The Guardian by Jane Hamilton

The Guardian is an all-time favorite of mine, and a book that I re-read every few years because Jane Hamilton’s characters are so absolutely wonderful and the way she tugs you into the story is masterful

The story opens with Tabris, a Guardian angel tried in Heaven’s court.  Flanked by two archangels, he stands on trial for the ultimate crime. Part of the mystery of the story is finding out exactly what Tabris did, because nothing is said directly about the crime throughout the beginning of the book although many hints are laid out.  All of the angels are horrified and treat him with distance, some with disrespect.

God has given Tabris a second chance. Tabris is sent to help another angel, Rachmiel, guard his child. The other angel is polite but doesn’t completely trust Tabris, but then Tabris doesn’t completely trust himself either.

The Guardian is a unique, heart-wrenching story. If you like fantasies and have gotten bored with the current selection, try this one.  In my opinion, Jane Hamilton writes the characters in The Guardian with as much skill as Patricia Briggs did in Moon Called.

Let me give you fair warning.  This is a Christian book and as such will contain reference to Christian beliefs.  That said, this book is truly a hidden gem.

A Drowned Maiden's Hair

I had a few arguments with myself as to whether to post this book or not.  Frankly, I was disappointed because somehow I thought I was going to be reading a paranormal story.  But in the end, I do think it is a well-told story for the young adult market.

As with many YA novels, the story opens with a girl living in an orphanage whose life is harsh because she speaks her mind and is not considered pretty. She has been punished by being locked in the outhouse with the spiders and smells.  She bravely sings the Battle Hymn of the Republic to prove she's not afraid.

While she is singing, one of a trio of sisters looking for a girl to adopt hears her and decides that she is the one. From here we take a sharp turn because the sisters are hiding Maud and have plans to make her a part of a clandestine activity to fleece others. 

She then must decide whether a lie is worth the love she wants from the sisters.

Daughter of the Blood by Anne Bishop PG-13

Perusing the shelves at the library, I overlooked this book on at least four occasions before finally deciding to read it.  For me, the turn off was the use of names like Lucivar & Daemon. But I did eventually read the book and discovered that I like Anne Bishop novels. 

Bishop has an ability to write characters that come alive off the page. The first book in a trilogy, Daughter of the Blood is about two brothers of a long-lived race who have been tormented and enslaved by the current queen & witch in Terreille.  They are in the room serving lords and ladies when a broken witch tells of the coming of the Queen of the Dark Realm.

The Queen of Darkness turns out to be a true heroine and a compassionate person. While none of the main characters are tame, in the moral code of right and wrong, they actually represent good. The whole realm is dark, and the brothers murder in self-defense. The enemy of the brothers and the coming queen is a pair of deranged women whose power enslaves the brothers for hundreds of years.

One of my favorite elements of the book is the introduction of the kindred.  They are animals with the power to communicate and provide comic relief and joy to the story. I'm not one to like incredibly dark topics, and this book does deal with some very harsh topics and sensitive issues including rape which would not be suitable for a younger audience. This is probably the darkest book I've read that I can say I liked reading.

Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis

C.S. Lewis is famed for the Chronicles of Narnia, which is one of my favorite series, although I'm afraid I might have outgrown them.   Till We Have Faces is a more mature book and a powerful story.

The story is a retelling of the Cupid and Psyche myth from the perspective of the half-sister who was blamed in the myth as a jealous woman who disliked Psyche and set her up. In this first-person tale, Orual justifies her actions to the gods and explains her side. The result is a fascinating and unique story.

What I enjoy the most about Till We Have Faces is that Orual's character is so very likeable even with her flaws. She is told she is ugly as a child, but she is able to put up a good argument that she truly loves her sister who is beautiful. The beginning of the book is spent on Orual and Psyche's childhood and their teacher, the Fox, and how Psyche came to be sacrificed to Cupid. I don't like to give away endings, so I'll leave it there.

An elegant story with a strong emotional thread, this is a wonderful book.

The Monster at the end of this Book by Jon Stone

I've been remiss in the picture book category and thought it might be time to mention the single best picture book ever written. The Monster at the end of this Book might be for kids, but it's the kind of book that an adult can enjoy reading to the little ones.

It's clever and funny and what I would call a page turner for children.  I suppose if picture books were categorized, this would be a mystery.   I loved it when I was little and I have the feeling in a hundred years, it will still be in print.




 

Phule's Company by Robert Aspirin

Let me first say that I enjoy all of Robert Aspirin's books. He cracks me up. I enjoy the Myth Series and may at some point do a post on that, but even as a Robert Aspirin fan, I stumbled onto Phule's Company several years after it was first released.

 In Phule's Company, a lieutenant is punished with the command of a company of men who have been shuffled off to the most undesirable placement in the legion, Haskin's Planet. The captain and colonel gave the command of the company of "losers and problem cases" to the lieutenant who is the wealthy son of the owner of Phule-Proof Munitions, hoping to entice him to resign. He happily accepts the promotion.

But Phule didn't know he was supposed to fail. And he didn't do things the way everyone expected. With plenty of laughs along the way, Phule finds the special abilities his troops possess and teaches them a new way of looking at things. They learn to work together and when problems come, surprise everyone with their success. A fun and entertaining read. One I can highly recommend.

