I'm Reading: A Dance With Dragons

Am reading this now. I will review it. I feel all tingly.

Top Five Reads of 2009

I was hoping that I would have a greater selection to choose from this year. I was on target for 50 books read this year, but then I got a new job and 50 became 35. On the bright side that is 6 more books to choose from than last year.

Without further Ado...

#5 Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie

While I do not think that this book is better than his First Law trilogy, 'Best Served Cold' is still an entertaining read. I had very high expectations of this book when it came out and I think that had affected my overall enjoyment of this book which is a shame. The advantage of 'Best Served Cold' is the fact that it is a stand alone book.

The book follows a woman called Monza Murcatto, a once loved and trusted general. However, her paranoid boss betrays her. He sets up a trap, kills her brother, stabs and throws her off a mountain. Yet she survived. While she is recovering from her grievous wounds she has had plenty of time to plan her revenge on the seven men who were involved in her betrayal. Once recovered, she gathers a motley crew: A master poisoner and his apprentice, a Northman (barbarian), an ex-general of the Thousand Swords (mercenaries), an ex-convict and an ex-inquisitor (government lackey). How will she exact revenge? Seven against the resources of a whole nation!

"You know your in for a comedy filled killing spree when Abercrombie is writing" - Sleeping With Books

#4 The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathon Stroud

I have read more young adult (YA) books this year than I have ever had, and time after time I am surprised at how much I enjoy them. Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riodian, Candle Man by Glenn Dakin, The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula Le Guin are just some amazing YA books I have read. However I felt that Stroud's Book 1 of the Bartimaeus Trilogy topped them all. It was funny, clever, fast paced and had that page turner quality you want from a book.

The book follows a young magicians apprentice called Nathaniel, who in his impatience summons a powerful 5000 year old Djinni, Bartimaeus. He charges Bartimaeus to steal the Amulet of Samarkand off a powerful Magician and soon things go terribly wrong for Nathaniel and his Djinni. One rule and really the only rule of being a magician is to never let someone know your 'true name' as your true name grants power over you. Well Nathaniel has slipped up.

Definitely a must read YA book. The chapters with Bartimaeus are written in the first person, while chapters with Nathaniel are written in the third person. This has also made reading a little more interesting because of the different perspectives.

"So refreshing to see a YA book that is different from the rest. Funny, Distinctive and a great read" - Sleeping With Books

#3 Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Phillip K. Dick

I remember watching this film when I was 18...and hated it. If you don't know the film...well that is because the film was re-titled as Blade Runner. Yes, I know that the film was great blah blah, but I was 18 ok! I liked the explosions of the 90's and Blade Runner didn't have any!

So 9 years later I read the book and you know what? It made my top 5 reads of 2009.

It is the year 2019 and human replicants (clones) with artificial intelligence are a possibility. However, like pets, they need to be registered and owned by someone but there replicants who seek freedom and escape. Rick Deckard is a bounty hunter whose job is to hunt down these renegades and retire them. Although the replicants have A.I. they lack one very human trait, the ability to be empathetic. This is the key to finding out replicants and real humans.

"'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep' is not a simple science-fiction book, Phillip K. Dick delves much deeper, philosophically and psychologically" - Sleeping With Books

#2 Fevre Dream by George R.R. Martin

While waiting for Martin to actually finish the 5th book of the Song of Ice and Fire series, I began reading more of this other works. Fevre Dream instantly hooked me in and I finished it within several days. The setting, the character depth and the storyline just draw you in. You can really start to appreciate Martin as an absolute genius and that he is not just a one series wonder.

Abner Marsh's dream of racing the Eclipse, the fastest Steamboat on the Mississippi River is destroyed when a storm sinks all but one of his ships. It wasn't long that a stranger named Joshua York meets him in St. Louis and offers him money for half his company. Marsh is an honest man, as honest as he is fat and ugly and refuses to cheat York out of his money. But when York offers to build Marsh a boat fast enough to compete with the Eclipse, Marsh is hooked. The Fevre Dream is built and Marsh could not be happier. However, when Joshua York refuses to come out during the day and makes unscheduled stops that takes up valuable delivering time, Marsh's crew are muttering among themselves and Marsh has questions of his own.

