King's Wrath by Fiona McIntosh

This review was written for The David Gemmell Legend Award for Fantasy

King's Wrath

It was with some trepidation and apprehension that I approached the final instalment of the Valisar Trilogy. In the year that has passed since I read the second book of the series, I managed to read the Percheron Trilogy, and found it lacking in the ending department.

Much had happened already in last 2 books, and I was expecting another action filled story. There was a sense of finality to this book - all the players were known, they were all getting into position, showing their cards, all converging to the same point.

It took me a bit to get (re)used to this world, to remember some of the minor characters and what had happened. But once I was fully reacquainted with it, the pages flew by, and I kept wanting to know what would happen next.

Like the previous two books, this one also is not for those who are easily squicked, as it provides a good example of the darkness of the human mind, and what people are willing to do to get what they think is rightly theirs. Mind you, it isn't all dark and evilness; there is a balance, with some great characters that are the reverse of that coin.

As an ending to the series, King's Wrath fills it purpose. Yet there are still some questions left unanswered (albeit only minor ones), and there is a thread left hanging in case the author ever decides to revisit this world.

I'm of two minds regarding this book. On the one hand, I really liked how my favourite character turned out, something that I was kind of expecting (since book 1), but it was quite nice to see it come to fruition. On the other hand, it all seemed a tad too easy. I was expecting a bit more struggle and uncertainty to the difficult decisions that some of the characters were facing.

I also liked that the problems and ideas I had while reading certain parts, were properly answered a few pages after - seeming like the author thought of other possibilities besides the obvious.

All in all, I enjoyed reading King's Wrath. It didn't disappoint - there was a lot action, and good characterization. Also, it didn't confirm my fears - it was a good ending to the characters' story, there is a resolution to the biggest problems, even if at points it might not be the one we wished for.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Other Reviews: Ray Gun Reviews

This book on: LibraryThing | Goodreads | Bookdepository UK | Bookdepository US | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Gam.co

Meme Literário

This post is in Portuguese - it is a literary meme. But don't despair, a review is on the way.

 

1 - Possivelmente o Bons Augúrios, de Neil Gaiman e Terry Prattchett

2 - Que pergunta difícil. Acho que vou fazer um pouco de batota: The complete Grimm's Fairy Tales. Ou então As 1001 Noites. Ou algum livro que seja um compêndio gigante de historias.

3 - Earthsea series de Ursula K. Le Guin, em português, Contos de Terramar. Comecem pelo O Feiticeiro e a Sombra (A Wizard of Earthsea) e continuem :)

4 - Bem, acho que todos os blogues tugas que sigo já foram desafiados - se mais algum quiser tomar parte deste meme - força!

5 - Fui desafiada pela p7 do blog Bookeater/Booklover

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

Jane Eyre

*this review is sure to have some spoilers*

Jane Eyre, is one of the classics that I’ve been meaning to read for ages, but it took a pretty cover to (finally) buy it, and a hangover to start reading it. (Basically I was too hungover to manage all the drama on The Cathedral of the Sea, and decided to pick something else to read. Since my options were very limited, Jane Eyre seemed like the lightest and easiest thing to read. Silly me.)

Jane Eyre is indeed the story of Jane, from her miserable childhood, through her slightly less miserable adolescence and to her adulthood. Orphan of both parents, she lives with her aunt and cousins, but it is a life without affection. When she is sent to a school far from home she believes that her conditions can only improve, but it isn't without trouble that she finishes her education and is ready to seek employment.

This story was not new to me, but I had only watched the TV series, and some time ago, so the details were a bit hazy. I knew there would be a happy ending, but then, there always is (I had quite forgotten everything else about the ending). I was actually expecting a lot more drama in the beginning (I think I got the order of some events wrong), so the more I read, the more I dreaded what was (I thought) sure to come.

There is a very strong Beauty and the Beast feel to it. Yes, I know both the love birds are as ugly as they come, making it Beast and the Beast, but to me it is about their personalities. Jane very nice and proper (even if a little blunt), Mr. Rochester quite the devil (and drama queen), teasing and insulting. I liked Mr. Rochester’s wild personality, even if sometimes it is a bit too flamboyant. Jane’s uptightness got to my nerves sometimes, but I liked her bluntness and honesty. But most of all, it was the bickering between these too: the intelligent semi-arguments were really fun to read.

My biggest problem with the classics (and I say problem is the very loosest of senses) is that I have to adapt to the values of the times when they were written. It is most likely that a modern day Jane would take the easier route, by running away WITH her beloved and not running away FROM him (I know I would, along with taking more conventional measures to deal with the problem in the attic). That made some parts in the book a bit harder to enjoy (or should I say, not to scream at the characters), but that choice was also in tune with the character's personality and way of being.

But to me, the strongest point of this book is how it is written. The use of the first person takes away the distance I could have felt due to Jane’s personality. And the descriptions are absolutely vivid. I was constantly lost on 19th century England, taking walks through the moors, sitting by the fireplace, studying people… Making the drama all the more, well, dramatic, because it felt like it was happening to me.

I really liked this book, even though it took me quite awhile to finish. It's very well written, and it's not only about romance, it portrays a society that is slightly different from ours - one that not so long ago was the norm. The down side was that there was a bit more drama that I felt was necessary, and all the religious babble, that started to really get on my nerves by the end of the book (courtesy of a late comer character). Still, it definitely deserves it's place among the classics.


Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Other Reviews: Page Turners

This book on: LibraryThing | Goodreads | Bookdepository UK | Bookdepository US | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Gam.co | Project Gutenberg

February Ins And Outs

Happy St. Patrick’s Day y’all!

I know it’s closer to April than to February, but I still hadn’t made my post of the books read and bought in February, so here it is!.

Outs
Read
On the reading side, it is deeply embarrassing, but I think I found my rhythm – a book a month :(

In February (and in the beginning of the month) I finished The Ill-Made Mute by Cecilia Dart-Thornton. Together with Jen of Cuidado com o Dalmata, I’ve posted a rant about it. I still refuse to call it review – but it did portray my feelings about the book.





Ins
On the acquisitions side it is embarrassing for other reasons: Now that I know how many books I’m able to read each month, it would make sense to try to reduce the buying. Yeah, right – I like getting more books.

From Bookmooch:
The vision of Escaflowne by Aki Katsu (LT GR)

I loved the Anime (both series and movie). I want to give the manga a try, even though I know the story will be different – same characters, same general idea, different situations.

Cuentos y microcuentos: una antología de la narrativa breve by Guillermo I. Castillo-Feliú (LT GR)
Another book in Spanish, so that I can improve it. Let’s hope that by being of short stories I can read it faster.

The book thief by Markus Zusak (LT GR)
A book that has been for some time in my wishlist.

Bought New:
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë (LT GR)
A pretty cover was the push needed to buy this one. I’ve been meaning to read it for quite awhile, and was going to do it on ebook (with it being in public domain and all). I ended up buying it (and I’ve also read it, just haven’t finished writing the review – soon, I promise)

The thief by Megan Whalen Turner (LT GR)
Long wishlisted book, especially after a friend sending me this (Character face off) – and seeing that Howl (Howl’s moving castle) lost to some character in this series. I had to check it out.

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld (LT GR)
This one was getting some great reviews some time ago, and I do have also another book from this author to read. Besides, it was at a great price and I had a -10% off voucher to use.

Bought Used:
Valiant: a modern tale of faerie by Holly Black (LT GR)
The second in the Tithe series, I wanted to get this one, but my OCD-ish side wanted to have the same cover of the first one (also because it is pretty :D).

Malafrena by Ursula K. Le Guin (LT GR)
Long in my wishlist, very hard to find. So yeah, I had to get this one.

The dark mirror by Juliet Marillier (LT GR)
I already have this one in Portuguese, but since the translation really sucks, I’ve been meaning to buy this in English. But I also wanted the versions with pretty covers.

Snow white, blood red by Ellen Datlow (LT GR)
Yet another one that has been on my wishlist for ages, I now I finally was able to get it.

Received for Review (Yay!)
The King's Wrath by Fiona McIntosh (LT GR)
I’ve been waiting for The David Gemmell Legend Award call for reviewers, so that I could get this one. I reviewed the second in the series last year, and want to know how it is going to end.

I’m more than halfway done with this one and will post the review ASAP.

TBR list change: from 179 books to read to 188 :(

ANIGA MIX '11 - de 31 de Março a 3 de Abril

This post is in Portuguese

Olá olá leitores tugas!

Um pequeno update para informar sobre o ANIGA MIX '11, que se vai realizar entre os dias 31 de Março e 3 de Abril, na Exponor, no Porto. O ANIGA MIX combina Banda Desenhada, Animação, Videojogos e Entretenimento, bem como a Cultura Japonesa, que ganha cada vez mais adeptos em Portugal.

Serão 4 dias de actividades e com alguns autores convidados. Por acaso vou estar em Portugal neste fim de semana (realmente por acaso), e como é uma visita um pouco relâmpago, não sei se terei oportunidade de dar um saltito à Exponor. Mas havendo tempo, decerto que vou aparecer por lá.

Autores Convidados
Filipe Melo 
I.A Dog Mendonça e Pizzaboy, I'll See You In My Dreams, Mundo Catita 

Filipe Pina 
BRK, Under Siege

João Mascarenhas
Menino Triste, Butterfly Chronicles

Rui Ricardo
Sonho Sem Fim, Superfuzz

Expositores presentes
O Lobo Mau

PressPlay

Oblivion Shop

Naraneko

Invicta Indie 9 Arts

Kuri Kuri Shop

Anjos Urbanos

Ekstra Shop

Warner Bros

Actividades

Oficina de Artes Marciais Japonesas | Lohan Tao Kempo Chinês, por Koji Azevedo | 31 de Março

Apresentação de Visual Novel | Por Luís Ferreira | 31 de Março

Cerimónia de entrega dos VIII Troféus Central Comics | Por Hugo Jesus e Daniel Maia | 2 de Abril

Concerto J-Rock com Yoshi O Puto Dragão | 2 de Abril às 15h30

Oficina de Língua Japonesa | por Inês Rocha | 2 e 3 de Abril

Oficina de Guionismo para TV e Cinema | Por Filipe Melo | 3 de Abril

Oficina de Balonagem e Legendagem Digital | Por Hugo Jesus | 3 de Abril

Oficina de Fotografia | Por Vânia Santos | 3 e 4 de Abril

Apresentação e exposição dos álbuns «As Incríveis Aventuras de Dog Mendonça» e «Pizzaboy 2» | De Filipe Melo e Juan Cavia

Apresentação e exposição de «Butterfly Chronicles» | De João Mascarenhas

Exposição de BD «O Sonho Sem Fim» | De Hugo Jesus e Rui Ricardo

Exposição dde Ilustração | De Pedro Pires

Prémios PressPlay - Produção Nacional de Jogos 2011 | Por Diogo Stuart | 3 de Abril

Karaoke Japonês | 2 e 3 de Abril

Salão de Visual Japonês - Hairstyling | Por Anjos Urbanos | de 31 de Março a 3 de Abril

Concurso de Cosplay | 3 de Abril


Outras Actividades

Oficina de BD e Ilustração
Concurso de Desenho/Ilustração
Oficinas de Origami
Projecção de Filmes de Animação
Zona Comercial
Concerto de 8 Bits
Música de animação, videojogos, cinema e televisão
Torneio de Videojogos
Oficina de Pintura Digital
Workshop de Cinema
Quiz Geek
Oficina de videojogos
Restaurante Japonês

Podem ficar a saber mais em www.anigamix.exponor.pt

Books and Music

I love books. And I love music. Among other things, of course, but these are two of my passions. And if my genres in literature are somewhat limited, when it comes to music I do listen to a lot of things (although I stay mostly in that wide circle of Rock).

Listening to music while reading is (or at least used to be) pretty much the norm to me, and this can lead to some strange connections between songs or albums and books. For example, while reading Tehanu by Ursula K. Le Guin I was constantly listening to Queens of the Stone Age album Songs For The Deaf, and this album will always remind me of that book (especially the song A song for the Deaf), and the book will make me want to take the CD of its casing and play it really loud.



This does not happen a lot, I tend to listen to mixed music. But whenever I listen to one album in constant loop (or a song in constant loop) and I'm deeply engrossed in the story, what I'm listening to becomes a soundtrack to the book.

And this is not exclusive to proper music. While reading Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Marakumi I discovered a flash game, called Coma. It is actually a pretty good game - you should try it. There is a dreamlike feel to the game, and an amazing song that plays in the background. And you what? I can't help but associate that song (and that game) with Kafka's time in the Forest.




But there are other dimensions to this Literature-Book thing. There is a lot of music around that has been inspired by books (and the other way round too), but it is actually kind of fun when you find such music and you are reading the book.

One of these songs is IAMX's Song of Imaginary Beings (although there is a demo version by Sneaker Pimps, also very good), that takes inspiration from Jorge Luis Borges' Book of Imaginary Beings, and was one of the reasons I started to read it.



Another example is a band that I love, and that uses literature as the main inspiration for most of their albums. I'm talking about Blind Guardian. They have songs inspired by Lord of the Rings, Discworld and Arthurian Legends. But best of all, they have an entire album dedicated to The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien.

