Flashback Friday: An author I grew up with (David Eddings)

Today’s post title is a blatant nod to Jon’s awesome alliteration. Don’t worry, Jon. I’m not trying to steal your thunder. This is a one-time deal. Or at least, not a regular thing.

After mentioning David Eddings yesterday, I remembered that he was a fantasy author (perhaps the fantasy author, for me) that I cut my teeth on when I first ventured into this genre. I believe the first book I read was Magician’s Gambit (book three of the Belgariad series).

Instantly enchanted, I amended my out-of-orderly ways and started over with Pawn of Prophecy. Fortunately, Mr. Eddings had already finished both the Belgariad and Mallorean (follow-up series) by the time I discovered his works, so I didn’t have to wait for any of those books to come out. Ditto with the Elenium and Tamuli series. (Sidenote: I’m a bit anxious for Chima’s The Exiled Queen. Ugh, September? Really? I need to pull a Miranda Priestly and have my non-existent assistant get the unpublished manuscript by noon! *wink*)

It’s been years since I picked up an Eddings book, but I remember that his writing was so accessible without sacrificing imagery and rich detail. He proved that you don’t have to use fancy words or a lot of words to tell a good story. And I loved the marriage of uber-epicness and intimacy of his stories. His books wow us with wars between or against gods and saving the world from certain destruction, while at the same time endearing us to his cast of characters by showing development of individuals and relationships. Eddings was a master of the multi-layered, stories-within-stories aspect of high fantasy that typifies this genre.

Sadly, Mr. Eddings passed away in 2007. For our consolation, he is survived by a mini-library of tales that will continue to charm readers from beyond the grave.

This trip down memory lane makes me want to re-read those stories (as well as pick up Eddings’ Dreamer series; I haven’t read those books yet). So you might see some reviews inspired by this post.

What books and authors did you grow up on? Fantasy or otherwise. :)

Familiar fantasy elements: accessible or uninspired?

I’ve been fleshing out the “world” for my WIP while busting out cardio at the gym these last few days. Key people, history of events, allied and competing factions, the role of magic, that sort of stuff. It’s a lot harder and a lot more involved than I expected!

Additional depth and flavor to a story comes by establishing a setting rich with background detail. I think this is especially true of fantasy lit, since the reader can’t necessarily draw from real world knowledge to fill in the gaps. You essentially have to build the world for them from scratch.

While dreaming up these world elements, I often wonder where the sweet spot is between using familiar conventions for accessibility and coming up with unique ideas to demonstrate originality. For example, is it bad to have Tolkien-esque elves in your world, ones that live hundreds or thousands of years and maintain only tentative, lukewarm relationships with mankind? Or fire-breathing dragons that dominate the sky and instill awe and fear in your main character? Or kind old wizards who are a key source of wisdom, encouragement, and power?

I think the term “unique” is very relative in the realm of fantasy lit, particularly those with a medieval, high-fantasy flavor. With all the Middle-earths and Narnias and Prydains on the shelves already, you’d be hard-pressed to come up with anything truly original.

But there’s a difference between “familiar” and “trite”, and perhaps, the elusive formula involves keeping the amount of borrowed elements low enough that your setting doesn’t slip into that latter category. An original story or perspective also seems to go a long way in excusing the use of less innovative material. David Eddings’ Elenium series is an excellent example, including Crusades-style knights, a poisoned queen, and a powerful sorceress among its key pieces. Yet the author’s tweaking and positioning of these elements make for an enjoyable story that has that distinctive Eddings touch. (I think language/writing style has a lot to do with it as well.)

What do you guys think about borrowed fantasy elements? Does it irk you when you encounter them in your reading? Do you appreciate the familiarity that comes with it? Is there a line that should not be crossed? Do you have examples of books that marry familiar fantasy components with unique elements and perspectives? (That last one is a bit of a solicitation for future review material. I have three books on my reading queue already, but I'm always looking for more suggestions!)

Review: The Dragon Heir by Cinda Williams Chima

Title: The Dragon Heir

Author: Cinda Williams Chima

Score: 5 stars (out of 5)

Review: In the war raging across the splintered Wizard world, Jason Haley is determined to prove himself a big player. Risking imprisonment, death, and perhaps far worse, he braves enemy territory in England, where he stumbles upon an age-old hoard of artifacts—weapons that may turn the tide in team Trinity’s favor. Among Jason’s cache of mystic firepower is the Dragonheart, a stone powerful enough to rule the magical Guilds—or destroy them.

