Category Book Reviews

Nov 24 2012

Book Review: Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Title: Uglies

Author: Scott Westerfeld

Series: Uglies #1

Genre: Teen Fantasy

Rating: 5/5 stars!

The Overview: Tally Youngblood is about to turn sixteen, and she can’t wait for the operation that turns everyone from a repellent ugly into a stunningly attractive pretty and catapults you into a high-tech paradise where your only job is to party. But new friend Shay would rather hoverboard to “the Smoke” and be free. Tally learns about a whole new side of the pretty world and it isn’t very pretty. The “Special Circumstances” authority Dr Cable offers Tally the worst choice she can imagine: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all. The choice Tally makes changes her world forever.

 The Review:

Although the market has been flooded with futuristic post-america settings, I’m of the opinion that this trend first began with the “Uglies” trilogy. It’s fantastic and one of the most entertaining series in the entire genre. Scott Westerfeld really knows how to tell a good story.

This is one of those books that sticks with you. I’ll talk a bit about how much I liked the writing style, but the overall concept was my favorite element of this series: To remove the favoritisms that arise from appearances, society decided to make everyone gorgeous. At sixteen, all people undergo major surgery and begin their privileged, materialistic lives. As a young girl about to undergo this procedure, Tally Youngblood decides there might be more to life than pretty faces and endless parties. As the series progresses, it digs deeper into this society, revealing that not everything is as perfect as it seems.

The author has an engaging writing style that keeps you riveted throughout the story. Adding to that, he is incredibly creative, and often used a subtle touch with certain setting and language elements that just made the story that much more dynamic and interesting. I liked it so much, I bought the sequel before I was even halfway through it.

Definitely in my top 10 favorite teen books of all-time, Uglies is well worth picking up, especially if you’re a fan of the teen genre. What’s more, every last customer and coworker I’ve talk to about this series share my thoughts – this is a trilogy that’s worth reading!

by Niki Hawkes

Other books you might like:

  • “Partials” by Dan Wells
  • “Delirium” by Lauren Oliver
  • “Matched” by Allie Condie
  • “Skinned” by Robin Wasserman
  • “Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins
Nov 19 2012
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Book Review: Jhereg by Steven Brust

Title: Jhereg

Author: Steven Brust

Series: Vlad Taltos #1

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 4/5 stars

The Overview: The first to be published, this is actually the fourth novel in the timeline of the VLAD TALTOS series. The books recount the adventures of the wisecracking hired killer Vlad, a human on a planet mainly inhabited by the long-lived, extremely tall sorcerers known as the Dragaerans. One of the most powerful bosses in the Jhereg–Dragaera’s premier criminal organization–hires Vlad, one of their guild members, to assassinate Mellar, who stole millions from the Jhereg leadership and fled. Unfortunately, this thief turns out to be protected in a way that makes it difficult for Vlad to do his job without gaining the permanent enmity of a friend. The reader also learns more about Vlad’s past in this, and in other, lives.

The Review:

Jhereg was nothing like I thought it would be… it was better! I was expecting a typical “boy gets a dragons and goes out on an epic adventure” book (I guess I need to stop judging by the cover alone). What I ended up with was a cheeky, magical, modern-day assassin mystery that blew my socks off.

Highly interesting characters and plot-lines, it was an extremely fast-paced novel that keeps you page-turning to the very end. And when I say fast-paced, I’m not joking around. The author has an incredible “no words wasted” writing style that makes for an exciting read. Trouble is, if you blink or get distracted for even a moment (as I am wont to do) you’ll likely miss something important and plot-advancing – so stay focused!

Initially, I thought a draw-back to this series was the lack of attention on setting. I couldn’t tell if the book was taking place in a complete fantasy world or just in a twist of our modern-day (and actually, I’m still not sure). I initially thought the author was lazy, but now I’m starting to suspect he’s a bit brilliant. His overall mastery over other elements of the craft is what clued me in. You see, the story is written in a strong first-person narrative – done well enough that I always felt totally immersed into the character. I now think the reason the reader doesn’t get to see the settings clearer is that the main character doesn’t pay much attention to such commonplace (for him) details. If this is truly the case, the Brust did an excellent job sticking to his chosen perspective, and I applaud him on it.

Overall, it was a unique read that I wish I’d picked up years ago. The author has a good fusion of fantasy and mystery that really maintained my attention. Though not the first book chronologically, it is the first book according to the publisher, and that’s good enough for me (especially since the author admitted he has no clue in what order his books should be read).

by Niki Hawkes

Other books you might like:

  • “Dragon Weather” by Lawrence Watt-Evans
  • “The Thief’s Gamble” by Juliet E. Mckenna
  • “Mistborn” by Brandon Sanderson
  • “Black Sun Rising” by C.S. Friedman
  • “Sword-Dancer” by Jennifer Roberson
Nov 14 2012
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The Adamantine Palace by Stephen Deas

