Review: Serpentine by Laurell K. Hamilton
Posted by Cyn | Filed under Book Reviews
Serpentine by Laurell K. Hamilton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I’m having a little trouble figuring out a rating for this, the 26th (!) book in the Anita Blake series.
On the plus side, the book kept me engaged to the point of being a distraction when I needed to do other things. Also, Hamilton dealt with my main complaint about the series quite nicely. I’ve found that the explicit sex scenes take up too much of the books now, and they’re not want I read for–if I wanted explicit sex I’d go seek out some erotica or porn. With this book, she’s finally figured out how to “fade to black” at the right time.
On the minus side of the equation is the fact that she left out a vital piece of information about the key murder. I can’t explain more without spoilers, so I’ll just say prepare to be disappointed. And once again, her characters engage in emotional processing to the detriment of the plot. In fact, one of the key characters points out that they’re getting into a “therapy session” instead of dealing with the crime at hand. I’ve lived polyamory, and it is complex, and it does require loads of communication between partners at all times. Poly people do frequently end up explaining our lives to outsiders when we’d rather get on to other matters. But there are limits, and every little bit of that doesn’t need to be shown up front in the book! Finally, she seems to have bought in to the Robert Heinlein school of ending a book. It feels like she went, “Oh crap, I’m approaching the number of words I’m contracted for! Better wrap all the plot threads up with a bow!” Things are paced well until suddenly, it’s all hurtling toward the finish line.
So a three-star overall, and I think I’m being kind.
Review: Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression – and the Unexpected Solutions by Johann Hari
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Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression – and the Unexpected Solutions by Johann Hari
I just finished this book, which I listened to while driving. I find myself wishing that I’d read it on my Kindle, instead, in order to be able to take some notes. It’s a rich read, full of mentions of people and studies that I’d like to have been able to look up.
I don’t know that I completely agree with Hari, who posits that the vast majority of people are depressed without any sort of biological cause, but instead due to various types of disconnection. I can see that each of the connections he points out are important, and improving them could certainly help depression. However, I’m fairly certain that we’ve got a chicken and egg issue here. From what I understand, even if you don’t initially become depressed due to a lack of certain neurotransmitters or what have you, being depressed can lead to the biological differences that can be treated with antidepressants. That’s why those medications do work for a fair number of people who try them. He does talk about neuroplasticity, so maybe my quibbles are semantic.
The seven ways we are disconnected, according to Hari, are from:
1) meaningful work;
2) other people;
3) meaningful values;
4) childhood trauma;
5) status and respect;
6) the natural world;
7) a hopeful or secure future.
He does address how to reconnect on each of these issues later in the book. He also acknowledges that some (most?) of these issues are due to societal rather than individual failings. The fixes are beyond many people because of that, but the more we become aware of them the more we can work on fixing our society.
I found the book very good, and certainly thought-provoking. It isn’t an easy read, but it is put together quite well. I recommend it!
Review: The Annihilation Score by Charles Stross
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The Annihilation Score by Charles Stross
This is the sixth book of the Laundry Files, and the first to be narrated by Mo instead of her husband. The plot keep me thoroughly engaged, and I enjoyed Mo’s voice — it was a nice change. I finished the book utterly wrung out, and I think that is probably a common experience due to Stross’ skill at bringing the reader into sympathy with the speaker. I think this is the fourth Stross piece I’ve read in the past couple of weeks, and it probably isn’t wise to immerse one’s self so deeply in this particular world! I’m going to have to step back and read something else for a bit as a breather.
Review: Neogenesis by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
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Neogenesis by Sharon Lee
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
First, let it be known that I am an unabashed fangirl when it comes to Lee and Miller. That much has long been established. Should they care to publish their grocery lists, I would most likely purchase and read them.
That said, Neogenesis is an amazing book, even among their other marvelous works. I just finished it, and already I am planning a re-read. It isn’t a good entry point for their universe, admittedly, for it ties together many different plot threads that were first spun out in earlier volumes. Lee and Miller tie up those loose ends masterfully.
I am tickled to have this be my first book purchased and read in 2018!
Review: A Plague of Giants by Kevin Hearne
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A Plague of Giants by Kevin Hearne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book represents a major change from the Iron Druid series, so I worked hard to set aside my expectations of Hearne based on loving those. A Plague of Giants is every bit as well-written as that series, maybe even better! Still, I didn’t come away truly caring about the characters. That could have something to do with the way the story is presented, but I can’t be sure about it.
The book just ends, very abruptly, with the notation, “Continued in volume two, A Blight of Blackwings.” That put me off somewhat. I like reading series, but with each volume I want a largely self-contained story, one with a beginning, middle, and ending. I understand leaving some plot threads unresolved, so as to build interest for the next book, but there’s just too much left unresolved here. Will I read Blight when it’s released? Maybe — but I’m unlikely to rush right out and buy it.
