September '10 BotM: Ill Wind by Rachel Caine

[Kathleen]

Please post comments and discussion here for the September '10 Book of the Month:

Ill Wind (Weather Warden Book 1) - Rachel Caine

(Selected by Amanda, Karen, Kristie, Colleen, Gina, Liz, Gajinmama)

[Audrey]

I have had this book sitting on my shelf just waiting to get to it. Know I have a good reason to read it right now. :)

[Gaijinmama]

I've had it on my shelf for about three years so I'm very glad to have a chance to finally read it (and to reconnect with this group, it has been ages since I posted.
I'm about 40 pages into it and I am loving it. Rachel Caine definitely has some real chops as a writer.

[Amanda]

I read this book already but have been waiting to discuss it with someone! I'll be back later once I track down my copy of the book, but here's my first question: Is anyone else annoyed by the super-long chapters?

[Gaijinmama]

Nah, I just dog-ear the page and put the book down when I need to

[Gina]

*gasp* Gaijinmama, you dog-ear your pages?! Bad, bad girl, LOL!

Turns out my local Coles doesn't have it in stock, so I'm going to have to order it next Friday. I really want to read this one this month.

[Gaijinmama]

Yup. I dog-ear (only paperbacks). Mea Culpa and all that.

I'm two-thirds into Ill Wind and really enjoying it.
I have no tolerance for lousy writing--no problem here! Caine not only creates compelling characters
(Marry me David!!!!!) and tells a damn good story, but unlike some writers in this genre she actually has a strong sense of how to use the English language.
I'm not done with the book but I'm already thinking 4 stars at least.

[Gaijinmama]

I finished it last night!
I don't want to spoil it for anyone but I was blown away by the ending (pun absolutely intended!) Is anyone else reading it?

[Kristie]

I'm going to start it at the end of the week, was it good Gaijinmama?

[Gina]

I ordered mine last night (Fri, Sep 10th), and it should be in by Fri, Sep 17th. I'll be reading it either that weekend or shortly after.

[Gaijinmama]

Kristie wrote: "I'm going to start it at the end of the week, was it good Gaijinmama?"
Yes, yes, it was good!
Has anyone else read it yet?
I've been reading a lot of UF/ PNR the last two years (I didn't even really know the genre existed before then! Thank you Goodreads!) and I think Ill Wind is one of the best-written books I've read so far.Caine really is talented and I love her characters.

[Enjee]

I read this book earlier in the year. I find I especially like stories that have control of an element as the strength of the characters. Water and Air element control does mean weather control, and I had not considered that before.

[Audrey]

I know that did not vote, but I am LOVING this book. I am not done yet, but I am definitely going to read more in this series. I really like Joanne and David isn't bad either. ;) Can't wait to finish is and find out what happens!

[Kristie]

I need to start this one. I meant too but just haven't gotten around to it yet. Hopefully by the end of the week, hopefully.

[Kristie]

Maybe since I started reading this after I took my sleeping medicine, but it took me two times to read the first 35 pages to understand what was going on. LOL But I'm going to blame it on my medicine not my comprehension. =D

I’m slowly getting through it, hopefully by the end of the weekend I will be finished. I don’t think I’m into books that involve “elements”. I don’t know maybe I still start to feel different about it by the end.

[Gaijinmama]

I like the wacky paranormal stuff but this book, to me, is actually more believable. Weather is real. And it really can kill people (not that I'm suggesting it's deliberate, that storms have minds of their own like in the book.....although if you tell me you have never wished you could send a selective lighting bolt at a really annoying person you are more saintly than I, LOL)

[Gina]

I haven't posted a review on this one yet. I think it's because I'm not sure what I think about it, and not sure what to post. *shrug*

I was confused for a little more than the first half of the book. She's on the run, but you don't know why. All this crap that she's avoiding, everything that's happening around her, and while you understand what she can do (manipulate storms), you haven't a clue as to why she's running. And I think that confusion messes up what to think. When you finally learn why, everything seems to fall into place and the story picks up from there. She gets into more hot water, but the outcome of the story kind of makes up for the confusing beginning. I liked it enough that I'll try Book #2, Heat Stroke, before I decide if I'll keep going or not. 3.5 stars for me.

[Kristie]

I completely agree Gina! I couldn't have said it better myself.

[Gaijinmama]

I sort of liked that aspect of it. It's like one of those TV episodes where they show you a main character in jail or in the hospital, then flash "36 Hours Earlier" and they gradually reveal how she got there.

[Gina]

I did too, Gaijinmama. It was sort of like that, but in reverse. She was already on the run and you don't understand why until more than halfway through the book. It was ... well, strange, for lack of a better word. I'd never read a book that did that before. I am looking forward to the second book. It shouldn't be like the first one, since we know at the end of the book what she becomes.

[Gaijinmama]

Yeah, I believe there are 8 more books in the series....should keep us busy for awhile, right?

And you have to admit DAvid is a sweetie!

[Gina]

LOL, he really is.

[Kathleen]

Gina wrote: "...I was confused for a little more than the first half of the..."

Completely agree with you. The first half of Ill Wind dragged with a long car chase and few explanations. The second half of the story was considerably improved, an original fantasy tale of sentient weather, the corrupting influence of absolute power, and friendship. I gave this book four stars which for me represented the average of the three stars for the first half of the story and the five stars of the second half of the book.

[Gina]

Precisely. I was on the verge of giving up when she finally decided to explain why she was even on the run. I mean, sure, the scenes beforehand were good, but the confusion as to why it was happening in the first place sort of downplayed them. Gotta admit, though, it was a pretty good tactic from the author. If readers can get passed the confusion, it's a pretty good book.