 | Title: The seventh gate
Author: Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman
First publication: 1994
Comments: When I was a young kid I used to read a lot. I was fond of fantasy novels. I started to read
the first book of the "Death Gate cycle" when I was 15. I never had the chance to read the last one.
When I saw it in the bookshop I bought it immediately. I read the book in one day. I waited to read the end of this story since I was a kid.
Started: Jan 5th 2001, when Matteo went back to Italy Finished: Jan 6th 2001 |
 | Title: Dragons of autumn twilight
Author: Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman
First publication: 1984
Comments: This was one of my favorite books when I was a child. I thought it was a good idea to read the
English version now that I am a grown-up. It is an entertaining book. Its strength and limit is to be strongly bound with the RPG game.
I have forgotten the plot, and I really enjoy the original version.
Started: February 11th 2001, on my bed after brunch Finished: February 18th 2001, late at night |
 | Title: Dragons of winter night
Author: Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman
First publication: 1985
Comments: I decided to read all the fantasy books I used to read when I was young in their
; original language, in order to improve my English. I was stressed because I was writing my master thesis.
; I needed something not to complex to read. This and the following fantasy books seem to be perfect in that moment. The plot is more interesting in this second volume.
Started: June 10th 2001, stressed because of the thesis Finished: June 13th 2001 |
 | Title: Shadowdale
Author: Richard Awlinson
First publication: 1989
Comments: I really enjoyed this book when I was young. This time I did not like it as much. The characters are incredibly flat and the plot is banal.
Started: 2001, in Venice Finished: 4th July 2001, 12:43, stressed because of the thesis |
 | Title: Tantras
Author: Richard Awlinson
First publication: 1989
Comments: The second book of this fantasy saga is better than the first... but it is not a masterpiece though...
Started: 5th July 2001, in Venice Finished: 23rd July 2001, in Milan |
 | Title: Waterdeep
Author: Richard Awlinson
First publication: 1989
Comments: The end is not as bed as the first volume...
Started: July/August 2001 Finished: August 2001 |
 | Title: Dragons of spring dawning
Author: Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman
First publication: 1985
Comments: The last volume is a really good one, but the ending... it is not good. It is clear that the authors do not want to finish the story... In order to write other three books!
Started: August/September 2001 Finished: September 2001 |
 | Title: Time of the twins
Author: Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman
First publication: 1986
Comments: This second group of books is really bad... The characters are often flat, the plot confusing...
Started: September 2001 Finished: 5th September 2001, Sardinia |
 | Title: War of the twins
Author: Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman
First publication: 1986
Comments: As for the first book of the saga this book is not such a good book... The main characters are incredibly flat and stereotypical.
Started: September 2001 Finished: 16th September 2001, early morning, Sardinia |
 | Title: Test of the twins
Author: Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman
First publication: 1986
Comments: The story does not work, the characterization is poor but... there is a nice end.
Started: September 2001 Finished: 19th September 2001, Sardinia |
 | Title: The second generation
Author: Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman
First publication: 1995
Comments: The second generation is a good book. It is a collection of short stories.It is well built and it has an interesting plots.
Started: September 2001 Finished: 24th September 2001, Mestre |
 | Title: A.I. Intelligenza Artificiale
Author: Brian W. Aldiss
First publication: 2001
Comments: Ero a casa di Matteo a Milano, ove m'ero recato per
un colloquio di lavoro. terminato questo aspettavo ora
di cena e cominciai a leggere, terminandolo, il libro
sul comodino di Matteo. Le storie del volume sono abbastanza
insignificanti, la migliore e' quella che ha ispirato Spielberg...
Ma anche quella non e' poi un granche'.
Started: 24th October 2001 Finished: 24th October 2001 |
 | Title: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Author: J.K. Rowling
First publication: 1997
Comments: I really liked the story! It is fun, original and well-written. When you read it, you feel like magic is something real and normal...
Started: December 2001 Finished: 5th December 2001 |
 | Title: The Fellowship of the ring (The lord of the rings volume I)
Author: J.R.R. Tolkien
First publication: 1954
Comments: I read this book when I was really young. I did not enjoyed it so much. Maybe I read a bad translation. The original is a way better, but I hate the long songs and the part of the book on Tom Bombadil.
