Friday, August 29, 2008

Acheron - Sherrilyn Kenyon

Acheron
Sherrilyn Kenyon
St. Martin's Press
Copyright: August 2008
9780312362157

The most recent book in Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunter series, this is the story of Acheron, one of the characters that shows up in all of the books but Fantasy Lover. He's been a mystery to the readers from day one.

Who is he? What happened to him? What is he? Why does he hate Artemis so, and yet keep returning to her, and what hold does she have over him? We've been given hints about Acheron through all the books, leading to the above list of questions, which are answered in this book. Finally.

Acheron is also the longest book in the series to date, with 736 pages. It's also quite different from the typical Dark Hunter story. Where the others start in the present day, and we learn about the character through flashbacks, Acheron starts with the main character's birth and works forward, until it finally jumps into the present day.

To be honest, this wasn't my favourite book in the series, that being held equally by Unleash the Night and Night Play, but especially the latter present day half of the book was a good read. I did find myself skimming some parts of the earlier half of the book, as it made for slightly depressing reading. So as not to spoil things, all I will say is that Acheron did NOT have an easy life.

On the other hand, as this is a romance novel, you know that it will have a happy ending, and so it turns out. Acheron does get his happy ending, but it leaves some major questions to be answered in future books. I'm looking forward to them.

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Squire - Tamora Pierce

Another re-read where my opinion of the book hasn't really changed, so I'm linking to my original review: http://allbookedup-elena.blogspot.com/2008/02/squire-tamora-pierce.html.

Companion To Wolves - Elizabeth Bear and Sarah Monette

Companion To Wolves
Sarah Monette and Elizabeth Bear
Tor Books
Copyright: July 2008
9780765357786

This is a stand-alone book, and not part of a series for once. I thought it was a good read (ended up reading until the early hours of the morning again), but I do have one big issue with Companion To Wolves: This is the first fantasy novel I've read that I believe needs an "Adult Content" warning of some sort. The story was very sexually explicit, and violent as well.

While this isn't a problem for me, I know that the fantasy section is a stepping stone for many from the Childrens/Young Adult areas of the store to the regular fiction section.

Aside from that one issue, I really enjoyed reading this book. The storyline is original, the characters good and the world well created.

Like some other fantasies, such as those of Micky Zucher Reichert, this book is set in a northern/nordic based world. However, the authors have gone a little farther and based all the names, as well as many of the terms used on those of the appropriate region of northern Europe.

I liked the book, but I don't think its for every reader.

Another well thought out review of this book can be found at the blog Age 30+.
There is a review at the Fantasy Book Critic as well.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Tamora Pierce - First Test and Page

I've been re-reading the Protector of the Small Quartet. I finished the first two yesterday, and my original opinion still stands, they're very quick reads. I read the first one entirely on the bus, so about an hour and a half or two hours from start to finish, and the second one took about the same time.

My original reviews of the books are:
http://allbookedup-elena.blogspot.com/2008/02/first-test-tamora-pierce.html
http://allbookedup-elena.blogspot.com/2008/02/page-tamora-pierce.html

Friday, August 1, 2008

By Schism Rent Asunder - David Weber

By Schism Rent Asunder
David Weber
Tor Books
Copyright: July 2008
ISBN: 9780765315014

By Schism Rent Asunder is the sequel to Off Armageddon Reef and it was just as good as all of Weber's other science fiction. However, unlike his other science fiction novels, the technology is in the background, making this more of a fantasy type story. Regardless, I loved it.

The only thing is, and this was completely my fault, I found myself quite lost in reading the book, as I last read Off Armageddon Reef when it first came out (now well over a year ago), and I'd forgotten much of the detail. I'm now going to have to re-read that book.

As good as the story is (and I stayed up most of the night to finish reading it), unlike the first book, By Schism Rent Asunder is definitely a 'middle book' in the series. Although the story ends on a victory, it really doesn't resolve anything. This is a book that is just crying out for a sequel, whereas Off Armageddon Reef stood alone very well, and until I saw this book in the store, I'd wondered if it was simply a stand-alone novel. Now, I want to know what happens next.

I highly, highly recommend this book.

My review of By Heresies Distressed, the sequel to By Schism Rent Asunder.

Other reviews can be found at:
Fantasy Book Critic: By Schism Rent Asunder

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