Mary Poppins (P.L. Travers)

[***] ISBN: 0152017178

This was a likable bunch of stories. It is definitely not the Disney Mary Poppins (and vice versa). Julie Andrews tried to act as vain and mysterious as this Mary Poppins, but her smile always ruined the effect.

Interestingly, the book comes across more as a set of semi-related stories, rather than one big story. And for a children's book, there are no (discernible) lessons learned, other than to make room in your life for whimsy. So that is the lesson I will take with me as I write my own fantasy story involving a nanny, some children, and a genie.

The Eagles Brood (Jack Whyte)

[***] ISBN: 9780765304599

I liked this better than "The Singing Sword", but still not as much as "The Skystone". The author shifts viewpoint here, into the head of Merlyn, the nephew of the previous narrator, Publius Varras. This results in more story, but I could have skipped some of the detailed, gruesome, and sometimes depraved details.

This is a Merlyn that runs counter to most previous notions of the old wizard. He's a young warrior growing up in the tradition of the Roman armies that have vacated Britain. We follow his life as he spars with his friend, cousin and rival, Uther Pendragon, who is ultimately the father of Arthur. Theirs is a brutish and often distasteful life. The story is not for the squeamish -- or impatient.

The Singing Sword (Jack Whyte)

[***] ISBN: 0765304589

Not as much story fill the pages of the second book in this series. It's all very good writing, but much of it seems like filler. There are episodes that don't seem necessary to moving the plot forward. And the parts that are pertinent seem a bit drawn out. Even so, I pushed through and enjoyed the ending, which is very key to the overall epic.

The Sword-Edged Blonde (Alex Bledsoe)

[***] ISBN: 1597801127

I would have probably never picked this up if I hadn't read a recommendation for it somewhere and it just happened to coincide with my plan to also write a first-person cross-over mystery. I'm glad I did. It's a fun read. This book tries to answer the question: what would happen if Sam Spade or Philip Marlowe lived in a world of sword and sorcery, rather than 20th century Los Angeles. What happens is that you get a hero with an attitude and a story filled with genre-bending non-sequiturs and humor. It just sort of works. This isn't Tolkien, or even C.S. Lewis, but there is plenty of story and interesting characters for the pages allocated. Recommended for a few hours of light reading.

Fragile Things (Neil Gaiman)

[***] ISBN: 9780060515225

An uneven, but ultimately satisfying collection of short stories, poems, and a novella from the author of "Stardust" and "Mirrormask" (and others I haven't yet read). Even though several of the stories and most of the poems fell flat for me, all of the entries showcase Gaiman's gift for imagination and invention. My favorites were "A Study in Emerald" (which re-imagines Sherlock Holmes in the world of H.P. Lovecraft), "Goliath" (which is from the world of "The Matrix"), "The Day the Saucers Came" (the one poem I liked), and "The Monarch of the Glen".

Eclipse One: New Science Fiction and Fantasy

[**] ISBN: 1597801178

I wasn't as impressed as I was supposed to be. I think I read a recommendation for this on someone's blog and figured it was time to be up-to-date in my short story reading. But this can't really be the good stuff, could it? I can't say I read a single story that really knocked my socks off. There was one about a hermaphrodite bigfoot that captured my attention and then lost my respect when the ending imploded. To top it off, I wasn't that impressed with the binding. This one gets two stars for trying, but I'm sure there are better collections out there.

The Further Adventures of Hank the Cowdog (John R. Erickson)

[**] ISBN: 9780877191209

I like children's books. Sometimes it's fun to put one in the mix and read something with a simpler point of view. This isn't a bad one, but I don't think it's a good one. There are some cute concepts, starting with the title character and his 'job'. And there are some interesting supporting characters here. But I think the book falls short on a couple of points.

First, a good children's book doesn't talk down to it's audience. In the most subtle of ways, I think that's what this one does. It's OK to have some rough language in a book about life on a ranch or a farm. But I think the writing here goes a bit too far in an attempt to let kids be in on the joke of a curmudgeonly dog that doesn't take any guff and has a problem with 'eye-crosserosis'.

Second, a good children's book simply shouldn't promote fighting as a way to solve problems. At least not one written in the last twenty years. This one does. OK, 1983 is a bit outside the time window. But I still wouldn't have read it to my kids, if I'd have encountered it back then. This may reflect how dogs act, especially those living on a ranch. That doesn't mean this behavior should be encouraged.

That all being noted, it's not a horrible book. Just disappointing. Perhaps most disappointing was that in a book about a 'cow dog', there were no cows (or other cattle). They're sort of implied by the setting, and maybe the first book in the series had some, but they are not visible in this story.

The Golden Compass (Philip Pullman)

[****] ISBN: 0440238137

It was very refreshing to read a straight ahead story of fantasy and adventure like this. It's quite a feat for an author to make just about anyone identify with a young girl hero. But that seems to be what Pullman has done here. I keep reading and hearing good things about this series every where.

