The bad part being I am also behind my schedule for editing and expanding my novel and the photo project.  Yet there are some good things with that too.  I just have a big stack of really good books I have wanted to get through.  As a result I have also gotten a few advance reader copies to read/review for authors.  That has been fun.  One of those down and a couple of more in the mail actually.  (One book, Riddle of Berlin the author is sending a signed hardcover for me to review and a signed paperback to host a giveaway.) I hadn’t planned on doing quite so many book reviews, but it has been fun to do more of them.  Also, I am trying to also review books that I am not the biggest fan of along with the ones I really like.  It has been an extra little challenge for myself.

Sorting and re-shelving my book collection was a bit of a time consuming project as well.  That and working on grant paperwork for the fire department.  All in all it has been a busy start to the year, yet fun.  Swing on over to my other site.  I have done plenty of reviews this month, so you might find a book you want to pick up!

Post from: Jake's Corner

Rolling into February

First let me say, I grew up reading Asimov, Heinlein, and many other scifi greats.  I love the genre and have pretty high standards to become really impressed.  Weber simply takes the cake.  His works are more a subset of scifi (military scifi) however, don’t let that deter you.  The rich stories will keep you locked into his novels.

Empire from the Ashes is my favorite set of books from him. Enter Commander Colin Maclntyre, USN.  What starts out as a routine training mission to the moon, Colin discovers that the Moon wasn’t a natural body, but rather a massive warship.  A “planitoid.”  The “moon,” 3000 kilometer diameter warship, calls itself Dahak of the 4th Imperium. Dahak, or the artificial intelligence that calls itself Dahak, has been stuck without a crew or a way to complete its mission for 51,000 years.  Colin is recruited to be its Commanding Officer.

In Mutineers’ Moon, (the first of the 3 books) Colin has to fight the original mutiny that caused Dahak to be in its predicament, as well as human insurgents. Dahak must also try to contact and reunite with the Imperium.

In The Armageddon Inheritance, (the second of the 3 books) Colin must fight against an invasion of genocidal aliens, the Achuultani. This has a feel of continuation from the first book.  These aliens periodically swarm through the galaxy exterminating all other races. Earth, at its present level of technology, can’t resist them.  Dahak is working with them to bring Imperial technology to Earth as quickly as possible, but old warning arrays are being activated.  So Colin and Dahak leave in search of the Fleet that should be responding to the warning arrays.  This novel is different from the first in that it really ramps up the scale.  We go from fighting a group of mutineers planet side, to actual Fleet action.

In Heirs of Empire, Colin’s children take much of the lead.  This third and final book has a bit more separation between it and the second book.  We have had a few years pass, giving the kids time to grow up.  Our time is spent between viewing them and their battles and the plots against Colin’s government back on Earth and Bia.  This novel does a great job of balancing intrigue and action.

Weber is my favorite, and if you pick this up and give it a try.  I think you will see why.  It is an epic space opera that keeps you in its grip the whole time.

Technorati Tags: Empire from the Ashes, Book Review, David Weber, Mutineer’s Moon, Armageddon Inheritance, Heirs of Empire, olorinpc

Post from: Jake's Corner

Empire From the Ashes – Book Review

Brisingr or The Seven Promises of Eragon Shadeslayer and Saphira Bjartskular is the third book of the Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini, following the books Eragon and Eldest. It was released on September 20, 2008. The title means “fire” in the fictional Ancient Language of Alagaesia.

The book sold 550,000 copies on its first day of sale, the most ever for a Random House Children’s Book, and debuted at #1 on USA Today’s top 150 bestsellers list.

First thing first, I was quite pleasantly surprised to discover that the trilogy had been expanded to a 4th book and was now being called a “cycle.”  I felt that if the book was going to be resolved in the last few chapters it was going to feel rushed and not very enjoyable.  I had avoided spoilers for the book at all costs, so I am sure this will not be a surprise to other fans of the books.

**Note possible minor spoilers – Don’t read this post until you have read the book first.  Bookmark and come back.  It will be more enjoyable that way.**

Now that I have finished it I looked around and have to agree with some of the comments I am seeing.  Of the 3, this book has the feel of a collection of events, some of them disjointed and seemingly pointless to the overall story.  Eragon on part of his first adventure meets a mad wizard in the woods, listens to his ranting, helps him prepare a meal.  There is one brief reference made to this mad wizard later, however that is it.  The whole scene was built up with the impression of some significance – but with the ending of the book it will be forgotten.

Much of the middle of the book is a building period.  The middle of the book is fairly predictable.  I found the part where Eragon gets a Riders Sword quite enjoyable.  This though is in the later chapters of the book.The major scene at the end, a fight between Murtagh and Oromis, is slightly irksome to me.  While we do “see” some of the battle, we also miss a lot of it.  Perhaps there will be a more direct accounting of it in the 4th book, but we will have to wait and see.

So while I said it had the feel of a collection of events, more a placeholder book if you will, I still say it is worth the read.  Placeholder or not, I found myself often unable to put it down.  “Just a little longer” turned into 2-3 hours and then “crap I have to go to bed.”

I think with some of the negativity it is important to remember this is a childrens book.  It is not “high fantasy” Ala Tolkien.  So taking that into account, the book is worth your time.

His original two books are worth checking out as well of course.  I highly recommend picking them up from Amazon or your local library.

Eragon: Eragon is a 2003 fantasy novel written by Christopher Paolini, and the first book in the Inheritance Cycle, set in the mythical world of Alagaësia.

