Remember when I made a collage of covers? Yeah, that was too ambitious.
July
18. Raven’s Shadow Patricia Briggs
352 Pages. Fantasy.
From many years, the city of Colossae was a haven of magical study. As generations of wizards pushed the limits of their abilities, en evil entity was unleashed that could only be contained by the sacrifice of their city. From ashes Colossae, the Travelers emerged - roaming the world to ensure that she Stalker would remain imprisoned forever.
I like Patricia Briggs; she really is quite brilliant. This was a light, fun read.
August
19. A Game of Thrones George R.R. Martin
835 pages. Fantasy.
In a world where the approaching winter will last four decades, kings and queens, knights and renegades struggle for control of a throne. Some fight with sword and mace, others with magic and poison. Beyond the Wall to the north, meanwhile, the Others are preparing their army of the dead to march south as the warmth of summer drains from the land. After more than a decade devoted primarily to TV and screen work, Martin (The Armageddon Rag, 1983) makes a triumphant return to high fantasy with this extraordinarily rich new novel, the first of a trilogy. Although conventional in form, the book stands out from similar work by Eddings, Brooks and others by virtue of its superbly developed characters, accomplished prose and sheer bloody-mindedness. Although the romance of chivalry is central to the culture of the Seven Kingdoms, and tournaments, derring-do and handsome knights abound, these trappings merely give cover to dangerous men and women who will stop at nothing to achieve their goals. When Lord Stark of Winterfell, an honest man, comes south to act as the King's chief councillor, no amount of heroism or good intentions can keep the realm under control.
I watched the HBC series and it was brilliant. The book; no less so.
20. Nine Parts of Desire Geraldine Brooks
239 pages. Non-Fiction.
The hotel receptionist held my reservation card in his hand. “Mr. Geraldine Brooks,” he read. “But you are a woman.”
Mrs. Brooks was a foreign correspondent in the Middle East who wrote about her experience. I disliked this book but struggled through it because we had to read it for book club. I’m sure there are better books out there about woman in Islam but I recommend giving this one a skip; as it is too biased.
October
21. Snake Agent: A Detective Inspector Chen Novel Liz Williams
352 pages. Fantasy.
Inari knew, perhaps better than anyone else, how closely her husband worked with Hell, but usually she could maintain the pretence that it did not impinge too closely upon their lives.
I got this in the mail. It’s a SF Fantasy. I probably would not have picked it off the shelf but it came highly recommended (obviously, since it was mailed to me). Anyhow Kwan Yin is in it and she’s pretty flipping cool.
22. A Conspiracy of Kings Megan Whalen Turner
328 pages. Fantasy.
“Sophos, you sleep with a knife under your pillow? I’m hurt.”
This book was alright. There was just not enough Gen. I heart Gen so much and he was just not in it.
22. Elsewhere Terri Windling and Mark Alan Arnold (editors)
355 pages. Fantasy anthology,
From the secret places of the soul to sorcerous lands of faraway; from hidden magical coves to vast and dragon-haunted plains: ELSEWHERE.
A great anthology full princesses, selkies, and time travel. The time travel one was crap though.
23. Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith Jon Krakauer
432 pages. Non-Fiction.
Using as a focal point the chilling story of offshoot Mormon fundamentalist brothers Dan and Ron Lafferty, who in 1984 brutally butchered their sister-in-law and 15-month-old niece in the name of a divine revelation, Krakauer explores what he sees as the nature of radical Mormon sects with Svengali-like leaders. Using mostly secondary historical texts and some contemporary primary sources, Krakauer compellingly details the history of the Mormon church from its early 19th-century creation by Joseph Smith (whom Krakauer describes as a convicted con man) to its violent journey from upstate New York to the Midwest and finally Utah, where, after the 1890 renunciation of the church's holy doctrine sanctioning multiple marriages, it transformed itself into one of the world's fastest-growing religions. Through interviews with family members and an unremorseful Dan Lafferty (who is currently serving a life sentence), Krakauer chronologically tracks what led to the double murder, from the brothers' theological misgivings about the Mormon church to starting their own fundamentalist sect that relies on their direct communications with God to guide their actions. According to Dan's chilling step-by-step account, when their new religion led to Ron's divorce and both men's excommunication from the Mormon church, the brothers followed divine revelations and sought to kill, starting with their sister-in-law, those who stood in the way of their new beliefs. Relying on his strong journalistic and storytelling skills, Krakauer peppers the book with an array of disturbing firsthand accounts and news stories (such as the recent kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart) of physical and sexual brutality, which he sees as an outgrowth of some fundamentalists' belief in polygamy and the notion that every male speaks to God and can do God's bidding. While Krakauer demonstrates that most nonfundamentalist Mormons are community oriented, industrious and law-abiding, he poses some striking questions about the closed-minded, closed-door policies of the religion-and many religions in general.
