Ugh. Why, Blogger? Why? Was my last post tasty? Because you ate it just before it was done.
Readers, I could pretend that my last post was something glorious to behold, like a fisherman telling tales of the one that got away (which would be about as true). Or, I could be pissy about everything and totally just half ass this rewrite (which I admit I seriously considered). Or, I could do this - make a better post with more books (since I sulkily read four last night. I was mad at Blogger.).
This month, I did a little library roulette, and also (since I was like, number 2 million on the waiting list at the library) read Fifty Shades of Grey, which my sister bought me because she loves me and knows I can't resist poorly written shameless smut. In other news - I know her too and she is FINALLY reading Jacqueline Carey. I'm so glad that we can finally talk about these characters! It has been so difficult keeping their story all to myself, and we seriously discuss it every day. EVERY. DAY.
So, now that you know a little more about my own particular brand of insanity - you know, the kind where I talk about fictional characters like I know them personally - and that my sister is cut from the same cloth, let me tell you about some more friends I made last month.
The Books:
1) In the Shadow of the Cypress - Thomas Steinbeck
OK, I will admit it. As a general rule, I have absolutely no interest in American Literature. I don't know if I have ever actually finished a single book in that genre, unless it was for a class. I stopped reading The Sound and the Fury when I only had about 60 pages to go. I've yet to get through anything by John Steinbeck. So, it was with trepidation that I picked up this book. What can I say? Something just intrigued me.Not only is this American literature, it is also historical fiction, with a little modern day element thrown in. So, doubly not my cup of tea. However, it was a lovely gem of a story, and in my experience good storytelling usually trumps everything.
In the Shadow of the Cypress is set in California and told in two different parts, from three perspectives. The first half takes place in the early 1900s, and the second in the modern day. In the beginning, we hear from Dr. Gilbert, a prominent researcher at the marine research institute in Pacific Grove. He befriends a man who stumbles upon a discovery that would turn the history of the Western world as we know it on its head. He meets with the local Chinese leadership to discuss his discovery with them, and the remainder of this half of the story is told from the perspective of Dr. Lao Hong, an American educated Chinese man. He works with the local Chinese leadership to hide this secret with great and dramatic efficacy.
Fast forward to the present. Charles Lucas (aka Luke) is a rebellious genius who prefers surfing to academia until he finds his own particular niche, which leads him to the very same marine research institute where Dr. Gilbert worked nearly a century before. Luke stumbles upon Dr. Gilbert’s journals and photographs and realizes the kind of discovery he may have on his hands.Trying to confirm his suspicions, he begins working with a brilliant Chinese-American linguist, Dr. Robert Wu. Together, they try to unravel the mystery and change the course of history.
I must say, I really enjoyed the tale. The picture Steinbeck paints of early 20th century California is extremely vivid - I definitely got a clear picture in my head to show me the scene. I also liked the element of mystery - it helped keep me interested in the story, especially since I am not a huge fan of historical fiction as a general rule. The characters were all likable enough, and I would definitely read something by this author again.
2) The Eyes of The Dragon - Stephen King
My step Mom loved Stephen King, and I have not really read much of his work. Dad wanted me to take home a few of her books, so I gathered up a TON of Stephen King to try out. I decided to start with his most fantasy-lover friendly book - The Eyes of the Dragon.This is definitely fantasy with that creepy, Stephen King twist. The cast of characters is somewhat typical of a fantasy tale. There is the affable, pliable King, Roland; the wicked and scheming magician, Flagg; Roland’s two sons - Peter, who is princely in every way and his jealous and sullen younger brother, Thomas. Flagg’s aim is the total downfall of Roland’s kingdom, for no other reason than he can make it happen. He skillfully manipulates Roland into making terrible choices that should lead to the ruin of his kingdom, until Roland finally takes a wife. She seems meek and innocent, but there is steel in her, and while she doesn’t outwardly stand up to Flagg, she subtly changes his influence over her husband and the realm. Of course Flagg targets her, and her sons - Thomas to fill his father’s shoes, and Peter as a scapegoat.
