No one who can read, ever looks at a book,
even unopened on a shelf, like one who cannot.

-- Charles Dickens in Our Mutual Friend

(No, I haven't suddenly stopped reading or been crushed by a pile of falling books.
I'll post on the books I've finished soon.)

The Dark Mirror by Juliet Marillier

Fiction: Fantasy. Hardback from Tor Books. Published in 2005. 512 pages. On loan from the Kent District Library, Grandville Branch.

I've read some of Juliet Marillier before, but have not blogged any of them previously. I read them while we lived in the UK. Maybe even before the blog started. I enjoyed her books. But, I had a hard time reading this book. Things kept happening that made me need to put it down - but - I always picked it back up again. It's hard to explain why, but there it is.

Another thing I noticed was the often present (in this genre) Christian bad guy. In this case it's a contest to see who will become King, the one who follows the old ways, or the fellow who has converted to Christianity. In general though, I don't think that Marillier has been overly harsh towards Christianity. We'll see how it unfolds in the next book, Blade of Fortriu. (Available October 2006)

Publisher's summary:
THE DARK MIRROR is the first book in Juliet Marillier's Bridei Chronicles.

Bridei is a young nobleman fostered at the home of Broichan, one of the most powerful druids in the land. His earliest memories are not of hearth and kin but of this dark stranger who while not unkind is mysterious in his ways. The tasks that he sets Bridei appear to have one goal-to make him a vessel for some distant purpose. What that purpose is Bridei cannot fathom but he trusts the man and is content to learn all he can about the ways of the world.

But something happens that will change Bridei's world forever...and possible wreck all of Broichan's plans. For Bridei finds a child on their doorstep on a bitter MidWinter Eve, a child seemingly abandoned by the fairie folk. It is uncommonly bad luck to have truck with the Fair Folk and all counsel the babe's death. But Bridei sees an old and precious magic at work here and heedless of the danger fights to save the child. Broichan relents but is wary.

The two grow up together and as Bridei comes to manhood he sees the shy girl Tuala blossom into a beautiful woman. Broichan sees the same process and feels only danger...for Tuala could be a key part in Bridei's future...or could spell his doom.

Online book shopping:
Powell's: The Dark Mirror
amazon.co.uk: The Dark Mirror
amazon.com: The Dark Mirror
Audible.com: Sorry, not available as audio from Audible. Audio MP-3 CD from amazon.com here: The Dark Mirror

Based on the Book is a compilation of over 1,200 books, novels, short stories, and plays that have been made into motion pictures. I found it to be very entertaining - some of them surprised me while others were rather obvious.

The Thousand Orcs by R. A. Salvatore

Fiction: Fantasy. Paperback from Wizards of the Coast. Published in 2003. 367 pages. On loan from the The Kent District Library.

This book is the first in the Hunter's Blade Trilogy. Several years ago I read The Dark Elf Trilogy by the same author. I don't suppose it's necessary to read the other first, but I think it would make reading this series more enjoyable.

Drizzt Do'Urden is a compelling character - even if I can't pronounce his name!

Publisher's summary:
The Thousand Orcs is yet another top release from premiere Forgotten Realms author R.A. Salvatore. This mass market reprint focuses primarily on his signature character, Drizzt Do'Urden, who has been the subject of most of Salvatore's best-selling titles for Wizards of the Coast, Inc. This title includes a sample chapter from the author's next hardcover, The Lone Drow.

One Dark Elf.

Two Enchanted Blades.

One Unknown Enemy.

And a Horde of Invaders.

When a blood-thirsty band of orcs led by an as-yet-unseen enemy comes rampaging out of the Spine of the World, it lays waste to everything in its path. Dark elf ranger Drizzt Do’Urden and his most trusted friends find themselves in the path of destruction. As blades slash and feet trample, even the heroes may not survive a desperate stand.

Online book shopping:
Powell's: The Thousand Orcs
amazon.co.uk: The Thousand Orcs
amazon.com: The Thousand Orcs
Audible.com: sorry, not available as audio

Forever Odd by Dean Koonz

Fiction: Mystery. Audiobook from Random House Audio. Published in 2005. 8 hours and 37 minutes. Read by David Aaron Baker. Purchased from Audible.com.

This is my first Dean Koonz book, and so also my first introduction to Odd Thomas. I wasn't sure if I would really enjoy the story or not, but it was pretty good. It's not heavy reading, and I'm not really sure what they thought the "revelation that will change my life" was (see publisher's summary) - though I do know what revelation the main character had (it just wasn't life changing for me).

I did like Odd Thomas. Seems like a good guy.

Publisher's summary:
Every so often a character so captures the hearts and imaginations of readers that he seems to take on a life of his own long after the final page is turned. For such a character, one book is not enough–readers must know what happens next. Now Dean Koontz returns with the novel his fans have been demanding. With the emotional power and sheer storytelling artistry that are his trademarks, Koontz takes up once more the story of a unique young hero and an eccentric little town in a tale that is equal parts suspense and terror, adventure and mystery–and altogether irresistibly odd.

