No Chucks ReceivedNo Quiz Rank
A Reader's reviews
| My Reviews - Page 1 of 3 |
 |
A Reader posted a review at 2010-08-27 09:02:07 for The Hobbit: Or There and Back Again.
(Language: English)
 
As the Prequel to the thrilling Lord of the Rings trilogy, this work is a bit less than thrilling. As a chronicle of a certain part of the history of Middle Earth, it is an enormous success. As a story about finding oneself and finding out about one's world, it is a stunning masterpiece of English literature. The author makes the English language sing like one of the golden harps our heros find amid Smaug's treasure hord. The subject matter at first is light, initially the journey of Bilbo, the thirteen dwarves and Gandalf seems like the sort of scheme Tom Sawyer might cook up, dangerous but not deadly, fantastical, and half-baked. Then they enter Mirkwood, where giant spiders spin deadly webs for non-insect prey, and the elvenking is not exactly dwarf-friendly. However Bilbo manages to save the day twice, and our heros survive, barely. After that the book is suddenly serious, more akin to the darkly epic tone the author takes in LoTR. It is that rare thing, a finely crafted work for children by one of the greatest masters of the English language, light enough for the young, serious enough for the young at heart. This is a book to read over and over again. Recommended for children 10 and up.
|
Yes (0) 
No (0)
 |
A Reader posted a review at 2010-08-12 04:48:58 for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.
(Language: English)
The plot is a very normal Sherlock Holmes style mystery. There's a twist though. Sherlock Holmes is exchanged for Christopher Boone, a 15 year old autistic boy. As with the best mystery novels the actual mystery is beside the point. The point of this one is that Christopher is forced to leave his safe familiar haven, and go alone to somewhere he has never been. This isn't an easy thing for anyone to do, much less someone with autism, but Christopher takes a leap of faith and does it. Therefore this book is actually about the persistence and strength of the human spirit which transcends things like physical or mental impairment. As someone who has an autism spectrum disorder, my thanks go to Mark Haddon, for focusing on Christopher's essential humanity, and not solely on his disorder. Although Christopher has autism it does not define him, what defines him is his courage and his ironclad optimism. The good side, as well as the bad side of his autism is shown in blazing color, his knowledge of mathematics and physics, the kindness he shows towards animals. Through the character of Siobhan we see that Christopher is not a hopeless cause, and that with autistic kids, a little TLC goes a long way. By the end of the book Christopher has achieved the impossible, he has traveled all alone from one place to another, and managed to find his way through a crowded and foreign city. This would be hard and scary for the best of us, but for Christopher it is a baptism by fire into a world that even we find terrifying sometimes. Yet he does not hate the world because it is scary, rather he learns to face down and defeat his fears. Having thus faced them, he rises above them to achieve his goal. This is the real point of this book. Through the device of someone who is afraid of things that aren't scary (like being touched) the author shows us something about ourselves. We all have irrational fears, whether of the dark, or spiders, or of death, but we have to face them not run from them. In confronting our fears, Mark Haddon gently tells us, we will find that we are able to rise above them in order to do what must be done.
|
 |
A Reader posted a review at 2010-06-29 04:44:52 for War and Peace (Vintage Classics).
(Language: English)
While Russian literature is not known for being high in action (think Uncle Vanya) it is known for high tension, which is why this book is somewhat of a disappointment. There is very little tension in any of the scenes, and the author gives us very little reason to care about the characters. We cannot feel pity for their woes because they are total jerks, without any of the naive vulnerability of Holden Caulfield. Prince Vassily is a rich nobleman who is bored with life, and has one rotten son, a beautiful daughter and a good son. Annette, is a society lady who never married and holds soirées in her drawing room for the rich and famous. Pierre has just returned from Europe and is socially awkward. So basically they are all people with far too much money and nothing to do. They spend their time sitting in each other's drawing rooms talking about each other's health, Napoleon and German politics in French, singing, and playing the piano. As the author neglects to include the lyrics to the songs however even that is boring. The story was a good idea but it would be better if it was written from one character's point of view rather than as if the reader is in the room observing everything. While this gives more information it makes the characters much less endearing because we get to see only the polite facade, not the feelings beneath. This does nothing to make us care about them. It feels like the book was intended to be a satire but it has no bite, nor is it funny so it can't be a Comedie des Manieres á la Molière. It's not anything like Uncle Vanya in which all the characters are drawn tight as a fiddle string, and are as emotionally fragile as a Fabergé egg. Such is not the case in War and Peace in which the characters seem oblivious to the world around them. It would make a great textbook for a European history class, but I would not recommend it for the casual reader.
