( M ) Books - Page 7

River of Gods

Ian McDonald

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 36 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Very good book but takes some work 4 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I have to say that I enjoyed the author's grasp of India in all its permutations, particularly India in the year 2040. The plot takes a tad long to unfold but the payoff in the end is worth it. This is a very different look at what the future might hold for the US and India when it comes to AI development. Worth the read.

Editorial Review:

As Mother India approaches her centenary, nine people are going about their business—a gangster, a cop, his wife, a politician, a stand-up comic, a set designer, a journalist, a scientist, and a dropout. And so is Aj—the waif, the mind reader, the prophet—when she one day finds a man who wants to stay hidden.

In the next few weeks, they will all be swept together to decide the fate of the nation.

River of Gods teems with the life of a country choked with peoples and cultures—one and a half billion people, twelve semi-independent nations, nine million gods. Ian McDonald has written the great Indian novel of the new millennium, in which a war is fought, a love betrayed, a message from a different world decoded, as the great river Ganges flows on.

The Engines of God

Jack McDevitt

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 72 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Good book - interesting concept 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 1 people found this review helpful.

The end lesson in this book is the thought that "straight lines do not happen in nature." It has had me pondering if later books would show spacecraft and architecture with curves and the like (thus explaining why you sometimes see absolutely nonsensical shapes on alien spacecraft in SF movies...). Anyway, it was a good book (not GREAT) that left a lot of questions open for later books in the series. Hutch is a great leading lady - much like Chase in McDevitt's other books. The whole concept of archaeological SF is pretty cool. Certainly good enough a book to make me buy the other five or six books in the series!

Good--Possibly Even Clarke-like 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This just felt good to read, a little hard to pick up at first, and the rescue scene seemed unnecessary, but I enjoyed the Rare Earth theme that was depicted in the book. At some parts I had to suspend my disbelief, but the idea was so original that it was thoroughly enjoyable and I enjoyed the news the author sometimes places at the end of the chapter. One thing I had to suspend my disbelief (a lot) was the aliens, the inhabitants of Quraqua were described as looking like crocodile-head people and that bothered me, as did the crab-things at Beta Pac. Not really hard science fiction, while I read it I felt like I was ready a Clarke.

Another thing that bothered me was the way the Kosmic Corp. people acted and behaved: like stereotypical evil megacorp underlings. I fervently hope that McDevitt doesn't advance more things like Kosmic in his next books.

Editorial Review:

An unknown race called the Monument-Makers creates a stunning array of gorgeous statues, scattering them throughout the galaxy and encoding them with strange inscriptions that hold the key to the survival of humankind. Reprint. AB. K.

Rose Daughter

Robin McKinley

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 158 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Read "Beauty" instead 1 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Years ago, I read Beauty, McKinley's first attempt at the Beauty and the Beast story. I loved it. Earlier this year, I picked it up again and read it. It held up well and I still find it incredibly charming.

Given how much I enjoyed Beauty, I really wanted to read "Rose Daughter" and see how McKinley's second crack at the tale fared. I expected a lot. I assumed McKinley would have matured as a writer and I was hoping to love it as much as I loved Beauty.

I was wrong.

The term 'florid prose' springs to mind. This novel is absolutely strangled by the egregiously wordy prose. You have to wade through painfully winding and ultimately pointless descriptions of everything, large and small. After slogging through a single run-on sentence that choked up the better part of an entire page, I threw the book away. This novel is a fine example of writing at its worst.

Editorial Review:

In the tradition of Beauty and Rose Daughter, Newbery Award-winning author Robin McKinley "lends a fresh perspective to a classic fairy tale, developing the story of Sleeping Beauty into a richly imagined, vividly depicted novel" (School Library Journal).

The Big Fat Kill (Sin City, Book 3: Second Edition)

Frank Miller

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 32 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

great 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I've said it before and I know I'll continue to say it, when it comes to comic book artists, no one tops Frank Miller (and no, I haven't forgotten about Alan Moore). He comes in an works magic. I love the pen and ink artwork, both simple and complex. And Miller is great with noir. Sin City is everyone's favorite town of sin populated with everyone's favorite losers. You're gonna love it.

