This is a LitRPG fantasy world where the main character starts out as kind of a dweeb. And I don't mean that he just wants to be a Baker. I mean he doThis is a LitRPG fantasy world where the main character starts out as kind of a dweeb. And I don't mean that he just wants to be a Baker. I mean he doesn't really think about things and has simple plans for no real reason. He's barely eighteen and has his life planned out in the boringest way imaginable and the first quarter or so is him just bumbling from one wimpy reaction to the next.
But then the author happens to him and he gets pushed out of that simple life and into the story the author actually wants to tell. And by that I mean that stuff happens to the wimp that works to make him stronger for reasons. Which is to say no reason except the story happens that way. The author makes a stab at excusing a string of luck by giving the reader hints of a broader "game" being played by "gods" that give Max advantages and hide him from the other "gods" who are working to kill those with skills like his. But that's just a veneer to give the author license to lard him up with all the best stuff (and every "rare" encounter) in a power fantasy.
And while I like power fantasy as a rule, this just feels convenient and slapped together. And yes, Max is the Gariest of . Like, he pretty much defines the character concept. Everybody likes him and people are continually amazed by his awesomeness. He does amazing things that nobody else possibly could.
Where this feels most contrived is the author neglecting to detail what the party interface looks like. We know that you can see your party members and their health and mana. But Max is going under an assumed name. So is it little portraits? Can you edit the name you are listed as for other party members? Also, Max is using spells and mana when he's pretending to be a normal warrior. Does nobody wonder why his mana bar is moving? I have questions and the author just "forgets" to describe it enough for me to know. Breaking immersion every time the party stuff comes up. For me, at least.
So why bother reading this? Well, the action was fun. The pace was good. And I like power fantasy stories and this fits that bill. And yes, all of that is pretty much excusing my enjoyment of a book that's decidedly mediocre. So let's say three stars it doesn't really deserve.
A note about Chaste: Max starts the story with a sweetheart he wants to spend his life baking with. They have plans. Boring, boring plans. But she leaves him when the shady arbitrators declare him "unskilled". Max becomes pretty much a eunuch at that point, uninterested in the pretty girls around him. Like other things in the story, the author doesn't bother explaining why. It was a bit weird that a girl he had nothing but platonic interest in worried about him doing nice things for her to get into her pants. The bit where she nervously explains that she has a girlfriend was all of the cringe, not helped by giving both lesbian girls a penchant for unnatural hair colors (one green, one blue). The only women with this trait, I might add. Because dying your hair colors unseen in nature is a universal mark of lesbians, don't you know... So anyway, very chaste. Weirdly so. I'd almost suspect him of being ace for how little he thinks about intimate relationships if he hadn't started with a girlfriend....more
I know I've read this before but so long ago that I only got brief glimpses/memories of scenes as I read them. Which is just as well because I doubt vI know I've read this before but so long ago that I only got brief glimpses/memories of scenes as I read them. Which is just as well because I doubt very much that I could have appreciated the depth of this story when I read it all those years ago.
This story has a kind of oral/bardic beginning that sets the tone for the lyrical beauty of the rest of the prose. It's part style, part choice of imagery that gives it a kind of mythic flavor that might have been off-putting if the underlying story weren't so deeply human. I loved it from the start which is interesting because it is quickly apparent that the magic of this world is one of compulsion and control and I have a visceral reaction against such. Sybel has a light touch with her animals, but the narrative doesn't flinch from the truth that she could do the same with humans. Indeed, it's almost a relief when the veil is completely ripped away and you see the true horror of the abuse of that power in such close and personal terms and the desperation it engenders in even the threat if its use.
And the story goes deeply into the obsessive darkness inherent in being ruled by hate and revenge. Love and forgiveness are hard pressed, but present, too, rounding out the story of family, love, pain, loss, and power. All of which are big, weighty elements that might have made for a hard read, but I didn't find it so. I think that's because it sticks closely with Sybel and her interactions with others are mostly one-on-one and therefore contained and framed in the personal even though the individual elements are so broad. I kind of loved how all the grand movements of the story are expressed through that smaller perspective of the individual and her relationships with other individuals (as opposed to groups, nations, or representatives of same).
