Foundation and Earth by Isaac Asimov

Title: Foundation and Earth

Author: Isaac Asimov

Publisher:

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 423

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Scif/Fan

Golan Trevize, former Councilman of the First Foundation, has chosen the future, and it is Gaia. A superorganism, Gaia is a holistic planet with a common consciousness so intensely united that every dewdrop, every pebble, every being, can speak for all—and feel for all. It is a realm in which privacy is not only undesirable, it is incomprehensible.

But is it the right choice for the destiny of mankind? While Trevize feels it is, that is not enough. He must know.

Trevize believes the answer lies at the site of humanity’s roots: fabled Earth . . . if it still exists. For no one is sure where the planet of Gaia’s first settlers is to be found in the immense wilderness of the Galaxy. Nor can anyone explain why no record of Earth has been preserved, no mention of it made anywhere in Gaia’s vast world-memory. It is an enigma Trevize is determined to resolve, and a quest he is determined to undertake, at any cost.

I fear that I cannot say too much about this book without spoiling it or at least the books that come before. What I can say is that I was completely into this book right from the first page. We begin moments after the last book ended and continue at a fast pace until the final reveals. We visit multiple planets (some we’ve been to before and some new-to-us) and face many dangers. Asimov sprinkles in a ton of callbacks throughout the story. To really understand it all, you have to read the entirety of the series starting with I, Robot. It is a daunting task I admit, but I am so glad that I read them all. The payoff is amazing. I only guessed the ending right before it gets revealed. So satisfying!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Foundation's Edge by Isaac Asimov

Title: Foundation’s Edge

Author: Isaac Asimov

Publisher:

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 398

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Scifi

At last, the costly and bitter war between the two Foundations has come to an end. The scientists of the First Foundation have proved victorious, and now they return to Hari Seldon’s long established plan to build a new Empire on the ruins of the old. But rumors persist that the Second Foundation is not destroyed after all—and that its still-defiant survivors are preparing their revenge. Now two exiled citizens of the Foundation—a renegade Councilman and a doddering historian—set out in search of the mythical planet Earth . . . and proof that the Second Foundation still exists.

Meanwhile someone—or something—outside of both Foundations seems to be orchestrating events to suit its own ominous purpose. Soon representatives of both the First and Second Foundations will find themselves racing toward a mysterious world called Gaia and a final, shocking destiny at the very end of the universe.

Oh goodness! This book brought together so many threads that have been building for many books. We get to see a big confrontation between the First Foundation, Second Foundation, and another mystery group. The plot is very fast paced (especially the last 50 pages). The characters are intriguing and interesting. I loved seeing all the reveals and twists as we learn who these characters actually are. We get all the interesting conversations about the past and the future. This book does not make any sense without reading all the previous books, but it was a great payoff for all the pages. I cannot wait to read the final book in this epic series.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Second Foundation by Isaac Asimov

Title: Second Foundation

Author: Isaac Asimov

Publisher:

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 304

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Scifi

The Foundation lies in ruins—destroyed by a mutant mind bent on humanity’s annihilation. But it’s rumored that there’s a Second Foundation hidden somewhere at the end of the Galaxy, established as insurance to preserve the knowledge of mankind. Now a desperate race has begun between the survivors of the First Foundation and an alien entity to find this last flicker of humanity’s shining past—and future hope. Yet the key to it all might be a fourteen-year-old girl burdened with a terrible secret. Is she the Foundation’s savior—or its deadliest enemy?

This was such a ride! We’re immediately thrown back into the chaos of the power struggle between the First and Second Foundations. We finally get the reveal of where the Second Foundation is based (How did I not see that? Obvious and yet such a surprise.) and we meet the First Speaker ( I did not see that coming!). Thankfully we get to follow a fun and adventurous young lady, Arkady, throughout the galaxy to seek the answers to all the big questions. After that whirlwind of a book, I cannot wait to see what happens next. Who will emerge at the leaders of the galaxy? Will they ever figure out that Earth is the home planet of us all? I’m so close to the end.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Foundation and Empire by Isaac Asimov

Title: Foundation and Empire

Author: Isaac Asimov

Publisher:

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 320

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual -

Led by its founding father, the psychohistorian Hari Seldon, and utilizing science and technology, the Foundation survived the greed and barbarism of its neighboring warrior-planets. Now cleverness and courage may not be enough. For the Empire—the mightiest force in the Galaxy—is even more dangerous in its death throes. Even worse, a mysterious entity called the Mule has appeared with powers beyond anything humanly conceivable. Who—or what—is the Mule? And how is humanity to defend itself against this invulnerable avatar of annihilation?

