Epic Book Reviews

I Am Not a Serial Killer - By: Dan Wells

2012-03-03T10:08:00.002-07:00

I Am Not a Serial Killer is my first real experience with the horror genre and I have to say that I enjoyed every single second of it. This debut novel by Dan Wells was unique and utterly intriguing.

I Am Not a Serial Killer is a story about fifteen year-old John Wayne Cleaver who is a normal teenager, except for the fact that he is a sociopath and obsessed with serial killers. However, strange killings begin to occur in John’s small town and he has become the self-chosen protector of the town. But will he be able to hold back his own feelings towards serial killers long enough to stop one?

This first novel in the John Cleaver trilogy was a great read. The plot was always enthralling and had me on the edge of my seat until the very end. In fact, the climax itself was probably the best part of the book and it was very shocking. In my humble opinion, Dan Wells had the writing of a seasoned pro and I could not tell that this was his debut novel from his writing at all. He also did his research on morticians because every scene in the Cleaver family morgue was believable and realistic.

This might be a short review, because well there really was not anything in I Am Not a Serial Killer that really threw me. Sure there will little things here and there, a few more typos then I’m used to, but besides that nothing major. While this book doesn’t quite reach a perfect 10 with me it easily made me into a fan of Dan Wells’ work.

I will highlight some of my favorite aspects of this book. One thing that was phenomenal in this book was the main character, John’s, snarky sense of humor. There were numerous occasions where I found myself laughing out loud, but then there were times where I just wanted to help John out. Dan Wells really hit the nail on the head with John’s misunderstanding of human emotion and making us really feel for him.

Something else that was wonderful was the way this turned into a bit of a supernatural story. Now, this is not truly that much of a spoiler, but it was a surprise. It was very well done and did not make me skip a beat. The constant suspense of the plot keeps you wondering who is going to be next and when is the killer’s next victim going to be found?

If there is anything you get out of this review it is that this novel is wonderful and you should buy it or read it right away!

Here is Dan Wells’ website.
Here is the podcast he is a part of which I love.

Content:
Language: None.
Violence: Yes, and sometimes it cane be a bit graphic, but it is very well done.
Sexuality: None.
I recommend this novel for ages 14 and up.

My Rating:

9/10
(The book while almost flawless, just did not have that X-factor to make it a ten. From what I hear though, the books in this series just get better!!!)

-Dylan

P.S: Sorry for the late review, life has been very busy. The Knife of Dreams may be coming a bit late as well.

Song of the Beast - By: Carol Berg

2012-02-21T19:16:00.003-07:00

If there were one word to describe Carol Berg’s Song of the Beast it would be original. Overall, this story was very inventive and took some familiar ideas then twisted them into a completely new direction. I will just give you the blurb from the back instead of trying to do it myself and not give the book justice.

Brutal imprisonment had broken Aidan McAllister. His celebrated voice is silent. His hands ruined. His music destroyed—and with it the visions he once gave a kingdom ravaged by dragon war. The god who nurtured his talent since boy hood has abandoned him. All he wants to do is hide.

But no one ever told Aidan his crime. And when pursuers threaten to throw him back in the prison he’s just left, he’s driven to discover the truth, risking his hard-bought freedom to unlock the mind of his god and the heart of his enemy.

So the plot sounds amazing, right? Well, while I really enjoyed the overall product and at the end pretty much all of the promises were delivered, the delivery was not quite as good. For the first bit of the book it was just going. The plot that had seemed so overwhelmingly awesome was not even existent. There was some action along the way, don’t get me wrong, but it just seemed to lack a real purpose. Now, when the plot did catch on it caught on and I was definitely on a ride that was quite enjoyable.

Besides the lack of plot at the beginning there was another major problem that stuck out to me. This is just my humble opinion, but I did not truly enjoy all of the point of view shifts since the narrative was in first-person. Now, I would have been fine if the story was just Lara and Aidan, for the most part it is, but there are also two other point of views that derailed me. Something else that relates is that much of the climax for the other point of views is off screen. I felt like that was a grand opportunity for this problem to redeem itself, but since much of the climax had to be told instead of shown it was a bit of a let-down.

Alright, now that I am done with the negatives let us carry on to the pros of this story. One, Berg has a serious gift with crafting unique characters. These characters can rank with the greats of the fantasy genre with how unique they are. With that, Carol Berg makes each of them true to their character for absolutely every second of the story. She does not make them change their minds or have them lose touch with themselves just so she can get them where she wants. No, every decision her characters make, whether smart or not, are made because they are so firmly ground in their character and their past.

Something else that amazed me was this novel’s climax. While parts of it leaned a bit to the deus ex machina it had me gasping for air. A few amazing twists that I did not see coming kept me tearing away pages. There was a bit of foreshadowing that felt like it was missing, but the foreshadowing that was there was so well crafted that I could see how everything was leading to that point. As a whole, this climax was very cool, but also allowed this novel to be self contained.

So, if you want a stand-alone high fantasy novel with dragons, action, devious plots and characters you cannot help but feel for, Song of the Beast is for you. Also, it is a great place to try out Carol Berg’s work, seeing that it is Mrs. Berg’s first work and has just been re-printed with an awesome new cover.

Carol Berg’s website is here
Content:
-Language: There is language used, standard fantasy fare (no F-bombs). Rarely is it used in more concentrated amounts.
-Violence: Um….yes and it is amazing, though there are no really visceral or grisly scenes that I can remember.
-Sexuality: Nothing is shown, but there is fair share of innuendo and references. There are some situations, but nothing is given screen time.
-I recommend this for 14-15 and up, because of the slower beginning and the surprising amount of innuendo.

My rating:

8/10
(Almost 7.5)

-Dylan

P.S: Have you read any of Carol Berg’s work? If so, tell me in the comments below!

Book Haul #2

2012-02-14T20:49:00.010-07:00

I know that it has not been long since the last book haul, but I could not resist. Last week my friend and I spent the entire day goign between two used book stores. Considering neither of us has a gigantic budget for books the used book stores by us make a great alternative. So here are all of the books I purchased. Again, let me know in the comments below if you've read any of these books and what you thought of them.

Midnight Never Come - By: Marie Brennan

Note: I heard this series was phenominal and I have been looking for more Alternative History Fantasy now that I've been turned on to the Spiritwalker Trilogy. Also, this may not be for those of you who do not enjoy politics.

Summary:
England flourishes under the hand of its Virgin Queen: Elizabeth, Gloriana, last and most powerful of the Tudor monarchs.

But a great light casts a great shadow.

In hidden catacombs beneath London, a second Queen holds court: Invidiana, ruler of faerie England, and a dark mirror to the glory above. In the thirty years since Elizabeth ascended her throne, fae and mortal politics have become inextricably entwined, in secret alliances and ruthless betrayals whose existence is suspected only by a few.

Two courtiers, both struggling for royal favor, are about to uncover the secrets that lie behind these two thrones. When the faerie lady Lune is sent to monitor and manipulate Elizabeth's spymaster, Walsingham, her path crosses that of Michael Deven, a mortal gentleman and agent of Walsingham's. His discovery of the "hidden player" in English politics will test Lune's loyalty and Deven's courage alike. Will she betray her Queen for the sake of a world that is not hers? And can he survive in the alien and Machiavellian world of the fae? For only together will they be able to find the source of Invidiana's power — find it, and break it . . . .

A breathtaking novel of intrigue and betrayal set in Elizabethan England; Midnight Never Come seamlessly weaves together history and the fantastic to dazzling effect.

Transformation - By: Carol Berg

Note: I figured now that I've read Song of the Beast (review here) I might as well read some of Carol Berg's actual series. I think starting from the beginnign should be good. Also not the best cover, I know, but the story sounds good.

Summary:
Seyonne is a man waiting to die. He has been a slave for sixteen years, almost half his life, and has lost everything of meaning to him: his dignity, the people and homeland he loves, and the Warden's power he used to defend an unsuspecting world from the ravages of demons. Seyonne has made peace with his fate. With strict self-discipline he forces himself to exist only in the present moment and to avoid the pain of hope or caring about anyone. But from the moment he is sold to the arrogant, careless Prince Aleksander, the heir to the Derzhi Empire, Seyonne's uneasy peace begins to crumble. And when he discovers a demon lurking in the Derzhi court, he must find hope and strength in a most unlikely place...

Son of Avonar - By: Carol Berg

Note: More Carol Berg, nothing else needs to be said.

Summary:
Magic is forbidden throughout the Four Realms. For decades, sorcerers and those associating with them were hunted to near extinction.

But Seri, a Leiran noblewoman living in exile, is no stranger to defying the unjust laws of her land. She is sheltering a wanted fugitive who possesses unusual abilities-a fugitive with the fate of the realms in his hands...

Otherland - By: Tad Williams

Note: If you could not tell from my rave reviews of Shadowmarch and Shadowplay. I have become a rather die-hard fan of Tad Williams. So it resulted in gettign this book.

Summary (ish):
Surrounded by secrecy, it is home to the wildest dreams and darkest nightmares. Incredible amounts of money have been lavished on it. The best minds of two generations have labored to build it. And somehow, bit by bit, it is claiming the Earth's most valuable resource -- its children.

Rhapsody - By: Elizabeth Haydon

Summary:
Rhapsody is a woman, a Singer of some talent, who is swept up into events of world-shattering import. On the run from an old romantic interest who won't take no for an answer, Rhapsody literally bumps into a couple of shady characters: half-breeds who come to her rescue in the nick of time. Only the rescue turns into an abduction, and Rhapsody soon finds herself dragged along on an epic voyage, one that spans centuries and ranges across a wonder-filled fantasy world— a world so real you can hear the sweet music of Rhapsody's aubade and smell the smoldering forges deep within the Cauldron.

Black Sun Rising - By: C.S.Friedman

Note: This series came highly recommended. I heard it was "genre- changing" and an amazing blend of sci fi and fantasy.

Summary:
The Coldfire trilogy tells a story of discovery and battle against evil on a planet where a force of nature exists that is capable of reshaping the world in response to psychic stimulus. This terrifying force, much like magic, has the power to prey upon the human mind, drawing forth a person's worst nightmare images or most treasured dreams and indiscriminately giving them life. This is the story of two men: one, a warrior priest ready to sacrifice anything and everything for the cause of humanity's progress; the other, a sorcerer who has survived for countless centuries by a total submission to evil. They are absolute enemies who must unite to conquer an evil greater than anything their world has ever known.
With her highly acclaimed novels In Conquest Born and The Madness Season, C.S. Friedman acquired a well-deserved reputation for exploring science fiction's most challenging themes. Now she turns her talent to fantasy in a novel that boldly and provocatively examines the ever-mutable nature of evil and mortality.

So, those were all the books I purchased on my second book haul.

Shadowplay - By: Tad Williams

2012-02-07T22:23:00.004-07:00

Shadowplay is the second installment in Tad Williams’s Shadowmarch Quartet and it did not disappoint. I have heard rave reviews that this series only gets better as it goes on and I must say I am now a firm believer of that. I am just going to bring a warning that this review will have spoilers for those of you who have not yet read Shadowmarch. If you do not care whether there are some spoilers, feel free to read on.

As I said above, Shadowplay comes no where close to disappointing. It not only meets the expectations of its predecessor, but completely blows them out of the park. It starts right where Shadowmarch left off: Briony and Shazo are on the run from Southmarch and Tolly’s hostile take over, Barrick and Vansen are across the Shadowline for reasons unknown, Southmarch Castle is in upheaval with the Qar across the bay and Qinnitan is safe in Hierosol, for now. Like I said, the whole beginning is spoilers if you have not read Shadowmarch. Anyway, on to the stuff I really enjoyed about the second installment.

Tad Williams speed up the pace greatly in Shadowplay which always kept me on my toes. Every time I would come back around to a point of view something new and exciting would happen that would further propel their story. There were no useless or uneventful scenes in this story despite its 700 + pages. One thing that I was not sure I enjoyed at first was the new viewpoints. I thought the seven or eight viewpoint characters in Shadowmarch was enough, but Williams added even more in this installment. While at first I was hesitant I found out I really enjoyed the expanded and more “epic” scope. I also found it nice that while the main characters were away from Southmarch Castle we were still keeping tabs on the developments there. My final statement on the viewpoints and why I loved them in Shadowplay much more than I did in the predecessor is that none of them were weak. There were no new scenes and chapters with different characters that I was not excited to read about. All of the characters were strong and true to themselves and their journeys so I never got tired of them as I did in Shadowmarch (I hated Chert and Matty Tinwright in Shadowmarch).

The fact that Shadowplay just had more action in general really pleased me. Something was always happening and not all of the characters make it out to the other side, which I loved. This also really helped develop some depth in the characters and made them have some serious growth that I also enjoyed. The final factor that I really enjoyed was the new mythology. Everything the characters thought was fake is real and now there are the objects of significance (if you’ve read the story you know what I’m talking about). I just absolutely love when everything starts to fall into place. And Tad Williams is quite deft at weaving all the different plotlines. Unfortunately, there were some problems in this almost flawless story though.

For one, while all the characters were stronger in this installment one in particular just really lost all their momentum. This character had been my favorite in the first book and most of the second and then all of a sudden it just stopped about halfway through the book. It never picked up again until the last line of their last scene in the novel. Also there was a character slip up, or at least I thought there was. It seems like all of the old men introduced in this series had a “acquired taste for young boy” which I thought was stereotypical of high fantasy. Also, it was not played off as if it was part of the character so much as it was just a “ shock factor” that was supposed to surprise the audience. The only other flaw I could pick out in the story was that the ending felt like it was the second book in a trilogy. Everything is coming to a point and I could feel it was going to be resolved in the next book, except I knew the series was a quartet. So, I am not exactly sure how Tad Williams will stretch the ending out into two books, but I am sure it will work out just fine in the end.

Overall, the Shadowmarch Quartet comes highly recommended from me.

Content:
-Language: More than the first, but not a considerable amount.
-Sexuality: Nothing really except the whole “acquired taste for young boys” thing.
-Violence: Much more action = much more violence. Some of it is more graphic, but nothing way over the top.
- 15 and up, just because I do not think anyone younger would tackle this series. Also there is some more content in this installment.

My rating:

9.5/10

-Dylan

Book Haul #1

2012-01-26T17:54:00.008-07:00

Hi guys, just this afternoon I was thinking about all the other book reviewers and how they do book hauls. Well, I figured that this would be a fun idea to carry out and especially how it ties in with a personal activity I do. Every quarter (Dec/Jan, March/April, June/July, August/ Sept. my two friends and I go on a book haul. So, while I realize this is a bit late I thought this would be a fun tradition to start here on the blog.

Here are all the new books.

The Hidden City - By: Michelle West

Summary: The incredible story that fans of The Sun Sword series have been waiting to read—the battle for control of House Terafin...

Orphaned and left to fend for herself in the slums of Averalaan, Jewel Markess—Jay to her friends—meets an unlikely savior in Rath, a man who prowls the ruins of the undercity in search of artifacts and treasure. Nursing Jay back to health is an unusual act for a man who renounced his own family long ago, and the situation becomes stranger still when Jay begins to form a den of other rescued children in Rath's home. But worse perils lurk beneath the slums: the demons that once nearly destroyed the Essalieyan Empire are stirring again, and soon Rath and Jay will find themselves targets of these deadly and ruthless beings.

Scar Night - By: Alan Campbell

(This is the UK cover, but I like it much better than the US cover)

Summary: Suspended by chains over a seemingly bottomless abyss, the ancient city of Deepgate is home to a young angel, an assassin, and a psychotic murderer hungry for revenge—or redemption. But soon a shocking betrayal will unite all three in a desperate quest....
The last of his line, Dill is descended from legendary Battle-archons who once defended the city. Forbidden to fly and untrained even to wield the great sword inherited from his forebears, he has become a figurehead for a dying tradition. Now he lives a sheltered existence in one of Deepgate’s crumbling temple spires under the watchful eye of the Presbyter who rules the city.

Spine assassin Rachel Hael has better things to do than oversee the Presbyter’s angel. Each dark moon she must fight for her life among the city chains, hunting an immortal predator with a taste for blood.

But when a traitor brings enemies to Deepgate’s doorstep, Dill and Rachel are forced into an uneasy alliance with the city’s oldest and most dangerous foe. They must journey down into the uncharted chasm to save their sprawling metropolis—and themselves—from annihilation. Once they descend however, they learn that what lies below is far more sinister than what they’ve been taught to expect.

Shadowrise - By: Tad Williams

This is the third book in Tad William's Shadowmarch Tetralogy. I am not posting the summary because, well, I have not even looked at it because I do not want to know spoilers for Shadowplay, which I'm currently reading.

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms - By: N.K. Jemisin

Summary: Yeine Darr is an outcast from the barbarian north. But when her mother dies under mysterious circumstances, she is summoned to the majestic city of Sky. There, to her shock, Yeine is named an heiress to the king. But the throne of the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms is not easily won, and Yeine is thrust into a vicious power struggle.

And Finally....

Cold Fire - By: Kate Elliott

Check out my review of this novel here.

So, tell me if you guys liked this. Did you enjoy seeing the new books? Have you read any of them? If so, tell me what you thought of them in the comments below.

-Dylan

Radiant Shadows - By: Melissa Marr

2012-01-23T20:41:00.004-07:00

Radiant Shadows is the fourth book of Melissa Marr’s Wicked Lovely series. Fortunately, each of these books stands on their own because I have not read Fragile Eternity, the third book, for almost a year and a half or maybe two years. While it was needed to remember some of the story, and it is highly recommended to read these books in order, it is not needed for Radiant Shadows.

Radiant Shadows introduces us to a new set of characters: Ani, the half-hum half-fae who is nourished by emotions and the touch of humans and faeries, Devlin, the Queen of Order’s court assassin who is still trying to find where his allegiance lies, and Rae, a dream walker that lives in the world of Faery. One of the things I love about this novel is that Melissa Marr gives us such a broad spectrum of characters here, especially for a YA novel. Each character has their own perspective, voice and goals.

