Ich konnte mir das Buch gratis runterladen, als es für 2 Tage gefeatured wurde, und muss sagen, ich fand die Geschichte sehr lieb. Es geht um eine Eule, die von merkwürdiger Musik geweckt wird, Traum und Wirklichkeit verschmelzen, Ola fliegt in Begleitung eines Jungen auf Wolken durch die Gegend, findet den Ort, wo man nach dem Ableben hinkommt, verliert ihr zuhause und findet darüber hinaus heraus, woher die geheimnisvolle Musik kommt.
Olas Geschichte hat mir sehr gut gefallen, ob sie wirklich für kleine Kinder geeignet ist, kann ich nicht so wirklich beurteilen, finde aber, dass es eventuell ein wenig viel ist, gleichzeitig Realität und Traum unterscheiden können zu müssen, und außerdem noch mit dem Thema Tod konfrontiert zu werden. Mir war das Ganze ein klein wenig zu eilig erzählt, man hätte da schon mehr ins Detail gehen können, trotz allem vergebe ich 7 von 10 möglichen Punkten, und würde mich freuen, von der Autorin ein wenig mehr zu lesen.
Mein nächstes Projekt ist die "Fifty Shades" - Trilogie.
Auf dem Nachttisch liegt übrigens immer noch Lumen herum... da bin ich jetzt knapp über die Hälfte.
Monday, 21 January 2013
Friday, 18 January 2013
Klaus F. Rödder - Die haben ihre Methoden - wir die unseren Mr. Stringer! - Dame Margaret Rutherford - Auf den Spuren von Miss Marple
Hr. Rödder beschreibt in seiner Biographie der großen Margaret Rutherford zunächst, wie er sich auf ihre Spuren gemacht hat, soll heißen, er such zunächst ihre Grabstätte auf, und macht sich dann auf, die Drehorte der Miss Marple Filme zu suchen. Dieser Teil des Buches hat mir am Besten gefallen, da er mit großer Begeisterung und in normalem "Redestil" geschrieben ist, also so, als würde er mir persönlich von seinen Erlebnissen in England erzählen.
Die eigentliche Biographie ist dann zwar sehr interessant zu lesen, für mich allerdings teilweise etwas lückenhaft - soll heißen, manche Aspekte hätten mich viel mehr interessiert, aber sie werden in Nebensätzen abgehakt und dann nie wieder erwähnt. Aber gut, ich wusste gar nichts über die Rutherford und habe nun zumindest einiges an Grundwissen erhalten, auf jeden Fall gefällt mir der Nachsatz in der Art von "na, wenn ich's nicht gemacht hätte, wer hätte euch denn dann Informationen über die Rutherford auf deutsch zusammengetragen", weil er hat schon recht, es gibt doch immer und überall was zu nörgeln, und so hat man wenigstens was in der Muttersprache über die Schauspielerin :-)
Für das Buch - übrigens die Kindle-Edition - kann ich 8 von 10 Punkten vergeben.
Die eigentliche Biographie ist dann zwar sehr interessant zu lesen, für mich allerdings teilweise etwas lückenhaft - soll heißen, manche Aspekte hätten mich viel mehr interessiert, aber sie werden in Nebensätzen abgehakt und dann nie wieder erwähnt. Aber gut, ich wusste gar nichts über die Rutherford und habe nun zumindest einiges an Grundwissen erhalten, auf jeden Fall gefällt mir der Nachsatz in der Art von "na, wenn ich's nicht gemacht hätte, wer hätte euch denn dann Informationen über die Rutherford auf deutsch zusammengetragen", weil er hat schon recht, es gibt doch immer und überall was zu nörgeln, und so hat man wenigstens was in der Muttersprache über die Schauspielerin :-)
Für das Buch - übrigens die Kindle-Edition - kann ich 8 von 10 Punkten vergeben.
