Archive for October, 2007
October 28, 2007 at 2:41 pm · Filed under Book Reviews, Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror
115. Three Against the Witch World by Andre Norton (Fantasy) 190 p.
Fantasy Classics Challenge
Tolkienesque high fantasy isn’t really my thing, so it’s not surprising that I didn’t much enjoy Three Against the Witch World. Kyllan, Kemoc, and Kaththea (and how those names impede the suspension of my disbelief) are triplets, bound together from birth. Kyllan, the warrior, is the narrator of this first book in the Chronicles of the Witch World trilogy. When Kaththea is taken from her family to be trained in the ways of the Wise Ones, the powerful witches of Estcarp, her brothers are determined to rescue her before she can be made to take the oaths that will sever her connection to them forever. Pursued by the witches, the three escape into an unknown land.
If you like high fantasy, this might be worth trying. I don’t see much in it that sets it above any other work in the genre, but maybe it’s just not my type of book. Despite the first-person perspective, the elevated language keeps the reader at a distance from the narrator, and the tale lacks any breath of humour or warmth. I’m going to finish the trilogy, because I am interested in the plot, but I doubt it will ever be among my favourite fantasy series.
(Actually, I’ve already started the sequel, Warlock of the Witch World, and something incredibly annoying has happened, but I’ll save my rant about it for the review of that book.)
Books read: 115
Pages read: 34,131
Tags: 50 Book Challenge 2007, Andre Norton, Fantasy Classics Challenge, Witch World
October 26, 2007 at 9:17 pm · Filed under Books Etc
All the books are from the 20th century. Some might be termed “classics”, but most are just well-known or popular. Thanks to Danika’s post for the idea: this was fun!
ETA: As it’s now Monday in Coordinated Universal Time (?), I’ve revealed the answers to the unguessed lines.
- After the war was over, they bound him under the Mountain.
[The Summer Tree by Guy Gavriel Kay --- Janet]
- Snow was falling on Riverside, great white feather-puffs that veiled the cracks in the façades of its ruined houses, slowly softening the harsh contours of jagged roof and fallen beam.
[Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner]
- I was fifteen when I first met Sherlock Holmes, fifteen years old with my nose in a book as I walked the Sussex Downs, and nearly stepped on him.
[The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King --- Eva]
- Once a term the whole school went for a walk—that is to say the three masters took part as well as all the boys.
[Maurice by E.M. Forster]
- He sat, in defiance of municipal orders, astride the gun Zam-Zammah on her brick platform opposite the old Ajaib-Gher — the Wonder House, as the natives call the Lahore Museum.
[Kim by Rudyard Kipling --- Annie, too]
- Everyone knows it wasn’t like that.
To begin with, they make it sounds as if there wasn’t any argument; as if there wasn’t any panic—no one being pushed aside—no one being trampled—none of the animals howling—none of the people screaming blue murder.
[Not Wanted on the Voyage by Timothy Findley --- Danika]
- I write this sitting in the kitchen sink.
[I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith --- Sassymonkey]
- The night before he went to London, Richard Mayhew was not enjoying himself.
[Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman --- Janet]
- It was Wang Lung’s marriage day.
[The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck]
- My lifelong involvement with Mrs. Dempster began at 5:58 o’clock p.m. on 27 December 1908, at which time I was ten years and seven months old.
[Fifth Business by Robertson Davies --- Annie]
If you can’t figure out which books they’re from, can you match the first lines with the last lines?
- She prayed. But not to the absent God. Never, never again to the absent God, but to the absent clouds, she prayed. And to the empty sky.
She prayed for rain.
[Not Wanted on the Voyage by Timothy Findley --- Danika]
- He waited for a little in the alley, then returned to the house, to correct his proofs and to devise some method of concealing the truth from Anne.
[Maurice by E.M. Forster]
- But over the old man’s head they looked at each other and smiled.
[The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck]
- Life itself proceeds in its unpredictable infinite patterns — so unlike the measured dance of stars — until, for the satisfaction of their entertainment, the watchers choose a point at which to stop.
[Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner]
- And then it was cold, cold, and completely dark, as she took them through alone.
[The Summer Tree by Guy Gavriel Kay --- Janet]
- The cottage was warm and filled with light, and smelt of tobacco and sulphur and the food that awaited us.
[The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King --- Eva]
- And that, Headmaster, is all I have to tell you.
[Fifth Business by Robertson Davies --- Annie]
- He crossed his hands on his lap and smiled, as a man may who has won salvation for himself and his beloved.
[Kim by Rudyard Kipling]
- Only the margin left to write on now. I love you, I love you, I love you.
[I Capture the Castle]
- And they walked away together through the hole in the wall, back into the darkness, leaving nothing behind them; not even the doorway.
[Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman --- Janet]
October 26, 2007 at 8:23 pm · Filed under Book Reviews, Children's Literature, Favourite Books, Historical Fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror
114. Airborn by Kenneth Oppel (Juvenile Fantasy) 355 p.
I classify this as juvenile fantasy, but Booklist narrows down its genre to “steampunk sky opera”, which I think is hysterical. Whatever genre it belongs to, Airborn is a fantastic children’s book that any adult could easily enjoy. In an alternate Victorian age, where the primary mode of intercontinental transport is the airship, 15-year-old Matt Cruse is a cabin boy aboard one such craft, the Aurora. Given a place on his late father’s ship through the kindness of his captain, he can imagine nothing he would rather do with his life than crew an airship. When the Aurora attempts to help an elderly balloonist in distress, Matt has no idea how important the man’s dying words will be to his life.
Airborn is an adventure novel in the best sense of the word, filled with dangerous and beautiful creatures, dastardly villains, and incredible feats of bravery and daring. I’m fairly sure the used bookstore near my work has copies of the sequel, Skybreaker, which I could pick up on my way home and read tomorrow night. I’m so excited to read it!
Books read: 114
Pages read: 33,941
Tags: 50 Book Challenge 2007, Kenneth Oppel, Matt Cruse, Unread Authors Challenge
October 26, 2007 at 2:11 pm · Filed under Historical Fiction, Mystery and Suspense
113. Lord John and the Private Matter by Diana Gabaldon (Historical Mystery) 301 p.
Much, much better than I expected. I’m interested in the Outlander series because I know a lot of people love it, but I’ve been put off by the number of things in it that I don’t enjoy reading about (particularly the time travel.) Still, no one seems to doubt that Diana Gabaldon is a good writer, so I picked up a copy of Lord John and the Private Matter at a book sale a couple of weeks ago.
Lord John is a minor character from the Outlander series, apparently. Back in London after his exile in Scotland, Lord John has rejoined his army regiment, waiting to find out where they will be sent next. It is 1757, and there is no shortage of possibilities. Before they get their orders, however, Lord John has the misfortune to witness something shocking: the troubling evidence that Joseph Trevelyan, his cousin’s fiancé, is suffering from syphilis. On the heels of that discovery, he is asked to look into the mysterious death of one of the regiment’s enlisted men, a man who may have been guilty of treason.
Plenty of people have commented on Gabaldon’s impeccable research into the time periods she writes about, and that’s something I find very attractive in a historical novel. More so in this case, because there aren’t many fictional depictions of London’s gay community in the 18th century.
I liked Lord John, although I wish he wasn’t in in love with Jamie Fraser (the hero of Outlander and its sequels). I suppose she didn’t have much of a choice (since she’d already written him that way), but it isn’t an interesting plot thread for anyone who hasn’t read her other series. I would love to see Lord John in a relationship with someone else, but somehow I don’t think that will happen anytime soon (although I’d be delighted to be proven wrong!)
The book focuses mainly on the mystery plot, and anything we get of Lord John’s internal life comes from the thoughts and emotions arising from the events of the book. This isn’t a bad way of writing him, but it makes him somewhat difficult to get to know, especially since he’s rather introverted and there’s no one particularly close to him among his friends and family, so we never see how he acts when he’s truly at ease with anyone.
I will be keeping my eye out for the sequel, Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade.
