I got caught up in playing World of Warcraft again. My main character is at her maximum level though, and there isn’t too much to do with her besides PvP and raid, and I really only do that on the weekends.
I recently got a library card, and like the silly girl I am, I put a lot of books on my hold list, only to be shocked as they all came to the library at once. It’s a great way to check out stuff I want to read, but not necessarily pay for though, and a good way to catch up on the seemingly hundreds of Diana Wynne Jones books I haven’t read yet.
Without further ado, some microreviews:
To Terra, volume 1 by Keiko Takemiya (manga)
This is a classic shoujo title by one of the famed year 24 group, a sci-fi epic where an underground group of psychic humans called Mu are trying to find a place to live. Humans live in strictly regulated environments on other planets since they polluted Earth beyond any ability to heal. The solution was to ship humans off to other colonies and wait for the Earth to heal herself. The goal of the Mu is to go back to Terra.
The art is beautiful and I really got into the story, although I’m not much for science fiction. I was crushed to learn my library doesn’t have volume 2. It does have volume 3 though. Weird.
The Game by Diana Wynne Jones (young adult novel)
This was a short novel by Diana Wynne Jones about a young girl who has to spend time with her extended family. Her fellow nieces and nephews engage in what they call “the game,” which I’m not entirely clear on, but it seems to involve dimension hopping. I personally think the story is a lot more confusing if you don’t understand the mythological and celestial references.
Eight Days of Luke by Diana Wynne Jones (young adult novel)
Eight Days of Luke is somewhat the same as the Game, if you don’t understand the references to Norse mythology, you really are missing out on some of this book. It’s the story of a young man who summons “Luke.” He then goes about attempting to help Luke prove his innocence to Luke’s family who all emerge one by one.
Santa Olivia by Jacqueline Carey (science fiction novel)
Santa Olivia is an alternate history of America, with genetically enhanced soldiers and pockets of the country that are closed off from the outside world and forgotten. Loup Garron is the child of an enhanced soldier, and one of the civilians of Santa Olivia, also known as the Outpost. She has the same physical characteristics as her father, as well as his lack of any kind of fear, and she learns to fake her way through life without drawing too much attention. However, she becomes an orphan and starts going after some of the soldiers of Outpost in retaliation for their acts, under the moniker “Santa Olivia.” With no other alternative, she stages a daring attempt to escape Outpost once and for all.
This book has some good pacing. The introduction seemed a little long and slow, but it really was necessary to set Loup up. Once her story got rolling, I had a hard time putting this one down.
Colman by Monica Furlong (young adult novel)
Colman is the last third of the Doran trilogy. I’d read Wise Child and been interested in where it went, but I was dismayed to find that Colman is the last part of the trilogy. However, the second part, Juniper, is actually a prequel giving background to Wise Child’s teacher.
Colman helps Wise Child and Juniper escape from the village they’d lived in, and they meet up with Wise Child’s father Finbar. He takes them on his ship and they end up confronting Finbar and Juniper’s old nemesis. It’s a pretty satisfying ending to the series. I really wish there was more, but unfortunately Monica Furlong passed away.
