Jessica Strider
Pros: candid stories, lots of cultural details, reads like a novel, good pacing
Cons: limited descriptions of sites of interest, no pictures
After getting divorced, Savannah's mother decides she wants to see the world and starts planning a year long family trip. At 14, a year away from school and friends doesn't appeal to Savannah, who fights the trip every step of the way. Until, in China, she starts to see that maybe seeing the world - and getting a different kind of education - isn't such a bad thing.
This is a highly personal story, from Savannah's point of view, highlighting her complaints and moments of personal discovery. While she starts off a bit whiny, the author does a great job of showing her state of mind without annoying the reader. It makes the people real as you read their experiences, which often deserve a few whines. As someone who's backpacked in several countries I'm amazed at the privations they dealt with while crossing China and Mongolia.
This book chronicles the first few months of what was supposed to be a one year trip and ended up being four. It covers their adventures starting with the decision to go, including getting rid of all their pets and dealing with the older brother's sudden bout of cancer, to their layover sleeping in the airport in Korea on the way to Hong Kong, through China and into Mongolia. It ends with them heading off to Russia after numerous adventures.
It reads like a novel, with dialogue and crises every few pages. Grace also maintains interest by adding reminiscence scenes during their travel to things that happened earlier, like the reason for her parents divorce. The descriptions tend more towards the family's impressions of places and the harsh circumstances of the trip (long overnight trains and buses where sleep is difficult, unpleasant to non-existent bathrooms, physically strenuous days, unique snacks and severe culture shock), rather than to the famous, and not so famous, sites they visited. For example, you get more description of how difficult it was to climb the thousands of steps of Emei Shan than the view at the top or the more well known city of Xian and the terra cotta warriors. Indeed, she focuses on places most people haven't been and won't go, which again increases the interest factor.
The only real downside to the book was the lack of photos. It would have been awesome to read about a particular place and see several photos of the location. Pictures are up on the author's website (www.sihpromatum.com), but there aren't any in the physical or ebook (available on kindle only) editions.
Pros: interesting premise, great characters, positive depictions of lesbian relationships, positive depictions of handicapped, thought provoking, doesn't provide easy answers, great use of linguistical shifts
Cons: underdeveloped world-building, less development than the story deserved
For Parents: no sex but there is kissing, swearing done in German, minor violence
After a mysterious disease turned all men into ‘Cretinous Males' with degenerative disorders, humanity chose 300 specimens of female perfection on which to build Society. Hatched from tanks, those without modifications are human. Those with modifications are klons, stronger and without the passions and intelligence of their human similars, they serve so the humans can achieve their full potential.
Rubrik and Salmon Jo are sixteen, schatzies (lovers), and leaving the academy for their first mentoring assignments in the city. Rubrik is an artist. Salmon Jo is a scientist working at the hatcheries. When Salmon Jo makes a startling discovery about the klons, their lives are forever changed.
This is a quick, fun read. The characters are a little quirky and their relationship fantastic (no angst, no unwarranted fights or wafflings of affections, no love triangles, just a nice, functional relationship).
I loved that the girls are products of their society, thinking pregnancy and males (at least on Rubrik's side) are disgusting. Similarly, the linguistical shifts, adding in some German words (or, German based words) was neat, and I loved their misunderstanding/misuse of the word ‘hacker'.
Later in the book there are some descriptions of handicapped people that are done with great care and respect. Indeed, this is a great book for questioning biases on several accounts, and specifically what makes a person human. I loved that the author provided no answers, just ethical and philosophical questions
The biggest downside to the book was its low word count. The publisher lists the page count at 264, but the epub file on my iPad came up to 108. On numerous occasions the pacing felt rushed as the story jumped from one aspect to another trying to get everything in. I think the world-building especially suffered here. There's enough information to follow the story, but I'd have loved to see it fleshed out better, especially given the complexity of the issues being addressed.
Also, things on the whole go too easily for the girls. With very little planning most of their crazy schemes turn out ok, which seemed a bit far fetched considering what they were doing.
Still, it's an interesting read.
Pros: historical accuracy, intricate plot, complex characters
Cons:
The year is much colder than usual as Jane and Vincent visit with her family, and while they know the coldmongers aren't to blame, those less educated in the working of glamour aren't conviced. They take a commission for a glamural in London and ask Melody, whose marriage prospects at home are slim, to accompany them. But the weather remains dark and cold, and riots are breaking out. And when Vincent's family comes calling, things get worse.
Like Kowal's other books in this series, this one starts off by showing the life and times of the Vincents and slowly adds in intrigue. Only at the end of the book, when the full plot is revealed, do you realize how brilliant Kowal's writing is.
She takes great care getting the details in her book accurate, with notes at the back where readers can both check up on her facts and contact her if they discover an error.
The characters continue to grow, even as they're sometimes reminded of the events of the previous two books. The finale depends heavily on the climax of book two, so keep that in mind if you chose to start here.
This book didn't have the uneven pacing of book two, and, with its ending, is probably my favourite of the three so far.
Pros: characters feel real, interesting story, compelling, emotionally gripping
Cons: Kate's cruelty made her queenship hard to understand, worldbuilding had some gaps
Seth is an angry child, abandoned by his mother and ignored by his father. Only his older half-brother, Conal, cared for him in his youth. So when Conal is exiled to the mortal realms by Kate, the Sithe queen, Seth travels with him. But life in the late 16th century is hard, especially when they're obvious targets for the witch craze. This is the first part of Seth's tale.
I'm not a fan of character driven novels, but there are exceptions to every rule. And boy, is this an exception. Seth's angry youth and damaged pride grabbed my interest and never let it go. This isn't an angsty story and Seth does grow up, but he only learns there are more things in the world that deserve his anger and that love brings its own kinds of pain.
