Gale's bookshelf: all en-US Tue, 03 Sep 2024 23:35:26 -0700 60 Gale's bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg <![CDATA[The Tower of the Swallow (The Witcher, #4)]]> 18247597
There is only one place left to run. The tower of the swallow is waiting...]]> 448 Andrzej Sapkowski 1473211565 Gale 3 4.17 1997 The Tower of the Swallow (The Witcher, #4)
author: Andrzej Sapkowski
name: Gale
average rating: 4.17
book published: 1997
rating: 3
read at: 2024/08/31
date added: 2024/09/03
shelves:
review:
Interesting story, but written in an incredibly dizzying way. Fairly cheesy narrative framing and rapid POV changes mar what is otherwise a relatively fresh and unpredictable book. It does a good job of ramping up the feeling that the endgame is approaching, but it can end up feeling very foreign compared to the earlier books.
]]> <![CDATA[Baptism of Fire (The Witcher, #3)]]> 18656031 The New York Times bestselling series that inspired the international hit video game: The Witcher

The Wizards Guild has been shattered by a coup and, in the uproar, Geralt was seriously injured. The Witcher is supposed to be a guardian of the innocent, a protector of those in need, a defender against powerful and dangerous monsters that prey on men in dark times.

But now that dark times have fallen upon the world, Geralt is helpless until he has recovered from his injuries.

While war rages across all of the lands, the future of magic is under threat and those sorcerers who survive are determined to protect it. It's an impossible situation in which to find one girl - Ciri, the heiress to the throne of Cintra, has vanished - until a rumor places her in the Niflgaard court, preparing to marry the Emperor.

Injured or not, Geralt has a rescue mission on his hands.

The Witcher returns in this action-packed sequel to The Time of Contempt.]]> 349 Andrzej Sapkowski 0316219185 Gale 5 4.21 1996 Baptism of Fire (The Witcher, #3)
author: Andrzej Sapkowski
name: Gale
average rating: 4.21
book published: 1996
rating: 5
read at: 2024/08/28
date added: 2024/08/28
shelves:
review:
Baptism of Fire is a potent mix of very in-depth exposition and teeth-gritting battle, as the already-grimy world of the Witcher is made somehow even less inviting thanks to a massive war. It has some fairly dry politicking bits (which will probably be important in later books) but that’s woven in between Ciri’s blow-by-blow descent in to madness, and Geralt leading a bannerless ragtag group of really engaging characters through leagues of slaughter. The fact he’s a Witcher isn’t that important any more - the last few books have made clear that most of the beasties are long gone - and now he must reckon with his place in the world as it burns. It’s a lot of reading to get to this point, but it’s my favourite so far.
]]> <![CDATA[Sword of Destiny (The Witcher, #0.7)]]> 25454056
This is a collection of short stories, following the adventures of the hit collection THE LAST WISH. Join Geralt as he battles monsters, demons and prejudices alike...]]> 405 Andrzej Sapkowski Gale 2
Sword of Destiny was written first (despite being placed second after TLW) and you can definitely tell. It feels experimental in some ways, as if it was an Unfinished Tales-style anthology of old world building material. Two especially egregious examples include: the introduction of a massively important and mysterious character from Geralt’s past, who then magically appears and disappears in the next chapter; and the Surprise War� which occurs in the last segment, which is the equivalent of a post-it from the editor saying “WHAT ABOUT THE SEQUEL?�.

It’s not a bad book. The author’s writing style is really engaging (even if I stopped following what was going on semi-frequently) and it’s an important stepping stone to the rest of the series. It just feels a bit underbaked compared to the first book, which is a masterclass of an introduction to the world of the Witcher.]]> 4.25 1992 Sword of Destiny (The Witcher, #0.7)
author: Andrzej Sapkowski
name: Gale
average rating: 4.25
book published: 1992
rating: 2
read at: 2023/06/13
date added: 2023/06/13
shelves:
review:
Reading this as part of The Complete Witcher, it is presented in extremely stark contrast to The Last Wish. TLW sets the scene wonderfully, as a series of standalone episodes tied together by snippets of Geralt’s recovery from a nasty injury. Sword of Destiny, however, details what feels like a descent in to madness; it starts off with wordy, Shakespearian debates about life, the universe and everything, before deliberately smudging the continuity with dream sequences, hallucinations and hasty plot points. SoD’s Geralt feels extremely different from the Geralt we follow in TLW - his grip on reality loosens with every chapter, and his understanding of the world is undermined at every turn.

Sword of Destiny was written first (despite being placed second after TLW) and you can definitely tell. It feels experimental in some ways, as if it was an Unfinished Tales-style anthology of old world building material. Two especially egregious examples include: the introduction of a massively important and mysterious character from Geralt’s past, who then magically appears and disappears in the next chapter; and the Surprise War� which occurs in the last segment, which is the equivalent of a post-it from the editor saying “WHAT ABOUT THE SEQUEL?�.

It’s not a bad book. The author’s writing style is really engaging (even if I stopped following what was going on semi-frequently) and it’s an important stepping stone to the rest of the series. It just feels a bit underbaked compared to the first book, which is a masterclass of an introduction to the world of the Witcher.
]]> <![CDATA[The Last Wish (The Witcher, #0.5)]]> 40603587
But not everything monstrous-looking is evil and not everything fair is good... and in every fairy tale there is a grain of truth.

Librarian's Note: Alternate cover edition of ASIN B0010SIPT4]]> 400 Andrzej Sapkowski Gale 4
Outside of stumbling blindly through the first four hours of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, I’ve had next to no experience of the franchise. I must admit I had to look up the details of the universe to get the most out of The Last Wish - it’s effectively a grim fable, with Geralt contending with bloodthirsty versions of folkloric European characters, including [checks notes] the Seven Dwarves at one point. TLW itself never explains why, and I’m not sure I would have enjoyed it had I not given myself the required context; in essence, something happened ten thousand years prior which ended up combining or destroying realities, causing fables to spill into the real world. Also, unicorns can travel between alternate realities. Cool.

