The Edge

New Moon, by Stephenie Meyer

Book Read: June 2007

Edward stood, motionless as a statue, just a few feet from the mouth of the alley. His eyes were closed, the rings underneath them deep purple, his arms relaxed at his sides, his palms turned forward. His expression was very peaceful, like he was dreaming pleasant things. The marble skin of his chest was bare -- there was a small pile of white fabric at his feet. The light reflecting from the pavement of the square gleamed dimly from his skin.

I'd never seen anything more beautiful -- even as I ran, gasping and screaming, I could appreciate that. And the last seven months meant nothing. And his words in the forest meant nothing. And it did not matter if he did not want me. I would never want anything but him, no matter how long I lived."

~New Moon, Stephenie Meyer

So ... New Moon ... the sequel to my much-beloved Twilight. This book makes it hard for me to summarize my own thoughts in a coherent manner. I don't quite know where to start, so I guess I'll just jump right in with little to no preamble.

I guess a bit of a summary is in order. After the events in Twilight, New Moon opens in a fairly conventional way -- one that we would expect. Edward and Bella are still together, still very much in love -- that kind of love where you hear birds singing all the time and the world seems to hold an extra bit of sparkle. In short, "young love". It's the perfect fairy tale, except for the fact that she is human and he is a vampire. Even that doesn't seem to stop them, but, sadly, real life intrudes. A frightening incident occurs at the beginning of this story, leading Edward to a heartbreaking decision. He must leave Bella. For her own good. He does so, throwing Bella into something akin to the firey pits of her own personal hell. Slowly, she manages to pull herself out of the depression. Sort of. She knows life will never be the same, but she tries to go on. She eventually befriends one of the Native American teenagers on the nearby reservation. His father and Bella's father are old friends -- so close to each other that they are practically family. This friendship seems to help Bella recover, until she realizes that her new friend carries a very dark secret -- one that might destroy them both. Add that to the fact that Bella seems to be a veritable magnet for doom and disaster, and, then, Edward's reappearance, and you have the recipe for a very entertaining and enjoyable story, indeed.

I need to say, up front, that New Moon both enchanted and infuriated me. Never have I so enjoyed a book that I also found so terribly tedious at times. I tore through the first book -- quite literally -- reading it in only two days. This might not be fast for some people, but it is for me. Especially since I currently have houseguests, home renovations, and a toddler with which to contend. Needless to say, I can't exactly spend every moment of the day reading. But this was exactly what I did with Twilight. Literally, I could not put that book down.

I was expecting the same with New Moon, but it wasn't the case. I still managed to get through it in a bit under a week, but it took me a lot longer, and it felt more like slogging through something because I had to, rather than because I wanted to. I'm not sure this makes much sense, so let me say again: Overall, I enjoyed this book. A Lot. But not as much as Twilight.

I think the stumbling block in this book, for me, was that Edward was so very, very absent for most of it. I hadn't realized how attached I had become to him as a character. He and his family are so very interesting and complex. So very entertaining. Unfortunately, when he took his leave of Bella, he also took his leave of the story, since the tale is told through Bella's eyes and voice. It's not that I strictly dislike Bella. It's more that I don't care as much about her. She spends a lot of time moping in this book, which is understandable. And a lot of time trying to spring back into some form of a life, which is also understandable. But, she uses her new-found friend and the feelings he has for her as a crutch. A way to make herself feel better about life. Until she feels she can't get through a day without this friend who has come to mean so much to her. And, this, I did not like. On a couple of levels. For one thing, it seemed cruel and very selfish -- two things I would not have expected from Bella. For another, it almost seemed like a betrayal of the way she feels for Edward. If she loves him ... if he is her destiny ... if she truly believes he is the only one in the world for her ... how can she even think about starting over with someone new? Although I figure I am probably being unfair to poor Bella -- after all, it is entirely human to want to go back to "normal", even when you know "normal" is totally out of reach -- I have to admit that these things irritated me. Also, to me, Bella just isn't a very interesting character. I have a hard time figuring out what the attraction is about her. Why all the supernatural beings around her want to spend their time saving her. So often, it seems like they would be better off just making her into a snack pack and being done with the whole thing. Often, the most interesting thing about her is her relationship with Edward. There was just enough of that left, albeit one-sided from her point of view, to hold my interest through the vast majority of this book. At least, until page 452, which is where Edward, finally, makes his entrance back into the story. And, I can tell you -- never have I been so very glad to see a fictional character. Well, you know, figuratively speaking, of course.

All in all, I enjoyed New Moon. I thought the pacing was good. The plot was enjoyable. And the book is easy to read. Even with Edward's absence and Bella's more irritating qualities, it was a story that drew me in. At the same time, I liked Twilight so, so much more. I think I could have loved New Moon just as much, if only it had contained more of the friendly vampires I had come to love through the first book. I believe I felt their absence almost as keenly as Bella did.

