Wednesday, August 30, 2006

2004

1-3-04-Saturday
Wizard’s First Rule
-T. Goodkind-fantasy
-88-gripping. it pulled me in with how magic was related to strong emotions. the characters were real!

1-9-04-Friday
The Grand Crusade
-M. A. Stackpole-fantasy
-83-a disappointing end to the series. It wasn’t bad or anything, but it just lacked something. It didn’t finish strong and just kind of wound down.

1-11-04-Sunday
High Druid of Shannara:Jarka Ruus
-T. Brooks-fantasy
-83-Yet another Shannara book. Enemies seem to be hard to find, and so he reaches into the Forbidden and finds some evil mastermind to cause everyone problems. Not nearly as good as the Jerle Shannara trilogy. I didn’t care about the characters.


1-21-04-Wednesday
The Stone of Tears
-T. Goodkind-fantasy
-86-I see why this series really took off. This volume reminded me alot of Jordan’s WoT series. They must be drawing from the same old sources of myth and legend. Several terms and circumstances were close. Really good but Goodkind seems intent of dwelling on the sexual side of things. Nothing explicit in this volume, but graphic enough to make me not read anymore. I would recommend Wizard’s First Rule as a standalone and forget the rest.

2-7-04-Saturday
Pyramid
-T. Pratchett-fantasy
-83-light, humorous, irreverant. Definitely to be taken in small doses. His humor could get on your nerves after a little bit.

2-13-04-Friday
Anna Karenina
-L. Tolstoy-historical fiction
-86- a story of the consequences of sin.

2-20-04-Friday
Over Sea, Under Stone
-S. Cooper-fantasy
-84- the beginning of a series about the eternal war between light and dark- extremely dualistic in worldview. Kids are the hero’s. Written for young people and ‘tweens. Takes place in modern times in England.

2-22-04-Sunday
The Dark is Rising
-S. Cooper-fantasy
-84-continuation of the series. Enjoyable. Different kid hero this time.


2-23-04-Monday
GreenWitch
-S. Cooper-fantasy
-84-Will and the Drew’s meet for another clash of Light and Dark.

2-27-04-Friday
The Grey King
-S. Cooper-fantasy
-84-the series continues, interesting.

2-29-04-Sunday
The Return of Santiago
-M. Resnick- scifi
-83-slightly lighter than the original Santiago. Clean for Resnick tho.

3-4-04-Thursday
Silver on the Tree
-S. Cooper-fantasy
-84-The Dark is Rising series concludes. I enjoyed it as a whole, but while it was written mainly for children, I would be very hesitant to read it to younger kids because of the extreme Dualistic worldview. The Dark’s whole purpose is to terrorize and subjugate mankind, while the Light, supposedly it’s complete opposite, seems only to exist to oppose it; not to bring peace and happiness to all. A good read, but wouldn’t let preteens or early teens read it without some serious discussion about it all.

3-6-04-Saturday
Prey
-M. Crichton-fiction
-85-an interesting tale of man creating new life that threatens to wipe him out in a modern day context of computers, nanobiology and the modern concept of evolution.


3-16-04-Tuesday
Blood of the Fold
-T. Goodkind-fantasy
-85-this series is awesome! It is like a streamlined Jordan-fantastic but without so many annoying characters. However, Sexuality is more prevalent. Lesbianism is introduced and treated as normal.

3-17-04-Wednesday
Dune: The Machine Crusade
-B. Herbert & K. Anderson-scifi
-85-the story rolls along, much more history being related, very interesting! Harkonnen’s started so good too..sigh.

3-27-04-Saturday
Temple of the Winds
-T. Goodkind-fantasy
-85-gripping, trim, excellent. but alot of sexual dealings, nothing too explicit, but I wouldn’t recommend it to any teen and I won’t buy them just so as not to have them in my house.

Small Gods
-T. Pratchet-fantasy
-84-funny, yet some rather profound[in a light way] things in dealing with belief, etc.

3-31-03-Wednesday
SW:NJO:Final Prophecy
-G. Keyes-scifi
-84-Whatever. the writing was blase and I read it just to know the NJO storyline. Zonama Sekot is hurt by the Vong, etc. The only cool thing was that the Vong were making their own brand of ‘jedi’, ultra powered-up warriors, just at the end of thebook tho. And Boba Fett appears and saves Han and Leia.



4-8-04-Thursday
Soul of the Fire
-T. Goodkind-fantasy
-85-pretty good. a lot of violence. Allies just don’t trust each other and that causes problems.

