The Sleeping Beauty - Mercedes Lackey

The Sleeping Beauty
Mercedes Lackey
Luna Books
Copyright: July 2010
978-0373803156

The amazon.com product description:

Heavy is the head—and the eyelids—of the princess who wears the crown…
In Rosamund's realm, happiness hinges on a few simple beliefs:
For every princess there's a prince.
The king has ultimate power.
Stepmothers should never be trusted.
And bad things come to those who break with Tradition….
But when Rosa is pursued by a murderous huntsman and then captured by dwarves, her beliefs go up in smoke. Determined to escape and save her kingdom from imminent invasion, she agrees to become the guinea pig in one of her stepmother's risky incantations—thus falling into a deep, deep sleep.
When awakened by a touchy-feely stranger, Rosa must choose between Tradition and her future…between a host of eligible princes and a handsome, fair-haired outsider. And learn the difference between being a princess and ruling as a queen.
The moral of the story? Sometimes a princess has to create her own happy endings…. 

The latest book in the series of the Five Hundred Kingdoms, The Sleeping Beauty was an absolutely fun read. I love Mercedes Lackey's methods of playing with the various fairytale tropes and traditions to make The Tradition.

This time of course, the theme is the story of Sleeping Beauty. But, that's not the only story referenced in this book. There's also the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.

If you liked the other volumes of the Five Hundred Kingdoms, I'm sure you'll love this one. I have to admit that the characters had me laughing out loud many a time last night while I was reading. Rosamunda and the two princes especially. She's no passive princess, waiting for a rescue, she's doing her best to make the situation into what she wants it to be, while working within the limits the Tradition requires.

The biggest downside to this book as compared with some of the other books is the lack of any of the characters from the previous books - who, of course have all had their happy endings. Still, it's nice to see the occasional cameo from the earlier books. On the other hand, that means that you really don't have to have read any of the earlier books to read this one. For the most part, that's true of the whole series. Each one stands alone quite well in explaining the rules of the world and The Tradition.

As with all of Mercedes Lackey's books this is a good one.

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan - Lisa See

Snow Flower And The Secret Fan
Lisa See
Random House Publishing
2009
978-0812980356

The amazon.com product description:

In nineteenth-century China, in a remote Hunan county, a girl named Lily, at the tender age of seven, is paired with a laotong, an “old same,” in an emotional match that will last a lifetime. The laotong, Snow Flower, introduces herself by sending Lily a silk fan on which she’s written a poem in nu shu, a unique language that Chinese women created in order to communicate in secret, away from the influence of men. As the years pass, Lily and Snow Flower send messages on the fan and compose stories on handkerchiefs, reaching out of isolation to share their hopes, dreams, and accomplishments. Together they endure the agony of footbinding and reflect upon their arranged marriages, their loneliness, and the joys and tragedies of motherhood. The two find solace in their friendship, developing a bond that keeps their spirits alive. But when a misunderstanding arises, their relationship suddenly threatens to tear apart.

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is a captivating journey back to an era of Chinese history that is as deeply moving as it is sorrowful. Now in a deluxe paperback edition complete with an expanded Random House Reader’s Circle guide and an exclusive conversation between Lisa See and her mother, fellow writer Carolyn See, this lyrical and emotionally charged novel is, as the Seattle Times says, “a beautifully drawn portrait of female friendship and power.”

I've been told time after time how good Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is. I think I'm at over a dozen recommendations of the book to me now. Finally I found a copy at the used bookstore last week. Am I glad I did. Lisa See's novel lived up to its reputation. I coudn't put the book down easily last night and finished it first thing this morning (after nearly missing my stop on the bus).

I will say that it is a fairly sad story. Sad, but beautiful at the same time. I feel like the book acted as a window onto nineteenth century village life in China because of the way the author wrote it. The book may be short: 253 pages for the story, but so much is told and described in those pages. Everything that would have made up a woman's life - from childhood and foot-binding to marriage, childbirth and death is retold.

Many Canadians will know what I mean when I refer to a book as a "Heather's Pick". They're books that are picked out and recommended by Heather Reisman - CEO of Indigo Books. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is one of these books, and I really think it deserves that distinction. I call it a five star book, and one that I'm sure that I'm going to be reading again. Lisa See has done a wonderful job writing a book that I can't recommend enough.

What Would You Recommend? - Lisa See

This is a question I get asked all the time working in the bookstore: "What would you recommend for somebody who loved "_________"? (fill in the blank)" Usually I can come up with something, but that something can be a bit of a wild guess if it's not a book or genre I normally read. This is where you helpful people come in. If you have a suggestion, I'd love to hear it.

Lisa See's books are always very popular. Especially the titles Snow Flower and the Secret Fan and Shanghai Girls. I can usually recommend them to anyone who likes historical fiction or stories set in China. But, a lot of people have already read at least Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. Then I run into trouble suggesting books. Aside from Lisa See, the historical fiction I know of for Asia is all set in Japan, such as Memoirs of a Geisha.

So, what authors or titles would you suggest for those who liked Lisa See's novels?

A Brief History Of The Samurai - Jonathan Clements

A Brief History of The Samurai
Johnathan Clements
Constable & Robinson Ltd.
Copyright 2010
9781845299477

The amazon.com product description:

From a leading expert in Japanese history, this is one of the first full histories of the art and culture of the samurai warrior. The samurai emerged as a warrior caste in medieval Japan and would have a powerful influence on the history and culture of the country for the next 500 years.

