bakabaka84's reading list for 2011

I did the 100 in 2010 last year only to finish it with half an hour till midnight on Dec 31st to go. Decided i would do the 75 as i want to try to finish up my BA this year so I'm going to have less time to read but figured i could still read 75. Hears to another fun year of reading.

2010 reading list http://www.librarything.com/topic/83254

how i grade
4.5 - 5 stars - great book can't say enough good things about it
4 stars - good book very enjoyable
3.5 stars - enjoyable but missing something to push it to a 4 star level
3 stars - solid performance but nothing spectacular does what it does well enough but doesn't stand out in its field
2 - 2.5 - I did not like/enjoy it much but might be worth a shot for others
.5-1.5 - could barely finish the book it was so bad. might make handy tinder for a fire.

Welcome to the group!

We have an introductions thread if you want to stop in and meet the rest of the crew: http://www.librarything.com/topic/104688

Hello Baka, and welcome to the 75er madness! I hope you will find it as much fun as so many of us do. Never hesitate to pop in on any thread, join the chat, and ask questions, because all of these readers are lovely, friendly people eager to help.

Welcome!

Welcome to the group, Baka! Happy NEw YEar! I also read science fiction and fantasy.

thanks for the welcome everyone.
I updated my first post with my grading scale.



#1 The Rocket To The Moon by Thea Von Harbou - ***

An interesting Sci-fi story from the 1920 written by Thea Von Harbou and later turned into a movie directed by her then husband Fritz Lang. Although the book seems to be a standard adventure story there are some deeper meanings that one unfamiliar with German names and traditions might overlook. I would probably not have enjoyed the book as much if it had not had the introduction Ivor and Deborah Rogers which explains most of the double meanings of the characters names and why they do what they do. It is also interesting in how each character views the moon once they get there, Harbou writes each as viewing it through their Ego which makes their view of the moon the true form according to each person. It gets a little complicated and bogged down in philosophy but the introduction does a good job of explaining it and when you are reading the book you will not notes it as much once you know it is there. Overall a good read if you like early sci-fi or are a fan of Harbous other works such as Metropolis

#2 The September Society by Charles Finch - ****

Another fine mystery from Mr. Finch who i think has outdone himself in writing a story that was better then the first. I read his first book A beautiful blue death for last years challenge and enjoyed it. This one I thought had a better story and more interesting villeins and secondary characters. I also thought that the ending was set up a bit better as well. However i did wish that some of the clues were better explained during the reveal. You also see Lenox's and Lady Jane relationship continue although the part about the stranger visiting her i thought didn't add much to the story. I also have to stay that Finch does a wonderful job portraying Victorian England and makes it come alive with the little anecdotes about places and people. Overall a very good read, if you read the first and liked it you should like this one as well if you haven't give it a try and see for yourself.

#3 Flag in Exile by David Weber - ***

After being put in political exile for killing a fellow member of the nobility in book 4 Honor now has to deal with another plot from Grayson extremists. Although this plot was done in book 2 it still kept me interested. I did like the expansion of Grayson society such as how they reconstructed their swordplay from the movie Seven Samurai. It was also funny that Honor coming from a society that had never seen baseball thought a group of people with baseball bats were heading to start a riot. The space battle however was kind of one sided so there wasn't any suspense weather Honor was going to win or fail. However the return of two old enemy's, one who still holds a grudge for is lose to her in book 2 and one who changed sides and is her 2nd in command was a nice addition and i hope they are brought back in future books. Overall an average addition to the series but it had its good points and to be fair book 4 was a tough act to follow.

i have updated my first post with the link to my 2010 reading list



#4 Murder in Grub Street by Bruce Alexander - ****

The 2nd book in the Sir John Fielding series was just as good as the first. However the mystery i thought was not as good as the one in the first book as i figured it out half way through the book whereas with the first i did not put it all together until the end. Where this book shines though is in its description of life in Georgian London as well as the memorable characters. The mystery took a back seat in the middle of the book as it seemed that they had reached a dead end but i found that at this point i was more interested in the day to day activity's of Sir John and Jeremey that i did not mind. The book ended about how i expected but i was not disappointed. Overall another very entertaining book by Alexander that is a wonderful journey through Georgian London even with the mystery somewhat weaker then the first.

#9: You remind me I need to get back to that series. Thanks!

#9 Hi. It's nice to see a good review of this series. I've had it on my radar for awhile now, but haven't been able to find the first book. Due to my own vision issues, I like books that feature blind characters. I also like historical fiction & mysteries, so these books fit all those categories. Do you think they should be read in order?

#11 I would say they should be read in order as there are events and characters that are introduced in the first book that are important players in the 2nd book.

>9 bakabaka84: I love that series. I read the first 6 and didn't realize there were more until much later--I also need to get back to them at some point.

#5 Slayers Return, Vol. 4 (Slayers (Graphic Novels)) English version by by Hajime Kanzaka - ***

Chronicling the early adventures of Sorceress Lina Inverse. Slayers Return is a break in the series between the first main story arc and the next. It also i think the first time Lina's first traveling companion and self proclaimed rival Naga is introduced. he book is standard Slayers fair with Lina and Naga causing more damaged and mayhem in the proses of stopping some evil doer with the usual slapstick comedy thrown in. I own both the original Japanese as well as the English version, and although i will have to dig out my Japanese version the first story in the English version published by the now defunct CPM Manga seemed to have a bad scan with the art appearing slightly blurry however the rest of the pages in the book appeared fine. you can read this one out of order from the rest of the series as it has no baring on future events and would set the trend for future Slayers special stories that would be about Lina's early exploits and also be standalone books. Overall what i expected from a slayers book mass distraction and comedy.

Hello and welcome to the 75 challenge group for 2011.

Thanks Whisper1



#6 The Poe Shadow by Matthew Pearl - ***

This on was hard to grade as at times i could not put the book down while other times i wished the book would end. I think the main problem i had with the book was that it was written as a memoir of the main character , Quentin Clark and had a scattered feel to it with Clark going of in different directions only to return to the main story a chapter later. furthermore there were some parts of the story that were just plain dull namely the first 2/5 (the book is broken up into 5 parts, or books as they are called supposing to represent the 5 memoir books Clark wrote after the events of the book) of the book. With the 2nd part set in Paris the most dull, which is sad as 19th century Paris should have been a fascinating setting but i don't thing Pearl took full advantage of it. The ending was alright but seemed to me to be a little bit of a let down after the build up and some of the events seemed to be out of left field. Originally i was going to grade the book as a 2.5 but what, for me bumped it to a 3 was the research Pearl did on Poe and the presentation of some of the new information about his death and although the story is fiction much of the information used to piece together Poe's last days is factual and worth another half a star. Overall the book has its ups and downs if you can get through the slow parts it is a decent read and the theory about Poe's death seems plausible it also has some interesting characters.

#16: After reading Pearl's The Last Dickens, I just do not think he is an author for me. Your review of The Poe Shadow does not change that point-of-view.

#17 I might check out his Dante Club if i can find it cheep, but just reading the synopses of The Last Dickens made me doze off. He does good research but i could just read a nonfiction book about the same subject and get the same information, probably faster too.

#18: Agreed.

Hi There

I'm compiling a list of birthdays of our group members. If you haven't done so already, would you mind stopping by this thread and posting yours.

Thanks.

http://www.librarything.com/topic/105833

#7 Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit by Nahoko Uehashi - ***1/2

A good YA read that breaks from the standard fantasy tradition. Balsa, the main character is forced into protecting a young prince who may be harboring a demon that was thought to be killed by the founder of his country many years ago. This may sound like a story you have read before but its how it is told that makes it special. As you read it you get the feeling like you are reading an old mythology tales and not a modern fantasy story. In addition, the world Uehashi created has shades of japan in it but is distinct itself. The one thing i thought was was the most interesting was the slight sub plot on how legends can be distorted. Uehashi, who has a PhD in Ethnology and specializes in Australian Aborigine shows how when a new culture moves into a region that is already inhabited and starts to drastically change the local culture knowledge of the old ways from both cultures suffer and can be forgotten or further distorted as years go by. This is illustrated in the book by both the indigenous Yakoo people and the Yogo people who came to the area only 200 years ago who both have forgot much of their lore and consequently almost dooming the entire area they live in. I found this an interesting idea that is rather deep for your usual YA literature. My only complaint is that some of the side characters could have been fleshed out a little more. Overall if you are willing to break with traditional western fantasy settings i thing you will be pleasantly surprised with Moribito. However sadly the first two books are the only one translated into English with on plans to finish translated the rest of the series.

