Book Review: Etiquette and Espionage by Gail Carriger

Summary

Well, it looks like the incident with the dumbwaiter and the trifle was the last straw. Sophronia's parents have decided to send her off to finishing school. She's supposed to become a proper lady like her older sisters. Curtsies, handkerchiefs, hair ribbons... Sophronia doesn't have anything against all those things, really, but there's too much adventure in the world for her to get caught up in the dainties.

Now, she has no choice but to go to school. Luckily for her, there's plenty of adventure to be had at Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality. After all, Mademoiselle Geraldine's school is in an airship. One of her Sophronia's teachers is a vampire. Another one is a werewolf who will teach combat. And while learning the quadrille, Sophronia and her classmates are encouraged to pass secret notes to one another without being seen.

After all, how else are all these young ladies going to learn how to be spies?

That's my summary. Here's the one I pulled from http://www.gailcarriger.com/

It's one thing to learn to curtsy properly. It's quite another to learn to curtsy and throw a knife at the same time. Welcome to Finishing School.

Fourteen-year-old Sophronia is a great trial to her poor mother. Sophronia is more interested in dismantling clocks and climbing trees than proper manners--and the family can only hope that company never sees her atrocious curtsy. Mrs. Temminnick is desperate for her daughter to become a proper lady. So she enrolls Sophronia in Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality.

But Sophronia soon realizes the school is not quite what her mother might have hoped. At Mademoiselle Geraldine's, young ladies learn to finish...everything. Certainly, they learn the fine arts of dance, dress, and etiquette, but the also learn to deal out death, diversion, and espionage--in the politest possible ways, of course. Sophronia and her friends are in for a rousing first year's education.

Context

We all know that the Victorian era was full of fine culture and high society. Etiquette and Espionage has taken this world and expanded on it, making it an exciting place and time of creation and science. This is fine steampunk, for those interested in the genre. Most importantly, it is true to the Victorian ideals of the time. Carriger has clearly done her research in making the foundation of the world her characters live in. It’s not so foreign that the culture makes no sense to us living in the 21st century, but it’s just far enough off to make things intriguing. Little tidbits of the things Sophronia learns at finishing school seem completely unnecessary or prudish to us, but it’s what’s expected of her. There’s a beautiful culture gap in time here that is bridged flawlessly with Carriger’s amazing characters.

Style

Carriger clearly knows what she’s doing in her writing. It’s clear and concise, and personally, I didn’t feel that she at all simplifies what she’s putting down on paper. This is intended for young adult readers. I immensely enjoyed it. I mean… I can see this series joining the Harry Potter series as being one of my favorite YA series. Everything makes sense in itself and in the world, there are surprises and satisfying conversations, rivals, friends, and an amazing school that captured my imagination right away. The variety of places and characters, from soldier werewolf to engine room worker to lady/spy-in-training is truly fascinating, and that’s just scratching the surface. There are plenty of little surprises in character, plot, and setting that makes for a lush experience.

My Thoughts

I can’t rave enough about this book. I’d heard about it, and it blew my expectations out of the water. From the beginning (the trifle incident) to the very end, I was hooked. This is a wonderful introduction to steampunk for younger readers, and Sophronia and her schoolmates (and other friends who aren’t her classmates) make a great team that I think young adults of all ages can get attached to. Just the concept of fine young ladies learning to become spies along with learning manners and fashion is spectacular. Add in the boys’ school (for evil geniuses) and you’ve got a subculture for a world that is already interesting. This is a brilliant combination of history and near-irreverence. Even the humor fits in with the period, but it tickled me in some of the most wonderful ways. This whole work was masterfully done. It is a whole.

Would I Recommend This Book? Highly. If you’re looking for something for your young adult to read, or just looking for something fun for yourself, this is a great pick. I cannot wait to read the others in the series. I give Etiquette and Espionage a secretive 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information on the author, visit http://www.gailcarriger.com/

Book Review: Two Steps from Hell by Scott Roche

Summary

Laurent may well be the only fairy in Hell. After all, when fairies die, they're simply supposed to cease existing. That didn't happen, and he'd been subjected to an eternity of torture. Until now. Someone has summoned Laurent using magic. Now, there's hope that he might be able to weasel his way into an existence on Earth rather than go back to that torture. However, there's a time limit to how long he can remain in the material plane. he can extend that if he can just figure out why he was summoned in the first place. That's difficult, since his first act after being summoned was lashing out and killing the man who summoned him. Now Laurent has to team up with the dead man's twin sister to find out why he's here. It's either solve an impossible mystery in an impossibly short time frame with a partner who has ever reason to hate him. No big deal for a fairy, right?