Something I loved about Radiant Shadows was that it was by far the most action-oriented novel in the Wicked Lovely series. Most of the books are much more drama-oriented, and while I do love it, it can get a bit old. There was also a healthy dose of romance in this story, just like all of the others. But, this relationship seemed very natural and not quite as fast moving and stilted as some of the other relationships (though, I do have to say Kennan and Donia also have a more natural relationship).

The climax seemed to go hand-in-hand with the action-oriented plot of this novel. ***Minor Spoilers****** It actually involves a battle, that was quite enjoyable to read. Also, not everyone makes it through, which gave it a sense of realism that was refreshing with all the novels where everyone makes it out alright*****Minor Spoilers**** Overall, the climax was enjoyable and the choices the characters made were realistic and true to their character. Unfortunately, the ending itself dragged quite a bit. The climax was exciting and full of action and then the ending was exciting in the new developments presented for the last book in the Wicked Lovely, but it was slow. After the climax the story just went on, it did not keep up the action, and then there was just a development which happened too quickly. Then it ended. Overall, I thought the ending, outside of the climax, was a bit sloppily handled.

Another detractor from the story from me was the beginning. The real meat of the story was fun to read and full of new developments, but the beginning and the end were a bit disappointing. It was like having a sandwich with delicious meats and cheese and then you use stale bread to hold it all together. The start and finish were just not up to standards. It took until about page 70 or 80 in a 340 page book for it to start going because of an event. Before that it was back story with the characters, which I felt was a bit heady, despite how it tied into the story later.

As a whole, Radiant Shadows was a promising installment in the Wicked Lovely series and I will definitely read the last installment, Darkest Mercy. I would say that if you are a fan of YA Paranormal Romance, this series is a must-read.

Visit Melissa Marr at her website here.
Content:
-Violence: Nothing gory.
-Language: There are some F-bombs, but for the most part it is not used in profusion.
-Sexuality: Only kissing on-screen. Some implied.
-I recommend for 14 and up.

My Rating:

7.5/10
(almost 8)

-Dylan

-P.S: I might be a little late on the Shadowplay review, it is taking a while to read with everythign going on. So I am aiming for Thrusday/Firday fo next week instead of the usually Sunday-Tuesday time frame.

Cold Fire - By: Kate Elliott

2012-01-17T19:12:00.003-07:00

Cold Fire is the second installment in Kate Elliott’s Spiritwalker Trilogy (you guys remember my review of the first novel, Cold Magic, not too long ago). I do have to say that Cold Fire lived up to the expectations I had and then surpassed them.

This story picks up right where Cold Magic left off. Actually, that was one thing I disliked about this book was that the first chapter completely restated the last part of Cold Magic word for word, instead of carrying on with the story. Unfortunately, like Cold Magic the beginning is slow and a bit rocky. While it does have action it just feels so long and overstated that it does have as powerful of a punch as it could have. The good news is that once you get passed the rocky beginning the story really gets going.

I liked how Kate Elliott continued Cat’s feeling of wonderment and bewilderment throughout the story as she explores new areas of her surroundings. Unlike many authors in trilogies Mrs. Elliott did not drop the ball when it came to the second novel. There was a definite increase in action, intrigue, magic and most of all romance.

Some other readers may not like the increase of romance in this novel compared to its predecessor, but I certainly did. I felt like the relationship between Cat and Andevai was very well done and did not feel rushed at all. This novel gave a much better background so that the two could really get to know each other instead of simply being thrown together.

Another thing I truly liked about Cold Fire was the way Mrs. Elliott handled Cat’s new way of speech. She handled the new linguistics with such ease that I hardly even knew that it was there and not just normal dialogue. I also enjoyed the fire mages that were brought to the forefront in the new setting (an alternate West Indies). Overall this book was very fun as you got to meet new characters, understand some of the older characters better and still learn about this wonderful world Mrs. Elliott has created. There were some drawbacks though.

As in Cold Magic some of the descriptions were mildly confusing and sometimes frustrating to understand. Sometimes in this novel events happen so fast I could not truly grasp what was going on and where the characters were. While the climax in Cold Fire was more concentrated and powerful than its predecessor it still had too much falling action. By this I mean the time after the climax. I felt like most of the last chapter could have just been cut off and left to the reader’s imagination, that’s just my personal taste though. Besides those complaints and the rocky beginning I felt that Cold Fire was a much improved installment.

Overall, Cold Fire is much less predictable than its precursor and much more action-oriented. Also even more fun characters are brought into the story and the plot continues to thicken. In short, I cannot wait to read the concluding installment, Cold Steel, due out sometime this year.

-Check out Kate Elliott's website here.

-If you've read Kate Elliott's Cold Fire you can check out Chapter 31.5 here. It was not published in the book and those of you who have read Cold Fire can probably guess with the fact that it is between Chapters 31-32.

-Check out our review of Cold Magic here.

Content:
-Language: Surprisingly, much more than Cold Magic.
-Violence: There is more action, so there is more violence, but nothing truly gory.
-Sexuality: Did I mention the increased romance? Well, with that comes some mostly off screen scenes and more innuendo. There is nothing graphic shown though.
-I recommend this novel for those who are 15 and up.

My Rating:

8.5/10

-Dylan

The Alloy of Law - By: Brandon Sanderson

2012-01-09T20:36:00.002-07:00

The Alloy of Law is not quite what I expected from Brandon Sanderson. I was not sure what to expect since Brandon Sanderson is usually my staple for epic fantasy. Since the Alloy of Law was a book that was a steampunk fantasy/ mystery novel I was a bit skeptical. Apparently, there was no reason for this.

The Alloy of Law takes places three hundred years after the conclusion of Hero of Ages, the concluding novel of the Mistborn Trilogy. The main character is Waxillium Ladrian, does the last name sound familiar to you Mistborn fans? Well, Wax is a constable out in the Roughs, the “wild west” of Scadrial, until he is called to be the head of House Ladrian in the capital, Elendel. There the crime ensues.

Can I just say that this was probably one of the, if not the most fun I have had reading a book in the past year. For fans of Sanderson’s work who have read the original Mistborn Trilogy there is no shortage of little nuggets of gold that you will find in the Alloy of Law. While those were so much fun to find in this novel there were also phenomenal characters. Brandon Sanderson’s ability at characterization really showed here. The characters were witty and intuitive, while also having their own individual quirks that made them so believable. Sometimes the wittiness did feel just a tad bit forced in this instances but that is all.

On top of great characters, there was no shortage of action in this story. The action I have come to expect in Sanderson’s six hundred plus page epics was not betrayed in this shorter installment. There was just enough time for the characters to figure out what was going on before the Allomantic gun fights ensued. Did I mention how awesome the Allomantic gun fights are? No. Well, they are amazing!

Something else that Sanderson did with finesse was manipulating the multi-person point of view. Despite the physical shortness of the book, it felt greatly expanded due to the different point of views. I also liked really getting to know the characters and all of their different quirks that made this such an enjoyable book.

If there is one complaint I can make it is that the Alloy of Law is a bit predictable. Of course, Sanderson was not aiming for an overly complex story in this novel it still had some points that I could predict far in advance. I do have to say that a few of the scores of plot twists did catch me off guard, but for the most part it was easy to see them coming.

Overall though, the Alloy of Law was an extremely enjoyable ride. It had jokes that made me laugh and characters that were unique and relatable. The plot raced a long at a lightening-quick pace once it got going and it showed that not every story has a happy ending for everyone. Also it was fantastic to see how Scadrial evolved into a Victorian-esque era.

Visit Brandon Sanderson at his website here.

Content:
-Language: Some used, but nothing very harsh and not in great quantities.
-Violence: There is loads of action, but nothing is overly graphic.
-Sexuality: None.
-I recommend this for ages 13 and up.

My Rating:

9.5/10

-Dylan

P.S: Tell me in the comments below if you have read the Alloy of Law and what you thought of the ending?

Touch of Power - By: Maria V. Snyder

2012-01-02T20:04:00.006-07:00

Touch of Power is Maria V. Snyder’s newest novel, the first in a brand new series. Just knowing that Maria V. Snyder wrote this book means that it is going to be amazing, and I go into these books with a ton of expectations….Fortunately, Touch of Power exceeded those high expectations.

Touch of Power is about Avry of Kazan, a Healer, one of the eleven types of magicians, in The Fifteen Realms. Unfortunately for Avry a plague has run rampant through the land and the common people blame Healers for starting the plague that killed their loved ones. For the last three years, Healers have been hunted and killed. Avry has avoided being killed, until now. She is caught by the people of Jaxton and is due to be executed in the morning. That is until Kerrick, a leader of a band of men with their own agenda, rescues her and take her on a quest to have her heal his plague-stricken friend. Or that was the plan until Avry discovers this friend is a prince who wishes to take control of all of the Fifteen Realms.

This book was amazing, without a doubt. It was fast-paced and had loads of action, while not needing to rely on the romance subplot for strength. The novel’ action was superior to Snyder’s former books and had me turning pages. To have more action then her normal books was astounding, considering they are all very fast-paced. Touch of Power also contained so many plot twists it made my head spin, it was riveting.

On top of having a break-neck pace with a stifling amount of action, the world building in this story was amazing. This is by far Mrs. Snyder’s most original world to date, even better than Ixia/Sitia. While this was, for the most part, a typical medieval setting the world itself was unique. I have never before seen man-eating flowers, except in Touch of Power.

Another component that blew me away was the characters. Maria V. Snyder has such a gift for characterization and creating compelling characters. Never have I read a book by her that has not had great, witty, 3-dimensional characters. And Touch of Power is no exception here. Avry is charming, witty and compassionate. Where the antagonist is downright evil, the type that makes you cringe because he thinks he’s doing the right thing. Truly wonderful characters in this series, and I expect great things to come from the Healer series.

There were only two things that bugged me. One, Touch of Power was predictable. I am pretty good at seeing where a story is going and judging what is going to happen. Some may still be completely blindsided by the plot twists. Fortunately, while Touch of Power had a pretty predictable nature to it there were still some surprises. The second thing was that the ending was semi- dues ex machine. While I could see that that was the only way there were going to be sequels and it had to happen I was not completely thrilled. I did understand that it had to happen so it was not as bad as it could have been.

Besides that Touch of Power is a promising novel that every fantasy reader should read. This action has action, betrayal, man-eating plants, tons of magic and romance. Touch of Power has it all and I cannot wait to read the sequel, Scent of Magic. Just from this installment I can see that this series has the potential to be the best every blowing away the Insider duology, Glass series and maybe even…dare I say it the Study trilogy.

Check out our interview with Maria V. Snyder here.

Check out Maria at her website here.

Content:
-Language: There are some choice words, no F-bombs, and it is not used in profuse amounts.
-Violence: there is loads of action so yes there is violence and death and the such. None except for one scene which involves healing is particularly graphic.
-Sexuality: There are some implied scenes that start on-screen and innuendo, but besides that, nothing much past kissing.
-I recommend this for ages 14 and up.

My rating:

9.5/10

-Dylan

Crossroads of Twilight - By: Robert Jordan

2011-12-27T13:14:00.003-07:00

Crossroads of Twilight is the tenth novel in the Wheel of Time series. Going into this I had heard ample warning hat this book was bad, if not the worst in the entire series. I tried to put aside all of my reservation while reading it. Unfortunately, though, Crossroads of Twilight lived up to its bad reputation.

This novel, while not as long as some of the other WoT books, is much slower and less eventful. You still have the same great characters, nothing has changed there, it’s just the whole story is just bogged down with stuff that doesn’t matter. Much of the story that was on screen in this book could have just been left off screen and it would still have the same effect and would not take up as much time.

Also, their truly is no plot in this novel. The entire story is catching up with all of the major point-of-view characters: Perrin, Rand, Mat, Egwene and Elayne/ Aviendha. And when you did see these characters you stayed with them for such a long time that it took nearly 600 pages just to get back around to the first character introduced! As I said above this was just a character novel, there was a bit of a plot going with some of the character’s stories. For the most part though, it was all your favorite characters just continuing what they were doing in the last book.

There was one saving grace, and that was simply that I was so in love with all of the characters and the world I was able to ignore some of the faults. But the lack of plot was something that could not be overlooked. While slogging through this novel there was one character arc that had a story that moved forward and had an ending that I cannot wait to continue reading and that was Egwene. Besides that I still enjoy the characters, just not the book.

So, the final verdict on this story is that it is going to be a good exercise for your skim reading abilities. Even if you only read one sentence a paragraph you can still grasp what is going on. I am excited to continue reading this series, but those of you who have not gotten this far in the Wheel of Time just be forewarned.

Content:
-Language: No…it’s the Wheel of Time.
-Violence: No, since there was pretty much no action at all.
-Sexuality: No.
-I recommend 13 and up for content but probably 15 and up just because it will not be very eventful for a younger audience.

My Rating:

6/10

-Dylan

Holiday Season Apologies

2011-12-22T08:10:00.004-07:00

Hi there. I apologize for the slowness of the book review for Crossroads of Twilight, it is a bit of a slow read. Hopefully, I will have it posted late this week or early next week (probably Monday- Tuesday range). So, again I apologize for the lateness. But in the mean time check out both of our great interviews, they should tide you over.

This is the Maria V. Snyder Interview

This is the Victoria Hanley Interview

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

-Dylan

Best and Not-so-great books / movies I have seen/read in 2011

2011-12-20T20:21:00.007-07:00

This is a list of the good, the bad and the ugly books and movies I have seen and read throughout this year. Note: These are not books specifically published in 2011, that will be a second, much shorter, list considering I have not ready many books published in 2011.

Best Books I read in 2011:

The Wise Man's Fear - By: Patrick Rothfuss
The Warded Man - By: Peter V. Brett
The Black Prism - By: Brent Weeks
The Dragon's Path - By: Daniel Abraham
The Name of the Wind - By: Patrick Rothfuss
Touch of Power - By: Maria V. Snyder

(Sorry Brandon Sanderson, I have not read any new books by you this year yet or else you surely would have made the cut).

Not-so-great books I read in 2011:* In no specific order and please do not feel insulted if I did not like a book you loved.

The Green Rider - By: Kristen Britain
The Drowning City - By: Amanda Downum
The Death Cure - By: James Dashner
Crossroads of Twilight - By: Robert Jordan

Honorable Mentions:

Shadowmarch - By: Tad Williams
Forever - By: Maggie Stiefvater
Illusions - By: Aprilynne Pike
The Desert Spear - By: Peter V. Brett
The Path of Daggers - By: Robert Jordan
Cold Magic - By: Kate Elliott

Best Movies I watched in 2011:

Robin Hood
Unknown
Tron : Legacy
X Men First Class

My least favorite movies I watched in 2011

Hereafter
Your Highness

Honorable Mentions:

Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Cowboys and Aliens
Captain America
Couples Retreat

Books I look forward to the most in 2012:

A Memory of Light - Brandon Sanderson and Robert Jordan
The Blinding Knife - Brent Weeks
The Daylight War - Peter V. Brett (possibly 2013)
The King's Blood - Daniel Abraham
The Gate of Memories - Moorea Corrigan
Indigo Magic - Victoria Hanley (hopefully)
Cold Steel - Kate Elliott
Destined - Aprilynne Pike
Bitterblue - Kristin Cashore

and many more.....

Mini Review: The King's Blood Sneak Peek - Daniel Abraham

2011-12-13T20:21:00.002-07:00

This week, I decided to do a mini review. In the back of a book I read a while back called The Dragon’s Path by Daniel Abraham there was a sneak peek of the second book called The King’s Blood. Well, I just read this little 10 page bit and thought I would share my thoughts to keep you guys occupied while I am reading this Wheel of Time book.

There will be some spoilers in this review, so if you do not care you can continue reading.

This scene in The King’s Blood shows one of the characters form the previous novel, Captain Marcus Wester at work on his new position with the Medean Bank in Porte Oliva. Fortunately this was an action scene where Marcus, Yardem and some other soldiers attack a band of pirates that had stolen cargo from a ship the Medean Bank had insured.

Overall, this was a really good scene that made me even more excited for The King’s Blood, which should be coming out in late-spring of 2012. Like its predecessor this scene was descriptive, but also had a good dose of action. Also Abraham’s witty dialogue is prevalent in this scene. Perhaps the only thing I did not like about this is scene was that it was not from my favorite character’s point of view, Dawson Kalliam.

-Dylan

P.S: My lists of the Best of 2011 and the books I'm looking forward to in 2012 are coming soon.

Cold Magic - By: Kate Elliott

2011-12-07T06:36:00.004-07:00

Cold Magic is…well it’s best described by the author, Kate Elliott, as an “Afro-Celtic post-Roman ice punk Regency novel with airships, Phoenician spies, and the intelligent descendents of troodons (a small type of dinosaur).” Still with me?

This is a novel set back during the nineteenth century, but it is not an alternate history. Cold Magic takes place on a continent called Europa, whose landscape is a bit different from our own Europe. Cold Magic asks the questions, what if our Earth had magic and what if our Earth had a much longer Ice Age? That’s what makes this setting so unique.

Now, what Cold Magic was actually about is a young woman, Catherine Hassi Barahal, who is just on the cusp of her twentieth birthday and becoming and adult. She leads a relatively average life with her aunt and uncle. That is until they give Catherine away to a cold mage, a powerful person who can wield the ice and cold. Thus begins Cat’s journey.

Overall, I found this book really enjoyable and once it got going I was tearing through pages and I could not stop. That is the problem though; the book has to get going. It took about 80-100 pages for this book to really take off. So slogging through the beginning was not the most enjoyable for me. But as I said before, once Cold Magic gets rolling it really starts going. Another component of the novel that Kate Elliott does so well is the description of the setting. Her use of imagery in this novel is superb and I always had a clear image of what was going on. Unfortunately, that fantastic description in the setting leaked into other areas like the clothes of the characters. Almost every outfit in Cold Magic was described in the book, every suit, every dress, every handkerchief. It started grating on me especially later in the book when the descriptions would be finished with how wonderful and handsome one of the characters looked in every outfit.

But, all of the pros and cons fall away when you compare them to the characterization done by Kate Elliott. She is a genius when it comes to believable characters. All of the characters in Cold Magic felt really fleshed out. By the end of the book it was as though I knew each and every one of them in real life. I could imagine myself becoming friends with a real life Catherine. This is one part of the novel where I felt Kate Elliott’s extensive experience in the industry really helped out the novel.

