Richard III

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Richard III
William Shakespeare
1591

The Summary

Put simply, The Tragedy of King Richard III tells the story of one ambitious man's rise to power - and reveals his willingness to stoop to any means necessary to ascend to the throne.

The Good

William Shakespeare's play is absolutely thrilling.  Beautifully complex, full of political intrigue and suspense - and, yes, even daring escapes and brutal murders - Richard III is a captivating play about power and deceit, and what one man will do to seize the crown for himself.

Moreover, the character and plot developments seen throughout the play are absolutely perfect.  Well, perhaps perfection is too far, but, regardless, Richard III manages to create some of the most fascinating, endearing, grotesque, and terrifying characters.

Take Richard, Duke of Gloucester (and, later, King Richard III), for instance.  His description as a deformed human being - his depth as a character, the influence of self-fulfilling prophecy in his life - and his continuous acts of cruelty, his downward spiral into murder and treachery, make him a perfect villain.

Richard III is a character you will love to hate.

The Bad

As most people have read Shakespeare's plays at one time or another, it's easy to recognize some of the perils of Shakespeare's work, including Richard III.  Antiquated vocabularly, complex speech patterns, and distinct (sometimes, difficult) language quirks, all make Shakespeare's play more than a little challenging for many readers.

But it's worth reading, nonetheless, because this work, if you can manage the language barrier, is absolutely riveting.

The Ugly

Richard III is not a gentle tale by any means.

I mean, after all, Richard of Gloucester is a man intent on securing the crown for himself by any means necessary, including - and certainly not limited to - murder, war, genocide, and other forms of violent (very violent, and very brutal) forms of teachery and political intrigue.

Northanger Abbey

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Northanger Abbey
Jane Austen
1817

The Summary

For Catherine Morland, her opportunity to visit the city of Bath comes as an unexpected surprise.  Befriending Isabella Thorpe and her brother, John, as well as meeting Henry Tinley and his sister, Eleanor, Catherine has found herself invited into a new and exciting kind of life, experiencing a kind of society of which she has only vaguely heard.

In this new world, however, not everyone is who they claim to be.

Catherine, now surrounded by new acquaintances and pulled into Gothic adventures, must quickly learn how to tell the difference between those who would wish her well - and those who would stab her in the back.

The Good

Jane Austen's novel is simultaneously intriguing and heart-warming, containing both the elements of a good mystery and a well-told romance.  But, more than recounting another budding romantic relationship or another Gothic adventure, Northanger Abbey chronicles the story of one young woman as she struggles to understand the bitter, unseemly side of society.

Austen's book, at its core, is a coming-of-age story for one young girl who is thrust into a new social class and must learn how to avoid social landmines in the process.  Not only must young Catherine learn how to distinguish between those who would help her and those who would harm her, she must understand the necessity of maturity and recognize her own desire for growth.

The Bad

Northanger Abbey, while entertaining at points, is ultimately boring.  Although I like the character of Catherine Morland - she's a bright, strong-willed girl, who is prone neither to nonsense nor to cruelty.  In short, she's a good, kind person with a clear grasp on reality and, occasionally, an imaginative mind - her story isn't exactly compelling.

Her tale is interesting, vaguely endearing, but not addictively compelling or fantastic.

The Ugly

Polite society, no matter how mild-mannered, is ultimately vicious.  Part hedonism, part venomous social enterprise, the social circle by which Catherine finds herself surrounded will not prove kindly.

Out of Control

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Out of Control
Mary Connealy
2011

The Summary

Julia Gilliland adores geology and spends her days exploring local rock formations, geological wonders, and caves - that is, until someone steals her rope ladder and leaves her stranded in a system of caves in the wilds of 19th century Colorado Territory.

Luckily for Julia, Rafe Kincaid offers her a helping hand.  But, for a man who is obviously used to handling authority, Julia - an intelligent, outspoken outsider - is a force to be reckoned with.  Now, forced to work together to secure their own safety and the safety of their respective families, Julia and Rafe are faced with someone more dangerous than they ever imagined.

The Good

With just enough suspense to keep the novel moving, Out of Control is relatively detailed and structured with some solid characters, a few interesting plot points, and a handful of intriguing mysteries.  Overall, Mary Connealy's novel is enjoyable and entertaining to read during an empty afternoon.

The Bad

Personally, I found certain character quirks annoying.  Julia, for instance, not only has a passion for geology, but an obsession.  Perhaps I've not known enough would-be geologists in my lifetime, but her character occasionally proved frustrating given her focus for fossils when her life is obviously in danger.

While I don't consider Julia to be the "damsel in distress" type - and, admittedly, I doubt I would have appreciated her fully as a character if she was - I find her apparent superiority complex slightly annoying and her willingness to overlook the attempt on her life frustrating.  Likewise, Rafe has his own setbacks as a domineering control freak.

Moreover, their romance, if it could be called such, appears to spring from constant bickering.  Their relationship is strained throughout the text - so much so, it's hard to believe they made any romantic connection at all, beyond their supposed affection mentioned in passing.  In fact, you sometimes get the feeling you imagined it all.

The Ugly

To put it mildly, Out of Control is not a book that compels you to read it.  It's passably entertaining, but, rather than being a story to read and adore from cover to cover, it has only enough of a mystery to hold your attention for a few pages.

In short, it's easy to skim.

Saladin in his Time

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Saladin in his Time
P.H. Newby
1983

The Summary
Saladin in his Time is, simply, a narrative of the life of Saladin, a prominent and active military commander who brought Egypt, Palestine, Arabia, and Mesopotamia under his sultanate.

The Good
P.H. Newby's narrative is fairly informative.  Providing an amazing array of details about Saladin's life, as well as offers a descriptive portrayal of the areas he both visited and attempted to consolidate under his rule.

Saladin in his Time, however, also sheds light onto the activities of European crusaders who set out for the Latin Kingdoms of Palestine during the Second and Third Crusades.  Not only does this narrative provide insight into the motivations of crusaders, but provides accounts of their movements, achievements, and most significant activities.

The Bad
In this book, the author appears to have his own agenda, in which he places Saladin firmly in the role of a hero.  In fact, he appears to treat Saladin as a victim of the disunity between regions under his control.  Rather than attributing certain failures to a mistake on Saladin's part, Newby presents excuses for certain failures that actually divert blame from Saladin.

While informative, this narrative seems single-minded in its pursuit to make Saladin a heroic historical figure.

The Ugly
Saladin in his Time is neither explicit in its language, nor particularly violent (that is, detailed about violent events in history).  While acceptable for a broad audience, regardless of age, and fairly interesting, Newby's narrative is pretty - well, boring.  It's informative, perfect for scholar, but a bit dry otherwise.

Regularly scheduled programming...

As promised, Reader's Reach will return to its regular schedule of updates.  With this week's "bonus review" and a new review already posted, I can safely promise that there will be no more interruptions.

Well, for a while, at least.

As you might have guessed from the evasive language above, however, I have something special planned for Reader's Reach  in the ensuing weeks that one might consider an "interruption."  Nothing drastic, but, rather, something exciting I should think.

At least, for me.

(Of course, then again, my definition of fun might be slightly distorted.)

Regardless, I'll offer more details later.  For now, it's back to books, back to reading, and back to enjoying the sheer pleasure of having a new book in hand.

- The Scrivener