That's my summary. Here's the one I pulled from http://www.scottroche.com/

 

Laurent, a faerie sorcerer, lived for centuries. When it ended, instead of drifting into oblivion he awoke in Hell. After countless years of indescribable torment, a half-faerie half-human conjurer summons him to 21st century New Orleans. Laurent now has twenty-four hours to discover who used him as an unwilling murderer and to avoid a return to damnation. The only person on his side is the summoner's sister, a half faerie police detective, investigating the murder he committed.

Context

It's always interesting to see our present day lives through the eyes of someone who has no idea what the world is like. Laurent is only partly that way, as he's an extremely experienced individual, but for him, it's been 150 years since he's managed to set foot on Earth. The manners, the technology, the dress-- it's all new to him, and he's simply thrown into our time with no explanation why or where. Seeing him adapt is a joy, and seeing how he learns about us (not always in the most appropriate manner) is intriguing.

Setting a fairy in 21st century New Orleans is a brilliant move by Roche. The character and setting seem at odds with one another, but the combination of voodoo and fairy sorcery blends rather nicely in how he handles it. Even if a fairy isn't the sort of character one would think to put in the Big Easy, Laurent fits in very well there.

Style

Roche has a simplistic style that is very easy to read. That isn't to say the writing is unrefined or childish. He says what he means very clearly so it's easy to read without getting bogged down in the language itself. He tells the story without getting overly flowery. I could have done with a little more fleshing out to some of the sections, though. I'm not all that familiar with New Orleans, so maybe a tad more description to set the scene would have been nice. I got a sense of place, but the atmosphere and ambience could have been laid on a little more thickly to give the story the darker tone it seemed to want. There was enough humor there to keep it from getting to dark, but I felt like Roche held back a tad too much.

My Thoughts

Two Steps from Hell went by too quickly for my taste. I mean that in a good way and a not-so-good way. I loved how easy it is to read Roche's work, but I wanted this story to be more fleshed out. There is a lot of presence, plot, and character development that got rushed through and could have comfortably been expanded to make this more novel-length than novella, and I would have been happy for it. Honestly, I wanted this to be a bigger story than it was. I wasn't dissatisfied with the events, but the pacing felt a little too rushed. Not a lot, but enough. It left me with a feeling of breathlessness that had me rushing, and I wanted to enjoy going along on this ride with Laurent. As it was, I felt more dragged along behind him rather than rushing with him to the resolution.

Roche does pave the way for a sequel, which is nice. Laurent is a character I'd like to see more of, and the USA is a country I'd like to see more of through his eyes.

Would I Recommend This Book? Sure! It's a quick read with some intriguing take on fairies, set in the always-interesting New Orleans. While the book does go by fast, it's worth it for the jaunt it is. I give Two Steps from Hell a tortured 3 of 5 stars.

For more information on the author, visit http://www.scottroche.com/

Book Review: Half Past Midnight by Jeff Brackett

Summary

Leeland Dawcett was prepared for the end of the world, and it came on a Saturday. At the first threat of nuclear strikes, he and his wife take their children away from Houston to a smaller town that's less likely to be targeted. A survivalist, Lee and his family survive the fallout, only to get wrapped up with the small town. In rebuilding, Lee discovers that people don't have to be hoarders to survive. They're worth trusting.

And then there's Larry, a man who is determined to seize his chance to rule in the chaos. Lee shouldn't have let him live, and now it's coming back to bite not only him, but his family, and his whole town.

That's my summary. Here's the one I pulled from  the author's website  

Half Past Midnight is the story of Leeland Dawcett and his family in the first days and years after the Doomsday War. It’s the story of how one man learns that survival sometimes just isn’t enough. It’s a story of friends who help each other through thick and thin, and the enemies who make life after Doomsday a living hell.

Context

Half Past Midnight reads like a memoir or journal, with the entries detailing the date and time they occur. It's pretty clear that he's got the definite plan to what's going on overall with his books, and this, to me, seems to be the foundation of what's going on. It's happening now. Brackett takes our world at this moment, detonates a few nuclear bombs, and never looks back. Even after the fallout, it's still our world, but the changes wrought transform this world just enough to make it unfamiliar. So it's still home, but it sure isn't really home anymore. His characters deal with it wonderfully, which in a way gives hope to readers.

