This is the 6th part of 3 in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series. Douglas Adams always wanted to have a sixth book in the series; and Eoin Colfer (best know for the Artemis Fowl series) was the writer chosen to write this sixth book. Overall it was an okay book. I read the original books so long ago that I had trouble comparing this book to the original. This book was very creative and had a similar tone to it that the previous books had. I found it hard to stay engaged in the story though with all the sidetracking that was going on.
Arthur, Ford, Random, and Trillian have spent a while living a life that they weren't really living. They awake to find that the alternate Earth that they are on is going to be destroyed; very familiar to the first book! They are rescued at the last minute by Zaphod who is piloting the Heart of Gold. Of course, things go wrong on The Heart of Gold and they are then about to die again when they are rescued by the immortal Bowerick. Bowerick agrees to help them if they can find a way to kill him. Zaphod readily agrees. From there they are off to the planet of Gods to convince Thor to kill Bowerick. The other part of the story involves the leader of the planet Nano and his search for a God for his planet; as the last colony of humans this story eventually ties in with the one involving Arthur and folks.
This was an interesting story. The plot is creative and the Guide Notes as intriguing and somewhat useless as they always were. The tone of the book seemed in keeping with the previous books (although my memory on the previous books is a bit vague). Still despite the non-stop action and constant stream of creative prattle, I had trouble staying engaged in this book.
Maybe it is because I haven't been involved with these characters in a long time, but I have trouble staying engaged in the characters or their story. Part of the problem was that it was like the story had ADD, it just couldn't stay going in one direction for very long. I remember the original books kind of being like that, but I think this was worse. With the interruptions of facts from the Guide occurring almost every page (okay, probably every other page) the continuity of the story was constantly interrupted. The story itself also schizophrenically switches between different characters and different locations.
Overall this was a somewhat interesting read. It kept with the humorous writing of the original series and had the constant splattering of odd and miscellaneous facts that I remember in previous books. I had trouble getting through the book though because neither the story nor the characters could really keep my interest. I think plot was a little to minced up and unfocused for me. I guess if you are a big fan of the series I would read this book; definitely don't use this book as an entry into the series...you will be totally confused if you do. The original four books still remain the best in my mind. Let's hope that this is the last we see of new books to the HHG2G series.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Waiting on Wednesday - 11/4
Okay "Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine.
This week my WoW book is "Dead in the Family" by Charlaine Harris. This is the tenth book in the Sookie Stackhouse series. The ninth book was a bit disappointing for me, but I have loved all of the other books in the series. So, hopefully this one won't be a disappointment. I couldn't find the cover art anywhere, but here is the release info and synopsis.
"Dead in the Family" by Charlaine Harris
Pages: 320 pages
Publisher: Ace Hardcover
Release Date: May 4th, 2010
Synopsis: "Sookie Stackhouse has finally settled into a relationship with the Viking vampire Eric, and her errant brother Jason seems to have his life in order, too. But all the other people in Sookie’s life – Eric himself, her former lover Bill, her friend and boss Sam – are having family problems. Eric’s maker shows up with Eric’s ‘brother’ in tow, the ailing Bill can only be healed by a blood sibling, and Sam’s brother’s marriage is about to take place …or will it? The furor raised by the coming out of the two-natured has yet to settle; some people are just not ready to sit down to dinner with a man who turns into a dog. And Sookie herself is still recovering from her last ordeal. She’s definitely improving, physically and mentally, but she’s always going to have some dark moments now. The werewolves tell her that there have been strange and ominous passers-by in the Stackhouse woods; now Sookie is about to come face-to-face with one of her more distant relatives…"
This week my WoW book is "Dead in the Family" by Charlaine Harris. This is the tenth book in the Sookie Stackhouse series. The ninth book was a bit disappointing for me, but I have loved all of the other books in the series. So, hopefully this one won't be a disappointment. I couldn't find the cover art anywhere, but here is the release info and synopsis.
