I stole this book from my friend, Kristen's, blog. Actually, I've been hearing a lot about how great of an author Jodi Picoult is and when I saw this book there, and read her review, I just knew I had to read it. Now,about 100 pages into it--I haven't had much time to read this week--I have to say, I'm glad I saw that blog post. Jodi Picoult really is as fantastic of an author as her reputation dictates. I especially love how she keeps going to different points of view each chapter! It really moves things along and gives me a taste of each character's thoughts. So far I've only been in the minds of Lucius, June, Maggie and Michael, but it's still amazing. And for some reason, I really seem to love the chapters in Lucius's point of view. I'm sure exactly why though, I mean, Lucius is a convicted criminal who killed his lover because he was cheating on Lucius. For some reason, this "crime of passion" intrigues me, and so does Lucius. As a character I find him enthralling and want to know more. But who wouldn't want to know more about a felon who paints pictures of the guy he murdered, just because he misses him, not for any sick reason. Or maybe he interests me since he's gay. After all, how many gay criminals do you know? All I know is what I want to know more about Lucius. Not June, Shay, Claire or Michael, but Lucius. I hope his personality and past gets explored more throughout the book.
Now, before I go, I have a question about the book for anyone who's actually read it and looking at this blog post (though I doubt that's anybody): What was the point of doing a chapter in Maggie's point of view? Is she going to become a main character later? Well, I don't expect anyone to just tell me, so of course I'm gonna continue reading. But we'll discuss this later young lady! ... Or man.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder
In the land of Ixia, a girl named Yelena is about to be killed for the murder of the son of a high ranking general, until Valex, the Commander's first in command, gives her a chance to live, as the Commander's food taster. Put on the spot, Yelena chooses possible, uncertain death by poison over death of execution. And so the story goes from there, Maria V. Snyder enchanting the reader with every twist and turn of the Poison Study.
Truthfully, this isn't the first time I read the Poison Study. Yelena's such a charming character that I just had to read the book again. When I first read the book I was surprised, Yelena is such an unexpected heroine. As the underdog, she has to prove that she's a survivor to herself as well as Valex and the Commander. She appealed to me since her character was very relatable, being a headstrong girl who isn't going to lie down and let someone else abuse her but also knows when to accept someone else's orders. However, she wasn't the only character that was intreguing. Valex is also an interesting character, in his own ways. While Yelena is the underdog, Valex was her overseer, trusted by the most powerful people in Ixia. With power comes responsibility, which Valex seems to handle well, also knowing enough to keep a shroud of mystery around him, allowing no one in his inner circle for the mostpart. Yet who he trusts makes him even more myserious. The same goes for Yelena, who befriended Ari and Janco, the two guardsmen who taught Yelena how to fight and are minor, but unreplaceable. They not only lighten up the mood, created by Valek's seriousness, but keep the reader flipping through the pages of the book, just as Valek and Yelena do.
The story itself isn't that original, but the characters and techniques Maria V. Snyder uses while writing the book prove to be more than enough to make the Poison Study a fantastic read. I myself couldn't help myself, even the second time reading the book, and finished in one night each and every time. In fact, I plan on reading the other two books in the series, Magic Study and Fire Study, as well as the books Assassin Study and Power Study, Assassin Study being about Valek and Power Study being about Ari and Janco. In addition, there is a spin-off series, The Storm Glass series, which I hope to read as well. Anyways, I give this book a 5/5 and reccomend this book to all fantasy lovers.
Truthfully, this isn't the first time I read the Poison Study. Yelena's such a charming character that I just had to read the book again. When I first read the book I was surprised, Yelena is such an unexpected heroine. As the underdog, she has to prove that she's a survivor to herself as well as Valex and the Commander. She appealed to me since her character was very relatable, being a headstrong girl who isn't going to lie down and let someone else abuse her but also knows when to accept someone else's orders. However, she wasn't the only character that was intreguing. Valex is also an interesting character, in his own ways. While Yelena is the underdog, Valex was her overseer, trusted by the most powerful people in Ixia. With power comes responsibility, which Valex seems to handle well, also knowing enough to keep a shroud of mystery around him, allowing no one in his inner circle for the mostpart. Yet who he trusts makes him even more myserious. The same goes for Yelena, who befriended Ari and Janco, the two guardsmen who taught Yelena how to fight and are minor, but unreplaceable. They not only lighten up the mood, created by Valek's seriousness, but keep the reader flipping through the pages of the book, just as Valek and Yelena do.
The story itself isn't that original, but the characters and techniques Maria V. Snyder uses while writing the book prove to be more than enough to make the Poison Study a fantastic read. I myself couldn't help myself, even the second time reading the book, and finished in one night each and every time. In fact, I plan on reading the other two books in the series, Magic Study and Fire Study, as well as the books Assassin Study and Power Study, Assassin Study being about Valek and Power Study being about Ari and Janco. In addition, there is a spin-off series, The Storm Glass series, which I hope to read as well. Anyways, I give this book a 5/5 and reccomend this book to all fantasy lovers.
