Lisa has
374 books
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| # | cover | title | author | isbn | isbn13 | asin | num pages | avg rating | num ratings | date pub | date pub (ed.) | rating | my rating | review | notes | recommender | comments | votes | read count | date started | date read |
date
|
date purchased | owned | purchase location | condition | format | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0451456424
| 9780451456427
| unknown
| 3.70
| 531
| Jan 01, 1998
| Oct 01, 1998
|
(originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) When I received this book I was quite surprised, it's a small, cute square hardcover with such pretty...more (originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) When I received this book I was quite surprised, it's a small, cute square hardcover with such pretty artwork. It's quite short, at 96 pages, and even then the pages are quite small. If Wishes Were Horses is a glimpse into a fantasy world and is driven by the characters. It centers on Tizra, a twin whose father goes off to war to support their prince. This is shortly before her and her brother’s 16th birthday, and when she is supposed to receive a (magic?) crystal from her mother and her brother a horse. We see Tizra's mother through her eyes, how she rallies the people left in the town while the men go off to war. Although it sounds pretty bleak, it's actually a heartwarming story. There's just a touch of magic throughout, and I liked how it was focused around Tizra's mother and the strength of character she has. The story was entertaining and the ending was definitely gratifying. McCaffrey's prose takes you off into this land and provides just enough magic to be entranced. I definitely recommended this for someone looking for a feel-good fantasy that you can enjoy in a single reading.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| Nov 25, 2011
| Dec 03, 2011
|
Nov 25, 2011
| Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 0316187747
| 9780316187749
| 4.18
| 5,997
| Nov 14, 2011
| Nov 23, 2011
|
(originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) Theft of Swords is aptly named; it is the first two tales of the Riyria Revelations and both center a...more (originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) Theft of Swords is aptly named; it is the first two tales of the Riyria Revelations and both center around the job of stealing swords. They follow two main protagonists, Hadrian, a kind-hearted soldier who can't be matched in combat, and Royce, the stealthy rogue who doesn't always share his partner's sentiments. In The Crown Conspiracy (book one), they are hired to steal a sword but are framed for a king's murder. In Avempartha they are again hired to steal a sword but must face a magical beast that threatens their lives. The Crown Conspiracy I really enjoyed this debut. It's highly action-packed and contained all the things I like in epic fantasy: politics, adventure and plenty of twists and turns. In fact, I couldn't believe Sullivan had me fooled on more than one occasion. Where the book faltered for me wasn't the plot, which was deftly crafted and paced, but the characters and the tendency towards info-dumping. There is really only one female character, the princess Arista and I felt while she was a decent character, I needed more representation from women. Also, with the other characters, I felt like I was always trying to connect to them, since there seemed to be many and therefore hard to connect to. My favorite was actually the prince, Alric; I felt he had a good story arc and growth through the story. Avempartha This was another enjoyable read for me. It's set a few years after The Crown Conspiracy and I was happy to see the story moving along. Unlike the first book, I thought Avempartha suffered from a slow start and it wasn't until halfway through did I really get interested in the plot. I noticed that when the plot involved the overreaching story of the series, it was more interesting to me than dealing with the episodic nature of the book's plot. Fortunately, another female character is introduced, but I found myself connecting more to Arista even so. She really grows in this book and I liked following her development. I think I'm in the minority here where I say I thought The Crown Conspiracy (B-) was the most enjoyable for me. I really liked the even pacing, the action, and most of all, the mystery. Avempartha (C+) was good, but slower and ending on a big cliffhanger. One thing I can say is that while Sullivan uses common epic fantasy tropes (there's a wizard, a rogue, a princess, a fighter), he does know how to craft a story and keep you interested. I was able to overlook any misgivings I would normally have in favor of a good plot and addictive storytelling. There's an overall story arc to this series that gets touched on in each book as we go and I find I am really dying to see what happens. I would definitely recommend this to fantasy fans, but be warned, it's not super unique, but it's going to grab you from the beginning and not let go. Review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
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1
| Nov 24, 2011
| Dec 18, 2011
|
Nov 24, 2011
| Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 0545060826
| 9780545060820
| 3.32
| 419
| Nov 01, 2011
| Nov 01, 2011
|
This is a very short novel so my review will probably be short as well. The novel is about teenager (originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) M...more This is a very short novel so my review will probably be short as well. The novel is about teenager (originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) Mal who has a pretty tragic life, living with his alcoholic mother after his dad left the family. This is very character driven, I find, and it's what makes this short book interesting. Not only does Mal have to deal with some pretty serious problems, he also is trying to cope with being abducted by aliens. He goes to group meetings for the contacted and meets another called Hooper, whom he becomes friends with. I really liked Mal as a character and I felt that what drove his story was the sympathy we had for him and wanting things to be okay for him. Despite growing up in harsh circumstances, he's a really great person. He looks after those that need it and never once does he complain about his life. He has a sort of matter of fact way of looking at things. One of the heart-wrenching things is that he wishes he could go back into space with the aliens (and who can blame him?). The ending is compelling, since you never really get a clear answer on anything and it leaves you pondering. I thought this was a very valuable read. It's short but packed with emotion and the characters are detailed and life-like. I really liked Mal and his journey to come to terms with his life and his feelings, and that's what this is about. It's a story about people and what they go through. We are abducted into his life for a brief time but we come out just as effected as he is after his contact with outer beings. I recommend this for anyone looking for a meaningful, character driven story. I think young adults particularly will find this valuable since it deals with so many real issues that they go through. Review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
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1
| Nov 15, 2011
| Nov 19, 2011
|
Nov 09, 2011
| Hardcover
| |||||||||||||||
| 0765324601
| 9780765324603
| 3.27
| 266
| Sep 27, 2011
| Sep 27, 2011
|
(originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) I feel like it will be hard to review this book because it's just the beginning of a larger story. Fo...more (originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) I feel like it will be hard to review this book because it's just the beginning of a larger story. For a first volume, though, I enjoyed it and found it to be interesting enough to persue. The story, at least from what I hear (I never read Ender's Game), is similar to that book in that it has a young protagonist that goes into training in space. In this case it's a girl names Roberta ("Robbi") and the story follows how she is accepted to a school called Laddertop Academy. There's a large cast of characters most of which is classmates of Robbi. What I enjoyed most about Laddertop is the world building. There's a healthy plot of mystery and science fiction surrounding the The Givers, aliens who gave humans technology to go into space and progress in many things. Robbi seems to be at the heart of this when she's passes a scan that all students must do (this was installed by The Givers and no one really knows what it's scanning) in order to go up to Laddertop. Robbi's scan results are unusual and this furthers the idea that something else is going on. I would recommend this if you're interested in a new manga centered around science fiction school life. I feel like I should hold off a little until the next volumes to make a firm decision on this story, since volume one is just the beginning. It didn't start off with a bang, but there is a lot of potential here for a good series. As for the art, I thought it was great and held a lot of detail. Review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| not set
| Nov 07, 2011
|
Nov 08, 2011
| Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 0765319519
| 9780765319517
| 3.78
| 1,061
| 2003
| Jan 06, 2009
|
(4.5 stars) (originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) Although when it comes to books, I haven't read many Jane Austen's or Victorian novels (I...more (4.5 stars) (originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) Although when it comes to books, I haven't read many Jane Austen's or Victorian novels (I know Jane Austen isn't Victorian), but I do enjoy them and love the type of humor and situations they describe. Anything to do with manners, society, romance. Anyways, this means that on paper this novel would already be enjoyable to me, but the fact that the whole cast of characters are dragons is just icing on the cake. I think this is something really awesome about this novel - I didn't feel like the dragon thing was gimmicky. I would have enjoyed it were they human, but I enjoyed it even more that they were dragons. I thought the world building was clever. I smiled every time a dragon was described sleeping on their gold. Another aspect I enjoyed is that female dragons are gold-ish colored as maidens, but when approached by males (sometimes just being touched by them), they "blush" and turn a rosy pink. At this point they need to be married, and if not, it's a big scandel. I love how this reflected the real world situation of women in the past where they had to remain pure maidens before marriage. The only negative thing I experienced while reading Tooth and Claw was that for the first one hundred pages or so I felt that the pace was slow and I wasn't totally absorbed into the story yet. This changed after the characters and plot strings were all layed out and then it wasn't long before I'd completely devoured this novel. I really loved this book. I wish more books were like this. I love discovering novels that are clever, well-written and just plain unique. The world building is very strong and enables Walton to effortlessly create a Victorian-like world featuring dragons and their societal problems. I also really appreciated the humor. Definitely recommended! (less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| Nov 02, 2011
| Nov 13, 2011
|
Nov 02, 2011
| Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 0061826871
| 9780061826870
| 3.48
| 6,378
| May 01, 2011
| May 09, 2011
|
(originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) As you can see by the rating, I didn't finish this book. I didn't get very far but I strongly felt th...more (originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) As you can see by the rating, I didn't finish this book. I didn't get very far but I strongly felt that I wasn't connecting to the characters, setting or circumstances at all. Rebekkah loses her grandmother in the first pages, and I didn't really feel the emotional impact this had on her. We didn't have enough time to really know the characters before their lives are turned upside-down, which causes there to be a lot of telling about past events and relationships. It just wasn't working for me. You can tell from the beginning that romance is going to play a major role in the plot and I just wasn't interested in that either. (less) | Notes are private!
