readable, enjoyable, excellent
926461
Jack and Adam Lively have managed to put together a throughly interesting and at the same time enjoyable reader on Democracy in Britian. The most notable feature is the range of texts included: there are texts by philiosophers (Hobbes, Locke...), Politicians (Disrael, Thatcher...) and from debates in parliament as well as Shakespeare, Auden and even Rushdi. Because the authors have NOT only included specialised texts by experts on the constitutions they manage to convey the picture of a living democracy whith all its problems, issues and controversies. I would argue that many of the questions that are dealt with are also important in other countries. In this sense, the book transgresses its original purpose.
3112720
Although less compulsively readable than the "Bartimaeus" series, "Heroes" amply rewards a leisurely reading.  The opening section, which introduces the lead character by the correct device of showing him in action (rather than asserting his qualities verbally), builds slowly without being boring.  It rather feels confining, which I realized later is an accurate reflection of how the lead character feels in that setting, and is probably a testimony to Stroud's gifts at evocative storytelling.  The transition strikes with startling abruptness, launching our hero on his own variation of a quest.  This section of the book is interesting, enjoyable, containing a number of surprising turns of action and some even more surprising developments of character.  Then comes the end of a quest, an after-quest, an inadvertent confrontation, and an intentional confrontation, each of which is progressively more enjoyable, leading to an ending that I, at least, found quite satisfying.

The section described above as an "inadvertent confrontation" lasts several pages and ranks as one of the most tense and evocative scenes of supernatural terror I have read.  Absolutely outstanding.  Indeed, this scene is what moved me to write a review of the book.  Persist through the slow-paced opening, enjoy the quest-like events, and there will be a nice little treat waiting for you about four-fifths of the way through the book.  The ending will not disappoint, either.

A good book from an author I am counting on to keep me entertained through old age.
3606244
How do I like this book?  Let me count the ways.

1.  It is a most pleasant read.

2.  Nothing is contrived.

3.  The characters are easy to take into your life.  Memorable, and 100% human, they learn and grow and change.

4.  The characters have distinctive voices.

5.  The author has done her research.  The authentic and realistic 18th Century setting creates texture and is part of the story, not just scenery.

6.  The plot flows naturally from the choices, conflicts, and personalities of the characters.

7.  The outcome is satisfying and believable yet not predictable.

8.  All the elements that make a good story are present in abundance: action, suspense and resolution, humor, mystery, adventure, horror, dread, loss, sorrow, genuine affection, credible and animated dialogue.

9.  Plus--and this is a biggie in romance novels--the passion and complications of Emily and Jonathon's sparkling and lively romance are developed with respect, painted in gold and rose tones with a soft brush and a delicate touch.

10. Encore!  I, for one, hope that Ms. Meyette is busy writing a sequel--or a series of sequels--because I need to know what happens next.  Without giving away the plot:  there is someone who cannot remain undiscovered for long, and questions about complications in childbirth whisper in my ear. There may be more to Deidre than meets the eye, and Michael Dennings is certainly in a precarious position.  I want to know what happens to the slaves who remain and to those who have left.  Andrew's coming-of-age story begs to be written down.
3794082
I really enjoyed listening to this book being read by Andrew Sachs.  He did a wonderful job distinguishing between the different characters with slight alterations of his voice.  Oftentimes, you never know what you're going to get when you listen to an audiobook--will the narrator simply read the book with little to no expression, or will s/he take it to the next level and read as one would "hear" it in ones' head?  Sachs does the latter to a wonderful degree of simplicity and subtlety.

