Eldest by Christopher Paolini

Darkness falls…despair abounds…evil reigns…

Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, have just saved the rebel state from destruction by the mighty forces of King Galbatorix, cruel ruler of the Empire. Now Eragon must travel to Ellesméra, land of the elves, for further training in the skills of the Dragon Rider: magic and swordsmanship. Soon he is on the journey of a lifetime, his eyes open to awe-inspiring new places and people, his days filled with fresh adventure. But chaos and betrayal plague him at every turn, and nothing is what it seems. Before long, Eragon doesn’t know whom he can trust.

Meanwhile, his cousin Roran must fight a new battle–one that might put Eragon in even graver danger.

Will the king’s dark hand strangle all resistance? Eragon may not escape with even his life. . . .

*summary taken from the official site of the Inheritance Cycle


My views:

I just finished reading Eldest – book 2 of the Inheritance Cycle and I enjoyed it as much as book 1 - Eragon. I won’t make this review a spoiler, so I would leave it to you to find out what happens next. It’s great that Paolini started the book with a prologue summarizing the important events of the previous book. Christopher Paolini shaped the events in the second book in a way that would make you want (need?) to read the next book.

Eldest follows the adventures of Eragon and Saphira as they train with the elves at Ellesmera where Eragon is to heal, learn magic, and train to become a real Rider. Eragon is much stronger and wiser this time, and he is not as arrogant as he was on Eragon. But the cockiness is still there though, it makes you love and hate him at the same time. I love how Paolini showed the readers the gradual transformation of both Eragon and Saphira during their training. The bond between them can be so touching at times.

Eragon’s growing interest in Arya is also pointed out. However, as I expected, no romance has flourished, yet. I think it would be more cliché if Paolini delved into this further.

There are several details unveiled for some characters – Arya’s true identity and her life story, the history of dragons and how the Riders came to be, Eragon's true parentage, and some very pleasant and unpleasant(?) surprises that would make the stories more interesting.

I can sense a bit of influence from Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings on Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance Cycle. Avid fans of Tolkien might scrutinize the Inheritance Cycle as an imitation of Lord of the Rings while some might just get into the groove for this one (as I have). The only addition here is the detailed subject of dragons. So this is more like a Dragonheart and Lord of the Rings rolled into one.

Eldest is longer, suspenseful, and has a touch of romance here and there. I think Eldest could have been several pages shorter, if Paolini cut back some of the lengthy description of events that are of no importance to the story at all. But all in all, it’s still a good read. I’m giving this one 4 stars.

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The Mummy by Anne Rice

"Robbers of the Dead. Look away from this tomb lest you wake its occupant, whose wrath cannot be contained.
Ramses the Damned is my name.”

Spoiler warning for those who haven’t read the book yet.

The Mummy or Ramses the Damned is a stand-alone novel. It took place during the early twentieth century. An archeologist and also a shipping magnate, Lawrence Stratford, discovers a tomb of the ancient Egyptian pharaoh. He found some notes on the tomb claiming that the mummy is indeed Ramses II. Before Lawrence Stratford can investigate this claim, he was found dead by his nephew, Henry, inside the tomb. People believed he was a victim of the curse found on the tomb’s door.

The mummy and all the other items found on the tomb – some of them are believed to be jars of poison – are then sent to his daughter, Julie, back in London to be temporarily displayed in the Stratford house before they are taken to the British Museum.

Under Julie’s care the mummy awakens and the two seem to be instantly attracted to each other. Ramses, with superhuman intelligence, quickly learns the English language. He then hides behind the image of Dr. Reginald Ramsey, an Egyptologist. Julie brought Ramses to a museum and recognizes an unidentified mummy as his old love Cleopatra.

The plot thickens as Ramses tries to bring Cleopatra back to life by pouring the elixir to the dead body only to find out that the revived Cleopatra is a raging monster with superhuman strength and uncontrollable hunger left wandering on the streets of Egypt.

The story goes on as the protagonists try to find and destroy Cleopatra while a series of dead bodies have been found. In an attempt to escape Ramses, Cleopatra “dies” when a car she was driving was hit by a train, creating a fiery explosion. Cleopatra, without the others' knowledge, survived the crash, and awakens under the care of a British doctor in Sudan. She vows to find Ramses again someday for revenge.