#21: I was all set to try that one until I reached the last line of your review. Too bad that the rest of the series will not be translated.

#22 i would still say give it a shot as the book stands by it's self really well and i think can be enjoyed without reading the rest of the series.

#23: OK! Thanks for the input.

#8 Honor Among Enemies by David Weber - ****

Thought i was going to only read fantasy this month but strayed back into scifi. Honor is allowed back into a Manticore navy uniform but is given a less then ideal command of a group of armed merchantmen to combat piracy in the unstable Silesian Confederacy and forced to crew the ships with raw recruits and the bad apples from the rest of the navy. This one had the elements that i thought made the first book Basilisk station a fun read with Honor having to take a bad situation and make the most of it to get the job done. Some old hands return and some new ones are introduced. Weber also builds on some of the charters that are the enemies of the Manticore's and showing that although their two governments are at war there are decent people, as well as bad on both sides. In addition a longstanding feud that Honor had with one of Manticore's major businessmen that started in the first book seems to have been concluded. Overall another good addition to the Honor series nice return to the action of space battles after the last two were more focused on political battles. At this point in the series if you have read the first five book you are ether going to love the series or be done with it. Me personnel I'm already looking forward to reading the next book and don't thing I'll tire of the series anytime soon.

#9 Spice and Wolf Vol.3 by Isuna Hasekura - ****

Micro-economics in my fantasy novel!? Its more likely then you think. Once again Lawrence and Holo fine themselves in a new town on their journey to find Holo's home only this time it looks like Lawrence has a rival, Amati, for Holo's companionship and is dragged into a challenge to manipulating the local market by Amati who in an act of youthful brashness wants to marry Holo with a bit of underhanded but legal buisness dealings thrown in to shake things up. It may sound dry but the spice and wolf books have done a good job of making the adventures of a traveling merchant entertaining (see my reviews for books one and two in my 2010 list). You also get to see a step forward in Holo's and Lawrence relationship although for the most part in this one it a bit rocky as secrets that Lawrence has kept about Holos home are reveled. Lawrence as a character probably has the most growth while Holo fear of being left all alone is reintroduced. Overall another good adventure that has me still entertained over a subject that might seem dull. looking forwards to the next book sometime in spring.

#10 Record Of Lodoss War Grey Witch Book 1 English version by Ryo Mizuno - ***1/2

I think a reviewer somewhere else on the web said it best when he said that Records of Lodoss War is as close as you are going to get to D&D in comic book form. The book has the old school feel of the D&D of the late 80's early 90's with the iconic classes and such (can someone say ad&d 2nd edition). The stories been done before "group of adventurers band together to fight evil so its a little hokey but still fun if you can put the simplicity of the story aside. The art still looks good even though the style would become common for a lot of the fantasy manga from the 90's and can still be seen in some today. Although it might be eclipsed by newer fantasy series it still holds a special place in my heart as the anime was one of my first forays into fantasy and so it shaped my outlook on what i read for a good few years and is also probably the reason why i still like to read D&D novels.

#11 The Fleet Street Murders by Charles Finch - ****

Finch does it again with an other fine addition to his Charles Lenox. Two journalist are murdered and Lenox is not sure that Scotland Yards official reason behind them might not be the real one. However Lenox has to leave London to go to the northern town he is running in for Parliament. Lenox's relationship with Lady Jane is slightly strained due to a tragedy that happened to their close friend. There was also some growth in some of the side character and it was also nice to see Leonx face his Professor Moriarty. Overall nice conclusion to the events that happens in the first book and looking forwards to the next book.

#12 Slayers Special: Touch Of Evil by Hajime Kanzaka - ***

More of the early adventures of Lina Inverse with no real continuity and each its own isolated event. Its fun and good for a few laughs with slightly better art then the older books Overall its a fun read but can be skipped unless you a big fan of the original series

#13 Zombie Haiku by Ryan Mecum - ***1/2

Brain left back at home
Zombies can't get it that way
Mindless laughs are had

#14 Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, and Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Frederick Douglass & Harriet Jacobs - ****1/2

I don't know what i can really say that probably has not already been said about these two books by hundreds of others before. these slave narratives show both the suffering of people under slavery as well as the triumph over it. I think that i liked Jacobs book the best as it was the most informative as she gives a lot of information not only about the people around her but all the trials she had to go through while Douglass seems more to summarize up until the last two chapters. This is not to say that his book was not enjoyable but it seemed to gloss over some aspects of his life. In addition, Doughlass's covered more of the physical abuse slaves endured ranging form whippings to starvation while Jacobs seemed to focus more on the mental abuse raging from the anxiety of hiding to a mothers sadness over the fate of her children. I also found both books much easier to read then i thought as i find a lot of the literature form this period to be rather dense which usually lowers my enjoyment. Moreover, the two books are written beautifully and one can really feel the emotion pored into each of the books. Overall i really liked both of them despite their tragic topic and they are books that everyone should be read at least once in their lives for their historical importance and as a reminder of mans inhumanity towards man.

updating my posts with covers gave me an excuse not to work on my paper for a little while. Now back to the grindstone.

#15 World War Z by Max Brooks - ****

I read the zombie survival guide last year and liked it so was looking forwards to World War Z and was not disappointed. Although you don't have to read the guide before reading World War Z there is some overlap that is better understood if you have. Brooks does a good job of telling a story of the zombie apocalypse from its start to humans triumphant victory over the dead through a collection of individual interviews with eye witnesses to the war. The horror in the book comes less from the actual zombies but how people react to a world now filled with the dead. You see example that run the gamut the human condition ranging from those who exploited the situation to the victims of society's collapse. A good chuck of the book is dedicated to the actual fighting that took place starting with the methods that allowed humans to reach a stalemate and the eventual reclaiming of most of the world. Some of the tactics that are proposed might be a little naive and simplistic but that's just the history nut in me talking and doesn't really take away from the enjoyment of the book. Overall i was really impressed by the book it used zombies but did not focus on them, they became the backdrop and the human survivors became the driving force of the story. If you are just getting into it this would be a good place to start as it has all the elements of good zombie books but will not overwhelm you with the undead and provides enough elements to be an attractive read for people who might discount it because it is zombie fiction.

#16 The Crusades (Essential Histories) by David Nicolle - *1/2

An into to the crusades that really does not say much. Although Osprey usually does a great job with their books this one was a real let down. This is not really the fault of the author, who has authored a lot of books for Osprey on this time period but the idea that you could cram a hundred years of crusades, each having different social, political, and economical reason for being into a 97 page book. Only cursory information about the Crusades is given and none of the important battles, people, or locations are given much thought. The book also suffers from repetitiveness as I think i read the exact same few sentences three or four time throughout the book. The high point of the book is the abundant images of artifacts and the colored maps showing the movements of the different crusades. As the book that started Osprey's Essential Histories this is not a real good example of the rest of the series, which has some very good books in it. Overall I would skip this book as it doesn't tell you anything more then the average encyclopedia entry and if you gave up on the Essential History's after only reading this one try some of the other books as this one seems to be the Redheaded stepchild of the group. If you did want to get an intro to the crusades with some more info i would check out the books on the 1st and 3rd crusades, also by David Nicolle from Osprey's Campaign series as they are far superior books.

#17 Marvel Zombies by Robert Kirkman - ***

As with Zombie Haiku, Marvel Zombies is just mindless fun. The art is gory and dark but was a little repetitive. the story is almost nonexistent other then the zombies looking for food and the Magnetos servants surviving on his asteroid base. Although i did fine it interesting that they end up fighting Galactus another entity represented by hunger. Overall Marvel Zombies is nothing special and i would not want to pay full price for it but if you can find it cheep there's worse ways to waist half hour.

#18 The Way of the Gladiator originally published as Those about to Die by Daniel P. Mannix - ***

The impoverished government had neither the funds nor the power to stop the riots. In this crisis, the Captain of the Shipping hurried by chariot to consult with the first tribune. "the merchant fleet is in Egypt awaiting loading," he announced. "The ships can be loaded either with corn for the starving people or with the special sand used on the track for the chariot races. What shall it be?" "Are you mad?" screamed the tribune. "The situation here has got out of control. the emperor's a lunatic, the army's on the edge of mutiny and the people are dying of hunger. For gods' sake, get the sand! We have to get their minds of their troubles!"