We’re all a little odd beneath the surface. He’s the most unlikely hero you’ll ever meet–an ordinary guy with a modest job you might never look at twice. But there’s so much more to any of us than meets the eye–and that goes triple for Odd Thomas. For Odd lives always between two worlds in the small desert town of Pico Mundo, where the heroic and the harrowing are everyday events. Odd never asked to communicate with the dead–it’s something that just happened. But as the unofficial goodwill ambassador between our world and theirs, he’s got a duty to do the right thing. That’s the way Odd sees it and that’s why he’s won hearts on both sides of the divide between life and death.

A childhood friend of Odd’s has disappeared. The worst is feared. But as Odd applies his unique talents to the task of finding the missing person, he discovers something worse than a dead body, encounters an enemy of exceptional cunning, and spirals into a vortex of terror. Once again Odd will stand against our worst fears. Around him will gather new allies and old, some living and some not. For in the battle to come, there can be no innocent bystanders, and every sacrifice can tip the balance between despair and hope. Whether you’re meeting Odd Thomas for the first time or he’s already an old friend, you’ll be led on an unforgettable journey through a world of terror, wonder and delight–to a revelation that can change your life. And you can have no better guide than Odd Thomas.

Online book shopping:
Powell's: Forever Odd
amazon.co.uk: Forever Odd
amazon.com: Forever Odd: A Novel
Audible.com: Forever Odd

Recommend a Book?

Read a good book lately? I’d love to hear about it. Leave a comment with the title and author, and if you’ve got time, include a bit about why you liked the book.

Cheers!

Healthy Aging by Andrew Weil

Non-Fiction: Health. Hardcover from Knopf. Published in 2005. 309 pages. On load from the Hackley Public Library, Muskegon, MI.

Mike Cope recommended this book earlier this year, and I was finally able to get it via interlibrary loan. I finished it last week. One of the chapters was a bit more info than I wanted on how we age - and was a bit difficult for me to fully understand. I realize, however, that it was included to give a basis for the diet recommendations that he made later on. Sadly, I just only barely understand the chapter! (Weil would probably say I should go back and give another try at understanding it to give my brain some exercise, but I think I'll pass.)

I was very impressed with Weil's advise about aging - especially his thoughts on learning to appreciate aging rather than just trying to deny it. I think he makes a valid point when he says that we do ourselves a disservice by denying that we are aging - "...the denial of aging and the attempt to fight it are counter-productive, a failure to understand and accept an important aspect of our experience." Excellent advice.

I do not have a lot of experience with diet recommendations and thus am unable to judge his advise by weighing it against other things I've read, but it seems to be reasonable. He gives good advise for exercise for both body and brain, which does seem to line up well with other things I've read on the subject.

Publisher's summary:
Spontaneous Healing . . . Eight Weeks to Optimum Health . . . Eating Well for Optimum Health . . . The Healthy Kitchen–in each of his widely acclaimed, best-selling books, Dr. Andrew Weil has been an authoritative and companionable guide through a uniquely effective combination of traditional and nontraditional approaches to health and healthy living. Now he gives us a book about aging that is unlike any other in the breadth and depth of its information and understanding. Hugely informative, practical, and uplifting, it is infused with the engaging candor and common sense that have been the hallmarks of all his books.

At the heart of Healthy Aging is Dr. Weil’s belief that although aging is an irreversible process, there are myriad things we can do to keep our minds and bodies in good working order through all phases of life. To that end, he draws on the new science of biogerentology (the biology of aging) as well as on the secrets of healthy longevity – diet, activity, and attitude – that he has gathered firsthand from cultures around the world.

In Part One – “The Science and Philosophy of Healthy Aging” – he explains how the body ages, and he explores the impact of gender, genes, environment, and lifestyle on an individual’s experience and perception of the process of aging. He describes the various would-be elixirs of life extension–herbs, hormones, and antiaging “medicines” – separating myth from fact and clearly delineating the difference between the spurious notions of preventing or reversing the process of aging and the real possibilities of inhibiting or delaying the onset of diseases that become more likely as we age. He writes movingly about the ways in which an acceptance of aging can be a significant part of doing it well, and of recognizing and appreciating the great rewards of growing older: depth and richness of experience, complexity of being, serenity, wisdom, and its own kind of power and grace.

In Part Two – “How to Age Gracefully” – Weil details an easy-to-implement Anti-inflammatory Diet that will protect the immune system and aid your body in resisting and adapting to the changes that time brings. And he provides extensive practical advice on exercise; preventive health care; stress management; physical, mental, and emotional flexibility; and spiritual enhancement – all of which can help you achieve and maintain the best health throughout the lifelong process of aging.

Healthy Aging–a book for people of all ages – is Andrew Weil’s most important and far-reaching book yet.

Online book shopping:
Powell's: Healthy Aging: A Lifelong Guide to Your Physical and Spiritual Well-Being
amazon.co.uk: Healthy Aging: A Lifelong Guide to Your Physical and Spiritual Well-Being
amazon.com: Healthy Aging: A Lifelong Guide to Your Physical and Spiritual Well-Being
Audible.com: Healthy Aging: A Lifelong Guide to Your Physical and Spiritual Well-Being

For Fun

This is a "Word Cloud" created from this blog.
You can get your own, plus have it printed onto a t-shirt at: Snap Shirts. Cool.