Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

I have very mixed feelings about this book. While it's a beautiful book, and I will probably read it again, I could not stand the story! All of the characters are horrible people, in my opinion, and the only thing that kept me from throwing the book across the room was the last two chapters. If I had not had to read this for class, I would not have finished it at all - though I am certainly glad I did finish it.

If you're looking to read the Classics, definitely do read this. Same goes for if you're looking to read a classic romance, or one of the Gothic classics. However, if you're looking for a "good" book, one that will leave you happy or going "aww," you're at the wrong book. (4 stars out of 5)



Looking for God in Harry Potter by John Granger

This book is one of my favorite pieces of meta. I'm a Christian attending/working at a Christian college, and a huge fan of the Harry Potter series. This book is interesting to read there - it's certainly a conversation starter.

Granger (no relation to the character by the same name) goes in depth looking at the Christian imagery and heritage of the Harry Potter books. The topics he writes on range from the imagery of alchemy to the choices one makes affecting one's life and one's walk with God. Granger's theology is sound, based directly on the Bible, and not necessarily on any one denomination or theologian. (5 stars out of 5)



Sharpe's Rifles by Bernard Cornwell

Although I don't usually like military history, I did enjoy this book. That could have been because I completely love the "Sharpe" DVD series - though the book was nothing like the movie, so maybe not. The style drew me in - dry enough to fit the genre, but not so dry that I did not care about the characters or the events. Those coming to this book expecting it to be what the movie was will be disappointed; those who come to it expecting a good story will not be disappointed in the least. (3 stars out of 5)



Hard Day's Knight by Katie MacAlister

This was my first "descent" into romance. Last year a few months after my local Renaissance Faire ended I was going through withdrawal (hey, I'm a Rennie, so what?) and went searching for books involving Faires. I found Hard Day's Knight, and rolled my eyes, thinking "Oh, god, romance. What have I come to, to be reading romance?", and bought it anyway. To my surprise, I enjoyed it. Hard Day's Knightactually has a plotline, and though it has sex, the sex is not the point of the book itself (a fact which relieved me greatly: if I want pr0n there's lots of fanfic on the internet). While I couldn't imagine a Faire being anything like the one depicted in the book, it sated my withdrawal at least a little bit, and got me hooked on the author.

Pure fluff, but loads better than a lot of romances I've seen (mostly my roommate's books, which, I'm sorry Steph, make me cringe). Definitely a nice escape from the Literature I'm supposed to be studying (which makes my brain hurt). (no star rating)



Eragon by Christopher Paolini

Although I am only halfway through the book, I am enjoying it, especially given how young Paolini was when he wrote it.

The story evokes images of other books and series well-known and beloved for their depictions of dragons and fantasy: Lord of the Rings, Pern, and even the epics of Greece and Rome.

Eragonfollows the story of the tile character, a teenaged boy who happens to be the first Dragon Rider in a century. Eragon, his dragon Saphira, and his mentor Brom travel through the empire, searching first for revenge for Eragon's family, then for the Varden, freedom fighters against the king Galbatorix, the mad and corrupt Rider who started the massacre of his fellow riders a century earlier.

Those who are looking forthe epic writing, sophistication, and maturity of the aforementioned classics: be warned. Paolini was only fifteen when he wrote Eragon, and though the story is good is surprisingly well-written for a fifteen-year-old, it still does show Paolini's age (or lack thereof). The writing does improve as the book goes on, and I have great hopes that Paolini's writing abilities will grow in leaps and bounds as he grows older and writes more. (no star rating)

Tags: book reviews