David McK (3369 KP) rated Vision of the Future (Star Wars: The Hand of Thrawn Duology, #2) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
In this, Luke is off to rescue Mara, while the New Republic itself moves closer and closer to internal war over the involvement of a group of Bothans in the destruction of Caamas, all of which is due to the (unknown to the Republic) machinations of a trio of Imperials, one of whom is impersonating Grand Admiral Thrawn.
Looking back on this, it's also interesting to note the veiled hints at future events - in particular, at just what is out in the Unknown Regions - that would later come to play a major role in the ongoing series (and, as a side-note, which is round about where I stopped reading them).
As this was written before prequels, there's also the occasional jarring note where this doesn't quite mesh properly, in particular with the references to the Clone Wars.
Like <i>Specter of the Past</i>, and OK read, but not as good as the <i>Heir to the Empire</i> series.
AT (1676 KP) rated Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma in Books
Apr 23, 2020
West African Warfare in Bahia and Cuba: Soldier Slaves in the Atlantic World, 1807-1844
Book
West African Warfare in Bahia and Cuba seeks to explain how a series of historical events that...
Bloodline
Book
The third beautifully written novel in the War of the Roses series by bestselling author Conn...
Phil Maxwell (25 KP) rated Blood of Elves in Books
Apr 5, 2020
I had only played the video games before then (and absolutely loved them, by the way). This kind of worked in my favour though, as once I started reading Blood Of Elves I already had a broad knowledge of the countries involved, the wars and battles that had occurred, and of course the lovely (and not so lovely) cast of characters within.
Andrzej Sapkowski's writing style was fluid throughout and kept the story moving at an enjoyable pace. Not once did I find myself thinking it was going too slow or too fast.
His descriptions of the different locales were top notch fantasy fayre, as were those of main characters Geralt, Yennefer, Ciri, Triss, Dandelion and it's bit players also.
To say I was enthralled by Sapkowksi's first Witcher story is putting it lightly. I could barely put it down and every little bit of spare time I had was devoted to reading Blood Of Elves. I am now working my way through Time Of Contempt (The second installment) and am finding it equally as enjoyable, if not more so.
Wars of the Roses: Stormbird
9.0
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Historical fiction master Conn Iggulden retells the gripping story of the English Civil War in this...
David McK (3369 KP) rated Sharpe's Rifles in TV
Jul 11, 2021
I say what-was-then, because - since the culmination of the various TV movies, and even right up to date (the most recent to be released in a few months time, in late 2021), Cornwell has released plenty more such novels, quite a few of which are set even before the start of the Napoleonic Wars, never mind those set 'in-between' the core set of novels; said set of which provided the basis for the TV adaptations.
And that is what these are: an adaptation, rather than a straight re-telling. Sharpe, for instance, is supposed to be a dark haired Londoner rather than fair-haired Cockney (although Sean Bean's portrayal would win over Cornwell, who would later 'retrofit' his character to be closer to Sean Bean). That is probably for the better: literature and film, after all, are two distinct mediums: what works in one may not work in another.
To this day, though, I would still love to see a proper big-screen adaptation, with the budget to match, of one of these stories ...
Tudor Dawn: Henry Tudor is ready to take the crown (The Tudor Series Book 1)
8.0
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The rise of the Royal House of Tudor! Perfect for fans of Conn Iggulden, Robyn Young, Alison Weir...
Tudors Historical Fiction
Herodotus: A Very Short Introduction
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Herodotus has come to be respected by most scholars as a responsible and important historian....