http://www.goodreads.com/review/list_rss/1063661 en-US Wed, 20 Aug 2008 12:43:47 -0700 60 http://www.goodreads.com/ 200 41 http://www.goodreads.com/images/layout/gr_logo.gif 30206418 Wed, 20 Aug 2008 12:43:47 -0700 In the year 2018, a daring bank robbery has taken place at Hayek Associates. The suspects are a band of marauding orcs, with a dragon in tow for fire support, and the bank is located within the virtual reality land of Avalon Four. But Sergeant Sue Smith discovers that this virtual world robbery may be linked to some real world devastation.

The story is told from the perspective of three characters (and in the second-person style of video game instructions). There's Sargeant Sue Smith of Edinburgh's finest; Elaine Barnaby, a forensic accountant; game-developer Jack Reed (who has a few well-hidden secrets). This techno-crime thriller has a number interesting ideas (some of which are waaaay esoteric). Along the way, there are various terms like LARP, griefing, and nerfing that it helps to be aware of. It's pretty cool and of course, as the characters start digging into the mystery, it gets bigger and more dangerous. Although I'm not a gamer, I enjoyed the story, but I imagine gamers would get even more out of it. Much of the author's ideas seem all too plausible.
]]>
author: Charles Stross
name: Woodge
average rating: 5.33
book published: 2008
rating: 3
read at: 08/08
date added: 08/20/08
shelves: geek, sf
review:
From the back cover:
In the year 2018, a daring bank robbery has taken place at Hayek Associates. The suspects are a band of marauding orcs, with a dragon in tow for fire support, and the bank is located within the virtual reality land of Avalon Four. But Sergeant Sue Smith discovers that this virtual world robbery may be linked to some real world devastation.

The story is told from the perspective of three characters (and in the second-person style of video game instructions). There's Sargeant Sue Smith of Edinburgh's finest; Elaine Barnaby, a forensic accountant; game-developer Jack Reed (who has a few well-hidden secrets). This techno-crime thriller has a number interesting ideas (some of which are waaaay esoteric). Along the way, there are various terms like LARP, griefing, and nerfing that it helps to be aware of. It's pretty cool and of course, as the characters start digging into the mystery, it gets bigger and more dangerous. Although I'm not a gamer, I enjoyed the story, but I imagine gamers would get even more out of it. Much of the author's ideas seem all too plausible.

]]> 23203456 Wed, 20 Aug 2008 12:42:58 -0700
author: Patrick Rothfuss
name: Woodge
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2007
rating: 3
read at: 08/08
date added: 08/20/08
shelves: fantasy
review:
I found this fattie (736 pages) while clicking through the fantasy listings on Amazon. It came attached with gushing praise from many sources. Set in a medieval-like world (de rigeuer for fantasy), it's the story of Kvothe, a man who began his life in a troupe of traveling minstrels and actors and then later enters a university devoted to the study of magic. Kvothe relates his tale in three days to the Chronicler (so this is only a third of the story.) Rothfuss' story is engaging and detailed but the pacing is slow and the action is minimal. That said, I'll be reading the next installment when it becomes available. My wife's reading this now -- she had little options at the time -- and so far she finds it to be rather "dark."
]]> 28043142 Thu, 31 Jul 2008 07:32:33 -0700
author: Shannon Hale
name: Woodge
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2003
rating: 4
read at: 07/08
date added: 07/31/08
shelves: fantasy, recommended, young-adult
review:
The cover caught my eye and the blurbs drew me in. I found this in the Young Adult section while looking for something else. This fantasy story is a retelling of a Brothers Grimm tale (one I was not aware of beforehand). It's told in simple and poetic language and it's a fast read. Anidori-Kiladra, "Ani," is a crown princess from Kildenree sent on months-long journey to the kingdom of Bayern to be a bride for that kingdom's crown prince. But along the way, her scheming lady-in-waiting overthrows Ani's loyal guards with her own and assumes Ani's identity. Ani barely escapes with her life and eventually becomes a goose girl in Bayern while she tries to figure out a way to reclaim her name and position. I read the last 100 page all in a rush late into last night. This well-told story has a very exciting denouement and I'm looking forward to reading some of the author's other tales set in the kingdom of Bayern. In an appendix, the author has a Q & A and I learned she wasn't setting out to write a "young adult" novel. That whole genre can be a tricky label. Ofttimes I'd have no idea a book was intended for a younger audience if it wasn't stamped with that label. This would make for a good real aloud story.
]]> 28776839 Wed, 30 Jul 2008 13:12:17 -0700
author: H.G. Wells
name: Woodge
average rating: 3.50
book published: 1897
rating: 4
read at: 01/80
date added: 07/30/08
shelves: sf
review:
Read this in 10th grade. Enjoyed it. But if you want a great invisible man story, check out Memoirs of An Invisible Man by H.F. Saint.
]]> 28776701 Wed, 30 Jul 2008 13:11:05 -0700
author: H.G. Wells
name: Woodge
average rating: 3.67
book published: 1895
rating: 3
read at: 01/84
date added: 07/30/08
shelves: sf
review:

