Reviews – Books: G
RATINGS KEY
0/5 – Terrible. Avoid this book at all costs.
1/5 – Bad. Only read it if you’re a truly hardcore fan of the author/topic.
2/5 – Okay. It’s not bad, but it’s not good either.
3/5 – Average. A decent one-time read.
4/5 – Good. Worth reading and worth buying.
5/5 – Excellent. One of my favorites; a worthy classic.
The Ghost Ship by John C. Hutcheson
1/5 | Reviewed 4.21.07
Anyone who thinks bad writing is a strictly modern phenomenon will be unpleasantly surprised upon glancing over this book, which stinks like rotten seaweed. As the title implies, it’s a tale of adventure and mystery upon the high seas, complete with mirages and pirates and pretty blonde damsels in distress. I cackled madly through the purple prose, the tedious descriptive passages, the silly dialogue, and the incredibly racist stereotypes (which is seriously over–theÓtop, even for a book from this era). I’m only giving it a 1-point rating because of the nice illustrations, which are actually quite appealing (and thus make the text seem even shabbier). Read it here, if you dare.
A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
4/5 | Reviewed 8.03.07
I hated this book. I hated it so much that I read it in one sitting. I hated it so much that after finishing it, I immediately went to the library and checked out the next book in the series—and I hated that one enough to read it in a single day, too. In fact, I hate this whole series so much that I’m rather embarrassed at how much I’m anticipating the trilogy’s conclusion, which is due out in December 2007. I can think of plenty of reasons to hate this book—the writing screams first novel!, the plot is terribly predictable (and fueled by hints that drop like anvils), and the cover art is so trite it hurts … and yet, and yet, the actual reading of it was fun. The prose may be rough, but it’s got a fresh, snarky charm that made me chuckle despite myself; the plot may be predictable, but the depth of the characters more than makes up for such shortcomings. It’s like the book isn’t afraid to fall on its face, pick itself up, push its dorky glasses up on its nose and say, “It’s okay, you can laugh at me—as long as you’re having fun.” I’ve always liked that self-deprecating quality in people, and I find I like it in books, as well. For fantasy fans and Victoriana devotees alike, this book is an entertaining read. (P.S.: The author blurb inside the back cover is the funniest one I’ve read in ages.)
