Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

 
Title: Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

Pages: 440

How it was obtained: Library.

Time spent on the "to read" shelf: 1 ½ weeks.

Days spent reading it: 3 days.

Why I read it: The cover looked cool and it kept getting recommended to me in my amazon searches.

Brief review: Leviathan is set during World War I with a few significant changes.  Genetically altered animals serve as the backbone of the British Empire, and mechanical war machines for the German army. This is a futuristic novel written about the past.  The story follows two individuals: Alex (the son of the assassinated Archduke of Austria) and Deryn (a girl who disguises herself as a boy to join the air force). The plot kept moving, the characters were interesting, the creativity was flowing. We follow their adventures as these two characters attempt to find safety from their pursuers and eventually join forces. My only gripe is that this was just the first installment of a trilogy and I thought it was a stand alone.  But really this is not a bad thing, the story was interesting enough that I would follow a trilogy (I was a little less excited about the possibility of a longer series). 

This is a fun introduction to the steam-punk genre if you have never experienced it before. Steam-punk usually involves a story set in the Victorian era and then adds crazy elements from the future back into the era. Like giant mechanical war machines, or flying whale-like airships.

Leviathan was a fun novel, worth the quick read. I would highly recommend to young adults and people who like (or would like to be introduced to) steam-punk.

Favorite quote: "What the Clankers lack in finesse they make up for with blanket ruination."

Stars: 4 out of 5.

Final Word: Beastly.

The Mysterious Benedict Society and The Prisoner’s Dilemma by Trenton Lee Stewart

 
Title: The Mysterious Benedict Society and The Prisoner's Dilemma by Trenton Lee Stewart

Pages: 400.

How it was obtained: This is the first book I ever ordered for my Kindle. Took me awhile to get to it!

Time spent on the "to read" shelf: 7 months.

Days spent reading it: 3 days.

Why I read it: I have enjoyed the Mysterious Benedict Society series and wanted to continue reading through them.

Brief review: The Mysterious Benedict Society (MBS) is a series of books by Trenton Lee Stewart. I absolutely loved the first book in the series. This third book in the series, while not bad, was not as inspired as the original either. The MBS is about three children geniuses and their friends who must outwit an evil mastermind. I guess as I have read this series I found the first book fresh and new, but the subsequent books have had a little of the same old same old genius kid vs. evil genius. I typically love those kind of plots, but this incarnation is getting a touch hackneyed.

What I did enjoy about this book was that it brought the trilogy to a good conclusion. Loose ends were tied up, character arcs were completed. Stewart will probably go on writing more in the series, but here is a clean wrap up for right now. Stewart is a solid writer. His characters are charming, at times annoying, and occasionally brilliant. This is a solid series which entertains, and I think it has greater potential than the two sequels have produced.

I would definitely recommend this series to young adults. Parents and other adults might also enjoy the series, but as I said it is never as inspired as that first installment.

Favorite quote: "Yes, but you're smarter than he is, Reynie. Also, you're not evil."

Stars: 3.5 out of 5.

Final Word: Unoriginal.

Book 37: The Final Warning by James Patterson

Title: The Final Warning by James Patterson

Pages: 255.

How it was obtained: Susan and I bought it from Border's for 30% off (the sticker is still on the book).

Time spent on the "to read" shelf: 1 year.

Days spent reading it: 1 day.

Why I read it: This is the fourth book of a series, need I say more?

Brief review: It is clear that James Patterson can write a book. I enjoy reading his stuff. He's a light, quick, easy read. So of course I still enjoyed reading The Final Warning. Mostly because I just relax when I read Patterson's stuff.

Having said that, this series is increasingly becoming less and less interesting. Patterson moves to a plot purely driven by the dangers of global warming--culminating in a hurricane that "was caused by global warming" towards the end of this book. I find that simply ridiculous.

Another way in which Patterson is beginning to faulter is finding a good bad-guy. It seems that the old ones were not up to snuff, and so he created (I'm not kidding here) The Uber-Director, a brain in a jar who masterminds the capture and auction of Max and her flock. If it sounds silly, it is silly.

This book seemed rushed. It is about 100 pages shorter than any other Maximum Ride novel so far (and they're not that long!). It was also released almost before the previous book was out in paperback.