These few lines that start Mannix's book on the roman games sum up best how they were viewed by the Romans at the time. The Games were huge spectacles of blood and violence put on to placate the masses and get people elected. As the empire grew they would get ever larger and more extravagant. However as the empire declined the games would take on a more sadistic tone were all aspects of gamesmanship were gone and the mob only came to see the mass slaughter of humanity and animals. Mannix does a good job of weaving an interesting tail of the how the games might have gone, as we do not have a full account of any of the games Mannix takes different snippets form souses like Tacitus, Suetonius and Apuleius as well as filling in the blanks with information from modern animal handlers and probably a little guess work illiterates how a game during the emperor Domitian might have been. This account takes up the middle of the book and although interesting and sprinkled with historical facts and faces is fiction. The historical facts are presented in the first few chapters of the book as well as the last two and give a good account of how chariot racing, gladiator fighting, and animal handling are are done. The weak point of the book is that Mannix does not sight his sources so you cant relay use it for any scholarly work. However even with this fault Mannix probably comes as close as possible to what it must have been like to be at the games while in addition providing a little social commentary between our modern society and the Romans (as much as we deny it we are still enthralled with violence just look at our movies and video games). Overall it was and interesting read that gave some incite in the the brutality of the Roman games and the society that allowed them to happen and then degrade into mass orgy's of blood and cruelty.

Just checking back in after a few weeks absence. Glad to see you liked World War Z. I surprised myself by loving that one!

I thought at first the disjointedness and multiple stories of World War Z would detract from my enjoyment of it but it actual worked real well to create the overarching story that tied them all together.

#38: I need to dig it out and give it a re-read. I wonder where I put it. . .

#19 Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld - ****1/2

Once again i delve into Westerfeld wonderful steampunck wwi world. This time the story takes place in exotic Istanbul as Deryn Sharp, Dr Nora Barlow and the British try to keep the Ottoman Empire from entering the war on Germany's side while Alek is still trying to hide from the Germans who want him dead and trying to find place where he fits in. As with the first book the art by Keith Thompson really helps bring the world to life and i would probably buy the book just for the art plates. However the book does suffer from the normal middle book problems of trying to keep the action and character development from the first book going but wanting to have enough left for the third book. Also there was some new characters, Lilit and her family that a lot of time was spent developing them but now at the end of the book seem that they were just throw away characters that were meant for this book only, I hope I'm wrong as they were an interstate additions and i would like to see them return but have a feeling they will not which is to bad. Overall i really liked the book even with its flaws. The setting of Istanbul really helped keep the story interesting in showing more organic style of mechanical walkers ranging from elephants to beetles as apposed to the colder dehumanized ones the Germans used in the first book. The story is kept interesting and i am looking forwards to the next book.

#40: I really need to get that one read. I enjoyed Leviathan. Thanks for the reminder!

#20 The Punic Wars by Nigel Bagnal - ***1/2

As bad as the essential histories book on the crusades that i read previously was this one more then makes up for it. Bagnall provides a concise account of the causes and outcome of all three of the Punic wars, which pitted the growing Roman Republic against the Carthaginian mercantile empire. Over the course of 118 years both of these Mediterranean superpowers duked it out culminating in the eventual destruction of Carthage and Rome taking the first steps as an imperial power. However, without the restraining influence of Carthage Romes expansionist policy would know no bounds and would eventually be one of the factors that lead to the fall of the Republic and birth of the Empire as people on longer had loyalty to a city that might be hundreds of miles away but to the military generals or local officials which intern increased the level of corruption. But this would be another hundred years in the making but proved that the Punic wars was most likely a watershed moment in western history. Even though this book is meant as an introduction to the topic Bagnall provides even minute details such as the humorous account of the Roman navel commander Publius Claudius Pulcher who after receiving bad omens about starting the navel when the sacred chicken on the ship would not eat stated that if they will not eat then let them drink throwing the chickens over the side of the ship. Ironically after doing this and joining battle with the Carthaginian fleet Publius Claudius Pulcher suffered a devastating defeat and the chickens didn't fair any better. As with other books in the Essential History series this book also looks at the worlds around the wars, the major personality, and the views of the citizens of both sides. In all the book is a great starting point for anyone interested in the Punic wars as the writing is easy to follow and doesn't bogged you down as some scholarly work does. After reading this I'm tempted to pick up Bagnall's other book on the Punic Wars that goes into greater detail.

I will have to look for Bagnall's books too. Thanks for the recommendation!

#21 Breathers: a Zombie's Lament by S. G. Browne - ****

Browne gives us a a refreshing new take on zombies where they seem to be more human then those around them. After reanimating Andy Warner is having a hard time adjusting to his new life . . . or is it undeath. His parents despise him his old friends want nothing to do with him and if he is out past midnight he's guaranteed to be taken to the SPCA by animal control. Whats a guy to do? maybe romance the sexy young zombie in his undead anonymous class or wage a one man war for zombies civil rights. Darkly funny Breathers was a nice change from the normal BRAAAAAAAAIIINS style zombie. Browne gives us a zombie we can root for,while providing a nice little bit of social commentary. the book is about 300 pages but is a quick read, i was surprised that i finished it in one day. My only complaint is that about the ending. It works but it comes after an emotional sucker punch and i kind of feel like Browne took the easy way out instead of staying with the current state of development. Overall a fun read with a new take on zombies that while have you laughing and maybe tearing up just a bit in between the chuckles.

#44: That one looks fun! Thanks for the recommendation. I will see if I can find a copy.

Browne recently came to our local book store so I raced through the book. I so wanted to see him, to support an author visiting our small town but I came down with a wicked cold and missed it. My daughter bought his newest book, Fated, but I haven't read that one yet. She liked it.

I think when I get a chance I'm going to pick up Fated as well, as it sounds just a good as breathers was.

#22 Emma, Volume 6 by Kaoru Mori - *****



#23 Emma, Volume 7 by Kaoru Mori - *****

So with volume 6&7 the main story of Emma comes to a close and just like when i watched the anime it was an emotional roller-coaster. I don't want to say to much about the ending as I don't want to rob they joy of finding out whether the strict social order of Victorian England can be challenged. Suffice it to say that the ending ties most things up nicely. although i do have to say that i feel bad for Eleanor as throughout the series shes been dealt nothing but a bad hand and you do end up wishing thing will get better for her as even her family, maybe with the exception of her sister treat her as nothing more then a pawn in the affairs of high society. As always Kaoru pays meticulous detail to creating a realistic image of Victorian life with her beautiful art throughout the book that, for lack of better words, just feels right. in addition the supporting cast is as lively as ever and really helped round out the series with some becoming just a endearing as Emma and William. I also liked the little side story about the missing hat that was shown in the epilogue section of each chapter in vol.7. As well as the side story about The Prisoner of Zenda. Which I think i might have to pick up as I have no idea how I had never heard of it until now. If there was one thing i would change is that i would read the Emma with the sound track from the show playing in the background as it fit so so well with the anime and I think would enhance the reading of the books as well. although the main story ends in vol.7 there are still 3 vol's left in the series and to my understanding vol 8&9 are a collection of side stories about members of the supporting cast and vol 10 acting as an epilogue to the entire series Overall i can't say enough good things about Emma, and this coming from a guy who usually dismisses these kinds of stories. If you like romance, historical fiction, manga, or just great looking art and story read this series.

If you want to hear some of the music from the series you can find it on youtube
some of my favoriest are
Silhouette of a Breeze
Silhouette of a Breeze Celtic version
Menuet for Emma
Crystal Palace (put emma in the search bar as well or you will get a lot of results)

I will have to look for those Emma manga books. My oldest daughter really likes manga. Thanks for the recommendations!

No problem. One problem you might run in to though is that they have been out of print for about a year and a half. the first 6 vol's or so and vol 10 can still be found somewhat easily but 7-9 harder with 7 the hardest to find, took me half a year to fine a copy that was not overpriced.

#24 Emma, Volume 8 by Kaoru Mori - ****1/2



#25 Emma, Volume 9 by Kaoru Mori - ****1/2



#26 Emma, Volume 10 by Kaoru Mori - *****

As i stated in my review of Emma vol 6-7, vol's 8-9 had a bunch of side stories. Some of them were interesting but others not so, such as the story at the end of vol 9 about the three opera singers. However I did like the story called Times which use the London Times as a focal point kind of as if it was eavesdropping on the conversations of some of the side characters throughout the city. Also it was nice to see that Eleanor might get her own happy ending after all. It was also fun to see some of the back stories for a few of the characters. The final few chapters of vol 10 ended up being the epilogue and takes place sometime in 1901 as it is mentioned that Queen Victoria has died and a new age has dawned. which i think places it about 3 years after the ending in vol 7. My only complaint with the epilogue was that it didn't tie up the problems with the Campbells and it still seems as if they are still ostracizing the Jones family from high society. Even with this minor flaw Emma ends on a high note and it was nice to see all of the main and supporting cast together one last time in celebration. In the end Emma was an enjoyably series that I look forwards to rereading and to reading Kaoru's two other series.

