Sample Reading

Ever since I got my Kindle, I've been developing a new reading habit. Or actually, it's a new book buying habit. The free samples you can download has become the single most important factor determining whether I'll end up buying books or not. I've previously argued that this means writers now have to be even more aware of the importance of "the hook", and the "research" I've been doing the last few months supports this view. I've bought only 6 books (though some of these were collected works, so I guess those should count as more than one book each) on my Kindle, but I've downloaded around 50 samples. Thus, today I thought I'd review a random selection of those samples to try to see if there is a common denominator to what makes a Kindle sample appeal to me as a reader. Note - unless otherwise indicated, I've only read the sample for these. In the cases where I've also read the book, this review is still of the sample alone, and not of the book as such.

The Tiger's Wife - Tea Obreht
This sample pulled me in from page one. It starts with a memory - the vivid description of a little girl who has an extraordinary grandfather, a man you - the reader - learn to respect from the very start of the sample, and you can feel the awe of the little girl run through your own veins. The first few pages also makes it evident how important tigers are to the story, but it is the grandfather, and the relationship between him and his granddaughter that brings the story forward.

The sample triggered my interest not only by the promise of an emotional journey with the main character, but also the setting (a post-war Balkan), the voice (through shifting narrators Obreht still managed to shine through her own tone), and the language (hard to believe this is a debutant).

The verdict: You will already have guessed, but this book quickly found it's way into my "Buy" pile. I really liked the rest of the book too, and you can find my review of it here.


Three Stages of Amazement - Carol Edgarian
It's the economy, stupid. Set in today's US (or even more specifically, it starts on New Year's Eve 2008/2009, in California), this is the story of a marriage in deep trouble, trouble that is deeply linked with the burst of the bubble economy that has caused husband Charlie to forget about his wife, Lena. Charlie harbors secrets that might complicate things further, while Lena feels (and is) neglected, being the main caretaker for their children, including preemie and cerebral palsy infant Willa.

The setting intrigued me, and the character descriptions - elaborate, but never forced - made me want to know more. Yet, the sample provides no indication that the plot of this book will be particularly interesting. Charlie's secrets seem to be the only hint - and it is more or less revealed that these secrets are not of the juicy kind. Now, this isn't really a problem - I love a good character-driven book - but often they are of the "slow read" variety, and I find that the Kindle format doesn't do these justice.

Verdict: Since I loved the characters and the writing, I put it on my "Wishlist". But for now I have a feeling it will stay there until I can get my hands on a paper copy.


One Day - David Nicholls
This book had help. I have had it recommended to me by someone I respect, and I've read several favourable reviews. Thus the sample came with expectations. To a certain extent, they were fulfilled.

Again, I like the characters. The two main characters come from different backgrounds, social strata and they have very little in common, other than one night together in celebration of graduation. This night, however, a bond is apparently formed, because they stay in touch for what is apparently the rest of the book.

The rest of the sample illustrated what I've been told is the great strength of the novel - the dialog between these two. The sample didn't really go far enough to make me understand quite what it is they see in each other, but if they continue speaking to one another in this fashion, I believe it might still be worth a try.

Verdict: I put it on my wishlist, but a friend offered to lend it to me (paper copy). I suspect that I'd otherwise wouldn't have gotten back to it in the end.

The Kane Chronicles: The Red Pyramid - Rick Riordan
I've read the Percy Jackson series, and I loved it. When I learned Riordan was writing another series, then, I naturally wanted to check it out.

As far as samples goes, this is a class act. Riordan is an expert of many things - hooks and cliffhangers being one of them. The sample ends with one of the latter, and by the time you reach it you've already had plenty of hooks to pull you in, tightly. It's all good fun like the Percy Jackson books were, though the feel is perhaps slightly younger.

Verdict: I only put it on my wishlist, but this is one of the books there I know I will eventually buy.


Room - Emma Donoghue
At first the narration in this sample bothered me. It's a very young boy, Jack, and there seems to be certain abnormalities with him and his living situation (such as breastfeeding at the age of five). Jack is all alone with his Ma in their Room, and he apparently thinks Room equals the real world. Everything outside of Room is Television, or not real. It took me a while to realize why they were inside Room, and what was going on. The sample ends without properly explaining this, and that was one of the major reasons I wanted to read more. Not a cliffhanger per se, but it had a similar effect.

Verdict: I'm not sure I'm comfortable praising this sample, but it did make me buy the book. And so far (about 30% in) I do like it. But it feels like I bought it for reasons entirely different than what normally makes a good Kindle sample.



As you can see, I didn't include any samples that put me completely off reading the entire book. Why? Well, partly because I've taken to deleting samples I don't like, and thus they are not available on my Kindle anymore. Secondly, though, I guess I am unwilling to unfavourably review a book based on a sample alone. I do think it is important to capture the reader from the start if you are to use the Kindle sample function to successfully promote your book. BUT, not all books are best from the begining. Some books take longer than other to get into. Some require a different pacing than what the Kindle makes me feel is appropriate (though I might be the only one who feels a Kindle is reserved mainly for fast-paced reading?). Some books are best read in the bathtub (which is NOT recommendable with en electronic device...). I think it's a shame if the world of books were limited to books that make for good free samples on the Kindle.

Reading Monday: Book Recommendations

This post is somewhat ADD (attention deficit disorder) since I have been pulled into so many directions lately. My thoughts are truly scattered this evening. I have to find a balance or my schedule is going to kill me. :D

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson

I am currently rereading this series in anticipation of reading the entire series. My daughter, Ayanna, recommended them to me after I was complaining that I needed something to read that wouldn't require much metacognitive contemplation on the mysteries of life. I have too much going on right now and I took the advice of a fellow Burrower, Jan Morrison, to read something light and enjoyable.

So the book is about a group of children who were part of an experiment to create little mini-superheroes. However, "The School" that created them wants back one of its wards, Angel, and sends a task force of werewolf mutant kids, Erasers, to retrieve her. The leader of the flock (yes, they have wings) is Max and she devises a plan to save Angel and discover who is the individual behind this atrocity. I don't know why I thought she was a boy, the misleading name perhaps!