113a. “Lord John and the Hellfire Club” by Diana Gabaldon (Historical Mystery, Short Story) 42 p.
My edition contains two special bonuses: an excerpt from the latest Outlander novel, A Breath of Snow and Ashes (judging by which, I will never pick up any of the books in that series), and Gabaldon’s first (and at that time, only) short story, “Lord John and the Hellfire Club”. Gabaldon wrote this for an anthology which had a strict word limit, which she says is the only reason she was able to produce such a short piece. Short stories are clearly not her medium. The plot is far too complex for the length of the story, and it reads a bit like a novel with a lot of the characterization, description, and plot development left out. Things happen, but there’s not enough space in the text to really explore them. It isn’t a bad short story, but it’s one that should have been a novel, or at least a novella.
I’ll still read her other short stories (she has a collection of Lord John short stories coming out in November, which includes this one), but I wouldn’t recommend that anyone judge her talent by them, as they’re clearly inferior to her novels.
Books read: 113
Pages read: 33,586
Tags: 50 Book Challenge 2007, Diana Gabaldon, Lord John Grey, Unread Authors Challenge
October 24, 2007 at 1:36 pm · Filed under Book Reviews, Historical Fiction, Mystery and Suspense, World Literature
112. The Camel of Destruction by Michael Pearce (Historical Mystery) 189 p.
An instalment in Michael Pearce’s Mamur Zapt series. Pearce depicts 1910 Cairo with humour and historical accuracy. Edwardian Cairo is a labyrinth of old streets, new construction projects, competing (and confusing) legal systems, and disparate political interests. The man in charge of the British political department (i.e. the Chief Spy) is the Mamur Zapt, Captain Gareth Owen. Owen finds himself tangled in a murder case with both political and economic complications—and runs into some economic complications of his own.
Pearce’s Egyptian mysteries are always intriguing and funny, and this one is no exception.
Books read: 112
Pages read: 33,243
Tags: 50 Book Challenge 2007, Mamur Zapt, Michael Pearce
October 24, 2007 at 1:35 pm · Filed under Book Reviews, Historical Fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror
111. The Rest Falls Away by Colleen Gleason (Historical Fantasy) 368 p.
I really wanted to like this. I like vampire novels, I like romance when it’s mixed with a decent plot, but I didn’t like The Rest Falls Away. Neither the characters nor the plot sparked any interest in me, and the writing felt almost amateurish. I was most closely reminded of a novelization of an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer I once read (and having said that, I think this book would also work better as a movie for me, since the uninteresting descriptions of Victoria’s emotional state would not appear.)
In the end, I found The Rest Falls Away both tedious and unconvincing. I wouldn’t necessarily discourage anyone else from trying it, though, since it has a lot of fans, and it wasn’t actually terrible; I just didn’t find it entertaining. Still, if you like somewhat trashy vampire novels along the lines of Laurell K. Hamilton or Charlaine Harris, it wouldn’t hurt to give Colleen Gleason a try.
I’ll probably read the second book if I get the chance, just because I’ve heard that it better, and because I would really really like to enjoy this series. (If you want the opinion of someone who loves the series, CJ has reviewed The Rest Falls Away and the sequel, Rises the Night.)
Books read: 111
Pages read: 33,054
Tags: 50 Book Challenge 2007, Colleen Gleason, Gardella Vampire Chronicles, Unread Authors Challenge
October 24, 2007 at 1:33 pm · Filed under Book Reviews, Mystery and Suspense
110. Missing Member by Jo-Ann Power (Mystery) 274 p.
There’s no way I would have picked this up if I hadn’t been at my aunt’s for the weekend and looking for something quick to read on my last day there. It’s actually not bad, although I wouldn’t particularly recommend it. A Texas Congresswoman comes into her office early and finds her party whip dead in her desk chair, castrated. Being the main suspect in a murder trial won’t do anything for her career, so she determines to look into the case herself. She reluctantly accepts the help of Mr. Jones, a mysterious man with impressive skills, but whose fee is being paid anonymously—by someone Carly doesn’t necessarily want to owe a favour.
