Tag: 3 Stars Page 53 of 55

Doubleblind by Ann Aguirre

On August 7, 2013

I’m in kind of a rush posting this, not a lot of time to proofread/make sure it makes sense. If you see a problem, leave me a note in the comments, I’ll fix it. Thanks!

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Doubleblind by Ann Aguirre

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

There’s a danger when reading serialized fiction in letting too many months — or potentially more dangerous — too many books pass between volumes. That’s exactly what happened between Wanderlust and Doubleblind for me. I spent far too much time in the first 50 pages or so trying to remember characters/events — even with a pretty well-done “let’s get reacquainted with everyone” chapter 1, that still moves the plot forward.

I’m not sure how much that effected my enjoyment of the book, but it did make it unreasonably difficult to get into. But that’s my fault, not Aguirre’s. I also was put off by Jax’s too frequent internal rehashing of the state of March and their relationship. That eventually slowed down — due to plot and (gasp!) character development. There’s one UF heroine who has similar problems with the internal rehashing, and Jax reminded me far too much of her for the first half of the book or so, but Aguirre does the right thing — she has Jax move on from that (by her own volition, as well as events around her), the character I kept comparing her to only grows when forced to in the last quarter of the book, and then spends the bulk of her next book complaining/trying to get back to where she was.

Jax being able to move on, and change as change is warranted (not changing for changes’ sake), makes me like her and her creator all the more.

And really, that’s what this series has been about — this book more than the rest — Jax shedding the party-girl, reckless youth, part of her, and maturing. Making determined choices to not be who she used to be, but instead thinking about her decisions and actions, taking responsibility of the outcomes, and working for the betterment of her crew, her employer, and humanity as a whole (though, she’ll settle for the betterment of her crew). Actually, in this, she’s reminding me a lot of Izzy Spellman (see my review of her latest).

Now, while this is what the book is really about (IMHO), there’s all this other plot-y stuff going on. Jax and her crew (and some others) are on a planet populated by an insectoid culture, trying to bring them into their planetary alliance while dodging threats from their hosts as well as from within (including, possibly, treachery of the worst kind). Oh, and this fledgling planetary alliance is trying to get its sea legs, while fighting off organized crime with more muscle than the government, not to mention the previous ruling power trying to get things back under their control. All the while, a nearly unstoppable alien force is starting to wage war against humanity, who needs the Jax’s mission to be a success so they can have a shot in the oncoming war.

And seriously, you don’t need the character development, the personal growth elements of this — you just need the politics, the intrigue and the impending doom to get a book to work (see: A Song of Ice and Fire). But you add in what’s happening to Jax, as well as her closest friends, and you’ve got yourself one rockin’ SF adventure.

I’m sure I won’t wait as long for book #4. I’m not that stupid.

Dusted Off: Sacred by Dennis Lehane

By HCNewton

On August 5, 2013

In Authors, Dennis Lehane, Fiction, K-O, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Sacred by Dennis Lehane
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Easily the weakest Kenzie/Gennaro book, and I don’t know why. On this, like every other, re-read, I’ve tried to a. convince myself I really like this one or b. put my finger on what seems wrong with this one, and I can’t do either.

Drives me crazy.

Oh well, Gone, Baby Gone is up next.

The Universe Versus Alex Woods by Gavin Extence

By HCNewton

On July 30, 2013

In Fiction, General Fiction/Literature

The Universe Versus Alex Woods by Gavin Extence
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

At some point (probably later than I should have) I realized 1. where the plot was leading; and 2. this was a novel with An Agenda, which the novel (and likely — but not necessarily — the author) wanted to you agree with. My reactions were: 1. Didn’t make me happy, and really wasn’t something I wanted to read, although I saw that it absolutely what the characters would do; and 2. Never gonna happen. So I had to make a decision: do I finish this or move on?

I went ahead and finished it (which, by the way, confirmed 1 & 2), and I think it was a worthwhile use of my reading time.

Alex Woods is a socially awkward child/teen, an epileptic who’d been struck by a meteor as a child (and achieved a degree of notoriety because of this). He’s figuring out his way in this world the best he can, with little guidance from his fortune-teller mother (and even then, it’s dubious guidance at best), he mostly relies on the scientist who helped him understand the meteor that struck him and his neurologist.

That is, until, he meets Mr. Peterson — an American widower, who moved to England following his service in the Vietnam War and now that he’s widowed has no intention of sticking around. From the moment he’s introduced, it’s clear that Mr. Peterson will become a fixture in Alex’s life. That the two will form an unlikely bond, and this will form the emotional core of the book. (this would be clear even if the book didn’t open with Alex entering the country with Mr. Peterson’s ashes on the car seat next to him)

One of the things Mr. Peterson does is introduce Alex to the works of Kurt Vonnegut. They discuss the books as Alex works his way through them, Mr. Peterson explaining things — both in the books and in life — for Alex’s overly literalistic way of looking at life.