I have a particular fondness for Coren—the man playing outside his own league but game to keep trying because he values both the experience and the potential. This imprinted particularly strongly after he lets go of his own hate and learns to respect and then love Sybel. His attachment might have felt more sudden if I didn't understand that draw to powerful women so well, myself. And he sees her at her kindest in regards to Tam and her care of his wounds so it isn't a large step to see further to her care for her forgotten beasts, too. Sybel treats him poorly in (view spoiler)[her scheming against Drede but I can't think of a way to show her emotional landscape so well as in her neglect of him as she turns more to hate, revenge, and fear (hide spoiler)].
Anyway, this was a strong five stars from the start. And the ending was a knock out. That last line is simple and yet contains a world of meaning that is possible only by the entire story that precedes it. It's a masterpiece of layered meaning and it completely cemented an already solid five stars. And it joins The Homeward Bounders as the pinnacle of powerful last lines....more
Smith is a master of her craft, delivering vivid description, immersive world building, fully developed characters, and an engaging plot in a story that held me enthralled even as familiar as I am with it already. And now I find myself in some difficulty. Both Melissa and Hallie have written such excellent (and in-depth) reviews recently that I find I have little else to add. Being the lazy coward that I am, I'll simply recommend you drop by either (or both) of their links if you want more in-depth analysis of the book and why it is so great....more
This is a "proper" prequel in that knowing the "future" events in Crown Duel enhances the story and emotional connection in important ways. This book This is a "proper" prequel in that knowing the "future" events in Crown Duel enhances the story and emotional connection in important ways. This book is the story of Vidanric's training during the years he spent away from Remalna that are so key to who he becomes. Interestingly, it isn't just the martial and command training, but we also get to see the formation of his theories of government, royalty, and the duties of rulership. And it is interesting as Smith fits his theoretical journey into the plot in a way that advances the story even as he learns and explores the theories he is developing.
I particularly enjoyed the Marloven academy as the setting for the novel. Smith obviously knows kids and their training intimately as the details and depth of the academy sang with authenticity. Training young (ish, they seem to start around 10 or 11) boys for military command is a daunting task and depicting an organization that does so successfully is equally difficult. That Smith makes it seem natural, even easy, is a tribute to both her skill and her knowledge of that domain. Those boys felt real and I felt immersed in their environment in the best possible way (i.e. without actually having to deal with a bunch of rambunctious kids).
If there's a weakness in the story it's in the lack of a central, persistent antagonist. Vidanric deals with a good deal of opposition, being a foreigner in a prestigious native institution, but members of that opposition are fluid. His challenges in the school also morph over time (the book comprises some four(ish) years) as he grows and overcomes only to find new (and/or deeper) problems to take on. That could have left the novel feeling like a simple series of events, but I never actually felt that way. At least one reason everything felt more cohesive than it might have is knowledge of who Vidanric is in Crown Duel. As such, you can see his progression towards that eventual outcome and that gives something of a unifying theme.
More subtle, but more powerful (I think), is Vidanric as his own antagonist. Or rather, his ignorance and false suppositions. Through his training, he comes to understand the true challenge ahead of him once he returns home and getting prepared (physically, mentally, and emotionally) becomes the central conflict. In other words, Smith makes his intellectual journey the central thread of the plot—turning a potential weakness (exposition and lessons/training) into a strength (the thread that ties everything together into a cohesive whole).
Finally, though, you can toss all of the above aside because Vidanric turns out to be an even more interesting character than I had imagined. That alone makes this book a treasure and the rest is all analysis/justification after the fact......more
The Dragon Reborn has a slow start that reminded me of what I disliked about the previous book. If you swap Rand with the Horn of Valere, it's like a The Dragon Reborn has a slow start that reminded me of what I disliked about the previous book. If you swap Rand with the Horn of Valere, it's like a repeat of the grand McGuffin chase. But only to start.
Once you get the first cut away from Perrin, the story picks up enormously and things rock solidly from there through to the very end—even in the Perrin storyline. I had forgotten how fun Faile is, to start (I can't recall why I get the feeling that I kind of dislike her later on). And, of course, Aviendha is introduced and I've always liked her. Her appearance in this book is easy to miss, though, as she is a side-character, at best.