#27 The Anatomy of Deception by Lawrence Goldstone - ****

Set in Philadelphia in 1889 and dealing with the historical figures of Dr.William Osler and Dr. William Stewart Halsted, Goldstone weaves an interesting historical mystery. When a body of a dead woman in the morgue of Philadelphia University Hospital goes missing a day after Dr. Carroll witnesses Osler and another of his colleagues strange reaction upon viewing the body, and when another body soon shows up Carroll set out to find out how the two deaths are connected. To do this he will have to travel to the shady waterfront districts and juggle the intrigue of Philadelphia high society while possibly working to put one of the greatest medical minds behind bars. The Anatomy of Deception was a nice page turner and Goldstone did a nice job of blending fiction and fact to created a believable tale and medical mystery. Goldstone payed particular interest to the medical procedures of the time and give a few graphic examples of what surgery as well as autopsy's were like. The mystery itself although nothing new was still interesting however the ending seemed a bit rushed and sometimes seems to take a back seat to the presentation of the medical procedures. Although knowing Carrolls character by the end it works out. Another theme that i found in the book was the act of deception itself. Almost all of the main characters are lying or hiding some aspect of their life and it was interesting to see how each justified or dealt with their deceptions. Overall I relay liked this one. Goldstone does a relay good job of recreating turn of the century Philadelphia and creating an entertain mystery.

That sounds like a really good one! Better than a historical mystery is a historical medical mystery!

Well now that the semester is over i can get back to my reading list. Some how I got two books in during May but the last three weeks have been so hectic i have not had time to update my list



#28 In Enemy Hands by David Weber - ***1/2



#29 Echoes of Honor by David Weber - ****



#30 Ashes of Victory by David Weber - ***

I though that as all three of these books represent an entire story arc in the Honor Harrington series id review them all at once.

In the first book we see Honor captured by the People Republic and sentenced to be executed on the prison planet known as Hades. The story was typical Honor books with action, political intrigue, interesting characters. However, as Honor was almost captured by the enemy in the previous book i found the situation they used this time some what contrived. I understand why they did it that way as Honor needed to resolve the issues with Admiral White Haven and push form the new weapons platforms that play an important part in the next two books before she was captured and it allowed for the introduction of the Peoples Republic Admiral Lester Tourville but i thought it could have been handled better. The rest of the book goes over Honor and her crews imprisonment as they are headed to Hades and the spectacular escape attempt at the end. Overall a decent read but not the best in the series it sets up the next two books well and intrudes characters that are major players in later books as well

In the next book we see that although Honor escaped the clutches of her executioners she and her crew are now strand on Hades and in typical Honor fashion she decides to organize a jail brake. The book takes place over about two years as Honor and her group have to make contact with the local prisoners and learn the patrol patterns of the guards. At the same time the Peeps (slang for Peoples Republic) make a fake execution video of Honor to cover up the fact that, although they presumed she was dead had killed one of the leaders of the Republic during her escape attempt. With Honors allies in shock over her proposed death the Peeps launch an other offensive but meet up with the new weapons the Mantacore alliance has developed which rip part of the operation to shreds. Meanwhile Honor successfully takes control of the prison and orbital defenses which she uses to pirate any ship unlucky enough to come by building up a small fleet that she then uses to evacuate almost all of the prisoners to safety. Of the three books i would say this was the best. I liked the change from just space combat to the ground combat which had been over looked for the most part sense the first book.

The last book in the arc was for me my least favorite. The book starts out good with Honor coming home and the heart worming moments when she reunites with her family and friends. However once that is done it gets bogged down in political wrangling and a poorly thought out assassination plot. By this time the war that had started in book 3 is winding down the Peeps are back on the defensive due to the new tech the Mantacore alliance has and political unrest at home. Some of the Peep admirals who have a conscience and don't like the rain of terror that has permeated the government for so long make their move while the Peep government try's to assassinate the heads of the Mantacore alliance. The assassinations in the book seem to pop up from nowhere and really needed to be expanded as they really only played themselves out in the last 40 pages of the book while a good chuck of the book was filled with techno gibberish that could have been ct out. Overall it ends on a bitter note but sets up thing for the next book which takes place a few years later.

Overall there were some ups and down in this arc. I liked that some old character return and the some of the new one were just as interesting. I could have done with more space battles and less tech readouts but at the end everything was tied up nicely.

#31 Spaceman: Unarmed and Ready to Launch Edited by Jillian Ogle - ****

Once again I was able to pickup Lavapunch's latest offerings and meet some of the artist this year at FaimeCon. For their newest book Lavapunch has created an anthology centered around their group mascot Capt. Spaceman (actual an armless Deep-six GI JOE). Each artiest offers their own take on Spaceman ranging from the touching to the down right bazaar with each story offering its own artistic style. If you like quirky humor and some excellent art from some cool independent artists check out Spaceman.

my favoret entrys were:

Unarmed and Dangerous by Alex Ahad and Kent Salvatore

Untitled by Alpha Gamboa

The Continued Exploits of Captain Perry by Roald Munoz

Escape Velocity by Jillian Ogle and Evon Freeman

#32 The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole - **

What to say about Otranto. Its interesting in that its the archetype for the Gothic novel but that's about it. The paragraphs were overly long and full of boring dialog that really went nowhere. In fact you could probably shrunk the book down to about 50 pages if you cut out all the hand wringing. I should have taken the hint when the introduction even states that the book was not that great. As a literary oddity and the start of the Gothic novel the book has some value but as an enjoyable read the book falls short. I wouldn't recommend it unless your an English major or absolutely love 1700s literature.

The Anatomy of Deception looks terrific. Thanks for the recommendation of that one!

#33 World War One: A Short History by Norman Stone - ***1/2

Stone provides a concise and easily readable account of WWI in about 200 pages. Although the book is short, as the name implies it is chocked full of the major information about the build up to war, the war itself, and the aftermath. Each chapter in the book is broken up into one year of the war and goes over the major action for that year. If your looking for detail of specific battles you will not find them here as only the basic outline of the action is presented. In addition Stone does not go into much detail about the technological advances other then to state that they happened. Moreover the book also mainly focuses on the European fronts and leaves out the sideline actions such as the ones in Africa, Arabia, and Persia. One thing that was a nice addition to the book was the inclusion of an additional source that has some of the more resent works on WWI listed. The one theme that seems to permeate Stones work is the ineptitude of the leaders on all sides. Time and time again it is shown that the men in charge failed or refused to learn from their mistakes and continued to send men into the meat grinder. Once the leaders started to amend their tactics it was to late in the war to have much affect other then to waist more lives. Overall even with it exclusions I liked Stones account of WWI it was easy to read and had some insight into the start of the war that i had not seen before (and it didn't hurt that it had one of my favorite pictures from WWI on the cover). I would say its a good place to start for someone who wants to learn more about WWI but found the much larger books daunting or as a refresher on the topic.

Nice review. I read The Guns of August a few weeks ago. It was a nice discussion of the run- up to and first month of WWI. I'll put Stone's book on my list.

Thanks drneutron. I can't believe I've overlooked The Guns of August I'll have to add it to my list.

#34 Fairy Tail Volume 3 by Hiro Mashima - ***1/2



#35 Fairy Tail Volume 4 by Hiro Mashima - ***1/2

More fun with the rowdy mage's of the Fairy Tail guild vol 3 finishes the Lullaby/Strongest team arc and vol 4 starts the cursed island arc. Overall fun light reading with an interesting take on mage's.

#36 Lost to the West by Lars Brownworth - ***

In Lost to the West Brownworth gives a brief account of the creation and fall of the Byzantine empire. Brownworth goes over the people and periods he feels are the most important linking them all together with subsequent chapters that move the history along chronologically. Sadly even in the chapters about specific periods and people not much in depth information is given. If this is your first introduction to the history of the Byzantine Empire this might be alright but if you have read anything on it before nothing new is presented and some impotent topics such as the widening gulf between the Western and Eastern church could have been expanded upon. Where Brownworth shines is in his writing style as it seems you are reading an exiting story rather then a history book. He seems to bring to life the emperors and generals trying to show what it must have been like to be in Constantinople when Justinian ruled the vast empire or the agony Constantine XI must have felt when the walls of Constantinople were breached and the 1000 year empire was at and end. Overall Brownworth provides enough to wet the apatite of anyone who wanted an introduction to Byzantine history but there is not much substance for history buffs. I would say a better intro to Byzantine history would be Warren Treadgold's A Concise History of Byzantium as it adds more meat to the bone then Brownworth's skin deep account. This is not to say that i didn't enjoy Brownworth's book, as i did but i didn't really learn anything I didn't already know.

