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Ross (3284 KP) rated The Siege of Abythos in Books
Nov 7, 2017
Poetry battle (2 more)
Poetry battle
Poetry battle
The third instalment in the Chronicles of the Black Gate series is the biggest yet, in terms of page count. The story follows the same PoV characters as previous books but their adventures are now covering so much more of the world and the storyline is becoming quite entangled.
Tharok's attempts to unite the orc-like kragh tribes and invade the human world continue, meanwhile Lady Iskra seeks to rescue her son and take revenge on the Ascendant's empire.
This book covers a lot more political debate and intrigue than the previous two, with prolonged discussion of who should be invaded, and what should be done thereafter. While this is very much a necessity in such an epic tale I felt it was somewhat laboured at times.
I very nearly gave up on this book at one point - where the portly magister Audsley (who has three demons lurking in his soul) was seeking to inveigle his way into the upper echelons of the empire, most of this storytelling centred around the colour of robes to wear, the type and colour of paper to use in sending letters and reciting poetry. Again this was very much laboured but bearable, until it looked like we were heading for what can only be described as a poetry battle, where Audsley (coached by one of his demons) was set to take on a senior government official's poetry representative in a battle of wits to see how would curry favour in the empire.
That's right: a poetry battle.
Think Philip Larkin in 8 Mile.
Will the real Slim Shakespeare please stand up.
Kanye Wordsworth.
NWA (Novelists with Assonance)
At this point I very nearly gave up. Thankfully, so did Audsley and the contest ended abruptly as he refused to let his demon take control of him. Phew. Disaster avoided. If this had been allowed to continue it would have made Tom Bombadil look like a critical plot point.
Other than Audsley's chapters (which in the previous book had been a highlight) the book does roll along at a reasonable pace and there is just about enough action to keep the interest, particularly in the last 100 or so pages.
All in all, a good read and a turning point for the series as a whole, but a lot of nonsense could have been removed, (Edgar Allan) Poe Shizzle.
Tharok's attempts to unite the orc-like kragh tribes and invade the human world continue, meanwhile Lady Iskra seeks to rescue her son and take revenge on the Ascendant's empire.
This book covers a lot more political debate and intrigue than the previous two, with prolonged discussion of who should be invaded, and what should be done thereafter. While this is very much a necessity in such an epic tale I felt it was somewhat laboured at times.
I very nearly gave up on this book at one point - where the portly magister Audsley (who has three demons lurking in his soul) was seeking to inveigle his way into the upper echelons of the empire, most of this storytelling centred around the colour of robes to wear, the type and colour of paper to use in sending letters and reciting poetry. Again this was very much laboured but bearable, until it looked like we were heading for what can only be described as a poetry battle, where Audsley (coached by one of his demons) was set to take on a senior government official's poetry representative in a battle of wits to see how would curry favour in the empire.
That's right: a poetry battle.
Think Philip Larkin in 8 Mile.
Will the real Slim Shakespeare please stand up.
Kanye Wordsworth.
NWA (Novelists with Assonance)
At this point I very nearly gave up. Thankfully, so did Audsley and the contest ended abruptly as he refused to let his demon take control of him. Phew. Disaster avoided. If this had been allowed to continue it would have made Tom Bombadil look like a critical plot point.
Other than Audsley's chapters (which in the previous book had been a highlight) the book does roll along at a reasonable pace and there is just about enough action to keep the interest, particularly in the last 100 or so pages.
All in all, a good read and a turning point for the series as a whole, but a lot of nonsense could have been removed, (Edgar Allan) Poe Shizzle.
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated The Other Countess (The Lacey Chronicles, #1) in Books
Feb 15, 2019
THE OTHER COUNTESS is a sweet and harmless love story set in Tudor England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, in the year of 1582 to be exact. Lady Eleanor Rodriguez, Countess of San Jaime, is our penniless heroine who is saddled with her absent-minded alchemist father; the roles of child and parent have been long since been reversed. The preface, which takes place in 1578, gives us our first glimpse of William Lacey, the new Earl of Dorset at age fourteen, as he throws a twelve-year-old Ellie and her father off his land.