The novel is full of action and intrigue. Every chapter brings more questions and hooks you from the prologue. I highly recommend this book for ages 9- adulthood.

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

My co-teacher and I decided to to use this novel as one of our units of study for ELA. Our theme is struggle, strength and perseverance. The students will explore each character and analyze their various roles throughout this exemplary literary work.

I love this book. It is raw, complex and inspiring. The story takes place in the early 1900's in a small, rural town. Celie, the protagonist, is abused and mistreated as a child and pre-teen. Her life is filled with strife and suffering. We see Celie transform throughout the novel into a woman of strength. The story is bittersweet and sent me on the emotional roller coaster of a life time. If you have already read this novel, maybe it's time to dust it off and read it again. :D

On a side note, please check out The Burrow's April Feature!

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Guest post by Leigh T. Moore - Book Review of 'The Help'

We at The Burrow are pleased to welcome Leigh T. Moore as our guest blogger today. Those of you who have known us for any length of time would know that almost half the Burrowers were born within two days of each other - Leigh shares her birthday with one of the three, and by extension is practically a Burrower!
Leigh describes herself as "Writer, Editor, Aspiring Novelist, Mom", and has currently revised and re-submitted her YA to her dream agency. While she waits to hear back from them, she's agreed to do a review of Kathryn Stockett’s debut novel, The Help for us. Over to you, Leigh.
________

Thanks to the Burrow for having me! Monday’s book review day, and I offered to review Kathryn Stockett’s debut novel, The Help.


I have to start with a True Confession: I had zero interest in reading this book when it came out in 2009, and when it came up as my book club’s January selection, I half-heartedly agreed—mainly out of curiosity.


Curiosity because Stockett’s book was rejected 60 times and it took her five years to get it published. Still it’s been on the New York Times bestseller list 91 weeks, and as of Jan. 9, 2011, it’s No. 8, up from No. 10.
Despite all that, my attitude remained… reluctant.


More true confession? Because I’m a white daughter of the South, and although I was born and reared in Baton Rouge, La., my family is all from Mississippi. All of them.


I grew up knowing, hearing, sometimes witnessing the institutionalized racism that forms the setting of The Help, and I’m horribly sorry for all of it. Incredibly sorry. But how can I change it?

I do my best to teach my children a better way to think and to treat others, and I try to identify and rid myself of racist thoughts whenever I identify them. Still, the last thing I feel like doing is reading about it (again).


Then I read Stockett’s book and realized what a gift we have as writers. The potential to change even just one mind…


I’ll start my review by saying this book is not written for African-Americans.


There are almost 100 one-star reviews for The Help on Amazon.com, and I’m pretty sure every one is written by an African-American who is insulted by what he or she views as racist stereotypes in it.


I’m not going to say they’re wrong. But I will say I didn’t read it that way. I thought Stockett did an amazing job creating three believable characters who I genuinely cared about; who I wept, laughed and feared for; and who I think have an amazing story to tell.


The book doesn’t focus on the horrible events that occurred in Civil Rights-era Jackson, Miss., but some of those events are mentioned. They’re used to heighten the suspense surrounding the fictional story of two black maids who are brave enough to tell what it was like to work for white women during that time.


I found the characters three dimensional and the writing compelling enough that when I finished, I was exhausted. These characters experience unbelievable meanness and incredible love during a dark, dark time in our nation’s history.


It’s a well-crafted tale of the complexities of human relationships and how even though one might not want to care about another person or another race, life can sometimes have a way of changing one’s mind.


The story is told through the first-person point of view of three different female characters, two are African-American maids and one is a white friend of their white female employers.


Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan is the white friend who is an unmarried, awkward college graduate with dreams of becoming a writer. The maids, Aibileen and Minny, pretty much only dream of following “the rules” of working for white women so they don’t lose their jobs.


Through a chance connection with an editor in New York, Skeeter starts looking for a book idea, and a series of events leads her to interviewing Aibileen, Minny, and eleven other maids about their work experiences.


The situations that mark the maids’ daily lives is the plot of the book, and the central conflict focuses on the absurdity that while their white employers will let the black “help” feed, bathe, and instruct their children, they are afraid to sit on the same toilet seat as one of them.


It’s so ludicrous, and yet it’s so real. I remarked to my husband that I had no problem believing every fictional event in the book could actually have happened, and it was heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time.


The Help doesn’t indict white Mississippi. It simply relates how things were, and leaves it to the reader to decide how things should or should not be—both with regard to race relations and with regard to how much of your individual decision-making, your belief system, you’re willing to cede to others. Black or white.


I give The Help a huge A+ with stars all around it. There were only two spots in the last quarter where I felt the pacing dragged, or where events felt repetitive. I confess I was dissatisfied with the handling of one situation, but it was so minor, I feel nit-picky even mentioning it.


There’s some debate over whether this book should be considered a classic. I think if you judge classics based on how well they show human relations during a certain period in our history, then it qualifies.


Stockett beautifully illustrates how when the majority insists on being wrong, the few who stand up for change are the ones who are remembered.


It’s a very relevant message even today, and if it’s received by just a few people and causes them to analyze their behavior and beliefs, then I think it’s a story worth reading

_____

Thank you, Leigh, for that thought provoking review. I bought The Help nearly a year back because I fell in love with the cover (yes, AGAIN), and after reading this review, I already put it on top of my TBR pile.

To read more of Leigh, do visit her blog, "That's Write". She blogs Mondays and Thursdays on 'Writing, getting published, life and being a mom'.

Here, There be Dragons!

