Book Review Update: University Student + Final Exams

Hello Bookish Friends!

Until the end of April I will only be posting a book review once per week (plus quote-of-the-week/other features). Why? Well, mostly to retain what sanity I still have. I'm a university student, and it is Final Exam time. I didn't want to just mysteriously disappear on you!

So, all my fellow students, I wish you luck with end-of-the-year stress. It's almost over. And then you will be able to read what you want!

TL;DR: Because of final exams I will only be reviewing books once a week until the end of April. 

What's the first book you're going to pick up this summer? Mine is "1984" by George Orwell.

Also, you can now follow YLFE's book reviews with Bloglovin, if that's your style.

Quote of the Week: Markus Zuzak

"The Book Thief" - Markus Zuzak

In honor of my most recently reviewed book comes this veiled quotation. Do you see?

[image from Google]

Book Review: "Book Thief" by Markus Zuzak

My Rating: 

Why? While this is certainly not a classic 'fantasy' book, Zuzak tells an incredibly touching story from a very unique character perspective. It's a great mix of the fantastic and history.
Cost: New $4.17/Used $1.49 (Available on Kindle and Nook.)

Buy The Book Thief at Amazon.com

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Plot Tease

It's just a small story really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery...

Set during World War II in Germany, this book is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can't resist—books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau.

Full Book Review

While "The Book Thief" is not your typical 'fantasy' book, I think it can still fall into the genre. Zuzak takes an incredibly unique narrative perspective: the point-of-view of Death in Nazi Germany. Think about that for a second.

Quote of the Week: George R. R. Martin

"A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one." - George R. R. Martin

Yet another reason to pick up a fantasy book! True words.

[image from pinterest.com]

Book Review: "Assassin's Quest" by Robin Hobb

(Farseer #3)
My Rating: 
Why? Robin Hobb writes deep, realistic characters that go on a classic fantasy fiction quest anyone can enjoy. Her writing style and themes set her apart from most other fantasy fiction authors.
Cost: New $7.19/Used $0.01 (Available on Kindle and Nook.)

Buy Assassin's Quest by Robin Hobb on Amazon.

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Plot Tease

FitzChivalry confronts his destiny as the catalyst who holds the fate of the kingdom of the Six Duchies...and the world itself. King Shrewd is dead at the hands of his son Regal. As is Fitz—or so his enemies and friends believe. But with the help of his allies and his beast magic, he emerges from the grave. The kingdom also teeters toward ruin. Only Verity's return—or the heir his princess carries—can save the Six Duchies.

But Fitz will not wait. The journey casts him into deep waters, as he discovers wild currents of magic within him—currents that will either drown him or make him something more than he was before.

Full Book Review

You guys. Robin Hobb. She is my favorite fantasy fiction author by far at this point, followed closely only by Martin and Tolkien. The last half of this book totally blew me away. All that aside, I still have a bone to pick about Assassin's Quest in this book review. 

Book Review: "City of Bones" by Cassandra Clare

(Mortal Instruments #1)
My Rating: 
Why? City of Bones is full of tropes and flat characters that simply don't work for me in fantasy fiction.

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Plot Tease

When Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons.

This is Clary’s first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors who  rid the earth of demons. Clary is pulled into Jace’s world when her mother disappears. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? Exotic and gritty, Cassandra Clare’s ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.

Full Book Review

Sorry for the long summary, but I had to include that last sentence in this book review. Exotic and gritty? Ferociously entertaining? Not hardly. If we're calling average fan fiction exotic and gritty, City of Bones does not fit the bill. Clare's prose is overly simple, clumsy and just plain uninspiring. Clary's story often becomes an infodump on Shadowhunters and their mystical world of fantastic hot guys and mythical creatures. Well.

Cassandra Clare has got a nice secret I'd like to tell you, also.

Book Review: "A Storm of Swords" by George R. R. Martin

(A Song of Ice and Fire #3)
My Rating: 
Why? As far as fantasy books are concerned, Martin writes one of the largest, most in-depth casts of characters I've ever seen. It's really impressive.

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Plot Tease

Of five contenders for power, one is dead, another in disfavor, and still the wars rage as violently as ever, as alliances are made and broken. Joffrey sits on the Iron Throne. Lord Stannis stands defeated, the victim of a sorceress who holds him in her evil thrall. Young Robb Stark still rules the North, plotting against his despised Lannister enemies, even as they hold his sister hostage. 

