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General Discussion -> Roll-Your-Own Reading Challenge	Message format

dustydigger

Posted 2014-11-17 1:29 PM (#8886 - in reply to #6198)
Subject: Re: The Pick and Mix Challenge.

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Location: UK

Garth Nix - Sabriel. I very much enjoyed this rather dark toned YA book,which made few compromises for its younger audience.The young heroine,Sabriel,faces dreadful magic ccreatures,as well as experiencing sorrow,fear,and self doubt The world building is interesting,with an intriguing take on death,where through the gates of the dead a river runs,taking the spirits of the dead through increasingly frightening and dangerous Gates of Death,till through the ninth gate they go into oblivion.Sabriel has magic powers to return spirits back to the world but not from the final gate.Her father,a mage has been captured by an evil sorcerer,and Sabriel endeavours to save him,while trying to prevent the sorcerer bringing an army of terrifying creatures through the gates to take over the world.
The magic elements are well handled in a fresh way in the context of the story,the rituals seeming credible yet eerie There is a very slight romance element which never slows down the storyThe heroine is well drawn,,vulnerable but brave,never whining as so many young YA heroines do(possibly because of the male author!).There's lots of tension,rollercoaster action,and well depicted settings that seem solid and real amid the magic so the obligatory journey in such books seemed realistic. Very enjoyable indeed,with some frissons along the way,and interesting characters,including a cat that is very malevolent when released from a spell! Excellent

H P Lovecraft - The Dunwich Horror. Ah,good old H P Lovecraft. I have just finished the anthology The Dunwich Horror and other stories Typical HPL grandiloquent prose,half seen horrors in the dark which came aeons ago from the outer reaches of the galaxy to lurk about in the bowels of the earth. Or learned gentleman who studied esoteric magic from ancient terrible books like the Necronomicon,and have cause to regret it when the creatures they summoned forth drag themselves up the stairs to the garret to devour them. Or young men are possessed by evil demons,and have to be dispatched by their friends who then end up in mental homes.Or strange creatures from the subterranean depths ,or beneath the sea mate with humans to produce horrid deformed offspring.Then there are the description of ancient houses,echoing underground passages where monsters lurk. Yes,standard LPH,terror at its finest,or awesome with overarching tales of timescales beyond human understanding. The tales are often leisurely in pace,slowly ratcheting up unease and tension till the final awful end for the protagonist either leads to his death,or a lifetime of fear and nightmares. Good stuff!.

Gregory Benford - Timescape. Afraid I found this a rather dry and pedestrian book. The science went over my head completely,(since I dont know a tachyon from a taco! )the characters werent very attractive,and the book fizzled out with the dismal 1998 of the original timeline going from bad to worse,though in the alternate 1970s created by John F Kennedy's survival,Gordon Bernstein at least gets some credit for his discoveries.Altogether too downbeat for my tastes,I'm afraid. It was very accurate about the scientific methods and difficulties of getting new ideas accepted. You wonder at times how there is ANY new scientific progress because of academic jealousy and backbiting. This book won numerous awards,and is on any best SF lists,but did little for me.It is of course a product of its times,written at the end of the 70s,when the whole of society seemed on its last legs.Because of the accurate scientific research side,and the ideas expressed,(however vaguely and obscurely),I'll give it 3 starsbut it ust isnt my kind of book.Read for my Killer Bs challenge. Out of Bear,Brin and Benford I have to say I enjoyed Brin the mos treading Startide Rising and also The Uplift Warboth engaging fun.

dustydigger

Posted 2014-11-17 1:41 PM (#8887 - in reply to #6198)
Subject: Re: The Pick and Mix Challenge.

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Location: UK

Stephen King - Duma Key. I really enjoyed it,not very gruesome,more like suspense till the last 60 pages.King handled his often complex material very well as he slowly unveiled the true horrors and tragedies of the family on Duma Key 80 years ago,and the pain and suffering of the likeable characters in the present. Liked all the painting stuff and the depiction of the Florida keys. Probably the most enjoyable of his books for me,some are too gruesome for my squeamish soul!

