Tag Archives: books

The Dog Park by Ann Elwood

Posted by melydia on May 12, 2011 None comments

The Dog Park by Ann Elwood: This collection of short stories revolves around the regulars at a dog park in southern California. I will say up front that I do not own a dog and have never been to a dog park, so I cannot comment on the accuracy of the setting. However, I don’t think you really need to be a “dog person” to understand or appreciate these stories. Many of the tales are about human drama, though of course dogs play a central role in every one. One thing I noticed was how bittersweet or even downright sad most of the stories were. I even shed a few tears during “Not Just a Dog.” The plots are well-constructed and the characters believable, but don’t expect a bunch of heart-warming doggy stories. Very few have what I would consider happy endings. All, however, do have reasonably satisfying endings, and that’s all I really ask of a story. I remain interested in reading more fiction from Elwood in the future. Maybe she should release a tortoise collection next. I bet she could do that well.

Also posted on BookCrossing.

Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton

Posted by melydia on May 11, 2011 None comments

Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton (unabridged audiobook read by Kimberly Alexis; 10 hours on 8 discs): This book certainly lives up to its name. Anita Blake is an animator, someone who raises folks from the dead for money (most of the time to settle posthumous court cases and inheritance disputes). As a sideline, she also assists the police with destroying vampires who murder humans. This time, however, she has been hired to figure out who is murdering vampires. I figured out who it was as soon as the killer was introduced, but that didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the story. Anita is sarcastic and amusing, kick-ass but still very human. The idea of a legally recognized vampire subculture is intriguing. I don’t see myself reading the rest of the series, but this was a fun little distraction.

A note on the audio: Alexis had a good voice and cadence as Anita. I was a little puzzled by her choice of voices at times (why, for example, did Ronnie sound like she was from North Dakota?), but all in all I enjoyed her narration.

Also posted on BookCrossing.

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

Posted by melydia on May 10, 2011 None comments

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant (unabridged audiobook read by Carol Bilger; 12 hrs on 10 CDs): Most people know the story of Joseph and the coat of many colors, but do you recall that he also had a sister? Dinah is only mentioned in a single chapter of Genesis, and then only as a victim. This is her story. Though told in first person by Dinah herself, it covers the time period from her parents meeting to years after her own death. I admit I was more interested in learning about Bronze Age life than Old Testament drama, but I enjoyed the narrative as well – more or less. I never felt any sort of emotional tie to any of the characters, perhaps because Dinah herself was so fixated on motherhood as to almost be a caricature of pre-suffrage womanhood. Though I understand and accept that motherhood was the primary occupation and ambition of most women of the time, I got a little tired of the constant obsession with wombs and menstruation and pregnancy. Then again, the male characters weren’t any more developed. I was surprised by the devoted polytheism of the wives of staunchly monotheistic Jacob, though given the lack of communication between the sexes I suppose it’s not so far-fetched. I’m not sure if I’d recommend this one or not. I mean, it was okay, but not a story that will stick with me.

A note on the audio: Bilger’s pronunciation of Dinah took some getting used to: I would have said DYE-nuh, but Bilger said DEE-nuh. Her voice was so gentle that I felt like I was listening to an advertisement for prescription medication, but all in all she was fine: inoffensive and unmemorable.

Also posted on BookCrossing.

Rin-Tin-Tin: The Movie Star by Ann Elwood

Posted by melydia on May 9, 2011 None comments

Rin-Tin-Tin: The Movie Star by Ann Elwood: Before reading this book, I knew basically nothing about the original Rin-Tin-Tin, a German shepherd dog who starred in a number of silent films (and few talkies) in the 1920s and 30s. This is not the Rin-Tin-Tin of the famous 1950s television series, nor the considerably less famous early 1990s television series, but rather their predecessor. From his storied (and probably false) origins in war-torn France through his death and legacy, this meticulously researched examination of the first real (canine) movie star leaves no stone unturned. I was less interested in the plots of the films than in the society in which Rin-Tin-Tin lived, this little pocket between World War I and the Great Depression. The ASPCA was just starting to gain mainstream political clout, the first talkies were released, and journalistic integrity was still evidently largely unknown. (Seriously, the number of conflicting newspaper reports cited got a bit silly after a while.) It helps that I have a weird fascination with the turn of the 20th century to begin with, but even so, I found this study of one of the most famous non-human actors in history to be surprisingly engaging. If you are a dog-lover or have an interest in early film history, consider picking this one up.

Also posted on BookCrossing.

Dune by Frank Herbert

Posted by melydia on May 6, 2011 2 comments

Dune by Frank Herbert (unabridged audiobook read by Scott Brick; 26 hours on 22 discs): It took me a long time to get into this one, but that’s okay because it’s a long book. In many ways this is a political thriller that takes place on a distant planet. Paul, son of Duke Leto, is 15 when his family is transferred to the desert planet known as Arrakis. When a rival baron takes over, Paul and his mother are forced to flee into the desert, where they join with the planet natives. Politics mingle with religion, genetic engineering, prophecy, and the meticulous conservation of water to produce an intricately woven tale in a meticulously detailed world. This level of world-building is on par with Tolkien. However, the story – though unquestionably interesting – has not gripped me so thoroughly that I feel any need to read the subsequent books in the series. But I’m glad to have read this one.

A note on the audio: I’ve listened to a fair number of books narrated by Brick, and while his cadence is predictable and does pretty much no special voices for the characters, I like his performances nonetheless. I do, however, think that including the final appendix (which is basically a glossary) was not such a good idea. It would have been nice to reference while reading the rest of the book, but at the end it felt tedious, and I ended up skipping most of it. The other appendices, on the other hand, were very interesting. Herbert clearly put a lot of thought into the creation of this story’s universe.

