The Story

Twenty years after The Blooding of Jack Absolute finds Jack being coerced back into the Royal service and off to fight in the American War of Independance – his mad skillz as a spy are in desperate need, especially when it is discovered that one of the inner circle in his general’s command is a spy for the Americans.

Through his adventures in the war, and particularly trying to discover who this spy is, Jack captures many hostages, becomes a hostage many times, is almost killed almost as many times as there are chapters in this book, makes many daring escapes, has a few women fall in love with him, falls in love with one woman in particular, hangs out with his Mohawk adopted-brother Até, gets attacked by a rattlesnake, and generally goes around being all awesome-like. (Not that rattlesnake attacks are awesome. But if anyone is to survive two rattlesnake bites at the same time, it’s going to be Jack. And in an awesome-like manner.)

Oh, and there is quotage of Hamlet! And much brooding over the number of times Jack is almost killed! And adventures in Canada and the USA in the late 1700′s! And Jack playing himself in a play! And other such stuff!

The Response

Bah! I had such high hopes for this. SUCH HIGH HOPES. This book was such a tease…

Alas.

I’m sure if I had read this one first instead of The Blooding of Jack Absolute, then I would’ve enjoyed it so much more. But I LOVED The Blooding and this one wasn’t nearly as good for the following reasons:

• There was a heck of a lot less of Até!
• Too much of the book revolved around romance!
• Not enough revolved around bromance!
• I wanted more Até!
• Too much brooding over women!
• Less Hamlet-inspired awesomeness!
• …Where’s Até?

So, obviously, my undying passion for Até coloured how I reacted to this book. Mainly in that I was hugely disappointed that he was only in it for a very short period of time – most of the time Jack was off galavanting and not getting killed all on his own.

And “not getting killed” seems to be the key there. I’m almost annoyed at how lucky Jack is. (But he is lucky in a charming sort of way, because we really don’t want Jack to die! If Jack died, Até would be heartbroken!) He manages to just scrap out of every single life-threatening situation he is faced with – whether it be from a duel fought over (yet another) lover, almost being hung due to being thought a traitor, numerous times when the Rebel army could’ve gutted him, or a rattlesnake that the evil dude throws at him…. well. EXTREMELY lucky. I would not want to be him when his luck finally runs out.

But for all that annoyed me, the writing was as wonderful as the last one. It was very humorous, as one of my favourite passages, when Jack is hiding in a tree stump, shows:

The temptation was to tay in the log, perhaps for the duration of the war. But he couldn’t do that for two main reasons and one minor: he was hungry; he had learned the war was going badly for the Royal Army so he had to resume his position at Burgoyne’s right hand; and some creature had slipped inside his trouser cuff and was engaged in biting its way up his leg.

So yes, the writing almost made up for the lack of Até. I think I may have just realized that I have a new-ish fictional crush.

The Bottom Line

If you’re not going to read all the books in this trilogy/series/whatever, then skip this one and read The Blooding of Jack Absolute – MUCH more fun, much better characters, much more adventure, slightly less romance.

Other Reviews

Life and Times of a “New” New Yorker. Have you reviewed this book on your blog? Let me know and I’ll add your link.

1. Jolted by Arthur Slade. Originally Published 2008. LT.
2. Jake and the Kid by W.O. Mitchell. Originally Published 1961. LT.
3. Owls in the Family by Farley Mowatt. Originally Published 1961. LT.
4. A Student of Weather by Elizabeth Hay. Originally Published 2000. LT.
5. For Me and My House by Sinclair Ross. Originally Published 1941. LT.
6. Homesick by Guy Vanderhaeghe. Originally Published 1989. LT.
7. Deadly Appearances by Gail Bowen. Originally Published 1990. LT.
8. Lost Geography: A Novel by Charlotte Bacon. Originally Published 2000. LT.
9. Peace Shall Destroy Many by Rudy Weibe. LT.
10. Dust by Arthur Slade. Originally Published 2001. LT.

What books do you like that take place in Saskatchewan?

Do you like this feature? You should also check out Librarian’s Book Reviews’ Listless Monday and A Bookshelf Monstrosity’s Books By A Theme.

