The Woodcutter took me into a realm that I have not really ventured into in a long time: the world of fairy tales. Lately, I have been more interested...moreThe Woodcutter took me into a realm that I have not really ventured into in a long time: the world of fairy tales. Lately, I have been more interested in fairy tales and I think that this book came at a good time in my book club. The story takes the perspective of the Woodcutter, a man we know of from many fairy tales. He is often the helper and in this book, he shines as the hero.
The Woodcutter is part of a realm of magic and the ordinary. He protects those who need it and respects the forest. The Woodcutter ventures out into the Wood and stumbles upon those in his daily routine (familiar faces from fairy tales, such as Snow White, Little Red Riding Hood, etc), but finds that their stories are not playing out in the same way that they usually do. Someone is killing (or trying to kill) those who are meant to take over certain kingdoms in their magical realm.
The Woodcutter intends to protect these people through true love or otherwise. He encounters help and he encounters foes (the Queen and Gentleman, for instance) and must overcome them to ensure that things be set right.
I really enjoyed how this story was written. Admittedly, there were many fairy tales thrown into one book (Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel, etc), but the Woodcutter was enchanting and the story itself was also. The chapters are short, but that makes the story move along more quickly and really made the reading go by smoothly. I definitely recommend it to any one who enjoys fairy tales and enjoys seeing the other side of them!(less)
I really liked these "preludes" to the novel Heirs of Mars. I have not yet read the novel in which these preludes are based, but the short s...moreI really liked these "preludes" to the novel Heirs of Mars. I have not yet read the novel in which these preludes are based, but the short stories definitely grabbed my attention and interest for the novel.
There are three short stories in this volume that describe the events leading up to Heirs of Mars. I was really intrigued by the culture of synthetic beings, as well as the "clones" that seem to infiltrate the bases on Mars. Mars also seems like a relatively unhappy or just plain boring place to live, especially for a kid. Not that this a bad thing; it just shows that a new "adventure" might not turn out as you expect it.
I definitely put Heirs of Mars on my to-read list. It seems like it will be a very interesting ride!(less)
L.A. Nocturne is a series of paranormal short stories. The stories start off with a real bang with the first one, about mobster vampires in LA. The st...moreL.A. Nocturne is a series of paranormal short stories. The stories start off with a real bang with the first one, about mobster vampires in LA. The story really pulled me in from the get-go, and with each of them, I found myself wanting to know more and wishing they were longer!
If you enjoy a quick read that has a paranormal twist with some interesting stories, I definitely recommend this! (less)
The Death of Torberta Turchin is a story about a young girl, Torberta (Torby), who can hear voices. Because she talks to these voices, her aunt and un...moreThe Death of Torberta Turchin is a story about a young girl, Torberta (Torby), who can hear voices. Because she talks to these voices, her aunt and uncle send her away to boarding school with children who also have certain mental problems. Torby enjoys spending time at boarding school, because less people treat her differently there.
At first, Torby is relatively content about her voices, who she believes are ghosts. I think it was fun to go along with Torby in figuring out if she was truly crazy or if she really could hear ghosts. When another boy comes to school who can actually see ghosts, Torby is finally convinced of the truth (though her friends were not). When bad things start to happen, we follow Torby through the troubles she faces.
The Death of Torberta Turchin was definitely an interesting and very good book. It was very well written and kept me wanting to read and find out more. I was kind of sad about the ending, though Torby seems to end up happy in the end. There were some questions left over at the end I would love to find out more about. (less)
I have to say that this was not one of my favorite novels by Jules Verne. After reading 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, I wanted to delve more into his ...moreI have to say that this was not one of my favorite novels by Jules Verne. After reading 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, I wanted to delve more into his books. However, this one was just plain boring in comparison.
Despite it being short, it took me forever to read. There was a lot of long-winded descriptions and not much action. Harry complained the whole adventure, wanting to turn back at every obstacle. I hate to say that I had higher expectations of this book based on the movies I have seen regarding it. I don't think this will stop me from reading Verne's novels, but if more turn out this way, I don't think I'll stick them through until the end. The only reason I didn't really put this one down was because of its length. (less)
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