]]> 28314190 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 18:41:48 -0700
author: Robert Ludlum
name: Woodge
average rating: 3.71
book published: 1987
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 07/25/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 28314088 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 18:40:55 -0700
author: Robert Ludlum
name: Woodge
average rating: 3.54
book published: 1989
rating: 2
read at:
date added: 07/25/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 28314050 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 18:40:35 -0700
author: Robert Ludlum
name: Woodge
average rating: 3.82
book published: 1997
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 07/25/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 28314007 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 18:40:05 -0700
author: Robert Ludlum
name: Woodge
average rating: 3.79
book published: 1984
rating: 2
read at:
date added: 07/25/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 28313974 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 18:39:32 -0700
author: Robert Ludlum
name: Woodge
average rating: 3.66
book published: 1983
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 07/25/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 28313941 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 18:38:57 -0700
author: Robert Ludlum
name: Woodge
average rating: 3.56
book published: 1992
rating: 1
read at:
date added: 07/25/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 28313917 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 18:38:36 -0700
author: Robert Ludlum
name: Woodge
average rating: 3.40
book published: 1984
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 07/25/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 28313881 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 18:38:09 -0700
author: Robert Ludlum
name: Woodge
average rating: 3.75
book published: 1984
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 07/25/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 28313860 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 18:37:42 -0700
author: Robert Ludlum
name: Woodge
average rating: 3.88
book published: 1980
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 07/25/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 28313821 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 18:36:59 -0700
author: Robert Ludlum
name: Woodge
average rating: 3.94
book published: 1979
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 07/25/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 28245630 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 05:51:25 -0700
author: Sidney Sheldon
name: Woodge
average rating: 3.62
book published: 1997
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 07/25/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 28245577 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 05:49:50 -0700
author: Sidney Sheldon
name: Woodge
average rating: 3.45
book published: 1984
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 07/25/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 28245540 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 05:48:40 -0700
author: Sidney Sheldon
name: Woodge
average rating: 3.67
book published: 1975
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 07/25/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 28245530 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 05:48:23 -0700
author: Sidney Sheldon
name: Woodge
average rating: 3.76
book published: 1995
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 07/25/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 28245505 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 05:47:44 -0700
author: Sidney Sheldon
name: Woodge
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2005
rating: 2
read at:
date added: 07/25/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 28245448 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 05:46:07 -0700
author: Lemony Snicket
name: Woodge
average rating: 3.65
book published: 2000
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 07/25/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 28245446 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 05:46:02 -0700
author: Lemony Snicket
name: Woodge
average rating: 3.68
book published: 1999
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 07/25/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 28245444 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 05:45:59 -0700
author: Lemony Snicket
name: Woodge
average rating: 3.78
book published: 1999
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 07/25/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 28245435 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 05:45:49 -0700
author: Lemony Snicket
name: Woodge
average rating: 3.75
book published: 2000
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 07/25/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 27628120 Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:31:30 -0700
author: Robert Devereaux