#37 Rosario Vampire Volume, 1 by Akihisa Ikeda - ***

Average student Tsukune Aono failed all his high school entrance exams faced with not getting to high school when his parents take a flier from a strange monk for a private academy. With no other options and forced into it by his parents Tsukune enters Yokai Academy. The only problem is that Yokai Academy is a school for monsters and if they find out hes a human they will kill him on the spot. However the one bright spot for Tuskune was meeting Moka Akashiya a cute vampire who has a liking for the taste of his blood and when her Rosario (a cross with a rosary in it ) is removed has the power to kick the ass of any monster that comes at her . The art is standard for a comedy manga and i like how all the different monsters are portrayed so far. The story so far has been episodic school comedy with a new monster causing trouble and Moka beating the crap out of said monster. Overall Rosario Vampire is good for a few laughs and i like the monster theme but I've seen this plot before in lots of other mangas.

#38 Rosario Vampire, Volume 2 by Akihisa Ikeda - ***

Same as the first volume. A new main character is introduced and there are some hints of the start of the actual storyline staring at the end of this volume. I do have to say i like Ikeda's take on Medusa doing a different take on the snake hair and the irony of making her an art teacher.

Swiped this survey from Sara's 75 books thead. Pass it on

1. Favorite childhood book? Swiss Family Robinson

2. What are you reading right now? Ballistic Babes

3. Bad book habit? buying more books then i have time to read, reading when i should be finishing papers for class, Anal retentive about keeping covers and spines undamaged to the point i will buy another copy so that i have a pristine copy.

4. Do you have an e-reader? Nope. I like the feel of actual books in my hand and a bookshelf full of e-readers would be silly

5. Do you prefer to read one book at a time or several at once? Several at once. I usually a novel, a short story collection and a manga

6. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog? I don't blog but they did change after joining LT.

7. Least favorite book you read this year (so far)? The Crusades (Essential Histories) was really bad

8. Favorite book you’ve read this year? So far i would have to say World War Z

9. How often do you read out of your comfort zone? Rarely took me almost 10 years to get out of my comfort zone of fantasy books

10. What is your reading comfort zone? Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Manga, History, Historical Fiction, Mystery, and some Horror

11. Can you read on the bus? Yep i even read when i walk to the detriment of others

12. Favorite place to read? sofa

13. What is your policy on book lending? Only to my closest friends

14. Do you ever dog-ear books? Nope why would i want to damage my books

15. Do you ever write in the margins of your books? Never

16. What is your favorite language to read in? English.

17. What makes you love a book? If the story is so good i cant put it down

18. What will inspire you to recommend a book? to people i know nothing everyone else $$$

19. Favorite genre? Still have to say Fantasy.

20. Genre you rarely read (but wish you did)? Classics

21. Favorite biography? I don't read many biographies. does the Gallic wars by Julius Caesar count? Twelve Caesars, or any of the Greek and Roman lives by Plutarch

22. Have you ever read a self-help book? If how to draw books count as self-help then yes

23. Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or non-fiction)? probably Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, and Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl

24. Favorite reading snack? Cola and Cheez-its

25. How often do you agree with critics about a book? about half

26. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews? if I give the book a bad review it deserved it as I'm not getting the time I wasted back

27. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you chose? Japanese

28. Most intimidating book you’ve ever read? Any school textbook especially if its for math

29. Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin? A Tale of Two Cities, Les Miserables

30. Favorite Poet? don't really have one

31. Favorite fictional character? There are so many but to name a few Balalaika from the Black Lagoon series, Harry Dresden, Lawrence and Holo from Spice and Wolf

32. Favorite fictional villain? Sand dan Glokta from the The First Law series, Prof. Moriarty, Darth Vader

33. Books I’m most likely to bring on vacation?something that is a fast read

34. The longest I’ve gone without reading. probably a few months

35. Name a book that you could/would not finish. i haven't found one yet but there have been a few that came close.

36. What distracts you easily when you’re reading? TV and my computer

37. Favorite film adaptation of a novel? Lord of the Rings, 13th Warrior, Jurassic Park

38. Most disappointing film adaptation? brave new world made for tv movie that gave the story a happy ending

39. The most money I’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time? $100 or so

40. How often do you skim a book before reading it? not often i usually just read the back or the inserts

41. Do you like to keep your books organized? On the shelf they are organized by size. floor stacks are random however

42. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you’ve read them? Keep 'em but i will give books away if it turns out i never will read them

43. Are there any books you’ve been avoiding? The ones that are in my stacks that have been there for at least a year.

44. Name a book that made you angry. Can't think of any but any book that takes things out of context is a hatchet job, or uses historical inaccuracy to try and make the story more interesting or misrepresent probably would get me angry.

45. A book you didn’t expect to like but did? Escapement by Jay Lake didn't really like the first book in the series so wasn't expecting to like the second one

46. A book that you expected to like but didn’t? The Poe Shadow it was dull

47. Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading? Manga and Graphic Novels

#39 Ballistic Babes by John Zakour - ***1/2

Ballistic Babes contains books 3-4 of The Adventures of Zachary Nixon Johnson.
In book 3 "The Radioactive Redhead" Zach s hired by the teen pop star Sexy Sprockets after she received death threats from a group calling itself PATA (People Against Talentless Acts). However to complicate things Zach also has to deal with a TV producer that wants him to star in a show where they try and kill him each week and keeps sending out hit teams for him to fight.
For Book 4 "The Frost-Haired Vixen" Its the Holidays and Zach is hired by Santana Clause the CEO of the North Pole Organization, which is tasked to give 3 presents to ever person on earth. But when elves start are found dead it it seem that someone is out to put a permanent humbug on the holiday sprite.

Although I didn't read the first two books in the series i found that i could jump into these easily as each book is only loosely connected. part satire of our society, part pulp tribute, and part tribute to hard-boiled detective stories Zach's stories are good for some light humor reading. I would have to say that i liked the Radioactive Redhead better then the Frost-Haired Vixen as i though its story was more entertaining and characters more interesting. I also liked some of the geek humor that was thrown in such as DOS being a swear word for anything that sucks or is aggravating and Pentium used to describe anything that is slow. A lot of the humor is akin to the stuff you would find in the Myth Adventures series by by Robert Asprin so if that's not your cup of tea you might want to skip the Zachary Nixon Johnson books. Overall they were some fun quick reads filled with femme-fatale, dastardly villeins, and sarcastic computers.

#40 Vampire Hunter D, Vol. 1 by Hideyuki Kikuchi- ****1/2

This is the 2nd media adaption of the first story of Vampire Hunter D that i have seen, I saw the anime adaption from the 80's when i was a kid. The story is somewhat typical. girl get bit by one of the Nobles (a race of Vampires that rule the post apocalyptic world of the future) hires D to kill said vampire and take it from there. Although the story is nothing new what really make the book shine is the world building that Kikuchi has done. I love the idea that the monsters and mutants of the world were created by the fallout of nuclear war, science and that human society is reduced to that of the middle ages. I also liked that although the Nobles stepped into the ruling roll of the world and ruled through fear they also helped the save what was left of society(the nobles still have access to high tech like satellites while humans are at a tech level of about 1800-1900s. However now after thousands of years of ruling they themselves are corrupt and must be hunted down in order to save humanity. The art in this adaption is amazing it dark, sexy, and haunting all at once. In addition, the art of Yoshitaka Amano, who did the cover art for the original novels and would seem that Saiko who did the art for this version was heavily influenced by Amano but still puts his own spin on it. Overall its a mix of sci-fi, western, and horror that works real well. It has some beautiful art and is a quick read that is sure to entertain.

