His Dark Materials; The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman (Book Review)

After reading this sequel to the Golden Compass (AKA Northern Lights) I can say that the His Dark Material Series has now grown immensely in scale and evolved to an adventure that puts the fate of life as a whole in the balance.

The story follows a new protagonist by the name of Will Parry, who is a boy around Lyra's age- albeit more mature- and his quest to find his father (John Parry) who disappeared when he was just a boy. From the very get go we are exposed the the child's maturity as he not only has the presence of mind to make sure his mentally ill mother is well taken care of. But he also does well in covering his tracks after accidentally murdering a man who was pursuing him and his family. Eventually Will meets up with the original protagonist Lyra Belaquia and the two soon realize that their fates are intertwined in a goal that maybe so important that all of mankind depends on it. Now I am deliberately being vague about the plot because one of the best things about the book is finding out just how large the conflict has become. Spanning not only Lyra's world where people walk around with daemon companions, but our own human world in the present and also the world of Citagazze where adults are plagued by the treacherous Specters of Indifference where only pre-adolescents remain safe. Furthermore as there are countless worlds throughout the universe, one can only gather that everything in existence is at stake.

Now one thing I like about this sequel is that it moves away from Lyra, at many segments of the book the narrative focuses on other characters. Besides Will Parry- Wielder of the Subtle Knife- we have an expanded perspective of some old faces- namely the century old witch Serafina Pekkala, the Texan Aeronaut Lee Scoresby, along with some new characters such as the Physicist Mary Malone and the Shaman Dr. Stannislus Gruuman- all of which have some great purpose in the overall plot. I especially love the fact that we get more incite into the characters' motives, beliefs and pasts and in some cases their relationship with their daemons- especially Lee Scoresby. I also like the way Lyra realises that she's getting older, that she can no longer take foolish risks and hope to lie her way out of them like she did in her world. This is also reinforced by the fact that her daemon is becoming more stable and pretty soon she'd be an adult. Whether Will's presence sparked this change or not remains to be seen but it is a great transition from her careless ways of the past.

And the ideas in this book are thrice as impressive as the first.Aside from daemons we are introduced to the existence of many different worlds including our very own, and how they are all similar in some way. And also the item known as the Subtle Knife which can cut through any substance even the fabric of space itself. Along with the Specters of Indifference, the true nature of Dust and the nefarious goal of the ambitious Lord Asriel who dares to do what mere humans would've never done before.

I can go on and on about this novel but I probably would end up making one myself. The writing is top notch as always, with the style changing according to the situation. With a darker mood surrounding the plot, where death is rampant and children are exposed to horrors, violence and real danger. And the themes are so wide now that it changes the entire scope the first one had.

All in all I am tempted- o so tempted to read the Amber Spyglass- but I have other books on my list to check out sadly. But it was an excellent read.

4 1/2 stars.

Golden Compass AKA His Dark Materials- Northern Lights by Philip Pullman (Review)

Ok just finished golden compass and I will say that I thoroughly enjoyed it. First of all Pullman has a great writing style, his sentence structure is done in such a way that it grips you and makes you share the suspense and the ambience of that world.

But even better than his writing style are his ideas! First of all this takes place in an alternate reality, the main difference from our own is that every human has a daemon accompanying them. A daemon is described as the human soul in animal form which serves as more than a companion but probably half of a whole. As such the animal is a best expression of a persons character- for example the meek and subservient have mice and pups for daemons while the devious and deceptive have serpents as daemons. Also before a human reaches adolescence their daemon much like their personalities often change form with their emotions- and believe this device is used very well to describe Lyra (the main character's) state of mind.

Also their is the concept of Dust- which i wont spoil. Basically Pullmans world is one which is a joy to discover as you read on.

The plot for this is all but simple but the gyst is that it follows the main character Lyra Belaquia. Shes a twelve or eleven year old girl who has a daemon called Pantalamion. In her adventures around her home of Jordan College she witnesses a murder attempt on her Uncle Asriel, but warns him before any damage is done. Then after eavesdropping on the meeting between her Uncle and the other professors she finds out about the mystery of Dust and so forth. From that point her uncle leaves, and shes given this althieometer (the golden compass) which is a mystical item which allows one to read the future. However the item is rare and shouldnt be allowed to fall in the wrong hands. Meanwhile this clandestine group called the Oblation board (AKA Gobblers) have been behind the mysterious disappearance of children all across england, including Lyras dear friend Roger. And the head of the organisation; Mrs. Coulter has taken a special interest in Lyra and thus an adventure begins with Lyra being on the run from the Gobblers while searching for her kidnapped friend and her Uncle.

