When I do not love a book that is seemingly loved by many, I am always left wondering if I missed something in the story or if A Reluctant 2.5 Stars
When I do not love a book that is seemingly loved by many, I am always left wondering if I missed something in the story or if I simply misunderstood the writer. Cutting for Stone is a vastly popular story about life of a young man named Marion, his twin Brother Shiva and the assorted lot of his adoptive family. The majority of the story is the country of Ethiopia with the backdrop of a Catholic hospital. There author does an excellent job of exploring the environment and political atmosphere of Ethiopia and the town in which the story is set. From the authors biography, is would appear that this comes from personal experience. The plot followed a fairly generic path and is not unlike many historical novels that follows a character from childhood to adulthood. The characters in the story were a colorful and varied lot with relationships and connections that are not your standard fare.
In most any novel, the characters are what draw me into the story. While the author created an interesting cast of characters, I found it difficult to connect with or even like the majority of them. The main protagonist, Marion, had very little emotional growth and remained trapped in moment from his childhood. Had the event been a traumatic event, this might have made sense but it was an issue of childish desire that was left unfulfilled. Ultimately, for the author to create some level of growth for main protagonist, he resorted to sacrificing the growth and development of the other major players.
In addition to my issues with the characters, I took issue with some of the content. There were elements of the story were focused on the sexuality of preteen children. I always find this sort of content disturbing. It left me, the reader, feeling as if I was a voyeur through a window of the authors mind that had no business being open. While I imagine many may disagree with my response to this sort of material, I found it unnecessary.
Overall, I found the book to be underwhelming. The characters were unique but felt as if they were wasted. The plot was progression was generic. The real star of the story was the wonderful of setting. It may be that some of the content was biographical and I am being unnecessarily harsh. Regardless, I did not connect with the story or the characters.
Content Advisories
It is difficult to find commentary on the sex/violence/language content of book if you are interested. I make an effort to give you the information so you can make an informed decision before reading. *Disclaimer* I do not take note or count the occurrences of adult language as I read. I am simply giving approximations.
Scale 1 - Lowest 5 - Highest
Sex - 3
There are numerous discussion related to sex, many of which are related to curious teenagers and some discussion on their experiences. There are about three "sex scenes" in the story, each of which is mildly graphic. One of which includes an incident of violence.
Language - 1.5
There is mild adult language used throughout the book. Approx. 6 f-words, 20 mild obscenities' (hell, shit, damn, etc) and a couple of scatological reference. Overall, very mild.
Violence - 2.5
There a number of violent incidents. There is a murder, which is not graphic. There is a incident of genital mutilation, that, while not graphic in its description, is disturbing. There is an incident of suicide that is mildly graphic. There is a rape which I found to be disturbing, mostly because the author and the character involved did not seem to appreciate that it was not consensual. There is some violence related to political movements, but the violence is not graphic. There is a scene with the attempted abortion of a full term baby that will disturb some readers. While, not strictly violence, there is a number of descriptions of medical procedures that are moderately graphic and may not interest some readers. Overall, there is some violence but the violence is not graphic....more
This is a difficult book to review and emotional experience is difficult to express. It is not ofte A Compelling and Violent Experience - 4 Stars
This is a difficult book to review and emotional experience is difficult to express. It is not often that I read a Canadian author or a book centered on Canadian history. As both a Canadian and a Christian, I found the character depictions to be both engaging and uncomfortable. The story carries elements of historical interest, intrigue and shame. The author does a commendable job of depicting elements of our history that we have come to see as shameful but casts the characters in such a light that no one party is disparaged.
The Plot
The story revolves around the personal and entwined perspectives of three characters. The story and events are told by Bird, a Huron Warrior; Snow Falls, an Iroquois prisoner and adopted daughter and Christophe, a Jesuit missionary. The story revolves around these three individuals and we follow a journey in which three very different people form an unexpected and tenuous community. The experiences and growth of these character are colored by and shaped through the violent and ongoing clash of the Huron and Iroquois people. The story is complex and vast.
My Take
The story is unsettling on many levels. We have a story about First Nations people written by a person with Metis heritage. For my American friends, that would be a person with mixed First Nation and European heritage. The books feels as it is written with a cultural understanding yet paints a picture of the Huron and Iroquois as a savagely violent. This creates some feelings of discomfort for the reader as the First Nation people are seen as savages through the eyes of the European character. What I find fascinating about this is that I am left to feel as if my feelings are not somehow uninformed. The author paints an often bleak story on a violent background. I came to see that while the society was violent and savage by European standards, the violence was understood to be an unfortunate but almost necessary reality when seen from the other perspectives. I was left feeling that I could incorporate the violence into my understanding of the history without passing judgment people.
I found the element of the European "invasion" to be equally interesting. Canadian History is filled with atrocities against native Canadians. When looking back on my Country's history, I am left to grapple with the Church's involvement with Canada's original inhabitants. There is history of abuse by the church. It was refreshing to see a depiction of a Jesuit missionary that wasn't completely unflattering. There is a depiction of a real struggle between the goals of the French interests and the goals of the individual missionaries. While at times, the Jesuit is willfully blind to the intentions of his French benefactors, his intentions are generally good, even if they are misguided.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the strength of the novel is found in the characters. Each of the three major characters are nuanced and developed with care. The perspective that each of them bring to the story is the reason the novel works so well. Without the great characterization, the plot would not stand. Readers who love great characters, a historical context and do not shy from violence will enjoy this novel....more
It has been a few years since a story has captivated me so completely. Several days after finishing this novel, I str A Magical Journey - 5 Stars
It has been a few years since a story has captivated me so completely. Several days after finishing this novel, I struggle to find the words to express my feelings. For me, The Shadow of the Wind is a novel that has a mind, emotions and a soul. It was a story within a story in which the reader becomes a participant. Through the eyes of Julian we see death and resurrection. Through Daniel we see a parallel with the benefit of foresight. Through the eyes of each reader, we connect the enduring themes to the parallels in our own lives. A truly remarkable experience.
