Alora by Tamie Dearen

Alora by Tamie Dearen is a book that is both well written and captivating. There is some great world building in this book and some strong character development.  There is much about the story and world-building that is unique. The book showcased strong loving relationships between family and friends, not including Alora’s dad who is determined to kill her if he can’t control her.

I really loved the fantasy elements of the book. I was not so taken with the romance elements, but that is partly because I am not typically a reader of romance. From my perspective there was far too much kissing going on. However, I think this book will really appeal to female YA readers, especially those who like their fantasy missed together with romance. 

The King's Curse

I received The King’s Curse by Philippa Gregory from Simon and Schuster Canada through a Giveaway on Goodreads.

The King’s Curse is an exceptionally well-writing and in some places brilliant historical novel which tells the story of Margaret Pole, the Countess of Salisbury. Actually it tells more than Margaret’s story, it tells the story of King Henry VIII and five of his wives as well as the story of Margaret’s close and extended family and freinds.  The book left me wanting to know more and I often did extra research on the lives of the people mentioned in this book.

My major complaint with the story was that I felt that Philippa Gregory was not always faithful to history in an attempt to create Margaret as a character that modern day readers would have sympathy for.  For example there is the story of how her son Reginald was left at the monastery because Margaret had no other choice. We are told that she did not have enough money to feed all her children. While some of this might be true, what little I know of the times suggests that second or third sons were often expected to serve the church. There was little question as to whether they were suitable or not. The second place where I felt that Philippa Gregory was not faithful to history was where the widow of one of her sons demands to go into a nunnery after her husband dies. It is much more likely that Margaret Pole and her surviving sons forced this daughter-in-law into the nunnery against her will so that they could keep control of her fortune.  This said, I think that Philippa Gregory understands modern day readers enough to know that most readers want to have a sympathetic character more than one that is historically accurate.  

In spite of my questions as to the book’s historical accuracy it was an engaging read that brought this time in British history to life. I certainly gained a new perspective as to how unbalanced and ruthless King Henry VIII was.  This story made me think of the words of Martin Niemöller: First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out because I was not a Socialist. Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out because I was not a Trade Unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak for me. The message that comes to me from reading The King’s Curse is the importance of standing against injustice when it touches others if we do not want to be its next victim.

The Time Sphere by A. E. Albert

In the Time Sphere we meet Billy who lives in a group home as a foster child.  Billy is a prickly kid who just does not seem to fit. Billy is a magnet for bullies and seems to be the kid that other kids like to pick on. He has no close friends. He has given up trying to have friends. It takes too much effort as he moves from one family to another, from one group home to another. There is a deep ball of anger at the world deep inside of him.  There is one bright light in Billy’s school; a girl named Jeanie who continues to be his friend even as he pushes her away. 

When we first meet Billy he seems like an unlikely character to save the future of the world by first going back to the past. As Billy travels in the past he begins a journey of self-discovery and change that prepares him to travel into the future and learn the truth about himself and his family.  

The Time Sphere is a very engaging book that is well written.  Readers meet some memorable characters who actually appear in our history books.  They also meet some very imaginative creatures and persons as they travel to the future. And in both the past and future they learn some valuable lessons on how to live in the present.  

I loved the last line of The Time Sphere, but of course I am not going to tell you what it is. You will need to read the book for yourself.

Aranya (Shapeshifter Dragons Book 1) by Marc Secchia

Aranya (Shapeshifter Dragons Book 1) was a very enjoyable read.  Aranya is the Princess of Immadia. As the story begins she is taken as a hostage by the Sylakians who have conquered most of the known world.  Right from the beginning you know that there is something special about this Princess. Aranya is not a sit in the castle and wait to be rescued by Prince Charming kind of Princess.  Aranya is a Princess more than willing to fight her own battles, but more than that she is willing to fight on behalf of the oppressed and those that the Sylakians plan to crush and destroy. When the Sylarkians attempt to execute Aranya all they do is provide the key that unlocks some of the mystery of who she really is.

The world building in this book is very good. The characters and creatures you meet along the way are great.  The plot is excellent. I loved some of the deeper themes like the importance of knowing who you really are and the value of living a life you can be proud of. I was also very taken by a dialogue around the scars that we carry and the value they can have in making us who we are.

One of my favorite things about this book was that it was complete in itself while laying some good groundwork for a sequel which I look forward to reading sometime in the future.   

http://www.amazon.com/Aranya-Shapeshifter-Dragons-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00KYQR4NG

Night by Elie Wiesel

The book Night by Elie Wiesel has been on my to-read list for a very long time. Elie Wiesel tells of a desperate struggle for survival and how far people will go to keep on living for another day.  Elie Wiesel writes from his own experience as a 15 year old boy who survives the brutality of a Nazi concentration camp.  What makes this story so powerful is that Elie does not just talk about what happened, but tells you how it felt to be there with such raw intensity that you stand appalled in the midst of the story. 

