RIP, MX3 and October wrap-up

October was great! Since I was traveling, it's taken me awhile to get to my wrap-up post up, but now that I'm back, here it is.

RIP VI from Stainless Steel Droppings started in September, but I didn't sign up until October. I started MX3 from Jenn's Bookshelves at the same time. For these challenges I got through 10 spooky audiobooks and 2 graphic novels. 

The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

Johnny and the Dead by Terry Pratchett

Children of Paranoia by Trevor Shane

The Passage by Justin Cronin

The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters

The Walking Dead Compendium One

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

A Discovery of Witches by Debra Harkness

Crossing Over by Anna Kendall

The Death Cure by James Dashner

I also reviewed two audiobooks in October outside of the challenges. 

The Pirate King by Laurie R King

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

This month I participated in Leswamee's Literary Blog Hop Giveway and the fabulous Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-Thon.  So much fun! Stainless Steel Droppings is hosting The Sci Fi Experience starting in January, and Jenn is doing a Thanksreading weekend over Thanksgiving. I can't wait! Let me know what cool challenges/events you're doing.

Audiobook review: The Death Cure by James Dashner

The conclusion to the Maze Runner trilogy.

The Death Cure by James Dashner
Maze Runner Trilogy: 1. Maze Runner, 2. Scorch Trials
Genre: Young adult apocalyptic dystopian science fiction
Length: 8h 55m
Audio publisher: Listening Library, 2011
Read by: Mark Deakens
From: Library OverDrive

Story: They've gotten out of the maze and out of the scorch. Thomas and his friends are now at WICKED headquarters. What final trial awaits?

Thoughts: I'm a big fan of this trilogy. I was surprised by how much I liked The Maze Runner. Then The Scorch Trials stepped up with  non-stop action. For the third installment, I wanted explanations of why these trials were necessary. A lot of questions were raised in the first two books, and I eagerly anticipated the answers.

The Death Cure gave me my explanations, but I came away unsatisfied. The story behind WICKED and their trials didn't make a lot of sense to my public-health training. There are a lot of new characters and a lot of running around for a final book. Thomas' choices add to the confusion. I liked that not everything was explained, but it seems that many threads were left for Thomas to learn off-page. The last book is always the hardest since it has to tie everything together, but my expectations exceeded the reality for The Death Cure.

Reading: Mark Deakens gave a solid reading every bit as good as the last two books. I'm looking forward to hearing him read other titles.

Cover: I love the snow on this cover. Brings in feelings of bleakness and chill. Brr.

Final thoughts: I was a little disappointed by this final installment to the Maze Runner Trilogy. My vote is for Scorch Trials as the best book of the three.

Grade: 3.5 out of 5

Jenn is finishing up Mx3 over at her bookshelves and RIP VI is still going strong at Stainless Steel Droppings. Jen hosts Sound Bytes every Friday at Devourer of Books.

Audiobook Review: Crossing Over by Anna Kendall

If you could talk to dead people, what would you ask?

Crossing Over
Author: Anna Kendall
Series: First book in Souvline Moor series
Genre: YA historical paranormal
Length: 9h 34m
Read by: Simon Vance
Audio publisher: Blackstone Audio, 2010
From: Library

Story: Roger can talk to the dead. He doesn't talk to ghosts. He goes to the land of the Dead and talks to them there. But Roger has to be careful. If anyone finds out about his talent, they'll think he's a witch, and witches are burned in the land of the Living.

Thoughts: There are several striking things about this book. First, the land of the Dead is great. It's huge and constantly changing. Roger has been crossing over since he was little and is completely unfazed by it. The inhabitants follow certain rules that Roger figured out a while ago, but I wonder how accurate he is. I would have liked Roger to use some trial and error during his trips, explore a little, and try new things. Have fun with his superpower! Instead, Roger treats his crosses like a dreary job.

