Books Read in 2011

Below is my list of Books Read in 2011. I'll (generally) not include picture books or extremely "Young Reader" books that I may read with my kids...but at the same time, I may include them if the mood is right.

I have an annual goal of reading 50 books or ~1 book/week. Last year I read (and posted about) 44 books.

Over the summer my weekly reading fell down a bit.  Fall and winter were also a bit spotty.  So sadly I didn't hit my goal and I was down from my 2010 stats, but I still read a bunch of good books.

I'll be getting my 2012 goal and post together shortly.  In the meantime, let me know what you read in 2011? Any great books I should add to my "to read" pile?

Here's the list of what I read in 2011:

1. A Lion Among Men
2. The Learning eXplosion
3. The Elves of Cintra
4. Matched
   
5. The Name of the Rose
   
6. The Tale of Desperaux
   
7. Crucial Conversations
   
8. The Scorch Trials
   
9. Tuck Everlasting
   
10. The Mysterious Affair at Styles
    
11. The Lost Hero
    
12. Oliver Twist
    
13. Kingdom Keepers: Disney After Dark
    
14. The Red Pyramid
    
15. Casino Royale
    
16. The Gypsy Morph
    
17. A Room With A View
    
18. The Invention of Hugo Cabret
    
19. The Orphan of Awkward Falls
    
20. Stranger in a Strange Land
    
21. Rangers Apprentice Book 1: The Ruins of Gorlan
    
22. Rise of the Darklings (The Invisible Order Book 1)
    
23. The Good Earth
    
24. The Death Cure
    
25. The Throne of Fire
    
26. The Man in the Iron Mask
    
27. Doc: A Novel
    
28. Jacob T. Marley
    
29. Batman: The Killing Joke
    
30. Flygirl
    
31. The Maltese Falcon
    
32. Peter and the Starcatchers
    
33. The Shakespeare Thefts
    
34. The Star Shard
    

I also have a "to read" list on Goodreads but it certainly isn't in any particular order.

Thanks.

What are YOU reading?  Did you have a favorite book read in 2011?

Review - The Star Shard

From a high level, The Star Shard could be summed up as a fairly typical adventure book set in a medieval fantasy world. I received this book from Amazon Vine and found that it differentiates itself in many unique and intriguing ways that make it a fresh and fun read.

First of all, the setting is unique. Rather than dealing with our standard rolling hills, plains, mountains and forests, most of this book is set in the moving wagon city of Thunder Rake. The Rake is essentially a HUGE wagon that literally contains an entire city upon its back. The exact dimmensions aren't given but as our characters navigate the city, you quickly realize the enormity of this place. And yet, there is a large sense of claustrophobia as everything is built close together and vertically in order to optimize every bit of available space for homes, workshops, businesses, operational areas and the other main aspects of any city. Around the edges of the wagon, huge walls run up the sides to keep inhabitants (and buildings, possessions, etc) from falling off.

Not only do the walls serve to keep things from falling off the wagon, but they act as prison walls for some of the inhabitants. Our main character in the story is twelve year old Cymbril...and she is a slave on the Rake. She doesn't know much about her past other than that she was sold to the master of the Rake and it is her lot to spend her days at the beck and call of the master. When the Rake is traveling, this means mundane chores. When the Rake arrives at its destination and opens its doors for market days, that means she is to sing and entertain the people coming to shop.

Cymbril is a fun character. She has some of the stereotypical qualities of a character in a fantasy adventure: no parents, no memory/knowledge of her past, a couple of mementos from her parents (which have intrinsic and monumental value), more comfortable with the "outsiders" or animals than with the main class of folks. She is also extremely curious and adventurous. In the times when she's not working, she spends hours exploring the Rake and investigating the forgotten areas or the smaller areas that have been obscured as newer buildings have been built. She's very impulsive and makes many mistakes by leaping before she looks.

Shortly after being introduced to Cymbril and the world of the Rake, we're introduced to the catalyst for the story...a boy named Loric...a magical Fey creature who is brought to the Rake and sold into slavery. Cymbril's heart goes out to him as she relates to the injustice of his enslavement. She also finds herself drawn to him out of pure curiousity.

