The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman


My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Title: The Golden Compass

Author :  Philip Pullman

Pages:  399

Series: His Dark Materials

Here lives an orphaned ward named Lyra Belacqua, whose carefree life among the scholars at Oxford's Jordan College is shattered by the arrival of two powerful visitors. First, her fearsome uncle, Lord Asriel, appears with evidence of mystery and danger in the far North, including photographs of a mysterious celestial phenomenon called Dust and the dim outline of a city suspended in the Aurora Borealis that he suspects is part of an alternate universe. He leaves Lyra in the care of Mrs. Coulter, an enigmatic scholar and explorer who offers to give Lyra the attention her uncle has long refused her. In this multilayered narrative, however, nothing is as it seems. Lyra sets out for the top of the world in search of her kidnapped playmate, Roger, bearing a rare truth-telling instrument, the compass of the title. All around her children are disappearing, victims of so-called "Gobblers", and being used as subjects in terrible experiments that separate humans from their daemons, creatures that reflect each person's inner being. And somehow, both Lord Asriel and Mrs. Coulter are involved.

My thoughts on this book:

Lyra was a juvenile who's part in the Jordan College was an enigma to me. At first, I was intrigued by the regard of the Master of Jordan College with her and treated her with utmost care even though she was a savaged brat versus an uncle who took her for granted. I hated her for her attitude, hey, I was raised with a family who respect elders and follow orders, but loved her courage. I don't adore her. But I adore the story, how it was written and the continuous excitement I felt while reading the book.

It was political, even attacking the Catholic church, but hey, it was just all fictional. If you don't know reality from fiction, you better not read.

I love the part when Lyra was captured by the bears and tricked the king to challenge Iorek. That was amazing! It was carefully thought, as bears cannot be tricked (unless if they act as human, which the King did!). I equally loved the part where Lyra was asked to prove that she was a daemon, and all the parts where she consulted the golden compass.

Then I watched the movie afterwards. It was very concise. It made some direct insinuations to point the Magisterium as the culprit, which the book did not. So you really have to dig a little deeper. The book was better. But the movie has convinced me that I really disliked Lyra.

Overall, I gave this book 5 star out of 5 because it kept me interested up to the end and made me think as to what would happen in the sequel.

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Garden of the Purple Dragon by Carole Wilkinson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Pages: 349
Series : Sequel to Dragon Keeper

Ping was the Dragon Keeper to the old Imperial Dragon Danzi but she had helped him escape. She was made the last Dragon Keeper and sworn to keep the baby dragon Kai safe, but was caught by the Imperial soldiers. Now, her destiny was questioned. She knew that all the Keepers are male and this led to doubt her appointment. Will she surrender the purple dragon to the Emperor?

Warning: May contain spoiler!

My thoughts on this book:

This book has surprised me. As I was reading on the earlier part, it didn't strike me to be very much exciting to read, yet it has triggered my curiosity to keep on reading. Normally, a lack of action will bore me. But this book has kept me intrigued. So I kept on reading and towards the end it has engulfed me with awe. The twist turned out to be doubled and it I didn't see it coming. I thought that it will angle to a romance, hopeless romantic? Nah! but it proved me wrong. It was actually something that clouded Ping's judgement. Oh! a spoiler!

I liked the character of Hua (the rat) who was always with Ping in times of trouble. I braced myself for any magical revelation this rat may have, but no, there's none. I thought it might turn into a prince or something, but  the hope for any fairy tale-ish story has vanished. The necromancer had crept me out. Say no more about the stench of a rotten flesh! It was disgusting. But it was effective. I could picture him in my mind (yuck!). And what of Ping? I pity her. It seemed that her life was so sad because of her task as a keeper. She didn't have a normal life. Hey, who would if you have a dragon in tow!

The only thing that I find shallow is the five elements. What a very weak five elements. I reckon it was non essential. It might have a grand effect if it was really the five elements carefully written and thought about by the author.

But overall, I liked it. I was intrigued in how to take care of a baby dragon, their friendship, the betrayal, the kindness and loyalty. I can tell this story to my nephew and nieces. It will be a good story to tell!

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The Warrior Heir by Cinda Williams Chima

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Pages : 426 pages
Series: The Heir series

Jack Swift was born a wizard but he was without a wizard stone. To keep him alive he has to have a stone implanted on him. But the leader of White Rose , who was a surgeon, used a Warrior Stone to implant on Jack their benefit when he grows up. They need a Warrior Heir to represent White Rose in a tradition to fight. During that time, warrior heirs were already scarce because they just use them for battles and competitions. A battle of death.