|
 |
A Reader posted a review at 2010-06-18 07:43:03 for The Silmarillion.
(Language: English)
Essential for the serious student of Middle-Earth, although completely irrelevant for the casual reader of the wildly popular Lord of the Rings series. It's written in an extremely archaic style that can be textbookish at times, but it's as jam-packed and exciting as the more well known series. Inspired by the Finnish Kalevala, it is not one story but many each of which has enough action, romance, and adventure to fill a two hour movie. The beginning is slow and a bit of a snoozer, it's mostly a list of the names of the Valar and a bunch of place names. Stay awake though because there's important information tucked away in there. The next section is faster paced and more readable as the story of the making, stealing and recovering of the Silmarils (the one theme that runs through the whole book) is unfolded at unrealistically breakneck speed. Slow down though particularly for the part about Eärendil because there's some important information there about Lord Elrond and about Aragorn and Arwen. Also pay particular attention to the story of Beren and Luthien because that gets mentioned a lot later on. Then comes the tale of the Children of Húrin (which can also be read, in expanded form, separately), which Tolkien tells, to great effect, in a detached voice, almost as if we are Húrin forced to watch his son and daughter epically fail and then kill themselves, by Morgoth. The next part sets up the events of Lord of the Rings with the tale of Númenor, it is the familiar tragedy of human hubris, but such tales exist for a reason and it serves as both reminder and warning. The next section is almost not even worth looking at, because it basically traces the events of the Lord of the Rings, except that some very important information about Aragorn's lineage and the early days of Gondor and Arnor is found tucked away in there. All in all, a good read, but not an easy one. recommended for those over 15 who have read Lord of the Rings.
|
 |
A Reader posted a review at 2010-05-26 10:47:09 for Avielle of Rhia.
(Language: English)
A very moving story about racism and the power of one person to change the world. Avielle is a member of a minority race known as silverskins for their pale complexion. She is born to the ruling family, which is cast out and killed. She is the only survivor, she hides herself and her identity and finds work in a city. Slowly her rights are taken away Jim Crow style, because of her skin color and she can do little about it. However, she remembers a legend about her grandmother which helps her to avert a Holocaust of her people. All I can say is that she brings peace and prosperity to her new kingdom, and should be oddly familiar to anyone who grew up in the 90's. A well written if cliched story, with a message for our times. A future classic suitable for readers ages ten and overThis book is a magical reminder of the power of the truth. it also gently reminds us that a person's looks have little to do with their character. Avielle is a character that anyone can empathize with. The plot is simple and the ending surprising, tear-jerking and classic. A very satisfying book that is accessible to most teens and adults.
|
 |
A Reader posted a review at 2010-05-26 10:41:55 for To Kill a Mockingbird.
(Language: English)
The story of a trial in a post civil war rural southern town. It is told in the appealing voice of Jean-Louise "Scout" Finch, the young tomboy daughter of the famous lawyer Atticus Finch. Through a series of events involving the alleged rape of a poor girl by a black laborer, Scout's perception of the world and her father is changed. A good read for anyone over the age of ten who can handle a little blood and a few swears. There is a very inspirational speech made by Atticus Finch to the jury at the end of the book, and a sweet scene at the end as well where a secret is revealed. The last lines of the book are guarenteed to make you cry if you weren't already been bawling your eyes out. An unflinching look at racism and it's inpact on a child.
|
 |
A Reader posted a review at 2010-05-26 10:32:04 for Wild Magic (Immortals).