The story itself isn't exactly original and doesn't go into any unfamiliar territory, but it's ably told and fairly inoffensive, making it suitable for older teens (there are numerous allusions to sexual situations but that's as far as it goes). The dialogue and sensibilities are more modern in nature and don't always ring true to the era, but some liberties are always taken in young adult fiction, therefore making it something I can forgive. Very light on historical content, this is more for the romantics out there who like a historical backdrop to a love story. For the first half, I wasn't very involved into either the characters or their story, and it didn't help that it moved at a slow pace, though at the halfway point it picked up and started charming me. However, the hero and heroine were a little too perfect, more so in Ellie's case, as she didn't seem to really have any negative attributes other than she has a bit of a temper. Maybe if they had a few more rough edges I would have rooted for them to have their happy ending, as it is, I wasn't that invested. I do think that the secondary character, Lady Jane Perceval, has promise on that front since her narrative had a more realistic feel to it, so I may just pick up her story when it comes out ([b:The Queen's Lady|8805112|The Queen's Lady (The Lacey Chronicles, #2)|Eve Edwards|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327950501s/8805112.jpg|13679272]). The resolution to Will and Ellie's story came far too easily and some more conflict would have made it much better. Still, as I said, it's a sweet story, even if nothing sets it apart from other books. An easy read that should appeal to teenage girls.
The story itself isn't exactly original and doesn't go into any unfamiliar territory, but it's ably told and fairly inoffensive, making it suitable for older teens (there are numerous allusions to sexual situations but that's as far as it goes). The dialogue and sensibilities are more modern in nature and don't always ring true to the era, but some liberties are always taken in young adult fiction, therefore making it something I can forgive. Very light on historical content, this is more for the romantics out there who like a historical backdrop to a love story. For the first half, I wasn't very involved into either the characters or their story, and it didn't help that it moved at a slow pace, though at the halfway point it picked up and started charming me. However, the hero and heroine were a little too perfect, more so in Ellie's case, as she didn't seem to really have any negative attributes other than she has a bit of a temper. Maybe if they had a few more rough edges I would have rooted for them to have their happy ending, as it is, I wasn't that invested. I do think that the secondary character, Lady Jane Perceval, has promise on that front since her narrative had a more realistic feel to it, so I may just pick up her story when it comes out ([b:The Queen's Lady|8805112|The Queen's Lady (The Lacey Chronicles, #2)|Eve Edwards|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327950501s/8805112.jpg|13679272]). The resolution to Will and Ellie's story came far too easily and some more conflict would have made it much better. Still, as I said, it's a sweet story, even if nothing sets it apart from other books. An easy read that should appeal to teenage girls.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Scrappy Little Nobody in Books
Feb 1, 2018
Anna Kendrick has been acting (and singing) since childhood, and her autobiography chronicles her growth as an actress and person, as told in little snippets and essays. Grouped in assorted themes, we hear from various stages of Anna's life, spanning her childhood to present day, and learn how Anna, a tiny scrappy kid, became a famous, Oscar-nominated actress. The book touches on her fame, as well as her personal thoughts and feelings.
I've always enjoyed Kendrick and have seen several of her films (and heard her sing about a million times, thanks to my young children and the popularity of the film, <i>Trolls</i>) but didn't know a lot about her early career. Her autobiography does a good job of filling in some of the gaps of Anna's childhood career (working on Broadway at twelve - who knew?!), but isn't told in any chronological order, so we don't get a sense of any real span of her career from Point A to B. Most of the book is told in short little bits. Many of them are quite funny stories, and there are some truly laugh out loud moments. In many cases, Kendrick is a very relatable person, who seems like the type of friend you'd like to hang out with. At other points, she seemed a bit whiny, and for me, the book spent too much time with her protesting about some of the travails of being in the celebrity industry. I can only take so much "woe is me" from famous people who write books about their lives.
