by John L'Heureux (264 pgs)
Rating: 4
Olga: A semi-mysterious, semi-divine, semi-ruthless, and semi-kind character of undefined origins and with obscure goals. A literary theorist invited to teach at a California university for a semester and quickly ends up the puppet-master of the petty intrigues of the department. The persistent question of the book: is Olga a character in a book that we are reading or is she, in fact, the author writing from within the pages? Or perhaps she is simply a deluded and eccentric narrator. It's impossible to tell.
I have to admit, The Handmaid of Desire had me hooked in under 10 pages. The concept is inherently intriguing but the writing was easy to follow and flowed well supporting the bizarreness of the plot without intruding. Truly, a well written book. As far as content: I think the plot was interesting and a touch of magical realism made for a invigorating spice. In fact, I think without it, the plot would have come off as a bit drab. I am interested to read more of L'Heureux's books...and also possibly check out the creative writing program in Stanford.
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Thursday, April 06, 2006
30. Foundation and Empire
by Isaac Asimov (234 pages)
Rating: 3
Two more installments in the Foundation Odyssey. The first, an ambitious general from the defunct empire makes a stab at reannexing Foundation through military might. Predictably Foundation pulls through. The second, is the first hint of real trouble. The introduction of a mutant fouls up the Seldon plan causing all sorts of havoc including a rush to the old imperial archives.
I think the momentum is failing. Yes. I think that's the problem with Foundation and Empire. It was still enjoyable but definitely was a bit laggy on the action. The big surprise in the second half was obvious to me nearly two chapters in.
I wouldn't bother with it unless you enjoyed the first book.
Rating: 3
Two more installments in the Foundation Odyssey. The first, an ambitious general from the defunct empire makes a stab at reannexing Foundation through military might. Predictably Foundation pulls through. The second, is the first hint of real trouble. The introduction of a mutant fouls up the Seldon plan causing all sorts of havoc including a rush to the old imperial archives.
I think the momentum is failing. Yes. I think that's the problem with Foundation and Empire. It was still enjoyable but definitely was a bit laggy on the action. The big surprise in the second half was obvious to me nearly two chapters in.
I wouldn't bother with it unless you enjoyed the first book.
Thursday, March 30, 2006
29. Carrie
by Stephen King (174 pgs)
Rating: 3
Carrie is the misunderstood butt of the high school. At 16 she doesn't know what menstration is and for some reason weird stuff always happens around her. Her overbearing zealot of a mother cows her into self loathing. So when Carrie get's invited to the prom by the most popular boy at school all hell breaks loose.
Reading this book almost makes me wish that I'd never seen the movie. I'm not the biggest King fan but I must admit: This book made my skin crawl. The way it's written is highly effective at keeping the reader off balance and the multiple points of view make the suspention of disbelief a little easier.
Recommended for horror fans
Rating: 3
Carrie is the misunderstood butt of the high school. At 16 she doesn't know what menstration is and for some reason weird stuff always happens around her. Her overbearing zealot of a mother cows her into self loathing. So when Carrie get's invited to the prom by the most popular boy at school all hell breaks loose.
Reading this book almost makes me wish that I'd never seen the movie. I'm not the biggest King fan but I must admit: This book made my skin crawl. The way it's written is highly effective at keeping the reader off balance and the multiple points of view make the suspention of disbelief a little easier.
Recommended for horror fans
28. Passage
by Connie Willis (594 pgs)
Rating: 5
Joanna is a researcher studying and chronicling Near Death Experiences (NDEs)as scientifically as possible. Richard is a neurobiologist who's found a way to stimulated the brain into entering the NDE state by use of a drug. They team up to find out what the biological cause and function of NDEs is. This is all complicated by a sensationalist evangelical new waver named Mandrake, a labranthine hospital, and contaminated test subjects. When Joanna starts undergoing the tests as well, she finds herself on the Titanic...or does she?
