Review: Death of Superman

Title: Death of Superman
Author: Dan Jurgens, Louise Simonson, Roger Stern, Jerry Ordway
Copyright: 1993
Publisher: DC Comics
ISBN: 1563890976


Notes: First graphic novel adaptation of the Death and Return of Superman. Includes crossover issues from Superman, Superman: The Man of Steel, Adventures of Superman, and Action Comics.

The Death of an American Icon - 3 stars - a book review

In 1992 DC Comics killed off the superhero who brought comic books to their glory days. In a similar fashion, the death of Superman brought thousands upon thousands of new readers to the genre since Superman had become an American cultural icon. While short lived, this collection of comics represents a turning point in the comic industry, where no superhero was safe any longer. Shortly thereafter, DC Comics pulled a similar "stunt" with their other flagship hero, Batman, with the Knightfall story arc. Regardless, what transpired in the pages of these comics would be talked about for years.

Introduce Doomsday, a mysterious and sinister alien killing machine, with one thing on his limited mind: destruction. After escaping from being buried beneath the Earth's surface for who knows how long, Doomsday stages a one man mayhem show across half the United States.

Doomsday first faces off against the Justice League of America, quickly leveling them to nothingness, rendering them obsolete with his power and strength. Their combined powers do little to stop Doomsday, who time and time again proves he cares nothing for anything, killing birds in the palm of his hand and strangling a deer for no reason. What happens next would be the fight of the century against this beast and America's cultural icon, Superman.

The Death of Superman story arc is long in the action scenes and short in the storyline.
Absolutely no information is given about Doomsday at this point and the only focus of the remaining storylines is stopping him from destroying Metropolis (and everything else in his way). There are a few brief moments of reflection among minor characters about how Superman saved them or what Superman means to them. The virtue of the mysterious nature of Doomsday is appreciated, since it adds to his allure as a supervillain; similar to the recent movie, The Dark Knight, and the villain Joker. The reader is absolutely unaware of any motivation, making Doomsday that much more treacherous. Readers wouldn't find out about the history of Doomsday until the Superman/Doomsday: Hunter/Prey story arc published in 1994.

While Superman is one of my personal least favorite heroes, this collection is a must read for the same reason it sold out overnight with a starting number of published issues that had never before been dreamed. With Superman being such a cultural icon, watching his fall is a must anyone. The action is unparalleled as it had to be since the stakes had never been higher. How do you create a monster worthy of killing a Superman? The satisfying answer is in the Death of Superman.



Good reading,

Plants and Books

Review: Daemon by Daniel Suarez

Title: Daemon
Author: Daniel Suarez
Copyright: 2009
Publisher: Dutton Adult
ISBN:0525951113


Notes: first book in a series, followed by Freedom.

Intriguing and Exciting Beginning; Story Comes Off the Track at the Midway Point - 3 stars - a book review

Daemon has an irresistible premise: upon the death of computer mastermind, Matthew Sobol, a computer virus type is released that wreaks havoc on the technology based world. Spread out (unknowingly) over thousands of computers, Sobol's Daemon is constantly checking online news websites for key words and phrases which, when triggered, unleash a new plague of technological insanity including stealing stocks and major business' money, recruiting members to his cause, and releasing alternative media. With Sobol already dead, it becomes increasingly impossible to stop the mayhem as everything is already in motion and nobody is directly controlling the direction of the Daemon.

The first half of the book is a wonderful techno thriller. During this early stage of the book, Suarez gives sufficient pertinent information about the inner working of the Daemon searching news sites and the logical progression of what terror is unleashed. The reader has full knowledge of each step of the Daemon's "thought process" and, although some suspension of belief is necessary, everything makes sense. Unfortunately, once the Daemon becomes so big and powerful; and a chunk of time elapses without any information provided to the reader, the book becomes much more of suspension of all belief. Whereas the first part of the book the reader feels like he/she is in control and knows everything that is going on, the last half of the book there is so much going on behind the scenes with only minor (and insignificant) views of Sobol's "army" doing things they don't even know why they are doing them. Each person in Sobol's "army" has no clue what he or she is doing, only a brief piece of the puzzle (i.e. take this mechanized part to location X). While this story telling mechanism works to push the story, it loses emphasis with the reader as to the power of the Daemon brainchild Sobol. At the beginning of the book I thought Sobol was a pure mastermind supervillian genius. By the end of the book, I really did not care much for the dead architect as the story shifted dramatically from a techno thriller to a simple action adventure story of nearly impossible proportions.

The characters in Daemon are unique and suffer many trials and tribulations. The best characters were the ones who thought they were in control and making headway towards stopping Sobol's Daemon only later to find out they were only a pawn in the master plan. The emotional responses in these characters were written well, and the characters had my full empathy.

Daemon, for the most part, is a tightly written techno thriller. I may be a bit too critical because I recognize how difficult it can be to accurately and completely write about the exponentially expanding influence of the Daemon; I only wish the entire book was a solid as the beginning. If you are looking for a solid techno thriller from beginning to end you might look elsewhere; however, if you like techno thrillers and action adventure you have come to the right place.

You might also check out Peacemaker, by Dan Ronco, for a similar techno thriller on the doomsday scenario with technology leading to societal downfall.

Good reading,

Plants and Books

Review: Deadhouse Gates by Steven Erikson

Title: Deadhouse Gates
Author: Steven Erikson
Copyright: 2005
Publisher: Tor Books
ISBN: 0765348799

Notes: Second book in The Malazan Book of the Fallen series.

