Review: The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger - Stephen King

Rating: 4

Husband: loved it

Found it: SHBS

Price: $1.50

Finished it: early 2012

Synopsys:

It tells the story of the gunslinger, Roland of Gilead, and his quest to catch the man in black, the first of many steps towards his ultimate destination - the Dark Tower.

Review: 

I had read these story when I was much younger and had really forgotten what it was all about and never did complete the series, which I am in the middle of now.  Stephen Kings writing in this is gritty, dirty, and desperate. I can taste the sand between my teeth while reading this.

If the first line in this book doesn't just grab you by the neck and make you want to read more, I don't know what will.

"The man in black fled accross the desert, and the Gunsligner followed".

Fraking beautiful.

Review: Wolf Moon - Charles De Lint

Rating: 3
Husband: liked it
Got it: Second Hand Bookstore
Price: $1.25
Finished: Last month

Synopsys:
His name when he was human was Kern. Now he is the most feared of beings: a werewolf. When the change first came upon him, his parents drove him away with silver daggers. Later, he sought human companionship, but he could not hide the truth for long. And so he kept running until he ran headlong into the deadliest pursuer of all-a harper bent on stealing his life away. By chance Kern was able to find refuge at the Inn of the Yellow Tinker, and the woman he was destined to love. But can he risk both human and harper vengeance to keep her?

Show More

Review:

Show Less

"The Inn of the Yellow Tinker", if that doesn't make you want to find a chair to curl up in with a cuppa tea and read this book, then I don't know what would! 

This is an old book by Charles De Lint, and (if you believe the interwebs) not an easy one to find, so I'm glad that it caught my eye while I was cruising the second hand bookstore.

It was an easy read, flowing style, and a wonderful plot. By todays standards, I would almost classify it as a "longish" short story.  If course, I really enjoy diving into a giant brick of a book, like Patrick Rothfuss writes.

The story was charming and the characters were red-cheeked wholesome farmers. The antagonist was an interesting fellow, and I liked that more was reviled about him through the story.  Great Stuff.

Definatley seek this little story out if you see it.

Review: Daughter of Smoke and Bone - Laini Taylor

Rating: 5
Husband: like it
Got it: Nook
Price: $7.99
Finished: late 2011

Synopsys:

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

Review:

This was a recommendation from a friend, and since we typically like what each other is reading, I downloaded it on the nook last winter. I was not disappointed!!!!

This was an excellent YA urban fantasy. I couldn't put it down! The romance was well done.  The action was excellent.  The Husband liked it and tolerated the romance with ease (because the story was so great).

 

I loved the main character, her development and discovery through the book was first class. The supporting characters were fascinating and I honestly wanted there to be pictures.  The other "world" was enticing, well thought out and had such great texture and background.  I loved that the antagonists were flawed zealots, but not evil. Both sides fight for what they believe is right. That made for great energy in the book, it was a serious page turner.

 

If you have not read this book and you like YA urban fantasy you must get it!  Well work the full price nook download.

Show More

Show Less

Review: King of Crags - Stephen Deas

Rating: 2.5
Husband: Reading it
Got it: Second hand bookstore
Price: $7.99
Finished: Recently

Synopsys:
Now, as the Realms teeter on the brink of war, the fate of humanity rests in the survival of one majestic white dragon.

Prince Jehal has had his way-now his lover Zafir sits atop the Realms with hundreds of dragons and their riders at her beck and call. But Jehal's plots are far from over, for he isn't content to sit back and watch Zafir command the earth and sky. He wants that glory for himself- no matter who he must sacrifice to get it. The one thing Jehal fears is that the white dragon still lives-and if that is so, then blood will flow, on all sides...

Review:
Well, this one just didn't 'grab me by hair' like the first book did, The Adamantine Palace.  (My review here).  However, this is a trilogy, so I'm really hoping that last book moves back towards "GOOD GREIF this is awesome" like the first book.  If it ends like the Eragon series (poorly), I'm going to be a sad and disappointed reader.

Onwards.  I found this book particularly hard to get into. I had to force myself to pick it up at night, and then spent my time wishing that it would get electrifying.  The dragon bits were good and they kept me reading. The magic bits were okay, but the whole experience was dampened by the massive amount of politics. 

Not that I don't like a good twisting political drama. I just don't feel that is what is given.  Its kind of...bland.  More princes, lords, and ladies all trying to poison, push and sleep their way to the top....but for what?  There doesn't seem to be a top goal here, there is no real "one ring to lead them all".  I was left thinking why are you bothering? You all have kingdoms, you all have dragons, you all have money, you all have food, and people to work for you. Whats the big deal?  Pride?  What is at stake here?

I just didn't get pulled in, which is why I might be more disappointed in this book then I should be. I was looking for the magic I felt in The Adamantine Palace, and I didn't get it.  If you have ready the first, then I would suggest reading the second, and I hope that book three leaves me more satisfied then this.

Once again, I waited on the second hand bookstore for this big hardback.  In this case, I'm VERY glad that I waited. I would have been pretty bitter to get this story for full price.

Review: The Adamantine Palace - Stephen Deas

Rating: 4
Husband: Liked it
Got it: Retail bookstore
Price: $8.95
Finished: late 2011

Synopsys:
The power of the Realms depends on its dragons. With their terrifying natures tempered by a mysterious liquid, they are ridden by the aristocracy and bred for hunting and war. But as dangerous political maneuverings threaten the empire, a single dragon has gone missing. And even one dragon-returned to its full intelligence and fury-could spell disaster for the Realms...



Review:
I really liked this book! Stephen Deas dragons were a dangerous mix of Anne McCaffrey's intelligent Dragons of Pern and the man eater/hater from the movie Dragonslayer.  Color me totally sold on these dragons! I just couldn't get enough of the dragons and the magic used to enslave them.

The political drama was not much to my liking, there was a little too much and a little too contrived. It just didn't hold my interest, which was sad because the opening had a lot of promise with an excellent bit of backstory!   I would have liked tighter writing on the political manoeuvrings, and more about the dragon culture that the characters/world is based on.

Husband thoroughly enjoyed it and we were looking forward to the second book.  Review coming next.