George R. R. Martin - A Feast for Crows
I always face the problem, that there are so many characters in so many different parts of Westeros and well, not all of them are interesting for me, which might not be fair, as everyones story is part of the whole thing... This is why I will now concentrate on the two characters I liked most in "A Feast for Crows" - which are Arya and Sam.
Arya, once again not under her real name, travels to Braavos. Here she finds a new home in the "House of Black and White" where an older man introduces her to the guild of the faceless man, which is a kind of religion who worship the many-faced God. Arya has to get rid of all her personal belongings, but decides to keep Needle (hidden) all the same. Her training includes going out into the city, but not as Arya, nor as one of her previous identities, but as Cat of the Canals. She needs to learn 3 things each time she leaves the house before she can come back, and she starts learning the Braavosi language...
Sam is sent to Oldtown, together with Maester Aemon, Dareon, Gilly and her baby boy. The voyage includes a long ship journey, which Sam - being afraid of water - cannot enjoy at all. Maester Aemon gets ill during the voyage, and all their money is spent for inn and healer. Sam forces Dareon to earn money by singing in the local pubs, but the money earned is spent by Dareon for wine and whores. Sam starts a fight with him, and nearly drowns when thrown out of the brothel and into a canal. Aemon can not be helped, but recovers for a brief moment when he is told about Danys dragons by Xhondo, who saved Sam's live. Xhondo offers Sam and his friends passage on his ship, during which the Maester dies. In the mourning Gilly and Sam make love and Gilly...
There is so much taking place and again so many different characters that I sometimes really had problems to follow the plot. Again a lot of people die, again a lot of intrigues are woven, but that's the same in all Ice and Fire books. I am a little unchosen if I liked the book or not, problem number one being, that Dany is only mentioned, but not Point-of-View person, and she is apart from Arya my favorite. Problem 2 is, that the nearly the whole book covers people I either don't like or don't care. Well, all the same, in the afterword is promised, that book 5 covers the same fraction of time as book 4, but with all the persons missing.
So, I award 5 out of 10 and hope to read about Jon, Dany and all the other "good guys" in the next volume (in case you wonder... I am a bad guy myself, therefore I like to read about the good guys more :-) )
Arya, once again not under her real name, travels to Braavos. Here she finds a new home in the "House of Black and White" where an older man introduces her to the guild of the faceless man, which is a kind of religion who worship the many-faced God. Arya has to get rid of all her personal belongings, but decides to keep Needle (hidden) all the same. Her training includes going out into the city, but not as Arya, nor as one of her previous identities, but as Cat of the Canals. She needs to learn 3 things each time she leaves the house before she can come back, and she starts learning the Braavosi language...
Sam is sent to Oldtown, together with Maester Aemon, Dareon, Gilly and her baby boy. The voyage includes a long ship journey, which Sam - being afraid of water - cannot enjoy at all. Maester Aemon gets ill during the voyage, and all their money is spent for inn and healer. Sam forces Dareon to earn money by singing in the local pubs, but the money earned is spent by Dareon for wine and whores. Sam starts a fight with him, and nearly drowns when thrown out of the brothel and into a canal. Aemon can not be helped, but recovers for a brief moment when he is told about Danys dragons by Xhondo, who saved Sam's live. Xhondo offers Sam and his friends passage on his ship, during which the Maester dies. In the mourning Gilly and Sam make love and Gilly...
There is so much taking place and again so many different characters that I sometimes really had problems to follow the plot. Again a lot of people die, again a lot of intrigues are woven, but that's the same in all Ice and Fire books. I am a little unchosen if I liked the book or not, problem number one being, that Dany is only mentioned, but not Point-of-View person, and she is apart from Arya my favorite. Problem 2 is, that the nearly the whole book covers people I either don't like or don't care. Well, all the same, in the afterword is promised, that book 5 covers the same fraction of time as book 4, but with all the persons missing.
