Review: Shapechangers

Shapechangers by Jennifer Roberson

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


This is a re-read of the first book in a series I absolutely love. Unfortunately, I do not like this book. I'm not sure if this is Roberson's first book (and subject to the First Novel uneven-ness that can happen) or if I'm just reading it again with older eyes. After all, this book was first published in 1984. I've read many, MANY books since 1984 so I have more to compare it to. A lot of life has been lived between 1984 and now too, so a person's entire frame of reference can switch focus. It isn't so much when the book was written but the experience of the person reading it at that time. I was a tween (just barely) and in love with fantasy novels. I'm sure there was much I didn't get at the time, but I understood most of it and it fascinated me. Now, I focus less on the story and more on the words used to tell it; on characterization, and they both fall flat. Maybe, if this book were released today, it wouldn't be classified as an adult novel. Maybe the magic of it is at the YA level.



I hated the heroine. She was spoiled and stubborn and incredibly ill suited to heroine-ism. She wanted what she wanted and to hell with the very real consequences. The hero was marginally better, even though he was supposed to be older and wiser than her. Secondary characters (who star in Book 2) were better, but don't quite reach three dimensional status until The Song of Homana (book 2 in the series) The plot? Not as thin as the characters, but this is really a set up book. There is A LOT of world building to do, and if anything about this book is excellent, that is it.



Because, even though I don't have much good to say about this book, the fact is that it has been with me for over 20 yrs. Roberson created an entire world that has lived in the back of my mind; especially the language. I've always liked languages. It isn't to the point where I've translated Hamlet into Cheysuli, but a few words do stick out. Favorite characters from the series remain as well. The series is great, it just needed a better start.



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Review: Changes

Changes by Jim Butcher


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Changes is right. This series went through a host of changes, the least of which was a missing child. Not all of the changes are bad, there were a few that I actually liked. Not all of the changes are bad right now, but they certainly have that potential. This book could have been titled "Revelations" just as easily as Changes.


As always, the book was well plotted and seemed to flow easily from mishap to catastrophe. The dialogue was razor sharp, which is one of Butcher's really strong points, and the characters was crisp. With a cast of characters this large, it is easy for them to all start sounding the same, but this never happens in these books.

I would give this book (and audio) 4.5 stars if I could. Small Favor is my favorite, and Changes comes in just under that high water mark.

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Review: Covet

Covet by J.R. Ward


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Overall, this was a good book. Ward is great with characters, and that doesn't change here. Her hero(es) are fantastic, down to their witty one liners, and her two main female characters (heroine and villainess) were outstanding. For all the knocks that Ward has taken about under-developed female characters, she certainly seems to have taken that criticism to heart and fixed it in this book. There is actual character development with her heroine, and her villainess is just plain evil. And kinda scary, like all the best villains are. I was expecting a lot more from the fallen angels, but ended up liking their roles just fine. Maybe, in time, they will become more front and center, but I found myself liking their sideline role very much. They are helpers, but ONLY helpers. Heavy lifting has to be done by someone else, and I thought that was very nice.

I liked the nods to people and places of the Black Dagger Brotherhood books. I liked seeing a lot of Trez. (Who doesn't?) Other throwbacks were more subtle but made me smile. The story, for the most part, moved along nicely and this was the first full length novel I read on my Sony e-reader so it, and the book, passed the test.

A few things I could have done without: I liked this MUCH better than the first Black Dagger Brotherhood book, Dark Lover but this one still suffered from a few first book problems. There was a lot of telling (and not showing) in terms of world building. When you're setting up a new world, new rules of engagement, new characters, it is really hard to get around the pages of explanation that are needed for the reader to understand what is going on. I get that. Some authors do this really well, and some do not. Ward does not. It is all stuff the reader needs to know, but the delivery method leaves much to be desired. Quite frankly, I get bored. Pages and pages of exposition, important or not, makes for droopy eyelids. That's just how it is. Where she does characterization REALLY well, this could use some work.

The other thing I hate is the narrator's voice. The narrator speaks like a thirteen year old girl. Calls a new beer a "freshie". That is the one example that is still grating on my nerves even though I'm done with the book, although there are more examples. If a character talks like that, I'm fine with it. That is their vocabulary. I may want to smack them, but if it is consistent with the character, so be it. But when the omniscient narrator speaks like that, it grates on my nerves. A lot. It wasn't as bad as the BDB books can get sometimes, but it was bad enough that I noticed it. I could have taken notes about it on my new Sony toy, but I haven't made it to that advanced user level yet!

