The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

Series Rating: A fun series that is action packed and sassy

A series that twists the fairy tales we know so well into an amazing sci-fi young adult novel full of action, suspense and interesting characters. Please see most recent review at the bottom of this post.

Rating: An addictive book
Cinder
Age Range: 12 - 18 years
Publisher: Puffin (January 5, 2012)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0141340134
ISBN-13: 978-0141340135
ASIN: B0065GC0PG

Summary:

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . . Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future. This is the tale of Cinderella. Only not like you have heard it before. For starters Cinder is a cyborg and it's the future where there are people living on the moon and hover cars.

I had seen this book around for awhile and to be honest I am generally weary of "buzz" books because more often then not I don't like them. I am happy to say this time I was proved wrong, dead wrong. This book was just a wow book for me, I couldn't put i down, thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish. Easily one of my best reads for 2014 (even though it was released a few years back, never mind).

Meyer's has done a wonderful job retelling the Cinderella story but kept it fresh and interesting. I liked the twist of Cinder being a Cyborg and that the Prince was actually more then a bit of beautiful fluff just hanging around waiting for some twit to leave her shoe on his stair case.

Cinder's step (adoptive guardian) and sister are suitable horrible. But I really cant say any more on the characters with out giving the story away.

Don't assume that because you know the Cinderella story that you know what will happen!

There was action, excitement, romance, and witty banter and one liners. While this book is a "light" book it did deal with some heavy topics like discrimination, plague, and moral dilemmas. I found it interesting that Cinder being cyborg showed way more humanity then some of the humans.

Definitely read this if it is on your to be read pile!
Series Post Updated - 11/1/2015

Rating: A fun read and addictive
Scarlett
Age Range: 14 - 18 years
Publisher: Puffin (January 5, 2012)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1250007216
ISBN-13: 978-1250007216
ASIN: B00ADNPAOK

Summary:

SCARLET BENOIT'S grandmother is missing. The police have closed her case. The only person Scarlet can turn to is Wolf, a street fighter she does not trust, but they are drawn to each other. Meanwhile, in New Beijing, Cinder will become the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive - when she breaks out of prison to stay one step ahead of vicious Queen Levana. As Scarlet and Wolf expose one mystery, they encounter Cinder and a new one unravels. Together they must challenge the evil queen, who will stop at nothing to make Prince Kai her husband, her king, her prisoner . . .

So book one Cinder left me hanging for the next book, I HAD to know what happened next. Book two didn't disappoint.

It introduced three new characters and a new fairy tale. We saw the continuation of Cinder's story and her meeting Captain Thorne; who reminded me of Hans Solo in that he was a lovable rogue with a very lose view on laws, quick wit. We are also introduced to Scarlet and Wolf, who are trying to find Scarlett's kidnapped Grandmother.

This book for me was a little darker then Cinder, in that the author shows and describes a few murders and we meet some pretty nasty characters. The action is pretty good and I would be super surprised if this series hasn't been picked up to be turned into a movie.  But let me be clear it doesn't read like a movie script (and some books do) There is still depth there and character development.

We got to see some of Queen Levana's point of view which to me felt a little odd but I can only assume book three will now show some of her "side of the story". Could it be she isn't quite the evil meglomaniac with super powers she has been made out to be? Would be a smidgeon of a shame as she has made a fantastic super villain so far.

I can't wait to start book three!

Rating: A nice addition to the series
Cress
Publisher: Puffin (February 6, 2014)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B00G2SJQAO
ISBN: 0312642970

Summary:
In this third book in the Lunar Chronicles, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army. Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl imprisoned on a satellite since childhood who's only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker. Unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice. When a daring rescue of Cress goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.

I can see why some people felt this book was a bit of a let down compared to the first two books. It is slower paced as there is a lot of information being revealed (with out it feeling like to much information in a short period of time) and story arcs being told. There was also some big story developments happening and reveals. Finally it is being told from at least 5 different points of view (I think it may have even been more). To me this slowed the story down a little.

However I still enjoyed this book thoroughly and thought the author did a good job of blending all the points of views, expanding on the story and action. Because there was still action.

Cress is not as sassy as Cinder and Scarlet were, however she will make a good addition to the team going forward through the series.

So I am now hanging out for book 4!

Overall Series thoughts to date
I love the clever blend of fairy tale and sci-fi which to me is so interesting. Also I like that the female characters are really strong role models for young girls (ah cliched I know). But they are. They aren't silly screaming girly heroines who do ridiculously stupid things (like follow a criminal down a dark ally all alone without telling anyone and have no self defence skills or a gun), but they are not ridiculously super powerful beyond their means. They are smart and capable girls who get stuff done. Even the evil Queen who has been shown as a power hungry psycho (well what evil leader trying to take over the world wouldn't be?) has been shown to be very calculating, intelligent and even logical. Even when things went a bit topsy turvey she still managed to manoeuvre a bad situation to her own advantage.

Also I love the cover art for these books. So simple but colourful.

Rating: A good ending to the series
Winter
Age Range: 12 - 18 years

Series: The Lunar Chronicles (Book 4)

Hardcover: 832 pages

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends (November 10, 2015)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0312642989

ISBN-13: 978-0312642983

Summary:
Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana. Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won't approve of her feelings for her childhood friend--the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn't as weak as Levana believes her to be and she's been undermining her stepmother's wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that's been raging for far too long. Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters? 

 I felt Fairest was a bit of a wasted novella. I had no idea if I was supposed to feel more sympathetic or hate her after learning more about Levanna's back story. To be honest I just didn't care enough. The book didn't move me either way. Now in Winter, Levanna's got to put on her evil Queen boots and get her paranoid-psycho-nastiness on again. I enjoyed her way more as a character in this book then in previous books. She is a good baddie, I like her better being a baddie.

This book had a lot of different points of views, and I mean a lot. At least 8 that I can think of while writing this. That is a lot. All these points of views grew over the series as each character was added, in the first book we had Kai and Cinder and then in the second we added Scarlet and Wolf and so on. But in the this book they all converge and it can get a bit much. Luckily there isn't a point of view that I think was not necessary. They all added to the story and helped keep track of what was going down (as there was a lot happening).

Without giving much away I thought the final book managed to wrap up all the story arc's satisfactorily and kept true to their original fairy tale. I did really like Winter and hoped her ending would have been different.

