The Science of Good & Evil: Why people cheat, gossip, care, share, and follow the golden rule by Michael ShermerAs a general rule, when you see a book with a title like, "the science of
x", it is well to be wary (it is imperative to be wary where 'x' is some popular culture phenomenon, such as a TV show or movie series--in these cases, there usually
is no science). Shermer, however, looks at issues like why we behave the ways we behave from an evolutionary standpoint, and actually makes it make sense. I didn't agree with everything he wrote in this volume (he spends way too much space on the question of free will, for instance), but I agree with enough of his arguments to make this one highly recommended.
Small Favour: a novel of the Dresden Files by Jim ButcherIn the latest Dresden File, winter is hitting Chicago early. While training his apprentice and hanging out with her family, Harry is attacked by Fairie warriors--servants of the Summer Court, his erstwhile allies. After barely surviving that, he's called to a police crime scene, where part of a building has been destroyed by a vast and powerful work of magic, and local crimelord Johnnie Marcone has been kidnapped. Then, Harry is approached by the Queen of the Winter Court of the Faeries, his enemy, to whom he owes a few favours. She wants him to pay one off by finding Marcone, who recently became a supernatural power by signing onto an otherworldly accord. For reasons of her own, the Winter Queen wants him back in control of his empire. And as if that wasn't complications enough, there's the force that kidnapped Marcone themselves. What do they want with him? Or is it actually
him that they want?
Tell the truth, Butcher came awfully close to closing some of his subplots in this one, but he managed to pull it off. I sometimes think this series is an experiment in metaphorical juggling; Butcher wants to see how many subplots he can keep in the air at once. It should all be confusing, but actually it's pretty accessible, at least if you've read the rest of the series. And even if you haven't (and it's been months since I read the last
Dresden Files novel (April of 2008, in fact), and while I had forgotten a lot of characters et al, Butcher does a good job of re-introducing them. I had no trouble finding my place again. Still highly recommended.
Living With Ghosts by Kari SperringThe city of Merafi is the capital of the kingdom of Gran' Romagne, descended from the clans of Lunedith, but long ago expanding past that territory. Lunedith still exists as a political entity, but it is a subordinate ally to Gran' Romagne, and its royal family, the d'Illandres. Lunedith is not a source of worry to the current Queen of Gran' Romagne, but the Tarnaroqui, a nation given to producing assassin/priests, are. Especially since one of those assassin/priests, one Quenfrieda, is in Merafi.
Thiercelin "Thierry" duLaurier is married to the Queen's right hand, which makes him a major nobleman indeed. Lately he's been seeing his brother-in-law, Valdarrien, around town. This wouldn't normally be a problem; Thierry and Valdin were great friends a while ago, but since Valdin died in a duel six years ago he doesn't come around so much. Since Merafians don't see ghosts as a regular thing, Thierry needs help figuring out what's going on. He turns to Gracielis, a Tarnaroqui who, in his youth, failed the tests to become one of those assassin/priests mentioned above, and now makes his living in Merafi as a prostitute and information broker. And, oh yeah, spy for the Tarnaroqui, though, like his failed-priest status, he doesn't usually let that one out. He also, as a result of his priest-training, sees ghosts.
Merafi is a skeptical town; they don't believe in magic. Magic, however, is coming to Merafi, and it's bringing death with it. Thierry, Gracielis, the dead Valdarrien, and a few others are going to have to stop it and save the city and those they love.
As you've probably guessed from the names, there's a certain French feeling to this one, down to using the title "Monseigneur" for gentlemen. A musketeerish feel, down to the guns and duels. It's kind of dark, especially towards the end, but it's well-written and rich and I highly recommend it.
Mistborn by Brandon SandersonI started reading this one at the same time as
Living With Ghosts, but this one took longer to read and I can't help but think that it shouldn't have. It isn't any thicker, and the language is more modern and so should be easier to read. Anyway, I didn't like it as much as I did
Ghosts, but that doesn't mean it's bad.
A thousand years ago, a prophecied hero arose, called forth to undertake a great quest and destroy a great evil. Whether he did or not is not clear, but he went on to conquer the world and to this day holds it as the Lord Ruler of the Final Empire (and that right there is one problem I have with this story. What kind of idiot names his kingdom "the
final empire"? That's just asking for trouble).
