"Old Man's War" by John Scalzi

I found this book at a library book sale and I immediately thought, "Hey, I have a friend who loves Scalzi!" So I paid $0.50 and took it home.

Summary: Humanity has colonized uncounted worlds and found that we are not alone. As the Colonial Union literally and figuratively rockets forward, they leave Earth in the dust. John Perry is 75 years old and not particularly interested in being old any longer. The Colonial Defense Force has the technology to make people young again, but they haven't shared that with Earth scientists. The only way to benefit from it is to enlist. And if you enlist, you can't go home again.

Perry says good-bye to his whole life and signs up for a second chance. He and a thousand other recruits are trained in the art of combat. People from all professions are there with the same goal of extending their lives, which means politicians, farmers, scientists, teachers are all brought together with a lifetime of experience and emotional investments that make them a particularly unique fighting force. They are the front line defending humanity from the exotic dangers of the galaxy and having nieces, nephews and grandchildren back home gives them that added incentive to do their best.

What I Liked: Something about Scalzi's writing style is perfect for me. Each sentence seems to be exactly what it needs to be to get the point across and introduce you to the next sentence. I read this book very quickly (by my standards) and I am eager for the sequel. He does a great job with foreshadowing so that there are a series of mysteries throughout the book, keeping me interested.

What I Didn't Like: The faster-than-light skip drive gives me the shivers.

Rating: Must Read.

Also Read by this Author: None.

Reviewed by: Nick

"The Return of the King" by JRR Tolkien

In middle school I got half way through the Two Towers. I stopped because I found it depressing and the elven was unintelligible, but now that I am an adult nerd, I feel like I should have all four of them under my belt, and not just the movies. At the library I saw all four in audiobook format and decided I could finally finish the series. 

Summary: This story begins right where The Two Towers leaves off. Most of the original fellowship has set to work in defending the lands of Gondor while Frodo and Sam are on their own adventure. Minas Tirith is assaulted by a massive army of orcs from Mordor. The long battle is the balancing point to determine of the evil Saruon will be able to steamroll over Middle Earth or not. Every resource is thrown into the fight on both sides, with several close calls saved at the last minute.

While nearly the whole world is distracted by the battle, Frodo and Sam are able to work their way through many challenges in the lands of Mordor, with Gollum behind them all the while. The power of the ring to corrupt is a constant threat to the mission and to their own survival.

At the end of the book, the hobbits return home to find they don't recognize it anymore. It has been marked by the war and by a new evil leader who has only just taken power in the Shire. Our hobbits are now veterans of a great war, something rare among hobbits, and decide to take on this leader themselves.

What I Liked: I like that it concludes the story. I also really like the way the war is handled in the Shire and when the hobbits come home they get to be the main heroes with no tall folk stealing the spotlight.

What I Didn't Like: This book took me the longest to get through. The grand pronouncements of doom combined with the pining for a lost age makes for a really depressing read. I'm also somewhat sick the idea that heroes must let villains go free so that the heroes aren't turned into villains. There are some villains so dangerous that to let them free is a terrible, terrible idea and this book has a nice example of what happens when that dangerous villain is also a powerful wizard.

Rating: Read it as part of the series.

Also Read by this Author: The Hobbit. The Fellowship of the Ring. The Two Towers.

Reviewed by: Nick

"The Two Towers" By JRR Tolkien

I read this book in middle school, and got half way through the Two Towers. I stopped because I found it depressing and the elven was unintelligible, but now that I am an adult nerd, I feel like I should have all four of them under my belt, and not just the movies. At the library I saw all four in audiobook format and decided I could finally finish the series. 

Summary: This story begins right where The Fellowship of the Ring leaves off. At this point in the story, the fellowship is broken. Frodo and Sam go off one way, Merry and Pippin are kidnapped by the enemy and the the rest of the party ends up plotting a rescue. Merry and Pippin get free and hide in the forest, only to discover it is the home of the Ents, treelike beings that care for the woods. The Ents are not fond of hurrying and take their time in all things, but the growning danger from Saruman is enough to mobilize them under the leadership of Treebeard. They go to Isengard assault the walls.

Aragorn and company meanwhile search for the two hobbits and eventually find Gandalf, which they had thought dead. Together they go to the king of Rohan and argue with him, trying to make him see the looming dangers.

The other two hobbits, Frodo and Sam, are now alone as they march toward Mordor. They are intensely aware that no one is going to help them through the hardest part of their journey, but they are able to manipulate Gollum into working for them at times, as Gollum respects the Ring and fears what might happen to it if he does not cooperate.

What I Liked: I like that it continues the story and gives more depth to the world of Tolkien. There is a feel of greatness in the comings and goings of Frodo, Aragorn, Gandalf and the others. 

What I Didn't Like: When I was in middle school I read this book halfway. It just became too hard to get excited about it, the whole story felt bogged down. Listening to it as an audiobook is the only way I got through. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what stopped me, but there is a certain sort of depression that feels overly reaching when it is proclaimed by kings and wizards mourning the passing of an age. It feels a little forced.

Rating: Read it as part of the series.

Also Read by this Author: The Hobbit. The Fellowship of the Ring

Reviewed by: Nick

"The Fellowship of the Ring" by JRR Tolkien

I read this book in middle school, and got half way through the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I stopped because I found it depressing and the elven was unintelligible, but now that I am an adult nerd, I feel like I should have all four of them under my belt, and not just the movies. At the library I saw all four in audiobook format and decided I could finally finish the series. 

