Zafer Mert Mert থেকে Önsen, 46160 Önsen/Kahramanmaraş Merkez/Kahramanmaraş, Turkey
I reread this again recently on my Kindle, after having read a quote from this book in which Adams described an 'electronic reading device' oddly similar to the very one I was reading it on. It also spurred me to watch the movie, which is most certainly not as good as the book (but then again, I've not heard the radio series, or seen the tv show, so I may be missing something further there), but is a good film all the same. Having lived in the UK for about 10 years since I last read this book, this reread definitely resonates with me far more this time. The all-round ridiculous britishness of the book is so much more evident. Arthur Dent is a charming fellow, despite being a bit 'meh' at first. He's very English - both in the good ways and the bad - but at the end of the day makes his mark. There's some very funny stuff in here, intelligently wrapped in just the right amount of science, with a splash of silliness. I think I'll give the next in the "trilogy" a go, since I'm in a nostalgic mood..
Etched in Bone is book four in Adrian Phoenix's Maker's Song series. Do not attempt to read this book without having read the prior three: A Rush of Wings, In the Blood and Beneath the Skin. I have a love/hate relationship with this series. I want to read it. The stories are always well written and intriguing, but I dread reading about the way Dante was treated as a child. He was brutalized and it makes me queasy and sad to watch it happen. Etched in Bone is a stepping stone type of book. It's one of those books that connects story lines and furthers relationships without really covering any new ground. It fleshes out the overall story. We get a little bit closer to where the author wants to take us. Without the information, I think we'd all be complaining about the lack of answers to previously brought up incidents and about the out of character actions taken by the people in Phoenix's world. But the book still leaves me wanting more and feeling a little bit cheated. At the end of Beneath the Skin Dante and Heather arrived in Gehenna after the angels discovered the existence and location of the new maker. Their visit doesn't last long and ends with a promise to return. That promise will need to be fulfilled in another book, as it didn't happen in Etched in Bone. That is only one of several introductions and promises that will have to be fulfilled in another book. That said, if I had to select a theme for this book I'd say it's all about consequences and effects. There are consequences to every action, both positive and negative. Sex can be satisfying, but it can also be so much more. It can lead to or produce more. Killing someone can end something or it can create something new. You never quite know where you're being led or what you will have when the dust settles. That is what makes the series so interesting. The unpredictability of it all. Despite knowing what draws me to the Maker's Song series, I was not thrilled with this installment. The first chapter told me exactly what the book was leading up to. It removed the tension I normally feel when reading and almost made put the book down. The saving grace of Etched in Bone came in the final chapters. The tempting look at what's in store for Heather makes it impossible for me to stop reading the series now. If you are reading this series: don't skip this book or you will be lost in the next one. If you haven't read this series: don't start with this book. Scooper Speaks