What a beautiful story! I didn't know what to expect, but I was flabbergasted! Linus Baker is a strict rules-following bureaucrat who works at a very What a beautiful story! I didn't know what to expect, but I was flabbergasted! Linus Baker is a strict rules-following bureaucrat who works at a very strict government agency has the job of investigating orphanages for magically-endowed children. The agency is the very picture of hell on earth. Linus is given a special assignment, to investigate a very special orphanage, isolated on an island.
Linus knows that his job is to be objective, and not to get emotionally connected with the children or the "master" of the orphanage. Nevertheless, he gets caught up in the emotional issues, histories, and incredible diversity of the personalities there. Some of the children are not even human! Linus learns about bigotry. He learns that he has the inner strength to fight against his own inclinations, to change his own character. And he learns he has the strength to fight back against stupid prejudices.
I urge you NOT to read this book. Instead, please LISTEN to the audiobook! It is superbly acted by Daniel Henning. He makes all of the characters come to life. The audiobook was such a joy to listen to. ...more
This "book" turned out to be just a short story in The Reckoners series. The story follows immediately after the first book in the series, Steelheart,This "book" turned out to be just a short story in The Reckoners series. The story follows immediately after the first book in the series, Steelheart, by Brandon Sanderson. Mitosis is a new Epic who challenges David to a battle. David has no superpowers, and searches for Mitosis' weakness. ...more
This book is a fast-paced, fun-filled thriller. I read it in just a couple of days, as it is easy reading, and so enjoyable. Unfortunately, some twistThis book is a fast-paced, fun-filled thriller. I read it in just a couple of days, as it is easy reading, and so enjoyable. Unfortunately, some twists in the story are entirely predictable; I guessed some of the key points, long before they were directly mentioned. Nevertheless, Brandon Sanderson has invented an interesting world, one where superpowers are present, and each person who has those powers has a different type of power, and to a different degree.
I wouldn't call this science fiction, since ... well mentioning this would be a spoiler. So, I would just call it a fantasy, and leave it at that. We leave the story, having no idea why some people (called "Epics" in the story) have superpowers, while most do not. I guess this will come out during one of the sequels to the book.
Lots of fun, engaging, and a real page-turner!...more
This novel starts out like a regular detective story. Then, suddenly, the policeman starts talking to a ghost. As the plot progresses, magic and superThis novel starts out like a regular detective story. Then, suddenly, the policeman starts talking to a ghost. As the plot progresses, magic and supernatural capabilities start to become evident. Some of the police are trained to perform magic, and counter criminals who have perverse magical capabilities. Ahh ... this novel did not impress me. It seemed disorganized, too ambiguous, and just not convincing in any way. I have enjoyed reading a lot of fantasy novels. This one, though, just seemed to pile too much on, more and more, and never allowed me to set aside my disbelief. ...more
If you like the novels by Kafka, then this is definitely the book for you. The story is so very strange, and yet quite human. On an unspecified islandIf you like the novels by Kafka, then this is definitely the book for you. The story is so very strange, and yet quite human. On an unspecified island, things are starting to disappear. Things like roses, ferries, birds, novels, .... The majority of people then completely forget about the existence of those things. A minority still remember the disappearing things, and they are the targets of the memory police. The memory police hunt down the minority, and take them into custody.
This is the story of a young woman, a writer, who is in the majority of "forgetters". She befriends an older man who remembers things, and offers to hide him in a concealed basement. This novel is the story of their relationship, and also with another friend an old man who helps with handy-man tasks.
I cannot spoil the story, because everything remains a complete mystery. The reader has no idea about why these things are happening, why the memory police behave the way they do, or what happens to the inhabitants of the island. Everything is a complete mystery, with no explanations. You might classify this book as science fiction, but it is really a fantasy, as there are no explanations, even pseudo-scientific ones.
I guess that the lack of any resolutions to these mysteries is the reason why I cannot recommend this book--I just need resolution, I need loose ends tied up, and that does not happen in this book.
This book was translated very nicely from Japanese into English by Stephen Snyder--he did a great job. I didn't read this book; I listened to the audiobook, narrated quite well by Traci Kato-Kiriyama. I am not sure why a Japanese woman narrated the book, as none of it is in Japanese--I listened to an entirely English translation. ...more
I have loved all of the books I've read by Neal Stephenson. Up until this one, that is. This book is quite disappointing. Maybe it's the length; it's I have loved all of the books I've read by Neal Stephenson. Up until this one, that is. This book is quite disappointing. Maybe it's the length; it's 883 pages long, and it would have been much better if it had been half that length.