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Getting Better, but Still an Unsatisfying Return on Investment - 3 stars - a book review

Having been utterly amazed by the world building and utterly disappointed in the story telling of Gardens of the Moon, I started Deadhouse Gates. Had it not been for the epic world building and the positive opinions of people whose reading tastes and preferences generally aligns with my own I would have stopped right there with the Malazan Book of the Fallen. All over the internet almost everyone agrees that Gardens of the Moon is the weakest of the series, and that after you read Deadhouse Gates or (in some opinions) the third book, Memories of Ice, you will be hooked. Generally speaking, upwards of three thousand pages is a hefty undertaking, especially considering the return on investment is not so apparent. I have to say that Deadhouse Gates was a considerably better told story than its predecessor; but I'm not sure at this point if the time and energy spent was equivalent to the output received from Deadhouse Gates.

The first (and most obvious) thing to note is that this book starts a whole new storyline on an entirely different continent than the events that occur in Gardens of the Moon. This tactic works well because it establishes how epic and vast the worldly struggle is. The problem, of course, is with Erikson's writing style it is a huge personal struggle to get engaged with the new characters and the background of the area. If you enjoyed the confusion from Gardens of the Moon of being dropped in the middle of a sweeping landscape of political turmoil and magical/metaphysical trouble then you have that to look forward to again; although Erikson has definitely improved in area of character introductions. Some might be frustrated that it took 650+ pages to finally understand who the characters were in Gardens of the Moon and now they aren't in the second volume. If the third volume really plants me into this series (as it supposedly will) then having the multiple plotlines spanning multiple books will be a solid victory in establishing this series as an epic wartime dark fantasy series.

I thought the plotting of Deadhouse Gates was better than Gardens of the Moon and the storyline/character motivations were much more real and believable. In fact, I believe that Coltaine, the commander of the 7th army, is the most fascinating character of the series thus far. I was engaged with his hard nosed, duty stricken nature, cursed by both his objective of saving 30,000 refugees and his location in the heart of a savage desert. In addition to the plotting, the writing is so heavy and almost cumbersome to read at points. It takes a lot of focus and energy to read Erikson's writing.

I think the most significant struggle with Erikson's series is not that the book is not descriptive; it is ripe with description; the struggle is that it is descriptive in the wrong areas. There is still too many random occurrences and/or knowledge of the world, magic, culture, and army hierarchy that feels like it should be basic knowledge to the reader; but it isn't. I find that overall the sheer lack of information (that supposedly all comes to light in later volumes) is simply more frustrating than the benefit I received from the epic world building and the few extremely fascinating characters. A reader should not have to read seven massive tomes and over 5,000 pages to fully appreciate the first 650 pages of the series; and if a reader doesn't mind doing that or being confused, lost, or overwhelmed more power to him or her; but, I still cannot in good faith recommend this series to anyone outside the die hard fantasy junkies.

The cover art is wonderful and the maps, Dramatis Personae, and glossary are welcome additions to the overall purchase.

Am I planning on reading the third installment, Memories of Ice? Yes, although at this point I feel it would have to be an unbelievably spectacular experience in order to make the return on this reading investment worthwhile.

Good reading,

Plants and Books

Kindle Cost Savings Analysis Update: Reflecting the $259 Price Tag

The Amazon Kindle 2 was lowered in price a while back and I am finally updating my cost savings analysis to reflect the "new" $259 price tag. As I mentioned in the previous cost savings analysis, there are plenty of other non-tangible reasons to purchase a Kindle (or any e-reader) including wasting less paper, convenience of book access, and size. I created a spreadsheet that can be easily modified to book reading preference which will illustrate some rudimentary cost savings with some basic assumptions. The previous Kindle cost savings analysis can be found here.

Photo courtesy of Kindle 2.0 product page

Cost Savings Analysis One:
Assumptions:

Hardbacks purchased at Amazon
List price: $27.95
Hard Back discount: 40%
Kindle 2.0 start up cost: $259.00
Equivalent Kindle book price: $9.99
Shipping cost: $3.99
Break even point (without shipping): 15 books (previously 53)
Break even point (with shipping): 12 books (previously 34)

Cost Savings Analysis Two

Assumptions:
Paperbacks purchased at Amazon
List price: $7.99
Kindle 2.0 start up cost: $259.00
Equivalent Kindle book price: $6.39
Shipping cost: $3.99
Break even point (without shipping): 47 books (previously 65)
Break even point (with shipping): 162 books (previously 255)

One thing to keep in mind is the numbers proposed should be considered averages or assumptions. Obviously, it also depends on book buying patterns. I, for one, rarely buy hardback books. I may work on my spreadsheet more if I have nothing better to do than create Excel formulas that would project semi-random purchases of hardbacks (or paperbacks).

Food for thought.

As a side note, AMZN stock is currently at $133.52, thus my hypothetical investment would have yielded me a net profit of $8,512 so far.

Good reading,

Plants and Books

Plants and Books in Print?!

I had an interesting conversation with one of the students at the university I work for today. She was telling me about how she was talking to some guy she knows that reviews movies for a newspaper (I'm not sure which) and that they were looking for someone to review books for the paper. The student mentioned my name and give him my email address; so she told me I should be expecting an email in the near future. It was pretty exciting, but I wonder if my reading interests will jive with what the paper is looking to review; since, shamefully, fantasy/science fiction isn't as mainstream as we all know it should be.