Plot
The story unfolds in several layers. At its base, it is a coming of age story of young Daniel Sempere. The son of a single father and bookstore owner, Daniel is taught early a love for the written word. Daniel's world is changed on the day his father brings him the Cemetery of Forgotten Books. As a repository of rare books and books in danger of disappearing forever, Daniel is told to choose a book for which he is to become guardian. Daniel chooses a sparsely published book by the obscure author, Julian Carax. Daniel begins a journey to learn of the book's origins, the reasons for its rarity and the story behind the enigma that is Julian Carax. Daniel soon finds himself tangled in a web of shared history, revenge, lost love and the pursuit of purpose through art.
My Take
This novel was engaging in most every aspect. The plot was gracefully constructed. The reader was taken on a personal journey in which the protagonist learned about himself through the history of an underappreciated, little know author. The plot was deeply layered and expertly drew parallels in the life of protagonist and life and trials of the mysterious author. On its surface, the mission undertaken by Daniel appears unimportant and unduly dangerous, yet both Daniel and the reader become desperate to understand the mystery and the humanity of Julian.
Despite the attention to plot, the characters do not suffer neglect. Daniel is young, innocent and naïve but he is able to understand the complexities he discovers though the mentorship of his older, streetwise friend, Fermin. Although Fermin occasionally teeters on the edge of stereotype, his carefree and careless shamelessness is a striking contrast to the brooding intensity and youth of Daniel. Daniel and Julian are crafted with such care that a fan of the character novel, will find much to appreciate.
Much of what I enjoyed in this novel is intangible and distinctly emotional. The story was able to elicit the feelings of the awe of youth, the kinetic excitement of young love and the blind intensity of youth. The reader experiences this, not through the manipulation of the their emotions but with an empathy of shared experience.
Final Thoughts
At some time in the future, I will come back to this story and reflect on the novel's allure. Maybe at that time, I will better be able to explain my thoughts and reactions. Until that time, contemplate the emotions emanating from your own experience and imagine a story that shares those dreams, fear and desires. An amazing novel and the newest addition to my all time Top 10 list.
It is difficult to find commentary on the sex/violence/language content of book if you are interested. I make an effort to give you the information so you can make an informed decision before reading.
Scale 1 - Lowest 5 - Highest
Sex - 2.5
There are several instance of sexual encounters. The instances are mild and are not descriptive. The content is not graphic.
One of the characters has suffered a lifetime of violence. While the descriptions are not graphic, he suffered abuse and other violence through his life. A character is found badly beaten as a result of his sexual orientation. There are several murders discussed in the book as well as knife/gun fight. Violence plays a role in the background but is rarely graphic in nature....more
This really was a very engaging story. I would compare it to the movie, Life is Beautiful. Similar to the film, City of Thieves takes a daunting, depressing and horrid setting and manages to be poignant through humour. Unfortunately, there was content that felt so unnecessary and over the top, that it hurt my rating.
Plot Summary
The story follows Lev, a young, serious Russian Jew and Nikolai the outgoing, brash and womanizing soldier. After events that see both characters arrested and thrown in a Russian jail, they are given a chance to redeem their freedom by undertaking an unlikely mission. A colonel of the Russian Army is preparing for the wedding of his daughter. Supplies are in short supply as the country is under ration provisions and Hitler and his army is knocking on the door of Leningrad. The colonel takes away their ration card and tells them to return within the week with a dozen eggs. What follows is a journey of self discovery and a poignant coming of age story.
My Take
I really did like the story. If I were to take the plot and the atmospheric setting alone, I would likely have given this 5 stars. I think many people who read this would probably give this more. Unfortunately, I had a hard time with what felt like unnecessary adult content. The character of Lev and Nikolai were young and apparently, young men always think about sex. Apparently, that is what these characters believe and it was the main topic of conversation. In addition, these young men felt the need to use scatological terms ABUNDANTLY and fill the rest of their sentences with adult language. Hey, I have abandoned Stephen King books because I simply got tired of the excessive usage of swearing. If swearing and sexual content (that is really only the discussion of the topic) does not bother you, add another star or two to my review. Ultimately, my desire to see what happens to the characters and the strength of the story made me push through the content. When I have the time, I will put some content reviews at the end.
Putting aside the content I did not like, I was left with a compelling tale of survival in WWII Russia. Having grown up in Canada, my education and knowledge of the WWII focused mainly on the Holocaust and the roles of Canada, the US and England. My mind was rarely turned to the plight of the countries that were subject to invasion by Germany. The book paints a bleak and disturbing picture of the life to the Russian people. While at times, there were bright spots that arose due to the communal nature of the people, the majority of the background was stark and violent. The content was eye opening and has left me interested in reading about the war from other perspectives.
Final Thought
In the end, my rating suffered because of the excessive swearing and ongoing and often childish sexual talk. This is personal reaction to the content. Don't let my rating alone cause you to rethink reading this one. If you don't think the content will be an issue for you, I highly recommend you give this one a go. ...more
another good installment. occasional hard to follow and filled with the minutia of sailing life. much better than the ones written in the 2000'sanother good installment. occasional hard to follow and filled with the minutia of sailing life. much better than the ones written in the 2000's...more
Given the 1.25 million ratings this book has on Goodreads, there is a good chance that my review will not sway your opinion. Unfortunately for you, I am just conceited enough to believe that you should read my review and believe that my 2.5 rating better reflects the book than the average 4.21 rating! Of course I am joking around. This is a case where I have a hard time seeing the draw of the story when it has clearly appealed to many people.