| none
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1
| not set
| Nov 2011
|
Oct 25, 2011
| Hardcover
| |||||||||||||||
| 0345452380
| 9780345452382
| 3.82
| 1,175
| 1992
| Apr 30, 2002
|
(originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) I finished Ammonite a few days ago and I found I couldn't write my review right away. I just needed t...more (originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) I finished Ammonite a few days ago and I found I couldn't write my review right away. I just needed to think about what I thought about the book and how I should put that into my review. Generally, I really enjoyed Ammonite. It was one of those books that after the first few pages, I knew I was hooked. And I was, right up until the end. That's saying something since I did have some issues with the book but the writing and pacing were done so well that I found myself coming back to it whenever I had a few spare minutes. What really hooked me was the premise of the plot. Marghe, an anthropologist, for her own reasons, accepts a mission to the planet Jeep to study the native people. These people, humans, had colonized the planet generations ago and suffered through a virus that killed all the men and some women. Now, much later, the colony is still thriving: the women have survived and even managed to reproduce without males. I was just as fascinated and interested about finding out about this planet and it's inhabitants as Marghe. Additionally, once Marghe made it to the planet, we meet Commander Danner, the woman in charge of the Company soldiers stationed on the planet. They are waiting for a vaccine for the virus so they can be allowed to return home. I didn't expect it but I came to be really caught up in Danner's plight and the character herself. She's a strong women in a very unfortunate situation: her and her team are stuck on the planet and have no idea how to or if they will ever leave and they don't know how to work with the natives. I came to like other women on her team including Lu Wai and Dogias. The novel does switch from Marghe's story to Danners throughout the novel but it's more concentrated on Marghe's. One of my main issues was that I wasn't very fond of Marghe. I didn't really relate to her as much others and I found her story just a means for us to discover Jeep and its inhabitants. I appreciated her adventures but not because I really was connected to her, but because I was so interested in finding out more about Jeep. That brings me to another great point: Jeep and it's people are the meat of the story. It's all about discovering how the author creates an all-female civilization socially and also, with reproduction, scientifically. I was really happy with how it all turned out. Overally, I really liked this book and think it was a very rewarding and unique experience. I had some issues with it and maybe you will too, but I think it's definitely worth reading. The adventure, mystery and discovery of the planet Jeep and meeting all the diverse characters really solidifies this book as a great read. (less) | Notes are private!
| none
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1
| not set
| Aug 30, 2011
|
Oct 09, 2011
| Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 0765319470
| 9780765319470
| 3.72
| 281
| Oct 27, 2009
| Oct 27, 2009
|
(originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) The story is told in a unique way. Astrid is talking to some kind of hostage/police interviewer while...more (originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) The story is told in a unique way. Astrid is talking to some kind of hostage/police interviewer while she is being detained for suspicion of commiting crimes. The interviewer, Will, tries to find infomation about an enemy, Sahara, who is currently reaking havok with a cult following. He wants info on Sahara, who is close to Astrid, but what he (and we) get is the story of Indigo Springs and what we know as the reemurgence of magic into the world. The story is thus told in the past and present and we get to piece together the situation. The characters were good. I enjoyed Astrid. She is flawed: somewhat weak willed and easily succumbs to the pressure of others around her. I liked watching her grow and the person she becomes by the end of the book. Sahara is perfectly wicked, although she's portrayed as human enough to garner some sympathy. A breakout character, for me, would be Will, the interviewer, because even though he has a pretty specific role in the story (to interview Astrid and thus extract the story) he really develops as a character. By the end I felt like I knew as much about him as any other character. The most awesome thing about this book is the magic. Magic is literally blue liquid and can enchant objects. This leads to all sorts of fun (such as a flying carpet) but it is also dangerous. If people come into contact with the liquid it can corrupt and infect them. I found everything about this system well thought out, utilized well and really just plain cool. I really really, liked this book. I enjoyed reading it all the way through. Never once did my interest wane and I found myself staying up into the wee night to finish it (which is something that rarely happens for me). It has everything I love about what urban fantasy can be. There's characters and a world we can identify with, but there's also the worldbuilding as intricate as an epic fantasy. I cannot wait for the sequel, Blue Magic, to be released next year.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
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1
| not set
| Aug 16, 2011
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Oct 09, 2011
| Paperback
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| 0345522494
| 9780345522498
| 4.21
| 13,227
| Jun 07, 2011
| Jun 07, 2011
|
A lot of what I liked about Hounded is present in Hexed. Atticus' world is pretty much filled with many riduculous and awesome mythological creatures...more
A lot of what I liked about Hounded is present in Hexed. Atticus' world is pretty much filled with many riduculous and awesome mythological creatures including but not limited to vampires, witches, Celtic goddesses, werewolves, Maenads and demons. Hearne manages to include everything but the kitchen sink (which I wouldn't be surprised if one made such an appearance in one of his books) while keeping everything seemingly under control. Of course, hilarity ensues but it's just so much fun watching Atticus interact with all the different characters. Everything is done very cleverly. One thing that keeps me smiling is Atticus' dog, Oberon. He's able to communicate mentally with him through his magic and the things this dog says is just so funny! At one point Atticus tells him the story of the Merry Pranksters and hippies and Oberon has it in his mind the whole book of 'sticking it to The Man'. I was really hoping for Granuaile to take more of a prominent role after the last book. I really like the chemistry between her an Atticus and I think there's room for a female main character. Unfortunately, we don't see her much while Atticus is busy with trying to take care of all the crazy supernatural shenanigans. Also, while this book had a main goal, I felt like most of the plot was filler and could feel it lagging a bit in certain areas. I would have liked a more unified plot line, but perhaps some things were being sorted out for the next book. It didn't bother me too much but I hope the next installment has a more concrete path. If you liked Hounded, you'll like Hexed, and you'll most likely want to continue the series after this as well. It has all the great fun Hounded had; humor, adventure and supernatural craziness. If you haven't started the series yet, you really should, if you're interested in urban fantasy. This is turning out to be a pretty good UF series, one that I'm looking forward to continuing. The next book is called Hammered and I'll definitely be picking it up! Thank you to Dreams and Speculation for providing the review copy. (less) | Notes are private!
