Recent Reads {Pemberley Ranch}

Pemberley Ranch by Jack Caldwell - Let me start out by saying that this ranks fairly high on my personal list of Pride and Prejudice spin-offs.  I was expecting a simple retelling of P&P in a post-Civil War setting, but this is definitely an American Western with a nod to P&P. Caldwell's characters are clearly intended to be based on Austen's, and the general outline of the story is very similar.  But he hasn't just dropped Darcy and Elizabeth and their retinue into the American south, he has given the entire story a uniquely American and western feel.  Beth Bennet and her family are Ohio Yankees who move to Texas after the Civil War for a fresh start.  Beth is particularly devastated by the loss of her brother, who died as a Union soldier, and while she makes new friends in her new home, she is still unwilling to forgive Confederate soldiers.  Will Darcy is the wealthiest rancher in the community, and also a returning Confederate officer.  Eventually their paths cross, and the familiar love story follows its course.  Causing trouble along the way is carpetbagger George Whitehead, who makes his inspiration, George Wickham, look like a pretty decent guy.  And Will's haughty and conniving cousin, Cate Burroughs, makes Lady Catherine seem charming.

Austen fans will also find some other familiar names among the town's inhabitants, including the parson, Rev. Tilney, and most of the characters from P&P. Some of the characterizations are different, so that only the names are similar.  Caldwell treats us to some background to the loyal friendship between Will and Charles Bingley. Some readers may be happy to find out that Charlotte Lucas makes a much more fulfilling relationship; and that cousin Anne and little sister Gaby (Georgiana) have more personality of their own.  Gaby even takes a hand in trying to help her brother win Beth's affection.  Since Whitehead and other 'bad guys' in this story are thoroughly reprehensible villains, they meet a suitable Western justice.  In the final shoot-out scene, the dialogue between the villains is laced with profanity, but <shrug> it was in keeping with their characters.

I did have a couple of disappointments, however.  Jane Bennet and Charles Bingley become a married couple without the reader knowing anything about how they met.  I was left a little confused at the beginning, because it seemed that the Bennets had been in Texas for long enough for Charles to court and marry Jane, and yet they hadn't met Will until the wedding.  We also didn't get a lot of reason to understand why the youngest Bennet daughter even considers running off with Whitehead, but it does provide the plot device for Will to do everything in his power to restore Lily to her family.  More troubling than those minor complaints was the episode near the beginning where Will accidentally happens upon Beth skinny-dipping.  He can't resist taking a good look, and a chapter or so later the reader is given a glimpse into the fantasies he's indulged in as a result.  Those two descriptions worried me, as I thought the story might wind up getting trashy, but thankfully there was no more of that sort of thing.  It seemed out of place, frankly, and I wondered at the necessity of including it.  Will does behave as a gentleman throughout, however.

Overall, an enjoyable read for Austen fans who are willing to see some of their beloved characters portrayed differently in this very new setting.

Recent Reads {Georgiana Darcy's Diary}

Georgiana Darcy's Diary by Anna Elliott - This continuation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice is, just as the title suggests, the observations of Georgiana Darcy shared in her diary.  Darcy and Elizabeth have been married for about a year, and while Georgiana is completely content living with them at Pemberley, she also longs to find true love of her own.  Indeed, she believes she knows who she could care for just as deeply, but fears he will never feel the same affection for her.  Lady Catherine de Bourgh has decided it is time she take a hand in finding a husband for her niece, and descends upon Pemberley with the goal of introducing eligible bachelors to Georgiana and making a match.  Georgiana's diary reveals her thoughts about these potential suitors and whether any awaken her interest.  Other characters from Pride and Prejudice that make an appearance are Anne de Bourgh, Caroline Bingley, George Wickham, and Colonel Edward Fitzwilliam.  Edward is the object of Georgiana's affection, but she has heard news that he has become engaged, and in any case, she believes that he will always see her as a child for whom he must act as guardian.

Georgiana and Anne de Bourgh are two characters that figure in Austen's original work as supporting cast, but have little or nothing to say.  In this work, Elliott develops the personalities of both of these ladies that is very believable, and gives them the starring roles.  Georgiana finds the courage to confront her formidable Aunt de Bourgh, the compassion and patience to befriend the colorless Anne, and the determination to take a risk in following her own heart. As a romance, it's predictable in that as soon as Georgiana mentions her affection for Edward in the diary, the reader can tell that they will wind up together, but many of the other plot developments along the way are very interesting. The episode with Wickham's return to make trouble was rather incomplete, in my opinion.  The ending felt a little abrupt; however, it does set up a sequel in which Georgiana and Edward's relationship continues as they move towards marriage.  I enjoyed this charming book and can recommend it to all Austen fans.