In the conclusion to Chima’s Heir trilogy, the author masterfully brings the escalating conflict to a head. The first two books flirted with the idea of an all-out war, but that nightmare is fully realized in this the finale. The stakes are high, the consequences severe. And our band of adolescent heroes is forced to face life, love, and loss all too quickly as adults.

Chima gracefully weaves the intertwining plotlines and agendas, making us privy to the thoughts and motivations of the entire suite of main characters. Although our journey begins with Jason, we get to see the war through the eyes of many other players, both old and new, as the plot progresses. The author stays true to the personalities she established in the prior books. Jack is still the story’s white knight (flaming sword included), Ellen is as spunky as ever, and Seph’s sense of duty hangs even heavier over his heart. Thankfully, the author’s presentation allows these layers to enrich the story without becoming overly complex or disjointed.

One of the book’s most intriguing undercurrents is the moral ambiguity of the characters’ personalities and decisions. None of the “good guys” are spotless, and most of the villains will somehow appeal to your sympathies. The choices these people must make are tough, and you can’t help but give pause, wondering whether you would act as they did.

The Dragon Heir is true to its legacy of eloquent, enrapturing storytelling. This is a fantasy book of epic proportions, laced with themes as real and personal as anything you’ve ever experienced.

Props (but not a book deal) from a literary agent

So, a very off-topic post, but literary agent Nathan Bransford just posted about Apple’s tablet device (to be announced tomorrow), and gave me a nod for tipping him off to Amazon’s new revenue-sharing model with authors as the book giant's pre-emptive response to Apple's anticipated author/publisher split. I'm credited at the end of the second paragraph. No, that's not another Brandon. Promise!

Bless his heart! That totally made my day!

Okay, you are allowed to laugh at me now. :)

I think, therefore I write

I had a bit of a writing/story breakthrough this weekend—at the gym, of all places. See, I’ve recently ditched my workout buddies in favor of some quality “me” time during my workouts. Not to mention that working out with one of my friends typically involves more chatting and catching up than real exercise. So an hour at the gym alone is much more productive than an hour with a buddy. Hooray for efficiency!

Since I don’t have an iPod strapped to my arm (I’d end up singing along, and I don’t want to be “that guy”), I find the gym’s great for clearing my head and thinking things through, writing ideas included. Cardio is a pretty mindless activity (unless I’m doing interval training, oh goodness, I need to start another blog */em grin*), which leaves 95% of my brain to mull over and muse on whatever I fancy. And for the time being, that fancy is my manuscript-in-progress.

I don’t know how unconventional this method of finding think time is, or the fact that I even feel compelled to schedule (to use the term loosely) time to plan my story and thoughts. That’s partially why I’m rambling about it today. I struggle with just sitting down at my laptop and thinking about my story. Perhaps it stems from some self-imposed guilt around time management, like I should be snatching up pockets of contemplation while doing other activities, since a full-time job and the semblance of a social life already impose enough on my desire to put my e-pen to e-paper. When I block out time to sit down and write, I want as much of that time spent increasing my word count meaningfully.

So for you writers out there, do you mix your thinking time with writing time? Do you have designated time away from your home or laptop (whether dedicated specifically or merged with another activity, like gym time)? Or do you just dive right into your writing stream-of-consciousness style? (I’m incapable of that last one. It scares me too much!)

Our beloved hero(ine), and (s)he had better be beloved (by the reader, at least)…

I saw Avatar this weekend. Third time so far (second time in 3D). Yes, it’s that awesome. Kudos, James Cameron. I’m happy to see your Titanic records broken. (Honestly, I didn’t think Titanic was all that. Avatar, though? All that, a bag o’ chips, salsa, guac, queso, and whatever other metaphoric awesome sauce you can conjure.)

Now, I’m usually not one to analyze or criticize movies (I’m actually pretty easy to please as a moviegoer). But as I was watching Avatar this weekend, my mind kept dissecting the main character Jake Sully. His personality, his actions, his motivations. I came to the conclusion that Cameron had very successfully created a “beloved” hero. Not beloved necessarily by the other characters in the movie. In fact, there are times during the movie where perhaps the only one cheering for Jake in the stands is the viewer.

But isn’t that what is most important? That we as viewers/readers are rooting for the hero? (Or heroine. I’m going to refrain from being PC from here on out, and just refer to the main character in the masculine. Sorry, ladies.)