On a side note, I think I just broke the 20,000 page mark for total pages read since January 1. A few stats:

• 59 books read (or are in the process of reading);
• Average book size: 355 pages;
• Average duration of time to complete a book: 5.95 days;
• Average pages read per day: 69.45; and,
• Percentage of reviews requested (either by Amazon Vine or publisher/author request): 44.07%

Maybe I'll see you in the papers!

Good reading,

Plants and Books

Review: Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson

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Title: Hero of Ages
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Copyright: 2008
Publisher: Tor Books
ISBN: 0765356147

Notes: The concluding volume to the Mistborn trilogy

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The Epic Conclusion to a fully Realized Fantasy World - 5 stars - a book review

Let me just say this before I begin: if you even consider yourself halfway interested in fantasy and you have not read the Mistborn trilogy, you are doing yourself a disservice everyday that passes without experiencing this epic masterpiece.
At the conclusion of The Well of Ascension Vin had been tricked into releasing Ruin, one of the Gods responsible for the creation of the world, and the one given the promise of destroying it. Vin, Elend, and the rest of their gang have their work cut out for them not only fighting an unknown force, the increased ash falls, and larger mists blocking the sun; but also uniting the Dominances and uncovering the secrets left behind by the Lord Ruler.

Hero of Ages brings the trilogy full circle, enlightening readers to things throughout the previous two volumes. The world of the Final Empire is epic in scope and fully realized in this volume. In each installment has unveiled a little bit more of the Final Empire, gradually increasing knowledge of Sanderson's world.


The characters all have their personal conflicts and ethical dilemmas they each have to deal with. They are believable and engaging. Some of the lesser characters in the original Kelsier gang take on more prominent roles, leading the charge on undermining local city governments and completing difficult tasks for Vin and/or Elend. Additionally, the Kandra, the Koloss, and the Inquisitors play a larger role as well, and the history of their species is rich and lush; providing a lot of background information about the land of the Final Empire and the Lord Ruler himself.

My main concern (and it is minor) with The Final Empire is with the character Sazed, the Terrisman scholar. He had previously been one of my favorite minor characters, but in this book he was so preachy about how he couldn't prove any of the hundreds of religions he knew were true; this is understandable since he was having a personal conflict after the loss of his recently found love at the end of The Well of Ascension. However, the nature of his internal dialogue is well executed, and although annoying at first, it does become more meaningful and thoughtful as the book continues.

Per usual, the allomancer battles are exciting and interesting. That magic system devised by Sanderson rivals anything in recent memory in terms of creativity and believability. He executes his Allomantic Pushes and Pulls with grace and ease.

Sanderson's world is enthralling and impossible to resist. I wouldn't recommend reading anything else until you've finished this trilogy. If you are a fantasy fan, you have been kidding yourself for far too long by not reading this.

Good reading,

Plants and Books

Review: Slammer by Allan Guthrie

Title: Slammer
Author: Allan Guthrie
Copyright: 2009
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ISBN: 0151012954



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Definitely Not A "Slammer" Dunk - 2 stars - a book review

I can see the appeal of this book and I can see how some people would like it; however, I hardly enjoyed it at all. The premise is solid, but underdeveloped. The terrorizing from the inmates to the guard could have been so much greater and the story would have been more of a "throat grabber" had there been more favors, more threats, and... well... more terrorizing. The main character, Glass, is only put in two situations before his life spirals out of control (and the story spirals out of control, I might add). There are parts of the story that are grotesque, but I felt it was more for shock value and could not really buy into those actions.

On top of all that, there seems to be random flashbacks that did not seem to fit in the story for any reason, providing seemingly insignificant details about the characters. Maybe they were significant; but if so, it was poorly executed. The ending was also so unsatisfying and disappointing.

My other concerns with Slammer is that there is no writing in the book above a sixth grade reading level. The writing was pretty juvenile and the dialogue was equally juvenile. It is hard to take a dark and gritty story seriously if there are no words over two syllables.

Overall, I say if the premise of the story strikes your fancy, go for it. Given that it is such an easy and quick read it won't take too much time, and you might enjoy it. In my opinion, there are far better books in this category that are executed better and ten times as engaging, with stronger characters; like Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk and each of the books in the Caught Stealing trilogy by Charlie Huston.

Good reading,

Plants and Books

Review: The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson

Title: The Well of Ascension
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Copyright: 2007
Publisher: Tor Books
ISBN: 0765316889

Notes: Second book in the Mistborn series.

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Sanderson is a Master of his Craft in this Second Volume - 5 stars - a book review

With The Final Empire (Mistborn book one) being one of the best fantasy novels I have read in the past five years, my hopes were high for the continued success of this fantasy world. Needless to say, I was not disappointed, and if Sanderson continues to pump out books at this pace (almost one a year) and this quality (magnificent) he could be hailed in the upper echelons of greats fantasy writers of the decade.

In The Well of Ascension, Brandon Sanderson not only builds upon the unique world and intriguing characters introduced in The Final Empire, but he also shows off his marvelous writing skills by expanding his storytelling repertoire into areas that were not explored previously. While The Final Empire was heavy world building, character introduction, coming of age story with enough magic and wizard battles to satisfy any fantasy junkie for the coming year, The Well of Ascension starts to explore another facet of fantasy fiction: political intrigue. The book starts one year after the conclusion of The Final Empire: Elende Venture is now the king in his experimental idealistic governmental setup imagined around beers with his friends in the previous installment. Since large portions of the book are focused on the political manuevering, The Well of Ascension starts significantly slower the any other Brandon Sanderson book I have read; however, once settled into the different style of book the pacing ramps up quickly and effectively making the overall reading experience beyond satisfying.