Started: December 2001 Finished: April 2002 |
 | Title: Dragons of a fallen sun
Author: Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman
First publication: 2000
Comments: I really liked it, but it seems to me that there is something missing. A lot things seem to have
happened between the previous book and this one. I feel like I am reading the second book of a trilogy without having read the first one. I am going to read the "dragons of a new era" trilogy. Maybe I will understand better this book then.
Started: 21st May 2002 Finished: May, 27th 2002 |
 | Title: 2001, a space odissey
Author: Arthur C. Clarke
First publication: 1968
Comments: This was a good book. I loved the sarcastic humor of the author! The plot is interesting and original. I really liked it. I think I am going to read it sequel soon.
Started: 28st May 2002 Finished: June, the 2nd 2002, at Berkeley |
 | Title: The Soulforge
Author: Margaret Weis
First publication: 1998
Comments: Just another fantasy book. I can read them really fast, they are good to relax (because they do not require to use to much the brain after one long work day).
They are good for my English as well! This one tells the story of the young Raistlin.
It seems he was not so bad after all...
Started: June, the 2nd 2002 Finished: June, the 8th, 2002 |
 | Title: The dawning of a new age
Author: Jean Rabe
First publication: 1996
Comments: It is nothing special, just a standard fantasy novel. But it is entertaining and it is good to improve my English. I tried to compare this book with precious dragonlance's book. This one wants to be politically correct. There are characters of many different ethnicities, people with health problems... Is this a sign that the time is changing?
Started: July, the 25th 2002 [I haven't read so much while my parents were visiting...] Finished: July, the 28th, 2002, Berkeley |
 | Title: Insomnia
Author: Stephen King
First publication: 1994
Comments: When I was young I read a lot of King's book. Some of there were interesting. This one is not. It is flat. There is no psychological introspection as in some previous book. I was really disappointed. I bought this book in Arizona, Tucson airport. I toke a book with me, but in the rush I picked
one I've read yet... This was the only decent book I found.
Started: August, the 29th 2002, on the plane from Tucson to Oakland Finished: September the 30th 2002, Berkeley |
 | Title: Harry Potter and the chamber of secrets
Author: J.K. Rowling
First publication: 1999
Comments: It is not as good as the first one, but it is entertaining. There is a lot of suspense and it is hard to stop to read it. Addicting!
Started: October the 1st 2002, Berkeley Finished: October the 6th, Berkeley |
 | Title: 2010, odissey two
Author: Arthur C. Clarke
First publication: 1982
Comments: This book was not as good as the first one, but it is not bad at all. Almost 20 years after the first
book, Clarke wrote
this sequel... how many things are changed! The Chinese enter as a third powerful empire, there is a gay character in the
Leonov spaceship... It is interesting to see how much the world has changed reading two books from the same author.
Started: October the 7th, 2002 Finished: October the 12th 2002, at Berkeley |
 | Title: The day of the tempest
Author: Jean Rabe
First publication: 1997
Comments: I love fantasy; this is why I liked this book. It is not a masterpiece, but it is original and entertaining enough.I enjoyed reading it.
Started: October the 13th, 2002 Finished: October the 22nd 2002, at Berkeley |
 | Title: Harry Potter and the prisoner of Azkaban
Author: J.K. Rowling
First publication: 1999
Comments: The book is fun but it is not as special as the previous two. It is hard to keep a high quality standard in a series of book. This Harry Potter does not seem to be an exception.
Started: December 2002 Finished: December the 12th, 2002 flying from Miami to Chicago |
 | Title: The Two Towers (The lord of the rings volume II)
Author: J.R.R. Tolkien
First publication: 1954
Comments: Some parts of the first book are slow and boring. This second one is, on the contrary, fast paced and fun. It toke forever to finish it because I was studying and working hard: I've never read so little in my all life as during this semester.
Started: February 2003, Berkeley Finished: May the 15th 2003, Berkeley |
 | Title: The Eve of the Maelstrom: Dragons of a New Age (Dragons of a New Age)
Author: Jean Rabe
First publication: 1997
Comments: I love fantasy; this is why I like this book. It is not a masterpiece, but it is original and entertaining enough. I enjoyed reading it. I was going through a bad break-up and it helped me to do not think about it.
