Sunday, August 15, 2010

Black Powder War - Naomi Novik


Black Powder War
is another book in the series about the dragon Temeraire. Temeraire and his Captain Laurence are on the way back from China when they're commissioned to pickup some dragon eggs the British have purchased from the Ottoman Empire. They decide to go overland instead of by sea, and along the way they encounter deserts, mountains, wild dragons, duplicity in Instanbul, and are caught up in the Napoleonic wars. The continuing dialog between Temeraire and Captain Laurence over the rights and freedoms of dragons is an interesting side thread, and Temeraire's proselytizing among the other dragons they meet is has some interesting consequences.  Their arch nemisis, the white Chinese dragon Lien is tracking them and causing trouble at every turn.  Highly recommended.

Friday, August 13, 2010

Looks to Die For - Janice Kaplan

Looks to Die For is a murder mystery with an unusual protagonist.  Lacy Fields is the wife of a very successful Hollywood plastic surgeon.  When her husband is accused of murdering a woman he claims he's never heard of, Lacy eventually decides she can solve his case better than the police.  There are some interesting twists and turns.  The writing reminds me some of Janet Evanovich's novels.

I enjoyed the story but there is a dark side to this author's writing.  She takes describing girly stuff to a new high.  You never read "she picked up her purse" from Kaplan.  It would be "she picked up her {insert designer name} {insert weird color} {insert material} purse that matched her {insert another designer name} {insert color scheme} {insert size and how well it fits} {insert name for women's clothes I never heard of} outfit."  Yikes!  Reader's Digest could condense this baby by just removing clothing, accessory, and hair style descriptions.  That said I highly recommend this book.

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Bullet - Laurell K. Hamilton,

Bullet is the latest Anita Blake novel.  I read them because it's a compulsion.  This series started out so good and now it's kind of pathetic.  Too bad.  There are so many other good authors out there I may take Hamilton off my list for now.  Not recommended.