All posts by skyebjenner

I’m Joining The Circus

Blog, ,

So I decided at the beginning of this week that I would start writing a weekly blog about, well… anything that has come to mind during the week. Partly it’s for part of my Masters subject (Online Writing), but it’s also just because I need to work on writing more often.

So welcome to the new randomness that is my recapture of the week. I do apologise, because this one’s a little loopy… I’ve just finished a 40 hour work week, I’m miles behind in study (as usual), and I have found myself thinking again and again and again this week that I was going to quit and join the circus. Not entirely sure why, but I’m definitely feeling a little loopy.

I also decided to start a few reading challenges this week. Which is exciting, because I always like a good excuse to read a great book….

Image source: YSA Sydney

The Corsers’ Hinge by D.M. Cornish

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Overview

Legends of Australian FantasyTitle: The Corsers’ Hinge
Author: D.M. Cornish
Series: Monster Blood Tattoo #2.5
In: Legends of Australian Fantasy (Jack Dann & Jonathan Strahan)
Rating Out of 5: 3 (On the fence about this one)
My Bookshelves: Australian authors, Dark fantasy, Medieval fantasy
Pace: Slow
Format: Novella
Publisher: Harper Collins Australia
Year: 2010
5th sentence, 74th page: One Mister Emptor Settlepond; he owns a whole bunch o’ tallowbellies and is constantly seekin’ sturdy souls to work ’em on account of ‘im always openin’ more.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Synopsis

Bunting Faukes has a debt and no way to repay it – times are tough for grave robbers. But a way out is presented in the person of Atticus Wells, a sleuth with strange eyes that see into everything.

Thoughts

There is something about D.M. Cornish’s writing that takes a lot longer for me to process. It’s a combination of the convoluted writing style, and the creation of a totally new world that seems to stump me, and, when I’m struggling to concentrate, I find it epically difficult and almost impossible to read at times.

Not that that means that I don’t like this novella… it’s just that it took me a really long time to read. And I generally like the shorter stories for the fact that they are an enjoyable afternoon spent. The different storylines and points of view that all connect is something that I have always enjoyed in a story. It’s great to see how the same thing can stem from multiple viewpoints and storylines.

I honestly don’t know whether I loved or hated this story. I suppose something in between. It was difficult to read, but still something that is stuck in my mind. A great story by a man with an incredible imagination, just one that I probably won’t be able to read again.

 <- The Spark Review Tribute to Hell Review ->
Image source: Harper Collins Australia

The Gauntlet by Karen Chance

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Overview
The Gauntlet

Title: The Gauntlet
Author: Karen Chance
Series: Cassandra Palmer #0.5, Cassandra Palmer World #1
In: The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance 2 (Trisha Telep)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Paranormal romance
Pace: Fast
Format: Novella
Publisher: Karen Chance Online
Year: 2010
5th sentence, 74th page: Lots o’ moles.

Synopsis

The Gauntlet is a Kit Marlowe short from The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance 2 and a companion piece to The Queen’s Witch.

Thoughts

I loved the way that this novella flicked between two different points of view – the vampire and the witch’s. Although originally it is easy to take the witch’s side, it quickly becomes possible to not only see the blossoming romance between the two, but also why each acts as they do. No matter how odd and absurd riding across a battle on a keg may seem.

Actually, it’s the rather absurd battle and ways in which the characters are able to overcome their difficulties, differences and the dangers around them that I most love about this story. The imagery that Chance brings to the tale have stayed in my mind a lot longer than they usually would, and I can’t wait to sink my teeth into The Queen’s Witch.

<- More Karen ChanceThe Queen’s Witch ->

Image source: Goodreads

Storm Front by Jim Butcher

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Overview

Storm FrontTitle: Storm Front
Author: Jim Butcher
Series: The Dresden Files #1
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Crime, Paranormal fantasy, Urban fantasy, Wizards
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Orbit
Year: 2000
5th sentence, 74th page: I planted my feet and faced him, without meeting his eyes.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Synopsis

Lost Items Found. Paranormal Investigations. Consulting. Advice. Reasonable Rates. No Love Potions, Endless Purses, or Other Entertainment.

Harry Dresden is the best at what he does. Well, technically, he’s the only at what he does. So when the Chicago P.D. has a case that transcends mortal creativity or capability, they come to him for answers. For the “everyday” world is actually full of strange and magical things—and most don’t play well with humans. That’s where Harry comes in. Takes a wizard to catch a—well, whatever. There’s just one problem. Business, to put it mildly, stinks.

So when the police bring him in to consult on a grisly double murder committed with black magic, Harry’s seeing dollar signs. But where there’s black magic, there’s a black mage behind it. And now that mage knows Harry’s name. And that’s when things start to get interesting.

Magic – it can get a guy killed.

Thoughts

There’s nothing like a sassy, slightly left of centre main character. And when the story is told from their point of view? It’s fantastic! It’s little wonder that I loved this novel so much.

