This was another entertaining, fast-paced read. I enjoyed it all the way, and had a hard time putting it down. I liked the concept for the new city, aThis was another entertaining, fast-paced read. I enjoyed it all the way, and had a hard time putting it down. I liked the concept for the new city, and am still amazed at Sanderson's imagination.
Warning: unmarked spoilers for previous books after this point.
On finishing, I do wish there had been more character interaction. There's a lot of fighting and reacting, and not enough of the team putting their strengths together to solve it. I also wish that dealing with Prof had taken less time.
(view spoiler)[Honestly, I wanted to see the team back together to polish off Calamity, rather than battling Prof for pages on end. There was no real planning, not enough bouncing ideas off the team. That's what happens when your best planners aren't involved, I guess. All the planning was on the other side! But I'd thought David more capable of matching Prof mentally, if not physically. (hide spoiler)]
I'm also not sure about how it wrapped up. Did it fulfill its promise? Am I satisfied? I'm still mulling that one over.
Some of the cleverness was sacrificed for action scenes, the same kind that I grow bored of when superheroes throw each other around endlessly in movies. What I enjoyed so much about Firefight was the mystery of the weaknesses and how to use them strategically. There wasn't as much of that here, and not as satisfying a 'clicking together' when all was revealed. (view spoiler)[Actually, not all was really revealed - so many questions left! (hide spoiler)]
I guess this is where the 'young adult' aspect of the series really came through. The complexity of the ending was a bit lacking. I do think I wanted something more once I turned the final page. I expect a bit more payoff from Sanderson, honestly. I probably wouldn't hold anyone else to such a high standard and am being stingy.
That said, this was still very entertaining. I loved this series much more than I expected to when I heard what it was about. I recommend it!...more
Ok, that was awesome. And I'm even starting to find David's dumb metaphors amusing. Ok, that was awesome. And I'm even starting to find David's dumb metaphors amusing. ...more
In the Ruins was definitely a transition book. The cataclysm took place at the end of the last book, and now what? Now the face of the world has changIn the Ruins was definitely a transition book. The cataclysm took place at the end of the last book, and now what? Now the face of the world has changed, and so have allegiances. Power vacuums must be filled, and broken empires must band together or take advantage of the chaos.
Ultimately, this was a large-scale moving of chess pieces into place for the coming confrontation over what the world will look like. Whose religious vision will win out? The fanatics, the heretics? Which empire will be the strongest? Will people find peace or continue to slaughter each other over ancient grudges and differences?...more
The Gathering Storm seriously cut into my reading stats for the year! At almost 1000 pages, it took me a month to read (I did take a break around the The Gathering Storm seriously cut into my reading stats for the year! At almost 1000 pages, it took me a month to read (I did take a break around the middle). This series has definitely reached sprawling epic category. But if you like this kind of thing and have the patience for it, it's really brilliant. Not enough people know about this series.
There are a lot of characters and timelines to keep track of in this book. I'll admit to being a bit fuzzy on some of them, and on their locations at times. Travel through the crowns means that months and sometimes years pass in days for some characters, and it can be hard to keep track of who is when and where. That didn't really bother me, though, since it is all about moving players into position for the anticipated cataclysm, exploring varying goals for the event.
I am still enjoying many of the points of view, but there are a few that I find myself wishing would hurry along. Zacharias, the self-proclaimed coward of an apostate monk. Ivar and his band of heretics. Strong Hand, who is just so inhuman that I have a hard time relating to him or caring about his Eika empire consolidation. But I'm sure that'll be important at some point.
I do know some readers don't have the patience for such a character-driven story, but I still find myself savoring it. The world feels so real, and the characters are finely nuanced. The character development is a real strength of this entire series. You never know how fortunes are going to change in the blink of an eye, and how a character will react to their new circumstances. It's just so well done - great writing and insights into human and non-human natures.
One character in particular who I thought was fairly static was transformed throughout this book and their growth ended up being pivotal. And Alain - poor Alain just goes from misery to misery on top of being back in his native time and losing that other life (which I'm thankful gave him a reprieve for at least one book). I hope things start looking up for him now because he's suffered more than enough.
But most importantly, the moment all of this maneuvering is aiming at does finally arrive! The cataclysm occurs, and although I won't tell you whose plot succeeded, I can tell you that destruction on a massive scale was inevitable either way. I can't wait to see what happens In the Ruins because nothing will be the same. Except for human nature with all its resilience, its hope, and its less admirable qualities....more
The first half was a bit too full of mood swings and felt adolescent, but the second half was more solid as Wil started to find her footing. I'm not sThe first half was a bit too full of mood swings and felt adolescent, but the second half was more solid as Wil started to find her footing. I'm not sure yet if I'll read the next one, even with the cliffhanger....more
Not too bad for a YA dystopia, which is saying a lot because I've been worn out on them for a while. It didn't get annoying, even with the romance. I Not too bad for a YA dystopia, which is saying a lot because I've been worn out on them for a while. It didn't get annoying, even with the romance. I liked the side characters, and the Psi abilities were interesting. That ending was a bit too much for me, though. It makes me not want to read on. ...more
City of Bones has a completely different feel than any of the other fantasies I've read by Wells so far. I'm afraid I didn't like it. I didn't connectCity of Bones has a completely different feel than any of the other fantasies I've read by Wells so far. I'm afraid I didn't like it. I didn't connect with any of the characters, or really like any of them. I much prefer the world of the warm, interesting Raksura to this harsh, post-apocalyptic one.
So, not my cuppa tea. But once again Wells writes an imaginative and unique story. You might like it if you enjoy the grim stuff. ...more
Boneshaker is very different from other Steampunk books that I've read (and enjoyed). I think it's considered Steampunk because there are airships (noBoneshaker is very different from other Steampunk books that I've read (and enjoyed). I think it's considered Steampunk because there are airships (not enough, though!) and a few machines that could be considered in the historical Sci Fi realm. Other than that, it does not have any of the characteristics that I look forward to in Steampunk. No adventure. No cool gadgets or scientific experiments (the breathing masks just don't count).
And there's far too much grit and gore. I've never really been interested in zombies. They make a boring enemy, in my mind. This book only confirmed that. Far too much of it is spent running from 'rotters' or shooting them. When I realized it was a zombie book, I knew I was in for a challenge.
This is an apocalyptic dystopia set in the past with some barely recognizable Steampunk elements. It's the bleakest dystopia I've read so far, one where people can't even breathe the air. Most of the time not spent running from rotters is spent trying to breathe through masks that filter out the yellow sludge that turns people into rotters. Let's just say this is not a pleasant place to be. And let's say that unpleasant things happen when people are unable to take their masks off for any reason. Too much time is spent on every little detail of how hard it is to get by there, on details I'd really like to get out of my head somehow.
I could have used more focus on the people and their interactions, because that's when it started to get more interesting (in the last quarter of the book).
I'm actually not sure why I'm giving this a second star. Maybe because I managed to finish it and was actually ok with the ending? Or maybe I liked a couple of the characters (not the main ones), even though I didn't get enough of them. But I really didn't enjoy the experience of reading it much at all and I'm glad it's over....more
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