It took me almost 3 months of reading, on and off, but finally I've finished it. We're back to the concept of speculative fiction, I guess. I would call Passage Sci-Fi maybe. But sci-fi has come to mean wookies and zap guns. Not that I have anything against either, but it would be a misrepresentation of this book. Much of it was about neuro-transmitters in the brain. There's a historical-fiction aspect of it in the importance the Titanic plays in the plot but even though it is important it's still tangential. I think the importance of this book is the philosophical aspects about death and grieving. There's a message there that touched me deep down and that I won't forget.
Recommended to anyone curious about death and to research scientists who I feel will appreciate some of the humor.
Rating: 5
Joanna is a researcher studying and chronicling Near Death Experiences (NDEs)as scientifically as possible. Richard is a neurobiologist who's found a way to stimulated the brain into entering the NDE state by use of a drug. They team up to find out what the biological cause and function of NDEs is. This is all complicated by a sensationalist evangelical new waver named Mandrake, a labranthine hospital, and contaminated test subjects. When Joanna starts undergoing the tests as well, she finds herself on the Titanic...or does she?
It took me almost 3 months of reading, on and off, but finally I've finished it. We're back to the concept of speculative fiction, I guess. I would call Passage Sci-Fi maybe. But sci-fi has come to mean wookies and zap guns. Not that I have anything against either, but it would be a misrepresentation of this book. Much of it was about neuro-transmitters in the brain. There's a historical-fiction aspect of it in the importance the Titanic plays in the plot but even though it is important it's still tangential. I think the importance of this book is the philosophical aspects about death and grieving. There's a message there that touched me deep down and that I won't forget.
Recommended to anyone curious about death and to research scientists who I feel will appreciate some of the humor.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
27. Foundation
by Isaac Asimov (236 pgs)
Rating: 3
The time of the Galactic civilization is ending. Progress has receded to stagnation and backslide into mysticism. The empire fails. A psychohistorian has the foresight to create two outposts of scientific advancement. This book follows Foundation over the course of about 200 years and 3 'Seldon crises.'
Asimov is an interesting writer. I've heard it complained that this is a boring book and I certainly had a hard time getting into it as a kid. However, it's not boring, just very very slow. The premise of mathematical predication of vast social movements is an interesting one although I have a problem with the term 'psychohistory.' It is a good exploration of the problems of a galactic empire.
Recommended to Science Fiction fans, this is something that should be read for the sake of the genre.
Rating: 3
The time of the Galactic civilization is ending. Progress has receded to stagnation and backslide into mysticism. The empire fails. A psychohistorian has the foresight to create two outposts of scientific advancement. This book follows Foundation over the course of about 200 years and 3 'Seldon crises.'
Asimov is an interesting writer. I've heard it complained that this is a boring book and I certainly had a hard time getting into it as a kid. However, it's not boring, just very very slow. The premise of mathematical predication of vast social movements is an interesting one although I have a problem with the term 'psychohistory.' It is a good exploration of the problems of a galactic empire.
Recommended to Science Fiction fans, this is something that should be read for the sake of the genre.
Sunday, March 19, 2006
26. The Haunting of Hill House
by Shirley Jackson (246 pgs)
Rating: 4
Two young women, a antropologist, and a young man understake to spend a summer at the infamously haunted Hill House. Elenor is a young woman suddenly in possetion of her own life since her aged mother died. Theodora is a somewhat eccentric artist. Dr. Montague is an anthropologist, sort of, but really a researcher on the paranormal. Luke is a scalywag who is invited because Hill House belongs to his family. All four of them are there to challange the house and determine the truth of the rumors.
The Haunting of Hill House is perhaps Jackson's most well known novel. Mainly due to the fact that it's been made over into a movie at least twice I believe. The last time was in the 90's and was somewhat regretable. In any case, the book is technically fascinating. Throughout, it gives very reasonable technical explinations of the effects in Hill House while at the same time giving the idea that it is truely haunted. It's a very creepy book.
Recommended to all who enjoy a good ghost story...just don't watch the movie first.
