Book Review - Silver in the Blood by Jessica Day George

This is the first of six books that I've currently collected and feel a need to finish in the next couple of weeks. This one came first because 1) it is a library book, so I needed to finish it in a timely manner, and 2) I've been trying to get my hands on a copy of it for a couple of months now. I really like Jessica Day George as you may be able to tell from the other six books I've read and reviewed. I was particularly interested in this one after my mother reported on going to hear the author talk about. George got many of the ideas from actually going to Romania and pulling on local legends. What some may not know about Romania is that within its boarders exists an area that is known around the world as the lair of a terrible beast - namely Transylvania. You can imagine some of their legends. Being a fan of the original Bram Stoker's Dracula and having spent time in Eastern Europe (if on the other side of the Black Sea, literally), I was very interested. Plus I like her stuff. I've been trying to borrow the book from my mother for a couple of months now, but my older sister, Muscles, got it first. Than Darpa, her husband, got it (pesky married couples!) so I had to wait. Fortunately our library had it this last time around and I picked it up, even though I wasn't planning on getting anything (I had enough other books to read first). However, I got sucked in and wrapped it up last night - within 72 hours or so of starting it. While that is slow in some ways, considering I have four other books I'm working my way through, it says something that I jumped straight to this one. I was not disappointed.

Plot: Dacia and Lou are cousins whose fathers are from upper crust New York and whose mothers are from a very, very old Romanian family. They are both on their way to Romania for the first time, Dacia by boat and Lou riding the Oriental Express from Paris. It is nearing the turn of the 20th century and Bucharest is known as "Little Paris" and is one of the jewels of Europe. However, Dacia and Lou are not there to enjoy the sights, they are there to learn about who they are and the tradition they bear. For two proper young ladies from cosmopolitan New York they have an awful lot to learn about what it means to have family connections.

My personal favorites: The format was great - the story was told from both of the girls' points of view as well as through letters, newspapers, and diary entries. It hearkened back to the original Dracula but also allowed for suspense and tension from the POV points. I also liked the characters and the way they developed. I thought found it plausible and believable. The story also kept me guessing, even tough it seemed like I should be able to guess where it was going.

Considerations: While some of George's other books (the Castle Glower books and I would also say the Dragon books) are more middle grade, Silver in the blood is more young adult. There is a little language, blood and violence, and rather nasty villain of the "do this or I make you watch your loved ones suffer" variety. With that said, I found nothing objectionable to a young teen .

Again, I really enjoyed the book. It was exciting, suspenseful, intriguing, and of course it was romantic. I mean that in the classical, literal sense. Since Romania takes it's name and language from ancient Rome. "Roman"-tic. (sigh).

The total length was just over 350 pages.

Book Review - The Hollow City by Dan Wells

Dan Wells' gained a reputation for writing horror and suspense with his John Cleaver Trilogy: I am Not a Serial Killer, Mr. Monster, and I don't Want to Kill You. Needless to say, I have had very little interest in those books. I have heard they are wonderfully written, but I don't like my fiction that dark. He also has a YA post-apocalyptic trilogy: Partials, Fragments, and Ruins, but again I haven't read them because I don't particularly like that genre. I have listened to Dan's A Night of Blacker Darkness, also known as the vampire bunny story, and it is one of the funniest things I've ever heard. The one current story of his that I was interested in was The Hollow City. I was apprehensive considering his other works, but I was fascinated by the idea of the story. A first person narrative from the head of a paranoid schizophrenic. I heard Dan talk about this book, its development, and its release while listening to Writing Excuses and wondered. I found it at the library this weekend and thought I would give it a try.

Plot: Michael Shipman doesn't know what to believe. As a paranoid schizophrenic he has delusions and hallucinations that are just as real as anything else. He's convinced that there are people after him. He knows they're watching him through electronics. He's sure that there is a conspiracy out there. What is out there is an killer who completely destroys the faces of his victims. His last attack was a week ago, right in the middle of the two weeks that Michael disappeared from his home and his job. Two weeks that he can't remember. When the doctors hear him talking about seeing faceless men they're sure there is some kind of connection between Michael and the killer. Their question is whether he's the one doing the killings or the next victim. The question important to Michael though is what should he do if he's right.

My personal favorites: This book was very well written and very compelling. The prose matched the character's state of mind and despite the narrative being from a mind that had been fractured it was easy to follow along. The character of Michael was very compelling. I honestly cared about him and wanted him to succeed. Watching him shift from his lowest state of believing everything his mind presented to him to understanding more about his condition was uplifting. His relationship with the other characters was fascinating as well. It many ways it reminded me of the movie A Beautiful Mind but without needing a reveal. We know what Michael's condition is and so you find yourself looking to see what is real and what isn't. Dan does a great job of turning expectations against us as we build up to the climax. It many ways it also reminded me of Feedback by Dan's brother Robison Wells. The ending were given may not address the bigger picture, but it is one that address the character's role in the story. I found the epilogue very uplifting and rewarding.

Considerations: There was no language that I can remember. Nor was their any sexuality. There was violence which was descriptive without being graphic. There were two scenes where police officers are describing victims of the Red Line Killer but it is they are short and sterile. There are some paranormal elements in the story. I've seen people that were surprised about that in some of his other books, so I mention it here. I had no problem with them.

Overall, The Hollow City was an excellent thriller. I heartily recommend it to anyone looking for an intriguing story with a great character who overcomes and embraces his greatest challenges. The total length was 332 pages.

Book Review - Storm Front by Jim Butcher

I have heard a references to Harry Dresden, Wizard Private Investigator, for a couple of years. I've had some interest in the concept and have been meaning to track down the books, but just never got around to it. I finally committed to pick up a copy of Storm Front, the first in the series with my next credit (after getting Monster Hunter Nemesis) when I happened to see if the book was at the library. It was along with a whole bunch of others in the series. I scooped up Storm Front figuring I would get around to it in the next three weeks and had finished it within 36 hours. Now I'm wishing I had grab the second and maybe even third. Granted, with another 18 days until my next credit I might have gone through to book five. Needless to say I think I found a keeper. It reminded me, in many ways, of Larry Corriea's Grim Noir Chronicles but Butcher writes a solid detective novel behind the supernatural action.

