"Eldest" by Christopher Paolini

Book Details:

Title- Eldest (Inheritance Cycle #2)

Author- Christopher Paolini

Published- 2005: Alfred A. Knopf

ISBN- 0-375-82670-X

Pages- 668 pages

Genre- Young Adult - Fantasy

Rating- 4 of 5

 

My Review:

Young Paolini's second installment of the Inheritance Cycle exceeds expectations, following the success of Eragon. One of the most widely read young adult fantasy series, the Inheritance Cycle follows farm boy-turned-Dragon Rider, Eragon and his dragon Saphira to all ends of their world of Alagaesia to avenge the death of Eragon's uncle, Garrow, to destroy the evil King Galbatorix, and to restore peace and prosperity to all races in the land. Along the way, many allies, as well as enemies, are made, weaving a memorable storyline with a complex web of memorable characters.

Eldest begins and ends in the wake of battle, with Eragon and Saphira's grand adventures and personal growth filling the pages in between. We also follow the struggles of Eragon's hometown of Carvahall through the eyes of his cousin Roran, another strong personality fighting for the greater good, among his own personal reasons.

I did find this book to be slow-moving and often difficult to keep my attention on, as many long journeys and battles take place, as is almost mandatory for the fantasy genre. Yet I also found myself unable to put it down for long, desperate to discover the many plot twists and secrets along the way.

My personal opinion is that one cannot be a fan of the fantasy genre, adults and young adults alike, and pass up the chance to briefly live in the world of Alagaesia through the four Eragon novels. While some parts are slow-moving and tedious, I encourage every reader to continue on, as every scene is significant in some way, to the series as a while. If nothing else, the characters and races represented show great thought and imagination and make the series definitely deserving og the hype that followed its publication. Readers, and all fans of the fantasy genre, do yourselves a favor and pick up the Inheritance Cycle- you won't be disappointed.

"Eragon" by Christopher Paolini

Book Details-

Title: Eragon (Inheritance Cycle, #1)

Author: Christopher Paolini

Published: 2003 by Alfred A. Knopf

ISBN: 978-0-375-82668-9

Genre: Young Adult - Fantasy

Pages: 509 pages

Rating: 5 of 5

My Review-

What can I say about this fantastic beginning to one of the most popular YA fantasy series of our time that hasn't already been said numerous times? Paolini was a best-selling author by the time he was nineteen, with plenty more in store for Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, on their quest to overthrow the evil king of Alagaesia and revive the nearly-forgotten group of the Dragon Riders, who once patrolled and kept the country safe before the betrayal and rise to power of Galbatorix. What was originally planned to be a trilogy of novels has gone above and beyond to include four novels and a motion picture adaptation.

Paolini uses some well-known creatures of fantasy, such as elves, dragons and dwarves. The young author used mostly his imagination to create his own dark minions for King Galbatorix. His expendable foot soldiers are the brutish Urgals, his trackers of Eragon and Saphira, are the dangerous, dark-cloaked Ra'zac, and his elite general, of a recognizable race, is the Shade Durza.

When a young farm boy named Eragon finds a mysterious blue stone in the woods, he keeps it in hopes of selling it to help support his uncle, cousin Roran, and himself. Warned by townsfolk against keeping it, Eragon eventually discovers this "stone" is not at all what it appears to be when young Saphira, one of the last dragons in Alagaesia, hatches from it, feeling Eragon worthy to be her Rider and marking his palm with the sign of a Rider.

When his home is attacked and his uncle killed by Ra'zac searching for Saphira's egg, Eragon and Saphira depend on the local storyteller, Brom, to lead them on a mission for revenge, safety, and preparation for both to face the most powerful tyrant Alagaesia has ever suffered. Spurred by his expulsion from the Dragon Riders upon the death of his own dragon, Galbatorix raised an army, destroying all signs of the Dragon Riders besides his own fire-breathing replacement familiar.