The beginning of the book is fun; sort of science fiction, I would say. then the cast of characters shifts abruptly, and there is no continuity during Sophia's trip across the country. This lack of continuity just lost me.
Then the book gets interesting again, as the protagonist, Dodge, finds himself in a new plane of existence. At this point, the book is mostly fantasy; For a while this part of the book is fascinating, a blend of the Bible, Greek and Norse mythologies all wrapped into one. Then, a major portion of the book is a quest--which starts out just fine, but drags on and on. I didn't feel for any of the characters at this point, as the members of the quest simply faced one obstacle after another. Of course, The Quest is taken from a blend of mythology and modern video games. But it drags on and on, without any rhyme or reason until the end....more
I listened to this book as an audiobook. Robin Miles is a fantastic reader, and she made all of the characters' accents distinct. I started to recogniI listened to this book as an audiobook. Robin Miles is a fantastic reader, and she made all of the characters' accents distinct. I started to recognize which characters were from which boroughs of the city, simply by their different accents. What a tremendous job!
Unfortunately, the story is rather boring. The premise of the story is wonderful; each of the boroughs of New York City becomes assigned to an avatar, a real living person who lives in the borough. Another universe is colliding, and some alien city will sink onto New York City and take its place. Millions of people may die in the process. An avatar from an alien city contacts the NYC avatars, and explains the situation.
Well, this premise is weird and could be quite enjoyable. Unfortunately, the telling of the story becomes really boring. The action is slow. There is a lot of talking between the avatars and it only rarely during the story that they actually DO anything. There is a lot of talk about race relations and relations between straight and gay people. It could have been interesting, but this book drags it out too long. I cannot recommend this book--there are so many better fantasy books out there....more
This is a fun, engaging novel, with an interesting twist to the concept of magic. There are plenty of interesting characters, especially the two main This is a fun, engaging novel, with an interesting twist to the concept of magic. There are plenty of interesting characters, especially the two main characters Kell and Delilah. In stories such as this one, the author starts out with a set of capabilities and limitations of magic. This is done in this book, and they capabilities seem to be limited to only a few people who have this gift. Why only a few people have this gift and not others is not exactly explained, although it is discussed.
The best aspect of this book is the audiobook narration by Steven Crossley. He really brings the story to life, with an excellent reading....more
I've enjoyed reading Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn Trilogy Boxed Set series, and since they are so imaginative. So, I tried this book by Sanderson, andI've enjoyed reading Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn Trilogy Boxed Set series, and since they are so imaginative. So, I tried this book by Sanderson, and I was completely surprised by the inventiveness and imaginative that went into Legion. Rather than inventing a whole new world as in the Mistborn Trilogy, Sanderson has developed a different type of person. Stephen Leeds, the main character, has a mental disturbance that causes hallucinations. He has a stable of about 50 different hallucinatory characters. He sees and interacts with these characters as if they are real. And mostly, they try to help him. Subconsciously, each character thinks and reacts and guides Leeds in his activities. They are like having an encyclopedia in your head, teachers, psychologists, bodyguards ... so many different personalities and capabilities. So, Leeds earns his living solving "cases" where these abilities are useful.
Brandon Sanderson has managed to invent a type of mental disturbance that can be useful in certain situations. It can also be off-putting, such as preventing Leeds from going out on dates--his dates usually run away after a brief encounter with him. Leeds is so quirky, and yet continuously tries to convince himself--and others--that he is sane. His definition of sanity is being able to control the situation, not letting his behavior get out of hand.
There is a bit of science fiction here--a camera that can take pictures of the past. But I don't classify this book strictly as science fiction because it is not central to the book's theme. I would really classify this book as "psychology-fiction", because the mental disturbance is probably invented.
This book is not a single story; it is a collection of a few stories, each about a different episode. The book certainly caught my imagination. But my advice is DO NOT READ THIS BOOK. Instead, LISTEN TO THE AUDIOBOOK!! It is awesome! Oliver Wyman narrates the book, a very demanding task. Each of Stephen Leeds' characters is a completely different personality, and Wyman brings each one to life. I really like the rendition of "Tobias", one of the characters in Leeds' hallucinations. The other characters are also wonderful. Listen to the audiobook!...more
This novel, the first in the "Laundry Files" series, is a blend of science fiction and fantasy. The story follows computer scientist Bob Howard into aThis novel, the first in the "Laundry Files" series, is a blend of science fiction and fantasy. The story follows computer scientist Bob Howard into a job he has fallen into, in a top-secret British intelligence service. Bob has a wide range of talents in mathematics, computers, and engineering. He has learned how to conjure spirits from another universe, using scientific/magical techniques that are kept top secret.