Now this is a bad synopsis really the plot is actually pretty great with a huge twist which caught me offguard and the movie didnt get a chance to show. Part of why the plot is deep is that it incorporates many races and cultures *Polar Bears ROCK!!!!!!!* and witches for example. Furthermore the secondary characters are very intriguing example Iorek Bynirson- the falled Polar Bear Prince, Lee Scoresby the happy-go-lucky yet enigmatic aeronaut, John Faa and Father Coram- the Gypsy Heads, Serafina Pakkala- one of the century old witch clan leaders etc etc all just make me wanna check the sequel to see if any light is shed on them. Though I have my doubts if that'll actually happen-_-

Anyway- all I'll say is that its a great book im dying to read the sequels as the world has sucked me in much like Potter. And one more thing I must add Lyra has to be one of the most likeable main characters ever- shes brave and crafty with a bit of a stubborn brat streak but man she just doesnt give a damn about adults. The ending especially just has me so excited considering how much of a harda** she could be lol.

Anyway 4 and a half stars !!!

Vampire Hunter D by Hideyuki Kikuchi (Review)

Just finished reading this and I must say I enjoyed it quite alot. The reason I picked it up was because I was a fan of the anime movies and I often wondered how an anime would be written as a novel. Needless to say the transition is seemless as the action is plenty and swift much like the movies and the descriptions are spot on.

The basic plot is simple. Baron Byron Balazs is a member of the vampire Nobility and has hired a bodyguard to protect him while on his journey to Krauhausen to slay his own father. That bodyguard is none other than D who as a hunter is strangely accepting the task to protect the very being he has sworn to kill- and also being a reknowned dhampir - (half vampire half human) himself. Along the journey they meet a couple characters who accompany them- the first being a vampire noblewoman by the name of Miska who happens to detest everything human. The acrobatic siblings May and Hugh and a runaway assistant by the name of Taki. These characters add some life to the quest as they have varying conflicts, personalities and backgrounds but theres nothing here on the level of say Harry Potter. Not to mention D himself isnt very talkative though I couldn't say the same for his left hand... (you'll know when you read it)

As mentioned earlier they're plenty of battles throughout the book and they're are all awesome and thoroughly explained. Each time I assume the enemy is unbeatable and yet somehow the characters manage to win with relative ease- especially D. Thus it makes the reader and other characters wonder just who this Dhampir is and perhaps who the Baron or Miska are also- theyre backgrounds are fairly hazy but there is a past which must be delved into.

The unfortnate thing is- that since they are two more parts to this story nothing is settled in this book:( Everything is just beginning with a nasty cliffhanger waiting for you once you reach the end. That being said it was a great read- the writing style was to the point and easily understandable even through the translation. Plus the world itself is very intriguing having interesting technologies, creatures and history which the author takes sufficient time to explain before moving on to the next plot point.

I'm glad to read it- was a great change from Potter and It iterates my previous opinion of Vampire Hunter D being one of the best vampire stories ever made

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card (Review)

Was recommended this book via forum when I asked about books with detailed action scenes *this was before I read dresden files and vampire hunter D of course). Anyway now that I finally sat down to read it as my first sci fi read in ages, I come to categorize it as one of the best books I've ever read. From the very first chapter I realized the concept was similar to a few ones I've seen before but in the thriller genre and instead of pretty boy teenagers, the genius was in the form of a 6 year old kid- that alone warranted me to finish this book.

Plot: As said before the book is centered around 6yr old Andrew (Ender) Wiggin and his trials as a third born child in the family. The law at that time in the future was that no family is to have more than two children without government permission otherwised they'd be taxed heavily etc. However this family wasn't normal, as the first two kids were both geniuses and Ender wasn't any different. The world in this book is steeped in a war between the human race and this alien raced termed 'Buggers' who have far superior numbers, technology and intelligence than us humans. Well at least that's what was thought however mankind has invested years in creating this school which harvests child geniuses and prodigies and rear them from as early as eight to become the admirals and generals of their fleet to fight the Buggers. And this is where Ender's story begins, as a third whose very existence is to fight the Buggers and the fate of mankind rests on him.

