Big disclaimers though: I love young adult lit, I love fairy tale retellings, and I have a soft heart towards the name “Kai”, due to a couple, ah, interesting story lines my friends and I built back in high school.

So, yes, Cinder. I finally bought it last week, and promptly sat down to read it one fine afternoon. And I barely got up until about ten in the evening, after I read the last lines.

A retelling with a twist

Ha, of course retellings all need a nice intriguing twist. Well, this one was sure to be interesting for geeks out there: set in a futuristic, dystopian Beijing (New Beijing, to be precise), with a menacing race on the moon threatening the “Earthens”, Cinder is not your usual downtrodden woman: actually, she’s a cyborg.

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl…

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

Yum.

Engrossing escapist fiction

Frankly, I’m more of a fantasy than sci-fi girl, but this was entirely too delicious to pass up. It is definitely futuristic, in a slightly steampunky way, and not utterly disconnected from the here and now–it’s a world that I can definitely meld with my own, but different enough to be magical.

Oh, did I say magical? That’s frowned upon in that society, when the Lunars’ “magic” has some very dire effects and capabilities on Earthens. The book isn’t deeply technical, and non-SF readers like me won’t get lost in all the technical jargon, but it gives enough interesting tidbits to feed the imagination and let you fill in the blanks.

Cinder is refreshing and relatable–a heroine who works hard, has grease on her forehead (while meeting the Prince), and is intrinsically good–but not afraid to get into a shouting match with her dominating stepmother Adri or try to bash someone in with a wrench.

The secondary characters are nicely fleshed out too–yes, even Adri–and some of them are quite endearing. I especially loved Iko, Cinder’s companion android and essential sidekick (although technically, she’s Adri’s). Kai is not just a pretty face, and while I might prefer a bit more fire to my heroes, well, as the heir, he’s plenty fiery enough (a few facepalm moments there, too).

The story can be rather predictable–I know we all know the Cinderella story, but I guessed one of the mysteries presented in the book fairly early on. I don’t feel that it detracts from the experience, but people who like complete shocker endings–wait, what am I saying? You’re reading a retelling. You’re certainly not expecting a shocker.

After the ball

After putting down the book, my immediate thought was, when is the next one coming out?! I’m shamelessly impatient, and my trivia-hungry brain wanted to know more and more about Cinder’s world and what happens next. “What happens next” is probably expected with a book that is part of a longer series; but oh, all those interesting, intriguing, tantalizing glimpses of the technology is exciting my brain and coming up with all sorts of theories. Like, this Lunar’s gift, is it something like the precursor to the Force? Roughly how many years in the future is this world set, where few people remember gasoline-run cars but Europe is still called Europe? And how is Singapore “far” from New Beijing? Where exactly is New Beijing–is it still in, uh, Current Beijing?

Ahem. Pardon me while my geeky self runs away with all the possibilities.

Cinder is definitely worth a read if you like either retellings or YA lit, and most especially if you like both. Hardcode SF readers may find it a bit too vague, but I’m sure it will still be an enjoyable, light read. The book itself is of moderate length and engrossing, and well worth the money I spent on it. If reading the excerpt intrigued you even a little, give it a shot.

What, ebooks? Tolerable, I suppose

When the Kindle first came out, with the much-touted e-ink technology, I was skeptical at best. I loved my paper books, and in the years following that first release and up until my decision to get one, I was firmly in the paper-book-lover camp. No newfangled technology was going to tear me away from my paper books! I liked the tactile feel of turning the pages, the scent of paper. I spend a lot of my time looking at text on screens and have tried reading ebooks, but it never caught on.

When I started getting into audiobooks, my penchant for still buying the paper books after listening to the audiobook firmed my belief that nothing was ever going to make me give up my paper books. My attempts to read ebooks on my iPhone didn’t help, either–my head hurt after a while, I got dizzy, the eye strain felt uncalled-for when I knew I could stare at computer screens for hours and not be bothered.

So what changed?

Coincidentally (or maybe not so much), the same guy who got me hooked onto audio books, got me hooked onto the Kindle. He brought his Kindle 3 to show us one fine day.

