House of Sky and Breath / Sarah J Maas

House of Sky and Breath

(Crescent City #2)

by Sarah J Maas

fantasy, chicklit, porn

copyright 2022

read in Dec 2022

rated 6/10: read to pass the time.

Maas has written for "young adults". This series is for the growing market of "new adult": Those who are old enough to have invented and practised sex. To target this market, this book is porn. Not soft, either.

I'm sure that book one had romance. The sort where the hero and heroine hold hands... and the sun shines more brightly, the birds all sing.

In this book the hero and heroine hold hands and his cock juts out against his shorts, while her knickers are suddenly soaking wet.

It's not subtle. It's just sex.

There is also some violence and a lot more promise of violence.

Every other character is being forced into violence, or into violent sex, against their will. Quite unpleasant really.

Yes there is excitement. There is also the strong feeling that the book was written as in stream-of-consciousness: a vague idea of direction and any old nonsense to get there. New characters appear, new threats arise, every new character turns out to have some secret relationship, usually bad, to every other character.

I was nearing the end of the book -- and it was obvious that there would be no clear end.

Sure enough, no threads are tied off. No subplots are resolved. But by that stage it does not matter. The characters have lost their appeal, it no longer matters that they are all facing imminent and separate deaths. It's a soap opera in at least three books, of which only two have so far been written.

Yes, the violence -- and the sex -- is enjoyable. It is also meaningless.

The last few chapters open up new worlds of, probably, sex and violence. With, potentially, dozens of new characters.

I may never read the next books in the series. It won't matter. More books will continue the excitement. It is unlikely that more books will ever reach a satisfying conclusion.

An enjoyable book. But ultimately pointless.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"Yesterday I knew nothing. Today I know that." ... per Ginger Meggs

Dying for you to read my blog, at https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com/ :-)

Threadneedle, Cari Thomas

Threadneedle

by Cari Thomas

fantasy, chicklit, subadult

copyright 2021

read in December 2022

rated 6/10: read to pass the time

... but add an extra point if you are a fan of witchcraft :-)

The book is about -- and aimed at -- sixteen year old girls.

There's a lot of angst over gossip, boyfriends, who is dating who.

Though, as a modern book, no-one is judged for whether or not they are having sex.

There's also a strong flavour of "witch-fulfilment" -- that's where you are told how fantastic life could be if only you were a witch.

It's all verging on nonsense --- but despite that it is surprising good.

On the con side, the end is a bit rushed and rather deus ex machina.

On the pro side: the mysterious curse is both dealt with quite well -- and it is truly horrible.

Empire of the Vampire

Empire of the Vampire (#1)

horror

copyright 2021

not read in November 2022

rated 2/10: unreadably bad

... though I really do need a rating for, "Not going to waste my time"

The book begins with a character, presumably the hero, in a cell, due to be killed by vampires.

instead of immediate death he begins to tell his life story.

I skip to the end of the book.

Sure enough, the same character is about to continue, telling his life story.

in between are 700 pages of, I guess, nastiness which goes nowhere.

Detailing the inevitable destruction of a person who is of no interest.

Not interested.

I don't bother.

Age of Ash, Daniel Abraham

Age of Ash, 

(Kithamar #1)

by Daniel Abraham (aka James SA Corey)

fantasy

copyright 2022

read in November 2022

rated 4/10: bad but could be read

Solid world-building and not much else.

An immense number of words spent describing a city-state, its citizens and their day-by-day lives.

Hordes of characters. None of them worth knowing.

Okay, one sympathetic character. Surrounded by creeps, nasties and low-lifes. Yes, an overall hint of community support but it doesn't help, everyone is so grindingly poor that good will is pointless.

Finally, the evil centre of the city is explained -- I almost missed it, I was so sick and tired of the tedious prose that I was skimming. Clearly, the author was paid by the word.

Then... finally... the book ends. The story, unfortunately, does not end. Some characters have moved on, others just disappeared. Overall, the city is unchanged.

And the evil villain is waiting round the corner, waiting for the author to bore us with two more volumes. Supposedly a trilogy but I doubt it. I suspect that the author will not be content with a mere three books of incredible tedium. I won't hold my breath. But I will remember the author's name -- and his pseudonym -- and hope to avoid his future boring nonsense.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"Yesterday I knew nothing. Today I know that." ... per Ginger Meggs

Dying for you to read my blog, at https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com/ :-)

The Desert Prince / Peter V Brett

The Desert Prince / Peter V Brett

(Nightfall Saga -- restarted)

fantasy

copyright 2021

read in October 2022

rated 7/10: well worth reading

Plenty of fantasy (and science fiction) books follow social trends and provide a strong heroine. Sometimes more than strong, heroines may be as violent and as bloodthirsty as Conan. Equal opportunity regardless of gender.

