Favorite Authors, Part 2

Sherri S. Tepper

Of her many books, I have read A Plague of Angels, The Companions, Beauty, and The Margarets. I picked up A Plague of Angels at the library simply because I liked the title. I found the beginning of the story a bit slow, but I kept reading anyway, and I didn't regret it. I read The Companions next. A SciFi mystery of sorts with a very detailed set of worlds. The same could be said of The Margarets. Both are very much worth reading. Beauty is very different from the other three. It is all your standard fairy tales, retold in one book and in a very unusual way.

My only complaint: In one aspect of these stories, I found them a bit unoriginal. For those unfamiliar with SciFi, I will explain. A somewhat common theme in this genre is what will happen to the Earth if humans don't take care of it. It seems a popular idea to have humanity living in squashed highrises with hundreds of stories (buildings made possible by the technology of the future, of course) with population control laws in effect. Sherri S. Tepper apparently agrees with her peers. This doom and gloom approach gets a bit tedious after the 6th book from the 3rd author...

And I do suggest, if should decide to read one of her books, to start with The Margarets or The Companions. Of those I've read, they're my favorites.

Ovreall Rating: Several Stars

Favorite Authors, Part 1

Brandon Sanderson

His first book, Elantris, was a solid sci fi/fantasy story. Nothing grand, but very entertaining with a few twists thrown in. The most impressive thing about it, in my opinion, is that it is not part of a trilogy or a series. It is just one book. I don't remember the last time I read a novel that was not part of an epic tale spanning several years and what seems like endless books. (Not that there's anything wrong with three...or four...or five books, but sometimes the unusual is refreshing.)

The second book I read, Mistborn, was (you guessed it) the first book of a trilogy. But oh, what a trilogy. The world he created for this series (Consisting of Mistborn, The Well of Ascension, and Hero of Ages) is so very detailed it boggles the mind. (Yes, I said it. There will be boggling. Deal with it.) There is an amazingly thought out magic system (complete with a chart in the back, for those who like that sort of thing), an amazing variety of creatures, and of course, an evil nemesis. And in the midst of all of these details, there are twists. Think jaw dropping twists. Especially in the third book, where the origins of everything (and I do mean everything) are revealed. One slow, agonizing piece at a time...

This is the very same author who has been chosen to finish Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series (now on book 12. 12. What is that all about?). Before I discovered this fact, I thought I might, maybe, read book 12, just so I wouldn't feel as if I'd wasted all those hours reading the first 11. Just for the sake of closure. But now...I will certainly read it, because I know it will be a book I won't be able to put down.

Where's My Happily Ever After?

So I just finished all three books that are currently in the Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead (the fourth book is scheduled to come out on 8/25/09), and here is my complaint. There is no happy ending. And no conceivable happy ending in sight. Do I expect every book to have a happy ending? Of course not. Some of my favorite books have bittersweet or downright depressing endings. But this time, I was looking for fluff. Not serious reading or great literature, just a quick read with an entertaining plot. Fluff, to me, includes a satisfyingly happy or, at the very least, ambiguous resolution (side note: is ambiguous resolution an oxymoron?). The end of the third book? NOT HAPPY*. Where's my warm fuzzy feeling that usually comes with fluff? Fuzz and fluff are relatives after all...

*Now, this is not to say that I am unhappy with the series as a whole...I liked it...I would consider reading it again...dependent on the outcome of the 4th book, which I am planning on reading. I hope my warm fuzzy feeling is not lacking this time, but I'll be sure to let you know...

A Few of My Favorite Things

Thing One: C. O. Bigelow Chapped Hands Remedy

My hands have a tendency to get dry in the winter. Really dry. Painful, cracked, and bleeding dry. I tried every heavy duty lotion I could find, I put on thick layers of said lotion and slept in gloves, and applied the icky stuff multiple times a day (I hate the feel of most lotions). Nothing worked. Until this. I put on a thin layer of Chapped Hands Remedy every night and it works wonders. I don't even have to reapply during the day. It smells nice too. Kind of lemony, and definitely non-girly, so if your man has rough hands, buy him some. It's a bit expensive, but one bottle lasts for quite a while. Of course, I do have abnormally small hands, so that might have something to do with it...

Thing Two: Gaelic Storm

Think traditional Irish music meets Blue Collar Comedy Tour. The music is well played and some of it is quite funny, but the band members themselves could make a living as a comedy group, never mind the music.

Thing Three: Maggie Moo's

For those who haven't been, Maggie Moo's is like Cold Stone Creamery. They take whatever ice cream you want and mix in whatever combination of toppings you would like to add. As someone who prefers ice cream of moderate richness, I find Cold Stone too creamy. Maggie Moo's is just right. I also appreciate that they have ice cream cupcakes. I love ice cream cake, but I will eat way to much if I get a whole one (I don't believe in wasting desert). Even if you love Cold Stone, you should give Maggie Moo's a shot.