Thursday, September 29, 2016

Rising Tide (Threat from the Sea #1) (Forgotten Realms)


Rising Tide - Mel Odom This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes. blogspot.wordpress.com by  Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: Rising Tide
Series: Threat from the Sea
Author: Mel Odom
Rating: 3 of 5 Stars
Genre: SFF
Pages: 356
Format: Kindle digital edition








Synopsis:

A young woman, a Sahugin throwback [which means she looks like a human instead of a pure Sahugin], frees an old sorcerer from his imprisonment, thinking it means he will side with her, extend her power and punish the surface dwellers for their encroachments on the sea. Little does she know that the sorcerer has his own plans and while conquest is on the menu, he plans on conquest of all.

At the same time, a young man, who is the son of an infamous pirate and with some other hidden life secret, is trying to find a life on the sea. Things just don't ever seem to work out and he's been hearing voices, which seem to be leading him towards a collision with the aforementioned sorcerer.


My Thoughts:

For a Mel Odom book, this was pretty good. Unfortunately, the young man is a guilt ridden, rule obsessive, completely self-centered brat. Everything, and I mean everything, must center around him. And he always puts the worst light possible on it.
The young woman really isn't much better as she is consumed with self-doubt and inadequacies because of her throwback status.

The idea of a world class sorcerer that used to hang out with gods awakening and starting a campaign of world domination never gets old. But it takes a good author to make it work. I'm not convinced that Odom can handle this.
`

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Count to a Trillion (Count to the Eschaton Sequence #1)


Count to a Trillion - John C. Wright This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes. blogspot.wordpress.com by  Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: Count to a Trillion
Series: Count to the Eschaton Sequence
Author: John Wright
Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Genre: SFF
Pages: 464
Format: Kindle digital edition








Synopsis:

Menelaus Montrose grew wondering where The Future was. Where were the moon rockets and flying cars? So Menelaus joined the army, became a gunslinging lawyer, then a scientist, then an astronaut to decipher the greatest find of Humanity's history.
But ol' Menelaus just wasn't smart enough, so he shot his brain with a concoction, went insane and then deciphered parts of the Artifact. Now that he's woken back up, on Earth, it turns out that Humanity has 10,000 years to prepare for the coming of their new overlords, who are just a bitty little power in the Universe.

Menelaus has shown humanity that they can "improve" themselves. Now it is a race to see who can successfully repeat his experiment and determine whether Humanity will capitulate or fight in 10K years.


My Thoughts:

I thoroughly enjoyed this. The pacing was really odd and I had to keep pretty close track of when I was. I also found the amount of detail a tad overwhelming but I just sat back and let it roll over me. I think this was also trying to be Hard SF, with lots of references to various theorems, technical ideas on biology, mathematical sequences, blah, blah, blah. I just skipped them, as it felt more like "Science" name dropping than actual Hard SF.

Other than that, this was a great look at what "could" happen to humanity if they messed around with their own brains. Of course, it is all predicated that you believe that garbage can produce non-garbage ;-)

I think Neal Asher does a better job of showing post-Humanity. But this series will fill in the gap while I wait for his next book.

Finally, I wish I knew why the series name was Count to the Eschaton Sequence.  But I don't want to know enough to actually do any work and investigate it.
`

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Obsidian Worlds


Obsidian Worlds: 11 Mind-Bending Sci-Fi Shorts - Jason Werbeloff This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes. blogspot.wordpress.com by  Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: Obsidian Worlds
Series: ------
Author: Jason Werbeloff
Rating: 1 of 5 Stars
Genre: SFF
Pages: 247
Format: Kindle digital edition








Synopsis:

11 short stories showcasing the writing talents of Jason Werbeloff.


My Thoughts:

Filth. Pure and simple. I felt like I had spent the time reading immersed directly in raw sewage from the author's mind.

Moral and Sexual perversions. Hatred, cruelty and loathing, against self and others. Whenever a character wasn't completely and deliberately unlikable, they were crass and vulgar to the extreme. And this was not crap writing. Werbeloff does a good job showing his writing chops. Sadly, he wastes it with subject material so vile. The only thing missing was child abuse.

I can only highly recommend skipping this and I know I sure won't be checking out any other writings by this guy.
`

Monday, September 26, 2016

The False Hero (Eyeshield 21 #2) (Manga Monday)


Eyeshield 21, Vol. 2: The False Hero - Riichiro Inagaki, Yusuke Murata This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes. blogspot.wordpress.com by  Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: The False Hero
Series: Eyeshield 21
Author: Riichiro Inagaki
Artist: Yusuke Murata
Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Genre: Manga
Pages: 208
Format: Digital Scan







Synopsis:

After celebrating their first win, ever, the Devil Bats must now face the toughest team in Highschool, the White Knights. Sena still carries on his Eyeshield 21 alter-ego and nobody suspects. However, while he maybe super fast, he's still a skinny kid and that makes a difference when playing football.
Shin, from the White Knights, is introduced and appears to be one of those characters which will become Sena's Frenemy. The guy is the top player in the league, does handstand pushups with his thumbs and can read the opposition's skill level at a glance. Yet he's brutally honest and wants nothing to do with the limelight.
The rules of football are introduced in little bits and are illustrated in the manga story  itself, so it is easy to follow along and not get lost with what is going on.


My Thoughts:

Not nearly so funny as the previous book but just as good. Sena begins the process of becoming part of a team and realizing that he can depend on others, which completely contradicts his personal life experience so far.

Considering that most of the players are learning the rules as they go along, ie, 10 yards completed to get another first down, it is a surprise that they can play at all. But for all the cliche of "the rookie team with heart and talent" it still really works. The Devil Bats have a great disparate group of characters to work with and I hope the creators make full use of the others even while keeping Sena in the foreground.

My one beef is how Mamori just doesn't realize that Eyeshield 21 is Sena. She's his childhood friend, is smart enough to have memorized the rulebook and quote them back at the quarterback and is organized beyond belief. But she can't see the connection between Sena mysteriously "going to get batteries for the cam" and Eyeshield 21 suddenly showing up? I understand it is a plot point and while it might work for the rest of the team, she doesn't seem like a dupe.

And the title of the book. This is referring to Sena as he realizes that his Eyeshield 21 personna just isn't enough with speed alone or by himself. Right at the end he quits and then comes back when he realizes how hard the rest of the team is working to support Eyeshield 21, even if their skills aren't that good. One of those fuzzy, feel good moments. Kind of like this series' version of the Yugioh's "Friendship" schmaltz.
`

Sunday, September 25, 2016

To the Far Blue Mountains (Sacketts #2)


To the Far Blue Mountains  - Louis L'Amour This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes. blogspot.wordpress.com by  Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: To the Far Blue Mountains
Series: Sacketts
Author: Louis L'amour
Rating: 3 of 5 Stars
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 287
Format: Kindle digital edition








Synopsis:

Barnabas Sackett is now wanted by the Crown, as it is believed he discovered some of the Lost Crown Jewels when he found the old gold pieces. Cast into prison, rescued and fleeing to the New World, Barnabas must finally leave England behind for good. Now with his wife and his crew, Barnabas must learn to live in a land where everything is new and strange. Determination and grit allow him to succeed and to raise a fine crop of kiddo's, men and women who are suited for exploring and conquering this America.


My Thoughts:

Pretty much the same thoughts as the previous book.

Barnabas waxes loquacious at any and all times and comes across much more as an armchair philosopher than a man who is trying to survive. There is a lot of action, what with prison rescues, fighting pirates, fighting Indians, etc but it is all mellowed out by the tone it is being told in. Even Barnabas's dying thoughts are presented that way.
`

Friday, September 23, 2016

Scientific Progress Goes "Boink" (Calvin and Hobbes #6)


Calvin and Hobbes: Scientific Progress Goes "Boink" - Bill Watterson This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes. blogspot.wordpress.com by  Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: Scientific Progress Goes "Boink"
Series: Calvin and Hobbes
Author/Artist: Bill Watterson
Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Genre: Comics
Pages: 128





My Thoughts:

Having read 6 years of comics [I believe each book covers a years worth of weekly strips] in just over 1/2year most of the shine has worn off. Calvin gets into trouble, Calvin annoys the babysitter, Calvin fights with Hobbes, Calvin and Hobbes have an adventure.