You can likely guess some of the paths the plot takes as Cymbril gets to know more about Loric. They scheme and plot. He tells her about her mementos and what he knows of her past. He sheds light on some of the other inhabitants of the Rake and opens her eyes to the world of magic and things going on right under her nose.

As to my reaction to the book, mostly I really enjoyed it. I had a little nagging sensation in my head that, for some reason, didn't resonate with the tone/voice/style of the writing...which seems odd because the writing is generally very simple and fluid, so I'm honestly not sure what it is that bothers me about it...maybe a re-read will help clear the cobwebs for me. :)

I did enjoy this book. The plot was fun and fresh. I am impressed with the overlapping and intersecting elements throughout the book and the way the author reveals them over time. I also thought it was very fun that the author worked with a musician to include sheet music and Lyrics for two of the songs that Cymbril sings through the book. I'm not enough of a musician to try and actually play the pieces, but I may have to seek out someone with adequate talent to play them for me. It was also refreshing to have a strong (yet young and naive) girl character as the lead in this adventure. Add to that the intriguing and fresh setting and this provided a fun read.



3.5 out of 5 stars


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Review - The Shakespeare Thefts: In Search of the First Folios

The premise to this book sounded like tons of fun. I went into it expecting a "riveting" and intense recounting of the various attempts (successful and failed) to steal the First Folio over the years. What I ended up reading was indeed interesting but not nearly as compelling or intriguing as the numerous marketing blurbs and synopses made me expect.

First, I must applaud the author and his team. They have done astounding detective work to track down, identify and extensively catalog the known First Folio's out in the world. The amount of detail put into this effort is truly mind boggling. The knowledge and expertise that the author and the team have is amazing.

The book gives an initial overview of WHAT the First Folio is and what its significance is in the literary world. This description is interesting and educational. From my own studies, I'd heard the basic overview before…the comparison of the Folio versus the Quarto, the timing of how the Folios came about, etc. The overview also goes into the rarity of the Folio as a medium and with regards to the Shakespeare Folio specifically.

After the overview of the Folio history, the rest of the book follows the history of some of the known copies of the Shakespeare Folio still in existence. It is amazing the degree of detail recorded about these books…not only about their history and lineage of ownership, but also about identifying characteristics (down to creases or stains on specific areas of specific pages).

Each chapter was usually focused on the specific history of one of the known surviving Folios, though some chapters were more thematic in describing similar events or occurrences that happened to numerous Folios.

There were dozens of fun and interesting stories of theft, vandalism, fraud, mistaken identity (both of ownership and of the Folio itself) and more. Some stories were more interesting than others and the amount of research and detail for each story was always impressive.

Where the book was lost on me was the narrative style. For some reason, I never did find myself gripped by the writing, even by the most exciting or intriguing of the histories. I think this was partly due to the number of stories and the rapidity of their telling. Even with the amount of details involved, each story usually only covered a few pages and often only a few paragraphs. Add to this that the language was often steeped in scholarship and focused on presenting everything as factual as possible, and these brief stories read more like a history textbook than an exciting retelling of intrigue and suspicion (as promised by the summary).

I still found the book to be very interesting and informative. It told me a lot more about the Folios than I ever knew before and it also gave me a ton of interesting little tales of intrigue within the book world. But the book never hit home for me as the compelling read I was expecting based on the synopsis. I suspect it will have a narrow audience that may be even more narrow due to maintaining so scholarly and deep. I feel like it could have broadened its appeal by providing more engaging narratives and I'm sure this could be done without sacrificing the academic nature of the book.

This isn't a bad book…in fact, it is an excellent book. But it's certainly not going to be for everyone. I'm worried that the publishing and marketing team of this book is going to lose its audience by presenting the book as something it's not. The title, the synopsis, the quotes/blurbs, etc all suggest that you're looking at a literary thriller. If you go into this book looking for an academic thriller from someone like Eco (or the more pulp-fiction version like Brown), you'll come away disappointed. If you go in looking for a scholarly analysis on the Folio, then this book is a masterpiece and will leave you very fulfilled.


3 out of 5 stars


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Review - Peter and the Starcatchers

It's no secret that Peter Pan is one of my favorite children's stories, Disney movies, etc. I've sometimes been told I suffer from Peter Pan syndrome and while I don't know all the ins and outs of what that means, but I definitely have plenty of immature tendencies and am willing to revel in the joys of childhood more than your average stuffy adult. Anyway, when I heard about Peter and the Starcatchers, I was stoked.

This book (the start of a series) is a re-imagining of the Peter Pan story. This book is the story of how Peter became the Peter Pan that we know….how he (and others) got to Neverland. Where the magic came from. How he and Captain Hook became rivals. Basically a new beginning of a new and fresh telling of the Peter Pan adventures.

I had encouraged my two boys to read the book at the same time as me so we could talk about it. Unfortunately, the book starts out a bit slower than they were in the mood for and they both gave up about 40 pages in. Now that I've finished the book, I have encouraged them to push through…letting them know that they are nearly to the point of exciting adventure that goes on nearly non-stop through the end of the book.

The opening few chapters have a lot of character and plot development that is very interesting and creative and even a bit suspenseful, but not very action packed or exciting right away. Granted, as compared to the original Peter Pan story, the opening here is probably more enticing to young readers. :-)

I really had a lot of fun seeing Peter grow into the Peter Pan I know and love. I also loved the way the pirates were portrayed (particularly the Captain)…they were much more violent and repulsive than sometimes portrayed. This made them feel more realistic (and more frightening and threatening).

I thought that the way Peter was transitioned into being Peter Pan was handled very smoothly and made for a natural and fun presentation. It also answered a few of the somewhat ambiguous questions from the general Peter Pan mythos.

The writing style was a lot of fun…dark and creepy at times, witty and humorous at others. For the sake of younger readers (and their 21st century short attention span), it might have been better to have one exciting action scene closer to the beginning. But as an adult reader and one who grew up with slower paced children's stories, I found it perfectly acceptable and I hope I can get my boys to give it a second chance.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to diving deeper into the series to find out what happens next.



4 out of 5 stars

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Review - The Maltese Falcon (book)

The Maltese Falcon is a classic. A definitive entry in the "Noir" or "Hard Boiled" detective genre. Probably Hammet's most well known work. I have very vague memories of watching Humphrey Bogart work his way through this mystery but I haven't seen the film in ages and had forgotten enough that the book was still very fresh to me. Granted, I still plan to pull out the video and watch it again…soon. :)

Like Hammet's other works, this is a gritty crime novel with a less than perfect protagonist. Sam Spade is, to me at least, one of the most famous and most copied/satirized of the detective characters. Even before seeing the movie or reading this book, I had a good feel for who Sam Spade was (though I didn't know him by name) through various cartoons, TV shows and other movies with similar characters. I was surprised to find that this is Spade's only complete novel though he was apparently in a couple other short stories.

The mystery of the book starts out fairly straightforward…Spade is hired to tail a man. That simple presence quickly takes turn after turn and pulls in numerous other shady characters and plots finally resulting in a global conspiracy of sorts.

I loved the simple, gritty and straightforward language of the book. It helped set and maintain the tone throughout the novel. I loved Spade's hard and cynical view on life as well as his approach to investigating and solving this mystery. I also found it interesting that the book never let us get into Spade's head (or anyone else's head for that matter). As far as i could tell, we never had a "Spade thought this" moment. Thus we were left having to try and deduce everyone's inner motivations and thoughts based on their actions and interactions. This made for a lot of fun and helped keep the resolution to the mystery at arm's length while at the same time seemingly presenting us with all of the information we might need to solve the mystery.

The only problem I had with the book was that I didn't want it to end. Don't take that wrong…I was fully satisfied with the ending (which gave even more of an edge to Sam Spade). I just wanted more of the same. I'll definitely have to seek out the other Sam Spade stories and keep reading Hammett. Maltese Falcon is one of those classics that I'm glad I finally read. I'll have to go watch the movie now to see how true it is to the book and the tone/feel of the story. Even if you're not a fan of mysteries or detective stories…give this one a try. I'd be interested to hear what you think.