Plot summary
This is essentially the life story of Amir, an upper class Afghan and the life long effect of his friendship with Hassan, his friend from a low and despised caste and his own father. As a young child, Amir lived a charmed life. He had everything he wanted except the unconditional love of his father. He had a best friend but the relationship was somewhat strained due to cultural prejudices. Amir is set to experience the greatest time of his life when he enters an annual kite flying contest. His dreams of a triumphant return to his father are dashed after he witnesses the rape of his friend Hassan. Struggling with his guilt, Amir begin a downward spiral of destructive behaviour. Soon after his behaviour changes, he is forced from his home as Russia invades and he begins a journey to a new life. The past haunts him and he is given a chance to atone for old wrongs.
The Good
The backdrop of Afghanistan was wonderfully drawn. It was the major reason that I did not rate this lower. After hearing of damage and destruction brought on by years of conflict, it was interesting to see a picture of the country before it was ravaged. Their food, their religion, their customs and their prejudices were on full display. The Afghan people are painted in a positive light. As a side note, all of the talk of naan made me go out and buy some. The author certainly made the local food sound delicious!
The Bad
Outside of the intial setting, there was little that I enjoyed.
The novel was essentially one long flashback with flashbacks within the main flashback. I did not enjoy the method of storytelling as at times it felt like I was reading a 300+ page run on sentence.
The story is not the least bit uplifting. It is a series of painful, life altering, distressing and depressing events. I appreciate that real life is not always happy and charming. These events are meant to create an emotional story. I am not opposed to emotional stories. Just read my reviews of The Starboard Sea or The Light Between Oceans. Both of those stories packed an emotional wallop. It was the manner in which The Kite Runner elicited emotion that left me cold. This book used good old emotional manipulation to drive this story. Just when you think there will be a ray of sunshine, another disaster occurs. In fact, feels as the main character Amir wants you to root against him. He is so unhappy with himself and caries such a sense or worthlessness that you can hardly believe that something good could happen to him. In this is one of my BIGGEST pet peeves. It is the character that continually laments and (figuratively) flagellates himself because of events that are either out of their control or not their fault. Much of Amir issues stem from an event that occurred in his childhood. He could never say to himself "Hey. I was young and scared. There was nothing I could have done". Characters like Amir lack basic insight into themselves and make reading about them frustrating and not the least bit compelling.
Final Thoughts
I did not enjoy this one and would not recommend it. While I enjoyed the background, the action up front left me dissatisfied and occasionally frustrated. It is this one man's opinion that this book is seriously overrated.
Content Advisories
It is difficult to find commentary on the sex/violence/language content of book if you are interested. I make an effort to give you the information so you can make an informed decision before reading. *Disclaimer* I do not take note or count the occurrences of adult language as I read. I am simply giving approximations.
Scale 1 - Lowest 5 - Highest
Sex - 2.5
There is a moderately graphic scene of a young boy being raped. Some version of the event is relived within the mind of Amir throughout the book. Late in the book there is allusion to another young boy being subjected to sexual abuse.
Language - 2
There is some name calling of a cultural/racist nature. Some the terms were not familiar to me and may be lost on you as well.
Violence - 3.5
As stated above, there was a moderately graphic rape scene. It was proceeded by violence. There was fight between two people that resulted in one person in the hospital and another suffering a gruesome injury. There is description of people being shot in the street and stoned in front of a crowd. When modern Afghanistan was discussed, violence followed...more
I cannot recall the last time I was so happy to finish a book. I felt as if I had gone up against a ferocious beast and emerged as the winner. Having recently read, REVIEWED and loved The Clan of the Cave Bear, I fully expected another magical story set it the distant past, long before recorded history. I liked The Clan of the Cave Bear so much, it was my 7th favorite read of 2013. Unfortunately, the Valley of Horses turned into a prehistoric romance novel. I felt duped and angry with how the series had progressed. What looked to be shaping into an exciting and memorable series has turned into a series that I will not finish.
Plot summary
Our intrepid female hero from the first book, has struck out on her own after the events at the end of Clan of the Cave Bear. Ayla is forced to use all of the knowledge she has gained over the course of her short life to eek out an existence on her own. In a parallel story, we are introduced to Jondular, a male from the "others", as he and his younger brother set out on a journey of self discovery.
The Good
Despite this book, Ayla is one of most memorable characters from any book I have read. She is plucky, smart and resourceful in an environment that does not understand these traits. Up until the storylines converge, Ayla's story was interesting. I enjoyed reading about her and I felt invested in her wellbeing after the first novel. This is the only reason the book avoided a one star rating and the only reason that I read the book until the end. Had the story simply focused on her and her fight for survival, the book may have been a 4 star read.
The Bad
Jondular.
Seriously, I could not stand the character. In Jondular, we have a 21 year old man without a mate and without a purpose in life. He cannot commit to a woman, loves to make tools but his true calling in life is giving women their "Pleasure" (yes, it is supposed to be capitalized) with his organ/manhood/woman-maker. Seriously, at one point a wise Shaman type woman tells him that some people have the gift of making boats, or hunting or carving but he has the gift of pleasuring woman and he should not despise this. I was ready to stab myself in the eyes at this point. This guy was so torn up by the fact that he could make a woman happy in bed but no woman could make him happy in his heart..............I didn't care.
The tone of the story was far more modern. The speech, attidudes and actions of the characters would not have been out of place had the story been of a few people trying to win the game of Survivor. While the first book did a masterful job of making the reader feel as if they were in an ancient and unknown time, this book lost the mystical quality.
