Turn Coat (Dresden 11)
This was the next Dresden book. It starts off with a bang, turns up the volume, and backs off of the beatings (which was necessary, I think). It's a nice return to a mystery that must be solved.
Honestly, it's a great continuation, but no one should start the series at book 11. Storm Front is a great place to start-- and the journey all along is great.
Star Crossed: Aries Rising by Bonnie Hearn Hill
A good book, fun and fast reading. The world is relentlessly narrow-- there aren't a lot of extraneous characters. This gives the book a slightly cramped feel-- the only classes mentioned are English and writing for the school newspaper; the only teachers mentioned are English and writing, etc.
I liked it, and wouldn't mind reading the other books in the series. They seem right up Jennifer's alley as good YA fiction with a strong female lead.
One significant flaw: for some reason they moved the "in character" glossary to the beginning of the book, before the story starts. It made me wonder if I'd joined in mid-series, since it also details the astrological signs of everyone. It's dry reading, spoilery, and gets in the way. If they reprint, I'd strongly suggest that it get moved to the rear or eliminated altogether. (Though I freely admit that I'm not their target audience.)
A Mighty Fortress by David Weber
This is the fourth book in the series. It's a bad place to join the series-- it really benefits from the development that took place over the three previous books. In many ways, this book is the lull between storms-- it's a bit of a calmer period, after the end of the war in the previous book.
The naval development is a... less energetic plot after the time and pressure of the previous books. At the end, it picks back up with a ferocious engagement-- but it's sharp, and there's no reflection or recovery time at the end. I hope that makes for a sharp strong beginning to the next book.
By Heresies Distressed by David Weber
This was a great book. It started a little vaguely for me, mostly because it had been more than a year since I read the previous safehold books. It came back quickly, and proved enjoyable again. I read it very quickly; I got sucked in.
The book is kind of a muddle-- it starts in the middle of an invasion (without the buildup-- that was in the last book) and muddles through a year. This wouldn't be good as a stand alone book, but is a worthy continuation of the series. I have the next book and will leap into it right after this.
Elegy Beach by Steven Boyett
A good sequel to Ariel, introducing several interesting characters. The story centers around Fred and Yan, a couple of teenage boys with a flair for magic.
The setting is post-change, but 40 years after the change, not 10. The world has eased into an understanding of the new rules. The huge depopulation was better explained, and the world continued developing along interesting lines. Our hero, Fred, is on the verge of a huge breakthrough...
It's a good story-- a solid setting, a likeable hero, a villain who is crazy but not too crazy... plus interesting family relationships and more.
The Thousandfold Thought by Scott Bakker
The Thousandfold Thought is the third book in the Prince of Nothing series by Scott Bakker. I thought it would be the concluding book in the series, but the ending is left open. The book's a solid advancement of the series; we get to meet papa Moënghus, find out that he's been behind everything-- but that doesn't sour it all.
The book does a good job of bringing several threads to an end. It looks like he left the world alone for several years (real time and in the world) before beginning a sequel trilogy last year. The first book is The Judging Eye, which I may check out.
The Warrior Prophet by R Scott Bakker
The second book in the series, an excellent continuation from the first. He doesn't make the mistake of expanding the points of view too greatly.
Long story short: if you liked the first book, the series gets better. The hard work of figuring out the overall situation is over-- now you get to see how everyone deals with tough circumstances. Some of it is surprising-- very surprising.
Weather Warden by Rachel Caine
Thanks to Stacy for the loan!
I enjoyed the first three books of the series: Ill Wind, Heat Stroke, and Chill Factor. They all have a very different feel but share being fast, fun reads.
Joanne goes through a lot in these books. In the first book she's on the run, hunting for a hidden ally... and facing a devastating clock; she's dying to a corrupting demon twisting within. Her balance and resourcefulness in the face of her many challenges is wonderful and completely engaging.
The end of the first book sets up the second-- but the hope you're left with at the end of the first is swiftly tempered. It's a dog eat dog world, and she's completely reliant on others for her sustenance. The book wanders a bit, but the core relationships are solid and well done. The end is very incomplete-- really, it's just an open hook for the third book. The resolution, returning her to normal life is a little vague and... obvious, but it mostly works.
The third book is a bit more "normal life" despite the unusual circumstances. There's some appealing flashbacks that do a good job of explaining more about Joanne and where she came from. The additional development is nice, though the rape and interrogation scene was disheartening. (More disheartening that it had to happen in her storyline; she had plenty of motivation without it.) This time the book resolves clearly, then tacks on an open hook to the 4th book.
A slew of library books came in so I set the series aside for now-- but I enjoyed them all.
The Darkness that Comes Before by R Scott Bakker
A pretty good book, filled with intrigue. It was almost set aside; the prologue felt very fan-fic, with a super heroic character, cut off from everything, overcoming outrageous odds and completely manipulative and dispassionate. Fortunately I stuck it out and got much more appealing characters in the next several chapters.
The book has the struggle intrigue rich books always suffer; there's a complex set of interactions and history that the major players all know, but the reader has to get introduced to them as transparently as possible. The author does a good job of not info dumping intensely, though separating the dreams and history from the book's current day is tricky the first time it comes up.
In the end, I liked the characters-- they are all flawed, but most have extenuating (or at least explanatory) circumstances. The nebulous evil is very shadowy-- we only come to certain proof at mid-book (from a minor character's POV, and at the end (for the movers and shakers).
The book doesn't even pretend to come to a real conclusion; it ends on a turning point, but there's no clear break or circumstance to ground it. Despite my grousing, I do want to look up the other books in the series and see where the characters wind up. The end of the world's a good place for drama...
Beyond Heart Mountain by Lee Ann Roripaugh
A short, beautiful collection of poems. The book is organized into three parts, with the middle being a collection of poems from the perspective of internment camp survivors. They're fascinating and intertwine; one is a sister worrying about her brother (sent off to the no-nos camp), another is from the brother explaining why he couldn't say yes. They're heartbreaking, fascinating little glimpses of life.
I love this style of poetry and look forward to reading more. Sadly, this is the library's only copy of her poetry.