Great Reads!

For my first actual blog, I just wanted to post a couple books I've had the pleasure to read lately.  The reason why I'm doing this now is that they are currently marked down from the MSRP on Amazon, and that means this is a perfect time to pick up a few if you've been craving a good read!

The first is The Secret Voyage of Sir Francis Drake: 1577-1580 by Samuel Bawlf (now $6 USD (new) marked down from $15, or $15.64 CAD, marked down from $24.95, but with a more modern look and cover).
To me, being a history buff (as well as university student studying history), and a sucker for maritime and naval books, this was a no-brainer.  While the provided link will give you access to full customer reviews, I just wanted to touch on a few of my favourite aspects of the book.
Firstly, the plot is just fantastic.  While it can be slow at times, you'll still find yourself appreciating the details Bawlf includes - it's nice to have some background information.  During the more adventurous parts of the book you will not be able to put it down - at times, it honestly reads like a fiction novel.

Now, on to the rest:

- Bawlf is extremely detailed in his work, discussing not only what happened during the aforementioned secret voyage, but touching on Drake's other work, and providing all the insight into the expeditions
- the detailed copies of the maps used are just great.  I always found having a map to reference discussion of a place really helped me, and this book is just great at that.  Plus, let's be honest, its neat seeing how explorers of the past saw the world.

Overall a great read and I would highly recommend!

The others that I wanted to discuss are actually a fictional series, but no less engrossing.  I am specifically talking about the first three books (available in a set) today, although the whole series to date is excellent.  They are the Temeraire series by Naomi Novik.  This series does an amazing job at depicting turn of the nineteenth century war, with one change: dragons roam the land and are employed by many countries as an air force.  Set in the Napoleonic Wars, the series follows Capt. William Laurence, a captain of a ship in the Royal Navy, who winds up capturing a French vessel carrying a dragon.  Under British law, Laurence winds up being stuck with the dragon (named Temeraire), and soon finds himself on a series of adventures.

Initially, I thought the concept sounded a bit ridiculous, and even after I bought the first three I wasn't sure I'd like it.  Was I ever wrong.  While the writing is easy enough to follow for a younger teenager to read, it's enthralling to the point where I could hardly put it down.  Impeccable military detail is paid, and the dragons are wrung into the story so smoothly you might find yourself forgetting the war was not fought with them.  Again, see below for a series of full reviews, but this is another series I would strongly recommend!

(The books mentioned are: His Majesty's Dragon, Throne of Jade, and Black Powder War.  Currently, on Amazon (US), this series will run you back $15.63 (new) (down from $22.99), or for us Canadians, $19.51, down from $30.97 - either way, it's well worth it!

Anyways, that's all for now, I hope should you decide to read these you get as much enjoyment as I did, and thanks for reading!
Here are the Amazon links: