With this third entry in the series, I definitely see some more maturity in the level of the storytelling, with a lot more overt darker themes and eveWith this third entry in the series, I definitely see some more maturity in the level of the storytelling, with a lot more overt darker themes and events. The cast of characters also expands as the story explores the goddess Artemis and her young followers. As Artemis is a virgin goddess, she adopts her followers and they become Huntresses, some of whom are introduced. Two young siblings are also introduced who are halfbloods on the run. Annabeth and Artemis are kidnapped, and Percy must save them, with the help of Artemis' brother Apollo.
A lot happens, and it's been a while since I read this, but I can say that it's my favorite of the series so far. I like the tour of America from the vantage point of Greek mythology, and the places and people (and monsters) Percy meets along the way, and how Percy and his friends continually learn more about themselves and grow stronger as they face challenges. ...more
Is barbarian fantasy romance a thing? Well anyway, this book was amazing! This is the second book by Kati Wilde I have read and I loved it just as mucIs barbarian fantasy romance a thing? Well anyway, this book was amazing! This is the second book by Kati Wilde I have read and I loved it just as much as the first. Kael the Conqueror won his kingdom the hard way, by killing those who enslaved him. Now, his people want him to be married. They've searched far and wide for a bride, but many woman fear him. Princess Anja of Ivermere offers to be his bride (with some ulterior motives), and she's turned down because Kael believes she can't really want him. Anja does, very much, even though she doesn't understand why. As Kael escorts Anja home through the treacherous, ensorcelled Dead Lands, he comes to realize that he doesn't want to let her go.
Anja is badass, gorgeous and very likable. Kael is HOT and strong and has a secret vulnerability in that he wants to be loved for who he is. I rooted for them to be together ever after.
Kati Wilde is excellent at writing sexual tension. And this book capitalizes on its short length by building up the tension between Anja and Kael. The reader is treated to the couple falling deeply in love, with some good action and creative fantasy and magic along the way. I hope this is a series, because I would love to read more books set in this world....more
Reread for a paper I wrote for my Graphic Novel class comparing this with "Watchmen." I think this is a brilliant book. It holds up to reread and it'sReread for a paper I wrote for my Graphic Novel class comparing this with "Watchmen." I think this is a brilliant book. It holds up to reread and it's equally if not more distressing on reread. Horrifying to think what absolute power and absolute fear can do to a person....more
A required read for my Readings in the Graphic Novel class, but it was a fun one. I've never read any of the Captain Marvel books, so I came into thisA required read for my Readings in the Graphic Novel class, but it was a fun one. I've never read any of the Captain Marvel books, so I came into this fresh. It's fun to discover this series without any preconceived notions. In the discussion, classmates brought up some issues that I didn't necessary see initially.
I think that this one is geared towards a younger audience than the typical Marvel books, and the writing bears that in mind. The storytelling is a shade simplistic, and the illustrations jump rapidly between panels. The drawings are more sketchlike, lacking a clean rendering and finish. Some classmates thought the creators must have been under a tight deadline, and that's why the final version lacks polish. The conflict seems unfinished, and it was hard to follow exactly who the villain is and what their motives were.
Overall, I liked this a lot. They're some hidden layers to this book that came out on a second read. While the portrayal of Kamala might have been in some way problematic, I still think it's powerful for young Muslim kids to read this book and see someone like them in their superhero books. In these charged times, it's also good for non-Muslim readers who don't know much about what it's like, so they can see that demonization of people who are different or share different beliefs and cultures is wrong. It was also good to Kamala's evolution from being ashamed of being herself, to the degree she wanted to escape her culture and heritage to fit in so badly. Instead, she learns that it's a part of her and it makes her stronger....more
I gave this four stars, but my feelings about this book are difficult to coalesce down to a simple numeric rating. I read this with my Readings in theI gave this four stars, but my feelings about this book are difficult to coalesce down to a simple numeric rating. I read this with my Readings in the Graphic Novel course, and I agree that it is seminal graphic novel/comic reading. However, there are some things about this book that I didn't care for. Ultimately, I would say that like and dislike are not the best terms to apply to it.