I did really enjoy the story, and the casual tone of the storyteller as he related events to the audience. The twists and turns were something that I truly hope is typical of King - the fate of the world hung on such small details, and the book was definitely a page turner. I will most certainly be reading more by Stephen King.
3) Touch of Power - Maria V Snyder
While in a completely separate universe than the Study or Glass books, Touch of Power does share some qualities with those works. Avry is a healer who is unable to use her gift - the land had previously been swept with a devastating plague, that the healers were powerless to stop. The people believed that the healers were intentionally withholding their gifts from the afflicted, and as a result they have been persecuted and killed. Avry can't resist the need to help a suffering child though - and her gift is found out.Kerrick is single minded in his determination to help his friend, Prince Ryne who has contracted the plague and is being held in stasis until he can be healed. He and his band rescue Avry the night before she is set to be executed. Avry discovers their plans for her - and is horrified. She has heard nothing but terrible tales about Ryne, and can’t understand how Kerrick expects her to sacrifice her life for the man. The ensuing tale is her journey - as a healer and a woman, who truly finds her own way and her calling.
I don’t want to say that the story was predictable, but, in a lot of ways it was. Maybe just because I have read so much Maria V Snyder? I totally saw the love story coming a mile away, the betrayal was also so obvious it could have been written on a billboard and I didn’t find the ‘big reveal’ at the end all that shocking. I also wished that Avry had spent more time sequestered with Tohon and could really contrast him with her love interest. As a life magician, Tohon could, with a touch, totally ensnare someone’s mind. You would love him and totally buy into and believe anything he said, even though without that touch you found him vile. I found the idea of being held hostage by someone utterly insane and repulsive, who also had the magical ability to make you forget all that and think only of them intriguing.
All in all, Touch of Power was like B+ work from a normally A student, and I will most likely read the next books in this series, just because I truly enjoy this author’s work.
4) The Bells - Richard Harvell
What a hauntingly beautiful historical fiction novel. Moses Froben is an orphan who began his early life in a belfry with his deaf/mute mother. He learned to worship sound from an early age, hearing all the tones encompassed in the bells. Until he was thrown out to his own devices, he didn’t understand that his hearing was preternatural - how could he with a deaf mother?Moses is rescued by monks for a small Swiss monastery. They are loathe to take him, because they fear that the abbot will throw him out rather than take him in and let him join their order. Moses stays hidden away until one day, he hears the choir and is drawn to it like a moth to a flame. He begins to sing, and the world of the monastery knows beauty.
The choir master works with Moses, honing his instrument until he sounds utterly unearthly. With his heightened hearing, he can discern the little things that make music dull, and eliminate them from his song. It is this crystal clear beauty that drives Moses’s choir director to castrate him against his will. And it isn’t until Moses falls in love, later, that he learns what he is and what he can never have.
All I can say is READ THIS BOOK. Read it. It was amazing - the poignant love story is like none other. The way sound is described in this book is absolutely gorgeous, and Moses’s struggle is heart rending.
5) Hallowed - Cynthia Hand
Hallowed is Cynthia Hand’s follow up to Unearthly, and is part two of the story of Clara Gardner, a teenager with part angel blood. She had a mission to fulfill in Unearthly, and Hallowed is more about her dealing with the repercussions of her prior choices. Like many teenagers, Clara thinks she knows everything, constantly fights with her mom, ignores her brother and basically thinks her problems are the most important problems in the world. Hallowed is her coming of age tale.Also, though still melodramatic (honestly, what teenager isn’t full of melodrama?), it is nowhere near as bad as other similar young adult in this genre. One thing I thought was lacking was exploration of the other character’s motives. Throughout Unearthly, there were hints that Clara’s closest friend in the angel community, Angela, was hiding something. And Clara had a rather shocking encounter with her brother in Unearthly as well. (This, at least, was explained, but not until the very end of the book). Finally, Clara’s relationship with her ‘best friend’, Wendy, was basically non-existent in this book.The true focus to the story, apart from Clara growing up, was the Clara-Tucker-Christian love triangle. Now, as someone who did, in fact, date her best friend’s brother in high school I guess I can forgive this last part. When you think you are in love, you do indeed turn into a shitty friend.