First impressions: definitely handsome enough to tempt me

I was very impressed with the Kindle 3, when I first saw it and held it in my hands. It was light, almost felt like a toy, but felt fairly solid enough for me. I could quickly see myself bringing one everyday and not minding the negligible weight increase (especially when this comes at a time when I was full into reading Wheel of Time. Yep).

But the definite selling point was the e-ink technology. I tell you–photos do not do this fabulous screen justice. I had to see it myself to be completely won over. Go ahead, open a book, any book. That page you see there? Pretty much the same thing you see on the Kindle screen. It was amazing. It was amazing. I’ve seen a good number of tech gadgets, and I’m not easily wowed. But this one?

It was love at first sight.

The stars also aligned for me then: while the Kindle is not released for Singapore, a friend was coming from the US in a month’s time. I had a long trip coming up. I had a little extra money that I didn’t expect.

And so a Kindle 3 came home to stay.

Brightened by the exercise

I had my Kindle in my hands in May last year. My friend handed the box over to me, and I couldn’t wait until I got home–I opened it right then and there. And there it was, in all its beautiful glory. There was a note on the screen that told me to connect the Kindle to my computer to get started. I couldn’t help it–I started with opening the box, well, I should just finish it off and remove the plastic screen protector, right?

So I lightly picked at the corners of the screen…and then another corner, since I was unsuccessful…and then I realized that there was no plastic covering. That note on the screen is not printed on a piece of plastic and taped onto the Kindle, it was on the Kindle itself. You can’t believe how embarrassed I felt, and what a good laugh I had out of it.

Seriously, folks, the e-ink is that good.

Kindle text vs book text: a comparison (click to see full image, 1632x1224)

PICS OR IT DIDN’T HAPPEN! Well, the comparison shot with this post might help (click it to enlarge). I took it with my iPhone camera, but it’s a good comparison shot–the focus in near the bottom half of the photo, which is unedited except for halving the size of the actual shot. No other manipulations on sharpness or contrast. Apologies for the slightly yellowed book pages–it was the nearest one on hand (A Writer’s Workbook by Caroline Sharp, which embarrassingly I have not gone through properly yet).

I’ve had my Kindle for well over half a year now, and I think it’s still one of the best purchases I’ve done. Previously I tended not read at all. I was mourning the lack of time, but also quite unwilling to add 300-400g to my everyday bag for a book I may or may not have any downtime to read that day, and disliked ending up with books with battered covers and corners.

But being able to bring the Kindle everywhere with me changed all that. I could read whenever I wanted, I kept my book near me at all times. When I read on the way home, I am more likely to continue reading when I get home than not. The lack of a backlit screen does not faze me at all–it never deterred me when I loved paper books and it doesn’t deter me now.

Nowadays, I would probably prefer the Kindle or Kindle Touch over the Kindle Keyboard, mostly because I use the keyboard so little that I can let go of that feature in favor of a smaller overall gadget–and I will admit to trying to use the Kindle screen as a touchscreen for a while there (blush). But in no way do I feel that I paid too much for the more expensive Kindle 3 (“Kindle Keyboard”), it was well worth the price then and it would be well worth the price even now.

But does that mean I’m giving up on my paper books? Not at all. Like my “audiobook situation”, I still buy paper books of ebooks I read that are amazing. They are fabulous, and sometimes, I am plainly in a paper book mood, that the Kindle can’t satisfy. But all the other times–most of the time–the Kindle answers all my hobby reading needs.

If you’re in the same boat that I was–unable to read from backlit screens, wanting to read on the go but unwilling to bring along heavy books–I very strongly suggest you take a look at the Kindle. It’s a fabulous gadget and I am so, so pleased that I bought one.

Laurence started: it had not occurred to him that Temeraire might not have viewed the sea-serpent as the monstrous creature it seemed to him. “Temeraire, you cannot think that beast anything like a dragon,” he said. “It had no speech, nor intelligence; I dare say you are right that it came looking for food, but any animal can hunt.”

“Why should you say such things?” Temeraire said. “You mean that she did not speak English, or French, or Chinese, but she was an ocean creature; how ought she have learned any human languages, if she was not tended by people in the shell? I would not understand them myself otherwise, but that would not mean I did not have intelligence.”

