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The Shadow Network (WW2 Secret Agent #2)
Book
One woman must sacrifice everything to uncover the truth in this enthralling historical novel,...
Historical Fiction Thriller WWII
The Mars Migration
Book
"The ending of the novel had me at the edge of my seat the whole way through, a purely addictive...
science fiction
Knox (Monsters of Veridia #1)
8.0
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Book
What happens when your fictional crush comes to life? Adrian is about to find out. When he...
David McK (3921 KP) rated Two Necromancers, a Fortress, and a Titan (The Unconventional Heroes #5) in Books
Apr 26, 2026
The fifth instalment in L.G. Estrella's 'Unconventional Heroes' series, I found this to suffer somewhat from one unusual problem: namely, it's own length.
At 1521 (virtual) pages, that's more than 3 times as long as the previous instalment ("Two Necromancers, a Dwarf Kingdom, and a Sky City", which was 494 pages long) - indeed, I felt that this novel had enough content to be split across three separate instalments, with a clear delineation in the story between segments even if it is not presented as such when reading: there's no 'Part 1', 'Part 2' or 'Part 3' here.
For my money, Part 1 - or book 1 (5) of 3 (7) - would be the early parts of the novel, set in and around the Mercantile alliance, the middle part (what I would have preferred to be book 6 of 7 - would have been the Fortress of the title, the setup, action and denouement of the same and the final part (preferably book 7 of 7) would have been the action leading up to, and against the Titan.
It might also help to see Timmy and his crew actually lose once in a while ...
At 1521 (virtual) pages, that's more than 3 times as long as the previous instalment ("Two Necromancers, a Dwarf Kingdom, and a Sky City", which was 494 pages long) - indeed, I felt that this novel had enough content to be split across three separate instalments, with a clear delineation in the story between segments even if it is not presented as such when reading: there's no 'Part 1', 'Part 2' or 'Part 3' here.
For my money, Part 1 - or book 1 (5) of 3 (7) - would be the early parts of the novel, set in and around the Mercantile alliance, the middle part (what I would have preferred to be book 6 of 7 - would have been the Fortress of the title, the setup, action and denouement of the same and the final part (preferably book 7 of 7) would have been the action leading up to, and against the Titan.
It might also help to see Timmy and his crew actually lose once in a while ...
Young Women
8.0
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Book
A vivid, bold and compelling new novel of female friendship and what it means to be a young woman,...
Literary Fiction Feminism
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post
Dec 15, 2021
David McK (3921 KP) rated The Truth (Discworld, #25; Industrial Revolution, #2) in Books
Sep 11, 2022
The Truth shall set you Fret!
<2022 update>
Still as good as ever!
<original review below>
So, over the weekend I watched a BBC documentary about the late, great, Sir Terry Pratchett (Terry Pratchett: Back in Black) as part of which they brought up the fact that his earliest job had been as a reporter for his local paper (and saw his first corpse a few hours later, work experience meaning something in those days ...) .
Experience that shows in this novel.
The second of the so-called Industrial Revolutions (after Moving Pictures) sub-series of the Discworld novels, this is - IMO - the first to really get into the meat of said revolution, and concerns itself with Ankh-Morporks first newspaper, alongside a plot to depose the Patrician - a character, I feel, who (whilst mostly in the background in the earlier novels) comes more to the fore in this, as do the likes of Foul Ol' Ron, Coffin Henry, The Duck Man and Gaspode
Of course, it wouldn't be a Pratchett novel without a generous portion of puns running alongside the satire, parody and memorable characters (such as, say, Otto von Chriek: the vampire with a thing for flash photography ...)
Still as good as ever!
<original review below>
So, over the weekend I watched a BBC documentary about the late, great, Sir Terry Pratchett (Terry Pratchett: Back in Black) as part of which they brought up the fact that his earliest job had been as a reporter for his local paper (and saw his first corpse a few hours later, work experience meaning something in those days ...) .
Experience that shows in this novel.
The second of the so-called Industrial Revolutions (after Moving Pictures) sub-series of the Discworld novels, this is - IMO - the first to really get into the meat of said revolution, and concerns itself with Ankh-Morporks first newspaper, alongside a plot to depose the Patrician - a character, I feel, who (whilst mostly in the background in the earlier novels) comes more to the fore in this, as do the likes of Foul Ol' Ron, Coffin Henry, The Duck Man and Gaspode
Of course, it wouldn't be a Pratchett novel without a generous portion of puns running alongside the satire, parody and memorable characters (such as, say, Otto von Chriek: the vampire with a thing for flash photography ...)
Sonofdel (6291 KP) rated 77 Shadow Street in Books
Jun 3, 2022
I have always loved Dean Koontz because of the way he immerses you in the situations in his book. Its not many authors that make you feel as if you are actually in the book not just reading it. Loved this book because whilst it is a work of fiction there are a lot of instances that ring true, particularly the way we are giving AI too much power and information. At first glance this is just your run of the mill horror house novel, but once you get into it, its so much more. Great character and development and i love the way that he does not concentrate on just one persons story. There are lots of different characters ranging from a small girl with autism to a contract killer and its blended in well to create an atmospheric, horrific and frightening novel. Its split into two books and i must admit that when i was about half way through i thought it was drawing to a close, how wrong i was. Well worth a read A++++
David McK (3921 KP) rated Sworn Sword (The Bloody Aftermath of 1066, #1) in Books
Jan 30, 2019 (Updated Jul 9, 2023)
About a month or so ago, I was in my local Waterstones when I spotted two books both set around the time of the Norman Invasion but telling the tale but different angles: <i>Hereward</i> and this. Humming ang haaing, I eventually decided on <i>Hereward</i> and then, later, came across this novel for sale in Tesco's picking it up there.
Of the two books, I have to say - and despite a title that sounds like a bad b-movie ('"Sworn Sword: 1066: The Aftermath!" coming soon to a theatre near you!') - this is the better. Told in first person prose, this novel is from the point of view of a Norman Knight (whereas <i>Hereward</i> was from that of an Anglo-Saxon), and reminded me very much of one of the better Bernard Cornwell books in that the history covered (albeit slighlty fictionalised to fit the demands of the story) is just as interesting as the actual plot.
The first in a series of books set in the same period, I think I will be picking up more of these!
Of the two books, I have to say - and despite a title that sounds like a bad b-movie ('"Sworn Sword: 1066: The Aftermath!" coming soon to a theatre near you!') - this is the better. Told in first person prose, this novel is from the point of view of a Norman Knight (whereas <i>Hereward</i> was from that of an Anglo-Saxon), and reminded me very much of one of the better Bernard Cornwell books in that the history covered (albeit slighlty fictionalised to fit the demands of the story) is just as interesting as the actual plot.
The first in a series of books set in the same period, I think I will be picking up more of these!