It Is The Same.
`

Thursday, September 22, 2016

The Boy with the Golden Legs (Eyeshield 21 #1) (Manga)


Eyeshield 21, Vol. 1: The Boy With the Golden Legs - Riichiro Inagaki, Yusuke Murata This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes. blogspot.wordpress.com by  Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: The Boy with the Golden Legs
Series: Eyeshield 21
Author: Riichiro Inagaki
Artist: Yusuke Murata
Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Genre: Manga
Pages: 208
Format: Digital Scan







Synopsis:

Sena has graduated from middleschool and makes it into the highschool he was aiming for. Sadly, the same bullies who used him are also attending. With the encouragement of a childhood friend named Mamori, Sena joins an afterschool club. He joins the Football Club, planning on being the manager but the quarterback has recruited Sena for his speed, earned by running from the aforementioned bullies.
Now Sena and the other 2 members of the club must recruit 9 other members for at least one day for their first game. Can Sena survive a Football game when he can't even stand up to bullies?


My Thoughts:

My goodness, I enjoyed this. While I am not a big fan, I understand and enjoy football and can follow a game just fine and this series is not a serious series, at least not starting out. The Quarterback is constantly shooting off guns and rocket launchers and missiles [it IS manga after all] and practically kidnapping players. The humor is very much right down my alley.

Sena makes for a great main character. He is the classic underdog: small, picked on, cheerful, full of optimism and with a hidden talent that just needs to be teased out. His childhood friend Mamori is going to be the obvious love interest, even while being a year or two older than him. She hangs out with him, stammers and blushed around him way too much to be anything BUT the love interest. And she gets roped into being the manager for the team when it becomes painfully apparent that Sena can't organize anything to save his life. So she won't just be a blushing rose but an integral part of the story.

The whole idea about Eyeshield 21 being an alter-ego for Sena to hide him so the other sports teams won't steal him away is properly "Manga". It is ridiculous, over the top, silly and it totally works. It also allows for a good bit of setup with other football teams and the whole idea of scouting your opponents to discover their strengths and weaknesses.

If you're worried about this being bogged down with "sports" knowledge, have no fear. No previous knowledge of football is necessary but  the creators give you just enough of the rules at the critical moment so you know why "X" or "Y" needs to happen, or not. Kind of like a Chess Grandmaster explaining how a particular piece moves without explaining the whole game.

I started this series back in '09 and stopped when I caught up to the series [it didn't end until Volume 37 in 2011]. I didn't write any reviews then, as I wasn't reviewing manga but I do remember enjoying it immensely and that didn't change with this re-start of the series. I am really looking forward to reading the rest.
`

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Going Dark (The Red #3)


Going Dark - Linda Nagata This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes. blogspot.wordpress.com by  Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: Going Dark
Series: The Red
Author: Linda Nagata
Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Genre: SFF
Pages: 465
Format: Kindle digital edition








Synopsis:

Shelley is the team lead of a group of individuals who are working directly for The Red. They seek to end Existential Threats [ie, world ending, world changing] before they can occur.
But Shelley isn't prepared for The Red to be a fallible program and when it appears to fail him, Shelley must decide if he'll continue to let The Red run his life or if he'll start controlling himself.


My Thoughts:

This was the most overtly philosophical of the books and hence we spend a good bit of time in Shelley's head. You know what? Shelley is an idiot. He has tossed aside his own brains and expects The Red to be his god and to be the kind of god that gives him everything on a platter. He forgets that The Red is a program and nothing more. In many ways, this was the story of Shelley growing up and beginning to rely on himself and other people instead of an ephemeral bit of code.

There is just as much action as in the previous books. Pulse pounding, boot thumping, bullet shattering action. Shelley is always one step from dying, either from the enemy or from his relying on The Red and considering how the author has treated him in the previous books, you just never know if he'll make it or not.