Series Overall Recommendation
Read this series if this is your type of thing. It is a fun and interesting series.

Tin Men by Christopher Golden

Rating 3 out of 5
Publisher: Ballantine Books (June 23, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 034554885X
ISBN-13: 978-0345548856

After political upheaval, economic collapse, and environmental disaster, the world has become a hotspot, boiling over into chaos of near apocalyptic proportions. In this perpetual state of emergency, all that separates order from anarchy is the military might of a United States determined to keep peace among nations waging a free-for-all battle for survival and supremacy. But a conflict unlike any before demands an equally unprecedented fighting force on its front lines. Enter the Remote Infantry Corps: robot soldiers deployed in war zones around the world, controlled by human operators thousands of miles from the action. PFC Danny Kelso is one of these “Tin Men,” stationed with his fellow platoon members at a subterranean base in Germany, steering their cybernetic avatars through combat in the civil-war-ravaged streets of Syria. Immune to injury and death, this brave new breed of American warrior has a battlefield edge that’s all but unstoppable—until a flesh-and-blood enemy targets the Tin Men’s high-tech advantage in a dangerously game-changing counter strike. When anarchists unleash a massive electromagnetic pulse, short-circuiting the world’s technology, Kelso and his comrades-in-arms find themselves trapped—their minds tethered within their robot bodies and, for the first time, their lives at risk. Now, with rocket-wielding “Bot Killers” gunning for them, and desperate members of the unit threatening to go rogue, it’s the worst possible time for the Tin Men to face their most crucial mission. But an economic summit is under terrorist attack, the U.S. president is running for his life, and the men and women of the 1st Remote Infantry Division must take the fight to the next level—if they want to be the last combatants standing, not the first of their kind to fall forever.

A sci fi action drama set in the distant future when things are not so rosey and a mecha force are enforcing peace.

I could't really connect with the two main characters. I just didn't particularly like them. They felt a little shallow. I don't know how a military trained person would react in a situation where the world effectively ends, but they just seemed a little too calm and accepting of their situation. Strangely I thought the supporting characters had a lot more dimension too them. Particularly the 16 year old girl (whose name escapes me now) who probably experienced the most in the short time frame of the book.

The best part about this book was the story. I think the robot enforcing law aspect aside, the concept of the electronic world we live in being taken offline at once, was a fascinating idea to explore. The characters themselves raise some interesting points that even if they could get the power back on it would be days, weeks even years to recover fully. The author clearly thought out the knock on effects and issues that surround this sort of event happening.It was an intriguing concept of having the worlds technology completely wiped out and our civilisation being sent back to the dark ages.

Following on from the above point the general world building the author did was really good and was felt this future could easily be ours. A lot of research clearly went into this book and it showed through. I didn't feel like I was being bombarded with information yet I got enough information to know about the events prior to the world being taken off line. However some of the information delivery points were a little awkward, but not overly distracting.

The action scenes are really good and are almost non stop as the Tin Men battle there way across the Middle East and Europe to get home. I did think to myself a couple of times how it was they only really ran out of bullets once or twice considering how much shooting was going on.

An interesting book with a lot of possibilities. While I didn't love this book I would be interested to try this author again.

Love in a time of Monsters by Teresa Yea

Rating 3 out of 5
Publisher: Broken E Publishing (March 31, 2015)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B00UDQUK9C

Summary:

He has a monster problem Scotland, 1867. When Rob Stevenson’s brother is killed—and eaten—in the forest outside their estate, Rob’s sheltered world is shattered by a monster infestation. Determined to keep his village safe, Rob's first duty as laird involves hiring a professional hunter. She kills monsters The sole survivor of a massacre in the Congo, Catriona Mornay is rumored to have lost her mind in the jungle. In Edinburgh’s gas-lit streets, Cat’s skill as a hunter is unmatched. Her reputation as a killer of unnatural creatures, legendary. Two worlds collide Faced with a rising body count, Rob takes a chance on Cat, hoping that somewhere inside this tortured yet charismatic girl is the hero he’s been searching for. But in this shadow realm of secrets, lies, and underworld crime, their lives overlap in more ways than one. And in an age where harpies flock the sky and serpents rule the sea, it’s even possible for a boy and his hunter to fall in love. But can their love survive in a time of monsters? For fans of bestselling authors Libba Bray and Megan Shepherd, take a dark ride into a seductive New Adult fantasy filled with magic, intrigue, adventure, and action packed romance.

Not a bad book but not I had mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand I liked the writing and the clever mix of history, literature and fantasy as well as the story itself. On the other it was a little too gothic for me.

I really liked that the author tied the characters to the real life author Rob Stevenson and his stories. However the story is almost purely fictional with only some things (like his illness and living in Scotland) tying him to his real world counterpart. Though it is fun to think the real Stevenson had done a spot of monster hunting in his youth before writing a best seller book.

 Cat is an interesting and broken character. She is strong willed and independent yet she is a drug addict who has suffered through a major trauma. She makes some pretty stupid decision which have terrible consequences. However sometimes she is very insightful and knows the right thing to do that saves everyone.

As previously mentioned a smidgeon dark and serious for me. There is a bit of gore and violence (hello she is a monster hunter not sure why I expected it to be more like skipping through the tulips and less skipping through the graveyard).

There is also romance element and a love triangle which plats into the story line and creates tension between the main characters.

An interesting book with lots of different elements that would make it enjoyable to lots of different readers.

The Great Zoo of China by Matthew Reilly

Rating 4 out of 5
Publisher: Macmillan Australia (10 November 2014)
Sold by: Macmillan (AU)
Language: English
ASIN: B00LBQWH76

Summary

'Now, I know what you are thinking,' Hu Tang paused. 'You are thinking that there are hundreds of zoos, why does the world need another one? Indeed, what can China do with a zoo that has not already been done before? Ladies and gentleman...this is what we can do.' At that moment, the speeding bullet train burst out into brilliant sunshine and CJ found herself staring at an awesome sight. It is a secret the Chinese government has been keeping for forty years. They have found a species of animal no one believed even existed. It will amaze the world. Now the Chinese are ready to unveil their astonishing discovery within the greatest zoo ever constructed. A small group of VIPs and journalists has been brought to the zoo deep within China to see its fabulous creatures for the first time. Among them is Dr Cassandra Jane 'CJ' Cameron, a writer for National Geographic and an expert on reptiles. The visitors are assured by their Chinese hosts that they will be struck with wonder at these beasts, that they are perfectly safe, and that nothing can go wrong... GET READY FOR ACTION ON A GIGANTIC SCALE.

