Bearers of the Black Staff by Terry Brooks

Title:  Bearers of the Black Staff
Author:  Terry Brooks
Pages:  353
Genre:  Fantasy
Publisher:  Ballantine, 2010
Series:  Legends of Shannara, Book 1

Synopsis:  Five hundred years have passed since the devastating demon-led war that tore apart the United States, leaving nothing but scorched and poisoned ruins, and nearly exterminating humankind. Those who escaped the carnage and blight were led to sanctuary by the boy savior known as the Hawk—the gypsy morph.

In an idyllic valley, its borders warded by powerful magic against the horrors beyond, humans, elves, and mutants alike found a place they believed would be their home forever. But after five centuries, the unimaginable has come to pass: The cocoon of protective magic surrounding the valley has vanished. When Sider Ament, the only surviving descendant of the Knights of the Word, detects unknown predators stalking the valley, he fears the worst. And when Panterra Qu and Prue Liss, expert Trackers from the human village of Glensk Wood, find two of their own gruesomely killed, there can be no doubt: The once safe haven of generations has been laid bare and made vulnerable to whatever still lurks in the wasteland of the outside world.  

Together, Ament, the two young Trackers, and a daring Elf princess race to spread word of the encroaching danger—and spearhead plans to defend their ancestral home. But suspicion and hostility among their countrymen threaten to doom their efforts from within—while beyond the breached borders, a ruthless Troll army masses for invasion. And in the thick of it all, the last wielder of the black staff and its awesome magic must find a successor to carry on the fight against the cresting new wave of evil.

Review:  It's been a while since I last visited Shannara.  I believe this to be the 21st book in the Shannara series.  I can only say that the magic and the majesty of these stories hasn't changed.  I read the last book back in March of 2011 and I was a little scared I'd be lost.  I was more afraid I wouldn't love the stories any more. I was wrong on both counts.

I hadn't forgotten anything and I certainly haven't lost interest.  Mr. Brooks writes some of the best fantasy out there, hands down.

Rating:  9 / 10

Haunted Heart by Lisa Rogak

Title:  Haunted Heart: The Life and Times of Stephen King
Author:  Lisa Rogak
Pages:  289
Genre:  Non-Fiction
Publisher:  St. Martin's, 2008
Series:  Stand Alone

"I want to write about spiders because it's the one theme that cuts right across and scares just about everybody," he said. "To me spiders are just about the most horrible, awful things that I can think about."

Synopsis:  A fascinating look at the life of the author who created such modern classics as "Carrie," "IT, "and "The Shining."  One of the most prolific and popular authors in the world today, Stephen King has become part of pop culture history. But who is the man behind those tales of horror, grief, and the supernatural? Where do these ideas come from? And what drives him to keep writing at a breakneck pace after a thirty year career?

In this unauthorized biography, Lisa Rogak reveals the troubled background and lifelong fears that inspire one of the twentieth century's most influential authors. King's origins were inauspicious at best. His impoverished childhood in rural Maine and early marriage hardly spelled out the likelihood of a blossoming literary career. But his unflagging work ethic and a ceaseless flow of ideas put him on the path to success. It came in a flash, and the side effects of sudden stardom and seemingly unlimited wealth soon threatened to destroy his work and, worse, his life. But he survived and has since continued to write at a level of originality few authors could ever hope to match. Despite his dark and disturbing work, Stephen King has become revered by critics and his countless fans as an all-American voice more akin to Mark Twain than H. P. Lovecraft.

"Haunted Heart" chronicles his story, revealing the character of a man who has created some of the most memorable---and frightening---stories found in literature today.

Review:  I knew that Stephen King was an odd man.  You'd have to be to write the believable, scary stories that he writes.  What I didn't realize was how hard his life was before he became the King of Horror.

I usually have a really hard time with non-fiction books, but this one was written in a very approachable and interesting manner.  It told things that I never knew about the man who is my very favorite author.  I didn't realize quite how old the book was and wish that the book had been published later and told more of Mr. King's life now.  Other than that, I have no complaints.

I was really amazed at how much I did enjoy the book and how quickly the pages turned.  I highly recommend it.

Rating:  9.5 / 10

Start of November Wrap-Up

This update runs from October 5th through today.  I've had a dismal month when it comes to reading.  I just keep picking the books that seem to take me forever to finish.  No new challenges completed this time around.  I did manage to visit one new state, for a total of 36.

I only read four books this month so choosing a favorite isn't really much of a contest.  Hands down, I loved False Memory by Dean Koontz best.

False Memory by Dean Koontz

Title:  False Memory
Author:  Dean Koontz
Pages:  627
Genre:  Horror / Thriller
Publisher:  Bantam, 1999
Series:  Stand Alone

Synopsis: Martie Rhodes is a young wife, a successful video game designer, and a compassionate woman who takes her agoraphobic friend, Susan, to therapy sessions. Susan is so afraid of leaving her apartment that even these trips to the doctor's office become ordeals for both women—but with each trip a deeper emotional bond forms between them.