Not Bad, but Certainly Not the Best 3 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

After the strong start of the Sin City series of THE HARD GOODBYE and A DAME TO KILL FOR, the books take a bit of a dip with this third volume, THE BIG FAT KILL. It is not bad, but it lacks that stick-to-the-ribs impact of the first two, mostly due to characters that are not as interesting as others we have seen.

Dwight McCarthy is simply not as intriguing a character as Marv from Volume 1 (nor as interesting as John Hartigan in the volume that follows this). This was not a major liability in the second volume, A DAME TO KILL FOR, for the simple reason that Dwight was overshadowed by one of the most captivating characters in the series, the ultimate femme fatale of Ava Lord. But here, Dwight has to stand more on his own and, although certainly not a bad character, he also certainly is not strong enough to really hold the audience as much as we would like.

Yes, there are the girls of Old Town. But their appeal is diluted as no one character stands out. Miho is quite something, but the fact that she does not talk limits her development. And personally, I always thought Gail was just not up to snuff for the Sin City series.

The book is saved by the action. Miho taking care of business the hard way, the Irish mercenaries, the high body count, make THE BIG FAT KILL worthwhile. The weaker characters are a detriment but, fortunately, not a deal breaker.

Editorial Review:

Criminals have always called the shots in Sin City, whether bootleggers, gamblers, or politicians. But ever since the first dame set up shop in Old Town, those side-streets have been run by the women who walk the night. It's been a delicate truce, but now there's a messy body and the mob's looking to reclaim those licentious streets. They're going to have to put down a tight band of dangerous women and a guy named Dwight to do it. Now Dwight, he knows something that the mob's gotta learn the hard way: sometimes standing up for your friends means killing a whole lot of people...

That Yellow Bastard (Sin City, Book 4: Second Edition)

Frank Miller

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 33 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

The Best. 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Frank Miller's Sin City is paradise for noir fans, nothing can't happen in these graphic novels. "Walk down the right back alley in Sin City, and you can find anything." Book 4 of 7, That Yellow Bastard is a tale of bravery and sacrifice. It's my absolute favorite of all the Sin City books, Frank Miller's dark and extremely stylized way of telling this masterpiece is electrifying. The artwork is tip top, the writing is crisp and smooth, and the characterization is excellent. I hope you enjoy this amazing book!

Editorial Review:

Just one hour to go. Hartigan's polishing his badge and working himself up to kissing it goodbye, it and the thirty-odd years of protecting and serving, tears, blood, and triumph that it represents. He's thinking about his wife's smile, about the thick, fat steaks she's picked up at the butcher's, about the bottle of champagne she's got packed in ice, about sleeping in 'til ten in the morning and spending sunny afternoons flat on his back. But with one hour left to go, he gets word about that one loose end he hasn't tied up: a young girl who's helpless in the hands of a drooling lunatic. Just one hour to go ... and Hartigan's gonna go out with a bang.

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (Tokuma's Magical Adventure)

Hayao Miyazaki

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 20 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Epic 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This is an epic masterpiece not just for manga lovers, but for anybody who enjoys reading a good fantasy story. The movie is good, too, but the manga, though it's written by the same person, offers a sort of different telling of the story portrayed in the film. Since the film was released before the manga was completed, there are different circumstances that occur in the manga. For instance, there had already been a war going on between the many countries around the Sea of Corruption, and the Valley of the Wind has become entangled in it. Since there are a few more volumes out there, you know that there's plenty more good stuff to come! I actually haven't purchased the remaining few volumes, but after reading the first one, I know that I simply have to!

Editorial Review:

Nausicaä, a gentle but strong-willed, young princess, has an empathic bond with the giant insects that evolved as a result of the ecosystem's destruction. Growing up in the Valley of the Wind, she learned to read the soul of the wind and navigates the skies in her glider. Nausicaä and her allies struggle to create peace between kingdoms torn apart by war, battling over the last of the world's precious natural resources.

Dragonsdawn (Dragonriders of Pern Series)

Anne McCaffrey

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 82 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Dragonsdawn 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 1 people found this review helpful.

The story of the development of a young Harper and her fire lizards is very good.