Plot: Harry Dresden is a wizard. The only one working as one. There are wizards and other persons and creatures of magic in the world, but they tend to try to stay below the radar. Harry has to explain to a lot of people that his kind of magic isn't for parties but rather for legitimate problems. Like discovering who caused two people's hearts to explode. Lt. Karrin Murphy, Chicago PD's lead for "special investigations," is Harry's liaison with the PD and while always skeptical of his capabilities doesn't questions that he is what he says he is. The resulting investigation leads Harry through Chicago trying to find a powerful new wizard while avoiding the mob who don't want him poking into their business. The problem is that Harry's quarry knows what Dresden is up to and is planning a similar fate for the hapless professional. Not to mention that Harry is technically on probation with the leading wizard council and the warden sent to keep an eye on him thinks that Harry is the one performing the killings. Things can never be easy.

My personal favorites: Reminiscent of your classic private eye, film noir story Storm Front featured a mystery that promised adventure and suspense. Dresden himself was a fantastic character, a man of "old fashion" values who believes in respecting women, finishing the job he starts, and hanging on until the other man drops. I particularly liked his humor and thought process as depicted by Jim Butcher. While first appearing almost as a bumbler Dresden quickly shows himself to truly be a forced to be reckoned with. The character of Karrin Murphy was also fascinating and compelling. I also enjoyed the length of the book. This was a circumstantial favorite - everything I've recently read has been pretty long and it was nice to get an action packed shorter book.

Considerations: Harry Dresden's world is not a nice one. Like many film noir stories there are some brutal murders in the story. There is also a fair amount of suggestive material. However, the prose does not contain overly sensual descriptions, keeping the writing clear of provocative, gratuitous language. My brother described it someone like David Eddings' Sparhawk novels (Diamond Throne, Ruby Knight, Sapphire Rose). While I would say that Dresden has slightly more content than Sparhawk, the descriptions of such content is very comparable. There was limited use of strong language and it was used correctly and didn't pull me out of the story. I am likely to recommend Storm Front to a wider audience than Corriea's books.

As I said, I finished this book without 36 hours of getting it and wasn't disappointed. I will be picking up the other books as I hit the library so you can expect to see more of Harry Dresden on my blog. The total length was 352 pages.

Audible Book Review - Blackout by Robison Wells

With the launch of Altered Perceptions in behalf of Robison Wells and awarness of mental illness as a whole the obvious choice for me to get this month was his latest book, Blackout. I enjoyed his first two books published by Harper Teen, Variant and Feedback and I find him one of the few writers that can write realistic teen characters. Blackout was tense and suspenseful, punctuated with brief instances of seer terror - kind of like how combat has been described. And that is what life in Blackout is like. Rob does a great job giving us a peek into what would happen if order came to an end. Here is the link to the Audible page for the book. It was narrated by Ray Porter who did a good job except in his pronunciations of certain small towns in Utah - Manti ("Man`-Tie" not "Man-tee") at the top of the list. And I hate to say this, but Robison Wells, why do you love cliff hangers so?

Plot: Many people think that there isn't much going on in central Utah. But something terrible is. There and all over the country. Terrorist of some kind are systematically dismantling the countries ability to function. Dams, power stations, transportation, government, and military are all targets. They even turn Old Faithful into a pile of rumble. Nothing is sacred. In one case a whole city is brought to its knees and then kicked as it fights for life. There doesn't appear to much of a reason. No demands. No ultimatum. No contact with the terrorist whatsoever. The only thing in common with these attacks is that people causing all of this destruction and chaos are between the ages of 16 and 21. What's more, it appears they have abilities that empower them to do incredible things. And it turns out that they are contagious. Mount Pleasant, UT. Aubrey only wanted to have friends and instead she got invisibility. Or rather she got ambiguity. People ignore her when she wants them to. They don't hear her, they don't see her, if she touches them they don't associate it with her. As it turns out she's not the only one who can do incredible things. Unfortunately the next one she see is killed by the army at the Home Coming dance, right before all of the kids in town are herded onto buses and placed into quarantine. It is there that she learns about the teenage terrorist and that the army intends to fight fire with fire. At the same time, one of the most destructive terrorist cells in the country is in Utah and won't be leaving soon.

My personal favorites: Like Variant and Feedback, Blackout keeps you in suspense but in different ways. Rob lets you see the enemies movements and get an idea of what they are thinking without detracting from the story of our young heroes. The action was realistic and intense and the suspense was well done. I liked the characters and we learned and grew with them. I like the way that Rob portrays teenagers and personally feel that he does a great job of it. I also liked the tour through south and central Utah. I knew where the majority of the towns mentioned were and have even been to most of them. I liked the flow and pacing of the book as well as the way that he made his "powers" unique. I particularly liked the X-men reference, just to distinguish Rob's world from theirs.

Considerations: Despite being a book about terrorist and horrible things happening there is little violence to speak of and none of it graphic. The thought of teens causing such disasters and chaos may be difficult to listen to for some, but the book is very age appropriate. I can't recall a single use of course language and there is no sensuality of any kind. This does not mean the book is devoid of emotion, action, or attraction. Rob does a great job of writing to his audience and entertaining everybody above it. And if you didn't guess from my question to Rob, this book does end in a cliffhanger. Not quite as bad as Variant but still a significant one. I just have to say he better be working on the next one.

Blackout was a great listen and is one of the few "end of the world" books that I have read. It was solid and enjoyable. I have no reservations recommending it to anyone interested. The total length was a little under 8 hours. 

Book Review - City of the Saints by D. J. Butler.

