End of Year Book Review 2010!

Well, this is a rough book review of all the books I’ve read this year, written with the most recently read books first. I’m not a pro at giving reviews and don’t claim to be. I’m writing this because I want others to read these books, most of them, to share my enjoyment and have people to discuss the books with, ‘cause I love that. My synopses are probably not that great compared to how the books actually are, but I try. In the end, I really did enjoy most of these books, so I hope you can give some of them a shot. And I’ve still got so much more to read…

Also, some books I just consider really good reads, like I could read them again and again without trouble, and others I consider classics, that I’m glad to have read at least once, but might still be hard to read again. You’ll have to decide for yourself which one I mean from my rating and subsequently written opinion. And in general, I probably give away high scores too easily, but that’s just how I do things.

* Means I’ve read the book(s) in previous years

Rating System as follows

10/10 = Classic in my opinion
9.5/10 = Almost Classic / Brilliant and Imaginative Story
9/10 = Classic of genre I’m not as taken with / Very enjoyable read
8.5/10 = Very good read that lacked only a little something
8/10 = Enjoyable and Interesting read, but perhaps harder to recommend to all audiences
7/10 = Enjoyable, but not up to par. Probably won’t be reread.


• Leviathan Trilogy by Scott Westerfield
o Leviathan 9/10
o Behemoth 9/10
o Goliath (Not yet released)

Story: World War I is breaking out, but this is an alternate history with evolutionarily engineered creatures on one side and advanced mechanics on the other. At the center of this novel are two young teens – Alek, the now orphaned prince of Austria-Hungary on the run from Germans, and Deryn, a girl disguised as a guy in order to join the British Air Force. In time they find themselves together aboard the Leviathan, a giant flying creature on a peacekeeping mission.

First Introduction to the book: Some books I read because they are recommended to me and others I read because I try them and like them. Such was the case with the first of these books. I finished it sitting at the Starbucks in Barnes & Noble.

Opinion: This alternate history is well thought out and believable. I also enjoy the fact that the “coincidences” in this book don’t feel like coincidences. I never felt like the author was molding the book to his will. Overall, the books are very enjoyable. I especially enjoy the fact that within the book are illustrations of what’s going on which helps the book considerably to aid in the imagination of the reader. It adds to the humor as well. The final book isn’t out yet, but so far I strongly believe it will be good, as there wasn’t much of a difference, style-wise, between the first two books and they were both great. Unfortunately, I’ll have to wait til Sept. 2011. ☹

• The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan 9/10

Story: Jason wakes up on a bus next to a girl who claims to be his girlfriend and a guy who claims to be his best friend, only who has no idea who they are, or who he is. And soon after a series of crazy events, he’s told he’s a demi-god and he has to go on a mission to save the queen of the gods, lest a new enemy awaken. And in this sequel to the Percy Jackson series, Percy Jackson has gone missing.

First Introduction to the book: A friend who also likes this series let me know it was coming out, so, naturally, I pre-ordered it.

Opinion: One of the things I most enjoy about this book is that it that the style of narration is different than that of the Percy Jackson series, so though it is a sequel, it doesn’t feel like only “more of the same.” The new characters and perspectives are fresh and interesting and the plot is intriguing. As with the other series, however, the plot isn’t always predictable in terms of who appears or where they go.


• Children of the Star by Sylvia Louise Engdahl
o This Star Shall Abide 9/10
o Beyond The Tomorrow Mountains 8/10
o The Doors of the Universe (Not read yet)

Story: On a different world there is a caste system: Scholars have access to all the knowledge, Technicians are the only ones allowed to handle machines, and then the common folk are the ones who farm and do the other jobs of everyday life. There is a prophecy about how one day machines and knowledge will become available to everyone, but Noren is a heretic and doesn’t believe the prophecy. This story is about Noren and his struggle to find truth.

First Introduction to the book: I started reading this series because of my love of “Enchantress from the Stars,” another book by the same author.

Opinion: The story is unique and yet strangely applicable even today. Noren, especially, is a refreshing character that develops over the course of the books. The ideas within the books are also fascinating. The third book, Doors of the Universe, is bigger than the other two and I haven’t read it all yet, but each book, while being direct sequels, can also stand pretty well on its own.