Another non-fiction book on the history of Japan. And, another quick read, as I started and finished the book yesterday. They call it a brief history, and I think it is. The book covers from some time in the 7th century up to modern day. That is, some fourteen hundred years in 320 pages, not including notes or the index. Definitely an interesting overview.

I think this makes a good book for someone who's just starting out in reading about the history. Not too detailed, but clear and understandable. The best feature for someone new to the subject is the bibliography/suggested reading section. There's plenty of material there to look up after reading this book and keep studying.

A Brief History of the Samurai is very much a "names and dates" type history book though. But then, with just over three hundred pages to cover so much time, it's hard for it to be anything else, really. And there are all the books in the further reading to take you off in other directions if that's what you want.

Overall, I'd say this is a good starting point book to get a basic overview of Japanese history.

Samurai William - Giles Milton

Samurai William: The Adventurer Who Unlocked Japan
Giles Milton
Scepter
Copyright: 2003
978-0340794685

The amazon.com product description:

In 1611 an astonishing letter arrived at the the East India Trading Company in London after a tortuous seven-year journey. Englishman William Adams was one of only twenty-four survivors of a fleet of ships bound for Asia, and he had washed up in the forbidden land of Japan. The traders were even more amazed to learn that, rather than be horrified by this strange country, Adams had fallen in love with the barbaric splendour of Japan -- and decided to settle. He had forged a close friendship with the ruthless Shogun, taken a Japanese wife and sired a new, mixed-race family. Adams' letter fired up the London merchants to plan a new expedition to the Far East, with designs to trade with the Japanese and use Adams' contacts there to forge new commercial links.

Samurai William: The Adventurer Who Unlocked Japan was an interesting read, but not quite what I had expected it to be. I thought, from the description of the book that it would be more about the man himself, William Adams. Thing is, the description on the book itself is somewhat different from the Amazon.com description I've used above. That one is more accurate to the content of the book.

I'm not complaining though. It was quite informative, covering the whole beginnings of Western contact and trade attempts with Japan in both the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, beginning with the Portugese and the Spanish.

What really struck me about Samurai William: The Adventurer Who Unlocked Japan was the level of similarity this book holds to the novel Shogun by James Clavell, which I reviewed earlier this week. I can't help but wonder if Clavell used the same figure, William Adams, as the basis for his Captain Blackthorne. The two books certainly cover the same time-period. Some of the similarities include:

1. The way he arrived in Japan
2. Both men were pilots
3. The initial treatment by the Japanese
4. Mistranslation or slanted translation by the Jesuit priests
5. Time in the Japanese prison
6. His status as Samurai
7. Closeness to the leader
8. The information that Adams/Blackthorne gives to the Samurai leaders about the intentions of the Portugese
9. Even the Japanese name he has.

Definitely an interesting book, and very informative reading about the sixteenth and seventeeth centuries in Japan. Seeing both sides of the contact, the way it's done here is almost amusing. There's sources from the Japanese perspective as also from the English - and not just from one person, but from many of them.

On the other hand, Samurai William: The Adventurer Who Unlocked Japan feels somewhat like a "popular" book. It doesn't seem to go into a lot of depth, and it's certainly a quick read.

Shogun - James Clavell

Shogun
James Clavell
Dell
Copyright: 1986
978-0440178002

The amazon.com product description:

An explorer in seventeenth-century Japan, ambitious Englishman Blackthorne encounters the powerful and power-hungry Lord Toranaga and Catholic convert Lady Mariko. Reissue.

Talk about a hard-to-find book! Someone at the used bookstore recommended this one to me, then they were sold out on it. As were the next four bookstores I tried, both used books and new. Fifth store I got lucky.

As for the book itself, it's a bit hard to describe. There are a lot of characters, each of which is involved in plots within plots, alliances and personal agendae. And you're introduced to most of them right at the beginning of the book.

James Clavell has written an amazingly detailed novel in Shogun (it's over 1150 pages long). Despite that, the story doesn't drag at all. In fact, most of the time I hated to put the book down. At least, that was the case after the first hundred pages or so. Those were a bit of a slog as I tried to figure out who all the characters were, as well as the culture.

I found that I really got to know the characters, but also that every time I thought I knew what was going on, things were changed quickly enough that maybe it was really something else being set up by a different character. Also that every time I thought that maybe something was about to go really right for Captain Blackthorne, things ended up going quite wrong.

The ending was also quite open, not tied up neatly in a "happily ever after" type ending. But then, that's quite like real life. It certainly leaves plenty of room for the characters lives to continue (or not).

Japanese history is something I know very little about, but given the detail levels in this book, it certainly looks like James Clavell has done his reasearch in writing the story. It also seems (right now at least) as though the author may have modelled his story in Shogun off of the events told by Giles Milton in Samurai William, another of the books I bought last week (and the one I just started reading last night).

I really liked the read, but I don't know if I want to read Clavell's other books any time soon.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted each week over at One Person's Journey Through A World Of Books. The meme usually manages to keep me on track with my reading, but not this past week. I'm not sure if it was a really good week for reading, or a really bad one. I don't think I managed to finish any of the books I started.

So, let's start with the books I'm currently reading:

Shogun by James Clavell. Historical fiction set in seventeenth century Japan. I'm nearly finished with the book, and hope to have it completed today (of course, I said that yesterday, too).

The Truth About Delilah Blue by Tish Cohen. Fiction, and I was reading this book last week too. Maybe I'll get it finished this week.

