save the world and right all its wrongs, but thankfully this was not as overdone as the last book. Still, the outcomes of the novel were very predictable. It is an irony that while Moirin being a child of the Maghuin Dhonn possesses a connection with magic, her story felt markedly less magical than the previous two trilogies. It was like something faded away from the series after Prince Imriel's trilogy. I've always felt Moirin's story lacked a focus, her mysterious destiny a tenuous reason for her adventures at best.

A lot of it has to do with so much of the plot feeling so convenient, such as the timely insertion of a usurping regent as an antagonist in the beginning of the book, or the child princess Desiree, three years old when she first meets Moirin, but who happens to be the spitting image of her mother Jehanne and acts and speaks in a way beyond her years. It's discomfiting, even when it is explained to the reader that she is unusually precocious for her age. Or even Raphael de Merliot, the book's main villain. While he poses a real and dangerous threat to Moirin and our heroes, his wickedness is one-sided, and he has none of the subtlety or delightful avarice, of say, Melisande Shahrizai whom we all loved to hate.

Overall, however, I still really liked this book. The trilogy really picked itself up following the last installment, and I also liked it for its themes of deities and destinies. Throughout her many adventures, Moirin has to remind herself time and time again that things get ugly when mortals misinterpret the will of the gods.

My Rating (out of 5)

Kraken by China Miéville

Kraken follows Bill Harrow, a researcher and scientist at the Museum of Natual History in London. An expert on mollusks, Billy was responsible for the preservation efforts of the museum's most popular exhibits -- the giant squid, affectionately nicknamed "Archie". One day out of the blue, the gargantuan specimen goes missing, and Billy finds himself thrown into a side of London he never knew existed, a world of magic, secret cults, doomsday prophecies and supernatural creatures.

This novel, while technically can be considered urban fantasy, is certainly unlike anything I've seen in the genre. In fact, I can probably file this one under the "Weirdest books I've ever read" shelf. What an interesting experience for my first book by China Miéville, an author I've been hearing great things about from my friends and reader reviews.

In retrospect, I wonder if Kraken was such a good choice for my first taste of Miéville. For a while, I'd had my eyes on a couple of his well-known books, namely Perdido Street Station and The City & The City, but decided in the end to tackle something more recent. I'd been told beforehand by fans of Miéville, however, that Kraken is quite unlike many of his other books.

I thought I was prepared for anything, but this book was still nothing like I expected. The first quarter of the book was the most "normal" part, which set up the story and drew me in right away. After that, everything started spiraling out of control. More than a few times, I felt as confused as Billy.

But even as Kraken gets increasingly abstract, it is a strangeness that is familiar to me, one that is almost reminiscent of works by Neil Gaiman. It is a style I can appreciate, though probably not one I'd prefer if I was being honest with myself. Still, I was quite content with the actual story and its mystery, and I was particularly thrilled with the pop culture references like Star Trek, and the author incorporating a real life Tribble and an actual working phaser gun into this book.

In truth, it was the prose that somewhat disaffected me. China Miéville likes to use many words and he uses them very well, but too much of that and it can quickly get out of hand. At some parts of the book, this kills the momentum completely, making it difficult to connect with the world of the characters when you're frequently distracted by so much that is superfluous to the main story. By the the time I got to the final chapters, I realized all I wanted to do was get the book over with and find out what happens so I could move on.

I'm definitely planning to read more from the author, but in the future I would probably choose more carefully. Kraken had a good start, and featured some interesting ideas and a great premise, but reading it was a little exhausting despite the fact it's not an overly long book. Still, I hear Miéville has quite a varied writing style and I'm looking forward to checking out some of his other more straightforward works.

My Rating (out of 5):

Summer Reads

A few upcoming releases I'm looking forward to reading in the next coming months. Summer 2011 is shaping up to be a great season for fans of the fantasy genre.

A Dance with Dragons by George R. R. Martin
Release Date: July 12

The battle of the Seven Kingdoms continues in this fifth installment of A Song of Ice and Fire. I wouldn't be surprised if this turns out to be the most anticipated fantasy book this year. Longtime followers of this series have been waiting for this book for a long time, and I daresay the success of HBO's Game of Thrones has garnered Martin a significant number of new fans.

I only finished catching up with the series last year, but I'm no less itching to revisit the rest of the characters not featured in the last book and find out how the story continues.