(Language: English)
Veralidaine (Daine) Sarrasri is the unlikely but loveable heroine of this novel. Her voice is appealing, and her character is easy to sympathize with. She is born and raised in the mountains of Galla (geography similar to Vermont, culture like Pre-roman Britain) but after her home is burned by bandits killing her only family she leaves her home in search of a new life. She is determined to leave her past behind her, but a certain event keeps coming back to haunt her, finally she gets up the courage to tell a few trusted friends her secret and discovers a unique power within her that will come in handy soon. In the land of Tortall Daine finds a home and a family, better than the one she had left in Galla. A great story about the blessings of friendship, and the power of love to bind the most unlikely people together in times of dire need. Recommended to those over the age of 12 who enjoy fantasy. It is also recommended that you read The Song of the Lioness Quartet prior to this book although it is not necessary, it makes the reading experience more enjoyable.
|
 |
A Reader posted a review at 2010-05-26 10:26:28 for Joy Luck Club.
(Language: English)
Would not have picked this book up if I didn't have to read it for school, but once I read it I absolutely loved it. It isn't really a story in the truest sense of the word as Amy Tan has actually managed to write a book that has no definable plot. However if one reads it as a collection of short stories, rather more like a book of myths than a story it is extremely enjoyable. It tells the tales of the adventures of four Chinese women who are best friends and their Chinese-American daughters. Rather like an older version of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, the four Chinese women are like sisters, their children even refer to them as the " Joy Luck Aunties." The term Joy Luck is something that has no English equivalent, thus the purpose of this book. The book was written to explain the phrase which in Chinese carries a lot of meaning. The Club, and indeed the game of mah jong embodies Joy Luck, a pocket of China in the midst of the hustle and bustle of an American city. Kudos to Amy Tan for writing this book, it can't have been easy, but she believed enough in the truth of these words to write them. She also had impeccable timing, We all need a little Joy Luck in our world.
|
 |
A Reader posted a review at 2010-05-26 10:08:45 for Twilight Saga Set.
(Language: English)
After reading Twilight I started having deja vu, and on closer analysis realized the reason. It's basically Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, but told from Cho Chang's perspective. The book is well written, and the characters are well formed if a bit clichéd. This is a good book for people who don't normally read books, but the plot has been done before, and it's been done better. I also disliked that Stephanie Meyer put in the part about Bella doing research on vampires, while an author should feel free to utilize pre-existing sources (indeed they kinda have to) they shouldn't be quite so obvious about what those sources are. I would recommend it as an introduction to reading fantasy lit, but would not suggest it to a die hard fantasy fan.
|
 |
A Reader posted a review at 2010-04-18 04:28:46 for The Things They Carried.
(Language: English)
A haunting book, about men, and modern warfare. It's fiction of course, but still, completely and utterly true. It exists in that twilight zone between memoir and novel. It is a story told for many reasons, to bring the dead back to life, to make sense of the unimaginable horror, to warn us of what will be, but most of all this book was written to tell the truth. The truth that war is ugly, but also beautiful. The truth that war can sever bonds, and can make the strongest bonds. The truth that war breaks young men into smithereens, and that it can build them up into adults of character and confidence. War can be glorious, but it is also filthy, one can learn from war, and one can come away from it knowing less than when one entered. War is like all life, full of contradictions and paradoxes, unexpected happenings, and humdrum routines. There is a certain twisted humor to be found in war, but also a horror beyond imagination. These and other things the book tells us. It is written for those of us who have never been in a war, who like myself have preconceived notions of what war is and isn't. It was written not to dispel those notions but to give us others. It is not pro-war, nor is it anti-war, but bridges the gap between the two presenting the war as it was, even if none of the events in the book really happened.
|
|
|
A Reader posted a review at 2010-02-24 07:03:55 for Lord of the Rings The Return of the King/the Two Towers/the Fellowship of the Ring.
