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Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated The Revealed in Books
Sep 6, 2019
4.5 stars
I received this ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I just love the cover of this! Dont you agree it just grabs the attention?
Im a big fan of dystopia stories and this sounded different, so I thought, Why not?
The USA has been mostly destroyed with only a few states remaining. Lily is the daughter of a politician running for President, along with another man, Roderick Westerfield, who Lilys family used to be close to. Roderick has a son, Kai, a year older than Lily and someone she used to be close to until the politics got in the way.
Lily has been marked to be taken by the Revealeda group of people with abilitiessince her 18th birthday and like every other 18 year old in the city is being kept at home until they reach their 19th and are safe from being taken. Truly believing theyll come for her despite all the precautions she just wants to live life to the fullest until then.
I really liked the concept. It was dystopia but had a very different take on it, it wasnt all deserted and every man for themselves or strict dictatorship, it was like now, only with billions less people populating the planet and with a need to bring the world back into some semblance of working order.
Now to the characters. Lily is our main character and we see her struggle to do what she wants while being a member of such an influential family and the effect her actions have on them. Then theres Kai. I wasnt sure about him to start with but he grew on me a lot. Then Rory, Lilys best friend, shes pretty awesome.
The story was pretty much continuous action, there was always something happeningwhich stops boredom from creeping inand it kept me reading, and wanting to read it when I was busy. It was politics and supernatural and romance. I cant really say much else without spoiling the plot but it was right up my street and I really enjoyed it!
If youre looking for something dystopian and a little different then you should try this. If youre looking for a new name to read, then this is a good story.
Id definitely recommend this book/series! Its a great start.
I received this ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I just love the cover of this! Dont you agree it just grabs the attention?
Im a big fan of dystopia stories and this sounded different, so I thought, Why not?
The USA has been mostly destroyed with only a few states remaining. Lily is the daughter of a politician running for President, along with another man, Roderick Westerfield, who Lilys family used to be close to. Roderick has a son, Kai, a year older than Lily and someone she used to be close to until the politics got in the way.
Lily has been marked to be taken by the Revealeda group of people with abilitiessince her 18th birthday and like every other 18 year old in the city is being kept at home until they reach their 19th and are safe from being taken. Truly believing theyll come for her despite all the precautions she just wants to live life to the fullest until then.
I really liked the concept. It was dystopia but had a very different take on it, it wasnt all deserted and every man for themselves or strict dictatorship, it was like now, only with billions less people populating the planet and with a need to bring the world back into some semblance of working order.
Now to the characters. Lily is our main character and we see her struggle to do what she wants while being a member of such an influential family and the effect her actions have on them. Then theres Kai. I wasnt sure about him to start with but he grew on me a lot. Then Rory, Lilys best friend, shes pretty awesome.
The story was pretty much continuous action, there was always something happeningwhich stops boredom from creeping inand it kept me reading, and wanting to read it when I was busy. It was politics and supernatural and romance. I cant really say much else without spoiling the plot but it was right up my street and I really enjoyed it!
If youre looking for something dystopian and a little different then you should try this. If youre looking for a new name to read, then this is a good story.
Id definitely recommend this book/series! Its a great start.
Debbiereadsbook (1444 KP) rated One Step Sideways (Enhanced World Security #1) in Books
Apr 1, 2025
daark and deadly!
Independent reviewer for GRR, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is a spin off from The Enhanced Wordl series, and you really do need to have some understanding of what it means to be Enhanced and how they are treated to fully appreciate this book. I will be honest, I did not read books 6 and 7 from the main series. I don't I missed anything, but I did read books 1 through 5.
Kane was jailed at 16 for shooting a dog. But no one saw any other scars, just the one on his face. When he is released 17 years later, Diesel Rawlings collects him and offers him a job. Danny was a medic with Rawlings. He suffered at the hands of the enemy. He can't baby sit an ex con, especially one who did what he did. But not all is as it appears, and Danny and Kane must work together to find the missing teenagers.
Like I said, I did not read books 6 and 7 of the main series, I can't rememeber why I didn't, but I absolutely LOVED this revisit to this world and the men in it!