While Ayla's inventiveness was endearing in the first book, it seemed in the second book as if Ayla wsa to be the inventor of every great discovery of prehistoric man. In chapter after chapter she was disovering or improving on the tools and materials of the her world. As far as I could tell, the wheel had not yet been invented but I assume that Ayla will invent it in a later book.
Romance, Romance, Romance. It is simply not my cup of tea. Books focusing on the love and relationship between two characters does not interest me. Like many historical fiction novels, this falls into the trap of simply trying to convince us that love is the tie that binds the eras together. As the first book was not written with romance and relationship as a major plotline, it was disappointing that this book changed direction.
Finally, the storytelling was lazy. In the first book, we were able to watch Ayla learn and grow. When she was adopted by the Neanderthals, she had to learn their way of life, their custom and their unique language. In this book, Ayla is faced with similar circumstance but the author cheats us by cutting corners. For example, (view spoiler)[ Ayla was learning spoken language from Jondular. Her speech was rough and her understanding was incomplete but she was trying and learning quickly. She could vaguely recall speaking as a 5 year old but it was not more than a fleeting memory. After having a dream about her initial cave lion attack and a dream about her parents, she suddenly recalls how to speak and she has not issues with language and understating language. (hide spoiler)]
It was dizzying how quickly this series became unpalpable. It was a huge disappointment after the first book. That said, if you like the Outlander series and you enjoyed the romance and sexual content of the first in the series, you may in fact like this series. Unfortunately, two is enough for me.
Content Advisories
It is difficult to find commentary on the sex/violence/language content of book if you are interested. I make an effort to give you the information so you can make an informed decision before reading. *Disclaimer* I do not take note or count the occurrences of adult language as I read. I am simply giving approximations.
Scale 1 - Lowest 5 - Highest
Sex - 5
I have to apologize but I lost count of the sex scenes. There were 5-7 scene that were graphic in nature. Mr. `Don Juan` Jondular was also Mr. Pleasure so he certainly took his time. The scene were far more graphic than I appreciate and they were were plentiful. Hence the 5 rating. Outside of these scenes, there was significant discussion of sex. Avoid if you are not comfortable with this type of material.
Language - 1
While some may consider sexual terms as adult language, I have included that in the rating above. As for swearing and other adult language, it was non-existed although Ayla may discover and invent the f-word in a later book
Violence - 2.5
There were several graphic scene of animal deaths that occurred as part of hunting excursions. Animals were constantly being killed for food and material. The book may not be PETA friendly. On top of this there were a couple of scene of animal attacks but none were especially graphic. There is also some non graphic discussion of rape. One such discussions was not considered rape by the character but in a modern setting, the perpetrator would most certainly be behind bars. ...more
When I am rating a book, I am internally comparing that book to other similar books in My #7 Favorite read of 2013
A Unique and Entrancing 5 Stars
When I am rating a book, I am internally comparing that book to other similar books in the genre and asking myself if it is on par with the best I have read. For me, when it comes to rating what I deem to be Historical Fiction, 5 stars are a rarity. It is my favorite genre and there is always a masterpiece to which it can be compared. That said, The Clan of the Cave Bear has no peers. For me, this story explores a time that I have never explored or read and I have basis for comparison. In general, as historical fiction, it meets all my requirements. There is a sense of realism, the sense the author has researched the time period, a sense that the characters belong in the time period and ability of the author to help of live history instead of reciting it.
As far as historical fiction in concerned, The Clan of the Cave Bear is likely far more Fiction than historical. The setting is prehistoric times and what we know or claim to know of these early days is no more than our best guesses. Regardless, Jean Auel clearly researched the available material and provide and interesting look into prehistoric life.
Plot summary
After an earthquake kills the family of Ayla, a "Cro-Magnon" girl, she is adopted into the clan of Neanderthals. The child is different from her adoptive clan. She does not have the shared memories and the instinctual ways of the life as the Neanderthals. She is an inquisitive, logical tall and blond while her new family is survival oriented, ingrained, short and squat. She struggles to be considered part of a clan in which she should not be accepted. The story watches this outsider come of age and explores how her logical and creative mind allows her to integrate herself with a different people
The Good
The book contains a minimal amount of dialogue. The Clan vocalized little more than names and communication is a series of the complicated hand signals. While this may seems like a recipe for disaster, the author integrates it seamlessly. The minimal dialogue feels natural and comfortable. The story does an amazing job of integrating theories of early man. The ideas of the shared and instinctual memory was fascinating as it gave the Neanderthals both a human and animalistic feel. While both race of people considered themselves human it was interesting to see people separated by something other than race, color or language but separated by fundamental difference in biological construction.
The Bad
I have very little to say that is negative. From time to time the conversation felt too modern. Given that the author was using words to express non verbal communication, I can't hold it against her. Generally, I am not at a loss when it comes to finding fault. The majority of the issues that I may have had with the book were petty and not worth mentioning.
Content Advisories
It is difficult to find commentary on the sex/violence/language content of book if you are interested. I make an effort to give you the information so you can make an informed decision before reading. *Disclaimer* I do not take note or count the occurrences of adult language as I read. I am simply giving approximations.
Scale 1 - Lowest 5 - Highest
Sex - 2.5
There is discussion of the sexual intercourse. Family lived in caves without wall or rooms and sex was not hidden and was a daily and open reality. This is discussed on several occasions. Over the course of one chapter there is discussion of a series of rapes. The descriptions are not graphic but some readers will be disturbed by the portrayal.
Language - 1
There was not use of adult language.
Violence - 3
There is violence as noted under "sex". Some readers may find the depictions of woman to be disturbing and several character engaging in physical assaults on women. There is one serious assault and several instance of single punches or hits. Again, the depictions are not graphic. There is some minor gore in hunting scene and one results in the death or a clan member. There is an instance of cannibalism that some readers will find disturbing.
