novel
Fallen dragon - Peter Hamilton
Summary:
Lawrence is a young man full of dreams who lives through his TV shows. His goal is to go far away and become, like his heroes, someone who will travel through the universe to discover unhabited planets and aliens. He lives on one a the numerous planets who have been conquered by mankind. But his life won’t turn out the way he expected it and he’ll become a mercenary for a huge company which loans money to new worlds, in order to collect later... with strengh. Sometimes things go well, but most of the times, the resistance in the attacked world strikes back turning the conflict into a war. The book tells the story of Lawrence as a teenager and as an adult.
Review:
Like all Hamilton’s books, this one has a precise structure. Careful not to get lost in it, because the author doesn’t give any date. Hard to say when you are (it took me like four chapters to get that it was both Lawrence young and adult...) Lawrence’s youth is great: he lives in a strange world and yet resembles any human teenager. His love story is wonderful and it takes you back to your first crushes. I found the fights a little long, and it’s not my favorite part. Although, his bonds with the other mercenaries are quite touching. As to the last hundred pages... Waoh ! As usual, he author reveals everything and surprises his reader ! You just can’t leave the book until the very end. “Fallen dragon” isn’t his best novel, (it’s one of the only one so “short”: there’s no sequel) but it’s a good SF book, that the military type readers will enjoy very much...
Sky chasers (1/.) Glow - Amy Kathleen Ryan
Summary:
The Empyrean is a ship heading for a new Earth. Waverly is a strong and smart teenager who lives in it. And so does Kieran, her boyfriend, and future captain of the ship. They know that in this time of need, they’ll have to give children to the human race... Their life is shaken when another ship, the New Orizon (sent few years sooner for the same goal) attacks them. During the fight, the surviving adults are stuck in a contaminated area of the Empyrean and the girls are captured under false pretext. As for the boyes, they are left to decide the fate of the Empyrean. Kieran tries to save the ship, despite Seth’s efforts to take control. But Kieran’s final objective is to find Waverly whose life has became much harder...
Review:
“Glow”’s cover is gorgeous, and its story is great. Even though it’s designed for a young audience, the originality of the book conquered me ! (I read it in a day) The story reminded me of “Gone” for the adultless part, and of “Remnants” for the wandering in space. The children’s adventures are great, with a main character who is really endearing and mature. The others are darker. We don’t really know where is the politically correct, given the circumstances of the characters’s life aboard. The author talks about sex, religion, and manipulation which are all hard subjects and mixes it all up to come up with an interesting storyline. Very dynamic. I can’t wait to read the sequel: “Spark”!
Fifty shades of Grey - Erika James
Summary:
Anastasia Steele is a student who interviews Christian Grey, CEO of a big company for her faculty’s journal. She’s immediatly impressed by this man, but it’s him who wants to see her again, nonetheless. So their relationship begins... But soon, Christian explains to her that he has a weird bond with women, and he offers her a contract : he’ll always be dominant, and define precisely her role has a submissive woman. The rules are quite hard and don’t regard exclusively their sex life. In front of this deal, Anastasia has to chose between her vertue and submitting to Christian’s deviances. Or maybe her love might change him?
Audrey’s review:
The writing is very fluid and nice, the author knows how to use striking words that send you into the story. Her style is captivating! More than the erotic games, what I liked most was the very complex relationship between the two characters. They both have to face their limits and learn how to compromise. They’re getting to know each other. Despite their differences, we feel something deep binding the two characters. My romantic soul is very fond of this! I hope that behind the erotic front, deep feelings are hidden. Anastasia could be anyone, and she has to face Christian’s complex aspects. He is kind of a beast/prince. Yet, when you expect it least, he surprises! It’s kind of a fairytale that would set place in our time. Sometimes it makes it less realistic... The other characters are good too : Kate (the fearless version of Anastasia) and Jose (the handsome best friend). As for the end of the novel, it’s both satisfying and troubling: it makes you want to grab the sequel right away!
Oscar and the lady in pink - Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt
Summary:
Oscar is a little boy, just like every others… except that he lives in a hospital. He’s got a very agressive type of cancer that leaves him very few days before the end. His days are far from being sad though: he’s surrounded by lots of friends such as Pop corn (a young obese), Peggye Blue (lungs disease) and Bacon (severely burned). A mysterious lady dressed in pink is goind to help him through his last days, to make it last as if a lifetime. It’s through his letters to God that we find out what happens to this incredible being...
