The Dragon Revenant

Title: The Dragon Revenant
Author: Katherine Kerr
Published: 1990
Genre: fiction - fantasy

started: Aug.22/11
finished: Sept.3/11

Books before this: 
Daggerspell
Darkspell
The Bristling Wood


I have already read the first three books and have in fact read this book before as well. I am rereading the series before I consign them. Her series is good and an interesting take on magic and fantasy. She's taken a different approach from many authors but there are times when the language is a bit difficult. I remember parts of this particular book but it's been many years since I've read it and so it's almost like reading it new.


It's surprising how much I forget though I like that I forget so much after reading a book. It's never quite like reading a new book but there is enough that I don't know exactly what's going to happen next.

I would have to say that among the books by Katherine Kerr that I've read, this one is among my better liked. I still find her style and approach a little difficult compared to other stories. The lanauge she uses and the way her characters talk makes it...not challenging but more difficult to read than other books I've read. She uses language and turns of speech that suit the world and time but often makes it harder to dive in compared to writers that use more fluid speech.

the plot itself is interesting and the characters are created appropriately so that they elicit an emotional response while reading.  She is good also at creating strong female characters that fit into her world and that have a reason for being who they are and are balanced at times by characters that are more incipid and therefore fit a world in which women are less powerful. The thing with this book though is that it really can't be read separately. One migth be able to get away with only reading "The Bristling Wood" which is directly before it but to get the full experiance of Kerr's world one has to read all the books that came before.

Would I recommend this book: 

Yes, but probably mainly to those who are big readers of fantasy.

Who would I recommend it too:

Fans of fantasy who have been reading it a while already. I would not recommend her series as a starter for series for someone who is just starting to get into fantasy because there is so much to the entire series and it could be intimmidating. anyone who is a fan of British/Irish mythology might find a spot of interest in this as it's almost like an alternate world for those kinds of stories. There are elements of Tolkein and other traditional fantasy with elves, dwarves and so on, but she has done it in her own way and any similarities to tolkein are, for the most part, superficial.

Who would I not recommend it to:

There are some sensitive themes in this but nothing to drastic in my opinion. Still I wouldn't recommend it for younger readers or those just stepping into the world of fantasy fiction. People who prefer fantasy races based on the more traditional ideas (ie: Tolkein or D&D) might not like the spin she herself has put on these traditional races.

Otomen v.2-4

Title: Otomen v.2-4
Author: Aya Kanno
Published: 2007
Genre: Manga - shojo (girl's manga)

started: Aug.20/11
finished: Aug.22/11


It's hard to really talk about Manga I've found. It is an entirely different experience from reading a non-manga book. I've found this series fun and amusing. It's a cute story but has no really serious themes. it's meant to be light and fluffy, like a light romantic comedy or a chick flick. It's a nice change, i found, from more serious writing. I found myself chuckling at more than one part. i am not a huge fan of shojo, I tend to favour fantasy/supernatural type stories but this is a nice break from what i often read.

Would I recommend this? Yes

Who would I recommend this to?

Fans of Shojo manga would probably be more interested in this than fans of shonen manga. Those who light light, romantic type stories that are cute and humorous would like this. This series is really fluff, fun to read, not too serious, light and yet not over the top. The main characters are actually male but they are heterosexual males but with feminine interests. There is an ongoing romance between the main character and a girl that is cute and amusing.

Who would i not recommend this to?

Those who prefer action and supernatural manga. This is not shonen nor has anything that would appeal to fans of shonen manga unless they are also fans to shojo. It is simply a light romantic type story, the chick flick of manga. those who aren't into that sort of thing wouldn't be likely to enjoy this that much.

Before I Wake

Title: Before I wake
Author: Robert Wiersema
Published: 2006
Genre: fiction

started: Aug.13/11
finished: Aug.20/11

Initial Thoughts
I  have not started the book yet but already I am wondering how I will feel about it. The story is set in the town I grew up in and so it's going to give me a strange feeling, I suspect, to read about a place I know so intimately. And yet I am excited about it too. It is rare that I have read a book set in my own home city so hopefully it will do the place justice.