name: Woodge
average rating: 3.55
book published: 2000
rating: 3
read at: 07/08
date added: 07/24/08
shelves: fantasy, horror
review:
Definitely one of the oddest books I've read. This book (which is categorized in the Horror genre) is about a lusty Santa Claus who carries on a highly libidinous affair with the Tooth Fairy. And to complicate things, Santa's exploits are making the Easter Bunny crazy with jealousy. The Easter Bunny is, of course, a giant rabbit with the ability to become invisible but his only paramour is a self-made model he's named Petunia, made from wire mesh and bunny excrement. Oh, and of course Mrs. Claus finds out and gets royally ticked. She enacts a memorable revenge. This book is like some bizarre dream dripping with explicit sex, gruesome scenes of gory horror, and a benevolent Santa who enjoys taking time out from his yearly rounds to indulge himself in hours of carnality with the twisted but curvaceous Tooth Fairy. It's kind of like a Penthouse letter mixed with Clive Barker and a fairy tale. It's hard to imagine upstanding citizens reading this book and not hurling it from them with a disgusted look. But there's also some cons to this book: it's a little overlong for such a simple plot and Mrs. Claus' actions aren't always in character. I would not recommend this book to anyone who's offended by graphic sex and violence or blasphemy. But if you're looking for something truly odd then this fits the bill.
]]> 28043535 Wed, 23 Jul 2008 07:14:28 -0700
author: Agatha Christie
name: Woodge
average rating: 3.85
book published: 1937
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 07/23/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 28043499 Wed, 23 Jul 2008 07:14:09 -0700
author: Agatha Christie
name: Woodge
average rating: 3.63
book published: 1968
rating: 2
read at:
date added: 07/23/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 28043342 Wed, 23 Jul 2008 07:12:53 -0700
author: George C. Chesbro
name: Woodge
average rating: 3.71
book published: 1986
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 07/23/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 28043327 Wed, 23 Jul 2008 07:12:46 -0700
author: George C. Chesbro
name: Woodge
average rating: 4.33
book published: 1987
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 07/23/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 27940771 Tue, 22 Jul 2008 07:14:15 -0700
author: Alfred Bester
name: Woodge
average rating: 4.27
book published: 1956
rating: 5
read at: 01/00
date added: 07/22/08
shelves: sf
review:
Read this first in 1980, again in 1985, and again in 2000. One of my favorites.
]]> 27940842 Tue, 22 Jul 2008 07:13:01 -0700
author: Alfred Bester
name: Woodge
average rating: 3.69
book published: 1980
rating: 2
read at: 01/81
date added: 07/22/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 27940705 Tue, 22 Jul 2008 07:11:18 -0700
author: Alfred Bester
name: Woodge
average rating: 3.00
book published: 2004
rating: 2
read at: 01/82
date added: 07/22/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 27835086 Mon, 21 Jul 2008 05:24:39 -0700
author: Robert E. Howard
name: Woodge
average rating: 4.00
book published: 1986
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 07/21/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 27834960 Mon, 21 Jul 2008 05:22:23 -0700
author: Robert E. Howard
name: Woodge
average rating: 4.45
book published: 2003
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 07/21/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 27834923 Mon, 21 Jul 2008 05:21:31 -0700
author: Robert E. Howard
name: Woodge
average rating: 3.99
book published: 1967
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 07/21/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 27834904 Mon, 21 Jul 2008 05:21:03 -0700
author: Robert E. Howard
name: Woodge
average rating: 3.88
book published: 1969
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 07/21/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 27834884 Mon, 21 Jul 2008 05:20:27 -0700
author: Robert E. Howard
name: Woodge
average rating: 3.17
book published: 1983
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 07/21/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 27834828 Mon, 21 Jul 2008 05:19:08 -0700
author: Robert E. Howard
name: Woodge
average rating: 3.99
book published: 1994
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 07/21/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 27834826 Mon, 21 Jul 2008 05:19:05 -0700
author: Robert E. Howard
name: Woodge
average rating: 3.83
book published: 1984
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 07/21/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 27834793 Mon, 21 Jul 2008 05:18:15 -0700
author: Robert E. Howard
name: Woodge
average rating: 3.96
book published: 1993
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 07/21/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 26632441 Fri, 18 Jul 2008 10:55:28 -0700 another chapter book!" (I've got a few in mind for the next read-aloud. Some newer tales.)]]>
author: Roald Dahl
name: Woodge
average rating: 4.05