Roger is not a hero. He admits to being a coward, but he's only afraid of the living. He's completely self-centered and self-absorbed. This is understandable since he's been abused and pretty much on his own, but he has no empathy. Roger is the only person he knows who can go to the land of the Dead and return at will, but he has no curiosity about why this is or desire to find anyone with similar abilities. He crosses to get information to further his aims, but he has no desire to learn about the people who are there or to help them in any way, even when his actions have unexpected consequences. He doesn't care much about the living, either, except for the targets of his obsessions.

I liked the theme of misinformation that runs through the book. Roger is constantly lying to people and they are lying to him. Most of the time, Roger doesn't care that they're lying. He doesn't try to figure out the truth. He just wants to survive. I like that a lot of things are never explained. People just say things and we never find out if it's the truth or not.

Although Roger's gift is the ability to cross over, he doesn't do it very often. The majority of the book follows Roger as he survives his harsh world of an abusive uncle, scarce food, and constant fear.

The tone of Crossing Over reminds me of the First Law Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie. In both series I want to be sympathetic to the protagonists but they keep doing unsympathetic things. Both series left me with a feeling of unease, that something's wrong. When I was enjoying myself, I felt like I shouldn't be.This feeling continues until the end of the First Law Trilogy, and I wonder if the Crossing Over Trilogy will have some kind of twist in the third book that will explain and justify this feeling.

This is the first book in a planned series, but I couldn't find anything about the rest of the books. Crossing Over does a good job standing alone. It does seem more on the adult side of YA, with a lot of discussion of sex and disturbing violence. Update - Simon Vance was kind enough to let me know the second book in the Souvline Series, Dark Mist Rising is available now on Audible. Thanks, Simon!

Reading: Simon Vance can do no wrong. He was great reading this book. I especially liked all of the different accents and the different voices for the women.

Final thoughts: In the end, I liked Crossing Over. It's for people who want a little harder-edged YA fantasy, but don't mind long stretches of daily court life and intrigue.

Grade: 4 out of 5

This will be one of my last posts for MX3 from Jenn's Bookshelves and RIP VI from Stainless Steel Droppings. Sad

Audiobook Review: A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

Intelligent heroine, library intrigue and vampires. Why is this not my favorite book?

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
Series: All Souls Trilogy
Genre: Paranormal romance
Length: 24h 02m
Audio Publisher: Penguin Audio, 2011
Read by: Jennifer Ikeda
From: Audible

Story: Diana Bishop is a professor on sabbatical at Oxford researching alchemical texts. During her study, she comes across Ashmole 782. She returns it to the stacks, but soon finds every witch, demon and vampire in England wants to get their hands on that manuscript, especially Matthew Clairmont, a vampire geneticist who has been looking for the Ashmole for 150 years. He needs Diana to get it.

Thoughts: Intelligent heroine, library intrigue, and vampires are exactly what I want in a book. I love the thought of vampires working in research labs. They're perfect for it! The late-night hours, antisocial behavior, and decade-long projects fit right in with immortal night owls. Thought somehow the laboratorians I know are not as amazingly handsome or snappily dressed as the ones in A Discovery of Witches. It seems everyone in this book is perfect, especially the heroine Diana. She has a photographic memory, teaches at Yale, and is a witch. Only she doesn't use her witch powers because that would somehow be cheating on her massive intellect.


This is the first book in a series, so after setting up the search for Ashmole 782, the book completely abandons that plot to concentrate on the vampire romance. I don't care for paternalistic love interests, and it was too bad Diana stopped being an intelligent professional as soon as a hot guy entered the room. It was also weird how much the hot guy loves yoga.

Reading: I hadn't listened to Jennifer Ikeda before, but did a great job on the reading. She puts in just the right amount of elitism into her reading of Diana, and I really liked her elitist male voices, too.

Final thoughts: A Discovery of Witches is less Da Vinci Code and more Twilight: The College Years, but there are indications the next book will be Outlander with vampires.

Grade: 3 out of 5

The Oddiophile has a fantastic flow chart to help you decide if you should read Discovery of Witches. I wish I had seen it before I started!

Murder, monsters and mayhem is the darling of the fabulous Jenn of Jenn's Bookshelves while Carl of Stainless Steel Droppings is the mastermind behind RIP VI.