Overall: 8.5/10

• Ascending* by Blaine M Yorganson 8/10

Story: The story is about an albatross from youth to adulthood seeking understanding through the things that happen to him.

First Introduction to the book: I believe my mom got me this book some time ago. We read it together first and I loved it so much that I’ve kept reading it every now and again.

Opinion: I’ve come back to this book several times. I believe this to be the 4th or 5th time I’ve read it and each time I enjoy it. It is essentially a coming of age story about an albatross. A Mormon author wrote it, so it’s no surprise that I agree with many of his insights. The whole story is full of not so hidden symbols, and yet the author researched albatross enough to make these symbols viable and not a stretch. The story is uplifting and motivating with a strong ending.

• Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Bobbitt 8/10

Story: A young girl discovers a family who lives forever because they drank special magical water. However the family views this almost as a curse and believes it would be a bad thing if others find out. A bad man overhears some of this and the young girl has to make some decisions to help protect their secret.

First Introduction to the book: I’d often heard of the story and we’d always had the book in my home, but somehow I never got around to reading it. Then, when we moved, I got to pick the books that I wanted to keep and so among those I picked this one.

Opinion: The story telling is strong and convincing, avoiding sentimentality while teaching a powerful lesson. It’s one of those stories that sticks with you. Also by the same author is the book, “The Search for Delicious,” also an amazing book.

• The Chaos Walking Trilogy by Patrick Ness
o The Knife Of Never Letting Go 9.5/10
o The Ask And The Answer 9/10
o Monsters Of Men 10/10

Story: On a different planet, Todd is the last boy to become a man in his town, a town where there are only men and everyone can hear everyone else’s thoughts. He’s been told that the same disease that created this NOISE also killed off all women, but one day, he finds a girl in the forest…

First Introduction to the book: The first book in the series was recommended to me by amazon.com because I’d been reading the Hunger Games. I treat Barnes & Noble a bit like a library, so I started reading the book there, enjoyed it so much that I began to buy the books online.

Opinion: There are many strengths to this series. First, it creates a believable yet very different world to the one that we now live it. The most interesting sci-fi element is NOISE, the fact that the thoughts of men, and only men, are broadcast in an unending stream. The idea immediately draws you in as both fascinating and scary, and it remains that way throughout. Next, the several characters are all well-fleshed and deep, especially the two main characters, Todd and Viola. Third, each book is very different in the type of story that it tells, in terms of movement and progression. The first story is that of a journey. The second is that of internal struggle both within the characters and within a town. The third story is about war. In this way, the plot is never predictable based on the earlier books. Fourth, the second and third books have multiple narrators and the author does a good job of distinguishing among the three. Overall, the best way that I can describe the series is that they are epic in scope and in imagination. I love the ending.

Overall: 9.5/10

• The Underland Chronicles by Suzanne Collins
o Gregor the Overlander 9/10
o Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane 9/10
o Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods 9/10
o Gregor and the Marks of Secret 9/10
o Gregor and the Code of Claw 9/10

Story: Gregor, a young boy, accidentally falls down into a strange land as he tries to look after his younger sister. There he finds creatures of human size and humans as well. There are prophecies about the fate of the land there which call for a Warrior that all believe is Gregor himself.

First Introduction to the book: I’d read the Hunger Games and had this series recommended by amazon.com and then a friend, so my sister bought them for me for my birthday. I promptly read them and now they are with that same sister so that she can read them.

Opinion: This series is a compelling coming of age story, based primarily in a fantasy realm below New York. Although each story has predictable elements, the stories are well thought out and they go together well. The author does a good job of character creation. Many great themes are explored in this series. The ending is okay, and yet I sort of wish there was more.

Overall: 9/10

• Enchantress from the Stars* by Sylvia Louise Engdahl 10/10

Story: Elena is a girl at first sneaks along with her father’s mission to save a less-advanced planet from being taken over or knocked off their natural course of progression by a different human space-faring civilization (i.e. there are three different human civilizations). Soon however, Elena is forced to play a key role, one that she isn’t fully prepared for.

First Introduction to the book: I’d never heard of the book before, but one of my sisters bought it for me for Christmas o so many years ago and it soon became a favorite of mine.

