The Red Pyramid
The Throne of Fire
The Serpents Shadow
Young Adult Fantasy – what can I say I have a weakness for it.
At first I thought these would just be fun, fast reads – and they were. But I feel I should also mention that I’ve understood at least two references to ancient Egypt I would have missed since reading them. Fun, fast, informative…
Would I recommend them? You betcha! I also have read about Percy Jackson and the Olympians – and I liked them… but I loved theses!
I’m not sure if it’s the elaborate feasts and celebrations, the crazy dresses, the scandalous going-ons, the hands off approach of raising children or the treasonous intrigue but whatever it is I love a good historical fiction full of kings and queens.
Would I recommend it? Even with it’s alternating view points between the two sisters I don’t think it’s quite as good as say something by Phillipa Gregory. But, if you have run out of Gregory’s works this one fits the bill!
Sometimes when I read a book I wish the author wasn’t quite so good at what they do. I wish that their characters will seem less believable so that when the story is a bit gruesome I can think to myself – naah, nobody would ever do that for real… But Atwood is like Steven King, characters so well rounded and believable that it sometimes makes the books a bit too realistic – but in a good way- mostly.
This was the prequel to Oryx and Crake which, in my way, I remember about three non-relevant details from along with the sense that it was good/fascinating/icky which is just about exactly how this one was. Now I’ve got to go back and read Oryx and Crake again, quick before I forget!
Would I recommend it? She is a very good author but I’m not sure her post apocalyptic world is for everyone. I just have to much of a slimy feel to me after reading this to give it a broad recommendation – but for what it’s worth I am reserving Oryx and Crake from the library tonight to re-read.
Twelve years ago John and I were dating and I was in the hospital recovering from a surgery, doped up on painkillers. John came to visit me every day I was there and one night he rounded up a TV and VCR and brought in one of his favorite movies for us to watch – The Power of One. Sadly due to all those painkillers I have a vivid memory of John sitting by my bed holding my hand, a vague memory of a TV showing up and absolutely no recollection of the movie. Nothing. Nada. In fact it doesn’t matter how many times John has told me over the last twelve years that I have seen the movie, I still don’t remember it.
Two months ago I brought home a book a friend had lent us saying it was a good “guy read” and I should give it to John. I dutifully passed the message on to John telling him it was “something about power of one?” Which then spurred on the same discussion we have repeated over the last twelve years about how I have seen that movie, and I say I don’t remember any of it and he says he loves it… yada, yada, yada.
But now our conversation has changed because now I’ve read the book and he remembers the movie and I can say things like, “What do you mean the movie doesn’t have Hoppie in it?!” Which is far better than the I still don’t remember the movie conversation we had been having.
Would I recommend it? Yes. This is a good “guy book” in a way that isn’t just shooting people, running around and blowing stuff up. It should also be mention that while I am distinctly not a guy myself, I thoroughly enjoyed it and have recommended it to other not guys. Although my girlyness probably came out when the boxing made me cringe, I can’t help it, I’m not a guy.
Words of wisdom from the Abbess of Crewe:
On saying grace – “Oh, it isn’t necessary… there’s nothing wrong with my food.”
“Only the beautiful should make love when they are likely to be photographed.”
“I love you so dearly, Winifrede, that I could eat you were it not for the fact that I can’t bear suet pudding.”
In answer to the question what are scenarios. – “They are an art-form, based on facts. A good scenario is a garble. A bad one is a bungle. They need not be plausible, only hypnotic, like good art.”
“A Lady is cheerful and accommodating when dealing with the perpetrators of a third-rate burglary; but a Bourgeoise calls the police.”
Would I recommend it? The book is only six chapters long so if an abbey full of plotting nuns, electronics, scandal, blackmail, and English poetry sounds amusing or interesting go ahead and pick it up. I’m thinking that it must at least sound interesting so you’d better go read it… it’s only SIX chapters after all, and tell me what you think!
Don’t forget to stop by and see what Simon and Harriet have to say about Spark this week too.
I read that Muriel Spark is like the J.D. Salinger of the U. K. read in schools and the whole nine yards. I’d never heard of her before, how about you?
Ugh!
Very, very rarely have I given up on a book and failed to finish it but I gave up on this one.
It got to be so that every time a different book came my way I’d throw this one in the corner and read the new one. I even hit a point in the book where it said that I’d be throwing the book in the corner, but I kept doing it anyway. Finally it came due at the library and I gave up and sent it back.