Both Kane and Danny suffered, and I felt for them, deeply. When both men fully open up to the other, I cried, I really did!
I'm not going to go too much into the plot, cos spoilers, but things did not go how I was expecting them to, and I have no idea WHAT I was expecting! My book brain is a fickle place sometimes!
It's dark, though, that suffering both men talk. Not a easy read, I tell ya, and I have no triggers.
It's full of love though! Once Danny and Kane get their act together, it was brilliant. Not especially explicit, but I don't think it was needed. Again, that suffering pops up all the time.
The guys from the main books are talked about, but do not take part here. I would have liked them to, but I didn't miss that they weren't. Does that make sense? I think I'm just greedy!
And that epilogue?? Oh well played there Ms Sue, very VERY well played! Bawling my eyes out, I was!
I can't give it anything other than. . . .
5 full and shiny stars! (and I might just go back now, and read books 6 and 7!)
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This is a spin off from The Enhanced Wordl series, and you really do need to have some understanding of what it means to be Enhanced and how they are treated to fully appreciate this book. I will be honest, I did not read books 6 and 7 from the main series. I don't I missed anything, but I did read books 1 through 5.
Kane was jailed at 16 for shooting a dog. But no one saw any other scars, just the one on his face. When he is released 17 years later, Diesel Rawlings collects him and offers him a job. Danny was a medic with Rawlings. He suffered at the hands of the enemy. He can't baby sit an ex con, especially one who did what he did. But not all is as it appears, and Danny and Kane must work together to find the missing teenagers.
Like I said, I did not read books 6 and 7 of the main series, I can't rememeber why I didn't, but I absolutely LOVED this revisit to this world and the men in it!
Both Kane and Danny suffered, and I felt for them, deeply. When both men fully open up to the other, I cried, I really did!
I'm not going to go too much into the plot, cos spoilers, but things did not go how I was expecting them to, and I have no idea WHAT I was expecting! My book brain is a fickle place sometimes!
It's dark, though, that suffering both men talk. Not a easy read, I tell ya, and I have no triggers.
It's full of love though! Once Danny and Kane get their act together, it was brilliant. Not especially explicit, but I don't think it was needed. Again, that suffering pops up all the time.
The guys from the main books are talked about, but do not take part here. I would have liked them to, but I didn't miss that they weren't. Does that make sense? I think I'm just greedy!
And that epilogue?? Oh well played there Ms Sue, very VERY well played! Bawling my eyes out, I was!
I can't give it anything other than. . . .
5 full and shiny stars! (and I might just go back now, and read books 6 and 7!)
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Annie Chanse (15 KP) rated Lovecraft's Monsters in Books
Dec 19, 2017
I received an ARC copy of this anthology in exchange for my honest opinion, and regrettably, I wasn't overly impressed with it. I made notes as I read, and those notes are what I will be posting here now:
Well, I'm about to start the third story, but I thought I'd keep a running commentary on each story so that when it came time to review it, I wouldn't forget how I felt about each individual one.
"Only the End of the World Again" by Neil Gaiman was good. Probably 4 stars. It wasn't the typical greatness that I USUALLY associate with Gaiman, but it was still a quick and enjoyable read. I read it aloud to my eight year old son (editing out the few naughty words, of course) and even he really loved it. There were a few places where he didn't understand what was going on, but overall, he thought it was a great story.
"Bulldozer" by Laird Barron was terrible. I couldn't make it through the story. The writing style was AWFUL. I know that it was supposed to be written -- in parts -- in a stream of consciousness style, but it was awful. I stopped about halfway through and just said screw it. I wouldn't even give this story a star at all.
Finished "Red Goat Black Goat" by Nadia Bulkin. While it had some nice creepy vibes, it was, overall, a 2 star story. I realize, as a short story, it is limited by length and time constraints, but the story just starts in the middle of a world about which the reader has no idea whatsoever. It's not what I would call a good story, although, as I said, there were a couple of moments when I had to look up from my completely dark bedroom and make sure I didn't hear bumps in the night, so it gets one extra star for that.
