Book Review: The Ocean At The End Of The Lane

The Ocean At The End Of The Lane

By: Neil Gaiman

5 STARS

A brilliantly imaginative and poignant fairy tale from the modern master of wonder and terror, The Ocean at the End of the Lane is Neil Gaiman’s first new novel for adults since his #1 New York Times bestseller Anansi Boys.

This bewitching and harrowing tale of mystery and survival, and memory and magic, makes the impossible all too real...

This was a very interesting and imaginative book. It's told from the point of view of an older man looking back on events that happened to him as a child. So it blends the initial thoughts of the child and the realizations of the adult man.

As is typical for Gaiman, the images his writing invokes are pretty amazing. Some pretty and light while others are dark and dangerous. It was a really enjoyable and short read and you leave it thinking. I like books that make me think.

If you're already a Gaiman fan, I highly suggest this. Also, if you're a fan of very imagery driven stories.

In other, blog related, news, since I have a huge back log of posts I want to do, I'm going to start posting twice a week. On Mondays and Fridays. Otherwise it will take me months do write about all the things on my mind and that are relevant to me.

So what book will you be reading this weekend? Tell em in the comments! Thank you for reading and have a great day!

Book Review: Undead Chaos

A book review! I haven't done one of these in a while. :)

Undead Chaos

By: Joshua Roots

5 STARS!

The job was simple: decapitate the zombie, get paid, get out. Warlock Marcus Shifter followed the plan perfectly.

The corpse, however, did not.

Now there's a body on the loose, accusations of illegal necromancy are flying, and the answers are waiting in the perilous alleys between the mortal and paranormal worlds. They're no place for someone who mostly gave up magic after a childhood accident. And given his tendency to shoot off his mouth and his Glock, Marcus is having a hell of a time digging up more than just bodies.

When an apocalypse-minded megalomaniac threatens Marcus's family, things get personal. Marcus will have to embrace the magic he's been avoiding for years—and even that might not be enough to save the world from a hellish demise.

~~~

In the interest of full disclosure, Mr. Roots is a friend of mine from Absolute Write

To be perfectly honest, I wasn't sure I was going to read this at first. I'm not really a fan of zombies (they're overused, much like vampires), but Root's clever writing style pulled me in 100%. Marcus is a great character, fully realized and believable. I love that he relies more on his gun than his magic. I also loved how not jaded he was. Many characters like this are bitter against the world for one reason or another. Yeah they kick ass and take names, but they're also emo and it can be annoying after a while. But not Marcus.

Yeah, he's been through some crap in his life, some of it his own making, but he still has a lot to live for and be happy about. Like his loving family and his bees. I will never look at bees the same way again.

And Marcus isn't the only awesome character in this book, there's also Steve. Every line of Steve's dialogue is pure gold. Quinn is also wonderful and unique.

In short, I really enjoyed every moment I spent with this book and I'm dying to spend more time with these characters in their world.

Well thanks for reading! I hope I've given you an idea for something fun to read this week.

 

Book Recommendation

I don't feel like doing my usual Krank today since Monday's post was pretty cranky.

So I'm going to throw out some book recommendations.

Do you like YA with awesome female protagonist? Do you like a rich fantasy world full of magic? Do you like knights, mages, gods/goddesses, spies, international politics, mysteries, or crime solving? Then you will like pretty much anything by Tamora Pierce.

I'm a special fan of her Tortall series. I do own every book there is. I'm amazed by her writing skill. She's managed to write 5 different series that all exist in the same world. And each female protagonist is amazing and original.

So lets run down the list of awesome. Let me start by saying that you can pick up any of these series in an order. They do well standing alone, but you get the full effect of awesome if you read it in order.

First there is Alanna and The Lioness Quartet. Alanna is a girl with the Healer's gift, who also wants to be a knight during a time when such things are not allowed. So she must disguise herself as a boy to achieve her dream.

Next is Daine and The Immortals Quartet. Daine is a young woman who has a special gift with animals, looking for a new home while hiding dark secrets about her past.

Third is Kel and The Protector of the Small Quartet. Now that Alanna has paved the way for girls to become knights, Kel is the first girl to openly try for her knighthood.

Fourth is Aly and The Trickster Series. Aly is the only daughter of the famous Alanna. While trying to find her place in the world, Aly gets pulled into the dark underbelly of spy work and international politics.

And finally there is Beka and her series. This series goes back in time a bit to a, many times over, great grandmother of Aly. Beka wants to be a Provost Dog (aka a police officer). She has a special magical Gift that gives her a unique advantage when pursuing murders and other criminals.

Each of these characters and their series are so unique and original. That's what truly amazes me about Pierce. They are all young adult, coming of age stories, showcasing a different part of the rich world of Tortall. I've been a fan since I was a teenager and even now, as I reread these books, they still hold up and capture the same magic for me as an adult.

As a writer, I can only hope that my female characters will come off as amazing as Pierce's. Where each has a unique voice and story to tell.

So hopefully I've given you a good idea of something to read this weekend. Tell if you do or have read these and what you think.

Happy Friday and thanks for reading!

Kricket's Happy Korner: Who Are You?

I'm going to start this off with a little book review, because I like books, so there. :P

Storm Front by Jim Butcher get 5 stars!

Harry Dresden is a Wizard for hire, the only one listed in the Chicago phone book. Business is slow but things begin to pick up when he is called in to help the police solve a gruesome murder that could only be done through powerful magic.

I was told to read this book, so I did and I loved it. It's a fun read and Harry is a great character to be in the head of. The story never stops and even through the crap just gets piled on higher and higher for Harry, he always manages to scrape out by the skin of his teeth. It's intense and keeps you guessing. I didn't stop reading until my Kindle died and reminded me that it was past midnight and time to go to bed.

I highly recommend this for anyone who likes urban fantasy or crime mysteries. 

The other thing I want to share was a personality quiz a friend showed to me just this morning. I'm a sucker for these things but I have never found one that was so accurate. It's kind of scary. It had me down to a T. Try it out, it only takes about 20 minutes and maybe you'll learn something new about your self.

Personality Test

Thank you for reading, as always. Have a happy Monday and Happy Canada Day to my northern neighbors and early Happy Independence Day to my fellow Americans.

Kricket's Happy Korner: Books!

If you hadn't noticed, I really love to read. I read as much as possible, but it's hard, I don't have as much time as I used to.

