Fantasy

Teaser Tuesdays

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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.

Play along: Grab your current read; Open to a random page; Share two teaser sentences from that page; Share the title and author so other participants know what you’re reading.

Today I’m starting The Magician King by Lev Grossman.

“Quentin rode a gray horse with white socks named Dauntless. He wore black leather boots up to his knees, different-colored stockings, and a long navy-blue topcoat that was richly embroidered with seed pearls and silver thread.” (page 3)

Review – A Storm of Swords

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A Storm of Swords

By George RR Martin

Bantam Spectra (Random House)

eISBN: 9780553897876

5 stars

Dear Mr. Martin:

You are the Maester.

Sincerely,

Amy @ Just Book Reading

I held out for months.  I argued with myself about when to read this book.  Start it now!  No, save it for vacation.  I came close to the vacation timeline giving in a few days before.  I wanted time to savor and oh, did I savor.

Spoiler rule is in effect from here on out. It’s book three in a proposed seven book series. I see no other way to write this review without a few spoilers here and there but I’ll do my best to keep it somewhat vague.  But, you’ve been warned.

Stannis Baratheon is in retreat; defeated at King’s Landing by the combined forces of the Lannisters and Tyrells.  Joffrey Baratheon is now sitting on the iron throne, something very few people wanted to see.  Tyrion Lannister is recovering from injuries sustained at the King’s Landing battle and has lost all the power he once held.  Robb Stark is deep in problems of his own; now looking to appease House Frey after backing out of an arranged marriage.  Jaime Lannister is on the road as a hostage of Brienne of Barth; a pawn to get Catelyn Stark’s daughters, Sansa and Arya, back.  Sansa is finally out of Joffrey’s line of torture but she holds little hope for happiness.  And Arya, poor Arya, is still running toward Riverrun.  A host of wildings is marching toward the Wall and questions about John Snow’s loyalties dog him. And in the West, Daenerys Targaryen is making her move to take control of the Iron Throne.

At times, I found myself wondering how this story was going to continue because Martin is a man unafraid of killing off his characters.  I mean it. He’ll kill anyone!  A Song of Ice and Fire is already a monster when it comes to character lists and he’s killing off and adding on like no one’s business.  OK, maybe it’s his business, but anyway.  My point — I don’t want new characters, I want these characters.  Truthfully, I was happy to see a few go but it was still brutal. Also, there’s something to be said for the pace at which these books move and Martin’s ability to keep readers tied to the page through all the drama is utterly amazing. And drama there is. Not one character gets off easy, even the minor ones that at some point you forgot about manage to find their way back in to the story making you wonder where he’s actually going with all this.

It’s difficult to describe these books adequately because of the scope.  There’s so much going on — every Lannister, Stark, Baratheon is in deep.  There were times when I wanted to put the book down because it was all too much but I couldn’t.  I needed to know what would happen.  I had to stop myself from buying the next two books knowing I need to pace myself.  The emotional toll is too much and I don’t want to find myself wanting more and find one day there are no more books.  This will happen soon enough.  I don’t want to bring on the end too soon.

I haven’t bought the fourth book, A Feast for Crows, but I will soon. I won’t be able to hold out that much longer. The fate of a few characters has me wondering where Martin is going with all this. I was late to this series, but if you’ve haven’t read them yet, consider it. You won’t be sorry.

Today’s Book – is not actually a book but don’t hold that against me

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Cuz it’s about a book!  Yes, I realize you’ll all be very tired soon of hearing about how wonderful George RR Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire series is but this I needed to share.  It’s an editorial that appeared in The New York Times on September 7, 2011 titled – Trapped in a Tapestry of Ice and Fire.

I love that this is an editorial about a book.  *Love it.* This makes me happy.  I would go on about the deeper meaning of this being an editorial about a fantasy book in the paper of record, or talk about the people who bemoan that we’ve stopped reading, blah, blah, blah.  But I seem to have met my match in a germ making the rounds so that’s all I have that’s coherent.  Go ahead and read.  And, if this doesn’t make sense, don’t hold it against me.  Blame the nasty germs.

The Sunday Salon – Do you listen when the universe tries to tell you something?

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One day last week I attempted to make coffee and the machine broke.  I decided it was the universe’s way of telling me to curtail my caffeine intake.  I had herbal tea instead.

I walk to work, and while I usually don’t notice anyone on the street, (I once walked past my own husband.  True story.) I keep seeing this person walking and reading.  This person has been reading George RR Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series.  It started a few months ago with A Game of Thrones, moved on to A Clash of Kings, then A Storm of Swords, and now A Feast for Crows.  At first I didn’t think much of it other than to marvel at this person’s ability to walk and read at the same time.  I could get so much more reading in if I was able to do this!  Sadly, I would probably end up covered in bruises and a regular in the emergency room for minor injuries from not watching where I’m going.  I’m the face of clumsy if you must know.  The reason I mention this is that I’m trying to hold off on finishing the last two books available to me.  Knowing it takes Martin years to finish a book, I don’t want to be left waiting longer than necessary for all seven books in the series.

Later that same day I go to pick up lunch and after ordering, I move off to the side to wait and what do I see but the same person sitting at a table once more reading A Feast for Crows.

I think this is the universe’s way of telling me A Feast for Crows should be my next book.  We’ll see how it goes.

Reading anything good this holiday weekend?

Happy Sunday.