A couple of weeks ago my dad and I were talking books and City of the Saints by D.J. Butler was one that I borrowed from him. As a historian I have a curious relationship with alternate history, particularly when I'm moderately familiar with it. I loved Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan series and Corriea's Grimnoir Chronicles. But what Butler had was an alternate steam puck history of my own religious history. I loved the idea of it and I enjoyed the book too. What was also entertaining was that it pulled characters of literary history as well - Sam Clements (better known as Mark Twain) and Edgar Allen Poe - as well as a famous British explorer - Sir Richard Burton. Oh, and did I mention that John Moses Browning plays a pretty extensive role as an eight year old? The book was quite extensive on its deviations from history and historical technology. Air ships with giant ray guns and clockwork horses are all rather far fetched, but it made for a fun read.

Plot: The United States is headed towards civil war and both the US Army and the State of Virginia are desperate to get the best help possible. That means heading to their mutual western neighbor the Kingdom of Deseret lead by the incomparable Brigham Young. Armed with futuristic technology developed by Orson "Madman" Pratt, the Kingdom is in a position to lead any side it joins to victory.What's more, the Queen of England has heard of Pratt's airships and wants a piece of the pie. With only one way into the Kingdom Sam Clements of the US army, Edgar Allen Poe of the US army (of Virginia) and Dick Burton of Her Majesty's special service all end up traveling the same road, but with conflicting aims. What they don't know is the Kingdom has its own problems and its own agenda.

My personal favorites: I thoroughly enjoyed the characters in this book, both the historical and the fictional. Poe as a spy, Clements as a diplomat, and Porter Rockwell as himself (he couldn't have been anybody else). They each had their own assistants that were fun to follow as well. I also liked the direct references to historical Salt Lake City, and the culture of the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day saints. While 95% of what was shown was "adjusted" (my word) there were great tidbits - such as the assignment to guard the pass into Salt Lake being rotated through the elder's quorums because the high priests were caught sleeping on the job. The action was well written and compelling without being tedious and I found myself caring for the characters quite a bit. I also found the language to be inventive and creative.

Considerations: This book takes plenty of liberties with some figures in the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day saints that are well loved. Elisa R. Snow, Brigham Young, George Q. Cannon, and Heber C. Kimball all make apperances - Brigham Young and Elisa R. Snow having a lot of focus on them. People may not agree with their portrayals and find the book unpleasant. For me the alternate history was so far out there it wasn't hard to imagine them portrayed in a similar "way out there" fashion. There is plenty of action and some mildly gruesome violence, but graphic descriptions are kept to a minimum and were not over the top. I did mention that Porter Rockwell is an active player but unlike the before mentioned people the portrayal of him is pretty close to truth. Granted, the only thing that wouldn't be true is if he was a calm, mild-mannered, non-violent philanthropist.

City of the Saints was a fun adventure read. If you enjoy speculative fiction and want to experience a rather insane ride through the desert in the back of a steam truck what airships float above you - enjoy the ride. The novel weighed in at right around 450 pages.

Book review - Cress by Marissa Meyer, The Lunar Chronicles

Since we got Audible accounts, we haven't bought very many physical books. This is simply because it's had to find time to read a book and very easy to listen to one. Cress was an exception that we had all along. Book three of The Lunar Chronicles, Cress continues a story that is part sci-fi, part, political thriller, and part romance. How does that all work? Easy. Just wrap your sci-fi triller romance up as a fairy tale adaptation. Each based around a different fairy tale heroine, The Lunar Chronicles give a fantastic (or should I saw sci-fi-ic) twist on stories most people are familiar with. However, our heroine are not simple damsels in distress. Well, they are in distress  and they are damsels, but one is a cyborg mechanic, the other is a fiery pilot, and Cress is a brilliant, if someone naive, hacker. I've loved these books since I first picked them up and Cress didn't disappoint. I'll provide a basic rundown of the series plot below (without spoilers) and include some basic pot points for Cress specifically.

Plot: The Lunar Chronicles take place in the distant future. Interplanetary travel is fairly common and years ago people settled on the moon. In fact, the people that now live on the moon have evolved into quite different people than those living on Earth - able to control others' perception of themselves and even able to take control of other peoples' bodies. Earth has been ravaged for more than a decade by a plague that is killing thousands. Queen Levana of Luna claims that her doctors have developed a cure but insists on marrying Prince Kai of the Eastern Commonwealth. This is less then desirable as Queen Levana is not know for her patience, kindness, or general positive nature. She's known more for wanting to rule the world with an iron fist. Needless to say, the match is less than optimal. Enter Cinder, a cyborg mechanic who can fix anything. Anything except her broken family, her 2nd class citizenship, and her crush on Prince Kai. Becoming Prince Kai's go to mechanic does have some advantages though. An invitation to the royal ball. But things go downhill when she make entirely the wrong impression on Queen Levana, who is visiting the palace. Things get broken. Very broken and it turns out that Cinder is the only one that can fix them. She leaves in search of answers and a possible solution and crosses paths with Scarlet, a young french lass with red hear and a pistol tucked in her waistband. Keeping her grandmother's farm going despite the older women's disappearance has been rough and the police are no help in tracking her down. Finally deciding to look for her grandmother herself takes Scarlet to Paris in the company of a street fighter who is surprisingly protective of her. However, it turns out that Scarlet's grandmother had secrets and those secrets are troublesome for the Lunars. Scarlet quickly finds it advantageous to join up with Cinder and see that the Lunars don't succeed with their plans. Luckily, both Cinder and Scarlet have an angel keeping Lunar's eyes off of them. Cress knows more about security systems that anyone else out there. She designed the ones used by Luna and she's hacked, cracked, and subverted every other system out there. Trapped on her satellite orbiting between Luna and Earth Cress has come to the decision that too much has been asked of her. Because of her, Luna and Queen Levana have been able to commit some atrocities that Cress wants no part of. But how do you get out of a prison floating in space? And what happens when your masters learn that you're helping the enemy? In the end, Cress gets to taste the fresh air of Earth and gets to meet her hero. But first she has to survive to enjoy both.