"Watchmen" started a whole ripple through comic book/superhero fiction that is still profoundly influential in the many years since it was published. The dark and aheroic/antiheroic superhero/crimefighter motif that subsumed what we know about comic books in the 21st Century can largely be attributed to this book, although Frank Miller's Batman: The Dark Knight Returns is also essential. I like darker superhero stories, but some aspects of this one made it hard to sympathize or care for many of the characters. I had to write essays for my class on our readings, and I have some longer opinions on this book that I intend to post on my Goodreads profile under my writings.
This book is very thought-provoking and my class had some very interesting discussions on it. I have to also say that I thought about it for a long time after I finished it. My viewpoint evolved on a few of the characters as well. However, some, I hated to the very end. I could actually write about 20 pages about this book, but I won't. I'll try to coalesce it into a reasonably short review.
"Watchmen" is essentially a murder mystery with masked crimefighters/superheroes. The narrator is extremely atypical, the very questionable person of Rorschach, who is a violent vigilante that wears a hood that changes its expression, much like the Rorschach Test his mask resembles. He is determined to find out who killed Eddie Blake aka The Comedian, an original member of the Minutemen, who later became part of the Crimebusters. He goes to visit other former members: Dan Dreiberg (Nite Owl II), Jonathan Osterman (Dr. Manhattan) and Laurie Juspescyk (Silk Spectre II), and Adrian Veidt (Ozymandias) to warn them that they might be next. Along the way, the reader gets to experience how conflicted the life of a masked crimefighter and/or superhero/villain is. The story is set in an alternate history where Nixon was never caught in the Watergate scandal, the US won the Vietnam War, and in the 1980s, America and the Soviet Union are on the brink of war (the Doomsday Clock frighteningly close to midnight).
Each character has a slightly different perspective of how the passage of the Keene Act made their crimefighting work illegal. Dan and Laurie bond over missing the excitement of it all. Veidt has gone on to build an huge business empire and is a celebrity for his incredible level of fitness. Dr. Manhattan is mostly interested in his research and has become disconnected from human concerns, an issue in his relationship with Laurie, who has been his girlfriend for about twenty years (since she was sixteen).
Intertwined with the overarching story is a subplot about a kid reading a pirate comic. The adventures of the comic protagonist mirror the overall story themes. A huge part of this story is how heroism is not what its cracked up to be. Also, becoming strong enough to achieve a goal can be a path paved with destruction, and in some instances leading to the 'hero' becoming a 'villain'. And really, what is heroism? That's a question posed for every lead character. Since this is a dark, and in some ways, nihilistic-toned work, the answers aren't encouraging. The Comedian is one of the most wretched examples of someone having abilities and using them for bad purposes. The Comedian is an incredibly adept fighter and soldier, but is also very corrupt, acting as a bully, knowing right and wrong but not doing it. He makes excuses for the evil things he does because the world is bad and it's going to burn anyway, essentially. Dr. Manhattan, Jon Osterman is a physicist whose body was obliterated in an accident at the science testing facility where he worked in 1959. When he comes back, it is as a being with seemingly godlike powers that separates him from the rest of the humans he once interacted with, eventually leading to his breakup with his girlfriend. The US government exploits his powers to exercise dominance over other nations (in fact, he's part of the reason that Vietnam surrendered). He's seen and done some of the worst things to other humans, which doesn't help his cynicism about the better parts of humanity. At the point that this story begins, his only tendril of contact is through Laurie. Eventually, that's gone as well when Laurie breaks up with him. But when it's clear that the world is on the brink of obliteration, Laurie has to convince him to care again.
The more I ruminated about this story, Osterman/Manhattan became more of a sympathetic character to me. He seems the less empathetic, but in some way, he strikes me as feeling more deeply than anyone else. I can completely understand his decision to retreat to a self-built crystal castle on Mars. Sometimes I wouldn't mind having me own, but probably in the mountains in some undiscovered cold part of the world with plenty of snow and ice. People are exhausting. It hurts to care, especially when others aren't all in with you. The circumstances of the accident that gave him his powers were heartbreaking, and he was abandoned to his fate. That's soul-destroying right there. Having said that, he's not off the hook for the questionable things he did and how he treats Laurie.