"Dead in the Family" by Charlaine Harris
Pages: 320 pages
Publisher: Ace Hardcover
Release Date: May 4th, 2010
Synopsis: "Sookie Stackhouse has finally settled into a relationship with the Viking vampire Eric, and her errant brother Jason seems to have his life in order, too. But all the other people in Sookie’s life – Eric himself, her former lover Bill, her friend and boss Sam – are having family problems. Eric’s maker shows up with Eric’s ‘brother’ in tow, the ailing Bill can only be healed by a blood sibling, and Sam’s brother’s marriage is about to take place …or will it? The furor raised by the coming out of the two-natured has yet to settle; some people are just not ready to sit down to dinner with a man who turns into a dog. And Sookie herself is still recovering from her last ordeal. She’s definitely improving, physically and mentally, but she’s always going to have some dark moments now. The werewolves tell her that there have been strange and ominous passers-by in the Stackhouse woods; now Sookie is about to come face-to-face with one of her more distant relatives…"
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
News - Cover for Maggie Steifvater's "Linger"
I just saw this on the yareads.com site. It looks like Maggie Steifvater's sequel to "Shiver" which is going to be called "Linger" has had the cover released along with a blurb about what the book will be about.
You can find all of this info here.
I have pasted the cover picture in below. I like it; it matches the cover for "Shiver" and is simple yet intriguing.
You can find all of this info here.
I have pasted the cover picture in below. I like it; it matches the cover for "Shiver" and is simple yet intriguing.
Everlost by Neal Shusterman (4/5 stars)
This was a very interesting and captivating read. I actually listened to this on audio book and it was very well done.
Nick and Allie are two passengers in different cars that collide in a head-on collision. When they wake they find that they are in the forest beside where the car accident happened. Watching over them is a boy named Leaf. Leaf informs them that they have been sleeping for 6 months and are in Everlost and are now Afterlights. Afterlights are kids who didn't quite make it to where they were going when they died. Afterlights can only dwell in places of the world that have been lost or places that have died in the living world; if they try to stay still in the living world they sink to the center of the Earth. Just like the living world, there are powers that be in Everlost. They stumble upon one Mary Hightower who takes lost Afterlights under her wing. Nick is content to stay with Mary but Allie is not so sure. Allie thinks there is more to life after death than eternal repetition and is determine to find a way either back to life or to true death.
This was a very creative and engaging read. The two characters have very believable reactions to finding out they are not quite dead. The world of Everlost is interesting; especially the theory surrounding how inanimate objects can end up in Everlost. The plot moves along at a good clip and I was never bored or struggling to stay interested. Everlost is an amazing world and the characters are constantly finding new things about it as time progresses. The book also has a pretty good sense of humor, and there were a number of places where I chortled a bit at the coincidence of everything. It was interesting that Shusterman included the Twin Towers as a place in Everlost; I guess it was his way of commemorating the significant loss of both that landmark and the lives associated with it.
All of the characters are believable and easy to relate to. The characters are also very well balanced out. There were some aspects of our heroes that were less than endearing and some aspects of the villains that made you sympathize with them.
The only thing that struck me as a bit odd was how Shusterman incorporated current day legends or haunting into the book. For example at one point Allie ends up at the Amityville house. I am still trying to decided if these scenes were clever or just plain odd.
Overall I liked this book and the premise. This in one of those books that I will think back to quite often. The way it deals with life after death and moving on from a state of half-death is as interesting and this book is engaging; which is to say very. I think young adults or older would enjoy this book. It could also be read to younger children but the heavy topic of death might be a bit scary for them.
Nick and Allie are two passengers in different cars that collide in a head-on collision. When they wake they find that they are in the forest beside where the car accident happened. Watching over them is a boy named Leaf. Leaf informs them that they have been sleeping for 6 months and are in Everlost and are now Afterlights. Afterlights are kids who didn't quite make it to where they were going when they died. Afterlights can only dwell in places of the world that have been lost or places that have died in the living world; if they try to stay still in the living world they sink to the center of the Earth. Just like the living world, there are powers that be in Everlost. They stumble upon one Mary Hightower who takes lost Afterlights under her wing. Nick is content to stay with Mary but Allie is not so sure. Allie thinks there is more to life after death than eternal repetition and is determine to find a way either back to life or to true death.
This was a very creative and engaging read. The two characters have very believable reactions to finding out they are not quite dead. The world of Everlost is interesting; especially the theory surrounding how inanimate objects can end up in Everlost. The plot moves along at a good clip and I was never bored or struggling to stay interested. Everlost is an amazing world and the characters are constantly finding new things about it as time progresses. The book also has a pretty good sense of humor, and there were a number of places where I chortled a bit at the coincidence of everything. It was interesting that Shusterman included the Twin Towers as a place in Everlost; I guess it was his way of commemorating the significant loss of both that landmark and the lives associated with it.
