17. Foundation by Mercedes Lackey

I know, its still Mercedes Lackey, but it was an actual novel, not an anthology! I promise, the book I'm currently reading is by someone else.

Like I said, Lackey has a lot of detractors but I've always enjoyed her books and have been able to ignore the people who critique her harshly. Maybe not anymore. This was by far, her most disappointing novel to date. You can say that she writes the same story over and over again, or at least has the same character archetypes. And yes, I will give you that. She isn't as terrible as Dean Koontz, who I found to have the most interesting plot ideas with the most cardboard cut out characters ever-- but how many stories can you write about noble, self-sacrificing people who give up their whole lives to serve their country? People who are so special and wonderful that spirit-beings chose them special out of everyone else?

Maybe reading all those short stories back to back then jumping right into this novel was a mistake. Maybe the book wasn't that bad. Well, maybe not. Mags is just another lovable orphan who is practically perfect in every way. He has a tough life, gets Chosen, goes to learn to be a Herald. Yeah, yeah I've READ THIS BEFORE. No, no-- Mags is different he worked in a MINE. He suffered from CHILD LABOR! Yeah, whatever. READ IT BEFORE.

Even more offensive than the re-treadness (yeah its not a word sue me) of the book was how after chapter upon chapter of origin story the last couple of chapters throw some weak plot threads that aren't even close to resolved, thus ensuring that the book is a series. I know that the next book is already out. I haven't checked but I'm willing to bet it is a trilogy. This really ticked me off.

I have nothing against book series. Sometimes I never want stories to end, so knowing there will be more is awesome. Is it annoying when series seem to be never ending? When you worry 'Gee, I hope nothing happens to the author...' Rest in Peace, Robert Jordan. Please, watch your health George R.R. Martin. Yes, that is annoying. One of the things I love the most about Jim Butcher's Dresden Files is that while it's a series and you get all that wonderful continuity of character, the books are all their own complete stories. So if he decided to stop, or something happened to him it would be sad but you wouldn't be hanging there wondering BUT WHAT HAPPENED???

This book however felt very much like she got to the end and threw some stuff in there just so she would make sure she'd get another book. It felt really haphazard and lazy. Mags isn't a remarkable enough character for me to really care enough to keep reading about him. He's no different than any other of the Herald's I've read about. I have a touch of OCD and one of the ways it manifests is a need to read everything by authors I "collect" so I am sure eventually I will read the rest of the series. But it will feel like a chore, not something I'm looking forward to like Ghost Story, the next Harry Dresden book or Dance of Dragons, the next Song of Fire and Ice book.

Hardback and definitely not good for me.

So... I started this blog on a whim because of a need to have a creative outlet. Unfortunately, I have an almost paralyzing writer's block. Unless a story grabs me by the collar and screams in my face to be written I have trouble getting the words out. So I figured a blog with a built in theme/purpose at the very least gave me a good starting point. I have now caught up to all the books I've finished so far this year. The posts will be less frequent now as I write once I finish them up.

16. Finding the Way edited by Mercedes Lackey

Last book of short stories set in Valdemar!

Print! Not good for me!

15. Crossroads edited by Mercedes Lackey

Next verse, same as the first.

I can't think of anything further to say. Read, it quick. liked the stories. Print format. Oh.... yeah, I think I said this in reference to the first book but these anthologies are by far the worst books for me. They are candy for the brain.

Now that I am putting out in public in front of people... some of whom I actually respect ;) ... I'm going to HAVE to start reading books that aren't quite so embarrassing.

14. Sun in Glory edited by Mercedes Lackey

I was sick. I just wanted a distraction.

I thought about lumping books 13-16 in a single post since all 4 books are practically the same but, decided that I started the blog to go over each book I read and I might as well do it right.

Plus I want to make you suffer. Both of you. ;)

Anyway, I sped through the popcorn fluff of this book in no time. Enjoyable but not memorable. Empty brain calories.