The book is on more solid ground when we're reading about Anna's early life, where you gain a true admiration for her talent, and with her silly and snarky stories about her misanthropic personality (misanthropes unite!). Still, the jumping back and forth in time makes it hard to get a true trace on the arc of her life at times, and beyond some of the complaining and expounding on the travails of award shows, press junkets, and the like, there wasn't as much about her post-fame life as I was interested in.
If you like Kendrick's films, or her twitter feed, you'll probably enjoy the book and its organization, even if you find yourself wishing for a little more at the end. She's led an interesting life so far, and I'm sure another autobiography down the road would be quite intriguing.
I've always enjoyed Kendrick and have seen several of her films (and heard her sing about a million times, thanks to my young children and the popularity of the film, <i>Trolls</i>) but didn't know a lot about her early career. Her autobiography does a good job of filling in some of the gaps of Anna's childhood career (working on Broadway at twelve - who knew?!), but isn't told in any chronological order, so we don't get a sense of any real span of her career from Point A to B. Most of the book is told in short little bits. Many of them are quite funny stories, and there are some truly laugh out loud moments. In many cases, Kendrick is a very relatable person, who seems like the type of friend you'd like to hang out with. At other points, she seemed a bit whiny, and for me, the book spent too much time with her protesting about some of the travails of being in the celebrity industry. I can only take so much "woe is me" from famous people who write books about their lives.
The book is on more solid ground when we're reading about Anna's early life, where you gain a true admiration for her talent, and with her silly and snarky stories about her misanthropic personality (misanthropes unite!). Still, the jumping back and forth in time makes it hard to get a true trace on the arc of her life at times, and beyond some of the complaining and expounding on the travails of award shows, press junkets, and the like, there wasn't as much about her post-fame life as I was interested in.
If you like Kendrick's films, or her twitter feed, you'll probably enjoy the book and its organization, even if you find yourself wishing for a little more at the end. She's led an interesting life so far, and I'm sure another autobiography down the road would be quite intriguing.
Kelly (279 KP) rated Year One: Chronicles of The One in Books
Jan 8, 2019
Interesting characters (1 more)
Use of fantasy mixed into the apocalypse
Post apocalyptic with a sprinkle of fairy dust!
Originally purchasing this based on my previous purchases, I have to honestly confess that I had never heard of Nora Roberts! How I have missed this author, I do not know. I have thoroughly enjoyed this book, and will definitely be reading the remainder of the series.
Year One is the first in the three novel series - The Chronicles of The One. The novel itself definitely has undertones of Stephen Kings ‘The Stand’, and follows a similar format with the bulk of the worlds population being wiped out by a mysterious infection, leaving behind the survivors, who quickly divide into a good/ light side or bad/dark side. Unlike The Stand, which to me had slight biblical undertones, the unique selling point of Year One, is the addition of the uncanny’s, magical beings who have been living amongst us, some knowingly different, others benign until the doom releases their powers. I felt this added a new twist to the common post apocalyptic format.
I felt that the characters were varied and relatable within the story. Nora Toberts clearly spent a lot of time creating a varied population for cast, which helped their reactions within the story become more believable.
There is a lot going on within the story,which jumps between places and people as well as over the course of months, but as a reader I found this was necessary for the plot to develop. Surprisingly, despite all of the jumps, the story is still a relatively easy read. Throughout the narrative, I also find that Roberts gives very clear clues as to the direction that the next books will take, through the dreams/ visions of the characters.
The weakest part of the novel for me was the start, which is why I have only scored this a 9, rather than 10. It is probably me being picky, but I would have preferred another 50-100 pages giving me a little bit more background to some of the characters prior to the doom. I felt the background for some of the characters was there, but for others was a little sketchy, although ultimately this did not stop me engaging with them in the long term.
Overall, I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys fantasy and, or post apocalyptic novels. It is an interesting, enjoyable and easy read.