It may sound a bit typical from the premise but I assure you it is not. From the very get go there is a huge psychological thriller going on between the characters. For one Peter; Ender's older brother who is just as brilliant as Ender but perhaps crueler has had this secret wish to destroy his little brother and doesn't keep it a secret. While Ender's older sister Valentine shares the intelligence but has more compassion for most people especially Ender. * Bare in mind these characters are less than ten years old.* And this sort of isolation and jealousy continues as the story progresses and Ender develops more into the genius killer he is needed to be. With new characters setting their sights on the boy and pushing him to the limit. I could go much deeper but I'm trying to keep spoilers to a minimum.

The books style is engaging too, with every chapter beginning with a conversation between military higher ups regarding Ender's education and a sort of insight on what twisted plans they have for the boy. And the chapter then deals with how Ender handles that plot and eventually how it helps him to grow as a soldier. I also loved the hidden meanings behind the dreams and games which Ender has, and how they relate to each character interaction he has and how he is influenced as a human being.
It truly is a deep deep book.

Only one thing bugged me really and stopped me from giving it a full 5 stars. The imagery was very very bland at times I almost felt like the characters were in a world of white. But then again the environment hardy mattered because I was so caught up in each person's mind and conflicts that I could care less where they were in my head. And as I mentioned the battles, I will say these are some brilliant strategies here and when Ender is ruthless and efficient its almost astounding. The recommendations were definitely not out of place in this one where battle was concerned.

All in all its a great book, I'm going to measure all my sci fi reads with this unconsciously from now on. And I am resisting the urge to read the rest of the series simply because I have started too many other series already lol.

4 1/2 out of 5 stars !

The Dresden Files- Fool Moon by Jim Butcher (Review)

Just finished reading this book. Took me longer to read than the first but that doesn't mean its any less entertaining. And one thing for sure this series is VERY action packed. Here's the synopsis.

The book opens with Kim Delaney ( a student of sorts) asking Harry about a mysterious circle design which immediately reminds us of the concept of circles in magic that we learnt in book 1. Afterwords he's brought on a murder case which like the last is VERY gruesome with a thorughly mangled corpse on the scene. The thought of werewolves come to mind and as he learns more about the different types of werewolves he becomes entangled between the different groups; all of which are after his head in some form or fashion. Now the first book had Harry in a worse predicament bt this book tested Harry in a far more physical fashion. In almost fifteen chapters Harry was engaged in battle after battle after battle almost to the point of not having any magical power left. Again i'm not complaining, in fact I can safely say this has way more action than any Potter book or any other fantasy novel I've read. Plus theres a very nifty twist that kept me turning the pages as well.

Now I've mentioned the different types of werewolf; five in fact. One that use magic to transform into wolves, one that have wolf characteristics and personalities but still retain their human form, one that was originally a wolf but shapeshifts into a human, one that uses a magic belt to transform into wolves and last the old fashioned kind that is a curse which turns the human into a wolf upon seeing a fullmoon. Now every one of these are dangerous: ESPECIALLY the last one and the scenes involving each were so engaging that I couldn't help but picture a live action or animated version in all of its splendour.

But aside from this no new concepts were really introduced if anything they used the ones mentioned in book 1 to advance the plot. For example the soul gaze is a great medium for getting insight on different characters without sacrificing page space.
Also the book hints at some themes and plot points which help support this series as a whole, and puts many more questions on the table.

All in all I enjoyed this read alot, it took me longer to read than book 1 though hence why i gave it four stars but this is an excellent series I may start book 3; but probably after checking potter 6 now that I've managed to see the film :D

4/5

The Dresden Files -Storm Front by Jim Butcher (Review)

I stumbled onto this while doing some research and after reading it I could say that its great and I'm glad I found it.