Title: The Adamantine Palace

Author: Stephen Deas

Series: Memory of Flames #1

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: N/A

The Overview: The Adamantine Palace lies at the centre of an empire that grew out of ashes. Once dragons ruled the world and man was little more than prey. Then a way of subduing the dragons through alchemy was discovered and now the dragons are bred to be little more than mounts for knights and highly valued tokens in the diplomatic power-players that underpin the rule of the competing aristocratic houses. The Empire has grown fat. And now one man wants it for himself. A man prepared to poison the king just as he has poisoned his own father. A man prepared to murder his lover and bed her daughter. A man fit to be king? But uknown to him there are flames on the way. A single dragon has gone missing. And even one dragon on the loose, unsubdued, returned to its full intelligence, its full fury, could spell disaster for the Empire. But because of the actions of one unscrupulous mercenary the rivals for the throne could soon be facing hundreds of dragons …Stephen Deas has written a fast moving and action-fuelled fantasy laced with irony, a razor sharp way with characters, dialogue to die for and dragons to die by.

 The Review:

Unfortunately, this was a book I didn’t finish, which bums me out because I’d been looking forward to reading it since I first laid eyes on it. I don’t usually write reviews for the books I didn’t care for, preferring instead to focus on the recommend-worthy titles. I decided to make an exception in this case because I believe there are a few people out there who would enjoy this book a lot more than I did.

‘The Adamantine Palace” was difficult for me to walk away from, as the storyline was actually quite interesting – it kept me trying for about 100 pages. I liked the world, I liked the plot, and I liked the dragons. What I didn’t care for was the writing style. There were times where it was just underdeveloped enough that it read like a draft rather than a finished product. The dialogue was also a bit weak. Everybody spoke with the same voice and there was little variation in tone. It was unfortunate because it made interesting characters come across one-note.

I’ve been in the book business long enough to know that just because I don’t care for a title doesn’t mean others wont. If you might be one of those people, the digital world we live in makes it easy for you to find out. Just go to www.bn.com and download a digital sample. After reading the first few pages, you’ll know if it works for you or not.

Other dragon books you might like:

  • “Dragon Weather” by Lawrence Watt-Evans
  • “Joust” by Mercedes Lackey
  • “Dragon Champion” by E.E. Knight
  • “The Last Dragonlord” by Joanne Bertin
  • “Dragonflight” by Anne McCaffrey

by Niki Hawkes

Nov 10 2012

Book Review: Dragonlance – Dragons of Dwarven Depths by Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman

Title: Dragonlance: Dragons of Dwarven Depths

Authors: Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman

Series: The Lost Chronicles #1

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 4/5 stars

The Overview: Tanis and Flint seek out a haven in the dwarven kingdom of Thorbardin while Raistlin is strangely drawn to the haunted fortress known as Skullcap. Sturm seeks the legendary Hammer of Kharas, and Tika embarks on a perilous journey to rescue those she loves from certain death.

But it is the Dwarf, Flint Fireforge, who faces the most crucial test. The heroes race against time to save the lives of those dependent on them and Flint is forced to make a difficult choice, one on which the future of mankind may rest.

The Review:

Even though the Lost Chronicles are the latest in publication, they actually fall in the middle of the Dragonlance saga chronologically. It is an expansion of some events that happened that didn’t quite make it into the original series. Happy to have anything new from these authors, I was thrilled when it was released, and found it to be an incredibly nostalgic read.

I don’t think the original manuscript was a full trilogy, and so the authors had to add quite a bit of additional scenes to create a more sustainable storyline. This might be the main reason why certain elements were a bit repetitive. The perspective jumps around between about a dozen characters, and unfortunately that means we get the thoughts on certain events and behaviors several times over as we go through each character’s mental assessments. There was also quite a bit of series recap, but that didn’t bother me much – it’s been ages since I read the original story.

The characters are what make this saga so enjoyable, and I must say my favorite in this book was Tasslehoff – he is so delightfully irritating and cheerful that I have to give kudos to the authors for creating such a memorable character (one of many).

Overall, it was a fun addition totally entertaining the whole way through. I highly recommend it for fans of the series.

by Niki Hawkes

Other books you might like:

Nov 8 2012

Bonded by Michelle Davidson Argyle

Title: Bonded

Author: Michelle Davidson Argyle

Genre: Teen Fantasy

Rating: 2/5 stars

The Review:

Ever wondered what happens after the fairy tales end? In “Bonded” Davidson takes you on a journey that’s not quite as happily ever after as you might expect. With these three novellas, she tells her interesting take on the next chapter of some familiar characters. Each of the three novellas used a unique voice to explore the darker side of fairy tales, and gave off sort of a Brothers Grimm feel.

The stories were actually quite thought-provoking. Sure, there are elements of Grimm, but I also thought there was a good tribute to Aesop’s fables. There were definitely a lot of morals woven into the stories such as: “be careful what you wish for” and “the grass is always greener”.

The writing was unique and overall well done, progressing the story smoothly and keeping my attention throughout. The only criticism I had was that the dialogue seemed a bit forced on occasion, but it still managed to flow within the overall “voice” of the story.

If you’re looking for a fairy tale to break the mold, this may be the next book for you!

by Niki Hawkes

Other books you might like:

  • “Bitterblue” by Kristin Cashore
  • “Once Upon a Winter’s Night” by Dennis McKiernan
  • “The Ill-Made Mute” by Cecelia Dart-Thornton
  • “Grimm’s Fairy Tales” by the Brothers Grimm
Nov 4 2012

Your Pick for Nik! – November Nominations!

