Book 17.  Solaris
Author: Stanislav Lem
Genre: Science Fiction
Pages: 204
Release date: 

What worked: There was a pscyhological aspect to this novel that was very appealing.  From the moment that Kevin gets to the station, his life is turned completely upside down.  Having to see someone he cared abut that had died years before, suddenly be there when he woke up...was kind of cool.  The dialogue between Kevin and Rheya was interesting because she was not "human", yet she took some human characteristics.  Also the interaction with Kevin and Snow was also very good. 

Yet, it was the psychological parts that made this enjoyable.  Kevin was a psychologist and a logical man.  When his "visitor" shows up, he can barely handle it and kind of goes off the deep end rather quickly.  He then spend his time trying to figure out how to escape, but also gets confused about Rheya.

What did not work.  Too verbose.  There were sometimes ten to twenty pages of nothing but text about previous findings for the planet.  It was too much.  It killed any momentum you could get with the book and made it very difficult to read.  There is a fine line with how much information you need to understand something as opposed to get beaten over the head with it. 

Also, it seemed like Kevin fell apart way too quickly to me.  It had been 10 years since Rheya had died, and he fell apart very quickly.  A bit of resiliance would have been nice to see.  I would have liked to seen what the other people on the station's "visitor" looked like.  That would have been interesting. 

Favorite Quotes:  "Apathy robbed me of the strength even to despise myself."
-Kevin

Rating:  6.0 out of 10.  An interesting sci-fi novel, that had good and bad parts.  Barely readable because of certain writiing issues, but the psychological aspect of the novel overcame that.

Book 16.  Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Author: J.K. Rowling
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 870
Release date: 2003

This is the one of the hardest books in the series to talk about.  There is so much greatness in this novel, which is shadowed by a few things here and there.  Hard to figure this one out.

What worked:  Quite a bit.  Her writing is much improved (except for a few things which you will see in the next section).  The plot and relationships are much more pronounced in this novel.  Things that were great?  Dumbledore's Army.  Harry's relationship with Cho.  The addidition in importance of Luna Lovegood, Neville, Ginny, Moody and even Tonks.  The beginning sequence with Harry and Dudley set the tone.  How the minstiry tries to manipulate things, especially the hearing.  Oh god, UMBRIDGE.  She was great and made Hogwarts so much more interesting.  Fred and George's, exit, and lastely...the fight at the Ministry at the end.  Yes, someone had to die, but it was handled very well.  I could go on for a while.  :)

I always find it intersting how Rowling can combine every day life at School, with knowing Voldemort is in the loose and the chaos that causes.  The kids still have to go to school and study as if the world is all in order.  I commend her ability to make that believable and interesting. 

What did not work:  As I said this was a book that was hard to judge.  Rowling's writing has improved so much, but it felt like this book needed to be edited more.  Too much of Harry whining about this and that.  We get it, he's ANGRY.  Didn't need to be beat over the head with it.  I am not saying a 15 year old boy wouldn't be that upset in this situation, but to keep reading about it, over and over and over.  Lashing out at EVERYONE.  It got old.  I was not that into Hagrid's story about the giants.  Then again he is the weakest character in the series.

Favorite quotes:  "You should write a book," Ron told Hermione as he cut up his potatoes, "translating mad things girls do so boys can understand them." 

Harry nodded.  He somehow could not find the words to tell them what it meant to him, to see them all ranged there, on his side.  Instead he smiled, raised a hand in farewell, turned around, and led the way out of the station toward the sunlit street, with Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley hurrying along in his wake. 

Rating.  9.0 out of 10. All the was bothersome about this novel was countered by the great story and wondeful new points in the novel.  Seeing Dumbledore fighting Voldemort was as awesome as I imagined it would be.  A great book. 
 

Book 15, Unshapely Things
Author: Mark del Franco
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 305
Release date: 2007

What worked:  Very little,  Being a fan of the Dresden Files, I want to like other books of this genre.  The setting was ok, and I did like the european feel of the world.  The magic was interesting. 