My personal favorites: Cress pays homage to the "damsel in distress," with Cress even thinking of herself as the DiD and waiting for her hero, but then shows us why this doesn't work. While being a very real DiD, Cress is also a very competent young woman who shines in her own ways. I particularly found her love of Italian opera a fun detail of her background. She was a well rounded character whose naivety was honest and believable. Cinder and Scarlet continued to be kick butt characters, even though we see Scarlet in a lot more vulnerable situations. The other characters were great as well. I always love Iko. The tension was certainly high, like in the last book, both from the physical danger as well as the potential repercussions, but the flow of the book was nice.

Considerations: There is very little in the way of considerations for this series. The only thing I feel worth mentioning in this section is the brutality that Queen Levana and other Luners can show. With that said there are no graphic descriptions. Scarlet ends (and Cress begins) with attacks of lunar super soldiers that kill 16,000 people in fourteen cites across the world. Scarlet also undergoes some traumatic experiences, but again, nothing graphic in nature. The writing is age appropriate for young teens.

Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress, are all very good books. The characters are fun and competent and the plot is both robust and yet straight forward. The romantic elements are handled well and the political intrigue is diverting, but not convoluted. Can a book be classic fairy tale, sci-fi, romance, and political intrigue all at once. I submit that it can and these books are the proof. I can't wait for Winter to come out next year. The total length was just over 500 pages.

Audible Book Review - Closer by Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams

I took a break between Freefall and Closer because I was getting frustrated with the series. The break was enjoyable and while apprehensive I was interested in continuing the series. As I get further into the books I hope that a lot of the stuff that happens has significance in the last two books because when I got done with some scenes I wondered why it happened in that place or in that way. Closer was more exciting than Freefall and was also more intense. It didn't seem to drag as much and while there were some odd things (like the tree people - why are they even there?) the overall story was rather interesting. We learn more about Elliot's background as well Drake's. We see death, terror, victory, and reunion. Here's a link to the Audible page for the book. Continued to be read by Steven Crossley, the narration is good and the voices for the characters are established enough that you can tell who's taking rather easily.

Plot: Despite Will and Elliot's attempts, the Rebeccas live. They make their way out of their predicament and are able to rendezvous with the division of limiters sent to find them. Of course, this bodes ill for Will, Dr. Burrows, and Elliot. Things are moving towards a showdown, especially after both the Rebeccas' and Will's groups discover they are not alone in the Garden of the Second Sun. Meanwhile, (back at the ranch) Drake gets involved with an ex-limiter who owes him a favor. Finding himself working with (and maybe even liking) someone from the other side presents it's own challenges. Luckily for Chester, Drake and his new "friend," Eddy, are able to save him from a situation that could be described as worse than death. Newly rescued Chester tries to reconnect with his parents only to find that it's not going to be easy. While this is all going on, Mrs. Burrows has her own challenges. Forever changed by the dark light, she has to come to grips with her new reality. So, with Will, his father, and Elliot in the Garden of the Second Sun; Mrs. Burrows in the Colony; and Drake, Chester, and Eddy on the surface what is it going to take to get the team back together? And who will actually be there when they do?

My personal favorites: I loved the joke about the children's book towards the end. This book had a good mix of suspense and adventure. The pacing wasn't bad - It didn't feel as slow as the last book. I particularly liked Drake's part of the story as it was exciting and different than other things we've seen so far. Eddy's motivations and intentions were quite interesting. I have to say that I really liked him. Things also seem to be picking up with the story, and that's refreshing.

Considerations: The Styx continue to be ruthless - killing without mercy or remorse. But I must say that Chester's ordeal was a virtual Silence of the Lambs. It was intense and a little disturbing when you consider all that he goes through. As with the previous stories there is no gore or sexuality. Descriptions are not graphic but they don't have to be to still be intense. These books are still considered young adult and I don't dispute that. I also classify young adult as 13 and up.

Closer was a better book than Freefall. The pacing was better and the shifting between characters enabled one group to do exciting stuff while the other was traveling or waiting for something. Again, I think I liked Eddy the most and can't wait to see how he plays out. The total length was just over 14 hours.

Book Review - The Chestnut King by Nathan D. Wilson

Tonight Angel and I made dinner to, folded laundry to, and finally just snuggled as we listened to the last hour of The Chestnut Kind by N.D. Wilson. It is the concluding and crowning book to 100 Cupboards, and Dandelion Fire. And we loved every minute of it. It was exciting, satisfying, and just a wonderful ride. There were twists, turns, failures and victories. Villains were villainous, heroes were heroic, and Richard was Richard until the end. We were very pleased with the book and with the audio presentation, narrated by Russell Horton. Like the other books before it we got the books from the library, but you can also get them from Audible. We were very happy with the series and will continue to recommend it to others.

Plot: While Darius is dead, his mistress has moved on and had positioned herself in a place of power that she cannot be shaken from. Henry's dreams plague him as he sees her in an unliving garden with ten men who she has granted power. The place where he blood marked him when they first met face to face is slowing consuming him, leaching the very life from him. And unless she can be killed, he will go mad and then die. His father and uncle Caleb leave to try to find a way to kill the deathless. However, the emperor has plans of his own. Henry's family is taken hostage as bait for a trap for his father. In the end Henry must travel from Kansas to Endor to the fairy's second world and the seat of the empire in his quest to save his family and find a way to destroy the evil that constantly eating away at his life. And everywhere he goes he takes his dandelion fire with him. But will it be enough against the witch's servants and the might of the emperor's soldiers?

My personal favorites: Again, the characters are golden in this book. Whether it's Uncle Franks' calm, farmer sensibilities, or Caleb's coolness under fire, Richard's awkward devotions, Henrietta's determination, or Henry's realness it was easy to relate to them and understand their motivations and desires. Something else I really liked was how throughout the series actions had consequences. It didn't leave things unattended. There were real consequences to actions. When the character's stuffed the witch through a random cupboard, it didn't leave it at that. When Henry, Zeke, and Henrietta open a door to a watery grave the water doesn't just disappear. The concluding chapters and epilogue wrap up loose ends and don't leave anything left unexplored.