"If chained is where you have been, your arms will always bear marks of the shackles. What you have to lose is your story, your own slant. You’ll look"If chained is where you have been, your arms will always bear marks of the shackles. What you have to lose is your story, your own slant. You’ll look at the scars on your arms and see mere ugliness, or you’ll take great care to look away from them and see nothing. Either way, you have no words for the story of where you came from"
It is no accident that some of the most powerful words in the novel come from the character that speaks the fewest. There character that sees the larger narrative of her and her families story, cannot herself truly escape the trauma of her youth.
It is hard to overstate the powerful story presented in the Poisonwood Bible. There are so many threads and so many themes in this novel that this review could be many pages long. I will only address the elements that struck the hardest blows.
The Poisonwood Bible is neither a simple nor easy read. The bulk of the story is told from the viewpoint of the price sisters, with each chapter being narrated by one of the sisters and with several chapters being narrated by the matriarch of the family. This story telling device, took me nearly 200 pages to become accustomed to the ever-changing narrator. When I did become comfortable with constant change is narration and tone, I felt that began to understand each of the characters to the extent they were able to express their experience.
The novel tells the story of the Price family and the experience of the wife and children of a missionary to the Congo. The novel turns a disapproving eye to America and their desire to "fix" anything that doesn't conform to their own ideal. While the nations penchant to act a destructive saviour forms part of the background of this story, the effects of this worldview is explored through its impact on the family of a single missionary. Through zeal, abuse and cowardice, the patriarch of the Price family (stemming in part from his own trauma) inflicts trauma and pain on his family in ways that would shape each of their futures. Watching the trauma as it unfolded was difficult but watching the future of the sisters and their mother unfold was the most powerful part of story. There is more than one way to respond to trauma and relate to an abuser. The novel provide and intimate and complex portrayal of the ways in which people navigate their trauma and the often discordant emotions they face.
This is not a light read. It will take your focus and little bit of determination but the end result is a rewarding, if not sobering experience....more
After being disappointed by the previous book in the series, Sharpe's Fortress does not leave yo A Masterfully Executed 5 Stars
Random Ramblings
After being disappointed by the previous book in the series, Sharpe's Fortress does not leave you wanting. While it's predecessor fails to provide sufficient detail of a famous battle, this novels lets you live the pain, drama and excitement of what has been called by some as a mere footnote to history. If you read Sharpe's Triumph and considered putting the series aside, please read this one before making your final decision.
This book receives a high recommendation from me. While it is part of a series, I believe it could be read on its own. While some of the characters reoccur, there is some background information given on previous dealings with those characters which help to reorient the readers of the series or inform the first time reader.
Plot summary
The majority of the book deals with the British assault on the fortress of Gawilghur in India. This fortress was considered to be impregnable and the assault on it was considered a fools errand. Having been given an officer commission by Arthur Wellesley, Ensign Richard Sharpe learns how difficult the transition from uncommissioned field soldier to commissioned officer can be. As in the previous novels, Sharpe is forced to deal with his rivals, Obadiah Hawkeswill, Major Dodd and an old foe in the shape of Major Morris reappears. The battles of the fortress and old rival commands the majority of the book.
The Good
The read lives the battle at Gawilghur. You are made to feel the hopelessness of the task at hand and are treated to masterfully crafted detail of the planning of the assault all the way to the thrilling conclusion. From reading the afterwards, Cornwell gives the impression that the battle of Gawilghur was treated as a minor and insignificant event. This may simply have been a result of the manner in which the battle concluded.
Cornwell is again masterful in his description of the action. The pace is brisk and siege is fully explored. I walked away from the book feeling as if I had a sense of what could have take place during the siege. The story unfold masterfully. This is HF action written at its best.
In this installment, the character of Richard Sharpe is more fully developed. The character is forced to deal with emotions and the anger and disappointment that when your dreams do not unravel as planned.
The Bad
As this is one of my few 5 Stars, I do not have much bad to say. My only real criticism is that some elements of the book have become formulaic after 3 books, fight Hawkswill, find a woman, make unlikely friends with some kid. That said, these elements do not form a major portion of the story and do not detract from the novel as a whole.
Content Advisories
It is difficult to find commentary on the sex/violence/language content of book if you are interested. I make an effort to give you the information so you can make an informed decision before reading. *Disclaimer* I do not take note or count the occurrences of adult language as I read. I am simply giving approximations.
Scale 1 - Lowest 5 - Highest
Sex - 2.5
The majority of the story takes place on an active battlefield and sex does not play a significant role. There are several references to prostitutes in the story but no graphic discussions or descriptions. One character has a penchant for lounging completely naked but again, there is nothing graphic. A sexual encounter is implied on one occasion without any detail save that the parties were unclothed.
Language - 2
There is some minor use of adult language. The main character will swear from time to time but as a rule he tends to avoid it.
Violence - 4
Again, violence plays a key role in the book. There are hundreds of deaths in the story and many are moderately graphic and several more so. There are several instances where persons are murdered outside of the course of the battle and at least one is quite graphic as it involves a staged fight to the death. If you seek to avoid violence in your reading, this book will not be for you. ...more
In chronological order, Sharpe's Triumph, is the second book of the Bernard Cornwell's "Sharpe" series. This volume was 3.5 Stars
Random Ramblings
In chronological order, Sharpe's Triumph, is the second book of the Bernard Cornwell's "Sharpe" series. This volume was written as part of prequels written about the Main Character, Richard Sharpe.
Plot summary
Sharpe has now been promoted to sergeant and been reassigned to a battalion of the East India Company. While on a mission to buy stolen ammunition, he witnesses the mass murder of soldiers and civilians alike. He is tasked by Colonel McCandless, his prison mate from the previous book, to track down the leader of the mercenary group that killed the innocent English subjects. Along the way, Sharpe is involved in several battles, including the famous battle of Assaye in which a force of 15,000+ British soldiers face 100,000 mercenary fighters.