"Interview with a Vampire meets Buffy: The Vampire Slayer" - Sleeping With Books

#1 Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

I read this book in January and it was such a hard book to top and as this shows, nothing did this year. Mistborn is the first book of the trilogy with the same name. The subsequent books being 'The Well of Ascension' and 'The Hero of Ages'. The magic systems used in this world were so unique to me and I liked it very much. Sanderson has a lovely way of introducing characters and making you like them. From this book, one of my favourite ever characters in Sci-Fi or Fantasy was created.

The Lord Ruler has lived for a 1000 years and his empire is split into two factions. Those of nobility, are physically, mentally and financially superior to the Skaa and are a part of the Lord Ruler's upper class. The nobility get to have magnificent balls, trade, plot and generally be happy about their lives. The other faction, the Skaa are a slave race not too different from humans (the nobility) and are considered inferior in every way and are there to be used and abused by the nobility.

During these many years of rule. People have revolted against the Lord Ruler. People have tried to kill him, all of them have failed, but it isn't for a lack of trying. How do you kill a man...no a God, when beheading him is only a minor annoyance?

Kelsier is a Mistborn. A man with special talents, he can manipulate people's emotions, control metal with a thought and gain superhuman strength when called for. He is wants to overthrow the Lord Ruler, but being Mistborn isn't enough, because he is not unique.

I really can't give this book enough justice. It was such a great read and I am looking forward to the day that I reread this series. Brandon Sanderson is also the person the Jordan family selected to ghost write the last three books of 'The Wheel of Time' by Robert Jordan.

"Mistborn is character driven and has amazing plots. Sanderson has captured everything great about fantasy and put it into 3 very enjoyable books" - Sleeping With Books

Movies Vs. Books

During the last 10 years there have been a lot of books (including comics) that have been made into movies. The simple reason for this is money. The movies make money by ticket sales, DVD sales which in turn becomes a big budget advertisement for books, toys and other merchandise. 

It is a symbiotic relationship. The book/publishers/authors make money from selling the rights. the movie makes money and in return the book makes some more money from selling more copies due to recent exposure. Win-win situation right? 

Yes and No

There are creators/writers, such as Alan Moore of Watchmen/V for Vendetta who refuses to write a script for his own creations, declines to watch them once released and partakes in zero of the profits. People like Alan Moore refuse to be part of the movie industry because they don't believe film makers can make a good movie out of their books and don't believe movies can encompass the spirit of their creations. Is it good that creators are boycotting their own work?

Usually when a book is turned into a movie it is because the book has great popularity and is enjoyed very much by readers. Other benefits of movies is they turn weeks worth of reading into a few hours. There are also people that don't like reading (yes they do exist) and making films exposes them to great entertainment (Lord of the Rings) and sometimes great literature (To Kill a Mocking Bird).

However I am going to use 5 different personal examples of movies vs books to outline when and where a book or a movie is better than the other. 

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

This example is about book I have not read before but have seen the movie. I saw this movie quite soon after its release because I like dragons and because there was a lot of buzz about this young kid with Asperger's Syndrome. I knew nothing about the book so went into the movie with a completely open mind. I think I wanted my money back after 30 minutes. When the film was over, I wanted to forget the movie was ever made (much like the never made Dungeons and Dragons movie). 

I still have not read the book and refuse to read the book. The movie was so damn awful that it has completely destroyed my perspective of Eragon. Which is a darn shame because there are many people who love the series and keep telling me to read the books, but do I need to read another version of Earthsea or Star Wars?

