More Books than Time

Book Reviews - Romance, Fantasy, Science Fiction - By an Adult for Adults

Infinity Ring – A Mutiny In Time – Clever Game and Story YA Science Fiction

by Leave a Comment

Infinity Ring Book 1: A Mutiny in Time by James Dashner is the clever first book in the Infinity Ring series. Two friends, Dak and Sera, live in an alternate history under dire threat by SQ. Dak’s parents invented a device to travel in time that Sera was able to complete. The two friends and Dak’s parents go back in time but his parents are stranded when Dak and Sera return.

A group called the Hystorians (spelled with a Y) are convinced that history has gone off course and have spent centuries watching for time travel to become real.  Now that the Infinity Ring is ready the two groups, Hystorians and SQ, will face off. Dak and Sera are tasked with returning to the points in history that Hystorians believe are “break points”, times when the wrong outcome threw the train of history off its tracks.

It’s puzzling how in stories like this the kids are the ones who do the work, but that’s the beauty of young adult fiction. Dak and Sera are like real kids, smarter and less socially adept than some, but you could imagine having them in a class or seeing them at the mall.  Parents be warned, these characters are bratty, disrespectful know-it-alls.

The gimmick in this series is the Hystorians planted clues. You have to wonder why the clues are so mysterious since it’s unlikely someone will actually show up from the future to deal with them, but that’s the plot. The bound book includes a front section to fold back that will let the reader explore Revolutionary France in 1792 with links the the Infinity Ring website. That’s a nice way to get younger kids interested in history!

The book is very fast paced and a fun read. I was puzzled by why it would have mattered whether Christopher Columbus led the expedition to America or whether his lieutenants mutinied and completed the trip. The book never hinted why it would matter who discovered America. It’s also far fetched to think two societies, SQ and Hystorians, could maintain successful organizations for centuries on the off chance that someone might show up someday from the future. These points are minor, but the sort of thing that bother adults and might not occur to younger readers.

Many YA novels are classified as Young Adult Fiction because they feature young protagonists but the books have adult themes and conflicts that make them suitable for adults. Abhorsen by Garth Nix is a good example. The Infinity Ring series features kids and the writing, themes and plot are aimed squarely at the middle school readers. I doubt I’ll read any more in the series since it truly is written for young people, plus I don’t care for books about brats.

Infinity Ring Book 1: A Mutiny in Time is available at Amazon and probably at your library or school library

Something Missing, Contemporary Fun Fiction by Matthew Dicks

by 1 Comment

Here’s a book I just loved, Something Missing: A Novel.  No, it’s not science fiction, nor fantasy.  It’s not really a mystery either.  And it’s definitely not one of those “oh I’m so miserable and want to make you miserable too” novels (thank heavens).  It’s fun with a great character, Martin.

An Unusual Occupation

Do you know how many rolls of toilet paper or sticks of butter you have?  How about those towels you got as a gift five years ago?  Still there?  Do you have stuff in the back of your closet you would never miss?  I know I do.

So do Martin’s clients.  You see, Martin makes his living by visiting his clients every week or two and taking just things that he knows no one will miss.  That can of soup, wedding gift china, diamond earrings.  Martin is a thief with a most unusual business model.  For one thing he knows what a business model is and has carefully planned his out.  He knows exactly how to enter a home undetected and how to leave.  He knows how determine which items are safe and plans carefully when to acquire them.  He reads clients’ mail and their diaries, knows their vacation plans and upcoming trips to the dentist.

Martin is OCD in spades.  He has a definite schedule and an acquisition plan for each client.  He takes meticulous care to leave no DNA evidence behind and comes and goes at different times and routes.  He also flosses five times a day and avoids doorknobs.

Besides being OCD and fanatical about hygiene, Martin has a wonderful imagination.  He built an entire persona to sell his acquisitions on eBay.  He dreams that the waitress at his favorite breakfast spot likes him and that her “see you tomorrow” is a date.  He uses this imagination to think through risks and plan his day, but his secret dream is to write.   Martin’s cover story for his friends is that he writes instruction manuals, but he really wants to write novels.

The Plot Thickens….

Martin could continue this way forever except he knocks his client’s electric toothbrush into the toilet.  Appalled at the idea of her using it with residual fecal material, Martin runs to the store, buys a replacement, and almost gets caught returning the replacement.

The plot thickens from here.  Martin took the first step to get involved with his clients and his next step takes him further into their lives.  He saves a surprise birthday party and finds a girl to love.  All well and good, and he can still tell himself that his clients are just that, clients, not people.

Then he discovers one client is being stalked by a rapist.  Now what?  Martin follows his heart and saves the day at considerable cost to him.

Wonderful Characters and Dialogue

Martin is priceless, one of the best characters I’ve come across lately.  The dialogue is outstanding – and realize that most dialogue occurs in Martin’s mind.   It is hard to believe that Something Missing is Matthew Dick’s first novel.  It reads like a polished, complete story, with well-done characters and fast pace.

My thanks to Amy Peveto of Bookzilla for recommending Somethihttp://amzn.to/2HnrtGJng Missing.  It was great, thanks Amy!

4 Stars

Amazon links are ads that pay commission to blog owner.

Review: Tricked Iron Druid Chronicles #4 Kevin Hearne Fantasy Magic

by Leave a Comment

I finally figured out what bothered me about the first three books in the Iron Druid Chronicles.  They all read like a series of vignettes, like short stories or a made-for-television series.  Yes, the plot moved from episode to episode, but you could easily parse the novels into smaller stories.

Tricked is the first book in the series that reads like a novel. Sure, you could probably turn this into television episodes too, but the individual plot elements and characters flow from one to the next.  Tricked takes place in the American Southwest with a plot as old as the ancient Greek tragedies.  Hubris is the downfall.

Tricked is a better book.  Better written, more carefully structured with characters that you cared about.  I’m still not enamored of the main character, Atticus O’Sullivan, but he’s interesting and some side characters like Frank are real people.  Atticus is starting to realize that he’s in a world of hurt.  He made some stupid mistakes, and as he says midway into the novel, he made them out of pride and the desire to think well of himself.  Now he’s paying, and he’ll pay again and again.

Worse from Atticus’ point of view, fixing his mistakes meant he asked help from Coyote, the Navaho Trickster god.  Bad, bad move.  Coyote may be good hearted – sometimes – but he’s not someone you trust.  Despite knowing this, Atticus agrees to a deal without knowing the full conditions, and sure enough, Coyote has a hidden agenda.  Or two.  Or three.   Hidden agendas are what trickster gods are all about after all.  Once more Atticus lets his pride get him in trouble.

This time others get hurt.  Coyote’s second (or third) agenda is getting rid of skinwalkers, evil brothers with powers, strength and speed augmented by Hell; of course Atticus gets stuck helping.  He rids the world of these two skinwalkers but at the price of several good people.

The end of the novel sets us up for volume 5 of the Iron Druid Chronicles, Trapped. I’ve not read Trapped yet, but it’s on my want list!

4 Stars

Amazon links are ads that pay commission to blog owner.

Review: Hammered, Iron Druid Chronicles 3, Kevin Hearne Fantasy Magic

by Leave a Comment

In Hammered our hero Atticus, an ancient Irish Druid alive and well in Arizona, slips further into the consequences of his decision to take the offensive against an Irish godling who has stalked him for almost 2000 years.  Now he agrees to help his lawyer and vampire acquaintance Leif kill the Norse god Thor.  This time the results may be deadly – for Atticus and the world.

Hammered is darker than its predecessors, Hounded and Hexed.  At the same time the characters are getting more interesting, better drawn.  The settings are good and the magic continues to be well thought-out and consistent.

The book ends with a cliffhanger.  What happened to Atticus’ friend, the widow MacDonagh?  Where can Atticus and Granuaile go to avoid the angry Bacchus (Roman pantheon), Russian Hammers of God (more or less normal people), the Norse pantheon?  Can Leif regenerate his vampire self and have any of his personality?

Overall this is another fast read that is entertaining.  It is far fetched and once more I didn’t quite follow the reasoning that impelled Atticus to jump into a quarrel with the Norse god Thor.  I suppose that if Atticus had continued to lay low for another 2000 years we wouldn’t have a story, but this change of character from “let’s hide” to “let’s fight” doesn’t quite fit the personality that Hearne drew.

Another point I must mention.  I am a Catholic, a Christian.  There are scenes here that are a little cutesy and involve Jesus Christ and his mother.  Hearne conveys respect for both, albeit not as we understand them as God and human mother.  When you read fantasies that involve religious or demi-religious figures you will find yourself simply moving past the religious trappings to enjoy the story.

I like the whole series well enough to read the next one, Tricked.  And probably will move right into book 5, Trapped
and then the last one (as of now) Hunted, Book Six
.

3+ Stars

Amazon links pay commissions to blog owner.

Love Dogs? Hounded Iron Druid Chronicles Book 1, Kevin Hearne Fantasy

by 1 Comment

Hounded: The Iron Druid Chronicles, Book One, by Kevin Hearne, is the first story in a series about a Druid in contemporary America.  This first book chronicles Atticus O’Sullivan’s first bad step, taking on a pretend ancient Irish god.  This pseudo-god has nursed a grudge against our hero for 2100 years – yes 21 centuries – because he lost his favorite magical sword when Atticus picked it up on a battlefield.

It’s not clear why Atticus decided to take the offensive against the rather stupid godling, but although he wins this battle it sets him up for problems down the road.

The best parts of Hounded are Atticus’ dog Oberon and the lovely, well-thought out magic system.  This is a first book that sets up for further novels in the series so we meet many characters and establish the overall direction and theme.  (I’ll give you a hint, Oberon gets even better in the later books.  And I’m a cat person.)

You might find Hounded reminds you of the Harry Dresden novels by Jim Butcher.  But the werewolves in Hounded  are neither friends nor allies for Atticus. They join together only for common causes, nothing esoteric like generic villain-fighting.  Another difference was the amoral motives and actions of Atticus and his vampire and werewolf lawyers.  In fact Atticus was more concerned with convenience than ethics until close to the end of the story.

