Monday May 21

Posts Tagged ‘magic’

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

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 The Mermaid’s Mirror

Tuesday, March 8th, 2011

The Mermaid’s Mirror by L.K. Madigan

Lena just turned sixteen, has a boyfriend, and is in love with the ocean; everything a Pacific Coast girl could want. But something is changing within her. Lena finds herself sleepwalking to the beach in the middle of the night. When she looks at waves she gets lost in their hypnotic rhythm. She may even be hearing voices whispering her name.

Lena thinks she is going crazy. She even stats looking for more ways to spend time in the ocean, such as learning to surf. Her father has always forbidden her to surf because of an old accident he had years ago. He is so scared of the ocean he won’t even go near the beach. By defying her father’s wishes Lena  will not only learn to surf but discover a secret about her biological mother who died when Lena was still young.

Once the secret is out Lena must choose who she is and where she belongs, because under the tide there is a song that calls to her. If she is brave enough, Lena will discover what she would sacrifice for those she loves. But will she be able to live her life afterwards?

The Mermaid’s Mirror is a wonderful story about family and growing up. It is highly recommended and appropriate for all ages.

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

A Librarian Reads The Sword

Monday, January 31st, 2011

The Sword by the Luna Brothers

Dara Brighton lost the use of her legs in a car accident when she was sixteen. Now she is an art student in college and has come to terms with her new life. Her family has always been supportive. Her sister helped her believe in herself, her mother taught her never to give up, and her father taught her kindness and perseverance. Dara and her family are about to sit down for the evening meal when everything comes to an screeching halt.

Three strangers appear at their door. They claim Dara’s father is a man named Demetrios and that he possesses a sword that rightfully belongs to them. When her father explains he doesn’t know what she is talking about the three strangers start killing each family member with supernatural powers. One controls the earth, another water. The last one, a woman, controls the air. Dara watches her mother and sister die. Then the strangers attack her father, yet he still claims he has no knowledge of a sword. Once he is dead they turn to Dara. But the house has caught fire in the melee. The roof collapses on Dara. Assuming she is dead, the strangers leave empty handed.

But Dara is alive. The collapsing roof fell through the floor and took her with it. She struggles away from the wreckage and finds herself in a crawl space under the house. She is injured and burned. But then she sees the sword. When she grabs it she is magically healed. She can even walk again. Soon she discovers that the sword gives her superpowers. She then decides to hunt down the three strangers and make them pay for murdering her family. But along the way she will discover harsh truths about her father and herself. Will she be able to kill? And if so will she be able to live with herself?

The Sword is an excellent graphic novel and is gathered in four volumes. The artwork is superb and the story is riveting. It is recommended for all comic book fans and is appropriate for ages 16 and up due to some violent scenes.

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

A Librarian Reads The Necromancer

Monday, August 2nd, 2010

necromancer1The Necromancer by Micheal Scott

In book 4 of The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, the twins, Sophie and Josh, continue their quest to learn the four elemental magics in order to stop the Dark Elders from taking over the Earth.

If you have read this far into the series you know what to expect: magic, action, and a colorful cast of characters from every age of human history.

This latest installment keeps true to the past books, but unfortunately at this point it feels like the story is just treading water and waiting for its conclusion. Unfortunately not much actually happens.

The cast has become so separated the book is broken into multiple storylines, and the author never stays with one plot long enough. By the end of the book, not much has changed. The Dark Elders are still a threat and a twin has learned a new elemental magic, but you get the feeling all the payoff will come in subsequent books.

Sure, I enjoyed this book, but I want a series that will continue to thrill me, and not just supply filler to delay the conclusion. Let us hope Micheal Scott picks up the pace with book 5 and takes us somewhere where we haven’t been before instead of retreading the ground of books 2 and 3.

Recommended for fantasy and action lovers, and appropriate for all ages.

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

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »