Pawn of Prophecy

Pawn of Prophecy is the first book of the "Belgariad." The first time I read this was about ten years ago at the recommendation of my brother. It was my kickoff into fantasy which I am so very grateful for.

Garion is a boy who lives on a Faldar's farm with his Aunt. It starts out a bit slow, farm life, finding girls attractive, nearly dying while rafting on a lake, normal adventure-y things that one would do when you're too young to be working in the field. They will occasionally have visitors: the storyteller, merchant that are suspicious, and that strange rider that always seems to be lurking though no one else can see him. Aunt Pol and the storyteller seem to have a background, though it's a friendly one. Garion overhears conversation of something vastly important being stolen, then he is suddenly ousted from the life he knew into one of utter confusion. Joining up with his Aunt, the storyteller, the blacksmith from the farm who has eyes for Aunt Pol, a rat faced man, and a man as big as a bear, they find themselves in search of something while at the same time running from those who pursue them. Garion is finding himself way over his head in things he doesn't understand.

This book is very near and dear to my heart. While it might not be the best piece of literature out there, I love the characters and the cultures it creates and develops. David Eddings takes a lot of time for the cultures and peoples he creates and it shows through his writing. It is a "hero's journey" where we watch the development of Garion and his companions while they are seeking something vitaly important--though the quest seems to be not quite on par with the characters. Having read the series before, it gets better as the series goes on (similar to Tamora Pierces' books or really any debut novel).

The part of the book that I enjoy the most is and will always be the characters. They might be considered cliche now, but that is only because David Edding's was one of the first to modernly do it.  Silk is the thief among thieves. The first of the greats in my opinion. While not technically a thief, more like a spy, he is amazingly sly. He is my favorite. But the rest of the characters are just as fantastic.

I will warn all that this was written in the early 80's, and so the style is different from what we are used to today. They travel a lot in this series. They can travel leagues (whatever that actually means) and weeks will pass with the words "weeks passed." Which saves us from boring "and they traveled and traveled and traveled" expositions. But it portrays a sense of idleness, like not much is going on. It also seems like there are parts that are easily skimmable. Not that you should, but it is possible.

All in all, everyone should read these. They are a classic like Tolkien. Read them!

Words of Radiance

Words of Radiance is the second book in Brandon Sanderson's Stormlight Archive. This is my second readthrough of it and found I enjoyed it even more.

"Now that Kaladin is working for Dalinar, Dalinar and Adolin are safe, Shallan has become Jasnah's ward, they've found out that the Almighty is dead as has been for quite a while, and so many other things, here is where they finally all get together. The book cover says: "Six years ago, the Assassin in while killed the Alethi king, and now his prime target is Highprince Dalinar. Kaladin is in command of the royal bodyguards, a controversial post for his low status, and must protect the king and Dalinar, while secretly mastering remarkable new powers linked to his honorspren, Syl. Shallan bears the burden of preventing the return of the Voidbringers and the civilization-ending Desolation that follows. The Shattered Plains holds the answer, where the Parshendi are convinced by their war leader to risk everything on a desperate gamble with the very supernatural forces they once fled." (Blurb from goodreads.com) It is a much better way to sum up than I could without giving too much away. 

Ah, I enjoy this series so much. This book and Way of Kings, are books I go back to all the time in my head. The scenes and images are so lush and vibrant that they have stuck with me and made me want to read certain passages when I'm in the midst of reading other things. They creep up into my thoughts saying, "This is a great part. Let's play it over again. We should probably read the book again. Yes, it's big, but it's fantastic." The writing is beautiful, as always, where it is so easy to get sucked in and forget that you are reading a story instead of living it. 

