kgbooklog

7-3-05
Jim Butcher, Dead Beat
Roc (2005) ISBN: 0-451-46027-8
Score: 4

Seventh book of the Dresden Files series; this week Harry (as the country's only openly practicing wizard) has to save Chicago from a bunch of necromancers. And most of the previously introduced supernatural elements (werewolves, faeries, vampires (all three types), and a fallen angel) get involved too. As usual, lots of people beat him up and he causes a whole lot of damage (not all of it intentional), but the ending was slightly more upbeat than normal, perhaps even Too Good to be True. Since this is the first hardcover of the series, the author tried to make it understandable to new readers, which mainly means that it spoils the endings of all the previous books (except the first, Storm Front), so I guess I should stop telling people it's ok to skip books two and four.

7-4-05
Laurie J. Marks, Delan the Mislaid
Daw (1989) ISBN: 0-88677-325-3
Score: 1.5

First book of the Children of the Triad trilogy. No humans (though the Walkers are pretty close), lots of invented words, but the characters and plot were rather cliched (Lost Heir falls into the hands of Sadistic Sorceror plotting genocide). Not nearly as good as her Elemental Logic books.

7-7-05
Rosemary Edghill, Book of Moons
Forge (1995) ISBN: 0-312-86768-9
Score: 3

Second Bast book, this one dealing with stolen books and Mary, Queen of Scots. Even less evidence of magic than the first book, which I liked slightly better. Can be read first.

7-18-05
Tanya Huff, Smoke and Mirrors
Daw (2005) ISBN: 075640262X
Score: 2.5

Second Tony Foster book (a spinoff of the Vicky Nelson (Blood) series). Tony is still a production assistant for a cheezy TV show, which is shooting a haunted house episode in a house that really is haunted. The ghosts are nicer than the ones in Blood Debt, but the thing that created them is nasty. Lots of good lines, but the characters were a bit weak.

7-20-05
Lynn Flewelling, Hidden Warrior
Bantam (2003) ISBN: 0-553-58342-5
Score: 1.5

Second book of the Tamir trilogy. It looks like most of the important stuff is revealed (or set up) and all that's left is the civil war. Not reccommended to people allergic to Divine Right to Rule. The major characters were handled fairly well, but everyone else was simply a name and maybe a desire, so I didn't care when they died. There were a few attempts at depth, but never enough for me to remember who was who.

7-23-05
Rosemary Edghill, The Bowl of Night
Forge (1996) ISBN: 0-312-86768-9
Score: 2.5

Third (and probably last) Bast book. A rabid anti-pagan is ritualistically murdered at a pagan festival. The mystery part was a bit weak (the only person with a motive didn't have the means) and Bast spends most of the book deliberately not thinking about crucial things. I still really like her though, despite (or maybe because of) how distant and emotionless she appears. This book really drives home how alone she is, even when surrounded by her closest friends.

7-28-05
Lawrence Watt-Evans, With a Single Spell
Wildside (1987) ISBN: 1-58715-285-1
Score: 2

Second Ethshar novel, telling the story of Tobas of Telven, an apprentice wizard who has only learned one spell when his master suddenly dies. When the other wizards don't help him (he's too old to start another apprenticeship), he lets himself be recruited to help kill a dragon that's ravaging one of the Small Kingdoms. Lots of interesting information on how wizardry and witchcraft work, and good place to start the series (unlike The Spriggan Mirror which spoils much of this book). This edition also includes the short (and inconsequential) story "Weaving Spells".


Okay, I'm done posting, and everything should be properly indexed. Time to read some more...