William's bookshelf: all en-US Sun, 20 Apr 2025 18:20:51 -0700 60 William's bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg Babel 57945316 From award-winning author R. F. Kuang comes Babel, a historical fantasy epic that grapples with student revolutions, colonial resistance, and the use of language and translation as the dominating tool of the British Empire

Traduttore, traditore: An act of translation is always an act of betrayal.

1828. Robin Swift, orphaned by cholera in Canton, is brought to London by the mysterious Professor Lovell. There, he trains for years in Latin, Ancient Greek, and Chinese, all in preparation for the day he’ll enroll in Oxford University’s prestigious Royal Institute of Translation—also known as Babel. The tower and its students are the world's center for translation and, more importantly, magic. Silver-working—the art of manifesting the meaning lost in translation using enchanted silver bars—has made the British unparalleled in power, as the arcane craft serves the Empire's quest for colonization.

For Robin, Oxford is a utopia dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. But knowledge obeys power, and as a Chinese boy raised in Britain, Robin realizes serving Babel means betraying his motherland. As his studies progress, Robin finds himself caught between Babel and the shadowy Hermes Society, an organization dedicated to stopping imperial expansion. When Britain pursues an unjust war with China over silver and opium, Robin must decide . . .

Can powerful institutions be changed from within, or does revolution always require violence?]]> 544 R.F. Kuang 0063021420 William 4 fantasy 4.17 2022 Babel
author: R.F. Kuang
name: William
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/13
date added: 2025/04/20
shelves: fantasy
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Wind and Truth (The Stormlight Archive, #5)]]> 203578847 The long-awaited explosive climax to the first arc of the #1 New York Times bestselling Stormlight Archive―the iconic epic fantasy masterpiece that has sold more than 10 million copies, from acclaimed bestselling author Brandon Sanderson.

Dalinar Kholin challenged the evil god Odium to a contest of champions with the future of Roshar on the line. The Knights Radiant have only ten days to prepare―and the sudden ascension of the crafty and ruthless Taravangian to take Odium’s place has thrown everything into disarray.

Desperate fighting continues simultaneously worldwide―Adolin in Azimir, Sigzil and Venli at the Shattered Plains, and Jasnah at Thaylen City. The former assassin, Szeth, must cleanse his homeland of Shinovar from the dark influence of the Unmade. He is accompanied by Kaladin, who faces a new battle helping Szeth fight his own demons . . . and who must do the same for the insane Herald of the Almighty, Ishar.

At the same time, Shallan, Renarin, and Rlain work to unravel the mystery behind the Unmade Ba-Ado-Mishram and her involvement in the enslavement of the singer race and in the ancient Knights Radiants killing their spren. And Dalinar and Navani seek an edge against Odium’s champion that can be found only in the Spiritual Realm, where memory and possibility combine in chaos. The fate of the entire Cosmere hangs in the balance.]]> 1344 Brandon Sanderson 1250319188 William 4 fantasy 4.35 2024 Wind and Truth (The Stormlight Archive, #5)
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: William
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/17
date added: 2025/04/20
shelves: fantasy
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Vicomte de Bragelonne (Trilogie des Mousquetaires #3.1)]]> 369042 The Vicomte de Bragelonne opens an epic adventure which continues with Louise de La Valliere and reaches its climax in The Man in the Iron Mask. This new edition of the classic translation presents a key episode in the Musketeers saga, fully annotated and with an introduction by a leading Dumas scholar.]]> 768 Alexandre Dumas 0192834630 William 4 classics
Vicomte de Bragelonne
Ten Years Later
Louise de La Vallière
The Man in the Iron Mask

This review is for Vicomte de Bragelonne. The pace is slower compared to earlier installments. However, it is still very enjoyable containing rich dialogue throughout. The characterization is superb.

While reading these tales I continue to maintain an emotional attachment to familiar faces; and also form bonds with newcomers. ¶Ù’A°ù³Ù²¹²µ²Ô²¹²Ô could spend ten minutes contemplating where to eat and I would still want to read about it.

Being the first of four parts, this volume does a decent job establishing a foundation. Nevertheless, it cannot stand on its own and ends as a cliffhanger. I definitely plan to continue reading.]]> 3.97 The Vicomte de Bragelonne (Trilogie des Mousquetaires #3.1)
author: Alexandre Dumas
name: William
average rating: 3.97
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2016/11/13
date added: 2025/03/06
shelves: classics
review:
The edition I am reading divides the third story into four separate novels:

Vicomte de Bragelonne
Ten Years Later
Louise de La Vallière
The Man in the Iron Mask

This review is for Vicomte de Bragelonne. The pace is slower compared to earlier installments. However, it is still very enjoyable containing rich dialogue throughout. The characterization is superb.

While reading these tales I continue to maintain an emotional attachment to familiar faces; and also form bonds with newcomers. ¶Ù’A°ù³Ù²¹²µ²Ô²¹²Ô could spend ten minutes contemplating where to eat and I would still want to read about it.

Being the first of four parts, this volume does a decent job establishing a foundation. Nevertheless, it cannot stand on its own and ends as a cliffhanger. I definitely plan to continue reading.
]]> The Warm Hands of Ghosts 154462576 New York Times bestselling author of The Bear and the Nightingale

January 1918. Laura Iven was a revered field nurse until she was wounded and discharged from the medical corps, leaving behind a brother still fighting in Flanders. Now home in Halifax, Canada, she receives word of Freddie’s death in combat, along with his personal effects—but something doesn’t make sense. Determined to uncover the truth, Laura returns to Belgium as a volunteer at a private hospital. Soon after arriving, she hears whispers about haunted trenches, and a strange hotelier whose wine gives soldiers the gift of oblivion. Could Freddie have escaped the battlefield, only to fall prey to something—or someone—else?

November 1917. Freddie Iven awakens after an explosion to find himself trapped in an overturned pillbox with a wounded enemy soldier, a German by the name of Hans Winter. Against all odds, the two men form an alliance and succeed in clawing their way out. Unable to bear the thought of returning to the killing fields, especially on opposite sides, they take refuge with a mysterious man who seems to have the power to make the hellscape of the trenches disappear.

As shells rain down on Flanders, and ghosts move among those yet living, Laura’s and Freddie’s deepest traumas are reawakened. Now they must decide whether their world is worth salvaging—or better left behind entirely.]]> 325 Katherine Arden 0593128257 William 4 fantasy 3.96 2024 The Warm Hands of Ghosts
author: Katherine Arden
name: William
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/08/30
date added: 2024/11/28
shelves: fantasy
review:

]]> <![CDATA[imPerfect Magic (The imPerfect Cathar, #1)]]> 121135362 After hundreds of years of dying, you'd think I would've perfected it by now...


One moment I'm a heretical priest in the twelfth century, hunted, hated...The next, I'm waking up in the nearest corpse. Stuck in a cycle of instant reincarnation, popping back up like a tarnished penny.


Fast forward eight hundred years, and you might think I’ve learned a thing or two. Nope. All I've learned is how to die far too easily, far too often.


Now my territory in the South of France is under threat and I find myself trapped by impossible angel-made runes. If the angels have gone full red lightsaber evil, it might not only be my territory in danger, but the whole of reality itself...


I need to stop whoever is behind this, and now. After all, you can’t come back to life, if there’s nothing left to come back to.


"imPerfect Magic" is the first book in "The imPerfect Cathar" series, a darkly funny supernatural suspense following a trio of immortal heretics. If you can't wisecrack while death is on the line? Well... perhaps you're not dying right.


This book contains strong language, dark humour and graphic violence.]]> 303 C.N. Rowan William 3 fantasy 4.10 2023 imPerfect Magic (The imPerfect Cathar, #1)
author: C.N. Rowan
name: William
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2024/08/17
date added: 2024/11/28
shelves: fantasy
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Jade City (The Green Bone Saga, #1)]]> 36681361 Librarian note: an older cover for this edition can be found here.

Jade City is a gripping Godfather-esque saga of intergenerational blood feuds, vicious politics, magic, and kungfu.

The Kaul family is one of two crime syndicates that control the island of Kekon. It's the only place in the world that produces rare magical jade, which grants those with the right training and heritage superhuman abilities.

The Green Bone clans of honorable jade-wearing warriors once protected the island from foreign invasion--but nowadays, in a bustling post-war metropolis full of fast cars and foreign money, Green Bone families like the Kauls are primarily involved in commerce, construction, and the everyday upkeep of the districts under their protection.

When the simmering tension between the Kauls and their greatest rivals erupts into open violence in the streets, the outcome of this clan war will determine the fate of all Green Bones and the future of Kekon itself.]]> 612 Fonda Lee William 4 fantasy 4.13 2017 Jade City (The Green Bone Saga, #1)
author: Fonda Lee
name: William
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2024/08/23
date added: 2024/11/28
shelves: fantasy
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Farilane (The Rise and Fall, #2)]]> 61147266
Some truths are dangerous, certain secrets best concealed, and one story never should have been written at all.

Being an unwanted twin in the imperial line of succession, Farilane becomes a scholar, an adventurer, and—in a time when reading is forbidden—a hunter of books. Her singular obsession is finding the mythical Book of Brin, a tome not just lost but intentionally buried. Although she is respected and beloved by the Teshlor Knights, not even their legendary skills can protect her, for what she finds is more dangerous than what she sought.

From the three-time New York Times best-selling author Michael J. Sullivan, Farilane is the second novel in The Rise and Fall trilogy. This latest set of stories sits snugly between the Legends of the First Empire series and the Riyria books (Revelations and Chronicles). With this tale, Michael continues his tradition of unlikely heroes who must rise to the call when history knocks, demanding to be let in. This series will conclude in the summer of 2023 with the release of Esrahaddon, the final piece in a narrative that began in 2008 and contains nineteen full-length novels spread across four series.

What people are saying about the book

"Another Character that I Fell in Love With"

"Such a great story from beginning to end! I couldn't stop listening! Ten stars!"

"What an incredible book!"

"In my opinion, it’s the best book he’s written so far."

"SUPERB!"

"I found myself laughing so hard and so much and I want to be her!!"

"Sullivan does a masterful job of weaving in elements and creating a story arch that is worth reading and then reading again to find what you've missed."

"WOW!"

"There are no words to prepare you for what comes at the end."

"As a huge fan of Michael J Sullivan’s works, this book did not disappoint."]]> 450 Michael J. Sullivan 1943363315 William 4 fantasy 4.63 2022 Farilane (The Rise and Fall, #2)
author: Michael J. Sullivan
name: William
average rating: 4.63
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2024/07/22
date added: 2024/11/28
shelves: fantasy
review:

]]> <![CDATA[All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries, #1)]]> 32758901 "As a heartless killing machine, I was a complete failure."

In a corporate-dominated space-faring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. For their own safety, exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids. But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn’t a primary concern.

On a distant planet, a team of scientists is conducting surface tests, shadowed by their Company-supplied ‘droid--a self-aware SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module and refers to itself (though never out loud) as “Murderbot.� Scornful of humans, Murderbot wants is to be left alone long enough to figure out who it is, but when a neighboring mission goes dark, it's up to the scientists and Murderbot to get to the truth.]]> 144 Martha Wells William 3 science-fiction 4.11 2017 All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries, #1)
author: Martha Wells
name: William
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2024/07/04
date added: 2024/11/28
shelves: science-fiction
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Flaw in All Magic (Magebreakers, #1)]]> 35999103
For a while.

Until his lack of magic was discovered. And then it all came crashing down.

But when a student is murdered on campus behind unbreakable wards, Tane gets a second chance. Solving an impossible crime should be easy for the man who fooled the university's best mages for years. Except he's not counting on the head constable being an old flame who isn't so fond of him anymore. Or on Kadka, the half-crazy half-orc who insists she's his partner—whether he likes it or not.

Not to mention the masked mage who keeps trying to kill him.

Now, Tane's survival depends on the one truth that has never failed him. The flaw in all magic that those who have it prefer to ignore: the mage.

Outsmart the mage, and you outsmart the spell.

And outsmarting mages is what Tane does best.]]> 219 Ben S. Dobson William 4 fantasy The Flaw in All Magic is the first installment of the Magebreakers series.

This novel was a fun, entertaining, suspenseful read from start to finish. The focal premise is a murder mystery.

Both world building and characterization are well done. Kadka was my favorite character. She had me laughing a lot.

Although the narrative is light and the setting is a fantasy world, real world thought provoking themes are present. I could not help drawing parallels to our own world.

The finale was plausible and provided adequate closure.

I plan to read more books in the Magebreakers series.]]> 4.11 2017 The Flaw in All Magic (Magebreakers, #1)
author: Ben S. Dobson
name: William
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2024/06/28
date added: 2024/11/28
shelves: fantasy
review:
The Flaw in All Magic is the first installment of the Magebreakers series.

This novel was a fun, entertaining, suspenseful read from start to finish. The focal premise is a murder mystery.

Both world building and characterization are well done. Kadka was my favorite character. She had me laughing a lot.

Although the narrative is light and the setting is a fantasy world, real world thought provoking themes are present. I could not help drawing parallels to our own world.

The finale was plausible and provided adequate closure.

I plan to read more books in the Magebreakers series.
]]> The Children on the Hill 58466828 From the New York Times bestselling author of The Drowning Kind comes a genre-defying novel, inspired by Mary Shelley’s masterpiece Frankenstein, that brilliantly explores the eerie mysteries of childhood and the evils perpetrated by the monsters among us.

1978: At her renowned treatment center in picturesque Vermont, the brilliant psychiatrist, Dr. Helen Hildreth, is acclaimed for her compassionate work with the mentally ill. But when she’s home with her cherished grandchildren, Vi and Eric, she’s just Gran—teaching them how to take care of their pets, preparing them home-cooked meals, providing them with care and attention and love.

Then one day Gran brings home a child to stay with the family. Iris—silent, hollow-eyed, skittish, and feral—does not behave like a normal girl.

Still, Violet is thrilled to have a new playmate. She and Eric invite Iris to join their Monster Club, where they dream up ways to defeat all manner of monsters. Before long, Iris begins to come out of her shell. She and Vi and Eric do everything ride their bicycles, go to the drive-in, meet at their clubhouse in secret to hunt monsters. Because, as Vi explains, monsters are everywhere.

2019: Lizzy Shelley, the host of the popular podcast Monsters Among Us, is traveling to Vermont, where a young girl has been abducted, and a monster sighting has the town in an uproar. She’s determined to hunt it down, because Lizzy knows better than anyone that monsters are real—and one of them is her very own sister.

“A must for psychological thriller fans� (Publishers Weekly, starred review), The Children on the Hill takes us on a breathless journey to face the primal fears that lurk within us all.]]> 349 Jennifer McMahon 1982153970 William 5 horror The Children on the Hill was enthralling from start to finish. A great horror story not disturbingly gruesome.

The narrative alternates between two time periods, 1978 and 2019. Focal characters are children in 1978 living with Dr. Hildreth in Vermont. Dr. Hildreth works at an inn treating mentally ill patients.

Jennifer McMahon noted this novel is inspired by Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. She did a brilliant job crafting a unique, intelligently written story.

The book was difficult to put down. It was thought provoking regarding what traits we identify with people to classify them as monsters. Twists and turns are present throughout and the finale was very satisfying.

Highly recommended!]]> 3.96 2022 The Children on the Hill
author: Jennifer McMahon
name: William
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2022/11/07
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves: horror
review:
The Children on the Hill was enthralling from start to finish. A great horror story not disturbingly gruesome.

The narrative alternates between two time periods, 1978 and 2019. Focal characters are children in 1978 living with Dr. Hildreth in Vermont. Dr. Hildreth works at an inn treating mentally ill patients.

Jennifer McMahon noted this novel is inspired by Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. She did a brilliant job crafting a unique, intelligently written story.

The book was difficult to put down. It was thought provoking regarding what traits we identify with people to classify them as monsters. Twists and turns are present throughout and the finale was very satisfying.

Highly recommended!
]]> <![CDATA[Twenty Years After (Trilogie des Mousquetaires #2)]]> 7184
Twenty Years After (1845), the sequel to The Three Musketeers, is a supreme creation of suspense and heroic adventure.

Two decades have passed since the musketeers triumphed over Cardinal Richelieu and Milady. Time has weakened their resolve, and dispersed their loyalties. But treasons and stratagems still cry out for justice: civil war endangers the throne of France, while in England Cromwell threatens to send Charles I to the scaffold. Dumas brings his immortal quartet out of retirement to cross swords with time, the malevolence of men, and the forces of history. But their greatest test is a titanic struggle with the son of Milady, who wears the face of Evil.]]> 845 Alexandre Dumas 0192838431 William 5 classics Dumas is a master storyteller of historical fiction. I absolutely loved Twenty Years After and dare say I enjoyed it even more than its legendary predecessor, The Three Musketeers!

As the title indicates, we rejoin the Musketeers twenty years later. Mazarin is the new Cardinal and he together with Anne of Austria fight to sustain rulership of France. Anne’s son Louis XIV is still too young to rule. Meanwhile, Oliver Cromwell seeks to usurp Charles I of England.

The suspense is non stop throughout as the four Musketeers reunite to take us along on several thrilling adventures. While actively participating in politics, world affairs, and power struggles, the four are constantly hunted by Mordaunt, Milady’s son.

Once again Dumas exhibits his intelligent, brilliant, witty humor; bringing levity to the persistent danger encountered. Character growth and development are also outstanding. The conclusion was very satisfying.

If you enjoyed The Three Musketeers, you must certainly continue with Twenty Years After!]]> 4.06 1845 Twenty Years After (Trilogie des Mousquetaires #2)
author: Alexandre Dumas
name: William
average rating: 4.06
book published: 1845
rating: 5
read at: 2014/08/08
date added: 2024/08/07
shelves: classics
review:
Dumas is a master storyteller of historical fiction. I absolutely loved Twenty Years After and dare say I enjoyed it even more than its legendary predecessor, The Three Musketeers!

As the title indicates, we rejoin the Musketeers twenty years later. Mazarin is the new Cardinal and he together with Anne of Austria fight to sustain rulership of France. Anne’s son Louis XIV is still too young to rule. Meanwhile, Oliver Cromwell seeks to usurp Charles I of England.

The suspense is non stop throughout as the four Musketeers reunite to take us along on several thrilling adventures. While actively participating in politics, world affairs, and power struggles, the four are constantly hunted by Mordaunt, Milady’s son.

Once again Dumas exhibits his intelligent, brilliant, witty humor; bringing levity to the persistent danger encountered. Character growth and development are also outstanding. The conclusion was very satisfying.

If you enjoyed The Three Musketeers, you must certainly continue with Twenty Years After!
]]> <![CDATA[Sapphire's Flight (The Agartes Epilogues, #3)]]> 59811759 "Remember...the world as you see it was not made brick by brick, every piece falling where it must. What you see is the overlap, what is left when all mistakes have been made—castles built from rubble, broken things passing for whole. A battle lost can be fought again, if you know to pick up the weapons of the fallen and arm the ones who stand. Not many realize this. Most think the fates decide, and like fools let fate dictate the rest of their lives. Follow your heart. It will see you through the darkness and guide you through hellfire."

The battle at Shi-uin has left scars. The rise of Gorrhen yn Garr to power seems unstoppable. As nations fall, the lines between love and duty become blurred and Kefier, Sume, and Enosh must learn to live with the choices they have made.

The stunning conclusion to the epic fantasy trilogy that crosses champion and spectator, friends and enemies, and hero and foe in a tale of conflict, revenge, and lost kingdoms. Highly-praised for character development and rich worldbuilding, The Agartes Epilogues is a must-read for the discerning epic fantasy fan.]]> 692 K.S. Villoso William 5 fantasy Sapphire's Flight is a fantastic conclusion to the trilogy. Villoso continues to improve as a writer and this volume is certainly the best.

Admittedly, I was somewhat concerned regarding whether everything would be adequately wrapped up. Fortunately, this book greatly exceeded my expectations.

Character growth was superb and authentic. None of us are perfect and this reality is inherited by the characters in this fantasy novel. Difficult decisions need to be constantly made in a brutal world. The power of love and self sacrifice drive multiple outcomes.

The finale was very emotional and satisfying.

Definitely recommend this trilogy to fantasy book lovers!]]> 4.33 Sapphire's Flight (The Agartes Epilogues, #3)
author: K.S. Villoso
name: William
average rating: 4.33
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2023/08/10
date added: 2024/08/07
shelves: fantasy
review:
Sapphire's Flight is a fantastic conclusion to the trilogy. Villoso continues to improve as a writer and this volume is certainly the best.

Admittedly, I was somewhat concerned regarding whether everything would be adequately wrapped up. Fortunately, this book greatly exceeded my expectations.

Character growth was superb and authentic. None of us are perfect and this reality is inherited by the characters in this fantasy novel. Difficult decisions need to be constantly made in a brutal world. The power of love and self sacrifice drive multiple outcomes.

The finale was very emotional and satisfying.

Definitely recommend this trilogy to fantasy book lovers!
]]> <![CDATA[House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City, #1)]]> 44778083
Hunt Athalar is a notorious Fallen angel, now enslaved to the Archangels he once attempted to overthrow. His brutal skills and incredible strength have been set to one purpose-to assassinate his boss's enemies, no questions asked. But with a demon wreaking havoc in the city, he's offered an irresistible deal: help Bryce find the murderer, and his freedom will be within reach.

As Bryce and Hunt dig deep into Crescent City's underbelly, they discover a dark power that threatens everything and everyone they hold dear, and they find, in each other, a blazing passion-one that could set them both free, if they'd only let it.

With unforgettable characters, sizzling romance, and page-turning suspense, this richly inventive new fantasy series by #1 New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas delves into the heartache of loss, the price of freedom-and the power of love.]]> 803 Sarah J. Maas 1635574048 William 1 fantasy House of Earth and Blood is the first installment of the Crescent City series.The cover caught my eye in the store and the blurb seemed intriguing.

Unfortunately, this novel did not work for me and was a DNF.

There is way too much info dumping. I could not form an attachment to care about the characters. The profanity is extreme and over the top gratuitous. The dialogue was often cringeworthy.]]> 4.43 2020 House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City, #1)
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: William
average rating: 4.43
book published: 2020
rating: 1
read at: 2024/06/18
date added: 2024/07/16
shelves: fantasy
review:
House of Earth and Blood is the first installment of the Crescent City series.The cover caught my eye in the store and the blurb seemed intriguing.

Unfortunately, this novel did not work for me and was a DNF.

There is way too much info dumping. I could not form an attachment to care about the characters. The profanity is extreme and over the top gratuitous. The dialogue was often cringeworthy.
]]> <![CDATA[Rhythm of War (The Stormlight Archive, #4)]]> 49021976 The eagerly awaited sequel to the #1 New York Times bestselling Oathbringer, from epic fantasy author Brandon Sanderson

After forming a coalition of human resistance against the enemy invasion, Dalinar Kholin and his Knights Radiant have spent a year fighting a protracted, brutal war. Neither side has gained an advantage, and the threat of a betrayal by Dalinar's crafty ally Taravangian looms over every strategic move.

Now, as new technological discoveries by Navani Kholin's scholars begin to change the face of the war, the enemy prepares a bold and dangerous operation. The arms race that follows will challenge the very core of the Radiant ideals, and potentially reveal the secrets of the ancient tower that was once the heart of their strength.

At the same time that Kaladin Stormblessed must come to grips with his changing role within the Knights Radiant, his Windrunners face their own problem: As more and more deadly enemy Fused awaken to wage war, no more honorspren are willing to bond with humans to increase the number of Radiants. Adolin and Shallan must lead the coalition’s envoy to the honorspren stronghold of Lasting Integrity and either convince the spren to join the cause against the evil god Odium, or personally face the storm of failure.]]> 1232 Brandon Sanderson 0765326388 William 4 fantasy The world building of The Stormlight Archive series is phenomenal, including Rhythm of War, the fourth volume of the series. Sanderson's creativity and imagination are truly unparalleled.

I particularly enjoyed Adolin's character growth in this novel. The storyline regarding the relationship with Maya, his deadeye cultivationspren, was my favorite.

I also enjoyed Navani's interactions with the Fused. Many of her scenes were thought provoking.

Unfortunately, the narrative is somewhat repetitive compared to earlier volumes. Hundreds of pages could have been cut without sacrificing substance.

In the previous installment, Oathbringer, Shallan's struggle to find her true self and reconcile her past was raw honesty. Yearning to temporarily undertake atypical personas is human. I applaud Sanderson bringing behavioral health issues to light.

Already knowing Shallan's challenges, having to painstakingly again witness her flip multiple times between sentences was frustrating to read. This is one of many examples where Sanderson should acknowledge his readers are intelligent enough to grasp concepts without needing massive repetition.

Sanderson is among my favorite authors, so my expectations are perhaps unrealistically too high.

]]> 4.58 2020 Rhythm of War (The Stormlight Archive, #4)
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: William
average rating: 4.58
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2024/05/26
date added: 2024/07/10
shelves: fantasy
review:

The world building of The Stormlight Archive series is phenomenal, including Rhythm of War, the fourth volume of the series. Sanderson's creativity and imagination are truly unparalleled.

I particularly enjoyed Adolin's character growth in this novel. The storyline regarding the relationship with Maya, his deadeye cultivationspren, was my favorite.

I also enjoyed Navani's interactions with the Fused. Many of her scenes were thought provoking.

Unfortunately, the narrative is somewhat repetitive compared to earlier volumes. Hundreds of pages could have been cut without sacrificing substance.

In the previous installment, Oathbringer, Shallan's struggle to find her true self and reconcile her past was raw honesty. Yearning to temporarily undertake atypical personas is human. I applaud Sanderson bringing behavioral health issues to light.

Already knowing Shallan's challenges, having to painstakingly again witness her flip multiple times between sentences was frustrating to read. This is one of many examples where Sanderson should acknowledge his readers are intelligent enough to grasp concepts without needing massive repetition.

Sanderson is among my favorite authors, so my expectations are perhaps unrealistically too high.


]]> The Sunlit Man 68320219 From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson―creator of The Stormlight Archive, the Mistborn Saga, and countless bestselling works of science fiction and fantasy―comes this standalone novel showing a rare glimpse of a future Cosmere universe.

Running. Putting distance between himself and the relentless Night Brigade has been Nomad’s strategy for years. Staying one or two steps ahead of his pursuers by skipping through the Cosmere from one world to the next.

But now, his powers too depleted to escape, Nomad finds himself trapped on Canticle, a planet that will kill anyone who doesn’t keep moving. Fleeing the fires of a sunrise that melts the very stones, he is instantly caught up in the struggle between a heartless tyrant and the brave rebels who defy him.

Failure means a quick death, incinerated by the sun� or a lifetime as a mindless slave. Tormented by the consequences of his past, Nomad must fight not only for his survival―but also for his very soul.]]> 447 Brandon Sanderson 1938570413 William 4 fantasy The Sunlit Man is yet another solid Cosmere 'secret project' novel Sanderson released in 2023. Although not mandatory, I suggest reading The Stormlight Archive series first as multiple references are made to Roshar.

The word building in this story is superb. Through the eyes of Nomad, the main protagonist, we visit another planet within the Cosmere.

I really enjoyed this fast paced heartfelt story and was satisfied with its conclusion.]]> 4.49 2023 The Sunlit Man
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: William
average rating: 4.49
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/06/10
date added: 2024/07/10
shelves: fantasy
review:
The Sunlit Man is yet another solid Cosmere 'secret project' novel Sanderson released in 2023. Although not mandatory, I suggest reading The Stormlight Archive series first as multiple references are made to Roshar.

The word building in this story is superb. Through the eyes of Nomad, the main protagonist, we visit another planet within the Cosmere.

I really enjoyed this fast paced heartfelt story and was satisfied with its conclusion.
]]> <![CDATA[Oathbringer (The Stormlight Archive, #3)]]> 34002132 Oathbringer, the third volume of the New York Times bestselling Stormlight Archive, humanity faces a new Desolation with the return of the Voidbringers, a foe with numbers as great as their thirst for vengeance.

Dalinar Kholin's Alethi armies won a fleeting victory at a terrible cost: The enemy Parshendi summoned the violent Everstorm, which now sweeps the world with destruction, and in its passing awakens the once peaceful and subservient parshmen to the horror of their millennia-long enslavement by humans. While on a desperate flight to warn his family of the threat, Kaladin Stormblessed must come to grips with the fact that the newly kindled anger of the parshmen may be wholly justified.

Nestled in the mountains high above the storms, in the tower city of Urithiru, Shallan Davar investigates the wonders of the ancient stronghold of the Knights Radiant and unearths dark secrets lurking in its depths. And Dalinar realizes that his holy mission to unite his homeland of Alethkar was too narrow in scope. Unless all the nations of Roshar can put aside Dalinar's blood-soaked past and stand together--and unless Dalinar himself can confront that past--even the restoration of the Knights Radiant will not prevent the end of civilization.]]> 1248 Brandon Sanderson William 4 fantasy Oathbringer, book three of The Stormlight Archive. This installment was entertaining, thought provoking, and uplifting.

What I enjoyed most was the feeling of hope and challenges to act honorably regardless of the odds to succeed. Faced with very difficult decisions affecting huge populations, I often pondered what I would do in these scenarios, and whether I could live with the consequences.

³§³ó²¹±ô±ô²¹²Ô’s struggle to find her true self is raw honesty. Indeed, yearning to temporarily undertake atypical personas is human.

Much of my anticipation was the desire to finally experience ¶Ù²¹±ô¾±²Ô²¹°ù’s story. Make no mistake, this is indeed his book. His flashbacks adequately provided the background to understand the person he was and appreciate the person he wishes to become.

The climax scenes are suspenseful and action packed. These were very enjoyable and rewarding. One gripe though is some resolutions had a ‘deus ex machina� feel to them.

The finale was satisfying and provided enough of closure.

The artwork and sketches are superb; drawing us into the world of Roshar.

Sanderson did an admirable job completing ´³´Ç°ù»å²¹²Ô’s Wheel of Time series. I could not help but think doing so may have influenced Oathbringer. In my own mind I linked the Oathgates to the Ways, the ¸é²¹»å¾±²¹²Ô³Ù’s flying to the Aes Sedai’s traveling, and Stormfather to Lews Therin. Sanderson is an original, creative writer and my intent is not to imply he stole anything. ]]> 4.60 2017 Oathbringer (The Stormlight Archive, #3)
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: William
average rating: 4.60
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2024/04/20
date added: 2024/05/01
shelves: fantasy
review:
I eagerly awaited the release of Oathbringer, book three of The Stormlight Archive. This installment was entertaining, thought provoking, and uplifting.

What I enjoyed most was the feeling of hope and challenges to act honorably regardless of the odds to succeed. Faced with very difficult decisions affecting huge populations, I often pondered what I would do in these scenarios, and whether I could live with the consequences.

³§³ó²¹±ô±ô²¹²Ô’s struggle to find her true self is raw honesty. Indeed, yearning to temporarily undertake atypical personas is human.

Much of my anticipation was the desire to finally experience ¶Ù²¹±ô¾±²Ô²¹°ù’s story. Make no mistake, this is indeed his book. His flashbacks adequately provided the background to understand the person he was and appreciate the person he wishes to become.

The climax scenes are suspenseful and action packed. These were very enjoyable and rewarding. One gripe though is some resolutions had a ‘deus ex machina� feel to them.

The finale was satisfying and provided enough of closure.

The artwork and sketches are superb; drawing us into the world of Roshar.

Sanderson did an admirable job completing ´³´Ç°ù»å²¹²Ô’s Wheel of Time series. I could not help but think doing so may have influenced Oathbringer. In my own mind I linked the Oathgates to the Ways, the ¸é²¹»å¾±²¹²Ô³Ù’s flying to the Aes Sedai’s traveling, and Stormfather to Lews Therin. Sanderson is an original, creative writer and my intent is not to imply he stole anything.
]]> <![CDATA[Words of Radiance (The Stormlight Archive, #2)]]> 17332218 From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson, Words of Radiance, Book Two of the Stormlight Archive, continues the immersive fantasy epic that The Way of Kings began.

Expected by his enemies to die the miserable death of a military slave, Kaladin survived to be given command of the royal bodyguards, a controversial first for a low-status "darkeyes." Now he must protect the king and Dalinar from every common peril as well as the distinctly uncommon threat of the Assassin, all while secretly struggling to master remarkable new powers that are somehow linked to his honorspren, Syl.

The Assassin, Szeth, is active again, murdering rulers all over the world of Roshar, using his baffling powers to thwart every bodyguard and elude all pursuers. Among his prime targets is Highprince Dalinar, widely considered the power behind the Alethi throne. His leading role in the war would seem reason enough, but the Assassin's master has much deeper motives.

Brilliant but troubled Shallan strives along a parallel path. Despite being broken in ways she refuses to acknowledge, she bears a terrible burden: to somehow prevent the return of the legendary Voidbringers and the civilization-ending Desolation that will follow. The secrets she needs can be found at the Shattered Plains, but just arriving there proves more difficult than she could have imagined.

Meanwhile, at the heart of the Shattered Plains, the Parshendi are making an epochal decision. Hard pressed by years of Alethi attacks, their numbers ever shrinking, they are convinced by their war leader, Eshonai, to risk everything on a desperate gamble with the very supernatural forces they once fled. The possible consequences for Parshendi and humans alike, indeed, for Roshar itself, are as dangerous as they are incalculable.]]> 1088 Brandon Sanderson 0765326361 William 4 fantasy Wind and Truth, the fifth installment of The Stormlight Archive series slated for a December, 2024 release.

I enjoyed Words of Radiance more the second time around. The world building is second to none and it was nice to discover some subtleties missed the first time around

Unlike The Way of Kings which I absolutely loved, I did feel the length of Words of Radiance. Multiple scenes could have been shortened or eliminated entirely without sacrificing substance.

Climatic scenes at the end provided adequate closure. However, several plots were resolved abruptly following slow buildups.

Overall Words of Radiance was a very enjoyable read and The Stormlight Archive is among my favorite fantasy series.]]> 4.76 2014 Words of Radiance (The Stormlight Archive, #2)
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: William
average rating: 4.76
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2024/02/14
date added: 2024/03/18
shelves: fantasy
review:
I rarely reread books as there is so much out there. However, I made an exception to prepare for Wind and Truth, the fifth installment of The Stormlight Archive series slated for a December, 2024 release.

I enjoyed Words of Radiance more the second time around. The world building is second to none and it was nice to discover some subtleties missed the first time around

Unlike The Way of Kings which I absolutely loved, I did feel the length of Words of Radiance. Multiple scenes could have been shortened or eliminated entirely without sacrificing substance.

Climatic scenes at the end provided adequate closure. However, several plots were resolved abruptly following slow buildups.

Overall Words of Radiance was a very enjoyable read and The Stormlight Archive is among my favorite fantasy series.
]]> <![CDATA[The Way of Kings (The Stormlight Archive, #1)]]> 7235533 From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson, The Way of Kings, book one of The Stormlight Archive begins an incredible new saga of epic proportion.

Roshar is a world of stone and storms. Uncanny tempests of incredible power sweep across the rocky terrain so frequently that they have shaped ecology and civilization alike. Animals hide in shells, trees pull in branches, and grass retracts into the soilless ground. Cities are built only where the topography offers shelter.

It has been centuries since the fall of the ten consecrated orders known as the Knights Radiant, but their Shardblades and Shardplate remain: mystical swords and suits of armor that transform ordinary men into near-invincible warriors. Men trade kingdoms for Shardblades. Wars were fought for them, and won by them.

One such war rages on a ruined landscape called the Shattered Plains. There, Kaladin, who traded his medical apprenticeship for a spear to protect his little brother, has been reduced to slavery. In a war that makes no sense, where ten armies fight separately against a single foe, he struggles to save his men and to fathom the leaders who consider them expendable.

Brightlord Dalinar Kholin commands one of those other armies. Like his brother, the late king, he is fascinated by an ancient text called The Way of Kings. Troubled by over-powering visions of ancient times and the Knights Radiant, he has begun to doubt his own sanity.

Across the ocean, an untried young woman named Shallan seeks to train under an eminent scholar and notorious heretic, Dalinar's niece, Jasnah. Though she genuinely loves learning, Shallan's motives are less than pure. As she plans a daring theft, her research for Jasnah hints at secrets of the Knights Radiant and the true cause of the war.

The result of over ten years of planning, writing, and world-building, The Way of Kings is but the opening movement of the Stormlight Archive, a bold masterpiece in the making.

Speak again the ancient oaths:

Life before death.
Strength before weakness.
Journey before Destination.

and return to men the Shards they once bore.

The Knights Radiant must stand again.]]> 1007 Brandon Sanderson 0765326353 William 5 fantasy The Way of Kings. Finished this incredible book for a third time to prepare for Wind and Truth, the fifth installment of The Stormlight Archive series slated for a December, 2024 release.

The Way of Kings remains the best fantasy book I have ever read as of January, 2024. World building and characterization both reign supreme. Sanderson must have definitely attracted a boatload of creationspren while writing this.

The novel is also very thought provoking and philosophical. I could not abstain from drawing parallels in my mind to the real world for countless themes pondered throughout.

I am usually not a fan of epic battle scenes. However, one that occurred near the end of this book was mind blowing.

I cannot recommend The Way of Kings enough for epic fantasy lovers.]]> 4.66 2010 The Way of Kings (The Stormlight Archive, #1)
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: William
average rating: 4.66
book published: 2010
rating: 5
read at: 2024/01/15
date added: 2024/01/27
shelves: fantasy
review:
I rarely reread books as there is so much out there. However, I made an exception for The Way of Kings. Finished this incredible book for a third time to prepare for Wind and Truth, the fifth installment of The Stormlight Archive series slated for a December, 2024 release.

The Way of Kings remains the best fantasy book I have ever read as of January, 2024. World building and characterization both reign supreme. Sanderson must have definitely attracted a boatload of creationspren while writing this.

The novel is also very thought provoking and philosophical. I could not abstain from drawing parallels in my mind to the real world for countless themes pondered throughout.

I am usually not a fan of epic battle scenes. However, one that occurred near the end of this book was mind blowing.

I cannot recommend The Way of Kings enough for epic fantasy lovers.
]]> <![CDATA[Yumi and the Nightmare Painter]]> 60726999 #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson brings us a gripping story set in the Cosmere universe told by Hoid, where two people from incredibly different worlds must compromise and work together to save their worlds from ruin.

Yumi comes from a land of gardens, meditation, and spirits, while Painter lives in a world of darkness, technology, and nightmares. When their lives suddenly become intertwined in strange ways, can they put aside their differences and work together to uncover the mysteries of their situation and save each other’s communities from certain disaster?]]> 480 Brandon Sanderson William 4 fantasy Yumi and the Nightmare Painter is another 2023 'Secret Project' novel set in the Cosmere. Hoid returns as the narrator. Dedicated readers of other works in this universe are treated to some 'easter eggs'.

This story is imaginative and endearing. Character growth is very strong.

The start of the book was slow and a bit repetitive, but fortunately nearly half way through picks up steam. The finale is emotional and provides adequate closure. To fill in gaps along the way, Hoid needs to dump information on us we do not acquire 'on screen'.

Overall I definitely enjoyed Yumi and the Nightmare Painter. It was great to visit another planet within the Cosmere. When needing a brief escape from the real world, this novel fits the bill. Thank you Brandon Sanderson for consistently delivering quality works of art!
]]> 4.47 2023 Yumi and the Nightmare Painter
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: William
average rating: 4.47
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2023/12/14
date added: 2024/01/07
shelves: fantasy
review:
Yumi and the Nightmare Painter is another 2023 'Secret Project' novel set in the Cosmere. Hoid returns as the narrator. Dedicated readers of other works in this universe are treated to some 'easter eggs'.

This story is imaginative and endearing. Character growth is very strong.

The start of the book was slow and a bit repetitive, but fortunately nearly half way through picks up steam. The finale is emotional and provides adequate closure. To fill in gaps along the way, Hoid needs to dump information on us we do not acquire 'on screen'.

Overall I definitely enjoyed Yumi and the Nightmare Painter. It was great to visit another planet within the Cosmere. When needing a brief escape from the real world, this novel fits the bill. Thank you Brandon Sanderson for consistently delivering quality works of art!

]]> <![CDATA[Esrahaddon (The Rise and Fall #3)]]> 198691539
The man who became known as Esrahaddon is reported to have destroyed the world’s greatest empire—but there are those who believe he saved it. Few individuals are as divisive, but all agree on three facts: He was exiled to the wilderness, hunted by a goblin priestess, and sentenced to death by a god—all before the age of eight. How he managed to survive and why people continued to fear his name a thousand years later has always been a mystery...until now.

From the three-time New York Times best-selling author Michael J. Sullivan, Esrahaddon is the final novel in the Rise and Fall trilogy. This latest set of stories sits snugly between the Legends of the First Empire series and the Riyria books (Revelations and Chronicles). With this tale, Michael continues his tradition of unlikely heroes who must rise to the call when history knocks, demanding to be let in. This is the 19th full-length novel in a body of work that started in 2008 and spans four series.]]> 738 Michael J. Sullivan 1943363641 William 0 to-read 4.69 2023 Esrahaddon (The Rise and Fall #3)
author: Michael J. Sullivan
name: William
average rating: 4.69
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/10/27
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Tell Me I'm Worthless 60784414
Memories of that night torment Alice, but when Ila asks her to return to the House, to go past the KEEP OUT sign and over the sick earth where teenagers dare each other to venture, Alice knows she must go.

Together, Alice and Ila must face the horrors that happened there, must pull themselves apart from the inside out, put their differences aside, and try to rescue Hannah, whom the House has chosen to make its own.]]> 263 Alison Rumfitt 1250866235 William 1 horror If one goal of this novel was to convince readers of this fact, it failed miserably in at least my opinion.

I am not offended by profanity present in books. However, it is ridiculously overplayed here. In addition to always cussing, multiple characters are self destructive; excessive drinking, substance abuse, piquerism, etc. Spending time with these people was not my cup of tea.

The tone of the narrative is often pretentious, heavy handed, political and repetitive. The forum post porn rant that spanned multiple pages saying the same thing over and over and over again tempted me to DNF. I wish I caved instead of trudging on. Metaphors and symbolism are employed throughout, but it seemed the author did not trust their readers to be smart enough to get them. The same points are blatantly repeated ad nauseam.

More editing was needed. It was very annoying to fight through so many run on sentences and lengthy paragraphs.

I was hoping for a decent fresh scary haunted house story and Tell Me I'm Worthless was not it.]]> 3.36 2021 Tell Me I'm Worthless
author: Alison Rumfitt
name: William
average rating: 3.36
book published: 2021
rating: 1
read at: 2023/10/21
date added: 2023/10/21
shelves: horror
review:
There should be no place for fascism, racism, antisemitism, and transphobia in this world.
If one goal of this novel was to convince readers of this fact, it failed miserably in at least my opinion.

I am not offended by profanity present in books. However, it is ridiculously overplayed here. In addition to always cussing, multiple characters are self destructive; excessive drinking, substance abuse, piquerism, etc. Spending time with these people was not my cup of tea.

The tone of the narrative is often pretentious, heavy handed, political and repetitive. The forum post porn rant that spanned multiple pages saying the same thing over and over and over again tempted me to DNF. I wish I caved instead of trudging on. Metaphors and symbolism are employed throughout, but it seemed the author did not trust their readers to be smart enough to get them. The same points are blatantly repeated ad nauseam.

More editing was needed. It was very annoying to fight through so many run on sentences and lengthy paragraphs.

I was hoping for a decent fresh scary haunted house story and Tell Me I'm Worthless was not it.
]]> Natural Beauty 61420120 Sly, surprising, and razor-sharp, Natural Beauty follows a young musician into an elite, beauty-obsessed world where perfection comes at a staggering cost.

Our narrator produces a sound from the piano no one else at the Conservatory can. She employs a technique she learned from her parents—also talented musicians—who fled China in the wake of the Cultural Revolution. But when an accident leaves her parents debilitated, she abandons her future for a job at a high-end beauty and wellness store in New York City.

Holistik is known for its remarkable products and procedures—from remoras that suck out cheap Botox to eyelash extensions made of spider silk—and her new job affords her entry into a world of privilege and a long-awaited sense of belonging. She becomes transfixed by Helen, the niece of Holistik’s charismatic owner, and the two strike up a friendship that hazily veers into more. All the while, our narrator is plied with products that slim her thighs, smooth her skin, and lighten her hair. But beneath these creams and tinctures lies something sinister.

A piercing, darkly funny debut, Natural Beauty explores questions of consumerism, self-worth, race, and identity—and leaves readers with a shocking and unsettling truth.]]> 272 Ling Ling Huang 0593472926 William 2 horror
The narrator and first person protagonist gradually gets sucked in to striving to become as visually appealing as possible. Initially she jokes and acknowledges how silly it is for everyone trying to look the same to achieve perfect beauty. However, as she herself transforms and discovers how much better others treat her, she abandons her original values and beliefs.

The premise for this book was very promising and tempted me to give it a go. Unfortunately, the execution was disappointing.

Nearly all of the characters were simple caricatures, acting as mere devices to advance the plot. Dialog between the characters was very basic and unrealistic. Everyone acted and spoke the same way.

For a shorter novel, too many unnecessary gratuitous scenes were present, especially sex scenes. I initially discovered this book by searching 'best of' horror reads for 2023. I am certainly not opposed to blending genres and often appreciate it. However, I was not seeking a romance novel and at times it felt like I was reading one.

The climax was abrupt and seemed rushed; inconsistent with earlier pacing. I was satisfied though with the ending.

Although Natural Beauty did not work for me as well as I hoped, it is a short, fast read that may fit the bill for others.]]> 3.79 2023 Natural Beauty
author: Ling Ling Huang
name: William
average rating: 3.79
book published: 2023
rating: 2
read at: 2023/10/19
date added: 2023/10/19
shelves: horror
review:
This novel does well bringing to light the yearning for youth and physical beauty. Sadly, regardless of other traits, society often continues to value women based on just these elements alone.

The narrator and first person protagonist gradually gets sucked in to striving to become as visually appealing as possible. Initially she jokes and acknowledges how silly it is for everyone trying to look the same to achieve perfect beauty. However, as she herself transforms and discovers how much better others treat her, she abandons her original values and beliefs.

The premise for this book was very promising and tempted me to give it a go. Unfortunately, the execution was disappointing.

Nearly all of the characters were simple caricatures, acting as mere devices to advance the plot. Dialog between the characters was very basic and unrealistic. Everyone acted and spoke the same way.

For a shorter novel, too many unnecessary gratuitous scenes were present, especially sex scenes. I initially discovered this book by searching 'best of' horror reads for 2023. I am certainly not opposed to blending genres and often appreciate it. However, I was not seeking a romance novel and at times it felt like I was reading one.

The climax was abrupt and seemed rushed; inconsistent with earlier pacing. I was satisfied though with the ending.

Although Natural Beauty did not work for me as well as I hoped, it is a short, fast read that may fit the bill for others.
]]> Tress of the Emerald Sea 60531406 #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson expands his Cosmere universe shared by The Stormlight Archive and Mistborn with a new standalone novel for everyone who loved The Princess Bride.

The only life Tress has known on her island home in an emerald-green ocean has been a simple one, with the simple pleasures of collecting cups brought by sailors from faraway lands and listening to stories told by her friend Charlie. But when his father takes him on a voyage to find a bride and disaster strikes, Tress must stow away on a ship and seek the Sorceress of the deadly Midnight Sea. Amid the spore oceans where pirates abound, can Tress leave her simple life behind and make her own place sailing a sea where a single drop of water can mean instant death?]]> 443 Brandon Sanderson William 5 fantasy Tress of the Emerald Sea. Enchanting, beautiful, and heartwarming just to name a few. I absolutely loved this novel.

Admittedly, at the start I was doubting whether this book would work for me. Initial thoughts were of an unoriginal Cinderella knockoff. Fortunately I was wrong. The story quickly became very creative and imaginative in vintage Sanderson style.

Loved the idea of having Hoid be the narrator. This enabled the work of fiction to become philosophical and thought provoking, allowing we readers to ponder our own beliefs and behaviors.

Character growth is superb. It was delightful to witness the transformation of multiple characters. Cunning plausible plot twists are also present. The finale was well done and satisfying.

As an added bonus, since this is a Cosmere novel, dedicated readers of other works in this universe are treated to a few hidden 'easter eggs'.

Highly recommended!]]> 4.35 2023 Tress of the Emerald Sea
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: William
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2023/09/09
date added: 2023/10/12
shelves: fantasy
review:
So many positive words come to mind when thinking about Tress of the Emerald Sea. Enchanting, beautiful, and heartwarming just to name a few. I absolutely loved this novel.

Admittedly, at the start I was doubting whether this book would work for me. Initial thoughts were of an unoriginal Cinderella knockoff. Fortunately I was wrong. The story quickly became very creative and imaginative in vintage Sanderson style.

Loved the idea of having Hoid be the narrator. This enabled the work of fiction to become philosophical and thought provoking, allowing we readers to ponder our own beliefs and behaviors.

Character growth is superb. It was delightful to witness the transformation of multiple characters. Cunning plausible plot twists are also present. The finale was well done and satisfying.

As an added bonus, since this is a Cosmere novel, dedicated readers of other works in this universe are treated to a few hidden 'easter eggs'.

Highly recommended!
]]> <![CDATA[Small Favor (The Dresden Files, #10)]]> 8123311
±á²¹°ù°ù²â’s life finally seems to be calming down. The White Council’s war with the vampiric Red Court is easing up, no one’s tried to kill him lately, and his eager apprentice is starting to learn real magic. For once, the future looks fairly bright. But the past casts one hell of a long shadow.

Mab, monarch of the Sidhe Winter Court, calls in an old favor from Harry. Just one small favor he can’t refuse...one that will trap Harry Dresden between a nightmarish foe and an equally deadly ally, and one that will strain his skills—and loyalties—to their very limits.

And everything was going so well for once...]]> 444 Jim Butcher 1101128623 William 3 fantasy Small Favor, the tenth edition of The Dresden Files, sticks with a similar formula.

I also enjoyed this installment, but not as much as earlier volumes. The plots and settings with this particular novel seemed too formulaic and repetitive, lacking the expected blend of fresh creativity.

Overall Small Favor was a fun, fast paced escape and I plan on continuing the series. Still engaged and curious regarding what happens next with Harry and both his friends and adversaries.]]> 4.50 2008 Small Favor (The Dresden Files, #10)
author: Jim Butcher
name: William
average rating: 4.50
book published: 2008
rating: 3
read at: 2023/08/24
date added: 2023/10/06
shelves: fantasy
review:
Small Favor, the tenth edition of The Dresden Files, sticks with a similar formula.

I also enjoyed this installment, but not as much as earlier volumes. The plots and settings with this particular novel seemed too formulaic and repetitive, lacking the expected blend of fresh creativity.

Overall Small Favor was a fun, fast paced escape and I plan on continuing the series. Still engaged and curious regarding what happens next with Harry and both his friends and adversaries.
]]> ‎Grimm's Complete Fairy Tales 33939359 868 Jacob Grimm William 0 to-read 3.90 1812 ‎Grimm's Complete Fairy Tales
author: Jacob Grimm
name: William
average rating: 3.90
book published: 1812
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/08/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Deadhouse Gates (Malazan Book of the Fallen, #2)]]> 55401
Set in a brilliantly realized world ravaged by dark, uncontrollable magic, Deadhouse Gates is a novel of war, intrigue and betrayal confirms Steven Eirkson as a storyteller of breathtaking skill, imagination and originality--a new master of epic fantasy.]]> 604 Steven Erikson 0765310023 William 3 fantasy
I did not enjoy this book as much as the first in the series, Gardens of the Moon. The major plot lines to me in Deadhouse Gates were somewhat boring and laborious.

Although not crazy about it, enough substance was present to like the book and want to continue the series. I was satisfied with the ending and am still curious to explore more of this epic world.

]]> 4.27 2000 Deadhouse Gates (Malazan Book of the Fallen, #2)
author: Steven Erikson
name: William
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2000
rating: 3
read at: 2009/11/02
date added: 2023/07/22
shelves: fantasy
review:
In this edition of the series, the main focus is on a different continent, Seven Cities. Several new characters are introduced and only a few return.

I did not enjoy this book as much as the first in the series, Gardens of the Moon. The major plot lines to me in Deadhouse Gates were somewhat boring and laborious.

Although not crazy about it, enough substance was present to like the book and want to continue the series. I was satisfied with the ending and am still curious to explore more of this epic world.


]]> <![CDATA[Aina's Breath (The Agartes Epilogues, #2)]]> 59811707
On the other end of the continent, Sume, daughter to a Jin-Sayeng hero, must return to her roots to save her country and bring honour to her father’s name. To do this, she must befriend a prince and understand the terrible, corrupting nature of power and the reason her father was driven to walk away from it all those years ago�

Meanwhile, Kefier, Enosh’s agan-blind brother, is forced back into a life of violence. As he struggles with the notion that hands, once bloodied, never stay clean for long, he finds himself occupied with an unexpected burden: his own brother’s daughter.]]> 457 K.S. Villoso William 3 fantasy Aina's Breath is the second installment of the trilogy. Character growth is the strength of this novel. Survival is a struggle in this brutal cutthroat world where multiple factions lust for power. Focal characters are used as pawns, constantly caught in the crossfire.

I established emotional attachments to multiple characters. This is paramount to my enjoyment of a story. Their difficult choices and subsequent journeys are what makes this book a success.

Pacing was uneven throughout the narrative. Furthermore, 'time jumps' are present that may be missed if not reading carefully.

The ending was very abrupt with so much happening within a few pages both 'on camera' and 'off camera'. Rapid POV changes made it challenging to identify which was which. Much remains still unresolved.

Overall, I enjoyed Aina's Breath and I am very interested to discover how everything ends. Therefore, I plan to finish the series.]]> 3.33 2017 Aina's Breath (The Agartes Epilogues, #2)
author: K.S. Villoso
name: William
average rating: 3.33
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2023/07/06
date added: 2023/07/08
shelves: fantasy
review:
Aina's Breath is the second installment of the trilogy. Character growth is the strength of this novel. Survival is a struggle in this brutal cutthroat world where multiple factions lust for power. Focal characters are used as pawns, constantly caught in the crossfire.

I established emotional attachments to multiple characters. This is paramount to my enjoyment of a story. Their difficult choices and subsequent journeys are what makes this book a success.

Pacing was uneven throughout the narrative. Furthermore, 'time jumps' are present that may be missed if not reading carefully.

The ending was very abrupt with so much happening within a few pages both 'on camera' and 'off camera'. Rapid POV changes made it challenging to identify which was which. Much remains still unresolved.

Overall, I enjoyed Aina's Breath and I am very interested to discover how everything ends. Therefore, I plan to finish the series.
]]> <![CDATA[White Night (The Dresden Files, #9)]]> 5973243 Wizard Harry Dresden must investigate his own flesh and blood when a series of killings strike Chicago’s magic practitioners in this novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling series.Someone is targeting the members of the city’s supernatural underclass—those who don’t possess enough power to become full-fledged wizards. Some have vanished. Others appear to be victims of suicide. But now the culprit has left a calling card at one of the crime scenes—a message for Harry Dresden. Ìý Harry sets out to find the apparent serial killer, but his investigation turns up evidence pointing to the one suspect he cannot possibly believe his half-brother, Thomas. To clear his brother’s name, Harry rushes into a supernatural power struggle that renders him outnumbered, outclassed, and dangerously susceptible to temptation. Ìý And Harry knows that if he screws this one up, people will die—and one of them will be his brother...]]> 528 Jim Butcher 1101128712 William 4 fantasy White Night, the ninth edition of The Dresden Files, is a fast, fun, entertaining read.

Nothing surprising here. Butcher sticks with a proven winning formula that does not disappoint. Yet another page turner.

The primary focus of this narrative centers around the White Court vampires. Harry is tasked with solving murder mysteries. At times lines are blurred distinguishing friends from foes.

White Night was just the escape I needed.

Next up, Small Favor!]]> 4.45 2007 White Night (The Dresden Files, #9)
author: Jim Butcher
name: William
average rating: 4.45
book published: 2007
rating: 4
read at: 2023/06/13
date added: 2023/06/16
shelves: fantasy
review:
White Night, the ninth edition of The Dresden Files, is a fast, fun, entertaining read.

Nothing surprising here. Butcher sticks with a proven winning formula that does not disappoint. Yet another page turner.

The primary focus of this narrative centers around the White Court vampires. Harry is tasked with solving murder mysteries. At times lines are blurred distinguishing friends from foes.

White Night was just the escape I needed.

Next up, Small Favor!
]]> <![CDATA[Jaeth's Eye (The Agartes Epilogues, #1)]]> 58928370 Sume Kaggawa promised her father a dragon. Abandoned by an older brother who dreamed of grand adventures, she is the only hope left for a family fallen on hard times. A deal with a shadowy mage traps her in a conspiracy between greedy merchants and forgotten kings. For the chance to revive her family name and be everything her brother could never be, Sume must sign away her life and freedom--or forever doom her bloodline to failure.

Meanwhile, the mercenary Kefier finds himself chased down by former associates after a botched job leaves his friend dead. Already once branded a murderer, he crosses paths with his friend’s sister Sume and the merchant-mage, Ylir. Their intertwined fates brings them to the crux of a conflict with the first fire-breathing dragon seen in the continent for decades. But the dragon may very well not be a dragon, but a demon hell-bent on corrupting those in its path...including the three running head-first into it.

The 5th Anniversary Edition of the debut trilogy from the author of the critically acclaimed The Wolf of Oren-yaro rediscovers the epic fantasy adventure that pits old legacies against a necromancer's beast in a tale praised for its complex narrative, character development, rich worldbuilding, and a riveting conclusion.]]> 466 K.S. Villoso William 4 fantasy Jaeth's Eye was given a fresh edit by the author since I first read it approximately three years ago. Since I have not read the final two books of the trilogy yet (also re-edited), I decided to reread it. Glad I did as it was very enjoyable. I could not recall everything to notice all the changes.

The world building is well done. Another strength is the brutal, no holds barred portrayal of the trials and tribulations for multiple characters. As with the real world, some are dealt much worse cards than others, and must do whatever is necessary to provide for both themselves and their families. Villoso establishes harsh social and economic factors, and how her cast copes with them makes the book.

If you expect to be hand held throughout the novel, it may not be for you. Instead, you are immersed immediately within the fictional world just like a character, acquiring information in bits and pieces along the way. Reading Jaeth’s Eye is somewhat akin to reading an Erikson Malazan Book of the Fallen novel.

If you stick with the narrative, all the pieces start coming together, and the payoff is rewarding.

This novel is intelligently written and makes you think. I plan on continuing the series to discover what happens next.]]> 3.90 2014 Jaeth's Eye (The Agartes Epilogues, #1)
author: K.S. Villoso
name: William
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2023/05/29
date added: 2023/05/29
shelves: fantasy
review:
Jaeth's Eye was given a fresh edit by the author since I first read it approximately three years ago. Since I have not read the final two books of the trilogy yet (also re-edited), I decided to reread it. Glad I did as it was very enjoyable. I could not recall everything to notice all the changes.

The world building is well done. Another strength is the brutal, no holds barred portrayal of the trials and tribulations for multiple characters. As with the real world, some are dealt much worse cards than others, and must do whatever is necessary to provide for both themselves and their families. Villoso establishes harsh social and economic factors, and how her cast copes with them makes the book.

If you expect to be hand held throughout the novel, it may not be for you. Instead, you are immersed immediately within the fictional world just like a character, acquiring information in bits and pieces along the way. Reading Jaeth’s Eye is somewhat akin to reading an Erikson Malazan Book of the Fallen novel.

If you stick with the narrative, all the pieces start coming together, and the payoff is rewarding.

This novel is intelligently written and makes you think. I plan on continuing the series to discover what happens next.
]]> <![CDATA[The Veiled Throne (The Dandelion Dynasty, #3)]]> 18952403 With the invasion of Dara complete, and the Wall of Storms breached, the world has opened to new possibilities for the gods and peoples of both empires as the sweeping saga of the award-winning Dandelion Dynasty continues in this third book of the “magnificent fantasy epic� (NPR).

Princess Théra, once known as Empress Üna of Dara, entrusted the throne to her younger brother in order to journey to Ukyu-Gondé to war with the Lyucu. She has crossed the fabled Wall of Storms with a fleet of advanced warships and ten thousand people. Beset by adversity, Théra and her most trusted companions attempt to overcome every challenge by doing the most interesting thing. But is not letting the past dictate the present always possible or even desirable?

In Dara, the Lyucu leadership as well as the surviving Dandelion Court bristle with rivalries as currents of power surge and ebb and perspectives spin and shift. Here, parents and children, teachers and students, Empress and Pékyu, all nurture the seeds of plans that will take years to bloom. Will tradition yield to new justifications for power?

Everywhere, the spirit of innovation dances like dandelion seeds on the wind, and the commoners, the forgotten, the ignored begin to engineer new solutions for a new age.

Ken Liu returns to the series that draws from a tradition of the great epics of our history from the Aeneid to the Romance on the Three Kingdoms and builds a new tale unsurpassed in its scope and ambition.]]> 1008 Ken Liu 1481424335 William 4 fantasy The Veiled Throne, the penultimate installment of The Dandelion Dynasty series, is a testament to masterful storytelling. This novel should be read slowly, savoring every word.

Cultural traditions and identity take center stage in this volume. Allegories and symbols are frequent ingredients contributing to the beautiful prose.

The advancement of the major plots is slower compared to prior editions. This may be the result of expanding a planned trilogy to a quartet.

The climax was heart wrenching and included revelations I did not anticipate. I allowed myself to become emotionally attached to multiple characters which is paramount to my enjoyment.

I definitely plan on reading Speaking Bones to finish the series.]]> 4.14 2021 The Veiled Throne (The Dandelion Dynasty, #3)
author: Ken Liu
name: William
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2023/05/24
date added: 2023/05/24
shelves: fantasy
review:
The Veiled Throne, the penultimate installment of The Dandelion Dynasty series, is a testament to masterful storytelling. This novel should be read slowly, savoring every word.

Cultural traditions and identity take center stage in this volume. Allegories and symbols are frequent ingredients contributing to the beautiful prose.

The advancement of the major plots is slower compared to prior editions. This may be the result of expanding a planned trilogy to a quartet.

The climax was heart wrenching and included revelations I did not anticipate. I allowed myself to become emotionally attached to multiple characters which is paramount to my enjoyment.

I definitely plan on reading Speaking Bones to finish the series.
]]> <![CDATA[Tape to Space: Redefining Modern Hockey Tactics]]> 43899485 302 Ryan Kent Stimson William 3 sports Data Analytics is fascinating and I am a huge proponent of analysis and subsequent data driven decisions. The author has a strong background in this space and I greatly appreciated all his citations to support his claims.

As a hockey fan that enjoys observing player movements without the puck to create chances, this title caught my eye. Indeed, with talent being close to equal on both sides, tactics can be a strong differentiator. While I may not have agreed with every proposal, reviewing them does enable one to 'think outside the box', challenging traditional norms. As even more data becomes available in the future, I expect innovative thinking to rapidly increase accordingly.

The last part of the book is based on the author being a coach of a U14 team where he gets to experiment with some of these new ideas. He explains what worked and what did not work. Also, he acknowledges challenges with resisting a break from traditional thinking.

At the U14 level players are still heavily focused on developing fundamental skills. Asking them to also learn complex tactics including dynamically rotating positions on the fly may be a bit premature. However, at the varsity level and higher, I do agree it is worth attempting to employ these proposals.

There are several grammatical errors present throughout the book. I realize this is not a literary novel, but better editing would have caught most of these and they did bother me. The author dropped a couple of F bombs which I did not think were necessary.

If you enjoy hockey and have an open mind, this book is worth the read.]]> 3.94 Tape to Space: Redefining Modern Hockey Tactics
author: Ryan Kent Stimson
name: William
average rating: 3.94
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2023/05/06
date added: 2023/05/06
shelves: sports
review:
Data Analytics is fascinating and I am a huge proponent of analysis and subsequent data driven decisions. The author has a strong background in this space and I greatly appreciated all his citations to support his claims.

As a hockey fan that enjoys observing player movements without the puck to create chances, this title caught my eye. Indeed, with talent being close to equal on both sides, tactics can be a strong differentiator. While I may not have agreed with every proposal, reviewing them does enable one to 'think outside the box', challenging traditional norms. As even more data becomes available in the future, I expect innovative thinking to rapidly increase accordingly.

The last part of the book is based on the author being a coach of a U14 team where he gets to experiment with some of these new ideas. He explains what worked and what did not work. Also, he acknowledges challenges with resisting a break from traditional thinking.

At the U14 level players are still heavily focused on developing fundamental skills. Asking them to also learn complex tactics including dynamically rotating positions on the fly may be a bit premature. However, at the varsity level and higher, I do agree it is worth attempting to employ these proposals.

There are several grammatical errors present throughout the book. I realize this is not a literary novel, but better editing would have caught most of these and they did bother me. The author dropped a couple of F bombs which I did not think were necessary.

If you enjoy hockey and have an open mind, this book is worth the read.
]]> Song for the Basilisk 23303478 From the World Fantasy Award-winning author of The Bards of Bone Plain.

Something half-woke in him, and he froze on the threshold, seeing misshapen faces billow in the flames.

As a child, Rook had been taken in by the bards of Luly, and raised as one of their own. Of his past he knew nothing—except faint memoires of fire and death that he'd do anything to forget.

But nightmares, and a new threat to the island that had become his own, would not let him escape the dreadful fate of his true family. Haunted by the music of the bards, he left the only home he knew to wander the land of the power-hungry Basilisk who had destroyed his family. And perhaps, finally, to find a future in the fulfillment of his forgotten destiny...]]> 318 Patricia A. McKillip 1101662166 William 4 fantasy McKillip's beautiful prose is lyrical just like the magical music present in Song for the Basilisk. She masterfully employs metaphorical allegories and symbolism throughout the narrative.

The primary plot of the novel is simple and focuses on revenge. However, an abundance of themes are also present including love, forgiveness, friendship, redemption, and personal growth. We become acquainted with several fascinating characters.

The climax was unexpected and arguably unrealistic. Nevertheless, I was content with the outcome and it put a smile on my face. I do wish an epilogue chapter was included though to discover what has become of the world and its supporting cast.

Overall I really enjoyed Song for the Basilisk.

]]> 4.41 1998 Song for the Basilisk
author: Patricia A. McKillip
name: William
average rating: 4.41
book published: 1998
rating: 4
read at: 2023/04/18
date added: 2023/04/18
shelves: fantasy
review:
McKillip's beautiful prose is lyrical just like the magical music present in Song for the Basilisk. She masterfully employs metaphorical allegories and symbolism throughout the narrative.

The primary plot of the novel is simple and focuses on revenge. However, an abundance of themes are also present including love, forgiveness, friendship, redemption, and personal growth. We become acquainted with several fascinating characters.

The climax was unexpected and arguably unrealistic. Nevertheless, I was content with the outcome and it put a smile on my face. I do wish an epilogue chapter was included though to discover what has become of the world and its supporting cast.

Overall I really enjoyed Song for the Basilisk.


]]> <![CDATA[Perdido Street Station (New Crobuzon #1)]]> 19501367 753 China Miéville 1743032439 William 1 science-fiction Perdido Street Station was a slogfest. I only finished it because it was a book club selection. The novel is incoherent, pretentious, and hopeless. Grandiose sprawling plots and ideas are introduced and abandoned.

Countless elaborate descriptions of the city of New Crobuzon are present throughout. The author does a decent job painting these scenes. Unfortunately, most are meaningless regarding relevance to the story. Ironically, we discover very little concerning the city's placement. Are there threats from other cities, countries, planets, dimensions, etc.? Does New Crobuzon have any allies?

Characterization is poor. Compared to setting descriptions, I had a difficult time visualizing what characters looked like. Most characters exist solely as mere plot devices. I was not a fan of Isaac, the main protagonist. The only characters that interested me were Lin and Derkhan.

The use of profanity is excessive. Prostitutes appear multiple times irrelevant to the grand scheme of things.

The 'hard science' topic related to crisis engines was over the top. I tried to suspend my disbelief, but could not buy into it.

We are reminded over and over again of how destitute much of New Crobuzon is. We got it the first ten times. I appreciate trying to keep everything real and not sugarcoat. However, everyone's outlook remains cutthroat and hopeless. There is no coherent plan to fight for a better, fairer world.

The finale is weak and disappointing. One major plot actually resolved is done so in deus ex machina fashion spanning just a handful of pages.

I have no plans of ever returning to New Crobuzon.]]> 4.02 2000 Perdido Street Station (New Crobuzon #1)
author: China Miéville
name: William
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2000
rating: 1
read at: 2023/03/06
date added: 2023/03/18
shelves: science-fiction
review:
Perdido Street Station was a slogfest. I only finished it because it was a book club selection. The novel is incoherent, pretentious, and hopeless. Grandiose sprawling plots and ideas are introduced and abandoned.

Countless elaborate descriptions of the city of New Crobuzon are present throughout. The author does a decent job painting these scenes. Unfortunately, most are meaningless regarding relevance to the story. Ironically, we discover very little concerning the city's placement. Are there threats from other cities, countries, planets, dimensions, etc.? Does New Crobuzon have any allies?

Characterization is poor. Compared to setting descriptions, I had a difficult time visualizing what characters looked like. Most characters exist solely as mere plot devices. I was not a fan of Isaac, the main protagonist. The only characters that interested me were Lin and Derkhan.

The use of profanity is excessive. Prostitutes appear multiple times irrelevant to the grand scheme of things.

The 'hard science' topic related to crisis engines was over the top. I tried to suspend my disbelief, but could not buy into it.

We are reminded over and over again of how destitute much of New Crobuzon is. We got it the first ten times. I appreciate trying to keep everything real and not sugarcoat. However, everyone's outlook remains cutthroat and hopeless. There is no coherent plan to fight for a better, fairer world.

The finale is weak and disappointing. One major plot actually resolved is done so in deus ex machina fashion spanning just a handful of pages.

I have no plans of ever returning to New Crobuzon.
]]> White Nights 26164164 A young, lonely man strolls the streets of St. Petersburg contemplating his solitude when he happens upon a young woman in tears. While escorting her home, the two strike up a conversation and soon become friends, meeting up at night to share their stories. When the young woman, Nastenka, explains that she was crying because she had been waiting for her fiancé who promised he would be back to marry her, the young man, despite his growing feelings toward her, promises to help her locate her beloved.

“White Nights� is considered to be one of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s best short stories and has been adapted numerous times for film in various languages.

HarperPerennial Classics brings great works of literature to life in digital format, upholding the highest standards in ebook production and celebrating reading in all its forms. Look for more titles in the HarperPerennial Classics collection to build your digital library.

]]> 62 Fyodor Dostoevsky 1443448176 William 4 classics Dostoevsky masterfully illustrates loneliness in this short story through the eyes of the unnamed narrator. ]]> 4.06 1848 White Nights
author: Fyodor Dostoevsky
name: William
average rating: 4.06
book published: 1848
rating: 4
read at: 2023/01/04
date added: 2023/01/14
shelves: classics
review:
Dostoevsky masterfully illustrates loneliness in this short story through the eyes of the unnamed narrator.
]]> Middlemarch 24612058 Ìý
A triumph of realist fiction, George Eliot’s A Study of Provincial Life explores a fictional nineteenth-century Midlands town in the midst of sweeping change. The proposed Reform Bill, the new railroads, and scientific advances are threatening upheaval on every front. Against this backdrop, the quiet drama of ordinary lives is played out by the novel’s complexly portrayed characters—until the arrival of two outsiders further disrupts the town’s equilibrium. Every bit as powerful and perceptive in our time as it was in the Victorian era, Middlemarch Ìýdisplays George Eliot’s clear-eyed yet humane understanding of characters caught up in the mysterious unfolding of self-knowledge.Ìý

In this elegant Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition, Rebecca Mead introduces the novel that shaped her life and reflects on its joys and its timeless relevance.

For more than sixty-five years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,500Ìýtitles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust theÌýseries to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-dateÌýtranslations by award-winning translators.]]> 786 George Eliot 0143107720 William 5 classics Middlemarch, I immediately wished I had an opportunity to meet George Eliot. It quickly became obvious how highly intelligent she was across a multitude of topics. I would have so many questions!

In this novel Eliot brilliantly portrays provincial life in a small English town during the nineteenth century. Her understanding of the human condition is legendary. Characterization reigns supreme.

Middlemarch is very thought provoking. It reminded me to learn from my mistakes to become a better person for both loved ones and myself. It allowed me to better appreciate the good in my life and not take blessings for granted.]]> 4.33 1872 Middlemarch
author: George Eliot
name: William
average rating: 4.33
book published: 1872
rating: 5
read at: 2023/01/03
date added: 2023/01/14
shelves: classics
review:
After finishing Middlemarch, I immediately wished I had an opportunity to meet George Eliot. It quickly became obvious how highly intelligent she was across a multitude of topics. I would have so many questions!

In this novel Eliot brilliantly portrays provincial life in a small English town during the nineteenth century. Her understanding of the human condition is legendary. Characterization reigns supreme.

Middlemarch is very thought provoking. It reminded me to learn from my mistakes to become a better person for both loved ones and myself. It allowed me to better appreciate the good in my life and not take blessings for granted.
]]> The Lost Metal (Mistborn, #7) 23947089 Return to #1 New York Times bestseller Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn world of Scadrial as its second era, which began with The Alloy of Law, comes to its earth-shattering conclusion in The Lost Metal.

For years, frontier lawman turned big-city senator Waxillium Ladrian has hunted the shadowy organization the Set—with his late uncle and his sister among their leaders—since they started kidnapping people with the power of Allomancy in their bloodlines. When Detective Marasi Colms and her partner, Wayne, find stockpiled weapons bound for the Outer City of Bilming, this opens a new lead. Conflict between the capital, Elendel, and the Outer Cities only favors the Set, and their tendrils now reach to the Elendel Senate—whose corruption Wax and his wife, Steris, have sought to expose—and Bilming is even more entangled.

After Wax discovers a new type of explosive that can unleash unprecedented destruction and realizes that the Set must already have it, an immortal kandra serving Scadrial's god, Harmony, reveals that Bilming has fallen under the influence of another god: Trell, worshipped by the Set. And Trell isn't the only factor at play from the larger Cosmere—Marasi is recruited by offworlders with strange abilities who claim their goal is to protect Scadrial . . . at any cost.

Wax must choose whether to set aside his rocky relationship with God and once again become the Sword that Harmony has groomed him to be. If no one steps forward to be the hero Scadrial needs, the planet and its millions of people will come to a sudden and calamitous ruin.]]> 507 Brandon Sanderson 0765391198 William 4 fantasy Mistborn trilogy is among my all time favorites! It is always a pleasure to revisit this part of the Cosmere.

The Lost Metal, the fourth and last installment of the 'Wax and Wayne' books from era two, is a decent conclusion to the series. I was disappointed with The Alloy of Law, but enjoyed the subsequent three volumes.

The Lost Metal contains multiple references to other books within the Cosmere. This can be interpreted as both a pro or a con dependent upon whether you have already read these earlier published works.

Character growth and corresponding plot resolutions are very strong. The finale was heart wrenching.]]> 4.46 2022 The Lost Metal (Mistborn, #7)
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: William
average rating: 4.46
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2022/12/18
date added: 2023/01/13
shelves: fantasy
review:
The original Mistborn trilogy is among my all time favorites! It is always a pleasure to revisit this part of the Cosmere.

The Lost Metal, the fourth and last installment of the 'Wax and Wayne' books from era two, is a decent conclusion to the series. I was disappointed with The Alloy of Law, but enjoyed the subsequent three volumes.

The Lost Metal contains multiple references to other books within the Cosmere. This can be interpreted as both a pro or a con dependent upon whether you have already read these earlier published works.

Character growth and corresponding plot resolutions are very strong. The finale was heart wrenching.
]]> <![CDATA[An Ember in the Ashes (An Ember in the Ashes, #1)]]> 36506218 Ìý
Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.
Ìý
It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.
Ìý
But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.
Ìý
There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

From the Hardcover edition.]]> 456 Sabaa Tahir William 3 fantasy Tahir does a decent job with world building.

Laia, Elias, and Helene are very likable characters to cheer for. Anticipating how they may possibly overcome adversity and make the world a better place for everyone kept me reading.

I did not appreciate Laia's 'instalove' love triangle. The romance felt forced and as a result decisions made and subsequent actions taken seemed implausible.

One of my biggest pet peeves is infuriating cliffhangers and this book certainly ends with one. I realize An Ember in the Ashes is the first part of a quartet. Nevertheless, so many plots remain completely unresolved. I at least believe the first installment of a series should somewhat stand on its own if deciding not to continue.

I may pick up this series again in the future as I did enjoy it enough to want to know what happens next.]]> 4.28 2015 An Ember in the Ashes (An Ember in the Ashes, #1)
author: Sabaa Tahir
name: William
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2015
rating: 3
read at: 2022/12/10
date added: 2023/01/08
shelves: fantasy
review:
The author does not pull any punches regarding the main protagonists of this novel. For much of the narrative they encounter brutal hardships. By setting this premise and remaining true to it, Tahir does a decent job with world building.

Laia, Elias, and Helene are very likable characters to cheer for. Anticipating how they may possibly overcome adversity and make the world a better place for everyone kept me reading.

I did not appreciate Laia's 'instalove' love triangle. The romance felt forced and as a result decisions made and subsequent actions taken seemed implausible.

One of my biggest pet peeves is infuriating cliffhangers and this book certainly ends with one. I realize An Ember in the Ashes is the first part of a quartet. Nevertheless, so many plots remain completely unresolved. I at least believe the first installment of a series should somewhat stand on its own if deciding not to continue.

I may pick up this series again in the future as I did enjoy it enough to want to know what happens next.
]]> Second Hand Curses 40801503 204 Drew Hayes William 4 fantasy Drew Hayes has written several novels; both standalone and part of a series. He does a superb job of finding a unique voice for each world created.

Second Hand Curses is no exception. Hayes places his own spin on a plethora of classic fairly tales. Chapters are comprised of individual stories loosely tied together.

This novel was a quick entertaining read. As an added bonus, you can play a game to guess which fairly tale the main protagonists are from.

Multiple intriguing twists are also present. The finale was satisfying.]]> 4.37 2017 Second Hand Curses
author: Drew Hayes
name: William
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2022/12/05
date added: 2023/01/08
shelves: fantasy
review:
Drew Hayes has written several novels; both standalone and part of a series. He does a superb job of finding a unique voice for each world created.

Second Hand Curses is no exception. Hayes places his own spin on a plethora of classic fairly tales. Chapters are comprised of individual stories loosely tied together.

This novel was a quick entertaining read. As an added bonus, you can play a game to guess which fairly tale the main protagonists are from.

Multiple intriguing twists are also present. The finale was satisfying.
]]> Pears and Perils 18887098
What people are saying:

“Riveting. Ground Breaking. Truly Impressive.� � People talking about a shipment of tools in a hardware store.

“Dude, this digibook is so solid it four take powerlifting bros to budge it.� –Thunder

“It’s a masterful piece of fiction with laugh out loud humor and sparkling characters. There, I said it, now get the hell out of my house and leave me alone!� –Some guy we thought worked for the Wall Street Journal. (We were way wrong on that one)]]> 286 Drew Hayes William 5 fantasy Pears and Perils is a fun, highly entertaining quick read that does not take itself too seriously. Drew Hayes has a great sense of humor that shines throughout the entire narrative. I literally laughed out loud several times.

So many characters are unique and likable. Even those I was not initially crazy about grew on me. Watching them grow and bond together during a zany adventure, gods and mere mortals alike, was amazing. Even the antagonists were hilarious.

The finale was very satisfying. Highly recommended for those seeking a fun pick-me-up escape.]]> 4.24 2013 Pears and Perils
author: Drew Hayes
name: William
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2013
rating: 5
read at: 2022/11/19
date added: 2022/11/22
shelves: fantasy
review:
Pears and Perils is a fun, highly entertaining quick read that does not take itself too seriously. Drew Hayes has a great sense of humor that shines throughout the entire narrative. I literally laughed out loud several times.

So many characters are unique and likable. Even those I was not initially crazy about grew on me. Watching them grow and bond together during a zany adventure, gods and mere mortals alike, was amazing. Even the antagonists were hilarious.

The finale was very satisfying. Highly recommended for those seeking a fun pick-me-up escape.
]]> Rocannon’s World 92610 258 Ursula K. Le Guin 0441732968 William 3 science-fiction Rocannon's World is Le Guin's first published novel, and part of the Hainish Cycle collection. Flashes of brilliance are present here, foreshadowing her abundance of even stronger later works.

The prologue, The Necklace, was my favorite part of the story.

Since the book is very short in length, we do not spend much time to become acquainted in depth with characters and worlds. Nevertheless, focal characters remain memorable and I was able to establish emotional attachments with them.

A central theme driving the plot is senseless violence, indiscriminately killing defenseless species on underdeveloped worlds for personal gain. Another focal theme is treachery and betrayal. I was hoping for any details regarding why 'the enemy' attacked but unfortunately none were provided.

The focal characters from multiple humanoid races all band together to seek revenge for the deaths caused by 'the enemy'. During this journey to find the perpetrators is where Le Guin exhibits her talents of world building and symbolism.

The finale is too convenient but does provide adequate closure.

Overall, Rocannon's World was an enjoyable read and I hope to read other Hainish Cycle books in the future.]]> 3.81 1966 Rocannon’s World
author: Ursula K. Le Guin
name: William
average rating: 3.81
book published: 1966
rating: 3
read at: 2022/11/12
date added: 2022/11/13
shelves: science-fiction
review:
Rocannon's World is Le Guin's first published novel, and part of the Hainish Cycle collection. Flashes of brilliance are present here, foreshadowing her abundance of even stronger later works.

The prologue, The Necklace, was my favorite part of the story.

Since the book is very short in length, we do not spend much time to become acquainted in depth with characters and worlds. Nevertheless, focal characters remain memorable and I was able to establish emotional attachments with them.

A central theme driving the plot is senseless violence, indiscriminately killing defenseless species on underdeveloped worlds for personal gain. Another focal theme is treachery and betrayal. I was hoping for any details regarding why 'the enemy' attacked but unfortunately none were provided.

The focal characters from multiple humanoid races all band together to seek revenge for the deaths caused by 'the enemy'. During this journey to find the perpetrators is where Le Guin exhibits her talents of world building and symbolism.

The finale is too convenient but does provide adequate closure.

Overall, Rocannon's World was an enjoyable read and I hope to read other Hainish Cycle books in the future.
]]> A Room with a View 50244514 E. M. Forster's beloved novel of forbidden love, culture clash, and the confines of Edwardian society

Visiting Florence with her prim and proper cousin Charlotte as a chaperone, Lucy Honeychurch meets the unconventional, lower-class Mr. Emerson and his son, George. Upon her return to England, Lucy becomes engaged to the supercilious Cecil Vyse, but she finds herself increasingly torn between the expectations of the world in which she moves and the passionate yearnings of her heart.

More than a love story, A Room with a View (1908) is a penetrating social comedy and a brilliant study of contrasts - in values, social class, and cultural perspectives - and the ingenuity of fate. In her illuminating introduction, Forster biographer Wendy Moffat delves into the little-known details of his life before and during the writing of A Room with a View, and explores the way the enigmatic author’s queer eye found comedy in the clash between English manners and the unsettling modern world, encouraging his reader to recognize and overcome their prejudice through humor. This edition also contains new Suggestions for Further Reading by Moffat and Explanatory Notes by Malcolm Bradbury.]]> 206 E.M. Forster 0141183292 William 0 to-read 3.83 1908 A Room with a View
author: E.M. Forster
name: William
average rating: 3.83
book published: 1908
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/11/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Space Between Worlds (The Space Between Worlds #1)]]> 48990389 An outsider who can travel between worlds discovers a secret that threatens her new home and her fragile place in it, in a stunning sci-fi debut that’s both a cross-dimensional adventure and a powerful examination of identity, privilege, and belonging.

Multiverse travel is finally possible, but there’s just one catch: No one can visit a world where their counterpart is still alive. Enter Cara, whose parallel selves happen to be exceptionally good at dying—from disease, turf wars, or vendettas they couldn’t outrun. Cara’s life has been cut short on 372 worlds in total.

On this Earth, however, Cara has survived. Identified as an outlier and therefore a perfect candidate for multiverse travel, Cara is plucked from the dirt of the wastelands. Now she has a nice apartment on the lower levels of the wealthy and walled-off Wiley City. She works—and shamelessly flirts—with her enticing yet aloof handler, Dell, as the two women collect off-world data for the Eldridge Institute. She even occasionally leaves the city to visit her family in the wastes, though she struggles to feel at home in either place. So long as she can keep her head down and avoid trouble, Cara is on a sure path to citizenship and security.

But trouble finds Cara when one of her eight remaining doppelgängers dies under mysterious circumstances, plunging her into a new world with an old secret. What she discovers will connect her past and her future in ways she could have never imagined—and reveal her own role in a plot that endangers not just her world, but the entire multiverse.]]> 322 Micaiah Johnson 0593135067 William 0 to-read 4.17 2020 The Space Between Worlds (The Space Between Worlds #1)
author: Micaiah Johnson
name: William
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/11/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Recursion 41941223 A thriller about time, identity, and memory...

Reality is broken.

At first, it looks like a disease. An epidemic that spreads through no known means, driving its victims mad with memories of a life they never lived. But the force that’s sweeping the world is no pathogen. It’s just the first shock wave, unleashed by a stunning discovery—and what’s in jeopardy is not our minds but the very fabric of time itself.

In New York City, Detective Barry Sutton is closing in on the truth—and in a remote laboratory, neuroscientist Helena Smith is unaware that she alone holds the key to this mystery... and the tools for fighting back.

Together, Barry and Helena will have to confront their enemy—before they, and the world, are trapped in a loop of ever-growing chaos.]]> 324 Blake Crouch 1524759805 William 0 to-read 4.26 2019 Recursion
author: Blake Crouch
name: William
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/11/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Project Hail Mary 54906250 An impossible mission.
An ally he never imagined.

Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission - and if he fails, humanity and the earth itself will perish.

Except that right now, he doesn't know that. He can't even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it.

All he knows is that he's been asleep for a very, very long time. And he's just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company.

His crewmates dead, his memories fuzzily returning, Ryland realizes that an impossible task now confronts him. Hurtling through space on this tiny ship, it's up to him to puzzle out an impossible scientific mystery-and conquer an extinction-level threat to our species.

And with the clock ticking down and the nearest human being light-years away, he's got to do it all alone.

Or does he?]]> 549 Andy Weir William 0 to-read 4.57 2021 Project Hail Mary
author: Andy Weir
name: William
average rating: 4.57
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/11/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Metamorphosis 28225434 THE METAMORPHOSIS (German: Die Verwandlung, also sometimes translated as The Transformation) is a novella by Franz Kafka, first published in 1915. It has been called one of the seminal works of fiction of the 20th century and is studied in colleges and universities across the Western world.


The story begins with a traveling salesman, Gregor Samsa, waking to find himself trans¬formed (metamorphosed) into a large, monstrous insect-like creature. The cause of Gregor's transformation is never revealed, and Kafka himself never gave an explanation. The rest of Kafka's novella deals with Gregor's attempts to adjust to his new condition as he deals with being burdensome to his parents and sister, who are repelled by the horrible, verminous creature Gregor has become.]]> 45 Franz Kafka 9176371093 William 0 to-read 3.90 1915 Metamorphosis
author: Franz Kafka
name: William
average rating: 3.90
book published: 1915
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/11/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Locklands (The Founders Trilogy, #3)]]> 55535618
Sancia, Clef, and Berenice have gone up against plenty of long odds in the past. But the war they’re fighting now is one even they can’t win.

This time, they’re not facing robber-baron elites, or even an immortal hierophant, but an entity whose intelligence is spread over half the globe—a ghost in the machine that uses the magic of scriving to possess and control not just objects, but human minds.

To fight it, they’ve used scriving technology to transform themselves and their allies into an army—a society—that’s like nothing humanity has seen before. With its strength at their backs, they’ve freed a handful of their enemy’s hosts from servitude, even brought down some of its fearsome, reality-altering dreadnaughts. Yet despite their efforts, their enemy marches on—implacable. Unstoppable.

Now, as their opponent closes in on its true prize—an ancient doorway, long buried, that leads to the chambers at the center of creation itself—Sancia and her friends glimpse a chance at reaching it first, and with it, a last desperate opportunity to stop this unbeatable foe. But to do so, they’ll have to unlock the centuries-old mystery of scriving’s origins, embark on a desperate mission into the heart of their enemy’s power, and pull off the most daring heist they’ve ever attempted.

And as if that weren’t enough, their adversary might just have a spy in their ranks—and a last trick up its sleeve.]]> 544 Robert Jackson Bennett William 0 to-read 4.03 2022 Locklands (The Founders Trilogy, #3)
author: Robert Jackson Bennett
name: William
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/11/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> How High We Go in the Dark 58161113
Among those adjusting to this new normal are an aspiring comedian, employed by a theme park designed for terminally ill children, who falls in love with a mother trying desperately to keep her son alive; a scientist who, having failed to save his own son from the plague, gets a second chance at fatherhood when one of his test subjects-a pig-develops human speech; a man who, after recovering from his own coma, plans a block party for his neighbours who have also woken up to find that they alone have survived their families; and a widowed painter and her teenaged granddaughter who must set off on cosmic quest to locate a new home planet.

From funerary skyscrapers to hotels for the dead, How High We Go in the Dark follows a cast of intricately linked characters spanning hundreds of years as humanity endeavours to restore the delicate balance of the world. This is a story of unshakable hope that crosses literary lines to give us a world rebuilding itself through an endless capacity for love, resilience and reinvention. Wonderful and disquieting, dreamlike and all too possible.]]> 290 Sequoia Nagamatsu William 0 to-read 3.93 2022 How High We Go in the Dark
author: Sequoia Nagamatsu
name: William
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/11/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Changes (The Dresden Files, #12)]]> 8442726 560 Jim Butcher 1101186305 William 0 to-read 4.60 2010 Changes (The Dresden Files, #12)
author: Jim Butcher
name: William
average rating: 4.60
book published: 2010
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/11/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Turn Coat (The Dresden Files, #11)]]> 6416196 Jim Butcher’s breakthrough #1 New York Times bestseller starring Chicago’s only professional wizard, Harry Dresden.

When it comes to the magical ruling body known as the White Council, Harry is thought of as either a black sheep or a sacrificial lamb. And none hold him in more disdain than Morgan, a veteran Warden with a grudge against anyone who bends the rules. But now, Morgan is in trouble. He’s been accused of cold-blooded murder—a crime with only one, final punishment.

He’s on the run, wanting his name cleared, and he needs someone with a knack for backing the underdog. So it’s up to Harry to uncover a traitor within the Council, keep Morgan under wraps, and avoid coming under scrutiny himself. And a single mistake may cost someone his head.

Someone like Harry...]]> 545 Jim Butcher 1101032421 William 0 to-read 4.53 2009 Turn Coat (The Dresden Files, #11)
author: Jim Butcher
name: William
average rating: 4.53
book published: 2009
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/11/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Black Sun (Between Earth and Sky, #1)]]> 50892360 The first book in the Between Earth and Sky trilogy, inspired by the civilizations of the Pre-Columbian Americas and woven into a tale of celestial prophecies, political intrigue, and forbidden magic.

A god will return
When the earth and sky converge
Under the black sun

In the holy city of Tova, the winter solstice is usually a time for celebration and renewal, but this year it coincides with a solar eclipse, a rare celestial event proscribed by the Sun Priest as an unbalancing of the world.

Meanwhile, a ship launches from a distant city bound for Tova and set to arrive on the solstice. The captain of the ship, Xiala, is a disgraced Teek whose song can calm the waters around her as easily as it can warp a man’s mind. Her ship carries one passenger. Described as harmless, the passenger, Serapio, is a young man, blind, scarred, and cloaked in destiny. As Xiala well knows, when a man is described as harmless, he usually ends up being a villain.]]> 454 Rebecca Roanhorse 1534437673 William 1 fantasy Black Sun was very intriguing and grabbed my attention. Unfortunately, I found it to be disappointing.

Opening scenes of the novel are its strength. The initial scene when we first meet Serapio sets the tone and is very impactful. I also was impressed with early scenes featuring Xiala and Lord Balam.

My praise sadly stops here.

The focal upcoming event worth waiting hundreds of years for is a winter solstice happening concurrently with a solar eclipse. It is paramount that Serapio arrives in Tova in time to fulfill a prophecy based on this event. Why wait so long then to charter a boat to take Serapio there at a breakneck pace to hopefully make it on time?

The magic systems employed here are seemingly boundless and omnipotent. I tried to keep an open mind and suspend my disbeliefs. Nevertheless, how easily characters are able to employ their powers is laughable.

Several times throughout the narrative, actions of characters are inconsistent and implausible. I felt as though most were merely props to set the stage for the next book.

The pacing between about the first ninety five percent of the story and the finale is comically uneven. After a steady buildup, the climax lasts for only a few pages. Please do not skim or blink or you may miss it. Furthermore, nearly all of the action of the climax happens 'off camera'.

A pet peeve of mine is books ending with infuriating cliffhangers. I realize Black Sun is the debut of a series. Nevertheless, nothing is resolved here and several unanswered questions persist.

Black Sun had so much potential. Perhaps adequate resolutions are forthcoming in subsequent volumes, but I am not willing to take another chance.]]> 4.17 2020 Black Sun (Between Earth and Sky, #1)
author: Rebecca Roanhorse
name: William
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2020
rating: 1
read at: 2022/10/19
date added: 2022/11/06
shelves: fantasy
review:
The synopsis of Black Sun was very intriguing and grabbed my attention. Unfortunately, I found it to be disappointing.

Opening scenes of the novel are its strength. The initial scene when we first meet Serapio sets the tone and is very impactful. I also was impressed with early scenes featuring Xiala and Lord Balam.

My praise sadly stops here.

The focal upcoming event worth waiting hundreds of years for is a winter solstice happening concurrently with a solar eclipse. It is paramount that Serapio arrives in Tova in time to fulfill a prophecy based on this event. Why wait so long then to charter a boat to take Serapio there at a breakneck pace to hopefully make it on time?

The magic systems employed here are seemingly boundless and omnipotent. I tried to keep an open mind and suspend my disbeliefs. Nevertheless, how easily characters are able to employ their powers is laughable.

Several times throughout the narrative, actions of characters are inconsistent and implausible. I felt as though most were merely props to set the stage for the next book.

The pacing between about the first ninety five percent of the story and the finale is comically uneven. After a steady buildup, the climax lasts for only a few pages. Please do not skim or blink or you may miss it. Furthermore, nearly all of the action of the climax happens 'off camera'.

A pet peeve of mine is books ending with infuriating cliffhangers. I realize Black Sun is the debut of a series. Nevertheless, nothing is resolved here and several unanswered questions persist.

Black Sun had so much potential. Perhaps adequate resolutions are forthcoming in subsequent volumes, but I am not willing to take another chance.
]]> <![CDATA[Proven Guilty (The Dresden Files, #8)]]> 5986832
And if that wasn't enough, another problem arrives in the form of the tattooed and pierced daughter of an old friend, all grown-up and already in trouble. Her boyfriend was the only one in a room where an old man was attacked, but in spite of this, he insists he didn't do it. What looks like a supernatural assault straight out of a horror film turns out to be...well, something quite close to that, as Harry discovers that malevolent entities that feed on fear are loose in Chicago. All in a day's work for a wizard, his faithful dog, and a talking skull named Bob...]]> 428 Jim Butcher 1101128615 William 5 fantasy Proven Guilty, the eighth edition of The Dresden Files, is yet another fantastic addition to the series.

As the case with earlier volumes, several of my favorite characters return and intriguing new characters are introduced.

Butcher continues to grow into an even more fabulous author with this novel. Nearly everything mentioned has a purpose. No wasted words and no fluff. Plots are intelligently crafted.

The narrative is often light throughout with several genuine laugh out loud moments which are neither cheesy nor lame. Nevertheless, at times scenes are dead serious with unpredictable consequences.

Proven Guilty was a great entertaining escape.

Next up, White Night!]]> 4.48 2006 Proven Guilty (The Dresden Files, #8)
author: Jim Butcher
name: William
average rating: 4.48
book published: 2006
rating: 5
read at: 2022/10/07
date added: 2022/10/17
shelves: fantasy
review:
Proven Guilty, the eighth edition of The Dresden Files, is yet another fantastic addition to the series.

As the case with earlier volumes, several of my favorite characters return and intriguing new characters are introduced.

Butcher continues to grow into an even more fabulous author with this novel. Nearly everything mentioned has a purpose. No wasted words and no fluff. Plots are intelligently crafted.

The narrative is often light throughout with several genuine laugh out loud moments which are neither cheesy nor lame. Nevertheless, at times scenes are dead serious with unpredictable consequences.

Proven Guilty was a great entertaining escape.

Next up, White Night!
]]> Wild Seed (Patternmaster, #1) 56952637 Alternate Cover Edition can be found here.

When two immortals meet in the long-ago past, the destiny of mankind is changed forever

For a thousand years, Doro has cultivated a small African village, carefully breeding its people in search of seemingly unattainable perfection. He survives through the centuries by stealing the bodies of others, a technique he has so thoroughly mastered that nothing on Earth can kill him. But when a gang of New World slavers destroys his village, ruining his grand experiment, Doro is forced to go west and begin anew.

He meets Anyanwu, a centuries-old woman whose means of immortality are as kind as his are cruel. She is a shapeshifter, capable of healing with a kiss, and she recognizes Doro as a tyrant. Though many humans have tried to kill them, these two demi-gods have never before met a rival. Now they begin a struggle that will last centuries and permanently alter the nature of humanity.

This ebook features an illustrated biography of Octavia E. Butler including rare images from the author’s estate.]]> 321 Octavia E. Butler William 2 fantasy Wild Seed is considered the first installment of the Patternmaster series. However, it is not the oldest in publication order. I usually read in publication order but started with Wild Seed as recommended by multiple sources. The jury is still out regarding whether I made the right decision.

Doro and Anyanwu are the two focal characters in the novel. A few supporting cast members are somewhat influential, but the vast majority are inconsequential.

The foundation of Wild Seed is comprised of societal views of varying topics including (but not limited to) racial discrimination, slavery, misogyny, incest, immortality, and sexual identity.

Both Doro and Anyanwu are extraordinary beings that could potentially live forever. We witness their lives spanning hundreds of years on Earth. Others have varying supernatural abilities, but not immortality. Doro and Anyanwu could kill themselves or be murdered assuming someone has the power to do so. Doro is on a quest to find and match people throughout the world with different abilities for breeding. We are never explicitly informed why, and we never discover how everyone including Doro and Anyanwu realized these powers. Perhaps this is explained in volumes published before this one?

The narrative does a decent job bringing to light societal challenges throughout our world's history. Sadly, several still persist today. We experience these topics as Doro and Anyanwu interact with themselves and others.

Unfortunately, the actual story itself is lacking and falls flat. Too many walls of text of introspection are present throughout. The repetitive cycle of how Doro and Anyanwu cope with each other becomes tiring. To avoid spoilers, I will refrain from citing specifics. The finale does provide adequate closure.

Bulter is a talented writer. Except for the abundant introspection I appreciated her prose. I applaud her bravery for covering 'hot topics' decades before it was comfortable to do so. It is a shame the plots are shallow and most characters are inconsequential and forgettable.]]> 4.35 1980 Wild Seed (Patternmaster, #1)
author: Octavia E. Butler
name: William
average rating: 4.35
book published: 1980
rating: 2
read at: 2022/09/27
date added: 2022/10/17
shelves: fantasy
review:
Wild Seed is considered the first installment of the Patternmaster series. However, it is not the oldest in publication order. I usually read in publication order but started with Wild Seed as recommended by multiple sources. The jury is still out regarding whether I made the right decision.

Doro and Anyanwu are the two focal characters in the novel. A few supporting cast members are somewhat influential, but the vast majority are inconsequential.

The foundation of Wild Seed is comprised of societal views of varying topics including (but not limited to) racial discrimination, slavery, misogyny, incest, immortality, and sexual identity.

Both Doro and Anyanwu are extraordinary beings that could potentially live forever. We witness their lives spanning hundreds of years on Earth. Others have varying supernatural abilities, but not immortality. Doro and Anyanwu could kill themselves or be murdered assuming someone has the power to do so. Doro is on a quest to find and match people throughout the world with different abilities for breeding. We are never explicitly informed why, and we never discover how everyone including Doro and Anyanwu realized these powers. Perhaps this is explained in volumes published before this one?

The narrative does a decent job bringing to light societal challenges throughout our world's history. Sadly, several still persist today. We experience these topics as Doro and Anyanwu interact with themselves and others.

Unfortunately, the actual story itself is lacking and falls flat. Too many walls of text of introspection are present throughout. The repetitive cycle of how Doro and Anyanwu cope with each other becomes tiring. To avoid spoilers, I will refrain from citing specifics. The finale does provide adequate closure.

Bulter is a talented writer. Except for the abundant introspection I appreciated her prose. I applaud her bravery for covering 'hot topics' decades before it was comfortable to do so. It is a shame the plots are shallow and most characters are inconsequential and forgettable.
]]> <![CDATA[Ten Years Later (Le vicomte de Bragelonne #2)]]> 70032 452 Alexandre Dumas 1592248586 William 4 classics
Vicomte de Bragelonne
Ten Years Later
Louise de La Vallière
The Man in the Iron Mask

This review is for Ten Years Later. Once again, the characterization is outstanding. This installment shifts focus to the younger crowd; particularly Louis XIV and his sister-in-law’s (Henrietta of England) court. Plenty of court intrigue is present.

Dangerous politics are also at play, especially regarding Aramis.

I really enjoyed this novel and plan on continuing the series. I am grateful to Dumas for allowing us to travel back in time and witness France centuries in the past.]]> 3.97 1850 Ten Years Later (Le vicomte de Bragelonne #2)
author: Alexandre Dumas
name: William
average rating: 3.97
book published: 1850
rating: 4
read at: 2017/01/02
date added: 2022/10/02
shelves: classics
review:
The edition I am reading divides the third story into four separate novels:

Vicomte de Bragelonne
Ten Years Later
Louise de La Vallière
The Man in the Iron Mask

This review is for Ten Years Later. Once again, the characterization is outstanding. This installment shifts focus to the younger crowd; particularly Louis XIV and his sister-in-law’s (Henrietta of England) court. Plenty of court intrigue is present.

Dangerous politics are also at play, especially regarding Aramis.

I really enjoyed this novel and plan on continuing the series. I am grateful to Dumas for allowing us to travel back in time and witness France centuries in the past.
]]> <![CDATA[Forging Hephaestus (Villains' Code, #1)]]> 33244647

Gifted with metahuman powers in a world full of capes and villains, Tori Rivas kept away from the limelight, preferring to work as a thief in the shadows. But when she’s captured trying to rob a vault that belongs to a secret guild of villains, she’s offered a hard choice: prove she has what it takes to join them or be eliminated.

Apprenticed to one of the world’s most powerful (and supposedly dead) villains, she is thrust into a strange world where the lines that divide superheroes and criminals are more complex than they seem. The education of a villain is not an easy one, and Tori will have to learn quickly if she wants to survive. On top of the peril she faces from her own teacher, there are also the capes and fellow apprentices to worry about, to say nothing of having to keep up a civilian cover.

Most dangerous of all, though, are those who loathe the guild’s very existence. Old grudges mean some are willing to go to any length to see the guild turned to ash, along with each one of its members. Even the lowly apprentices.]]> 663 Drew Hayes William 3 science-fiction Forging Hephaestus is the debut novel of the Villains' Code series. Indeed, the concept of 'villain' guild members needing to follow strict rules to avoid being 'too bad' and a threat to the universe is very intriguing.

The story was entertaining from start until finish. Also often humorous in a juvenile sort of way. Several characters were likable. Fans of superheroes vs. villains will likely get the most milage from this narrative.

I did feel the length of this book though and unfortunately believe it could have been condensed significantly without sacrificing substance. The prose is at times deliberate and a bit too formulaic. Quite a few noticeable grammatical errors are present. In short, better editing was needed.

The finale provided satisfactory closure. However, it is too convenient acting as a setup for subsequent volumes. Plot resolutions are often predictable, and I never felt a sense where focal characters were in grave danger.

One aspect that definitely grabbed my attention was the multiverse. Unfortunately it feels like just a teaser here and hopefully will become much more relevant as the series continues.

Overall, Forging Hephaestus is an enjoyable albeit unnecessary lengthy read providing a pleasant escape.]]> 4.54 2017 Forging Hephaestus (Villains' Code, #1)
author: Drew Hayes
name: William
average rating: 4.54
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2022/08/22
date added: 2022/09/09
shelves: science-fiction
review:
Forging Hephaestus is the debut novel of the Villains' Code series. Indeed, the concept of 'villain' guild members needing to follow strict rules to avoid being 'too bad' and a threat to the universe is very intriguing.

The story was entertaining from start until finish. Also often humorous in a juvenile sort of way. Several characters were likable. Fans of superheroes vs. villains will likely get the most milage from this narrative.

I did feel the length of this book though and unfortunately believe it could have been condensed significantly without sacrificing substance. The prose is at times deliberate and a bit too formulaic. Quite a few noticeable grammatical errors are present. In short, better editing was needed.

The finale provided satisfactory closure. However, it is too convenient acting as a setup for subsequent volumes. Plot resolutions are often predictable, and I never felt a sense where focal characters were in grave danger.

One aspect that definitely grabbed my attention was the multiverse. Unfortunately it feels like just a teaser here and hopefully will become much more relevant as the series continues.

Overall, Forging Hephaestus is an enjoyable albeit unnecessary lengthy read providing a pleasant escape.
]]> Warbreaker 5980975 Warbreaker is the story of two sisters who happen to be princesses, the God King one of them has to marry, the lesser god who doesn't like his job, and the immortal who's still trying to undo the mistakes he made hundreds of years ago.

Their world is one in which those who die in glory return as gods to live confined to a pantheon in Hallandren's capital city and where a power known as BioChromatic magic is based on an essence known as breath that can only be collected one unit at a time from individual people.

By using breath and drawing upon the color in everyday objects, all manner of miracles and mischief can be accomplished. It will take considerable quantities of each to resolve all the challenges facing Vivenna and Siri, princesses of Idris; Susebron the God King; Lightsong, reluctant god of bravery; and mysterious Vasher, the Warbreaker.]]> 593 Brandon Sanderson 0765320304 William 4 fantasy Brandon Sanderson has become one of my favorite authors, and again, did not disappoint with Warbreaker.

As with his phenomenal Mistborn trilogy, Sanderson once again does a good job creating a unique magic system.

I found Warbreaker to be a decent standalone fantasy novel and a 'light', fast read. I appreciated the witty humor present throughout. I believe the biggest strength of this book is the world building. Foreshadowing is also superb. My favorite character is definitely Lightsong

The finale is satisfying and provides adequate closure.]]> 4.30 2009 Warbreaker
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: William
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2009
rating: 4
read at: 2022/07/30
date added: 2022/07/30
shelves: fantasy
review:
Brandon Sanderson has become one of my favorite authors, and again, did not disappoint with Warbreaker.

As with his phenomenal Mistborn trilogy, Sanderson once again does a good job creating a unique magic system.

I found Warbreaker to be a decent standalone fantasy novel and a 'light', fast read. I appreciated the witty humor present throughout. I believe the biggest strength of this book is the world building. Foreshadowing is also superb. My favorite character is definitely Lightsong

The finale is satisfying and provides adequate closure.
]]> <![CDATA[Kings of Paradise (Ash and Sand, #1)]]> 35994830
Only one can be king.

Ruka, called a demon at birth, is a genius. Born malformed and ugly into the snow-covered wasteland of the Ascom, he was spared from death by his mother's love. Now he is an outcast, consumed with hate for those who've wronged him. But to take his vengeance, he must first survive. Across a vast sea in the white-sand island paradise of Sri Kon, Kale is fourth and youngest son of the Sorcerer King. And at sixteen, Kale is a disappointment. As the first prince ever forced to serve with low-born marines, Kale must prove himself and become a man, or else lose all chance of a worthy future, and any hope to win the love of his life. Though they do not know it, both boys are on the cusp of discovery. Their worlds and lives are destined for greatness, or ruin.

But in a changing world where ash meets paradise, only one man can be king... The first installment of an epic, low- fantasy trilogy. Kings of Paradise is a dark, bloody, coming-of-age story shaped by culture, politics, and magic.]]> 608 Richard Nell William 2 fantasy Kings of Paradise is the first part of the completed Ash and Sand trilogy. The story is told from multiple POVs. The primary focal characters are Ruka, Kale, and Dala.

Kale was my favorite character and I enjoyed his chapters the most. However, once he discovered his special abilities, it seemed implausible how quickly and how well he was able to employ them. At least in the first volume, we do not appear to meet others as strong as him in this regard. Perhaps more will be revealed later?

It was quite a struggle to plow through Dala's chapters. I was not buying how easily she was able to manipulate others to push her agenda. I imagine she will resurface later to justify her existence?

I had no issues with the pacing for about the first 70% of the narrative and can appreciate character driven 'slow burn' stories. The last 30% though was as if fast forward was set to 8x speed. I was doubtful concerning whether the author could adequately connect plots happening at opposite ends of the world. Unfortunately, this was achieved via a very rushed ending to set the stage for the next book of the series.