Summary: This story takes place several decades after The Hobbit in which Bilbo goes on an adventure and happens to find a very useful ring. It is The Ring. Centuries ago, Sauron gave out rings of power to various factions hoping to win their trust and loyalty. And he had a special secret because he made one more ring that was designed to control the others. Sauron lost the ring in battle and it changed many hands until finally reaching Bilbo, a small hobbit in the Shire. Young Frodo inherited the ring when Biblo decided to leave the Shire right around the time Gandalf began to understand the true power of the thing.

As Sauron grows in power and threatens the lives of every race, Gandalf the Grey thought on the fate of the ring for some time, finally deciding that any plan which did not include destroying was too dangerous. Unfortunately, the only way the ring could be destroyed was to drop it in the pits of Mordor where it was forged. The rest of the book is assembling a team to bring the ring to Mordor and destroy it before the wraiths of Sauron can seize it.

What I Liked: Since I liked The Hobbit I appreciate any book in the same universe. Also, this is quintessential fantasy with elves, dwarves, wizards and brave knights. This first book in the trilogy is very hopeful and eager. The characters are worried, but motivated to complete their mission. 

What I Didn't Like: Some of the decisions made by the wise folk are a bit confounding. One option they have is to send the ring to the opposite side of the world, and they figure that Sauron will catch up with it some day, so that's not good enough. It seems to me, that if it delays the problem several generations, its still a win, whereas bringing the ring straight into Sauron's fortress hoping to destroy it seems more dangerous. Also, while I am complaining, Tom Bombadil is older than the world, and bends the world to his will, yet he can't be bothered to help destroy the ring. I mean, he could have totally saved the day without breaking a sweat!

Rating: Recommended.

Also Read by this Author: The Hobbit.

Reviewed by: Nick

"The Hobbit" By JRR Tolkien

I read this book in middle school, and got half way through the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I stopped because I found it depressing and the elven was unintelligible, but now that I am an adult nerd, I feel like I should have all four of them under my belt, and not just the movies. At the library I saw all four in audiobook format and decided I could finally finish the series. 

Summary: This book takes place several decades before the Lord of the Rings series and is not technically part of the series, though it does introduce a few characters and provides a context for the trilogy that comes later.

In this book, Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit living by himself in a nice hole safely placed in the Shire. He is tricked by Gandalf, a mysterious old man known for his amazing fireworks and said to be a wizard, who invites a thirteen dwarves to his hobbit hole. Eventually, Bilbo figures out that he is hosting the planning meeting for an expedition to the Lonely Mountain so that it might be reclaimed for the dwarves.

Bilbo joins Thorin Oakenshield and his dwarves on a dangerous adventure eastward. They meet elves, trolls, goblins and eagles as they navigate through the Mirkwood. At one critical juncture, Biblo finds the Ring which eventually sparks the events in the trilogy.

What I Liked: I am a gamer, mostly Dungeons and Dragons style games. When you are playing D&D there is a certain sort of banter where players egg each other on and make all sorts of comments that make fun or make light of the situation no matter how seriously it is supposed to be. I found it very comforting that the characters in The Hobbit sound like D&D gamers! They stumble around the puzzle built for them by Tolkien, then say and act in ways that are a combination of stupid and wise. It's clear Tolkien was having fun with the story.

What I Didn't Like: Frankly, of the four books, this is my favorite one. The ending is a bit weird, since the hero sort of pops in at the last moment, but whatever. I must say one thing, though. Gandalf is not particularly awesome in this book. He can make fireworks and smoke rings, and shows up then disappears at random times, but there isn't much wizardry yet.

Rating: Must Read.

Also Read by this Author: To come later, since I am rereading them.

Reviewed by: Nick

"Gulliver's Travels" By Jonathan Swift

I picked up this audiobook as it is a classic and I never read it.

Summary: Gulliver is a man who spends much of his life at sea, as a surgeon, captain and ship owner. On four separate trips he ridiculously lost and finds himself in a land well beyond anything charted on any map. This premise is a bit absurd, but ultimately, it is an excuse to place Gulliver in societies that look nothing like the British lands he grew up in.

The first land he finds is filled with people incredibly smaller than him. He is enslaved by them and spends much of the time trying to convince them that he is not going to destroy them. The second place is filled with people much bigger than him and he is paraded around like a fancy pet in a special box. The third place is a floating city that rests on powerful magnets that repel the earth. These are scientist/philosophers with their time dedicated to pondering. The forth place, my favorite, is the land of the horse people. Here the horses are intelligent and the humans are of animal minds. These ignorant humans are called Houyhnhnms and Swift goes out of his way to use it as an insult against British elites, over and over.

In each place Gulliver takes careful note of every similarity and difference between the strangers and his own homeland. Much of the book is a critique of 18th century Britain by demonstrating how much better these strangers appear to be. And when similarities are highlighted, they are often so that Swift can use the fictional characters to illustrate the flaws he sees in British society. These observations are delivered as devoid of emotion as possible to give them a feeling of simple scientific truth, which makes the jokes that much funnier.