The plot is amazingly silly, yet there are some truly hilarious scenes scattered throughout the story. Bob continually gets into trouble with the bureaucratic bean-counters in his intelligence agency, for ridiculously absurd reasons. For me, these run-ins with the bureaucrats were a highlight of the book.
Charles Stross' writing style sparkles. He has a wonderful way with words, especially mixing up highly technical science and engineering concepts with magical themes. While I didn't care much for the story itself--it is just too absurd--the writing style is so invigorating and remarkable....more
I had not heard of this book until recently. It is a fantasy, while at the same time it is a satire of life in the Soviet Union, as well as an allegorI had not heard of this book until recently. It is a fantasy, while at the same time it is a satire of life in the Soviet Union, as well as an allegory. One can also say that it is protest literature, as coming right out and spelling out which Soviet characters are represented by the fantastical characters in this story would have earned Bulgakov a quick trip to the gulag. Much of the story is set in Moscow in the first half of the twentieth century. A portion of the story is also set in Jerusalem, as the story of Pontius Pilate and Jesus, as told by an eye-witness account by Satan.
Perhaps it was just a deliberate absurdity, but what I found to be most absurd was the way two of the main characters who had been put into an insane asylum were treated very humanely, with gentleness and compassion. Thinking about it in retrospect, this probably was an intentional absurdity, quite the opposite of how political dissidents were treated in the Soviet Union.
I really enjoy stories that are unpredictable, and this book is just right from that perspective. I could never at any point guess what was going to happen next; I suppose that I did not heed the warning signs, because when the devil spoke about what was going to happen, especially his non-sequiturs, it inevitably would occur.
Ironically, the story starts out at a park bench, with a publisher admonishing a young writer. The publisher told the writer that he should be more forceful and direct, when stating that God does not exist. (This is in a society where Atheism is the proscribed religion of the State.) The devil comes to sit beside them, and doubts the publisher's veracity, as he knows for a fact that God exists. Then he talks about his first-hand eye-witness account of Pontius Pilate. Just as unbelievable as his account (and the account differs significantly from the Bible), is that the young write believes the eye witness account, without any doubts. This all occurs in the very start of the book, before things begin to get a bit crazy. Well, maybe more than just a bit crazy.
This book is said to be a masterpiece because of the many levels it operates on. It is not a complex book, indeed it is easy to follow. However, the action and characters can change abruptly, so one must be on one's toes to keep track of what is happening. Whether or not one appreciates the satire, and regardless of how deeply one delves into the allegories, this is a very entertaining story.
Such a bad book. Absolutely ridiculous. I couldn't finish it; I got maybe 25% of the way through, but it was mind-blowing; and not in a good way.
Yes, Such a bad book. Absolutely ridiculous. I couldn't finish it; I got maybe 25% of the way through, but it was mind-blowing; and not in a good way.
Yes, I understand how a virtual reality "game" does not need to be realistic. But even the "real life" aspects are totally without any connection with "real life." Just as an example, why would a government agency kidnap a teenager, and then demand an apology from the teenager when he rebels against his captors? And then, the teenager actually does apologize! And, why would an omniscient, all-powerful psychopath bother to make threats? Just do away with the threats, and be done with it!
At first I thought I would just go along with this separation from reality. I followed the three teenagers through this gruesome virtual reality, but it all seemed so pointless. On and on these brave kids progress, and there just didn't seem to be any sense to it. Maybe, if I continued through to the end, all my questions would be answered. But, life is too short....more
What a fun book! I love novels that are totally unpredictable. It seems like I enjoy half of the novels I've read by China Miéville, and the other halWhat a fun book! I love novels that are totally unpredictable. It seems like I enjoy half of the novels I've read by China Miéville, and the other half I dislike. This is one of those that I like. And each of Miéville's novels is totally different. You cannot judge his writing from just a single book.
This novel is NOT science fiction--it seemingly takes place in the present day, and the available technology is no different than that available to us, today. Most of the world, too, is just as it is today, except for a few dual cities. This is a detective story, much in the same vein as many others, where the story begins with a murder, and a detective is singled out to take the case.