I love the characters in here. All of them. Kaladin and Shallan progress so much throughout both of these books. Shallan is given her flash backs in this story and her background is so sad. Not only is her family secretly in dire straits because of the broken fabrial, but we learn it is also because of the tyranny which their father reigned over them. We learn far more about her brothers and their dealings than I expected we would. Shallan also grows very much in a way I didn't expect her to do making her appear very different from in the first book. I've heard reviews that they didn't like Shallan's character development and that Sanderson wrote her so than she is nothing like her self in the first book. I see their point, but I disagree. Which she is very much different and there is a definite point of shift I can see the logical trial of her actions. It isn't out of character so much as expanding a new ability we didn't know she had. As a Lightweaver, she is able to make illusions after she has drawn them. Which means she can change things around her as well as herself. She takes on different disguises throughout the story and impersonates others. Our shy little Shallan starts to take more control of herself and her surroundings and changes them as she needs. But then she still has the ability to be herself. Through these different people she becomes she finds herself a little more. She sees herself in many of the characters she portrays. Which this journey I don't believe is complete (there are still three more books in this particular series), she has found probably a first destination on her journey on truly facing the things of her past that honestly haunt her. 

Pattern, whom we are introduced to as Shallan's spren, is cool. I like him for his childish curiosity and trying to understand that things that are around him. He is very much like Syl though he is more calculative and loves Lies while Sly is a bit more flighty. (Pun intended.) I've seen costume portraying what Pattern would look like (such as here ) which are really phenomenal. 

I really enjoyed the progression of Adolin throughout the book too. While he's not making giant leaps and bounds, it was fun to see more of him and I can't wait for Oathbringer to really see how he gets out of his mess that he made at the very end of the book. When I read it the first time, I didn't like it at all. That fact that he did what he did made me very angry, but through this re-read I am more understanding to what he did. (I also started reading Oathbringer a little and have found that he is concerned about what he did and when if finally comes out, because of course it will, people will be angry but they will also be understanding.) 

There will be one part that makes every reader kring (you'll know it when you get to it) because of what Kaladin does in the moment. After a glorious fight defending Adolin, he does something very stupid to get back at Amaram and it backfires drastically. It was stupid and you will have to get over it. Sorry. But I think that shows Sanderson as a good writer. He knows and we, as the reader knows, that what he is about to do is stupid but he is willing to let his characters be stupid when they are blinded by one thing or another. We all do that because we are human and Kaladin does that because he is human too. 

All of the characters are amazing in their own right. Sabriel is one of my favorites and Lift is downright hysterical with her "awesomeness." Lift has her own short story, because she is so well loved and fantastic will be one of your favorites because of how funny she is. Her poor spren. 

The plot and flow of the story was different than Way of Kings because Dalinar gives us a count down. There are only sixty-something days until something bad happens. How do they prepare? How can they go about saving humanity? Can they even stop it? How do they get the princes to follow him before this Everstorm comes?  

As the characters start really meeting up with one another, connections are made and which means things move forward and they take steps back at points. One of my favorite chapters/scenes/developments was when Shallan and Kaladin are dropped into one of the chasms and they are forced to work together to find a way out. But of course nothing can go easily and awesomeness ensues. 

In the end, I love it all, even the kringy parts. It was well written and beautiful. I am going to step away from Roshar for a bit because this was such a big endeavor and will be reading something a bit more light before I try to tackle Oathbringer though it will be forthcoming. I hope you enjoy this book. 

Jackaby

Jackaby by William Ritter is a crossroads between Supernatural, Sherlock Homes, and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

Jackaby is a supernatural detective, in 1892, with as many things in his home as Newt Scamander has in his suitcase. Odd ball, scatterbrained man that he is, he has a good heart and is willing to help people.

But the story is written through the eyes Abigail Rook, a newly arrived girl to the Americas who ran away from home to start her own adventures--though they have gone awry. Eager to not starve in the America's Abigail looks for a new job and finds an advertisement for an assistant of some sort. When she goes there she is instantly dragged into a murder mystery with crazy things happening. Abigail is introduced to Banshees, ghosts, and a duck who used to be human, amongst others.

Over all it is a small book, that would have been a quick read if I wasn't distracted by other things at home, and when I got to actually sit down and read it I found I really enjoyed it. I am already going to give my copy to a friend who was very excited about the mixture of three different types of stories put together.

