Eoin Colfer - "Artemis Fowl The Eternity Code"




The Eternity Code (Artemis Fowl, Book 3)

      Well, ol' Artemis is at it again.  This thirteen-year-old criminal mastermind is once again looking for a grand scheme to increase the holdings of the Fowl family coffers.  This time though, he's less motivated by money and world domination and much more motivated to save the life of his long-time bodyguard, Butler. 

     The book opens with Artemis negotiating a deal with a greedy businessman, and it goes very very wrong!  Artemis has created a C-cube, that uses fairy technology (gleaned from previous encounters with the fairy folk) to basically scan all kinds of electronic devices and allows the user to basically commandeer them.  During this scene Artemis realizes that the cube is capable of "tracking" the underground fairy technology and is therefore very dangerous to the magical creatures below.  The deal goes poorly, and ends in a shooting match.  Butler ends up saving Artemis' life (again) by literally taking a bullet to the chest.  Artemis is then highly motivated to retrieve the stolen cube so as to protect his friends, but he also needs them to help save his beloved Butler's life.  In exchange for using fairy technology to save Butler and get the cube back, Artemis agrees to succumb to a mind wipe which will eliminate all memories and knowledge of The People. 

     With Butler on ice (literally), Juliet Butler, Mulch Diggums, Holly Short, and Foaly all work together to not only to get the cube back, but to get the greedy, tricky businessman put behind bars.  As always, our favorite juvenile criminal mastermind has concocted a genius plan that covers all bases, and accomplishes all that he sets out to do.

     I have to give Mr. Colfer props for being so imaginative in his books.  He does a good job of marrying the real and fantastical worlds into an interesting and fun read.  I love how Artemis is this amazing genius mastermind, yet he still isn't old enough to drive; he has so much knowledge, but he still has to experience "growing up."  Another theme that runs throughout the book is that Artemis Fowl Sr. has regained consciousness and is healing nicely, and as he's returning to health, he vows that the Fowl family will be putting their life if crime behind them.  He introduces the idea to his son that there are more important things in the world than money.  This idea is brought to the forefront for young Artemis as he experiences the possible loss of Butler, his friend. 

     As in all Fowl books, there is a unique code along the bottom that adds another level to the story.  I had to buy a book from New Zealand (thank you Abebooks.com!) to get the edition with the "non-Gnomish" code.  Apparently the American versions are all in Gnomish, so I had to do some research to get the unique code.  Thank you for not commenting on how ridiculous I can be sometimes ;)

Happy summer reading!

J.K. Rowling - "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows"

   

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7)

     Ahhhh, I love that feeling you get when you can check something off of your to do list.  I can finally do that for all 4,100 pages of the 7 Harry Potter novels.  (Yes, it's an EXACT page count; please withhold all comments regarding my nerdiness, I already know.)  It was a thrilling ride, and I have to say that I was missing out on something great whilst I was refusing to read them simply because they are popular.  (Again, refrain yourself from making the dweeb comments.)

      This book picks up right where the last left off, with Harry newly returned to number 4 Privet Drive days before his 17th birthday.  He is grieving the loss of Dumbledore and is also trying to figure out how to accomplish the mission of destroying the remaining 5 horcruxes Voldemort has created in order to attempt to achieve immortality.  The action in this last book starts right from the get-go when 6 members of the Order of the Phoenix ingest Polyjuice Potion to make themselves identical to Harry so as to hopefully confuse the Death Eaters as to which Harry is the real one while they attempting to move him to one of the Orders' safe houses.  There is a massive airborne battle between the 2 groups, and the ever-growing list of casualties continues to grow.  

     The majority of the book is spent following Harry, Hermione, and Ron as they try to figure out what and where the horcruxes are, as well as how to go about destroying the one they already posses.  Throughout their travels, this little group also learns (by means of the items that Dumbledore bequeathed the trio in his will) of the possible existence of the "deathly hallows" - a trio of objects that allow the beholder to overcome death itself.  Now their search is expanded to include those items as well.  This little band of friends accomplishes a few pretty amazing feats, not the least of which is ***spoiler alert*** breaking into Gringott's bank, rescuing a dragon, and attempting to steal a valuable item right out of the ministry of magic.  *** 

     One of the ideas that runs throughout this novel is that there is a shadow cast upon the reputation of Dumbledore.  Harry genuinely questions the character of his greatest mentor, and it's a struggle that Harry must deal with throughout almost the entire story.  Also, the idea that either Harry of Voldemort will have to die in the end is brought to the forefront of the story as the end draws neigh.  There are also seeds of discord sown into the tight little group of the three friends as tensions run high.  It's interesting to see how all of these intricately woven ideas exhibits themselves through the story to provide the reader with a fantastic piece of literature to enjoy as we watch the tensions build and the ensuing war finally take shape.         

