"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.

"The Etruscan Chimera" by Lyn Hamilton

05.01.08 to 05.17.08 - This one was surprising and refreshing! I rarely read books that are based in what I call "my world." If there are things that are in my world phones, cars, TVs, I don't want to read it. I accidentally got this book at the Friends of the Library book sale and if you have ever been to this sale you know you have only seconds to decide if you want the book before someone is pushing you to move on down the row.

Lara, the main character, found herself mixed up in a plot to discredit a billionaire and steal one of Italy's antiquities and where her roll was the pawn. The twists and turns where engaging and the little old lady was a good hook for me to stay involved...I needed to know what happened to Lola!

Read the book!

"Destiny" by Elizabeth Haydon

04.21.08 to 05.01.08 - TaaaaDaaaa! I finished this trilogy. It was worth the read but this one, ironically since it was tying up loose ends and revealing plots, fell a little flat. Book 2, "Prophecy" was so good that when I finished it, I immediately pick up this one to finish the story. I do feel much was left unfinished [to hook us into the next sequel, Requiem for the Sun. I am not sure I am falling for it]. Overall, it was good.

If anyone out there read these books, don't you feel that Achmed and Grunthor deserved an ending.

Read the book.

"Prophecy" by Elizabeth Haydon

04.04.08 to 04.21.08 - This is book two that started with "Rhapsody." Anytime you read a sequel your scared to death that it will come up short. "Phophecy" doesn't. It is a bit slow at first but definately picks up and is a good ride! The three main characters, Rhapsody, Achmed and Grunthor are all back but Ashe becomes a leading character that adds to the story. Lots of sword play, banter and more sword play. And add an unknown bad guy to make for a good mystery. Oh did I mention the dragons?

Read the book!

"Stop at a Winner" by R.F. Delderfield

03.09.08 to 04.03.08 - This Delderfield was not one one his masterpieces but since it was uncharacteristically short, I am glad I read it. This book revolves around grifter Horace and gypsy Pedlar who get drafted or join the British RAF during WWII. Horace leads Pope through a series of "fiddles" at base after base and even when they shipped to the continent to fight the Jerrys [Germans]. The loyalty in between the two was like your favorite pair of shoes, you must break them in first. Horace wasn't the more scrupulous man around but grew to be a good man.

Not the best Delderfield but I still say read the book!

"Rhapsody" by Elizabeth Haydon

02.25.08 to 03.09.08 - I love adventuring to different places and Serendair and the Root are as good of places to go as any. The thing so wonderful about books are there are no boundaries, even mystical worlds totally unlike like our own. This was a fun romp through adventure and war fair and good versus evil. It is similar to Tolkin with its arduous travels through the root, the elf like race called Larin, the troll like Bolg, or the mysterious Dhracian. Tolkin wrote only one set of books that were a blast to read so I am thankful for those who follow in his footsteps.

This one is different with the heroin's magic stemming from music. I hope somewhere out there Haydon has written an end to the book because this one left you hanging. It was great adventure anyway! Read the book.

"Northanger Abbey" by Jane Austen

02.01.08 to 02.24.08 ....Eh. That's it - eh. This books was no Pride and Prejudice. Rather slow, I am ever so thankful that the book was relatively short. Miss Catherine was rather mousy even when it came to see her new best friend was selfish, obnoxious and annoying. The obnoxious characteristic of Miss Thorpe was one of the main reasons I hated Emma. Austen has a knack for creating characters you either immensely love or truly hate. So it was odd to feel totally indifferent to Miss Catherine. Even when Mr. Tilney's cruelty was at its height, the story fell short of holding my interest that's why it took so long for me to read.

If you are a true fan of Jane Austen, read the book. If your looking for something interesting to read select something else.

Cut or Uncut Jade Needs Polishing

Things have been rather hectic lately and I haven't had the opportunity to read as I usually do. The latest book I've read is Jade by Pat Barr. Once again I chose a book set at the turn of the 20th Century and is set in China. This novel main character is Alice Greenwood to her British compatriots and Uncut Jade to masters when she was taken hostage as young girl and held for many years.

Barr goes into the history of China at the time with the evil dowerage empress and the boxer rebellion but these facts in history were less impacting than what Robert S. Elegant did with his book Mandarin.

While an interesting story, I couldn't help but feel Alice's instability and flipping from event to event unsettingly. I thought that she'd never be settled and live happily every after and kept looking for that on each page. Whether she did or didn't you will have to read the book to find out. It could have been me and the circumstances in my life at the time I was trying to read this - but Jade wasn't a book that held me enthralled. I found that I could put it down for days at time. I will recommended it though.

