Archive for the ‘Books’ Category
Tuesday, May 14th, 2013
By Roger Zelazny
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
For me, The Amber Chronicles started getting really good with the third novel, Sign of the Unicorn. The Hand of Oberon was easily just as good.
The story to this point has been full of deception and misdirection, but that didn’t become apparent until the previous book. Now, with more (but definitely not all) of the cards on the table, it’s interesting to see how Corwin handles an ever degrading situation in Amber, especially when he doesn’t know who he can trust.
I think one of the things that really makes this series special is Corwin. He’s a great character. Unlike many fantasy protagonists, he’s not inherently good. Instead, he’s more pragmatic. He thinks things through and tries to be logical about his decisions. He has unique personality and intangible qualities that make him likable character.
This novel also had one hell of a surprise ending. I won’t reveal the details, but I was completely shocked and it compelled me to immediately move onto the next in the series.
My only real complaint are the hellrides. After the first couple of times, the novelty wore off and they simply became tedious. I ended up just skimming them, because the details didn’t really matter, just the outcome.
Overall, I really liked this novel and The Amber Chronicles are quickly becoming one of my favorite fantasy series. If you haven’t read this one, I recommend it, but make sure you start at the beginning of the series.
Tags: Amber, Roger Zelazny
Posted in Books | No Comments »
Wednesday, April 10th, 2013
Sign of the Unicorn by Roger Zelazny
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Let me start by saying that I enjoyed the first two novels of the Amber Chronicles. They were imaginatively written and entertaining. They had rich characters of noble birth if not entirely honorable dispositions. Perhaps best of all was the setting. Despite all that, I considered them to be 4 star novels.
As good as those novel were, Sign of the Unicorn was that much better. This is the novel were things get really good. This is the novel that hooked me in and didn’t let go. This is the novel that made me understand why Amber is considered a classic series.
Going into the third novel, I thought I had a pretty good handle for what was going on, but, damn, was I wrong. In Sign of the Unicorn, Zelazy reveals what really happened in the first two books. You find out what all of Corwin’s siblings were up to and it turns out that the story you thought you knew is actually way more complicated and interesting.
The members of Amber’s ruling family are a scheming and conniving bunch and they were were not idle while Corwin had his adventures in the first two novels. Zelazny really flushes out the background and mythology of Amber and its noble family and it gives the story a lot more depth.
Highly recommended!
Tags: Amber, Roger Zelazny
Posted in Books | No Comments »
Wednesday, April 3rd, 2013
Redshirts by John Scalzi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Like many others, I was first turned onto John Scalzi through Old Man’s War, which I consider to be one of my favorite science fiction novels. Since reading that, I resolved to read more Scalzi and, although some time passed, I finally got my hands on Redshirts.
Redshirts is little hard to describe. It’s essentially a novel that follows the nameless extras of a fiction cheesy sci-fi tv show called Intrepid. However, you can’t help but think about Star Trek as you read the novel.
At first, Scalzi plays that concept for all the humor that it’s worth and, trust me, it’s good for more than a few laughs. But it’s also so much more than that. After the comedic value has run its course, the plot takes a left turn and the novel becomes something totally different and so completely meta that it’s almost absurd. But that’s also when it get’s really good too.
It’s hard to go into more detail without giving away key plot points, but adventures ensue and the story gets not one, but three endings, each told from a different point of view.
Overall, I thought Redshirts was a really cool novel. It probably won’t go down as one of my favorites, but I still enjoyed it considerably and would recommend it to any sci-fi fan, but especially Star Trek fans.
Tags: John Scalzi
Posted in Books | No Comments »
Thursday, March 28th, 2013
A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Before I get into the story, let me first address the narration of this book by Roy Dotrice. If you only listen to this book, then I expect that you’ll feel that Mr. Dotrice does a wonderful job. Unfortunately, if you listen to the books subsequently, you may not agree.
The main problem is that Dotrice changed the voices of several characters. He also changed the pronunciation of several characters’ names. At first, it was jarring, but after a few hours, I had forgotten all about it.
Now onto the writing. As usual, George R.R. Martin proves that he is excellent at writing morally grey characters and intricately twisted plots. He’s very good at bringing characters to life and making you care about them, whether you love them or hate them.
However, the main reason that I can’t give this book 5 stars is because, despite its length, Martin ignored several characters that are critical to the series’ overarching plot, including Daenerys, Stannis, Jon Snow, Bran, and Tyrion.
That, to me, is a big deal, because as a result the plot didn’t really move forward all that much. Yes, some minor events occurred and a number of sub plots were introduced, but the main plot was not addressed at all.
Still, this was a very good novel in its own right. There wasn’t a lot of action to speak of, but there was still a lot of excellent drama and character development. Plus, the characters that it did focus on are some of my favorites.
If you liked the first three books, you’ll definitely still like this one, but I’m hoping for a little more in the fifth. I think we all know roughly how the series has to end; I just hope Martin doesn’t drag it out too much.
