Thursday, January 31, 2008

January '08

HOGFATHER
-T. Pratchett-fantasy
-354-An assassin sets out to get rid of the Hogsfather, per contract by the Auditors of Reality. Who don't want the sun to come up, and hence all humanity will die. Death takes over for the missing Hogsfather and Susan must figure how to save Hogsfather and all of humanity. Perfect light start to the year.

HYPERION CANTOS: ENDYMION
-D. Simmons-scifi
-563- 200+ years after the end of Fall of Hyperion. Follows Raul Endymion, entrusted by Martin Silenus to guard Aenea, the next 'chosen one' who also happens to be the daughter of Lamia and the cybrid Keats. The Shrike seems to be her protector also. Turns out the TechnoCore is still controlling humanity through the improved Cruciforms, allowing "eternal" life to any willing to submit to the Pax/Church.

HYPERION CANTOS: THE RISE OF ENDYMION
-D. Simmons-scifi
-709-blasphemy. Nothing else needs to be written.

RECLUCE: THE TOWERS OF THE THE SUNSET
-L.E. Modesitt, Jr-fantasy
-359-how the Island of Recluce began. Characters are hard headed and asinine. Seems to be a trait Modesitt enjoys.

RUROUNI KENSHIN #1
-N. Watsuki-manga
-199-I like Kenshin, but not enough to read the manga, which the anime is directly from.

MARS: A PRINCESS OF MARS
-E.R. Burroughs-fantasy
-160- follows the adventures of John Carter, a Virginian Gentleman who goes to Mars. In this adventure he rescues a Princess, who he marries, and unites the red martians [humanoid] and the green martians [not so humanoid]. Pulp fiction through and through. We'll see how the next 10+ stories stand up.

RECLUCE: THE MAGIC ENGINEER
-L.E. Modesitt, Jr-fantasy
-617- how the Black ships of Recluce came into being. Even though these stories seem to follow a VERY predictable pattern and the characters all start out stubborn and headstrong, I find myself staying up to read as much as I can. I like this series.

MARS: THE GODS OF MARS
-E.R. Burroughs-fantasy
-195-John Carter returns to Mars after 10 years. He has a son who is completely grown up. Goes to rescue his wife and in the process discredits the religious beliefs and discovers the white and black men of mars. The white men were masquerading as the red men's gods and the black men were masquerading as the white men's gods. Overthrows the whole system. Ends with his wife being trapped in a prison that won't open again for a year.

MARS: THE WARLORD OF MARS
-E.R. Burroughs-fantasy
-138-John Carter finds the yellow men of Mars. Rescues his wife and is named the Warlord of Mars.

LES MISERABLES
-V. Hugo-classic
-1463-man, what to write. This was the complete unabridged version. The story was great. A convict is given a second chance by a priest and goes on to make millions and help a whole area in France. He is put back in jail. Once he escapes again, he finds the daughter of a woman who was under his care. He takes care of her until she gets married. All the time being pursued by a police officer with a vendetta against Valjean. Ends with the officer dead, Valjean dying and his secret safe. A good story. Now, to the "unabridged" part of this book. Hugo wrote almost twice as much about whatever he felt like instead of the plot. Convents, sewers, the battle of Waterlou and many other unrelated subjects. I would have to recommend an abridged version to anyone. I wish I could hit Hugo for wasting so much of my time with such trivial drivel!

RECLUCE: THE ORDER WAR
-L.E. Modesitt, Jr-fantasy
-598-Introduces Justen the Grey, who we met in "The Magic of Recluce". I really like how Modesitt started things off with "MoR" and then all the following novels have been the history leading up to it. This novel introduces the involvement of the druids, who serve a deeper balance than either just Order or Chaos. Good stuff!

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