I don’t think not knowing any of that will explicitly diminish your enjoyment of TLW, however, unless you’re as picky about lore as I am. It’s definitely a valuable and enjoyable read, as it’s source material for both the Netflix series and the first game. It’s a whirlwind tour through a frankly bizarre universe and genuinely very enjoyable. ]]> 4.12 1993 The Last Wish (The Witcher, #0.5)
author: Andrzej Sapkowski
name: Gale
average rating: 4.12
book published: 1993
rating: 4
read at: 2023/05/10
date added: 2023/05/10
shelves:
review:
I read The Last Wish as part of The Complete Witcher, and it serves as a great bitesize introduction to the world - mostly. It takes the form of a string of short investigations (the last of which is The Last Wish) with short stories of Geralt’s recovery at a temple he uses as his base in between. Each investigation is standalone and about 30 pages long, making it a very forgiving and accessible read, and each one ratchets the mystery up to 11 before hitting you with a plot twist and a fairly bombastic finale, although the initial few don’t land as well as the later ones.

Outside of stumbling blindly through the first four hours of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, I’ve had next to no experience of the franchise. I must admit I had to look up the details of the universe to get the most out of The Last Wish - it’s effectively a grim fable, with Geralt contending with bloodthirsty versions of folkloric European characters, including [checks notes] the Seven Dwarves at one point. TLW itself never explains why, and I’m not sure I would have enjoyed it had I not given myself the required context; in essence, something happened ten thousand years prior which ended up combining or destroying realities, causing fables to spill into the real world. Also, unicorns can travel between alternate realities. Cool.

I don’t think not knowing any of that will explicitly diminish your enjoyment of TLW, however, unless you’re as picky about lore as I am. It’s definitely a valuable and enjoyable read, as it’s source material for both the Netflix series and the first game. It’s a whirlwind tour through a frankly bizarre universe and genuinely very enjoyable.
]]> <![CDATA[Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It]]> 26156469 A former FBI hostage negotiator offers a new, field-tested approach to negotiating � effective in any situation.

After a stint policing the rough streets of Kansas City, Missouri, Chris Voss joined the FBI, where his career as a kidnapping negotiator brought him face-to-face with bank robbers, gang leaders and terrorists. Never Split the Difference takes you inside his world of high-stakes negotiations, revealing the nine key principles that helped Voss and his colleagues succeed when it mattered the most � when people’s lives were at stake.

Rooted in the real-life experiences of an intelligence professional at the top of his game, Never Split the Difference will give you the competitive edge in any discussion.]]> 274 Chris Voss 0062407805 Gale 2
That being said, he has clearly found some very powerful techniques. He gives examples of their use in hostage situations - an interesting read by themselves - followed by contrived/clearly fabricated “day to day� anecdotes of when someone used the same technique to negotiate a salary or convince their neighbour to stop shooting their cat with an air rifle or something (I can’t remember, but it honestly doesn’t matter). The wisdom in this book is undeniably present, but it’s buried deep, and you will need to translate it into your own terms. I will need to read this book at least once more to properly absorb the techniques, but I’m not sure I actually want to.

There are some tips that seem relatively evergreen, though; the “extreme anchor� during salary negotiations, for example - set your salary range with your desired salary as the minimum and something ridiculous as the maximum to make your actual salary seem like a bargain. Sure, fine, but this only worked for people who were already deep into a career earning three times the average salary of your average American. I’m a nearly-30 European nonbinary person with no qualifications in their field, so this technique would come across as pure delusion.

My final shot at this book would be the assumptions it makes of its readers. The author is a confident, financially and mentally stable middle aged white man who really, really likes America. The FBI have never done anything wrong, and everyone just needs to man up, and of course, you agree with this. Some sentences are so loaded with barely-concealed right wingery that I had to stop reading lest I experience apoplexy on my morning commute. In short: might be worth a read, but it’s not the “communications bible� it things it is. ]]> 4.35 2016 Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It
author: Chris Voss
name: Gale
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2016
rating: 2
read at: 2023/05/09
date added: 2023/05/09
shelves:
review:
This book started quite strong, but is irreparably undermined by the American “life coach� culture that spawned it. The author has clearly had a long and successful career during some of the most formative years of applied criminal and operational psychology, but he has managed to condense it down into a banal 1-hour infomercial script aimed at the narrowest possible target audience: white men in California in the 1990s aged between 29 and 50.

That being said, he has clearly found some very powerful techniques. He gives examples of their use in hostage situations - an interesting read by themselves - followed by contrived/clearly fabricated “day to day� anecdotes of when someone used the same technique to negotiate a salary or convince their neighbour to stop shooting their cat with an air rifle or something (I can’t remember, but it honestly doesn’t matter). The wisdom in this book is undeniably present, but it’s buried deep, and you will need to translate it into your own terms. I will need to read this book at least once more to properly absorb the techniques, but I’m not sure I actually want to.

There are some tips that seem relatively evergreen, though; the “extreme anchor� during salary negotiations, for example - set your salary range with your desired salary as the minimum and something ridiculous as the maximum to make your actual salary seem like a bargain. Sure, fine, but this only worked for people who were already deep into a career earning three times the average salary of your average American. I’m a nearly-30 European nonbinary person with no qualifications in their field, so this technique would come across as pure delusion.

