Several Little Book Reviews

My main "New Year's Resolution" for 2011 was to do a lot more reading. I'm not currently in school at the moment, and I have no intention of spending that time in front of my XBox. (Though the thought had crossed my mind.) Thanks to the used book store here in town and the lovely couple who run the place, I'm up to my knees in quality fiction. Not only that, I'm one book away from trouncing my 2010 reading list; I really didn't read much last year.

Here's some of what I've read through so far (I'll post the rest up later):

Star Wars: Dark Rendezvous

by Sean Stewart

I've read my fair share of SW books over the last couple of years (thanks, Buch) but as of now, there are only a few left that I really think I could get some enjoyment out of. Dark Rendezvous was included on that list, along with the last few books of Timothy Zahn's Thrawn series, and the Rogue Squadron series by Michael Stackpole. The only reason I went with Dark Rendezvous was because it wasn't part of a series; at the time, I wasn't too keen on throwing myself into that kind of commitment. It's not you, it's me, and all that.

But I've gotta say, Sean Stewart's book really helped me remember why I love the Star Wars novels so much. The surprise was mostly centered on how it was a book about Yoda and Dooku, a match made in George Lucas's own personal Hell. But this book handled that Master/Padawan relationship the two characters had very, very expertly. Pound for pound, there was just as much humor as there was action and depth. I laughed, awed, and very nearly teared up on parts. Just a really great book all around. Mister Stewart really, really needs to write another SW book, because Dark Rendezvous is certainly one of the best.

The Forever War
by Joe Haldeman

This marked my first attempt at reading some of the sci-fi classics, and classic it should remain. Honestly, I can't attest to the character development or the writing style or anything like that. If this book wasn't so brilliant in concept, there'd be very little left to recommend.

Imagine a war between humans and an alien race, a war that has started to rage throughout the galaxy. On the human side of things: people are being conscripted into the military, trained on an extrasolar planet, and shoved into a war in which they have no idea how to fight their enemy. Not only that, but their FTL jumps are causing time dilation, so by the time they return home at the end of the year to resupply, decades have passed back on Earth. It's really something; the book chronicles a war that rages for nearly 2000 years, though it only seems like ten to the main character.

As it stands, this is one of those books that will just blow your mind with sheer astronomical goodness. If you're a fan of Starship Troopers or Old Man's War, give this a try.

Elric of Melnibone

by Michael Moorcock

One of the members of our forum (kinda) recommended the Elric books to me a while back, though he did supply some caveats to that recommendation - and I can see why. Not to say I disliked this book or anything; I can understand how this book reached "classic status" in a time when the fantasy genre was dominated by only a few authors.

Elric isn't really a hero, he's someone who deals with the realities of running a civilization that has its roots far back into history. He has some problems with the more barbaric methods of justice Melnibone has retained for many years, but that doesn't necessarily mean he can change it; civilized barbarism is the status quo in Melnibone. The moral conflicts like this were interesting, as was the world itself.

Other than that, it left me feeling pretty ambivalent about reading the sequel. The books are short enough to make me reconsider that, but with such wooden prose, uninteresting characters, and a story that sort of bordered on silly (How many times can one man get betrayed by the same person?), not sure if I'll be continuing the series, but I might give it a fair try. This was the debut novel, after all. Improvements are always possible.

Heroes Die

by Matthew Stover

I can safely say that I'll probably read another book quite like Heroes Die until I complete its sequel. It's part sci-fi, part fantasy, and bloody as all hell. It follows an "Actor" named Caine and his exploits in an alternate dimension known as Overworld. This dimension has been exploited for many years by businessmen on our Earth as pure entertainment for the millions of people willing to pay for uncensored violence and adventure.

I've read nearly all of Stover's books, and this is definitely one of his best. If you're looking for a nice change of place in the fantasy genre, give this book a try. From what I've read, the sequels are even better. Check out my full review over HERE.