Tags: A Song of Ice and Fire, George R. R. Martin
Posted in Books | No Comments »
Wednesday, March 20th, 2013
Blood Rites by Jim Butcher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
To be honest, Blood Rites is not my favorite of the Dresden Files, but, given that, it’s still very good and still worthy of 5 stars. I guess I just enjoy this series that much.
Considering the awesomeness of books 3-5, it was going to take a hell of a lot for Butcher to top himself again. Truthfully, Butcher gave it a good shot. As usual, there’s a twisty plot, well-written action scenes, and black humor. On top of that Blood Rites was chocked full of solid character development, and not just for Harry; there are a lot of really powerful scenes involving Thomas.
I really like that Butcher’s characters are not flawless and they are forced to live with the consequences of their decisions. They are also not invincible (although some are pretty close). Okay, Butcher isn’t going to kill off his protagonist, but Harry never gets through a novel unscathed.
My only real complaint about Blood Rites is that part of the central plot surrounds an adult film. It did lead to some humorous moments on occasion, but it just didn’t work that well for me. The characters were kind of dull and it just didn’t compare to some of the other parts of the plot.
Blood Rites is the second book in the series to be produced by Penguin Audio, which means that the narration and production quality are outstanding. James Marsters makes an excellent Harry Dresden and he has done a superb job since Penguin took over.
Without question, if you enjoyed the first five books, you’ll love Blood Rites as well.
Tags: Dresden Files, Jim Butcher
Posted in Books | No Comments »
Tuesday, March 5th, 2013
The Emperor’s Soul by Brandon Sanderson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I’ve been so impressed with Brandon Sanderson as an author recently. Not only does he write amazing, sprawling epic fantasy novels, but he also somehow finds time to write some very creative novellas like The Emperor’s Soul and Legion.
Although The Emperor’s Soul won’t go down as my favorite of Sanderson’s works, I did really like the concept behind it. The novel is set in a fantasy world that felt very much like imperialist China, where Forgers are able to convert regular items into glorious works of art. A Forger could take pottery that you created in art class and make it look like something that belongs in a museum.
The process is obviously magical, but Sanderson lays out the rules so clearly that it almost feels like science. A Forger must create “soul stamps” to bend an item to their wishes. Essentially, they invent a plausible history for an item and forge that history into the stamp. Once the stamp is applied, item takes on that history and reflects it.
The magic system was definitely one of the best parts of the novel, but the plot and characters were also interesting. I would definitely recommend this to anyone that enjoys inventive fantasy or interesting magic systems. I really liked it.
Tags: Brandon Sanderson
Posted in Books | No Comments »
Monday, March 4th, 2013
Hammered by Kevin Hearne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Atticus O’Sullivan, last of the Druids, has survived for centuries largely by avoiding conflict, but that’s no longer an option as the consequences of past actions force him to take up arms against the Norse god of thunder, Thor.
Okay, the premise sounds a little ridiculous, but that’s one of the things that I love about this series. The author, Kevin Hearne, knows how to have a good time with mythology and old magic. He’s created a world where all of the old gods are still around, but are generally much less involved. But that doesn’t mean that they won’t still cause trouble.
Over the years, one god in particular has caused more trouble and burned more bridges than any other. That god is Thor and he’s generally considered to be a major bully by the magical community.
One thing I liked about Hammered in particular was that Atticus’ perfect little life starts to go sideways and he’s forced to deal with it. Atticus had built up a comfortable life in Arizona, but that ended when he slew Aenghus Og. Since then, he’s been confronted with one conflict after the next and it seems like the stakes are higher each time.
In the first novel, Atticus came across as a bit insensitive. I believe that was an intentional decision by the author as a 2,000 year old, immortal man is simply going to have different viewpoints than the average person today. But these conflicts are forcing him to figure out who and what he cares about and it’s slowly shaping him into a better character.
But with all that said, no, these novels are not really overly serious. They are fun and easy to read, and that’s what I appreciate most. Just a great blend of mythology, action, and humor. Recommended!
Tags: Iron Druid
Posted in Books | No Comments »
Thursday, February 21st, 2013
Death Masks by Jim Butcher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What really impresses me about this series is how it improves little by little with each book. Through five novels, that has held true, which is no small accomplishment considering how good Gravel Peril and Summer Knight were.
It also seems like the stakes get a little higher in each novel, and they are definitely pretty high in Death Masks as Harry finds himself smack in the middle of a sinister plot by some major demon-types to wreak havoc on the denizens of Chicago. Harry not only requires the help of resident Knight of the Cross, Michael Carpenter, but also two other Knights. Trust me, you’re talking about some big league baddies if you need three Knights of the Cross to deal with them.
