"The Secret History" by Donna Tartt

Book Details:
Title- The Secret History
Author- Donna Tartt
Published- 2004: Random House, Inc. (Orig. 1994: Alfred A. Knopf)
ISBN- 1-4000-3170-2
Genre- Thriller
Pages- 559 pages
Rating 3 of 5

My Review:
Richard Papen gets more than he expected when he first arrives at tranquil (not to mention, elite) Hampden College and becomes one of only six Classics & Greek students, taught by the charismatic Julian Morrow. The accidental death of a local farmer forces the students to keep a constant eye on each other, afraid someone may buckle under the weight of this secret and go to the police to avoid their own jail time.

When Bunny (formally, Edmund), the most carefree of the group begins to crack under the pressure, Henry, the most meticulous and studious of the group suggests the only way to keep their secret is to keep Bunny quiet- permanently.

Now responsible for two deaths, the friends' relationships, along with each individual, begin to change as paranoia and distrust set in alongside the guilt of Bunny's death.

I found this novel to have a sizable amount of unnecessary "fluff," as well as being rather slow-moving between the monumental events, which take place quickly themselves, with much less detail and elaborations one would expect from the major scenes of the entire story line.

The excessive use of alliteration often seemed too much, unnecessary, to me. The references come mainly from ancient Greek philosophers, fitting for the students' area of expertise, but little-known to the common reader. The class discussions the author includes are long and in-depth, requiring a reread or two to understand their significance to the plot, and sometimes having no connection to the current situation the group faces, but to one so much farther ahead that I had forgotten completely about these references until I went back through to collect review material.

Tartt does present one of the most unique sets of characters I have seen. 'A strange group of outcasts at a prestigious New England college,' who have dedicated their college careers, and subsequently their lives, to pouring over long-forgotten texts written in Greek by long-forgotten authors, with a sprinkling of Latin and French. These become aids to transmit messages to each other in the presence of others. Written in second person, we can only learn of Richard's experiences, keeping the sense of intrigue and paranoia among the rest of the group.

My real frustration came at the very end of the novel. It is my belief that the resolution introduces more questions that it answers, denying the reader closure and making the book feel somehow unfinished.

Richard's words perfectly describes the novel while summing up  his roller coaster first year at Hampden College- this is a novel "...of sin unpunished, of innocence destroyed..." Full of surprises and rife with brain-bending twists, The Secret History is a worthwhile read for thriller fans.

"The Neverending Story" by Michael Ende

Book Details:
Title- The Neverending Story
Author- Michael Ende
Published- 1983: Doubleday & Company, Inc. (Orig. 1979: K. Thienemanns Verlag, Stuttgart)
ISBN- 0-385-17622-8
Genre- Young Adult - Fantasy
Pages- 396 pages
Rating- 5 of 5

My Review:
Ask any American child of the 80's who Atreyu is and they'll most likely be able to recall the hero in the movie adaptation of this highly imaginative fantasy novel that originated in Germany, caught fire and became a best-seller in 27 countries. The movie delighted children and adults alike across the U.S. as the tale of a lonely, bullied young boy named Bastian who discovers a mysterious book and delves into the tome, discovering its unusual qualities as he becomes entangled in the adventures of the character Atreyu, on his mission to save the Empress of Fantasia (Fantastica, in the novel). For those who have seen the movie, you've only experienced the first half of the novel (and a very condensed version of it, I might add). No cinematics could ever do justice to the extensive imagination Ende has put into this book, the many layers of plot, the fantastic, original creatures that inhabit Fantastica, and the full story that leads Bastian Balthazar Bux to take refuge in this world within a book. This piece of literature can only truly be appreciated when viewed through one's own imagination.

Ende blows all other fantasy writers out of the water with his creativity in both the characters he's created and the adventures he sends them on. The Neverending Story is nearly three stories in one. It begins in our world, following the fat, friendless Bastian, who feels unloved even by his own emotionally distant father. After stealing The Neverending Story from a book shop, he stows away in his school's attic and buries himself in the pages of this strangely magnetic book. Then we switch between the story of Bastian reading in the attic and Atreyu, a young boy in the book on a quest to find the cure for Fantastica's dying Empress. Little does Bastian know that once he began reading, he became part of this other realm, immortalized in the true "Neverending Story." Lastly, we follow Bastian into Fantastica, where he has become exalted as the Savior of Fantastica through his renaming of their Empress. Wielding AURYN, a medallion gifted to him by the Empress herself, which grants all of its bearer's deepest wishes, Bastian becomes drunk with power, wishing himself strong, handsome, and courageous, all the qualities he lacks in his real life, risking his relationships with Atreyu and the luckdragon Falkor, the only two real friends he has ever had. Far from the only risk he takes, Bastian must figure out what he truly wants more than anything, before he ruins the world he only recently saved and becomes unable to return home.