As a narrator, Seth constantly alludes to future happenings, meaning that even when things are going well for him in the book - as rare as that is - it won't last. Indeed, the tension caused by knowing things will get worse is partly why this book was so compelling. It's also what makes the ending so forceful.
I was surprised that Kate, a queen who ruled by consent, was able to keep power considering as readers we only hear of the cruel things she does. I found this a flaw in the worldbuiding, that we're so focused on Seth's family's dun (holding) that there's no sense of a larger world on their side of the veil.
It also took me longer than I'd care to admit to figure out that the Sithe switched terms with humans, calling themselves human beings, us the full-mortals and stories about us ‘fairy stories'. At first I thought the fairy story reference was an error. This swapping of terms could have been made clearer, though Philip did do a great job of explaining other aspects of Sithe culture through realistic circumstances. I loved the inclusion of truenames and water-horses, and the Lammyr were a creepy invention. There was also a great conversation half way through the book between Seth and one of his lovers about some differences between Sithe and mortal customs with regards to women. And I loved that the Sithe were an equal society, with no bias with regards to lovers, though also little love for offspring.
I don't always mention this but there are 2 rapes that occur in the book. One is off stage and neither is described in any detail. I appreciated the care given one of the characters with regards to healing and finding love despite the reality of the horrors of the world.
Ultimately it's a great book that's hard to put down, though it won't leave you feeling warm and fuzzy at the end.
Pros: creepy premise, realistic characters, fantastic world-building
Cons: little action, all but one plot revolves around interpersonal relationships
When Rob kills Winter West in a car accident after a bad break-up with his girlfriend Lorelei, she's sent to Cryomed's ‘bridesicle' facility, where she has the chance to attract a rich man willing to pay for her revival.
The book is built around the award winning novella, “Bridesicle”. Scenes dealing with Mira, the oldest woman in the bridesicle program, are interspersed with the actions of the other characters. It never feels out of place, and as the story progresses, the novella is actively pulled into the larger narrative.
This is a book about the complexity of relationships - between friends, family and lovers. It's a book about people and how they act and react to different situations. It's about death and bringing someone back to life - how that act changes them, changes you.
McIntosh has created a cast of characters that feel like people you know in real life. From the attention hog Lorelei, to the utterly depressed and despondent Rob, doing all he can to keep a promise. Veronika, who knows she's not glamourous enough for the guy she loves, and Lycan, a super shy genius, who has trouble talking to women. And the bridesicles, Mira and Winter, trapped in a living death, desperate to get out, not knowing when or if they'll be revived again. These are all people, unhappy with life and unsure of how to make things better. As their stories weave together they grow, change and learn. And their stories touch you.
The world-building is top notch, taking into account all of the little things that are there but we don't always notice. For example, there's no current day slang, it all pertains to recent tech in the Minus Eighty world. Similarly, one of Lorelei's boyfriends takes on her speech patterns in an effort to impress her. The tech itself is dependant on your status/wealth, with the characters occasionally passing through areas of the city (futuristic NY) that are poorer than others so you get a real feel for the entirety of the world of this future. Even the cryogenics facility is class based, with the rich getting in and only the most beautiful of those uninsured women making the bridesicle program.
This is a brilliant, heart-wrenching story set into one of the most realistically portrayed futuristic worlds I've read. If you want a lot of action and adventure this isn't for you. If you want a book about how humans treat each other, and why, then I highly recommend this.
Pros: intelligent protagonist, interesting premise, several plot threads that merge, learn about the future people watching the game, plausible future
Cons: ending gets preachy, one stilted conversation, one info dump conversation
What Play or Die does differently from other books with the premise of a gameshow where one human is hunting another (like The Hunger Games and the short story “The Prize of Peril” by Robert Sheckley) is add two new elements. First, in addition to being hunted, Jo learns that her father's recent death was murder, giving her something to investigate even as she's running from the hunter. She uses Fitani to gain information about the murder, which is pretty gutsy given her position. The second addition is information about those watching the game. Normally these stories focus on the game itself with little, if any, information about how such shows became popular and what sorts of people enjoy watching them. Jo asks about the people of the future, giving the reader a decent amount of information about how they live and why they're out for her blood. Later in the book there are more chapters that take place in the future fleshing out their world even more.
And the future Cole creates is quite plausible, given human nature.
Jo is a fantastic protagonist. She's a highly intelligent 18 year old, who comes up with some very clever means of staying ahead of the hunter. She does make several mistakes, which is only natural given her situation and the number of people who end up looking for her. She feels real - trying to stay ahead, but aware that it's only a matter of time before she slips up and is caught.
I loved that the different plot threads eventually merged at the end, creating a cohesive whole.
Since the book is self-published and it's usually my first question I'll mention that I did notice a few typos and 2 or 3 minor grammatical errors. On the whole the editing in this book was very well done.
My main complaints with the book were that there's one chapter towards the end of the book where two characters in the future are talking that's really an info dump for the reader. While Cole avoids the telltale ‘as you know', the characters do a weird ‘tell me what you remember about X' conversation that feels off. It's surprising because Cole otherwise was quite clever in how she gave information about the past, making this scene feel very out of place.
Also I got the feeling towards the end that the author didn't believe readers would get her message that it's bad how giant corporations are taking over small businesses because she has a conversation in which she gets downright preachy about it. It's only one conversation but it's a stilted conversation as again, the characters are forced into an unnatural conversation style. It's also unfortunate because the hammering home of the message is completely unnecessary.
All in all, it was a highly enjoyable read. If you like dystopian fiction with some great chills and a few surprises, a touch of romance and social issues, then you'll like this book.