Your Pick for Nik! is a monthly feature where I turn over control of my reading list to you!

Here’s how it works: I will nominate titles from my TBR list and YOU will choose which one gets featured. It can be one you’ve already read and want to discuss, one you want to read but wish to see my feedback on first, or – and this is my favorite part – you can read it along with me!

Depicted below are my 10 nominees* for November. Simply vote for your favorite, and let the best book win! At 10:00 pm (MST) on Tuesday the 6th, I will announce the winner. Come the end of the month, I will post a thorough review of the chosen title – and hopefully find out what you thought of it as well!

To cast your vote, just leave a comment indicating your chosen title – and may the best book win!

November’s Nominations:

Title: Drowning City

Author: Amanda Downum

Overview: Symir — the Drowning City. home to exiles and expatriates, pirates and smugglers. And violent revolutionaries who will stop at nothing to overthrow the corrupt Imperial government. For Isyllt Iskaldur, necromancer and spy, the brewing revolution is a chance to prove herself to her crown. All she has to do is find and finance the revolutionaries, and help topple the palaces of Symir. But she is torn between her new friends and her duties, and the longer she stays in this monsoon-drenched city, the more intrigue she uncovers — even the dead are plotting. As the waters rise and the dams crack, Isyllt must choose between her mission and the city she came to save.

Title: The Last Dragonlord

Author: Joanne Bertin

Overview: Dragonlord Linden Rathan, last-born of a race of immortal weredragons, has spent six hundred years alone, searching for his soultwin while his fellow Dragonlords watch over humanity’s Five Kingdoms. When the Queen of Cassori dies mysteriously, Linden and the other Dragonlords are called upon to prevent civil war as two human claimants vie for the regency. As the battle for Cassori rule escalates, Linden becomes the target of the Fellowship, a secret society of true-humans who could actually destroy his immortal life. Then he meets a beautiful young ship captain named Maurynna who may be the only one who can help Linden bring Cassori back from the brink of chaos.

Title: Tinker

Author: Wen Spencer

Overview: Inventor, girl genius Tinker lives in a near-future Pittsburgh which now exists mostly in the land of the elves. She runs her salvage business, pays her taxes, and tries to keep the local ambient level of magic down with gadgets of her own design. When a pack of wargs chase an Elven noble into her scrap yard, life as she knows it takes a serious detour. Tinker finds herself taking on the Elven court, the NSA, the Elven Interdimensional Agency, technology smugglers and a college-minded Xenobiologist as she tries to stay focused on what’s really important – her first date. Armed with an intelligence the size of a planet, steel-toed boots, and a junkyard dog attitude, Tinker is ready to kick butt to get her first kiss.

Title: Disappearing Nightly

Author: Laura Resnick

Overview: When mysterious mystical disappearances disrupt her career, struggling actress Esther Diamond teams up with Maximillian Zadok, an eccentric elderly wizard whose day job is protecting the Big Apple from Evil. Meanwhile, the sexy NYPD detective investigating the disappearances fears that Esther and Max may be a bigger problem than the vanishing performers.

Title: Divergent

Author: Veronica Roth

Overview: In Beatrice Prior’s dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can’t have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

Title: Aurian

Author: Maggie Furey

Overview: To the city of Nexis, where Magefolk rule uneasily over a race of mortals, a young girl named Aurian comes to learn the magic arts. Her dormant powers are coveted by the corrupt Archmage, who intends to possess her. When she rejects him for a mortal, the enraged Archmage plans his revenge.

Title: Spider’s Bite

Author: Jennifer Estep

Overview: After Gin’s family was murdered by a Fire elemental when she was thirteen, she lived on the streets and eventually became an assassin to survive. Now, Gin is given an assignment by her handler to rub out an Ashland businessman, but it turns out to be a trap. After Gin’s handler is brutally murdered, she teams up with the sexy detective investigating the case to figure out who double-crossed her and why. Only one thing is for sure —Gin has no qualms about killing her way to the top of the conspiracy.

Title: Reap the Wind

Author: Julie E. Czerneda

Overview: This prequel to The Trade Pact Universe series begins in a time before the Clan had learned how to manipulate the M’hir to travel between worlds. Aliens have begun to explore the world of Cersi, upsetting the delicate balance between the Clan and the two other powerful races who coexist by set rules. And one young woman is on the verge of finding the forbidden secret of the M’hir? a discovery that could prove the salvation or ruin of her entire species.

Title: Partials

Author: Dan Wells

Overview: The human race is all but extinct after a war with Partials—engineered organic beings identical to humans—has decimated the population. Reduced to only tens of thousands by RM, a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island while the Partials have mysteriously retreated. The threat of the Partials is still imminent, but, worse, no baby has been born immune to RM in more than a decade. Our time is running out.

Title: Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

Author: Douglass Adams

Overview: The story of a British earthling plucked from his planet, and his subsequent adventures elsewhere in the universe

*Overviews taken from BN.com