The best character development in this book is with Mat, though. He's no longer too stupid to live or knocking at death's door. His flight from Tar Valon was great characterization showing both how he's grown and how he hasn't. It's good to know he isn't doomed to stupidity forever. Reckless, I'll grant, but that's not as completely off-putting as he was in the first book.
The worst character development in this book is with Perrin (barring Rand as he's really nothing more than a plot device at this point). Jordan lightly justifies Perrin's obsession with avoiding wolves by giving us the guy who lost himself to the wolf and seeing his feral state. But that's problematic because Perrin hasn't experienced anything like the loss of self evident in that case, at least not that the readers have seen. Further, we know from meeting Elyas in the first book that losing humanity isn't the only or inevitable option. And to cap it off, Jordan seems to have completely forgotten that Perrin experienced a multitude of lifetimes while exiting the other-world portal with Rand in book two. Perrin's comment at that time was only that there's no escaping what he is. It doesn't at all tell us that he's doomed to lose himself in the wolf. At the very least that experience should give him clues on how to manage his connection to wolves. And maybe that's why he's so careful now, because of what he experienced then, but if so, we the readers should be privy to that information. It isn't like a good part of this novel isn't from his viewpoint, after all.
The rest of the characters are more-or-less a smooth continuation of where they were and where they're going. Nynaeve continues to be completely irrational about Moiraine (and that continues to bug the crap out of me). The other girls are learning to harness their powers as they grow into them (and navigate tricky political waters while they're at it). And Jordan weaves familiar secondary characters into the story as well, lending credence to the theme of destiny and the more concrete manifestation of it as ta'veren.
Which, by the way, was a brilliant move on Jordan's part. With a story this epic and with movements this grand (they've crossed the map at least once each novel), having the same characters crop up over and over again strains credulity. Inventing ta'veren as a reason/excuse allows Jordan to keep up the cameos that engage fans without breaking his narrative trying to justify so much chance in their meetings. Fantastic idea, and one he introduced way before its absence might have become an issue.
Anyway, I'm way happier with this book than the previous, though with enough friction that I'll keep it at four, rather than five, stars. Still, that was close enough to the five that I look forward to the next with some hope and anticipation....more
What a fantastic book! A friend recommended this to me because he knows I like the Garrett novels by Glen Cook—i.e. hardboiled detective in a fantasy What a fantastic book! A friend recommended this to me because he knows I like the Garrett novels by Glen Cook—i.e. hardboiled detective in a fantasy setting. And that's a good description of this book as well, though it isn't really that similar to Cook's novels in anything more than a basic tone.
Eddie LaCrosse is a middle-aged sword jockey known for both his skill at arms and his intelligence (oh, and discretion). If you need someone to poke into dark holes that might poke back, he's your man. And, in keeping with all hardboiled detective stories, Eddie is a fascinating blend of cynic and optimist who lets his heart lead him into trouble his head (and arm) will need to get him out of.
This book is an establishing story that explores Eddie's past as much as his present case. In it, you get to find out why he is who he is and why he does what he does. It's a great kickoff to the series and I highly recommend that, unlike my friend, you start with this book if you're going to take it on. Eddie's past isn't pristine, by any measure, and Bledsoe does a fantastic job giving us all the parts that make up this complex character and why his motivations play out the way they do—why he loves deeply but has avoided the ones he loves and why he still honors those friendships when they call to him in their hour of need.
The best parts of what I loved about the story are hugely spoilerific, so I'll just stick with how great the character is and how engagingly the story is presented. Seriously, this is easily one of my favorites for the year and will be put on my “re-read soon� list....more
I loved this book and I'm afraid this review won't do it justice. Virginia (Ginny) is a good kid. She doesn't get into trouble, she gets good grades, I loved this book and I'm afraid this review won't do it justice. Virginia (Ginny) is a good kid. She doesn't get into trouble, she gets good grades, and she follows the rules. Yes, she knows that she is shy, even with her aunt Peg (who she loves wholeheartedly), but she's okay with that. When her aunt Peg dies and leaves her a stack of envelopes with travel instructions, Ginny reluctantly begins following the path they describe.