To quote the pawnshop owner in 'The Flight of Dragons', "You're a real dragon nut." Erm, yeah. I am. Big time. And as I'm reasonably sure there must be more of you out there, the following is a ridiculously long list of books about dragons. Heaps and piles of lovely dragons. Mostly in the young reader/teen categories, but with a few older titles as well. And in honour of the school year which has recently begun, I think I'll give them grades. But since I'm not a writing professor, I'm going to just feel free to grade mainly on whether I like it or not, with less emphasis on actual writing quality. Hated it when profs did that in school, but so what? My post, on my topic, populated with lots and lots of dragon stuff! Stuff like:

James A. Owen: Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica
I love these, not only for the lovely twist at the end of the first one (we've talked about my no-spoilers policy, ne?) but for the incredibly detailed art, the sheer number of literary figures who show up to take part, and the time-wrangling fantasticness of the whole shebang. I got Mari hooked on them when she was in the US last fall, which basically means I have to mail out a book periodically, but that's okay. There are currently 4 entries in the series, with #5 due out this fall, and though the dragons don't actually figure that prominently (they're ships, mostly, as you can probably tell from the cover art, but sentient), if you'd like to hang out in a place with bits of Arthurian legends, talking badgers *nudge nudge wink wink*, and everyone from Captain Nemo to Peter Pan's granddaughter (you heard me), this is where you can do it. Grade: A


Christopher Paolini: Inheritance Cycle

We all know the backstory on these - teen author self-publishes his book, goes wandering around promoting it, famous author's stepson thinks it's awesome and before you know it, poof! Great big deal. Now, I know that it's derivative of Lord of the Rings (really, what high fantasy doesn't owe Tolkein a major debt?); I know there's some pretty clunky dialogue, especially in the first one; but you know, he was 15 years old and it has dragons in it and so I like it. (No, I haven't seen the movie; once I heard they cast a blonde as Arya I knew it was gonna suck, and the reviews I've read seem to bear out that verdict.) Anyway, the later ones definitely get better. The world-building is thorough, and I always enjoy invented languages (though I can't quite wrap my mind around some of the suggested pronunciations, based on their sources). Now, if he'd just get his butt in gear and cough up the fourth and final volume, I would be a much happier dragon nut. Grade: B+

Naomi Novik: Temeraire

So what would have happened if the Napoleonic Wars had been fought, not just on land and sea, but in the air as well? And since we're not going to ring the steampunk bell today, this means not airplanes, dirigibles, or anything of that sort, but dragons. There are currently 6 entries in this series (I admit it, I haven't read them all {yet}) but what I've seen so far is fantastic. Temeraire is a rare Chinese dragon, captured as an egg from a French ship and now in the service of the British; he's highly intelligent, highly maneuverable, and excellent company, for his companions as well as for readers - I barreled through several hundred pages the other night during a lovely thunderstorm and barely noticed the clamour outside. The period setting is well drawn and detailed, from matters of etiquette (and lack thereof...) to speech patterns, and the creation and description of multiple dragon species, each with their own characteristics (many of which are neatly explained in an "excerpt" from a book by one of the characters) and heritage. I actually cried at the death of a character (not telling!) at the end of the first book, so you know it sucks you in but good. Note that the pictured edition (a bind-up of the first three volumes) also contains a bonus short story. Grade: A+


Dawn Lairamore: Ivy's Ever After

This is one of the few stand-alones on my list, but I just loved the concept - basically, in a kingdom long ago and far away (duh), there's a deal between the humans and the dragons that 14-year-old princesses get stuck in a tower, guarded by a dragon, there to remain until Prince Whoever comes and slays the beast to win her hand. When Ivy turns 14, she figures, the hell with that, makes friends with her slightly wimpy and very bookworm-y dragon, and they head off on their own adventure, trying to thwart a pretty nasty piece of Prince and save the kingdom. Awesome. Grade: A



Patricia C. Wrede: Enchanted Forest Chronicles

Hey, who says you have to be male to be king? Not with these dragons, you don't. I've been enjoying the four books in this series for quite some time (I think I first read them nearly 20 years ago); oh, and there's another stereotype-busting princess to be had. I like these girls. I'm getting ahead of myself. Anyway, it all starts off with Cimorene (that's the princess) heading off to be a dragon's servant to get away from the boredom of palace life. She moves in with Kazul, who is also a pretty cool chick (errrrm... dragon), and over the course of the series they have many adventures (including the king-thing, some magic carpet rides, and the scariest of all... parenthood). Twisted tropes, hilarious situations, and magic make it worth returning to again and again. Grade: A


Jane Yolen: Pit Dragon series

You know how, when you really get into a series, you just want to read straight through the whole thing and it's super annoying when the author hasn't written them all yet and you have to wait forever for the next one? *cough*OrderofthePhoenix*cough* Try waiting around for two decades, which is how much time elapsed between the third and fourth books in this series. Set in the far future on a planet colonized by humans (but with native dragons), it's a slightly odd but nicely blended sci-fi/fantasy cross-pollination. There are some gory bits, and some sad ones, and lots and lots of adventures; there's also some neatly disguised social commentary about class and ability and politics, but don't let on that I told you. Grade: B+




A.J. Lake: Darkest Age trilogy

Set in an alternate Middle Ages-era England where dragons really did roam the earth (or at least the skies), Elspeth and Edmund are thrown together on a storm-tossed boat. Edmund is a noble with the rare ability to see through others' eyes; Elspeth is the ship captain's daughter. When a dragon swoops in during the aforementioned storm and lays waste to the ship, they are the only survivors - well, them and a mysterious trunk. With their hitherto-unknown and not-particularly-welcome powers, they head off on a - I was trying to avoid clichés, but oh well - quest, set against the villain of the piece, the sorcerer Orgrim. They have help, in the person of a minstrel who, as usual, is more than what he seems; later on, bits of Norse mythology and a trip to mainland Europe provide variety and lots of adventure. Grade: B+

