Indiana Jones and the Seven Veils by Rob MacGregor

I first heard about this book when reading The Lost City of Z. It was what inspired me to search this title out. Had it not been for my oldest son, I would have bought this one from the garage sale and left the rest. Boy am I glad I didn't. This particular Indy book was so very disappointing.

Indy and Deirdre set off to the Amazon to find Colonel P.H. Fawcett and perhaps prove that the ancient Druids established a tribe in South America. Sounds good, right? It could have been. It really could have. One of the great things about the Indiana Jones movies was that an element of mysticism was always present - but not over done. That is, until they brought the aliens into it. But you don't want me to go there.

In this book they took the fantastical and blew it so far out of proportion that my disbelief could not be suspended any more. Fawcett was also less than realistic. Perhaps if I hadn't recently read a book about him it wouldn't have bothered me so much. He just wasn't true to type. In some instances he was convincing. In others, he was this completely different person.

Here's hoping the next book is better.

Indiana Jones and the Dance of the Giants by Rob MacGregor

My seven-year-old and I found this (and all the other Indy books I own) at a garage sale. We're both big fans of the movies and thought it would be fun to read the prequels, too.

This book was everything I thought it would be. I was looking for a quick read with some action and very little need for active thought on my part. It delivered on all these fronts. I suspect that none of these books will live up to the movies, but it's unrealistic to expect them to.

Indiana Jones has his first teaching job at the University of London. There he falls for his boss's daughter, accompanies his boss (and her daughter) on a dig, is repeatedly attacked, captured by crazy druids, and (of course) saves the day. Oh. And he gets the girl - for the most part.

It was fun. It was quick. It wasn't too much for my very pregnant brain to deal with. In those regards, it was perfect. I have some issues with the way Indy is portrayed. But he is supposed to be younger in the books - so it's probably me with the problem, not the writing.

Sabriel by Garth Nix

I've been having trouble writing a review for this book. No fault of the book - just outside influences. Life is busy this Spring.

I bought this book from a used book store at least a year ago. It was sitting on my to-be-read shelf looking sad. So I decided on a whim to pick it up and give it a shot. I assumed it was young adult because of a vague recollection. So bonus, I could screen the book for my seven-year-old (who reads above his level and loves fantasy). Verdict: I really enjoyed this book. I enjoyed it so much that I squealed with delight when I found the second book of the series at a used book store yesterday. As for my seven-year-old, I think he'd like it. But I'm going to put it off for a little while. It has a bit of romance that I don't think he'd care for (not to mention the ginormous list of books he wants to read already).

The premise: Sabriel is the daughter of the Abhorsen - a necromancer from the old kingdom. Unlike most necromancers, the Abhorsen does not raise the dead, but rather ensures that the Dead do not return to Life. Sabriel is raised on the other side of the Wall away from the Old Kingdom and must venture back to save her father and, well, the world.

I particularly enjoyed the way Nix described the descent into Death. The river, the gates, the frost - it was very well done. The characters are thought out and well developed (which I find rare in YA books). I enjoyed the characters so much that I was disappointed to find that the sequel takes place a full fourteen years later! My only bone to pick was the ending. It was too abrupt. I felt that a lot of things that could/should have been wrapped up (or at least embellished) were left to hang. That's probably a personal preference, though.

All in all, Woo! This book was fun. I'd recommend it to just about anyone.

The Betrayal of the Blood Lily by Lauren Willig

This book is the sixth in the Pink Carnation series. I know I've said this before but.. I love this series. It's my guilty pleasure. I look forward to each and every one of these books and think longingly of sitting down with them all over again (preferably with a nice cup of coffee on a brisk, sunny day).

In this book Penelope (Lady Staines) is taken off to India with her new husband Freddy (Lord Frederick Staines). All is not marital bliss between the couple. They are escorted to Hyderabad by Captain Alex Reid and are later joined by Freddy's old acquaintances from England. Romance, intrigue, and unexpected serpents ensue. Meanwhile, in present day, Eloise is determined to find Colin's sister a new boyfriend while uncovering new and interesting facts about their crazy family.

I never do these books justice. The Regency story was awesome. It was everything I expected and more. Penelope was such a great character. She has weaknesses and flaws, but is amazing and strong and sarcastic. Alex complimented her temper perfectly. Descriptions were vivid, too. Here I was, reading in my bedroom (the coldest room in the house) in February and I actually felt the heat of India and the sting of mosquito bites. The modern side of the story wasn't as involved this time around - it was definitely background music.

Would I recommend this to others? Duh! Of course I would. In a heartbeat, if not sooner. My only complaint is that I have to wait until October for the next book!

The Lost City of Z by David Grann

The Lost City of Z is incredibly popular right now. I think it just came out in paperback. I remember hearing about this book and having a passing interest in it. And then I saw the National Geographic articles about the new satellite images that show roads and geometric patterns in the Amazon. I've always been interested in ancient cultures and have even visited Mayan ruins. I will admit to always having had a romantic Indiana Jones-esque daydreaming tendency.

