Tag: Hodder- • BookLikes

review 2018-09-11 10:15

Encounters of Sherlock Holmes - George Mann,Mark Hodder,Paul Magrs,James Lovegrove,Eric Brown,Richard Dinnick,David Barnett,Cavan Scott,Mark Wright,Stuart Douglas,Kelly Hale,Mags L. Halliday,Nick Kyme,Steve Lockley

As always with a set of stories this is a mixed bag, but there's a love of the stories of Sherlock Holmes that comes across from all of the stories. Little details like the Persian Slipper become stories. There's mashups from other stories (H G Wells War of the Worlds for example) and they often take an interesting twist.

None of the stories are terribly memorable or made me want to hunt up more by the authors but none were terrible and would suggest to me to avoid those authors.

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text 2018-05-07 14:08

The Land of Painted Caves (Earth's Children #6) by Jean M. Auel

Fangs for the Fantasy

The Land of Painted Caves: Earth's Children Series - Jean M Auel,Rowena Cooper,Hodder Headline Limited

This is the final book in the Earth's Children series and it follows the journey of Ayla, as she attempts to become a Zelandonia (read: medicine woman) of her adopted tribe the Zelandonii. Ayla must survive in a prehistoric world in which danger lurks at every corner and life is dependent upon gathering from the land, while going through rigorous training which will test all of the skills that she has developed to date. Most people who train for the Zelandonii are not mated, let alone have children and so this journey will test Ayla's relationship with Jondalar - the first human she met after being expelled from the Clan. Will Ayla finally come full circle and be welcomed and cherished by the others from whom she was seperated from so many years ago?

I know that normally when we a review a series, we start with book one and follow through until the end but because I first read clan of the Cave Bear when I was a pre-teen and didn't know until recently that Auel had finally gotten around to finishing the series, starting at the beginning just felt like too much. Including a review of The Land of Painted Caves is a bit of a stretch on Fangs for the Fantasy given that it's not exactly paranormal; however, it does fall clearly into the realm of historical fantasy. Auel has clearly done a lot of research into the tools used in prehistoric times and created a world which includes a creation myth and a religion that we can only imagine because not much survives from this time.

The Land of Painted Caves is seven hundred and fifty-seven pages long and could easily have been cut down by a minimum of three hundred pages. It was only my determination to see this story through to the end because of the fact that I started this series so young which caused me to persevere to the end. It's quite possible to skip entire pages at a time and not miss a single thread of the story. The Land of Painted Caves is absolutely the definition of over written and pointless.

It's not surprising that given the fact that modern science as we understand it is thousands of years away in The Land of Painted Caves that Auel had her characters worship natural spirits. It makes sense to me that Auel had the Zelandonii practice a form of earth based religion; however, said worship quickly became tedious. Because the Zelandonii are in a pre written word stage of development, they practice an oral tradition of passing on information. Auel took this oral tradition too far because she insisted on writing "The Mother's Song" repeatedly throughout the novel.

Out of the darkness, the chaos of time,

the whirlwind gave birth to the Mother sublime.

She woke to Herself knowing life had great worth,

the dark empty void grieved the Great Mother Earth.

The Mother was lonely. She was the only.

From the dust of Her birth she created the other,

A pale shining friend, a companion, a brother.

They grew up together, learned to love and to care,

And when She was ready, they decided to pair.

Around Her he'd hover. Her pale shining lover.

She was happy at first with her one counterpart.

Then the Mother grew restless, unsure in Her heart.

She loved Her fair friend, Her dear complement,

But something was missing, Her love was unspent.

She was the Mother. She needed another.

She dared the great void, the chaos, the dark,

To find the cold home of the life-giving spark.

The whirlwind was fearsome, the darkness complete.

Chaos was freezing, and reached for Her heat.

The mother was brave. the danger was grave.

She drew from cold chaos the creative source,

Then conceiving within, She fled with life force.

She grew with life that She carried inside.