After reading "Sophia's Secret" I needed a break. A light fluffy but mostly fun mental break. I had heard Reilly had released a new book and thought it would be the prefect change of pace. It did not disappoint. I had lots of fun reading this book.

Really is really good at writing fast paced big action adventures. This book does have a slowish start compared to some of his other books, but it doesn't take long for action, mayhem and big explosions to start.

I don't think I can write a review with out touching on the obvious comparisons to the book and movies "Jurassic Park". I can see where the comparisons come from. A top secret park full of giant reptile type creatures and it all goes belly up. Same same right?. But this book is only on the surface similar to Jurassic Park. It would be a mistake to dismiss this book as a Jurassic Park rip off. I also appreciated that the author makes two Jurassic park jokes which to me showed he was more then aware of the potential comparison. I really think the author managed to separate his book in the end from Jurassic Park's shadow. By the end I wasn't even thinking about the comparison at all.

I must give the author credit for writing a strong, smart and capable female lead character. CJ gets stuff done and doesn't stand screaming waiting for her knight in shining armour to save her. Yes she does seem to have the best luck in the world but all action heroes do.

One last point the book has some pretty graphic violence. I mean it's dragons attacking and eating people. Just be prepared if you are perhaps more sensitive to these things. It really is violent when it happens (which is pretty regular).

If you are a fan of Matthew Reilly then you will like this book. If you are not then pass. This book is a fun read and all about the action, certainly goes by the mantra of "go big or go home".

The Loop by Karen Akins

Rating 4 out of 5
Reading Age 15 and above
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (October 21, 2014)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B00J6U7K1C
ISBN: 1250030986

Summary

At a school where Quantum Paradox 101 is a required course and history field trips are literal, sixteen year-old time traveler Bree Bennis excels…at screwing up. After Bree botches a solo midterm to the 21st century by accidentally taking a boy hostage (a teensy snafu), she stands to lose her scholarship. But when Bree sneaks back to talk the kid into keeping his yap shut, she doesn’t go back far enough. The boy, Finn, now three years older and hot as a solar flare, is convinced he’s in love with Bree, or rather, a future version of her that doesn’t think he’s a complete pain in the arse. To make matters worse, she inadvertently transports him back to the 23rd century with her. Once home, Bree discovers that a recent rash of accidents at her school are anything but accidental. Someone is attacking time travelers. As Bree and her temporal tag along uncover seemingly unconnected clues—a broken bracelet, a missing data file, the art heist of the millennium—that lead to the person responsible, she alone has the knowledge to piece the puzzle together. Knowledge only one other person has. Her future self. But when those closest to her become the next victims, Bree realizes the attacker is willing to do anything to stop her. In the past, present, or future.

This was such a fun book. It was exactly what I needed to kick of the New Year. It had a little bit of everything; sci-fi, time travel, romance, action, and humour. I enjoyed it immensely. This will be a short review as it is hard to say much without giving the plot line away. 

Most of the hilarity comes from Bree and Finn. Her snarky sassyness and his wonder at time travel. There were so many laugh-out-loud moments it is hard to pick just one to show case. I enjoyed Bree always commenting about kicking future Bree's ass. As the story is told from Bree's point of view her internal voice is hilarious. 

It is an intricate storyline and a mystery as well as a sci-fi time travel book (what did you expect with a time travel story), this is also why I am struggling to review this book as everything that happens is linked or interwoven with a bigger picture which all comes together at the end. Unlike some sci-fi stories that seem to beat you down into unconsciousness with big science words and explanations, Akins keeps the science stuff pretty easy to understand and I can only think of one long winded explanation (which kind of had to happen). Also the sciencey stuff was easily understandable especially with Finn "dumbing" it down for the reader. Some parts of the story did seem odd (hair scanners as way of ID verification) but hey what would I know.

My only quibble is the story Bree had been fed about the microchip. It seemed incredibly flimsy yet no one seemed to question it till Finn comes along?

This was a hugely entertaining book for me and I read it virtually in one night (and paid the price the next day with a reading hang over, not so fun when you have to go to work and function) and I would recommend this book to anyone really as there is so much going on in the book. But if you really dislike time travel stories then this is probably not for you.

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancy

Rating: 5 out of 5
Title: The 5th Wave
Author: Rick Yancy
Series: The 5th Wave (Book 1)
Hardcover: 480 pages
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile (May 7, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0399162410
ISBN-13: 978-0399162411

Summary 

"After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one. Now, it's the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth's last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie's only hope for rescuing her brother--or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death."

Perhaps I had started one to many fizzer books before I read this one, or it was the right book at the right time. Either way this book ticked all the boxes for me and I just blitzed through the book. heck I even tweeted about it. I was sucked in and held there till the end when I finally came up for air.

The alien invasion was realistic and well thought out. I could imagine an alien race doing the "waves" of death on mankind. In fact as far as invasions go it was smart, and involved little effort on the alien's behalf. The pole being dropped from outer space was perhaps a little much but everything else was very believable.

I felt the story had the feel of a "written for movie" story. It was a bit cliched, predictable and had a few unrealistic scenes (towards the end). But hey they are action scenes, action scenes in a sci-fi book no less, they should be spectacular and totally stupid all the time exciting and fun.

I did notice some faults with the book, and I didn't care. Nope not a bit. It was exciting, interesting and an interesting take on the alien invasion young adult story. That for me is a good book, when you notice flaws and you still don't want to put the book down or for it to finish.

I enjoyed Cassie, she was quite realistic. She was strong, tough and smart; but didn't have weird skills that she couldn't possibly have. She was a teen struggling with the situation she found herself in.

I have not looked forward to a sequel for a long time in the sci-fi arena but this one had me wanting the second book straight away.

If you like young adult books, and sci-fi, I would recommend this book. Don't expect a lot from it, and you should enjoy it.