Missing Member is apparently going to be the first book in a series, and while I’m not exactly looking forward to a sequel, I would read it if I had the chance. The mystery isn’t bad, and the American political setting is amusing for its novelty.
Books read: 110
Pages read: 32,686
Tags: 50 Book Challenge 2007
October 24, 2007 at 1:32 pm · Filed under Book Reviews, Favourite Books, Fiction and Literature, World Literature
109. Night of Many Dreams by Gail Tsukiyama (Fiction) 288 p.
I always enjoy Gail Tsukiyama’s books, so it’s not surprise that I liked this one. Her novels tend to follow individuals or families through many years, as this one does. In this case, the main characters are Joan and Emma, the two children of a wealthy Hong Kong businessman and his society wife. World War II and the Japanese occupation change the family’s fortunes, but they always manage to get by. Emma goes to school in America, while Joan begins a career in Chinese cinema. Through it all, they have the support of the older women in the household.
If you’re going to try any of Tsukiyama’s books, this isn’t a bad place to start, although the duology of Women of the Silk and The Language of Threads is probably her best work.
Books read: 109
Pages read: 32,412
Tags: 50 Book Challenge 2007, Gail Tsukiyama
October 24, 2007 at 1:31 pm · Filed under Book Reviews, Favourite Books, Fiction and Literature, World Literature
108. Chocolat by Joanne Harris (Fiction) 242 p.
World Lit Challenge: France
Most people have probably seen the movie, but although the basic plot is somewhat the same, the entire tone of the story was changed, while many of the characters and events were cut. It’s entirely understandable, since I’m not sure the book as it is would make a very good movie, especially a Hollywood movie. Both the book and the movie are good, but very different.
Vianne Rocher and her little girl, Anouk, arrive in the small French village of Lansquenet just before Mardi Gras. Vianne opens her chocolate shop, La Celeste Praline, just in time for Lent. Much to the dismay of Lansquenet’s priest, it is a success, and the unwed, atheist Vianne becomes popular with the villagers—much more popular than the Father himself.
I really liked the book. The two first-person perspectives, those of Vianne and the priest, are a perfect way to tell the story. They see things so differently that it isn’t the slightest bit boring to read about the same events twice over. Joanne Harris has a real talent for characterization: her likeable and unlikeable characters and equally fascinating, and she makes many of them endearing without sentimentalizing them.
I’ll have to re-watch the movie soon, and see how it compares. Plus, Johnny Depp!
Books read: 108
Pages read: 32,124
Tags: 50 Book Challenge 2007, Joanna Harris, World Lit Challenge
October 12, 2007 at 12:56 am · Filed under Book Reviews, Favourite Books, Historical Fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror, Young Adult Literature
107. Rebel Angels by Libba Bray (Young Adult, Historical Fantasy) 548 p.
2nds Challenge
I’m glad to say that Rebel Angels not only lived up to its prequel, A Great and Terrible Beauty, but also whet my appetite for its sequel, The Sweet Far Thing, due out on Boxing Day.
In A Great and Terrible Beauty, Gemma Doyle witnessed her mother’s murder, was sent to an English boarding school, and discovered that she had the power of an ancient circle of priestesses known as the Order. Now, she finds that the enemy she thought defeated is still very much alive, that a friend she thought dead is not entirely gone, and that a London Christmas, despite all its glamours, may not be so wonderful after all.
Also, Kartik’s back. After Gemma, he’s my favourite character, and I only wish the two had more interactions. I was also glad to see that Gemma’s brother Tom improves a bit on closer acquaintance; Rebel Angels reveals some details about him that make him a more sympathetic character. Ditto for Felicity: the revelation about her was one I only saw coming a page or two ahead of time.
I’m quite pleased with Rebel Angels; it looks like Libba Bray is well on her way to creating a consistently brilliant series of YA historical fantasy novels.
Books read: 107
Pages read: 31,882
Tags: 2nds Challenge, 50 Book Challenge 2007, Gemma Doyle, Libba Bray
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