The Story

Okay, so this is more like two stories. Or like one and a fifth.

The first story in this book is The Selkie, written by John Barrowman & Carole E Barrowman, art by Tommy Lee Edward with Trevor Goring, and lettering by John Workman.

The Selkie is a stand-alone story of our lovely Captain Jack in Scotland, and works itself around the Selkie myth. It’s about a bunch of men who have been found dead and completely skinned; Captain Jack gets a call for help from the local authorities, only to discover that what is hunting down these men is something that he brought to earth in the first place many, MANY years ago.

The second story in this book is part one of five in the Broken story, written by Gary Russell, art by Adrian Salmon and lettering by John Workman. This one takes place before the Children of Earth season of Torchwood – which means that Ianto is in it!! Huzzah! (But sadly, Owen and Tosh are not around.)

Anyway! Over 100 years ago the rift let through this crazy pink light that caused a hotel in Cardiff to go weird. As a result, it shut down. But! Exactly 140 years to the day that it shut down, it re-opened. And on the first night it has been re-opened, guests magically disappear – in fact, whole rooms magically disappear. Somehow, the rift is using the original caretaker of the hotel to get something in our world that the rift wants – but no one knows what it is. And, as Torchwood Three is investigating, Gwen, Jack and Ianto all get sucked into the rift…

The Response

If this is the only way I can get my Ianto/Jack fix, then so be it. I will keep buying Torchwood comics as long as they continuously have our beloved Ianto in them. *snuggles snuggles snuggles*

Have I mentioned how broken hearted I was at the end of Children of Earth??? Because I was. It killed me a little bit on the inside.

So yes, two different stories in one comic!! The first story, bless John Barrowman’s heart, wasn’t that great… the illustrations were beautiful, but it didn’t flow very well. Too narrated, actually – the panels and the illustrations in the comic should tell the story, you shouldn’t need to read everything that is happening all the time. Actually… it read like an old film noir movie. So that distracted a little bit from the enjoyment. It doesn’t seem to suit the Jack that we know… which, I suppose, looking at it that way could be a good thing – this was supposed to give fans a glimpse at the Jack that they don’t know from Doctor Who or Torchwood.

The best thing about the first story, though, was by far the illustrations – positively gorgeous!!

As far as the second goes… well, it looks like this is going to be a GOOD story. Again, I love the illustrations (this time, they reminded me a little bit of Dexter’s Laboratory and Powerpuff Girls, the way that it was such solid colours throughout), and it feels like something that could actually work as a real episode. Doesn’t feel fanfic-ish at all (whereas, oddly enough, the one John Barrowman wrote did). Or maybe I was just ecstatic that OMG IANTO HASN’T DIED YET. (Oh, squee!)

Um.

Okay, now I want to go and watch some Torchwood. I apparently know what I’m doing this weekend.

The Bottom Line

Will definitely continue reading this. Recommended to Torchwood fanatics. If you’re not obsessed with the show, you may not enjoy it – it is quite cheesy, but that’s part of the charm, in all honesty. Also? Yay, Ianto!

The Story

In an attempt to get over her husband cheating on her (with her T.A.), and an attempt to salvage her ruined career, Emma runs off to London, England. She is determined that she is going to find some undiscovered letters written by Jane Austen, and has been contacted by a woman who says she has some of these letters. Only, in order to even see the letters, Emma must accomplish certain tasks first.

Of course, it doesn’t help that her ex-best-friend (who happens to be a guy) also happens to be in town, and in some mix-up is visiting with the same friend. How convenient. Even more convenient is that they both still seem to have feeling for each other. Now, where do you suppose this is going?

The Response

Okay. I will admit that I went into this book expecting to get fed-up and angry. I went into this book knowing it was by a Christian author, published by a Christian publisher, etc. etc. etc. So I was on the lookout for over-the-top shoving-Christianity-down-your-throat stuff. Even for lesser intense “omg God rawks” throughout the book. And … I have to say that I’m both a little disappointed and hugely relieved that I did not find it.

