Divergent

"Divergent"
Veronica Roth
dystopia
(Divergent #1)

Summary
War, mature, crime, and suffering are all cased by the weakness in human kind. We often fail to live up to the most important attribute that would lead to an end to all of this. But what attribute would that be? The world has divided itself in to five factions based on which human attribute leads to a better world. Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent).

Beatrice is a young Abnegation who is turning sixteen. At that age all children must choice whether to stay with the faction of their birth or choose another. Luckily there is a test given to all children before their choosing telling them which faction would be best.

Like all children before there test Beatrice was scared for her test. But knowing that after this test she would know what to do made it better. Sadly for her she was wrong. During her test something went wrong after it the tester told her that she different, she was divergent. This meant that unlike most people Beatrice was equally suited to mutable factions and that was dangerous.

To protect herself Beatrice picked a new faction against her parents’ wishes. But will her new faction saver her or put her in more danger.

Review
I know I'm a little late on this book. With the movie coming out and the books popularity there are a lot of reviews out there, but a friend gave me this book and I had to review it.

I really loved this book. Throughout the story I feel with the main character. She is both strong and vulnerable which leads to a feeling of connection that is often hard to create in novels. I also really liked that the main love interest is a strong male role model.

I also enjoyed the basic concepts of the book. It feels both real and futuristic. The story builds on basic human ideas that we all know and understand. This leads to a thought provoking story that is not to difficult for the average man to understand and enjoy.

I do have one problem with it over all. As good as the book is and as much as I liked it there was just something missing. I got to the end of the book and felt a little lost. The writer fits a lot of the most powerful stuff in to the end chapters and it creates an awkward feeling for the reader.

Over all I would give this book 8.2 out of 10.

Ship Breaker

"Ship Breaker"
Paolo Bacigalupi
Post-Apactoliptic

Summary
In a post-apactoliptic world a young boy names Nailer works as a ship breaker, taking apart old ships ships for the metal and oil. Nailer works on a small crew ripping out copper wires from the inside of the ship. In the crew loyalty is everything so when one of his crew mates leaves him to die in the belly of the ship, he thinks that would be the end of him.

When he makes it out alive he starts to see the world in a new way. For the first time in his life he sees others as more then threats. He starts to see all human life as worth saving so when a rich girl washes up on shore instead of killing her and taking her money he fights to save her and this choice changes his world forever.

and just maybe help change everyone else world as well.

Review
This is a really great young adult novel. This book does something that has been lost in much of modern litterateur. In the pursuit of telling a fun story the writer forgets to look for something deeper. With more and more books coming out everyday the stories often become cheaper and cheaper. Ship Breaker "breaks" away from this this new trend and brings something more powerful to the table.

The main character shows a powerful and believable growth throughout the book. As I read the book the story and writing pulled me along. The original ideas and creative setting made for an interesting combination.

If I was to give this book one critique it would be that the flow is a little choppy. Although I ate right through the book, there where times when I was bored or the writer would add something out of place into the story line. This created a brake in the flow of the book that was sometimes annoying.

I would give this book a 7.7 out of 10.

The Way of Shadows

"The Way of Shadows"
Brent Weeks
High Fantacy
The Night Angel Trilogy

Summary
Azoth was nothing. He was born in to nothing and nothing is all his destiny held, until he met the great assassin Durzo Blint. Born on the street as a guild rat Azoth lived in constant fear of death and abuse. With only two friends to his name he knew that one day he would have to betray them or they would betray him, which was the way of the street.

Seeking a better life Azoth approached the greatest assassin alive, Durzo Blint. Durzo says he will take him on but only if he first shows that he can kill when ordered to. Azoths most overcome his kind nature and kill the most feared boy in his rat’s guild.

But even if he can do it Azoth does not know how different his life will be, or the challenges that face all assassins for being an assassin is a lonely life, for the best killers have no friend’s only targets.

Review
This is a great book. The writer has a power mind for details and colorful descriptions. He can get a little wordy at times and the build up in the book takes a little too long. By the time we really get in to the book 200 pages have passed of build up.

Even with all of that the book pulled me through page to page. I had trouble putting this book down it is so well written. The main character is familiar and reminded me of myself in many ways. Inside of us all is light and dark and the struggle within Azoth mirrors in a more pronounced way, the fight we all have to deal with inside ourselves.

One thing to keep in mind is that this book is written for an older audience. The book handles and covers a large range of adult ideas and concepts that would not be good for someone under 16 years of age.

Over all I feel that his book is a 8.2 out of 10.