What I Liked: Swift takes full advantage of the story to comment on the lives of his fellow citizens. He does not

What I Didn't Like: It sounds stupid, but I have difficulty with classics partly because of the language barrier, we'll call it. These days, no one talks like Swift, and it means I have to spend extra effort to figure out what some of the sentences mean. It's not his fault, but it still detracts from the experience.

Rating: Recommended.

Also Read by this Author: None.

Reviewed by: Nick

"The Passage" by Justin Cronin

Tami read this book a while back and had planned to read the sequel. We picked up this audio book to refresh her memory and get me up to speed.

Summary: In the jungles of South America, a strange virus infects an academic team. The U.S. military quickly establishes a program to research the virus and weaponize it. The virus brings on a dramatic transformation in the victim that turns them into fast, nocturnal blood-suckers. Twelve death-row inmates were the first guinea pigs and did not show the desired effects. One more subject was given the virus, but before the results could be analyzed, the facility fell and the subjects escaped. Quickly the whole continent was infected and the life as we know it is gone.

Years later the survivors struggle to make a living in a world filled with the infected creatures, called virals. Bright lights protect the isolated colony of survivors, and everyone has a job to do. But there are signs that the colony cannot last. Slowly, a plan comes together and an adventure begins.

What I Liked: There's a lot to think about in this book. The virals are fascinating, the characters are well rounded and the plot is compelling.

Tami enjoyed the layout of the plot.  The first half of the book is back-story to the action that takes place 100 years in the future.  The back-story written in such a compelling manner that it might just be my favorite part.  There is something morbidly fascinating about watching society as its known fall.

What I Didn't Like: I realized too late that this is the abridged version. I then wondered what scenes I missed. Also, my favorite character died really early.

Tami thought it was scary, and there were parts that turned my stomach.  But each bit of the plot was necessary to advance the story, so I suffered through it.

Rating: This has all the right elements of a post apocalyptic story. I recommend it.

Also Read by this Author: None.

Reviewed by: Nick (with Tami chiming in)

"Stardust" by Neil Gaiman

I asked "what should I read next" on our Facebook page and Alex told me Neil Gaiman - Stardust specifically.  Alex didn't disappoint.

Summary:  Tristran Thorn is in love with town beauty Victoria Forester and will do anything to gain her love in return...including promising to retrieve a star that has fallen beyond the wall and into the land of Faeire.  When Victoria agrees to Tristran's quest, he packs his bag and with his father's help heads beyond the wall.  Tristran soon learns that Faeire is a complicated world with strange rules, stranger creatures and danger hidden around every corner.

My Thoughts:  I thought this book was quite lovely.

The action was really well paced in "Stardust" and cleverly played out.  Tristran's quest for the star (which really turns into his quest for self discovery) introduces him to a hairy little man that helps him outfit himself for the adventures to come - escaping a killer forest, managing a murderous family feud and escaping the clutches of countless villains.

And there was an airship, y'all.  AN AIRSHIP.

The language was excellent - each word chosen to evoke a feeling or memory for the reader that keeps them (or at least me) eagerly turning the pages.

My only complaint was that the story ended much too soon.

Rating:  I'll read this one to Owen when he's older.

Also Read By:  The Ocean at the End of the Lane - Tami  |  Nick

Reviewed By:  Tami

"Fool Moon" by Jim Butcher

I'm not going to lie.... I've been putting off book #2 of the Dresden Files for over a year.  I think it's because I don't want to like the series.  My husband and his band of merry gamers love the Dresden Files and I feel like if I add them to the list of books I enjoy it'll push me over the edge from somewhat cranky loner to full on geek myself.  And I really don't want to fall into that category.  I watch too much reality TV for that.

But pick up "Fool Moon" I did, and I fear there's no going back.

image via goodreads

Summary:   When a series of gruesome unexplained murders occurs in Chicago, Lt. Karrin Murphy knows there's only one wizard to call:  Harry Dresden.  And not just because he's the only self-acknowledged wizard in the United States.  Dresden is pulled onto the scene of a brutal and bloody murder with almost no evidence, except a large wolf paw by the body.  Harry uses his knowledge of the arcane, his talking skull Bob and information from an overly friendly demon to learn who the likely culprit may be...and where they may strike next.

My Thoughts:  The reason I read the Dresden series isn't to think all that much about what I'm reading.  It read them to be entertained, pure and simple, and Fool Moon does the trick.

Fool Moon begins with Harry dining with a younger colleague in the local wizard bar.  She asks him for help on something complex and dangerous, and his inner white knight refuses to help her--what she's asking is dangerous and above her skill level.  Harry's choice ends up in her dismemberment and sets Harry on a path to his inevitable near doom.  (Don't worry, reader, this seems to happen every book and to my knowledge the series is still going strong.)  What follows next is the epitome of entertainment - gruesome murders, hilarious encounters with Bob the skull, more insight into Dresden's own past, and an action packed who-dunnit that keeps the reader guessing til the end.

Rating:  A nice installment in the series.

Also Read By:
     Tami:  Storm Front 
     Nick:  Skin Game

Reviewed By:  Tami

"Agatha H and the Airship City" by Phil & Kaja Foglio

I was first introduced to these characters through the award-winning Girl Genius online comic. When I saw their book for the first time, I needed to read it. 

