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Ark of War
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- Enter your country's guild and vie with players from all over the globe to become the ruler of the...
Christine A. (965 KP) rated Expeditionary Force: Book 1 - Columbus Day in Books
Aug 10, 2020
Witty narrative of when Earth picked the wrong side of the war to join
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review. The opinions are entirely my own, and any quotes are taken from the ARC and may be different in the final published copy.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, The Martian by Andy Weir, and the movie Independence Day all have one important aspect in common - humor. Without the levity, all three would be boring and forgotten works left in a drawer somewhere. Reading the humorous description of the first book in Craig Alanson's Expeditionary Force series, Columbus Day, I knew I had to read it and wondered why I had not read it before now.
The Ruhar attacks the world on, you guessed it, Columbus Day. We thought we were saved when the Kristang flew in and attacked the Ruhar. We else were we to do but pick the side of the guys who saved us. As we quickly learn, we made the wrong move.
Having the narrator of The Maritan, R.C. Bray, narrate Columbus Day was a stroke of genius. He again proves he can skillfully deliver snarky, "American" humor while making the end of the world as we know no laughing matter.
To date, there are ten books in the series, but Alanson ended it at a point in the story Columbus Day could work as a stand-alone novel, although readers would be remiss in not continuing,
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 8/10/20.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, The Martian by Andy Weir, and the movie Independence Day all have one important aspect in common - humor. Without the levity, all three would be boring and forgotten works left in a drawer somewhere. Reading the humorous description of the first book in Craig Alanson's Expeditionary Force series, Columbus Day, I knew I had to read it and wondered why I had not read it before now.
The Ruhar attacks the world on, you guessed it, Columbus Day. We thought we were saved when the Kristang flew in and attacked the Ruhar. We else were we to do but pick the side of the guys who saved us. As we quickly learn, we made the wrong move.
Having the narrator of The Maritan, R.C. Bray, narrate Columbus Day was a stroke of genius. He again proves he can skillfully deliver snarky, "American" humor while making the end of the world as we know no laughing matter.
To date, there are ten books in the series, but Alanson ended it at a point in the story Columbus Day could work as a stand-alone novel, although readers would be remiss in not continuing,
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 8/10/20.
The Secret Life of Violet Grant (Schuyler Sisters #1)
Book
Manhattan, 1964. Vivian Schuyler, newly graduated from Bryn Mawr College, has recently defied the...
Merissa (14030 KP) rated Malice (Mortisalian Saga #4) in Books
Feb 11, 2021 (Updated Aug 7, 2023)
MALICE is the final story in the Mortisalian Saga, and we continue where we left off. Cass is heavily pregnant, Damon is still a dream, Ras is still missing, Zander is gone, Alexa is a mess. I think that's us caught up!
As the final book in the saga, you REALLY need to read the others to understand just what the hell is going on. There is no easing into this world. You are there, right in the middle of everything, so just deal with it. Personally, I wouldn't have it any other way.
For a big part of this book, Cass' world is at war, so if you are expecting a gentle walk through the park, you are sorely mistaken. There is blood, pain, and violence, but all of it is written so beautifully. And yes, before anyone asks, my eyes were leaking again! I thought my heart was breaking but then I had to smile. This is the power over words that Ms. Stock has. Simply sublime.
A fast-paced story, I was worried I wouldn't get a 'proper' ending, but my fears were groundless. I got a happier ending than I was anticipating, which made it all the more perfect.
Such a fantastic series, I am sad at the thought of it ending but am so thrilled I have read it all. Definitely one to keep and re-read! Highly recommended!!!
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Feb 11, 2021
As the final book in the saga, you REALLY need to read the others to understand just what the hell is going on. There is no easing into this world. You are there, right in the middle of everything, so just deal with it. Personally, I wouldn't have it any other way.
For a big part of this book, Cass' world is at war, so if you are expecting a gentle walk through the park, you are sorely mistaken. There is blood, pain, and violence, but all of it is written so beautifully. And yes, before anyone asks, my eyes were leaking again! I thought my heart was breaking but then I had to smile. This is the power over words that Ms. Stock has. Simply sublime.
A fast-paced story, I was worried I wouldn't get a 'proper' ending, but my fears were groundless. I got a happier ending than I was anticipating, which made it all the more perfect.
Such a fantastic series, I am sad at the thought of it ending but am so thrilled I have read it all. Definitely one to keep and re-read! Highly recommended!!!
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Feb 11, 2021
Ross (3284 KP) rated The Revenge of the Dwarves in Books
Mar 19, 2018
Too epic for its own good
I loved the first Dwarves book: the world-building, the adventure, the characters and the interactions were all superb. The story, while being far from original, was very enjoyable and engaging. In the follow-up, War of the Dwarves, cracks started to appear, showing such an ambitious storyline was just too big for one book, with Heitz being prone to focus on every intimate detail of a scene (while being enjoyable it does take the attention away from the overall story somewhat), meaning some important events/hints are glossed over.