War of Honor by David Weber. Another of last week's books that just didn't get finished.

Geisha by Lesley Downer. Non-fiction about that element of Japanese culture and history. I'm quite enjoying the read.

This week I'd like to read:
A Brief History of the  Samurai by Jonathan Clements. Non Fiction.

Samurai William by Giles Milton. Non Fiction.

Hand of Isis by Jo Graham. Another book that was on the list last week.

Shadow of the Swords by Kamran Pasha. Historical fiction about the Crusades, Richard the Lionheart and Saladin.

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See. Historical fiction set in nineteenth century China.

How many of them I'll get finished is up in the air however.

Mailbox Monday - June 21

Mailbox Monday is hosted each week over at The Printed Page, where they warn about how it increases TBR piles. I think I know why it's on Monday's too - and it's not the alliteration! For some reason for the last couple of weeks I've gotten a freebie book on Monday. Not the other days of the week - just Monday.

Anyway, I've got lots of books to list this week - most of which I bought.

Shogun by James Clavell
The amazon.com product description:

An explorer in seventeenth-century Japan, ambitious Englishman Blackthorne encounters the powerful and power-hungry Lord Toranaga and Catholic convert Lady Mariko. Reissue.

Bought on the recommendation of the bookseller at my favorite used bookstore. The current book I'm reading as well. The description may be sparse, but the book is detailed and intricate. I'm really enjoying it.

Samurai William by Giles Milton
The amazon.com product description:

With all the adventure, derring-do, and bloodcurdling battle scenes of his earlier book, Nathaniel’s Nutmeg, acclaimed historian Giles Milton dazzles readers with the true story of William Adams—the first Englishman to set foot in Japan (and the inspiration for James Clavell’s bestselling novel Shogun). Beginning with Adams’s startling letter to the East India Company in 1611—more than a decade after he’d arrived in Japan—Samurai William chronicles the first foray by the West into that mysterious closed-off land. Drawing upon the journals and letters of Adams as well as the other Englishmen who came looking for him, Samurai William presents a unique glimpse of Japan before it once again closed itself off from the world for another two hundred years. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

A Brief History of The Samurai by Johnathan Clements
The amazon.com product description:

From a leading expert in Japanese history, this is one of the first full histories of the art and culture of the samurai warrior. The samurai emerged as a warrior caste in medieval Japan and would have a powerful influence on the history and culture of the country for the next 500 years.

I was inspired to find out more about Japan thanks to watching The Last Samurai - which explains a number of the books I bought this week.

Geisha by Lesley Downer
The amazon.com product description:

Ever since Westerners arrived in Japan, we have been intrigued by geisha. This fascination has spawned a wealth of fictional creations from Madame Butterfly to Arthur Golden's "Memoirs of a Geisha". The reality of the geisha's existence has rarely been described. Contrary to popular opinion, geisha are not prostitutes but literally "arts people". Their accomplishments might include singing, dancing or playing a musical instrument but, above all, they are masters of the art of conversation, soothing worries of highly paid businessmen who can afford their attentions. The real secret history of the geisha is explored here.

Exiles Of The Stars by Andre Norton
The amazon.com product description:

While on a mission for the Thothian priests, the Free Traders' ship is forced down on a barren and seemingly uninhabited planet. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

I'm actually not certain if I already have this book or not. Andre Norton is one of those authors with so many books and now they're being reprinted - sometimes under new titles.

Shadow of the Swords by Kamran Pasha
The amazon.com product description:

An epic saga of love and war, Shadow of the Swords tells the story of the Crusades—from the Muslim perspective.
Saladin, a Muslim sultan, finds himself pitted against King Richard the Lionheart as Islam and Christianity clash against each other, launching a conflict that still echoes today.
      In the midst of a brutal and unforgiving war, Saladin finds forbidden love in the arms of Miriam, a beautiful Jewish girl with a tragic past. But when King Richard captures Miriam, the two most powerful men on Earth must face each other in a personal battle that will determine the future of the woman they both love—and of all civilization.
      Richly imagined, deftly plotted, and highly entertaining, Shadow of the Swords is a remarkable story that will stay with readers long after the final page has been turned. 

 This was the book that turned up in my mailbox this morning. Perfect timing, I'd say.

Imperial Lady by Andre Norton and Susan Shwartz
The amazon.com product description:

With Imperial Lady, based on the life of a real historical princess of the Han dynasty and mixed with Chinese legendry andry, Andre Norton (a Grand Master of Fantasy) joins with Susan Shwartz to create a stirring, romantic, and unforgettable tale.

 I'm pretty sure I've read this book before, but I spotted it at the used bookstore and went for it.

The Key Of The Keplian by Andre Norton and Lyn McConchie
The amazon.com product description:

A Native American girl discovers the truth about the Keplian horses who lure riders to their deaths--and must lead them into battle against the evil of the Dark Tower before they can serve light once again.

My favorite of the Witch World novels, and IIRC, this was the first one I read, back when it first came out. Unfortunately I passed it on and then couldn't find it again when I wanted to re-read it.

