Review: Doctor Who: Shada: The Lost Adventure by Douglas Adams

Doctor Who: Shada: The Lost Adventure by Douglas Adams by Gareth Roberts

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I heard about this book from a coworker and subsequently got it out from the library.
I will state two things right away: I have not seen much Classic Who, and I have only been through the Hitchhiker's Guide for the first time within the past year or so. I blame this on my upbringing (too full of other wonders, but sadly lacking in the Science Fiction department). So I come at this novel without the baggage of childhood adoration, and cannot vouch for it against those who do.
That disclaimer made, I found in it the same whimsy and delightfully madcap qualities that I associate with Douglas Adams. As a new Whovian, I was continually fascinated by the presence of multiple Time Lords. I've known for years that I really ought to watch some stories with Romana in them, and now I'm doubly determined to do so.
I reserve the final star for books that I cannot live without (or at least, I intend to do so in future, I'm not sure that I've been entirely consistent on my ratings in the past), and I'm not going to award that honor to this book, but I do recommend it and got grouchy whenever I had to put it down. I even gave up some napping opportunities in order to keep reading, and that's a high accolade!
I did get frustrated at Clare's character from time to time. I know that not all characters are supposed to be perfect (that would be boring), but it really irks me to have females shouting empowerment in the workplace and then falling into passive, waiting roles when it comes to romance.



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Review: Naked Heat

Naked Heat by Richard Castle

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



A fictional book written by a fictional character. I enjoyed it at about a three-star level, but that was only because I watch Castle. Because I already had the majority of characters and settings in my head, I read the book as if I were watching an extended episode of the show. I was able to glean nuance from having seen it in previous episodes, so I knew what a glance between Ochoa/Esposito/Jon and Raley/Ryan/Seamus looks like (book character/TV character/actor) and I'm not convinced that the writing alone could have conveyed all that depth.
I did, of course, enjoy all the levels of meta. There was a beautiful reference to the character that the actor who plays the character that wrote the book (upon whom the main character is based) played in a different show. I wanted to try writing that all out without directly naming anybody to see how convoluted it got (with names - the book references Malcom Reynolds, who was a character on Firefly played by Nathan Fillion, who plays Richard Castle who supposedly wrote this book, which contains a thinly-veiled self character named Jameson Rook).
I was tickled to see the "author's note" from Richard Castle at the end of the book thanking both the Castle-show characters and the actors who play them (as well, I'm guessing as producers and writers, but I don't know their names well enough to recognize them). Reality and fiction merge!!
I might read another, but I won't go out of my way to do it.



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Review: The Magicians' Guild

The Magicians' Guild by Trudi Canavan

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I really, REALLY want to give this book three and a half stars.
Started this one as an ebook checked out from the library because it was available and I was experimenting with reading on my phone. When it looked like it had potential, I requested a paper copy from the library, which I just zipped through in about a day and a half.
Probably if it reminds me of half a dozen of my favorite authors' works at different points, it's a book I like, right? It was engaging and amusing and entertaining. I liked the world and look forward to reading more in it. At the same time, because I kept getting these echoes of other authors, it didn't quite feel original. And I have to say, while renaming common objects to emphasize that it's a fantasy world is a tool that works, it feels like a weaker prop than giving us the rules and substantial differences. So a spider is a faren, so what? What I'm interested in is how the Magician's Guild works and the laws of magic. Or if a faren has some features that set it apart from a spider in unexpected ways, then I'm interested, but if it's just a spider by a different name? Feels more contrived than convincing.
I am glad that the foundation was well laid for more intrigue, but the main plot of this book wrapped up tidily. It was a nice balance between series of books which are hardly related and those which are more continuations of each other than separate stories.
Which books did it call to mind? I was reminded of [a:Tamora Pierce|8596|Tamora Pierce|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1209044273p2/8596.jpg]'s Circle of Magic books very strongly, a bit of [a:Philip Pullman|3618|Philip Pullman|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1196023994p2/3618.jpg]'s Sally Lockhart books (mostly the parts to do with running and hiding in the slums of London), [a:Kate Constable|273399|Kate Constable|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1243719545p2/273399.jpg]'s Chanters of Tremaris trilogy, a bit of [a:Maria V. Snyder|445303|Maria V. Snyder|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1224476079p2/445303.jpg], with a touch of [a:Scott Lynch|73149|Scott Lynch|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1332432746p2/73149.jpg], and oh, hell, just a whiff of [a:Patrick Rothfuss|108424|Patrick Rothfuss|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1351307341p2/108424.jpg]. You'd think with so many flavors I love, this book would have grabbed me more strongly. I'm not saying I didn't like it, just that it wasn't in the league with some of those (especially Scott Lynch and Pat Rothfuss), so I was a bit disappointed that it wasn't absolutely stellar. Not a diet version of those books I love, but a slightly-reduced-fat version. I do look forward to reading more by this author. Certainly on a level with Tamora Pierce's Circle of Magic books, which I have had as a go-to fun fantasy since I first read them... so long ago that I can't remember when.
You may note that I left [a:J K Rowling|6566055|J K Rowling|http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66-251a730d696018971ef4a443cdeaae05.jpg] off the list of feel-alikes. Despite having an unexpected power in an unlikely youngster as the focal point of the story, this book was entirely different from the Harry Potter series. Not as much world-building, despite taking place in a different reality. The magic is much less important to the story, and isn't explored as much as at Hogwarts. Maybe we'll get to more of that in future books. I think that the author's writing will develop some polish and she clearly has some excellent ideas.