There isn't much resolution really. Shelley just decides to stop relying on The Red and be a fracking man. Hoo Ra!
`

Monday, September 19, 2016

Blood of Angels (Straw Men #3)


Blood of Angels - Michael Marshall Smith This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes. blogspot.wordpress.com by  Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: Blood of Angels
Series: Straw Men
Author: Michael Marshall
Rating: 2.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Thriller
Pages: 422
Format: Kindle digital edition








Synopsis:

Nina and Ward are dragged back into an investigation, of a potential female serial killer. At the same time Paul, with the help of the Straw Men, escapes from custody and begins to put into place a horrific plan. A former Straw Men is dragged back into service and a young man of Straw Man parentage is roped into Paul's plan.

Nina is kidnapped and Ward and Zandt are distracted from thwarting Paul's plan. And it is revealed that the Straw Men have been around destroying Civilization since Atlantis and now they intend to begin again.


My Thoughts:

I was kind of going along for the ride until the author stated that Jesus was just a man who faked his death and secretly lived out the rest of his life in Europe. I don't have a problem with conspiracy theories about the Church or saints or what not, but when you baldly deny Jesus' claim of Divinity, then you've moved into Blasphemous territory. I take that rather seriously.

My other issue is with the series as a whole. The Straw Men themselves, in fact. They are presented as this group of evil people bent on murder and mayhem but with the tight control of a genius. They have persisted for untold time and continue strong. I just don't buy it. Evil, by its very nature, is destructive and eventually self-destructive. You might have individuals who can control themselves while allowing evil full reign in their life, but never groups of people and even those individuals must at some point succumb themselves. A group dedicated to evil will rise, prosper and then decay and fall, usually to another group.

Other than those 2 things, this was an ok read. I'm not a big fan of Conspiracies and Grand Paranoia, so some of the appeal of this series just wasn't aimed at me.
`

Sunday, September 18, 2016

Thraxas and the Sorcerers (Thraxas #5)


Thraxas and the Sorcerers - Martin Scott This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes. blogspot.wordpress.com by  Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: Thraxas and the Sorcerers
Series: Thraxas
Author: Martin Scott
Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: SFF
Pages: 186
Format: Kindle digital edition








Synopsis:

The Sorcerer's Guild needs a new Leader and everyone is meeting in Turai. Each City State is putting forth its top Sorcerer for the job. Unfortunately for Turai, their top Sorcerer is a thazi addled addict who can't even walk straight, much less run a Guild of the most powerful people in the realm.
So it is up to Thraxas and others to buy, threaten, cheat, extort and whatever else is needed, to get the votes for their Sorcerer. And Thraxas has been made a Tribune, so he's officially back in the Politics Game.


My Thoughts:

This was a murder mystery mixed with rigged elections and so much dwa that it felt like I, the reader, was practically swimming through the stuff. So pretty much, just like all the previous books.

I have the omnibus, The Complete Thraxas, and have been reading these on my phone, back to back. I think I reached my limit here. Need to take a break and put these back into the regular queue.

I like these and want to make sure that I keep on liking them.
`

Thursday, September 15, 2016

The Summoning (The Return of the Archwizards #1) (Forgotten Realms)


The Summoning - Troy Denning This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes. blogspot.wordpress.com by  Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: The Summoning
Series: The Return of the Archwizards
Author: Troy Denning
Rating: 1.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: SFF
Pages: 356
Format: Kindle digital edition








Synopsis:

Galaeron, an elf, is on patrol guarding the crypts from tomb robbers. He and his band come across a group of humans who are invading, but not stealing anything. Galaeron casts a spell that somehow interacts with another spell and it opens a hole in a magic barrier, that a wizard was on the other side of. On the other side were also magical creatures who use magic and live on it.
Now Galaeron and others must trust Melegaunt the Netherese wizard that he can return the floating city of Shade and destroy the Phaerimm before they destroy the last stronghold of the elves.
Only nothing is ever simple. Galaeron has been infected with dark magic and must fight every negative thought as it twists him closer and closer to becoming his own evil shadow. Elminster the Mage is convinced that Melegaunt has much deeper plans than saving Evereska. The Elf Lords are being bull headed and listening to no one, thus allowing Evereska to be besieged and over run.