The "beasts" we are introduced to are ones that are fairly well known, banshees, ghosts, fairies,  etc. but Jackaby gives us explanations as to why they are the way they are. Like he'd talked to a bunch of them and got their stories, which he probably had.

I like the characters because they were fun.  I could almost put every single person as a movie personality though. Such as Officer Cane reminded me of Officer Buzz McNab from Psych, so much so that McNab was who I was picturing in my mind when Officer Cane was in a scene. This could be good or bad depending on the reader's preferences.  I was able to pick a personality to most of the major characters except Abigail. While she had her likes and virtues, she didn't really have any vices or things that rounded her out as a character. She took everything in stride and believed it all so quickly, a tad unbelievable.  That was a bit disappointing. Though I was engaged enough to want to read the next few in the series which I will be doing at a future date.

Perfect Scoundrels

Perfect Scoundrels is the last in the Heist Society novels by Ally Carter and can I say that this is the perfect ending for the series. I would wish with a large portion of my heart that she would do a sequel series to this, because it was just amazing.

It starts off with Hale ditching Kat and the rest of her crew while on a heist with no explanation. Slightly irked at her boyfriend, Kat finds out that Hale's great-grandmother passed away and in her will gave everything to him. This boy of 15 (?) has now inherited his family's entire billion company. Overwhelmed by the death of his only relative whom he actually liked and liked him back as well as this new responsibility, Hale becomes distant from Kat and the rest of her family.

Then suddenly Marcus, the ever present and always watching manservant to Hale, gives Kat a job. The will that gave Hale the entire fortune is a fake. So Kat and the rest of her crew have to find the real one and the person behind it. There are sinister things hidden in all the Hale's closets and we soon find out many of them.

This book was fantastic. As I said, a perfect ending to the series. In the previous books we were given bits and pieces of Kat's whole family, and there are a lot of them. It is her biggest heist yet and needs everyone in on it. It was fun to go back and visit the London and the same museum they stole from in the first book along with other small heists throughout the story to get to the ending with the biggest con of them all.

Her characters have been consistent throughout the whole of the series, which is really good considering I've read a few where characters personalities change from chapter to chapter. While consistent, they do grow as the stories have progressed. Their are real arguments and debates on whether Kat and Hale will stay boyfriend/girlfriend. They show emotion and at one point almost had me in tears. I love the way they banter back and forth, giving amazing names to different styles of heists that they could use to accomplish their end game. They all have their own different personalities which keep the book alive.

I do wish there was more setting. I'm a sucker for a good bit of imagined setting or fun descriptions about the places they are in. But what it lacked for in setting, it made up for in a fantastic heist story that constantly had me turning pages. It lit up my very grey week with its humor and characters while still keeping it within the realm of reality.

It also weighs heavy on family. The importance of family and sticking together. Also that sometimes the best families are the ones you don't share blood with, though other times blood relations are just as amazing too.

I'd recommend this series to anyone who is looking for an upbeat, fun book.

City of a Thousand Dolls

City of a Thousand Dolls got kind of boring for me. I couldn't stand reading it for too long even after 100 pages.

Nisha is a girl who is part of no caste, from unknown ancestry, and was left at the doors of the City of a Thousand Dolls--a place where women go to prepare for their husbands or future careers (I think careers, I know they want to get married off though). She is the eyes and ears of the Matron of the City so she sees and hears everything that happens. But then, on the week leading to the Redeeming (where the girls get selected by their prospective spouses), girls start dying. First an accident then poisoning.

Even though people are dying, I didn't care. I'm sure there are girls who would really enjoy this, but I didn't. There seemed to be little for me to want to grasp and care about.

There is a romance that has kindled, but I don't think it'll pan out like Nisha wants it too--boy thinking of family name more than her (though I could be wrong). It didn't seem to be going anywhere, or if it does it shouldn't have. The romance is very paper thin with lots of makeout sessions hidden from sight. Something you would expect a newly junior high school student to be fantasizing over. Almost 1D, not even 2D.

