The Mirror's Edge

Title: The Mirror's Edge
Author: Steven Sidor
ISBN: 0312354134, 9780312354138
Publication: St. Martin's Press, April 1 2008

The Mirror's Edge is fast paced, cut-throat, and immensely entertaining. The narrative is perfectly paced to keep readers engaged, but without the normal stall tactics and switchbacks normally employed to break up the action. Cover-to-cover, this book is pure action.

Don't let all that action fool you - this is a psychological thriller, not just a bunch of action packed nonsense. With every page the mind sinks deeper into the dark underbelly of the human imagination. The settings and characters are so richly detailed that it's easy to forget you're reading a book.

What most impressed me about the novel is Sidor's ability to tackle the tricky subject of satanism in a way that stays one step ahead of cliche but still provides enough mainstream imagery to strike a chord with the reader. This book was frightening in a very tangible way. When the pages are closed and the novel settled back onto the shelf, you will be left with lingering fingers of fear. I guarantee it.

Another thing about this book - I really liked the language. Throughout Mirror's Edge Steven Sidor uses a very sharp clipped style of writing that I felt fit perfectly with the subject matter and the characterization of the narrator. One of my primary problems with writing is that I tend to go overboard. I say too much and in such a convoluted way. I was actually able to learn something from Sidor about paring it down - I can say just as much without it sounding like too much detail. He's able to work in the nuances of a situation without you even realizing that he provided them to you - the way something smells, the taste, etc. This book is really well written, and I cannot wait to read more from this author.

Just for the record - I liked this book so well that for the first time ever, I actually contacted the author to tell him.

Marked - House of Night Series

Title: Marked (House of Night series) Author: P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast ISBN: 0312360266, 9780312360269 Publication: St. Martin's Press, 2007

Marked, along with the rest of the House of Night series, was written by a mother/daughter team. At times (especially later in the series) it is clear that there are two voices represented in the narrative.

Criticisms aside, I have managed to read each of the books in this series. They are just scary enough to be interesting, without giving the reader nightmares. The series veers wildly away from traditional vampire lore incorporating elements of modern Wicca.

However, the series is mostly disappointing. The books are full of grammatical errors, and at times it seems that the authors have their own characters mixed up: they might say "Darius replied" when it was obvious that they meant Damien.

The main characters, all high school students, are charismatic and engaging but ultimately under-developed. The language, vocabulary, and plot are all tailored for a young teenage audience. The story drags in places, and is often unbelievable (in a bad way).

Ultimately I think this book was written and published right in time to ride the wave of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series. If you need a young adult vampire fix, the House of Night series will do. Just don't expect too much depth.

Blue Bloods

Title: Blue Bloods
Author: Melissa de la Cruz
ISBN: 142310126X, 9781423101260
Publication: Hyperion Press, 2007

Blue Bloods is a fun, flirty, entertaining start to an enticing young adult series.

Melissa de la Cruz manages to combine history, fashion, glamour, and blood into a whole new vampire mythology.

Blue Bloods is not a deep or inspiring book, but it's allot of fun. The teenage characters are well developed and relatable, the drama is soap-opera worthy, and the romance just steamy enough for high schoolers without grossing out the adults. I really liked the way de la Cruz combined real elements of history and politics into this entirely fabricated world. Her portrayal of the vampire rich and famous kept me laughing.

The book was well written; the plot was developed, the story (though outrageous) made sense and was easy to follow, and I don't remember any glaring grammatical errors. Like so much of today's popular media, this book (the entire series) does glamorize the more shallow aspects of fame and fortune. The authors attempts at developing ethical or moral depth are apparent, but fall short. All in all, this is an enjoyable read on a lazy rainy day.