Heretic

/ justbookreading / Leave a comment

Heretic

Heretic

By Bernard Cornwell

HarperCollins Publishers

ISBN: 0-06-053049-9

4 stars

Heretic is the final book in the Grail series by Cornwell. It picks up where Vagabond left off.

Thomas is fighting in Calais when he decides to continue his search for the Grail. He takes a small band of mercenaries to France where he believes his cousin, who is also hunting the Grail, may be and captures a small village. He rides out looting neighboring settlements attempting to lure his cousin to him. Once again, a woman becomes the root of his troubles.

On taking over the village, he pardons a woman being held captive in the castle who was named a heretic by the local priests and refuses to burn her at the stake. He falls for her, and so does one his men who is also a good friend, and it becomes a dividing point between the two. Before he has the opportunity the fight his cousin, he’s fighting his own men and being cast out as a heretic himself. It’s devastating for him but he still doesn’t give up the search, wondering about god’s plan and his own place in the world.

I flew through this book. For some reason, I needed to know what happened to Thomas. During this series, he gets captured several times, hung, tortured, becomes a leader, falls in and out of love, loses his faith, and finds it again. While I did feel a tinge of sorrow for him, he didn’t let you down. He was so driven to find his cousin and keep him from the Grail and, while his quest was single minded, he wasn’t and that made him very likable.

This book, as with all three in this series, is violent. Deaths are described in graphic detail as well as a few torture scenes. It’s not for the fainthearted. If you’re the type of reader that will skip disturbing scenes, that might not work in this book. You’d end up skipping so much that you’d miss a good portion of the book. It’s these battles and hard to read scenes that make these characters as good as they are. Cornwell has a way with warfare — it’s very real, sad, dirty, and disgusting. It does make the series what it is though.

The Sunday Salon: Snowed In

/ justbookreading / Leave a comment

For once, the weather forecast was right. We got snow! About 16 inches which is a lot for Washington, DC.

One good thing — lots of reading. Well, actually, that would be a good thing if I did that but instead we spent most of it outside. I plan to bake some cookies and wrap gifts later today (just call me Martha) so probably not much reading today either.

I was hoping to finish two books this week but parties, shopping, and the snow sort of took over. I’m still trying to decide if I want to finish Powers by John B. Olson. I have about 100 pages to go but it lost my attention around page 99. I put it to the side and picked up Into the Path of Gods by Kathleen Cunningham Guler. It’s fine but not moving too fast for me. I was excited to read both of these — I won both on Librarything; one is an early reviewers copy and the other is a member giveaway. I put off reading them a bit but thought I’d finish them up before the end of the year. I guess it remains to be seen whether or not I actually do that. With the holiday later in the week, a long car trip, and lots of family and friends to visit, it will most likely be a hectic week with minimal reading.

Since I don’t have much to report on the reading front. I thought I’d share a few snow pictures instead. Enjoy your Sunday.

Booking Through Thursday on Friday

/ justbookreading / 2 Comments

Booking Through Thursday asks – What do you think of speed-reading? Is it a good way to get through a lot of books, or does the speed-reader miss depth and nuance? Do you speed-read? Is some material better suited to speed-reading than others?

The BBT question went up late yesterday so I didn’t get a chance to participate. I thought I’d put something up today since I so enjoy these questions.

No, I don’t speed read. I’m a pretty speedy reader and have been known to finish a book in one day but if it’s a book I’m loving, I try to slow down and savor the ride.

I think speed reading has a place and will admit to doing it at work when I need to get through things on my desk. The problem with speed reading, at least for me, is that I don’t always remember what I read and I like to remember what I read so I don’t do it often. I also think it takes more concentration to speed read. I feel I have to focus more so I can take the words in and have them mean something to me in the end instead of being a blur of words on a page. It takes away the fun of reading for me. Although, at work, sometimes it pays to read fast because no matter what you do, it won’t be fun reading and it’s just best to get it out of the way fast. 🙂

So, my answer is no, I’m not a huge fan. It’s the little quirks in books that I adore. You miss so much when you fly by instead is take the long route.

When to Call It Quits

/ justbookreading / 3 Comments

I started a book earlier in the week and and I’m having trouble finishing it. The writing is all right but the characters are not. They’re not even likable. I’m about 270 pages in. It’s a 370 page book and I’ve been skimming since page 100. I want to finish it because I promised a review and I don’t feel I can really give it a proper review if I haven’t finished it. But, to be honest, I don’t think my review will be all that positive either way. I was very excited to get this book but I’m not liking it and that sort of makes me sad.

I gave in and started another book last night with the intention of going back to finish it another time — my theory being that I just need a break from it. I only read about 20 pages of the new book but so far it has more potential which means I’m probably done with the other one. (Side note: I’m usually a one book reader. I sometimes read more than one book at a time, but I also notice that I do that when I’m not particularly interested in the current book I’m reading.)

I have a relatively high tolerance point. I usually go about 250 pages before quitting. I guess I’m hopeful that I might find its redeeming quality if I keep going but I don’t enjoy feeling annoyed while I’m reading and that’s where I am right now.

So, when do you call it quits?

