13) Breaking Dawn – Stephenie Meyer (YA)

I’ll do my best not to give away spoilers for this one, which means I won’t review it as fully as I might like… but I don’t want to give anything away for someone who still plans to read it. A friend loaned this to me so that I could finish the series and get some closure, and I was dreading the investment of time it appeared to need…

Well, 750 pages is significant, but it moves quickly. I think what shocked me most about this book is that… I didn’t really mind it. A quick summary: I loved the first book (read it several years ago), hated the middle two, and this one, well… it wasn’t half bad. However, I’ll admit that I knew two of the key plot points before starting the book (a newspaper article gave them away last year because they didn’t include a note saying there were spoilers in the article… I was not happy), so that may have influenced my judgment in the sense that what occurred didn’t seem quite as ridiculous as it might have to other readers.

Regardless, I honestly think Meyer took more care with this final book, to an extent. The negatives I have to say are: I never connected with the “new” character (those of you who’ve read it will know what I mean) because I don’t think this individual was fully developed (though arguably, that’s the point until the end?), and I thought what was supposed to be the climax of the whole thing was rather… well, anticlimactic. Okay, I have to do this:

***SPOILER***
I wanted a fraking battle scene! I wanted a fight, or at least a skirmish of some sort! I think Meyer copped out on that one, perhaps out of cowardice for killing characters off, or maybe she just isn’t experienced enough to do so. I don’t know. But I think it would have been far more believable at the end if everyone fought – at least for a minute or two – before Bella got control of her gift and saved the day. Arrrgh. I found that very unsatisfying and frustrating.

Okay, you can start reading again.

All in all, it was closure to the series, and for that I’m glad I read it. After all, if I want to intelligently discuss it with other people, I can say I really did read the books and therefore am able to form informed opinions – until some people (*ahem*my brother*ahem*) who simply like to say “they suck” and that’s that.

Mind you, I don’t think Bella is a good role model for teen girls, because love certainly isn’t like that. She’s fairly helpless for the first 3 books and keeps needing to be rescued, which was slightly frustrating, but you know what? That’s another discussion for another time. Rant over. Book finished. If you started the series, don’t be afraid to end it here. Let’s give it: 3.5/5 and be done with it.

Tags: books

12) Forgotten Scripts: Their Ongoing History and Decipherment – Cyrus H. Gordon

Although a little dated (it was first written in 1968 – thankfully I had the revised & updated edition, which I believe was released in the 80s), I found this book enjoyable and easy to read – and I think anyone interested in the history of languages in the ancient world will probably feel the same way.

First, there is a look at the basic principles of cryptography and how it can be used to ‘unlock’ ancient unknown scripts. Then, Gordon introduces a number of the world’s ancient languages (Sumerian, Hittite, Linear B, etc.) from both a historical standpoint and linguistic overview. He breaks down the core principles of each language’s decipherment, but doesn’t include so much as to overwhelm the layperson.

I also thought the book was helpful in the sense that it traced how each language may have influenced the others, ie. potential cases of borrowing or assimilation. However, when you read this, keep in mind that 25 years of scholarship has passed since the book was updated, so there are many new discoveries/decipherments/breakthroughs on the languages that have come since then.

But, it’s a worthwhile read! And he ends it well: there are sample translations from Egyptian/Hurrian/Sumerian/etc. texts in the last chapter, from a myth to a folktale to a legal document, and so forth. It’s a good breadth of examples, and interesting to boot.

Rating: 3 coffees out of 5

Tags: ancient history, books

11) Catherine, Called Birdy – Karen Cushman (Children’s Fiction/YA)

A friend loaned this book to me, saying I would like it. I was skeptical… but she was right! The main character of Catherine is likable, funny, and believable as a young teen living in 1290 AD. I appreciated how Cushman included a section at the back on the real history of the time period, it shows that she really did her research and tried her hardest to make her novel authentic. And it shows! I recommend: A hot cup of tea, a comfy pillow, and an hour or two of uninterrupted reading time to best enjoy this one!

Rating: 3.5 coffees out of 5

Tags: books, children's fiction

10) Chicago: A Novel – Alaa al Aswany (Fiction)

This was an ARC, and probably not something I would have picked up on my own. The story follows a number of Egyptians as they make their lives in Chicago (and a few Americans, which seems a bit odd, given the novel’s focus on Egyptians in Chicago): from a PhD student whose encounter with American culture forces her to re-evaluate everything she was brought up to believe, to a sixty-year old “Americanized” Egyptian who desires to cut all ties with his former country as he struggles with his own marriage to an American woman.