The author, David Grann, learns of the famous lost explorer "Colonel" Percy Fawcett and is completely intrigued. Throughout the course of the book, Grann extrapolates the life and adventures of Fawcett using previously unreleased documentation from his descendants. Fawcett is an astounding character - arrogant and sure, determined, innovative. The story of his life and how he came to be an explorer was fascinating. It almost read like fiction - which makes it all the more amazing, because it's all true! Grann brings to life a man that few ever realized existed. In addition to research, Grann also undertakes his own trek into the Amazon to discover the fate of Fawcett and his party. His experiences are amazing to consider an average person embarking on. The conclusions that he comes to are those of an extremely educated and logical mind.

Overall, this book was fantastic. The history mixed with adventure is sure to excite even the most jaded readers. Grann did a remarkable job of showing the cultural and environmental importance of the Amazon while not straying from his main topic. I didn't think this book would grip me the way that it did, but honestly I found myself unable to put it down. It is definitely something I'd recommend to others.

Snippets

It's summer. It's summer and life is chaotic. So my reviews have suffered. Here are some brief thoughts about the books I've read recently:

The Sunflower House By Sharon Lovejoy. This book was a gift to me from a dear woman that has always been wonderful to me and my family. I'm ashamed to admit that this was the first time I'd really looked at the book since she gave it to us many many months ago. I love to garden. It's a passion of mine. Well, this book set fire to that passion. I find myself wishing I had acres and acres of land to work with to create magnificent gardens that my children and I could roam and dream in. If you have a place in your heart for gardening or children in your life, I highly recommend this book. It is full of wonderful things to dream about.

The Knights of the Black and White by Jack Whyte. I've owned this book for a while. It's home has been my enormous "to be read" shelf and I'm very pleased that I finally took it down. The time of the Crusades fascinates me. I love reading both fiction and non-fiction from all sides of the "conflict." The places depicted are always the hardest for me to come out of when I set the book down. Damascus, Jaffa, Acre. These places are as real to me as any I visit in the flesh. I hadn't realized at the time that this book was the first of a trilogy. I look forward to reading them. This book begins with Hugh de Payens and sidetracks eventually to focus on Stephen St. Clair. It took me a while to accept that Hugh was no longer the focal point, but once I did I thoroughly enjoyed the story. I was especially tickled that Hasan and the "Assassins" were mentioned. They are another of my strange fascinations.

Santa Olivia by Jacqueline Carey. Let me start with this: I love Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel's Legacy books. Love them. Immensely. So when I realized she had written a new and different novel, I pounced. Who knew I would be disappointed? The story has real potential. The plot isn't exactly new (though it mirrors recent events a little too closely for my comfort - it was creepy), but it was executed well. I couldn't get over the feeling of "this is a Young Adult book" though. Perhaps because the main characters were kids? Maybe I'm just getting too old. The story built up, got you interested, sucked you in, and then ended in a huge convenient rush. I'd still recommend it, but not as fervently as some of her other works.

Speaking of Jacqueline Carey, I just received a copy of Naamah's Kiss from the library. I've only read about half of one page, though. Also from the library, I have The Sign by Raymond Khoury to look forward to. And then, Ally from Simon & Schuster UK sent me a copy of The Medusa Project: The Set Up by Sophie McKenzie. My reading plate is full! And company is coming, which means I'm unlikely to get much reading done. Ah, well.

Gold of Kings by Davis Bunn

I received this as a part of LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program.

Storm is the granddaughter of Sean Syrrel - a well-know, and recently deceased, art dealer. His death is so sudden and shrouded in suspicion that Storm is convinced Sean was murdered. Along with federal agent Emma Webb and treasure dog Harry Bennet, Storm works to complete the quest that may have cost Sean his life.

I'm not sure what I was expecting with this book. I guess I thought there would be more history as in books by authors such as Steve Berry and James Rollins. This is an adventure novel. It's a fairly good one, too. Some of the language used in both internal and external dialogue bothered me, though. Things like "vic" instead of "victim" and "fibbies" and "feebs" - I'm still not sure if both refer to the FBI. These seemed like shorthand - the sort of thing that would be converted into something more polished before being released. I didn't let it distract me too much, but it was there and worth noting.

This book could be classified as a good "beach read" - given uninterrupted time (which I don't have), it would be quick to finish. It was relatively fast paced and an all-around fun adventure. The three main characters are likable, if a little predictable at times.

Sandstorm by James Rollins

I started this series with the second book. I had picked it up for two reasons: 1) it sounded interesting and 2) the main character shares my son's name. I enjoyed it so much that I sought out the rest of the Sigma Force books.

Sandstorm is the first of the Sigma Force novels. I was disappointed at first when I discovered that Grayson Pierce was not even a minor character, however, I quickly warmed to Painter Crowe. The story is that of a lost city in Oman. The action was consistent and the history interesting. As with all the books of this sort, there were an obscene number of "well, isn't that convenient" circumstances.

The scenery was amazing. You'd think that endless sands would become boring, but Rollins kept the land alive and moving. Each location was described with enough detail to allow me to form complete pictures in my head. The characters were realistic and vivid for the most part. Clay bothered me. He seemed very on-again-off-again, but he wasn't exactly a main player.

