5 comments about The Gathering Storm (Wheel of Time, Book 12).

1. After a little over a month I just completed the Gathering Storm and overall I was personally disappointed. Of course I did not expect Sanderson to emulate Jordan's writing style and he acknowledges as much in the introduction, however I was hoping that the publishing team would have chosen someone closer to Jordan's ability with prose and character development. Sanderson's writing is much simpler than Jordan's and has more in common with Harry Potter or Twilight, which is fine if you are targeting very young readers, but the Wheel of Time was much deeper and complicated than teen angst ridden vampires and children growing up in a school for wizards. I've yet to read any of Sanderson's other works but maybe TOR wanted TGS to be more accessible to a wider audience, but in doing so, it lost much of the appeal I found in the series. It's similar to Brian Herbert taking over from his father with the Dune saga.
   
   While Sanderson does stay true to the original character's traits and motivations, they seem more like caricatures of themselves, closer to common stereotypes than the multi-faceted people Jordan created. For example, I remember the Aes Sedai behaving as strong, subtle and fascinating women but here they are portrayed as a bunch of whining teenagers vying with each other to be the most popular in class. Rand himself has turned into a petty warlord crying about how hard he must be. Particularly atrocious is the dialog which doesn't sound at all like characters previous voices (or their thoughts for that matter). And finally, while Jordan became very repetitive with his later books, Sanderson rehashes character thoughts in every chapter, sometimes in the following paragraph and stripping this redundancy could have shaved a third out of the book.
   
   That being said, Sanderson does do a great job at moving the story forward to a conclusion. There is finally resolution to the main Aes Sedai line and Rand does make a number of decisions to finally reach the Last Battle. Most of the plot lines are tracking along as we would expect and Sanderson remains true to the ways of the Aiel, tinkerers and general populations as a whole.
   
   I admire Sanderson's attempt at tackling such a massive, multithreaded story, but his writing is much too simplistic for my tastes and a lot of the subtlety and fascination is gone, replaced with straight-forward narrative and simple dialog. If you are the type who likes action and an easy read, then you'll enjoy this book. But if you are looking for the old Jordan depth you may be disappointed.



2. I usually don't write book reviews but I just finished The Gathering Storm a few seconds ago and felt compelled to write a review. The book was simply wonderful and I was amazed at how well Brandon writes. I am going to have to check out one of his original books next. It was hard for me to tell that it wasn't Robert Jordan himself writing this. Awesome book. If the next two are as good as this the Wheel of Time series is going to end better than it began.



3. I have been a fan of "The Wheel of Time" since the early 90's when a friend introduced me to the series. I will say that I felt that the late Robert Jordan stretched things out too far and I began to lose interest several books into it, but I made myself get through them anyway. (Winter's Heart numbed my brain!) I was worried that a new writer would mess things up but I actually found the transition pretty much seamless; Brandon Sanderson has done an excellent job in taking the story to the next level as the Last Battle looms.
   
   If you were a fan of the series, but "opted out" a few books ago, let me say that there is reason enough in "The Gathering Storm" to return to the fold; I found the story and characters exciting and right on the mark. I can't wait for the last two books to come out now!
   
   Thank you, Mr. Sanderson, for moving this forward. Your considerable talent is very much appreciated.



4. This book begins to tie so many loose ends. After listening to the knife of dreams, I decided to purchase this title in the same format. I was curious whether it would flow and read as the others did. I was able to pick out differences between the authors as far as pace, and writing style (B Sanderson himself explains that he would NOT attempt to copy Jordan's style) but was pleased to find that having the same narrators helped weld the transition. I highly recommend the series, and the new author that is going to take us into the Blight for the Final Battle.
   
   If I were Robert Jordan, I would RIP knowing his series ended in such capable hands.



5. This is certainly one of the best books in the long, ongoing series. As a fan of Egwene, I was able to see her grow and excel throughout the book. The biggest surprise, for me at least, comes at the end when Rand makes a choice and the light of heaven literally shines upon him. There is little regarding Perrin in this part of the storyline, and virtually nothing of Mat; consequently only a tiny portion assigned to the Daughter of the Nine Moons. So if those are plotlines that you most eagerly anticipate, you'll have to wait until the next book to really see how they progress.

5 comments about The Graveyard Book.

1. The Graveyard Book is apropos of nothing. The plot is like sand falling through your fingers and considering the basic idea, Gaiman reveals a shocking lack of creativity. Neil Gaiman is a vain writer who relies on little tricks of speech and labored "wit" rather than building memorable characters. You'd think ghosts in a graveyard would be exciting but the reader is confronted with an array of helpless and unmemorable stock characters. Gaiman's writing is soulless, just cold manipulation. Gaiman's cynicism shows in the awful way his protagonist seeks revenge and betrays his only friend. J.K. Rowling and even Stephanie Meyer have a lot of heart compared to Gaiman's morbid and miserable stories. I wouldn't foist this piece of misery on any kid. Although Gaiman has adapted a serviceable prose style, his writing is ultimately childish and well... goofy. Over and over, Gaiman's characters are victims, paralyzed emotionally, unable to conclude anything, detached observers who speak ambiguously as if ambiguity was depth, which it is not. Gaiman uses the same stock characters; all powerful gods who will smite you, mean villains who chase you down, woman as props or witches. There is no complexity in Gaiman's characters, and therefore his plots are derivative and plod along, eventually dissolving in a wave of ennui. No wonder he appeals to depressed teen goths. Gaiman has also made a study of throwing together a manuscript with the least amount of effort or thought, every novel reads as if he can't be bothered to do a rewrite, they are disappointing with lame plots and forgettable characters.



