Lloyd Alexander's Taran Wanderer

By sarajean on 8/26/10 12:39am
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All I can say is wow.

Of all of the Chronicles of Prydain novels so far, Taran Wanderer is my absolute favorite. I sure didn’t think it would be, since Princess Eilonwy and a few of my other favorite characters were notably absent. But Lloyd Alexander’s lovely coming-of-age story about Taran seeking out his heritage—and finding much more than he’d hoped to, though not what he set after—was just a marvelous adventure story filled with heroism, character, friendship, and life lessons.

It’s funny, even the book itself seemed to be developing into something older, more mature. The first three Prydain books I checked out from the library were set in children’s text with large print letters and wide covers. Taran Wanderer was actually a hardback novel with smaller print, much more like something you’d find in the teen section. (Spoilers ahead.)

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Lloyd Alexander's The Castle of Llyr

By sarajean on 8/15/10 10:09am
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Like the rest of Lloyd Alexander’s Chronicles of Prydain novels, The Castle of Llyr is full of adventure, fantasy, and fun. Unlike the previous three, however, Princess Eilonwy is narrowly featured, as is much of the humor we’ve come to know and love. While still present, the peril of Eilonwy—who is kidnapped in the novel—coupled with Taran’s realization that she is to be betrothed creates a more somber presence throughout the book. Without Eilonwy’s clever commentary, the silly—and often profound—similes we expect from her are also absent. (Spoilers ahead.)

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Desert Solitaire, by Edward Abbey

By ecoscott on 6/13/10 5:16pm
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Desert Solitaire is one of the greatest books about living out in nature and “roughing it” that there is. I place it next to things like Walden and Sand County Almanac for the sheer obsessive passion and detailed storytelling that only comes along once in a while. Essentially it is a first-person narrative of Abbey working a summer in Arches National Park. As he says, “Why I went there no longer matters; what I found there is the subject of this book.”

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The Red Pyramid

By sarajean on 6/11/10 7:37pm
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After the immense success of his Percy Jackson series, Rick Riordan didn’t wait long before creating another mythological masterpiece for us fans. The Kane Chronicles is a new series by the bestselling author, with The Red Pyramid featured as its debut novel. Only published a month ago, it’s just as fast-paced, god-filled, and adventurous as the Percy Jackson novels we’ve come to know and love, though much lengthier. (Some spoilers ahead.)

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James Dean Died Here: The Locations of America's Pop Culture Landmarks, by Chris Epting

By ecoscott on 3/6/10 11:35am
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James Dean Died Here.

Admit it- the title draws you in. Why? You wonder: wait, where did James Dean die? How did it happen? I remember something about a car crash or Hollywood or something, but what happened? Do they know the exact spot? I mean, yeah, who found him? Why did it happen?

Even if you have no connection to James Dean, or really any desire to know much, it’s a safe bet that some of these things run through your head when you hear the title. Whether you follow up on them or just move on to the next thing you want to think about is of course up to you, but you know, it’s fleetingly interesting.

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Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Demigod Files

By sarajean on 2/26/10 9:37pm
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Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Demigod Files gave me a wildly ambivalent reaction. It was just a teasing taste of more adventures—a brief relief of finding more of Percy’s world to explore only to find out that it was extremely short and over with within a single trip to the library! Oh, Rick Riordan, you must provide me with more Percy (and co.) before I start going into Harry Potter withdrawals again! (Well, there are still more Septimus Heap books to come, at least…)

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Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian

By sarajean on 2/15/10 4:56pm
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What a ride!

After a much-anticipated library loan following what at least seemed to be an impossibly lengthy wait, I’ve finally been able to devour the last book in the Percy Jackson series, and boy was it a masterpiece.

Rick Riordan, I have to apologize. The only criticisms I’ve really given you have been about your lack of spending much time on anything, from characterization to plot—simply roaring through from one event to the next in a nonstop action adventure—which, as I’ve mentioned, is thoroughly enjoyable; simply not great for really bonding with the characters and whatnot.

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The Song of the Lioness: A Powerful Adventure for Girls

By sarajean on 11/5/09 8:00pm
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When I first came across Tamora Pierce’s The Song of the Lioness Quartet, I had no idea what it would mean for me. Yeah, I got that it was about a girl wanting to become a knight, and I thought that was cool; but I had no idea what adult themes Pierce had in store for her readers along the way.

Lioness holds nothing back. It’s not a gore-fest or a roadside brothel, that’s not what I mean; it really provides a gritty, realistic fantasy adventure story with a very strong, heroic female lead that doesn’t withhold the details of her growing from child to woman, nor woman to knight.

It was the first adventure story I’ve read that wasn’t a clear-cut happily ever after story that circled around a beautiful maiden’s wedding; rather, it dealt with gray areas that you’re more likely to witness in life, and nontraditional female roles. In a word, it’s fabulous.

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