Review: The Land Leviathan: A New Scientific Romance

The Land Leviathan: A New Scientific Romance by Michael Moorcock

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Even though I don't think Bastable is considered an incarnation of the Eternal Warrior, his helplessness in the face of a force greater than himself that throws him through the multi-verse definitely places him at least as a companion.

Quite interesting to see a world where reverse-racism was about to be worldwide.



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Review: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie

My rating: 3 of 5 stars







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Review: The Pool of Fire

The Pool of Fire by John Christopher

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



The weakest of the Tripod series.

A great read for a beginner scifi reader, but for an adult with some serious "epic'ness" under their belt, this shows its faults.

Give it to your young teen or preteen and let them enjoy.



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Review: Hellstrom's Hive

Hellstrom's Hive by Frank Herbert

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



If it wasn't for [b:Dune|234225|Dune (Dune Chronicles, #1)|Frank Herbert|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1349105964s/234225.jpg|3634639], I suspect nobody these days would be reading anything of Herbert's.

This was about some sort of weird "next step in human evolution", along the insect lines. Humans turning into insect like society, under the nose of regular humans.

Infatuation with sex, underground tight-knit society, and a long-term plan to supplant 'regular' humans.

Not a very endearing read.



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Review: The Red Knight

The Red Knight by Miles Cameron

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



The first 20% was all 2Star.

The swearing, the eff word being dropped at least once a page, the unspoken assumption that you just raped nuns because they were available, the complete baseness of the mercenary troop, it really disgusted me.

I think it was supposed to. But I don't have to be dipped into a cesspool to know it stinks something terrible. So that was very disappointing.

Then a switch was flipped, and whammo, the swearing stopped, people started showing the tiniest bit of good character and the action kicked way up.

4star stuff for the rest of the book. It was a cool magic system, a really interesting world, and the characters' interactions were more than believable.

But if 10pounds of milk chocolate are coated in 1pound of crap, you're still screwed.

When the next book comes out, I'll at least start it and hope Cameron doesn't sink me into the mire.



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Review: Villette

Villette by Charlotte Brontë

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



A remarkable book that is marked by the following:
1) conversations that switch between french and english, in the same paragraph. Not cool.

2) a heroine who tells her story by her interactions with others instead of being interesting herself.

3) an annoying hate/love relationship with a cruel, capricious little french man.

4) an ending that doesn't tell what actually happened. Bronte was a real witch in this regards

So if you can put up with all that, and have a melancholic turn of mind, you'll probably love this.

I read it back in '01, when I was in a melancholic turn of mind and I loved it then.
Now I'm happy and I didn't particularly like this. Go figure.



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Review: Bard's Oath

Bard's Oath by Joanne Bertin

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



A bard has some hangups and ends up wreaking havoc and in the process does lots of bad things.

If you liked the first 2 books, you'll like this one.

But seeing as how the author didn't write ANYTHING to her fans in the forward, not even a "thanks for hanging in there", well, bully to her. So I am done.



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Review: Vegas Vendetta

Vegas Vendetta by Don Pendleton

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Even by Bolan standards, this was quick and dirty. A 24hr hit on Las Vegas before helicoptering off to a new war front.

Talifero's once again are in on the action, but barely. Really kind of sad, they could be some serious hindrance to Bolan...



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Review: The City of Gold and Lead

The City of Gold and Lead by John Christopher

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



A lot darker in tone than I remember from reading in years past.

Still a good, exciting read though.



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Review: The Lost King

The Lost King by Margaret Weis

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



This was almost a 2Star, but the final battle saved it from that ignominious fate. However, even though it ends on a somewhat cliff-hanger'y ending, I won't be reading any more.

French Revolution aftermath in space. I mean, the President of the New Galactic Alliance is called Robes. Pathetic royalty wiped out. A lone surviving heir. Blah, blah, blah.

A lot of this was slogging through. And good night, why does EVERYBODY have to act like a frakking girl? Oh well. Good to know that Weis is off my list of authors I want to read more of. At least by herself. Death Gate Cycle with Hickman is still ok :)



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