2. I finished this the other night, and I did enjoy it very much. It was a bit like, as other reviews said, Neverwhere for kids. I did feel the end was a bit rushed. It read a bit like a movie to me. A movie which I would go see.All and all a good read for Gaiman fans.



3. I had heard from lots of folks that I needed to check this one out. I'm a book nerd and read a lot. However i really struggled with this one. It really couldn't keep my interest. The strange thing is I love paranormal style books but this one just wasn't my style. I found the writing to drag a bit and in some cases i was drifting thinking of other things. I was easily distracted with this one. Perhaps it is just me but i felt this wasn't one of his better novels.



4. I read this book cover to cover. Not terrible, just really uninspired.
   
   I really could've put this book down at any moment, because it failed to draw me in. I was really expecting it to get interesting since I found it in "Award Winning Fantasy".
   
   It's a very inoffensive and easy read. You could keep this in a classroom as a loaner, or burn through it in a couple of hours.



5. This was a really fun book. I love Neil Gaimen and even though this is clearly a kid's book and I may be a bit old for it, I loved it anyway!

5 comments about Flirt (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, Book 18).

1. I've been an Anita Blake fan and LKH fan for some time now and loved the earlier novels - perhaps even up to Danse Macabre (minus Micah, another short story). Recent Anita novels have been short, loaded with pages and pages of mind-numbing dialogue between the main characters and very little action. It also seems that each new novel covers only one event or one day in the life of Anita ... at this rate these books could go on forever! This most recent entry, Flirt, is no different. At only 171 double-spaced, sparse pages (including an intro and 13!! pages of Afterword on how the author gets her ideas). The story itself was fun and riveting in it's own way, with interesting characters and less gratuitous sex but short, very short....would barely make a skinny paperback. I'm no longer adding these new novels to my home collection, but basically heeding the advice of other reviewers and just checking them out at the library.



2. i just started this book but i'm sure it will be fabulous just like all her other books!



3. This book was short but good. It's a lot more like the first books with the story in the forefront and the sex taking a back seat. I loved it I just hope Bullet is like this one.



4. It's a great read. I have bought and read all of the Anita Blake Series books. I love the characters and the writing style of Laurel K. Hamilton. It's a short book compared to some of hers. Enjoy it!



5. I loved that Laurell gave us a treat in between the next novel. I hope the next novel "Bullet" has more Jean-Claude. Although this book was an easy read for me (2 hours) it was savory.

5 comments about A Touch of Dead (Sookie Stackhouse: The Complete Stories).

1. I have fallen in love with the Sookie series, and hadn't had a chance to read the short stories.
   
   This book is wonderful if you love Sookie's world and can't get enough of Bon Temps and all of the wonderful, colourful characters that inhabit this world.
   
   Highly recommend, it will keep me happy until May and the next book in this wonderful, original series.



2. Well, I began reading the series after Twilight hooked me on paranormal romances. Twilight helped me to re-discover my love for Vampire love stories and mystery (former Buffy- viewer!). Soon after finishing the Twilight series, True Blood season 2 was premiering on HBO and I had to give it a shot. Well, after two episodes I was so hooked that I rented season 1 and watched every episode over a weekend! This then led me to start reading the books that started it all!
   
   After reading Sookie Stackhouse books 1-9, I decided to borrow this compilation book in order to satisfy my craving for the release of the latest book in May 2010.
   
   Well what can I say.....I am happy for two reasons.....
   1. That I read these short stories to hold me over until the latest release....
   2. That I borrowed it from the local library...
   
   Breakdown of the stories:
   1. "Fairy Dust" - We are introduced to the Faerie twins Claudine and Claude and Sookie helps them to solve a murder that took place at the club Claude owns and runs. This story occurs after Dead To The World.
   2. "Dracula Night" - The vampires are preparing to celebrate the birthday of Dracula. Both Sookie and Eric are in for a surprise. This story occurs prior to Dead As A Doornail.
   3. "One Word Answer"- Sookie is sent to New Orleans to discover how and why her cousin Hadley met her demise. We are introduced to the witches of New Orleans. This story occurs after Dead As A Doornail.
   4. "Lucky" - Amelia and Sookie are called in to help solve a mystery. This story takes place after All Together Dead.
   5. "Gift Wrap" - Sookie is alone for the holidays, but nore for long. When she discovers a naked and injured- beautiful- man on the outskirts of her property, she is in for an unexpected surprise. An equally appropriate title for this story could have been "Sookie gets Nookie". This story occurs before Dead And Gone.
   
   
   My thoughts- I love the Sookie Stackhouse stories, they are fun, entertaining, and quick reads. This book, however entertaining, was a bit hard to place. For me, I like to read stories/book in order of when they take place. With all of these stories being put into one book- yet taking place throughout the series, it was difficult (for me at least) to mentally place them in order within the book series.
   
