The Gray Wolf Throne, by Cinda Williams Chima

2011, Hyperion

I am still enjoying this series very much.  Chima has managed to continue the characters in the Seven Realms series and added to the depth of most of them.  The plot developments continue to engage the reader.

In The Gray Wolf Throne, the action picks up as Raisa ana'Marianna is hiding in Fetters Ford trying to stay hidden from her various enemies and survive long enough to return home.  She hope to return to the capital city, Fellsmarch, and reunite with her mother, the queen.  Raisa has reached the understanding that she and her mother together may have the combined skills necessary for a successful reign.

The rest of the book is an exciting quest as Raisa, Han, and Amon work together and separately trying to return to Fellsmarch and return Raisa to the line of accession to the Gray Wolf Throne.  As always there is a wonderful combination of wizardry, woodsman-ship, military, and street-smarts.  Every moment of reading is a pleasure and in many parts thrilling enough to get the reader's blood racing.

I am adding "gaming" as a tag for this book.  I believe that students (and adults) who enjoy the role playing games will enjoy this book.  It is one that I would recommend to any reader who enjoys quest based games.

I'm just beginning my semester so life is about to get busy.  I am number eight on the wait list for the next, and final book in the series, The Crimson Crown.  I will need to work hard the next few weeks so that when my name comes up I can put work aside to read.

Cold Days: A Novel of the Dresden Files, by Jim Butcher

2012, ROC

My son and I read the Dresden Files books as they arrive.  I saved this one for his Christmas present.  He finished it in 3 days as did I (even while I was leveling up in WOW).

My son perhaps said it best "Everything you'd want in a Dresden book."

It is filled with magic and feats of daring combined with thoughtful explorations of motivations and politics.  It is also infused with humor.  Butcher is one of the few authors who continues to surprise me.  My son agreed--we were both caught off-guard by the ending.  I won't spoil it, but if you are able to anticipate what is to happen I will award you a badge of foresight.

This is a book I would easily recommend to adolescents.  It particularly will fit students who are drawn to fantasy/adventure and quest literature.  It could easily be used in coordination with game-based learning.  There had been a video game (RPG) version as well as a one season television series. He also had a series of comic books based on the Dresden characters.  For you graphic novel/comics students this would be a leveling up.

Why am I such a fan?  First, Butcher himself has a great take on becoming a writer and the work ethic necessary to reach goals.  Anyone who needs "inspiration" should look at what Butcher says about these topics.  Secondly, Butcher has extremely complex characters.  Although good and evil are at constant war, most of his developed characters have a mix.  It is excellent character development and can help adolescents and young adults explore roles and decisions.  Finally there is Harry Dresden himself.  He's funny, in a way that will appeal to many readers, especially adolescent and young adult males.  But, as a mature woman I can also appreciate the humor.

I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.  Butcher suggests that he's hoping for 23 books in the series.  Cold Days is #14.  I'll try and be patient while waiting.  Maybe I'll try one of the comics to tide me over.  But, I have a reading assignment--look for A Confederacy of Dunces in my next review.  (My book club's choice.)

The Exiled Queen, by Cinda Williams Chima

I continue to enjoy this series, The Seven Realms.  It is fantasy with a medieval setting.  Lots of horses and a feudal sort of society.  Political intrigue and a struggle to retain/grasp power in the Seven Realms is the unfolding story.  Although the plot line is familiar to fantasy readers, Chima does a nice job of making the story fresh with engaging characters who have enough development to keep sophisticated readers engaged.

The queen-to-be, Princess Raisa, has gone undercover to escape a planned marriage (I'm going to try and avoid spoiling the plot line of the first book, The Demon King.  Meanwhile, the other major characters Han Alister, Hayden Fire Dancer, Amon Byrne, and Micha Bayar all end up together with Raisa (in disguise as Rebecca Morley) at the magic and military schools at Oden's Ford. 

The love triangle (or is in a quadrangle?) between Raisa, Han and Amon continues with "doomed" love between them all.  The fourth in the mix is Micha Bayar and he continues to play a part in the connection between the young protagonists in the book.

Of course there is magic involved.  Han, Fire Dancer, and Micha are gifted magicians while Raisa  and Amon are not.  Much of the plot that keeps the reader going is how Han is learning about his magic and dealing with other magicians who would like to use him for their own purposes.  Han has the Demon King's amulet as his magic "piece."  The implication is that he is the heir to the Demon King's great powers.  The Bayar's would like to regain the piece and its power.

While Han is learning about his magic, Raisa is learning about fighting and how to lead her country.  There is a sort of "King Arthur" flavor to her learning about her kingdom in the role of a citizen rather than leader.  

I will be finishing the series and will let you know if it falters.  Otherwise, assume that I still find it worth recommending to young readers who enjoy fantasy.  I think it would be a great recommendation to young adults who play World of Warcraft of League of Legends.  The plot/settings will resonate with the video games they play and will encourage some reading.

The Wizard's First Rule, by Terry Goodkind

I bought this during "bargain sale" at the Audible site.  I listened to it as I walked, cleaned house, cooked dinner, and other activities.  Overall is was a good "listen" and encouraged me to get my exercise in.  This series is very popular.  I did note however that when it was first released Publisher's Weekly didn't give it a glowing review. 

The book is "epic" in scope and the series continues for eleven books.  I'm not certain I'm up for that much.  I was enjoying the book--although it was fairly predictable as far as "fantasy epics" go.  Then, near the end we ran into some sadomasochistic torture.  It discouraged me.  I was really enjoying the adventures of  Richard Cypher, Zedd and Kahlan.  If it weren't for the S&M near the end, it would be a book I could recommend to any teen who needed something after finishing Lord of the Rings. I won't be reading the next book right away.  Maybe an audio book for gym/greenbelt is something I will enjoy in the future, but I have quite a backlog of audio books from that Audible sale to get through.