Review of To Be Chosen (Paperback)

How to begin?This is a book I picked up after an author e-mail/press release in January '08.The tagline "Ask yourself what you would do if you were chosen to better humanity...because you were," sets the expectation that this book is going to go somewhere.I plodded through the child-like text and choose-your-own-adventure plot and closed this book gladly.Despite glimmers of deeper thought that step out of text sporadically - the appearance of the green man, phrases like "a living statue of gold and volcanic glass", the inference of Nietzsche (the abyss gazes into you), right up to one of the closing concepts of an Earth on which "the freed slaves from a hundred worlds were equal in number to the surviving humans" - are few and far between.Despite the books promise, "profound thoughts are provoked," by and large the story is a mish-mash of Wikipedia-like entries and badly chosen grammar, fragmented sentences and in many cases the repeated use of the incorrect word (wonder vs. wander, passed vs. past in particular).Child-like telling is consistent throughout: a constant switching between highbrow concept straight to gutter talk and unending references to any one of the character's butts, packages, pecs, biceps, etc. become an uninteresting dull roar.The diary of a peeping Tom.Unthinkingness - to quote Samuel Delany.The entire book should be culled to the choicest of its concepts and then smartly edited and re-issued.

Product Description

They never asked to be chosen. They didn't want the weight of the world on their shoulders. But God had selected them for a mission only the three of them could carry out.

A grieving father with a superficial and materialistic lifestyle, a lovely witch, and a gay college boy are united by newfound supernatural powers and an ever-morphing spiritual guide to battle a demonic invasion from another world and Earth's own past. A motley group of friends and even the ghosts of loved ones join these outcasts, chosen to be God's Hammer, as they fight in city streets and farmyards to save mankind and each other. Love, sex, violence, spirituality, mystery, suspense, magic, and humor combine in an adventure that provides a glimpse at the hardest and sweetest human truths.

This contemporary fantasy will appeal to fans of every genre of speculative fiction. The surprising bonus is that the thrilling action on every page is a reminder that even a freak like you is loved without limit. Ask yourself what you would do if you were chosen to better humanity. because you were.

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Review of Dust (Paperback)

The book was great!What I liked most was that I couldn't figure out the ending.Pure suspense!A lot of similarities to Stephen King.Can't wait until the movie version!

Product Description
While unloading groceries in her Rock Haven condo, Karen McKay notices a strange swirl of red, green, and blue dust. The swirl follows her inside, lifts a porcelain ballerina from her wall unit, twirls it in the air, and throws it to the floor, shattering it into pieces. The following evening, Karen hears her neighbor's dog barking loudly. Upon investigation, she finds her neighbor, Marion, at the bottom of the stairs?dead. At the top of the stairs, a colorful whirlpool of dust circles ominously. Now the feisty librarian must consider the unthinkable: Could the dust be responsible for her neighbor's death and, if so, would it kill again? Karen turns to her ex-husband, Jerry, for help and together they bravely confront the mysterious dust. But will their daring actions cost them their lives?

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Review of Small Favor (The Dresden Files, Book 10) (Hardcover)

You are never going to believe what Queen Mab wants Harry to do in exchange for a favor owed her.She wants him to rescue Gentleman Johnny Marcone (one of Chicago's most nefarious gangsters) from unknown kidnappers.

Now, having Johnny out of the scene could be a good thing?Well, not if the folks holding him are the order of the Denarians.And yes, they want Gentleman Johnny to take one of those ill-fated coins and the demon possession that goes with.

Unfortunately, Queen Titania is not in agreement with her sister regarding Johnny's possession and she sends some heavies of her own to get Harry's goat. What is described as a small favor turns out to be a serious threat to many of the people Harry cares about.

As always, Jim Butcher puts a lot of heart into his novels.He's kept Harry a good man, someone who'd risk his own life for others, a real hero in the urban fantasy genre.

We get some favorites returning: Michael Carpenter and his family; Sanya, the Black Russian Knight; Captain Luccio; Gard (remember Monoc Security, part of Marcone's protection?); and others.

"Small Favor" is one of the faster paced Dresden novels around.Jim had me hooked from the beginning and didn't let up until I turned the last page.I was glad to read that Butcher has ideas for 20 or so Dresden novels on the books and I seriously hope that his publisher will allow him to continue writing them.



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Review of Turn Coat (The Dresden Files, Book 11) (Hardcover)

Over the course of the last few books, the Dresden Files has been steadily upping the ante for our pal Harry Dresden. He has become a Warden, picked up an Apprentice, triumphed over Hellfire, captured the attention and respect of an Archangel and shown significant signs of growth as a Wizard.

Harry has grown so much that by Turn Coat, the series has really come full circle in many ways. In Storm Front, Harry was the suspected Warlock who had to prove himself to the Wardens, specifically Morgan. It was Morgan who had to pull Harry's butt out of the fire. Now, ten books later and at roughly the halfway point in the Dresden Files (according to info at his site), it is Morgan who is the suspected Warlock/traitor to the White Council, and it is Harry he comes to to pull his butt out of the fire.

Morgan shows up on Harry's door, looking like death warmed over and barely able to speak, but what he does say is like a bombshell dropping: he is a hunted man, accused of murdering a member of the Senior Council.

So begins the best Dresden Files book yet. Turn Coat is everything I expected, and more, it is everything I hoped for. It has been the worst kept secret of the series that a traitor was lurking in the highest echelon of the White Council, and the unveiling of that traitor is very well done. The highest compliment I can pay to Butcher is that he genuinely kept me guessing until he wanted us to know. The ultimate reveal is handled with complexity and a laudable maturity of authorship.

Many of the usual faces return for Turn Coat. Molly, Mouse, Thomas, Murphy, Morgan, Ebenezar, Luccio, the Alphas and Toot-Toot!! all have feature supporting roles, (though Ramirez is surprisingly absent since the book is so much about the Council) and of course, they are all as excellent as ever.

Other characters we have already met, but know little about, such as The Gatekeeper and Injun Joe, are explored in more detail. I do not know about anyone else, but this book is worth it for Listens-to-Wind alone. He is just an amazing Wizard, and I look forward to seeing him more in later books. Add in some quality Gatekeeper conversations and a real look at what just some of the Senior Council can do in action, and you really have as much Wizard action as ever before. And they are really only a very small fraction of the goodness that is Turn Coat!

Ultimately what I am most impressed by is how much Butcher is willing to change the "status quo". There are some major shakeups in Turn Coat, and somewhat of a change in direction for the series. As Bob the Skull says, Harry has really started playing in the Big Leagues. His power and abilities are increasing, but so are the threats he has to face, as the world around him is getting nastier and more perilous every day.

I compared Grave Peril to the second season of Buffy once, similar in how both characters really grew up all at once. I would compare Turn Coat to the fourth season of Angel: a movement away from the more singular storytelling and the beginning of piecing together the larger tapestry. Both characters somewhat outgrow their PI status, still utilizing the talents but focused more directly on the larger scale. Both face enormous powers behind the scenes as they are caught up in the whirlwind, losing friends and allies along the way, but they shall Not Fade Away.

This one has it all: good philosophical debate, fascinating new insight into some characters we thought we knew, moral and ethical quandaries that exceed mere "black and white" bordering into grey, killer action, quality one-liners and a deepening sense of maturity to the series as a whole.

418 pages has never felt so short.

5 out of 5 stars



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