Ghost Story by Jim Butcher
Release Date: July 26

I went on a Dresden Files marathon last month hoping to catch up with the series in time for book 13, and it looks like I succeeded with weeks to spare. I'm not averse to urban fantasy, though I haven't been actively seeking out new titles. But Storm Front, the first Dresden book, came highly recommended and after my first taste, I was hooked.

The last book aptly titled Changes held a major turning point, not to mention a bombshell of a cliffhanger. I suspect a new direction for this series, one I'm not sure how I feel about yet, but I guess I'll find out when I read Ghost Story.

Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence
Release Date: August 2
I'm always on the lookout for new authors and books to read, and the buzz around Prince of Thorns has caught my attention since winter.

It has been described with words like "dark", "beautiful", "haunting", "poetic", "disturbing", "exciting"...sounds right up my alley. Certainly the praise this book has gotten thus far has intrigued me, and I gladly added it to my list of summer reads.

The Lotus Eaters by Tatjana Soli

The Lotus Eaters is a historical fiction about three photojournalists brought together during the Vietnam War. Helen Adams, a naive girl from California who drops out of college to travel across the ocean, hoping to change the world through her pictures. Sam Darrow, an experienced Pulitzer prize winning photographer, jaded by violence, but finds it difficult to turn away from it just the same. Linh, the son of a Vietnamese scholar, is changed by the war and finds himself working for an American magazine, but his own allegiances are a mystery even to himself.

But the novel is also so much more than that. It is a story about three individuals connected by their love for their work, for each other, and for a war-torn country in the final years before its fall. It is about people feeling like outsiders in their own country. It is about war, art and love. And it is about dangerous ambition, obsession and addiction.

Layer upon layer, the Tatjana Soli builds upon these themes in her book. I found the story slow to take off at first, but with every page the emotions and the tensions built up and I found myself just wanting to read more.

The writing is beautiful, almost poetic, and perfect for the premise and solemn tone of the story. In keeping with the genre of historical fiction, descriptions of actual events and key figures of the Vietnam War play a huge role, but for me the most memorable aspect of the novel was the author's use of powerful imagery. Vietnam itself almost becomes a distinct character, the jungle and 1960's Saigon taking on lives of their own. The descriptions of the latter setting are so realistic, it almost feels as if you are actually standing there in the city's streets. I thought the author did an excellent job writing about the different faces of the country, detailing the horrors of war but also taking time to describe the beauty of the untouched countryside.

This is also a very emotional book, delving deep into the thoughts and feelings of each character. The book changes points of views frequently, which can be a little confusing, but I still got to know Helen, Darrow and Linh very well. At times it became difficult to read this book, because of how very little I related to the characters.

Helen came off exactly as the author intended, naive and idealistic when she arrives in Vietnam but gradually transforms into hardened photojournalist, completely numb to her pain and fear and becoming much like her colleague Sam Darrow. Darrow was more of a mystery to me, a flawed and tortured character, though not in the way which invoked any of my sympathies. Their relationship frustrated me from beginning to end, watching the futility of her trying to tame him. Both made excuses for what I felt were their selfishness and hypocrisy, but it was all written so well. Addiction can take many forms, and this is one of the themes I felt the book explored.

I was more impressed with the character of Linh, however, even though the first chapter did little to endear him to me. But subsequent chapters slowly changed my mind as we started learning more about him in the context of his past and his culture. His connection with Helen becomes almost like an allegory for the relationship between the two countries.

The more I read, the more I was drawn in. I didn't necessarily have to understand the characters or their motivations to enjoy this book. While the war and the soldiers were a major presence, I felt it was interesting that the author chose to focus on the life of a female photographer for the novel's premise.

Note: I received a copy of The Lotus Eaters through participating in a Goodreads giveaway. I would like to thank Goodreads, the publisher and the author for opportunity.

My Rating (out of 5):

Lily of the Nile by Stephanie Dray

Lily of the Nile is a historical fiction novel about Selene, the daughter of Cleopatra and Mark Antony. From birth, Selene and her twin brother Helios were hailed as a sacred pair by the worshipers of Isis, but after Alexandria fell to Roman forces and the suicides of their parents, the children are brought to Rome by the conqueror Octavian to be fostered in his imperial household. A prisoner trapped in a culture completely at odds with her heritage and faith, Selene struggles to hold on to Isis and the memory of her parents' legacy, meanwhile using all her wits to survive life in the Roman court.

