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David McK (3623 KP) rated Ravenheart (Rigante #3) in Books
May 5, 2024
Book 3 (of 4) in the Rigante series, moving the events on some centuries after those of "Sword in the Storm" and "Midnight Falcon".
I think it's generally accepted that the Rigante are Gemmell's equivalent of the Scots, and that this book and its subsequent sequel are his interpretation of the wars fought by the Scottish Highlanders against the invading English (whereas the earlier two books were more like their wars against Rome).
As in most of his works, the novel deals with the notions of redemption and the nature of both good and evil, and has a strong central protagonist plagued by doubt. Worth reading? Assuredly yes (though I'd say that about nearly all his novels)
I think it's generally accepted that the Rigante are Gemmell's equivalent of the Scots, and that this book and its subsequent sequel are his interpretation of the wars fought by the Scottish Highlanders against the invading English (whereas the earlier two books were more like their wars against Rome).
As in most of his works, the novel deals with the notions of redemption and the nature of both good and evil, and has a strong central protagonist plagued by doubt. Worth reading? Assuredly yes (though I'd say that about nearly all his novels)
Whilst this may be the second of Andy Weir's novels (after The Martian but before Project Hail Mary), it's actually the third I read.
Thankfully, all three are stand-alone.
This one is set in the relatively near future and on the moon, where Artemis is the first - and, currently, only - city there, and where life can be rough.
Which is why the protagonist Jasmine "Jazz" Bashara turns to smuggling alongside her 'proper' job as a porter. And, inevitably, finds herself involved in a conspiracy for control of the city when things go sideways.
Personally, I found this to be a bit weaker than either The Martian or Project Hail Mary but, well, tastes may differ!
Thankfully, all three are stand-alone.
This one is set in the relatively near future and on the moon, where Artemis is the first - and, currently, only - city there, and where life can be rough.
Which is why the protagonist Jasmine "Jazz" Bashara turns to smuggling alongside her 'proper' job as a porter. And, inevitably, finds herself involved in a conspiracy for control of the city when things go sideways.
Personally, I found this to be a bit weaker than either The Martian or Project Hail Mary but, well, tastes may differ!
ClareR (5996 KP) rated Absolution in Books
May 30, 2025
After reading Annihilation, I jumped straight to Absolution - I haven’t read the second and third books, but they’re sat on my kindle!
Annihilation is in three parts: Dead Town (20 years before Area X); The False Daughter (18 months before Area X), which deals with the aftermath of what happened in Dead Town; and The First and Last, the first formal expedition into Area X, 18 months before its creation.
This is a weird and wonderful book: experimental, jam packed with horror and it left me constantly on edge. How on Earth someone can come up with these ideas, I have no idea. I’m certainly glad that Jeff VanderMeer is around and writing novels like this, though!
Annihilation is in three parts: Dead Town (20 years before Area X); The False Daughter (18 months before Area X), which deals with the aftermath of what happened in Dead Town; and The First and Last, the first formal expedition into Area X, 18 months before its creation.
This is a weird and wonderful book: experimental, jam packed with horror and it left me constantly on edge. How on Earth someone can come up with these ideas, I have no idea. I’m certainly glad that Jeff VanderMeer is around and writing novels like this, though!
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Dear Mr. M in Books
Feb 13, 2018
"M" is a famous writer whose best days are probably, if truth be told, behind him. He's best known for his novel, Payback, which tells the story of a high school history teacher, Mr. Landzaat, who went missing one winter after having an affair with one of his female students. That student, Laura, had moved on to a relationship with a boy her own age, Herman. The two were staying at a vacation cottage and were the last ones to see their teacher. Did they have something to do with his disappearance? Now, M lives with his beautiful (much younger) wife and little daughter in an apartment. They have a neighbor who seems to have a odd fascination with the couple, but why? The novel weaves together the tales of these disparate characters.
I had heard a lot about Koch's novels and was excited to win this one via a Goodreads Giveaway. It was certainly interesting and definitely different than many novels I read. I have to admit that it was a rather slow read, especially the first three quarters or so. There was actually a point where I was considering giving up for a bit, but I soldiered on. Some characters in the novels never have names (just initials), and we don't really get insight into who our varying narrators are. While I understand why (and it adds to the drama of the novel), I'll confess that it gets a little confusing at times. You really have to stay on your toes as you read.
