Monday, May 7th, 2012
The Magicians by Lev Grossman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This was a difficult novel to rate. There were definitely things that I liked about it, but there were also some things that bothered me. I gave it a 3, but I think I would really prefer to give it a 3.5. I wanted to like this novel more, but I had a hard time getting past a few things.
#1 – A large part of the novel takes place at a school for magicians. Although I believe that Grossman wrote this largely as a response to Harry Potter and many things are very different, the novel is still very derivative. There are just so many similarities and I found myself comparing the two constantly. It was impossible not to.
I found it particularly bizarre when the characters referenced Harry Potter in the novel. I didn’t know what to make of that, but it just seemed weird.
#2 – All of the main characters have read this fantasy series about the magic realm of Fillory as children and it’s obviously meant to conjure up images of Narnia. But why isn’t it just Narnia? Why invent this separate world? It’s difficult to reconcile as a reader. Once again, I spent a lot of time comparing Fillory to Narnia, instead of being absorbed in that world.
In the world of the Magicians, Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings exist, but apparently The Chronicles of Narnia do not? That just feels like a cop out.
#3 – As a Buffalo area resident, I can’t say I was thrilled when Grossman referred to the city as a “vision of the apocalypse.” But then I realized that Grossman could not have ever actually been to Buffalo when in the next paragraph he described the sun setting against Adironacks in the distance. If Grossman had even been to Buffalo, he would know that’s just laughable.
So what did I like?
#1 – I liked the story. It was a little predictable at times, but it wasn’t your standard hero story and that was somewhat refreshing.
#2 – I liked the characters. Even though they were all thoroughly flawed, they were still somewhat likable. If nothing else, I could relate to them, or at least Quentin.
Ultimately, I did enjoy the novel. It grabbed me and kept me interested. However, if a novel is really good, you should get completely immersed in the world, not spend the whole time comparing it to other (greater) works.
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Tags: Lev Grossman, The Magicians
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Monday, April 30th, 2012
I’ll be the first to admit that I can be pretty lazy, but if you need some proof, just take a look at the last time I posted. Over a month, yikes! I haven’t even been writing book reviews.
So what have I been up to? Well, mostly watching hockey. If you aren’t a hockey fan, then you probably don’t understand the awesomeness of the NHL playoffs. Let me tell you though, the playoffs are pretty damn awesome. The quality of hockey is exceptional (except that Pittsburgh/Philly series maybe), the hits are bone-crunching, and the excitement is incessant. And then there’s overtime. Simply amazing.
So with every game being broadcasted this year, I’ve had a bit of a tough time dragging myself away from the TV. Even as a type this, there’s a game on in the background. It just happens that this one isn’t particularly close… Even though I typically reserve this blog for my geekier passions, I felt compelled to express my excitement about the NHL playoffs.
That said, I’ll eventually catch up on my book reviews. I’ve several great novels recently like Good Omens and The Lions of Al-Rassan, and I really need to put some of my thoughts into words.
I also really need to put write a post about Twin Peaks. I finished watching the series on Netflix and there are just so many things that need to be said.
Oh, and The Avengers premieres later this week. I’m really pretty excited about that. I’m a big Joss Whedon fan and I think he’s going to do a great job with the film, although I’m pretty sure I would have seen the movie just to see Scarlett Johansson in that leather getup. :)
Tags: hockey, NHL
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Sunday, March 18th, 2012
I discovered Supernatural on Netflix as the sixth season was airing on television. By the time the seventh and current season premiered, I was already caught up to season six. I quickly devoured that season as well and I’ve been able to watch most of this season as it aired.
That’s been nice, but what would be even better is if the show was worth my time. Seasons one through five were all great and the story really came to a pretty neat ending, but they decided to bring it back for a sixth season. I was skeptical, but it was actually pretty solid. Not as good as the first five perhaps, but not a huge step down.
Season seven, however, has been a huge disappointment and it’s for more reasons than I can ever hope to identify in one blog post, but here are the main points:
- The villains suck. This season’s baddies, the leviathans, are totally lame and the CG that goes with them might be even more so.
- The story sucks. The plot just doesn’t work. The villains are so “sophisticated” that Sam and Dean don’t have any idea how to bring them down. That’s really nothing new, but this time it’s more like they are trying to fight a global corporation. How can two hunters combat that?