My final shot at this book would be the assumptions it makes of its readers. The author is a confident, financially and mentally stable middle aged white man who really, really likes America. The FBI have never done anything wrong, and everyone just needs to man up, and of course, you agree with this. Some sentences are so loaded with barely-concealed right wingery that I had to stop reading lest I experience apoplexy on my morning commute. In short: might be worth a read, but it’s not the “communications bible� it things it is.
]]> <![CDATA[I Keep My Exoskeletons to Myself]]> 60679392
Kris is a Shadester and a new mother to a baby born with a second shadow of her own. Grieving the loss of her wife and thoroughly unprepared for the reality of raising a child alone, Kris teeters on the edge of collapse, fumbling in a daze of alcohol, shame, and self-loathing. Yet as the kid grows, Kris finds her footing, raising a child whose irrepressible spark cannot be dampened by the harsh realities of the world.

With a first-person register reminiscent of the fierce self-disclosure of Sheila Heti and the poetic precision of Ocean Vuong, I Keep My Exoskeletons to Myself is a bold debut novel that examines the long shadow of grief, the hard work of parenting, and the power of queer resistance.]]> 352 Marisa Crane 164622129X Gale 0 to-read 3.89 2023 I Keep My Exoskeletons to Myself
author: Marisa Crane
name: Gale
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/01/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Unfinished Tales 7329
Unfinished Tales is a collection of narratives ranging in time from the Elder Days of Middle-earth to the end of the War of the Ring, and provides those who have read The Lord of the Rings with a whole collection of background and new stories from the twentieth century’s most acclaimed popular author.

The book concentrates on the realm of Middle-earth and comprises such elements as Gandalf’s lively account of how it was that he came to send the Dwarves to the celebrated party at Bag-End, the emergence of the sea-god Ulmo before the eyes of Tuor on the coast of Beleriand, and an exact description of the military organization of the Riders of Rohan.

Unfinished Tales also contains the only story about the long ages of Numenor before its downfall, and all that is known about such matters as the Five Wizards, the Palantiri and the legend of Amroth. The tales were collated and edited by JRR Tolkien’s son and literary heir, Christopher Tolkien, who provides a short commentary on each story, helping the reader to fill in the gaps and put each story into the context of the rest of his father’s writings.]]> 452 J.R.R. Tolkien 026110215X Gale 0 currently-reading 4.00 1980 Unfinished Tales
author: J.R.R. Tolkien
name: Gale
average rating: 4.00
book published: 1980
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/10/23
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> The Silmarillion 7332 386 J.R.R. Tolkien 0618391118 Gale 4
Up until this point, you get some fascinating context for LotR, which followed like, 30(?) years later; the timescales involved in the creation of this whole world are insane and impressive in equal measure. Off-hand references in LotR are deliberately referential to the Silmarillion, e.g. Return of the King mentioning that Shelob is the last of Ungoliant’s children, and it turns out that Ungoliant was a big-ass spider that shat all over two giant shiny trees, so that’s fun. However, the nitty-gritty of who’s related to who when the focus shifts from the Undying Lands to Middle-Earth is simply too hard to follow on first reading (in my opinion).

If you stick with it, though, holy crap - you get rewarded with the Akallabêth, explaining why the world is round for Men and detailing the fall of Númenor, which is incredible. After this, you then get to read about the preceding events of Lord of the Rings up until the destruction of the One Ring, which makes the tough bits more than worth it.

The intro warns you about how difficult a read the Silmarillion is, and I went into it willing to sacrifice the bits I wasn’t able to follow. I ultimately didn’t skip anything, but it’s a struggle at times. It also apparently contradicts itself a lot, but I honestly didn’t notice, as it’s still told from a “translator� persona by the author.

tl;dr the beginning of Tolkien hard mode, v cool]]> 3.99 1977 The Silmarillion
author: J.R.R. Tolkien
name: Gale
average rating: 3.99
book published: 1977
rating: 4
read at: 2022/10/21
date added: 2022/10/23
shelves:
review:
The Silmarillion is a peculiar book - apparently Tolkien started writing it in WW1, and was still revising it when he died, which is� nuts. It starts off with a creation story - amazing - and continues into the colonisation and the first contest for Middle Earth - great - before delving microscopically into lineages and individual stories in the Second Age. Some of these are great, but a lot of the detail in this second “act� really sizzled my brain.

Up until this point, you get some fascinating context for LotR, which followed like, 30(?) years later; the timescales involved in the creation of this whole world are insane and impressive in equal measure. Off-hand references in LotR are deliberately referential to the Silmarillion, e.g. Return of the King mentioning that Shelob is the last of Ungoliant’s children, and it turns out that Ungoliant was a big-ass spider that shat all over two giant shiny trees, so that’s fun. However, the nitty-gritty of who’s related to who when the focus shifts from the Undying Lands to Middle-Earth is simply too hard to follow on first reading (in my opinion).

If you stick with it, though, holy crap - you get rewarded with the Akallabêth, explaining why the world is round for Men and detailing the fall of Númenor, which is incredible. After this, you then get to read about the preceding events of Lord of the Rings up until the destruction of the One Ring, which makes the tough bits more than worth it.

The intro warns you about how difficult a read the Silmarillion is, and I went into it willing to sacrifice the bits I wasn’t able to follow. I ultimately didn’t skip anything, but it’s a struggle at times. It also apparently contradicts itself a lot, but I honestly didn’t notice, as it’s still told from a “translator� persona by the author.

tl;dr the beginning of Tolkien hard mode, v cool
]]> <![CDATA[The Return of the King (The Lord of the Rings, #3)]]> 61215384
The inspiration for the upcoming original series on Prime Video, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.

The Return of the King is the third part of J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic adventure The Lord of the Rings.

One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.

The Dark Lord has risen, and as he unleashes hordes of Orcs to conquer all Middle-earth, Frodo and Sam struggle deep into his realm in Mordor.

To defeat Sauron, the One Ring must be destroyed in the fires of Mount Doom. But the way is impossibly hard, and Frodo is weakening. The Ring corrupts all who bear it and Frodo’s time is running out.