Brom trains Eragon in sword-fighting, dragon-riding, and magic while on the run, hunted by Durza and his Urgal minions. Under Galbatorix's command, the Shade has been sent to bring the pair to him, to force them to join him, before they can side with the Varden, an underground group determined to end the King's reign. With knowledge of dragons, magic, and combat far beyond that of a village storyteller, Eragon knows he is hiding something, a secret that becomes clear to the reader long before the characters catch on- Brom was once a Rider himself. He eventually divulges that he was sent to wait for Saphira's egg to hatch, to protect and train her chosen Rider. Along their journey to track the Ra'zac and locate the hidden Varden, their group runs into various characters- some there to help, others to do them harm; some stay for only a few chapters, while others stay for much longer. After a skirmish, Brom is mortally wounded, his death means Eragon and Saphira no longer know how to reach the Varden. They later meet a young man named Murtagh, who shows them the way to the Varden's hideout amongst the dwarves, risking his own imprisonment upon arrival for being the son of the Riders' ultimate traitor, Morzan.

This novel is as much a coming-of-age story as much as it is a fight between good and evil, as young Eragon is thrown unexpectedly into manhood, and could not be a more complete introduction to the world of the Inheritance Cycle. With so many intricate events and details, no review could ever completely do justice to this well-written, engrossing novel, straight from the mind of a fellow young adult, the primary market for this series, but like "Twilight," "The Hunger Games," and "Harry Potter," the Inheritance Cycle also attracts adults, for once you pick up "eragon," no matter your age, just reading the first book is not enough. An easy five stars and a definite re-read (especially as this is my second time reading the novel). Keep an eye out for my later reviews of the remaining Inheritance Cycle novels: "Eldest," "Brisingr," and "Inheritance." 

                                                                                                       

"The Fine Art of Literary Mayhem" by Myric Land

Book Details:

Title: The Fine Art of Literary Mayhem: A Lively Account of Famous Writers and Their Feuds
Author: Myric Land
Published: 1983 by Lexikos (2nd edition, revised; Orig. 1962)
ISBN: 0-938530-11-9
Genre: Non-Fiction - Authors - Literary Quarrels
Pages: 272 pages
Rating: 4 of 5


My Review:

Hemingway, Dickens, Wells- These and many other famous authors have become immortalized as generation after generation pass along their works, most earning the title of 'modern classic'. What readers don't consider is that these writers had lives outside of the words on the pages, and just like the famous media stars of today, their lives were sometimes driven to create drama. Only, their feuds with each other tended to be a little more subtle than the paparazzi fighting to get the best pictures and stories of those involved, though several legendary fights Land tells of do involve arguing in public. Newspaper pages became their most popular fighting ring- each writer's response to his opponent's editorial or book review from the week before. Another well-used weapon from one author to another involved creating ridiculous characters for their novels, loosely based on the target, where the writer can control and emphasize every aspect of their opponent's life and personality.

Myrick Land recreates the time periods for each feud by really submersing the reader in direct quotes from memoirs, magazines, newspapers, and countless other sources, including interviews he himself conducted with some of the parties involved to get every detail of the arguments and reprocutions.

Land successfully portrays the personalities and qualities of all these literary heroes so the reader can get to know them beyond their name on the cover of your favorite novels. Which famous authors were trouble-makers? Who quivered in the corner when called out by another's attack? A fascinating collection of the various feuds- from Norman Mailer and James Baldwin to Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald, this author has now immortalized a side of these legends few know or think about. It is a well-written, to-the-point account of some of their more famous social contributions and more sinister character creations. 

"Ascend" by Amanda Hocking

Book Details:

Title: Ascend (Trylle Trilogy, #3)
Author: Amanda Hocking
Published: 2012- St. Martin's Griffin (orig. 2011)
ISBN:978-1-250-00633-2
Genre: Young Adult - Fantasy
Pages: 426 pages
Rating: 4 of 5


My Review:

I picked up this book with great expectations. Hocking's Trylle series has become one of my favorite Young Adult series and couldn't wait to see what surprises the author had in store for the conclusion of this fantasy series and the plethora of unique characters created to exist in it.

Wendy is forced to grow up fast when she is faced with the impending death of her mother Elora, Queen of the Trylle, becoming Queen herself and running a kingdom she has only barely gotten to know, turning eighteen, and her arranged marriage to her friend Tove, a powerful Markis with a very influential family. Of course, there's still the issue of Wendy's love for the tracker Finn, a pairing that would require both to be banished from Forening, and Finn's insistance that duty come before love. While it pains Wendy to see Finn working around the palace, knowing he's made his choice and can't be her's, she focuses her energy on preparing the kingdom for war with their rival Changeling clan, the Vittra.

