Author Archive
There is a certain tradition in Fantasy fiction of the noble hero going out on a quest, usually with a couple of elves or dwarves, and then finding the magic whatsit to save the world as we know it. While that tradition has certainly yielded some great stories, it’s always a treat to come across something a little different. Here are three titles that I’ve recently read and enjoyed.
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
This book is a story, a story about stories. A story about the many stories that make up a life. We meet Kvothe, an inkeeper with a past. When the Chronicler comes to the inn, he convinces Kvothe to tell his story, from his days with a traveling troupe of entertainers to the time where he goes to university to learn magic. Why would the Chronicler want to know about a washed up inkeeper? Because Kvothe is special - he has an uncanny knack for learning and mastering almost anything he puts his mind to. You will find out when you read it, it’s a mesmerizing tale, one that will be hard to put down once you get started. The highly anticipated second installment is due out in March of 2011.
The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
The con is on! Locke Lamora is a super thief, in a city that has more than its fair share of thieves. Orphaned at a young age, Locke is taken in by a gang leader who uses orphans for thieving throughout the city. Locke just can’t content himself with mere pickpocketing. He pulls off BIG heists, which gets him kicked out of the gang, and into the arms of a priest. Let’s just say that the priest is not there to reform Locke, he’s there to put a polish on his skills. This books was the fantasy equivalent of The Sting, there are numerous swindles, cons, and counter swindles going on. It’s another great read that will have you flipping pages to get to the bottom of the mystery. There are two more books in the series, if you have read them leave a comment and let me know if they are as good as the first.
Gardens of the moon by Steven Erikson
I liked this book. I liked this book a lot, even though it was a little harder to get through than the other two. This is Erikson’s first book in the Malazan book of the fallen series, and it’s a vividly imagined alternate world. So vividly imagined that it does take a little getting used to all of the new names of the different types of creatures and races in it. There is a handy guide available in the book for people like me who are a little slow on the uptake. Gardens of the Moon follows the battles of the Malzan empire, focusing mostly on an elite unit of soldiers called the Bridgeburners. Gardens of the Moon is the first of what will be a ten book series by Erikson (there are a total of nine out so far) in addition there are also books by Ian C. Esslemont that take place within the same alternate world, so if you find yourself hooked after reading this one (or at least warily intrigued like me) there is a whole lot more available to you.
What have you been reading lately? I’m always looking for new suggestions.
July 30th, 2010
Gregg - Sequoya
Want to read a scary book? How would it be if it was set in small town Maine? Sounds familiar? Well you’re wrong, it’s not this guy. It’s a couple of books written by someone relatively new to the horror scene, Sarah Langan.
The Keeper & The Missing both take place in the same area in Maine. In The Keeper, we are introduced to the town of Bedford, Maine. Things are not well there. The paper mill has closed down and the rain is never-ending. The town is also haunted by Susan Marley, once a good looking popular girl, now a shell of her former self. Susan wanders the streets of Bedford and also enters the dreams of the locals, with portents of doom. The Missing is a sort of sequel to The Keeper. The town of Corpus Christi was a neighboring town to Bedford. The awful thing that happened in Bedford, is now infecting Corpus Christi.
Sarah Langan is great at creating a sense of menance and foreboding in her books. You get that tingling in the back of your spine as you read. If you are only an occasional reader of horror titles, then these are the two you should read this year. If you are a fan of the genre, then you probably have already read them, but if you haven’t, do so now.
October 28th, 2009
Gregg - Sequoya
The Berserkers - cold, steel, killing machines. Their one purpose - to wipe out all of humanity. Sounds cheerful doesn’t it? Fred Saberhagen has created the ultimate nightmare of technology gone mad in Berserkers: The Beginning.
Think of Berserkers as a kind of sentient death star, able to replicate and repair themselves. This first book in the series is a collection of loosely connected short stories. I really enjoyed the way that Saberhagen played with this concept. Some of the stories are grim, as you might expect, and others are light, humorous pieces.
