The Mistress of the Art of Death is quirky. Now, before you decide I'm damning it with faint praise, you need to understand that such is a high compli...moreThe Mistress of the Art of Death is quirky. Now, before you decide I'm damning it with faint praise, you need to understand that such is a high compliment in my world, and author Ariana Franklin delivers this quirkiness with delightful aplomb.
This is all the good parts of a cozy mystery without the cloying cozy, set during the reign of England's Henry II, and replete with the juicy details of life in that time. Full of incredibly intelligent characters who perform their tasks with passion and wonderful competence (albeit sometimes hampered by a certain brilliant myopia), we see them at their most human as they follow a serial murderer of children who has left a trail from the Crusades to Syria only to return to Cambridgeshire.
I kept thinking that this was Jane Tennison meets Brother Cadfael with a bit of Sherlock Holmes on the side, and was perfectly content for it to be so. There are enough twists and turns to keep most mystery buffs satisfied, though in many ways it is the story of the people themselves which takes center stage.
This novel is poised to be the first in a series, and I'm looking forward to returning to the world of Adelia, the Mistress of the Art of Death, and her cohorts. Write faster, Ms. Franklin. Write faster!
I actually have the 4th Edition, but this will do. I don't generally play "Samurai" story lines, but if I did, this would be a terrific world to dive...moreI actually have the 4th Edition, but this will do. I don't generally play "Samurai" story lines, but if I did, this would be a terrific world to dive into. It's a fantasy setting, so don't expect straight-up correlations between the Samurai of Japan. All the same, it has a very nice flavor, and the creators did an amazing job of tying every aspect of the game together. Really quite impressed. Also, it's written for someone other than high-school students (or younger), which I found refreshing. No offence to the kids in school ... but I'm not one, and I like an older game these days.
On top of that, I find the Roll and Keep mechanics pretty compelling, which is why I picked the book up in the first place. Very glad I did.(less)
I've read a good deal of Robin McKinley's works. They remind me of a good friend, or your sweet dog, and sometimes they're even just a delightful romp...moreI've read a good deal of Robin McKinley's works. They remind me of a good friend, or your sweet dog, and sometimes they're even just a delightful romp through a field that should have been straightforward, but somehow managed to have enough twists in the path to make you glad you're adventuring.
Chalice, I'm afraid to say, was not that old friend, not for me. The world is nifty, and I'd have liked to experience more of it, but the reader is stuck in the head of a sweet and earnest young woman whose view of the world is, unfortunately, limited. The plot seemed too transparent, or maybe I'm just too jaded. If I were twelve again, this would have delighted me. I looked to see if, perhaps, this was a Middle School-age book, but didn't find any such designation. Too bad, because it's perfect for that age group. It's a swift, short read, but while it didn't satisfy, neither did it repulse. It was a bit like eating a slice of an apple: thoroughly familiar and wholesome, with a hint of sweetness and a wee bit of crunch.(less)
"Fun. The three stories in this compilation are fun. They're also fresh, engaging and delightful with enough shadows in the corner to make everything...more"Fun. The three stories in this compilation are fun. They're also fresh, engaging and delightful with enough shadows in the corner to make everything three dimensional. I do have a favorite, but all of them made me pretty happy with their twists on the world and their quirky, engaging heroes. Give 'Cobalt City Rookies' a read. It's a great partner for a rainy day."
The above is the review I wrote on Amazon. To broaden it a little, while I have always been a fan of shared-world compilations, I found this one to be a particularly nifty blend, as each story expanded my view of the world. Modern fantasy? Superheroes? Mysteries? Ghosts? Action? Exploration? Yes, please!
Another good, solid Elvis Cole story. Excellent twists, lovely plants, and enough suspense when I figured it out to make me worried about our protagon...moreAnother good, solid Elvis Cole story. Excellent twists, lovely plants, and enough suspense when I figured it out to make me worried about our protagonist. For all this is Elvis Cole's eleventh appearance as MC, the story was neither stale nor was the character predictable.
I don't know how Ms. Dove's works hadn't come across my awareness before. Poet Laureate and Pulitzer Prize winner in poetry ... and well deserved. She...moreI don't know how Ms. Dove's works hadn't come across my awareness before. Poet Laureate and Pulitzer Prize winner in poetry ... and well deserved. She's amazing. American Smooth is earthy, accessible and wise, bitter and smooth in the way of good dark chocolate, and an amazing lens through which to see the world.