Kaza Kingsley: Erec Rex series

Boy lives relatively normal life (barring some strange household goods and family members). Boy eventually discovers he is not normal. Goes off to be educated with a bunch of other not-normals. Okay, so with a beginning like that, plenty of other stories come to mind, not least Harry Potter. However, that's where the parallels end, because Erec has a whole lot of seriously wild, weird, and occasionally woolly (oi! Keep the mutton bones out of the cloning experiments!) quests and discoveries to make on the way to (hopefully) finding his missing two siblings (they're triplets) and becoming king of one of the three interlinked magical realms. It touches on vast swaths of mythology (for example, the current rulers are Piter, Posey and Pluto, and I'm sure you can all figure out the sources for those), as well as more serious issues (the second book takes aim at xenophobia, for example). As for the "Dragon's Eye" of the title, well, it originally belonged to a dragon by the name of Aoquesth... There are currently 4 entries in this series; supposedly, there will eventually be 8. Grade: A-

Kate Klimo: Dragon Keepers series

Okay, I admit it, it was the title of the first one that got me to read this - I may love kidlit, but I don't usually go quite this young. It was worth it though, 'cause these are fun. Daisy and Jesse, 10-year-old cousins, inadvertently become dragon keepers when a little green dragon (whom they name Emerald, or Emmy for short) hatches for them. That ol' pill St. George is still hanging around on his dragon-slaying mission, so they have to deal with him, but fortunately they get online help from a certain Professor Anderson. There are some neat twists in here (especially in the 3rd one, but then again, I love anything with a library), and it's well worth discovering for the younger dragon nuts of your acquaintance. I mean, wouldn't you have loved a dragon that could change itself into your pet sheepdog when you were a kid? Grade: A-


Obert Skye: Pillage series
As an avowed dragon nut (to go back to the pawnshop owner, "I take it back. You're a dragon fanatic!"), generally I prefer it when the dragons are the good guys - or at least they're on both sides of whatever conflict is going on. The dragons that Beck Phillips encounters, however, are definitely the baddies, and a destructive lot they are, too. A family curse, some seriously weird abilities (like making all kinds of things grow at a furious rate), a strange uncle - just don't expect anything like the author's other series (Leven Thumps, if you're wondering why the name looks familiar). Grade: B



Sophie Jordan: Firelight

As I sit here typing, I just tried to dissuade my roommate from reading this one. The concept is very cool - descendants of dragons who can take human form (called draki), and the difficulties of blending with normal human society, especially when the guy you've got a crush on was hunting you the week before... Aaaaand that's where the trouble comes in - this could have been really great, if Jacinda (draki-girl) and Will (hunter-guy), plus Cassian (draki-boy) didn't have unmistakable and really annoying overtones of Bella and Edward and Jacob. With a premise this promising, I have no idea why Jordan thought Twilight-ing it was a good idea (okay, I'm not stupid, I have some idea... $$$); so despite its early promise, that plummets its score several levels. Grade: C+

Chris D'Lacey: Last Dragon

As frequently occurs in publishing-land, this UK series is a little bit behind arriving on US shores... I think we're caught up now though, with five of an eventual seven volumes in print. Unusually for a young-reader series, the main character is not a child, but a college student; when he takes a room with a woman and her daughter, all kinds of strange things start happening, involving clay dragons at first, and eventually carrying over into Arctic adventures (the author has a bit of an obsession with polar bears), a little romance, plenty of mystery, and - well, I suppose we'll have to wait for the last two volumes to see how it all shakes out (the 6th is apparently due {in the UK, at least} in early 2011). David, our hero, is a writer himself, and one of the coolest things about this series (when the reader is a writer), is the power that writing has within the tale. Grade: B+



Jessica Day George: Dragon Slippers, etc.

Creel rocks. Okay, let me put that in a little bit of context. Her parents are dead, and she has a cranky auntie who tries to park her with a dragon so some guy will feel like he has to rescue and then marry her so her aunt won't have to take care of her anymore. Creel, however, is understandably not keen on this idea. Now, dragons, as everyone knows, hoard treasure. However, what that treasure actually is depends on the taste of each individual dragon, so there's one who collects dogs, one who collects scrolls, and (pace Carrie Bradshaw) one who collects shoes. So Creel wins a gift (a pair of blue slippers) from the first dragon she meets and heads off to the city to try and make a living with her embroidery skills. Then things get really interesting. Thought you had nice shoes for your friend's wedding? Oh, you have NO idea. Mind you, that's just the first book; there are three! And the prince is quite a useful fellow, too, he doesn't just stand around looking royal or anything like that. Grade: A

Robin McKinley: Dragonhaven; The Hero and the Crown; The Blue Sword
I should probably preface this bit by saying that McKinley is married to Peter Dickinson, the dude who wrote The Flight of Dragons (which is not in this post because it's out of print {*rages at stupid dragon-hating publishers*} and it's super-hard to get hold of a copy [I totally did though]) upon which my total favouritest bestest dragon movie is based (which I tried to link to but they've taken it off of Google and YouTube... ugh). Okay, but anyway, she writes proper dragonish stuff as well, including the Newbery winner pictured at left. Dragonhaven is a contemporary fantasy, set in the US; the others take place in the invented realm of Damar (though can be read independently of each other - fewer dragon bits here). Grade: A


Alison Goodman: Eon: Dragoneye Reborn and Eona: The Last Dragoneye
There's probably a reason that "awesome" and "Aussie" sound a lot alike, at least to my sleep-deprived ears... and this is one great read. I have been desperately trying to confirm a US release-date of 1 October for Eona - if you're reading this sentence on the morning of the 4th, well, either I failed or it's not out. It seems to have an Australian date of 3 February 2011, though. Okay, so anyway, there's cross-dressing in both directions, dragons based off of the Chinese zodiac, danger, intrigue, action, woooo! Eon is a crippled 12-year-old boy in training to become a Dragoneye (a sort of partner to one of the twelve energy dragons)... except he's a she, and she's 16, and - oh, just read it already, it came out in paperback last month anyway. Grade: A