The hero of our story has to be carefully crafted to appeal to our inner cheerleader, and Jake Sully is a great example. He is good-natured and has good intentions at his core. He is flawed, but in a way that makes you hope that he overcomes his weaknesses and succeeds despite his shortcomings. He has deep motivations that fuel his actions and keep us engrossed in the story, eager to see whether his goals are realized. And he grows and changes as the plot progresses, eliciting our approval and pride like a parent seeing the development of a child.

It might be a bit formulaic or derivative to break down the anatomy of a good hero like this, but I think if you look at your favorite heroes from books, movies, even video games, you’ll find that they share many (perhaps all) of Jake’s "heroic" qualities. Certainly, the circumstances and details are different for each story and each character. But at its most basic, there seem to be some very general, universal themes of heroism that entice us to join the fan club.

What are some of your favorite heroes (or heroines) from your reading (or movies! or video games!), and what was it about them that made you love them so much?

My penchant for YA fiction

Hooray for campus interview days at work! Since I’m low enough on the totem pole to not actually do the interviews (I “greet” for an interviewer, which means I'm a glorified receptionist for the day), I have time between escorting hopeful candidates to… get more work done, of course! And post on this blog.

So those of you who have perused my reviews thus far have probably noticed that I have a hankering for the teens and tweens section of the bookstore. I promise that I will review works from the normal sci-fi/fantasy section in the near future! I actually used to read almost exclusively from that sub-genre a few years ago (much love to David Eddings, Raymond E. Feist, and Robert Jordan).

Currently, however, I have been drawn to YA fantasy novels. And not because of phenomena like Harry Potter. (I have yet to read any of Rowling’s mega-hits as of this posting. Don't worry, Sis! It's on my to-do list.) I think I can distill my reasons down to one word:

Simplicity.

In setting, in theme, in language. I love that YA authors tend to keep things simple. For me, one of the challenges of adult fantasy is the complexity and detail overload that bombards the reader. Factions and organizations are interconnected by tentative alliances or centuries of bad blood. Witch-kings and warrior-queens and lord regents and high inquisitors and what-have-you all seek to help or hurt the cast of 50-something main characters, each of whom have suffered the loss of a parent, made love in secret with the enemy, and/or must gather the 198 sacred stones to prevent armageddon. It’s a lot to take in!

Sure, being able to describe the story elements with such attention-to-detail enriches the book’s background and speaks to the genius and creativity of the author. But at the same time, it can bog down the reader who, after a 9- or 10-hour work day, does not have the mental fortitude to make a relief map of the faerie realm or sort out the intrigues within intrigues. (I’m talking about me, obviously.) I’m sad to admit I have yet to finish any of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings novels; that boy had a LOT to say about Middle-earth!

Keep in mind that simple is not mutually exclusive with profound, captivating, or compelling. In many ways, I feel like the spare-yet-elegant nature of YA fantasy fiction enhances the reader's experience, and the author's judicious choice of detail serves to direct, rather than distract, our focus.

Like I said, I will cross back over into “grown up” fantasy for the occasional book or series, but the “page turner” allure of the young adult realm has my heart for the foreseeable future. Haters may call me shallow, immature, simple-minded. I like to think I’m… efficient. :)

Plus, I’m working on a YA novel right now. I need to see what I’m up against!

What is it about the young adult shelf that draws your eye? (Please don't say it's the sexy covers.)

Review Archives

A bit of a quality-of-life enhancement. Or a necessity, if you wanna be mean, since I didn't think of this until now.

Here's a convenient listing of book reviews posted on this blog. Alpha by author. Enjoy!

Number of Reviews: 8

Chima, Cinda Williams - The Dragon Heir
Chima, Cinda Williams - The Warrior Heir
Chima, Cinda Williams - The Wizard Heir
McKinley, Robin - The Blue Sword
Riordan, Rick - Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief
Riordan, Rick - Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Sea of Monsters
Sage, Angie - Septimus Heap: Magyk
Scott, Michael - The Alchemyst

Review: Percy Jackson #2 (The Sea of Monsters) by Rick Riordan

Title: Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Sea of Monsters

Author: Rick Riordan

Score: 5 stars (out of 5)

Review: Despite my initial prejudices, I admit that I was thoroughly enchanted by the first Percy Jackson novel. So much, in fact, that during my New Year’s vacation in NYC, I braved the blustery cold of Manhattan and took the 6 Train down to the Penn Station Borders to buy the second book. I know, reading a book while visiting New York? Blasphemy!

