by Joseph Pearce
Grade: Unfinished
Read: A bit of the preface.
I'm still going to read this. The Campbells seem like two incredible people. Strange, yes. (They both had affairs with other people, Mary Campbell with Vita Sackville-West.) Fascinating, yes. (They both converted to Catholicism, Roy Campbell was an Inkling.) I'm just a bit busy at the moment.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Pistols for Two
by Georgette Heyer
Grade: All right
No really good ones. I was hoping one of those stories would be as splendid as Grand Sophy, Masqueraders, or Cotillion. But none were. Mostly just the lazy-eyed, 30-year-old type as hero. Which isn't bad in small doses, but almost all of them?
Grade: All right
No really good ones. I was hoping one of those stories would be as splendid as Grand Sophy, Masqueraders, or Cotillion. But none were. Mostly just the lazy-eyed, 30-year-old type as hero. Which isn't bad in small doses, but almost all of them?
Kiki Strike: The Empress's Tomb
by Kirsten Miller
Grade: All right
Kiki was great and Kay-Kay-Bay-ish, as last time, (although she's a bit nicer and more into "getting along" than KKB).
I liked Kasper. I liked that the first and only romantic relationship went to Betty, of all people.
I disliked that it seemed somewhat obvious at times. Perhaps that's because it's written for younger people. Although young people's books don't always have to be like that.
Anyway, I'll read the next one.
Grade: All right
Kiki was great and Kay-Kay-Bay-ish, as last time, (although she's a bit nicer and more into "getting along" than KKB).
I liked Kasper. I liked that the first and only romantic relationship went to Betty, of all people.
I disliked that it seemed somewhat obvious at times. Perhaps that's because it's written for younger people. Although young people's books don't always have to be like that.
Anyway, I'll read the next one.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
The Second Siege
by Henry H. Neff
Grade: Good
The similarities to Harry Potter were WAY lessened this time. Firstly, the relationship between David and Max almost has Max in the position of side-kick. Secondly he's the son of the fairy king!!! (Or something like that.) Thirdly...well, there's too many other things. I don't want to mention them all. Just know that it's different now.
It's also a bit confusing. It tends to jump around a bit. For a long time, they were just running and hiding, and hiding and running, and then BANG, stuff happened, they were in Faerie, "Max, I am your father", ages of physical training (perhaps years!), and it all goes by in a flash. Oh, and then a quick meeting with the evil-wicked-demon bad guy, but it's not significant, because now we have to go to a couple weeks of sitting around and recouperating.
And the part where he defeats Level 9...it seemed like he was having a fight with someone, and then he got so mad, that he stormed off and worked at this test thingy. Not exactly a typical reaction...It really confused me.
Actually, I really liked it, though it might not seem like it. It was a bit jumpy, but I liked it that way. It had a nasty cliff hanger, and the library doesn't have the next one!
Grade: Good
The similarities to Harry Potter were WAY lessened this time. Firstly, the relationship between David and Max almost has Max in the position of side-kick. Secondly he's the son of the fairy king!!! (Or something like that.) Thirdly...well, there's too many other things. I don't want to mention them all. Just know that it's different now.
It's also a bit confusing. It tends to jump around a bit. For a long time, they were just running and hiding, and hiding and running, and then BANG, stuff happened, they were in Faerie, "Max, I am your father", ages of physical training (perhaps years!), and it all goes by in a flash. Oh, and then a quick meeting with the evil-wicked-demon bad guy, but it's not significant, because now we have to go to a couple weeks of sitting around and recouperating.
And the part where he defeats Level 9...it seemed like he was having a fight with someone, and then he got so mad, that he stormed off and worked at this test thingy. Not exactly a typical reaction...It really confused me.
Actually, I really liked it, though it might not seem like it. It was a bit jumpy, but I liked it that way. It had a nasty cliff hanger, and the library doesn't have the next one!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Wizards at War
by Diane Duane
Grade: Good
Quite...apocolyptic, this one. As with many of the earlier ones, there were some fascinating ideas about the nature of time and angels, but also some bad theology.
It got a bit confusing, especially near the end. I'm afraid I didn't really get the Ponch stuff. What exactly was he? And had he always been that? I also didn't get exactly who the "someone standing at the end of his driveway" on the last page was. I assume it was Nita, but it seems a bit strange.
On the pro side, I liked Roshaun in this one, and Dairine too. The end was quite devistating, but it was also ambiguous, so there's hope.
Grade: Good
Quite...apocolyptic, this one. As with many of the earlier ones, there were some fascinating ideas about the nature of time and angels, but also some bad theology.
It got a bit confusing, especially near the end. I'm afraid I didn't really get the Ponch stuff. What exactly was he? And had he always been that? I also didn't get exactly who the "someone standing at the end of his driveway" on the last page was. I assume it was Nita, but it seems a bit strange.
On the pro side, I liked Roshaun in this one, and Dairine too. The end was quite devistating, but it was also ambiguous, so there's hope.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Wizard's Holiday
by Diane Duane
Grade: Good
Not my favourite. The visiting aliens were interesting and amusing, but Kit and Nita's part was a bit boring.
I liked Spot's "Uh-oh"s, though. They were cute!
Grade: Good
Not my favourite. The visiting aliens were interesting and amusing, but Kit and Nita's part was a bit boring.
I liked Spot's "Uh-oh"s, though. They were cute!
Saturday, November 14, 2009
The King of Attolia
by Magan Whalen Turner
Grade: To Own
....................
Post-reading euphoria.
Tears.
Shaky returning to the normal world.
"He is an Annux, a king of kings."
Grade: To Own
....................
Post-reading euphoria.
Tears.
Shaky returning to the normal world.
"He is an Annux, a king of kings."
Lords and Ladies
By Terry Pratchett
Grade: Unfinished
Read: I can't remember...And it's already back at the library, so it's too late to check. But it was to somewhere near the beginning, I think.
It's just really hard to get into Pratchett's that don't have Vetinari or the Watch in them. Or Death. Really, I read him for those three characters. (The Watch can count as its own character.) Nothing else. I don't even really notice how funny he is.
BUT. I still have hopes for this one. I do like Granny Weatherwax and Archanchellor Ridcully. So we'll see. I try again some day.
Grade: Unfinished
Read: I can't remember...And it's already back at the library, so it's too late to check. But it was to somewhere near the beginning, I think.
It's just really hard to get into Pratchett's that don't have Vetinari or the Watch in them. Or Death. Really, I read him for those three characters. (The Watch can count as its own character.) Nothing else. I don't even really notice how funny he is.
BUT. I still have hopes for this one. I do like Granny Weatherwax and Archanchellor Ridcully. So we'll see. I try again some day.
The Queen of Attolia
by Megan Whalen Turner
Grade: Unfinished
Read: The first page.
I wanted to read this! I really did! I loved the first book! But it was the beginning of school, as mentioned in the last post, and I mostly forgot the first book, and Christina took it before I could read it. But I will read it.
EDIT:
Ok, I've read it now. FINALLY. And it wasn't quite as good as I was hoping. It was pretty good, and I love Eugenides. And I really like Attolia. But there was a lot of politics. So maybe I'll change it to "Good" instead of "All right"... But no, I think because now I've also read King of Attolia, I'm more partial to the whole series. So I'll change it to "Good".
Grade: Unfinished
Read: The first page.
I wanted to read this! I really did! I loved the first book! But it was the beginning of school, as mentioned in the last post, and I mostly forgot the first book, and Christina took it before I could read it. But I will read it.
EDIT:
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Unseen Academicals
by Terry Pratchett
Grade: Good
Some fabulous Vetinari scenes. I might have to change it to "To Own" because of that. The new characters were also lovely. So I'm happy. (I won't be completely happy until Raising Taxes comes out, IF it comes out...but I guess that's beside the point.)
Grade: Good
Some fabulous Vetinari scenes. I might have to change it to "To Own" because of that. The new characters were also lovely. So I'm happy. (I won't be completely happy until Raising Taxes comes out, IF it comes out...but I guess that's beside the point.)
Friday, November 6, 2009
The Hound of Rowan
by Henry H. Neff
Grade: Good
The similarities to Harry Potter weren't too glaring for me. And I liked the characters enough to be especially looking forward to the sequel. My favourites were David and Nigel. And Mr. McDaniels was annoying, but a bit intruiging as well. You don't often get characters who are like him, but loved immensely by their child, and portrayed even slightly sympathetically.
Grade: Good
The similarities to Harry Potter weren't too glaring for me. And I liked the characters enough to be especially looking forward to the sequel. My favourites were David and Nigel. And Mr. McDaniels was annoying, but a bit intruiging as well. You don't often get characters who are like him, but loved immensely by their child, and portrayed even slightly sympathetically.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
A Wizard Alone
by Diane Duane
Grade: Good
One of the best ones yet, by far. Even the cover is one of the best. However, it was all in the world that this one took place, not the characters. I didn't love any of the characters, in a certain sense. I did like the greater emphasis on Kit than on some of the other books, and Darryl... Darryle was awsome--just not in a favourite-character type of way, I guess.
Plus, she's getting more and more Christian. Look at this description of sainthood:
Pg. 221: "But the trouble with sainthood these days is the robe-and-halo imagery that gets stuck onto it. [...] People forget that robes were street clothes once...and still are, in a lot of places. and halos are to that fierce air of innocence what speech balloons in comics are to the sound of the voice itself. Shorthand. But most people just see an old symbol and don't bother looking behind it for the meaning. Sainthood starts to look old-fashioned, unattainable ... even repellent. Actually, you can see it all around, once you learn to spot it."
Grade: Good
One of the best ones yet, by far. Even the cover is one of the best. However, it was all in the world that this one took place, not the characters. I didn't love any of the characters, in a certain sense. I did like the greater emphasis on Kit than on some of the other books, and Darryl... Darryle was awsome--just not in a favourite-character type of way, I guess.
Plus, she's getting more and more Christian. Look at this description of sainthood:
Pg. 221: "But the trouble with sainthood these days is the robe-and-halo imagery that gets stuck onto it. [...] People forget that robes were street clothes once...and still are, in a lot of places. and halos are to that fierce air of innocence what speech balloons in comics are to the sound of the voice itself. Shorthand. But most people just see an old symbol and don't bother looking behind it for the meaning. Sainthood starts to look old-fashioned, unattainable ... even repellent. Actually, you can see it all around, once you learn to spot it."
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