Then one morning Martie experiences a sudden and inexplicable fear of her own, a fleeting but disquieting terror of...her own shadow. The episode is over so quickly it leaves her shaken but amused. The amusement is short-lived. For as she is about to check her makeup, she realizes that she is terrified to look in the mirror and confront the reflection of her own face.

As the episodes of this traumatic condition— autophobia—build, the lives of Martie and her husband, Dustin, change drastically. Desperate to discover the reasons for his wife's sudden and seemingly inevitable descent into mental chaos, Dusty takes Martie to the renowned therapist who has been treating Susan, and tries to reconstruct the events of recent months in a frantic search for clues. As he comes closer to the shocking truth, Dusty finds himself afflicted with a condition even more bizarre and fearsome than Martie's.

No fan of Dean Koontz or of classic psychological suspense will want to miss this extraordinary novel of the human mind's capacity to torment— and destroy—itself. In False Memory, Dean Koontz has created a novel that will stay in your memory long after the final page is turned— a story not only of gripping fear but also of the power of love and friendship. Once more Koontz reveals why he has, as People put it, the "power to scare the daylights out of us."

Review:  This is a really long book.  Koontz is usually a quick read, but this one took real effort.  In the end, the effort was worth it.  The subject is mind control.  The bad guy is so completely insane that it's amazing he managed to hide his sickness as well as he did, for as long as he did.

I didn't see the ending coming and I do love being surprised!

I loved this story, but once again I managed to pick a book that took far too long to read.  The year's almost over and I'll never finish some of my challenges.  I guess that's why they're called challenges.  They are absolutely challenging me!

Rating:  10 / 10

Stephen King Goes To The Movies

Title:  Stephen King Goes To The Movies
Author:  Stephen King
Pages:  627
Genre:  Horror
Publisher:  Pocket Books, 2009
Series:  Stand Alone

Synopsis:  Stephen King revisits five of his favorite short stories that have been turned into films: The Shawshank Redemption (based on the novella "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption") was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and best actor for Morgan Freeman. 1408 starred John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson and was a huge box office success in 2007. The short story "Children of the Corn" was adapted into the popular Children of the Corn. "The Mangler" was inspired by King's loathing for laundry machines from his own experience working in a laundromat. Hearts in Atlantis (based on "Low Men in Yellow Coats," the first part of the novel Hearts in Atlantis) starred Anthony Hopkins. This collection features new commentary and introductions to all of these stories in a treasure-trove of movie trivia.

Review:  Five great short stories are included in this book:  Children of the Corn, The Mangler, 1408, Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, and Low Men in Yellow Coats.  Although, the last of these is actually a novella, with a whopping 346 pages.  Only with Stephen King would they list a 300+ page story as 'short'.

I've, at one time or another, read all of these stories.  But, I hadn't ever read this particular collection.  There are forewords to each tale, where the author tells you what he really thought about the film version of each one.  He doesn't pull any punches either.

At the very end, there is a list entitled My 10 Favorite Adaptations.  One of my all-time favorite movies based on his books is noticeably missing, but then again I know some people aren't fond of the mini-series The Stand.  I'm sad to see that Mr. King evidently agrees.  I liked The Stand far better than two or three of the movies he does list.  But, it didn't really matter.  I've seen all of the ones on his list and liked them.  And I've read all of his stories except the most recent couple and loved them.

I hadn't read any of these stories in years.  1408 was probably the one I read most recently before this book.  So, they were like reading something new....but also like visiting old friends.

Rating:  9.5 / 10

Sky Dragons by Anne & Todd McCaffrey

Title:  Sky Dragons
Author:  Anne & Todd McCaffrey
Pages:  344
Genre:  Science Fiction / Fantasy
Publisher:  Ballantine, 2012
Series:  Dragonriders of Pern

Synopsis:  From the New York Times bestselling mother-and-son team of Anne McCaffrey and Todd McCaffrey comes the final installment in the riveting Pern saga that began with Todd’s solo novel, Dragonsblood.

Now, with all of Pern imperiled by the aftereffects of a plague that killed scores of dragons and left the planet helpless against the fall of deadly Thread, the only hope for the future lies in the past. There, on an unexplored island, a group of dragonriders led by Xhinna, a brave young woman who rides the blue dragon Tazith, must battle lethal Merows and voracious tunnel-snakes to build a safe home for themselves and the dragons, whose offspring will one day—if they survive—replenish Pern’s decimated dragon population.

But as the first female rider of a blue dragon, and the first female Weyrleader in the history of Pern, Xhinna faces an uphill battle in winning the respect and loyalty of her peers . . . especially after an unforeseen tragedy leaves the struggling colony reeling from a shattering loss. Amid the grieving, one girl, Jirana, blessed—or cursed—with the ability to foresee potential futures, will help Xhinna find a way forward. The answer lies in time . . . or, rather, in timing it: the awesome ability of the dragons to travel through time itself. But that power comes with risks, and by venturing further into the past, Xhinna may be jeopardizing the very future she has sworn to save.