   For me, I would like to have seen Charlaine release short story books in between the series books that contain a few short stories/adventures that occur during that specific time period. For example- release a book of 4 short stories after Dead as a Doornail that take place during the time after Dead as a Doornail.
   
   Oh well! Did I enjoy these stories- ABSOLUTELY- they definitely entertained me. Would I purchased this book in hardcover the day it is released- NOPE- I am happy that I borrowed it from the library- I will probably purchase the paperback version to add to my collection at some point.
   
   
   Enjoy!



3. What can I say? I never entertained reading fantasy/romance. but here I am AGAIN. Harris' character development and protagonist reckoning is maddingly addictive. Have there been a few discrepancies? Yup. Ms. Harris has corrected the issue. but really this is a trivial issue. Its Sookie and her developing life in the wake of global revelations that keeps me coming back. Oh and Eric.



4. I am a fan of the Sookie Stackhouse novels, I've read them all and have the next one on pre-order already. I was psyched when this installment came out, it has short stories that feature Sookie Stackhouse. These stories have been previously printed in other books (other collections of other worldly beings written by several other authors). I had never read any of them before, so I wasn't disappointed in that aspect. I was, however, disappointed with the content, the actual stories themselves. I thought they were too "cutesy". I felt like Charlaine Harris had made these as kind of an afterthought, just trying to get them out there. I wanted to have some creepiness in these stories. There wasn't much of that, although the story about her grandfather was somewhat disturbing. I was glad that I had only rented this book from my local library, would've been upset had I paid the money to get it new. I would say read this without looking for anything serious, just as a little side item. If you haven't read any of the Sookie books, this is not the one to start up with, believe me.



5. i felt that a lot of the short stories were just dumb and i didn't even finish the book.

5 comments about Atlas Shrugged.

1. Just read it. I truly believe any negative review, came from individuals who have not read the book. One doesnt have to agree with the ideology to appreciate this work of art. At the very least it will broaden your view on society, money, and the power of the individual. Immediately after reading this novel I picked up Anthem, The fountain Head, and We the Living. Atlas Shrugged has been a positive influence on thousands of peoples lives and is a must read! It is personally my favorite novel.



2. A friend who read both Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead in the early '80s introduced me to Rand via discussion over the Christmas holiday, so I bought the 50th Anniversary edition at B & N; I finished the book today. I give Atlas Shrugged 3 stars for its overall quality as a serious and compelling novel. Its main fault mainly consists of the 176-page period between Dagny's return to "hell" and the beginning of Galt's speech (pages 747-923), within which little important takes place, and I thus quickly skimmed through. I also skimmed through several scenes of unnecessary drama between characters I didn't care about, such as Lillian and Cherryl. I can take very limited melodrama, and melodrama involving minor characters is too much of an irritant.
   
   I studied the basics of Rand's character and philosophy before reading Atlas. I found Rand to be rather interesting, yet flawed. And my interest only grew the more I read people on liberal blogs trashing her like she was the original neocon, from whom Cheney and Rumsfeld and Bush hatched, destined to destroy the world as they have. I find it fascinating how much inspiration Greenspan got from Rand. Studying Rand and her ideas lead me to believe that she was not exactly what these liberals make her out to be, but I knew that I needed to read Atlas to see her put her thoughts into fiction before I could confirm that.
   
   I was right, of course. Rand was a conservative, not a neocon. Some of her ideas are conducive to what has led us to ruin, but (Alan Greenspan excluded) they can't be the inspiration for the neocons. I believe that Rand would find Bush and the gang to be horrible people who practice the art of poison unto what she would consider effective government and policies. A few of my thoughts toward Ayn Rand follow.
   
   Ayn Rand had a philosophy, but was not a philosopher. She was a strong-willed woman who was highly influenced by her childhood and grew to be talented, artistic, dramatic, emotional, odd, dark, hypocritical, elitist, and somewhere between confident - narcissistic. She may have been obsessive or had a psychological disorder. Concisely, she was an intelligent and talented person who was limited by her eccentricities.
   
   Obviously, Rand is most criticized for her advocacy of Laissez-Faire Capitalism. Does it not seem that the most gaping flaw in her philosophy is that she did not appear to understand that all economic systems become corrupt because people are stupid? She clearly understood that people are stupid and that Communism was corrupt, so how could she come to believe that Capitalism would be immune and thus ideal? Well, this is why it's important to read Atlas Shrugged, because in Atlas she demonstrates her belief that regulated Capitalism also will fail because people are stupid. Her answer is that the only way to attain successful Laissez-Faire Capitalism is to let the masses kill each other and allow the world to sink into chaos, to be saved by a ruling class of the most brilliant and capable people alive, who will become the ruling class, install Laissez-Faire Capitalism, and rebuild the world into utopia. How much of that is fantasy? How much is a result of the governments she had experienced up until 1957? What I do believe is that if Rand's life continued and she were alive today, she would simply say that the deregulated Capitalism we've had so far is a miserable failure because of the corrupt idiots who have executed it, and until the best and brightest only rule, failure is inevitable. This distinction is why she is not a neocon and would not advocate what we're seeing today, and the people who think they're liberals who vilify her ought to pay attention to this.
   