(177 pages in)
So far I'm quite enjoying this. It is not quite what I was expecting but then I wasn't really sure what I was expecting to be honest. The story is very character driven, focusing on a number of characters and switching between first person PoVs. It is also a story that makes one think, asking interesting but important questions and looking into many questions that are of a spiritual nature. It is not as strange as I thought, reading a story that is based in a city I am so familiar with. So far it is not as specific about locations as I was expecting when I picked it up, but it's subtle and it's wonderful to be able to picture the places that are named. I'm not sure what else to say without giving away plot points and spoilers. So I will leave it here for now.


Final thoughts
This is a beautifully written book. it is not what I was expecting but the story was the sort that makes me think. It is also the type of story that is very poignant and makes one think. It is a book that is hard to put down, that I wanted to keep reading to find out what would happen next. As the authors switches between character PoVs but using first person narration it draws the reader in and for me I found there were certain characters I was most interested in hearing more from. At the same time though this way of writing can at times create confusion if the reader doesn't pay attention to who's narration it is. i enjoyed it though and I think anyone who picked it would find something in it they liked as well.

Would I recommend this book? Absolutely

Who would I recommend this book to?

I would recommend this book to anyone. This is the sort of book that's great for book clubs and high school classes. It is one of those books that gets the mind working and makes one think.

Who would I not recommend this book to?

There isn't anyone I can think of who I wouldn't recommend this book to. Maybe I might not recommend it to someone who is religiously sensitive but really if a person is so sensitive as to be offended by this book then I imagine they would be reading books of a purely entertainment value and would not be looking for something like this book.

Rose Madder

Title: Rose Madder
Author: Stephen King
Published: 1995
Genre: fiction - supernatural

started: Aug.9/11
finished: Aug.13/11

Initial thoughts:
I have only just started this and am just 50 pages in. So far I am captured by the story. Stephen King has a way of throwing the reader right into the thick of the story and so it is easy to get into the story almost immediately. I am already eager to find out what will happen next.


Final thoughts
I meant to comment sooner but read the book so quickly I didn't have a chance to. I am a fan of Stephen King. I find his books to be a quick and easy read compared to some other books. This book may not end up ranking among my favourites it was an interesting book and I enjoyed it.

I did start to think a bit as I was reading the book. I have not read a huge number of King's books so this may be a false pattern, but I have started to notice that it is not unusual for his human antagonists to be some sort of raging bigot. In this case the antagonist/villain is a racist, a misogynist and probably every other kind of "ist" there could be. He is also a character that comes across as very coarse and vulgar...and this is not the first antagonist of this type I have encountered in King's writing. While reading I found myself craving a more refined villain but the vulgarity fits the sort of villain this antagonist is meant to be and so I can't actually turn my craving into a criticism.

The book itself was interesting and enjoyable I found. Not high on my list of King favourites as I said but work holding onto for now I think. The supernatural was played down quite a bit compared to other novels by King. The focus was more on the main character, a woman who has escaped her abusive husband and is trying to exercise her demons as she builds a new life for herself. It was an interesting journey and the way King played with this most delicate of subjects was, in my opinion, well done.

Would I recommend this book? probably, yes

Who would I recommend this book to?

Those who are already fans of King would probably enjoy this. The elements King tends to have in his books  (at least those I've read) are there and there is a faint tie to the Dark Tower series though nothing too too obvious. Those who have read the series though will recognise them. those who are fans of Greek Mythology might find something that interests them though it is only seen in small elements rather than the entire story having it. Those who like character defined stories would probably also like this as it focuses a great deal on the characters and their journey more than anything.

Who would I not recommend this to?

Those who are easily offended by language or subject matter would not like this book. There are a good number of vulgarities and many instances of offensive language. The subject matter is somewhat sensitive and some people might be bothered  by it. It is hard to say who might not like this and who would like it but I would recommend checking it out if one is not easily offended.