Rating: 4
Two young women, a antropologist, and a young man understake to spend a summer at the infamously haunted Hill House. Elenor is a young woman suddenly in possetion of her own life since her aged mother died. Theodora is a somewhat eccentric artist. Dr. Montague is an anthropologist, sort of, but really a researcher on the paranormal. Luke is a scalywag who is invited because Hill House belongs to his family. All four of them are there to challange the house and determine the truth of the rumors.
The Haunting of Hill House is perhaps Jackson's most well known novel. Mainly due to the fact that it's been made over into a movie at least twice I believe. The last time was in the 90's and was somewhat regretable. In any case, the book is technically fascinating. Throughout, it gives very reasonable technical explinations of the effects in Hill House while at the same time giving the idea that it is truely haunted. It's a very creepy book.
Recommended to all who enjoy a good ghost story...just don't watch the movie first.
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
25. We Have Always Lived in the Castle
by Shirley Jackson (214 pages)
Rating: 4
Mary Elizabeth and Constance, along with senile uncle Julian, are the only surviving members of the Blackwood family. The rest of the family died under somewhat mysterious circumstances which implicate Constance, although she's been acquitted. Together, Mary Elizabeth and Constance live out their lives in a routine way hiding from the nearby villagers who hate them. And then cousin Charles comes and things begin to change.
I might not call We Have Always Lived in the Castle horror per se. I would certainly describe it as chilling or disturbing. I can't really see it fitting well in any other genre, so I suppose horror will do. In any case, Jackson does a wonderful job of building a believably creepy person. However, as is the case with most of her novels, it was a little slow.
I recommend it for a somewhat disturbing read.
Rating: 4
Mary Elizabeth and Constance, along with senile uncle Julian, are the only surviving members of the Blackwood family. The rest of the family died under somewhat mysterious circumstances which implicate Constance, although she's been acquitted. Together, Mary Elizabeth and Constance live out their lives in a routine way hiding from the nearby villagers who hate them. And then cousin Charles comes and things begin to change.
I might not call We Have Always Lived in the Castle horror per se. I would certainly describe it as chilling or disturbing. I can't really see it fitting well in any other genre, so I suppose horror will do. In any case, Jackson does a wonderful job of building a believably creepy person. However, as is the case with most of her novels, it was a little slow.
I recommend it for a somewhat disturbing read.
Monday, March 06, 2006
24. Demons Don't Dream
by Piers Anthony (340 pgs)
Rating: 3
Two mundane kids, Dug and Kim, get to wander around Xanth by virtue of a computer game. What they aren't told though is that they are actually pawns in a larger game to decide the fate of Xanth.
Reading Demons Don't Dream was skipping a ton of material in the series that I probably needed to have to really enjoy this one. Generally speaking I don't think it much matters what order you read these books in but this one needs to be towards the end I think. In any case, it was cute. There was a lot of groaning at the puns and I think Anthony pegged what a mundane kid would think of Xanth if they'd never heard of it before.
It's worth reading if you have a free afternoon.
Rating: 3
Two mundane kids, Dug and Kim, get to wander around Xanth by virtue of a computer game. What they aren't told though is that they are actually pawns in a larger game to decide the fate of Xanth.
Reading Demons Don't Dream was skipping a ton of material in the series that I probably needed to have to really enjoy this one. Generally speaking I don't think it much matters what order you read these books in but this one needs to be towards the end I think. In any case, it was cute. There was a lot of groaning at the puns and I think Anthony pegged what a mundane kid would think of Xanth if they'd never heard of it before.
It's worth reading if you have a free afternoon.
Sunday, March 05, 2006
23. Changing Places: A Tale of Two Campuses
by David Lodge (251 pgs)
Rating: 4
Philip Swallow and Morris Zapp are English professors who exchange places for a term. Zapp goes to England and Swallow comes to America. The story is set in 1969 and amid the beginnings of feminism and anti war activism, Swallow discovers a life more pleasant. Zapp finds his training as a ruthless American academic puts him in the perfect place to help the poor little English university expand and grow. Both of them find they like the other's life...better.
