The Mark of Athena Review

 

Author:

Rick Riordan

Publisher:

Disney-Hyperion

Published on:

October 2nd 2012

Review:

he mark of Athena is the 3rd book in the Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan. It continues from where the last book ended. Anabeth and gang arrive at Camp Jupiter, where Percy tells his gang that its time they met his other family.

At Camp Jupiter, Anabeth, Jason, Piper and Leo are all taken in to New Rome where they are treated like guest. But thats when things go awry. The Argo fires at New Rome causing conflict between the two factions.

All seven- Percy, Anabeth, Frank, Hazel, Piper, Jason and Leo- make their way to Rome to prevent its destruction and the death of Hazel’s brother Nico. Anabeth also has to fulfill her own destiny by following ‘The Mark of Athena’.

The story is quite good. It keeps you entertained till the very end. But towards the end there is a twist. Percy and Anabeth’s love for each other has been showcased efficiently in this book. Anabeth truly cares for Percy and Vice Versa. The third person narration style by Rick Riordan gets a little tedious at time but other wise it was very good. It would have been quite hard to juggle seven main characters in this, but Riordan and done a very good job with it.

The book was a very fun read. The end was just marvelous. Anabeth using her power of wisdom was the best part.  I really can’t wait for the next book. Sadly another year to go!!

Final Verdict: 

7/10

Books Review: A Feast for Crows (Spoiler Filled)

*Spoilers!*

Author:

George R. R. Martin

Publisher:

Voyager Books (UK), Bantam Spectra (US)

Review:

A Feast for Crows, isn’t one of Martin’s greatest books in A Song of Ice and Fire Series. It is actually one of the worst. I was disappointed with this book. I’m very sad to say that finishing this books was a task. The cover of the book says ” Insomnia Inflicting,” this statement is true in a way. I was up all night trying very hard to finish it, but I had this thought eating at me that- Why would Martin do this? Why would he publish this book without his major character?

The only good part in this book was the last few chapters. Where some fast paced action and some very surprising decisions are made, which potentially changes the main premise. For example, Cat i.e Arya, goes blind at the end. Cersei, finally gets Margery and her cousins in to custody. But she also gets what’s coming to her. She too has to answer for her crimes. The Last two Brienne chapters were very good too. Especially where, she meets Catelyn again and Catelyn asks her to choose. Either she kills Jamie or she gets hung. The cliffhanger (pun intended) of that was also very good. Jamie also makes a very smart decision of ignoring his sister. She sends him a letter asking him to help her, but after him being insulted and treated badly, he ignores her request. Sam is now stuck with the Archmaester. And finally my favorite house words come true. The Starks house words are ‘Winter is Coming!’ and finally it has come true.

Dance with Dragons also has a parallel story line, which features Dany and everyone who is interesting. Martin has split this story into two halves. That was a terrible idea. At the end of this story winter has finally arrived. If they had kept it as one book and merely split into two books like A Storm of Swords, then probably, this would have been better. And at the end of the second part, winter would have arrived and that would have made Winds of Winter a more fun book..

Final Verdict:

5/10

Game of Thrones S02E07 Review

Game of Thrones Season 2 Episode 7 “A Man Without Honor”

Director:

David Nutter

Writer:

David Benioff, D.B. Weiss

Story:

Jamie meets a distant relative. Daenerys receives an invitation to the House of the Undying. Theon leads a search party. Jon loses his way in the wilderness. Cersei counsels Sansa.

Review:

Okay …. I’m not able to decide which episode is better Garden of Bones or This.
What an exciting episode!!! A Man Without honour is a wonderful episode.
It’s an apt title also. Many changes have been made. Some things from A Storm of Swords have been addressed here. Actually. Come to think of it, most of this episode didn’t happen in the book. But still, it is a pretty kick-ass episode.
First of all, Arya and Tywin’s budding relationship reaches new heights when he gives her his food to eat. And that too at the same table on which he eats. He talks to her telling her about Targaryens and other stuff. But still she wants to kill him. He also admits it that he likes talking to her. He also figures out that she isn’t actually a stone masons daughter as she says she is. But she comes up with a lie.
Now Jon and Yggritte. They make such an awesome couple. She also says my favourite Yggritte line: “You know nothing Jon Snow”. But the end of his scene was not how it happens in the book. Where is Qhorin Halfhand????
Bran and Rickon escape!!! And Theon makes some funny comments about that. But he is a terrible fighter. He can’t kick anyone properly. They also sped through the scene where Bran and Rickon escape.
DAENERYS!! Ohhh poor Daenerys! I feel so sad for you. You loose you’re dragons. And Pyat Pree has it… When Ser Jorah meets that crazy metal faced woman, she asks him if he is going to betray her again. She is also invited to meet the Thirteen.. And Pyat Pree invites her to the House of the Undying Ones to get her dragons. He then, surprisingly, reveals that some deal was made to have a king of Qarth. And he than kills the remaining Thirteen except Xaro Xoan Daxos. She then runs away. Okay I have one question: where are they going with this? This did not happen in the book. So I’m really curious to see where goes.
Who is Lady Talisa?? Is she Jeyene? She is some new addition who isn’t in the book. She meets with Robb who is clearly in love with her and he takes he to buys some more supplies. And he disappears for the rest of the episodes.
Jaimie escapes from his cell, which also doesn’t happen in the book. And though he is caught again. And Cat comes to his rescue. He is really a despicable fellow. How dare he says such things about Cat and Ned!! Now I feel like slaying the king slayer. Her scene ends with her taking Brienne’s Sword and she brings it down.. I won’t say anything more about this scene. If I do, there would be spoilers for the future books.
Sansa’s story wasn’t too interesting. But what Cersei tells her is surprising. She realises that she gave birth to a monster. She advices Sansa that she may not love Jeoffrey, but she will love her children. She then has a talk with Tyrion, where she asks if this is the price she had to pay for her crimes. Sadly, Tyrion was there only for the last scene. I missed him. And also Stannis seems to be absent.

All in all a wonderful episode, which has surprises for both the readers and non-readers of the series. Only 3 more to go… And I now have to read Feast for Crows… Season 3 can’t come sooner. And they should increase the number of episodes per season. Ten episodes is too little!!

A Storm of Swords Part-2 Review

A Storm of Swords Part-2: Blood & Gold (A Song of Ice and Fire #3)

 

 

Author:

George R. R. Martin

Publisher:

Bantam Spectra (US) & Voyager Books(UK)

Date Published:

August 6th 2001

Story:

he Seven Kingdoms are divided by revolt and blood feud, and winter approaches like an angry beast. Beyond the Northern borders, wildlings leave their villages to gather in the ice and stone wasteland of the Frostfangs. From there, the renegade Brother Mance Rayder will lead them South towards the Wall. Robb Stark wears his new-forged crown in the Kingdom of the North, but his defences are ranged against attack from the South, the land of House Stark‘s enemies the Lannisters. His sisters are trapped there, dead or likely yet to die, at the whim of the Lannister boy-king Joffrey or his depraved mother Cersei, regent of the Iron Throne. And Daenerys Stormborn will return to the land of her birth to avenge the murder of her father, the last Dragon King on the Iron Throne.

Review:
A Storm of Swords (Part 1 & 2) is easily my favourite book in the series so far. Blood and Gold is such a wonderful book with unexpected and horrifying deaths of main characters. The book is superbly written and it’s hard to put it down.
I really hate cliff hangers. And this book has many. A cliff hanger is solved many chapters and pages after. For example, the Arya (11th Chapter) cliff hanger is solved only 13 chapters after, which would make it the 24th. 170 pages is a long wait! After that cliff hanger, I was sure she was dead. The same goes for another character, which I shan’t mention.
George RR Martin, has used the first book to develop the characters and the second to implement them. This has some good action sequences. I have the same problem with this part as I had with the previous one. There aren’t enough chapter of Daenerys! She is clearly the best female characters. She has only 3 chapters. Out of 40 chapters, she has only 3!!!
Any way it’s too late to change that now. Other wise the book is awesome! And the story is compelling.
Now only Feast for Crows and Dance of Dragons. And later the #6th book “The Winds of Winter” when it’s released.

This book was so AWESOME that I finished it in under a week!!

Heres my review for A Storm of Swords Part- 1: Steel & Snow.

Fringe S04E22 Review

Fringe Season 4 Finale “Brave New World Part -2”

Note: This contains Spoilers!

Story:
The fringe division try to find Walter and William Bell and try to stop a catastrophic event concerning the two universes.

