Doug Lewars's Blog, page 5

A Spy At War

A Spy at War by Charles Beaumont

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


*** Possible Spoilers ***

This was one of the best books I've read in some time but it's definitely not for everyone. It's for the approximately 40% of the population who prefer plot to character develo9pment. It's a story of wheels within wheels, characters being manipulated like pieces on a chessboard with danger and betrayal lurking everywhere. On the other hand, it is far from James Bond so if you're looking for frenetic action you won't find it here. In this world of espionage, no one can be trusted, relationships are fragile and the slightest misstep can play into the hands of one's enemies. There's plenty of excitement and the only sure thing is there are no sure things. I loved it. I have to admit, however, the ending is decidedly vague. Evidently the author wanted to keep his options open should he decide to add to the series so while the story seems to end, perhaps it didn't.



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The Lost Village

The Lost Village by Camilla Sten

My rating: 1 of 5 stars


*** Possible Spoilers ***

This book wasn't all bad and I think many readers would quite enjoy it. The first third or thereabouts was excellent. The author is an excellent wordsmith and knows how to choose her words in such a manner as to create an ominous atmosphere and plenty of suspense. Then, for me, it all fell apart. It would seem this particular author has graduated from the religious cult of creative writing courses frequently found in universities and has come to believe character development is vastly more important than plot. In addition, she feels the protagonist - and possibly the reader - needs to suffer. As a result, the plot lags while Alice becomes self-absorbed, self-loathing, wracked with guilt, very whiny, and almost paralyzed through constantly second guessing herself or is otherwise unable to comprehend even the most simple things going on around her and react accordingly. Who needs it.
If you like to watched characters becoming unhinged this book is for you but if you expect people to act in anything like a rational manner, you'll be most disappointed.



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Sense and Sensibility

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


*** Possible Spoilers ***

I loved this story but I doubt it would be suitable for younger readers. It's a satire on the society of the late 1700s/ early 1800s in upper middle class Great Britain and Jane Austen writes with the finest possible scalpel carefully taking digs at the sensibilities of the day.



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The Labrinth House Murders

The Labyrinth House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


*** Possible Spoilers ***

This is a perfectly good mystery novel, although one needs to be a little suspicious when even I can figure it out and i can never put the clues together and draw a correct conclusion. Here I foresaw both endings although I thought I was imagining the second and concluded the author would never do anything like that. In any event it was well worth reading and I quite enjoyed the book.



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The Count of Monte Cristo

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


*** Possible Spoilers ***

If you don't like mid-nineteenth century literature you won't like this book. It is long and I chose to listen to the audio book because I could do chores or eat meals while listening. It also served as a companion for a two hour drive.

If you're forced to read it for an English class I doubt you'll enjoy it. Younger readers brought up on blockbuster movies and modern literature will likely find it tedious in the extreme. The author spends a copious amount of time describing drawing rooms along with their furnishings as well as other living quarters. In addition, characters do not simply make simple declarative statements but talk around, and around the point, presumably for the sake of politeness.

I enjoyed it but there were times I found it a trifle tough sledding. I think I might have encountered some difficulty had I attempted the print version.

One reason for the verbiage is life in the mid-eighteen hundreds was highly stratified and most people had no access to the upper classes. Therefore reading long descriptive passages provided something of the same fascination modern people might experience when watching programs such as 'Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous'.

At root, this is a story of revenge, but it goes deeper. There are also strong currents of fate and destiny intertwined with some religious themes. There is even a bit of satire tucked away between the covers. Overall, I think it's worth reading, but perhaps an older individual might be a better choice of reader.



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A Clash of Kings

A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


*** Possible Spoilers ***

I loved this book although I felt the ending was a little weak; however, since this is book 2 in a series I suppose the author can't be expected to resolve too much. Having said I loved it, I have to acknowledge it's not for everyone. No book is. Before writing this review I scanned a number of '1's and have identified some readers who won't enjoy it.

One critic complained this book is nothing more than moving chess pieces on a board. I agree with this observation except for me, this was the strongest part of the book. I love intrigue and large numbers of people jockeying for positions of power, forming alliances, effecting betrayals, and in general, trying to get others before others get them.

A lot of critics objected to the misogyny. Yes, this book is set in a medieval fantasy world. Women have few if any rights and are generally considered as chattels. They can be abused and raped at the whim of more powerful men. If you're squeamish about rape, murder, violence against women then this book is not for you.

If you happen to be an evangelical Christian there's a pretty good chance you won't like the crude language.

One critic wrote 'there is no ounce of love that I can see in his writing, his story has no emotion in it'. I agree and consider this a strong point. If you want love, emotion and beating hearts you'd be better served by a romance novel.