This works as a good cross-over into mainstream fiction. The only real mentions of Christianity and God and such were when the main character was talking about her past – how her father is a pastor, and she grew up as the PK – and how she totally resents God for how her marriage didn’t end all happy and hunky dory. It’s not preachy, and quite frankly that surprised me.

It wasn’t a bad novel for chicklit either. Emma, the main character, wasn’t a flake. At all. She was a strong, educated woman who has just realized that she cannot depend on a man for her life. And she is able to be independent when she can be – which is slightly difficult when one doesn’t have a job, and spent all of one’s savings on an airplane ticket halfway across the world.

So, altogether, not a bad book at all. Got me out of my not-finishing-books slump, that’s for sure.

The Bottom Line

Not the best Jane Austen inspired book… I definitely would recommend Shannon Hale’s Austenland over this one, but it was good for what it was. Would, however, be interested to see if other books by Pattillo are as non-shoving-Christianity-in-your-face as this one is.

Other Reviews

Book Addiction, The Novel World, Alison’s Book Marks, One Literature Nut, Framed and Booked. Have you reviewed this book on your blog? Let me know and I’ll add your link.

1. Code Red at the Supermall by Eric Wilson. Originally Published 1988. LT.
2. Roses are Difficult Here by W.O Mitchell. Originally Published 1990. LT.
3. The Kappa Child by Hiromi Goto. Originally Published 2001. LT.
4. The Outlander by Gil Adamson. Originally Published 2007. LT.
5. Mrs. Mike, the story of Katherine Mary Flannigan by Benedict and Nancy Freedman. Originally Published 1947. LT.
6. Icefields by Thomas Wharton. Originally Published 1995. LT.
7. A Rhinestone Button by Gail Anderson-Dargatz. Originally Published 2002. LT.
8. The Enchantment Emporium by Tanya Huff. Originally Published 2009. LT.
9. Badlands by Robert Kroetsch. Originally Published 1975. LT.
10. The Garneau Block by Todd Babiak. Originally Published 2006. LT.

What other books that take place in Alberta am I missing?

Do you like this feature? You should also check out Librarian’s Book Reviews’ Listless Monday and A Bookshelf Monstrosity’s Books By A Theme.

The Story

Pierre is a fourteen-year-old orphan living with his uncles and his seventeen-year-old cousin Mary Ancel. The two cousins are in love with each other, and when her father finds out, he sends Pierre off to train for the priesthood. Only problem is, it is the middle of the French Revolution (specifically the Reign of Terror), and the man he was supposed to train with is a very prominent member of the Committee of Public Safety.

So. This man, Schneider, has foresaken his beliefs in the church, and has become a tyrant. And, is of a very selfish man who is just trying to get ahead in his life. Oh, huzzah.

It’s only expected that when Pierre mentions his cousin Mary, and how perfect and wonderful she is, and what a huge fortune she possesses, to Schneider, Schneider would want to possess Mary for his own. And so he threatens her uncle with threat of the guillotine of he doesn’t give her to him in marriage. So of course, Mary cannot do anything but agree to marry this monster of a man and forget about her dearly beloved cousin… or is there another way out of this mess?

The Response

This story was actually quite surprising to me. Previously, all I had known of Thackeray’s work was Vanity Fair, and I did NOT get along with that book AT ALL. Yes, Vanity Fair is a classic, it’s a satire on how we are all too attached to wordly goods, blah blah blah but oh my goodness I loathed it. So I was surprised by how much I liked this one.

The Story of Mary Ancel is very engaging – I was interested right from the beginning, and it read very well. It wasn’t hard to get accustomed to the language and narrative, as it can be in some books/stories written around that time. And it doesn’t go on for a half of the story setting up what is going to happen, but gets down to it right at the beginning. (That’s one of the things I’ve noticed about some of the stories in this book – they go on so long just introducing the era and place and you don’t even meet any characters until halfway through.)

So that was all good… but… well… I just do not get why this book is in this collection! There are no ghosts! Nothing spooky! Nothing gothic! Nothing like that!! Instead, it’s about a strong girl who outsmarts one of Robespierre’s greatest proponents. Not to say that I didn’t enjoy it, because I really thoroughly did… but I just don’t get why this would be included in a collection of Edwardian and Victorian ghost stories.