A bit uneven, but this book has furthered the saga so much! I am desperate to know what happens to the Foundation and to the Second Foundation. I cannot wait until the secrets of Star’s End are revealed. For this book, I had to settle for seeing how Foundation centered on Terminus rose to the the status of a Galactic Empire. We get to see the big confrontation between the Foundation and the Old Empire. Very interested within the larger saga of the galaxy.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Foundation by Isaac Asimov

Title: Foundation (Foundation #1)

Author: Isaac Asimov

Publisher:

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 255

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Scifi

For twelve thousand years the Galactic Empire has ruled supreme. Now it is dying. But only Hari Seldon, creator of the revolutionary science of psychohistory, can see into the future—to a dark age of ignorance, barbarism, and warfare that will last thirty thousand years. To preserve knowledge and save humankind, Seldon gathers the best minds in the Empire—both scientists and scholars—and brings them to a bleak planet at the edge of the galaxy to serve as a beacon of hope for future generations. He calls his sanctuary the Foundation.

Overall I really enjoyed seeing what has happened to the Empire and the two Foundations after the fall. We are moving forward in time and things are beginning to be muddled and forgotten from the time of Hari Seldon. I appreciate how Asimov tries to create through lines to demonstrate how a widespread society can slowly stagnate and eventually fall apart. I’m still very much in this series. I did knock off a star for the uneven pacing. This book contains basically four stories. The first one was pretty slow and boring. Asimov did a lot of reminding the reader what has happened. Understandable if you were reading this series as it was published. Reading them all in a row made it very slow and boring. The second story was middling, but really turned up with the last 5 pages or so. And then the third and fourth parts were very interesting and fast-paced. I feel like this is going to be a thing going forward in the Foundation series. Still reading. Still hoping to finish before the television show airs.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Forward the Foundation by Isaac Asimov

Title: Forward the Foundation

Author: Isaac Asimov

Publisher:

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 359

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Scifi

As Hari Seldon struggles to perfect his revolutionary theory of psychohistory and ensure a place for humanity among the stars, the great Galactic Empire totters on the brink of apocalyptic collapse. Caught in the maelstrom are Seldon and all he holds dear, pawns in the struggle for dominance. Whoever can control Seldon will control psychohistory—and with it the future of the Galaxy.

Among those seeking to turn psychohistory into the greatest weapon known to man are a populist political demagogue, the weak-willed Emperor Cleon I, and a ruthless militaristic general. In his last act of service to humankind, Hari Seldon must somehow save his life’s work from their grasp as he searches for its true heirs—a search that begins with his own granddaughter and the dream of a new Foundation.

Picking up just a few hours after the previous book, Prelude to Foundation, we get a slightly uneven story following the rest of Hari Seldon’s life. The first half of this volume was fairly boring. Asimov does a lot of recapping what happened the previous book. This would probably have been okay if I had read these back-to-back. As it was, I was bored for the first two sections. Until the last five pages or so of the second section. And then everything got really good and I gasped out loud. The second half speeds through the major changes in Trantor and within the Seldon family. Things are really coming together with relation to Foundation. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Prelude to Foundation by Isaac Asimov

Title: Prelude to Foundation

Author: Isaac Asimov

Publisher: 1988

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 405

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Scifi

It is the year 12,020 G.E. and Emperor Cleon I sits uneasily on the Imperial throne of Trantor. Here in the great multidomed capital of the Galactic Empire, forty billion people have created a civilization of unimaginable technological and cultural complexity. Yet Cleon knows there are those who would see him fall—those whom he would destroy if only he could read the future.

Hari Seldon has come to Trantor to deliver his paper on psychohistory, his remarkable theory of prediction. Little does the young Outworld mathematician know that he has already sealed his fate and the fate of humanity. For Hari possesses the prophetic power that makes him the most wanted man in the Empire . . . the man who holds the key to the future—an apocalyptic power to be known forever after as the Foundation.

