It appears that I am on a mythology kick. True! One of the interns I worked with last spring taught a unit on mythology associated with reading of The Odyssey. This book is probably appropriate for younger or less able readers than Michael Scott's Nicholas Flamel series. It is well written and more narrowly focused on Greek gods than Scott's work is. Overall I give it strong ratings. It would make an excellent companion piece to a class exploration of The Odyssey especially for students will reading difficulties. Many of the same quest episodes are paralleled in this book and would allow for discussion of Odysseus's (Ulysses) quests and their meanings.
I will be reading other books in the series. They have been very popular and I am eager to follow up on Riordan's treatment of the epic.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Rain Gods, by James Lee Burke (2009)
I am a reader of the collected works of James Lee Burke. This title is not a "Dave Robicheau" book, rather one set in Texas. Burke began expanding his cast of characters to Billy Bob Holland and this book features Billy Bob's cousin "Hackberry Holland." For some Burke fans the Texas books weren't terribly satisfying, but I have enjoyed them. This book, Rain Gods, is one that I am giving my strongest recommendation. Burke's descriptions of the physical and meteorological settings are wonderful. The plot and resolution (which I won't spoil) are compelling.
Hackberry with an anonomyous phone tip, finds a mass grave filled with Asian women. In bringing the parties responsible to justice Holland moves through a cast of characters and situations that keeps the reader going and ultimately is completely satisfying.
Four Stars!
Hackberry with an anonomyous phone tip, finds a mass grave filled with Asian women. In bringing the parties responsible to justice Holland moves through a cast of characters and situations that keeps the reader going and ultimately is completely satisfying.
Four Stars!
The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, by Michael Scott
This entry covers two of the three books in the Nicholas Flamel series, The Magician (2008) and The Sorceress (2009). I was immediately caught up in the first book of this series, The Alchemyst. Of course I was eager to read the next in the series. The Magician is as engaging and captivating as The Alchemyst however, I was a bit disappointed in The Sorceress. This later book brings in too many historical characters (Shakespeare, Billy the Kid) and becomes more of a "Terminator" distruction book than a fantasy exploring the lives and actions of mythological characters in present day.
I doubt that most teens/adolescents who are fans of the series would immediately detect the difference in quality. But, I've seen in my own children (now adults) the ability to "sense" when a book is somehow "off." I hope that Scott's next book The Necromancer will return to the more character-based stories of the previous two books in the series.
To fully enjoy any of the books in this series readers will need to do some independent research of their own on the various gods, goddesses, and mythical creatures included in the readings. Scott introduces these from all cultures and time periods. It provides the opportunity for a broad overview of the various mythologies and religions of the world.
Scott is a prolific writer and has many books that have not yet been published in the US. I hope more of them become available as the popularity of this series increases.
I doubt that most teens/adolescents who are fans of the series would immediately detect the difference in quality. But, I've seen in my own children (now adults) the ability to "sense" when a book is somehow "off." I hope that Scott's next book The Necromancer will return to the more character-based stories of the previous two books in the series.
To fully enjoy any of the books in this series readers will need to do some independent research of their own on the various gods, goddesses, and mythical creatures included in the readings. Scott introduces these from all cultures and time periods. It provides the opportunity for a broad overview of the various mythologies and religions of the world.
Scott is a prolific writer and has many books that have not yet been published in the US. I hope more of them become available as the popularity of this series increases.
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