China Marches West: The Qing Conquest of Central Eurasia (Peter C. Perdue)
When you read as much history as I do, you tend to start looking for the parts that are glossed over. A visit to your local bookstore will show shelves overflowing with World War 2, but finding a good book about the history of central Asia from the 1600s to the 1800s as the Russians, Chinese, and Mongols struggle for supremacy is a rare find. China Marches West can be a little intimidating, both because of its sheer size and scholarly tone (about as rip-roaring as it gets is on page 342 where we're told "We now turn to the material details of agrarian production"). The book demands your full attention, but in return it's quite interesting. The first half of the book is a narrative history of, well, you can probably tell from the title, with the second half being a more in-depth breakdown covering anything you could possibly want to know about trade and agricultural practices on the frontier. The second half is drier, and I admit I did start skipping a fair amount of pages, but it's weird how fascinating reading about Chinese military granaries can be.
Grade: B+
Showing posts with label 108 stars of destiny. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 108 stars of destiny. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
A Clash of Kings
A Clash of Kings (book 2 of A Song of Ubiquity and 25% off at Target)
George R. R. Martin
As I had said in the previous review, this book was better in hindsight having made it through the second book, which I found to be a vast improvement. Which was true. And now, having finished the third one, I can say, jeez, I dunno.
In any event, it's a great improvement over Game of Thrones, in that the intrigue is more interesting, and there's a hell of a lot more action, which certainly helps make this one the best I've read in the series so far.
Good:
ACTION. Jeez, and how. Yes, this book is talky, but you can't say that shit doesn't happen in it.
Different characters. Davos Seaworth's chapters especially are interesting reads, bringing new perspective to the story, especially as one of the few people in the book not constantly under oligarchic pressure from their noble blood and kin. It's also nice to see some characters formerly sitting out the story in the background get the spotlight for once as well.
Better characterization. Catelyn Stark actually gets some dimensions, and this book is all the better for it. Her sorrow and frustrations were one of the most well written parts of the book I thought, even if they were a bit un-subtle. Arya Stark's chapters got a lot more interesting as well, and it was nice to see her given more to do other than mope about not wanting to act like a lady.
Bad:
Drags at points. This is an improvement over Game of Thrones, but, honestly, starts to get worse again in the next book in the series (review forthcoming.) Again, I often would sigh to myself that another Sansa chapter was coming up, or the real offender this time, Danerys Targaryen, whose story really has yet to interest me very much even three books into the story. Obviously it's a slow build with her, but jeez, this is pushing it for me. The most improved award goes to the aforementioned Arya, whose chapters got pretty compelling. Sadly, Jon Snow's chapters, which, after his initial "okay, sigh, he's getting into trouble again" phase, got quite interesting, seemed to slow back down into literal slow, plodding marches through the snow.
The dialogue isn't great. Tyrion Lannister seemed wittier in the first book, to me. At least no one was given the wind again. But, geez, Danerys has some hokey lines.
Grade: A- (this will drop back to reality for the next book.)
George R. R. Martin
As I had said in the previous review, this book was better in hindsight having made it through the second book, which I found to be a vast improvement. Which was true. And now, having finished the third one, I can say, jeez, I dunno.
In any event, it's a great improvement over Game of Thrones, in that the intrigue is more interesting, and there's a hell of a lot more action, which certainly helps make this one the best I've read in the series so far.
Good:
ACTION. Jeez, and how. Yes, this book is talky, but you can't say that shit doesn't happen in it.
Different characters. Davos Seaworth's chapters especially are interesting reads, bringing new perspective to the story, especially as one of the few people in the book not constantly under oligarchic pressure from their noble blood and kin. It's also nice to see some characters formerly sitting out the story in the background get the spotlight for once as well.
Better characterization. Catelyn Stark actually gets some dimensions, and this book is all the better for it. Her sorrow and frustrations were one of the most well written parts of the book I thought, even if they were a bit un-subtle. Arya Stark's chapters got a lot more interesting as well, and it was nice to see her given more to do other than mope about not wanting to act like a lady.