Year One is the first in the three novel series - The Chronicles of The One. The novel itself definitely has undertones of Stephen Kings ‘The Stand’, and follows a similar format with the bulk of the worlds population being wiped out by a mysterious infection, leaving behind the survivors, who quickly divide into a good/ light side or bad/dark side. Unlike The Stand, which to me had slight biblical undertones, the unique selling point of Year One, is the addition of the uncanny’s, magical beings who have been living amongst us, some knowingly different, others benign until the doom releases their powers. I felt this added a new twist to the common post apocalyptic format.
I felt that the characters were varied and relatable within the story. Nora Toberts clearly spent a lot of time creating a varied population for cast, which helped their reactions within the story become more believable.
There is a lot going on within the story,which jumps between places and people as well as over the course of months, but as a reader I found this was necessary for the plot to develop. Surprisingly, despite all of the jumps, the story is still a relatively easy read. Throughout the narrative, I also find that Roberts gives very clear clues as to the direction that the next books will take, through the dreams/ visions of the characters.
The weakest part of the novel for me was the start, which is why I have only scored this a 9, rather than 10. It is probably me being picky, but I would have preferred another 50-100 pages giving me a little bit more background to some of the characters prior to the doom. I felt the background for some of the characters was there, but for others was a little sketchy, although ultimately this did not stop me engaging with them in the long term.
Overall, I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys fantasy and, or post apocalyptic novels. It is an interesting, enjoyable and easy read.
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Merissa (14175 KP) rated Lady Silver (Warlock Chronicles #1) in Books
Sep 23, 2021
LADY SILVER is the first book in the Warlock Chronicles and we enter a futuristic world that has been split between humans and warlocks, with obvious mistrust and antagonism on both sides. Bryanna and T'Laan have lived their lives on the edge under no one's control but that changes when they are captured by Devon Bastion and taken aboard his ship, Maelstrom.
There is a lot that goes on in this book that isn't explained. I hope it will become clearer in future books but, for this one, it left me wondering what was going on. We have a prologue with someone who has been captured, who drops names like breadcrumbs, and as a reader, I had no idea if I was supposed to remember these names as someone to be important. Then we skip to someone new, and then something new again. It became mostly conjoined as the story went on, but there were still parts that were fragmented and confusing.
T'Laan is the best character here, followed by Glynda. Bryanna gets away with a lot due to her naivete, but Devon? Well, he's certainly a character but I really can't say I like him. Apparently, he has reasons for everything he does, but he is just arrogant and dislikeable most of the time. He is aware that Bryanna has feelings for him, talks about possibly having feelings for her, and then treads all over them with no reason given apart from the obvious "I'm not good enough. It's for her benefit..." He lies and hides the truth, only sharing when it suits him.
I definitely wanted to know more about the Flow and how it works. Yes, I know there are different Elements, but how? What do they do? Are there limits? And the Big Bad? Just what is going on there?
I read this book and enjoyed it but I'm left with more questions than when I started and a healthy dislike of the main male character. Overall, I think this book is good and has the potential to be part of a great series.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* 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!
There is a lot that goes on in this book that isn't explained. I hope it will become clearer in future books but, for this one, it left me wondering what was going on. We have a prologue with someone who has been captured, who drops names like breadcrumbs, and as a reader, I had no idea if I was supposed to remember these names as someone to be important. Then we skip to someone new, and then something new again. It became mostly conjoined as the story went on, but there were still parts that were fragmented and confusing.
T'Laan is the best character here, followed by Glynda. Bryanna gets away with a lot due to her naivete, but Devon? Well, he's certainly a character but I really can't say I like him. Apparently, he has reasons for everything he does, but he is just arrogant and dislikeable most of the time. He is aware that Bryanna has feelings for him, talks about possibly having feelings for her, and then treads all over them with no reason given apart from the obvious "I'm not good enough. It's for her benefit..." He lies and hides the truth, only sharing when it suits him.
I definitely wanted to know more about the Flow and how it works. Yes, I know there are different Elements, but how? What do they do? Are there limits? And the Big Bad? Just what is going on there?
I read this book and enjoyed it but I'm left with more questions than when I started and a healthy dislike of the main male character. Overall, I think this book is good and has the potential to be part of a great series.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* 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!