I really couldn’t care about the main character, Pierre… I thought what he had with his cousin was more puppy love than real love, but we all know my adoration of kick-arse female characters, and she seemed a whole lot more kick-arse than a lot of women portrayed in fiction those days. She was rather ingenious and a lot braver than a lot of fictional females. Who would pretend to agree to marry a man, only to really plan to expose him for what he really is while the marriage ceremony is about to take place? Quite admirable, really.

The Bottom Line

Now – is Thackeray’s other stuff more like this, or more Vanity Fair? Because if it’s like this than I totally would like to read more… but if it’s ANYTHING like Vanity Fair then I will be QUITE happy with this being the only Thackeray I enjoy.

Faust

The first was Goethe’s Faust. I got through the whole of the first part, but couldn’t make it any further. It could have been any number of reasons why. The translation by Barker Fairley didn’t seem very lyrical, so perhaps that took away from my enjoyment. There’s also the fact that the second part is SO DIFFERENT from the first part. And the fact that my favourite character was now dead. I don’t know what else it could have been, and it doesn’t make sense, because I love the story of Faust, I love Marlow’s play and I love Gounod’s opera… Bother!!

But I did enjoy reading Part 1 of the play. I love the story of Gretchen – it’s tragic and that poor, poor girl! Oh! She reminds me a little bit of Ophelia from Hamlet in all honesty. And Ophelia is one of my favourite characters. It was just so tragic how she fell in love with Faust, accidentally killed her mother, slept with Faust, got impregnated by Faust, had her brother killed by Faust, and then drowned her own baby. (And yet, if that happened in real life, I would’ve been disgusted at the person who did it!)

I also found it really interesting and surprising to see how much the very beginning of Part 1 parallels Job – you know, God making a bet with the devil that the devil won’t be able to steer one of God’s most devout followers away from God. I don’t remember that from Marlow’s version. Hum. May need to reread that one now.

A Game of Thrones

This second one I really, REALLY wanted to like. The first book in George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series, A Game of Thrones sounded so awesome. So many people who love fantasy LOVE Martin’s stuff. All I’ve ever heard have been the highest of high praise. And I really liked this when I first picked it up.

And then after the first chapter ended, it changed perspective to another character and another storyline.

And after the second chapter ended, it changed perspective to yet another character and yet another storyline.

Again and again and again. I think there are what? A dozen characters and a dozen storylines to remember, and I’m not even a quarter of the way through.

Every time I got interested in something, I had to wait numerous chapters to get back to that something, and by the time we did I lost interest in that something.

And considering there are four books so far, and three others forthcoming… plus the fact that one book alone is over 800 pages… Well, what it comes down to is that I don’t particularly want to invest that much time into a book that has me continuously losing interest in what is going on.

But…

But, I just actually finished one book last night, so I’ll be able to post about that in a day or two. And! I’m really looking forward to the next book I am going to be starting. So hopefully this phase will be done and finished with now.

Here are ten books that take place somewhere in British Columbia.

1. Alice, I Think by Susan Juby. Originally Published 2000. LT.
2. Eleanor Rigby – A Novel by Douglas Coupland. Originally Published 2004. LT.
3. Awake & Dreaming by Kit Pearson. Originally Published 1996. LT.
4. I Heard the Owl Call My Name by Margaret Craven. Originally Published 1967. LT.
5. The Cure for Death by Lightening by Gail Anderson-Dargatz. Originally Published 1996. LT.
6. The Forest Lover by Susan Vreeland. Originally Published 2003. LT.
7. The Torn Skirt by Rebecca Godfrey. Originally Published 2001. LT.
8. The End of East by Jen Sookfong Lee. Originally Published 2007. LT.
9. Red Dog, Red Dog by Patrick Lane. Originally Published 2008. LT.
10. Swamp Angel by Ethel Wilson. Originally Published 1954. LT.

What books that take place in British Columbia have you read? Do ou have any favourites?