One of this novel's amazing features in the extensive amount of imagination and creativity with which the author fills every single page. Ende creates dozens on his own creatures, such as a "man-sized rooster in jackboots" and the Acharis, known as the saddest creatures in all of Fantastica, they resemble fat worms and cry a river of silver. Favorites from the movie are also given their due in the novel, like Pyornkrachzark, the rock chewer, and the night-hob Vooshvazool and his bat mount.

The format in which Ende presents his novel allows two of the separate story lines to coexist and flow seamlessly into each other. The author even goes as far as to print in two colors- red text for events taking place in the real world, and green text for the happenings of Fantastica, further separating the imagination from reality.

This multi-layer adventure carries the primary theme that friendship, and loving & being loved in return, are more important than the vain characteristics we humans are so often blinded by- power, looks, popularity. Indescribably imaginative, in my opinion, The Neverending Story was clearly well-planned and could only have come from the mind of a Grand Master of the fantasy genre.

"Houses of Horror" by Hans Holzer

Book Details:
Title- Houses of Horror
Author- Hans Holzer
Published- 2007: Barnes & Noble, Inc. (Orig. 1970: Aspera Ad Astra, Inc.)
ISBN- 978-0-7607-8384-9
Genre- Non-fiction - Occult
Pages- 359 pages
Rating- 3 of 5

My Review:
It saddens me to be disappointed by a book I was so eager to read. Houses of Horror is a compilation of some of the house hauntings studied by author and parapsychologist Hans Holzer. Each chapter spotlights a particular case, or multiple cases occurring in the same area, in Mr. Holzer's career of studying and releasing spirits trapped between worlds and unable to rest peacefully. This type of work appeals to me, as I've had a long-time interest in the occult.

After several chapters, my disappointment began to settle in as each chapter vaguely resembles every other. The author does not live up to the "horror" promised in the title and simply explains the same, repetitive spiritual behavior in each house, which rarely strays from phantom footsteps, "uneasy" feelings of an unseen presence, random figures in the dark that disappear when the lights go on, and other various noises. Nothing about Holzer's accounts inspired any feelings one expects when reading ghost stories. Rather, the stories should be more accurately marketed as various cases of a professional parapsychologist, and nothing more. An aggravating reoccurence is the lack of closure in many of the cases, while others are hardly more than snippets of cases that seem just thrown in at will, giving very little detail, background, or substance at at all. A paragraph or two of "fluff" from an unrelated case appear in many of the earlier chapters, becoming rarer as the book progresses.

The unnecessary "fluff" and lack of assumed horror can be easily overlooked as the author offers interesting insight into a lesser-known, sometimes taboo, profession and a greatly mysterious subject matter, however the excessive occurence of typographical errors shows a complete lack of proper editing. As the third edition (the first published in 1970),one would expect such obvious mistakes be corrected at some point. Nevertheless, my personal experience reading this book was marred by lack of proper spacing between words and numerous punctuation errors.

Finally, the repetitive nature in which the chapters are written dispelled some of the original curiosity I had for what each individual story would contain. Holzer gives the background of the case, summarizes his visit to the house (usually involving a trance medium), and after a short communication with the spirit, convincing them their work on earth is done so they can cross over. Many simply end with the author's hope that his visit ceased the disturbances, not offering any proper conclusion or follow-up. I found myself wondering if my copy was missing pages that satisfactorily closed a few of the chapters, but alas, mine is fully intact.

I really enjoyed the ride along in such a fascinating field, learning many new factoids and methods concerning the procedure for dispelling ghosts from a home, as well as insight into the various manifestations of ESP, and do so recommend to anyone particularly interested in such topics. But if a good scare is what you're looking for, Houses of Horror will not satisfy.