Considerations: Like the other books before this one the witch is not a nice person and uses some magic that might be considered disturbing. However, like the previous books, there are no graphic descriptions and I did not find anything that would sway me away from recommending this book and series.

Even before completing this review I've gone on and marked the books for purchase. They will probably end up as a gift for Angel or Kanga, when she's a little older. I loved the way they flowed and the wonderful story that N.D. Wilson told. I've also marked his other series to consider. The book was a little under 15 hours and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Book Review - Dandelion Fire by Nathan. D. WIlson

A couple of weeks ago my wife and I finished 100 Cupboards, a book that we got from the library and listed to on our commute. Read by Russell Horton, the books are on Audible and if you have an account there I recommend them. We started Dandelion Fire the very day we completed 100 Cupboards and enjoyed every minute of it. The story continues pretty much where the previous book left off and continues with the characters we loved and introduces us to a couple of new ones. We learn more about the past and are able to start to understand how the magic works. I liked the way it was set up and it have several twists that I didn't see coming. Didn't see them coming at all. I was happy that the characters were able to grow and develop and while I was infuriated with one of them, I couldn't fault her pre-teen logic.

Plot: After the adventures of the early summer that led to the 100 cupboards being discovered and opened, Henry is facing the prospect of returning to his own parents who have been rescued from the rebels that captured them during their trip to South America. Unfortunately, he doesn't want to return. His parents are getting a divorce but more dismal is the fact that he knows that if he returns he won't be able to do any of the things that he has come to love. However, Henry has a plan to avoid the lawyer that will be sent to fetch him - he intends to hide in the cupboards. Despite the danger and damage that was done the last time the cupboards was used Uncle Frank has yet to plaster over them. Henry plans are solid, but are derailed when he's struck by a bolt of lightning, or by what appeared to be lightning, and is changed forever. Blinded and in pain Henry is kidnapped by an evil wizard, Darius. Henrietta, knowing of Henry's plans to hide in the cupboards, goes looking for him and ends up lost herself. Frank and Dotty and the other two girls are frantic as they try to find out what happened to both of them. That's when things get really bad. In the end, Henry is reunited with family and finds out he is a seventh son of a seventh son, Frank sets out to find his birthplace, Henrietta learns the truth about her grandfather and Darius becomes stronger than even he thought was possible. And who would have thought of the power of a dandelion.

My personal favorites: This book was more intense than the last, or rather it was intense more often than the last. The author did a good job of balancing the tension so we had periods of calm interspersed with both victory and defeat - so it wasn't desensitizing. As I mentioned, I really hated one of the characters, but it was because she was a well written pre-teen and thought and acted like one - as frustrating as that is. Uncle Frank and Zeke were awesome, as they were in the first. We also get to meet some new heroes that are equally awesome. I liked the way that the enemy was not weak. When Darius first appears it's a terrifying encounter as it appears that our heroes are powerless against him. Also, unlike young adult books where the adults are idiots and the "kids" have to do everything the challenges that Henry and his fellow young characters are ones that are more realistic to his abilities. I also have never thought of dandelions in the way they portrayed them here. It was rather philosophical and even a bit inspiring. Not that I'm going to spare them when the spring comes.

Considerations: Like I mentioned, this book was a little more intense and a little more violent, but again, nothing graphic. The action is well blocked and nothing I would hesitate to read to my children when they reach the age of nine or ten. There really is nothing in this book that I found objectionable.

We started the next book, The Chestnut King, as soon as we finished this one. We really enjoyed Dandelion Fire and have even discussed adding it to our collection. The total length was just over 10 hours.

Book Review - 100 Cupboards by Nathan D. Wilson

It has been a while since I've posted a book review. This is because Angel and I have started driving into work together and so I no longer have my long bus ride to read. The other is because my current book on Audible is 57 hours long and I'm not done with it yet (almost though, I'm on part 6 of 7). Angel and I decided that we would get books on CD for our drive as it was too difficult to share headphones while drive. This also allows us to enjoy separate Audible books - particularly important as I'm considering more non-fiction books. Angel found 100 Cupboards at the library and grabbed the first and second books. While it took a while for us to remember to listen to it, we are now very into the trilogy (books two and three being Dandelion Fire and The Chestnut King). The books are read by Russell Horton who does a great job of imitating the characters - particularly 9 year old Anastasia and puberty plagued Zeke. The characters are well done, and the story has twists and turns that are hard to expect, but not unrealistic. It was enjoyable and a good start to a larger world.

Plot: Henry York is twelve and has been sent to live with his Aunt Dotty and Uncle Frank and their three girls, Penny, Henrietta, and Anastasia in the very small town of Henry Kansas. Henry is a rather serious boy whose parents have always been rather distant - in fact he has been sent to live with his mother's sister because his parents were taken hostage by rebels while biking across South America. While Henry hopes they're safe, he's more worried about the other boys finding out that he has never played baseball. Kansas gives Henry a chance to actually live beyond over protective rules and distant parents. What he doesn't except to learn is that behind the plaster on his bedroom wall are 99 cupboard doors of various sizes that lead to other worlds. He confides in his cousin Henrietta, the closest of the three in age to himself, and they start to explore the possibilities they hold. However, their exploring unlocks a door that was long meant to be shut and releases secrets that have long been kept. Not only will their exploring get them lost in the other worlds but it will actually let the evil that they fear into their own home.

Personal favorites: I really loved the characters - particularly Uncle Frank. It was also fun to see Henry's development from a sheltered, serious kid to one who could start to believe in the impossible and accept the fantastic world that was facing him - both in the cupboards and in Kansas. There was good parts of introspection that was enjoyable without being boring, but also suspense and even some action. I felt like I understood the character's motivations and felt like they were real people. Anastasia in particular was both delightful and aggravating as a very well written nine-year-old. As I've mentioned, my biggest problem with middle grade books (and it's very seldom a deal breaker) is when characters don't act their age. This book did a good job of portraying the younger roles as realistic.