- The writing sucks. The last episode (the one with the real estate agents) was so bad, I almost turned it off. This season has been full of one-shoot episodes (which is normal), but they lack the creativity and wit that we saw in previous seasons. I mean, the episode with the clowns…what were they thinking? And all the “dick” jokes are horribly cringe-worthy.
- There’s no suspense anymore. Sam and Dean have died so many times now, you never worry that they won’t pull through.
- Sam and Dean are miserable. They’ve seen it all and they are both clearly sick of their situation, but can’t find a way out. Their despondence is so tangible, it transfers to the viewers. There’s no hope for a happy ending any more.
- There’s nobody left. The writers have killed off every single decent secondary character. No Castiel, Bobby, Rufus, Jo, Ellen. Sam and Dean are just depressing. I need some other characters to insert some comic relief or at least take the focus off the protagonists for a minute.
- There’s no fun. All of the things that made the show awesome are gone. The Impala’s gone. They no longer play rock music each episode. Even Bobby’s house was burned down. There’s nothing left and it’s depressing as hell.
Overall, I’m just really disappointed with this season. One of the things that made me fall in love with the show was the writing. For a long time, it was fantastic. The writer’s had an excellent sense of humor, but also knew when it was time to be serious. Now, all that is gone.
I guess I should have seen it coming. I mean, what show in its seventh season is still as good as it was in the past? There are some (Seinfeld maybe), but not many. Most fall apart well before then and get cancelled.
I don’t think there are many episodes left to the season so I’m going to stick with it. But if the show comes back for an eight season, it better step it up or I’m done.
Tags: Supernatural
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Sunday, March 4th, 2012
I’m making it official: I’m giving up on Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time saga.
I’m really pretty disappointed with this decision, because there are a lot of reasons why I like the series, including:
- Interesting plot. The fate of the world is on the shoulders of a bunch of kids from a small town. It’s a classic underdog scenario, but a well-loved classic. I also like the whole “wheel of time” concept too.
- Rich world. Jordan’s a pretty talented world-builder. There are a lot of rich cultures and interesting locales that add a lot of depth to the story.
- Brandon Sanderson. I recently read and enjoyed the Mistborn trilogy. I have full confidence that the finale of the series is capable hands, now that the reigns have been handed off with Jordan’s passing. I want to see how it ends and how Sanderson’s touch affects the story.
Unfortunately, there are several key factors that are making this completely impossible. To start with, I can’t get through the 5th book, Fires of Heaven. But it’s the same reasons that are preventing me from finishing that book that have made me decide to quit, including:
- The series is too long. 14 books is a lot.
- Each book is too long. The paperbacks tend to be 800 pages or more.
- Not enough happens to keep my interest. I can’t read a novel like Brent Week’s The Way of Shadow which is full of so many twists and turns that it makes your head spin, and then read The Wheel of Time which pauses over every detail and moves at a sluggish pace.
- The writing is terrible. There, I said it. Robert Jordan has a great imagination, but his writing is not up to snuff with the fantasy authors that I really enjoy.
- There’s no trust. The characters constantly lie to and keep secrets from each other. Instead of working together, they are constantly at odds, even though they are all working towards the same goal. That’s just stupid and it’s not a good enough reason to draw out the plot.
- All the women are cruel. Seriously. There isn’t a single female character that is likable in the slightest bit. They are so mean and stubborn that I don’t even understand how the human race survives.
- All the men are morons. Apparently, men are completely incapable of understanding women at all. It’s almost offensive.
- There’s no romance. I never thought I would need this in a book, but, damn, you can’t have that much sexual tension and no action.
- There’s no action. The world is in an uproar and all we get is one, maybe two fights a book. And these are long books. I need more battles, more fights, more ambushes, more scuffles…just give me some action, man!
- I’m really sick of reading about dresses.
There are more reasons, minor ones that also contribute. For example, the reason I had to stop reading Fires of Heaven was a scene between Siuan Sanche and several Aes Sedai. Siuan, the former Seat, has been stilled and the Aes Sedai now see her as completely and utterly useless. How is that even remotely possible? How can an entire group of seemingly intelligent and powerful women think that, just because a woman can no longer access the Power, that she has no more use? Was her brain also melted? No. Then, why?