I want to go on the record as saying this is a strange book and my rating may change after I have more time to think about it. Whether it goes up or down is something I have no answer for.
Changing Places is meant to be a satire. It is poking at the lifestyle of the academic communities in both Britain and the U.S. making out neither to be particularly better than the other. It pokes at U.S. history surrounding Viet Nam, the sexual revolution, and woman's liberation movements. Also, it pokes at the British post-colonialism attitudes. I know just enough about all of these to identify that they are being satirized but not quite enough to really appreciate them. All except the lifestyle of the literature academic in the U.S. and that's debatable. I do know plot wise, this is a fascinating book. Something like watching a train wreck.
Structurally, there is some interesting things going on and a disturbing awareness in the text of it. The book is broken unevenly into 6 sections. The voice in the first section is third person omniscient distanced narrator. In the second and fifth section it's a more conventional third person non-distanced voice. The third section is epistolary, the forth is news clippings, and the sixth section is a teleplay. An example of what I mean about disturbing awareness can be found on page 130 deep in the epistolary section a character writes, 'There's a whole chapter on how to write an epistolary novel, but surely nobody's done that since the eighteenth century?' It's clever in a gentle sort of way but it happens through out.
In any case, I'd recommend this to anyone in academia and those who consider themselves 'serious readers.'
Rating: 4
Philip Swallow and Morris Zapp are English professors who exchange places for a term. Zapp goes to England and Swallow comes to America. The story is set in 1969 and amid the beginnings of feminism and anti war activism, Swallow discovers a life more pleasant. Zapp finds his training as a ruthless American academic puts him in the perfect place to help the poor little English university expand and grow. Both of them find they like the other's life...better.
I want to go on the record as saying this is a strange book and my rating may change after I have more time to think about it. Whether it goes up or down is something I have no answer for.
Changing Places is meant to be a satire. It is poking at the lifestyle of the academic communities in both Britain and the U.S. making out neither to be particularly better than the other. It pokes at U.S. history surrounding Viet Nam, the sexual revolution, and woman's liberation movements. Also, it pokes at the British post-colonialism attitudes. I know just enough about all of these to identify that they are being satirized but not quite enough to really appreciate them. All except the lifestyle of the literature academic in the U.S. and that's debatable. I do know plot wise, this is a fascinating book. Something like watching a train wreck.
Structurally, there is some interesting things going on and a disturbing awareness in the text of it. The book is broken unevenly into 6 sections. The voice in the first section is third person omniscient distanced narrator. In the second and fifth section it's a more conventional third person non-distanced voice. The third section is epistolary, the forth is news clippings, and the sixth section is a teleplay. An example of what I mean about disturbing awareness can be found on page 130 deep in the epistolary section a character writes, 'There's a whole chapter on how to write an epistolary novel, but surely nobody's done that since the eighteenth century?' It's clever in a gentle sort of way but it happens through out.
In any case, I'd recommend this to anyone in academia and those who consider themselves 'serious readers.'
Friday, March 03, 2006
List 3: Academia: The Joke
Source: Book Lust page 3
In celebration of me leaving my job behind I've decided to read humerous fiction about academia. It didn't occur to me that there would be enough material out there to support this list but on reflection it makes considerably more sense. After all, academics tend to be highly literate people and highly literate people are more likely to write books and people tend to write about what they know....in this case academia. (run on sentance I know) In any case, I haven't heard of any of these authors so it'll be an adventure.
1. Pictures from an Institution by Randall Jarrell
2. The Groves of Academe by Mary McCarthy
3. Moo by Jane Smiley
4. Japanese by Spring by Ishmael Reed
5. The Handmaid of Desire by John L'Heureux
6. Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis
David Lodge
7. Changing Places: A Tale of Two Campuses
8. Small World: An Academic Romance
9. Nice Work
Malcolm Bradbury
10. Eating People Is Wrong
11. Stepping Westward
12. The History Man
13. Rates of Exchange
14. To the Hermitage
In celebration of me leaving my job behind I've decided to read humerous fiction about academia. It didn't occur to me that there would be enough material out there to support this list but on reflection it makes considerably more sense. After all, academics tend to be highly literate people and highly literate people are more likely to write books and people tend to write about what they know....in this case academia. (run on sentance I know) In any case, I haven't heard of any of these authors so it'll be an adventure.