The story so far

The Chinese had finally found out that the Celestial dragon egg they had given to Bonaparte had fallen into English hands–and he has been used in wars and is companion to a common soldier. Affronted, they have come to take Temeraire back–but neither Temeraire nor Laurence is of a mind to part from each other.

The solution: they both travel to China.

On a dragon transport and captained by Laurence’s old second lieutenant, Captain Riley, they spend months in the dangerous sea: storms, enemy ships, dangerous sea-serpents and dragon sniffles to boot, but also working out the rough relations between aviators, sea-men, and the Chinese, all the while England’s situation with Bonaparte is turning ever worse. Yet there is no assurance that things will be better once they land: they will have little power once in China, their only bargaining chip Temeraire’s refusal to part with Laurence.

It’s a slower time for Laurence and Temeraire, with no training or fights to worry about, but neither is it a less dangerous time: not only for the issues pressing on them, but on Temeraire’s awakening sensibilities, being exposed to more ideas and ills of the world he moves around in.

Poignant and thought-provoking from the start

The first few scenes of this book was wonderful–right from the start, it tugged at my heart and reduced me quite to tears. It’s definitely a more emotional book than the first–a bit slower, dealing more with Temeraire’s intellectual awakening, if you will. Faced with different customs, different creatures, slave-ports and ships, and the idea that his reality is not the only reality in the world–Temeraire needs to process all that, and while you’re also pretty sure he would never leave Laurence, sometimes you worry too, that maybe it’s not so clear-cut after all.

I loved seeing Captain Riley again, and interesting to see Laurence and Riley on equal footing–actually maybe with Riley slightly ahead, what with Laurence being on his ship.

The pieces where the characters try to make sense of the other group’s norms–like a couple of horrible dinners that seemed nothing short of disaster–were quite entertaining. It’s interesting to see the contrast between the English and the Chinese; as a fellow Asian, it really is quite hilarious to read through their dinners with chopsticks and noodles. The personalities in the Chinese party are also interesting, and while we don’t really see them until near the end, they are still a joy to read about.

A pleasing second

Throne of Jade was a pleasing follow-up to His Majesty’s Dragon, if slower in pace and more thought-provoking than the first. It doesn’t sacrifice a lot, however, and it’s certainly well-written and enjoyable to get lost in.

My younger sister, Biel, isn’t a reader. She did not pick up the hobby nor the habit–her interests and talents are of a more aural and visual nature. That would usually mean that the more “involved” books like the classics are pretty much not going to “happen” for her.

Over the holidays however, we watched the 2009 Emma miniseries as my older sister hasn’t watched it yet. It was late in the night and we were all in one room, so there was little else for her to do ;) Biel watched with us, and at the end of the miniseries she was all, “Wow. This is the first time I’ve actually watched stuff like this and understood it!”

The next day we proceeded to watch Jane Eyre, as my cousin hasn’t watched it (although she realized that she had, but we continued with it) and she also joined us then, even though there were plenty of other things to do, with relatives there and all. She wasn’t able to stay the whole time, but afterward she asked about some of the details she missed out on.

I was having a Jane Eyre discussion with my younger sister!

So, people, don’t be too hard on adaptations. I realize they don’t stick 100% to the book and omg this is a disgrace! but if the spirit of the book is kept, and it is not too mangled about, that’s fine. It’s exposure to the wonderful story that it is. :)

Disclaimer: I do not profess to be unfeeling, however, if someone insults a book I love in favor of the adaptation. For shame! D:

I first bought the abridged audiobook–which admittedly would not usually bode well for a series starting off just so. I didn’t really realize it was an abridged audiobook until I was surprised at how…fast it was over. I needed to have more of Temeraire, and not soon after I was able to get the three-book set and read His Majesty’s Dragon the way it should be read: in full and its entirety.

(The series is now also available in unabridged audiobook format, and with Audible’s currently-running member’s sale on first books of a series, you can get it for $5.39 versus $35.93! Yay! And you can also read the first chapter online.)

