Title: Men at Arms
Author: Terry Pratchett
What it's about: Since Samuel Vimes and the Ankh-Morpork Night Watch foiled a dragon attack, the Watch has been growing. Three new recruits have been hired because of affirmative action hiring policies, including Cuddy the dwarf, Detritus the troll, and Angua, a young woman who hits off rather nicely with Corporal Carrot. The new recruits come at a good time because Captain Vimes will be leaving the Watch to get married. But before this happens, Vimes and his Watchmen (and women and trolls and dwarfs) have to deal with a series of murders that are being committed in a way that no one has ever seen before.
What I thought: I happen to like this book a good deal because Angua is one of my favorite Watch characters. Like Vimes, she has a more normal, sensible outlook than people like Colon, Nobby, or even Carrot. Plus, female characters are always good. Cuddy and Detritus are a good pair, too, and they add an interesting dynamic to the Watch, sort of like another Colon and Nobby. The whole murder mystery plot? Really excels at fleshing out the Discworld, going into everything from dwarfish beliefs regarding the afterlife to Bloody Stupid Johnson and Leonardo of Quirm, to some nods to ancient Ankh-Morpork. The way the murder is solved, too, is done just right, and with a satisfying ending.
Overall: The Watch books just keep getting better and better.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Flame of Recca
Title: Flame of Recca
Author: Nobuyuki Anzai
What it's about: Hanabishi Recca is a high school student who is obsessed with anything ninja-related. He has made a vow that he'll be the personal shinobi for anyone who bests him in a fight. Then he meets Sakoshita Yanagi, a girl who has the power to heal people with a touch, and he decides to be her personal ninja, referring to her as "hime", meaning "princess". They become friends and hang out with Recca's pals Fuuko and Domon, and all seems well, but Yanagi's powers come to the attention of those with evil hearts, and Recca and his friends have to fight to keep her safe, as well as to save the world.
What I thought: Here is a skilled author who knows how to use humor to make dramatic moments more heartfelt. Instead of breaking the built-up dramatic tension, small humorous occurrences are used in a way fitting to the characters to portray a more realistic situation. What does this mean? Very little cheesiness, which made me extremely happy. I was just waiting for a cringe-worthy moment of great cheesiness to occur, but none did. See, this series has good characters. The main band, with the exception of Yanagi, are all fighters, kids who even before they got their power-enhancing items were going around acting like ninja. Recca is a likable protagonist, very determined and a good fighter. Yanagi is mostly an innocuous li'l cutie, but lest you think she's just kind of boring and in the background, she gets some subtle moments of more mischievous characterization, such as getting jealous of other girls who like Recca and forcing Domon into helping her with her picture books. Fuuko is another matter altogether, a tomboyish girl who has a lot of depth to her. Domon also gets some good characterization; he's definitely not just a dumb brute. Also, I have to say that this is a pretty good manga since it manages to make a tournament arc not completely boring. Really, the entire story is just very good. The whole thing makes sense, and it builds up to an emotional and fulfilling ending.
Overall: This is really an amazing series, so anyone who likes adventure stories should check it out.
Author: Nobuyuki Anzai
What it's about: Hanabishi Recca is a high school student who is obsessed with anything ninja-related. He has made a vow that he'll be the personal shinobi for anyone who bests him in a fight. Then he meets Sakoshita Yanagi, a girl who has the power to heal people with a touch, and he decides to be her personal ninja, referring to her as "hime", meaning "princess". They become friends and hang out with Recca's pals Fuuko and Domon, and all seems well, but Yanagi's powers come to the attention of those with evil hearts, and Recca and his friends have to fight to keep her safe, as well as to save the world.