Opinion: This is probably the 4th or 5th time I’ve read this book and I still declare it one of my favorites of all time. It is a sci-fi story that feels more fantasy. The story is told from three different narrators who give insights into their own groups; each viewpoint is very well thought out and compelling. The story is a bittersweet coming of age story makes you think and feel.

• Dune* by Frank Herbert 9/10

Story: Paul Atriedes and his family are directed to take control of Dune, a seemingly barren planet that holds one thing that is highly desired – the Spice. However, plots within plots and traps within traps have been laid for the, and what’s more, Paul is at the center of a prophecy that could lead to great peace or mass destruction.

First Introduction to the book: Once I began to get into sci-fi books, a friend of mine spoke to me about Dune and how awesome it was until I decided to buy it and read it for myself.

Opinion: This is perhaps the densest book I know of, meaning that the reader won’t understand half of what’s going on until he’s about half-way through. And even then there are many new terms being introduced. But plow through I say! This is because this book has one of the best created sci-fi worlds around. The whole environment is thought out to the minute details. The story itself is something of a coming of age story over time. The plot is compelling and deep.

• The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau 8/10

Story: Ember is a city lit by lights that would otherwise always be in the dark. However its lights are beginning to flicker. Time is running out for the city, but soon two young kids starting their first jobs are going to uncover a secret message showing them how to save everyone.

First Introduction to the book: I found it at a sale in VT for cheap. I thought I’d heard of it somewhere before and it wasn’t that expensive so I bought it. Later I realized that I’d seen posters for the movie of the book while I was in Spain.

Opinion: This is a well thought out story that intrigues the reader until the end. It’s about a city surrounded by complete darkness whose lights are beginning to falter and whose supplies are beginning to go short. It’s part of a 4 book series, but this is the only book of them that I’ve read because the reviews for the others didn’t look as good, but this book is worth it.

• The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins
(Twice except for Mockingjay)
o The Hunger Games 10/10
o Catching Fire 9/10
o Mockingjay 8.5/10

Story: In some future time, catastrophic war has happened which eventually led to one centralized gov’t, which wasn’t that great, so the people rebelled. Only, the rebellion failed, and now each sector has to send 2 children annually as tributes to a brutal fight to the death called the Hunger Games. Katniss would to anything to make sure that her little sister doesn’t get called into it.

First Introduction to the book: A friend of mine recommended it until one day in Barnes & Noble I was bored, so I read the whole thing. Then I read the sequel. And then I had to wait for the final book to come out, but while waiting I bought the books and spread them to my family.

Opinion: Definitely a gripping story. It’s hard to put the book down. Many interesting themes are brought up about war and survival and human nature. The main characters are complex and compelling. The series as a whole is very good, though the ending felt slightly rushed. Even so, I liked it a lot, though it was pretty sad.

Overall: 9/10

• The Ender Series* by Orson Scott Card
o Ender's Game 10/10
o Ender's Shadow 9.5/10
o Shadow of the Hegemon 10/10
o Shadow Puppets 8/10
o Shadow of the Giant 9/10
o Ender in Exile – first read 7/10
o Speaker for the Dead 10/10
o Xenocide 9.5/10
o Children of the Mind 9/10

Story: Well, there’s a lot of books here, so I’ll just give the basics for the parts. In Ender’s Game and Ender’s Shadow, Earth has been attacked by aliens twice and is preparing for a third invasion by training young geniuses to be future commanders. Ender is the best of the best, but in the parallel novel (Ender’s Shadow) we also see that Bean may be better.
In the next three books listed, Bean is at the center of the action back on earth in a power struggle between nations. Ender in Exile is a connector novel between Shadow of the Giant and Speaker for the Dead. The remaining books follow Ender far into the future where he has to try to prevent the possible xenocide of a sentient alien race.

First Introduction to the book: Many many years ago, I think my dad came across this book and its direct sequels. At that time I only read Ender’s Game and Speaker for the Dead and loved them, but found Xenocide difficult to get through. Later on I finished it and picked up the Bean series side of it.