Then again, there were nukes, so he sort of ripped that hope away from us on page 1. Still, it's well done!

Style

Brackett writes cleanly, and I have to admire his characterization in Half Past Midnight. Leeland is a deep character. I could say that he acts predictably, but that isn't true. It's a matter of the reader/character bond. By the end of the book, I was so thoroughly in his head that even if I couldn't guess what he'd do, once his actions became clear, I couldn't imagine him doing anything else. And all his characters were that way. Interacting with Larry was both thrilling and infuriating. Brackett's understanding of his population is wonderful and told in an easy-to-absorb fashion, making this a book that's easy to enjoy.

My Thoughts

I was a little thrown off at the beginning of Half Past Midnight, mostly because I had no real foundation of who Leeland was, when or where I was, before the nukes went off. Still, I found I didn't mind. Brackett so grabbed me with the threat of nuclear war that I was more concerned about general survival than who I was dealing with. By the time things settled, that imbalance had been righted by Leeland's plans and abilities, and I found myself safe with him and his family.

It actually startled me a little that the bulk of this book was just about surviving in general. For much of the book, the environment and the situation was the main antagonist, and sometimes, that sort of foe makes me dislike a book. While I did feel a little afloat, I did find myself engrossed in how Lee and the people of Rejas rebuilt their lives.

Of course, that was when the proverbial dung hit the fan and the fairly minor skirmish at the beginning of the book turned full circle to ramp up the action, tension, and body count. Brackett does an amazing job gathering little threads of plot, details that seem trivial, to bring them into the end. It was extremely satisfying, to say the least.

Would I Recommend This Book? Oh, yeah! Half Past Midnight is intriguing, especially to people like me who are so going down if there's a nuclear apocalypse. Seeing how people will not only survive but flourish after such a calamity is exciting, and I have to again say that Brackett's characters are just plan real. I give Half Past Midnight a survivalist 4 of 5 stars.

For more information on the author, visit http://jlbrackett.com

Book Review Triple Feature: 7th Son Trilogy by J.C. Hutchins

7th Son: Descent

Summary

A four-year-old boy assassinated the president. Shortly after, seven men from around the United States were abducted in the middle of the day. These seven men are about to learn that not only do they share the same name, but they share the same DNA. All seven are clones of John Michael Smith, known as John Alpha. They are the beta stage for the 7th Son Project. They weren't supposed to meet, but the scientists who created them need them all now. John Alpha was thought to be dead, but that's apparently not true. John Alpha is alive, and he's been using the technology from the 7th Son project to cause some serious problems that could destroy the world.

That's my summary. Here's the one I pulled from http://jchutchins.net/

As America reels from the bizarre presidential assassination committed by a child, seven men are abducted from their normal lives and delivered to a secret government facility. Each man has his own career, his own specialty. All are identical in appearance. The seven strangers were not born, but grown — unwitting human clones — as part of a project called 7th Son.

The government now wants something from these “John Michael Smiths.” They share the flesh as well as the implanted memories of the psychopath responsible for the president’s murder. The killer has bigger plans, and only these seven have the unique qualifications to track and stop him. But when their progenitor makes the battle personal, it becomes clear John Alpha may know the seven better than they know themselves...

Context

7th Son is set in the early 2000s, so not too long ago. Of course, considering it is a few years old at this point, it was set a few years in the future when it was first put out in the world. It falls well into the realm of possibility, too. We know cloning works. How long ago was Dolly the sheep cloned? Who's to say that the government or some private sector researchers haven't secreted some human cloning techniques from the public eye? I don't see why this couldn't be happening under our noses right now. No, I'm not a conspiracy theorist. I'm just saying that all this could be happening right now.

Style

Hutchins's writing is crisp and enjoyable. He has a talent for comparisons that makes me think of J. Daniel Sawyer in how well I enjoy a lot of the similies he uses. The differences in his characters is wel done, and it's a necessity for a book like this. With seven characters (eight, if you count John Alpha) all being the same person with the same name, it is crucial for there to be distinct differences in manner and speech patterns, but they still have to be reminiscent of one another. All the clones have the same memories for the first 14 years of their lives. That isn't something that can be overlooked. Just the fact that they all go by different names: John, Jonathan, Jack, Mike, Michael, etc. is brilliant. Their different life paths have made them different men, but the similarities are striking. I'm in awe of how Hutchins managed to make one man so different from himself... eight times.