Tags: Fantasy
Book Review: The Gathering Edge by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
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The Gathering Edge by Sharon Lee
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A must satisfying entry in the Liaden Universe series, number 20 begins and ends with plenty of action. Indeed, the reader hardly has time to take a breath for all the action! The characters themselves must be exhausted — I feel so in their behalf.
I enjoyed this part of Theo’s story rather more than previous books about her, perhaps because others played a larger part in the story. She isn’t my favorite of the series’ protagonists, to be honest, but then I still hope for more of Priscilla Delacroix y Mendoza.
Book Review: Less Than A Treason by Dana Stabenow
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Less Than a Treason by Dana Stabenow
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
FINALLY! The cliffhanger at the end of Bad Blood is resolved, or of course there would not be a #21. It’s been so long (over four years!) since I read #20, though, that I had to go back and re-read the last bit of it to understand the beginning of this novel. That wasn’t happy-making, and it had a negative effect on my ability to just dive in and enjoy the book.
Once things got going, though, everything was good — it’s still a five-star read. Kate is in fine form, although as usual she is definitely affected by recent events. We see a lot of Jim Chopin here — in fact, he figures as largely as Kate does. I’m not sure how I feel about that.
Stabenow has always done a good job of showing us a Niniltna that grows and changes with the times, with people coming and going, being born and dying, which is realistic. That hurts at times when you’re attached to the characters. I don’t want to get into spoilers, but you’ll see when you read it. And you should definitely read it!
Book Review: Positivity: Groundbreaking Research Reveals How to Embrace the Hidden Strength of Positive Emotions, Overcome Negativity, and Thrive by Barbara L. Fredrickson, Ph.D.
Posted by Cyn | Filed under Book Reviews
Positivity: Groundbreaking Research Reveals How to Embrace the Hidden Strength of Positive Emotions, Overcome Negativity, and Thrive by Barbara L. Fredrickson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I first read Fredrickson’s second book, Love 2.0: How Our Supreme Emotion Affects Everything We Feel, Think, Do, and Become. It blew me away, and I’ve recommended it hither and yon. I was definitely interested in her first book, but for one reason and another it took me a while to get around to it.
This is an excellent audiobook. I enjoyed the presentation, and the information was absolutely fascinating. I’m going to have to go back and read (instead of listen to) some of the sections and take notes, but I’m definitely interested enough to do so!
I’m particularly interested in the science-backed techniques Fredrickson recommends for improving one’s positivity ratio. I’ll be tracking mine as I try these techniques to see what happens. I strongly recommend the book, especially to anyone who is interested in combating negativity or the science of positive psychology.
Book Review: Storm Front by Jim Butcher
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Storm Front by Jim Butcher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I just re-read Storm Front, after first reading it — well, I don’t even know how many years ago! Shortly after it was first released, I think.
Now, it’s important to know that I simply don’t re-read books. I find that too boring, most of the time. There are a scant few exceptions. The Liaden Universe books by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller are the most remarkable of them. The fact that I would even consider a re-read speaks very, very highly of Butcher’s work.
I’d forgotten far more than I expected, but I suppose that happens, with at least 15 years and goodness knows how many books in between readings. I knew it was a good book, I knew one important part of the ending (I mean, come on — there are many more books in the series, so you KNOW that Dresden lives!), but all else was lost. I wasn’t sure I would like reading about old Harry with recent Harry fresh in my mind (I just read the short story “Jury Duty”).
If anything, I enjoyed it even more spiced by the knowledge of who Dresden (and Murphy) will become in the future books. I enjoyed the setting, the craft that went into building the whole novel, and seeing how Butcher’s skill grew from the first book to the more recent works.
I’m going to go on with re-reading the entire series — I hadn’t committed to it before, but now I’m looking forward to it!
Book Review: Full Metal Magic
Posted by Cyn | Filed under Book Reviews
Full Metal Magic: An Urban Fantasy Anthology of Magic, Mayhem, and the Paranormal by J.A. Cipriano
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I was clued in to this anthology by a mention in J.A. Cipriano’s newsletter, which is worth subscribing to (hey, the man sends you free reads, and they’re good!). Anyway, Cipriano and company are all dark urban fantasy authors who have written these stories specifically for this volume, so you won’t find them anywhere else. The book is available via the Kindle Unlimited program. In fact, every related book that I checked on is available that way, so I’m wondering if this thing was sponsored by Amazon or something. If so, why doesn’t it say so? Anyway, on to the review.