Ascend opens on the eve of Wendy's eighteenth birthday. Like any other eighteen-year old, she spends the evening laughing and havinga care-free time with her friends. She knows this will be the last time she'll be allowed to have this time with them all, regardless of their place (or lack thereof) in Trylle society. Matt, the brother she grew up with, is just an average human, the equivalence of pond scum in this high-nosed society. Willa is Wendy's closest friend and the most powerful Marksinna. An outgoing girly-girl, she is a perfect compliment to Wendy's often un-ladylike behaviors and helps her look and act the part of the respectable Queen she must be, and even grows herself, into the government-involved Marksinna. Though Willa is on thin ice herself, secretly in a relationship with Matt- a crime punishable by banishing. Rhys and Rhiannon are manks- they are the human babies taken from the host families and raised in Trylle society, usually treated no better than servants. Duncan, Wendy's new tracker since Finn became reassigned, proves to be an invaluable asset to Wendy throughout the book, as he is a dedicated friend, fiercely loyal and desperate to prove himself as a tracker (even if he's not cut out for combat...).

Other returning characters are Elora, Wendy's mother and Queen of the Trylle; Aurora, Tove's mother and an icy, bitter woman; the perverted Chancellor, whose thoughts of Wendy make Tove very angry; Garrett, Finn's father and Elora's long-time lover, and Oren, Wendy's father and King of the Vittra, among many others.

In the second book, we met Loki, a Vittra Markis who sneaks into the palace courtyard and begs Wendy to run away with him. In Ascend, we find Loki battered and bruised at the door to the palace, and Wendy takes charge, depending on her closest friends to keep the secret of his presence while he heals and she can determine the reason for coming to Forening, of all places. Loki's charming, witty, sarcastic personality draw Wendy right in- instead of just harboring an enemy, she falls in love with him also.

Three days after her eighteenth birthday, Wendy and Tove are married, followed by a reception in which Wendy is to dance with everyone who asks. Tove has exceptionally strong powers and is a powerful backer to all of Wendy's ideas, but the marriage creates a certain awkwardness between the couple. When Elora dies, finally drained of energy from years of using her powers, Wendy has three days before she must be crowned Queen, ending the truce with the Vittra, leaving the kingdom open for an attack they can't possibly win. The Trylle look on in horror as the Vittra decimate other Changling cities, just waiting for the chance to take over Forening. Seeing no better way to save her people, Wendy convinces Loki to take her to Oren, her father and King of the Vittra. Wendy knows Oren wants her for his own, as her powers are the strongest seen in a very long time, or he will ensure she can side with no one. Swearing love and loyalty to her, Loki takes her to the very man who nearly killed him for not bringing Wendy to him in the second book. Doing things her own way, as she often prefers, Wendy works out a deal with the King: no more attacks on any Changlings until she is crowned Queen, and in return, she will unite Forening with the Vittra and rule under him. Oren greedily takes the deal, unaware that this Princess will not let her kingdom go that easily.

While preparing to attack the Vittra unaware to gain the upper hand, Tove reveals to Wendy that he's gay, and they both admit they are not in love with each other. Tove's argument on the matter is especially moving: Trylle have very short lives due to their powers draining their life energy away, and with as strong at Tove's powers are, he pointed out that he would not have a long life and he'd like the chance to fall in love. They agree to an annullment as soon as the war with the Vittra ends, the first real decision made based on one's own happiness versus the good of the kingdom, though Tove would remain at her side, helping her make the changes she, and most of her generation, want to see in a kingdom that never shys from the old customs.