Started: July 2003, Mestre (VE), Italy Finished: July 2003, Mestre (VE) Italy |
 | Title: 2061: Odyssey Three
Author: Arthur C. Clarke
First publication: 1991
Comments: Fifty years after the alien message forbidding humans to approach the moon Europa, an expedition to Halley's Comet is forced to violate the prohibition in the name of mercy.
Though it is entertaining, it lacks the lyrical prose of the previous volumes.
Started: September 2003 Finished: First minutes of September 19th 2003, Berkeley, just got back from one of the worse date ever |
 | Title: Dragons of a Lost Star
Author: Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman
First publication: 2001
Comments: Even if there were some little inconstancies with the previous books, the authors create a really enjoyable book. I found myself reading in the middle of the night just to see what was going to happen.
Started: September 2003, Berkeley Finished: September 2003, Berkeley |
 | Title: Dragons of a Vanished Moon
Author: Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman
First publication: 2002
Comments: The plot becomes more and more intriguing in this last chapter of the book. Of course, it is far from being a masterpiece, but it is entertaining and fun.
Started: September 2003, Berkeley Finished: September 2003, Berkeley |
 | Title: 3001 - The final odissey
Author: Arthur C. Clarke
First publication: 1997
Comments: It is a nice conclusion of the 2001 saga. It is far from being striking, but entertaining. I like the author point of view on religion.
Started: The night between the 6th and the 7th of November 2003, Berkeley Finished: November the 8th, 2003, Berkeley, in one of the first rainy days of the season |
 | Title: Harry Potter and the goblet of fire
Author: J.K. Rowling
First publication: 2000
Comments: I really liked the story! It is fun, original and well-written. Probably one of the best of the Harry Potter's book!
Started: November 2003 Finished: December 2003 |
 | Title: Prey
Author: Michael Crichton
First publication: 2002
Comments: This was the perfect reading to relax after finals. It was nice to read a sci-fi book set in the place where
I live and speaking about technologies similar to what I am working on (I am working on UAVs swarms, the book is about nano-particles swarms). This is an entertaining book, but nothing really special.
Started: December 19th 2003 Finished: December 22nd 2003, Berkeley |
 | Title: Magic's pawn
Author: Mercedes Lackey
First publication: 1989
Comments: I have always loved fantasy, and this book is no exception. Moreover, it is
interesting to have main characters that are gay for once.
Started: February the 28th, 2004 Finished: March the 3rd, 2004 |
 | Title: Arrows of the queen
Author: Mercedes Lackey
First publication: 1987
Comments: I have always loved fantasy, and this book is no exception. Moreover, it is
interesting to have gay characters in the plot.
Started: April the 30th, 2004 Finished: May the 2nd 2004 |
 | Title: Dark rivers of the heart
Author: Dean Koontz
First publication: 1994
Comments: I had a Dan Brown book saved for the intercontinental trip to Italy but, when I was at the check in
I realized I forgot it home. I run to the closest book shop at SFO to get something else... and with my
horror they had only a couple of extremely uninteresting books. Well... bad choice. The only interesting thing
is the "big brother" theme toward the end.
Started: August 2004 Finished: 00:06, October the 18th, 2004 |
 | Title: Arrow's Flight
Author: Mercedes Lackey
First publication: 1987
Comments: I have always loved fantasy, and this book is no exception. Moreover, it is
interesting to have gay characters in the plot.
Started: Berkeley , December 8th, 2004 Finished: Berkeley, December 31st, 2004 |
 | Title: Harry Potter and the order of the phoenix
Author: J. K. Rowling
First publication: 2004
Comments: I loved Harry Potter's first book but I had been disappointed by the following books.
This last volume, on the contrary, is far from disappointing. It is the best one I have
read so far, I could not put it down! The character dark side grows stronger and more
interesting.
Started: Berkeley, March 2005 Finished: Berkeley, Apr 9th 2005 |
 | Title: Arrow's fall
Author: Mercedes Lackey
First publication: 1988
Comments: This is the last volume of the Heralds of Valdemar series. Honestly it is just a fun reading, but a nice break from "Walden" that I am struggling to finish desperately!