Still, the novel is definitely more compelling toward the end, and I found myself staying up late to finish it. The twist at the end was certainly not what I expected. The varying viewpoints wind up working out well, as you really see the story unfold from everyone's perspective. Still, I found the story a bit diluted by a bit of a "meta" storyline about writers, as well as an odd insertion about M's father and his role in the resistance, as well as M's own views, which never really seemed to have a full role or point in the tale. I enjoyed the novel, but I didn't love it, and it (frankly) exhausted me a bit.
I received a copy of this novel via a Goodreads Giveaway (thank you!) in return for an unbiased review.
I had heard a lot about Koch's novels and was excited to win this one via a Goodreads Giveaway. It was certainly interesting and definitely different than many novels I read. I have to admit that it was a rather slow read, especially the first three quarters or so. There was actually a point where I was considering giving up for a bit, but I soldiered on. Some characters in the novels never have names (just initials), and we don't really get insight into who our varying narrators are. While I understand why (and it adds to the drama of the novel), I'll confess that it gets a little confusing at times. You really have to stay on your toes as you read.
Still, the novel is definitely more compelling toward the end, and I found myself staying up late to finish it. The twist at the end was certainly not what I expected. The varying viewpoints wind up working out well, as you really see the story unfold from everyone's perspective. Still, I found the story a bit diluted by a bit of a "meta" storyline about writers, as well as an odd insertion about M's father and his role in the resistance, as well as M's own views, which never really seemed to have a full role or point in the tale. I enjoyed the novel, but I didn't love it, and it (frankly) exhausted me a bit.
I received a copy of this novel via a Goodreads Giveaway (thank you!) in return for an unbiased review.
ArecRain (8 KP) rated Her Vampire Husband (Wicked Games, #3) in Books
Jan 18, 2018
I really shouldnt have had such high hopes for this novel. I mean the entire premise of the book is about a werewold princess who marries an elder vampire in hopes that their people would stop killing each other. Really? An entire novel about that? Honey, that is the subplot in half of the other paranormal romance novels I read. What made Hauf think she could she could write an entire novel about a simple idea and expect to impress me?
First off, there is nothing more annoying than a female protagonists who hides her problems behind a mask of fake strength and apathy. Seriously, they are only hurting themselves, making a relationship with anyone impossible. And just ends up annoying the hell out of me. How about they actually go take care of their problem? Nope, thats too simple. Seriously, writers, you need to stop creating these types of characters.
I thought that because of them being enemies and of different races, it would actually make this book interesting. How wrong I was. The main couple lacked chemistry even as they were playfully bantering and ogling each others body. I felt that they were just two sexually frustrated people forced to live with each other instead of two people thrown together who eventually fall in love. In fact, it was one of those novels where one page, they were at odds, and the next they were in love.
Oh disappointment, how you leave a bitter taste in my mouth.
First off, there is nothing more annoying than a female protagonists who hides her problems behind a mask of fake strength and apathy. Seriously, they are only hurting themselves, making a relationship with anyone impossible. And just ends up annoying the hell out of me. How about they actually go take care of their problem? Nope, thats too simple. Seriously, writers, you need to stop creating these types of characters.
I thought that because of them being enemies and of different races, it would actually make this book interesting. How wrong I was. The main couple lacked chemistry even as they were playfully bantering and ogling each others body. I felt that they were just two sexually frustrated people forced to live with each other instead of two people thrown together who eventually fall in love. In fact, it was one of those novels where one page, they were at odds, and the next they were in love.
Oh disappointment, how you leave a bitter taste in my mouth.
I think it's a common understanding that, of all the characters in 2015's 'The Force Awakens', Gwendoline Christie's enigmatic Captain Phasma was the biggest missed opportunity.
Much like Darth Maul before her (who became a cult favourite in the 'old' Extended Universe), this novel seeks to set that right.
How?
By, effectively, having a story-within-a-story: in this case, by having a captured Resistance spy telling her First Order captor what she has discovered about Phasma, with that interrogation carried out in secret as Phasma is still viewed as a hero of the Order (but with deep mistrust by said captor).
