Rock Courtship

Title: Rock Courtship (Rock Kiss #1.5)
Author: Nalini Singh

Plot: 6/10
Style: 6/10
Cover: 5/10
Final: 6/10

A short novel continuation of Rock Addiction, much better than that first part. The events in the story are parallel to Fox and Molly's book and concentrate on David (the drummer) and Thea (Molly's sister and the band's PR head).

Instead of wild sex on every page, Rock Courtship has an actual storyline. If you've read Rock Addiction, you already know what happens/is going to happen in the background, but you gain an additional insight into David's and Thea's way of coping with the problems and their own pasts.

Rock Courtship, while not marvellous, is quite likeable and great for a quick-read before going to sleep.

Rock Addiction

Title: Rock Addiction
Author: Nalini Singh
Genre: Romance

Plot: 3/10
Style: 6/10
Cover: 5/10
Final: 4/10

Yes, I'm one of those weird girls who read romance novels for the plot. That's why I love Nalini Singh - both the Guild Hunter and Psy-Changeling series are full of great characters, plot twists and action. That's why I reached for Rock Addiction, even though it is not the kind of book I would usually pick up.

The story is quite simple: a librarian with connections meets a rock star. They make out. Endlessly. The first 30% of the book is a huge description of sex, and I'm nearly not exaggerating. Though one starts being impressed by the variety of possible words and expressions used to depict the act.

Finally, when the first hunger is satisfied (which basically marks half of the book), a trifling plot appears: the heroine has a traumatic past. The rock star has a traumatic past. They found out about the traumatic pasts. Then, when they deal with their personal stuff, some trouble comes from the outside. And then the book finishes, with a lot of sex before, during, between and after the traumatic stuffs.

If you're looking for a book full of graphic and vivid descriptions of sex, then this one will be pretty good. The writer has a good style, it's definitely not a harlequin-level novel. However, if you came here hoping for an actual plot with romance in the background - you won't find it here.

But if you get through this part, I can asure you that the next ones are actually better!

The Lies of Locke Lamora

Title: The Lies of Locke Lamora
Author: Scott Lynch
Genre: Fantasy

Plot: 9/10
Style: 10/10
Cover: 6/10
Final: 10/10

When a friend keeps nagging you to read a book, after some time you just have to give up. You pick it up from your 'to-read' list and hope it's going to be a good one, just so you can say later on that yeah, it was fine. But the words that left my mouth during the next conversation were closer to "THAT WAS FREAKING AWESOME!"

Usually the first pages of a book are either boring or confusing. Or both. Especially when you're thrown into a new world with no earlier introduction. But in this case the confusion is seriously pleasurable! The setting seems to be familiar, the brain quickly makes connections: Venice, mafia, Italy... The Godfather. In a fantasy version! With ancient-civilisations-stuff included! Now you can barely contain your excitement. The feeling is even deepened by the light tone of the first pages, where the reader gets to know the young and mischievous version of the hero. Then, when the story switches to the already grown-up characters and becomes more serious and the plot gets more sophisticated, the reader already knows (at the fundamental level) what's going on. And even though the action becomes darker and more depressing with every page read, the flashbacks into the characters' childhood always bring back a wide smile.

This book is extremely well thought through and causes a swing of emotions - from sadness to laughter, from light-heartedness to concern. What's more, the pinch of mystery of the ever-present ancient ruins and technology incredibly fascinates and adds exactly the desired sense of strangeness and originality to the world creation.

And the language. When you imagine a fantasy book set in a pseudo-reneissance magical world, you can probably guess at the style of writing you're going to get: the archaisms and kind of artificial a la Shekaspearean phrases and dialogues. Not in here! Vivid, realistic and lively dialogues, the unusual use of coloquial speech keep the story at the highest possible level.

Definitely one of the best books currently on the market, and one of the best books I've ever read.

Sir Terry

Today is one of the days I've always feared. And no, I'm not exaggerating. Because sometimes the death of a stranger carries more impact than that of a person you'd known personally. Because that man, that genius, gave me more than 99% of people I've ever met face-to-face.

Everybody should have that one writer, that one musician that is always their companion. Whether the life treats you well or throws shit at you, you should have this one thing that always helps you through - or witnesses your successes. For me it was the Discworld. Every negative emotion: sadness, anger, frustration could be soothed by Vimes or Nanny Ogg. Every joy could be duplicated by Vetinari, Moist or Death. Those characters were closer to me than most of the real people. And through them - the author was dearer, is dearer to me than most of my acquaintances.

When I was a teenager, Sir Terry showed me that my philosophy is not alienated. That there are other, far more greater than my own minds who share it. The only difference is that they can word it much better than me. They have more financial funds to fight for the rights that should be basic for all mankind. Their voice has a wider reach.

We've all known about his illness for a few years now. However, there were always new books. We kinda knew each of them could be the last... But after a while you always went to the bookstore for the next one.