Bad:
Drags at points. This is an improvement over Game of Thrones, but, honestly, starts to get worse again in the next book in the series (review forthcoming.) Again, I often would sigh to myself that another Sansa chapter was coming up, or the real offender this time, Danerys Targaryen, whose story really has yet to interest me very much even three books into the story. Obviously it's a slow build with her, but jeez, this is pushing it for me. The most improved award goes to the aforementioned Arya, whose chapters got pretty compelling. Sadly, Jon Snow's chapters, which, after his initial "okay, sigh, he's getting into trouble again" phase, got quite interesting, seemed to slow back down into literal slow, plodding marches through the snow.
The dialogue isn't great. Tyrion Lannister seemed wittier in the first book, to me. At least no one was given the wind again. But, geez, Danerys has some hokey lines.
Grade: A- (this will drop back to reality for the next book.)
Monday, July 16, 2012
Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones
George R. R. Martin
I had a hairdresser ask me how I could have possibly put this book down and start reading other books when I had trouble getting into it at first. Apparently your mileage may vary with this, was the lesson I got.
So, yes, obviously, I had trouble getting into this book. It doesn't help that it has slightly fewer characters than a Suikoden game. I have to say, watching an episode or two of the TV series helped. I've only seen one or two episodes of the TV series, though. It helped put a face to the at first endless parade of new characters being introduced, and afterwards I was ready to give the book another go (and apparently putting aside all hope of ever finishing the Iron Warriors omnibus.)
There's a dramatis personae at the back of the book, which I didn't notice was there until I was done with the book. It would have helped immensely to know it was there. Or if it had been printed at the front, so I could have known whom the Westeros equivalent of Hetman of Genome Brigade 321 Gilead was.
I've already finished the second book, which addresses at least some of my complaints about the first book, which is largely the lack of characterization or character development. It's much improved in A Clash of Kings, but throughout Game of Thrones, I felt confined by some of the characters, especially since the whole story is divided into chapters as seen by specific characters. I can't say how many times I skipped ahead in a Sansa chapter to see who would be next out of frustration with Sansa being frustrated. The only characters that actually seem to grow throughout the book are Arya Stark and Jon Snow, both of whom only seem to grow when they resign themselves to being stuck with life having dealt them a shitty hand and can't mulligan it.
Another frustration is some major characters never have a "chapter," and spend a lot of time "off camera," leaving me, two books in, wondering just what kind of character some people actually are, since we only see them through other characters reporting far-away actions and reminiscing about how great/terrible they are.
Overall, once you get over the initial hump, the book glides along on all cylinders, and the court intrigue and medieval combat actually becomes gripping and compelling, in spite of the oft too archetypal heroes and villains. (Most of whom eventually improve anyway.)
Grade: B+
George R. R. Martin
I had a hairdresser ask me how I could have possibly put this book down and start reading other books when I had trouble getting into it at first. Apparently your mileage may vary with this, was the lesson I got.
So, yes, obviously, I had trouble getting into this book. It doesn't help that it has slightly fewer characters than a Suikoden game. I have to say, watching an episode or two of the TV series helped. I've only seen one or two episodes of the TV series, though. It helped put a face to the at first endless parade of new characters being introduced, and afterwards I was ready to give the book another go (and apparently putting aside all hope of ever finishing the Iron Warriors omnibus.)
There's a dramatis personae at the back of the book, which I didn't notice was there until I was done with the book. It would have helped immensely to know it was there. Or if it had been printed at the front, so I could have known whom the Westeros equivalent of Hetman of Genome Brigade 321 Gilead was.
I've already finished the second book, which addresses at least some of my complaints about the first book, which is largely the lack of characterization or character development. It's much improved in A Clash of Kings, but throughout Game of Thrones, I felt confined by some of the characters, especially since the whole story is divided into chapters as seen by specific characters. I can't say how many times I skipped ahead in a Sansa chapter to see who would be next out of frustration with Sansa being frustrated. The only characters that actually seem to grow throughout the book are Arya Stark and Jon Snow, both of whom only seem to grow when they resign themselves to being stuck with life having dealt them a shitty hand and can't mulligan it.
Another frustration is some major characters never have a "chapter," and spend a lot of time "off camera," leaving me, two books in, wondering just what kind of character some people actually are, since we only see them through other characters reporting far-away actions and reminiscing about how great/terrible they are.
Overall, once you get over the initial hump, the book glides along on all cylinders, and the court intrigue and medieval combat actually becomes gripping and compelling, in spite of the oft too archetypal heroes and villains. (Most of whom eventually improve anyway.)
Grade: B+
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