Jedi Twilight (Michael Reaves)

The first book in the Coruscant Nights trilogy, Jedi Twilight is set a few months after the events in Star Wars: Episode III.  In other words, right after the downfall of the Republic and near-complete extermination of the Jedi.   It's a time in the Star Wars universe that has been little explored, and so I was excited to get a glimpse of the turmoil and confusion bound to exist in a galaxy immediately following a government upheaval.  The book follows a Jedi, Jax Pavan, who has escaped Order 66 and is living in the depths of society (literally and figuratively) of Coruscant, the capital.

Sadly, this book did not meet my expectations.  The story was okay, but poorly executed, with shallow characters that needed greater development, and plot problems that further tainted the experience.  Characters had more knowledge of events than one would expect in such a turbulent time, for example.  Rather than trying to make sense of recent happenings, they seemed to know it all without error- impressive, as they should have been reeling, as the main characters were at the end of the movie.

The problem with reading classic authors is that it makes other works pale in comparison, and heightens my awareness of their deficiencies.  That was true here.  I may have enjoyed this book as a child, but overall, I couldn't wait for this to end- so I could move on to something interesting.

Rating: D+

A Short History of Ireland (Richard Killeen)

I enjoy history, and overviews are a great introduction.  So, knowing little about the history of Ireland, I was excited to delve into this short work by Killeen.  And short it is- 70 pages to cover the history of a nation.  Killeen states in the introduction that the book is intended for visitors, so think of this as the book you read on the plane ride over to your Ireland holiday.  For that purpose, it's suitable, but don't pick this up thinking you'll get a complete portrait of the land.

In the end, it was too short.  Topics are glossed over and the progression of history is, in some cases, difficult to follow due to heavy summarization.  There is some value here, but if you're looking for an overview of Ireland, you should look elsewhere.  Having read several historical overviews, I believe that 250 pages is needed, at minimum, to communicate a nation's history in a flowing, logical manner.

Rating: B-

Watchmen (Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons)

Whoever thinks comic books are solely a teenager's game has never read Watchmen. Penned by Alan Moore and inked by Dave Gibbons in the '80s, this is a work of beauty. It's also the only graphic novel on Time Magazine's 100 best novels list.

Watchmen is set in an alternate 1980s universe. Alternate, but with many familiar themes: a Cold War that's quickly heating; a world in tension. And, in that world, a handful of ex-superheroes- banned years earlier by congressional law, each have their own worldviews and struggles, and wrestle with past demons and overpowering doubts about, and questions concerning, the point of man.

The focus here is not on action. It's on society, the quest for meaning and man's value, and pursuing justice- or peace- at all costs. It's thought-provoking, insightful, and leaves you wanting more. It's presented expertly, with a nonlinear narrative, parallel stories, and background information presented in refreshing, unique formats.

Rating: A+

selection of Sonnets (Shakespeare)

Shakespeare produced just over 150 sonnets (for those unfamiliar, this link describes a Shakespeare sonnet in good detail), largely centering on the theme of love. Of his sonnets, I sampled 16 (recommended in turn by a friend, an Internet search, and random selection): Sonnets 1, 18, 22, 23, 29, 35, 47, 57, 73, 87, 102, 104, 116, 130, 131, 141. In some cases, his sonnets have been referenced in recent movies and TV (Star Trek alluded to 57, among others); 141 (and an updated version of it) was featured in 10 Things I Hate About You (starring Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles).

All were good, but my 3 favorites were 29, 116, and 141, each being summarized as follows:
29: your love is preferable to riches/stature
116: love is eternal
141: I love you but I don't know why

Like his plays, I got the gist, and no doubt missed some/most of the nuance and genius inherent in each work (this website has some good background/analysis on his sonnets, if you're so interested). They fulfilled what, to me, are the most important characteristics of poetry: they rhymed, were eloquent, and brilliantly constructed.

Rating: A

The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (John le Carre)

If you do an Internet search for best spy novels of all time, this selection is at or near the top of most lists. And with good reason- it was an excellent read.

The setting is the Cold War, early 1960s. It centers on a British agent sent to do one more job for his country. I can't reveal more without potentially spoiling things, so I'll leave it at that.

Like most good thrillers, there are a number of plot twists and layers to the story that make it so enjoyable. This is le Carre's third novel, and the one that launched his career. He wrote it in just 5-6 weeks, in the odd moments of the day, over lunch breaks, on the car ferry crossing the Rhine (he worked in Germany), etc. That said, you can tell, in very minor ways, that it is the work of someone still developing as a writer. There are just a few places where I thought a paragraph or two more would have improved things a shade. It's still an amazing novel, well worth the read- just a few minor edits short of an A+.

Rating: A

Much Ado About Nothing (Shakespeare)

Much Ado About Nothing is a comedy, which I found more to my liking than my last Shakespeare venture. It follows Claudio as he, fresh from battle, travels to Messina, where he meets Hero, daughter of Leonato, the town Mayor. Claudio's colleague, the Prince (Don Pedro), assists in winning Hero's heart for Claudio. Don John, the Prince's brother, is the villain, doing what he can to smear Hero's virtue and destroy the impending marriage. You can guess that he doesn't succeed, or this would be a tragedy. Beatrice and Benedick, respective friends of the happy couple, spend most of the time engaging in an exchange of wit and insult; they are both deceived by their friends into loving each other. The play ends with two upcoming weddings, and all's well that ends well.

You must remember that, in Shakespeare, I'm reading something meant to be performed. Invariably, that will shade my opinion of the work in a negative way. I enjoyed it, and found many valuable quotes & insights in it. But, it still suffers from the difficult Elizabethan English and reading a script. So, go see the play.

Final thought: you may ask why I bother reading Shakespeare if my ratings consistently reveal slight disappointment. I see value in two areas:
1) Shakespeare, using his Elizabethan English, can produce such wonderful, eloquent twists on wise sayings. I write down every memorable bit of wisdom or wit, to facilitate later reference. So, I like reading Shakespeare for the quotes.
2) As Shakespeare is so influential, I think there's value simply in being familiar with the plots of his most famous works, and since enjoying them all onstage is a goal nigh impossible for me to realize, reading is the more realistic alternative.

Rating: B+

Hamlet (Shakespeare)

Before I review this, I need to provide some background. I have several Shakespeare selections on my reading list, but to be honest I'm not excited about them. It's not that I hate Shakespeare- he clearly had talent and produced a large amount of amazing material- it's just that it's hard to read something meant to be enjoyed as a play. Throw Elizabethan English into that mix, and even basic comprehension of a short passage can be challenging. Thus, it's with some trepidation that I picked up Hamlet.

At the highest level, Shakespeare's works can be separated into three categories: comedy, history, and tragedy. Hamlet is a tragedy, and a well-known one at that. The play summarized in three sentences: Hamlet, a prince of Denmark, finds out that his father (the king, of course) is killed. Hamlet's mother is not long a widow- she marries his uncle quickly, and Hamlet comes to find out the uncle is indeed responsible for his father's murder. Hamlet goes crazy, lots of people die (him included).

It's a good story, and though the English is archaic and nigh unreadable at times, there are a number of very good quotes and thoughtful insights on life. I enjoy the different manner of speaking and old expressions, some of the time- but it can get old when it feels like every sentence becomes a fight for comprehension. Modern readers can certainly get the gist, but many nuances or jokes will pass you by, unless you're overly familiar with Elizabethan England.

In the end, there is value here. While I don't count Hamlet as my most enjoyable read, I can't be too harsh, for I should see it in play form, and the insights and comments on life presented in the play make it worthy of your time.

Rating: B