Wednesday, September 29, 2010

The Town- Movie Review

The Town- Movie Review
Anyone who has done any research online or watched the trailers knows what they are getting into when they go see this film. And it delivered. Flawed characters are always interesting as long as they have some kind of redeeming feature, and those with hints of wasted potential are doubly so. This was a great ride while it lasted and I definitely recommend seeing it if you get the chance.

***SPOILERS TO FOLLOW***
I appreciate the way this story was woven with clever foreshadowing and links between seemingly innocuous conversations and later events. A bit too clever, at times, but still nice regardless. The message at the end of this movie was that crime doesn't pay. Or, not really. The character who lived a life of violence died as he lived, and the character with lost potential redeemed himself in the end (although he has to sacrifice an important relationship and contact with the rest of the world to do so). You can't help but feel sorry for the guy as events conspired to keep him involved in crime. One simply has to recall the quote, as cliché as it is, by Corleone: "Every time I think I'm out...they keep pulling me back in!" He is as determined as the FBI officer after him, but is confined by his upbringing and his circumstances. In any case, the point was that I enjoyed this movie. The action was great and it actually had a decent emotional range (unlike most movies that are made nowadays). Check it out.

Sunday, September 19, 2010

B+ for "Best Served Cold" by Joe Abercrombie

This is typical fare for Joe Abercrombie fans. You can pretty much guess the end result of the novel (people will be brutally killed, people will be betrayed, etc.) but it was a fun ride while it lasted. For some reason, this novel seemed even more cold and depressing than the first law series. Perhaps it was the unerring cynicism of some of the characters, but I was left with a hollow, empty feeling after reading this novel. That is not to day that I didn't enjoy it, but you may well finish this book feeling more depressed than usual. The combat is, as always, fantastic and the characters are as interesting as ever. I enjoyed the use of secondary characters from his First Law series being reused here, and am looking forward to his upcoming novel, "The Heroes."

B+ for "Summer Knight" by Jim Butcher

Another highly entertaining read from Jim Butcher in his Dresden Files series. This book, while good, was less entertaining for me because more time was spent on unraveling the mystery and escaping baddies than on interacting with other characters. Murphy isn't in this book as much as some previous books, Michael is totally absent, and Susan is gone to South American (for spoilerish reasons). He brought a character from a previous novel into things a bit more, but I found that there wasn't enough character interaction between Dresden and friends. I'd still recommend this book as I've heard from other sources that the books really start to get good around book four. This is still a quick and entertaining read for fans of the series with a few surprises that I didn't expect (and a couple that I could see coming). Check it out, if only to see Dresden come through again after being hit with another impossibly dangerous mission.

Inception + Things

So I saw Inception today. It was between that and the new Twilight movie (but not really, of course. Let's be serious.) Someone called the movie "a crushing bore." The movie is most certainly not that. I must consider the possibility that the reviewer went into the wrong movie theatre though, so I will forgive her.

The movie, partly because of its foundation on new technological innovations, is jarring, especially in its opening scenes. But they are technological innovations that are so cool, so interesting, and so fun to watch, that all is forgiven.

***SPOILERS TO FOLLOW***
I'll start by saying that the opening hook didn't really work for me. The movie is framed by the same scene at the beginning and near the end, but because I didn't understand what was going on at the start (my eyes were just waking up) it lost some of its power. The introduction of the movie's technological concepts and the plot itself, however, were handled much better. See it for yourself though.

I enjoyed the acting in the movie in that they did everything they possibly could to bring live and vigor to the characters using what few lines the characters did have. My father said that the actor he appreciated least was Ellen Page. Why is that? Well, I think it's because, despite her profile as a well-known actress, she wasn't given that many great lines, her personality was ill-defined, and her role as part of a motley crew of dream-tresspassers wasn't especially well-developed either. Part of the issue is that the movie's mind-bending action scenes required a lot of screen time and, frankly, two and a half hours of movie is long enough.

It did make me think of the novel I'm currently working on though, and how I'm trying to give characters one or two base personality characteristics and a well-defined role in a group. If it's too difficult to differentiate between characters, it's hard to connect to them, and a feeling of connectedness to the characters (whether its hate or empathy) is the most important part of storytelling.

