http://www.goodreads.com/user/updates_rss/872933 en-US Sat, 12 Apr 2008 12:11:40 -0700 60 http://www.goodreads.com/ 200 41 http://www.goodreads.com/images/layout/gr_logo.gif 20653865 Sat, 12 Apr 2008 12:11:40 -0700 Review18969859 http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/18969859 to: The Book of Three (The Chronicles of Prydain Book 1) by Lloyd Alexander
The first book in the "Prydain Chronicles" is a fun, fast read. Written as an adventure for younger readers, it still has lots of excitement for adults.

This series is based upon Welsh mythology, and it weaves an epic tale of heroes, dark lords, evil sorceresses and death hearlds with horns that can sap all the joy out of the world.

Tying all this together is an assistant pig-keeper named Taran, who sets out to find his future-telling pig in the woods and ends up in a battle against the champion of the dark lord.

This book is a lot like the Narnia books might have been if Lewis had dispensed with all the allegorical material and written a straight up fantasy adventure. That said, it is not without its own power, and there is a real sense of character growth and pathos in the book. ]]> 20763653 Sun, 30 Mar 2008 22:01:39 -0700 Review19063109 http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/19063109 to: Rama Revealed (Rama Series #4) by Arthur C. Clarke
bookshelves: scifi
The final chapter in the "RAMA Saga" ends with a whimper, and not the beautiful kind that Yeats spoke of. Instead, it ends with revelations that lift ideas from Clarke's short stories.

I suppose this isn't such a sin since Clarke himself lifted entire sections of some novels out of his short stories. For instance, Clarke reproduced his short story "Meeting with Medusa" almost verbatium as a chapter in 2010: Odyssey Two. So, I'll forgive it.

However, the final revelation is not much more than another red herring, another rabbit hole with rabbit holes. It doesn't help that huge sections of the novel are simply characters standing around and being told the "HISTORY AND MEANING OF EVERYTHING." It lacks any wit or wonder. ]]> 20763592 Sun, 30 Mar 2008 21:38:22 -0700 Review19063054 http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/19063054 to: Rama II (Paperback) by Arthur C. Clarke
An entertaining scifi adventure, with much more character emphasis upon character than the first novel that Clarke wrote. Note to readers, whenever Clarke is credited as a co-writer, it usually means that he provided ideas and advice, nothing more.

Lee's style is serviceable, but nothing special. The explorations of Rama lack any serious revelations, although it does maintain the spooky mystery of the first novel. The sense of exploring a vast, seemingly empty space craft is fun, and the novel keeps you interested for its rather lengthy...uh...length ]]> 20761010 Sun, 30 Mar 2008 21:37:37 -0700 Review19060835 http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/19060835 to: The Garden of Rama (Paperback) by Arthur C. Clarke
In this second sequel to Rendezvous with Rama Gentry Lee takes us to a hint of the origins of the Rama spacecraft. Unfortunately, the answers are not very satisfying. The "Rama Node" is said to be huge, but the characters never get a sense of it. And the existence of dozens of other Rama type vessels and an even larger space station diminishes the awe of the original Rama craft.

I read this, but I wouldn't ever again. ]]> 20761401 Sun, 30 Mar 2008 21:32:47 -0700 Review19061182 http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/19061182 to: Jarhead (Paperback) by Anthony Swofford
The second-best book I've ever read about military life. Don't let the movie fool you; Desert Storm occupies less than a tiny bit of the book's material.

Mostly the book is about what it is like to be a marine. Swofford writes with an admirable self-awareness but also a complete lack of any personal revelation. Sometimes he seems to look down upon the behavior that he engages in, but at other times he revels in the military camaraderie. I can't be sure what Swofford really thinks about himself, but I suppose that maybe he's a different person now than he was when he was eighteen and stupid.

Aren't we all. ]]> 20759955 Sun, 30 Mar 2008 21:07:47 -0700 Review19059871 http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/19059871 to: The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress (Paperback) by Robert A. Heinlein
bookshelves: scifi
A masterpiece of science fiction, Heinlein tells the story of a lunar penal colony that engineers a rebellion against the Earth. The rebellion is lead by a renegade professor and a computer that has grown tired of following the rules.

I read this book ages ago and enjoyed it, although the political philosophy that it espouses is even more bat-shit insane and stupid than Starship Troopers. The computer and the professor are fun characters, although the actual "protagonist" is a typical scifi cliche of a rough n' tumble type who can do just about anything. ]]> 20758247 Sun, 30 Mar 2008 20:55:05 -0700 Review19058441 http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/19058441 to: A Man in Full (Paperback) by Tom Wolfe
This book defies explanation. Know only that it has unforgettable passages, compelling characters and a plot that doesn't really matter at all.