| none
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1
| not set
| Aug 02, 2011
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Oct 09, 2011
| Paperback
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| 0765318822
| 9780765318824
| 3.65
| 482
| Oct 28, 2008
| Oct 28, 2008
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(originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) I've read two other Bear books to date, The White City (review) and Dust (review). All the Windwracke...more (originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) I've read two other Bear books to date, The White City (review) and Dust (review). All the Windwracked Stars is my favorite so far. I really loved the integration of Norse myth into a fantasy setting that also included some science fiction elements. Bear's creativity and aptitude in creating this word, called Valdyrgard, is really what caught and held my interest the whole way through. Muire is the last Valkyrie, an angel and Child of the Light. She's lived thousands of years since Ragnarok, and she is called to attention when Mingan the Wolf starts attacking people in the last functioning city in the world. She investigates and in finds that there is a larger game being played which involves the Technomancer, the only being keeping the city alive. She pairs up with the only other survivor of Ragnarok, Kasimir the valraven, and joins forces with others in the city to put right the things that have gone horribly wrong. Like I said, I really enjoyed Bear's worldbuilding. There are many interesting characters and people and magic. Muire can harness the power of the Light which keeps her immortal and able to heal, but she's lost a lot of the Light since Ragnarok. Juxtaposed is the magic of the Technomancer, able to manipulate technology and people in often weird and uncanny ways. Part of the Technomancer's creations is the moreaux. a collection of anthropomorphic people to work for her. I really liked Selene, one of the Technomancer's trusted moreau, a humanoid cat. Lastly, I really connected to Bear's writing style. Her prose flows expertly and she always creates a great picture in your mind. The ending was unexpected and a little heartbreaking. Just the way I like it! What I didn't like: My only major criticism with Bear's books is that it really takes me a little while to figure out what the heck is going on. She doesn't info dump and doesn't give many explanations to the basic things of the new world we are exploring. I got into the groove eventually but I would have enjoyed, say, a glossary or map. Definitely recommended for fantasy lovers or those interested in Norse mythology. I really enjoy Bear's work because I'm always pleasantly surprised at what she comes up with. This book is followed by two more in the series, By the Mountain Bound, a prequel, and a direct sequel called The Sea Thy Mistress.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
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1
| not set
| Jul 26, 2011
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Oct 09, 2011
| Hardcover
| |||||||||||||||
| 044619817X
| 9780446198172
| 3.82
| 3,766
| Jan 01, 2009
| May 29, 2009
|
(originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) I have mixed feelings about this one. I've read Carey's Kushiel's Dart a long time ago and I had mixe...more (originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) I have mixed feelings about this one. I've read Carey's Kushiel's Dart a long time ago and I had mixed feelings about that one, as well, but for different reasons. I really enjoyed Kushiel's Dart for the worldbuilding and plot, but had issue with the characters. In Santa Olivia I had issue with the worldbuilding and plot (and I suppose some characters). What I liked about it was the originality in setting (an Outpost where residents cannot go in or out due to the threat of war) between Mexico and the USA. I also liked the mythology used about the figure of Santa Olivia and how this played into the lives of the townspeople. My favorite part has to be the beginning where Loup's mother meets and falls in love with two men and has two children (not at the same time). I thought her struggles with life and romance was sympathetic and I admired her for the decisions she had to make. Where the book changed for me was when the focus changed to Loup. It became, not about a superhero (which I thought) but more of children orchestrating events to do good to some people or to send messages.Then, to me it seemed like it suddenly became a book about boxing. A good chunk of the novel focused on boxing and I definitely have no interest in that. I wasn't connected to Loup enough to care about her goal or her problems in her romance with Pilar. I would have rather seen more about the engineered men and the world outside Outpost, because in Outpost, there wasn't much going on at all (except boxing). I finished the book, which may be a surprised since I had a lot of negative things to say. It was interesting but I felt what I was interested in was always happening elsewhere or outside the view of the main characters. I liked the world that is hinted at but I needed more. If this is a series, I'd definitely be interested in continuing because I think the next books can only reveal more of the world. If someone is interested in a book with a strong female protagonist or a different take on werewolves and don't mind a lot of boxing, you will probably like this.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
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1
| not set
| Jul 11, 2011
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Oct 09, 2011
| Paperback
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| 1616142499
| 9781616142490
| 3.34
| 518
| Dec 2010
| Dec 01, 2010
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(originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) I first discovered The Buntline Special months ago after seeing the cover on various blogs. I was inte...more (originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) I first discovered The Buntline Special months ago after seeing the cover on various blogs. I was interested in the idea of a steampunk/wild west story. When I found out I could review it for Dreams and Speculation, I jumped at the chance. The premise of the book is simple: Thomas Edison and Ned Buntline have joined forces; Edison with his genius ideas and Buntline with his expert engineering skill. Together they have created multiple inventions such as carriages that need no horses, automatons, special guns and other steampunk gadgets. Their success has made them a target and so the US government whisks them away to Tombstone, to work on their technologies in hiding. While there, the Earps take the responsibility for protecting them, especially after Edison gets his arm shot off and then replaced with a mechanical arm. They enlist the help of the best in the business, Doc Holliday and Bat Masterson. The tale centres on Holliday and his experience in Tombstone; his encounters with the magic-using Native Americans, the Cowboys, and Kate Elder, who owns the local brothel. Unfortunately, the book did not work for me. It seems that it has the recipe right for a great action adventure story, but the execution failed. The writing is quick, smooth and overall easy to read, however, it is focused too much on dialogue. Often the dialogue between characters became bogged down by really cheesy statements. You might expect that from a western movie, but when reading a novel, it can get old really quickly. While you might also expect some great action, most of the book’s scenes take place in the saloon while characters ate breakfast or drank. I didn’t understand why there was so much time dedicated to these scenes. Even the big showdown at the end was disappointingly over in a page or two. Adding to that, there were many subplots integrated into the story to the point that the main plot was often pushed to the side. I found that this didn’t help the pacing since I often wondered where the story was going. Lastly, I thought that while some characters were interesting (Holliday, Geronimo), others were found lacking. One example is Kate Elder, the only female character of the book. I really wished she either had more development or there were other females. A lot of the females were the whores in Kate’s brothel, and even then, they were automatons! There was too much attention paid to the mechanical prostitutes rather than real human women. It made me wonder, who is that woman on the cover? Kate? I don’t think she ever left her brothel. Overall, I would say that Resnick missed the mark with The Buntline Special. If you’re a die hard western fan, I’d say try it, but don’t expect a lot of action. ARC was provided by Dreams and Speculation.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
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1
| not set
| Mar 21, 2011
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Oct 09, 2011
| Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 0765318695
| 9780765318695
| 3.72
| 525
| Aug 12, 2009
| Aug 18, 2009
|
(originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) The novel starts off interestingly enough: we're introduced to Rosie Fox as a young girl whose family...more (originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) The novel starts off interestingly enough: we're introduced to Rosie Fox as a young girl whose family is from the fairy realm, accessed through the Gates. These Gates are closed to them by Lawrence, another Aetherial, due to his belief of evil lurking on the other side, ready to escape. Through the next 200 pages or so, we grow up with Rosie and her family and all the drama that goes with it. It reminded me of a soap opera, where all the characters are fae, yet they merely only talk about it. It's rare we get to see any Aetherial action. Enormous amount of time is spent on love affairs, adultery, and drugs. I felt this annoyance in the plot events was doubled by the fact that I never really liked Rosie. Everyone would say how nice and good a person she is, but she's rather selfish, passive and abrasive. I never understood why she made certain desicions such as those relating to her romantic life. I felt like drama was created for the sake of drama. I also didn't care for Sam very much: the stereotypical bad boy the main female character can't help fall in love (or lust) with. For 200-something pages we are given all this backstory and I ultimately stopped reading for lack of movement of the main plot: getting the Gates open or defeating the evil presence beyond them. I wasn't interested in the family saga.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
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1
| not set
| Mar 2011
|
Oct 09, 2011
| Hardcover
| |||||||||||||||
| 1596063238
| 9781596063235
| 3.71
| 131
| Dec 31, 2010
| Dec 31, 2010
|
(originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) This novella takes place in Bear's New Amsterdam world. I haven't read this author or that collection...more (originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) This novella takes place in Bear's New Amsterdam world. I haven't read this author or that collection yet, so this is doubly new to me. This is published after New Amsterdam, and although I didn't find it confusing, it might be better to read its predecessor first. Bear has created a unique and intriguing world, taking place at the turn of the 20th century. In this world, there exist vampires, one of which is Don Sebastien de Ulloa. Each vampire has a court where mortals are chosen to become companions to these vampires. Members of the court wear rings that contain a signature gem of the vampire to show their allegiance. This society is lightly touched on, probably more has been revealed in the previous collection, New Amsterdam. I would have liked to have seen more about this world and how it works. Primarily, this novella is about a mystery. The story is divided into two times, 1897 and 1903, and two murders that are somehow connected. The mystery aspect of this story is very prominent, giving room for little else. I thought the mystery was good and kept me turning the page, however, there was no mind-blowing reveal that I had hoped for. I felt like it flowed nicely but there was never any intensity or sense of danger for any of the characters. What was the most enjoyable about The White City was the setting: Moscow. Bear deftly created an animated and lively setting, poised for revolution. Another was the character Doctor Abigail Irene Garrett, the forensic sorcerer. She uses her mystical abilities to discover evidence of a crime, such as scanning the aura of an object to see who has come into contact with it. I found it very entertaining and original, but alas, she did not feature as big a part as I would have liked. Overall, I found Bear's writing to be very delightful, however, I think it could have been more exciting. I think this world she has created has something for those interested in mysteries with a dash of fantasy, especially if you like vampires. I would like to check out New Amsterdam one day, if only to read more about Abby Irene. I received an ARC through a contest with the author.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
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1
| not set
| Jan 18, 2011
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Oct 09, 2011
| Hardcover
| |||||||||||||||
| 0451463307
| 9780451463302
| 4.12
| 4,018
| Mar 10, 2010
| Apr 27, 2010
|
(originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) I've had some previous experience with Kay. My first was when I tried to read the first book in the F...more (originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) I've had some previous experience with Kay. My first was when I tried to read the first book in the Fionavar Tapestry, The Summer Tree, and failed miserably twice. I just couldn't get into it. After reading Under Heaven, perhaps another attempt would turn out differently. The other experience involved reading Ysabel and not liking it as much as others have. Anyways, what I mean to say is that Under Heaven was a much different experience. I was immersed in a story of the Tang Dynasty, built on the foundation of extraordinary characters. This is what held me through the long trek through the retelling (with liberty) of the An Shi Rebellion; I really fell in love with many characters and became attached to their stories. One of these characters is Shen Tai, the one who receives the gift of 250 Sardian horses. Although not the most equipped in society after being away for so long, he really is a clever and direct man whom I really came to support throughout the story. Kay also creates his female characters exquisitely: Spring Rain, the concubine of first minister Wen Zhou and previous lover of Shen Tai. She's foreign, savvy and definitely not the typical submissive concubine one might expect. Another is Wei Song (perhaps my favorite), a Kanlin warrior not afraid to speak her mind and thoroughly capable of taking care of herself in a harsh world for women. Lastly, there's Li-Mei, sister to Tai, who deals with her unfortunate circumstances with grace and dignity. Another major aspect of the story that I loved was the political intrigue. This comes from my love of historical fiction and I was happy to see it very well done in this historical fantasy. Through Tai we see the maneuverings of the emperor and those close to him and how 250 Sardian horses can change many people's lives. I thought there was a lot of suspense and I found myself often reading on for hours just to find out how it would all turn out. As you can see, I was really engrossed in this story. I loved diving into it and being immersed in a fictionalized Chinese culture in a faraway time. However, one major problem is that it is very dense, thus requiring a lot of attention and concentration. Kay's prose is pleasant, satisfying and often quite moving, but the story is told from somewhat sporadic points of view. It wasn't enough to make me put down the book, but I wished that the story was more condensed and concise than it was. I've come to think of this book as a glimpse of another world and time. Sometimes the story goes in different directions. I think ultimately it is an experience rather than a story about a specific person. Read this if you want to be immersed in a different sort of fantasy with large connections to Tang Dynasty and if you have the patience to read the whole thing. There are many instances of greatness in this book that shouldn't be missed. Copy was borrowed from the library.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| not set
| Jan 03, 2011
|
Oct 09, 2011
| Hardcover
| |||||||||||||||
| 076532718X
| 9780765327185
| 3.66
| 236
| Oct 11, 2011
| Oct 11, 2011
|
(originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) In Eyes to See, there are a lot of things Nassise does right. The choice of first person POV is one o...more (originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) In Eyes to See, there are a lot of things Nassise does right. The choice of first person POV is one of them, since getting into Jeremiah Hunt's head is the bread and butter of this story. I really liked his voice, his struggles, and his humor. The POV does change near the end quite often, which I thought disrupted my enjoyment a little. I often preferred seeing things (no pun intended) through Jeremiah's perspective, since his was unique. He traded his eyesight of the normal world in return to see that of the other world, the one where all the ghosts and creatures we only heard stories about are. Eyes to See takes place in the past and present distinguished by "Then" and "Now" chapters, one telling the story of how Jeremiah came to be in this place, when his daughter went missing years before. The other is the present time while he is working as an exorcist while also helping the police solve crimes while hopping for more information about his daughter's disappearance. I really liked the "Then" chapters, since they were so heartbreaking, raw and real. Another aspect I thought was done well was the mystery. I really didn't know what to expect at the end, and that kept me reading. I wanted Jeremiah to succeed in solving the mystery of his missing daughter. Along the way we discover more things about this world, which is a pretty standard urban fantasy setting. It contains magic and various paranormal creatures. Unfortunately I thought Jeremiah to be the most interesting because we knew more about why he came to be what he is. Where the book faltered for me was finding enough interest in this world. While I thought there were unique ideas and a good protagonist, I wanted the other characters and world building to be stronger. For example, I thought Denise, the main female character, to be a little too predictable and not very developed. After reading this series debut, I feel a bit on the fence. I liked some things and didn't like others, but I'm leaning towards a more positive opinion of this book. I feel like it's not completely there yet, but that I want to read more to see it get there. Nassise wraps up the mystery quite nicely while leaving room to continue the series and I believe that it could be headed in a great direction. If you are looking for that popular urban fantasy setting with an entertaining and humorous male protagonist, then this is for you. Review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| Nov 09, 2011
| Nov 25, 2011
|
Oct 04, 2011
| Hardcover
| |||||||||||||||
| 0060733489
| 9780060733483
| 4.00
| 2,989
| Feb 1993
| Nov 23, 2004