I highly recommend this book, but have this question for all of you Saberhagen fans in blogland. My impression is that later novels in the series turned into straight-up military science fiction, how do they compare to this one? Are they worth the read?
May 11th, 2009
Gregg - Sequoya
Well it’s World Series time, so that means time for some baseball books.
While I don’t watch a lot of baseball, I really enjoy the incredible amount of strategy that goes into each pitch: where to place your fielders, where to place your pitch, and how all that changes when you have runners on base, etc., etc. Add to that all of the unwritten rules of baseball – like when do you bean a guy, and conversely, when does one charge the mound? Then add to that all of the different ways you can cheat, and not just by taking steroids and throwing spitballs. The grounds crew can get involved as well- how the pitcher’s mound is set up, how well the foul lines are maintained - these tiny things can be manipulated and have an impact as well. If you are of a mind to read up on these themes than I would recommend: The Code : Baseball’s Unwritten Rules and its Ignore-at-Your-Own-Risk Code of Conduct by Ross Bernstein and The Cheater’s Guide to Baseball by Derek Zumsteg. Looking for a good general guide to baseball strategy? Check out my earlier posting here.
And if you are in the mood for a good baseball novel, then I would highly recommend Battle creek by Scott Lasser. Battle Creek is the story of a minor league baseball team in Michigan, one that is perennially a runner up in the league championships. Each of the characters in the book has to wrestle with just what ethical lines they will cross to bring home that elusive championship. Battle Creek is also the story of men, their relationships with their fathers, their relationships with women, and their relationships with their teammates.
When reading Battle Creek, you can tell that Mr. Lasser is also a baseball fan. Many of the intricacies that I mentioned earlier inform this book. That being said, I don’t think it’s necessary to be that level of a fan to appreciate the book. A bittersweet book, it’s well worth the read.
October 20th, 2008
Gregg - Sequoya
Way of the Wolf by E.E. Knight is the first book in his Vampire Earth series.
First off don’t let the vampire in the vampire earth series put you off, this is not another book about blood sucking count dracula types. The vampires refer to the Kurians, an ancient alien race that has come to earth to feed on the vital aura of human beings. To do this they first had to soften the earth up by sending disease & assorted nasty creatures, reducing civilization to a primitive state. The earth is now divided into free areas that fight the Kurians and those who collaborate with them.
E.E. Knight was born in Wisconsin, and it shows. There is a good chunk of the book where the hero, David Valentine, is running through Wisconsin, and his descriptions of the area add a nice local touch.
It’s a great rip roaring trip, with elements of science fiction, horror, and military fiction. A great summer read.
July 26th, 2008
Gregg - Sequoya
In case you missed Part 1, I’m listing a couple of the books that I found recommended in the book Lost Classics where well known authors list some of their favorite under appreciated books.
Today’s entry is Address Unknown by Kathrine Kressmann Taylor. Originally published in 1938, Address Unknown is the story of a Jewish art dealer and his business partner. The business partner leaves for Germany and falls under the spell of the rising Nazi party. While in Germany he has a chance to help the niece of the art dealer, but because she is Jewish, he refuses so he can remain in the good graces of the local Nazis.
What makes this slim novel interesting is that it is told through letters between the art dealer and his partner (for more epistolary fiction check out our list here). A quick read, and the original way in which the art dealer gets his revenge makes this one well worth checking out.
April 12th, 2008
Gregg - Sequoya
Need to add more titles to your “To Read” list? A while ago I stumbled across a great book called Lost Classics: Writers on Books Loved and Lost, Overlooked, Under-read, Unavailable, Stolen, Extinct, or Otherwise Out of Commission, in which famous authors list some of their favorite under appreciated and overlooked books.
In the book one of my favorite authors, John Irving, listed The Headmaster’s Papers by Richard A. Hawley as a lost classic, and while I personally wouldn’t call it a classic it was a very good read.
In The Headmaster’s Papers we follow the life of John Greeve, headmaster at Wells Academy. John is old fashioned, a man of principles, but his world is falling apart; problems both profound and picayune are hounding him. We follow John’s descent through his letters. These letters give us an intimate portrait of life at the Academy, as well as showing us John’s struggles with a world that is changing. This book should be depressing, but it’s not. While Greeve’s battle is ultimately lost, his noble struggle to keep himself above water is inspirational.