I was completely satisfied with my purchase, particularly since I had a 15+ hour day of flights and layovers ahead before I would be home.

In Percy #2, we are fast-forwarded almost one full school year from the first book’s conclusion. Percy has nearly completed the seventh grade without mythological monster incident. His spotless record, however, gets a big black mark when a group of burly dodgeball opponents turn out to be Laistrygonians (giant cannibals, as the all-knowing Wikipedia describes) sent to kill Percy with their cache of explosive dodgeballs.

With the help of friends both old and new, Percy survives the attack and escapes to Camp Half-Blood, where he learns that the great tree that protects the camp from monsters has been poisoned. Our hero faces opposition from both sides of Camp Half-Blood’s waning magic wall, but with some unlikely aid from a godly source, he sets off to restore the camp’s protection and save a loved one who’s gone MIA.

This second trip into Riordan’s modern-day twist on mythology is even more delightful than the first. The story is fast-paced and lighthearted, with plot developments that, while oftentimes predictable and/or convenient, are still fun and fitting.

One of the more touching points of this book is Percy’s epiphany on true friendship and loyalty and the value of such virtues over peer pressure and acceptance. (I won’t disclose too many details, since I don’t like spoilers.) It’s a didactic moment squarely aimed at Riordan’s childhood audience, but it’s a heartwarming refresher course for readers of all ages. (I promise I didn’t cry; I’ve only cried twice while reading a book.)

Fans of Percy #1 will find more to love in The Sea of Monsters. Be sure to have the Internet or a Greek mythology professor handy, though; Riordan includes some references that are less mainstream this go-round.

Fun post about breaking the grammar rules (and that it's okay!)

I ran across this post while catching up on Nathan Bransford's blog today. Nathan is a literary agent (and a damn cool one, from what I can tell!), who maintains a great blog to help aspiring writers learn how to woo agents and break into that elite group of the published. The post I've linked to is actually a guest blog post by one Susannah Windsor Freeman of Write It Sideways.

The article is an interesting read, discussing two groups of people: Word Nerds (or Grammar Nazis) who require strict compliance with grammar rules (boring!) and Grammar Rebels who know those rules, but knowingly choose to break them for the sake of smooth-sounding phrasing or some other desired effect. Me personally? I'm a freakin' rebel, of course. Who wants to always rearrange their sentence structure to prevent ending with a preposition?

So apologies in advance to you Nerds/Nazis for my judicious use of sentence fragments and first word conjunctions. As I'm not writing a research paper, I don't feel particularly bound to the English rules in my manuscript.

Actually, I take back my apology (or take my apology back, if you want to split infinitives, hah!). Rebels don't apologize, do they? :)

What makes a good story?

Way back when, I talked about figuring out other blog topics besides book reviews, since I can’t read a book a day, but want to post here at about that frequency. I’ve decided to explore this idea with a bit of a selfish twist. Since I am working on a writing project of my own, I’d like to tally up elements of what I believe to be a good fantasy read. I think this will help me to focus and evaluate my own writing as I prepare to eventually embark on that dreaded quest to get published.

Some of these future posts (or sections of them, at least) will probably feel specific to the fantasy genre. However, I think you’ll find that some ideas also have an application to literature and storytelling in general. Dragons and dwarves and damsels-in-distress may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but oftentimes, they merely contribute to a magical, medieval veneer, making pretty wrapping around a universal theme or message that transcends the setting or characters. Isn’t that part of why Harry Potter has enjoyed such widespread success?

I have several “good story elements” spinning in my head at this point. Those will come out in the coming days. In the meantime, I’d love your own thoughts on what constitutes a great story. Getting others’ perspectives will help me to refine my own concept of what a good book will have within its pages.

In other words, comment away!

Review: The Wizard Heir by Cinda Williams Chima

A review two days in a row? Impossible, you say? Well, yes, if I had started reading this book yesterday, but I finished this book early last week. I debated on saving this review until the weekend, but I figure that would be selfish of me. Besides, the longer I wait, the most spotty my recollection of the book gets. And this is a good one, so I want to do it justice.

Title: The Wizard Heir

Author: Cinda Williams Chima

Score: 5 stars (out of 5)

Review: The Wizard Heir is Chima's sophomore offering in her Heir series. In this book, our hero is sixteen-year-old Seph McCauley, a trust fund baby with no parents and a history of disasters caused by the magical energies he can't control. Blowing up and melting things involuntarily has forced Seph to hop from school to school and country to country, seeking a fresh start as well as instruction that will help him harness his talents and prevent further catastrophe. Unfortunately, Wizard teachers seem to be in short supply.