Overall, though, this was a good book. I liked all the characters, I am interested in their past, present and future, and I'm excited for the next book.

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Review: Frostbitten

Frostbitten by Kelley Armstrong


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
You CAN go home again!

While Kelley Armstrong has never traveled too far afield from the werewolf clan that started the Women of the Otherworld series in Bittenthere have been many characters and storylines added since then. But, coming back to Elena and Clay was like a GOOD trip back to the place you called home. You can see how they've grown and changed over the years, but some part of them is still the same couple that I remember. And, even beyond the relationship aspect of the book, the plot and the mystery and the action was as good as it has ever been. If you're looking for a straight romance book, this will disappoint you. The "couple" after all, is married with children already. This isn't a boy meets girl kind of book, although some of her books are heavy on that element. This is a boy and girl battle snow, beasties, bad guys, kick ass, have sex, save the day kind of book. But, if you're an Armstrong fan, you already knew that, right?

While there are some mentions of other characters, this is a Clay and Elena book. No Paige, No Lucas, No Savannah, etc. You get the picture. So, if those are your favorites, just know you won't find them here. A couple of new, potentially future main characters were introduced and I found myself loving them both. I was recently in Anchorage (2007) and could practically feel the place through Armstrong's scenery descriptions. I felt like I was back there. They felt like visitors, having the same experiences (for the most part) that I had when I was there. Even Reindeer sausage was mentioned (although I didn't try it like Clay and Elena did.)

Overall, reading this book made me happy. I enjoyed every part of it, was up late three nights in a row reading, and am already anxiously awaiting the next book in the series. All of these are good signs that whatever it is Armstrong is using to power this series, it is still going strong.

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Review: Lamentation

Lamentation by Ken Scholes


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The audio version of this book was fantastic, but this may have been a case where the print version would have made things easier. You can flip back, in the print version, when things start falling into place. Or, when things get even more confusing. Both situations happened during this book.

If you're a fan of the political intrigue, twisty plot and twisty characters version of SF/Fantasy, this book will be right up your alley. How Scholes ever kept it all straight could probably be a book all its own! Yet, he doesn't sacrifice characterization for the sake of plot. Each of the characters makes you feel somthing for them. It isn't always a good something, but Scholes manages to make even the worst characters seem redemptive. And I mourned the absence of Gregoric secondary characters I probably wasn't meant to get so attached to. I won't say more than that for spoilerish reasons.

I was a little bit lost at the end, but that could be because I was listening, working and/or driving while I listened and was bound to miss important clues given at important times. But, it is possible that there were a few too many twists and turns. Nothing is as it seems in the Named Lands, and, possibly, even beyond. Can't wait for book 2, which I'll be taking in with my eyes instead of my ears.

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Review: Turn Coat

Turn Coat Unabridged CD by Jim Butcher

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
The only thing wrong with this book is that there was no Michael Carpenter. :) Everything else was spectacular. It started out fast, and as I listened to it, there didn't seem to be any points where it dragged. Normally, I only listen to audiobooks in the car but this one went from the car, in to work, back to the car, into my apartment and back to the car. I could not wait for the next car ride to find out what happened. The down side of that, of course, is that it is over quicker.



For long time readers of this series, you may not like the audio editions of these books. Sometimes, fans have an idea in their head of the voice and can be disappointed when what they hear doesn't match that. For me, the audio versions of these books are magic. I wanted to like the books, but I never could get into Storm Front. Once I listened to it, though, I finally saw what all the fuss was about.



Hard to summarize this book without giving away major plot points, so I won't do that. There are plenty of summaries online. Hell, I think Dresden has his own wiki! There are a few beatings, some crying, some dying, some transitioning, some regretting, and a very unsettling ending. I already can't wait for the next one.


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Review: Skin Trade

Skin Trade by Laurell K. Hamilton

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Well, I'm not sure this was enough to get me back into the Anita Blake fold, but I did like the book. Very much. It made me realize some things about the series, though.



I hate Anita Blake. I think I've always known this, and I believe this is where my problem with heroin(e) started. All the guys want to screw her, and all the girls want to be her. And poor Anita Blake, she just can't figure out what to do with this wacky, crazy life of hers. But, as much as she doesn't want to be a "victim" she's just a crazy slave to her unfortunate, but of her own making, circumstances. Whine. Whine. Whine. It has been this way since Circus of the Damned, and it hasn't really changed except for the circumstances have gotten more complicated.



