canasta
Vancouver Island Regional Library
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Added May 31, 2023
Added Apr 03, 2023
Comment:
I've had little luck with Tanya Huff's books in the past, but thought to give her another try as the synopsis sounded interesting. Unfortunately it didn't live up to hopes. After wading through around 200 pages of too much conversation from too many characters with minimum characterisation and little movement of whatever plot there might have been, I gave up.I've had little luck with Tanya Huff's books in the past, but thought to give her another try as the synopsis sounded interesting. Unfortunately it didn't live up to hopes. After wading through around 200 pages of too much conversation from too many…
A Safe HouseA Safe House, Large Print
by Woods, StuartLarge Print - 2022 | First large print editionLarge Print, 2022. First large print edition
Added Jan 13, 2023
Comment:
The first Stuart Woods novel I read was White Cargo. It was excellent, but every book since then has been sub par in comparison and the slope down which his writing has been falling has become ever steeper. As for this one, two words immediately come to mind - Potboiler and Trivial. How he had the nerve to write such garbage leaves me in despair, and as for the publishers who had the gall to print and market it - phew! Long ago I downgraded this author to the level of perhaps a quick read but he is now completely off the list.The first Stuart Woods novel I read was White Cargo. It was excellent, but every book since then has been sub par in comparison and the slope down which his writing has been falling has become ever steeper. As for this one, two words immediately…
Into the LightInto the Light, Book
by Weber, DavidBook - 2021 | First editionBook, 2021. First edition
Added Apr 06, 2021
Comment:
Dragging in Vlad the Impaler to rescue Terra from the impossible situation that Weber had created in the first book of this series was at the very least, a great disappointment. I had thought better of him. This second book does improve the situation, granting the extremely unlikely juxtaposition of sci-fi with centuries old vampire legend. He actually makes it work to some extent and as always nobody can complain of a lack of action. While every devotee of sci-fi accept various degrees of far fetched stories as a matter of course, this tale is actually a bit further fetched (to coin a phrase) than most. Despite all this it is quite readable. Perhaps humanity triumphs to a greater extent than is really feasible but most of us like to think we're smarter than we actually are.Dragging in Vlad the Impaler to rescue Terra from the impossible situation that Weber had created in the first book of this series was at the very least, a great disappointment. I had thought better of him. This second book does improve the…
Sophia, Princess Among BeastsSophia, Princess Among Beasts, Book
by Patterson, JamesBook - 2019 | First EditionBook, 2019. First Edition
Added Oct 10, 2019
Comment:
I expected better from this best selling author. The story line is not particularly well thought out and is by any measure choppy, and disorganised. Events are poorly explained, and as so many happenings are unlikely, such explanation is badly needed. I read it to the end because I kept expecting it to improve - sadly it didn't. Even the ending is unsatisfactory with the unexplained survival of a hero who in himself is not very credible. Poor characterisation abounds. Patterson should stick to mystery, fantasy is obviously not his field.I expected better from this best selling author. The story line is not particularly well thought out and is by any measure choppy, and disorganised. Events are poorly explained, and as so many happenings are unlikely, such explanation is badly…
Fire & BloodFire & Blood, Book
by Martin, George R. R.Book - 2018 | First editionBook, 2018. First edition
Added Feb 26, 2019
Comment:
A real disappointment, well, not really I suppose. Mr. Martin has disappointed me in almost all his efforts since his ultra readable "Game of Thrones" the first sequel of which was a mere list of battle sequences with little characterisation and not much progress in the story line. The third in the series was the second book told from a different perspective, adding little. At this point I gave up and lost all interest in the series. This particular saga is laced with violence, untrustworthy and murderous characters most of whom lack real substance, and an incredible compulsion on the part of the author to drown the reader in multiple names that bear no real impact to anything other than their inclusion. The story line is a dry as dust medieval history with dragons. I found some difficulty in completing it.A real disappointment, well, not really I suppose. Mr. Martin has disappointed me in almost all his efforts since his ultra readable "Game of Thrones" the first sequel of which was a mere list of battle sequences with little characterisation and not…
