Happy 1 Year Blogoversary to Me!

My blog first opened its doors to the pulbic one year ago without any real aim or target. I probably only started the blog to be a place to chat about the books I have read and any other book related topics that came to my head. I was filled with a little bit of trepidation however wasn't sure if I actually had the ability to write reviews that people would be able to follow, never mind be interested in.

However, a year later and I am still here with my posts receiving the odd comments and over 80 followers. Maybe not many compared to many other blogs out there, but as long as it appears some people are reading and discussing my posts then I feel that it has become what I wanted it to be.

For anyone interested, I thought I would share some of my year 1 stats.

Total Pageviews: 16,530
Top Three Visiting Nations: USA, UK & Germany

Review with the highest views: What Happened at Midnight
Total Number of books reviewed: 87

Number of Star Trek books reviewed: 9

I have to admit I have really enjoyed running the blog as it has made me delve deeper into books than I ever did before and has introduced me to many other interesting blogs, websites and people. Anyway, thank you all again for reading my blog and commenting over the year so that I didn't feel all alone in the big blogging world!

Port of Errors (Born of Tyranny Book 1) - Steve V. Cypert

Title: Port of Errors (Born of Tyranny Book 1)
Author: Steve V. Cypert
Genre: Historical Fiction
Published: 2011
Formats: Paperback/Ebook

Available at:
Amazon
Smashwords
Kobo
Amazon UK

"Port of Errors" by Steve V. Cypert is the first in a proposed series of novels titled "Born of Tyranny". It is an enjoyable and colourful historical fiction novel that involves everyone's favourite anti-heroes, the swash-buckling pirates of the 1700's.

The story is set in a time when relations between the major European powers, England, Spain and France are at a low point and the seas have become a perfect hunting ground for privateers and pirates. Into this world are born Davey and Joseph, two friends who grew up in the same orphanage. However, after an accident they become separated and embark upon very different lives. Joseph is adopted and renamed Daniel prior to becoming a Captain in the Royal Navy, meanwhile Davey turns to piracy and becomes known as the dreaded pirate captain, Black Hearted. Now on opposing sides, these two former friends being a game of cat and mouse in an attempt to hunt down and kill each other, without realising that their foe is actually a long lost friend.

Everything you could expect from a pirate based novel is contained in "Port of Errors", there are tall ships, sea battles, damsels in distress and elements of tyranny, friendship and loyalty. This was all packaged up in a novel that started slowly but soon developed into a fun, fast paced read that included a few elements of dark humour. There was also plenty of action and adventure interspersed throughout and the plot itself was rather detailed and quite intricate at times.

The intricate plot though does have its disadvantages as it results in a large variety of characters and there is a fair bit of jumping back and forth in time. This was made worse by the fact that various characters changed names and allegiances throughout the book so it could get a little bit confusing. In addition, I felt that the Cypert struggled to fully realise all the characters due to the number involved. Some of them were superbly developed and I enjoyed following them, but other just didn't grab me to any real extent and some even felt a little bit unneeded.

I did note that there is a fair amount of graphic violence in the novel, which is to be expected considering the type of people it is based around. However, if you are someone who is not fond of reading a detailed description of someone being keel hauled etc. then you may wish to give this book a wide berth.

Overall, this was an enjoyable adventure novel with an interesting and intricate plotline that really kept me hooked once it got going. The ending also came together very nicely and it leaves an interesting opening for future novels in the series that I now look forward to reading. I just hope that the author doesn't throw many more characters into the next novel or my head may just explode.

Challenges Book Counts Towards:
Ebook Reading Challenge (The Eclectic Bookshelf)
Ebook Reading Challenge (Workaday Reads)
Free Reads Challenge

Star Trek Enterprise: Daedalus's Children - Dave Stern

Title: Daedalus's Children
Author: Dave Stern
Genre: Sci-Fi
Published: 2004
Formats: Paperback/Ebook

Available at:
Amazon
Kobo
Amazon UK

"Daedalus's Children" by Dave Stern is is the latest book in my Star Trek Reading Challenge and it follows on directly from "Daedalus" which I have previously reviewed here. As this is a sequel to "Daedalus" then I must warn you that some of this review may include spoilers in relation to that novel. In all honesty though, if you haven't read the first book then reading this one would probably be pointless anyway as this novel jumps straight back into the ongoing story.