So, I award 5 out of 10 and hope to read about Jon, Dany and all the other "good guys" in the next volume (in case you wonder... I am a bad guy myself, therefore I like to read about the good guys more :-) )
Tuesday, 11 December 2012
George R. R. Martin - A Storm of Swords
The 3rd book of the Song of Ice and Fire... well, to be short: Everybody Dies (to quote the last House M.D. Episode's title).
There is still the "war of the five kings" going on in Westeros (with only 4 kings remaining). King's Landing is attacked, but can be defeated by a newly founded alliance between Lannisters and Tyrells.
The Night Watch meanwhile has to face Mance Ryder and his wildlings who march against the Wall. Jon has to play a turncloak in order to find out, whether the wildlings already found the horn of winter.
Jaime is escorted to King's Landing by Brienne of Tarth - so he can be exchanged against Sansa Stark. But Sansa has other problems (including a marriage). Her brother Bran discovers his third eye and seeks for somebody who tells him how to best use his talent. Arya needs to adapt herself to various situations, always pretending not to be the Stark she is. Daenerys on the other part of the world starts building a new empire, using her dragons to win people over to her side.
I still like GoT, but somehow the story grows longer and longer, and there is not too much happening. All the same, it still stays thrilling - at least for some characters, while others... well, not everyone can have an interesting live for everyone, so I think that's ok.
The 3rd part has the air of Death around it, really, most of the important persons die, some expectantly, for for others it really came as a surprise.
I already started with the 4th volume (A feast of Crows), and am one fifth through. I award 6 out of 10.
There is still the "war of the five kings" going on in Westeros (with only 4 kings remaining). King's Landing is attacked, but can be defeated by a newly founded alliance between Lannisters and Tyrells.
The Night Watch meanwhile has to face Mance Ryder and his wildlings who march against the Wall. Jon has to play a turncloak in order to find out, whether the wildlings already found the horn of winter.
Jaime is escorted to King's Landing by Brienne of Tarth - so he can be exchanged against Sansa Stark. But Sansa has other problems (including a marriage). Her brother Bran discovers his third eye and seeks for somebody who tells him how to best use his talent. Arya needs to adapt herself to various situations, always pretending not to be the Stark she is. Daenerys on the other part of the world starts building a new empire, using her dragons to win people over to her side.
I still like GoT, but somehow the story grows longer and longer, and there is not too much happening. All the same, it still stays thrilling - at least for some characters, while others... well, not everyone can have an interesting live for everyone, so I think that's ok.
The 3rd part has the air of Death around it, really, most of the important persons die, some expectantly, for for others it really came as a surprise.
I already started with the 4th volume (A feast of Crows), and am one fifth through. I award 6 out of 10.
Tuesday, 27 November 2012
Christoph Marzi - Lilith
Über Geschmack lässt sich bekanntlich streiten... Für Lilith ist mir eine eindeutige Empfehlung ausgesprochen worden... Gut, ich hatte schon kleinere Probleme mit dem Vorgängerroman... aber hier? Alles, wirklich alles, was mir am Vorgänger gefallen hat, lässt Lilith missen.
4 Jahre nach den Ereignissen von "Lycidas" müssen Emily und ihre Freundin Aurora wiederum in die uralte Metropole, in der auf einmal Widergänger aufgetaucht sind, die ihre Opfer in blutrünstige Ghule verwandeln. Im Zuge ihrer Recherchen müssen sich die beiden Freundinnen trennen, Aurora versucht, das Rätsel auf dem europäischen Festland zu lösen, während Emily vorerst in London bleibt.
Emily erhält von ihrer Vertrauten Eliza deren Tagebuch, und liest mit Schrecken, dass auch Eliza nicht das ist, was sie zu sein scheint. Währenddessen verliert sich die Spur von Aurora und ihrem Mentor irgendwo in Paris, und Emily und Wittgenstein machen sich auf den Weg, die beiden zu retten...