Audiobook Review: I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

I'm on a monster kick and had heard I Am Legend (1954) by Richard Matheson has zombies and/or vampires. Since it's almost Halloween, that's what I want!

Genre: Post-apocalyptic horror
Length: 5h 19m
Audio publisher: Blackstone Audio (2007)
Read by: Robertson Dean
From: Local library OverDrive
Note: The version I listened to was I Am Legend and Other Stories (10h 52m)

Story: Robert Neville has been living alone in his Los Angeles area home for three years. He gets up every day at 5:30. He's inside everyday by dark. He's got plenty of food and wine. What he doesn't have is companionship, because he's the last man on earth.

Thoughts: What a fabulous story. I loved the deliberate way Neville went about his daily errands and how he used the scientific method to learn what he need to know. If I was the last person on earth, I would spend my time in the library, too. What I wouldn't do is use an alarm to wake up at 5:30 am. It's the end of the world, sleep in! Descriptions of I Am Legend say it has vampires. I can see where that comes from, but when vampires travel in packs and are as slow-moving as these ones, they're more like zombies. I guess it's all a matter of food source: blood vs brains. The book takes place in 1976, and I didn't realize when I was listening that it was written in 1954! I thought it was written in the 1970's and was wondering why some of the technology was a little off. A manual choke in a car, for example. Overall an excellent story about what it means to be human and what makes life worth living.

Reading: Robertson Dean has acted in a lot of movies and tv shows, but this is the first time I've listened to him in an audiobook. I loved his deep voice. His slow, methodical reading was perfect for Robert Neville. His female voices weren't as melodious, so its lucky the female characters don't say much.

Film: After I listened to I Am Legend, I had to watch the 2007 film with Will Smith to see what was altered. The book and film are not at all the same. They differ in every detail. It was fun to see the different takes on the same story, and I like the parts they added to the movie. I found the movie to be a little too simplistic and upbeat, so I prefer the book.

Final thoughts: A must-listen cannon classic for both vampire and zombie aficionados.

Grade: 5 out of 5

This post is a part of Murder, Monsters, and Mayhem by Jenn's Bookshelves and RIP VI by Stainless Steel Droppings.

Graphic novel review: Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol

Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol is creepy fun!

Genre: YA Paranormal
Publisher: First Second, 2011
From: Local Library

Story: Anya is a typical highschooler who doesn't feel like she fits in. Her parents are immigrants from Russia, her brother is weirdly happy, and the guy she likes is seeing someone else. It's enough to make her skip school and hang out under the tracks. On her way Anya falls into a well and discovers a skeleton with a ghost attached. Anya wants to solve the ghost's murder, but things keep getting in the way. Here's a 17-page preview from First Second.

My take: I am a sucker for ghost stories and wish I had a ghost friend of my own. Anya's Ghost is a great ghost story. It's engaging, quirky, and even a little scary. I read it in one sitting and was sad when it was over.

Anya wouldn't be a typical American teenager if she wasn't insecure, and she wants to be a typical American. Her complaining gets a little annoying at times, but things pick up when she decides to takes action. I loved how the secondary characters were all well-defined. Anya's friend, the guy she likes, his girlfriend, all have their own unique characteristics. Anya's Russian family is fabulous. I'd love to read the story of Anya's brother. He seems like he gets up to some interesting activities.

Artwork: I am a fan of black, white, and grey comics and this one is an excellent use of the medium. The simple lines and and clean panels let the story jump out. I especially liked the dialogue-free panels. They convey so much better than words what's going through Anya's head.

Final thoughts: Anya's Ghost is a scary-fun teen ghost story perfect for Halloween!

Grade: 5 out of 5

This review is part of Murder, Monsters and Mayhem sponsored by Jenn's Bookshelves and RIP sponsored by Stainless Steel Droppings.

Audiobook review: The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

When I picked up The Shadow of the Wind (2001) by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, all I knew was Stephen King called it "one gorgeous read." Stephen and I will have to agree to disagree.

