"Seeker" by Jack McDevitt

09.18.08 to 11.23.08 - Anytime it takes me two months to read a 300+ page book, you will know that I am not totally into it. This one is set thousands of years in the future where human live all over that galaxy and our characters of interest are antique dealers who go on a treasure hunt for a lost civilization known as the Margolians. Ehhh, it wasn't a bad book or a bad plot but it didn't hold my interest much. I had to force myself to read a few pages each night. Want a challenge? Read the book.

"The Assassin King" by Elizabeth Hadon

09.20.08 to 10.01.08 - Read the book! It's chapters 9 and 10 of a 15 chapter book. In other words nothing was solved just a continuation of the Requiem. Annoyed a little, have to wait for Chapters 11 and 15 since they are published yet.

Alas, read the book but know its a transition book.

"Requiem for the Sun" by Elizbeth Haydon

09.07.08 to 09.18.08 - Let me start off by saying that every book that is a sequel of some kind should have a page in the front of the book that says "You must first read book 1, book 2, and book 3." I spent the first part of this book saying "I know that" and "Yeah, yeah, yeah, get on with it." This is not the Authors fault, she has to reestablish the characters in case an idiot reads the books out of order [and I have been guilty of this] but when your excited about the story it can be frustrating.

Requiem is just as good as the other three. Achmed and Ashe had a larger role and Rhapsody was not in the forefront and it was nice. I love the expansion of Anborn's character and even the revival of Waste of Breath!

In this book, Rhapsody gets herself pregnant [of course with the help of Ashe] and gets the mother of all morning sickness that effects much of her ability to fend off Michael, Wind of Death, plan to kidnap her. His obsession in possessing her causes for great acts of cruelty.

Ashe and Achmed join forces to rescue her. Ashe does it out of love for his wife. Achmed does it out of friendship and duty to his Dhracian bloodline.

Don't read this book until you have all three of this trilogy in your possession as you will want to close Requiem and open "Elegy for a Lost Star." Read the book!

"A Scholar of Magics" by Caroline Stevermer

08.24.08 to 09.07.08 - This books was just as fun as the first, "A College of Magics." However you should not expect to be hooked until page 100 or so. Once again, Jane Brailsford must save the day. The problem is that this time its not her best friend she is helping - its a couple of silly boys who are somewhat relucent to accept her help. Sam Lambert, a sharp shooter, brought to Glasscastle college for an research project. Nicholas Fell is Lambert's friend, roommate and the next Warden of the West. It a good read with a woman driver too boot!

Read the book.

"Charlie Come Home" by R.F. Delderfield

07.10.08 to 08.24.08 - When you've read as many Delderfield books as I have, you have to recommend all of them. "Charlie Come Home" didn't capture me as his other books. Based on a disgruntled bank employee, Charlie, and the Cafe's owners and step siblings, Delphine and Beppo. The unlikely trio embark on a plan to rob the bank but when Charlie comes to his senses and backs out that is when the things heat up.

It has many twist and turns but what I liked the most was the sweet tone the end of the book.

Read the book.

"A College of Magics" by Caroline Stevermer

07.05.08 to 07.10.08 - O H M Y G O S H!!! What a great book! The title doesn't do it justice, it should be "Read Me!" If you like Rhaposody, you will like this. Base in Greenlaw, Galazon and Aravis - don't know if any of these places exist on our Earth but there is also Paris, England and it set sometime at the beginning of automobiles.

The cast of characters include Faris and her friend Jane attending college to become witches and the magic that ensues in much fun. Faris is nobility waiting to come of age and fire her uncle who has being running Galazon in her minority. With many twist and turns, trips, spells and exploding hats - I couldn't but this one down.

Read the book!

"My Life As Emperor" by Su Tong

06.12.08 to 07.04.08 - With every book I try to find something good about it; well, it's somewhat of a simple sweet story - somewhat! For half of this book, I read about this arrogant little boy who was Emperor of Xie. He learns to be nice after he is deposed. Then becomes a tightrope walker????? Blah is about all I can say for this one. Blah.

Don't read this one.

"Lord of the Dead" by Tom Holland

05.18.08 to 06.12.08 - This novel was rather neat. Lord Bryon tells of life as vampire to Rebecca. So it is a story within a story. Well written with a lot of action but oddly slow at the same time, if that's possible. I really don't know how to describe this but to say I wanted to finish this book but it was one a could put down. That's why this small book according to my standards took two weeks to finish.

I did like the twist of Bryon as the bad guy with Shelley thrown in and the use of real life facts wove into the story. Yeah, read this book.