Ich weiß nicht, vor allem stört mich, dass über weite Passagen des Buches, Elizas Tagebuch das Geschehen einnimmt, das (für mich) eigentlich wirklich vernachlässigbar für die Handlung ist. Die Figuren, die einem nach Teil 1 so ein bisschen ans Herz gewachsen sind, kommen teilweise nur noch am Rande vor... Nein, ich kann mich mit Lilith nicht anfreunden, und ärgere mich im Moment, dass ich den 3. Teil "Lumen" auch schon zu Hause liegen habe, aber ich werde ihn jetzt gleich lesen, dann "hab ich's hinter mir".
Ich vergebe 2 von 10 Punkten, weil immerhin der Schluss recht spannend gehalten ist. Als nächstes dann eben "Lumen".
4 Jahre nach den Ereignissen von "Lycidas" müssen Emily und ihre Freundin Aurora wiederum in die uralte Metropole, in der auf einmal Widergänger aufgetaucht sind, die ihre Opfer in blutrünstige Ghule verwandeln. Im Zuge ihrer Recherchen müssen sich die beiden Freundinnen trennen, Aurora versucht, das Rätsel auf dem europäischen Festland zu lösen, während Emily vorerst in London bleibt.
Emily erhält von ihrer Vertrauten Eliza deren Tagebuch, und liest mit Schrecken, dass auch Eliza nicht das ist, was sie zu sein scheint. Währenddessen verliert sich die Spur von Aurora und ihrem Mentor irgendwo in Paris, und Emily und Wittgenstein machen sich auf den Weg, die beiden zu retten...
Ich weiß nicht, vor allem stört mich, dass über weite Passagen des Buches, Elizas Tagebuch das Geschehen einnimmt, das (für mich) eigentlich wirklich vernachlässigbar für die Handlung ist. Die Figuren, die einem nach Teil 1 so ein bisschen ans Herz gewachsen sind, kommen teilweise nur noch am Rande vor... Nein, ich kann mich mit Lilith nicht anfreunden, und ärgere mich im Moment, dass ich den 3. Teil "Lumen" auch schon zu Hause liegen habe, aber ich werde ihn jetzt gleich lesen, dann "hab ich's hinter mir".
Ich vergebe 2 von 10 Punkten, weil immerhin der Schluss recht spannend gehalten ist. Als nächstes dann eben "Lumen".
Tuesday, 23 October 2012
George R.R. Martin - A Clash of Kings
Having bet with a friend, that I will not make it to finish the first 4 books by the end of this year, I am doing my best now to fulfill my part of the bet :-).
The second book of "A song of ice and fire" begins, where part one ended.
With the death of Robert Baratheon, his son Joffrey is now rightful king of the seven kingdoms of Westeros. But several others claim the Iron Throne - Renly and Stannis Baratheon, Robb Stark and Balon Greyjoy.
Therefore a good deal of war is fought in Westeros. Catelyn Stark, wanting to support her son, joins a meeting of Renly and Stannis, in order to discuss a possible alliance between the Starks and the Baratheons. Not surprisingly, the meeting fails, and after a mysterious shadow enters the tent, there is one king less.
Balons son Theon, former ward of the Starks, conquers Winterfell, and takes the two remaining Starks Bran and Rickon as captives.
Tyrion is sent to King's Landing to act as the King's Hand as long as his father has to deal with other things. The imp tries to improve the defenses of the city in order to prepare the capital for the civil war which is coming nearer and nearer...
Arya, having fled King's Landing, is travelling north under false name with a group of new recruits for the Night Watch. The group is getting caught and taken to Harrenhal, which is held by the Lannisters.
On the Wall things get stressfull as well, as Mance Rayder, the King-beyond-the-Wall unites the so called wildlings, a unsually quite anarchic people, in order to take the wall. Jon Snow has to pretend to be an oathbreaker to the Night's Watch to infiltrate the wildlings.
