AT (1676 KP) rated Upright Women Wanted in Books
Feb 13, 2020
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2012)
Movie Watch
Oskar (Thomas Horn), who lost his father (Tom Hanks) in the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center,...
Ross (3284 KP) rated Redemption's Blade: After the War in Books
Jun 15, 2018
Over the last few months I have been lucky to read three new Tchaikovsky books. As this was the first fantasy book of those three (the other two being war sci-fi) I had fingers crossed for a return to the heights of the Shadows of the Apt series. I was sadly disappointed.
The scope of this book is truly epic in every sense. The world we are thrown into has a diverse range of beings, species, cities, religions and beliefs and a rich history. The events follow on from the end of a tyrannical reign of the Kinslayer, a power-mad demi-god who tried to break the spirit of those races he didn't just wipe out. We see the Kinslayer-slayer Celestaine's attempts to do good in the aftermath of this war, and try to make one species whole again. This aim leads her on a journey across the world where we are introduced to a range of new peoples and places. The journey goes on from place to place, the company increasing all the while.
I have real respect for Tchaikovsky trying to do something new - tell the story that follows on from a somewhat typical fantasy tale. Sadly for me, the story that went before sounds so much more interesting and engaging - the besting of a truly despicable being. This story is instead something of an empty, largely pointless journey. The ending leads us to believe someone had been luring people with the promise of magical items, to come to him and ultimately their doom - however, the trail leading to him was not exactly clear and the chances of anyone following it would be minimal (let alone someone following it at exactly the right pace to witness certain key events!). The world-building is epic and yet completely forgettable. I found myself forgetting who people were, why they were doing things and I completely missed one major reveal in the final chapters, only to re-read and find that there pretty much was no reveal.
I am a fan of Tchaikovsky's writing style but for me this book was a struggle to get through. I had no feelings towards any of the characters and couldn't remember or care where they had been or why, or what had happened. Not a worthwhile investment of my time.
Why Faith?: A Journey of Discovery
Book
Why Faith?: A Journey of Discovery for the Modern Pilgrim tries to help men and women, particularly...
Haecity (2 KP) rated Someday, Someday, Maybe in Books
Feb 25, 2018
It's hard to find a book that is as equally entertaining as it is empowering. This is the first fictional book I've read in a long while where I have cheered out loud "You go girl!" as I went through it.
To anyone interested, I suggest reading / listening to "Talking as Fast as I Can: From Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls (and Everything in Between)" before this book, because of all the fun insights it gives you into "Someday, Someday, Maybe".
The City of Abraham: History, Myth and Memory: A Journey Through Hebron
Book
The City of Abraham is a journey through one of the world's most divided cities -- Hebron, the only...
Material Girl, Mystical World: The Now-Age Guide for Chic Seekers and Modern Mystics
Book
From tastemaker Ruby Warrington comes an essential guide to merging style with soul, beauty with...
Harry Potter: A Journey Through Charms and Defence Against the Dark Arts
Book
The history of magic is as long as time and as wide as the world. In every culture, in every age, in...
The Eye of Zoltar
Book
The Mighty Shandar, the most powerful wizard the world has ever seen, returns to the Ununited...