Newton's Cannon by J. Gregory Keyes

Newton's Cannon, by J. Gregory Keyes, is the first book in the "Age of Unreason" series.  The series, published by Del Rey in the late 1990's and early 2000's is definitely one that you will want to read.

The first book introduces the reader to a cast of character that will at first seem very familiar, as it is filled with a host of characters from world history.  However, these characters are very different than their historical accounts, and Keyes blends historical accuracy with fantasy imagination to create some very unique story lines.

Familiar names such as Benjamin Franklin and Blackbeard are sure to catch the reader's eyes, but the way the characters are developed will keep those eyes riveted.  London and France are at way, and the depiction of events with the mix of alchemy, mythology, fantasy, and science leads the reader far from the original historical path.

The first book has murder, alchemy, and intrigue, as individuals from around the globe find their paths interwoven, with disaster potentially around every corner.

This book, and this series, is a must read.

No Book Review - Just Thoughts

There is no book review on this post, but there is definitely a thought that I want to share about trying to post about good fantasy and science fiction.  Sometimes, you start a series that is so good that you simply cannot stop reading it long enough to post.  I just finished a four book series that falls directly into that category, and I am really looking forward to sharing information about it, the author, and some of his other work in the very near future.

I did want to comment on the amazing way that I found this series, and how thankful I am that despite living in the land of the I-Pad and Kindle, that we still have a few used bookstores.  I seriously stumbled across this series by wandering into such a store, and looking for anything they had that was a series, fantasy, and was reasonably long.  I know that it wasn't the strongest criteria, and was definitely rolling the dice, but it really worked out in this situation.

I think that is my favorite thing about books that you can hold, versus books that you can download.  When you are pondering downloading something, you never randomly pick it up, feel the weight of it in your hand, or see the worn pages and just get the urge to read it.  Instead, when downloading, you read a little review, look at a rating, and then decide whether or not you want to click the button and own the book.

That is why for me, no matter what technologies may arrive, I always intend to have a few books lying around.  Nothing beats the feeling.

The Earthsea Quartet by Ursula Le Guin

I recently reread the four books in this series, which have all placed within the confines of the same cover by the publisher, Penguin Books.  The original four books, entitled "A Wizard of Earthsea", "The Tombs of Atuan", "The Farthest Shore", and "Tehanu" were favorites of mine as a child, and continued to be so when I reread them all in this quartet.

If you have ever read Tokien, Rowling, or C.S. Lewis, and enjoyed them, then you will likely enjoy this series which is mainly centered around the adventures of the young dragonlord Ged.  It follows him from the isle of Roke where he goes to learn the true ways of magic, and shares his adventures all over the land. It follows him from his youthful days as an apprentice to his years as the Archmage, and these epic and spellbinding tales are perfect for any age.

I highly recommend reading these four books as one, or sitting down and just grabbing an original copy of each.  You will be extremely happy that you read these books.