As great as the characters are in Cold Magic, and they truly are great, there is one more thing that I could not overlook. The climax. And those of you who have read more of my reviews know that I am a stickler with this. While the climax of the novel was ok it was a bit drawn out for my taste. I prefer mine to have more of an explosive punch, where Cold Magic’s was a bit longer and did not really keep the tension level as high as I usually like. In addition, afterwards there are probably thirty pages of falling action after what I would consider the climax. I felt like a lot of the important information and set up for the sequel in this falling action could have been greatly compressed.

Well, there certainly was a lot to say about Cold Magic. It really was a good novel; it just had some pacing problems at the beginning and end. Overall, it was a really fun story that I could sink my teeth into and I cannot wait to read the sequel, Cold Fire. So if you want a steampunk novel with tons of adventure and an original magic system go pick up a copy of Cold Magic!

Visit Kate Elliot's website for inofrmation on her books

Content:
-Language: Barely a coarse word in the entire novel.
-Violence: There is action, but not really anything gory.
-Sexuality: A brief mention, but nothing shown.
-13 and up (This is technically an adult book, but I can see teens loving it).

My Rating:

8/10

-Dylan

P.s. : If you guys have read any of Kate Elliott's other series let me know in the comments below which one I should start on next.

Shadowmarch - By: Tad Williams

2011-11-29T18:54:00.004-07:00

Shadowmarch is the first book I have read of the prestigious author Tad Williams. I figured this would be a good introduction to his book, either that or The Dragonbone Chair. Let me first say that I was excited when I started this book and was not let down with the result. I am very happy that I chose Shadowmarch as my return to epic fantasy after a short hiatus.

Shadowmarch is the first book of the Shadowmarch four-book trilogy (all of Tad Williams’ trilogies are four books). This epic fantasy novel is set in a rich and descriptive world where an encroaching southern empire is right on the kingdom of Southmarch and the continent of Eion’s doorstep. But that’s not where the conflict stops there is also a faerie-like race, the Qar, that live in a place called The Twilight Lands in the northern most part of Eion, right where Southmarch is. And the Shadowline, the border that separates The Twilight Lands from the world of men, is moving farther south.

Now, those are just the main conflicts. Despite its slow-pace Tad Williams was able to skillfully keep me engaged in the novel with all of the different stories and point of views where situations and conflicts continue to test the characters’ resolve. That brings me to my first complaint. The characters.

It is not so much about the characters themselves, though there was one that I could care less about; it is about how many there were. Usually I adore multiple view point books, actually I like the book more with three or four point of views. But, Shadowmarch had seven semi-regular point of view characters and it skipped between them frequently. For the most part, it was not like other novels with many view point characters. I am thinking of the middle Wheel of Time books in particular where you see the first character, and then you cycle through eight others and do not hear about them for 600 pages. Shadowmarch had many cases where a viewpoint would only last about three or four pages, so it was always fresh in your mind. That fact helped and made the fact that there were so many viewpoints not annoy me quite as much.

The novel itself though was amazing. I enjoyed almost all of the characters and was excited to find out all of the secrets that are circulating through their lives. I felt like the book was a bit hard to get into at first, but after a while I warmed up to the pace and began to see that while there was action there was a lot of politicking and intrigue, which I love. Despite the fact that I also felt that this book could lose probably 50 to 100 pages I really enjoyed how everything came together at the end. All of the plot threads began weaving together and I read the last 60 pages all in one sitting, and I’m not exactly a fast reader. For those of you who need a ton of action at the climax this book will still work for you. There is tons of action going on in this climax and it really surprised me. While the climax is drawn out it was still amazing. And there is so much set up for the second book I cannot wait to get my grubby little hands on it.

So if you love a good epic fantasy series that you can really dig your teeth into you will definitely want to put the Shadowmarch Series on your list.

Visit Tad Williams at his website: www.tadwilliams.com
Content:
-Language: Barely any choice words.
-Sexuality: Not that I can remember.
-Violence: There is fighting and there is some gore but nothing over-the-top.

- 14-15 and up just because the pace is a bit slow.

My Rating:

8.5/10
(Almost a 9)

-Dylan

On Writing - By: Stephen King

2011-11-19T11:14:00.003-07:00

For starters, On Writing is a fantastic book. That sentence alone can just about sum up this entire review. For those of you who do not know what On Writing is, it is a novel written by Stephen King that is part autobiography and part writing advice.

On Writing, as a whole, is equal parts informative and awesome. It is an authors dream, whether aspiring or established. It helps us as the reader see into Stephen King’s daily writing routine and the tricks he uses, but it also brings us through his childhood and all of the hardships he went through to become a published author. This really helped me relate to Stephen King as a person and not sit him up on a pedestal with all of the other great authors of this era.

Even if you are not a Stephen King fan you should read this novel. And I am not one to judge writing advice books lightly, seeing that I am not a particular fan of them, but this one is a keeper. On Writing helped me view my own writing in a very different light, it allowed me to see so many things I had overlooked before. Even if you have read On Writing before, I ask you to do a re-read of it before you start your editing process on a manuscript.

Well, I am sorry that this is such a short review especially after such a long time away from the blog, but there really isn’t much to say. Is this book amazing? Yes. Should you make sure to have your very own copy of it? Yes. That’s pretty much the end of the story.

Content:
Sexuality: Um…none that is written by him (I’m thinking of one part in the novel).
Violence: Well…there is one scene; you’ll just have to read the book to see.
Language: Yes, and sometimes it can come in pretty strong waves (I’m thinking of that same part of the novel).
Recommended Age: 15-16 and up if you go off content, but teen writers should still read this regardless.

My Rating:

10/10

-Dylan

Victoria Hanley Mini Interview

2011-11-07T20:35:00.004-07:00

It is my pleasure to post this interview with Colorado Book Award and Colorado Blue Spruce Award( only to name a few awards, there are a lot) winning author Victoria Hanley! Victoria Hanley is the author of The Seer and the Sword, The Healer's Keep, The Light of the Oracle, Violet Wings, Seize the Story (nonfiction), Wild Ink (nonfiction) and the forthcoming Indigo Magic. This interview was so much fun and I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did.

----

1. What are you currently working on?

Ouch, I don't really want to talk about it, because I've just begun the crap draft (first draft, NaNo draft) for Sapphire Stronghold, the third book in my fairy series. Ugh, I detest writing first drafts, but the best way to do it is to power through them so you have something to polish.
On a different note, I turned in the final draft of a drastically expanded and revised Wild Ink: Success Secrets for Writing and Publishing in the Young Adult Market, with two new chapters on novel writing--including lots of info on how to work with the central conflict (a topic dear to your heart, I know). I'm happy to have a chance to update that book, because there have been so many changes in publishing in the five years since I first wrote it. The new edition will be published in May 2012 by Prufrock Press.

2. Can you tell us anything about Indigo Magic or any possible publishing dates?

Well, I just finished up the final no-more-changes-allowed version of Indigo Magic, sequel to Violet Wings. Its being typeset now and it will be published by Random House UK in Spring, 2012. (America shouldn't be too far behind.) Zaria goes on a quest to find her lost family, and of course she ends up in heaps of trouble. Lily Morganite is doubly diabolical, Laz is up to his old tricks and some new ones, and Meteor is captured by trolls... That's all I can tell you for now.

3. What do you consider to be your writing method and how did you get involved in the craft?

My writing method is to get visitations from particularly persistent imaginary characters who urge me to write their stories; typically deceiving me into thinking it won't be all that hard. So I get a running start and tackle a first draft. Midway through the first chapter I know the novel's going to be completely sucky and I'll feel like deleting it a hundred times before I'm done. But I outlast despair and frustration and laziness until I finally have something to work with. Next, I revise and rewrite, get feedback, rewrite and revise, get feedback, revise and rewrite... you get the idea. Finally, the day arrives when I have to silence the yellow-billed nitpicker that lives in my head so I can turn the book in and stop making changes. Then I start listening to the next new idea.

How did I get involved in the craft? Well, I was pre-qualified by getting born with an extra portion of imagination and then reading a lot; I love stories and words more than any other subject. It took a long time to finally finish that first novel--and since then, I've just kept on keeping on.

4. Your stories and magic systems are so inventive and original, where did you come up with these?

Like I said, I was born with an extra helping of imagination. I might have received the bit that was supposed to go to my older sister--who isn't much for fantasy--along with my own. Hard to say. Where and how stories are generated is one of those fascinating mysteries of life.

5. Will you be returning to the Seer and the Sword/ Healer's Keep/ Light of the Oracle world? If so, what are your plans?

I'm not sure. I've got about half a book written called Out of This Night, which is a sequel to Healer's Keep. But I keep getting caught up in other projects.

Thank you so much for your time, Mrs. Hanley. It has been great talking with you.

Thank you, Dylan!

Visit Victoria at her blog or her website!

Apology

2011-11-04T23:14:00.004-06:00

I apologize for not posting. It has been a busy week and time has simply gotten away from me. I will try to be more regular and keep to at least one review per week. Also, I have a treat coming up! A mini-interview I'm posting on Monday by another author who has been reviewed on the blog. Post in the comments below if you think you know who it is.

The Death Cure - By: James Dashner

2011-11-04T23:11:00.003-06:00

The Death Cure, the final installment of the Maze Runner Trilogy. If you guys read my review of Forever, the final installment of the Wolves of Mercy Falls Trilogy, you know that I am very critical of the final novels in series. I have to get it off my chest right now; I was not particularly thrilled with the ending result. Now don’t get me wrong I absolutely love this trilogy, it’s great, just not this particular installment.

The Death Cure leaves of right where the Scorch Trials left off, kind of like the transition between The Maze Runner and The Scorch Trials. The pacing in this book, like the others, is break neck and has tons of plot twists. Unfortunately, the plot twists in this novel were more predictable than in it s predecessors. The characters that survived the last two books are still around and it’s great to come across their witty dialogue. It was strange though, the humor I had found funny in the last two books just seemed immature, like there was too much effort to be funny.

It seemed like everything in this book had two sides to it: one that was good and I really enjoyed and another that I found greatly less amusing. One thing that surprised me in this novel was that the middle dragged a bit. The pace was still fast, but nothing important really seemed to be happening. Don’t get me wrong there were parts that were exciting and I enjoyed it’s just the plot development was not there.

Thomas, the main character, and a secondary character Brenda are a different story. I really, really have enjoyed their characters throughout. Where the others seemed to fall into the ill fated childlike humor, these two avoided that. They stayed true to their character and were one of this story’s saving graces.

After all of this criticism there is still one more point yet to come. The climax, you heard me talk about this in Forever and now you are going to hear me talk about this with The Death Cure. The climax in this novel was much too rushed, for me. It felt like since the middle dragged the novel compensated for it by having the climax come together very, very quickly. While parts of it were enjoyable and the story did have a nice “full circle” feel to it the action was just much too fast. Where the other actions scenes in this novel were great, this one was not. Everyone was everywhere all at once and then all of a sudden something (if you’ve read this novel you know what) happens and then it’s over. Just like that. The last chapter I could not even comprehend what was going on and an epilogue was added to the end just so the reader could understand. I felt this was a poor decision.

Well, after all that The Death Cure was still a good novel. It was by no means my favorite of the series (my favorite is The Scorch Trials). It was an ending that I could somewhat come to grips with despite the last fifty or so pages. Overall, The Maze Runner Trilogy was a thrilling series and entertaining.

Check out James Dashner’s blog at: www.jamesdashner.com
Content:
-Language: Mostly made up curses and most of them childish.
-Violence: This novel tries to be more gritty and violent than it’s predecessors but it is not. A low level of gore.
-Sexuality: None
- I recommend 12 and up

My Rating:

7/10

-Dylan

Forever- By: Maggie Stiefvater

2011-10-26T22:05:00.003-06:00

Forever, the third and finals installment in the Wolves of Mercy Falls series did not disappoint. It continues on with the original point-of-view characters along with the added ones from Linger that I came to love. Not to give away any spoilers, but Forever takes place about two months after the startling ending of Linger.

At the beginning of the book it seems like everyone is simply trying to cope with the events that had taken place while also trying to live out their lives. That is until an evil, more sinister evil takes root (spoiler free). Since, I can’t give away too much this review is probably going to be fairly short.

One thing that stands out to me about Maggie Stiefvater’s writing is how amazing her characterization is. She has such amazing and original characters and most of all they veer off the road their set on. What I mean by this is that everything those characters do is true to their various ethics or background, no sudden changes in personality. Another component of Stiefvater’s writing that is unmatched in the YA genre is her description. It’s absolutely incredible how breath-taking her imagery is.

Unfortunately, there were some drawbacks. While the characters and description were great there were some points were I felt the plot became muddled. There was always one core problem throughout the story, but occasionally the characters would get a bit sidetracked from this problem. What made up for this, kind of, was the fact that when ever the characters left the main problem it was because of issues that were true to their persona.

Now, this book was very good, no doubt about that, but here comes my big issue. The climax. First, though I want to say that it is very hard to impress me with the final climax of a series, I’m very critical of this. So in order for me to be truly impressed it really has to knock my socks off. Forever’s climax was a good one, but did it knock my socks off? The answer to that is no. I felt the climax was too short, though there was a ton of great build up to it. There was a pretty impressive action sequence it just seems like it came to an abrupt stop and then there was a huge sigh of relief. My main problem with the climax also comes from the falling action afterwards. It skips from the climax to a couple hours later right off the bat. This through me off and really disconnected me from the story.

All that being said, Forever was still a great end to an even greater series. All fans of Stiefvater should immediately go out and read this to see how the series ends, and those who haven’t yet read Maggie Stiefvater should pick up Shiver and get started. I cannot wait to see more from this great author.

Maggie Stiefvater’s website: www.maggiestiefvater.com
Content:
-Language: A moderate amount. No F-Bombs, I believe.
-Violence: Nothing too graphic, more towards the end.
-Sexuality: Mentioned and most of it is off-screen.
-Ages 14 and up

My Rating:

8.5/10

-Dylan

--Well, I guess this did end up being a long post.

Maria V. Snyder Interview!!!

2011-10-18T19:16:00.005-06:00

It is with the utmost pleasure that I show you all my interview with one of my favorite authors: New York Times Bestselling Author Maria V. Snyder!

1. Your characters are so well done and intriguing to read, are any of them based off of you? If so, does that make them harder or easier to write?
A: I wouldn’t say any of them are based solely on me. However, some of them do reflect traits that I admire or have. One example, I’m very independent and think that’s something all women should be, so my main POV characters tend to be independent. Also all my characters are filtered through me – I’m like an actress when I write, trying to get into their heads and become that character. I think that method makes writing characters easier for me.

2. As an author what do you think has been your biggest triumph so far?
A: I received an email from a teenager who told me that reading Poison Study helped her overcome her desire to commit suicide. She said that by seeing Yelena go from a hopeless situation to a better one and to overcome such odds, she learned that no matter how bad her life seemed there was hope. After confirming that the email wasn’t a joke, we have been corresponding for the past three years, I’ve spent an afternoon with her when I was in Texas, and she has visited me last summer.
To know Yelena’s story kept a beautiful and intelligent girl alive is the best reward possible – my biggest triumph, and I’m very proud of that. No award will ever match the joy I feel every time she emails me.

3.Between signings, book tours and trying to take care of kids how do you find time to write, and so quickly nonetheless?
A: LOL – I don’t think I’m a quick writer I write at night – from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. and that works well for me. Everyone is asleep and the phone doesn’t ring. My kids are old enough to get up and get on the school bus without me. I get a good-bye kiss so I know they didn’t sleep in and then I roll over and sleep until 10 a.m. This doesn’t work while I’m on tour, so I don’t write when traveling.

4. Now, I've heard a bit about your newest project Touch of Power. What is this new novel about and is there anything you can tell us about it?
A: The book is about a healer set in a world that is recovering from a deadly plague. Avry’s world has blamed the plague on the healers and has hunted them down. She is finally caught only to be rescued by a group who wants her to heal their Prince. The group's leader, Kerrick, knows the healers aren't to blame for the plague and that she could do some good for a change instead of hiding. Unfortunately, she believes this Prince is the one who started blaming the plague on the healers so she isn't risking her life for some pampered Prince. As they travel to the Prince's hidden location, they're pursued by others who have realized having a healer around might just be a good thing for them, but not necessarily for her. It’s coming out December 20, 2011 (according to Amazon), and is the first in a series. Scent of Magic is the second book and I’m working on that one right now. It’s coming out January 2013, with Taste of Death due out January 2014.

5. You have spent a lot of time writing in the Ixia/ Sitia world; will you ever go back to that world?
A: I’d like to write more books set in the Sitia/Ixia world and there are a number of characters that interest me like Reema, Teegan, Fisk, Heli and Quinn. I’d also like to do another Yelena/Valek book, with the focus on Valek and his past. No set plans for them, yet.

6. I'm looking forward to Touch of Power and more of the Ixia/ Sitia books. Now, can you tell us how the idea of Yelena and Opal's story first came to you?
A: It all started with Yelena as a food taster – the rest of the books just flowed naturally from there. I was reading Orson Scott Card’s book, How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy. In chapter 3, Card tells the writer to consider some questions before choosing the main character. He wrote, “Too often—particularly in medieval fantasy—writers think their story must be about rulers. Kings and queens, dukes and duchesses—they can be extravagantly powerful, yes, but too often they aren’t free at all. If you understand the workings of power in human societies, you’ll know that the greatest freedom to act in unpredictable ways is usually found away from the centers of power.”
This comment led me to think about a person who was close enough to the center of power to witness important events, yet not be the Prince or Princess. I thought about a food taster and a scene jumped into my mind. I saw a woman tasting food that was most likely poisoned through the eyes of the King. He watched her with heartbreaking horror because he had fallen in love with her. That led me to wonder about this woman. Who was she? Why was she there? Why would a King fall in love with her? And Yelena was born.