My thoughts on this book :

I like the flow of story on this book. It was fast-paced and entertaining. Never a dull moment, even on trainings. Everywhere seemed to have danger. In here, you'll have different perceptions on wizards, plus there are lots of classes aside from wizard. I like how the twist was created. A wizard that was tampered, thus making Jack more powerful. Clever plot. I also like the settings in school. Typical high school with bullies.

Lots of mysteries, secrets, and there's also a little bit of romance. I'm looking forward to read the other two parts of the series, The Wizard Heir and The Dragon Heir.

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Eragon by Christopher Paolini

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Title: Eragon
Author : Christopher Paolini
Pages: 730
Series: The Inheritance Series

Dragon Riders were popular in the land in keeping peace until one rider named Galbatorix, thirsty for power killed all the riders and their dragons who did not ally with him. He became the the King and kept three dragon eggs to hatch. But it never chose to hatch until an egg was rescued from his possession and hatched under the human touch. Eragon became the rider that the dragon has chosen, resurrecting the days of the dragon riders.

My thoughts on this book:

If you want adventure on travelling, this is the book for you. It spent a great deal of pages on his travel to the Varden. This is the first time that I appreciated a movie over the book. It was interesting, yes, but didn't put me on the edge of my seat. It was a drag reading this book because it lacked the adventure that I was expecting from Eragon. Pity, I bought Brisngr and Eldest. So I have to keep reading this series. There are so many things that hinder me in enjoying reading Eragon. One of them are the terms and the odd names and places. I know that the author has created these ancient language to make it believable, nevertheless, I didn't appreciate it. It was a bottleneck for me. It was so hard to memorize, and I keep on checking out who's who, and the maps.

Also, the author's descriptions was not easy to make up in one's imagination, if you know what I mean. I ended up skipping and reading past some of the narratives . I just want it to get over with. That's how I felt when I read this book. It didn't capture my thirst to read. I even lost interest at times that's why I tarried in completing this book. Bah! The movie was great, I reckon!

Overall, I give it three stars out of five.

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Title: The Wizard’s First Rule

Author: Terry Goodkind

Series : Sword of Truth

Pages: 836 pages

The protagonist Richard Cypher, the grandson of the remaining wizard ~ whose name was forgotten, is the seeker. The wizard was the only one who can name a seeker but hiding his identity, he befriended Richard Cypher, guide and silently protect him until Richard’s father was murdered. Richard met a lady in the woods who, he didn’t know is the mother confessor Khalan. Khalan Amnell traveled from Midlands to Westland to look for the seeker who can help her save Midlands by defeating Darken Rahl, but first she needed to find the wizard to have him name a seeker. And that was where the story revolved.

Warning: This review contains spoiler!


My thoughts on this book :

This is the 1^st book of the Sword of Truth series that was creatively written by Terry Goodkind. I was told by my colleague that this is a good series, as from the book created the TV series The Legend of the Seeker. So, I hunted the first book and took me two weeks to find it. This was an interesting read and the story line and plots were very good. But there was a part that I got bored, that was when Richard and Khalan were traveling to Midlands and the hint of their affection for each other.

Then I got surprised when Richard was captured by a Mord-Sith ~ this was the part that put me on the edge of the seat. I initially thought that the scene was kinda odd and that the story can go on without it but when I finished the episode with the Mord-Sith, I was pondering how clever the author was. It made me felt the pain, too. I was so livid and was in torment and there were times I wanted to throw my book but hell, no! I love my book! So I read on ~ and the story became very fast and furious! I was amazed with the monsters, dragons, characters and twist in the story.

I was so satisfied with the book; I tried to watch the TV series. Yuck! The actors were not near to how Terry Goodkind has described the characters, so no for the TV series!

Anyway, I recommend this Wizard's First Rule. Go and get it! Tell me what the rule is~ I seemed to forgot! 

THE END OF THE HARRY POTTER SERIES

 Warning: This review contains spoiler!

I have just finished reading the final book of the phenomenal and much-celebrated series of Harry Potter. I just can’t believe it’s all over. Mixed emotions swelled in me. Sadness. Happiness. Relief. Longingness. Grief. Disbelief. Regret. And I can’t let go of the book. I closed my eyes, held the book close to my heart and shed a tear. It’s finally over, yet I don’t want it to end.

I reread the last part. I wanted to hold on. I felt I have lived in Hogwarts too. I learned magic, friendship, courage, loyalty and trust. I have experienced lies, struggles and felt emotions that I have not felt in real world. I have lived in the world of Harry Potter. I was so sad when I closed the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on its finality and put it in my bookshelf where all the other series are neatly filed.

