Theater Thursday: The Seventh Son

With the release of the the next Last Apprentice book, Slither, coming out next week, I thought this would be a good day to talk about the movie that's being made out of the series. It comes out  on the 18th of October, this year, and I'm rather excited . . . and a bit nervous.  I love this series.  It has great characters, creepy creatures, and lots of adventure. I'm just hoping they capture the essence of the story. From the cast you can tell the movie is changing things, but maybe it works better for the movie?  Thomas Ward is almost 13 when the first book begins.  Ben Barns is considerably older than that. Mother Malkin is the bad guy in the first book, but only a minor character in the series as a whole, so we'll see how that turns out as well.

Despite all that, I think this will be a fun adaption, I mean just look at the pictures. I love Jeff Bridges, who plays the Spook, and Julianne Moore is an excellent actress (plus she looks deliciously creepy as Mother Malkin). I'm just hoping for a trailer soon, so I'll have a better idea of how this movie is going to turn out.  If you're looking for a series full of little adventures tied into a greater one, this is it.

Plus, this is the time to start reading the books.  If you read them now, you'll have enough time to forget all the tiny details that they won't capture in the movie. I've found, for me, that I enjoy movies a lot more if I haven't read the book too recently. It lets me enjoy them so much more because I don't remember everything, so I don't get frustrated with the filmmaker's decisions.  If you're interested, here's a quick summary of the first book, The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch.

For years, Old Gregory has been the Spook for the county, ridding the local villages of evil. Now his time is coming to an end. But who will take over for him? Twenty-nine apprentices have tried—some floundered, some fled, some failed to stay alive.

Only Thomas Ward is left. He's the last hope, the last apprentice.  Quoted from Goodreads

Book Review: Through the Ever Night

It's been months since Aria last saw Perry. Months since Perry was named Blood Lord of the Tides, and Aria was charged with an impossible mission. Now, finally, they are about to be reunited. But their reunion is far from perfect. The Tides don't take kindly to Aria, a former Dweller. And with the worsening Aether storms threatening the tribe's precarious existence, Aria begins to fear that leaving Perry behind might be the only way to save them both.

Threatened by false friends, hidden enemies, and powerful temptations, Aria and Perry wonder, Can their love survive through the ever night?

In this second book in her spellbinding Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi combines fantasy and dystopian elements to create a captivating story as perilous as it is unforgettable. Quoted from Goodreads

********************

Second books are hard. Too often, they simply bridge the gap between first and third.  The world building is mostly done, so the story has to step things up to keep my attention.  Too often it fails, but every so often I find a sequel that lives up to it's predecessor. This is one of those.

The first book was all about Aria's growth.  She learned to survive in her new environment, harsh as it may have been, and thrive on the challenge.  This second book was more Perry's story.  Yes, the chapters still alternate between them, but this time it's Perry on a journey. As Blood Lord of his tribe, he is given the opportunity to really grow up and come into his own.  Aria's still there, but her journey, while full of adventure, changes her less than Perry's does, and I enjoyed the chance to let a different character shine.

A lot of other things came together for me in this book.  There were several characters whose importance I didn't understand in the first book, or whose role was more like filler (I mean, you can't have a world with only five characters) that got fleshed out.  It added a wonderful depth to the book, and tied in loose ends from the first that perfectly set up the third installment.

Another thing I really enjoyed in this book is Aria and Perry's relationship.  Yes, there is the requisite heartache found in any YA sequel, but it was a normal, healthy kind. It didn't paralyze the characters or keep them from doing what they needed to do. It wasn't full of angst or dramatic bursts of tears. Plus, there still isn't a love triangle.  Aria and Roar are able to be good friends without Roar falling in love with Aria or Aria falling for him. In fact, I love Aria and Roar's relationship.  It's sweet, fun, and incredibly supportive.

If you haven't read Under the Never Sky, now is the time to pick it up, read it, and then read Through the Ever Night.  I thoroughly enjoyed it, far more than I thought I would. It deserves a solid 4 stars, maybe more, and is the pefect second book. It pulls things together, while still leaving me anxiously waiting for the thrid book to come out.

A Memory of Light

Since 1990, when Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time® burst on the world with its first book, The Eye of the World, readers have been anticipating the final scenes of this extraordinary saga, which has sold over forty million copies in over thirty languages.

