Dragon Views

The Piano Teacher
Janice Y. K. Lee
Penguin (2009)
Paperback, 352 pages
Rated 2 stars of 5 possible.

The Piano Teacher is written in a present tense, third person point of view that I find disturbing... it's as if someone is secretly watching everything that happens without anyone knowing.  One can almost hear the story being narrated in a whisper.  For unknown or unstated reasons, The Piano Teacher flip-flops between decades - 1940's and 1950's. As a reader, I find this unexplained flipping between decades to be a major distraction.

Claire Pendleton, the charater referred to in the title, seems to have actually very little to do with the story, yet she should be the main character, or the book should have been given a different title. The story seems to be more about Will Truesdale and Trudy Liang and what happened to them during World War II than about Claire. As it is, there's nothing in the book for me to recommend it to anyone.

Of those that are fully developed, none are likable... not even Claire Pendleton, The Piano Teacher, whom, at best, one can pity. In fact, I am only giving this book two stars because the 1950's portion is interesting.  Not so the majority of the book, which takes place approximately a decade earlier. If you're looking for something interesting to read, this probably isn't it.  Parts of it are interesting because of the hisotrical material on Hong Kong... but the characters are either the kind you love to hate or rather flat and uninteresting.

Not recommended.  This review has been simultaneously posted on Amazon.com, Dragonviews and Library Thing.

Fireside
Lakeshore Chronicles, Book 5
Susan Wiggs
Mira (2009)
Mass Market Paperback, 416 pages
Rated 3 stars of 5 possible

Fireside is a sweet, sticky, formulaic romance with a little more plot than most books of this type, but still not my cup of tea. 5th in a series, yet stands alone too. Not really bad (the author does a good job with grammar, spelling, and punctuation), but not good enough to make me want to look for the previous four books, nor any that may come after... or anything else by this author.  

Character development is far too slow and tentative in this book, almost experimental, or so it seems. Too much description, too little action, and too little dialogue to the story for it to be really good. Fully half of the book was past before I sensed any realistc characteristics to the people involved in this story... and then I could not bring myself to care overly much for any of them.  Why'd I finish reading this if I don't like it?  I'm clueless about that myself... it surely wasn't worth wasting my time.

Recommended to those who like sweet and sticky, mostly plotless and formulaic romance novels; anyone else should steer clear of this... This review has been simultaneously posted on Amazon.com, Dragonviews and Library Thing.

My good friend Kimberly Pauley (author of Sucks to Be Me) is sponsoring a monthly Kindle Giveaway. To be eligible to enter for the Kindle drawing, you need to post 5 reviews on her website. It's easy to enter... so go ahead, what are you waiting for?  Details here: Young Adult (& Kids) Books Central Blog: YABC Monthly Kindle Giveaway!!

Fever 1793
Laurie Halse Anderson
Aladdin Paperbacks (March 2002),
Paperback, 265 pages
Rated 4 stars of 5 possible

The Yellow Fever epidemic of 1793 and its aftermath have been historically documented, providing much factual information on which this novel is based. Other reviewers have done a good job summarizing the story, so I won't repeat their efforts here.  Instead, I'll just tell you why I think you should read the book.

Following the novel is an 8 page appendix revealing that many of the events portrayed in the novel actually did happen and that some of the characters were based on real historical persons. While I like seeing such a feature in books that are based on actual events, a bibliography of source material used would also have been a nice feature for a book like this one.

The nearly seamless blending of historical fact with fiction, and her believable, historically consistent characters that help make Laurie Halse Anderson's novel a page turner; one of the best reasons for reading it would be pure enjoyment. The characters are well-developed and the writing exceptionally good. The story is told from start to finish in about 240 pages and moves forward at a nice pace, so it's not overly long and certainly not boring either, with the rich historical content on which the novel is based.

I recommend this novel to readers age 14 and up who are interested in historical events told through fiction. While written specifically with young adult females in mind, this book should appeal to all ages and both genders through it's strong characters and well-defined story.  This review has been simultaneously posted on Dragonviews and Library Thing.

Voyager
By Diana Gabaldon
Dell (1994)
Mass Market, 1072 pages
Rated 5 stars of 5 possible

Voyager, the third novel in the marvelous Outlander series, takes up the tale of Jamie Fraser and Claire Randall where Dragonfly in Amber left off, opening right after the battle of Culloden. Jamie had sent Claire back through the stones to her own time just prior to the battle - to protect her and their unborn child.  He had meant to die in battle, yet he has unaccountably survived.

The author has done extensive research and taken care to incorporate authentic detail into these novels, making them more believable and that much more enjoyable. One look at the rating for the Outlander series will tell you I'm hooked.  I doubt I have ever given three consecutive novels in a series this consistently high of a rating... yet Outlander and it's sequels definitely deserve the ratings they've gotten from me.

I highly recommend the entire series. Each novel is - somewhat - stand alone, making a complete story on it's own. Still, I recommend starting with Outlander and read them in order.  The larger story will make better sense that way.

This review is simultaneously published on Dragonviews, and LibraryThing.

Utmost Magpie
Richard Marsh
Mazgeen Press, (2009)
E-book, 54 pages
Rated 4 stars of 5 possible

Utmost Magpie is a story about magpies who, led by their captain, deliver messages to people. The messages foretell - by the number of magpies seen - what may happen to the people... The events foretold by the magpies are prophetic, but not entirely unavoidable.

