Book Review: Star Wars: Revan by Drew Karpyshyn

Book Review of Star Wars: Revan - Drew Karpyshyn

Other Worlds' Rating: 8 out of 10 stars

Alright, well, just to warn you, this review is coming from a huge fan of the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic games. I loved the games - both of them. So this review may be slightly biased.

I really, really liked this book. That said, the ending was really pretty sad for me, and it's hard to say whether I felt like this book was a let down or not. One thing I really liked about it is the fact that Karpyshyn remained completely true to his characters in this book - I felt like all of the characters acted exactly how they should have, and that this book wasn't created simply as a giant billboard for the new game, Star Wars: The Old Republic.

However, one thing I think this book did well was that it gave good insight into the world of the new Bioware game without being overly "preachy" about it. It revealed many things about the setting of the new MMO that was just released, but I didn't feel like I was being told to buy the game throughout the whole book.

In summary, this book is really pretty good, and really fun. However, it is pretty sad, especially for anyone who knows and loves the character Revan.

Book Review: The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan

Book Review of The Titan's Curse - Rick Riordan

Other Worlds' Rating: 9 out of 10 stars


Ever since finishing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, there has been a bit of a void caused by the lack of more Harry Potter to read. I've found lots of books I love, but none have come as close to feeling as close to Harry Potter as Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series. I've come to love the characters in these books about as much as I fell in love with Harry, Ron, Hermione, Dumbledore, and all the rest. Percy, Annabeth, Grover - these characters are what make these books great.

Specifically, this book is even better than the last two. It is the sequel to The Lightning Thief and The Sea of Monsters. It continues the story of demi-god Percy Jackson, son of the sea god Poseidon. The plot thickens in this book as Annabeth is captured early on, as well as the godess Artemis. It is up to Percy, Grover, and their friends to find and release them before the Titan's curse becomes too much for them.

This continuation of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series is as enjoyable, if not more so, than it's predecessors. These books have a special kind of fun and adventure about them that is hard to find. Also, if you've only seen the movie version of The Lightning Thief, or if you haven't read these books at all, it's time to. The link is right down there. Get this series and read it today - you'll love it.

Book Review: The Giver by Lois Lowry

Book Review of The Giver - Lois Lowry


Other Worlds' Rating: 9 out of 10 stars

This is the 1994 Newberry Award winner. It is about Jonas, who lives in the future, at a time when everyone and everything is the same. Children are given the same toys, people are assigned jobs based on their aptitudes, and the elderly are cared for until they reach a certain age, and then they are released. It is the perfect society.

....or so it seems. Jonas's twelfth birthday is coming up soon, and that is the birthday where children are assigned to and start training for the jobs they will do as an adult. At the Ceremony of Twelves, Jonas is assigned a special job in the community, which shatters the perception he's had of his community forever, as he discovers the secrets that lay behind it.

I really quite enjoyed this book. The best way I can think to describe it is to say that it's like a Fahrenheit 451 for younger readers. It addresses many of the same themes and thoughts. I felt like it was extremely well written, and I was sucked in as soon as I had gotten a few pages into it.

I would recommend this book to adults and children alike. I think that it raises interesting points that will make you think, and will also perhaps help you appreciate the world we live in know. A great read!

Book Review: The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks

Book Review of The Sword of Shannara - Terry Brooks


Other Worlds' Rating: 5 out of 10 stars 


The Sword of Shannara is often mentioned as classic fantasy. It is about a boy named Shea Ohmsford, who lives in his peaceful Shady Vale, a small community that is near perfection. However, that changes when one of the Warlock Lord's Skull Bearers brings the power of darkness comes looking for him.

This is your cut and dry, traditional farm-boy-gets/has-powers-that-enable-him-to-be-the-one-to-save-the-world-by-defeating-evil-overlord story. Frankly, I found this story rather generic. This would possibly be a good book to anyone who has never read another farm boy saves the world fantasy, but even then, it is lengthy, slow, and can be fairly hard to get through. This novel feels like it was simply written to jump on the Tolkien-Robert Jordan bandwagon, and frankly, this is a mediocre bandwagon book at best.

I probably wouldn't recommend this book unless you've read lots of Terry Brooks' other Shannara books and liked them. And even then, it might be a slower paced book than you're used to, so just prepare yourself (I know - I read a bunch of his other books before reading this one).

Book Review: The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Book Review of The Graveyard Book - Neil Gaiman


Other Worlds' Rating: 10 out of 10 stars

This book is about a young boy, Nobody Owens, who is raised in a graveyard by the ghostly inhabitants. The book is about his adventures, his misadventures, and the mysterious person known only as the man Jack.

This book is wonderful. It was one of those rare books where reaching the end was a sad experience. I grew to love the characters, the story, and the atmosphere. This book is a Halloween gem, although it could certainly be read at other times of the year as well. It is the winner of both the Hugo Award and the Newberry Award. It's not often you see a book like that.

I loved the mixture of feelings in this book. Sometimes it feels suspenseful, sometimes it feels homey, and sometimes it's downright creepy. However, I'd recommend it to anyone - even if you don't like scary stories. Nobody Owens, the boy from the graveyard, will surely find his way into your list of most lovable characters.

Really. Read this book. You'll love it.

Book Review: Star Wars:The Desperate Mission by Jude Watson Jude

Book Review of Star Wars: The Desperate Mission - Jude Watson


Other Worlds' Rating: 6 of 10 stars

This book follows Obi-Wan Kenobi in the time immediately following Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith. Written by Jude Watson, author of the Star Wars: Jedi Apprentice series, I was excited to read this book, which is the first in his new Last of the Jedi series.

I must say I was a bit disappointed. I enjoyed reading this book, and I found it entertaining and interesting, but it just didn't live up to something I'd expect from the author of the Jedi Apprentice series. However, I am going to read the rest of the series. Also, this book is short enough that it doesn't take very long to read, so if finding out what happens to Obi-Wan between Episodes 3 and 4, go ahead and read this. You'll probably at least enjoy it, although it may not make your favorite book list.

Book Review: The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

Book Review of The Sea of Monsters - Rick Riordan
Other Worlds' Rating: 9 of 10 Stars
This book was immensely enjoyable. The way in which Rick Riordan manages to make his books so humorous, and yet so engaging, is amazing to me. This book was great from the first chapter, and kept me wanting to read and read and read. The plot was good - it moved at a good pace, there was lots of excitement, and it was interesting enough that it was hard to find a good stopping point in the book because I just wanted to keep reading. Just by itself, the plot was good enough that I would recommend this book.
However, the part that really makes this book so fun and enjoyable is that the awesome plot is interspersed with lots of humor, and it works. I've read many books that attempted to have both a serious, good plot, and be funny at the same time, but I've never found an author that pulls it off quite as well as Rick Riordan. 
Basically, if you haven't read this series, you need to start it immediately. You'll be pulled along by the plot, and you'll find yourself laughing at the same time.