(Language: English)
Go up to anyone and ask them what a Hobbit is, ten to one they will "duh, it's a small creature that lives in a hole in the ground!" as if everyone knows what a hobbit is. Well they can be forgiven, because I at least have yet to meet anyone who didn't whether or not they had seen or read The Lord of the Rings. Love it or hate it, Hobbits are as much a part of our cultural fabric as Darth Vader and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Lord of the Rings influences everything we do from the words we speak, to the the names we give our children (no seriously there are actually people who give their children names like Aragorn) and pets (Haldir the Hamster anyone?), as well as things like high fashion. Even if we don't know the story, everyone knows that it involves a hobbit named Frodo, a ring, elves, dwarves, and a wizard named Gandalf. Perhaps if you know a Lord of the Rings fan you might know a few more character's names, and perhaps you know that Elvish for "my friend" is "mellon nin" (no joke there are actually people out there who can speak Elvish, and they are more numerous than you might think). Indeed, Lord of the Rings is largely responsible for the fantasy literature we have nowadays most of which would not have been written if not for Tolkien's inspiration. However I will say, Reader Beware, if you start reading these books you WILL get addicted, and then a whole new world will open up, just awaiting your discovery. It is a world where good and evil clash on epic battlefields, where honor and valour are eventually rewarded, and where great joy exists amid profound sorrow. It is a place where you can find fellowship, and a place where friends are lost suddenly and sometimes violently. A place different from our own world, yet excruciatingly familiar. A place where dreams are made, and realized, but also a place where dreams are shattered. This is Middle-Earth, it awaits your discovery, once you enter you will not wish to return. Recommended for children over 10, however the movies are recommended for those over 13 as they are often honestly graphic.
|
![The Bell Jar [BELL JAR]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41ohFgnwpzL._SL75_.jpg "Click to see other reviews for this book") |
A Reader posted a review at 2010-01-22 03:17:35 for The Bell Jar [BELL JAR].
(Language: English)
A haunting tale of a woman going crazy and then coming back to sanity, written by someone who had been through that trial of the soul herself. It is both a satire of 1950's america, and a brutally honest look at what it means to be feminine and the choices and responsibilities that go along with that. However the main story is that of a girl who is desperately looking for her place in a society, a society that refuses to offer her a place.
|
 |
A Reader posted a review at 2010-01-22 03:12:36 for L'Etranger (in French).
(Language: English)
The French equivalent of Catcher in the Rye, this book is not for the faint of heart. It is graphic and decidedly not pretty, despite the fact that it is written in lyrical, haunting prose, more reminiscent of Isabel Allende than Moliere or Saint-Exupery. The main character is a disilusioned Frenchman trying to make it in Algeria. The book starts with his mother's death, and then traces his downfall. However unlike the American book that I compared it to at the beginning of this review, there is no tidy ending, we are left hanging not knowing what is going to happen to this man and his friends. A well crafted story, told with an unwinking and brutal honesty.
|
 |
A Reader posted a review at 2010-01-14 09:46:08 for The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Penguin Popular Classics).
(Language: English)
A much loved and much reviled American classic. It should be in the library of anyone who considers themselves educated. As controversial and appealing now, as it was when Twain wrote it, Huckleberry Finn has a remarkably simple premise. It is the story of the adventures of a young mischeivious boy. Originally intended simply as a sequel to Adventures of Tom Sawyer, the book became an outlet for all of Twain's musings on society, everything from education to slavery. Huck's disgust of books and school is normal for a boy, but is also meant to satirize the educational system, and the society as a whole, with it's emphasis on strict conformity. Huck's befriendment of Jim the runaway slave, echoes Twain's own transformation from the son of a slaveholder, to a radical aboltionist. The whole story is told through the innocent, and yet searingly honest eyes, of a typical American boy, which makes the satire all the more biting. Huck acts as an observer who is outside of society, who finds that in the end he cannot live in this society and "lights out for the territories" to begin his life anew. A jolly good book, that nevertheless should not be read lightly.
|
 |
A Reader posted a review at 2009-09-17 02:29:37 for Eldest.
