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Ross (3284 KP) rated Awaken Online: Dominion in Books
Nov 29, 2019
Another excellent tale in the world of AO
This the 4th "full-length" (though the side quests aren't exactly novellas!) story in the LitRPG series starts of with Jason in his new incarnation as a "Keeper". He has a new set of tools, necromancy spells and abilities to get to grips with, and a new threat to overcome.
For once, the in-game story is split between characters, as we see Jason and Riley take on new training regimes (Jason has finally realised he can't always cower in the background letting his zombies and skeletons do all the work and he has to become better at combat himself), Frank goes on tour to secure the outlying towns of their growing empire, and the baddie Alex plots to get some revenge on Jason for publicly besting him. We also spend time in the real world as a senatorial hearing is opened to look into allegations that Awaken Online may not be safe for its users.
All of the characters develop notably in this book, none more than Jason who has to do some soul-searching, change his in-game role, and also make peace with what the game technology may be doing to his mind and body.
The story is strong, though with a smaller scale in its problem solving than before - the focus is more on Jason and Riley's personal challenges rather than larger quests. It is a little heavy on the admin at times but given how complicated games like this would be that adds to the immersive feel of the book.
The only main gripe for me is the use of the word "tendril" on almost every page, and the occasional use of "overtop" which very much jars when read.
Otherwise, another superb, gripping tome in this online fantasy world.
Next up is Frank's side-quest, hopefully before Christmas (I can't seem to keep up with Bagwell's output and am always at least 2 books behind!).
For once, the in-game story is split between characters, as we see Jason and Riley take on new training regimes (Jason has finally realised he can't always cower in the background letting his zombies and skeletons do all the work and he has to become better at combat himself), Frank goes on tour to secure the outlying towns of their growing empire, and the baddie Alex plots to get some revenge on Jason for publicly besting him. We also spend time in the real world as a senatorial hearing is opened to look into allegations that Awaken Online may not be safe for its users.
All of the characters develop notably in this book, none more than Jason who has to do some soul-searching, change his in-game role, and also make peace with what the game technology may be doing to his mind and body.
The story is strong, though with a smaller scale in its problem solving than before - the focus is more on Jason and Riley's personal challenges rather than larger quests. It is a little heavy on the admin at times but given how complicated games like this would be that adds to the immersive feel of the book.
The only main gripe for me is the use of the word "tendril" on almost every page, and the occasional use of "overtop" which very much jars when read.
Otherwise, another superb, gripping tome in this online fantasy world.
Next up is Frank's side-quest, hopefully before Christmas (I can't seem to keep up with Bagwell's output and am always at least 2 books behind!).
Still Foolin' 'Em: Where I've Been, Where I'm Going, and Where the Hell are My Keys?
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This book was an absolute rollercoaster! I started off by not being too sure about the three main characters - each of which has chapters written for their own points of view and stories. Millie, the kleptomaniac granny who seems to enjoy getting herself into trouble; Aideen, the typical moody teenager who despises her twin; and Kevin who has to deal with them both whilst coming to terms that he has been laid off from his job. I wasn’t too keen on Millie at the start and was a bit indifferent to Aideen, but as the story went on I found myself growing to like them more and more with the outrageous situations they both seemed to get themselves into. However, towards the middle of the book, I really started to dislike Kevin because of the things he was getting up to (no spoilers!) but he then redeemed himself and towards the end of the book, I really liked him again and saw that the other two just had the knack of driving him a little crazy!
There are some funny situations that I could see so vividly in my head, from Millie sneaking out of a care home and being caught by security after she hid behind a potted plant and farted to Aideen and her friend being flashed whilst trying to meet up with the boy she likes and the difference in reactions between the three of them, there really are some moments that tickled me throughout this whole book.
It did get a little bit far fetched when they ran away to America, but if you take it as complete fiction, you can enjoy it for what it is without thinking too much into the logistics of what is happening.
I would definitely recommend this book for a little lighthearted reading, and would like to thank Rebecca Hardiman and Pigeonhole for letting me read this little gem of a book!
There are some funny situations that I could see so vividly in my head, from Millie sneaking out of a care home and being caught by security after she hid behind a potted plant and farted to Aideen and her friend being flashed whilst trying to meet up with the boy she likes and the difference in reactions between the three of them, there really are some moments that tickled me throughout this whole book.
It did get a little bit far fetched when they ran away to America, but if you take it as complete fiction, you can enjoy it for what it is without thinking too much into the logistics of what is happening.
I would definitely recommend this book for a little lighthearted reading, and would like to thank Rebecca Hardiman and Pigeonhole for letting me read this little gem of a book!
