Patrick Rothfuss, The Wise Man's Fear

The Wise Man's Fear is the second volume ("Day Two") of the Kingkiller Chronicles, an epic trilogy of books by Patrick Rothfuss. Like the first volume, The Name of the Wind (Kingkiller Chronicles, Day 1), this second book follows a young red-haired archanist named Kvothe. It begins with him studying at the University, in subjects like artificery, sympathy, and naming. But at the close of the term, he sets out to see the world, and to hopefully get a patron. A friend has set up an opportunity on the other end of the known world, with a wealthy Maer Alveron. So Kvothe sets out, and his journeys occupy much of the rest of the book, first as he learns to navigate the courtly culture in Vintas, then hunting bandits in the untamed Eld. He has a remarkable encounter with the mythic Felurian and spends a few months in the lands of the Fae, and also spends a few months learning the advanced mercenary culture and the way of the Lethani among the Adem, before rescuing two young girls from bandits on his way back home. That's all to say it is a relatively action-packed book with some interesting changes of scene.

This second book continues fascinating trajectory begun in the first volume, developing the main characters and the world they inhabit. Kvothe continues to become an engaging, complex, slightly dark protagonist, and he makes for a sympathetic yet also mythic "hero." The book suffers a bit from the oft-noted "middle-book slump," but not too much. The change of setting often makes for an interesting variety of scenery and plot, but it occasionally bogs down a little. And the main "mystery" that seems to be driving the books, a tandem of the questions of how Kvothe ends up as a rather hum-drum inn keeper in a backwards town and of how the major conflict with the Seven will resolve, are both moved forward some, but often seem to get lost in what almost seem like asides, or at least interesting facets too fully explored (case in point is the sheer amount of time spent in the world of the Fae with Feulrian, which adds some important detail as well as some mythic depth to the world and to Kvothe's character, but which goes on for maybe a few too many pages). As with the first volume, I enjoyed this one and look forward to the series' conclusion in the final book. Rothfuss has constructed an expansive story-world, and I look forward to entering it again.

Karl Marlantes, What It Is Like to Go to War

In this reflective memoir, Karl Marlantes, writer of the widely acclaimed Vietnam War book Matterhorn, takes a probing look at his own experiences of going to war, and of coming home again. Because it is more of a series of reflections than a continuous narrative, I will review it in kind, with some impressions and appreciations. First, Marlantes' book is honest, sometimes brutally so. And I think this is one of the keys that makes it work. The reader gets the distinct impression that he has carefully worked and reworked his memories until they come out as honestly and completely as possible. Even though at times this means recounting memories of his own brutalities in war. But along with these sometimes tortured memories come candid memories of his own emotions, impressions, and motivations that help bring the experience of war to life. They also guarantee that war isn't glorified, and neither is the warrior. Instead, we meet the brutality along with the valor.

A second impression one gets is that these are carefully analysed reflections. He has quite obviously held his own experiences, indeed his own person, under the light of careful scrutiny. This means the narratives and accounts he relates are thick descriptions of events, filled out with his own psychological analysis about not only what he and those around him experienced but why. And this also means he often extends his reflections beyond his own experiences, through an analysis of why, to a discussion of what we might constructively draw from them. One key example that comes up repeatedly in the book is the experience of coming home. He recounts many of the difficulties of going from a life-or-death struggle in the jungles of Vietnam, where you are dealing death in a god-like fashion, to being rapidly transported via helicopter and airplane, back to your family and friends in everyday society in a matter of hours. And that jarring transition is made without reflection, significant preparation, or guidance. He recommends greatly increasing the debriefing and processing time for returning veterans, both before and after they come home. At one point he recommends returning to the WWII practice of returning home by ship, to give the decompression process time to happen. And he says so much more about this key issue of reintegration. It alone makes the book a compelling and worthwhile read, and has given me renewed respect and concern for our current crop of returning vets.

Last, in my unsystematic collection of reflections, I would say this book is vivid. It takes you not only into the battles but into the very experiences of being there and the psyches of the soldiers involved. The horrors of war are unavoidable, and an honest account like his helps keep us from sugar coating the experience and practice of war. He also raises interesting questions regarding the modern practice of war, with drone pilots dropping death by day and having dinner with the family "after work" in the evening. The psychological effects are hard to fathom.

Marlantes writes well, with carefully crafted words and deeply reflective ideas. I hope this book gains a wide readership, as it has brought home to me a fuller understanding of the exercise of war and also a much deeper appreciation for the men and women we commission to carry out war on our society's behalf. Thanks to the Amazon Vine program and the publisher for the advanced review copy.

Laurie R. King, Pirate King

Pirate King is the eleventh Mary Russell novel from Laurie King (and they all, I believe, feature Sherlock Holmes, as this latest volume does). In this latest installment, there is plenty of action, as Mary gets swept up in a pirate adventure while involved in the making of a movie about a pirate adventure within a pirate adventure (there are many layers, and they aren't quite as confusing as it might seem). Mary signs on, at Holmes's urging, for an undercover assignment for Scotland Yard posing as an assistant to a well-known British filmmaker. The film crew and English portion of the cast set off by boat for Lisbon, where they will recruit some authentic-looking Pirates before moving on to North Africa to film their pirate tale. They are met by translator Fernando Pessoa, who will be their guide through Lisbon and who proves to be a colorful and complex host. They hire on a mysterious man, Mr. La Rocha, who will serve as the "Pirate King" in their film, and through him they fill out the ranks of the pirates. The cast and crew finally all set out aboard a two-masted boat that will serve both as their transportation to Morocco and as a primary set for the movie. The voyage proves adventurous, and takes some odd turns that keep Mary Russell on her toes, one of which is Holmes's appearance as a last-minute addition. And the tension builds as their fictional pirate adventure looks like it might just turn into a real one.

Pirate King really is a swashbuckling pirate-filled adventure, wrapped up together with a series of mysteries. Mary Russell especially proves a solid protagonist and interesting character. And though Holmes doesn't figure real prominently in the story, his appearances do cohere nicely with the Holmes I so fondly remember from Doyle's stories. This book proved an enjoyable read, but I wasn't entirely satisfied at its conclusion. I felt like the principal mystery, the one for which Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes were initially engaged, didn't figure very prominently in the major action of the novel, and was solved more as an afterthought once the major action had resolved, and didn't prove to be really integral to the major plotline. That criticism aside, I do look forward to reading other books in King's Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series. While not perfect, it was an enjoyable read.

Thanks to the publisher and the Amazon.com Vine program for the review copy.