I don’t know, but it’s that kind of terrible writing that has made me decide to stop reading the series. Like I said, I really enjoyed the overall plot and world, so if you can get past the little things, then you’ll probably actually enjoy the series. I can’t so I guess I’m just going to have to read the plot summaries and call it good enough.
Tags: Robert Jordan, The Wheel of Time
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Sunday, February 5th, 2012
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Okay, so maybe Ready Player One won’t go down as a timeless classic, but it was a hell of a lot of fun, especially if you have any fond memories at all of the 1980s, or really just a love of geek culture.
You really couldn’t ask for a geekier novel, but, then, that’s what I loved about it. The constant movie, television, music, and video game references brought back tons of great memories and reminded me why I’m proud to be a geek.
In addition to the constant geek lovefest, Ready Player One also had a pretty interesting setup. In a somewhat dystopian world in the not-too-distant future, people have largely given up on real life and immerse themselves in the Oasis, a sprawling online universe that put’s today’s MMORPG’s to shame. When the creator of the Oasis dies and leaves his inheritance to whoever can find an easter egg, the hunt begins and a resurgence of 80s culture takes place.
In the end, Cline delivers an entertaining story, lovable characters, and tons of geeky fun that make this novel a wonderful homage to the 1980s. I really enjoyed this one!
P.S. Geek hero, Wil Wheaton narrates the audio version and does a wonderful job. I just wonder if it was strange ready the part about himself…
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Tags: Ernest Cline, Ready Player One
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Thursday, January 26th, 2012
As I mentioned in my previous post, 2011 was an awesome year for me when it came to reading. I read and listened to some really fantastic novels and I wanted to give them a little more credit than I was able to before.
The First Law Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie
One my favorite podcasts is the Sword and Laser, a science fiction and fantasy-themed book club, and the hosts continuously lauded Abercrombie’s first fantasy trilogy. After such glowing praise, I had to check it out and, damn, I’m glad I did.
The First Law Trilogy is what they refer to “post modern fantasy,” which I guess means that it’s grittier, grimmer, and somehow more realistic than the high fantasy of J.R.R. Tolkien and his contemporaries. As it turns out, I loved that style. The characters were flawed, there was no clear line between good and evil, and the plot was an intricate weave of politics and gruesome warfare. Plus, it featured one of the most awesomely vicious characters I’ve ever come across: the Bloody Nine.
Now, this trilogy isn’t for the faint of heart. If you don’t like blood, this series isn’t for you, but, otherwise, it’s a great modern fantasy trilogy and I recommend it highly.
The Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss
Believe it or not, I actually followed Pat’s blog for several months before I picked up The Name of the Wind and, in that time I learned something: Pat is an awesome dude and he writes a very honest and sometimes very humorous blog. So, going in, I had pretty high expectations and I wasn’t disappointed. The Name of the Wind was amazing…I absolutely loved Kvothe’s adventures.
Now, I actually timed this out pretty well and finished the first novel right as the second was published and as soon as I finished The Name of the Wind, I tore into Wise Man’s Fear. Rothfuss’s second novel was also very good, but, despite it’s massive acclaim, I actually liked the first novel a little better. Regardless, I cannot wait to see how the story ends! The Kingkiller Chronicles are highly recommended.
The Night Angel Trilogy by Brent Weeks
I actually picked up the whole trilogy on Amazon.com for no other reasons that I had heard of the author and it was a great deal. As it turns out, it was a steal! Although it was the last book I read in 2011, I’m pretty sure The Way of Shadows was my fastest read of the year. I just could not put it down. I’m currently reading the third book in the trilogy now, but I would already recommend it highly to any fantasy reader.
Neil Gaiman
One of my reading goals of 2011 was to try out some new authors (I actually tried out many new authors), but I was especially eager to find out what the big deal was about Neil Gaiman. After reading The Graveyard Book, Neverwhere, a couple volumes of The Sandman, and, most importantly, American Gods, I think I understand. Neil Gaiman gets fantasy. His writing perfectly embodies that sense of awe and wonder that truly make a story a thing of magic.
The bottom line is this: I’m really glad I found Neil Gaiman this year. If you haven’t read his works, seriously, you need to get on that!
Well, I think that’s all I really wanted to say. I don’t know if 2012 can top 2011, but I’m up for the challenge.
Tags: Brent Weeks, Joe Abercrombie, Neil Gaiman, Patrick Rothfuss
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Tuesday, January 17th, 2012
Okay, so the title is a mouthful, but io9.com has posted a great list of fantasy series to pick up while waiting for the next Song of Ice and Fire book, or really anytime for that matter. Here’s the breakdown with some of my own comments:
- Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss
I’ve read both books in this series that have been published. I really loved the first novel and thoroughly enjoyed the second, though not quite as much as the first. I’m starting to realize that this happens to me a lot (as you’ll see below). I tend to love origin stories so the first book in a series ends up appealing to me the most.
- Malazan, Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson
I haven’t read this series. I think it’s 12 books long so I’m not jumping in anytime soon (at least not until I finish the Wheel of Time). I think I actually prefer one-shots or trilogies to lengthy series, although I can’t get enough of the Dresden Files.
- The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb
I thought this was a pretty good series. As usual, I loved the first book, but I found the third book and the conclusion to the series to be a little underwhelming. There was a lot that just seemed to go unanswered, although I suppose Hobb probably goes into more detail in her other series set in the same universe, which I haven’t read.
- The First Law Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie
Bloody awesome. I loved each book equally, all 5 stars. Abercrombie’s story is so delightfully cynical, I just couldn’t love it more. Great characters, great plot, great action. Need I say more?
- The Night Angel Trilogy by Brent Weeks
I’m actually reading the third book in this series right now after tearing through the first two. I LOVED the first book and liked the second very well (see, what did I tell you?). The third has been a little slow to start off (in comparison), but I think it will be really good too.
- The Sundering Duology by Jacqueline Carey
I really don’t know anything about this series, but I guess I’ll have to add it to the to-read list.
- The Black Company by Glen Cook
I’ve heard from other readers that this is a really good series, but that’s about all I know. Another one for the to-read list.
- Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson
I got this book for Christmas and I think it is literally the thickest paperback I’ve ever seen. It’s literally like 1200 pages and the print is microscopic. Frankly, I’m a little intimidated to even pick it up, but I’ve heard it’s really good.
- The Shadowmarch Series by Tad Williams
Tad Williams is one of those authors that I’ve heard a lot about, but I’ve never read any of this books. I guess this is a good place to start.
- The Earthsea Cycle by Ursula K. LeGuin
I actually just read the first book in the series and I thought it was really good. It’s also a nice, quick read if you are looking for something a little shorter than some of the typical fantasy tomes. I’m definitely interested in continuing the saga.
So, I guess the only other thing I should mention is that I’m not actually waiting for the next book in the Song of Ice and Fire series. I read the first novel back in 2007 when I just getting into fantasy and it didn’t really appeal to me at the time.
However, seeing as how so many books that I love are compared to it, I can’t help but wonder if I had a temporary lapse of sanity or what. Eventually, I’m going to have to give the series another shot, but for now, my to-read list is plentiful enough.
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Sunday, January 15th, 2012
When I decided to put together a post recapping my reading experiences from 2011, I looked back at what a wrote last year and it’s pretty clear that I was pleased with the quality of novels that I read. Without question, 2011 was even better.
First, I met my goal of 24 novels, which was one more than what I read in 2010. Second, almost all of the novels that I read were completely kick ass. I literally rated 20 of those 24 novels as 4 stars or better. That pretty much says it all, but here are some additional stats.
Of the 24 books that I read, 2 were graphic novels and 6 were audio books. According to Goodreads, the page count for those novels was 10,102, which was just a bit more than 2010′s 9,472. If you are interested, you can see every more stats at Goodreads.
