Author: Stephenie Meyer
Genre: fiction, science fiction, romance
Publication info: Little, Brown and Company, 2008
Pages: 619
Novel #3. I'm very hesitant to write this review.
You may ask, Have I no integrity? Have I lost my taste? Does a grade mean so much to me that I'll stop at nothing? The only answer I can give is an awkward shrug and a shuffling of feet.
Before I am attacked by offended Stephenie Meyer fans, I will say that think this book isn't too bad. I even enjoyed it at times. I was told that people who can't stomach the romance-heavy Twilight novels may find this book more palatable. They may be right, but I'm not going to read Twilight to find out for sure.
The premise of The Host is actually pretty interesting. Earth has been taken over by an alien species, called souls, that live by inhabiting the bodies of other creatures. Meyer isn't the first one to try this idea, but she gives it an interesting twist by telling the story from the point of view not of a human, but of a soul. A soul called Wanderer. She has been on many different planets before this one and therefore has a lot of experience, but she has never come across a challenge such as her human host presents. Her name is Melanie Stryder, and she will just not go away. She keeps showing up in Wanderer's thoughts, to the point where she can influence the soul's feelings and behavior.
Interesting, right? But I have left out a key element that so far has been at the center of every one of Meyer's novels: romance. It is love for a man, it turns out, that is keeping Melanie alive. It is love for a human that leads Wanderer to go against all the norms of her alien society. It is love that Meyer assumes the reader is most interested in. Maybe most of them are, but I came to this book expecting to read a science fiction novel, for that is how the book is marketed. I've read a fair share of science fiction and more or less know what to expect. And while I appreciate Meyer's efforts at shaking things up—her novel is much more character-driven than most science fiction—let's not pretend that this is what it isn't. This is a romance. A science-fictiony romance, but still a romance.
If you like romance, great. You'll probably like this book. I hear it's more tasteful than the Twilight series (although it does have its moments of, shall we say, too much detail). I myself am not totally against romance, but I do have my limits, and The Host flirted with those limits. Although my experience was far from terrible, it's pretty safe to say I've read my last Stephenie Meyer novel.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
The Runaway Jury
Author: John Grisham
Genre: fiction, legal thriller
Publication info: Doubleday, 1996
Pages: 401
This is novel #2. I forgot to mention that these all have to be written by authors whose work I've never read before. The Runaway Jury is my first foray into John Grisham fiction. And possibly my last. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
I'd intended to read a Grisham novel for a while, I guess to see what all the fuss is about. I normally stay away from books where you can see the author's name from a mile away but you have to be holding the book to be able to read the title. Grisham's books usually fit that description, so I usually ignore them. But sometimes curiosity gets the best of me. And having a class assignment like the one I have definitely speeds up the process.
I also thought this would be an interesting way to learn about how the courtroom works, a subject I know virtually nothing about. I don't know whether I got an accurate depiction with this novel, but at least it held my interest. Most of the time, anyway.
The Runaway Jury is the story of a big lawsuit against a big tobacco company. If successful, the lawsuit could cripple Big Tobacco indefinitely. So both sides of the case gather all the legal weaponry they can.
It begins with the jury. I had no idea that the parties in the lawsuit could have any say in who is selected for the jury, but apparently getting the right jury is one of the surest ways to win the case. To this end, the defense hires consultant Rankin Fitch. I'm not sure what Fitch's actual job description is; he seems to control everything about the case outside of the courtroom. He oversees the careful examination of every potential juror, and throughout the trial he makes sure each member of the jury is leaning the way he wants. He'll do what it takes, even if it's illegal.
But there are a few problems. One is Nicholas Easter, a young man selected for the jury whose background remains a total mystery and who has a powerful influence over the rest of the jurors. The other is a young woman who frequently calls up Fitch with odd predictions about the jury's behavior, and the predictions always come true. She seems to know too much, and her motives are dubious.
It's an interesting story with enough questions to keep you turning pages. Unfortunately, the pacing is pretty slow at times. Just when it starts to get really interesting, the story slows down again—there's a lot of stop-and-go action. I've heard this is a common characteristic of Grisham's novels. It doesn't necessarily kill the story, but it does make it hard to get through.
The fun of the story, for me, came from all the opportunities to figure out what was going on. Sometimes I was right, and other times I was dead wrong. In either case, it was satisfying. I don't know if I'll ever read Grisham again, because of the pacing issue, but I'd still say this novel was pretty good. Maybe you'd like it.
Genre: fiction, legal thriller
Publication info: Doubleday, 1996
Pages: 401
This is novel #2. I forgot to mention that these all have to be written by authors whose work I've never read before. The Runaway Jury is my first foray into John Grisham fiction. And possibly my last. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
I'd intended to read a Grisham novel for a while, I guess to see what all the fuss is about. I normally stay away from books where you can see the author's name from a mile away but you have to be holding the book to be able to read the title. Grisham's books usually fit that description, so I usually ignore them. But sometimes curiosity gets the best of me. And having a class assignment like the one I have definitely speeds up the process.