"Jurassic Park" by Michael Crichton

Book Details:
Title- Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park #1)
Author- Michael Crichton
Published- 1991: Ballantine Books (Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.) (Originally published in 1990)
ISBN- 0-345-37077-5
Pages- 400 pages
Genre- Thriller - Science Fiction
Rating- 5 of 5


My Review:
Never a disappointment to science fiction fans, I have found that Crichton's novels are always the quality readers want to read and writers want to achieve. His 'Jurassic Park' trilogy not only thrilled millions of readers worldwide, they successfully terrified movie-goers.

John Hammond, an elderly billionaire with a passion for dinosaurs, has purchased his own island off the coast of Coasta Rica, hired the top scientists in engineering, genetics, mathematics, and various other fields, and had dinosaurs grown from bits of preserved DNA, all for the sake of the greatest zoological attraction for children in the world. When problems begin occurring on the super-secret island attraction-in-progress known as "Jurassic Park", it's a true battle of man versus nature as the occupants of this secluded island come face-to-face with their own prehistoric creations- monsters that were never meant to coexist with humankind. Paleontologist Dr. Alan Grant is summoned from his most recent dig to tour the island, along with his assistant Dr. Ellie Sattler, in the hopes of recruiting Grant to back the island's creation and join Hammond's team. Hammond even shows his confidence in his prehistoric replica that he also includes his own two young grandchildren in the first-ever guided tour of the park. It takes very little time for the flaws of this plan to become evident, leaving everyone at the mercy of animals they know very little about. Fighting for control, as well as survival, the island's occupants experience the horror of creature who it seems are probably extinct for a reason.

Much more than merely a thrilling work of fiction, this novel carries a greater message to the reader, a warning of the dangers of advancing technology for the sake of glory and riches, without consideration for whether their advancements should take place just because they can, and without fully understanding the technology they're dealing with. Jurassic Park addresses specifically the on-going debate surrounding the ethical use of DNA engineering, and serves as a global warning of its potentially disastrous effects. This is mostly done through the rantings of one Dr. Ian Malcolm, a mathematician enlisted to help make Jurassic Park functional, though he doesn't share the views of John Hammond. Through Malcolm, Crichton delivers several deep, philosophical tirades about man trying to control nature without realizing that nature cannot be controlled, and even long after man has destroyed themselves, and maybe even all current life on the planet, the ancient earth will survive, and eventually life will spring up again, adapted to whatever changes have occurred to the planet. It will be like man never existed. This lesson is delivered so passionately by the character that no reader can ignore or deny the truth in his words.

A fascinating read with a strong message, Jurassic Park is the perfect read for all sci-fi fans. The wide variety of characters' backgrounds and personalities, the heart-pounding scenes, and exquisitely descriptive language bring the existence of Jurassic Park to life for the reader in a way I have never before experienced in this genre.

"The Lost Symbol" by Dan Brown

Book Details:

Title- <i>The Lost Symbol</i> (Robert Langdon, #3)

Author- Dan Brown

Published- 2009: Doubleday

ISBN- 978-0-385-50422-5

Pages- 509 pages

Genre- Thriller

Rating- 4 of 5

 

My Review:

In this sequel to the literary and cinematic phenomenon The Da Vinci Code, symbologist Robert Langdon is once again thrown into the world of the Freemasons. Finally, this one takes place on his own U.S. soil. Summoned to the country's capital, Langdon becomes entangled in the lore and well-hidden secrets of the ultra-secret society when a mysterious object is discovered in the Capitol Building and his long-time friend and known-Mason Peter Solomon is kidnapped by a madman who has successfully infiltrated the Masons, reaching the coveted 33rd degree with the intention of personally gaining, as well as divulging their greatest secrets and using them to take down the society.

Accompanied by Peter's sister Katherine, Langdon follows the trail of clues left by ancient Masons to find his friend in time to save his life. Plunged deep within hidden passages and tunnels weaving through Washington, D.C., following Langdon is once again as much a learning experience for the reader as a cunningly well-written thriller, filled with as much fact as fiction.

My only complaint with this series is the lack of subject variation. All three novels revolve around the Freemasons and Illuminati, societies Langdon is not even a member of. I would love to see this world-famous symbologist delve into the secrets of another culture or society. While all three novels are gripping and fascinating, a little variation in subject matter would be a welcome change in my eyes, and show Brown's talent as a writer and researcher to introduce readers to another side of Robert Langdon- a side that is fluent in other areas of symbology.

Well worth the read to history buffs, as well as fans of thrillers. The famous Langdon novels are not to be missed!

"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."