I have complicated feelings about The Hidden Palace by Helene Wecker. On the one hand, it's an unnecessary sequel to a very powerful (previously) standalone novel that tells an unstructured, hard-to-follow story. On the other hand, it is a piece of poetic beauty that does a wonderful job exploring life in New York in the…
Cibola Burn is one of my favorite science fiction books of all time. It’s such a powerful book, particularly thanks to the third act that profoundly changes the future of the series as a whole. It manages to pull together powerful themes, an exciting plot that feels like a blockbuster movie and is packed full…
I am disappointed and frustrated. First, disappointed that I will likely have to give Abercrombie the title of the best book of the year a second year in a row because I hate repeating myself. Telling you that reading Abercrombie’s works is a good idea is like telling you that the sun shines - it’s…
Continue reading ➞ The Wisdom of Crowds – A Strong Closing Argument
The best part about being a book reviewer is when you find an underappreciated gem that you get to psychotically rant about to all your friends, family, and readers. I have now purchased 4 copies of Blood of an Exile for friends because I think The Dragons of Terra series by Brian Naslund is one…
Continue reading ➞ Fury Of A Demon – Angry That You Haven’t Read It
I am a character reader. I like themes; they add a lot to the messaging and ideas of a book. Worlds are awesome, I love closing my eyes and imagining slinging spells and exploring unknown wilds. But, at the end of the day, the real reason I show up to read a book, and the…
Continue reading ➞ Five Characters I Can’t Stop Thinking About
No no, not this time. I am not letting another book in The Thorne Chronicle series slip under my radar. How the Multiverse Got Its Revenge (called Revenge going forwards) is the sequel to How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse (Rory) by K. Eason. I somehow missed the first book when it came out last…
Continue reading ➞ How the Multiverse Got Its Revenge – A Bridge To Greatness
I didn’t really want to review The Trouble With Peace by Joe Abercrombie, because I don’t want to draw your attention to it. As I have said before, Abercrombie is best enjoyed with no expectations and as little knowledge as possible. If you have read him, you likely are going to read this book. If…
Continue reading ➞ The Trouble With Peace – A Delicious Dark Book For A Troubled Year
When I first started reading Octavia Butler’s Earthseed duology, it seemed like some sort of cruel practical joke by the friend who recommended it to me. “Set in an apocalyptic 2020s where society has largely collapsed due to climate change, growing wealth inequality, and corporate greed, these books tell the story of Lauren Olamina. She…
The word “Empire” is gaining a lot of traction these days. It shows up in the usual places such as fantasy novels and certain political circles, but I am finding myself hearing it more casually in conversation, tv shows, and YouTube videos. Now, I recognize that my particular tastes are not average, in that I…
Continue reading ➞ A Memory Called Empire – Foreshadowing Success
