One Second After

Overall Grade: A+

Synopsis: (via GoodReads)

New York Times best selling author William R. Forstchen now brings us a story which can be all too terrifyingly real…a story in which one man struggles to save his family and his small North Carolina town after America loses a war, in one second, a war that will send America back to the Dark Ages…A war based upon a weapon, an Electro Magnetic Pulse (EMP). A weapon that may already be in the hands of our enemies.
Months before publication, One Second After has already been cited on the floor of Congress as a book all Americans should read, a book already being discussed in the corridors of the Pentagon as a truly realistic look at a weapon and its awesome power to destroy the entire United States, literally within one second. It is a weapon that the Wall Street Journal warns could shatter America. In the tradition of On the Beach, Fail Safe and Testament, this book, set in a typical American town, is a dire warning of what might be our future…and our end.

Review:

I read Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank years ago and count in among my favorite books. It was a fascinating look at how humanity can come together and adapt to a completely new world. However, I was a child during the bulk of the cold war; I barely remember the Berlin Wall falling and Russia has almost always been Russia–not the Soviet Union. Because I have never felt a real threat from nuclear weapons, Alas, Babylon didn’t frighten me as a realistic possibility.

One Second After is an entirely different read. I see myself and my family in the characters in the book and it is entirely real. Starvation, disease, clean water, and simple medicine are things we all take for granted and could be gone surprisingly quickly.

So, am I going to become a mountain survivalist? Most likely no…while I would love to have a farm and a large garden, I am a creature of the suburbs and have no illusions that I, and my family, would likely be among the first to die should the end come.

If there is one fault to the book, it is minor. The main character is a military historian and, with annoying frequency, compares the situation to “a movie he once saw” or “a famous painting of the Russian Revolution by…” or “a paper he once read while teaching at the military academy…” It isn’t a major distraction but it did get on my nerves near the end of the book.

So….go and read the book–I highly recommend it. But have something happy to read right after..you’ll need it because I will guarantee you’ll get choked up at one point or another.

Audiobook Details

Run time: 13 hours, 21 minutes.

I thought the reader, Joe Barrett, was excellent. He didn’t exactly “do the voices” but does somehow manage to instill a sense of personality into each character’s lines. I do feel for him–he did have the unfortunate job of having to narrate James Patterson’s The Murder of King Tut.

Overall: C+

Summary (courtesy GoodReads)

The death of Cleopatra was only the beginning…

Follows the incredible life of Cleopatra’s surviving children with Marc Antony — twins, named Alexander Helios and Cleopatra Selene, and a younger son named Ptolemy. All three were taken to Rome and paraded through the streets, then sent off to be raised by Octavia (the wife whom Marc Antony left for Cleopatra). Raised in one of the most fascinating courts of all time, Cleopatra’s children would have met Ovid, Seneca, Vitruvius (who inspired the Vitruvian man), Agrippa (who built the Pantheon), Herod, his sister Salome, the poets Virgil, Horace, Maecenas and so many others!

Thoughts

This is the third book by Michelle Moran that I’ve read in fairly quick succession and I had high hopes considering how impressive Michelle Moran’s vivid imagery and storytelling skills were in her previous books.   I thought the book was only partially successful.

The book was geared toward a young adult audience but the topics were almost entirely adult-oriented.  The book was not graphic, per se but the subjects of infanticide, marriage, atheism, international politics, and the ethics of slavery seemed a little heavy for a young adult books.  Furthermore, none of the really thought provoking issues the book mentions in passing were explored in any substantial way by the characters.

What is left?  A vaguely confusing love story that entangles most of the characters in the book.  I don’t want to reveal any spoilers but it was reminiscent of Pride and Prejudice on a somewhat larger scale.  However, while Pride and Prejudice developed the relationships over the course of the book, Cleopatra Selene (the Daughter of Cleopatra and the main character of the book) proclaims herself in love with little foreshadowing.

The pacing was also frustrating.  It felt as though half the book had passed by the time Selene and Alexander make it to Rome while the ending seemed incredibly rushed.

All in all, this certainly wasn’t my favorite Michelle Moran book and it isn’t one I would rush to recommend to someone since it seems to miss both of its potential audiences: too shallow and slow for adult historical fiction fans and too irrelevant for a young adult.

As a side note, what is up with that cover art? Selene is supposed to be 12 when she arrives in Rome.

Audiobook Details

The audiobook was well produced though the reader, Wanda McCaddon had what I can only describe as an odd voice.  Husky? Throaty?  I didn’t mind it but I would certainly recommend you listen to a sample before you purchase the audio version.

Run time: 11 hours, 56 minutes

Available here via Amazon and Audible: Cleopatra’s Daughter: A Novel

• Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
• Evermore
• New Moon
• Isis
• Mists of Avalon (part 1)

Old Reads Reviewed this Month:

• Graceling

In Progress:

• The Eight (but soon to be abandoned…it just isn’t picking up)

Abandoned:

• Foundation (for now, at least)

It was a light month for reading since my husband had a ton of time off work and I had a lot of end of the semester grading to do.  I’m excited to get back into books in the new year with all the challenges I have lined up!