I can't say that I really enjoyed the book, but I haven't ever forgotten it. Sometimes I still think of things like horses breeding, men with backs like a jack bull, cons doing dips in the bathroom and a meat packer with hands like vises.

Oh, and it introduced me to "Freaknik"(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F.... ]]> 20688345 Sun, 30 Mar 2008 11:34:47 -0700 Review18998409 http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/18998409 to: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell (Mass Market Paperback) by Susanna Clarke
Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell is a gem of a book, written in the style of Victorian fiction but with modern sensibilities and literary references. Ostensibly the story of Mr. Norrell, the first practicing magician to emerge in centuries, and his apprentice/rival, the magical prodigy Jonathan Strange. Their story spans the book from their first meeting to their friendship, rivarly and beyond. Napoleonic Warfare and English politics are both equally explored.

However, the real gem of the book is its extensive footnotes. Scattered liberally throughout the book, these notes make references to the magical history of England, as well as foreshadowing and commenting upon the events of the story. Some of the footnotes refer to the future of the characters long after the story ends, and others make references to the various disputes among historians on the accuracy of the story of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell.

The book moves slowly, spending a large amount of time creating a compelling world at the expense of the story, but it picks up quite a head of steam by the last third. It is full of well drawn characters who stick with you long after the book is over, making one wish to continue the friendship one feels with such colorful people as Childermass or the gentleman with the Thisledown hair.

While the style might seem overly arch in imitating Victorian prose, Clarke does occasionally let herself have some leeway and when she does she proves that she has a real gift for poetic prose. Hopefully she finds a way to tap the magic again without simply drawing from the same well. ]]> 20629004 Sat, 29 Mar 2008 17:34:40 -0700 Review18949068 http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/18949068 to: Cauldron (Hardcover) by Jack McDevitt
bookshelves: scifi
Jack McDevitt finally reveals the origins of the mysterious Omega Clouds, first introduced in "The Engines of God," and explored further in "Omega." "Omega" promised answers, but all it really told the reader was what the Omega Clouds did, a little about their technology, and some further exploration of past races wiped out by encounters with the right-angle hating storms.

McDevitt fulfills the promise of explanations in "Cauldron," although like most of the great mysteries that McDevitt likes to pepper into his sci-fi novels, the answer is not as intriguing as the question. The real meat of the story here is his tale of a future human race that has the ability to navigate among the stars, but is quickly losing the interest. Much like the modern day space program the technology is amazing, but it has little practical use. At the opening of the novel the only people still interested in traversing the stars are tour groups to Alpha Centauri.

Unfortunately, McDevitt never really explores the implications or the solutions to such a state. He provides a miracle technology which allows the human race to go farther and faster than the previous hyperspace technology, but at the end of the novel they've explored deeper into the cosmos than anyone in his sci-fi universe and still haven't found anyone worth talking to.

That's not to say it's a bad novel. McDevitt's strength is at writing adventures in the shadow of a great mystery, and the adventures here are thrilling and memorable. He has more of his trademarked alien ruins and derelict space ships, and the story is gripping as long as danger is looming. Even the finale, while lacking in what I think should be a considerable amount of awe, is exciting.

McDevitt never does well when it comes time to shine a light into the dark corners he creates in his narratives. In "Eternity Road" he tossed off the explanation in a single sentance, without any further comment. Here, he gives it a bit more heft, but it still left me with a feeling of "that's it." The mystery of the Omega Clouds was drawn out over 3 novels, and referenced in the background of at least 2 others, but the final revelation just seems a let down.

I don't want to spoil it, but I will say that McDevitt seems to have attempted to answer not only his own mystery, but one of the great rhetorical questions of Star Trek history. He does have an answer, but it boggles my mind much more upon contemplation than it did when reading it.

However, aside from the unsatisfying mystery, the novel has plenty of adventure and space opera-esque thrills. Like all McDevitt books, as long as the biggest mystery answered is how to escape from the monster, it more than delivers. ]]> 15263079 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 08:22:01 -0800 Comment390821 http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/14520278 Justin's review of Moby Dick
by Herman Melville

I like whales! But I thought Whales were evil, malevolent creatures who must be destroyed but are too numerous and powerful for puny men to harm their numbers. ]]>