The Librain……retired

I am hoping that I can get to the Library this afternoon as I have reached the end of this current set of books. Of course, if it proves to be too difficult, I can turn to the amazing ebook service, but I do really prefer to read print books where possible.

Astra by Naomi Foyle

My first read of the week turned out to be not what I had anticipated when I requested the first two books from the Gaia Chronicles series! Here is the blurb for Astra by Naomi Foyle:

Like every child in Is-Land, all Astra Ordott wants is to have her Security Shot, do her National Service and defend her Gaian homeland from Non-Lander ‘infiltrators’. But when one of her Shelter mothers, the formidable Dr Hokma Blesser, tells her the shot will limit her chances of becoming a scientist and offers her an alternative, Astra agrees to her plan.

When the orphaned Lil arrives to share Astra’s home, Astra is torn between jealousy and fascination. Lil’s father taught her some alarming ideas about Is-Land and the world, but when she pushes Astra too far, the heartache that results goes far beyond the loss of a friend.

If she is to survive, Astra must learn to deal with devastating truths about Is-Land, Non-Land and the secret web of adult relationships that surrounds her.

I managed to get quite a long way into the book before I put it aside. This is my short review on Goodreads and I only awarded the book 1 star:

I got about halfway through, but found it so slow and boring that I gave up. It goes against the grain to do this, but I don’t want to waste what reading time I have left! There are so many great books out there.

Of course, this is only my opinion and there are plenty of other reviews available which really rate the book. It just wasn’t for me.

Magefall by Stephen Aryan

My second book of the week was much more successful. Magefall by Stephen Aryan, Age of Dread #02, was a gripping read, although not without faults. I enjoyed the first book in the series, Mageborn, a few weeks ago and will watch out for other books by Aryan in the future. Anyway, here is the blurb:

The land is in turmoil. Mages are hunted by men and gods alike. Even their own kind betray each other in the name of safety and protection.

With their last refuge fallen, two young mages must conspire against a god to show the world that their abilities aren’t a curse; they are the only way to ensure lasting peace. Under the threat of anti-magic fanatics, Wren struggles to find her place as a leader and to keep her people safe as they build a new home. While Danoph searches for answers on a spiritual journey, determined to find out who he really is and where he came from in an effort to calm the coming storm.

Their world has turned against them, yet only they can save the world

And here is my review:

This was a good and gripping read with lots of exciting action. However, like the first book, the constant switching between different points of view means that the story becomes very disjointed. Also, as some of the main characters break off from one plot line, the points of view increase in number! I am wondering if all of this will come together at some point? I hope so!

As I have not read the previous trilogy, I am not aware if this is a regular writing style for Aryan. If so, I am not sure whether I will read other books by him in the future, which would be a shame.

I gave the book three stars, because of this style of writing in the main. I think that it may irritate other readers too!

Vindolanda by Adrian Goldsworthy

My current book is Adrian Goldsworthy’s Vindolanda. You may remember that I wrote about the sequel, The Encircling Sea, a few weeks ago. I reserved Vindolanda at the Library and am now hoping that a third book will be published soon. Anyway, I haven’t quite finished the book yet, so will write about it next week.

Happy Reading to you all!

Best wishes,

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Like last week, I finished one massive tome. In fact, it was even longer than last week’s book. I have really enjoyed reading books 7 and 8 in Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series, but will now have to wait until she publishes the next book.

Written in My Own Heart’s Blood by Diana Gabaldon

Written in My Own Heart’s Blood (Outlander #08) has the following blurb:

It is June 1778, and the world seems to be turning upside-down. The British Army is withdrawing from Philadelphia, with George Washington in pursuit, and for the first time, it looks as if the rebels might actually win. But for Claire Fraser and her family, there are even more tumultuous revolutions that have to be accommodated.Her former husband, Jamie, has returned from the dead, demanding to know why in his absence she married his best friend, Lord John Grey. Lord John’s son, the ninth Earl of Ellesmere, is no less shocked to discover that his real father is actually the newly resurrected Jamie Fraser, and Jamie’s nephew Ian Murray discovers that his new-found cousin has an eye for the woman who has just agreed to marry him.

And while Claire is terrified that one of her husbands may be about to murder the other, in the 20th century her descendants face even more desperate turns of events. Her daughter Brianna is trying to protect her son from a vicious criminal with murder on his mind, while her husband Roger has disappeared into the past . . .

It was difficult to write a review of this book without spoilers, so this was my attempt on Goodreads (and I gave it four stars):

Oh, I did enjoy this book. Yes, I know it was very long and complex with a huge amount of detail and often preposterous plot devices, but I find these books so absorbing to read. It is quite amusing how Gabaldon forces Jamie and Claire into just about every major event of the time, but she is a great writer of settings and atmosphere. Unlike other readers, I also like reading about Claire’s incredible and inventive surgical skills.

My only negatives are that some of the to-ing and fro-ing in the early parts of the book were almost farcical. The intimate details of some lesser characters’ sex lives made me cringe a bit too. Yes, to Jamie and Claire, no to some of the others!

For once, I enjoyed the sections about Brianna and Roger – these were well done and their characters were not as annoying as in other books.

All in all, I hope we don’t have to wait too much longer for the next book!

Once again, this book had a mixed reception, so it is worth reading other reviews on Goodreads and other sites. I can’t wait until the next episode, but Diana Gabaldon takes such care with her research into the period and so you can sympathise with how long it takes her to write each book.

Astra by Naomi Foyle

I still have Jamie and Claire in my head, but have started my next book, Astra by Naomi Foyle, which is totally different. My verdict will be given next week!

Until then, Happy Reading to you all!

Best wishes,

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