"The Same Deep Waters As You" was actually fantastic. It's been the best story in the anthology so far. I know, I know... me saying something is better than a Gaiman story is almost unheard of, but this story by Hodge was truly good from beginning to end. It was completely unique, and even though it was a short story, it was completely self-contained. It didn't leave me wondering what happened before the story started to get us to this place, and it ended perfectly, not in a 'to be continued' style. Also, just wow. The ending was a killer. I did NOT see it coming AT ALL. Five stars.
"A Quarter to Three" gets 2.5 stars simply because of Newman's writing style. She is very articulate, and I loved the tone of this story. The content of the story, however, wasn't that great. However, I feel compelled to give it an extra half a star -- bumping it up to 3 stars -- for this one, perfect line:
"It was easy to see what she had seen in him; it left a thin damp trail between his scuffed footprints." Ha. Loved it
"The Dappled Things" was a total bust. 1 star, and that is being generous. So boring I nearly fell asleep twice trying to get through the first two pages. Not worth the time it took to read it.
"Inelastic Collisions" was decent. I have nothing really bad to say about it, but I have nothing super great to say about it either. Three stars.
"Remnants" deserves about 3.5 stars. It's pretty decent. I like the story and the way the plot developed. However, I dislike how abruptly it ended. If the ending had been a little more well-rounded, it could have easily been a 4.5 star story.
"Love is Forbidden We Croak and Howl" -- eh. Two stars. Didn't really hold my interest that much. I kept drifting off...
"The Sect of the Idiot" was a solid three stars. Overall the story wasn't super, but I really, really, REALLY did love the detail paid to the dream sequence. It was beautiful and creepy and dark. Lovely bit of storytelling, that was.
"Jar of Salts" is easily 4.5 stars. Short little Lovecraftian poem, but such a pleasure to read.
Well, I'm finally finished with Lovecraft's Monsters, but honestly, after the last update I made, none of the other stories were really worth reading. I was, overall, a bit disappointed with the book. :-/
Well, I'm about to start the third story, but I thought I'd keep a running commentary on each story so that when it came time to review it, I wouldn't forget how I felt about each individual one.
"Only the End of the World Again" by Neil Gaiman was good. Probably 4 stars. It wasn't the typical greatness that I USUALLY associate with Gaiman, but it was still a quick and enjoyable read. I read it aloud to my eight year old son (editing out the few naughty words, of course) and even he really loved it. There were a few places where he didn't understand what was going on, but overall, he thought it was a great story.
"Bulldozer" by Laird Barron was terrible. I couldn't make it through the story. The writing style was AWFUL. I know that it was supposed to be written -- in parts -- in a stream of consciousness style, but it was awful. I stopped about halfway through and just said screw it. I wouldn't even give this story a star at all.
Finished "Red Goat Black Goat" by Nadia Bulkin. While it had some nice creepy vibes, it was, overall, a 2 star story. I realize, as a short story, it is limited by length and time constraints, but the story just starts in the middle of a world about which the reader has no idea whatsoever. It's not what I would call a good story, although, as I said, there were a couple of moments when I had to look up from my completely dark bedroom and make sure I didn't hear bumps in the night, so it gets one extra star for that.
"The Same Deep Waters As You" was actually fantastic. It's been the best story in the anthology so far. I know, I know... me saying something is better than a Gaiman story is almost unheard of, but this story by Hodge was truly good from beginning to end. It was completely unique, and even though it was a short story, it was completely self-contained. It didn't leave me wondering what happened before the story started to get us to this place, and it ended perfectly, not in a 'to be continued' style. Also, just wow. The ending was a killer. I did NOT see it coming AT ALL. Five stars.
"A Quarter to Three" gets 2.5 stars simply because of Newman's writing style. She is very articulate, and I loved the tone of this story. The content of the story, however, wasn't that great. However, I feel compelled to give it an extra half a star -- bumping it up to 3 stars -- for this one, perfect line:
"It was easy to see what she had seen in him; it left a thin damp trail between his scuffed footprints." Ha. Loved it
"The Dappled Things" was a total bust. 1 star, and that is being generous. So boring I nearly fell asleep twice trying to get through the first two pages. Not worth the time it took to read it.