Review:
This episode was just awesome! Though the lines were slightly cheesy and the villains kinda cartoonish. Leonard Nemoy, is a great actor, but his role as Bell wasn’t all that impressive this time around. His objective is to destroy the two world and start anew without any Humans. He has some kind of Noah’s Ark with all mutant beings and what not. He even proposed that Olivia and Peter be ‘the new Adam and Eve’. But hasn’t this happened already in other cartoons and superhero movies and TV shows.
But other than the cheesy dialogues and cartoonish villains, the episode was awesome. It has some interesting events. Just when you think that we are going to get a happy ending, guess what? We don’t!
Walter gets an uninvited guest. September tells Walter that they ” have to warm them. The others are coming.” This means that the Observer invasion is coming soon.
And remember last week I said that ‘Brave New World Part-1’ established connections to ‘Letters of Transit’, I was wrong. I thought that the Cortexophan thing done to Olivia is ‘What he [William Bell] did to Olivia’ turns out that in this episode Olivia is probably cured of her Cortexophan powers. So… What did he actually do to her? How is he travelling between the two universes? Why are the Observers coming? Where is Olivia in 2036? Are the questions running through my mind after this season.
But hopefully all of my questions would be answered in the next season.

The fifth and final season of Fringe airs in September.
Fifth season in September with September and the other observers. Coincidence?? I don’t think so.

Game of Thrones S02E06 Review

Game of Thrones Season 2 Episode 6“The Old Gods and The New”

Note: This contains Spoilers!

Director:

David Nutter

Writer:

Vanessa Taylor

New Additions to the Cast:

Rose Leslie as Ygritte, The Wildling

Based on ” A Clash of Kings” Book #2 in A Song of Ice and Fire series” by George R.R. Martin

Story:

Princess Myrcella is sent away from King’s Landing. Theon Greyjoy’s plans succeed. Robb and Catelyn receive important news. At the Fist of the First Men, the ranger Qhorin Halfhand gives Jon Snow the opportunity to prove his worth.

Review:

What an episode!! “The Old Gods and the New” is written by Venessa Taylor, the same person who wrote the awesomely disturbing and demented “Garden of Bones”. This episode has some disturbing scenes and some awesome kills.

I was surprised to see Theon taking Winterfell so soon. In the book it too long.I never did like Theon. And if they would have show his journey to Winter fell, it would have easily taken and episode or two, which would have caused a loss of time to tell the stories of the other people. This scene was a surprise to both, those who have read A Clash of Kings and those who haven’t.

Now, coming to Arya. She and Tywin make such a great couple. He seems to be trusting her with his stories. He also seems to enjoy her company and seems to rather like talking to her over his war council. But he seems to be more into the relationship than she is. She, sadly had to waste her second kill-wish on Amory Lorch , who fell face first when Tywin opened the door. Now the people know that there is an assassin in Harrenhal.

The riot scene was almost as I had pictured it in the book. Tyrion is as usual AWESOME! And Joffrey got what he deserves; a slap across his pathetic little face. That also by an Imp. “We’ve had vicious kings and we’ve had idiot kings, but I don’t know that we’ve ever been cursed with a vicious idiot.” was an amazing line said by Tyrion, which aptly describes Joffrey.

Finally we get to see Robb again, along with Lady Talisa and Cat returns with Brienne. She (Cat) reminds Robb that he has to marry one of the ugly Frey girls. And they get the bad news that Winterfell has been taken by Theon Greyjoy. Though he wants to return, he cannot as he has to fight a war. Jon also has his encounter with the wildlings and Ygritte.

Dany, in this season comes of as a more stronger, she also tries to get around by saying ” I am Daenerys Stormborn” and boasting about how she jumped into the flames of her husband with the Dragon eggs and she came out with the baby dragons. Her lines were just awesome in this episode. But the end was very sad. She looses her Dragons. Which never happened in the book. So the logical explanation is that Pyat Pree has taken them to the House of the Undying Ones. Also Irri doesn’t die on the second episode. She is there till the end of the third book.

The episode was amazing.. Only 4 more to go…

A Storm of Swords Part 1 Review

A Storm of Swords Part 1: Steel & Snow (A Song of Ice & Fire #3)

Author:

George R. R. Martin

Publisher:

Bantam Spectra (US) & Voyager Books (UK)

Date Published:

June 1st 2001

Story:
Robb Stark wears his new-forged crown in the Kingdom of the North, but his defences are ranged against attack from the South, the land of House Stark’s enemies the Lannisters. His sisters are trapped there, dead or likely yet to die, at the whim of the Lannister boy-king Joffrey or his depraved mother Cersei, regent of the Iron Throne.

And Daenerys Stormborn will return to the land of her birth to avenge the murder of her father, the last Dragon King on the Iron Throne.