When Robert Jordan died in 2007, all feared that these concluding scenes would never be written. But working from notes and partials left by Jordan, established fantasy writer Brandon Sanderson stepped in to complete the masterwork. With The Gathering Storm (Book 12) andTowers of Midnight (Book 13) behind him, both of which were # 1 New York Times hardcover bestsellers, Sanderson now re-creates the vision that Robert Jordan left behind.

Edited by Jordan’s widow, who edited all of Jordan’s books, A Memory of Light will delight, enthrall, and deeply satisfy all of Jordan’s legions of readers.

The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass.
What was, what will be, and what is,
may yet fall under the Shadow.
Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time.   Quoted from Goodreads

********************

It's over.   I've been reading these books for over half my life and hearing about them for even longer, and it's over. Don't worry, I won't give anything away.

You know that giddy feeling you felt when you got the last Harry Potter book, and you wanted to read it right away and save it because you knew this was the last time you would read a Harry Potter book for the first time.  Yes, you can revisit the world over and over, but this is the last time you will have unanswered questions, the last time you don't know who will live and who will die, the last time the mystery is still alive.

I should probably tell you I cried.  You go into a story like this expecting a certain number of deaths, but sometimes it isn't the person you expected that hurts the worst. Like HP's Fred.  Who expected Fred to die, and who didn't feel their heart break just a little at George's tears? Like Amanda said, there are a LOT of characters, a lot of main characters, even.  There were some I absolutely expected to die. I was prepared for it, and I was sure Brandon Sanderson/Robert Jordan would kill them off. And they didn't (which is mostly good, don't get me wrong, but also a little bit bad, though you can figure out why yourself). Then there were others I didn't expect, and that was worse.  And, of course, there was the ultimate question of Rand, but I'm not going into that.

Beyond the deaths, there were several great twists in this story. Some I didn't see coming, though in hindsight it was perfectly set up.  There were others I suspected, especially as the book moved along, but all of them were fun.

This book does have a lot of battles.  It's rather emotionally exhausting just reading them, but thrilling/nail-biting as well.  The Last Battle had a thirteen book build up, which totally justified the number of pages spent on the final battle.  Plus Brandon Sanderson switches between so many characters and different struggles that it never feels repetitive or overdrawn, and merges just the right amount of heroism with despair.  

This book was, to borrow a word, exquisite.  It tied up decades of writing and hundreds of story threads. It made me cry, grin in delight, and honestly, part of me never wanted it to end.  It is absolutely 5 stars.  5 stars for the book itself, 5 stars for the world Robert Jordan started, and 5 stars for the way Brandon Sanderson finished it off.  Yes, it is a time commitment and, yes, it is daunting, but it is absolutely worth every minute. I loved it.

Flashback Friday: The Gathering Storm

Tarmon Gai’don, the Last Battle, looms. And mankind is not ready.

The final volume of the Wheel of Time, A Memory of Light, was partially written by Robert Jordan before his untimely passing in 2007. Brandon Sanderson, New York Times bestselling author of the Mistborn books, was chosen by Jordan’s editor---his wife, Harriet McDougal---to complete the final book. The scope and size of the volume was such that it could not be contained in a single book, and so Tor proudly presents The Gathering Storm as the first of three novels that will make up A Memory of Light.This will complete the struggle against the Shadow, closing a journey begun almost twenty years ago and marking the conclusion of the Wheel of Time, the preeminent fantasy epic of our era.

In this epic novel, Rand al’Thor, the Dragon Reborn, struggles to unite a fractured network of kingdoms and alliances in preparation for the Last Battle. As he attempts to halt the Seanchan encroachment northward---wishing he could form at least a temporary truce with the invaders---his allies watch in terror the shadow that seems to be growing within the heart of the Dragon Reborn himself.

Egwene al’Vere, the Amyrlin Seat of the rebel Aes Sedai, is a captive of the White Tower and subject to the whims of their tyrannical leader. As days tick toward the Seanchan attack she knows is imminent, Egwene works to hold together the disparate factions of Aes Sedai while providing leadership in the face of increasing uncertainty and despair. Her fight will prove the mettle of the Aes Sedai, and her conflict will decide the future of the White Tower---and possibly the world itself.

The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow. Quoted from Goodreads

*********************

Wow, that was a really long introduction.  Still, now you have the background on this book, and can probably guess why I'm reviewing it. Amanda did a great job introducing the Wheel of Time series, and since my entire week's been consumed by it, I thought I'd dedicate Flashback Friday to Brandon Sanderson.  