(Language: English)
No less a masterpiece than the previous book if a little less of a thriller. Eragon starts to grow into the outsize expectations his people have placed on him. He begins to learn the secrets of the Dragon Riders and Elves. These elves are not the fairies of bedtime stories though, they are more similar to Tolkein's elves, they are kind to the people they like, but woe to the one who crosses them. In any case Eragon starts to have certain feelings for one particular Elf, named Arya. She clearly has some affection for him as well, but must obey her duty as the daughter of Queen Islanzadi above all else. The pace of the book is slow, although the time covered can not be more than a few months at most. In the middle of that time Eragon undergoes a strange transformation at a certain ceremony. He also performs an act of extreme nobility at the end and then discovers an important secret. He also meets up with Murtagh again but Murtagh is no longer the same. He discovers an important fact about his parentage from this meeting, but also loses an important thing. A good read for anyone over thirteen who has read Eragon.
|
 |
A Reader posted a review at 2009-09-17 02:19:12 for Eragon (Inhertitance).
(Language: English)
This book is a masterpiece, and the movie does not even begin to do it justice, although the Youtube videos are worth watching (seriously some of the fan made videos are better than the proffessional movie). The book however is a thrilling Tolkeinesque romp through the breathtaking landscape of Alagaesia. Eragon is a simple farm boy, until he finds a beautiful blue stone while hunting. He takes it home, and it turns out not to be a stone at all. The thing which it contains leads him on a fast-paced thrilling adventure, and teaches him many things about himself and the world. He must learn fast though because dark forces are gathering and will destroy everything he loves and knows including himself. A thriller for everyone over thirteen. A good book to serve as an introduction to fantasy.
|
 |
A Reader posted a review at 2009-09-03 01:38:55 for The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure.
(Language: English)
I loved this book! They weren't kidding when they said true love and high adventure. The narration is sarcastic, and often downright funny. Buttercup is a farm girl, who becomes a Princess against her will. Westley is a farm boy who becomes a Pirate determined to rescue Buttercup from the cruel Prince Humperdinck and the evil Count Rugen. Inigo Montoya is a Spaniard who is on a mission to kill Count Rugen, as revenge for his father's murder. Fezzik is a Turkish wrestler who travels with Inigo because Fezzik isn't terribly smart, but his strength comes in handy. Prince Humperdink is the greatest hunter in the realm, but he doesn't have much heart. Count Rugen is half crazy and loves to torture people, he tortures people the same way that you or I would do a science experiment. William Goldman constantly interupts the story, with snarky comments and repeated jabs at Stephen King. I literally was laughing so hard I cried. P.S. despite what Goldman says there is no such person as S. Morgenstern and or any of the other colorful characters.
|
 |
A Reader posted a review at 2009-08-22 02:05:27 for Blood Red Horse.
