Greywalker (Greywalker, Book 1) review

Posted : 7 months ago on 28 January 2008 07:29 (A review of Greywalker (Greywalker, Book 1))

After having finished the book, I'm not quite sure whether I actually enjoyed it, or whether I appreciated its originality.

The concept was fascinating and I loved the idea that it all intermingled with her profession, rather than overtaking it and having her work take a backseat (which is often the case in most supernatural novels). The story also didn't rely on fighting or action the whole time, with the characters boucning back in no time; it was really almost a detective novel with a supernatural theme. The romance also wasn't heavy and overdone. There was very little of it, with no love triangles and no gratuitous sex scenes.

The only problem is that might have slowed the story and the character down a little. There are a few times where it sort of felt as if it wasn't going anywhere and the story was just circling around. Harper Blaine (protagonist), also didn't feel so much real as just a step between the reader and the story. The other characters in the book had so much life and personality, that Harper came off almost bland. When it gets to moments where she's "flirting" with Will, it seems sort of fake and cheesy, as she's rather stiff in all other moments. In my opinion, she was more of a narrator or third party observer while the other characters did all of the actual "work."

Things like that can make it a little hard to identify with Harper or encourage us to follow on different adventures.

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The Becoming (The Anna Strong Chronicles, Book 1) review

Posted : 7 months, 1 week ago on 24 January 2008 09:11 (A review of The Becoming (The Anna Strong Chronicles, Book 1))

Interesting characters.. and having vampires who walk in daylight due to "evolution" so-to-speak makes it much easier on the story. My biggest appreciation for this story comes from the great twist on the standard urban fantasy love triangle authors are so fond of... Stein does it right!

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Ill Wind (Weather Warden, Book 1) review

Posted : 7 months, 1 week ago on 22 January 2008 07:56 (A review of Ill Wind (Weather Warden, Book 1))

So interesting and different for a supernatural novel. The idea of a whole organization of gifted people controlling the weather is one that leaves you contemplating the concept long after you're done reading. The book did slightly suffer from that whole "protagonist becomes so powerful she could be indestructible" condition, but the action is non-stop and so much fun that you find yourself overlooking it all.

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The Vampire Shrink (Kismet Knight, Vampire Psychologist series) review

Posted : 7 months, 1 week ago on 20 January 2008 08:45 (A review of The Vampire Shrink (Kismet Knight, Vampire Psychologist series))

Interesting novel and twist on the vamp story. The pace is a good one and there's tons of action. The only incongruous thing for me was that Kismet is first presented as being a huge sceptic... but then as the novel progresses we find out that she believes she has special powers of her own, or that she subscribes to wiccan beliefs of energy fields and what not. Seems rather odd for someone who was so hard-headed about the existence of vampires. I also wasn't too thrilled at the lack of history on the doctor. We're presented with a story but no foundation for the character being the way she is, or how she assisted in wiccan ceremonies. Aside from that lack of links, the novel is entertaining enough.

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Off the Record: A Novel review

Posted : 7 months, 1 week ago on 18 January 2008 09:33 (A review of Off the Record: A Novel)

Surprisingly good! I was expecting a short piece of romantic fluff, but instead got an enjoyable story about making changes and learning to do what makes you happy. Of course, there was some romantic fluff and great humour, but nothing cheesy.

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The Good, the Bad, and the Undead (Rachel Morgan, Book 2) (The Hollows) review

Posted : 7 months, 2 weeks ago on 17 January 2008 06:41 (A review of The Good, the Bad, and the Undead (Rachel Morgan, Book 2) (The Hollows))

I had a few doubts as to whether I would actually enjoy reading this. I liked the first book well enough, but found it left me with too many unresolved questions. "The Good, The Bad, and the Undead" starts off in a similar vein; throughout the story, the suspicious characters become even more suspicious and you're never really sure who you can trust. When it was getting close to the end of the novel I was worried that I would be forced to get the third book to continue to story, thinking it a devious selling ploy. It was with relief that the last few pages are a flurry of action and many misunderstandings are righted. This time I'm looking forward to the next novel much more.

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Dead Witch Walking (Rachel Morgan, Book 1) review

Posted : 7 months, 2 weeks ago on 11 January 2008 07:57 (A review of Dead Witch Walking (Rachel Morgan, Book 1))

Harrison's built an interesting world here, and I've been finding it a treat to discover it in her first Rachel Morgan novel. Must say, I'm a big fan of Jenks and love the whole concept.

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Spilt Milk review

Posted : 7 months, 3 weeks ago on 4 January 2008 06:10 (A review of Spilt Milk)

It's not often I find myself reading a book I just can't finish... but this was one of them. I just couldn't stand the way it was written, with the missing punctuation, and the dark humour was just not to my taste. I couldn't stand the protagonist and frankly didn't think much about this novel was funny or romantic.

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Midnight Alley (The Morganville Vampires, Book 3) review

Posted : 8 months ago on 28 December 2007 02:49 (A review of Midnight Alley (The Morganville Vampires, Book 3))

The action certainly continues in Caines third novel of the Morganville Vampires series. I don't think there's a single character in this novel who doesn't walk away with some kind of bruising!

If the second book focused mostly on the characters' history, then it's safe to say this one was written for the sake of Morganville's history. I love the lore and the major hitch in vampire existence. I liek this story mostly for bringing some substance to the town, motivations for Amelie, and really a major decision for Claire in terms of whether or not she should be helping out.

What I'm not too fond of is the constant cliffhanger endings. I'm sort of beginning to see this as a sales or marketing ploy and I'm not sure that sits too well with me. The writing should stand on its own... though I guess it does or I really wouldn't still be reading, cliffhanger or not.

If anything, maybe there's too much trying to be crammed into a single novel. I think the individual stories or arcs in this book alone could be expanded upon without trying to sum it all up into tidy little bows. Perhaps more time should have been devoted to each story in seperate novels.

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The Dead Girls' Dance (The Morganville Vampires, Book 2) review

Posted : 8 months ago on 27 December 2007 05:15 (A review of The Dead Girls' Dance (The Morganville Vampires, Book 2))

Good follow up story, though the description of the novel was a bit misleading. The bulk of the story has nothing to do with this party they describe, so I found it odd that they titled it such. It seems to me that maybe the focus was on that because it would generally appeal more to the young adult readers than the actual main storyline.

Personally, I think this does a disservice to Caine's writing and the serious and dramatic topics she tackles. There's a lot interwoven between the intense action and the romantic parts that can't quite be ignored and can often be difficult to face. That Caine doesn't just write about shopping and high school-aged kids getting drunk should be something she's proud of, not hide behind a single event in the story that is only a fraction of the whole.

Outside of that, there are more glimpses into the characters and their past. It's nice to see characters that aren't one dimensional or that will continue to grow and reveal themselves in each story.

I also like that Caine follows her own continuity, beginning or hinting at a story in one book, and following it up in the next. It becomes interesting to see where she backtracks and closes a story that was previously left open... or when you can see her forshadowing future trouble. That's part of what makes you want to keep reading her stories in the future.

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