As stated above, the story follows on from "Daedalus", in which the Enterprise and her crew are trapped in a parallel Universe. Archer and the majority of his crew are prisoners of the Denari government, whilst Trip and Hoshi are working with an opposition movement to try and track down the Enterprise. However, due to previous actions that left the leader of the Denar government, General Sadir, dead, events are spiraling out of control and the threat of civil war looms. The Enterprise and her crew must now not only try and survive the ongoing crisis; they also need to find a way to return to their own Universe.

Once again, Stern fills the novel with surprises and twists alongside an entertaining and action packed plot. I also found the pacing to be perfect and I found myself really rocketing through the book as it held my attention superbly.

The aspect of this novel that I really appreciated was that unlike "Daedalus" which mainly focused on Trip, this novel centered on the entire crew. I felt that Stern really brought out the characters well and I enjoyed being able to witness events from multiple viewpoints. I did feel that some of the ways in which some of the crew members stumbled upon each other as the story progressed were a little bit too coincidental but this is a minor quibble really.

Stern's minor characters from the parallel Universe also continued to play an important part in the novel. There were superbly portrayed, the relationships between themselves and the Enterprise crew were interesting to follow and added a little bit of emotion to the story. I will admit that the number of characters can get a little bit much at times for you to follow easily. However, overall I think these characters added to the story so I wouldn't really fault the novel much for this.

In summary, this was an entertaining and enjoyable conclusion to the story initiated in "Daedalus". It is fast paced, action packed and a real page turner that anyone who enjoyed reading "Daedalus" will struggle to put down.

Challenges Book Counts Towards:
Ebook Reading Challenge (The Eclectic Bookshelf)
Ebook Reading Challenge (Workaday Reads)

Star Trek Enterprise: Daedalus - Dave Stern

Title: Daedalus
Author: Dave Stern
Genre: Sci-Fi
Published: 2003
Formats: Paperback/Ebook

Available at:
Amazon
The Book Depository
Kobo
Amazon UK

"Daedalus" by Dave Stern is the latest book in my Star Trek Reading Challenge. I was actually a little bit confused at first as I had assumed prior to reading the blurb that this book would actually be based on the "Enterprise" TV episode of the same name. However, this is not the case and both stories are entirely different from each other which wasn't an issue to me as I actually prefer an original novels to a novelization of an episode.

The story itself mainly follows the antics of Commander Tucker after an investigation into an anomaly leaves the Enterprise crippled before then being attacked and captured by an alien species known as the Denar. Tucker manages to escape alongside Ensign Sato and they are then both rescued by a group calling themselves the Guild who are at war with the very people who attacked the Enterprise. The Guild request Trip's assistance in the form of technological help in return for them helping him find and rescue the Enterprise and its crew. Trip of course is a bit wary about helping too much after previous experiences in influencing less advanced species, but when a further discovery related to his past results in his world being turned upside down, it becomes harder for him to refuse to help.

The first thing I need to say is that this is probably the best Enterprise novel I have read so far although there hasn't been much competition. I found the plot to be simple but interesting, the characters were engaging and there was enough action and plot twists to keep me entertained from start to finish. Now, it isn't what someone would call a classic Science Fiction novel by any stretch of the imagination, but I think it will be a fun read for anyone who was a fan of the show.

In regards to the characters, this book is pretty much all about Trip. The bulk of the storyline is basically built around him although Hoshi is around as well, but her role is hugely limited as well, which I found rather reminiscent of the TV series. That is really about it though in regards to the other crewmembers, a few odd appearances but nothing else, Stern spends more time developing and showcasing his own original Denari characters instead. Personally, I quite enjoyed seeing the development of some interesting and original characters, but it would have also been nice to see a little bit more from the other Enterprise crewmembers in regards to their own predicament.