X-posted to GJ

Yep, another tardy "book report".

Persuader, by Lee Child

Book Read: June, 2007

Time stood still.

I stared at the cop. He was on his back in the gutter. His whole chest was a mess of red. It was all over him. There was no welling or pumping. No sign of a heartbeat. There was a big ragged hole in his shirt. He was completely still. His head was turned and his cheek was hard against the blacktop. His arms were flung out and I could see pale veins in his hands. I was ware of the blackness of the road and the vivid green of the grass and the bright blue of the sky. I could hear the thrill of the breeze in the new leaves over the gunshots sill roaring in my ears. I saw the skinny kid staring out through my van’s windshield at the downed cop and then staring at me. I saw the college security cruiser coming left out of the gate. It was moving slower than it should have been. Dozens of shots had been fired. Maybe they were worried about where their jurisdiction began and where it ended. Maybe they were just scared. I saw their pale pink faces behind their windshield. They were turned in my direction. Their car was doing maybe fifteen miles an hour. It was crawling straight at me. I glanced at the gold shield in the gutter. The metal was worn smooth by a lifetime of use. I glanced at my van. Stood completely still. One thing I learned a long time ago is that it’s easy enough to shoot a man. But there’s absolutely no way to unshoot one.

Jack Reacher, “Persuader” by Lee Child

( Read more... )

The charge was nearing the line of those Genoese who had died in the arrow storm. To Thomas, staring down the hill, the attack was a flurry of garish horse trappers and bright shields, of painted lances and streaming pennants, and now, because the horses had climbed out of the wet ground, every archer could hear the hooves that were louder even than the enemy's kettledrums. The ground was quivering so that Thomas could feel the vibration through the worn soles of his boots that had been a gift from Sir Guillaume. He looked for the three hawks, but could not see them, then forgot Sir Guillaume as his left leg went forward and his right arm hauled back. The arrow's feathers were beside his mouth and he kissed them, then fixed his gaze on a man who carried a black and yellow shield.
~ The Archer's Tale, Bernard Cornwell

The Archer's Tale, the first book in Bernard Cornwell's Grail Quest Series, opens with the sacking of Hookton, a small English village, on Easter eve, 1342. During this raid, the village's holy relic, The Lance of St. George, is stolen by a mysterious man wearing black armor. The main character, Thomas, who is the bastard son of Hookton's priest, is the only survivor. He was never fond of his father, but, during the early morning hours after the attackers withdraw from Hookton, he finds himself kneeling next to his dying father, promising to avenge his death and retrieve the holy relic stolen from Hookton. It is a promise Thomas will come to regret, but on that spring day, it seems an easy enough vow to make to comfort a dying man.

The problem, Thomas quickly realizes, is that he has no idea who took the lance, no idea where it was taken, and no idea how to find it. He doesn't even know where to start looking. Instead, he joins a band of archers and goes off to war, fulfilling his dream of becoming an archer, fighting for England against the French.

Thomas quickly forgets his vow. He loves his work, and he loves the chaos and destruction of war. But, his vow was more than just a promise made to his dying father; it was a promise to God, and such vows have a way of sticking to you, no matter how much you wish otherwise ... as Thomas quickly learns.

Yep, I'm back with yet another historical novel. Looks like these might be my "thing" for the spring, or something. And, for historical fiction, I really can't think of any author I'd rather spend time with than Bernard Cornwell. And, I have to say, The Archer's Tale did not disappoint.

I liked the book quite a lot, although it took me longer to get into the story than was the case with his Saxon Novels. I have to admit that, at first, I did not like Thomas. He is a complex character, and, to me, it was difficult to feel like I knew him or could identify with him. The story is action-packed, and Mr. Cornwell has this ability of making the places come to life and the battle scenes scream off the page. I felt as if I was sitting in the middle of all of it, hearing the clash of sword on sword, the thumping of hooves, the screams of the men. Sights, sounds, and smells are all written with such vivid clarity that I found myself drawn into the story, despite my lack of empathy for Thomas.

By the midpoint of the novel, though, I realized I had sold Thomas a bit short. Yes, it was hard to feel that I knew or understood him as a character. And, yes, that made it difficult for me to identify with him. But, this came to make sense as I realized that Thomas wasn't hiding from me ... he was hiding from himself. As the novel progressed, I saw Thomas mature as a person, an archer, and a soldier, and I also saw him come face-to-face with his own life and the quest laid upon him. Needless to say, by the end of the book, I came to admire and appreciate Thomas as a complex, multi-dimensional character, and I am looking forward to reading the rest of this series.