Meanwhile, making her way across a blood-drenched continent is the exiled queen, Daenerys, with the only three dragons still left in the world...But as opposing forces maneuver for the final titanic showdown, an army of barbaric wildlings arrives from the outermost line of civilization. No one will rest until the Seven Kingdoms have exploded in a veritable storm of swords...

Full Book Review
If the last two fantasy books in this series were rife with drama and intrigue, A Storm of Swords compounds it all. Essentially, the entire kingdom is in utter turmoil at this point. No one has solid footing, and certainly there is no plain frontrunner for the position of king. All that said, Martin works his magic once again and there are some really fantastic plot points that come into play. 

Every character is at risk - no one is safe - and that really increases the dramatic tension and suspense. This book review is going to be a little different, because I'm only going to talk about one character: Jaime Lannister, quite possibly one of the biggest tools in the series.

Book Review: "The Telling" by Ursula Le Guin

(Hainish Cycle)

My Rating: 

Why? Le Guin writes brilliant science fiction books with amazing world building and character development. The Telling is no exception. The plight of the Akan people is extremely compelling. (Especially for us book lovers!)

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Plot Tease

Once a culturally rich world, the planet Aka has been utterly transformed by technology. Records of the past have been destroyed, and citizens are strictly monitored. But an official observer from Earth will discover a group of outcasts who still practice its lost religion - The Telling. Intrigued by their beliefs, she joins them on a sacred pilgrimage into the mountains...and into the dangerous terrain of her own heart, mind, and soul.

Full Book Review

Let me just tell you straight off: Le Guin is the queen of character driven science fiction books. The amount of world building and details she puts in just to develop the character is crazy, and I love it. I'm sure you will too!

Aka has a really intriguing history—because when Sutty arrives, it is essentially a blank slate. While the galatic "ambassadors" from the Ekumen were studying old texts in preparation for the visit to Aka, the Akan government was destroying all records and wiping out their old culture. The world Sutty travels to has completely changed. Everything is mechanized and carefully controlled, and religion in any classical sense is illegal. So, what kind of characters survive in this setting?

Book Review: "John Dies at the End" by David Wong

(John Dies at the End #1)

My Rating: 

Why? John Dies is a crazy fantasy horror book that will entertain you immensely, with a mostly serious plot veiled by humor. 

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Plot Tease

My name is David Wong. My best friend is John. Those names are fake. It's too late. You touched the book. The only defense is knowledge. You need to read this book, to the end. Why? You just have to trust me.

The important thing is this: The drug is called Soy Sauce and it gives users a window into another dimension. John and I never had the chance to say no. I'm sorry to have involved you in this, I really am. But as you read about these terrible events, it is crucial you keep one thing in mind: None of this was my fault.

Full Book Review

John Dies at the End is a really unique fantasy horror book. By unique I mean hilarious, sometimes vulgar, definitely crazy and with strange collection of characters that all come together in an awesome way. This book was written by an Internet geek, and if you're familiar with the culture you'll appreciate it even more. However, viewer discretion is definitely advised for this book. 

It would be apropos to begin this book review with John, who I'm sure you are already concerned for having read the title. John is bats in the belfry, if you take my meaning. As the best friend of the narrator character David, John is almost always responsible for the trouble this pair face. He is overly impulsive, and a counter-balance to David's seriousness (running headlong at a pack of demon-creatures screaming like an urban cowboy, impulsive). The way he drives David crazy results in a lot of hilarious, line by line conversations that really show you these characters.

Book Review: "Royal Assassin" by Robin Hobb

(Farseer #2)

My Rating: 

Why? Robin Hobb's book shows a depth of character and realism that fantasy books don't usually have, while telling a classic story that will pull you in!

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Plot Tease

Young Fitz has just survived his first perilous mission as an assassin. But the cost has been high, and a brush with death has left him little more than a cripple. But love and events of terrible urgency soon draw him back to the court of the Six Duchies. Meanwhile, the terrible Red-Ship Raiders have renewed their vicious attacks on the coast. The kingdom is also under attack from within, as plotting and treachery threaten the throne of the ailing King Shrewd. In this time of great danger, it soon becomes clear that the fate of the kingdom may rest in Fitz's hands - and his role in its salvation may require the ultimate sacrifice. 

Full Book Review

Somehow, Robin Hobb manages to write books different from all other fantasy books (Disclaimer: ...that I have read to date!). Fitz is one character in a cast of many who are all incredibly detailed and constantly developing. This entire series so far is on my top fantasy books list, for sure. 