Charles De Lint - Moonheart. I really enjoyed this odd mix of celtic bards and druids and magical native american spirits, 1980s Ottawa and the Otherworld, a Dread Nameless spirit seeking revenge on an old enemy, a young apprentice wizard looking for his mage, a government organization looking to find out about magical powers with a ruthless rich man in the background pulling the strings in his endeavourrs to gain immortality, some very nasty thugs and even nastier terrifying creatures from another world, a disparate but likeable group of people living in a mysterious and magical house that can protect itself from evil creatures, a magic ring,some time travel... and more! This is an exuberant work, written with verve and warmth, and very engaging in spite of all the disparate motifs. It is a rollicking adventure story, interspersed with heartwarming quieter interludes in a magic primeval forest. If you can swallow celtic bards mixing with Indian forest spirits, I think you would thoroughly enjoy this book.Just sit back and enjoy the ride

Dean Koontz - Odd Thomas. I really enjoyed this book,it was exciting,chilling,funny and moving by turns. And even cynical old me was a bit misty-eyed by the end,though there had been plenty of hints about what occurred.The humorous first person style for once didnt grate on me like it usually does,it was appropriate and helped to mask certain plot developments. I look forward to reading more about this sweet young man with his modest take on life,plus his kindness and bravery. An unusual and haunting character

John Scalzi - Old Man's War. Wow! Just had a great time galloping through John Scalzi's Old Man's War. Cory Doctorow said this book was "Heinlein without the lectures" and I would call it "Heinlein on crack"! This is the sort of thing I had been hoping Haldeman's Forever War would deliver and didnt. Only problem was the miniscule print I have never read such small printing, which in addition was very light in colour, really difficult to read. But in spite of that I had a great time. Now must look for book 2, Ghost Brigades.
I just loved the basic training section, with cynical Master Sergeant Ruiz. Loved his denigration of all those fictional/filmic sarges with a tough exterior and a marshmallow heart. I couldnt get Sergeant Foley (ie. Lou Gosset Jr. in Officer and a Gentleman out of my head), and that's how I pictured Ruiz! :0) This was one really good first novel (Hugo nominee is not to be sneezed at!) Though the style is very different, the exuberance and panache just reminded me of the young Roger Zelazny. Lots of flash and bang and high octane enjoyment for the reader. Military SF at its best.

Edited by dustydigger 2014-11-17 1:44 PM

dustydigger

Posted 2015-01-01 5:05 AM (#9081 - in reply to #6198)
Subject: Re: The Pick and Mix Challenge.

Elite Veteran

Posts: 1031
1000

Location: UK

Sorry to have been AWOL so longI am having a very slow recovery from my knee replacemen/bone grafts,sitting at the computer is ddifficult. Does anyone want to do Pick and Mix again this year.. We had a very successful year last yearour ratio of books read to books reviewed was excellentahead of the packand the eclectic choices was fascinating. Ah,if only people would participate in posting about their reads. Never known such a reticent set of people! lol.
The admin are being very closed-mouthed and reticent too. We are eager for the unveiling of of our improved version of WWEnd. Stop torturing us!

Dlw28

Posted 2015-01-01 9:12 AM (#9082 - in reply to #6198)
Subject: Re: The Pick and Mix Challenge.

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Hope your knee improves soon. Sounds very uncomfortable. I enjoyed thinking about what to add to yourPick and Mix challenge and might very well do it again. And I love your reviews here. Wish I felt more up to reviewing the books I've read...

dustydigger

Posted 2015-01-01 12:15 PM (#9085 - in reply to #6198)
Subject: Re: The Pick and Mix Challenge.

Elite Veteran

Posts: 1031
1000

Location: UK

Thanks Dwl28.! The thing about Pick and Mix is its total eclecticism (is there such a word?) Any 12 books that appear on any award list or book list,or indeed ar ejust on WWEnd are eligible. Cant get a wider or easier scope than that! lol.Some people only read a little SF varied in subject matter or sub-genes,not enough for most challenges,but they will all qualify for Pick and Mix if they read 12 books in a year.
Tell you what, if 3 other people besides Dwl28 say they will do the challenge,I will post it. So get over those hangovers and get posting!

pauljames

Posted 2015-01-02 4:42 AM (#9095 - in reply to #6198)
Subject: Re: The Pick and Mix Challenge.