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juushikaTitle: City of the Shrieking Tomb
Author: Patrick A. Rogers
Published: Amazon Digital Services, 2018
Rating: 2 of 5
Page Count: 265
Total Page Count: 275,210
Text Number: 892
Read Because: ebook provided by the author for review
Review: A travel photographer stumbles into a small Indian village with unusual ancient architecture. This is self-published, and feels like it; it could use an editor both for grammatical/formatting elements (inappropriate comma usage; corny direct internal dialogue) and to smooth out the structure—too much is delivered in dialog infodumps, and the disconnect between more atmospheric but mundane narrative and distant but lore-rich dialog does neither half any favors. The final line is particularly poor. But this could be significantly worse—the non-New England setting for a Lovecraftian-vibe lost gods narrative is refreshing, and the sense of place vivid, the oppressive heat and xenophobic culture moreso than the haunting elements. The critical, almost-parodic portrayal of a white male foreigner is well-intended; the protagonist is still annoying. I'd give this a miss, but it has some unrealized potential.
Title: Mixed Magics: Four Tales of Chrestomanci (Chrestomanci Book 5)
Author: Diana Wynne Jones
Published: Greenwillow Books, 2003 (2000)
Rating: 3 of 5
Page Count: 165
Total Page Count: 275,375
Text Number: 893
Read Because: continuing the series, ebook borrowed from the Multnomah County Library
Review: Four stories set within the Chrestomanci world. The delight is in seeing a wider view—characters from different novels coming together, exterior glimpses of Christopher Chant as Chrestomanci—and DWJ's creative ideas and knack for endings works well in short form. "Stealer of Souls" combines these elements successfully, and is easily the best of the bunch. But the tone sometimes falters, like the cruel humor of "Warlock at the Wheel," some stories are too divorced from the novels, and nothing stands out as do the best books in the series. Decent, but unexceptional.
Title: The Kingdom of Little Wounds
Author: Susann Cokal
Published: Candlewick Press, 2013
Rating: 4 of 5
Page Count: 570
Total Page Count: 275,945
Text Number: 894
Read Because: mentioned bymrissa, ebook borrowed from the Multnomah County Library
Review:
1572 in Scandinavia, and disease haunts the kingdom, impacting everyone from queen to maid. I've read grimmer books which achieve less—and this is very grim, but grim in a way that balances the push/pull of a historical setting, the disconnect between idealization and reality. It succeeds because its thematic focus is longing, a theme which resonates with me and had me thinking about the book between readings, which gives purpose to the content. The tonal shift of the ending is transparent, the fairytale styling should be stronger—able, at least, to rival the grimness; it's not perfectly executed. But it has power and purpose.
Author: Patrick A. Rogers
Published: Amazon Digital Services, 2018
Rating: 2 of 5
Page Count: 265
Total Page Count: 275,210
Text Number: 892
Read Because: ebook provided by the author for review
Review: A travel photographer stumbles into a small Indian village with unusual ancient architecture. This is self-published, and feels like it; it could use an editor both for grammatical/formatting elements (inappropriate comma usage; corny direct internal dialogue) and to smooth out the structure—too much is delivered in dialog infodumps, and the disconnect between more atmospheric but mundane narrative and distant but lore-rich dialog does neither half any favors. The final line is particularly poor. But this could be significantly worse—the non-New England setting for a Lovecraftian-vibe lost gods narrative is refreshing, and the sense of place vivid, the oppressive heat and xenophobic culture moreso than the haunting elements. The critical, almost-parodic portrayal of a white male foreigner is well-intended; the protagonist is still annoying. I'd give this a miss, but it has some unrealized potential.
Title: Mixed Magics: Four Tales of Chrestomanci (Chrestomanci Book 5)
Author: Diana Wynne Jones
Published: Greenwillow Books, 2003 (2000)
Rating: 3 of 5
Page Count: 165
Total Page Count: 275,375
Text Number: 893
Read Because: continuing the series, ebook borrowed from the Multnomah County Library
Review: Four stories set within the Chrestomanci world. The delight is in seeing a wider view—characters from different novels coming together, exterior glimpses of Christopher Chant as Chrestomanci—and DWJ's creative ideas and knack for endings works well in short form. "Stealer of Souls" combines these elements successfully, and is easily the best of the bunch. But the tone sometimes falters, like the cruel humor of "Warlock at the Wheel," some stories are too divorced from the novels, and nothing stands out as do the best books in the series. Decent, but unexceptional.
Title: The Kingdom of Little Wounds
Author: Susann Cokal
Published: Candlewick Press, 2013
Rating: 4 of 5
Page Count: 570
Total Page Count: 275,945
Text Number: 894
Read Because: mentioned by
mrissa, ebook borrowed from the Multnomah County LibraryReview:
I pray ... for a sense of tranquility, of not-wanting, of health to my soul.
1572 in Scandinavia, and disease haunts the kingdom, impacting everyone from queen to maid. I've read grimmer books which achieve less—and this is very grim, but grim in a way that balances the push/pull of a historical setting, the disconnect between idealization and reality. It succeeds because its thematic focus is longing, a theme which resonates with me and had me thinking about the book between readings, which gives purpose to the content. The tonal shift of the ending is transparent, the fairytale styling should be stronger—able, at least, to rival the grimness; it's not perfectly executed. But it has power and purpose.
