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Dana (24 KP) rated Robinson Crusoe in Books
Mar 23, 2018
I had to read this novel for one of my college courses. I was very excited to read it at first. I had been wanting to pick this up for a while, but didn't get around to it. As I read it, however, the boredom started to hit. There are a lot of very slow moments in this novel with little bursts of excitement. It is written as if Robinson Crusoe is talking to himself, rationalizing everything he does or thinks on this island. There were a few instances where I thought something that should have been written more in-depth were most certainly not. They were given one sentence and then it was right back to the lists of items that Crusoe had gotten. There are many ties to religion in this novel as well which is due to the time it was written. There were also a lot of random capitalizations throughout the novel which made it very difficult to get into the story at first. Once I started blocking it out, it became much easier to read. If you want to read one of the early "castaway" novels, go ahead and pick this up. But, if you want something with action and adventure, I am afraid this novel is not for you. Overall, I didn't hate it, but it isn't my favorite book either.
Samantha Reece (16 KP) rated An Ember in the Ashes (An Ember in the Ashes #1) in Books
Nov 13, 2018
Amazing, diverse read
To start, this novel is excellent. Sabaa Tahir’s characters are diverse. You will love some and you will hate some. Let’s start with Elias. He is the perfect soldier for the Martials. But he also has a heart unlike many at the Blackcliff Academy where he is training to be a Mask. Then, you have Laia. At first, she seems to be this weak girl, but as the novel progresses, she becomes stronger and finds herself. Next is the Commandent. She is one of those bad guys that you HATE. There is no love for this woman. She is pure evil, and you just hate her more and more every time she talks.
The plot is fresh. I have yet to read a novel close to this one. The world building is at the perfect pace through out the novel. Tahir knows how to give the reader just enough information to keep you on the edge of your seat. Tahir’s timing of when to reveal information is just perfect. I don’t want to give any examples because I don’t want to have any spoilers.
All in all, the diversity, plot, characters, and everything are just perfect in this novel. I have nothing negative to say. I couldn’t put An Ember in the Ashes down, and I cannot wait to read the next!
The plot is fresh. I have yet to read a novel close to this one. The world building is at the perfect pace through out the novel. Tahir knows how to give the reader just enough information to keep you on the edge of your seat. Tahir’s timing of when to reveal information is just perfect. I don’t want to give any examples because I don’t want to have any spoilers.
All in all, the diversity, plot, characters, and everything are just perfect in this novel. I have nothing negative to say. I couldn’t put An Ember in the Ashes down, and I cannot wait to read the next!
David McK (3679 KP) rated King's Man (The Outlaw Chronicles, #3) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
I first heard of/read Angus Donald about 2, maybe 3, years ago, when I read his novel <i>Outlaw</i> - a visceral retelling of the Robin Hood legend - and which proved to be one of the best 'new' books I read that year.
I also read the sequel to <i>Outlaw</i>, <i>Holy Warror</i> - in which Robin and his men travel to the Holy Land to fight in what would become known as the Third Crusade - but found it was not quite as good as its predecessor.
The third novel in the series - <i>King's Man</i> - is a return to form. Set back in England and, like the previous two novels, presented as the elderly Alan Dale retelling the story of his younger days, this novel takes the struggle between Richard the Lionheart and his brother Prince John for the throne as its bedrock. With Richard imprisoned on his return journey home from the Holy Land - a historical fact also used as the basis for the famous novel/film <i>Ivanhoe</i> - the throne of England is left vulnerable. Most of the Robin Hood legends acknowledge this fact; in most of them Robin remains loyal to King Richard, with this novel no exception. As a partial result, Robin is once again outlawed and once again takes up his old ways ...
Looking forward to the next installment!
I also read the sequel to <i>Outlaw</i>, <i>Holy Warror</i> - in which Robin and his men travel to the Holy Land to fight in what would become known as the Third Crusade - but found it was not quite as good as its predecessor.
The third novel in the series - <i>King's Man</i> - is a return to form. Set back in England and, like the previous two novels, presented as the elderly Alan Dale retelling the story of his younger days, this novel takes the struggle between Richard the Lionheart and his brother Prince John for the throne as its bedrock. With Richard imprisoned on his return journey home from the Holy Land - a historical fact also used as the basis for the famous novel/film <i>Ivanhoe</i> - the throne of England is left vulnerable. Most of the Robin Hood legends acknowledge this fact; in most of them Robin remains loyal to King Richard, with this novel no exception. As a partial result, Robin is once again outlawed and once again takes up his old ways ...
Looking forward to the next installment!
Ellie Kemper recommended White Teeth in Books (curated)
Rupert Murdoch recommended The Water Dancer in Books (curated)
Melanie Caldicott (6 KP) rated Brixton Beach in Books
Apr 29, 2021