7. Since we have done some talking on the Study and Glass series let's talk about the Insider series. Do you feel there was any big shift for you not only writing for a young adult audience, but also writing a sci-fi?
A: It seems that all my books, no matter what they’re classified as, has appealed to a broad range of ages (I’ve received emails from readers as young as 9 and as old as 92). So it wasn’t a shift at all to write for young adults since I didn’t write the Insider books any differently than my others. Going from fantasy to science fiction was more of a shift, but one that I embraced as a creative challenge since I couldn’t “cheat” and use magic to get Trella out of a bad predicament.

8. This might be a hard question, but which book did you feel the most excitement for when you finished, knowing that it would be sent off into the world?
A: It’s a toss up between Fire Study and Spy Glass. I really liked how Fire Study ended and tied up all the threads from the other two. Plus it provided me with enough fodder to launch the Glass books. When I finished Spy Glass, I was very happy with how it ended (that book has generated the most controversy regarding the ending, which I think is great).

9. Any advice for some aspiring authors out there?
A: Persistence is my biggest advice. I’d been writing for ten years and submitting for eight before I sold anything. Learn the craft of writing as well as the business of writing and attend writer’s conferences and classes if you can. Consider that time an apprenticeship. Be wary of predators, if someone is asking you for money proceed with the utmost caution. Get feedback on your stories from fellow writers before submitting. Joining a critique group is very helpful. I also find that if I let a story sit on my desk for a few weeks I can pick out all the problems, typos and inconsistencies easier. And I agree whole heartily with Stephen King’s advice in his book, On Writing. He wrote, “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.” And don’t give up! I also have a number of writing advice articles and tips on my website. They can be found here: http://www.mariavsnyder.com/advice.php

10. If you can tell us, what are you working on currently?
A: I’m working on Scent of Magic. It’s the second book in the Healer series and continues Avry’s adventures in trying to heal their world’s ills, including finding peace for the survivors of the plague. It’s due out January 2013.

Thank you so much for allowing me to do this interview with you; it has been a pleasure, Mrs. Snyder.
Thank you for inviting me onto your blog! If your readers would like more info about me and my books, I have the first chapter of all my books on my website as well as a number of free short stories they can read. Here’s the link: http://www.mariavsnyder.com and my blog is: http://officialmariavsnyder.blogspot.com

This was the first of hopefully many interviews here at Epic Book Reviews and I hope you all enjoyed it. Mrs. Snyder was absolutely amazing to interview and was such a good sport about everything. Thank you again!

-Dylan

Shadowcry- By: Jenna Burtenshaw

2011-10-11T20:29:00.004-06:00

Shadowcry is a novel I randomly selected at the Borders 50% off sale. Fortunately, I made a good selection.

Shadowcry is a young adult high fantasy novel that takes place in the land of Albion. In this world there are people called the Skilled-I know the name is cliché-who can raise the dead and Kate Winters is a newly discovered member. Recently there have been a lot of necromancer novels, but I believe there are some interesting twists in Shadowcry that set it apart. For instance, Silas, the half-alive half-dead crazy assassin. This is just one of many distinguishing factors in Shadowcry.

There were some downfalls to this story though. I have gotten so used to epic fantasy that when I read this young adult novel I felt a bit…let down in pacing. It moved so fast that the story did not seem to grow to its full potential. In some scenes more than others there was just some components lacking. One thing that bugged me was that the entire story took place over the course of three days. During the entire novel it seemed like events were taking place over a much longer amount of time, but at the end of the book you find out everything happened that quickly.

If you are a fan of fast-paced high fantasy then you will also love the amount of action that Shadowcry offers. The entire novel is chock-full of action scenes and intrigue. Also, despite the fact that I felt Shadowcry fell a bit short of its potential there was still a profound amount of world building and originality that I truly admired. On a final note, I believe the characters got off a bit too easily at the end, but I do not believe that will be the story in book 2 when it releases in the US.

So, if you love a fast-paced, action-filled fantasy with necromancer magic and downright evil villains then Shadowcry should definitely be on your list of to-read books.

Visit Jenna Burtenshaw at her website.

Content:
Language: None that I can remember.
Violence: Some, none very graphic.
Sexuality: None.
12 and above

My Rating:
8/10

-Dylan

The Memory Keeper's Daughter- By: Kim Edwards

2011-10-02T21:44:00.004-06:00

The Memory Keeper’s Daughter was the first work of realistic fiction that I have read in a long time and I do have to say it restored some of my faith in that genre. It had compelling characters, an engaging plot and vivid descriptions.

The Memory Keeper’s Daughter is about Dr. David Henry and the birth of his twins. On that night, as he is delivering his own children along with the help of the nurse at his clinic, Caroline Gill, he discovers his daughter, Phoebe, has Down’s syndrome. At that moment he decides to send her away with Caroline Gill so that she can take his daughter to an institution where she will be kept safe. Unfortunately, Caroline can’t do that and goes to a far away city to raise Phoebe on her own.

In an earlier review, I mentioned how I loved Brent Week’s writing and how he sets up so many secrets I just cannot wait until everything crumbles in the characters’ lives. Well, Kim Edwards does that exact same thing in The Memory Keeper’s Daughter and it kept me compelled through the entire book. The way she manipulated my feelings throughout this entire novel was impressive as well. Even though I did not agree with all of the character’s actions I could still see how the secrets guided them towards those decisions.

Kim Edward’s prose is amazing throughout. At times the book did draw out and get a bit slow, I wished there had been more dialogue, but overall the gracefulness of her words kept me reading. One thing that threw me off in this book though was the fact that the entire novel was almost like a book of short stories. It took place over the course of twenty-four years and we just saw a few small clips out of the main character’s lives.

Overall, the book was very fun and was filled with the intrigue and complexities of everyday life with some head turning secrets thrown in the mix. Even fans of fantasy will love this novel.

Content:
Language: Some, but infrequently used.
Violence: None.
Sexuality: Frequently mentioned. Mainly off screen, but some mildly detailed scenes.
Age: 15 and up.
My Rating:

8.5/10

-Dylan

Outside In - By: Maria V. Snyder

2011-09-22T18:44:00.003-06:00

I apologize profusely for not posting in the past weeks. Life has been so busy. But here I am giving you a review now. Also the interview will be here shortly so start to get pumped!

------------

Outside In is the second, and final, book in the Insider series; a young adult sci fi series written by one of my favorite authors, Maria V. Snyder. Now, this book was very good. I thoroughly enjoyed myself reading this book, though I was distracted and it took me a while.

Outside In picks up a few weeks after the events of the first book, Inside Out. If you have read Inside Out you will know what I am talking about when I say that things are a bit of a mess right now. Trella is once again in way over her head with a new situation and you get thrown into the intrigue of Inside right at the get go. Of course in Outside In the drama and plot just get thicker and thicker, piling on layer upon layer of conflict. And I loved this! Maria V. Snyder, did a great job of making us feel for Trella in this installment. There was always some slight glimmer of hope despite the hopelessness. (Side Note: If you liked that aspect of the book like I did definitely check out Maria V. Snyder’s first series, The Study Trilogy.) Unfortunately, there were some short comings.

While this book was chock-full of action and excitement it just seemed more put-downable then its predecessor. I am not sure whether or not there was just so many conflicts going on I just had to taken it in more slowly or what. Anyway, my main problem with Outside In was the climax. It just seemed like it happened too quickly and the characters got off a bit too easily. I was left grasping for more, even though the story had just ended.

One thing that I thoroughly enjoyed in Outside In was how Trella was again in the middle. This time, though she was much more alone in her struggles which I felt really helped her grow as a character. Also, Outside In kept me guessing at what was really going on and who the bad guys really were. There was a drawback to Trella being alone all the time though. Since she was by herself a good portion of the book was spent with her captured or almost captured by certain groups. While I did appreciate the action and the character growth I just felt this card was played one time too many.

The Insider series, as a whole, was great both of the books I felt were solid and thoroughly enjoyable. I would definitely re-read this series. The characters were unique and the action-heavy story with all of its plot twists was mesmerizing. Overall, a great read.

Content:
-Language: There are some choice words, never in large doses.
-Violence: Some, though it is fairly mild.
-Sexuality: A good deal more than Inside Out, but no very descriptive scenes.
- 13-14 and up.
My Rating:
8.5/10

P.S: Look out for Maria V. Snyder’s next book, Touch of Power. It is coming out December 20th, 2011 and is the beginning of a new series.

-Dylan

Percy Jackson and the Olympians - By: Rick Riordan

2011-09-06T20:27:00.003-06:00

Open the first page, of the first book, and you'll step into a world full of demigods, terrible monsters, magical weapons, Greek gods, mysterious places and evil forces.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians follows the adventures of Percy, Annabeth, Grover and their friends as they fight through a five book series against the evil Titan lord as he tries to overpower the gods. Armed with his ball-point pen, Riptide, his best friends and his demigod powers, Percy Jackson battles monsters, gods and titans; deciphers prophecies; navigates the Labyrinth; sails through the Bermuda Triangle; and discovers ancient curses and family ties.

From Camp Half-Blood on Long Island, to Mount Olympus on the 600th floor of the Empire State Building; from Hades' Underworld in Los Angeles, California, to Daedalus' Labyrinth just layers beneath your feet, Percy Jackson's quests are filled with adventure and intrigue. Prophecies are revealed, friends are betrayed, mysteries are discovered and allegiances are made through the chapters.

As Rick Riordan weaves an incredible story using Greek mythology and filling it with loveable characters, the stories will keep you turning the pages and your mind always thinking.

In this tale, monsters are always a threat, the Greek myths are all true, the gods of old Greek myths rule the world, and there's always one after you. And you must never let your guard down – for the moment you do, there will be a blood thirsty minotaur right behind you.

Content:
Language: None
Violence: Very mild
Sexuality: None
Recommended for 10 and up

My Rating:

7/10

-Jordan

Winter's Heart- By: Robert Jordan

2011-08-31T19:24:00.002-06:00

Winter’s Heart is another great installment to the Wheel of Time series. I was left thirsting for some more scenes from a few of the point of views, but that’s what happens when you have a story that is so epic in scope as The Wheel of Time.

Winter’s Heart starts off exactly where Path of Daggers left off (spoiler free). While you do have to get through yet another lengthy prologue it is worth it to get to the main part of the book. There are many interesting plot threads throughout this book that are starting to come to fruition. It seems as though A Crown of Swords, Path of Daggers and Winter’s Heart were all one book and this was the climax. The ending of this one is just absolutely amazing in many senses. So if you have a hard time slogging through some of these middle Wheel of Time books than just know there is a great ending simply waiting for you.

Now, this book, like I said before, is really very good. It seems to stick to more of the core characters in this one, not as many one scene point of views.

SPOILERS************* Also as a plus you get to see Mat in this novel*******SPOILERS END.

Overall, I really liked this book, though it did get a bit lengthy in parts. But it is Wheel of Time, if you’re not used to length at this point in the series than you should probably get use to it really quickly. Anyway, besides the book probably being able to be cut down by about 50-100 pages I found it very enjoyable. There was definitely much more character and plot progression then in a few of the previous books. Also interesting plot twists and turns were around every turn in this book. Now, the writing was still florid and the descriptions went on for a while, but the point is Robert Jordan was able to have some balance in this novel and I really appreciated that.

So, if you are feeling like giving up the Wheel of Time series, don’t! Winter’s Heart is a great installment that will make all fans happy. And also don’t forget the amazing ending I was talking about.

Content:
Language: Never.
Violence: On the same level as the others in the series so nothing too graphic.
Sexuality: Innuendo, one kind-of encounter and just weird naked Aiel rituals (you know how those Aiel are if you’ve read the other books).
14 and up.

My Rating:

8/10

-Dylan

Goodies

2011-08-25T09:31:00.003-06:00

Hi, you all. First, I apologize profusely for not posting these past couple of days. Life has had me running all over the place and I promise to have the Winter's Heart review up in the next couple of days. In the meantime, I have a couple of goodies for you guys.

Item # 1:

So here is a list of all of the books we have reviewed so far according to age recommendation. This is for those of you who are looking for a book where you are worried about content and would like a recommendation. If this does not concern you scroll down to Item #2.

Ages 16-17+ :
Dragoon's Path - Daniel Abraham: Some moderate sex scenes and coarse language.
Dust of 100 Dogs- A.S. King : Coarse language, moderate violence, heavier sexuality.

Ages 15+ :
The Black Prism - Brent Weeks: Innuendo, Moderate Language, some moderately graphic violence.
Horseradish: Bitter Truths You Can't Avoid - Lemony Snicket: Deeper concepts.
The Warded Man- Peter V. Brett: A few sex scenes in detail, moderate violence, some language.
The Way of Kings- Brandon Sanderson: Moderate violence, light-moderate language.
Spy Glass- Maria V. Snyder: Moderate language, light violence, some light sex scenes.
Sea Glass- Maria V. Snyder: Moderate language, light violence, light sexuality.
Storm Glass- Maria V. Snyder: Light language, light violence, light sexuality/scenes.
Sisters Red- Jackson Pearce: Moderate violence, moderate-coarse language.

Ages 13-14+ :
The Inheritance Cycle- Chritsopher Paolini: Light violence.
Green Rider- Kristen Britain: Light violence.
The Drowning City- Amanda Downum: Light "morning after" scenes and light violence.
New Spring- Robert Jordan: Light violence and innuendo.
Inside Out- Maria V. Snyder: Light language
Low Red Moon - Ivy Devlin: Light sexuality and light violence.
The Shadow Rising- Robert Jordan: Moderate Violence
To Kill a Mockingbird- Harper Lee: Moderate Language (mainly the N-word).
Wildwood Dancing- Juliet Marillier: Very light sexuality (kissing)
Keturah and Lord Death- Martine Leavitt: Very light language and sexuality.
The Dragon Reborn- Robert Jordan: Moderate Violence
The Great Hunt- Robert Jordan: Moderate Violence
The Magic of Thinking Big- David Schwartz: Heavier concepts
Graceling- Kristin Cashore: Light sexuality, light language and light violence.
The Phantom of the Opera- Gaston Leroux: Some violence.
Linger- Maggie Stiefvater: Light Violence, Moderate sexualtiy (frequent mention and 1 almost scene), light-moderate language.
Sisters Red- Jackson Pearce: Moderate Violence, moderate-coarse language
The Eye of the World- Robert Jordan: Light-moderate violence.

Age 12 and below:
Illusions- Aprilynne Pike: Light language.
Inside Out- Maria V. Snyder: Light language.
Dragon's Bait- Vivian Vande Velde: Light violence and very light language.
Mr. Darcy's Diary- Amanda Grange: Light sexuality.
A Room with a View- E. M. Forster: Nothing.
How'ls Moving Castle- Diana Wynne Jones: Nothing
The Healer's Keep- Victoria Hanley: Light violence.
Spells- Aprilynne Pike: Nothing.
City of Bones- Cassandra Clare: Light violence and light language.

Item # 2:

Just a few days ago the Black Prism book trailer was released. You might remember my review of the Black Prism last month. It was amazing and I feel like this is probably the coolest book trailer I have ever seen. So, here is the link!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k06jBvBQwKQ

Item #3:

I am proud to announce that soon, within the next couple of weeks, I will have up Epic Book Reviews' first transcribed author interview! It's a surprise who it is, but I'll give you a hint. This author's book(s) have been reviewed here.

-Dylan

The Dragon's Path - By: Daniel Abraham

2011-08-19T19:21:00.001-06:00

It’s very interesting how I first became exposed to Daniel Abraham. About two years ago, when I was first getting into epic fantasy, I tried picking up the first book in his Long Price Quartet. I read the first two or so pages then set it down, I couldn’t really appreciate it then. Then I heard of The Dragon’s Path and ordered online, excited to give his work another try. And boy would I have missed out on something special if I had decided to not pick up The Dragon’s Path.

The Dragon’s Path is an epic fantasy about four characters and their struggles. Marcus Wester, highly acclaimed general in the past, but in recent years has decided to not get tangled in the petty plots of monarchies, Cithrin bel Sarcour, the timid ward of a bank. Geder Palliako, the wimpy heir to a viscount who has a soft spot for speculative essay and Dawson Kalliam, baron and manipulative nobleman. Now, you might be asking how all of these characters tie together. Well Daniel Abraham does a beautiful, and masterful, job in tying each of these characters together. The story of The Dragon’s Path really starts off with the city-state of Vanai facing an oncoming attack from the empire of Antea. Marcus Wester is the head guard of a caravan leaving the city. Cithrin is sent on the caravan to protect the wealth of her bank, being snuck out of the city. Geder Palliako is the laughing-stock among the invading Antean force. And Dawson Kalliam is sitting back in the capital of Antea pulling all the strings. But that barely scratches the surface of this novel.

One of the many things going for The Dragon’s Path is how different each of the characters voices is. Each one is distinct and has a different history and outlook on life that makes each of them absolutely compelling to read about in their own way. The way he is able to have a solid character arc and seeing the characters change through the course of the book is great. Very few authors I have read recently can change a character so smoothly through the course of one book and have it come across as what would naturally happen. His characterization is truly a tour de force.

Also the world-building is astounding despite it not being clunky in even the slightest way. Everything is delivered crisply and cleanly. To say the least Daniel Abraham’s prose is amazing. Whether it is from conveying information in the world or dialogue from a character, not a single word is wasted in the five-hundred odd paged book.

If there is anything in the book that I could complain about it would be that I would want a bit more action. But, even without so many battle or fight scenes I was still turning pages at the speed of sound. The political thriller aspect of one of the point of view characters always had me thirsting for more. The action was in the decisions the character’s made and how they ended up affecting the world around them. And that ended up being more than enough.

As a closing statement I would like to say that The Dragon’s Path is a spectacular read. All fantasy lovers, and even some who aren’t, will enjoy this book to the fullest. It ahs compelling characters who’s equal I have rarely seen. So go on out a buy yourself a copy of the Dragon’s Path. And be prepared because this is the first of a sure-to-be-spectacular five book series. Daniel Abraham is even going to try and get a book in this series out each year. So once you’re done with The Dragon’s Path it will only be a few months before The King’s Blood, book two in The Dagger and the Coin series, comes out. Maybe try reading his first series, The Long Price Quartet, while waiting. I know I will.

