52+ in 2011
Oct. 6th, 2011 10:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lumineauxI've long since lost track of what numbers go with these books. It's well over 52. The unfortunate resurgence of my insomnia has given me lots of time to read.
Cast in Ruin by Michelle Sagara
The latest entry in Sagara's Chronicles of Elantra. The overall plot arc has finally kicked into high gear. Kaylin, the heroine, is a Hawk -- essentially, a beat cop in a fantasy city. She is also marked with strange black runes that give her unpredictable magic powers. At this point in the series, Kaylin is knee-deep in politics, big magical crises, and big personal changes. This book is utterly incomprehensible to anyone who hasn't read at least the 3 prior books. It's also almost impossible to review without spoiling the plots of the 3 prior books. I've writen and deleted at least 3 tries. But if you've been with me for my reviews of the prior ones, I definitely say pick this one up too.
I love this series. It's urban fantasy in a secondary world that (fortunately) bears no resemblance to someone's D&D campaign. Sagara does her usual excellent job of world-building. As Kaylin (the heroine) has learned more about her world through the series, so have we. The magic system is different than the usual and features some surprisingly practical applications. And oh yes, Antonio, the cover is still pure cheese.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Mary Boleyn: Mistress of Kings by Alison Weir
A pretty darn good biography of Anne Boleyn's less famous sister that does an excellent job of separating fiction from what few actual facts we have. Much to her credit, Weir does all this without rehashing the entire Anne Boleyn - Henry VIII relationship. She does her readers the credit of assuming that if we're picking up a book about Mary Boleyn, we know who, say, Cardinal Wolsey is. I recommend it for fans of Tudor-era history.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Wine of Violence by Priscilla Royal
Tyrant of the Mind by Priscilla Royal
Sorrow Without End by Priscilla Royal
Justice for the Damned by Priscilla Royal
Forsaken Soul by Priscilla Royal
Chambers of Death by Priscilla Royal
Valley of Dry Bones by Priscilla Royal
A medieval mystery series set in the last days of the reign of Henry III, featuring Abbess Eleanor of Tyndal Priory and Brother Thomas, a monk/priest with dark secrets in his past. I wanted to like these books more than I did. One of the problems is Royal's lack of thorough research. She's done her homework well in some places, but in others indulges in ridiculous anachronisms like a Norman vs. Saxon schism persisting 200 or more years after the Conquest.
Royal also focuses a great deal on the internal thoughts of Eleanor and Thomas. Unfortunately, those thoughts aren't all that interesting. And they are rather repetitive. Perhaps it is the fault of reading the books in rapid succession, but by the third book I wanted to slap both Eleanor and Thomas repeatedly. And very hard. On the other hand, the supporting cast is pretty darn interesting, and the more time spent with them the better.
Overall, I'd rate these books as just OK, diverting enough, but I'm glad they are on my Kindle and not taking up valuable shelf space.
Cast in Ruin by Michelle Sagara
The latest entry in Sagara's Chronicles of Elantra. The overall plot arc has finally kicked into high gear. Kaylin, the heroine, is a Hawk -- essentially, a beat cop in a fantasy city. She is also marked with strange black runes that give her unpredictable magic powers. At this point in the series, Kaylin is knee-deep in politics, big magical crises, and big personal changes. This book is utterly incomprehensible to anyone who hasn't read at least the 3 prior books. It's also almost impossible to review without spoiling the plots of the 3 prior books. I've writen and deleted at least 3 tries. But if you've been with me for my reviews of the prior ones, I definitely say pick this one up too.
I love this series. It's urban fantasy in a secondary world that (fortunately) bears no resemblance to someone's D&D campaign. Sagara does her usual excellent job of world-building. As Kaylin (the heroine) has learned more about her world through the series, so have we. The magic system is different than the usual and features some surprisingly practical applications. And oh yes, Antonio, the cover is still pure cheese.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Mary Boleyn: Mistress of Kings by Alison Weir
A pretty darn good biography of Anne Boleyn's less famous sister that does an excellent job of separating fiction from what few actual facts we have. Much to her credit, Weir does all this without rehashing the entire Anne Boleyn - Henry VIII relationship. She does her readers the credit of assuming that if we're picking up a book about Mary Boleyn, we know who, say, Cardinal Wolsey is. I recommend it for fans of Tudor-era history.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Wine of Violence by Priscilla Royal
Tyrant of the Mind by Priscilla Royal
Sorrow Without End by Priscilla Royal
Justice for the Damned by Priscilla Royal
Forsaken Soul by Priscilla Royal
Chambers of Death by Priscilla Royal
Valley of Dry Bones by Priscilla Royal
A medieval mystery series set in the last days of the reign of Henry III, featuring Abbess Eleanor of Tyndal Priory and Brother Thomas, a monk/priest with dark secrets in his past. I wanted to like these books more than I did. One of the problems is Royal's lack of thorough research. She's done her homework well in some places, but in others indulges in ridiculous anachronisms like a Norman vs. Saxon schism persisting 200 or more years after the Conquest.
Royal also focuses a great deal on the internal thoughts of Eleanor and Thomas. Unfortunately, those thoughts aren't all that interesting. And they are rather repetitive. Perhaps it is the fault of reading the books in rapid succession, but by the third book I wanted to slap both Eleanor and Thomas repeatedly. And very hard. On the other hand, the supporting cast is pretty darn interesting, and the more time spent with them the better.
Overall, I'd rate these books as just OK, diverting enough, but I'm glad they are on my Kindle and not taking up valuable shelf space.
