"The Tomb" by F. Paul Wilson

I was recently introduced to this series by a friend of mine, and am pretty much hook. “The Tomb” (later renamed the “The Last Rakosh”) is the first of the “Repairman Jack” series. Repairman Jack is kind of like a cross between “The Equalizer” and “Indiana Jones”, but way more human and down to earth. The title “Repairman” doesn’t refer to appliances as much as it does righting wrongs done to his clients.

This book starts with the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend’s elderly aunt, and of course Jack is happy to help the woman he is still in love with. What develops is a mystery surrounding familial legacies, vendettas, legends and myths going back almost 200 years. After you get through the character development in the first few paragraphs, it picks up and keeps going.

F. Paul Wilson is known for his supernatural thrillers, and has gotten pretty good at it. “Jack” is a very likeable character that you can really identify with, as are the ancillary characters. Other than the slow beginning, the plot is fast-moving and keeps you guessing. There are some really good twists.

Happy reading!

The Twilight series

The Twilight series my Stephenie Meyer was recommended to me by some friends at the office, swearing to me that it “so awesome” and that “I would love it”. This was then followed up with a brief summary of the series – geared towards young adults, a high school student falls in love with a vampire. Jessica was even kind enough to but me a copy for Christmas, however it sat untouched in my bookcase for the next six months.

Some of my favorite books include “Pride & Prejudice” by Jane Austen, “The Lord of the Rings” By R.R. Tolkien, “David Copperfield” by Charles Dickens and “The Dark Tower” series by Stephen King. You can see my hesitation. Not that I’m a book “snob” if you will, but I definitely have my standards. Then another friend recommended it to me as well, with the same raving reviews. So I finished up “The Venetian Betrayal” by Steve Berry, and dug in.

Hooked. Instantly. I started the first book on a Tuesday night, but because of the need to make money for a living, I wasn’t able to complete it until Thursday night. I started the second book, “New Moon” Friday night, and started and finished “Eclipse” on Sunday. The last time I was that wrapped up in a storyline was “The Witching Hour” series by Anne Rice.

Edward Cullen, the big V, is just scrumptious. Bella Swan, his romantic interest, I thought was very believable. Her description of their love and losses however is what got me the most. I bawled almost constantly through “New Moon”. There’s quite a few fans of the series who didn’t like this book, but I truly believe that unless you’ve gone through a horrific loss you won’t be able to identify.

Granted, the writing isn’t Tolkien, but the story is simply awesome. What’s even better, it evoked such emotion for me it was well worth the read. The next and last book in the series, “Breaking Dawn”, is scheduled to be released August 2, 2008. Additionally, Hollywood has picked up Twilight – the move is scheduled to be released 12/12/08.

Here’s a link to the author’s website: www.stepheniemeyer.com. Happy reading!

"The Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follett

Quite possibly my new favorite book. The storyline and characters are extremely well-developed, with heartbreaking lows and the highest of highs. He also does an excellent job of bringing you into life in the 12th century, a very brutal time in Europe. Follett has woven in murder, mysteries, and humanity at its best and worst. You also see in sharp contrast the relationships between common people, nobility and the all-powerful church.

I loved the complexity of this book, and all of its intertwining storylines. But you always know who is who, their individual histories and relationships with other characters. It’s not like reading Tolkien, which forces you to go back over and over again to find out who the hell he’s talking about. It is also part of Oprah's Book Club, but please don't hold that against it.

Here’s a synopsis plagiarized from Powells.com:

The Pillars of the Earth tells the story of Philip, prior of Kingsbridge, a devout and resourceful monk driven to build the greatest Gothic cathedral the world has known...of Tom, the mason who becomes his architect — a man divided in his soul...of the beautiful, elusive, Lady Aliena, haunted by a secret shame...and of a struggle between good and evil that will turn church against state, and brother against brother. A spellbinding epic tale of ambition, anarchy, and absolute power set against the sprawling medieval canvas of twelfth-century England, this is Ken Follet's historical masterpiece.