Robson, Butcher, Hanilton, Et Al

Well, Ive read everything on my list except the one I probably should have read first (but my step-daughter is reading it -maybe she'll review it). And I can catch you up to my reading list quickly and efficiently by author/ In alphabetical order:

Butcher (The Harry Dresden Saga)-

I not only read the one on my list, but have read the next one as well. I don't know what it is about Dresden that always seems to evoke a response, but it does. This is not classic fantasy, heck its not classic anything, but its a good entertaining read. Harry always seems to have a price to pay for doing the right thing, and its amazing just who shows up to help him pick up the tab. If you haven't familiarized yourself with Harry Dresden - and you have an evening or two to devote to reading - you should. He's my favorite comic book character since Spider-Man, but much more accessible. Three Stars!

Hamilton (Merry Gentry Series)

Even the titles have become somewhat overly suggestive to the initiated. Frost is one of Merry's many elven lovers, so the title Licking Frost takes on the classic double entendre. Fortunately, while sex in semi-graphic detail is still a major component of the book, it is not the only component. Merry's story is advanced into yet another chapter of complication. Ms. Hamilton will have to work hard to keep all of Merry's lovers straight in the readers perceptions, much less all of the characters - of which there are more in this story. All in all, unless your into reading semi-soft porn, I'd give this one a bye. Ots not bad, but its slipping fast into one of the two traps of series writing - over-complication (the other being formulaic plots). Can the series be redeemed? Absolutely! And Ms. Hamilton is just the author to do it, but this isn't the book that will save the day. Two and a Half Stars

Robson (Quantum Gravity Series)

I finished the 4 book series with its unbelievable plot twists and devices. And most of it was pretty good. The ending sucked. Period. After all that build up and the potential of the main character, it was a total bust. Really an antithesis to the purpose of the main character and her travails. Sorry Ms. Robson. The first book was excellent, but you lost your way in the morass of settings and characters. One star.

Well, that's it until I can get the next couple of books back from my step-daughter. I am re-reading Paladin of Souls by one of my favorite authors who writes the best character driven books that I have read since Heinlein (And her characters are much, well, better). I'll keep reading. Anybody read any good books lately?