And gave of Herself with love and with pride.

The Mother was hearing. her life She was sharing.

With a thunderous roar Her stones split asunder,

And from the great cave that opened deep under,

She birthed once again from her cavernous heart,

Bringing forth all the creatures of Earth from the start,

From the Mother forlorn, more children were born.

Each child was different, some were large and some small,

Some could walk and some fly, some could swim and some crawl.

But each form was perfect, each spirit complete,

Each one was a model whose shape could repeat.

The Mother was willing. The green earth was filling,

All the birds an the fish and the animals born,

Would not leave the Mother, this time, to mourn.

Each kind would live near the place of its birth,

And share the expanse of the Great Mother Earth.

Close to Her they would stay. They could not run away.

They all were her children, they filled her with pride

But they used up the life force she carried inside.

She had enough left for a last innovation,

A child who'd remember Who made the creation,

A child who'd respect. And learn to protect.

First Woman was born full frown and alive,

And given the Gifts she would need to survive.

Life was the First Gift, and like Mother Earth,

She woke to herself knowing life had great worth.

First Woman defined. The first of her kind.

Next was the Gift of Perception, of learning,

The desire to know, the Gift of Discovering,

First Woman was given the knowledge within,

That would help her to live, then impart to her kin.

First Woman would know. How to learn, how to grow.

Her life force near gone, the Mother was spent,

To pass on Life's Spirit had been Her intent.

She caused all of Her children to create life anew,

And Woman was blessed to bring forth life, too.

But Woman was lonely. She was the only.

The Mother remembered Her own loneliness

The love of Her friend and his hovering caress,

With the last spark remaining, Her labor began,

To share life with Woman, She created First Man.

Again She was giving, One more was living.

To Woman and Man the Mother gave birth,

And then for their home, She gave them the Earth,

The water, the land, and all Her creation.

To use them with care was their obligation.

It was their home to use, But never abuse.

For the Children of Earth the Mother provided,

The Gifts to survive, and then She decided,

To give them the Gift of Pleasure and caring,

That honors the Mother with the joy of their sharing.

The Gifts are well earned, When honor's returned.

The Mother was pleased with the pair she created,

She taught them to love and to care when they mated.

She mad them desire to join with each other,

The Gift of their Pleasures came from the Mother.

Before She was through, Her children loved too.

Her last Gift, the Knowledge that man has his part.

His need must be spent before new life can start.

It honors the Mother when the couple is paired,

Because woman conceived when Pleasures are shared.

Earth's Children were blessed. The could rest.

Reading this horrendous poem one time in an over seven hundred word tome, is not necessarily a bad thing but reading it repeatedly because for some bizarre reason, Auel was determined that readers be beat over the head with her creation myth is just not forgivable. I perhaps could have gotten over the poem that just wouldn't end if Auel didn't decide to send Ayla on a tour of supposed sacred caves. On Ayla's first trip in, I read through the speculation as to why there were paintings on the cave walls, as well as justifications as to why said cave was supposedly sacred (note: because of echos apparently) and I really was fine with it but by about the tenth cave I was done. I found myself begging for mercy. How many times does one have to read about how amazing the long forgotten artist was or how important it was to create an echo to prove sacredness? Give it a rest already. By the half way point, anytime they entered a cave I started skimming for the sake of my own sanity.

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4

review 2018-02-21 22:28

debbiekrenzer

Lie with Me - Kirk Bage,Sabine Durrant,Hodder & Stoughton UK

Boy, can this guy Paul tell a lie. Problem is he tells so many that people are confused. I think he even confuses himself trying to just keep up with all his lies. Oh and shocker!!, he's a real loser. HA!!

He's had one book published and hasn't really done anything since except for keeping up with his lies. He lies to his friends, his mother, and even strangers. Why? Even if it's just a little one.

Anyways, while reading this I totally thought "his friends" who took him to Pyros were just as shady as him. However, in a more deadly way. And when I got to the end . . .