    

     As expected, this is the most "adult-oriented" book in the series, and it tackles some really intricate ideas..  It was really really exciting to see all of the loose ends get neatly tied up as the book (and series) drew to a close.  Ms. Rowling did an extraordinary thing with this entire series by being so intricately detailed.  i could really see that she had the whole storyline drawn out before she even wrote the first book.  It is evident that she knew what she was trying to accomplish from the very inception of the books.  It's hard to accept that the series has come to a close, and that there is no more for me to enjoy, but it was a great ride while it lasted, and I hope this isn't the last we hear from such an amazing writer.

Cheers to you Ms. Rowling!!!!!!!!!!!!!

J.K. Rowling - "Harry Potter and the Half - Blood Prince"

     Welcome once again to the wonderfully weird wizarding world of young Mr. Harry Potter.  Of the six books that I've read so far, this one is quite different.  I think it may even be my favorite one so far too.  This book opens with a description of how there seems to be a cloud of misery over everything and everyone as well as a very mysterious meeting between Severus Snape, Malfoy's Mother, and Aunt Belliatrix.  From that droll scene, the reader is transported to Harry's bedroom at the Dursley's.  He's grieving his lost Godfather when a letter from Dumbledore arrives telling him to be ready to take a little trip with him then head to the Burrow to spend the rest of the summer with the Weasley family. 

     Pretty much from that point on, it's a non-stop magical ride.  Harry and Dumbledore make a stop on their way to the Burrow for the purpose of visiting Horace Slughorn in order to persuade him to resume his post as the Potions Professor at Hogwarts.  Once again the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is empty after another year, and Snape finally gets his dream job!  In the last book, Dumbledore assigns Snape to take Harry on for private lessons, and it did not bode well.  So this time Harry begins private lessons with Dumbledore himself in which Harry learns a lot about Voldemort's personal history.  At the end of the last episode there is a prophecy revealed that basically states that there will be a great fight between Harry and Voldemort and one will end up killing the other.  This is one of the reasons that it is so very important that Harry learn as much about Voldemort as he can; he must know what he's up against as well as the weaknesses of his greatest enemy.  One of the most interesting things that our hero discovers is the reason for Voldemort's "immortality."
 

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book 6)

      Not only is this whole novel a wild ride for Harry, but also for those reading along!  Young Mr. Potter yet again finds himself in situations that far exceed his level of education, yet he still manages to overcome them, even if it does require a little help from time to time.  But then again, don't we all?

     I do have to say that even though this was one of my favorite Potter books so far, I did have quite a few unsettled questions at the end.  It left me hungering for more, craving the satisfaction that only answered questions can provide it's readers.  ***Spoiler Alert*** It was also downright heart-rending when Harry has to literally force a questionable potion down Dumbledore's throat in order to complete their mission, even as Dumbledore begs him to stop.***  This book was not as riddled with teenage angst as the previous, but there is a lot of attention placed upon the growing love interests of our main characters.  Harry Potter is growing up, right before my very eyes....  Yes, I am FULLY aware of how terribly nerdy I am, thank you very much! ;)

     I really have enjoyed this series so far, despite the fact that I really didn't want to read it in the first place.  This book is no exception; it's a great read from start to finish.  Check it out, and let me know what you think.

     Summer is here, what better time to delve into a stack of amazing literature!?

J.K. Rowling - "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix"

     What has young Mr. Potter gotten himself into this time?   It is now Harry's 5th year at Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry, and so far it's one of the most stressful yet as his O.W.L. exams are fast approaching.  The story begins as usual with him trying to survive life with his miserable muggle family, the Dursleys.  Summer is coming to a close and all the while his two best friends, Hermione and Ron are totally incommunicado, and there has been no word whatsoever about the return of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named despite the fact that Harry saw Voldemort return to his own body with his very own eyes.  Just as Harry is at his lowest, a pair of dementors from the wizard prison, Azkaban, approach him and his terrible cousin, Dudley, right there on bland ole' Privet Drive!  Harry casts a charm to defend himself and Dudley, and comes to find out from his crazy neighbor, Mrs. Figg (a person from a wizarding family that isn't able to do magic), that the man assigned to protect him had fallen down on the job and Dumbledore would not be pleased to hear about it. 

Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix

     It's at this point that Harry finds himself being rescued from his locked bedroom at the Dursley's house by a motley crew of witches and wizards who scuttle him off to the headquarters of the order of the phoenix.  This "order of the phoenix" Harry discovers is a secret society of magical folk dedicated to raising up an army against the newly arisen Voldemort.  This group includes the Weasley family, Mad-Eye Moody, Sirius Black (Harry's godfather), Professor Snape, Dumbledore, and a number of other characters.  Just as the Order is beginning to from a resistance to the Dark Lord, the Ministy of Magic is taking it's own strides to deal with the recent turn of events.  One of these ways is to discredit Harry and those who believe his talk of Voldemort's return, as well as to attempt to meddle in the education of the Hogwart's students.  This is where Hogwart's newest Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Deloris Umbridge comes into the picture. 

     We have seen in previous books that Harry has a fairly active dream life, but it is even more so in this episode.  Harry has a reoccurring dream throughout this book that involves a long dark hallway with many doors, and usually some kind of strong emotion.  It's very interesting to see how this function plays a significant role in the telling of this tale.  One other prominent storyline involves the beautiful Cho Chang.  In the last book she had caught Harry's eye, but at the time she was dating the now deceased  Cedric Diggory.  Just as in the last story, Harry finds himself attracted to her, but he actually begins to find himself wanting to impress her and to get closer to her, but is at a loss of how to go about doing so.