Summary: This book follows the first part of the online comic, in which Agatha begins as an ordinary lab assistant at the university of Professor Beetle. The professor is a Spark, a title which denotes individuals who have an especially sharp minds. Sparks can take a pile of discarded parts and build a fully functional vehicle in a day, they can rewire the brains of animals to give them human intelligence, and they can do it in a steampunk universe where computers and circuits have never been invented. Most sparks are very dangerous and mentally unstable. They bring terror and ruin to the people of Europe with their armies of combat squids and war klanks constantly fighting. Professor Beetle is peaceful by comparison and has found himself working for Baron Wulfenbach, the most powerful spark who presides over the continent with a fleet of airships.

In this book Agatha's life is totally turned upside-down and she meets a cast of characters pulled from across the continent and across species. She can no longer stay in the home she has always known, and must make do with strangers in the airship city of Castle Wulfenbach, where she finds herself again as a lab assistant. But this time things have gotten a lot more complicated. After reading the comics, this book feels like it is entirely exposition for the adventures that follow, but it is compelling in its own right.

What I Liked: As the comic updates three pages a week, it can be slow going to follow along. It was a fun look-back to recall how the stories began. The Foglio's inject everything with a joke, keeping the story light-hearted even when it's serious. Also, the steampunk theme is exciting and interesting, with monsters, talking animals, robots and zepplins!

What I Didn't Like: I am biased to like this book, not sure what to put here.

Rating: Must read.

Also Read by this Author: Girl Genius online comic.

Reviewed by: Nick

"The Fairy Godmother" by Mercedes Lackey

The Fairy Godmother is yet another book my fabulous Aunt loaned me while I was in college with the guarantee that I'd like the story....and somehow between classes and quarter taps I neglected to read it. A good eleven years later I finally picked it up.  And she was right.  As always.

Summary:  Everyone knows the story of Cinderella.  A beautiful young woman is forced to wait hand and foot on her nasty stepmother and wicked stepsisters until her Fairy Godmother gifts her one enchanted evening that kicks off her Happily Ever After.  It's a classic good things happen to good people tale with a satisfying side of revenge when the husband hunting step sisters see their lowly abused sister blissfully happy as she's crowned a royal princess and married to the hottest hottie of the land.  [Side bar:  do people still say hottie?] 

But what happens when the kingdom's royal prince is just a baby and there isn't a glass slipper in sight? 

Elena Klovis lives a hard life.  Her stepmother runs her ragged and her step sisters aren't any better.  What's worse, even though she dreams of finding a way to escape her days of hard labor, it seems she's doomed to a life of servitude.  When Elena's step-family skips town to avoid angry creditors, she takes matters into her own hands by showing up to the local mop fair in hope of finding employment and a chance at a happier life.  Although Elena's one of the first to arrive, she's one of the last standing when the mop fair closes at sundown.  Before she can give up, Elena spots a small cart pulled by a strange horse and an even stranger passenger.  When the woman in the cart offers Elena an apprenticeship, she thinks she's dreaming.  Little does she know that her acceptance will change the course of not only her life, but those of others all over the 500 Kingdoms. 

What I Liked:  As a former young girl, I've got a soft spot for the fairy tales made popular by Disney.  Show me a glass slipper or talking crab and I am in.

The Fairy Godmother has the trappings of a disney fairy tale but with a grown up twist.  Instead of Cinderella (or in this case Elena "Ella Cinders") marrying her Prince Charming and living the trophy wife life, she gets a job as the fairy godmother who's job is to facilitate happy endings for others in her situation.  Using magic and the unseen power of the Tradition, Elena uses her wits to craft happy endings out of tragic circumstances and teaching handsome princes to know their place.

The Fairy Godmother is clever, funny and has just enough references to modern fairy tales that I got a little giddy each time and kept wondering who would show up next.  Needless to say I've already started the second in the series.

What Drove Me Nuts:  Not a seashell bra or dinglehopper in sight.  But I hear this is a series so there's hope.

Rating:  Disney with a side of practical, sass and kick ass.  If you like the tv show Once Upon a Time this series is quite possible for you.

Reviewed By:  Tami

"Blood Magick" by Nora Roberts

Summary:  Branna O'Dwyer and Finbar Burke consummated their young love one magical night when they were teenagers.  What should have been the start of a lifetime together instead tore them apart as a mark developed on Fin that same night---a mark that branded Finn a descendant of the ancient enemy of the O'Dwyers, the evil sorcerer Cabhan.

Now that the final fight between the current Three and Cabhan looms near, Branna must learn to not only accept Finn's help in the battle against Cabhan, but to decide once and for all if she'll let the curse laid by Sorcha dictate her life and relationship with Finn.

What I Liked:  My favorite part of a NR trilogy is her attention to family dynamics and how the interactions between brothers, friends, or in this case, cousins, flavors the individual characters and the essence of the plot.  In “Blood Magick”, main character Branna is independent with a bit of a stubborn streak.  Branna feels the burden of her heritage more heavily than her brother Connor or cousin Iona.  That feeling combined with her preference to do things her own way and her refusal to accept the help of others is one of the main obstacles she must face in the cousin’s fight with Cabhan.

I also found myself drawn to the slices of every day life NR wove throughout the main story.  While the main focus of Blood Magick is the looming magical battle with Cabhan, I found the every day scenes of family holidays, a New Years party and the in and out of Branna's life at the shop just as - if not more - fascinating than the magical parts.