I was really unsatisfied at how much plot and content Hocking crammed into this third book. I strongly believe more should have been included in some scenes, such as the final war scene, the wedding reception, and her meeting with Oren. I also felt the last several chapters, the epitome of the entire book, were rushed and lacking in detail and minor content. The epilogue, the update on everyone a year later, was the greatest disappointment for me. It would have felt more natural to see the events that transpired over that year's time in a fourth book, where the characters and relationships would get the recognition they should have instead of a short summary of everyone's lives. It just felt too unnatural to me for Wendy Everly to be a mother, and it broke my heart to see Finn with a family of his own, just a page-turn away from the post-battle wrap-up. While I respect the author's decisions concerning the characters' relationships, I will always be a Wendy-Finn shipper (for you hardcore book bloggers who know what that means), even more so after he has become forbidden to her. But even Finn gets to find love in the end, and Wendy and Loki get to rule as King and Queen and unite the kingdoms under a positive rule aimed at changing their world to accomodate and enliven their dying culture to fit better with thoughts and ideals of the human world around them.

I can say, without a doubt, that I am sad this series is over. My only regret is that the epilogue ruins any hopes I previously had that Hocking would decide to write another. It's like a giant stamp over the last page that reads: AND THEY ALL LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER.

"The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane" by Katherine Howe

Book Details:

Title: The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane

Author: Katherine Howe

Published: 2009- Hyperion (HarperCollins Publishers)

ISBN: 978-1-4013-4090-2

Pages: 371 pages

Genre: Fiction - History - Colonial Period

Rating: 5 of 5

Read In: 13 days

My Review:

Katherine Howe's 2009 novel, The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane follows Harvard graduate student Connie Goodwin through the summer of 1991, unfortunately divided between research for her dissertation (with her adviser actively pushing her to find her primary source), and the great task of cleaning out her late grandmother's old house in Marblehead, Massachusetts so it could be sold. Her initial inspection of the house produced a key hidden in a Bible, with the name 'Deliverance Dane' on a small scroll inside it. A student in American Colonial history, she is quick on the trail of a possible primary source, the study of which would secure her high reputation in her field. Appearing only in the town's records, deceased in 1692, and not listed in the church's records suggested that Deliverance was probably a previously unaccounted for victim of the Salem witch trials. Public records indicated a book-like item being transferred upon death through her family, whether an almanack (sic) or a receipt book, but they stop before giving away a very current location. When her new love interest's life is on the line, the "Book of Deliverance Dane" becomes more important than ever. Along the way Connie discovers just how much people are willing to sacrifice to possess this 'shadow book'. 

Intermingled throughout Connie's story is the tale of Deliverance Dane from the very beginning of the Salem witch hunt, through the eyes of her young daughter, Mercy. Deliverance made her living doing "physick," a sort of magic, and was often called upon by neighbors to cure an ailment or save a runt calf. She kept a book of her recipes and incantations, passed on through the women in her family for generations. When she wrongly diagnoses a dying young girl and gives the wrong "physick," her father blames Deliverance for her death, and upon the scream of witch from a few of the town's young girls, he saw his chance for revenge and claimed she purposely killed her daughter through instruction of the Devil. As panic strikes this small colonial town, Mercy must take her mother's book and run, go to the house in the next town that her mother had provided for her protection. But most of all, she had to save her mother's healing craft, and continue its practice in secret.

Clearly, extensive research and knowledge went into this novel, both of the Salem witch trials and the Colonial period in general. The appearance and personality are accurate according to written accounts of this period, as well as portraits still preserved today. With a plethora of unexpected twists and turns, this novel teaches readers a little bit about a very monumental event in our country's history, and the severe consequences of fanaticism and widespread panic. I think The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane deserves the full five out of five stars for combining a great thriller and an amazing historical novel.  

"The Beak of the Finch: A Story of Evolution in Our Time" by Jonathan Weiner

Book Information:
Title: The Beak of the Finch: A Story of Evolution in Our Time

Author: Jonathan Weiner

Published: June 1995- Vintage Books

ISBN: 0-679-73337-X

Pages: 332 pages

Genre: Non-fiction - Science - Biology - Evolution

Rating: 5 of 5

Read In: 1 month

My Review:
A very complete and persuasive argument for evolution, Jonathan Weiner accompanies and interviews some of the most respected professionals in the fields of biology- evolutionists, ecologists, ornithologists, botanists, conservationists, geneticists, molecular biologists, and microbiologists, all showing how evolution is occurring, and in some cases physically observed, in their respective fields. Creationists beware, this book may change your mind. The author's primary focus lies with the finches Charles Darwin studied so intensively in the Galapagos Islands in the 1800s, and mirrors his findings and experiences with those of Peter and Rosemary Grant's first eleven years continuing his work, pointing out where his beliefs were wrong and following his hunches to discover habits and relationships they never would have thought to connect. Weiner accompanies the Grants several times throughout their trips to Daphne Major, as well as Genovesa, San Cristobal, and other volcanic islands that make up the Galapagos archipelago, getting a first-hand look at the evolution taking place, himself.

