My Reading Frenzy

A satisfying ending

to a series came in the form of City of Heavenly Fire, by Cassandra Clare, the 6th book in The Mortal Instruments series.  I have enjoyed all of the books in this series and The Infernal Devices series which for now is only 3 books. It is no surprise after the success of these books (with a movie version of City of Bones, which I do not think did well at the box office) that she is working on a third series, The Dark Artifices, centering on characters introduced in City of Heavenly Fire.  It seems she is also working on a new series with Holly Black, the first book due out in September.  

Reasons I like the series:

1.  Excellent world building, no inconsistencies (like how Luke asks Leia if she remembers her mother and Leia says she remembers she was very beautiful, but in Episode III, Padme dies only minutes after the twins are born, thus making it impossible for Leia to know anything about her mother. - Poorly done George Lucas.) 

2.  The books are so rich and detailed about the history of the Shadowhunters, and their nemeses the Downworlders you could read them more than once and probably should to understand all the intricacies.  (Hard to believe there are critics who think YA is light and simple.)

3.  Great mix of fantasy, romance, and adventure. 

4.  These books did not remind me of any others...unique and addictive.

Goliath - Scott Westerfeld

I loved Scott Westerfeld's trilogy that began with Leviathan, continued with Behemoth, and just ended with Goliath.  The steam punk combination of World War I, Darwinists and Clankers with teen protagonists is brilliant.  The artwork by Keith Thompson adds to the charm.  As much as I love description, I also appreciate an artist's rendering.  The illustrations were illustrative (ha ha) without being obtrusive.  All the better if the author approves the vision of his story presented by the artwork.  And as much as I dislike when movie studios get ahold of great books and ruin them, I think this trilogy would make fantastic, special effects laden films.  Just as the books are multi-generational, so too would be the movies.

So enough blathering.  The trilogy ended satisfyingly, for me anyway.  With the war heating up, this book was bound to be exciting as the Leviathan travels the world on what are essentially diplomatic missions that somehow always involve excitement for Dylan and Alek.

The creatures Westerfeld has created are fascinating in their talents and uses.  I find the Darwinists much more interesting than the Clankers.  When the ship gets to the US, the separation of the Clanker North and the Darwinist South is an interesting commentary.  It is certainly believeable the North would be Clanker with its industry being a key reason they won the Civil War.  However, the Darwinist South is based on the agrarian tradition of the South, but I am not so sure the religious traditions of the South would realistically allow for the genetic manipulation of creatures by humans.  This is a tiny little part of the story, but one I find intriguing.

Dylan/Deryn continues to be an admirable character.  Alek grows into a man in this novel.  Despite the time arc of the three books being only a few months, both of these young people change quite a bit.  Their sense of honor and the behaviors it inspires are realistic and I believe relevent to current generations of young people who cannot understand the patriotism of World Wars I and II, not the glory of these wars, but the way that nations came together to support what they believed was right.  Alek's struggles as a monarch in that world are significant and mold him right before the reader's eyes. 

This really is a wonderful series that does not drag on, but knows when to exit gracefully after a barking good adventure.

The Floating Islands - Neumeier

I really liked The Floating Islands by Rachel Neumeier.  Part of the beauty of this book is the seamless integration of the fantasy elements with the tragic realities and everyday mundanities plus just a touch of steampunk.   Trei is an outsider whose mother was an Islander, giving him some claim to a life on the floating islands with his uncle, aunt, and cousin after the death of his family while he was away from home.  He is welcomed by his remaining family though somewhat warily by his cousin Araene, who does not dislike him, but is jealous of the freedoms he has a boy.  That is just one of those mundane details about the society, girls are not educated and have few freedoms, that really is not mundane after all, as Araene's disatisfaction with the status quo drives her to make some radical (for that society) choices about her life. 

I have read quite a few books lately (The 13 Series and The Iron King series) in which the special powers of the characters are odd because the story takes place in our world.  When the book is set in an alternate world, no time has to be spent discussing how odd the powers, creatures, devices etc. are, we can just get right into the heart of the story, with only minor exposition about the world and its inhabitants. 

I am excited to read Neumeier's The City in the Lake.  Reviews I have read say it is better than this one. 

 

The Iron King - Fantasy ~ Steampunk ~ Romance

I have been amazingly fortunate in my book choices recently...or more accurately I have been taking reading suggestions from excellent sources.  While reading The Iron King I put the second book, The Iron Daughter a few books down in my TBR pile, but since finishing I have taken the second book out and placed it within reach so when I need a break from some work I need to do tonight, I can start reading it.  Partly that attests to how much I liked The Iron King, and partly it shows how impatient I am....I just NEED to know what happens to Meghan Chase, Ash, Puck, Oberon and all the other inhabitants of the Nevernever. 

Initially I thought this book resembled The 13 Treasures but really the similarities are superficial.   I am sad I missed so much YA literature over the years when I was not paying enough attention, but now that I am back, I am thrilled to see so many strong heroines.  Meghan is half human and half fey giving her extraordinary powers without some of the weaknesses.  As Meghan is told, her real weakness is her concern for others.  So that takes care of the fantasy.

The steampunk elements come from the iron king who rules a strange steampunk underworld that exists because humans have stopped believing in nature and magic and instead love only technology.  Not a new idea, but certainly a unique approach.

The romance is the usual..girl meets boy, boy tries to kill girl, girl and boy fall in love, boy still needs to turn girl over to his evil queen.  Just your typical teen angsty romance, yet you cannot help but root for something to change so they can be together.  This is why I MUST read the second book NOW.  The third book should arrive about the time I finish the second.  And rumor has it a fourth in the works.  If Julie Kagawa would hurry up I will be just fine.