Started: December the 1st, 2005 Finished: December the 2nd, 2005 |
 | Title: Dreamcatcher
Author: Stephen King
First publication: 2001
Comments: Well, I guess I should have guessed it was a bad book when I found it on the "extreme sales" section. One of the worst King's book ever. Beside the continuous profanities, beside the homophobic and intelligent design statements... the plot is weak and not that original. And all the psychological introspection King is famous for... it seems to be a faded memory.
Started: Dec 2005 Finished: February the 2nd, 2005 |
 | Title: The doom brigade
Author: Margaret Weis, Don Perrin
First publication: 2003
Comments: I love to read fantasy books. They help me relax after a long work day. This one was very entertaining. It may be trash literature, still it fulfills my needs and... it is actually one of the best dragonlance novel I have read so far.
Started: Feb the 21st, 2006 Finished: Feb the 24th 2006, San Francisco |
 | Title: Mistress of dragons
Author: Margaret Weis
First publication: 1996
Comments: In a moment of stress like the one I was living, between deadlines and presentations to finish, it has been very helpful to have something easy and fun to read like this book. As for most of the Weis' book, it is hard to put down this book when you start reading it. This in particular evokes Mercedes Lackey's atmospheres. There are gay characters (atypical for Weis), and the topic is treated like I would like it to be treated: as if there is nothing odd about it. Unfortunately it is not the case in the real world and often in the literature.
Started: Feb the 25th 2006 Finished: March the 8th 2006 San Francisco |
 | Title: Draconian Measures
Author: Don Perrin, Margaret Weis
First publication: 2000
Comments: I really enjoyed this book. I hope the saga will continue with other volumes!
Started: March the 26th 2006 Finished: March the 29th 2006, San Francisco |
 | Title: The dragon's son
Author: Margaret Weis
First publication: 2004
Comments: I enjoyed the book but... what happened to the gay theme? There is almost no mention of the intense love of Bellona and Melisande, almost as if the author was afraid to have risked too much in the previous book. This is a little disappointing. Let's see what will happen in the next one.
Started: April 2006 Finished: April the 24th 2006 |
 | Title: Sword and Sorceress III
Author: Various authors (edited by Marion Zimmer Bradley)
First publication: 1986
Comments: I was very interested to read more of feminist fantasy. I discovered the existence and the historical importance of this movement only recently, even if I grow up reading novels of Marion Zimmer Bradley and Jennifer Robertson. This anthology of short stories helped me better understand the movement. It is rather interesting that all the main authors belonging to this movement lived here in the Bay Area and I find rather intriguing to be living where my favorite childhood authors wrote the stories that kept me awake as a child. As a grown up I can now appreciate the courage of some of the plots, how the movement revolutionize a sexist and macho-oriented genre and helped bring forward the image of modern women, free to express themselves and pursue their dreams.
Started: May 2006 Finished: May the 28th 2006 |
 | Title: A Series of Unfortunate Events: the bad beginning
Author: Lemony Snicket
First publication: 1999
Comments: I was just moved to my new place and I could not find the book I was reading. Hence I picket out this one from one of the boxes on the side of my bed. The book was a present from Jari and it was an interesting surprise. It is extremely cynical and it presents life as a series of unfortunate events. Anyway it was a fun book to read. I guess I'll end up reading all the series.
Started: Sep the 23rd, San Francisco, Noe Valley Finished: Sep the 24th 2006 |
 | Title: Vows and honor: the Oathbound
Author: Mercedes Lackey
First publication: 1988
Comments: I was stressing over the move to my new place and I needed some light reading to relax. The book is nothing special, but the plot is interesting, even if it feels like a collection of short stories featuring the same characters. Anyway I got what I was looking for: an easy and amusing reading.
Started: Sep the 19th, 2006, CoronaHeights Finished: Sep the 29th 2006, Noe Valley |
 | Title: Vows and honor: the Oathbreakers
Author: Mercedes Lackey
First publication: 1989
Comments: I was running out of books and this one was one of the few left. I have to say I really enjoyed it. The plot is not fragmented as in the previous volume and rather enjoyable.