A couple of days ago I finally started reading "The Long Mars". Not having much time, I just enjoyed a few pages a day... And now I look at the novel in my hands and feel new tears appearing in my eyes: there will never be a continuation. Not only for this series, but for the Discworld. Will we ever learn about Sam Vimes Junior's adolescence? About Angua and Carrot's possible offspring? About Vetinari's new plans for Ankh-Morpork? Leonard of Quirm's new prototypes and their names? No. And it's such a final word...

Although I never managed (and I so hate English grammar right now for forcing me to use Past Simple instead of Present Perfect) to meet Sir Terry, I was privileged to live in the time when I could wait every year for a new book. And for this, I am grateful.

I'm lost for words. Tonight I'm going to finish my cider and read, until I have no more tears. Today we lost one of the greatest minds. And tonight I shall mourn him like a member of my family.

Sir Terry looked around with curiosity.
"What now?" he asked.
"WHATEVER YOU'D LIKE, MAESTRO" Death replied.

Because we should remember Sir Terry's own words:

"DON'T THINK OF IT AS DYING, said Death. JUST THINK OF IT AS LEAVING EARLY TO AVOID THE RUSH"

"It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life."

I wish everybody was able to give others so much in such a flash, Sir Terry. You will be remembered.

Kłamca Kłamca i po Kłamcy.

Tytuł: Kłamca 2.5 - Machinomachia

Autor: Jakub Ćwiek

Gatunek: Fantasy

Fabuła: 8/10

Styl: 9/10

Okładka: 9/10

Ogólnie: 8/10

Kłamca to dla mnie jedna z ważniejszych książek polskiej fantasy. Zawsze miałam słabość do Lokiego (byłam dzieckiem siedzącym w stosach mitologii wszelakich), ale faktycznie trickster pióra Ćwieka dopadł mnie na początku liceum. Potem był Thor, Supernatural i miliony innych Lokich... Ale Kłamca 1 i 2 zawsze leżały w zasięgu ręki.

Niestety, rozczarowałam się przy kolejnych częściach. Opowiadania były przewrotne i porywające, a wersja 'powieściowa' - przedobrzona. Odwołania do popkultury praktycznie w każdym zdaniu, i to jeszcze w nienaturalnych wersjach (bo kto mówi "Idę pograć w Heroes of Might and Magic 3"?!). Fabuła i humor ginęły pod tytułami filmów i piosenek, nazwami zespołów i nazwiskami sławnych ludzi obecnymi w każdym zdaniu. Kończąc krytykę, dążę do jednego: po prostu bałam się wydać 40 zł na kolejną część. Mini-zbiorek opowiadań, pisany w, jak to nazywam, "nowym stylu Ćwieka". I Chłopcy i Dreszcz nie rzucili mnie na kolana, więc co, jeśli Loki znowu mnie zawiedzie...

"Ha, i tu cię mam!" zakrzyknął Trickster, gdy na półce do książki zobaczyłam dołączoną karciankę. A raczej Kłamciankę. Szybka kalkulacja w głowie: 40zł - 3 opowiadania i gierka, cena dość porządna jak na polskie warunki... No dobra, ryzyk fizyk. Szczególnie, że po wygranej konkursu larpowego dostałam bonik do empiku... Który co prawda rozszedł się wcześniej na Jadowską, no ale to i tak z własnej kieszeni jedna książka na miesiąc a nie dwie, przecież mnie stać... "Stać cię, stać..." podpowiadał też siedzący na ramieniu Kłamczuch. Powrót do domu, znalezienie najtańszego sklepu (tutaj załączyć Odę do Matrasa) i jest, nowy Kłamca kupiony. 

I tak, tak, tak, tak <i jeszcze 662 razy tak!> - wciągnięta od pierwszej strony. Świetny język, czyta się płynnie, szybko i lekko, tak jak Kłamcę 1 i Kłamcę 2. Pomysły błyskotliwe i riposty cięte - czyli pakiet Ach-Ten-Ćwiek-W-Którym-Zaczytywałam-Się-W-Liceum. 

Co więcej, tak, jak obiecane we wstępie - faktycznie opowiadania przybliżają nam charakter Lokiego, jego relacje z aniołami, Bachusem i Erosem. Jego pokręcone myślenie i kunsztowne plany, a na moment zdejmują też z bohatera maskę - wtedy, przez sekundę, widzimy, prawdziwe oblicze Zwiastuna Ragnaroku. I kochamy Lokiego jeszcze bardziej!

Dla mnie, całkowicie prywatnie, Kłamca 2.5 osiągnął jeden dodatkowy cel - może dam szansę kolejnym Chłopcom. Może Ćwiek wraca do ulubionego przeze mnie stylu - mam taką nadzieję!