Yes, Robert Jordan died.  Even before his death I worried because it was obvious (in my opinion) he would never finish the series.  While I love New Spring, I kind of wanted to scream when it came out instead of the next book. Then Brandon Sanderson took over with a lot of notes left by Robert Jordan and help from his wife/editor Harriet. I had read Elantris and enjoyed it, but I was still nervous.

I shouldn't have been.

Yes, the writing is a bit different, and there were a few characters that may have seemed a little off, but for the most part I think Brandon Sanderson did an amazing job of continuing the work Robert Jordan started.  I can't imagine with the hundreds (literally) of plot lines left open, how daunting it would have been to try and close them.  And never forget the fans.  He had the burden of continuing one of the best fantasy series ever, and I think he really pulled through. 

I felt like, for the first time in several books, that the plot was moving forward again.  Some of RJ's later books go so bogged down in the characters and petty conflicts, the plot hardly moved.  Supposedly he was going to finish things up in one more volume, but I'm betting it would have taken at least six, maybe seven.

This book, to me, was Egwene's glory moment.  This is where I feel her character really shined, where she became the person she had the promise of becoming. I also liked Faile for the first time.  Partly because of that beautiful thing she did right at the beginning, but I feel like Brandon Sanderson softened her character just a little bit, allowing us to actually see why Perrin loved her.

Before Brandon Sanderson, this series was starting to frustrate me.  Don't get me wrong, the first six  or seven books were still among my favorites ever, but then things bogged down, plots kept opening up without old ones being resolved, and I didn't see the end in sight.  Now I do.  This book is, for me, a stunning 4.5 stars.  It started things moving again, while still giving me time with characters and a story that I love.

(Belated) Amanda Monday: The Eye of the World

The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and go, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth returns again. In the Third Age, an Age of Prophecy, the World and Time themselves hang in the balance. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.

- Quoted from Goodreads - 

Today is a fairly ordinary day for most people, but for one particular niche, this is the day they have been waiting for over 20 years to come.  Back in 1990, Robert Jordan first published The Eye of the World, the first book in The Wheel of Time series.  It was a huge success, and quickly became one of the defining series of the fantasy genres.  And now, about 22 years later, the 14th and final book in the series, A Memory of Light, was released today. 

Rachel, being the boss (and much more up on new releases), will undoubtedly review A Memory of Light later this week or early the next, but my task today is to introduce those of you who have never heard of The Wheel of Time to this remarkable (and yes, long-winded) fantasy series.  

Where to start . . . well, I suppose I should address the elephant in the room.  This series is LLLOOONNNGGGGG.  The first book is super fat with little tiny writing, and yes, there are FOURTEEN of them.  What could an author possibly be writing about that would take up so much darn space and time?  Well, Robert Jordan didn't just write a story, he did what Tolkien and several other of the "greats" did.  He created an entire world, with complex characters, cultures, and backstory.  So each of these books is filled with detail as if the places he was writing about really existed.  The result?  A very rich, complex story filled with many (and when I say many, I do mean MANY) characters whose story weaves together to form on epic fantasy series.

The story begins with a humble shepherd boy named Rand al'Thor.  The beginning of the book is rather familiar.  Untried boy with humble beginnings meets with a mysterious stranger, who whisks him away from the danger that descends upon his sleepy little village and thus begins the adventure.  Rand is not entirely sure where Moiraine (the mysterious stranger) is taking him, or her interest in him to begin with, but clues unfold along the journey.

Like I said, the beginning of the story is one we have all heard before, but the way author Robert Jordan writes it will make it stand out in your mind.  He has a talent for building suspense and for developing characters.  None of his characters are what you would call stock characters.  Each has their own unique strengths, weaknesses, etc., and Robert Jordan is not afraid to make some of the would-be heroes and heroines rather annoying.  This fills the book with color and humor, and gives all of plenty of leeway to let these characters grow on us.  Let's face it, it's a good thing he did give us serious flawed main characters, because he has FOURTEEN books in which to develop them.

Just a few other things to make note of:  Rand is the perfect mixture of sweet and unsure verses brave and resourceful.  Nynaeve (who is perhaps my favorite literary character of all time) is the most obnoxious, stubborn woman with equal parts grit and grimace, and who will, I promise, steal your heart before the end.  Moiraine is everything a good mysterious stranger should be, unruffled and calm in the face of danger, and the rest of the characters are equally endearing.  And don't even get me started on the bad guys: Let's just say that I have never yet found a evil character to rival a Myrdraal. . . 

Pick up the book and start it.  It may take you years to finish the series, but you can't not be impressed with Robert Jordan's craft.  He will earn your respect and probably your literary worship, if you're brave enough to crack this first novel in his epic series.