Review:

The book is wonderful! As are the previous ones. This book is clearly the best so far. It continues the previous story lines, with additions of Jamies and Samwell. Since Jon is now with the Wildlings, Samwell replaces him in the Night Watch. I thought thy was a wise decision. Also it was good to see inside Jamie Lannisters mind. Finally we are acquainted with all the Lannisters.
Thank god Martin left out Theon Greyjoys part. I never liked him. The only thing left it to get rid of Davos. For his chapters are usually boring. Also it was interesting to see the budding relationship between Brienne of Tarth and Jamie The Kingslayer.
I was also so relieved to see that Arya is on her way to her Mother. About time too. For the first time, I’m happy for Arya. By Sansa’s chapters we get too know the Tyrells too. And as usual Tyrion’s chapters are funny and his lines are sarcastic. Even with his face being disfigured he does not loose hope. Catelyn probably the best female character in this series. She has lost her husband, she thinks she has lost her two youngest sons and fears that she lost her daughters too for Sansa is married to Tyrion and Arya, to her is lost or dead. But even through this, she does not loose faith in her other son, King O’ the North, Robb Stark. Even thought Tyrion is a Lannister, he doesn’t force Sansa into anything. He gives her time. He, according to me, is an awesome strategist. He plans everything.

The last two chapters were just so awesome.Since I am in Turkey, I will finish the second part once I get back.

Final Verdict:
A truly awesome book. 9/10

A Clash Of Kings

NAME:

A Clash of Kings

AUTHOR:

George R. R. Martin

GENRE:

Fantasy

DATE PUBLISHED:

November 1998

THE STORY:

A Clash of Kings picks up where A Game of Thrones ended. The Seven Kingdoms of Westeros are plagued by civil war, while the Night’s Watch mounts a reconnaissance force north of the Wall to investigate the mysterious people, known as wildlings, who live there. Meanwhile, in the distant east, Daenerys Targaryen continues her quest to return to and conquer the Seven Kingdoms. All signs are foreshadowing the terrible disaster that is to come.

THE REVIEW:

The book is marvelously written. He is a marvelous writer. The story slowly unfolds and theres a game changer at every turn. This book was had to put down. The, though its 873 pages long, has a very simple story which is narrated to us by the different characters. The characters are so beautifully constructed that they fit the role which was ment for them to fill. The only thing I felt lacking in this book was that there were not many chapter of Daenerys Targaryen, The Mother of Dragons.

Other than that its a wonderful book. The thing I found frustrating was that Arya Stark doesn’t reveal to the people hat she is the daughter of Eddard Stark and Catelyn Stark and sister to the King of the North- Robb Stark. I mean if she would have done so she might have been rescued or they would not have taken it seriously. It was a 50/50 chance.

But still it’s an awesome book and I can’t wait to read the third book A Storm of Swords Part 1- Steel and Snow and Part 2- Blood and Gold. I’m sure they too are going to be awesome.

And thank god I managed to finish the book before the second season of A Game of Thrones which starts on April 1st.

FINAL VERDICT:
It’s a wonderful book. George R. R. Martin is truly one of the great authors in The Fantasy genre. 9/10

A Game Of Thrones

Name: A Game Of Thrones
Author: George R. R. Martin
Genre: Fantasy
Date Published: 8th August 1996.
The author introduces various plot lines. He has given an insight into the medieval world. He has set his story on the continent of Westeros. Martin has modelled each character with such care that it brings them to life. He wants to make the reader feel what his characters are feeling. He has done a great job in devising the story lines and connecting them. He has invented so many new characters and given them a back-story and a history. It takes a great mind to come up with 835 pages of sheer brilliance and only few people posses such a rare quality. The book shocks you and surprises you at every chapter.

He has based his epic fantasy novel on the War of the Roses (The War of the Roses was a battle for the Throne in England)and on a 1819 novel Ivanhoe.
His novel is one of those rare types where once you start reading it you cannot stop. I had started reading it and found it hard to put down.

The thing I love about that it is a great fantasy novel in a long time. It can proudly share a spot with Lord of the Rings as one of the greatest fantasy novels. The only thing I dislike is that when Daenerys talks to her husband Khal Drogo she calls him “My sun and stars” and when he responds he calls her “The Moon of my life”. George repeats this so many time that I get irritated. One more thing i didn’t understand is why he would call the person who teaches Arya sword fighting as a Dance Master.

The best line in the book was: “When you play the game of thrones , you win or you die”.

All in all this was an AWESOME book . This is the first book in the series “A Song of Ice and Fire”. The second book is Clash of King.