Will Sam and Frodo succeed, or will the Dark Lord rule Middle-earth once more?]]> 432 J.R.R. Tolkien Gale 5
The book itself is still a fairly tough read even at this point in the trilogy, but if you have a dictionary nearby, you can learn a lot about language thanks to Mr. Tolkien’s complex and imaginative way of writing. There’s nothing else I can say that hasn’t been said already, but the emotional weight (and the unexpected and homoerotic tenderness spread throughout) is incredible. What a journey. ]]> 4.67 1955 The Return of the King (The Lord of the Rings, #3)
author: J.R.R. Tolkien
name: Gale
average rating: 4.67
book published: 1955
rating: 5
read at: 2022/09/26
date added: 2022/09/28
shelves:
review:
Return of the King is a bit nuts. The main selling point for me was a whole extra epilogue that I had never heard of before - the Scouring of the Shire - which would have made an amazing standalone/fourth film if they felt the need. The appendices in the back of the latest addition also provide a huge amount of detail about language, pronunciation and shared history for any and all things Middle Earth. Some of them are a bit of a slog, but there’s some fantastic background and lore tidbits in there which really enrich the main thread of Lord of the Rings.

The book itself is still a fairly tough read even at this point in the trilogy, but if you have a dictionary nearby, you can learn a lot about language thanks to Mr. Tolkien’s complex and imaginative way of writing. There’s nothing else I can say that hasn’t been said already, but the emotional weight (and the unexpected and homoerotic tenderness spread throughout) is incredible. What a journey.
]]> <![CDATA[The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings, #2)]]> 61215372
The inspiration for the upcoming original series on Prime Video, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.

The Two Towers is the second part of J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic adventure The Lord of the Rings.

One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.

Frodo and his Companions of the Ring have been beset by danger during their quest to prevent the Ruling Ring from falling into the hands of the Dark Lord by destroying it in the Cracks of Doom. They have lost the wizard, Gandalf, in a battle in the Mines of Moria. And Boromir, seduced by the power of the Ring, tried to seize it by force. While Frodo and Sam made their escape, the rest of the company was attacked by Orcs. Now they continue the journey alone down the great River Anduin—alone, that is, save for the mysterious creeping figure that follows wherever they go.]]> 448 J.R.R. Tolkien Gale 5
Two Towers is definitely very different from Fellowship, and is constructed using language that is even more difficult to understand. Conversations between two characters (who aren’t hobbits) are often hard to interpret and usually full of references to extremely specific parts of history, but if you keep trusting the direction they’re going in, it’s a really rewarding read. Also, Treebeard is adorable ]]> 4.60 1954 The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings, #2)
author: J.R.R. Tolkien
name: Gale
average rating: 4.60
book published: 1954
rating: 5
read at: 2022/09/18
date added: 2022/09/20
shelves:
review:
Two Towers definitely feels like Lord of the Rings, but the awe and wonder of the first book is quickly traded for political intrigue, deep local legend and martial manoeuvres. A lot of the events in the book are clearly of massive historical import, and this is really well put across throughout; whilst some of the monologuing that characters do afterwards can be quite challenging, it really helps establish exactly what you’ve just witnessed. Besides, nobody works a 9 to 5, so they’ve all got time to stand around and process exactly what happened. I also love the fact that the descriptions of these events are capped by flagstone sentences saying that this person “was never seen by mortal eyes again�, as it really makes you feel like you’re reading history, or perhaps an eyewitness account.

Two Towers is definitely very different from Fellowship, and is constructed using language that is even more difficult to understand. Conversations between two characters (who aren’t hobbits) are often hard to interpret and usually full of references to extremely specific parts of history, but if you keep trusting the direction they’re going in, it’s a really rewarding read. Also, Treebeard is adorable
]]> <![CDATA[The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings, #1)]]> 61215351 One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.

In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, the Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all others. But the One Ring was taken from him, and though he sought it throughout Middle-earth, it remained lost to him. After many ages it fell into the hands of Bilbo Baggins, as told in The Hobbit.

In a sleepy village in the Shire, young Frodo Baggins finds himself faced with an immense task, as his elderly cousin Bilbo entrusts the Ring to his care. Frodo must leave his home and make a perilous journey across Middle-earth to the Cracks of Doom, there to destroy the Ring and foil the Dark Lord in his evil purpose.]]> 432 J.R.R. Tolkien Gale 5 fantasy
Tolkien's way of writing is, at times, nearly impenetrable. This lead me to develop a specific approach to reading Fellowship, which involved relinquishing my constant need to know about each lore point as soon as it is mentioned. I quickly realised this simply wasn't possible if you scrutinise each page too closely, so I instead developed a trust and a patience for the book which dividends very quickly. Characters will grandstand and espouse songs, stories and hearsay, but only the relevant parts will be reinforced, whilst the rest is woven neatly into the atmosphere of the book; ultimately, each member of the Fellowship is trying to prove their worth and knowledge, and usually that means that everyone else in the Fellowship is as new to what they're saying as the reader. Everything I didn't recognise is something that, time and attention span allowing, I could no doubt read about in the other 16-or-something books. I love me some depth.

Beyond the lightspeed worldbuilding, the book itself follows the hobbits' surprisingly heartwrenching (idk what I was expecting) loss of innocence and shelter; it starts with Gandalf letting off fireworks, and ends with them betrayed and sprinting to a river amidst a desolate Gondor. Frodo is routinely forced to reckon with the scope of the calamity he's found himself in, and learns that his quest to destroy the Ring is even less straightforward than it first seemed. He can only continue by the grace of the legendary people he encounters, having been saved from death more than once by Tom Bombadil and sheltered by Galadriel, whose lands will die as soon as he destroys the Ring. Basically, I knew that it was "good" and "big", but I had no idea just how groundbreaking the book is. I can't imagine what it must have been like to read this back in 1954.