5 out of 5 stars


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Review - Flygirl

I received an ARC of Flygirl ages ago and let it sit idly on my bookshelf. I procrastinated reading it thinking it was going to be a trite, stereotypically emotional book pounding its message into my head at the expense of good writing and good storytelling. Once I finally picked up the book and started reading, I was dismayed that I'd waited so long to read this book.

In some ways, the story and plot were what I expected to find. A black girl living in the south in mid-1900s…trying to find her own identity while having it constantly defined by those around her (by both whites and blacks). As the title and synopsis indicate, she finds her strongest sense of identity defined by her absolute passion for flying…and especially for the freedom and exhilaration it brings to her.

The synopsis explains that this story is about Ida Mae Jones and what happens when she decides to join the WASP (Women's Airforce Service Pilots). However, the first third of the book is about her life in Slidell, Louisiana. We meet her friends, her family and see a bit of her interactions around town. We also learn about Ida Mae's passion to be a pilot. The writing is smooth and believable and really draws you into what it might have been like to be a young black girl in Louisiana in 1941.

Before long, we are given historical notes about America entering the war and about the sacrifices that people had to make. Finally, we learn about the WASP program and see Ida Mae grapple with the difficult decision of what she should do. As you know from the synopsis, she decides to try out for WASP and she ends up being accepted into the program. But in order to do so, she finds herself needing to "pass" as a white woman. She never explicitly says to anyone that she is white…but she doesn't have to. By dressing herself more "white" and by moving into white circles, she is essentially silently telling people she is no longer "black."

I loved that this book was written in first person. By having it in first person it allowed us to get very close to Ida Mae and to feel her anxieties, her regrets, her successes and her fears. I was very worried for her safety many times through her training and missions…not just because of the military aspect, but because her "passing" would have gotten her into a lot of trouble.

I found this book not only very entertaining but very interesting and educational. It was clear that the author did a lot of research on the era, on the war, on the WASP program and on most everything she shared with us in this novel. I really felt like I was reading about true moments from 1940s America.

My only real problem with the book was how it ended…not that it ended bad, but the position in which it ended. The end of the book leaves Ida Mae with a difficult decision about what to do with her future. And while I felt the author handled the ending very well and had Ida Mae make the decision that best fit her character and her life, I really wanted to know what happened next…in the following months, years, etc. Granted, that sort of speculation would be a hard ending to make and would result in a lot of problems for a writer and a reader. So it's probably best that we're left not knowing what happened next and we're thus left having to assume what happened based on what's presented in our novel and our own knowledge of the history of the times.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick but very engaging read. The history, descriptions, characters, and actions were all vivid, entertaining and thought provoking. While not an action packed war novel, you did feel the anxiety of being in America during World War II as well as the stress and worry of Ida Mae as she struggled to find part of her identity while hiding another part. Even though this is a "young adult" novel due to its young characters and simpler writing/plot style, I found this to be a great read and could recommend it to teens or adults without problem. If you have any interest at all in WWII, black-white relations in the mid-1900s or aviation/air-force and women's place in it, then you'll enjoy this book. And if you don't have much/any interest in those things, I dare say this book may spark some interest for you. It's well written and very accessible even if you know nothing about those topics…and it's interesting enough that you may just find yourself wanting to know more.


3.5 out of 5 stars


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Review - Batman: The Killing Joke

I've been a fan of Batman for as long as I can remember but only really via TV Shows, cartoons and movies. I never really got into the monthly comic book scene and haven't picked up many superhero graphic novels. But I've seen The Killing Joke sitting on the store and library shelves for a long while and it kept calling to me...until I finally read it.

Of the Batman villains, my favorite is the Riddler. Mostly this is due to my own penchant for riddles, puzzles, codes and random mind games. However, close behind Riddler's methods of toying with Batman, my next favorite antagonist is the Joker. Thus having the entire cover devoted to him, really made me eager to read this. Add to that the writing of Alan Moore and I was stoked to get into this.

Apparently the original novel had much less color (mostly black and white, from what I understand) but the one I read was the "remastered" (that's the term for movies...does it apply to books?) version with cleaned up art and color.

I really enjoyed the art style. It was a little greusome at times and there were a couple of scenes that I would have prefered a little less "graphic" in the graphic novel.