#41 Steampunk edited by Ann & Jeff Vandermeer - ***

Meant to be an introduction to the Steampunk genre the book that shares the same name was rather hit and miss. The essays that start the book off explain the origins of steampunk and its eventual evolution are worth reading, as they show you that the idea of steampunk is a lot older then most of us would expect having its origins in the penny dreadfuls and dime novels of the past. It is also interesting reading the excerpt from Michael Moorcock's The Warlord of the Air, as it is though to be one of the books that influenced and the many of the early modern era steampunk writers of the 1980's. However once you get to the stories themselves the book starts to strike out. The stories do their job of showing different aspects of the genre, although I did find that some, namely The Giving Mouth and Excerpt From the Tribes of the Pacific Coast only had a tenuous linking to Steampunk. Some of the other stories in the collection I just found rather dull and had to force my way through them. However, there are a few Gems that I really liked:

A Sun in the Attic by Mary Gentle asks the question of the worth of progress in a society
The Selene Gardening Society by Molly Brown tells of a group of Victorian ladies who want to turn the moon into a garden
Seventy-Two Letters by Ted Chiang shows a world where Kabbalistic magic is used to create scientific wonders
Victoria by Paul Di Filippo tells a tale of mistaken identity where a Homunculus that looks like a young Queen Victoria is placed on the throne when the real Victoria run away.

The essays at the end of the book were also nice as they give you a brief survey of steampunk in movies and comic book form as well as gives you a nice list of some of the authors favorites. Overall. the book was just average for me. Its a good introduction to the genre and the essays really help but i wish they had done a better job at selecting some of the story's.

#42 Myth Directions by Robert Asprin - ***

Another adventure where Skeeve, Aahz, and Tananda get more then they bargained for. Tananda takes Skeeve on a shopping trip through the dimensions until she finally settles on a Trophy that is probably the ugliest thing Skeeve had ever seen. However finding the trophy was the easy part getting a hold of it is an entirely different mater. Skeeve and the gang get roped into playing some contact sports to try and get a trophy that only an insane person would want. As with the other Myth Adventure books this one was a quick read that does nothing special but fun none the less and is good for a few laughs.

#68: I would like to get my hands on a copy of that book just because I am a big fan of the steampunk genre.

#43 Doppelgangsters by Laura Resnick - ***1/2

Off Broadway actress Ester Diamond is between jobs when the show she was part of is canceled. Needing to find a job to bay the bills Ester take up her old job at Bella Stella's Italian restaurant which also happens to be a well known Mob hang out. When Ester witnesses the murder of a well known gangster who swears that he had just seen is exact double, Ester must now work with her old friend and wizard Max to prevent a all out Mob war from erupting while trying to juggle her cop boyfriend, who is working the case and trying to get another acting job. Although this is the 2nd book in the series (however its the first published by DAW) the prologue sums up the events of the first book well enough that you can start the series with this one. What originally garbed my attention when I bought it was the lovely cover art and interesting name. I mean how can a book with a name like Doppelgangster to be interesting? The book itself was an easy read and I liked Ester's character as she herself has no special powers but gets caught up in supernatural dealings. The mystery was good however I had kind of figured it out about halfway in. Even though the book is urban fantasy, the fantasy part only really plays a small part in the story and doesn't go much farther then the concept of Doppelgangers sent out to cause the deaths of their counterparts or that Max is a wizard. I was originally going to give the book 4 stars however I found a few proofreading errors in the book that would bring my reading to a dead stop to try and figure out what they had meant to say so i have to dock it a little because of that Overall it was a nice blend of urban fantasy, mystery with a little dash of romance thrown in for good measure and I am looking forwards to reading the next book in the series.

#71: I will give that one a try some time if I can get my hands on a copy. Thanks for the recommendation.

#44 iZombie Vol. 1: Dead to the World by Chris Roberson - ***

Another interesting twist on zombies. After dieing Gwen didn't stay quiet like normal people did she came back as a zombie. Now unless she eats a brain at least once a month or she will turn into a zombie strait out of the Night of the Living Dead. Good thing that her dead-end job as a grave digger allows her easy access to a supply of semi-fresh brains. However, the only problem for Gwen when she eating someones brain is that she also absorbs their memories and her latest meal seems to have been murdered. Vol 1 contains issues 1-4 of the comic so the story hasn't really started yet. For the most part this volume sets up the story. You are introduced to Gwen, her friend Ellie, a ghost from the sixties and Scott a Were-Terrier. Your also introduced to a group of vampires that use a paintball range to attract potential meals and a Mummy man who seems to know more about Gwen's current state then even she does. By the last issue in the volume they start to hint at the main story but I'll have to wait till the next volume comes out. The art is rather simple looking but kind of has a retro feel to it that works with the story. I also liked the quasi Egyptian explanation for the different form of monsters and the idea of a Were-Terrier is hilarious. Overall its fun and another interesting take on zombies but as the main story has not started yet i can't give it more then 3 stars. Once the main story picks up im sure i will be giving it at least another star.

#45 Feed by Mira Grant - *****

I really liked this one and would probably say that this is the best zombie book I have read so far even beating out the books from Max Brooks. The post zombie world that Grant creates is very believable and I though the use of bloggers as the worlds news source an interesting idea.I also liked the idea the there are different kinds of bloggers. You have the Newsies who report the news, Irwins who go out and poke zombies with sharp sticks, and the Fictionals who write story's and poetry about events. In addition the idea that the zombification comes from a mutation of two viruses meant to cure cancer and the common cold and that everyone is now a carrier that will reanimate after they die really adds to the paranoia that you see in this world were on an average day you might have to go through 5-6 blood test just so toy could get into your house. I also liked the tongue in cheek references to George Romero and his movies, with George and Georgia being the most common name post zombies. However, you find that find out rather quickly that the in this world the zombies might be the least of Georgia & Shaun Mason's problems once they are selected to be part of the press-core for a presidential candidate. As it seems that someone is out to make sure it is a very short campaign and even after the dead have come back politics is still a dirty business that could get you killed. I don't want to give to much away as it would ruin the story. But if you like zombie books, political intrigue, or conspiracy pick up feed as it has it all. Overall I loved this book and cant wait to get the next book Deadline.

#46 Dance in the Vampire Bund, Vol. 1 by Nozomu Tamaki - ***1/2



#47 Dance in the Vampire Bund, Vol. 2 by Nozomu Tamaki - ***1/2



#48 Dance in the Vampire Bund, Vol. 3 by Nozomu Tamaki - ***1/2


After years of hiding in the backgrounds of history the leader of all the vampires Mina Tepes decides to bring them into the light. Paying of the entire national debt of Japan in exchange for the right to build a haven for vampires off of Tokyo Bay for the worlds population of vampires to live in. However some humans and vampires do not like the idea and will stop at nothing to bring about the Bund's and Minas downfall. Its an interesting take on vampires and vampire society, although there are some hold overs from standard vampire fair (werewolves working for vampires, noble house ect.) I liked the idea that vampires true from (their no human or at least normal human) is a representation o their inner desires so a bloodthirsty vampire who's bent on nothing but feeding might look like a giant bat but a vampire with nobler intentions might look like almost normal except for claws or wings. By the third volume it would seem that Mina as more to fear from her fellow vampires then their human neighbors. There as also been some foreshadowing about who is behind the attacks but a lot of it is still in the dark. The arts good and the story moves at a nice pace so far. Overall I liked the Vampire Bund but I wouldn't let younger readers read it due to the nudity and some questionable subject material.

#74: One of these days I am going to get to that book!

@76 you really should its amazingly good

#49 Deadline by Mira Grant - *****

Warning spoilers

Taking place a few months after the end of the first book Deadline was just as good as Feed. The second book in the series this time is from Shaun's perspective rather then Georgia's so this one has a little more action and run and gun but Shaun is not the same man he was a few months ago. He's more moody, more then likely mentally unstable and has left the field as an Irwin taking on the roll of managing editor of the blog he and Georgia crated during the Presidential race in the first book. However, just like the first their is a deadly conspiracy that had ties to the first book and some revelations about the organization tasked with finding a cure for the virus. Just like in the firs book none of the main characters are truly safe and Grant has no qualms about killing some off. My only complaint about the book is that the end of the book was so out of left field that it took my by surprise and now I have to wait a year for the next book. Overall another excellent book from Grant but i hate that i have to wait a year to finish the series. At lest there is the small prequel book Countdown: A Newsflesh Novella to hold me over till then.

#50 Phoenix Rising: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel by Pip Ballantine - ***

In which we find interesting characters but suffer a rather bland plot that is debased by foreshadowing. I'm rather ambiguous about this one as I really liked the characters but there was so much foreshadowing about future events that the main plot seemed to almost be an afterthought. Books and Braun are delightful creations and their banter was what really made the book for me. Books the Ministry archives is a by the book agent who seldom travels outside of the archives while Braun is a no nonsense field agent who after disobeying orders during an assigned to work with Books in the archives. during their time in the cold case section of the archive they uncover a plot by a secret society who wants to bring down the empire. Sounds well and good but the problem is that the Ministry is already fighting another secret organization the House of Usher. Add to this a political plot by a government official who wants to close the Ministry, an Italian fem-fatal who plays both sides of the secret evil organizations, Books and Brauns past, and the leader of the Ministry seeming to be hiding something and you can see where the story gets a little jumbled. Most of these events are only hinted at and not really resolved and I think it would have been better to keep that stuff for the 2nd book. Overall the plot could have been handled better but the book is worth reading for the characters I'll probably get the next book but I hope there is less foreshadowing

#78: Ack! I still need to read Feed - one of these centuries.