A final incident at a Toronto rave lands Seph at a boarding school for troubled teens, where Seph finds a headmaster willing to teach Seph to hone and control his gift. However, Seph soon learns that the headmaster's intentions for him and the school are anything but altruistic, and the price of training goes far beyond any amount of money or time.

Chima's second foray into this world of incantations and intrigues is even better than her first. I thought that The Warrior Heir was a superb read, but The Wizard Heir features a tighter plot and more complex character development and interaction. Since this is not our first exposure to the magical Guilds, Chima bypasses much of the setting and background exposition that may have slowed her first story. She jumps immediately into the action and plot building, even using the prologue to reference characters and events from the first book's final chapters. The author does a good job of including some cursory background at strategic points so that a new reader isn't completely lost. But as with any series, you get much more by having read what's come before.

I thought the transition to a new suite of main characters was a refreshing move. The protagonists from book #1 (Jack, in particular) are still important pieces on the board, but their roles are more subdued to allow Chima to flesh out another set of characters for our enjoyment. The new cast members are also, perhaps, more interesting than their predecessors from a moral and motivational standpoint. Seph is a selfish, sorcerous playboy when we first meet him. Not evil by any means, but also not the innocent, wholesome specimen that Jack was/is. Jack is immediately likeable, but Seph is, in some ways, more relatable, much as we may hate to admit.

The Wizard Heir is a fine follow-up to the first book, showing further refinement in Chima's storytelling strengths and setting our heroes up for a 3rd book showdown that will rock the realm of magic.

Review: Percy Jackson #1 (The Lightning Thief) by Rick Riordan

Oops, sorry. Still playing catch-up on my reviews, obviously. I spent the weekend catching up on housework (i.e., laundry), making eggs benedict for my friend Diane (highly successful, but time-consuming), ridding my pantry of pantry bugs (bleh, don't ask), and finally taking down my Christmas tree (I know, waiting this late puts me in the running for a white trash award, bring it!). I also finished another book (Percy Jackson #2), started another one (Chima's "The Dragon Heir"), and actually did some writing for my own personal project.

So, here's to catching up still...

Title: Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief

Author: Rick Riordan

Score: 5 stars (out of 5)

Review: So I must admit, when I first thumbed through this book at the store, I rolled my eyes and put it back on the shelf. Skimming the first few pages gave me the impression that Mr. Riordan had simply conjured up a whiny, sarcastic child who would fumble and stumble his way through an impossibly epic legacy, and I would be pissed reading about it. I was not about to waste time on something like that. And even though my sister raved about the series, I almost made it a personal quest to never read these books.

Thankfully, my sister ignored me and included this book among her Christmas gifts.

In this first book of the series, we meet 11-year-old Percy Jackson, a good-natured boy who has been plagued by bad luck and bad circumstances as long as he can remember. At a school field trip to the museum, Percy faces off against a teacher who wants to inflict more than just the pain of detention. The resulting fight for his life puts Percy on a path to discover his special heritage and the responsibilities that such lineage bestows.

I won't pretend that Riordan's first book here isn't, first and foremost, meant for children. The narrative voice, the characters, the plot expositions and twists, these are all decidedly aimed at a youthful audience. Percy is as impetuous and innocent as any 11-year-old, and his sidekicks are not much older (though thankfully, they are oftentimes much wiser). Camp Half Blood, where Percy eventually settles to learn and train as a demigod, is filled with children preparing to fulfill their destiny as the offspring of the Greek pantheon. It's every kid's dream--to have special gifts and talents that set you apart from your peers.

But it's also a dream that adults share, albeit on a more worldly, cutthroat level. Perhaps that is partially the source of universal appeal this book seems to have. We live vicariously through Percy's adventures as someone with greatness on the horizon, mammoth challenges to overcome, and loyal, lovable friends to help along the way.