Oooh. This is a good one. Right away I was sucked into this story following Hari Seldon’s adventures around Trantor. The pace is propulsive. The characters are intriguing. The adventures are illuminating. And the twists caused me to gasp out loud. I rarely gasp out loud at twists, but I did with this book. We get so much information about the state of the Empire and specifically Trantor in this story. It’s a nice bridge from the Robots and Empire books and the Galactic Empire books to the Foundation series. I can’t wait see what happens next.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Pebble in the Sky by Isaac Asimov

Title: Pebble in the Sky (Galactic Empire #3)

Author: Isaac Asimov

Publisher:

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 246

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Scifi

After years of bitter struggle, Trantor had at last completed its work—its Galactic Empire ruled all 200 million planets of the Galaxy . . . all but one. On a backward planet called Earth were those who nurtured bitter dreams of a mythical, half-remembered past when the planet was humanity’s only home. The other worlds despised it or merely patronized it—until a man from the past miraculously stepped through a time fault that spanned a millennium, living proof of Earth’s most preposterous claims.

Joseph Schwartz was a happily retired Chicago tailor circa 1949. Trapped in an incredible future he could barely comprehend, the unlikely time traveler would soon become a pawn in a desperate conspiracy to bring down the Empire in a twist of agony and death—a mad plan to restore Earth’s tarnished glory by ending human life on every other world.

Wow! This was such a great adventure style story. We get to see what became of Earth years after Elijah Bailey and Daneel. I needed that interlude to understand what has happened to the Galaxy. We get the very classic scifi trope of a man being transported into the future. Schwartz is a typical 1950s character and is definitely out of place in the future, but not that much out of place. Really the star of the show is Dr. Arvardan and his conspiracy theories about Earth being the birthplace of humanity. I loved how the story unfurled. We get planet, nay Galaxy wide, threats and more insight into the political relationships within the Empire. I have my momentum back and am ready to dive into the next trilogy.

Galactic Empire:

• #1 The Stars, Like Dust

• #2 The Currents of Space

• #3 Pebble in the Sky

Next up on the TBR pile:

Robots and Empire by Isaac Asimov

Title: Robots and Empire

Author: Isaac Asimov

Publisher: 

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 512

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Scifi

Isaac Asmiov's classic novel about the decline and fall of Solaria. Gladia Delmarre's homeworld, the Spacer planet Solaria, has been abandoned - by its human population. Countless robots remain there. And when traders from Settler worlds attempt to salvage them, the robots of Solaria turn to killing...in defiance of the Three Laws of Robotics. Pax Robotica Long ago, Gladia's robots Daneel and Giskard played a vital role in opening the worlds beyond the Solar system to Settlers from Earth. Now the conscience-stricken robots are faced with an even greater challenge. Either the sacred Three Laws of Robotics are in ruins - or a new, superior Law must be established to bring peace to the galaxy. With Madam Gladia and D.G. Baley - the captain of the Settler traders and a descendant of the robots' friend Elijah Baley - Daneel and Giskard travel to the robot stronghold of Solaria...where they uncover a sinister Spacer plot to destroy Earth itself.

Oh goodness! This just became my favorite Asimov book so far. I absolutely loved this one. Where the previous books were focused a lot on the plot (the murder mysteries), the mystery in this one is a bit more background. The philosophical conversations between characters (especially Daneel and Giskard) were center stage in this volume. I loved seeing the connection between the time of Elijah Baley and the founding of the empire. We get to see a new side with the settlers lead by DG Baley and his interactions with Gladia. So now we get to see what has happened to Earth, the Settlers, and the Spacers. I thought the mystery of the plot to destroy Earth was interesting, but again, it was the conversations that kept me reading. I loved the examination of the Laws of Robotics. This book renewed my motivation to read the rest of the Asimov’s books.

Next up on the TBR Pile:

The Duke and I by Julia Quinn

Title: The Duke and I (Bridgerton #1)

Author: Julia Quinn

Publisher: Avon 2015

Genre: Romance

Pages: 433

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Romance; Winter TBR

Can there be any greater challenge to London's Ambitious Mamas than an unmarried duke?—Lady Whistledown's Society Papers, April 1813

By all accounts, Simon Basset is on the verge of proposing to his best friend's sister—the lovely and almost-on-the-shelf—Daphne Bridgerton. But the two of them know the truth—it's all an elaborate ruse to keep Simon free from marriage-minded society mothers. And as for Daphne, surely she will attract some worthy suitors now that it seems a duke has declared her desirable.