The strength of this book is Alex’s voice and personality. You’re drawn to Alex, you want to understand the way he looks at life, you want to hear how he ends up in the dicey legal situation he finds himself in at the beginning of the novel. If not for his charm, his naiveté, his humor, this book would’ve ended up on my abandoned pile pretty quickly.

Obviously, this is evident throughout. The strongest example that I think of at this moment is Alex’s description of (and reaction to) being bullied is so close to the Platonic ideal, that it alone justifies at least half the time spent reading. The bullying characters, and the reactions on the part of the faculty/students of Alex’s school to his encounters with them were so spot-on, that if Extence wasn’t borrowing from his own life, his imagination is scarily correct.

The only two characters that didn’t quite work for me were Alex’s mother and his female friend from school*. Now, this is either because Alex is a teenage male and has a strange relationship with these two women (because they’re strange, he’s an adolescent male, and they’re women) or because Extence didn’t quite have the handle on them as characters as he did with the rest. I could go with either explanation — the latter seems unlikely, but it’s possible. In the long run, while I couldn’t understand either character as I wanted to, this didn’t detract enough from the book to spend much more time on the point than this. I do wish things had resulted in a clearer resolution between Alex and the schoolmate — if not a definite “they were X forever”, at least a trajectory suggesting something.

In the end, it was a pleasure to spend time in Alex’s company and hearing his take on how he grew up and started in his adult life, whatever my issues with the plot. It’s not the best book I’ve read in awhile, but I’ll keep my eye out for whatever Extence does next.

* Sorry, I’ve forgotten her name and returned the book to the library — and google’s not helping at all.

Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

By HCNewton

On July 23, 2013

In Fantasy, Fiction, Urban Fantasy, YA/MG/Children's Books

Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

So, this is still a really well-written series, with a rich cast of characters and a fully-realized setting that puts The Caster Chronicles ahead of several similar series. However, this installment — by and large — seems rather pointless. Its main task seems to be setting the stage for Book 4.

Yes, there’s some character development — but not enough, it’s like they’re afraid to go too far with some of the supporting characters (like Link and Ridley) at this point, they have to leave something for the next installment. Yes, we get some vital back story, but . . . well, that’s pretty much it. There’s a couple hundred pages of set up, a quick action scene and a conclusion that isn’t.

A few other notes:

It took Ethan and Lena far too long to decode the song lyrics. They’ve been doing this for about 2 years now, right? And they’re this slow? Hard to root for people when they’re acting far stupider than they are — especially this many of them at once.
For people who talk about loving and respecting each other as much as these people do — they don’t communicate. On those rare occasions when they do, actual progress is made. Amma and Ethan, in particular, should’ve conversed, not hidden things from each other.
For a series with such a strong sense of place, man, these authors show such contempt for the citizenry and culture of Gatlin. Isn’t it possible to talk about problems with the society without vilifying it?
I was unclear whether the devastation brought about by Lena’s choice (and Abraham Ravenwood & Co’s reaction to it) was limited to Gatlin, or if it extended beyond that. If it’s just Gatlin — where’s the press, the scientific community, the feds, looky-loos, etc. converging on the area to investigate it? If it’s a larger area affected, what are the explanations? Assuming they’re able to defeat Abraham in the next book, how does the world go back to normal?
So many things — Ethan’s taste issues, Link’s abilities, foremost amongst them — are introduced, and explored a little bit, and then dropped. Why?

I have confidence that Garcia and Stohl will pull this off (mostly) in the last 50 pages or so of Beautiful Redemption, and this will just fade into memory as a prolonged setup. But right now, it’s left a sour taste in my mouth.

The Masculine Mandate: God’s Calling To Men by Richard D. Phillips

By HCNewton

On July 14, 2013

In Non-Fiction, Theology/Christian Living

The Masculine Mandate: God’s Calling To Men by Richard D. Phillips
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A few years ago, I spent a couple of weeks staying with a friend in South Carolina. His church didn’t have an evening service, so he would frequently attend the church pastored by Richard Phillips, and he took me along that first week I was there. He preached on the role and duties of husbands from Ephesians 5 — I don’t remember much about the sermon, most of his points have been incorporated into the rest of the sermons/books/expositions I’ve heard/read on the passage. I do remember how humbled, convicted, and challenged I felt afterward. My friend told me on the way home that we were going back the next week for sure, because after all that directed at him, his wife needed to get preached at the same way (as I recall, instead of hitting wives with both barrels like he did husbands, Phillips only gave them one barrel and used the other one at husbands again).

