Friday, June 29, 2012

Review: Tricked


Tricked
Tricked by Kevin Hearne

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



All of my complaints about the earlier books [sex goddesses at a drop of a hat, pop culture references out the wazoo, immature behavior from a 2000 year old man] were pretty much dealt with in this book. It is almost like the author read all my complaints and fixed them.

However, it is too late. This IS the final Iron Druid book for me. Urban fantasy has to be done perfectly for me to keep reading it, as I don't particularly care for UF.

Maybe if the series had started out like this book and not the previous three, I would keep on going. But I just don't care.

Atticus comes across as a spoiled brat [even when talking about his past wife and kids, it still came across as "me, me, me"] and while I don't usually root for the hero to get hurt, I just wanted to smack the attitude out of him and pound him til he breaks, bloodily.

If you've enjoyed, a lot, the previous books, I think you'll like this book as much and will probably like the future books. I just can't take any more UF...



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Thursday, June 28, 2012

Review: Star Wars: Darth Plagueis


Star Wars: Darth Plagueis
Star Wars: Darth Plagueis by James Luceno

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I really enjoyed this book. After the whimper of an ending that was Fate of the Jedi, I wasn't really looking forward to any Star Wars books.

While this story is more about Palps, it is a good look at the thoughts of a pair of Sith. And I tell you, it was weird.

Many times I just shook my head and said "how deluded can someone be?". Then I realized I was reading about a human, so I realized I shouldn't be surprised :)

Definitely comes on strong for the "Sith are ok, not evil, just different" baloney line of philosophy. But while I noted that, I didn't really find it affecting my reading or enjoyment, more of just something to keep in the back of my head.

So yeah, sith are evil baby eating scum, and names/titles like "Darth X the wise" [which are usually self appointed] don't really apply.



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Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Review: Academ's Fury


Academ's Fury
Academ's Fury by Jim Butcher

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Read February 2010
Re-Read June 2012


February 2010 Review:

The First Lord is incapacitated and Tavi must help cover it up. With some friends he fends off attacks magical, physical and political. Tavi is fury'less and mocked as a freak by the rich and powerful. Using his wits alone he survives. Keeps things from collapsing until the First Lord recovers.


June 2012
I went into this knowing just how bad ass the vord were going to be and I STILL felt totally tensed up and "what is going to happen next?". No, I don't have a bad memory. I just find the writing to be as good upon re-reading as when I read it the first time.

The Canim are just phracking cool...



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Thursday, June 21, 2012

Review: The Twits


The Twits
The Twits by Roald Dahl

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



While not his best book, [a lack of a plucky protagonist being this book's weakness] the Twits does show case how well Dahl can write a truly revolting antagonist.

I loved Dahl's books in elementary and I still love reading them now. I consider them timeless, IF you have the correct macabre type of humor.



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Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Review: Star Corps


Star Corps
Star Corps by Ian Douglas

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Now this was what I was expecting from the series from the start, not the 4th book. Lots of awesome fighting with aliens. And there are some cool battle scenes described.

So of course, Douglas decides to throw in his religious and socio-political views which promptly ruined it for me.

I have no interest in reading about polygamist "marriage", wiccan'ism and other such philosophies.

Mr. Douglas, this is where we part ways. Enjoy your life...



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Monday, June 18, 2012

Review: Europa Strike


Europa Strike
Europa Strike by Ian Douglas

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



This was boring for 99% of the book, then ends in such a way that I had to go read the next book in the series, the first in a 'new' trilogy.

There are just too many instances of military fanservice. If I was interested in the details about guns, military vehicles and maneuvers, I might love this series. But I am not. I want marines killing and awesome space action scenes.

Oh well.



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Sunday, June 17, 2012

Review: Deserter


Deserter
Deserter by Mike Shepherd

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I enjoyed this more than the first book, [b:Mutineer|129582|Mutineer (Kris Longknife #1)|Mike Shepherd|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1309283922s/129582.jpg|124804], but at the same time this was really pushing the line with its sexual content.