All of the characters are believable and easy to relate to. The characters are also very well balanced out. There were some aspects of our heroes that were less than endearing and some aspects of the villains that made you sympathize with them.
The only thing that struck me as a bit odd was how Shusterman incorporated current day legends or haunting into the book. For example at one point Allie ends up at the Amityville house. I am still trying to decided if these scenes were clever or just plain odd.
Overall I liked this book and the premise. This in one of those books that I will think back to quite often. The way it deals with life after death and moving on from a state of half-death is as interesting and this book is engaging; which is to say very. I think young adults or older would enjoy this book. It could also be read to younger children but the heavy topic of death might be a bit scary for them.
Teaser Tuesday - 11/3
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
My teaser this week is from "Bite Marks" (Jaz Parks, Book 6) by Jennifer Rardin.
Here it is: "In a move even quicker than Astral's he jerked the guard's head to one side, baring his neck. One bite, one push of power, and his victim's blood froze." Pg. 131
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
My teaser this week is from "Bite Marks" (Jaz Parks, Book 6) by Jennifer Rardin.
Here it is: "In a move even quicker than Astral's he jerked the guard's head to one side, baring his neck. One bite, one push of power, and his victim's blood froze." Pg. 131
Monday, November 2, 2009
Bite Marks (Jaz Parks, Book 6) by Jennifer Rardin (4/5 stars)
This is the 6th book in the Jaz Parks series by Jennifer Rardin. The 7th book "Bitten in Two" will be out in 2010. Last I read there are 8 books planned for this series. This was another great book; tons of action and humor.
Jaz and crew are assigned to a mission in which some gnomes are trying to take out the Australian based NASA complex. Not a straight-forward mission in and of itself. Things get even more complicated when Jaz discovers she's been possessed by King Brude, Lucifer's assassin. Then when they arrive in Australia they find out the demon Cassandra has been fleeing from has finally found her. To add to this mess Cole is set on petting a kangaroo and Bergman has created a new robo-kitty called Astral that is making life a little crazy.
Like all the previous books in this series this book was a great read. It is fast-paced, with awesome action scenes, great gadgets, and hilarious dialogue and plot points. Vayl and Jaz have great chemistry together and there are a number of nice steamy scenes that bring tension to the story, yet never get really graphic. The characters, as usual, are what make the story, coupled with all the great fight scenes.
The addition of Jack (Jaz's dog) and Astral (the robo-kitty) really made for some hilarious scenes. We got to spend more time with the celestial Raoul and met the demon that has been plaguing Cassandra for centuries.
Rardin does a good job at keeping Jaz's inner dialogue (with her possessor) easy to read and non-confusing. The plot is twisty-turny but never confusing. Some of the side items, like Cole's kangaroo petting adventures and Astral's quirks, really add some fun into the story.
The only thing I didn't like about this book was that it kept losing the main story line. So much of the first half of the book dealt with Cassandra's demon problems that I forgot what their original mission was. Then in the second half of the book a lot of time was spend dealing with Jaz's demon possession problems. The mission sounded really cool, but not much page space was actually spent on the mission itself. That being said everything was nicely tied together in the end. And new plot points were left opened up for the next book.
I would definitely recommend reading the previous books in the series before this one. Rardin does a great job of reminding you what happened in previous books, but I still think you need the backstory from previous books to understand what is going on in this one.
Overall a fun read. I enjoyed the book a lot and look forward to the next book in the series.
Jaz and crew are assigned to a mission in which some gnomes are trying to take out the Australian based NASA complex. Not a straight-forward mission in and of itself. Things get even more complicated when Jaz discovers she's been possessed by King Brude, Lucifer's assassin. Then when they arrive in Australia they find out the demon Cassandra has been fleeing from has finally found her. To add to this mess Cole is set on petting a kangaroo and Bergman has created a new robo-kitty called Astral that is making life a little crazy.
Like all the previous books in this series this book was a great read. It is fast-paced, with awesome action scenes, great gadgets, and hilarious dialogue and plot points. Vayl and Jaz have great chemistry together and there are a number of nice steamy scenes that bring tension to the story, yet never get really graphic. The characters, as usual, are what make the story, coupled with all the great fight scenes.