My Thoughts:

Netherese are just bad news. I learned this from my jaunt with Erevis Cale and I'm pretty sure that pretty boy/drow Drizz't and Company had some bad times with them as well. So to read about them as potential saviors just smacks of backstabbing and double dealing waiting to happen.  That is one of the problems with reading Forgotten Realms books rather randomly like I do. I know things that the characters don't, I have seen the future written in stone and sometimes, just like Paul Maud'dib, I get lost in the Timestream.

However, this book was a hot mess. At first I thought it was because I started this when pretty tired and hence my faculties weren't all on campus. But since this took several days I realized it was the author and not me. It was rushed. Tons of action but certain events were given one sentence to happen then referred to for paragraphs and paragraphs. One example: in a battle scene Galaeron, Melegaunt and the others are on a mountain side and before I know it, they're at the top of the mountain fighting. I go back to see what happened and somewhere there was a landslide that allowed them easy access to the top but I couldn't see how this happened or why or when. Lots of instances of the characters making connections and me being "huh? where did that come from?" from it.

The changing viewpoints didn't work for me either. Usually it isn't a problem but this time around it was. It was random, just to show what was going on. We didn't necessarily stick with specific characters beyond Galaeron and Company and made for plot whiplash, especially when someone is referred to once and then 3 chapters later we get a whole chapter about what they're doing.

While I'm not a huge of Drizz't the Drow, I'm even less of a fan of Elminster so his inclusion didn't do it for me either.

I hate to say this, but it wasn't organically put together.  I don't expect a lot, or very much at all to be honest, from Forgotten Realms books but I do expect to be able to follow along. I am not in my dotage yet.  I'll be reading the rest of the trilogy just to see how the plot resolves, but my goodness, I sure hope the cohesiveness of the writing gets better.
`

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Tron


Tron - Brian Daley This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot. wordpress.com by  Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: Tron
Series: ----------
Author: Brian Daley
Rating: 2 of 5 Stars
Genre: Movie Novelization
Pages: 186
Format: Kindle digital scan








Synopsis:

Flynn came up with several smash hit games, only to have them stolen by another man who leveraged that fame into the position of CEO at Endcom. Flynn is on a crusade to prove that those were HIS games and that HE deserves that position. With the help of Bradley and Laura, friends who are still employed at Endcom, Flynn breaks in and starts to hack the system.
Little does he know that MCP has taken control of the company and it doesn't want Flynn around. Zapped into an electronic world, Flynn must hook up with Brad and Laura's alter ego's and take down the MCP from the inside. As a mythical User, Flynn has powers at his fingertips not known to mere programs. With the help of Tron the Warrior and Lori the shaper, Flynn is on a journey to survive and destroy the MCP.


My Thoughts:

I am a big fan of the movie Tron. I acknowledge it's complete 80'sness but that is part of the appeal. It is the Electronic 80's in all its Glory.

Sadly, this book was deadly boring. Boring that I really wanted to DNF this. But my love of the movie overcame and I soldiered on. Kind of wish I hadn't and started something else. Daley was a good author and his own works showcase that pretty well but this, it was just boring. I know I'm saying that lot, but that was what kept striking me in the face over and over.

Wouldn't recommend this at all and if it wasn't for the movie being so cool, I would give this an easy 1 Star.
`

Monday, September 12, 2016

Thraxas and the Elvish Isles (Thraxas #4)


Thraxas and the Elvish Isles - Martin Scott This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot. wordpress.com by  Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: Thraxas and the Elvish Isles
Series: Thraxas
Author: Martin Scott
Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: SFF
Pages: 186
Format: Kindle digital edition








Synopsis:

The royalty of Turai are trying to strengthen ties with the Elves. They send a delegation to one of the Elvish Isles to help celebrate. At the same time, Thraxas is coming along at the request of one of the Elves, who was his friend during the War with the Orcs. Unfortunately, he's coming along because said Elf's daughter is accused of trying to destroy the Sacred Tree AND killing the Head Priest. Makri comes along because she's literally chased out of Turai by some thugs.
On the Island, life is pretty usual for Thraxas. No one likes him, no one will answer his questions, there isn't enough Beer and gambling opportunities abound.