What did not work:  As I said, I am a HUGE Harry Dresden fan.  To illustrate just how annoying and a cliche of that series this novel was, I made a list of things that were the same:

                                                Unshapely things                         The Dresden Files
1.  Disgrunted wizard          Connor Gray                                  Harry Dresden
2.  Cop sidekick                   Murdock                                          Murphy
3.  Governing body that
has lost its way                    The Guild                                        The White Council
4. Small fairie that
gets information                 Stinkwort                                           Toot
5.  Large city                        Boston                                              Chicago
6.  Member of gov
body that doesnt
like character                      manDuin                                          Morgan

Get the point?  I could go on.  Connor was not that interesting and the relatoinships he had with people weren't either.  It was sort of a murder mystery that I did not really care about.  I just wanted it to end so I could go on to something else.  It felt like such a rip off and barely had anything original to add to this genre.  

The plot was boring.  Yes, there were murder and the fate of the world was at hand.  I could not get invested enough to care about it either way.  The writing isn't very good either, but that is only more obvious when I am not interested in the book at all.

Fvorite quotes:  "The wrong of unshapely things is a wrong too great to be told."

Rating.  3.0 out of 10. Not a book I would tell anyone else to read.  Felt like a Dresden file hack and adds nothing to the genre.  Avoid at all costs.  Bad. 

Book 14,  Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Author: J.K. Rowling
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 734
Release date: 2000

What worked:  First and foremost, the writing is better.  This started with Prizoner of Azkaban, and continued throughout this novel.  It is definately darker and that is shown from the beginning with there being a few deaths to start the book.  That in itself illustrates the change in the book to more of an adult feel to it. 

Harry is a year older and his relationship with Ron and Hermione show this.  They are 14 now and things change each of your teeange years.  You get to see a glimpse of something that could happen between Ron and Hermione.  The tournament was interesting and a unique way of showing a fuller world out there.  A world that doesn't just involve Hogwarts.  I also loved the World cup.  That was cool and I wish they had added more of it in the movie. 

The one thing Rowling has always done a good job is keeping you guessing and misdrection.  I love that you don't see the end coming and how each book does a great job of surprising you in that regard.  The Yule ball had an awesome moment between Ron and Hermione.  Hermioine is so cute how she cares about the house elves. 

Then ending is amazing.

Constant Vigilance!

What did not work:  It did get a bit slow at times, but that was due to how big the book was.  Nothing bad, just slow at times.  I missed Quidditch.   

Favorite quotes:   "If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals."  Sirius Black

Rating.  9.0 out of 10. A darker book with more death and mayhem and a great ending.  Seeming to be more of an adult book it really sets the last books up with ease.

Book 13.  The Well of Ascension.  Book 2 of The Mistborn.
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 763
Release date: 2007

What worked:  A very good second novel to the Mistborn.  Vin is growing up even faster, but with that comes a different set of problems.  Her feelings for Elend and her still uncertainty of her place in the world.  The survivors of the previous novel come together again and you get to see small differences in how they are now.  Again the characterization in this novel is superb.  Sprinkled in with a few new characters, and definately new enemies.  Vin is still very enjoyable to read and I always love a good, strong, female character.  The world is very intersting as the mist starts to be more important to the plot.  The plot is very good as well, with a bit more political intrigue than the last one.  The Kandra were very interesting.  Decent twist at the end. 

What did not work: Whole sections with Sazed were not always interesting.  Most of them were, but it was a big dry at times.  The story did miss a central character from the first one.  I don't want to give away who that is, but it was a bit more difficult for Vin to try to push the story along.  She did it, but it wasn't as smooth as the first one.  Trying to have three different groups attack the city at the same time did seem a bit unbalanced at times. 

Favorite quotes:   I write these words in steel, for anything not set in metal cannot be trusted. 

Rating.  8.5 out of 10. A solid second novel in the series.  Not as good as the first, but the bar was very high for that.  I am really looking forward to reading the third book.   

Book 12: Mistborn  Book 1 of Mistborn
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 647
Release date: 2006

What worked:  Just about everything.  I have to admit that this is the best book I have in a long, long time.  Maybe one of my favorites of all time.  The characters are great, especially in how they interatct with each other.  The rapport and the trust they have in each other blew me away.  Vin and Kelsier were awesome, not to mention Breeze, Ham, Dockson, and Sazed.  Just the dialogue itself was enough to really keep me interested in it.  Very clever and even funny at times.  Amazing interaction how Vin learned how to trust and care for people and how hard that was for her. 

The storytelling was amazing.  Twists and turns abound and a very clever plotline.  Especially the ending, which I won't ruin for those of you that may read it.  But a lot of thought had to have went in to how the "heroes' could accomplish their goal of trying to bring down the Lord Ruler. 