At the end of the last novel, Fitz was barely hanging on to life. When you open Royal Assassin, you'll find a character that is about to become a man. His sense of responsibility is on the verge of collapse at first, but his relationships at home are threatened and he finds his footing. Fitz finally finds a real sense of maturity, despite all his personal failings.

Book Review: "Exile" by R. A. Salvatore

(Legend of Drizzt #2)
My Rating: 

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Plot Tease

Hostile in ways that a surface-dweller could never know, the tunnel-mazes of the Underdark challenge all who tread there. Among these is Drizzt Do'Urden and his magical cat, Guenhwyvar. Exiled from his drow homeland, Drizzt must fight for a new home in the boundless labyrinth. Meanwhile, he must watch for signs of pursuit - for the dark elves are not a forgiving race.

Book Review

Exile is a great continuation of the Drizzt saga. But I admit that it barely made the four star mark for me.

I still love Drizzt. To recap a little bit, he's a Drow (dark elf) that left his evil race in Menzoberranzan at the end of the last book. His personality seeks naturally towards good, and so is plain incompatible with the live he would have had to live with the Drow. We cheered when Drizzt left (even as we were mourning Zak), but then he got to the heart of the Underdark.

And something really annoying happened:

Book Review: "Assassin's Apprentice" by Robin Hobb

(Farseer #1)
My Rating: 

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Plot Tease

Young Fitz is the bastard son of the noble Prince Chivalry, raised in the shadow of the royal court. He is an outcast to all the royalty except the devious King Shrewd, who had him secretly tutored in the arts of the assassin. For in Fitz's blood runs the magic Skill - a mind-bending talent - and the darker knowledge of a child raised with hounds and rejected by his family.

Soon he will face his first dangerous, soul-shattering mission. And although some regard him as a threat to the throne, he may just be the key to the survival of the kingdom.

Book Review

If you haven't read Robin Hobb before, let me just tell you right now that you need to read this book. Assassin's Apprentice is the beginning of something big in fantasy. This book and these characters have a realistic edge to them, even amid the magic, that is incredibly enthralling. I don't even know how to pin it down for you. It just feels different.

To be totally blunt, this series has become my standard. I compare all other fantasy books to these ones. It's because of the characters. 

Book Review: "A Clash of Kings" by George R. R. Martin

(A Song of Ice and Fire #2)
My Rating: 

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Plot Tease

A comet the color of blood cuts across the sky. The two great leaders who enforced the peace are dead, victims of treachery. Now, across the realms, chaos reigns. Six factions war for control of a divided land and the Iron Throne.

Brother plots against brother and the dead rise to walk in the night. A princess masquerades as an orphan boy; a knight prepares a poison for a treacherous sorceress; and wild men descend to ravage the countryside. Against a backdrop of incest and fratricide, alchemy and murder, victory may go to the men and women possessed of the coldest hearts.

FAIR WARNING: This book is not for children. 17+ recommended. The series is on HBO for a reason. 

Book Review

If you want more Game of Thrones, this book will not disappoint. It really feels like Martin just continues to take everything to the next level in this book, adding classical fantasy elements like magic, dragons and the undead to his already expansive world. It would be crazy to try and talk about all the amazing characters in the book - because you'd better believe he keeps the old ones and adds even more. So, instead I'm going to focus on a few that I feel are really great in Clash of Kings, and how they are developing.

Daenerys Targaryen is unique because she is somewhat separated from all the intrigue surrounding the Iron Throne, even though she is a major part of it. The more you read, the more you love her. Martin is definitely not afraid to showcase strong women. While she was still growing up in the first book, Clash of Kings has her walking out of fire as the Mother of Dragons. 

Book Review: "Lathe of Heaven" by Ursula Le Guin

My Rating: 

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Plot Tease

George Orr is a man who discovers he has the peculiar ability to dream things into being - for better or for worse. In desperation, he consults a psychotherapist who promises to help him. It soon becomes clear that he has his own plans for George and his dreams.

Book Review

I really need to begin by explaining my review to you. The concept of this book is amazing and intriguing from start to finish. But Lathe of Heaven loses its gripping pace in the last half, and what was awesome becomes merely cool and just a little old.

That said, you'll still zip through the book easily. Because the main character is a drug addict that can unravel worlds but has no control over his ability. Sounds crazy right?