I have to say that the ending itself was a little bit of a let down due to its cliff hanger nature. There is no real closure when you complete the novel, you basically have to read the sequel "Daedalus's Children" to find out what happens. It annoyed me a little as "Daedalus" wasn't the longest of novels I have read in the Star Trek Universe and it felt to me like the book was split into two parts as a money making idea to fleece the fans some more.

In summary this is a very enjoyable Enterprise novel that had me hooked to the point that I just abandoned my reading list and picked up the sequel as soon as I finished. I will add that as with many other Star Trek books I have read, this book is unlikely to really appeal to someone who isn't normally interested in the show, but any fans should hopefully find something to pique their interest.

Challenges Book Counts Towards:
Ebook Reading Challenge (The Eclectic Bookshelf)
Ebook Reading Challenge (Workaday Reads)

This Dark Magic - Chryse Wymer

Title: This Dark Magic
Author: Chryse Wymer
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Published: 2010
Formats: Ebook

Available at:
Amazon
Smashwords
Kobo
Amazon UK

"This Dark Magic" by Chryse Wymer is a self published dark fantasy novella set in a city that appears to have fallen on bad times. It basically follows the trials of journalist Charlie Landers as he gets caught up in the machinations of someone using dark magic to control and exploit people for their own gain.

The story is quite quirky as it tries to embrace fantasy, horror and even a little comedy. The setting of the novel was nicely handled with a short and punchy sentence structure that helped make you feel the desolation in the city and its residents. As it is a novella don't expect any deep character development but the protagonist himself was the best part of the novel in my opinion; his wit, and dry humour was enjoyable to read. Then there were the chapter titles, all of them seemed to contain a little bit of humour within that had me smiling as I started each one.

The novella itself seemed to be well edited to me which was nice to see in a self-published book as I have seen some horror shows in the past. The one issue I did have with the writing though was in some of the descriptive techniques used: some aspects of the story would have better served by a straightforward description than by using some rather convoluted metaphors or similes. The best example of that is the following line, “The skyscraper resembled a rectangular soup can, not brooding and cool but ugly and barely functional”. In all honesty I am still not sure what this sentence is even trying to make me picture in my mind.

I also think the shortness of the story did let it down a little bit as it seemed to result in the author quickly jumping from scene to scene which did leave me a little bit confused at times as I tried to follow what had happened. However, this did reduce as the novel progressed and by the last few chapters I felt I could follow the scene changes without any real issue.

Overall, I think this would be a good quick buy for people that enjoy Urban Fantasy and want to try out something new. Personally, I found the wit and dry humour in the story to be enjoyable, and it was just a shame that the short length resulted in a rather jumpy narrative.

Challenges Book Counts Towards:
Ebook Reading Challenge (The Eclectic Bookshelf)
Ebook Reading Challenge (Workaday Reads)
Free Reads Challenge
Speculative Fiction Challenge

Mockingjay (The Hunger Games Trilogy Book 3) - Suzanne Collins

Title: Mockingjay (The Hunger Games Trilogy Book 3)
Author: Suzanne Collins
Genre: Sci-Fi
Published: 2010
Formats: Hardback/Paperback/Ebook

Available at:
Amazon
The Book Depository
Amazon UK

"Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins is the 3rd and final book in her "The Hunger Games" trilogy which was started by the novel, "The Hunger Games" reviewed here and it's sequel "Catching Fire" reviewed here.

The story is set a month after the conclusion of "Catching Fire" with Katniss Everdeen now hiding in the underground city of District 13. At the same time, the other districts have begun a rebellion against "The Capitol" and President Snow which has lead to heavy losses and the complete destruction of Katniss' home, District 12. As the war continues, the leaders of the rebellion turn to Katniss herself and ask her to be the face of the rebellion, a role to which she is initially loathe to take on. However, soon her desire for revenge leads her to accept the role even though it leads her along a path that could cause her to risk losing everything.

