Monday May 21

Posts Tagged ‘fantasy’

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

A Librarian Reads the Warlock

Tuesday, June 14th, 2011

The Warlock by Michael Scott

This is the fifth and next to last book in the series so I won’t touch upon the plot so as not to give away spoilers. If you are reading this post you are probably fans of the The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series. The Warlock continues the adventures of Sophie and Josh and makes up for the disappointment that was the previous book, The Necromancer.

The characters discover lots of secrets and there is plenty of plot twists. But what I enjoyed most is the fact that most of the characters, and especially Sophie and Josh, actually grow as people. In the last book the characters were static and moved around only to set up the next book in the series. So it is a happy surprise and this fifth book exceeds expectations. The Warlock also has made me excited for the conclusion in the Enchantress, out sometime next year.

The Warlock is recommended for fans of adventure and fantasy and appropriate for all ages.

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in A Librarian Reads | Comments Off

A Librarian Reads Akata Witch

Monday, May 16th, 2011

Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor

Sunny is a Nigerian American. She had lived in the United States until she was 9 when her parents quickly moved back to Nigeria. Now she is 13 and is growing up. She goes to school but is often picked on because of her skin color.

See, Sunny is an albino. She has pink eyes, and pale white skin even though she is from African descent. The kids in her class tease her and call her ‘akata witch’; a very offensive term that is used for African-Americans.

One day after a fight she befriends Orlu, a boy who stood up for her and tried to protect her. Orlu soon introduces Sunny to ChiChi, another girl in their neighborhood. Chichi doesn’t attend school and lives in a small unkempt house. Orlu and Chichi share a very special secret; they can practice juju, a kind of magic. They think Sunny can too.

Soon Sunny is initiated into the hidden world of magic. She begins to attend magic school and learns about her spirit face, juju knives, and masquerades that can summon dark spirits.  The three of them are soon joined by another boy named Sasha who is also from America. What the four of them do not know is that the magic elders plan for them to defeat an evil sorcerer who is murdering children in order to summon an evil spirit.

Can Sunny learn enough magic in time to help her friends? And if she does will she be brave enough? Sunny will have to truly know herself to do her best, but how do you do that when you are just a thirteen year old girl in a new magical and menacing new world?

Akata Witch is a beautiful book about magic, mysticism and discovering your family roots. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about other cultures or who loves magic and fantasy. It is appropriate for ages 12 and up.

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in A Librarian Reads | Comments Off

A Librarian Reads Wise Man’s Fear

Tuesday, May 10th, 2011

The Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss

Note: This is the second book that follows the adventures of a young man who seeks to learn magic in order to face the evil Chandrian. See the review for The Name of the Wind for more of a synopsis of the main story.

Kvothe continues telling his life’s tale in the second volume of the Kingkiller Chronicles.  This book follows the same formula that the last third of the first book (The Name of the Wind) created: Kvothe goes off and gets in to adventures, learns some new lessons, exaggerates his successes, and vainly struggles to find anything to get him to his ultimate goal: revenge for his slain family.

I highly enjoyed Kvothe’s journey, but felt that there was no satisfying resolution to this volume. Kvothe grew and changed in the first book. In the second he is already a resourceful hero and just uses that resourcefulness in new and different ways. Sure he learns things, but how has he really grown?

On the other side there are some excellent action sequences, and learning about the Adem warriors is fascinating. The storyline that follows the older Kvothe who is narrating the main story is also engaging, mostly because he doesn’t have all the answers and is vulnerable.

In the end, fans of the first one will love this one even if it does read like filler that will set up the third book. It is recommended for all fans of fantasy, but appropriate for ages 16 and up due to some extreme violence and intimate situations.

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in A Librarian Reads | Comments Off

A Librarian Reads The Name of the Wind

Wednesday, April 13th, 2011

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

Kvothe is a young boy who lives amongst a traveling troupe of performers. His parents lead the band of actors, musicians, and entertainers. His parents even write their own songs. His father is working on a specific song about ancient times and dark enemies. Also amongst the group is Kvothe’s best friend, an arcanist named Ben who educates him about the world and even common magic. Kvothe is inspired to learn all he can and longs to study at the University to become an arcanist as well.

But one day Kvothe decides to explore a nearby woods. Upon his return he discovers the whole troupe including his parents murdered. Seven unnatural men sit amongst the ruins and the flames, the Chandrian. These are the boogeymen that parents tell their children about. They shouldn’t be real. But they are and have slaughtered Kvothe’s family and friends for a purpose: they want to keep knowledge about themselves secret, especially anyone who would write a song about them.

They leave Kvothe alive and disappear as quickly as they came. With no money, friends, or family Kvothe becomes a street urchin in a nearby city. He steals food to eat, and sleeps on roofs. His life is all but meaningless. But he still dreams of the University. There he knows he can learn magic, and even ancient power like the name of the wind. By knowing somethings true name you can control it. Kvothe figures if he can learn this special kind of magic then he track down the secret the Chandrian are trying to keep secret.

But what will it take to turn a homeless boy into a wizard? How can he afford school? How can he even compete with students who are older, wiser, and above all richer then him? Kvothe will have to rely on his determination, ingenuity and a bit of luck to see his dreams come true.

The Name of the Wind is one of my favorite books; one that I have read multiple times. I recommend it for anyone who loves fantasy and magic or giant epic adventures. It is a big book, but once I started reading i found it very hard to put down. It is appropriate for ages 14 and up.

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in A Librarian Reads | Comments Off

A Librarian Reads Boneshaker

Monday, January 17th, 2011

Boneshaker by Cherie Priest

It is 1880 and the American Civil War has been raging for 20 years. Zeke is a young boy who lives in the Outskirts, a ramshackle town outside of the 200 foot tall wall that encircles downtown Seattle. What Zeke wants most in his life is to know what happened to his father.

Sixteen years ago Zeke’s father, Dr. Levi Blue, invented a mining machine called the Boneshaker. While testing the machine, Levi lost control of it and drilled deep holes under most of Seattle. The whole financial district physically collapsed and mass hysteria ensued. But no one noticed the Blight until is was too late. The Blight is an underground gas that was released by the Boneshaker’s runaway drilling. Odorless and colorless (unless viewed through polarized glass) the Blight rots everything it touches and poisons any human who breathes it. Once dead from the Blight, the corpses rise again to devour human flesh. The only way to stop the zombies and the escaping gas was to build a barrier between Seattle and the rest of the world.

Everyone blames Levi Blue for the disaster and shuns Zeke and his mother, Briar. They live hand to mouth but Zeke wants more from his life. The only way to get away from all the blame is to find out what really happened with his father, and if possible prove his innocence. Unfortunately, his mother won’t speak about the past. Zeke makes up his mind and decides to brave the Blight and the zombies and go into the poisoned part of Seattle. What he doesn’t know is that people still thrive behind the wall, especially an evil scientist named Dr. Minnericht, who is known for his wonderful inventions; inventions that rival the Boneshaker. Most of all what he doesn’t know is that his mother will chase after him and risk her own life to make sure he is safe. A  mother and a son will have to brave their ways across the city in order to find one another and ultimately the truth of what happened sixteen years ago. But between the zombie horde and Minnericht’s henchmen they might not stand much of a chance at all.

Boneshaker is an excellent  book, and a wonderful story of family and adventure. It is a must read for steampunk fans. It is appropriate for all ages. and highly recommended.

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in A Librarian Reads | Comments Off

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »