Pretty good, although it felt a little mechanical. I read this for its connection to Skyward and the newly released sequel, Starsight. Defend3.5 stars
Pretty good, although it felt a little mechanical. I read this for its connection to Skyward and the newly released sequel, Starsight. Defending Elysium is set in the same world as those books, although obviously many generations in time before, so the actual stories are really not all that connected.
Of Blood and Bone is a very different book from the first in the series. Taking place several years after Year One, this book focuses on Fallon's procOf Blood and Bone is a very different book from the first in the series. Taking place several years after Year One, this book focuses on Fallon's process of coming into her own. I liked the coming of age and training story, which does set everything up nicely for a big finish in the final book.
The characters in this book seemed more developed and nuanced this time around, which I appreciated. I'm hoping that continues in the final book, The Rise of Magicks....more
My first Nora Roberts, so I had no real expectations going in. Honestly it's not a 4 star book in terms of overall quality, but it was such an easy anMy first Nora Roberts, so I had no real expectations going in. Honestly it's not a 4 star book in terms of overall quality, but it was such an easy and enjoyable read, which is what I needed at the moment.
Here's the deal: the characters are literally all either totally good beyond belief or absolutely evil, and the story is completely straightforward. There's not a lot of subtlety here and it is a bit lightweight overall.
That said, I didn't care much, and the story has a nice, quick page turning pace that doesn't require much from the reader other than to sit back and enjoy it. Which I did....more
Oh boy, this was really not an easy book to get through. About 1/3 was really interesting, 1/3 was OK, and the other 1/3 was "this book is long enoughOh boy, this was really not an easy book to get through. About 1/3 was really interesting, 1/3 was OK, and the other 1/3 was "this book is long enough without adding stuff that doesn't seem to matter much." The thing that finally killed it for me though, was the last page. I thought I would finally see some resolution for my favourite story thread and...no. I have to read the OTHER HALF of the story to get that, namely, Judas Unchained.
I don't know that I have the stamina for Round 2....more
While this wasn't my favourite by Marillier, like everything else she writes, that still doesn't take it far from excellent. The trademark richness ofWhile this wasn't my favourite by Marillier, like everything else she writes, that still doesn't take it far from excellent. The trademark richness of setting and character I expect from Marillier is present here, and it makes for a wonderfully engaging story.
The main relationship in this story is between Eyvind and Somerled, two boyhood friends who grow up together and ultimately have their friendship tested to the limit. Somerled is probably one of the most complicated characters I've come across in Marillier's work thus far, although readers of Child of the Prophecy might recognise shades of Fainne (even if the two characters are admittedly very different).
I definitely plan to read the concluding book to this duology, Foxmask...actually I just read the summary for that, and I'm already stressed out by the plight of the characters in the upcoming book!
Notes on the audiobook:While this is an older book, it has recently been released as an audiobook narrated by Saskia Maarleveld. I have nothing but good things to say about the narration, and would recommend it highly to audiobook listeners....more
This book picks up directly from Assassin's Apprentice, with things (as expected) continually going from bad to worse for Fitz. On the upside, we haveThis book picks up directly from Assassin's Apprentice, with things (as expected) continually going from bad to worse for Fitz. On the upside, we have a wolf!
I was a bit reticent to start this only two days before the end of the year, but...I just loved the first book so much that I couldn't help but go on with things right away. Needless to say, I finished off this 675 page tome in those two days, making Royal Assassin my final read for 2019, and also my final add to my favourites-2019 shelf.
Basically I loved this as much as the first. Loved the writing, the story, the characters, and the slow burn pace with the fast finish. It was all good and the perfect way to finish up the year....more
I absolutely loved this. I don't know what I was expecting, but I admit going into this a bit under-enthused. I know this first book is not overly lonI absolutely loved this. I don't know what I was expecting, but I admit going into this a bit under-enthused. I know this first book is not overly long, but I've been feeling a bit daunted by long books lately (says the person who just before this read Stephen King's massively long Under the Dome). But, it was in part because I enjoyed Under the Dome so much that I decided I could still tackle big books without feeling bogged down.