1. Pictures from an Institution by Randall Jarrell
2. The Groves of Academe by Mary McCarthy
3. Moo by Jane Smiley
4. Japanese by Spring by Ishmael Reed
5. The Handmaid of Desire by John L'Heureux
6. Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis
David Lodge
7. Changing Places: A Tale of Two Campuses
8. Small World: An Academic Romance
9. Nice Work
Malcolm Bradbury
10. Eating People Is Wrong
11. Stepping Westward
12. The History Man
13. Rates of Exchange
14. To the Hermitage
22. A Spell for Chameleon
By Piers Anthony (344 pgs)
Rating: 4
Bink is a man in a land of magic with no apparent magic of his own. Unfortunately the law is that those with out any kind of magic talent at all must be exile to the dreaded and drear Mundania. Through much adventure, Bink learns that he has a talent but no one can identify what it is.
I read A Spell For Chameleon this when I was in Jr. High and remembered almost none of the plot when I picked it up to re-read it. I have to admit, the love story was much more touching, the characters much more interesting, and the writing much tighter than I remembered it.
Anyone who likes light-hearted fantasy or Douglas Adams would probably appreciate this book.
Rating: 4
Bink is a man in a land of magic with no apparent magic of his own. Unfortunately the law is that those with out any kind of magic talent at all must be exile to the dreaded and drear Mundania. Through much adventure, Bink learns that he has a talent but no one can identify what it is.
I read A Spell For Chameleon this when I was in Jr. High and remembered almost none of the plot when I picked it up to re-read it. I have to admit, the love story was much more touching, the characters much more interesting, and the writing much tighter than I remembered it.
Anyone who likes light-hearted fantasy or Douglas Adams would probably appreciate this book.
Thursday, March 02, 2006
21. Prince of Chaos
by Roger Zelazny (241 pgs)
Merle is suddenly whisked away to the Courts Chaos and informed that with the king dead, he's suddenly in line for the throne. Unfortunately, he doesn't want it. Perhaps even more unfortunately...it's obvious that there are forces out there that want him to have it.
Apparently Prince of Chaos is meant to be the end of the series. I came away from with many more questions and a sense of incompletion. It seemed very much that this is a set up for a new series which of course will never come...at least not from Zelazny's pen.
It was a good read. Definitely worth it if you've read everything leading up to it.
Merle is suddenly whisked away to the Courts Chaos and informed that with the king dead, he's suddenly in line for the throne. Unfortunately, he doesn't want it. Perhaps even more unfortunately...it's obvious that there are forces out there that want him to have it.
Apparently Prince of Chaos is meant to be the end of the series. I came away from with many more questions and a sense of incompletion. It seemed very much that this is a set up for a new series which of course will never come...at least not from Zelazny's pen.
It was a good read. Definitely worth it if you've read everything leading up to it.
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
20. Knight of Chaos
by Roger Zelazny (251 pgs)
Rating: 4
Merle and Jasra start the Knight of Shadows off as allies. Go figure. If you haven't read the previous books that's not going to make a lot of sense...but it is, in fact, a strange turn of events. Merle's brother Mandor is introduced. Things between the Pattern and Logrus get more strained. There is a continuation of a whole mess of plot lines that could just be dropped but the book is enjoyable in a day time soap opera kinda way.
Rating: 4
Merle and Jasra start the Knight of Shadows off as allies. Go figure. If you haven't read the previous books that's not going to make a lot of sense...but it is, in fact, a strange turn of events. Merle's brother Mandor is introduced. Things between the Pattern and Logrus get more strained. There is a continuation of a whole mess of plot lines that could just be dropped but the book is enjoyable in a day time soap opera kinda way.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
19. Sign of Chaos
by Roger Zelazny (217 pgs)
Rating: 4
Alice in Wonderland is a backdrop for a bad trip and the jabberwocky is a groovy till the snicker-snack of the fiery chaos angel come to visit.
