Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Review - Mockingjay


NOTE: If you have not read any of the trilogy, DO NOT CONTINUE. There will be spoilers!

This is the synopsis from Amazon:

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what's worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss's family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins's groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year.

My review: 3.5 stars

Plot: With as much as I liked the first two books, I was very disappointed with this one. It was a very slow start, and made me wonder where on earth the book was going. The ending just stopped; there wasn't much closure.

Characters: Katniss is VERY annoying in this book. She is constantly whiny! Also, the way Collins developed Peeta's character made me MAD! I seriously considered not finishing the book. And she killed off to many characters throughout the ending, ones that should not have been killed.

Setting: I liked that Katniss finally got out and saw the war from other districts' eyes. It really made her cause more believable.

Overall: As I said before, I was very disappointed with the ending of the trilogy. I was hoping for more closure, rather than the passive ending there was.

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Review - Star Wars #4 (Savior)


This is the synopsis from Amazon:

Twenty-five years ago the survivors of the marooned Sith ship Omen bloodlessly conquered the native population of the remote planet Kesh, installing themselves as overlords and transforming the primitive Keshiri civilization into a new Sith society. Letting nothing stand in his way—including his own brother’s life—Omen commander-turned-Grand Lord Yaru Korsin has ruled unopposed ever since. But now his days, and those of the ruthless Sith order on Kesh, may be numbered.Revolt—and revenge—have been brewing in the hearts of the two women closest to Korsin. One is Adari Vaal, the once-outcast Keshiri who rescued the stranded Sith, aided their domination of Kesh, and now leads the secret resistance against them. The other is Seelah, wife of Korsin, widow of his murdered brother, and mastermind of the plot to assassinate the Grand Lord and seize power. But have the comforts of a king and his own arrogance blunted Korsin’s cunning Sith instincts? Or is he ready to deal swiftly and mercilessly with treachery from any quarter? Enemies themselves, Adari and Seelah are unaware of each other’s destiny-altering gambits. They only know that there can be no turning back—and no escaping the consequences if they fail.

My review: 4 stars

Plot: This is the only book so far where I felt like the story was getting good. Two people plot against the main character, and it's the two people he trusts most. The ending is well-written as well.

Characters: Two new characters are introduced, but they are only small roles and are mainly seen in the last part of the book.
Setting: No change from the last book.

Overall: This book finally starts to piece the series together and make it worthwhile reading.

Friday, March 11, 2011

Review - Star Wars #3 (Paragon)


This is the synopsis from Amazon:

Don't miss Star Wars: Lost Tribe of The Sith: Paragon a FREE original e-book short story, the third in a series that reveals the untold story of the Fate of the Jedi's forgotten Sith castaways, their battle to survive, and their quest to re-conquer the galaxy! Paragon includes an exclusive excerpt from Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Backlash (Del Rey Hardcover, available March 9th) and offers a unique look into the backstory of events that have begun to unfold in the Fate of the Jedi series. Darkness VisibleThe ruthless cunning of the Sith Order has served the shipwrecked crew of the Omen well on the alien planet Kesh. Subjugating the superstitious Keshiri race by posing as its fabled overlords has ensured the Sith's survival—while they struggle in secret to return to the stars. But after fifteen years on their adopted world, some among the lost tribe have grown restless and fearful that assimilation will consume their Sith heritage. Now, as rival factions begin to appear, a shocking disaster throws into doubt the Sith's future on Kesh. In the distant city of Tetsubal, the entire native populace is suddenly wiped out by a grisly plague of unknown origin. With terrifying speed, more cities succumb to the mysterious contagion. Only the Sith remain unharmed—so far. And as Sith commander Yaru Korsin grapples with the looming loss of the paradise he rules and the race his people have come to depend upon, he must confront the dark possibility that the catastrophe may not be cruel fate but insidious sabotage.

My review: 3 stars

Plot: The plot in this one was much more intense. It kept me more interested than the past ones, but I still felt like it was too short.

Characters: The characters didn't change much from the past books.

Setting: The place they are at is the same, but they did move around a little and reconstructed their buildings.