The Masculine Mandate wasn’t as convicting or powerful as that sermon was (books seldom are, if you ask me) — but it was definitely in the same vein. The Mandate that Phillips focuses on is God’s purpose of the first man (and through him, all others descending from him) in Genesis 2:15, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.” His primary concern is to show how contemporary man can and should “work” and “keep” in every sphere of life, yet this book is very Gospel-centered, and he makes it clear that the only way to achieve this mandate is via Ordinary Means-enabled sanctification.

The initial chapters developed these doctrinal points to provide a foundation for the practical chapters. While I thought he was spot-on with his teaching, and frequently insightful, I did wonder why he picked the particular passages he built these chapters around, and why others were excluded, don’t get me wrong, I’m not suggesting that he dodged passages/topics — not at all. All in all, Phillips did develop his teaching on “work” and “keep” enough that when he moves to the more practical chapters, the reader is prepared to see the application of doctrine, not just a list of “do’s.”

Like any good preacher, Philips uses Biblical examples and exemplars throughout to illustrate his points. For example, Boaz is shown as the husband model we should aspire to. And a particularly strong and convicting chapter is about using John the Baptizer as a model for a servant attitude. This put some flesh to hid teaching beyond sound thinking and his own experience.

He spends more time on the role of man in marriage than in anything else — fittingly enough — and much of it echoes what I probably heard in that sermon years ago. He covers topics familiar to many, without being stale — he even finds fresh insight (or at least it doesn’t seem stale) in the well-worn territory of comparing storge/eros/philo/agape. Speaking of man as protector (as part of keeping) in the marriage, the idea that struck me most profoundly is that, “The main threat against which a man must protect his wife is his own sin.” That’ll keep you up at night.

From marriage, he moves on to speaking of working and keeping as father, friend, and church member (a good chapter that could have been made better if he included more on what we unordained should do, as there are many more of us than the ordained).

A helpful book, a thoughtful — and thought-provoking book. Not the last word on the subject (not intended to be, either). But well worth the time and attention of a man seeking to live according to biblical mandates.

Dusted Off: Holmes on the Range by Steve Hockensmith

By HCNewton

On July 11, 2013

In Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Western

Holmes on the Range by Steve Hockensmith

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

You just have to love this concept. An illiterate cowboy in 1890’s Montana hears about Sherlock Holmes due to the republication of some of Watson’s accounts in American periodicals. He’s drawn by what Holmes does and sets about getting his hands on all of Watson’s reports he can. And then he makes his brother read them to him over and over and over so he can learn how to do what Holmes does. At some point he thinks he’s learned enough to start, and puts himself in a situation to put his skills to the test. And presto, you’ve got yourself a novel.

So much for the concept–how was the execution? Ehhh, not as good. It was dull, downright slow, filled with a bunch of cliched Western types. It was interesting enough to keep me reading, but man, did it get sloggy in parts. I’m glad I persevered, because the conclusion was satisfying (even if it’s pace was 200% of what preceded it) and the central characters were amusing.

These brothers offer a great take on Holmes/Watson, and I’m sure I’ll get to the sequels pretty soon. Hoping that now that the series has been set up, the next ones will pick up a little faster.

One Dog Night by David Rosenfelt

By HCNewton

On July 9, 2013

In Andy Carpenter, Authors, David Rosenfelt, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, P-U

One Dog Night by David Rosenfelt
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Everyone’s favorite Golden Retriever-aficionado, who practices law when he absolutely has to, is back. At this point in the series, the trick is coming up with something compelling enough to get Andy to take a case — this book just might have the strongest motivating factor in the series.

From there we get one of the more gruesome and devastating crimes in this series (but thankfully, we’re years removed from it, so we don’t have to read much about the details), and one of the more widespread and reaching conspiracies this side of Robert Langdon (but in a book that’s far better written and entertaining)

The gang’s all here, even if Willie’s only seen briefly and off in a storyline all his own (not sure I got the point of it, but it didn’t detract from the main story), and I’m getting used to Andy’s new co-counsel (though I don’t think he’ll truly replace the last one). This may contain Sam’s greatest moment — only to be eclipsed a couple of chapters later by something greater (alas, minor spoiler: no song talking). The courtroom antics were solid and entertaining — even when things aren’t going Andy’s (or the client’s) way. The twists and turns kept coming, resulting in an ending I never saw coming.