"Inelastic Collisions" was decent. I have nothing really bad to say about it, but I have nothing super great to say about it either. Three stars.
"Remnants" deserves about 3.5 stars. It's pretty decent. I like the story and the way the plot developed. However, I dislike how abruptly it ended. If the ending had been a little more well-rounded, it could have easily been a 4.5 star story.
"Love is Forbidden We Croak and Howl" -- eh. Two stars. Didn't really hold my interest that much. I kept drifting off...
"The Sect of the Idiot" was a solid three stars. Overall the story wasn't super, but I really, really, REALLY did love the detail paid to the dream sequence. It was beautiful and creepy and dark. Lovely bit of storytelling, that was.
"Jar of Salts" is easily 4.5 stars. Short little Lovecraftian poem, but such a pleasure to read.
Well, I'm finally finished with Lovecraft's Monsters, but honestly, after the last update I made, none of the other stories were really worth reading. I was, overall, a bit disappointed with the book. :-/
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated Mammoth in Books
Mar 15, 2018
Also find my review here: http://bookbum.weebly.com/book-reviews/mammoth-by-douglas-perry
NOW AVAILABLE IN THE UK!
Thank you to Netgalley and Amberjack Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this in an exchange for a review.
Not quite what I was expecting, which I think is the general feel judging by others reviews. Be warned, this isnt a creepy paranormal, alien type of thing. I dont think thats a spoiler either, I wouldnt want you to pick this up and be greatly disappointed. If you love character focused novels then this will be your kind of book! This gives you some really in depth information about each of the characters, but it can get confusing because there are <i>so</i> many characters! There are <b>eleven</b> main characters, plus more characters that relate to these characters in little sub plots.
<u>Characters: </u>
Tori
Billy & Becky
Jackson & Sam
Hicks & Lloyd
Oscar - King
Melvin & Gordon
Winnie Lloyd
If you find it difficult to keep up with lots of different people in books then this wont be for you. It can get a little confusing at times and I often forgot what was happening to one character by the time we got back to reading about them after having read about 4 characters in between.
I though this novel was superbly written. Possibly one of the best written books Ive read in quite a while! There is some really grotesque imagery in this book, not in a violent way though, so I wouldnt give it any trigger warnings, though rape is implied. My only problem with the writing was that sometimes it was really difficult to understand where the characters were in Mammoth View or Bakersfield or what. That was my one annoyance, I wasnt able to keep a grip on where each character was.
In terms of the plot that there was, which wasnt much, it was an interesting storyline. Lots of things going on a once which could definitely add to the confusion. I feel as though Perry had created seven(ish) separate short stories and then tried to mash them into one which in my opinion worked. I felt let down by the ending in a way but at the same time I thought it was really unique. You do find out why panic ensues in the small town of Mammoth View and I can bet you wont see it coming Though now Ive told you its not paranormal or aliens then maybe you might
If you like to really get to know a character and dont really care about a well developed plot then this book is a definite read for you, but if youre expecting something scary or creepy form this then dont bother as it isnt that kind of thing. I will definitely look out for more of Perrys work!
NOW AVAILABLE IN THE UK!
Thank you to Netgalley and Amberjack Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this in an exchange for a review.
Not quite what I was expecting, which I think is the general feel judging by others reviews. Be warned, this isnt a creepy paranormal, alien type of thing. I dont think thats a spoiler either, I wouldnt want you to pick this up and be greatly disappointed. If you love character focused novels then this will be your kind of book! This gives you some really in depth information about each of the characters, but it can get confusing because there are <i>so</i> many characters! There are <b>eleven</b> main characters, plus more characters that relate to these characters in little sub plots.