4-10-04-Saturday
SW:NJO:The Unifying Force
-J. Luceno-scifi
-85-The end to the series. Zonama Sekot redeems the Vong, and everybody ‘win’s. Leaves the future open for more series tho.

5-1-04-Saturday
The Pillars of Creation
-T. Goodkind-fantasy
-86-mainly deals with Jennsen Rahl, Richard’s half sister. All about those who don’t have even a spark of magic and how they affect the world

5-8--04-Saturday
Naked Empire
-T. Goodkind-fantasy
-86-further dealings with the pristine ungifted, a whole nation of them. this guy writes so well and incorporates moral teachings flawlessly into his fiction, it is a joy to read.

5-15-04-Saturday
Tunnel in the Sky
-R. A. Heinlein-scifi
-85-a good juvie fiction.

5-18-04-Tuesday
The Elder Gods: Book One of the Dreamers
-D. & L. Eddings-fantasy
-81-nothing but his previous idea’s recycled. At least Althalus was funny. This was boring, not a single new idea. Blaaahhh


5-29-04-Saturday
Exiles: Ruins of Ambrai
-M. Rawn-fantasy
-82- a so-so fantasy of 2 branches of mages who are fighting it out secretly. This is a matriarchal universe, much like King’s Dragon. Profuse profanity, immorality, and homosexuality thru-out.

6-2-04-Wednesday
Between Planets
-R. Heinlein-scifi
-84-a good tale of one young man during an interplanetary struggle and how he grows up. another good juvie scifi of heinlein’s. only concern is how authority is always portrayed as stupid or ignorant, etc

6-8-04-Tuesday
The Star Beast
-R. Heinlein-scifi
-83-juvie scifi. some unsubtle jabs at the family. big support for “Big Brother” type govt. so so story too. more political intrigue/maneuvering type stuff.

6-12-04-Saturday
Prince of Dogs
-K. Elliot-fantasy
-85- I really enjoyed this book. Well written, characters are fleshed out, the threads of people’s lives are starting to weave together a little more and the magic is starting to be explored in more detail.

7-3-04-Sunday
The Burning Stone
-K. Elliot-fantasy
-85-the story continues. A little sadder than the others, with people finding out stuff they wished they hadn’t. Also, homosexuality among priests and the like is there. More of a pleasure of the flesh than ‘oh, that’s the way I am’ type thing.

7-11-04-Sunday
Child of Flame
-K. Elliot-fantasy
-86-much longer book[850pg] and alot happens. Liath finds out who she really is, the Aoi are beginning their return and you see how the Aoi were cast out way back in history.

7-31-04-Saturday
Passage
-C. Willis-fiction
-84-Dealing with nde’s[near death experiences]. Definitely not christian in outlook at all, almost hostile to things spiritual. The end is a non-resolution to the main question of “What happens to us when we die?”

8-6-04-Friday
Patrick: Son of Ireland
-S. R. Lawhead-historical fiction
-82-Gives a fantastical look at the life of the man who became Saint Patrick. Pretty typical Lawhead-man turns from God, Christianity undercover in other cultures, man has terrible ordeals, turns back to God. Didn’t deal with his proselytizing in Ireland, just his growing up and going to Ireland. So-so.

8-12-04-Thursday
SW:Survivor’s Quest
-T. Zahn-scifi
-87-comes right after the Hand of Thrawn duology. About the Outbound Flight. Very enjoyable. Good dynamics between Luke and Mara.

8-23-04-Monday
New Spring:In the Beginning
-R. Jordan-fantasy
-88-when Rand was born. Moiraine just as she becomes an Aes Sedai. Very interesting back story. I look forward to the rest of these prequels...


9-17-04-Friday
The Gathering Storm
-K. Elliot-fantasy
-86-Liath is reunited with Sanglant & Blessing, the Aoi do return and the 7 Sleepers’ plot to banish them again fails. Biggest book yet at over 900pages. Lovin’ it!

9-25-04-Saturday
The DeathGate Cycle:Dragon Wing
-M. Weis & T. Hickman-fantasy
-83-I feel like I’ve been dropped into the middle of the story[it is done that way on purpose, I know, but still...]. But a good story. Solid characters, and some real whizbang ideas-worlds of earth, fire, water and air, 2 master races-one imprisoned, the other seemingly disappeared, etc. Very enjoyable over all.