Ruka is the grimdark anti hero so his chapters are among the most violent and disturbing. Despite being a 'genius', I could not suspend my disbelief regarding everything he managed to accopmlish near the end of the book. We are abruptly told and not shown how he went 'from a to z'. Perhaps this will be explained in flashbacks or information dumps in book 2? Even if so, I feel cheated we had nothing to witness in Kings of Paradise.

Overall, I believe the premise of the novel had great potential, but often failed in execution.]]> 4.18 2017 Kings of Paradise (Ash and Sand, #1)
author: Richard Nell
name: William
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2017
rating: 2
read at: 2022/07/02
date added: 2022/07/02
shelves: fantasy
review:
Kings of Paradise is the first part of the completed Ash and Sand trilogy. The story is told from multiple POVs. The primary focal characters are Ruka, Kale, and Dala.

Kale was my favorite character and I enjoyed his chapters the most. However, once he discovered his special abilities, it seemed implausible how quickly and how well he was able to employ them. At least in the first volume, we do not appear to meet others as strong as him in this regard. Perhaps more will be revealed later?

It was quite a struggle to plow through Dala's chapters. I was not buying how easily she was able to manipulate others to push her agenda. I imagine she will resurface later to justify her existence?

I had no issues with the pacing for about the first 70% of the narrative and can appreciate character driven 'slow burn' stories. The last 30% though was as if fast forward was set to 8x speed. I was doubtful concerning whether the author could adequately connect plots happening at opposite ends of the world. Unfortunately, this was achieved via a very rushed ending to set the stage for the next book of the series.

Ruka is the grimdark anti hero so his chapters are among the most violent and disturbing. Despite being a 'genius', I could not suspend my disbelief regarding everything he managed to accopmlish near the end of the book. We are abruptly told and not shown how he went 'from a to z'. Perhaps this will be explained in flashbacks or information dumps in book 2? Even if so, I feel cheated we had nothing to witness in Kings of Paradise.

Overall, I believe the premise of the novel had great potential, but often failed in execution.
]]> The Sword of Kaigen 41886271 A son struggling to grasp his violent future,
A father blind to the danger that threatens them all.

When the winds of war reach their peninsula, will the Matsuda family have the strength to defend their empire? Or will they tear each other apart before the true enemies even reach their shores?

High on a mountainside at the edge of the Kaigenese Empire live the most powerful warriors in the world, superhumans capable of raising the sea and wielding blades of ice. For hundreds of years, the fighters of the Kusanagi Peninsula have held the Empire’s enemies at bay, earning their frozen spit of land the name ‘The Sword of Kaigen.�

Born into Kusanagi’s legendary Matsuda family, fourteen-year-old Mamoru has always known his purpose: to master his family’s fighting techniques and defend his homeland. But when an outsider arrives and pulls back the curtain on Kaigen’s alleged age of peace, Mamoru realizes that he might not have much time to become the fighter he was bred to be. Worse, the empire he was bred to defend may stand on a foundation of lies.

Misaki told herself that she left the passions of her youth behind when she married into the Matsuda house. Determined to be a good housewife and mother, she hid away her sword, along with everything from her days as a fighter in a faraway country. But with her growing son asking questions about the outside world, the threat of an impending invasion looming across the sea, and her frigid husband grating on her nerves, Misaki finds the fighter in her clawing its way back to the surface.]]> 651 M.L. Wang William 5 fantasy The Sword of Kaigen kept my attention from start to finish. Characterization is superb. World building, plot, and dialogue are all outstanding.

Wang accomplishes so much brilliantly. I was emotionally attached to multiple characters which is paramount to my enjoyment. The story certainly pulls at the heartstrings.

Ancient traditional mysticism of Asian cultures provides great depth. Stereotypes are challenged. I am neutral towards action fight scenes and do not require them to be present. They are integral to this narrative and are enthralling; very entertaining.

The Sword of Kaigen is a standalone work. The finale provides adequate closure. Although some story arcs end tragically, we are ultimately left hope, love, and redemption.]]> 4.46 2019 The Sword of Kaigen
author: M.L. Wang
name: William
average rating: 4.46
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2022/06/11
date added: 2022/06/16
shelves: fantasy
review:
The Sword of Kaigen kept my attention from start to finish. Characterization is superb. World building, plot, and dialogue are all outstanding.

Wang accomplishes so much brilliantly. I was emotionally attached to multiple characters which is paramount to my enjoyment. The story certainly pulls at the heartstrings.

Ancient traditional mysticism of Asian cultures provides great depth. Stereotypes are challenged. I am neutral towards action fight scenes and do not require them to be present. They are integral to this narrative and are enthralling; very entertaining.

The Sword of Kaigen is a standalone work. The finale provides adequate closure. Although some story arcs end tragically, we are ultimately left hope, love, and redemption.
]]> <![CDATA[Overcoming Perfectionism: How to Let Go of Self-Criticism, Build Self-Esteem, and Find Balance]]> 54295739 This book explores the ways in which perfection can have positive and motivational impacts like providing the drive to overcome adversity or achieve certain goals. However, it can often become difficult to manage and lead to unhealthy outcomes that can translate quickly into anxiety, relationship challenges, daily struggles and overall unhappiness.
You’ll learn how to identify perfectionistic tendencies and their triggers as well as how to build self-acceptance and self-esteem. Learning to cope with and manage perfectionism can lead to better relationships with family, co-workers and most important with yourself.
Case studies, professional advice, practical tips, chapter recaps and several easy to follow mini-lessons are included in order to make this a book that readers will use as a reference tool for many years to come.]]> 97 Clive Reed William 4 self-improvement Clive Reed chose the perfect length to communicate countless helpful tips. No superfluous fluff is present which is greatly appreciated.

Indeed, I could definitely relate to several issues present; both personally and professionally. I agree perfectionists have a tendency to procrastinate. We are not perfect and if we keep waiting for the perfect time to do something important to us it may never happen. Not caring what others think and opening yourself to become vulnerable are also great points.

I am also a believer of taking deep breaths and meditating to help reduce stress and anxiety. To be sure, taking the time to give yourself proper care goes a long way.

This is just the tip of the iceberg regarding information to overcome perfectionism and live happier, healthier, more satisfying lives. Much of what is presented may be common sense, but sometimes we need reminders to reset and get back on track.

Highly recommended!

]]> 3.86 Overcoming Perfectionism: How to Let Go of Self-Criticism, Build Self-Esteem, and Find Balance
author: Clive Reed
name: William
average rating: 3.86
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2022/05/21
date added: 2022/05/21
shelves: self-improvement
review:
This book was an informative, concise, educational quick read. Clive Reed chose the perfect length to communicate countless helpful tips. No superfluous fluff is present which is greatly appreciated.

Indeed, I could definitely relate to several issues present; both personally and professionally. I agree perfectionists have a tendency to procrastinate. We are not perfect and if we keep waiting for the perfect time to do something important to us it may never happen. Not caring what others think and opening yourself to become vulnerable are also great points.

I am also a believer of taking deep breaths and meditating to help reduce stress and anxiety. To be sure, taking the time to give yourself proper care goes a long way.

This is just the tip of the iceberg regarding information to overcome perfectionism and live happier, healthier, more satisfying lives. Much of what is presented may be common sense, but sometimes we need reminders to reset and get back on track.

Highly recommended!


]]> Unsouled (Cradle, #1) 30558257
Lindon is Unsouled, forbidden to learn the sacred arts of his clan.

When faced with a looming fate he cannot ignore, he must defy his family's rules...and forge his own Path.]]> 294 Will Wight William 2 fantasy Unsouled is a very quick read. The world building is intriguing. Unfortunately, nearly all characters are very flat, forgettable, and mere plot devices.

I was never able to warm up to Lindon, the main protagonist. Usually I enjoy rooting for an underdog, especially if the odds are severely stacked against them. However, I could not cheer for a habitual cheater. Why an immortal would seek Lindon out compared to others is befuddling.

Too many info dumps are present disrupting the flow of the narrative. The prose is passable but often deliberate.

For those that enjoyed the novel, at the time of this review, ten volumes already exist in the Cradle series.]]> 4.16 2016 Unsouled (Cradle, #1)
author: Will Wight
name: William
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2016
rating: 2
read at: 2022/05/16
date added: 2022/05/16
shelves: fantasy
review:
Unsouled is a very quick read. The world building is intriguing. Unfortunately, nearly all characters are very flat, forgettable, and mere plot devices.

I was never able to warm up to Lindon, the main protagonist. Usually I enjoy rooting for an underdog, especially if the odds are severely stacked against them. However, I could not cheer for a habitual cheater. Why an immortal would seek Lindon out compared to others is befuddling.

Too many info dumps are present disrupting the flow of the narrative. The prose is passable but often deliberate.

For those that enjoyed the novel, at the time of this review, ten volumes already exist in the Cradle series.
]]> <![CDATA[One Good Dragon Deserves Another (Heartstrikers, #2)]]> 25635416
Refusal to play along with his mother’s plans means death, but there’s more going on than even Bethesda knows, and with Estella back in the game with a vengeance, Heartstriker futures disappearing, and Algonquin’s dragon hunter closing in, the stakes are higher than even a seer can calculate. But when his most powerful family members start dropping like flies, it falls to Julius to defend the clan that never respected him and prove that, sometimes, the world’s worst dragon is the best one to have on your side.]]> 487 Rachel Aaron 1952367387 William 3 fantasy One Good Dragon Deserves Another was yet another fun fast paced read in the Heartstrikers series. My second journey into this world was a great escape.

World building really shines and is this novel's greatest strength. As with the first installment, laugh out loud humor is present throughout; especially scenes with Justin. Fans of battle scenes should also be satisfied.

Julius continues to be an atypical nice dragon. This premise is a breath of fresh air illustrating how one can be kind without being weak. Treating others as you wish to be treated can indeed reap rewards.

I was disappointed with the major plot resolutions which all were a bit too convenient. I was not a fan of the epilogue chapter where so much happens with implausible outcomes within the span of a few pages.

Overall, an enjoyable escape to spend some time outside the real world.]]> 4.31 2015 One Good Dragon Deserves Another (Heartstrikers, #2)
author: Rachel Aaron
name: William
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2015
rating: 3
read at: 2022/05/11
date added: 2022/05/13
shelves: fantasy
review:
One Good Dragon Deserves Another was yet another fun fast paced read in the Heartstrikers series. My second journey into this world was a great escape.

World building really shines and is this novel's greatest strength. As with the first installment, laugh out loud humor is present throughout; especially scenes with Justin. Fans of battle scenes should also be satisfied.

Julius continues to be an atypical nice dragon. This premise is a breath of fresh air illustrating how one can be kind without being weak. Treating others as you wish to be treated can indeed reap rewards.

I was disappointed with the major plot resolutions which all were a bit too convenient. I was not a fan of the epilogue chapter where so much happens with implausible outcomes within the span of a few pages.

Overall, an enjoyable escape to spend some time outside the real world.
]]> <![CDATA[Nice Dragons Finish Last (Heartstrikers, #1)]]> 20426102
Now, sealed in human form and banished to the DFZ--a vertical metropolis built on the ruins of Old Detroit--Julius has one month to prove that he can be a ruthless dragon or kiss his true shape goodbye forever. But in a city of modern mages and vengeful spirits where dragons are considered monsters to be exterminated, he’s going to need some serious help to survive this test.

He only hopes humans are more trustworthy than dragons...]]> 287 Rachel Aaron 1952367379 William 4 fantasy Nice Dragons Finish Last was a fun, light hearted read. Characterization is the novel's greatest strength. Each character feels unique based on their personality, dialogue, and behavior.

The plots are also decent. How Julius and Marci first meet and subsequently work together to try to conquer their challenges is the primary focus. Subplots present between other characters are also intriguing.

Julius is a perfect example regarding treating others as you wish to be treated. He is not your typical dragon; polite and unaggressive (even to humans). He is also a master negotiator, influencing others via kindness and compassion to get ahead. One should not mistake being nice as being weak. Julius will fight at all costs to support and protect those he loves.

The book is humorous without being cheesy. I had a few laugh out loud moments.

Thank you Rachel Aaron for providing such a pleasant escape.]]> 4.11 2014 Nice Dragons Finish Last (Heartstrikers, #1)
author: Rachel Aaron
name: William
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2022/05/03
date added: 2022/05/03
shelves: fantasy
review:
Nice Dragons Finish Last was a fun, light hearted read. Characterization is the novel's greatest strength. Each character feels unique based on their personality, dialogue, and behavior.

The plots are also decent. How Julius and Marci first meet and subsequently work together to try to conquer their challenges is the primary focus. Subplots present between other characters are also intriguing.

Julius is a perfect example regarding treating others as you wish to be treated. He is not your typical dragon; polite and unaggressive (even to humans). He is also a master negotiator, influencing others via kindness and compassion to get ahead. One should not mistake being nice as being weak. Julius will fight at all costs to support and protect those he loves.

The book is humorous without being cheesy. I had a few laugh out loud moments.

Thank you Rachel Aaron for providing such a pleasant escape.
]]> The Bird King 40642333 Alif the Unseen and writer of the Ms. Marvel series, G. Willow Wilson

Set in 1491 during the reign of the last sultanate in the Iberian peninsula, The Bird King is the story of Fatima, the only remaining Circassian concubine to the sultan, and her dearest friend Hassan, the palace mapmaker.

Hassan has a secret--he can draw maps of places he's never seen and bend the shape of reality. When representatives of the newly formed Spanish monarchy arrive to negotiate the sultan's surrender, Fatima befriends one of the women, not realizing that she will see Hassan's gift as sorcery and a threat to Christian Spanish rule. With their freedoms at stake, what will Fatima risk to save Hassan and escape the palace walls?

As Fatima and Hassan traverse Spain with the help of a clever jinn to find safety, The Bird King asks us to consider what love is and the price of freedom at a time when the West and the Muslim world were not yet separate.]]> 403 G. Willow Wilson 080212903X William 3 fantasy Wilson does an amazing job painting vivid scenes. Inclusion of allegories and symbolism strengthens the novel. Wilson also succeeds in bringing to light real world controversial themes; challenging preconceived notions.

The story itself started very strong. Unfortunately, about halfway through, plots lost their way. The djinn were reduced to 'dues ex machina' devices. The 'cat and mouse game' was repetitive. It became too difficult to suspend my disbelief that a conquering nation would continue expending so many resources to find and capture two harmless individuals.

The finale was unsatisfying and abrupt.

Overall The Bird King was a likable read. Like Fatima, I imagined what actions I need to take to become more courageous and grow.]]> 3.68 2019 The Bird King
author: G. Willow Wilson
name: William
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2022/04/26
date added: 2022/04/26
shelves: fantasy
review:
The prose is beautiful and exquisite. Wilson does an amazing job painting vivid scenes. Inclusion of allegories and symbolism strengthens the novel. Wilson also succeeds in bringing to light real world controversial themes; challenging preconceived notions.

The story itself started very strong. Unfortunately, about halfway through, plots lost their way. The djinn were reduced to 'dues ex machina' devices. The 'cat and mouse game' was repetitive. It became too difficult to suspend my disbelief that a conquering nation would continue expending so many resources to find and capture two harmless individuals.

The finale was unsatisfying and abrupt.

Overall The Bird King was a likable read. Like Fatima, I imagined what actions I need to take to become more courageous and grow.
]]> Starsight (Skyward, #2) 43936287 From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Reckoners series, Words of Radiance, the Mistborn trilogy, and the Stormlight Archive comes the second book in an epic series about a girl with a secret in a dangerous world at war for humanity's future.

All her life, Spensa has dreamed of becoming a pilot. Of proving she's a hero like her father. She made it to the sky, but the truths she learned about her father were crushing. The rumors of his cowardice are true--he deserted his flight during battle against the Krell. Worse, though, he turned against his team and attacked them.

Spensa is sure there's more to the story. And she's sure that whatever happened to her father in his starship could happen to her. When she made it outside the protective shell of her planet, she heard the stars--and it was terrifying. Everything Spensa has been taught about her world is a lie.

But Spensa also discovered a few other things about herself--and she'll travel to the end of the galaxy to save humankind if she needs to.]]> 461 Brandon Sanderson 0399555838 William 2 science-fiction Starsight was such a letdown compared to Skyward. I tried hard to suspend my disbelief, but even for YA, the plots were implausible. The countless capabilities Spensa acquires instantaneously without any prior experience is insane.

This second volume of the series started promising. However, once Spensa left for Starsight, it lost its charm. The characters I came to love were hardly present. Several new characters are introduced, but many were cardboard. Since most of the narrative is first person from Spena's point of view, we are left in the dark concerning anything that occurs elsewhere. Sanderson cheats with interludes, but it is not effective.

The political tension between species is too shallow. Too much fluff is present in the form of excessive training scenes. Multiple plot resolutions had a 'dues ex machina' feel to them.

The finale ends in an infuriating cliffhanger. Definitely not a fan of cliffhangers. Unlike Skyward, Starsight cannot stand on its own.]]> 4.48 2019 Starsight (Skyward, #2)
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: William
average rating: 4.48
book published: 2019
rating: 2
read at: 2022/04/20
date added: 2022/04/20
shelves: science-fiction
review:
Starsight was such a letdown compared to Skyward. I tried hard to suspend my disbelief, but even for YA, the plots were implausible. The countless capabilities Spensa acquires instantaneously without any prior experience is insane.

This second volume of the series started promising. However, once Spensa left for Starsight, it lost its charm. The characters I came to love were hardly present. Several new characters are introduced, but many were cardboard. Since most of the narrative is first person from Spena's point of view, we are left in the dark concerning anything that occurs elsewhere. Sanderson cheats with interludes, but it is not effective.

The political tension between species is too shallow. Too much fluff is present in the form of excessive training scenes. Multiple plot resolutions had a 'dues ex machina' feel to them.

The finale ends in an infuriating cliffhanger. Definitely not a fan of cliffhangers. Unlike Skyward, Starsight cannot stand on its own.
]]> Skyward (Skyward, #1) 43801483 From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Reckoners series, Words of Radiance, and the Mistborn trilogy comes the first book in an epic new series about a girl who dreams of becoming a pilot in a dangerous world at war for humanity's future.

Spensa's world has been under attack for decades. Now pilots are the heroes of what's left of the human race, and becoming one has always been Spensa's dream. Since she was a little girl, she has imagined soaring skyward and proving her bravery. But her fate is intertwined with her father's--a pilot himself who was killed years ago when he abruptly deserted his team, leaving Spensa's chances of attending flight school at slim to none.

No one will let Spensa forget what her father did, yet fate works in mysterious ways. Flight school might be a long shot, but she is determined to fly. And an accidental discovery in a long-forgotten cavern might just provide her with a way to claim the stars.

And don't miss the thrilling sequel, Starsight !

"[A] nonstop, highflying opener." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"With this action-packed trilogy opener, Sanderson offers up a resourceful, fearless heroine and a memorable cast." --Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Sanderson delivers a cinematic adventure that explores the defining aspects of the individual versus the society. . . . Fans of Sanderson will not be disappointed." --SLJ

"It is impossible to turn the pages fast enough." --Booklist]]> 510 Brandon Sanderson 0399555803 William 4 science-fiction Skyward was such a blast to read, enthralling from start to finish.

The narrative is often a light read filled with tons of witty humor. Nevertheless, multiple serious themes are present including fighting to save the human race. Characters do die and how each survivor copes with death is unique.

Spensa, the primary focal character, is very likable. Sanderson handles her character growth superbly. I actually formed an emotional attachment to nearly every character which is paramount to my enjoyment of a story. World building is also well done.

The climax is sensational and as you might expect from Sanderson action packed. Some resolutions are a bit far fetched but not totally implausible.

The ending sets the stage for the next volume in the series. Next up, Starsight!]]> 4.47 2018 Skyward (Skyward, #1)
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: William
average rating: 4.47
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2022/04/09
date added: 2022/04/10
shelves: science-fiction
review:
Skyward was such a blast to read, enthralling from start to finish.

The narrative is often a light read filled with tons of witty humor. Nevertheless, multiple serious themes are present including fighting to save the human race. Characters do die and how each survivor copes with death is unique.

Spensa, the primary focal character, is very likable. Sanderson handles her character growth superbly. I actually formed an emotional attachment to nearly every character which is paramount to my enjoyment of a story. World building is also well done.

The climax is sensational and as you might expect from Sanderson action packed. Some resolutions are a bit far fetched but not totally implausible.

The ending sets the stage for the next volume in the series. Next up, Starsight!
]]> A Promised Land 55361205
In the stirring, highly anticipated first volume of his presidential memoirs, Barack Obama tells the story of his improbable odyssey from young man searching for his identity to leader of the free world, describing in strikingly personal detail both his political education and the landmark moments of the first term of his historic presidency—a time of dramatic transformation and turmoil.

Obama takes readers on a compelling journey from his earliest political aspirations to the pivotal Iowa caucus victory that demonstrated the power of grassroots activism to the watershed night of November 4, 2008, when he was elected 44th president of the United States, becoming the first African American to hold the nation’s highest office.

Reflecting on the presidency, he offers a unique and thoughtful exploration of both the awesome reach and the limits of presidential power, as well as singular insights into the dynamics of U.S. partisan politics and international diplomacy. Obama brings readers inside the Oval Office and the White House Situation Room, and to Moscow, Cairo, Beijing, and points beyond. We are privy to his thoughts as he assembles his cabinet, wrestles with a global financial crisis, takes the measure of Vladimir Putin, overcomes seemingly insurmountable odds to secure passage of the Affordable Care Act, clashes with generals about U.S. strategy in Afghanistan, tackles Wall Street reform, responds to the devastating Deepwater Horizon blowout, and authorizes Operation Neptune’s Spear, which leads to the death of Osama bin Laden.

A Promised Land is extraordinarily intimate and introspective—the story of one man’s bet with history, the faith of a community organizer tested on the world stage. Obama is candid about the balancing act of running for office as a Black American, bearing the expectations of a generation buoyed by messages of “hope and change,� and meeting the moral challenges of high-stakes decision-making. He is frank about the forces that opposed him at home and abroad, open about how living in the White House affected his wife and daughters, and unafraid to reveal self-doubt and disappointment. Yet he never wavers from his belief that inside the great, ongoing American experiment, progress is always possible.

This beautifully written and powerful book captures Barack Obama’s conviction that democracy is not a gift from on high but something founded on empathy and common understanding and built together, day by day.]]> 768 Barack Obama 1524763187 William 4 biography A Promised Land is the omnipresent praise of others. Obama references countless individuals that were a huge help including family, friends, and colleagues.

It was great to read a first hand account of how Obama began his career in politics and eventually became the President of the United States of America. Reliving the first part of his presidency through his eyes was very intriguing. Focal topics discussed include (but not limited to) the Affordable Care Act, the Wall Street financial crisis, the DREAM act, tensions in the Middle East, and Operation Neptune Spear. I believe Obama worked very hard to make life better for as many Americans as possible for both the present and the future.

The United States of America thankfully still remains a great democracy. I am deeply concerned though regarding how partisan the two prominent political parties have become. Obama reaffirms that often decisions are made and votes are cast based on saving political seats as the main driver. Perhaps it would be beneficial if other parties and independents had a greater influence to strike a more harmonious balance?

Supposedly another volume is forthcoming. I hope so!]]> 4.32 2020 A Promised Land
author: Barack Obama
name: William
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2022/03/27
date added: 2022/03/29
shelves: biography
review:
My favorite aspect of A Promised Land is the omnipresent praise of others. Obama references countless individuals that were a huge help including family, friends, and colleagues.

It was great to read a first hand account of how Obama began his career in politics and eventually became the President of the United States of America. Reliving the first part of his presidency through his eyes was very intriguing. Focal topics discussed include (but not limited to) the Affordable Care Act, the Wall Street financial crisis, the DREAM act, tensions in the Middle East, and Operation Neptune Spear. I believe Obama worked very hard to make life better for as many Americans as possible for both the present and the future.

The United States of America thankfully still remains a great democracy. I am deeply concerned though regarding how partisan the two prominent political parties have become. Obama reaffirms that often decisions are made and votes are cast based on saving political seats as the main driver. Perhaps it would be beneficial if other parties and independents had a greater influence to strike a more harmonious balance?

Supposedly another volume is forthcoming. I hope so!
]]> Moby-Dick or, The Whale 153747 "It is the horrible texture of a fabric that should be woven of ships' cables and hawsers. A Polar wind blows through it, and birds of prey hover over it."

So Melville wrote of his masterpiece, one of the greatest works of imagination in literary history. In part, Moby-Dick is the story of an eerily compelling madman pursuing an unholy war against a creature as vast and dangerous and unknowable as the sea itself. But more than just a novel of adventure, more than an encyclopaedia of whaling lore and legend, the book can be seen as part of its author's lifelong meditation on America. Written with wonderfully redemptive humour, Moby-Dick is also a profound inquiry into character, faith, and the nature of perception.

This edition of Moby-Dick, which reproduces the definitive text of the novel, includes invaluable explanatory notes, along with maps, illustrations, and a glossary of nautical terms.]]> 720 Herman Melville 0142437247 William 2 classics
The novel was actually quite enjoyable from the start until when Ishmael and Queequeg boarded the Pequod. A nice quote was also present during this span: "Ignorance is the parent of fear". The narrative then quickly lost continuity and waffled between information dumping and fiction until the end.

Moby Dick is of course considered a great American classic. However, it did not work for me. Beautiful passages are present, but they are few and far between. The main plot lines are shallow. The prose is frequently verbose and meandering. Several chapters could have been completely cut without sacrificing substance.

Characterization is suspect. Unique traits of the focal characters are developed satisfactorily, but their actions are questionable. I appreciate structure and respect authority concerning work, law, etc. Nevertheless, I fail to comprehend how an entire crew would repeatedly blindly follow a mad captain's irrational orders.

If you are genuinely intrigued with whales and how they were hunted in the mid nineteenth century, you may get more milage than I did. This book is not just about whales. Some themes include prejudice, racism, and religion. However, corresponding plots about them were lacking.]]> 3.53 1851 Moby-Dick or, The Whale
author: Herman Melville
name: William
average rating: 3.53
book published: 1851
rating: 2
read at: 2022/03/21
date added: 2022/03/24
shelves: classics
review:
It was quite the struggle, but I finally finished this behemoth. I was hoping countless information dumping chapters about cetology would yield a worthy payoff. Unfortunately, these hopes were dashed and never came to fruition.

The novel was actually quite enjoyable from the start until when Ishmael and Queequeg boarded the Pequod. A nice quote was also present during this span: "Ignorance is the parent of fear". The narrative then quickly lost continuity and waffled between information dumping and fiction until the end.

Moby Dick is of course considered a great American classic. However, it did not work for me. Beautiful passages are present, but they are few and far between. The main plot lines are shallow. The prose is frequently verbose and meandering. Several chapters could have been completely cut without sacrificing substance.

Characterization is suspect. Unique traits of the focal characters are developed satisfactorily, but their actions are questionable. I appreciate structure and respect authority concerning work, law, etc. Nevertheless, I fail to comprehend how an entire crew would repeatedly blindly follow a mad captain's irrational orders.

If you are genuinely intrigued with whales and how they were hunted in the mid nineteenth century, you may get more milage than I did. This book is not just about whales. Some themes include prejudice, racism, and religion. However, corresponding plots about them were lacking.
]]> <![CDATA[A Desolation Called Peace (Teixcalaan, #2)]]> 45154547 WINNER OF THE 2022 HUGO AWARD FOR BEST NOVEL
Now a USA Today bestseller!
Publishers Weekly's Best Books of 2021
Amazon's Best Science Fiction & Fantasy of 2021
Bookpage's Best Science Fiction & Fantasy of 2021
Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Choice Awards Nominee for Best Science Fiction Book of 2021

A Desolation Called Peace is the spectacular space opera sequel to Arkady Martine's genre-reinventing, Hugo Award-winning debut, A Memory Called Empire.