What I Didn't Like:  This is first and foremost a romance novel and I felt that the overall romance between Branna and Finn was a bit lackluster.  Branna and Finn's story was all about overcoming forbidden love, but instead of the heart wrenching sadness of a couple torn apart or the soul numbing sadness of true love denied, the romance just felt...tired.  Almost like Branna and Finn were too tired to fight for their love any longer.

I also couldn't get into the rhymey rhymey spell casting.  But perhaps spending my formative years reading Harry Potter has left me a bit skeptical of spell casting.

Rating:  This was not my favorite Nora Roberts book nor my favorite Nora Roberts trilogy.  That being said, fans of Nora Roberts trilogies (especially those that liked the Key trilogy, Sign of Seven, and Circle trilogies.)

Also Read By:  I've read almost all of Robert's catalog, which you can find at her website.  You can check my other reviews on Robert's books by searching for Nora Roberts in the quick search on the right hand side of the page, or by clicking individual links here:  Shadow Spell   |   Dark Witch   |   Thankless in Death   |   Concealed in Death  |  The Collector

Reviewed By:  Tami

"To Say Nothing Of The Dog" by Connie Willis

This book was lent to me by my aunt-in-law who thought that I might like it.

Summary: This book follows the adventure of Ned Henry, a historian from the year 2057. With the discovery of time travel in the early 21st century, the profession of historian became a lot more interactive. Ned works for Lady Shrapnell, a ridiculously wealthy woman who has devoted enormous amounts of money and resources to rebuild the Coventry Cathedral, which was destroyed in 1940 by the Luftwaffe. Lady Shrapnell insists on recreating every detail exactly as it was right before the air raid, including the Bishop's Bird Stump, an artifact adored by her great- great- (not sure how many) grandmother, Tossie.

Ned is sent a lot of missions, quickly becoming disoriented from time lag. He is finally sent on a simple quiet mission to 1888 where he will be able to rest for 2 weeks and come back refreshed. Unfortunately, everything starts unraveling. One thing after another gets worse and worse, and with the help fellow historian Verity, they try to get everything sorted out before the space-time continuum collapses!

This book is heavily inspired by the Book "Three Men in a Boat" Jerome Jerome and by several old detective series like Lord Peter and Harriet, Sherlock Holmes, and Agatha Christie. There is also a lot of Victorian era poetry, mainly Tennyson.

What I Liked: This is an irreverent book in which Ned is constantly thinking something sarcastic, or hilariously cynical. The humor is multi-level and has well executed running jokes throughout the novel. Ned also spends a lot of time considering how the space-time continuum is kept stable with so many historians bouncing around. The laws of time travel physics are explored and discussed in a way that I found exciting. Also, the cast of characters is wonderfully eccentric, each uniquely interesting and fitting for their role.

What I Didn't Like: I wish I had read more old Victorian murder mysteries.

Rating: Must Read.

Also Read by this Author: None.

Reviewed by: Nick

"Endurance: Shakleton's Incredible Voyage" by Alfred Lansing

I selected this audiobook because I was not familiar with the details of Shackleton's expedition. I knew he was an antarctic explorer of some kind, but that was all.


Summary: This is the story of the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition headed by Sir Ernest Shackleton. Lansing has interviewed crew members and read their diaries to piece together the story from start to finish. The story is told in dramatic fashion to match the drama of the journey. It is as though at every turn nature is trying to wipe these 28 men off the bottom of the map and it is only by hard work and a dribble of luck that they make it back to civilization.

As the story is now 100 years old, I can't be accused of spoiling it, so here's the basic plot. Shackleton is looking to be one of the great First's on the icy continent. Someone was already the first to reach the pole, and so he is planning to be the first to trek across the whole landmass. They are to go to the pole and then leave the continent on the other side. A separate expedition is organized to stash supplies on their exit route from the pole so that they need only bring half the gear with them. They take the ship the Endurance into the antarctic ocean and are trapped in ice. They eventually abandon ship and make camp. Shackleton and a small team then takes a lifeboat back across the ocean in search of help. This book follows the hardships and accomplishments of the men who stayed behind and the men who risked everything to save them.

What I Liked: This story has all the terror and excitement found in a sci-fi or fantasy book, and with the added bonus of being true! It is told in a very clear and direct manner so that you feel like the adventure is unfolding before you. Each chapter I was imagining myself alongside the men and wondering what I would do in their shoes. I got excited when they had good luck and became worried when things grew worse. Lansing is great at making the scene real.

What I Didn't Like: N/A.

Rating: Must Read.

Also Read by this Author: None.

Reviewed by: Nick

"Cauldron of Ghosts" by David Weber and Eric Flint

We I have been reading the Honor Harrington series for years now, always anticipating the next book. I have already reviewed one book and gave a summary of the series then.  

Summary: This book is part of the Honorverse, but does not follow Honor Harrington herself. Instead, it follows Victor Cachat (of the star nation of Haven) and Anton Zilwicki (of the star empire of Manticore) as they carry out a huge mission against the Mesan Alignment. In this spin-off Honorverse series, Victor and Anton have been working together professionally for many years, despite being from different nations. They are united in the common cause of ending genetic slavery, a crime committed most extensively by the corporate rulers of the planet Mesa. In previous books, these special agents uncovered a centuries-old plot being carried out by a secret organization called the Alignment. Deciding that time was critical, Victor and Anton pull together an elite team of agents to bring to the planet Mesa and gather more intelligence regarding the Alignment's future plans. To carry out their mission, Victor uses the criminal networks that arose out of the seccy population, a class of disenfranchised descendants of freed slaves. Things move quickly as everyone tries to get ahead of everyone else.