Snow Flower And The Secret Fan by Lisa See
The amazon.com product description:

In nineteenth-century China, in a remote Hunan county, a girl named Lily, at the tender age of seven, is paired with a laotong, an “old same,” in an emotional match that will last a lifetime. The laotong, Snow Flower, introduces herself by sending Lily a silk fan on which she’s written a poem in nu shu, a unique language that Chinese women created in order to communicate in secret, away from the influence of men. As the years pass, Lily and Snow Flower send messages on the fan and compose stories on handkerchiefs, reaching out of isolation to share their hopes, dreams, and accomplishments. Together they endure the agony of footbinding and reflect upon their arranged marriages, their loneliness, and the joys and tragedies of motherhood. The two find solace in their friendship, developing a bond that keeps their spirits alive. But when a misunderstanding arises, their relationship suddenly threatens to tear apart.

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is a captivating journey back to an era of Chinese history that is as deeply moving as it is sorrowful. Now in a deluxe paperback edition complete with an expanded Random House Reader’s Circle guide and an exclusive conversation between Lisa See and her mother, fellow writer Carolyn See, this lyrical and emotionally charged novel is, as the Seattle Times says, “a beautifully drawn portrait of female friendship and power.”

Aristophanes: Lysisatrata/The Acharnians/The Clouds
The amazon.com product description:

Writing at the time of political and social crisis in Athens Aristophanes was an eloquent yet bawdy challenger to the demagogue and the sophist. The Achanians is a plea for peace set against the background of the long war with Sparta. In Lysistrata a band of women tap into the awesome power of sex in order to end a war. The darker comedy of The Clouds satirizes Athenian philosophers, Socrates in particular, and reflects the uncertainties of a generation in which all traditional religious and ethical beliefs were being challenged.

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea
Jules Verne

The Amazon.com product description:

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea is a book written by Jules Verne. It is widely considered to be one of the top 100 greatest books of all time. This great novel will surely attract a whole new generation of readers. For many, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea is required reading for various courses and curriculums. And for others who simply enjoy reading timeless pieces of classic literature, this gem by Jules Verne is highly recommended. Published by Quill Pen Classics and beautifully produced, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea would make an ideal gift and it should be a part of everyone's personal library.

I was inspired to read the book because I watched the 1997 movie version of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea last week. I liked the movie (a lot), so, of course, I wanted to see how it compared to the book.

First off, concerning the book, my edition came with the Kobo e-reader and was originally done through the Gutenberg project. The downside is that I can't find a copyright date, and Amazon doesn't exactly give the original date on the various editions. Thus the lack of information at the top of the review.

One thing I found really neat on comparing the two is that everything in the movie does happen in the book, although it's not in the same order, for the same reasons, or even the same characters. They created some characters out of whole cloth and changed a number of others to add tension to the story.

Some examples of the changes include the pearl diver in Malaysia, the Antarctic race and Atlantis. Not to mention Captain Nemo's whole set of motivations. Completely different between the two. I actually liked that about the movie. It made sense. I'm still trying to figure out the Captain Nemo from the book - what he was doing travelling around under the ocean and even moreso the last attack in the book. It just doesn't make sense to me, or perhaps I missed something in my reading.

Even with that though, I preferred reading Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea to my read of Around the World In Eighty Days. It felt less like I needed cultural background notes to read and understand.

The book is definitely a good, family-friendly read which both kids and adults can enjoy.

What Would You Recommend? - Fiction set in Japan

This is a question I get asked all the time working in the bookstore: "What would you recommend for somebody who loved "_________"? (fill in the blank)" Usually I can come up with something, but that something can be a bit of a wild guess if it's not a book or genre I normally read. This is where you helpful people come in. If you have a suggestion, I'd love to hear it.

This week's request was inspired by watching The Last Samurai the other day and by the realization that I need to widen my reading horizons. Thanks to that movie I've been hunting down some non-fiction books on the period. Now, I'd like to find some good fiction set in historical Japan. I've read Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden and someone recommended James Clavell's novel Shogun, (that was a challenge to find! Sold out at five different stores) but I don't know of many other books aside from Leslie Downing's The Last Concubine for Japan, although there are quite a few that I've seen/read for historical China. Interestingly, the author of that last book has written some non-fiction books about Japan as well.

So, what would you recommend as good novels? Or, good non-fiction books on Japan's history?

Mailbox Monday - June 14

Mailbox Monday is hosted each week over at The Printed Page. Lots of fun, so why don't you head on over and post your book finds for the week?

Anyway, this week I ended up buying two books:

Scourge of God: A Novel Of The Change
S. M. Stirling

The amazon.com product description:

Rudi MacKenzie continues his journey toward Nantucket, where he hopes to learn the truth behind The Change that rendered technology across the globe inoperable. But one fanatical officer in the Sword of The Prophet has been dispatched on a mission-to stop Rudi from reaching Nantucket by any means necessary...

The other book I bought was Journey To The Center Of The Earth by Jules Verne for my Kobo. First time I've bought a book for it to date.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? June 14

Back on time this week, and the meme is hosted over at One Person's Journey Through A World Of Books each Monday. Although I'm back on schedule this week, that's about it. It's been a week of starting books, not finishing them for the most part.

In the last week I read:

20,000 Leagues Under The Sea by Jules Verne. One of the classic novels on my Kobo e-reader. Was inspired to read the book after watching one of the recent movie versions.

The Sunrise Lands by S. M. Stirling. Science fiction/fantasy. The fourth book in the Change series, which is basically about what might happen if all higher technology from steam power on, stopped working suddenly one day.

Ashes of Victory by David Weber. Science Fiction and part of the Honor Harrington series.

What I'm currently reading:

The Truth About Delilah Blue by Tish Cohen. About half way through and enjoying the read.

War of Honor by David Weber. Do I really need to say that this is book ten in the Honor Harrington series of science fiction novels?

