Review: 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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Review: 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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Review: 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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Review: 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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Review: 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 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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Review: 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 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 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 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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