I know Patterson is a writing machine, but I hope that for the next installment (which I already have, and Susan has read), that Patterson slowed down some, established a solid nemesis, and begins to wrap things up. He is becoming predictable and boring. This is not helped by his tirades on global warming. I'm all about people sharing their beliefs about global warming. But this book was a little on the absurd side.

If you've read Maximum Ride, you'll read this one, but unless the series reclaims it's original grandeur, I'm getting close to checking out. I enjoy reading Patterson's stuff, but there is only so much that I can take. And that's my final warning.

Favorite quote: "You stand out like a fart in church."

Stars: 3 out of 5.

Final Word: Global-boring.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

Title: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon.

Pages: 272.

How it was obtained: My first book that I purchased here in Thailand! I got it at a book sale in the mall. I know, bad Patrick! Finish your list!

Time spent on the "to read" shelf: Maybe 2-3 days.

Days spent reading it: 2 days.

Why I read it: This little gem of a book ended up on one of those "BBC must read 100 books of all time!" lists. How it ended up there, I'm not quite sure. But that's where it first caught my eye. Then I saw it at the C&MA guest house here in Thailand. Then I saw it at this book sale. When books keep popping up on my radar, I usually try to check them out.

Brief review: I loved this book! It was quirky and unique. I always love unique. The narrator is Christopher. He is a young man with Asperger syndrome (or this is what I surmised, he never comes out and says it). He is socially awkward, but in math and science he is brilliant.

This tale is a murder mystery that Christopher tries to solve. A dog, Wellington, is killed across the street from Christopher with a garden fork. As Christopher begins to unravel the mystery, the heart of this book unfolds. You see what Christopher's condition has meant for his family and the painful decisions that were made. There is a lot of emotional material in the book, but it's slightly removed because it is told through the eyes of Christopher who clearly does not understand the nuances of events that take place around him. Pulling off the emotional material with a slight detachment is Mark Haddon's crowning achievement in this book. You feel great sympathy for Christopher as we journey through this mystery with him.

This book was top-notch. I only wish the author had left out the numerous f-words throughout the book. They were completely unnecessary, even if reflecting the speech of real-life people. Besides that, I highly recommend to anyone who wants a book that is told from a unique perspective, with an incredible protagonist, it is very funny (although Christopher claims to make no jokes, Mark Haddon clearly knows how to set up some great lines), and has a ton of heart. I highly recommend.

Favorite quote: "I also said that I cared about dogs because they were faithful and honest, and some dogs were cleverer and more interesting than some people. Steve, for example, who comes to school on Thursdays, needs help to eat his food and could not even fetch a stick. Siobhan asked me not to say this to Steve's mother."

-Actually my favorite quote is the last paragraph of the book, but it wouldn't be fair to write that paragraph now would it?

Stars: 5 out of 5.

Final Word: Curious.

Book 35: Maximum Ride: Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports by James Patterson

Title: Maximum Ride: Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports by James Patterson.

Pages: 405

How it was obtained: This was a gift to Susan one Christmas.

Time spent on the "to read" shelf: 2 years.

Days spent reading it: 2 days.

Why I read it: This is the third book in a series.

Brief review: This third book in the Maximum Ride series begins to show the real overall plot of the books. I was saying to myself "Finally!" and then "Lame." Threaded through the books so far have been not-so-subtle hints that there is indeed an overarching plot. I am still not sure how Max and her flock fit into it, but essentially this book reveals that the evil nemesis is pollution by evil giant companies. That's a little lame in my mind.

Patterson has written a great series. Max and her flock of misfits are loveable characters. The books are easy to read, quick paced, and have a tinge or cynicism that will certainly appeal to every teenager. I really enjoy reading them. But this book turns from unique and fun to a higher degree of absurd plot. Patterson has one of his characters start a blog that soon has millions of kids following it. They become a children's army that is willing to raise their tiny fists against "the man." So we have teenagers throwing rocks and protesting outside of giant corporations at one point in the book. Do I believe in the power of the teenager? Absolutely. But this was a little ridiculous. I think Patterson envisions millions of little eco-terrorists crying in the streets to save their planet. I just can't buy it . I will suspended my disbelief for a bunch of genetically altered bird-kids, but teenagers becoming tree-hugging protesters is a little too much for me.