|
(originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) This novel is seperated into four parts spanning the years from 2008 to approximately 2091. It follow...more (originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) This novel is seperated into four parts spanning the years from 2008 to approximately 2091. It follows the story of a group of genetically modified children who were created to not need sleep (called Sleepless), but who are also of superior intelligence than the rest of humanity. By covering so much time, Kress is able to explore their creation, their persecution, their evolution, and everything inbetween. On top of the ideas surrounding genetic modification, there also is the underlying theme of how you treat others and how society should work. This is where the title comes from, to the Sleepless, unenhanced humans are beggars since they cannot begin to compete with them in terms of economic and intellectual power. The question that arises is, should you offer charity to the beggars in Spain? There are characters that take different stances on how Sleepless should conduct themselves in a world where they are a minority, but in fact control most of the economy. I found the entire novel fascinating, and in particular, I loved following Leisha Camden's (one of the original Sleepless) journey. Kress creates an intricate web of characters that illustrate how nearly 100 years of genetic modification can change our world. I found myself steadily interested throughout the book, but Part IV titled 'Beggars' really catapulted this book into awesome territory for me. This is the type of science fiction book I live for - one that offers unique scientific ideas (sleeplessness) and uses that to further ideas on our society. I was absorbed in Kress' view of our future based on these scientific ideas, but also on her ideas about people and what drives us into community or self-preservation. On top of that, I felt this novel had one of the most satisfying and exciting endingsI have ever read. I would definitely recommend this book to others interested in genetic modification, or just looking for a novel that speculates on our future over many years. This books is part of a trilogy, but I don't know if will continue, just because I feel so satisfied with Beggars in Spain as a standalone. We shall see. My copy was borrowed from the library.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| Oct 04, 2011
| Oct 09, 2011
|
Oct 04, 2011
| Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 0765327228
| 9780765327222
| 3.89
| 2,575
| Sep 27, 2011
| Sep 27, 2011
|
(originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) As you can see, I didn't have much luck with this book despite it being on my most anticipated reads...more (originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) As you can see, I didn't have much luck with this book despite it being on my most anticipated reads from BEA this year. I really wanted to be absorbed into Victorian London and experience through the eyes of Tiki, the main character, but it never worked out. Tiki is a street kid living in an abandoned shop with a few other orphaned children. They have to steal to live and often go hungry. I liked that the author chose to tell this story from that angle, rather than the more common tale from the point of view of nobility. However, I never really feared for them, since they always managed to steal enough money or objects for their plans, such as Tiki going to a ball. I thought this was a little hard to believe, and undermined the potential grittiness. However, the bigger issue I had and the reason I set the book aside was that by page 176, barely anything had happened. We only see glimpses of the fey and we spend more time reading about Tiki think about what to do to help her friends and what to do with the ring (which doesn't really have any effect on the story by then anyway). This book has gotten great reviews so far and it seems I'm in the minority. I just couldn't invest more time after feeling like the story was going on and on without any action or movement of the main plot. I wish there had been more magic in the first couple hundred pages. Review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| Sep 24, 2011
| Sep 30, 2011
|
Sep 24, 2011
| Hardcover
| |||||||||||||||
| 0316134023
| 9780316134026
| 4.09
| 53,231
| Sep 27, 2011
| Sep 27, 2011
|
(originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) This is one of those times where I'm going to have to reign in all my giddy fangirlishness and try an...more (originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) This is one of those times where I'm going to have to reign in all my giddy fangirlishness and try and make this sound like a proper review. But I really, really want to squee all over this page but I suppose that's not the best way to get people interested in reading this book... I would say there are two major things about Daughter of Smoke and Bone which easily makes this an awesome read: world building and the prose. I never heard of Taylor before, but she surprised me with this world she geniusly created. It's set in Prague and centers round Karou, our aquamarine-haired protagonist who loves art and whose adopted family is a set of chimaera. Her father-figure is Brimstone, a creature part man, part stag and who knows what else. Karou often runs errands for him, using the portal of to his workshop as a means to travel around the world. She picks up teeth for him, all kinds of teeth. She doesn't know what he uses it for, but he often trades wishes to clients who bring him teeth of various species. In this world, wishes are like a currency, the lowest being a scuppy, that can only manage something like turning hair a different color. But this world is hidden from ours and Karou is the only one who seems to know it exists, until she meets another mysterious player, Akiva. Akiva's a seraphim and somehow connected to this other world, but he is also her enemy. The seraphim are at war against the chimaera and so there's natural tension between him and Karou, but they also can't help but be attracted to each other. I really loved Karou's world as we see it through her life. However, she's been kept in the dark about her past and so have we and much of the story is about her discovering who she is and where she came from. This was expertly done by Taylor who provides a thrilling action-packed story filled with the glamour of Prague and the magic of a world elsewhere. The only issues I had with this novel is how prominent the romance became after the first half of the book and the fact that the book doesn't really end. We are left to wait for the second book to find out what happens in Karou's story. I definitely recommend Daughter of Smoke and Bone to readers looking for a magical story. It's a great read for young adults and adults alike. I hope to read the next novel in the series and to get closure on some of the events and also hope to see the romance fleshed out a bit more. Review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| Sep 21, 2011
| Sep 27, 2011
|
Sep 21, 2011
| Hardcover
| |||||||||||||||
| 0451464044
| 9780451464040
| 3.54
| 993
| Sep 06, 2011
| Sep 06, 2011
|
(originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) This novel opens with Lily, a wraith and assassin to the Blood Lord Lucius, attempting to kill the su...more (originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) This novel opens with Lily, a wraith and assassin to the Blood Lord Lucius, attempting to kill the sunmage Simon DuCaine. She fails, and finds herself flirting with the idea of leaving the Blood Lord's domain, although she feels like she doesn't have much of a choice in the matter. She was abandoned to him by her mother because of her being born a wraith, a creature despised by most of better society. The Blood Lord keeps her captive against her will and she struggles with the choices of leaving him, for fear of her safety and for those who might help her. This is how the plot is set up. We are also given the world Lily lives in, which was definitely different than I thought it would be. I thought this was a urban fantasy, but it turns out it's more of a gaslight fantasy; it's set in a partly-familiar world, almost Victorian, but contains many magical and paranormal elements like vampires, mages, fae and werewolves. I really enjoyed this surprise and came to really love the world Scott created. All the species that co-exist in the city, including humans, get along through a treaty set up and monitored mainly by the fae. The novel also includes these politics, since the Blood Lord is not abiding by the rules set by the treaties and so he's becoming a bigger and bigger threat, especially to humans. This is a concern of Simon, the sunmage, and also a reason he wants Lily to help him expose the Blood Lord and his crimes. The things I liked most are the unique world-building (as I mentioned above) but also the romance. I think Simon and Lily have pretty good chemistry and while they were two star-crossed lovers, a wraith and a sunmage, I believed in their romance. I especially liked Simon, he's a sunmage, but also a healer. I thought it was fun that the female was the assassin and the male was a healer, despite the trope of the woman always being a healer in fantasy. There was a few things I had problems with. First, the novel is in two first person point of views: Lily's and Simon's. While I don' have anything against it personally, I just found I was often confused of who's head we were in and when the point of view changed, I was mildly disoriented. The other problem I had was Lily's weakness towards the Blood Lord and her lack of confidence. I understand she's had a bad past (which was almost a little too contrived in itself) but I would have liked to see her empowered more by the end of it. Overall, I really enjoyed this debut from Scott. Scott has created a fascinating society that includes an array of magical creatures and pulls it off expertly. While I had some conflictions with the point of view and the main character, Lily, I was really absorbed in the romance between her and Simon and the politics of the Half-Light City. It's a great gaslight adventure and I look forward to the sequel, Blood Kin, out next year. Review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| Sep 08, 2011
