At The End of the World

Published:  September 13th, 2005 (first published 1983)

The Color of Magic (Discworld #1)

By: Terry Pratchett

Harper Perrenial

ISBN-13:  9780060855925

The Color of Magic is Terry Pratchett's maiden voyage through the now legendary land of Discworld.  This is where it all begins -- with the tourist Twoflower and his wizard guide, Rincewind.  On a world supported on the back of a giant turtle (sex unknown), a gleeful, explosive, wickedly eccentric expedition sets out.  There's an avaricious but inept wizard, a naive tourist whose luggage moves on hundreds of dear little legs, dragons who only exist if you believe in them, and of course THE EDGE of the planet...

Review

       I will admit that I've had this book on my shelf for at least a year, waiting for me to read it.  I was a little bit scared, actually, because of all the negative things people have said about it on Goodreads, Amazon, etc.  Apparently it's the weakest Discworld novel according to a lot of people.  I haven't read enough Discworld to agree or disagree yet (exactly four of them, counting this one) on that particular point.  But I can say that I enjoyed Going Postal and The Wee Free Men a lot more than this one (Making Money, not so much).  There weren't a lot of laugh out loud moments to be found in this one for me.  It elicited a lot of smiles, but no real laughs were emitted.  

       Probably my favorite thing in this book was the fact that it made fun of "fantasy" books so freely and openly.  I thought it was awesome that the Gods were playing a dice game (obviously a nod to the immortal nerd pasttime, Dungeons & Dragons!) that determined the circumstances of Rincewind and Twoflower.  I thought the whole Conan the Barbarian parody was a bit much, but the thing with Twoflower's camera was funny.  Rincewind was an okay character, a failure at being a wizard and a fraidy-cat of the highest order - but very realistic in that aspect.  Who (other than the oblivious Twoflower) would think that being a sacrifice was all part and parcel?  Or that a Soul-Eating God was something to take a picture of and gawk at?!  I loved the bits with the person-eating luggage and DEATH'S problems getting Rincewind to keep his appointment were some of the best moments in the book.  Overall though, too much parody and world-building, but not enough actual story to keep me completely involved.  I do want to know what's over the edge of the world, so I'll probably read the next one.  Damn curiosity!

VERDICT:  3/5  Stars

*No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.*

The Curse of the Lost Colony...

Expected Publication: September 4th, 2012

Blackwood

By: Gwenda Bond

Strange Chemistry (Imprint of Angry Robot)

ISBN-13: 9781908844071

On Roanoke Island, the legend of the 114 people who mysteriously vanished from the Lost Colony hundreds of years ago is just an outdoor drama for the tourists, a story people tell. But when the island faces the sudden disappearance of 114 people now, an unlikely pair of 17-year-olds may be the only hope of bringing them back.

Miranda, a misfit girl from the island's most infamous family, and Phillips, an exiled teen criminal who hears the voices of the dead, must dodge everyone from federal agents to long-dead alchemists as they work to uncover the secrets of the new Lost Colony. The one thing they can't dodge is each other.

Blackwood is a dark, witty coming of age story that combines America's oldest mystery with a thoroughly contemporary romance.

Review

   Miranda Blackwood has been an outcast all her life.  With a screwed up family life, a Father who's the town drunk and a golden retriever named Sidekick as her only friend, she can't wait to get out of Roanoke and start a life somewhere else.  Phillips Rawling is a juvenile delinquent, the son of Roanoke's sheriff and can talk to ghosts.  His parents sent him out of town after getting in trouble one too many times.  Now he's been called back because 114 people have disappeared from town without a trace - just like the original Roanoke disappearances in 1584.  When Miranda's Dad turns up murdered and then mysteriously comes back to life changed for the worse, it will be up to Miranda and Phillips to solve the mystery of what happened to the missing people, why her Dad is acting so strange and how the family curse has passed along to Miranda.  Can they save the town before it's too late?  I have always been fascinated with the mystery of Roanoke Island.  I have curiosity about it still, but so little fact remains that we'll probably never know what really happened.  It felt like the book dragged quite a bit, moving slowly towards the action.  At certain parts this was a good thing but at others it bored me.  Phillips and Miranda's romance was cute without making me gag and I liked the randomness of their adventures together.  They both had a complicated family history with the original Roanoake disappearances playing a part.  I enjoyed it up until alchemy became involved.  Yes, it meshed well with the 1584 events, but I honestly am bored practically to tears by the actualities of supposed 'alchemy.'  All in all, it wasn't a major part of the book until close to the end.   I liked the book, thought it was very original and would highly recommend it to fans of unsolved history mysteries and YA paranormal fiction. 

VERDICT:  3.85/5  Stars

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book's expected publication date is September 4th, 2012.*