Tightly Woven, Complex Story

The Wizard's Son
By Kathryn L. Ramage
The Wapshott Press (2009)
Paperback, 296 pages
Rated 4 Stars of 5 Possible

Following the posting of my review of Storylandia 1, which the editor of Wapshott press called "fair minded and honest", I received a request to give Wapshott Press another chance. I always intended to do that, but had no idea the opportunity would come so soon. I chose The Wizard's Son because I've long been a fantasy fan, and because it looks so good.

The first attraction of this novel is the lovely cover, with a view of the wizard's castle on the front, done in shades of red and black; absolutely perfect for this novel - but it doesn't stop there. The story synopsis available on the publisher's website set the hook before I ever got my hands on the book. The Wizard's Son is not simple fantasy with a single story arc. Instead it is a complex story that examines several issues in depth through multiple plot lines in the non-linear story. These issues include but are not limited to good versus evil, human nature and self restraint.

This novel does not disappoint, yet there is room for improvement too. While the characters introduced in the early part of the story are nicely developed, those who come along later are a bit flat. For instance, Orlan Lightesblood's wife and daughter are important to him, yet we are not allowed to know them well... Still, we have a tightly woven, well-told story with interesting and believable characters which is well worth the time it takes to read.

Recommended to fantasy fans ages 14 and up. This review has been simultaneously posted on Amazon.com, Dragon Views, Library Thing and YA Books Central.com. The Wizard's Son was provided to me by the publisher free in exchange for this review.

Investigation of Human Nature

The Pearl
By John Steinbeck
Penguin Books (2002)
Trade Paperback, 96 pages
Rated 5 Stars of 5 possible

The Pearl is John Steinbeck's re-telling of an old Mexican folk tale about greed and hope, suspicion and dreams... but mostly hope. It is a simple, tragic tale that illustrates the fall from innocence of people who believe that wealth can erase all their problems.

This tightly packed little tale is illuminated by the fine craftsmanship Steinbeck brings to all his writing. Despite its brevity, The Pearl is not a tale to read lightly. There is a lot of food for thought buried in these pages. The Pearl picks up the thread of investigation where the allegorical tale, Of Mice and Men left off... for this book as well as the other, is a study of human nature.

For those interested in deeper study or discussion of The Pearl, a combined discussion guide has been written by The Great Books Foundation. Steinbeck's other two novels covered by the same discussion guide are Of Mice and Men and The Grapes of Wrath.

Recommended for readers age 16 and up who are interested in reading material that gives your brain something to work on.

Relocation, Vampire Style

Still Sucks to Be Me:
The All-true Confessions of Mina Smith, Teen Vampire
By Kimberly Pauley
Mirrorstone (11 May, 2010),
Hardcover, 384 pages
Rated 5 stars of 5 possible.

Coming soon... and every bit as good as her first book. Kimberly Pauley has done it again... Yes, I can say that because I'm one of the lucky recipients of an advance copy of Still Sucks To Be Me, which arrived in my possession on May 6. Kimberly writes in a fast, easy-breezy style that will charm you and keep you turning the pages to see what happens next.

Still Sucks To Be Me takes up where Kimberly's first book, leaves off, and moves the story of Mina Hamilton Smith and her family forward, with laughter on almost every page.  Kimberly has kept what was good from her first book - those myth and truth snippets at the head of each chapter, plus pages from Mina's notebook, and added some fresh new scenery as Mina and her family relocate, and brought along some new characters and their attendant drama. Most of the action takes place in a small Louisiana town where everyone knows everyone else (and their business). Primarily aimed at the young adult market, Mrs. Pauley's books also appeal to the teens inside the adults we have become.

While you most certainly can read Still Sucks To Be Me alone, why not read both books, for twice the fun? Recommended reading for those looking for something different and fun to read. You won't be sorry!