“The Bull Demon King” is Cipriano’s story, set in the Thrice-Cursed Mage universe. You don’t need to have read those books to appreciate the story, and it serves as a nice little introduction if you’re curious about the series (I’ve really enjoyed them). I think the story is set between the second and third books, but I won’t swear to that and it isn’t vital. We get to attend the Texas state fair with assassin mage Mac Brennan and his girlfriend Ricky, the local alpha werewolf. Of course, mayhem ensues, because that’s Mac’s lot in life — and what kind of story would we have otherwise?
Domino Finn contributes “The Black Door” which is noted as “A Black Magic Outlaw Story.” This story had me guessing right up until the end, which was delightful. The writing is wonderful, the world of an alternate magical Miami nightlife is very fully realized, and central character, Cisco Suarez, is extremely well drawn. I will be pointing my partner to Finn’s work, for sure (he loves the macabre), but I think it may be a little too dark for me.
On to Manhattan for our next piece, “Dance of the Dead,” which Sonya Bateman tells us is a “Deathspeaker Codex Short Story.” It takes place just after the events of the first novel in that series, according to the author’ note. Gideon Black drives bodies from crime scenes and the like to the morgue. Apparently he’s not 100% human, and he’s just learned that he can speak to the dead. That’s very important to the plot. For some reason this story didn’t grab me. I don’t relate well to stories that deal with the dead, like zombies and so on, so it’s probably a failure of imagination on my fault rather than anything wrong with Bateman’s story. If I find something she writes in another setting, I will give her another go.
Ambrose Ibsen offers up “Hard Row: A Demon-Hearted Story” for the collection. Lucian Colt works with other special enforcers to keep the threats from Beyond from encroaching on the mundane world of Detroit, and when he learns that there’s a shipment of kidnapped children being moved, he’s definitely down for tracking down the bad guys behind the trade. The fallen angel whose heart he carries is just glad to get a chance to throw down. The gimmick doesn’t really carry the story here. It feels like Colt is too overpowered in comparison to his allies, as if they are a mismatched RPG party.
Okay, I’ll admit it: Al K. Line’s name just annoyed me. So I had to get past that to give “Angry Spark,” set in his Dark Magic Enforcer world, a fair reading. Then the use name of the main character, “Black Spark,” hit me wrong. The guy’s real name is Faz Pound, but obviously magic men don’t go about giving their real names to all and sundry, hence the use name. Then I didn’t like the remarks about a corpulent character. So I finally just decided to leave off on this story. Maybe someone else can give you a review of it.
Rob Cornell’s “Family Business,” which is apparently a prequel set in his Unturned series’ universe, is set in another alternate Detroit. Fortunately nothing annoyed me about this one, so I was able to read it. It’s a wee bit hackneyed, but a bit sweet, too. It’s sort of like when you hear a song and you know how the melody is going to go because the chords and the melody progression already feel familiar. I might check out more of Cornell’s work, but it won’t be at the top of my to-read list.
On the other hand, “Valentine Blues” left me truly hungry for more of James A. Hunter’s work, and wanting to read more about Yancy Lazarus right now. This minute. Not soon, NOW. Lazarus is a traveling blues man with some interesting talents who takes an interest in the very strange behavior of the young people in Valentine, Nebraska. You can find the most interesting things on the road! I will most definitely be reading Strange Magic: A Yancy Lazarus Novel, the first book in this series, SOON.
I know that I’ve read something about Craig Schaefer’s Daniel Faust series somewhere before, but I’ve never actually read any OF the series until “A Drive in the Country.” It’s set in and around Las Vegas. I have no idea where in the timeline of the series this particular story is set, but it’s well-written. It pulls you into the gritty, noir world of gangsters plus magic and makes you feel the dark. If that’s your thing, Schaefer’s your man.
New York is the setting for Pippa DaCosta’s “Chase the Dark,” set in the world of her Soul Eater series. I am highly intrigued, as I don’t believe I’ve ever run into an urban fantasy series that draws upon Egyptian mythology the way DaCosta is here. The name of the main character, though, Ace Dante? Even though it’s obviously an assumed name, it’s terrible. I hate it. I’m jarred every single time my eyes come across it on the page. It kept pulling me out of what was otherwise a really good story, and is making me wonder whether or not I can handle reading Hidden Blade, the first book in the series.
Now that I’m finished with the book, I can’t help but notice a few things. There wasn’t a single main character that was female, and while it’s possible that Cisco Suarez is a person of color, his cultural background wasn’t made clear in Finn’s story. If any of the other protagonists were POC, that wasn’t obvious (I’m not sure what to consider “Ace Dante.”) I’m pretty sure all these men were cisgendered and heterosexual, as well. I don’t think it’s too much to ask that there’s a little more diversity in such a volume.
All in all, a decent collection of stories and a nice introduction to some new authors, but a disappointment in some important respects.