While not explicit, it is made more of than I am comfortable with or want to read about.



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Saturday, June 16, 2012

Review: Deserter


Deserter
Deserter by Mike Shepherd

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I enjoyed this more than the first book, [b:Mutineer|129582|Mutineer (Kris Longknife #1)|Mike Shepherd|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1309283922s/129582.jpg|124804], but at the same time this was really pushing the line with its sexual content.

While not explicit, it is made more of than I am comfortable with or want to read about.



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Friday, June 15, 2012

Review: Queen of Sorcery


Queen of Sorcery
Queen of Sorcery by David Eddings

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



While not as fast paced as [b:Pawn of Prophecy|44659|Pawn of Prophecy (The Belgariad, #1)|David Eddings|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1320440039s/44659.jpg|2558293], solid groundwork and very broad hints, are laid down for future books for the rest of the story.

I think being introduced to Ce'Nedra and to Mandorallen were my favorite highlights of this book.



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Thursday, June 14, 2012

Review: The Dragon at War


The Dragon at War
The Dragon at War by Gordon R. Dickson

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



Dickson gets one more try after this book.

Stupid.

Not much of a review, I know, but it wasn't much of a book...



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Review: The Tombs of Atuan


The Tombs of Atuan
The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula K. Le Guin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Read May 2005
Re-read June 2012

2012 Review:
Not as good as [b:A Wizard of Earthsea|13642|A Wizard of Earthsea (Earthsea Cycle, #1)|Ursula K. Le Guin|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1353424536s/13642.jpg|113603] but still a solid fantasy tale.

Definitely a worthy book to keep re-reading every decade or so.


2005 Review:
about Tenar. Ged is a secondary character and plays a small, but important, part at the end. Another tale of Earthsea



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Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Review: The First Dragoneer


The First Dragoneer
The First Dragoneer by M.R. Mathias

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



Unfortunately, this short story was so shallow that I couldn't tell the 2 characters apart and read it in more of a zen trance than with any real comprehension...



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Review: Pirates of the Thunder


Pirates of the Thunder
Pirates of the Thunder by Jack L. Chalker

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Voltron Assemble!

That is what this felt like. Disparate groups of people being forced together to survive. And lots of rambling about how there must be some other force helping the rebels.

This series is not nearly as fun and enjoyable as [b:The Four Lords of the Diamond|7184707|The Four Lords of the Diamond (The Four Lords of the Diamond, #1-4)|Jack L. Chalker|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1258936790s/7184707.jpg|7704807]



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Review: The Goose Girl


The Goose Girl
The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I thoroughly enjoyed this "Princess to Pauper to Princess" story.

While it was simple, it was well written, exciting, tense, funny and it ended happily...for the heroine.



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Review: Throne of the Crescent Moon


Throne of the Crescent Moon
Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



Thanks be to God, who allows authors to finally run the *&)(^%$ out of worthless words.

This book could have been 20% shorter if the author hadn't made his characters "bless", "thank", "praise", "be damned" or some such "God" for EVERY PHRACKING THING THEY DO!!!!!!!!!!!

Does the young hothead think a thought? Praise God he can think.

Does the old fat magician like a particular food? Thank God he can taste it.

And on and on and on.

I went into this book thinking I was going to get a rousing middle eastern story with monsters I'd never heard of and horrors beyond mortal ken.

What I got was an old man who refused to properly take on an apprentice, and then spends the entire book lamenting how he is too old to be doing this.
I get pages of people drinking tea, going through crowded gates and talking about mundane things.
I also get "action", all 2 paragraphs of it.

Ghuls get some face time at the beginning and right near the end. I want some fighting action that lasts more than 2 paragraphs, PLEASE!!!! Give me new and exciting monsters to feast my jaded fantasy tastes upon.
Humongous evil, terrible powers are hinted at, given a shadow, then torn away in an ill-described, barely there kind of way.

I was just disappointed, which is why I am so vitriolic. I don't know that I'll be reading any more...