I also thought this would be an interesting way to learn about how the courtroom works, a subject I know virtually nothing about. I don't know whether I got an accurate depiction with this novel, but at least it held my interest. Most of the time, anyway.
The Runaway Jury is the story of a big lawsuit against a big tobacco company. If successful, the lawsuit could cripple Big Tobacco indefinitely. So both sides of the case gather all the legal weaponry they can.
It begins with the jury. I had no idea that the parties in the lawsuit could have any say in who is selected for the jury, but apparently getting the right jury is one of the surest ways to win the case. To this end, the defense hires consultant Rankin Fitch. I'm not sure what Fitch's actual job description is; he seems to control everything about the case outside of the courtroom. He oversees the careful examination of every potential juror, and throughout the trial he makes sure each member of the jury is leaning the way he wants. He'll do what it takes, even if it's illegal.
But there are a few problems. One is Nicholas Easter, a young man selected for the jury whose background remains a total mystery and who has a powerful influence over the rest of the jurors. The other is a young woman who frequently calls up Fitch with odd predictions about the jury's behavior, and the predictions always come true. She seems to know too much, and her motives are dubious.
It's an interesting story with enough questions to keep you turning pages. Unfortunately, the pacing is pretty slow at times. Just when it starts to get really interesting, the story slows down again—there's a lot of stop-and-go action. I've heard this is a common characteristic of Grisham's novels. It doesn't necessarily kill the story, but it does make it hard to get through.
The fun of the story, for me, came from all the opportunities to figure out what was going on. Sometimes I was right, and other times I was dead wrong. In either case, it was satisfying. I don't know if I'll ever read Grisham again, because of the pacing issue, but I'd still say this novel was pretty good. Maybe you'd like it.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
The Shack
Author: William Paul Young
Genre: fiction, Christian
Publication info: Windblown Media, 2007
Pages: 248
The next several books I'll be reviewing will break away from my normal pattern a little bit, if I've been following a pattern at all. But don't panic—I'm doing this for a reason. For a class, no less. If you can believe it, a class I'm taking this term requires me to read some popular novels. Can you believe it? Me read popular novels? Okay, I admit that when I made my reading list, I became secretly excited for some of them. Everyone needs guilty pleasures, right?
Anyway, here's book #1: The Shack.
The title sounds like a horror story, doesn't it? And when you look at the cover from a distance, it looks like a horror story too. But it's not. Far from it, in fact. The Shack is a piece of Christian fiction. It happened to be a bestseller only recently. I first heard about it from a newspaper review. I was intrigued and thought that I might want to read this book when I could get around to it. Of course, I never thought I really would get around to it, but then I took this class, and now we see the result.
The Shack begins with a man named Mackenzie Allen Philips (most often referred to as Mac) receiving a strange note from someone that could possibly be God. The note invites him to come back to "the shack." After seeing Mac's incredulity, we are taken back a couple years to when his daughter Missy was abducted and apparently murdered. The most compelling evidence of murder was found in an isolated the shack—the same shack that someone claiming to be God invites Mac to come back to.
Mack is incredulous some more (and rightfully so), but he does end up going to the shack. And what he finds there surprises the heck out of him (excuse the pun). Without giving too much away, I'll say that at the shack he meets, well, God. That is to say he meets God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost—all three of them. Mac is going to have an unforgettable weekend.
Here Young gets pretty creative. If you are religious, particularly Christian, then prepare to see a very unorthodox depiction of God. It seems almost irreverent, but it's fascinating. I myself am a Christian, and I found it pretty interesting. Sometimes even funny. I particularly liked the idea that God has a sense of humor.
As for the more serious theology of the book, I have mixed feelings. The bulk of the novel is basically a framework for Mac to have discussions with one of the Godhead. Frankly, I'm amazed that one man could come up with so much material. I imagine he had a lot of help. Some of what he says is quite good, quite profound. But other points he makes I don't agree with. (I'm speaking this generally for two reasons: a thorough discussion would take too much space, and I'm way behind on this blog and I read the book too long ago to remember a lot of specifics.) In short, I don't consider this book scripture, and neither should you. But it may be a good vehicle to get you thinking about your relationship with God.
Young does make some good points about the meaning of human suffering. To find out what those points are, well, you know what to do.
Genre: fiction, Christian
Publication info: Windblown Media, 2007
Pages: 248
The next several books I'll be reviewing will break away from my normal pattern a little bit, if I've been following a pattern at all. But don't panic—I'm doing this for a reason. For a class, no less. If you can believe it, a class I'm taking this term requires me to read some popular novels. Can you believe it? Me read popular novels? Okay, I admit that when I made my reading list, I became secretly excited for some of them. Everyone needs guilty pleasures, right?
Anyway, here's book #1: The Shack.
The title sounds like a horror story, doesn't it? And when you look at the cover from a distance, it looks like a horror story too. But it's not. Far from it, in fact. The Shack is a piece of Christian fiction. It happened to be a bestseller only recently. I first heard about it from a newspaper review. I was intrigued and thought that I might want to read this book when I could get around to it. Of course, I never thought I really would get around to it, but then I took this class, and now we see the result.