Ugh, Rorschach. Where do I start? That dude is a bucket of crazy. I feel for what he went through as a child, but it twisted him until he was so broken. All of us are f*&%$! up, but there's no fixing him. He represents the worst of self-righteousness. He's so rigid in his sense of right and wrong that he won't compromise, but then he is bigoted, racist, has poor hygiene and litters in Antarctica. His contempt and mean treatment of his landlady because she has six kids by different men. And he's extremely violent. It's a huge Glass Houses kind of scenario. To me, he is not a hero. He is an antihero, and he's the narrator, but other than the horrors of his childhood, it's really hard to feel sympathetic. While there are parallels between him and other vigilante crimefighters I admire like Batman and Daredevil, his core feels rotten to me. I can't get past that.
Laurie is just plain underwritten. She is interpreted through her relations with the male characters. I am grateful that graphic novels have matured and evolved past this kind of writing, frankly. Laurie could have been a lot more interesting a character if deeper layers to her persona were made available. Just delving into how her stint as Silk Spectre differs from her mother's tenure. How interacting with and in a world of violence has changed from the 30s to the 60s and 70s. Maybe just not stopping at her relationships with men and why her mother and her don't get along.
Dan is honestly a bit on the underwritten side as well. He's written a good-natured guy with a facility with gadgets and a desire for action. His mid-life crisis has to do with missing that sense of purpose and it translates to feelings of inadequacy about not being Nite Owl anymore. Maybe because Moore didn't really know what to do with a guy who is more or less 'normal'.
Veidt is such a sneeringly superior person in his own mind. I can't say too much because I'd reveal some things better left to be read. Suffice it to say that he reminds me of the so-called polite white supremacy that is increasingly in vogue (especially since the 2016 presidential election).
Another issue is the treatment of the GLBTQ characters. Many meet unfortunate ends and their peccadillos are looked at as being unforgivable in a way that being a violent sociopath, bully or rapist are not.
I think a psychology doctoral student could write a hell of a thesis on this book.
There is so much cynicism in this book. It's hard to take in. Some ugliness not easily forgotten. I feel like the psychiatrist who interviews Rorschach in that sense. While I'm not necessarily into the sugary sweet kind of fiction writing, I think it can definitely go the wrong way with the dark and dreary. I'd be a hypocrite to disavow this book. I think it had some insights to give me, and something to offer as far as story and artwork. I gave it four stars because to give less didn't seem fair to me. I couldn't say it was life-changing or a graphic novel that would make the top of my list. I can understand why it would for some though.
I read this about three years ago now, so I don't know that I can write a review. I will say that I enjoyed this series very much. I loved Riordan's tI read this about three years ago now, so I don't know that I can write a review. I will say that I enjoyed this series very much. I loved Riordan's take on Norse mythology and I love how he is very perceptive about the issues that young people are dealing with today as far as identity and the really challenging emotional situations they encounter. He has a way of not talking down to his readers but presenting it as a reality within a fictional/fantastic story. I appreciate how he takes the myths and throws in a few touches that feel unique and flesh out the stories. The characters are all great too....more
I am really sad to see this series end. I started it on a lark, and I have truly enjoyed reading about Lockwood and Co's adventures. The characters haI am really sad to see this series end. I started it on a lark, and I have truly enjoyed reading about Lockwood and Co's adventures. The characters have developed and evolved beautifully over the course of the series, while maintaining what makes them lovable. Lockwood starts as an enigmatic leader with an irresistible allure to him. As the series progresses, Lucy comes to love him for who he is and she comes to realize that Lockwood truly needs Lucy to stay balanced and grounded. Their relationship has plenty of ups and downs through the books, but I am extremely happy with how things culminate. I was really afraid how things would end overall. I ended being satisfied with the conclusion, other than the fact that things have to end. I know many people hate series that go on indefinitely. I don't mind ongoing series as long as they stay good. But I realize that this series had to end at some point, based on the fact that ghost hunters have a strict use by date because they stop being able to sense the ghosts.
Having said that, I wouldn't mind at all if Stroud was about to roll this series over into a spinoff. At all.
This series snuck up on me and now it's one of my all time favorites. I think it would make a great tv show. There's plenty of suspense and creep factor as Lucy, Lockwood, George, Holly and friends encounter the uncanny, and Stroud is excellent at developing the growing tension and sense of danger. There are some really heinous entities in this books, both otherworldly and otherwise, so that may be a trigger for readers that these kids are deliberately placed in dangerous situations due to the work that they do.