Read the book!

Authors Are Not Supposed to Talk to Me

In John Fowles' The French Lieutenants Woman the story was sad yet didn't affect me the way other really good novels do and then, the author stops mid-story to talk to the reader. Tell a story, don't talk to the reader it's really annoying just like the idiots who talk during movies.

I didn't like this book...don't read it.

King Richard a pedophile?

In Pamela Kaufman's Shield of Three Lions, Alix, a young daughter of English baron, is sent on a daunting task to reclaim her right to her father's land after he is killed by a usurper. His last instructions to his 11 year old daughter is to disguise herself as a boy and go to King Henry for help. Alix become Alex or Alexander and hooks up with Enoch, a Scottish man who takes the wee one along and agrees to help. With many twists and turns, the death of King Henry by his son who becomes King Richard - Alex finds himself/herself on the crusades working as a page for the King. The King falls in love the boy and more twist and turns. Alex believes that Enoch wants to take his/her land but needs his help to survive the military camp.

I didn't like the pedophilia story line - I got bored with Alex's paranoia about Enoch and the ending once again disappointed. I can't recommended this book - bummer!

Don't Read this Book!

Finishing the Series....Feist's Fantasy

I could go on and on about how much fun it was to read Raymond E. Feist series of books on Medkemia but I truly believe six more reviews on these books would get very old. My adventure with his books began by accident when I purchased The King's Buccaneer, this book had no dust jacket so I assumed it was about medieval England - what a great mistake! Then I spent months tracking down the other books to read.

One thing I found as I traveled through this adventure was that the characters never got boring. I was sad as they aged and made way for new characters but I never got bored with the fight for good over evil. I couldn't help but think that these books were written for young boys - who cares, I loved them!

The Prince of the Blood, Shadow of a Dark Queen, Rise of Merchant Prince, Rage of a Demon King and Shards of a Broken Crown - are worth every minute!

Read these Books!

Move Over Pug - Jimmy the Hand is Here!

Raymond E. Feist takes us back to Midkemi with his Riftwar Legacy Saga only with our favorite characters a little older and many new character such as Jimmy the Hand who becomes a favorite of mine. Once again evil wages war against good and everyone must step up to the plate. Dark elves, trolls and serpent people race to gain dominance. Prince Arutha must plot and plan to counter the evil.

The ride in this saga is just as fun as the first Riftwar Saga. If you wish to plunge into this story it starts with Kondor the Betrayal, then moves to Kondor the Assassins, and finishes with Kondor Tears of the Gods.Beware once you begin the series, you really have to read all three to feel as though the story is done.

It is worth the time and I recommend these highly especially if you've read the Riftwar Saga. Where else can you get royalty, gangsters, elves, magicians, dark elves, trolls, and more other worldly creatures?

Pug is so Cool!

I love novels based in fantasy. Raymond E. Fiest is great in this genre. The problem with fantasy is that rarely do you get away with only one book. In Fiest's Riftwar Saga you have to read three (or four) books to reach the end.

The series begins with Magician. I read the author's perferred edition which included rewrites of his previously published the Magician's Apprentice and the Magician's Master. The story is based in Midkemia and Kilwan - not of this world as you can see.

There we are intorduced to rich characters such as Pug, Thomas, Kulgan, Arutha and many more. As with any great fantasy there is royalty, wars, magic darves, elves, aliens from Kelwan and their strange animals, demons, dragons, and more.

Should you be a Tolkien purest there are points in theis book that might anger you. I see influences in several areas but I didn't mind.

Once you begin the ride with Magician - you must continue with Silverthorne and Darkness at Sethanan. These books are a blast to read with superhuman strength, magic and good that fights to prevail over evil.

Read these books!

There's No Bad Books - WRONG!

Okay, I didn't care for The Secret Life of Laszlo Count Dracula by Roderick Anscombe - not one bit. First, it's written in the journal form and I have already discussed how much I dislike this style of writing. Second, not one vampire in the whole book! (okay, had I read the book jacket I would have known this but at the Friends of the Library book sales who reads the jackets?). Three, the book is about the secret musings of a man who murders women.

This is not a murder mystery since you are privy to the inner thoughts of the murder the suspense is non-existent. Also, non-existent is the ending - stupid, stupid ending.

DON'T READ THIS BOOK!

A Saga of China and Her Differences

(no picture available) I truly enjoyed Robert S. Elegant's Dynasty. This novel/tome travels through the prickly situations of China from the early 1900s through the moderizations of the world in to the 1970s. The blending of cultures with European and Chinese spouses. The attitudes of the followers of Mao and those of his opponents. This book is definitely worth the time if you are interested in China from its time of the Empress to its turn to Communism. I learned a great deal about political, social and cultural issues that I didn't even know to ask about.