And, this is where the fantasy comes in. Detective Borlu lives in an old, decaying city named Breszel. This city has a neighboring city, named Ul Quoram. But neighboring is not quite the right word; they are two cities with streets, parks, sidewalks literally shared between the two. And citizens of each are never to look at any buildings, cars, or people belonging to the other city. It is illegal to cross over or even look at any portion of the other city, and the punishment is "breach".
This weird arrangement has developed for some unknown reason, and it is the cause of many strange dilemmas. Just as an example, how can you drive avoiding pedestrians and other vehicles that you are not legally able to see?
In the beginning of the novel, it is very difficult to figure out what in the world is going on. The author does not explain. But, it gradually gets explained indirectly, and it becomes a fascinating, schizophrenic world. My hat is off to Miéville, for creating such an imaginative world....more
To say that this book is strange is an understatement. A quirky sense of humor and a healthy dollop of absurdity and philosophy are rolled into this bTo say that this book is strange is an understatement. A quirky sense of humor and a healthy dollop of absurdity and philosophy are rolled into this book.
The story starts out as the protagonist botches a robbery and murders his victim. Later, for some unknown reason, he gravitates toward a police station. He starts talking with a policeman there, and he is summarily sentenced to death by hanging. Not because there is any evidence against him, but simply because he is there.
He is sad about his impending execution, but still has some very enigmatic conversations with the policemen in the station. The conversations are about science, philosophy, metaphysics, and mostly about bicycles.
I can't say I really understood this book. The absurdities just follow one another. While in most fantasies, the author draws a consistent world where boundaries are drawn separating the possible from the impossible, here in this book I don't see any boundaries. Also, the logic of the conversations simply eludes me.
So, why did I continue and finish the book? Well, one thing was to find out "what happens". Another thing was to see if any order or understanding of the themes will sort themselves out. The book sort of drew me along, even though I did not understand the logic of it. Maybe that is the point?...more
This collection of short stories contains a few great ones, and a few stories I could have passed over. Mostly, the good stories are in the first halfThis collection of short stories contains a few great ones, and a few stories I could have passed over. Mostly, the good stories are in the first half of the book, while the poor stories are in the second half (with the exception of the very last story). There are a couple of stories about the Kikuyu tribe that are excellent. Kirinyaga and For I have touched the sky are about a tribe that tries to stay illiterate and primitive, in order to prevent becoming like other societies. They try to maintain their traditions, even when their traditions seem horrendous to outsiders.
There are two stories about Theodore Roosevelt. They are both alternative histories; one in which Roosevelt rounds up the rough riders to volunteer to serve during World War I, while in the other, Roosevelt's first wife does not die, and has a great influence on him.
Many of the stories are humorous, but here the stories start to go flat. The humor becomes tedious in story after story, probably because the stories are so unrealistic. Parts of these humorous stories become banal, as if the stories were constructed not to further a plot, but to present a bunch of jokes or one-liners. It began to irritate me.
A few of the stories are science fiction, some are fantasy, and some are alternate histories. And some are just crazy. I could do without the crazy ones....more
This is a beautiful, gentle fairy tale by Neil Gaiman. The story is a coming-of-age plus a quest for Tristran Thorn. He has a crush for a girl, who alThis is a beautiful, gentle fairy tale by Neil Gaiman. The story is a coming-of-age plus a quest for Tristran Thorn. He has a crush for a girl, who allows him to kiss her, but only if he can retrieve a fallen star. The star has fallen outside of his town, beyond the wall. And, nobody is allowed to pass beyond the wall. Tristran's father helps him to go by the guards, and enter the fairy land beyond. And that is where Tristran's quest takes place. The story has some twists and turns, and it was quite surprising to me, to learn the true nature of the fallen star.
The story is steeped in magic, and Gaiman's style is magic-like. I listened to the audiobook, with Gaiman narrating his own book. Often, authors make terrible narrators, but Gaiman is definitely an exception. He reads his own story with an aura of simplicity, magic, and mystery. I would definitely recommend the audiobook except that the publisher, HarperBooks Audio, has totally botched the production. It is too quiet to listen to on your standard MP3 player. I strongly suggest that HarperBooks Audio find a better audio engineer, who knows how to spell "compression".
With a damsel in distress, pirates and pirate ships, voodoo, magic, ghosts, the Fountain of Youth, swashbuckling sword fights, puppet theater, cannonsWith a damsel in distress, pirates and pirate ships, voodoo, magic, ghosts, the Fountain of Youth, swashbuckling sword fights, puppet theater, cannons, prisoners, games of wits, Blackbeard, and zombies--with all of these elements, a book like this has got to be fun! And it is; a bunch of really fun characters, fast-moving plot, humorous twists in the story line, all help to make this an enjoyable read.