Anyway. People have raved to me about Robin Hobb for years, and I'm glad I finally read this because it was so much better than I hoped for. I loved the depth of character development, and the slow and steady way the story was detailed up to that pretty fast finish at the end. Over the next few months I'm planning to read the rest of this trilogy, and I am now very much looking forward to that....more
I started this as an audiobook, but I was so drawn in that I switched to print so I could just keep going. That said, the audio is excellent, and the I started this as an audiobook, but I was so drawn in that I switched to print so I could just keep going. That said, the audio is excellent, and the list of narrators impressive, so there is nothing at all lost by going this route.
Overall the stories are extremely solid from start to finish, and I appreciated the order and narrative framework of the collection. The absolute standout story here is Late Returns, and I would say that even if you ultimately decide to pass on the rest of the collection, this story alone is worth reading.
One story I was particularly interested in reading was In the Tall Grass, co-written by Hill and Stephen King, as the adaptation is currently streaming on Netflix (although I haven't yet seen it). Honestly, this one was pretty gross and disturbing, and I'm not quite as anxious now to see the adaptation.
Also, do not skip the Introduction, Who's Your Daddy? It's incredibly interesting and gives a great background for understanding how Hill came to be who he is as a writer and where these stories all began.
Definitely a must read for fans of Hill and King, and anyone in the mood for a little horror to spice things up....more
Groundhog Day by way of 15th century Florence. This is not my usual pick, but it turned out to be an excellent read for me. Walton's prose is so practGroundhog Day by way of 15th century Florence. This is not my usual pick, but it turned out to be an excellent read for me. Walton's prose is so practiced and conversational, and kept me wanting to pick it up to see what would happen next...or again....more
This wasn't bad; I didn't love it or hate it. I like Cordova's writing generally, although still, Claudia Gray creates the overall best Star Wars storThis wasn't bad; I didn't love it or hate it. I like Cordova's writing generally, although still, Claudia Gray creates the overall best Star Wars stories I think.
Here I did like the characters, the setting, and the basic premise, but I'm never a fan of books where everything takes place in a single day. It always seems unrealistic when a lot of action takes place, and I really like more character development. This would be the main reason I would rate this book below other Star Wars YA books I really enjoyed such as Lost Stars, Leia: Princess of Alderaan, and Rebel Rising....more
Review of new edition audiobook, narrated by Elisabeth Moss.
This is my second reading of The Handmaid's Tale, the first being around twenty years ago.Review of new edition audiobook, narrated by Elisabeth Moss.
This is my second reading of The Handmaid's Tale, the first being around twenty years ago. The book still resonates as relevant and chilling. What I got mostly from listening to this audio version, though, is a better appreciation of the poetic and dissociative way Offred recounts her experiences in Gilead, both in her present and past. Atwood shows her brilliance as a writer in her ability to tell a tale in this piecemeal and non-linear fashion that somehow also remains tightly focused and never gets away from her. Elisabeth Moss gives an unparalleled performance in her reading, as close to becoming the character and speaking in her voice as one could possibly ask for.
We may call Eurydice forth from the world of the dead, but we cannot make her answer; and when we turn to look at her we glimpse her only for a moment, before she slips from our grasp and flees. As all historians know, the past is a great darkness, and filled with echoes. Voices may reach us from it; but what they say to us is imbued with the obscurity of the matrix out of which they come; and, try as we may, we cannot always decipher them precisely in the clearer light of our own day.
Exactly the finish to Chronicles of the One that I expected.
This final book picks up right where Of Blood and Bone left off, and takes the characters Exactly the finish to Chronicles of the One that I expected.
This final book picks up right where Of Blood and Bone left off, and takes the characters and the story to the exact place promised at the outset. If you liked the first two books, you won't have any complaints here.
Overall the series is very cinematic in presentation, reading like a well-made miniseries. That means, not a ton of detail, no extra stuff, and a quick pace from start to finish. It's an entertaining read that is easy to visualize, and doesn't challenge the reader or deprive you of the expected outcomes. Honestly just the ticket for me at the moment....more
A fantastic follow up to the extremely impressive Jade City.
Jade War keeps to the same standard of excellence set by its predecessor with complicatedA fantastic follow up to the extremely impressive Jade City.
Jade War keeps to the same standard of excellence set by its predecessor with complicated yet precise storytelling, deep worldbuilding, and fully realised characters. There were moments of shock and surprise, and given what Lee showed she was willing to do in Jade City, many turns in the story where I really wasn't sure what the outcome would be.