I thought I'd have a harder time with Ginny than I actually did. She's pretty passive and that always bugs me. And I thought I'd have a harder time with Aunt Peg than I actually did. She's pretty aggressive and that always bugs me. Fortunately, Maureen Johnson doesn't take any of the easy paths or settle for obvious "lessons" with her characters so what we end up with is a rich exploration of growth, friendship, relationships, and family with just the right pacing of events to move the story along.
One of the strengths of the book is that Johnson didn't deify Aunt Peg the way that books like this seem tempted to do. She wasn't some genius artistic mastermind engineering the education and betterment of her niece. Her plan has flaws, some obvious, some subtle, and part of Ginny's journey is coming to terms with the flawed human being her Aunt turns out to be.
Another strength of the book is that Ginny doesn't learn all the obvious lessons from her journey, either. Ginny needs to learn to be comfortable with herself, to have confidence, and to be open to meeting new people. Being a smart girl, she knows this and is prepared to follow-through on Aunt Peg's crazy pilgrimage. But the things Ginny experiences aren't as clear-cut as all that. Some of exploring your world ends up reinforcing your preconceived notions rather than abating them and sometimes the lessons Ginny learns aren't even close to what Aunt Peg intended.
And I really liked the two men who end up dominating Ginny's experiences—one introduced directly by Aunt Peg's instructions and the other a happy accident. No, this is not a romantic triangle and for that I am deeply grateful. Richard is my favorite (he's the not-love-interest). He is reliable and honest and grieving the passing of Aunt Peg in his own way. Fortunately, his grief is the unselfish kind that turns his attentions to helping Ginny any way that he can. He was endearing and drew me into the novel, particularly at the end.
I really can't say more without ruining key aspects of the book. If you have a heart and wouldn't mind exploring growth, friendship, relationships, and family, this book is a good place to do so....more
Like Bad Kitty, Kitty Kitty is non-stop fun and action. All of the elements that made Bad Kitty so fun are present in this sequel—and I devoured it inLike Bad Kitty, Kitty Kitty is non-stop fun and action. All of the elements that made Bad Kitty so fun are present in this sequel—and I devoured it in one big gulp as well.
My favorite part, this time, was the emergence of BadJas. Jas finally realizes that being Model Daughter isn't getting her anywhere in her Venetian exile, so she decides to go bad. But since this is Jas we're talking about, it's really hard to tell the difference—except in the footnotes. BadJas was awesome and even the Hench Twins were more fun in this book than the last.
Unfortunately, also like the last book, Jasmine's dad was a big disappointment. He's as actively evil here as he was there. Seriously, there's enough conflict in the plot that we don't need the Thwarter getting irrationally mad at her every time. And again, I don't care what he's trying to protect her from, she's 17 and proven herself capable in a wide range of situations. It's time to man-up and accept her for who she obviously wants to be.
Even more unfortunately, this appears to be the last in the series and that makes me sad. Jaffe appears to have moved on to more serious murder mystery type books. I'd love more stories with Jas and her friends and have little interest in the teen drama she's been writing since......more
It's always hard for me to review a Georgette Heyer book. She's one of my favorite authors and I've read most of her books many times. Which makes it It's always hard for me to review a Georgette Heyer book. She's one of my favorite authors and I've read most of her books many times. Which makes it difficult to feign objectivity or even to avoid gushing like a little girl.
In False Colours, like other of her adventure-flavored romances (The Unknown Ajax, The Toll-Gate, or The Talisman Ring for example), the central romance is resolved between half and three-quarters through the book (60% in this case, I checked). Unlike those others, however, the adventure side of False Colours is pretty tame—indeed, there isn't much for the heroes to do besides wait for Kit's missing twin to show up. And there's no malignant force to contend against. Indeed, all the factors of the dilemma they must extricate themselves from are caused, directly or indirectly, by the Fancot twins themselves or their mother.