But as Daphne waltzes across ballroom after ballroom with Simon, it's hard to remember that their courtship is a sham. Maybe it's his devilish smile, certainly it's the way his eyes seem to burn every time he looks at her . . . but somehow Daphne is falling for the dashing duke . . . for real! And now she must do the impossible and convince the handsome rogue that their clever little scheme deserves a slight alteration, and that nothing makes quite as much sense as falling in love.

CW: Rape

I finally, finally, started the Bridgerton series this past week. And overall, I am completely addicted to this one. I have to read all these books detailing the romance pursuits of all the Bridgerton children. Daphne is a delight and Simon is a lovely male lead. I loved reading their romance progress from a mutually beneficial arrangement to real romance. So good. Beyond Daphne and Simon, I loved following the rest of the Bridgerton family. I can’t wait to see which sibling gets their happily ever after next. My one quibble is obviously that scene. Seriously. I read an interview with Quinn that talked about how the scene played at the time of writing and when it was set, but it really doesn’t go over well now.

Bridgerton

• #1 The Duke and I

• #2 The Viscount Who Loved Me

• #3 An Offer from a Gentleman

• #4 Romancing Mr. Bridgerton

• #5 To Sir Philip, With Love

• #6 When He was Wicked

• #7 It’s in His Kiss

• #8 On the Way to the Wedding

• Happily Ever After (2nd Epilogues and Violet’s Story)

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Robots of Dawn by Isaac Asimov

Title: The Robots of Dawn

Author: Isaac Asimov

Publisher: 1983

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 433

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Scifi; Winter TBR

A millennium into the future two advances have altered the course of human history: the colonization of the Galaxy and the creation of the positronic brain. Isaac Asimov's Robot novels chronicle the unlikely partnership between a New York City detective and a humanoid robot who must learn to work together.

Detective Elijah Baiey is called to the Spacer world Aurora to solve a bizarre case of roboticide. The prime suspect is a gifted roboticist who had the means, the motive, and the opportunity to commit the crime. There's only one catch: Baley and his positronic partner, R. Daneel Olivaw, must prove the man innocent. For in a case of political intrigue and love between woman and robot gone tragically wrong, there's more at stake than simple justice. This time Baley's career, his life, and Earth's right to pioneer the Galaxy lie in the delicate balance.

CW: Rape

The last book in the Elijah Baley detective novel series from Asimov. Overall, I really do enjoy these books. I like the detective elements to the novels as we follow Baley in determining who was the killer. I liked the interplay between Baley and Daneel (and now Giskard). I find the philosophical conversations to be intriguing. I really want to know more about what life is like for the robots. And I can’t wait to see how the events of this book impact the future colonization of uninhabited planets and the currently inhabited Earth and Spacer Worlds. My one issue with this novel is the scene between Gladia and Baley. We are given a rape scene that was really came out of nowhere and was completely unnecessary for the storyline and characters. I was very disappointed when I got to that scene as I had begun to think more of Asimov’s treatment of women and gender relations in this book. I was wrong. A re-writing of that scene removing the rape could have bumped this book up to 5 stars for me.

Next up on the TBR Pile:

The Naked Sun by Isaac Asimov

Title: The Naked Sun

Author: Isaac Asimov

Publisher: 

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 257

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Scifi/Fantasy; Ebook

A millennium into the future, two advancements have altered the course of human history:  the colonization of the Galaxy and the creation of the positronic brain.  On the beautiful Outer World planet of Solaria, a handful of human colonists lead a hermit-like existence, their every need attended to by their faithful robot servants.  To this strange and provocative planet comes Detective Elijah Baley, sent from the streets of New York with his positronic partner, the robot R. Daneel Olivaw, to solve an incredible murder that has rocked Solaria to its foundations.  The victim had been so reclusive that he appeared to his associates only through holographic projection.  Yet someone had gotten close enough to bludgeon him to death while robots looked on.  Now Baley and Olivaw are faced with two clear impossibilities:  Either the Solarian was killed by one of his robots--unthinkable under the laws of Robotics--or he was killed by the woman who loved him so much that she never came into his presence!