This trend continues here, where the scope just seems to be a bit too big and squeezed in. We don't really have any sight of a large-scale assault from the orcs and trolls on the defences of the land, these are mentioned briefly as backstory, while the focus is on Rodario the actor trying to find his friend, while getting his end away left, right and centre. The dwarves play less of a key role for large parts of the book, as so much is needed from Rodario/Furgas' storlyline that we leave the dwarves entirely for large sections of the book.
The translation of this third book also seems lower quality than before, where some parts seem to be google-translated and don't really scan all that well in English. Compared to how well this was carried out on the first book, this is something of a let-down.
Overall, the story itself is strong (the 13 diamonds, one of which contains a massive store of magic, scattered throughout the kingdoms start to be stolen by strange creatures/machines) but the narrative tends to wander a little looking for humour where there really is no need for any (or the payoff is never worth it).
With only 2 books to go, I think the gap between them is going to grow as I find myself less keen to dive straight into the next one, and I haven't bought the 4th one yet (though I have the 5th from Netgalley to review!). And whether I will then read the Alfar prequels after that remains to be seen (though they are sitting on my kindle).
This trend continues here, where the scope just seems to be a bit too big and squeezed in. We don't really have any sight of a large-scale assault from the orcs and trolls on the defences of the land, these are mentioned briefly as backstory, while the focus is on Rodario the actor trying to find his friend, while getting his end away left, right and centre. The dwarves play less of a key role for large parts of the book, as so much is needed from Rodario/Furgas' storlyline that we leave the dwarves entirely for large sections of the book.
The translation of this third book also seems lower quality than before, where some parts seem to be google-translated and don't really scan all that well in English. Compared to how well this was carried out on the first book, this is something of a let-down.
Overall, the story itself is strong (the 13 diamonds, one of which contains a massive store of magic, scattered throughout the kingdoms start to be stolen by strange creatures/machines) but the narrative tends to wander a little looking for humour where there really is no need for any (or the payoff is never worth it).
With only 2 books to go, I think the gap between them is going to grow as I find myself less keen to dive straight into the next one, and I haven't bought the 4th one yet (though I have the 5th from Netgalley to review!). And whether I will then read the Alfar prequels after that remains to be seen (though they are sitting on my kindle).
Queer Saint: The Cultured Life of Peter Watson
Adrian Clark and Jeremy Dronfield
Book
When Peter Watson was murdered in his bath by a jealous boyfriend in 1956, the art world lost one of...
Ross (3284 KP) rated The Trouble With Peace in Books
Sep 28, 2020
Superb dialogue, plotting and war
I received an advance copy of this book from netgalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review.
This is the second book in Abercrombie's second proper trilogy in the world of The First Law. I will admit to having issues with the first book, A Little Hatred, but they were mainly a result of the book building on from the previous trilogy (and the standalone books) but being a significant amount of time later. I had felt the characters had been left as "so-and-so's son/daughter" with minimal introduction otherwise.
Those issues are now long-forgotten, as in this book all characters receive enough attention to embed themselves and find their voices (no longer are Vick and Savine the same in my head, likewise Leo and Orso, although I have to admit that Clover and Broad still cross over in my mind).
The plot follows some gentle political and social manipulations, both in the capital Adua, and also in the North. Things quickly develop into a much stronger and very possible uprising against the throne, and more importantly against the corrupt financier and magician controlling the throne.
There are some truly superb action sequences in this book, where the action flows seamlessly from one character's PoV to another, almost as if watching a film, where the camera follows an arrow and watches the intended target until they stab at someone, who the camera then follows. This allows the action to unfold across both sides of the conflict and give the story from multiple angles. One of these scenes was one of the best told battle scenes I think I have ever read.
The plot is strong, the characters similarly, and the dialogue and narration is Abercrombie at his best. The crossing, double-crossing and triple-crossing is a joy to read. It is rare in a "grimdark" book to see one of the nastiest characters getting their comeuppance but at the end this is delivered in a fairly shocking manner.
This may just be Abercrombie's best book yet, in my humble opinion.
This is the second book in Abercrombie's second proper trilogy in the world of The First Law. I will admit to having issues with the first book, A Little Hatred, but they were mainly a result of the book building on from the previous trilogy (and the standalone books) but being a significant amount of time later. I had felt the characters had been left as "so-and-so's son/daughter" with minimal introduction otherwise.
Those issues are now long-forgotten, as in this book all characters receive enough attention to embed themselves and find their voices (no longer are Vick and Savine the same in my head, likewise Leo and Orso, although I have to admit that Clover and Broad still cross over in my mind).
The plot follows some gentle political and social manipulations, both in the capital Adua, and also in the North. Things quickly develop into a much stronger and very possible uprising against the throne, and more importantly against the corrupt financier and magician controlling the throne.
There are some truly superb action sequences in this book, where the action flows seamlessly from one character's PoV to another, almost as if watching a film, where the camera follows an arrow and watches the intended target until they stab at someone, who the camera then follows. This allows the action to unfold across both sides of the conflict and give the story from multiple angles. One of these scenes was one of the best told battle scenes I think I have ever read.