The Rook by Daniel O'Malley

Rating 4 out of 5

• Paperback: 512 pages
• Publisher: Back Bay Books (October 16, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316098809
• ISBN-13: 978-0316098809

Summary
Myfanwy Thomas awakes in a London park surrounded by dead bodies. With her memory gone, her only hope of survival is to trust the instructions left in her pocket by her former self. She quickly learns that she is a Rook, a high-level operative in a secret agency that protects the world from supernatural threats. But there is a mole inside the organization and this person wants her dead.

As Myfanwy battles to save herself, she encounters a person with four bodies, a woman who can enter her dreams, children transformed into deadly fighters, and an unimaginably vast conspiracy.

Well with a summary like that I knew I had to read it. I was fascinated with the concept. I am happy to report I was not let down. The book was heaps of fun to read. I found myself laughing out loud and eagerly turning the pages wanting to know what happened next.

The book was action packed, with a bit of blood and guts. The descriptions though were not super gory or over the top just enough to make you go eewww.

The letters start to get a bit much. There is a fair bit of information dumping in there and it is a convenient way to tie in some story lines. Towards the end though the information in the letters were a bit pointless to me, didn't really reveal much and could have been revealed in different ways with a lot less er words. While I can see this annoying some readers, it didn't really phase me and I didn't mind all the back story even if it was convenient.

For me that is a mark of a good book when you see the flaws but you don't really care.

This was a page turner and I enjoyed every minute of it. I cant wait for book 2.

The Scorch Trials (Maze Runner #2) by James Dashner

Rating: 4 out of 5

Title: The Scorch Trials

Author: James Dashner

Series: Book 2 in a trilogy

Reading level: Ages 12 and up
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Ember; Reprint edition (September 13, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0385738765
ISBN-13: 978-0385738767

Thomas and his friends are free, free from the Maze. But things are about to get a whole lot worse, because they have another trial to endure. The Maze was the first trial now the second trial is to cross the Scorch; the waste land around the equator where the diseased Cranks with the flare live, weather is wild, and the sun bakes everything to a crisp. Will Thomas and his friends survive this trial and get the reward they have been promised?

It is always hard to review a series, especially a trilogy and not give anything away, so this review will be short.

The Scorch wasteland is barren and harsh. The sun burns almost on contact with the skin and the storms when they hit are vicious and wild. Almost nothing survives out here except Cranks, people who are infected with the disease that inhabit the only remaining crumbling city.

While Thomas and his friends manoeuvre through the city the reader gets to learn about the Cranks, their lives, and how the disease effect them.

We get to meet new characters who add an interesting dynamic to the band of merry Gladers. Brenda and Jorge being the most notable new comers.

There is a lot of action and a far higher death count in this book compared to The Maze Runner.

New story threads are revealed and old ones explained. I was happy with some, not sure about the direction of the new threads but all in all not bad.

A good instalment in the series.

The Death Cure (Maze Runner #3) by James Dashner

Rating: 4 out of 5
Title: The Death Cure
Author: James Dashner
Series: Trilogy - Book 3
Reading level: Ages 12 and up
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0385738773
ISBN-13: 978-0385738774

Synopsis
Thomas knows that WICKED can't be trusted, but they say the time for lies is over, that they've collected all they can from the Trials and now must rely on the Gladers, with full memories restored, to help them with their ultimate mission. To complete the blueprint for the cure to the Flare. What Wicked doesn't know is that something has happened that no Trial or Variable could have foreseen. Thomas has remembered far more than they think. And he knows that he can't believe a word of what WICKED says. The time for lies is over. But the truth is more dangerous than Thomas could ever imagine.


Lets start with the end. There is a positive ending which is nice after the carnage of the three books. I wont say anymore then that.

Now the carnage, wow Dashner just went a little nuts here. The carnage is on par with almost any end of the world movie, if you have that mental picture then you have a pretty good idea of the massive scale of death and destruction in this book. Also warning not all of our heroes make it. Not sure if I was happy with their demise but it made for some interesting reading.

This book reveals more of the world outside of The Scorch and the society that is left behind. As well as about Cranks and the disease The Flare.

The reader gets some answers and it wraps up some story threads. I would like to have known why WICKED originally decided to take the path it did with research. It seems odd that a persons brain patterns maybe the reason why they are not susceptible to a viral illness? I believe there is a prequel floating around and maybe my questions about WICKED are answered there.

Is Brenda who I think she is? OMG I am positive I know who she is and her secret. It's killing me I can't say anything or I might ruin the book. But if she is who I think she is, then well played Mr Dashner, well played.

Potential spoiler alert (while this isn't a big spoiler there is a little spoiler) For me some more questions were raised. I wonder if there will be more written about it. For instance what/how/why did the cranks, who allegedly turned into mindless zombies, organise a revolt? and target a city?

The trilogy as a whole was a good one. There is quite a bit of violence which maybe off-putting to some. But for the target audience (teenage boys) I think this would be a big win.

The Maze Runner (Book 1 Maze Runner Trilogy) by James Dashner

Rating 5 out of 5
Reading level: Ages 12 and up
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Delacorte Press; Reprint edition (August 24, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0385737955
ISBN-13: 978-0385737951

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls. Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift. Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers. Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind

Let me just say straight up wow just WOW! This book had me hooked form the start. I devoured this book in a weekend as I just needed to know what the heck was going to happen next! This is certainly one of my best reads for this year.

An interesting concept which was in my mind well executed. As a reader you only know what Thomas and the gladers know, which isn't much. While the reader is given very tiny snippets of information about the world outside of the maze, it isn't much. The gladers world is the Maze and the Glade so the information we are given concerns life and trials in the maze. I enjoyed the invented language the gladers had, and while there is a little adjustment (learning the meanings etc) it wasn't hard to get the gist.

The characters were good (if a little stereotypical). Gally is the most interesting as he is pretty much nuts and you can't help but feel sorry for him. Minho and Newt would have to be my favourite characters, they have a sense of humour despite their situation and uncanny knack for reading people. Thomas was a smidgeon annoying at times because he came across as a little bit of a know-it-all, but I could forgive the behaviour as he was the new kid and trying to work out the riddle of the maze. But then again if I woke up with out any memories, in some random glade, surrounded by a maze, that moves and has creepy creatures in it....I might be a bit of whingey whiney cranky pants too. Oh heck I would be a sobbing blubbery curled up ball in a corner.

