Super fun science-fantasy about necromancers from Noble Houses, their knights, and a trial/competition put on in the name of the Galactic Emperor on aSuper fun science-fantasy about necromancers from Noble Houses, their knights, and a trial/competition put on in the name of the Galactic Emperor on a possibly haunted planet.
The main character is Gideon a very mouthy fighter who is very reluctantly cajoled into acting as the cavalier for Harrowhawk, her House's necromancer adept, a woman she claims to despise.
My only real complaints are that there is a small army of characters and many of their names are so odd (to me) that for most of the book I had trouble remembering who was who and had to make frequent references to the list of characters at the start of the book. ...more
I enjoyed it since I almost always enjoy stories about runners and the history of distance writing. Futterman spins a good tale and a good writer, eveI enjoyed it since I almost always enjoy stories about runners and the history of distance writing. Futterman spins a good tale and a good writer, even if he massively overused the phrase "running to the edge" through out the book.
It's a story of an American coach who early on figures out that long, difficult tempo runs are the key to distance running success. This is in an era when most running plans are just doing a bunch of fast intervals. It didn't even sound like easy runs through the neighbourhood were a common way to train in the 60s.
I'm not sure I buy the premise of the book, or perhaps the author didn't get it across as well as he wanted. Bob Larsen is portrayed as this renegade guru who's mostly ignored by the running community, especially in the 80s when America gives up on distance running. The thesis is that the East African runners aren't genetically more equipped to win marathons, they just train hard whereas Americans became too timid about tough training. But there's no comparison of Larsen's methods vs Ethiopian training methods. If they are running the same tough tempo runs that Larsen first discovered, I'd have loved to hear the story of how they all learned his methods or invented them independently. (The story is very, very focused on Larsen and his training first of his early pupils and then Meb Keflezighi)
Also, if Larsen has figured out some magic secret, why are African runners still so dominant. He was the US Olympic coach for distant events for years and years.
All that aside, it IS a fun read and like other well-written running books it definitely got me pumped up about my own training and running. I'm now trying to figure out if I can do a comeback marathon in 2020 instead of waiting to 2021, which speaks to Futterman's fun writing style!...more
Grabbed this to read on a flight. With the federal election coming up I figure I should get to know the leader of the party I’m most likely to vote foGrabbed this to read on a flight. With the federal election coming up I figure I should get to know the leader of the party I’m most likely to vote for!
Singh tells an intensely personal story of what it was like growing up as a Sikh kid in Canada, as well as the even more personal struggles he faced.
All through the book he talks about how Sikh values such as love, interconnectedness and pluralism are important to him and how they inform his approach to life.
I think this book does a good job getting across his values. I’d love a second one that discusses his vision for Canada and his political goals and ideals...more
Fun sci-fi whose premise is: what if the person who makes first contact with an alien civilization is a disaffected communist who wants them to come wFun sci-fi whose premise is: what if the person who makes first contact with an alien civilization is a disaffected communist who wants them to come wipe out humanity?
Part of the book is set during China's Cultural Revolution, and those sections were especially interesting since I don't know all that much about that era. Liu Cixin is also fairly technical at times and there were many places where I didn't know if the science was at all possible, or the sci-fi version of magic but I just rolled with out.
Without giving away spoilers, a few details early in the book are revealed, almost at the end, as part of twist that was both cool and hilarious. (I don't know if it was meant to be twist but my theory about what was going on was completely off base)
This series is just soooo good. So many lines from the podcast that I remember made me laugh out lot and Carey Pietsch's art is fantastic. Love the chThis series is just soooo good. So many lines from the podcast that I remember made me laugh out lot and Carey Pietsch's art is fantastic. Love the character design on everyone.
Caveat: I have no way to judge how much someone who hasn't listened to the TAZ podcast would enjoy this. I can't at all guess if it stands on its own but that's moot because you should definitely listen to the Adventure Zone....more
Fun little novella that expands the world of the Old Kingdom books a bit more. Nice to see Nick being more than the mind-controlled idiot he was in LiFun little novella that expands the world of the Old Kingdom books a bit more. Nice to see Nick being more than the mind-controlled idiot he was in Lirael and Abhorsen.
I think I will always be sad in Old Kingdom stories after the first one because I still want to hear more about Sabriel from the end of her book and all her adventures as the Abhorsen ....more
I really enjoyed this one, although it makes me sad knowing what happens in Lirael. In a lot of ways, I felt like this was darker than the other AbhorI really enjoyed this one, although it makes me sad knowing what happens in Lirael. In a lot of ways, I felt like this was darker than the other Abhorsen books. I quite liked Clariel as a character and was pretty sympathetic with her desire to have a chill, simple life. As is typical for YA novels, the adults ruin everything.