Alongside the political nature of The Well of Ascension, there is still the coming of age story of the heroine from The Final Empire, Vin. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the Mistborn trilogy (so far) is the stereotypical fantasy coming of age story told in such a way that is original and engaging, making it nearly impossible to compare to the timeless tale of a boy gaining powers and saving the world. Vin has not only gained significant powers and is still struggling to find her powerful place in the world, but she is also struggling with problems that are far above her maturity level including falling in love, a sense of honor and duty, and the price each of these play on her own mortality.

Finally, what would a good fantasy story be without magic and fighting? As luck would have it, as true to form, there is no need to worry with The Well of Ascension. There is plenty of Pushing and Pulling and allomancer battles to feast upon. As Vin grows more powerful so does the epic-ness of the battles. The fight scenes are beautiful realized and exceptionally original; I could read the epic 700 page tomes of the Mistborn trilogy for the fight scenes alone. I started reading fantasy for the escapism from the real world and found magical worlds where my imagination could run wild. What I really look for in a fantasy book is something that leaves me with visual images that stick with me and that I can fully realize with very little effort. The tales and descriptions in the Mistborn books provide some of the most fully realized, enjoyable, engaging, and believable memories in modern fantasy.

All in all, The Well of Ascension, while starting a little slowly, is a tour de force of fantasy imagery, worldbuilding, and storytelling. If Sanderson is not already at the top his game with his first few books in his career (Elantris and Mistborn) I can’t even begin to imagine what is in store for fantasy in the next decade; of course, with Sanderson at the helm, I won’t have to do much imagining on my own and will be able to sit back and enjoy the ride.

My only minor complaint about this publication is the fact that there is a quote on the back of the mass market paperback comparing Brandon Sanderson to Terry Goodkind...

I’m still mad at myself that I let these books sit on my shelf for years waiting to be read.

Good reading,

Plants and Books

Review: Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson

Title: Gardens of the Moon
Author: Steven Erikson
Copyright: 2004
Publisher: Tor Books
ISBN: 0765310015

Notes: First book in the Malazan Book of the Fallen series.

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Epic Worldbuilding; Mediocre Storytelling - 3 stars - a book review

First of all, for all the Malazan fanboys out there, let me say this: I get it; I really do. I recognize that many (if not most) of the Malazan cult followers will say that Gardens of the Moon is the weakest of the bunch, and the storytelling gets better and it all starts to come together after the second or third books. I get that. In fact, I am truly glad to hear it. I look forward to those moments as I fully intend to read on and most likely finish the series. In all honesty, I can see myself getting sucked into the Malazan world quite easily, becoming a fanboy who posts in the Malazan forums and awaits the next installments like Armageddon is on the horizon. That is what I do with fantasy series; especially series with fully realized worlds, which the Malazan world clearly is.

The truth of the matter is that despite needing two or three books to “get it,” Gardens of the Moon (and the Malazan Empire world) is not for everyone. Two or three books is a lot to swallow for the casual fantasy reader, given that the first two books clock in at 1400 to 1500 pages combined. That is a lot to swallow, especially if it is tough going for the first 300 to 500 pages. And in all honesty, it is tough going; that being said, one of the virtues of Gardens of the Moon is the fact that the world of the Malazan Empire is epic in magnitude and scope while fully realized in every aspect. The world exists and has lore and history galore; it is truly almost unbelievable. The Malazan Empire is the penultimate Dungeons and Dragons world crafted by the most obsessed Dungeon Master, and then written about in all of its glory. The problem with this incredible feat of worldbuilding is the simple girth of the world and the fact that the reader is literally dropped into the middle of it. I am actually hesitant to call it worldbuilding, since the world already exists and the reader almost awakens in the middle of a war.

Added on to that is the mediocre storytelling. There are countless plot lines at the beginning with no real (apparent) connection until much later in the book. Characters are introduced quickly and left behind abruptly, to only come around later on. There are also some fairly interesting plot devices that were almost a total turnoff for me; and I mean close the book and saying “who is kidding who?”

I can see the Malazan Empire in all its glory and I can see the war ravaged country sides, the battle hardened armies, and the towns that barely survived the individual Cleansings. The city of Darujhistan is unbelievable. However, the beauty and magnitude of these people and this world is interrupted, almost detrimentally by the previously mentioned plot devices. No matter how hard I tried, I could not picture in my head, nor believe that a marionette puppet was running around the countryside such as he was. I could not get past it and it ruined the beauty of the scenes that had been developing.

The overarching plot really comes together about halfway through and makes the book tough to put down. As a freshman work of fantasy fiction, I can already see the improvements from the beginning of the book to the end in the storytelling department. With all that in mind, Gardens of the Moon was certainly a chore to read; but it also introduced me to one of the most remarkable and engaging fantasy worlds. Unfortunately, the story told in this world was weak; but as it has been said, this is not a theme of the entire series. And remember fanboys, I will most likely be joining your ranks in another month or so.

I guess my point is that with a fully realized world (such as the one presented in Gardens of the Moon), anything is possible; and I fully expect Erikson to deliver in future installments.

At least at this time, I can honestly only recommend Gardens of the Moon for the most dedicated epic fantasy junkies.