The same problem runs through Christopher Pike's Alosha series (which I reviewed here, here, and here). These are fun writers, and I'm sure they want to do something significant with their words. But they are not believable. A believable writer in this area of ecology is Carl Hiaasen. Check out Hoot or Flush for a great story with a believable teenager stepping up to help the environment.

I still enjoy these books, but the plot is starting to get annoying. Will I keep reading them? Yup. I'll finish the next two at some point in the near future, I'm sure. I had some great hopes for this series, but it seems like they keep getting a little worse each time. Oh well, I guess that happens when the author writes like 10 books a year. Quality is sacrificed for quantity (and profits!). Such is life.

Favorite quote: "'You should really try one of these cookies,' she said, holding out a chocolate-chip chunk of treason."

Stars: 3.5 out of 5.

Final Word: Eco-friendly.

Book 33: Maximum Ride: School's Out Forever by James Patterson

Title: Maximum Ride: School's Out Forever by James Patterson

Pages: 409.

How it was obtained: It was a Christmas gift for Susan from her parents a few years ago.

Time spent on the "to read" shelf: 2 years.

Days spent reading it: 10 days.

Why I read it: I actually heard this one on CD a few years ago. We really liked it, but missed the first one. So now I'm reading through the series, and this has been on the list for a little while.

Brief review: Maximum Ride is the brain child of the prolific James Patterson. It is a series aimed at young adults about a group of kids who have wings (and other special powers). They escape from their laboratory and have great adventures. This is the second book in the series.

What I like about these books is that they are very funny, engaging, and quick reads. You can pick one up and read through it in a few hours (if you're Susan) or days (if you're Patrick). They don't take much brain power, but they are very enjoyable. There are lots of little quotable bits throughout. Max is the main narrator, and her character is witty and likeable.

I would definitely recommend this series to Middle and High School students, but there is a small amount of swearing or pseudo-swearing in the series. I think adults would appreciate the series as well, but its not like this is refined literature. It's a beach read, and an enjoyable one at that. So there you have it.

Oh, and for anyone keeping track, this is my first book that I read in Thailand! Woo-hoo! (Check out my other blog Keeping Up With the Joneses if you want to read about our adventures in Thailand)

Favorite quote: "If you're ever feeling a lack of middle-aged white men, just pop into the Capitol. Not so much the House of Representatives, which has a bit more color and texture, but the Senate--jeez. Yes, let's have more testosterone running the country."

Stars: 4 out of 5.

Final Word: Flighty.

Book 26: The Yanti by Christopher Pike

Title: The Yanti by Christopher Pike

Pages: 398

How it was obtained: This book is a part of a series, and I bought it for Susan when it came out.

Time spent on the "to read" shelf: 2 years.

Days spent reading it: 3 days.

Why I read it: I thought it was the final book in a trilogy. Turns out it is the third book in a series. But that's why I read it in the first place.

Brief review: After a strong second book in the series, I was hoping for a solid third book. Instead it was a mediocre book, in the sense of not horrible, but not great either. The Yanti was an alright book, but it definitely was not as good as its predecessor.

The Yanti continues the story of Ali Warner as she battles the evil Shaktra that is attempting to destroy the world. My biggest gripe about this particular book is that the plot turned from interesting to lame in one fell swoop. The ultimate enemy is revealed and its honestly a little disappointing. "The Entity" is a conquering race that is without love. They are powerful but have no morals. And they are behind what's going on in the world of Ali Warner.

This book also became hazy in who or what the characters are. Pike is clearly attempting to appeal to a strange mysticism based in Buddhist, perhaps some Hindu, and New Age thinking. And he's also not so subtle with his environmental concerns. All of this makes a muddled novel that is not as clear or as fun as The Shaktra was. And Pike continues to use the annoying method of showing that some characters understand what is happening while refusing to tell the readers (or other main characters) what the heck is going on. Each question is pushed off for later. Nagging suspicions and moments of insight are alluded to, but not explained. I felt like Pike was writing to a 5 year old...This is important little boy, but I'm not going to tell you why just yet! JUST TELL ME YOU JERK!

Well, that about sums up The Yanti from my point of view. There is another book slotted to come out in this series, but given its up and down quality, I'll probably pass. And I would probably recommend passing on this series. Its alright for a little bit, but not worth the overall investment in my opinion.