Susan Fletcher: Dragon Chronicles
Remember what I said up there about Yolen's Pit Dragon series in re: time lag? Yeah, ditto (14 years this time). Except I didn't even know this fourth one was coming until I poked through a cart of books at the store today looking for Zombies vs. Unicorns and lo and behold! New Fletcher too. So I was a good little blogger and picked it up so I could be up to date with this entry. *pats self on back* Anyway, these have been around since I was a kid (or the first one has, anyway, with a pub date of 1989), and they follow the green-eyed girls (and one boy) who can talk to birds and dragons. The original three are set in unspecified "olden tymes" (though with hints of Wales and Iceland, at least to me), while the most recent is in near-future Oregon and Alaska. I now want a pet dracling, fireburps or no. Grade: A-


Donita Paul: DragonKeeper Chronicles
Totally calling shenanigans on these - they're shelved in the regular ol' sci-fi/fantasy section, they have nice dragony titles and cover art, they're well-written with some really great world-building, and then the author goes and shoehorns Christianity into it and wrecks the whole thing. ("So why'd you read them?" "'Cause I had injured my wrists really badly and couldn't hold a book and they had very soft covers that worked in my BookHug." "Yeah, but you read three of them." "I'm a stubborn git and wanted to see if they'd get better.") Then again, what's it tell you when, among five invented races and magic and dragons, the real-world religion is the bit that makes you go "Hey, that makes NO sense"? Heh. Anyway, she's got a second series as well that I haven't bothered with, but rumour has it they're not quite so bash-you-over-the-head about it. Maybe I'll try one. Maybe. Grade: C-


Tad Williams and Deborah Beale: Dragons of Ordinary Farm

I knew Williams from his massive Otherland series (a near-future sci-fi/fantasy hybrid that I also recommend), so when I saw this one last year I grabbed it (Beale is, I believe, his wife). The premise is fun - a pair of siblings head off to a previously-unknown relative's farm for the summer, but get some very strange instructions beforehand, mainly to do with some seriously odd cows. When they arrive... yep. You guessed it. Dragons! And unicorns, and all kinds of other weird critters. Oh, and time holes and neighbors and... It's a bit meandering, but a good read anyway - no sign of a sequel yet though, at least that I've seen. Grade: B



Cornelia Funke: Dragon Rider

Okay, we all know it's true more often than not - when it comes to amazing (and frequently endangered) animals, humans are the enemy. The young dragon Firedrake sets out on a quest to find a safe place for his species to hide from encroaching humans. Throw in a runaway boy (Ben), an odd little catlike brownie (Sorrel), and a nasty golden dragon called Nettlebrand, mix well, and read quickly (not like you'd really be able to help yourself). Full of Funke's wonderful imagery (ably translated by Anthea Bell, who also did the Inkheart Trilogy), this is another good one for those younger types. Grade: A-


Emily Rodda: Dragons of Deltora

This is one of several series set in the invented country of Deltora (4 books in this one). After the 8 volumes of the first series, our heroes Lief, Jasmine and Barda must now find and wake the only 7 remaining dragons to help save the land from the Shadow Lord's left-behind horrors. There's one in each of the sections of the country, so we get another tour of the landscape and its residents as they hunt for the gem-related dragons. (If you're not familiar with the series, the gems of the regions correspond to the letters in the name "Deltora" - namely, Diamond, Emerald, Lapis Lazuli, Topaz, Opal, Ruby, Amethyst.) More fabulous fantasy from Down Under. Grade: B+



Now, I realize that despite the length of this list, I'm missing some major players in the world of dragonlore - folks like Anne McCaffrey, Robin Hobb, Hickman & Weis, Mercedes Lackey, Ruth Stiles Gannet, and of course Cressida Cowell of "How to Train Your Dragon" fame. So. Those of you who HAVE gotten to them, feel free to chime in in the comments and let me know if they're worth reading. ;-)

KnitLit

There are many things in this world that I enjoy doing - climbing trees, for example, or sleeping late or drinking raspberry hot chocolate. But, like many other people (I'd assume), when I can combine a few of my favourite activities, that's one of the things I find to be best of all. So since two of the items that take up sizable slices on the pie graph of how-I-spend-my-time are "reading" and "knitting", that little subgenre sometimes called KnitLit is one I visit over and over again. This list is by no means an exhaustive one (I've got at least seven more titles on my shelves that I haven't gotten to yet...), but it's enough to give you an idea of what's lurking out there in the overlap between books and yarn!

There has been a veritable explosion of crafty topics in the cozy mystery genre in recent years, some of which have staying power (knitting!) and some that just make you go "Huh?!?" (gourd crafting {I only wish I were joking}). My favourite series of knitting mysteries is by Maggie Sefton (who blogs over at Cozy Chicks) and is set in the Colorado Rockies. Kelly is an accountant who lands back in CO after time spent in DC when she inherits a house from her aunt. She soon becomes a regular at the yarn shop across the street, and over the course of the series (so far) she's tackled investigations as varied as a dye-vat drowning and shenanigans on alpaca farms. The characters are fun, ranging from a lawyer with a bottomless pit for a stomach to a retired cop who loves to spin on the men's side, while the women cover the ground from grandmotherly to party girl and hit just about everything else in between; the knitting details are accurate (oh, and there are patterns and recipes at the end!); and as usual with cozies, there's a notable absence of strong language and on-stage sex. As an indication of the popularity of this series, its last few entries have arrived in hardcover prior to their release in mass market paperback, not always a given with this genre.

A newer series, but one that I'm enjoying so far, is the Seaside Knitters by Sally Goldenbaum, which is set on the North Shore of Massachusetts. The knitting crew here is the usual cross-generational mix, the small-town setting and feel are quite cozy indeed, and they're good whodunnits, too. Definitely a quick read (I flew through nearly the entire second book while killing time at the luthier's {hey, I am the ViolaNut, after all...}), and something I would enthusiastically recommend for those summer days when it's just too darn hot to be playing with wool but you're okay reading about it - in fact, I hand-sold a copy to someone when I was at a bookstore I don't even work at!