The magic was so different.  It was callled Allomancy, which dealt with metals that were taken and each one had a different ability.  For example:  Tin enhances the senses.  Brass soothes emotion.  Steel pushes nearby metals.  Copper would hide anyone that was actually using Allomancy.  It was a very intersting and unique take on magic, and I fell in love with it and what people could accomplish while using it.  Very cool 

What did not work:  Not much.  Maybe the fact that the "evil" was called Lord Ruler.  Yet, it did not feel trite. 

Favorite quotes:  1 Sazed shook his head. "Men are more resilient than that, I think.  Our belief is often stronger when it should be weakest.  That is the nature of hope."

2. "Belief isn't simply a thing for fair times and bright days, I think.  What is belief--what is faith--if you don't continue in it after failure?"

3.  She looked up at Sazed, who smiled at her.  "Sometimes we have wait long enough, Mistress," he said.  Then we find out why exactly it was that we kept believing."

Rating.  10.0 out of 10.  This book was just about perfect.  Action.  Intrigue.  Politics.  Magic.  Friendship.  Courage.  It had everything.   
 

Book 11:  Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
Author: Seth Grahame-Smith and Jane Austen
Genre: Sci-fi
Pages: 317
Release date: 2009

What worked:  Adding zombies to a classic was an interesting twist on the story.  It still kept a lot of what makes this story so popular.  Especially the setting, which is one of my favorite thing about the book.  I love the Victorian age.  It was interesting to see Elizabeth and Darcy's relationship from a different perspective.  Not to mention, Elizabeth was a bit of a bad ass. 

What did not work: It was still Sense and Sensability.  Which I had a hard time getting into as a teenager, and just as hard time as an adult.  I remember more about the movies at this point, rather than the book itself.  Maybe if I were a 17 year old girl, the plot would be interesting, but It just loses me from time to time.  Even with zombies.  :)  it is getting harder and harder for me to read the classics.  This is due to my ever increasing lack of an attention span that struggles with overly verbose literature. 

Favorite quote.  Nothing grabbed me.

Rating.  6.0 out of 10.  An interesting take on a popular classic.  Entertaining at times, and just boring at others.  It was an odd read for me.  I really hope there aren't a ton more of these types of novels.  Even though I am sure there will be.

 

Book 10:  The Dogs in the Vineyard
Author: Vincent Baker
Genre: Role-playing
Pages: 156
Release date: 2004

What worked: An interesting take on an interesting setting.  The game is set in 19th century, Utah.  A very morman feel about the world where your characters are God's Watchdogs.  You are judge, jury, and sometimes even executioner as you go from town to town, rooting out sin and the demons that inhibit mankind.  They are not physical in nature, but what force man to sin.  This did not sound fun to me at all at first, but after hearing so many people talk about how much it is, I played it last weekend. 

The resolution is a bit poker'ish.  You say what you want to do, and go back and forth raising the stakes until there is a victor.  There is more than that, but that is the basic of it.  Not too complicated once you get used to it.  It was a very unique system that took a bit to get used too, but really seemed to work.  The book itself does a great job with giving you what you need to run the game.  A very simple NPC generator and hints on how to create a town and even conflicts.

The basic thing about the game is about the Dog's though and the decisions they have to make in the game.  Definately moral, but that is such a gray area, isnt it?  What I find good, may not be the same as what you think is good.  I could see a young man punching a woman and think that he is beyond salvation, and put him down with a shot.  Another player could try to save him and attempt to stop me.  This actually happened last weekend and it was high drama indeed. 

The GM section was short, but helpful.  A nice walkthrough on how to make a town and the conflicts.  Tips and suggestions, and even better, examples.

What did not work: Some of the rules were a bit confusint to read.  It could have been a bit more clear at times, especially when talking about the different dice types.  The creation process was having the same issues.  Now this wasn't a huge thing, but it did slow the reading down a bit. 

Rating.  8.5 out of 10.  An easy read and a great game I really enjoyed playing.  The rules are not too comlicated and the setting is easy to change to however you wish. 



This game will not work for everyone.  I myself was reluctant because of my issues I have with religion.  So, that will turn some people away not matter what.  Also, since the game is about sin, I could see how it could escalate to something very dark, very quick.  Not everyone likes that, but it doesnt' bother everyone. 

Book 9.  Harry Potter and Prizoner of Azkaban
Author: J. K. Rowling
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 435
Release date: 1999

This is one of my favorite books of all time.  It was what really got me hooked into the series. 