Started: Sep the 29th 2006 Finished: Oct the 11th 2006 |
 | Title: Dragons in the archives
Author: Margareth Weis, Tracy Hickman
First publication: 2004
Comments: I grow up reading Weis and Hickman’s novels. They are simple stories, but they manage to relax me like no others. Krynn’s feels like home, the characters are childhood friends. This anthology collects many stories written in the past 20 years and they witness the creative path of the Dragonlance world. It feels like picking up an old photo album from my childhood.
Started: February 2007, San Francisco Finished: Feb the 97th 2007, San Francisco |
 | Title: Harry Potter and the Half-blood prince
Author: J.K. Rowling
First publication: 2005
Comments: I like the Harry Potter sage. Some books are better than other though, and I am not crazy about this one. The author manages to capture your attention, and it is quite hard to put the book down, still… there is no so much new in this volume. It is more or less the same old story structure again, with minor variation.
Started: February 2007, San Francisco Finished: February the 18th 2007, San Francisco |
 | Title: Eragon
Author: Christopher Paolini
First publication: 2002
Comments: Well, it is just another fantasy book, still it is quite entertaining. Given the young age of the writer, it is surprisingly readable. I’ll probably read the rest of the trilogy.
Started: March 2007 Finished: April the 20th 2007 |
 | Title: Harry Potter and the deathly hallows
Author: J.K. Rowling
First publication: 2007
Comments: When I was working hard at Google I decided to order the hardcover version of this book, to read it and relax when the internship was finished, as a reward. It was fun to read, even if I did not like the ending. I realized though that I was quite used to read the HP books. Now I will miss him.
Started: August 2007 Finished: August 2007 |
 | Title: Master of dragons
Author: Margaret Weis
First publication: 2005
Comments: This is the last book of the Dragonvard trilogy. I was quite disappointed by the previous book in the series. Even if the gay theme is vanished and just referred to in a way I am not too enthusiastic about (e.g. “Evelina was not far above attempting to seduce one of the women but…”), the book is quite enjoyable. It is hard to put down and there are interesting allegories about the right of the powerful to maintain their position in the word. In a time were the west is starting to lose its dominant position, the reflection is quite of interest.
Started: October 23rd 2007 Finished: October 25th 2007 |
 | Title: Nemesis
Author: Isaac Asimov
First publication: 1989
Comments: I grow up reading Asimov’s novels. It was strange to read one of his books after so many years; in the original language it was written. I devoured the book as I devoured his book when I was a child. Definitely a fun book.
Started: Nov 2007 Finished: 27 Nov 2007, Castro (San Francisco), CA |
 | Title: The Atrocity Archives
Author: Charles Stross
First publication: 2001
Comments: The idea is quite interesting, but the execution of the first story (the atrocity archives) is not great. It is confusing and it does not flow well at times. On the contrary Concrete Jungle is great. The interesting ideas are finally used in a adroitly written geeky and fast paced story. Lovecraft meet Dilbert....
Started: February 2008 Finished: March the 3rd 2008 |
 | Title: The Golden Compass
Author: Philip Pullman
First publication: 1995
Comments: Quite an interesting accomplishment. An interesting blend of religion and philosophy. I am looking forward reading the next volumes of the series.
Started: March 2008 Finished: March 2008 |
 | Title: The subtle knife
Author: Philip Pullman
First publication: 1997
Comments: WOW, this was quite a surprise! I liked the first book, but this is quite a different story. Some themes just barely hinted in the previous book are now developed and extended. While the first volume was just an interesting fantasy tale, the second volume is a fantasy modern re-edition of the Romantic rebellion against the authority and traditions in the name of freedom and free will. A modern Paradise Lost. The pace is fast, it is really hard to put this book down (I finished it in 3 days even if I was working on my dissertation... as a result I practically haven't slept!), entertainingly and... it goes quite deeper than expected! Strongly recommended!
Started: April 2008 Finished: April 9th 2008 |
 | Title: The Amber Spyglass
Author: Philip Pullman
First publication: 2000
Comments: A great ending for this masterpiece, able to bridge fantasy and philosophy. Undoubtedly one of the best book of the century. As The Hours find its root in Mrs Dalloway and then move further, so does this trilogy find its root in Milton's Paradise Lost, as the starting point of a deep and enlightening reflection of human existence.