I was a little perplexed as to why more of an incentive to get out hadn't been presented earlier, as in before Thomas rocked up. I don't recall if it was explained why the first group into the maze decided to actually investigate it and not just stay safe in the glad (as it had food and shelter and lovely year round weather). I suspect if a note had been left telling the kiddies "there is an x-box, pizza, cake and coke for you if you get the heck out" or some sort of similar motivator, they would have been out waaaayyyy sooner. But then it would have been a very short book.

The target audience for this book are teen boys. So when you read and review the book in that context it is a great book. Lets face it teen boys really want a few things from a book action, things that go boom, fight scenes, maybe some sort of tech/mechanical thing to drive, oh and some more action. If your looking for a soppy romance or love triangle then this is not the book for you.

I have seen some reviewers complain about the suspense (at the expense of the narrative) and convenient plot fillers, and lack of information. But I must have read a different book because I didn't notice any of these I just sat down and held on till the reading roller coaster was over and I loved every minute of it. The lack of info argument to me is daft because the characters didn't know so how could the reader know what was going on?

Overall I would recommend this book for anyone who enjoys the apocalyptic genre. This is a clever story and different from a lot of the stuff out on the market at the moment. It is a fun and thrilling read that should leave you scrambling for book 2 at the end.

Extras
I found this interview of James Dashner and he talks about The Maze Runner.

Hell's Fury by P.D Martin

Rating: 4 out of 5
File Size: 608 KB
Print Length: 256 pages
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B0083UX3B2 (ebook only)

Hell's Fury is the first book in the newest series released by P.D Martin. It is about Ally Logan (an alias that she is referred to as through most of the book) who is a CIA agent abandoned by her Government to an Afghanistan prison. She is rescued by a mysterious organisation who offers her a new life, a new identity and a new job. Her new job? to assassinate targets given to her by the mysterious Committee.

I have really loved reading P.D Martin's Sophie Anderson series so was keen to read this one when I learned of it. One thing I have liked previously about P.D Martins writing is how she can write strong, down to earth female lead characters who are most importantly believable.

Ally Logan (aka Jane Calloway, Ms Paige, or RB as we have yet to learn for certain her real name other then it begins with R) is a really well rounded character, and by well rounded I mean she is messed up enough due to her experiences to make her believable. Her back ground is that she was a CIA field agent who worked under cover and had been imprisoned in Afghanistan enduring weeks of torture. So if she didn't have issues I would not have bought into her character, but thankfully (from a readers perspective) she did. Her character really struggled with so many emotions, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Plus on top of that was rediscovering who she was and where her moral compass pointed.

The struggle Ally has internally makes her ideal to present the really tough and meaty issues that the author Martin raises in this book. Issues such as vigilantism, assassination, people trafficking, drug abuse, prostitution, exploitation of minors, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, morality, corruption and more. There is no sugar coating the issues raised and certainly no answers given and this is reflected through the main character as she struggles to reconcile what she could do, would do, wouldn't do, her past life and her current life.

But having said all that this book does not get bogged down in detail, idealism/morality, or leaves the reader feeling lectured. It is a fast, action packed read, that is hard to put down. The characters are well written and the story is complex with out being information heavy. If you like spy, thriller type stories this should hit all the right buttons for you.

I look eagerly towards the next book in the series.

Extras
If you would like to read an excerpt here is chapter one of Hell's Fury at Smashwords.com.

Fire (Graceling Realm #2) by Kristin Cashore

Rating: 3 out of 5
Age Group: Teenager
File Size: 629 KB
Print Length: 356 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0575085126
Publisher: Gollancz (September 24, 2009)
Sold by: Hachette Book Group
Language: English
ASIN: B002U3CBMK

Book two of the Graceling Realm series is actually a Prequel, set about twenty years prior to the events in Graceling.

Fire is the last of her kind, a human monster, and now war is coming to the Dells a battle has began to harness her extraordinary power to seize control of the Kingdom.

I didn't like Fire as much as Katsa, she was a bit whiney, a bit sooky and a smidgeon annoying. Ok granted she seems to get a menstral cycle from hell which may explain some of this but mostly she just didn't make me really like her. As a heroine she was ok, she didn't really do anything despite her powers. There were maybe three stand out moments for her in this book and I wish the story had focused a little more on those traits about her ( I will not say more as it may give the book away).

The romances she had also felt forced and unbelievable. I dunno maybe I am not a love at first sight kinda person and that is what the author seemed to want us to believe. The few characters I did really enjoy were hardly in the book at all which was a little frustrating as it meant the ones left behind (bar Clara and her guard) were at times just as annoying as Fire.

Another frustrating thing was the authors obvious views on marriage and children, and not the views as such but the fact you were never allowed to forget about it EVER. Fire, like Katsa before her (or after or rather in the previous book) also harped on heavily about NEVER getting married and NEVER having children. Which is fine I do not have a problem with that but I also did not need to be hit over the head with this fact over and over.

I guess what really bugged me is that the only strongly portrayed women characters had the "I don't need a man" attitude and I just can't understand why being married or having kids means you are a weaker person. Perhaps this was not what the author intended to portray in her characters, but it is what came across to me and it bugged me. I am all for women power and being independent but sometimes it came across a little condescending.

One last thing about the "women power" theme, I felt the message was muddied by Fire's character constantly showing a strong maternal instinct and kept saying (by thoughts) how much she wanted children, she even pined over it. Her excuses for not having children seemed very weak to me. So for her to then say she doesn't want kids and then do what she does in the book surprised me a little. All I can say is I was not "sold" on her convictions.

The action from the first book is missing here. There are a few scenes but I felt the main focus of this book was more political intrigue and drama. Life in a Royal court. Also Fire is not a fighter (in the physical sense) that Katsa was.

So you are probably thinking I hated this book. Well I didn't. I dunno something kept me reading the book. I think it was the characters I did like, I was invested in them and wanted to know what happened. I really enjoyed the twins and wish we had learned more about them. Also towards the end of the book (maybe last 3rd of the book) I felt Fire finally became truly likeable and interesting. Her views, actions and personality finally gelled.

Overall this book for me was average. It was an interesting add on to the Graceling world which I hope gets tied back into the series later on and not just used to tell the back story of one character from Graceling. The lands and people that inhabit Fire's world were interesting and different to Katsa's world and it would be a shame if the only reason we got to glimpse them so that the story of a character in Graceling who while pivotal was rather a minor character and a bit of a bastard could be told.