book published: 1961
rating: 5
read at: 07/08
date added: 07/18/08
shelves: fantasy, young-adult
review:
This book was first read to me back in third grade. I read it myself ten years ago and then read it aloud to Luke over the past week and a half for a bedtime tale. I had forgotten all about the Cloud-Men but remembered the rest of it well enough. Luke loved it. This is the fourth chapter book I've read to him since the end of May and I'm pretty jazzed by how much he enjoys stories. After finishing this classic (with his ears glued to every word) he said to me, "I want another chapter book!" (I've got a few in mind for the next read-aloud. Some newer tales.)
]]> 26534289 Fri, 18 Jul 2008 10:54:34 -0700
author: Scott Lynch
name: Woodge
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2006
rating: 4
read at: 07/08
date added: 07/18/08
shelves: fantasy, recommended
review:
I was in the mood for another fantasy and this one was rated favorably... It tells the tale of a thief named Locke Lamora and his small gang of Gentlemen Bastards in the canal-ridden city of Camorr. Locke has another grand scheme in motion to divest some visiting nobles of half their fortune when things begin to get more complicated and dangerous. It's sort of a cross between Robin Hood and Ocean's Eleven with a dash of sorcery mixed in. Locke and his gang are interesting characters and the various other players in the story are equally of interest. There are spies, swordsmen, numerous crooks, and con men everywhere in this story. It's also interspersed with flashbacks of Locke's upbringing. At 752 pages it's fairly lengthy but moves briskly. I found the denouement to be particularly exciting and I was entertained throughout.
]]> 26632517 Tue, 08 Jul 2008 07:02:34 -0700
author: Roald Dahl
name: Woodge
average rating: 3.52
book published: 1974
rating: 3
read at: 01/76
date added: 07/08/08
shelves: fantasy, young-adult
review:
Read this as a 13-year-old and liked it then.
]]> 23507345 Mon, 07 Jul 2008 11:44:01 -0700
author: Kate DiCamillo
name: Woodge
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2003
rating: 2
read at: 07/08
date added: 07/07/08
shelves: fantasy, kids
review:
I read this to Luke (age 6) over a course of several evenings. He really enjoys being read to and every evening wanted me to read just one more chapter, but I think he, like me, was a little let down by the nearly uneventful denouement. Upon finishing he asked, "Is that the end?" "Yep," I replied. And no more was said about the matter. Despereaux is a tiny mouse with big ears who takes it upon himself to rescue a princess. But he doesn't feature in the entire tale. It is also the tale of a rat and an abused serving girl. It's well-written but I didn't find it terribly exciting. Last night I checked out the trailer for the upcoming movie based on this book. It looks like much more fun. Not the comment you want to hear about a book.
]]> 26534044 Mon, 07 Jul 2008 09:37:20 -0700
author: Brian Selznick
name: Woodge
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2007
rating: 3
read at: 06/08
date added: 07/07/08
shelves: fantasy, young-adult
review:
This was a cool book about a young boy, Hugo, who lives in Paris in 1931. He's been orphaned and is living hidden within the Paris train station. The story involves a toy shop owner, a young girl, many clocks and an automaton. The story is told alternately in words and pictures and as such reads very fast. The book itself is big, fat doorstopper but I actually read it in only two days. It was fun, I may read it someday to my kiddos.
]]> 24600279 Mon, 07 Jul 2008 09:35:29 -0700
author: Andre Dubus III
name: Woodge
average rating: 3.44
book published: 2008
rating: 3
read at: 06/08
date added: 07/07/08
shelves:
review:
I hadn't read this author before and when I was browsing some comments on this book on Amazon, it looked like most people enjoyed this but consider The House of Sand and Fog a better book. I first heard of this after Stephen King's glowing review in EW. It's an engrossing story about an exotic dancer named April who brings her 3-year-old daughter Franny to work one night when her regular babysitter is hospitalized. April had no other backup babysitters (I know how that feels). Two of the other main characters are patrons of the Puma club where April works. One is a Muslim man named Bassam, the other is a down-on-his-luck construction worker named AJ. The tension mounts because you just know something bad is going to happen but you're not sure exactly what and then when it does, you've no idea how it'll play out. I read this book very quickly. It is perhaps a bit longer than it needs to be -- sometimes there's just too much description that doesn't really seem necessary. The two main male characters seem to be more fleshed out than April. But that said, it was a good story. I may check out a reading that the author will be giving later this month at a local bookstore. Maybe I'll get my book signed.
]]> 19661192 Fri, 20 Jun 2008 12:50:41 -0700 Helm is a fun, cool, fast-paced adventure story. Here's the book's description (snagged from the back cover):

