Category Archives: My Favorite Reads

May 15, 2013 · 12:53 pm

Cold Days:The Review


cdcover_lgCold Days; Jim Butcher, 2012; ROC, NY

When it comes to being a Harry Dresden groupie, I’m as bad as the next guy/gal/humanoid type person; I just love a guy who throws his coat over mud puddles so a gal can walk through it, then turns around and kicks the crap out of whatever vampire/faerie and or demon forgot to get out of his way.

But…and here’s the rub, Harry has a tendency to spend the fist thirty or so pages feeling incredibly sorry for himself. So much so, I almost put the book down. Seriously! Me! A die hard Harry Dresden fan debating whether I have what it takes to wade through Harry’s whine and cheese party. If it hadn’t been for the loyalty thing I’m not sure if I would have made it. But I am, and I did. Thankfully!

SAMSUNGAfter the party was over, Butcher did what Butcher does; write some of the best butt kicking, magic throwing, faerie droppin’, fiction out there. And once he gets on a roll, it’s like getting caught up in the maelstrom of a Harry Dresden’s wizardry whirlwind; the kind that takes you all the way to home plate with little time for naps, breathing, or getting a bearing on just how in the heck he got you to wherever it is your at. And for an added treat, unlike the other thirteen Harry Dresden stories (plus one anthology), Cold Days gives the reader a glimpse into where the author and his characters might be headed. Have to say it gave me goose bumps just thinkin’ about it.

As always, Butcher does an exhaustive job of weaving his plots and sub-plots in and out; so much so, the reader needs to take periodic plot readings just to verify where in the tangled web of things Harry is, verses where you think he intends to go.

Not complaining…just sayin. It’s what makes the Dresden Files the Dresden files; intrigue within intrigue, within intrigue. How in the heck does the guy keep his head on straight. (Well come to think of it he almost didn’t in “Ghost Story”)

But seriously, reading Harry Dresden stories reminds me of a friends 63′  289 V8 Ford Fairlane; it might take a little while get the car up to maximum speed, but once you do, boy can that baby fly.

On my readers scale of one to five stars, I have to give Cold Days 3. 75 (if Harry hadn’t whined so much, I’d have given him 4).

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May 8, 2013 · 12:17 pm

Abraham Lincoln|Vampire Hunter: The Review


vampirehunter_custom-s6-c10Abraham Lincoln – Vampire Hunter; Seth Grahame-Smith, 2010; Grand Central Publishing, NY

Dang!

That was the expletive that escaped my lips when I finished the last word, of the last line, of the last paragraph of this book. I was completely taken by surprise.

I had originally wanted to go see the movie at a local theater, but as I hate going to films by myself (the result of cultivating friends who don’t share my pre-disposition for vampires, werewolves, and other urban legendary things) I opted out and figured I’d just rent it when it came out on DVD.

Then, much to my surprise, I was cruising the fiction section at my local library and discovered that the movie was taken from Seth Grahame-Smith’s book. Excellent! I’d read it first, and if I didn’t like the book, I wouldn’t have to waste my time on the film.

Read it in one afternoon. Now I just hope the film is as good as the book; if not, I’m going to be really bummed.MV5BMjAzODY1MTc3OF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNDczNzk5NQ@@._V1._SY314_CR3,0,214,314_

I am not usually one for giving my approval to authors who take perfectly good classics and butcher them with gruesome tabloid style sensationalism. Like any good purest, I like my Jane Austen on the right shelf, my Jim Butcher on the left, and my biographies somewhere in the middle: all three hold a sacred place on the shelves of my library; all three know their place in the realms of fictional verisimilitude; seldom if ever do they cross the line.

So where in the world am I going to put “Abraham Lincoln; Vampire Hunter”?

Not only has the author crossed the lines between history, fiction, and truth with vicissitude and style,  but he’s done it so flawlessly, I can never look at Lincoln’s Memorial  in quiet the same way again. Fact is, if more history was written with this kind of bent realism, we probably wouldn’t be having as many problems getting kids to stay in school and get descent SAT scores as we do. They’d be lining up to get a seat in every US and World History class – guaranteed.

On my readers scale of one to five, I’m giving “Abraham Lincoln – Vampire Hunter”, four stars.

