Quozl by Alan Dean Foster
ISBN: 0450551857 Because of that cover I think I expected more of a comedy book. Maybe not Pratchett-esque, but something with that general style. Quozl didn’t provide that. The basic plot...
10 June 2007
Faerie Wars by Herbie Brennan
ISBN: 0747564671 See also: Herbie Brennan’s blog ; Rosemary for remembrance ; BookLust Read with FantasyFavorites Book one in the Faerie Wars series Henry got up early on the day that...
9 June 2007
Tree and Leaf by JRR Tolkien
I propose to speak about fairy-stories, though I am aware that this is a rash adventure.
This, in many ways, is the perfect book for the Once Upon a Time Reading Challenge as it contains fairy tales and myth and fantasy. It is a collection of shorter works by Tolkien, and begins, not with a story but, with an essay, On Fairy-Stories and surprisingly, I found this the most interesting aspect of the book. Tolkien writes about the origins of fairy stories, why he believes them necessary. He also defines what he means by a fairy story. A very different thing from the tale relegated to the children’s nursery, although somewhat related. Possibly the first defence of the fantasy genre.
8 June 2007
Dark Alchemy [edited] by Gardner Dozois, Jack Dann
Magical Tales from Masters of Modern Fantasy ISBN: 9780747590569 There was a witch buried at the edge of the graveyard; it was common knowledge. This is a collection of 18 short...
2 June 2007
Rules of Engagement by Tim Collins
25 May 2003
The tip-off came from a Fleet Street contact that Saturday evening: something serious was brewing in the media, something ‘pretty big’. I’d been under the cosh for the last week after being accused of war crimes, so I wondered how much bigger it could get.
So, do I admit at the start or the end of this review that I was anti the Iraq war? Does that political inclination mean that my opinion of this book is biased? I’m not sure, I do however know that this book did not get off to a good start with me, as the dedication is “to the soldiers of Ireland who left their native land to fight for the Crown so that small nations might be free.” That grates. It is meant with the best of intentions, or at least I suppose so, and I’m guessing he is talking about in modern times, but it still grates. After all, Ireland is one of those small nations that had to fight against the Crown so that she might be free.
27 May 2007
On Raven’s Wing by Morgan Llywelyn
The atmosphere surrounding the little boy vibrated with tension. He could not see the stifled anger and baffled desire, but he sensed their residue accumulating like dustballs in the corners of the fort. Unspoken recriminations crowded the silences; bitter glances were hurled like spears over small Setanta’s head.
When I first read this book I wrote the month and year inside the cover, so I know that I first read it in February 1994, but I’ve reread it plenty of times in the past 13 years. It has been one of my favourite books ever since. That might possibly be because it is based on the Irish legend of the Táin Bó Cúalnge, or Cattle-Raid of Cooley. The Táin is made up of a collection of stories, based around the heroes of the Red Branch, the warriors of Ulster, and especially Cúchulainn.
23 May 2007
Katherine by Anya Seton
The Katherine of the title starts out this book as an orphan, raised by nuns, but heading off to the royal court at the whim of the queen. There she becomes betrothed to Hugh Swynford; she also meets the Duke of Lancaster, John of Gaunt. And it is John that she falls in love with, although at first he seems to dislike her.
19 May 2007
Black Juice by Margo Lanagan
ISBN: 0575077816 A Once Upon A Time reading challenge read. See also: Margo Lanagan’s blog ; LibraryThing ; Scooter Chronicles ; The Merchant Princes ; The Genre Files ; Emerald City...
13 May 2007
The Awakening by L.J. Smith
Book #1 in The Vampire Diaries series ISBN: 0061020001 September 4 Dear Diary, Something awful is going to happen today I don’t know why I wrote that. It’s crazy. According to...
10 May 2007
The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon K. Penman
Richard did not become frightened until darkness began to settle over the woods. In the fading light, the trees began to take on unfamiliar and menacing shapes.
We all know the myth of the “princes in the tower” and their evil uncle, Richard, who murdered them. Mainly because of Shakespeare’s play. This novel attempts to recreate the life of Richard of Gloucester, and the times in which he lived and died. And it does a great job of bringing the era to life. It also does an excellent job in dispelling many of the rumours about Richard and his rule. But more importantly than that Penman creates real characters that are entertaining and believable. The one huge problem with historical fiction, especially those novels written about real people is that you know how it the story is going to end.
9 May 2007
The Extremes by Christopher Priest
ISBN: 0575075783 Christopher Priest.co.uk ; The Universal Library ; Her name is Teresa Ann Gravatt and she is seven years old: She has a mirror through which she can see into...
19 April 2007
The Third Policeman by Flann O'Brien
ISBN: 0586087494 See also: Scriptorium ; Ted’s Thoughts Not everyone knows how I killed old Phillip Mathers, smashing his jaw with my spade; but first it is better to speak of...
15 April 2007