The Y Logs

Yzabel / April 11, 2014

Review: With Zombies (Assured Destruction 3)

My rating: [rating=4]

Summary:

The final book in the Assured Destruction series!

Jan Rose may already be expunged from the police department’s High Tech Crime Unit. Her mother’s hospitalized, and Assured Destruction’s on the cusp of bankruptcy. But Jan doesn’t wait on anything, she seeks out the customers who used to keep the family business afloat. That’s when everything starts to go wrong.

A computer virus–aka the Zombie Worm–threatens not only her school and Shadownet, but the entire city. A skull with a chain running through its socket links a powerful gang to her former customers, and holds the secrets to why her father left and the identity of her mother’s boyfriend.

To save her family and the business, Jan must determine who is friend and who is foe. And decide what type of hacker she wishes to become: Gray, white, or black. Not only her life hangs in the balance.

Review:

[I received a copy of this book through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.]

This third installment in the “Assured Destruction” series was a little different from the previous ones, in that it didn’t follow their format; on the other hand, it tied a lot of things together, and I’d definitely advise reading all books close to each other, otherwise you may miss a few relevant details. In any case, I appreciated the care put into giving answers to several questions (what happened to Jan’s father, who’s actually Peter)… as well as to others I hadn’t envisioned at first.

I enjoyed the trilogy as a whole, and I enjoyed this last novel, too. Once again, it managed to deal with technical and computer-related aspects in such a way that even a layman would easily understand what was going on. I know “techno-babble” can rebuke people, but here, even if internet and networks aren’t their forte, as a reader, they won’t be lost. Jan’s uses of her favourite tools are always explained in a short, efficient manner. Don’t know what a DDoS attack is? Now you’ll know.

I admit I was slightly tempted to call a “too stupid to live” on Janus a couple of times, because some of her decisions were rash and not that well-informed. I would’ve done it if she had been any other teen, with a regular family life and not that many struggles. However, it was also clear that she was at the end of her rope, what with her mother being sicker, having to find more customers, juggling work and school with the spectre of failing her semester looming close, trying to find her father, trying to find money to pay for the mortgage, wondering about Peter’s motives, not to mention the Zombie virus and the problems she got because of that… Since people in general aren’t known for making the best decisions in such cases, her overall attitude was easily explained. (There was a specific turning point in the story, where her behaviour made me frown and wonder if maybe something fishy was going on; that, too, was explained later. Actually, it’s a wonder it didn’t happen sooner.)

Jan’s friends were also wonderful, for sticking with her, devising the Kickstarter[Kickstarter (hide spoiler)] plan, and helping her the way they did at the end. Her being struggling so much, she probably wasn’t there for them as much as one would expect—but everytime I thought that, I also found myself thinking, “Well, would I be a good friend if I had to tread in her shoes? Not so sure.” (I guess this is one of the reasons why I like this character. In a lot of ways, she reminded me of who I am, with all my shortcomings, and this prompted me to question a few things as well.) Janus can be a really good friend, too—e.g. what she did for Hannah in book 2—but there’s also so much you can do for others when you’re overwhelmed. Can she be blamed for sometimes being oblivious? Perhaps, perhaps not.

One thing wasn’t too clear for me, though, and that was Shadownet’s role, especially at the end. Considering who the “villain” was, and that said “villain” would’ve known about it by now, I was a little surprised the Twitter accounts weren’t monitored at the end, when all hell was breaking lose at the mansion, and it was clear Janus might have had a hand in that. Or is this my paranoid self talking? Because monitoring it would definitely have been on my list.

To conclude on this review (and this trilogy): really enjoyable—and, for once, with a female protagonist who is quite tech-savvy and doesn’t spend her time pining after boys. (Did I say we share a few common points? Yes? Thought so.)

Yzabel / April 7, 2014

Review: The Astounding Adventure of the Ancient Dragon

The Astounding Adventure of the Ancient Dragon by Jose Prendes

My rating: [rating=3]

Summary:

When 12-year-old John Watson is sent to Candlewood boarding school, he makes quick friends with a boy named Sherlock Holmes, a universally disliked know-it-all and amateur sleuth. Before long, Sherlock embroils his new friend in a covert investigation of the mysterious disappearances blamed on a vengeful ghost. Dodging the meaty fists of the bully Moriarty, and aided by bumbling patrolman Lestrade, they uncover a deadly secret hidden deep underneath Candlewood. But does the duo have the brains–and the brawn–to crack this dangerous case?

Review:

[I was sent a copy of this book by the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.]

Strong points:

The Astounding Adventure of the Ancient Dragon caught my eyes because of its premise: an alternate retelling of Holmes’s and Watson’s adventures, in a “what if those two had been children at a boarding school, instead of adults in London?” As a long-time avid reader of Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories, I couldn’t pass up on that, although any potential reader has to be aware that these new adventures are, of course, not canon. (The original Holmes and Watson didn’t meet before they were adults.)