The Shack begins with a man named Mackenzie Allen Philips (most often referred to as Mac) receiving a strange note from someone that could possibly be God. The note invites him to come back to "the shack." After seeing Mac's incredulity, we are taken back a couple years to when his daughter Missy was abducted and apparently murdered. The most compelling evidence of murder was found in an isolated the shack—the same shack that someone claiming to be God invites Mac to come back to.
Mack is incredulous some more (and rightfully so), but he does end up going to the shack. And what he finds there surprises the heck out of him (excuse the pun). Without giving too much away, I'll say that at the shack he meets, well, God. That is to say he meets God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost—all three of them. Mac is going to have an unforgettable weekend.
Here Young gets pretty creative. If you are religious, particularly Christian, then prepare to see a very unorthodox depiction of God. It seems almost irreverent, but it's fascinating. I myself am a Christian, and I found it pretty interesting. Sometimes even funny. I particularly liked the idea that God has a sense of humor.
As for the more serious theology of the book, I have mixed feelings. The bulk of the novel is basically a framework for Mac to have discussions with one of the Godhead. Frankly, I'm amazed that one man could come up with so much material. I imagine he had a lot of help. Some of what he says is quite good, quite profound. But other points he makes I don't agree with. (I'm speaking this generally for two reasons: a thorough discussion would take too much space, and I'm way behind on this blog and I read the book too long ago to remember a lot of specifics.) In short, I don't consider this book scripture, and neither should you. But it may be a good vehicle to get you thinking about your relationship with God.
Young does make some good points about the meaning of human suffering. To find out what those points are, well, you know what to do.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Matchless
Author: Jane Candia Coleman
Genre: historical fiction
Publication info: Five Star, 2003
Pages: 247
This is one of those books I probably wouldn't have picked out myself, but it was surprisingly enjoyable. My girlfriend came across it while we were at the library. She read it and loved it and recommended it to me. And I liked it too! Probably not as much as she did, but I still liked it.
Matchless is the story of Augusta Tabor, first wife of H. A. W. Tabor, who was Colorado's "silver king," according to the back cover. It is more or less a true story, based on Augusta Tabor's diaries and correspondence, although the author admits to some creative license.
It is interesting to see the adventures of settling the West through the eyes of a woman, a viewpoint we probably don't get enough of. Augusta's take on things is entirely different from that of Haw, as they call him. She is determined to make the most out of whatever situation she's in, while he is always looking for more, never satisfied. And therein lies the problem.
Ultimately, this novel is less a story about silver mining and taming the frontier of American civilization than it is a story about a failed marriage. And what a spectacular failure it is. The sad part about it is that the failure is largely one-sided. Augusta does all she can to keep the family together, but Haw persists in behaving like a thirteen-year-old in an adult body who ends up with enormous wealth and political sway (why do dumb jerks get so much power so often?). It's a sad story, but it's a rich one.
My one complaint about this book is the spare description. I think I've mentioned before that I am not a fan of extensive description, but I am also not a fan of not enough description. When I read a story or novel, I want a clear sense of where I am. I don't always get that sense in this book. Sometimes the characters go to a place and the narrator describes it as if I'd been there before (in other words, she hardly describes it at all). So it's easy to get disoriented.
But I want to end on a positive note. This book is quite interesting, and I found it easy to immerse myself in it. The novel provides an intriguing look at an interesting period in the country's history.
Genre: historical fiction
Publication info: Five Star, 2003
Pages: 247
This is one of those books I probably wouldn't have picked out myself, but it was surprisingly enjoyable. My girlfriend came across it while we were at the library. She read it and loved it and recommended it to me. And I liked it too! Probably not as much as she did, but I still liked it.
Matchless is the story of Augusta Tabor, first wife of H. A. W. Tabor, who was Colorado's "silver king," according to the back cover. It is more or less a true story, based on Augusta Tabor's diaries and correspondence, although the author admits to some creative license.
It is interesting to see the adventures of settling the West through the eyes of a woman, a viewpoint we probably don't get enough of. Augusta's take on things is entirely different from that of Haw, as they call him. She is determined to make the most out of whatever situation she's in, while he is always looking for more, never satisfied. And therein lies the problem.
Ultimately, this novel is less a story about silver mining and taming the frontier of American civilization than it is a story about a failed marriage. And what a spectacular failure it is. The sad part about it is that the failure is largely one-sided. Augusta does all she can to keep the family together, but Haw persists in behaving like a thirteen-year-old in an adult body who ends up with enormous wealth and political sway (why do dumb jerks get so much power so often?). It's a sad story, but it's a rich one.
My one complaint about this book is the spare description. I think I've mentioned before that I am not a fan of extensive description, but I am also not a fan of not enough description. When I read a story or novel, I want a clear sense of where I am. I don't always get that sense in this book. Sometimes the characters go to a place and the narrator describes it as if I'd been there before (in other words, she hardly describes it at all). So it's easy to get disoriented.
But I want to end on a positive note. This book is quite interesting, and I found it easy to immerse myself in it. The novel provides an intriguing look at an interesting period in the country's history.
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