Review of Magical Kingdom for Sale--Sold

How well can a successful trial lawyer rule a dilapidated magical kingdom? This is the crucial question for Ben Holiday and the reader of his adventures in Landover. Terry Brook’s first novel in the Landover series introduces you to Ben Holiday and the magical kingdom he purchased for 1 million dollars. After the death of his wife and their pre-born child, Ben’s life as a wealthy attorney had little meaning.

Things change for Ben when he receives Rosen’s Annual Wish Book, a Christmas catalog of the most diverse and unbelievable gifts on the planet. Among the pages of exclusive items is an advertisement for Landover, a real fairy world with dragons, witches, peasants, knights, fairies, and wizards. Despite his own reservations and the advice of his best friend Ben Holiday purchases Landover.

Much to Ben’s surprise, the kingdom turns out to be completely real. Unfortunately, the affairs and condition of the country are rather poor. For twenty years, Landover has been plagued with a succession of play-kings, men who purchase the throne but never fully give themselves to the land and the office. The lack of stable monarchy has hurt the land and divided the people. Ben is a king with a tarnished castle, no treasury, no army, and only four retainers: a court wizard who has little control of his magic, a scribe that has been turned into a dog, and two fearsome kobolds.

Aside from these troubles, Ben has to deal with a dragon that is ravaging the land, a demon lord who will eventually challenge Ben to mortal combat, and the witch Nightshade who has no use for any king. Ben soon discovers that none of his subjects has much use for him. Despite such challenges Ben perseveres and attempts to reestablish the legitimacy of the monarch and unravel the mystery behind the relationship between Landover’s king, the former protector of the land, and magic of the land.

Overall, the story is an enjoyable read. It has a slow beginning but as soon as Ben reaches Landover the story starts moving. The characters and world aren’t particularly remarkable but the premise and the pacing holds your interest. This is the perfect book to listen to during your commute or to read while traveling.

Published) in 1987 by Random House. $4.99. Other books in the series: The Black Unicorn, Wizard at Large, The Tangle Box, and Witches’ Brew.

Review of The Sea of Monsters, by Rick Riordan

What would life be like if the Greek God’s were real? What if they lived in the US? What if they continued to have children with mortals? Rick Riordan, answers all of these questions and more in his entertaining series Percy Jackson and the Olympians. The series follows Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon, as he battles monsters, goes on quests, and introduces readers to a modern interpretation of classical Greek and Roman mythology.

For readers who haven’t started this series. Stop whatever you are doing and start reading. Reading these books is like reading the Harry Potter series. You just can’t put the books down. Especially, if you have ever studied Greek and Roman mythology, Rick Riordan’s modern interpretation of classic myths and monsters will bring a smile to your face.

In the second book, The Sea of Monsters, Percy Jackson ventures off with his old friend Annabeth, daughter of Athena, in search of the Golden Fleece and their satyr friend Grover. On their adventure they fight and out wit monsters on land and on sea, they make new friends, and discover more of Kronos’ plans to destroy the Olympians.

Some of my favorite parts of the book take place as Percy takes the reader through a modern version of the Iliad. I was particularly entertained when Percy and Annabeth invoke the name of “Nobody” to enrage Polyphemus, the Cyclops guarding the Golden Fleece.

Aside from the world, the writing is also quality YA. Each chapter has a specific tension, conflict, or risk for the characters that keeps you engaged. These conflicts cover the whole spectrun and include a nice balance of action conflict with character driven tension. Also, Rick Riordan provides additional character development for Percy Jackson. In particular, he very subtly hints at Percy's "fatal flaw," the threat that looms over all classical heroes.

Again, I can't tout this series enough. I know a lot people have already discovered the books, for those who haven't pick them up soon.

Published (paperback) in 2006 by Scholastic. $4.99. Other books in the series: The Lightning Thief, The Titan's Curse, and The Battle of the Labyrinth (May 2008).

Vampire Crusader Knights hunt dow Vampire Nazis

This is basically the plot of a book I shouldn't have started reading while I was fixing my computer. I had to do a total wipe and reboot of my computer and started reading Knights of the Blood, by. Scott MacMillan, created by. Katherine Kurtz. I felt like I was reading a bad Sci Fi Channel Exclusive Movie.

Honestly, watching my computer count down the setup disks would have been more entertaining. The experience was kind of like the time I watched Dune the movie. It was late, I was teenager with insomnia. I didn't know anything about the book at the time and only started watching the movie because it starred Sting. I can still remember vividly telling myself every 30 minutes, "this has to get better, no movie is this awful." After what seemed like five hours of never getting better I went to bed.

Reading Knights of the Blood was exactly like watching Dune. Luckily I didn't force myself to finish the vampire book. I learned an important lesson though, don't pick up random books at the library.

P.S. If you really like the movie Dune, please don't take offense, there are a number of odd movies that I love. One word, Labyrinth.