So, over the last couple of weeks I've read two very good books and I shall review them here.

The Rook by Daniel O'Malley gets 4 stars.

It's a really interesting read since the main character wakes up in a park, in the rain, surrounded by dead people and has no idea who she is. But she soon finds out that she's an agent for a secret government agency that protects the world from supernatural threats and one of her co-workers wants her dead.

This book gripped me from page one and was a great ride. Even parts of the book that could have been very info dumping and boring were good, not perfect, but still good.

I highly recommend it to people who like the paranormal and/or superheros like X-Men.

Don't Bite the Bridesmaid by Tiffany Allee gets 5 stars!

Alice needs a date for her sister's wedding that's taking place on a week long cruise. Who better to ask than her hot neighbor Noah? Problem is, Noah is a vampire.

This was just a fun and quick read all around. I'm not normally one for paranormal romance or vampires but the characters in this book are just soooo good. They feel very real and I believed everything they did. The romance was wonderfully sexy and the ending was also quite satisfying.

I haven't enjoyed a romance like this in a long time.

So there you have it. What good books have you read recently, tell me in the comments!

Have a Happy Monday!

Kricket's Happy Korner: Family & Books

Last week was a very busy week. Lots of running around, lots of cleaning, lots of visiting with people. I think this week will be more relaxed.

So here's what I'm thankful for:

• I got to see my day last week. He was in town on business and we got to celebrate his birthday with him as well. The boys loved hanging out with Granddad and we can't wait to see him and Grandma again in July.
• Will got his new glasses and he loves them. It's nice to have frames that fit and lenses that work.
• I love good books and I love finding new ones.

Speaking of good books, here's a review!

I'm giving The Enchanted Forest Chronicles 4 Stars. I used to consider this five stars when I was younger, but now that I'm an adult and a more experienced writer I see flaws that I didn't notice before.

This is a four book set that is a quick and easy read. It's very funny as it takes a lot of the classic fairy tales and turns them around on themselves. It's a great series and pretty solid story telling. What got to me was the third book. It felt like there were just too many characters in any given scene and they all had to say something. You have a pregnant queen, a witch, a magician, a King of the Dragons (who is female), 2 cats, a  talking rabbit that got turned into a blue floating/flying donkey, a fire witch, and all the villains. That's a lot of useless talking.

But the whole thing picks up again by the fourth book.

It's a great read and I highly recommend it to anybody, but especially middle school age girls.

So there's a dose of happy to take with your drink of choice as you continue to face this day. Happy Monday!

Kricket's Happy Korner: A Slice of My Life

Hello lovely readers and welcome to the first episode of Kricket's Happy Korner! This is where I share the stuff that made me grin or laugh or whatever happy response you prefer. Let's get started shall we?

To start things off, I'm grateful for long weekends where I get to have Daniel home for an extra day and we all get to play together as a family.

Ke$ha's new CD. I've been listening to it non-stop for like a week. It's a great mix of peepy and soulful songs and it just makes me grin and want to dance or sing along when I listen to it.

So You Think You Can Dance is pretty much the best competition show on TV. Who wants to watch mediocre singers stand on a stage when you can watch amazing dancers fly across one? I mean really. Also, way better than Dancing With the Stars because these dancers actually know what the hell they're doing and they're damn good at it too.

I've become addicted to this game on my Kindle Fire called Dragon Story. It's a game were you hatch, raise and breed pretty dragons. The dragon designs are great and very diverse. I find it great fun, but I'm pretty easily amused.

And now for a book review. :)

I'm giving Mockingjay 4 Stars. I really liked it, and felt it was a good ending to the series. Not a happy ending but a real one. I've read other's reviews and understand some of the negative ones but I like that this story didn't end happy for Katniss. At least not fairy tale happy. It's more real. Some reviewers wanted her to be a super hero, but she's not really, she's just a 17 year old girl trying to survive and sometimes only kind of succeeding. I'm really looking forward to the rest of the movies.

I am a big fan of Felicia Day and she just launched a new YouTube channel called Geek & Sundry Vlogs and on it is one vlogger who talks about comics. I'm kind of new to comics and Amy Dallen does a good job of introducing the world of comics to people. Also, she's kind of cute as a button. Here is the first video. You should check out the rest of the channel as well, it's nothing but geek stuff.

And that's all for now, friends! *reads over blog* Yep, that kind of sums up my life and all the things I like to do.

So tell me, what makes you happy? Is there something new you've discovered that you'd like to share? I'd love to hear about it in the comments. *hint hint nudge nudge*

Have a happy start to your week!

Book Review: Catching Fire

(as usual, everything is from Amazon)

4 STARS

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