Genre: Historical gothic romance with magical realism
Length: 18h 10m
Audio publisher: Penguin Audiobooks, 2004
Read by: Jonathan Davis
From: Local library

Story: 10-year-old Daniel is taken by his father to see the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, a huge sanctuary of lost and under-read titles. Daniel must choose one book to adopt and make sure it will never disappear. Daniel chooses The Shadow of the Wind. The book ensnares him and sends him on a quest to learn more about the author.

Review: I loved the Cemetery of Forgotten Books. I would have liked to spend the whole story there exploring and getting to know its patrons and employees. Unfortunately, the book quickly leaves the Cemetery to join Daniel as he grows up and peruses lead after lead following the author of The Shadow of the Wind.

The characters in this book are marvelous. The blind literature expert. The book buyer who dresses like Lord Byron. The homeless man who may or may not be a spy. However, with all these characters, several plots  in the present and the past, and every cliche ever invented, the book was too much for me. I just couldn't care as much as Daniel about The Shadow of the Wind, its author, or the 20 or so other people whose lives the book ruined.

I did like how women in this book are assessed by how literate they are, instead of by their wealth or beauty (or in addition to their wealth and beauty).

Reading and production: Jonathan Davis does an excellent job. He speaks fluent Spanish, so puts the correct accents in all the right places. It's hard when a book takes place in a non-English speaking country. Should the reader give everyone Spanish accents? Only some people? I'm of the mind that no one should have an accent unless there's some other reason for it. I found it strange that Daniel's dad had such a heavy accent while Daniel had none.

I was distressed by the music that was overlayed on the reading. This happened several times and was always distracting. The music was loud, jarring, and prevented me from hearing what was being read.

Final thoughts: Although I enjoyed the writing and some of the elements of The Shadow of the Wind, the book as a whole didn't work for me. It was too jam-packed and rambling a story for me to relate.

Grade: 3 out of 5

Other bloggers really enjoyed The Shadow of the Wind.
You've Gotta Read This raves about it.
Outlandish Dreaming highly recommends it.
Literate Housewife enjoyed it as well.

Murder, Monsters and Mayhem is sponsored by Jenn at Jenn's Bookshelves. RIP is run by Carl at Stainless Steel Droppings.

Graphic novel review: The Walking Dead issues 1-18

The Walking Dead Season 2 starts Sunday on AMC!

To prepare, I wanted to read the source material. I had to see how far the show veered away from its origins and get some hints on where it might go from here.

Writer: Robert Kirkman
Penciler, inker: Tony Moore, Charlie Adlard
Grey tones: Tony Moore, Cliff Rathburn
Cover: Charlie Adlard, Cliff Rathburn
Genre: Post-apocalyptic horror
Publisher: Image Comics
From: Local library
Reviewing: Issues 1-18; Chapters 1-3

Recap: Officer Rick Grimes wakes up from a coma to an eerie silence. Instead of doctors and nurses, the hospital is full of flesh-eating zombies. Rick sets off to find his wife and son in this dangerous, post-apocalyptic world.

Review: I loved the first season of The Walking Dead. It started off with an amazing pilot, and although it went down in excitement a bit after that, any TV show with zombies ranks pretty high on my list. However, I didn't know what to expect from the comic.

The Walking Dead comic, of course, is packed with zombies and zombie killings, but it focuses on the humans who are left and their relationships as they try to survive. The characters understandably get on each other's nerves. In the show, they depiction of these annoyances and personality conflicts make the characters seem petty. In the comic they come off as real people. It's not about the zombies. I love how much of the story is told with images instead of words. It sets an atmosphere of loss and desperation. No one expects to live long, but somehow they have hope that things will get better.

Artwork: I am relatively new to graphic novels and tend to gravitate towards ones with cartoonish drawings and lots of white space. The Walking Dead is the opposite of that. There is so much ink that many of the panels look black. For this comic, it works. It's amazing how realistic and elaborate the drawings are. There's a lot of detail, especially on the zombies. The color scheme is black and white with grey shading, and the shadows really add to the story. It's quite noir.