I will be interested to see how the story of Bitterblue, which is the focus of the third book, will go.

Graceling (Graceling Realm #1) by Kristin Cashore

Rating: 4 out of 5
Reading Level: Teen
File Size: 611 KB
Print Length: 481 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 015206396X
Publisher: Gollancz (November 20, 2008)
Sold by: Hachette Book Group
Language: English
ASIN: B002VCR03A

Graceling is set in a mythological word where some individuals have special powers. These people are called Gracelings and are marked by the colours of their eyes. Gracelings are feared and used as weapons and tools by the Kings that rule the lands of this world.

Katsa is graced with killing which manifested when she was 8 years old and as a result was used as her kings thug to strike fear and terror into the hearts of his enemies, and subjects.

What I liked
Katsa is likeable and fun to read. Despite her terrible Grace she is a gentle soul who cares deeply about her friends. One thing I liked is that she is both confident and insecure, interesting and flawed. On one hand she is this amazing fighter yet on the other fails to notice that a guy likes her. As you could imagine with her Grace she has not had the best life so she does not always have the most optimistic view on people sometimes, however she can still show a criminal kindness which I think say's a lot about her as a character.

A strength of her character is her reliance on herself. She is an independent woman who is smart, confident and physically strong, admittedly her grace helps but also it is her character. This is also a flaw discussed later but I found it refreshing to see a teen fantasy book which didn't have a simpering idiot as the main character.

The first half of this story sucked me in and I wanted to know more. I kept reading and reading till the middle. Then it got a tad slow and teen romancey, which is fine, but to me didn't add much to the over all story. Then the story picked up again and I forgot about the slow boring bit in the middle. The majority of the story was fast paced action. Cashore can write some pretty good action scenes.

The world created is a varied and interesting one. The reader got to learn parts of it through Katsa and in this way I think she was perfect as the point of view to introduce the reader to the world. Katsa had not travelled beyond her own lands so the ways of other people and cultures were revealed through her and as a result came across feeling natural, not like you were having a tonne of information dumped on you.

What I didn't like
The "modern" feel of her character did not really sit well with the story as a whole. I am not sure why, but it just felt off to me. I am afraid it is not something I can put my finger on other then some of the views Katsa held and things she said just didn't vibe with my mental picture of her through out the book. While I am glad she wasn't a simpering idiot at the same time Katsa's views just didn't vibe with her world. At least for me it didn't.

Also then ending seemed a little bit of a let down. I suspect that the author will revisit these characters and elaborate more on events after this book in her upcoming 3rd book (or perhaps later in the series). But after all the action and drama leading up to the end the actual book ending felt rather flat.

Overall
The book was great and would happily recommend it just about anyone.

However  please note there is a big theme which is reiterated over and over about no marriage, no kids, use of contraception. There is a reason for it (revealed in the book) but nether-the-less it is there. This might be a big problem for some, and I have seen some very negative reviews or comments in regards to this on Goodreads and Amazon.  There is also some intimacy scenes which for me were rather tame but given the other themes this might be a bit much for some. This is just a friendly warning for those who object to these themes or find them offensive.

Quotes

“I'm not going to wear a red dress," she said. "It would look stunning, My Lady," she called. She spoke to the bubbles gathered on the surface of the water. "If there's anyone I wish to stun at dinner, I'll hit him in the face.”  

“What she really loved was to hang over the edge and watch the bow of the ship slice through the waves. She loved it especially when the waves were high and the ship rose and fell, or when it was snowing and the flakes stung her face.”

Hounded (The Iron Druid Chronicles Book 1) by Kevin Hearne

Rating 4 out of 5
Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 440 KB
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0345522478
Publisher: Voyager (June 1, 2011)
Sold by: HarperCollins Publishers
Language: English
ASIN: B0050ZPAPA

Atticus O’Sullivan has been running for two thousand years and he’s a bit tired of it. After he stole a magical sword from the Tuatha Dé Danann (those who became the Sidhe or the Fae) in a first century battle, some of them were furious and gave chase, and some were secretly amused that a Druid had the cheek to defy them. As the centuries passed and Atticus remained an annoyingly long-lived fugitive, those who were furious only grew more so, while others began to aid him in secret.


Now he’s living in Tempe, Arizona, the very last of the Druids, far from where the Fae can easily find him. It’s a place where many paranormals have decided to hide from the troubles of the Old World—from an Icelandic vampire holding a grudge against Thor to a coven of Polish witches who ran from the German Blitzkrieg.


Unfortunately, the very angry Celtic god who wants that sword has tracked him down, and Atticus will need all his power, plus the help of a seductive goddess of death, a sexy bartender possessed by a Hindu witch, and some good, old-fashioned luck of the Irish to kick some arse and deliver himself from evil. 

Sounds good right? well it was good! It was fun from the beginning to end. That is the easiest way to sum the book up.  It was full of humour, action, mythology, bad guy smack downs, and witty one liners. All the things I love in urban fantasy series.

This book came on my radar by reading reviews on From My Bookshelf and Ticket To Anywhere (these two are bad for adding to my Mt TBR). I was intrigued as it has been described as being the next Harry Dresden series (I hate comparing but wont go there), plus it was about druids and celtic mythology an area in the urban fantasy area not really tapped into previously.

Up front the book is not really anything like Harry Dresden other then it had a guy as the main character, he was witty and sarcastic, oh and he did magic. So the comparison really is only at the surface level and was probably a gimmick by a marketing guru to get people to buy the book. By comparing the book they undersell this book/series.

The celtic mythology was really good and the research showed through. I actually learned quite a bit as I had to look some creatures mentioned up on the net. The characters felt believable and fit their "image". I quite liked Morrigan even though in other books she is painted as quite the villain, in this book she walks a fine line between being a baddy and a goody. The book also touches on other mythologies from around the world. There are also vampires, werewolves, and fairies to round out the mythological roll call. But you will no find vampires who sparkle and do creepy stalking type stuff, no the vampires and werewolves are much edgier and realistic.

The pace of the story is quite fast and energetic, you don't get much "down time" between scenes. It moves a long quickly, but not so fast that the story suffers.  If you are a fan of anime or comics you can definitely see the influences they have had on Hearne, there is even a reference or two to anime (the author gets big points for that alone).