Yet, what I have really liked about the books were the other characters. Okay, Jean-Claude and Edward, mostly. Asher some. The rest of them I could give a toss about, really. And, what has really irritated me about the path the books were on was that she diminished Jean-Claude's power to raise Anita's. Either he is or he is not the shit. Right? I know characters change throughout the series, but she has watered JC down so much that I'm almost wondering what purpose he serves. I know Richard fans have similar complaints.



Back to this book: It had plot. I know! A plot that centered around something other than who Anita was going to screw. Don't get me wrong, there was screwing. And, you know, I thought I was pretty well innoculated from the name issue thanks to JR Ward, but something about her screaming "Wicked" during sex still made me laugh out loud. But we got tbrough 300 pages before there was screwing, so take that for what it's worth. Sadly, though, I didn't find the sex hot. There were parts that were luke warm, but never reached hot. That's what happens when you make sex something other than what it is supposed to be (ie. food). It becomes common. Mundane. "Oh, huh. She's getting off with someone she either doesn't like, doesn't trust, or doesn't want to add to her stable." To me, that's kind of the equivalent of eating vegetables. You do it because you have to, not because you're really digging parsnips.



The only character here who had actual growth was Edward. There were some plot issues here as well, and it seemed like Hamilton lost the thread towards the end. The end of the book was the weakest part by far. Bernardo, Olaf, and Edward just drop off the face of the Earth. What happened to them? No goodbyes? Suddenly, she's back in St. Louis, new playthings in tow, and life is back to some shade of normal. Okay. Um....right. But, there were some good parts, which is more than I can say for the previous 6 books. It did read very much like Obsidian Butterfly so if you didn't like that one, you're probably not going to be much for this one either.


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Review: Lover Avenged

Lover Avenged by J.R. Ward

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book was better than Lover Enshrined, even though I gave it a 4 star review as well. But, it just didn't reach the five stars for me.



What I love about Ward's writing is also what I hate about Ward's writing. When I read her prose, it isn't just filler. The narrative voice in this book is almost another character. An omnipotent one, to be sure, but still a separate character. I don't like how this character adds "ilies" to everything. Is it really that hard to say Stilettos, Mr. or Ms. Omnipotent? And I REALLY wish the word "shitkicker" was permanently deleted from your vocabulary. But, you do have a way with words and I appreciate how you could turn something very dry and boring into a fast, page turning adventure.



This whole series reminds me of how easy it was for me to make the leap from Fantasy to Romance lit. The world building is good and I love huge casts of characters. The more pages the merrier, and I love series. I can also see how this would be disturbing to those who started this series expecting one thing, and find themselves in this new place. It is dishonest to market this as a romance series with a hero/heroine focused plot. That is not where the plot is focused. The world does not revolve around the hero/heroine finding their happily ever after. They do find it, don't get me wrong, but I don't think anyone can say that is where the focus is. It seems to be something that happens along the way in the larger story. To me, that is absolutely fantastic. To people who are expecting the beginning, middle and end to be about Rehv and Elena, your set may need to be slightly adjusted.



I'm not sure what the endgame is here with the whole Lessers/Vampire war, and I'm not sure I care. I assume Ward wants me to care, so this may not be a good thing. I enjoy the characters, and I tune in to see what is going to happen next with them. I am more than a little caught up in how the war is affecting Wrath. But, other than that, it's background noise to me. It's a little like North and South. You know there is a war going on in the background, but the battle scenes are not the reason why you're watching. It's what goes on because of the war, during the war, before and after the war, that holds your interest.



Very hard to do this without spoilers, by the way.



Ward also has a style of writing, and dropping hints of future plot lines, that means if you have an interest in this series and where it might be going, you have to pay pretty close attention. I'm looking forward to seeing where it goes from here, and I'm hoping that what looks like a recycled plot isn't going to be a recycled plot. I'm crazy about Xhex, John-Matthew, Blay and Qhuinn so the next book will be wonderful for me. I'm hoping that Bella gets a rest because she had a hell of a book this time around. She deserves some R & R. She had like, five scenes and all of them were drama? Come on.



I hate Lassiter. Just had to get that out.



And a word about the "gangsta": I wonder why people get so bent out of shape that some of Ward's characters don't act or talk like run of the mill white bread. Each of these characters has a distinct voice and, contrary to popular internet opinion, they don't all embrace the street talk. But the ones that do, seems completely consistent with the other characteristics they have. Is it so unusual? To me, the bigger question is why so many people have a problem with it?



And I hate Lassiter.


