Best and Worst of 2011 and what to expect in 2012

I know my bro will weigh in later, but i wanted to throw down some literary thoughts for 2011 and tell you what you can expect for 2012. This has been a fun project for Del and I to partake and I plan on making this blog much more dynamic in the coming months.

What does that mean?

More reviews. I've read tons of books this past year and I'll be honest, I haven't found but a handful that I felt I would want to put on here. That I would even recommend that you read. But I see now that this kind of thinking is short sighted. I should just give my opinion on whatever I read. So from now on, that's what's going to happen. If I do not like a book enough to actually give it a rating, I'll just not rate it and give you my general opinion of the book. As I've stated before, I'm not here to rip someone's work apart. I'll be honest, but I'm not going to crucify someone. It'll be a simple recommend/do not recommend.

on to my favorites:
Best new author/great find
Kevin Hearne :  Iron Druid Chronicles
Guys, this series is super entertaining. The author is super nice, he actually interacts with his fan base. I have two, count em two, different things signed by him. One was a gift from my brother and the other was a prize I won, just for being a fan. How awesome is that?

Best Epic Book I read this year:

Patrick Rothfuss: The Name of the Wind
This book was so entertaining, I felt smarter after reading this novel. It's long, but don't let that scare you, the journey, you're allowed to tag along for is amazing and well worth your time as a reader. Give it a shot.

Best continuation in a series:

Ilona Andrews: Magic Slays Book 5 in the Kate Daniels Series.
I love this series, I've been reading it for a few years now. I love a bad ass female heroine with humor. She's authentic and you don't read the book and think to yourself "hmm, they seem to be trying to make her into some alpha butch woman who secretly needs rescuing" like so many other books with a female lead. Kate Daniels kicks ass and it's as simple as that.

Biggest Flop of the Year:
It would have to be the latest Sookie Stackhouse book. I know, shoot me, whatever. I don't care. I am not the writer and I am not the type of reader that gets pissed when an author does something and demand that they change it. blah blah. (Chicagoland series, I still love them even when she killed off a main character) But as a reader i have the right to not like where you're going, or how you've utterly changed the main character from a spunky, fun survivor to a defunct, somewhat sad shell of her former self character. I just didn't think it was a good book. I didn't find that humor that normally makes me like these books. It just is, what it is. I've stuck with this series, because I loved them. But it has just progressively gotten sadder and less dynamic with each book. I hope the next one turns it around.

See I feel like an ass for even posting that, b/c I really do enjoy Ms. Harris' writing, I just did not enjoy the last three S.S. books. oy.

anyway, that's my list for 2011. I'm sure Del will add more. Also in 2012, I plan on releasing chapters here and there for my latest book. So keep an eye out and I promise we'll be much more active in this coming new year.

your literary hound,
Deeds

Ominous Truth(Sword of, that is)

As the Sister mentioned in an earlier post, we are both huge fans of Terry Goodkind's, Sword of Truth series. I have been in love with this series for years. The moral, political and philosophical stances that are reflected really hit right on with a lot of my personal views. And hey, who can help but love a story where the hero overcomes after lots of trials and tortures and does so with some really awesome female companions who can kick some major butt on their own?
Goodkind is one of the few authors, in my humble opinion, who has successfully written and wrapped up a rather long series of books. When he "ended" the SoT series, everything was complete, he did an awesome job of tying up all the bothersome loose ends and the conclusion was pleasantly cathartic. While I hated to see the journey of my well-loved characters come to an end, he ended it well. Hobbits would sing of them in song if they were in a Tolkeinverse. But........
He wrote another book in the series. The Omen Machine. It picked right up from where the last book left off, which is nothing new in that regard, he did that with most of the series. It works well for the storyline. However, this story felt weak to me. There was a lot of stuff going on with nothing really happening. The story had a very pointless feeling about it. Now, I am NOT going to slam Mr. Goodkind, I love his story and it is his. However, this story didn't have good direction, there was a lot of filler "stuff" going on and whats worse, it had no completion. Even though his stories have always led into one another, they always felt like a complete story. The Omen Machine just felt incomplete. I was not riveted by his writing this time around and it was very hard for the book to keep my interested. I was able to stick to previous books in the serious even when reading one for the 4th or 5th time. With The Omen Machine, it was almost painful to keep reading. However, without giving out spoilers, the ending, which really felt like the book just stopped, definitely gave him a chance to redeem the story. I don't see anyway that there is not another sequel already in the works.

Before I sign off here, I just want to reiterate that I completely love the SoT series. And even though I was somewhat disappointed in the latest installment, Mr. Goodkind won me over years ago, and I still feel, for now, anything he publishes is worth the read. As for now, I'll patiently wait to see where he takes Richard, Kahlan and the most awesome Mord Sith next.