One person objected to the author making use of magic in a fantasy novel. If you think this is a problem perhaps the fantasy genre is not for you.

Another person felt the author used too many adverbs. There is a cult among modern authors who believe adverbs negate the 'show not tell' religion. If you demand to be shown everything, try books having won awards. Booker, Giller, and Governor General's prize winners are likely better suited to your tastes.

Some people felt the plot wasn't clear. It certainly shifts from one individual to another. Four people have laid claim to the title of King so naturally there's a lot of infighting and frequent changes of perspective. If you prefer a linear narrative you won't find it here. Try YA instead.

Lastly, a number of individuals felt the characters were two-dimensional and they couldn't relate to them. This is a plot-driven book. Yes, there is a bit of character development but the emphasis is on plot. If you want books exploring the inner feelings and psychology of the characters as they grow in wisdom through adversity, I refer you to the aforementioned literary prize winners. This isn't for you.

Overall, if you like a good rip-roaring adventure story, with lots of political maneuvering, intrigue and infighting backed up by clashing swords and the screams of battle, I think you'll enjoy this book. I know I did.



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The Summoning

The Summoning by S.V. Filice

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


*** Possible Spoilers ***

Let's start with the good news. The author is an excellent wordsmith and the story flows like silk. At the climax she makes use of a combination short and long sentences to convey action while keeping us informed of what his happening around the protagonist.

Unfortunately she may have bitten off a little more than she can chew in this book. Essentially the heroine is kidnapped to a school where she's being taught good and evil. Apparently she is a descendant of angels when they fell to Earth so she's also part demon. The trick is to learn to promote her angelic self while controlling the demonic. Her lessons, however, seem mostly to involve meditation. In addition, she's been separated from a younger sister for whom she feels responsible yet doesn't do much if anything to escape what amounts to captivity to find the girl. Such logic as was present in the book seemed to be geared mostly to the acquiring of an affinity (a superpower) and battling demons which appear to be about half the school. Frankly it seemed all the characters were going around in circles and getting nowhere. Perhaps I'm being over critical because the book was classified as YA, but I'm really not sure young people would enjoy it.



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The Summoning

The Summoning by S.V. Filice

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


*** Possible Spoilers ***

Let's start with the good news. The author is an excellent wordsmith and the story flows like silk. At the climax she makes use of a combination short and long sentences to convey action while keeping us informed of what his happening around the protagonist.

Unfortunately she may have bitten off a little more than she can chew in this book. Essentially the heroine is kidnapped to a school where she's being taught good and evil. Apparently she is a descendant of angels when they fell to Earth so she's also part demon. The trick is to learn to promote her angelic self while controlling the demonic. Her lessons, however, seem mostly to involve meditation. In addition, she's been separated from a younger sister for whom she feels responsible yet doesn't do much if anything to escape what amounts to captivity to find the girl. Such logic as was present in the book seemed to be geared mostly to the acquiring of an affinity (a superpower) and battling demons which appear to be about half the school. Frankly it seemed all the characters were going around in circles and getting nowhere. Perhaps I'm being over critical because the book was classified as YA, but I'm really not sure young people would enjoy it.



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Toyman

Toyman by E.C. Tubb

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


*** Possible Spoilers ***

This is a basic space opera. The setting is the far future. Humanity has spread across the galaxy and Earth is mostly a myth. Dumarest, our protagonist, travels from planet to planet looking for a clue which will let him find Earth, on which he was born and removed at a very young age for some unknown reason. Not surprisingly he doesn't find it for if he did, the series would be over. Nevertheless on each planet he has an adventure of some sort. He's strong, an excellent fighter, taciturn, and a fine hero. If you're looking for character development move on. This is a fine rip-roaring plot, the kind of book which, in earlier times, might have been described as a pot boiler. It is great for long public transit rides if you prefer books to endless phone scrolling.



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King Maybe

King Maybe by Timothy Hallinan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


*** Possible Spoilers ***

I would actually rate this a 3.5 and rounded up. It's not a bad book. There's plenty of action and the author is a master of creating suspense although I figured out what the villain was planning and his method long before Junior did; still, I don't regard this as a 'whodunit' so I guess it's fair. What I didn't like was the constant feeling sorry for himself which the protagonist spent an inordinate amount of time on. I suspect this author has been infected with the character-arc virus so prevalent in modern fiction. As a result I don't think I'll move on to other books in the series for some time. I'm not ruling them out, just taking a breather. I found the endings rather tacky. If you've come up to this book in the series and you don't mind the introspection and second guessing on the part of the main character, then I think you'll like this one.



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