In any case, it's a movie that I enjoyed. There are a great deal of questions that remain unanswered for me, but as there are a great many questions regarding any semi-sf stories I've read or movies I've seen, I'll refrain from asking them outright. A bit too much exposition for my liking but the concept is one that can clearly be used again in future movies by Nolan if he wants to (although the eye-popping cinematography and special effects won't be quite as enthralling seeing them the second time round).

Back to work now (reading Abercrombie's "Best Served Cold")
Also, it's good to have the power back. You know you live in a small town when it rains hard for thirty minutes and the power goes out for an hour...

C+ for "Better Days" by Joss Whedon

I can recommend this for hardcore fans of Firefly only. The characters are still their lovable selves, but this book is much, much, too short for the amount of money you're paying. If money isn't an issue, then by all means buy this graphic novel as I enjoyed it as much as any other Firefly story out there. It seemed like at times they could have developed scenes a bit further or added dialogue or expanded the plot, but just wanted to get it over with. Still fun, but if money is tight I'd skip it

B+ for "Goblin Quest" by Jim C. Hines

B+ for "Goblin Quest" by Jim C. Hines

This book was a thoroughly enjoyable read. Sometimes you have to take a break from the bleak desolation and horrific betrayal common in most fantasy stories (which I tend to enjoy) these days. If you've ever played dungeons and dragons, or even have an idea what that is, you'll find this book to be quite funny. Although There were a couple times where I stopped to ask myself, "Would that really have happened? Is that possible?" I kept going anyways. The main character, a near-sighted goblin constantly at-odds with his clumsiness, is a wonderfully realized character and his questioning of human motivations was always entertaining.
Be aware that this novel isn't in the same vein as what I usually read and review, but it was an enjoyable departure nonetheless.

A for "Grave Peril" by Jim Butcher

A for "Grave Peril" by Jim Butcher

This was another thoroughly entertaining story in the life of Harry Dresden, wizard. Butcher tends to start all of his Dresden novels with an immediate hook and then expands things as he goes. What I found to be remarkably well done is the fact that he alludes to previous events in other novels in a way that new readers will appreciate and isn't overdone for readers who have read previous books. Dresden is a fantastic character, and there are some new additions to the novel that lead me to believe that future novels will be even better. I look forward to reading them. Definitely a must-read if you're a Jim Butcher fan (or Dresden fan, or a fan of being entertained). 

A- for "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" by Stieg Larsson

A- for "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" by Stieg Larsson

The book hooked me pretty early on with, basically, a riddle. As the mystery it unfolds and expands into something much more interesting, but I won't ruin anything by saying more. The main characters are interesting (especially Lisbeth) and the writing is well done. He often understates things, and this makes certain scenes much more powerful than they might have been if the melodrama had been poured on. The novel is basically a slow burn up until the end where everything becomes a little more frantic and is quickly resolved. Still very enjoyable, and I was hooked, but be aware that this isn't a fast paced thriller from page 1.
This book has received positive reviews for good reason, and is a must read for anyone who likes mystery novels. I tend towards reading SF/Fantasy but this was a pleasant surprise and I'll be sure to check out later novels in the series.

B- for "The Warded Man" by Peter V Brett

B- for "The Warded Man" by Peter V Brett

This book was an entertaining read for the most part. It starts off with a couple characters who all lose something to the corelings in the course of the novel. The premise is interesting, although I'm looking forward to future novels where the reasons the corelings can't be out in the sun are revealed. The concept of the warded man is interesting, although I'm not sure why no one thought of it before him... For me there were some issues with pacing and the plot arc, but in the end it is a decent start to a fantasy series with some original concepts.

Still, don't read this until after you've read "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss. I also still think that "Empire in Black and Gold" is a stronger opening to an alternate fantasy series. Read samples chapters online first.

On another note, I read an interview with the author with Joe Abercrombie, and he seems like a super cool guy, which is definitely a bonus. 