An advance copy of Still Sucks To Be Me was provided to me free by Kimberly Pauley in exchange for this review, however, long before I was able to get my hands on the advance copy, I pre-ordered the hardcover version because I knew this is one book that belongs in my permanent collection. This review has been simultaneously posted on Amazon.com, Dragon Views, Library Thing and YA Books Central.com

Still Sucks To Be Me Launch Contest - (Now Over)

Oh Coolness! Kimberly Pauley's new book is coming out on May 11 and you can win a copy! That's right, You can win a copy of Still Sucks To Be Me, signed by the author. But that's not all.  Kim has put together prize packages containing both of her fantastic books and other cool stuff. See the details and enter the contest on Kim's author website: http://www.kimberlypauley.com/2010/05/03/still-sucks-to-be-me-launch-including-epic-contest/.  Don't forget to come back here and read my review of Still Sucks To Be Me, which I expect to post on Sunday May 9th... but I'm not going to commit to an exact posting time.

Sucks to Be Me: The All-True Confessions of Mina Hamilton, Teen Vampire (maybe)
By Kimberly Pauley
Mirrorstone (26 Aug 2008) Hardcover, 294 pages
Mirrorstone (11 Aug 2009) Paperback, 304 pages
Mirrorstone (26 Jan 2010) Kindle edition
Rated 5 Stars

"...I'll have to say, my only regret is that it had to end... Who would have known that a vampire story doesn't have to be scary?Yes, Sucks to Be Me is a vampire story, but nothing like you've ever read before... so throw all your old notions and pre-conceived ideas about vampires out the window because that's not what you'll find in Kim's new book. What you will find is a barrel of fun... vampire style." Read the rest of my review of Sucks To Be Me

Still Sucks to Be Me: The All-true Confessions of Mina Smith, Teen Vampire
By Kimberly Pauley
Mirrorstone (11 May, 2010), Hardcover, 384 pages

Coming soon... and every bit as good as her first book. Kimberly Pauley has done it again... and yes, I can say that because I'm one of the lucky recipients of an advance copy, which arrived in my possession on May 6 and which I've almost finished reading already. Kimberly writes in a fast, easy-breezy style that will charm you and keep you turning the pages to see what happens next. Aimed at the young adult market, Mrs. Pauley's books also appeal to the teens inside the adults we've become. 

Adventure Here At Your Own Risk

Storylandia:
The Wapshott Journal of Fiction, Issue 1
Wapshott Press
CreateSpace (October, 2009)
Paperback, 86 pages
Rated 3 stars of 5 possible

Storylandia is a new periodical published on an irregular basis. The first issue contains the following stories by relatively unknown authors, all of which are new to me. The stories in this issue suit each other, since they are all somewhat dark and gloomy, and the cover matches them very well, with its dark, moody feel. In fact, the cover graphic may be the best part of this issue.

"Kittycat Riley’s Last Stand", by Kelly S. Taylor
"Not Quite a Prince", by Kathryn L. Ramage
"More Minimalist Fiction", by Lene Taylor
"Road Kill", by Lee Balan
"Sunday Mornings", by Colleen Wylie
"I, by Chad Denton"
"Practice", by Anne Valente
"Don’t Stop Thinkin’ About Tomorrow", by Kitty Johnson

The first two stories, "Kittycat Riley’s Last Stand", and "Not Quite A Prince", are, I think, the strongest of the stories included here. The first, which qualifies as science fiction, has a twisted but somewhat weak ending. The second piece almost qualifies as dark fantasy... but the wizard in the story seems a bit less than magickal and he disappointed me somewhat. Several of the stories contained in this issue incorporate what might be considered objectionable material, rendering this publication unsuitable for those under the age of 18.

Three of the stories "Road Kill", "More Minimalist Fiction", and "Don’t Stop Thinkin’ About Tomorrow" were previously published elsewhere and due credit is given for that previous publication. I wasn't overly impressed by any of them. More Minimalist Fiction appears to be a short collection of "flash fiction" or what is otherwise known as filler material... very short stories where most of the plot is implied by the actions and dialogue of the characters. I know this stuff is very difficult to write... I've tried more than once myself, so kudos to Lene Taylor for trying, but in my considered opinion, these pieces just aren't strong enough to fill their intended role.  They do show some potential though; especially the longer ones. "Don’t Stop Thinkin’ About Tomorrow" brings up the Bill Clinton - Monica Lewinsky affair of which I heard far more than I wanted while that affair was going on... so truthfully, I didn't do more than skim a bit of this piece... the hook never appeared to me, let alone sunk in.