I noticed as I was reading it that I had received it for Christmas from my grandmother in 2003. How do I know this? Because she signed it, of course. In my family its a 'thing' where you are supposed to sign the books you give to someone. I have never liked this tradition--what if I wanted to sell the books to a used book store later? Or what if I had stumbled upon a rare and valuable first edition of something that I could sell when I was 80, when books are unheard of! ;)

I also bring this up for another reason. It was obvious that I had probably read this book before. Like I said, there are 4 short story anthologies I read back to back. I knew that 1 or 2 of them were new but couldn't remember which ones. So I read them all. And every one was new to me. Now... I have a terrible memory, everyone who knows me knows this. However, in general if you prompt me enough I will generally be able to pull the memories from the depths of my mind. It might be dusty and moth-eaten, but there will be enough there for me to not worry too seriously about my obvious diminished mental capacity.

Each of the stories in these 4 books were new to me. I'm not sure if that is saying something about the stories, my reading retention/comprehension or what but I did find it a little disturbing that I remembered absolutely nothing.

Also, the fact that this was a paperback book that I could not tell had been read before, ie non-creased spine, non-folded corners, etc made me feel kinda good about myself. Not that I'm a slob that destroys everything I touch but... well, accidents have been known to happen. ;)

13. Sword of Ice edited by Mercedes Lackey

I know that Lackey has her detractors. It's not like I think she's high art or fantastic literature but, I do have a special place in my heart for her.

Back in college a friend of my gf at the time skipped out on her apartment leaving my gf as her contact. We had to go clean up the mess left behind and part of the mess were all of her books. This woman read almost nothing but fantasy novels. Until that point I hadn't really read much of that genre. I find this absolutely shocking now since its been the predominant genre I've read since then but... we all start somewhere.

I grabbed all the books I could with covers that interested me and Lackey was the first author I read from that pile. I was transported to another world. At that time I was in a bad place-- finishing up school with a major I hated, dating a woman I was not in the least happy to be with, going through therapy for issues I didn't want to deal with. Escapist fiction was my savior.

This book is published fan fiction. Yes, there are published authors who wrote stories in it, but let's call it what it is. It's total fan fic. Not that I have a problem with fan fiction. I've read enough to get a degree in it, and I've written my fair share too.

This is the most popcorn, most fluffy, least good for me type of book I have read yet. I think I finished this book in a single day. Maybe two. It was fun but I can't say I remember much of it. Then again, I was sick when I read it so maybe I should give it some slack.

12. Labyrinth by Kate Mosse

I read a review for this in EW and it got what I remember to be high praise. I think they even called it a page turner. It sounded interesting-- a mystery story about a grail quest. Cool.

God this book was boring. Even more boring than the first half of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. It felt like one long boring history text about the Cathars and Catholics and god... it just was tedious. I managed to finish it somehow. I think she thought the ending was a "surprise" twist but it wasn't surprising at all.

Another book I'm not sure how to categorize because god it felt like a school book and should totally count as a good for me book!

At least it wasn't huge and heavy since I read it in print.

11. Duma Key by Stephen King

I mentioned in a previous review that I have read almost all of King's work. I started with Pet Sematary back when I was around 13 and have never really stopped. He is also one of the few authors whose work I collect in hardback. Which is a shame because a) his books are huge and heavy b) hardbacks are expensive. But since I started buying his books in hardback way back when I can't really change now. Yes, I do have a touch of OCD... And yes, it does bother me that the Dark Tower books were trade paperback books. And no, I'm not obsessive enough to hunt for the super expensive, super rare, ultra collectible hardback of the first one. Not to mention I totally hated the last book in this series so I don't feel like its really necessary to get it in hardback like I did for The Stand which is my favorite of his novels.

Anyway! I found Duma Key to be typical of King's work these days. Not horrible like Gerald's Game but not amazing like The Stand. The story was interesting enough to hold my interest and get me to lug this monstrosity back and forth everyday but not so amazing that I had to stay up late every night to read it.

Another physical book pulled from the bottom shelf of the bookcase, the one where I store all those books I have been getting for the last several years and never found time to read. And I'm not even going to prevaricate on this, so not good for me. Popcorn fluff.