For so few people left in the world, this story has a lot of characters. I don't know why, but all the white guys look alike to me, especially when everyone has black hair. It was especially hard to keep the men straight after they changed their clothes or grew beards. Luckily, there are a lot of different ages and ethnicities among the characters, so eventually I was able to keep track of who's who, even if I couldn't remember their names. People keep dying off, and that makes it easier.

TV Show: Season 1 of The Walking Dead roughly covers issues 1-6 of the comic. The comic and the show started off the same, but the show adds some excellent details. There is more of a government presence, both in the initial phases of the outbreak and with the CDC. I haven't run across the character of Merle in the comic, and other significant plot points were changed. So far, I like the changes that were made in the show. The world seems to have more depth, and there's a concrete element of hope. In the comic the characters are hopeful, but it's hard to see why.

Compilations: The Walking Dead first came out as a monthly comic in 2003. So far, there are 89 issues. The comics have been compiled into several sets: The Walking Dead volumes each have 6 issues per volume, The Walking Dead books contain 12 issues each, and the 1,000 page Walking Dead Compendium One covers issues 1-48.

The Compendium One was a little hard to read because it doesn't have any issue breaks or page numbers. There are chapter breaks every 6 issues, but this is a large chunk to get through in one sitting.

Final thoughts: I'm glad I took a look at The Walking Dead comic before starting season 2 of the TV show. The plots of the show and comic are different, but the show may re-visit the comic for future story lines. Lets hope so, since the stories in the comic are really compelling. I know I couldn't have lasted as long as these survivors have.

Note: I've only gotten through the first half of the Compendium. Can't want to see what happens next!

Murder, Monsters and Mayhem is sponsored by Jenn's Bookshelves. RIP is sponsored by Stainless Steel Droppings.

Audiobook Review: The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters

The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters is my ideal book: eerie house, eccentric characters, and strange happenings. It's just creepy.

Genre: Gothic
Length: 15h 54m
Audio publisher: Penguin Audiobooks, 2009
Read by: Simon Vance
From: Local library

Recap: The Ayres family have been living in Hundreds Hall for centuries, but with Mr. Ayres gone, his wife and children are having a hard time keeping the crumbling place together. When Dr. Faraday is called in for a maid hysterical with fright, is it her imagination? Or is it something a little stranger?

Review: I get goosebumps just thinking about The Little Stranger. I want to stop everything listen to it again right now. I am a huge Hitchcock fan, but to me an eerie book is better than an eerie movie. It's more subtle, the characters are better developed and the suspense is longer-lasting.

The story starts a little slow, but I feel this adds to the ambiance. The book is from the point of view of local Dr. Faraday as he meets the inhabitants of Hundreds Hall after World War II. A limited number of characters allow us to experience them as people, each with their strengths and foibles. No one is spared from Dr. Faraday's frank assessments, and the doctor has some foibles himself.

A large dose of historical fiction provides details on the English countryside, Dr. Faraday's work as a country doctor, and the minute of life in Hundreds. These are all shown very naturally. The descriptions of day-to-day worries ground the novel and made it come alive. The book has a lot to say on the social changes in England after the war, both among the classes and for women, and these themes are seamlessly integrated into the story.

On top of this grounded reality are the strange happenings. Mysterious sounds, curious markings, and unexpected shadows seem to plague the hall. Is it the settling of an old house? A nasty prank? Are the inhabitants delusional? I'm sure I missed most of the clues during my first listen. That's why I have to listen  again.

Reading: When I'm looking for a new audio book, whatever Simon Vance has read recently is always an excellent choice. His smooth British accent gives me chills even when the story isn't scary. His skilled readings draw me into any novel and make me want to stay.

Final thoughts: An evocative gothic tale with themes of class distinction, suspicion and paranoia, this complex and subtle book sends slow chills that build to the end.

Grade: 5 out of 5

Companion books and movies: Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot, Suspicion directed by Alfred Hitchcock.