I am so pleased that I started my journey into Lord of the Rings, even if I had a few false starts. It's amazing to see how much DNA has been preserved and titrated into even the most popular fantasy series (looking at you, WoW) and I am thankful that his works are still being diligently interpreted by his family to this day. I can't say anything about this book that hasn't been said a million times before, but it's been wonderful to go back to where it all started. ]]> 4.52 1954 The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings, #1)
author: J.R.R. Tolkien
name: Gale
average rating: 4.52
book published: 1954
rating: 5
read at: 2022/09/13
date added: 2022/09/13
shelves: fantasy
review:
I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading the Fellowship of the Ring. I admit, this was actually my fourth attempt; the previous three attempts were me trying to read the abominably tiny text of an anniversary edition that I'd bought over a decade ago, which lead to me failing to get past page 20. However, armed with a Kobo, I set out to read it properly, and I am so glad I did.

Tolkien's way of writing is, at times, nearly impenetrable. This lead me to develop a specific approach to reading Fellowship, which involved relinquishing my constant need to know about each lore point as soon as it is mentioned. I quickly realised this simply wasn't possible if you scrutinise each page too closely, so I instead developed a trust and a patience for the book which dividends very quickly. Characters will grandstand and espouse songs, stories and hearsay, but only the relevant parts will be reinforced, whilst the rest is woven neatly into the atmosphere of the book; ultimately, each member of the Fellowship is trying to prove their worth and knowledge, and usually that means that everyone else in the Fellowship is as new to what they're saying as the reader. Everything I didn't recognise is something that, time and attention span allowing, I could no doubt read about in the other 16-or-something books. I love me some depth.

Beyond the lightspeed worldbuilding, the book itself follows the hobbits' surprisingly heartwrenching (idk what I was expecting) loss of innocence and shelter; it starts with Gandalf letting off fireworks, and ends with them betrayed and sprinting to a river amidst a desolate Gondor. Frodo is routinely forced to reckon with the scope of the calamity he's found himself in, and learns that his quest to destroy the Ring is even less straightforward than it first seemed. He can only continue by the grace of the legendary people he encounters, having been saved from death more than once by Tom Bombadil and sheltered by Galadriel, whose lands will die as soon as he destroys the Ring. Basically, I knew that it was "good" and "big", but I had no idea just how groundbreaking the book is. I can't imagine what it must have been like to read this back in 1954.

I am so pleased that I started my journey into Lord of the Rings, even if I had a few false starts. It's amazing to see how much DNA has been preserved and titrated into even the most popular fantasy series (looking at you, WoW) and I am thankful that his works are still being diligently interpreted by his family to this day. I can't say anything about this book that hasn't been said a million times before, but it's been wonderful to go back to where it all started.
]]> The Fallen Architect 37827095 In this riveting novel from The New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Architect, a man in disgrace finds that digging up the past is the only road he can take

Architect Douglas Layton has lost everything. The balcony of one of his beautiful music halls collapsed during a packed performance, killing dozens. Layton knows the flaw was not in his design; someone else must have caused the dreadful catastrophe. But with no proof and a hoard of furious Londoners screaming for blood, someone has to take the fall-and Layton finds himself facing a five-year prison sentence.

When he is finally freed, Layton is determined to start over. With a new name and identity, he takes a job as a set painter. But as Layton begins to discover dead bodies hidden within theatre halls across London, it soon becomes clear that something darker is chasing him. When he unearths a clue that ties the bodies to the disaster that ruined him, he knows that redemption is within his reach…unless the culprit gets to him first.]]> 336 Charles Belfoure 1492662712 Gale 0 to-read 3.53 2019 The Fallen Architect
author: Charles Belfoure
name: Gale
average rating: 3.53
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/09/13
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Legacy of Blood (Diablo, #1) 30978 Norrec Vizharan has become a living nightmare. While on a quest to find magical treasure, the soldier of fortune discovers an artifact beyond his wildest dreams: the ancient armor of Bartuc, the legendary Warlord of Blood. But the mysterious armor soul. Now, pursued by demons who covet the dark armor for their own devices, Norrec must overcome a bloodlust he can scarcely control and learn the truth about his terrifying curse before he is lost to darkness forever...

An orginal tale of swords, sorcery, and timeless struggle based on the bestselling, award-winning M-rated electronic game form Blizzard Entertainment. Intended for mature readers.

]]> 355 Richard A. Knaak 067104155X Gale 1 fantasy
I have played Diablo since I was 8, and I have always wanted to explore the universe outside of the games which, with the exception of Diablo 3, are deliberately light on detail to allow you to focus on the apocalypse. I really wish I hadn’t tapped in to this particular novel, as it takes my favourite game of the series (number 2) and corrupts it in order to try and prop up a deeply unimaginative story which doesn’t really seem to give a crap about the decades of lore that precedes it.

The author’s writing style aims for horror fiction but sits firmly in ao3 Sonic the Hedgehog self-inserts. It thinks that it’s immensely intelligent, but even concepts that should be a home run (shifting pocket dimensions, haunted armour, agents of prime evils) are mutilated and overexplained to the point where they feel mundane. Both female characters exist purely as sexual objects for the protagonist and antagonist, and are routinely rendered helpless and at the mercy of incompetent men for no reason, even though they are both members of two separate and well-established mage orders. On the other end of the spectrum, some characters inserted by the author are so obnoxiously powerful that they actively ignore a giant plot point if Diablo 2 - set several years after - which focuses on a giant crystal built with the express purpose of suppressing the powers inherent in humanity.

