The Paradise War (Song of Albion #1)

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Title: The Paradise War
Series: Song of Albion
Author/Narrator: Stephen Lawhead, Stuart Langston
Rating: 4 of 5 Stars


Genre: Fantasy
Minutes: 795
Format: Audible audio edition

Synopsis:

Lewis and Simon, 2 graduate students at Oxford, stumble upon a portal to another world. Simon goes through and Lewis stays behind. Upon investigation, Lewis finds out that the veil between the worlds is thinning and that passage between and our presence over there, could irreparably damage both worlds.
So Lewis crosses over to rescue Simon and to save both worlds.
Only to discover that the other world is everything our world is but bigger, brighter, better. Lewis is seduced into staying and becomes a warrior. Upon his finishing Warrior School, bad things begin to happen and it appears that it is up to him to set things right.
But how does one fight against the lord of the underworld, his undead and demonic forces while your allies are filled with jealously, greed and self?
And when betrayal of the ultimate kind happens, Lewis realizes that he and Simon MUST go back to their own world.

My Thoughts:

Read and bought these as they came out in the 90's. Re-read them in 2000 and then they've sat on my shelf, looking awesome. I thought about using these in my Project Re-read, but I have been wanting to explore the "Audio" side of books and figured that this trilogy would be a good experiment for that.

I enjoyed this just as much as I did almost 25 years ago. The story, the action, the magic were all still there. I listened to this on my drive to and from work and there were several times where, once I got home, that I just left my bluetooth connected and kept it playing from my phone until I forced myself to stop. If I had been reading this, I suspect it would have been demolished in a day or 3 at most.  I did notice how whiny Lewis was and that he was pretty much a wish-fulfillment of Lawhead's.

As for Audio. I found that it took very little to distract me while listening and that I would then miss some of the book. I tried to go into a grocery store on my way home once and I ended up just stopping the book because I couldn't pay attention.  It also took me quite a while to get used to the narrator. I didn't really like him but by the end I had gotten to the point where he didn't bother me. I think he does the next 2 books as well, so it is just as well that I'm resigned to him.

Sackett's Land (Sacketts #1)

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Title: Sackett's Land
Series: Sacketts
Author: Louis L'amour
Rating: 3 of 5 Stars
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 208
Format: Kindle digital edition

Synopsis:

Barnabas Sackett, fen-man of England, crosses some of the wrong people. In the process of sorting it all out, he makes a trip or two to the New World and falls in love with it. He determines that he will return there and raise a family worthy of conquering the land.

My Thoughts:

Instead of a western, which the series title "The Sacketts" would leave you to believe, this is a prequel.  Definitely more in the vein of The Walking Drum than of anything else. Very England centric.

Anyone who reads, or has read, L'amour, knows that stereotypes abound. It is the basis for his writing and the style that he uses. His stories are Big and hence are filled with Big men, villains, adventures, etc. It is not something you want a lot of all at once, which is why his stories are usually under the 200page mark.

I enjoyed this. Haven't read a L'amour since '11 so it was ok. My library has the whole Sackett series, all 17 books and while I'm a bit confused as to the order of a couple of them [several different places list one or two books differently] I don't think it will really make a difference. Adding these to my reading rotation and will read one every month or 2. I'm hoping that will be enough time between them so I don't get sick of them and quit the series.
`

Unholy (The Haunted Lands #3) (Forgotten Realms)

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Title: Unholy
Series: The Haunted Lands
Author: Richard Byers
Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: SFF
Pages: 342
Format: Kindle digital edition

Synopsis:

100 years have passed since the last book. Szass Tam has completed his domination of Thay with the building of multiple fortresses, which turn out to be the keystone for a massive magical spell. A spell that will unmake the Universe and potentially remake it, with Tsazz Tam as the new head honcho god. Theoretically.
So the gryphon rider and undead bard from the previous books set out to stop him, with the help of the former Zulkirs of Thay.
Throw in Tam's insane but powerful top lieutenant who wants only the first part of the spell to succeed and you wind up with a pretty fantastic story.

My Thoughts:

Sometimes Forgotten Realms books really stink. The plot is as pulpy and the characters as wooden as the paper they are printed on. But sometimes you run across some that are really a good story that keep you coming back for more. This book, and trilogy, have been one of the good ones.

The plan behind the plan, that was hinted at in the previous book, comes to full light here. Tam's deal with Bane makes sense. Why worry about your soul in 1000 years if you're going to remake the universe with you at the head? You can just unmake the god that you made the deal with and negate it's consequences.

Just like in the previous 2 books, the "heroes" are the underdogs and Tam is a pretty sympathetic antagonist. The bard and mercenary [and for the life of me, I can't remember WHY the mercenary is so long-lived] and their little ghost friend all finish their fight, but it ends up being against their former ally turned Szass Tam lieutenant instead of Tam himself. All part of making Tam the "not really the bad guy" bad guy.