Good reading,

Plants and Books

Review: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Case Studies in Critical Controversy) by Mark Twain

Title: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Case Studies in Critical Controversy)
Author: Mark Twain, edited by Gerald Graff and James Phelan
Copyright: 2003
Publisher: Bedford/St. Martin's
ISBN: 0312400292



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Not the Perfect Story; but Certainly the Perfect Edition - 5 stars - a book review

I've always said if a book has been banned and I haven't read it, I must be doing something wrong. Luckily enough, I had read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn before, and for the life of me I couldn't remember what the big deal was (outside of the obvious) (I was in Junior High at the time, some 12 years ago). I was taking an English class for fun at the university I work for and this was the first text on the reading list. The theme of the class is "racism in American culture and American literature." The reason I mention this is not because of the content of the story The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn but rather the "bonus features," such as they are, that are included.

The "Case Studies in Critical Controversy" edition of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn includes the following (in addition to the original 1885 text):

• A wonderful introduction about the importance of studying controversies;
• A portfolio of the original illustrations included with the 1885 edition;
• Twenty essays "representing major critical and cultural controversies surrounding the work" (from the back cover) over three subject matters: the controversy over the ending; the controversy over racism; and, the controversy over gender and sexuality. These essays include:
  • Lionel Trilling, "A Certain Formal Aptness";
  • T.S. Eliot, "The Boy and the River: Without Beginning or End";
  • Toni Morrison, "Jim's Africanist Presence in Huckleberry Finn" (New to this edition);
  • Jane Smiley, "Say It Ain't So, Huck: Second Thoughts on Mark Twain's "Masterpiece"";
  • Seymour Chwast, "Selling Huck Finn Down the River: A Response to Jane Smiley";
  • Leslie Fiedler, "Come back to the Raft Ag'in, Huck Honey!";
  • Christopher Looby, "'Innocent Homosexuality': The Fiedler Thesis in Retrospect"; and,
  • Several other essays, many of which have been reproduced in other editions of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

With this edition clocking in at 550 pages, nearly 60% of the text is additional material regarding controversy in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. As my instructor said on the first day, "Everyone has their own opinions; but, leave them at the door. All I want to hear are facts." This edition has plenty of well research and comprehensive information for all sides of each controversy. Many of the essays are linked, being responses to each other. I believe oftentimes we, as a culture, forget that sometimes the discussion about the controversy is more important than the actual controversy. Reading this text is an important educational lesson, and if parents, teachers, and school children read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in the context of this edition it certainly would not be banned and I think we would all be more proud of our children for the level of discourse and behavior when engaging in controversial debate.

Granted, this is the only edition of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn I have read (since I was 15 years old); but, I can't ever imagine myself recommending any other edition for any other reason.

Good reading,

Plants and Books

Review: Bloodroot by Bill Loehfelm

Title: Bloodroot
Author: Bill Loehfelm
Copyright: 2009
Publisher: Putnam Adult
ISBN: 0399155929



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Couldn't Put it Down - 5 stars - a book review

I just adopted a puppy, so my reading time has been significantly less (read: none). However, Bloodroot really got me back in the fold and I could not stop reading it. For those of you who know how time consuming a puppy is this should mean a lot.

Bloodroot examines the idea of brotherhood and what people would go through in order to save those closest to us. Bloodroot follows Kevin who has recently come back in contact with his recovering heroin addicted brother, Danny. All seems well until Kevin gets involved in some of Danny's "business ventures" which begin to unravel the past to the harrowing end. How far will Kevin go to help his brother and his family? Does he have it in him to do what is necessary, no matter how right or how wrong it seems to him?

Bill Loehfelm has crafted a magnificent tale of family and brotherhood, with darkness around every corner. The plot may seem to some to move slowly at times, but in these moments are the most significant in terms of character development and personal insight. Following Kevin and Danny is a journey into the heart of family values, brotherhood, and sacrifice with stops in the darkest corners of their souls. The way Loehfelm unravels these characters is nothing short of perfect, weaving a tale that is impossible to resist.

If you liked Starvation Lake by Bryan Gruley then you will most certainly enjoy Bloodroot.

Good reading,

Plants and Books

Review: Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson

Title: Mistborn: The Final Empire
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Copyright: 2007
Publisher: Tor Books
ISBN: 0765350386

Notes: First book in the Mistborn series

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Nearly Perfect. The New Standard To Which Fantasy Should Be Held - 5 stars - a book review

Just when you think epic fantasy is beyond tired, someone like Brandon Sanderson comes along and re-imagines the timeless coming of age quest adventure in a way that is so unique, so memorable, so engaging, and more importantly, so refreshing. The review title says it all. Mistborn (The Final Empire) is nearly perfect. The Final Empire has everything that grand fantasy should: a well developed world, a unique and intriguing magic system, an evil that transcends humanity, and a coming of age story.

The premise of The Final Empire is irresistible: a band of lower class people planning the ultimate caper to defeat the evil and oppressive Lord Ruler and the ruling class of nobles all vying for power and money at the expense of the slave-like Skaa. The main characters are all individuals with a unique skillset that helps the party with their objective of destroying the Lord Ruler's grasp on the Mistborn realm. Even better, their unique attributes also help worldbuild and educate the reader on the history and happenings of the last one thousand years.

As mentioned, the magic system is intriguing, to say the least. By ingesting metals, Allomancers can "burn" each metal to perform different magical acts, such as Pushing or Pulling themselves towards metal and "flying" through the air or locating metals, making themselves stronger or faster, and an introduction to fabled metals that are so rare and even unknown. This magic system makes for interesting and exciting battles and help turn the tide for parties with Allomancers.