Audiobook Review: The Passage by Justin Cronin

I was excited to find The Passage by Justin Cronin on CD. So excited that I listened to the whole thing before I realized this is an abridged version. Then I decided the abridged version is a good thing.

Genre: Science fiction, horror
Series: The Passage, book 1
Length: 14h 30m - abridged
Audio publisher: Random House Audio, 2010
Read by: Edward Herrmann
From: Local library

Recap: A previously unknown virus is found deep in the jungle of Bolivia. The US military believes the virus can be used to improve the human condition, but strange things are happening in the top secret base where the experiments are performed. The virus seems to have unexpected side effects....

Review: The Passage is my kind of horror story: a virus, super secret experiments, things going horribly awry. I love dystopias but had seen the word "vampire" attached to this book, so I was skeptical. To my relief, there are no magnetic, brooding men in capes. Some may call the infected people "vampires," but the virals are inhuman, wild, and very, very scary. That's more like it.

The Passage starts by following several point-of-view characters, but the story is primarily about Amy, a lost little girl with a difficult life, as she is pulled from one place to another. Following her as she grows up, we are provided with additional information on the virus, the experiments, and the people involved. I really enjoyed the depth of detail given for each character. Not only do we learn their backgrounds, but we find out what specifically led them to their current situations. I especially appreciated that none of the characters are perfect. Everyone has their flaws. These flaws define them, and they tend to show up at the least opportune times.

With so many characters and points-of-view, the story was a little hard to follow at first. It starts slowly, but as the threads entwine, the tension builds, and things get interesting. Be warned that the book is divided into two parts. It was jarring to go over this break and have to meet a new group of people on the other side, but the story eventually smoothed itself out. It's survival of the fittest, but it's a great ride.

Abridgment: If you've been waiting to read The Passage because it's just too thick, the abridged audio version is the way to go. The story is told in 14 hours, compared to 36 unabridged. The whole story is there, just streamlined.

When The Passage first came out, I attempted to listen to the unabridged version, but I didn't get past section one. Although I was surprised to find this was an abridged version, I think the abridgment helped by moving the plot along. I'm curious about the pieces I missed, but I don't feel like I lost anything vital. I'm ready for book two coming out in summer, 2012!

Reading: Edward Herrmann does a great job reading. I know him as Lorelei's father from Gilmore Girls, but this doesn't distract from his reading. Instead, his voice lends solemnity and authority to the story.

I was surprised when the epilogue was read by a different narrator. I don't know who she is since she's not credited on the package or websites I checked. The change in voice was unexpected. I would have preferred to have one reader for the whole story.

Nums: Love the cover!

Final thoughts: The Passage lives up to the hype. It's an exciting outbreak story with a unique and chilling threat. The abridged audio version keeps the plot moving while maintaining character detail.


Grade: 4 out of 5

This book is part of October's Murder, Monsters and Mayhem by Jenn's Bookshelves and RIP at Stainless Steel Droppings.

It's (almost) Monday, what are you reading? - 3

It's Monday is the brainchild of the incomparable Sheila from Book Journey.

This week I started Murder, Monsters and Mayhem at Jenn's Bookshelves, and RIP at Stainless Steel Droppings. I tackled a lot of nice and scary Halloween books and got some good recommendations for more.

I had a lot of fun with The Scorch Trials by James Dashner. The Death Cure, book 3, comes out on Tuesday, Oct 11!

I was surprised how much I enjoyed Johnny and the Dead by Terry Pratchett since I didn't care as much for the first book in the series, Only You Can Save Mankind.

The action-adventure dystopian novel Children of Paranoia was not for me, but I know many people who really enjoyed its fast pace and realistic setting. I even got into a little discussion with the author over on Goodreads.

October 7 was Ada Lovelace Day, in celebration of the amazing woman who developed first computer program in 1842 and died when she was only 36. I celebrated by reading steampunk webcomics.

I just finished The Passage by Justin Cronin on audio, and it wasn't until I was done that I realized I was listening to the abridged version. I feel like I got the gist of the story, though I might have to tackle the 37 hour unabridged version before book 2 comes out this summer.