What I Liked: This is classic Honorverse material. Everything is high stakes, intergalactic combat. I love the Victor/Anton story arch because it is heavy on spy games and politics. They are a pair of master spies, always at the top of their game and it is fun to see that in action.

What I Didn't Like: So, there are two things to keep in mind regarding this book and a few others in the series.

Firstly, there are multiple authors. Weber is the primary author and plays a hand in all the stories. He gets credit on all the books and it is his brain-child. Flint is the secondary author and is the custodian of Victor Cachat. Flint clearly writes a lot of the book when Victor is involved and Weber takes a backseat. I love Weber's writing style, but I am not as big a fan of Flint. He loves to hurry things along, while Weber is content to let the plot unfold gracefully. In this book, a lot happens and it happens very quickly. I let it slide because I love the series, but it makes it hard to suspend disbelief.

Secondly, I am the kind of reader who goes slow and sees each word. I know, I should learn to speed-read or something, but I like the way I read and I notice things most people miss. Having said this, I have noticed that early Honorverse books had few typos. The publishers clearly spent the time proofreading the books before printing and cleared up the mistakes. At some point, I suspect they stopped proofing. The typos increased in frequency and impact. For example, this book has a scene repeat, and the two versions cannot be reconciled on multiple points. It suggests no one proofed the final draft and that bothers me.

Rating: This is not the best book in the series, but I highly recommend the whole series, including this volume.

Also Read by this Author: 
Main Honor Harrington series: On Basilisk Station, The Honor of the Queen, The Short Victorious War, Field of Dishonor, Flag in Exile, Honor Among Enemies, In Enemy Hands, Echoes of Honor, Ashes of Victory, War of Honor, At All Costs, Mission of Honor, A Rising Thunder, Shadow of Freedom
Crown of Slaves series: Crown of Slaves, Torch of Freedom
Saganami Island series: The Shadow of Saganami, Storm from the Shadows
Star Kingdom series: A Beautiful Friendship
Anthologies: More Than Honor, Worlds of Honor, Changer of Worlds, The Service of the Sword, In Fire Forged, Beginnings

Reviewed by: Nick

"The Collector" by Nora Roberts

Did you know that I'm a sucker for a good romance novel?  It's true, they've been my [not so] guilty pleasure since middle school.  Whenever I want something that isn't too deep and will be sure to have a happy ending, I check out the latest in the romance section at my local library.  And while my tastes have changed from medieval bodice rippers to more contemporary fiction, I'll always have a soft spot for a good old love story.

Summary:  Lila Emerson has a fascinating life.  By day Lila supports herself via house sitting for the ultra rich and writing supernatural teen fiction.  By night she pulls out her binoculars and takes a peek or two into the fascinating world of New York's elite apartment buildings.  She isn't spying, so much as letting her imagination run a little wild as she makes up stories about each apartment's occupants.  One night as Lila is peeping from window to window she see's a passionate fight in one of her regular windows that soon turns deadly.  In shock, Lila calls the police to report what she saw.  The next day she meets the handsome, rich, overbearing Ashton Archer and finds herself sucked into the mysterious world of high art, love and murder.

What I Liked:

• One of the things I find that Nora Roberts does so well is to make the world in which her characters live believable and sympathetic.  "The Collector" is about very rich people doing very bad things with a little love and who-done-it thrown in the mix.  Normally I would roll my eyes after the first few chapters, but the characters ended up so likable that I kept with the story even though I personally have a hard time relating (or aspiring) to the filthy rich.
• "The Collector" felt like a hybrid between Robert's "In Death" series and her usual stand alone romances.  The plot held gruesome murder in which no one was safe, truly evil bad guys and an interesting mystery.  It also stuck to Robert's usual formula for romance:  woman meets man, instant attraction, beginning of a new relationship, big fight, dramatic scene, happy ever after.  It's that last bit I like the best.  There's enough sad in the world that sometimes you just want happy at the end.

What Drove Me Nuts:

• It took me a lot longer to get into this book than it does a usual Roberts romance.  I had a hard time relating to the characters (super rich and sexy with ultra unique jobs) and didn't feel like Roberts gave them quiet enough depth to be totally believable.  I'm not sure if this is because my life has changed so much in the last year or so that I no longer relate to the single and looking or if I'm just falling out of another romance phase.
• Parent issues.  We all have them, but it seems like one out of every three of Robert's heroines has parent issues.  I'm ready for someone well adjusted and normal.  Thanks in advance. ;-)
• I recently finished Robert's "The Art of Deception", one of her first forays into writing and found the heroes a little too similar.

Rating:  I hate to say it, but skip this one.  Robert's has written much more engaging stand alone romances, and if you're looking for one, I suggest you try Whiskey Beach.  You'll get murder and art, but also much more engaging characters.