The story was very fast paced and the writing very tight. Rather than the long back stories and explanations from something like Watchmen or V for Vendetta, this book just jumped right through all the hoops and presented the story with clean, concise movements that kept the plot jolting forward.

Probably my favorite part in the whole book was during the actual joke at the end. The joke itself was alright, but having Batman give a half smirk really just cracked me up. The stoic, withdrawn Batman who never reveals his humanity let himself emit a small sense of appreciation at the Joker's joke. Not a laugh or a giggle...more just a slight exhale with even slighter motion at the corners of his lips, but enough to see Batman's humanity.

For Batman lovers, this is a fun book. It's definitely not for kids (violence, language and covered/implied nudity) but for the more mature Batman crowd, this is an enjoying read.


3.5 out of 5 stars


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Review - Jacob T. Marley

We all know the story of Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol, right? Well, this new book tells the story of Jacob T. Marley both before and after he met Scrooge as well as what happened after he died and his side of the story familiar to us in A Christmas Carol.

When I first this book, I was a little nervous and unsure how good it would be. In recent years, there has been a wealth of books acting as sequels, prequels or retelling of classic tales (how many new versions of Pride and Prejudice do we really need?). Obviously with so much content coming out, there are both gems and stinkers. I went into this novel cautiously optimistic.

Within the first couple of pages I quickly became relieved that this book looked to be a winner. The style, tone and very language felt VERY reminiscent of Dickens' writing in his original work. There were naturally some snippets of modern vernacular but for the most part, I felt as though I was fully engaged in a piece of classic Victorian literature. The way the narrative was presented was very similar to the layout and presentation of Dickens' work and thus it felt like a very natural companion piece.

I will say that some of the segments were a bit more intense than those from A Christmas Carol. These weren't horrific or modernly grotesque by any means and would have naturally appeared other novels of the time (in fact they would have fit in naturally in some of Dickens other works) but they felt more intense than scenes from the original work. I won't call out specific details because I don't want to spoil the story…I'll just say that the 'fire rescue' scene struck me as slightly more intense than I would expect in the Christmas Carol story.

The first half of the book focused on Jacob's life up until his death. We get to see how his own greed developed, paralleled Scrooge and even mentored and shaped Scrooge into what he became. I really enjoyed the vivid backstory and well-rounded presentation of Marley's life. In the same way that Scrooge is an initially unlovable character, Marley is also very repulsive through the first half of this book.

As Marley dies, we are taken into an interesting new twist in the layout of the story. Instead of merely jumping ahead to Scrooge's experience on that fateful Christmas Eve, we first get to see into Marley's afterlife and the years between his death and his reappearance to Scrooge in the Dickens novel.

The presentation of Marley's afterlife is not overtly religious (there's a brief reference to "Him") but presents a lot of religious ideals. In A Christmas Carol, Dickens outlines Scrooge's numerous vices and presents counterpoints to him through the visions he sees. In this book, Jacob Marley engages in a conversation with a Spirit not present in the first book. Marley and this Spirit talk about the nature of humanity, morality, love, choice and other virtues. Their discussion felt natural and logical to the story while still definitely teaching a more profound message.

By the end of their conversation, Marley's remorse has extended into a hope for reconciliation not for himself (who he believes too far gone) but for Ebenezer Scrooge. Marley blames himself for leading Scrooge farther down the path that will lead to his eternal damnation. Marley pleads for the opportunity to help redeem Scrooge but first he must serve some of his own penance through wandering the earth with the chains of his own working.

After many years of wandering, Jacob Marley finally arrives at the crossroads we are all familiar with…his visit to Scrooge and the subsequent visits of the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future. At this point, I expected the book to skip ahead or onto some parallel path rather than to let Marley share the journey with Scrooge. I was surprised to find that Marley was invited, even compelled, to travel with the ghosts and Scrooge (invisible to Scrooge, of course) to learn more about the nature of love, compassion, joy and goodness.

I really enjoyed seeing this aspect of the story through a different perspective. The side discussions between Marley and the various ghosts were also very fun and interesting and provided more insight. When Scrooge talked with the Ghosts, he was still caught up in his own greed, pride and humanity. When Marley spoke with the Ghosts, he did so with the insight of a soul long dead and already striving for his own redemption. As such, the commentary was more overt and direct.

