Do the 2008 TBR challenge

This was a quick read as it was a series of novellas rather than an actual novel, relating to the children of the heroes of the Dragon series. Rather than answering questions, this book just left me with more…a rather frustrating development.

Kitiara & Sturm? That’s like Pinky & Pippi Longstocking.

A worthy successor to Dragons of Autumn Twilight, and I found myself sniffling at the end with the death of the honorable Sturm.

I think part of this series charm is how it reminds me of many many roleplaying sessions with friends.

I read the War of the Twins series back in high school and adored it. My parents weren’t that enthused, however, about the book’s link to role-playing so I dropped the series without ever reading these four books.

I wish I hadn’t.

Dragons took me back to the wonderful world of Krynn and Kenders and Gully Dwarves. And Tas. How could I have forgotten Tas? It was like a homecoming in the nicest possible way.

I’ve completed the Founding. Oh dear Lady, was that a slog and a half. While it was great as far as character development goes, and the writing style was superb, I rarely have to force myself to finish a book. Not like that.

Both of the Gaunts Ghosts novels I chose are omnibuses with three books each. And while the writing is visceral, and the characters engaging on their own, I’m only half-way through the second part of the first book and making excuses not to read. I’m going to put them both on hold for a month and then try and pick them up again. If it’s still not happening….well…I may have to go on to other books from my list.

I’ve completed reading through the Ravenor series while I was waiting for work to come along, and here’s my thoughts on each:

Ravenor: I feel fortunate that I read the Eisenhorn omnibus first, or I wouldn’t have known who half the characters were. That being said, this book is an enthralling read through the Warhammer 40K Inquisitorial universe. It follows the main protagonist (Gideon Ravenor) as he investigates an drug ring on Petropolis that (as all good stories will) extends out into a conspiracy that expands through known space. There’s a side story about a young man named Zael who might or might not be a daemonhost, a few finishing ties for characters in the Eisenhorn stories, and a glimpse into the inner workings of the Ordos.

Ravenor Returned: This middle tale begins with Ravenor and his retinue stealing back to Eustis Majoris to continue their investigation into the drugged glass called “flects.” This one is definitely a connector novel as it is based more on minutia and detective work than action. There is a confrontation with Ravenor’s arch-enemy Molotch and it seems that even the Inquisitorial orders are turning against Ravenor’s team at this point.

Ravenor Rogue: The final bit to the Ravenor story, this one is by far the darkest of the three stories. Ravenor and his team are working completely against their orders at this point and come face-to-face with Molotch and the daemon they suspected Zael of hosting…from another direction that they could not have dreamed of. The end escape, using a dimensional door introduced fairly early on in the story, did seem to be a bit of Deus ex machina, but if that’s the worst of Dan Abnett’s writings, I’ll be back for more.

Final comments: This series, and the Eisenhorn omnibus (mentioned in the first review) are ultimately about a few men and women trying to create order in a universe that is already in its dying throes. The 40K slogan for WarHammer is “In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war,” and these books illustrate that quite well indeed.

Unlike the others in the series, this picks up 15 years after Takeo has brought peace and unity to the lands he oversees. He and Kaede have two daughters, but he had not told her about the son (Hisao) that he conceived with another.

Takeo must now fight to maintain the peace he has brought as well as for his own life for their are enemies hidden all around him.

A well-written finish to an excellent series. I am, however, quite done with feudal Japan now.

A wonderful historical reference for those wanting to know heraldry. Not much to recommend it for entertainment value however.

I did read it through and note it out, and I’m glad this one’s off my list.

Harry Dresden finds himself investigating a serial killer which appears to be a pack of werewolves. In the process, he is chased by wolves (everyone from poseurs to the real deal), the FBI, and Chicago’s number one mobster.

Jim Butcher managed to make this a quick & light read with slapstick humor thrown into what could otherwise have been a very dark and heavy story indeed. I’m definitely going to have to read more of these.

(I’ve had a bit of time on my hands to read with not working this last month, so I’ve finished up about a book a week)

Brilliance of the Moon picks up where Grass for His Pillow leaves off. The newly-wed Kaede and Takeo fight to reclaim their birthrights in an effort to realize the prophecy given by a holy woman in the previous book “Your lands will stretch from sea to sea, but peace comes at the price of bloodshed. Five battles will buy you peace, four to win and one to lose.” At the same time, Takeo is trying to balance this heavy burden with avenging his adopted father Shigeru.

The author ends it well, with the lovers being separated once more by treachery and violence and leaves Takeo heading off to face his destiny alone.

I liked this one far better than Grass for His Pillow and it could easily have stood as an ending for the series on its own.