I loved this one! In the last book, we got to see the culture on Earth and Baley started to see what lay beyond. In this book, Baley travels to another world and gets a whole new perspective. I loved the change of setting and the expansion of the book universe. Plus we get more information about the state of the universe and the relationship between the various planets. The murder mystery itself was sufficiently interesting, but was used to illustrate the larger problems facing humanity. So so good!

Next up on the TBR Pile:

The Caves of Steel by Isaac Asimov

Title: The Caves of Steel

Author: Isaac Asimov

Publisher: 1953

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 276

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Scifi; Monthly Theme - August

Like most people left behind on an over-populated Earth, New York City police detective Elijah Baley had little love for either the arrogant Spacers or their robotic companions. But when a prominent Spacer is murdered under mysterious circumstances, Baley is ordered to the Outer Worlds to help track down the killer.  

The relationship between Life and his Spacer superiors, who distrusted all Earthmen, was strained from the start. Then he learned that they had assigned him a partner: R. Daneel Olivaw.  Worst of all was that the “R” stood for robot—and his positronic partner was made in the image and likeness of the murder victim!

J finally got me started reading Asimov again by showing me the preview of the new Foundations TV series. I must read the books first! I’ve already read I, Robot so I picked up the next book in the big chronology of Asimov’s books. This was a good old fashioned murder mystery set in our distant future. We get the intriguing world building of all of the Earthers living in giant metal cities while the Spacers live in open-air domes. The conflict between the two ways of living is clearly part of Asimov’s larger discussion about our future. The murder is intriguing and I loved how he gives you all the clues as to who done it, but the reveal is still dramatic and fun. But most of all, I enjoyed Asimov’s discussion of the differences between robots and humans, Earthers and Spacers, and medievalists and futurists. We get some great talks between characters. I am interested in seeing where this society goes in the next books.

Next up on the TBR Pile:

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

Title: The Eyre Affair (Thursday Next #1)

Author: Jasper Fforde

Publisher: Penguin 2003

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 373

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual; Reading Assignment; Seasonal Series - Eating Apple Pie

Fans of Douglas Adams and P. G. Wodehouse will love visiting Jasper Fforde's Great Britain, circa 1985, when time travel is routine, cloning is a reality (dodos are the resurrected pet of choice), and literature is taken very, very seriously: it’s a bibliophile’s dream. England is a virtual police state where an aunt can get lost (literally) in a Wordsworth poem and forging Byronic verse is a punishable offense. All this is business as usual for Thursday Next, renowned Special Operative in literary detection. But when someone begins kidnapping characters from works of literature and plucks Jane Eyre from the pages of Brontë's novel, Thursday is faced with the challenge of her career. Fforde's ingenious fantasy—enhanced by a Web site that re-creates the world of the novel—unites intrigue with English literature in a delightfully witty mix.

This book was such a delight! I immediately fell for Thursday Next and her motley crew of LiteraTecs, friends, enemies, and family. The characters are all such delights helping the plot to be even more entertaining. The overall world is way too much fun! I love the idea of literature being held to such high regard that people name themselves after various authors and characters. And then you add in the ability to jump into books. Holy moly! I am loving it so much! Way too much fun. I sped through this volume needing to know Hades’s next move and Next’s counter move. I loved visiting Thornfield and meeting Mr. Rochester. Can’t wait to read the next in the series!

Thursday Next

• #1 The Eyre Affair

• #2 Lost in a Good Book

• #3 The Well of Lost Plots

• #4 Something Rotten

• #5 First Among Sequels

• #6 One of Our Thursdays is Missing

• #7 The Woman Who Died a Lot

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin

Title: A Dance with Dragons (Song of Fire and Ice #5)

Author: George R.R. Martin

Publisher: Bantam 2011

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 1152

Rating:  5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual (NPR Scifi/Fan); Read My Own Damn Books; 52 Books - W14

In the aftermath of a colossal battle, the future of the Seven Kingdoms hangs in the balance once again--beset by newly emerging threats from every direction. In the east, Daenerys Targaryen, the last scion of House Targaryen, rules with her three dragons as queen of a city built on dust and death. But Daenerys has three times three thousand enemies, and many have set out to find her. Yet, as they gather, one young man embarks upon his own quest for the queen, with an entirely different goal in mind.

To the north lies the mammoth Wall of ice and stone--a structure only as strong as those guarding it. There, Jon Snow, 998th Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, will face his greatest challenge yet. For he has powerful foes not only within the Watch but also beyond, in the land of the creatures of ice.