Given the choice between the two books, I would probably read A Christmas Carol instead of Jacob T. Marley…but truly they are both very quick reads and great companion pieces to each other, so I think my preference would actually be to read both of them.

I am thoroughly impressed by this addition to the Christmas tradition. Bennett did a great job capturing the tone and feel of Dickens' classic work. Furthermore, he took the opportunity to expound on the wonderful lessons and emotions that we should share and teach at Christmastime. I found myself absolutely enjoying this book and eagerly recommending it to others. A fun and edifying read.


4.5 out of 5 stars

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Review - Doc: A Novel

I enjoy the stories of the "wild west" and early American expansionism but I am far from being historically knowledgable. I have a lot of fun with a good western movie and as a kid I ran around playing Cowboys and Indians (I know it's not the "politically correct" term, but that's what we called it). I knew a little about Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday and the rest, but what I knew came from myths, legends and a couple of movies (I absolutely loved Val Kilmer's portrayal). I've hiked up to Doc Holliday's grave in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. I don't know a lot of details about the Wild West beyond what I've seen in movies, but I am very intrigued by the stories and adventures.

I was intrigued by this biopic novel "Doc: A Novel" and excited get a copy from Amazon Vine. I was stoked to get to know a bit more about this enigmatic character. The author, Mary Doria Russell, apparently did a considerable amount of research, not only into the myths and legends surrounding Doc Holliday but also into family histories, letters, journals and other resources to get a more personal view into Doc. While the novel contains a number of fictionalized events and interactions, it is grounded in fact and works to provide an intriguing picture of how Doc may have acted and interacted in the Wild West.

The style of the novel was interesting. It was divided into sections which were labeled according to the different segments of a hand of cards (the shuffle, the ante, the deal, etc) and each section of the book built on the previous sections accordingly. The writing also played with the assumption that the readers knew at least something of Doc Holliday. As such, the book not only foreshadowed certain events but explicitly called to attention some events in Doc's life (such as the fact that he would die of tuberculosis or that he'd be involved in a shootout at the O.K. Corral).

The book follows Doc's life from birth to death. The accounts of his childhood starts with the interesting historical insight into his birth with a cleft palette and the experimental remedy to help him. We learn about early dentistry. We learn about Doc's passion for learning and music. He was still very young when he exhibited the symptoms of tuberculosis and he moved West with the hope that the drier climate would do him good.

He moves around briefly before we find the setting of the majority of the book: Dodge City, Kansas. By then he's met his companion Kate and found himself very adept at cards. He meets the Earp brothers, Bat Masterson and others. He works hard to get a dental practice up and running while still making most of his money through gambling.

Rather than being a simple biography outlining events in Doc's life, the novel sets up a fun little fictional mystery involving Wyatt Earp, a large amount of borrowed money, a crooked card player, and a murder. This particular plot arc is subtly woven throughout the center of the book. While it's definitely not the heart of the novel, it is the one main story arc that stays alive the longest and it is interesting enough to do so in a natural fashion.

As a side note, from a content standpoint, this book would receive an "R" rating for language, violence and suggestive situations….with most of that being due to language. Cursing is pervasive in the book and at many points it was a bit abrasive for my tastes. The violence was actually fairly minimal, especially considering the setting. And I was actually relieved to find the "suggestive situations" to be fairly minimal as well and definitely not explicit or overt…which again was surprising considering the presence of brothels and of the sexually free nature of Doc's girlfriend Kate.

Personally, I really enjoyed each of the shorter vignettes that make up the overall book. The characters and stories are very vivid and fun. Their personalities are distinctive and interesting and made for a very fun read. I especially loved the demeanor of Doc. He's presented as being so smooth and unflappable. He's very knowledgable and superior to those around him and yet he is filled with respect and humility which he freely gives to anyone until they prove themselves unworthy of it.

I still don't know the distinction between fact and fiction, but I have a better picture for Doc Holliday and, even though I know it's fictionalized, it feels very 3-dimensional and realistic. The course language and content make it hard for me to recommend this to everybody. If the language were toned down a bit, I might rate it higher. If you've got a passion or even just a strong interest for the Wild West or Doc Holliday, you will likely enjoy this novel.