Started: May 2008 Finished: July 4th 2008, Paloalto |
 | Title: A Series of Unfortunate Events: the reptile room
Author: Lemony Snicket
First publication: 1999
Comments: I received the first volume as a present, and it intrigued me. The style is quite unusual for a children book, and it has a dark cynical tone, but... I enjoyed it. Let's see how the story progresses in the next volumes.
Started: January 2009 Finished: January 25th 2009, San Francisco |
 | Title: A Series of Unfortunate Events: the wide window
Author: Lemony Snicket
First publication: 2000
Comments: A pleasant read, entertaining read. I guess I will have to get the next volumes to see what happens to the orphans.
Started: April 2009 Finished: May 2009 |
 | Title: The caves of steel
Author: Isaac Asimov
First publication: 1953
Comments: I read a lot of I. Asimov when I was a kid, and it was quite interesting to read him again, in English this time. He was an adroit writer, able to capture the reader. I enjoyed this book, I was very surprised by the author mentions to the bible. I guess it was common at the time.
Started: July 25th 2009, over the pacific ocean toward Oahu Finished: End of July 2009 |
 | Title: Homeland
Author: R.A. Salvatore
First publication: 1990
Comments: When I was young, I always brought with me a pile of books every time I was going on vacation. Many were beach-friendly light reads, fantasy novels. Given that I was (for the first time after many years) on a beach vacation I bought this one. It was like traveling back in time. There is nothing better than sun, beach, warm ocean and a nice book to read lulled by the sounds of the waves. Regarding this book in particular, it really reads like a prequel. I have the strong feeling that the author wrote a book that was successful and then later decide to add a prequel to ride the success of the previous book. It is a fun book, but there is nothing special. I'll read the following to see if it gets better.
Started: August 2009 Finished: August 2009,on the Pacific flying back to SF |
 | Title: The naked sun
Author: Isaac Asimov
First publication: 1956
Comments: I read a lot of Asimov when I was young (translated in Italian), and I used to love his books. I recently started to read them again, and hey, he was a master of mass market novels. His books are hard to put down. Many of his ideas now are clique, but they weren't at the time. The only disturbing part is to see some sexist comment in the book. I doubt Asimov was sexist, I believe that, at the time, it was "normal" at the time to treat female differently. Still, disturbing to see that in his vision of the future, women were living their home and joining their husband homes upon marriage.
Started: September 2009 Finished: Sept 25/26, flying over the international date line |
 | Title: Dragons of the highlord skies
Author: Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
First publication: 2007
Comments: I was traveling to Japan to attend a conference and I wanted something easy and relaxing to read while traveling. This was perfect. The characters are familiar, I could say I grow up with them. A fun read, even if the ending is disappointing, and the turn of the event is often unjustified and illogical.
Started: September 2009 Finished: October 1st 2009, Kyoto |
 | Title: Exile
Author: R.A. Salvatore
First publication: 1990
Comments: I was traveling to Japan to attend a conference and I wanted something easy and relaxing to read while traveling. This was a perfect candidate. Unfortunately, as the previous book, the story is not that great. It really does feel like a prequel written poorly but quickly to leverage on the success of the previously very successful books. It was entertaining, but I won't recommend it. I will keep reading at this point, hopefully I'll get soon to one of the good ones.
Started: Oct 2009, Kyoto Finished: Oct 5th 2009, Osala |
 | Title: The robots of dawn
Author: Isaac Asimov
First publication: 1983
Comments: In the third volume of Asimov's "Robot" series all the characters of the previous books (Elijah, Daneel, Gladia) are back in this sequel. The book was written more than 20 years after the first two, and it shows. It is quite interesting to witness the cultural changes occurred in those 2 decades while reading the books. While I was reading the first two volumes, I was quite surprised by the prevalent gender inequality in the "future" societies described in the books. It was rather funny to see the shortcoming of the Western world of the 50s in a "future society". In the third book, things are changed quite a lot. While the previous books were almost puritan, in this third book sexuality is a central element. But while the author describe a society in which sex is quite free, he continues to make the point that sex without love is worthless. It come out a little bit hypocritical: on one side he speaks about free sex to lure readers, on the other he judge it. Anyway, there has been huge social progress in this 20 years, and the progress is astonishing and clear when you read this books.