Interesting read. Fundamentalism Mormonism is slightly scary.
November
24. The Five People you Meet in Heaven Mitch Albom
196 pages. Fiction.
All endings are also beginnings. We just don’t know it at the time.
And So began my Mitch Albom binge.
25. Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, A Young Man, And Life’s Greatest Lesson Mitch Albom
224 pages. Non-Fiction. Inspirational.
“Learn how to die and you’ll learn how to truly live.”
Mr. Albom has made a lot of money writing simple books. This one was sad.
26. The Alchemist Paulo Coelho
167 pages. Fiction.
The wind’s curiosity was aroused, something that had never happened before. It wanted to talk bout thouse things, but it didn’t know how to turn a man into the wind. And look how many things the wind already knew how to do! It created deserts, sank ships, felled entire forests, and blew through cities filled with music and strange noises. It felt that it had no limits, yet here was a boy saying that there were other things the wind should be able to do.
27. State of Wonder Ann Patchett
353 pages. Fiction.
The news of Anders Eckman’s death came by way of Aerogram, a piece of bright blue airmail paper that served as both the stationery and, when folded over and sealed along the edges, the envelope. Who even knew they still made such things? This single sheet had traveled from Brazil to Minnesota to mark the passing of a man, a breath of tissue so insubstantial that only the stamp seemed to anchor it to the world. Mr. Fox had the letter in his hand when he came to the lab to tell Marina the news. When she saw him there at the door she smiled at him and in the light of the smile he faltered.
Book club book. Awesome. You should read it.
18. Raven’s Shadow Patricia Briggs
352 Pages. Fantasy.
From many years, the city of Colossae was a haven of magical study. As generations of wizards pushed the limits of their abilities, en evil entity was unleashed that could only be contained by the sacrifice of their city. From ashes Colossae, the Travelers emerged - roaming the world to ensure that she Stalker would remain imprisoned forever.
I like Patricia Briggs; she really is quite brilliant. This was a light, fun read.
August
19. A Game of Thrones George R.R. Martin
835 pages. Fantasy.
In a world where the approaching winter will last four decades, kings and queens, knights and renegades struggle for control of a throne. Some fight with sword and mace, others with magic and poison. Beyond the Wall to the north, meanwhile, the Others are preparing their army of the dead to march south as the warmth of summer drains from the land. After more than a decade devoted primarily to TV and screen work, Martin (The Armageddon Rag, 1983) makes a triumphant return to high fantasy with this extraordinarily rich new novel, the first of a trilogy. Although conventional in form, the book stands out from similar work by Eddings, Brooks and others by virtue of its superbly developed characters, accomplished prose and sheer bloody-mindedness. Although the romance of chivalry is central to the culture of the Seven Kingdoms, and tournaments, derring-do and handsome knights abound, these trappings merely give cover to dangerous men and women who will stop at nothing to achieve their goals. When Lord Stark of Winterfell, an honest man, comes south to act as the King's chief councillor, no amount of heroism or good intentions can keep the realm under control.
I watched the HBC series and it was brilliant. The book; no less so.
20. Nine Parts of Desire Geraldine Brooks
239 pages. Non-Fiction.
The hotel receptionist held my reservation card in his hand. “Mr. Geraldine Brooks,” he read. “But you are a woman.”
Mrs. Brooks was a foreign correspondent in the Middle East who wrote about her experience. I disliked this book but struggled through it because we had to read it for book club. I’m sure there are better books out there about woman in Islam but I recommend giving this one a skip; as it is too biased.
October
21. Snake Agent: A Detective Inspector Chen Novel Liz Williams
352 pages. Fantasy.