The edition I read was translated by David Wyllie.
Pros: first use of the word ‘robot', social concerns of using artificial labour to replace humans, fears of uprisings and treating everyone the same
Cons: product of its time with regards to depiction of black nanny, Jewish accountant and infantile womanR.U.R. is short for Rossum's Universal Robots. Written in 1920, this play introduced the term ‘robot' into the English lexicon, though the robots described in the story are human in appearance with skin and tissue rather than mechanical parts. The play begins with the arrival of Helena Glory to a private island where a group of male specialists produce robots based on formulas created by a deceased scientist named Rossum. After the prologue, the play is told in three acts, which take place ten years later, after robots have become indispensable to the nations of the world.The story indirectly addresses fears of robots taking the jobs of human workers, becoming soldiers sent to kill humans, and finally rising up against their human overlords. As the location of the play never leaves the island, the viewer learns about the social impact of the robots on the rest of the world through the interactions of the specialists, Helena, and her nanny.The only con with the play is the obviously racist/sexist depictions of the characters. While the accountant doesn't do anything stereotypically Jewish negating the need to refer to the character as a Jew in the first place (it's easy to overlook the casting direction when you're reading the play and his religion is never mentioned in the play), the nanny speaks in broken English and is treated in some ways as a child by Helena. Helena herself is treated like an imbecile by the men, with them taking care to not to tell her what's going wrong on and off the island.Aside from that, the play is very readable and at 55 pages, only takes a short time to read. It's in the public domain, which means you can read it for free. I found my copy at manybooks.net.(Edited July 2013) According to a comment on this review on Goodreads by the translator, the nanny was meant to have a Prague accent rather than depicting a black nanny as I assumed. I read her lines like the broken English you hear in films like Gone With the Wind and didn't consider the time/place of the play's production. This is also something that would come across when viewing the play that's isn't necessarily easy to get when reading it. My apologies for this error. I've also spellchecked the review, removing the typos.
Pros: intricate world-building, strong female protagonist, glossary of terms
Cons: lots of characters to remember (no character list)
Paige Mahoney is a dreamwalker, able to send her spirit into the aether. She works for the criminal underworld of Scion London because clairvoyant powers like hers are illegal. Unnatural. A series of unfortunate events leaves her hunted by the Night Vigilance Division, voyants who work for the state against their own kind. But it's a different group that finds her. Instead of being executed or brought to the tower, she's drugged and woken up in a different city. She finds herself a prisoner of a race of beings called Rephaite. Beings who helped bring Scion to power. Beings who are now her masters.
The world building in this novel is incredible. Shannon has created 1) an alternate history from 1859, when clairvoyance became widespread, 2) a kind of caste system for clairvoyants, including numerous ways to access the aether, 3) a complex crime syndicate based in London, 4) a dystopian government that's extending its powers, 5) the Rephaite and Emim, and 6) the penal city of Sheol I.
While there are a few info dump style scenes, they're quick and intigrated into the story. And you really need them. So much is going on that the faster you're grounded in the background of each section, the more interesting the story is. The information is explained in different ways, the branches of clairvoyance are delivered via an infographic at the start of the novel, there's an orientation meeting for Shoel I, and Paige learns more about the city from other inmates. I really appreciated that Paige's flashbacks not only allowed you to learn more about her character but were used as a point of intrigue later on in the narrative.
Paige is a flawed but still kick-ass protagonist. She makes mistakes in the book and pays for them, but comes back fighting. Her progression through the book feels realistic. She's trying not to give in to hopelessness like so many others around her, while at the same time understanding that she has something to return to should she escape, unlike many of the others.
The Rephaite are fantastic bad guys. The more Paige learns about them, the more evil they become. And yet, she's drawn to her keeper, who isn't quite like the others. Their relationship is complicated and rather fun to read.
One of the few complaints I had about the novel was the large number of characters. There are Paige's syndicate members (by name and codename), people in government, people from history, numerous Rephaite, and the people in Shoel I, who you have to remember by both name and number. The numbers could confuse you too, as Paige was sometimes her full number, XX-59-40, sometimes XX-40 and sometimes just 40. A list of characters, with their numbers/aliases, would have been a helpful addition alongside the included glossary of terms (which I had to refer to several times towards the end of the book).
Another complaint was that amaranth became too powerful towards the end of the novel, which reduced tension in some otherwise tense scenes.
This is the first of a planned 7 book series. Given everything introduced in this book, I can't wait to see what the author does next. There's so much left unexplored, especially with regards to the Rephaite. And while this book is definitely open ended, there is a sense of completion to this volume, which I appreciated.
Pros: creepy premise, interesting characters
Cons: introduced to too many characters at once making them hard to remember
When Yoshihiko Fujiki wakes up in a red stone canyon in the rain, he has no idea where he is or what's happened to him. All he has are a few basic supplies and a handheld game system welcoming him to the Mars Labyrinth. Before he has the chance to follow the directions to the first checkpoint he runs into another player, Ai Otomo. Her game system is broken, so they team up to face... whatever comes next.
This is a novel that starts slowly - with Fujiki trying to figure out what's going on - but quickly builds momentum. Like the characters, you're horrified by the turns the ‘game' takes, as some of the players become less and less human. And though Fujiki has some ideas of what's happening behind the scenes, figuring that out isn't as important as staying alive.
Try not to read the book's back cover synopsis as the first paragraph contains a spoiler that will colour how you read the novel.
The premise of the book is pretty creepy. It starts off as a survival game with everyone in the wilderness. As time goes on and a trap set by those running the game is activated, things shift and it becomes a different kind of survival game.