(Language: English)
A fastpaced tale of war, intruige, unlikely friendship, awkward romance, and a few misunderstandings. cliche? Well no, not really, you see the book isn't about any of that really, it's actually about... you guessed it a blood red horse named Hosanna. It's about how this plucky little horse with a bright red coat, a white star, and a lot of charisma changes the people he meets. William de Granville is a boy sheltered and naive who desperately wants to be a man. William finds Hosanna in his father's stables and is allowed to ride him as a first war horse. Hosanna is considered too small for a full grown knight, but he suits Will just fine. Will comes to love Hosanna, but because of an accident Hosanna becomes very lame. The Horse is given over to the local monastery and Will finds a new horse. It would have ended there except that a monk named Brother Ranulf takes a shine to the horse. Meanwhile another monk named Brother Andrew who is very greedy is stealing from the monks storehouses. Brother Andrew however sees a vision before the abbot catches him stealing, and decides that the best thing to do would be to lavish the supplies he stole on Hosanna. The horse gets better quickly and is returned to the de Granvilles just in time to go to the Holy Land on a crusade. The Crusaders are sometimes victorious but ultimately their quest fails, but what happens to Hosanna and William along the way is quite remarkable. Kamil ad-Din is a powerful emir and ward of the sultan Saladin. Kamil is kind and good at heart but harbors an intense hatred of Christians ever since a band of knights killed his family. However when he finally gets the chance he does not kill the knight but instead kills the man's son. He gets angry at himself and falls into a depression. His hatred meanwhile turns to crazed bloodlust. He cannot seem to kill enough Christians to satisfy his need. That's when he meets Hossanna. The horse is captured by the muslim army and Kamil sees him in the stable. Kamil is immediately awed by the beauty of Hosanna. Hosanna becomes his trusted mount, but also gets him into a spot of trouble. Out of this touble though there comes a lesson, and Kamil learns his lesson well. When finally Kamil and William meet on the field of battle they part as enemies. When next they meet they are suddenly friends, not for their own sake but for the sake of Hosanna the blood red horse who taught them both so much. Before they part again Kamil makes a promise to William, "we will meet again." They part as men and as friends both are victors and both are losers, lives inextricably bound together by their shared love for a blood red horse named Hosanna.
|
 |
A Reader posted a review at 2009-08-22 01:36:15 for Three Cups Of Tea.
(Language: English)
There is an expression "A fail so epic it was a win" Greg Mortenson got lost in the Himalayas, the ultimate epic fail. But what he did after stumbling into a remote town in Pakistan was most definitely a win. In gratitude to the small village of Korphe for sheltering and feeding him, he built a school. Then every neighboring town wanted one too. Others might have stopped, after all building a school is no easy task (which is why the Pakistani government hadn't done it already) and if he had said no they would have just continued on as they had for centuries. However Greg Mortenson agreed to build more and more schools, and fueled by a foundation endowed by the ailing millionaire Jean Hoerni, he did just that. He is still building schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan, schools that will teach children who would otherwise be trying to kill us. I think we all owe a debt of gratitude to Greg Mortenson for fighting the Taliban, not with a gun, but with books and pencils, nails, cement and wooden beams. As Martin Luther King Jr. said "Hate cannot drive out hate only love can do that" and Greg Mortenson is driving out Hate with Love one child at a time.
|
 |
A Reader posted a review at 2009-08-22 01:20:35 for The Blood of Lambs: A Former Terrorist's Memoir of Death and Redemption.
(Language: English)
An excelently written book about how an innocent Lebanese boy was formed into a hate fueled jihadist, and then transformed by the kindness of a few people. It is also about the sleeping threat that already has a hold in our own country, the threat of the crazed jihadis, they come from all backgrounds and live everywhere and anywhere, one might be your neibhor, the guy at the gas station, a kid at your school. Their reasons for hating America are as various as they are, but they are all hell bent on world domination together. Sounds like fiction, after all doesn't every thirteen year old boy dream of world domination? but this isn't a computer game, this is real. It's as real as the hole in the middle of NYC, as real as the gasoline we pump so cheerfully which fuels this jihad, this Holy War. This book contains a chilling revelation of a modern crusade which every day threatens to destroy our country and our lives.
|
 |
A Reader posted a review at 2009-06-23 08:32:06 for The Book of Mordred.
(Language: English)
Ms. Velde has written a new classic. Her Mordred is both sinister and loveable, a very well written character, and her Camelot is a once great city that now hangs by a thread. Told through the eyes of Keira a young girl who thinks of Mordred as her father, but who sees King Arthur as her favorite Uncle, and who has grown up an outsider because of her strange visionary power, this is a compelling and thrilling story. The book is a little short on Romance, but hey you can't have everything. A lovely book for readers over the age of 13 who like adventure.
|
 |
A Reader posted a review at 2009-06-23 08:23:47 for Terrier (The Legend of Beka Cooper, Book 1).