I highly recommend the Lockwood & Co Series....more
This was a really great book, and I hate that I was dealing with a cross-country move at the time and I was unable to write a review to do it justice This was a really great book, and I hate that I was dealing with a cross-country move at the time and I was unable to write a review to do it justice at the time. I finished my spring semester classes and then I was consumed with trying to get our house ready to sell and to pack and get ready to move to Minnesota. I remember reading this while doing yardwork and packing, and it made some unpleasant or hard tasks feel less onerous. I have forgotten some of the detail, but I do remember the quality of the writing, the uniqueness of the storytelling and characterization. I love that Riordan tackled some timely issues, and was very inclusive. I like that characters that would be consider Other by society are central to the story. I really appreciated the direction he went with Loki's child, who identifies as non-binary, Alex Fierro. Many young people identify as non-binary and I know this is very affirming that there is a strong, dynamic, crucial character in this series who has an identity that reflects theirs. Also, there is a Muslim character named Samirah or Sam, who is a Valkyrie, and she's very multi-faceted. She strongly values her faith and culture, and is not viewed as Other. Magnus himself was homeless and dealt with life on the streets as a teenager. There's also an elf named Hearthstone who is deaf/mute and who was rejected by his father because of his inability to talk. One of the young folks that Magnus meets in Valhalla who becomes one of his friends is TJ, a young black man who died during the Civil War. Just so much wonderful content in this book.
The Norse mythology is treated with scholarship, but updated with relevance for its pre-teen, young adult audience. I love folklore and mythology (as you probably know if you follow my reviews), and I really got a kick out of how he took the source material and created a new story with it. There are echoes to his Percy Jackson series, but it also feels very different and it's clear that the story is tailored to an older audience.
This is epic storytelling, with humor, angst, well-developed characters, a compelling, exciting narrative, colorful and descriptive scenes, lots of action; and it's highly recommended to older tween, teens, and adults who enjoy this sort of thing....more
I just finished listening to a reread on Kindle and it stands up very well to reread more than a year later. I really loved t2nd Reread 12/2018-1/2018
I just finished listening to a reread on Kindle and it stands up very well to reread more than a year later. I really loved the setup of this book. It takes place in Europe and has a different feel from the previous books. Lissa is a badass, and she meets her match in Casimir. Not quite instalove, but fairly closed, but I loved their bond. The scenes of them beign in love and expressing their love and working together really worked for me.
I adore all the Prakenskiis, but I like how special each one is with their particular woman. Casimir understands what drives Lissa and he makes his decisions based on that. I loved how they are 100% partners. The love scenes are volcanic (as before, the nipple clamps were too weird for me, but they seemed to like it).
I admit I skipped some of the overly descriptive scenes of the widow of one of the men Lissa targeted for revenge being sexually abused by the main villain(s) in the book. I just cannot deal with that right now.
I think this would be an awesome movie. It has such a cinematic feel to it.
I have finished rereading the previous books. Now it's time to finally read Bound Together, with the infamous Viktor, who promises to rock my world.!
Previous Review
I loved the different direction that Feehan took with Lissa's story. Instead of the story taking place in Sea Haven at the farm, this one is set primarily in Italy, and Lissa is not the hunted, but the huntress. I am always satisfied when Feehan introduces another Prakenskii brother. While I adore the GhostWalker men (flaws included), the Prakenskiis have a special place in my heart. Each brother gets near to my favorite. I am pretty sure that it's a bit of a four way tie between Maxim, Gavril, Ilya and Casimir now. I do dearly love Ilya, and I never thought Feehan could top him, but she has, boy howdy. I have a bizarre fondness for assassin leads, and I got two for the price of one with Lissa and Casimir. Lissa is the real deal, and I wish for more heroines like her.
Casimir is perfect for Lissa. He's her match and he respects her for the woman she is, that she's been fashioned into. It takes a strong man to acknowledge that a woman is his equal. While Casimir was protective of Lissa, he didn't try to get in the way of her mission, but is her helpmate. I like that they work together to fulfill their mutual goals, and that their passion burns hot and their love is true.
This book had more of a semi-overt BDSM tone than the other books. I am the first to admit I am not a fan of BDSM. Fortunately, it wasn't over the top, although there was one device that was definitely a little weird for my tastes. I did like that Casimir wasn't about subjugation or domination but mutual pleasure. There is a welcome contrast between their love play and what is going on unbeknownst to Lissa. I didn't like the scene in which certain men abuse a certain woman. It made me sick and I felt really bad for that poor woman. I was glad that Casimir had such a visceral and righteously angry reaction to that situation.