George Orr is a unique take on the over-powered hero archetype. He has 'effective' dreams: what he imagines changes reality, but he has no control over when or how this happens. No one else in the world has memories of these past realities except for George. This first came about the day that George lay dying in a holocost that destroys the world in the early 2000's. Slipping out of consciousness from blood loss, he dreams... And wakes up in an entirely different life where there has been no war. The result? Earth is overcrowded and life is miserable for everyone. Is it better or not?

Book Review: "Homeland" by R. A. Salvatore

(Legend of Drizzt #1)
My Rating: 

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Plot Tease

Travel to strange and exotic Menzoberranzan, the vast city of the drow and homeland to Drizzt Do'Urden.

The young prince of a royal house, Drizzt grows to maturity in the vile world of his dark kin. Possessing honor beyond the scope of his unprincipled society, young Drizzt faces an inevitable dilemma. Can he live in a world that rejects integrity?

Book Review

Salvatore is a very famous fantasy author: for good reason. What he sometimes lacks in style, he makes up for in great content and characters.   Homeland is a great book with a lot of emotion and some amazing environments.

As you travel with Drizzt, you witness an exotic underground world where all societies are brutal and cut-throat. Drow are the antithesis of elves in every way. They revel in chaos, deception and violence. Make no mistake, drow are the bad guys. They are also the focus of this series. So why should you care?

Book Review: "A Game of Thrones" by George R. R. Martin

(A Song of Ice and Fire #1)
My Rating: 

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Plot Tease
Long ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning  and in the frozen wastes to the north of Winterfell, sinister and supernatural forces are massing beyond the kingdom's protective Wall.

At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the land they were born to. Sweeping from a land of brutal cold to a distant summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, here is a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens.

FAIR WARNING: This book is not for children. I would not recommend anyone under 18 read this without great discretion. It deals with many adult themes and Martin is graphic.

Book Review
This book - this series - is seriously a character gold mine in fantasy. There are 10+ main characters, and Martin is a master. This mix of viewpoints never feels clumsy or overwhelming. I've found that the characters are varied enought to each appeal to a different sort of reader, which is brilliant. Backstabbing and betrayal abound and you're left wondering if anyone really has integrity in this world. (In humanity?) No one is safe.

Book Review: "The Hobbit" by J.R.R. Tolkien

(Middle-Earth Universe)

Genre: Fantasy Fiction

My Rating: 

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Plot Tease

Now recognized as a timeless classic, this introduction to the hobbit Bilbo Baggins, the wizard Gandalf, Gollum and the spectacular world of Middle-earth recounts the adventures of a reluctant hero, a powerful and dangerous ring, and the cruel dragon Smaug the Magnificent. 13 fortune-seeking dwarves have arrived on the hobbit's doorstep in search of a burglar, and before he can even grab his hat or an umbrella, Bilbo Baggins is swept out his door and into a dangerous adventure.

Book Review

I have to begin this fantasy fiction review by saying I have been a life-long Tolkien Addict and lover of fantasy fiction. At the end of the day, the man was a creative genius. The Middle Earth books have been staples of fantasy fiction for quite some time, and I would wager from remain so years from now. Though some people find his books a little difficult - and for good reason.

Character development in The Hobbit is tricky though. I find myself torn. This is partly due to the reason that many people find it hard to read Tolkien in general. Let me explain and tell you why I still believe you should give this book a try.

Book Review: "The Ask and The Answer" by Patrick Ness

(Chaos Walking #2)
My Rating: 

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Plot Tease
Todd and Viola did no find healing and hope in Haven. They found instead their worst enemy, Mayor Prentiss, waiting to welcome them to New Prentisstown. There they are forced into separate lives: Todd to prison, and Viola to a house of healing. Soon Viola is swept into the ruthless activities of the Answer, while Todd faces impossible choices when force to join the mayor's oppressive new regime. Torn by confusion and compromise, suspicion and betrayal, can their trust in each other possibly survive?

Book Review
From a character development view, The Ask and The Answer does a lot less than The Knife of Never Letting Go. The first book of Chaos Walking was about growth and discoverey. The second installment is focused on endurance. Honestly, compared to the first, I thought this one was a little disappointing. Why?

Book Review: "The Knife of Never Letting Go" by Patrick Ness

(Series: Chaos Walking #1)
My Rating: 

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Plot Tease
Prentisstown isn't like other towns. Everyone can hear everyone else's thoughts in an overwhelming stream of Noise. Just before the birthday that will make him a man Todd and his dog, Manchee stumble upon an area of complete silence. In a town where privacy is impossible, something terrible has been hidden - a secret so awful that Todd and Manchee must run for their lives.

But how do you escape when your pursuers can hear your every thought?

