5.12.2010
The Edge of the World: Terra Incognita Book One
by Kevin J. Anderson, 565 pgs, paperback
Overall Grade: C+
Labels: genre: fantasy, genre: fiction, media: book
5.03.2010
The King's Coat
by Dewey Lambdin, 571 pgs, large-print hardcover
Overall Grade: B-
Series: Alan Lewrie
I can't fault it too much. It is a good sea yarn, though our protagonist Alan Lewrie sheds his landlubberiness much too quickly and so we lose our foil for understanding all the nautical jargon that comes at us. Anyway, plot: Alan Lewrie is the randy, heavy-partying bastard son of an English gentlemen who sets him up in a salacious plot to get him out of the country and away from any possible inheritance. He's thrust into the position of midshipman in the Royal Navy, and, over the course of the book, serves on three vessels (not all of them are big enough to be ships by R.N. standards) ending up in the West Indies, gets injured, develops a nack for ships' gunnery, fights a duel, hates his superiors, is hated by his superiors, save the day (more than once), finds hidden treasure, steals the heart of a young, spelling-challenge lass, and beds numerous whores and older women. Honestly, the sleeping around can almost become obnoxious, and it's blatant fanservice, because the plot doesn't need it. Oh, yes, I forgot to mention that this book takes place in the 1770's because the American Revolution is underway, so as a novel, it's set slightly earlier than the Aubrey/Maturin and Horatio Hornblower series.
Also- don't know how many pages this normally has. I could only get my hands on the large-print edition since that was the only copy the public library had :(
Labels: genre: fiction, genre: historical, media: book, series: Alan Lewrie
Changes: Book #12 of the Dresden Files
by Jim Butcher, 438 pgs, hardcover
Overall Grade: A
Series: The Dresden Files
Sequel to 'Turn Coat'. The title is no misnomer. Just about everything in Harry's life changes in this book. We're talking family-wise, romance-wise, alliance-wise, house-wise, vampire-wise. Oh yeah. Lots of changes. I give Butcher major props for keeping Harry rolling with the continual punches that keep coming and coming throughout the book. Harry has always been a laudable character for being so freaking human and normal, with average person emotional reactions; even more so in this book. Also we get appearances (or at least mention) of practically all the minor characters in the series - and we're talking practically ALL of them! Lots of action. Many many "OMG I can't believe that just happened to that character!!!!11" moments.
So that's my summary without giving away all the awesome stuff that's in this book.
Also, we end with a HUGE FREAKING CLIFFHANGER!!!
Labels: genre: fantasy, genre: fiction, genre: mystery, media: book, series: Dresden Files