What I'm planning to read:

Hand of Isis by Jo Graham. I've read it before, but I'd like to re-read it now I've read Stealing Fire.

Journey To The Center Of The Earth by Jules Verne.

What Would You Recommend? - Books For Teen Boys

 This is a question I get asked all the time working in the bookstore: "What would you recommend for somebody who loved "_________"? (fill in the blank)" Usually I can come up with something, but that something can be a bit of a wild guess if it's not a book or genre I normally read. This is where you helpful people come in. If you have a suggestion, I'd love to hear it.

I got asked earlier this week to recommend some good teen books for boys. Which gave me a bit of difficulty. While I know there are a fair number of good books and series for girls in that age range, such as the books by Tamora Pierce, I don't know the same thing for boys. What I ended up coming up with were the Cherub/Henderson Boys series by Robert Muchamore, Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card, and the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson.

Given the size of the teen section in both the library and my local bookstore, those can't be the only good teen books for boys out there. On the other hand, I'm comfortable recommending them simply because they get asked for a lot. Surely there are some librarians or parents of teen boys out there who can make some more suggestions. So, What Would You Recommend?

The Sunrise Lands - S. M. Stirling

The Sunrise Lands
S. M. Stirling
Roc Books
Copyright: 2008
978-0451462251

The amazon.com blurb:

Rudi MacKenzie has grown up knowing that he will one day assume leadership over the survivors of the technological disaster known as the Change. But a prophecy made at his birth spoke of an even greater destiny—a destiny that is about to be fulfilled. A mysterious traveler from Nantucket, long rumored to be the source of the Change, arrives on a mission to bring Rudi back with him. And between him and his destiny lies the the cult of a madman determined to stop him…

The Sunrise Lands is the sequel to Meeting At Corvallis, but set several years later. Where the previous three books in the Change series were focused on Mike Havel, Juniper Mackenzie and the others of that generation, the story now picks up with their children.

There were two main things I found different about this book as compared to any other books by S. M. Stirling that I've read. First is that this one simply flew past. Where the previous books have taken about a week, if not more to finish, this one took only two days and just didn't feel as "dense". Second is that the book ended on one heck of a cliff-hanger that sent me out to get the next book, The Scourge of God, right away.

It's also almost certain at this point that somehow, the events of Dies The Fire, and the Nantucket trilogy are connected now. Nantucket has become the focus of both series, and it looks like the Nantucket of the past in Island In The Sea Of Time has ended up in the place of the island in the current books. The ramifications of that are just boggling my mind, such as the great old "grandfather paradox".

While Dies The Fire is still my favorite of the books by S. M. Stirling, The Sunrise Lands is running a close second, and I can't wait to find out how things resolve (if they do) in The Scourge of God. But that might end  up in the same situation. After all, it's followed by The Sword of the Lady.

Ashes of Victory - David Weber

Ashes of Victory
David Weber
Baen Books
Copyright: 2000
978-0671319779

Back cover blurb:

BACK FROM HELL

For eight bloody years, the Star Kingdom of Manticore and its allies have taken the war to the vastly more powerful People's Republic of Haven, and Commodore Honor Harrington has been in the forefront of that war.

But now Honor has fallen, captured by the Peep Navy, turned over to the forces of State Security ... and executed on the interstellar network's nightly news.

The Manticoran Alliance is stunned and infuriated by Honor's death and grimly resolved to avenge it. Yet their military is over-extended and the People's Republic is poised to take the offensive once more, this time with a new strategy, new weapons, a new command team, and a whole new determination to win. The war is about to enter a phase of unprecedented ferocity . . . and the Alliance is on the short end of the stick.

But even as powerful Peep fleets hurtle towards their objectives, neither they nor the Alliance are aware of events occurring on a distant, isolated, inescapable prison planet called Hell. For what no one knows, not even State Security, is that Honor Harrington is not dead. She and a handful of her people are trapped on Hell, and determined to disprove the Peep boast that no one can ever escape it. Honor Harrington is going home, and taking her people with her... even if she has to conquer Hell to do it.

While this was another exciting volume of the Honor Harrington series, I felt that it too had aspects of the 'train wreck' that I've commented on before about this series. Of course, my feeling that way quite possibly comes from both the fact that I've been reading my way through this series without too many breaks in the last two months, and also the fact that I've read the book before, although that was several years back.

Still, David Weber hasn't lost his knack for writing exciting action scenes, be they space battles or otherwise, and no matter how many times I've read the books before, I still found myself holding my breath at the climax: "Will she survive this one, or has the Salamander finally found a fire too hot?".

If you're looking for strong characters that aren't perfect along with a well-created universe - detailed, but with plenty of scope for growth in future books, this series is definitely a good one for you. The physics "work" within the world Weber has created, but also have the feeling that they could work here, if we only had the technology, making it easy to suspend your belief for the duration of the story.

Mailbox Monday - June 8

As with my It's Monday meme post, this one is a day late due to my lack of internet access.

Anyway, Mailbox Monday is hosted each week over at The Printed Page.

This last week I only got one book - handed to me directly from the author yesterday morning. Not something I was expecting at all.