Verdict: The movie industry is bad for books reputation

Watchmen by Alan Moore. Film by Zack Snyder

Another film I watched without first reading the book/comic. I watched it because I watch most comic book adaptations and because one of my friends who has similar book tastes to me wanted me to see it. I absolutely loved it. I couldn't believe such a film could be produced. The characterization was amazing. I loved Rorschach, I hated the Comedian but loved how he was portrayed as the anti-hero. The cheesiness made me laugh and the violence really gave the film some grit. I have yet to read the comics but will do so at the first chance.

Verdict: Made a ton of money. Promoted Watchmen to the greater audience (including myself). Mission completed in my opinion. 

Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

A slight difference to Eragon. When the Fellowship of the Ring came out, I had attempted the book, but I found it too difficult to finish and stopped before the hobbits even met Aragon. So I watched the movie and absolutely loved it. Not having read the book again let me see the movie with an open mind. After the movie I picked up the Lord of the Rings again and finished all three before The Two Towers came out. I enjoyed watching The Two Towers + Return of the King but I was always expecting certain things that never transpired. Where was Shelob in the Two Towers? Where was "Battle of Bywater" in Return of the King (perhaps my favourite part in the whole trilogy)? 

Verdict: Both book and movie gave me something that the other wouldn't have. The book gave me more in-depth knowledge and more enjoyment because there were parts not in the movie. The movie gave me the extra motivation to pick up the book again and the extended scenes on the DVD's were great!

Dune by Frank Herbert

A science fiction classic and is at the top of most people's top 10 sci-fi lists. When I read it, I had little sci-fi reading experience but it didn't stop me from enjoying the book. Yes, there were things I didn't like about it but overall I was impressed and those things that I didn't like don't stop me from recommending the book to other people.

Enter David Lynch's movie of Dune. I was so excited when I saw Patrick Stewart as Gurney Halleck and then the force fields came on and didn't know whether to cry or laugh. Ok it was 1984, so I put it out of my mind. The by the end of the movie the film was still terrible, terrible storytelling, terrible characterization.

Verdict: Not an example from something in the last 10 years but still relevant in my opinion. So glad that I read the book first because I don't think I would have read the book otherwise. Again the movie industry destroys a book's reputation.

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

A book and series that I have read and absolutely love. While it is not the first fantasy book/series that necessarily recommend to people because of its complexity, it is my favourite. Not too recently HBO signed a deal to make a TV series (yeah not a movie but close enough) of A Game of Thrones. At the moment the series is in casting mode and have already attached Peter Dinklage and Tom McCarthy. Once they have got a cast they can begin filming the pilot which I eagerly await.

Verdict: A series that has a huge fanatical fanbase. A book that makes me really desperately want to see it adapted to TV. Not because I think that the TV series will add something amazing, but I can't get enough of A Song of Ice and Fire.

Although I have only outlined 5 examples here there are sure to be many more but overall it looks like the film industry is a positive for books. It reaches across a greater audience, has ability to let 12 friends do the same thing at the same time, helps make them more money and keeps fans interested and talking. The only people that it really hurts are purist's and sometimes the artist/author (i.e. Alan Moore). You can argue that these are the people whose interests you should look after, but as long as there is a demand and people willing to buy the product, whether it be good or bad, then there will be people making the films.

Author moments you love to hate

I've been trolling around forums to check out what really tick people off when they read Fantasy books. It is interesting to read what people have to say because we all have such a variety of tastes and this is true for likes and dislikes. I have compiled a list of "love to hate" things about authors and state why people hate them and why it doesn't bother some people. 

I will list a general comment of what people have been saying and then make my own comment. There is no order of "hate" but perhaps I will state it if thing on the list is something a lot of people agree on. 

Unpronounceable Names (Jeqonadin, Brisingr)
This one is probably divided down the middle, it really bothers some people or it really doesn't. I've found that the people who don't mind it are people who have read a lot of books and/or have read for a very long time. Others just pronounce it the best they can and just ran with it

SleepingWithBooks: This one actually bothers me a bit, I just seem to stumble every time I come upon an unfamiliar or hard to pronounce name. It is like a word I don't know the meaning of and I have to go look it up in the dictionary except there often is no dictionary. 