What I thought: Here is a skilled author who knows how to use humor to make dramatic moments more heartfelt. Instead of breaking the built-up dramatic tension, small humorous occurrences are used in a way fitting to the characters to portray a more realistic situation. What does this mean? Very little cheesiness, which made me extremely happy. I was just waiting for a cringe-worthy moment of great cheesiness to occur, but none did. See, this series has good characters. The main band, with the exception of Yanagi, are all fighters, kids who even before they got their power-enhancing items were going around acting like ninja. Recca is a likable protagonist, very determined and a good fighter. Yanagi is mostly an innocuous li'l cutie, but lest you think she's just kind of boring and in the background, she gets some subtle moments of more mischievous characterization, such as getting jealous of other girls who like Recca and forcing Domon into helping her with her picture books. Fuuko is another matter altogether, a tomboyish girl who has a lot of depth to her. Domon also gets some good characterization; he's definitely not just a dumb brute. Also, I have to say that this is a pretty good manga since it manages to make a tournament arc not completely boring. Really, the entire story is just very good. The whole thing makes sense, and it builds up to an emotional and fulfilling ending.
Overall: This is really an amazing series, so anyone who likes adventure stories should check it out.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Castle in the Air
Title: Castle in the Air
Author: Diana Wynne Jones
What it's about: Abdullah is a carpet merchant in the city of Zanzib. He falls in love with the princess Flower-in-the-Night, but she is abducted by a djinn. Abdullah strikes out to find his beloved, and along the way he runs into lots of new acquaintances, including a few familiar faces from Howl's Moving Castle.
What I thought: It has all the trademark confusion of a Diana Wynne Jones novel, with everything wrapping up nicely in the end. I liked seeing how the elements from Howl's Moving Castle fit into things, and I also thought Abdullah was a good protagonist. I think that there weren't enough sections where much actually happened, but the world-building was good, I have to admit, and it all ends well enough.
Overall: A solid read, if nothing special.
Author: Diana Wynne Jones
What it's about: Abdullah is a carpet merchant in the city of Zanzib. He falls in love with the princess Flower-in-the-Night, but she is abducted by a djinn. Abdullah strikes out to find his beloved, and along the way he runs into lots of new acquaintances, including a few familiar faces from Howl's Moving Castle.
What I thought: It has all the trademark confusion of a Diana Wynne Jones novel, with everything wrapping up nicely in the end. I liked seeing how the elements from Howl's Moving Castle fit into things, and I also thought Abdullah was a good protagonist. I think that there weren't enough sections where much actually happened, but the world-building was good, I have to admit, and it all ends well enough.
Overall: A solid read, if nothing special.
The Big Bazoohley
Title: The Big Bazoohley
Author: Peter Carey
What it's about: Sam Kellow's family is down to their last forty-four dollars and twenty cents. They're in Toronto to sell his mother's latest painting, which will bring them all the money they need. However, the mysterious buyer for the painting is nowhere to be found, and the Kellows are currently staying in a hotel that costs over four hundred dollars a night. What's a resourceful youngster to do? Go out and find the Big Bazoohley, the jackpot that will save them, that's what.
What I thought: This is a short book that nonetheless has a lot of charm to it. It lends a magical air to the ordinary, and Sam is a likeable character.
Overall: Short, but not bad.
Author: Peter Carey
What it's about: Sam Kellow's family is down to their last forty-four dollars and twenty cents. They're in Toronto to sell his mother's latest painting, which will bring them all the money they need. However, the mysterious buyer for the painting is nowhere to be found, and the Kellows are currently staying in a hotel that costs over four hundred dollars a night. What's a resourceful youngster to do? Go out and find the Big Bazoohley, the jackpot that will save them, that's what.
What I thought: This is a short book that nonetheless has a lot of charm to it. It lends a magical air to the ordinary, and Sam is a likeable character.
Overall: Short, but not bad.
Guards! Guards!
Title: Guards! Guards!