Actually, I did not read this book; I listened to the audiobook. Bronson Pinchot does an excellent narration, giving each character a unique sound. My only complaint is with the sound engineering. The sound level is very weak, and some characters are barely audible. Blackstone Audio should do better....more
This is the second book I've read by David Mitchell. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's difficult to say much about the book, without giving away spoilers,This is the second book I've read by David Mitchell. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's difficult to say much about the book, without giving away spoilers, so I won't. But, it is basically a supernatural, haunted house story. People are intrigued by the mystery inside, and go in to investigate, multiple times, at nine-year intervals. So this is a series of short stories that occur at nine-year intervals, and each story is linked to one or more of the previous stories. The style is very British. Highly recommended....more
I enjoy reading science fiction and fantasy, but my mother always says that she does not. She claims that in this sort of book, the author can allow tI enjoy reading science fiction and fantasy, but my mother always says that she does not. She claims that in this sort of book, the author can allow the characters to do "anything", and there are no set rules for the natural world to obey. I generally disagree with her. Good science fiction and fantasy authors invent a world, and they invent the parameters of the possible, and stick within those limits.
However, in this book, I must say, anything goes. There are no limits to the magic; it is boundless and thoroughly unpredictable. This book is a hilarious spoof on the fantasy genre. One of the two main characters, Rincewind, is a failed magician. He only knows a single spell. Yet so much magic happens to him, and he eludes the clutches of fate and death so often, that there must be something magical about him. It is pure, no-holds-barred, fantasy. Every page holds a surprise.
And the surprises are simply hilarious. Rincewind found a frog who asked to be put down on the floor. After the frog was put on the floor, there was a magical tornado spewing magical colors and lightning, and noises, and the frog turned into...a frog! Then comes a goddess, who "comes only when not invoked."
Rincewind finds himself acting as a tour guide for rich out-of-towner tourist named Twoflower. He tries to guide Twoflower through the most evil, dangerous, crime-filled city named "Morpork". Twoflower wants to experience everything, including brawls, fights, dragons, and an unspeakable soul-eater. And he wants to capture his experiences in pictures--he carries around a box that takes pictures. It's not a camera--it's a box with an artistic homunculus inside. At one point, Rincewind says:
"When I said harness I didn't mean harness," snapped Rincewind. "I meant, well. I just meant that--I dunno, I just can't think of the right words. I just think the world ought to be more sort of organized."
This imaginative novel has a host of characters, but there are three main characters: Aomame is a sports/physical therapy trainer, and Tengo, a writerThis imaginative novel has a host of characters, but there are three main characters: Aomame is a sports/physical therapy trainer, and Tengo, a writer/mathematician. The third key character is Fuka-Eri, a 17-year-old girl who grew up in a religious cult, and escaped at the age of 10. Fuka-Eri wrote an imaginative novel, and Tengo is persuaded by his editor to be a ghost-writer, to rework the novel so that it is more literary.
When I first started reading this novel, I was just sucked into the story. For some reason--it pulled me in. Each chapter alternates between the points of view of the main characters. After reading the first two chapters, I thought that the book was a collection of short stories. There was simply no connection between them. It takes quite a while before the connection becomes clear. And there are surprises--I thought I understood Aomame by the end of the first chapter--boy, was I wrong!
Although I have classified this book as "fantasy"--it really is not fantasy. It is not moralistic and would be better classified as "supernatural". The characters slip from the real world of 1984 into a parallel world of 1Q84. In this world, there are little people who walk out of the mouths of dead animals and people, and two moons. Otherwise, the story is based on reality with occasional inexplicable happenings.
This is also a romance; Aomame and Tengo last saw each other 20 years ago while in grade school. They both would like to see each other again, but Aomame admits that she is not willing to go out of her way to find Tengo. She prefers to leave such a meeting to fate.
All that said, I found the book starting to become tedious after a while. It is far too long--it could easily be cut in half without missing crucial components. The flavor became repetitive, and at a certain point the surprises petered out, and the plot became somewhat predictable.
However, this book was translated from Japanese to English by Jay Rubin and Philip Gabriel--and the translation is masterful. The novel reads as if it were originally written in English. Kudos to the translators!...more
Loading...