I really like Tolkien (and as a Fantasy fan it would be akin to heresy to say I didn't). I like The Lord of the Rings, I love The Hobbit [and Hurray for the upcoming movie!], and I like The Silmarillion (and The Unfinished Tales). So an album dedicated to a book that I love by a band that I love - that was something I had to have. And it is really great to read The Silmarillion while listening to Nightfall In Middle-Earth.




And my last point is about songs that are in itself a story. As far as songwriting goes, there is not set formula. Some say whatever comes to their minds, some write songs full of hidden meanings, others come up with proper storylines.

Recently I've came across a song by the band Rasputina, called the Snow-Hen of Austerlitz. The lyrics of this song are just like a dark fairytale, and it makes me wish for the continuation of the story.

The Ill-Made Mute by Cecilia Dart-Thornton

A joint review book commentary by Quigui of Spoilers and Nuts and Jen7waters of Cuidado com o Dálmata. We decided to make this review together because a) it would be fun; b) we suffered through this book together and c) I [Quigui] have been recently bitten by a dog, and can join Jen in her warning [and thus be allowed a post in her blog] to beware of the dog [not a Dalmatian in my case, but a tiny, tiny dog that the only thing that he managed to do was to rip my last pair of stockings. Tiny little bastard] Told’ya, but you never listen. BTW, hello everyone! *Jen waves her hand*


Green text means it was written by Jen7waters. Orange means Quigui. Black means common to the both of us (because we’re both mourning some great character). 

The Ill-Made Mute by Cecilia Dart-Thornton (The Spoiler free version)

A book about a foundling that can’t talk and is ugly as hell (therefore being ill-made and mute), that goes on a road trip to cure her disease.

A very long and boring book, with one character that is awesome and doesn’t appear as much as he should.

Unless you are really curious about it, skip it. If you are curious, proceed with care and be prepared to be bored out of your wits.

I have nothing to add. Humph.

  

The Ill-Made Mute by Cecilia Dart-Thornton (The spoiler version: Beware, Here be Dragons. And Spoilers. And Ranting. And Snark. And we’re sorry. No dogs and nuts in sight, though)

January Ins And Outs

Since there have been so few updates on this blog (so few that you can hear the owls hooting and the crickets chirping uncomfortably), I've decided to post about the books I've bought/bookmooched/received in any other way and the ones I've read.

Here are the ones for January

Ins

Books bought:

On January I bought 6 books.
Two graphic novels: Volume 1 of Rurouni Kenshin and Volume 4 of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (I loved the anime, and I'm slowly completing the manga collection).

Three books were bought on the Festa do Livro [Book Fest] that happened in Porto during January. I went there with my good friend from Cuidado com o Dálmata, choosing the only day in the week that was rainy, and went on to look at old books (and not so old), hoping to find some treasure hidden there. The books where:

A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian by Marina Lewycka, which I discovered as a recommendation for Everything is Illuminated
Choke by Chuck Palahniuk, which I've been meaning to read for a while
Varjak Paw by SF Said, mostly because there is a black cat on the cover

After arriving in Spain I bought one book (because honestly I couldn't help myself, seeing so many beautiful editions of books, I had to bring at least one with me!). It is El menor espectáculo del mundo [The smallest show in the world] by Felix J. Palma. After reading The Map of Time, I've wanted more books by this author, so at my first chance I bought this one!

Bookmooched:
I love Bookmooch, and usually most of my books come through it. But this year, with the uncertainty of dwellings and of reading time, I tried to refrain from mooching (and of course failed). In January 3 books came via Bookmooch:

Life, The Universe and Everything, and So Long, and Thanks for all the Fish by Douglas Adams, so I can continue reading this awesome series.

Nights of Villjamur by Mark Charan Newton, that has been on my wishlist for a while.

Won (Hurray!):
2011 started well, with me winning a giveway on the Booksnob blog. I won The Cigar Maker by Mark Carlos McGinty, signed by the author. Thanks to Laura for the giveaway and to the author for sending this book!

Outs

Books read:
This part is a bit humiliating, because it will be very small. January was not very good in terms of reading, I only managed to finish two books:

A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
I read this one in eBook form. I've wanted to read some of the Sherlock Holmes novels for awhile, and after the BBC series and reading A Sabedoria dos Mortos, it seemed that it was about time I got on to it.

I liked this book, especially Part 1. Part 2 leaves you a bit WTH? at the beginning, due to the complete shift in location (and plot), so much that it feels like there was another book being inserted there. Still, the connection to Part 1 eventually becomes clear, and by the end of the book that sense of two separate books disappears.