The protagonists are pretty interesting, with down on their luck backgrounds. Fujiki took a while to grow on me, but I liked his tenacity and cleverness. While Ai gives good advice at times, she mainly stays in the background, letting Fujiki make most of the decisions. The other players all have unique personalities, though you don't see much of them.
Fujiki and Ai encounter the other players at the first checkpoint and you're given a quick introduction of all of them. It's too many people, too fast, several of whom have similar names. I found that later in the book, when the pair met up with them again, I couldn't remember who was who.
I'd recommend this to people who would like a less violent Battle Royale. It's got a bit of mystery, a bit of survivalistic writing, a tiny bit of romance and several violent, though not too graphic, deaths.
Pros: fascinating characters, philosophical slant, subtle humour, set in Zimbabwe
Cons: slow to reveal pertinent information, pronunciation guide at the end difficult to refer to in ebook format
There's no protagonist in this book. The story is told in stages from various character's points of view. Each character's story - and subsequent conversation(s) - is directly or indirectly essential to piecing together the plot. And there's a lot of piecing to do. Characters and stories from the beginning of the novel that don't seem important show up later as important elements to the whole. You learn a lot about each character, their background and the choice they have to make with regards to the novel's plot. There's a LOT of backstory, but it's engagingly told and quick to read.
I loved the setting. I know very little about Zimbabwe so that alone made this a fun read. I loved that there were several strong female characters and characters from different walks of life. There's a bordello mistress, a peasant farmer, a carpenter who creates gallows as a hobby, a professor of botany, some lawyers, lots of unsavoury characters, a genius etc. I really liked the interview chapter (chapter 2) and the acknowledgement that a lack of education does not equal a lack of intelligence.
While the book has a meat eating plant, there's little else for the SF lover here, and the plant doesn't show up until the 100 page mark. Once it does show up, it's mainly the impetus for the other events in the story, rather than a large element on its own. SF aside, if you like mysteries, psychopaths and brilliant storytelling, there's plenty here to hold your interest.
I was particularly fond of the occasional bits of philosophical wisdom scattered throughout the book as well as the author's subtle sense of humour. Take for example, these lines, “The man had a chocolate charisma. Its low nutritional value did not stop people from eating it up.” It's not humour that will make you laugh out loud, but it will make you smile. Another favourite is this passage:
“Imagine how wonderful this world would be if potential criminals asked the police for permission? ‘Please, may I kill my boss?' ‘No!' ‘Please may I steal a cow?' ‘No!' ‘Please may I burn my neighbour's house? He is so annoying.' ‘No!'
“We could slash the law enforcement budget by ninety-nine percent. We would only need a single police officer and a desk. The officer's only job would be to say ‘No!'
For the most part I didn't mind how slowly the book revealed the plot, as the story and characters were so interesting. But around the 250 page mark I started to wonder when the plot was going to show up, only to discover I was already knee deep in it. This is very much a novel designed to make you think.
My other ‘complaint' is format related. I started reading this on a Kobo, which isn't the best reader if you want to jump to the back of the book to look at the pronunciation guide. It wasn't until I switched to the iPad that I was able to check how characters names were pronounced. While it's standard to have this at the back of the book, in the ebook age, a short list at the beginning, next to the map, would have been fantastic.
There's a 16+ rating on the book that probably isn't necessary. While violence is mentioned there's little on the page. And while there are some bizarre sexual scenarios described there's nothing graphic or obscene.
This is the start of a series and I assume the flesh eating flame lilies will be more prominent in the later books. This one was mostly set-up, but it was incredibly interesting set-up and I'm looking forward to the next book.
Pros: interesting mystery, slow romance
Cons: map
Delia Martin returns to San Francisco after a 3 year absence because the ghost that's been haunting her for the past 6 months demands it. The ghost, which Delia calls shadow, seems to have a connection to a string of recent murders in the city. The murder investigation is headed by Gabe Ryan, best man at the upcoming wedding of Delia's best friend, Sadie, and his partner Jack.
Set around the events of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition of 1915 the novel includes a mix of detective work and spiritualism as we see events from the alternating viewpoints of Delia and Gabe.
The romance is light hearted and grows organically from Delia and Gabe's interactions throughout the book. In several ways the book reminded me of Mary Robinette Kowal's Shades of Milk and Honey, though the magic/paranormal elements here are more pronounced.
There are two maps of the fair grounds at the beginning of the book. They're both black and white though one's an annotated line drawing and the other's a picture with text that is difficult to read. For some reason the second map is upside down in relation to the first, making the places more challenging to line up. There's no real need for the maps beyond giving a better image of the area some of the events take place in, so this is a cosmetic complaint as it doesn't detract from the text in any way.
This is a slow moving story, but by no means is it a slow read. The dual mysteries of the murderer and Delia's shadow unfold at a quick pace, even as Delia and Gabe get to know each other better.
If you want a lot of action this isn't a good pick, but if you like well rounded characters living life and dealing with difficult circumstances, than you'll find this an enjoyable read.
Pros: Mesoamerican based, interesting characters, very unique creatures, brilliant world-building, thought provoking
Cons: some elements of the ending were predictable, middle dragged slightly
Caleb Altemoc is a risk management officer for Red King Consolidated (RKC). When he's sent to one of their holdings to investigate a murder, he finds the water reservoir has been poisoned with Tzimet. As a desert city, Dresediel Lex requires these reservoirs in order to survive. Caleb discovers a trespasser at the reservoir, a cliff runner, whom he instantly falls for and decides to find and question on his own.
The incident puts RKC's newest acquisition into doubt, and Caleb, whose father is the last priest of the All Gods, defeated 60 years ago in the God Wars, and whose body was cut and imbued with ancient magic, is charged with making sure the deal goes through.