     This is almost a 900 page book so there are NUMEROUS different threads of storyline wafting throughout it's copious pages, and this is a poor attempt to sum up quite so many pages.  As usual, I recommend reading the book to get a  taste of what's going on in Mr. Potter's life.  Also, as I've said in previous blogs that the overarching story matures with it's readership, and this is especially true in this novel as Harry begins to explore the world of girls, and is having to begin to think about his future after his education is finished at Hogwarts.  I would say these are characteristics that most 15-year old's deal with; I would also say that in this book, Harry is especially "angsty" and anxious just as most kids are at that age.  It makes me think that Ms. Rowling has had some pretty in-depth experience with teenagers.  Of all of the book in this series that I've read so far, this one is probably my favorite because it really feels like there were a lot of questions answered, and there were MANY events that take place that make the story feel like it's really starting to progress quickly.  This book, more so than it's predecessors, begins to paint a picture of what is to come as the series draws to a close.  ("The Goblet of Fire" (book 4), in my mind, gives this one a run for it's money for the title of "favorite so far" just because that one was so imaginative and generally fun to read.)  It was a little tough to read this one as poor Harry was pretty "riled up" most of the time, but I think that is just something that goes with the territory of being a teenager...

     What does the future hold for Harry James Potter?  I guess we'll find out soon...

Jim Butcher - "Storm Front"

     Question: what kind of story do you get when you add 15 years to Harry Potter's age, mix in a little sci-fi, stir in some strange murders, gently fold some of Dean Koontz style + dry humor in, and set it in modern-day Chicago?  Answer: The Dresden Files, a series by Jim Butcher.  I knew I would like the book a) when one of my best girlfriends (who openly admits that Star Trek is cool) thrust the book into my hands AND b) when I read the mini-bio about the author on the back flap... "A martial arts enthusiast whose resume includes a long list of skills rendered obsolete at least two hundred years ago, Jim Butcher turned to writing as a career because anything else probably would have driven him insane.  He lives in Independence, Missouri, with his wife, his son, and a ferocious guard dog."  along with this photo:

Go ahead, admit it... YOU LOVE HIM!!!!!  I know, I know, I do too :D  and you may not have even read the book yet.  Is your appetite whetted yet?  Oops, did I just let my inner-geek show????

     Harry Dresden is a wizard who has literally set up shop in Chicago as, well, I'll just let you read for yourself:  "HARRY DRESDEN – WIZARD  Lost items found. Paranormal investigations. Consulting. Advice. Reasonable rates. No love potions, endless purses, parties, or other entertainment."  He's serious and dry witted with a side of quick thinking and honesty to boot.  The story opens with a brief introduction to our main character, Harry.  The next thing you know, he is called in by the Chicago P.D. to help investigate a pair of gruesome and certainly paranormal murders. 

     This is a geniusly written novel, and I love how Mr. Butcher mixes the extra-ordinary in with the ordinary to create a tale that is comfortable and doesn't force tooooo many mental exercises, but also allows the reader to expect the unexpected.  Even though it's a pretty serious story, I found myself giggling too.  It was the kind of book that kept me thinking about it when I was at work, and all I wanted to do was be at home in my fuzzy socks with my nose firmly in place within the pages of this book.  There were twists and turns, trolls and mob bosses, potions and VW Beetles, faery's and Chicago pizza; I told you, this tale has it ALL.  The author does an astounding job of placing the supernatural into the mundane.  

     Although it contains faeries, wizards, and the like, I would not by any means call it a kid's book!  It's most definitely a grown up "fairy tale."  It's got the elements of the classic white magic vs. black magic, but is much more complex that just that.  As I mentioned above it hints at Koontzesque elements of the macabre.  I highly recommend this book (maybe even the whole series, I bought the next 2 novels the day after I finished book one) for a quick, exciting, "something out of the ordinary" kind of read.

Cheers Mr. Butcher!

Storm Front (The Dresden Files, Book 1)

 

 

Rick Riordan - "Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief"

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The Lightning Thief (Movie Tie-in Edition)
(Percy Jackson and the Olympians)

     Well, well, well, my young mythology fans, I have JUST the thing for you...  I've been in need of something lighthearted as well as something that would be a quick read.  This was recommended to me by not one, but two of my friends as just what I was looking for, and I do believe that they were right. 

     Percy Jackson is an average New York middle schooler who struggles with dyslexia, tends to get into fights, and only really enjoyes Mr. Brunner's Latin classes.  His best friend is a little whimpy, and strange things always seem to happen to him, and they usually mean he gets kicked out of school every year.  It's not until his class trip to the art museum that things REALLY heat up for him.  I mean, it's not everyday that your Algebra teacher suddenly grows bat wings, fangs, and makes an attempt on your life, although, of all the teachers I've had in my life, I'm fairly certain that it  WOULD be the Algebra teacher that has such capabilities.  (Chemistry teachers aren't far behind either!)