(Language: English)
Ms. Pierce has really outdone herself this time. This is a fast-paced adventure-fantasy-mystery thriller that will keep you on your toes. The narrator is both sardonic and loveable, down-to-earth and dreamy, and for those who have read The Song of the Lioness, the flashes of Baron George Cooper are unmistakeable. The storyline should be familiar to Tamora Pierce afficionados but here's the scoop: Beka Cooper is training to be in the Provost's Guard (basically the police). This girl has a special ability though that sets her apart from the other trainees, she can talk to the spirits of the dead. The spirits find her either in dust devils or on the backs of pidgeons. They inform her of kidknappings and murders. Through these spirits she learns of the criminal activities of Crookshank, a highup in the Court of the Rogue which rules the Lower City (that is the poorer districts of Corus Tortall's capital city). Crookshank has been mining precious stones illegally and then killing the diggers. But Crookshank turns out to be just a sideshow. The bigger threat is the Shadow Snake who is stealing children. a fast paced thriller for anyone who likes mystery or adventure over the age of 11.
|
|
|
A Reader posted a review at 2009-03-25 07:21:21 for The Lost Years of Merlin.
(Language: English)
An exciting Series about a much loved but mysterious mythological character. The Merlin here is not the graceful, self-assured, grand wizard of the King Arthur adventures. Rather he is a bumbling pre-teen boy who means well but is constantly literally and figuratively tripping over his own feet. Essentially the story is about growing up and finding yourself and giving your life meaning. The lessons Merlin learns, although learned in a very unconventional way, are no less applicable to our world than to his. In fact these lessons if learned and applied in our world, might just fix our gravest moral and ethical concerns. A superbly written fantasy for all those over the age of ten, who like magic and adventure. A good background of Roman history and some knowledge of Celtic folklore is recommended for full enjoyment of these books.
|
 |
A Reader posted a review at 2009-03-10 09:57:35 for In the Hand of the Goddess (The Song of the Lioness).
(Language: English)
The second book in the Song of the Lioness cycle. In this book Alanna finds herself and explores her world a little more. She is allowed out into the city, and once on one of these excursions she meets George Cooper. George is a gentleman-thief/spy, sort of a cross between Robin Hood and James Bond. He steals to support his ailing mother, and runs a spy operation on the side. Alanna gives him money for his mother, and in return he protects her from people who would like to take advantage of her. He is the first to know the secret of her femininity. At the end of the book she brings Prince Jonathan in disguise to meet George, this fosters a close relationship between the thief and the future King. This is of course of great importance to the rest of the stories. Also during this story Alanna meets a new companion a cat named Faithful. Faithful turns out to be an extraordinarily smart cat, who saves Alanna's (not to mention Raoul and Jonathan's) skin on several occasions. Also in this book there are hints that the relationship between the Prince and Alanna is more than just friendship, although the Prince is still unaware of her secret. A well written book that will keep the reader guessing.
|
 |
A Reader posted a review at 2009-03-10 03:03:26 for Lioness Rampant (The Song of the Lioness).
(Language: English)
The thrilling conclusion to the Song of the Lioness Series. Thom reappears (well actually he's mentioned posthumously). He died trying to bring Count Roger back to life. Roger does in fact come back to life, and is duly killed by Alanna yet again (serves him right). The main event of the book though is when Alanna goes on a thrilling quest for the Dominion Jewel (which will of course reappear in The Immortals). This Jewel makes the King incredibly powerful, although I can't say what power it gives him, I will say it has to do with magic. She brings it back, just in time for Prince Jonathan's Coronation. As King of Tortall Jonathan makes Alanna his Champion-the third highest office in the Kingdom, basically she answers only to the King and fights only for him. Prince Jonathan also marries, not Alanna, but a K'miri woman named Thayet. She too plays a large role in The Immortals. A good book for anyone who has read the others.
|
| My Reviews - Page 1 of 3 |