~~~

Well, like with The Hunger Games, I'm a little late in reading this. And as with the first book, the thing that got me to pick it up was the movie trailer.

I think I liked this book more than the first one. I like political intrigue and sometimes I wish we could have seen more of that in this book. It looks like the movie will show us more of that so I'm excited to see it.

I found Katniss even more believable in this book than the first one. She's still in survival mode and now she's even more torn between Peeta and Gale, as well as torn between whether or not she should be in love with anyone at all. It's nice too see a love triangle like this where the girl isn't always consumed with lovey dovey thoughts.

I'm also impressed with the characterization of the other side characters. They're fleshed out nicely and I hope we get to see more of them in Mockingjay.

Oddly enough, Catching Fire has drawn me in more than The Hunger Games did. So I'll be reading Mockingjay soon. 

Book Review: Blackbirds

Picture and information taken from Amazon

4 STARS

Miriam Black knows when you will die.

Still in her early twenties, she's foreseen hundreds of car crashes, heart attacks, strokes, suicides, and slow deaths by cancer. But when Miriam hitches a ride with truck driver Louis Darling and shakes his hand, she sees that in thirty days Louis will be gruesomely murdered while he calls her name.

Miriam has given up trying to save people; that only makes their deaths happen. But Louis will die because he met her, and she will be the next victim. No matter what she does she can't save Louis. But if she wants to stay alive, she'll have to try.

~~~

About a month ago I discovered Chuck Wendig on Twitter and through his pretty awesome blog. I really like his no nonsense writing advice. Then, a couple weeks ago, this happened:

So I took his advice and bought a copy. 

I'd like to start this review with a warning that this book is pretty much rated NC-17. It's graphic, vulgar and intense. But obviously, I still liked it.

At first, I wasn't so sure. And it wasn't the grittiness that threw me off, it was the writing style. This is written in present tense, which isn't very common in fiction (at least that I've read), so it took my a while to get into it. Also, Mirriam is a rambler when she talks, and thinks. At first the writer part of my brain was dying to pull out my Big Red Pen and start cutting this thing down to size. I mean, really, do we need five different ways to describe the same thing? I swear at one point, she uses a dozen different foul words to describe one person. It made me roll my eyes a bit.

But, as I kept reading I got used to it and realized there's a certain poetry to it. And that's what saved the book for me. As much as Wendig's style threw me off, it was so masterfully done I ended up enjoying it.

The other thing that docked this book a star was the ending. It was good, but I knew from the beginning that was how the story would end. I won't say much more for fear of spoiling it. It's just one of those things that you think, "Well of course that's how it's going to end because other wise this would be a really crappy book."

And the main character, Mirriam, is the best part of this, despite the rambling. She's well rounded, complex and intense. Being in her head is a strange joy and I believe I'll be visiting again soon.

Overall, if you like wonderful characters, an interesting story and don't mind a little foul language, sex and gore then you should like this book.

 

Book Review: Changeling

I'm doing a lot of book reviews back to back, which I don't like. So I promise you won't see another one for a while and I"ll come up with something new for y'all next time.

Info & Picture taken from Amazon

2 STARS

HEROES FOR HIRE

After barely escaping a madman’s attempt to annihilate all MetaHumans, Kelly Meding’s supernatural crime fighters have banded together to take back the streets of war-ravaged Los Angeles.

Dahlia “Ember” Perkins still feels like an outsider among her new Meta friends, despite everything she’s been through since coming into her miraculous ability to absorb heat and extinguish fires. But when the police need help investigating human skins discarded like slipcovers on the street, the Metas’ youngest team member quickly finds her place. Evidence points to a murderer the likes of which they have never encountered but who inexplicably seems to be gunning for Dahlia—and who may be neither human nor Meta. After a bullet meant for her nearly kills one of her teammates, Dahlia uncovers a connection to the crimes buried deep in her past. As the danger escalates and her personal life falls apart, Dahlia soon learns there’s no such thing as a “normal” relationship when you’re a superhero. . . .

~~~

Normally I try not to spoil stuff in my reviews, but I'm not sure I can do that this time. So fair warning, there are spoilers.

I was seriously disappointed in this book. I really enjoyed the first book of this series, Trance, but this one just falls so flat.

First, Dahlia was such a weak character after reading about Teresa. And at first, it works. Dahlia is new to the group and uncertain of her place in it. But her character didn't change much by the end of the book. If anything, she sounded weaker by the end than she did in the beginning.

Second, this book was both predictable and then confusing. I totally saw it coming that Noah would be a bad guy. The moment the whole Changeling thing was explained I said to my self, "And Noah is totally one of them". The middle of the story was one big ball of What the Hell is Happening. There is so much misdirection that it's just too confusing.

Third, the ending is totally insane, in a bad way. There is a cool fight scene, granted, with bad guy characters we just met and so have no emotion towards because their motives are weak. But the very end is totally wrong. I understand having a cliff hanger at the end. The first book had that a little bit, in the form of "Now that's we're all together what do we do now?" Which totally works. But this? "Oh look, I'm stuck in my boy friend's body with no way out, I guess I'll go to sleep now." No.

This book was hovering at a three or four stars for me until that ending. And I really hate giving this such a bad rating. It makes me sad because I liked the first book so much. 

I do think this book suffers from that Second Book in the Series Syndrome. Where the first book is a solid start, and could pretty much be a stand alone book because all the major loose ends are tied up. Authors write the first book that way because there's no guarantee that the rest of the series will be published. But then they write the second book and to make sure that you will read the third and fourth book they leave a lot of ends loose. Forcing you to read the next books if you want to know what happens. And for the most part that's okay and it works. But this time around, leaving such a huge issue up in the air is just maddening.

There is a third book coming out soon, like later this year, and while I want to know what happens I'm not sure I'll be reading it.

Thanks for reading! Have a great Monday! What books are you reading this month? Leave a comment for me below or on my Facebook or Twitter.

Book Review: Memories of the Future

Info and Picture taken from Amazon

5 STARS

From Encounter at Farpoint to Datalore, relive the first half of Star Trek: The Next Generation’s unintentionally hilarious first season through the eyes, ears and memories of cast member and fan Wil Wheaton (Wesley Crusher) as he shares his unique perspective in the episode guide you didn’t even know you were dying to read. 

ENJOY snarky episode recaps! 

EXPAND your Technobabble vocabulary! 

AMUSE your friends with quotable dialog! 

