Tagged: fantasy
Blood Rites
Blood Rites by Jim Butcher, 3/5
An abundance of one-line groaners and an entertaining plot make this a fun read (albeit not one I’m proud to be seen with in public).
[Why I read it: this series is a guilty pleasure and gives my brain a welcome break from more serious literature.]
The Ocean at the End of the Lane
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman, 3/5
This slim novel is an entertaining read (disturbing at times), but the storyline felt uncomfortably familiar, like a mash-up of The Princess and Curdie, a Miyazaki film and some Doctor Who episodes, with villains from Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings thrown in for good measure. I understand that there are only a few basic themes and archetypes that comprise most fantasy, but Gaiman’s story did not help me experience them in any way that seemed new or noteworthy, tending instead more toward the cliche and pat. Perhaps it merely betrays its origins as a short story, or perhaps I am sated with excellent fantasy, or perhaps I was just in the wrong mood–there are many reasons why I will give this famous author another try.
[Why I read it: My friend, Alison, enjoyed it and brought to my attention that I haven’t read anything by Gaiman yet (except his collaboration with Terry Pratchett: Good Omens).]
Raising Steam
Raising Steam by Terry Pratchett, 3/5
I love the first book in the Moist von Lipwig series, Going Postal, but felt this latest addition was sadly lacking. It is a testament to Pratchett’s original genius that a book achieving about 50% (in my mind) of his usual plot, wit and charm could still be a 3-star book.
[Why I read it: I’m a huge fan of classic Pratchett.]
New Watch
New Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko, translated by Andrew Bromfield, 4/5
I enjoyed this most recent addition to the Watch Series, told from the now-familiar perspective of Anton Gorodetsky. The author was successful in bringing in some new ideas/elements, though I did get a bit lost at the end of the story and had to consult Wikipedia.
[Why I read it: I’ve mostly enjoyed this series, starting with the first book, Night Watch.]
Last Watch
Last Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko, translated by Andrew Bromfield, 3/5
For some reason, I didn’t enjoy this book as much as the previous one. Perhaps some of the premise’s novelty has worn off for me, or perhaps the storylines just weren’t as engaging. I felt that Lukyanenko tried a bit too hard to include pop culture/literary references and I was annoyed by his appropriation of Merlin as a story character. The writing was decent, though there was some clumsiness in the first few pages that actually made me stop to check if the translator was the same person (it was). I didn’t appreciate the racy content, but it was nowhere as bad as Day Watch. Overall, a somewhat meh experience, but I’ll still be reading the fifth book in the series, as soon as it comes in at the library.
[Why I read it: I’ve been reading this series off and on over the last couple months, starting with Night Watch.]
The King of Elfland’s Daughter
The King of Elfland’s Daughter by Lord Dunsany, 5/5
The story may be a little weak (especially at the end), but there is a beautiful bleakness to Lord Dunsany’s prose that reminds me of Tolkien’s Silmarillion; the most fantastic scenarios are presented with an earnestness that makes you believe for a magical second that you are reading history, not fantasy. I would place this tale in the same category as Mirrlees’ Lud-in-the-Mist and MacDonald’s Phantastes, but without their dizzying layers of allegory and meaning.
[Why I read it: Frustratingly, I can’t remember what led me to this book! All I recall is ordering it from the library for some reason…]
Summer Knight
Summer Knight: A Novel of the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher, 3/5
I much preferred this plot’s faerie angle to the last book’s vampire theme and, as an added bonus: no love interest. I might have dropped a couple IQ points while reading it, but probably no more than would have evaporated after a couple hours of watching TV sitcoms.
[Why I read it: Partly because the fans promise the series gradually improves, partly because I’m not in the mood for serious literature right now and partly because I’ve come to view the Dresden Files as an old pair of stained sweatpants–not something I’d show off in public, but pretty all right for days of lounging around and eating junk food.]
Twilight Watch
Twilight Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko,translated by Andrew Bromfield, 4/5
I’m glad I didn’t let the unlikeable second book in the Watch series put me off; this third book is very enjoyable and well written, back to the perspective of the original hero, Anton Gorodetsky.
[Why I read it: I’ve been reading this series off and on over the last couple months, starting with Night Watch.]
Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency
Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams, 4/5
The plot was kind of all over the place and the characters were not well-developed, but nobody’s funnier than Douglas Adams.
[Why I read it: I’m a fan of Stephen Mangan, who played the title character in a funny TV version of the book series which put the books on my radar.]
Lud-in-the-Mist
Lud-in-the-Mist by Hope Mirrlees, 5/5
This exquisite fantasy has a bittersweet and beautiful tune; I was entranced from the very beginning. More down-to-earth than George Macdonald’s Phantastes (one of the only books I can think of to which it is comparable), it expresses rather than evokes the mystery of human experience that C.S. Lewis describes as the “desire for our own faroff country” and the “inconsolable secret in each one of you” (The Weight of Glory).
Sadly, this atrocious edition is peppered with typos–even the front cover does not escape: in the book, residents of Lud-in-the-Mist are referred to as “Ludites,” not “Luddites.” Never did a typo bring along so many unfortunate and completely unrelated connotations.
[Why I read it: It appeared in very good company in the article “10 Forgotten Fantastical Novels You Should Read Immediately.”]
OmniRambles 