The plot is strong, the characters similarly, and the dialogue and narration is Abercrombie at his best. The crossing, double-crossing and triple-crossing is a joy to read. It is rare in a "grimdark" book to see one of the nastiest characters getting their comeuppance but at the end this is delivered in a fairly shocking manner.
This may just be Abercrombie's best book yet, in my humble opinion.
Absolution (The Protectors #1)
10.0
Rate It
Book
But what I felt most was the perfection of what these two men were giving me. And I knew in that...
Dark M_M Contemporary Romance Ménage
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated High As the Heavens in Books
Jan 2, 2019
Kate Breslin's new book is FINALLY here! I have been waiting for this day since the moment I finished Not by Sight. And I am so excited to share my review with you. Filled with raw emotion that will grip your heart, this is not a light read, but it is an AMAZING story!
"How in the midst of all this sorrow"...Can hope possibly be found?*
Kate's books continue to elicit emotions in me that I have rarely felt on such an excruciating level. Set in Belgium during WWI we live through the memories of our heroine. We walk with her through the heartache, the pain, the suffering, but also the joy. Evelyn Marche has seen her fair share of evil and sorrows, but as a nurse she is able to bring peace and comfort to those who are also suffering. Through her work, she is making a difference in more people's lives than she knows. I don't want to say TOO much about Eve's story, because I want you to read it! Be warned though...I was not even half way through and I thought I was going to puke, cry, and throw the book across the room.** THAT is how powerful Kate's words are. There were many times of laugh out loud moments, but this is a book set in a WAR ZONE.
While in the middle of reading this book, I had the opportunity to hear a WWII survivor speak. (I know, I know...different war...but a hero is a hero.) Her name is Marthe Cohn, she is 97 years old. Marthe is a French Jew who served as a spy in Nazi Germany during WWII. She was a nurse. She is a HERO. There are SO MANY PARALLELS to Eve in Marthe's story that it was kind of weird. Marthe was instrumental in bringing about the end of the war. I share this with you because I want to honor those who have served...in any war. Those who would risk their lives daily so that my family may live in peace. The heros who, without them, things could have ended so very different.
Evelyn is a strong and powerful representation of the many women who served in WWI. The heroes who cared for the wounded. The heroes that changed history one day at a time. Eve's independent spirit and tenacity has been an asset throughout the war. But living in "survival mode" can wear a person down. Will she continue fighting in her own strength or will she open her heart to God, and allow Him to carry her burdens? Although I have not seen the same horrors that Evelyn (and Marthe) were faced with, I hope that in the midst of chaos I will stand strong, be a light and do what I can to make the world a better place. To bring hope to those who have none.
*Quotation is from the song Days in the Sun found on the 2017 release of Disney's Beauty and the Beast.
** No books were harmed during the process of reading this book and writing the review.
I received a complimentary copy of High as the Heavens from Bethany House Publishers I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
"How in the midst of all this sorrow"...Can hope possibly be found?*
Kate's books continue to elicit emotions in me that I have rarely felt on such an excruciating level. Set in Belgium during WWI we live through the memories of our heroine. We walk with her through the heartache, the pain, the suffering, but also the joy. Evelyn Marche has seen her fair share of evil and sorrows, but as a nurse she is able to bring peace and comfort to those who are also suffering. Through her work, she is making a difference in more people's lives than she knows. I don't want to say TOO much about Eve's story, because I want you to read it! Be warned though...I was not even half way through and I thought I was going to puke, cry, and throw the book across the room.** THAT is how powerful Kate's words are. There were many times of laugh out loud moments, but this is a book set in a WAR ZONE.
While in the middle of reading this book, I had the opportunity to hear a WWII survivor speak. (I know, I know...different war...but a hero is a hero.) Her name is Marthe Cohn, she is 97 years old. Marthe is a French Jew who served as a spy in Nazi Germany during WWII. She was a nurse. She is a HERO. There are SO MANY PARALLELS to Eve in Marthe's story that it was kind of weird. Marthe was instrumental in bringing about the end of the war. I share this with you because I want to honor those who have served...in any war. Those who would risk their lives daily so that my family may live in peace. The heros who, without them, things could have ended so very different.
Evelyn is a strong and powerful representation of the many women who served in WWI. The heroes who cared for the wounded. The heroes that changed history one day at a time. Eve's independent spirit and tenacity has been an asset throughout the war. But living in "survival mode" can wear a person down. Will she continue fighting in her own strength or will she open her heart to God, and allow Him to carry her burdens? Although I have not seen the same horrors that Evelyn (and Marthe) were faced with, I hope that in the midst of chaos I will stand strong, be a light and do what I can to make the world a better place. To bring hope to those who have none.
*Quotation is from the song Days in the Sun found on the 2017 release of Disney's Beauty and the Beast.
** No books were harmed during the process of reading this book and writing the review.
I received a complimentary copy of High as the Heavens from Bethany House Publishers I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.