Naked Heat, by Richard Castle

The second book based on the television series Castle. The first was cheesy but fun; this is more of the same. The plot is nothing special, but the depth this adds to the characters on the show. For instance, it seems Castle has a better-than-average taste in beer; while Fat Tire isn’t my favorite I’m always pleased to see someone that enjoys the finer things in life enjoying a craft beer! Reading this will make you yearn for a real mystery, but if you love Castle, you’ll love this.

First Sentence:

Nikki Heat pondered red lights and why they seemed to last so much longer when there was no traffic.

A Clash of Kings, by George R. R. Martin

The second book in Martin’s A Song of Fire and Ice series delivers a strong chapter in the political turmoil of the Seven Kingdoms. Tyrion’s character is fleshed out quite a bit, almost redeemed entirely in the eyes of the reader as he is shown to be both cunning and compassionate while maintaining the ruthlessness needed to run a country at war. His sister Cersei doesn’t fare as well, becoming even more of a one-dimensional shrew than depicted in the first book if possible. The four would-be kings battling across the continent is a compelling story, but every time the action goes east to follow Daenerys it drags considerably. Her story will obviously cross with the rest in some future book (although at Martin’s pace, it could be many, many novels away!) so there is plenty of time to save this thread.

Overall, though: another 1000 pages, another winner.

First Sentence:

The comet’s tail spread across the dawn, a red slash that bled above the crags of Dragonstone like a wound in the pink and purple sky.

Mission of Honor, by David Weber

Years ago my stepfather-in-law lent me the first book in the Honor Harrington series and I was hooked. Many volumes later, I still am. Political intrigue abounds, and war breaks out on several fronts. The Solarian League picks a fight with Manticore only to discover they are at a staggering technological disadvantage. Manticore is trying to make peace with Haven to avoid a multi-front war, but is surprised by a sneak attack on their home world. Haven is on the edge of complete collapse, but a faction of politicians is stalling the peace talks trying to extract personal concessions. And a previously secret cabal that has been manipulating all the players into battling each other is finally exposed. A nice twist that builds well on previous novels, Weber is moving into more of a plot-driven phase rather than character-driven. While Honor is undeniably a main participant, instead of revolving around her at a personal level the story expands to a larger geopolitical scale. The cliffhanger at the end is a game-changer, and will certainly lead to exciting future volumes.

First Sentence:

Any dictionary editor stymied for an illustration of the word “paralyzed” would have pounced on him in an instant.

A Game of Thrones, by George R. R. Martin

I’d heard good things about this series, but nothing that made me think it was anything more than just another multiple volume fantasy epic in the vein of Jordan or Riordan. I don’t subscribe to HBO, but the excitement around their recent adaptation of Martin’s work has been impossible to miss. When a good friend with impeccable taste mentioned she tore through a later 1000+ page entry in the series in a single weekend I knew I had to pick this up. So glad I did!

The intrigue, conspiracies, and familial maneuvering reminded me of The Pillars of the Earth, albeit with dragons and undead monsters here. As with most epics there are several different but loosely connected plot lines, most of foreshadow signs of convergence in later books. The main story is that of a weak king whose death causes a civil war, but the hints of an otherworldly menace and a burgeoning threat from across the sea I found more appealing. The melodrama unfolds from the viewpoint of several of the various characters, with each chapter being told by a different individual. Unfortunately, these characters are generally one dimensional archetypes: noble but dense heroes, venal and calculating villains. While not well-developed, they are compelling, and Martin manages to keep things unpredictable by being unafraid to kill them off.

Enjoyable and entertaining, I look forward to the remaining books in the series.

First Sentence:

“We should start back,” Gared urged as the woods began to grow dark around them.