Because I've enjoyed the majority of Byer's work in the Forgotten Realms universe, I'm thinking I'll go track down the rest of his stuff and put it into my tbr pile instead of just some random FF trilogy/series like I have been doing. We'll see if he can continue to entertain.

The Trials (The Red #2)

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Title: The Trials
Series: The Red
Author: Linda Nagata
Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Genre: SFF
Pages: 480
Format: Kindle digital edition

Synopsis:

Shelley and his crew are on trial for their actions in the previous book. As is Sheridan in a world court.
Once the trial resolves, Shelley becomes involved with his former handler and they are both recruited to a extra-Constitutional private army that is intent on making the United States and the world a better place.
Shelley is kidnapped by a group that is trying to use the Red for their own ends. Shelley is rescued but reveals that a Dragon has a nuke up in space. Now it is up to him and his allies to recover the nuke and bring the Dragon to justice.
The book ends with Shelley being recruited by yet another group, this time one with direct ties to the Red and that is below the radar of everybody.

My Thoughts:

As with the first book, this was just good. I am thoroughly enjoying James Shelley as a main character. The poor guy has to figure out if he's Special, a Tool or a special tool. Either way, it sure messes with his head.

I did find it rather sad that at the end he had to pretend that he'd died. That must have ripped up his girlfriend pretty bad. And for him to do that, knowing what it would do to her [as he watched his previous girlfriend get blown up], seems pretty harsh.  A relationship is the dynamic between 2 people, not the actions of just one of them.

I think my favorite part of the book was when he was kidnapped and being used. It was obvious that the group leader thought she had the Red all figured out and so to see her arrogance turned on its head and her ideas filled with a hail of bullets, was rather satisfying.

I have enjoyed these books enough that I'd consider buying them in hardcover. However, I think a re-read in a couple of years would be a wise decision before that. If I enjoy this as much then as I did now, then yes, it'll definitely go on the buy-list.

The Jupiter Theft

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Title: The Jupiter Theft
Series: -----
Author: Donald Moffitt
Rating: 2.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: SFF
Pages: 339
Format: Kindle digital edition

Synopsis:

Humanity has expanded to Mars but at the cost of a totalitarian regime back on Earth. A scientist discovers a mass moving towards our solar system and it turns out to be aliens, who are taking mass from Jupiter to power their ships as they hop around the galaxy.
A group of scientists, and some "Security" are tasked with finding out as much as possible about the aliens and so they take some nukes along with them. Stuff happens and a couple of people survive and humanity gets a new planet and some tech.
The End.

My Thoughts:

This was boring. Yes, at the end a lot happens, but it felt like I'd been traveling 100 miles at 25mph and then for the last 100 yards the driver floored it and accelerated to 60mph.  Books like this are why I've become more of a fantasy guy over the years.

If you enjoy having numbers and "science" thrown your way like heavy brick walls, then you might like this book. I didn't hate it, but I did end up creating a "Boring" shelf because that was my main impression by the end of the book.

And the hippy culture that permeates the future? That is what happens when you extrapolate the future from the present and don't even try to think through what changes "might" happen. Come on, Free Love and Joints for everyone? On a spaceship? I think the author was just writing his wish fulfillment of grabbing some tail while high.

Good or bad, this book did not entice me to read any more by Moffitt. Back to the dust heaps of anonymity for him!
 

The Lonely Dead (Straw Men #2)

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Title: The Lonely Dead
Series: Straw Men
Author: Michael Marshall
Rating: 2.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Thriller
Pages: 339
Format: Kindle digital edition

Synopsis:

Ward and the other people from the previous book return. Trying to hunt down Ward's twin, Paul, they are getting nowhere. Until the Straw Men decide that Paul is too out of control for even their tastes. Then they allow the 3 just enough clues to hopefully put Paul down but with enough leeway that Paul can return the favor to the trio.
Paul's gone off the rails, convinced that bigfoot is really magical Neanderthals and that if he can kill one, he can propitiate whatever imaginary dark gods exist for the Straw Men.

My Thoughts:

In the previous book, we were let into the mind of a killer. This time around we just watch the author clown around. Telepathic neanderthals that can twist your mind into seeing magical elves or unicorns or bigfoot. Come on.

I like fantasy. But I didn't realize that this was fantasy. The hopeless existential nothingness was still there but the ridiculousness of the overall idea just kept me from feeling it. Which is good, I guess? Probably not the author's intent though.

I've got the final book available to me and I'll be reading it. But it wouldn't surprise me at all if Paul the insane serial killer who makes even the Straw Men afraid, turns out to be Lucky the Leprechaun, complete with a bowl of Lucky Charms cereal.
 