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Review: Archon

Archon by Sabrina Benulis

My rating: 1 of 5 stars



Can I give it a half star?
Reminded me a bit of [a:C.S. Friedman|1276004|C.S. Friedman|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1257214912p2/1276004.jpg], whose ColdFire trilogy I read once because it was there (belonged to my ex, with whom I was living). I don't usually do horror-y things, haven't even read any Lovecraft. And I was much more in the mood for [a:Sharon Shinn|28544|Sharon Shinn|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1218995575p2/28544.jpg]'s angels. I guess I didn't read the blurb carefully enough.
It wasn't bad, it just didn't suck me in, and I have other books to read. It's rare that I don't just finish something because I'm already partway through, but I just finished rereading [b:The Renegades of Pern|20082|The Renegades of Pern (Pern, #10)|Anne McCaffrey|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1283622741s/20082.jpg|555] all the way through, which didn't hold up and wasn't really worth the slog. So this one went back to the library.



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Review: Book Of Enchantments

Book Of Enchantments by Patricia C. Wrede

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I'm really between three and four stars on this one. It was a fun, quick read, but I always have mixed feelings about short stories. I get torn between enjoying the mystery of making up my own context into which I can put the quick glimpse of the world the author's showing me, and desiring the author to do the work for me and give me more! There were several bittersweet and even downright sad stories in this lot, which were worth a read, but a little unexpected (to me) from [a:Patricia C. Wrede|36122|Patricia C. Wrede|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1215652809p2/36122.jpg]. Which is not to say that I don't enjoy a good tragedy now and then, but it wasn't really what I was looking for this time. Happily, some of the stories were quite light and cheerful! Frying pan of DOoooOOOoooOOOOOOM!!!



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Review: The Hero and the Crown

The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



This has never been one of my favorites. Although [a:Robin McKinley|5339|Robin McKinley|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1314406026p2/5339.jpg] is one of my favorite authors, she does have this tendency to give her heroines at least one spell of muddled-headedness, which she writes so well that it's a bit frustrating and muddly-feeling to read. Maybe I'm just too used to having all revealed to me in my stores, sooner or later, to be satisfied with the sort of non-explanations of how the leading ladies pull off their coups. At any rate, this book has that feeling to it, and yet is not as rich in its description as her others, so it doesn't make me love it as much. On the plus side, I've read this one so few times that I had forgotten some of the semi-major plot points and got a surprise as I read it this time.



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Review: Bury Your Dead

Bury Your Dead by Louise Penny

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Blew through this one in a day on audio.
I adore having these books read to me, particularly by this narrator. This is one of my favorites in the series thus far; it explores the Anglo community in Québec City and weaves together three different mysteries. The descriptions of the snow-covered city make me long for it; someday I must go there in the winter. It's entirely possible that I may never leave.
Now I'm left trying to decide whether I can wait to request the remaining two books in the series from my library or if I will buy them. Because my reaction to the different titles in the series varies, I will attempt to be patient and wait for the library copies, despite waiting lists. This one I would be happy to have purchased, but I only know that now that I've heard it. If I can't wait, I'll take a chance on the next two.



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Review: Trapeze

Trapeze by Simon Mawer

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I didn't write this review right away and don't remember a ton of the details, but I do recall enjoying this book immensely. The story of a woman spying in France during WWII, starting with her recruitment in England and following her through training and into the field. I do remember that the ending left me hoping for more.



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Review: The London Train

The London Train by Tessa Hadley

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Two novellas connected to each other, I flew through this random library pick. Either of the stories could have held my interest if they had continued.