Yet again Lee shows that she is a writer to be reckoned with; one who improves upon her previous accomplishments with each successive book. I have no doubt that the final book in the Green Bone Saga, Jade Legacy, will be a masterful conclusion....more
Such a different and creative book! Funny, irreverent, and filled with emotional highs and lows, this one took me by surprise in the best possible waySuch a different and creative book! Funny, irreverent, and filled with emotional highs and lows, this one took me by surprise in the best possible way. I didn't know what to expect from a crow's eye view of the fall of humanity (referred to affectionately as "MoFos" by the protagonist, S.T.) and the great change experienced by beings of the natural world left behind, but whatever it was, Hollow Kingdom fulfilled it. Part of the 5 star rating I've given stems from the pure enjoyment I got from reading this. This is going on my favourites 2019 shelf.
I've included a long, but representative, excerpt below. It pretty much conveys the tone of the book:
I hesitate to go on for fear that you will judge me and not want to hear the rest of my story. However, in the interest of full disclosure, I feel a duty to tell you the truth about everything. You deserve it. My name is Shit Turd and I am an American crow. Are you still with me? Crows aren’t well liked, you see. We’re judged because we are black, because our feathers don’t possess the speckled stateliness of a red-tailed hawk’s or the bewitching cobalt of a blue jay’s, those stupid fuckers. Yeah, yeah, we’re not as dainty and whimsical as hummingbirds, not as wise as owls—a total misnomer by the way—and not as “adorable” as the hambeast-bellied egg timer commonly known as a penguin. Crows are harbingers of death and omens, good and bad, according to Big Jim according to Google. Midnight-winged tricksters associated with mystery, the occult, the unknown. The netherworld, wherever that is—Portland? We make people think of the deceased and super angsty poetry. Admittedly we don’t help the cause when we happily dine on fish guts in a landfill, but hey ho.
So, the truth—my name is Shit Turd (S.T. for short) and I’m a domesticated crow, raised by Big Jim who taught me the ways of your kind whom he called “MoFos.” He gave me my floral vocabulary and my indubitably unique name. He taught me to say some MoFo words. Because of the aforementioned Tinder misadventures, Big Jim and I spent quality, or rather quantity, time together and I have an array of tricks under my plume. I know about MoFo things like windows and secrets and blow-up dolls. And I am the rare bird who loves your kind, the ones who walk on two legs and built the things you dreamt of, including the Cheeto®. I owe my life to you. As an honorary MoFo, I’m here to be utterly honest and tell you what happened to your kind. The thing none of us saw coming.
Note - as a direct side effect of reading this book I now think of people generally as MoFos in my head....more
Hmmm. So all my reading buddies loved this, but I didn't feel...much, really, about it.
The premise is cool, the writing is competent, and th2.5 stars
Hmmm. So all my reading buddies loved this, but I didn't feel...much, really, about it.
The premise is cool, the writing is competent, and there is action pretty much throughout. In fact, this is essentially what I thought about another book I read recently, The Stars Now Unclaimed. But I had the same problem with this book that I had with that one, that is, the story is just not character driven enough for my personal taste.
It's not a bad book, and I know lots of people will love it, but it's just not so much what I'm interested in reading these days....more
This picks up straight from where The Armored Saint left off, with Heloise and company still being pursued by the Order.
This was pretty action packed,This picks up straight from where The Armored Saint left off, with Heloise and company still being pursued by the Order.
This was pretty action packed, and violent, just like the first book. There is a lot of tension as Heloise continues to face what seem like impossible situations over and over. I like the way her character is developing, as well as that of the various people around her. Tone continues to be a bit obvious in his characterisation, but I guess he is supposed to be a zealot, so it's to be expected.
I don't know how this will all resolve, so I'm looking forward to the final book, The Killing Light, which I expect to be as intense as the first two....more
Really mediocre book with nothing new to offer. The plus side for me was that I read most of this while sitting in the Emergency waiting room2.5 stars
Really mediocre book with nothing new to offer. The plus side for me was that I read most of this while sitting in the Emergency waiting room (that place where time apparently ceases to have all relevance). At a time when I just needed to hurry up and wait and didn't want to invest any mental energy, this filled the bill.
Honestly though, nothing much happens to a bunch of typical and two dimensional characters....more
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