Small Gods by Terry Pratchett (Discworld #13: Standalone)

Small Gods by Terry Pratchett

I don’t even know how to express just how much I loved Small Gods. I really, really, really enjoyed reading this. Sure, that may have been because my boyfriend’s great love of turtles has rubbed off on me. It may have been a devious glee at the thought of a petulant little god who never considered that he should do anything for his believers. The great library and the hilarious stereotype of the philosophers in Ephebe certainly didn’t hurt. Nor did the penguin. Or the history monk. Vorbis was creepy as hell, which added a slight touch of reality. Seriously, go read this. Now. Go!
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Review: Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay

Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay

This is a beautiful book. It has a majesty and stateliness to it that seems to be missed by most fantasy authors. The story is beautifully told, despite a few pacing issues and some patches of inconsistent writing.

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Review: Catch-22 by Joseph Heller

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller

Catch-22 falls into the category of books I can’t believe I didn’t read sooner. I loved this book. It made me laugh aloud multiple times. Reading it so soon after All Quiet on the Western Front added a sort of poignancy, but did not in any way detract from my ability to enjoy and be amused by the antics of Yossarian and the others. The name Major Major Major was one I have long heard, but now can truly understand. Milo, the black marketeer operating out of the camp’s mess hall is one of my favorite characters. Among other antics, he is frequently involved in different incidents on both sides, the American and the German, but he keeps himself in good with both by telling everyone they are “part of the syndicate and everyone gets a share.” The highly confused chaplain who just wants to go home to his wife and children is another favorite. The book is not always so lighthearted though; there are some scenes which are filled with horror, and when they came along I found myself consistently shocked. They are mixed in skillfully, though, and added to the story while still being jarring. Overall, this is a smart, funny book which deserves its place in the canon.

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Review: Leviathan Wakes by James SA Corey

Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey

I cannot think when I last read a new science fiction book that I enjoyed as much as Leviathan Wakes. Because I read several books at once, I rarely sit down and read a book from start to finish, but I did with this one. It grabbed my attention early, and the story unfolded at a consistent enough pace that it never lost me. There is a fair amount of scientific detail and background, but it’s blended in in such a way as to not detract from the overall book.

(I will now have this nerd moment: ZOMG, zombies! In space!!!.)

If you like sci fi at all, read this.

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Review: Perdido Street Station

Perdido Street Station by China Miéville
My rating: 0.5 of 5 stars

Interesting story, more for some of the creatures than the overall plot. The writing has that major drawback that seems to be prevalent in fantasy; repetition. There was a lot of people hissing, growling, etc. There were also a couple of characters who seemed to primarily be included for the furthering of the plot, without being well fleshed out, or even worse, being disposed of in half-hearted ways. It it left me feeling a bit grimy.

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Best & Worst Books I Read in 2011

So, this is the time of year everyone posts their best & worst lists together. I decided to get in on that. After the jump, you can find my list. Each item has a link to my explanation for why it’s here. Enjoy!

Review: The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien

The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien

Incredible. Parts of “How to Tell a True War Story” come to mind regularly. I love Tim O’Brien‘s writing. Those were the three things I had to say about The Things They Carried when I initially “reviewed” this book. I hold to all of those. This is my third reading and I found the book even better than it was eleven years ago. “How to Tell a True War Story” has probably influenced my views on writing and literature more than anything else I have ever read. There is a beautiful clarity and painful honesty that permeates this book. I can’t say enough good things about it.

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Review: The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist

The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist

The Unit is the saddest piece of dystopian fiction I have ever read. Normally the genre leaves me angry or frightened or feeling the need for a good shower, but this made me feel heartbroken. The Unit is a place where women who have reached the age of 50 and men who have reached the age of 60 without having children are sent to live in order to participate in “humane” experiments and act as organ donors for the so-called needed. These people are known as dispensable.

Review: Parasol Protectorate (Books 1-4) by Gail Carriger

The Parasol Protectorate by Gail Carriger is a delightful intertwining of the Regency/Victorian romance and werewolf/vampire romps. It does not take itself seriously and has a pack, pun fully intended, of amusing characters. After the jump you’ll find reviews of the first 4 books. The 5th is scheduled for publication in March 2012.

Review: The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

Locke Lamora is what Oliver Twist could have been, had he not been so impossibly perfectly naive to the point of stupidity and dull innocent. Actually, I suppose one would have to say Locke has more in common with The Artful Dodger. An orphan who becomes a skilled thief, but with far more intelligence and skill. And burning down of large inns. In The Lies of Locke Lamora Scott Lynch creates a cast of characters who you’ll love and who will make you laugh. An equisite work of fantasy that overlaps heavily with the action genre, I highly recommend this work to anyone who likes their characters to be badass and have questionable motives.

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