This novel will likely provide an amusing and refreshing read to middle-grade children: boys going on exploring an old school, hidden corridors, mysterious kidnappings, peppered with a dose of humour and “old chap” banter. Some quips made me chuckle more than once:

“I ask you to come up with a distraction and you decide to set the boat on fire? Is that best you could come up with?”

And were even reminiscent of a Princess Bride kind of humour:

“I must warn you, I am a fencing champion,” Holmes replied, taking a defensive posture.
“And I must warn you,” Royston said, yanking out another sword. “I have two swords.”

Honestly, I laughed out loud at those ones.

I like boarding schools for a setting, and the latter had the makings for an interesting place, complete with a gang of local bullies and a head mistress who expresses her dislike for the heroes. Those are typical tropes, but I thought they worked well enough here, because they, too, were presented in a humorous way. The investigation and action are nicely balanced, the latter taking the main characters into fights that were easy to picture in my mind (though the former was a bit simple… but then, they’re twelve). Sherlock was true enough to his original self to my liking: oblivious to girls, possessed of a lot of knowledge, able to notice small details (and with a bonus way of talking his way out of the teachers’ wrath in an elegant and funny manner).

Last but not least, I found it easy enough to get into the concept of Holmes and Watson as children—which I wasn’t sure would happen at first. As with every retelling or alternate setting, this is, in my opinion, a matter of either love or hate. A reader who wants to see Holmes act exactly as he does in Doyle’s novels may not be completely satisfied; what worked for me here won’t work for everyone.

Problematic aspects:

I thought at times that the characters were able to do too many things (taking on opponents with a spear, firing a gun…): I can imagine how it fits an adventure-focused story, but the fact is, they’re only twelve. Sometimes I also found them a little callous, dismissing the death of a goon as if it was nothing, or Watson not seeming to care that much about the sick mother her had left behind him. Again, adventure is a distraction for the mind… but they’re still twelve.

I’m torn about the writing style. As an adult reader, I enjoyed it; the novel is well-written, and I could sense the same kind of vibes I’d get from the original stories, with the narrator (Watson) seeming to hit close enough a mark. It has a “gentlemen’s banter” quality that is exquisite to me. However, I’m not sure a 12-year-old narrator, even a precocious one, would master language to such an extent. In other words: I liked it, but I’m torn about how to judge it in an unbiased way. One thing’s for sure, though: the language wasn’t dumbed down “just because it’s for kids”, and this in itself has to be commended.

You may also want to enact suspension of disbelief regarding the school itself: the action is set in 1865, and I highly doubt there were any mixed-sex schools in Great Britain at the time, lest boarding schools. If you’re willing to overlook that in favour of focusing on the adventure, it’ll probably be all right, otherwise it might keep nagging you.

(NB. I wasn’t too keen on the illustrations, which weren’t necessary in my opinion, and seemed to hesitate between looking like a child’s drawing and “real” illustrations. This is a very minor quibble, though, that has nothing to do with the writing itself.)

I realise this review seems to contain a lot of criticism, and more flaws than merits. I’ve tried to write what I enjoyed, and what I found as being or not problems, in terms of intended audience especially. All in all, I enjoyed this novel, and think younger readers would also like it; but it definitely retains some aspects that could make it or break it for others.

Yzabel / April 6, 2014

Review: Midnight Riders

Midnight Riders by Pete Clark

My rating:[rating=3]

Summary:

“Gather ‘round people and you shall hear
about a bunch of bullshit that is clear.
Of riders and horses and monsters too;
your parents lied – they can still get you.
Hardly anyone who was there is alive
to dispel the rumor, uncover the lies,
but there was more than one man who rode that day
and more than just Redcoats who got in their way.”

Along the way, Longfellow lost something in his translation it seems.

Everyone has heard of the French and Indian War and the American Revolution. However, they have not heard about them this way! The American founding fathers had a lot more to deal with at the end of the 18th century than tariffs and tea; avoiding hurled trees from Wendigos and gargoyles falling from the sky took a lot of patience. How is Samuel Prescott supposed to hunt the leader of the Rippers when the British keep infringing upon the colonists’ rights?

Review:

[I got a copy through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.]

The promised combination of paranormal, American history and humour of this novel appealed to me, and I must say I spent quite a good time reading it. While the plot itself is actually quite serious (the War of Independence and the couple of decades that preceded it, seen through the prism of “what if supernatural creatures had plagued the colonists on top of it?”), it also makes fun of a lot of events, tropes, and famous characters—often directly, but sometimes also in a more subtle way. If you want to read a really serious supernatural retelling of history, the humour might break it; on the other hand, if you’re looking for a funny story, and don’t mind a bit of swearing and jabs at political correctness at times, then it may be for you. (As a word of warning, though, it’s best to brush up on your American history first, otherwise some hints and jokes won’t work so well.)