Considerations: A good middle grade / young adult book, 100 Cupboards does have some violence and suspense but it is not graphic or gratuitous. There is a significance to blood and so one or two scenes describe bleeding, but again not in a graphic or inappropriately for a middle grade audience.

We are now into book two, Dandelion Fire, and enjoying it. 100 Cupboards was a good start to the story and establishes the characters and setting. It also gives us hints of what may come. The total length was just under six and half hours.

Audible Book Review - Redshirts by John Scalzi

Yesterday I've finished Redshirts by John Scalzi. I've got rather mixed feelings about the experience. On one hand, the book was incredibly well written with excellent story and awesome characters. In fact it was awarded the Hugo for best novel just a few days ago - and I understand why. It is a gorgeous book. On the other hand it was riddled with language and had several sexual references. While I understand that my choice in language and lifestyle are in the minority and that many people feel that the full use of all of the language is considered literary, etc. I do not see the need to put so much offensive language into popular culture. I'll talk more on this later in the considerations so I won't dwell on it here. I cannot in good conscious recommend this book to my family, friends, or acquaintances because of the extent of the language. This saddens me greatly because the story and characters are so wonderful. Here is the link to Audible's page for the book. It was narrated by Whil Wheaton who did a wonderful job bringing the characters to life.

Plot: The Universal Union flagship, The Intrepid, has received five new crew members. They are to replace crew losses due to Away Mission. Andrew Dahl and his friends start to notice something really quickly. Things are seriously messed up. Everyone avoids the senior officers. Away Mission always involve some kind of disaster where someone is killed. Lt. Kerensky is consistently brutally injured, maimed, or otherwise harmed, but survives regardless. But worse yet, sometimes it feels like they aren't in control at all. As Andy and his friends start to look for answers they learn the truth about their situation. What follows is a risky attempt to stop those responsible and to get their own lives back. This will lead to kidnapping, breaking the laws of physics, confronting themselves, and ultimately saving someone they've never met but know very well. Starting as a comedy, expanding into drama, and ultimately ending in triumph and self-actualization for more than just the main characters of this story, you may know the story but you don't know the ending. Any of them.

My personal favorites: There was a lot here that I liked. Andy and his friends were a fun group to spend time with. They were their own people and I felt that their motivations and desires were realistic and well portrayed. The story itself is a huge callback to Star Trek (which I grew up on) and was delightful as it combined "nostalgic" images and feelings with great writing. The format was intriguing with an end to the story, but then three "codas" that address three loose ends showing a bit of the "after math" of the original story. It's not often an author wraps up threads that the reader doesn't think about. As I listened to the last coda I almost cried because of the emotion behind it. To quote Larry the Cucumber, "I laughed. I cried. It moved me, Bob." There are too many things I liked to even begin to think of them.

Considerations: As I mentioned earlier this book had a lot of strong language. It was everywhere. Also there were several sexual references. Beyond that there was little to no gore or graphic descriptions, either of violent or sexual in nature. In fact there were very few descriptions of violence and none of sexual action, beyond the references mentioned earlier. However, the language was an issue. As clearly seen, I am familiar with profanity and have reviewed books with strong language before. I worked as a landscaper for several summers and so have been exposed to all kinds of language before outside of books. I understand that my views are not other peoples and I respect their right to express themselves how they wish after making my feelings known. As I mentioned, I don't feel that I can recommend this book to anyone because of the language used. It would be like taking a really nice dog who happens to have explosive diarrhea into a newly cleaned house. The disappointing fact is that I understand how an author will use such language to establish an emotion or a point. Shakespeare had Iago drop the 16th century equivalent of the F-bomb in Othello as his first word to show what kind of character he was - a villain and a crass one at that. This is what I've referred to when I mention in other reviews that an author "used the language properly." It was weighted, conservatively used to show the dramatic change that the character has experienced. It is a tool that is used sparingly. My disappointment is in the fact that I didn't see any of that taking place in Redshirts. The same strong word was used constantly in situations that didn't seem to warrant it. Things would escalate and I would expect to hear it, but then it wouldn't come. Only to show up at an unexpected moment when the tension had died down. It was used in all situations - with superiors, strangers, people the characters were ask for help - as if the characters were saying it just to say it. Spoken language has an effect and I saw non of that. It was desensitizing and didn't add anything to the story. I saw no use for it and am horribly, abysmally disappointed that such a well written story had to be marred by a torrent of offensive language that served no purpose.

As I've said - I'm very torn by this book. The story and codas were beautifully written and it was the perfect way to end the novel. It was entertaining and enlightening and just marvelous. And so very disappointing for the stupidest of reasons. The total length was just over 7 and a half hours.

Audible Book Review - Specials by Scott Westerfeld

And I've now knocked down one of the trilogies I started last month. The climatic chapter to Scott Westerfeld's Uglies series, Specials, was a fun ride. Promises were fulfilled, consequences were brought about, and people were changed. It was a satisfying ending to the series and despite an ending that could be seen as an environmentalist plug it wasn't over the top or distracting. Here is the link to Audible's page for the book. It was narrated by Carine Montbertrand, again not my favorite but a decent job and this recording didn't have some minor anomalies that Ugilies did.

Plot: Tally has always been special, but now she really is - part of an elite team and connected to her fellows via skin-tennas and rituals. Their mission is to destroy that which Tally has held dear. However, there is one good thing about this new group, Tally is reunited with Shay. Unfortunately, she still longs to be near Zane. But Zane is not the same as he used to be. He is the only crippled pretty in the city and Tally is torn between her memories of what he was like to who he is now. Wanting to be with him, she and Shay embark on a trip that changes them. Seeking for the new smoke, they find it in a place they never would have expected. But that's not the only surprise. Smokies have gained access to new technologies and are fight back - not just running. Madi, David's mother has been developing new cures. And Tally's body and mind are fighting her heart. What's more, the consequences of Shay and Tally's biggest trick ever effect more than just them. Things have been put into motion that only Tally can fix. It's one thing to rewire your own brain, but will Tally be able to rewire others?

