Review: A Feast for Crows

A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Better than than the last book, not as much history and flashbacks but still long. The quicker pacing made the length bearable plus there was plenty of action. However, I'm now 4 books into this story and the author keeps killing off or leading into dead ends all the sympathetic characters. I'm wondering if I even want to continue with this series. Perhaps, it would just be best to watch the HBO treatment of the story. Can't say that I am a fan of the author's decision to make book 4 and book 5 separate books of the same story time frame. After book 3 nearly 1/2 the characters disappear in book 4 until book 5 when there story will be told. Since I already own book 5, I guess I'll give it a shot.....

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Review: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Slow to get moving, tough to follow the jargon and gives proof to fact that the British and the Americans are 2 people's separated by a common language. That said, it is what everyone says it is : a masterful spy story.

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Review: 11/22/63

11/22/63 by Stephen King
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Really good. Recommend.

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Review: A Storm of Swords

A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Wow. Incredibly long. Quite a slog. More than once I considered giving up but like on occasion, there are sections that fly and sing and move the great narrative forward. Unfortunately, it seems that after two great books in the traditon of Tolkein, Martin decided that he had forgotten in the first two portions of the series to spew forth for long passages on history and song and ancillary storylines. Guess he decided to make up for it here. This book could have been half the length.

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Review: Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

First off, regardless of how much you know about Jobs or Apple this is a really thorough bio. However, since I have followed apple and jobs since 1983, many of the stories in this book are well known to those who followed him and Apple. Also, most of the best bits have been put out in the media over the last several weeks. I was also struck by the fact that, as an apple watcher, how many of the "rumored" stories were either true or mostly true.

The real insight here is the fact that Jobs provided 40 interviews to Isaacson so you get to hear his take on his life. That said, I would have liked to see a bit more independent analysis from Isaacson. Its clear he likes Jobs but he never really takes a critical eye to Jobs' place in history. Isaacson is rightly critical of Jobs' personality flaws, but as to his technical and business decisions (many of which I think were right) - not so much. Perhaps that has to come when some more perspective has been gained by time and by someone more grounded in technology. That said, definitely worth the read.

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Review: A Game of Thrones / A Clash of Kings

A Game of Thrones / A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Kind of a long slog, not as good as the first book of the series. Martin feels the need to alternate each chapter between characters making it tough to maintain continuity of the story, especially given the number of characters he parades in and out of each scene. Also, he uses the second book to impart the backstory he missed in the first.

Where the first book seems written for the screen, this one is going to be tough for the HBO crew to translate for the series.

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Review: A Game of Thrones

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

2 thoughts: really well written story, equal to Tolkein, without all the unpronounceable poems. Thought #2: the hbo series was damn near 100% faithful to the book.

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