Also, how can you not love a book that has text like this:
“Before I moved here, I never got the whole love-triangle thing. You know, in movies or romance novels or whatnot, where there’s one chick that all the guys are drooling over, even though you can’t see anything particularly special about her. But oh, no, they both must have her. And she’s like, oh dear, however will I choose? William is so sensitive, he understands me, he swept me off my feet, oh misery, blubber, blubber, but how can I go on living without Rafe and his devil-may-care ways and his dark and only-a-little-abusive love? Upchuck.”
Ms. Hand, thank you so much for so cleverly writing what we were all thinking. All in all, a more than satisfactory follow up to Unearthly, but I really need to know much, much more about whatever is going on with Angela and Jeffrey. Looking forward to book 3!
6) Vengeance Born - Kylie Griffin
Annika is a half breed demon. Her demonic father raped a light blade warrior, forcing her to stay alive until the baby was born. Rather than kill Annika at birth, she is kept alive for the sake of vengeance alone. She is treated like scum by the demons, because her deficiencies are obvious, and has no friends except the healer. At a young age, Annika discovers that she has a gift to heal - or harm - with a touch and a prayer. Kalan is a powerful light blade warrior, sworn to wipe out all the demons. He is disgusted by their very presence - they are covered with leopard spots, their eyes glow and they have to subsist on blood. Their existence is an abomination and affront to the Lady of Light - his goddess. He is captured by the demons during a raid, and being held prisoner and tortured. When the healer arrives with Annika, he thinks that he is having a vision of the Lady. When he realizes what she is, he is immediately on his guard.
Annika tells Kalan that she will help him escape - but in return, she wants him to take her with him. So begins their journey - Kalan trying to stomach his travelling companion, and Annika trying to cope with her nature and how to react to the world after years of abuse by her people. Vengeance Born is the story of how these two work together to become much more than the sum of their parts.
I really found Vengeance Born an interesting take on many of the themes I enjoy in other fantasy books. Demons needing blood to survive was definitely reminiscent of vampires, and there are certainly light blade warriors in many other books. In Griffin’s universe, however, these things certainly had a unique aspect. I was really interested in the story, and couldn’t put the book down. I can’t wait to see what is to come for Annika, Kalan and all their friends and family in Griffin’s next book Alliance Forged.
7 and 8) Fifty Shades of Grey and Fifty Shades Darker - E L James
Oh sister, thank you for giving me the gift of what amounts to straight up smut. You know I can’t resist its charms! I read these first two books back to back, but am still holding off on book three for some reason - I have it, I just haven’t started reading yet. I think it is because I can’t afford another night where I am UP UNTIL 4AM READING!!! :)Readers, how do I describe these books? Imagine that Twilight has a big sister, and she is into kink. Christian has a troubled and troubling past, and a dark, kinky secret life. Ana is naive and innocent, but drawn to Christian’s beauty and magnetism. In the first book, she learns what she thinks is his dark secret, and runs scared. But in the second book, she truly learns the depth of his darkness, and is willing to love him anyway. These books (although totally erotica), do have a plot and some character growth, which is more than I can say for many such books.
After I read the first Fifty Shades book, I Googled the author and read some of her interviews (everyone does that, right? RIGHT?). She said that this story initially started out as Twilight fan fic, and I can totally, 100% see that. Honestly, reading these books, it was fun to imagine that Christian and Ana were Edward and Bella (even though Ana is slightly less insipid than Bella). When I got tired of that, I imagined that they were actually Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. And then after a while, I wondered how Phedre and Christian would get along - I think she would teach him that he is far, far less fucked up than he thinks.You may ask how I had time to imagine all these different scenarios while and right after I was reading, and I will answer that basically, the plot is super, duper simple. It boils down to essentially this: 'OMG, should I totally date this guy or what? He wants to tie me up and spank me, but I am a virgin and don’t know if I’d be down with that.’ OK, it is maybe a little more complicated, but as I said before - this is smut. You aren’t reading fiction, you are reading erotic literature. Plain and simple. And ladies, that is OK - we deserve porn like this.
