Zelda Pryce: The Razor's Edge by Joss Llewelyn

Zelda Pryce is a young talented security expert, who uses arcane machines in her work. When she accepts a job to test the security of the British Museum she finds herself in the middle of a conspiracy against arcane objects. If these objects would disappear, thousands would suffer, even die, because arcane devices are widely used, for example as prosthetic limbs.

Zelda joins the French secret agent alchemist, racing against time to find the dangerous person behind the misuse of the Checkov Gun, Occam's Razor and other magical devices. A talented thief also appears and helps them time after time. They travel from London to Rome, and from the Castle of Frankenstein to the Taj Mahal.

The story is entertaining, and I found the arcane devices interesting. They are based on real objects, persons and theories, and they moved my imagination.

Axis by Charles Wilson

I enjoyed Spin, the prequel of this book, and I was looking forward to read Axis. The story is interesting. It picks up the storyline 30 years after Spin ends, and it is about the alien race who caused Earth's spinning. Scientists try to establish a connection by altering the DNA of a child, who - according to the hopes of the scientists - would be able to "speek" with them.

While the idea is compelling, I was disappointed at the end. I felt the book unfinished. The whole purpose of the story was to pave the way to the big event of the connection with the aliens. But I never learned what happened when the superboy entered the gate and finally met the aliens.

Most of the time I enjoyed Wilson's writing, but several times I skipped paragraphs, because I found them only ranting.

The Name of the Wind

This is the first book I read from Patrick Rothfuss, and I defenitely will read more. The story is very entertaining, and well written, I could see the the whole plot unfolding in front of my eyes.

The characters are deep, well drawn, without any cliches. For me the most important about characters, that their acts are based on their emotions, thoughts, earlier experiences. So nothing sudden an unexpected happens, nor they have attributions only for the sake of the story. Rothfuss did it well.

I enjoyed the world building. It is so detailed, that I had the feeling like reading a real story, not a fiction. The places were well described. I was not overwhelmed by the history, but always got enough information to be able to place what was happening. The magic, mithology and arkana is worked out well, make sense, not overdone.

At the beginning I thought it flowed slowly for my taste, but then I realised that every event had its importance, and was referred to later. I was sorry when I arrived at the end, and decided to buy the next book in the series.