Dragonsbane

"Dragonsbane"
Barbara Hambly
Winterlands #1
High Fantasy

Summary
Tales are told of the mighty knight from the Winterlands who single handedly slow the she dragon that had attacked his people. He called the dragon out of its cave and with sword in hand, killed the monster in honorable combat.

When a new dragon invades the kingdom a young man named Gareth travels to the Winterland to find this legend as he is the only dragonsbane alive. When he gets there he finds a normal man just trying to live his life and get by in a land that is hard and cruel. He finds a man not a hero.

With the kingdom on the line the hero and his witch have no choice but to go and fight the dragon or die trying.

Review
This is a great book. I loved the whole thing. From the beginning to the end the book has full characters, a strong plot, and powerful writing. The writer has created strong characters both male and female. and in the end the book has a strong positive message.

For some time I have not been reading a lot. There were not a lot of books that could hold my interest. But I picked this one up at the DI for less than a dollar, and within a few pages I was hooked and my love of reading returned. This book was so good that it inspired me to read several more books.

I would give it 8.7 out of 10.

The School for Good and Evil

"The School for Good and Evil"
Soman Chainani
Fairy Tale Fantacy

Summary
Two best friends form the village of the Woods Beyond wait for the most feared day off all. The day the head master of the school for fairy tales comes to take two children away. One of the children taken is always the best, sweatiest, nicest and all around good. The other is always the worst, most evil, meanest and an all around bad person.

This year two friends where taken together. The first one was born to be a princess. With her blond hair, blue eyes and open smile she new she would be taken to the school for good. The other girl has dark hair, bad skin and no friends other then the one. Everyone in the village new she would be taken to the school for evil.

That night as everyone Predicted the two friends where taken. They went to the land of fairy tales and joined the school for good and evil. Sadly there is only one problem... they where both put in to the wrong schools.

Now they most work together to get home and escape the mistake the school master made.

Review
This book is very well written and powerfully creative with its original concept around a classic idea. I loved this book when i first started reading it and I could not put it down. I had gone a long time without reading. I got tired of reading the same thing just by different writers and I could not find a good book to get me started again. When I found this one I got really excited and read it in just a few hours. Sadly in the end it failed.

At the end of the book the writer adds an political statement, and i felt that it was inappropriate for a children's book. Literally in the last paragraph off the book she just adds this in and it ruined the whole story for me. The problem is that even if you agree with the political statement it still felt awkward and out of place. It felt thrown together and personally I wish I had stopped reading a paragraph before the end.

If I had stopped, this book would have been one of my favorites ever. It also would have greatly improved the book. This small change would have changed this book from being one in a crowed of so many book. In to a book that would be remembered and talked about for years.

If the writer had stopped one paragraph before this book would have get 9 out of 10 from me. As it is right now the book gets 3 out of 10, and i would not recommend this book to anyone.

The Outcasts

"The Outcasts"
John Flanagan
Brotherband Chronicles
Low Fantasy

Summary
A young man, named Hal, is about to join brotherband, the right of passage for young men in Skandian to become men. Brotherband is hard for most young boys but for Hal it is even harder. His father died when he was young, and being half Araluen, most of his people don't think of him as Skandian.

As Brotherband starts, all the boys are sorted in to groups. By default Hal is put in charge of the third and smallest brotherband named the Herons. Together this rag tag group of forgotten and unwanted boys will find the strength to overcome all things through at them.

At the same time an evil pirate is seeking to steal the Skandian's greatest treasure, the Andomal. When there destinies come together an adventure will start that will lead Hal and his friend far from home.

Review
John Flanagan has done it again. He has created a story and characters that pull the reader in and keep them read and wanting more. Brotherband is a companion series to Ranger's Apprentice. Both Series take place in the same world and at about the same time.

Unlike the Ranger's Apprentice this story focus on sailing and seamanship then on archery. The Brotherband series also has more of a group store then Rangers. Even with these differences the book has also the same feel as Flanagan's other books.

I could not put this book down and I was looking for the next book before I had even finished the first. I loved all the characters and was pulled in by the plot. This book makes me hope that Flanagan keeps on writing.

I would give this book a 9.1 out of 10.

Milestone: 500 Page Views

Nine months ago I started this blog because I had friend after friend ask me for advice on what books they should read. So When I read a book worth talking about, ether because its really good or really bad, I do it here. Last week I finally got 500 page views, and I am really excited because this blog has become a passion of mine and I hope it keeps growing.

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to look, read and/or follow my blog. You make me want to do better and write more.