B+ for "Storm Front" by Jim Butcher

B+ for "Storm Front" by Jim Butcher

The first two books (the first being Storm Front by Jim Butcher) are great urban fantasy mystery novels sprinkled with bits of humour (of both dark and light varieties) and they come highly recommended for anyone who likes either fantasy, mystery, or urban fantasy novels.
Characters: 9/10 (while some of the secondary characters are left undeveloped, Dresden himself and his self deprecating humour is a pleasure to read)
Pacing: 8.5/10 (The story keeps up at a good pace, although I didn't feel it was as tight as the first novel)
Plot: 7.5/10 (While events tied together nicely in the end, I sometimes find it difficult to question to motives behind actions that drive the plot as they are often hidden and/or explained sometime after they've occurred)
Worldbuilding: 6/10 (The White Council is there, Harry's shop, the police station, but I've yet to see much in the way of long-term forecasting. Still, I've heard later books get better, so don't miss out based on this!)
Style: 8/10 (Harry Dresden's style of narrating is great fun. He is a character used to getting into the worst possible situations and then squirming and kicking and blasting his way through to success, or at least some measure of non-failure. I enjoy Butcher's style).
Total: 38/50 (Don't be fooled though, this is a fantastic read that will have you devouring the pages and having a great time of it as you go), mainly on the strength of the protagonist of the series...

A- for "The Last Knight" by Hilari Bell

A- for "The Last Knight" by Hilari Bell


The Last Knight was a fun read that I breezed through on the train to Ottawa. It was a fast read, with two interesting protagonists that were well suited to each other (despite the fact that they are nearly opposite in many ways). Here is the synopsis from the Harper-Collins website.

Although there hasn't been a knight errant in over two hundred years, this young noble has decided to revive
the trade. He's found himself a reluctant partner in Fisk, a clever rogue who has been given the choice of
serving as Michael's squire or going to jail for a very long time. Now Michael and Fisk are on a quest to right
wrongs, protect the innocent, and make the world a happier place.
It's not going to be easy. On their first attempt at rescuing a damsel in distress, they break a lady out of a
tower, only to discover she was there for good reason: awaiting trial for poisoning her husband. Now the
would-be heroes must find Lady Ceciel and return her to justice or be condemned themselves.

Characters: 8.5/10 You couldn't find a better suited mismatch of characters in the opening novel of this series. Fisk and Michael's (mis)adventures remain interesting based almost solely on the fact that they are so different and they are plunged into such terrible circumstances.
Pacing: 9/10 The novel moves along at a brisk pace with lots of slippery situations that the characters need to get out of. Enjoyable from start to finish.
Plot: 8/10 Although parts of the plot are fairly predictable, I couldn't help but laugh at some of the things that happened. There is a bit more melodrama (but remains minimal, in this novel at least) than I'm used to, but this is a concern of mine with regards to most of the YA genre). I definitely laughed and there were indeed a few plot twists that I quite enjoyed.
Worldbuilding: 6/10 Although I'm not really sure that this is a fair grade for this portion of my rubric. I'm not certain that it should even be included in any of my reviews. However, I feel that having a sense of the world around the characters helps with regards to suspense and conflict, and keeps me hooked. The worldbuilding isn't the novel's greatest strength, but luckily the rest of the novel succeeds well enough that this isn't really an issue.
Style: 8/10 Simple enough that readers of a wide range of abilities should be able to read it, but intricate and witty enough that it got some good laughs out of me.
Total: 39.5 Definitely a solid YA novel, and I'm sure that the author will continue to deliver using the great mismatch of these two characters. The Last Knight is a solid read for kids and teens, and, as this is her target market, this book should be a resounding success with children of those age groups (although be aware, there are no vampires involved). I enjoyed this book, as it made me laugh out loud on more than one occasion.

B- for "Graceling" by Kristin Cashore

 B- for "Graceling" by Kristin Cashore

Graceling was an interesting novel set in a fantasy world where people are born with "graces" which are basically great aptitudes in a certain area. No one is shooting lasers from their eyes or controlling the weather, but you could be graced with fighting, for example. The main character is a standard "tough chick" who is being controlled but trying to make a positive difference in the world. The second main character is someone with a secret to hide, but I won't give away any spoilers. It was a quick read, and was fairly enjoyable, but I'm going to have to recommend this to a younger audience only. It's too much of a stock "finding your inner strength and finding love" story for my liking.