This is a great book. This is set in the same world as Three Parts Dead, but while that one was based on medieval Europe, this book has a Mesoamerican slant. For those who've read the first book, the Deathless Kings have more of a role in this book than the Gods. There's less craft than the previous book as well, and more priest craft.
The world-building again is phenomenal. There's so much depth to this world, from the sports game based on ancient history to various creatures, terrorist priests intent on returning the Gods to prominence, class distinctions between rich and poor, racial divisions between the local Quechals and the foreign craftsmen, the Wardens and the complex history of the land. The intricacies of craft and contracts is touched on but not with the detail of the previous book. This book has other aspects of the world to focus on.
I loved the variety of new creatures. The Tzimet are rather terrifying shadow creatures with sharp limbs to attack with. Wardens, the police force, fly on giant modified birds called Couatl. Opteran are giant dragonfly things that act as personal jet packs in exchange for soul matter from the people they transport.
The characters are all great. There's Caleb with his hatred of religion and unease with the subjection of the gods necessary for purifying water. He's always questioning the way things work, happy that the human sacrifices that his father performed are outlawed but not satisfied by how things currently run. Then there's Mal, the cliff runner, who's so much more to the story. Teo, Caleb's closest friend, who's a sounding board for his problems and prod for his betterment, while trying to navigate her own love life with a female artist who likes to court danger. Temoc, Caleb's father, who wants to bring back sacrifices and the past glory of the Gods. And, of course, there's Lord Kopil, the Deathless King of Dresediel Lex, and Caleb's terrifying boss.
Some parts of the ending were predictable, but that's not necessarily a negative point. The middle dragged a little, at least in comparison to everything that's happening at the beginning but picks up quickly enough to give a very satisfying ending.
I highly enjoyed the book can't wait for the next one.
Pros: interesting philosophy, some fun characters, heart-wrenching situations
Cons: somewhat open ended story
For Parents: some sexual content, gay content (nothing graphic), suicide, some violence, off screen bullying and abuse
When Seth Wearing drowns in the ocean he expects that to be the end. So he's shocked when he wakes up outside the house in England where he lived as a child. The house his family moved from quickly after the incident. The incident that changed his younger brother.
His new world is abandoned, overgrown with plants and empty of human life. And Seth has no idea what's going on. But he suspects this is Hell.
This is an interesting story that will keep you on your toes. While I did see a few of the plot twists coming, others were complete surprises. It's a tough novel to discuss without potentially spoiling some of the plot twists, but I'll try.
I love Seth as a character. He's constantly doubting the new world he finds himself in, while at the same time reliving in dreams the best and worst times of his life. I also love Thomasz, with his broken english and intelligent plans. He really doesn't get the credit he deserves from the other characters. Regine is also great as a feisty overweight black teen who understands more about Seth than Seth's willing to tell. Seth's best friends are interesting too, and I was blown away when a particular relationship came to light. It put the use of the friendly insult ‘homo' they use in a different, and more positive, light.
Some of the characters have truly gut-wrenching moments to share. There is some abuse and bullying mentioned, as well as other violence. But as with the sexual content, there's nothing graphic.
It takes a while to discover what's really going on, and at times Seth's reticence to explain his past and inability to explain what he discovers about his present is frustrating as you want to know what he's learned/experienced. The ending was fairly open to interpretation, which makes the book thought-provoking, though I'd have liked another chapter delivering more of a sense of closure.
This is a book about growing up. About learning that everyone else is the centre of their universe just as you are the centre of yours. While it's easy to take everything others do personally, not every action is meant as a reaction to you or what you've done. Despite having some valuable life lessons this isn't a preachy novel and Seth doesn't come by these realizations easily. But they are good, hopeful, lessons for teens. And I hope a lot of teens - and adults - pick up this book.
Pros: interesting plot, awesome protagonist
Cons:
For Parents: minor swearing, drug use (but not by protagonists), off page sex, minor violence
Set in 2150, after the collapse of the United States into smaller colonies, Zelia and her younger sister Dylia, are devastated when an accident leaves them orphaned. When her blood test shows she has a special, and illegal, trait, Dylia is taken by an underground organization that exploits their differences. Zelia meanwhile, is taken in by an opposing organization where she discovers that her Ondine's curse isn't the only thing that sets her apart from others. As she grows closer to her new family, she also becomes more determined to rescue her sister, regardless of the cost.
Despite most of the characters having special powers/mutation of some sort, this isn't a superhero book. There are a few fist fights, but that's about it for violence and action. This is a female coming of age story about growing into yourself and trying to protect the people you love from harm.
Zelia is a great protagonist. She starts off timid and obedient to her controlling father, but when push comes to shove she discovers she won't back down from making difficult choices in order to get her sister back. And while I didn't like all the decisions she makes (and she makes a few terrible ones), all of her actions make sense given her age (she's 17) and the traumas she's been through. She's never whiny as she works hard to find her sister. I loved her personality as she becomes quite snarky and bad ass as time goes by.
The plot's pretty interesting. You keep learning more about where these powers are coming from and what Zelia's father was really up to. There's a touch of romance coming into the final third of the book, including off page sex. There's also some drug use at the club that appears in 2 scenes.
This is a book carried by it's protagonist and her quest. It was a hard book to put down and I really enjoyed it. It's open ended enough for a sequel but can also be read as a stand alone.
Pros: highly descriptive & immersive writing, some terrifying scenes
Cons: wraps up very quickly
Jaime Browning tells a true ghost story by relating scenes from his childhood when he had a powerful ‘imaginary' friend. As an adult things come to a head when he buys an island with an old manor house called Wild Fell, where, unknown to him, several people have died in the past.