I could go on forever. Just don’t read this book if you like Diablo. Christ. ]]> 3.77 2001 Legacy of Blood (Diablo, #1)
author: Richard A. Knaak
name: Gale
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2001
rating: 1
read at: 2022/09/08
date added: 2022/09/13
shelves: fantasy
review:
This book is impressively terrible. It’s basically a generic Wrong Trousers story (except with haunted armour) pasted over the top of the Diablo universe, but in reality, it has such a loose connection to the source material that it might as well have been based on the Magic Roundabout. It flails madly to establish itself until the half way point, at which point, it leans heavily on references to well-established plot points in Diablo 2, which it still manages to get very wrong. It also conjures up legendary figures from the lore, then abuses and destroys them in the weirdest ways imaginable.

I have played Diablo since I was 8, and I have always wanted to explore the universe outside of the games which, with the exception of Diablo 3, are deliberately light on detail to allow you to focus on the apocalypse. I really wish I hadn’t tapped in to this particular novel, as it takes my favourite game of the series (number 2) and corrupts it in order to try and prop up a deeply unimaginative story which doesn’t really seem to give a crap about the decades of lore that precedes it.

The author’s writing style aims for horror fiction but sits firmly in ao3 Sonic the Hedgehog self-inserts. It thinks that it’s immensely intelligent, but even concepts that should be a home run (shifting pocket dimensions, haunted armour, agents of prime evils) are mutilated and overexplained to the point where they feel mundane. Both female characters exist purely as sexual objects for the protagonist and antagonist, and are routinely rendered helpless and at the mercy of incompetent men for no reason, even though they are both members of two separate and well-established mage orders. On the other end of the spectrum, some characters inserted by the author are so obnoxiously powerful that they actively ignore a giant plot point if Diablo 2 - set several years after - which focuses on a giant crystal built with the express purpose of suppressing the powers inherent in humanity.

I could go on forever. Just don’t read this book if you like Diablo. Christ.
]]> <![CDATA[Reaper Man (Discworld, #11; Death, #2)]]> 34517
Which leads to the kind of chaos you always get when an important public service is withdrawn.

Meanwhile, on a little farm far, far away, a tall dark stranger is turning out to be really good with a scythe. There's a harvest to be gathered in...]]> 289 Terry Pratchett 0552152951 Gale 4 fantasy
90% of this book is an absolute goldmine. It deals with an inspired theological question: what happens if people stop being able to die? In Discworld terms, the answer is clear: without a chaperone, all that life builds up, and weird stuff starts happening. There are three central threads to the plot, and two of them are fantastic; Reaper Man focuses on Death attempting to retire as a human would (to devastating effect), an ancient wizard robbed of the right to die (but cured of his infirmity), and something to do with lifeforce condensing itself into shopping trolleys, which is fine too, I guess.

Admist the usual silliness, it deals with some infinitely deep topics, and very cleverly balances an endless life trying to find meaning with a life at its end that has been suddenly - and rudely - extended indefinitely. Although Discworld revels in characters slowly developing over the course of the series, this book condenses a full mid-eternity crisis for a central character into sub-300 pages in an absolutely masterful fashion. Better yet, thanks to TP's refusal to take your familiarity for granted, it is an excellent springboard for new Discworld readers who didn't get on with The Colour of Magic.

Could do without the shopping trolleys, though (as amusing as it was).]]> 4.28 1991 Reaper Man (Discworld, #11; Death, #2)
author: Terry Pratchett
name: Gale
average rating: 4.28
book published: 1991
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2022/09/13
shelves: fantasy
review:
I have only given this book four stars, but I would call it my favourite book ever written without hesitation.

90% of this book is an absolute goldmine. It deals with an inspired theological question: what happens if people stop being able to die? In Discworld terms, the answer is clear: without a chaperone, all that life builds up, and weird stuff starts happening. There are three central threads to the plot, and two of them are fantastic; Reaper Man focuses on Death attempting to retire as a human would (to devastating effect), an ancient wizard robbed of the right to die (but cured of his infirmity), and something to do with lifeforce condensing itself into shopping trolleys, which is fine too, I guess.

Admist the usual silliness, it deals with some infinitely deep topics, and very cleverly balances an endless life trying to find meaning with a life at its end that has been suddenly - and rudely - extended indefinitely. Although Discworld revels in characters slowly developing over the course of the series, this book condenses a full mid-eternity crisis for a central character into sub-300 pages in an absolutely masterful fashion. Better yet, thanks to TP's refusal to take your familiarity for granted, it is an excellent springboard for new Discworld readers who didn't get on with The Colour of Magic.

Could do without the shopping trolleys, though (as amusing as it was).
]]> The Song of Achilles 13623848 Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9780062060624.

Achilles, "the best of all the Greeks," son of the cruel sea goddess Thetis and the legendary king Peleus, is strong, swift, and beautiful, irresistible to all who meet him. Patroclus is an awkward young prince, exiled from his homeland after an act of shocking violence. Brought together by chance, they forge an inseparable bond, despite risking the gods' wrath.

They are trained by the centaur Chiron in the arts of war and medicine, but when word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, all the heroes of Greece are called upon to lay siege to Troy in her name. Seduced by the promise of a glorious destiny, Achilles joins their cause, and torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows. Little do they know that the cruel Fates will test them both as never before and demand a terrible sacrifice.]]> 408 Madeline Miller Gale 0 to-read 4.30 2011 The Song of Achilles
author: Madeline Miller
name: Gale
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/09/13
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Circe 35959740
Threatened, Zeus banishes her to a deserted island, where she hones her occult craft, tames wild beasts, and crosses paths with many of the most famous figures in all of mythology, including the Minotaur, Daedalus and his doomed son Icarus, the murderous Medea, and, of course, wily Odysseus.