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May 1, 2013 · 12:16 pm

Dragonstar: The Review


176254Dragonstar: Barbara Hambly, 2002; Del Ray

Reader loyalty, in my not so humble opinion, is one of the greatest weapons an author can have. Beside putting money in their pocket, loyal readers hold an authors reputation together during those times when brilliancy seems to have left the building and all they are left holding is a bag of good ideas and respectable prose.

It also gives them a much needed anchor from which to be able to redeem something that might need redeeming; like the third book in Barbara Hambly’s Winterland series - “Knight of the Demon Queen“.

So it was with immense relief when, no sooner had I reached the end of the first page of her fourth book, “Dragonstar”, that I knew all my trepidation over whether  I’d have to put it down or not, was in vain.

Within moments, all the things I so enjoyed about the first two novels were found within the first paragraph of this one. The authors dedication to character revelation; her commitment to scenes that moved the plot forward without losing the reader in mind numbing details;  her ability to make us empathize, relate, and compare our own challenges with those of our beloved hero’s – all there. All woven into the fabric of a story that once again leaves us with just enough resolution to make us feel warm and fuzzy, without smothering us in the afterglow.

In my reader scale of 1-5 stars, I have to give “Dragonstar” 4 stars.

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April 24, 2013 · 12:07 pm

Knight of the Demon Queen: The Review


Knight of the Demon Queen: Barbara Hambly, 2000; Del Raybooks (3)

If I had not enjoyed the first two books in the Winterland series as much as I did, I would have put this one down after about the third or fourth page. But loyalty is the game, and with that in mind I tightened up my reader belt and made a commitment to read the third book all the way through it to the end (with only minimal page skipping).

So what was it about #3 that I found so difficult to get through?

Just about everything. From a lack of good character development, to story line, to world shifting. Maybe if Hambly hadn’t jumped off planet and tried to incorporate a twisted version of Earth-hell into the story, I might have not been so turned off.  But she did, and because of it, I found myself continually checking ahead of where I was to see if the nightmare would ever end.

Not a good reader sign. It felt like she’d invited me out to dinner at my favorite restaurant, only to discover that the menu has been completely altered;  instead of serving my favorite Lobster Cannelloni, I was handed  a plate of spaghetti (and you can ask my mother, I hate spaghetti) and a bottle of cheap, l0gonberry wine. It takes everything in you to keep from getting up and walking out.

But on a shelf across the room, sat the fourth book in Hambly’s Winterland series, and given that I had complete confidence that she could redeem this thing, I stuck it out.

On my readers scale of 1-5 stars, I gave “Knight of the Demon Queen” 3 stars.

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April 17, 2013 · 12:54 pm

Dragonshadow: The Review


Dragbooks (2)onshadow:  Barbara Hambly, 1999; Del Ray

In this book, Hambly picks up where Dragonsbane left off, only  now she’s given her heroine the thing she most desires – powerful magic. And not just any magic, but the magic of dragons; which goes beyond the keen of mortal minds and bestows upon Jenny Waynest the power of a mage. But as all mere mortals know, its not always wise to seek bright and shiny things for the illusion of what we think we will gain, once we possess them.

As our heroine and her counter hero all too soon find out when the Realm of Belmaire becomes the maelstrom of demons, inflated egos, and unswerving loyalty – with Jenny, Lord John, and all they love and hold dear, trapped right in the middle.

Just as she did with “Dragonsbane”,  Barbara Hambly does a wonderful job of building upon the inner workings of her characters hearts and minds to create a bond between the reader and their story. And even more so than in her  first book, Dragonshadow, Hambly continues to pull back the falsetto of mankind’s humanity in order to expose things better left un-revealed – unknown;  darkness that lurks and hides itself in the hearts of even the most righteous of us.

This time around, the author doesn’t end the story by letting our hero’s off with sweet resolutions, tied up loose ends,  or quaint clichés. And she certainly doesn’t leave the reader  feeling all warm and fuzzy.  Instead she abandones her hero’s exactly as they are:  torn, bruised, and in serious doubt over whether they have what it takes to be healed and go on.

A lot more real than fantasy.

Much more reflective of the reality of what you and I face every day of our lives.

Real people who make choices whose outcome leave us without hope, without resolution.

On my reader’s scale of 1-5, I gave Dragonshadow 4.5 stars.