Favorite quote: (Not my favorite quote, actually, I probably could not disagree with it more, but it is most revealing about Pike's own beliefs I think)

"On Earth, each of your religions teaches that their holy books are the final word of God. In their minds, the truth is set in stone, and that makes most of your people comfortable. They can point to a source of inspiration and say to themselves, there, in that book, is the supreme truth."
"I prefer a set truth," Ra admitted.
"Well, you're an elf," Geea said. "Fairies prefer to see truth as fluid--more like a river that flows along twisting bends. We see truth as too sacred to define. It's one way today, different tomorrow."

Stars: 2.5 out of 5

Final Word: Mediocre.

The Reformed Vampire Support Group by Catherine Jinks

Title: The Reformed Vampire Support Group by Catherine Jinks

Pages: 362.

How it was obtained: New at Barnes and Noble.

Time spent on the "to read" shelf: 0 days.

Days spent reading it: 4 days.

Why I read it: I was drawn to the cover (I know, I know). But I was also interested in reading another book by Catherine Jinks that sounded interesting, but it was quite a bit longer. I figured I'd try out her writing to see if I liked it with the shorter book.

Brief review: The Reformed Vampire Support Group was a pleasant read. It was not the greatest book I ever read, but it was fairly original, told as a fun narrative, and full of great sarcasm and wit. I enjoyed reading it.

The story is a blend of comedy (filled with Vampires who don't drink human blood, instead they fang hamsters), mystery (a vampire is killed in the first few chapters, who killed him and why drives the story), and vampire lore (they DO sleep during the daylight hours, but they are not super-strong or particularly cool). I liked how it blended vampire lore and at the same time tried to make its own lore. Jinks wrote this book with some great twists on who vampires are and what they do.

There were a few parts of the story that bothered me. The storytelling gets interrupted by the fact that the vampires sleep during the day. At two points the vampire telling the story from a first person point of view has to shift to a narrative role to recount what happened during the day. I found these shifts awkward, and not as well written as the rest of the novel. Also, the first half chapter of the book is written from a 3rd person P.O.V. but then it shifts to a 1st person, I did not understand why Jinks did not just start from the 1st person. But these are minor flaws in what I thought was a great story. Worth reading if you want a quick, light read that makes fun of the vampire genre more than anything else. As a youth pastor, I also thought there were some great points made in the book about resisting temptation, walking according to the flesh, and overcoming with the help of strong community. But that was just my take on some of the themes in the book. Interesting to me, maybe not to other people.

All in all, The Reformed Vampire Support Group will deliver some chuckles, gives a fun story, and was worth reading. I'm sure a sequel will come out if this book is even slightly successful. There were plenty of fun characters to work with and their quirkiness is worth exploring in additional books. This is one book that didn't suck. (I couldn't help myself! I needed one great vampire pun).

Favorite quote: "If being a vampire were easy, there wouldn't have to be a Reformed Vampire Support Group." (there were a lot of funny passages and dialogue, but I could not find any of them that made sense alone when trying to make this review, so you get this little gem)

Stars: 4.5 out of 5.

Final Word: Fangtastic.

Book 24: The Shaktra by Christopher Pike

Title: The Shaktra by Christopher Pike

Pages: 334.

How it was obtained: Christmas present to Susan.

Time spent on the "to read" shelf: 3 years.

Days spent reading it: 3 days.

Why I read it: After reading Alosha, I almost decided not to continue this trilogy. I was a little disappointed. However, my desire to complete things got the better of me, and I picked up The Shaktra as originally intended.

Brief review: The Shaktra is the second book in the Alosha trilogy. I was disappointed in the first book, but was quite surprised by the second. I'm not sure what the difference was, but Shaktra exceeded my expectations.

The story moves along a bit quicker I think, and the images in the book are more unique and memorable than in the first book. For instance there are these great creatures in the book called scabs, which are like jellyfish that float in the air and suck the brains out of their victims. That's awesome in my book. Although Pike draws out some of the basic questions of the book through the whole book (like who or what is the Shaktra?), he does move the plot along.

One thing that was kind of odd was how little Pike used some of the main characters from the first book in this book. A troll and leprechaun are constant traveling companions of Ali, but they do very little besides whimper and complain in this book. I mean, come on, you have a freakin' troll in your entourage, use it!

But overall, this book delivers in a way that the first book in the trilogy did not. And for me, that is huge. Most trilogies that start great have trouble in the middle section, this book wobbled a little, but was more solid than its origins.

Favorite quote: "And it was a great treat to hear a troll giggling, because he sounded like he was about to throw up."

Stars: 4 out of 5.

Final Word: Unexpected.

Book 22: Peter and the Shadow Thieves by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

Title: Peter and the Shadow Thieves by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson.

Pages: 557.

How it was obtained: I got this for Susan as a Christmas present.

Time spent on the "to read" shelf: 3 years.

Days spent reading it: 1 week.

Why I read it: Susan and I really enjoyed Peter and the Starcatchers, a interesting retelling of the Peter Pan story. So we picked up the sequel as well.

Brief review: Let me start off by saying that I LOVED Peter and the Starcatchers. I thought it was a brilliant telling of the origins of Peter Pan. Peter and the Shadow Thieves is a continuation of that story.

At times Shadow Thieves is as good, if not better than its predecessor. At other times--not so much. The new enemy introduced, Lord Umbra, is a brilliant addition to the story. He is evil, cunning , and aware of his own power. Tinker Bell (who is introduced at the end of the first book) is also a great addition to the tale. Captain Hook (another fun character), while still in this book, is relegated to a side-story with the other lost boys.

My biggest complaint about Shadow Thieves: the book is too long. Its dull at points, the story drags in others. I wish writers would learn to cull their works down to more manageable sizes. Has anyone else noticed that books keep getting unneccesarily longer and longer? But the nice thing about Shadow Thieves is that the chapters are blessedly short, a few pages at most. This keeps the story going, even in its slow times.

I enjoy this retelling of Peter Pan. Its more about his early years and its told in a fun way. It was not quite up to the bar set by Peter and the Starcatchers, but it was still fun. Lord Umbra was a great addition to this cast of characters and makes this installment much more interesting than if he was left out.

I would recommend this book to those who enjoy the story of Peter Pan, and especially to those who enjoyed Peter and the Starcatchers. It's young adult, but it has enough going on for a full adult to enjoy.

Favorite quote: About Captain Hook--"A glimmer of an idea began to glow in his sinister mind, and the more he pondered it, the brighter it grew...Finally, the rage that had engulfed him for days was gone, and the joy of pure evil filled his calloused heart."

Stars: 4 out of 5.

Final Word: Memorable.

Book 4: Alosha

Title: Alosha by Christopher Pike

Pages: 303

How it was obtained: Christmas present from Susan (at least I think it was, or perhaps a birthday present).

Time spent on the "to read" shelf: 3 years.

Days spent reading it: 6

Why I read it: I found it at a Barnes and Noble somehow. It had some decent critical praise, and I decided to check it out. Christopher Pike was well known for his cheesy teenage horror novels (i.e. Chain Letter and Chain Letter 2: Ancient Evil). I owned, but never read, a few of his books (including the aforementioned Chain Letter and Chain Letter 2). My parents either still have these books in the house or wisely tossed them.

Brief Review: Alosha is the kind of book that I read the description of and think to myself, "I would like that book." It has a heroine who needs to uncover her secret identity, trolls, elves, dwarves, dark fairies, and "many plot twists and plenty of excitement." However, Alosha falls flat for me. I actually have attempted to read it 2 other times, and never got beyond the 2nd or 3rd chapter. It just takes too long setting up.

And after reading it through, the pace never really seemed to pick up in my opinion. Sure there are things going on--girl buried alive by avalanche, girl thrown into river about to go over waterfall, world about to be invaded by evil elvish army--but for some reason the pacing and telling of this story never reached its potential for me. Additionally one pet peeve of mine is trying to tell a story with some time-travel elements. Very few storytellers do this well. Pike does it less well than others.

I think there is great potential with this story. It had some good elements. I just did not like how it was told. Alosha was a book I intended to knock off quickly, instead it was a chore for me to get through. Although the climax did pick up the pace; it was too little, too late. I would grant that some readers would enjoy this book, I just wasn't one of them this time around.

Which leaves me with the odd predicament of continuing or not continuing the trilogy. If you notice my original challenge list, there are two other books by Christopher Pike on it. They are a part of this trilogy. Right now, I'm leaning towards not reading them. However, Susan liked them pretty well, and I might be willing to give them one more chance. I'll see how I'm feeling when we hit them on the list.

Stars: 2 out of 5

Final Word: Disappointing.