It took me a few pages to get used to the highly descriptive writing the author used - being more comfortable nowadays with the sparse prose that's become popular. But the book is incredibly immersive, making this character driven story fascinating and hard to put down.
The first scene is told from a young woman's point of view, and Rowe does a phenomenal job with it. Most of the book details common events of childhood: bullying, first love, etc., which makes the terrifying elements, when they appear, that much starker by comparison. And some of the scenes are really scary.
I found the finale a little abrupt, but it's a ghost story so you do expect a quick wrap up. It's a modern ghost story (as opposed to This House is Haunted, which is set in the 1800s), so it's easier to relate to on a personal level.
Pros: summarizes several medieval and celtic myths, theories of who Arthur may have been historically, lots of illustrations
Cons: focus is squarely on Arthur, which leaves out some of the stories
Part of Osprey Adventure's Myths and Legends series, this book chronicles the best known stories of King Arthur, including the various theories regarding the historical personage the tales are based on.
The book is split into three parts: the Medieval Arthur, the Celtic Arthur and the Historical Arthur. The first two sections include an overview and then detailed summaries of the most important of the stories from those storytelling traditions. They are well told and include numerous stories I've never heard of (and I had to read a number of Arthurian romances in University). The historical segment is equally interesting, and includes the argument that Arthur was merely an invention and not based on a historical figure (or an amalgamation of historical figures) at all. There's also a list of further reading and watching for those who want more, though their fiction list is somewhat limited.
The book has lots of colour illustrations, including several two-page spreads. Some of the artwork was produced for this book and illustrated by Alan Lathwell.
There's such a large amount of material on Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table that it's impossible to cover it all. The summarized works were ones that focused on Arthur. Many stories that focused on other knights were mentioned in passing while others weren't mentioned at all.
Ultimately it's a very readable book for those interested in learning more about King Arthur. If you want a comprehensive listing of all the works King Arthur and/or his knights appear in this is a good starting point but isn't going to give you everything. It is however, interesting and able to point you in directions you may not have been aware of.
Myths & Legends: Robin Hood by Neil Smith, Illustrated by Peter Dennis
Pros: summarizes several stories, mentions scholarship about historical possibilities for Robin Hood's identity
Cons: repetitious, Maid Marion's origin story left out
This is another volume from Osprey's Myths & Legends series. Like the others, it summarizes the stories involved as well as gives historical information on where the legends came from.
This book is separated into the Legend of Robin Hood (the earliest stories, mostly from A Gest of Robyn Hode), the Myth of Robin Hood (the populist stories added from the 15th C, influenced by the May Games) and Robin Hood's World (historical information).
Peter Dennis's artwork is great, though there are a lot of historical artwork reproduced as well. I did find it strange that the explanation boxes for his illustrations gave short summaries of the stories they illustrate. Since they appear after the longer story summaries, it's unnecessary repetition. The exception to this being the one on Robin and Friar Tuck, where he mentions a lot of background information about the story and the location it takes place in. Rather than the summary I'd have appreciated more information on his artistic choices, which only gets minor treatment.
Given the book's size and the amount of material to cover, there's a lot left out. The most glaring omission to the book is the story of how Maid Marion joins the Merry Men. While it's mentioned that she was a later inclusion to the mythos and how her story morphed over time, I was disappointed that one or two of her stories weren't included to show how she evolved as a character. It's bizarre considering her importance to Robin Hood's modern tales and the fact that the author summarized Friar Tuck's story, which dates from the same period as Maid Marion's.
Ultimately, this is a great starting point for those interested in learning more about Robin Hood.
The Adoration of Jenna Fox, by Mary Pearson, tells the story of 17 year old Jenna, who's recently woken up from a terrible accident many years into our future. It was an accident that's left her amnesiac about her life. Her parents assure her that she'll remember who she is in time, but she's not sure they're telling the truth. Or that they even know the truth. As a means of remembrance, Jenna watches videos of her former life. Videos of a much adored girl. A perfect girl. A girl she's not sure she is anymore or can ever be again. Things in Jenna's life spiral out of control as she tries to create her own identity and learns the truth behind the accident and what her parents did after it in order to save her life.
The novel examines the meaning of identity, the law, and the lengths parents will go to to save their child.
It's well written, thought provoking, delightful and gut-wrenching. A great science fiction read for teens (even younger ones, as there's no ‘content' issues with this book) and adults.
Pros: interesting future world, some interesting philosophical discussions, tense climax
Cons: uneven pacing, overuse of pop culture references
When Ellis Rogers hears that he is terminally ill with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, he decides to use the time machine he built in his garage. He says goodbye to his best friend and learns a devastating secret about his wife, who's been cold towards him after the suicide of their son.
But he goes much further into the future than he intended, and the future is very different from what he'd pictured.
Sullivan begins his book with an author's note, where he explains that the science he uses to explain time travel is meant to be taken much like that of H. G. Wells, a means to an end. If you're looking for hard SF and detailed explanations of how everything works, this is not the book for you.
Like The Time Machine, the book's an exploration of humanity, and toward the end especially, there are some interesting philosophical discussions. There's also a murder mystery to solve, which provides most of the plot based elements of the book.
I enjoyed his look at the future. It's quite unique, and allowed him to examine several aspects of modern day society. And for those of you who like questions of gender... without spoiling anything, his future has some surprises.
The pacing is uneven. Chapters full of character interactions and learning about life in Hollow World are suddenly interrupted when the mystery reappears. I sometimes had trouble transitioning from the laid back enjoyment of the former scenes to the intensity of the latter. It's surprisingly easy at times, with all that's going on, to forget the mystery is even there.
The book comes to a pretty tense climax. Everything focuses and the pacing evens out for the final chapters.