Still looking for a new book

Going through one of those phases where everything I start gets boring after 50 pages. Tried a couple of novels by authors my friends really like, but unfortunately they didn't catch my interest. If you have any suggestions leave me a comment. I wanted to start a fantasy novel but that may change. Good news though, Name of the Wind is in paperback.

Review of Starcross, by Philip Reeve

Starcross, Philip Reeve’s second book about the Mumby family in British Victorian space, was as enjoyable as its predecessor, Larklight.

The sequel begins with the Mumby’s back home in orbit near the Moon. Life isn’t so rosy for the Mumby’s. Myrtle is disagreeable because Jack Havoc, the space pirate turned British secret agent hasn’t returned any of her love letters. Their home is also being renovated, and like many contractors, the Mymby’s is behind schedule.

They believe that their luck has changed when they receive an invitation to forget their remodeling woes and come holiday at the finest beach resort in the entire asteroid belt, Starcross.

When Art, Myrtle, and Mrs. Mumby arrive at Starcross ready for some quality relaxing and sea bathing, they quickly discover that this asteroid resort is full of mysteries and danger. Art, Myrtle, their mum, and their old pirate friends must once again save the British Empire from an invasion more frightening than giant white spiders.

This adventure carries them back to prehistoric Mars, into space for a swashbuckling chase on the open aether, and to the end of time. They must face off against mind controlling head gear, a French secret agent, gruesome robots, crocheting mercenaries, another megalomaniac from the Royal Xenological Society, and at times each other.

Starcross, like Larklight, keeps you grinning as Art and Myrtle bring their signature narration as loyal Victorian British subjects, God Save the Queen. The voice in these novels is quickly making this one of my all time favorite series.

Aside from Reeve’s delightful narrators, he has created a universe that is both endearing and utterly comical. For example, in this story he introduces the Thrells. These small goblin like people are mercenaries for hire with a passion for knitting. Their society’s single goal is to knit a great world-cozy that will cover their small planet. Such whimsical creativity by the author, makes this story pure merriment.

If you enjoyed Larklight, then make sure you quickly find time to read Starcross. And if you haven’t yet started this series, don’t dawdle. I am so happy I discovered this series during this long winter of no new Office episodes. These books have kept my laughter muscles well conditioned. Thankfully the third installment by Reeve is coming out in the fall—Hazah!

Published in 2007 by Bloomsbury. $16.95. Other books in the series: Larklight, and Mothstorm (Fall 2008).

Review of Foundling, by D. M. Cornish

The novel follows the adventures of Rosamund Bookchild. Rosamund is a boy who tries to overcome his first name in a world full of monsters and monster hunters. The novel tells of his adventures as he heads off for a position with the Lamplighters, servants of the Emperor who ensure that the road way lamps are maintained.

Along the way Rosamund encounters a host of humans and monsters that force both him and the reader to wonder, who are the monsters of Half-Continent? Is the captain of the Hogshead, an Ettin at a bridge, the mysterious monster hunter who can create and channel electricity from her body, or are any of the other host of characters Rosamund meets on his journey to the Lamplighters the real monsters in the novel? The tension around the monster question is one of the novel's best attributes.

The singular characteristics of Half-Continent also kept me engaged. The author has created a rich new world and culture and even provides the reader with a lengthy appendix of new words, maps, a calendar, and sketches of marine vessels and soldiers. Also, the author mixes alchemy and surgery to give humans amazing powers like wielding electricity. Such power comes at a great cost both physically and socially but may be the best defense against the monsters of Half-Continent.

Despite these strengths, I hesitate to recommend this book to others. There were two major problems that at times nearly made me stop reading. First, the novel lacks a traditional plot. Particularly, there is no central conflict guiding the character. Instead, the main character just has a destination, reaching the Lamplighters. If this was the intended conflict, then it wasn’t interesting enough to always maintain my attention.

The second issue stems from the characters. All of the characters are interesting by themselves but they interact often in unrealistic and forced ways. For example, near the end of the novel Rosamund receives a letter from a former friend. Early excerpts in the novel made it obvious that she cared about Rosamund. But in this letter the character expresses so much love and devotion that you are left wondering is this woman his mother or his lover. Unfortunately, forced and odd relationships seem standard and not the exception in this novel. Also, even some of the most interesting characters, like a young stuttering monster hunter, seem to be irrelevant to the story.

Even though, I was disappointed with the plot and the characters’ relationships, the world and the monsters kept me interested. I will read the sequel because I suspect that this book was just setting up the world and some of the characters for the next book.

Published in 2006 by Putnam Juvenile. $18.99. Other books in the series: Lamplighters.

Just started Starcross

This is sequel to Larklight. Only a couple of chapters into it and I am already laughing a lot. The complete title highlights why I find this series so enjoyable. Starcross: A Stirring Adventure of Spies, Time Travel and Curious Hats. I am excited to see who will be wearing such "curious hats."