What may contribute to a reader liking or not liking this novel—depending on personal tastes:

* The characters aren’t too developed. The story spans over 20 years, and partly rests on assumed knowledge of the historical personas it makes use of. For instance, don’t expect to be carried on a journey into Paul Revere’s life, thoughts and feelings. Too many characters are involved for this to happen. However, you’ll find a lot of known names.

* Tropes. Lots of tropes. Allusions to red shirts, and the likes… I like when a novel plays on those, so I was glad whenever I found some. Since humour is part of the story, they work for me, much better than clichés thrown into a “serious” plot. (There’s one character in particular who likes pointing out every time a Deus Ex Machina pops up.)

* Recurrent jokes, like zombies and werewolves regularly coming to crash a battle or skirmish. (I must admit that after a while, some of them became a little old in my opinion, though.)

* Historical accuracy: not 100% accurate. Mostly the research was well-done in my opinion, but sometimes, a character will find him/herself in a place a few days too early, compared to what really happened. This said, the novel also plays on those “wrong facts”, using them to lean on the fourth wall. Scratch that: to punch a hole through it, actually. Again, this worked for me, but may not do so well for a reader who dislikes such occurrences.

* The writing: a bit dry in places, but otherwise befitting the humorous undertone. I’ve seen better, I’ve seen worse.

3.5 stars. It has its faults, and sometimes overdoes it. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it and laughed regularly.

Yzabel / April 5, 2014

Review: Viola Doyle, or An Unconventional Gift

Viola Doyle or An Unconventional Gift by Amy Lynn Spitzley

My rating: [rating=3]

Summary:

Riding her bicycle at a speed no proper young woman would attempt, letting her hair fly free, conversing with statues of long-dead heroines—these are all par for the course for Viola Doyle, much to her mother’s chagrin.

Keeping her newfound magical pin safe from those who would use it to unsavory ends and dealing with a handsome young historian takes quite a bit more effort.

And then, of course, there is the dragon…

To save herself and those she loves, it is up to Viola to become her own heroine, or suffer a terrible fate…

Review:

[I got a copy from NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.]

This book was a fast, refreshing one. Not the best I’ve laid my hands on this year, but a pleasant one nonetheless. It’s suffused with a late Victorian/early Edwardian atmosphere, although the world it’s set in seems more like an alternate setting (I’m positive there never was a Queen Olivia in England/Great Britain). The heroine, Viola, also reminded me a little of Violet in The Adventure of the Solitary Cyclist; I guess that was a wink at Arthur Conan Doyle, especially considering her family name.

Viola was an enjoyable protagonist, still young in many ways, but eager for more modern ways of thinking, the latter clashing, of course, with her mother’s ideals regarding girls her age. She’s not experienced yet, but she already knows what kind of man she wouldn’t spend her life with—and when she finds someone she grows fond of, she still remains who she is, and doesn’t become a smitten idiot. I liked her relationship with her grandmother, as well as the fact her family was descended from a corsair; it gave them a kind of flair, associating them with adventure while still allowing them to retain respectability. Even her mother can be surprising at times.

I only “liked” instead of “loved” this novel because, all things considered, it was a bit too short, and as such didn’t leave enough room to more protagonist development. The romance went a bit too fast, and a few more incidents related to the pin (for instance) would have made the story a little more exciting. A lot of things were predictable, such as how one can spot from the start who the villain is. However, I’m pretty sure middle-grade readers would like it nevertheless, and it makes for a nice little afternoon read.

Yzabel / April 3, 2014

Review: Script Kiddie

Script Kiddie by Michael F. Stewart

My rating: [rating=4]

Summary:

Jan Rose no longer steals data from the old computers she recycles. She doesn’t need to. As the newest member of the police department’s High Tech Crime Unit, the laptop of a murderer has landed on her desk. Her job: to profile and expose a killer.

But that’s not all.

A creep lurks in the shadows, stalking a friend, and Jan must stop him before the hunt turns deadly. The clock counts down for Jan to save her friend, her job, her boyfriend–maybe even her life.

Review:

[I was sent a copy by the author, as part of my being approved by NetGalley to review book #3, in exchange for an honest opinion. While there was no condition involving writing a review for this one, I still decided to do it.]

I read Assured Destruction in 2013, and really liked it, though much to my shame, I failed to keep track of when the next installments were published. This second volume I found just as enjoyable as the first one, mainly for similar reasons. With each chapter, I wanted to know what was coming next.

After her stint in book 1, Jan, the main character, is still in dire straits, having to balance school, the store, her mother’s illness, Peter’s arrival in their lives, her new relationship with Jonny, and the many hours of community service she owes to the police. Sure, she can stil somewhat rely on Shadownet to vent out, but mostly she’s now confronted to more than she can chew, and frustration’s building up.