I felt for Lissa in that she was raised with so much betrayal. Despite that, she was incredibly strong and self-actualized. I just hate that she was used that way. When the people you trust and love do that to you, it's even worse. Even though she had her Sisters of the Heart, she had to hide that part of her from them, and that made her feel lonely and isolated. I was glad that she doesn't have to be lonely anymore.
The wedding scene was so touching, and I loved the surprise guest. those Prakenskiis are so romantic! All I have to say is that the next book is going to be something else. The pigeons are really coming home to roost. I am officially giving my seal of approval if Feehan has books for the other guys from the worst of the Russian spy schools. :)
This is my second favorite book series by Feehan for a reason. It's really hard to top the GhostWalkers for me. I freaking love that series like a house on fire. But this series is a close second . I think the Prakensii/Sisters of the Heart books have such great heroes and heroines. Strong men who aren't jerks, who appreciate their heroines for who they are and are willing to make sacrifices to be with them. I'm sad to see that it will end soon! All I can say to Ms. Feehan is, keep the Russians coming, please....more
This is my revised review for the book. It's been a while since I read it, but I needed the time to coalesce my thoughThe Ice King and the Black Widow
This is my revised review for the book. It's been a while since I read it, but I needed the time to coalesce my thoughts. I am pretty darn disappointed, to be honest. Yeah, I still gave it four stars, and I'll explain why later.
I was loving the first 1/2 or so of the book, and it went downhill shortly thereafter. Trap was an ahole from the beginning but not in an intolerable way. I actually kind of liked him initially. I really enjoyed the banter on the scene at the beginning where the guys are hanging out in the bar. The GhostWalker camaraderie is one of my favorite things about there books. It was pretty fun how Trap was calculating how many peanut shells were on the floor and got the guys involved in, and then Cayenne had come up with her own estimates that were close to his. I felt like they had a pretty good meeting of the minds.
Trap had his moments, but later in the book, he was a serious douche bag. I liked the initial love scenes, but towards the end of the book, the scene on the airplane was just freaking rotten how he treated Cayenne just because she was having a bonding moment with a member of his team and then the sex after that. I don't like any butt play, and I do feel that I was highly disappointed that Feehan chose to spring that on me as a reader. I know most readers don't care about that, but I am not into that and I try to avoid books that have it. A big part of my issues with the sex were his motivations. It was like some sort of possessive/masculine domination/punishment for making Trap feel jealous on the plan. That nearly made me throw the book against the wall. I think Cayenne deserves better. He knew how crappy her life has been. He is very protective of her, but then he seems okay with pulling jerk moves on her. He's a highly intelligent guy, but he acts like he's all testosterone and 100% caveman sometime. Apparently, sex is his main outlet besides his work, so I guess being kinky is part of his nature. The way he's treated his past lovers is questionable, and I'm not saying he gets a pass for it, but i would hope you would get a clue that you don't treat a woman you're suppose to love and adore that way. It's a big deal how he built his house for her and to make a place that she was safe. But then he gives her reasons not to trust and feel safe with him. It's sad because I really wanted to like Trap, but I think he blew it for me with his behavior.
Cayenne, on the other hand, I loved consistently. She was lethal and tough, but also tormented and emotionally vulnerable. I felt bad that she couldn't leave Trap, and although he couldn't leave her, he just needed to treat her better. I normally love the whole fated to be mated thing, but in this book, it seems like a bad thing. I really want to believe that people should be with someone because they are deeply loved in return and there is caring and trust between them.
I'm having a real issue with the escalation of erotic sex tinged with violence in the later books that Feehan is writing. I still love her writing and her books, but I'm really nervous now that she's going to go full bore with the stuff I'm just not into and have no desire to read. I had to skip some scenes in Fire Bound (not between the H/h, but when the bad guys were abusing a woman). I would have to have to start skipping H/h scenes in her books. I enjoy the plotting and the ongoing storylines too much to quit reading her, so my hope is that she doesn't keep escalating with her content. If it comes down to it, I may have to just read the non sex scenes when they get over the top.