Sanderson is an incredibly talented writer. He is a tour-de-force in the fantasy genre and should not be missed. I'm not sure that I want to trust anyone that likes fantasy but did not enjoy Mistborn. The only problem I had with The Final Empire is that it took me two years to finally read it.

Good reading,

Plants and Books

Review: Bad Things Happen by Harry Dolan

Title: Bad Things Happen
Author: Harry Dolan
Copyright: 2009
Publisher: Penguin Group
ISBN: 9780399155635

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Elegant Writing With Exceptional Characters - 4 stars - a book review

Every once in a while there is a story that is written in such a unique manner it is hard to explain and impossible to deny. BAD THINGS HAPPEN is such a story. The writing style is not unusual, but has an aura of "classical-ness" to it that makes the story an almost instant classic. Whatever it is that I am trying to describe reminds me of the writing style of JONATHAN STRANGE & MR. NORRELL. That being said, BAD THINGS HAPPEN is not without faults.

BAD THINGS HAPPEN is unique in the sense that the plot revolves around a group of writers and editors. This premise sets up some great dialogue and postulations by the characters as they scramble to figure out who killed the founder of the murder mystery magazine, Gray Streets. Every single time the phrase, "if this was a story in Gray Streets, such and such would happen" followed by, "But this isn't a story in Gray Streets..." The dialogue is almost unreal in this sense, and nearly makes it impossible to believe, but with each unbelievable moment the story becomes that much more unforgettable.

The problems with BAD THINGS HAPPENS is that as more is uncovered about the murders, the less interested I became in who the actual killer (or killers) was. The story became extremely convoluted with the motives of characters that were insignificant previously and they had motives that were not that interesting to me. Of course, me not being a writer might have something to do with the inability to relate.

Overall, BAD THINGS HAPPENS was a worthwhile read. While not without faults, the dialogue and characters are what drive this story. If you like Charlie Huston's writing, then you will enjoy this book and vice versa.

Good reading,

Plants and Books

Progress Report - 6/1/09

It has been a couple of months since I last posted my reading progress, so I suppose it is time.

Books Read: 33
Pages Read: 11,990
Average Pages/Day: 76.37
Average Days/Book: 4.32

Books Reviewed: 32/33 (96.96%)
Average Review Ratings: 3.97 stars

Until next time, good reading,

Plants and Books

Review: The Doomsday Key by James Rollins

Title: The Doomsday Key
Author: James Rollins
Copyright: 2009
Publisher: William Morrow
ISBN: 0061231401

Notes: A Novel of the Sigma Force

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A Good Summer Read - 4 stars - a book review

I've only read a small number of James Rollins' books; but, from my understanding, THE DOOMSDAY KEY is exactly what fans of his will expect and love. It has an easy to read and enjoyable plot involving multiple murders, biotechnology, chemical agents, history, and lore. THE DOOMSDAY KEY is truly an adventure, taking readers from Africa to locations all over Europe, to the Arctic.

I am not familiar with the characters, but I believe they have made appearances in previous Rollins books. Rollins excels in painting these people in precarious situations with real responses. They are believable and their actions are reasonable (for the most part). There were a couple of moments when I was truly impressed with their thought processes, and Rollins did a nice job of showing the internal moral struggles during these moments.

What else is there? Tons and tons of action. The only times when there is no action is when the characters are learning about the history of the artifact they seek, thus having dialogues and research sessions to fill themselves (and the reader) in on what they are trying to achieve. The action is almost over the top, and at times recklessly unbelievable. Rollins has no shame in destroying national monuments and tearing down anything and everything. This caviler attitude almost turned me off because there is no follow up on events that would seem impossible to get away with, and little discussion of the ramifications of such actions. However, it is a story, and these events were fun to read and created an enjoyable experience.

The plot revolving around the Doomsday Key and the Doomsday Book was interesting and moderately well researched, providing the lore with some semblance of believability. Although these artifacts were interesting, it was not breathtaking and "grab you by the throat." For some, the story could be a little too much action and not enough substance; but like any summer action movie: sometimes that is what we prefer.

Overall, THE DOOMSDAY KEY is a good summer read. If you are looking for a book that is easy to read, fast paced, doesn't involve a lot of thinking, and filled with action, I recommend picking it up. If you are looking for something with a little more substance or something with "a little more to it," you might consider passing on THE DOOMSDAY KEY.

Good reading,

Plants and Books

Review: North From Calcutta by Duane Evans

The Spy From the Other Side - 5 stars - a book review

Duane Evans has created an equally interesting and engaging story with his novel, NORTH FROM CALCUTTA. In a world of Islamic terrorism and Pakastani intelligence, this book reads like an espionage thriller on the other side of the world.

The main character, Tarek Durrani, is a believable, if not a troubled person in his own right. Fighting his own demons along the way to ensuring that India and Pakistan do not end up destroying each other (and the rest of the world) in nuclear war over Kashmir. Evans has a talent for painting a remarkably bleak picture with a hint of sunlight in the corner, and realizing this light in NORTH FROM CALCUTTA is as engaging as it gets.

One of the best features of NORTH FROM CALCUTTA is the pace at which the story is told. The story is engaging and builds chapter by chapter to an explosive conclusion that will be hard to forget. Every chapter is equally fulfilling and their is no down chapters or lagging that sometimes exists to move the plot along. The plot moves perfectly.