The Truth About Delilah Blue
Tish Cohen
HarperCollins
Copyright: June 8, 2010
978-0061875977

The amazon.com product description:

Delilah Blue Lovett has always been a bit of an outsider, ever since her father moved her from Toronto to L.A. when she was eight, claiming Delilah's mother no longer wanted to be part of their family. Twenty now and broke, but determined to be an artist like her errant mom, Delilah attends art class for free—by modeling nude at the front of the room, a decision that lifts the veil from her once insular world. While she struggles to find her talent, her father, her only real companion, is beginning to exhibit telltale signs of early-onset Alzheimer's. And her mother, who Delilah always assumed had selfishly abandoned them, is about to reappear with a young daughter in tow . . . and a secret that will change everything. Delilah no longer knows which parent to trust—the only one she can really rely on is the most broken person of all: herself.
In a new novel as witty, sparkling, and poignant as her acclaimed Inside Out Girl, author Tish Cohen uncovers the humor and heart within the most dysfunctional of families.

I've never read anything by Tish Cohen before, but this does look good.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? - June 8

Yes, I know it's not Monday anymore but I had no internet access yesterday, so I have to post it today.

This meme is hosted over at the blog One Person's Journey Through A World Of Books.

Last week I read:
Bullet by Laurell K. Hamilton. The lastest book in the Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter series.

Echoes Of Honor by David Weber. One of the Honor Harrington series of military science fiction novels. Read on my Kobo.

In Enemy Hands by David Weber. The previous book in the Honor Harrington series. Read on my Kobo.

Stealing Fire by Jo Graham. Historical fantasy set in the time just after the death of Alexander the Great.

I'm currently reading:
Ashes of Victory by David Weber. The next book in the Honor Harrington series. Almost finished. Reading on my Kobo.

The Sunrise Lands by S. M. Stirling. Science fiction/fantasy. Book four in the Change series.

Books I'm planning to read:
War of Honor. The next book in the Honor Harrington series.

The Truth About Delilah Blue by Tish Cohen. Fiction, was given to me by the author.

Bullet - Laurell K. Hamilton

Bullet
Laurell K. Hamilton
Berkley Hardcover
Copyright: June 1, 2010
978-0425234334

The amazon.com product description:

The all-new novel in the #1 bestselling Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series.

The triumvirate created by master vampire Jean-Claude, necromancer Anita Blake, and werewolf Richard Zeeman has made Jean-Claude one of the most powerful vampires in the U.S. He's consolidating power in himself and those loyal to him, doing in America what Belle Morte did in Europe when she was at her height of power. She almost owned Europe, and there was those who are determined that Jean-Claude won't do the same in America. Jean-Claude's motives may be kinder, but as any lawyer will tell you: motives matter, but you're just as dead.

Assassins are coming to St. Louis to kill them all. Anita knows they're coming, but even being forewarned doesn't mean you can win.

To be honest, I'm actually not sure what I think of the story in the latest Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter novel. I know this much though, it was a captivating read. I couldn't put the book down until I'd finished it last night, and at times, I was even reading as I walked. And yet, it didn't strike me as "the new favorite" of the series the way some of the other books did the first time I read them.

Perhaps it's just that when the story ended, it was clear that things were still building up for the next book, not that things were resolved. This was definitely a book of changes, both political and personal. Asher plays a big role, as does Richard. Given their roles in earlier books, it's kind of nice seeing them back, and, in Richard's case, not just to fight.

There's plenty of excitement to the story too though: the Vampire Council, assasains, the Harlequin and some major interpersonal conflicts are all major elements of the story and worked together with some very gruesome crimes to keep me riveted to the book.

At the same time, we learn quite a bit about some of the characters from earlier books and their backgrounds. Valentina was one of those, as was Asher. There's also some interesting snippets of facts about vampires and the various weres of Anita's world.

On the other hand, I found myself slightly lost on some of the aspects of the book. I just couldn't remember who certain characters were/where they came from. Guess I need to re-read some of the earlier books in the series.

Overall, Bullet was a book that I quite enjoyed reading.

Echoes Of Honor - David Weber

Echoes Of Honor
David Weber
Baen Books
Copyright: 1998
0-671-57833-2

The cover description:

BACK FROM HELL

For eight bloody years, the Star Kingdom of Manticore and its allies have taken the war to the vastly more powerful People's Republic of Haven, and Commodore Honor Harrington has been in the forefront of that war.

But now Honor has fallen, captured by the Peep Navy, turned over to the forces of State Security ... and executed on the interstellar network's nightly news.

The Manticoran Alliance is stunned and infuriated by Honor's death and grimly resolved to avenge it. Yet their military is over-extended and the People's Republic is poised to take (he offensive once more, this time with a new strategy, new weapons, a new command team, and a whole new determination to win. The war is about to enter a phase of unprecedented ferocity . . . and the Alliance is on the short end of the stick.

But even as powerful Peep fleets hurtle towards their objectives, neither they nor the Alliance are aware of events occurring on a distant, isolated, inescapable prison planet called Hell. For what no one knows, not even State Security, is that Honor Harrington is not dead. She and a handful of her people are trapped on Hell, and determined to disprove the Peep boast that no one can ever escape it. Honor Harrington is going home, and taking her people with her... even if she has to conquer Hell to do it.

Unlike the last book in the Honor Harrington series, In Enemy Hands, this was a book I couldn't put down. Reread or not, I just had to keep turning the pages and seeing what happened next.

Echoes of Honor picked up right where the previous book left off: Honor's escape after the destruction of the State Security ship Tepes. She's alive, but she and her people are now stuck on a planet that's been used as a prison camp for decades. Everyone else, however, believes that she's dead: Peeps and Manticorans alike. After all, nobody can survive an impeller wedge being brought up inside another ship. Surely she's out of the game now...Or is she?