I am going to start by being honest and say I probably enjoyed this novel more than "Catching Fire". It just felt like Katniss was a little bit more in charge of her own destiny that she had been in the previous book. In addition, it was nice to see a slightly different story from the first two novels which had really followed the same overall plot structure in my opinion. In the end though, the book still wasn't as satisfying as "The Hunger Games" itself had been but it is always hard to match up the first book in a series.

The book is full of enjoyable and entertaining periods of action, suspense and adventure, but this time I also think there is a deeper sense of depression and gloom around which did make for an interesting read. This was specifically so in the case for Peeta who has a terrible time of it in this novel and is quite psychologically damaged at one point in the story which was really intriguing to follow.

The shame of it though, was that some of the more shocking moments and saddening episodes within the novel just weren't brought across very well. Several characters die during this book but they mainly seem to be dealt with by only a single line with Katniss then moping about it for a few more. There is no real "oh my god, no!" moment from the reader because it is over in a flash and isn't really written that well by Collins. For one character's death specifically I didn't even realise that it had actually happened until a few pages later.

I also once again I found myself getting irritated by a lover triangle that I really didn't care that much about. Katniss continued to just come across as a little bit uncaring about either Peeta or Gale and it made it hard for me to really care then if she even ended up with one of them. Then when she does end up with one of them, it almost feels like Katniss has just ended up picking them because of the way things occurred without any specific reason.

In summary, whilst I have listed some of my issues above this was still another enjoyable book in the series but it just doesn't match up to the feelings I had when I read "The Hunger Games". The ending is also little bit sudden I think and it would have been nicer to actually watch Katniss live during the years after the main events in the novel rather than just getting a quick and un-satisfying snapshot from the future. Basically, if you have read and enjoyed the previous books in this series then you will want to read this book and should find something in it to enjoy but don't expect it to fulfil all the desires you may have wanted for a final book.

Challenges Book Counts Towards:
Speculative Fiction Challenge
Sci-Fi Reader Challenge

Hide & Seek - Thomas Kaplan-Maxfield

Title: Hide & Seek
Author: Thomas Kaplan-Maxfield
Genre: Crime & Mystery
Published: 2011
Formats: Paperback/Ebook

Available at:
Amazon
The Book Depository
Smashwords
Kobo
Amazon UK

"Hide & Seek" by Thomas Kaplan-Maxfield is an enjoyable and unique mystery novel that runs differently to how a traditional murder mystery would normally be set up. The difference is that the reader finds out early on who the murder actually is and the mystery revolves around the identity of the person who is seemingly trying to catch the murderer.

The story is set in Boston with most of the characters being from the high society of the city. The killer, David Draper is a poet who has been discounted by the police as a suspect and he therefore seems free to live with just his own guilt and remorse over what he has done. However, when his sister invites him to a murder mystery weekend on a tiny island off Cape Cod he becomes convinced that one of the other guests is aware of his secret and is using the murder mystery to uncover him.

I must admit that I only read mystery novels ever so often but this book definitely ignited a desire to read more of them as I thoroughly enjoyed it. The mystery itself is wonderfully complex with jealousy, greed and hatred all mixed up to create a superb story full of suspense and intrigue. In addition, the book is nicely written and the author has filled the plot with enough twists and red herrings to keep most readers guessing right until the ending.

I found all the characters to be brilliantly written with each of them having their own link to the murder victim. I enjoyed reading about all of them as they all had their own quirks, weaknesses and secrets that came out as the story progressed. In regards to David himself, it is actually difficult to dislike even with his memory of the murder at the fore front as he has been crafted into a multi-faceted person superbly by Kaplan-Maxfield.

Overall, this was a fun and enjoyable murder mystery novel with a unique twist that really kept my attention throughout. The setting in the old hotel actually made the story feel a little bit like the game Cluedo (aka Clue in the USA) except you know who the murder is. I think anyone who enjoys mystery novels would love to read this book so go pick it up but make sure you don't cheat and read the ending as Kaplan-Maxfield finishes the novel with a brilliant curve ball.

Challenges Book Counts Towards:
Ebook Reading Challenge (The Eclectic Bookshelf)
Ebook Reading Challenge (Workaday Reads)
Free Reads Challenge