The Forever War by Joe Haldeman
Although this is an unconventional way to start a blog post about a book, I just have to say this here and now: The Forever War was one of the best books I've ever read; and if you know me, then you'll know that I read a lot of books. As William Gibson, the author of Neuormancer and Spook Country said, "To say that The Forever War is the best science fiction war novel ever written is to damn it with faint praise. It is, for all its techno-extrapolative brilliance, as fine and woundingly genuine a war story as any I've ever read." Do you wanna know why The Forever War is such a great book in my eyes, William Gibson's eyes and the eyes of others? Well, obviously you have to read the book for that. But you can get a short glimpse now, just read on.
First off is the most noticeably great thing about The Forever War is the main character, William Mandella. The story is told in his point of view, his voice resonating with every word on the page; he's brought to life in the pages, and brings the story to life along with him. As you're reading the book you can almost imagine yourself in his place, thinking and doing as he does while he battles through the unusual circumstances of his life--whether it's a connection through his emotions or the war, William hooks the reader on a personal level. You follow his story as he goes from Private to General, being the one of the only people to survive the war from start to finish. When he finds his lover, Margay, you feel his happiness and when he looses her, you feel his anguish. When he becomes a general, you feel his unrest and when the book ends, you see how he's changed. This is William's story, this is William's book, Joe Haldeman was just his voice. However, William wasn't the only thing that made me reread this book 3 times which yes, I actually did.
The ideas presented in the book are so controversial, so interesting, that the reader has to stop and think about them. What if we colonized other planets? What would happen if the entire world came under one government? As the population grew larger, what would be used as population control? Questions such as these present themselves in the book, and while Joe Haldeman provides his answer for each question and William gives his opinion, the reader faces mind-bending ideas.
In addition to these fantastic features about the book, The Forever War has even more to offer. While it is a Science Fiction book, written in 1974, the story and ideas present are timeless. However, more so than those, the metaphor is a more important aspect of the book. For those who don't know what I'm talking about, The Forever War is a giant metaphor for the Vietnam War; placing it in the future just broadens its effect. Each page, each word, can be directed back towards the Vietnam War. Just for that reason, and that reason alone, the story takes a new meaning. Seeing it in the light of a futuristic metaphor allows the reader to really think about life and war, as William proves that war holds no glory, just as the Vietnam War didn't.
While some pages of the book seem boring, as in every book, The Future War by Joe Haldeman is a fantastic science fiction war novel. In fact, fantastic isn't a good enough word for this book. I highly recommend this book to science fiction lovers, war novel fans, idealists and just about anyone who likes to think.
First off is the most noticeably great thing about The Forever War is the main character, William Mandella. The story is told in his point of view, his voice resonating with every word on the page; he's brought to life in the pages, and brings the story to life along with him. As you're reading the book you can almost imagine yourself in his place, thinking and doing as he does while he battles through the unusual circumstances of his life--whether it's a connection through his emotions or the war, William hooks the reader on a personal level. You follow his story as he goes from Private to General, being the one of the only people to survive the war from start to finish. When he finds his lover, Margay, you feel his happiness and when he looses her, you feel his anguish. When he becomes a general, you feel his unrest and when the book ends, you see how he's changed. This is William's story, this is William's book, Joe Haldeman was just his voice. However, William wasn't the only thing that made me reread this book 3 times which yes, I actually did.
The ideas presented in the book are so controversial, so interesting, that the reader has to stop and think about them. What if we colonized other planets? What would happen if the entire world came under one government? As the population grew larger, what would be used as population control? Questions such as these present themselves in the book, and while Joe Haldeman provides his answer for each question and William gives his opinion, the reader faces mind-bending ideas.
In addition to these fantastic features about the book, The Forever War has even more to offer. While it is a Science Fiction book, written in 1974, the story and ideas present are timeless. However, more so than those, the metaphor is a more important aspect of the book. For those who don't know what I'm talking about, The Forever War is a giant metaphor for the Vietnam War; placing it in the future just broadens its effect. Each page, each word, can be directed back towards the Vietnam War. Just for that reason, and that reason alone, the story takes a new meaning. Seeing it in the light of a futuristic metaphor allows the reader to really think about life and war, as William proves that war holds no glory, just as the Vietnam War didn't.
While some pages of the book seem boring, as in every book, The Future War by Joe Haldeman is a fantastic science fiction war novel. In fact, fantastic isn't a good enough word for this book. I highly recommend this book to science fiction lovers, war novel fans, idealists and just about anyone who likes to think.
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