Characters: 6/10. They seem a bit too much like "stock" characters to me, although with some modifications.
Pacing: 7/10 Pacing was fairly good. Always some kind of mystery/conflict to keep you reading.
Plot: 7/10 A bit simplistic for my tastes, but still very well done and I'm sure it'll keep the YA audience reading
Worldbuliding: 6/10 I look for greater depth in worldbuilding. Some of the secondary characters are decently done, and the "magic" system is explained, I still wish I knew more about how the graces worked. I assume this will be coming down the pipes in later novels, but I still feel like the world was a playground for the plot to occur in, rather than a real, living, breathing, world.
Style: 7 Very simple style, easy to read. Good at avoiding violence, sex, swearing to keep it tailored to the YA audience and younger. Not as much conflict as I would come to expect from characters in their circumstances, but well-suited to its target market.
Total: 33/50 A fun read with some interesting, if not incredibly 3d, characters. Sure to please younger female readers with the tough little heroine, and a younger audience in general. On the other hand, it seems that many other people LOVED this book, so I'd recommend reading a few sample chapters first.

A- For "Empire in Black and Gold" by Adrian Tchaikovsky

A- For "Empire in Black and Gold" by Adrian Tchaikovsky

I'm not sure where I was recommended these books, but they are good. I think that I am interested more because of the idea of the "kinden" than anything else (which are basically various races of humans that, basically, take on some of the characteristics of insects), but that's good enough for me. It's a great concept and it helps make some of the lines an author needs to navigate a bit easier, and that makes for a better novel in this case.

I'd rate these almost on par with Joe Abercrombie's "First Law" series, but I'd recommend everyone to read GRRM first, as I always do. This isn't a bad place to look if you want some interesting fantasy though!  I'm currently finished up to the fourth book.

A+ for "The Sworn Sword" by George RR Martin

A+ for "The Sworn Sword" by George RR Martin

Although I wish I could get this in the written format, it does still succeed as a graphic novel. GRRM's strength is his characters and his dialogue, but as I've seen from this and the first Dunk and Egg novella, his plotting is also masterful.

There are a few surprises in this book, some great worldbuilding, and as always the conflict is potent. A highly recommended read. The information we learn about the Blackfyre Rebellion is worth the price on its own, but I'm quite happy to say a fantastic story is there to be enjoyed as well.

B+ For "Dragonfly Falling" by Adrian Tchaikovsky

B+ For "Dragonfly Falling" by Adrian Tchaikovsky

This novel, like the first, has a strong cast of interesting characters and some well-crafted plotting. It isn't on the same level as GRRM, but then, nothing else really is.

I'd put it almost on par with Joe Abercrombie's First Law series, although both are strong in their own way. Point of view issues and a few other niggling problems could have been fixed, but still a tremendous novel. Occasionally I think there were extra scenes added from characters that are not exactly of the greatest importance, and thus I feel they could have been cut. From the looks of the page count in the third book, it looks like the tendency to add extra scenes has been curtailed, so I expect a tighter story in the next installment.

As mentioned, there are a few POV issues still, in that sometimes the author will switch between characters without warning. Still, a well crafted universe, interesting characters, and a dynamic plot are enough to keep me reading. Well done.

C+ for "The Way of Shadows" by Brent Weeks

C+ for "The Way of Shadows" by Brent Weeks
A decent start, but nowhere near as high as GRRM, Rothfuss, or Abercrombie. Here are a few of the issues:

POV: some pov characters come in and then never have another one. It seems they are added just to beef up the story. They add little to the plot, and frankly I don't care about most of them. having a tighter story based on fewer central characters would have worked better, and random scenes from other povs could have been eliminated.

swearing: as another reviewer has pointed out, the swearing is at times a bit bizarre. The times it is used I'm often surprised, and other times when I could see someone swearing, they don't.

Plot: the plot seems to zig-zag and not in the way it should. There a bunch of small conflicts leading up to the end that don't seem to really do much for me. There are lots of mini climaxes and the story keeps on rolling. THere needed to much more foreshadowing of the main crux of the novel, and more dealing with it in the early chapters. Frankly by the time it comes around I was only reading to finish the book rather than out of interest.

Brent Weeks is a nice guy, and I was impressed by his online battle with Joe Abercrombie, but I'd recommend GRRM, Rothfuss, or Abercrombie first. Maybe the series improves after this, but this novel could have used another draft with more feedback from an editor.

C+ for "A Darkness Forged in Fire" by Chris Evans

C+ for "A Darkness Forged in Fire" by Chris Evans

It felt like it dragged for a while, and by the end I was only reading to finish it. There were some problems in understanding the universe these characters live in and some more background information or world building would have been nice. Some interesting characters, and a plot that keeps moving. I feel like some greater foreshadowing of the monumental events going on behind the scenes and greater clarity would have helped.