My Thoughts:

I say this for every book, but it is true: This was FUN!

Thraxas just stumbles along through the case and because of pure dumb luck, every time, solves the case. Makri gets to fight, Thraxas annoys everyone in authority and money and beer, in great quantities, are gathered and lost.

And everything is the fault of of the drug Dwa.
`

Sunday, September 11, 2016

Outriders (Outriders #1)


Outriders - Jay Posey This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes. blogspot.wordpress.com by  Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: Outriders
Series: Outriders
Author: Jay Posey
Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Genre: SFF
Pages: 448
Format: Kindle digital edition








Synopsis:  Spoilers

Lincoln Suh [I had so much fun in my head saying Sir! Suh, Sir!] is a man who IS the definition of Special Forces. But when he joins the Outriders, things get kicked up a notch. First off, they kill him. Just to make sure they can electronically store his brain.
The Outriders take on missions that the Government not only denies, but actively opposes, but needs done.

Someone is trying to fan the flames of war between Earth and Mars and it is up to the Outriders to find out who and prevent it.


My Thoughts:

I didn't enjoy this as much as Posey's Duskwalker trilogy, but it was still very good. My only gripe was the eye-rolling obviousness of the solution to the villain that nobody in the story still gets. If you have death proofed soldiers who can come back to replicated bodies [much like the Cylons in the new Battlestar Galactica] don't you think that others might have that same solution? Other than that particular bit of denseness, I have NO complaints.

I liked that Lincoln was not a raw recruit with "potential" and we get to see his rise. Instead, he's already a fully mature [and the older I get, the more I appreciate that kind of character in the books I read] soldier who is willing and able to take on whatever is needed. I still want heroes in my stories.

It didn't "feel" very science fiction'y to me, even while taking place on Mars, Space Stations and space ships. Which means that I'm either getting very jaded or that Posey did an excellent job of not making the surroundings the main point of the story.
`

Friday, September 09, 2016

Ross Poldark (Poldark Saga #1)

This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes. blogspot.wordpress.com by  Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: Ross Poldark
Series: Poldark Saga
Author: Winston Graham
Rating: 3 of 5 Stars
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 400
Format: Kindle digital edition








Synopsis:

Ross Poldark has returned to Cornwall from a stint in the army and fighting those upstarts in the colonies. Sadly, his father has died, his servants have spent his livelihood on drink and the woman girl he loved, believing he was killed, has agreed to marry his cousin.
Now Ross must restart his life, with an old drunk couple for servants, a young waif as a cook, a family that looks down upon him and woman who wonders if she made the right choice.


My Thoughts:

I started watching this on Netflix and was really enjoying it. When I found out it was a 12 book series I stopped watching so I could enjoy the process of reading.

This was good. I am not usually a fan of historical fiction, as History and I know each other but have no interest in the other, kind of like second cousins. But a good story is a good story even if it doesn't have Space Marines.or Dragons.

The "drama llama" factor didn't get too high for me, which considering everything, I was very thankful for.  I am kind of afraid that Ross will end up in some kind of emotional love triangle with his former flame Elizabeth even while he's married to Demelza. If so, or if "things" happen, I'll be stopping this series. Marital unfaithfulness is not something I take lightly, even in my fiction reading.
`

Thursday, September 08, 2016

A Natural History of Dragons (A Memoir by Lady Trent #1)


A Natural History of Dragons  - Marie Brennan This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot. wordpress.com by  Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: A Natural History of Dragons
Series: A Memoir by Lady Trent
Author: Marie Brennan
Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: SFF
Pages: 335
Format: Kindle digital edition








Synopsis: Spoilers

Isabella has always wanted to know more about dragons, ever since she was a young girl. But living in Victorian Times limits her options severely.
Thankfully, her parents are smart and marry her off to a man who is also interested in dragons. Before you know it, Isabella has wheedled her way into an expedition to study dragons. An expedition where she learns how rough the outside world is, where they uncover a scheme of great wealth and eventually where her husband dies.

All told from the perspective of Isabella, now Lady Trent, in her 80's as she looks back over her life.