Author: Terry Pratchett
What it's about: In Ankh-Morpork, someone is plotting to oust the city's ruler, Lord Vetinari, and replace him with a king. This plan involves a shiny sword that looks magical, a dragon to be summoned for vanquishing, and the common knowledge that there may be a descendant of Ankh-Morpork's old kings hanging around somewhere. Meanwhile, the arrival of Constable Carrot has roused the city's somewhat incompetent Night Watch, headed by Captain Sam Vimes, out of its usual stupor. When the dragon starts incinerating citizens, Vimes and his Watchmen get on the case. It's a million-to-one chance, but they just might get to the bottom of things and save the city.
What I thought: Terry Pratchett's humor is incomparable. Some jokes are subtle, some are more overt, but all of them are very, very funny. He turns fantasy stereotypes upsidedown without losing the soul of the story. Pratchett also manages to put in some more serious thinking points about human nature without beating you over the head with them. The story itself is long and intricately put together, with all the pieces coming together for a very satisfying conclusion. This is the first book of the City Watch series, and it only gets better from here on out.
Overall: This is a must-read for, well, anyone.
Author: Terry Pratchett
What it's about: In Ankh-Morpork, someone is plotting to oust the city's ruler, Lord Vetinari, and replace him with a king. This plan involves a shiny sword that looks magical, a dragon to be summoned for vanquishing, and the common knowledge that there may be a descendant of Ankh-Morpork's old kings hanging around somewhere. Meanwhile, the arrival of Constable Carrot has roused the city's somewhat incompetent Night Watch, headed by Captain Sam Vimes, out of its usual stupor. When the dragon starts incinerating citizens, Vimes and his Watchmen get on the case. It's a million-to-one chance, but they just might get to the bottom of things and save the city.
What I thought: Terry Pratchett's humor is incomparable. Some jokes are subtle, some are more overt, but all of them are very, very funny. He turns fantasy stereotypes upsidedown without losing the soul of the story. Pratchett also manages to put in some more serious thinking points about human nature without beating you over the head with them. The story itself is long and intricately put together, with all the pieces coming together for a very satisfying conclusion. This is the first book of the City Watch series, and it only gets better from here on out.
Overall: This is a must-read for, well, anyone.
The Mutt in the Iron Muzzle
Title: The Adventures of Wishbone #7: The Mutt in the Iron Muzzle
Author: Michael Jan Friedman
What it's about: Besides being a Wishbone-ized version of The Man in the Iron Mask, the story is about Wishbone's owner Joe deciding to run for class president against resident jerk Damont Jones. Damont doesn't like this, so he comes up with a sneaky plan to distract Joe from the campaign.
What I thought: While nothing particularly stands out as making this book amazing, I have to say that it is overall entertaining and decent.
Overall: If you like the Wishbone books, it's good. It's not exactly a must-read, though.
Author: Michael Jan Friedman
What it's about: Besides being a Wishbone-ized version of The Man in the Iron Mask, the story is about Wishbone's owner Joe deciding to run for class president against resident jerk Damont Jones. Damont doesn't like this, so he comes up with a sneaky plan to distract Joe from the campaign.
What I thought: While nothing particularly stands out as making this book amazing, I have to say that it is overall entertaining and decent.
Overall: If you like the Wishbone books, it's good. It's not exactly a must-read, though.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Sorry for the lack of updates!
Hello to everyone who reads this blog! Hi! I'd like to heartily apologize for being not very daily in the updates recently. As you may have noticed, I finished July with quite a book deficit. I hope to remedy that this month. Although there have not been any updates, I have read quite a few books. There's probably at least five for me to post about when I can. We've got some good ones coming up, including three Terry Pratchett novels. The only bad thing about Pratchett novels is that they take me a good amount of time to read. Never fear, though! I will complete my goal of one hundred books! Oh, also coming up in reviews, when I finish it, is the manga series Flame of Recca. I'll tell you right now, it's really good. I've been working my way through it over the past several days. Gotta love online manga sites. Well, that's all, folks. I'll probably bust out at least a few reviews tomorrow, and with luck I'll finish Feet of Clay and at least one other novel. Until then!
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