An alien armada lurks on the edges of Teixcalaanli space. No one can communicate with it, no one can destroy it, and Fleet Captain Nine Hibiscus is running out of options.

In a desperate attempt at diplomacy with the mysterious invaders, the fleet captain has sent for a diplomatic envoy. Now Mahit Dzmare and Three Seagrass—still reeling from the recent upheaval in the Empire—face the impossible task of trying to communicate with a hostile entity.

Their failure will guarantee millions of deaths in an endless war. Their success might prevent Teixcalaan’s destruction—and allow the empire to continue its rapacious expansion.

Or it might create something far stranger . . .
]]> 496 Arkady Martine 125018648X William 3 science-fiction A Desolation Called Peace is yet another thought provoking novel from Arkady Martine. I welcomed the addition of several POVs in this sequel to A Memory Called Empire.

The story dragged for me until about halfway through before picking up steam. The word count in this narrative could have been shortened without sacrificing substance.

The handling of first contact with an alien species is well done. This is but one of many plots present. I especially enjoyed the scenes with Nine Hibiscus, Twenty Cicada, and Eight Antidote. Their morals are constantly tested; faced with the most difficult of decisions. Mahit and Three Seagrass return and again assume critical roles in deriving multiple outcomes.

The finale left too many unanswered questions for my personal taste.]]> 4.31 2021 A Desolation Called Peace (Teixcalaan, #2)
author: Arkady Martine
name: William
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2022/02/05
date added: 2022/02/07
shelves: science-fiction
review:
A Desolation Called Peace is yet another thought provoking novel from Arkady Martine. I welcomed the addition of several POVs in this sequel to A Memory Called Empire.

The story dragged for me until about halfway through before picking up steam. The word count in this narrative could have been shortened without sacrificing substance.

The handling of first contact with an alien species is well done. This is but one of many plots present. I especially enjoyed the scenes with Nine Hibiscus, Twenty Cicada, and Eight Antidote. Their morals are constantly tested; faced with the most difficult of decisions. Mahit and Three Seagrass return and again assume critical roles in deriving multiple outcomes.

The finale left too many unanswered questions for my personal taste.
]]> Piranesi 50202953
There is one other person in the house—a man called The Other, who visits Piranesi twice a week and asks for help with research into A Great and Secret Knowledge. But as Piranesi explores, evidence emerges of another person, and a terrible truth begins to unravel, revealing a world beyond the one Piranesi has always known.]]> 272 Susanna Clarke 163557563X William 2 fantasy Piranesi is to start reading immediately, forsaking reviews and online discussions until finished. To avoid spoilers, I will refrain from specifics.

Allegories, metaphors, and symbols are well done and present throughout the narrative. Mysteries gradually unravel and everything will eventually make sense.

Piranesi is a relatively short book. Nevertheless, it is much too long for what it ultimately accomplishes. The length could be cut in half without sacrificing substance. A novella format would have worked much better. Often the flow is repetitive and meandering. Too many descriptions are superfluous.

I almost gave up a few times but did manage to finish. I loved the finale but it seemingly took forever to get there.]]> 4.22 2020 Piranesi
author: Susanna Clarke
name: William
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2020
rating: 2
read at: 2021/12/28
date added: 2021/12/30
shelves: fantasy
review:
The best way to experience Piranesi is to start reading immediately, forsaking reviews and online discussions until finished. To avoid spoilers, I will refrain from specifics.

Allegories, metaphors, and symbols are well done and present throughout the narrative. Mysteries gradually unravel and everything will eventually make sense.

Piranesi is a relatively short book. Nevertheless, it is much too long for what it ultimately accomplishes. The length could be cut in half without sacrificing substance. A novella format would have worked much better. Often the flow is repetitive and meandering. Too many descriptions are superfluous.

I almost gave up a few times but did manage to finish. I loved the finale but it seemingly took forever to get there.
]]> <![CDATA[A Memory Called Empire (Teixcalaan, #1)]]> 39863238
Now, Mahit must discover who is behind the murder, rescue herself, and save her Station from Teixcalaan's unceasing expansion—all while navigating an alien culture that is all too seductive, engaging in intrigues of her own, and hiding a deadly technological secret—one that might spell the end of her Station and her way of life—or rescue it from annihilation.]]> 462 Arkady Martine 1250186439 William 4 science-fiction A Memory Called Empire is the dialogue between characters.

This novel is very thought provoking. I appreciate that Martine does not spoon feed the reader and instead engages your mind to be an active participant throughout the narrative.

Ambassador Mahit Dzmare is the focal protagonist. She is tasked with negotiating with a powerful empire, Teixcalaan, to both prevent her much smaller mining station from being colonized and to communicate a serious hostile alien threat to both nations. Furthermore, she must determine how her predecessor was murdered. To add to the challenge, Mahit discovers shortly after arrival Teixcalaan is on the brink of a civl war.

Mahit is very lonely when visiting Teixcalaan and has difficulty coping with the realization she will never be truly accepted into a culture she has always admired. We learn much about Teixcalaan, but unfortunately very little about Mahit's home nation.

The journey regarding how Mahit copes with obstacles and strives to succeed in her mission is the heart of the story. I can appreciate a 'slow burn' type of book and do not require superfluous battle scenes filling pages.

I think being categorized as a 'Space Opera' is a bit misleading as nearly everything occurs in one place. It was hard to accept the imbalance of technological capabilities. Some aspects seemed like hundreds of years into our future while others were primitive compared to our modern day. Some outcomes along the way seemed highly implausible. I will refrain from specifics to avoid spoilers.

The ending does provide adequate closure and A Memory Called Empire does stand on its own. The prose strongly complements the culture providing a satisfying authentic feel to a fictional universe.

A very enjoyable read!]]> 4.07 2019 A Memory Called Empire (Teixcalaan, #1)
author: Arkady Martine
name: William
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2021/12/18
date added: 2021/12/27
shelves: science-fiction
review:
The greatest strength of A Memory Called Empire is the dialogue between characters.

This novel is very thought provoking. I appreciate that Martine does not spoon feed the reader and instead engages your mind to be an active participant throughout the narrative.

Ambassador Mahit Dzmare is the focal protagonist. She is tasked with negotiating with a powerful empire, Teixcalaan, to both prevent her much smaller mining station from being colonized and to communicate a serious hostile alien threat to both nations. Furthermore, she must determine how her predecessor was murdered. To add to the challenge, Mahit discovers shortly after arrival Teixcalaan is on the brink of a civl war.

Mahit is very lonely when visiting Teixcalaan and has difficulty coping with the realization she will never be truly accepted into a culture she has always admired. We learn much about Teixcalaan, but unfortunately very little about Mahit's home nation.

The journey regarding how Mahit copes with obstacles and strives to succeed in her mission is the heart of the story. I can appreciate a 'slow burn' type of book and do not require superfluous battle scenes filling pages.

I think being categorized as a 'Space Opera' is a bit misleading as nearly everything occurs in one place. It was hard to accept the imbalance of technological capabilities. Some aspects seemed like hundreds of years into our future while others were primitive compared to our modern day. Some outcomes along the way seemed highly implausible. I will refrain from specifics to avoid spoilers.

The ending does provide adequate closure and A Memory Called Empire does stand on its own. The prose strongly complements the culture providing a satisfying authentic feel to a fictional universe.

A very enjoyable read!
]]> <![CDATA[A Master of Djinn (Dead Djinn Universe, #1)]]> 55077706 Nebula, Locus, and Alex Award-winner P. Djèlí Clark returns to his popular alternate Cairo universe for his fantasy novel debut, A Master of Djinn

Cairo, 1912: Though Fatma el-Sha’arawi is the youngest woman working for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities, she’s certainly not a rookie, especially after preventing the destruction of the universe last summer.

So when someone murders a secret brotherhood dedicated to one of the most famous men in history, al-Jahiz, Agent Fatma is called onto the case. Al-Jahiz transformed the world 50 years ago when he opened up the veil between the magical and mundane realms, before vanishing into the unknown. This murderer claims to be al-Jahiz, returned to condemn the modern age for its social oppressions. His dangerous magical abilities instigate unrest in the streets of Cairo that threaten to spill over onto the global stage.

Alongside her Ministry colleagues and her clever girlfriend Siti, Agent Fatma must unravel the mystery behind this imposter to restore peace to the city -or face the possibility he could be exactly who he seems…]]> 392 P. Djèlí Clark 1250267684 William 4 fantasy
A Master of Djinn was an entertaining, enjoyable read throughout. Clark's intelligent, witty sense of humor struck a harmonious balance to keep it fun considering many serious themes are present including bigotry, racism, imperialism, slavery, chauvinism, LGBT, etc.

The setting is alternative Cairo in 1912. The main protagonist is Agent Fatma who works for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments, and Supernatural Entities. She is tasked with solving a murder mystery, and while doing so, interacts with both mortal and fantastical species alike. Previously having read The Daevabad Trilogy by S. A. Chakraborty provided a great background to Egyptian history, culture, and folklore.

The mystery was too easy for the reader to solve, but did not detract from other aspects of the story. The finale was satisfying and provides suitable closure. At times it felt like the author tried to force fit too many themes into the narrative to ensure all boxes were checked. Nevertheless, this is preferable to unresolved plots.

Clark does a decent job employing symbolism via his prose. This style is highly effective for driving his points home and opening eyes and minds.

Highly recommended!]]> 4.02 2021 A Master of Djinn (Dead Djinn Universe, #1)
author: P. Djèlí Clark
name: William
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2021/12/04
date added: 2021/12/05
shelves: fantasy
review:
The first chapter of this novel was absolutely phenomenal! The start engrossed me immediately.

A Master of Djinn was an entertaining, enjoyable read throughout. Clark's intelligent, witty sense of humor struck a harmonious balance to keep it fun considering many serious themes are present including bigotry, racism, imperialism, slavery, chauvinism, LGBT, etc.

The setting is alternative Cairo in 1912. The main protagonist is Agent Fatma who works for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments, and Supernatural Entities. She is tasked with solving a murder mystery, and while doing so, interacts with both mortal and fantastical species alike. Previously having read The Daevabad Trilogy by S. A. Chakraborty provided a great background to Egyptian history, culture, and folklore.

The mystery was too easy for the reader to solve, but did not detract from other aspects of the story. The finale was satisfying and provides suitable closure. At times it felt like the author tried to force fit too many themes into the narrative to ensure all boxes were checked. Nevertheless, this is preferable to unresolved plots.

Clark does a decent job employing symbolism via his prose. This style is highly effective for driving his points home and opening eyes and minds.

Highly recommended!
]]> <![CDATA[The Light of All That Falls (The Licanius Trilogy, #3)]]> 36507606 The Light of All that Falls concludes the epic adventure that began in The Shadow of What Was Lost, the acclaimed fantasy blockbuster from James Islington. The Boundary is whole once again, but it may be too late.Banes now stalk Andarra, while in Ilin Illan, the political machinations of a generation come to a head as Wirr's newfound ability forces his family's old enemies into action. Imprisoned and alone in a strange land, Davian is pitted against the remaining Venerate as they work tirelessly to undo Asha's sacrifice - even as he struggles with what he has learned about the friend he chose to set free.Finally, Caeden is confronted with the reality of the plan he laid centuries ago - heartbroken at how it began, and devastated by how it must end.]]> 864 James Islington 035650784X William 4 fantasy The Light of All That Falls concludes the Licanius trilogy brilliantly. The Epilogue was very emotional. I had doubts while approaching the end, but how Islington handled major plot resolutions exceeded my expectations.

Prior to the final climax, irritating 'dues ex machina' rescues were present. Characters continue to repeatedly perform the same body language gestures, but fortunately it was not as noticeable compared to the first two volumes.

The risk to experience a new author while seeking a recently completed epic fantasy series payed off. James Islington will now be on my new release radar.]]> 4.29 2019 The Light of All That Falls (The Licanius Trilogy, #3)
author: James Islington
name: William
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2021/11/20
date added: 2021/11/23
shelves: fantasy
review:
The Light of All That Falls concludes the Licanius trilogy brilliantly. The Epilogue was very emotional. I had doubts while approaching the end, but how Islington handled major plot resolutions exceeded my expectations.

Prior to the final climax, irritating 'dues ex machina' rescues were present. Characters continue to repeatedly perform the same body language gestures, but fortunately it was not as noticeable compared to the first two volumes.

The risk to experience a new author while seeking a recently completed epic fantasy series payed off. James Islington will now be on my new release radar.
]]> <![CDATA[An Echo of Things to Come (The Licanius Trilogy, #2)]]> 32498052
The second book in a glorious new fantasy trilogy by the next major force in commercial epic fantasy.

In the wake of the devastating attack on Ilin Illan, an amnesty has been declared for all Augurs - finally allowing them to emerge from hiding and openly oppose the dark forces massing against Andarra. However as Davian and his new allies hurry north toward the ever-weakening Boundary, fresh horrors along their path suggest that their reprieve may have come far too late.
In the capital, Wirr is forced to contend with assassins and an increasingly hostile Administration as he controversially assumes the mantle of Northwarden, uncovering a mystery that draws into question everything commonly believed about the rebellion his father led twenty years ago. Meanwhile, Asha begins a secret investigation into the disappearance of the Shadows, determined to discover not only where they went but the origin of the Vessels that created them - and, ultimately, a cure.
And with time against him as he races to fulfill the treacherous bargain with the Lyth, Caeden continues to wrestle with the impossibly heavy burdens of his past. Yet as more and more of his memories return, he begins to realise that the motivations of the two sides in this ancient war may not be as clear-cut as they first seemed...
The Licanius TrilogyThe Shadow of What Was LostAn Echo of Things to Come]]> 752 James Islington 0316274119 William 3 fantasy An Echo of Things to Come, part two of the already completed Licanius trilogy, picks up following the events of book one.
I was pleasantly surprised to find a summary of the first volume at the start. Also, glossary material is present at the end.

The world building remains strong. Character growth is impressive. I have become emotionally attached to multiple characters. Wirr is my favorite. Another strength is well crafted unexpected twists.

Unfortunately, I was again frustrated with characters repeatedly performing the same actions. The amount of scowling and grimacing done is unprecedented. I could cite other similar examples.

Some of Caeden's chapters were tough to get through; too much information dumping and exposition.

An Echo of Things to Come did feel like a bridge book. Much remains unresolved and the finale ends with a cliffhanger. I did enjoy it well enough though to want to finish the series. Next up, The Light of All That Falls.]]> 4.21 2017 An Echo of Things to Come (The Licanius Trilogy, #2)
author: James Islington
name: William
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2021/10/29
date added: 2021/10/29
shelves: fantasy
review:
An Echo of Things to Come, part two of the already completed Licanius trilogy, picks up following the events of book one.
I was pleasantly surprised to find a summary of the first volume at the start. Also, glossary material is present at the end.

The world building remains strong. Character growth is impressive. I have become emotionally attached to multiple characters. Wirr is my favorite. Another strength is well crafted unexpected twists.

Unfortunately, I was again frustrated with characters repeatedly performing the same actions. The amount of scowling and grimacing done is unprecedented. I could cite other similar examples.

Some of Caeden's chapters were tough to get through; too much information dumping and exposition.

An Echo of Things to Come did feel like a bridge book. Much remains unresolved and the finale ends with a cliffhanger. I did enjoy it well enough though to want to finish the series. Next up, The Light of All That Falls.
]]> The Starless Sea 43575115 From the New York Times bestselling author of The Night Circus, a timeless love story set in a secret underground world—a place of pirates, painters, lovers, liars, and ships that sail upon a starless sea.

Zachary Ezra Rawlins is a graduate student in Vermont when he discovers a mysterious book hidden in the stacks. As he turns the pages, entranced by tales of lovelorn prisoners, key collectors, and nameless acolytes, he reads something strange: a story from his own childhood. Bewildered by this inexplicable book and desperate to make sense of how his own life came to be recorded, Zachary uncovers a series of clues—a bee, a key, and a sword—that lead him to a masquerade party in New York, to a secret club, and through a doorway to an ancient library hidden far below the surface of the earth. What Zachary finds in this curious place is more than just a buried home for books and their guardians—it is a place of lost cities and seas, lovers who pass notes under doors and across time, and of stories whispered by the dead. Zachary learns of those who have sacrificed much to protect this realm, relinquishing their sight and their tongues to preserve this archive, and also of those who are intent on its destruction. Together with Mirabel, a fierce, pink-haired protector of the place, and Dorian, a handsome, barefoot man with shifting alliances, Zachary travels the twisting tunnels, darkened stairwells, crowded ballrooms, and sweetly soaked shores of this magical world, discovering his purpose—in both the mysterious book and in his own life.]]> 498 Erin Morgenstern 038554121X William 0 to-read 3.82 2019 The Starless Sea
author: Erin Morgenstern
name: William
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/10/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Mexican Gothic 53152636
Noemí is also an unlikely rescuer: She’s a glamorous debutante, and her chic gowns and perfect red lipstick are more suited for cocktail parties than amateur sleuthing. But she’s also tough and smart, with an indomitable will, and she is not afraid: Not of her cousin’s new husband, who is both menacing and alluring; not of his father, the ancient patriarch who seems to be fascinated by Noemí; and not even of the house itself, which begins to invade Noemi’s dreams with visions of blood and doom.

Her only ally in this inhospitable abode is the family’s youngest son. Shy and gentle, he seems to want to help Noemí, but might also be hiding dark knowledge of his family’s past. For there are many secrets behind the walls of High Place. The family’s once colossal wealth and faded mining empire kept them from prying eyes, but as Noemí digs deeper she unearths stories of violence and madness.

And Noemí, mesmerized by the terrifying yet seductive world of High Place, may soon find it impossible to ever leave this enigmatic house behind.]]> 320 Silvia Moreno-Garcia 0525620788 William 2 horror
The start drew me in immediately. Unfortunately, pacing then became languid until approximately two-thirds in. I almost gave up but managed to finish.

I was never able to establish an emotional attachment to the main protagonist. Therefore, my enjoyment was tapered.

The title Mexican Gothic at least to me was misleading. With the exception of sparse references, this story could have taken place anywhere. Pretending cell phones do not exist, this story could have taken place during any time period. The dialogue seemed too modern, more like 2020 compared to 1950. I was hoping for more specific place and time mystique.

The finale does provide adequate closure. Plot resolutions align well with earlier foreshadowing.

Overall, in a word, meh.]]> 3.66 2020 Mexican Gothic
author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia
name: William
average rating: 3.66
book published: 2020
rating: 2
read at: 2021/10/16
date added: 2021/10/20
shelves: horror
review:
Strengths of this novel are vivid imagery and literary symbolism. The author excels at painting a scene and leveraging metaphors.

The start drew me in immediately. Unfortunately, pacing then became languid until approximately two-thirds in. I almost gave up but managed to finish.

I was never able to establish an emotional attachment to the main protagonist. Therefore, my enjoyment was tapered.

The title Mexican Gothic at least to me was misleading. With the exception of sparse references, this story could have taken place anywhere. Pretending cell phones do not exist, this story could have taken place during any time period. The dialogue seemed too modern, more like 2020 compared to 1950. I was hoping for more specific place and time mystique.

The finale does provide adequate closure. Plot resolutions align well with earlier foreshadowing.

Overall, in a word, meh.
]]> <![CDATA[The Shadow Of What Was Lost (The Licanius Trilogy, #1)]]> 31145208 OLD POWERS AWAKEN

It has been twenty years since the god-like Augurs were overthrown and killed. Now, those who once served them - the Gifted - are spared only because they have accepted the rebellion's Four Tenets, vastly limiting their own powers.

As a young Gifted, Davian suffers the consequences of a war lost before he was even born. He and his friends are despised beyond their school walls for the magical power they wield: a power that Davian, despite his best efforts, cannot seem to control. Worse, with his final test approaching and the consequences of failure severe, time to overcome his struggles is fast running out.

But when Davian discovers he wields the forbidden power of the Augurs, he unwittingly sets in motion a chain of events that will change his life - and shake the entire world.]]> 604 James Islington 0356507742 William 3 fantasy The Shadow of What Was Lost is part one of the already completed Licanius trilogy. I was seeking to begin reading another epic fantasy series and this one fits the bill.

The world building is decent. Yes, I agree it is influenced by Jordan's The Wheel of Time and Sanderson's Mistborn. However, Islington succeeds at penning his own unique world. I do not agree the story is a rip off.

The prose at times is deliberate and descriptions are flat. Also, multiple characters sometimes repetitively perform the same actions, especially biting their lip. I actually started playing a guessing game as to when someone would bite their lip and was often correct.

Information dumping is present throughout. The author periodically tries to mask this via dialogue, but it is not transparent.

The major plot resolution during the climax has a dues es machina feel to it. Fortunately, the ending is not a frustrating cliffhanger. The Epilogue chapter reads like an advertisement though for picking up the next book. Many questions remain unanswered.

For a debut novel, The Shadow of What Was Lost is not bad. I am impressed with the world the author has created. Foreshadowing is well done and clever plot twists are present. Characters are realistic, comprised of strengths, flaws, etc.]]> 4.25 2014 The Shadow Of What Was Lost (The Licanius Trilogy, #1)
author: James Islington
name: William
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2014
rating: 3
read at: 2021/10/11
date added: 2021/10/11
shelves: fantasy
review:
The Shadow of What Was Lost is part one of the already completed Licanius trilogy. I was seeking to begin reading another epic fantasy series and this one fits the bill.

The world building is decent. Yes, I agree it is influenced by Jordan's The Wheel of Time and Sanderson's Mistborn. However, Islington succeeds at penning his own unique world. I do not agree the story is a rip off.

The prose at times is deliberate and descriptions are flat. Also, multiple characters sometimes repetitively perform the same actions, especially biting their lip. I actually started playing a guessing game as to when someone would bite their lip and was often correct.

Information dumping is present throughout. The author periodically tries to mask this via dialogue, but it is not transparent.

The major plot resolution during the climax has a dues es machina feel to it. Fortunately, the ending is not a frustrating cliffhanger. The Epilogue chapter reads like an advertisement though for picking up the next book. Many questions remain unanswered.

For a debut novel, The Shadow of What Was Lost is not bad. I am impressed with the world the author has created. Foreshadowing is well done and clever plot twists are present. Characters are realistic, comprised of strengths, flaws, etc.
]]> <![CDATA[The Ten Thousand Doors of January]]> 43521657
Then she finds a strange book. A book that carries the scent of other worlds, and tells a tale of secret doors, of love, adventure and danger. Each page turn reveals impossible truths about the world and January discovers a story increasingly entwined with her own.]]> 374 Alix E. Harrow 0316421995 William 1 fantasy ]]> 3.99 2019 The Ten Thousand Doors of January
author: Alix E. Harrow
name: William
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2019
rating: 1
read at: 2021/09/26
date added: 2021/09/26
shelves: fantasy
review:
The premise of this novel was intriguing. Unfortunately, the execution failed to engage me. A rare DNF for me. Some reviews indicate it eventually gets better, but life is too short.

]]> The Last Light of the Sun 104080
There is nothing soft or silken about the north. The lives of men and women are as challenging as the climate and lands in which they dwell. For generations, the Erlings of Vinmark have taken their dragon-prowed ships across the seas, raiding the lands of the Cyngael and Anglcyn peoples, leaving fire and death behind. But times change, even in the north, and in a tale woven with consummate artistry, people of all three cultures find the threads of their lives unexpectedly brought together...

Bern Thorkellson, punished for his father's sins, commits an act of vengeance and desperation that brings him face-to-face, across the sea, with a past he's been trying to leave behind.

In the Anglcyn lands of King Aeldred, the shrewd king, battling inner demons all the while, shores up his defenses with alliances and diplomacy-and with swords and arrows-while his exceptional, unpredictable sons and daughters pursue their own desires when battle comes and darkness falls in the woods.

And in the valleys and shrouded hills of the Cyngael, whose voices carry music even as they feud and raid amongst each other, violence and love become deeply interwoven when the dragon ships come and Alun ab Owyn, chasing an enemy in the night, glimpses strange lights gleaming above forest pools.

Making brilliant use of saga, song and chronicle, Kay brings to life an unforgettable world balanced on the knife-edge of change in The Last Light of the Sun.]]> 501 Guy Gavriel Kay 0743484231 William 4 fantasy
The biggest strength of The Last Light of the Sun is characterization. Multiple characters come to life possessing their own unique traits, beliefs, values, and struggles. Most impressive is the combination of dialog, subtle descriptions of mannerisms, and just the right amount of introspection.

Kay succeeds at penning beautiful prose for a harsh, cruel, often barbaric world. Witnessing life through the eyes of several characters allows the reader to travel back in time and feel many different emotions; possibly encompassing tears of sadness, tears of joy, etc.

The finale is a satisfying conclusion, delivering a payoff based on a slow but steady build up.]]> 3.95 2004 The Last Light of the Sun
author: Guy Gavriel Kay
name: William
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2004
rating: 4
read at: 2021/09/24
date added: 2021/09/24
shelves: fantasy
review:
Actions spanning the briefest of moments can alter the course one takes in life forever. This premise is very prevalent in this novel.

The biggest strength of The Last Light of the Sun is characterization. Multiple characters come to life possessing their own unique traits, beliefs, values, and struggles. Most impressive is the combination of dialog, subtle descriptions of mannerisms, and just the right amount of introspection.

Kay succeeds at penning beautiful prose for a harsh, cruel, often barbaric world. Witnessing life through the eyes of several characters allows the reader to travel back in time and feel many different emotions; possibly encompassing tears of sadness, tears of joy, etc.

The finale is a satisfying conclusion, delivering a payoff based on a slow but steady build up.
]]> <![CDATA[Legion: The Many Lives of Stephen Leeds (Legion, #1-3)]]> 39332065 A story in three life-shattering acts.

Includes the never-before-published Legion: Lies of the Beholder.

Stephen Leeds is perfectly sane. It’s his hallucinations who are mad.

A genius of unrivaled aptitude, Stephen can learn any new skill, vocation, or art in a matter of hours. However, to contain all of this, his mind creates hallucinatory people—Stephen calls them aspects—to hold and manifest the information. Wherever he goes, he is joined by a team of imaginary experts to give advice, interpretation, and explanation. He uses them to solve problems. . .for a price.

His brain is getting a little crowded and the aspects have a tendency of taking on lives of their own. When a company hires him to recover stolen property—a camera that can allegedly take pictures of the past—Stephen finds himself in an adventure crossing oceans and fighting terrorists. What he discovers may upend the foundation of three major world religions—and, perhaps, give him a vital clue into the true nature of his aspects.

Legion: The Many Lives of Stephen Leeds includes the novellas Legion and Legion: Skin Deep, published together for the first time, as well as a brand-new, shocking finale to Stephen Leeds' story, Lies of the Beholder.]]> 352 Brandon Sanderson 1250297796 William 4 science-fiction Brandon Sanderson packaged three short stories into one collection. All are narrated by the focal character, Stephen Leeds. A brilliant touch includes Rorschach inkblots at the beginning of each chapter.

Each installment is an entertaining quick read. My favorite is the last, Lies of the Beholder.

The common theme connecting everything revolves around the protagonist's mental state and personality quirks. Although serious, Sanderson successfully manages to primarily keep the mood light and sprinkle humor throughout.