K? Did that make any sense?
No?
Well get used to it....the first chapter is like that. Although after that things move pretty well and revelation at the end makes some of the confusion worth while. Definitely an improvement over the last two, Sign of Chaos was fun. It regained some of the luster of the first books and made me want to pick up the next right away.
Rating: 4
Alice in Wonderland is a backdrop for a bad trip and the jabberwocky is a groovy till the snicker-snack of the fiery chaos angel come to visit.
K? Did that make any sense?
No?
Well get used to it....the first chapter is like that. Although after that things move pretty well and revelation at the end makes some of the confusion worth while. Definitely an improvement over the last two, Sign of Chaos was fun. It regained some of the luster of the first books and made me want to pick up the next right away.
Sunday, February 26, 2006
18. Blood of Amber
by Roger Zelazny (215 pgs)
Rating: 3
Merle begins the book imprisoned in a cave of mysterious blue crystal. He quickly frees himself from that situation though and continues the quest to resolve the mystery involving one murdered girlfriend, a mysterious blue mist, and a college friend.
I found my attention wandering through Blood of Amber. I have a very hard time feeling emotionally invested in the main character. Perversely, Merle is a very attractive character who should be really interesting...yet he seems static. The events of the book were interesting and I'm intrigued about how it ended but I feel rather ambivalent about the book as a whole.
Rating: 3
Merle begins the book imprisoned in a cave of mysterious blue crystal. He quickly frees himself from that situation though and continues the quest to resolve the mystery involving one murdered girlfriend, a mysterious blue mist, and a college friend.
I found my attention wandering through Blood of Amber. I have a very hard time feeling emotionally invested in the main character. Perversely, Merle is a very attractive character who should be really interesting...yet he seems static. The events of the book were interesting and I'm intrigued about how it ended but I feel rather ambivalent about the book as a whole.
Saturday, February 25, 2006
17. Trumps of Doom
by Roger Zelazny (184 pgs)
Rating: 3
Merle (aka Merlin) Corey, son of Corwin prince of Amber, lives on the shadow earth that his father loved so and every April 30th someone takes a shot at ending his life. The grand mystery of the murder attempts is tangled up with family politics and something called the ghostwheel.
I'm not entirely sure why Trumps of Doom falls flat on me. It's fast paced, the premise is familiar, and the plot as plausible as any of the others. I guess it must be that the characters don't seem to develope any making it exceptionally plot driven. All the same it's good for a quick read.
I'd recommend this to anyone in love with the firs four books.
Rating: 3
Merle (aka Merlin) Corey, son of Corwin prince of Amber, lives on the shadow earth that his father loved so and every April 30th someone takes a shot at ending his life. The grand mystery of the murder attempts is tangled up with family politics and something called the ghostwheel.
I'm not entirely sure why Trumps of Doom falls flat on me. It's fast paced, the premise is familiar, and the plot as plausible as any of the others. I guess it must be that the characters don't seem to develope any making it exceptionally plot driven. All the same it's good for a quick read.
I'd recommend this to anyone in love with the firs four books.
Friday, February 24, 2006
16. Farmer Giles of Ham
by J.R.R. Tolkien (79 pgs)
Rating: 4
Farmer Giles is a practical sort living in a picturesque little village with a dog and his wife, Agatha. When he chases off a giant, everything begins to change and he soon finds himself chasing after a somewhat crafty dragon named Chrysophylax.
Farmer Giles of Ham is actually meant as a children's book. It's something of a fable about the difference between ordering things done and doing them yourself. I wouldn't be surprised if it weren't also a pot shot at the local nobility. Anyway, it's well written, amusing, and very very short. There really isn't an excuse not to read this.
Rating: 4
Farmer Giles is a practical sort living in a picturesque little village with a dog and his wife, Agatha. When he chases off a giant, everything begins to change and he soon finds himself chasing after a somewhat crafty dragon named Chrysophylax.