I’m a fan of both crime and paranormal fantasy books. After all, I love the wonders of the paranormal world. But I also love trying to figure who-done-it in the crime novels. Butcher hits on the combination of these two genres perfectly. Dresden runs around the streets of Chicago trying to find a missing man, solve a murder, and dodge killer demons. Honestly, what more could you want in a story?

Harry Dresden is a gangly, slightly awkward, attitudinal lead. Which, as with all good books, gets him in more trouble than anything else. Add to this a council member who wants him dead, and a talking head (literally) that is more than a little twisted, and it is ensured that Harry is going to have a dreadful time trying to solve his two crimes. Yet, everything is relevant – there isn’t a moment in this fantastically crafted novel that doesn’t serve a purpose, and I kind of love this fact. It doesn’t make it any easier to piece together who the baddies are. And it doesn’t lead to a predictable end to the story. But it does mean that I’m not let wondering why some random act happened, with no real answer.

The only problem that I have with this novel is the fact that now I have to wait until Fool Moon arrives in my bookshelves… it was just too good and the wait is a little too long!

<- Welcome to the Jungle Review Fool Moon Review ->
Image source: Muneer Huda

A Restoration of Faith by Jim Butcher

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Overview

A Restoration of FaithTitle: A Restoration of Faith
Author: Jim Butcher
Series: The Dresden Files #0.2
In: Side Jobs (Jim Butcher)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Crime, Paranormal fantasy, Urban fantasy, Wizards
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Orbit
Year: 2004
5th sentence, 74th page: The troll will let you cross the bridge if I’m not with you.

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Synopsis

Restoration of Faith. Restoration of Faith is a short story in The Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher. It is set before Storm Front. The story was originally published on Jim–Butcher.com, and later included in the book Side Jobs.

Thoughts

Butcher starts off this short story by pointing out that this was one of the first short stories he’d ever written, and as such, it wasn’t his best work. But here, I must disagree. Or at least, not quite agree. I loved this fantastic short story, and I thoroughly enjoyed the introduction to Harry Dresden’s apprenticeship days.

There are so many unwanted children in the world. And they’re not all homeless or from lower socio-economic homes. Some, like Faith are from families who are immensely well off. They’re just not quite wanted. Which brings up an interesting ethical question, what should be done for them? That is what Dresden is forced to face (alongside a bridge troll) in A Restoration of Faith. And honestly, it works perfectly.

The other thing that I love about A Restoration of Faith is it shows us Dresden’s first meeting with Murphy. It is a single, simple moment in time that has a great impact on their lives and I love how seamlessly it works into the rest of the series.

<- Side Jobs Review Welcome to the Jungle Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

A Captain of the Gate by John Birmingham

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Overview

A Captain of the GateTitle: A Captain of the Gate
Author: John Birmingham
Series: The Disappearance Companion
In: Legends of Australian Fantasy (Jack Dann & Jonathan Strahan)
Rating Out of 5: 3 (On the fence about this one)
My Bookshelves: Australian authors, Fantasy, History
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Harper Collins Australia
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: McKinnon, a great man by any measure, flawed as are all men, celebrated and reviled, a creator-destroyer of the first order, lies beneath a simple tombstone because he demanded it to be so.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Synopsis

A ′What if′ story of the Cold War … a small piece of alternate history of the period told via a biography of one of its players, Lieutenant Branch McKinnon, an adventurer in a different post-WWII world of American isolationism.

Thoughts

I just don’t know what I think about this short story. I liked the tone, I liked the way in which it was written, but I wasn’t really sure whether or not it was even a story until I got to the afterword. I just don’t know enough about the history of World War II or even the Allied Nations to actually pull apart this fictional historical biography.

Once I got to the end of A Captain of the Gate, I loved and completely understood the concept of what the point of these 60 pages was. The idea of rewriting a history for all the ‘what ifs’ was brilliant. And the use of a hero (or villain) of this war’s biography and personal history worked well too. But, as someone who knows next to nothing about historical events (I swear I slept through that class), much of the intricacies of this storyline completely flew over my head.

Maybe if I did some research, I would understand (and enjoy) this story better.

 <- Tribute to Hell Review The Magic Word Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

 

An Unwelcome Guest by Garth Nix

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Overview

To Hold the BridgeTitle: An Unwelcome Guest
Author: Garth Nix
In: To Hold the Bridge (Garth Nix) & Troll’s-Eye View (Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Australian authors, Easy reading, Fantasy, Witches
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Year: 2015
5th sentence, 74th page: ‘Won’t do any good, but I’ll call,’ said Jenny.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Synopsis

Garth Nix has a brilliant spin on the traditional tale of Rapunzel… and how to get rid of spoilt brats.

Thoughts

I love new spins on old stories. After all, there is something about faery tales that brings us back again and again and again. And An Unwelcome Guest is a brilliant way to reimagine Rapunzel. Nix’s spin on such a classic left me outright laughing and grinning. It was cute, funny and not at all what I was expecting.