3.5 out of 5 stars


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Review - The Man in the Iron Mask (book)

First I must admit that even though I've seen a few movie renditions, this is the first time I've read The Man in the Iron Mask. Furthermore, this is the first book I've read by Dumas…and it is kind of a strange place to start considering this is the ending of one of his famous series.

The first thing I noticed about the writing was that it was VERY detailed. Not only in terms of descriptions but also in terms of the character and political development. I quickly found myself overwhelmed with dozens of names, roles and relationships (personal and political) throughout France and neighboring countries. It was dizzying to try to keep them all straight, especially considering a number of similar names as well as the habit of referring to some people by different names at different times (sometimes by their common name, sometimes by their political/professional title). After a while, I sank in and was able to keep at least the principal characters straight. and I got caught up in the intriguing machinations that were unfolding.

Having seen two movie versions, I felt like I had a good feel for what to expect from the plot. However, it quickly became apparent that the movie versions I've seen (and from what I can tell, this is true of most of the movie versions out there) are rather different from the novel.

Interestingly, the story of the "man in the iron mask" is only a small portion of the overall plot of this particular book. And that plot segment unravels itself through the first third of the book and then disappears completely. In the movie versions, the way the "iron mask" plot ends is strikingly different from what happens in the book. The remaining half+ of the book has nothing to do with the "man in the iron mask" (except for the consequences of the plot) and instead follows the famous musketeers to the ends of their careers/lives.

It was still adventurous and a lot of fun…but was different from what I expected. So, now that I know that I shouldn't compare the book to the movie at all, and feeling more comfortable with the characters and plot…I am able to look back over the book as a whole in an entirely different light.

As I said, the writing was very detailed. In some cases it felt like the details were a littler superfluous and over the top, but mostly I found it very immersive to be provided with that level of detail. Some of the characters felt a bit stereotypical but the main characters were unique and intriguing. They had significant depth which provided them with believable motivations to their various actions and dialog. The one exception I saw was the prince in the scene where he was anticipating D'Artangan's every action. We had previously been given to expect the prince to be incapable of strategic planning or foresight and suddenly we find him anticipating the motivations and reactions of a thoughtful and strategic man. To me, that was a bit of a stretch. I can discount it a bit based on the other character who was feeding the prince with various ideas and can thus attribute the insight to this other character (being vague to try and avoid spoilers).

I really found myself enjoying the overall story. The "man in the iron mask" portion was very interesting and fun. I was shocked to see it end so different from the movies, but it felt more natural and believable. Then to have so much adventure after that plot arc, I had a ton of fun. While the intrigue and machinations of carrying out the "iron mask" plot were fun and intriguing, I'd heard/scene them so often that they became commonplace. Thus, the adventure that happened after the "iron mask" was fresh to me and that made it so much more fun.

Overall I will admit that, if this book is any indication, Dumas is a heavy read. This book was filled with very detailed accounts of places, people, politics and other comings and goings of France. This was both a joy and a hindrance at times. There were moments when I felt bogged down by the text, but mostly I really enjoyed the vivid experience and the immense detail I was given. I probably should have started with the first book in the series ("The Three Musketeers") but I was familiar enough with the characters that it worked out all right. Even though he's a heavy read that took me a while to get through, I will definitely seek out and read more Dumas in the future.


4 out of 5 stars


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Review - The Throne of Fire

The Throne of Fire is the second book in Riordan's 'Kane Chronicles' series. Similar to his Percy Jackson series, this book follows the life of kids with a connection to a magical mythical past…in this case, the world of Egyptian gods and goddesses.

As in the first novel in the series, this book alternates narrators between brother and sister Sadie and Carter Kane. The first book was more a book of discovery and introduction to the world. They learned about their ties to Egyptian past and their abilities to wield magic through their ties to the House of Life.

This second book takes us on a new journey of adventure in which the Kanes are hunted both by human magicians from the House of Life (who are against magicians aligning themselves with the gods) and from the Egyptian gods and goddesses who are trying to free Apophis, the ancient lord of Chaos who will destroy the world.

