Review: The Crown Conspiracy

The Crown Conspiracy by Michael J. Sullivan

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I stumbled upon this as I found a link to a free audio copy (CCL).

It reminded me very much of books I read quite a bit back by Gary Gygax, Fred Saberhagen and Fritz Leiber.

It's what I would call a classic fantasy story, with unlikely heroes who are capable of pretty much anything and can't help but banter every now and again.

I won't call it great or complex, but it was a fun read and ended too soon for my liking.



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Review: Good Omens

Good Omens by Terry Pratchett

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I finished this book a few hours ago and have been trying to figure out what it was really about, but it's pretty much a blank. There's a story, but it doesn't really have anything to say to the reader.
The most I can away with is the question; why did He put the apple tree in the garden?'.

With that said, it wasn't a bad read and as I haven't read any Gaiman before I can't discern his contribution, so to me this looked like an early Pratchett with more focus on the way the story is told than on the actual story. It's witty both in language as well as full of situational comedy, but it doesn't quite connect - at least not with this reader.



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Review: Once Dead, Twice Shy

Once Dead, Twice Shy by Kim Harrison

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


This was a breeze to read and with a main character still in her teens, this book qualifies squarely in the young-adult category.

The story is fairly good, but I strongly prefer Kim Harrison's normal books, targeted at an adult audience with a demand for more complex story lines and especially more developed characters. Madison has according to the story just turned seventeen, but there is not nearly enough maturity and experience to make her believable.

It was an OK read, but unless something changes I don't think I'll read any more in this series.



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Review: How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe

How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe by Charles Yu

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


This could actually have been a great story, if the author hadn't decided to make it a science fiction novel. The story is written as a self biography, where the author uses time travel to re-examine the relationship with his parents.
As the main story isn't enough to warrant the full length of a novel, the author has padded the novel with sci-fi blurbs and attempts at humor. Unfortunately he doesn't quite reach escape velocity from the seriousness of the heart of the book.
So the result comes of as a bad hash-up of Douglas and Coupland or in other words, pretentious drivel.



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Review: Narcissus in Chains

Narcissus in Chains by Laurell K. Hamilton

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


After side stepping the main story in a couple of books Ms Hamilton has brought Anita Black back to St Louis, which is much appreciated.
The story could actually have been quite good if she hadn't padded the book with so much side stories that the main story is lost in the mist.
The return to relationship between Anita, Richard and Jean-Claude is further made complex by the arrival of a new man, the wereleopard Micah. To further complicate things new powers dawn for Anita and temps her.
There is a little too much sex for my taste, without adding significantly to the story or the characters so I'm starting to fear that things will go downhill from here in the continued series.



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