My favorite quote from the series: "All the things that matter in life are things you can't measure".]]> 4.14 2018 Legion: The Many Lives of Stephen Leeds (Legion, #1-3)
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: William
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2021/09/03
date added: 2021/09/05
shelves: science-fiction
review:
Brandon Sanderson packaged three short stories into one collection. All are narrated by the focal character, Stephen Leeds. A brilliant touch includes Rorschach inkblots at the beginning of each chapter.

Each installment is an entertaining quick read. My favorite is the last, Lies of the Beholder.

The common theme connecting everything revolves around the protagonist's mental state and personality quirks. Although serious, Sanderson successfully manages to primarily keep the mood light and sprinkle humor throughout.

My favorite quote from the series: "All the things that matter in life are things you can't measure".
]]> Alphabet of Thorn 81075
Then, during the coronation of the new Queen of Raine, a young mage gives Nepenthe a book that has defied translation. Written in a language of thorns, it speaks to Nepenthe's soul � and becomes her secret obsession. And, as the words escape the brambles and reveal themselves, Nepenthe finds her destiny entwined with that of the young queen's. Sooner than she thinks, she will have to choose between the life she has led and the life she was born to lead...

]]> 291 Patricia A. McKillip 0441012434 William 5 fantasy Alphabet of Thorn is a wonderful, heartwarming standalone novel. McKillip's prose is exquisite and enchanting.

The story matches the high quality of the writing. World building and plot are superb. I loved the premise of the main protagonist having talent to translate languages to uncover secrets.

The finale was very satisfying.

Highly recommended! ]]> 4.09 2004 Alphabet of Thorn
author: Patricia A. McKillip
name: William
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2004
rating: 5
read at: 2021/08/23
date added: 2021/08/23
shelves: fantasy
review:
Alphabet of Thorn is a wonderful, heartwarming standalone novel. McKillip's prose is exquisite and enchanting.

The story matches the high quality of the writing. World building and plot are superb. I loved the premise of the main protagonist having talent to translate languages to uncover secrets.

The finale was very satisfying.

Highly recommended!
]]> <![CDATA[Dead Beat (The Dresden Files, #7)]]> 6567483
Luckily, however, he's not alone. Although most people don't believe in magic, the Chicago P.D. has a Special Investigations department, headed by his good friend Karrin Murphy. They deal with the . . . stranger cases. It's down to Karrin that Harry sneaks into Graceland Cemetery to meet a vampire named Mavra. Mavra has evidence that would destroy Karrin's career, and her demands are simple. She wants the Word of Kemmler - and all the power that comes with it. But first, Harry's keen to know what he'd be handing over. Before long he's racing against time, and six necromancers, to get the Word. And to prevent a Halloween that would truly wake the dead.

Magic - it can get a guy killed.]]> 408 Jim Butcher 1101128445 William 4 fantasy Dead Beat, the seventh edition of The Dresden Files, is enthralling from start to finish; difficult to put down.

Several of my favorite characters return. Intriguing new characters are introduced.

Although the high level premise of each novel is basically the same, Butcher continues to keep each tale creative, fresh, and unique. Loving Harry's character growth.

The plots in Dead Beat are cohesive and sophisticated. Everything flows and correlates masterfully.

The ending is satisfying and provides adequate closure. However, climax resolutions seemed somewhat abrupt and convenient.

Definitely plan on continuing the series. Next up, Proven Guilty!]]> 4.48 2005 Dead Beat (The Dresden Files, #7)
author: Jim Butcher
name: William
average rating: 4.48
book published: 2005
rating: 4
read at: 2021/08/14
date added: 2021/08/22
shelves: fantasy
review:
Dead Beat, the seventh edition of The Dresden Files, is enthralling from start to finish; difficult to put down.

Several of my favorite characters return. Intriguing new characters are introduced.

Although the high level premise of each novel is basically the same, Butcher continues to keep each tale creative, fresh, and unique. Loving Harry's character growth.

The plots in Dead Beat are cohesive and sophisticated. Everything flows and correlates masterfully.

The ending is satisfying and provides adequate closure. However, climax resolutions seemed somewhat abrupt and convenient.

Definitely plan on continuing the series. Next up, Proven Guilty!
]]> <![CDATA[Shorefall (The Founders Trilogy, #2)]]> 45200535
But even the merchant houses of Tevanne might have met their match. An immensely powerful and deadly entity has been resurrected in the shadows of Tevanne, one that's not interested in wealth or trade routes: a hierophant, one of the ancient practitioners of scriving. And he has a great fascination for Foundryside, and its employees - especially Sancia.

Now Sancia and the rest of Foundryside must race to combat this new menace, which means understanding the origins of scriving itself - before the hierophant burns Tevanne to the ground.]]> 496 Robert Jackson Bennett 1524760382 William 3 fantasy Shorefall, the second installment of The Founders series, contains deeper sophisticated plots compared to book one, Foundryside.

Shorefall is thought provoking; a refreshing creative work concerning themes of power and corruption.

Indeed, advances in technology can be very essential to society; increasing quality of live. However, innovation intended for the greater good can also have opposite consequences such as obtaining power to enslave and terrorize, etc. Bennett does a decent job portraying the repercussions of supreme authority falling into the wrong hands. Even those with the best intentions can morph from the oppressed to the oppressor. Furthermore, scheming to bring down powerful entities in hopes for a better world can have unanticipated outcomes. Those waiting in the wings to capitalize may be even more ruthless.

What would you do if you had the power and authority to attempt to make the world better for everyone? After reading Shorefall, I keep asking myself this question more frequently; continually pondering pros and cons.

The climax ends in a very frustrating cliffhanger. I am definitely not a fan of novels ending like this. I realize this narrative is part of a planned trilogy. Nevertheless, I still expected more closure and feel somewhat cheated.]]> 4.17 2020 Shorefall (The Founders Trilogy, #2)
author: Robert Jackson Bennett
name: William
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2021/08/08
date added: 2021/08/08
shelves: fantasy
review:
Shorefall, the second installment of The Founders series, contains deeper sophisticated plots compared to book one, Foundryside.

Shorefall is thought provoking; a refreshing creative work concerning themes of power and corruption.

Indeed, advances in technology can be very essential to society; increasing quality of live. However, innovation intended for the greater good can also have opposite consequences such as obtaining power to enslave and terrorize, etc. Bennett does a decent job portraying the repercussions of supreme authority falling into the wrong hands. Even those with the best intentions can morph from the oppressed to the oppressor. Furthermore, scheming to bring down powerful entities in hopes for a better world can have unanticipated outcomes. Those waiting in the wings to capitalize may be even more ruthless.

What would you do if you had the power and authority to attempt to make the world better for everyone? After reading Shorefall, I keep asking myself this question more frequently; continually pondering pros and cons.

The climax ends in a very frustrating cliffhanger. I am definitely not a fan of novels ending like this. I realize this narrative is part of a planned trilogy. Nevertheless, I still expected more closure and feel somewhat cheated.
]]> Nolyn (The Rise and Fall, #1) 54823859
From Michael J. Sullivan, the three-time New York Times, two-time USA Today, and three-time Washington Post bestselling author, a new adventure begins with the first book in The Rise and Fall trilogy. Although this series is set in the same world as the Riyria novels and the Legends of the First Empire books, no prior knowledge of the other works is required to enjoy this tale to its fullest.]]> 487 Michael J. Sullivan William 3 fantasy Michael Sullivan is among my favorite authors. I have read nearly everything he has published. He is especially talented at closing a series. The ending of The Riyria Revelations was brilliant. The finale of The Legends of the First Empire was also well done.

Nolyn is the first installment of a new planned trilogy, The Rise and Fall. Finding any excuse to revisit the world of Elan, I definitely needed to read this.

The author notes readers unfamiliar with prior works can start with Nolyn. While this is technically true, I highly advise against it. Throughout the entire narrative references are frequently made to characters from other books. Furthermore, several 'Easter Eggs' are present as a reward to faithful readers.

It was intriguing to discover what happened following events from The Legends of the First Empire. We witness a critical time period where significant outcomes act as catalysts to shape the future.

Nolyn and Sephryn are the focal protagonists. Both are likable and realistic; complete with flaws, etc. Unfortunately, depth for the supporting cast is lacking. Several characters exist to merely advance plots.

Fortunately, there are no major cliffhangers. Multiple plots are adequately resolved. However, some conclusions had a 'dues ex machina' feel to them. Actions and outcomes seemed implausible.

Overall, I enjoyed Nolyn and plan to continue with Farilane when it is released.]]> 4.31 2021 Nolyn (The Rise and Fall, #1)
author: Michael J. Sullivan
name: William
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2021/07/16
date added: 2021/08/04
shelves: fantasy
review:
Michael Sullivan is among my favorite authors. I have read nearly everything he has published. He is especially talented at closing a series. The ending of The Riyria Revelations was brilliant. The finale of The Legends of the First Empire was also well done.

Nolyn is the first installment of a new planned trilogy, The Rise and Fall. Finding any excuse to revisit the world of Elan, I definitely needed to read this.

The author notes readers unfamiliar with prior works can start with Nolyn. While this is technically true, I highly advise against it. Throughout the entire narrative references are frequently made to characters from other books. Furthermore, several 'Easter Eggs' are present as a reward to faithful readers.

It was intriguing to discover what happened following events from The Legends of the First Empire. We witness a critical time period where significant outcomes act as catalysts to shape the future.

Nolyn and Sephryn are the focal protagonists. Both are likable and realistic; complete with flaws, etc. Unfortunately, depth for the supporting cast is lacking. Several characters exist to merely advance plots.

Fortunately, there are no major cliffhangers. Multiple plots are adequately resolved. However, some conclusions had a 'dues ex machina' feel to them. Actions and outcomes seemed implausible.

Overall, I enjoyed Nolyn and plan to continue with Farilane when it is released.
]]> <![CDATA[The Kingdom of Gods (Inheritance, #3)]]> 7923006 613 N.K. Jemisin 184149819X William 2 fantasy The Inheritance Trilogy continues with the final installment, The Kingdom of Gods, predominantly told in the first person by the godling Sieh.

Unfortunately, I was never able to warm up to Sieh which dampened my enjoyment of the novel. It was also difficult to establish emotional attachments with other characters.

Book One was my favorite segment. I sped through this section which was intriguing. Following a great start, I increasingly lost interest, and managing to finish was a chore.

The pacing quickly becomes uneven, and multiple plots sprawl; lacking cohesion. The Kingdom of Gods tries to represent too many themes, and as a result, most are delivered inadequately.

Some motifs are delivered well though, including one's progression to finally grow up, adapt to change, forgive, and become less selfish.

The finale was unsatisfying.]]> 3.96 2011 The Kingdom of Gods (Inheritance, #3)
author: N.K. Jemisin
name: William
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2011
rating: 2
read at: 2021/06/23
date added: 2021/06/23
shelves: fantasy
review:
The Inheritance Trilogy continues with the final installment, The Kingdom of Gods, predominantly told in the first person by the godling Sieh.

Unfortunately, I was never able to warm up to Sieh which dampened my enjoyment of the novel. It was also difficult to establish emotional attachments with other characters.

Book One was my favorite segment. I sped through this section which was intriguing. Following a great start, I increasingly lost interest, and managing to finish was a chore.

The pacing quickly becomes uneven, and multiple plots sprawl; lacking cohesion. The Kingdom of Gods tries to represent too many themes, and as a result, most are delivered inadequately.

Some motifs are delivered well though, including one's progression to finally grow up, adapt to change, forgive, and become less selfish.

The finale was unsatisfying.
]]> <![CDATA[The Broken Kingdoms (Inheritance, #2)]]> 7904453
Oree's peculiar guest is at the heart of it, his presence putting her in mortal danger -- but is it him the killers want, or Oree? And is the earthly power of the Arameri king their ultimate goal, or have they set their sights on the Lord of Night himself?]]> 384 N.K. Jemisin 0316043966 William 3 fantasy The Inheritance Trilogy continues with the second installment, The Broken Kingdoms. Compared to The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, it is much narrower in scope. The Broken Kingdoms is better written. I preferred the plot though in The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms

The narrative is told in the first person by Oree Shoth, a blind woman that can sometimes see depending on the magic. Through this character we learn more concerning the history of gods, godlings, demons, and mortals. Focal characters from the first book make brief, albeit important appearances. Otherwise, the story is unique with a new cast.

This novel is thought provoking. The darkest aspects of human nature are major themes. Jemisin does a decent job illustrating how easily power leads to corruption; sometimes for even the best intentioned people.

One disappointment from The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms was expecting to learn more about the Kingdoms outside Sky. Despite this book's title, we do not learn much more here either.

Overall The Broken Kingdoms was an enjoyable read. I plan to finish the trilogy. Next up, The Kingdom of Gods.]]> 4.12 2010 The Broken Kingdoms (Inheritance, #2)
author: N.K. Jemisin
name: William
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2010
rating: 3
read at: 2021/05/16
date added: 2021/05/16
shelves: fantasy
review:
The Inheritance Trilogy continues with the second installment, The Broken Kingdoms. Compared to The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, it is much narrower in scope. The Broken Kingdoms is better written. I preferred the plot though in The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms

The narrative is told in the first person by Oree Shoth, a blind woman that can sometimes see depending on the magic. Through this character we learn more concerning the history of gods, godlings, demons, and mortals. Focal characters from the first book make brief, albeit important appearances. Otherwise, the story is unique with a new cast.

This novel is thought provoking. The darkest aspects of human nature are major themes. Jemisin does a decent job illustrating how easily power leads to corruption; sometimes for even the best intentioned people.

One disappointment from The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms was expecting to learn more about the Kingdoms outside Sky. Despite this book's title, we do not learn much more here either.

Overall The Broken Kingdoms was an enjoyable read. I plan to finish the trilogy. Next up, The Kingdom of Gods.
]]> <![CDATA[Blood Rites (The Dresden Files, #6)]]> 8176978
±á²¹°ù°ù²â’s doubly frustrated because he got involved with this bizarre mystery only as a favour to Thomas, his flirtatious, self-absorbed vampire acquaintance of dubious integrity. Thomas has a personal stake in the case Harry can’t quite figure out, until his investigation leads him straight to Thomas’s oversexed vampire family. ±á²¹°ù°ù²â’s about to discover that Thomas’s family tree has been hiding a shocking secret: a revelation that will change ±á²¹°ù°ù²â’s life forever.]]> 372 Jim Butcher 1101146664 William 3 fantasy Blood Rites, the sixth edition of The Dresden Files, is another entertaining, fast paced read. More secrets regarding Harry's past are revealed.

The White Court and Black Court vampire factions take center stage in this volume. Harry must again solve mysteries to save both himself and others. Karrin Murphy, one of my favorite characters, is back to help. Bob also returns for brief appearances.

Next up, Dead Beat!]]> 4.41 2004 Blood Rites (The Dresden Files, #6)
author: Jim Butcher
name: William
average rating: 4.41
book published: 2004
rating: 3
read at: 2021/04/29
date added: 2021/04/30
shelves: fantasy
review:
Blood Rites, the sixth edition of The Dresden Files, is another entertaining, fast paced read. More secrets regarding Harry's past are revealed.

The White Court and Black Court vampire factions take center stage in this volume. Harry must again solve mysteries to save both himself and others. Karrin Murphy, one of my favorite characters, is back to help. Bob also returns for brief appearances.

Next up, Dead Beat!
]]> Notes from the Underground 36190076
Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky, whose Dostoevsky translations have become the standard, give us a brilliantly faithful edition of this classic novel, conveying all the tragedy and tormented comedy of the original.

AmazonClassics brings you timeless works from the masters of storytelling. Ideal for anyone who wants to read a great work for the first time or rediscover an old favorite, these new editions open the door to literature’s most unforgettable characters and beloved worlds.

Revised edition: Previously published as Notes from the Underground, this edition of Notes from the Underground (AmazonClassics Edition) includes editorial revisions.]]> 108 Fyodor Dostoevsky William 5 classics
Notes from the Underground is a psychological, thought provoking read. Dostoevsky masterfully employs the art of introspection. The mind is powerful and at times can be both our greatest ally or worst enemy.

The first part of the narrative sets the stage for the character's mindset. For the second part, we witness how the character interacts with society.

Although fiction, reading this book has the potential to make one happier and a better person. If we can better identify our own personal flaws, we may then become less anxious, less self conscience, more secure, and more confident.

Highly recommended!]]> 4.18 1864 Notes from the Underground
author: Fyodor Dostoevsky
name: William
average rating: 4.18
book published: 1864
rating: 5
read at: 2021/04/14
date added: 2021/04/14
shelves: classics
review:
Now this is how you write an antihero! The narrator, the man from the 'underground', is not likable. Indeed, it was difficult to feel much sympathy or compassion for him. Nevertheless, I could not stop reading what he was saying.

Notes from the Underground is a psychological, thought provoking read. Dostoevsky masterfully employs the art of introspection. The mind is powerful and at times can be both our greatest ally or worst enemy.

The first part of the narrative sets the stage for the character's mindset. For the second part, we witness how the character interacts with society.

Although fiction, reading this book has the potential to make one happier and a better person. If we can better identify our own personal flaws, we may then become less anxious, less self conscience, more secure, and more confident.

Highly recommended!
]]> <![CDATA[The Warded Man (Demon Cycle, #1)]]> 8176878 As darkness falls after sunset, the corelings rise—demons who possess supernatural powers and burn with a consuming hatred of humanity. For hundreds of years the demons have terrorized the night, slowly culling the human herd that shelters behind magical wards—symbols of power whose origins are lost in myth and whose protection is terrifyingly fragile. It was not always this way. Once, men and women battled the corelings on equal terms, but those days are gone. Night by night the demons grow stronger, while human numbers dwindle under their relentless assault. Now, with hope for the future fading, three young survivors of vicious demon attacks will dare the impossible, stepping beyond the crumbling safety of the wards to risk everything in a desperate quest to regain the secrets of the past. Together, they will stand against the night.Look for Peter V. Brett’s complete Demon THE WARDED MAN | THE DESERT SPEAR | THE DAYLIGHT WAR | THE SKULL THRONE | THE CORE]]> 482 Peter V. Brett William 1 fantasy The Warded Man unfortunately did not work for me.

The writing is deliberate and clumsy. The characters are one dimensional. The plots are shallow. The portrayal of women is disheartening.]]> 4.27 2008 The Warded Man (Demon Cycle, #1)
author: Peter V. Brett
name: William
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2008
rating: 1
read at: 2021/04/08
date added: 2021/04/08
shelves: fantasy
review:
The Warded Man unfortunately did not work for me.

The writing is deliberate and clumsy. The characters are one dimensional. The plots are shallow. The portrayal of women is disheartening.
]]> <![CDATA[The Other Wind (Earthsea Cycle, #6)]]> 13658
Alder seeks advice from Ged, once Archmage. Ged tells him to go to Tenar, Tehanu, and the young king at Havnor. They are joined by amber-eyed Irian, a fierce dragon able to assume the shape of a woman.

The threat can be confronted only in the Immanent Grove on Roke, the holiest place in the world and there the king, hero, sage, wizard, and dragon make a last stand.

Le Guin combines her magical fantasy with a profoundly human, earthly, humble touch.]]> 211 Ursula K. Le Guin 044101125X William 2 fantasy Le Guin's prose and employment of symbolism are the strengths of this novel. Words and descriptions flow beautifully.

Concerning the story, there is too much telling and not enough showing. Much of the information dumped we already knew from prior volumes. Following a long recap is an abrupt unsatisfying finale.

Unfortunately, I felt The Other Wind was the weakest installment of the Earthsea Cycle series. At least we were able to witness how everything ends.
]]> 4.16 2001 The Other Wind (Earthsea Cycle, #6)
author: Ursula K. Le Guin
name: William
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2001
rating: 2
read at: 2021/03/26
date added: 2021/03/26
shelves: fantasy
review:
Le Guin's prose and employment of symbolism are the strengths of this novel. Words and descriptions flow beautifully.

Concerning the story, there is too much telling and not enough showing. Much of the information dumped we already knew from prior volumes. Following a long recap is an abrupt unsatisfying finale.

Unfortunately, I felt The Other Wind was the weakest installment of the Earthsea Cycle series. At least we were able to witness how everything ends.

]]> <![CDATA[12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos]]> 33792742
What are the most valuable things that everyone should know?

Acclaimed clinical psychologist Jordan Peterson has influenced the modern understanding of personality, and now he has become one of the world's most popular public thinkers, with his lectures on topics from the Bible to romantic relationships to mythology drawing tens of millions of viewers. In an era of unprecedented change and polarizing politics, his frank and refreshing message about the value of individual responsibility and ancient wisdom has resonated around the world.

In this book, he provides twelve profound and practical principles for how to live a meaningful life, from setting your house in order before criticising others to comparing yourself to who you were yesterday, not someone else today. Happiness is a pointless goal, he shows us. Instead we must search for meaning, not for its own sake, but as a defence against the suffering that is intrinsic to our existence.

Drawing on vivid examples from the author's clinical practice and personal life, cutting edge psychology and philosophy, and lessons from humanity's oldest myths and stories, 12 Rules for Life offers a deeply rewarding antidote to the chaos in our eternal truths applied to our modern problems.]]> 432 Jordan B. Peterson 0345816048 William 3 self-improvement 12 Rules for Life presented are common and sound. Nothing stands out as revolutionary and groundbreaking. Nevertheless, the book does do a decent job of providing advice for how to life a healthy, moral life.

The writing is often unnecessarily verbose and long winded. Peterson at times does eventually make great points, but it takes too long to get to them.

When justifying stances and citing references, Peterson frequently pontificates objective absolutes to make his case. Information instead should be included from 'both sides of the coin' to afford readers an open mind to think on their own.

Despite these shortcomings, still recommended for those struggling and seeking help to mitigate chaos. Coda, the final chapter, succinctly summarizes everything.]]> 4.20 2018 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos
author: Jordan B. Peterson
name: William
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2021/03/11
date added: 2021/03/11
shelves: self-improvement
review:
The 12 Rules for Life presented are common and sound. Nothing stands out as revolutionary and groundbreaking. Nevertheless, the book does do a decent job of providing advice for how to life a healthy, moral life.

The writing is often unnecessarily verbose and long winded. Peterson at times does eventually make great points, but it takes too long to get to them.

When justifying stances and citing references, Peterson frequently pontificates objective absolutes to make his case. Information instead should be included from 'both sides of the coin' to afford readers an open mind to think on their own.

Despite these shortcomings, still recommended for those struggling and seeking help to mitigate chaos. Coda, the final chapter, succinctly summarizes everything.
]]> <![CDATA[Mindset: The New Psychology of Success]]> 34403537 A previously published edition of this ISBN can be found here.

Now updated with new research � the book that has changed millions of lives.

After decades of research, world-renowned Stanford University psychologist Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D., discovered a simple but groundbreaking idea: the power of mindset. In this brilliant book, she shows how success in school, work, sports, the arts, and almost every area of human endeavor can be dramatically influenced by how we think about our talents and abilities. People with a fixed mindset � those who believe that abilities are fixed � are less likely to flourish than those with a growth mindset � those who believe that abilities can be developed. Mindset reveals how great parents, teachers, managers, and athletes can put this idea to use to foster outstanding accomplishment.

In this edition, Dweck offers new insights into her now famous and broadly embraced concept. She introduces a phenomenon she calls false growth mindset and guides people toward adopting a deeper, truer growth mindset. She also expands the mindset concept beyond the individual, applying it to the cultures of groups and organizations. With the right mindset, you can motivate those you lead, teach, and love � to transform their lives and your own.]]> 276 Carol S. Dweck 1400062756 William 3 self-improvement
A plethora of scenarios are present exhibiting mindset behaviors. The last chapter defines how to best adopt a growth mindset.

The psychology is sound. I especially recommend this book for parents and coaches. Being aware of how to discourage a fixed mindset and encourage a growth mindset can indeed foster lifelong positive impressions for youthful minds. After reading, I immediately began identifying personal areas for improvement.

Although I found examples of generic individuals useful, I disagreed with multiple examples of specific, famous people. Too many absolutes existed where the author bases success and failure predominantly on mindsets. Furthermore, the word 'always' is sometimes used blanketing entire fields where practitioners always get it wrong.

Michael Jordan is one example. His success is heavily attributed to a growth mindset. Perhaps this is true, but I have read where when in college he would keep his roommate up all night until winning a board game or a card game. His roommate would eventually have to lose on purpose to get some sleep. Surely this is not a growth mindset. Could his success instead be based on his fixed mindset to win no matter what at all costs? When returning to basketball, after attempting to make it to the major leagues in baseball, Jordan's team failed to win a championship his first year back. Seemingly, one quote taken from him indicating he was not yet in the proper mindset is to blame. Last time I checked basketball was a team sport.

Patrick Ewing is another example. Supposedly his team failed to win championships because of his fixed mindset of not being willing to move from center to forward to keep Bill Cartwright on the Knicks. Really? Sorry, not buying it.

John McEnroe is yet another example. The author was particularly harsh on him. I am not sure whether this may be due to their shared affiliation with Stanford University. He appeared to have a fixed mindset for just about everything and was painted as hopeless. One topic is McEnroe trying tennis doubles, and after being embarrassed losing his serve, etc., vowing to stick with singles. McEnroe arguably became the best doubles tennis player ever. He was ranked number one in doubles for 270 weeks. Nowhere in the book is this mentioned.

Another surprising element that felt out of place was the comment that in France you have to earn being treated nicely, but in Italy you are immediately accepted. As travelers (my wife and I) in France hardly knowing French, when deciding which path to take riding the Metro, a kind Parisian that could not speak English still approached us and genuinely tried to help. This author's comment sounds like a fixed mindset, not a growth mindset.

Overall, I recommend this book and do truly believe it will positively affect lives. It could have been shorter without sacrificing substance. The author tries too hard to prove her point with sometimes dubious cause and effect anecdotes.]]> 3.89 2006 Mindset: The New Psychology of Success
author: Carol S. Dweck
name: William
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2006
rating: 3
read at: 2021/02/16
date added: 2021/02/16
shelves: self-improvement
review:
This book brings to light the concept of a fixed mindset versus a growth mindset. Depending on the topic, each of us will have a combination of both mindsets, and we should strive to transition to a growth mindset to greatly benefit both ourself and everyone else. Focal areas include parenting, business, school, relationships, and sports.

A plethora of scenarios are present exhibiting mindset behaviors. The last chapter defines how to best adopt a growth mindset.

The psychology is sound. I especially recommend this book for parents and coaches. Being aware of how to discourage a fixed mindset and encourage a growth mindset can indeed foster lifelong positive impressions for youthful minds. After reading, I immediately began identifying personal areas for improvement.

Although I found examples of generic individuals useful, I disagreed with multiple examples of specific, famous people. Too many absolutes existed where the author bases success and failure predominantly on mindsets. Furthermore, the word 'always' is sometimes used blanketing entire fields where practitioners always get it wrong.

Michael Jordan is one example. His success is heavily attributed to a growth mindset. Perhaps this is true, but I have read where when in college he would keep his roommate up all night until winning a board game or a card game. His roommate would eventually have to lose on purpose to get some sleep. Surely this is not a growth mindset. Could his success instead be based on his fixed mindset to win no matter what at all costs? When returning to basketball, after attempting to make it to the major leagues in baseball, Jordan's team failed to win a championship his first year back. Seemingly, one quote taken from him indicating he was not yet in the proper mindset is to blame. Last time I checked basketball was a team sport.

Patrick Ewing is another example. Supposedly his team failed to win championships because of his fixed mindset of not being willing to move from center to forward to keep Bill Cartwright on the Knicks. Really? Sorry, not buying it.