Characters & plot:

I like Jan. As a character, she has a lot of potential, some of which she lives up to, and some that still leaves room for improvement. She’s far from perfect; she commits mistakes; sometimes she’s too proud for her own good and doesn’t realise what she’s getting herself into until it’s too late. I guess her fatal flaw would be hubris, combined to her problems to cope with the more social aspects of life. She fancies herself a hacker, but is soon brought back to reality. She imagines her community service as an open door to be acknowledged as part of the police, but of course reality is harsher, and soon she’s reminded she’s still just a kid in many ways (don’t expect cop drama here, and a teenager being propelled as star of the detective show—which wouldn’t be too believable anyway). Her eagerness and overconfidence when it comes to computers/networks land her in trouble.

However, she also tries to fix things and help. When she’s humbled by people who know more than her (and who knows everything at 16!), she accepts her shortcomings and strive to get better. She also shows a lot of courage, involving herself in person—not because she’s too stupid to live (although her mistakes could get her killed), but because she genuinely wants to save other people, while knowing that waiting isn’t an option.

I also appreciated how her relationship with Jonny was portrayed, because it’s light on the romance part. The events of the book unfold on roughly one week, and Jan is very busy… so busy that she can’t keep up with having a boyfriend and doing “what it takes” to keep him. Now, considering what happens, I found this understandable. She’s worried about her role regarding the police, about missing school, about being wrongly accused of hacking, about her mother whose health isn’t great… I can understand that. I can understand a person being unable to keep up, and I think I would have held it against Jan if she had put everything to the back of her mind to be with Jonny all the time and play lovey-dovey, the way it happens too often. I can’t say she always knows how to keep her priorities straight (the carding case is a good example), but that part fits with her personality.

Last but not least, what’s going on with Peter is intriguing. On the one hand, I can understand Jan’s wariness when it comes to this man: he’s new in their lives, and with all the problems the store is facing, of course Jan is going to think he’s up to something. Overall, he’s sweet, caring, understanding, he tries to help her, as if he was doing his best to get her to accept him… Too good to be true? Perhaps he’s just that: a man who loves her mother and wants to earn his place in the daughter’s life as well (fast, considering how bad Tina’s health is). Or perhaps he’s something else. Or more than simply that.

The tech:

I already liked the computer/tech aspect in the previous book, and I still like it here. What happens in Script Kiddy is actually good lessons for teenagers (and for anyone not internet-savvy, for that matter), but not presented as such. They’re integrated within the flow of the story, while dealing with real problems: phishing, how wireless devices can be a downfall, internet predators, and so on.

The way procedures and technology in general are described is also easy to understand. Well, it’s easy for me, as I know enough (though I’m certainly not a specialist), but I think anyone would understand what’s going on. Some things made me frown at first, and think “why is this explained?”; but not everyone knows what IRC is, after all.

Problem?:

A few things bothered me; not enough to prevent me from enjoying the story, but I still feel I should mention them. The murderer’s laptop was one of them: would the police really hand evidence to Jan, let her take it out of the precinct? This I found unbelievable (and considering what happens with it next, it should’ve tipped her off). Also, at times Jan felt just a tad bit immature when it came to the problems in her life, mainly her mother. On the other hand, I can also envision her as the kind of girl who would cope by shutting off and/or focusing on different things for a while, so I’m not completely sure I can chalk that to sheer immaturity, or to the kind of slightly neurotic persona she seems to be developing. There’s just so much going on that at some point, the girl’s doomed to break.

Those put aside, this second novel in the series was really a page-turner, and a good read for me.

Yzabel / March 31, 2014

Review: Jack: The Tale of Frost

Jack: The Tale of Frost by Tony Bertauski

My rating: [rating=2]

Summary:

Sura is sixteen years old when she meets Mr. Frost. He’s very short and very fat and he likes his room very, very cold. Some might say inhumanly cold. His first name isn’t Jack, she’s told. And that’s all she needed to know.

Mr. Frost’s love for Christmas is over-the-top and slightly psychotic. And why not? He’s made billions of dollars off the holiday he invented. Or so he claims. Rumor is he’s an elven, but that’s silly. Elven aren’t real. And if they were, they wouldn’t live in South Carolina. They wouldn’t hide in a tower and go to the basement to make…things.

Nonetheless, Sura will work for this odd little recluse. Frost Plantation is where she’ll meet the love of her life. It’s where she’ll finally feel like she belongs somewhere. And it’s where she’ll meet someone fatter, balder and stranger than Mr. Frost. It’s where she’ll meet Jack.

Jack hates Christmas.