Audrey’s review:
It’s a story that could unfortunately be part of the reality, but it’s also so very wonderful that it’s hard to imagine that it could actually happen... Fortunatelly, far from being dramatic, the story of Oscar is being told in a happy way and with humor and joy. We mostly enjoyed the friendship between Oscar and the lady dressed in pink. This bond is very beautiful. Oscar is like every other boys, with that thing that’s missing: time... Which is what makes him one of a kind, a spark of life. His pseudo-relationship with Peggy Blue is so cute and makes you smile. The writing is sensational and we wonder how with so few pages, Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt can share so many emotions... It’s phenomenal. This is a book that I have read, and that could read all over again, because it makes you feel so much, and it makes you want to live.
The power of Six - Pittacus Lore
Summary:
John Smith (AKA Number Four) is on the run with Sam and number Six who joined him when the fight againt the Mogs cost Henri’s life (John’s guide and cepan). The three friends have to stay on the move at all time to escape the Mogs. They use their journey to train, but some tensions are spreading: the beautiful Number Six likes the boys, and they seem to feel the same way about her. However, Sarah is always on John’s mind, even though she had to stay in Paradise for her own safety. Far away from them, Number Seven is a young woman living in a spanish orphanage who is trying to train herself since her cepan failed to help her when she decided to turn to God...
Review:
This second book (sequel of “I am number Four”) is far better than the previous one (which seemed a little empty!). The fact that the numbers are coming together is awesome! The fights are geting great and the alien powers are wonderful! The characters (mainly John and Sam) have been forced to grow and the girly stuff is gone (except maybe for John who doesn’t know whether he loves Six or Sarah). The new one, number Seven (Marina) is quite nice and her will is remarkable ! (especially in this environment) The reader doesn’t want to quit the book until the very last page, hoping that all numbers are going to be reunited to crush the Mogs and give the Human race a last chance at survival... I can’t wait to read “The rise of Nine” !
Waylander - David Gemmel
Summary:
After his family was killed, Waylander became a murderer. Responsible for the death of King Drenaï, his own people is chasing him, along with their long time enemies: the Vagrians. But when he meets Father Dardalion, Waylander is going to change and try to win back his Humanity. Helped by Danyal, a strong young woman, he’s going to try and find the king’s armor which would give the victory to the Drenaïs. His dexterity and his crossbow will be his best weapons against his enemies, while Dardalion will use the powers of the Source, against his old principles… From hatred and despise, the feelings between Waylander and Danyal will turn into love… which also means “weakness” in those times of war.
Review:
Waylander is a fantasy novel written in 1986 which grew old very nicely. The writing is fluid and can be read quite easily. The text is very well split between descriptions and dialogues. The characters avec very endearing and humans, and they evolve through the story, being forced to make compromises. The strange phenomenae that leads Dardalion’s and Waylander’s souls to meet is very interesting and original. It’s even the pivotal part of the story, because they change after that… The relationship between Danyal and Waylander is less interesting: the feelings of the woman come all of a sudden without warnings. Too bad we didn’t learn more about the Drenaïs’ warriors, and we feel sorry for their tragic fate. The fights are great and the reader is right into the action. The last part of the book explaining what happened to each character is a great idea and allows the reader to know what happens to the heroes. To sum it up: Waylander is a great novel for everyone! There were many sequels to this book…
Sleeping beauty (1/3) The claiming of sleeping beauty - Anne Rice
Summary:
The prince just freed sleeping beauty from her curse. But it’s not with a nice kiss on the lips that he’s going to wake her, far from it ! From this moment on, sleeping beauty is going to know what hell is. She’ll be dragged from village to village accross the kingdom, where she’s going to be abused in every single way (most of them being sexual) to please her prince and his mother. She’ll go from people to people to satisfy everyone’s desires. In the palace, she’ll encounter others who will force her to accept her new life...
Audrey’s review:
Anne Rice offers a new version of the fairytale of Sleeping beauty. But it’s one we won’t tell the kids about! This is cleary erotica, S&M even which leaves no room for imagination. Everyhting is being described with many details. The main character is supposed to be very proud while the reader sees nothing but a weak girl who let people crush her. We don’t get why she can undertake the humiliation and abuses. The writing and style are worthless with all the repetitions. The characters are uninteresting and the female hero is almost despised! It’s a book I forced myself to finish by principal whereas each page disgusted me a little more. This novel is shocking and degrating. I guess you get it: I didn’t like it one bit and i advise against reading this book!
