Some months ago a friend recommended Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments series to me. I picked up City of Bones, the first book, from Audible, and found it hard to get past the first few chapters. In all fairness, that might have been due to the fact that it was the book I selected to listen to at the gym, and for various reasons (my lack of willpower mainly) I didn’t go as often as I should have. It’s also true that City of Bones didn’t grab my attention immediately. I will probably try again before the movie comes out. Clockwork Angel is the first in Clare’s Infernal Devices series, which is a prequel to the Mortal Instruments set many years earlier in Victorian London. Unlike Mortal Instruments, Clockwork Angel hooked me immediately from the Audible preview, so much so that I immediately invested in the entire trilogy in Kindle and Audible formats – Whispersync for Voice is available on these titles. This is partly due to Jennifer Ehle’s excellent narration, and also that I found it easier to connect with Tessa than Mortal Instruments’ Clary. What I liked The setting/worldbuilding. Clare evokes Victorian London with a twist beautifully. I also really…
Emperor of Thorns by Mark Lawrence is the final book in the Broken Empire trilogy in which Jorg Ancrath tries to consolidate his claim on the Imperial Crown and deal with the threat of the Dead King. This is undercut by a past timeline in which he tries to uncover the secrets of the Builders. Regular readers of my blog will know that I was at first unengaged by the Broken Empire trilogy, finding it hard to become emotionally invested in such a dark character as Honorous Jorg Ancrath as he was in Prince of Thorns and being somewhat put off by the violence. Having decided to abandon the series, I was persuaded by the promise of great character development to give the second book, King of Thorns, a second chance and am very glad I did. Like many fans, I was eagerly awaiting the release of Emperor of Thorns and picked it up on release day for your reviewing pleasure. What I liked Skillfully interwoven multiple plotlines. It has to be said there’s a lot going on in this book; Lawrence is weaving disparate plot threads together with real expertise. We have Jorg’s attempt to become Emperor and the…
I have now had my Kobo Arc for several days now and this is my update to my initial impressions. My other tablets are a Kindle Fire an iPad 3 and a Nexus 7. I find the smaller form factors of the Nexus and the Kindle Fire very comfortable to use. As with my review of the Kindle Fire, I will discuss how the tasks I usually undertake on my iPad and now the Kindle Fire translate to the Kobo Arc. Generally I don’t use my tablets for work/production related activities. There are many apps I use on my iPhone to check a few quick things. Checking email I was able to import most of my personal accounts – two Yahoo emails, Gmail and a non standard account for my evelynne@canadianereader.com email – with minimal hassle. I did have a problem with one of my Yahoo accounts, but I believe that to be a Yahoo problem rather than an Arc problem.I have not been able to access my work Exchange email, but i generally check that on my iPhone rather than my tablet anyway. Surfing the web I find surfing the web on the Kobo Arc noticeably faster than on the…
I have now had my Kindle Fire fir several days now and this is my update to my initial impressions. Once I got over my disappointment in the lack of Audible integration for Canadians, I began to really enjoy the device. My other two tablets are an iPad 3 and a Nexus 7. I find the smaller form factors of the Nexus and the Kindle Fire very comfortable to use. Until now, my main tablet of choice has been my iPad 3. I use it around the house, and if I’m travelling I take it with me. However, I find it’s rather bulky to carry around, and I usually end up taking my Kindle Paperwhite too, as I really don’t enjoy reading books on the iPad. I really don’t use my Nexus very much at all. Perhaps the the best way to approach this review is to discuss how the tasks I usually undertake on my iPad translate to the Kindle Fire. I don’t use the iPad for work/production related activities. There are many apps I use on my iPhone to check a few quick things. Checking email I was able to import all my personal accounts – two Yahoo…
Thieves’ Quarry is the worthy follow up to Thieftaker (The Thieftaker Chronicles) by D.B. Jackson of which I received a free review copy courtesy of Tor. It is a blend of historical novel, murder mystery and fantasy which continues the story of Ethan Kaille, a thief taker in 18th century Boston. I don’t believe it’s necessary to have read Thieftaker prior to reading Thieves’ Quarry, although it does help to appreciate the solid character development and deepening understanding of the magic system. What I liked Unique blend of murder mystery, fantasy and historical drama. This mixture appealed to me in Thieftaker and it continues to work well in the continuation. This time the stakes are higher with the murder – it could have ramifications on the stability of the city of Boston. The setting. Speaking of the city, the author has evoked the setting beautifully. It was easy for me to imagine Ethan walking down the narrow cobbled streets of Boston. It’s incredible to realise this wasn’t the original setting for the series. Character development. Although it’s not necessary to have read Thieftaker before Thieves’ Quarry, by not doing so, you miss out on the subtle but excellent character development….