In the previous book, Carter and Sadie were serving as vessels for the gods Horus and Isis. In this book, they still have links to those gods but no longer posses their essence/skill. Thus, the young novices are in even more dire straits than before. Fortunately they have allies willing to help them, but only to an extent. Even with the help of some minor gods, the Kanes still have to do a lot of the heavy work themselves.

There are also strange moments of romantic tension in the book. Carter is pining after the co-starring heroine from the first book (Zia) and Sadie is caught in a love triangle between the god Anubis and a mortal magician she's training. Carter is a little older than Sadie (I think he's 14 and she's 13 in this book), but they still seem a little young to be having so many romantic thoughts…especially in the middle of a world-ending crisis. I guess moments of intensity can lead to intense emotions, but the romantic longings still felt misplaced. Fortunately they weren't terribly overt.

I still find this series a bit slower read than the Percy Jackson series but at the same time it's a bit more interesting and educational since I know less about the Egyptian mythos. I really enjoy the alternate voices of Carter and Sadie. They are both sarcastic and witty but they also have distinct tones and reactions, which makes the narrative deeper and more engaging. I also had a lot of fun with some of the new characters introduced to the mix (the god Bes was very funny).

I found the adventure/plot of this book more intriguing than that of The Red Pyramid. Looking back at the Red Pyramid, that plot from a high level is very much boilerplate adventure. While this second book still has a lot of standard tropes or cliches from adventure novels, the method of execution felt more fresh and engaging and left me enjoying this book more than the first.


4 out of 5 stars

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Review - The Death Cure

I've been looking forward to The Death Cure since I finished The Scorch Trials last year. I have a love/hate relationship with series books like this. I love the added depth and intrigue they bring…I hate it when I'm reading a series that's still being written because then I have to wait for the author to release the next book. :)

This is the third and final book in The Maze Runner series (although a prequel has just been announced). I suppose you could jump in mid-stream but I certainly wouldn't recommend it. There's just too much backstory from the first too books, plus you don't want to deprive yourself of those great adventures.

I'm really a sucker for the new trend in dystopian novels. I have a lot of fun with a hero trying to do all he/she can to not only make the best of a bad situation but to somehow overcome the hopeless and pitiful state of the world.

In this book we are taken to a dramatic conclusion as Thomas and his friends from the Glade try to make sense of the world around them and somehow continue the fight not only for survival but for a future worth living. I loved the line written on the cover: "The time for lies is over." Both of the first two books were filled with so much deceit and confusion that throughout this entire book I still found myself questioning what to believe. Even as events unfolded, I wasn't entirely sure what was real and what might still be a subterfuge.

This book and series pose a lot of questions through the plot and the characters. What is truth? What is good? Can the ends justify the means in any situation? Even in WICKED situations? Who can you trust? Can you trust yourself? I loved the way these questions were explored in depth but never answered definitively…rather, the reader is left to ponder on them and to come to an individual judgment call.

I found the ending of a book a little bit contrived and just slightly disappointing. While I can agree that the ending works, I think I was hoping for just a bit more. Especially after all of the buildup. I think part of the reason this ending may have fallen flat is that I have recently finished up another series that had an ending that was strikingly similar in the way things played out. Don't get me wrong…I'm not crying "foul" (and certainly not implying plagiarism). I honestly think the ending is fine…but I personally wanted more. Though as I think on it, with all of the many problems to unravel in this book, I would be hard pressed to come up with an ending that works as well as this one does…let alone to propose something that might work better.

In the end, I really enjoyed this series and was sad to see it end. I was super excited to hear that a prequel is in the works…not only because it allows me to re-enter Dashner's world but also because by being a prequel it will allow for more focus on those hard questions and provide more insight into how and why decisions were made.

As far as recommendations, I really enjoyed this book and can recommend the series. I will warn readers that the series grows more dark and violent with each book. So if you read the first one and find that some of the concepts are too intense for you, I would suggest you brace yourself before diving into books 2 and 3. But if you enjoy dystopia and/or a good thrilling adventure with a lot of twists and turns, then give this a try.



4 out of 5 stars

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