And from all corners, bitter conflicts soon reignite, intimate betrayals are perpetrated, and a grand cast of outlaws and priests, soldiers and skinchangers, nobles and slaves, will face seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Some will fail, others will grow in the strength of darkness. But in a time of rising restlessness, the tides of destiny and politics will lead inevitably to the greatest dance of all. . . .

It took me almost two weeks, but I finally finished the last book that's been published in A Song of Ice and Fire. And it was amazing! I was concerned at first because the beginning moved fairly slowly. Once I fully dove in, I was hooked. I loved catching up with Dany and Jon and Tyrion. They were always my favorite characters in the series. Plus we get to see more story from Aria and Davos and some other great characters. Martin has a way with crafting a compelling storyline and characters. I couldn't even predict what was going to happen in the story and that's why I loved it. Martin surprised me at every turn. And that ending was one hell of a cliffhanger. I cannot wait until The Winds of Winter.

A Song of Fire and Ice:

• #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

Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon

Title: Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander #2)

Author: Diana Gabaldon

Publisher: Dell 2001

Genre: Historical Romance/Fantasy

Pages: 947

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Scifi/Fan; Read My Own Damn Books; Popsugar - Over 600 pages

With her now-classic novel Outlander, Diana Gabaldon introduced two unforgettable characters — Claire Randall and Jamie Fraser—delighting readers with a story of adventure and love that spanned two centuries. Now Gabaldon returns to that extraordinary time and place in this vivid, powerful follow-up to Outlander....For twenty years Claire Randall has kept her secrets. But now she is returning with her grown daughter to Scotland’s majestic mist-shrouded hills. Here Claire plans to reveal a truth as stunning as the events that gave it birth: about the mystery of an ancient circle of standing stones ... about a love that transcends the boundaries of time ... and about James Fraser, a Scottish warrior whose gallantry once drew a young Claire from the security of her century to the dangers of his....Now a legacy of blood and desire will test her beautiful copper-haired daughter, Brianna, as Claire’s spellbinding journey of self-discovery continues in the intrigue-ridden Paris court of Charles Stuart ... in a race to thwart a doomed Highlands uprising ... and in a desperate fight to save both the child and the man she loves....

Confession time: I have been reading this book off and on for about 4 months now. And I have no idea why I kept putting it down because I loved it! Of course, I thoroughly enjoyed Outlander and this is just more of the same. This volume we get to follow Claire and Jaime as they try to thwart Charles Stuart's ill-fated attempt to regain his crown. My favorite section of the book was the part set in Paris. I loved meeting some new interesting characters (Fergus! Mother Hildegard and Bouton! Master Raymond!) and seeing Claire and Jaime in a different environment. And of course we all knew that Jack Randall would reappear at some point. Really loved where the story went in this volume. Makes me more excited about reading the third book sometime soon. (Although I might need a break from the 600+ page behemoths in this series. Maybe in March?)

Outlander

• #0.5 Virgins
• #1 Outlander
• #2 Dragonfly in Amber
• #3 Voyager
• #4 The Drums of Autumn
• #5 The Fiery Cross
• #6 A Breath of Snow and Ashes
• #7 An Echo in the Bone
• #7.5 The Space Between
• #8 Written in My Own Heart's Blood
• #8 A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke

Title: Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke

Author: Susanna Clarke

Publisher: Bloomsbury 2008

Genre: Historical Fiction; Fantasy

Pages: 782

Rating:  5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fantasy Project; NPR Scifi/Fan; 21st Century Women Authors; A to Z - J; Books to Movies; 52 Books - W41

English magicians were once the wonder of the known world, with fairy servants at their beck and call; they could command winds, mountains, and woods. But by the early 1800s they have long since lost the ability to perform magic. They can only write long, dull papers about it, while fairy servants are nothing but a fading memory.

It's taken me years to get around to reading this giant volume, but I finally did it this week! And it was great! Clarke's writing reminds me of Jane Austen or Charles Dickens. I love the old-fashioned style of writing. The writing put me into the time period. And the story was great. I loved diving into Strange and Norrell and their strange personality quirks. The side characters were also very interesting. I loved Stephen and Arabella. The book meanderings through topics, stories, and characters, but somehow everything comes together in the end! The book is long, but I very much enjoyed it.