#51 Claymore, Volume 17 by Norihiro Yagi - ****1/2



#52 Claymore, Vol.18 by Norihiro Yagi - ****1/2

Both were good. Most of the plot threads that were leading up to this come together with Clare finally is confronted by Priscilla who after suppressing her need to feed on human flesh for 7 years awakens in an orgy of blood lust killing all around her. The organization seems to be making its move now that a power vacuum after Isley is killed and Riful severely hurt by the new Abyssal Feeders. Overall good and I'm looking forwards to reading the next vol. when it comes out next month.

#53 Trading in Danger by Elizabeth Moon - ***1/2

When the Space forces throw Kylara out as a convenient scapegoat she is forced to fall back on the family business of shipping. But when a supposed milk run gets a her stuck in the middle of a civil war its going to be her military skills not business skills that are going to get her through it. I liked the change this book brought from the strictly pure military space operas that I have been reading lately. The world that Moon created is nice although she kind of throws you into it head first and doesn't go into the back story of how the different worlds were colonized or all the techno specks about the ships. The first few chapters might be slow for people not interested in fictional trade enterprises but the action picks up fairly fast after that and its nice that the main characters don't come off as Mary Sue's. Overall a nice page turner but if you start this one be prepared to read the rest as this one also sets up the rest of the series and leaves something unexplained.

I have only read one of Moon's books to this point, Remnant Population, but I loved that one so much that I look forward to reading more of her books one of these days.

#54 Marque and Reprisal by Elizabeth Moon - ***1/2



#55 Engaging the Enemy by Elizabeth Moon - ***1/2

Both books 2 and 3 of Elizabeth Moon's Vatta's War series were pretty good reads. in Marque you see Kylara deal with the aftermath of the surprise attack on her family ending in most of their death while all means of communications suddenly go out on multiple planets. Seeing that something is up Kylara starts toying with the idea of fighting back which is made easier by the letter of Marque that was mysteriously left for her at her last stop. By book 3 Kaylara is fully committed to fighting the pirate alliance that is responsible for the deaths of her family and taking out the communication networks. However most of the planetary governments want no part of her idea to organize all the active privateers into an interstellar police force thinking that if they stay out of it the pirates will leave them alone. after reading 3 of Moons books i'd have to say i like her writing style and passing. Where other sci-fi writers like Weber might have combined these books into one 700 to 900 page book Moon gives you little snippets of the main story while adding a lot of flavor to the universe she created. I especially liked the Moscoe Confederation the she created with their strict adherence to courtesy to the point where if you want to do someone harm you have to give them 24h notes. While at the same time suspicious of outsiders who they think stole all of their dogs when the colony was started hundreds of years ago. It was just a really fun society the Moon created and seemed that through the writing she had some fun with it too. Overall both were good and kept me turning the pages to see what happened next and I'm looking forwards to reading the last two books in the series.

#56 My Life as a White Trash Zombie by Diana Rowland - ***1/2

Another zombie book with a twist. Angel remembers nothing before waking up in the ER after a drug overdose and before she leaves is given a cooler with not quite coffee drinks in them and a note saying that she has a job waiting for her at the morgue that she has to hold for at least a month or her parole officer will hear about this incident. However Angel starts to notes after a few days that normal food just doesn't taste right and drugs have no affect whats so ever. The only thing that seems to satisfy her are the coffee drinks and she's sure that the chunks in them aren't tapioca. When the drinks are gone and headless body's start to fill the morgue Angel is going to have to find a way to feed her new hunger or her new unlife is going to be over. The story was a little bit mystery a little romance, a little bit inspirational and was a fun read. I liked Angel's character as she is forced to grow-up rather fast and overcome her alcoholic father deadbeat friends, and realize that just because everyone views her as white trash it doesn't mean she has to accept it. The zombies in the book were much like the zombies in IZombie in that as long as they eat brains they can pass for normal people but a few days without will cause them to start to smell and fall apart. The romance between Angle and the Deputy i think could have been played up a little better and the same with the mystery of whose leaving the headless victims as it seemed that both subplots were rushed at the end. Although it did end as i expected it to i think the ending needed to be expanded as there were still some thing not explained very well. Overall its a little quirky and fun with a nice message that sometimes a second chance is all you need, even if its after your dead.

#57 The Buntline Special by Mike Resnick - ***

A steampunk take on Tombstone and the O.K. Corral that is a fun read but not spectacular. In this alternate history the United States stops at the Mississippi river due to the powerful magic of Native American medicine men Hook Nose and Geronimo. However still fueled by Manifest Destiny the government sends Edison to Tombstone to try and find a way to counter the medicine men' magic. After an assassination attempt on Edison the government hires the Earps Doc Holliday, and Bat Masterson to find out who was behind the attack. which will eventually lead to the fight at the O.K. Corral and a match between Holliday and and undead Johnny Ringo. Resnick seemed to have done a lot of historical research about the historical characters and it shows in the story. In fact he also provides a list of some of the more interesting sources in the back of the book (although I would stay away from the books with Glenn Boyer's name attached to it as they are sketchy historically speaking). As for the steampunk elements I liked some of the elements the Resnick brought to there table such as the pistol Gatling guns, brass armor, robotic prostitutes, self-powered wagons and brass prostheses. Moreover i liked the illustration that were in the book as they did add a little flavor to the book. However, I didn't feel that Resnick fully embraced them and it came off at time that they were there to shout at the reader look at me I'm steampunk. In addition, some of the dialog got repetitive with Doc always talking about his tuberculosis and making fun of Bat after he his cursed by Geronimo. One the one had it was a fun read and not a bad book but on the other it could have been better and the steampunk element could have been better utilized as it comes out a little uneven. Overall i would say give it a shot but don't expect much as it is merely average

Looks interesting! I've added it to the wishlist. Have you seen Dead Iron yet?

I just saw it yesterday in the recommendations section for the Buntline Special. It looks really good. I will have to add it to my list as well.

#58 The American Revolution 1774-1783 by Daniel Marston - ****

Essential Histories mission statesmen of providing a concise history of major conflicts through time and Marston delivers this with his history of the American Revolution. Starting with the causes for the war ranging from the change in Britons government to the tax acts raised on the colonists to pay for the troops need to occupy the America territory Briton had won from the French in the Seven Years War (the American theater was known as the French Indian War). Marston then goes into the composition of the combatants on the eve of the war were he also pays attention to the Hessian, French and Spanish forces which are often neglected in telling of the war. After that he goes into the fighting of the war from 1775-1783 starting with the naval action through those years in one section reasoning that as there were no decisive actions and any victory was local that only a small section was needed. The land war is what takes up most of the book with each year its own section that is further subdivided into the New England campaign, Middle Atlantic, Southern and outside of the colony's. This is the one thing that I particularly liked about this book in that Marston gives time to the European, West Indies, Florida, and India fronts of the war that although did not have direct American participation but where key points in leading to the British defeat as they had to draw troops and the navy away from America to protect the home island and other possessions which intern lightened the load on the Americans. As with all books in the series they also look at a soldier, in this case a New England regular and a citizen, in this case a loyalist from Boston to give additional perspective to the war. The soldier section was alright but i thought it didn't really add anything to the book that wasn't already covered. However I did like the citizen section as it was able to show how a loyalist viewed the patriots and how misinformation about the fighting could easily happen. The book end with the peace treaty that ended the war and the outcome for all parties involved. which for most was the retention of prewar borders and with most in debt. I found it particularly interesting that the French at the end were in debt to the amount of 3,315.1 million livres (about $795,624,000,000 in today's money if i calculated it right) while for the British it only cost them 12 million pounds a year during the war (or about $23,040,000,000 in today money). It is easy to so how this debt that France incurred funding us during the war could be one of the factors that led to the French Revolution a few years later. Overall I found this take on the war every good as a refreshing and praise it for including all the combatants and looking at the fighting around the world. As with all the Essential Histories I would take a look at it if you need a refresher or have never studied the subject before.