This story-within-a-story, then, tells of the mysterious Phasma's originss, of her early life on her abandoned and decaying home planet, of a trip across said planet to the site of a crashed First Order spaceship in the company of a rescued officer and of the many and varied incidents and people/driods met along that journey.
The result is not a bad novel, but not the best of the recent Star Wars novels I've read: it passes a few days easy reading, sure, but (for me, at least) has no real oomph to it; nothing that really makes it stick in my mind or that would cause me to look for other novels by this author. That's not to say I wouldn't read any such if I came across them; just not going out of my way to look for them.
Much like Darth Maul before her (who became a cult favourite in the 'old' Extended Universe), this novel seeks to set that right.
How?
By, effectively, having a story-within-a-story: in this case, by having a captured Resistance spy telling her First Order captor what she has discovered about Phasma, with that interrogation carried out in secret as Phasma is still viewed as a hero of the Order (but with deep mistrust by said captor).
This story-within-a-story, then, tells of the mysterious Phasma's originss, of her early life on her abandoned and decaying home planet, of a trip across said planet to the site of a crashed First Order spaceship in the company of a rescued officer and of the many and varied incidents and people/driods met along that journey.
The result is not a bad novel, but not the best of the recent Star Wars novels I've read: it passes a few days easy reading, sure, but (for me, at least) has no real oomph to it; nothing that really makes it stick in my mind or that would cause me to look for other novels by this author. That's not to say I wouldn't read any such if I came across them; just not going out of my way to look for them.
Myself and the World: A Biography of William Faulkner
Book
William Faulkner (1897-1962) once said of his novels and stories, "I am telling the same story over...
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post
Apr 9, 2021
ClareR (5996 KP) rated The Sandman (Audible Original #1) in Books
Sep 6, 2020
Well. Flipping heck. I’m a huge fan of the graphic novels, so I was both hesitant and wildly excited (it’s confusing to be me sometimes) when this popped on to my radar. Of course I preordered it off Audible, I’m not completely daft, and just in time for our holiday in Scotland. A nice, seven hour drive from Chester to the Black Isle (near Inverness - it’s beautiful there, by the way) and time well spent listening to this.
The cast was excellent: James McAvoy as Morpheus/ Dream/ The Sandman (they’re all the same person), Michael Sheen as Lucifer, and a host of other excellent voice actors: Rio Ahmed, Kat Dennings, Taron Egerton, Samantha Morton, Bebe Neuwirth, Andy Serkis and Miriam Margolyes. There are more actors, and they were all wonderful. It was ALL wonderful - it stuck faithfully to the original graphic novels, and Neil Gaiman narrated wonderfully ( I know I need a thesaurus, but ‘wonderful’ is THE word!). Whatever that man touches is golden, it seems to me.
Can you tell I liked it? Actually, I LOVED it. I usually fall asleep on long car journeys (I get terribly car sick, and I don’t drive 🤷🏼♀️), but I stayed awake for the whole time - and didn’t feel sick at all (even during the gory bits!).
The most potentially exciting part for me, is that it says ‘#1’. So I’ve set up my waiting post (I have to work out what that is exactly. I see it as a mental waiting room).
I can’t wait!!
The cast was excellent: James McAvoy as Morpheus/ Dream/ The Sandman (they’re all the same person), Michael Sheen as Lucifer, and a host of other excellent voice actors: Rio Ahmed, Kat Dennings, Taron Egerton, Samantha Morton, Bebe Neuwirth, Andy Serkis and Miriam Margolyes. There are more actors, and they were all wonderful. It was ALL wonderful - it stuck faithfully to the original graphic novels, and Neil Gaiman narrated wonderfully ( I know I need a thesaurus, but ‘wonderful’ is THE word!). Whatever that man touches is golden, it seems to me.
Can you tell I liked it? Actually, I LOVED it. I usually fall asleep on long car journeys (I get terribly car sick, and I don’t drive 🤷🏼♀️), but I stayed awake for the whole time - and didn’t feel sick at all (even during the gory bits!).
The most potentially exciting part for me, is that it says ‘#1’. So I’ve set up my waiting post (I have to work out what that is exactly. I see it as a mental waiting room).
I can’t wait!!