Opinion: Ender’s Game alone is one of the best books out there. Speaker for the Dead is for more of a sci-fi audience, but is also amazing. All the books are good, but the Bean series is more like Ender’s Game, while Speaker for the Dead and its sequels are for more sci-fi readers. I must say, Ender in Exile wasn’t that strong of a read – it felt more like some short stories, only the book is written more in the style of the Bean series, and less that of the Ender part of the series, so it felt weird. Still, the series as a whole is amazing and very creatively thought out. There are a lot of cool concepts in these books.

Overall: 9/10

• Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen 8.5/10

Story: A story about the two very different sisters, personality wise, finding love. For Marianne there is the dashing Willoughby and for Elinor, there is the collected Edward, but neither love seems as simple as they would have it.

First Introduction to the book: I’m sure I’ve watched the movie with my sisters at some point in time, but I recently decided, since I enjoy good romance stories, that I really ought to read more of Jane Austin, so I borrowed a big compilation book from a friend.

Opinion: This is a charming book, no doubt. The characters are so very well fleshed out that it’s enjoyable getting to know them. And I’m a sucker for romance in books, especially when it’s well done and believable, so of course I enjoyed that part. And yet, I felt the ending was a little rushed; I wanted more at the end.

• The Piano Lesson by August Wilson 8/10

Story: Boy Willie wants to sell his family’s old piano that they inherited in order to buy land, but his sister Berniece won’t let him, even though she doesn’t play it anymore.

First Introduction to the play: I had to read it for my Theater Appreciation class in school.

Opinion: I prefer to see plays than read them any day, but this was enjoyable enough. It’s not really the sort of genre that I go for in general, so my rating reflects that. If you enjoy stories about the south and black heritage, it is a well written and meaningful story that I’m glad to have read.

• A Streetcar Named Desire* by Tennessee Williams 9/10

Story: Blanche comes to visit her sister Stella and her husband Stanley. Almost immediately she finds herself at odds with Stanley as her own past and character come to light.

First Introduction to the play: I read this first in high school I believe, but I didn’t mind reading it again for a class this year.

Opinion: Probably one of my favorite plays, probably because I remember Marlon Brando and I think he’s a great actor. The story and characters are always interesting and the ending effect is powerful.

• Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen 10/10

Story: A family of many daughters deals with many suitors. The main romance centers on Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. But who is prideful and who is prejudiced? People aren’t always the way they seem.

First Introduction to the book: I remember watching the BBC version with my sisters oh so long ago. I’d like to see it again, but anyway, I was thinking about how, since I enjoy good romantic stories, that this was a must read, and oh how glad I am that I did.

Opinion: So my synopsis for this was especially terrible, I think, but the book is amazing. It has some amazing lines, some wonderful themes on love and pride, and a wide variety of interesting and fleshed out characters. The story is believable, to me at least, and well thought out with enough twists and turns to make you hold your breath at times.

• The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley 8.5/10

Story: In a fictional world, a normal girl, a Homelander named Harry, is captured by Corlath, the King of the Hill Folk as they prepare for an invasion from the demonic Northern Tribes. Only she isn’t as normal as she once thought; she has a strange connection to an ancient lady hero named Aerin and her powerful blue sword.

First Introduction to the book: My sister recommended it to me as a wonderful fantasy novel with romance, so I borrowed it and read it. Simple.

Opinion: A very memorable story. Seeing the story from Harry’s perspective added to the suspense and tension of the story. The world was well developed, so far as I could tell, and the story was original enough. A good strong heroine.

• The Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander
o The Book of Three 9/10
o The Black Cauldron 10/10
o The Castle of Llyr 8.5/10
o Taryn Wanderer (Not read yet)
o The High King (Not read yet)

Story: Taryn is an assistant Pig-Keeper with delusions of grandeur who, when his talking pig escapes, soon finds himself in the midst of terrible conflict between the forces of evil and the remaining Kingdom. In time, throughout the series he gradually becomes a reliable and heroic figure.

First Introduction to the books: The first two books were on my bookshelf for years when I was a child, but I got it into my head that I couldn’t start reading them unless I had all of them available. And then I grew older and realized that I could use libraries and friends, so I started the series, but somehow haven’t had time / haven’t easily encountered the remaining two books.

