Princep's Fury - Jim Butcher - only 3 this time...for some really good reasons!

Princeps' Fury by Jim Butcher


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Let me just start of by saying that I am a huge supporter of Jim Butcher. I have devoured all of the Dresden files (all eleven with in 3 weeks). So when I say the Captain's Fury and the Princep's Fury sitting their on the library shelf I was grinning ear to ear.

However a sad reality of my beyond humanly possible high expectations is that every one is human and tries to please the masses by what is known and comfortable. This is a good summation of about 75-100 pages of the story. One of my worst pet peeves in a series is when the formulation behind the writing to so obvious.

Don't get me wrong I love the book. I love the series. I would recommend all of them in a heart beat and I am super geeked to get the First Lord's Fury (knowing that they are gonna kick some serious butt.

The comfort of staying with the main sympathetic characters was a bit flat this time around. I would have liked to seen further insight into some of the more perverse characters. Like answering what made them so whacked up.

There were so many more characters that would have stirred up the intrigue during the chapters that were used to describe "how they got to where they are." I'm cool with a chapter ended with and they sailed for their destination" and then the very first line of the next chapter "As they pulled up to the shore line."

Of course I am simplifying my point.

Butcher's ability and adaptability to produce such satisfying and complex tales of Dresden and Alera is a testament to his genius and craft of story telling.

Although he only received a 3 this go'round - God Bless Jim Butcher!!!

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Captain's Fury - Codex Alera 4 Series - 5 Stars

Captain's Fury by Jim Butcher


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The 4th installment of the Codex Alera did not disappoint! Some books in the middle of a series serves as a filler to bridge the first few and the last few in the series. Not the case with this one!

This book could easily be a stand alone read without a newbie to the series getting lost. An additional positive is that Butcher does not take more than a paragraph or two to give the "background" of the previous books. It is so aptly done that the seasoned Codex Alera reader's eyes don't roll in the back of their head out of sheer boredom with the recap (can you tell I hate recaps?).

More than just a "small town boy makes good" type of story. Travi's growth during this installment is not just physical but also in character. This is evident as Travi sacrifices himself in multiple ways for the benefit of the realm. Too bad the realm would rather he die.

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Lords of Darkness - Soulless - 5 Stars

The Soulless by L.G. Burbank


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
When I first picked this up I expected it to be filled with blood, guts, horror, etc. I was not disappointed. However, I also found deeper literary connections to the writers reflections of the human spirit and classic motifs of "a savior for mankind" I know, I know, these type of "fun reads" are supposed to be only that "fun" with no social message or intellectual connection. After all this is a "horror" book. How can we have blood and guts and a message for mankind? Seriously? Blood and guts don't go with mankind? That's a stretch you say? To say that mankind is without the blood and guts is the real fallacy. Don't get me wrong, I don't think this book will insight political change but I do think that the author has done a great job tapping into the archetypal theme of humankind's damnation and their salvation hinging one one person. Either by accident or genius, using the Jesus motif in a vampire/paranormal book is a fun take on a classic theme.

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Not your momma's Tom Sawyer - Book Review - 5 Stars

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book is a reread for me as I read it in Junior High. Often this book is regarded as a coming of age classic piece of nostalgic Americana. This was my initial conception when I read this 18 years ago.

I have discovered that this is not the case. Not by a long shot.

The book holds many parallels to Twain's Calvinist up bringing. I don't want to delve too much into the many layers of Twain's writing. I was a bit skeptic at first and believe that these realizations should be obtained first hand.

A few things to consider while reading or rereading Tom Sawyer (and then Huck Finn for that matter).

The town: St. Petersburg
-translates into "St. Peter's city"
-Peter is said to be the one that stands at the gates of Heaven to let the worthy in.
-St. Petersburg Russia at the time was rife with corruption, murder, and chaos
-What are the main things that happen in the town? Is there anything going on to actually be nostalgic about?

Adults:
-If a town is represented by it's citizens, what do they say about St. Petersburg?
-The adults are violent, irrational, pious, judgmental, etc
-Take a look at their parenting and child rearing skills. While spare the rod spoil the child has been around for a long time (and still today), the Victorian philosophy incorporates motivating a child to do right out of love and not fear. This is not present in anyway in St. Petersburg. Look at their parenting practices and ask yourself if you would be nostalgic of being a child with those types of parents...

These are just some of the basic elements to argue that this is not merely a coming of age boy's book. While reading, keep an eye out for Twain's critique on Romantic Literature that was prevalent with the day and ask yourself what do Tom's trips and Injun Joe represent.

I would love to discuss this book further with anyone that is interested!

Happy Reading!




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2010 Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge

*How Cute is this banner?*

Anyways, yes I found yet another challenge. But have no fear. I get almost ALL of my books from the library. I read waaaay too many books to purchase them. Of course there are some that I can't resist, but overall they come from the library. It seems that I don't even mind paying the late fees because I know it supports them, which in turn supports me and my habit! Support your local library!!!!

If you would like to join in on the fun head on over to J. Kaye's Book Blog.

 

There are four levels:

--The Mini – Check out and read 25 library books.

--Just My Size – Check out and read 50 library books.

--Stepping It Up – Check out and read 75 library books. -This is my goal!

--Super Size Me – Check out and read 100 library books.

I will update this post with my books!

As always, happy reading!

Heather