John McEnroe is yet another example. The author was particularly harsh on him. I am not sure whether this may be due to their shared affiliation with Stanford University. He appeared to have a fixed mindset for just about everything and was painted as hopeless. One topic is McEnroe trying tennis doubles, and after being embarrassed losing his serve, etc., vowing to stick with singles. McEnroe arguably became the best doubles tennis player ever. He was ranked number one in doubles for 270 weeks. Nowhere in the book is this mentioned.

Another surprising element that felt out of place was the comment that in France you have to earn being treated nicely, but in Italy you are immediately accepted. As travelers (my wife and I) in France hardly knowing French, when deciding which path to take riding the Metro, a kind Parisian that could not speak English still approached us and genuinely tried to help. This author's comment sounds like a fixed mindset, not a growth mindset.

Overall, I recommend this book and do truly believe it will positively affect lives. It could have been shorter without sacrificing substance. The author tries too hard to prove her point with sometimes dubious cause and effect anecdotes.
]]> <![CDATA[The Idiot (AmazonClassics Edition)]]> 53427145
Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s most personal work, The Idiot is an uncompromising look at a corrupt world where moral men and women are sometimes limited to immoral choices.

Revised edition: Previously published as The Idiot, this edition of The Idiot (AmazonClassics Edition) includes editorial revisions.]]> 511 Fyodor Dostoevsky William 4 classics Prince Myshkin. Shortly after arriving in St. Petersburg, the prince meets General Epanchin, his wife, and three daughters. The stories the prince initially tells the general's wife and daughters is my favorite moment.

The Idiot is a well written thought provoking psychological story. Several themes are present including morality, religion, politics, jealously, cruelty, mortality, and greed. Dostoevsky provides us with a window looking into nineteenth century Russian society.

Prince Myshkin, 'The Idiot', is the primary focal character. He is portrayed as a genuinely kind, innocent human being. Encounters with his supposed friends, trying to fit in with uppity families, drives the book.

The remaining parts of the novel are adequate, but not as well structured as the first, and at times feel uneven.

Although plausible, I was disappointed with the ending.]]> 4.11 1869 The Idiot (AmazonClassics Edition)
author: Fyodor Dostoevsky
name: William
average rating: 4.11
book published: 1869
rating: 4
read at: 2021/02/05
date added: 2021/02/05
shelves: classics
review:
Part one of this novel is brilliant. I was hooked immediately from the opening scene on the train when first meeting Prince Myshkin. Shortly after arriving in St. Petersburg, the prince meets General Epanchin, his wife, and three daughters. The stories the prince initially tells the general's wife and daughters is my favorite moment.

The Idiot is a well written thought provoking psychological story. Several themes are present including morality, religion, politics, jealously, cruelty, mortality, and greed. Dostoevsky provides us with a window looking into nineteenth century Russian society.

Prince Myshkin, 'The Idiot', is the primary focal character. He is portrayed as a genuinely kind, innocent human being. Encounters with his supposed friends, trying to fit in with uppity families, drives the book.

The remaining parts of the novel are adequate, but not as well structured as the first, and at times feel uneven.

Although plausible, I was disappointed with the ending.
]]> <![CDATA[Death Masks (The Dresden Files, #5)]]> 8680045
Recent A duel with the lethal champion of the Red Court, who must kill Harry to end the war between vampires and wizards…Hit men using Harry for target practice…The missing Shroud of Turin—and the possible involvement of Chicago’s most feared mob boss…A handless and headless corpse the Chicago police need identified�

Not to mention the return of ±á²¹°ù°ù²â’s ex-girlfriend Susan, who’s still struggling with her semi-vampiric nature—and who seems to have a new man in her life.

Some days, it just doesn’t pay to get out of bed. No matter how much you’re charging.]]> 285 Jim Butcher 1101128453 William 5 fantasy Jim Butcher continues improving his craft in each and every volume of The Dresden Files. Death Masks, the fifth installment, is no exception. This novel was intriguing, suspenseful, and entertaining throughout.

Harry is faced with multiple challenges, most notably recovering the stolen Holy Shroud and dueling an ancient powerful Red Court vampire, Don Paola Ortega. Attempting to identify who wants the shroud and why will have you likely guessing until the very end.

Word building, character development, and plotting are all done superbly.

Denarians, fallen angels, are introduced. Nicodemus, their leader, is especially fearsome. Other important focal characters also make debut appearances; playing critical roles to influence outcomes. Several familiar faces return and are also crucial in affecting resolutions.

Becoming emotionally attached to characters is paramount to my level of engagement and enjoyment. Butcher excels at building realistic characters; not flawless, not purely good, not purely evil, etc. Feeling some sympathy for an antagonist is proof an author did their job well.

Admittedly, although immensely enjoying the series, I struggled with fully warming up to Harry. This changed in Death Masks. His character growth and maturity here enabled me to strongly care for his well being.

Death Masks has a darker and more dire tone compared to earlier narratives. Nevertheless, Butcher still manages to pen a fast read that is easily digestible. Furthermore, literal laugh out loud humor remains abundantly present.

The major plot resolutions provide adequate closure. As with the previous stories, I am anticipating future encounters with Harry's surviving adversaries in subsequent books.

I definitely plan on continuing reading The Dresden Files.


]]> 4.39 2003 Death Masks (The Dresden Files, #5)
author: Jim Butcher
name: William
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2003
rating: 5
read at: 2021/01/02
date added: 2021/01/02
shelves: fantasy
review:

Jim Butcher continues improving his craft in each and every volume of The Dresden Files. Death Masks, the fifth installment, is no exception. This novel was intriguing, suspenseful, and entertaining throughout.

Harry is faced with multiple challenges, most notably recovering the stolen Holy Shroud and dueling an ancient powerful Red Court vampire, Don Paola Ortega. Attempting to identify who wants the shroud and why will have you likely guessing until the very end.

Word building, character development, and plotting are all done superbly.

Denarians, fallen angels, are introduced. Nicodemus, their leader, is especially fearsome. Other important focal characters also make debut appearances; playing critical roles to influence outcomes. Several familiar faces return and are also crucial in affecting resolutions.

Becoming emotionally attached to characters is paramount to my level of engagement and enjoyment. Butcher excels at building realistic characters; not flawless, not purely good, not purely evil, etc. Feeling some sympathy for an antagonist is proof an author did their job well.

Admittedly, although immensely enjoying the series, I struggled with fully warming up to Harry. This changed in Death Masks. His character growth and maturity here enabled me to strongly care for his well being.

Death Masks has a darker and more dire tone compared to earlier narratives. Nevertheless, Butcher still manages to pen a fast read that is easily digestible. Furthermore, literal laugh out loud humor remains abundantly present.

The major plot resolutions provide adequate closure. As with the previous stories, I am anticipating future encounters with Harry's surviving adversaries in subsequent books.

I definitely plan on continuing reading The Dresden Files.



]]> <![CDATA[Summer Knight (The Dresden Files, #4)]]> 6527661 In the fourth novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling series featuring everyone's favorite wizard for hire, Harry Dresden is suckered into the tangled—and dangerous—affairs of Faerie...Ever since his girlfriend left town to deal with her newly acquired taste for blood, Harry Dresden has been down and out in Chicago. He can’t pay his rent. He’s alienating his friends. He can’t even recall the last time he took a shower.ÌýThe only professional wizard in the phone book has become a desperate man. Ìý And just when it seems things can’t get any worse, in saunters the Winter Queen of Faerie. She has an offer Harry can’t refuse if he wants to free himself of the supernatural hold his faerie godmother has over him—and hopefully end his run of bad luck. All he has to do is find out who murdered the Summer Queen’s right-hand man, the Summer Knight, and clear the Winter Queen’s name. Ìý It seems simple enough, but Harry knows better than to get caught in the middle of faerie politics. Until he finds out that the fate of the entire world rests on his solving this case. No pressure or anything...]]> 379 Jim Butcher 1101133945 William 4 fantasy Summer Knight, book four of The Dresden Files, is a serious page turner. Butcher successfully delivers another enthralling read and his writing continues to improve with each installment.

Billy the Werewolf returns and is quickly becoming one of my favorite supporting characters. He is a loyal friend of Harry. Murphy also returns and it is great have her back. More is revealed about her past here.

The Faerie realms of Nevernever take center stage in this volume. We are introduced to several new fascinating characters. World building is superb. The Summer Knight is murdered, and Mr. Dresden is tasked with determining who committed the act (and why). Indeed, part of the fun of this narrative is trying to solve the case along with Harry. If he fails, his life and others are at stake.

The finale provides adequate closure. Summer Knight is highly recommended for those seeking a fast, enjoyable, entertaining read.]]> 4.34 2002 Summer Knight (The Dresden Files, #4)
author: Jim Butcher
name: William
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2002
rating: 4
read at: 2020/12/05
date added: 2020/12/07
shelves: fantasy
review:
Summer Knight, book four of The Dresden Files, is a serious page turner. Butcher successfully delivers another enthralling read and his writing continues to improve with each installment.

Billy the Werewolf returns and is quickly becoming one of my favorite supporting characters. He is a loyal friend of Harry. Murphy also returns and it is great have her back. More is revealed about her past here.

The Faerie realms of Nevernever take center stage in this volume. We are introduced to several new fascinating characters. World building is superb. The Summer Knight is murdered, and Mr. Dresden is tasked with determining who committed the act (and why). Indeed, part of the fun of this narrative is trying to solve the case along with Harry. If he fails, his life and others are at stake.

The finale provides adequate closure. Summer Knight is highly recommended for those seeking a fast, enjoyable, entertaining read.
]]> <![CDATA[Dawnshard (The Stormlight Archive, #3.5)]]> 54511226
When a ghost ship is discovered, its crew presumed dead after trying to reach the storm-shrouded island Akina, Navani Kholin must send an expedition to make sure the island hasn't fallen into enemy hands. Knights Radiant who fly too near find their Stormlight suddenly drained, so the voyage must be by sea.

Shipowner Rysn Ftori lost the use of her legs but gained the companionship of Chiri-Chiri, a Stormlight-ingesting winged larkin, a species once thought extinct. Now Rysn's pet is ill, and any hope for Chiri-Chiri’s recovery can be found only at the ancestral home of the larkin: Akinah. With the help of Lopen, the formerly one-armed Windrunner, Rysn must accept Navani's quest and sail into the perilous storm from which no one has returned alive. If the crew cannot uncover the secrets of the hidden island city before the wrath of its ancient guardians falls upon them, the fate of Roshar and the entire Cosmere hangs in the balance.]]> 171 Brandon Sanderson 193857026X William 4 fantasy Dawnshard is a novella taking place between Oathbringer and Rhythm of War, books three and four of The Stormlight Archive.

This story is a very fast enjoyable read. I recommend reading it before Rhythm of War. Cosmere revelations are present yielding the pondering of theories. Hopefully Rhythm of War builds on these teasers dropped in Dawnshard.

Rysn is an incredible focal character. It was great witnessing her character growth including how she copes with her disability. I am glad Sanderson consulted experts to allow ¸é²õ²â²Ô’s behavior to be as realistic as possible. I believe Brandon did well in this regard based on at least a couple of people I know with a similar disability.

Cord is another favorite character of mine. Her motives for the journey she embarks on are very honorable.

Trust, honor, respect, loyalty, and persuasion to change opinions are themes present throughout. Being a passenger on a ship to Akinah was a fun, enlightening ride.

Aspects of the finale were abrupt and predictable. Perhaps this is due to the Novella format. Now ready for Rhythm of War!]]> 4.39 2020 Dawnshard (The Stormlight Archive, #3.5)
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: William
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2020/11/22
date added: 2020/11/23
shelves: fantasy
review:
Dawnshard is a novella taking place between Oathbringer and Rhythm of War, books three and four of The Stormlight Archive.

This story is a very fast enjoyable read. I recommend reading it before Rhythm of War. Cosmere revelations are present yielding the pondering of theories. Hopefully Rhythm of War builds on these teasers dropped in Dawnshard.

Rysn is an incredible focal character. It was great witnessing her character growth including how she copes with her disability. I am glad Sanderson consulted experts to allow ¸é²õ²â²Ô’s behavior to be as realistic as possible. I believe Brandon did well in this regard based on at least a couple of people I know with a similar disability.

Cord is another favorite character of mine. Her motives for the journey she embarks on are very honorable.

Trust, honor, respect, loyalty, and persuasion to change opinions are themes present throughout. Being a passenger on a ship to Akinah was a fun, enlightening ride.

Aspects of the finale were abrupt and predictable. Perhaps this is due to the Novella format. Now ready for Rhythm of War!
]]> <![CDATA[Grave Peril (The Dresden Files, #3)]]> 7021986 465 Jim Butcher 1440653909 William 4 fantasy Grave Peril, book three of The Dresden Files, like its predecessors, is an entertaining fun read; very difficult to put down.

Butcher again grows as a writer here; successfully crafting interesting, intricate, sophisticated plots. Furthermore, world building in this installment is well done; including providing additional details regarding the Vampire Courts and the Nevernever spirit world. New intriguing characters are also introduced.

Ghosts, vampires, and demons take center stage in this volume. Harry is tasked with solving mysteries to save both himself and others.

The opening encounter battling a murderous, deranged ghost properly establishes the tone for the narrative. The final battle scene is creative and brilliant.

As with prior volumes, Harry continues to escape nearly hopeless scenarios against all odds. However, in Grave Peril, he does not accomplish this without much needed support from his allies. This is yet another improvement and more realistic.

Grave Peril is highly recommended! I definitely plan to read more books in this series.]]> 4.22 2001 Grave Peril (The Dresden Files, #3)
author: Jim Butcher
name: William
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2001
rating: 4
read at: 2020/11/21
date added: 2020/11/21
shelves: fantasy
review:
Grave Peril, book three of The Dresden Files, like its predecessors, is an entertaining fun read; very difficult to put down.

Butcher again grows as a writer here; successfully crafting interesting, intricate, sophisticated plots. Furthermore, world building in this installment is well done; including providing additional details regarding the Vampire Courts and the Nevernever spirit world. New intriguing characters are also introduced.

Ghosts, vampires, and demons take center stage in this volume. Harry is tasked with solving mysteries to save both himself and others.

The opening encounter battling a murderous, deranged ghost properly establishes the tone for the narrative. The final battle scene is creative and brilliant.

As with prior volumes, Harry continues to escape nearly hopeless scenarios against all odds. However, in Grave Peril, he does not accomplish this without much needed support from his allies. This is yet another improvement and more realistic.

Grave Peril is highly recommended! I definitely plan to read more books in this series.
]]> <![CDATA[Fool Moon (The Dresden Files, #2)]]> 6488124 “One of the most enjoyable marriages of the fantasy and mystery genres on the shelves,�(Cinescape) the Dresden Files have become synonymous with action-packed urban fantasy and nonstop fun. Fool Moon continues the adventures of Jim Butcher’s most famous—and infamous—reluctant hero�
Ìý
You’d think there’d be a little more action for the only professional wizard listed in the Chicago phone book. But lately, Harry Dresden hasn’t been able to dredge up any kind of magical, mundane, or menial.
Ìý
Just when it looks like he can’t afford his next meal, a murder comes along that requires his particular brand of supernatural expertise. There’s a brutally mutilated corpse, and monstrous animal markings at the scene. Not to mention that the killing took place on the night of a full moon. Harry knows exactly where this case is headed. Take three guesses—and the first two don’t count...]]> 432 Jim Butcher 1440631697 William 4 fantasy Fool Moon, book two of The Dresden Files, has deeper, more sophisticated plots compared to its predecessor, Storm Front. It is yet another entertaining fast paced read from Jim Butcher; very difficult to put down.

Fool Moon also contains much more profanity and graphic violence. Caution to those who may find this to be too offensive or unnerving.

Karrin Murphy and Harry Dresden continue their tumultuous relationship, not fully trusting each other. Several former reviews noted this situation to be irritating. Although I agree, I did not have a problem with it. Trust is a two way street, and must be earned, not taken for granted; especially when withholding information and keeping secrets may be the difference between life and death.

Butcher does a decent job taking the werewolf trope and making it his own. I will refrain from specifics to avoid spoilers. Fans of werewolves will likely enjoy this tale.

This narrative is also thought provoking and introspective. None of the focal characters are ‘fully evil� or ‘fully good�. As compared to the real world, each has their own strengths and weaknesses, and their current makeup is forged from years of living. Along the way, uncharacteristic alliances are formed. This is a reminder to refrain from judging others until at a minimum you truly get to know them.

A bit more of ±á²¹°ù°ù²â’s past is revealed. Hopefully this will continue in future installments. Bob returns for a brief appearance. Hoping he gets more ‘air timeâ€� again in the future.

Harry may be a super awesome wizard and detective named after multiple magicians. Nevertheless, even for him, the situations he was able to continually escape from were very implausible.

The finale provides adequate closure and fortunately does not end in a cliffhanger. Next up, volume three, Grave Peril.]]> 4.10 2001 Fool Moon (The Dresden Files, #2)
author: Jim Butcher
name: William
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2001
rating: 4
read at: 2020/11/12
date added: 2020/11/13
shelves: fantasy
review:
Fool Moon, book two of The Dresden Files, has deeper, more sophisticated plots compared to its predecessor, Storm Front. It is yet another entertaining fast paced read from Jim Butcher; very difficult to put down.

Fool Moon also contains much more profanity and graphic violence. Caution to those who may find this to be too offensive or unnerving.

Karrin Murphy and Harry Dresden continue their tumultuous relationship, not fully trusting each other. Several former reviews noted this situation to be irritating. Although I agree, I did not have a problem with it. Trust is a two way street, and must be earned, not taken for granted; especially when withholding information and keeping secrets may be the difference between life and death.

Butcher does a decent job taking the werewolf trope and making it his own. I will refrain from specifics to avoid spoilers. Fans of werewolves will likely enjoy this tale.

This narrative is also thought provoking and introspective. None of the focal characters are ‘fully evil� or ‘fully good�. As compared to the real world, each has their own strengths and weaknesses, and their current makeup is forged from years of living. Along the way, uncharacteristic alliances are formed. This is a reminder to refrain from judging others until at a minimum you truly get to know them.

A bit more of ±á²¹°ù°ù²â’s past is revealed. Hopefully this will continue in future installments. Bob returns for a brief appearance. Hoping he gets more ‘air timeâ€� again in the future.

Harry may be a super awesome wizard and detective named after multiple magicians. Nevertheless, even for him, the situations he was able to continually escape from were very implausible.

The finale provides adequate closure and fortunately does not end in a cliffhanger. Next up, volume three, Grave Peril.
]]> <![CDATA[Storm Front (The Dresden Files, #1)]]> 6219313 HARRY DRESDEN � WIZARD

Lost Items Found. Paranormal Investigations. Consulting. Advice. Reasonable Rates. No Love Potions, Endless Purses, or Other Entertainment.

Harry Dresden is the best at what he does. Well, technically, he's the only at what he does. So when the Chicago P.D. has a case that transcends mortal creativity or capability, they come to him for answers. For the "everyday" world is actually full of strange and magical things—and most don't play well with humans. That's where Harry comes in. Takes a wizard to catch a—well, whatever. There's just one problem. Business, to put it mildly, stinks.

So when the police bring him in to consult on a grisly double murder committed with black magic, Harry's seeing dollar signs. But where there's black magic, there's a black mage behind it. And now that mage knows Harry's name. And that's when things start to get interesting.

Magic - it can get a guy killed.]]> 336 Jim Butcher William 3 fantasy Storm Front, the debut novel of The Dresden Files series, is a fast, fun, witty, entertaining read. The narrative is told in the first person by Harry Dresden, detective and wizard.

A big part of Mr. Dresden’s job is the ability to read people. Fortunately for him, Jim Butcher excels at depicting a character’s physiognomy. His talents include describing intricate subtleties very well without being too verbose.

Bob is among my favorite characters. I literally laughed out loud more than once during his scenes. Hoping to spend more time with Bob in future installments.

A murder mystery is one major plot present. However, I at least think it was too easy to identify the killer. Other plot resolutions were also predictable.

The finale provides adequate closure. Butcher does a good job succinctly communicating the latest status of all the focal characters.

Next up, book two, Fool Moon!]]> 4.01 2000 Storm Front (The Dresden Files, #1)
author: Jim Butcher
name: William
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2000
rating: 3
read at: 2020/11/07
date added: 2020/11/07
shelves: fantasy
review:
Storm Front, the debut novel of The Dresden Files series, is a fast, fun, witty, entertaining read. The narrative is told in the first person by Harry Dresden, detective and wizard.

A big part of Mr. Dresden’s job is the ability to read people. Fortunately for him, Jim Butcher excels at depicting a character’s physiognomy. His talents include describing intricate subtleties very well without being too verbose.

Bob is among my favorite characters. I literally laughed out loud more than once during his scenes. Hoping to spend more time with Bob in future installments.

A murder mystery is one major plot present. However, I at least think it was too easy to identify the killer. Other plot resolutions were also predictable.

The finale provides adequate closure. Butcher does a good job succinctly communicating the latest status of all the focal characters.

Next up, book two, Fool Moon!
]]> Dark Places 15731700
Ben was a social misfit, ground down by the small-town farming community in which he lived. But he did have a girlfriend - a brooding heavy metal fan called Diondra. Through her, Ben became involved with drugs and the dark arts. When the town suddenly turned against him, his thoughts turned black. But was he capable of murder? Libby must delve into her family's past to uncover the truth - no matter how painful...]]> 448 Gillian Flynn William 4 thriller Dark Places lives up to its name. It is certainly a very dark novel.

The narrative frequently switches between the current time and flashbacks. This technique works very well here, The point of view also rapidly changes between different characters. This does not always work, but I appreciated this approach here which enables readers to ‘get inside the head� of all the focal characters.

Flynn definitely has a special talent for writing very flawed characters. She captures the darkest aspects of humanity; exposing how cruel people can be regardless of age and upbringing.

The story started very strong and was hard to put down. Pacing slowed a bit in the middle but then again fortunately picked up steam.

I was not a fan of the ending concerning what happened the last few chapters during the current timeframe. The final flashbacks resolving all the mysteries was plausible, but what finally occurred in real time was outrageous. To avoid spoilers I will refrain from specifics.

Children lying, succumbing to peer pressure, etc, is very dangerous and very real. Indeed, these horrible entities can ruin lives beyond repair. It is even worse when adults play a role by negatively coercing and influencing young children. Things can spiral out of control very quickly, and reputations and perceptions can stick, even if totally fictitious.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was a haunting experience I will be thinking about for awhile. Parents, please pay attention to your kids and build a trusting relationship with them!]]> 3.92 2009 Dark Places
author: Gillian Flynn
name: William
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2009
rating: 4
read at: 2020/10/31
date added: 2020/10/31
shelves: thriller
review:
Dark Places lives up to its name. It is certainly a very dark novel.

The narrative frequently switches between the current time and flashbacks. This technique works very well here, The point of view also rapidly changes between different characters. This does not always work, but I appreciated this approach here which enables readers to ‘get inside the head� of all the focal characters.

Flynn definitely has a special talent for writing very flawed characters. She captures the darkest aspects of humanity; exposing how cruel people can be regardless of age and upbringing.

The story started very strong and was hard to put down. Pacing slowed a bit in the middle but then again fortunately picked up steam.

I was not a fan of the ending concerning what happened the last few chapters during the current timeframe. The final flashbacks resolving all the mysteries was plausible, but what finally occurred in real time was outrageous. To avoid spoilers I will refrain from specifics.

Children lying, succumbing to peer pressure, etc, is very dangerous and very real. Indeed, these horrible entities can ruin lives beyond repair. It is even worse when adults play a role by negatively coercing and influencing young children. Things can spiral out of control very quickly, and reputations and perceptions can stick, even if totally fictitious.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was a haunting experience I will be thinking about for awhile. Parents, please pay attention to your kids and build a trusting relationship with them!
]]> Video Night 33822809
Billy and Tom are best friends, but each knows that at the end of the school year they'll be moving in different directions. But why not go out with a bang and throw one last video night? They can invite some girls over, order a pizza, then maybe try and fight the alien infection that's taken hold over their suburban town.

It's The Breakfast Club meets The Night of the Creeps in this slime-drenched '80s horror romp.

"Hit that first chapter. It’ll hook you, and the next time you look up, you’ll have swallowed the book. It’ll be nesting inside you like a seed, like an egg, like an invasion." -Stephen Graham Jones, author of Mongrels

"The momentum keeps building. The stakes keep escalating. The monsters just keep getting worse and worse, the catastrophic mayhem more juicy and hopeless. Best of all, the writing moves like a greased torpedo, compulsively readable as it rockets through your brain." -Fangoria

"If you put together the gore, action, monsters, and sense of excitement that made '80s horror movies so great, you'll only have about half of what makes Video Night a must-read tome for horror fans." -Horrortalk]]> 250 Adam Cesare William 3 horror Cesare successfully pays homage to the 1980s B-movie horror scene; complete with gore, aliens, and cheesy laughable jokes.

Readers growing up in the 80s perhaps will have a propensity to better appreciate this novel compared to those younger or older. Although nostalgic and amusing, I was hoping for deeper plot depth; especially more of a backstory concerning the invaders.

The finale was lackluster and somewhat abrupt. Again, I would have appreciated more details regarding the state of our world beyond the point of view of the focal characters.

Recommended for those looking for a lighthearted horror read in October that is not overly creepy or disturbing.]]> 3.89 2013 Video Night
author: Adam Cesare
name: William
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2013
rating: 3
read at: 2020/10/20
date added: 2020/10/20
shelves: horror
review:
This narrative is a fun, fast, entertaining read. Cesare successfully pays homage to the 1980s B-movie horror scene; complete with gore, aliens, and cheesy laughable jokes.

Readers growing up in the 80s perhaps will have a propensity to better appreciate this novel compared to those younger or older. Although nostalgic and amusing, I was hoping for deeper plot depth; especially more of a backstory concerning the invaders.

The finale was lackluster and somewhat abrupt. Again, I would have appreciated more details regarding the state of our world beyond the point of view of the focal characters.

Recommended for those looking for a lighthearted horror read in October that is not overly creepy or disturbing.
]]> The Damnation Game 22714192 443 Clive Barker William 1 horror
This was one of the most boring horror novels I have read. I made it all the way through, but should have stopped. Even for the last chapter, I was fighting to stay awake.

The major conflict between focal characters lacked substance. The novel was never able to get past this fundamental flaw. Also, way too many plot holes are present.

This narrative does contain multiple gross, disgusting, and disturbing elements one would expect for a horror story. However, it is overdone and eventually loses its effect. I was hoping for a scary read and this was not scary at all. However, measuring ‘scariness� is subjective so your milage may vary here.]]> 3.81 1985 The Damnation Game
author: Clive Barker
name: William
average rating: 3.81
book published: 1985
rating: 1
read at: 2020/10/14
date added: 2020/10/14
shelves: horror
review:
The opening scenes were very promising, and seemed to set the tone for a scary, thrilling, and disturbing October read. Unfortunately, it was all downhill from here. Until about halfway through, the significance of this opening ‘flashback� is not revealed, and once revealed, is done so in blatant information dumping fashion.

This was one of the most boring horror novels I have read. I made it all the way through, but should have stopped. Even for the last chapter, I was fighting to stay awake.

The major conflict between focal characters lacked substance. The novel was never able to get past this fundamental flaw. Also, way too many plot holes are present.

This narrative does contain multiple gross, disgusting, and disturbing elements one would expect for a horror story. However, it is overdone and eventually loses its effect. I was hoping for a scary read and this was not scary at all. However, measuring ‘scariness� is subjective so your milage may vary here.
]]>