There are a lot of characters, and sometimes it took me a page or so into each chapter before I remembered who was who. Still, I found most of the character threads interesting – some more than others – and gladly followed their stories. However, this isn’t the kind of book that has, oh what are they calling it these days, a “plot”. There are common threads (Egypt, the university where these people are all based, the impending visit of the Egyptian president), but not a tangible plot line to follow. Now, that’s fine, because it kept me reading until the end…

…whereupon I closed the book and felt like I’d wasted my time. Why? There wasn’t any resolution. The characters’ immediate crises are semi-resolved (or at least there is a hint of a possible resolution in the future), though in several cases we’re left knowing that a character is in either: a) danger or b) despair (ie. their particular crisis resolution doesn’t necessarily bring them any sort of happiness, or it throws them into another problem). I sat there when I finished, angry, because I’d spent all this time getting to know people and care for them, and was then left hanging.

Maybe some people like this kind of ending. I, for one, feel that I wasted a perfectly good Sunday afternoon. If you want to read it, I recommend it on the merit that it’s an intriguing book with interesting people – but be forewarned that you will turn the last page unsatisfied.

Rating: 2.5 coffees out of 5

Tags: books, free books

9) Faith & Doubt – John Ortberg (Christian Living)

From page 23: “Perhaps great believers and great doubters are more like each other than either group is like the great mass of relatively disinterested middle-grounders. Bother are preoccupied with understanding the nature of the universe. Both agree that this is, after all, the great question.”

Indeed. I’m glad Ortberg took the time to write a book like this, because faith & doubt do co-exist, and few people realize or recognize that both have a place. Ortberg’s book discusses what roles faith & doubt play in his life, in our lives, in the world around us… and explains why we need to listen to doubters and discuss things intelligently, not just argue with them.

I like the way Ortberg phrases it at the beginning of the book, which to me, set up the discussion to follow: “I must have truth. Therefore I doubt. If I did not doubt, I’d be just another one of those suckers that P.T. Barnum was so grateful get born once a minute; I’d fall for every carnival sideshow delusion that comes along. And I scorn delusion. I must have hope. Therefore I believe. If I did not believe, I would cave into despair. And I dread despair.”

Review: 3 coffees out of 5

Tags: books

8 ) 1434: The Year a Magnificent Chinese Fleet Sailed to Italy and Ignited the Renaissance – Gavin Menzies (History)

I started this book last spring… sent in my ARC review… and then never bothered to finish the last hundred pages or so. Thus, for the sake of getting it out of the way, I sat down on the couch with a cup of tea and began reading.

And promptly fell asleep.

Not the most glowing thing to say about the book, I realize, but I think maybe I got in over my head with this one. I have far more interest in ancient history than ‘modern’ history (what myself and my archaeology pals jokingly call anything after the Fall of Rome), so it was hard for me to stay focused while reading this one. And the chapters that focused on Da Vinci vs. Chinese mathematical calculations and physics really didn’t do much to help me wake up.

Still, I think Menzies made some very important points in his book. I have to say I didn’t read his first book, 1421 (so I’m not sure how much is overlap), but he presents some startling evidence about Da Vinci’s inventions… and how they were essentially very slight modifications (or exact reproductions) of Chinese inventions from several hundred years prior. Menzies shows illustrations from Chinese manuscripts right next to Da Vinci’s (and other Italian inventors, let’s be fair) illustrations… and when you see that, it will be very difficult to deny what Menzies has theorized.

There were several other brief points of interest in this book, though it went off on too many tangents that my brain had difficulty connecting with the main argument (again, it could have been that I was dozing off). Still, I think the author presents a very important case for Chinese influence in Europe at this time, and he’s obviously done an incredible amount of work and research to build his case. I think if you’re interested in this time period, this book will be a very valuable read that provides plenty of opportunities for future research.

Rating: 3 coffees out of 5

Tags: books

7) Alcatraz versus the Evil Librarians - Brandon Sanderson (YA)

This one is geared, I think, toward the 9-12 crowd, though YAs will appreciate it… oh, and anyone else who likes witty, fun, entertaining books by authors who don’t take themselves too seriously. A blurb on the back of the book called it ‘a cross between Lemony Snicket’s series and Artemis Fowl’, but I’d hesitate to give it a comparison – I think it stands on its own!

It was very funny, absolutely ridiculous, and kept me reading from the first page to the last. And I was THRILLED to come to the end and find out there’s a sequel in the works. I thought I liked Sanderson’s adult fantasy – but I think he has a real gift in writing for the younger crowd. I’d recommend this to younger male readers looking for something to try (or older males… my husband read the description on the back and has added it to his TBR pile!). Really, my words here can’t do it justice. Go read it instead.

Rating: 4.5 coffees out of 5

Tags: books

5) Rogue Angel: Destiny – Alex Archer (Adventure, though labeled Sci-Fi)

Okay, so… I saw this in the bookstore and picked it up for a laugh. The premise? A stunningly beautiful, conveniently large-chested woman – who also was raised in an orphanage by nuns – spends her days as an archaeologist. She’s well trained, brilliant, loves to read, but also knows how to kick some serious butt (how? did the nuns teach her???). Naturally, she’s unlucky in love. It also just so happens that Joan of Arc’s sword has “chosen” her to be its new bearer… and she can call upon it to appear and disappear at will.