I do love my modern women poets, and Ms. Dove has joined the ranks of my favorites. This is a wonderful volume, well worth picking up and devoting your time to. (less)
This is a departure from most of Dennis Lehane's books--the ones I've read, at least. I liked it. I did not love it, but I liked it. It felt like it w...moreThis is a departure from most of Dennis Lehane's books--the ones I've read, at least. I liked it. I did not love it, but I liked it. It felt like it was an amalgamation of Lehane's favorite things, and that, at times, they didn't all want to be shoved together between book covers. I kept waiting to discover what the book was actually about.
As with all of Lehane's stories, I found his characters well written and well-rounded, and they each had a very specific place in the world. No issues there. And Boston, again as always, is written with a keen eye for detail and a beautiful sense of space and fullness. I loved the history that was illustrated by his pen.
And yet, it just didn't grab me. It's about a group of people in a very specific time of Boston's history, and yet it takes us a long time to get to Boston, and it's not a history. It's about people evolving, but for some of the characters, we never really discover what they yearn for. In some ways, there was simply too much story, and it made difficult for the lean, core storyline to come through.
Yes, read it, especially if you don't know much about Boston, or the labor riots which swept the country in the aughts of the 1900s. Read it to enjoy Lehane's prose, and his characters. Yes. Read it.
So far, so excellent. The opening paragraph hooked me, and I only set the story down, because I had to go to work.
If you're a fan of superheroes, alte...moreSo far, so excellent. The opening paragraph hooked me, and I only set the story down, because I had to go to work.
If you're a fan of superheroes, alternative worlds, science fiction, and a main character who is full of awesomesauce ... this story is for you.
This is a short story, not a full-fledged novel, just for clarification's sake. It is also, for Prime Members with Kindles, free at Amazon.com. I don't happen to own a Kindle, so for me, it was the very affordable price of 99 cents.
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Finished! It took me a while to get back to, but not because of the story itself, but because my life went all crazy. As soon as I had another half hour to give it, I did, and I was so happy with it!
Wonderful short story about being who you are, and why we do what we do, and where we go from here.
I liked it. A good deal. Tense. Fast. Sharp. Strong characters. Horrible events. High stakes. Reveals of history. Not so much character change though...more
I liked it. A good deal. Tense. Fast. Sharp. Strong characters. Horrible events. High stakes. Reveals of history. Not so much character change though (which is why it's 4/5 stars). It even made me engage with Pike, who I usually can't connect to--and don't care enough about to connect to.
Great read. Well done, Mr. Crais. Well done. (less)
I enjoyed it. Mostly. I came into this book without having read any of the previous Elvis Cole/Joe Pike crime novels, but I didn't feel I was lacking...moreI enjoyed it. Mostly. I came into this book without having read any of the previous Elvis Cole/Joe Pike crime novels, but I didn't feel I was lacking in history because of that. A quick, fun read with only a couple aspects that I wish had been different.
All in all, pretty decent. It interested me enough to start on another book with the duo. Sounds like I'm damning with faint praise, but that's not the case. It's been rare lately that I finish a book let alone finish it in one day. I liked the characters, most of them at least, and stayed invested with them through the end. So yes. Decent. From me, that's not bad at all.(less)
It's been a long time since a book has grabbed me from the first page, and has kept me reading despite the heartbreak I know is coming.
Well written,...moreIt's been a long time since a book has grabbed me from the first page, and has kept me reading despite the heartbreak I know is coming.
Well written, Mr. Green. Very well written.
Besides, any writer who uses "awesomesauce" in their work has my vote.
This book IS awesomesauce.
33.3334% left to go.
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0.00 to go. Done.
I don't want to talk too much about this book knowing there are souls out in the world who haven't yet read it. While everyone's experience with a book will be unique--simply because we are all unique individuals and we often, especially when we're engaged fully, bring an incredible amount of personal history to each story--I have a feeling that this book will be a more personal experience than most. I don't want to trivialize it by lightly brushing across my favorite parts or spoiling awesome moments for you by not letting you stumble into them all on your own. They're worth coming into with innocence and wonder.
Suffice it to say that this is a beautifully tender, brutal, honest story about dying and living, and everyone should read it. Yes, do please read it, if for no other reason than it will give me others with whom to talk. And you'll love it.
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