If you like espionage thrillers and you are looking for a change in venue for spy exploits, you should take a good look at NORTH FROM CALCUTTA. If you liked THE INCREMENT by David Ignatius you will enjoy NORTH FROM CALCUTTA and vice versa.

Good reading,

Plants and Books.

Review: Beyond the Shadows by Brent Weeks

Title: Beyond the Shadows
Author: Brent Weeks
Copyright: 2008
Publisher: Orbit Books
ISBN: 0316033669

Notes: Final book in the Night Angel Trilogy

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A Satisfying Conclusion to a Refreshing Fantasy Series - 4 stars - a book review

Brent Weeks certainly made a grand entrance into the fantasy world with his NIGHT ANGEL TRILOGY. The entire trilogy is refreshing to read, real and emotional, and completely believable. I absolutely loved THE WAY OF SHADOWS and it was one of the best fantasy books I have read in a long time. The stage was set for a grand tale (and it was); but I was slightly disappointed with the execution, at least by comparison to the previous two installments.

After killing the Godking, Kylar Stern takes more of a journey and adventure of self discovery, learning about the Ka'kari and his role as the Night Angel. Old friendships are rekindled and rediscovered, to great success in terms of character development. One area that Weeks has always succeeded with is his character development and personal interactions. This book explores the bond of brotherhood and friendship to great depths, and the sacrifices necessary to save people. In the previous installments, Kylar's love interest, Elene, was a very one dimensional character. In BEYOND THE SHADOWS, she grows so much, and becomes a character that I was now interested in. Furthermore, many characters from the previous two books are featured in a much more prominent light, setting the stage across multiple countries building to a epic battle.

My one disappointment with BEYOND THE SHADOWS was how the format of the book was drastically different from the other two. BEYOND THE SHADOWS has so many more characters and there is so much more going on in their stories that it almost detracted from my favorite aspects of the series: that being Kylar and his growth as a Wetboy and his struggles balancing the life and his destiny. Because of this, there is so much worldbuilding that would have been better introduced previously because there are times of great exposition through dialogues between characters about the history of the realm. BEYOND THE SHADOWS further explores the entire realm, but almost too much for my comfort. I would have liked to have had more of this worldbuilding in the first two books.

Regardless, BEYOND THE SHADOWS is a solid book. THE NIGHT ANGEL TRILOGY is one of the best additions to the fantasy genre in recent times. Weeks excels is painting the tragic lives and choices of the characters and their actions are nothing short of believable.

If you like fantasy, you certainly do not want to miss this one.

Good reading,

Plants and Books

Review: Orphan's Triumph by Robert Buettner

Title: Orphan's Triumph
Author: Robert Buettner
Copyright: 2009
Publisher: Orbit Books
ISBN: 0316001759

Notes: 5th book in the Jason Wander series


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Everybody Was Somebody Else Before the War - 5 stars - a book review

"Though Father of the great victory, I was laid upon the battlefield of Mantinea, bleeding from my wounds. I commanded my soldiers to lift me up, that I might see my orphans triumph, and I bade them make a lasting peace. But I died too soon to see these things, as all soldiers do."

-Epaminondas' Lament, attributed to Xenophon, ca. 364 BC (an excerpt from the opening of Orphan's Triumph.

True to form, Robert Buettner delivers in the finale of the Jason Wander series. Picking up at the conclusion of ORPHAN'S ALLIANCE, the United Human forces are ready to launch the ultimate counter stroke in the battle against the slugs that has raged on for four decades. At the heart of the novel is Jason Wander, the orphan who has stumbled his way to the position of Lieutenant General, much to the dismay of everyone. Wander was the first to encounter a slug and is determined to be the last one to see them alive. Along the way, through the entire series, he has sacrificed much, and lost even more.

ORPHAN'S TRIUMPH explores the price of command and the price of a life long service to the military as Wander comes to terms with what is necessary to win at all costs. As expected, the personal commentary by Wander in this first person account is raw and genuine. The voice is unmatched and deeply personal. As in ORPHAN'S ALLIANCE, there were times of true emotional responses from me while reading some of the passages, which proves the depth of this military science fiction installment.

The cast of characters includes those that readers of the series have come to appreciate (and love) including Ord, Mimi, Jude, Howard Hibble and his merry band of "Spooks," and Aud. Forty years of war has certainly had an effect on these people and as the end of the Slugs or the end of Humanity looms they will have to reconcile with each other and show the worth of their friendship/relationship. Buettner excels in casting his believable characters in situations that are, at times, excruciating and elegant to read, all at the same time.

ORPHAN'S TRIUMPH, as well as the entire series, is not to be missed. In the spirit of Robert Heinlein, ORPHAN'S TRIUMPH is today's commentary on war, exploration, and personal sacrifice.

Good reading,

Plants and Books

Wheel of Time Cover Art

Recently, Brandon Sanderson posted the release of the official THE GATHERING STORM cover art, painted by Darrell K. Sweet. THE WHEEL OF TIME cover art (and fantasy cover art in general) has often been the heart of a lot of debate and criticism, and THE GATHERING STORM is no exception. To the disappointment of many fans, Tor books has said that they will be sticking with Sweet as the artist for the remaining two WOT books (three including THE GATHERING STORM).

I feel obligated to say that while I certainly don't approve of THE GATHERING STORM's cover art (and several of the WOT covers), I am pleased to hear that Sweet will be finishing off the series. After the conclusion of the last volume being published in November of 2011, Tor will be repackaging the entire series with new art. I am a man that prefers standardization. While I don't particularly prefer the cover art for WOT, I do like that consistency in the paintings; and, many of the paintings are beautiful when you look at both the front and back covers as one sweeping epic moment in the WHEEL OF TIME saga.