Now ash falls from the sky (probably due to volcanoes) and mists shroud the land by night. The Skaa are slaves and treated abominably by the nobles, who are the descendants of the Lord Ruler's old supporters. And Sanderson introduces one of the most distinct systems of magic I have ever encountered: Allomancy.
The basic idea behind Allomancy is that practitioners swallow small amounts of various metals (tin, copper, pewter, iron, steel, zinc, bronze, and brass) and then consume them ("burn") to produce affects that vary from controlling others' emotions to enhancing senses, to detecting or hiding allomancy in action. Sanderson thoughtfully provides a quick reference section in the back of the book, but the system is not hard to keep track of. Allomancers who can use one metal are called "Mistlings"; those who can use them all are called "Mistborn" (this is sort-of explained before the end of the book, but it's kind of tossed off; you have to pay close attention to catch it). There is no in-between state of using a few powers; it's one or all.
At the start of the book we meet a mistborn named Kelsier, who is a legend of sorts among the skaa as "the Survivor of Hathsin", having escaped from a fabled mine which is used by the Lord Ruler as a death sentence. He is travelling back to the capital city of the Final Empire, where he plans to join with his crew of thieves and, well, overthrow the Lord Ruler. So, in a way, this is a big heist story. Like most such, it is going to go horribly wrong before it ends. On the other hand, this isn't actually Kelsier's story; it's Vin's. When the book starts, Vin is a street-kid, running with a gang of thieves that works on a far less rarified level than Kelsier's do. Unknown to herself or anyone around her, Vin is an allomancer, a Mistborn unconsciously using trace elements from the atmosphere and water. She falls into Kelsier's orbit as he scouts out her crew for a group that could aid him and his crew in their big job. It's mostly because of Vin that he decides that they'll do, and Vin becomes his protege.
By the end of the book (and it went in some very unexpected directions to get there) I was totally caught up. This is, really, an interesting book. I recommend it, but I don't know if I'll be back for the sequels.
Kitty Raises Hell by Carrie VaughnOf course, Kitty doesn't actually
raise Hell. She spends rather more of the book trying to get it back down.
Basically, this is a continuation of
the last book. Kitty believes that some evil shapeshifters from Vegas have followed her back, but soon realizes that something else is involved; something not actually material; something that smells of brimstone and causes fires in places it shouldn't be able to get into, such as the inside of one member of her pack. Or Kitty's shapeshifter friendly restaurant/bar. With the aid of her friend Rick, now the master vampire of Denver, and the detectives/mystics who run a paranormal-investigative reality TV show, Kitty tries to find out what it is. Matters are complicated by the arrival of an ancient vampire who claims to know, and who offers to help in exchange for Kitty declaring her allegiance to him. And by Kitty and Ben facing the first serious challenge to their leadership of the pack.
This remains the best paranormal fantasy series out there. This volume is highly recommended, and I'd be willing to bump that up a notch further if it were a self-contained book, like most of the rest of the series. I'm really looking forward to the next one.
The Atheist's Way: living well without gods by Eric MaiselThe author has written an awful lot of self-help, "the artist within" sort of stuff, and it shows. Still, he does present his philosophy meaningfully and completely. That said, I'd be happier with this one if the title was
"An Atheist's Way".
Not really recommended.
Duainfey by Sharon Lee & Steve MillerCaveat Lector: if you read this write-up, I am going to spoil the book for you. I think that, when I'm done, you'll thank me. Still, for those of you who want to read the new Lee & Miller work unspoiled, here is a quick summary of my reactions to it:
DON'T. Just don't.
( Cut, not for spoilerous material, but for discussions of squicky and potentially triggering stuff )Not recommended. Really,
really not recommended.
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optimistic
cranky
productive
accomplished
exhausted![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/syndicated.gif){kind=small}
contemplative
Anyway, if you're interested in getting the VA hardcover, it's available at all the usual online retailers (Amazon, BN, and Borders) and 'real' bookstores too. If your local store doesn't have it in stock, they should be able to order it. Australians: your own stores will carry it too, so you don't need to order it from the U.S. Note: some places call this book the 'limited edition.' Some places call it the 'signature edition' because of my silver signature printed on the front. It does NOT come autographed on the inside.
calm
tired
melancholy
relieved
amused
sick