It was neat learning more about the world and seeing a slightly different aspect to Mogget....more
I'm not the type to have role models, but if I were to pick one, Emil Zatopek seems like a good choice. I knew a little bit about him before but I enjI'm not the type to have role models, but if I were to pick one, Emil Zatopek seems like a good choice. I knew a little bit about him before but I enjoyed reading an in-depth biography. Zatopek utterly dominated distance running in the late 40s and 50s. Among his accomplishments was being the first person to run 10k in less than 29 minutes and is still the only person to ever win gold medals in the 5000m, 10000m and marathon events in the same Olympics (which he did in 1952).
I don't know if he was naturally talented as a runner but he hit upon the idea of very hard interval training. At the time, the prevailing attitude was to try not to train *too* hard, the theory being that you had to save your strength for races.
Perhaps more important than his running accomplishments is how he seemed to charm and befriend everyone he came in contact with. All the rivals he crushed in races seemed to genuinely adore him, with many of them becoming lifelong friends. The book is replete with anecdotes of people talking about how kind Zatopek was to them.
After the heyday of his peak running era, the book takes a darker turn as we go into the worst of the Communist oppression in the Czechoslovakia, which makes for weird pacing but that's just how his life went.
I wish I'd gotten into running and heard about Zapotek before I visited Prague in 2007. ...more
A mystery novel but with Thomas King's dialogue and characters! The mystery/plot felt pretty run-on-of-the-mill, with no shocking twists. But it's wriA mystery novel but with Thomas King's dialogue and characters! The mystery/plot felt pretty run-on-of-the-mill, with no shocking twists. But it's written fairly light and breezy, with a dash of humour and interesting characters.
A good read, and I'll sooner or later check out more of the DreadfulWater books....more
I really enjoyed the growth in Lirael from sad, depressed teenager into a strong, determined leader. Also loved getting to learn more about the world I really enjoyed the growth in Lirael from sad, depressed teenager into a strong, determined leader. Also loved getting to learn more about the world and Sam was even way less annoying in this book.
I still wish we had more Sabriel screen time. The hints of who she grew up into make her seem very likeable. We didn't even get any scenes at the end of Lirael and her new family. They definitely all deserve a holiday!
I ended up crying at the end, which caught me off guard because I wasn't expecting the book to impact me so much....more
I enjoyed this one, although it took several chapters to Lirael to grow on me. Sameth, I disliked from start to finish, I don't even understand what tI enjoyed this one, although it took several chapters to Lirael to grow on me. Sameth, I disliked from start to finish, I don't even understand what the point of his character was, aside from a bit of misdirection on some of the plot points.
I loved learning more about the history of the Old Kingdom, how magic works, etc, etc. It was a nice expansion of world building without being too much.
I'm a bit sad we didn't get more Sabriel, though....more
This was a pretty neat book for its structure: there were pretty much only two characters, Gyre a caver exploring a mysterious cave system by herself This was a pretty neat book for its structure: there were pretty much only two characters, Gyre a caver exploring a mysterious cave system by herself (the standard practice on her planet) and her handler, Em. I've gone on a handful of caving trips so the technical parts were pretty fun for me.
Most of the action is Gyre getting in various troubles and her developing relationship with Em. And Gyre slowly going crazy in the cave (this happens to real world climbers too -- any account I've read of humans spending more than a few days underground talk about how you begin to lose it). And of course, we don't know for sure if some of the dangers she's facing are her hallucinating or real.
Toss in a scary, sci-fi monster and it's a pretty thrilling book. I'd probably call it 3.5 stars but I think it went on too long, felt a bit too dragged out....more
Thoroughly enjoyed Kate Harris' story of biking the Silk Road (along with her friend Mel) for the better part of a year. Her prose is just so good, I'Thoroughly enjoyed Kate Harris' story of biking the Silk Road (along with her friend Mel) for the better part of a year. Her prose is just so good, I'd probably read anything she wrote on just about any topic.
Reading it definitely makes me want to travel and adventure more. Or perhaps more accurately, makes me want to be the sort of person who wants to travel and adventure more :P...more
Meb ran 26 marathons over his running career and in this sorta-memoir summarizes his training and experiences and what he feels he learned from each oMeb ran 26 marathons over his running career and in this sorta-memoir summarizes his training and experiences and what he feels he learned from each one. It was a breezy, quick read and I mostly enjoyed his thoughts on his career and racing but the insights and life lessons he offers are mostly just variations of "Try hard and do your best". Overall, it's a pretty bland book.
Ehh it was okay. In the aftermath of the first book, the Black Company has grown dispirited and disaffected until a special mission leads them to basiEhh it was okay. In the aftermath of the first book, the Black Company has grown dispirited and disaffected until a special mission leads them to basically the most remote city in world and then get bound up in the machinations of an Ancient Evil.