Opinion: Taryn is a character to follow who at first makes us groan with his ineptitude and brashness, only to later make us see similar follies in ourselves and grow with him as he grows. The second book especially represents this. The series is well thought out, humorous, and engaging. I can’t wait to finish the series!

Overall: 9/10, so far

• The Iliad by Homer 10/10

Story: This is the story of the Trojan War and the wrath of Achilles and his change over time.

First Introduction to the book: Naturally I’ve heard of this book forever and thought to read it, but it was assigned in my Greek Civ. class last semester so I read it then.

Opinion: I’m very glad my teacher was there to explain the significance of what was going on in the Iliad. That may sound strange considering the rating I’ve given the book, but the very concept of the book about defying the traditional way of things and becoming a thinking individual is so powerful even today that the book makes it come alive. I appreciate Homer, Achilles, and their influence a lot more now than before. Definitely a classic.

• Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan
(twice except The Last Olympian)
o PJ The Lightning Thief 9/10
o PJ The Sea of Monsters 9/10
o PJ The Curse of the Titan 9/10
o PJ The Battle of the Labyrinth 9.5/10
o PJ The Last Olympian 9.5/10

Story: Percy Jackson thinks he’s just an ADHD kid with dyslexia, but in truth he is a demigod. The Greek gods still exist and have moved with the west, only an ancient titan is trying to revive himself in order to overthrow Olympus. Percy Jackson finds himself caught in several oracles that will determine the fate of gods.

First Introduction to the book: Occasionally my dad will buy me random books and I think to myself, “uh-oh, I’ve no idea if this is any good or not; maybe I’ll check it out and maybe I won’t. Well I didn’t read this book until well after two years had passed. I’d just come back from my mission and heard that a movie was coming out for it, so I thought, “Hey, why not check out the book.” I loved it so much that I bought the rest. But don’t see the movie; it was pretty terrible in comparison.

Opinion: These novels increase my love for Greek culture and mythology while at the same time making me laugh a lot and enjoy a set of interesting characters. Character development is slow over the series, as is the romance, but I liked it that way. The plots are pretty much joyrides that are a little hard to predict, but I enjoyed them anyway. As a series it is a very solid read.

Overall: 9.5/10

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Thanks for reading (or skimming as the case may be) Hope some of these can be on your book list for the upcoming year so we can talk about them. Some of them will probably be on my list again. Happy New Years to all in a couple of days!

Merry Christmas!

Well, I wasn't sure if I'd manage a Christmas poem or not this year, but the inspiration came today and I went with it. I haven't had time to revise it much, but I hope you enjoy it anyway! Merry Christmas!

Transformation into a Wise Man
I found the eastern star just inside
the front door. It is not the lights on the Christmas tree
nor their reflection in the green and red ornaments
that rest below the hay-like branches,
but it is a different glow from the innocent smile
on my nephew’s face. I remember the story
of wonder, when angels heralded the Christ child
and I imagine my parents with hands of good will
in the middle of the night, unnoticed, forgotten
until now. If I were a wiser shepherd,

then I could be as a child again.

A spirit of kindness shines above me like a miracle.
Who will believe it? If I could follow
these gentle stirring within me, nuzzling me
onwards to a humble beginning,
I would give Him the only things I can keep:
these gold-weight legs that walk towards home
my mouth full of frankincense words,
and my eyes glistening with myrrh.
Look at the lines upon my rough hands.
Make them soft as straw where any child can sleep.

Sorry, No Christmas Poems Yet

Yeah, I'm not generally into the whole "because it's Christmas I have to write Christmas poems. My talent doesn't generally lie in having a topic and then writing, but more in having an emotion, then writing. So heres two poems done that way. The first one is written in Sijos, as said in the title. I was looking up poetry the other day and saw that Sijo is a style of poetry in tercets with each line having around 14-16 syllables, generally with some break in the middle of each line. Enjoy!

(Note: Soon I'll be posting a book review, sort of, on all the books I've read this year. Stay tuned!)

Sijos from the Bedside of a Young Boy

I.

The clock with a tsk, tsk, tsk, reminds me it's time to retire.
My eyes should look away from the world a moment; my ears close,
but still I feel the wrinkles in my sheets; I know I am aging.