Eragon tells the story of a young farm boy named Eragon and his dragon, Saphira.

In the beginning, Eragon finds a polished blue stone in the area near his home, and it turns out to be a dragon egg. After Saphira hatches for Eragon in the opening chapters, King Galbatorix sends his servants (including the Ra’zac, Urgals, and the shade Durza) after Eragon and Saphira, in an effort to capture or kill them. Eragon and Saphira flee their hometown of Carvahall, and embark on a number of adventures involving swordplay, magic, friendship, betrayal, and death.

Eragon was the third-best-selling children’s hardback book of 2003, the second-best-selling paperback of 2005, and has placed on the New York Times Best Seller List for 121 (nonconsecutive) weeks.

Eldest: Eldest is the second book in the planned Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini. It is the sequel to Eragon. Eldest was first published in hardcover on August 23, 2005, and was released in paperback in September 2006. Eldest has been released in an audiobook format, and as an ebook. Like Eragon, Eldest became a New York Times bestseller. A deluxe edition of Eldest was released on September 26, 2006, including new information and art by both the illustrator and the author.  Other editions of Eldest are translations into different languages.

Eldest begins following several important events in Eragon. The story is the continued adventures of Eragon and his dragon Saphira, centering around their journey to the realm of the Elves in order to further Eragon’s training as a Dragon Rider. Other plots in the story focus on Roran, who leads the inhabitants of Carvahall to Surda, and Nasuada as she takes on her father’s role as leader of the Varden. Eldest ends at the Battle of the Burning Plains, where Eragon faces a new Dragon Rider, and a new dragon, Thorn.

Also be sure to check out the authors (Christopher Paolini) website.  It can be found here.

Technorati Tags: book review, Brisingr, Christopher Paolini, Inheritance Cycle, olorinpc

Post from: Jake's Corner

Brisingr (Inheritance, Book 3) – Book Review

Dies the Fire is the first installment of the Emberverse series and chronicles the struggle of humanity to survive in the first decade following “The Change”, a sudden worldwide event that alters physical laws so that electricity, gunpowder and most forms of high-energy-density technology no longer work. As a result, modern civilization comes crashing down.

First let me say, this was an extremely enjoyable read.  The concept Stirling goes for with this is to ask the question, and show his version of the result, of what a modern person would do without technology.  His answer is frighteningly real.  It did bother me a bit though that no real answer or reference was made to what the “change” was or could be.  The book also ended with the feeling that there were a good 3 chapters left out.  I had borrowed the book from ThatEdeGuy, so when I expressed my concerns to him, he did let me know that there was indeed 2 more books following it.

I have now started “Protectors War,” the sequel to the first book.  There is also apparently a parallel series that follows the same world events.  I highly recommend the book, yet caution fellow readers to be dissatisfied with the ending if you don’t have the sequel in hand to continue the story.

SF Reviews has a good in depth review of the book as well.

Technorati Tags: book review, Dies the Fire, olorinpc, S.M. Stirling, SF Reviews, ThatEdeGuy

Post from: Jake's Corner

Dies the Fire – Book Review

I was down in Miami for work, sitting in the airport. I was getting tickets changed around, so was wandering around… bored. (Happens in an airport lol.) Anyways, decide to go into the small Borders down there, went to the fantasy section, and decided to look for a book. Not sure what originally drew me to this book, but upon reading the back cover, it just grabbed my attention.

Sometimes that happens though. Not sure what you are looking for, just looking for something to kill the time. I am happy to say, when I read the back cover, this book became more than that for me.

For a thousand years, there have been no great wizards in the world — and even longer since a wizard-king reigned.

Now all must welcome and fear the coming of

The Amber Wizard

As Gerin Atreyano takes his place as the Crown Prince of Khedesh after his father ascends to the throne, a stranger appears and proclaims that Gerin may be the amber wizard foretold long ago. Now young Gerin’s training, both as prince and wizard, must begin in earnest. But his enemies place a secret enchantment upon him, pulling him down a path of darkness.

As opposing forces mass across the land, arming for bloody war, he inadvertently opens an ancient portal using forbidden magic. And suddenly Gerin Atreyano faces a dual destiny as savior or destroyer of a world in chaos — as he prepares for the dread reemergence of humanity’s most powerful enemy: Asankaru, the vengeful and terrible Storm King.

Ok, the hook is good enough for me, so I picked up the book and bought it. Now on this particular trip, I ended up having plenty of time to read. I ended up getting stuck in the Chicago airport for a good 8 hours. So between the two flights and the layover, I had a lot of time to really get into this book. What tells me that this was a truelly excellent read is that once i got home, I picked it up that next evening and made sure to finish it. That is the hallmark of a good book.

If one reads through the random reviews on Amazon.com, you will kind of find mixed feelings about the book. Why is that? Some feel that the main charachter, Gerin, is a bit too perfect and that everyone forgives his mistakes too easily. I would venture this is an oversimplification of what does happen during this book. What is missed is that Gerin doesn’t forgive himself that easily and does consider the implications of what he is doing.

His siblings are equally as interesting. They help offset the main character and make him more believable as a person. Things never get fully developed, but it is also the first story in a saga. It shows excellent potential. It is one that should be enjoyable for many people. Grab a copy and check it out!

Author’s Website

Publisher’s Website

Technorati Tags: The Amber Wizard, David Forbes, Book Review, Jake Barnard, Olorinpc

Post from: Jake's Corner

A book to read… The Amber Wizard