"After global devastation, the last remnants of Earth sent a handful of colonists of a distant terraformed world to give humanity one last, desperate chance. Unable to provide the technology required for an advanced civilization, the founders instilled in the colonists a strict code of conduct and gave them a few precious imprinting devices: glass helmets that contain all of Earth's scientific knowledge.

Once in a generation, the heir to the province of Laal begins the arduous training required to survive the imprinting of the Glass Helm and acquire the knowledge of the lost Earth. But Leland de Laal, the youngest son of one of Agatsu's greatest leaders, has climbed the forbidden rock spire where the Helm is kept and donned it, unaware that its knowledge has a terrible price. To an unprepared mind, it brings madness, agony, and even death."

One of the coolest consequences of Leland's premature imprinting is that he's picked up knowledge of aikido. With further training he hones his martial arts skill and the fighting in the story is filled with slick descriptions of it. This story is filled with chases, battles, double-crossing, betrayal, dark dealings, and many fights with sword, staff, and arrow. Although set in the far-future, Agatsu's society is medieval. Makes for a very fun tale.
]]>
author: Steven Gould
name: Woodge
average rating: 3.73
book published: 2004
rating: 4
read at: 07/04
date added: 06/20/08
shelves: sf
review:
Sometimes trashy sci-fi can be the best kind of fun. Helm is a fun, cool, fast-paced adventure story. Here's the book's description (snagged from the back cover):

"After global devastation, the last remnants of Earth sent a handful of colonists of a distant terraformed world to give humanity one last, desperate chance. Unable to provide the technology required for an advanced civilization, the founders instilled in the colonists a strict code of conduct and gave them a few precious imprinting devices: glass helmets that contain all of Earth's scientific knowledge.

Once in a generation, the heir to the province of Laal begins the arduous training required to survive the imprinting of the Glass Helm and acquire the knowledge of the lost Earth. But Leland de Laal, the youngest son of one of Agatsu's greatest leaders, has climbed the forbidden rock spire where the Helm is kept and donned it, unaware that its knowledge has a terrible price. To an unprepared mind, it brings madness, agony, and even death."

One of the coolest consequences of Leland's premature imprinting is that he's picked up knowledge of aikido. With further training he hones his martial arts skill and the fighting in the story is filled with slick descriptions of it. This story is filled with chases, battles, double-crossing, betrayal, dark dealings, and many fights with sword, staff, and arrow. Although set in the far-future, Agatsu's society is medieval. Makes for a very fun tale.

]]> 19661188 Fri, 20 Jun 2008 12:47:32 -0700 jump as well. And she wants her husband back. It's a pretty cool little story and a fast read. ]]>
author: Steven Gould
name: Woodge
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2005
rating: 3
read at: 09/05
date added: 06/20/08
shelves: sf
review:
Back in 1993 I picked up Jumper, the first novel featuring Davy Rice. It had a queer-looking cover but I bought it anyway on the strength of the premise. Davy Rice is a teenager who learns how to teleport himself instantaneously from one location to any other location he has fixed in memory or can see. It was okay, other people liked it more than I did. Last year I read Helm by the same author and really enjoyed that one. And now Reflex continues the story of Davy Rice ten years later. (It's got a much less embarrassing cover too.) It's a fun read and an improvement over Jumper. This time some baddies figure how how to imprison a teleport and they capture Davy with the intent of conditioning him and using his talents for their own nefarious ends. But what no one realizes is that after being countlessly teleported by her husband over the years, Davy's wife Millie stumbles upon the ability to jump as well. And she wants her husband back. It's a pretty cool little story and a fast read.
]]> 25001696 Fri, 20 Jun 2008 12:43:13 -0700
author: Steven Gould
name: Woodge
average rating: 3.89
book published: 1992
rating: 3
read at: 01/93
date added: 06/20/08
shelves: sf
review:
Couldn't resist this one since the hero discovers he can teleport at will, my superpower of choice. I enjoyed the movie version as well but I've enjoyed some of this author's other novels better than this one. The sequel, Reflex, was also better.
]]> 23203435 Thu, 19 Jun 2008 07:33:12 -0700
author: Anthony Gagliano
name: Woodge
average rating: 3.43
book published: 2007
rating: 1
read at: 06/08
date added: 06/19/08
shelves: mystery
review:
Nothing really sets this crime thriller apart from others. Our hero is Jack Vaughn, an ex-cop from NYC living in Miami and working as a personal trainer. One of his clients offers him $100,000 to sink a yacht anchored off his property that has a dead body on it and when Jack finally assents to do it, bad things happen. For a book under 250 pages, it took its time getting to this pivotal moment. That scene was the most interesting but then it seemed as if our hero knew everyone in Miami. Lawyer? An ex-client — check. Rapper who just happens to have a gun and money handy in a pinch? An ex-client — check. Bouncer at swanky club? Check. This wasn't so bad that I didn't finish it. But it's nothing I would mark as a "to read" either.
]]> 24602979 Mon, 16 Jun 2008 06:27:23 -0700
author: Frank Miller
name: Woodge
average rating: 4.46
book published: 2002
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 06/16/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 24602972 Mon, 16 Jun 2008 06:27:14 -0700
author: Thomas Harris
name: Woodge
average rating: 3.89
book published: 1988
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 06/16/08
shelves: horror
review:

]]> 24253127 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 06:31:25 -0700
author: Larry Doyle
name: Woodge
average rating: 3.51
book published: 200