Killer Ambition by Marcia Clark

By HCNewton

On July 5, 2013

In Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Killer Ambition by Marcia Clark
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Hmmm, wonder where Clark got the idea and experience to do a novel about a case with ties to Hollywood, celebrity and an all-invasive press corps trying the case outside the courtroom while putting all the details of the attorney’s lives on display for all the world. . . These parts of the novel worked so well — obviously, her own experiences and role as commentator since that one case have equipped her to tackle these things.

The relationships between Rachel and her friends/coworkers/romantic entanglements remain strong — although I think it was a bit more in the background this time around, and the book suffered for it.

I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure we spent more time in court in this novel than the two previous. Which is good, on the one hand, because these are supposed to be legal thrillers, so it’s good to have the courtroom proceedings. On the other hand, these are supposed to be legal thrillers, and on the whole, the pace and momentum of this books comes to a standstill in the details of the trial. Now, maybe this is just me — after my Perry Mason phase in high school, most of the courtroom depictions I’ve read have been by David Rosenfelt or from Paul Levine‘s Solomon & Lord series — and while Clark has a fun, light touch — she’s nowhere near as amusing as these two. Similarly, she doesn’t have the gravitas and talent of Michael Connelly — by the time Mickey Haller gets to court, the brakes have failed and there’s nothing to slow the runaway freight train of tension, suspense and energy. I’m not saying I want Clark to turn into a clone of any of these gentlemen — I’m just saying that until she improves, her readers are better served with Rachel & co. doing the bulk of their work in the field.

In the end, it was worth slogging through the slower portions, for the resolution to the mystery as well as to see how it all played out in the lives of those related to the case — I particularly liked the storyline involving the Lindsay Lohan-ish character. Now that she’s had her say about media circus trials and life under the microscope, I do hope that Clark gets back to the sorts of cases/victims that made the earlier books so much fun to read.

Indexing, Episode 4: Blended Family by Seanan McGuire

By HCNewton

On July 4, 2013

In Fiction, Indexing, Seanan McGuire, Urban Fantasy

Wow. Read the episode and am writing about it within two days of release? Yay me.

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Indexing by Seanan McGuire
Series: Indexing, #1.4

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Episode 4: Blended Family
McGuire’s feeling confident enough in this world she’s created to throw out her typical approach to this episode (it feels weird to say things like that about a 4th installment, but I’ve been reading this long enough now, that it feels like more). She plays with time, POV, structure and her reader’s expectations.

The result is a very strong episode. We get a much better idea of what makes’ Sloane tick, how her mind works in abeyance, the struggles she faces as someone in that state. We also get to see a Narrative Intrusion handled in a way we’re not used to (and we’re not the only ones who think that way).

Best of all, the ending sets up a potentially very exciting episode or more for the future. Possibly even the bulk of the series. Unlike the last episode, I thought this one displayed the strengths of this episodic method of story telling, and I’m looking forward to Episode 5 with a larger sense of anticipation than I have the rest of the series.

Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich

By HCNewton

On July 4, 2013

In Fiction, Janet Evanovich, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Stephanie Plum

Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich
Series: Stephanie Plum, #16

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

When it comes to books in a series — particularly one that I’ve read more than 3 of (so the Plum books qualify several times over) — I don’t bother to read the back cover, I just want to read whatever’s next. So I had no idea how tough a sell this book would be for me until I got a few pages into it.

Vinnie Plum is probably my least favorite character in the Plum books (well, other than Joyce Barnhardt, now that I think of it). His character isn’t that interesting, almost never contributes anything to the story that couldn’t be handled by someone less-skeevy, say, Connie. So when the big story of the novel is going to be about rescuing Vinnie, I’m not going to be that invested. Actually, I’m going to root against Stephanie and her crew saving the day. A happy ending to this book would be Vinnie getting capped and Connie taking over. Or, fine, if he has to live — he’s so shaken by the experience that he sells his business to Ranger.

Of course, I knew that this is a Stephanie Plum novel, so the odds of that happening are pretty low, if not non-existent. Typically, everything resets at the end of the novel, and that status is quo going forth.

So, I had to seek fulfillment elsewhere — how many cars will Steph blow up? (her car’s in the shop for mechanical difficulty, of all things, when the book starts) Will Lula’s diet and the breaking of it annoy me? (not too bad, really) Will Stephanie’s efforts to bring in a pretty easy FTA or two be stupid flops, or actually funny? (eh, not bad…not as funny as they could’ve been, but not annoyingly stupid) Will Grandma Mazur’s antics seem like they’d be a better fit for The Nanny‘s grandmother than a crime novel? That kind of thing.

And overall, Evanovich pulled it off. This isn’t her at her best, but it’s her doing her thing. It’ll satisfy long-time readers, but probably wouldn’t win a first-timer. Pleasant enough way to spend 300 pages.