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Friday, June 08, 2012

June '12

The Nano Flower (Greg Mandel, #3)The Nano Flower by Peter F. Hamilton
Ebook, 608 Pages
My rating: 3 of 5 stars


A highclass hooker has sex with a 15year old boy and ends up becoming his lover and his legal ward.

Aliens.

I didn't really enjoy this book as much as the first, or even the second. And it really put the kabosh on my desire to read more by Hamilton.



Pawn of Prophecy (The Belgariad, #1)Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings
Ebook, 332 Pages
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I first discovered David Eddings in junior high. It was instant love.
Read him in highschool and in the beginning of college.

Then life started, and with that came a whole ton of new books, authors, etc that have diverted me for the last Decade+.

So, just like most of my recent rereads, I sat down to see how this book held up to my more mature, wise and married self.

Beyond the fact that I saw it for the young-adult lit it is [when I was 16 I was convinced this was cutting edge fantasy on the level of Tolkien], this held up very well.

I still laughed, I still rolled my eyes, and I grinned even harder with anticipation, KNOWING what was coming next.
Sometimes you just need a comforting book that you already know the nooks and crannies of. Well, I think the entire The Belgariad Boxed Set is pretty much that for me.



Joker One: A Marine Platoon's Story of Courage, Leadership, and BrotherhoodJoker One: A Marine Platoon's Story of Courage, Leadership, and Brotherhood by Donovan Campbell
Ebook, 313 Pages
My rating: 3 of 5 stars


While this book was well written, and correct, I didn't enjoy it like others because of the genre [non-fiction].

If you like military non-fiction, then I suspect you'll like this book. Snapshots of a military tour from the Lt's point of view. He is in the middle between the grunts and the High Command. Not a nice place to be.





A Wizard of Earthsea (The Earthsea Cycle, #1)A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
Ebook, 205 Pages
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


No matter how many times I read this story, it is just as good, if not better each time I read it.

Ged's coming of age story does not get stale, lose its edge of suspense, or in any way diminish with each re-read.

It is just as interesting to me as a mid 30's man as I found it when I first read it in my early teens.

Cannot recommend this book [and the trilogy] enough for anyone who loves fantasy...