I'm still giving this four stars, because I love the GhostWalkers storyline so much, and I really, really enjoyed the first part of the book. I can't give it more because of how much of a cad Trap was and the butt plug stuff (eww)....more
This installment of the Will Robie series focuses on Robie's badass partner, Jessica Reel, whose ice-cold exterior conceals a very traumatic childhoodThis installment of the Will Robie series focuses on Robie's badass partner, Jessica Reel, whose ice-cold exterior conceals a very traumatic childhood. In The Target, chickens come home to roost. It turns out that her father is dying in a maximum security prison and as a last requests, asks his estranged daughter to visit him. He has ulterior motives that threaten to bring Jessica back into the arena of a dangerous figure from her childhood. And that's just one of the stories. The other story involves an assassin op that goes wrong.
Tons of action, but also layered characterization. Will and Jessica maintain their unflappable exteriors as always, but underneath, they are both caring, principled people who realize that they cannot survive being disconnected from others. Jessica is amazing. From someone who came from her background, her strength of will and integrity speaks volumes about her as a person. I like how the good and bad guys aren't always as cut and dried as it's made out to be.
Another holdover from the previous 2 years (a lot happened, don't judge me!) I never got a chance to write a review about...
I am rereading these first book on audiobook and I have to say it was a great idea. I love the way the narra2nd read completed in 4/2018 on Audiobook.
I am rereading these first book on audiobook and I have to say it was a great idea. I love the way the narrators brought these beloved characters to life. Will and Jessica are mirrors of each other, and the way in which Baldacci explores that relationship is beautiful. Jessica's life seems more tragic than Will. The fact that she isn't a sociopathic machine killer is a great testiment to her inner character considering the way she grew up and the fact that this was exploited when she was recruited as an assassin. I like that Will was not the type to just go straight to eliminating her. He asked questions and delve deeper, based on the fact that what he knew about Reel didn't gel with what he was told. I like that they don't stay adversaries very long (yes it's a spoiler, but you know this if you follow the series). I think they make a great team. Plus, Julie likes Jessica.
I recommend these books if you haven't read them.
****************************************************************************** Oh man! I loved this book. Baldacci took the firm foundation he built in The Innocent and kicked it up sky high. It was like he asked, "How can I really do something interesting with Will Robie in the next book?" And he did. He introduced Jessica Reel. Jessica Reel is the female counterpart to Will, and that is something indeed. Jessica is Grade A, high level lethal kickbutt to the extreme. Her life is as edgy as you can image, just like Will. I love bonafide tough women characters, and it's kind of hard to find the well done ones. But Baldacci has impressed me, because that is definitely Jessica.
I liked her so much, I really didn't want her and Will to be adversaries. Good thing that Baldacci resolves that very well in this book. Because if you have someone guarding your back, you'd want someone like Will or Jessica. And you definitely wouldn't want them gunning for you!
As far as the action, this book is high level. Yet, the plot and a workable story isn't sacrificed just for a good action scene. Everything holds together, and if it served the story better not to have an onscreen action scene, Baldacci wasn't afraid to do that. This book is a good combination of action and thriller/suspense. I don't love a lot of political conspiracy-type storylines because I just find it dry, but it's well done here. Not too much to bore me, but sufficient for the story. With characters like Will and Jessica, you have understand what their motivations are and what would push them over the edge, and that was here in the novel.
The pacing was excellent. I never got bored. Any downtime between action sequences progresses the story and allows us to learn more about the characters. Actually one of my favorite parts of this book was seeing the way Will and Jessica's minds worked. It's uncanny how their minds seemed to click. That was the fun of this book. Had Baldacci decided to take it in another direction, it still would have been a fantastic book, but I liked it better the way it was done. And I have high hopes to see more of this dynamic duo, or at least see Jessica pop up again.
I did get my other wish for this book, I did get to see Julie again. She wasn't in this book as much, but it fits the story. It was just good to know that she and Will are still in each others' lives and they know they can count on each other. Also great to see Nikki Vance and Blue Man again.
I can't say enough good things about this book. Just adored it. I definitely want to get copies of these books for my collection, because Will is definitely on my list, and Jessica as well. Please write more books about Will, Mr. Baldacci!...more
I picked up this audiobook read by James Marsters (Spike from "Buffy" and "Angel") because I enjoyed listening to "Death Masks" so much on audio. He hI picked up this audiobook read by James Marsters (Spike from "Buffy" and "Angel") because I enjoyed listening to "Death Masks" so much on audio. He has a great voice. Marsters takes you into the world of Harry Dresden in a fully immersive fashion. I always wonder how voice actors remember how to keep the different voices consistent, and Marsters is awesome at it. His pitch and cadence for each character, particularly Dresden, is spot on. He doesn't lose the thread from story to story. I like that despite the gender and age, the voice is fitting for the character.