Review:

[I got a copy through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
However, that was a few months ago—I totally missed the Archiving deadline—so I don’t know if my copy is actually an ARC, or if it’s exactly the same as the one that was officially published. Apologies for my taking so long to reading the book.]

Rating this book is hard. I read other works by this author, and liked them a lot, but somehow, this one didn’t elicit the same response from me. (I also preferred the first book in this series, Claus.)

There were beautiful things in this story, some of them in their sadness (Frost’s part, Sura), some comical, some that were both (Jack’s time among the humans, their instant rejection and his subsequent obnoxious ways). The plot itself also spins a very particular tale, and if you haven’t read Claus, then you’re going to miss on several details and connections.

I guess the main problem for me was that I felt disconnected from the characters, and would have wanted to get to know them more, “walk” with them some more—especially for the last 20%, when light is shed on several aspects of the plan. Perhaps I also wanted Sura and Joe to play more of a part in it? It’s hard to tell, but it made me feel frustrated.

On the writing side, I noticed a few jarring tense shifts now and then. However, as I said, I don’t know if my copy was the final release, or an ARC, so those may not remain in the published product.

Yzabel / March 28, 2014

Review: Shattered Veil

Shattered Veil by Tracy E. Banghart

My rating: [rating=4]

Summary:

When everything that defines you is stripped away, who do you become?

For Aris, a talented wingjet pilot, war means sacrificing everything: her home, her name, her face—and the one promise she swore she’d never break.

In the small village of Lux, everyone flies wingjets, but nobody flies them like Aris Haan. When she’s not dancing through the skies, she’s spending every minute with Calix, whom she’s loved since childhood. They plan to Promise, but instead he is sent to defend their dominion against a bloody invasion. Determined not to lose him, Aris follows, joining an underground network of women inside the male-only military. Using secret technology that allows her to pass as a man, she becomes “Aristos”, a Flyer in a search-and-rescue unit.

As Aris grows stronger on the battlefield and more comfortable in her guise as Aristos, her personal mission becomes less and less clear. When she and her enigmatic commander, Major Vidar, uncover an astonishing conspiracy that could destroy everything, she must make a choice that will determine not only the fate of her heart, but the future of her dominion.

Review:

[I got an eARC from netGalley some time ago, in exchange for an honest review. In the meantime, the book was officially published, so maybe my version isn’t up-to-date anymore, though.]

This book turned out to be a very good surprise for me. I had read two other novels by the same author, and while I’d certainly not call them bad, they just didn’t really “click” with me. However, I sensed that was probably due to my being somewhat jaded with similar stories, more than to any writing fault; when I read the blurb for Shattered Veil, I thought that maybe this story would do it for me.

Well, it did.

The novel is based on the classical girl-posing-as-a-boy theme, and I liked the way it progressed about it. First, the technology used to do so felt believable to me: more than just binding your breasts and hope that nobody finds out, and less than a perfect disguise, which left room for accidents to happen. (Basically—not a spoiler, as this is revealed early enough—it’s a holographic technology that makes one’s features look more male, but what’s under, curves included, remains the same, and the women still have to talk, walk, behave in as “manly” a way as possible. It’s not just a free pass allowing them to look like whatever they want. The people in charge also take many details into account, including pairing girls together, so that they won’t be found out by a genuine male bunk mate.)

Second, Aris, the main female character, evolved in a way I enjoyed. Scouted by a pilot who saw her amazing flying skills and thought she’d be a great asset to the army, she decides to take up on the offer… for the wrong reason: finding Calix, the boy she loves, and who’s been enrolled in the army. This was her only goal at first, perhaps more potent a motivator for her than her love of flying and the prospect of becoming a pilot, too. This was an annoying goal in my eyes; not that love in itself is bad, of course, but considering the scope of the war, and what might have been going on behind the scenes, it just felt… small. However, Aris doesn’t stop there, and along the course of the story, realises that there’s so much more to this than just being with Calix. There’s more to the world—and more to herself, the girl who was always somewhat coddled in her village because she was left with a limp after a fever.

Another great character in that regard was Dianthe. We don’t see her much, but that woman was definitely the no-bullshit type I appreciate greatly. From the beginning, she treats Aris as a human being, not as a frail girl, making her undergo training—probably what she would have needed back home in order to strengthen her muscles and have her limp less (considering that wasn’t a problem in the army later, it stands to logic that the lack of proper exercise in Aris’s life prior to joining the troops didn’t help). She doesn’t want to hear whining, she scoffs at the girl’s motives, but since those motives can carry her so far, she still gives her an opportunity to be recruited as a pilot, disguised as a man thanks to the “diatous veil” technology. Dianthe was an empowering figure, the first one who really put Aris on the path of becoming her own person, and not the image of her reflected in her parents’ and friends’ eyes.