I’ve already started on a few: Cleopatra’s Daughter and The Year of the Bomb–both are excellent so far and full reviews are on their way.

The Mists of Avalon (Part 1) by Marion Zimmer Bradley

Rating: C+

This is my first introduction to Arthurian legend and, while all the TH White books have been on my TBR list for quite some time, I decided to start this one first after re-stumbling upon it at Goodreads.

Unless you want the abridged version (and I loathe abridgments), the Mists of Avalon is broken in to four parts.  The first part, titled “Mistress of Magic” follows Morgaine from birth through her training as a priestess in Avalon under her Aunt Vivian’s hand.

I love the grandeur of the book–but perhaps I am more in love with the idea of being swept away by an excellent book rather than the grandeur of this specific book.

The plot seems bifurcated since the first portion of the book follows Igraine’s life through to her marriage to Uther Pendragon then abruptly shifts to the perspective of her daughter and little else is heard of Igraine.  I’m of two minds on this:  I liked the depth of background it gave for Morgaine’s life and the unfolding of the legend.  However, it was a little long….if the point of this portion of the book is to give Morgaine’s history depth, then she was featured far too little.

While I originally found the discussion of religion interesting, it has already become stale since there are only a few characters who seem to have the same discussion repeatedly.  There is little depth to the discussions other than “I hate Christianity,” “Druids are heathens,” and “The Goddess is awesome.”  I’d like something with a little more depth.

I was hoping for strong female characters with powerful influence in the courts (I am greatly missing strong Nefertari from The Heretic Queen) but the women present seem to have little power–even the women supposedly in positions of power (the Queen, a High Priestess, etc) value marriage, male children and weaving above all (and this coming from an avid spinner and knitter).

Had I been able to purchase the entire audiobook for a reasonable price or even two credits on audible, I would probably finish the book.  However, I am forced with the prospects of having to shell out another 60 bucks, I doubt I’ll continue.

Audiobook Details

As I said, this is only the first quarter of the original Mists of Avalon.  It is frustrating to have it divided since it increases the cost drastically–each quarter of the book boasts a $20 or so price tag on Audible.  I would be more persuaded with the “its so long” argument had I not already purchased the unabridged production of Gone With the Wind (49 hours) for a single credit.

The reader, Davina Porter, is enjoyable to listen to though I would have preferred to have someone with a hint of a British accent since the setting is of importance to the story.

Run time: 13 hours, 55 minutes.

Graceling

Overall Grade: A

Synopsis (from GoodReads):

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight–she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug.

When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change. She never expects to become Po’s friend. She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace–or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.

With elegant, evocative prose and a cast of unforgettable characters, debut author Kristin Cashore creates a mesmerizing world, a death-defying adventure, and a heart-racing romance that will consume you, hold you captive, and leave you wanting more.

Review:

This book has become one of my favorites in the young adult genre.  Kristen Cashore has developed a vivid world with an inventive concept of “graces.”  While they may be analogous to a superpower, they are looked on differently by the world in this book–many of the “graced” are forced into a type of slavery.  Its an interesting concept and one I can see quite believable if graces were present in our world.

Katsa is a wonderfully strong female character and, for this reason (along with it being an excellent read), I would highly recommend it to a young teenage girl.  While issues of love and relationships (and sex, but more on that later) are present, Katsa has a good head on her and does not fall in to the helpless maiden role at any point.  The relationship she builds with Po is one of equals and a good one to present to a young girl who may be overly familiar with twisted versions of relationships (I’m looking at you, Twilight).

The book reminded me a great deal of The Hunger Games (probably my favorite read of the last year).  The characters carry similar names and the central female warrier/fighter is the same.  I would highly recommend Graceling if you enjoyed The Hunger Games and vice-versa.

The ending was a little disappointing–the climax of the story was somewhat….well…anticlimactic.  It seemed a lot of buildup for a few sentences worth of action.  I thought it was in keeping with the story however, so I don’t consider it a deal breaker for the book.

Shortly after I read this book, one of my favorite groups on GoodReads read it (The YA Book Club) and there were some interesting discussions surrounding the appropriateness of sex in a young adult book.  There are some sex scenes (and also discussions of birth control) in the book.  They are not graphic but if this is a concern for you in reading this book or recommending it to a young person, this is something you may want to think about.

There are two related books though not quite sequels.  Fire is a prequel to Graceling but it set long before.  Bitterblue, a sequel that follows a somewhat minor character in Graceling, will contain the main characters of Graceling but not as a central focus.  Fire has been out for a while and I’m on the waiting list at our local library–I’m excited to read it as I really enjoyed Kristen Cashore’s style.

Audiobook Details

I read this book quite some time ago and I’m afraid I can’t remember many specifics though I do remember enjoying the reading.  It was a small cast production, which I usually enjoy and the readers had clear and emotionally vivid voices.