Like the well-known Wicked, An Unwelcome Guest takes the villain of the tale of Rapunzel (the wicked witch) and makes her good. It then twists Rapunzel into a spoilt brat under some kind of weird compulsion. Her rescue into an attempt to kick her out. And the happy ending a small girl running away in tears with her soccer boots still on. Like I said, it was a great way to twist and turn a well-known faery tale into something more and in my opinion, thoroughly enjoyable. Certainly much more humorous than the original tale anyway.

<- The Curious Case of the Moondawn Daffodil Murder Review The Highest Justice Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

Stop! by Garth Nix

Book Review, , ,

Overview

To Hold the BridgeTitle: Stop!
Author: Garth Nix
In: To Hold the Bridge (Garth Nix)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Australian authors, Fantasy
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Year: 2015
5th sentence, 74th page: Ah, how I long to shed this vile form, the I may join him in heaven!

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Synopsis

An alien breaks into a top-secret nuclear facility. Why? To see if he can end his life?

Thoughts

It was a little difficult to get into the flow of this short story. Not so much because of the style of writing, or even the militant background, but just because in the creation of these short stories, it was quite a change of pace. A strange demon like creature walks out of the middle of nowhere and heads off towards a nuclear testing site. Not sure what couldn’t go wrong there really.

I loved the near suicidal tendencies of the lead scientist, and Nix’s ability to compress three in-depth backstories into only a handful of pages. The amount of information squished into this makes the story seem that much longer and more complex. Yet, in actual length, it was one of the shorter stories in the To Hold the Bridge collection. It’s also been one of the more confusing and confronting stories….

<- The Big Question Review Infestation Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

A Sidekick of Mars by Garth Nix

Book Review, , ,

Overview

To Hold the BridgeTitle: A Sidekick of Mars
Author: Garth Nix
In: To Hold the Bridge (Garth Nix)
Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this)
My Bookshelves: Australian authors, Science fiction
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Year: 2015
5th sentence, 74th page: It was Indians that done this, leastways one particular Indian.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Synopsis

Mars might get all of the credit, but his sidekick helped him conquer worlds again and again.

Thoughts

This short story kind of reminds me of Firefly – cowboys and spaceships.

Lam’s unique way of initially travelling between planets was kind of confusing. Although, that may be more due to his incredibly different voice. Normally, I love stories written in the first person. After all, what better way to immerse yourself in a character? But, there was something about the jumpy, pithy way in which this story was narrated that was both really enjoyable and incredibly frustrating. The tone was fantastic and satirical. But the actual tale in itself was kind of…meh. For lack of a better word.

One thing that this story did leave me feeling was the fact that there are so many worlds beyond our own. And it is such a weird, wonderful and just different place to explore. No wonder places like Mars have inspired so many writers (of both stories and film).

<- Master Haddad’s Holiday Review Peace in Our Time Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Pride and Prejudice

Title: Pride and Prejudice
Author: Jane Austen
Series: World Cloud Classics
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Classics, Romance, Strong women
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Vintage Books
Year: 1813
5th sentence, 74th page: If you should have no objection to receive me into your house, I propose myself the satisfaction of waiting on you and your family, Monday, November 18th, by four o’clock, and shall probably trespass on your hospitality till the Saturday se’nnight following, which I can do without any inconvenience, as Lady Catherine is far from objecting to my occassional absence on a Sunday, provided that some other clergyman is engaged to do the duty of the day.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Synopsis

Elizabeth Bennet is young, clever and attractive, but her mother is a nightmare and she and her four sisters are in dire need of financial security and escape. The arrival of affable Mr Bingley and arrogant Mr Darcy in the neighbourhood, both single and in possession of large fortunes, turns all their lives upside down in this witty drama of friendship, rivalry, enmity and love.

Thoughts

No matter how many times I read this book, I am caught anew by the beauty of Austen’s words and the excellent story that is shaped by them. There’s a reason that this is such a well-known classic. Regardless of the quote, there are so many moments in this story that people immediately know, whether they’ve read it or not.

Although this is set in a time when people courted, danced and never touched until they were wed. And women only had matrimony to ensure their future happiness, much of this storyline is still relevant today. Which is honestly, probably why it’s still such a potent story today. The follies of both pride and prejudice litter the romance between Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy from the very beginning. Both are proud, stubborn creatures, and Mr. Darcy’s prejudice against Elizabeth’s inferior social position, leads to her own prejudice against his own standing and view of the world. Luckily for us all, they eventually find a way past this and one of the most epic love stories of classical literature wins its way into our hearts again and again.

Although Pride and Prejudice is a great story about Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, I also love the storyline and romance of Jane and Mr. Bingley. Such innocent and sweet souls are completely meant for one another, and honestly, that simplicity and sweetness is completely unfathomable to me. It’s a fantastic way in which to balance out the more satirical and proud natures of their counterparts. And a nice way in which to balance out the tedious, frivolous antics of the rest of the Bennett family.

As soon as I’ve put Pride and Prejudice down, I’m always at a loss for what to do. Sometimes I want to pick it straight back up and read it again. At other times, I flip through book after book looking for something new to read. Something that can be comparable, I’m yet to find such a story.

<- PersuasionSense and Sensibility ->

Image source: Penguin