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Review: Paris Trance

Paris Trance by Geoff Dyer

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



In the most trivial of ways - regarding initial circumstances - I was briefly put in mind of Orwell's [b:Down and Out in Paris and London|393199|Down and Out in Paris and London|George Orwell|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327954139s/393199.jpg|2374970], but that resemblance quickly faded. Instead I found myself caught up in an almost magical world. The dust jacket blurb uses the phrase "photographic precision" and I can't improve on that description. The plot was secondary to the study of characters and setting, and as such left me feeling unsatisfied and confused. However, I was treated to a glorious wash of scenes, which pulled me into the world in nearly-cinematic detail.
I think that the label of "romance" is appropriate - but not because of the sex scenes or love between the characters. It is a romance between the author/the characters and the lifestyle captured in the pages. Not a smooth romance, but a heady one.
I yearn to visit Paris and the French countryside, to have the places described in this book come to life for me. I wondered what it would be like to read this book without knowing any French - those untranslated sentences would be frustrating. I felt smug in my understanding, although humbled by the thought of how difficult it would be to actually live in a place where another language (even one with which I have a passing familiarity) is spoken. I was envious of the expats around whom the book centered because they had the courage to try that adventure.



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Review: The Cruelest Month

The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Again, I found this murder mystery to be extremely comforting. A combination of the author's writing and the narrator's voice makes me wish to go live in the village of Three Pines, even if people keep turning up dead of unnatural causes.
I was very pleased to get more background for the Arnaud case which kept being mentioned in the previous book ([b:A Fatal Grace|352921|A Fatal Grace (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #2)|Louise Penny|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327918653s/352921.jpg|343141]). I now feel that has been properly addressed and not just alluded to. It was an unexpected bonus to learn how Ruth's duck (which I met in [b:The Brutal Telling|6449551|The Brutal Telling (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #5)|Louise Penny|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327952311s/6449551.jpg|6639657]) came to be with her.
I had already listened to a few of the later books, but I hope that I haven't yet exhausted the series because it's so much fun to visit that world. I do have to be careful or else I'm likely to start looking up emigration information.



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Review: Fire

Fire by Kristin Cashore

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I found this book charming and fun, although not in an entirely light-hearted way. It wrestles with some serious moral questions about whether it is acceptable to influence or torture another for the good of a larger population, and it does not entirely answer the questions it raises, leaving the reader to ponder them.
The book is clearly intended for YA girls, and nowhere is that as evident as in its repeated references to the main character's menstruation. I found myself torn between celebrating the fact that the author was approaching the topic openly and feeling that the extent to which it appeared was disproportionately large to the role it played in the plot and therefore felt a little bit like it was a topic which simply had to be explored because this was a YA novel aimed at girls.
I had expected the character who appeared in the beginning of the story, known from the previous volume in this trilogy, to play a larger role. I'm looking forward to seeing how the author ties these first two novels together in the third (if she does).



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Review: The Fellowship of the Ring

The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



The world is incredible. The story is amazing. I just wish that Tolkein had been able to separate the novel from the travelogue. Either would have been stupendous on its own, but I think both suffer a tiny bit from being combined.



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Review: Daughter of the Forest

Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



First off, I am proud of myself for knowing that "Sorcha" is pronounced with a hard 'k' sound.
Next, I would like to say that I had to keep checking the author's name to make sure it hadn't changed into "[a:Robin McKinley|5339|Robin McKinley|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1314406026p2/5339.jpg]." VERY similar style and subject matter. Happily, I'm a fan of that, so I enjoyed this read. The best predictor I can give you about your reaction to this book is to ask whether or not you liked [b:Deerskin|8087|Deerskin|Robin McKinley|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1309211015s/8087.jpg|2321293], because it was the SAME story clothed in a slightly different fairytale.
I loved the forest descriptions; I was a little surprised at how quickly the story resolved in the end, but that impression may have had more to do with how I sat down and READ without stopping for the last hundred-or-so pages rather than being an accurate reflection of a problem with pacing.



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Review: A Fatal Grace

A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I stumbled across this author at a sale on Audible one day, and while I don't usually go in for mysteries (mostly because then I would be turning into my mother and not because I have anything against them as a genre), it was set in Québec and piqued my interest. I continue to enjoy this series a great deal and have a similar reaction each time I listen to one of them. My reaction arrives in four stages:
1. I question myself about WHY I am not living in Québec and fail to come up with a satisfactory answer.
2. I appreciate the gentle and soothing narration by the performer and excellent word choice by the author.
3. I get hungry. The descriptions of food cause my mouth to water.
4. I try to solve the mystery.
The fourth point is really the least important to me, although it is necessary to give the books plot. In this installment of the series, most of my suspicions were borne out, but I didn't much mind that I wasn't so surprised. Gamache's old-world charm is comforting and I enjoyed my stay in the village of Three Pines.