I've enjoyed everything I've read by this author (including the fantasy he writes under the name of James Clemens) and would recommend this book without hesitation. In fact, I've already gotten several family members interested in it. If you like well planned and fleshed out history-mysteries, you'll enjoy this book as well.

The Fire: A Novel by Katherine Neville

I was really excited to receive this book through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer Program. I had thought, prior to reading the blurb, that the book would be a continuation of The Eight with the focus on those familiar characters. Honestly, I'm glad it's not - I couldn't see how a whole book could come out of it. However, I was disappointed with the small role Alexander Solarin played in the story. He was my favorite character (next to Mireille) from The Eight. However, the story quickly picked up and I was able to put that small prejudice behind me.

I found the first chapter that takes place in the past incredibly difficult to read. The names and places that are difficult to pronounce - even in my head - made things very disjointed for me. That too, quickly passed, though. Katherine Neville was able to tie these two books together in a way that really worked for me. The way things fell to the descendants of the previous story was a nice way to keep things familiar to old readers. It took a while for me to warm up to Xie and the other new characters. I had a hard time liking Key. She seemed to be entirely too convenient - her connections, her knowledge. There were, of course, things in the plot that were obvious from very near the beginning. I've found that most sequels follow a pattern similar to their predecessor, so it wasn't exactly surprising when certain things happened.

The story was lively and there really weren't any dull moments. I was a little disappointed that the locales were not as exotic and varied as in The Eight, though the story itself more than made up for it. There were some things that I simply couldn't "get" - I'm no chess guru, nor do I have any esoteric or deep philosophical knowledge. I may not have a head for puzzles, but I do know a good book when I read one. I would very heartily recommend this book (and The Eight) to others.

Scarlet by Stephen Lawhead

First off, I have to say that I'm addicted to this trilogy. I've always had a thing for Robin Hood and this version just blew me away. Scarlet by Stephen Lawhead is the second book in the King Raven Trilogy. The Premise of the story is that Bran ap Brychan has been more or less exiled from Elfael - his rightful land. He's taken to the forest where his loyal followers are eking out a living while Bran and his men wreak havoc on the Ffreinc invaders.

In this book we're introduced to William Scatlocke - Will Scarlet. He is the main focus of the story, where Bran was the focus of Hood. When the book begins, Will is in prison telling his story to a scribe named Odo. Through the retelling of this story we learn of Bran and Will's exploits and how he came to be imprisoned. Throughout this there are a smattering of chapters that take place while Will is in jail, letting us know what is going on in the meantime.

The pace of this book was wonderful. It never drags, never gives too many boring details, and is pretty much filled with surprises. Lawhead succeeded in making these characters extremely real and vibrant. The thing I love the most about this book and it's predecessor is that it is the story of Robin Hood, but it isn't. The settings and circumstances are similar enough to see but different enough to make this a brilliant new twist to a tried a true legend.

My only complaint - besides that the third book Tuck isn't out yet - is the repetition of certain phrases. Occasionally Odo interrupts Will in his retelling of the events that led to his predicament. Will patiently answers Odo's questions and then the sections end with some version or other of "and so we trudge on.." It's a minor complaint to be sure, but it did irk me something fierce.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone with a love for righteous bandits, raven legends, the myth of Robin Hood, or a good story set in the conflicted realm of England.

The Crystal Skull by Manda Scott

I was really excited to receive this book through Librarything's Early Reviewer program. The day after the book arrived I began reading it. I do have to admit that my nervousness about writing a review may have clouded my enjoyment of the book, as this is the first review I've ever written.

This book is about a crystal skull referred to as a heart-stone, two of it's keepers (one past, one present), and possible Armageddon. It is also about the struggle between those who seek with all their souls to do the right thing and those individuals that succumb to the failings of humankind such as greed and a lust for power. It is about reconciling science with the mystical and following your path despite the difficulties.

Overall, I'd say The Crystal Skull by Manda Scott was a good read. The history was fascinating, though I can't vouch for it's accuracy. I found that Manda Scott was able to marry the practical and the mystical very convincingly. The characters are startlingly vivid, especially Fernandez De Aguiler. Character relations were believable and well fleshed out. I also found that most of the scene-setting descriptions were the perfect depth - no tedious goings on about each tree and hill. One criticism I feel I must point out is that a lot of the situations seemed a bit too convenient. The story bounces between past and present. I find no fault with the chapters dealing with the past, in fact they were my favorite. However, in the present things happened much too easily. People were easy to locate, meetings were always possible. Things were unbelievably punctual and reliable. I wouldn't say that it detracted from the story at all, it was just a personal pet peeve. I imagine that most books with an element of mystery and discovery have their own "well, isn't that convenient" moments as well.

All in all, I would recommend this book to anyone who likes history with a bit of mystery and suspense thrown in. If I were to generalize, I would group The Crystal Skull with books such as The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova and Labyrinth by Kate Mosse for their past/present switching and enthralling history as well as books like Angels and Demons by Dan Brown, The Romanov Prophecy by Steve Berry, and The Lucifer Gospel by Paul Christopher for their similarly suspenseful history-mystery themes.