The Da Vinci Code: Dan Brown

Robert Langdon is back in this suspense thriller.  This time, he is in Paris giving a lecture when he is invited to help solve a murder that occured at the famed Louvre museum.  Quickly the plot turns as Langdon finds himsel evading both the French Police and an assassin who is in the employ of a Catholic Bishop.  With the help of Sophie Neveu and Langdon's old friend Sir Leigh Teabing, Langdon unravels the mystery of the Holy Grail using his expertise as a symbologist.  But seeking the Grail does not come without danger.  This is definitely a thrilling novel with plenty of action and suspense.  But, as with most Dan Brown novels, they are intended for adults and this book contains some vivid descriptions of torture, murder and references to, as well as descriptions of, a sex rite.

Would I Read It Again?: Maybe

Grade B- (A without the offensive content)
Content: Torture, Murder, Sex
Jeff's Recommended Age: 18+
Series Order:
     Angels and Demons
     The Da Vinci Code
      The Lost Symbol

Stardust: Neil Gaiman

This was a book that I read after having watched the movie.  Both my wife and I really enjoyed the movie.  I found it very creative and very engaging.  I wanted to watch it again immediately afterward.  Stardust was intended, by the author, to be a fairy tale for adults.  He writes of young Tristran Thorn's love for his beautiful Victoria.  The only problem, is that Victoria does not love him back.  This, however, does not dissuade Tristran and he secures a promise from Victoria that she will marry him if he returns with a falling star.  This is where Tristran's adventure begins.  He travels into a land full of witches, magic, and a brotherly feud for the throne of Stormhold.  Along the way, he finds that his 'star' is not what he expected and, through the influence of many others, his views and priorities in life begin to change.  Stardust is a fun magical book that would have been great had it not been for the fairly explicit sex scene near the beginning of the book.  The movie did a great job skirting this part of the story.  This scene renders this book pretty inappropriate for anyone like me who finds this type of content offensive.

Would I Read It Again?: I think I'll Stick to the Movie

Grade: B- (A Without the Sex Scene)
Content: Explicit Sexual Content
Jeff's Recommended Age: 18+
Sequels:
     None

Over Sea, Under Stone: Susan Cooper

I first took interest in this book after having watched a movie called 'The Seeker'.  I found the movie lacking in any detail and wondered if it was based on a book.  It indeed was based on the second book of 'The Dark is Rising Sequence'.  I decided to start the series with book one: Over Sea, Under Stone.  I was not disappointed.  The book is a fairly simple read on the surface and is fine for younger readers, however, older readers can enjoy the deeper connotations that exist in most books that tell of the struggle between light and dark.  Cooper provides a new twist on the story of King Arthur that renders this story both magical and intense.  This particular tale is of three siblings (Simon, Jane and Barny) who travels to a coastal village in England to stay with their Uncle Merry.  There they find a very old map that allegedly leads to the Holy Grail.  The Grail, being an object of power, is aggressively sought by agents of both The Light, and The Dark.  In a whirlwind adventure, the reader is blown along as an observer to the race for The Grail.  This is a very clean book, good for kids.  Entertaining Story.  Not quite on the level of, say the Chronicles of Narnia, but a very fun read nonetheless.

Would I Read It Again?: Likely

Grade B+
Content: Scary Sequences for Younger Children
Jeff's Recommended Age: 11+
Sequels:
     The Dark is Rising
     Greenwitch
     The Grey King
     Silver on the Tree

Eragon: Christopher Paolini

How many people can say that they are a New York Times best selling author?  And how many of those can say that they were a best selling author by the age of nineteen.  This is exactly what Paolini accomplished when he wrote Eragon, book on of the Inheritance Cycle.  Paolini grabs the reader immediately and rarely lets the reader take a breath, even though the book is not all action.  Eragon discovers a stone in the Spine, one of the most feared forests in all of Alagaesia.  It turns out that it was not a stone but a dragon egg from which Saphira hatches and who subsequently chooses Eragon as her rider.  With the the tyrant king, Galbatorix, being the only other rider, Eragon becomes the symbol of hope for those who wish to overthrow the king.  Paolini writes a gripping story of Eragon's adjustment to his new life as a rider, and his and Saphira's flight to join the rebellious Varden in hopes of returning peace and freedom to Alagaesia.  As is fairly obvious to those who've read other books of this genre, Paolini does borrow quite a bit from other authors.  One might also suspect, after reading Eragon, that Paolini is indeed a debutant author.  However, those feelings quickly dissapear with each book in the Inheritance Cycle.  Eragon is an extremely entertaining read and and well worth reading multiple times.