Nonetheless, Hounded was good enough that I got the next two books from the library and as soon as I hit “Post” will go back to read book #3, Hammered: The Iron Druid Chronicles, Book Three

3 Stars plus a bit

Amazon links pay commissions to blog owner.

Interesting, Fun and a Teaser – The Hawk and His Boy by Christopher Bunn

by 1 Comment

I love good fantasy and this first book, The Hawk and His Boy by new author Christopher Bunn has the makings of a good story.  The story could have been contrived and formulaic using familiar characters – a young thief, a set of scholars in search of a long lost book, a guardian type girl – but Christopher Bunn added unusual twists and lovely settings.

My favorite character was Levoreth, the niece of a duke and far more than she appears. The scenes with Levoreth remind me of Patricia McKillip’s novels with the same attention to setting and character which make McKillip’s novels engrossing. Levoreth’s dialogue with the beasts who acknowledge her as Mistress of Mistresses and with her aunt are excellent.

The nominal hero is the young thief boy Jute, a mystery character who is only sketched in.  Jute tells us himself he doesn’t know who he is and we don’t learn much more about him.  The Knife is well drawn as are many of the lesser characters.

It was obvious reading The Hawk and His Boy that it was setting the stage for further novels. In fact the tagline at Amazon is that The Hawk and His Boy is volume one of the Tormay Trilogy.

The book is short at 210 pages in the paperback. I bought the sequel immediately which is longer. Look for future posts on the next two books and likely more by Christopher Bunn as he develops future fantasy worlds.

Amazon links pay commissions to blog owner.

 

Sobering Read that Lingers in Your Mind – Messenger, Lois Lowry, The Giver Trilogy

by Leave a Comment

Messenger is book three of The Giver trilogy by Lois Lowry, but it stands on its own.  You do not need to read the other two books to enjoy this one.  The four main characters repeat from The Giver and Gathering Blue but the actions, plot and setting are unique.

I had not heard of Lois Lowry until I browsed our local library’s E book selection of science fiction and fantasy. Her books were always checked out. That intrigued me so I placed a hold and read them in the order they arrived, not the order of the plot sequence. In fact I read Messenger second.

Messenger is listed under teen or older teen but the concepts and characters resonate with adults.  The main character, Matt, has a unique talent to travel the dangerous Forest and at the beginning of the story, he finds another unique talent, the ability to heal.  Healing frightens Matt and drains him and he keeps it secret.

Matt’s small village has recently begun a new type of Trading, where people are no longer trading things for other things, but trading part of themselves.  This is not stated, but instead is obvious to the reader through Matt”s eyes.  Village, formerly open and welcoming to all, decides to close itself off from other refugees and the Forest becomes darker, more sinister and dangerous.

Messenger is the story of Matt’s last journey to the outside world, his friendship and love for Seer and Kira, and the timely intervention of Leader.  I didn’t find Messenger as unsettling as the first book, The Giver, but it has stayed in my mind and I expect I will remember this one for a long, long time.

Messenger is available from Amazon I got this from the Southwest Michigan Digital Library, a consortium of small area libraries.  You are likely to find Messenger in your local library or E library.

Amazon links pay commissions to blog owner.

Unusual Blend Science Fiction & Fantasy – The Galactic Mage by John Daulton

by Leave a Comment

This was an unusual read!  John Daulton combines science fiction, fantasy with a love story and comes out with an enjoyable, fast read.  The Galactic Mage alternates the story from the viewpoints of mage Altin and Ensign Orli of the Earth expedition to learn what happened to the people of Andalia.

Altin is a “Six” meaning a mage with six of the possible eight talents.  All previous Sixes have over-reached their magical potential and died, some spectacularly.  Altin is determined to avoid this and sets himself the goal to reach his planet’s moon Luria by teleporting rocks and enchanted Seeing Stones.  Once he reaches Luria he decides to explore the rest of his solar system, then goes toward the closest star.  This is where he encounters hostile Coconuts, which hurl rocky spears at his tower.

He fights the Coconuts off, then sees curious flashes of light.  Of course the flashes of light are from the Earth expedition’s fight with the same Coconuts, which Altin joins.  Some of the plot is a little predictable after this, yet still fun.

The Hostiles (or “Coconuts” as Altin calls them) seem determined to kill anyone they find in space. It’s never clear whether the Hostiles are alive or why they attack humanity, leaving unanswered questions for future books.

Overall this was fun, different from the usual science fiction or fantasy, meant for adults and squeaky clean.  The magic Altin uses is well thought-out, requiring hard work to master.

On the downside, when I was done reading I still had no idea who or what the Hostiles are, why Orli and Altin are so drawn to each other, whether any Earth humans also have magic, or the significance of the small weed Orli finds during the fleet’s time on Andalia.  The character of Altin is more developed than Orli.  We know little of Orli beyond that she is miserable on ship and in the military.   These are small weaknesses and didn’t bother my enjoyment of The Galactic Mage.

I read this as a Nook book. I could not find it in my library nor any of the libraries in the state of Michigan (which has a great statewide sharing system) so you may need to purchase The Galactic Mage.

4 Stars

Amazon links pay commissions to blog owner.