I have always admired Arnold Schwarzenegger for his rise from obscure body builder to successful businessman to box office champion to Governor of Cal...moreI have always admired Arnold Schwarzenegger for his rise from obscure body builder to successful businessman to box office champion to Governor of California. I wanted to find out how a foreign-born man with a long name and thick accent achieved such spectacular success, and this book doesn't disappoint. It is very readable and a must for anyone who is trying to achieve success in any area or who just wants to know more about the man. (less)
This adult novel by the author of the Harry Potter books starts out slowly because several characters are introduced and you don't know much about the...moreThis adult novel by the author of the Harry Potter books starts out slowly because several characters are introduced and you don't know much about them at first or how they interrelate. But stick with it. It's a well-written and engaging book.(less)
Hugh Howey has a great story concept with his silos, and I had no trouble suspending disbelief. [Spoiler Alert Here] Some reviewers thought it unbelie...moreHugh Howey has a great story concept with his silos, and I had no trouble suspending disbelief. [Spoiler Alert Here] Some reviewers thought it unbelievable that there were no elevators, that the Mayor's poisoning wasn't investigated, and that those who were exiled were sent to clean the camera lens. This is a controlled society where the villain doesn't want people moving around with ease or communicating easily with each other (thus no elevators), and the villain--who is a powerful person--doesn't want an investigation into the Mayor's death (when Sheriff Jules gets suspicious, she is sent to "cleaning"), and the "cleaning" is just a ritual--even when a citizen is exiled, the villain controls the show to that last moment.
[End Spoiler Alert] Although the first three parts were highly readable, the fourth was less so, and the fifth (and longest) dragged in places. Howey didn't remember this quote from Elmore Leonard: "I try to leave out the parts that readers skip." I found myself skimming large chunks of part 5 because they were mostly transition descriptions and didn't move the story forward. He probably could cut 25% of part five and have a much better story.
And finally, the series itself was uneven. There isn't one hero or heroine to tie all five parts together. Jules comes closest, but she doesn't make an appearance until the end of part 2, and then she is a minor character. She doesn't become the main character until parts 3-5. The series is forced. I think writing one long novel, beginning with Jules and using a tiny bit of parts 1 and 2 as backstory, would make it a more compelling story.
But I'll give the series 3 stars because I was enjoying it until it really bogged down in part 5.(less)
It pains me to write this review because I really like much of Bradbury's work. The problem with this novel is that it's over-written. There's too muc...moreIt pains me to write this review because I really like much of Bradbury's work. The problem with this novel is that it's over-written. There's too much description (usually purple)and a good dose of preaching that slows down the story. The author's over-use of exclamation marks--in dialogue and in prose--also was annoying. The story wasn't bad, but it would work much better if the novel were half as long.(less)
This is a page-turner. It's the first in a young adult series about the last survivors of an alien race, pursued by the evil aliens that destroyed the...moreThis is a page-turner. It's the first in a young adult series about the last survivors of an alien race, pursued by the evil aliens that destroyed their planet. They're hiding out on Earth until they are old enough, and their powers are develop enough, for them to defeat the invaders and return home to regenerate their planet. But number 4 (alias John Smith) forms attachments to his new town and girlfriend, which causes complications and leads to an inevitable showdown with the evil aliens. It's young adult mainly because most of the main characters are teens, but if you like science fiction, you'll probably like this novel at any age. I read this on the recommendation of my teenage son, although both of us don't have much use for the movie based on this book. They changed so much of the story when there was no reason for doing so. (less)
If you like crime/suspense stories--especially offbeat crime/suspense with a touch of horror stories--you'll love Cedar in Seattle. It is about the la...moreIf you like crime/suspense stories--especially offbeat crime/suspense with a touch of horror stories--you'll love Cedar in Seattle. It is about the last day of an adulterous affair that has been going on for seven years. John leaves his wife for Haley,who has no intention of leaving her husband. She meets John to try to talk sense to him. . . I can't tell you more without giving away too much. I'll say only that the storyline takes a dark turn--a surprising turn--and neither Haley nor John's lives will ever be the same again. A must read. I couldn't put it down. (less)
A pretty good ghost story; it held my interest. The 164-page novel is written in the style of a gothic English Victorian ghost story, including the pr...moreA pretty good ghost story; it held my interest. The 164-page novel is written in the style of a gothic English Victorian ghost story, including the prose, which is a little archaic by modern standards. There are no major surprises and the story is predictable, including the ending; if you've read a few gothic ghost stories you'll be able to see the author coming. (less)
When the young witch Marisol unintentionally summons the Norse god Odin she not only endangers herself but also the town's new minister, Michael, who...moreWhen the young witch Marisol unintentionally summons the Norse god Odin she not only endangers herself but also the town's new minister, Michael, who still suffers from grief and anger at his wife's death. Odin is angered at being summoned and challenges the mortals to a fight to the death. When Michael first met Marisol, he was put off by her pagan beliefs, but in order for them to survive they must work together to defeat the powerful god, and the battle brings them closer together. The Hunt> is a suspensful and intriguing story. I highly recommend it.(less)
The Ox-Bow Incident is not your standard western. This is an excellent examination of mob justice and its consequences. Clark was a really good writer...moreThe Ox-Bow Incident is not your standard western. This is an excellent examination of mob justice and its consequences. Clark was a really good writer. He develops the characters and settings much better than many of the westerns I've read. The descriptions of western life sound as if he's writing from experience, as if he were there, which is not the case.
Clark was born in 1909 in Maine. In 1917 his father accepted the position of President of the University of Nevada and moved the family west. By that time the west described in The Ox-Bow Incident was well on the way to extinction in the face of 20th century technology and civilization, but I'm sure there were still many remnants visible in the buildings and the landscape and many people still alive willing to tell stories of those times to an eager youngster. Even in the late 1930s, when Clark wrote this novel, he could have still found many people who remembered the west of 1885.
Not long after its publication in 1940 The Ox-Bow Incident was made into a movie starring Henry Fonda. The film is good, too, considered by many to be a classic. Read the novel, then see the film, in that order. I recommend both most highly.(less)
As young adult paranormal thriller/romances go, Red is page-turner. It tells the story of how love grows between Elodie and Sawyer. Neither of them kn...moreAs young adult paranormal thriller/romances go, Red is page-turner. It tells the story of how love grows between Elodie and Sawyer. Neither of them knows the other is a werewolf when they first meet. Elodie, it turns out, is working with Sawyer's father on a project to re-introduce the red wolf into Tennessee.
Sawyer's dad also is a werewolf. His mother was shot while in wolf form--in Sawyer's family, werewolves mate only with their own kind. Elodie's father, who isn't a werewolf, raised her after her mother supposedly killed herself when Elodie was three because of the curse on her family. Although Sawyer is a seasoned werewolf, Elodie, at age 17, is a late bloomer--she has yet to undergo a full transformation.
One night after working late, Elodie's car breaks down. As she is walking home, a vehicle tries to run her down. Her assailant is a werewolf hunter who will not stop until she is dead. Elodie and Sawyer--who has appointed himself as Elodie's unofficial protector--risk death as they search for a way to discover this hunter's identity and stop him.
Red has everything a good story should have: twists and turns and surprises, and characters we can identify with and cheer for, and it is paced well. I hightly recommend it.
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