The addition of Jack (Jaz's dog) and Astral (the robo-kitty) really made for some hilarious scenes. We got to spend more time with the celestial Raoul and met the demon that has been plaguing Cassandra for centuries.
Rardin does a good job at keeping Jaz's inner dialogue (with her possessor) easy to read and non-confusing. The plot is twisty-turny but never confusing. Some of the side items, like Cole's kangaroo petting adventures and Astral's quirks, really add some fun into the story.
The only thing I didn't like about this book was that it kept losing the main story line. So much of the first half of the book dealt with Cassandra's demon problems that I forgot what their original mission was. Then in the second half of the book a lot of time was spend dealing with Jaz's demon possession problems. The mission sounded really cool, but not much page space was actually spent on the mission itself. That being said everything was nicely tied together in the end. And new plot points were left opened up for the next book.
I would definitely recommend reading the previous books in the series before this one. Rardin does a great job of reminding you what happened in previous books, but I still think you need the backstory from previous books to understand what is going on in this one.
Overall a fun read. I enjoyed the book a lot and look forward to the next book in the series.
Mailbox Monday - 11/2
Mailbox Monday can be found at: The Printed Page
Four great new books this week. Two are from series I am currently reading. I actually bought "Bite Marks" book 6 in the Jaz Parks series by Jennifer Rardin. This has been a great series and I absolutely couldn't wait to read the next book in it when it came out. I won "ArchEnemy", the final installment in the Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor, from fantasy-fan.org; you can see the post here. Thanks so much to Fantasy-fan.org for holding this contest!
I got the new Scott Westerfield book "Leviathan" though the Amazon Vine program and am really looking forward to reading that book. I also aquired the first graphic novel in the Kin series by Holly Black and Ted Naifeh. This novel is called "The Good Neighbors" and I got it through paperbackswap.com.
All in all a wonderful week for getting books! Now I just have to read them all :-) Hope everyone has a great week and happy reading!
"Bite Marks" (Jaz Parks, Book 6) by Jennifer Rardin
First Sentence: "My ass felt like a slab of dead flesh, too nerveless to even quiver as the butcher slaps it onto his cutting table."
From Amazon.com: "Jaz Parks here. But I'm not alone. I'm hearing voices in my head - and they're not mine.
The problem, or maybe the solution, is work. And the job's a stinker this time -- killing the gnomes that are threatening to topple NASA's Australian-based space complex. Yeah, I know. Vayl and I should still be able to kick this one in our sleep. Except that Hell has thrown up a demon named Kyphas to knock us off track. And damn is she indestructible!"
"Leviathan" by Scott Westerfield
First Sentence: "The Austrian horses glinted in the moonlight., their riders standing tall in the saddle, swords raised."
From Amazon.com: "It is the cusp of World War I, and all the European powers are arming up. The Austro-Hungarians and Germans have their Clankers, steam-driven iron machines loaded with guns and ammunition. The British Darwinists employ fabricated animals as their weaponry. Their Leviathan is a whale airship, and the most masterful beast in the British fleet.
Aleksandar Ferdinand, prince of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, is on the run. His own people have turned on him. His title is worthless. All he has is a battle-torn Stormwalker and a loyal crew of men.
Deryn Sharp is a commoner, a girl disguised as a boy in the British Air Service. She's a brilliant airman. But her secret is in constant danger of being discovered.
With the Great War brewing, Alek's and Deryn's paths cross in the most unexpected way...taking them both aboard the Leviathan on a fantastical, around-the-world adventure. One that will change both their lives forever."
"The Good Neighbors" (Book one of Kin) by Holly Black and Ted Naifeh
First Sentence: "My name is Rue, like kangaroo or like "You'll rue the day we met, mwa-ha-ha!"
From Amazon.com: "Rue Silver's mother has disappeared . . . and her father has been arrested, suspected of killing her. But it's not as straightforward as that. Because Rue is a faerie, like her mother was. And her father didn't kill her mother -- instead, he broke a promise to Rue's faerie king grandfather, which caused Rue's mother to be flung back to the faerie world. Now Rue must go to save her -- and must also defeat a dark faerie that threatens our very mortal world."
"ArchEnemy" (The Looking Glass Wars, Book 3) by Frank Beddor
First Sentence: "Alyss of Wonderlank raced up the front walk, using her imagination to unlock the door and turn the latch."