Farmer Giles of Ham is actually meant as a children's book. It's something of a fable about the difference between ordering things done and doing them yourself. I wouldn't be surprised if it weren't also a pot shot at the local nobility. Anyway, it's well written, amusing, and very very short. There really isn't an excuse not to read this.
15. The Courts of Chaos
by Roger Zelazny (142 pgs)
Rating: 4
Corwin struggles with his newly found sense of duty and his father both as the repairs to the pattern are finally undertaken. The cost is high and success is less than certain but with any luck Amber may be restored and Corwin, with the help of the Jewel of Judgement, will be able to preserve the family.
Perhaps the shortest book of them all, The Court of Chaos is a transition book. Interesting though it is in it's own right, the book basically serves the function of tying up the story with Corwin and his generation and introducing Merlin more fully as his son.
If you plan to continue with the series you have to read this book.
Rating: 4
Corwin struggles with his newly found sense of duty and his father both as the repairs to the pattern are finally undertaken. The cost is high and success is less than certain but with any luck Amber may be restored and Corwin, with the help of the Jewel of Judgement, will be able to preserve the family.
Perhaps the shortest book of them all, The Court of Chaos is a transition book. Interesting though it is in it's own right, the book basically serves the function of tying up the story with Corwin and his generation and introducing Merlin more fully as his son.
If you plan to continue with the series you have to read this book.
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
14. Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West
by Gregory Maguire (406 pgs)
Rating: 3
Elphaba is a cursed child born with green skin and scary teeth. Someday she grows up to be the Wicked Witch of the West and troubles the life of Dorothy, a young hapless girl from Kansas. But this story only briefly meets up with Baum's classic. Instead, the book tracks the childhood and young adulthood of Elphaba and traces, ostensibly, how she came to be so very wicked.
I have mixed feelings about Wicked. On the one hand it's fairly well written, engaging, and develops the world of Oz splendidly. On the other hand, Maguire indulges on a fair bit of philosophizing and religious satire. Both of these things are acceptable given that Baum's original work is in many ways a satire of the contemporary political climate. Yet, some how it seemed ponderous.
I recommend this to Oz fans and people who like their armchair philosophy.
Rating: 3
Elphaba is a cursed child born with green skin and scary teeth. Someday she grows up to be the Wicked Witch of the West and troubles the life of Dorothy, a young hapless girl from Kansas. But this story only briefly meets up with Baum's classic. Instead, the book tracks the childhood and young adulthood of Elphaba and traces, ostensibly, how she came to be so very wicked.
I have mixed feelings about Wicked. On the one hand it's fairly well written, engaging, and develops the world of Oz splendidly. On the other hand, Maguire indulges on a fair bit of philosophizing and religious satire. Both of these things are acceptable given that Baum's original work is in many ways a satire of the contemporary political climate. Yet, some how it seemed ponderous.
I recommend this to Oz fans and people who like their armchair philosophy.
13. The Hand of Oberon
Roger Zelazny (188 pgs)
Rating: 4
Corwin opens the book standing near the source of it all and quickly proceeds through revelation to revelation. A sibling is found out as traitor and other siblings feel differently then they did. Much is broken and much is repaired including the appearance of a grandchild mentioned in the first book. The end is a surprise of identity.
The Hand of Oberon is the fourth book and the original completion of the series. I feel that it's just a touch too fast paced and that many of the revelations seem to come out of nowhere. The exposition on family politics is also a touch dry. Even so, it is an enjoyable book.
Rating: 4
Corwin opens the book standing near the source of it all and quickly proceeds through revelation to revelation. A sibling is found out as traitor and other siblings feel differently then they did. Much is broken and much is repaired including the appearance of a grandchild mentioned in the first book. The end is a surprise of identity.
The Hand of Oberon is the fourth book and the original completion of the series. I feel that it's just a touch too fast paced and that many of the revelations seem to come out of nowhere. The exposition on family politics is also a touch dry. Even so, it is an enjoyable book.
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