#59 Redcoats and Rebels by Christopher Hibbert - ****1/2

An interesting account of the Revolutionary War from the British perspective from that early tax protests all the way way to the end of the war. The first thing that seemed to get from reading Hibberts account of the war was that the British government never really understood what kind of war it was fighting. They seemed, almost up until the end of the war to conduct the war as they would a European war. Furthermore they seemed to continually thing that a little show of force would scare the colonists back to their senses and that the rebels were nothing more then a few malcontents. In addition, while the Generals they sent out to conduct the war, who also all seem not to want to be posted in America, had the skill to wage the war seemed to be more concerned with fighting amongst each other over strategy and who should be in overall command with most taking leave from the military to go back to England numerous times during the war. Not to mention that the army and navy, with the exception of the Howe brothers were constantly at odds with each other. Another thing i found interesting is that once the war had started the British government seemed to not be able to fully fund the effort. For example, throughout the war the generals constantly stated that they need more troops to properly conduct the war but the government through bureaucratic squabbling and trouble raising troops never had the numbers needed to be sent to America. At the same time it was shown that they couldn't properly supply the troops that were already there, as throughout the book you constantly see cases were the British troops were just as badly off as the American troops were during the winter at Valley Forge. Moreover once the French and Spanish got involved the Government became more concerned about the home islands and started sending less troops and supply's out to America while at tee same time recalling troops already there. With all these things going on it is one can see how the British had such a hard time fighting the war. Hibbert's writing is also entertaining and didn't get bogged down in technical details which made it an easy and enjoyable read. Although I did have trouble remembering all the names that were mentioned and whose side they were on. However i did like that at the end of the book there were records of what happened to the major players after the war. Overall I really enjoyed this one as it gave an entertaining and informative account of the Revolutionary war from the other side, while being as impartial as one could be treating each side, in my view equally.

Wanted to get some Halloweenish type books in before the end of October. Hopefully I will be able o finish the other two zombie books before the 31st!



#60 Highschool of the Dead Vol.1 by Daisuke Sato - ****

Another visually appealing zombie. The story is standard fare with everything normal one minute and then a full blown zombie pandemic the next. Every one panics and most end up as zombie food and with the heroes deciding to try and find their family's. However, as with most zombie books this doesn't go as planed. The main characters are a nice well rounded group. You have two childhood friends, who have grown distant how that they are in high school, an honor student, the captain of the Kendo club, a Military Otaku, and the schools nurse. Hopefully more o the about the characters is revealed as the series goes on. As for now you don't know much as they were in a mad dash to get out of a school full of zombies. Another thing I like about the series is that as it is set in Japan, you don't, at least right now see many gun and the heroes have to improvise weapons, such as taping some T-squares to the back a nail-gun to make it easier to aim, which adds to the tension of trying survive. The book also does a good job of giving you a seance of panic as you read and see students running down stairs and tripping over each other trying to get out or turning on each other in images of utter chaos. The Art is real good with detail even given to most of the zombie victims even if they were only in one shot. Furthermore, the zombies themselves look good and there was a nice variation to them, which must have been a pain to draw in all their bloody goodness. Overall another fun zombie read with some very nice art and a nice seance of tension but that doesn't add anything new story wise other then the fact that it is set in Japan and you don't have a Rambo on every street. As a warning this is another manga that is not for the kiddies. Although there was nothing real bad in this volume other then violence when I leafed through volume 2, which I'm still reading at the moment there are some parts that are not for the eyes of the little ones. That and there's a parental advisory box right on the cover

#61 Highschool of the Dead Vol.2 by Daisuke Sato - ****

After getting separated at the end of book 1 each group of the main characters has their own little misadventure until they meet back up in the middle of the book. They hide out at the nurses friends house (who happens to be a sniper for the SDF) for the night where they find some guns and end up saving a little girl and a dog. Sato does a really good job of showing society in complete social breakdown with the average person turning on his fellow man in fear and panic. Although I think they found the guns a little to easily its not that big of a problem but it would have been better if they had to work a little for them. Art quality stays the same as the first books and the story moved forward alright. Overall just like the first fun read with some nice art but not for kids.

#62 The Walking Dead: Compendium One by Robert Kirkman - ****

Finally got around to picking up a copy of the Walking Dead after watching the first season of the show on AMC last year and really enjoyed it. the compendium contains issues 1-48 or roughly season 1 and probably season 2 of the show. The art is great and captures the bleakness of the world filled with zombies, although after the first few issues there seemed to be a change in artist but I didn't really notice it until i was almost finished with the book. Even though i liked the story i did feel that there were to many time jumps with any where from a few days to a few weeks happening between pages. This kind of made the story a little jerky at times and i think took away from any emotional tension that was building (I liked that they expanded some events in the show) I also like the fact that none of the characters are really safe and could die at any moment, which some do. Overall, probably one of the best horror/zombie comics out there right now with a good story and good characters.

Happy Halloween everyone!!!!!!!!!!

Well Novembers almost over and only got one book done hopefully I'll be able to pick it up after Dec 15th to hit my goal.



#63 Eureekaaargh!: A Spectacular Collection of Inventions That Nearly Worked by Adam Hart-Davis - ***

A book that goes over an interesting array of inventions ranging from swimming umbrellas to golf teas that would make everyone shoot like tiger woods. the surprising think is that a lot of these things would have worked in actuality but would be impractical or overly complicated. The book itself was actually informative and gives you the theory behind the invention and why it would not work or didn't catch on. Davis adds a some humor as well that made me chuckle a little. However what realy makes the book is the actual installations of the inventions. Overall a nice book but wasn't as good as I thought it was going to be however it was still fun to read about all the zany things people can come up with.

Ok so I lied I was able to get another book done during thanksgiving but i meen it this time no more reading till finals are over. :D



#64 The Court of the Air by Stephen Hunt - ***1/2

Set in an alternate steampunk world that shares some similar history with ours but where steam is the dominant form of power. The story follow the adventures of two orphans, one is chased by assassins for unknown reasons the other is framed for the murder of his uncle. long story short they have to find out why they are being hunted an sot the ancient evil from coming back. I have to say I really like the world Hunt as created theirs just so much interesting thing ranging form and underground world to the worldsingers (think mages) that control the laylines of the earth to the Buddhist like steammen. Which also tends to be the downfall of the book; there's just so much going on at it can be hard to follow at times. Add to this the fact that much of the motives for characters are based on events that happen in the past and are only sparingly told through the book and i can see how some people wouldn't like it. I didn't really have any problems following the story but that might have been because i could follow some of the historical events mentions and pair them off with the actual events form our world. Overall Hunt created an interesting rich world full of adventure and political intrigue but the mishmash of genres and the plethora of events happening relatively fast could turn some people off If some of the historical events were better explained I would have bumped it up to 4 stars.

#65 The Kingdom Beyond the Waves by Stephen Hunt - ****



(Warning Spoilers)
Sequel to Hunt's Court of the Air that takes place five years after the events at the end of book one and fallows one of the minor characters from the first as well. in this one Amelia Harsh is searching for the legendary ancient civilization of Camlantis that credible historians think never existed. To this end she signs on with the millionaire industrialist Abraham Quest who is willing to help her find Camlantis and hires Commodore Black, also from the first book pilot them to the uncharted jungles in search of what might be the location where Camlantis use to be. I liked this one a little better then the first as the story was more condensed and wasn't bogged down with motive based on historical events like the first book and just screams Indiana Johns meets 20,000 leagues. I also thought the villains motives where believable and in a way almost tragic as what he wants is noble but what he is willing to achieve his dream makes him a monster. The Steammen where as awesome in this one as they were in the first. Id say if you read the fist book and didn't like it give this one a shot as the story fits together better and it just a fun adventure story with good characters and villains.

(start Spoilers) Also after reading this one I'm starting to think that the world Hunt has build is not an alternative world but actually our own only millions of years in the future where there has been continental shifts and our civilization has fallen and rebuilt numerous times with Camlantis being the last in a long line of advanced civilization only to fall and usher in another dark age where civilization has just reached the industrial age again.. The reason for this is that Hunt describes the Camlantians having an item in their museum from an ancient civilization that sound almost like a digipet or tamagotchi. Also there is a description of finding the lost city of LA that is now under water. This would also explain the nano machines the Camlantians use as well as the origins of the Steammen, the witch-blades and crystal data storage. Furthermore at the start of the book Amelia, while examining the tomb the Black Oil Horde state that there culture was an amalgam of different societies which would make sense if there were numerous civilization collapses. However i could just be reading to much into this, ether way its food for thought and if it turns out be be true I'd have to tip my hat to Hunt.(end Spoilers)