2008 book quest: Books 1-5
I'm back and more-read than ever, with my first installment of books read this year, trying to make it to 50. Last year's count was 42, so I'm sooo close. New reads, which all of these are, will be marked with a dash and rated out of five stars. They will also include brief reviews. Longer reviews will be behind tags or in separate posts.
- 1. The Golden Compass, by Phillip Pullman. I have much to say on this trilogy in a separate post. My first problem is that I found the writing a little sub par. I tried to like it anyway, and this book wasn't that bad. Certainly the best of the three, and points for creativity. ***
- 2. Kushiel's Dart, by Jacqueline Carey. Again, lots of points for a creative world and its clever (if a bit stereotyped in places) religious system. And kudos for open and unapologetic bisexuality. I had some reservations, however. First, my erm, tastes, differ from the main character's a bit, and I'm a little put off by violent sex scenes. That's me being squeamish. Then there are a couple of rookie writing mistakes. One need not use the word 'alacrity' more than once in a given novel, even if it is 800 pages long. Additionally, she loses a full star for the use of the phrase "sheathed to the hilt" in the middle of a sex scene. Now, if ever this metaphor was going to work, it would be in this character's pov, one from a warrior society and with a taste for the-- shall we say-- painful sexual encounter. Still, far too cliche to be interesting and always quite insulting. My body is not a scabbard, thankyouverymuch. So writers and aspiring writers out there, do not use this phrase. I know you were tempted. But don't! I warn you! (I get a sadistic little chuckle from that, imagining each of your responses. pegkerr: and I was going to encorporate that into my hearts of stone essay... tradredav (being my next-to-littlest-cousin): gee, I have no idea about what she means because I never think about such things... otterdance: well, hell, I have like twice as much checking to do as everyone else, because my book has twice as many-- swords... 2ndavemusic: that's all well and good, but what else can I find to rhyme with "spilt"?) I digress. The book was not bad a'tall. ****
- 3. The Subtle Knife, by Philip Pullman. Worse than the first, and I hardly remember it. yikes. * and only because I don't know that I can give zero.
- 4. The Amber Spyglass, by Philip Pullman. Better than the second, which is not saying much. Boy do I have a lot to say about this series. That'll be a forthcoming post. **
- 5. Princess Academy, by Shannon Hale. Previewing for LittleOne's eventual shelf-o-girl-power-books. Cute, easy read. Nothing terribly earth-shattering, but no one in the book was involved in S&M or in a plot to kill god, so it was refreshing at least. LittleOne will like it someday. ****
- 1. The Golden Compass, by Phillip Pullman. I have much to say on this trilogy in a separate post. My first problem is that I found the writing a little sub par. I tried to like it anyway, and this book wasn't that bad. Certainly the best of the three, and points for creativity. ***
- 2. Kushiel's Dart, by Jacqueline Carey. Again, lots of points for a creative world and its clever (if a bit stereotyped in places) religious system. And kudos for open and unapologetic bisexuality. I had some reservations, however. First, my erm, tastes, differ from the main character's a bit, and I'm a little put off by violent sex scenes. That's me being squeamish. Then there are a couple of rookie writing mistakes. One need not use the word 'alacrity' more than once in a given novel, even if it is 800 pages long. Additionally, she loses a full star for the use of the phrase "sheathed to the hilt" in the middle of a sex scene. Now, if ever this metaphor was going to work, it would be in this character's pov, one from a warrior society and with a taste for the-- shall we say-- painful sexual encounter. Still, far too cliche to be interesting and always quite insulting. My body is not a scabbard, thankyouverymuch. So writers and aspiring writers out there, do not use this phrase. I know you were tempted. But don't! I warn you! (I get a sadistic little chuckle from that, imagining each of your responses. pegkerr: and I was going to encorporate that into my hearts of stone essay... tradredav (being my next-to-littlest-cousin): gee, I have no idea about what she means because I never think about such things... otterdance: well, hell, I have like twice as much checking to do as everyone else, because my book has twice as many-- swords... 2ndavemusic: that's all well and good, but what else can I find to rhyme with "spilt"?) I digress. The book was not bad a'tall. ****
- 3. The Subtle Knife, by Philip Pullman. Worse than the first, and I hardly remember it. yikes. * and only because I don't know that I can give zero.
- 4. The Amber Spyglass, by Philip Pullman. Better than the second, which is not saying much. Boy do I have a lot to say about this series. That'll be a forthcoming post. **
- 5. Princess Academy, by Shannon Hale. Previewing for LittleOne's eventual shelf-o-girl-power-books. Cute, easy read. Nothing terribly earth-shattering, but no one in the book was involved in S&M or in a plot to kill god, so it was refreshing at least. LittleOne will like it someday. ****