The Good
Cornwell writes excellent battle scenes. The action occurs quickly and you can almost taste the tang of gun powder in the air. The battle of Assaye as well as several other skirmishes are well described.
Richard Sharpe continues to be a well developed character. He is an enjoyable anti-hero type character. While he fights for the British with some conviction, he is not afraid to fight, kill or steal from those he considers to be evil or unscrupulous. Again, this leads to more interesting plot developments as he is not bound by a strict moral code.
The writing is superb and Cornwell's use of historical is superb. We meet many historical figure including the great Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington.
The Bad
The Battle of Assyne was considered by Arthur Wellesley to be the greatest battle he ever fought. Coming from the man who had defeating Napoleon at Waterloo on his resume. While the battle scenes were excellent, the superb battle should have taken an entire book. Given the enormous odds of defeat and the David vs. Goliath numbers, the battle should have been epic. Unfortunately, it received short shrift.
Compared to the previous novels, the support cast was less developed are more two dimensional. It simply did not carry the impact of the first book.
While it was still an entertaining and exciting read, it did not compare the first book in the series.
Content Advisories
It is difficult to find commentary on the sex/violence/language content of book if you are interested. I make an effort to give you the information so you can make an informed decision before reading. *Disclaimer* I do not take note or count the occurrences of adult language as I read. I am simply giving approximations.
Scale 1 - Lowest 5 - Highest
Sex - 2
There were a few sexual reference and one insinuation that sex may have occurred between two characters. Regardless, the sexual content was low and suitable for younger readers.
Language - 2
The adult language used was minor and used rarely. The main character spent much time with Colonel McCandless was a religious man who frowned on swearing, most occurrence of adult language were followed by a stern rebuke.
Violence - 4
Given that this is a book about war, violence is a main theme. There are multiple battles in which hundreds to thousands of people are killed. Despite this, the descriptions tend to be less graphic than the first book. There several instances where a death is especially grisly and explained in detail. If you wish to avoid violence in your reading, you will want to avoid this novel. ...more
I am generally quite confident in my rating of book. I start formulating a rating halfway through. Matthew Reilly Steps out of the Box - 3.5 Stars
I am generally quite confident in my rating of book. I start formulating a rating halfway through. In this case, I vacillated greatly as I was reading this book and, ultimately, gave it a rating on the high end. In my rating system, three stars are average books that I neither hate nor love and usually feel indifference. If anything, The Tournament does not leave you feeling indifferent.
If, like me, you are a fan of Reilly's non stop action thrillers and his bigger than life heroes Shane "Scarecrow" Schofield and Jack West Jr., you are in for a big surprise with his latest work. Reilly is apparently channeling is inner Bernard Cornwell and delves into the historical Fiction genre. The result is a hybrid historical action adventure mystery focused around a chess tournament. Admittedly, this sounds a bit absurd but Reilly manages to pull it together.
Plot summary
The story is a flashback told from the perspective of Queen Elizabeth I. On her deathbed, she relates a story to a dear friend. A story that informed her adult life and helped shape her in the monarch she would become. The story tells of a Chess Tournament in Constantinople at the height of the Ottoman Empire. The Sultan has invited major kingdoms from around the world to send their best player to compete in this first ever chess tournament. The English champion in chosen and the Teacher of Elizabeth I convinces the King to allow him to bring her to the tournament. It would be dangerous, but she was third in line for the throne. She was in danger within the confines of her own city. Upon arrival to tournament, a murders begin to occur and the Sultan engages Elizabeth's teacher to use his deductive reasoning to find the killer. The reader follows the tournament while at the same time follow the investigation. We are introduced to many historical characters including Michelangelo and a young Ivan the Terrible to name a couple.
My Thoughts
I have decided to forgo my customary Good/Bad analysis to give my overall thoughts. In the end, I gave this 3.5 stars because I enjoyed the story. The mystery was interesting and was similar to the wonderful (and superior) The Hangman's Daughter. Criminal investigations set in the distant past are interesting as the story often relies of the characters cunning and deductive ability to solve cases. It is interesting to see a crime solved without modern instruments, databases and other modern conveniences.
While this story is considered Historical Fiction, diehard fans of the genre may not novel. It doesn't have the hallmarks of great HF. While some elements are clearly researched, it doesn't immerse the reader into a time and place. Fortunately, I am a fan of Matthew Reilly. Having read most of the authors work, it bears the hallmarks of Reilly novel. The pace is brisk, people are dying horrible deaths, there is some political intrigue and there are some larger than life characters. Similarly, the book also lacks what the other Reilly novels lack, i.e. character development and location development. Readers familiar with Reilly will probably like this genre diversion while HF fans may find the below standard fare. Reilly creates events and places real persons within them. There is far more fiction than History.
While reading the novel, my biggest issue was with some of the content included. At the end of the novel, as is all of his novels, there is an interview with the author. Reilly clearly states that this novel is not for young people. With this, I wholeheartedly agree. Fans will be surprised with the amount of sexual content in the story. The content ranges from second-hand descriptions of erotic rendezvous to disturbing content of abuse of children. Reilly states he included this content to provide a possible reason as to why Elizabeth I did not marry. While the reasoning is interesting, the content was excessive. It is expected that HF novels included customs and practices of the time and the story certainly explores the sexual freedoms of the people of the Ottoman empire, inducing the sale and exploitation of children. The author also take the opportunity to use the historical abuse of children in Catholic Church. Unfortunately, the author strays far from the historical record and seemingly paints the entire Catholic Priesthood as homosexual pedophiles. A fan of the genre, it is important to me that the author clearly differentiate fact from fiction. These contrived elements detract from the story.