My Thoughts:

The only other Marie Brennan book I've read was Doppleganger, and it was so bad that I DNF'd it back in '10. With that in the back of my mind, I went into this read with a bit of hesitation.

Thankfully, this was a grand read and it scratched that Victorian itch I get every couple of years [and which I usually fill with a Jane Austen]. I liked the Memoir style and the interjections by Lady Trent kept things from getting too intense. Watching Isabella go from a young girl who bribed her maid to let her read books from her father's library to a young widow who has to figure out how to get on with life, Isabella comes across as a real person, which for a fictionalized woman in an alternate world with dragons, is pretty good.

At times I wondered if I was reading the same author as Doppleganger but I guess the genre and memoir style were more to my liking and that always helps.
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Tuesday, September 06, 2016

Omega Rising (Omega Force #1)


Omega Rising - Joshua Dalzelle This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot. wordpress.com by  Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: Omega Rising
Series: Omega Force
Author: Joshua Dalzelle
Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: SFF
Pages: 205
Format: Kindle digital edition








Synopsis:

Jason Burke, former Special Forces, is hiding away in the mountains after being disilllusioned by those in power. One night he sees an aircraft go down and he runs over to see if he can give aid.
It's a spaceship and before he knows it, Jason is gallivanting around the galaxy. Being betrayed by robots, crossing the galaxy mob, freeing slaves and gathering a group of heroes to make Space a better Place.


My Thoughts:

The origins of the A-Team in Space! Seriously, that is what this is. And it was a boat load of fun.

The writing started out a little rough and if I hadn't already read Dalzelle's Black Fleet trilogy, I probably would have consigned this to the DNF/Indie pile but after the first chapter things evened out.

Don't expect deep characterization or philosophical points hidden below the surface. You'll get guys shooting things and blowing the crap out of stuff, In Space!  Of course, since this is the Origin Story, we find out how everyone comes together instead of a Do Gooder Story. But I'm sure our Intrepid Team, the Omega Force, will be on the look out for Evil, in all its forms and race to the rescue at a moments notice.

Definitely wouldn't recommend this as a first intro to Dalzelle due to the rough writing but as a second series, I foresee a lot of fun ahead. As long as it doesn't devolve like some of those other mindless action series [I'm looking at you The Warlord].
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Sunday, September 04, 2016

The Endless Knot (Song of Albion #3) (Audio)


The Endless Knot - Robert Whitfield, Stephen R. Lawhead This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes. blogspot.wordpress.com by Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: The Endless Knot
Series: Song of Albion
Author: Stephen Lawhead
Narrator: Robert Whitfield
Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Fantasy
Minutes: 740
Format: Audio Book edition







Synopsis: Spoilers

Lhew Silverhand reigns in Albion. But his and Cynan's wives are abducted and against the wishes of his Bard, Lhew and Crew head to the cursed land to mount a rescue.
Lots of bad things happen in the Cursed Land and eventually Lhew comes face to face with Simon, who surprise, surprise, didn't die. Instead, Simon is now looting the Other World and sending it all back to our world, which puts both worlds at risk of dissolution.
Simon kills Lhew, takes the Stones of Albion for himself and then the stones kill all the badguys and remake the Cursed Land back into what it was supposed to be.
Lewis wakes up in our world and with the help of Susanna, begins to record his memories.


My Thoughts:

I remembered the beginning of this book and the end, but absolutely NOTHING in the middle. So the whole journey/adventure in the Cursed Land was akin to reading a whole new story.

The narrator was different from the previous 2 books and I didn't particularly care for his pronunciation of certain words. Biggest one was the henchmen Palladyr. In the previous book, and in my head, it was pronounced "Palla Deer". This new narrator pronounced it "Pa Ladder".  A change of emphasis on syllables, but it is still annoying.

Listening to this, Lewis comes across as a whiny, selfish man. I really want to read the books again to see if that comes through in the writing or if it just the take I get from the audio because I don't remember him being that way at all when I read this 16 years ago.