Visit Daniel Abraham at www.danielabraham.com

Content:
Language: It is frequently used and in some instances there is strong language.
Violence: There is violence, but none really portrayed graphically.
Sexuality: It is mentioned and there is one almost scene and one early morning after scene, both with moderate detail.
Recommended Age is 16-17 and up.

My Rating:

9.5/10

-Dylan

Eragon, Eldest and Brisingr - By: Christopher Paolini

2011-08-15T09:02:00.004-06:00

This is Dylan here. This review has been gernerously donated to this blog by my friend Jordan. I hope all of you guys enjoy his roundup review of the Inheritance Cycle so far.

------------

Follow Eragon through the wondrous land of Alagaesia, epic battles in a hollowed mountain, and a forest of trees sung by elves. Dragons, kings, betrayal, loyalty, elves, dwarves, magic words, swords, life, death and many more things come together to create an amazing story of the life of young dragon rider, Eragon.

The theme that has been created for the covers of the three books, is one that keeps you anxious for the next book. You have to read the books to understand the significance of each dragon on the covers.

This book gives a great twist on the typical, dragons and magic. The storyline is one that creates suspense and the characters are so very loveable. It's also very cool to see the characters grow in wisdom and abilities as the story goes on. Comparing the Eragon at the beginning of Eragon, to the Eragon at the end of Brisingr, is very interesting.

I was not disappointed with these books for any reason, besides the fact of how Brisingr ends – but what can I say? Someone has to die – Ooops! I've said too much.

These books are definitely on the Top Five Favorites for me, and I would recommend them for ANYONE who likes long, epic adventures (like Lord of the Rings), and/or epic fantasy. Enjoy the book!

Content:
Language: None in detail
Violence: Yes there is violence, none with too much gore.
Sexuality: None
For 14 and up

Rating:

6/10

-Jordan

P.S - I was not sure whether Jordan rates his books as hard as mine for a 6/10 rating. So I am sticking this series in both books we didn't like and good books if you're trying to search for it.

Green Rider- By: Kristen Britain

2011-08-11T20:58:00.003-06:00

Green Rider was a book that had so much potential going for it. From the blurb on the back of the book I was utterly smitten with what should have been a spectacular novel.

Green Rider is a novel about Karigan G’ladheon a young woman who recently was expelled from her school and is on her way home when she encounters a Green Rider, one of the king’s own riders, as the man is dying he tells her to give the message he is carrying to the King.

This book’s premise was absolutely amazing and the first pages were a great ride, but then all of the tension just seemed to drop. The story, which I was expecting to be absolutely chock-full of action, sword fights, magic and awesome battles, wasn’t. This could have also been partially due to the fact that I really could not connect with the protagonist. She just didn’t seem deep to me. Instead I latched on to one of the secondary characters, which was one of the reasons I kept on reading.

Now, don’t get me wrong there was action in this book. It’s not like she’s riding a horse the entire novel and examining the landscape. There was action and I have got to say one of the fights towards the end was very, very enjoyable. But that just doesn’t cut it for me. The book seemed much too long for the story it turned out to be. The tension that an adventure story like this should have just was not present the whole way through. There were parts where the character simply let down all her walls.

There were pros to Green Rider, as well as there were flaws. Kristen Britain did not go into an overload of detail through the book, which was good for the adventure story it was. Also I’ve got to say I was quite fascinated with the antagonist. Actually, a lot of the point of view characters, except for Karigan G’ladheon I really enjoyed. The last bit of the book I also was really pleased about. It’s just everything before hand just would not cut it for me.

Also I never really was able to uncover what exactly the magic was in the book. While it was present, and in most cases really cool, I just could not understand it or get a grasp on it. It was never really delved into the way it should be, maybe it is in later books. This is one of the only times I found my self longing for an info dump. But still this book just felt too far off for me. I’m not sure if I will continue reading the series.

Now, this review might be negative, but don’t forget there were positives. When there were fight scenes the action it was pretty well done. It’s just the in between. Also there is definitely some pay off if you stick all of the way to the end.

Visit Kristen Britain at www.kristenbritain.com
Content:
Language: Nothing that really sticks out in my mind.
Violence: There is some violence, nothing overly graphic.
Sexuality: None that I can remember.
I recommend 13 and up for this book, just because it’s a bit slower for younger readers.

My Rating:

6.5/10

-Dylan.

P.S: In no way do intend to hurt anyone’s feelings in this review. I am just stating my opinion and I’m only one out of hundreds of millions of book readers. So this book may be better for you than it was for me.

The Drowning City- By: Amanda Downum

2011-08-06T09:45:00.006-06:00

The Drowning City is an interesting find to say the least. It is a fantasy spy novel with a twist with a very unique backdrop for a setting. Needless to say I was very excited to read this book and find out more about this relatively new author.

The Drowning City is a book about Isyllt Iskaldur, a spy from the foreign country of Selafai, going to help fund a revolution in the faraway city of Symir. Symir is known as the Drowning City because of the monsoons that constantly assault the city, making boat the most practical way of travel. On top of the asain-esque setting Amanda Downum takes the cliché mage magic system and turns into on its head.

Now, the components of the book that I liked were the setting. She went to great lengths to describe the setting, and it all paid off. It’s so unique compared to other fantasy I have read. There was quite a bit of action in this story as well that was enjoyable. The last thing that kept me reading through this book was that I always wanted more information for the magic system and when I final got all of that it really made the book just that much more interesting. Characters were a bit of a problem for me though.

I felt like throughout most of the book Amanda Downum was holding back emotions, maybe so there was a bigger payoff at the end, I don’t know. The emotion just felt a bit stilted in Isyllt, I just could not connect with her at all. The other two point of view characters I found myself connecting with them much more easily. Another problem was that book, in the beginning, felt like it was many short stories all looped together instead of a solid, flowing story. Now, about halfway through the story started flowing much more easily, but the beginning was a bit rocky for me also because of all of the setting bogging it down a bit. Also the way some of the information was conveyed confused me.

Fortunately though, there was a pay off. The emotion seemed to break through a bit more in the end. The climax is very satisfying and has a rip-roaring pace. It took me a few days to get through the first 200 or so pages, but the last 100-150 pages I got through in one day. So there is a pay off, despite the book being a bit confusing and rocky there was a pay off at the end. I’m not sure when I will get back to The Necromancer Chronicles, but I will definitely read The Bone Palace eventually.

So, if you want a fantasy spy novel with a stunning setting then this is the story for you!

Check out Amanda Downum at her website or her blogContent:
Language: Almost nonexistent
Violence: There is violence, some graphic, but not over the top.
Sexuality: It is mention and some “morning after” scenes.
Recommended Age is 14 and up.
My Rating:

7/10 and 6.5/10

-Dylan

Illusions- By: Aprilynne Pike

2011-07-28T19:13:00.003-06:00

Wow, what a third installment. Illusions has definitely satisfied my hunger for the Wings world, and then left me begging for more. It was a thrilling ride of ups and downs and I can’t wait to review it to you in a hopefully spoiler-free way.

Illusions takes place about eight months after Spells, the second book in the Wings series, and Laurel and the crew are back in school. With the addition of two new members (that’s right this is going to be spoiler-free, unlike my review of Spells last year). Let’s just say that things come to and interesting start that had been turning pages. But then something strange happened…

The book seemed to loose a bit of momentum and slow down. Don’t get me wrong the story was very interesting overall, but in the middle there was a bit of a slump where things started to set into a routine, though the introduction to a second PoV character, besides Laurel, was very fun. There was a slump, but a little shy of 200 pages things start to pick up again, rest assured.

Now some compliments of the book. When Illusions starts to pick up though, it picks up to ludicrous speed. I was tearing through pages like none other. It was very exciting and was more compelling then the previous novels. It had many different plot twists and turns, though some of them were predictable. Others did not come until close to the end.

On to the components of the book. The prose was very light and it is exactly what I am looking for when I read a Wings series book. The dialogue was juvenile, but it’s a YA book so it’s what I expected. I do have to complain a bit a character made a big change in the way he/she talked in the novel and it irked me despite the obvious reasons why he/she would change. There was less of the wishy-washiness of the characters then in Spells though.

Overall Illusions is an amazing book that I thoroughly enjoyed. It made me hunger for the Wings series especially with the ending, though exciting made me almost want to start screaming. I know this review was harsher than the one of Spells, but Illusions without a doubt outranked its predecessor. I’m looking forward to book 4, which will either make or break the entire series for me. Hopefully it will make it and be even better than Illusions. It seems to be that Aprilynne Pike’s writing, like fine wine, only gets better with time.

Visit Aprilynne Pike's blog or Website
Content:
Language: More than Spells, but nothing of note.
Violence: Not much
Sexuality: Kissing…
Age Recommendation is 12 and above.

My Rating: 9/10

-Dylan

What Color is Your Magic Quiz!

2011-07-25T17:48:00.002-06:00

Hi. Some of you might have just seen my book review of The Black Prism by Brent Weeks. I was just on his website when I saw this awesome quiz that shows you which color "drafter" you are in his magic system for the Lightbringer Series, which The Black Prism is the first of. It's really fun and worth your time, even if you haven't read the book yet. So go try the quiz and post in the comments what your color magic is!

Here are my results and I'm proud to say I am also a superchromat.

I'm a blue magic drafter!

Take the quiz at Brent Weeks.com

-Dylan

The Black Prism - By: Brent Weeks

2011-07-22T11:45:00.005-06:00

I first received one of Brent Weeks books two Christmases ago. I passed it over and n didn’t really look at it for a while until I picked up Way of Shadow, the first in his Night Angel Trilogy, in December of last year. I was immediately sucked into the book and with tons of Borders gift cards from Christmas I finished the other two books in less than two weeks. So I finished his Night Angel trilogy in less than 3 weeks. Now, don’t ask me why, but when I received the Black Prism for a birthday present I did the same thing I did to Way of Shadow, I passed it over. I already knew Brent Weeks was an amazing writer, but I had a lot of stuff going on. So when I sat down to read the book it came as no surprise when I spent every waking moment reading the book. The Black prism did not disappoint whatsoever. Now on to the review.

Sixteen years ago there was the False Prism War which led to death and destruction throughout the Seven Satrapies. Gavin Guile immerged victorious in this war and became the Prism. Fast forward sixteen years and you get to where the Black Prism takes place. This story essentially is about Gavin Guile and what he does when he gets a letter telling him about his supposed illegitimate son, Kip, in Tyrea, the satrapy most affected by the False Prism War. That’s the basic plot, but it spirals completely out of control, in a good way, from there.

The Black Prism has a brisk pace to it which is one of the components I love about Brent Weeks writing. Fortunately though, the pace isn’t quite as rapid-fire as his Night Angel trilogy, it slows things down, barely, so that there is a more eloquent story. The characters each have their own very distinct voice, and while I did have my favorite point of view, I still enjoyed reading them all. By the way, the backstory on each of these characters is some of the best I have ever seen. I can admire how much Brent Weeks has cleaned up his writing since his first trilogy. The prose is vastly better and the entire book flows well as a whole.

The action here is relentless. There is always something interesting going on, nothing drags. The cliff hanger chapter endings always keep you gasping for air and wanting more from that character. It was great seeing how everyone’s individual secrets would blow up in their faces. This book is a ticking time bomb just waiting to explode.

Despite all the greatness there were some definite flaws. The magic system, while unique, was very hard for me to grasp exactly what was going on. It seemed like some of the fighting scenes with luxin, the object of the magic system, seemed a bit too quick. That probably contributed to the confusion. Also, there were some components of the story that seemed a bit too deus ex machina. It seemed that the characters each came out realatively unscathed though, with a lot of questions that need answers.

World building was also a bit of a problem. While it was enjoyable to see all of the different cultures it took quite a while for the reader to get the descriptions of each of the foreigners, and by that time it seemed a bit bogged down.

Overall though, The Black Prism was a fun ride and great book. It had great characters, amazing intrigue, dark secrets and action to boot! While The Black Prism was a book in itself there were still some loose ends that I look forward to following in Book 2 of the Lightbringer Series.

Check out Brent Weeks and his Night Angel Trilogy at www.brentweeks.com

Content:
Language: There was a fair amount, nothing too heavy though.
Violence: Yes and there were parts of it that were graphic.
Sexuality: Innuendo for the most part with a mild scene.
Recommended Age: 15 and up
My Rating:
9/10

-Dylan

New Spring- By: Robert Jordan

2011-07-18T17:10:00.004-06:00

New Spring, for those of you not aware, is a prequel to the Wheel of Time. It takes place twenty years before the Eye of the World. It was a good story that enlightened me on some of the events mentioned in the main sequence of the Wheel of Time, but I have some mixed reviews on the story itself.

The story starts off with Lan Mandragoran in a camp that is part of the Coalition, a combined army from many nations, fighting against the mysterious Aiel people. His camp gets an assignment to attack this certain group of Aiel and what could have been an awesome opening scene doesn’t really happen, that was my first disappointment.

The next chunk of the story was of Moiraine Damodred and Siuan Sanche, characters all WoT fans should know, and their time in the White Tower. I found this part of the story to be very informative of the comings and goings of the tower. It really helped me understand some of the Tower’s protocol and various other tidbits of information that would have helped a lot in the main sequence. Anyway, this part of the story was very intriguing and this all eventually flowers out to broaden Moiraine’s and Lan’s stories and it became a very could novel. But, I have a few complaints.

While this story was very good, as a whole, I have a big problem trying to choke down the beginning. In very Jordan-esqe fashion he opens up this book very slowly. Even though it only clocks in at less than half the size of his other novels the first third of the book was very hard for me to slog through. Also it seemed like the way Robert Jordan Siuan and Moiraine interact just didn’t click for me. Most, if not all, of their deepest most sincere thoughts of each other was main composed of them complimenting each other wishing they had what the other had. It was kind like how he always portrays women not understanding men and men not understanding women. Well, instead of going out of his way to illustrate this he went out of his way to illustrate Moiraine and Siuan’s affection towards one another.

Also there was a huge gap in time in the middle of the story that threw me off. I totally get why he did that for keeping the book shorter, but I guess I wanted Robert Jordan to do his thing and expand the story more. That’s just me though. Throughout the entire story I could see the central conflict but the climax really didn’t have much pay off for me there in the sense that it came back to the central conflict very much.

Anyway, to wrap this whole thing up New Spring was a good story. It had intrigue and gave tons of back story into both Moiraine and Lan. It was very informative, if not one of Robert Jordan’s better novels. But, if you are a WoT fan and would like to gain some insight into the world and meanwhile get fed a pretty good story this is the novel for you!

Content:
Language: Never used once
Violence: Nothing overly graphic, on the same level as the other WoT books.
Sexuality: Surprisingly there was more mention of sex and innuendo then the other WoT books.
Recommended Age: 13 and up
My Rating: 7.5./10

-Dylan

Horseradish: Bitter Truths You Can't Avoid - By: Lemony Snicket

2011-07-12T22:13:00.003-06:00

In this compilation of quotes, Lemony Snicket uses his wit and his intellect to weave a clever and compelling collection of quotes, based on the story of "Horseradish" placed in the front of the book. Some are life lessons, while others are witticisms, but they are all based around the common theme, truths you can't avoid. Although some ring truer than others, all can find an application and a place in your heart. With something for everyone, from home to school to work, this book will be something you can enjoy time and time again. A quick read, witty and smart, this book is one you won't forget. Altogether amusing and entertaining, Horseradish is my book of the week.

Never trust anyone who has not brought a book with them.
~ Lemony Snicket

There are times to stay put, and what you want will come to you, and there are times to go out into the world and find such a thing for yourself.
~ Lemony Snicket

Language - Minimal
Sexuality- None
Violence - Minimal
Reccomended 15 and up becuase it's a more mature theme, and a little cynical at times
My rating - 8.5/10

-Alysa

Check out Alysa (one of our new guest reviewers at theveiwfromwhereisit.blogspot.com)

The Warded Man - By: Peter V. Brett

2011-07-10T14:08:00.002-06:00

The Warded Man is a phenomenal book. It has amazing world building and has a completely original prose. I can barely put into words how astounded I was by this book.

I stumbled upon Peter V. Brett just one day in Borders and decided to be spontaneous and buy his book, not knowing how amazing it would be. In about three days I had completed the book and quickly carried on to read the sequel.

The story takes place in a different world with our main focus on a small boy named Arlen who lives in the small town of Tibbet’s Brook. Now this might sound cliché but trust me the originality shines right through. Especially, since in this world every sundown demons, called corelings, arise from the Core to feast on human flesh. Arlen spent his entire life behind the wards that protect him from these demons, but when his mother’s life is in jeopardy he dares to leave the wards behind forever. And that is only the beginning.

The Warded Man may be Peter V. Brett’s debut work, but it is truly a masterpiece. With a voice of his own he tears through this story of Arlen, Leesha, Rojer and of course The Warded Man. He does a wonderful job of creating a world and describing it without being too florid, like many epic fantasy writers. The different point of views and stories always kept me pulling through the pages as fast as I could read. Action and emotional strife run rampant through this story. All of the characters distinct and strong making the compelling to read about. One of the things Peter V. Brett does best is action and making individual voice.

The only thing I can complain about is that I wish there were more Leesha point of view. But, you cannot change what has already been done. Peter V. Brett is definitely worth the read if you like character-driven epic fantasy that has an unforgiving plot and steep learning curve. He has earned a place in oen of my favorite new authors.

Check Peter V. Brett out at: www.petervbrett.com
Content:
Language: Nothing too heavy though there is some.
Violence: Yes and it is wonderful!
Sexuality: A few scenes where there is detail and quite a bit of reference to the subject.
Recommended Age: 15 and above for sexuality.
My Rating: 10/10

-Dylan

Two in One

2011-07-10T14:07:00.003-06:00

Since I was gone for so long I am going to be posting two reviews in one day as a showing of my appreciation for those of you waiting despite the hiatus. My reveiews might be a bit infrequent but I will hopefully keep going. So here is the reveiw for a book I've read somewhere during the hiatus.

