Tag Archives: War

A Storm of Swords by George RR Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 3)

American Literature February 19, 2011 Superfast Reader 1 Comment

Synopsis: The war of the Five Kings heats up, with intrigue, conspiracy, regicide, betrayal, and black magic abounding. Review: First of all, I am outraged beyond belief that Random House couldn’t get Roy Dotrice to perform the audiobook version of fourth installment of this series. It’s breaking my heart that I can’t continue listening to his incomparable narration. His work is masterful, bringing all the intensity of the plot and subtlety of the characterizations to life. It’s really depressing to me. A Storm of Swords…

Traitor’s Gate by Kate Elliott (Crossroads, Book 3)

American Literature January 11, 2011 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: The conclusion to a trilogy about a world at war. Review: If I were not the exhausted mother of two small children, perhaps I might be inclined to spend more time writing about Traitor’s Gate. But as it is, I am bummed that I spent my precious reading time on a trilogy with such a lackluster conclusion. I just really feel like I wasted my time.

Clash of Kings by George RR Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 2)

American Literature January 8, 2011 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: With four kings fighting for control of Westeros and a dragon queen rising in the south, the scattered children of the executed traitor Eddard Stark try to survive the perils of civil war. Review: Continuing to love re-reading this series. I am just so in love with the complexity that Martin brings to his characters and the world. Yes, A Clash of Kings gets really dark, but the second time around I noticed how much hope he puts into the story. Martin is a…

Game of Thrones by George RR Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 1)

American Literature December 7, 2010 Superfast Reader 2 Comments

Synopsis: Political powers battle for control of the Iron Throne, while to the north supernatural powers threaten, and in the south a dispossessed royal begins to raise an army. Review: I wanted to reread Game of Thrones before the HBO series launches in April, and decided I’d give the audiobook a try. I am so glad I did. The narrator, Roy Dotrice, not only has a magnificent voice but sets all of the characters apart from each other. He’s just amazing. As for the story,…

The Year of the Warrior by Lars Walker

American Literature May 28, 2010 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: Captured by Vikings, Aillil escapes slavery by claiming to be a priest, and despite his practical atheism finds himself doing God’s work as the brave, noble hersir Erling Skjalgsson tries to bring order to the violent world of 10th Century Norway. Review: The Year of the Warrior is a prequel to Lars Walker‘s more recent West Oversea, and actually comprises two novels. I think it would be best to read them in order, but all three books are so excellent and stand so well…

Warriors in the Crossfire by Nancy Bo Flood

American Literature April 27, 2010 Superfast Reader 1 Comment

Synopsis: A fictional account of the invasion of Saipan in the south Pacific during WWII as told through the eyes of a native boy and his half-Japanese cousin. Review: For the history-buff teen, Warriors in the Crossfire is one to check out. Meticulously researched and well-plotted, author Nancy Bo Flood makes a forgotten incident from WWII come alive with poetic imagery and no shortage of action and adventure. For me, personally, it didn’t grip me as much as I wanted it to, but war stories…

Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien

British Literature April 13, 2010 Superfast Reader 1 Comment

Synopsis: One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them. Review: This is my third time reading JRR Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, and I can’t say I’ve ever enjoyed it more. I’ve been following along with The Tolkien Professor’s podcasted course, and the background I got from finally reading and actually comprehending The Silmarillion really enhanced the depth of pleasure I received once diving back into Frodo’s familiar world.…

The Desert Spear by Peter V. Brett

American Literature March 24, 2010 Superfast Reader 3 Comments

Synopsis: The next book in the series begun with The Warded Man, set in a world where humanity is besieged by night by demons and await the promised Deliverer, who may be one of two blood brothers, one who shuns the name and the other who embraces it. Review: I freaked on Peter V. Brett‘s The Warded Man when I read it earlier this year and had the usual worries about whether or not the series would continue in the same exciting vein, or fail…

The Children of HÃºrin by JRR Tolkien

British Literature March 18, 2010 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: The tragic tale of TÃºrin TÃºrambar, master of doom by doom mastered, who sought to fight evil but was undone by his own impetuousness and self-aggrandizement. Review: The Children of HÃºrin is a retelling in novel form of the chapter in Tolkien’s Silmarillion called TÃºrin TÃºrambar. I should’ve waited to read this for a year or two, because about halfway through I burned out on all the epic language and tragic plotting. My experience aside, it’s a fantastic story, one of the best ever…

The Silmarillion by JRR Tolkien

British Literature March 15, 2010 Superfast Reader 6 Comments

Synopsis: An account of the history of the origins of Middle Earth during the First Age. Review: I have tried and failed to read The Silmarillion on several occasions, and I can only credit my success this go-round to the podcast lecture series given by The Tolkien Professor. The early chapters are so dense with information that his interpretation and analysis helped lay the groundwork for me to be able to enjoy later chapters such as “Beren and Luthien” and “Turin Turambar,” to name two…

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