Review:  This was such a bittersweet novel.  This is the last novel published that Anne McCaffrey had a hand in.  Of course, being a life-time fan, I knew she had passed away, but I was still sad to realize I was reading her last novel.  I have others that were written earlier on my shelves, but this was the last one.

The great news is that it's a really good story.  I loved all the strong female characters, especially Xhinna and Jirana.  And I really loved the dragons, as always.

I'm so glad that I have two autographed bookplates signed by Ms. McCaffrey.  I was so blessed to be able to request them and have her mail them to me all the way from her home in Ireland.  I've never put them in a book.  Instead, they (and the envelope they came in) are in a box with my most valued treasures.  She was the Grand Dame of Dragons and I will always love her stories.

Rating:  8.5 / 10

Dragon's Time by Anne & Todd McCaffrey

Title:  Dragon's Time
Author:  Anne & Todd McCaffrey
Pages:  321
Genre:  Science Fiction / Fantasy
Publisher:  Ballantine, 2011
Series:  Dragonriders of Pern

Synopsis:  For the first time in more than three years, bestselling authors Anne McCaffrey and Todd McCaffrey, mother and son, have teamed up again to do what they do best: add a fresh chapter to the most beloved science fiction series of all time, the Dragonriders of Pern.

Even though Lorana cured the plague that was killing the dragons of Pern, sacrificing her queen dragon in the process, the effects of the disease were so devastating that there are no longer enough dragons available to fight the fall of deadly Thread. And as the situation grows more dire, a pregnant Lorana decides that she must take drastic steps in the quest for help.

Meanwhile, back at Telgar Weyr, Weyrwoman Fiona, herself pregnant, and the harper Kindan must somehow keep morale from fading altogether in the face of the steadily mounting losses of dragons and their riders. But time weighs heavily against them—until Lorana finds a way to use time itself in their favor.

It’s a plan fraught with risk, however. For attempting time travel means tampering with the natural laws of the universe, which could drastically alter history—and destiny—forever. Or so it has always been thought. But Lorana discovers that if the laws of time can’t be broken without consequences, it may still be possible to bend them. To ensure the future of Pern, she’s willing to take the fateful chance—even if it demands another, even greater, sacrifice.

Review:  I've loved Pern and the dragons that live there ever since I was young.  I did like this latest addition to the series, but I begin to think I'm outgrowing these stories.  It seemed like a great deal of time travelling and an awful lot of romance with very little actual adventure.

The story was certainly dramatic and sad, but it was also just a little childish.  I've got several more books from this series on my shelves.  I'd like to think that these problems are temporary and that I'll enjoy the next one more.  I'm going to give it a try tomorrow.

Rating:  4 / 10

Mount TBR Reading Challenge Checkpoint #3

I've read 75 out of the 100 books needed to reach my new goal Mt. Everest.  That's 3/4 of the way done with my climb and we have just under 1/4 of the year left, so here's hoping I didn't bite off more than I could chew when I upgraded back in June!!

My favorite character is hard this year, but I think I'll give it to Bren from the Foreigner series, who stars in Intruder by C. J. Cherryh which I read last month.

Two opposite books came easily.  Gray Mountain by John Grisham has a great leading lady named Samantha Kofer, who fights against injustice in the mountains of Virginia, against her own better judgement.  Disclosure by Michael Crichton has a leading man, Tom Sanders, who must fight against society's beliefs and a corporation to keep his job and his life.

As I said last time around, The Daughter of Regals and Other Tales by Stephen R. Donaldson had been on my TBR since November 22, 2007!  My only excuse is that I'm just not a huge fan of short stories, but I wish I had gotten to this one sooner.  It was very good.

The two pictures I could find were these:













The first one came up when I searched for 'protector' (Protector by C. J. Cherryh) and the second one came up when I searched for 'darkness' (Darkness:  Two Decades of Modern Horror edited by Ellen Datlow).

It's been a great climb and a great year so far!  Even if I don't quite make it to the peak of Mt. Everest, I'm still so proud of myself and am very happy with my reading this year.

Start of October Wrap-Up

This wrap-up runs from September 5 through today.  I've completed three new challenges this time around -- Color Coded Reading Challenge, Reading Challenge Addict AND Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge!!  I am so very happy I finished the Outdo Yourself challenge so early in the year.

It's hard to choose my favorite book this time around.  I really loved two:













And, they are both by the same author.....and both so really good!  I'm not choosing either one.  I choose both.  They are awesome in their own ways.

No new states this time around, but I've been reading quite a bit of Science Fiction so I'm not surprised.  I just got the first three novels of the Foreigner series yesterday.  It's been a great year!