My personal favorites: The action, suspense, and tension of this book were more than the other two and made for an exciting read. Tally was again a very believable character and her and Shay's motivations were convincing. This book also introduced some new technologies that were pretty cool and helped enhance the world. The ending was satisfactory and I am content with the direction it went. The time line was also well done. Meaning that time passed in a believable pace. The climaxes to the different situations were well done as well.

Considerations: The biggest item for consideration is that several characters practice self-harming behaviors as it helps them to think clearer. This is not portrayed as overly positive, and several characters remark on the practice in negative ways. the scenes are not very graphic, but can be emotionally disturbing. Ultimately the practice is discontinued by all characters, but not before becoming a predominate element of the story. As usual, I mention this so readers can be informed. I will also mention a minor item - environmentalist. I had a bad experience when upon finishing a book I got hit in the face by a page and a half of pro-environmental propaganda. It was such a shock as I hadn't encountered anything similar anywhere else in the book. Don't mistake by comments as an anti-environmental position, but rather an issue with hamfisted political or social declarations. Specials leaned towards active environmental statements, but the thoughts were natural to the character and where not of the "hit you over the head" variety. The ending maintained that position, but was well done, logical, and not invasive.

Overall, I am content with the series and enjoyed listening to it. I do not know when I will mention it to my children - the discussions of what constitutes beauty are good, but I believe the self-harm, not eating, and alcohol use require maturity and some stability of values. Definitely a young adult as opposed to a middle grade. In many ways, the books are no worse (and in many ways better) then many that I read as a teen. My concern stems from the fact that unlike fighting dragons or leading armies, self-harm, not eating, and alcohol are issues that teenagers come across more often. Perhaps that is a reason that teens should read this as it gives reasons why people may choose to engage in these activities and then shows why it is better not to. The jury may be out on that for a while. It was a well told story with very, very good characters. The total length was just under 11 hours.

Audible Book Review - Pretties by Scott Westerfeld

Despite the bit of the cliffhanger at the end of Uglies, I felt like I need a break before staring Pretties. But now that the break is over I felt good diving back into the world of uglies, pretties and specials. Again, these books are a distopia hidden behind a teenage adventure romance. The characters are very believable which makes me both enjoy and cringe at parts of the story. As this is the second book in the trilogy, I'll just go ahead and dive into it. Here is the link to Audible's page for the book. It was narrated again by Carine Montbertrand and while she is still not my favorite narrator, I'm getting use to her style and voice.

Plot: Tally became pretty for a reason. The only problem is that she can't remember why. She has hooked up with her friends from her ugly days, and is a shoe-in for the coolest clique in New Pretty Town - the Crimms. In order to get into the Crimms you have to have pulled more than your fair share of tricks as an ugly. The leader of the Crimms, Zane, is determined to make sure they still pull tricks, only now that their pretty, the tricks have to be bigger and better than before. Tally doesn't know what to think about all this, but doesn't want to be alone without friends. Lucky for her, her tricks list is probably the biggest out there. However, the life Tally left is determined to make sure that she doesn't forget why she's there, or what the operation really does. What's more, Zane knows more than he tells and the tricks he plays are for a reason. As Tally and Zane uncover answers to questions that had been forgotten they come closer and closer together until they need each other. The problem is the questions they uncover aren't the only things lurking. What happens when those that Tally betrayed start to remember the pain? And why does Dr. Cable, the leader of the fearsome specials, seek Tally out? And what is Tally going to do when Zane and David meet?

My personal favorites: As I mentioned earlier, Tally is a very believable character. She is very well written with realistic actions, motivations, and desires. The majority of the other characters are as well. The pacing on this book was different than the first so it felt like it moved faster, but still covered a decent amount of time. The character of Zane and the other Crimms were fun and I got to care about them, even Paris. Shay was a fascinating person to watch, believable and intriguing. I almost wonder if the ultimate story is more about Shay's decent rather than Tally's rise (but I should say more about that). The continuation of the story was satisfying and the action was engaging.

Considerations: I hate to say that when I lay these out this book may appear to be one of the worst I've ever reviewed. I know there has been discussion about young adult become more hard-edged and this may appear to be one of those that spark the discussion. First, new pretties (newly turned into pretties that is) like to party and are expected to indulge in the pleasures of life. Consequently the first chapter starts with tally waking up with a hangover and having a bloody Mary to try and get rid of it. There are quite a few references to alcohol, most of them champagne, although Tally and Zane swear it off halfway through the book. Also which there is not sexual content in the book there are a few references to it (the need to be careful as a pretty not to be too eager), it does seem to indicate that tally and Zane sleep together. Note, that is the non-italicized sleeping as in they share a bed together. There is no indication of sexual conduct other than kissing with any of the characters. Two characters also abstain from eating for a couple of reasons, both reasons are seen as good, which is the part that is worth considering. It makes a point of showing that when the reasons are fulfilled one character identifies that she doesn't need to starve herself anymore. However, as someone with family who has suffered from eating disorders, I couldn't see it as harmless. The final consideration is that this book does discuss the practice of cutting oneself. A group of pretties take part in a ritualized cutting in an attempt to identify reality. In the scene in question those that are taking part are seen as "crazy" and the practice is looked on with abhorrence. Despite that portrayal the scene is still very intense and I can understand how many may choose to avoid it. As always, I don't mention these things to dissuade readers. Just to make sure that readers are informed.

I enjoyed the story and the characters. It was engaging and compelling. There were things that the characters did that I didn't agree with. Those things in question did not appear to be done gratuitously but where the actions, thoughts, and results of very believable characters and their choices. The total length was just over 11 hours.

Audible Book Review - Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Again, I affirm that I have very little difficulty embracing books that are generally seen as "chick lit" or otherwise romantic in nature. With that said, Uglies and its corresponding books in the series by Scott Westerfeld is more of a dystopic novel than a romance. I do have to be honest that it would have been unlikely that I would pick up this book if it were not for three things. First, my wife had already grabbed it from audible. Second, it is the favorite series of her brother, Leeroy's, wife. And Third, I had read another series of books by the author and enjoyed them quite a bit. Distopias are not my preferred genre, but I was quite intrigued with Uglies. Like the Leviathan trilogy the writing was good and the plot had some twists and turns. Here is the link to Audible's page for the book. It was narrated by Carine Montebertrand and while I didn't like everything she did it was a good listen.