This was a personal pet peeve, and I'm not sure to what extent it will annoy others, but Sullivan threw in a LOT of modern pop culture references, which I found distracting. Especially since I didn't understand most of the references he used. For example, instead of saying that the gram (basically a TV show) Ellis watches is a documentary, he says, “This was a multi-part series similar to a Ken Burns documentary or something produced for the History Channel.” While I know what the History Channel is, I've never heard of Ken Burns. I read something once that a classic is a book that can transcend time. Once you have specific references to current culture the chances of someone being able to pick the book up and read it without problem 100 years later is doubtful. I could have used some end notes to explain some of the references, as will people less in the loop than I am. Luckily for me Sullivan tended to use several references in a row, so if I didn't understand one reference, often another would suffice to clue me in.
It was an interesting story with some thought-provoking moments towards the end.
Pros: very well researched, explains things clearly using numerous examples, goes over various historical traditions
Cons: only mentions the most expensive pigments artists used, only a few illustrations
This is an exploration of colours used by painters in the middle ages by way of their ‘scientific' and alchemical significance. It mentions myths, traditions, physical and spiritual significances of the materials according to Traditional beliefs. It also goes over the alchemical procedures that made these already expensive pigments even more important.
I was expecting a treatise on all the different pigments used in the middle ages, something akin to a teaching manual. Instead, I got a mind blowing exploration of philosophy and world beliefs of the past. I've always been interested in alchemy, and this book explained things like Plato's cave, 4 element theory, and the Philosopher's Stone in a way that was easy to understand. While there were only a few simple figure drawings, the clarity of the writing meant illustration wasn't really necessary (even if it would have been welcome).
Only a few pigments are mentioned: Tyrian purple, ultramarine blue, vermilion and dragonsblood (both red), and gold. Later chapters revisit some of these materials showing their spiritual, rather than physical, significance. I appreciated learning that the location and method of obtaining materials had meaning for the later artwork and use of the pigments, which I hadn't expected. Similarly, it doesn't cover all aspects of alchemy, just those associated with the pigments being discussed.
The opening's a bit condescending in the way of ‘we don't think as they did, so it will be hard for you to understand what I'm about to say', but he quickly moved on to the topic at hand, and only occasionally gave a modern analogy for those who might have trouble wrapping their heads around the Traditional world view (as opposed to the modern Scientific, analytical view).
This is a fascinating book and if you have any interest in alchemy I can't recommend it enough. Another thing it showed, that modern audiences don't recognize, is how interconnected the world of the past was. We see Europe as an isolated area, ignoring the fact that materials and ideas traversed borders and continents to influence them. I also didn't realize just how much Christianity took from other traditions. Looks like I've a whole lot more reading and research to do.
Pros: intricate mystery, interesting characters
Cons: slow opening, characters never seem to sleep
Talus, a widely travelled bard, and his companion, Bran, a former fisherman, arrive at a Northern island the day after their king has died. A quick examination of the body reveals that the king was murdered, and Talus offers to help find the killer.
Talus is basically a neolithic age Sherlock Holmes. He examines the evidence and observes the world closely to see what others miss. And while he doesn't use much in the way of scientific deduction, he is highly observant and has a personality that alternates between charming (when he's telling a story) and abrasive (when he's exhorting Bran to pay attention and see what's happening around him). Also like Sherlock, he's not very good when it comes to relationship matters, and so tends to miss some of the human clues that crop up.
Which is where Bran comes in. Bran is hot tempered and still grieving the loss of his wife and the use of his right hand, which was seriously injured the day she died. He misses a lot of subtle clues but prompts Talus with regards to some of the more human elements of the case.
There are two strong women from the isles who have fairly prominent roles, while maintaining historical deference to the men around them.
The mystery is complex and while it takes a while for the more intricate details to come up, by the end of the book there's quite a knot of intrigue to untangle.
This is historical fiction and the only fantasy style elements - if you can call them that - are the character's beliefs in various gods and a judgement style afterlife.
My only complaint with the book is that the action takes place within a few days and the protagonists are constantly on the move. Even after Bran exclaims his exhaustion he and Talus never seem to actually sleep, as they deal with one crisis after another.
The book is fairly slow moving, focusing as much on character as on the mystery. If you like historical fiction and/or interesting mysteries, give this book a try.
Pros: lots of gorgeous coloured photos, detailed chapters, covers numerous aspects surrounding death and the afterlife
Cons: no complete text translation
This is a gorgeous pictorial overview of what we call the Egyptian Book of the Dead and what the ancient Egyptians called The Book of Coming Forth by Day. It evolved over time as a collection of knowledge and spells designed to help those for whom they were made, and with whom they were buried, find their way through the perils of the afterlife and judgement so they could ‘live' again.
Journey Through the Afterlife takes examples from dozens of papyrus roles that have been recovered to discuss their purpose, the Egyptian view of death and the afterlife, burial practices and the act of preparing the rolls themselves.
Each chapter ends with several examples of what was discussed, often including supplementary information in their explanatory passages.
I was surprised by how many of the medieval views of magic (which I studied in university and elsewhere) started in Egypt. For example: the belief that words have power, both when spoken and written. The use of amulets. The importance of knowing the true name of spirits/gods/demons in order to have power over them. Making protective circles drawn with ‘wands'. Using ‘virgin' (unused) papyrus (in the middle ages it would have been unused parchment) for spells. The importance of ritual in the efficacy of magic, etc.
It would have been nice had a translation of the full text of the Egyptian Book of the Dead been included, but as this book is intended as a companion guide to the texts, it's not surprising they didn't have room for it.
The is a beautiful and highly informative book if you have an interest in ancient Egypt, the Egyptian Book of the Dead, views of the afterlife or the ancient practice of magic.
