Susan Hated Literature

Author: Maria V. Snyder
ISBN: 9780778302438 DDC: 813.6
LibraryThing ; Other reviews

“We’re here,” Irys said.
I looked around. The surrounding jungle bulged with life.

This is the sequel to Poison Study and is the second in the Study trilogy. After the events in the first book Yelana, at the start of this, is on her way to meet her family for the first time in fourteen years. Leaving Ixia she heads for Sitia, where she can learn how to control her magical abilities. But of course things don’t go smoothly, if they did I guess there wouldn’t be much of a story, now would there.

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Author: Lynn Flewelling

1. The Bone Doll’s Twin
2. The Hidden Warrior
3. The Oracle’s Queen

DDC: Read with FantasyFavorites and FFSeries
See also: Lynn Flewelling’s LJ ; What we read ; Voracious Reader

As always the problem with reviewing a series of books is that you might give away plot points by accident, so I’m not really going to mention the plot at all.

In many ways this is fairly typical “epic” fantasy. We have a chosen one prophesied to save the world. Or at least on country. Evil usurpers in power not the rightful monarch. And of course the quest to regain the throne. But despite that aspect is actually quite a good read. Flewelling has her own twist on the cliché that makes it much more entertaining and interesting than others that follow the same general plot. Plus her characters actually have shades of grey, not just the black and white that makes going into battle against the evil ones so much easier for our heroes.

I really liked the gender twist. And the problems that Tobin/Tamir faced were well-written. Plus it made for a fresh take on the whole romance side of the book. But overall none of the characters really leapt off the page for me.

I was interested, but never really gripped by the plot either, so I’d have to say that it was an average enough read. Nothing I’d recommend to anyone.

Author: Christopher Priest
ISBN: 0684817551 DDC: 823.014
Read for the RIP Challenge
See also: LibraryThing ; Fantasybookspot ; Review in Haiku

It began on a train, heading north through England, although I was soon to discover that the story had really begun more than a hundred years earlier.

The Prestige is a book that covers three different generations of two families, told by a number of different narrators, all in the first person, as they tell their stories in their diaries. Those of you who have seen the film version will be aware that the prestige of the title is the payoff to a magic trick. What you might not know is that this term was invented by Priest but has since come into common usage among practising magicians. The main story revolves around two feuding magicians; Alfred Borden and Rupert “Robbie” Angier. Throughout both of their careers the two magicians try their hardest to upset and humiliate the other, each action then having a reaction, and then a further action, as is often the way in these things.

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Author: Jim Butcher
ISBN: 1841493996 DDC: 813.6
Book two in The Dresden Files read for the RIP Challenge

I never used to keep close track of the phases of the moon

Harry Dresden is a wizard. Most people in Chicago don’t believe in magic or wizards, Science has seen to that, but he still gets called in to assist the police on occasion. Their Special Investigation department may be not be the dream assignment but police there still have to work. Although recently Harry hasn’t received too much business from them. A result of what happened in the first book I’m guessing, seeing as I didn’t read that. But when there are a series of extremely violent deaths Murphy, head of Special Investigations, comes calling. It looks like werewolves are on the loose.

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Author: Jim C. Hines
ISBN: 0756404002 DDC: 813.6
Group read with FantasyFavorites
Book 1 in the Jig series.
See also: LibraryThing ; Jim C Hines’ Sff site ; Backcountry Musings ; Barbarienne’s Den

Jig hated muck duty.
He didn’t mind the actual work. He liked the metallic smell of the distillation room, where week-old blood and toadstool residue dried in their trays.

Jig is a goblin; a smaller than average, weaker than average goblin. This means he gets picked on a lot. He gets a bit of a raw deal most of the time. But that is the norm for most goblins, their fate is to live underground in their tunnels, fodder for any adventurous type that might come looking for treasure, or maybe to die at the hands of the neighbouring hobgoblins. An early death is a fairly usual end; the best to be hoped for is a quick one.

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Author: J.K. Rowling
ISBN: 9780747591054 DDC: 823.914
Book Seven in the Harry Potter series.
See also: LibraryThing ; Heather Anne (spoilers) ; Andrea’s Atrium (Spoiler LADEN) ; Klondar Industries (contains spoilers) ; Things Mean A Lot(some spoilers) ; Answer the call (spoiler Free)

The two men appeared out of nowhere, a few yards apart in the narrow, moonlit lane.

The problem with reviewing the final book in a series is that you are never sure exactly what you can and can’t say. You don’t want to spoil the earlier books. But at the same time how can you discuss a novel without reference to at least a little of the plot. And so reveal plot details of earlier books? I’m going to try, but I am allowing spoilers in the comment section. For previous books, and for this one, I’ll try and hide them with the spoiler tag, but one or two might slip through, so be warned.

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Dir: David Yates
Writ: Michael Goldenberg Based on novel by J.K. Rowling

• Daniel Radcliffe … Harry Potter
• Emma Watson … Hermione Granger
• Rupert Grint … Ron Weasley
• Ralph Fiennes … Lord Voldemort
• Michael Gambon … Albus Dumbledore
• Imelda Staunton … Dolores Umbridge
• Gary Oldman … Sirius Black
• Mark Williams … Arthur Weasley
• Julie Walters … Mrs. Weasley

I don’t remember much of the book. I know that I did read Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and I do remember the ending, but a lot of what went on in the middle. No recollection whatsoever. So in a way you could say that I wasn’t faced with comparing the novel and the film. Which is a good thing. And without that comparison I’d have to say that this is a good film. (there are spoilers for the previous books/films below the cut. None for The Order of the Phoenix.)

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