So you'd think this book would be less enjoyable than others of its kind. As you near the end of the book, there's no real urgency or threat or danger. And the romance is resolved—quite satisfactorily, thank you very much. Yet the ending, while a slower pace than you'd expect, is not only not a dead bore but is really quite enjoyable all the way to the very end. Indeed, though I've read the book more times than I can confidently state and I know very well how things will resolve, I'm not even a little bit tempted to simply stop reading once Kit and Cressy declare their devotion to one another or when even Evelyn shows up to tell them where he's been.
The thing is, Heyer has populated the book with such engaging characters that you really aren't ready to be done with them until everybody is reasonably well-settled. The magic of the book is that you like Lady Denville, the Dowager Stavely, and Sir Bonamy even as you have to acknowledge the faults that cause so many difficulties. And Lady Denville shines as a character you can't help but love. Her love for her sons and basic good-natured care for others is endearing even as you understand that her inability to control her impecunious habits is at the heart of Evelyn's difficulty.
Add Heyer's deft hand with dialogue and the book is fun to the very end. While not her best work or my most loved, this continues to be on my high rotation list because I simply enjoy spending time with these characters....more
I picked this up yesterday evening for a quick spot of reading before bed. Next thing I knew, it was 3:30am and I'd finished the book. Excellent charaI picked this up yesterday evening for a quick spot of reading before bed. Next thing I knew, it was 3:30am and I'd finished the book. Excellent characters, compelling story and gripping action. The author does a fantastic job realizing space fleet tactics and logistics without making them at all boring. And the main character, John Geary, is a great depiction of a leader stuck with fighting his own legend. Yes, he really was that good back in the day, but it turns out a lot of details get lost when translating across 100 years of absence. I can't wait to pick up the next in the series....more
Oh my gosh, I hate Paul! I just can't even. This opens up with a scene where we get him in all his creepy psychopathic glory and I am just done. I knoOh my gosh, I hate Paul! I just can't even. This opens up with a scene where we get him in all his creepy psychopathic glory and I am just done. I know I loved this book but for the life of me I don't remember how I got past Paul. Doing deals with a psychopath with sexual designs openly expressed is madness. I want Suze to ice that guy. He needs some killing. Seriously. Nobody is safe while he's walking around with his teeth in his mouth. And the person least safe is the one he's obsessed with, namely Suze. It's self defense as far as I'm concerned.
I'm torn on whether to adjust my rating from eons ago. Particularly since I couldn't get past the first chapter on this reread. Sigh. Past me was an idiot, though, so yeah, I'm dropping it down to an over-generous three....more
It has been a really long time since I've read this, but it crossed my path recently and I thought it was about time. It was a good thought.
This is anIt has been a really long time since I've read this, but it crossed my path recently and I thought it was about time. It was a good thought.
This is an introductory book where we establish some of the paranormal rules Suze is facing. And we meet the core secondary characters and community. Rereading this, I remembered how much I loved Father Dominic and his steady kindness and good sense. Catholic priests tend to get such short shrift in fiction that it's refreshing to see one standing tough when needed, but never losing his core kindness along the way.
And I immediately remembered why I liked Suze so much. She's such a straight-forward paladin that she was bound to end up close to my heart. I particularly liked her interactions with her new step-brothers, most notably the youngest, Dave. He's such an earnest little guy and having someone notice and engage with him is obviously thrilling. And Suze takes that with a little teen negligence, but a lot of kindness as well.
In this one, Jesse is still mostly mysterious. He's his own version of kind and he's very attractive, not least as he doesn't brood (as his type of hero would otherwise be prone to do).
This is still a solid five stars, though the plot is thinner than I remembered. I can't wait for the next, only, I think we start getting the rich idiots and I'm definitely not looking forward to that upcoming nonsense.
A note about the Audiobook: The audiobook was workmanlike, though it's sad the narrator, Johanna Parker, seemed uninterested in accents. There should have been a broad mix with Suze and her mother native New Yorkers, the surrounding cast are upper-class California coasters, and Jesse should be dipped lovingly in nineteenth-century Spanish. A real missed opportunity, I think.
A note about Chaste: Suze is only sixteen and a transplant at a new school. And while she consciously projects tough-girl vibes, she isn't the kind of tough-girl who is interested in sexual conquest. There isn't any dating, or kissing, or anything more than some mild noticing of hot guys. So this is the extreme end of the Chaste category....more
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