<u>Characters: </u>
Tori
Billy & Becky
Jackson & Sam
Hicks & Lloyd
Oscar - King
Melvin & Gordon
Winnie Lloyd
If you find it difficult to keep up with lots of different people in books then this wont be for you. It can get a little confusing at times and I often forgot what was happening to one character by the time we got back to reading about them after having read about 4 characters in between.
I though this novel was superbly written. Possibly one of the best written books Ive read in quite a while! There is some really grotesque imagery in this book, not in a violent way though, so I wouldnt give it any trigger warnings, though rape is implied. My only problem with the writing was that sometimes it was really difficult to understand where the characters were in Mammoth View or Bakersfield or what. That was my one annoyance, I wasnt able to keep a grip on where each character was.
In terms of the plot that there was, which wasnt much, it was an interesting storyline. Lots of things going on a once which could definitely add to the confusion. I feel as though Perry had created seven(ish) separate short stories and then tried to mash them into one which in my opinion worked. I felt let down by the ending in a way but at the same time I thought it was really unique. You do find out why panic ensues in the small town of Mammoth View and I can bet you wont see it coming Though now Ive told you its not paranormal or aliens then maybe you might
If you like to really get to know a character and dont really care about a well developed plot then this book is a definite read for you, but if youre expecting something scary or creepy form this then dont bother as it isnt that kind of thing. I will definitely look out for more of Perrys work!
Erika (17789 KP) rated Hamnet in Books
Jan 10, 2021
Hamnet was the 1st book I read in 2020 that was named after the son, but, in reality, the entire book is about the mother.
Hamnet is the story of an little, unknown playwright's son, who died of the plague. Just kidding, the playwright is obviously Shakespeare, but he is never named. Which is fine with me, he wasn't the focus.
Nothing much is really known about Hamnet, the author did some extensive research, and created the series of events. I thought they were all plausible, and I always appreciate a heavily researched historical fiction novel.
In truth, the focus of the novel is on Anne Hathaway, called Agnes in this novel. It's possible her true name was Agnes, rather than Anne. Now, I had a slight problem with the character of Agnes in general. This was the major negative in the book for me, I feel as though the woman in the woods, is she or isn't she a witch situation is getting overplayed way too much. Now, I see it as the equivalent as the manic pixie dream girl. I understand this woman of the woods trope is to empower the female characters, but it's just too familiar at this point.
I feel mostly that every book I read is predictable, when you read over 100 books a year, it's hard not to predict the ending. Is it necessarily a bad thing? Of course it's not, but that coupled with the manic pixie woman of the woods is why I can't rate this higher than good.
I have to add that one of my favorite parts, that was probably really unnecessary, was the journey of the plague-carrying flea. I thought it was amusing, and kind of odd.
I can definitely see why this book was up for prizes, and I'm sure to the casual reader, it was better than good.
Hamnet is the story of an little, unknown playwright's son, who died of the plague. Just kidding, the playwright is obviously Shakespeare, but he is never named. Which is fine with me, he wasn't the focus.
Nothing much is really known about Hamnet, the author did some extensive research, and created the series of events. I thought they were all plausible, and I always appreciate a heavily researched historical fiction novel.
In truth, the focus of the novel is on Anne Hathaway, called Agnes in this novel. It's possible her true name was Agnes, rather than Anne. Now, I had a slight problem with the character of Agnes in general. This was the major negative in the book for me, I feel as though the woman in the woods, is she or isn't she a witch situation is getting overplayed way too much. Now, I see it as the equivalent as the manic pixie dream girl. I understand this woman of the woods trope is to empower the female characters, but it's just too familiar at this point.
I feel mostly that every book I read is predictable, when you read over 100 books a year, it's hard not to predict the ending. Is it necessarily a bad thing? Of course it's not, but that coupled with the manic pixie woman of the woods is why I can't rate this higher than good.
I have to add that one of my favorite parts, that was probably really unnecessary, was the journey of the plague-carrying flea. I thought it was amusing, and kind of odd.
I can definitely see why this book was up for prizes, and I'm sure to the casual reader, it was better than good.