   As for the rest of Ayn Rand's philosophy, I agree with those who say that she's not a particularly consequential thinker. She admits her philosophy is an ideal one, centered around what man ought to be. If I overlaid my ideal philosophy on hers, there wouldn't be much deviation. In fact, I think it's essential to have an ideal framework of thought. However, a philosophy for the real world is likely to have more impact and success, and I have one of those too. It seems to me that Rand's propensities for drama, fantasy, and narcissism (plus perhaps more things) led her to believe that she was a big-time thinker and ought to be recognized as such and accomplish great things accordingly. What apparently happened was enough gullible people fell for it and helped her get where she wasn't going without their assistance (okay, so I contributed $8.99 to buy Atlas!). Really, she ended up making herself believe that she lived up to her philosophy as well. Page 1070 (the final page) of the 50th Anniversary edition I read includes the following quote: "I have always lived by the philosophy I present in my books---and it has worked for me as it has worked for my characters." To put it mildly, significant selectivity would be required for that to be true; Rand did not consistently live up to the ideals of her philosophy.
   
   So, I've done the Rand thing. It's time to shelve Atlas. No need to read The Fountainhead. I'll happily take with me the parts that resonated, though. My favorite is a theme from the John Galt speech...the angry ranting directed toward the masses who wreck the world. I rant too, Ayn. I understand the contempt for those who don't live up to their potential all too well, and I wish I could fix them or eliminate them. And when I get disgusted at them, I find I, too, place zero worth on their lives. Maybe the next time I'm alone in my car and a chance to rant appears, I'll try to say what John Galt would say.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   



3. I'm very pleased with Amazon.com. I will continue to order books from
   Amazon.com Very pleased with all the orders.



4. This book has had thousands of reviews, so I can add no more. However at 1000+ pages, the cliff notes and specifically John Galt's chapter (speech) are what is really worth reading. Push the other 920 pages off to the side and study Galt's speech..It doesn't get much better than this.



5. What a terrible read. It was far, far, far too long. She's a terrible writer. And she did a poor job developing the story. In fact, she was more interested in conveying her political philosophy than in developing and writing a good story. She's so dogmatic that she comes across as preachy and the book absolutely lacks nuance. She hits you over the head with her beliefs throughout the story. My recommendation is that you skip the story and go straight to the explanation of her political philosophy at the end of the book, after the story. What a waste of tons of paper.

5 comments about The Annotated Alice: The Definitive Edition.

1. Don't judge this book based on the Disney movie or anything you've heard about Alice's adventures. Lewis Carroll's delightfully written nonsense tale is a wonder that have to be experienced by everyone, regardless of age or of your taste in books. The printing is of excellent condition and the notes included are very informative and you'll never miss the joke or get bored by reading them.



2. This is without a doubt THE definitive edition for fans of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass...and a great book for those who aren't familiar with the Victorian Era in jokes and references laced throughout both books. It includes all of John Tenniel's original illustrations (along with little tidbits, such as the fact that Tenniel's drawings of Alice are not based upon Alice Liddell but another child acquaintance of Carroll), and provides the sources for all of Carroll's poetry (want to know which historical figures The Lion and the Unicorn were based upon? It's in here...along with the answers to any other questions who can think of). This book is an absolute must for any collector's shelf!
   
   I also highly recommend:Alice in Verse: The Lost Rhymes of Wonderland



3. This is really the only book any Alice or non-Alice fan should buy. Not only does it have the original stories and is filled with art, but is also filled with amazing information about what is happening within the book. A great buy!



4. I reluctantly decided to teach ALICE to 9th and 10th graders b/c the movie was coming out--they pushed me, I'll admit it. I was facing a daunting task, I thought, as to how to make this a high school level unit with any amount of challenge. I accidentally stumbled upon this book--didn't know it existed, and boy am I so glad I do now. What an enjoyable, fascinating, enlightening, eye-opening book. I am not terribly fond of ALICE, but after reading these chapter by chapter notes, I'm truly amazed at such a great author as Carroll. This is a must read for any teacher and adult who wants to discover ALICE again in a whole new way. The insight this author gives into the Victorian culture draws you into Lewis' world of magic and gives the reader a level of understanding most Americans will never have of ALICE and the world in which she lived.



5. I presume that one selects this edition for its notes, and I must insist that these within these covers lies an excellent presentation. The notes within the margin are thoughtful, humble and interesting, rather than dogmatic or authorial. I really appreciate the considerate voice of these annotations, as well as their formatting alongside the text. The presentation of the text (Wonderland, Looking-Glass and a apocryphal chapter) along with the original drawings is easy to appreciate and hard to criticize.

5 comments about Dead and Gone (Sookie Stackhouse, Book 9).

1. I loved this book. I can hardly wait for the next one thats coming in May 2010. I wish Charlaine could write them as fast as I can read them! LOL



2. I love the series and with each book, I love the way the character's lives become more entangled and connected. This book especially. Can't wait for the next...Already pre-ordered it........



3. great read just like the rest of her books , can't wait for the next installment



4. I wasn't expecting much with this book after reading some of the reviews but I was very pleasantly surprised.
   
   I thought it was the best in the series. A few complained about Eric and a few others not being true to character but I didn't feel that way at all. Eric opened up to Sookie because of the blood bond and because he realizes that's what he NEEDS to do to get her to fall in love with him. That doesn't mean he was out of character.
   