Dragonsdawn (Dragonriders of Pern) 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

My first audio book. came fast and in good shape. Anne McCaffery is as usuall up to her very best. The story is fun and interesting.

Great story! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

WOW! Anne McCaffrey is an amazing author, and she doesn't disappoint in her start to the Pern Series. What a great book! Interesting characters, and you really felt the hardships of the colonists when the thread started to fall. Two thumbs way up!

Rehash 1 out of 5 stars.
0 of 3 people found this review helpful.

The villains are overstated and the other characters are bland. The opening is without interest and slow. The best scene is the discovery of fire lizards and even that is repeating an event from a previous book.

To be fair, the author has a difficult task in front of her. Her previous books, set in a later era of Pern, contain many references to the the founding of Pern. Now, writing the "first" book, she is left with the task of connecting her dots and making a story out of them. This isn't her best work, but she manages a credible story that may be more enjoyable to those who have not read so much of the Pern series as I have.

Editorial Review:

After 7 weeks on the New York Times hardcover bestseller list, the newest novel of the Dragonriders of Pern series is finally in paperback. Chronicling the first settlers of Pern, this is the story of the colonists' efforts to breed dragons to fight the deadly Thread before the lush planet is destroyed. "Dragonphile alert! Anne McCaffrey is back. . .Must reading for fans of the series."--San Diego Tribune. HC: Del Rey.

My Neighbor Totoro Picture Book (The Art of My Neighbor Totoro)

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Great Book If Your Kid Loved The Movie 5 out of 5 stars.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.

The book pretty much follows the story of the movie and is full of movie photos. It's a bit long for a childs book, but my kid loves it and we read it every night.

So if you're kids love the movie and want to see it over and over again, buy and read them the book instead.

Amazing book for everyone who loves this movie 5 out of 5 stars.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful.

This book contains the entire storyline of the movie in both text and illustration and hits all the key events with perfect focus. The 'illustrations' are taken directly from the movie but are very crisp and high quality - not like some books that have poor quality movie stills. Our kids love this movie, have a home made soot-sprite mobile in their bedroom, and are crazy about this book. This is a really nice quality hard cover book and is much better than the comic book version in my opinion. Price is very cheap for what you get.

My Neighbor Totoro book 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

This book is very adorable and follows the movie well. If you like the movie you will like the book.

Love it! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

If your child (or you!) likes the movie they'll love the picture book! It is basically frames from the film with the (simplified) story. It is a lot longer and mroe in depth than I had realized but my 2 year old (!) is enthralled by it... This is the longest/thickest book he will sit still to read.... Highly recommend as a gift! OR for long car ride/air/train trips

The Light Princess and Other Fairy Tales (Dover Value Editions)

George MacDonald

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 13 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Grandpa George 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Only MacDonald has visited Fairyland and has come back giggling. Ought to be on every bookshelf that contains what is beautiful.

The First Surrealist? 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

George MacDonald has quickly become one of my favorite authors with this collection of work here. I had already read The Golden Key and enjoyed it, and wondered if his other works were similar. I was not disappointed.

The only negative thing I can say about these stories is The Light Princess slows down a bit in the middle, and The Wise Woman starts off kinda slow. Everything else is top notch. Sure, someone could argue that The Shadows is as inconclusive as a story gets, but you know; that really didn't bother me. Anyway, MacDonald has an argument for the existence of inconclusive stories at the end of The Wise Woman for folks who want to make something of it.

Now for a brief synopsis of each story that's contained. Most of these stories are taken from some of MacDonald's full novels:

The Fantastic Imagination Essay is quite amusing, particularly when it discusses how you can ruin a fairy tale completely by simply inserting a gentleman with a cockney accent. I'd like to try that some time.

The Light Princess isn't a story about a girl who gives out magical glowing light. It's about a princess who's so light in weight that she floats. This misinterpretation of the title actually did disappoint me, and that's probably the reason I thought the story was a little slow in the middle. But I enjoyed what was there, even if it wasn't the best demonstration of MacDonald's wild imagination.

The Shadows is a downright creepy story for the first few pages, and then the narrator takes us into the church of the shadows, where the shadows simply tell random stories, most of them fairly light-hearted. A boy thinks that shadows are ghosts that got all black from getting stuck in a chimney. Pretty logical for a kid if you think about it.