Vagabond

/ justbookreading / 2 Comments

Vagabond

Vagabond

By Bernard Cornwell

HarperCollins Publishers

ISBN: 0-06-621080-1

4 stars

Vagabond is the second book in the Grail series by Cornwell. It picks up after the final battle in The Archer’s Tale.

Thomas, an archer in the English army, is searching for the Holy Grail. He’s not sure if he believes it exists, and his friend and traveling companion, Father Hobbes, keeps reminding him of the promise he made to his dying father which involved another holy relic.

Most of France is under siege by the English and it’s not safe to be traveling for Thomas, Father Hobbes, and Eleanor, Thomas’s soon to be wife. They run into a band of English soldiers who are very interested in the treasure he is seeking. He soon finds himself back in an archer line and, during the battle, both Father Hobbes and Eleanor are killed by another group seeking the Grail. Wrought with grief, he finds new determination. He plans on hunting down the ruthless murderers and exacting revenge for Eleanor’s life.

I liked The Archer’s Tale, the first in the series, but didn’t get into it much. Vagabond moved much faster for me and I began liking Thomas instead of feeling sorry for him. There was still a lot to feel sorry for, but he becomes stronger and more determined which made him much more likable.

It’s a true quest book. Thomas is forever walking somewhere and somehow always seems to find himself in an archer line. He gets closer to the Grail with each fight and deals with an enormous amount a guilt along the way. People around him constantly die and you expect him to give up at any moment.

It’s a violent story. The life of an archer and man-at-arms is not clean, fun, or healthy but it makes for good reading. Cornwell has a way of clearly and very realistically describing battles, sword fights, and the damage an English bow can do. It’s not for the squeamish.

Teaser Tuesdays

/ justbookreading / 16 Comments

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. The idea is to give everyone a look inside the book you’re reading.

1.) Grab your current read

2.) Open to a random page

3.) Share two teaser sentences from that page

4.) Share the title and author so that other participants know what you’re reading.

Be careful not to include spoilers. You don’t want to ruin the book for others!

My teaser this week —

He waded into a mound of flowering vines. The perfume of the flowers clashed violently with the stench of stagnant water.

Powers by John. B. Olson, page 221.

A teaser for me too this week. I’m only about 100 pages in.

Powers

Star Trek: The Great Adventures, Book 1

/ justbookreading / 2 Comments

Star Trek: The Great Adventures, Book 1

Star Trek: The Great Adventures, Book 1

Adapted by James Blish

Bantam Books

ISBN: 0-553-12591-5

4 stars

I want to start off by saying that to really enjoy these Star Trek books, you need to be a fan or have at least watched the original series by Gene Roddenberry. It’s assumed you’re familiar with the characters and their personalities, and that you will willingly suspend disbelief from beginning to end.

It’s a collection of seven short stories and each is an episode with the requisite crisis and the no name guy who always dies on the away mission. Aliens and new planets abound and Spock and McCoy are still at odds. Kirk, good old Kirk. He’s the ladies man, the no nonsense captain, and the last word on the Enterprise. And, bonus, he sounds like William Shatner in my head thanks to the show!

Here’s what I liked best about these books besides being the fun and quick reads that they are — the tag lines on each which I plan to share because they’re amusing.

Book 1 – Seven tales of intergalactic intrigue

Book 2 – The ultimate trip to worlds beyond

Book 3 – Seven eerie excursions

Book 4 – Dazzling exploits by the dynamic crew of the Enterprise

Book 5 – More thrilling adventures

Well, the fifth is not as entertaining but each title made me giggle and the artwork on each is so retro with floating heads and cheesy moons that it screams Star Trek. I’m finding these short tales very fun and a great little treat for lunch time and train reading. As a side note, in book 3, The Trouble with Tribbles episode makes an appearance. I can’t wait.

Star Trek: The Great Adventures, Book 2

Star Trek: The Great Adventures, Book 3

Star Trek: The Great Adventures, Book 4

Star Trek: The Great Adventures, Book 5

The Sunday Salon: Under the Wire

/ justbookreading / 1 Comment

So, a little late today. I goofed off pretty much all day and, yes, I enjoyed it. I slept late, read the paper, had a nice brunch, did a little shopping, took a nap (I need to fit more of these in!), and read a book. It was a good day all around.

I had a decent reading week too. I finished two books by Bernard Cornwell, Vagabond and Heretic, and with these books finished up the Grail series. I enjoyed the last two books in the series much more than the first and hope to have reviews up later this week. I read The Taker and the Keeper by Wim Coleman and Pat Perrin today. It’s a young adult book and a fairly entertaining, fast read. I hope to get in a few pages of Powers by John B. Olson tonight too.

While making my way through the paper today, I came across the book section. My paper got rid of the section earlier this year and just includes reviews as part of the style section now so if felt like a real treat. It was a best of 2009 list. I found a lot of books to add to my list and a few I didn’t agree with at all but you can’t make everyone happy. 🙂 It also got me thinking about what I’ve read this year and what I liked and didn’t. I believe this will be turning into a post later in the week.

Now that we’re approaching the end of the year, I always find myself putting together lists — books I liked, didn’t, and what I plan to read next year. How about you? Are you a list maker too? Please don’t tell me I’m the only one out there…