   The faeries were awesome in this book and the ending was amazing... drama, suspense, emotion. it had it all.
   
   There was a lot of growth shown in Jason, and I liked him for the first time in the series. Mel, a new character, really touched me. Arlene needs to die. now.
   
   Sookie went through a rough time in the end of this book and it was written well and made me connect with her... I really felt like she was a real person. Which is always something rare but expected in a good novel.
   
   Anywho... i really loved this book.



5. LOVE THIS BOOK!!! I am a huge Team Eric fan so this book was right up my alley. I really enjoyed finding out more about Sookie and why she may be the way she is. Harris did it again in making a book I absolutely could not put down until I had finished it. The wait for the next book is the only problem for me.

5 comments about Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Backlash.

1. There's still a fair amount of mystery despite having the cause of the madness being revealed and why they were affected by it (Abeloth's release is linked to the destruction of Centerpoint Station during LotF series). It certainly leaves it open to question as to whether or not Ben will inexplicably start acting as the others have since he was in the Maw as an infant. Likewise he apparently has earned the interest of Vestara, but his interest in her appears to be purely based on figuring out what her superiors are up to now.
   
   As for Vestara herself, she is now without a Master thanks to Luke slicing Rhea into pieces during their duel in Abyss. She can certainly play parts, it seems sincere with her and the Dathomiri, but it appears it was all a scheme to nab a Nightsister. This doesn't pan out, but the Lost Tribe has tracked Vestara to Dathomir.
   
   A showdown is inevitable though once again Luke comes out on the top more or less.
   
   However the Force Psychosis is spreading as now seven Jedi have contracted it. Daala tries to strong arm the Order again to turn over the most recent case to her for carbonite freezing just as was done with the Horns.
   
   Jag Fel survives two designed to fail assassination attempts likely led by the Moffs, but it is someone not of the Moff Council that prefers that Fel not remain Imperial Head of State. Likewise it looks as if the individual intends to drive a wedge between the Alliance and the Imperials by way of putting Daala in the hot seat.
   
   The political intrigues often have touches of personal whims in them as there's a distinct prejudice against anyone who associated with the Chiss since the days of Thrawn.
   
   Some unspoken questions have been answered, but other mysteries remain such as will the maddened Jedi ever recover, how many more will succumb, what twists will this encounter with the Lost Tribe take. Furthermore what if anything will happen between Ben and Vestara as it looks likely that Tahiri may end up executed for killing Pellaeon in the final weeks of the Second Galactic Civil War.
   
   In lighter moments, the subplot of Allana rescuing R2 is sweet. It is touching to see the Solo-Skywalker bond with R2 continuing into a new generation. This undoubtedly would explain how he manages to survive many more decades in their service. Similarly she also possesses her father's affinity for animal companions, at least back when he was closer to her age. Allana looks to have an interesting future ahead of her provided she lives to see it.
   
   Being Solo or Skywalker doesn't get less daunting with age, but with the Solo-Skywalker family around her, I believe she'll be just fine.
   
   Once more Aaron Allston proves to be a consistently exceptional writer for Star Wars. If you have read Allston, you'll know you have got a good read in your hands.



2. This being the fourth book in the Fate of the Jedi series, I don't have much to add to my thoughts on the series. The main plots are here, Jedis going crazy, political power struggles between the Remnant Empire, the Galactic Alliance, and the Jedi, and Luke and Ben adventuring together. Thankfully, the book is not entirely a clone of the ones before it, which books 2 and 3 pretty much were. The Jedi going crazy plot is given little space and that is to this book's benefit. Luke and Ben have switched from following Jacen Solo's trail to following the Sith Vestara Khai's trail; well, that's a bit different at least. And the political power struggles? Well, if the Star Wars: Legacy comics are part of the Expanded Universe continuity, we know how things end up, so there's not too much tension there. Pros: The second half of the book is more suspenseful than the first, especially with Vestara Khai proving to be an interesting and deceitful foe for Ben. Cons: Luke and Ben are still following somebody and interacting with a weird tribe of people that they must prove themselves to, just like in the former books. The small plot involving Allana/Amelia Solo is just as cutesy and seemingly pointless as the ones in the previous books. (Pro: it received much fewer pages this time.)
   
   Overall, this book continues the Fate of the Jedi series: not enough happens for the price of the hardcover. The entire series is the most blatant money grab yet for the Star Wars books; at least the New Jedi Order books, which also had a lot of pointless filler, were mostly in paperback. These books will continue to be enjoyed by Star Wars enthusiasts and completists, and I count myself among them, but do yourself a favor and check it out from the library or wait until it is in the bargain bin.