I loved the character of Oberon and the little old Irish lady who is Atticus’ neighbor. Both added a great comical element to the book and I look forward to learning more about them in later books. The werewolves and the vampire (whose names elude me currently) were fascinating and I hope to learn more about them over the course of the series.

This should definitely be on your radar if you love urban fantasy. I will be getting stuck into the rest of series in the new year.

Extras
Head over to Kevin Hearnes web page to read the first six chapters of Hounded.

Side Jobs: Stories from the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher

Rating 4 out of 5
Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 685 KB
Print Length: 432 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 184149920X
Publisher: Hachette Digital (April 14, 2011)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
Language: English
ASIN: B004SBMJQ0

 Side Jobs is a collection of short stories written by Jim Butcher over the life of the Harry Dresden Series. At the start of each story there is a short blurb from Butcher who talks about how the story came about, influences, and where the story sits in the Dresden world. There are some stories that were previously printed in anthologies which included a novella from Thomas’ point of view. But there were also some previously unpublished stories, including one set after the events in Changes.

Each story adds to the Harry Dresden world, insights into the main characters, and into his relationships with some of the characters. The majority also do not give away anything about what has happened in the series, however there are three stories that do. Though it isn’t necessary it would be a good idea to read this collection of stories either singularly (at the appropriate moments in the Dreseden series, each story tells the reader where in the series the stories fell) OR all of them at the end of Changes. The final story takes place after Changes and it will definitely ruin the book if you have not read it.

Most of the stories are just good fun. There is not a lot of depth or substance. But there are some with real depth, that gives real insights into the main support characters in Dresdens life. The Warrior is Michael centric; Backup is all about Thomas; Something Borrowed focuses on Billy and Georgia; and the story called Aftermath set after Changes features Karrin and Billy. These stories you really do want to read in order of the series. I actually like the Michael story the best.

The story order is as follows:
Vignette.......................Between Death Masks (5) and Blood Rites (6)
Something Borrowed.......Between Dead Beat (7) and Proven Guilty (8)
It's My Birthday, Too.....Between White Knight (9) and Small Favor (10) Heorot..........................Between White Knight (9) and Small Favor (10)
Day Off.........................Between Small Favor (10) and Turn Coat (11) Backup..........................Between Small Favor (10) and Turn Coat (11)
The Warrior...................Between Small Favor (10) and Turn Coat (11)
Last Call.....................Between Small Favor (10) and Turn Coat (11)
Love Hurts....................Between Small Favor (10) and Turn Coat (11)
Aftermath.....................After Changes

I don't really want to say anything more as I will probably give some of the story lines away. If you are a fan of the series then this collection of short stories is a must. I really did enjoy them all.

Altar of Bones by Philip Carter

Rating: 2 out of 5
Hardcover: 464 pages
Publisher: Gallery (March 8, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 9781439199084
ISBN-13: 978-1439199084
ASIN: 1439199086

Ok I don't like doing negative reviews, so I thought I would have a little fun and do a Chibi review, using anime chibi's to help illustrate my review. Hope this makes the review a little more fun to read.

Altar of Bones is about an alter made out of bones with secret mystical powers. Of course there is a really bad guy who wants these mystical powers and will do anything to get it (with a psychotic blood thirsty girlfriend/side kick).
“I will defeat you mawhahahahaha”

Enter the clueless heroine who protects the alter (once she gets a clue and works out she is in fact the al might protector from a long line of protectors). Then enter stage right is the girl’s protector and love interest who will fight by her side and help her save the day.

“Dude…..BRING IT!”

Sounds good right? Well for awhile it was. I read through half of the book and while the action was pumping I did enjoy it.

Ready? Fight-o!

But then it got bogged down in conspiracy theories. While I don’t mind a little conspiracy theory here and there, this just got to much. There were roughly 20 pages of the stuff. It just went on and on and on, about JFK and Marilyn Monroe being murdered.

Enough! Enough already I get it! Waaaahhhhaaaa!

I could have handled the brief mentions that happened earlier but then the narrative jumped back and told the whole story in full of how the baddy killed Marilyn and JFK. To be honest the book totally lost me and I lost all will to read any further. It’s not like the conspiracy theory was new, it was just rehashed stuff.

“Bahahaha JFK & Marilyn Conspiracy, no one would have thought of that…..best conspiracy theory ev-a!”

If it wasn’t for the conspiracy theory overload, I could probably have overlooked the fact that a big chunk of the book was ridiculous and filled with too many inconstancy's. If the story is going to be flat out ridiculous then it needs to be a non-stop thrill ride with constant action and things going boom. So dont have a chance to stop and think "hey thats not possible". Then I don’t care if it is completely stupid, I just don’t want the action to stop (for an excellent example try Matthew Reilly!).

Crazy unbelievable fight scene – you’redoing it right!

If I get bored and start to think about it, then I get annoyed. There was one scene where the hero spent hours sucking air out of his tire at the bottom of the harbor, while waiting for the baddies to leave. The problem of sea water in his eyes aside (as he was watching them from the bottom of the harbor), Mythbusters

busted this myth yonks ago. I am sorry but even if Mythbusters said it can’t be done then why is it in your book! If

you’re going to write unbeliev

able stuff, at least write s

tuff that hasn’t been or can’t easily be disproven.

Totally Busted!

I think like me, you can all guess where this book was heading and that was to a big good vs evil smack down fight scene; where good ultimately wins.

“You’ve been pawned bitches”

Look this was not a terrible book despite the fact I put it down. The conspiracy thing really killed it for me. As my reading time is pretty precious these days I decided to ditch the book rather then struggle on and hope it got better.

I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

Rating: 4 out of 5

Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 500 KB
Print Length: 368 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 141330864
Publisher: ePenguin (August 26, 2010)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
Language: English
ASIN: B003YUC0MY

Age: Teen

First Sentence: "The door starts shaking."

John Smith is just your average teenager. Average as long as you don't notice the fact he is actually an alien. John is from the planet Lorien, which he fled as a child with nine other children, as it was being destroyed by another alien race called the Mogadorians. John with his keeper Henri now live a life on the run, constantly hiding, always running, waiting for the day his powers will arrive. Then they can fight back.

The first three of the nine children are dead, and now the Mogadorians are after John who is number four. The numbers and their order are important but I wont reveal why here. This eventually leads to John having to fight for his life, and some great action scenes.