From Amazon.com:"Discover the fate of Wonderland- and imagination itself- in this riveting conclusion to the New York Times bestselling trilogy.
The Heart Crystal’s power has been depleted, and Imagination along with it. The people of Wonderland have all lost their creative drive, and most alarmingly, even Queen Alyss is without her powers. There is some comfort in the fact that the vicious Redd Heart seems to be similarly disabled. Amazingly, she is attempting to team up with her enemy, Alyss, in order to reclaim Wonderland from King Arch. Alyss might have no choice but to accept Redd’s overtures, especially when she begins to receive alarming advice from the caterpillar oracles."
Four great new books this week. Two are from series I am currently reading. I actually bought "Bite Marks" book 6 in the Jaz Parks series by Jennifer Rardin. This has been a great series and I absolutely couldn't wait to read the next book in it when it came out. I won "ArchEnemy", the final installment in the Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor, from fantasy-fan.org; you can see the post here. Thanks so much to Fantasy-fan.org for holding this contest!
I got the new Scott Westerfield book "Leviathan" though the Amazon Vine program and am really looking forward to reading that book. I also aquired the first graphic novel in the Kin series by Holly Black and Ted Naifeh. This novel is called "The Good Neighbors" and I got it through paperbackswap.com.
All in all a wonderful week for getting books! Now I just have to read them all :-) Hope everyone has a great week and happy reading!
"Bite Marks" (Jaz Parks, Book 6) by Jennifer Rardin
First Sentence: "My ass felt like a slab of dead flesh, too nerveless to even quiver as the butcher slaps it onto his cutting table."
From Amazon.com: "Jaz Parks here. But I'm not alone. I'm hearing voices in my head - and they're not mine.
The problem, or maybe the solution, is work. And the job's a stinker this time -- killing the gnomes that are threatening to topple NASA's Australian-based space complex. Yeah, I know. Vayl and I should still be able to kick this one in our sleep. Except that Hell has thrown up a demon named Kyphas to knock us off track. And damn is she indestructible!"
"Leviathan" by Scott Westerfield
First Sentence: "The Austrian horses glinted in the moonlight., their riders standing tall in the saddle, swords raised."
From Amazon.com: "It is the cusp of World War I, and all the European powers are arming up. The Austro-Hungarians and Germans have their Clankers, steam-driven iron machines loaded with guns and ammunition. The British Darwinists employ fabricated animals as their weaponry. Their Leviathan is a whale airship, and the most masterful beast in the British fleet.
Aleksandar Ferdinand, prince of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, is on the run. His own people have turned on him. His title is worthless. All he has is a battle-torn Stormwalker and a loyal crew of men.
Deryn Sharp is a commoner, a girl disguised as a boy in the British Air Service. She's a brilliant airman. But her secret is in constant danger of being discovered.
With the Great War brewing, Alek's and Deryn's paths cross in the most unexpected way...taking them both aboard the Leviathan on a fantastical, around-the-world adventure. One that will change both their lives forever."
"The Good Neighbors" (Book one of Kin) by Holly Black and Ted Naifeh
First Sentence: "My name is Rue, like kangaroo or like "You'll rue the day we met, mwa-ha-ha!"
From Amazon.com: "Rue Silver's mother has disappeared . . . and her father has been arrested, suspected of killing her. But it's not as straightforward as that. Because Rue is a faerie, like her mother was. And her father didn't kill her mother -- instead, he broke a promise to Rue's faerie king grandfather, which caused Rue's mother to be flung back to the faerie world. Now Rue must go to save her -- and must also defeat a dark faerie that threatens our very mortal world."
"ArchEnemy" (The Looking Glass Wars, Book 3) by Frank Beddor
First Sentence: "Alyss of Wonderlank raced up the front walk, using her imagination to unlock the door and turn the latch."
From Amazon.com:"Discover the fate of Wonderland- and imagination itself- in this riveting conclusion to the New York Times bestselling trilogy.
The Heart Crystal’s power has been depleted, and Imagination along with it. The people of Wonderland have all lost their creative drive, and most alarmingly, even Queen Alyss is without her powers. There is some comfort in the fact that the vicious Redd Heart seems to be similarly disabled. Amazingly, she is attempting to team up with her enemy, Alyss, in order to reclaim Wonderland from King Arch. Alyss might have no choice but to accept Redd’s overtures, especially when she begins to receive alarming advice from the caterpillar oracles."
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