3. Luke and Ben seemed to have abandoned their mission to uncover the murky truth of Jacen's turn to the Dark Side during the third FOTJ book, Abyss, when a weird new tribe of Sith caught their attention. In Backlash, the adventure continues. Luke's on the prowl, metaphorically sniffing out Vestara Kai like some crazy bad ass Jedi hunting dog; with his blood splattered on her person after a lightsaber battle that ended with the death of her Master, Vestara's unaware she's even being tracked, but you can bet she's looking for a place to hide. Ben's aware of his father's exhaustion, despite Luke's protests, and elicits the help of the Jedi via an encrypted, sneaky, and very under-the-radar message intended to make absolutely clear it isn't Luke who's asking (which would violate the terms of his parole), it's his son. Eager to help and reminding us the "good thing about the Solos and Skywalkers" is they "never run out of things to do" (p. 6), Han and Leia pack Allana and her pet nexu aboard the Falcon and head to the only place Luke and Ben can guess is the most likely location Vestara would land: Dathomir. And here, ladies and gentlemen, is where the fun begins. What follows is a witty and wild adventure in which Daala realizes she's in over her head, Han gets a flamethrower, and a nexu manages to elicit more pathos out of me than Allana ever will.
   
   Now that there's more time between FOTJ releases, the page count per book can go up and fans like me can feel we've bought something worth the cover price. Let me make this clear: the extra pages were not only needed, but they're everything that made Backlash read like a complete installment in the series rather than a rushed addition or careless afterthought. Every success reveals a new failure, though and unfortunately, no matter how much I'm enjoying this series, something went wrong. To be fair, there's many things going on behind the scenes that have affected FOTJ. One of those is the release of the Lost Tribe of the Sith books as e-books. Sure, they're free, but they're e-books. I don't know about you, but I hate e-books. Sitting to read in front of my computer for extended periods of time isn't as easy as sitting with a physical book. There's considerably less eyestrain; not all of us can afford fancy e-book readers with e-ink (or to keep printing each story). Some of the plot in those books, which I still haven't and refuse to read until they're in print, would, I hear, have helped clear up some of my confusion over the latest band of Sith apparently no one's ever run into before. With the release of Crosscurrent, I finally got a lot more information and backstory that I really should have gotten before I read the first FOTJ book, Outcast. It might be too much to ask for books to be released chronologically, but it would have been really, really helpful.
   
   I bring this up because suddenly Zekk's madly in love with someone named Taryn. I was as baffled as everyone else--when did this happen? I can only guess, after a kind fan suggested, theirs was a romance forced to bloom behind the scenes, after Blood Oath was cancelled. Honestly, though? I think these kind of "surprise!" revelations lose any real relevance when they come out like this, especially because Zekk played a larger role in LOTF and has since then suddenly dropped out of existence. His return is lukewarm, unexplained, and unfortunate in execution. Allston, to his credit, was doing the best he could. It's not his fault Blood Oath was cancelled, and I'm sure at some point, if it wasn't him who corralled Zekk back into the narrative, it'd just be another author. Kudos to you, Allston, for taking the bullet.
   
   Now that Zekk's back, I couldn't really understand his role in Backlash. Luke and Ben have made it on planet and are tracking Vestara when they run across a clan of Witches and a little bit of trouble; Han and Leia are off to investigate when they leave Allana in the Falcon with the droids and nexu; Zekk and Taryn are supposed to be watching the kid, but fail to intervene or even notice when Allana successfully outmaneuvers 3-PO (we all know how hard it is) and sneaks off to rescue Artoo. He shoots something once (I think) and is never brought to task for her being scared half to death and the nexu getting a concussion. Someone please correct me and point out where I misread Zekk's actual involvement. I'm not above being corrected, I'm just confused.
   
   Zekk and Allana aside, the return to Dathomir was, surprisingly, most of what made this book so much fun for me. Sine Luke's last visit, the Dathomir Witches have evolved a little and emancipated their men--they can leave clans, form others, own property, vote, and wear pants, too. There were many jibes at the expense of traditional Dathomiri gender roles made even more entertaining when the gang is politically caught up in the elaborate process of the joining of two mutually exclusive, gender-polarized clans in the one thing that I never knew was missing from Star Wars: Dathomir Olympics. It's about as backwater as you'd expect: rock throwing, sharp shooting, wrestling--you get the idea. There's even medals; Han wants to make his into coasters. Dathomir's also famous for rancors and darned if there isn't an influx of them and some skirmishes that bring to memory Luke's caged battle with Jabba's wee baby pit monster. Delicate political negotiations aside, the diversions of the games was a great balance to Ben's investigation into Vestara's real motive.
   
   We also get to meet some new and interesting characters. In particular, I've grown fond of Dyon--a Force-sensitive and unsuccessful Jedi candidate Ben hires for the cause at 5 credits, apparently the going rate for Jedi. Dyon is the little character that could and the type we don't see enough of in a world saturated with familiar heroes and villains. Speaking of villains, Allston's portrayal of Daala turned into a bit of a caricature of the stiff woman we've come to know and expect. At times it seemed she was making fun of herself, or perhaps it's just Allston's characteristic touch of humor that unclenched the Chief of State and finally started letting her realize just how big a can of worms she's unleashed. Although, if you ask me, "policing" the Jedi is not the same thing as sending Mandos in for guerilla attacks when no one's looking and causing hundreds of thousands of credits worth in damage. She needs a dictionary as much as everyone else needs more ginko bilboba in their diet.
   
   Everyone (Han, Leia, Jaina, Jag) is not only surprised when there's a Mando attack, but act as if it didn't just happen in Abyss or as if Wyn didn't try to warn them about it through Fel, who as we all know by now, failed miserably at being the good guy by not passing along the information to everyone who should have found out about it sooner rather than later. The powerful dynamic and tension created from that misstep in the last book is gone from Backlash. Jaina and Jag are, blessedly, hardly ever front and center, which I'm glad for, not caring for either as a character and being lukewarm at best to their relationship. Unfortunately, there's bound to be more Jag with the direction the plot is going, but I'll deal with that when it comes.
   