"Wolfsangel"

Title: Wolfsangel

Author: M. D. Lachlan
Genre: Fantasy

Plot: 6/10
Style: 5/10
Cover: 6/10 
Final: 6/10

You know the goosebumps you get when reading a really good story? When you can't go to sleep 'cause it's gonna be just one more page... This book doesn't make you feel like that. It's long, and seems to be even longer. It took me a month to finish it. A month! It wasn't overly bad, so I kept on reading, but I just couldn't get into the spirit.

The story evolves around the tale of two brothers, twins, who were separated after their birth. One is to become the prince of the Nordic kingdom. The other a beast, the avatar of Fenrir the Wolf. The Devourer of Gods. Odin and Loki are directly involved in their destiny. Sounds interesting, doesn't it? A story of bravery, loyalty and love, spiced with battles and witches. The perfect recipe for a bestseller based on history and mythology. Still, the arm of addiction reaches towards you, missing just by an inch. It continues further on, never gripping and drawing in, so the sea of the plot is unable to absorb you. You turn the last page with the hunger for more adventure, for the thrill of losing contact with reality. All the ingredients were there, just a pinch of salt more... or maybe of pepper... and it would be the best meal of the month. But the plate is empty and the meat was just slightly too raw and chips not crunchy enough.

It's a mediocre novel to read on a bus. Not overly demanding, not soporific either. The very short chapters make it possible to go through, as it's always the case with short bits of text. However, many retrospections present in the middle of the action slow the book. The moment you get excited, you're sent back to some events long past. When you come back to the actual storyline, you have already managed to forget why it was fun. I guess if you shuffled with the order of some chapters, it could actually create a more entertaining story.

I could also grumble about the way the female characters were marginalised. Or maybe not marginalised per se, but strongly categorised in the old Lewis & Tolkien way. For there are only so many patterns for a female character to follow: either a weak but loving dame in distress or a bad and evil queen. Unfortunately, Wolfsangel does not get creative in this field.

Lachlan could have done better. Actually, his editor could have done better. The story has a potential and the author has a talent. Still, what's worse than a wasted skill and time?

"Archangel's Shadows" Nalini Singh

Title: Archangel's Shadows
Author: Nalini Singh
Publishing store: USA: Berkley Sensation
Genre: Fantasy, Romance

Plot: 7/10
Style: 8/10
Cover: 6/10 
Final: 7/10

My hands were shaking. My heartbeat was quick as that of a rabbit and my chicks were red. No, I'm not exaggerating, whether you believe me or not. I simply love the Guild Hunter world, I love Raphael and Ellie, Sara and Deacon, Illium, Jason, Dmitri... Oh yes, Dmitri. I better drop the topic here...
So, anyway. I was looking forward to getting to know better two intriguing characters - Ashwini and Janvier. We had only a glimpse of them in one of the stories ("Angels' Pawn"), a very spectacular glimpse.
Ash, a hunter, with special and yet dark powers that few truly understand.
Janvier, a vampire, driving Ash both to madness and to ecstasy. Young for a vampire, and yet already trusted by the Seven.
Who wouldn't like to dive into their story, to discover the intimacies of their relationship? With Nalini's novels the outcome of the romance is clear from the first pages of the book. Still, the route to the happiness and happy ending is always full of plot twists and dramas, never easily guessed. 
"Archangel's Shadows" had a tough challenge - the previous part, "Archangel's Legion" was definitely the best book of the series. Full of action and a comeback to Raphael and Ellie pairing, it was barely fitting the 'romance' box. Now, the hunter and her Cajun had to deal with the leftovers after the war, what meant from the beginning that the adventure will be less epic and much more mundane. And so it is, with another reference to the first part - a huge investigation going on that is definitely too dangerous for the main character to take on. 
The cherry on this cupcake is definitely a surprisingly not-so-background character that all the fans had been waiting for - Naasir, a strange feline vampire. Quick in moves and wits, he doesn't reveal much to us, creating more secrets than revealing. Who or what is he exactly? What's the story behind his origin? We can only hope Nalini will give him his own story one day.
As much as there was a little excess of romance and not enough action in this part (spoiled me after the Archangel's Legion!), I loved the masterful intertwining of the other characters - Dmitri, Illium, Naasir and... Caliane. Yes, in the midst of a grim investigation there's always time for a family reunion, even if it consists of an Archangel, an Ancient, and an angel newly made...
I hereby declare the challenge invalid. Because you simply cannot compare a part full of war and action to a part dealing with the aftermaths, a part full of delicate hope and careful planning for a lighter future. 
I love the Shadows, all three of the: Ash, Janvier and Naasir. I love how deep each of those characters is, how complicated their stories are. In a kind of supernatural way - it's so realistic. Nobody has an easy life from a point A to a point B. Nobody has a perfect family, and some have it worse than the others. And as we can learn from Ash's example, even what an outsider may consider a pathology is never so easily defined... But hush, or I'll spoil too much.
Just read it! Now, get the book and read it! And if you don't know the series yet, it's high time to change it!

Side note (spoiler):