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April 10, 2013 · 12:38 pm

Dragonsbane: The Review


barbara-hambly Winterland Series; Barbara Hambly;  

From the moment I encountered “Smaug” in J.R.R.Tolkien’s,  “The Hobbit” I have been hooked on all things dragon.  It didn’t hurt that I grew up in the early days of C. S. Lewis, “Voyage of the Dawn Treader”; Ursula K. Le Guin “Earthsea”; Anne McCaffrey’s “Dragon Riders of Pern”; Terry Brooks “Magic Kingdom”, Raymond Fiest “Riftwars”;  Piers Anthony’s “Xanth”; or lately, Christopher Paolini’s ” Alagasia”.  As a result, my addiction to dragons, and dragon lore, has been a constant source of delight.

But it was during in my twenty year hiatus from friction, that Barbara Hambly’s “Winterland” series sprang up; which meant that it wasn’t until just recently that it found a place on the shelf alongside all those other books and authors I am currently in the process of re-discovering. Dragonbane

Dragansbane: 1986; Del Ray

The story starts out a little slow, but you quickly come to appreciate how Hambly uses that to lay down a strong foundation for her characters, Jenny Waynest and Lord John Aversin. In Jenny, the author weaves the DNA of a woman struggling with her identity, her powers as a witch - wanna be mage, and her place in the world as wife, mother, and dragon friend. In John, Hambly takes the foolish things of this world, and creates a character that is both wise, noble, and unshakably loyal.  Out of the dust and blood and mire and deceit within the Realm of Belmaire, emerges two unlikely hero’s.

Hambly doesn’t waste a lot of words on scenery or physical surroundings; only in so much as they help to exploit the back story or further develop her action and suspense scenes. Instead she pours her energy into bringing the reader into the minds and hearts of the characters; melding our senses with theirs; empowering us to voyeuristically experience the turmoil of humanity versus magic, integrity versus deceit, disappointment versus triumph, love versus hate.

I love that her ending, though resolved,  still manages to leave the reader longing for something more; as if we’ve caught a glimpse of fairy dust, which when caught, slips through our minds like whispers on the wind.

On my readers scale of 1-5, I gave “Dragonsbane” 4 stars.

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April 3, 2013 · 12:11 pm

The Casual Vacancy: The Review


books (1)The Casual Vacancy; 2012 J.K. Rowling;  Little Brown & Company

My first five page impression was; sweet mother of Zeus, we are not in Hogwarts any more. Between the unexpected rawness of teenage internal dialogue  (as well as that of  their parents) and the unexpected change in genre, I came within chapters of putting “The Casual Vacancy” down. But since I am first and foremost a believer in author loyalty, I  felt like I owed it to Rowling to finish the book. Which I am pleased to say, was a bloody good thing  because she has once again proven that not only is she a brilliant writer, but is an incredible student of human nature as well – particularly that of those suffering at the ass end of the social and economical whims of others.

Rowling’s characters and plot are rich, intricately textured, and are powerful enough to bring out the very worst and the very best in her readers. And, just as with her Potter peeps, she has an incredible knack for crawling right into the mind of an adolescent boy or girl  and understanding the intricacy of what it is that makes them do what they do.

images (1)Beginning with the death of Barry Fairweather  and ending with the revelatory lancing of Pagford’s festering social boils, Rowling pulls her readers beneath multiple layers of greed and ambition, resentment and hate, cruelty and bigotry,  cause and effect.  Like gazing through a two way mirror where only one observer is allowed viewing access to the other, the author has taken the lives of unsuspecting adults and put them into the hands of individuals lacking in the wisdom to understand what they see, and the character to appreciate the consequences of their actions.

The Casual Vacancy is a tense read that is guaranteed to make you clench your fists, grind your teeth, offer to slap teenagers –  as well as adults –  up long side their heads, laugh until your sides hurt, and cry because deep down inside, you know that there is nothing you could have done differently.

On my readers scale of 1-5 stars, “The Casual Vacancy” get 4.5 stars.

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March 27, 2013 · 12:55 pm

froi of the exiles: The Review


Froi of the exilesFroi of the Exiles; Melina Marchetta 2012, Candlewick Press

This is the second in Marchetta’s “Lumatere Chronicles”, and quiet frankly,  I think “Froi of the Exiles: is  even better than the first,” Frinnikin of the Rock”,. Which for me means that she didn’t lose momentum when she switched main character focus and plot lanes. Like building a collage out of people’s lives, Marchetta has made Froi’s transition from thief, to assassin, to hero as natural as eating peanuts from the bottom of a cherry cola bottle; strange when you first thought about it, but totally makes sense after the first couple of bites.