And Aris definitely grows up. As she spends more and more time in the army, as she befriends other soldiers, including the girl who bunks with her, she starts to open up to other possibilities and opportunities, even though she must seize them under a false identity. She starts to see the bigger picture; to consider her own importance in the Search and Rescue team as someone who saves lives; to discover what she really wants to do; and to accept that it may not be what she wanted in the beginning.

Another good thing in this novel: it was light on the romance. It could’ve easily led to a love triangle, but it didn’t, and I was glad for that. The country’s at war, Aris does her job as a pilot, there’s no nonsense here about dilly-dallying about which love interest to pick (I really don’t like when the stakes are high, but the hero/ine wastes time on romance and clearly can’t prioritise). Aris does prioritise, on top of growing as a person, and that’s why she’s great. Granted, there were a couple of things that made me snort (like that moment when she and her mate talk of Aris’s dream about one of the officers, and one says something like “I haven’t felt like a girl in a really long time”—as if talking about men was a really defining feature of being a girl) but fortunately, such moments were few and far between.

One thing I would’ve liked to see more of, though, was the world-building. The world itself isn’t too hard to grasp (five dominions, each governed by an elected “Ward”), and the sci-fi aspect is light, so it won’t rebuke people who aren’t keen on hard science fiction. There’s a slight dystopian element, in that people are Selected into specific work areas when they become adults, and can’t leave them (being Unselected means very few places will hire you, and so on); also, the Military sector doesn’t allow women in, because of an obsolete law nobody ever cared to repel. I guess I would’ve liked to see more development on that side, as well as on geopolitics as a whole, to shed more light on the Ward of Ruslana subplot. (That subplot made sense and was well-used; I just like to know more in general, to get a proper grasp on a country/world when such a setting is concerned.) And maybe also some more information on how exactly women managed to stay in the army: they used variations on their real names (Aris Haan –> Aristos Haan), so how was this covered? Was some kind of “citizen database” tampered with? (I did say I like knowing more, didn’t I?)

This book is definitely worth reading in my opinion, especially for how it allows its main female character (and others) to walk a road of their own choosing, instead of staying in the little boxes society has put them into.

Yzabel / March 26, 2014

Review: Dark Metropolis

Dark Metropolis by Jaclyn Dolamore

My rating: [rating=3]

Summary:

Sixteen-year-old Thea Holder’s mother is cursed with a spell that’s driving her mad, and whenever they touch, Thea is chilled by the magic, too. With no one else to contribute, Thea must make a living for both of them in a sinister city, where danger lurks and greed rules.
Thea spends her nights waitressing at the decadent Telephone Club attending to the glitzy clientele. But when her best friend, Nan, vanishes, Thea is compelled to find her. She meets Freddy, a young, magnetic patron at the club, and he agrees to help her uncover the city’s secrets-even while he hides secrets of his own.

Together, they find a whole new side of the city. Unrest is brewing behind closed doors as whispers of a gruesome magic spread. And if they’re not careful, the heartless masterminds behind the growing disappearances will be after them, too.

Perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare, this is a chilling thriller with a touch of magic where the dead don’t always seem to stay that way.

Review:

[I got an ARC through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. The book not being released yet, some things might be liable to change by the time it hits the shelves.]

3.5 stars. I had my qualms with this novel, but overall it had just the right amount of tension and mystery going to keep me wanting to turn the pages. And, of course, it’s got necromancy. I am always biased towards necromancy. Nothing can go wrong with necro—wait, what am I saying?

Though inspired from Metropolis, I found it to be able to stand on its own, through its mix of 1930-ish atmosphere and magic, the latter not exactly of the nice kind (even the Binding magic has its nasty side-effects). Some scenes bordered on gory and/or disturbing, and could scare younger readers, but they’re also tempered with an overall glitzy darkness, if this makes sense. We’re not given a lot of world-building, only general facts, such as the war that happened a few years ago, food shortages, people having to work in some mysterious factory, the government hiding things; I think this may or may not be a problem depending on the reader. It still worked for me, because it was reminiscent of the historical period that inspired the novel (late 1920-early 1930s Germany), and the feeling I got from this was more important than the absolute need to know everything about that world. Although I would like to know more about what exactly has been happening behind the scenes in other places than the one shown here; maybe in the next volume?

The characters were likeable, but not exceptional. I had the feeling that they were glossed over in parts, and that some events occurred too fast for them to really develop bonds. Freddy and Thea, mainly, barely meet a couple of times before he tells her everything, and this wasn’t so believable. I also found myself rooting for Nan and Sigi more than anyone else, even though Nan is barely mentioned in the blurb and we’re somewhat mistakingly led to believe Thea’s the main heroine. On the other hand, they had touching back stories, and I was still glad to see some sort of closure for them. It made for a bittersweet ending, but I wouldn’t have seen a happy-ever-ending for such a novel.

As for the plot, I found the idea to bring back dead people to life through necromancy brilliant; it’s so simple, it makes so much sense, and at the same time, it’s just so horribly fascinating that you don’t know in the end if you want to hug those people or put a bullet through their eyes, out of mercy, that is. I liked that there was a severe drawback to it, that they needed the serum to function; no magic should go without its price to pay, and Freddie himself was paying it without even knowing it. The other thing I liked about his magic was how it was in fact a good magic, one made to appease people, and not to create undead armies. Arabella’s sacrifice was moving, and helped show that Freddie could also do beautiful things using his powers.

I would however argue that things unfolded a little too quickly and easily in the last part of the book; I would’ve expected more spunk and deviousness from the villains, who went down too fast to my liking. I guess this ties with my comments about events when I mentioned the characters. I’m also rather puzzled about the whole “Guardian of Fate” business; it seemed a bit like a deus ex machina, and could’ve deserved a slightly different approach.

Dark Metropolis is, as said, not devoid of flaws; but its atmosphere and its take on necromancy definitely allowed me to enjoy it.

Yzabel / March 24, 2014

Review: Death Whispers

Death Whispers by Tamara Rose Blodgett

My rating: [rating=0]

Summary:

Almost fifteen-year-old Caleb Hart is a Cadaver-Manipulator in the year 2025. When teens receive a government-sanctioned pharmaceutical cocktail during school, paranormal abilities begin manifesting… making the teens more powerful than the adults.

After Caleb discovers he has the rare, Affinity for the Dead, he must do whatever it takes to hide it from a super-secret government agency whose goal is exploitation.

Caleb seeks refuge in his new girlfriend, Jade, until he realizes that she needs as much protection from her family, as he does from the government.

Suddenly, Caleb finds that hiding his ability while protecting Jade and his friends is a full time job; can he escape the government, protect Jade and lose the bullies that are making him miserable?

Review:

DNFed at 42%. I can’t trudge through it any longer, not without booze, and I guess this is a sure sign I shouldn’t go on.

I wanted to like this story so, so badly. You can’t imagine. Necromancy is exactly the kind of magic (or, more generally, power) that fascinates me, for all the possibilities it offers and questions it raises, and from the blurb, I thought I would love this story. Even the acronym for Caleb’s ability (AFTD – Affinity For The Dead) got my attention.

But I just can’t, for the following reasons:

Juvenile prose, for starters. Granted, the narrator is supposed to be 13-14, However, the jumbled thoughts, run-on sentences and limited vocabulary still made it hard to go through the story. Some sentences were also really weird:

“Mom liked to notice me growing by saying my eyeballs were “taller” than whatever random day she had noticed before.”

Huh?

Too much useless dialogue and everyday life scenes. Those needed serious trimming. I don’t demand action and only action, but I really don’t need to know about every breakfast food, teenage thought, phone (sorry, pulse) conversation, and so on. There’s a fine line to tread between “characters who’re still schooled yet are never seen in class/doing homework” and “detailing every school day”. Here, it was just too much of the latter. On top of it, Caleb’s observations weren’t particularly interesting.

Annoying characters, especially Jonesy. Jonesy wasn’t funny nor clever. He was just the kind of moronic teenage boy who’s probably going to earn a Darwin Award someday. From the start, I just couldn’t stand him. With such friends, who still needs enemies?

And then, then: Too Stupid To Live characters. The whole lot, adults included.

The premise seems to be about Caleb not wanting to end up like the one guy who had exactly the same abilities as him (basically, this would mean being stripped of all his freedom and human rights, and be used as a government tool). So why, why does he have to blab about it to everyone, and show off his power? In the most idiotic ways possible?

He faints in biology class due to “hearing” all the dead frogs. However, he doesn’t want the two school bullies to think he’s a sissy. What does he do? Take them to the local cemetery and raises some random bloke from his grave.
The guys are bullies. They never miss an opportunity to taunt him. Worst people ever to show off to.

He raises a dead dog in the middle of the street. With plenty of witnesses around.

“A cop’s interest in our lives couldn’t be a good thing, whatever angle you look from.”

Oh, really?
Then why did you tell said cop about his being AFTD?

“Garcia looked at Mom thoughtfully. […] I decided to man-up, I wasn’t little anymore.
I broke the silence. “I have Affinity for The Dead.””

A cop. Not a bad guy overall, but still, someone whose duty involves reporting people like Caleb:

“If I find out you’re a Cadaver-Manipulator, we are lawfully bound to report that to the proper authorities.”

And it’s not only Caleb. It’s everyone.

Jonesy doesn’t seem to grasp the basic concept of “talking about Caleb’s abilities could mean the government finding out”. Of course, he flaps his mouth in front of Caleb’s parents and the cop:

“Jonesy piped in, “I still wanna know what happened to the dog.””