Merissa (12911 KP) rated Refuge (Relentless, #2) in Books
Jun 8, 2023
O.M.G.!!! It's been a while since I read Relentless and now I've got a major urge to read it again, just so I can immerse myself in Sara's story right from the word go.
This is one of those books that I bought immediately after I finished Relentless, but just never got the chance to read before life got in the way. Let me just say, that since I've finished this, life isn't going to get a chance to get in the way as I am starting Rogue straight away!!
In Refuge, Sara is living in a 'military-style compound' where she was dumped by Nikolas. Let's just leave it at he is not her favourite person right now. She is struggling in training as she fears losing control of her Mori demon. She hasn't really made new friends, instead stays in phone contact with Roland, Peter, and of course, Uncle Nate.
There is too much to give you a rundown of this book, and seriously, why on earth would I do that? That's what the synopsis is for!! Suffice it to say, Sara has a big learning curve in front of her. With her magic, she is learning new 'tricks', as well as receiving her very own early warning vampire radar.
So many bits made me smile, so many bits made me frustrated for Sara, but most of all, I can't wait to see where it will go next. With one heckuva cliffhanger that really Nikolas should have seen coming a mile off knowing Sara (remember, I'm writing this before reading Rogue so I have no idea if he realises or not!)
If you want a paranormal romance that is full of Mori demons, the fae, griffins, Alex the wyvern (love him!), hellhounds, vampires, shifters, absolutely gripping, full of action and adventure, romance, and 'real-life' reactions, then look no further. I really can't recommend this highly enough!!!
* Verified Purchase on Amazon *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 7, 2016
This is one of those books that I bought immediately after I finished Relentless, but just never got the chance to read before life got in the way. Let me just say, that since I've finished this, life isn't going to get a chance to get in the way as I am starting Rogue straight away!!
In Refuge, Sara is living in a 'military-style compound' where she was dumped by Nikolas. Let's just leave it at he is not her favourite person right now. She is struggling in training as she fears losing control of her Mori demon. She hasn't really made new friends, instead stays in phone contact with Roland, Peter, and of course, Uncle Nate.
There is too much to give you a rundown of this book, and seriously, why on earth would I do that? That's what the synopsis is for!! Suffice it to say, Sara has a big learning curve in front of her. With her magic, she is learning new 'tricks', as well as receiving her very own early warning vampire radar.
So many bits made me smile, so many bits made me frustrated for Sara, but most of all, I can't wait to see where it will go next. With one heckuva cliffhanger that really Nikolas should have seen coming a mile off knowing Sara (remember, I'm writing this before reading Rogue so I have no idea if he realises or not!)
If you want a paranormal romance that is full of Mori demons, the fae, griffins, Alex the wyvern (love him!), hellhounds, vampires, shifters, absolutely gripping, full of action and adventure, romance, and 'real-life' reactions, then look no further. I really can't recommend this highly enough!!!
* Verified Purchase on Amazon *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 7, 2016
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated A Game of Thrones in Books
Nov 13, 2019
I've been reviewing books online for nearly a year now... and in that time I have finished every book I have started and more-or-less enjoyed every book and given positive reviews.
But this book has put an end to that. As a fan of writers such as Joe Abercrombie who cite this series and George R R Martin as a big influence, I thought I should give this a read. After all, with so many plaudits and a hit television show it couldn't be that bad, could it.
Unfortunately it could. I liked the prologue - that was interesting to read and had some good writing and interesting characters in it. The one star is purely for this part of the book. Treat it as a short story and ignore the rest of the weighty tome and you won't go far wrong.
From this point forward nothing works. I can see that Martin was trying to inject a bit of reality and grit into fantasy, though it could be argues it had not exactly been all sunlight, dancing elves and heroes with rippling muscles for several decades so I don't see it as the massive change in direction it has been touted as in some quarters.
What we have is a succession of dreary, uninteresting characters taking part in a series of dull and stilted conversations attempting to create some sort of dramatic tension simply by existing. And then quite often there will be sex, not for any reason other than it seems this is what Martin thinks makes characters interesting. And the sex scenes are really, really awful. They read as if an over-excited 15 year old boy has written them.