My Thoughts

There is a lot to enjoy in 7th Son: Descent. There are mind puzzles that had me thinking. There are revelations and moments of emotion that tugged at me, leaving me shocked, angry, and sympathetic. There was action, psychology, and something for just about everyone, honestly. I did have a little trouble at first, getting to know all the clones, and there are still one or two that I get mixed up a little too easily. I don't know if that's really intentional or not, or if it may just be a result of the cast being so largely comprised of what's essentially the same person. I almost feel like two of the clones could have been removed from the story and things would be okay... but I suppose 5th Son doesn't have the same ring as 7th Son. I look forward to listening to the other books in this series and seeing if that issue disappears for me.

Would I Recommend This Book? Very much so! 7th Son: Descent had me from the start to the end, and it's a quick read/listen. Things didn't get dragged out, and even the fill-me-in moments (I wouldn't quite call them "infodumps") were engaging. The variety of characters, even with the limitations Hutchins set for himself with the whole clone thing, is masterful. I give 7th Son: Descent a NEPTH-charged 4 out of 5 stars.

________________________________________________

7th Son: Deceit

Summary

The clones have managed to accomplish their first mission together, the rescue of their mother, Dania Sheridan, from John Alpha. This did not happen without losses. Now, back at the 7th Son facility, they're trying to recuperate and deal with meeting the mother they never really knew. But when John Alpha-- another John Alpha-- infiltrates the facility, thye realize their job is far from over. Nuclear warheads are heading for the Middle East, John Alpha has sent them new clues about how to track him down... and suddenly, the clones find themselves being picked off, one by one.

That's my summary. Here's the one I pulled from http://jchutchins.net/

Two days ago, seven human clones — John, Michael, Father Thomas, Dr. Mike, Jay, Jack and Kilroy2.0 — were torn away from their "normal" lives to stop a ruthless plot created by their progenitor, a man code-named John Alpha. Their quest was a descent into conspiracy, violence and death.

The clones were successful in their mission, but victory was not without its price.

As 7th Son: Deceit begins, the Beta clones are demoralized, reeling from their loss ... and about to learn that John Alpha's plans are far from over.

To prevent the next phase of Alpha's plan, John, Kilroy2.0 and the others must unearth more dark secrets about the government project from which they were spawned. They will experience the horrors of betrayal, and race cross-country to track John Alpha.

And they will finally realize the scope of Alpha's wrath — the bloodshed the clones have witnessed is merely a prelude to the world-rending destruction to come. Unless they can stop it first.

Context

This... could all happen, if you ask me. The technologies in this book could very well exist in secret, and if they do, I pray that people like John Alpha don't get their hands on them. So much of this hits home, because it is set in the now. We could be living this, seeing these events. It's enought to make me turn conspiracy theorist, but I am NOT crossing that bridge. It's always a bit of a thrill for me, who usually reads and writes novels set in worlds or times far removed from this one, to see the stories that can be set here and now. I admire those that can make such amazing stories in this world, and Hutchins nails it.

Style

It was a little shocking to me a few times during 7th Son: Deceit to realize that the events in this book take place in the hours and days following the first book ending. It's not because the events were unbelieveable. Quite the opposite. It's because it's so torturous to the characters of the book. Hutchins is definitely a master of making likfe hell for his characters. There's so little time to rest. I'd say they were inhuman, but that's just the thing. They may be clones, but they are still men, and that... is just mind-boggling. People really are capable of things like this, to act as they do, on no sleep, still being as noble as they can in their defense of the world.

The issues I had in the first book, with feeling like two of the clones were easily mixed up and could almost be done away with... yeah, gone this time around. In fact, one of the two I really didn't care much for before has become one of my favorites. He really started to shine this book, and I'm so glad he did!

My Thoughts

7th Son: Deceit is a fitting sequel to 7th Son: Descent. Honestly, I enjoyed it more than the first book. The puzzles from book one are followed by even better ones here, and it's a blast to try and solve them myself as the clones are... only to find out that yes, I'm on the right track, but I just don't take it far enough. Then again, the puzzles are intended specifically for the clones' expertise, and since I don't have that, it isn't a surprise. I do get bits and pieces right, but the whole, nope. And I don't mind. These puzzles are a mental thrill in the action and, if you ask me, do not take away from the narrative at all.