(Caleb did a mental facepalm; so did I.)

The two bullies? They don’t rat Caleb out. Seriously, if I had been a villain, and disliked some guy like they seemed to dislike him, I’d have used that golden opportunity to get rid of him.

His parents: they’re supposed to be the growns-up. His father’s the one who mapped up the whole human genome, thus paving the way to the tests and injection that would later awaken latent abilities in teenagers. Like Parker (the first AFTD). Like Caleb. I expected much more from them. They didn’t deliver.
Example: they want to test his abilities. The best course of action they devise is to take him to the cemetery to talk to his great-grandmother, and potentially, raise her from her grave (by the time it happens, they already suspect he’s not just the basic AFTD kid who can merely see and talk to ghosts).

“Mom began, ‘We’ve thought about it and decided that after this whole mess is over,’ her smile said the mess wasn’t my fault […]”

I’m sorry to break the news to you, Caleb, but yes, it is. It is your fault. At this point, you’re too stupid to be left running free, because who knows what harm you could do, considering the dumb ideas you and your pals could still come up with?

A wonder he hasn’t been discovered/ratted out already. I won’t find out on my own, though. I’m giving up.

Yzabel / March 23, 2014

Review: The Wizard’s Promise

The Wizard’s Promise by Cassandra Rose Clarke

My rating: [rating=2]

Summary:

All Hanna Euli wants is to become a proper witch – but unfortunately, she’s stuck as an apprentice to a grumpy fisherman. When their boat gets caught up in a mysterious storm and blown wildly off course, Hanna finds herself further away from home than she’s ever been before.

As she tries to get back, she learns there may be more to her apprentice master than she realized, especially when a mysterious, beautiful, and very non-human boy begins following her through the ocean, claiming that he needs Hanna’s help.

Review:

[I got an ARC through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. A few things are liable to change in this book by the time it is officially published.]

I can’t say I didn’t like this novel, but I also know it won’t leave me with a lasting impression either. I reckon this is partly because a lot of time in it is spent on sea, travelling on fishing boats, and nothing really happens. There were a few events now and then, but they felt somewhat distanciated, as if they had been put here for something to break the monotony of the journey(s).

The one thing that definitely annoyed me in The Wizard’s Promise was its approach of “mystery for the sake of mystery”, which in one case even led to what I couldn’t help but see as a plot hole. Hanna finds herself on a journey to the north, not knowing why her captain, Kolur, is going there, and merely wanting to go home (understandably: as much as going on an adventure can be exciting, just sailing north without any inkling as to why she’s here, not even having been able to warn her parents about it, isn’t that appealing). This was the first problem: Hanna didn’t know, so she kept asking Kolur, Kolur kept not answering and/or changing topics, so hanna got angsty about it, which in turn make her appear as childish. Rinse and repeat. When at last she gets some answers, of course it’s too late to just turn back and head home.

The second problem was why Kolur brought her with him, and here’s the plot hole for me. There was basically no reason, except “if I had gone back to port to leave you at your parents’ first, I would’ve missed my window of opportunity.” If there was any other reason, then I definitely missed it. Not once did I get the feeling that Kolur needed Hanna’s presence and/or her magic (Frida filled the roles of both sailor and wind witch, putting hanna out of a job, and she went on board early in the story). When Hanna decided to seek work on another fishing vessel, weeks went by, and Kolur never once tried to convince her to come back. So, for me, he didn’t need her at all. Which leads me to ask, why keep her with him? Their first stop, Skalir, was only a few days from Kjora, where Hanna lives with her parents; since Kolur “recruited” Frida in Skalir, why not simply tell Hanna “listen, girl, I shouldn’t have brought you with me, I’m sorry; there’s something I need to do in the north, if you don’t want to come with me, I understand, I’ll put you on the first ship bound for Kjora and you can go back to your parents’.” Then, there’s Isolfr. He needs her, all right, and considering who he turns out to be, it makes sense. Still, it only works because Kolur kept Hanna on board for no reason. Thus, plot hole.

On the other hand, I liked the world developed in the novel. I haven’t read The Assassin’s Curse (by the same author, and set in the same world, from what I understood from the narrative), so maybe a reader who already knows it won’t perceive it the same way I did. In my case, I liked the way magic seemed to work, the way the names sounded (Kjora, Skalir, Isolfr…). Also, the people of Tulja looked overall like decent people, who didn’t make a distinction between men and women as long as one was able to pull his/her share of the work. They would’ve had every reason for throwing Hanna out, yet showed understanding, especially Finnur and Asbera; these two were definitely sweet and welcoming, and provided a good, kind counterpart to the apparent coldness of Kolur and Frida.

Overall, more a 1.5*, but since I did like some of the characters, and found reading about them pleasant, I’m making it a 2.