Run time is 12 hours, 31 minutes.

The Pulitzer Project

I’ve always been interested in reading the list of Pulitzer winners and was excited to find this challenge. The bonus? No time limit! I start off with a mere 4 read but there are several that are already on my TBR list.

2009 – Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
2008 – The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
2007 – The Road (McCarthy)
2006 – March (Brooks)
2005 – Gilead (Robinson)
2004 – The Known World (Jones)
2003 – Middlesex (Eugenides)
2002 – Empire Falls (Russo)
2001 – The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay (Chabon)
2000 – Interpreter of Maladies (Lahiri)
1999 – The Hours (Cunningham)
1998 – American Pastoral (Roth)
1997 – Martin Dressler: The Tale of an American Dreamer (Millhauser)
1996 – Independence Day (Ford)
1995 – The Stone Diaries (Shields)
1994 – The Shipping News (Proulx)
1993 – A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain (Butler)
1992 – A Thousand Acres (Smiley)
1991 – Rabbit at Rest (Updike)
1990 – The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love (Hijuelos)
1989 – Breathing Lessons (Tyler)
1988 – Beloved (Morrison)
1987 – A Summons to Memphis (Taylor)
1986 – Lonesome Dove (McMurtry)
1985 – Foreign Affairs (Lurie)
1984 – Ironweed (Kennedy)
1983 – The Color Purple (Walker)
1982 – Rabbit is Rich (Updike)
1981 – A Confederacy of Dunces (Toole)
1980 – The Executioner’s Song (Mailer)
1979 – The Stories of John Cheever (Cheever)
1978 – Elbow Room (McPherson)
1976 – Humboldt’s Gift (Bellow)
1975 – The Killer Angels (Shaara)
1973 – The Optimist’s Daughter (Welty)
1972 – Angle of Repose (Stegner)
1970 – Collected Stories by Jean Stafford (Stafford)
1969 – House Made of Dawn (Momaday)
1968 – The Confessions of Nat Turner (Styron)
1967 – The Fixer (Malamud)
1966 – Collected Stories by Katherine Anne Porter (Porter)
1965 – The Keepers Of the House (Grau)
1964 – None given
1963 – The Reivers (Faulkner)
1962 – The Edge of Sadness (Edwin O’Connor)
1961 – To Kill a Mockingbird (Lee)
1960 – Advise and Consent (Drury)
1959 – The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters (Taylor)
1958 – A Death in the Family (Agee)
1956 – Andersonville (Kantor)
1955 – A Fable (Faulkner)
1953 – The Old Man and the Sea (Hemingway)
1952 – The Caine Mutiny (Wouk)
1951 – The Town (Richter)
1950 – The Way West (Guthrie)
1949 – Guard of Honor (Cozzens)
1948 – Tales of the South Pacific (Michener)
1947 – All the King’s Men (Warren)
1945 – Bell for Adano (Hersey)
1944 – Journey in the Dark (Flavin)
1943 – Dragon’s Teeth I (Sinclair)
1942 – In This Our Life (Glasgow)
1940 – The Grapes of Wrath (Steinbeck)
1939 – The Yearling (Rawlings)
1938 – The Late George Apley (Marquand)
1937 – Gone with the Wind (Mitchell)
1936 – Honey in the Horn (Davis)
1935 – Now in November (Johnson)
1934 – Lamb in His Bosom (Miller)
1933 – The Store (Stribling)
1932 – The Good Earth (Buck)
1931 – Years of Grace (Barnes)
1930 – Laughing Boy (Lafarge)
1929 – Scarlet Sister Mary (Peterkin)
1928 – The Bridge of San Luis Rey (Wilder)
1927 – Early Autumn (Bromfield)
1926 – Arrowsmith (Lewis)
1925 – So Big (Ferber)
1924 – The Able McLauglins (Wilson)
1923 – One of Ours (Cather)
1922 – Alice Adams (Tarkington)
1921 – The Age of Innocence (Wharton)
1919 – The Magnificent Ambersons (Tarkington)
1918 – His Family (Poole)

Read the Book, See the Movie!

This one sounds like a lot of fun! It comes in a few different challenge levels from 1 book/1 movie to 10 books/10 movies. I’m going for the Saturday Movie Marathon Level which requires 4 books/4 movies.

I’ll keep challenge updates in the sidebar!

100+ Reading Challenge
hosted by J. Kaye

I’m always up for a hefty challenge! 100+ books in 2010! I’ll be updating my progress in the sidebar.

The Original TBR Challenge

1. Something Wicked This Way Comes
2. The Inheritance of Loss
3. The Three Musketeers
4. American Gods
5. Devil in the White City
6. The Know-it-All
7. The Killer Angels
8. The Road
9. The Martian Chronicles
10. The Once and Future King
11. Old Man’s War
12. Emma

Alternates…  Just in case.

1. The Odyssey
2. The Time Machine