My views:


I’m an avid fan of Anne Rice. As you all know I have a penchant for suspense and thrillers so naturally I would be drawn to the works of this author. I have always been interested in Egyptology, and finding a novel about mummies written by Anne Rice really got my interest. Like all the other of Rice’s books, The Mummy is a combination of horror and romance. The story deals more on the immortality and the emotional turmoil that goes with living forever. As with most of Anne Rice’s novels, the story has a bit of sexual flair on it. She is able to combine the erotic and the scary without going to the extremes in either direction.

I like how Rice portrayed Ramses. He is like the perfect man and yet so flawed in many ways that he seem to be human when the irony is, he is not. I’m a bit disappointed with the “heroine” Julie Stratford as she was basically just a weepy female. I expected a lot more from her. I enjoyed the wiles of the new Cleopatra though. A beguiling seductress with the strength of ten men – she is like an extreme version of the original Cleopatra.

The only thing that I’m disappointed in is the way Cleopatra “died”. Rice should have chosen another way – a more sensational way – in which an immortal can be somehow destroyed. It appears so lame that an immortal can be killed by an explosion caused by collision of a train.

All in all, I like the way Rice wrote this one where the events are not predictable. Also, it is not part of any series, thus making it easy for anyone who has never read any of Rice's literature before. I think the book is left open for a sequel but so far none has been forthcoming. I would really like to know what would happen to the other characters like Elliot, Alex, and Cleopatra, the most. If you’re an Anne Rice fan, this book is definitely a must read.

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Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer

I know I'm not supposed to pick up another book before jumping off and reading Twilight (review later) without finishing Eragon but I just couldn't contain myself. I guess because I read New Moon and Eclipse first that I couldn't wait it psychoanalyze (?) Edward. I know I was all for Team Jacob and all but reading Twilight now, made me look back and realize Edward's plight and see through his feelings a bit.

Before this turns out to be a review as I bask in my vampire glow (I admit, I am irrevocably captivated by Edward, just don't let Pyertubs read that one!), I would like to share with you Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer. This was written in Edward's point of view in Twilight and how he reacted to Bella's pull, scent, and his inability to read her mind. I find it fascinating and I feel that I've fallen for Edward (I can picture myself as Bella, albeit a little chubby - but more succulent, yes?).

This draft is so fascinating that I rue the day someone couldn't resist on posting it on the Internet. I can feel Stephenie's anger and her refusal to finish and edit it completely. Fortunately for us, she has decided to go ahead and share this draft to all her fans as she is not able to completely finish it in her state of mind. I would be too, if I were in her shoes. She even hinted that she would have had to kill of all the Cullens and that James would triumph if she would be forced to finish it. I am quite disappointed about this turn of events because I was looking forward to reading an official, edited, and published copy of Midnight Sun.

So, check out her free eBook draft on Midnight Sun over at her website. I hope you'll have loads of fun fantasizing about Edward and his dilemma over Bella.











Image: Google Images
Note: I'm not sure if this was supposed to be the official cover but it was the closest I got to it.

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Free eBook: Melanie Lynne Hauser - Jumble Pie

Who does not appreciate anything for free? I know I would jump at a chance of being given something good for free.

How about a good read for free? Now we're talking!

Today, I received an email for a free eBook. Of course, I jumped at the opportunity immediately. And now I have it! The book is still to be published, but if you are lucky enough, you can get the free eBook, too!

Jumble Pie
by Melanie Lynne Hauser

"IN THE BEGINNING, there was the pie. The pie was without form and texture (and any manner of identifiable filling), and darkness was upon the face of the Home Ec Teacher…"

So begins the story of two women, a friendship, and a pie. JUMBLE PIE, to be exact. A Home Ec project gone very wrong, except for the fact that it brings together two very different young girls and helps them form a friendship that lasts through bad haircuts, unrequited love, endless incarnations of Madonna, and their own evolving dreams... Until New Year's Eve, 1999, when another pie comes along, resulting in a pre-party blow-up that sets Juliet and Emily, women now, to remembering how it all got started.
...
JUMBLE PIE is the story of the elusive nature of friendship, sometimes clinging, other times liberating; a story for any woman who has ever lied to her best friend just to make her feel better - and who has been brave enough to tell the truth, even when it hurts. And of course, it's a story about the remarkable healing power of pie.
(text taken from the author's website)

Sounds interesting right? If you want your own copy of the eBook, CLICK HERE to request for your copy!

Enjoy!

P.S. I'll post my review as soon as I finish reading it.

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