Also posted on BookCrossing.

The Talisman of Elam by Jim Mastro

Posted by melydia on May 5, 2011 1 comments

The Talisman of Elam by Jim Mastro: Jason Hunter has troubles. New school, new friends, weird neighbors, weird parents. The next thing he knows, he’s escaping evil aliens, riding in a flying saucer, and zipping off to the other end of the galaxy in order to save the planet. Along the way, he meets several memorable characters and has adventures on numerous worlds, with barely a moment to catch his breath. It’s been a long time since I’ve read any YA science fiction, and this was a very fun return to the genre. The setting, though clearly inspired by such SF giants as Stargate and Star Trek, is detailed, plausible, and fairly original – and best of all, not dumbed down. My favorite character, by far, was Takkadian Pheno. Scary, hilarious, and all-around awesome. I do hope he shows up again sometime. Now, I will admit to having a pretty good idea of how the other two books in the trilogy will play out (there’s reason Jason brought two friends with him, after all), but I’d still like to read them, if only to revisit the universe of these stories. I can see this series becoming very popular among junior high school SF fans.

Also posted on BookCrossing.

The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke

Posted by melydia on May 3, 2011 None comments

The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke (unabridged audiobook read by Simon Jones; 8.5 hrs on 7 CDs): Young brothers Prosper and Bo are on the run in Venice, having escaped their aunt Esther who intends to separate them. Esther hires Victor, a private investigator, to find them. Soon Victor finds himself in the middle of a complex plot involving orphans, mysterious counts, and a certain Thief Lord with secrets of his own. Though the fantasy element was an interesting treatment of classic Bradbury, it came out of nowhere and left me a little cold. If the story leading up to that part hadn’t been so thoroughly within the realm of Realistic Fiction it would not have been quite so jarring. That said, it was still a fun little tale with likable characters, and I am still a little bit in love with Scipio.

A note on the audio: Though his use of voices is a little strange with some of the female characters, Jones is a thoroughly entertaining narrator.

Also posted on BookCrossing.

Storm Front by Jim Butcher

Posted by melydia on May 2, 2011 1 comments

Storm Front by Jim Butcher: Urban fantasy is so chock full of paranormal detectives it’s practically a cliche. But just because the premise has been done before doesn’t mean the story has to be predictable. I admit that I wasn’t too impressed with Harry Dresden at first; he too closely resembled the ideal geeky males strive for – mysterious, chivalrous, attractive, powerful, dangerous, even wearing a black duster! – that I worried I was dealing with a Gary Stu. Luckily, it didn’t take long for Harry to show his true colors and to win my affection. I loved the nonstop action, bizarre (and yet thoroughly consistent) magic system, and Harry’s sarcastic commentary. I almost wish I hadn’t read this because there are more than a dozen books in the series so far and my to-be-read pile is already threatening avalanche. Definitely recommended if you’re looking for a fun ride.

Also posted on BookCrossing.

First Men in the Moon by H.G. Wells

Posted by melydia on April 26, 2011 None comments

The First Men in the Moon by H.G. Wells: As some have created barriers to heat or sound or water, so our heroes have created a barrier against gravity. This material, called Cavorite, it then used to create a spherical capsule to ferry them to the moon. There they find life, of course, because if they found what’s really on the moon (i.e., nothing), we would have no story. The aliens were interesting enough, but what really fascinated me was the idea of the atmosphere freezing into snow at night, then thawing into thin-but-breathable air each day. I felt real suspense as the characters desperately searched for shelter as the deadly sunset approached. While Wells is most known for his visionary science fiction, what I love is the interaction between the two main characters, particularly Bedford’s outrage at Cavor’s absent-minded apathy. This short book may not be one of his more famous works, but I definitely enjoyed it.

Also posted on BookCrossing.

Harvesting the Heart by Jodi Picoult

Posted by melydia on April 21, 2011 None comments

Harvesting the Heart by Jodi Picoult (unabridged audiobook read by Cassandra Campbell; 17 hours 20 min on 15 discs): When Paige was five years old, her mother left, abandoning her and her father suddenly one night. The story opens with Paige, as an adult, camped out on her own front lawn, barred by her husband from entering the house or seeing their infant son. Slowly, through flashbacks and memories, we learn about Paige’s childhood, her abortion as a teenager, her flight to Boston after high school, and her fast-paced relationship with medical student Nicholas and his affluent parents. As a wannabe sketch artist myself, I was drawn to Paige’s love for drawings and her mysterious talent for incorporating other people’s secrets into their portraits without realizing it or understanding its significance. I was also a little spooked by Paige’s early experiences with motherhood, as I imagine I would act the same way. My favorite character, however, was Astrid. She started out as a one-dimensional snob of a wicked mother-in-law, but later revealed herself to be an actual human being.

The story itself is just the sort of glurge I’ve come to expect from Picoult, but felt less like she’d come up with the plot from reading a couple of sensational headlines. No kidnapping or murder or suicide or courtroom scenes – just family drama. Sure, most of the conflict came from people not talking to each other (a pet peeve of mine), but I was more patient with that this time around, given how extraordinarily unapproachable Nicholas (whom I imagine as looking like Neal Caffrey) was. I wouldn’t want to talk to him either. In short, this book was decent but nothing spectacular.

A note on the audio version: Campbell was a good choice as narrator, with her natural voice seeming to channel Paige’s soft-spoken angst, while also handling Nicholas’s fury, Patrick’s Irish brogue, and Astrid’s aristocratic air without resorting to caricatures.

Also posted on BookCrossing.

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