Heres the synopsis- Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden is a wizard for hire. The only one of his kind heck he's even in the phonebook if you need him. However because of his profession he doesnt get much business and things get tight financially which forces him to consult with the Chicago P.D Special Investigations Unit for extra cash. When he's called to investigate a murder with paranormal undertones Harry's life quickly takes a turn from the worse the further he delves into the mystery behind the case. He encounters gangsters, thugs, vampires, demons and eventually the mastermind behind the killings. One of the things that made me turn each page was trying to find out how he's going to get out of such a predicament.

Now I'm becoming a big fan of urban fantasy; heck its even my main genre nowadays and Dresden Files is one of those books that I like. Heck it may even beat Harry Potter in my eyes (keyword being MAY). One thing it has over Potter is that it goes deep into the way spells work and how magic is done- something that Potter never explained. We see some interesting ideas like the concept of circles in spells, the importance of material things in rituals like staffs, hair, blood and names (which i'll never give out all willy nilly from now on). Heck it even explains why magic exist in the first place. Really good stuff.

Plus wizards are really badass in here. One cant look into their eyes lest he be vulnerable to their soul gaze and have their inner self and pasts exposed. Also wizards have a sight which allows them to see a world normal people cant see. Then theres the whole White Council and the Laws of Magic that govern every wizard. I mean there are no wands or broomsticks but its still really cool.

Harry is also a very likeable character, not only because its told from his perspective but he has a certain awkwardness and relatable demeanor- especially around women and hes actually a pretty nice guy. Though Harry is not all good he has commited crimes before, and he has been punished for it- or is awaiting punishment (See Doom of Damocles in the book). Plus he also seems to have a very precarious childhood and few friends he could trust.

But aside from him there are several characters that spark interest like Morgan- executioner for the white council, Murphy- detective along with Bianca the vampire pimpess ^_^

All in all its a great read, the writing style is good and witty and its very entertaining. Heck I even stopped reading Twilight to check this out.

4 and a half stars

Gears of War- Aspho Fields by Karen Traviss (Review)

Just finished reading this novel and I must admit it was very entertaining. I was skeptical while reading it at first, not because it was a novel based from a video game since I'm a big video game fan myself and I know how much plot-lines can be in some of them. But I never knew much of the Gears franchise, but that was because I never played the games before. After this I can safely say that my opinion has changed and I am now an official Gears of War fan.

The plot revolves around several characters namely Marcus Fenix, Dom Santiago and Carlos Santiago (the latter of which was killed fourteen years prior). Other characters of worth are Victor Hoffman- the company sergeant, and Bernie Mataki- a retired sniper who happened to be found again during a mission early in the novel. The world they live in is post-apocalyptic; after an event known as Emergence Day (E-Day for short) alien entities known as Locusts surfaced from underground to declare war on mankind. With the human race on the brink of extinction man's last line of defence rests on the Coalition of Ordered Governments (COG) forces and their front line soldiers known as Gears. The characters listed above are Gears and the book highlights how each of them are dealing with the war and how their life was uprooted after E-Day.

Now the biggest draw of this book is the style. For one it takes place in differeny time periods beginning after E-Day well into the Locust War and then going back to fourteen years before E Day when the Santiagos and Fenix were kids and ended up joining the COG Army. It is a very high tension atmosphere when going back and forth between conflicts and scenarios until both reach that final climax. And to add some garnish there is a quote from one character at the beginning of each chapter to give it some extra personality, heck even the Locust Queen herself was quoted.

Also this book does feel like a war novel, it captures realistic themes like the stress on resources and on society itself. And the seperation between civilian life and Gear Life even going so far as creating a sense of animosity between the two. The battles are pretty intense too, was recommended this novel because of the detailed fights and I'll have to agree the mayhem and gore from the game is indeed right here and described with the frantic flair one would expect in war.

All in all I enjoyed the novel, and I am looking foward to reading the sequel some time in the future. four and a half out of five stars.

Book Reviews

Hey guys I realized that I havent been updating my blog as I should but thats because most of the projects I worked on cannot be revealed to the public as yet * not my decision unfortunately >_<* Anyway I have been working hard and I'll soon post another story excerpt but until then I will hope to tantalize you with several book reviews. As I read a new book at least every month or so it would ensure I have something to update with hehe. And will provide you some incite on the books I enjoy and draw influences from. I'll start with the most recent one I finished; Gears of War ; Aspho Fields by Karen Traviss and post the other reviews momentarily. Any ways Enjoy and Laterz ^^