The Giant's Heart is the most violent story out of the bunch. Some evil giant keeps his heart in a bird's nest for some inexplicable reason. Maybe the story explains why, but the reason still remains inexplicable. Kids ride on top of spiders, and you pretty much get a good feel for George MacDonald's writing style here.

Cross Purposes is probably my favorite story in this entire collection. It's so wild I forget the plot. Environments come and go through sudden changes, and vanishings, and what-not. It's like being in a dreamworld. I think it's about a princess and a goblin who bring two kids together, and the kids grow from hating each other to loving each other. This is not the same story as The Princess and The Goblin by George MacDonald, because I believe The Princess and The Goblin is a much longer story, although I haven't yet read it.

A friend of mine told me he thought The Golden Key is insane, and it is. It's much like Cross Purposes, where the environment's changing all over the place. We see two kids who appear to be walking for some reason, and they talk to a parrot fish with an owl's head that cooks itself, and they grow really old, and they walk up a rainbow like it's a giant staircase. Yep.

Little Daylight is a great concept. A girl is cursed by a witch causing her to always falls asleep before the sun comes out, and stay asleep until after moonrise so that she never sees the sun. Worse yet, when the moon's full she's in perfect health, but when it's a half moon or less she turns into an old wrinkled woman even though she's no more than seventeen.

Nanny's Dream and Diamond's dream tell us about off the wall things like night skies inside of a house when it's daylight outside the house, and what it's like to live in the moon with an old man who demands that the moon's windows be washed. Okay, then.

The Carosyn is much again a shining work of MacDonald's imagination like Cross Purposes and The Golden Key. This one has a little more of a plot though, and is easier to understand. A kid digs a canal through his house. Then a bunch of fairies sail down the canal and thank him. He sees them with a girl they kidnapped, and asks how she can be freed. They answer that when he brings them the drink called The Carosyn that the girl can be freed. Unfortunately no one knows what the heck The Carosyn is, not even the fairies, so naturally matters get complicated. Thankfully, visits to old blind women with hens and goblin blacksmiths seem to guide the way.

The Wise Woman is without question the most pedagological of the stories if that's even a word. It emphasises the importance of being good and not throwing temper tantrums over and over again. Thankfully a bunch of weird stuff happens, and visions come and go to keep things interesting. The highlight of the story is the deeply disturbing vision of the second failure of the princess. Don't get into fights on boats is all I'm going to say.

The History of Photogen and Nycteris is pretty neat. It's similar to Little Daylight. Photogen is raised to only see the sun and Nycteris is raised to only see the dark. Photogen seems like such a strong lad and Nycteris seems like such a sweet girl. In the midst of it all there's a lady with a wolf in her mind - literally, it seems. This story contains (like all of MacDonald's stories contain) a great descriptive analogy. Photogen in his fear of night calls the the moon the ghost of a dead sun.

Although the brief introductions of certain sections of the works inform us that the last three stories are much darker than the rest, I wouldn't agree with that at all. All of the stories have bits of humor, and bits of disturbing darkness. That's what makes them so wonderful.

I'm starting to think that although Andre Breton is credited with being the first actual surrealist, George MacDonald was in fact a surrealist perhaps half a century before. I've read many fairy tales by many authors but none of them have quite the randomness of MacDonald, except maybe Alice's Adventures in Wonderland which had to be at least somewhat inspired by MacDonald's work. This man is inspirational and I'd highly recommend his work to anybody, young or old.

One final note:
I have no idea what the cover art is supposed to represent. In fact, I'm not sure if it's from any of the stories in this collection. It appears to be some elderly fellow approaching a giant gargoyle. I don't recall a scene like this at all, although if I stretch my imagination a bit and pretend the old man is a kid I suppose it COULD be associatied with The Giant's Heart.

Editorial Review:

Seven beguiling tales — including the title story of a bewitched princess, cursed by a lightness of body and spirit. Sinister creatures, golden keys, and powerful figures abound in a delightfully illustrated collection that will charm readers familiar with MacDonald and those about to meet him for the first time. 61 illustrations.