The structure - where each chapter is told from the point of view of a different character - probably sounded really good on paper. But the end result is almost impossible to read as there is no continuity between sections that are dealing with the same characters, So for the first half of every chapter the reader is trying to get to grips with the new main character while also working out which kingdom they are in and how they related to the many, many other characters. It's just plain too confusing and exhausting as an actual narrative device.
And the characters themselves... I was expecting Martin to try everything possible to avoid any of the usual tropes, but no. Accepted there are no magicians, elves or pure-hearted swashbuckling heroes. But what is left is just the usual supporting cast - the bastard half brother with a grudge, the scheming dwarf, the wronged heir to the throne... there is absolutely nothing new or inventive in any of the characters.
What this book reminded me of most was the Harry Potter series. Completely derivative, averagely written and heavily marketed fantasy stories eagerly consumed by people who don't actually read fantasy. To those who do read fantasy this is such a poor relation to the other fine works that have been published in the last 30 years it's not even worth considering.
If you have never read this, don't bother. Instead do yourself a favour and pick up something that actually has something to say and contains some truly interesting characters and worlds. Joe Abercrombie or Mark Lawrence, for example.
But this book has put an end to that. As a fan of writers such as Joe Abercrombie who cite this series and George R R Martin as a big influence, I thought I should give this a read. After all, with so many plaudits and a hit television show it couldn't be that bad, could it.
Unfortunately it could. I liked the prologue - that was interesting to read and had some good writing and interesting characters in it. The one star is purely for this part of the book. Treat it as a short story and ignore the rest of the weighty tome and you won't go far wrong.
From this point forward nothing works. I can see that Martin was trying to inject a bit of reality and grit into fantasy, though it could be argues it had not exactly been all sunlight, dancing elves and heroes with rippling muscles for several decades so I don't see it as the massive change in direction it has been touted as in some quarters.
What we have is a succession of dreary, uninteresting characters taking part in a series of dull and stilted conversations attempting to create some sort of dramatic tension simply by existing. And then quite often there will be sex, not for any reason other than it seems this is what Martin thinks makes characters interesting. And the sex scenes are really, really awful. They read as if an over-excited 15 year old boy has written them.
The structure - where each chapter is told from the point of view of a different character - probably sounded really good on paper. But the end result is almost impossible to read as there is no continuity between sections that are dealing with the same characters, So for the first half of every chapter the reader is trying to get to grips with the new main character while also working out which kingdom they are in and how they related to the many, many other characters. It's just plain too confusing and exhausting as an actual narrative device.
And the characters themselves... I was expecting Martin to try everything possible to avoid any of the usual tropes, but no. Accepted there are no magicians, elves or pure-hearted swashbuckling heroes. But what is left is just the usual supporting cast - the bastard half brother with a grudge, the scheming dwarf, the wronged heir to the throne... there is absolutely nothing new or inventive in any of the characters.
What this book reminded me of most was the Harry Potter series. Completely derivative, averagely written and heavily marketed fantasy stories eagerly consumed by people who don't actually read fantasy. To those who do read fantasy this is such a poor relation to the other fine works that have been published in the last 30 years it's not even worth considering.
If you have never read this, don't bother. Instead do yourself a favour and pick up something that actually has something to say and contains some truly interesting characters and worlds. Joe Abercrombie or Mark Lawrence, for example.
yung pueblo tells it like it is
aloha, amigos!
I've been slaving away creating wedding crafts (countdown: t-minus 44 days, sos) so I haven't been able to get 3% of the reading done that I would have usually. Seriously tho. Last year, I read 59 books or some shit. This year, EIGHT. Call the police, lock me up, throw me in the loony bin. This is a goddamn SIN, I TELL YOU. However, I've been trying to squeeze in some time in between pulling my hair out over wedding garbage to try and read as much as humanly possible. If I could read while I was sleeping, this wouldn't be a motherhecking issue. Anyways, I scored a free copy of "inward" by yung pueblo, and I'm here to let ya'll know about how amazing it is. Fasten your seat belts, ladies!