Do you like this feature? You should also check out Librarian’s Book Reviews’ Listless Monday and A Bookshelf Monstrosity’s Books By A Theme.

The Story

There’s a poor farming family with a 3-year old daughter. Unfortunately, her parents cannot afford to feed her, so when the Virgin Mary appears to them and offers to take the daughter to live with her in heaven, they agree.

When the child is older, the Virgin Mary has to go off on some journey, and leaves a set of keys with the girl. The girl is told that she can use any of them except the small thirteenth one. During her explorations, she uses all twelve keys to open twelve different doors, to find the twelve apostles behind each door. Of course, curiousity gets to her, and against the Virgin Mary’s warnings, she uses the thirteenth key to open the last door, and comes into contact with the presence of God.

As a result of a direct betrayal of Mary (and MASSIVE denial of the direct betrayal), the child is banished to earth, where she meets a lovely king who ends up marrying her. And each time they have a child, the Virgin Mary appears to the girl and asks the girl to confess that she opened the thirteenth door; when the girl continues to deny it, Mary takes each of the girl’s children.

Of course, this leads the people around her to believe that she is eating her children, so they decide to burn her like a witch.

And of course, as the girl is burning to death, she confesses that she used that thirteenth key, and Mary comes down in a cloud of awesomeness and not only saves the girl from death but also gives her her children back.

The Response

Overall, this wasn’t the best fairy tale that I’ve read. But! Something about it sticks out in my head. And do you know what it was? It was the fact that I DO NOT KNOW THIS STORY.

I thought I was fairly well-versed in my fairy-tale lore. Apparently I was wrong, because I have NEVER HEARD this one before.

Yes, there are motifs that I’ve read before – opening the forbidden door, asking the same question three times, someone stealing the main character’s child… but I don’t recall ever reading a fairy tale where the Virgin Mary is one of the major players in it. I don’t know – have I been missing out on a whole bunch of fairy tales this whole time that revolve around some of the major biblical figures?

It’s weird because not only do I know my fairy tales, but I was VERY Christian for a fairly long period of time, and would have devoured this up if I knew there were Christian fairy tales. Is this just more prominent in Catholicism than Protestantism, as Mary plays a more prominent figure there?

And that makes me wonder what other figures I’ve missed out on in Western fairy tales. It all just leaves me so flummoxed! Someone, please tell me! What other fairy tales am I missing out on that have religious figures in them?! Am I going to next stumble upon a story where John the Baptist is living under a bridge charging tolls to those who want to pass it? Are there stories about Noah going on a quest to find a princess under an evil witch’s spell? What else is there?!

Also? The moral of this fairy tale? If the Virgin Mary ever asks you a question, don’t lie to her. Lying makes you burn, yo.

I think I should probably end both of those trains of thought before I guarantee myself a spot in the deepest pit of hell.

The Bottom Line

Fairy tale I don’t know! Yay for new introductions! Odd that it was Virgin Mary! Fairy Tales in general! Yay fun was had all around!

1. Lost in the Barrens by Farley Mowatt. Originally Published 1956. LT.
2. Having Faith In The Polar Girls Prison by Cathleen With. Originally Published 2009. LT.
3. The Tent Peg by Aritha Van Herk. Originally Published 1989. LT.
4. Frozen Fire: A Tale of Courage by James Houston. Originally Published 1977. LT.
5. The Inuk Mountie Adventure by Eric Wilson. Originally Published 1995. LT.
6. Late Nights on Air by Elizabeth Hay. Originally Published 2007. LT.
7. Darkness at the Stroke of Noon by Dennis Richard Murphy. Originally Published 2009. LT.
8. Mammoth by John Varley. Originally Published 2005. LT.
9. Above the Falls by John Harris. Originally Published 2007. LT.
10. The Curse of the Shaman: A Marble Island Story by Michael Arvaarluk Kusugak. Originally Published 2006. LT.

What are your favourite books that take place in these Canadian territories?

Do you like this feature? You should also check out Librarian’s Book Reviews’ Listless Monday and A Bookshelf Monstrosity’s Books By A Theme.