There were a lot of things that I really liked about this novel in particular. It had a great plot, twisting and turning through mysteries and misdirection. It had a great cast: some characters that we know and love and some new characters on both sides of the coin. I was particularly amused by the character of The Archive. Beyond all that, like all Dresden novels, it had great pacing, action, and a little dark humor.
One of the biggest improvements, in my mind, that Butcher made came in Grave Peril when he took a deep breath and slowed things down a bit, gave Harry some breathing room, gave him some time to reflect rather than just react, and gave the reader a chance to keep up. Those reflective moments continue in Death Masks and tend to be some of the best passages in the novel.
Oh, and what an amazing ending. I won’t spoil anything, but it was delightful and definitely made me want to dig right into the next novel.
This review would not be complete if I didn’t mention the significantly improved narration by James Marsters. I really liked Marsters’ performance of Harry Dresden in the first four novels, but when Penguin Audio began producing the audio books (taking over from Buzzy Multimedia), they must have had a couple of suggestions. With Death Masks, Marsters now has a voice for each character, his speech is crisper, and the overall production quality is much improved. I’m definitely very happy with the change.
Overall, Death Masks was a great read. If you enjoyed the previous novels, don’t stop, you’ve got to read this one.
Tags: Dresden Files, Jim Butcher
Posted in Books | No Comments »
Tuesday, February 12th, 2013
Hexed by Kevin Hearne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Okay, The Iron Druid Chronicles may not be high literature, but they are fun. Kevin Hearne’s novels are really the perfect combination of action, humor, and mythology.
Set in modern day Tempe, Atticus O’Sullivan, the only living Druid, would prefer to live a quiet life, but he’s made some enemies and has made himself a target.
Hexed picks up right where Hammered left off, in the aftermath of Atticus’ battle against Aenghus Og, evil Polish witches, and a bunch hellspawn. Although Atticus came out on top, Tempe has become a hot spot for supernatural baddies and Atticus finds himself up against a coven of Nazi-sympathizing German witches.
While it’s easy to see a few similarities with other urban fantasy novels like Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files, The Iron Druid Chronicles are really quite unique. They don’t have the dark, noir feel of many other series. They also have a strong root in mythology and history that I really appreciate. I actually feel like I learn a few things when I read these books.
Atticus is also a different sort of character. Despite the appearance of youth, Atticus is old (like 2,000 years old) and he’s gotten that old by being careful. He doesn’t hold all of the same values as most modern heroes. He cares more about the Earth than most people, although I wouldn’t consider him to be coldhearted; he just has different priorities.
Probably the best aspect of Hexed is that it’s fun. The novel is only around 300 pages and they go really quickly. It’s a great beach read or for something light in between weightier novels.
Tags: Iron Druid
Posted in Books | No Comments »
Wednesday, February 6th, 2013
The Black Prism by Brent Weeks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I picked this up when I came across the Kindle edition for $2.99. I had read Brent Weeks’ Night Angel trilogy and found it to be very entertaining so the price seemed like a great deal. After reading the The Black Prism, I can definitely say that it was money well spent.
I believe that the greatest strength of the novel is the magic system. The whole thing is color-based. Magic users have the ability to harness one or more colors in the spectrum and each color has unique properties. The magical by-product is called luxin, which can be shaped and conformed to the user’s will. I also liked that magic took not only a physical tool on users, but a mental toll as well.
Although it’s different in many ways, the detailed structure of the magic system reminded me of Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn. I think having such a well developed system helped strengthen story and enriched many of the characters.
The characters themselves were not my favorite part of the novel, although I’ll admit that I really enjoyed the perspectives of Gavin and Dazen. They easily made up for the other somewhat lackluster characters, including our “unlikely hero,” Kip. I’ll give Weeks some credit trying to mix up the standard conventions by making Kip overweight, but, really, most of the other tropes still applied and I didn’t find him to be particularly compelling. And, when you think about it, it didn’t really even make sense for his character to be overweight, considering his lifestyle, but whatever.
As I mentioned, I was really drawn into the story lines of Gavin and Dazen, especially the glimpses back to the False Prism War. However, the “real time” story was just okay. I thought the enemies resolve was a little thin. Sure, it made sense, but it just seemed unlikely that no one was aware of the buildup of this huge army full of magic users.
I apologize for the random tangent, but I feel compelled to mention something that I found to be very strange. I’ll be damned if I could understand why Weeks put so much effort into describing each and every nation’s typical skin and hair colors. Not only was it impossible to keep straight, but I couldn’t even identify half of the colors he referenced. My guess is that Weeks was trying to create a multiracial universe, but I’m not sure that he really needed to sell it so hard.
Okay, so there were a few things that I didn’t really care for, but overall I enjoyed the novel. It was probably more of a 3.5 stars for me than a solid 4, but I rounded up. If you are looking for an interesting magic system or you enjoyed Weeks’ Night Angel series, I suggest you give this a try.
Tags: Brent Weeks
Posted in Books | No Comments »