As I mentioned before, the books that I read this year were pretty awesome. Here’s the breakdown:
4 Stars
- Side Jobs (stories from The Dresden Files) by Jim Butcher
- Princep’s Fury (Codex Alera #5) by Jim Butcher
- Catching Fire (The Hunger Games #2) by Suzanne Collins
- Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3) by Suzanne Collins
- The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
- The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes and Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman
- The Shadow Rising (Wheel of Time #4) by Robert Jordan
- A Wizard of Earthsea (Earthsea Cycle #1) by Ursula K. LeGuin
- The Wise Man’s Fear (The Kingkiller Chronicle #2) by Patrick Rothfuss
- The Hero of Ages (Mistborn #3) by Brandon Sanderson
- Daemon by Daniel Suarez
5 Stars
- The Blade Itself (The First Law #1) by Joe Abercrombie
- Before They Are Hanged (The First Law #2) by Joe Abercrombie
- Last Argument of Kings (The First Law #3) by Joe Abercrombie
- Ghost Story (The Dresden Files #13) by Jim Butcher
- American Gods by Neil Gaiman
- The Name of the Wind (The Kingkiller Chronicle) by Patrick Rothfuss
- The Well of Ascension (Mistborn #2) by Brandon Sanderson
- Old Man’s War (Old Man’s War #1) by John Scalzi
- The Way of Shadows (Night Angel #1) by Brent Weeks
As you can see, I read a lot of great books last year. I still want to go into some more detail about some of these reads, but I think I’ll leave that for another post.
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Monday, January 2nd, 2012
Happy New Year folks! In January last year, I did a little recap of my favorites from 2010. This year, I’ll keep with the same tradition and report on the novels, television, and movies that I enjoyed most in 2011.
Books
I read A LOT of killer books in 2011. I’m pretty sure my next post will be dedicated solely to my favorite reads in 2011, but here’s a quick glimpse.
Best Reads
These are the novels that I enjoyed the most in 2011. You’ll notice that, as usual, all of the novels fall into the science fiction / fantasy genre.
- American Gods by Neil Gaiman
- The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie
- The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
- Old Man’s War by John Scalzi
Best Surprise
These are the novels that I enjoyed more than I expected. Both were excellent.
- The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks
- The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Biggest Disappointment
These are the novels that didn’t live up to my expectations. Boneshaker was all right, but too simple. The other was just terrible.
- Boneshaker by Cherie Priest
- The Phoenix Unchained by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory
Best Character
Oh man, this was tough. I read a lot of great books this year and many of them had wonderful characters. In the end, I think I would choose the following as my favorites.
- Logan Ninefingers (from Joe Abercrombie’s First Law trilogy)
- Kvothe (from Patrick Rothfuss’ Kingkiller chronicles)
- Mr. Wednesday (from Neil Gaiman’s American Gods)
Movies
Best Movie
Here are the movies that I saw this year that I found the most enjoyable. I didn’t really watch a lot of movies this year so I kept the list pretty short.
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (pt 2)
- X-Men First Class
Television
Best Television Show
These are the shows that I enjoyed the most in 2011. This is actually a little tough as most shows air of the span of two calendar years, but I did my best.
- The Big Bang Theory
- Castle
- Warehouse 13
Best “New to Me” Television Show
I watch a lot of television programming via Netflix. These are the shows that I started watching in 2011 and enjoyed thoroughly.
- The Big Bang Theory
- Castle
- Twin Peaks
Best Character
- Sheldon Cooper (The Big Bang Theory)
- Richard Castle (Castle)
I could have gone into a lot more detail, but I really enjoy making lists and I didn’t want to over complicate things. As I mentioned, I think I’ll do a separate post regarding the books I read, because I would like to delve into a bit more detail there.
So long 2011 and thanks for all the fish!
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Wednesday, December 28th, 2011
The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Full disclosure: I LOVED this book! Perhaps it didn’t have the grandeur of The Lord of the Rings or the wit of Harry Potter, but what The Way of Shadows lacked in those things, it made up for in action and intrigue.
Without a doubt, the plot of The Way of Shadows had more twists, turns, and surprises than any fantasy novel that I have read recently or that I can even think of. Weeks’ story leaps forward at a rapid pace and he doesn’t slow down enough for you to figure out what’s really going on.
As a result, I sprinted through this novel. I couldn’t put it down. Usually, I’ll read in bed until I drift off each night, but, instead, The Way of Shadows kept me awake and reading for hours. Considering my sleeping habits, that’s a testament to just how engrossing and exciting this novel is.
Another thing I loved was the characters. Azoth is a great protagonist. You can relate to him, but he’s still dangerous and excitement just happens around him. I also though the supporting characters were strong and well written, especially Durzo, Momma K, Logan, Elene, Count Drake, and Jarl.
I’ve read a lot of great books this year and this was really as enjoyable as any. As I mentioned, maybe it won’t go down as high art, but it was a hell of a ride and I loved every second of it.
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Tags: Brent Weeks, Night Angel trilogy, The Way of Shadows
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