Score:
5 - buy in hardcover
4 - buy in paperback
3 - buy used
2 - get from library
1.5 - not sure if I'll read the next one
1 - okay, but not worth seeking out
0 - bounce (started, but I couldn't get into it)
-1 - disappointing
-2 - flawed
-3 - couldn't finish
-4 - couldn't even begin
-5 - I can't believe I read the whole thing
1-02-08
Kristine Smith, _Endgame_
Eos (2007) ISBN: 978-0-06-050359-8
Score: 3
Conclusion to the Jani Kilian series, involving an assassination and
lots and lots of politics. The ending may be a bit too neat, but it's
still nice to see a book that doesn't just stop right after the climax.
1-05-07
Patricia Briggs, _Iron Kissed_
Ace (2008) ISBN: 978-0-441-01566-5
Score: 4
Third Mercy Thompson book, in which she investigates a series of
murders in the fae reservation and makes a decision about her love
life. I like the non-homogeneity of the supernatural races; in
general, they aren't nice people and even the sympathetic individuals
have occasional murderous rages.
1-13-08
Carol Berg, _Flesh and Spirit_
Roc (2007) ISBN: 978-0-451-46088-2
Score: 2
First half of the Lighthouse Duet, an epic high fantasy story about a
drug-addicted runaway sorcerer who seeks sanctuary in an abbey only to
find himself in the middle of a conspiracy to save the world. The
ending is as abrupt as you'd expect from half a story.
1-15-08
Rachel Caine, _Glass Houses_
Jam (2006) ISBN: 0-451-21994-5
Score: 0
Start of the Morganville Vampires series, a YA urban fantasy about a
16-year-old girl (a horribly stereotyped nerd) attending a small town
college (for stupid reasons) run by vampires. I gave up 1/5 through,
after she insisted on staying in town and attending cl***** even after
the vampires and police started hunting for her. No supernatural
elements had appeared yet (except maybe her housemates), so I can't
tell if the author is doing anything original with them.
1-15-08
Robert Asprin (writer) and Phil Foglio (artist), _Myth Adventures_
Air****p Entertainment (1978, 1985, 1986, 2007) ISBN: 978-1-890856-43-4
Score: 5
This is a reprint of the Foglio's graphic novelization of Asprin's
_Another Fine Myth_, originally published by Warp Graphics as 8 issues
and then as two collections; not to be confused with _Myth Adventures
vol. 1_, which is an omnibus of Asprin's first six Myth books with
illustrations by Foglio. I had already read the first collection when
it came out and most of the novels, but I'm still glad I got this;
there are some differences from the text in the second part, including
some information not available in any of the novels (backstory for
Tananda, Garkin, and Isstvan).
1-17-08
Laura Chapple, _Get Medieval_
http://www.livejournal.com/users/get_medieval/738.html
two of three collections have been published by CafePress:
http://www.cafepress.com/get_medieval.33533463
http://www.cafepress.com/dndtdamsels.85109176
Score: 2
A daily webcomic about a group of human-looking aliens fleeing from
the mob who get stranded on Earth in the 14th century. The usual
hijinks ensue.
1-19-08
Jim Butcher, _Captain's Fury_
Ace (2007) ISBN: 978-0-441-01527-6
Score: 2
Fourth book of the Codex Alera series, in which the double conflict
from the previous book is mostly resolved. It seems the author wants
the hero to be a specific age at the end of the series, and so the
characters aren't allowed to develop or do anything interesting (like
talk to each other) in the couple years between each book.
1-27-08
K.J. Parker, _Devices and Desires_
Orbit (2005) ISBN: 0-316-00338-7
Score: 2
Start of the Engineer trilogy, an epic fantasy without the fantasy (it
is set on another world). It's a story about technology, yet the most
advanced country has frozen its tech just short of an industrial
revolution. The plot and character motivations need some suspension
of disbelief, since the conflict mainly consists of the antagonist
demonstrating that "love is the most destructive force in the
universe". I really wish the female characters had a chance to be
something more than just pawns and objects of obsession.
--
Konrad Gaertner - - - - - - - - - - - - - email: kgaertner@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
"If I let myself get hung up on only doing things that had any actual
chance of success, I'd never do *anything*!" Elan, Order of the Stick
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