Inside Out - By: Maria V. Snyder

2011-07-10T12:58:00.006-06:00

Inside Out is a truly compelling YA sci-fi novel. Now, this is coming from me and I generally don’t read much sci-fi and I thought it was very good. So that might actually count for something. Anyway, on to the actual review.
Inside Out is a story about a girl named Trella. Trella is a scrub, a member of the group of people that keep Inside working and spotless. Unfortunately all of that changes when Trella’s friend, Cogon, brings her to a prophet named Broken Man. Conspiracies, plots and rebellions begin to spread across the whole of inside as everything spirals out of control.
This book is both fast-paced and action-packed. It kept me turning pages for hours on end. There is never a lack of excitement or plot twists throughout Inside Out. The characters were truly unique and many of them had multiple layers. The world- building was also fantastically well done and was slowly revealed to use through out the entire book, so there were no big info dumps. Maria V. Snyder is absolutely amazing at creating stress and always pushing her characters to the absolute limit as I have seen in the work she has done before.
There were a few minor things that derailed me a bit though. The way how everything was mentioned with letters and numbers bugged me a bit. I get that Inside is segmented and all, but it seemed like the point was illustrated a bit too much for me. There was just one other thing as well. The way that Trella kept on blowing off information that was pivotal to the climax was frustrating. She kept on brushing it off saying that she didn’t care and the way she did that more than twice just felt a bit tacked on.
But, if there is one thing I can say all of those cons were overlooked when I was totally blind sighted by the enormous plot twist at the end of the book. I almost started yelling when it ended. I wanted so much more. Now I can’t wait to get my grubby little hands on Outside In, the sequel and concluding novel of the duology. Overall, this was an action packed story that was very satisfying.

Go check Maria V. Snyder out at: www.mariavsnyder.com
If you liked Inside Out, the Study Trilogy and the Glass Trilogy there is only a short wait for Maria’s next book Tough of Power which is coming out Jan-Feb of 2012.

Content:
Language: Only some brief uses, never strong.
Violence: Never strong, but there are fight scenes and torture.
Sexuality: None really, just the mention of “mating.”
Recommended Age: 12-13 and up.
Rating: 8.5/10

-Dylan

It's been a while but everyone get pumped for Illusions!!!!

2011-02-14T16:12:00.004-07:00

Hey, yall I know it's been quite sometime since I've posted a review. I've been real busy but I have been reading tons so I might be doing some reviews soon...I hope. No pinky promises. But, there is an exciting event. In May of 2011 Aprilynne Pike's Illusions is coming out. i think we should all get pumped for this!!! So in order to start the festivites I'm going to post the countdown for illusions in the sidebar. Also check out my review for Spells by Aprilynne Pike (it was my first review so June 2010) and check out both Wings(Book 1) in paperback and Spells (Book 2) in hardback and soon to be in paperback!!!!

Low Red Moon- By: Ivy Devlin ( Paranormal Romance/ Murder Mystery)

2010-11-11T18:26:00.005-07:00

Low Red Moon is a very interesting book to say the least. It has a plot that hits the ground running and doesn’t really let up. It is a combination between Murder Mystery/ Paranormal Romance/ Greif.

To start of Low Red Moon is about a seventeen-year-old girl named Avery Hood. Her parents had been brutally murder and she wonders why she is still alive. The only problem is she cannot remember how her parents were killed. She can only remember a flash of inhuman silver. Then a mysterious new boy, named Ben, moves to Woodlake. In some way they seemed to be unnaturally connected. That is where the mystery begins.

Low Red Moon was overall an easy read that was a definite page turner. I read it in one day. At the story’s core though, I think this could have just been a murder mystery with some romance. I don’t believe there was even a need for the paranormal aspect (I know this is coming from a fantasy fan). It was very fun to read and the protagonist was very endearing. Overall the novel was a very good grief story where the character went from sad to happy, I love happy endings. But there were some downfalls.

I’m not sure if this is necessarily a downfall but the protagonist wasn’t my favorite character. It was actually her grandma, Renee, who was my favorite. I’m sorry but that is the coolest grandma I know. She is also much more mysterious then Ben, whose supposed to be very mysterious. Second, the romance in this novel at first seemed kind of weird. It was like there was no attraction at all really and then all of a sudden they were all up on each other. It seemed a bit sketchy at first, to say the least. Also the story in itself was pretty predictable. I mean I know there was supposed to be a shock factor at the end but I kind of saw it 150 pages prior to it.

As whole the story was very good. It was a nice story that you didn’t have to think about too much. The mystery throughout the whole book was very fun to experience. Low Red Moon is very satisfying and it has some interesting new fantasy elements that are very original. I really enjoyed this book as a stand-alone I hope it doesn’t become a series like most of the YA Fantasy’s now-a-days. If you’re looking for a great read that has an intriguing murder mystery look no further.

Content:
-Language: Not very much.
-Violence: Some action and memories that are graphic.
-Sexuality: Some intense make-out sessions.
-I recommend Low Red Moon for ages 14 and up.

Visit Ivy Devlin : www.ivydevlin.com

My Rating:

8/10

Reviewed by Dylan

The Shadow Rising- By: Robert Jordan ( epic fantasy)

2010-11-04T18:12:00.003-06:00

The Shadow Rising is another brilliant installment to the Wheel of Time, though like its predecessor The Dragon Reborn it is not without its downfalls.

The Shadow Rising takes places right after the events of The Dragon Reborn (I won’t go into spoilers for those of you who haven read the Wheel of Time Book 3). Now the good parts of this book were that there was some interesting action and major plot twists towards the end. A couple of interesting plot threads have reached an interesting midpoint. Also romance, the romance we have all been missing in the first three books is being made up for in The Shadow Rising. The book itself is not chock- full of romance but it is in there. This book has made me like Perrin much more as a character, but there is one character that is making me want to see him more from this book. Padan Fain.

Now, onto the less desirable parts of this novel (I know this is a short review). The romance in this book was entertaining, mostly. Due to the lack of communication there were things that did not have to happen and that frustrated me. It also frustrated me how two of the characters were kind of handling their romance in the same way at one point. Also in one point of view there was not a lot of action and even the climax of this PoV felt weak. Also everything turned out alright, once again. I feel like there has to be some kind of loss…but I have a feeling it is coming soon.

Now to finish off I will say this book was awesome, once again, due to the discovery. It dug much deeper into the very roots of a certain people (no spoilers), the One Power and even the World of Dreams. To top all of those there was a new discovery opening a gateway to a whole new branch in the story. This book was a good ride, if somewhat lacking in one PoV, but it certainly added a lot of depth to the series.

Content:
-Language: None
-Violence: Yes and it is very well done.
-Sexuality: None.
-I would recommend this for 14 and up, I’m almost tempted to say 13.

My Rating:

9/10

Reviewed by Dylan

To Kill A Mockingbird- BY: Harper Lee (Classic)

2010-10-29T17:05:00.003-06:00

It is no mistake that To Kill a Mockingbird became a classic. It has a very deep moral, interesting narrator, a real dose of humanity and an interesting plot. It was pretty good, for a classic. Which usually I don’t care much for classics.

To Kill a Mockingbird takes place in the sleepy town of Macomb, Alabama. The main character is a charming you girl named Jean Louise (Scout) Finch. This rambunctious tomboy goes on adventures and exploration with her brother Jeremy (Jem) Finch. As the story progresses the two learn tough life lessons and are thrown into a whirlwind of events that splits the town in two.

One of the things I liked about this story was that the first person POV was very naïve. You were able to figure things out before the main character did which maybe the overall read quite enjoyable. Also the relationship between the siblings as the book progress always kept me interested. My highest compliment for Harper Lee was that she is so good at making her secondary characters assume such big roles on the topics at hand. Everyone in this book has an opinion and they’re not afraid to voice it.

Now one of my complaints was that the overall timeline seemed a bit choppy, taking course over many years. Also some subplots were not tied up by the end of the story and that left me a bit frustrated. To Kill a Mockingbird was a bit anti-climactic if I do say so myself. It did not feel like events were really building to the climax, though there was a climax. Also there was very little falling action, which was one of the reasons many subplots were not tied up yet. Overall, it was an ok classic.

To Kill a Mockingbird is definitely a book that should be required; it teaches many life lessons that are fundamental to not becoming a bigot. Or at least that’s what I gathered from the story. So, if you don’t want to wait any longer go ahead and pick yourself up a copy of To Kill a Mockingbird.

Content:
-Violence: Hardly any.
-Language: There is quite a bit of language, mainly the N-word.
-Sexuality: None.

-I recommend this book for ages 13 and up.

My Rating:

7.5/10

Reviewed by Dylan

2010-10-24T21:58:00.002-06:00

I'm so glad that Dylan brought up Brandon Sanderson.

He is really a remarkable writer and should definatly be checked out if you like epic fantasy. I love fantasy, but also adore classics, so if anyone has any questions about awesome classics that should be read, the answers will be here....

Check these titles and authors out if you like....

Romance

Jane Austen

She's the best author of all time in my opinon, because of her humor and romance. Her characterization is fanominal and her writing just floats off of the page.

J. M. Forster's A Room With A View

This book is so extreamly romantic, but also very short, so it makes a nice introduction to classics.

Elizabeth Gaskell

She is wonderful at creating romance in a victorian indusrial world. Definatly check out North and South, and Wives and Daughters, my personal favorites. Cranford is also a well know book of hers and I would also recomend it.

Charlotte Bronte

Now the Bronte's are a bit..... different for me. Jane Eyre is very well written and extreamly romantic, and Charlotte's lesser known novels were very good as well, but I can't stand her sisters. I really didn't enjoy Wuthering Heights, which is strange, because I like drama. I think it's because Cathy annoyed me.

Adventure

Alexandra Dumas

Okay, seriously, read his stuff. It's awesome and so exciting when you get into it. He's so good at writing action and diolouge.

Daniel Defoe

Robinson Crusoe is very exciting, equipt with pirates, former cannibals and ship wrecks.

Jules Verne

As the first sci-fi writer EVER he really had free reign to write his novels. Most noteably there is Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea with the nutorious Captain Nemo and Journey to the Center of the Earth. Both of wich are great reads.

Treasure Island

Now, I hope you've heard of this one, so read it, PLEASE!!! It has pirates.

Moby Dick

This book really is about insanity, in my opinon. Captain Ahab should have just taken a vacation or something. If you don't know what I'm talking about, read the book.

Charles Dickens

He's awesome. Read everything he's wrote. My favorite is Tale of Two Cities.

Mystery and Horror

Gaston Luroux

This geinus wrote The Phantom of the Opera. Need I say more?

Dracula

Quick history lesson. This novel is known today as being very sexual, but really, it isn't. It's perfectly amiable for the time, when suspence was a new and exciting genre in Lituratue. Read it!

Frankinstein

This book was actaully written by a woman. An american woman at that, in times where women working at all was strickly disaproved of.

The Strange Case of Dr. Jackel and Mr. Hyde

This book was written as a mystery, much like Phantom of the Opera, so as you read it, pretend you don't know who the character's are, and it will be so much more fun. If you really don't know who they are, then even better.

A Picture of Dorian Grey

This was Oscar Wilde's one and only novel, and boy is it creepy.

Sherlock Holmes

Pure awesomeness, need I say more. Elementary my dear readers, you must read these books.

Now that I have introduced you to the world of classical literature, I hope you will at least take the time to check these out. They really are wonderful. If you want more, just comment. Enjoy, and happy reading.

Sorry for there not being very many post

2010-10-21T18:54:00.002-06:00

Yet, again I am sorry for their not being very many posts. Moorea and I have been so busy recently and the past two books I've read are around 1,000 pages so it's a little slow going. The good news is that early next week there should be either a review of To Kill A Mockingbird, from me, or another review from Moorea. But instead of going of on a tangent or trying to give you excuses I will make a list as a present. I know you're probably thinking a list...how is that good. Well, I'm going to list my favorite author and the books of his that I have read and how I rate them. So if you're interested scroll down and read the list.

Dylan's Favorite author is.......

Brandon Sanderson!!!

Brandon Sanderson's books that I've read:

Stand-alone books:
1) Elantris (2005)- 10/10
2) Warbreaker (2009)- 8.5/10

Mistborn Trilogy:
1) Mistborn: The Final Empire (2006)- 10/10
2) The Well of Ascension (2007)- 10/10
3) The Hero of Ages (2008)- 8/10

The Stormlight Archive:
1) The Way of Kings (2010)- 9.5/10

Overall points total = 56/60

Brandon Sanderson is generally awesome and I highly recommend his epic fantasy to anyone, even you non-fantasy lovers.

Check him out at www.brandonsanderson.com

And if you're interesting in writing Brandon Sanderson, Dan Wells and Howard Taylor have a weekly podcast called Writing Excuses. There is a link to his podcast on Brandon Sanderson's website.

Okay everyone have a great evening.

Dylan

Wildwood Dancing- By: Juliet Marillier ( YA High Fantasy)

2010-10-21T18:50:00.003-06:00

This story is romantic and magical, with just a pinch of adventure.

It is the story of Jena, a young girl who lives in Translvania with her five sisters and father. They have become poor and their father is forced to go to town to get well again as his health starts to fail. What no one knows is that on the night of the full moon, Jena, her frog Gogu, and her sisters cross into a fairytail world, filled with danger, romance and magic. But what Jena doesn't realize is that her worst foe might be from the real world.

I loved this book personally. It had the air of a fairy tale and that always excites me, personally. The writing was beautiful and so were the characters and I fell in love with Gogu the frog and Sorrow the dark one. A lovely read. The cover art was beautiful as well

Content:
Violence- Not really. One atempt at molest.
Language- Once again, not really
Sexuality- A kiss or two
13+

My Rating:

8/10

Reviewed by Moorea.

The Way of Kings- By: Brandon Sanderson ( Epic Fantasy)

2010-10-16T19:06:00.004-06:00

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson kicks off the Stormlight Archive with an amazing beginning. It is full of action, dynamic characters and intriguing magic.

This book is placed on a world called Roshar. Here hurricane-like storms called highstorms wreak havoc on the planet sculpting its landscape and the population’s way of life. Here the main story starts six years after the terrifying loss of Alethkar’s first king, Gavilar Kholin. Here a slave, and once great spearman, Kaladian is sent of to a place called the Shattered Plains. A place where all ten of the Alethi highprinces fight against the Parshendi who take credit for Gavilar’s murder. Here Kaladian is used as a Bridgeman, someone who carries bridges across the plateaus so the soilders can cross. Farther south a noblewoman named Shallan Davar attempts to track down Alethkar’s princess in order to carry out a vial plot to keep her house alive.

Sorry it took so long to summarize the first little part. It is a fairly epic book with a large scope and a vast amount of pages. Now this was one of my favorite Sanderson books I do have to say. He was able to balance the length of the novel with plenty of action in between. His violence was also very well done without being too gruesome. Also the depth of the characters and use of flashbacks was phenomenally well done. The creativity and uniqueness of this world and magic system was nothing short of what I would expect from a Brandon Sanderson fantasy. The world itself would be compelling without it’s in depth characters, which I can’t wait to see more of.

Now that I’m done with my infinite praise I will move on to a few things that were this books short comings. One of the characters, though in the end dynamic, seemed to annoy me for the first half of the book it was merely the events around he/she (not giving it away) that kept me going. Also the books actions is very stimulating and some character arc compelled me but the re is a bit of a dry spell in the middle when everyone is trying to devise plans and seeing how to put them into action. That’s about it for my complaints.

Overall, a sensational book, despite a few flaws. I cannot wait to see more of Brandon Sanderson’s The Stormlight Archive when the second book comes out in Late 2012/ Early 2013.

Content:
-Violence: Quite a bit. There is a lot of action and some of it is mildly gory as far as blood spilling.
- Language: A few curse words, no F-bombs. Mostly imaginary curses.
-Sexuality: A kiss or two. Nothing bad at ALL!
-The recommended age for this is 15 and up just because of violence.

My Rating:
9.5/10

Reviewed by Dylan

Keturah and Lord Death- By: Martine Leavitt ( YA High Fantasy)

2010-10-03T13:50:00.005-06:00

The story of Death has never been told this way before. Keturah is a young girl who is very familiar with Death. She’s known him since she was very young. One winter she gets lost in the wood while following a beautiful hart. She begins to die, but when Death comes for her she strikes a deal with him. He will let her live, if she can find true love. This story is deeply romantic and poetic. It also has a message that rings true; Death is inevitable and love concurs all.

I personally loved this story. It brought a personification to Death that I had never read before. I found myself reminded of the story of Hades and Persephone at some points in the plot, yet it also read like a fairy tale, complete with kings and lords. The words flowed off of the page like poetry, even though it was, in fact, prose. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romance, fairy tales and deeper meaning stories.

Content;
-Violence- None, very little at end
-Language- Might be Damn. Nothing worse
-Sexuality- None. Kissing.
-I recommend from 13-100+

If you're looking for more info on Keturah and Lord Death check it out here

My Rating:
9/10

Reviewed by Moorea

Sorry About the Delay

2010-09-30T19:42:00.003-06:00

I am so sorry I haven't had a review up recently. I've been really busy doing work and trying to read the tome called The Way of Kings on the side. Also, Moorea and I had a communication issue so she hasn't been able to post a review recently. Anyway her review should be up tomorrow or saturday. I hope you guys keep reading our reviews. Anyway I am sorry for our breif hiatus.

Spy Glass- By: Maria V. Snyder ( Fantasy/ Romance)

2010-09-30T19:37:00.004-06:00

************SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*****************

Spy Glass is the thrilling conclusion to Maria V. Snyder's Glass trilogy, or the final of six books in the Ixia/ Sitia world. So let the reviewing begin.

I won't really go into the plot summary because that could possibly ruin the last book in a story that is probably one of my favorites (if not my favorite overall). Let's just say Opal gets taken into a completely new direction. It involves Opal's blood, and some awesome new characters, but also bringing back the characters we all love!

Okay so my positive comments on Spy Glass. Well, I love that Opal is not as trusting as in Storm Glass, but also not as paranoid as in Sea Glass ( yes, I did not like her attitude adjustment). Instead Maria V. Snyder was able to find some middle ground that made Opal even more awesome. Second, off the fact that Opal's heart is still wrenched in different directions by two completely different males is fantastic. That's right she doesn't pick her mister right until the very end. So you're going to be tearing through this book. Also I find that Opal as a character has gotten much deeper and grown into a mature young woman over the course of the series. Also her new and improved abilities and skills are super amazing!