“If you would like to have your ship back,” Temeraire said, “I will let someone else ride me. Not him, because he says things that are not true; but I will not make you stay.”

Laurence stood motionless for a moment, his hands still on Temeraire’s head, with the dragon’s warm breath curling around him. “No, my dear,” he said at last, softly, knowing it was only the truth. “I would rather have you than any ship in the Navy.”

The story so far

The book follows the dragon Temeraire’s hatching and training up to his first large-scale fight with Laurence. Both of them have quite a bit of “growing up” to do: Temeraire is obviously a very young dragon and eager to know and experience everything there is in the world, but while Laurence on the other hand is an experienced Naval captain, he is quite properly a newbie in the Aerial Corps where he needs to serve now as Temeraire’s handler.

This serves as a great introduction for us readers to the series as well, as we follow them throughout the story–we learn what they learn, and understand the environment as they do as well. We both see the Corps as an outsider–a group of rough men without hearth and home and held above the law, and is generally seen as an occupation not fit for a gentleman–and an insider, as Laurence and Temeraire and thrust into the habits and norms of the Corps during their training, almost unconsciously turning some norms upside down as they go along.

The setting could not be more dire: England has a strong Navy, but is sadly outnumbered by the French in terms of aerial strength and variety, and Bonaparte will soon turn his eye to England. Every dragon–especially Temeraire, who is looking to be quite a heavy-weight–is needed to boost the ranks.

A fast-paced yet personal ride

His Majesty’s Dragon is certainly fast-paced; you sense the urgency of Temeraire and Laurence’s training to be brought up to the Corps quickly. But no matter how action-oriented the scenes are, there is always a touch of the personal in it, that it never seems like one event right after another. The characters are fleshed out and believable, and the variety of the personalities Temeraire and Laurence come into contact with are refreshing. The writing is quite flawless.

Temeraire, as well, poses quite interesting questions. He is like a very articulate child: with all of the eagerness, curiosity, and idealism of a child, with a quick and intelligent mind and swift perception.

Temeraire’s and Laurence’s relationship as it progresses throughout the book is wonderful and touching to behold, especially set against the backdrop of the war. It is master-and-pet, most definitely, but sometimes you quite wonder just who is the master her ;) as I am sure most pet-lovers could relate to. However it is also a relationship between equals, a mutual and strong friendship that transforms them both.

The conclusion

This is definitely a series worth starting, and a book worth reading. It’s one of the best first-of-a-series books that I’ve read so far, as it brings you into its world gradually with two different mindsets and does it so well, moving the characters and the plot along with it. It is enjoyable and touching at the same time, striking a good balance between the two. It is difficult not to fall in love with the series.

One thing that I love doing with my Audible.com subscription is to use my credits to buy the first books in an interesting series. While not all my audio book purchases are first in a series, a good chunk of my purchases are those first books: after that, I straightaway buy the same book plus the next books in the series.

This is because I feel that audio books, for me, are a great way to discover new worlds (be they whole worlds or personal ones). I am a fast reader; audio books “force” me to slow down and really get into the book (provided the narrator is good), giving me a great view (or, listen) into the beauty the series can be.

And this is why, when I found out about Audible’s First Books in Popular Series sale, I knew I had to blog about it. They are as low as $4.49 each, and the sale ends at February 8 11:59pm Australian ET. That is quite a steal for these babies, which can easily get up to $20 and more. I personally won’t be using any of my credits for this, because it’s so much cheaper than what I’m paying for the subscription per month ;) There is a wide range of genres available, from teen and YA, to adult mystery and suspense and historical romance and chick lit and…yeah.