Make no mistake though, this is not a five star book. This is not GRRM or Rothfuss, but it is still a good story and later volumes may improve upon this novel.

A for "Job: A comedy of justice" by Robert Heinlein

A for "Job: A comedy of justice" by Robert Heinlein

A bit weird, but his rich characters and their plight makes for a humour-filled ride. I enjoyed it as the funny novel that it is, but I think "Starship Troopers", "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress", and "Stranger in a Strange Land" still stand as better examples of his work. This is a fun romp, with some interesting philosophical implications, but it is not his greatest work.
Still highly recommended.

B- for "A Shadow In Summer" by Daniel Abraham

B- for "A Shadow In Summer" by Daniel Abraham

As my title suggests, this is the beginning of a solid start to a fantasy series. Mainly my problems with the book are nitpicky. They concern the use of the phrase "took a pose" that negates the need to accurately describe what the poses actually are, although I'm sure he remedied this in future volumes. Similar sounding character names or names that begin with the same letter had me confused more often than should be expected even in a fantasy novel. The story is strong, and the prose is done well. I would recommend this book, but not before reading GRRM's song of ice and fire, or Patrick Rothfuss's The Name of the Wind.

Still, if you want to take a look at how good Daniel Abraham is as an author, google: "The Cambist and Lord Iron: A Fairy Tale of Economics By Daniel Abraham." Fantastic short story.  He has what it takes, so later novels might be stronger, although I haven't read them.

A for "Acacia" by David Anthony Durham

A for "Acacia" by David Anthony Durham

The pacing of the novel is fantastic; there is little wasted space, all most of the plot points interesting. Durham makes good use of events happening off-scene for dramatic effect, and fills in the blanks that he skipped over extremely well. The world building is where this novel shines. You learn it bit by bit and you always get the feeling there is some other mystery still be to be revealed.

A definite recommendation in the epic fantasy genre. If you have problems with swearing, sex, and violence, get this instead of GRRM's A Game of Thrones (although I would still point out that Martin's novels are some of the best fiction out there).

A+ for "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss.

A+ for "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss.

The author comes in as a relative unknown in the fantasy genre with this stunning debut. I was browsing message boards on the best (recent) fantasy novels and this was recommended to me. One of the best parts about the book is the ease of the reading. I couldn't book this book down. The prose was tight, and I think every chapter adds something to greater understanding of one of the main characters, or the interesting but still relatively unexplored setting. Despite its length, you will devour this novel if you like fantasy and character driven action.

A few other reviews point out that this book is LONG. That is most certainly the case, but I absolutely believe that the book is still well-paced and eminently readable. Full of love and loss and music, this book should not be missed by anyone who calls themselves a fan of fantasy.

D+ for "Good Omens" by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett

D+ for "Good Omens" by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett

I started reading it, then I started enjoying it, and then stuff happened, the story jumped around, and then more stuff happened. Then I started to get bored. Some of the jokes were good and all, but it was a bit too jumpy for me. In the end, I finished it only because I'd gone so far and the weight of positive reviews that had been posted urged me onwards.

Hal Spacejock is funnier, as is Heinlein's "Job: A comedy of justice" (among others)

D+ for "The Steel Remains" by Richard Morgan

D+ for "The Steel Remains" by Richard Morgan

I really didn't enjoy the novel, despite having all the elements that I typically need for a fantasy novel to be considered "good." It had violence, sex, some kind of mystery, but for whatever reason I cared not-at-all about the characters of this novel. I've heard great things about his novel "Altered Carbon" but this deserves a pass until you've read everything by GRRM, Rothfuss, Abercrombie, and Lynch.

For the most part, I agree with fellow amazon.ca reviewer Linda Boden, who had this to say:
"His trademark gritty style is certainly prevalent in this story, but it didn't translate so well with the other experimentations in this book. The characters take standard stereotypes and turn them over, but in such an overdone way that they become comical and ridiculous. None of the characters were remotely believable, the world was thin and underdeveloped, and the story was slightly convoluted and boring. "

A for "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" by Robert Heinlein

A for "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" by Robert Heinlein

Despite the writing style that is incredibly difficult to get used to, this is one of the best sf novels I've read in recent memory. Thought-provoking and exciting, so if you are a science fiction fan you should definitely read this novel. The characters are well-done, if not especially three-dimensional, the plot is good, but the philosophy, world building, and the issues behind the novel are what make it really shine.