This book goes a step further.

Princess Olive is a pampered flower, dressed in frills, powdered perfumed and painted. Oh, and learning to fight.

Then she becomes Prince Olive and learns even more about fighting -- and killing. Yet the killing is, mostly, of demons, so not as nasty.

One character. Hero and heroine... extreme equal opportunity.

And it works. Olive -- in both aspects -- is a likeable and sympathetic character.

The action takes place in two main arenas: a benevolent democracy and a macho city of strong men and veiled subservient women. With Olive introducing a small amount of benevolence. Of course :-)

At the start of the book I thought, the world and characters are well introduced. With a few words, new setting and characters are quickly familiar.

As I read on I began to think... Have I missed a book one? There is a lot of back-story. A host of historic characters. Well introduced but... did they have a book of their own?

=== later: okay, this book is a continuation... fifteen years later. Thought so:-)

And then the book ended... with characters lost, needing to be rescued. Villains defeated but ready to return. There is a lot of to be continued... But it doesn't matter. The ending is satisfactory. The main characters are mostly safe (or dead).

An enjoyable book. With a unique main character.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

Politicians are like nappies -- just because you've changed the old one doesn't mean the new one's not going to end up being full of crap, too. (adapted from Alfred E. Neuman)

Dying for you to read my blog, at https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com/ :-)

Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy/Douglas Adams

Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy/Douglas Adams

humour, science fiction

copyright 1979 read (again) October 2022

rated 7/10: well worth reading

My wife was watching the TV version, I was inspired to re-read the book. A good decision :-)

An absolute highlight on TV is the voice of Marvin. As I read, I read in that voice, it made the book even better.

And yet...

Rated seven. Surely it's worth more?

No. Because the humour is cruel.

There is a nasty, cutting... insulting... edge to it. Irony has turned to sarcasm.

And Arthur always loses.

This is a constant theme of almost all the books in the series: Arthur loses.

This takes the edge off my enjoyment.

Yes, this book is a classic of humour.

Yes, I enjoyed reading it.

But no, it is *not* "really good. Because it is rather unpleasant.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

If you always see your glass as half empty, try getting a smaller glass. (Alfred E. Neuman)

Dying for you to read my blog, at https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com/ :-)

The Andromeda Evolution / Daniel H Wilson

The Andromeda Evolution

by Daniel H Wilson

thriller

copyright 2019

part read in October 2022

rated 4/10: bad but could be read

The front cover clearly indicates that this book is rubbish. In big bold letters the cover says, Michael Crichton.

yet Crichton had absolutely nothing to do with this book. he's dead.

what we have is a follow-up, trying to be a techno thriller. Managing to be a weak farce.

A century ago the city scientists would have crashed into deepest darkest Africa, to be guided and saved by Tarzan.

today they are thrown into deepest darkest South America. to be met by a native boy... I've given up reading but I'm guessing that he will guide them and save them.

meanwhile, the Andromeda Strain has mutated. in a ludicrous fashion.

and at last, one good point from this book. An interesting explanation of Andromeda's possible origins.

that's one point. there are many more points of arrant stupidity. including the inclusion in the top secret US team of a Chinese communist soldier. or spy. Good grief.

The overweight unfit computer expert carries drones. in his backpack he also carries a drone recharging station. what, a tonne of batteries? perhaps a diesel generator? no way.

the original book determined that Andromeda eats energy and creates matter. so a nuclear blast will only feed it. yet we are told that all traces were destroyed by incineration... and a gas fire is not energy?

now the military is once again considering nuclear cleansing. will they ever learn? Will it work? definitely not.

regardless, the military genius goes for advice. to a woman with a degenerative disease so why would she care about a new threat to her life. she is in a space station so there is little chance that she will be affected. I can't remember whether she had any expertise. perhaps she read the first book? 

It doesn't matter. her advice is... oh, just leave it alone.

at this point I can't stand any more.

cliche and stereotype are no substitute for plot.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

If you always see your glass as half empty, try getting a smaller glass. (Alfred E. Neuman)

Dying for you to read my blog, at https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com/ :-)