Overall, I liked the story but I did not like the narrator having his way with the words I was listening to.  I am going to try another trilogy of audio books because I really like filling in that 20min gap to and from work, but if the next audio experiment falls flat, I'm just going to give up on the format.
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Saturday, September 03, 2016

Thraxas at the Races (Thraxas #3)


Thraxas at the Races - Martin Scott This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot. wordpress.anobii.com by  Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: Thraxas at the Races
Series: Thraxas
Author: Martin Scott
Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: SFF
Pages: 256
Format: Kindle digital edition








Synopsis:

This time Thraxas is hired by a Senator to find his missing artwork, that his dwa addicted wife has stolen to fuel her habit. Of course, just as Thraxas finds the loot, he also finds the Senators dead body and is charged with the crime.
He is rescued only to find he is now expected to guard an Orc chariot driver.
From the frying pan into the fire!


My Thoughts:

I am very glad to be using the half star rating system, that is for sure. These books are pure fun but not solid enough for a re-read. Plus, with the mystery being solved, I'm not sure that I'd enjoy slogging through the same territory again. But that in no way diminishes just how awesome these books are.

My only real complaint, again, is the lousy new covers. I suspect it has something to do with legal rights and what not. I also suppose that it is supposed to be Makri, the half human, quarter Elf, quarter Orc, woman who guards Thraxas' back and has the potential to be a love interest at the end of the series. But she's described as having slightly red skin, her hair is not dyed and while she does wear a chain mail bikini [for tips at the bar], she fills it out. I've seen the old covers and I have to say, they really appeal to me.

Thankfully, the author stays away from "character development" and over arching story arcs. Just the type of story I'm looking to read for 20'ish minutes a day while on lunch break.
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Friday, September 02, 2016

Dune (Dune Chronicles #1) (Project Reread #8)


Dune - Frank Herbert This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot. wordpress.anobii.com by  Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: Dune
Series: Dune Chronicles
Author: Frank Herbert
Rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Genre: SFF
Pages: 894
Format: Kindle digital edition








Project Reread:

I am attempting to reread 10+ books in 2016 that I have rated highly in the past. I am not attempting to second guess or denigrate my younger self in any way but am wanting to compare how my tastes have changed and possibly matured. I am certainly much more widely read now [both in the good and bad quality sadly] than then.
I will hopefully be going into the reasons for any differences of opinions between then and now. If there is no difference of opinion, then it was a hellfire'd fine book!
Links may link to either Booklikes or Blogspot, depending on when the original review was.

Synopsis:

Paul Atreides, born of rebellion and love, has the potential to be the next step in Humanity. A man who can look into the past and into the future. But becoming a superman is not easy, nor is it guaranteed.
With a space operatic House feud, the Bene Gesserit bent on creating and controlling him, a Galactic King bent upon his House's destruction and a prophecy that was seeded by the Bene Gesserit hundreds, if not thousands, of years ago, Paul will succeed or die.

My Thoughts:

What do I say? This is just as good as ever.

Having read more of Herbert's works since my last read of Dune back in '11, it is very apparent that Dune was an aberration in Herbert's style. It is easy to understand, light on the psychosexual tones that Herbert seems to revel in and keeps the monologuing on philosophical themes to a minimum. None of those things are gone, but they aren't in the foreground.

While the Dune Chronicles continue for another 5 books and then has its final sequence penned by the execrable Kevin Anderson & Brian Herbert, Dune can stand on its own and in many respects, it should. It tells a complete story arc. If you LOVE Dune, then I recommend reading the rest of the Chronicles. If you aren't sure, then read another book by Herbert, perhaps The White Plague, and see if you like THAT style. If you can enjoy that one, then you'll probably enjoy the rest of the Chronicles.

I was also reminded of Red Rising by Pierce Brown, in that the main character was young [Paul is 15 at the start of the book and it covers no more than 5 years] but this is in  no way Young Adult. I think part of that is because Herbert has his main character becoming an adult at an accelerated pace due to circumstances. In fact, the more I think of it, Darrow from Red Rising reminds me more and more of Paul. Young, but having gone through a crucible, emerges from the other side with all adolescence burned out of him and maturity, responsibility and ability coating him like an armored suit. An adult with a purpose and the will to accomplish that purpose.

This Project Reread was a complete success and I got to read a 5star book that STAYED a 5star book. It just doesn't get much better than that.
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