BOLDLY go behind the scenes!

~~~

So I heard about this book online, bought and read it in about 4 hours yesterday. I could have taken a nap because a truely amazing miracle happened and both of my boys slept at the same time, for the same amount of time. But no, I was too busy laughing at Wil Wheaton being snarky.

If you're a fan of Wil Wheaton in general and a fan of Star Trek: Next Generation then I highly recommend this book. I love all the snarky retelling of the episodes and the honesty that Wheaton inserts throughout the entire thing.

Now, I came to my love of ST:TNG late in game. When the episodes originally aired, I was 1 year old. It wasn't until my college years and into adult hood that I got to see the entire series. And I, unlike many others, liked Weasley Crusher. I had no idea until reading this book why people hated that character so much.

Wheaton puts an interesting spin on everything that happened while making those first 12 episodes and now I want to re-watch that first half of the first season to see if I now notice all those little things he pointed out.

So if you're a TNG fan, I suggest you read this book. It's only 138 pages long. And I really hope Wheaton continues to write these.

Also, in related news, this happened on Twitter yesterday. :D

Book Review: Wool

Info & Picture from Amazon

5 STARS!

This Omnibus Edition collects the five Wool books into a single volume. It is for those who arrived late to the party and who wish to save a dollar or two while picking up the same stories in a single package.

The first Wool story was released as a standalone short in July of 2011. Due to reviewer demand, the rest of the story was released over the next six months. My thanks go out to those reviewers who clamored for more. Without you, none of this would exist. Your demand created this as much as I did.

This is the story of mankind clawing for survival, of mankind on the edge. The world outside has grown unkind, the view of it limited, talk of it forbidden. But there are always those who hope, who dream. These are the dangerous people, the residents who infect others with their optimism. Their punishment is simple. They are given the very thing they profess to want: They are allowed outside.

~~~


Over on the AW Forums in the Sci-fi/Fantasy section there a monthly book discussion thread. I try to participate when I can. :) And this month they book that was chosen was Wool. It wasn't my first choice but I don't regret it.

Normally I'm not one for dystopia. It's always so dark and bleak, or at least the summaries sound that way, and thus I don't pick them up to read them. Now Wool is a collection of short stories and novellas. The first one is pretty bleak but it get better and it becomes more and more interesting.

By the middle of the book I was dying to know all the answers. Why was humanity stuck in under ground silos? What happened to the Earth to make it so awful on the surface? Why weren't the people in charge telling their people the truth? Howey did a good job in keeping me guessing.

He also created some great characters. Even the ones that you don't see much of are well rounded, fleshed out people. And of course, the main character, Juliette, is a fun and interesting character to follow. She fights for what is right and is not afraid of a little hard work or struggle to get what she needs. She's a good strong female lead.

And the end of the book, wow, I did not see that coming. I honestly wasn't sure if everything would end happy or not. The first couple stories in the book don't end on a happy note at all, so I had no idea how the whole thing would turn out.

In the end I really enjoyed the read. There's more to this series and I'm very curious to read it. So I'll be adding those to my massive To Be Read pile.

Book Review: Judas Unchained

(Info & Pic taken from Amazon)

4 STARS!

Peter F. Hamilton’s superbly imagined, cunningly plotted interstellar adventures are conceived on a staggeringly epic scale and filled with fully realized human and alien characters as complex as they are engaging. No mere world builder, Hamilton creates entire universes–and he does so with irresistible flair and intelligence. His previous novel, the acclaimed Pandora’s Star, introduced the Intersolar Commonwealth, a star-spanning civilization of the twenty-fourth century. Robust, peaceful, and confident, the Commonwealth dispatched a ship to investigate the mystery of a disappearing star, only to inadvertently unleash a predatory alien species that turned on its liberators, striking hard, fast, and utterly without mercy. 

The Prime are the Commonwealth’s worst nightmare. Coexistence is impossible with the technologically advanced aliens, who are genetically hardwired to exterminate all other forms of life. Twenty-three planets have already fallen to the invaders, with casualties in the hundreds of millions. And no one knows when or where the genocidal Prime will strike next.

Nor are the Prime the only threat. For more than a hundred years, a shadowy cult, the Guardians of Selfhood, has warned that an alien with mind-control abilities impossible to detect or resist–the Starflyer–has secretly infiltrated the Commonwealth. Branded as terrorists, the Guardians and their leader, Bradley Johansson, have been hunted by relentless investigator Paula Myo. But now evidence suggests that the Guardians were right all along, and that the Starflyer has placed agents in vital posts throughout the Commonwealth–agents who are now sabotaging the war effort. Is the Starflyer an ally of the Prime, or has it orchestrated a fight to the death between the two species for its own advantage?

Caught between two deadly enemies, one a brutal invader striking from without, the other a remorseless cancer killing from within, the fractious Commonwealth must unite as never before.

