Sunsets, Stars, West, Wind
Read from February 25 to 28, 2013
This type of urban fantasy could easily grow on me. Absolutely no zombies and only one token cameo vampire. I didn’t mind the pack of werewolves.
All the rest of the ‘paranormals’ hailed from Celtic mythology. Oberon the Irish wolfhound got the best lines, often at the expense of our hero, the Iron Druid.
A fun fast read.
Continue reading “Book Review: Hounded by Hearne (3.5 Stars)”
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving
Read in December 2008
Washington Irving painted beautifully detailed scenes of rural New England. He also had a healthy sense of humor and wit. This story read like it was being narrated by the fireside in a tavern or pub on a blustery autumn evening.
I read the edition available from Project Gutenberg (click on the book cover at left for more information).
Reflections in light of the new Fox series “Sleepy Hollow” …
Continue reading “eBook Review: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Irving (3 Stars)”
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Read in June 2009
As Atticus said “Rape, riot and runaways” mixed together with prejudice and intolerance told from the eyes of a spunky young girl nicknamed Scout in 1930s Maycomb Alabama. The antics of the children, Scout, Jem and Dill, caused me to shake my head in wonder. But the adult antics merely sickened me, aside from the glimmering lights in the darkness of Atticus, Miss Maudie and Arthur Radley.
The story was well written and sparks discussion even today. Lest History repeat itself, I recommend this to everyone so that we can all be on guard against bigotry and discrimination.
Continue reading “Book Review: To Kill a Mockingbird by Lee (4 Stars)”
Those Who Hunt the Night by Barbara Hambly
Read in October 2009
Vampires without the romance. Very refreshing. Well drawn historical setting in late 19th or early 20th century London and Paris.
James Asher, a professor of philology at Oxford, and his wife Lydia, also a doctor, but of medicine, are reluctantly coerced into investigating the case of a serial vampire killer. Don Simon Ysidro, a Spanish vampire old enough to remember (and barely survive) the great London fire of 1666, forces James into his service by threatening Lydia’s life.
Rather than risking his wife’s precarious safety and sending her into hiding, he recruits her help in tracking down both the vampire killer, and the vampire victims haunts and hidey-holes. Lydia pursues the research through probate courts, registrar of deed office, newspaper articles and other public records and resist’s the siren call of the medical pathology mystery of vampirism while James accompanies Ysidro to interrogate London’s undead citizens.
Continue reading “Book Review: Those Who Hunt the Night by Hambly (3.5 Stars)”
Most of these I’ve read, and I agree with Scalzi’s endorsements. The few I haven’t read will soon be on my wishlist.
Narrated by Susan Duerden
Read in July/August 2013
I listened to this book because it was the July 2013 book of the month for the Fantasy Book Club.
Parts of this book were laugh-out-loud funny, but other parts of it just set my teeth on edge. Too many infodumps and a bit too much profanity.
I can easily see this novel as a British television series (along the lines of bad books make good movies? or average books make good television?).
Continue reading “Audiobook Review: The Rook by O’Malley (3 Stars)”
Minority Report and Other Stories by Philip K. Dick
Narrated by Keir Dullea
Read in August 2013
Once again I find myself loving and hating PKD’s writing. He created and imagined very intriguing stories and ideas. I just don’t always agree with his buried (sometimes not so subtly) political ramblings. I liked the title story, but not nearly as well as I liked the movie (even with Cruise starring in it). I should have waited and read the story first, I suppose.
I found the gem in this collection to be the one called “Second Variety.” I wanted more, much more, from that dimension. I did think the protagonist was a bit slow on the uptake, though, as I thought the actions of the undercover antagonists to be obvious and telegraphed (pardon the pun).
Continue reading “Audiobook Review: Minority Report and Other Stories by PKD (3.1 Stars)”
Avempartha by Michael J. Sullivan
Read in May 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Good pacing and good action throughout this second episode of the Riyria Revelations series. A trimmed down cast of characters with a few guest stars rounded out the adventure. I missed Myron, my favorite character from The Crown Conspiracy. The most character development occurred among the guest stars, particularly Thrace and Theron of Dhalgren. Hadrian and Esrahaddon revealed more of themselves. I learned more about Royce, but Arista faded to two dimensions.
Continue reading “Book Review: Avempartha by Sullivan (3.5 Stars)”
The Ladies of Mandrigyn by Barbara Hambly
Warning: Spoilers
After discovering Barbara Hambly via the books Dragonsbane and The Time of the Dark, I just couldn’t get enough of her. She writes great, strong women characters, that are usually of the non-magical sort. The women are often the warriors, like Starhawk. Her male characters are also indelible, flawed but inspiring.
In this book, Sun Wolf is a successful mercenary captain who refuses a job that is basically a rescue mission. The women of Mandrigyn want him to rescue their men from the mines of the evil wizard Altiokis. Sun Wolf had one rule, one principle he always adhered to – never get involved in a war with a wizard.
Continue reading “Book Review: The Ladies of Mandrigyn by Hambly (5 Stars)”
Oath of Fealty by Elizabeth Moon
Read from May/June 2010
Highly anticipated return to Paks’ world which mostly fizzled for me. Paks had a couple of cameos, but the lion’s share of the storylines fell to Dorrin, by far the most interesting of the points of view presented. Arcolin’s story felt and looked like filler. Except for the scene in the ossuary, Kieri’s tale barely bumped through a two-dimensional plane. The most tragic loose end hinges on the fate of Stammel.
The abrupt and anti-climactic ending left me feeling ambivalent. My emotional line graph would resemble a near dead person’s EKG – a few squiggles, but no mountainous peaks or terrifying plummets.
Continue reading “Book Review: Oath of Fealty by Moon (3 Stars)”