   Overall, Backlash was just as good, in my opinion, as Abyss, but a little less weird. I really love that Luke's not allowed to do any real important Jedi-related activities. It's as if the entirety of Star Wars has said, "Enough. You've been sitting at a desk and meditating too long on the academic abstractions of the Force. Time to go out, play with a lightsaber, and have some fun." Really, I can't be the only one that misses Luke going out to take care of business when he's been acting like the Grand Master mentor figure for so long. The story is definitely picking up and moving along, even though it took the gang an entire book to figure out if Vestara was really "evil" or not. Their doubt made way for some entertaining distractions, sleuthing, and allowed a couple of backwater no-fame secondary and tertiary characters shine like only Allston can make them. Dyon and Tarth, here's looking at you, kids.



4. Book #4 of the 'Fate of the Jedi' Series (Legacy era). Luke and Ben Skywalker chase Vestara (Sith Apprentice) to Dathomir.
   
   While searching for Vestara, Luke and Ben help two clans of Dathomiri attempt to join together. Raining Leaves and Broken Column clans must put aside the past and their traditions to make it work. They meet resistance by dark-force users known as the Knightsisters, who oppose these changes. Though Vestara appears to help these two clans work together, she has her own crooked designs. She is willing to wait, bide her time and strike at the moment of her choosing. Escape is not her only plan.
   
   I enjoyed reading this book but it seems like a couple of the subplots were left hanging that could have been resolved without affecting future books (I say this with all respect for Aaron Allston, he is one of my favorite authors). In addition to seeing the political machine move forward I was glad to see plenty of Rancor action.
   
   I recommend reading "The Courtship of Princess Leia" for further background on Dathomir and the Knightsisters.



5. 20 words or less: Despite some illogical character decisions, Backlash appeals to fans of both the original and prequel trilogies while continuing to build on the groundwork of the series and fix the expanded universe.
   
   My Rating: 3.5/5
   
   Pros: Luke and Ben feature in a worthwhile plot with memorable scenes; Crazed Jedi plotline continues to build slowly but steadily toward an unpredictable conclusion; Fate of the Jedi continues to build a strong groundwork with consistant characterization and few continuity errors;
   
   Cons: Humor doesn't work as well as in previous Allston novels; Although necessary, the youth movement creates frustratingly illogical scenarios;
   
   The Review: The writers and editors of the Fate of the Jedi series might not be Jedi Masters yet but they are getting closer and closer to hitting that wamp rat sized target located in the middle of nostalgia and innovation. Fate of the Jedi is supposed to be a return to the lighter, more escapist fare of the early Star Wars adventures after years of doom and gloom that robbed the galaxy far far aware of its most promising protagonists. While early installments struggled to drive forward the series plotlines and maintain individual narratives, in Backlash, Allston appears to have placed the flailing series on solid ground with the help of the Sith threat introduced in Book 3.
   
   As young Jedi continue to inflicted by an unexplained insanity that makes their fellow Knights appear to be evil doppelgangers in their maladied minds, the Jedi Order struggles to maintain credibility with a government that has been seen Jedi become Sith one time too many. The Order must defend itself from these mentally ill Jedi, the politicians of the Galactic Alliance, and the power hungry moffs of the resurgent Empire. At the same time, Luke, convicted of endangering the galactic population by training these fallen Jedi and failing to control them and subsequently exiled from the Jedi Order, continues to explore the galaxy with his son Ben, hoping to find what caused his nephew Jacen Solo to become the Sith that killed Luke's wife, Mara. After encountering and repelling a Sith ambush in the previous installment, Luke and Ben track the sole survivor to Dathomir, where she attempts to hide herself within the innately force-sensitive, rancor-riding, indigenous population. When they do ultimately catch up to her, all is not as it appears.
   
   Like the previous novels, the main Jedi plotline and the Skywalker plotline are for the most part separate although Han and Leia do jump between threads, providing that nostalgic feeling of reunion previously missing. However, unlike the previous novels, the Skywalker plotline is more substantive, developing the Force witches of Dathomir into a deeper culture than the wasted opportunities represented by the Baran Do Sages of Outcast and the Aing-Tii monks of Omen. As Luke and Ben attempt to capture the rogue Sith warrior, they find themselves in the middle of a clan war between a progressive clan rejecting the matriarchal traditions of the past and the secretive, darkside-wielding NightSisters. Whether it's the inclusion of the Sith element or the depth of the Dathomiri culture, there is a relevance to their actions that surpasses the "after-school special" superficiality of earlier plots. The re-emergence of the Sith as a threat, although a somewhat tamer version than Palpatine's evil incarnate, also raise the stakes of the series overall. It took awhile but Luke and Ben's actions finally matter again.
   