The Matthew Reilly fan in me enjoyed the story. The pacing was brisk and the mystery did not slow or stall. The HF fan found this to be contrived and below the expected standard. Had the story been written by a new author, I may have given it less than 3 stars. Being a Reilly fan, I was able to appreciate his form of story telling because for all we know, the next Jack West Jr. story may reveal that Jack is the great, great, great, great grandson of Queen Elizabeth's teacher and we will think that he is one bad dude.
Content Advisories
It is difficult to find commentary on the sex/violence/language content of book if you are interested. I make an effort to give you the information so you can make an informed decision before reading. *Disclaimer* I do not take note or count the occurrences of adult language as I read. I am simply giving approximations.
Scale 1 - Lowest 5 - Highest
Sex - 4.5
The sexual content is high and may shock those who have read other Matthew Reilly work. Sex is prevalent in the book as there some exploration of the culture of sexual freedom in Constantinople and how this contested with the religious underpinnings of the city. In a seeming attempt to ensure that religions are treated equally, the same exploration of the Catholic religion is undertaken. Very early, we learn that Elizabeth's young friend and travel partner has "loose morals". A character oversees a sexual encounter that is moderately graphic. On at least three occasions, there is a second hand recounting of parties that involved drug uses and public sexual activity. There is less graphic descriptions of sexual abuse of children. The characters attend (for investigative purposes) on several occasions a the local whorehouse. There is some low graphic descriptions of the sights and sounds. While the content and descriptions are not highly graphic, the content is pervasive.
Language - 2.5
There is moderate to low use of mild obscenities and religious exclamations. There are multiple scatological terms and phrases used.
Violence - 3.5
There is considerably less violence than the average Reilly novel. While some of the murders involved mutilation, the descriptions were not graphic. By Reilly standards, the violence was very tame. The rating is increased because of the inclusion of sexual violence. Some readers will find the discussion of the abuse of children to be disturbing....more
Stand into Danger is the fourth book is the series about Richard Bolitho, a young officer in the Treasure, Treachery and Forbidden Love - 3 Stars
Stand into Danger is the fourth book is the series about Richard Bolitho, a young officer in the Royal Navy. Although it was not the fourth written by Alexander Kent, it is fourth based on the internal chronology.
Plot summary
Richard once again finds himself aboard a new and much larger ship, Destiny. Having recently completed his officer's exam, he finds himself in the unfamiliar position as third Third Lieutenant aboard the ship. He is quite young for the position and looking to build credibility. As soon as full crew is obtained, the ship sets said for South America for a purpose that is unknown to the crew. It is quickly revealed that the trip is searching for a treasure lost and to settle old scores. There are some battles at sea, some battles on land, some politics and some subterfuge. In the midst of this there is some serious injuries and forbidden love.
The Good
An Oldie but a Goodie
This Classic series by Alexander Kent is considered by to be some of the best Historical Naval Fiction written and for good reason. The setting is well crafted and very detailed. While I couldn't point aft, find the poop deck or explain a jib boom, the nautical detail is both extensive and intriguing. It serves to provide a feeling of authenticity.
The Character of Richard Bolitho is likeable and well developed. The reader is following along with his career and we are learning of his failings, success, pain and achievements. Many of these historical military novels use well tread plot points. A fleeting love interest, a unduly cruel and/or incompetent leader, a poorly treated and/or misunderstood protagonist who is put in an unfortunate position. While some of these appear in this volume (fleeting love interest) much of the standard fare is not present.
The Bad
While the detail and characters are well drawn, the story progression drags the book down. It is as if the story is told in snapshots. We follow the story arc by viewing distinct moments in time without seeing what came between the pictures. I found the story to be rather chaotic in its presentation. As a result, the relatively slim volume took me much longer to complete than in should have. Many times throughout the story I had to stop and ask myself what exactly it was that was happening. In fact, by the end of the book, I wasn't sure if they had accomplished what they had set out to do. This is a major failing for any book and dragged the rating down significantly.
Final Thoughts
While I was on the fence about this volume, I will certainly read on at some point. Unlike more recent novels, this story has a sense of innocence and is suitable for many ages. Had I been aware of this series in my early teens, I imagine I would have quickly devoured each and every book in the series. Despite it's shortcoming, the series is entertaining and exciting and certainly worth a look.
Content Advisories
It is difficult to find commentary on the sex/violence/language content of book if you are interested. I make an effort to give you the information so you can make an informed decision before reading. *Disclaimer* I do not take note or count the occurrences of adult language as I read. I am simply giving approximations.
Scale 1 - Lowest 5 - Highest
Sex - 2.5
There is some kissing and mildly lustful thoughts. Once character has feeling for a married woman and the feelings are returned. There is a singular episode where sex is implied.
Language - 2
There are a few minor obscenities. I believe it would be acceptable for early teens and up.
Violence - 3
There are multiple battles and a significant number of people are killed. The scenes are mildly graphic. There is a threatened hanging and some fist fights. While violence is one of the themes, the violence is mild by more modern standards. I believe it appropriate for a Young Adult reader.
Band of Brothers is the final book in early Trilogy of the Richard Bolitho series. The trilogy deals with Richards early da A disappointing 2 Stars
Band of Brothers is the final book in early Trilogy of the Richard Bolitho series. The trilogy deals with Richards early days as a midshipman. It appears this final book of the trilogy was written well after the first two books and after the majority of the whole series.