BookInspector (124 KP) rated The Alibi Girl in Books
Sep 24, 2020
This story is told from two perspectives. The first one to tell the story is Ellis, a very strange character, called a freak by many. I think Ellis is quite disturbed and she does need help, she kind of got stuck in her childhood. I think everything she does is quite odd, but she does have her own reasons for her actions. The second person that is sharing the story is Foy, Ellis and she are cousins, and they were extremely close while growing up. I, personally, liked Foy more in this story, I liked her straight forward manner as well as her fierceness. I just couldn’t connect to Ellis however, I found her way of dealing with the world quite amusing.
The narrative was very well constructed, adding all the little unexpected surprises, and creating slowly accumulating suspense. I really liked that the plot kept changing between the present and the past, that kept me always interested in all the turns and twists, also it explained many questions, that were building up while reading the book. The topics discussed in this novel were bullying, social acceptance, mental health issues, sisterly love, paranoia, and many more.
I was kind of used to funny writing style, that I encountered in the author’s previous books, and I was pleasantly surprised to read this quite serious book. This novel unravels quite severe mental health issues. I really liked the setting of this book, it was constantly changing. The chapters are quite short, and the pages just flew by, for me. I really liked the ending of this book, it left me very satisfied with the outcome of this story.
So, to conclude, C.J. Skuse as a true talent in creating complex and disturbed characters, that are quite entertaining and sometimes pleasantly shocking. The plot kept me engrossed and constantly guessing. I really enjoyed this book, and I strongly recommend it to all, I hope it will teach solidarity and acceptance.
The narrative was very well constructed, adding all the little unexpected surprises, and creating slowly accumulating suspense. I really liked that the plot kept changing between the present and the past, that kept me always interested in all the turns and twists, also it explained many questions, that were building up while reading the book. The topics discussed in this novel were bullying, social acceptance, mental health issues, sisterly love, paranoia, and many more.
I was kind of used to funny writing style, that I encountered in the author’s previous books, and I was pleasantly surprised to read this quite serious book. This novel unravels quite severe mental health issues. I really liked the setting of this book, it was constantly changing. The chapters are quite short, and the pages just flew by, for me. I really liked the ending of this book, it left me very satisfied with the outcome of this story.
So, to conclude, C.J. Skuse as a true talent in creating complex and disturbed characters, that are quite entertaining and sometimes pleasantly shocking. The plot kept me engrossed and constantly guessing. I really enjoyed this book, and I strongly recommend it to all, I hope it will teach solidarity and acceptance.
ClareR (5686 KP) rated Heatstroke in Books
Dec 27, 2020
Heatstroke is an aptly named thriller. It uses the atmosphere and oppression of the intensely hot weather, and reflects those feelings on to the main character, Rachel. I had an overwhelming sense of claustrophobia when I was reading this - it’s not just the heat, it’s also the state of Rachel’s mental health. SHe’s clearly more involved with what is going on with her daughters friend than she can safely admit, and she is more bothered about the repercussions in her own life than the safety of a 15 year old girl.
Rachel appears to be struggling with the fact that she’s ageing, and she wants to feel both young and attractive to men - and to some extent, boys. She is constantly thinking about what other people think about her: appearances are supremely important, and she can’t understand her daughters need to look older and alter her looks with makeup. Mia is growing up and becoming more independent, and this pushes Rachel further in to despair. Surely if her daughter is older, she is too!
I found it hard to excuse Rachel’s behaviour. She could have made her daughters friend safe quite easily, I think.
I liked the abrupt ending. I rather like it when a book finishes and you can make your own mind up as to what has happened afterwards. Don’t get me wrong - a book that ends with a resolution is just as enjoyable, but you can’t beat an unresolved ending! And i don’t think that this book would have been able to give the quick fix end. It’s clear that there is a lot that needs to be done to make Rachel’s family ‘better’.
I enjoyed this book: as a debut novel, it has certainly given me something to think about, and a name to look out for in the future!
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for serialising this fabulous book.
Rachel appears to be struggling with the fact that she’s ageing, and she wants to feel both young and attractive to men - and to some extent, boys. She is constantly thinking about what other people think about her: appearances are supremely important, and she can’t understand her daughters need to look older and alter her looks with makeup. Mia is growing up and becoming more independent, and this pushes Rachel further in to despair. Surely if her daughter is older, she is too!
I found it hard to excuse Rachel’s behaviour. She could have made her daughters friend safe quite easily, I think.
I liked the abrupt ending. I rather like it when a book finishes and you can make your own mind up as to what has happened afterwards. Don’t get me wrong - a book that ends with a resolution is just as enjoyable, but you can’t beat an unresolved ending! And i don’t think that this book would have been able to give the quick fix end. It’s clear that there is a lot that needs to be done to make Rachel’s family ‘better’.
I enjoyed this book: as a debut novel, it has certainly given me something to think about, and a name to look out for in the future!
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for serialising this fabulous book.