Now, for the next part of my sandwich review style, my complaints. I do have to admit this book was probably my least favorite book in the Glass trilogy. That isn't saying much though, because I love them all. I just didn't think there was as much action as in the first two books. Definitely more mystery, kidnapping and manipulating. Which is a plus. I didn't like how one character (no spoilers) was just thrown away and didn't get very much screen time. Even though I get it was necessary in order for another character to gain some ground. This book also was a little bit choppier in pacing because it took place over the longest amount of time. I believe that's it for my complaints.

To finish off I have to say this book had awesome twists and turns. There were so many parts in this book where I just wanted to go up and give the author a great big pat on the back. Very well done, Maria V. Snyder. This book will have you up at night just thinking about what will happen next. So if you're looking for a satisfying end to a fantastic series look no further than Spy Glass.

Content:
-Language: Nothing very bad. About the same amount as Sea Glass.
-Violence: Yes, and it is a bit more gory than its predecessors. It is much more satisfying.
-Sexuality: Just a bit more innuendo and some implied scenes.
- Recommended age for this is still probably 15 and up.
My Rating:

8.5/10

Reviewed by Dylan

Check out Maria V. Snyder's other work at www.mariavsnyder.com/

If you want to buy Spy Glass paste this URl in your search bar:

http://www.amazon.com/Spy-Glass-Maria-V-Snyder/dp/0778328473/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1285897186&sr=1-1

Sea Glass- By: Maria V. Snyder ( Romance/ Fantasy)

2010-09-22T21:26:00.005-06:00

*****SPOILERS!!!!!*****

Sea Glass definitely stands up to my expectations of any Maria V. Snyder novel. It is filled with action, romance, mystery and suspense (though not quite as much as its predecessor Storm Glass).

Sea Glass starts off right at the end of Storm Glass. Opal, Janco, Devlen and a few guards are coming back to Sitia. There a whole bunch of interesting news awaits them. A frantic letter from The Council telling Opal to return immediately starts the novel off at a brisk pace. Then the action and pressure keep building as Opal defies a direct order, is struggling with trust and no one believes her about the dangers of blood magic ( I hope I didn’t give too much away).

This book was definitely satisfactory, though not my favorite (4th out of 6). It felt a bit choppier then some of Mrs. Snyder’s previous books. The new magic certainly made up for some of the off pacing. My second complaint is that I felt a lot of this book was filler or at least could have been chopped down a bit, not that this book was very big. My third, and final, complaint was that I did not like a certain character’s (not spoiling) mood change.

Now, for my many compliments. This story’s romance rings much more true than the Storm Glass’. Second, some familiar characters from the Study series make some awesome appearances. A pat on the back for Mrs. Snyder because I could just feel Opal’s internal struggle tearing away at her and pulling her in so many directions in Sea Glass. Yet again, very good job.

You can definitely get excited for this sequel because it does not disappoint. So if you’re a fan of The Study and Glass series so far don’t stop now because the fun has just begun.

Content:
-Language: A bit more than Storm Glass but nothing crazy.
-Violence: Plenty of action, only a little bit bloody.
-Sexuality: One almost rape scene, handled with tact. And some implied scenes.
-I would recommend this story for ages 15 and up.

My Rating:

9/10

Visit Maria V. Snyder's Blog at: http://officialmariavsnyder.blospot.com/

Reviewed by Dylan

Storm Glass- By: Maria V. Snyder (Fantasy/ Romance)

2010-09-15T20:19:00.006-06:00

Storm Glass is a very intriguing novel. It is chock- full of action and Maria V. Snyder makes writing complete plot twists look simple. It keeps you guessing until the very end.

Storm Glass takes place in a land called Sitia. In Sitia magicians are a crucial part of the structure and function of the land. They are trained in a place called the Magician’s Keep. This is where the story starts. Nineteen-year-old Opal Cowan is struggling with her training in the Magician's Keep. Constantly ridiculed by classmates and only being able to do magic with glass as her medium she is an outcast. The Master Magicians though, send her on an important mission to the Stormdance Clan in order to help their glassmakers. Here she meets a mysterious, but distant, stormdancer named Kade. Along with other events this novel is an exhilarating ride from start to finish.

As far as I’m concerned this is my favorite book by Maria V. Snyder (and so far I’ve read five of her seven novels). I must admit though some certain characters aggravated me but alls well that ends well. I cannot really find any negatives from this story. This is definitely a good story for those readers who need to constantly stay stimulated, because there is always something cooking. Though as a side note I would recommend reading the Study series first (Poison Study, Magic Study and Fire Study).

The romance, suspense and action will keep you turning pages. Even though the world of Sitia sounds like a typical fantasy world you’ll discovery that is a world set out there from other fantasies. This book comes highly recommended from me so go out and buy it.

Content:

-Language: Not much maybe a few words.
-Violence: Nothing graphic.
-Sexuality: Some scenes implied and one scene a bit descriptive (but mostly skipped over).
The recommended age for this would probably 15 and up.

My Rating:

10/10

Check out Maria V. Snyder’s website: www.mariavsnyder.com
Or her blog: officialmariavsnyder.blogspot.com

Reviewed by Dylan

Dragon's Bait- By: Vivian Vande Velde (YA High Fantasy)

2010-09-10T19:07:00.003-06:00

Dragons Bait is a high paced story. It is imaginative, but at the same time very dark. The story is about a young girl accused of being a witch. The villagers tie her up and sacrifice her to the dragon that feeds in the area. What the villagers don’t realize is the dragon and the girl agree to team up to seek revenge upon the people who falsely accused the girl.

This story is full of revenge, romance and fantasy, and it will take you to a whole other world where dragons walk among men, literally.

I really liked this book. It was a nice short read because it was only about 200 pages, but it was very entertaining. The cover art was very pretty and that’s what drew me, to tell you the truth. So if you are looking for a short, fun read, get this book.

Content:

Age 12+
Sexuality: None, except for an incredibly sexy dragon.
Violence: Some brutal death scenes.
Language: Not much, just words like Damn.

My Rating:
8/10

Reviewed by Moorea

The Dragon Reborn- By: Robert Jordan (Epic Fantasy)

2010-09-06T09:39:00.003-06:00

*************SPOILERS*******************

The Dragon Reborn definitely a great addition to the rich world the Robert Jordan has already created. This book was very good, though not my favorite of the series. It definitely had a lot of action and really added another level to the world of Wheel of Time by starting to bring in the Aiel more. Anyway let me tell you what The Dragon Reborn is about.

It takes place a little bit after The Great Hunt with Mat being taken to Tar Valon in order to have his bond severed with the dagger fro Shadar Logoth. Rand, Perrin, Moirane, Lan, Loial Min and the Shinearans all have a camp set up in the Mountains of Mist. Then when Rand suddenly disappears the others go one a quest to find him. They only have one clue to where he is going, a dream of a glowing sword, Callandor, the Sword that is not a Sword.

This novel had a lot of action in it and the adventures in them really propelled me through this book. One thing that bugged me was that we didn’t hear a lot from one of the characters (not spoiling it), though looking back now I realize that it was a good call by Robert Jordan. Despite all of the action and intrigue throughout the story I found it somewhat aggravating when Robert Jordan would write one character’s viewpoint for 5-10 chapters than another for 5-10 chapters. So we wouldn’t see what’s going on with the other character until the end of those 100+ pages. I’m not saying I didn’t love the characters I’m just saying the way that was planned out made me a bit antsy to move on to the next character. The final thing that bugged me was one of the characters; she just flat out annoyed me even though she didn’t have a viewpoint in this story. See that wasn’t so bad I only had three things to talk bad about.

Alright so now that we’ve gone through my complaints lets give The Dragon Reborn some praise. First of the action in both of the main POV’s was absolutely awesome. Also a new discovery really brought me into the story and gave a very cool new element for this book to revolve around. Also some new characters introduce in this story really make me want to see what happens to them in the books to come.

So overall this is still a book worth reading despite a few flaws. I can’t wait to read The Shadow Rising.

Content:
-Language: Only the made up curses.
-Violence: There is a good amount of action and violence. Nothing too graphic.
- Sexuality: Absolutely None

Recommended Age: 14 and up because of violence.

My Rating:

9/10

Reviewed by Dylan

Mr. Darcy's Diary- By: Amanda Grange (Classic Re-write)

2010-08-27T18:10:00.004-06:00

Mr Darcy’s Diary is a new twist on an wonderful (epic in my opinion) classic. It is the story of Pride and Prejudice told through the eyes of Mr. Darcy himself.

Mr. Fitzwillam Darcy of Pemberley has everything he wants. A loving sister, a large estate in Derbyshire, and enough money to live comfortably in Edwardian England for two lifetimes. He doesn’t have a wife, but in his station he really doesn’t need one. Nor does he want one. That is, until he meets Elizabeth Bennet, a young middle class woman who live in the south where his friend Charles Bingley is renting a house. She is too far below his station to be a suitable match, but he finds himself drawn to her against his better judgement. He loves her... but the real question is, does she love him?

I really loved this book because I like to read books that have different Point of views than the original works. It also is based off of my favorite book, Pride and Prejudice, which I have read countless times. It’s fun to see the other side of the story and the parts of the original where Mr. Darcy isn’t there are filled with fun side stories. This is a good book for Jane Austen Fans and newbies alike.

Content:
Violence: Violent affections and declarations of love.
Language: Maybe Damn once or twice.
Sexuality: Minor mentioning or brief sexual moments.
Recommended Age: 12 up
My Rating:
10/10

Reviewed by Moorea

The Dust of 100 Dogs- By: A.S.King (YA Urban Fantasy/ Pirate)

2010-08-23T20:13:00.003-06:00

First Note: I would just like to express how sorry I am that there was no review last week. I was just finishing up this book when my grandmother died and I was rushed away to her funeral and had to stay with relatives for the weekend (so I was not near a computer to write a review). Now for the review.

I know what I’m about to say might sound kind of dumb but don’t judge. I thought this book was kind of explicit. Well, of course it’s going to be explicit it’s a pirate book, but still I felt it was overdone and felt almost tacked-on. Before carrying on let me tell you what this book is about.

The Dust of 100 Dogs is about a girl named Emer Morrisey/ Saffron Adams. Emer is a Caribbean pirate from the mid- 17th century who ruled over the islands in the Gulf of Mexico. Unfortunately she was killed right when things started going her way. When she was killed though a curse was placed on her, she must live the life of 100 dogs before being reincarnated as a human. So in 1972 Saffron Adams (Emer Morrisey) was born/ reborn. Basically her entire goal in life is to go back to Jamaica and try to find her treasure she buried there more than three centuries ago.

Now let me tell you this book is very original and in a way it lived up to its interesting concept. But I felt that this book had more pitfalls than positives. One thing that really bugged me was that Dust of 100 Dogs had both third and first-person POV’s. That’s right while you’re reading about Saffron it is first-person and while we are exploring Emer‘s life it is written in third-person. This really caught me off guard. Another pitfall was how flat Saffron and her family were. It seems that in a lot of YA books it’s either a very dysfunctional family or a family that really understands the protagonist’s struggles. Now don’t get me wrong Saffron by herself was hilarious due to her gory and sarcastic internal monologue.

Another thing I would like to mention is that like I said above a lot of this rough-tough gritty feel to this book felt tack-on at most times (there’s only one scene I can think of were it did not feel tacked-on). But the brutality of this book just didn’t feel right. Also a lot of the pirate characters did not seem to move outside of the stereotypical pirate build. Throughout most of the book I also wished that I had never even heard from one of the POV’s because he was just grotesque. I believe this book would have been much better if it skimmed over that one POV and allowed us to hear more about Emer’s life as a dog.

Now for some good news about The Dust of 100 Dogs is that it is very quick-witted (if not quick-tempered). It is also a page-turner, even though it had some distinct road blocks. If you want to read a tale about the making of a pirate and the rebirth of said pirate in the modern day, written in a gritty, bleak tone that is very up and coming than this is the story for you!

Content:
Language: A large amount (including F-bombs).
Violence: Some bloody scenes and fantasies.
Sexuality: One explicit scene, a lot of innuendo and some descriptive fantasies.
Recommended Age: 17 and up, there is A LOT of content here.
My rating:

6/10
It just wasn’t my cup of tea…but it might be yours.

Reviewed by Dylan

The Pattern of Books (what's going to be happening in the coming months)

2010-08-16T10:48:00.004-06:00

Okay, so I'm not sure if all of you guys have noticed but as far as my reading pattern is it's usually one shorter fantasy book and then a WoT (Wheel of Time) book. I just wanted to let you know that's why my reviews have been a bit inconsistent because it takes me a week or two to read a Wot book sometimes and only three days to read the other books.

After I finish the Dragon Reborn I willbe done with the WoT until I can go out and buy the next two or three books in the series. I will be re-reading both Storm Glass and Sea Glass right after the Dragon Reborn. So you'll have some pretty back-to-back-to-back reviwes there (they're action-packed which makes them easy to read). This in preperation for if I can win an ARC for Spy Glass from Maria V. Snyder's blog contest.

During all of this hecticness I'll try and have Moorea swap in a bit for me ( which I've been having her do as I read WoT). I really do not want you guys to have less than one review a week (whether it is me, Moorea, or a guest reviewer) because that would just be shameful. So after the whole Glass trilogy reviwes I'll try toget back on my regular review schedule of switching between shorter fantasy ( I consider this usually less than 450 pages) and one epic. If I absolutely must I will try and read them both at the same time.

Also as a final heads up you guys the part of the WoT series I'm getting into the books are getting closer to 1000 pages so you might be hearing a lot more from Moorea. Also after that I'll be readin The Way of Kings by: Brandon Sanderson which is also GIGANTIC so there may be a month or so where you don't hear from me too much. All right thanks for reading this I just wanted to give everyone a giant heads up.

The Great Hunt- By : Robert Jordan ( Epic Fantasy)

2010-08-15T14:46:00.003-06:00

Once again it’s time for an exceedingly rare (though not so much anymore) weekend book review. This one is about The Great Hunt by: Robert Jordan.
First, I would like to say this book was amazing (claps for Robert Jordan)!!! It is even better than its predecessor. I absolutely loved seeing how far the characters have come from the beginning of the first book. And it was awesome how he struggles from the first book followed through to this one on top of the new struggles, it was flawlessly done.
The Great Hunt had all of the same action of Eye of the World mixed with some very interesting internal struggles with each of the characters. I also thoroughly enjoyed the fact that some new characters were introduced and they really added an extra something to the story.
In the first half of the book I thought a few of the characters might have been getting it a bit too good and they seemed like they were all in their own little happy bubble. But I was surprised how fast their bubble was popped; I really liked reading that part (I’m a bit of a sadist when it comes to reading books). Also throughout the whole novel I was really feeling for Nynaeve even though she wasn’t the main character, as you can tell from the last book.
Overall this book was stupendous. If you have not read the Wheel of Time, you need to go out and start reading. Even if you’re one of those people who blew it off saying it was just a hype and looked it over (*cough cough* me one month ago). Well you are proven wrong!

-P.S. - If you’re wondering what this book is actually about I’m writing what the basic plot is at the bottom. So those of you who haven’t read this book or don’t really want to know what you’re getting into you can skip over it.

Content:
-Language: None
-Violence: Yes, some bloody, but never extreme.
-Sexuality: No…never.
-Recommended Age: 14 and up.
My Rating:
10/10

Reviewed b Dylan

***Basic Plot Section- Some Spoilers!!!*****

Alright so we start of the book right where we left of at the end of The Eye of the World. The Amyrlin Seat comes to Fal Dara and she knows about Rand. On one of the first nights of the Amyriln staying at the keep the palace is attacked by Trollocs and Myrddraal. They free Padan Fain and take with them the Horn of Valere and another item of value. So Rand, Mat, Perrin and the Shinereans go after Padan Fain and Nynaeve and Egwene head to Tar Valon for training.

A Room With A View- By: E.M.Forster ( Classic)

2010-08-11T14:53:00.003-06:00

A Room With A View is an early novel by E. M. Forster. As a short work it was very well received and is still widely read today. It has been made famous among other classics due to it’s 1985 Movie, starring Helena Bonham Carter (Alice in Wonderland, Sweeney Todd, Harry Potter) as the main character Lucy Honeychurch.

This classic is of the romantic variety, featuring a young woman at the turn of the century. Lucy and her cousin Charlotte are away with there families in Italy. They meet a son and a father that offer them there “room with a view” when they overhear the girls talking about how upset they are with there present corders which overlook a courtyard. Scandalized, Charlotte refuses but Lucy is drawn in. Thus begins a charming, somewhat silly, fight for the right to make your own choices.

I love this book’s way of painting a scene and the characters are very entertaining. Foster wrote this book in a style in which some characters change while others stay the same, thus making the change more drastic. This was also written during the women suffrage act, so Foster was showing his support for women to make their own choices. Light and dark are main themes in the book, along with the difference between the open minded kind of people and the people who want everything to be the same.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes Jane Austen, romance or comedy.
Language; Not that I can remember. 1906, remeber....
Sexuality;Ummm.... no.
Violence; Unless you count masses of descrption of the scenery of the itallian countryside violent then no.
Recommended Age is 12+

My Rating:
8/10

Reviewed by Moorea

The Magic of Thinking Big- By David Schwartz (Success)

2010-08-02T14:50:00.003-06:00

The Magic of Thinking Big is one of the best success books I have read to date. It is able to get a message across in a way that is easy to absorb. This is a great success book for beginners who are new to the genere.
The main basis of this novel is to help you think about and beyond the “average joe”. And I can tell you it really opened my eyes to all of the things I wasn’t doing. It reveals how to increase your own self-confidence, how to treat your family better, how to be a better employee, how to be a better boss, etc… (Yes there is much more, much, much, more). So basically this book is a very good guide for any part of your life.
There is only one thing that you must keep in mind throughout this book, it was written in the fifties (the advices still applies, though). So some of the references to money may throw you off for the first few pages but you get used to it fairly quickly. One thing I noticed while reading this book is that you usually have to be in the mood to read it even though it is only about 230 pages.
Overall I thought this book was very well-written and the advice was very easy to get. I enjoyed how Mr. Schwartz made many complicated lessons less complicated by putting it into terms we can all understand.

