Book Review: Night of the Humans by David Llewellyn

Author: David Llewellyn
Title: Night of the Humans
Narrator: Arthur Darvill
Publication Info:  Bath, [England] : AudioGo/BBC Audiobooks, p2010
Summary/Review:

This Doctor Who New Series Adventures joins Amy and the Eleventh Doctor early on their travels as they’re drawn to an enormous pile of space junk known as The Gyre where they encounter noseless humanoids with Arabic names known as the Sittuun, who’ve also been shipwrecked.  The villains of the piece turn out to be primitive humans who believe they’re on Earth and condemn those who say differently as blasphemers. There’s also a shady character named Dirk Slipstream who is very Douglass Adams.   The book takes advantage of its medium in creating settings and characters that would not likely translate well to a low-budget television show, but the story didn’t hold my interest too well.  The audiobook is narrated by Arthur Darvill even though his character Rory doesn’t appear in the story.  He does enjoyable impersonations of Karen Gillan and Matt Smith, though.

Rating: **

Book Review: Cheesemonger : a life on the wedge by Gordon Edgar

Author: Gordon Edgar
Title: Cheesemonger : a life on the wedge
Publication Info: White River Junction, VT : Chelsea Green Pub., c2010
Summary/Review:

Edgar wanted so much to gain employment at a San Francisco worker’s cooperative that he applied for a job in the cheese department despite not knowing much about cheese.  This memoir/manifesto tells of his two decades learning about cheese, visiting farms, attending conferences, and dealing with customers.  Edgar draws on his past in punk rock to explore the community and ethics of the cheese world.  This may be the least pretentious book about cheese possible, and I enjoyed reading Edgar’s stories and opinions.  I’m also hungry for some cheese.

Recommended books: Coop: A Year of Poultry, Pigs, and Parenting by Michael Perry and The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan
Rating: ****

Book Review: A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin

Author: George R.R. Martin
Title: A Feast for Crows
Narrator: John Lee
Publication Info: [Santa Ana, Calif.] : Books on Tape, 2006
Summary/Review: The fourth book in A Song of Ice and Fire is a departure from the style of the earlier books, as it focuses on stories of only some of the major characters, while characters like Daenerys, Jon Snow, Tyrion, and Davos are not featured at all.  This leaves room to explore the Greyjoy/Iron Island and Martell/Dorne story lines in greater depth than ever before.  More familiar characters appearing in this book include:

• Cersei, using the deaths of Joffrey and Tywin, and absence of Tyrion to consolidate power as Queen Regent.
• Brienne and Podrick, continuing their search for Sansa and Arya in the lawless lands of Westeros.
• Samwell, Gilly, Maester Aemon, and Dareon travel to Oldtown so that Samwell can train to be a maester.
• Arya takes on a new identity in Braavos.
• Jaime grows distant from his sister/lover and tries to reestablish himself as a military leader despite his missing hand.
• Sansa adjusts to her new life in the Vale disguised as Littlefinger’s daughter.

In some ways, this book seems to restarting the story.  It also seems to be dragging its heels at points. But mostly it continues to tell a complex and epic tell in interesting ways.

Rating: ***