Reading The Lightning Thief is an indulgence much like watching a Hollywood blockbuster at the theater. It's a story that's not meant to invoke any paradigm shifts, nor does it stir you to action or call you to repentance. But it's a delightful, fast-paced tale that delivers in spades the entertainment and warm fuzzies we all crave. For so masterfully meeting that objective (as well as inspiring me to brush up on my Greek mythology), I can't help but give this book top honors. Call me a sheep. Call me as corrupt or brainwashed as the Academy Award voting body. I don't care. :)

Review: Septimus Heap: Magyk by Angie Sage

Today’s post marks the beginning of my playing catch-up with book reviews. As I mentioned yesterday, I finished three books over the holidays. All page turners, mind you, and I clocked a LOT of time at airports and on planes (including a 16-hour stint from my friend’s Manhattan apartment to JFK to LAX to home, whew!), so don’t be too impressed. For those of you who know me, however, I’m guessing “flabbergasted” is a more appropriate term. Prior to this whole reading/writing endeavor inspired by Mom, I hadn’t really read a book since college a few years ago.

Title: Septimus Heap: Magyk

Author: Angie Sage

Rating: 3 stars (out of 5)

Review: Ordinary Wizard Silas Heap and his wife Sarah are crushed when their seventh son is pronounced dead at birth, but the sudden, unexpected arrival of a newborn baby girl (whom the Heaps name Jenna) provides a new addition to their family to help fill the void. The arrival of Jenna's tenth birthday, however, brings with it the beginning of an epic story that sheds light on the Heap daughter's mysterious origin, sees a kingdom overtaken by an evil Necromancer, and reveals what really happened to Silas and Sarah’s last son.

From its opening sentences, Magyk is immediately recognizable as a book written for young readers. The language leans towards the conversational, and the terms and titles are simplified for an audience less familiar with fantasy jargon or English vocabulary that is too advanced or vague. The most powerful wizard, for example, has the title of “ExtraOrdinary Wizard.” Other official titles given to various characters are Hunter, Assassin, and Apprentice.

This is not to say that the book is particularly boring or lazy in its execution. The book is still a fun, flowing, lighthearted read, and the characters are endearing, if a bit lacking in real depth of personality. Of course, if Angie Sage is targeting the prepubescent crowd, she doesn’t necessarily need to employ a cast of characters who must come to grips with their own personal demons and moral ambivalence.

Still, I think weaving a bit more complexity into the plot and characters would have helped the book appeal to a wider (i.e., more mature) audience. I would have liked, in particular, to see more done on the part of foreshadowing and explaining certain aspects of Sage’s world and history. At times, she suddenly breaks into long expository sections to illuminate the background of an event or character, but some of that explanation could probably have been introduced earlier in the story to hint at things to come. (One very large example towards the end of the book comes to mind, but I will refrain from going into further detail. I have a “no spoilers” policy here.)

Overall, Magyk accomplishes its goal of engaging a young audience in an enchanting, yet accessible adventure, but from an adult’s perspective, the book lacks additional coloring that would appeal to the older crowd. As one of those "old fogies" by comparison, I doubt I will continue the series (5 books so far, at the time of this post) anytime soon.

I'm baaaack!!!!!11111oneeleven!!!!!

Sorry for being MIA. The holidays and a trip to NYC broke my routine. I didn't even have internet access in New York, except through my phone.

But worry not, my faithful readers (all one of you :P). I have not read one, not two, but THREE books in the last couple of weeks, and will likely finish a fourth within the next couple of days. So expect a slew of reviews by week's end. I know, no one really cares. That's partially why I didn't feel like I needed to "blog in" during the holidays.

TTYS!

Review: The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley

I know that it's been a while since I've posted. It's been crazy trying to get everything on my Christmas list done before the fam flies in for a visit. I actually finished my last book a couple days ago. Finally got some time to write about it...

Title: The Blue Sword

Author: Robin McKinley

Rating: 3 stars (out of 5)

Review: In The Blue Sword, young Harry Crewe is living with her new guardians in an outpost palace at the edge of the land of the Hillmen. Her life as an Outlander in this desert initially bores her, but a visit by the Hill-King and his Riders results in Harry being thrust into the Hillmen's world, where she not only adjusts, but thrives.

I have to admit that I had a lot of trouble getting through this book. It's not an easy page-turner, a la The Alchemyst or The Warrior Heir. The writing style is much less compelling. It's almost "quaint" in its execution, very pleasant, but also reserved. Even at points of the story as intense as fighting for one's life, the author does not veer from her matter-of-fact recounting of the events. That's not to say that she writes with no emotion; it's just subdued, as if McKinley is holding herself to some standard of propriety.