Another aspect of the authors writing I appreciate is how she has taken a rather intricate back-story and woven its  players and the events that shaped their lives without losing plausibility (something I’ve recently discovered is fast becoming one of my review pet peeves).  I also like that she keeps her story moving at a brisk rate, seldom letting anything, or anyone, settle down long enough to grow grass under their feet.

As I mentioned in my review of “Frinnikin of the Rock”, Marchetta has created an entire new world without losing the reader in language, culture, or (and I can’t stress this enough) politics. Writing a good story, like cooking up a fabulous meal, means that it is crucial that the one serving up the goods knows which spices enhance the foods natural flavors, and which will kill it altogether; a little is good, too much and you might as well order take out. In the world of Lumatere, the author has brought together the perfect blend of culture, politics, intrigue, and romance without letting any one item in particular overpower the others.

On my readers scale of 1-5, I’m giving Froi of the Exile 4.5 stars.

Quintana, the third book in Melina’s Lumatere series, is due to début in the US this April. If her writing  follows true to form, this next one should prove to be better than the first two.

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March 20, 2013 · 12:46 pm

Coming of the Storm: The Review


image-70Battle for America: Coming of the Storm; W. Michael Gear & Kathleen O’Neal Gear, 2010; Gallery Books

“Coming of the Storm” is my  first taste of historical novelists Gear & Gear, and I hope not my last. As a displaced Irish/French/Native American,  growing up in rural America,  I was made to feel less than human – even by members of my own family; not to mention parrot mouthing young kids who were as blinded by their parents bigotry as many would later become by their own.

So observing the First Nations people through the eyes and words of fictional archaeologists  Michael and Kathleen Gear, I very much appreciate the care to detail and accuracy these two have taken; not only in writing a great story about how the early American invaders were eventually driven out of the land (if only for a few hundred years), but by telling it with as much authenticity and vulnerability as possible, as well.

Yet even if I were to separate the savagery and injustice of early European invasions from the story, we would still be left with a great 189975_203999756292676_5169728_nhistorical novel about culture, community, drama, and love; as the books main protagonists, Black Shell and Pear Hand guide the reader through the intricate lives of those without a home,  called to change the world, and looking for the courage to do both.

When I was pursing the internet for additional information about the book and its authors, I came across this embedded YouTube. Listening to them share about the decision to write Battle for America series,  I immediately got a sense of Gear & Gear’s passion for not only the First Nations People, but their need to correct the injustice of a people portrayed as less than who they really are.

On my reader’s scale of 1-5, I give The Coming Storm 4 stars.

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March 13, 2013 · 12:14 pm

Angelology:The Review


angelology“Angelology”;  Danielle Trussoni, 2010; Viking Penguin

One of my favorite things, as a both a reader and aspiring writer, is to come across someone who tweaks my theology,  my need for order, and turns them both arse -end – to – tea – kettle. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, you can bet your next latte, whoever  the author is that managed to do it, will earn a place forever on the shelves of  books I will read over and over again.

The folded spine of “Angelology” now rests second shelf, third from the left.

*****

Danielle Trussoni, author of Falling Through the Earth: A Memoir, (Picador) has written her first fictional work, and almost from the outset,  manages to set the pages on fire.

Everything from subject matter, to story, to character development, to mystery and suspense, to literally pulling the reader into the minds and hearts of angel and angelologist’s alike; Danielle Trussoni grabs you by the soul and doesn’t let go. Even as a Christian, my interest in angels can be counted on one hand, but after reading this novel,  I feel compelled to read more, search more, and of course,  ask a lots of questions.

Throughout her book, Trussoni explores not just mankind’s fascination with Nephillium, sons of God, and the whole angel-God-man issue, but makes the reader take a longdaniella trussoni look at what it means to be – other than human.  To be infused with more than mere flesh and bone, blood and marrow.  And if your anything like me, one question will always lead to the next, and the next, and the next …

I’ve a sense much of her research has come from Catholicism – of which I have less than minimal knowledge of – but the novel raises so many new questions  in my own mind, that I refuse to be confined to such a narrow conclusion.

I personally know individuals who claim to have not only seen angels, but to have deployed them in spiritual battle; and from everyone of their accounts, angels are not warm and fuzzy dudes. They are powerful, dazzling, and seldom have regard for humans outside the will and purpose of God.

Doesn’t sound like “Angelology” falls far from the mark.

On my reader scale of 1-5, I’m giving Angelology a 4.5.

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