This will be humanity’s finest hour–or its last gasp.

~~~~~~

I'm giving this one 4 stars for a lot of the same reasons I gave Pandora's Star 4 stars. You can't read one without the other. I get the feeling that when Hamilton wrote this story it was all one big manuscript that had to be cut into two books. But I'd give the story all together a definite 5 stars.

Judas Unchained picked up where Pandora's Star left off. You're dealing with all the same characters with the same problems. And what makes this so magical is that Hamilton manages to bring pretty much every character into the final conflict in one way or another. And that final battle takes a long time and I was honestly not sure if the good guys would win or not.

But what amazes me most about these two books is from a writing perspective. There is so much creativity here. So many characters and worlds and alien races, I can't even imagine how Hamilton kept track of all of it while he was writing.

Anyway, if you like space opera on an epic scale, then you'll like this. There's something for everyone within these two books.

Well, thanks for reading, and have a great Wednesday!

Book Review: Seer of Sevenwaters

Picture & Information taken from Amazon

1 STAR

Get swept away in the romantic fantasy of this national bestselling author's world of Sevenwaters

The young seer Sibeal is visiting an island of elite warriors, prior to making her final pledge as a druid. It's there she finds Felix, a survivor of a Viking shipwreck, who's lost his memory. The scholarly Felix and Sibeal form a natural bond. He could even be her soul mate, but Sibeal's vocation is her true calling, and her heart must answer.

As Felix fully regains his memory, Sibeal has a runic divination showing her that Felix must go on a perilous mission-and that she will join him. The rough waters and the sea creatures they will face are no match for Sibeal's own inner turmoil. She must choose between the two things that tug at her soul-her spirituality and a chance at love...

~~~

It hurts me so much to give this book such a low rating, but I couldn't even force my self to finish it. I barely got 10% of the way through it. I normally love Juliet Marillier. The first three books of the Sevenwaters series is great but I realized as I was reading Heir that she was slipping.

So why did Seer get just one star? I found the main character, Sibeal, boring. Yeah she's a seer and a Druid in training but I just couldn't get my self to care about her. Nor could I care about the shipwrecked boy, Felix.

And even though I didn't finish the book I can tell you how it ends. I'd bet $100 that Sibeal will chose to be with Felix instead of becoming a Druid. I hope someone could tell me different, but I doubt it.

So 1 star for being predictable and boring. :(

Book Review: The Sandman Vol. 1

Information and Picture taken from Amazon.

5 STARS

New York Times best-selling author Neil Gaiman's transcendent series SANDMAN is often hailed as the definitive Vertigo title and one of the finest achievements in graphic storytelling. Gaiman created an unforgettable tale of the forces that exist beyond life and death by weaving ancient mythology, folklore and fairy tales with his own distinct narrative vision.

In PRELUDES & NOCTURNES, an occultist attempting to capture Death to bargain for eternal life traps her younger brother Dream instead. After his 70 year imprisonment and eventual escape, Dream, also known as Morpheus, goes on a quest for his lost objects of power. On his arduous journey Morpheus encounters Lucifer, John Constantine, and an all-powerful madman.