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Review: The Steel Remains

The Steel Remains by Richard K. Morgan

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
This was my first experience with Richard Morgan, so I have nothing else to compare it to. Reading some of the other reviews on GoodReads, I see that many people prefer his straight Science Fiction works to his new Fantasy series.



I thought this was an excellent book. It started with action, and it rarely let up. Yet, it was had complex plotting, intrigue, and the most realistic characters I've seen in a book in a long time. All of the characters in this book, even the characters you see just briefly, are multi faceted. If there are "plot device" characters in this novel, I certainly couldn't pick them out. They were well integrated into the story, not just devices stuck in to move plot points along. The main and secondary characters showed a depth that, frankly, has been missing in fantasy fiction of late. The relationships between the characters was complex, each of the three main characters having lives that were not easily described. All of them had faults, some big some little, and all of those faults weren't neatly tied up when it became time for them to become heroes again. They continued to be faulty characters who rose to the occasion. Isn't that just the way of people?



The one thing I would change about this book is the beating me over the head with the homophobia of the general populace. I get it. Ringil is gay and the peoples don't like it. Honestly, his being gay is not the most interesting thing about him, or the book. Bigotry happens. Archeth faced it too. Egar's situation was much more interesting as the bigotry towards him was about ideas (him having them instead of sticking with traditions) instead of physical attributes. I just thought it was overdone. But, if that is the biggest problem with this book, that isn't much of a problem at all.



The book is action filled and thought provoking and complex. If Fantasy novels are your thing and you don't object to violence or sexual situations, this is the book for you. But, it is violent, so be warned. Definitely an adult book, not for the kiddies.


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Review: Men of the Otherworld

Men of the Otherworld by Kelley Armstrong

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Most of this book has been published on Armstrong's webpage, so it isn't new to a lot of people. It was mostly new to me, though. While I consider myself a HUGE fan, I hadn't spent a lot of time on her webpage so I missed most of this the first time around.



The background info on characters is always interesting to me. You seem them progress from a certain point forward, but, if you're really into the world the author has created, you're curious about everything that happened before. I went into this book anxious to learn more about Clay. I came away from this book absolutely FASCINATED with Jeremy. That is the wonderful thing about Kelley Armstrong.



If you haven't read any of her Otherworld books, I'm not sure this is the best place to start. Yes, chronologically, it is the "beginning" per se. But, a lot of what is there doesn't mean as much if you aren't already familiar with the characters. Of course, that is my perspective since that is how I'm coming at it. It may work perfectly fine the other way.


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Review: Marked

Marked by P.C. Cast

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was a book that had been sitting on my shelf since April. Once I read it, though, I was pretty impressed. The book seemed seamless in that I didn't notice a change in tone between the two authors. I don't know if they each wrote different characters, or how they divided up the work. But, whatever they did, it worked.



I've been reading a lot of YA books lately after reading virtually none in the past, and I may be reaching my limit. There is just something inherently whiny about YA books that I can only stomach for so long. While this one is pretty good, there were still moments when I alternated between rolling my eyes at something a character said, and wanting to strangle them.



If you're looking for something fun, I recommend giving this one a try. I liked it enough to keep reading the series.


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Review: Inkheart

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was recommended to me and I've very happy for it. I listened to this book, read by Lynn Redgrave, and there were times when I wanted her to HURRY UP so I could see what would happen next. It is billed as a juvenile book, but it is juvenile in the way that Harry Potter was juvenile. The language is sophisticated, more sophisticated than your typical juvenile book.



It makes you wonder about what happens between the pages of the book when you're not reading it. Or when the book is over? Or before the book begins. The characters Funke creates are vibrant and three dimensional. There are many twists and turns as well, so you can never be sure what lurks behind the next page.



The only thing that diminished the book for me was that Funke telegraphs her punches many times in the book. By that I mean she'll often use the phrase "Later, when they thought of this..." or "Later, they would recall..." which all but tells you that said character survives whatever nasty surprise yet to befall them. You know certain characters aren't going to die because.....well, they recall things later! It does a lot to dampen the suspense of the book. Maybe that is by design, because it IS a children's book, but it wasn't necessarily what was best for me. Other than that, though, I have no complaints.



Let's hope the movie (set to release in early 2009) is as good as the book!


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Review: Living with the Dead

Living with the Dead by Kelley Armstrong

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
I listened to this one on audio. It was so good that I listened at work AND at home. I couldn't stop. I wasn't sure how I would feel about this book because it didn't appear to focus on any of my favorites. But, I needn't have worried.