The Emperor's BladesThe Emperor's Blades, Book
by Staveley, BrianBook - 2014 | First editionBook, 2014. First edition
Added Jan 30, 2018
Comment:
It took a while to get going and at no time (until the end) was it apparent that this was only the first installment. While I enjoy a lot of fantasy, I sometimes have a problem with being left in suspense waiting for the next year or so to find out what happened. That said, the main protagonists, both sons of the Emperor, are put through tough, unlikely and mainly unexplained training that is only partially explained by the end of this first book of three. The action comes to life about half way through at which time the book becomes a page turner. I look forward to reading the next two books, especially since so much remains unexplained in the story so far.It took a while to get going and at no time (until the end) was it apparent that this was only the first installment. While I enjoy a lot of fantasy, I sometimes have a problem with being left in suspense waiting for the next year or so to find out…
Added Dec 13, 2017
Comment:
The comparison to George R R Martin is a trifle misleading. This book is well worth a read and I look forward with pleasure to the next two books. I found his characters a little too busy surviving, plotting and killing to be fully developed, even in this comparatively long book, but the bones are there and I think will be fleshed out to the full in what follows. The world envisioned here is somewhat complicated but vitally interesting with the different races, feuds, faiths and ambitions all vying for attention. It is certainly not short of action as fanaticism struggles violently with apparent normality. Buckley manages to inject a little humanity even into the inhuman - the results of this leavening could well be extremely interesting.The comparison to George R R Martin is a trifle misleading. This book is well worth a read and I look forward with pleasure to the next two books. I found his characters a little too busy surviving, plotting and killing to be fully developed, even…
Added Jun 04, 2017
Comment:
Many years ago I read Wood's "White Cargo", enjoyed it greatly and promptly went out to find other books he had written. Although some of them were not bad, none of them actually approached the quality of the original. As for "Family Jewels", the least said the better. It's a real pot boiler with lots of sex (Stone Barrington, who chronologically should be well over the hill by now, has 007 beat by a country mile) a far too easy attitude towards money and great wealth, together with a run of the mill plot which is actually almost extraneous to the action. The whole thing is hopelessly blasé and trades heavily on the author's reputation - enough for me to decide not to bother with any of his other books.Many years ago I read Wood's "White Cargo", enjoyed it greatly and promptly went out to find other books he had written. Although some of them were not bad, none of them actually approached the quality of the original. As for "Family Jewels", the…
Words of RadianceWords of Radiance, Book
by Sanderson, BrandonBook - 2014 | First editionBook, 2014. First edition
canasta's rating:
Added Sep 02, 2016
Comment:
An excellent read, however I was a little annoyed from time to time by the author's habit of dropping apparently disconnected tidbits into the plot with a very long period elapsing before the dots were connected. Other than that I wait impatiently for the next episode.An excellent read, however I was a little annoyed from time to time by the author's habit of dropping apparently disconnected tidbits into the plot with a very long period elapsing before the dots were connected. Other than that I wait impatiently…
Added Jun 13, 2015
Comment:
What an out and out disappointment. There was not one character in this book with whom one could become engaged and the whole plot was forced. Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing was humourous, Rowling's attempt to blow a minor event into a novel a dismal failure. The younger characters were universally unlovable, parents were immature and dull and everyone else was artificial. I forced myself through 80% of the book because I just couldn't believe that Rowling could write such a ripsnorting bunch of crap and consequently expected things to improve. I gave up with only 50 pages to go - just wasn't interested enough to know how it all came out.What an out and out disappointment. There was not one character in this book with whom one could become engaged and the whole plot was forced. Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing was humourous, Rowling's attempt to blow a minor event into a novel a…
Added Apr 16, 2014
Comment:
Up until now this has been a pretty good series. That said, this volume was a huge disappointment. After 135 pages of slogging through confusing politics and absolutely no story line, I gave up - life is too short!
Comment: