Review: Oblomov: A Novel

Oblomov: A Novel by Ivan Goncharov

My rating: 0 of 5 stars



What can I say about this book that other reviewers haven't? Don't know, so I guess I'll just write what stood out to me.

Oblomov went from funny to pathetic to inspiring to sad to heartsick to pathetic again and ended on awe-inspiring. A lot of this is because I can see so much of Oblomov in me. I like retreating into my little safe cocoon of an apartment with my books or computer. Not a big fan of large groups of people. I don't like other people knowing intimate details of my life. I hate doing things spur of the moment. New situations make me uncomfortable. I'd much rather prefer other people to take care of problems I don't understand [just ask my mechanic!].

But, we also differ. Oblomov had a very twisted view of what life should be like. Work was an evil to be avoided at all costs. Effort was Evil and Komfort was King. [like the alliteration? I trust my sacrifice of grammar will be appreciated]
Oblomov resided in a world that he created in his imagination and when the real world didn't conform to that idea, he was thrown into the pit of despair and gave in to sloth and apathy.

When I first started reading, I was amused by the banter and back and forth between Oblomov and his servant Zakar. The verbal sparring, the bouts of temper and fits of sulkiness on both sides. Then we see more of how Oblomov has retreated from life by how he interacts with other friends. It takes too much effort to resist Tarantyev, so he goes along with just about anything he suggests. Other friends suggest, cajole, insinuate, etc but all to no avail as Oblomov has no higher ambition than to recline on his couch and relax. It was getting to the point where I was wondering if Oblomov had ANY redeeming qualities that weren't destroyed by his apathy and sloth.

Then along comes the girl. Oblomov falls in love. He strives. He struggles. You can see the blood beginning to burn once again in his veins. He is becoming the man promised in his youth. Plan are not only talked about, but action is taken. Life is Grand and Love is Supreme.

Hark, what is this? Oblovomitis has crept back in. It has poisoned his thoughts. Oblomov goes back to living in a world he has created in his head. And the girl is not enough. And so he sinks back below even the levels we found him at in the beginning. Let this be a warning to all who think that someone or something else can be the sole instrument of their change. Change must start on the inside.

A strange, to me, interlude ensues where the girls marries someone else and we see how they live and grow closer to eachother and how their lives work. And we find out that Oblomov dies of a heart attack from over eating and lack of exercise.

At the end of the book, Oblomov's friend is visiting the grave and he whispers about Oblomov, A wasted life.

This book was entertaining, uplifting, inspiring and overall, a warning. Nothing is better than Melancholic Russian Literature!




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Review: Triumph of the Darksword

Triumph of the Darksword by Margaret Weis

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



So instead of writing a good story, this duo [and don't get me wrong, I absolutely love some of their stuff] simply use a scifi cliche to advance the story 10 years for Joram.

And this story wasn't even about Joram really. It was all about the revelations of the outside world and how everything we thought we knew gets turned on its side and shaken. With some token villain who's a freaking stage magician. Seriously?

At least the tech warriors could have been cool. Special Special Forces [yes, that was a double]. And they fall apart and cry like babies. Seal Team 6 wouldn't have fallen apart like that!

Finally, to wrap things up, we get a love fest and everybody is going to be everybody else's best friend, except for the badguys, who we are told, are now going to be even badder. But the goodguys will be even gooderer. And can you not be inspired by a Gooderer Guy?

So while I might appear to have hated this book, I actually enjoyed it. It was just juvenile and not up to the level of sophistication that I enjoy now [anyone read those Myth books by Asprin?] If you enjoyed the first 2, this won't disappoint, but it wont get better.

And I found out that there is a 4th book after this. I won't be reading it.



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Review: The Swords of the Sultan!

The Swords of the Sultan! by J. Eric Booker

My rating: 1 of 5 stars



Ok, I made it through the first chapter, but that is it. This appears to be a world of medieval tech level, as the main character's father was a metalsmith who mainly dealt with horseshoes.

So, why do words like "warp speed" and "refrigerated" appear? In the first chapter?

Then the plot. A young man's family is killed. They seem to be a slightly lower middle class. And nobody investigates? No other family exists? Our hero is left on his own to starve on the streets. When suddenly! A BUSTY BLONDE follows him, tells him he is cute, shows off her cleavage, reveals she is a master thief AND she thinks he has the talent to be a master thief as well. And all this because he stole a sausage.