     He discovers after the "Algebra teacher affair" that things are not always what they seem.  For example, his puny best friend, Grover, isn't actually puny, he's a satyr who's job it is to protect Percy until he can get to Camp Half-Blood.  After an exciting series of events, that involve a trip to the beach, a destroyed Camero, and a Minotaur, Percy and Grover reach their "home base" of Camp Half-Blood.  It's at this point that Percy learn's that he's actually the son of one of the ancient Greek gods which is why he has never really "fit in" anywhere.  Upon his arrival, Percy isn't exactly sure which god he's a product of, but will soon find out.  Shortly after his appearance at the camp, Percy is summoned by the camp director, Mr. D(ionysis), and is issued a quest to complete aided by two companions to retrieve what was stolen...

     I loved this book!  It was written in first person from Percy's point of view, and Mr. Riordan did a great job of really getting inside the head of a 12-year-old boy.  Percy has a great character and a cute sense of humor as well as a strong sense of honor.  This book was action packed from cover to cover, and did a fabulous job of teaching Greek mythology to young (or not so young) readers by making these powerful beings of yore literally spring to life.  It was educational and fun to read!  Think of it as the Kix of the literary world: "Kid tested, Mother approved."

     I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did; I'll be reading the sequel soon...

J.K. Rowling - "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire"

(My normally busy life + the super bowl being hosted in my neck of the woods) /  the fact that I work in the service industry     =   Not much time to read

     I'm not exactly AWESOME at math, but I think it all adds up to give you a semi-accurate picture of my life as of late.  We did just experience an "arctic blast" (Texan for cold weather coupled with frozen precipitation that doesn't melt immediately) that did allow me a few days off to catch  up on reading.  You may think, "With all that time, you should have been able to finish a book or TWO?"  Yes, I should have, but this is a 734 page book.  Plus, I got beaucoup amounts of housework done, including, but not limited to: laundry, ironing said laundry, sweeping, cleaning the shower, vacuuming, hanging all of the wall art that we bought for the new place and haven't had time to hang prior to now, washing dishes by hand due to the line to the beloved dishwasher being frozen, AND giving myself a hard-earned pedicure.  Oh, yeah, and I read some...

     Now, on to the good stuff!  Of the four Harry Potter books that I've read, this one is so far, my favorite. 


Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Book 4)

As I've said in previous Harry Potter posts, this series "grows with its readers," and this book really proves that point to me.  Harry is now 14 and entering angsty teenage-hood along with his cohorts, Ron and Hermione.  Also, as I said in the last Potter post, this book and it's most recent predecessor both have grown a little bit "darker" than the one before.  In the last book Harry was pursued by creepy beings called Dementors while Voldemort's power slowly grew.  ***spoiler alert***  In this book, Voldemort grows even stronger, and Harry actually comes "face to face" with Voldemort, and for the first time in a Harry Potter book, someone bites the dust! ***end of spoiler***

     Another thing I liked a lot about this book is that there were quite a few different story lines drifting in and out of the spotlight.  I know all good books have few different threads of story peeking out every now and again, but this one had at least five or six; a couple of those were not just interwoven tales, but were mysteries in themselves.  What I mean to say is that there was a lot of mysteries to be solved throughout the various stories.

     I really didn't have many gripes about this book at all.  It was a bit long, and I did have a harder time "getting into it" that it's predecessors.  Once I was about 200 pages in, I was hooked and had trouble putting it down (except to do all of that grizzly housework).  This book was also a little "scarier" that it's ancestors,
too, but I don't know if I'd call that a gripe, per se.

     I do have something to say about the movie though.  Yes, this IS a BOOK blog, but my movie-loving Hubby insisted that we watch the flick.  I believe the movie in itself is as entertaining as all of the others, and it was just plain fun to watch.  It did leave a LOT to be desired when compared to the book though.  There were so many parts left out, that it felt like it only covered half of the contents of the beloved book.  I know it would take six hours to watch a movie that had all of the book in it, but I was still sad to see so much missing.  This just proves that I was right to read the book first so as not to be disappointed in the book that takes much longer than 157 minutes to read.  On the flip side, if I had seen the movie before reading the book, I may have just been pleasantly surprised to see that there was more between the two covers than the movie had led me to believe.  Hmmmm, it'll always be a mystery...

     Well, looks like there's more snow headed my way, I'll try to avoid the housework and keep my nose in my literature.  ;)

J.K. Rowling - "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban"

     Well, here we are on the dawn of a new year, the year 2011.  I hope you have had the opportunity to read some wonderful books, as well as to enjoy some of the finer things in life, such as loved ones, good food, and of course, coffee! 

     Mr. Potter has done it again, he's managed to break almost every rule in the book, and not get expelled from Hogwarts for yet another year!  Harry, Hermione, Ron, the usual cast of characters, as well as some new characters appear in book three to grace us with the latest enthralling episode of the life of Harry Potter. 