Pros: realistic political, racial and cultural complications; bhimkays; satisfying ending
Cons: Kayla's suspicious actions in her room would have brought attention to her schemes; rushed secondary romance
This is the third book in Sandler's excellent Tankborn trilogy. I will try to keep this review spoiler free, but there will be hints of plot that you may wish to avoid if you haven't read the previous books.
This book picks up two months after the events of Awakening. Kayla and Devak, separated by events, still long for each other. The Kindred's goals have shifted and the FHE's mysterious - and deadly - goals are reaching fruition.
As with the previous books the world building is phenomenal. I loved that we got to see more of the bhimkays (giant spiders).
In a few ways this book reminded me of Mockingjay, another YA novel that dealt with rebellion in a dystopian society. As with that book, Rebellion shows that no sides in such conflicts have the welfare of the general population in mind. In some ways Rebellion does a better job than Mockingjay, as it has dual protagonists, one at the bottom of society and one at the top. And it's interesting seeing how different strata of society respond to the bombings and breakdown of security. The GENs (genetically engineered non-humans, the 'tankborns' of the series name), slaves of the trueborns, always getting the worst of every situation, become angry, some wanting to fight but others only wanting freedom. The high status trueborns meanwhile, try to maintain control, even when it makes things worse for themselves and the trueborns below them in status, with more and more restrictions and potential abuses of power. Even Devak, in love with a GEN and actively working to change society discovers how difficult it is to erase years of social conditioning - both concerning his own status and how he reacts to the GENs around him, who don't know him or how he's helped their cause.
Sandler doesn't pull any punches when it comes to examining race and social status in this book. And it's refreshing to see someone ask difficult questions. There are no easy answers here - or in real life - and she shows that these issues are complex for everyone. The GENs want freedom but the way FHE goes about achieving it makes life harder for those they're ostensibly trying to help. Meanwhile it's easy to see how the trueborns, used to privilege and power, refuse to give those up. And this includes the trueborns involved with both the Kindred and the FHE. It's easy to talk about equality for all, but it's hard to realize it - for all sides.
I personally found the ending satisfying, with enough closure to make readers happy but with enough things about society still in flux to be believable given all that happened.
One thing about the book that I questioned was that Kayla and her roommate start talking over their internal communications systems to avoid the monitoring of their room. I wondered why no one ever questioned what they were doing, sitting silently in their room. Once or twice one of them responds aloud, an act I would have assumed would give them away.
These next two items didn't bother me as much, but some aspects of Devak's quest happened too coincidentally to be believable and Junjie's relationship was too rushed, as the two barely knew each other.
Rebellion is a good conclusion to a great series that asks some tough questions while telling an interesting story. If you haven't picked these up yet, you're really missing out.
Pros: covers several wizards, lots of good information
Cons: too short!
Like the other books in Osprey's Myths and Legends series, Wizards is a great jumping off point for further research on the topic. The book covers a variety of wizards throughout history, first through an engaging story and then explaining what we know about the historical person or people that gave rise to the myths. Some of the wizards you'll encounter in this collection are Hermes, Virgil, Zhang Guo Lao, Nicholas Flamel and Dr. John Dee. There's a great mix of well known and not so well known figures and while most of the wizards mentioned are Western, there are a few famous Eastern wizards as well. There are some great images, both historic and new ones commissioned for this volume.
As with the other books, it is simply a beginners guide, and as such is definitely too short. But it's a great volume and if you're interested in wizards, alchemy, the occult or fantasy, you'll find this an interesting read.
Pros: well developed characters, godmarks, clever twists on the referenced mythology
Cons: slow moving
Ariadne is an unmarked daughter of King Minos and Queen Pasiphae of Crete. As she grows up between the summer and winter palaces, surpassed in attention by her god-sired younger brother, Asterion, she becomes more and more selfish, cruel and bitter.
Chara, child of a slave and happily unmarked by the gods, befriends Asterion and helps him after the difficult and painful transformations into a bull that he must undergo to honour his father. She witnesses first hand Ariadne's cruelties as the princess vies for power. And as time passes, she vows to save Asterion from his sister's schemes.
Lovers of Greek mythology will find this a creative retelling of the minotaur and the labyrinth. Though the gist is the same and many familiar names come up (including Daedalus and Icarus), the author takes some liberties with the plot, increasing the suspense of the story. There were several twists I did not see coming.
I particularly loved the concept of the godmarks, magic bestowed by various gods on their subjects that allow them to do unique things. One character can communicate with animals, one can sprout wings, one can cry wine, and another commands all things dealing with water (rain, waves). I liked how the god who bestows the gift isn't necessarily known, but can sometimes be guessed based on the nature of the gift.
The author spends a lot of time explaining Ariadne's character. She begins the book as a child, desperately wishing for a godmark like the others in her family and feeling afraid and upset that she's disappointing her parents. She hates and resents her younger brother and creates a veneer of calm strength to protect herself. This care makes it hard to hate her as she grows older and becomes more bitter and cruel. While I hated what she did, I found myself somewhat pitying her, which is ironic as she'd hate the idea that she could be pitied. Then she makes some horrible decisions and the pity left. I still kind of liked her, but I could no longer sympathize with her pain.
Chara on the other hand is the kind of friend you'd love to have. She's generous, considerate, and clever. Like Ariadne she's forced to hide her feelings but for different reasons, and she never forgets her friends.
The dynamics between the king and queen were also very interesting to read.
The story is fairly slow moving. While this does allow the author time to focus a lot on the characters, the ending dragged a little bit.
I didn't realize this was the first book in a duology, so I was surprised when I came across the epilogue. While there's an important event at the end of this book, it's very much the first half of the story, and you'll be reaching for the next volume when it comes out.