The Last of the Sky Pirates (Rook #1) (The Edge Chronicles #5)

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Title: The Last of the Sky Pirates
Series: The Edge Chronicles
Author: Chris Riddell & Paul Stewart
Rating: 3 of 5 Stars
Genre: Children's SFF
Pages: 386
Format: Kindle digital edition

Synopsis:

50 years after Twig sailed off to find his shipmates, things have changed on the Edge. Shrykes and Guardians of the Night control the city and the glades. Stone Rot has destroyed all flying ships. The Librarians now hide in the sewers, sending out their best and brightest to make new discoveries in the Deep Forest.
Now Rook must make the journey to the Free Glades where he will learn how to survive the Deep Forest.
Along the way, he will learn skills, make friends, meet Legends and find that only those close to you can truly betray you.

My Thoughts:

I was very glad that this was not another Quint book. Being a continuation of the story from Twig's time is good. At the same time, when Rook meets Twig and hears his story, it is SAD. All the potential Good is spent on an unfulfilled search by Twig. He never got back to Riverrise, never got back to his shipmates, never got back to the Stonespeaker Girl.

But this was Rook's story. However, you can see the similarity between Rook now and Twig then. It doesn't bode well for Rook's future. As a children's story however, it works well. It makes the child the hero and the adult the sad figure that bad things happen to.

I am done with this series though. It is meant for children and what a child will pass over or not even notice, bugs the heck out of me. I don't want to read this into the ground. Part ways while we're still on speaking terms, so to speak.

Return to Vietnam (The Executioner #43)

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 & Bookstooge's Reviews on the Road Facebook Group by Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: Return to Vietnam
Series: The Executioner
Author: Don Pendleton
Rating: 2.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Action/Adventure
Pages: 182
Format: Kindle digital scan

Synopsis:

Mack must go back to Vietnam to save a former friend, who has been captured by the bad guys. Said friend is a storehouse of knowledge about local resistance and has info on more POW's that don't officially exist.

My Thoughts:

This book's time frame was approximately 5hrs. In that time, Mack meets a beautiful, strong and courageous Hottie, faces down a youth who destroys his radio transmitter, turns said youth into a leader, rescues his friends from a Max Security Prison, kills a general who is also a major drug dealer and kills about 11,000 Viet communist soldiers.

Just a day in the life of the Executioner.

I can see why teen's would read this. But after the next one, I'm done. I am finding that I do need some actual plot, not just mindless action and brain splatter. I am surprised as anyone about that.

Talion: Revenant (Project Reread #7)

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Title: Talion: Revenant
Series: -----
Author: Michael Stackpole
Rating: 4.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: SFF
Pages: 467
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:

Young Nolan survives an attack that kills off the rest of his family. He proceeds, on foot and alone, to Talianna, the city of the Talions to join. Talions are the impartial Law Enforcers of the nations of the Shattered Empire.
Years later Nolan, now a Talion Justice, with mystical abilities, is called upon to protect the King of Hamis, who was the king that ordered the attacks on Nolan's family all those years ago.
Now Nolan must protect a man he hates, from a magical creature that can't be killed, all the while aware that there is a traitor among the Talions.

My Thoughts:

This book was originally published in 1997. I read it then, then again before 2000, then in 2001 and again in 2006. Each time I enjoyed it. My start this time was a little rough and I was worried.

The writing started off clunky with a lot of "he did X, she said X, they ate X" kind of declaration statements. Had me thinking I was going to have to downgrade this to a 3 star. Thankfully, things took off. The writing smoothed out and the story, once again, enveloped me. I think that if I was reading this for the first time now, I'd probably give it a "meh" rating. However, my enjoyment is still as much as the previous times and that is why the rating is staying up high.

Stackpole excells at writing standalone stories and this is a great example. He has an idea, he has just enough "oomph" to get it out and then that is it. While there are lots of threads left open that "could" make for more stories, I wouldn't want a sequel to this. Sadly, Stackpole seems to have gotten out of the writing game in recent years and those projects that he has undertaken seem to have been abandoned. His Crown Colonies books are the prime example. His skill had grown in those books but that "oomph" wasn't there and the series was abandoned after the second book, on a cliffhanger.

On a side note, I find that I don't like this cover, black and white skull, at all. Give me the other original cover which just screams "Fantasy".

   


This review has been more about Stackpole than Talion, but Talion has been the vehicle by which I've traveled Stackpole's career.

June '16 Roundup & Ramblings

19 books this month. However, 3 of them were Abandoned, so really, that made things a bit less hectic. Unfortunately, 2 of the 3 I had been really looking forward to, so it wasn't a good "Abandoned".

Unlike last month, where the future of booklikes and everything else seemed to be up in the air, this month was Solid.

I had my 2500th Review. I imported all my reviews from Leafmarks into Calibre, so I now have my reviews in an offline program. I read Venetia as a challenge and enjoyed the group read updates.

The only 5 Star book this month, and deservedly so, was:

1)  The Complete Stories Vol 1 by Isaac Asimov

The other end of the spectrum had:

1) Blowback by Brad Thor. Nothing nice to say about this book. Nothing.


Overall, I count this month a win on the ledger. Let's hope July reads strong.