But although emotion is more of a background element in this book, it is the engrossing, detailed world that takes center stage. McKinley's description of Harry's surroundings, Hillmen traditions and legends are immersive. Both the Outlander and Hillmen worlds and cultures are familiar, as the author borrows from colonial and desert nomadic material to help build her realm. This backdrop serves to more easily introduce the reader to the very original characters, exotic creatures, and stories McKinley creates.

Overall, I can understand why this book has become a classic in the young adult fantasy realm. For me, it's a matter of personal taste in writing style, and The Blue Sword just happens to be of a writing voice that I don't particularly fancy.

What makes a good review?

Perspective is a funny thing. This week has felt “warm,” despite the fact that high temperatures haven’t crept past the 30s. Part of that is because the sun is out these days, and part is because highs were in the teens last week. Anyway, the sunshine and “warm” weather has inspired me, and you get to be the lucky victims of this inspiration…

Still only about 3/4 finished with my latest read, but I thought I’d start some ancillary posts to fill in the gaps between book reviews. This post marks my first attempt in that direction.

Admittedly, the whole review/rating process is pretty subjective. People have individual tastes that are impossible to ignore completely when opining on, well, pretty much anything. And because of those individual preferences, multiple reviews on the same product or service tend to vary widely (particularly in the case of “average Joe” reviews.)

Take movie reviews, for example. Yahoo! Movies is good at showing rating averages as well as individual scores and reviews, from both critics and regular viewers. The average is just that: an average. Delve a bit deeper to see the individual ratings, and you’ll see that those scores (letter grades, for Yahoo!) usually span the gamut for any movie. Even movies widely lauded will still nab a few F’s from individual viewers. (Critics tend to be more consistent, but only slightly so.) For books, you can find a similar phenomenon over at Goodreads.

Does this mean that reviews and their scores are worthless? Not exactly. Actually, not at all. If they were, people wouldn’t be making a living off of reviewing movies/books/video games/etc. So the idea of reviewing a product or service and sharing your experience with the world must have merit. Isn’t that why we have Ebert & Roper, IGN, and even this blog? :)

So then, it comes down to the quality of the review. To me, this equates to three key aspects:

1.) Defined criteria. The reviewer needs to be clear on the specific standards upon which the final score/verdict is based. That doesn’t mean that we should expect a bulleted list at the top of every review, but in reading through it, those criteria should be explained.

2.) Substantial detail. The review needs to achieve that balance of providing examples to back up its score without becoming too cumbersome with detail or crossing over into Spoilerland.

3.) “Relative” impartiality. Any set of criteria that is too skewed or specific to one’s particular tastes risks alienating a wider audience. I promise to not say a book is bad because it didn’t have bunnies in it. I do acknowledge that demonstration of good writing skills is a standard that may not be as important to a lot of you. Sorry, that’s one I can’t back down on. :) (It’s one of the reasons why I will probably never read through Stephanie Meyer’s books. Again, apologies. Just my flavor.)

So there you have it. My standards when deciding whether to listen to a review or chuck it out the window. I’ll probably post my informal set of criteria for opining on the books I read at some point. What constitutes a high-quality review for you?

Still here (and struggling a bit)

Since I can’t finish a book in a day just yet (my speedreading kit is on layaway), I’m gonna have to figure out some other things to put on this blog. I know you adoring fans await updates with great anticipation.

/sarcasm off

Anyway, for now, just thought I’d pop in and say that I am still plugging away at reading my latest book. It’s a bit of a challenge. The story is slow for a good while, but now that I am about halfway through, it’s picked up the pace somewhat. The language is a bit… dry, as well. It’s very good, very descriptive, but the writer definitely takes her time and throws in quirky details here and there. It does add to the unique charm to the book, but sometimes, I get a bit frustrated. Oh well, I promise not to ditch this one!

Oh also, apparently I need to stop reading altogether until after Christmas. I seem to be ruining someone’s Christmas gifts to me when I speculate on what book to tackle next. Soh-lee Peeg!

New Book: The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley

Well, I had hoped to pick out a book sooner, but grocery shopping + Christmas shopping + bad traffic + driving in the snow + loads of laundry = not getting much reading done. I have settled on Robin McKinley's The Blue Sword, another recommendation by the sister. It's gotten high praise in plenty of other places as well, so hopefully, I won't be as disappointed as I was with another book.

Hopefully, I'll be done in a few days!