| Sep 25, 2011
|
Sep 08, 2011
| Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 0765328283
| 9780765328281
| 3.48
| 65
| Sep 13, 2011
| Sep 13, 2011
|
(3.5 stars) (originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) I don't I ever reviewed an anthology before and so I struggled with how I would review this...more (3.5 stars) (originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) I don't I ever reviewed an anthology before and so I struggled with how I would review this one. I decided not to review each story individually since I think this book works better as a whole and so I'll review it as such. I really enjoyed most of these stories. Of course there were a few that I didn't care for but I found new authors that I never heard of before. What this anthology offers is a great array of tales of vapirism that don't always focus on blood as the essence of choice. In fact, I think most of the stories that did not involve traditional blood seeking vampires to be the most interesting. In particular, I enjoyed the story Keeping Corky by Melanie Tem, a story about a mentally disabled mom who had to give up her child to adoption and how she struggles to connect with him while those around her are influenced by her determination. I also really liked the story The Third Always Beside You by John Langan, about a family affected by a father's infedility, and how this lasts long after the other women passes away. Here is the entire line up: All You Can Do is Breathe by Kaaron Warren Needles by Elizabeth Bear Baskerville’s Midgets by Reggie Oliver (reprint) Blood Yesterday, Blood Tomorrow by Richard Bowes X For Demetrious by Steve Duffy Keeping Corky by Melanie Tem Shelf-Life by Lisa Tuttle Caius by Bill Pronzini & Barry N. Malzberg Sweet Sorrow by Barbara Roden First Breath by Nicole J. LeBoeuf Toujours by Kathe Koja Miri by Steve Rasnic Tem Mrs. Jones by Carol Emshwiller (reprint) Bread and Water by Michael Cisco Mulberry Boys by Margo Lanagan The Third Always Beside You by John Langan The Siphon by Laird Barron After rating each story individually, the average rating was a B. I enjoyed most of the stories but there were a few great and and a few not so great, but the majority ran down the middle. I tended to enjoy the more creepy stories, but there were also more urban fantasy type stories, others more horror and some just plain weird. It's a good anthology and I would recommend it if the theme interests you. Review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| Sep 04, 2011
| Sep 15, 2011
|
Sep 04, 2011
| Hardcover
| |||||||||||||||
| 073872341X
| 9780738723419
| 3.65
| 732
| Sep 01, 2011
| Sep 08, 2011
|
(originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) Recently I haven't had much luck with the popular young adult dystopias that have been released. It re...more (originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) Recently I haven't had much luck with the popular young adult dystopias that have been released. It really started to get me down since I wanted to read a good YA dystopia. Then I read The Pearl Wars and that was it. This debut novel from Nick James really has it all. There's wonderful worldbuilding. About one hundred years in the future, America is unrecognizable. The Surface was devastated by war and now run by a corrupt government while their opposition live in the sky onboard Skyships. Both depend on Pearls, glowing orbs that fall from space and can power a whole city. I mean, doesn't this just sound cool? Not only that, it all makes sense. We find out way more about this future world and where the Pearls come from, which I never saw coming. All the while I was reading this book I just felt like James had thought out and created such a fantastic world that really gave the other dystopias a run for their money. Other aspects I enjoyed about The Pearl Wars were the main characters. Jesse, a boy attending the Skyship Academy, struggles with self-confidence and his feelings for a girl named Avery. I really liked Jesse even though I thought he was often hard on himself and felt he grew a lot from the beginning to the end of the book. Cassius, on the other hand, has no issue with confidence or self-doubt, but he has his own demons to face. Overall I felt these two were the most fleshed out out of all the characters. In the future books I'd like to see more on Eva, Jesse's kickass friend. Also, I felt that since this story didn't have such a prominent romance (there's some, but it's not the focus) we really got to experience some great worldbuilding, action and adventure. Not that you can have that along with romance, but it was nice to see a young adult dystopia not entirely focused on a romance. Really, this is a great new dystopia along with some great science fiction elements. The ending left me wanting more: more about the characters, the world, and what will happen next. For anyone who's wanted a young adult dystopia with more meat on its bones, this is it. I loved it. I hope that a sequel will be coming out in the near future! Review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| not set
| Sep 04, 2011
|
Aug 27, 2011
| Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 0312546602
| 9780312546601
| 4.05
| 8,621
| Jan 01, 2011
| Aug 02, 2011
|
(originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) The Dark-Hunter novels have been around a long time (this one is #20, wow!) and I always wanted to re...more (originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) The Dark-Hunter novels have been around a long time (this one is #20, wow!) and I always wanted to read them. This was my first experience and I was really intrigued by the world building. Dark Hunters are undead beings ressurected by Artemis to protect humans, mostly from Daimons (Appolites that live past their 27th birthday by feeding on souls of humans) and I liked this idea since Dark Hunters have many similar attributes to vampires. Seeing them as a force of good was different and fun. I wish this was more apparent; this novel seemed to focus more on the story of the Guardians, which is somewhat based on Native American mythology. Anyways, the two main characters, Sundown (a gunslinger from the Wild West - he's now immortal because he's a Dark-Hunter) and Abigail (raised by Appolites to belive Dark-Hunters were evil) had some good chemistry that lead to the romance that developed between them. I liked their early interactions, but then at some point, it became a romance where they loved each other after too little time. I wish it was played out more but I suppose it had to go along with the very short timeline of the plot. Also, this being paranormal romance, I expected there to be more steamy romance but it was really toned down. I don't know if this is the best novel to jump into the series with since it didn't proivde much of the Dark-Hunter side of things and that is what I found really interesting. This was a decent quick read as my firsst experience with the Dark-Hunter series. I met characters from previous books I'd love to get to know more about and so I will check out the backlist. For my recommendation, I'd say give it a try if you're interested in the premise but perhaps the earlier books might be better.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| not set
| Aug 23, 2011
|
Aug 18, 2011
| Mass Market Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 1442423730
| 9781442423732
| 3.88
| 2,238
| Sep 13, 2011
| Sep 13, 2011
|
(originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) There are many things that attracted me to Drink, Slay, Love. The cover is really nice and gives off...more (originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) There are many things that attracted me to Drink, Slay, Love. The cover is really nice and gives off the light, amusing feel of the story. Then I read the synopsis and found it perfectly clever that this story is about a vampire named Pearl who is stabbed by a were-unicorn's horn, and starts to develop tendancies that would suggest a soul. I wasn't disappointed with this either, once the scene came around: "Despite the thick shadows by the dumpsters, he sparkled like a horse-shaped disco ball. His traditional spiral horn beamed like a toy light saber." (p. 8) I found myself reading with a smirk on my face because Durst references so many well-known vampire tropes. I really liked that things were poked fun at and it made the story more enjoyable, that it wasn't just following a tread, but commenting on it. While the humor and wit of the story is what really grabbed me, I found that what sustained me throughout was the universal nature of Pearl's growth. Yes, she's a vampire but her whole situation is what most young adults are going through (and even some adults). She finds she different from everyone and her parents are pressuring her to be one thing, to follow the family's path. On the other hand, the human friends she makes are pulling her the other way. It's her story of self-discovery and trying to find a place in the world. What I also really liked about Pearl is that she didn't just get stabbed and "changed" by a were-unicorn's magic, it was a catalyst to her change, but instead of making her life change for her, it just spurred her into thinking about it. She really struggles with how to live her life, whether to suck the life out of people or to do something else. She doesn't exactly welcome the were-unicorns intervention, either. In a world where there are so many vampire books, I found this one to be rather refreshing. I loved the humor and the personal growth of the main character, Pearl. Along the way there's action, some romance (but it doesn't dominate) and overall I found it to be a smart story. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a light, entertaining read. Review copy of this book was provided by the author.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| Oct 13, 2011