By the same author: Twilight of Avalon, Dark Moon of Avalon, Sunrise of Avalon (I didn't realize until I was writing this review that it was the same Anna Elliott!)

Recent Reads {The Light of Eidon}

The Light of Eidon by Karen Hancock - This has been on my 'to read' list for a long time, based on reviews and descriptions of it as fantasy and Christian allegory.  I was able to acquire it for free on my Kindle several weeks ago so at last I could delve into it.  The main character is Abramm, the fifth son of a Kiriathan king.  Abramm has spent eight years studying and preparing to take vows as a guardian of the sacred flames of Eidon, but just before the big day, he is betrayed by his spiritual mentor and members of his own family.  He winds up sold into slavery and then forced to compete as a gladiator in a foreign and hostile country.  Abramm realizes that the religion he had followed was false, and is unsure whether Eidon (God) even exists.  And even if Eidon is there, does he care? Can Eidon be trusted?  Abramm's only friend in all of this is a Trap Meridon, who is a Terstan (another sect of believers in Eidon).  Abramm is confused by the Terstan faith and resists accepting it, for fear that it too, will prove false.

Abramm's twin sister Carissa has been searching for him, determined to somehow buy him back from slavery or effect some sort of rescue, but she has her own doubts and fears.  Meridon's younger brother Philip has joined her small party and expresses his belief that Abramm and Meridon are still alive and that Eidon will make a way for them.  But Carissa doesn't know who in her own party can be trusted, and just when it seems they've finally caught up with Abramm, all hope seems lost.  Throughout the story, there are dangers both physical and spiritual that all the characters must navigate.

The alternate world Hancock creates as a setting for this fantasy is detailed and complex, and I spent most of the first part of the book at least as unsure as Abramm of whether Eidon was supposed to represent God and who might be the good guys.  As a reader, I like to at least have a sense of which side I should be rooting for, and it took several chapters before I thought I knew.  The richly detailed plot felt like it moved along ponderously, despite there being plenty of action. I did care enough to keep going though, and was rewarded with an epic 'beat the odds' Christian allegory.  Although I found the beginning confusing, it did become clearer as it went along.  There is plenty of swordplay, spiritual warfare, and elements of magic throughout.  The end is satisfying in many respects, and yet definitely leaves the reader hanging in anticipation of the next story in the series.  I have to admit that as I plodded through early chapters I wondered whether I'd carry on to the end, never mind be invested enough to read the sequels, but having finished the book, I do think I will put the rest of the series on my 'to read' list as well.

I do recommend it for fans of fantasy and allegory, but in my opinion, it's not "light reading".  It will require some time and attention and maybe some perseverance.

Recent Reads {Love's Sacred Song}

Love's Sacred Song by Mesu Andrews - I wonder how many of us that have read Song of Solomon have been curious about who the Beloved was, and have perhaps even thought the Lover's words written by Solomon to be contradictory to the account of him having hundreds of wives and concubines.  I certainly have!  In this novel, Andrews weaves a beautiful story of love, grace, and forgiveness with the threads of Song of Solomon and the historical accounts of Solomon's life and reign in the Old Testament, and a beautifully imagined Beloved.  

The young King Solomon begins his reign in the shadow of the great King David, wanting to be a good and wise ruler but feeling very alone.  Unrest between the northern tribes and Judah is brewing, and all the more so when Solomon's plans for building the temple seem to burden the northern tribes.  Arielah is a young shepherdess and daughter of the respected judge of Shunem. She has felt Jehovah's plan for her since she was very young - that she would be the wife of Solomon.  Her father secures Solomon's promise to accept Arielah as a treaty bride to keep peace in the northern part of the kingdom, and it seems her dreams will come true.

But will Solomon accept her love and return her devotion? Can she live as part of his harem or will he set her apart somehow? And she isn't the only bride that represents a treaty and its accompanying responsibilities.  Arielah is a wonderful personality and the story created for her and Solomon is believable and makes sense of some of the contrasts in Solomon's character. 

I'm looking forward to the author's next book, expected this spring.

