Homeward Bound

Earlier today I got a response from the last job in the UK I've been waiting to hear from, which was a "no." I didn't have enough specific knowledge/experience for the position. My student visa expires on the 1st of October, so this means that I have to leave Scotland. I've already started to make plans to, since they've taken so long to get back to me. I would have barely had time to apply for a work visa if they'd offered me a job.

Truthfully, I'm glad I don't have to make the choice between Aberdeen and the US. Lately I've been realizing how much I miss Seattle, and how the choice between staying near my friends in Scotland and going back home would be difficult. I probably would have chosen to go home, and then felt like I was giving up a good opportunity to stay. Now, I don't have a choice, and I can be content getting excited about going back to Seattle.

I will miss Scotland dearly. It's been an amazing experience. I've changed a lot (for the better), and met so many great people, including friends I know I'll have for life. I'm sure I'll be putting aside money to come back as soon as I can.

But it seems it's time for me to leave the people and the land behind. For now.

Book Review #13: A Swedish Forrest Gump

Book 13: The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared, by Jonas Jonasson

Allan Karlsson is about to turn one-hundred. His birthday party at the old folks home is all planned out for him, and the mayor and the press will be there. But he has had enough, and instead escapes through his window. This begins a crazy, Forrest Gump-esque adventure filled with both lighthearted and dark humor. The story switches between the present day and Allan's past, which is equally as unbelievable.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked this up at a local bookstore. It seemed fun, and there were quite a few raving reviews from all over Europe; when I bought it, it hadn't been released in the US yet (and now it has). I don't often read comedy, but the fact that it was a Swedish author made me think I might like it, since I enjoyed the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series so much (perhaps not a fair comparison since it's crime and not comedy, but in a way this book is crime as well...).

I thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved the humor and the lighthearted quality of the whole story, despite the few horrible things that happen. It had me laughing out loud at least every few pages. The plot is also cleverly put together. Allan is a very unique, clever character himself, but if I tell you too much I'll ruin the story. This book certainly deserves all the praise it's received.

Book Review #12: Libriomancer

Book 12: Libriomancer, by Jim Hines

If there is one place I take book recommendations seriously from, it is my favorite authors. When I saw this was recommended by Patrick Rothfuss (The Kingkiller Chronicle, which I've written a review for), and then discovered it was considered "urban fantasy", a genre I haven't explored but have wanted to try, I figured it was worth a read.

Isaac Vainio is a libriomancer working in a bookshop. One day a group of vampires attacks the shop, and with the help of his friend Lena--a dryad--they barely escape alive. Until now, the vampires have been peaceful enough, so the two of them set out to discover why the Porters, the organization of libriomancers, are being targeted. On top of it all, Isaac has been in trouble for using his magic too recklessly, and is not allowed to use it anymore. That doesn't last very long...

The magic in this story is very original. A libriomancer is someone who can literally pull things out of books--but the things must fit through the pages. For example, you couldn't pull a full-sized person out of a book unless the book itself was wide enough (and this large book was widely distributed and read; there are many rules). You could say it's a bit like Inkheart, where things from books will appear in this world if the person reading it has the required magical ability, but it's not quite the same, and it leads to some unique, interesting problems.

It's also refreshing to have a book that contains vampires where that is not the central part of the story. It is not a "vampire book" in any way, there are plenty of other interesting creatures. And there is literary reference after literary reference, most of which I understood, since Isaac's favorite genres of books to use are Fantasy and Sci-Fi! The stories of Doctor Who and Sherlock Holmes even make an appearance.

This book was fun, different, and engaging. I'll likely be reading the sequel.

Book Reviews #10 & #11: A Steampunk "Doctor Who"

Book 10: The Chronological Man: The Monster In The Mist, by Andrew Mayne

This is a series of novellas set in the late 19th century about a man, Smith, who investigates strange phenomena where the police have failed. This is the first book in the series, where he meets a new assistant, April Malone. April takes a job as a secretary/assistant, and reads newspapers and magazines and books for research, and makes coffee and sets out pastries every day, for a man she never sees. Then one day, Smith appears, and the adventure begins. People keep going missing in Boston, and it's up to Smith and April to find out why. Smith felt very much to me like a steampunk Doctor, which made me enjoy the story even more.

Book 11: The Chronological Man: the Martian Emperor, by Andrew Mayne

In the second installment, a Martian makes an appearance in New York, and Smith and April must find out whether it's a hoax. I enjoyed the first book more than the second, perhaps because Smith was more of a mystery then or because I wanted more of a subplot between Smith and April, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I've always been intrigued by steampunk but have never tried reading any books in the genre, and I was not disappointed. Both of these short books are $0.99 on Amazon as e-books, so I would recommend giving them a try!