Plot: Tally is ugly. This is not just what people say about her and it is not even what she says about herself. It is what society has classified her and everyone between the ages of twelve and sixteen. At sixteen uglies become pretty, a plastic surgery designed to align their looks with what the society determines to be ideal beauty. Tally can't wait. She has only a few months before she'll be made pretty and be able to join her best friend, Paris, over in New Pretty Town. Stuck over in Uglyville until then, Tally sneaks out and visits Paris. On the way back she meets Shay, another ugly who is out and up to tricks. The two bond as all their other friends are already pretty and have left the dorms. Shay teaches Tally how to hoverboard and invites her to come visit the Rusty Ruins - the remains of a city from the previous unenlightened society. They enjoy their time together, Tally counting down the days until she'll be pretty and she is excited that Shay will become pretty too. But Shay is not excited. She's almost hostile about the procedure and they get into a couple of fights about it. Four days before their joint birthday Shay tells Tally she's running away and invites her to come along. Tally has to decide. Stay or go. Stay safe or go into danger. Stay ugly or go against her loyalty for her friend. Tally's world spins out of control as she learns that there are more than one kind of pretty, and how ugly some of them can be. And what if the operation isn't just about making you pretty?

My Personal favorites: I enjoyed seeing arguments both for and against the concept of beauty. Tally's arguments on why it was so important to be pretty were well made and the book prompted some good musings. I do not believe that the book is a ham-fisted commentary on our modern obsession of beauty. There were several times I was driven to deeper reflection on the topics being discussed. The book had decent pacing as well. It didn't feel like it bogged down and there were periods of action that were nicely done. Having talked with Leeroy's wife, I knew that the series is more of a distopia then anything else, but it was well covered by the character story being told. I can accept the vast majority of the character motivations and the internal struggles that Tally had were believable. It was a great story about what it means to be a friend.

Considerations: I would often find myself getting annoyed with some of the characters, but it was because they were acting like typical, or at least believable teenagers. As the main characters are between 15 and 18, you will have some angst, and a fair number of decisions based on hormones and not thinking too clearly. But again, that fit the characters of the book. I related to my wife that the book felt juvenile and sophisticated all at the same time but that was because they were juvenile characters in a sophisticated story. There is some alcohol references and a couple of very brief references to pretties hanging out in "pleasure gardens" which appear to be just want they sound like. There is no graphic violence or any sexuality despite the adventure and romance in the story. It does have a hefty romance element, but that becomes overshadowed by the distopic element. Last, the narration wasn't bad, but one of the voices irked me and occasionally she would narrate with a character's voice or use the same voice with a coupe of characters.

I did enjoy it and am glad that Angel has already secured the second book Pretties so I can start on that at my leisure. The total length was just over twelve hours.

Audible Book Review - Dodger by Terry Pratchett

Terry Pratchett leads the pack of my list of favorite authors. I generally buy at least three of his books a year, but have read almost all of his novels one way or another. Dodger is the third one I've listened to and as with the others I enjoyed Stephen Briggs' performance. Pratchett was a way of weaving a story so it is both entertaining and insightful. This novel is a stand-alone story set in our world (not the Discworld) and is done as an slightly tweaked historical fiction. Mostly adventure, part mystery, and a good part social commentary, Pratchett takes period figures and spins a story around them that makes you want to become a Dodger yourself. Here is the link to the audible page for the book.

Plot: Dodger is a tosher, a person who spends his days crawling through the sewers of Victorian London picking up coins and valuables that find their way off the street. He is also a geezer, someone that everybody knows and that knows everybody. He is a boy of 17, but is a man of the street and knows his way around by the very smell of the sewer. So what happens when he watches a young women leap from a moving carriage and try to fight off two men who try to get her back into it? Leaping to her rescue leads Dodger right into the way of "Charlie" Dickens, a writer for the Chronicle, and Henry Mayhew, a social researcher. It turns out that the young lady's is the hinge pin of international events and if she is not returned to her abusive husband, the country may face war. Dodger is bound and determined to see that Simplicity, the alias given the young women, will not be danger from others. He soon finds himself in the presence of Sweeny Todd, Benjamin Disraeli, Angela Burdett-Coutts, and Sir Robert Peel. Dodger is clearly out of his element with all of the knobby folk around him, but rises to the occasion and when those in power cannot keep Simplicity safe, Dodger shows them how they do it on the street.

My personal favorites: Dodger is a capable young man who seldom questions if he can do something, just how to do it. This make him a hero automatically. He is authentic and likable. His interactions with Charlie are particularly fun as Pratchett plays them up as possible sources for some of Dickens' book ideas and titles. There are really no fools or incompetence in this book which makes Dodger's victories all the more sweet. Like the vast majority of Pratchett's other books, Dodger has moments of insight into the human condition and points out things that should be thought about. Soloman Cohen, Dodger's mentor, is particular in this yet while he is preachy, he doesn't come across as such. It was fun to guess who were the characters Pratchett pulled from history and which were his own invention and I was surprised by many of them.

Considerations: I did not find anything offensive in this book, but I will mention some things that may be of interest. Pratchett uses some terms at the beginning of the book that he does not define until a little way in. Tosher and geezer being two of them. This can make it a little odd to read, but at the same time it is done in a way that the usage and definition don't usually pull a reader out of the story. Also, the money system at the time was very convoluted as it is not based on a decimal system. This can cause some confusion as to the price of things, but as it becomes clear what is worth more than / less than what fairly early this obstacle can be overcome easily. Pratchett has a note of both of this point at the back of the story. The book also describes, in some (but not graphic detail) the sense of living in Victorian London and how unpleasant, nasty, and poor it was. The total length of the book was 10 and a half hours.