Fabulous! Read the book.

What an Eye Opener

(no picture available) Robert Elegant's Mandarin is a sweeping saga of two families, one Chinese and the other Jewish. Set in the mid-nineteenth century all around China but mainly in Shanghai. The Emperor's reign is in jeopardy with the Taiping rebellion.

I learned much about both cultures that before was unknown to me. For example, a Jewish mother has Jewish children but a Jewish man who marries a non-Jewish woman does not have Jewish children. When Saul's daughter marries an English man not of the Jewish religion, his wife told him to let it go that the children would be Jewish.

Also, that charged with a crime of doing something against the Chinese idea of filial piety is an executable offense. So when Aisek Lee's mother commits suicide leaving a note that they are broke and going to starve, even though they were very wealthy, Aisek Lee was charged for not taking better care of his mother.

These are only two of minor but very interesting things that I found interesting. Both the Chinese and Jewish cultures are very different from my own, which peaks my interest. If you want to learn about history as well as these culture this book is very interesting and engaging.

Read the book!

Vengeance a Dish Best Served Cold

Imagine being 19 or 20 on your wedding day, and the police come and whisk you off to jail where you sit for 20 years. You find an opportunity to escape and do....then you discover a large treasure to set you financially for the rest of your life. What do you do?

Edmund Dantes in Alexandre Dumas' Monte Cristo goes on a wild adventure to discover why he was accused of this crime and avenge the wrong done to him. He hunts out his finace` to find her married with a son. Edmund is a fabulous hero/anti-hero depends on how you view his actions. There is a moral dilemma here - is revenge okay? Does Edmund have a right to go after those who wronged him?

This book has a vast array of characters that fill the pages and I recommend it highly.

Read the book!

The Avenue Opened a New World for Me

(no pic available, sorry) Okay this will finish my reviews on R.F. Delderfield until I find other books he has written. The Avenue was the same as his other books - wonderful and easily read. However, this book showed me and I mean showed me a small glimpse of what it would be like to live your life while some maniac (Hitler) is sending bombs into your neighborhood. Being of the generation that I am, where Wars are discussed on the political issues in schools - I had no idea that once it became dark that people had to black out their windows with heavy fabric, run to a shelter the minute sirens went off or learn how to bake differently because of the shortages. This book gave me a new perspective of what the Brits went through during the second world war.

I am flat amazed how Delderfield can create so many characters all fully formed where you read to the point of exhaustion because he moves from one part of the story line to another so fluidly. This story encompasses the lives of six to eight different families all on the same street - each one different, unique and special.

Read the book!

Another Book I Couldn't Put Down!

As with many of R.F. Delderfield's books this one begins as a soldier returns home from the First World War in To Serve Them All My Days. This is another sweet story full of love and loss. Being sent to the country for a job interview as a school teacher, David, doubts that the job will be anything but a temporary stop to help him heal from his shell shock from the war.

He finds his niche with the boys and the school. He enjoys their pranks and they enjoy his company. The teachers form a community of family that brings stability to students and humor. He meets his wife in a neighboring town rooting him to the school even more as she embraces her new role at the school. There is laughter, joy, children and tragedy.

As the years pass, David finds that he is fixture there and accepts his role but as in true Delderfield fashion the World War II threatens and takes the lives of the young boys from his school. The characters are well rounded with virtue and flaws, the heroes are realistic and the story carries you forward effortlessly.

Read the Book!

MY FAVORITE! Watching the Swann's Grow

More of R.F. Delderfield! My goal in this life is to read each and every book he has written basically because of the seven I have read, I have not been disappointed. To date the Swann Saga is my favorite. It all begins with God Was an Englishman then comes Theirs Was the Kingdom and it ends with Give Us This Day. I fell in love with Adam, the patriarch of the family. He's the hero with flaws.


The saga starts in the 1800s in India when the soldier Adam decides to end his military career and go home. As he travels home he runs into the young run away Henrietta who he later marries only to keep her from having to return to her father and marry a man she doesn't want to. As the story builds so does Adams family and his company Swann on Wheels, a hauling company.


Not only does the reader experience the daily lives of the Swanns, Adam and Henrietta and their 10 children but also includes the Swann on Wheels family, which becomes as important to Adams as his own family. I love how we are allowed to follow these two families for more than 50 years.

Each of these books is over 1,000 pages but worth every minute of it! READ THESE BOOKS!