The main storyline was intriguing. The main character had the perfect combination of grit and stupidity that made you cheer for her, and want to strangle her at the same time. The main villain was completely bat shit crazy, even though Armstrong makes her seem somewhat logical as she writes from her point of view. Armstrong strikes a great balance between stalker-chic and sanity, making it so you don't know quite which way to turn.



It was nice to get a continuation of Karl and Hope's story. I'm a fan of Karl and Hope, but I was only partially invested in their couple-hood. I feel better about it now. He is delicious, by the way. No two ways about that!



LOVED Fin and Damon.....and Robyn. Eve cameo was nice, but I did miss Kristof. All in all, a good entry in the series. If people haven't picked up one of these books before, I don't think they'd be left behind. Or, I should say, they won't feel like they have been left behind. They won't have the backstory to fill in the details, but the story told in Living with the Dead is self containing. Hopefully, though, a first time reader would want to find out what they have been missing.


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Review: Guardians of the West

Guardians of the West by David Eddings

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really loved this series when it first appeared almost 21(!!!) years ago. Damn, I'm old.



ANYWAY, listening to it is a completely different experience. I haven't revistied this series as often as I have re-read The Belgariad, so a lot of this book has been forgotten over time. As I listen to it, however, I struggle with the urge to skip around. If I had the book in front of me, I definitely would be doing that. As I'm listening, I'm forced to hear every word of the book. This isn't, necessarily, a good thing.



Cameron Beirle is a good reader. He keeps the voices the same from book to book and from Belgariad to Mallorean. He's consistent. The writing is a bit.....I won't say pedestrian, but it is a bit simple. It isn't a bad thing exactly, but hearing it makes it seem a lot less complex. When you're reading this series, it is deftly plotted, and the characters are sharply drawn. Your imagination supplies the rest, which makes reading these books almost as magical as the contents. Listening, however, lays bare all of the faults of the books. There are great passages of.....description. Maybe it is because I'm reading these again, but I don't really need to hear all of that. I'm not sure this series holds up as well as the original Belgariad did. Although, here I am, listening to it 21 years later.


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Good Cover!

I'm not familiar with Canavan's Black Magician trilogy, but this is, apparently, a prequel.

This cover makes me want to get familiar with it. It strikes just the right mood between creepy and fascinating.......if you're a fan of the fantasy genre.

If you're not a fan, you're probably wondering what the ^$%#%@ I'm going on about. Nevermind, you.

Review: Small Favor

Small Favor by Jim Butcher

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Hot damn! Now this was a fantastic audiobook! Most people will know the reader, James Marsters, from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Whether you liked that show, or not, don't let that sway your willingness to listen to him read the Desden series. Marsters is FANTASTIC. I was one who wasn't interested in the series, even though it was everything I was supposed to like. But, I listened to the first one and that is what got me interested. I have, since then, tried to read the ones in the series that have not made it to audio yet. I still can't get into them.



This entry into the series seems darker and more violent than the ones that have come before it. Some of my favorite characters, especially the incredible Michael Carpenter, have huge supporting roles. Others, drew the short stick and make brief appearances.



I've read the amazon reviews, and I see that some were truly disappointed with this entry into the series. Maybe that is what a dedicated reader will think. But, for the casual obsessive, this was top notch!


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Review: Poison Study

Poison Study by Maria Snyder

The amazon reviews are mostly good. This is the first book in a series by Snyder and, as far as first books go, it is pretty well constructed. Her world building could use a little work, and her characters come across a little more cardboard then three dimensional in some places. You have the one that is mean, the one that is nice, the one that betrays, the two that become friends, the heroine, the hero.....you know. If you're a follower of fantasy lit you have seen these people before. She throws in a few surprises, both in the main characters and in the secondary cast, which keeps the book interesting.

The reason I say the worldbuilding needs work is because you don't really get a sense of what the rules are. They mention a Code of Behavior but you never figure out just what that consists of. You know there is now a military structure, but you don't figure out how it works. You know, generally, that "South" is where all the action will be happening, but the rest of the landscape is a mystery. And she really does a terrible job of physical character description. Yet, for all of these faults, the book is still interesting. The very fact that I wanted to know these things says that I was interested. I'm probably going to read the next two books in the series and I hope they are better developed.

The change in cover is interesting, too. The one on the right was the original, hardcover edition cover. The one on the left is the trade edition cover that is currently available. The one on the left seems to suggest it is a fantasy book more so than the other.