Methinks the author is thinking with their own little sausage.

Writing style. In the beginning, the author shows me 7 ways that he doesn't appear comfortable with words. After showing me those 7 ways, he goes on to show me 3 other ways he could have been comfortable with words, but wasn't.

Ok, the above is an exaggeration, but that is what the author does. He literally shows me the world by the numbers. Almost like a connect the dots.

Thankfully, this was free. So while I was expecting a decent tale, at least I didn't pay for those expectations. If you can get past the above, maybe you'll enjoy this book? But I don't want to waste my time finding out. warp speed & refrigerate were enough for me.



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Review: Terminator Salvation: From the Ashes

Terminator Salvation: From the Ashes by Timothy Zahn

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



The prequel to Terminator: Salvation. I truly enjoyed this. Zahn does a masterful job of introducing us to the characters. Reese, Star, their protector Orzohc [or something like that], John and Kate Connor and their tight knit group of Resistance fighters.

Skynet prepares to cleanse a particular region of L.A. and the Connors prepare to pull of a coup to secure their place in the Resistance. And the group Reese and Star are living with are caught squarely in the middle.

This was written well, engagingly, with flashes of humor and sadness.



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Review: Myth-Nomers and Im-Pervections

Myth-Nomers and Im-Pervections by Robert Lynn Asprin

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Apparently, I skipped the book before this one, [b:M.Y.T.H. Inc. Link|148205|M.Y.T.H. Inc. Link (Myth Adventures, #7)|Robert Lynn Asprin|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1172193946s/148205.jpg|655619], and you know what? It didn't even seem to matter.

That is one thing I do enjoy about these Myth books. They are a series, but a very loose series where each book can 'almost' stand alone. It makes for a fun, enjoyable, no pressure kind of read.

So Skeeve grows up.



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Review: No Return

No Return by Zachary Jernigan

My rating: 1 of 5 stars



This novel started very much akin to one of [a:Steven Erikson|31232|Steven Erikson|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1219169436p2/31232.jpg]'s, with lots of whining and bitching about self and power and despair and blah, blah, blah.

So I settled in, prepared for whatever.

Then it got all sexualized and "careless god". Some gruesome violence/fights.

finally, we get some of the characters deciding that they will kill the god and the god is bored that he decides to let them start the process to see if they are "strong enough".

Overall, this was a prologue to a series.

Between the uncaring god/ascendant [not much of a god. Just a jumped up human], graphic sex, homosexuality, unhero's [not hero's, nor even anti-hero's, but plain ugly, unlikable filthy dirty characters] and lack of resolution, this just didn't work for me.



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Review: The Big Four

The Big Four by Agatha Christie

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



Poirot takes on the world's greatest criminals and wins. Whoopee.

This was just too ridiculous. I don't think I'll be reading any more Poirot novels.



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Review: A Morbid Taste for Bones

A Morbid Taste for Bones by Ellis Peters

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Having seen several of the tv series, and really liking them, I went into this series with a bit of trepidation.

This book more than met my expectations. Especially for a mystery.



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Review: The Crimson Crown

The Crimson Crown by Cinda Williams Chima

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



This is classified as ya, and while I concur, it does seem to push the envelope a little.

I was hoping for an ending to the series, but it is obvious at the end that the story could go multi-national, as opposed to the internal we'd been having.

Lots of young love and doubt with some flashy magic'y stuff. If there is another book, I highly doubt I'll be interested enough to read it.



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Review: God Stalk

God Stalk by P.C. Hodgell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I had just finished reading The Last Jedi by [a:Michael Reaves|12537|Michael Reaves|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1272842062p2/12537.jpg] and while I had enjoyed it as much as the previous books in that Star Wars sub-series, it was a kind of slog.

Then I read this [recommended by my friend Robert]. Whoo! This was a fast paced, action packed thrill a minute.

I tore through this like a starving man tears through a loaf of bread. There is something for almost every sub-type of fantasy fan. Galactic theology, world theology, romance, hatreds, family issues, master/student interaction, larger than life characters, thievery, drama, politics, intrigue, and the list goes on.

I highly recommend this to anyone who likes their fantasy to be multi-book but not epic. Fun, fast and furious. Just what you need sometimes!

Basic story is about a young woman, with limited memory, coming from the wastelands and living in a city. Is taken in by an innkeeper and helps out around the place. She is apprenticed to a legendary master thief and has to decide how she wants to live.



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