Daenerys makes it together with her few loyal followers and her 3 dragons to the city of Qarth. Everyone is fascinated, not only of Dani but mostly of her newly hatched dragons. Being treated quite well in the beginning, the city (especially one merchant) turns against her, because she wont give away one of her dragons.
Well, I am struggeling to sum up a book of nearly 900 pages, which is told by 9 POV-characters, which twists and turns more than any other book I read so far, so please excuse the mess!
I think, the second book is not as good as the first, the plot is sometimes a little confusing, with this happening and that, and all of that at the same time, and always through someone different's eyes... all the same, I still enjoy being a part of Westeros, and started already with the third one, so I award 7 out of 10.
The second book of "A song of ice and fire" begins, where part one ended.
With the death of Robert Baratheon, his son Joffrey is now rightful king of the seven kingdoms of Westeros. But several others claim the Iron Throne - Renly and Stannis Baratheon, Robb Stark and Balon Greyjoy.
Therefore a good deal of war is fought in Westeros. Catelyn Stark, wanting to support her son, joins a meeting of Renly and Stannis, in order to discuss a possible alliance between the Starks and the Baratheons. Not surprisingly, the meeting fails, and after a mysterious shadow enters the tent, there is one king less.
Balons son Theon, former ward of the Starks, conquers Winterfell, and takes the two remaining Starks Bran and Rickon as captives.
Tyrion is sent to King's Landing to act as the King's Hand as long as his father has to deal with other things. The imp tries to improve the defenses of the city in order to prepare the capital for the civil war which is coming nearer and nearer...
Arya, having fled King's Landing, is travelling north under false name with a group of new recruits for the Night Watch. The group is getting caught and taken to Harrenhal, which is held by the Lannisters.
On the Wall things get stressfull as well, as Mance Rayder, the King-beyond-the-Wall unites the so called wildlings, a unsually quite anarchic people, in order to take the wall. Jon Snow has to pretend to be an oathbreaker to the Night's Watch to infiltrate the wildlings.
Daenerys makes it together with her few loyal followers and her 3 dragons to the city of Qarth. Everyone is fascinated, not only of Dani but mostly of her newly hatched dragons. Being treated quite well in the beginning, the city (especially one merchant) turns against her, because she wont give away one of her dragons.
Well, I am struggeling to sum up a book of nearly 900 pages, which is told by 9 POV-characters, which twists and turns more than any other book I read so far, so please excuse the mess!
I think, the second book is not as good as the first, the plot is sometimes a little confusing, with this happening and that, and all of that at the same time, and always through someone different's eyes... all the same, I still enjoy being a part of Westeros, and started already with the third one, so I award 7 out of 10.
Tuesday, 2 October 2012
John Saul - Die Blackstone Chroniken
Eine amerikanische Kleinstadt, eine ehemalige Irrenanstalt aus der ein Einkaufszentrum werden soll und seltsame Geschenke, dies sind die Zutaten für John Sauls "Die Blackstone Chroniken".
John Saul bietet eine gruselige Athmosphäre, aber leider nicht so viel Spannung wie erwartet. Trotz allem lassen sich die über 700 Seiten zügig lesen, und zumindest teilweise konnte ich schlecht schlafen (in Erwartung von dunklen Figuren, die durch mein Schlafzimmer wandeln...).
Alles in allem vergebe ich 7 von 10 Punkten und widme mich "Lillith" dem 2. Teil von Christoph Marzis "Die uralte Metropole".
John Saul bietet eine gruselige Athmosphäre, aber leider nicht so viel Spannung wie erwartet. Trotz allem lassen sich die über 700 Seiten zügig lesen, und zumindest teilweise konnte ich schlecht schlafen (in Erwartung von dunklen Figuren, die durch mein Schlafzimmer wandeln...).
Alles in allem vergebe ich 7 von 10 Punkten und widme mich "Lillith" dem 2. Teil von Christoph Marzis "Die uralte Metropole".
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