| Oct 25, 2011
|
Aug 18, 2011
| Hardcover
| |||||||||||||||
| 0765329565
| 9780765329561
| 3.43
| 181
| Sep 01, 2011
| Sep 13, 2011
|
(3.5 stars) (originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) I've come away from The Highest Frontier feeling very dichotomous about the book. Overall,...more (3.5 stars) (originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) I've come away from The Highest Frontier feeling very dichotomous about the book. Overall, I did enjoy this book very much but I alo had some reservations. I'll start by saying that there are many awesome things Slonczewski did with this story. It follows Jenny Ramos Kennedy, a college student from a family of politicians and presidents, who loves plants and goes to study at Frontera College. Frontera is located in a spacehab ('space habitat') and is accessible by going up an anthrax lift. There we meet many interesting characters: Dylan, the college president and his partner, Father Clare, the college chaplain. Then there's the eccentric roomate, Mary Dryer, and Jenny's best frend, Anouk. One of the advertised benefits of Frontera is that there are no ultraphytes, alien organisms that have been populating on Earth. However, Frontera isn't as perfect as everyone's made it out to be and slowly, Jenny finds out there are issues going on in the spacehab. Politics and religion is another large part of the book. Through Jenny we witness the presidental election on Earth, mostly between two parties: the religious Centrists who don't believe in outer space and Unity, the part of Jenny's ancestors. What I really enjoyed is the mix of politics and religion in a futuristic world where often times religion is replaced by science. That's not the case here. There are still many conflicts between church and state despite it being around a century in the future. But the aspect I liked the most about this book is the science. Slonczewski injects this future world with so much interesting and fun concepts that it really kept me reading out of sheer fascination. Biology is a big part of this world, where ultraphytes are mixing DNA with Earth life and Jenny spends a lot of her time with her Life class professor learning about organisms. Everyone wears a diad on their head where they use their brain to navigate the Toyworld, a virtual place where you can chat with people, watch news and basically do anything you could think of. The only downside that I found to The Highest Frontier is that we don't pass through too much time (about one semester of college) and the story moves at a slow pace. There wasn't a specific plotline. Instead we follow Jenny through school and through her political life, learning as much as we can about this world. I would have liked to see a bigger climax at the end, but I did feel the conclusion was satisfying enough. Like I said earlier, I have mixed feelings. I thought this was one of the most interesting and unique science fiction books I ever read and I really appreciate it for that. There isn't always a lot of action or a clear direction in plot, but it's supplemented by grabbing your attention with a myriad of ideas and concepts that Slonczewski has thought up. I would recommend this book for people looking for more hard science fiction with a great side dish of poltics and religion. However, if you're looking for an easy, fast-paced action book with a clear storyline, then this isn't for you. Review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| not set
| Oct 30, 2011
|
Aug 18, 2011
| Hardcover
| |||||||||||||||
| 1936460017
| 9781936460014
| 3.62
| 156
| Jan 22, 2011
| Jan 25, 2011
|
3.5 stars (originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) When I was approached by new speculative fiction publisher Candlemark & Gleam to review...more 3.5 stars (originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) When I was approached by new speculative fiction publisher Candlemark & Gleam to review Broken, I knew I had to try it. It's superhero fiction set around one hundred years in the future. The first thing that really caught my eye about Broken was the raw and clever voice of the author. The story is told in just the right amount of detail without going overboard with what could be an info-dump disaster. I was often smiling at the straightforward and magnetic way the story of Broken is told. Broken, one of the main characters, is a former superhero who's lost her ability to fly and so she lives on the streets, never able to just die because of her other ability, super regeneration. She medicates herself with booze. Eventually a young man named Michael, traveling with a baby, finds her and pleads her for help. He's seen her in his visions of the future and knows she must help him get the baby off Earth to the colony of Valen in order to prevent horrible war. The plot revolves around getting baby Ian off the planet while Broken and Michael are on the run from the government who is also looking for him. One hundred years in the future is a nasty place run by a corrupt governement. Even the leading superhero, Sky Ranger, is working with them. Everyday people are at risk, especially those associated with the old political party, the UNP. Their adventure is a harsh one, with many consequences, and I was engrossed all the way. I wish the end didn't come so quick. There are still answers I'm looking for, such as why Broken lost her ability to fly. Is it psychological or is something else going on? How were the Extrahumans created or how did they evolve? What's happened in Earth's past? I really enjoyed Broken and would recommend it to those looking for a great superhero story with good world-building. Some say this is a young adult novel (maybe because Michael is around 16 years old), but I never got that feeling. It could be good for young adults or older, but it is definitely a gritty story. I thought the ending was great, especially with the ways Bigelow used Michael's visions as a way to foreshadow and also lead us astray. Even though you see glimpses of the future, I never saw some things coming. There's a sequel coming out called Fly Into Fire which I'd like to read and find out more about this world. Review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| Oct 09, 2011
| Oct 13, 2011
|
Aug 16, 2011
| ebook
| |||||||||||||||
| 0765330423
| 9780765330420
| 4.17
| 16,074
| Nov 08, 2011
| Nov 08, 2011
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(originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) One of the most intriguing things about this fourth Mistborn novel is that it’s set about three hundr...more (originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) One of the most intriguing things about this fourth Mistborn novel is that it’s set about three hundred years in the future from the last book, Hero of the Ages. The characters of the trilogy we’ve come to know and love are legends, myths or religious figureheads (sometimes all three). I wanted to see what Sanderson did with this since one of my favorite things about his stories is the religions he creates and how they integrate into the society. I’m not disappointed with this; there are many nods towards the previous books through the new culture. The Mistborn world has advanced since the events of Hero of the Ages and now there are trains, guns, and other steampunkish technology. This makes for great entertainment since the magic systems are all based on metals. We see two of the systems featured prominently, Allomancy and Feruchemy. Allomancy is the ability to burn certain metals (by ingesting them) and each metal has its own effect. For instance, burning steel gives the Allomancer the ability to push on metallic objects. Feruchemy uses metal to store power (it’s not consumed in the process). You could use gold to store health, so when you really need it, you can heal yourself. That’s right, the Mistborn series has not one awesome magic system but three! Although the third isn’t mentioned that much in The Alloy of Law. Aside from the setting and magic systems, I really enjoyed the plot. It follows Wax and his friend Wayne (yes, that’s really their names), who worked together in the outskirts of town keeping the peace. There’s a very western feel to this story, with hats, dusters, guns and shootouts. It fits the setting very well. Wax and Wayne inadvertently come across a series of robberies and they team up with a character named Marasi to solve the crimes. Wax is definitely the exalted hero type and Wayne was the snarky sidekick. I think I would like to see more of these characters to give them more time to develop, but I feel like the purpose of this novel was to give us more Mistborn and also tell an exciting action-packed story. I really loved it. There were so many awesome tidbits such as the references to the past books and even newspaper prints placed throughout the book. It really added to the western feel. I'm not a Wheel of Time fan, so when this came out I was super excited to read it, since I don't know when there will be more Mistborn books. I don't think this is the end though. I loved what Sanderson did with the setting and he created a fun mystery packed with Allomancy and Feruchemy to satisfy me until the next book comes out. Review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.(less) | Notes are private!