The third entry on the list is, I'm afraid, a negative one. Anne Canadeo's two mysteries (While My Pretty One Knits and Knit, Purl, Die) fail on nearly all fronts - knitting details are inaccurate (i.e. you don't "roll" yarn, you wind it), it's set in a fictional Cape Cod town that does not ring true to this fourth-generation native, and (the real death-knell) both were far too easy to solve - I had the first one worked out with 150 pages to go, while with the second I not only pegged the killer prior to the murder, but the revelation of the true identity of another character, meant to be a major twist, I'd twigged to the moment she appeared on the page. No fun at all. Skip these.

Moving into mainstream fiction, a major hit in paperback for the last few years has been Kate Jacobs' The Friday Night Knitting Club. I was a bit surprised when not one, but two sequels appeared, due to the ending of the original (which I'm not about to tell you, since I'm vehemently anti-spoiler!), but it was very nice to get to visit with these knitters again. Set mainly in New York City (though with several side-trips, including Scotland {woo hoo!} and Italy), you get to know a very diverse bunch of ladies (and a guy or two) and actually care about what happens to this one's marriage, that one's baby quest, the other one's business venture... I'm glad I read it before it got "big", as I usually skip those out of sheer cussedness, since it's thoroughly enjoyable despite the fact that it's not always upbeat.

Knitting Under the Influence by Claire LaZebnick is less well-known, but rather a lot of fun nonetheless. Three women bond over knitting while dealing with such diverse personal issues as celebrity-starlet twin sisters or a severely autistic brother; it's definitely "chick lit", but so what? There are the usual romantic entanglements, some highly amusing doses of California culture, and plenty of the title activity (which I don't always recommend, since you can end up frogging everything the next day when you look at your work sober {frogging, by the way, is knit-speak for pulling out your work - because you "rip it, rip it, rip it"}).

Hopping sideways into non-fiction, we find gems like Sweater Quest by Adrienne Martini. In one fell swoop of knitting chutzpah, Martini decided to knit a Starmore pattern. Not just any Starmore, but Mary Tudor. Here's the deal with Starmore - she's a Scot, she's a genius, and she's notorious for being very, very, VERY protective of her designs. Fair enough, but it's awfully hard to see a stunningly gorgeous photograph of a sweater that is an absolute work of art and fall in love with it and just HAVE to knit one - only to discover that the pattern book is out of print and, oh yeah, all the yarn is discontinued too. So Martini's quest begins with tracking down those important ingredients (gotta love eBay), and the tale continues through her year of working this amazingly intricate design while still attempting to have a life (with kids and cats and husband and things like that). It's a testament to perseverance, and well-written, too. (And I own two copies of Starmore's Fisherman Sweaters, so if you want to buy one off me, leave a comment. ;-) )

And then there is Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (a.k.a. the Yarn Harlot), who rules supreme over the world of knitting humour. Don't you dare say, "No such thing," 'cause believe me, anyone who's ever been lied to by the Gauge Goddess, attempted the above-mentioned knitting under the influence, or slaved over a baby sweater that's four sizes too small by the time you finish it, not because you goofed up but because the "infant" is now in preschool because you took so long - you will laugh until the guy across from you on the train gets up and moves (errrrm... or maybe that's just me). Some things are more Knitter-specific (the frustration of trying to get matching socks from self-striping yarn, needing just a few more yards to finish a bind-off), while some are just as relevant to a non-yarn-addicted audience (racing to finish presents before Xmas, trying to find something, anything, that will appeal to a 14-year-old girl who's too cool for everything). The link is to her long-running blog, and if you don't check it out, you'll miss a big laugh. Trust me.

I would be seriously remiss if I left out Elizabeth Zimmerman, the Grande Dame of all things knitterly and creator of such classic weirdness as the Baby Surprise Jacket. Her books (though instructional), especially Knitting Without Tears, are not so much patterns as narratives; rarely do you find the dry "K2, K2tog, YO" kinds of directions here (for any non-knitters who have made it this far, that translates to "Knit 2, knit 2 together, yarn over"), and though you may have started reading intending only to discover the secret to knitting a seamless bottom-up raglan, by the end you will have learned about her English childhood, her German motorcycle-riding husband, her children (daughter Meg is carrying on where her mother left off) and grandchildren and a funny little converted schoolhouse. She's the grandma we all want around when we've just miscounted a lace pattern 3 times in a row or the dog runs off with the sleeve you were about to join onto the body of your sweater.

Once you become a Knitter (note the capital "K" there), you start noticing it everywhere (especially on 12 June, Worldwide Knit in Public Day! Consider yourselves warned) - for example, there are heaps of knitters in the Harry Potter series, including Mrs. Weasley, Hermione, Dobby, and Hagrid (and who could forget Dumbledore's offhand "I do love knitting patterns" {which quote is on the cover of my pattern binder}). Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson very quickly meets "Three Old Ladies [who] Knit the Socks of Death", while where would good old Miss Marple be without her knitting, contemplating the most brutal and horrific violence while placidly clicking away at a bonnet for her latest godchild. Madame Lafarge and her secret messages, Claire Fraser reinventing circular knitting needles pre-American Revolution, and the multitudes of women and girls churning out socks during the World Wars - really, it's no surprise that knitting and writing go together so well, as both build up a greater work from small repetitive units (stitches and letters, respectively). So grab a book and cast on - though you may want the audio version in order to keep your hands free!

Delusional Book Review

So I figure anybody can review a book they've read, but I thought I'd give a little sample of my SUPERPOWER and review some books I've never read. Before you think I'm psychic, I should let you know... my SUPERPOWER, is actually MISATTRIBUTING. (for a definition, see our handy Burrowictionary)


Reviews of books I've never read:

AS I LAY DYING by William Faulkner: So layer this depressing topic over the wordiest man in the history of literature? I think not.

BRAVE NEW WORLD by Aldous Huxley: HELLOOOOOO. MAN BOOK.

THE CATCHER IN THE RYE by J.D. Salinger: Now this is a FABULOUS book. It HAS to be. You know why? Because Salinger wrote naked in the bathtub, just like somebody else you know... I really need to get to this one...