April 1st, 2008
Gregg - Sequoya
OK first things first, get the image of Rambo played by Sylvester Stallone in a series of movies in the 1980’s out of your head. Finished? Then lets begin.
First Blood (another edition) by David Morrell is the story of John Rambo, an ex-Green Beret just back from Vietnam. Now he’s a drifter, aimlessly wandering the states. He drifts into a small Kentucky town and meets Sheriff Teasle, and from there things go downhill.
Sheriff Teasle thinks Rambo is a bum, and encourages him to leave town. Rambo decides that he is not going to take being pushed around anymore. From there, let’s just say that things start to escalate. Morrell takes us inside the two characters, and we get to see their motivations for taking a simple confrontation and turning it into a conflagration. A top notch thriller.
August 23rd, 2007
Gregg - Sequoya
Looking for something a little offbeat? Then check out Death Jr. by Gary Whitta. It tells the story of the son of the Grim Reaper and the trials and travails he goes through when he goes to a new school. Things get off to a bad start when he gets too close to the class goldfish and it dies. However, there are a other oddballs in the class, and Death Jr fits right in.
There is a story here—something about demons escaping and an army of the recently deceased taking over the world—but the real fun is seeing the Grim Reaper as a dedicated family man, and the relationship between father and son as Death Jr tries to be like his dad. A great light read.
June 25th, 2007
Gregg - Sequoya
How long has it been since you have played a game of 
baseball? I don’t think that I’ve played since little league, but I’ve always enjoyed the game, and like catching the occasional Mallards or Brewers game. If you would like to take your appreciation of the game to a whole new level then check out Watching Baseball Smarter : A Professional Fan’s Guide for Beginners, Semi-experts, and Deeply Serious Geeks. Zack Hample is obviously quite a fan, and he describes the many games within the game such as pitcher vs batter, pitcher vs runner on first, first baseman vs runner on first, etc. In addition he clears up many mysteries such as the infield fly rule. My only complaint (and it’s a minor one) is the way he sometimes uses baseball lingo without explaining it; you need to go to the glossary to find out the definition of the term he just used. Other than that, this is a great book to help you appreciate all of the nuances that are involved in a baseball game.
June 11th, 2007
Gregg - Sequoya
Under the Eagle : A Tale of Military Adventure and Reckless Heroism with the Roman Legions by Simon Scarrow.
Meet Macro: veteran soldier, tough guy, rough around the edges, curse word using, seasoned campaigner. Recently promoted to Centurion.
Meet Cato: newbie, raw recruit, literature reading, former slave, with connections to high falutin people in Rome. Recently promoted (for dubious reasions) to Optio, Macro’s second in command.
Macro takes Cato under his wing despite their differences, and as the Roman army goes from Germany to Britain, the two find themselves involved in various plots and schemes revolving around the newly installed emperor.
If you are looking for a good, light adventure story, this was a rollicking good read. If you really like it, there are more books in the series.
February 19th, 2007
Gregg - Sequoya
Meet Paul Skoglund. Paul suffers from Tourette’s syndrome, 
but has it pretty well under control. Unfortunately, it has caused him to be unemployed for some time. So when Paul’s aunt asks him to fix up her family home, which was recently vandalized, he jumps at the chance to make some money. Good for Paul, right?
Well…Paul’s aunt is a little creepy. Paul’s cousin (his aunt’s son) is even creepier. In the area where his aunt’s house is, a number of teens have gone missing. Plus, when Paul gets to the house, it becomes apparent that the damage to the house is far more than just simple vandalism.
Skull session by Daniel Hecht was a great thriller, it had me turning pages late into the night. I had a slight problem with the ending (didn’t really buy into the explanation), but really enjoyed the book.
February 12th, 2007
Gregg - Sequoya
Previous Posts
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
Gardens of the moon by Steven Erikson