Started: October 2009 Finished: November 5th 2009, Atherton |
 | Title: Magic's Pawn
Author: Mercedes Lackey
First publication: 1991
Comments: The book is a portray of the coming out in a fantasy settings. The main character is raised by a homophobic family. He is desperate, because he does not understand what he is doing wrong, he just wants to be loved by his father and mother. Eventually he moves away, in a far more civil place, and over there he learns his value and heal his self-esteem badly damaged by his family. It is a very touching story, that young readers (of all sexual orientations) should enjoy. And it is also a quite entertaining fantasy novel!
Started: November 2009 Finished: November 2009 |
 | Title: Day of the dragon
Author: Richard A. Knaak
First publication: 2001
Comments: I was expecting quite a bad book, given that it was inspired by a videogame. It turned out quite a nice surprise. Yes, granted, is not a masterpiece, but I enjoyed reading it quite a lot. The only things I did not like is that the Demon Soul reminds me of the One Ring.
Started: December 2009 Finished: December 2009, Atherton |
 | Title: Magic's Promise
Author: Mercedes lackey
First publication: 1990
Comments: The hero of this story is Vanyel, completely crashed and lost after the tragic loss of his love. Unfortunately for him, there is no time to mourn the loss, he is catapulted in the middle of a multi national crisis involving magic, murder, and a young man, Tashir, that just discovered enormous powers inside himself. In the background, young Vanyel and his family come to terms with their differences.
Started: December 2009 Finished: December 19th 2009, flying toward Orlando |
 | Title: Magic's Price
Author: Mercedes Lackey
First publication: 1990
Comments: This is the final chapter of Vanyel's trilogy. Vanyel is now powerful and treated with awe by everybody, but his life is a hell, because he knows that the enemy will attack everybody he loves to get to him (given that they can hardly get at him directly). A very strong sense of duty keep him going until a young bard enter in his life, teaching him to love again.
Started: December 2009 Finished: December 31st 2009, Miami |
 | Title: Sojourn
Author: R. A. Salvatore
First publication: 1991
Comments: I love fantasy, D&D, and I was told that the Drizzt series is quite a good one. Unfortunately, as the previous book, the story is not that great. It really does feel like a prequel written poorly but quickly to leverage on the success of the previously very successful books. It was entertaining, but I won't recommend it. I will keep reading at this point, hopefully I'll get soon to one of the good ones.
Started: January 2010 Finished: February 2010, Atherton |
 | Title: Lord of the clans
Author: Christie Golden
First publication: 2001
Comments: I usually stay away from video-game inspired books. They tend to capitalize on the success of the game and end up being horrible books. That's why this book was such a pleasant surprise. The books tells the story of Thrall, an enslaved Orc, raised by intolerant and racist humans to use him as a weapon. It is the story of an oppressed Race that finds the strength to fight for the right of self-determination and for freedom. I really enjoyed, I strongly recommend it.
Started: February 2010 Finished: February 22nd 2010, Atherton |
 | Title: The tales of Beedle the bard
Author: J. K. Rowling
First publication: 2007
Comments: A collection of fairy tales taking place in the Harry Potter universe. The book very short (done-reading-in-30-minutes short), but it is relatively entertaining. The highlight of the book are the Dumbledore's commentaries: the author get back at the fundamentalists that accused her books of introducing kids to witchcraft. Profits from the book sales goes to a non-profit organization aimed at helping child in need.
Started: February 2010 Finished: February 2010, Atherton |
 | Title: The Last Guardian
Author: Jeff Grubb
First publication: 2002
Comments: This is the story of the apprenticeship of Khadgar under Medivh, a powerful and revered mage, vested with the title and the power of guardian of Tirisfal. Mysterious events in the background appears to be linked: demons murder mages, orcs are suddenly appearing out of nowhere. The storytelling is quite good, it is hard to put the book down. The story is interesting, but nothing more can be said.
