The Librarians and the Lost Lamp

Title: The Librarians and the Lost Lamp

Author: Greg Cox [Website][Facebook]

Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates

Series: Librarians, Bk 1

ISBN: 9780765384072

Length: 286 pages

Obtained: Library copy

Why this book?:

Love the Librarian movies, and the spin off TV show, and couldn't miss reading the book(s).

Comments:

I don't read media tie-ins often (though I have occasionally).  It is strange to read the words, actions, and characterizations of the characters that I've only seen before, but it is also fun.  The book flashed between 2006 and 2016, with Flynn Carson in the Librarian role in 2006 (plus, briefly, Judson) and the others - Jake Stone, Cassandra Cillian, Ezekiel Jones and Guardian Eve Baird and Library annex caretaker Jenkins - in 2016.  The 2006 scenes reminded me strongly of the movies, complete with Flynn on a dashing and dangerous mission for Aladdin's lamp, a different woman (this time a museum curator), and of course, a gang of bad guys.  The 2016 scenes are more in the line of the current TV show with an emphasis on teamwork, using differences and individuality to the most potential, friendship and support...

The only critique would be the time jumps.  They start off switching between 2006 and 2016 with shorter intervals, then there is a long period of just 2006.  The book finally switches back to 2016 for a heftier portion of the book after the 2006 time is pretty much resolved.  This description may be jumbled and confusing, so I'll summarize with the time jumps were uneven and made the flow of the story seem a bit awkward.

Overall I really enjoyed the book.  I look forward to reading The Librarians and the Mother Goose Chase.

(Book was read and post written in 2015) 

The Killing Time

Title: The Killing Time

Author: Tim Waggoner [Website][Facebook][Twitter]

Publisher: Titan Books

Series: Grimm, Bk 3

ISBN: 9781781166581

Length: 262 pages

Obtained: Library copy

Why this book?:

It's Grimm!

Comments:

I was so excited about this book, so I don't know why it took me so long to start it after I checked it out early October.  Of course once I started it, I zipped through it.

I'm getting ahead of myself though.  I was pleased that the characters felt pretty spot on in this one.  The only character that seemed different was Nick, but those differences were internal (so not necessarily something I'd get from the TV show) and necessary for the story.

This story falls after the voodoo-priest/Cracher-Mortel story arc and before the more recent loss of powers bit.  A shapeshifter type of Wesen called Wechselbalg has come to Portland.  Nick's had an in person encounter with unpredictable and not pleasant results.  It's reeking havoc; the last such occurrence (Wechselbalg taking on Grimm form) led to such horror that it is called the Killing Time.  Is it possible for Nick and friends to avoid a repeat of this, or are they doomed to repeat history?

Anyway, I'm so happy novels are being written for this show and really hope the series continues on both TV and book levels.  The first three books came pretty quickly one after the other, but I'm pretty concerned that I haven't seen anything about a fourth title yet.  Maybe they are slowing down as they're approaching being caught up with the show?

The Chopping Block

Title: The Chopping Block

Author: John Passarella [Website][Twitter][Facebook]

Publisher: Titan Books

Series: Grimm, Bk 2

ISBN: 9781781166567

Length: 315 pages

Obtained: Library copy

Why this book?:

As soon as I saw this was coming out, I put in a purchase request at the library.  I love the show Grimm; I simply couldn't pass this up.

Comments:

This came out incredibly soon after Bk 1.  And yet I felt that many of the complaints from the first book were addressed in this one.

Before you start reading there is a "Historian's Note" stating that this book would fall between the episodes "The Walking Dead" and "Goodnight, Sweet Grimm," while the timeline in regards to The Icy Touch was blurry. 

To me the characters in this book felt more authentic.  I didn't suddenly feel distaste towards characters I had previously liked.

While the story/crime was totally sick and gruesome, I was definitely engaged.  Your everyday average human is turning up in dumping grounds, wesen are eating them in an ancient tradition, and there is a tight deadline with friends and innocents lives on the line.

In other words, while I enjoyed the first book as a fan, this book was a definite step up.  I look forward to reading future Grimm books and discovering what else is in store for Nick, his friends, and Portland.

The Icy Touch

Title: The Icy Touch

Author: John Shirley [Website][Internet Speculative Fiction Database]

Publisher: Titan Books

Series: Grimm, Bk 1

ISBN: 9781781166543

Length: 312 pages

Obtained: Library copy

Why this book?:

As soon as I saw this was coming out, I put in a purchase request at the library.  I love the show Grimm, I simply couldn't pass this up.

Comments:

I haven't often read books based of of TV series (like one time with Monk in fact), so it's new.  I was a little thrown at first, because the book does not start at the beginning.  But I got over that.

Another thing that took some adjusting was the personalities.  I guess seeing and interpreting an actor's expressions and body language is different than reading their inner thoughts.  Because I had certain impressions about those characters that didn't quite align with what I was reading.  One character difference that stood out to me was Hank.  In the book, he was a bit whiny with the whole we should expose the Wesen to law enforcement thing.  He just doesn't come across that way on the show.  But there were other character things that I just can't think of off the top of my head.

Beyond that, visiting Nick, Monroe, Hank, Renard, Rosalie, Juliette, and Wu all in my beloved book format was way cool.  The historical flashbacks to Nick's ancestors were interesting, gave information that might have otherwise been info-dumping, and gave some new tidbits that Nick wouldn't necessarily have found in the trailer.

If you've never seen the show, you can still enjoy the story.  But you'll have missed a great deal of the background on the characters.  (Really, to get the best of the characters - watch the show.)

Overall, despite some disappointment, I still enjoyed the book and am glad I read it.  I look forward to reading book 2, The Chopping Block by John Passarella, due out February 2014.