Review – Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter

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Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter

By Seth Grahame-Smith

Grand Central Publishing

ISBN: 978-0-446-56308-6

3.5 stars

This is the last mashup I plan to read.  Of course, when I make statements like that, something always happens to change my mind.  I don’t particularly dislike this new…what are we calling this anyway?  The reason I say this is because, honestly, I’ve had enough.  Vampires and zombies, it’s been fun but I need to see others.

In Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter, we meet Abe.  Abe is a young man with dreams, ambition, and a life on the brink of change when his family comes in contact with a strange and powerful man.  It’s those powers that cause his mother’s early death and his pastoral life becomes hell.  Real hell when he finds out that vile creatures of myth actually exist.  After the painful death of his mother, he vows to rid the world of the pestilence known as the undead.  On a reckless hunt, Abe is injured and comes to meet a man named Henry who teaches him not only about vampires but how to kill them.  Taking the knowledge to heart, Abe begins to kill all the vampires he can becoming one of the most powerful vampire hunters in the U.S.  It’s then that Henry asks even more of him — to become President to help rid the U.S. of vampires that would like to see all humans becomes their eventual slaves.

The story is told by a writer who has been given a secret journal, and provided he tell the true tale of Abraham Lincoln letting no information slip as to the contents of his manuscript and where the information came from, he will finally find fame as a writer.  It’s an interesting concept, BUT, I couldn’t see it.  It was highly readable; in fact, I read it pretty much in one sitting.  The problem is that it wasn’t a complete buy-in for me.  In Pride & Prejudice & Zombies, I was OK with Elizabeth Bennett kicking zombie ass because she’s tough, smart, and can be calculating.  Also, it was funny.  In Sense & Sensibility & Sea Monsters, I was willing to be taken for a ride and somehow I was all right with Marianne battling giant squids.  This felt lost in translation for me.  I kept reading wondering where the joke was but it was all too somber — Abe having nightmares about his family dying, his own horrific death, the Civil War being fought by vampires.  It needed something funny to make it work but it wasn’t there.  It was all so serious and I couldn’t take it that way.  It was Abraham Lincoln, the man who managed against all odds to keep the Union together, fighting vampires.  There should be a joke in there somewhere!

I can’t say I didn’t like it and I can’t say I liked it.  There’s already a lot out there on this one and I’m going to leave it at that.  If you like vampire books, it’s interesting but not entirely satisfying.  If you like mashups, it’s one more for the stack.

Today’s Book – The Magician King by Lev Grossman

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Lately, all my today’s book posts have been about additions to my TBR.  The list is getting long…not that I’m complaining. 🙂

Today’s book is The Magician King by Lev Grossman. I read the first book in the series, The Magicians, liked it, actually rated it high but also had some issues with it.  Overall, I thought it was well done and the snarkiness that held me back from loving it seemed, well, plain snarky of me to use it as a major reason to dislike of the book in general.

First, don’t you love the cover?  Cover lover that I am, it made me want to run out and buy it for that reason alone.

Second, I love a good fantasy, and though the snarky attitude I mentioned earlier** bothered me some, the fantasy was still strong and really, who doesn’t love a fantasy book set at a boarding school?

** OK, I know part of this book was a take on other fantasy novels (Harry Potter, Narnia, Lord of the Rings to name three) but the issues the author had and the way he poked fun at the other worlds annoyed me because without those previously mentioned books, he wouldn’t be writing his own set of fantasy novels.  Toss all the stones you want but make sure you aren’t doing it inside your glass house.  Just sayin’.

Anyway, moving on.  If you’re interested, here’s the book’s site.  It doesn’t give you much but you can enjoy gawking at the covers.

Review – Child of the Northern Spring

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Child of the Northern Spring

By Persia Woolley

Source Books

ISBN: 9781402245244

4 stars

Guinevere, a young woman barely 18 years-old and while a strong and intelligent person, she’s out of her element when it comes to practices of the court.  The chosen bride of the newly minted King Arthur, she’s leaving her father and the only home she’s ever known to meet him and prepare to be his wife and queen.  Their first meeting a few years prior to the marriage arrangement left her interested but not fully convinced she was the right woman for him.  Without a better marriage offer and wanting to protect her homeland, she undertakes the journey to become his partner.

Arthur and Guinevere’s match is a good one — they’re both strong people and have an affinity for each other.  When the Saxons, always a threat to the country at this time, decide to attack, Arthur moves his armies to meet them and they both find out what it means to be king and queen and husband and wife.

I prefer Arthurian legend stories with a touch of historical reality rather than magic.  There is some magic in Child of the Northern Spring but it’s more in the form of religion and gods which is fine.  Merlin does make an appearance and there are moments when he calls down the gods and their wrath and the same can be said for Arthur’s sister, Morgan.  I’m all right with magic in that capacity though.  For as much as I adore fantasy, I don’t always like it mixed with my Arthur and Guinevere.  Go figure.

This book does move slowly and is told in more flashbacks than I felt necessary but it provides a nice background and history for Guinevere and who she is as a person.  I like that she isn’t a meek woman in this story and even though she’s unsure of herself, some of that is due to her age and that she’s never lived at court or even ran her father’s household after the death of her mother.  It’s a lack of confidence and she begins to gain more at the end of the book.

Child of the Northern Spring is the first in the Guinevere trilogy and with my ability to never walk away from a series, especially one that involves Arthur and Guinevere, I see myself reading more.  If you enjoy Arthurian legend, this one is worth a look.