This was simply a beautiful novel. While not exactly a heart-thumping page-turner, it nonetheless had me enraptured with its story and characters every step of the way.

At the heart of it, Lily of the Nile is a coming-of-age story, and it's a unique one at that. It's labeled as historical fiction, but I was surprised to find a thread of fantasy laced through the novel in the form of old magic, which sets it apart from many other historical fiction I've read in the past.

This novel uses a lot of symbols and imagery to illustrate its themes, of which the most interesting to me was the relationship between masculinity and femininity. For example, Isis, Cleopatra, Egypt, Alexandria, the moon, the Nile and even Selene herself were all used at some point as metaphors for the feminine, while Rome embodies everything about the masculine. I am thoroughly impressed at how the author has created this war of symbols behind the backdrop of the actual story, and despite the power struggle between the two sides, masculinity and femininity meet as equals in the end. This is just one of the many themes I glimpsed in this this novel, and as they all "clicked" to me as I was reading, I began to realize how elaborately woven this story is.

The other thing that struck me was the novel's approach to political intrigue. It is nowhere near as daunting as the way it was handled in George R. R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire", nor does it have the flare or epicness of HBO's Rome, but its subtlety is something I can appreciate nonetheless. In fact, I didn't even get the sense that there was anything of the sort until I was well into the book. When the political dealings finally became apparent to me, it was even more captivating given what was revealed of Octavian's cunning, and knowing the fact these political games were essentially being played with the children as the pieces.

Finally, I have to say I can't imagine how much research went into the writing of this novel. Stephanie Dray makes every effort to stay historically accurate, and what she embellished or changed for the sake of brevity she explains in her author's note at the end of the book.

At the same time, she is very good at injecting life in the novel amidst the historical facts. The fantasy/magic aspect I mentioned before plays into this, but the author also paints a very realistic and vibrant picture of her characters, especially the children -- Selene, her brothers Helios and Philadelphus and all the other children in Octavian's household. My favorite character had to be Julia, the impish daughter of the emperor. Besides the main story, what I liked most about the book were the children and their relationships with each other and the adults who hold the power over their lives.

My Rating (out of 5):

Welcome To BiblioSanctum

Welcome to the BiblioSanctum blog, my little corner of the web to muse about a favorite hobby of mine -- reading.

I'm no stranger to blogging, though this is my first book blog. I also write a gaming blog, where I occasionally post short reviews about the fantasy books I read, but lately I've been getting the hankering to write more generally about books and reading, as well as more detailed reviews on a greater variety of genres. I didn't want to bog my other site down any further, and thus BiblioSanctum was born.

My favorite genres are fantasy and historical fiction (interesting combo, I know), which is where the inspiration for the blog name came from, and you'll probably see that reflected in the choice of books and subjects I cover here. I do have a pretty eclectic taste in books, however, so every once in a while you'll probably see some variety.

Starting a new blog is always a little daunting, and I know it's not much right not but I promise I'll do my best to whip this site into shape and keep up with the frequent updates. Thanks for stopping by!

The Child Thief by Brom

The Child Thief by Brom

While I think from just reading the summary, most people know they are not walking into a completely black and white, good vs evil, story. You know that it will be somewhere in between, that there is a lot of gray area in this story. And boy was it ever.

Brom took this fairytale and crafted such a complex, dark story of two sides who essentially want the same thing, but both going about their own misguided way of doing it, doing what they feel they need to do to survive and win. And while Peter's side is arguably the right side, the other side led by The Captain (and "led" is used loosely here because the Captain actually came to be a likable, competent character who is helpless against greater forces at work) isn't as simple and as evil as you'd think they'd be.

Wonderful book. I expected a very dark tale, but I didn't expect to get so emotionally invested in the story of Peter, his Devils (the Lost Boys), Avalon (Neverland), or the flesh-eaters (the Captain and his crew). I shed more than a few tears and laughs with this book. Brom weaved such a wonderful world to explore. I wished the story would've gone and followed them more after their big battle, but then again, I'm glad Brom allowed my imagination to decide what happens next.

Easily a favorite. And Brom's illustrations were breathtaking. I loved his Sekeu the best and that's definitely how she appeared in my mind.

Final Verdict:

5 of 5 stars