An important note: you’ll notice if you go to that link, that there is no information about the sale–this is because apparently, only members are given this opportunity :( That kind of sucks, really. If you are not yet a member, you might want to try it out. The Audible Listener Gold monthly membership has a (seemingly never-ending) promo where your first three months are only $7.49 ($14.95 usual price which kicks in at the fourth month), and you can cancel any time. Now: I cannot be totally sure if totally new members will also be able to join the First Books in Popular Series sale, but I have asked and I will try to update this post ASAP. If yes, then I have checked with their customer support and yes, all active members including those who have just joined will be able to join the sale. If you see a number of audio books that you like, I daresay the $7.49 you pay to get good discounts in the audio books you want is worth it–you can just cancel after the first month if you like. :)

Please note: I am not getting anything from posting about this sale here. I’m not even an affiliate or whatever! I don’t receive a thing from Audible with this post. It’s just that I believe in the power of audio books with first in series books, and I thought this was too good an opportunity to miss. :D

Personally, I got Jim Butcher’s Storm Front of The Dresden Files for $5.04; I am eyeing a couple others but I will have a think about them for now–some of the first in series books I have been looking at aren’t included :(

I hope you find something in the list!

Of course, that pretty much means that sometimes…there were far too many books. I would see something shiny and interesting in a bookstore and oh oh oh I must have it! And thus the to-read-stack grows ever higher and longer. It’s a mix of gifts and self-buys that I haven’t been able to crack open, sometimes due to lack of time, and sometimes, admittedly, due to lack of interest.

But all of these books are beautiful in the own right! Right? For shame!

So when I was thinking of a resolution in 2011 that I could do for my book-reading, I shuffled through ideas of “read 50 books” and “read books I previously put down because I couldn’t get through it omg” which felt like any ordinary resolution. I could probably make them every year and it wouldn’t really make a difference!

And then I came across my bookshelf, my bookshelf which has one whole shelf (plus more) of books I haven’t read yet. Bingo.

Why spend more and more money buying books when I haven’t discovered all the gems that were in my own bookshelf, right this very minute? Some might not be gems after all, but they all deserve a reading. They will probably surprise me, too! They are worlds on their own and each world deserves to exist, by getting read and experienced.

*pets bookses*

And so, my booky resolution of 2011 is to read all the books on my to-read shelf before I even think of buying more books.

That’s not to say that I didn’t do any reading! There have been a number of memorable books–specifically, series–that I got lost in this year.

Interestingly, this was the year of the audio book for me. My Audible.com membership (started in February) is one of the best reading-related “investments” (so to speak) I’ve done. I never thought I’d enjoy audio books as much as I’ve grown to! I’ve revisited such old loves like The Old Kingdom Trilogy due to Tim Curry’s wonderful narration, and discovered new lands and characters.

I started The Wheel of Time in 2010. I have quite a long way to go, but starting this epic journey is one of the best things I’ve done reading-wise. I’m a sucker for amazing world-building, and Robert Jordan’s world is amazingly complex, with realistic characters. It’s not for everyone, but it’s a ride worthy of its wheels.

I discovered The Hunger Games trilogy in 2010, which is also the same year the last book was published–I can only be thankful that the wait for the final installment was not as bad for me as for some others! It was actually my first audio book purchase! It’s a wonderfully-written YA series that I couldn’t put down, with memorable characters that tugged at my heart.

In 2010, I discovered Naomi Novik and the Temeraire series. Yet another fun-filled ride interspersed with such heart-rending moments, this series was a fabulous find and one I’m quite annoyed to find is not as easily found in Singapore! Her writing is fabulous and she’s quite a darling.

Three new wonderful worlds in 2010. Now that’s not too shabby ;)

This week is recap week! Stay tuned for piecemeal recaps of how 2010 went for me.

Sometimes, when I finally act on recommendations or give into trying out a new book or series, I put down the book after reading it and tell myself, what a waste that I haven’t discovered it earlier! I love young adult (YA) literature because they can be as light or as deep as you want them to be: everything is up to one’s interpretation.

The reading of YA, or children’s lit, when you’re older significantly changes one’s experience of it. Back when I read Narnia, it was the most wondrous place, a land I wanted to get away to. Subsequent readings now that I’m older doesn’t lessen its beauty, but the nuances are different: I read the same lines differently, with more years on me. You can’t remove a certain “jadedness” to reading about a magical land once you’re older.

This Three for Thursday list contains five “old” books that I felt I really should have discovered earlier when I was younger, because not only were they fabulous reads, but they have been around for much longer (older than me!).

1. Ursula K. LeGuin’s The Earthsea Cycle

LeGuin’s first book in the Earthsea cycle, A Wizard of Earthsea, was first published in 1968. Earthsea–a sprawling archipelago–is the home and setting of the wizard Ged, who the cycle follows from his childhood. It is followed by The Tombs of Atuan (1971), The Farthest Shore (1972), and Tehanu (1990). Various short stories followed and are sprinkled all over the timeline, some in collections.

Coming-of-age books usually had profound impact on me when I was in that age range, and LeGuin’s Earthsea is beautifully crafted, both from a world building point of view and down to the characters in her story. They are flawed in many ways: prideful, selfish, afraid–but it is exactly this that makes this a wonderful coming-of-age, epic-fantasy adventure.

2. Susan Cooper’s The Dark is Rising Sequence

A five-book series published in 1973, this contemporary fantasy focuses on the battle between good and evil based on Arthurian legend, and prominently features children: the majority of the battle (and the preparation for it) is seen from the perspective of Simon, Jane, and Barney Drew, as well as Will Stanton.

The interweaving of Arthurian legend and myth into modern life (or modern in the time it was written) was seamless, and how the children’s perceptions and their own personalities color the events and how these unfold is well done. It is not so much a coming-of-age story, but you do see the children grow within the span of the books, gaining a wider worldview, and trying to overcome the odds–trying, failing, but trying again and eventually succeeding.

(Note: the movie “adaptation” The Seeker is a dismal waste of time. The books are so much better. So. Much. Better.)

3. Katherine Paterson’s Bridge to Terabithia

Published in 1977, it tells the story of two lonely children who find friendship in each other and proceed to build a make-believe kingdom, Terabithia. The friendship especially transforms Jess from being depressed and introverted.

To be honest, when I picked up the book, I had no idea what the story was. I had been meaning to read it for some time, and the movie that came out only furthered my resolve to read the book. All I knew was what it showed in the cover: two friends, and a make-believe land. What came out, though, was a profoundly poignant story that I almost felt pretty much steamrolled me into speechlessness.

I was actually on the fence about whether this would have been a better read when I was younger: I don’t know for sure if the poignancy would not have been as strong as when I actually read it, or if it would have been lost in the make-believe world. I eventually decided that yes, this would have been a great read when I was younger: if it had affected me as much when I was older, it would definitely have also affected me deeply while younger.

What didn’t make the cut

There were a couple series/books that I thought should have been on the list, but for various reasons I decided not to add. A notable book (or series) would be the Wheel of Time books by Robert Jordan: a classic, surely, but I am somewhat skeptical of my attention span when I was younger. Although I did finish and enjoy The Lord of the Rings immensely, the Wheel of Time feels like quite in a different place when it comes to descriptive prose, that by then, I might just have reached the limit of my patience.

What would your three books be?

The prose is just beautiful. These are the full paragraphs from a random page.

“Rabbit,” he said, pointing down at the dust.

I could barely make out the blurred markings, two larger prints followed by a smaller one and then another. He smiled, his teeth slightly pushed back, vaguely rabbit-like himself. He was a boy who should have been in front of a TV or in a library, but he could read the pale dust the way another kid would read a comic book, the way my mother read cards. I wished he could read my fortune in the dust.

“You see a lot,” I said.

He smiled. He was a boy who wanted to be seen. He told me his name was Davey, he was Starr’s real son. There was a daughter too, Carolee. The other two, Owen and Peter, were foster like me. But even her natural children had been in foster care, when Starr was in rehab.

How many children had this happened to? How many children were like me, floating like plankton in the wide ocean? I thought how tenuous the links were between mother and children, between friends, family, things you think are eternal. Everything could be lost, more easily than anyone could imagine.

We walked on. Davey pulled at a bush with bright yellow flowers. “Deerweed. Pea family.” The breeze came up the canyon, making the trees flicker green and gray. “Paloverde’s got the green bark. The other’s ironwood.”

The quiet, the solidness of the mountain, the while butterflies. Green scent of laurel sumac, which Davey informed me the local Indians had used to sweeten the air in their wickiups. Clumps of giant ryegrass, still green, but already crackling like fire. Two hawks circled the seamless blue sky, screaming.