B+ for "Emissaries from the Dead" by Adam-Troy Castro

B+ for "Emissaries from the Dead" by Adam-Troy Castro

Andrea Cort is a fascinating character, and the mysteries surrounding the deaths on One One One pull you in. I found that the novel somehow didn't live up to its own promise, but future novels might help. I wish I could have explored the fantastic world a bit more, but still an exciting mystery novel with hints of future potential.

This is a quick read with a wonderful setting and a lot of issues still to be dealt with in future novels. I wish we'd gotten a bit more detail on the setting and how the universe she lives in actually works, but that might have wrecked the quick pace of the novel.

C+ for "Briar King" by Greg Keyes

C+ for "Briar King" by Greg Keyes

The Briar King starts off well, and then flounders a bit. It was an interesting story, but I found some of the coincidences to be a bit much. The love between certain characters seems to blossom too quickly to be seen as realistic, and the mysterious nature of unfolding events was the only thing that kept me reading.

A decent read, but you absolutely shouldn't even be looking at this unless you've already read Rothfuss and George RR Martin and the other authors I've constantly recommended. Perhaps it picks up in later books, however, so you may still want to give it a try.

A+ for "Frankenstein by Mary Shelley"

A+ for "Frankenstein by Mary Shelley"

A classic in English literature and a classic science fiction novel. We cannot judge a book from this time period based on the standards of today, which is to say we shouldn't judge it on how thrilling it is alone. The strength of this novel comes from the issues of morality that it raises, and from the psychological issues the characters and the plot itself provoke. Not necessarily an easy read for everyone, but something that should be read.

A+ for "The Watchmen" by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons

A+ for "The Watchmen" by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons

Quite simply one of the best graphic novels of all time. Other reviewers have elaborated on what I mean when I say that it is a fantastic story, and thus I leave it to them to convince you. Whether you have an interest in superheroes, philosophy, or simply good stories, this is a book which should not be missed. For those of you who trust my reviews, know that this is as good a place to start as any when looking to begin reading graphic novels.

D- for "Winterbirth" by Brian Ruckley

This book was touted as something good to read if you like GRRM's "Song of Ice and Fire". I was disappointed. I tried to finish this book, but I just couldn't. Maybe I'll go back to it at some point, but with Patrick Rothfuss, Joe Abercrombie, Scott Lynch, and GRRM to keep me busy, I doubt it.

The names in this book were just ridiculous. I understand wanting to have names that reflect the societies involved, but they were simply too distracting. After reading the fiftieth name that is 5 words long and looks like "k'lthrazk'tnar" I got tired. Maybe the story is fantastic, but the names needed an editor to get them changed.

This book is not for everyone. The people who like it, LOVE it, but it is definitely not for me, so take care to read a sample chapter somewhere before buying. I usually find myself agreeing with Patrick St-Denis, but it seems our opinions diverge when we run into this kind of fantasy (whatever you might call it). As I said, those who like this book, love it, as is the case with the Malazan books. I cannot personally recommend them, however.

A+ for "Lies of Locke Lamora" by Scott Lynch

A+ for "Lies of Locke Lamora" by Scott Lynch

The twists and turns of this story are well thought out, the pacing is great, and the main character is a thoroughly interesting anti-hero. Although at some points I felt like the author was throwing in a few extra swear words or sexual references to appeal to George RR Martin fans, this book was still a fantastic read and I look forward to reading the second one in the series.

If you enjoy George RR Martin and like gritty fantasy, this is a tremendously fun caper with a great twist on "the con."

A- for "Elantris" by Brandon Sanderson

A- for "Elantris"by Brandon Sanderson

If you can read the opening line of this novel and not keep reading, then you are something special. This book is populated with interesting characters and relatable problems. Although it might not have the same level of hard realism of some of the darker fantasists out there, his innovative magic system and plot twists help make this book a favourite of mine.

I believe the use of plausible-sounding names of places in the story (Fjordell, Jindo, etc) help make the novel even stronger. Sure Fjordell sounds Norwegian or Finnish or some such, but it gives me some sort of idea of what the country might be like, which is helpful. Better than the fantasy cliche of just stringing together an incoherent bunch of letters that don't give any idea of what the country might be like.
In any case, a highly recommended novel.