To further add to this point, I was angered beyond belief when George R.R. Martin's epic fantasy series, THE SONG OF ICE AND FIRE, was given a new cover look after the third book. I was furious. I loved the first three covers, and I despise the new look. For you visual learners out there, take a look at these (the editions available when I started reading the series minus the A FEAST FOR CROWS cover, because it was never released with that cover):

Compared to:

Now obviously my complete set will never look like a complete set, because I have the first three covers under the old publication art, and every remaining book under the new publication art (unless Bantam decides to change the art once again).

Anyways, I digress. Back to THE WHEEL OF TIME cover art. In light of the cover art release of THE GATHERING STORM, I went back to look at all the old covers again and see which I loved, liked, appreciated, and despised. I think one of the reasons I am sometimes disappointed with Sweet's artwork is the close up images of the characters, most specifically the faces. I wish I could find the full paintings of the cover art including both the front and the back, because as I mentioned, sometimes the best art is not on the front, or for full appreciation of the epic scope of the painting requires the full painting (if you know where I can find the full images, please let me know. If I come across them I will post them later).

My all time favorite WHEEL OF TIME cover goes to CROSSROADS OF TWILIGHT. The full image shows an army of characters weaving through the woods approaching what appears to be some battle. The colors of the woods and the actions of the characters is beautifully illustrated and executed. Sweet does have a knack for painting landscape, as the woods in this cover demonstrates.

The second best cover, in my opinion, goes to A PATH OF DAGGERS (and a very close second to the best). A wonderful painting of an army heading to battle. The characters are done extremely well and look believable. This cover does an excellent job of providing the casual reader in the bookstore with the knowledge of the epic nature of the book.

My third favorite cover is A CROWN OF SWORDS. Again, the overall colors and dark nature of the image are incredibly well done. There is not a lot going on in the front cover image, but the back cover image displays more (small) characters and some of the villainous Trollocs. This particular cover does a nice job of illustrating Rand in the ruined city of Shadar Logoth. A beauty of balance in composition and colors.

Next, THE DRAGON REBORN. This cover paints the characters as youthful and inexperienced, yet fully realizing the epic nature of the quest before them as Rand reaches for the sword that is not a sword. On the back cover are some interesting looking characters that only the astute reader of the first two books (or the re-reader) would recognize, hinting at something bigger going on in the book.

Other notable covers include THE EYE OF THE WORLD, NEW SPRING, and THE GREAT HUNT. The first two portraying the exact image of a group setting out on an epic quest. THE EYE OF THE WORLD being the first book in the main sequence introduces a motley crew of young, naive boys and some huge characters who obviously know what they are up against. If all fantasy sagas are deep down just a coming of age and self realization story then THE EYE OF THE WORLD cover paints this image perfectly.

And the worst of the worst going to LORD OF CHAOS, WINTER'S HEART, and THE GATHERING STORM. Nothing paints epic fantasy worse than a sweeping cover with an image straight off of a sappy romance novel (especially when the main character has shoulders as broad as his torso is tall. Despite this terrible depiction of Rand, the back cover has some beautiful imagery of desolate landscape. WINTER'S HEART is another great traveling image, except for the horrible facial expressions on the main characters. And, THE GATHERING STORM... The house seems to be leaning (which I suppose whatever caused the huge burnt hole in the house could have destroyed the structural integrity of the house; but I prefer not to have to think that much with a cover) and I can't comprehend how Rand is standing the way he is. I love the commentary by Rob B at SFFWORLD when he said:

Is that the Bates Motel plopped into Little House on the Prairie?

I couldn't agree more.

Anyways, fantasy covers (in general) leave a lot to be desired; but standardizationally speaking, they do hold a dear place in my heart. I can see how it might be difficult for a new reader to be psyched about picking up these books, but once in, it is difficult to imagine it any other way.

Good reading,

Plants and Books

Review: Wicked Prey by John Sandford

Title: Wicked Prey
Author: John Sandford
Copyright: 2009
Publisher: Putnam
ISBN: 0399155678

Notes: 19th Prey Novel


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One of the Best Lucas Davenport Books So Far - 5 stars - a book review

In his nineteenth edition to the Lucas Davenport Prey series, John Sandford proves beyond a reasonable doubt that somethings will never grow old or tired. The hero, Lucas Davenport, is up to his neck in problems in WICKED PREY. WICKED PREY has three different crimes running at the same time that seem to weave in and out of each other, all the while the Republican Nomination Convention sets the stage for limited resources and manpower in the background.

On the forefront there is a gang of armored car robbers looking for a big score, a man with a rifle looking for weaponry for a 750 yard shot, and Randy Witcomb (from previous Prey installments) looking to settle the score with Davenport.

Sandford excels in painting the life of a law enforcement official, from the slow times of walking the beat to the climatic shootouts, and WICKED PREY is no exception. The writing style is so elegant in the portrayal of the life looking for criminals, hoping for breaks, and running around in the thick of chaos. As he has proven time and time again, nobody writes a better criminal apprehension story than John Sandford, and WICKED PREY is no exception.

WICKED PREY is fantastic. It just might be one of my top three Lucas Davenport stories, coming in a close second or third behind BROKEN PREY and SECRET PREY. Don't miss this one; it's WICKED!

Good reading,

Plants and Books