Rurouni Kenshin, Volume 1 by Nobuhiro Watsuki
What can I say, I adore Kenshin. I've seen the anime countless times, and read the manga before in scanlation form. It was about time I read it again, this time in a proper book.


And that's it! A lot of books acquired, very little read. My TBR pile gained 9 more books in January (10, but one was read right away) and I'm quite sure it will keep on growing. Of the two books that I started reading in January, one was finished today (*does happy dance*),  the other will probably take a bit more time.

Reading Challenge - 71 to 75

And here it is! The final post of the 2010 75 books reading Challenge. Only a month late (and because I forced myself to finish this today).

71 - A Sabedoria dos Mortos by Rodolfo Martinez [The Wisdom of the Dead]

This a collection of three stories, pretending to be new, unpublished adventures of Sherlock Holmes, that never saw the light of day because of their uncanniness. The author proposes that these have been written by John Watson, M.D. (not Arthur Conan Doyle – but there is an explanation for that), and that his job as been merely of translating the texts found on box in an antique shop in Soho.

Overall it was a nice book, it makes me wish I read more of Sherlock Holmes and H.P. Lovecraft. While I was reading I had some trouble in believing that John Watson could have written these stories. Not because he is a fictional character, but because it showed that the author of this story didn't have English as native language. Part of these objections where put to rest on the Translator's Note at the end of the book, but still I am unconvinced (especially having spend the entire book with those objections).

(4/5)

[Full Review]

72 - The Gift by Cecilia Ahern
This a book is something like a a Christmas Chic Flick. You know, the kind that comes out in the beginning of December, or that passes non stop on TV on Sundays afternoons.

It was a freebie, and it took me a long time to get around to read it because I was sure it wouldn't be my kind of book. I wasn't wrong.

It's light, and full of those special messages of being kind and good, and enjoying your family and your time with them. There is a bit of the story there but not much. The ending was clearly design to make the reader burst into tears – but it completely failed to do so with me.

It is also full of awful metaphors and similes that made me want to spoon my eyes out.

The only plus side is that is set in Dublin – and since I've been there, it was nice to read about something I know about.

(2.5/5)

73 - Scottish Fairy Tales by Philip Wilson

A collection of Fairy Tales, that I had on my bookshelf for ages.

I like fairy tales, but I might be too used to fairy tale retellings to properly enjoy a simple fairy tale. The stories on this book where nice, some were known, some weren't. Some repeated themselves, some were quite good. Common to all of them was the simplistic writing style.It was more enjoyable on a curiosity level than on a literary one.

(3/5)

74 - Seer of Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier
Seer of Sevenwaters is the new instalment of the the once-trilogy-and-now-series of Sevenwaters. Even if I feel that nothing really compares to the first books on the series (which were the start of my love for Juliet Marillier's books), this book managed to surprise me in how much I loved it!

To me, it's a book of dualities. Two points of view, and also two parts on the story. The first one is recovery and getting to know oneself again. It's mostly character driven, but not without some action. The second part is about adventure and setting wrongs right. It's full of action and excitement. And all this dualities are so well woven one into each other, they complement each other, and you wouldn't want to have one without the other!

I loved this book, and even if I'm biased, I have to say that if you like historical fantasy, I really recommend Seer of Sevenwaters (or any other Sevenwaters book).

(5/5)

[Full Review]

75 - A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

This was a bit of a re-read. Only a bit because the last time I read A Christmas Carol I was a tiny lass (not that I am much bigger now), and the version was abridged. So I guess it could count as a new read. The reason for me picking this book up, especially at the time I did had very little to do with being Christmas Time, and all with Doctor Who Christmas Special (based on this story, and quite marvellous).

It is my opinion that you can never go wrong with Charles Dickens. A Christmas Carol is a very simple story - bad guy shown the error of his ways, and provided with a second chance. And it's hardly an unknown plot, as it has been adapted to all kinds of media (my first encounter with such an adaptation was The Muppet Christmas Carol).

I enjoyed reading this, not because it was mindblowing, but because it was well written, a nice story that you like because it is being told, not because of what's being told.

(4/5)

---

So here it is: Challenge Completed!

This would be place where I would post Stats and Stuff about the Challenge, but I've seem to have done that already :D So all that is left to say is that I enjoyed reading (most of) these books, and thank you for reading my reviews (and in some cases cheering me in order to finish this challenged): Thank you!