Content:
-Language: Um…no
-Violence: None
-Sexuality: (for answer look at the similar answers above)
-I recommend this book for ages 14 and up not because of content but in order for the reader to understand and care about what the author’s message is.

My Rating:
7.5/10

Reviewed by Dylan

Graceling-By:Kristin Cashore (YA High Fantasy)

2010-07-27T00:52:00.006-06:00

Graceling, by Kristin Cashore, is a book about a type of person who is gifted at one particular thing. Our heroine, Katsa is Graced with the art to kill someone, without any effort. She works for her uncle the king, enforcing the law of the kingdom. That is, until she meets another Graceling who might just help her escape from her life as a monster. This book is a very good read for young adults. It had some very intense emotional scenes and some sex, but in many ways it was your average medieval adventure story with a twist. I wouldn’t mind mind reading Graceling twice, but I would not recommend reading Fire, the sequel to Graceling.

Content:
-Language: A few choice words.
-Sexuality: A scene that is handle with tact and some mention of it.
-Violence: There is quite a bit of fighting.
Recommended age is 14 and up.

My Rating:
8/10

Reviewed by Moorea

The Phantom of the Opera- By: Gaston Leroux ( Classic)

2010-07-27T00:38:00.004-06:00

The Phantom of the Opera was written in the early 1900s by a reporter who loved to visit the opera. Horror novels had just become popular 30 years beforehand so Phantom was a new kind of story and although the writing is older it is still as strange and as twisted a read as when it was first written a hundred years ago. In the opera house in Paris there is a legend of a Ghost who haunts the opera, making bad things happen and causing “accidents.” It is said that he is hideously ugly and wears a mask to cover his deformity. Beautiful young Christine Daae is an Opera singer for the opera in Paris, working in the Chorus. She is a very beautiful singer, but what no one knows is that she is taught by an “Angel of Music”. Or so she thinks. But when a childhood friend meets up with her again this Angel turns Phantom. This tale is full of murder, obsession, sadness and love. I personally loved this book just because I love the Phantom, Erik. He is such a tragic character and you can’t help but love him. The only problem with this book is Raoul, and in my mind he doesn’t exist anyway.

Content:

Sexuality; None- it was written in the 1900s for goodness sake.
Language- Very little if any
Violence- .... Um, do hangings and torture rooms count?
Recommended age 14 and up ( old enough to understand it).

My Rating:
10/10
Reviewed By Moorea

Linger- By: Maggie Stiefvater ( YA Urban Fantasy)

2010-07-22T10:31:00.007-06:00

**Disclaimer: If you haven’t read shiver you may not grasp what some of this means also there may be spoilers.**

Linger is definitely a great book. Once I started reading I couldn’t put it down. Now I have to say at the beginning I was a skeptic when I read Shiver a few months ago I didn’t believe it needed a sequel. I still do not believe it needs a sequel but none the less Linger was a very good read.
I enjoyed meeting the new character Cole, he was shallow but was actually much damaged and deep (I know that was confusing). Also the fact that Stiefvater added in Isabel’s point of view really interested me and grabbed me. The fact that music was very important in this book added something extra. I did feel that the musical connection between two certain characters need to be explored a bit more in this novel.
Before further adieu let me explain what Linger is about. Linger starts back in Mercy Falls during March. Everything in Mercy Falls seems fine until Grace, who never gets sick, is starting to get a few headaches. Meanwhile Cole, a new werewolf, is trying to run away from himself though it is impossible now that he is changing out of his wolf form early in the year. Sam is trying to believe in his cure and embracing being all human all the time. Finally, Isabel is trying to get on with her life after Jack’s death and Cole only makes matters worse.
This book focuses a lot more on internal conflict than the previous book. It revolves a lot around the four main characters’ home lives. I found this very compelling to see how all of the characters felt about how other characters with viewpoints deal with a certain situation. That brings up something that I found interesting in Linger in almost every scene it would be from more than one characters viewpoint. That was one of this novel’s greatest parts but also one of its downfalls. Some of the viewpoint switched too fast for me. One scene in particular that sticks out in my mind is when three characters are at Beck’s house. Each one has about a page or less on that scene two of them describing how one of the characters looked really sick and then the one character that was sick describing how he/she (not giving genders) felt sick. That was one of the things that bugged me in this book though this only happened on a few occasions.
Through out the book the dialogue and internal monologue were very intriguing. I also felt that this story was very well balanced, in the way that it was both very plot-driven and character-driven. Even though I didn’t think Shiver needed a sequel I sure am glad I read Linger. I believe this sequel is even better than its predecessor. So if you want an awesome story filled with romance, scientific werewolves, and characters that’ll blow you away then check out Shiver and Linger.

Content:
-Violence: Very little and what is has some description.
-Language: There are a few choice words but no F-bombs.
-Sexuality: No actually scenes. Quite a bit of mention about the subject and one almost scene.
-I would recommend this book for ages 13-14 (I couldn’t decided on which one to use) and up.

My Rating:
9.5/10

I you would like to visit Maggie Stiefvater online check her out at
http://www.maggiestiefvater.com/

Reviewed by Dylan

Sisters Red-By: Jackson pearce (YA Urban Fantasy)

2010-07-17T17:19:00.006-06:00

Sisters Red is a fast-paced, action-packed, heart-throbbing twist off of a classic fairy tale (yes, my list was excessive only because the book was so good). Sisters Red takes some of the elements from the original Little, Red, Riding Hood and twisted them t make one amazing YA urban fantasy.
Sisters Red starts off in the small town of Ellison, Georgia. Here two sisters Scarlett and Rosie March hunt evil werewolves called Fenris. Scarlett hunts them with furiosity, wishing to avenge her grandmother who was murdered by the wolves. Rosie dreams of a world outside of hunting but her loyalty to Scarlett is too strong.
When Silas Reynolds, the girls’ childhood friend and fellow hunter, moves back things start to change. An increase in Fenris hunting for the next Potential, soon-to-be-werewolf. This whisks the three hunters away to Atlanta in hopes of protecting the future Potential and killing the Fenris.
I was utterly amazed with this book while reading. In 1 ½ days I read the last two-hundred-and –twenty-four pages. Yes the book is that good. Not stop action propels you forward along with a romance that is not only sweet but also dangerous. The constant battle scenes with the Fenris really grabbed me and so did the multiple viewpoint first person narrative. You don’t see that too often. The view of both Scarlett and Rosie really adds another layer to the story.
Another thing I enjoyed was the fact that Jackson Pearce’s system for the Fenris is so ingenious. Also the fact that she didn’t call the creatures werewolves was a plus. Like I’ve said before the action is impeccable in this story but there is one thing that I think Sisters Red fell short on. The story was predictable, at least to me it was. It was a fun ride but I could see most of the twists and turns coming. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t read this story.
If you want a supernatural book with awesome characters that’ll make you laugh, action that will keep you reading late at night and romance so real it’ll make you cry then check out Sisters Red!

Content:
-Violence: Yes there is much violence and it is described beautifully *le sigh*
-Language: There is also language. About four F-bombs, but the story is so intriguing you won’t care.
- Sexuality: Nothing worse then making out.
-I would recommend to people 14-15 and up.

My Rating:
9/10

You can check out Jackson Pearce's blog (which is full of quick-witted humor) at:

http://www.jacksonpearce.com/

Reviewed by Dylan

The Eye of the World By: Robert Jordan ( Epic Fantasy)

2010-07-14T08:13:00.004-06:00

This month I decided to finally put down all other books and focus on The Eye of the World. I had heard that this series was very good from many different friends but had never imagined the first book to be this magnificent.
The Eye of the World brought you into a magnificent new world. Here you meet the main character, Rand. He leaves in a small village in a peaceful land called the Two Rivers (I know this sounds cliché but Robert Jordan is the one who invented this trend). Here two mysterious new comers arrive in their village, Edmond's Field, before the Bel Tine celebration. On the night before Bel Tine Rand's farm and Edmond's field are attacked by Trollocs, creatures that are part human and part animal. From there Rand is started on a magical journey with his two best friends, childhood crush, a gleeman, and the two magical newcomers Moiranie and Lan.
One thing I absolutely adored about this book is the fact that Mr. Jordan did a great job of world-building without stopping the action. The Eye of the World is definitely a page turner even though it is 783 pages. Constant action always propelled the story, always putting you on the edge of your seat.
Also the characters were very believable. Rand felt very close to heart with his emotional conflicts. His skills do not cease to amaze me with his other characters as well. It does seem that some of the characters do change a bit in the story (but that is only for certain reasons in the book not for lack of skill).
The magic and history of this world was absolutely rich. I enjoyed seeing how different parts of the world reacted towards the magical beings in this book called Aes Sedai. The history of The Dark One and the events prior to him fascinate me almost as much as the plot itself. I hope for the history to be further explored in the books to come.
Overall this book was one of the greatest fantasies I've read. It is very well-written, well paced, and action-packed. If you're just getting into fantasy and you want a taste of great fantasy try this book. Even if you're not new to the genre you should read this book.

Content:
-Violence: Just mild violence nothing too heavy. Just a few people being killed and it is not described too graphically.
-Language: None, they have their own curses in this world.
-Sexuality: No sexual mentions or innuendo. The Eye of the World is 100% clean.
-I would recommend this book for 13 year olds and up just because they would understand it more and there is violence and frightening parts for younger audiences.
My rating:
10/10

If you want to find out more about the Wheel of Time Series or Robert Jordan check out these websites:

www.dragonmount.com
www.tarvalon.net

Reviewed By: Dylan

Howl's Moving Castle- By: Diana Wynne Jones (YA/ Children's High Fantasy)

2010-06-30T13:59:00.003-06:00

We all have those books that make us feel safe and young again. They have the special power that over comes you when you read the first line, you feel like crying and laughing at the same time when you read the last sentence. For me, that book is Howl’s Moving Castle by Dianna Wynne Jones.
Howl’s Moving Castle is about a young girl named Sophie. She lives in the land of Ingary, where, if you are born the eldest of three girls you are destined to fail. She works in her father’s old hat shop talking to hats until the witch of the Waste desides to turn her into an old woman. Sophie leaves home the goes to live in the womanizing Wizard Howl’s castle. There she is thrown into a world of magic and mayhem as she tries to break her curse and tries hard not to fall in love with the mysterious Howl.
This story was one that I truely have loved most of my life and I still enjoy reading it time to time now. Overall a great read.
Content:
Violence- Some magic. That’s really it.
Sexuality- None, very clean.
Language- Some light cursing. (ie: Damn)
Rating- 8/10
Age Range- 10 and up
Reviewed by Moorea

The Healer's Keep- By: Victoria Hanley (YA High Fantasy)

2010-06-22T21:22:00.003-06:00

The Healer’s Keep is a young adult high fantasy novel. Set mainly in the two fictional countries of Bellandra and Sliviia. Before moving on I would like to say that this novel’s cover art does not do it very much justice. Anyway now that we’re moving on there are two basic storylines, one in Sliviia and the other in Bellandra.
The story in Sliviia follows a slave by the name of Maeve. Mrs. Hanley’s novel throws you right into the action and really hits the ground running with describing the hard life of a Sliviian slave. Here Maeve and a small boy named Evan are purchased from the menacing and mysterious Lord Morlen. Before being taken away Maeve’s mother tells her of her father and how he comes from a family of Dreamwens, humans who can walk in the realms of sleep. Maeve flees from her owner, Lord Indol, along with the small boy, Evan. The rest of the novel is about her adventure across Sliviia trying to figure out her powers and her past.
The second story line follows two students at the healer’s Keep in Bellandra, Saravelda and Dorjan. The two of them battling obstacles that neither of them can control. Sara being punished for her grandfather’s deeds and Dorjan trying to find the girl he sees in his dreams. On top of that both of them try to discover the mysterious disappearances of the Tezzarines and the strange birds that are attacking the student’s dreams.
Overall the ideas inside of this story are very original and flawlessly crafted. The story had some very good ideas and so much potential to lead up to. For most of the story that potential was fulfilled but some parts seemed to stop an inch away from expectations.
One flaw that I found was that I believed the view pints were a bit sketchy. Sometimes there would be two viewpoint changes on the same page. They would change from place to place very quickly. The four main characters are very solid but I felt that there might have been too many characters who only showed up once for half of a page.
Also I found that the story itself seemed a bit choppy at parts, this might have been due to the point of view problem. It would switch from one scene where it had been going for twenty or thirty pages then split off to Bellandra for five pages to show something than switch back.
Besides that I felt that the story was weaved in an original way and the dialogue was flawless. The main characters were very three-dimensional and the detail of this world was very good (kudos to you Mrs. Hanley). Also the emotions to the characters made me feel like I was in their shoes and eventually, though maybe not at first, their voice made me see the decisions they made as the right ones.
This might not have been my favorite Victoria Hanley book but definitely don’t count this author down for the count. I’ve read some of here other novels that will blow your mind, that’s how good they are (and yes I will be reviewing these soon)!
Content:
-Violence: Nothing to graphic but towards the end it does get a little bit more visceral. But still not that bad.
-Language: No language whatsoever. It makes sense since they’re in a different world.
-Sexuality: Nothing but the occasional mention.
-I would recommend this novel for children ages 12 and up just because of some violence and mention of prostitutes.
My Rating:
7.5/10

If you liked what you heard about Victoria Hanley’s books check out all of them at www.victoriahanley.com

Reviewed by Dylan

Sorry About the Absence

2010-06-21T20:49:00.001-06:00

I'm very sorry about the recent absence at Epic Book Reviews. Last week we didn't post any reviews. Inbetween writing and singing camp last week neither Moorea or I had time to post. I am very sorry and we should have a new review up in the next day or two. I have been reading like a maniac so that I could review another book for this week.
-Dylan

Spells By: Aprilynne Pike (YA urban fantasy)

2010-06-09T21:12:00.008-06:00

Note: If you haven’t read the first book in this series Wings than you might not want to read this post first.

First off the bat, I believe that Aprilynne Pike should get a big pat on the back. This book was sensational and even better than its precursor. Spells had action, drama, magical intrigue and on top of that romance.

Spells is about a sixteen-year-old (twenty in faerie years) faerie that lives in the human world. She was admitted into the Academy of Avalon a prestigious academy for the Fall faeries to learn their birthright, potion making. But even as she is studying hard to master her new abilities she is still distracted by the all too alluring faerie sentry, Tamani. Only when Laurel returns from Avalon do the real problems begin. Old enemies reappear, two guys playing for Laurel’s heart, and worst of all a shady new character.

I found this book very intriguing with how it brought us into the new world of Avalon. The details of the landscape and social society made this mythical land seem all the more real. The dialogue in this story is also very rich and allows the characters to tell the story instead of a third-person narration. Romance added another layer to the tension already building in this second novel. The pacing throughout this story was also flawless executed. And Mrs. Pike’s new take on faeries is wonderfully woven into a story.

There was only one thing I found myself asking at certain spots when I read this story was who are these people? In occasional spots in the story hidden attributes come out in the characters that were never there before. I’m not sure if the characters were getting added to or if the were just a little wishy-washy. The inconsistencies through me for a loop, and derailed me a bit throughout. But, most of the time there voices and standings on issues were pretty solid.

I do have to say the plot twists throughout Spells were amped up from Wings. The turns and twists were unpredictable and well thought out. The story of Spells will keep you full but the very end will leave you hungry for more.

Wings, Aprilynne Pike’s first book is out now in paperback from Harper Teen. I would highly recommend you read it.

Content:
-Violence: There’s quite a bit of action, but not any graphic violence.
-Language: Nothing outrageous maybe two swear words in the whole book.
-Sexuality: Nothing worse than kissing.
-For ages 11 and up

My rating: 8/10

If you liked this review or Aprilynne Pike you can check out her website or blog:

www.aprilynnepike.com or www.apparentlyaprilynne.blogspot.com

Reviewed by Dylan

City Of Bones By: Cassandra Clare (YA Urban Fantasy)

2010-06-09T20:17:00.005-06:00

Cassandra Clare's world is extreamly immaginitive and very exciting. There are twists in the story that I really didn't see coming. It was a very fast paced stroy and I couldn't put it down. The love triangle in it had me jumping up and down at some points because of how cute they were together
The book, City of Bones, is a modern fantasy thrill ride. Clary is just a normal, modern 15 year old living in New York City. She and her best friend Simon go out to the night club Pandimonium. There Clary witnesses a murder that only she could see, commited by three teens that are all dressed in black and have strange tattoos all over their bodies. From here, Clary is pulled into the world of the Shadow Hunters, demon slayers who try their best to control the legions of Vampires, Werewolves and Demons that live in New York. The cover of the first book is what drew me in because of the metalic colored sheen to it. It's a beautiful and very descriptive book.
Content:
Violence- Some mild violence. There is some blood and gore. It's not bad however.
Language-Some swearing. Once they say the B-word. But the rest is pretty tame.
Sexuality-This book has nothing beside some kissing, so don't be intimidated by the SEXY on the cover.
-For ages 12 and up.
My Rating: 10/10
Reviewed by Moorea

Getting Started

2010-06-07T22:32:00.001-06:00

Hi there everyone I'm Dylan and I am one of the runners of Epic Book Reviews. We reviewers on this site are not professionals and all we want to do is share our insight and opnions on the books that we read. Here at Epic Book Reviews we will review anything to our liking, which usually drifts towards fantasy : YA, urban, adult, and especially epic (hense the title of the book reviewing site).
We will try to review as many things during the week as possible. That's why there's two of us so we can try and cram in as many as possible. There might be an occasional review on the weekend but that is not average.
What our reviews will consist of is:
1)How we felt about the book.
2)What the content in that book was (violence, language, sexuality)
3) Our rating out of five stars.

P.S.--The second reviewer on this site Moorea also enjoys classic so if you see a review on those it is just her taking a little break from fantasy.