By the same author: Love Amid the Ashes

Recent Reads {Libriomancer}

Libriomancer by Jim C. Hines - Credit my library's feature shelf for another step out of my usual reading confines.  I saw this one and couldn't help being intrigued.  Hines is an experienced fantasy writer, and this is Book One in a new series from him - Magic Ex Libris. In it, we are introduced to Isaac Vainio, a librarian in Michigan, who is also secretly cataloguing books with magical potential.  He is not only a librarian, but a member of a secret organization of Porters founded centuries ago by Johannes Gutenberg to protect the world from supernatural threats.  Isaac is a type of magician known as a libriomancer - he can reach into books and create objects from the stories - but he has been ordered not to use this skill except in an emergency.  When a trio of vampires attacks him in the library because they believe he has been killing their kind, he has only his magic and the help of a dryad named Lena Greenwood to help him.  Oh - and his pet fire-spider named Smudge.  Isaac and Lena work to find out who or what is killing vampires and magicians, and soon realize that they are up against an unknown killer with incredible power, and that they cannot even count on the Porters to help.  To make matters even worse, Gutenberg himself has disappeared.  Isaac continues to search for the Gutenberg, and the killer, and the connection between the two, and he will need all his libriomancer skills and the guts to experiment with magic and take some crazy risks if he is to succeed.

I think this book would appeal to book-lovers who appreciate imaginative fantasy fiction.  The story is full of literary and historic references and involves magic, mythology, science fiction, vampires, and more.  There are mild profanities in many places, and some readers may be offended by references to immoral relationships, but there is nothing graphic that would be offensive, in my opinion.

The Pride and Prejudice Bicentenary Challenge

2013 marks two hundred years since Jane Austen's beloved Pride and Prejudice was published.  To mark the bicentenary, the blog Austenprose is hosting a Pride and Prejudice Bicentenary Challenge.  Participants are encouraged to commit to reading the original masterpiece, some of the many spinoffs or sequels, or view some of the movie versions.  The challenge runs from January 1, 2013 through December 31, 2013.  Select a level of participation (Neophyte: 1-4 selections; Disciple - 5-8 selections; Aficionada: 9-12 selections); detail the novels or movies planned for 2013 in a blog post; and leave a link in the comments on the Austenprose Challenge post.  There will be giveaways each month, and a grand prize at the end of the year.

Pride and Prejudice is one of my all-time favorite novels, and I never tire of reading it, so I will plan on reading it again this year.  I have a long list of spinoff and sequels or prequels that I would like to read, but I will commit to the following two, because I have them and haven't previously read them:

Darcy Goes to War by Mary Lydon Simonsen

Georgiana Darcy's Diary by Anna Elliott

And because they are among my favorites, I will plan on getting a start on re-reading the Mr & Mrs Darcy Mystery series by Carrie Bebris.  I own the first three in the series of six.

My daughter has watched the BBC versions of Sense and Sensibility and Emma with me (or at least parts of them), and also watched the movie "Becoming Jane Austen" and she enjoyed those, to my delight and surprise.  I'm pretty sure she would like to watch a Pride and Prejudice movie, so I'm going to plan on introducing her to my favorite version, which happens to be the BBC movie starring Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle.

I guess that puts me in the Disciple category, with a goal of at least six books and one movie. I'm looking forward to it!

Recent Reads {A Duke's Promise}

 A Duke's Promise by Jamie Carie - This is the third and final installment in Carie's Forgotten Castles series, and I had been looking forward to reading it ever since reading the first two novels, The Guardian Duke, and The Forgiven Duke.  At the close of the previous book, Alexandria Featherstone and Gabriel Ravenwood, the Duke of St Easton, were planning their marriage and to continue the search for Alex's parents.  Alex had already led Gabriel on an adventurous chase through Ireland and Iceland, but having finally caught up to her, it didn't take long for the two to fall in love.  As A Duke's Promise opens, they begin their married life together and must learn to completely trust each other and not keep secrets.  Gabriel promises Alex that they will find her parents, and has planned an elaborate honeymoon in France and Italy in order to do that.  But others are hunting for the missing Featherstones (who are professional treasure hunters, and have been searching for the manuscript that describes an invention that may be a powerful weapon) as well, and with unscrupulous motives.  Alex and Gabriel find themselves in several dangerous situations, and make some daring decisions, including one to attempt to travel from France to Italy by hot air balloon!  Although I loved the story, at that point I found myself thinking "you've got to be kidding me" over much of the plot.  It's imaginative, and interesting, and the characters are compelling, but the hot air balloon trip and everything that happened in Italy (no spoilers!) were a bit too far-fetched in my opinion.  I really felt like some almost fantasy-fiction or sci-fi elements had been inserted into historical setting adventure fiction.

In my opinion, this series should be read in order, as the story continues from one novel to the next, and I didn't feel like this one would stand alone very well.  All in all, an enjoyable read, but one that stretched credulity farther than a Regency romance should.

By the same author:  The Guardian Duke; The Forgiven Duke