A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin

Title: A Feast for Crows (Song of Fire and Ice #4)

Author: George R.R. Martin

Publisher: Bantam Books 2005

Genre: Epic Fantasy

Pages: 1060

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall Reading Challenge;Fantasy Project; NPR Scifi and Fantasy; Mount TBR; 52 Books - W52; Well-Rounded Reader; Chunkster

It seems too good to be true. After centuries of bitter strife and fatal treachery, the seven powers dividing the land have decimated one another into an uneasy truce. Or so it appears. . . . With the death of the monstrous King Joffrey, Cersei is ruling as regent in King’s Landing. Robb Stark’s demise has broken the back of the Northern rebels, and his siblings are scattered throughout the kingdom like seeds on barren soil. Few legitimate claims to the once desperately sought Iron Throne still exist—or they are held in hands too weak or too distant to wield them effectively. The war, which raged out of control for so long, has burned itself out.
But as in the aftermath of any climactic struggle, it is not long before the survivors, outlaws, renegades, and carrion eaters start to gather, picking over the bones of the dead and fighting for the spoils of the soon-to-be dead. Now in the Seven Kingdoms, as the human crows assemble over a banquet of ashes, daring new plots and dangerous new alliances are formed, while surprising faces—some familiar, others only just appearing—are seen emerging from an ominous twilight of past struggles and chaos to take up the challenges ahead.

Another nail-bitting volume from A Song of Ice and Fire. I couldn't wait to see what to all the characters after the events of the third book. Unfortunately we only get half the story in this volume. Martin left the other characters to the fifth book. So no Jon Snow or Dany or Tyrion, but we do get some great stories centering on Brienne, Jamie, Cersi, Alayne, and my favorite story: Arianne Martell. I really loved getting stories from Dorne. We've heard about them for awhile, but only had contact with Oberyn. I loved meeting the Sand Snakes and the Prince of Dorne. My second favorite storyline involved Alayne in the Vale. I'm intrigued as to where that story is going. Overall a long, but very enjoyable read.

A Song of Ice and Fire:

#1 A Game of Thrones
#2 A Clash of Kings
#3 A Storm of Swords
#4 A Feast for Crows
#5 A Dance with Dragons
#6 The Winds of Winter

Sunrise by Mike Mullin

Title: Sunrise (Ashfall #3)

Author: Mike Mullin

Publisher: Tanglewood Press 2014

Genre: YA Thriller

Pages: 554

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; 52 Books - W33; Seriously Series; Chunkster

The Yellowstone supervolcano nearly wiped out the human race. Now, almost a year after the eruption, the survivors seem determined to finish the job. Communities wage war on each other, gangs of cannibals roam the countryside, and what little government survived the eruption has collapsed completely. The ham radio has gone silent. Sickness, cold, and starvation are the survivors' constant companions.
When it becomes apparent that their home is no longer safe and adults are not facing the stark realities, Alex and Darla must create a community that can survive the ongoing disaster, an almost impossible task requiring even more guts and more smarts than ever—and unthinkable sacrifice. If they fail . . . they, their loved ones, and the few remaining survivors will perish.

While I've really enjoyed this series, the last book in the trilogy was a bit of a letdown to me. The writing and storyline were a bit uneven. I found my mind wandering during the story. Bad things keep happening to Alex and company. At a certain point, it almost becomes like a comedy. "Oh the cannibals are attacking again... didn't this happen last week?" And the problem of redundancy got to me at a certain point. I just wanted to find out what happened at the end. I did, and it was fairly satisfying, but wasn't the best book I've ever read.

Ashfall

The Strain by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan

Title: The Strain (Strain #1)

Author: Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogen

Publisher: Harper 2009

Genre: Horror

Pages: 585

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; New Author; 52 Books -- W21; Well Rounded Reader -- Horror; Chunkster

A Boeing 777 arrives at JFK and is on its way across the tarmac, when it suddenly stops dead. All window shades are pulled down. All lights are out. All communication channels have gone quiet. Crews on the ground are lost for answers, but an alert goes out to the CDC. Dr. Eph Goodweather, head of their Canary project, a rapid-response team that investigates biological threats, gets the call and boards the plane. What he finds makes his blood run cold.
In a pawnshop in Spanish Harlem, a former professor and survivor of the Holocaust named Abraham Setrakian knows something is happening. And he knows the time has come, that a war is brewing . . .
So begins a battle of mammoth proportions as the vampiric virus that has infected New York begins to spill out into the streets. Eph, who is joined by Setrakian and a motley crew of fighters, must now find a way to stop the contagion and save his city--a city that includes his wife and son--before it is too late.

Holy crap that was one crazy ride! I've forgotten how much I enjoy horror adventure novels. This one started out strong with a dead plane on the runaway and kept running toward the climatic battle against The Master. It did not stop. I loved all the atmosphere in the beginning. I loved following Eph and Nora as they attempt to understand what "killed" an entire airplane full of people. Even though the reader knows what is happening, I was still right there with them through the initial puzzling stages. And then when everything hit the fan, the book really came into its own. This is one terrifying ride. I can't wait to read the next in the series.

Strain Trilogy

#1 The Strain
#2 The Fall
#3 Night Eternal

Time Enough for Love by Robert Heinlein

Title: Time Enough for Love

Author: Robert Heinlein

Publisher: 1973

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 589

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Well-rounded Reader - Science Fiction; ebook; Lucky No. 14 - Chunkster; Chunkster Challenge

Lazarus Long is so in love with life that he simply refuses to die. Born in the early 1900s, he lives through multiple centuries. Time Enough for Love is his lovingly detailed account of his journey through a vast and magnificent timescape of centuries and worlds. Using the voice of Lazarus, Heinlein expounds his own philosophies, including his radical (for 1946) ideas on sexual freedom. His use of slang, technical jargon, sharp wit, and clever understatement lend this story a texture and authority that seems the very tone of things to come.

Recommended by J as it is one of his favorite books. I had previously read Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Have Spacesuit-Will Travel, and Starship Troopers. And while Heinlein isn't my favorite author, I have enjoyed most of his writings. J has been bugging me to read this one for almost two years.

And I can't say that I loved it. I think part of my problem was the conversational yet not conversational tone. I didn't always feel like Lazarus was speaking to me. The switching back and forth pulled me out of the stories. As to the characters, I really liked Lazarus. A very fun and interesting guy. The rest of the characters in the present day I could take or leave. There were more filler than true characters. The stories were interesting, but sometimes a little hard to follow with the deletions and edits. This is definitely a tome of Heinelin's personal philosophy more than a true novel. It was interesting, but not my favorite.

2014 Chunkster Reading Challenge

From Chunkster Reading Challenge:

Wondering what’s a chunkster? A chunkster is an adult or YA book, non-fiction or fiction, that’s 450 pages or more.

Rules for this challenge:
Audio books and e-books are now allowed. You want to listen to a chunkster on audio? Be my guest.
Essay, short story, and poetry collections are allowed but they have to be read in their entirety to count.
Books may crossover with other challenges.
Anyone can join.
You don’t have to list your book ahead of time.
Graphic novels don’t count. Sorry guys but reading a chunkster graphic novel isn’t the same as reading a non-graphic chunkster.

I’ve been thinking long and hard about the levels of participation that have always been a part of this challenge. This year we’re going to try something new: there won’t be any levels.

Don’t get me wrong. This is still a reading challenge. Challenge yourself without being locked in to a certain number. If you didn’t read any chunksters in 2013 and want to change that in 2014, come up with a number and try to read that amount.

I do love me some big books. I think I will challenge myself to 10 chunksters. Shouldn't be hard to do.