As for the actal plot, I enjoyed it quite throughly.  The characters were enjoyable, though the supporting characters simply disappear.  It is the three main chacacters--Mr. Sutterthwaite (excuse me if I spell his name wrong as I've only heard it pronounced), "Egg"  Liton Gore, and Sir Charles--that drive along the action, instigating the investigation into the mysterious murders.  M. Poirot appears sporadically until about 2/3 of the way through the book where he comes in as a stronger force.  What I found engaging was that Christie was able to get me interested in the mystery, despite the fact that I had picked up this particular audiobook due to the presence of Poirot within the novel.  (Definately a marketing tool for Christie.  It also seemed as if she wanted to further Poirot's character without completely connecting him to any particular story, as evidenced by his few final comments at the end.)  As another reviewer noted, I guessed the murderer early on in the story--however, it was a passing notion of my to think that this particular character might have done it.  It was the motive that remained semi-elusive, as well as how the murderer pulled it all off.  That is what always makes Christie fascinating as an author--her ability to construct a case that seems impossible, yet, at the same time, can become so clear when one sees the facts.  In the end, I found it to be a very good listen and would definately recommend it to anyone interested in a lighthearted, fun, and interesting mystery.  And since Poirot isn't a huge player, it can probably be accessible to people who are not familiar with the Belgian detective and don't want to have to rely heavily on previous knowledge of the character.
4907957
This book successfully combines a number of book types into one highly readable and enjoyable story.  A murder mystery, set in the Wild West, with a main character of mixed heritage, a strong Christian theme, that also has a romance and a LOT of adventure and suspense - what more could you ask for?

The many different threads are woven together into a believable plot, and the characters are portrayed as people I could care about and identify with.

The only reason I am giving this a 4 instead of a 5 is that the separation of church and state issue was treated with a modern political viewpoint instead of that of the 1800's.  Not only was the separation of church and state discussion unnecessary to the story line, but it was inaccurate for the time period.  This is an easy mistake to make in today's political climate, but I have read a number of this author's books and was disappointed that this point was not researched better.

For those who don't know the what the Constitution says, the wording is "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."  No restrictions are placed on religions except perhaps that a religious denomination cannot become the state religion. The current re-interpretation of this clause did not come into vogue until used by the ACLU in the mid-1900's.

The trumped up charges leading to the church election against the sherriff stemmed from prejudice and hatred.  That could have been made clear without trying to espouse political viewpoints from a century later.

In every other way though, this was a quality book that was well worth the time invested to read.
41910
I first picked up Arslan in a used bookstore, based on OSC's recommendation on the back cover, as many people have.  I was not disappointed; Arslan is engrossing, a character study of the people affected by the upstart dictator and how he uses the effectively limitless power he wrestled to control.  Engh does a very credible job of writing from two character's first person viewpoints, one a reluctant school principal-turned-mayor under Arslan's regime, the second a boy rape victim-turned-confidant.  It's not a pleasant read all the time, which I understand tuned some reviewers off, but not all books or other art forms are meant to be pleasant.  I found it compelling.

The narrative does slow down a little when the narrator changes, and I found that a little disconcerting, but It's also perfectly in keeping with the different, fractured mindset of the second narrator.  At least it was different enough in tone and approach to actually put me in the frame of the second narrator, unlike some other multiple points of view books I have read (the otherwise fun Armor by Steakley comes to mind).

I did wonder for a while how that got put into the category of science fiction, as it reads like a political novel (albeit an extreme one) where new technology is not a driving force to the plot.  However, it becomes apparent that the entire chain of events stems from technology.  It's definitely not hard science fiction a la Niven, but rather soft a la Card, where it's enough to know what the thing is and what it does.  It's especially appropriate given that none of the protagonists are scientists; just ordinary people, caught up in rather extraordinary events.

Some of the "shortcomings" I've heard/read in the book I don't think are valid.  Firstly, if the narrator is a school principal, it's probably not to be expected that he would provide any sort of information on the weapons presented, as this is not his field of expertise.  He's an administrator, and from this perspective he's completely believable in both the things he does describe well (in terms of land productivity, setting up agrarian systems, managing labor) and in the things he is ignorant of.  Secondly, rape plays an important part in the development of the story, which is understandably alarming to people.  However, what happens in this story is that government and authority is reduced at a stroke to incredibly antiquated standards, under a military occupation.  To think that rape was not a common event under these circumstances (e.g. dark ages) is just silly.  I'd venture to say that rape is not really the defining force in these episodes; it's power.

I highly recommend Arslan.  Just bear in mind that a book need not have likeable characters to be a likeable book.
4244912
Excellent book, five stars, would read again.
1918024
This was a pleasure to read.  The characters are realistic, and the story feels "real."  It's easy to imagine this actually happening.  The dialog flows smoothly, and is often quite amusing.  I highly recommend it.
2767638
Phaethon was one of the better books I've read this year. It's a simple, uncomplicated story. The main characters are friendly, caring, relatable, and pleasingly snarky. Even the bogle. (Maybe especially the bogle?) What can I say? I love an honest smartarse. It's also fast-paced, contains an interesting adventure, and doesn't require anything from the reader except enjoyment.

I loved the easy mixing of fantasy and science fiction. I was able to very easily suspend disbelief and sink into the story the author was wanting to tell. When certain LED-laden individuals got introduced into the story, I might have had a small flash of Transformers. (However, considering I rather like them, that wasn't exactly a bad thing.)

Rachel Sharp has a way of putting things that states the truth and makes you snicker at the same time. Like the following statement about horses.

"People could be (expletive), too, but when horses were (expletive), one had roughly a half a ton of (expletive) to contend with."

Of course, her insults in Phaethon could be pretty good too.

"Get with the times, you bloody nuisance fish-hags! The iron (expletive) will make calamari out o' ye! CALAMARI!"

I actually recommended this book to one of my best friends shortly after I finished it. (She's a fantasy fan and hates dark stuff and most sci-fi, so we often don't have any books to mutually adore.) It was nice to be able to toss another book recommendation her way. As I told her: "Phaethon is so light, it's practically floof. BUT it's entertaining floof with a side of good versus evil!"

I will say that while I might be willing to read more in this series, I don't see a lot of potential in it. It was a fantastic stand-alone novel, but I'm not sure how it would work if she tries to draw it out. Still, she's obviously talented, so if anyone can make it work, she can.

If you're looking for an undemanding read that will entertain you and lift your spirits, look no further than Phaethon by Rachel Sharp.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book free from the author as part of Rosie's Book Review Team.
4568574
Good story,  believable, excellent character development.
3054226
Contrary to some reviewers' comments, I found this a solid and enjoyable addition to the unfolding Lewrie adventures. Granted, it didn't have cannons blasting on every other page, but the story moved the main characters forward on occasionally surprising, though utterly believable paths. Moreover, it did what I expect of all readable historical novels; i.e., it provided solid information about an aspect of history of which I knew little--in this case the on-going slave rebellions in the West Indies--while keeping me interested in the overall story line and characters.
I've read all the Hornblower books, as well as the entire O'Brian collection, and although I enjoyed them enormously, I find the Lewrie books the most enjoyable of the lot. The main character is clearly the most interesting to be found in these three series, resembling the roguish Flashman in George MacDonald Fraser's terrific series.
If you're looking for the print equivalent of a John Woo movie, with massive explosions on every other page, I'd recommend going to a John Woo movie or reading a comic book, rather than this novel. But if you enjoy seeing a character develop believably, beset by an interesting and plausible set of non-stop difficulties against the backdrop of fascinating history--and would like to stay plugged in to the undoubtedly interesting things to come in this rascal's career--I'd highly recommend reading this and all the other books in Lambdin's Alan Lewrie series.
2093174
This book was a total reading pleasure--and I had not even heard of its prequel.  The plot was engaging; the research of the time involved was accurate; and the characters--primary and secondary--were all thoroughly developed and realistically likable.

The time covered is just after the First World War, with parenthetic portions looking backward. The locale is England, always a treat for Anglophiles. To have head knowledge about a historical period is one thing; to see into the hearts of people who experience that period is a lesson enjoyable in the learning. This reader will be looking for more from this author.

The previously-read book this one brought to mind is "Rilla of Ingleside" (part of the Anne of Green Gables series} by L. M. Montgomery.  Mrs. Montgomery touchingly incorporated WWI into the plot of that novel, to the extent that it provided a basic education about that trauma, along with a great tale and wonderful characters.  Ms. Robson does likewise about the post-WWI era in this one. Such effective writing is a service to readers, and I appreciate that.
4977962
Very nicely done and enjoyable to read.  I think it could have been longer without problems, but it did not feel un-finished.  The basic plot is a good one - misunderstandings and assumptions lead to potential conflict, but that's avoided by the necessity of working together to survive a crisis, with candid discussion clearing up concerns.  Although there was some uncertainty, both the Earl and Charlotte behaved like adults and offered respect to each other, and willingly pitched in to work together.
1007221
I greatly enjoyed this book, as to grant it the rare five stars.