Overall: I feel like this series is being hurriedly put together. I don't dislike it, and I do plan on finishing it, but I wish the stories from book to book flowed together better.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Review - Star Wars #2 (Skyborn)


This is the synopsis from Amazon:

Don't miss Star Wars: Lost Tribe of The Sith: Skyborn a FREE original e-book short story, the second in a series that tell the untold story of the Fate of the Jedi's forgotten Sith castaways, their battle to survive, and their quest to re-conquer the galaxy! Skyborn includes an exclusive excerpt from Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Abyss (Del Rey Hardcover, available August 18th) and offers a unique look into the backstory of events that have begun to unfold in the Fate of the Jedi series. DECEIVE AND CONQUERA Jedi ambush leaves the Sith ship Omen marooned on a remote alien world, its survivors at the mercy of their desolate surroundings and facing almost certain death. But Sith will no more bow before the whims of fate than they will yield to the weapons of their enemies. And Omen’s cunning commander Yaru Korsin, will let nothing keep him and his crew from returning to the stars and rejoining the Sith order’s conquest of the galaxy. Murdering his own brother has proven Korsin’s ruthless resolve—but now an entire race stands in his way.The primitive, superstitious Keshiri worship unseen gods called the Skyborn, shun science, and punish unbelievers with death. Branded a heretic the widowed young geologist Adari Vaal is running for her life. Among the mysterious Sith castaways she finds powerful sanctuary—and her saviors find the means of survival. With Adari as their willing pawn, the Skyborn as their Trojan horse, and the awesome power of the dark side of the Force at their command, the lost tribe of the Omen set out to subjugate a planet and its people—and lay the foundation for a merciless new Sith nation.

My review: 3 stars

Plot: This book really confused me at first. Being a sequel, I expected the original story to be continued right away. However the first half of the book is about a completely different person and her world. It wasn't until the stories merged that the ending of the first book made sense.

Characters: I like the main character in this one a lot better than the first one. Her character's point of view makes the story much better in this one than other other character's would.

Setting: The setting doesn't change much from the first one, so I don't have much more to say.

Overall: I like this one better than the first one. This one goes more into the mystery of the people and causes you to be more interested in their background. Definitely one to read!

Friday, March 4, 2011

Review - Stars Wars #1 (Precipice)


This is the synopsis from Amazon:

Don’t miss STAR WARS: LOST TRIBE OF THE SITH: PRECIPICE a FREE original e-book short story, the first in a series that tell the untold story of the FATE OF THE JEDI's forgotten Sith castaways, their battle to survive, and their quest to re-conquer the galaxy! PRECIPICE includes an exclusive excerpt from STAR WARS: FATE OF THE JEDI: OMEN (Del Rey Hardcover, available June 23rd) and offers a unique look into the backstory of events that will begin to unfold in OMEN. SURVIVAL—NOT SURRENDER For the ruthless Sith Order, failure is not an option. It is an offense punishable by death—and a fate to which Commander Yaru Korsin will not succumb. But on a crucial run to deliver troops and precious crystals to a combat hotspot in the Sith’s war against the Republic, Korsin and the crew of the mining ship Omen are ambushed by a Jedi starfighter. And when the Sith craft crash-lands, torn and crippled, on a desolate alien planet, the hard-bitten captain finds himself at odds with desperate survivors on the brink of mutiny—and his own vengeful half brother, who’s bent on seizing command. No matter the cost, Korsin vows that it will not be his blood and bones left behind on this unknown world. For the way of the Sith leaves little room for compromise—and none for mercy.

My review: 3 stars

Plot: This book was pretty confusing at first, honestly. I spent most of the time trying to figure out which brother was currently being talked about, and less on the story itself. It was pretty good though.

Characters: I liked how the author made it clear how heavy the anger was between some of the characters, rather than being pansy characters.

Setting: The story starts on the ship, but ends up on the new rock they had never been to. It creates suspense and intrigue.

Overall: This book is definitely not stand alone. The ending doesn't even get explained until about halfway through the next one. If you plan on reading this series, expect to read them all.
 
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