The action in this book is way ramped up compared to book one, character development jumps through the roof, and the stakes blow up. Literally. I mean, nuclear warheads. Come on. This was definitely a book of extremes, and it makes me all the more eager to read the third installment.

Would I Recommend This Book? Highly. This book was even more mentally stimulating and action-packed than its predecessor, and it really brings out the threat level for not only characters, but the world. The cast, while technically large, really only consists of a few, since John Alpha has access to NEPTH-charge and the newly revealed Psyjack technologies. You won't regret reading this. I give 7th Son: Deceit a Psyjacked 4 out of 5 stars.

________________________________________________

7th Son: Destruction

Summary

The last surviving clones of John Alpha are finished playing Alpha's game. No more puzzles, no more clues. Those were just bait, just a way for them to die one after another. The clones are on to John Alpha's real scheme now, and it's not as simple as they thought. The nuclear warheads were just the beginning. Now, they've got to infiltrate the United Nations to save delegates from the entire world. The first problem is that the one clone that actually was employed by the UN, Jonathan, is dead. And even this is just the beginning. Unknown to the clones, a number of Alpha's followers have low-grade nuclear weapons secreted all over the map. And they're ready to detonate.

That's my summary. Here's the one I pulled from http://jchutchins.net/

As day four in the 7th Son adventure begins, John Alpha's quest for anarchy and genocide enters its final stage.

 

At every turn, the global terrorist has been triumphant. The world is reeling from a nuclear attack. An unprecedented energy crisis is upon us. Alpha himself has exclusive access to the White House, and secret weapons primed to propel his conspiracy into the endgame. The goal: planetary chaos.

Amidst this turmoil, the 7th Son project's four surviving Beta Clones — John, Father Thomas, Kilroy2.0 and Jack — must defy their creators and hunt Alpha on their terms. Their mission: to stop the greatest assassination plot in history. The secrets John and his brothers discover will press them toward a final battle with their progenitor ... a battle in which the clones are outgunned, outnumbered and out of time.

Alliances will be made. Heroes will die. The end is nigh.

Context

The baffling tearing up of the world continues, and I was a little shocked to wake up this morning and see that things were normal. I don't want to say that 7th Son: Destruction  is too realistic, but it's definitely unsettling to see places I've been or at least know of being blown up, attacked, or invaded by bad guys. There's just enough of a pinch of disbelief to keep it from getting too real, but holy cow, does this make for a great ride. Part of me wants to go to the UN for a tour or something, just to see the place for myself. And the places bombed in the last book... yeah, they're still there. Good to know.

No, I am NOT turning paranoid like Kilroy2.0!

Style

With the mind games over, Hutchins really gets to shine with the action and intensity of this novel. And he blows it out of the park on this one. Action and I have a tenuous relationship, but I could read Hutchins's action scenes all day long. Or... listen to them, since I listened to all three of these 7th Son books through podiobooks.com.

He is masterful at putting his characters in mortal danger, he's the king of the cliffhanger, and I couldn't help but flinch, cringe, and adjust my seat uncomfortably at what he puts his characters through. Even better, I cried (or came close to crying) twice during 7th Son: Destruction. It's not all about the threats and imminent death. He knows how to make a truly heartwrenching moment, and I was pleasantly surprised even as I held back tears.

My Thoughts

7th Son: Destruction was a fitting close to this trilogy. Personally, I think my favorite book was the second, but that's not to say I didn't enjoy Destruction. Believe me, I did. I was riveted, often literally on the edge of my seat while I listened to the book at work. Loose ends are tied up, everything is explained brilliantly, without any of that James Bond villain-esque monologuing. Hutchins worked his way around that splendidly.

A little bit of a spoiler-- I could have done without the whole Nazi thing. I think this might just be me being a little jaded, and I get why Hutchins brought that tie into the whole 7th Son project as a catalyst for it, but I see the "bringing back the Third Reich" thing a little too often. There are better villains out there. This was better than most incarnations I've seen, but I still had a little bit of a "oh, come ON" moment, even while I was enjoying the last third or so of the book.

Would I Recommend This Book? Muchly. The trilogy rounds out nicely, leaving the reader with a good sense that things will be all right, if not ideal, as things move on. The epilogue made me extremely happy, as it gave me some hope... I won't say any more on that. I give 7th Son: Destruction a conspiratorial 4 out of 5 stars.

The whole 7th Son trilogy gets a cloned 4 out of 5 stars.

For more information on the author, visit http://jchutchins.net/