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Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated Ninth City Burning in Books

May 16, 2018  
NC
Ninth City Burning
J. Patrick Black | 2017
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
J. Patrick Black’s debut novel, Ninth City Burning, is an incredibly intense ride alongside humanity’s bid for survival against an alien race seeking Earth’s destruction. Complete with a wide cast of unique characters with their own voices, this novel has earned its place among my favorites.

More often than not, I’m wary of books with shifting first-person. In this case, readers meet seven different points of view – and every single one of those characters have their own voices. I find this impressive, considering the frequency with which Black switches between his cast. (Actually, I find myself wondering how he approached writing the different views, as they are so starkly different.)

For the most part, all but two of these characters feel real. Jax and Naomi are the exception, as they both appear extremely mature for their age. While Jax does have a military upbringing, Naomi is a bit too advanced for a child of a nomadic lifestyle. There’s also a dash of romance in this book that feels a bit too forced.

Ninth City Burning also manages to blur the line between science-fiction and epic fantasy, which is an oddly unique feeling to encounter while reading. Magic and science both play heavy roles in this novel, and I imagine the former of those two, coupled with the camaraderie between the main characters, is precisely why this book is recommended for fans of Harry Potter.

The agonizingly slow build-up to action further lends to the epic fantasy feel of this book, a feat that I remain unsure of presently. While it leads to less action and battle in the meat of the book, it also serves as an opportunity for Black to further unravel this beautiful world he has created.

Ninth City Burning is definitely a book I’ll be recommending to my friends and readers who prefer science-fiction. I would like to thank Blogging for Books for providing me with a copy of this book for the purpose of unbiased review.
  
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Becs (244 KP) rated A Wrinkle in Time in Books

Oct 2, 2019  
A Wrinkle in Time
A Wrinkle in Time
Madeleine L'Engle | 2015 | Children
7
7.8 (37 Ratings)
Book Rating
Genre: Fiction, literary classic, children’s, young adult, science fiction.

Audience: children – young adult.

Reading level: middle school.

Interests: science fiction, fantasy, mythical creatures

Style: Fantasy Sci-Fi

Point of view: Third Person with a mix of first person.

Difficulty reading: Not at all! As easy as eating a piece of cake.

Promise: Ground-breaking science fiction.

Quality: Like a banana split with extra sprinkles and a cherry on top on a hot day. 🙂

Insights: I absolutely kick myself in the a** for the not reading this sooner. I think everybody should read it, no matter how old you are. And I didn’t know it was part of a 5 book series until today! SAY WHATTTT!!!??? I’m definitely purchasing the complete series brand new (the copy I have is my mother’s and it’s old and ragedy).

Ah-Ha Moment: THE ENTIRE BOOK. No joke. Like I wasn’t expecting the main character to be a girl, let alone so young and to have such an ordinary family. You don’t see that typically!

Favorite Quotes: “Like and equal are not the same thing at all.” – This is great, especially with our history as human beings. We need to be seen as equals not just ‘like’.

“Life, with its rules, its obligations, and its freedoms, is like a sonnet: You’re given the form, but you have to write the sonnet yourself.” – Be true to yourself, for there is nobody like you in the entire universe.

“Experiment is the mother of knowledge.” – You can’t just go into life expecting to know everything and how it’s all going to end. You have to experiment because then you gain the knowledge that others may have not known.

Aesthetics: My old first edition copy has a really neat cover, it’s what drew me in originally. I loved the take on the story and how in my mind, I can actually imagine the different characters and their surroundings. It’s a weird yet interesting book.

“People are more than just the way they look.”