     Once again, we see poor Harry's miserable life with the Dursleys while he waits for the next term at Hogwarts to begin.  Harry accidentally causes his awful aunt Marge to blow up like a balloon after she continually taunts him throughout her visit.  Needless to say, this does not go over very well with Harry's guardians!  Harry decides that anywhere is better than staying there, so he grabs his trunk and heads off on foot.  As Harry is angrily running away, he senses that he's being watched, and he is...  Harry finds himself being observed by a very large black dog; as he backs away and stumbles; suddenly the Knight Bus appears just in the nick of time to whisk him away to the Leaky Cauldron. 

     Once Harry finds himself back among wizarding folk, he discovers that Sirius Black, the man apparently responsible for the death of his parents, has escaped from azkaban and is now after Harry to kill him too.  Because Siriuis is on the loose, azkaban prison has sent Dementors (scary, azkaban guards that literally suck the happiness out of you) to stand watch over Hogwarts.  It is discovered that these terrible creatures have a unique effect on little Harry.  Also, new to the Hogwarts scene is professor Remus Lupin, the newest Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor.  He proves to be a wonderful ally to Harry throughout the tale. 

     As the year progresses full of homework, classes, Quiddich matches, and all sorts of mischief, Harry finds himself haunted by the Dementors, the Grim (an omen of death that appears as a large black canine),  as well as the threat of Mr. Black's dark desire to kill him.  Throw in a magical Marauder's Map that shows all of the secret passages in and out of Hogwarts as well as where everyone is in the castle, and I would hazard to say that you have a fairly exciting and entertaining premise for a story!  Once again, Ms. Rowling whisks her readers away to a universe where the "norm" is far from normal and where natural laws only apply sometimes.

 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Book 3) (Hardcover) 
      As was true of the previous Harry Potter book, this one too is a little darker than its predecessor.  It really is true that this series "grows along with it's readers."  I think Ms. Rowling has done a great job of weaving a tale that always has you on your toes or the edge of your seat, depending on whether you are standing or sitting...  There is always a way around a situation, a possibility to make things happen that isn't possible in the muggle world, an animal that is completely unknown to the natural world, and so many "otherworldly" objects and actions.  I can see why she's a bestseller!

I hope you have a healthy, happy, and prosperous New Year!

J.K. Rowling - "Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets"

               Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Book 2)

   What to do, what to do, It's my first day off in 11 days????  Laundry, ironing, exercise, organize the recipe drawer, continue to unpack from the move, make the bed, or read Harry Potter for 4 1/2 hours.  I'll let you guess.  I read the last 2/3 of the book curled up on my couch on my day off with the gingerbread latte that was a sweet surprise from Hubby.  Is there anything more perfect, I ask?  Not in my world...

     I usually try to avoid reading two books from the same series too close together in order to avoid what I call, "Runover."  You know it, where the end of the previous book "runs over" the beginning of the next book, and you can't recall what happened in which book.  I experienced this throughout the Twilight series, and have tried to space my series books out a little since then.  Maybe what I should be doing instead is to work on my reading comprehension / retention instead?

     So, this book picks up with poor Harry right back at the dreadful Dursley's house, basically a prisoner, he's mighty discouraged as he's not heard a peep out of his friends from Hogwarts.  The next thing you know, Dobby the pitiful house elf appears in his room and warns Harry not to return to Hogwarts because danger awaits him.  After an eventful evening with Dobby, Harry finds himself in a flying car accompanied by the infamous Weasley twins and his best friend Ron who've come to rescue him from the Dursleys.  Through a fascinating series of events, Harry, Ron, and Hermione return to Hogwarts, and yet again find themselves smack-dab in the middle of yet another mysterious scenario.  People (and animals) are becoming petrified by a dark magic that is very powerful.  Once people find out that Harry is a Parselmouth (has the ability to speak "snake") they naturally suspect him of these mysterious happenings.

     Another year at Hogwarts unfolds as Ron, Harry, Hermione, and the usual cast of characters try to discover who is behind the petrification epidemic, as well as clear Harry's name in the process.  After a few twists, turns, and other plot line happenings, the case is solved, and the trio of amigos is headed home to enjoy their summer break before returning as third year students.

     I've only read the first two in the series, and I'm already catching a glimpse of the "grows with it's readers" phenomenon.  This episode was written to a slightly older audience than was the previous.  What I mean to say is that the vocabulary was a little more broad, the plot was a little "twistier" and the experiences that the characters go through would appeal to someone on the cusp of "junior high" and still not be too far above a ten-year-old kiddo.   (For example, Hermione and the other Hogwarts girlies hint at a crush on Gilderoy Lockheart, the "celebrity heartthrob" of the wizard community.) This book was ever so slightly "darker" than the last, I think mainly due to the broaching of the subject of "possession" of a person's actions by Voldemort.  There was some of it displayed in "The Sorcerer's Stone," but this story seems to exemplify it in a more concrete way.

     I must say that Ms. Rowling certainly knows what she's doing to sell 325 million books!  Just as in the last book, the plot is full of mystery, adventure, and the unusual.  Her characters are both eccentric and quaint, and the "universe" that she has imagined and set her story in, is enthralling to say the least.  I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did!