Book Review: Princess of the Siver Woods

When Petunia, the youngest of King Gregor's twelve dancing daughters, is invited to visit an elderly friend in the neighboring country of Westfalin, she welcomes the change of scenery. But in order to reach Westfalin, Petunia must pass through a forest where strange two-legged wolves are rumored to exist. Wolves intent on redistributing the wealth of the noble citizens who have entered their territory. But the bandit-wolves prove more rakishly handsome than truly dangerous, and it's not until Petunia reaches her destination that she realizes the kindly grandmother she has been summoned to visit is really an enemy bent on restoring an age-old curse. 

The stories of Red Riding Hood and Robin Hood get a twist as Petunia and her many sisters take on bandits, grannies, and the new King Under Stone to end their family curse once and for all. Quoted from Goodreads

********************

I finished this book weeks ago, right after it came out, but then I started my lists, and I can't believe I'm just getting to it now.  This was a really fun book and an excellent conclusion to the trilogy, and it is a conclusion.  I felt like the first two books were loosely connected, but the stories were rather separate in themselves.  Not so with this one.  You absolutely have to read Princess of the Midnight Ball to appreciate the ending of this book.

I love the idea behind this book.  Not only does it pull in the story of the twelve dancing princesses again, but it combines Red Riding Hood and Robin Hood (which seems a little obvious now, with all that alliteration, repeating words, and such), which I feel was genius.  It switches viewpoints between Petunia and Oliver, and gives each of them their own version of a fairytale, so both carry equal weight as main characters.

I enjoyed Petunia as a main character. One of the hardest things about this series is the number of princesses you have to deal with.  It's hard to keep track of all those personalities and names, but I think Jessica Day George did a good job of making Petunia stand out.  It helps that she's the baby of the family, and while I don't think her character is quite as distinct as Poppy's or Rose's, she is never lost in the shuffle. I really liked getting to know her better.

I also really enjoyed Oliver's character. He starts out as the Robin Hood figure, but I wish there would have been a little bit more of that legend included in the story.  Don't get me wrong, I liked Oliver's personality and back story, but I wish they would have expanded the legend a bit more.  There were not nearly enough arrows involved.

My greatest complaint about the story is the insta-love.  Oliver and Petunia meet each other for one day, and then they are separated until almost the end of the story, yet much of Oliver's motivation is his love for Petunia. Petunia isn't quite as bad, but it's still there. I wish there would have been just one chapter added towards the beginning that would have developed their relationship a bit more, maybe have them spend a week together instead of just a day.  It would have helped justify what happened between them later.

Still this is a fun read.  It has plenty of action and really is quite creative in how the stories mesh together.  I also loved seeing Rose, Galen, and Poppy again, finding out what happened to them since the ending of their books, and really closing the series. This is a solid 3.5 stars for me. It was a great read, especially if you like fairytale retellings and are looking for a fun way to spend the afternoon.   

Anticipating January

Happy New Years!  I hope everyone had a perfectly relaxing day yesterday and a late evening the night before.  I can't believe it's 2013 already.  Last year I actually lowered my reading goal because I read way too many books in 2011.  It worked a little bit, but I still read more than I probably should have, if that's possible.  Still, I recomend everyone go over to Goodreads and set a goal for the 2013 reading challange.  It's fun to track your progress and it helps motivate you to read.

Now, on to anticipating January.  I love January for book realeses.  The new year always starts with a bang, and there are so many books I'm excited for.  Here are the books I'm excited for. If I missed anything, let me know, but this should be a great month.
    

           1^st: Splintered – A.G. Howard

                  Altered – Jennifer Rush

                  The Dead and Burried – Kim Harrington

            2^nd: Catherine – April Lindner

                   A Dance with Darkness – Courtney Allison 

                   Moulton

            8^th: A Memory of Light – Robert Jordan & Brandon 

                  Sanderson

                  Through the Ever Night – Veronica Rossi

                  The Fairest Beauty – Melanie Dickerson

                  Timekeeper – Alexandra Monir

                  Doomed - Tracy Deeb


            15th:  Shades of Earth – Beth Revis

            22^nd: Boundless – Cynthia Hand

         Everbound – Brodi Ashton

        The Archived – Victoria Schwab

        Nobody – Jennifer Lynn Barnes

        Double Crossed – Ally Carter

29^th: Asunder – Jodi Meadows

        Shadow in the Silence – Courtney Allison 

        Moulton