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Review: The Hobbit

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I don't understand why I didn't read this book as a child and adore it. It was one of the few books in the fantasy or science fiction realms which had an honored place in my house when I was young, but I didn't become acquainted with it until ninth grade. That I hadn't reread it since that time is evident in the small, plastic protractor which fell out from between its pages when I opened it this time.
I do plan to read it to my (at-this-point-hypothetical) children so that they don't miss out.



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Review: The Chemistry of Joy: A Three-Step Program for Overcoming Depression Through Western Science and Eastern Wisdom

The Chemistry of Joy: A Three-Step Program for Overcoming Depression Through Western Science and Eastern Wisdom by Henry Emmons

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



The words that come to mind when I think of this book are "simple" and "clean." It was well written and easy to read, and I am sure I would profit by following some of the author's advice. Most of all, it is kind to its reader and encourages one to let that kindness into the heart.



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Review: Graceling

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



My goodness, I need to get away from YA fantasy with the female heroine who has special powers. It was a good read, but I've been reading FAR too much of that genre lately and I couldn't properly appreciate the world, characters, and plot, when they blended into those of [a:Maria V. Snyder|445303|Maria V. Snyder|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1224476079p2/445303.jpg], [a:Tamora Pierce|8596|Tamora Pierce|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1209044273p2/8596.jpg], and [a:Sharon Shinn|28544|Sharon Shinn|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1218995575p2/28544.jpg].
I look forward to reading more by this author in a couple months or a year, when I'll be in that mood again. For what it was, it was spot-on lovely, and I do love that genre, I just went a bit overboard of late.



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Review: Inside

Inside by Maria V. Snyder

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



It reminded me strongly of [b:Pegasus in Flight|61963|Pegasus in Flight|Anne McCaffrey|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1198185176s/61963.jpg|2970290], with the main character slipping about the service ducts and the oppressive regime keeping the underclass in small, crowded conditions.
I think I need to take a break from [a:Maria V. Snyder|445303|Maria V. Snyder|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1224476079p2/445303.jpg]; I really enjoy her work but it is starting to feel like it's all the same book. In this book/duet the reluctant heroine reminded me very strongly of [b:The Hunger Games|2767052|The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1)|Suzanne Collins|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1326003698s/2767052.jpg|2792775] trilogy, possibly because of the scifi futuristic setting which is a departure from the other books I've read by Snyder, and partly because Trella has to deal with the consequences of leading the people she's stirred to rebellion after the rebellion is over, which reminds me very much of the issues Katniss finds herself facing in [b:Mockingjay|7260188|Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, #3)|Suzanne Collins|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1294615552s/7260188.jpg|8812783]. That's not why I need to take a break. I love the reluctant heroine -- she's a sympathetic and realistic character. I need to take a break because I'm sick of the same love story over and over and OVER again. I would have enjoyed this world much more if the author had simply avoided romance altogether instead of bringing in the stranger who initially alienates the protagonist and eventually wins her heart. It's not a bad story, every now and then. Additionally, I'm finding a few of Snyder's word choices annoying (e.g., the use of "equaled" in awkward sentences) and some of the grammatical flaws are easier to overlook when it's an audiobook, which this wasn't (e.g., starting sentences with "Although," when it doesn't make sense). Fun stuff, and I look forward to the next Touch book, but it's time for a break! I also think I've now read all the published work by Snyder, so it's a good thing I'm taking a breather.



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Review: Touch of Power

Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Really fun read. This is the firs time I've read any of the author's work on paper (instead of listening to the audiobooks) and I took the opportunity to blow through at top speed. I love her world-building, and this was the first novel in a new setting - and I'm now stuck waiting for the next one to come out.
Again, strong female protagonist who has terribly difficult and complicated decisions to make. I'm getting a little sick of the lead male characters in this author's work, but I love the supporting casts.
Once more, what seems like it could be run-of-the-mill fantasy actually turns out to have compelling plot on top of the fascinating world the author creates. I recommend this book (and others by [a:Maria V. Snyder|445303|Maria V. Snyder|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1224476079p2/445303.jpg]) to fans of [b:The Hunger Games|2767052|The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1)|Suzanne Collins|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1326003698s/2767052.jpg|2792775] looking for similarly engaging reads.



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