Would I Read It Again?: Definitely

Grade A-
Content: Fantasy Violence
Jeff's Recommended Age: 15+
Sequels:
     Eldest
     Brisingr
     Untitled (Coming Soon)

Angels and Demons: Dan Brown

Dan Brown, as always, does a great job with this story.  Brown introduces us to professor Robert Langdon, a professor who specializes in symbology.  Langdon is contacted by the CEO of a company that takes pride in advancing technology, and is asked to render his expertise on thier behalf.  Langdon is intrigued by the request, in particular by the reappearance of a symbol used anciently by the Illuminati, the ancient nemesis of the Catholic Church.  Before long, Langdon is neck deep in a 24 hour thriller that parades him across the Vatican and Rome.  For any who have read Dan Brown before, you will not be dissapointed as he shifts your suspicions from one character to another right to the very end.  This book is not for those who have a problem with torture or murder.  Take care as there is fairly graphic descriptions of both.  This is the reason why I gave this book a lower grade.  I believe that the grade of the book should not only rest with the story or quality of writing, but also rests with the answers of questions such as: 'is it a wholesome book?; 'how does it leave you feeling after having read it?'.

Would I Read It Again?: Likely

Grade: B+ (A Without the bad Content)
Content: Violence, Murder, Torture, Some Malicious Sexual Intentions
Jeff's Recommended Age: 18+
Sequels:
     The DaVinci Code
     The Lost Symbol

Airborn: Kenneth Oppel

This is a book that I'd never heard of and simply checked it out from the library because I thought that the synopsis on the back cover was interesting.  Oppel has created an alternate historical timeline that features the success of the Zeplin airships.  Roy O'Bannon (Shanghai Knights) would have been a rich man if this were our world's true history.  This is a story of Matt Cruse, the cabin boy aboard the Aurora.  The Aurora is a Luxury Liner voyaging to Australia.  One of the passengers, a strong-willed aristocrat, has an intriguing connection with Mr. Cruse's past that entertains the reader on a wild quest of discovery.  With Pirate attacks, being shipwrecked on a deserted island, and a frustrating relationship that develops between Matt and Kate, this book has something of interest for all audiences.  It is a fun, fast paced book and a quick read.  Very captivating and hard to put down.  Any who read this book will instantly wish that they'd checked out the second book in the series at the same time.  Yes, it is that good.

Would I Read It Again?: Definitely

Grade: A
Content: Some Violence (Pirates do kill people)
Jeff's Recommended Age: 12 +
Sequels:
     Skybreaker
     Starclimber

The City of Ember: Jeanne DuPrau

This was a fun adventure type book.  DuPrau tells the reader a story of a people that was forced literally underground by some disaster.  There was a city built beneath the surface to accommodate those that would eventually repopulate the earth.  Instructions on how to return to the surface were provided in a locked box that would automatically open at a time that would be safe for the people of Ember to return to the world above.  After some years, the box was lost and forgotten.  All-the-while, the people lived in ignorance of the existance of any life outside of Ember, until the box was found by Lina Mayfleet.  With the city generator failing, Lina enlists the help of Doon Harrow to follow the old instructions.  Racing to dodge corrupt politicians and the failing generator, Lina and Doon lead the reader on an exciting and adventurous attempt to find a way to out of Ember and back to the surface.  Overall, it is a fun read.  There were enought breaks in the story that it was easy for me to put it down.  It is a clean book that would be perfect for parents to read with their children.

Would I Read It Again?:  Probably in a few years

Grade:  B
Content:  None of note
Jeff's Recommended Age:  11 +
Series Order:
     The Prophet of Yonwood
     The City of Ember
     The People of Sparks
     The Diamond of Darkhold

Ender's Game: Orson Scott Card

As for many other guys that went through Jr. High, there were few books that held my interest from start to finish.  Ender's game is a classic that I could not put down.  It chronicles the military education of six year old Andrew 'Ender' Wiggin.  The teachers at the Battle School are out to find the next commander for their interstellar fleet that will confront the possible 3rd invasion of the 'buggers'.  Even though Ender is the youngest student in Battle School history, the teachers quickly recognize Ender's potential and are brutal in pushing him to the brink.  This is an adventure that none could read and finish feeling 'let down'.  Throughout the novel, Card has the reader constantly wondering how Ender will come out on top.  This is officially one of my favorite books of all time. 

Would I Read It Again?:  Many Times, and SOON!

Grade:  A+
Content:  Graphic Violence and minor language, (Accidental death due to students fighting)
Jeff's Recommended Age: 13 +
Sequels:
     A War of Gifts (Contemporary of Ender's Game)
     Ender in Exile
     Speaker For the Dead
     Xenocide
     Children of the Mind