I'm just past half way on The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters. Love Steven Vance's narration!

When I'm not listening, I'm reading The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson to get another take on living in the country and tackling the huge doorstop of The Walking Dead Compendium One.

Ooh, spooky! Feels like fall.


This week I changed my comments system. I think all the comments were saved, but it looks the links to your great avatar photos were lost. I hope your avatars show up in the comments today. They're so much fun.

Audiobook review: Children of Paranoia by Trevor Shane

Children of Paranoia by Trevor Shane is the first book in the Children of Paranoia trilogy. I picked this one up on the recommendation of The Guilded Earlobe, but I didn't enjoy it as much as he did.

Genre: Dystopian action
Length: 12h 11m
Audio publisher: Penguin Audiobooks, 2011
Read by: Steven Boyer and Emma Galvin
From: Audible

Recap: Joseph is a soldier in a hidden guerrilla war. He lives in society but is separate from it. He doesn't know who his fellow soldiers are. He doesn't know who his enemies are. All that he knows is his enemies are evil and must die.

Review: Children of Paranoia a chilling tale that could be taking place right here and now. The book is non-stop action in a world a little too similar to our own that explores themes of duty, love, fanaticism, and revenge.

The story follows Joseph as he goes about his job as an assassin and keeps a record in his journal. He's good at his work but gets no enjoyment from killing. I enjoyed the meticulous planing and carrying out of his assignments, but the journal framework took away a lot of the suspense since Joseph had to survive in order to write his story.

Joseph isn't the smartest or most fearless of his colleagues, and his boredom and depression really come through. He's in his 20's, and the juxtaposition between his job as a ruthless killer and his complete lack of social skills in normal life led to some funny situations. There are obvious parallels between the war Joseph is fighting and religious wars past and present, but Joseph's cult provides none of the community, philosophy, or history supplied by actual religious organizations to inspire such fervent devotion. Instead, Joseph is paranoid with no delusions he can ever be safe.

Reading: Steven Boyer reads the majority of the book with Emma Galvin covering the prologue and epilogue. This is the first time I've listened to Steven Boyer, and I liked his reading. His voice sounds young and is well suited to express both Joseph's deliberation and his depression. Emma Galvin's direct reading style really moved along her short sections.

Final thoughts: Full of violence and action, this dystopian portrait-of-a-life didn't provide enough information on the whys of the world to keep me engaged.

Grade: 2.5 out of 5

Additional views on Children of Paranoia from The Guilded Earlobe, Jenn's Bookshelves, and more blogs.

This post is part of RIP VI hosted by Carl at Stainless Steel Droppings,
Murder, Monsters and Mayhem at Jenn's Bookshelves, and
Sound Bytes hosted by Jen at Devourer of Books.

October challenges: Mx3 & RIP

It's October, my favorite month of the year. A chill is in the air and ghosts are all around. What better way to celebrate than some new challenges?

Jenn at Jenn's Bookshelves is hosting Murder, Monsters and Mayhem, and Carl at Stainless Steel Droppings has been hosting RIP VI since September. How did I miss it this so long?

I have been in the mayhem spirit this whole time and have already reviewed some scary stories:
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern read by Jim Dale
The Maze Runner by James Dashner read by Mark Deakins
The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta read by Dennis Boutsikaris
Ashes, Ashes by Jo Treggiari read by Cassandra Campbell
Delirium by Lauren Oliver read by Sara Drew

I'll be participating with Jenn and Carl by continuing to read dystopia books with zombies and adding some horror into the mix. I already have some books picked out!

The Scorch Trials by James Dashner, book two in the Maze Runner Trilogy
Johnny and the Dead by Terry Pratchett, book two in the Johnny Maxwell Trilogy - a Halloween book!
Children of Paranoia by Trevor Shane
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
some HP Lovecraft
And the one I'm most excited about -- Chibi Vampire, a manga by Yuna Kagesaki. What could be better than Japanese schoolgirl manga vampires? Not much.

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