This is one of the more exciting books in the series recently. Honor's back in the thick of things and having to take direct action. Not to mention that there's a few fewer threads to the storyline, giving the characters each more time on the page. We also finally get to spend some time with Honor's parents as they grapple with her death and what to do about the various responsibilities Honor had, both in the Star Kingdom of Manticore and on Grayson.

Echoes of Honor is part of a series though. An ever growing series that started with the book On Basilisk Station. I think that this book is number eight, but I've honestly lost count of the books now. That's the downside to this wonderful world that David Weber has created - the sheer time commitment to read the books in order to this point is pretty big now.

Women In Science Fiction Meme

Found this over on Grasping For The Wind.

The meme:
Bold the women by whom you own books
Italicize those by whom you’ve read something of (short stories count)
*Star those you don’t recognize

Andre Norton
C. L. Moore*
Evangeline Walton
Leigh Brackett*
Judith Merril*
Joanna Russ*
Margaret St. Clair*
Katherine MacLean*
Carol Emshwiller*
Marion Zimmer Bradley
Zenna Henderson*
Madeline L’Engle
Angela Carter*
Ursula LeGuin
Anne McCaffrey
Diana Wynne Jones
Kit Reed*
James Tiptree, Jr.*
Rachel Pollack*
Jane Yolen
Marta Randall*
Eleanor Arnason*
Ellen Asher*
Patricia A. McKillip
Suzy McKee Charnas*
Lisa Tuttle
Nina Kiriki Hoffman*
Tanith Lee
Pamela Sargent*
Jayge Carr*
Vonda McIntyre
Octavia E. Butler
Kate Wilhelm*
Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
Sheila Finch*
Mary Gentle*
Jessica Amanda Salmonson*
C. J. Cherryh
Joan D. Vinge*
Teresa Nielsen Hayden*
Ellen Kushner*
Ellen Datlow*
Nancy Kress
Pat Murphy*
Lisa Goldstein*
Elizabeth Ann Scarborough
Mary Turzillo*
Connie Willis
Barbara Hambly
Nancy Holder
Sheri S. Tepper
Melissa Scott
Margaret Atwood
Lois McMaster Bujold
Jeanne Cavelos*
Karen Joy Fowler*
Leigh Kennedy*
Judith Moffett*
Rebecca Ore*
Emma Bull
Pat Cadigan*
Kathyrn Cramer*
Laura Mixon*
Eileen Gunn*
Elizabeth Hand*
Kij Johnson*
Delia Sherman*
Elizabeth Moon
Michaela Roessner*
Terri Windling*
Sharon Lee*
Sherwood Smith
Katherine Kurtz
Margo Lanagan*
Laura Resnick
Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Sheila Williams*
Farah Mendlesohn*
Gwyneth Jones*
Ardath Mayhar*
Esther Friesner
Debra Doyle*
Nicola Griffith*
Amy Thomson*
Martha Wells
Catherine Asaro
Kate Elliott
Kathleen Ann Goonan*
Shawna McCarthy*
Caitlin Kiernan*
Maureen McHugh*
Cheryl Morgan*
Nisi Shawl*
Mary Doria Russell*
Kage Baker
Kelly Link*
Nancy Springer*
J. K. Rowling
Nalo Hopkinson*
Ellen Klages*
Tanarive Due*
M. Rickert*
Theodora Goss*
Mary Anne Mohanraj*
S. L. Viehl
Jo Walton
Kristine Smith*
Deborah Layne*
Cherie Priest
Wen Spencer*
K. J. Bishop*
Catherynne M. Valente*
Elizabeth Bear
Ekaterina Sedia*
Naomi Novik
Mary Robinette Kowal*
Ann VanderMeer*

Running down this list, I found that there are an awlful lot of asterisks there. Clearly, I need to get out and find some more authors to read. On the other hand, this list is really neat, because I didn't realize there were so many female SF writers out there. Fantasy, yes, but not SF.

What Would You Recommend? - Cookbooks

This is a question I get asked all the time working in the bookstore: "What would you recommend for somebody who loved "_________"? (fill in the blank)" Usually I can come up with something, but that something can be a bit of a wild guess if it's not a book or genre I normally read. This is where you helpful people come in. If you have a suggestion, I'd love to hear it.

This week I'm asking about cookbooks in honor of my new blog, Kitchen Misadventures. That's why I'm a day late on this. I had to get some content up there before I could link it, and I had some minor computer problems yesterday.

I regularly joke about cookbooks being an addiction, and about how it's so easy to be on the hunt for a new cookbook before you've even tried three recipes from the last one you bought. At least, that's what I find myself doing.

There's also so many of them, each with it's good points and too often with attractive photos designed to tempt. Not to mention food that just looks and sounds delicious. I tend to recommend Jamie Oliver and Mark Bittman, but there are so many other wonderful cooks that I have to ask, "What would you recommend?".

In Enemy Hands - David Weber

In Enemy Hands
David Weber
Baen Books
Copyright: 1997
ISBN: 0-671-87793-3

The cover blurb:

Honor Harrington's career has its ups and its downs. She's survived ship-to-ship battles, assassins, political vendettas, and duels. She's been shot at, shot down, and just plain shot, had starships blown out from under her, and made personal enemies who will stop at nothing to ruin her, and somehow she's survived it all.

But this time she's really in trouble.