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1
| Dec 14, 2011
| Dec 23, 2011
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Aug 16, 2011
| Hardcover
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| 0545151465
| 9780545151467
| 3.82
| 1,270
| Aug 01, 2011
| Aug 01, 2011
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Originally posted on starmetal oak book blog. This book starts off in Abby's point of view while she starts high school. She is like many teenagers who...more Originally posted on starmetal oak book blog. This book starts off in Abby's point of view while she starts high school. She is like many teenagers who have low self-esteem, problems at home with the family, but is generally an all around good student. She doesn't do drugs or drink and she gets great grades. Even so, she is targeted and groomed online by a predator posing as someone who claims to understand her home problems and fills that void for her. Soon after, the situation escalates and the point of view switches between Abby's younger sister and her best friend. We see how lives can be disrupted and destroyed as easily as someone logging into a chat room and saying the right things to a vulnerable child. This is a hard review to write because I can't say I enjoyed the book. It was gut-wrenching and hard to see Abby go through things that I think many young girls go through; lonliness and lack of self-confidence. However, Littman does a great job in describing the grooming process and how a star student can be made to do things she would never normally do. We also see how this effects the family and friends in the aftermath of such a situation. I believed the story that Littman told and I think a lot went into the research of writing about online predators and how they work. I really felt connected to Abby because I was a lot like her at that age and it made me think what would have happened if I had been targeted the way she was. It shows that anyone can fall prey to these online predators. While the subject matter of this book can be rough and graphic at times, I think this is great book for young adults and their parents, one they could read and talk about after. It provides a gripping story and yet is informative and certainly a wake up call for parents out there. I wouldn't advise anyone sensitive to the issue of sexual assult to read this because it can be explicit. A copy of this book was provided by the publisher. (less) | Notes are private!
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1
| not set
| Aug 13, 2011
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Aug 15, 2011
| Hardcover
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| 0441020917
| 9780441020911
| 3.67
| 737
| Sep 27, 2011
| Sep 27, 2011
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(originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) There are some really great things I enjoyed about Sins of the Angels and just a few things I think c...more (originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) There are some really great things I enjoyed about Sins of the Angels and just a few things I think could be improved upon. The story follows protagonist Alex Jarvis, a Toronto police detective who's following a string of brutal murders with no leads on the killer. Our other protagonist is Aramael, a Power (an angel of the sixth choir) who is sent to protect Alex from the serial killer she's searching for. Aramael, being a Power, doesn't interfere with humans (that's for the lowly Guardians), and has an issue with this mission but tries to get through it since he is also hunting the serial killer, who happens to be a Fallen Angel. This causes a lot of tension between Alex and Aramael, of course, and then there's the attraction they share to each other. I really liked the the characters, especially Alex, since she's a tough cop but she's not without flaws. She finds herself overwhelmed from her case and this is made worse by Aramael since she can see his true form if they touch. She thinks she's losing her grip on reality because insanity runs in her family. I also liked the world building. Out of all the paranormal races (vampires, werewolves, etc) I like angels the most. I think they could be used more so I was glad to see a book based on that mythology. The angel hierarchy resembles the Christian one but with changes and also includes a history of the past thousands of years existing with humans. I think this mythology is nicely woven into the book that also has a feeling of a crime novel since most of it is spent trying to solve all these murders. Some of the issues I had with the book is that a lot of the conflict the characters feel is created by them not telling the truth to one another. This is sort of a pet peeve of mine (I always say: why can't they just say it!) and it creates some fustration for me. I would have liked to see things resolved more between Alex and Aramael sooner in the story so we could have a better payoff at the end. The novel also ends wide open for another sequel and maybe I'm just impatient but I would have loved to see more closure. I'd definitely recommend Sins of the Angels for urban fantasy lovers, but I warn you: you will like the characters and may wish more from them that you won't get possibly until later installments in the series. It's a fast-paced read and filled with good world building and action to move the story along. I'll definitely be picking up the next book in the series when it comes out (I just have to find out what happens, darn it!) Review copy of this book was provided by Goodreads.(less) | Notes are private!
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1
| not set
| Sep 13, 2011
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Aug 01, 2011
| Mass Market Paperback
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| 184737459X
| 9781847374592
| 3.82
| 9,670
| Sep 15, 2011
| Sep 15, 2011
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(originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) 3.5 stars At first, I wasn't really sure about reading this book because it is the third in the series...more (originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog) 3.5 stars At first, I wasn't really sure about reading this book because it is the third in the series and I hadn't read the first two (though, not for lack of wanting). It worked out since this novel follows Jacquetta, mother of Elizabeth Woodville and so takes place before the other two books (The White Queen and The Red Queen). I had read Gregory many times before, including all her Tudor books and so I was anxious to see what she'd done with the War of the Roses era. I wasn't disappointed. In fact, I felt this novel had a different feel from her previous books. I thought there was a lot of focus on telling the story of what happened politically during that time, rather than focusing too much on romance or drama between characters. The characters are brought to life and I felt connected to Jacquetta, a strong woman and mother, and her friend and Queen, Margaret of Anjou. I even found that I came enjoy her detailed and adventurous account of the tumultuous time, catapulting this novel to one of my favourites of hers. I also liked that aside from the beginning of the story, there isn't much time spent on the supernatural aspects that Gregory often injects (or hints at) in her historical tales. I thought it was enough to keep it interesting but did not distract from the story being told. My only issue with the novel stem from some lulls in the story, often during the times when Jacquetta leaves court and thus, the action. I sometimes debated whether Jacquetta was a good choice for the point of view of the story, because while she is an interesting woman, there were times she was too far removed from the main plot of the story. I would have also liked to see her later life explored, where her husband and son are murdered. Rating: B- Overall, I really enjoyed this novel set in a time of political upheaval in England and I appreciated the focus on Jacquetta of Luxemburg. If you aren't sure about reading a story with references to Melusina for fear of detraction from the historical account, you could probably read this as I have an ignored what you are uncomfortable with. I recommend this to historical fiction fans and fans looking for a good War of the Roses read, and especially if you are already into the Cousin's War series. Review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.(less) | Notes are private!
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1
| Sep 27, 2011
| Oct 09, 2011
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Jul 27, 2011
| Hardcover
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