More than a third of book is from the perspective of a cowardly, pathetic innkeeper who, every time he has a decision to make, makes the worst possible one. He's an annoying and stupid character and is intended to be portrayed as such but it make his chapters pretty frustrating to read.
It was all to set up a redemption arc whereby the Black Company finds their, but I'm probably only going to read book 3 because I bought Black Company, the Shadow Lingers, and the White Rose in an omnibus edition and they are at least quick reads.
I quote enjoyed this one. It felt a little smaller in scope than Justice, more personal. Breq has been given command a ship, sent to check up on a neaI quote enjoyed this one. It felt a little smaller in scope than Justice, more personal. Breq has been given command a ship, sent to check up on a nearby system, and soon gets mixed up in local politics and affairs. We get to know her a fair bit better and learn more about what society is like in the Radch.
I'm looking forward to Mercy, and (I assume) having the plot of the civil war being dealt with (it remained mostly a background hum in Sword)....more
I think this was perhaps the best explanation of how money works and its function in capitalism that I've read. As well, we get an overview of the ecoI think this was perhaps the best explanation of how money works and its function in capitalism that I've read. As well, we get an overview of the economic history of the 20th century and subprime crisis in 2008 (I feel like maybe I kind of finally understand what happened in it). All throughout, Mann's prose is lucid and readable, and not at all dry.
Mann approaches the subject matter as an anti-capitalist and the book's intent to discuss some of the inherent flaws in capitalism as a system. The 2008 crisis wasn't an accident or capitalism gone awry. It -- and crises like it -- are inevitable and part-and-parcel of the system.
Mann doesn't have answers, unfortunately, this is not a plan for how to take down capitalism. At best, Mann sees the end of capitalism (if it isn't ended by environmental catastrophe) as arising from a variety of actions all over the world, with resistance and change (hopefully) coming on a variety of fronts....more
Apparently this series started in the 80s but I managed to never notice or hear about it until Matt Colville recommended it.
Anyhow, it was pretty alriApparently this series started in the 80s but I managed to never notice or hear about it until Matt Colville recommended it.
Anyhow, it was pretty alright. The point of view is from a medic (and historian) who serves in a storied mercenary company that gets swept up in the end of a war to defeat the Big Bad Guy. (As it happens, the Company is contracted to serve the BBG)
I liked the perspective being from a character who mostly has no idea what's going on in the big picture events. The author was a bit stingy about telling us what's going on, which I like, although sometimes it was a bit too much, to the point where I would get confused about what was going on.
I did find the concept of the Company really neat and am looking forward to learning more about their history.
Finally, it commits all the sins of 80s fantasy when it comes to women. There are almost none in the book. Although two important characters are women, one is evil and manipulative, the other is perfect, angelic, innocent who loves everyone and is always happy. Also, a couple casual references to rape (to show the reader we are In A War and Bad Things Happen In War).
Edit: enjoyed it more on the second read, although it still has the flaws mentioned above, particularly the 80s fantasy novel sins. I found the action and plot easier to follow at least....more
This is tough book to rate. It's well-written, has deeply crafted world-building, strong characters.
It's a perfectly adequate example of a Guy GavrieThis is tough book to rate. It's well-written, has deeply crafted world-building, strong characters.
It's a perfectly adequate example of a Guy Gavriel Kay novel.
But I can't think of who I would ever recommend it to. It's just too similar to his other novels. You have GGK's faux-Europe with its rich, complicated politics. You have imminent conflict and a bunch of characters who are caught up by it. The characters feel pretty samesie as well. You have the young, witty, privileged handsome womanizer who has a heart of gold. You have the woman who uses her wit and intelligence to accrue power in a male-dominated world. You rulers who are larger-than-life, but so wise and fearsome that they are all but omniscient. If you've read 2 or 3 of his other novels, I bet you can correctly predict basically every reaction and every decision of all the major characters. You'll be able to guess what they are going to say to each other.
So, if you've read and loved other GGK books, I think reading Children is a waste of time. You'll enjoy yourself more if you just reread your favourite book. If you haven't read any of his novels, you should read Lions of Al-Rassan or the Sarantium books instead (they are excellent).
It also feels a bit watered down compared to his work. There's no tragedy, no characters are asked to make any big sacrifices and -- GGKian blasphemy -- all the major characters pretty much get happy endings with everything they wanted. The most memorable parts of his novels are when GGK breaks your heart and he doesn't even try in this one.
All that being said, it was fine. I don't regret reading it and if you are a GGK fan you probably won't either. But your reading time is better spent on something else. Maybe reread Tigana once more!...more
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