I usually avoid contemporary high fantasy that makes the best seller lists, but I needed travel reading. I gotta admit, I was pleasantly surprised. I actually liked The Elfstones of Shannara. The post technology and human domination seemed a little pointless as it went undeveloped which was too bad, but the traditional elf, human, troll, Druid, witches, magic, battle, journey elements were all well used. There are 2 basic plots. One is the quest undertaken by Wil Ohmsford and the elf princess Amberle. The interesting […]
Typical Gaiman
On an unrelated note, I’m now passing my goal of 26 books reviewed this year. Go me 🙂 American Gods has been on my list for a long time, and it did not disappoint. Neil Gaiman knows how to write. The basic premise isn’t too complicated: Shadow is released from prison just as his wife dies in a cars crash. He meets the mysterious Wednesday who offers him a job. He finds out his best friend Robbie who was giving him a job also died […]
Does she even go here?
I love Kamala Khan. The Pakistani-American teen is joyful and anxious about life, and earnest about her new, Terrigen Mists revealed inhuman powers. She has so much with which to contend – new powers, secret identity, parents who want her to observe Pakistani customs, an inhuman family she’s just getting to know, and being a teenage girl. In Crushed, Kamala faces off with a benevolent Loki, her first crush, her family’s expectations and traditions, and some sort of malevolent pizza dough. I enjoyed the volume, […]
But then there was this robot-bunny…
My son (age 8) came into my room one night with a very serious expression after having finished this graphic novel. “This was kind of scary and kind of sad and…here.” He had that glazed look of someone who’s just torn through a whole book, captivated, and hasn’t quite woken from it yet. Obviously, I was delighted. So I read this, and then my daughter (age 11) read it. We were all similarly captivated, though clearly this is focused for children. When gauging if this […]
Two paranormal romances, two thumbs up
It’s been a week since I finished the first two books in Shelly Laurenston’s frothy, ridiculous, and addictive series, Call of Crows. I mention the length of time before writing this review because my brain has rather eliminated many of the plot points and details that distinguish the books from each other, so I’ll be grabbing synopses from Goodreads and asking your forgiveness for my laziness. Most relevant points of interest to this review are these: 1) If you like the idea of paranormal romance […]
I accessorize for one and all
I steamed through the remaining books of The Parasol Protectorate series and then came to a screaching halt when it came time to write the reviews. It’s not because the books aren’t fantastic, its because I’m easily distractable. The series is a fun read. I highly recommend. Lady Alexia Maccon, neé Tarabotti, is a preternatural living in steampunk Victorian England. Her husband is the Alpha of London’s werewolf pack and the head of the Bureau for Unnatural Registration (BUR), and sits on the Queen’s Shadow […]