'Oom' is, first, well-written from a literary perspective, with a sound, functional format that doesn't get in the way of things. Also, the author treats the facts with an impressive neutrality, almost entirely without bias or "coloring"; this, combined with exhaustive research and generally good writing, made the book very easy to read (for me, at least). When it comes to nonfiction, nothing ruins my enjoyment more than a narrative plagued with opinion, ego, agenda, or other slants; as it were, this book is largely free of such things, and for that I am grateful.

As far as content goes, 'Oom' is equally satisfying. I found it to be engaging from the first page, and, eventually, to present a delightfully full spectrum of interesting subject matter. From the comprehensive biographical profile of Mr. Pierre Bernard, to those of his friends and enemies and acquaintances, to the many historical and geographical asides that intersperse the text, 'Oom' takes the reader on a grand tour of 19th- and 20th-century America, both physically and psychologically -- a real head-trip in itself. However, what truly wow-ed me personally, as to elevate the book from merely a good read to a stellar one, was its spiritual aspect, which is, in my opinion, where 'Oom's' true substance lies.

In particular, much of Mr. Bernard's philosophical and metaphysical claims agree with my own, personal experience -- that is, with beliefs that I'd forged independently, long before reading the book or learning of Mr. Bernard's teachings. In fact, some of my beliefs are echoed so exactly by Mr. Bernard's statements (at times even in the same terminology), I can't help but to see a correlation there (however circumstantial). If I ever disagreed with the beliefs expressed in this book, it was only on minor points; all in all, I found myself in accord with his overarching message (in which there is, I believe, much deep, powerful truth, of a kind and a purity that rarely finds expression in the written word). Thus, I finished the book feeling heartened and affirmed, not to mention educated, intrigued, and entertained -- good show! Few books have satisfied me so thoroughly; and, though much of my enjoyment was personal and subjective, 'Oom' is substantial enough to be attractive to just about anyone.

In a word: a triumph!

My sincere thanks goes out to this book's author, subjects, and publisher. I am grateful for, and have benefited from, your work and service.
3841032
I didn't know how much I liked this book until near the end.  It was not an "I can't put it down" book, until about the last 1/4.  But it was engaging, and entirely readable, if a tad slow in the middle.  I was looking for an engrossing, historical fiction novel NOT set in WWII (almost all I could find for awhile), and that was not an insipid romance novel.

What a refreshing find!  I liked how the author wrote in Lizzie's voice, in the more formal manner of the time, and yet it was still easy to read.  Many times, when the writing is historically true to the era, it is stilted and hard to "get into."  But this was not the case with this book.  The narrative and dialogue flowed easily, but still seemed to echo how they would have spoken at this time (I have no expertise in this - but it felt true).

I also truly appreciated the lack of gratuitous sex.  It seems that lately, current authors must describe these scenes in graphic detail, even when it is wholly unnecessary to the story and the characters.  This author was able to convey the great love the characters felt without describing these scenes at all (which would also be true of the character's narration - she would never have discussed such things!).

There are scenes that make you want to cry (I did, once), and the occasional "laugh out loud" moments.  I enjoyed that it kept my attention but that I actually COULD put it down - until about the last 1/4, when I did not want to.  But overall, it is just a lovely read.  The character development is wonderful and you truly get to know and love these women.

If you are currently looking for a lovely historical fiction novel, I recommend this one.  If you love the American Revolution time period, even more so.  If you like novels about strong women, and slightly flawed but noble heroes (women and men), this is also a good choice.
1447232
Good theme, interesting and enjoyable, good writing.
2346751
Extremely satisfying to read.  I couldn't put it down.  I don't know what I expected, but this wasn't it.  It was funny, certainly, but what I really liked about it was how well everything ties together, even little incidental things.  I also liked the way it weighed the Baptist brand of religion against taking the bible less literally, and the references to dinosaurs.  The ending was perfect.  Favorite character was easily the guy's mother, I was worried about her in the back of my mind all the way til the end.  All in all, excellent reading.  Very worthwhile.