Started: March 2010, Atherton Finished: March 27th 2010, San Francisco |
 | Title: The Crystal Shard
Author: R.A. Salvatore
First publication: 1988
Comments: This is the book that started the legend of Drizzt (interestingly enough, Drizzt is not the main character in this book). The book is definitely more compelling and interesting than each of all the three prequel books that I have read so far. I like the message the book sends to young reader: judge people by their actions and by what they are, not by insignificant characteristics like the color of the skin, or their nationality, etc. Free yourself of all the inherited traditional biases and preconceptions. Enjoyable book.
Started: March 2010 Finished: April 2nd 2010, San Francisco |
 | Title: Streams of Silver
Author: R.A. Salvatore
First publication: 0
Comments: The original Drizzt trilogy is rather entertaining (and this cannot be said of the later "prequel" volumes). Even if there is nothing really groundbreaking and unique, it is a fun and enjoyable read. It also teaches young reader to go beyond society biases and judge people by their actions and character.
Started: May 2010 Finished: May 16th 2010 |
 | Title: Winds of fate
Author: Mercedes Lackey
First publication: 1991
Comments: I have been slowly reading Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar book series in order of publication. With this book her writing style and skills have reached maturity. The story flows really well, the characters are surprisingly human, more fascinating because of their limitations and short-falling than for their magic powers. The book uses all the tricks of modern fiction to capture the reader and it is very hard to put down.
While very entertaining and well written, there is something missing when compared with her less polished and rougher earlier work. Her earlier work was strongly influenced by / part of the feminist fantasy movement and that made her work more controversial, less mainstream and less easy to sell, but intriguing, interesting and deeper. The fantasy world was used as a setting to investigate real-world issues, or as utopia, a world to look forward to. I really hope these (difficult) themes will come back in her later books.
Started: May 2010 Finished: June 6th 2010, San Francisco |
 | Title: Dragon Age: The stolen throne
Author: David Gaider
First publication: 2009
Comments: A good read for fans of Dragon Age origins. It explores the history of Ferelden before the beginning of the videogame. This is the story of Prince Maric, the son of the Rebel queen, fighting to get back the throne that was taken from his grandfather by the Orlaisian Emperor. It is rather a sad story, of people sacrificing their love and repressing their feelings in order to perform what they believe to be their duty. Entertaining.
Started: June 2010 Finished: June 29th 2010, commuting from MTV to SF |
 | Title: Pebble in the sky
Author: Isaac Asimov
First publication: 1950
Comments: This book made me understand why Isaac Asimov is considered one of the fathers of science fiction. The book is impossible to put down: I found myself staying up all night to see how it ends. This has not happened since my teenager years. On top of being so entertaining, the book also explores interesting themes like xenophobia, and how Religion ("customs" and "traditions" in the book) can potentially be used to enslave people. I recently read Asimov's Robot's series (that was fun, but not that special), but this is by far superior.
Started: June 30th 2010 Finished: July 2nd 2010, San Francisco |
 | Title: The well of eternity
Author: Richard A. Knaak
First publication: 2004
Comments: I recently finished reading: Warcraft - war of the ancients by Richard A. Knaak.
Rhonin and Krassus (previously featured in "day of the dragon") and Broxigar (an orc working under Thrall, previously featured in "the lord of the clans") separately start investigating a strange and potentially dangerous magic anomaly. The three heroes end up being thrown back in time (just in time to catch the first attempt of Sargas to destroy the world with his burning legions).
The book brings together familiar characters from some of the previous Warcraft books. While it is not necessary to read those books before, it certainly helps.
The book is fun to read and explore the history of Azeroth. Finally some of the WoW missions are more understandable. This said, the story does not flow naturally: some of the character actions are clearly aimed at pushing the story in a particular direction, but they are often not credible and unnatural.
Started: July 2010 Finished: July 9th 2010, San Francisco |
 | Title: The Halfling's Gem
Author: R. A. Salvatore
First publication: 1990
Comments: In the third volume of the (original) series, Drizzt, Wulfgar, Cattie-Brie, and Bruenor give chase to the assasin Entreri to save their friend Regis. Entertaining and well written, the third volume focuses on racial (and other types of) bias, and teaches the reader to go beyond the stereotypes that society feed to us. It also focus on the adverse effect of xenophobia (and any other type of prejudice) on the victims and their self-respect.
Started: July 2010 Finished: July 24th 2010, San Francisco |
