The Hunger Games Trilogy Boxset by Suzanne CollinsMy rating: 5 of 5 stars As many know, I don’t readily give out 5-star reviews. In this case I’m compelled to do so. Why, when this isn’t a literary series of books, but rather genre fiction? Because Suzanne Collins clearly demonstrates mastery of her craft, and by virtue of that talent she deserves high accolades. If I had to use one word to summarize The Hunger Games…
I was advised very early when I first established my own blog to keep it focused, to keep it out of controversial subjects. Always thought that was a bit ridiculous, being the passionate, idealistic sort of person I am. I’ve always thought people had an intrinsic right to express opinions in an intelligent, non-violent fashion. This is, after all, how we learn about one another, reach broader perspectives, perhaps even greater understanding. This morning this…
Andrea K. Höst writes a credible alien-invasion story in her novel And All the Stars. The pacing is brisk, characters well-defined and believable, alien concept freshly original, and the writing is crisp, at times startling. And if this is a self-published book, as I suspect, Höst deserves a great deal of credit, because this is just the best damned SF novel I’ve read in quite some time. Höst writes about a complex alien invasion in…
It’s always difficult to review a translated work, because when you come across either brilliance or lack of lustre, it’s difficult to assess whether that boon or bane is attributable to the author or the translator. Such is the case with <The Goddess Chronicle</i>, by Natsuo Kirino, translated by Rebecca Copeland. The story is a retelling of an original Japanese creation story. I suspect the original work by Kirino is a charged, tight story. Copeland’s…