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3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
The gatemagery is a bit difficult to grasp at first, but it's otherwise quite a fun spring break read. Can't wait to continue on to the next book!
I was first introduced to Orson Scott when Ender's Game was assigned reading in my English class freshman year of high school. All these years later, he remains my favorite writer and this book proves why and also provides proof that he is still at the peak of his abilities after almost 40 years of writing. While I found some of the magical elements a little hard to follow, what really got me into the story were the characters. Just like he did with Ender's Game, Card's main character is a crafty and smart child who I could instantly relate to. The troublemaker and trickster who just wants to survive. This is a common motif throughout Card's novels and he does it so well. He has a great ear for how someone that age would talk and the kind of things they would do and how they would act. I'm excited to read further books in this series although I worry that like his other series, it will run out of steam before the end. I seriously hope that doesn't happen with this one because he has crafted such a great world here. It's funny how this man remains a best-selling author yet I know so few people who have ever heard of him. Their loss because when it comes to science-fiction and fantasy, he remains one of the best and this book proves it. One of his best and certainly the best he's written in a long time!!
Good world building, but that’s really the entire book. Excited for book 2.
So I've been listening to the Mither Mages books in conjunction with the [b:Hex Hall|5287473|Hex Hall (Hex Hall, #1)|Rachel Hawkins|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1368393885s/5287473.jpg|5354884] series - I am listening to these ones at work and the Hex Hall books in my car, in case it seems like I've got an earplug from each story in each ear, playing at the same time! I'm not that crazy - and they're good bookends to each other, mirroring and contrasting in a lot of fun ways. The stories are similar: kid realizes s/he is magical and more powerful than originally thought and then quests and troubles happen. Ok, so a lot of books are like that. Hex Hall is aimed at teenage girls, Mither Mages is for more "serious" scifi/suburban fantasy (WTH is this genre, anyway?) readers but they're still fun to read together.
SO! Anyway!
We've got Danny who is made of Norse gods, hailing from the North compound - heh heh heh - and he discovers he is THE MOST POWERFUL GODCHILD ON THE PLANET! Yeah, we've been here before. BUT! He doesn't get to go to a magicking school or be discovered an apprenticed! He goes on the run, instead! And it's all hijinks and hilarity from there, only not really.
Yeah, some of Danny's adventures are a bit over-the-top. He's a trickster, which appeals to me, but even he shouldn't be quite as quick as he is for his age. I like that he was pretty clueless about how the world really works but, at the same time, I thought there were many other things he shouldn't have known. I would cite them but I forgot to write this all up when I finished listening to it and have already thrown away my notes so this will just have to be vague.
I know I did have a "Yay! Shout-out to the Library of Congress! And Archives! SO COOL!" but that's the only thing I know I wrote down.
I liked the story, though. It was entertaining, I grinned quite a few times, I was often impressed with people following their own values even if those values didn't match up with good-society values (though there's an inordinate amount of good-society values going on among people who have no reason to have such a moral compass) and characters, though maybe not deep or complex, staying mostly true to themselves.
SO! Anyway!
We've got Danny who is made of Norse gods, hailing from the North compound - heh heh heh - and he discovers he is THE MOST POWERFUL GODCHILD ON THE PLANET! Yeah, we've been here before. BUT! He doesn't get to go to a magicking school or be discovered an apprenticed! He goes on the run, instead! And it's all hijinks and hilarity from there, only not really.
Yeah, some of Danny's adventures are a bit over-the-top. He's a trickster, which appeals to me, but even he shouldn't be quite as quick as he is for his age. I like that he was pretty clueless about how the world really works but, at the same time, I thought there were many other things he shouldn't have known. I would cite them but I forgot to write this all up when I finished listening to it and have already thrown away my notes so this will just have to be vague.
I know I did have a "Yay! Shout-out to the Library of Congress! And Archives! SO COOL!" but that's the only thing I know I wrote down.
I liked the story, though. It was entertaining, I grinned quite a few times, I was often impressed with people following their own values even if those values didn't match up with good-society values (though there's an inordinate amount of good-society values going on among people who have no reason to have such a moral compass) and characters, though maybe not deep or complex, staying mostly true to themselves.
Sci-fi club -It's the first in a series, a light, Harry Potter sort of story about a young boy who discovers he has magical powers – powers forbidden by his people and punishable by death. On his journey to find himself – and his past - the way he meets several helpful mentors, he develops his skills and moral compass, and eventually does find that lost gate, and the planet it's on. The two plot threads, on two planets, eventually twisted together, just in time for the sequel - hopefully soon to be released.
Gack. What is OSC writing these days? Has he been kidnapped by an angry 14 year old boy? Extended pooping scene--really? Several stomach churning scenes in a row--I got better things to do with my time.
4.5. This falls into the same category of all the fantasy books--young hero saves the day. But I'm a sucker for that genre, so it worked for me. I especially liked the tie in to ancient mythology. I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series.
Pop Sugar Reading Challenge-a duology
I liked the plot and the world building, but I find Danny North to be highly unlikeable. I'm not sure if we're supposed to be rooting for him, but I can't. And what is with the woman in her 20s trying to have sex with a 13 year old? And a high school student openly commenting on another student's breasts? They were both unnecessary to the plot.
I liked the plot and the world building, but I find Danny North to be highly unlikeable. I'm not sure if we're supposed to be rooting for him, but I can't. And what is with the woman in her 20s trying to have sex with a 13 year old? And a high school student openly commenting on another student's breasts? They were both unnecessary to the plot.
I made it about halfway through this book by sheer force of will. The threat to Danny's life never felt real and he was often pretty unlikable. Add to that the long passages in which the magic, the history, Danny's thoughts, etc. are explained and nothing actually happens and you've got a book I gave up on.
I am not usually a fantasy reader, but the characters and storytelling were great. I think the modern day, real world setting helped me.