DUNE by Frank Herbert: Okay, now this one SEEMS really cool. I WANT TO WANT to read it.... but I don't WANT to.

THE FRENCH LIEUTENANT'S WOMAN by John Fowles: So like, this was the MOVIE I went to on my first car date ever, and I had a crush on Dave for a good long time. So this story has a soft spot for me. But the movie mixed it up and had actors FILMING the movie, as well as the movie... so there was this time jumpy thing. There is NO FREAKING WAY the book had that, cuz like movies weren't invented yet, right? So I'm pretty sure the movie version is lots better.

GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN by James Baldwin: Isn't this a song? I could swear we used to sing this when I had to go to choir at the church on Thursday after school when I was in elementary. I can't see a book being made into that song as all that interesting... seems awfully... inspirational, and I can't abide inspirational literature.

HEART OF DARKNESS by Joseph Conrad: Is this the Red Badge of Courage guy? Because I don't think I've ever read a book as painful as Red Badge of Courage, unless you maybe count Twilight. NOT INTERESTED (even if it's NOT the same guy, I'm still not interested because it reminds me of it).

OF HUMAN BONDAGE by W. Somerset Maugham: So let's hear it for a little erotica!

INVISIBLE MAN by Ralph Ellison: All I can say about this, is it better be told from the PoV of the invisible guy, or you got nothing to work with.

THE NAKED AND THE DEAD by Norman Mailer: I am not sure I've seen this title before, but I have one thing to say. Norman Mailer is a TART. (which I know he would appreciate)

THE SATANIC VERSES by Salman Rushdie: Okay, now THIS sounds intriguing. I could learn to be not just NAUGHTY, but EVIL! Okay. Got the Tart endorsement!

THE SCARLET LETTER by Nathaniel Hawthorne: Are you KIDDING ME? A book about a character who gets basically branded for meeting life's most basic need? (erm... other than breathing and eating, anyway)... Though it DID amuse me to learn in my college lit class that in America sex was FATAL until the 17th century... but that makes this book late for its time.

ULYSSES by James Joyce: See, I have real mixed feelings here. Ulysses reminds me a little of Odysseus, and the Odyssey is a pretty spanking, good time, but Ulysses sounds all stuffy, like, right? But then James Joyce... any dude with a boys AND a girls name is surely a cross-dresser, and so that's promising, right? I figure this one is fun in parts and all uppity in parts.

Drizzt Do'Urden

I have to admit to a little panicking when I knew I had a 'Reading Monday' post coming up. I read - obviously - and I read a lot, but I don't generally read anything that has been published recently. I also have a habit of re-reading favourite books over and over, so while I am usually to be found with a book - if not in my hands, then at least within grasping distance - it's probably going to be one of two types: one, a book that you have probably read for yourselves already, or two, a 'fluffy' book, which I tend to read when I need something light to distract me from everyday stress, but which probably wouldn't interest most people if I tried to review it.

So, feeling a wee bit flummoxed, I ventured to my bookshelf and prayed that something would inspire me. My eyes skimmed over JK Rowling, Stephen King, David Eddings, Dan Brown (you can mock, but I like his stories, so there) and JRR Tolkien - been there, done that, right? - and I skipped past Julia Quinn, Virginia Andrews, Catherine Cookson et al (I think you can probably see that I'll read any and every genre [but no Stephenie Meyer, I hope you'll note]*snort*), and then my eyes fell upon RA Salvatore, and that helpful little lightbulb that occasionally lights up in my brain appeared.

For some reason, RA Salvatore - who I think is an awesome author - doesn't seem to be as well known as he deserves. Maybe it is only over here in Britain, but when I ask about his books in libraries and book stores, I usually have to give further details before the assistant knows who I am talking about.

Salvatore writes fantasy, of the elves, dwarfs and dragons kind. He's written a few Star Wars spin-offs, and other bits and pieces, but me, I'm a fan of his Forgotten Realms books. My husband has been a fan for years and he frequently told me that I should read his collection. I looked at the covers, read the blurbs, and never fancied them. Then one day I was so bored that I decided to give them a go. I read through a dozen books in two weeks, that's how hooked I became. Which goes to show, you shouldn't always judge a book by its cover, right?

Anyway, this is supposed to be a review of sorts, so I suppose I should stop rambling and get cracking on the purpose of this post. I'm going to concentrate on the first trilogy in the adventures of Drizzt (pronounced 'Dritz') Do'Urden. Technically this should be the Icewind Dale Trilogy as these were the first books published, but the character of Drizzt was so popular that Salvatore went and wrote a prequel - The Dark Elf Trilogy - and these are the books I'm going to talk about today.

The character of Drizzt is probably one of my favourite characters of all time. He's an elf, but a twisted version of an elf. Actually, he's a twisted version of a twisted version of an elf. Confused? Let me explain. Drizzt is a dark elf, and by dark elf I mean an elf who lives beneath the surface (in the Underdark), and as a race are famed for their evil and cruel ways. Appearance wise, think the complete opposite of Legolas (of Lord of the Rings fame) - dark elves have ebony skin, white hair, and bright red eyes which are perfectly suited to seeing in the pitch darkness of their habitat. The dark elves are a barbaric race predominantly ruled by females; the matriarch of each family are known as Matron Mothers, while the daughters of the families all aspire to be powerful priestesses. First and second sons are tolerated, but daughters are what are hoped for when a child is expected.

The first book, Homeland, deals with Drizzt's birth and childhood. Drizzt is the third son to be born to Matron Malice, and is pegged to be sacrificed minutes after his birth. Luckily for him, one of his elder brothers murders the third brother (not so lucky for him, right?), so Drizzt is spared. The murdering of a sibling - with no remorse - demonstrates just how callous these dark elves (or Drow) really are. With the murder weapon still in hand, Matron Malice spares her now second son, and hands him over to one of her daughters to raise until he is sixteen (so maternal, these female Drow, aren't they?). During the scene, it is noted that Drizzt's eyes are not of the usual red associated with the Drow, but have a lavender hue instead. The family fear blindness at first - an affliction not tolerated in the Underdark - but it is soon established that the newest member of the Do'Urden family is not to be cursed in this way.