I was confused though as to why the Mogadorians were so gun-ho on killing the children? they destroyed the planet, and killed their race off. Are nine children and their keepers really such a big threat? But perhaps all will be revealed in the next books.

There is a thread of romance which is not over powering to the story. I have some suspicions about the girl John is in love with, after what was said in the book but I wont give anything away. On love, there is a strong bond between John and Henri which is more like father and son, it is not surprising as Henri has raised John from when he was a young boy.

The book is surprisingly emotional. Edge of your seat action one minute, touching and tender moment the next. I was expecting the action but the tender moments that made me almost shed a tear.

The "world" created is an interesting one. The author puts a lot of thought and detail into Lorien society. However I find the contrasts interesting (as well as the message of the book). Lorien is a world that was nearly destroyed by pollution, war, and progress but changed their lifestyle. They renounced and gave up their wicked ways becoming a harmonious and peaceful race. The Mogadorians however kept going on their wicked ways and destroyed their planet. They then moved on to Lorien and destroyed it.

Now this to me is where the message (maybe I am reading to much into it?) gets confusing on one hand the book says war, pollution modern ways are BAD. The Mogadorians who still do it and don't care are evil. But then the Lorien get their butts kicked and are annihilated by the Mogadorians because they were too peaceful and didn't see it coming. So war is good? because then you can kick baddy alien butt?

Clearly this book is the start of a series so there were a few loose ends left at the end of the book. I saw somewhere there are six books planned. Not sure how true that is but I am going to guess each book will follow the remaining aliens and their quest to survive.

The author of the book is a character from the book. The actual author is Jobie Hughs who wrote it in collaboration with James Frey.

Overall this was a great book. I look forward to the other books in the series.

Turn Coat by Jim Butcher (Dresden Series Book 11)

Rating 5 out 5

Note: If you have not read the other ten books there maybe small (tiny) spoilers in this post. I have done my best not to reveal any major plot developments or give anything for those who have read the series but not this book yet.

Harry is back. When Warden Morgan collapses bloodied and bruised begging Harry for assistance in proving his innocence, Harry accepts. Only thing is Morgan is accused of killing a White Council member and the evidence is pretty strong. Not only that but there is a super nasty creature in town that seems to be focused on Harry. Can Harry prove Morgans innocence in time before he is sentenced to death?

Wow another roller coaster of a book. While a lot of other series start getting a little stale by around book ten The Dresden series I feel is one of the few exceptions. This one is pretty much explosive from start to finish with only a few moments to catch your breath,and have a laugh before Harry is off destroying something new (to be fair he is usually only destroying something to save someone).

“Up until that moment, I’d been labouring under the misapprehension that the splitting pain in my skull would be the worst thing to happen to me today”

This book focuses more on the White Council and we learn a lot about the inner workings and the politics surrounding the Council. For me the White Council seems to operate somewhere between a Democracy and Monarchy from what I could see, so would that make it a Demoarchy? The White Council is not as simple as I first thought it was.

There was no Michael in this story which is disappointing. I really like Michael and thought he was the ying to Harry’s yang. Molly though seems to be developing nicely and will be an interesting character over the next books. As always Moose is there being a strong and silent presence, while occasionally being the smartest being in the room. I really enjoyed learning more about Morgan, that perhaps he is not completely the mean bastard he seems to be, or at the very least there is a reason why he is.

Finally the ending left you thinking "Oh my leaping gragoyles in red knickerbockers!". Okay maby not quite that phrase, but you get the picture. I am not kidding the ending was probably the best of the whole series.

I am not sure if Jim Butcher has every book planned out (a la JK Rowling) or wether he has a bigger picture that he ties his stories into. Either way if he can keep up the same enjoyment level I do not think I will ever get tired of this series.

Extras

For a sample chapter of Turn Coat head over to jim-butcher.com . You can also find sample chapters to all his books.

Other Reviews

Ticket to Anywhere

Mutiny on the Bounty by John Boyne

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Summary: December 23, 1787, Portsmouth.

14 year-old John Jacob Turnstile is about to be sent to prison when an offer is put to him - a ship has been refitted and is about to set sail with an important mission. The captain's valet has been injured and a replacement must be found immediately. The deal is struck and he finds himself on board.

The ship is HMS Bounty, the captain is William Bligh, and their destination is Tahiti.

Review: When you mention Mutiny on the Bounty to most Australian’s we can all say we know exactly what you are talking about. However for a lot of Aussies press deeper for details and you would get a response along the lines of “Well there was a boat called Bounty, Its Captain was called Bligh, um the crew mutinied….Oh and there was that movie, the one with Mel Gibson”. I know that probably would have been my answer and most of my friends would have been the same. I enjoy history and learning about it and even I never really knew the details or how this tale related to Australia.

I have been unable to find any reference to a John Turnstile being on the ship so it would appear that his character was created to tell the story, which works really well here. He is brought on board as the Captain’s servant so by default knows a lot of what is going on and is best placed to tell the tale.

"When daylight came on the second day I was able to take full account of the predicament we found ourselves in."

What I really liked is that the author did not portray any of the characters in a particularly negative light. He showed that they were all just men really who each made some mistakes. I liked that I was able to form my own opinions of the characters and not be swayed by the authors writing. Turnstile’s views of the people are expressed but there was never a feeling that you were reading the authors views, jut the view of a fourteen year old boy.

From what I can tell this book is very close to the actual account of what happened during the voyage. For me having the actual events portrayed in this way made it all come alive and more real. Boyne was able to really convey the conditions on the boat and the journey. There was not a point in the book where I did not learn something new like bathing on a boat, superstitions of sailors, and that if a Captain lost his ship in the 1700’s he was put on trial.

I was particularly interested to learn that Bligh was not in fact a true Captain he was for lack of a better word only acting in the position. Also that later on in life he became the Governor of NSW. At the end of the book John Boyne mentions all the reference material he used such as the trail transcripts and diaries written by Bligh, Boyne clearly did his homework and it shines through the book.

Also Boyne cleverly wove old cockney language with modern language so that the reader was able to feel like they were really were on a ship in the 1700’s, while making it easy to follow.

This was a really enjoyable book and I will be definitely picking up another of his books. A good book for anyone wanting to learn some history in particular about the Mutiny on the Bounty.