Also Read By This Author:  I've read almost all of Robert's catalog, which you can find at her website.  You can check my other reviews on Robert's books by searching for Nora Roberts in the quick search on the right hand side of the page, or by clicking individual links here:  Shadow Spell   |   Dark Witch   |   Thankless in Death   |   Concealed in Death

Reviewed By:  Tami

Fantastic Summer Reads for Young Readers

Somewhere out there is that one book that inspires a young mind to become a reader.

I didn't really start reading until I was in fourth grade.  The summer I turned nine my family moved to a new town to live with family for awhile and I had to start a new school, adjust to a new home and try to make new friends.  The fact that my younger brother and I were two of only four new kids in the entire school was an added bonus to the already challenging time.  Already much taller than the other kids and painfully self conscious and shy, I turned to books to help make the lonely days a little easier.

The first books I remember reading and loving was The Baby-Sitters Club series by Ann M. Martin.  Between the pages I found a group of uniquely different girls that loved kids, had adventures and were always there for their best friends.  I devoured them.

While I eventually grew older than Kristy, Claudia and the gang, I developed a fondness for loosing myself in a good story after a long day of school and homework.  A habit was born and since I fourth grade hardly a day has gone by that I haven't read a few chapters pages of a book.

Over the weekend I started thinking about what to get my nephew for his eighth birthday.  Legos came to mind.  As did a video game.  Or a water gun.  Or even a gift card to buy an app or two for his tablet.

But then it came to me:  a book.  A truly great chapter book that will inspire him to share one of my greatest passions...reading.  It's actually a really daunting task, trying to think of a book an active 8-year-old would like when there are so many other ways to spend his time an energy.  I did some research online and found some great lists, such as this one from NPR, but when it comes down to it, I want to give him a book that I loved as a kid in the hopes that if he doesn't love it this summer, he'll pick it up in a few years and discover something magical.  So I present to you:

[1]  Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling

The unwanted burden of his Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon, young Harry resigns himself to his cousins castoffs, daily bullying and the inevitability of a ho-hum life.  As his eleventh birthday nears Harry begins to notice strange things happening.  An awful haircut grows out overnight, a hideous sweater shrinks until he can no longer wear it and he has an actual conversation with a snake!  Then one day an owl delivers an old fashioned envelope addressed to Harry.  From that moment on, Harry's life turns into an amazing adventure in which he learns magic, finds the true meaning of family and friendship and sets out to save the wizarding world.  The Potter series isn't afraid to help kids explore fear, friendship, loss and the meaning between good and evil.

[2]  The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley

Orphaned Harry Crewe travels to the Homeland's remote desert outpost of Daria to live with her brother Richard. Shortly after her arrival, Corlath, King of the desert people arrives at the fort to warn the Homelanders of a terrible threat.  The Homelanders ignore Corlath's warning and he leaves in anger.  Later that evening,

seemingly out of the blue Corlath returns to the fort and kidnaps Harry.  What at first seems like a terrifying and confusing event turns into a series of self discoveries that helps Harry find her purpose in life and strength in herself.  The Blue Sword is an easy to read story with a strong female lead that shows that girls can do whatever they set their mind to, even if everyone else is telling them they can't.

[3]  The Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Laura lives with her Pa, Ma, Mary, and her beloved dog Jack on the frontier of America in the mid 1800s.  Little House in the Big Woods describes what life was like for five-year-old Laura and the Ingalls family as they traded labor with friends and family deep in the woods of Wisconsin in order to  prepare for the upcoming winter months.  Told in an engagingly endearing way, no topic is taboo as Laura recalls what it was like to help slaughter pigs for meat, farm the land for daily food and the ups and downs of living in a one room log cabin far from neighbors and family.  This series gives a fascinating look at what life was like 150 years ago, long before indoor pluming and grocery stores.

[4]  Matilda by Roald Dahl

Young Matilda Wormwood is extraordinary in a very ordinary family.  An avid reader and intelligent beyond her years, Matilda is a bit of a prankster who uses her amazing sense of concentration to play pranks on people she feels deserve to learn a lesson---mainly her dishonest parents and cruel teachers.  One day Matilda connects with a young teacher who recognizes Matilda's brightness.  Miss Honey mentors Matilda's unique mind and opens her up to a whole new world of books and learning.  Full of mischief and magic and discovery, Matilda is a fun read for kids and parents alike.

[5]  The Giver by Lois Lowry

Jonas lives in a Utopian society that has elected for "sameness" in order to eradicate fear, anger, hunger and war.  Each family is created for compatibility, citizens are assigned jobs that are suited for their skills, and all needs are met equally.  During their twelfth year, each young person is assigned to the job he or she will have for the rest of their lives as an adult. During the assignment ceremony, Jonas is assigned to become the next Receiver of Memory.  As he learns what it means to receive the memories the public lost in their quest for sameness, Jonas learns the depth of what humanity has given up.  Will he be able to live within society now that he knows what is missing?


While these five books made the largest impression on me in my youth, I feel like there are a few others that deserve honorable mentions:

• "Dealing with Dragons" by Patricia C. Wrede
• "Watership Down" by Richard Adams
• "Charlotte's Web" by E.B. DuBois
• "Night of the Twisters"  by Ivy Ruckman

"Snow Crash" By Neal Stephenson

I picked up this book at a used bookstore because a friend of mine has quoted little bits of it for the last several years. I saw it and thought, "Well, let's see what this is all about".