Drizzt's early years are glossed over, though we are given a glimpse of the hardships he is forced to endure as the youngest son in the female dominated family. The story really starts when Drizzt comes of age and is sent to begin his training as a soldier. Already dissatisfied with the actions and way of life of his race, Drizzt begins to see more and more of the Drow's ways, and with each new discovery he becomes more disgusted with his heritage. By the time he nears the end of his training, Drizzt has decided to break away from the Drow and seek another life as far away from the Underdark as possible - namely, the surface world.

Book two of the trilogy, Exile, follows Drizzt as he journeys through the Underdark on his quest to find a new home. He is accompanied by Guenhwyvar, a magical black panther that can be summoned for short spaces of time from a small statue that Drizzt 'picked up' near the end of the previous book. There are several characters introduced along the way, but mostly Exile deals with Drizzt's inner struggles as he quite literally fights his way to the surface world. Near the end of the book, Drizzt encounters his first true friend, Belwar, one of the Underdark's resident gnomes. Gnomes and Drow elves are bitter enemies, so it takes time for the friendship to form, but when it does it proves to be satisfying and beneficial to both parties. So much so, that when the time comes for Drizzt to leave, the Drow elf questions his decision and wonders whether he should leave the Underdark after all.

Of course, he does, which is where the third book, Sojourn, picks up the story. Definitely my favourite book of the trilogy, and possibly my favourite book of the entire series, Sojourn deals with all kinds of hardships, from the almost torturous effect that the glare of the sun has on Drizzt, who has lived his entire life in total darkness, to the cruel prejudice that he has to face when he encounters people from the surface wold.

Sojourn is really the heart of the entire series, for it is this book that delves into Drizzt's character the deepest. Drizzt has always known he was different to all the other Drow, but he doesn't learn the full meaning of his nature until now. Encountering an old man named Mooshie (as he is affectionately called), Drizzt discovers his true calling. He is a ranger, no less. A calling so far removed from his Drow roots that it is almost impossible to believe. Mooshie teaches Drizzt the ways of a ranger, and encourages him to embrace his calling. They become great friends over the course of several months, and Drizzt is happy for the first time in his life.

All three books are peppered with plenty of action and spectacular swordplay, with snippets of drama and angst sandwiched in between. We also get some humour now and again, which helps to lighten the sometimes darker tones of the story. I'm not usually drawn to these types of books as a rule, but something about the character of Drizzt Do'Urden hooked me from the very first page. He is a multi-faceted character, with a fair bit of dark mixed in with the light, so above all he is interesting. You want to know how he will fare in the years to come, and you want to find out if he will ever be accepted in his adopted new home.

I could rave and rave about these books, but I think I've rambled enough for one day. *snort* I truly believe that Drizzt Do'Urden is one of the best characters ever created, and if even one person discovers the magic of his story after reading my ramblings, then I've accomplished what I set out to do.

Happy reading!

*Image courtesy of Wikipedia

Reading Mondays: Book Review

I began this summer with the intent to read at least 10 books. Yes, you read correctly, 10. However, between the worlds of work, motherhood and wifedom (the estate or domain of the female head of household), I have only read three in their entirety. The summer isn't over yet, though. :D

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah

I highly recommend this brilliant, amazing memoir. Ishmael, at age 12, is enthralled by the hip hop culture of the United States and sets out on a journey to a talent show in a near-by town in Sierra Leone. Unfortunately, he experiences loss of family, youth and innocence. Ishmael is immersed in the horrors of warfare. For three years, he will live the life of a child soldier. Ishmael witnesses and commits unspeakable horrors. But in this tale of so much tragedy, there is still light. Ishmael goes through rehabilitation and ultimately immigrates to the United States.

I began reading this memoir in June with my students and was able to finish it in early July. This story has a complexity in its themes (family, war, loss, genocide) that transcends cultural barriers. It has opened my eyes to the horrors that children can face in war-torn countries. My students were very touched by Ishmael's story and began a cry for help from their school and their community. This tale is not only insightful but quite profound.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

I found this book to be a bit jarring at first since I am not familiar with Swedish culture. However, the mystery and action-packed plot helped to move me along immensely. Mikael Blomkvist, a ruined financial reporter, is given a second chance to resurrect his name by a rich, old Swedish tycoon, Harold Vanger. However, Blomkvist must first investigate the forty-year-old disappearance of Vanger's grandniece, Harriet Vanger. Blomkvist is assisted by Lisbeth Salander, a tattooed superhacking genius.

I am currently reading the continuation of the trilogy, The Girl who Played with Fire. Although I am really enjoying this series, it is clear that Larsson did not complete the editing process of his novels before his death in 2004. I believe that this contributed to the problem I had when reading first reading his works (smoother transitions were needed). However, despite this, Larsson weaves a wonderfully suspenseful tale.

Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox by Eoin Colfer

What else could Artemis Fowl do when his mother is dying and the only cure is in the brain fluid of an endangered species? Go back in time, of course! This fourteen-year-old genius travels back in time to undo a wrong he has committed - selling the last remaining lemur to an Extinctionist group. He manipulates his best friend Captain Holly Short, a pixie in the Lower Elements Police Reconnaissance (LEPrecon), into helping him capture the elusive primate. They are assisted by the ever-flatulent, dirt-eating dwarf, Mulch Diggums. Artemis must outmaneuver his 10-year-old self and discover who is the puppetmaster pulling the strings of the Extinctionists before he runs out of time.

This is a hilarious, action-packed fiction novel that will not disappoint. I very much look forward to reading the next installment of the series, Artemis Fowl: The Atlantis Complex, in August.

I found these books to be great reads. Interested in any of the books above? If so, which one(s)? If not, what books do you recommend?