Friday, June 01, 2012

2012 So Far...

001: Dragon: The Dragon Knight-Gordon Dickson-503
002: Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials-James Dashner-321
003: Dune Messiah & Children of Dune-Frank Herbert-592
004: Cobra War: Cobra Gamble-Timothy Zahn-400
005: Maze Runner: The Death Cure-James Dashner-305
006: Wheel of Time: Knife of Dreams-Robert Jordan-704
007: Heir: Dragon Heir-Cinda Chima-528
008: The Broker-John Grisham-368
009: Tormay: The Hawk and His Boy-Christopher Bunn-225
010: Strain: The Night Eternal-Chuck Hogan & Guillermo del Toro-318
011: The Omen Machine-Terry Goodkind-UNFINISHED
012: 1Q84-Haruki Murakami-1084
013: God Emperor of Dune-Frank Herbert-404
014: Cowl-Neal Asher-336
015: Mistborn: Alloy of Law-Brandon Sanderson-256
016: Prospero Lost-L. Lamplighter-352
017: Horus Heresy: False Gods-Graham McNeill-288
018: Black Magician: The Novice-Trudi Canavan-480
019: Dismas Hardy: The Motive-John Lescroart-404
020: Tiffany Aching: I Shall Wear Midnight-Terry Pratchett-359
021: Destroyermen: Distant Thunders-Taylor Anderson-432
022: Discworld: Unseen Academicals-Terry Pratchett-448
023: Acacia: The Sacred Band-David Durham-544
024: Dragon: Dragon on the Border-Gordon Dickson-488
025: Sisterhood of Dune-Brian Herbert & Kevin Anderson-448
026: Dune Chronicles: Heretics of Dune-Frank Herbert-471
027: Tormay: The Shadow at the Gate-Christopher Bunn-462
028: Star Wars: Old Republic: Revan-Drew Karpyshyn-272
029: Inheritance: Inheritance-Christopher Paolini-769
030: Spin-Robert Wilson-458
031: Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring-J.R.R. Tolkien-480
032: Wizard's Hall-Jane Yolen-133
033: Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers-J.R.R. Tolkien-336
034: Dune Chronicles: Chapterhouse Dune-Frank Herbert-436
035: Riyria Revelations: Percepliquis-Michael Sullivan-344 pages
036: Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King-J.R.R. Tolkien-512
037: Star Wars: Lando Calrissian and the Flamewind of Oseon-L. Neil Smith-181
038: Monster Hunter International-Larry Correia-478
039: Bright Empires: The Skin Map-Stephen Lawhead-342
040: Tormay: The Wicked Day-Christopher Bunn-363
041: Others-James Herbert-512
043: The Tenth Commandment-Lawrence Sanders-385
044: Star Wars: Riptide-Paul Kemp-199
045: Predator: Cold War-Nathan Archer-190
046: The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch-Joseph Delaney-158
047: Dresden Files: Small Favor-Jim Butcher-432
048: Jumper: Griffin's Story-Steven Gould-286
049: The Last Apprentice: Curse of the Bane-Joseph Delaney-201
050: Lyra: Caught in Crystal-Patricia Wrede-294
051: Monster Hunter International: Vendetta-Larry Correia-450
052: Black Magician: The High Lord-Trudi Canavan-544
053: The Mote in God's Eye-Larry Niven-560
054: The Heritage: Semper Mars-Ian Douglas-384
055: Age of Fire: Dragon Champion-E.E. Knight-384
056: Age of Fire: Dragon Avenger-E.E. Knight-384
057: Wild Cards-George R.R. Martin-496
058: Dune 7: Hunter's of Dune-Brian Herbert & Kevin Anderson-528
059: Wild Cards: Aces High-George R.R. Martin-336
060: Coraline-Neil Gaiman-86
061: The Gun Seller-Hugh Laurie-466
062: Kris Longknife: Mutineer-Mike Shepherd-400
063: Looking Glass: Into the Looking Glass-John Ringo-288
064: Codex Alera; Furies of Calderon-Jim Butcher-512
065: Ender's Game-Orson Card-289
066: The Anderson Tapes-Lawrence Sanders-300
067: The Heritage: Luna Marine-Ian Douglas-416
068: Malaz: Orb Sceptre Throne-Ian Esslemont-605
069: Rings of the Master: Lords of the Middle Dark-Jack Chalker-300
070: Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith: Secrets-John Miller-32
071: Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Apocalypse-Troy Denning-496
072: Wizard in Rhyme: Her Majesty's Wizard-Christopher Stasheff-342
073: The Last Apprentice: Night of the Soul Stealer-Joseph Delaney-189
074: Mandel Files: Mindstar Rising-Peter Hamilton-383
075: Mandel Files: A Quantum Murder-Peter Hamilton-384
076: Strata-Terry Pratchett-192
077: Lilith-George MacDonald-220
078: Mandel Files: The Nano Flower-Peter Hamilton-608
079: Belgariad: Pawn of Prophecy-David Eddings-332
080: Joker One-Donovan Campbell-313
081: Earthsea: A Wizard of Earthsea-Ursula. Le Guin-205


MANGA & GRAPHIC NOVELS
001: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle #1-CLAMP
002: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle #2-CLAMP
003: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle #3-CLAMP
004: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle #4-CLAMP
005: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle #5-CLAMP
006: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle #6-CLAMP
007: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle #7-CLAMP
008: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle #8-CLAMP
009: Lio's Astonishing Tales-Mark Tatulli
010: Ninja High School #1-Ben Dunn
011: Ninja High School #2-Ben Dunn
012: Elseworld: Batman: Nine Lives-Dean Motter
013: Elseworld: Batman: Nosferatu-Jean Lofficier