All Books are the same Story (Gemmell, Eddings)
This doesn't bother people that much, most people just stop reading these authors and problem solved. Other people don't mind the same story as long as it is compelling. 
SleepingWithBooks: I don't mind it too much but I have only read one author like that and that is Gemmell. But can't we draw similarities to the band AC/DC? Essentially they haven't brought out a 'new' album, just old ones that have been rehashed but people still kept buying them.

Everyday boring names (Joe, Bob, Greg)
Only a minority of people find this annoying.

SleepingWithBooks: Sometimes just unavoidable, especially when it is modern day fantasy or when someone from present day gets sucked into the past etc. Personally I haven't encounter this problem.

Cliche Fantasy (Boy is normal,becomes chosen one,gets magical item/learns mystical powers,beats everyone,wins the prize)

Another one that has divided opinion. Old school readers don't mind it or even love it because that was what they grew up on, while others are sick of it and want up to date fantasy, compelling with complex

 storylines. There are others that don't mind it as long as it is properly executed.

SleepingWithBooks: I am with the group that doesn't like it. I don't think there is much excuse to write this type of dribble anymore. There is such a plethora of excellent writers with great minds. It you want my money, make me excited.

Get out of Jail Free endings (magic item blows up the world, it was just a dream, time machine, solving 10 books worth of problems in 2 chapters)

Probably the most "love to hate" out of the entire list. Explanation are and notwithstanding: author hasn't explained well enough or with enough pages, readers feel cheated

SleepingWithBooks: Yeah, I hate it. All that time invested for the plot to be solved in an instantaneous moment. Also known as 'deus ex machina'.

Books are way too long. (ASOIAF, Malazan, Wheel of Time etc)
Not really something people get fussy about. People are annoyed when their are too many filler chapters that don't add much to the overall story of the book but a length of a book doesn't bother people. The length of a series perhaps is where some people get annoyed with is probably best explained below.

SleepingWithBooks: The only time I get annoyed with the length of a book is when it isn't a good book. I tell myself "Man this author really has a talent for writing rubbish."

Waiting for author to finish the series (Jordan, Martin, Kerr)
Not something that people get too annoyed with because their is always a constant stream of great books coming out. The only time when people get annoyed (or even angry) is when there are constant delays and set backs in the series (Martin). However it must be said that these people are frustrated and actually really love the series and don't know how to vent their anger/disappointment. The other reason why people get angry is when the author dies before the series is finished (Jordan, and to no fault of his own), people feel sad and robbed. 

SleepingWithBooks: The only person I am reading at the moment that has taken an age to bring out the next book is Martin. I can understand that the man has created perhaps a world that is too complex even for him. He has stopped predicting when the book will be finished and I think this is a smart move by the man. To solve this problem, wait until series is finish before reading!

Author kills off the best characters (Martin) or never kills off anyone (Jordan, Abercrombie)
A lot of people don't mind main characters dying because it add flavour and character to the book itself. However, a lot of people hate it when the "Best" character dies because it makes them too depressed, have a bias to the rest of the book being crap without them, makes them close the book! On the other side of the spectrum is when the author doesn't kill anyone at all, perhaps in fear of not having enough material or not wanting to displease the readers. Perhaps the most noted author to do this is Jordan.

SleepingWithBooks: Martin shocked me when he killed off one of my favourite characters but I didn't dislike the move. However there have been other books I have read where the main character did die and I was forever comparing the next main character with the old dead one. I am also in the boat of where I hate when the author doesn't kill off  anyone of significance...just do it!

Cliffhanger endings to books that are the first of many.

People know that there are going to be sequels and want to have the book end on a satisfactory ending. If they are caught up in the story they don't want to wait 1-3 years for an ending. 