Rejected: The Door Within by Wayne Thomas Batson

Ugh, Weather.com says it's 10 degrees F outside, and feels like -1. Maybe winter's onset is chilling my heart and numbing my patience. I make this excuse because I'm about to rip on a book. Those of you who know me personally (and all three of you are following this blog do) are aware that I can be critical at times. I suppose it's no surprise, then, that some of my posts will be less than positive. This morning, you'll get a first taste. Hope you like the flavor.

So there's your warning. Nice people, avert your eyes. Now, on with the show...

Disclaimer: I am writing this "rejection" (not a review, since I didn't even come close to finishing the book) from the perspective of an adult. I am fully aware that this book is aimed at a younger audience (Amazon cites ages 9-12), and so kids that age are much less likely to be irked by the problems I noticed. However, really good YA fiction has appeal to readers of all ages. And if you're gonna write a Christian allegory, you had better believe you'll be getting older readers.

I wanted to like Wayne Thomas Batson's The Door Within. I really did. Even when it felt a bit off and confusing during the prologue, I cut the book some slack. It was, after all, a dream sequence. Authors describe dreams in myriad ways, and in real life, dreams are almost always esoteric and vague. So it's possible Batson meant for the reader to feel disoriented. (I know, it's a stretch.  See?  I started out nice.)

But after reading three-and-a-half chapters more, I couldn't continue. Too many inconsistencies, too little character and background detail, annoying writing quirks. It all adds up to a book that reads awkwardly and frustrates, rather than compels, the reader.

In the first few pages, we meet Aidan, who has just moved unwillingly with his parents out to his grandfather's house in Colorado. Grampin (as he is so oddly named) is getting too old and weak to care for himself. One day, Aidan decides to explore the basement he has feared all these years, and by some twist(er) of sparkly blue magic, chances upon a collection of old scrolls chronicling the history of the kingdom of Alleble. Aidan rushes to his room and hungrily pours over its contents. He becomes enraptured by the detail and realism that he finds within this tale of a fantasy land...

... and that's as far as I got, before I became too jaded to turn the page again.

The book is riddled with inconsistencies. Aidan is in high school (16, I believe), and yet, the tantrum he throws at his father and the way he talks to his medieval figurines makes him sound like he might have cleared the sixth grade. Also, Aidan's an obvious nerd, given that he holds conversations with pewter fantasy figurines. And yet, we learn that at his old school, the most popular guy there chose to become Aidan's best friend. There is no plausible explanation why. No "they grew up together as neighbors" or "they went to the same church" or "they shared a love of fantasy books or Renaissance festivals." It had just happened. C'mon, this is high school, people! Unless some magic spell or serious blackmail is being employed here, a friendship like that would never exist.

Part of that inconsistency seems to stem from lack of detail and background of Batson's suite of core characters. Now I'm not saying that the author should have interrupted his plot with long, expository passages about a character's personal history (as was done in another book I read). But I found Watson to be too miserly in his disclosure of character detail. Aidan is the star of the book, even from the prologue, and yet, after reading almost four chapters, I still don't have a clue as to basic physical features, like height, eye color, hair color, etc. The only thing I recall from those pages is that he is overweight, and that wasn't even revealed until well into chapter two! As for the rest of the cast, I know little about their history and nothing about how they look. Well, I know that Grampin is in a wheelchair. That's it.

Of course, for me, what bothered me most were some of Watson's writing "ticks" that made me stumble through certain pages and paragraphs. I will preface this point of criticism by admitting that there are some sparks of great imagery peppered throughout those pages I read (likening an evil knight's cloak to a gray wing was probably my favorite).

But there were a couple of quirks that I couldn't get over. One was the excessive use of referring to Aidan as "Aidan." It popped up far too often, even in passages where Aidan was the only subject as far as the eye could see. I would've at least expected "he" or "him" to be thrown in more often; seeing "Aidan" so many times was a bit jarring. The other tick that made me laugh/cry/puke was Watson's archaic use of the word "for" as a substitute for "because." "For she was not home," "For he had never," and on and on. He used "for" in that way three times in two paragraphs. Totally bugged. Shouldn't be used that way. For it looks awkward in modern prose. See what I mean?

Anyway, I've ranted far too long on this. Apologies to any Watson fans out there. I'm sure many of you would argue that I haven't read enough to really appreciate the story. It's a somewhat valid argument, but at the same time, if a book doesn't engross me from the beginning, I'm inclined to skip it. For there are plenty of other books out there that do accomplish that feat.

The upside in all of this? I'm now down to just three books to read in 27 days. :)