The author provides the facts and figures the finch-watchers collect, proof that these animals are physically changing over the generations to fit best into their particular niche on the island. Beak size or shape, body size, claw usage, they are all changing to get the most out of their environment, and as the environment changes, particularly when under flood or drought, the changes move into the direction that will best fit the new environment. He also clears up the line between what is simply an adaptation in a species, and what changes suggest a whole new species has been created.

Evolution is also shown through experimentation and observation of other birds, insects, bacterium, fish, flowering plants, and molecules from all around the world. The science of this is broken down so thoroughly that one does not need to be familiar with the subject before picking up this book, because everything is well-explained, and Weiner doesn't waste time getting off-topic to explain a theory or scientific process not necessary to understand why and how these changes happen.

Human evolution is also spotlighted, giving a brief history of how we have changed since branching off from the other primates. He also touches on the subject of human consciousness, why we seem to be the only creatures able to develop it, and whether it's possible for other conscious beings to live on another planet- a mystery forever plaguing the evolutionary community.

Well-deserving of its Pulitzer Prize, The Beak of the Finch is a fantastic read for anyone interested in biology or evolution theory. Well-organized, well-written, and stimulating enough not to bore the casual reader. I gave it five out of five stars and admire Jonathan Weiner as an author for traveling all over the world out of commitment to the study of his subject.

"Torn" by Amanda Hocking

Book Details:
Title: Torn (Trylle Trilogy #2)
Author: Amanda Hocking
Published: 2012 - St. Martin's Press
ISBN: 978-1-250-00632-5
Genre: Young Adult- Fantasy
Pages: 324 pages
Rating: 3 of 5
Read In: 5 days

My Review:
In Hocking's first Trylle novel Switched, I fell in love with Finn right along with Wendy (and just about every other female reader!). In this sequel, I became upset at Wendy, Finn, the author, everyone involved, for the events that transpired as I tore through the novel, waiting for the ultimate moment when Finn throws himself at the princess and finally demands they be together forever, no matter the cost! Sadly, I was greatly disappointed. As Finn repeatedly chooses duty over love and slowly fades into the background of Wendy's mind, he is replaced so quickly by the Vittra Markis Loki, and his request to marry her and run away together, completely freeing themselves of troll-kind. Actually, I noticed while reading that Wendy has an awkward relationship with every male character in her age range... She has orders to keep a distance between herself and Rhys after being caught asleep in his bedroom, she is frowned upon by many for her insistence in keeping Matt at the palace, she loves Finn but has to hide it and never be with him while he still works in the Palace, she's been caught kissing Loki, the mortal enemy, who later begs for her love and all the while still finds time to help Elora and Aurora plan her upcoming marriage to the homosexual Tove. I find it hard to sympathize with Wendy with all the romance drama and broken hearts she seems to create. Thankfully, other romances are uncovered and will shock every reader!

The plot follows Wendy on the road to becoming Queen of the Trylle and sheds some light on why the Vittra are so desperate to get their hands on her. I was not as impressed by this novel as I was with Switched and felt constantly conflicted about which male character she would gravitate to next. There is some much-needed development in Wendy's relationships with Elora, Willa, and Tove, as she accepts her responsibilities as the Princess and begins to grow into the role.

While the story line does progress a necessary amount for a trilogy, it lacked the rushes of excitement every reader craves and the passion one expects from a young adult novel. With one book left in the trilogy, Hocking can definitely still redeem herself in my eyes. I still look forward to Ascend, with high hopes and expectations. I gave it three out of five stars because while it was just okay in my eyes, I still absolutely love the series and characters, I just wish they'd make up their minds already!!!