   The second string concerning the political struggles of the Jedi amidst a crisis of crazies is about as strong as it has been all series but rather than being forced to carry the weight of the book, the strength of the Dathomir plotline allows it to slowly ratchet up the tension. While it's strange that major players are still being introduced into the series in the fourth book, the multi-dimensional power struggle appears to reaching a tipping point and it's difficult to predict how it will all play out, something atypical for the average Star Wars novel. After the extended break between books 3 and 4 caused by Allston's unfortunate heart attack, I'm very excited to see the series continue despite some of its flaws which admittedly may be more a result of my departure from the ranks of the targeted demographic than any flaw on Allston's part.
   
   Through the half dozen or so Allston SW novels I've read, the single most notable aspect of his writing is his gift for humor. Despite suffering the aforementioned heart attack, Allston returns to his trademark humor here, albeit with somewhat less impact. Some of the changes that the Del Rey/Lucas Books editors have been introducing into the Fate of the Jedi are storylines that are somewhat lighter in tone. After the genocidal plots of the New Jedi Order icosikaihenilogy (21 books) and the fratricidal plots of the Legacy of the Force enneilogy (9 books), the fans were clamoring for lighter fare. Del Rey delivers this in Fate of the Jedi but unfortunately at the expense of the effectiveness of Allston's humor. In his X-Wing books and his NJO work, the dark comedy stood out in contrast to the bleak situations our characters found themselves in. Like a coping mechanism, the characters seemed to laugh because it was the only way to distract themselves from the death surrounding them. Even the humor of The Empire Strikes Back broke the tension between Imperial assaults and torture sessions. With the lighter tone of FotJ, Allston's writing comes across as almost cutesy, especially in scenes involving the pre-teen Allana Solo and the young adult Ben Skywalker.
   
   This cutesy factor has been one of the largest problems of the series so far and the lack of appropriately aged characters continues in Backlash. Luke, Leia, and Han are considered to be either "too skilled" or "too old" for major action sequences and as a result an unrealistic amount of weight is placed on the shoulders of young protagonists, namely Ben and Allana. In the past the mainstream SW novels have been separated from the YA stories but Fate of the Jedi appears to be catering to both the old guard of the original trilogy and the younger fans of the prequel era. While understandable, this fanboy doesn't like watching his heroes throw their children into danger with terrible parenting decision after decision for the sake of their screen time.
   
   As an example, Han and Leia leave their daughter alone for weeks where she eventually encounters a murderous junker who runs the local chop shop. Ben is given command of a tribe of older, trained warriors whose culture he doesn't understand to defend their redoubt from a rancor siege. And it's not so much the fact that they are put into dangerous situations, it's that they are portrayed as more capable than any of the adults around. It's only a matter of time before Ben is teaching the tribes strategy so basic a Gungan should know them and using his "detective skills" to suss out decades old secrets in days. Under the flimsy pretense of training, the authors marginalize Luke Skywalker to create artificial tension in scenarios where he could easily resolve conflicts with minimum bloodshed. Why would a Jedi let hundreds of people die when he has the power to save them? This illogical youth movement is frustrating at times but unfortunately necessary as the editorial staff has killed off or marginalized the majority of strong appropriately aged characters over the past few years and continually overpowered Luke and Leia.
   
   Regardless of my fanboy criticisms, Backlash is still a worthwhile entry into the Star Wars canon and my favorite of the Fate of the Jedi books thus far. It ends on an enigmatic note that begs for further exploration in Troy Denning's Allies (due out in late May). Despite the younger, lighter tone of the series, Fate of the Jedi continues to present enjoyable Star Wars adventures in an episodic format that allow you to jump back to the galaxy far, far away that you explored in the imagination of your youth for a few hours. It's clear that Star Wars is in a bit of a transition period as LucasBooks attempts to rebuild the universe from catastrophic events of the past few years but I'm hopeful that once the youth movement completes, the character development will be worth it. It should be expected but character continuity has been something that hasn't always made an appearance in Star Wars fiction, so the increased attention in Fate of the Jedi is appreciated even if it creates other smaller problems. If you were a Star Wars fan that has abandoned the series because it lost the escapist elements that made it Star Wars, it might be time to take a second look.

No comments about Silver Borne (Mercy Thompson, Book 5).

5 comments about Sookie Stackhouse 8-copy Boxed Set (Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood).

1. I started reading this series after Twilight and I must say, this is the adult version of Twilight. I loved the series, with books 1 and 4 being my favorites. Sookie, the main character is so spunky. Overall, I really love all of the characters, and the series is written so well. I can't wait for the new book's release in May, "Dead in the Family".



2. Once you read the first book, you will want to complete all nine books. The last book to The Sookie Stackhouse saga is DEAD AND GONE. I can't wait for my book to come.. Hurry



3. Charlaine's Sookie Stackhouse (Sookie Stackhouse 8-copy Boxed Set (Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood) by Charlaine Harris)
   After watching the first season of True Blood, I was interested in reading the book that the series was based on. I was not disappointed! In fact I have barely been able to put these books down and am now on the 7th of the series. I highly recommend them!



4. I always wanted to read these books, but never got around to it. One day I watched the HBO series and decided to jump in a buy the books to read. I instantly loved them and couldn't put them down. I have read them all at least three times. I love the dynamic of Sookie and Eric. Eric is my favorite character and Harris really does a good job of developing his character along with the others. This is one of my favorite book series and can't wait for the next books!!!!



5. The set of books arrived in great condition and way before the expected arrival date. Would buy from this person again. Thanks.