Some thoughts on the stories (in general):
I didn't take notes on each story because I was too busy, so I'll have to keep things a bit less descriptive. Some of the stories, I've read before in other collections. Some were new to me. I havent' read by "Death Masks" so I did spoil myself slightly, but I can live with it. It wasn't a deal breaker. That's something I would warn readers about if they pick this up. If they are sticklers for reading books in order, this would be an issue.
Story order (Thanks, Wikipedia!)
"A Restoration of Faith" This takes us back to when Harry was still apprenticing to get his PI license and he saves a girl who goes missing from a Troll that literally lives under a bridge. I freaking love that in this book, there are real trolls in Chicago. I'm geeky about fae and mythical creatures like that. This also shows when Dresden met Murphy, what a portentous event in his life. I liked seeing Harry as a raw newbie.
"Vignette" A very short piece of fiction in which Harry discusses what should go on his business card with Bob, the fire spirit that lives in a skull in his lab. Gives you an accurate perspective of Harry's personality.
"Something Borrowed" I read this in "My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding". It was nice to hear the audio version. There's a lot of story in this, from showing Harry's relationship with people who he's helped in the past, or who have fought with him, to a rematch with a very dangerous and vengeful enemy that Harry's encountered, out for blood and destroy him and those he loves.
"It's My Birthday, Too"
I have a thing for Harry's brother Thomas. He's hot! I liked seeing them interact in this book, and there is a whole lot of action. Harry's apprentice Molly is a big part of the story, along with some shoe cobbler elves. Yes, you heard me right. Let's not forget the vamp LARPers and real vamps as well.
"Heorot"
This is was new story to me. Wow, it was super creepy, and a very interesting way to integrate beer into a story. This one is from "Strange Brew," which I haven't read yet. The monster in this story was oh, so gross, and has some neat literary/folkloric origins. Harry's fighting alongside Gard, a bodyguard for the mobster Marcone, who is a lot older than you'd think.
"Harry's Day Off"
So much for getting time off. Harry was supposed to be taking it easy and getting ready for a date, but he has to help his wolf shifter friends end up with a case of magical mites, and Molly tries to blow up his lab. This story was written with a specifically humorous focus. I think that Dresden has a lot of nice sarcastic humor spread throughout the narrative, but the goofy factor is a little more amped in this story.
"Backup"
Backup is strictly from the view of Thomas Raith, and I wasn't mad about that. Thomas is very intriguing. The ultimate bad boy. He has a dark beast simmering beneath the surface, ready to pounce and take control at any moment. Marsters created a voice that is absolutely perfect for Thomas and very singular and different from Harry. I highly recommend listening this on audiobook.
"The Warrior"
I listened to this one in "Mean Streets" not too long ago. Loved it both times. For those Dresden fans (including myself) who have a soft spot for the Carpenters, this a story for you. It's very much about Michael and his family and the power of being a warrior for the light, even when outside people don't get the sacrifice it entails. It also shows how small acts can have such monumental results. Harry learned that being a warrior for the light isn't always about picking up a sword.
"Last Call"
If you ever watched Season 2 of True Blood, you will find that story arc very relevant to this story. It's about a creature who uses her relationship with Bacchus/Dionysus to control others mentally through beer. I liked this one a lot because I always like when Harry and Murphy team up.
"Love Hurts"
A strange story that puts the undertones to Harry and Murphy's relationship in the spotlight due to unique circumstances. I wasn't 100% satisfied with the resolution.
"Aftermath"
"Aftermath" is so spoilery I can't give any details. Suffice it to say it's from Murphy's viewpoint and it gives some insight into Murphy's feelings for Dresden and the importance of their relationship to her.
Overall thoughts: Definitely well worth getting the audiobook to listen to. James Marsters is so great for narrating Dresden, not just Harry but all the other characters. I love this series. ...more
Danielle The Book Huntress
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Books:
2018-action-heroines-challenge
(13)
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