Summary: It is modern day, but certain trends have reached an extreme. The government has become a near-irrelevant entity as laws dissolved under the weight of corporate might. The US president is an obscure figure, unrecognizable to the masses. All valuable real estate has been claimed and developed by various corporations who have built up their franchises. There are franchises for roads, restaurants, neighborhoods, jails, police, schools, deliveries, you name it. People are citizens of their franchise, and register their vehicles that way. Messengers have dozens of barcode/visas that get scanned as they enter each different zone. Crime is suppressed by private security, the mafia run around with the word blazoned on their jackets and fear no one. Areas that are not profitable are franchise ghettos, where the poor are left to suffer in the worst possible conditions. This is also a world of high technology. Vehicles go faster, computers are more powerful, virtual reality is everywhere, tires adapt to the ground, cyber animals guard buildings and everything is being scanned by everyone.

In this world Hiro is a master hacker and swordsman, delivering pizza. He meets up with Y.T. a RadiKS Kourier who delivers high value packages by magnetically harpooning vehicles and trailing behind them on a skateboard. Hiro and Y.T. meet quite randomly on the job and soon get sucked into a high-stakes investigation. Hiro learns that one man has been spending the last several years preparing to take control of the whole world using an obscure idea he discovered in Sumarian texts.

This book explores the ancient and futuristic, solid reality and the virtual Metaverse, the common good and selfishness. It is really a perfect book for this era of human civilization as it is a commentary on where we are and where we might go while telling a really exciting story.

What I Liked: This is a very fast-paced book with a lot of action and investigation. The tech is fun to think about, since we are on the edge of making a lot of it. Hiro is a very compelling protagonist, as he is both highly-capable, and totally laid-back. There are a lot of cool ideas about how the brain could work like a computer that fuel the main story.

What I Didn't Like: [This area intentionally left blank]

Rating: Must read.

Also Read by this Author:  Nothing yet.

Reviewed by: Nick

"William Shakespeare's Star Wars" by Ian Doescher

My best friend received this book as a Christmas gift and after reading it lent it to me. 

Summary: Honestly, this is the story of Star Wars, Episode 4: A New Hope. That's it. 

Well, there are some differences. Like how the whole thing is written in the style of William Shakespeare. Many of the speeches are adaptations of famous Shakespearean soliloquies or turns of phrase. I have not read many of his plays, but even I recognized a lot of bits here and there that were space-age adaptations of the Bard, like "Once more unto the trench, dear friends, once more!" for example. It was also interesting to imagine this as a stage production with actors reading these lines to a live audience. The play includes stage directions explaining where the actors should go and what they should be doing. The space battle even envisions pilots arranged on the stage to attack the Deathstar. 

Many times the characters have wonderful soliloquies where they explain their thoughts to the reader in a way that is never done in the movie. R2-D2 finally gets to say some things, but only to we readers. There are also a few illustrations that are inspired by the Renaissance era, but depict the high tech world. All around this is a perfect book for that nerd who loves sci-fi movies and Renaissance festivals!

What I Liked: This is a very funny book because this combines two things that don't necessarily go together. They pair up awkwardly which is fun to read. Since this is a retelling of a popular story, it also is a commentary on the story. We get to see what Doescher thinks about the inner minds and motivations of the characters.

What I Didn't Like: Shakespearean writing is always a bit frustrating for me.

Rating: AMAZING. If you like Star Wars (which, of course you do) then you will find this book very entertaining.

Also Read by this Author:  This is his first book, but I will be reading the next two in the trilogy.

Reviewed by: Nick

"Ice Bound" by Dr. Jerri Nielsen with Maryanne Vollers

We selected this book it combined my interest in science and Tami's interest in autobiographies. 

Summary: This is the story of Dr. Jerri Nielsen, an emergency room doctor who lives in Ohio. She talks about her personal life and how her family fell out of her reach. This moved her to a mental space where she was lost and uncertain about her future. She decided to apply to be the winter doctor at the Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station on Antarctica. She describes the process of getting ready for a year long stay at the pole and how one gets there. She talks about the summer crew she met when she arrived and the "night shift" when the summer folks flew out. Once the summer ends, the team is in total physical isolation without any planes able to safely land or takeoff at the pole. Even their communications is limited by the brief windows of satellite reception available at the pole. They learn to make do with what supplies they have and keep a very close eye on all critical systems. She talks about the kind of people who choose that sort of job and way people behave while they are down there. There were 41 people total on the winter crew and they got to know each other very well.

The doctor describes the sorts of training she received before and during her stay. As an emergency doctor she saw a lot of different injuries, but at the pole there would be only one doctor who would be expected to treat any and all injuries. Unfortunately for her, she ended up becoming her own patient! Trapped on the station with limited supplies, Nielsen led her own medical treatment with the assistance of specialists via satellite. Eventually, after deciding her life was in danger the US Government decided to risk a dangerous flight to the south pole in the middle of winter!

What I Liked: It is always interesting to hear people talk about their lives, especially when they are doing something exciting in an exotic place. I learned a lot about the south pole and doctors from this book.

What I Didn't Like: We listened to the audiobook, which was read by the author. She is not an experienced voice actor, so it was distracting.

Rating: This was a very good autobiography.

Also Read by this Author:  None.

Reviewed by: Nick