I recounted the highlights this book for me such as follows:

• Dobby being very loyal to Harry Potter. Even if he was a free-elf, he chose to serve Harry Potter. He died in saving the boy and his friends from the claws of Death Eaters in his previous master’s manor, the Malfoys. Harry Potter was totally lamenting for Dobby that he manually dug his grave for Dobby and gave him a proper burial.
• The tales of Black’s house-elf Kreacher, and how his attitude changed dramatically towards his master  Harry Potter after he received a Black family crest given by latter. The turn of leaf was so impressive and I salute to Kreacher’s loyalty to his old master Rumulus Black.
• The sacrifices of Professor Severus Snape for the sake of Harry Potter and the utmost loyalty to the late Headmaster Dumbledore was astounding. I was really anticipating on this twist…but when it was finally revealed to Harry Potter, I felt deep sympathy for Snape.  My heart was broken and I felt regret and sadness after Harry Potter saw the real Snape in Dumbledore’s Pensive after Snape’s death.
• Long before, I was puzzled why Neville Longbottom was sorted to Gryffindor house. He was so forgetful, clumsy and fidgety. But in this book, Neville transformed to be a Hero. The part where he stepped forward to stand up for Hogwarts was awesome, not to mention when he struck Voldermort’s snake Nagini on its head with the Gryffindor sword.

This book is truly amazing! Kudos to J.K. Rowling!  She knows how to reconcile all the hanging questions in a reader’s mind. The Deathly Hallow is my most favorite book (actually, all the Harry Potter Books are my favorite books).

And this is my after thought:

• Ron is a half-brained git. But he was funny.
• Neville Longbottom could have been the Chosen One.
• Confusing names of the offsprings.
• Snape’s  portrait is in the Hogwart’s Headmaster office’s wall.
• Dumbledore is not gay, even though J.K. Rowling said so.
• And many more after thoughts….

My aunt told me that Harry Potter books are evil books. I said they are fiction, created by a very creative mind. Of course, one must know how to separate reality from entertainment. But one does not fail to hope that he has magic as Harry Potter’s.  There are also great values that any muggle person could learn in reading these books. As I quote Dumbledore’s "There are all kinds of courage. It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends."  Just one of my favorites! So many wise sayings.

Anyway, all readers knew how great the books were. The previous movies were nothing compared to the books! Some just made me frustrated because they have omitted so many relevant scenes. So, I am glad they finally made the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallow movie as near as the book. I definitely recommend Harry Potter to the young and the old. You’ll never regret buying the series as it will be passed on from generations to generations.

Accio book!

Title: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Author : J.K. Rowling
Series: 7th book of the Harry Potter
Pages: 759

BOOK REVIEW - FIRE

 Warning: This review may contain spoiler!

Fire is a prequel to Graceling but is a second book of the Graceling Series.  Because of the reviews that I have read online, I came to believe that Fire was better than Graceling. I thought it really must have superseded the first book, so i bought it.

Nah! I don't think so.

Graceling is fast paced, easy to read and full of action. I never get weary of reading it. Well, I found Fire dreary in between parts where King Leck was mentioned. The narration was boring, mind-numbing me to death. (You know the feeling when you are reading history book? That tiresome.)

In the beginning, I was hooked because of King Leck. Then came the nauseous narration pertaining to Fire and the Kingdom….hohuuuummm!!! I dropped my book and just  reread the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling and The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud for a breather.

But then again, since I bought the book, I continued reading it and skipped reading some tiresome stuff. (I know somehow it’s relevant to the story but sorry, it did not perk me up really.I just want to get over with it.) Then on Leck’s part again, when he kidnapped Fire I got interested again. It was the climatic part for me. But with the war and all yadah-yadah, I kinda felt I wasted my money buying this book.

The review said that creating Fire, Kristine Cashore has become matured in writing. The matured part they must be pertaining to was the sex and infidelity part, so no, I didn't like Fire (that's putting it bluntly). Don’t get me wrong, war has also an appeal to me—a war that gives detail of the plots, strategies, betrayal and great battles. Hmm...I guess this book was just not for me. Sorry Kristin, I was not as impressed as your 1^st book.  I didn’t appreciate a beautiful creature to be called a monster. Perhaps if it was given a name other than monster, it may be a little more catchy. A name that you invented to engrave it in our minds (for example, the word muggle by J.K. Rowling, that pertains to people without magic). Since you are already inventing this creature, why not invent a name for it? Just a thought.

Anyway, let’s see how your third book Bitterblue, will come out. Since it is a sequel to Graceling, I hope it’s better. Really better and not just press releases.