Four of the shortest pieces, Road Kill, Sunday Mornings, I, and Practice, left me cold. They never "hooked" me as I expect a good short story to do. And being as short as these pieces are, that "hook" needs to be set early; first paragraph or first sentence if possible. If none of these stories were exceptionally bad, neither were any of them exceptionally good.  I rated the collection 3 stars because the biggest fault with all of these stories is that they are distinguished by their averageness.

While I can't honestly recommend this collection of stories, neither will I especially warn readers to stay away from it. Those adventurous souls who are willing to risk being disappointed might want to try reading these stories. There might be appeal in them for someone with different reading tastes than mine.  Storylandia was provided to me free by the publisher in exchange for this review. This review has been simultaneously published on Amazon.com, Dragon Views and LibraryThing.

 

Reference Service Q & A

The Book of Answers:
The New York Public Library
Telephone Reference Service's
Most Unusual and Entertaining Questions
By Barbara Berliner
Fireside (1992)
Paperback, 311 pages
Rated 3 stars of 5 possible

Well, the subtitle says it all, folks. This book is a compilation of unusual questions and the entertaining answers as researched by The New York Public Library's Telephone Reference Service.  Questions on topics such as American History, Crime and Criminals, The English Language, Geography and more are included in this book and grouped according to topic. The book is fully indexed so the topics can be quickly located for the curious or for a springboard into deeper reserach.

This book would be tedious reading if one attempted to read each page in order as with a novel, but as a point of curiosity, it appeals to trivia buffs, young or old, who wish to look up answers to questions that plague the mind. I found this book to be an entertaining aside from my usual non-fiction reading, but not something I need to keep or read again.

Recommended for trivia buffs and the curious with the caviat that I spotted a typographical error or two while reading some of the questions so don't depend on this as a reference if you need authoritative answers.  This review has been simultaneously published on Amazon.com, Dragon Views and LibraryThing.

Arranged Marriage

The River Between
Jacquelyn Cook
Bell Bridge Books (1985)
Paperback, 166 pages
Rated 3 stars of 5 possible

The River Between is a historical fiction novel set in the pre-civil war south. It is also a light, fluffy, formulaic romance with a slightly over-used plot, and a few problems. I like the historical aspect and the setting; however, these lead to problem #1. There was not enough history and description to make for a really nice setting. The historical information becomes a backdrop in this situation; not entirely bad, but it does not add much to the story.

Eighteen-year-old Lily Edwards is likeable, as are several other characters in the story, but she is far too docile, which leads to the story having less action and therefore less appeal; which becomes problem #2. There is no clear villain in the story. The conflict between Lily and her parents does not stand out enough to move the story along quickly; problem #3. Resolution for problems two and three would be to provide more action and more conflict, and perhaps a bit of drama.  These would have made the story much more appealing.

Problem #4.  Lily's strong Christian faith seems to be off-putting to some reviewers who were probably, like myself, attracted to the historical aspects of the story. This is a lot for such a short novel, especially since the last half comes on stronger than the first half; perhaps moderating the preachiness would have been helpful.

Despite these problems, however, The River Between does raise a few points that would be good for discussion in a reading group or classroom situation.  Arranged marriage vs. marriage for love; the concepts of social equality (and the assumption that some are more socially equal than others); the attitudes of Lily's parents, especially the mother; and Lily's own statement of realization that she cannot be both her mother's baby and an adult at the same time. I was glad to see that Lily's mother finally realized that's what she was expecting Lily to do, yet I would liked to have seen this be more of a conflict.

Given the above, and recognizing that The River Between is but one third of a trilogy, I'd say this book would appeal mostly to those readers who like the light and fluffy romances. Readers looking for something with historical content should probably pass this by in favor of something longer and more detailed.  The River Between is a sweet, likeable story but just doesn't constitute the detailed historical novel that many readers appreciate.

The River Between was provided to me free by the publisher in PDF galley format for review. This review was simultaneously published on LibraryThing, and Dragon Views.