There were talking cats too, which I know can be a turn off for some people. Like she has no friends, except maybe one, and the cats that follow her around. And the only reason they talk is because she needs to have dialog with someone. But she isn't trusted by anyone or she doesn't trust anyone enough to have meaningful conversations except the cats who can't talk to anyone else. Why can she do this? ... Reasons. That's why.

I will give Ms. Foster points on an interesting setting. The City and surrounding culture was interesting. All the different factions that exist in the City where girls worked to become an expert in specific things. That was cool, but not exactly interesting enough to keep me engaged. I started it well over a week ago, and barely got 75 pages in, still didn't care, and started skimming.

I'd probably disregard this book and find something else.

The Appearance of Annie van Sinderen

The Appearance of Annie Van Sinderen is a ghost story without ever using the word "ghost."

Wes is a media major assisting his friend who is producing a small film for their college summer school class. They go to a seance to hopefully see a ghost or something spooky. What they don't realize is that they actually spotted one. Annie bops in and out of 1840 New York to the present in hopes that she can find out what happened to her and her family and, more specifically, what happened to her cameo that her beau gave her that has gone missing. Wes and very few others can actually see her and search to find out what happened.

The story is cut into three parts: Wes, Annie, and West/Annie. As Wes figures out that Annie is a ghost we jump to her story and what happened throughout the week before her demise. But as she flashes back to the past, she's able to change things, or is she? She acts differently around others and they, in turn, respond differently. She is able to find new clues to her past and what happened.

I think the book is well written, but for those who don't care for heavy description, be ready to skim/skip parts. It if full of heavy description. Though interesting to see what it is like to walk the streets of present-day New York through the eyes of someone who hasn't seen buildings higher than three stores. That was fun. I liked the difference of views that were subtle throughout the story. When we are reading through Wes' point of view, it is different with different things emphasised than it is through Annie's. She focuses on the "cushioned chair" or small delicate things, whereas Wes sets his focus like you would a camera. I thought that was well done. It also definitely showed what it is like to be in a nineteen year old boys mind.

The transition between the two times was easy to see, though sometimes a bit long in description.  I understand that sometimes that transition can be sticky, but she Katherine Howe did it well.

Um... aside from that, it took me awhile to get it finished. I found it easy to put down and I knew what was going to happen well before it did. I finished it because I wanted to see how it was going to end and if I was right--which I was. It's not one that I'd be eager to pick up again, but it was alright.

I'd suggest this for a light read if someone wanted it.

Depression & Other Magic Tricks

Much like Our Numbered Days, Depression & Other Magic Tricks is a book of poetry produced by Button Poetry that I found online.

I very much enjoyed Sabrina Benaim's poems in this book and the development that happened as I turned the pages. It, of course, talks about depression and dealing with it, trying to explain it, and seriously just coping with it. But then it also goes into life around depression as well, triggers. Many of the poems are about dealing with a specific break up it seems where the boy in her mind just won't go away. She is glad/sad he's gone but always wanting him back, but unable to get him back. The progression of events was fantastic.

I was trying to explain to my grandmother how to read poetry to get its fullest meaning (read the sentence not the line break before you take a breath, read it a few times: the first to figure out what it says, the second to find further meaning, and a third to truly, simply enjoy the poem) and was actually having a hard time showing her how to read to the end of the sentence. Because there were hardly any of them in there. Quite a few of her poems were very long run on sentences were you, the reader, had to decide where to take a breath. There were many with "/" every few words that separated the fragments of sentences just enough for a feel of the line breaks without having line breaks.

The poem that really drew me to Sabrina Benaim though was her presentation of "Explaining Depression to My Mother, A Conversation." It was beautiful and shows how difficult it is for those who have depression to explain it to someone; someone who doesn't have it, doesn't get it, but is still trying--in their own way--to help. Below is her recitation of her beautiful poem.

Enjoy, like I do.