10-9-04-Saturday
The DeathGate Cycle:Elven Star
-M. Weis & T. Hickman-fantasy
-83-Haplo on another world, no Alfred, but some funny\mysterious wizard named Zifnab. Find out there are greater powers than the Patryn and Sartan.

10-20-04-Wednesday
The DeathGate Cycle:Fire Sea
-M. Weis & T. Hickman-fantasy
-83-Another world, the remnants of the Sartan, using necromancy, degraded themselves, a Prophecy fulfilled. Alfred and Haplo see, briefly, what the other has gone thru and this creates a bond, even if hated, by Haplo.


10-23-04-Saturday
The Book of Knights
-Y. Meynard-fantasy
-81-a good short tale of becoming a Knight, but several instances where sexual acts are referred to as if just some slight foible of humanity and not the deadly thing they are.

11-2-04-Tuesday
The DeathGate Cycle:Serpent Mage
-M. Weis & T. Hickman-fantasy
-83-the fourth world. Alfred finds the remnants of his people, Haplo finds the Sartan responsible for the Sundering and both find that they are indeed not the highest powers. More dualism, but you really only see the side of evil. Depressing to see the downside and not the upside. Made me thankful I know there is One All Powerful God, not 2 coequal opposing forces duking it out.

11-13-04-Saturday
Dune:The Battle of Corrin
-B. Herbert & K. Anderson-scifi
-85- A satisfying finish to this prequel trilogy. The spice navigators are started, the Bene Gesserit truly start, the Fremen start and House Corrino comes into existance.You see the beginning of the Face Dancers, cool stuff. The Titans are destroyed, along with the last Omnius incarnation. The Harkonnen betrayal is shown. So many question left tho. I am hoping for more!

11-18-04-Thursday
The DeathGate Cycle:The Hand of Chaos
-M. Weis & T. Hickman-fantasy
-83-. Hugh the Hand is back and makes sure Bane is killed. Haplo realizes the serpentsnakes are simply our own evilness phantasmagorized[?]. Deals with the elves and their magic system a bit more. Very interesting.

11-20-04-Saturday
A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Wide Window-Book the Third
-L. Snicket-fiction[pseudonym]
-82-having heard the first 2 books on tape, The Bad Beginning and The Reptile Room , I was hooked. 3 children are orphaned and go from relative to relative and each story is about all the bad things that happen to them. They never die, but usually the relative they are currently living with does, and they are always pursued by Count Olaf, a distant relative after their immense fortune. A children’s series. Very educational in that the author is always using big words and explaining them in very funny, simplistic terms. Not depressing at all.

11-30-04-Tuesday
A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Miserable Mill-Book the Fourth
-L. Snicket-children’s fiction
-82-The Baudelaires work at a dangerous lumber mill, Klaus is hypnotized and Count Olaf dresses up as a woman.

The DeathGate Cycle:Into the Labyrinth
-M. Weis & T. Hickman-fantasy
-83-The seventh gate is revealed, as the gate where all power resides. The serpentsnakes play a much bigger role and their opposites are shown thru the single personage of Zifnab’s dragon. But the ‘goodpower’ just seems to stay hidden, very disappointing. Lots of cool things happen tho. Haplo finds his old lover and Alfred stops running and accepts his status of serpentmage.



12-8-04-Wednesday
The DeathGate Cycle:The Seventh Gate
-M. Weis & T. Hickman-fantasy
-83-finishes up the tale. The good and bad dragons\serpents, along with the patryns and sartans are all locked into the labyrinth, death’s gate is shut, so no more travel between worlds but the flow between worlds still works, so life can continue. Find out alot about the Sundering and history. Glad to finish it tho.

12-18-04-Saturday
The Green and the Gray
-T. Zahn-scifi
-85-aliens[who turn out not to be aliens, just from the past] are fighting a clandestine war. One human couple gets caught up in it, and tries to make peace. Succeeds. Zahn really knows how to write about human\alien interaction and focus on character and not just a flashbang action plot. The twists were visible a mile away, but still enjoyable.

12-24-04-Friday
A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Austere Academy: Book the Fifth
-L. Snicket-juvenile fiction
-82-The Baudelaire Orphans go to a private school. Meet the Quagmire Triplets[who are down to twins], run ragged by Count Olaf and live in a shack. Ends up with the Quagmires being kidnapped by Count Olaf’s henchmen[they have an enormous fortune of their own]. Mr Poe is as useless as usual.

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