Historical, but Obscure

Flesh and Grass
Libby Cone
Available In various e-book formats,
Published by the author
Rated 3 stars of 5 possible.

Flesh and Grass is loosely based on an ill-fated Dutch colony in late 17th century Deleware. The tale is told from the perspective of a young blind man. I like this perspective and I like that the story is told as if it had been written in a journal. The old-fashioned spelling and sentence structure give an authentic feel to the story as well. Despite the good premise and unusual subject matter, this story has a few problems... thus my three star rating of a potentially five star subject.

The capitalization in unexpected places makes for awkward reading. Even if this inconsistent capitalization would have been authentic late 17th century style, the capitalization of the words should be consistent with today's English.

The mostly unexplained useage of Dutch words makes the story a bit difficult to comprehend in places for someone who only speaks and reads English - or for that matter, any language other than Dutch. Footnotes or, even better, a dedicated glossary at the end would add value to the book and provide the needed explanations without interruption of the story.

The blind protagonist gives the author a tricky plot device. Since the young man telling the story can't see, the author cannot use visual data in most of the story... but many blind persons have their other senses compensate by becoming more intense. The author uses smells to provide some of the detail, but taste, touch and hearing could be used to help bring more detail into the story.

One other thing that I didn't quite notice until the end... I was so wrapped up in the story that most of the dates went by without me taking notice, but at the end, the final chapter is dated about six years before the previous chapter.  I'm not certain why the dates aren't all chronological. For me, reading the events in chronological order makes more sense.

In all, the story is intriguing and I was rather hoping for a longer tale... perhaps 200 pages. I'll recommend this as a good story, but only to those who don't mind dealing with the problems. This review has been simultaneously posted on Amazon.com, Dragon Views and LibraryThing. I received a 96 page PDF format document free from the author in exchange for this review.

Mysterious, Romantic, Suspenseful

Once in a Blue Moon
Leanna Ellis
B&H Books (2010)
Paperback, 320 pages
Rated 4 stars of 5 possible

Bryn Seymour was just nine years old when her mother died under mysterious circumstances on the day that Apollo 11 made its historic lunar landing. Four decades later, Bryn seeks closure in the matter of her mom's passing while gathering information to write a story about the 40th anniversary of that historic moon walk.

This blend of mystery and romantic suspense isn't quite as fluffy and mindless as most romances, but the mystery isn't all that mysterious either, once Bryn opens up her self-imposed block of those childhood memories. Howard, the old man full conspiracy theories and paranoia is almost comic relief in the midst of the suspense-filled story of Bryn's investigation of the circumstances surrounding her mother's death.

I enjoyed the men-in-black ride because it's different than most of the novels I've been reading lately, even though it stretches the suspension of disbelief just a little. There's enough romance to satisfy most readers of straight romance and enough plot to keep this novel from being too fluffy and mindless. Recommended for romance readers who like a little substance to their reading.

This book was provided to me free by the publisher in exchange for this review, which was previously published on LibraryThing and has been simultaneously published on Amazon.com and Dragon Views.

Haunted?

Coraline
Neil Gaiman
HarperCollins (2002)
Hardcover, 176 pages
Rated 4 stars of 5 possible

The story of Coraline takes place in a house that has been divided up into flats as they are called in the UK. Here in the United States, we might call them apartments or condominiums. Anyhow, Coraline lives in one such unit with her parents, who both work. Being the intrepid explorer-type, Coraline meets all of her neighbors and explores her home... One day, she finds a door, but it won't open. Being curious, Coraline asks her mother about the door...

The big, old house where Coraline and her parents live strikes me as being a good place to set up a haunted house on Halloween... and the story is just about that scary. Enough to give the reader a creepy feeling, but not so creepy as if something is going to reach out and grab you.  Well, okay, the author does reach out and grab your attention with his story about Coraline and the things behind a door that only she can open and pass through.

Recommended for kids age 7 and up who don't scare easily and who think a haunted house is cool, not creepy. This review has been simultaneously posted on Amazon.com, Dragonviews, and LibraryThing.