Inari knew, perhaps better than anyone else, how closely her husband worked with Hell, but usually she could maintain the pretence that it did not impinge too closely upon their lives.
I got this in the mail. It’s a SF Fantasy. I probably would not have picked it off the shelf but it came highly recommended (obviously, since it was mailed to me). Anyhow Kwan Yin is in it and she’s pretty flipping cool.
22. A Conspiracy of Kings Megan Whalen Turner
328 pages. Fantasy.
“Sophos, you sleep with a knife under your pillow? I’m hurt.”
This book was alright. There was just not enough Gen. I heart Gen so much and he was just not in it.
22. Elsewhere Terri Windling and Mark Alan Arnold (editors)
355 pages. Fantasy anthology,
From the secret places of the soul to sorcerous lands of faraway; from hidden magical coves to vast and dragon-haunted plains: ELSEWHERE.
A great anthology full princesses, selkies, and time travel. The time travel one was crap though.
23. Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith Jon Krakauer
432 pages. Non-Fiction.
Using as a focal point the chilling story of offshoot Mormon fundamentalist brothers Dan and Ron Lafferty, who in 1984 brutally butchered their sister-in-law and 15-month-old niece in the name of a divine revelation, Krakauer explores what he sees as the nature of radical Mormon sects with Svengali-like leaders. Using mostly secondary historical texts and some contemporary primary sources, Krakauer compellingly details the history of the Mormon church from its early 19th-century creation by Joseph Smith (whom Krakauer describes as a convicted con man) to its violent journey from upstate New York to the Midwest and finally Utah, where, after the 1890 renunciation of the church's holy doctrine sanctioning multiple marriages, it transformed itself into one of the world's fastest-growing religions. Through interviews with family members and an unremorseful Dan Lafferty (who is currently serving a life sentence), Krakauer chronologically tracks what led to the double murder, from the brothers' theological misgivings about the Mormon church to starting their own fundamentalist sect that relies on their direct communications with God to guide their actions. According to Dan's chilling step-by-step account, when their new religion led to Ron's divorce and both men's excommunication from the Mormon church, the brothers followed divine revelations and sought to kill, starting with their sister-in-law, those who stood in the way of their new beliefs. Relying on his strong journalistic and storytelling skills, Krakauer peppers the book with an array of disturbing firsthand accounts and news stories (such as the recent kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart) of physical and sexual brutality, which he sees as an outgrowth of some fundamentalists' belief in polygamy and the notion that every male speaks to God and can do God's bidding. While Krakauer demonstrates that most nonfundamentalist Mormons are community oriented, industrious and law-abiding, he poses some striking questions about the closed-minded, closed-door policies of the religion-and many religions in general.
Interesting read. Fundamentalism Mormonism is slightly scary.
November
24. The Five People you Meet in Heaven Mitch Albom
196 pages. Fiction.
All endings are also beginnings. We just don’t know it at the time.
And So began my Mitch Albom binge.
25. Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, A Young Man, And Life’s Greatest Lesson Mitch Albom
224 pages. Non-Fiction. Inspirational.
“Learn how to die and you’ll learn how to truly live.”
Mr. Albom has made a lot of money writing simple books. This one was sad.
26. The Alchemist Paulo Coelho
167 pages. Fiction.
The wind’s curiosity was aroused, something that had never happened before. It wanted to talk bout thouse things, but it didn’t know how to turn a man into the wind. And look how many things the wind already knew how to do! It created deserts, sank ships, felled entire forests, and blew through cities filled with music and strange noises. It felt that it had no limits, yet here was a boy saying that there were other things the wind should be able to do.
27. State of Wonder Ann Patchett
353 pages. Fiction.
The news of Anders Eckman’s death came by way of Aerogram, a piece of bright blue airmail paper that served as both the stationery and, when folded over and sealed along the edges, the envelope. Who even knew they still made such things? This single sheet had traveled from Brazil to Minnesota to mark the passing of a man, a breath of tissue so insubstantial that only the stamp seemed to anchor it to the world. Mr. Fox had the letter in his hand when he came to the lab to tell Marina the news. When she saw him there at the door she smiled at him and in the light of the smile he faltered.
Book club book. Awesome. You should read it.