I have little positive to say about this volume. It was as if the author felt that he needed a final book of the midshipman series and then threw together some random thoughts. The result was a disjointed and confusing story about.... Well, I'm not sure what it was really about. Had I read the books as they were published, it might make more sense. It does deal with characters that I get the sense will appear in future books. This likely served as a prequel to show how Richard met these persons. Overall, it was of a much lower quality than the first two which were short, entertaining reads....more
In the past couple of years I have firmly decided that I love a great Posted at The Literary Lawyer.ca
A Sweeping and Enchanting Tale - 4.5 Stars
In the past couple of years I have firmly decided that I love a great character driven novel. The Beekeeper's Apprentice fits that bill. It takes a tried and true character in Sherlock Holmes and adds a spunky young feminist into the mix. The result is an excellent novel with nuanced and complex characters. If you like your mysteries to be character driven, this one may be right up your alley.
Plot summary
The story is told from the perspective of one Mary Russell. It chronicles her meeting with and formation of her partnership with a 54 year old Sherlock Holmes. Holmes has been retired for many years now and spends his days tending his beehives, running his experiments and writing his magnum opus on forensic science. Mary meets Holmes as a teenaged girl. She has a quick wit and is intellectually gifted. Her and Holmes come to develop a lasting relationship. The stories covers Mary's "apprentice years" while she learns from Holmes and attends Oxford to study Chemistry and Religion. Along the way, the pair deals with some minor crimes and small cases until a bomber forces Mary's training to come to a head and requires that Holmes rely on the skills he has taught Mary.
The Good
The characters are superb. I am not a Sherlock Holmes fan. In fact, this is the first book I have ever read that had Holmes as a character. I cannot say that if fan of Sherlock Holmes will find the portrayal entertaining or sacrilegious. The author makes it clear that not everything you have read about Sherlock is true. While Holmes is an interesting character, the real focus is Mary Russell. She is a complex character with a painful past. This first book in this series is really a coming of age story for Mary Russell. A young strong headed feminist teenage meets the famous and talented Mr. Holmes. There is some shared experiences and a wonderful father/daughter relationship that forms between these unlikely friends and partners.
The novel was beautifully situation in its historical setting. Much of the story was set against the backdrop of World War I and the novel dealt in part with the realities in Britain during that period of time . The story's historical resonance added another layer to this complex novel.
The Bad
From time to time, the internal logic of the story did not make sense and the characters would occasionally give mixed messages. For example, Mary Russell begins the story with a narrative of Holmes and Watson and is rather disparaging of the later and his mental acuity. Later on in the story, she indicates how incredibly fond she is of Watson and refers to him as Uncle John. There were several such incidents which took away from the overall story.
The biggest fault, in my opinion, was the final confrontation with the ultimate villain. It came off as rather stereotypical and was somewhat anticlimactic after the long cat and mouse game. I was disappointed that the pair did not discover the motivation of the villain and pass it along to the reader. The author instead chose to use the gloating villain who info dumps the entire plan and motivation. The final confrontation did not live up to what I would expect from Holmes and Russell.
Can this Book Stand Alone
Definitely. This is the first in the series and is self contained.
Final Thoughts
Overall, this was an excellent and thoroughly enjoyable historical mystery. The characters made the novel and I look forward to continuing the series. If you are looking for a story that deals with the later years of Sherlock Holmes or paints him is a bit of a different light, you will enjoy this story.
Audiobook Notes
Jenny Sterlin gives a five star performance. She is one of the best female narrators I have heard. She does an excellent job with the male voices and especially that of Sherlock Holmes. The writing and language in the novel is quite proper and period specific English. She handled it deftly and it was a pleasant listening experience.
Content Advisories
It is difficult to find commentary on the sex/violence/language content of book if you are interested. I make an effort to give you the information so you can make an informed decision before reading. *Disclaimer* I do not take note or count the occurrences of adult language as I read. I am simply giving approximations.
Scale 1 - Lowest 5 - Highest
Sex - 1.5
There is very little sexual content. There are rumours that insinuate Holmes and Russell are in an inappropriate relationship and a couple of scenes of awkward tension where one party needs to change or clean in front of someone of the opposite sex. Overall, it is appropriate for all ages.
Language - 2
Minor obscenities and language specific to the date and time. Appropriate for all ages.
Violence - 2.5
There are various scenes of violence but no one scene is graphic. There are physical injuries from bombings and injuries from beatings. There are several deaths after struggles and there is some psychological violence from kidnappings and hostage situations....more
Midshipman Bolitho and the Avenger is the second book covering the exploits of the young officer, Richard Bolitho. This is again An Improved 4 Stars
Midshipman Bolitho and the Avenger is the second book covering the exploits of the young officer, Richard Bolitho. This is again a slim volume and written is a simple and clear style that could be enjoyed by readers of many ages.
Unlike the first book, this story covered a smaller range of topics. Richard, as the frigate Gorgon is docked, is tasked to a small man of war with orders to investigate some smuggling along the coast. The story become more interesting when he is surprised to learn the identity of his new captain. There are some good action sequences that occur on the sea and some equal well written sequence on land. While the action scenes are short, due to the length of the book, the story flows well is exciting to boot. An excellent second effort....more
The name of the book is a description of the main character. We follow 16 year old Richard Bolitho, a midshipman, aboard A good but not great 3 Stars
The name of the book is a description of the main character. We follow 16 year old Richard Bolitho, a midshipman, aboard the vessel Gorgon as they are tasked to look into and report on the slave trade activity on the African coast.
At times, the book was exciting as there were several good battle scenes. Unfortunately, the fact this volume is so slim (160 pages to be exact) the battle scenes are over rather quickly. This is a problem with this book as a whole. The story is condensed and the scenes move so fast, you are hardly able to appreciate the story.
That said, the character of Richard Bolitho is well developed. While I won't rush to read the next book, it is certainly on my to read list....more
Tim The Enchanter
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