(Note that if you are looking for a darker and more harshly realistic story there may be other better choices out there, so check my reviews. Sanderson's books have tend to have less swearing, sex, and throat-slitting as some of the grittier fantasy works, so they reach a broader audience. Highly recommended as more accessible fiction.)

A+++ for "A Game of Thrones" by George RR martin

A+++ for "A Game of Thrones" by George RR martin

The best gritty, low-magic, realistic fantasy work ever written.
There is comedy, there is tragedy, and there is drama, but at the core of it all are GRRM's complex characters that keep you coming back for more.
If you want gritty fantasy, do not start anywhere but here!

I have read this novel three times and counting, and every time I find new things that I missed before, and remember incredible scenes that I had totally forgotten. Worth every penny a hundred times over.

A for "Hal Spacejock" by Simon Haynes

 A for "Hal Spacejock" by Simon Haynes

If you are interested in the humour-sf genre, you should really check this out (and note that you should be able to get it FREE on the author's website and, after you've enjoyed it, come here for the sequels)

This book is a hilarious romp through space with the clumsy Hal and his robot Clunk. You can't help but laugh at the exaggerated pop-culture references and the mishaps of this likable but idiotic pilot. A great read and highly recommended if you can get your hands on it.

Be aware that while there are satirical additions to this book, it isn't meant to be a thought-provoking slow burn on the nature of scientific improvements or anything of the like. It is, however, hilarious, as are future volumes.

A- for "The Tudors: Season 1"

A- for "The Tudors: Season 1"

This show is a semi-historical depiction of Henry VIII's reign. The political machinations are intriguing, and the volatile man at the top of the food chain keeps you wondering what is going to happen next (despite the fact that, having googled him, you'd already have a pretty good idea of what's going to happen). While some people don't agree with the casting of Rhys-Meyers in the role of Henry VIII, I personally believe that he plays the part well. He is, clearly, no Henry VIII, but as a character in a tv show he succeeds admirably. I enjoyed this show immensely. Future seasons also also recommended.

A for "Feast for Crows" by George RR Martin

A for "Feast for Crows" by George RR Martin

I enjoyed this novel as much as any other novel by GRRM. However, I say this with a caveat: it is not a complete novel. I fully trust him to complete Dance of Dragons and and give us the missing half, but I do want to make my position clear on this book as a standalone: It was good.

Here are my thoughts from a few years ago regarding the split:
I didn't really mind the split between this book and "A Dance with Dragons", and while I found it frustrating to not hear about some characters that will only make me more anxious to read the next book. The plot moves well (for the characters that you do get to see). Really, I should be waiting till both books (this and Dance) are released to rate them, but I have to rate it something and since it's "A Song of Ice and Fire", it gets a 5. Note that I don't blindly rate it a five, but carefully consider before giving it a ranking.

As to readers that called this a "money grab" I'd point out that every book that is ever published is, in some way, "a money grab". It's up to you whether you buy the book or not. It was absolutely necessary to split the books into two copies, and although I'm disappointed the companion tale isn't around yet to fill in the blanks, I'm extremely happy with what he did in this book. The great characters are still there, the plot still moves forward, and the world continues to expand.

Saying that it isn't as good as the first three novels is not much of problem to worry about, considering the first three are some of the best fantasy novels ever written, if not THE best. GRRM may not be an incredibly fast writer, but his work is unbelievably well crafted.

D for "Gardens of the Moon" by Steven Erikson

D for "Gardens of the Moon" by Steven Erikson

I absolutely could not get into this novel when I first attempted reading it. You should note that I am a bigger fan of low-magic novels as there tends to be less use of deus ex machina, but I do also enjoy high magic systems when done well. Perhaps I will try at a later date, but for now I will leave you with another review that pretty well encapsulates my thoughts.

By  Mark Erikson (Australia) on amazon.com. His review accurately reflects on most of the key issues I had with the novel:

"I picked up this book, the first in a projected series of ten, because everyone was giving it glowing reviews. Wherever I looked I saw nothing but great things being said about it. So I bought the first three in the series, intending to read them all while on holiday.

What I discovered was that the book was awful.

I have seen people saying that Steven Erikson can really write. He's not particularly bad, but he isn't fantastic either.

What actually makes this book fall flat, though, is the magic. It's vague (we get wizards killing people with "a wave of sorcery", not fireballs or ice storms or lightning), and it is not explained. There is absolutely no text about how and why the magic works. It's just there, and in massive ammounts.

