The Green Brain by Frank Herbert
The Green Brain is one of the novels that Frank Herbert published following the release of Dune. It was first published as a novelette under the title Greenslaves in Amazing Stories in 1965. Apparently the title is a reference to the English folk song Greensleeves. It was released as a novel by Ace Books in 1966. My copy is one in a series of four Frank Herbert titles reissued by Tor in 2002,
June 27th, 2012. Rob Weber | Frank Herbert | Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
The Ammonite Violin and Others by Caitlín R. Kiernan
A while ago, I bought a number of books in a Subteranean Press clearance sale. Eleven books with a huge discount, but I didn’t know what I would be getting. As it happened, the package contained a lot of short fiction collections, mostly of authors whose work I’m not too familiar with. The Ammonite Violin and Others by Caitlín R. Kiernan was one of these. Kiernan was completely new to me, but The Ammonite Violin and Others turned out to be a beautifully written collection of very dark short stories.
June 22nd, 2012. Rob Weber´s rating: 4 | Caitlín R. Kiernan | Short Fiction | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
Beyond the Shadows by Brent Weeks
I hate to leave a series unfinished if it is at all palatable, and while the first two books of the NIGHT ANGEL trilogy were not brilliant, I still couldn’t stay away from the final book. In Beyond the Shadows Weeks continues the relentless action we saw in the first two books. After reading Shadow’s Edge, which was a lot better than the first volume, The Way of Shadows, I had hoped the series would continue improving.
May 28th, 2012. Rob Weber´s rating: 3 | Brent Weeks | SFF Reviews | 13 comments |
The Land of Painted Caves by Jean M. Auel
The Land of Painted Caves is the sixth and final volume in Jean M. Auel‘s EARTH’S CHILDREN series. It has taken her more than three decades to complete the series. The previous volume, The Shelters of Stone, appeared in 2002. Auel has sold millions of books in the past thirty years, and The Land of Painted Caves was definitely one of the big releases of 2011.
April 24th, 2012. Rob Weber´s rating: 1 | Jean M. Auel | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
The Mammoth Hunters by Jean M. Auel
The Mammoth Hunters, the third book in Jean M. Auel‘s EARTH’S CHILDREN series, followed relatively quickly on the heels of The Valley of Horses. After this one, the gap between books increases. It would take Auel 26 years to get the last three published. I guess it was a good thing that Auel took more time for the fourth book. The Plains of Passage is not up to the standard of The Clan of the Cave Bear,
April 12th, 2012. Rob Weber´s rating: 1.5 | Jean M. Auel | SFF Reviews | 3 comments |
Witches Abroad by Terry Pratchett
People have been telling me to read Terry Pratchett’s DISCWORLD books for ages, but I was always a bit intimidated by the sheer number of books he has produced. Finally, I decided to just start reading them in publication order. I have advanced to Witches Abroad, the twelfth book in publication order and the third book featuring the witches. At this point Pratchett’s got me firmly hooked. The Witches are not my favourite set of characters — I consider Guards!
April 2nd, 2012. Rob Weber´s rating: 4 | Terry Pratchett | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Master of the House of Darts by Aliette de Bodard
Master of the House of Darts is the third novel in Aliette de Bodard‘s OBSIDIAN AND BLOOD series. The first novel, Servant of the Underworld, was one of my favourite reads of 2010 and its sequel Harbinger of the Storm was, if possible, even better. In between writing these novels, de Bodard has also made an impression with her short fiction. Her novelette The Jaguar House,
March 19th, 2012. Rob Weber´s rating: 4 | Aliette De_Bodard | SFF Reviews | no comments |
I read Brent Weeks’s debut novel The Way of Shadows some time ago. It was not a brilliant book but it kept me entertained enough to try the second part in the NIGHT ANGEL trilogy, Shadow’s Edge. On the whole I liked Shadow’s Edge much better than The Way of Shadows. With the wider scope of the story, it is a much more satisfying read,
March 1st, 2012. Rob Weber´s rating: 3.5 | Brent Weeks | SFF Reviews | 5 comments |
The Valley of Horses by Jean M. Auel
Jean M. Auel‘s Earth’s Children is one of those series that people often say you should stop reading after the first book. I’m generally too curious about the sequel to follow that advice, so naturally I’ve read all six. Most of them are entertaining at some level but none of them are anywhere near as good as the first book. After the huge success of The Clan of The Cave Bear (1980), Auel produced two sequels relatively quickly,
February 24th, 2012. Rob Weber´s rating: 2 | Jean M. Auel | SFF Reviews | no comments |
The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel
Set in prehistoric times, Jean M. Auel‘s EARTH’S CHILDREN series deals with the possible interaction between Neanderthals and our own species, among other things. They are renowned for their meticulously researched descriptions of prehistoric life as well as notorious for their sexual content and the Mary-Sue-like development of the main character. I’ve read the entire series and although I thought the books were entertaining, I do think the literary quality takes a nosedive after the first novel.
February 16th, 2012. Rob Weber´s rating: 4 | Jean M. Auel | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
Do it! One of the best things I've read in recent years.
This reminds me. I want to read Addie LaRue.
We’re in total agreement David!
I felt just the same. The prose and character work was excellent. The larger story was unsatisfying, especially compared to…
Hmmm. I think I'll pass.