This book was cray, cray!! I could see where it was going, but I didn't care. I was totally in for the ride!!! Ready and willing! And, I'm glad I took this journey. Very well done!!!

Thanks to Hodder and Stoughton, Mulholland Books and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

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review 2017-08-27 12:14

A work of originality and brilliance

runner

he - Simon Slater,Hodder & Stoughton UK,John Connolly

When I first heard that John Connolly had written a fictional account of the life of Stan Laurel, based on the latter's correspondence, I was very intrigued to acquire and read the book. I have the greatest admiration for JC but am more familiar with his creation the anti hero and very troubled detective Charlie Parker the series now having reached book No. 15, each one written with a flair and brilliance that has seen Connolly acclaimed both in Europe and the US, and rightly so. "He" a book giving the reader a glimpse into the amazing and often troubled life of a man who achieved fame and adulation in the early days of the "talkies" ...Stan Laurel. The he in the book is of course "him", the author never uses his stage name simply because Stan Laurel did not really exist and the true essence of the man is somewhere between Arthur Jefferson, his birth name, and his stage name. In order to construct and present Stan Laurel's story Connolly has utilized the massive correspondence that Laurel wrote in his lifetime, a correspondence that although give little if any insight into the true mind and workings of this comic genius, nevertheless presented the author with a blueprint for him to construct, mould and shape the life of Laurel and his undoubted love and respect for his comic partner Oliver "babe" Hardy.

This is a wonderful story a warm and affectionate analysis of a man whose existence was never dull, often sad (his son Stan Robert Laurel died at only 9 days old) his liberal attitude to alcohol and his many affairs including in total 4 wives. His only daughter Lois, a product of his first marriage, was born in 1927 and who recently died in July 2017. Reading "He" was akin to a walk through the old Hollywood from the popular birth of silent movies to the often painful upheaval that became the world of the talkies. Laurel and Hardy not only accepted this change but so much of their success happened after the talkie transition including such memorable classics as Way out West, and A chump at Oxford all under the guidance of renowned American Film Producer Hal Roach. "He" is centred around the Oceana apts in Santa Monica California where Laurel lived until his death, with his fourth wife Ida, and from this base SL reminisces on the events good and bad that shaped his life.

From reading the press release before the actual book launch John Connolly states that the idea behind this novel was born in 1999.( In the meantime we the reader have been enthralled by the adventures of former policeman Charlie Parker seeking some form of redemption following the murder of his wife and daughter). It is to the author's credit that "he" has been nurtured, developed, researched and planned as the final product is a work of such originality and imagination. It made me feel that I was eavesdropping into a time and place no longer with us and a world where I became privy to the conversations, the genius, the intellect, and the brilliance of the great Stan Laurel. Many thanks to the publisher Hodder and Stoughton for a gratis copy in return for an honest review and that is what I have written.

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review 2017-06-03 03:17

Wait... that's the end of the book?

Reading is my ESCAPE from Reality!

The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands - Stephen King,Hodder & Stoughton UK,Frank Muller

I have to say that I'm so glad I'm reading this book now that they are all written. This book ended right in the middle of the action, and luckily I can move right on to Wizard & Glass (book 4). If I had to wait, I would be very annoyed with King.

I loved this book. This is my favorite so far in the series. Loved the characters, the action, the suspense... and especially Oy (the billy-bumbler who is loyal as a dog but also talks). Oy loves Jake and I love Oy. The narrator of the story annoys me at times, but I think I'm getting used to him. And he actually does a good job with Oy's voice. Every time Oy "talks" I smile. I can almost feel how much he loves Jake just in the voice.

King is an amazing author and I am a huge fan. I love his horror novels, but I think I love his journeys into fantasy more. The Stand, The Talisman, and now the Gunslinger saga. They are so imaginative and intense. I am awed by his talent.

Ok, time to start Wizard & Glass....