The People's Republic of Haven has finally found an admiral who can win battles, and Honor's orders take her straight into an ambush. Outnumbered, outgunned, and unable to run, she has just two options: see the people under her command die in a hopeless, futile battle... or surrender them-and herself-to the Peeps.

There can be only one choice, and at least the People's Navy promises to treat their prisoners honorably. But the Navy is overruled by the political authorities, and Honor finds herself bound for a prison planet aptly named "Hell"... and her scheduled execution.

Put into solitary confinement, separated from her officers and her treecat Nimitz, and subjected to systematic humiliation by her gaolers, Honor's future has become both bleak and short. Yet bad as things look, they're about to get worse ...for the Peeps.

Yes, this is book seven of the Honor Harrington series and they are getting longer. Distinctly so. Last It's Monday! What Are You Reading?, I described In Enemy Hands as a bit of a train-wreck. One of those "can't stand to read, but can't put down either" books, which remained true until about the last hundred and fifty pages to two hundred pages. At which point I ended up racing through to the end last night before picking up Echoes of Honor, the next book in the series.

David Weber has done something a bit different with this book, which at the time I first read it, was truly frustrating, given that that was back when In Enemy Hands was the last book in the series. He left the story on a massive cliff-hanger. All of the other books in the series before that were entirely resolved stories, but this one really felt like it ended only half-way through. Waiting for Echoes Of Honor was a torment.

On the other hand, this could be said to be Horace Harkness's story. He really does have a large role to play in the book, which is good, seeing as he's one of my favorite secondary characters. I love the way the secondaries we got to know in On Basilisk Station keep reappearing throughout the series. Reappearing and growing, evolving. Some of those secondary characters can be quite amusing too. Carson Clinkscales, new to this book, comes to mind for one example. He truly has some legendary moments where Murphy's law comes into play.

It's really interesting to see how the Peeps react to the situations in this book, given how we've seen them before in previous books. Most of them have appeared in previous books, such as Honor Among Enemies. To see them in the situations in this book really shows what's happened to the People's Republic of Haven since the coup on the Legislaturalists.

By this point in the series, you really need to have been reading from the beginning in order to know the characters and the world David Weber has created. Not my favorite book in the series, but one that had to happen eventually. Harrington couldn't have remained undefeated forever, as much as we'd have liked for that to happen.

Waiting On Wednesday - No Mercy

Breaking The Spine hosts this neat meme each Wednesday: Waiting On Wednesday. It's where we can spotlight a book that hasn't come out yet that we're waiting eagerly for. This is my choice for the week:

No Mercy
Sherrilyn Kenyon
St. Martin's Press
Release Date: August 3, 2010

The amazon.com product description:

Live fast, fight hard and if you have to die then take as many of your enemies with you as you can. That is the Amazon credo and it was one Samia lived and died by. Now in contemporary New Orleans, the immortal Amazon warrior is about to learn that there’s a worse evil coming to slaughter mankind than she’s ever faced before.

Shapeshifter Dev Peltier has stood guard at the front of Sanctuary for almost two hundred years and in that time, he’s seen it all. Or so he thought. Now their enemies have discovered a new source of power- one that makes a mockery of anything faced to date.

The war is on and Dev and Sam are guarding ground zero. But in order to win, they will have to break the most cardinal of all rules and pray it doesn’t unravel the universe as we know it.

Stealing Fire - Jo Graham

Stealing Fire
Jo Graham
Orbit Books
Copyright: May 25, 2010
978-0316076395

Amazon.com product description:

Alexander the Great's soldier, Lydias of Miletus, has survived the final campaigns of the king's life. He now has to deal with the chaos surrounding his death. Lydias throws his lot in with Ptolemy, one of Alexander's generals who has grabbed Egypt as his personal territory. Aided by the eunuch Bagoas, the Persian archer Artashir, and the Athenian courtesan Thais, Ptolemy and Lydias must take on all the contenders in a desperate adventure whose prize is the fate of a white city by the sea, and Alexander's legacy.

Stealing Fire is the third connected historical fantasy novel written by Jo Graham. In order, though I don't believe it's the publishing order the books are: Black Ships, Stealing Fire, and Hand of Isis (my favorite). Where the other two books are from a female perspective, Stealing Fire is told from the male point of view, making it quite different from the other two books.

Generally, I've been comparing Jo Graham's boks to The Mists of Avalon and its prequels and sequels by Marion Zimmer Bradley as the books have something of the same feel. This book still holds to that as one of the threads connecting the three books is that of reincarnation, specifically the reincarnation of the main character Lydias. There's also this feeling of the mystical from the way the Gods and Goddesses are dealt with. They're there in the story but not in an overpowering way. It's still the choices of the characters and how they deal with their lives that powers the story.

This book is rather connected to Hand of Isis in it's way. Where in that book the city of Alexandria is a mature, bustling place, in Stealing Fire, the city is just getting started, but the ideals that Charmian talks about in the later time period are being clearly set out right from the start.

One other neat thing about this book is that Jo Graham has included both a short interview as well as a book club reading guide at the end of the book. Although I don't participate in any book clubs, I did find in this case that the suggested discussion questions included made for a thought-provoking read (I sneaked a peek at those last pages before I finished the story because I  wanted to see what music she used this time).

Although I keep commenting about the other books by Jo Graham in this review, you don't have to have read them before reading Stealing Fire as each of the books more or less stands on its own.

Another five star read to say the least. Now I'm probably going to end up re-reading Hand of Isis in the near future.