There's also this vague impression that there's some "normal" mages floating about, but we never get to see them. Every single character who we're introduced to is somehow special. They can access seventeen types of magic, rather than the usual one or two, or they can fight at lightning fast speeds, or they've been altered by a magical object. It's like a comic populated entirely by superheroes, with no ordinary people for them to save.

And finally, there's the gods. Like the Greek Gods, they are driven by entirely mortal wants and needs. However, they appear to be all powerful, and locked in a constant struggle for power. What isn't clear, though, is what many of the Gods wants. Oponn, for instance, is one of the major players in this book, but as the God of Luck, doesn't appear to have any particular motivation except to cause random events. A character who has a massive impact on the plot and has no actual goal? Can you see the problem there?

The result of all this is a plot that doesn't follow any kind of logical pattern. Many of Erikson's fans seem to think that this makes the book somehow pleasantly unpredictable, the way George RR Martin's books are.

But Martin's plot twists occur when characters decide to do things which, while they may not be expected, are entirely believable given those characters' personality and motivations. Erikson's plot twists often involve a supremely powerful character suddenly appearing and using magic to alter events, often for no apparent reason, or at least no foreshadowing whatsoever. Similarly, when faced with problems, his characters usually have some inexplicable magical means to overcome it.

And this happens a lot. A whole lot. The plot doesn't twist and turn, it more or less bounces randomly around.

The ending is possibly the worst part of the book. While everything else is in constant flux, there are two plots that are constant throughout the book. The raising of a terrible monster from it's prison, and the diabolical mission of a possessed assasin-girl. However, at the last minute, the monster is recaptured before it can actually do anything, and the assassin girl is released from her possession, mission unaccomplished.

Instead, we get a completely random demon for some final dramatic action, and an entirely new group of superhero characters appearing in the final chapter to save the day. What?

A year later I tried again and tackled the second book in this series, "The Deadhouse Gates", on the promise that it was far better. It wasn't, it suffered from the same ridiculous plot twists and (still) unexplained magical metaphysics.

I gave up about halfway through when, it the midst of a pitched battle, it is suddenly revealed that the battle just happens to be taking place on the site of some heretofore unmentioned prior battle, and the mages raise the corpses of those long-dead soldiers to provide reinforcements of undead.

That isn't storytelling, that's just pulling something out at the last minute to explain why your vastly outnumbered force of good guys manages to beat the bad guys. "

"Easy A" Review

Having heard reasonably good things about the movie "Easy A" I decided to go see it with my father. I didn't know exactly what I expected in terms of the quality of the film, but I had a general idea of what it would be about from the trailer. It strikes me that a movie trailer is the same as the opening chapter of a novel in that it needs to hook you and hook you early. It looked more intriguing than "The Town" which, while definitely more action packed, had less potential to leave me thinking about it afterwards. And thus, off to the movies we went...

***SPOILERS TO FOLLOW***
From beginning to end Emma Stone rocked this thing. Her portrayal was spot on, and needed to be considering that she was in the spotlight for the entire movie. Let it not be said that the actors in the secondary roles didn't play an important part, however. Her parents were hilarious, and Amanda Bynes's character was at times cringe-inducing but added an extra element of conflict (ie. judgment) as well as humour that the movie needed.

As an educator, "Easy A"  is a fantastic movie in which to begin a discussion about the dangers of social media and the tendency of teenagers to overact when put in the spotlight for attention. It seems that incredible-and often dangerous- behaviour is increasingly visible on sites like youtube, and I'm not sure I like where that is going. This film illustrates the ease in which rumours can spiral out of control and lead to problems for youth, but slightly undercuts that message because it is a comedy. As a comedy, it needs to have an ending that is both redeeming in nature and happy. Nonetheless, it is a fantastic film with only a few tiny, teenie problems.

1) The kiss at the end is unecessary and a bit too "hollywood" for me. Having them ride off on the lawn mower was a perfect scene to show that her situation would improve.
2) The scene at the school where she comes out of the logs and sings and reveals that she will be "kissing" the a devil on her blog was a bit over the top as well. At the same time, I recognize that a movie needs a real climactic moment, and this is as good as any. I'm not sure how else the writers could have created a large, exciting, top-of-the-plot-curve moment without delving into hollywood-level scenes.