     Cheers to you, and yours! 

Willingham, Medina, Leialoha, Hamilton - "Fables: Legends in Exile"

     I was telling one of the guys that I work with about me reading my very first comic (Artemis Fowl) a few weeks ago, and he immediately told me about the  "Fables"comic series.  The whole series is based upon all of the fairy tale characters that we grew up with, but with the twist that their adventures are set in a modern day urban setting rather than the typical, "far far away" or "long long ago" scenario.

     I thought it was so clever that when each of the fabled characters was introduced, they had their own unique (and usually corresponding) character in the "mundane" world.  For instance, Old King Cole was the mayor of "fable town" and Bigby Wolf was the investigating detective throughout the mystery that serves as the center of this story.  Overall it's just terribly witty and clever!

                              Fables Vol. 1: Legends in Exile
  
     The story opens with a murder scene, presumably the murder of Princess Rose Red, sister of Snow White.  Jack, of beanstalk fame, rushes in to alert Bigby of the terrific tragedy.  Detective Wolf begins his investigation of the crime, and in the process of, encounters many of our favorite story-book characters such as: Blackbeard, Cinderella, The Frog Prince, and Prince Charming.  Quite a few other legendary characters make brief cameos throughout the story as well.  Not only are Bigby and Snow (the Director of Operations of Fabletown) investigating suspects to solve the murder, but Princess White is trying at the last minute to pull together the annual "Rememberance Day" celebration.  As in most fairy tales, modern or not, everything finds itself working out to a "Happily ever after"... almost.  "Why almost?" you ask, well you'll just have to read it for yourself to discover the answer to that one. 

     That was a nice little break from real life, now, back to reality.... *sigh*

J.K. Rowling - "Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone"

.     I've finally succumbed to the Harry Potter craze.  Yes, I DO realize I'm like a whole decade behind, but I like to take my time about things.  You know, let other people test out the waters first, and it seems that this is a series I'll be working my way through as well!

     I've obviously not read the whole series, but I've been told that it's a series designed to "grow with it's readers."  The tale begins with ten-year-old Harry living a miserable life with his aunt, uncle, and awful cousin believing that his parents had been killed in a car crash when he was a tiny baby.  This same crash is where his lightning bolt shaped scar is supposed to have originated as well.  On the eve of his eleventh birthday he receives a letter in the mail addressed to him.  This has never happened before!  His aunt and uncle destroy it because they know it contains things that point to Harry's past, and they are of the belief that the past is best left in the past.  It's through this that Harry's true nature as well as pieces of his past are revealed to him.                                                                               Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Book 1)


     Harry is in fact the son of a witch and a wizard and is, in fact, a wizard himself!  The letter that he receives in the beginning of the story is his acceptance letter to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where his parents met and where, unbeknownst to young Mr. Potter, his name is famous as being the first person to survive an attempted murder by Voldemort.  Through a long, eventful, and magical adventure, Harry finds himself at Hogwarts with his newfound friends Ron and Hermoine.

     Throughout the course of the story Harry, Ron, and Hermione find themselves entangled in a plot to prevent the heist of the very powerful sorcerer's stone by one of the Hogwart's professors.  As the trio works towards their end, they discover that it takes the skills and strengths that each of the three possesses in order to protect the precious stone from falling into the wrong hands.
                                                                      
     The story is cleverly written and highly entertaining to readers of all ages (I'm rapidly nearing the big three-oh...It doesn't look so scary when it's spelled out in letters rather than numbers).  I love how Ms. Rowling has truly created an entire world of her own down to the smallest detail.  She writes in a way that is easily understandable to her "intended audience," but is not so easy that it's beneath it's older readers.  Every time I opened the book, I was (as cliche' as it is...) whisked off to a land far, far away.  I highly recommend it to readers of all ages!

      Now I just need a few weeks of undisturbed reading to get through the rest of the series.

Eoin Colfer - "Artemis Fowl The Arctic Incident"

    Can I just admit that in my next life, I too want to be a super wealthy, brainiac in Ireland complete with unlimited resources, a connection to fairy-folk, and an live in a fantastical universe?  One can dream....  I think I liked this book even better than the first installment.  (It was a nice refresher to read the comic of the first book before I read this novel; it had been a while since I read the original "Artemis Fowl" novel.)

     In this book, Artemis discovers the whereabouts of his MIA father and in a roundabout way, enlists the help of the fairy LEPrecon unit that he bested in the last book.   Out of nowhere, Artemis receives word that his father is alive and being ransomed by the Russian mafiya.  About the same time, our underground characters discover human-made batteries are being smuggled in by goblins.  The LEP force needs to find out who the above ground source is, and why they are needed by the goblins.  After their previous encounter with Artemis and his entourage, the LEP reason that he is a primary suspect.  What ensues is an extremely creative and highly entertaining story of mutual mistrust as well as mutual need for one another's resources. 

     Mr. Colfer has a unique wit about his characters and his writing, and is incredibly creative in his story-line and settings.  He also does a great job of using his story to make a statement about how we as humans have lost some respect for the planet.  He shows it in the contrast between the underground fairy network and the above ground "mud men" territory.  It's always good to read an author that makes a positive statement through their work, without letting it get in the way of the story, and who also uses it to actually enhance the story itself. 