But there is danger, too, for a woman who stands alone, and Circe unwittingly draws the wrath of both men and gods, ultimately finding herself pitted against one of the most terrifying and vengeful of the Olympians. To protect what she loves most, Circe must summon all her strength and choose, once and for all, whether she belongs with the gods she is born from or with the mortals she has come to love.]]> 393 Madeline Miller 0316556343 Gale 0 to-read 4.22 2018 Circe
author: Madeline Miller
name: Gale
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/09/13
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Road to Reality: A Complete Guide to the Laws of the Universe]]> 10638 The Road to Reality carefully explores the movement of the smallest atomic particles and reaches into the vastness of intergalactic space. Here, Penrose examines the mathematical foundations of the physical universe, exposing the underlying beauty of physics and giving us one the most important works in modern science writing.]]> 1099 Roger Penrose 0679776311 Gale 0 to-read 4.16 2004 The Road to Reality: A Complete Guide to the Laws of the Universe
author: Roger Penrose
name: Gale
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2004
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/09/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Ethical Slut: A Guide to Infinite Sexual Possibilities]]> 54944 The essential guide for singles and couples who want to explore polyamory in ways that are ethically and emotionally sustainable.

For anyone who has ever dreamed of love, sex, and companionship beyond the limits of traditional monogamy, this groundbreaking guide navigates the infinite possibilities that open relationships can offer. Experienced ethical sluts Dossie Easton and Janet W. Hardy dispel myths and cover all the skills necessary to maintain a successful and responsible polyamorous lifestyle--from self-reflection and honest communication to practicing safe sex and raising a family. Individuals and their partners will learn how to discuss and honor boundaries, resolve conflicts, and to define relationships on their own terms.

"I couldn't stop reading it, and I for one identify as an ethical slut. This is a book for anyone interested in creating more pleasure in their lives . . . a complete guide to improving any style of relating, from going steady to having an extended family of sexual friends." --Betty Dodson, PhD, author of Sex for One]]> 280 Dossie Easton 1890159018 Gale 4
Put simply, it is impossible to write this kind of book in a way that doesn't just focus on one place. After all, it documents the experiences of two authors, and due to the limitations of the universe, those authors can only live in one place at any particular time. This doesn't stop them from highlighting some immensely illuminating research into sex and relationships, and talking open and honestly about their polyamory; it is wonderfully heartening to read about people (often aged 50+) who have lead entirely polyamorous lives who are willing to let you into their world, warts and all. No journey is perfect, and they give you a window into their world and their own personal journeys that will provide you with unmatched insight into your own relationships if you keep an open mind.

I firmly believe that, regardless of what relationship structures you adhere to, this book is worth a read. I learnt a hell of a lot about surprising topics such as arguing constructively and defining relationships as they start, and I was also given a tremendous amount of further reading on the topic (as well as fascinating facts and history). I also got a lot of worried looks from people sitting next to me on the train, which made it all the sweeter.

My final comment on this would be that I was a touch disappointed that the book didn't really mention neurodivergence; a lot of the polyamorous/non-monogamous people I know are neurodivergent in some way, and they firmly believe their ND status and their relationship structures are intrinsically linked. This also means that a lot of the communication advice in the book is coming from the standpoint of people who are almost entirely neurotypical, meaning that some of the stories and advice within felt very, very foreign. It does have a commendable focus on trauma, however, and I am very happy they covered it.

Also, there's a chapter on raising kids in polycules/non-standard relationship structures, and it managed to make me - a career kid-hater - feel cripplingly broody. ]]> 3.88 1997 The Ethical Slut: A Guide to Infinite Sexual Possibilities
author: Dossie Easton
name: Gale
average rating: 3.88
book published: 1997
rating: 4
read at: 2022/08/31
date added: 2022/08/31
shelves:
review:
This book is fantastic - in parts. The crux is that it contains some incredible insight into evergreen and universally-important skills, such as boundary-setting, communication, trauma-processing, empathy and the practice of safe, comfortable sex with enthusiastic consent from all parties. However, large swathes of the book (including the final 60+ pages) are entirely America-centric and talk about/is aimed at swingers of a certain age in what feels like a specific city. Sure, this might indeed be the "polyamory bible" if you're American yourself, but even then, you must treat it like you would a reference in a university paper and use it in your journey to draw your own conclusions.

Put simply, it is impossible to write this kind of book in a way that doesn't just focus on one place. After all, it documents the experiences of two authors, and due to the limitations of the universe, those authors can only live in one place at any particular time. This doesn't stop them from highlighting some immensely illuminating research into sex and relationships, and talking open and honestly about their polyamory; it is wonderfully heartening to read about people (often aged 50+) who have lead entirely polyamorous lives who are willing to let you into their world, warts and all. No journey is perfect, and they give you a window into their world and their own personal journeys that will provide you with unmatched insight into your own relationships if you keep an open mind.

I firmly believe that, regardless of what relationship structures you adhere to, this book is worth a read. I learnt a hell of a lot about surprising topics such as arguing constructively and defining relationships as they start, and I was also given a tremendous amount of further reading on the topic (as well as fascinating facts and history). I also got a lot of worried looks from people sitting next to me on the train, which made it all the sweeter.

My final comment on this would be that I was a touch disappointed that the book didn't really mention neurodivergence; a lot of the polyamorous/non-monogamous people I know are neurodivergent in some way, and they firmly believe their ND status and their relationship structures are intrinsically linked. This also means that a lot of the communication advice in the book is coming from the standpoint of people who are almost entirely neurotypical, meaning that some of the stories and advice within felt very, very foreign. It does have a commendable focus on trauma, however, and I am very happy they covered it.

Also, there's a chapter on raising kids in polycules/non-standard relationship structures, and it managed to make me - a career kid-hater - feel cripplingly broody.
]]> Catch-22 168668
Set in Italy during World War II, this is the story of the incomparable, malingering bombardier, Yossarian, a hero who is furious because thousands of people he has never met are trying to kill him. But his real problem is not the enemy—it is his own army, which keeps increasing the number of missions the men must fly to complete their service. Yet if Yossarian makes any attempt to excuse himself from the perilous missions he’s assigned, he’ll be in violation of Catch-22, a hilariously sinister bureaucratic rule: a man is considered insane if he willingly continues to fly dangerous combat missions, but if he makes a formal request to be removed from duty, he is proven sane and therefore ineligible to be relieved.

This fiftieth-anniversary edition commemorates Joseph Heller’s masterpiece with a new introduction by Christopher Buckley; a wealth of critical essays and reviews by Norman Mailer, Alfred Kazin, Anthony Burgess, and others; rare papers and photos from Joseph Heller’s personal archive; and much more. Here, at last, is the definitive edition of a classic of world literature.]]> 453 Joseph Heller 0684833395 Gale 4
Surrounded by an entire camp of people going through the motions, you get to watch the main character attempt to wiggle his way out of fighting through every channel possible - official and unofficial. Lives are ruined thanks to paperwork technicalities before people even get into their planes, at which point their lives are ruined and ended by the war they are fighting. People are broken and chewed up to feed the American war machine, even though its goals are nebulously defined and - quite often - maliciously manipulated or simply running off dodgy intel that people are too scared to confirm. Each page is rammed full of hopelessness and exhaustion, but the comedy that Joseph Heller is able to wring from each situation (however horrid) is incredible.]]> 3.99 1961 Catch-22
author: Joseph Heller
name: Gale
average rating: 3.99
book published: 1961
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2022/08/24
shelves:
review:
Catch-22 is a grimly amusing read about what happens when bureaucracy is valued above all else. Set in an American camp in Italy in WW2, it plays with the idea of rule-following to the letter in the complete absense of critical thought. The titular "catch" is one that the camp doctor mentions when the main character is attempting to get signed off to go home: he can say he's crazy, at which point he would be classed as insane and sent home, but if he says he's crazy, then he's sane enough to realise he's crazy, ergo, well enough to fight. This hellish circular logic pervades the entire book in a fantastic way to create an incisively satirical anti-war story.

Surrounded by an entire camp of people going through the motions, you get to watch the main character attempt to wiggle his way out of fighting through every channel possible - official and unofficial. Lives are ruined thanks to paperwork technicalities before people even get into their planes, at which point their lives are ruined and ended by the war they are fighting. People are broken and chewed up to feed the American war machine, even though its goals are nebulously defined and - quite often - maliciously manipulated or simply running off dodgy intel that people are too scared to confirm. Each page is rammed full of hopelessness and exhaustion, but the comedy that Joseph Heller is able to wring from each situation (however horrid) is incredible.
]]> Anthem 667 Anthem is Ayn Rand's classic tale of a dystopian future of the great "We"—a world that deprives individuals of a name or independence—that anticipates her later masterpieces, The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged.

They existed only to serve the state. They were conceived in controlled Palaces of Mating. They died in the Home of the Useless. From cradle to grave, the crowd was one—the great WE.

In all that was left of humanity, there was only one man who dared to think, seek, and love. He lived in the dark ages of the future. In a loveless world, he dared to love the woman of his choice. In an age that had lost all trace of science and civilization, he had the courage to seek and find knowledge. But these were not the crimes for which he would be hunted. He was marked for death because he had committed the unpardonable sin: He had stood forth from the mindless human herd. He was a man alone. He had rediscovered the lost and holy word—I.

"I worship individuals for their highest possibilities as individuals, and I loathe humanity, for its failure to live up to these possibilities."
 —Ayn Rand]]> 105 Ayn Rand 0452281253 Gale 2 philosophy
It starts off extremely on-the-nose but fairly strong - everyone is a denominated cog in a post-apocalyptic society, don't talk about the old stuff or go into the forest, etc - and is capable of dealing with some interesting suppositions and ideas; you get to watch several characters break militant theological conditioning and slowly begin to behave and think individually. Unfortunately, the individuals they become happen to be staunch Republicans, who are very happy to (after being shunned by their society) replace tyrannical red-scare boogieman communism with their own brand of Freedom� through the use of extreme, disproportionate violence, which they will lead from their 1 bedroom house in the mountains. It's short enough to be included in a Lockheed-Martin employee handbook, and I have a sneaky suspicion it's already there.

If I could sum this book up in one word, it would be an exasperated "Christ."]]> 3.59 1938 Anthem
author: Ayn Rand
name: Gale
average rating: 3.59
book published: 1938
rating: 2
read at: 2022/08/23
date added: 2022/08/23
shelves: philosophy
review:
It wasn't until the final 20 pages that I realised how this links in to Ayn Rand's philosophy of objectivism, because until that point, it was an actual story. After this point, it devolved into some sort of Republican cottagecore manifesto, which would then (sadly) be spun out across 2,800 pages in The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged - and at least we got Bioshock out of one of those.

It starts off extremely on-the-nose but fairly strong - everyone is a denominated cog in a post-apocalyptic society, don't talk about the old stuff or go into the forest, etc - and is capable of dealing with some interesting suppositions and ideas; you get to watch several characters break militant theological conditioning and slowly begin to behave and think individually. Unfortunately, the individuals they become happen to be staunch Republicans, who are very happy to (after being shunned by their society) replace tyrannical red-scare boogieman communism with their own brand of Freedom� through the use of extreme, disproportionate violence, which they will lead from their 1 bedroom house in the mountains. It's short enough to be included in a Lockheed-Martin employee handbook, and I have a sneaky suspicion it's already there.

If I could sum this book up in one word, it would be an exasperated "Christ."
]]>