"inward" is an anthology of poems written by yung pueblo, and I love the shit out of it/him. If you're a fan of rupi kaur, stop what you're doing and put this book on your amazon wish list. The official copy won't be released until September 25, 2018 (I'm special) but the second this baby hits the shelves, it's going to sell out. Mark my words. Here's my favorite poem penned by my boy pueblo:
the forces
of the universe
support those
who work at
healing themselves
Like, okay, pueblo, we get it. You're a genius and I love you and I want to crawl inside of your brain for a day and just chill in there for a bit. You know, cuddle with your cerebellum or some shit. I love you, did I say that already? Listen to pueblo: heal yourselves, people! At least give it a shot! The universe is watching.
Set an alarm on your phones right now. Do it, I'm waiting. Because the second the hand strikes midnight on September 25, hop onto ol' amazon and pick up "inward" before the rest of the world does. And once you're finished, come back here and let's chat!
I've been slaving away creating wedding crafts (countdown: t-minus 44 days, sos) so I haven't been able to get 3% of the reading done that I would have usually. Seriously tho. Last year, I read 59 books or some shit. This year, EIGHT. Call the police, lock me up, throw me in the loony bin. This is a goddamn SIN, I TELL YOU. However, I've been trying to squeeze in some time in between pulling my hair out over wedding garbage to try and read as much as humanly possible. If I could read while I was sleeping, this wouldn't be a motherhecking issue. Anyways, I scored a free copy of "inward" by yung pueblo, and I'm here to let ya'll know about how amazing it is. Fasten your seat belts, ladies!
"inward" is an anthology of poems written by yung pueblo, and I love the shit out of it/him. If you're a fan of rupi kaur, stop what you're doing and put this book on your amazon wish list. The official copy won't be released until September 25, 2018 (I'm special) but the second this baby hits the shelves, it's going to sell out. Mark my words. Here's my favorite poem penned by my boy pueblo:
the forces
of the universe
support those
who work at
healing themselves
Like, okay, pueblo, we get it. You're a genius and I love you and I want to crawl inside of your brain for a day and just chill in there for a bit. You know, cuddle with your cerebellum or some shit. I love you, did I say that already? Listen to pueblo: heal yourselves, people! At least give it a shot! The universe is watching.
Set an alarm on your phones right now. Do it, I'm waiting. Because the second the hand strikes midnight on September 25, hop onto ol' amazon and pick up "inward" before the rest of the world does. And once you're finished, come back here and let's chat!
Alison Pink (7 KP) rated Every Fifteen Minutes in Books
Jan 15, 2018
This book was excellent! I was thrilled to win a copy through Goodreads just based on the jacket copy. Let me tell you, this book didn't disappoint! This is only the second of Scottoline's books that I've read but I am definitely a fan now.
I could not put this book down. I didn't figure out what was REALLY going on until the second to last chapter. And even then I was shocked! I thought things were over but they weren't...not by a long shot. This is the kind of book I love and it is worth your time to check out too.
I could not put this book down. I didn't figure out what was REALLY going on until the second to last chapter. And even then I was shocked! I thought things were over but they weren't...not by a long shot. This is the kind of book I love and it is worth your time to check out too.
Erika (17789 KP) rated Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012) in Movies
May 12, 2018
When I heard that the same guy that directed Wanted was going to direct the movie version of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, I was game. I was looking so forward to this film.
The first thing I found kind of off about the film was the casting of Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Walker. He was just a little wooden, and it didn't work for me.
Now, Dominic Cooper as Henry Sturges was a great casting. Yes, I read the book, so I knew what Sturges was. The scene with Cooper wearing the pair of sunglasses? Amazing.
Overall, this alternative history was good, but not as well executed as the book.
The first thing I found kind of off about the film was the casting of Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Walker. He was just a little wooden, and it didn't work for me.
Now, Dominic Cooper as Henry Sturges was a great casting. Yes, I read the book, so I knew what Sturges was. The scene with Cooper wearing the pair of sunglasses? Amazing.
Overall, this alternative history was good, but not as well executed as the book.