     Just like in the last book, there is an encoded message along the bottom of the pages for the reader to crack and discover.  Genius, really!  I believe the code is only a part of this particular book's first edition, or maybe it's only in the non-US release.  I'm not sure which, but I had to do a little research and find a Puffin published book from England.  Call me a nerd, I'm okay with that. 

Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident

     I hope you choose to join Artemis, Butler, Holly Short, and the rest of the gang for this enthralling episode.  Until next time, I bid you, "Adieu."

Eoin Colfer, Andrew Donkin, Giovanni Rigano, Paolo Lamanna - "Artemis Fowl, The Graphic Novel"

     I've just read my very first graphic novel.  I feel so "with it."  I'm in the midst of reading "The Arctic Incident," and it's been a while since I read the first book in this delightful series.  The details of the first novel were a bit fuzzy; I've slept since then....  I was chatting with my hubby in his office, and my eye was drawn to this book.  I know he has a small collection of graphic novels and comics, so I was pleasantly surprised to find one that appealed to me, and was extremely relevant to my current predicament of pre-senior moments and memory loss. 
                                                                                                                                                                  Artemis Fowl: The Graphic Novel

    It only took me about and hour or two to read through it, and I must say it was pretty good.  It was easy to follow; it rehashed the story perfectly (from what my feeble mind can recall), was imaginatively illustrated, and was very entertaining.  I guess that's what one looks for in a graphic novel???  At least that's what I look for...  I'm not much of a connoisseur, but what more could you want?  The story introduces, 12-year-old criminal mastermind, Artemis Fowl.  He goal is to restore his family's VAST fortune by kid-napping and ransoming a fairy.  Genius!  (If only it were that easy...)  Mr. Colfer and friends do a wonderful job of constructing and bringing-to-life a quirky cast of characters and an entertaining plot. 

     Despite me liking the book so much, I don't know that I'll be continuing to read many comics/graphic novels.   The reason is the same one I have for not usually watching movies based on the books that I've read... I like to imagine the scenery, characters, actions, etc that are penned in books on my own.  Every person's mind constructs the mental images in their own way.  When books are illustrated or made into movies, it puts a defined "picture" of events, characters, scenery, etc into your mind.  Sometimes those images match up with your own, and sometimes they don't.  Either way, I prefer to enjoy my own little constructs rather than have them defined by another.  I just like the ambiguity, I think, but again, it's just my own opinion. 

     If you do decide to embark upon this pictorial adventure "down the rabbit hole" with Artemis and his crew, I hope you enjoy it!

Flavia Bujor - "The Prophecy of the Stones"

The Prophecy of the Stones: A Novel


     Flavia Bujor is a young french writer who had this book published by the age of fifteen.  I've never had anything published with the exception of this "self-published" blog and an essay or two (if you call Mom's refrigerator "published").  So I may be a really awful, hypocritical human for saying this, but this book is terribly overrated!  I literally had to force myself to finish it so I would be able to: 1. say that I finished it, and 2. give my readership a review on the entirety of the book.

     I would be horrendously wrong to not give her credit for writing a very creative story, and have it published all before she even finished high school.  I give her "mad props" for that.  This is a story with two main plot lines, and a very few subplot lines.  Story one is about three, fourteen-year-old girls named Jade, Opal, and Amber.  It's set in what appears to be medieval Europe, but resembles something more like "Middle Earth" replete with Tolkien-esque creatures.  Story two is about another fourteen-year-old girl nicknamed "Joa" (Jade, Opal, Amber - a creative acronym if you ask me) who lives in modern day Paris and is dying of a horrible sickness.  She has dreams of another world which is the one where Jade, Opal, and Amber reside.

     The three girls are given three stones on the occasion of their fourteenth birthdays and find that when they all hold their stones, close their eyes, and think about the same thing, stuff happens.  I enjoy some fantasy fiction, for sure, but this particular one is not my cup of espresso.  The reason being that the characters were underdeveloped as were their dialogue and motivations for taking the actions they did, the story was lacking sufficient descriptions leaving giant plot holes everywhere, and there was no real conclusion.  Ms. Bujor made an excellent attempt at trying to build a complex set of story lines, but didn't quite pull it off,  nor did she really tie the ones she had going together very will.  As I said before, I'm impressed that it was written by so young an author, but I think it could have really been a lot better with some editorial guidance.  Better luck next book, Missy!

     My advice to survive the summer, stay inside and read!  It works, I promise...

    

  

Eoin Colfer - "Artemis Fowl"

     I know, I know, it's been a really long time since my last post.  Forgive me, it's also been a really really long time since I got to sit down and read much.  I did however like the first book in the "Artemis Fowl" series. 

     It's defiinitely written to a pre-teen - young teen audience, but it was really well written and there was plenty of action to keep you turning those pages.  Artemis Fowl is the youngest member of the very wealthy and notorious crime family.  This is a fanciful tale of how he is trying to find a way to restore his family's fortune and restore their "good" name.  He decides to rob leprecon of his pot of gold.  Sounds simple, right?  Not so much!  It involves blackmailing a fairy, evading a troll, kid napping an elf, and even stopping time, all in a day's work.

Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, Book 1)

     Mr. Colfer does a great job in instilling his work with creative touches everywhere.  The most notable is the hieroglyphic-type code that he has created.  It runs along the bottom of each page and is showcased on the cover.  He offers an extra challenge to the reader to crack it and get a sneak peak into the tale's future.  It was a lot of fun to decipher.  He is also very creative in the naming of his characters; it's very "punny."  I really enjoy subtle humor like that. 

      It was an entertaining, quick read that did not require too much thinking.  I heard they made a graphic novel out of this character and his series, but have not yet explored that particular avenue.  I do, however; look forward to the next book in the series.  You should check it out if you need a quick break from "heady" literature.  I am starting "A Tale of Two Cities" and thought Artemis Fowl would give me a nice "break" before delving into old school British classic literature. 

Enjoy your fat free, low carb, low calorie literature to the fullest!

Elizabeth Kostova - "The Historian"

      Holy Cow, this was an enormous undertaking of a novel!  It's right about 650 pages of Dracula lore, diary entries, and research.  This was Elizabeth Kostova's debut novel, and has won a few awards, which is somewhat uncommon for a first publication.  I truly have mixed feelings about the book.  It was lent to me by a fellow bibliophile, English professor, author extraordinaire, and good friend, one Mr. Rum Fitts.  He also expressed similar mixed feelings. 

     The book is a mixture of narrative by an unnamed teenage girl, oral accounts, journal entries, and written correspondence.  It is also an amalgamation of genres including: adventure, historical fiction, and horror.  It's the story of a young girl living in Amsterdam with her father; together, they travel all over Europe, and have a simple, loving relationship.  One day, she finds an old book in her dad's library that piques her interest, and spurs her desire to purse knowledge of Vlad Tepes, more commonly known by his legendary name, Dracula.  Between her own research, her father's journal, and eventually following in her father's footsteps (literally), she discovers her family history, what really happened to her absentee mother, and a lot of eastern European history and folklore.

                                    HISTORIAN / A NOVEL 

   I wouldn't necessarily recommend this book as light reading, or even as an attention grabber (despite it being a vampire novel, in essence).  The plot starts off at a pretty jaunty pace, but slows to a dreadful crawl somewhere between half-way to two-thirds of the way through.  Don't get me wrong, there are some unexpected twists and turns, but I had to really "want it" to read to completion.  I think overall, if you have nothing better at hand, go for it, but go ahead and carve out a chunk of undisturbed reading time to accomplish this feat.

     Upon beginning the story, I had high expectations of a page turner, and a high adventure story; I was somewhat disappointed in the lost potential.  Also, the climax was definitely not what I wanted.  For all the 600 pages of build-up, I expected more of a "bang."  The plot was well constructed, and well laid out, but there was an unsatisfactory ending that felt hastily "tacked on." 

     I did however; enjoy Kostova's ability to really allow the reader to be present in the settings.  Her descriptions of sights, smells, sensations, and overall scenery were outstanding.  One could really imagine the physical aspects of the scene as it took place.  Good job, Elizabeth!  The thing I liked the most, however, was how every character, from the narrator, to the minor foil characters, and even including Dracula himself had an immense appreciation and deep love of books and all things literary.  Each character in their own way, passionately immersed themselves in research whether historical or otherwise.  How can a dedicated reader not eat that up?

Maybe this book will give you something to do over your spring break "staycation."

Dean Koontz - "Forever Odd"

 Hello Again Friends,

     I've just finished the second book in Dean Koontz's "Odd Thomas" series.  As you can see, I am currently in the throes of many an author's series.  It's a good place to be!  I generally am not one for horrific or scary in any form, but Mr. Koontz does a good job of keeping the reader on their toes, and the pages turning.  Some of his other books ("Hideaway") are a little too full of gore for me, but "Odd Thomas" and "Forever Odd" were more suspenseful then gory.

     Once again our hero, Odd Thomas, is faced with a group of homicidal maniacs who put into jeopardy, ones he loves.  I enjoy the way Odd's character is written to be humble, humorous, and heroic without meaning to be.  He has the special gift of seeing the lingering dead and through it is able to sometimes solve or prevent a crime.  The chase that ensues in this novel keeps the reader constantly wondering "what will happen next?"

                                                   Forever Odd (Odd Thomas Novels)

     Dean Koontz weaves a plot thick with psychotic killers, Elvis, bomb threats, the supernatural, and the need to keep a dictionary close.  He is truly a master of description, and he uses the perfect vocabulary to do so.  I recommend this book and the series that surrounds it to anyone looking for "something different."  Kootz's books are generally pretty morbid (as is this one), but in this series, the focus is Odd, not so much simply the macabre.  Odd's personality, naivete, and depth of character, not to mention his adventures, are enthralling!  I hope you too fall in love with Odd Thomas.

As always, more to come.  Keep reading!