It was Svein, himself. Svein of the White Horse, and he turned the white horse and spurred toward me with his sword in his right hand. I could hear the hooves thumping, see the clods of wet turf flying behind, see the stallion's mane tossing, and I could see Svein's boar-masked helmet above the rim of his shield. Man and horse coming for me, and the Danes were jeering and just then Pyrlig shouted at me. "Uhtred! Uhtred!"
~The Pale Horseman, Bernard Cornwell

The Pale Horseman, the second book in Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Tales series, begins in the Spring of 877 and ends with the final battle between Alfred's forces and the Danes, culminating in Alfred's victory, which drove the Danish forces from Wessex and assured that kingdom's independence.

This story, as the first book in the series, continues from Uhtred's point of view. It is Alfred's story, but, in so many ways, it is even more Uhtred's story. This book, in the midst of all the fighting and politicking that occurs in the formation of a kingdom, also manages to further explore Uhtred's character and his tenuous relationship to Alfred.

We see Uhtred become a father and husband, even as his relationship with his wife -- who was forced on him by Alfred -- begins to wear thin and ragged. They are two personalities that are too distinct and too strong to co-exist. Each is adamant in their beliefs: Christianity for Uhtred's wife, and the pagan worship to which Uhtred has given himself. And, they are both too stubborn and proud to give way. Although they enjoyed a somewhat happy time together at the start of their marriage, Uhtred quickly tires of the kind of sedentary life Alfred desires for him. He is a savage man, wild and yearning for constant change, and he chafes at the constraints life in Wessex places upon him.

Mirroring the interaction he has with his wife, Uhtred's relationship with Alfred begins to deteriorate. It becomes more and more obvious that Uhtred neither respects nor likes Alfred. And, in many ways, those feelings are probably mutual. Uhtred is a skilled soldier, though, and a man who, in Alfred's opinion, is too brutal and valuable to set free. Thus, he continually conspires to keep Uhtred bound to him.

Fate seems to agree with Alfred. Each time Uhtred feels he will, finally, escape the bonds Alfred has put on him, Fate intervenes, tossing him once more into the path and servitude of the King of Wessex. In the end, Uhtred is forced to decide who and what he is. His heart might lie with the Danes, but he comes to realize he is a Saxon, and nothing can change that. As Uhtred is fond of saying: Fate is inexorable.

I found this book to be every bit as enjoyable and engaging as its predecessor, something that can be fairly rare in a book series. When I read a series of books, I often find I like the first book quite a lot, only to be a bit disappointed in the second. Not the case here, though. This book was every bit as brutal, violent, and action-packed as The Last Kingdom, and it also took the time to delve deeper into Uhtred's thoughts, desires, and life. I enjoyed that quite a lot, and I find I like Uhtred more and more with the turning of each page.

Some long over-due thoughts on Black Powder War. I finished the book a couple of weeks ago, but just haven't taken the time to jot down my thoughts until now.

This is the third installment in the Temeraire series by Naomi Novik, and tracks Temeraire and Lawrence as they travel home from China -- the long way. After receiving urgent orders to pick up some dragon eggs in Istanbul, Lawrence, Temeraire, and crew are forced to go overland, instead of returning to England by sea, as they had hoped. The journey is long and fraught with peril, from feral dragons -- who turn out to be a lot friendlier and more helpful than anyone had expected -- to unexpectedly flying, literally, into the very teeth of the war with Napoleon. They end up facing off with their nemesis from China, a white dragon named Lien, who blames them for the death of her human companion and has decided to fight for the French in order to gain revenge. And, they learn she is a much more formidable foe than they had initially given her credit for being. Not only is she determined, but she isn't satisfied with just killing Lawrence or Temeraire. She wants to see them suffer as she has, which means the loss of everything and everyone precious to them. By the end of the book, they still haven't made it home to England, but they have managed to evade their pursuers and are headed in the right direction. It seems they can practically smell the green of England's shores. Or, Scotland, as it were, as I believe that's where their covert is located. At any rate, you get the sense they are not far from home, and they are eager to return to familiar territory.

I have to admit, I was not quite as fond of this book as I was of the first two. I don't know why, really, but it left me with a rather hollow feeling by the end. Perhaps it was because, for all their struggle, they didn't seem to accomplish much of anything. They did manage to get the eggs they were sent after, although tragedy befell one of them. And, they did manage to get away from Lien and the French, although you know there will be many more encounters on that front in the future -- so nothing is resolved there, either ... not even in a small way. After hanging with them throughout the entire book, we don't even get the satisfaction of seeing them actually reach home, which would have been something. A small something, but something, nonetheless.

The relationship between Lawrence and Temeraire, as always, was wonderful -- warm and, yet, also fraught with some irritation and strain, just as you would expect from two friends who are living through the direst of circumstances. Stress like that can strain even the most solid relationship, and I thought the little struggles they endured lent a sense of realism to their friendship. In this book, I think the reader finally begins to see how complex their relationship is. There is a lot of depth there, and Ms. Novik explores that with flair and finesse.