What worked for me was the powerful prose, the breakneck pace, the engrossing (if ultimately unsatisfying) story, amazing places and colorful characters. What didn't really work for me was where the story wound up. In a way it was inevitable, except I didn't quite accept the convergence of the two adults. But it will be interesting to see where the story goes from here.

Stardust (Neil Gaiman)

[****] ISBN: 9780061142024

I should have guessed that a 'fairy tale for adults' was going to wind up being a love story, but I really didn't know what to expect (other than a good story) when I picked up this book. All I knew was the generally positive vibe about the author from the comic book world and the jaw-dropping world creation, storytelling and characterizations in the movie MirrorMask. I wanted to see what else he could do.

The magic in this book isn't just in the story. It is also in the storytelling. Somehow, Mr. Gaiman weaves the tale in such a way that the magic seems perfectly plain and natural and the reader simultaneously feels they are aware of all the facts, but knows there is another level, another turn coming. And the reader is correct, there is always another turn. And when the end comes, there is an extra twist. Yet even this feels completely natural and fitting.

The hero is well formed, likable and easy to identify with. He definitely grows up and grows on you. A few characters sort of show up and then disappear. But even they are well drawn.

I'd recommend this to anyone that wants a few hours of completely charming reading.

Knight Life (Peter David)

[**] ISBN: 9780441010776

This got much higher ratings from readers on Amazon.com than I can justify giving it. I guess after reading several of Peter's later works (all based on licensed properties) and after reading the preface he added about all of the work he put into 'improving' this book, I was expecting 300+ pages of intrigue, fun and giggles. The concept certainly seemed to be there. I just don't think this book executed it.

My problems with the story are several: (1) The plot is pedestrian. It never really engaged my interest. It was pretty obvious that Arthur would become mayor of New York. There were too few surprises in how he got there. (2) The characters were stereotypical. We already know Arthur is tragic and heroic and that Morgan Le Fey is wicked. But shouldn't we (or they) know more about why after a thousand or more years? (3) The comedy implied by the situation was never really given a chance to pay off. Either it was far too subtle for my feeble brain, or I was in a bad mood, or it just wasn't there.

Even so, I was glad to read one of Peter David's earlier works (even though it is updated). I did read it all of the way through. I won't stop looking for and reading his other works.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (J.K. Rowling)

[****] ISBN: 9780590353403

More catching up for me. I suppose I must concur with the rest of the world and declare that this is a highly entertaining and readable book. It is definitely incredible that this is the first effort by the author. She hit so many notes just right. Almost as incredible is the fact that she's apparently sustained it through many more volumes.

The Skystone (Jack Whyte)

[****] ISBN: 0812551389

I believe I first got tipped off about this series by reading a rave on Orson Scott Card's blog. I'm glad I followed up on it.

The Skystone is the first volume of many in a retelling of the legend of King Arthur and Camelot (according to the reviews and the cover blurb). You wouldn't know it from reading the story (until you start getting clues in the latter half of the book). This story is set years before Arthur, when Britain was still under the rule of Rome and the Roman legions. It follows Plublius Varrus, one of those Roman soldiers, through well-staged bloody battles, intriguing political feuds and troubling personal demons. This is quite an adventure.

I found the writing and plotting to be first-rate overall. I read the book straight through in a week (it helped to be sitting in airports and on planes). A few things keep me from giving it a full four stars: (1) Secondary characters seem to be either fully trustworthy and noble or not. It's way too easy to identify allies and enemies. Where are the turncoats? (2) Life in ancient Britain comes across as a bit too idyllic. Although some difficulties are described, the author glosses over many of the harsh realities of everyday life in this period. (3) Typical of most secular books, the Christian themes are very muted and easily confused with simple morality.

I will definitely find and read the rest of the books in this series.

Black (Ted Dekker)

[*]

Ted Dekker is supposed to be a pretty good writer. I would not assent to that proposition based on this book. Based on the high ratings and good reviews of this work on Amazon.com, I had hoped this would be a good introduction to the author and a fun, but challenging, read. I could barely finish it.

The one thing Mr. Dekker does well here is create two distinct worlds and keep the protagonist and the reader wondering which one is real. Is it the world that seems to be our own, with all of its wars, disease and crime? Or is it the land the protagonist visits when he is sleeping (or in a coma), where evil is decidedly black and good is innocent and naive?

The problem is that I don't care. The fantasy world is not rich enough and things are too black and white. The allegory is both too obvious and too dense to penetrate. I'm not sure what the author is trying to show. Events in the real world are either too coincidental or too dependent on an almost omniscient and omnipotent antagonist. No one has that kind of power and insight. And the protagonist is too laid back for a novel. Things just happen to him, even when he's trying to be a bit assertive. I made it all the way to the end of the book, looking for something to really happen or be explained. It never was. And I don't care enough about it to pick up the other two books and spend the hours needed to read them.