Friday 27 April 2012

A-Z: ToXic

I know it is technically cheating, but we don't make use of the letter X in the danish alphabet and I am already feeling pretty handicapped as it with all these weird end of alphabet letters that we either don't have or don't use.

Here is an article from Wiki on Danish language: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danish_language

Here is one on the alphabet in particular: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danish_and_Norwegian_alphabet

My headline should probably be expanded on a bit. I have just finished reading Maria Snyder's Yelena Sultana series and not to put anyone off but as far as young adult goes it was not the best I have read. Here is what the caption says about the first book, Poison Study (Hence toxic):

About to be executed for murder, Yelena is offered an extraordinary reprieve. She'll eat the best meals, have rooms in the palace—and risk assassination by anyone trying to kill the Commander of Ixia.

And so Yelena chooses to become a food taster. But the chief of security, leaving nothing to chance, deliberately feeds her Butterfly's Dust—and only by appearing for her daily antidote will she delay an agonizing death from the poison.

As Yelena tries to escape her new dilemma, disasters keep mounting. Rebels plot to seize Ixia and Yelena develops magical powers she can't control. Her life is threatened again and choices must be made. But this time the outcomes aren't so clear…


Whereas the premise for the story is really good and the first book is a very entertaining read it is one of those series that you end up wishing had just stopped after the first installment because it gets weirder and weirder and not in a good sense. Anyway, if you are in the mood for some YA fantasy then try the first book, but do consider yourself warned. 

6 comments:

  1. I'm trying to learn Swedish at the moment (since I have a few learning CDs and some people say it's a good gateway language to Scandinavia). I'd love the learn all the Scandinavian languages though as I've always loved them and the countries. I went to Norway when I was 7 by myself to visit my cousin and I thought, "yes, there's defiantly magic here!" Ever since I've loved everything to do with Scandinavia. At the moment I'm trying to work out a way to go there this summer without spending too much money, http://www.helpx.net/index.asp - being the best way I've found so far.

    ReplyDelete
  2. YA... no thank you. I'm a fossil and I like it that way ;)

    I've noticed everything has gone suddenly quiet on the comments front from the A - Z'ers? I think now it's the end they feel they do not have to make an effort any longer... the buh-stards :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah I noticed this as well, but I am still feeling the rush of people commenting for once on my things so I will keep going to the bitter end. When it all boils down I am doing this just as much for my sake as theirs

      Delete
  3. I was reading that description and thinking the premise is pretty good. I was starting to get ideas for a story of my own. Too bad the series veered off into the weird after that.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I read all of those in that series and quite enjoyed them. There's a follow on series but don't remember what it's called and haven't read it yet -- I'll get to it some day.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I enjoyed them for a light read and I really liked the first book, just as I really enjoyed the first hunger games book. I just thought Yelena was turned into something barely recognizable in the sense that she suddenly started to stumble into trouble all the time and completely ignore any warnings that were given to her. Valek was transformed from this interesting anti-hero to her pet loverboy.

      Delete