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Title: Outlander (Outlander #1)

Author: Diana Gabaldon

Publisher: Dell 1998

Genre: Historical Romance/Fantasy

Pages: 850

Rating: 5/5 stars TV Show: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fantasy Project; NPR Scifi and Fantasy; TBR Reduction; A to Z -- O; Book to Movie; Outlander

Unrivaled storytelling ... unforgettable characters ... rich historical detail ... these are the hallmarks of Diana Gabaldon's work. Her New York Times bestselling Outlander novels have earned the praise of critics and captured millions of readers.Here is the story that started it all, introducing two remarkable characters, Claire Randall and Jamie Fraser, in a spellbinding novel of passion and history that combines exhilarating adventure with a love story for the ages....The year is 1945. Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon — when she walks through a standing stone in one of the ancient stone circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach — an "outlander" — in a Scotland torn by war and raiding Highland clans in the year of Our Lord ... 1743.Hurled back in time by forces she cannot understand, Claire is catapulted into intrigues and dangers that may threaten her life ... and shatter her heart. For here she meets James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, and becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire ... and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.

 My reread of this novel was slow going. I have no idea why it took me this long to read, because I really really enjoyed this book. Whatever the reason, I loved getting back into the story of Claire and Jamie. I originally read this a few years back at history reenactment events. Fitting as we were reenacting French and Indian War set just a few decades after Outlander. I never continued the series, yet have wanted to in the intervening years. One of my goals this year to finish the series.

Within the first chapter I dove head first back into the story. I love the character of Claire. She is such a well-rounded character I can imagine meeting her on the street. I love that her reactions to falling back in time are realistic. She is confused, angry, sad, but understands that she needs to figure this new situation out to survive. I love it! And meeting Jamie Fraser is just the beginning of a great romance. I love their little conversations here and there even before the wedding. I can't wait to see where their story leads in the rest of the series.

TV Show:

I was wary of the television series. Would it hold up to such an amazing book? Thankfully it does! Most of this is due to such great casting. They found the perfect people for Claire and Jamie, but the best casting is Tobias Menzies as Black Jack/Frank Randall. I've never been a huge fan of Frank, but to finally see him, I am more sympathetic to his situation. And then we get the flip side of Black Jack. Truly a villain for the ages. Beyond the main characters, I really enjoyed Dougal and especially Angus. And the scenery is just absolutely gorgeous. I want to go to Scotland right now! The only problem I have with the series was the horrible cliffhanger the creators left us with at the end of the first run. I guess I know what happens, but my goodness that was evil.

Outlander

• #0.5 Virgins
• #1 Outlander
• #2 Dragonfly in Amber
• #3 Voyager
• #4 The Drums of Autumn
• #5 The Fiery Cross
• #6 A Breath of Snow and Ashes
• #7 An Echo in the Bone
• #7.5 The Space Between
• #8 Written in My Own Heart's Blood
• #8 A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows

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

Dune by Frank Herbert

Title: Dune

Author: Frank Herbert

Publisher: Chilton Books 1965

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 894

Rating:  4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: NPR Scifi and Fantasy; NPR Teen; Ebook; New Author; Monthly Motif - Award Winner

Here is the novel that will be forever considered a triumph of the imagination. Set on the desert planet Arrakis, Dune is the story of the boy Paul Atreides, who would become the mysterious man known as Muad'Dib. He would avenge the traitorous plot against his noble family--and would bring to fruition humankind's most ancient and unattainable dream.

A stunning blend of adventure and mysticism, environmentalism and politics, Dune won the first Nebula Award, shared the Hugo Award, and formed the basis of what it undoubtedly the grandest epic in science fiction.

J has been trying to get me to read Dune for ages (at least 2 years).  I finally did it and I'm pleasantly surprised. I actually enjoyed another classical science fiction book. Many complain that the book throws the reader into a complicated world with its own language.  That's true, but I had not problem parsing out the meaning of the words or figuring out the various houses and motivations.  As the book progresses, Herbert touches on  a variety of topics including politics imperialism, race, and religion.  I loved the layers.  On the surface you get a story about a boy/man avenging his family name.  But then we start to see that this isn't just Paul's story.  Instead, it's a story of a universe; a variety of people all striving to survive and thrive under a multitude of restrictions.  I really got into the story and couldn't wait to read what happened to all the great houses and players. Definitely a good read.