The Manhattan Hunt Club by John Saul

John Saul knows how to write a chilling book.  The Manhattan Hunt Club opens with a brutal attack on a woman.  The man who tried to help her, Jeff Converse, was falsely accused and is wrongly convicted.  His sentence is light, only nine months. On his way to Riker’s Island, the van Jeff is riding in is hit and someone pulls him out of the van and sends him into the tunnels.

Jeff is then shoved into a cell with a serial killing crazy who doesn’t remember his killings.  Meanwhile his father and girlfriend, neither believing the official story of his death, join forces to try to find him. Taking place in the subterranean world of New York City, the effect is a cold and dark world. Jeff and Jagger, the serial killer, are told that they are going to be in a hunt...as prey. If they can get to the surface, they will live.

The odds are stacked against them. And the hunters are coming.

The Manhattan Hunt Club touches on an interesting array of themes and politics, from the homeless (or houseless) to vigilante justice. But it’s done with such finesse that the themes don’t overshadow the entertainment value the book has to offer. 

The idea might be familiar, but the treatment is unique.  Somewhere between mystery and horror, The Manhattan Hunt Club is a great read!

(Links will take you off site to Amazon...)

Sarah and the Lost Friendship by Margaret Epp

I'm embarrassed to admit it, but when I wanted to share this book with my niece, instead of just shipping it to her, I bought a copy. (It's out of print, but I found a used one in good condition.) I couldn't bear to part with it because I enjoyed it so much as a child.

This book has a lot in common with The Little House on the Prairie Series and Anne of Green Gables. (At some point, I have no doubt I'll be discussing them, but this is a book that didn't have the popularity and might have gone unnoticed.)

The story is about a ten year old girl in 1926 when people still had milk delivered and rode horse and buggies. The theme centers around a fight Sarah has with her best friend.  Sarah's sister marries her best friend's brother and now Sarah feels jealous.

I've always loved stories where the heroine has an injury or falls ill and that happens in this book. She feels sick to start but it gets worse as she is milking the cow. I think that's probably the reason I like Sarah and the Lost Friendship so much. Please note, the book does reference Christian beliefs and values, but the storyline is intact. If you have a young reader who enjoys the horse and buggy days, Sarah and the Lost Friendship is a great choice.

The Deed of Paksenarrion by Elizabeth Moon

Several years back a friend told me about this book urgently suggesting I read it.  I'm easily turned off by strange words in both titles and first paragraphs and while I wrote down the title, I didn't jump all over finding it.  Well, I was lucky my friend was persistent (with the urgency of a Firefly fan) because I eventually picked it up at the library.  And then, I loved it so much, I bought my own copy. And then for good measure, I bought a couple copies for family members.

What makes The Deed of Paksenarrion so great?  In my opinion, it is the ONLY novel to ever give J.R.R. Tolkien a run for his money in the fantasy genre.  It doesn't have the "Bestseller" moniker printed across the cover, so I can only assume that people saw the title and said 'meh'. Don't let the title fool you, it is an epic fantasy so vivid and detailed and huge in scope that it is truly worthy to be compared to the master of fantasy himself.

The novel follows the story of a young woman, Paks who is betrothed to a pig farmer. She has other ideas and runs away from home to join a mercenary company. But her longing is to be greater than a mercenary and to fight for good the way the heroes of her grandfather's time did takes her down a path no one would expect.

What begins as a soldier's story quickly evolves into an epic tale of good and evil, right and wrong, as Paks leaves the mercenary company and shows gifts that may indicate she has been chosen by the gods for some purpose. As with all great books, Elizabeth Moon gives Paks some crushing defeats and major disappointments. Those painful moments define her character and make the moments of victory so much the sweeter.

Moon deftly weaves the story of Paks and brings a rich tapestry of event and emotion to the story.  The story seems larger than its genre to me. I believe that it would be enjoyable to some who don't regularly read fantasy in the same way that The Lord of the Rings is.

You'll hear me say on this blog. "This is a book I've re-read."  When I say that  it shows a truly special story because with the thousands of books left to read, I only revisit the very best, the ones that have tugged on my heart or my imagination. So far, I'm up to at least four readings of The Deed of Paksenarrion. I consider it a top ten in favorite books.





 

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (Free on Kindle)

The Picture of Dorian Gray is a classic that stands on its own in terms of entertainment value and thought.  I hadn't actually read the book until a group of fellow writers got together and we started talking about books.   When we had finished, I had a list of thirty books with this classic on the list. And it is a wonderful book. 

The novel follows an aristocratic fellow whose name is Dorian Gray.  He is a vibrant, youthful fellow who exudes charm and grace.   After his portrait is painted, we follow Dorian's path through life.  He debauches himself and lives only for personal pleasure.  No matter what excesses he indulges in, he remains the same beautiful person he always had been, charming and youthful.

But his picture changes.  As time passes, the painting begins to reflect the evils he has committed, showing Dorian's true nature on the canvas. 

While The Picture of Dorian Gray is a classic, it is an interesting read and well worth picking up.  I noticed that there is a free Kindle version available...


****Free Kindle Version**** (at time of blog posting)
Paperback version