It was recommend to me, and I liked other books this person recommended and I’ve ever read other books by this author I have enjoyed but I just couldn’t do this one.
Has anyone read this book?
Is it worth going back to and finishing (I was about 3/4 of the way through)?
Would I recommend it? Not so much!
Start with Outlander and then keep going.
I’ve been re-reading them in between other books since Jane has been born and I’m on my 6th book of hers in a month.
I haven’t yet had the words “dinna fash” or “you’ll ken” come out of my mouth yet but it’s a good thing I’ve only got one book left or I’d be yelling “Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ” next time I burn dinner.
Would I recommend them? Having just stared blankly at the computer screen for a many minitues I have no tidy way to sum up the books nor why exactly I’d recommend them.
I think I’m in a Jamie and Claire induced stuper… and now I have to go read what happens next – even though I’ve read this one twice before.
I like epic fantasy novels and series. I like knowing what happens next… and next… and next. The trouble with this is that authors of epic fantasy’s usually don’t crank out their books one right after another so I’m required to remember what happens in a book for long stretches of time… possibly years. Usually this is where John comes in. I screen books and give him ones I think he’ll like and he remembers everything he reads and can remind me of all the little (and sometimes gigantic) details I have forgotten. Unfortunately after he read A Game of Thrones and possibly the next one or so in this series he quit. He quit reading them because the author makes you care about his characters and then he kills them. Sadly it’s true, the chapters switch character viewpoints among a huge cast and Martin has an uncanny ability to turn you from indifferent, to actively rooting for them right before he offs them.
In any case I couldn’t count on John to remind me what happened in the last books, which was a problem, because this books timeline runs along side the book before (A Feast For Crows) so I actually was trying to remember what happened two books (A Storm of Swords) ago. I read those books in 2004 and 2006 respectively. I can’t remember a book I read last week, asking me to not only remember back to a time before children but to also recall what I read then – not happening.
For the first quarter of the book I was confused, really confused. I recognized names, some events were familiar, I had a couple of “OH YEAH he killed that king” sort of moments but it was pretty bad. By the time I reached the half way point I was mildly confused but had come to terms with the fact that I wasn’t setting this book down, re-reading the last two and coming back to it. Mild confusion and I were getting along fine. The third quarter of the book I was well enough in that most of my confusion was behind me and I was caught up in the story again. Then last quarter arrived and he started killing off all the characters I cared about, threw a few new old ones that I was supposed to remember into the mix and ended it with me wanting to know what happens next.
Would I recommend it? The series isn’t for anyone… the term epic should not be taken lightly… This was a 1,000 page tome and while lots of people died nothing got resolved and it’s the fifth book in the series. On the other hand it’s a pretty darn good story, from what I can remember… If you are brave enough to take them on start with A Game of Thrones.
It appears I read the first book in this series before I started writing about the books I was reading, which is annoying to me, and possibly to you to. Or maybe it’s just a bit of my need-to-have-some-part-of-my-life-in-order-so-I-choose-odd-small-things issue coming though and no one is annoyed other than me.
Regardless of who is or is not annoyed by this out of order book review I’ll attempt to put my own issues aside and carry on.
The Magicians by Lev Grossman was a recommendation from Pat Rothfuss’s blog. And since we should all have read at least The Name of The Wind by now we know he is a super author, and we should probably at least check out his recommendations right?
Right.
If you would like to do so yourself here is his link http://blog.patrickrothfuss.com/2009/08/things-i-like-magicians-and-faeries-of/
Personally I’d call The Magicians something of a Harry Potter meets Narnia in an adult sort of way.
(And by that oh best beloved I mean we’ve added, sarcasm, sex, drugs, alcohol, death and other assorted nasties)
I recall it being a fairly wonderful, if slightly startling book, so therefore I found the second in the series (see large title above) and brought it home. I then proceeded to read this book in a much shorter time frame than I should have which resulted in a much shorter night sleep than was really prudent.
And it was worth it.
Would I recommend it? Why yes, yes I would, thanks for asking.
And on a slightly different but still sort of related subject I feel compelled to share this flow chart of NPR’s top 100 science fiction and fantasy books (also recommended by Pat Rothfuss) because it’s funny if you’ve read enough of them to be dorky enough to get the jokes and possibly helpful in finding a new book to read if you haven’t.
I tracked down this book because of a review on it I read here: http://thepioneerwoman.com/homeschooling/2011/01/the-daughters-walk/ 
Unfortunately I was not as enamored with it.
Great subject, blah writing, irritating main character.
Would I recommend it? No