II.

A dream catcher rests above the window, and beyond it dead trees
that web the night sky with leafless branches. But I am not contained.
Though the blanket is warm, the stars burn the cold edge of my youth.

III.

I remember my father told me stories, lying beside me,
his gravity pulling me close. On the black ceiling I painted
the faces of my family, with ancient trees and red mountains.

IV.

Mother, what do I hear out in the hallway? Water like a faucet,
the carpet being brushed, and music like bells from the kitchen.
I recognize the patterns in your sounds, now that I listen.

V.

Silence in my sisters' rooms, so different from the nights before,
when I heard laughter like moonlight, shining in my ears,
and with my eyes, I heard the piano and cello in lullaby.


VI.

Does my brother sleep in the room next door? Lights escapes in thin lines.
Like a crack in an ocean liner or a leak in a tin roof,
so too the glow sinks in, and I wonder if my eyes will close first.

VII.

The first six times I tried to sleep, too restless to say goodbye,
I imagined four-leaf clovers, shooting stars, wishes, and prayers.
Now I let go of this dark harbor, to drift from home to home.

----------------------------------------

Ambience

My thoughts color the sounds.

Red is a crackling flame,
an idle motor waiting outside,
the soft breath of a girl asleep,
a heartbeat heard within.

Purple with its sweeping tide:

An airplane overhead,
street leaves carried by the breeze,
the highway at midnight,
the purr of a smiling cat.

Yellow, the sweet candy of company:

I remember home
with a whirring fan,
a light rain,
and footsteps in the kitchen.

As if within a prism,

I listen for the color blue:
the clock counting the days,
the whistle of wind at the window,
the restless ocean.

Rainbows are lost in the daylight white.

My desires to keep love close,
like threads in a winter jacket,
hide underneath a thick cloth:
the black words I wrap myself in.

Winter Transition

I wrote this poem back in high school, but it's a poem that often comes to mind when I think of the winter, so I thought I'd share it with you too.


Winter Transition
The gray and cloudy skies
bring the world to still
‘til past the windowsill
there is no motion but my eyes.

These things are different than they seem,
for wind breathes where it will
and in the air’s a chill
that keeps me from my dream.

And yet I sense the stillness grow
as the light fades sadder
and the dead leaves scatter
floating for a time before they slow.

Sky darkens and grass grows black
with shadows, while the air
moans now in despair
calling for the autumn to come back.

Trees without their leaves now little sway.
The snow begins to fall,
but I only recall
the motionless and eerie gray.

These things are different than they seem,
for knowing that nights change
and winter days are strange
the world could be in dream.

The gray and cloudy skies
hold minds in the deep
and blanket all in sleep
‘til we awake and rise.

Hello Winter!

Winter is here! Today it even snowed! But before that happened, I wrote this poem about coldness, loneliness, and the like. Hope you enjoy it! Let me know what it makes you think of and how or where I could make it better.

Heaven Upheld
Atlas shivers where he stands;
naked he holds the naked sky
with no stroke to sooth his blistered hands.
And who is it that holds the world up high
above the black and empty well,
the void of unreachable stars?
If these two stand alone, who can tell
how long they can bear? How far
would we fall at their mistake?

The earth shakes,
and the maples let their leaves fall.
They can’t hold on; their grip is thin:
tender like a parent’s call,
and lazy as the sound of a violin,
diminuendo. The steady drift down
into winter days, heavy and slow,
shuts windows and doors all over town.
The wanderers weigh the air and go
home in search of rest.

I feel it in my chest;
cold in the night beneath my sheets,
a burden also presses my heart.
My mind awakens and skips a beat
in confusion. When did I start
to listen to the stillness outside,
or reach into the dark air above?
I hold on to what? Neither space nor pride,
nor sky, nor worlds, nor love.
Yet these uphold my waking hours.

Though we build our solitary towers
on shaky ground, it sways in time
with the restless motions of solitude.
Listen! There are gods confined,
whispering below us, while we brood
above them like a thick mist; they remain
patient as statues. We cannot turn away
from this seclusion under spitting rain.
Come inside with me! We’ll stay

beneath this pillared roof, warm and dry,
to build a fire in your hands, a hearth in mine.