I received a free review copy of Oathbreaker’s Shadow via Netgalley. Oathbreaker’s Shadow is a young adult fantasy novel by Canadian writer Amy McCulloch. It tells the story of Raim and how he falls foul of his society’s taboo against pathbreaking. A key part of the novel is Raim’s friendship with the young heir to the realm.
The Kobo Aura is the new premium ereader from Kobo. It is marketed as follows: The eReader, Re-Imagined. Kobo Aura HD is the only premium eReader, offering an unprecedented immersive reading experience for the book lover. Unlike other eReaders, Kobo Aura HD elevates the reading experience by combining the most advanced, highest resolution, extra-large screen with a book-inspired design that feels natural and comfortable to hold. The Aura is an eInk reader with a 6.8 HD backlit screen. Comparing its specs with those of the Kobo Glo and the Kindle Paperwhite we see the following: Kobo Aura 6.8″ Custom WXGA+ Pearl E Ink Screen ClarityScreen+: 265 dpi, 1440 x 1080 resolution 240 g (8.4658 oz) 1 GHz; 20% faster processor than other leading eReaders 4GB internal storage Kobo Glo 6″ XGA Pearl E Ink touchscreen; 1024×758 resolution; 16-level grey scale 185 g (6.5 oz) 1 GHz 2GB internal storage Kindle Paperwhite 212 ppi, optimized font technology, 16-level gray scale 7.5 ounces (213 grams) 2GB internal storage So, the main improvements you get for an extra $40 is the larger screen – 6.8 inches compared to 6 inches and higher resolution. Kobo has also made a change to the standard padded…
I received a free review copy of The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau through Netgalley, and here are my thoughts. The Testing tells the story of Cia Vale from a small village struggling to survive in a post apocalyptic future. The government invites Cia to undergo testing for admittance to the University, an opportunity which could change her life and that of her community. It soon becomes apparent that this is not an invitation Cia can refuse, and that she will become involved in a struggle for her very survival. It is very difficult to read this book without comparing it to Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games. Many of the same themes are there: dystopian society struggling after a cataclysmic war; young teens forced by an all-powerful government to compete to the death in a competition for a marvelous prize; heroine torn between two loves; shadowy rebel forces attempting to overthrow the government. What I didn’t like I felt at times this borrowed too heavily from The Hunger Games. The premise is very similar, and many of the same themes are explored. Again, comparing The Testing to The Hunger Games, I felt the setup was lacking somewhat. In The Hunger Games,…
This is not the usual kind of book I read, but Random House was kind enough to give me a free review copy. I found it to be a very well written, gentle read and did enjoy it. I personally wasn’t very familiar with the culture of South Asia, but I felt the author did an excellent job of making it comprehensible to an outsider without over explaining. It was easy to become drawn into Meterling’s world on Pi and understand the expectations that were on her as well as to understand the consequences her decisions might have. As I am not from that culture, the importance placed on, for example, compatible horoscopes in marriage partners is foreign to me, but due to the excellent writing, I could easily understand its impact within Meterling’s family. This is also a book of well-drawn contrasts and conflicts. I found it interesting to compare and contrast the viewpoint of the children to Meterling’s situation to Meterling’s own thoughts. A nice contrast is also set up between the colour, warmth and friendliness of Pi and the cold, greyness of London. This ties in well to Meterling’s emotional state at the time as she attempts…
In writing this review of Peter V. Brett’s The Warded Man, I would like to focus on a quote from about two thirds of the way through the book: Arlen’s fingers tightened on the metal spear as he stepped from the circle. Cue cliffhanger chapter break. For me, this was a real “oh, crap” moment, on a par with seeing Aragorn’s forces surrounded by the Mordor hordes in the Return of the King movie, and perfectly encapsulates Peter V. Brett’s mastery of his craft. This is just one of many excellently written scenes. This one in particular works for me for several reasons; first, the author has done his world building well. At this point in the story the reader is well aware of the likely consequences of Arlen’s stepping outside of the circle and has good reason to fear for Arlen’s safety. Of course, none of that matters if the reader is not emotionally invested in Arlen. Brett has developed his character well. Arlen is not always likeable, but he is relatable. His decision to leave the circle, while terrifying, is logical and easily understandable based on Brett’s characterisation. The reader cares about what happens to Arlen and the…