Book Review
The Knife of Never Letting Go feels really unique straight from the beginning. Ness' writing style in this book is stream of consciousness and Todd is a pervasive, sometimes overwhelming character. That, combined with the fact that the other people on this world are telepathic, makes it a very vivid, fast paced story.

Before I review the main characters, I have to tell you about Ben and Cillian, Todd's adoptive parents. These two are really only in the book for a few chapters at the most, but man. Talk about bravery and love.

Book Review: "The Giver" by Lois Lowry

My Rating: 

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Plot Tease
Jonah's world is perfect. Everything is under control. There is no war or fear or pain. There are no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the Community. When Jonas turns twelve, he is singled out to receive special training from The Giver. The Giver alone holds the memories of the true pain and pleasure of life. Now, it is time for Jonas to receive the truth. There is no turning back.

Book Review
The Giver is definitely thought-provoking. When the dystopian environment is introduced, you get this weird feeling. Something isn't quite right behind the curtain, even though what you're seeing isn't necessarily 'strange'. Lowry captures that uncanny sense perfectly and simply.

Jonah is very kind, and adheres to the community rules: no lying, use precise words, stay with your assigned parter, and take pills to suppress Stirrings (love, emotions), among others. The Giver literally brings color into the mundane community world. He is the only surviving human that knows anything about emotions, pain or love of any kind. He is the only person who has memories of humanity as it was before.

Book Review: "The End of the Whole Mess" Short Story by Stephen King

(Short Story in an Anthology)
My Rating: 

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Plot Tease
Bobby Fornoy, the genius younger brother of the story's narrator Howard, discovers that the water in the small Texas town of La Plata contains a chemical that suppresses the agressive side of human nature. Tormented by the cruelty of humanity with nuclear war imminent, Bobby works to put a stop to it all. But his pursuit of world peace turns deadly when an unexpected complication comes to light.

Book Review
The End of the Whole Mess (EotWM) is one of the first works by Stephen King that I have read. The characters in it affected me more than nearly any other short story I've ever reviewed. Within the first few lines, Howard makes it clear that together the brothers doomed most of humanity, and that he doesn't have much time left to live.

The narrative is an attempt to explain what his brother wanted, down to his last shaking breaths. I can count on one hand the number of times I have honestly cried for a character. The Fornoy's are on that list.

Book Review: "InterWorld" by Neil Gaiman & Michael Reaves

My Rating: 

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Plot Tease
Joey Harker isn't a hero. In fact, he's the kind of guy who gets lost in his own house. But then one day, Joey gets really lost. He walks straight out of his world and into another dimension.

Joey's walk between the worlds makes him prey to two terrible forces - armies of magic and science who will do anything to harness his power to travel between dimensions. When he sees the evil those forces are capable of, Joey joins an army of his own, versions of himself from different dimensions who all share his amazing power and who are determined to save worlds.

Book Review
InterWorld is a simple, adventurous book written by a well-known author. So I began to walk through Joey Harker's life, and then... I read the whole book in a few hours, straight through, out loud.

Gaiman is a masterful creator of wacky characters, worlds and jokes. InterWorld is no exception to this rule. There is a multidimensional life form (MDLF) that Joey meets during a walk between worlds that does not even speak, and yet "Hue" endeared himself to me very much. It communicates with colors and motions, all beautifully written and fully expressive. Hue demonstrates great courage and understanding without ever holding a conversation. By the end of the book it felt like a true friend, which was quite an authorial accomplishment.

Book Review: "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula Le Guin

(Series: Hainish Cycle)
My Rating: 

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Plot Tease
Genly Ai is an emissary from the human galaxy to Winter, a lost, stray world. His mission is to bring the planet back into the fold of an evolving galactic civilization, but to do so he must bridge the gulf between his own culture and prejudices and those that he encounters. On a planet where people are of no gender—or both—this is a broad gulf indeed...

Book Review
Left Hand of Darkness (LHoD) is now one of my favorite scifi books of the 20th century. It initially appears to be a typical encounter-the-aliens book, but you will be surprised. The characters are gripping, managing to blur stereotypical gender images in an amazingly realistic way.

The main character is Human,  but his contact throughout the novel is a Gethenian named Estraven. S/he is a layered personality with a poignant history: both of which reveal themselves over time. The reader is given pieces and clues, but denied the full picture until literally the last pages of the book and then it hits you like a ton of bricks. Estraven stole my heart. I want to cry and smile and ALL THE EMOTIONS.