Joe Hill hasn't published a bad word so far. Of the top of my head, there isn't a plotline more likely to bug me than "they murdered his girlfriend anJoe Hill hasn't published a bad word so far. Of the top of my head, there isn't a plotline more likely to bug me than "they murdered his girlfriend and destroyed his life, now he's out for revenge." But that line doesn't do this story justice. Because Ig is a really good guy, first. And because Merrin exists as a real and rounded character, not just a plot device. A rich and rewarding novel....more
A marvelous book that incorporates a storyline from Chinese mythology about the Monkey King, with a storyline from the present about a guy embarrassedA marvelous book that incorporates a storyline from Chinese mythology about the Monkey King, with a storyline from the present about a guy embarrassed by his worst-of-the-stereotypes cousin, and a storyline in the present about a guy and his friendship with a recent immigrant. It's complex, and therefor, richly rewarding. Very appealing, even to kids who aren't going to get any of the offensive stereotypes*, or really quite understand how it all fits together*.
And I don't often mention this, but I really like the book's layout and design. It's an appealing book that doesn't look like a cheap comic.
* This would be Tasha, at nine, a bit younger than the suggested audience.
This series goes from strength to strength. Charlotte and Zee are strong and brave and morally driven to do the right thing, if only because no one elThis series goes from strength to strength. Charlotte and Zee are strong and brave and morally driven to do the right thing, if only because no one else will. They are also imperfect and unarmed with any special weapons or skills. And the book as a whole is thrilling and funny. I'm loving it....more
It's enormously fun to read a novel about vampires focused on a character who behaves realistically. Meena Harper is a smart young woman writing for aIt's enormously fun to read a novel about vampires focused on a character who behaves realistically. Meena Harper is a smart young woman writing for a soap opera. She hates the idea of introducing a vampire plot, and all that the plot implies. As a heroine, Meena is charming and not naive enough to find being stalked attractive. Better yet, as a writer Cabot isn't reluctant to introduce ambiguity as well as moral clarity outside of any dogma. The story is grounded in the real world of coop boards and laid-off investment bankers, and little dogs named Jack Bauer who need walking. The mundane details just make the fantastic that much more fun....more
Let me say up front that I'm not a fan of many of the great series of fantasy. Some I find too dull in pace; some are just lazy, creating an entire diLet me say up front that I'm not a fan of many of the great series of fantasy. Some I find too dull in pace; some are just lazy, creating an entire different world in which rich white men are in charge with all the same oppressions in place that are traditional in our own world; some are too focused on wish fulfillment through magic, ignoring that everything has a cost.
Not Jemisin. Jemisin has created a world with three gods, numerous godlings or demigods, and god/human mixes known as demons. As in most mythologies, the gods have amazing powers but human, even childish, motivations. Here the pacing is brisk, despite the length and depth of the book. There's are mysteries to solve, even war looming, to keep things moving along. There are different races of people, but the conflicts are political and national, and no particular race is oppressed, and women have full rights, powers, and autonomy, as do characters with physical handicaps (I know, right). Neither gender nor sexuality is policed*, not least because the gods themselves are capable of assuming any form they desire. Bad things happen, but no children or animals are harmed, and even in wartime there is a respect for human rights.
Honestly, that would have been enough. I'd have loved this book and the whole series for those qualities alone. But that's not all. There's also an entertaining story and great character development. Read the series, recommend it to your friends, suggest it go into development at HBO or somewhere.
Special bonus feature: all sex is consensual. Take that, George R. R. Martin.
You know how successfully Asimov combined the mystery and scifi genres in the early robot novels? Jemisin has combined mystery with fantasy, and it isYou know how successfully Asimov combined the mystery and scifi genres in the early robot novels? Jemisin has combined mystery with fantasy, and it is awesome. There's a blind artist caught up in the mystery of who is killing the godlings, but it's not at all Wait Until Dark. There's art and meals that aren't stew and love and lust and political machinations and amazing settings, and not a single elf.
Richly detailed, thickly layered, chock full of plot and character, motivation and backstory, and it never bogs down. The kind of book that makes you hope the doctor's schedule is hideously overbooked.
There is another universe and another world closely connected to our own. The beings there look like angels - beautiful, winged human-like- or like chThere is another universe and another world closely connected to our own. The beings there look like angels - beautiful, winged human-like- or like chimera - sphinxes, among a vast array of human-animal hybrids such as minotaurs, snake-people, you name it. They are at war with one another. Wouldn't it be cool if someone told the angels how best to arrive in our world to fulfill our mythologies? Orderly ranks of angels flying out of nowhere into our world to crash at the home of the Pope.
Meanwhile, chimera are trying to thwart the angels' plan to acquire weapons-of-mass-destruction. Clever plans, daring bravado, dangerous missions, love and the privations of war...it's all here.
And then, there's even more...
Count this among the best novels in YA as well as in fantasy. A great read.
The Master and Margarita - Mikhail Bulgakov, Michael Glenny inspired "Sympathy for the Devil"Finally getting to it now that Veronica is spending the The Master and Margarita - Mikhail Bulgakov, Michael Glenny inspired "Sympathy for the Devil"Finally getting to it now that Veronica is spending the summer learning Russian.***
Ban the book; build the buzz.