SleepingWithBooks: Perhaps unavoidable because it is a sequel. I have to say that if people like your book they will read on regardless of a cliffhanger ending. So perhaps stop annoying your fanbase?

Perfect Flawless Characters (Superman)
Readers hate characters that can do anything, solve everything and are the most amazing creature on earth e.g. silky smooth cream coloured skin with luscious black hair and eyes so deep blue you can fall into them. It doesn't make good reading to them and makes things predictable and droll. How can we as readers relate to these perfect characters when we ourselves our flawed beyond belief?

SleepingWithBooks: It is a bit of a paradox, flawless characters are flawed. We have people who hate these perfect characters yet we keep buying or watch or read about them. Superman is the most well known superhero in the world and who didn't like McGyver? However, I also don't like these characters. I want my characters to be flawed (in a good way), they need to be cruel, self-loathing, makes the wrong decisions (all in moderation!) and they need to lose. However I am also finding that a lot of books these days have ugly or fat or unfit characters as main characters (Perdido Street Station, Ferve Dream, The Exodus Gate)

Authors That Refuse To Leave Their World (Fiest, Matrix Sequels)
Talented authors ending up wasting their talent in a particular world because of commercial success. Often the latter books suffer because ideas become stale and is like a boxer than has had one fight too many. We all can understand they got to eat and make money faster than they can spend it can't we?

SleepingWithBooks: This reminds me of a giant that doesn't realise he is bigger than everyone and remains timid and meek. Some authors fear if they left their own world they would fail (Gemmell once wrote under the pseudonym Ross Harding, 'Black Knight, White Swan' (1993) was a Crime Thriller and was his first book not to become a best seller). We all fear failure, so is it their fault?

Everything is a trilogy (Parker, Abercrombie)
Perhaps this stems from people sick of waiting for trilogies or perhaps people want filler books (books to read between trilogies).

SleepingWithBooks: From an authors perspective it is much easier to develop your characters and story because you have more space. Trilogies have also been a craze since LOTR got major attention with the movies, but I think publishers like the idea of trilogies because they sell more books. From a readers perspective I want to be able to read a one off book and when I want one of these I am often delving into the older authors to find that. It would be really nice if there were more options when it came to one off books.

I have gone through a lot of things that may or maybe not tick you off, but I am sure there are many more, and if you do have one that is not on the list, feel free to comment on it or comment on the ones already existing.

Review: Fevre Dream

Abner Marsh an ugly, wart faced fat Steamboat captain is lickin his wounds after a major winter storm destroys all of his boats except for a little steamboat that wouldn't sustain Ferve River Packets (delivery company) very well. Marsh's dreams sunk with his ships when the storm hit; the dream of racing the 'Eclipse', the fastest boat on the river. Suddenly a stranger named Joshua York meets him in St. Louis and offers him money, money for half his company. Marsh doesn't bite though as he is an honest as he is fat and ugly. He tells York how it is and refuses to cheat him. However, Joshua York doesn't just offer him money, he also offers Marsh his dream back, the grandest steamboat that will have sailed on the Mississippi River and fast enough to beat the Eclipse. Marsh accepts and his boat the 'Fevre Dream' is built and it is even grander than what Marsh could have imagined. However, when Joshua York refuses to come out during the day and makes unscheduled stops that takes up valuable delivering time, Marsh's crew are muttering among themselves and Marsh has questions of his own.

GRRM does an excellent job in character building and you can really imagine an ugly, fat steamboat captain. Having used a real life setting made life easier for GRRM but that doesn't discount the amount of work that was invested in getting accurate historical details. He doesn't just describe the setting well but also of the lesser characters and the steamboats they use. Not very scary when it comes to horror books but that made me enjoy the book more. I was sad when it was coming to an end as there was no other way to end the story in my minds eye. I can see a sequel to this book but GRRM will need to finish A Song of Ice and Fire first, and perhaps Martin's best book outside of that series.  

"Interview With A Vampire meets Buffy: The Vampire Slayer"