This book also includes the story "The Sound of Her Wings," which introduces us to the pragmatic and perky goth girl Death. Includes issues 1-8 of the original series with completely new coloring, approved by the author.

~~~

I'd like to begin this review with a warning to my younger and/or more sensitive readers. If this book got a movie rating it would be rated R, and more like a horror movie R than an action movie R. There's some scenes and some images that might disturb you and there's a whole chapter that had me a good bit troubled, although it ended on a good note.

Anyway, I am becoming a pretty big Neil Gaiman fan. This is the 3rd book of his I've read and I really like him. He's a little dark sometimes but it works.

And I loved The Sandman. The world Gaiman created is fascinating and I didn't want to leave. I now think the Sandman is pretty much one of the coolest characters ever. The writing was great and the art was good too. I'm not sure how to judge the art, most of my graphic novel reading comes in the form of manga and that's a totally different art style.

My favorite part is the last chapter where you meet the Sandman's sister. I love the idea of Death being a goth looking girl with crazy bedhead. If that's who comes to get me in the end I'll be pleased. :)

I've now got the next couple volumes of this series on hold for me at the library. One thing I love about comics is that it's a fast read. So, yes, I'll be reviewing the rest of the series as well.

Books I Couldn't Finish

So I've had two books recently that I just couldn't finish and it makes me sad. I'm not sure if I should really review them or not. One of them I think I'll pick back up here soon, but the other I just don't care about.

The one I'm having a really hard time with Stephen King's The Gunslinger. (And today's his birthday and everything, sorry Mr. King) I'm not really a fan of King, mostly because I don't read horror, but I know he's an amazing writer. In fact, my first book about writing was On Writing and I've read it many times. I respect him as a writer, but this book is just not for me.

I feel no connection to the gunslinger and I just find my self caring less and less about his story and whether or not he'll get to the "Man in black". Everything just feels real distant to me in this story and I don't like that. It's like I can't get a clear vision of the story, everything is fuzzy around the edges. So even though I'm 87% (according to my Kindle) of the way through the story I have no desire to finish it. It was a struggle just to get this far.

So I'm not sure if I should really rate/review it. If I did, I'd give it maybe 3 stars for it being okay but not my cup of tea, kind of like Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. If you're already a fan of King then I'm sure you'll like this, but I was less than impressed.

Book Review: Pandora's Star

(Info & Pic taken from Amazon <--- Buy the book!)

4 STARS!

Critics have compared the engrossing space operas of Peter F. Hamilton to the classic sagas of such sf giants as Isaac Asimov and Frank Herbert. But Hamilton’s bestselling fiction—powered by a fearless imagination and world-class storytelling skills—has also earned him comparison to Tolstoy and Dickens. Hugely ambitious, wildly entertaining, philosophically stimulating: the novels of Peter F. Hamilton will change the way you think about science fiction. Now, with Pandora’s Star, he begins a new multivolume adventure, one that promises to be his most mind-blowing yet. 

The year is 2380. The Intersolar Commonwealth, a sphere of stars some four hundred light-years in diameter, contains more than six hundred worlds, interconnected by a web of transport “tunnels” known as wormholes. At the farthest edge of the Commonwealth, astronomer Dudley Bose observes the impossible: Over one thousand light-years away, a star . . . vanishes. It does not go supernova. It does not collapse into a black hole. It simply disappears. Since the location is too distant to reach by wormhole, a faster-than-light starship, the Second Chance, is dispatched to learn what has occurred and whether it represents a threat. In command is Wilson Kime, a five-time rejuvenated ex-NASA pilot whose glory days are centuries behind him.

Opposed to the mission are the Guardians of Selfhood, a cult that believes the human race is being manipulated by an alien entity they call the Starflyer. Bradley Johansson, leader of the Guardians, warns of sabotage, fearing the Starflyer means to use the starship’s mission for its own ends,.

Pursued by a Commonwealth special agent convinced the Guardians are crazy but dangerous, Johansson flees. But the danger is not averted. Aboard the Second Chance, Kime wonders if his crew has been infiltrated. Soon enough, he will have other worries. A thousand light-years away, something truly incredible is waiting: a deadly discovery whose unleashing will threaten to destroy the Commonwealth . . . and humanity itself. 

Could it be that Johansson was right?

~~~

This book was pretty much amazing. So why 4 stars instead of 5? Well it ends in a literal cliff hanger. Actually, more of a waterfall hanger, but same difference. I'm going to have to read the next book to finish the story. Which is okay, I was going to read the second book anyway, but I just do not like that kind of extreme cliff hanger.

Anyway, like I said this book is great. It's very complex. The universe is massive, the character list is large and the scale is epic. Within the first few chapters you are introduced to at least 5 major characters. So there is a lot to keep track of, but Hamilton handles it beautifully. He's great at creating distinct voices for all the characters.

This book was a slow start for me. But I think that was mostly due to me not being used to reading science fiction. I'm used to reading about horses, swords and magic, not wormholes, laser pistols and quantum physics. But I still got pulled in so hard and the characters were so well established in my mind that even after taking a two week break from the book, I could jump right back where I left off and still love it.

Also, this story covers every classic scifi theme possible. There are wormholes, spaceships, aliens, artificial intelligence, robots, people living forever, war, politics, terrorism, everything. It's a complete, living breathing world.

Overall, 5 stars, minus one for the mean cliff hanger ending, for a total of 4 stars. And yes, I will be reading the next one, Judas Unchained, as soon as I can get my hands on it.