A theme throughout the book is relationships between fathers and sons. Elie enters the concentration camp with a grim determination to stay near his father on whom he feels his life depends.  Near the end of the book he struggles with a sense of wanting to distance himself from his father who has become a detriment to his own survival. In spite of these feelings he continues to fight for his father's life.  One very stark story that Elie shares  which is particularly gut wrenching is of an old man clutching a crust of bread to his chest. The man’s son comes and violently rips it away.  The old man says, “Don’t you remember me. I am your father.”  Others come and violently take the bread away from the son. Both father and son end up dead.   

A very haunting part of the story for me as a person of faith is the death of God.  When an angelic looking boy is hanged someone asks, “Where is God?”  Elie responds by saying, “Where is he? Here he is – he is hanging on the gallows.  What I think Elie means is that his faith in a God of love dies on the gallows with that boy.  This question resonates for me as a Christian. We all ask ourselves where God is in the face of suffering. I too would say that God was hanging on the gallows, but when I say that I would mean that God suffers with everyone who is a victim of the world’s brokenness.  I am reminded of a prayer, “Crucified savior, naked God, you hang disgraced and powerless.  Grieving, we dare to hope, as we wait at the cross with your mother and your friend.”   

There is an important question that arises when we read a book like this.  The question being what we would do to survive.  The history of the world suggests most of us would let go of our humanity in a bid for survival.  The studies done by Milgram on obedience suggest that there may not be as much separating us from the Nazi prison guards as we like to think.  We need to ponder this question.   There are some things worse than death.  Becoming a person you detest is one of those things.  

The Appeal

In The Appeal John Grisham tells a powerful story built around the election of a judge in Mississippi. Rich and powerful people with an agenda pour money into electing a judge who will give them the decisions they want.  A good part of the money comes from a man whose chemical company has dumped toxic waste and polluted a town's drinking waste. Many people in the community have cancer or have lost family members to cancer. A lower court gives the victims a huge settlement and the case is on its way to the Supreme Court.  The chemical company owner Carl Trudeau pours millions of dollars into the election of a new judge.

I came  to care about the characters more than I would normally  in a piece of fiction.  I was rooting for those impacted by the dumping of toxic waste to win their law suite.  I wanted the lawyers who had sacrificed so very much to be vindicated. The story felt very real to me.

I did not like the ending of this book, but then again I don't always like reality.  My preferred ending, the one where the little guy wins, rarely happens in the real world.

As a person of faith I appreciate that John Grisham treats people of faith with respect - he does not turn them into hypocrites as many writers seem too, but he does point out that with a few key phrases and promises they can be manipulated into supporting politicians who do more harm than good. Christians sometimes end up supporting politicians  whose leadership is diametrically opposed to the teachings of the Jesus who fed the hungry, healed the sick, and cared passionately about the poor because said politician seems to stand for "family values."

 Thank you John Grisham for having the courage to tell this story. It is not a story that will make all your readers and fans happy. I honor you for being brave.

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Flight of the Griffin by C.M. Gray

Flight of the Griffin by C.M. Gray is an exceptionally good book.  It is the sort of book that stands out from the crowd and makes me wish I could go beyond 5 stars in the rating system.  Flight of the Griffin compares favorably to series by two of my favorite authors: Terry Brooks (Sword of Shannara) and Stephen Lawhead (Warlords of Nin).  I give this book high praise in spite of the fact that I disagree with the basic premise; the premise that good and evil need to be kept in balance.  Who needs evil? The only purpose it serves is to bring the good into sharper focus.

There was so much to love in this book which begins with four orphans living on an abandoned boat restored to usefulness.  One of them is followed home by a cat after a night of thievery.  The cat turns out to be a shape shifting girl who often reveals the cat she becomes when she is in her human form.  One of the items bought home that night is a magical book which invites the boys to join a quest.  They are invited to stand with the Source in a battle against Chaos. They are called to be heroes who will save the world in its time of dire need.

This book was in no way a clone, but was imaginative and unique.  There was an attention to detail that brought the characters to life and made them very real. The world building was excellent.  I also appreciated that this book did not have the glaring grammatical errors that can get in the way of enjoying a good book.  

There was some lines in Flight of the Griffin worth taking away. “Sometimes it is more important to make a stand against evil, then to worry about beating it. That’s all that matters to the Source. It only matters that I give my best, the Source sees to all else.”  

C.M. Gray has found a place among my favorite authors of epic fantasy.  I will be reading his other titles as soon as time permits.  Flight of the Griffin was absolutely excellent.