Heroes Die

My sister laughed till she could no longer breathe when she saw the cover of "Heroes Die" and all I could tell her was not to judge a book based upon the cover. Although to be honest the cover had me pretty scared, I thought that it would be beyond cheesy. I should have realized that the guys over at Best Fantasy Books Forum would never steer me wrong. The book just grabbed me by the shoulders and tossed me into an adventure that was so rich and layered that it literally spanned two dimensions. I've not yet finished the book but I can already recommend it, and I can't wait until July when we discuss the book in the forum. If you want to be part of it then come on over to Best Fantasy Books Forum: http://www.bestfantasybooks.com/forums/

From Dead To Worse

Yes, I'm reading a Sookie Stackhouse novel. But what can I say? I like Charlaine Harris' style of writing, I like the light airy tone that the novel is written in, and above all, I like the fact that none of the important characters are going to get killed off. I just get so emotionally invested in characters that it's crushing when there is an unexpected death in a novel see: any G.R.R. Marin novel. So it gives me peace of mind to know that nothing truly tragic will happen in Bon Temps.

So far the book is pretty good although I'm noticing that Sookie isn't the same as she was in the earlier novels, she has grown a backbone and speaks her mind much more frequently. It is a pleasant change and not one that is totally unexpected since she hangs out with so many supernaturals and has had to assert herself so much. The pace of this novel is pretty relentless, it is as if Charlaine Harris has condensed three novels into the one. And although I feel that she could have told a better, richer, tale by putting the story in three separate novels, I'm still glad that I've got so many pages left unread. I usually fly through Harris' work in a couple of hours, and this is a nice change.

Holy Fools

I recently read a book called "Holy Fools" written by Joanne Harris, and I remembered, with not a little chagrin, that I could also enjoy non-fantasy novels. The story takes place in the 17th century and revolves around Juliette who, along with her five year old daughter, lives on a Island abbey as a nun trying to escape her gypsy past. Her quiet life of seclusion soon comes to an end when Guy Le merle reappears in her life and threatens to ruin the life she has built for herself.

I thought this book was pretty entertaining, especially when told from the POV of Guy, who is a delightfully wicked character. Also, the depictions of the attention-seeking nuns and their "demon possessions" was hilarious. Joanne Harris has such a wonderful way with words that I could practically smell the sea air and feel the sand between my toes. So, if great story telling and fantastically flawed characters appeal to you, I recommend you read this book.
Conclusion: An Excellent Read

Vampire Diaries

I don't know if anyone else remembers the vampire diaries series by L.J. Smith. It was the 90's version of Twilight and it was pretty bad. Still, I can't say that I'm surprised that the CW is making a show based on the books. They have a habit of sniffing out crappy literature and turning it into semi-decent television, see: Gossip Girl. I don't know if I'll like it but I'll definitely check out the first episode.

MAJOR TELEVISION RANT

I just found out that FOX is canceling TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNER CHRONICLES and I’m a little bummed out. Admittedly I didn’t LOVE the show but I liked it a lot, and the cancellation comes as a blow especially since I felt that the show was getting better, we were FINALLY going to see John Conner in the future fighting in the resistance. And while I know that the plot of the show essentially ends where the new movie picks up I still wanted to see how they would handle two John Conners and how John would react to finally meeting his father. I guess I’m also a little bitter because I’m reminded of the other cancellations that suck e.g. REAPER, SAMANTHA WHO, THE 4400..the list is endless. It burns me up that a show like THE 4400 can get canceled while HEROES gets resurrected each season and even though you think it isn’t possible SOMEHOW manages to make the plot WORSE. And yes I know that THE 4400 was canceled ages ago but I’m still angry about it.

On the upside I'm loving SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE. I'm glad the new season is here, I was craving quality programming! And now that the regular t.v. season is over I fear that television will be a breeding ground for reality shows. ugh, is it just me or do most of those shows make you want to run for your hand sanitizer after you touch the remote?

Oh you scandalous Lady Ms Harris

I just finished reading a book from Charlaine Harris' Harper Connelly series called "An Ice Cold Grave" which was pretty good if a little bit predictable. The novel revolves around Harper Connelly who, after being hit by lightning at 15, is able to locate dead bodies and determine the mode of death. She and her ex-stepbrother Tolliver Lang travel across the USA making a living off of her talent in the hopes of saving enough money to buy a house. When her presence is requested in the town Doraville Harper encounters the first mass killing of her career and she encounters horrors that nearly get her killed. Don't worry it's a series so I didn't spoil the ending by saying that she "nearly" died, I mean, who kills off their main character in a series?...unless we're taking about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle but even he brought back Sherlock later on. Anywho the book was pretty good, I enjoyed the pace and the suspense. The relationship between the two main characters was, um..a little bit freaky to put it mildly, but I got the feeling that the book would have been pretty boring without the semi-incestous relationship between Harper Connelly and Tolliver Lang.
Conclusion: A So-So Read (perfect for bus rides!)

New Blogspot account!

This is my first time using blogger and I have to say I'm really enjoying it. I'm looking forward to this new way of communicating, although it feels kind of odd. Right now I'm reading "Lilith's dream" by whitley Strieber and so far it is fantastic, let's hope it is as good as the "Last vampire" which I also could not put down.

Happy Reading!
FantasyFicFan