Sound like a strange amalgamation of Tomb Raider & Witchblade??? Yeah, that’s what I thought too. In fact, I’m pretty sure Archer was reading his comic books one day and said to himself: “Dude… what if Tomb Raider AND Witchblade were like… part of the same PERSON??? Awwwwesome….”

That said… I liked the book. Really, really liked it. Yes, it was cliche/corny/predictable/ridiculous… but it was *fun*. As long as you were willing to suspend disbelief while reading, it was a great guilty pleasure read, full of action, fighting, silly history (though it was consistent!), and a villain that’s so one-dimensional you HAVE to hate him. And, perhaps most of all, I appreciated that Archer got one thing right that so many people fail to realize: archaeologists don’t make money doing archaeology. Our heroine has to write books, appear on TV shows about mythical creatures, and teach seminars to make the money she needs to live & fund her digs. THANK YOU, Alex Archer.

Anyway, I admit: I already have the next 2 books in the series lined up to go. What can I say? I like fun books.

Rating: 4 coffees out of 5

6) Shadow of Colossus: A Seven Wonders Novel – T.L. Higley (Historical Fiction)

Interesting… I thought of writing a series based around the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World quite awhile ago, but hey, looks like someone beat me to it. But that’s alright! It wasn’t half bad, and it seems like Higley does her research well. I was mostly interested in reading this to find historical errors (I’m horrible, I know, but being trained in Classical Studies does this to me), and was pleasantly surprised when I didn’t catch any that detracted from the story.

The novel is set in ancient Greece – the island of Rhodes, to be specific – and focuses on one particular hetaera and her situation. The story keeps the action moving forward most of the time, with the occasional slowdown for us to gain insight into Tessa’s thoughts and world, which keep her under strict social regulations (though she – and the hetaerae in general – had much more freedom than any other Greek woman, historically speaking). There is a love interest, but it isn’t forced, which I appreciated. There are several pages where a Jewish man shares his faith in Yahweh with the main character that may seem slightly contrived to some, but it seems to work with this story in particular. It would have been rare and unlikely, but not impossible.

The novel was an easy read, not particularly complex, but held my interest enough to finish it in an afternoon. A worthwhile diversion.

Rating: 3 coffees out of 5

Tags: books, historical fiction, sci-fi

3) On Writing – Stephen King (Writing)

Some time ago, I heard this was “the definitive book to read about writing”, if you were a writer/planning to be a writer/wrote things/etc. I ignored the advice, figured I was good with my other writing books, and moved on. This past Christmas, out of curiosity and for the sake of giving my mother a list of books to choose from (she asked!), I included this one. I decided to read it on a lazy Friday afternoon, sitting in a local café with a mug of smooth, black coffee…

And for crying out loud, I should have read this book a long time ago. Forgive me, O Muse, for I have been derelict in my duties. Although I’ve never read a novel by Stephen King – and I have no desire to – I have a great respect for the man after finishing this memoir/book on writing. I had no idea the kind of background King came from, nor the struggles that he went through to reach the place of success he is in now. What I found perhaps most commendable of all was, throughout the memoir section where he recalls his struggles with drugs/alcohol/a negligent mother/living in a decrepit apartment, he discusses these things as if they were simply ‘matter of fact’. It happened, he moved on. He never sensationalizes his past, and I never got the sense that he was recalling the events looking for pity, or trying to make an ‘I had such a hard life, look at me now!’ boast. These things were the way they were, he learned from them, and moved on. He freely admits his mistakes and the faults of his family, without giving praise where it isn’t due, but also seeing good where it lay.

The section on writing was very encouraging as well, and I found my resolve steeled. I will finish my own novels, I will make better use of my writing time, I will be a better writer. It is possible, though it will be difficult. I already knew these things, but somehow, King was able to say it without being condescending, discouraging, preachy, or trying to give me the “Number #1 method for becoming the best writer ever!”.

I must say – I never thought that this book could impact me the way it did. When I finished, I set it down, thought about it, and considered how to not only put into practice the things I’d learned about writing itself, but how I could learn from King’s own experiences along the journey from amateur writer to best-selling author.

If you want to write, read this book. I almost didn’t… and I deeply regret not doing so sooner.

Rating: 5 coffees out of 5
4) The Door in the Hedge – Robin McKinley (Fantasy)

This book consists of four short stories, written like fairy tales – old language and all! They were entertaining, albeit brief, and reworked the traditional versions of a few tales. It wasn’t the best thing I’ve ever read, but I’d give it a 3.5/5. There were brief lags in a few places, but for those who enjoy new or reworked fairy tales, it’s worth the time invested.

Rating: 3.5 coffees out of 5

Tags: books, fantasy