Book Review: Assassin's Apprentice

(Info and Pic taken from Amazon <-- Buy the book here)

5 STARS

Young Fitz is the bastard son of the noble Prince Chivalry, raised in the shadow of the royal court by his father's gruff stableman. He is treated like an outcast by all the royalty except the devious King Shrewd, who has him secretly tutored in the arts of the assassin. For in Fitz's blood runs the magic Skill--and the darker knowledge of a child raised with the stable hounds and rejected by his family. As barbarous raiders ravage the coasts, Fitz is growing to manhood. Soon he will face his first dangerous, soul-shattering mission. And though some regard him as a threat to the throne, he may just be the key to the survival of the kingdom. 

~~~

I really enjoyed this book. I adore and sympathize with Fitz all the way. Which is surprising because in the past I don't do so well with a male first person POV. I have a harder time connecting. I think it worked this time because we start with him as a little boy at the age of 6. Overall, this is a sad story, Fitz goes through a lot of loss. But he keeps going and he keeps trying to find his place in the world. I like that about him.

There is a good deal of political intrigue, but I found it interesting and easy to follow. And I did not see the Big Bad Guy coming. At least I knew he was Bad, but not Big Bad.

This is the first in a series and I really want to read the rest, mostly just to see if Fitz does get some more happiness in the end.

~~~

Happy Friday and Happy Three Day Weekend to my American readers. :)

Book Review: Heir to Sevenwaters

(Picture and Info taken from Amazon)

4 STARS

The chieftains of Sevenwaters have long been custodians of a vast and mysterious forest and a new heir has been born. But the family's joy turns to despair when the baby is taken, and something unnatural is left in his place. To reclaim her newborn brother, Clodagh must enter the shadowy Otherworld and confront the powerful prince who rules there.

~~~

So this book is number 4 in a series. I own the first three and thought that was it for a long time, but just a few months ago I learned there are two more books already out and a third due in Nov. So I'm very excited to have new Sevenwaters adventures.

For those of you new to this series I strongly suggest you start with the first one Daughter of the Forest. Unfortunately, Heir to Sevenwaters is not a stand alone book. This series revolves around a family in medieval Ireland and the family connections of who married whom and what kids they have start to get complicated by the 2nd and 3rd books. But it is all very worth the read.

I'd given the first 3 of this series 5 stars and the only reason I gave Heir 4 stars was that it became apparent to me that Marillier uses a formula for these books. It's a good formula and I enjoy it because the characters are still original and the stories interesting, but sometimes you want a little variety.

One thing I love about these books is the love stories. They always tug at me and make me all warm and fuzzy inside. And the love story in Heir was very well done and at the very beginning the relationship between Clodagh and Cathal made me think of the relationship between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice. Which works well for me. :)

So overall, I really enjoyed this book and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series. And again, if you're interested in this book, you really should start at the beginning of the series.

Book Review: Trance

(Info & Pic taken from Amazon)

5 STARS

Kelly Meding’s war-ravaged Los Angeles is ground zero for the ultimate Meta human showdown in this sexy, action-packed new series.

Fifteen years ago, Teresa “Trance” West was a skilled telepath and a proud member of the Ranger Corps. But ever since the Rangers were inexplicably rendered powerless at the climax of the devastating Meta War, she’s bounced from one dead-end job to another. Now her powers have reappeared just as mysteriously as they vanished— only they’re completely transformed and more potent than ever. And they’re threatening to destroy her.

Trance heads to Los Angeles to track down the surviving Rangers and discover who restored her powers—and why—but a phantom enemy is determined to kill them before they can reassemble. As they dodge his deadly attacks and come to terms with their new role as heroes, Trance and the rest of the team set out to annihilate the sinister madman . . . only to discover their own powers are his greatest weapons.

~~~

I really loved this book, thus the 5 stars. I'm a pretty big fan of superheros. I never got into the comics but I love most of these movies that have been coming out the last couple decades. I'm especially a fan of X-Men. And this book is a lot like X-Men because of the ensemble cast, all with very different powers.

I fell in love with Trance from page one. She's an extremely likable character and Meding did a great job of making her come to life. I believed Trance and her decisions and rationale every step of the way.

And the world Meding created is so real and gritty. An alternate reality to our own that honestly explores what the world would be like if people had super powers. It's not a pretty one.

There is a love story intertwined in all this and it was very convincing. Gage is a real person with real problems, just like Trance. And Meding took "steamy" to a whole new level. ;)

The ending is wonderful. It looks like there is no hope of the good guys winning and that the bad guy (who I didn't see coming) will have his twisted way, and then, well, I won't spoil it. :)

So overall, 5 out of 5 stars. I got this from the library but I do plan on buying it and the next one in the series, Changeling.