The same goes for the relationship between Temeraire and his crew, and Temeraire and his fellow dragons. You get the sense that Temeraire, for all his power and strength, is still very much learning the ways of the world. I think Ms. Novik does a splendid job of balancing those two things -- huge, hulking strength and the innocence of a being that still has much to see in the world.

I liked the way Lien plotted and planned for her revenge, too. I believe it gave her quite a lot of depth as a character, and I'm looking forward to seeing more of her in the rest of the saga. Even though she has allied herself so brutally against our heroes, you can feel the sorrow that drives her rage. She has lost everything, and she can't see past that. She just wants everyone in the world to hurt like she does. Who among us hasn't felt that way a time or two? It's easy to understand her, and, really, I think Ms. Novik manages to paint her as a very sympathetic character. This isn't a story with any cut-and-dried bad guys here, and I like that.

All in all, a good read that I enjoyed. And, although not my favorite out of the series, I felt it pushed the story along, and it left me eagerly awaiting the next book.

I finished reading Diary, by Chuck Palahniuk, a couple of weeks ago, but I rather neglected putting any of my thoughts in here. Mainly because I could not figure out exactly what I thought about this book. I figured I would give myself some time to figure things out. Which I did.

...

So, now, two weeks later, I can say, with a straight face, that I have no idea what I think about this book. Don't get me wrong. It's not a bad book. It's well-written and, well, a rather fascinating look at the "descent into madness" that comes with being creative or seriously pursuing any creative endeavor. The obsession ... the pain ... the torture of the creative mindset. Of course, in Diary these things mainfest themselves very literally, in the physical world and body of the main character, Misty Marie Wilmot. The thing that makes this story so fascinating (in that "can't-look-away-from-the-train-wreck" sort of way) is that Misty has a generous helping hand along her pathway toward creative obsession, from her in-laws and the rest of the people on the tiny island where she lives. An island she is supposed to, somehow, "save" with her art. The book ends in a hugely surprising, grand fashion that was ... well, shocking. I kind of hate to admit it managed to shock me. I mean, considering everything else that happened during this story, I should not have been surprised at anything. And yet, I was. Very surprised.

All in all, this one is a worthy read, although I hesitate to recommend it. I mean, it's a book you will either love or hate, I suspect. And, if you like to look for meaning in the fiction you read, you won't find it in here. In true nihilistic fashion, this book points out the oddity of life and the way in which most of our actions, in the end, have no meaning -- no matter how much we like to believe otherwise.

I will say, though, that I, literally, could not put this book down. I felt a bit awkward and ashamed at the very intimate portrait of the twisted lives and desires contained within its covers, but, even so, I could not look away. The story and writing style captivated me and kept me turning the pages, even when I wasn't sure I wanted to.

I just finished reading His Majesty's Dragon.

Needless to say, I enjoyed it immensely. I stayed up until 3 in the blessed AM to finish it, after all! Plus, it lured me away from my self-imposed "writing time". Grr. Still, only a really terrific book could do that. This one fit the bill, too. I can't wait to read the next one in the series.

I loved Temeraire, the dragon character. I particularly loved how ungodly smart he was. And, the relationship between him and his "person", Laurence, was delightful, heartwarming, and so incredibly sincere. I think it's one of the best "friendship" or "buddy" stories I've read in a long time, made even more so by the fact that this is a friendship between two completely different species. I also liked the camaraderie the author wrote into the Aerial Corps. It would make sense that people so attached to these amazing creatures would form a very informal way of dealing with each other. And, it also makes complete sense that they would, over time, form a very tight-knit association. I found Laurence's induction into the Corps very interesting and well-written. It gave me those feelings of coming to a new place or a new part of my life, without knowing what to expect. Not sure if that makes any sense or not, but ... *shrug*. I enjoyed the way he had to work into the "fellowship" of the Corps, which makes so much more sense than having him fit in right off the bat. I mean, he was from a completely different branch of the service, after all.

The one big drawback to the book, for me, was Laurence, himself. I have to confess, even after slogging through several battles, uncomfortable social situations, and 342 pages with him, I don't think I care for the man. Which is too bad, since he's one of the main characters. If it wasn't for his devotion to and relationship with Temeraire, I am not sure I would have been able to read the book. I found Laurence to be too stiff and stodgy, and too concerned with appearance. He seemed like such a pompous jerk most of the time. Although, I suppose his formality and way of approaching those around him makes sense, considering his upbringing and status in society. Even so, I found it hard to develop any sort of attachment to him as a character. I think he was beginning to loosen up quite a bit by the end of the book, so I'm hoping he'll be easier to take in the second book.

But, Temeraire ... so, so wonderful! Did I mention I loved that character? *grin*