Had it not been suppressed for forty years it wouldn't have become internationally famous. It's a bit of a mess. There's the love story of the Master, a writer, and Margarita. They're both inconveniently and unhappily married to other people, as apparently everyone was in the twenties. Don't worry, the useless-except-as-plot-devices spouses aren't in the book. The Master has written a moving novel about Pontius Pilate which no one will publish, a theme introduced early in the book: it is unacceptable to even consider that Jesus might have been a real person. This novel within the novel presents Pilate as being forced by law and politics to sentence Jesus to death, but far from washing his hands of the job, he strives to save him, to reduce his suffering, and to respect him after the crucifixion. I liked the Master's book and wouldn't have minded more of it.
Eventually the book settles down and concentrates on the suffering of the Master, but the first third of the book is devoted to satirizing Moscow's literary and theatrical (think vaudeville) world of the 20s. Not since Dante has a writer so indulged a desire to mock and punish. If these characters aren't real people I hope they're only thinly veiled ones, because otherwise they are too shallow to bother with. Their sins are mostly about getting a better apartment, which in an overcrowded urban environment is no sin at all.
Knowing that this was the inspiration for "Sympathy for the Devil" I had high hopes going in for that character. Jagged and Richards did more and did it better than Bulgakov. He doesn't get to do much, he's just a man who is too old for in unpleasant job, but too decent to leave the hard work to someone else. His staff are all less powerful and less competent, but they seem to derive some pleasure from the business of pointing out folly in humans. Not much fun, really, considering what one might do, but a bit in the end.
There is some real fun when we finally get to Margarita: girlfriend gives it all over to being a witch, but it turns out that being a witch is also not as much fun as you might think. Bulgakov 's damned are a parade even he finds to tedious to recount.
The book does have a happy ending, for some bleak Russian notion of "happy". No doubt it was fun to write, but the titular characters don't have much agency, and the structure deprives the book of any real momentum until half way through, so even though I did become familiar with Russian names, overall it wasn't very rewarding. I wanted to love it: it features an oversized talking black cat, but even those bits were joyless until the last sixty pages.
Maybe the Soviets only suppressed it for being slow, and dull, neither instructive nor entertaining. Or maybe I should quit trying to read Russian fiction, since I never end up liking it. Or both.
I'm not sure if the book was a bit draggy, or if it was just me. It took me forever it feels like to finish, although the second half is pretty excitiI'm not sure if the book was a bit draggy, or if it was just me. It took me forever it feels like to finish, although the second half is pretty exciting and zippy, and I buzzed through that with no problems.
I am fond of snarky Bartimaeus and his affection for young humans. And the digressive footnotes, although it should also be said that deserts bore me no end. Smashing ending.
Well, I loved it so much that I had to run the child to the library as soon as it was done on the excuse of returning her library books, but really, sWell, I loved it so much that I had to run the child to the library as soon as it was done on the excuse of returning her library books, but really, so I could check out the next one.
Bartimaeus is fabulously snarky, but this one really takes the time to explore how this alternate world England works. In short: the magicians have made a mess of things. Fortunately, there is a perfectly good character interested in fixing all this. I dearly love how Kitty doesn't even pretend that she's not going to keep right on at her chosen tasks.
Great stuff, including the lesser characters, both good and evil.
I'm still not sure how I feel about this. On the plus side: a diverse cast of characters, a main character with bipolar disorder where that isn't the I'm still not sure how I feel about this. On the plus side: a diverse cast of characters, a main character with bipolar disorder where that isn't the main plot of the story, a small town in East Texas that is crawling with weird stuff, not unlike the hellmouth of Sunnyvale. On the minus side: some vague dissatisfaction. I don't know, really. I was so disoriented for so long. Eh, but maybe it was just me.
I'd definitely give Dia Reeves another chance to win me....more
What's more random than a restaurant and bar filled with monsters? A pop-op book about it. The PandaBat loves this book.What's more random than a restaurant and bar filled with monsters? A pop-op book about it. The PandaBat loves this book....more
Like many of his fans, one of my favorite things about Gaiman is when he brings old mythologies to life. When Lucifer closes hell and gives the key toLike many of his fans, one of my favorite things about Gaiman is when he brings old mythologies to life. When Lucifer closes hell and gives the key to Dream, all kinds of representatives of various mythologies come to call, hoping to get the key for themselves.
Ehrman is brilliant and clear and thoughtful and everyone should read this book. I especially enjoyed his chapter on Ecclesiastes, which resonated witEhrman is brilliant and clear and thoughtful and everyone should read this book. I especially enjoyed his chapter on Ecclesiastes, which resonated with me.
My original review, which I've been working on for two days, was less coherent, more my emotional response to reading the book. Then when I went to save, it vanished. Suffering is, I believe, due to random chance. Heh.
I particularly loved the Japanese-inspired art and mythology. So pretty. It would be easy to believe that somehow the Sandman mythos could be part of I particularly loved the Japanese-inspired art and mythology. So pretty. It would be easy to believe that somehow the Sandman mythos could be part of Japanese mythological history. It feels real.
I liked the writing just fine, and the paranormal set-up was okay. But the big mystery at the heart of the book was one I saw coming from about page oI liked the writing just fine, and the paranormal set-up was okay. But the big mystery at the heart of the book was one I saw coming from about page one. So, eh. I'll read the second book to see if anything interesting develops there, and I'll happily try other things by the author Team Human!
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