I suspect the story is heavily laden with symbolism that I haven't stopped to analyze in it's entirety. The satire goes right over my head too... or at least, mostly it does. Despite that, I can still see the magpies as politicians and their messages as the rhetoric delivered by politicians in an attempt to convince their colleagues to vote for certain measures when the political body is in session.

On another level, Utmost Magpie is an entirely enjoyable fantasy tale about magpies and the "work" they do. Utmost Magpie can be read as "light and fluffy" or studied in depth.  I can recommend this book, even to those who don't normally read satire.

This review has been simultaneously published on Amazon.com, Dragonviews, and LibraryThing.  Utmost Magpie was given to me free in exchange for this review.

Patterns in the Sand: A Seaside Knitters Mystery
By Sally Goldenbaum
New American Library (2009)
Hardcover, 304 pages
Rated 4 Stars of 5 Possible

Patterns in the Sand takes place in Sea Harbor, Massachusetts, one of those sleepy little seaside towns where everybody knows everybody else, and they also know who likes or does not like whom. Shortly before all the excitement begins, Willow Adams arrives in town and is introduced to the community in an unconventional manner... she's discovered by the police, fast asleep in the display window of Izzy Chambers's Seaside Knitting Studio...

Like a ball of Izzy's yarn, this story unravels bit by bit.  The suspense is delightful as just enough detail is revealed to keep the reader interested and on the edge of her seat while the story develops, and the plot unwinds. Patterns in the Sand is the second book of the new Seaside Knitters Mystery series.

I recommend this novel with no reservations at all to mystery readers age 14 and up... even if you didn't read the first novel in the series, you could enjoy this one, as it stands alone well.

This review is simultaneously published on Dragonviews and LibraryThing, and I reserve the right to publish it elsewhere as the mood takes me.

Makers
By Cory Doctorow
Tor Books (2009)
Hardcover, 416 pages
Rated 3 Stars of 5 Possible

Normally, I can't wait for a good, new, science fiction book to be published, and jump at the chance to get an advance review copy. So, I got the chance and jumped on that chance... Makers is a futuristic account of inventors who dream up things that don't exist and figure out how to make those things work. Not just run-of-the-mill inventions like a new car or kitchen appliance, but really weird things like a 3D printer that will print out any invention you can dream up... no, not the plans, the actual inventions.  So, we have an alternative future, we have crazy inventions, we have likeable characters, and some not so likeable characters; in all a good premise from which to begin.

So, you're probably wondering why I'm only giving this book three stars... well, it's kinda the writing. The tale is told in little vignettes strung together into about three VERY LONG chapters... That's deadly from the start with me. I like my chapters about 30 or 40 pages in length (if something really happens in them) or shorter if less happens.  The chapters in Makers - if you can call them that - are over 100 pages long, and do not really contain  that much action.  I gave up around page 145.

Then, too, it's the characterization.  The characters in this book (both good and bad) are only minimally developed, more like a picture hanging on the wall instead of living people. To really suck me into his world, make me feel as if I belong there, a writer needs to develop both the scenery and the characters.  The scenery is just about well-enough developed, but the characters sure could use some work.

And, then, too, it's those little vignettes connected into the long chapters... yeah I know, I mentioned them already, but they drive me nuts. Sorry, Cory Doctorow, you missed on this one.

This review is simultaneously published on Amazon.com, Dragonviews, and LibraryThing... Umm and I've posted a link to Dragonviews on Tor.com too, since that's the publisher's website... and where I found out about this book. Sorry I'm so late with the review; the book was published in hard cover, late October, 2009. Oh, and now the FTC has kicked in a new requirement for us bloggers... I'm told I have to say that Tor Books gave me this copy free to review, but truthfully, that makes no difference in my opinions.

True Detectives
By Jonathan Kellerman
Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: Ballantine Books (2009)
Rated 3 stars of 5 Possible

True Detectives stars two brothers who can't get along with each other, but must work together.  While the antagonism between the brothers is not more than mildly interesting, far too much of that relationship was included in the story.

Of far more interest was the missing persons case the brothers were investigating and the murder case that got tangled up in the initial investigation...  yet True Detectives is only an average thriller.

The first 117 pages makes one think the book is worth reading; the last 62 pages also support that viewpoint... however the pages in the middle of the book do everything possible to destroy the careful construction of the novel begun in those first pages. The middle of the book also does not make a lot of sense when combined with the ending pages.

I'd recommend this only for die-hard Kellerman fans and with the caviat that this is far from his best work. The novels starring Alex Deleware as the main character are much better than this one.

This review was simultaneously published on Dragonviews and LibraryThing

Treasury of Christmas Crafts & Foods
Joan Cravens and Judith Veeder (Editors)
George De Gennaro and William Hopkins (Photographers)
Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: Better Homes & Gardens Books (August 1980)
Rated 5 Stars of 5 Possible

This is an unusual book, every page full of instructions for beautiful crafts or mouth-watering holiday recipes, as well as many pages containing gorgeous photos of either the finished craft projects or the ready-to-eat food that looks as good as it tastes. The recipes are mostly for the average cook, but some are easier and some a bit more difficult to prepare.

While I've had my copy of this book approximately two decades, I find it as interesting to read now as I did then; a timeless and wonderful book to peruse during the holidays. Something for everyone can be found within these pages. Although this book does contain many different nativity scene projects done with different techniques, and requiring different skill levels to complete, there are an abundance of other craft projects so that nobody need feel left out.

Amazon.com no longer sells this new, however many third party sellers have copies available in any condition, including new, most of them at very reasonable prices. If you love crafts and cooking, this is the book for you.