What it is about: For most children, summer vacation is something to look forward to. But not for our 13-year-old hero, who's forced to spend his summers with an aunt, uncle, and cousin who detest him. The book catapults into action when the young wizard "accidentally" causes the Dursleys' dreadful visitor Aunt Marge to inflate like a monstrous balloon and drift up to the ceiling. Fearing punishment from Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon (and from officials at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry who strictly forbid students to cast spells in the nonmagic world of Muggles), Harry lunges out into the darkness with his heavy trunk and his owl Hedwig.

As it turns out, Harry isn't punished at all for his errant wizardry. Instead he is mysteriously rescued from his Muggle neighborhood and whisked off in a triple-decker, violently purple bus to spend the remaining weeks of summer in a friendly inn called the Leaky Cauldron. What Harry has to face as he begins his third year at Hogwarts explains why the officials let him off easily. It seems that Sirius Black--an escaped convict from the prison of Azkaban--is on the loose. Not only that, but he's after Harry Potter. But why? And why do the Dementors, the guards hired to protect him, chill Harry's very heart when others are unaffected? Once again,

What worked:  Rowling's writing seems to improve with each book.  This is the book where the books (at least to me) stop being children's books.  Yes, children could still read them, but the themes are starting to get more adult.  The kids are still doing kids things, but the addition of new characters really push this series in a new, and better direction.  I LOVE Lupin.  He is one of my favorite characters in the series.  His relationship with both Harry (and Harry's father) and Snape really made this enjoyable.  

Another thing that Rowling doesn' get enough credit for is her misdirection.  She is very good at making you think one thing, and then hit you with something at the end.  I love that.  I don't want to ruin the ending for the like three people that have not read this series, but it happens again in this one.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione are a year older and their relationships are showing that.  Yes, they still do the childish things that 13 year olds do, but that is what 13 year olds do.  But even though they may fight and irritate each other, they are always there for each other when they need to be.  This is especilaly true for Ron and Hermione.  I love the Dementors.  They are true evil and more than a bit creepy.    I want a Marauder's Map.
. 
What did not work:  Not much.  This was a great book. 

Best quote: "You think the dead we loved ever truly leave us?  You think that we don't recall them more clearly than ever in times of great trouble?  Your father is alive in you, Harry, and shows himself most plainly when you have need of him.  How else could your produce that particular Patronus?  Prongs rode again last night".

Rating.  10 out of 10

Book 8.  Elantris
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Sci-fi
Pages: 622
Release date: 2005

One note.  Brandon Sanderson is finishing the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan.  So it was important to me as to whether he could write or not.  :)

What it is about: Until 10 years ago, Elantris was the capital of Arelon, inhabited by ordinary humans transformed into magic-using demigods by the Shaod. But the magic failed, Elantris started to rot, and its inhabitants turned into powerless wrecks. Princess Sarene of Teod arrives in Kae, the new capital, close enough to Elantris to constantly remind of faded glory, prepared for a marriage to ally Teod and Arelon against the religious imperialists of Fjordell. But, she is told, her fiance, Prince Raoden, is dead. She and a recently arrived high priest of Fjordell, Hrathen, clash. Sarene tries to retain the freedom of Teod and Arelon, Hrathen tries to incite the populace to convert so that Fjordell can take over. Neither suspects the truth about Raoden. Taken by the Shaod, he struggles to unite the crippled Elantrians and discover why the magic failed. The unrest comes to a head as governments topple, the Elantrians' secrets are revealed, and Fjordell's forces arrive.

What worked:  For a debut novel, this was masterfully written.  A story from three different perspectives that intertwine with each other.  That is not easy to do and he nails it.  Each chapter was a different character and it was always sequential.  The characters were well written and definately had their faults.  I especially enjoy reading the perspective from someone that is considered the "enemy".  It was a nice change of pace and brought different sub-plots to the book. 

A few suprises in the end also really helped sell this novel.  The plot kept twisting and turning and was very well paced.  The setting was good because of how Elantris was once a "city of the gods", and now people get sent their when they become afflicted with the curse.  A condition known as the Shaod.  It was more like a prison than anything else. 

What did not work:  It was confusing at times when they started talking about the Aons.  It felt like you were supposed to have some knowledge of it before hand. 

Best quote: "So, using his pride like a shield against despair, dejection, and--most importantly--self pity, Raodan raised his head to stare damnation in the eyes".

Rating.  9.0 out of 10