D
I was going to savour it, take my time think over every chapter before I start the next one... Obviously that didn't work out for me.
After finishing, I'm still at a loss why Fool doesn't like Verity. He's a good person, perhaps a bit selfish and... weak, living vicariously through Fitz. Still, why?
I didn't understand the significance of the White Ship.
What else, what else?
Molly is meh. I'm not a fan of hers.
The Elderlings! I want to see them!
Burrich, Chivalry and Patience would have made an awesome ménage à trois. (I'm in the mood for working OT3s, all right?)
Galen's coterie - someone should have disposed of them long ago. So sad that the Skill is all but extinct and it's too dangerous to use.
What I absoulutely don't get - Regal sabotaging his fater's and brother's ruling at the expense of the country. If he becomes King-in-waiting or King, wouldn't it be his job to keep the Raiders at bay? Why does he try to estroy something that benefits everyone?
To quote Sherlock's latest season (because it fits and I can't get it out of my head): As my colleague is fond of remarking, this country sometimes needs a blunt instrument. Equally, it sometimes needs a dagger – a scalpel wielded with precision and without remorse.
There is a place where all time is now, and the choices are simple and always your own.Wolves have no Kings.
*It's not sci-fi, but the introduced technology is still to be invented. Let it be a long way in the future.
I am becoming a specialist at ruining my life. I could teach lessons on the subjects.
Given the choice of reaа microbiology or a spy thriller about a doctor(microbiologist)/military/border genius/spy called Jon Smith, guess what I'll pick? For inspiration, I'll even lie to myself. And I'll pretend I believe it.
That doesn't mean the book is a life ruiner. Far from it. Still, it does have entertainment value. And for a guilty pleasure (was it junk food for the brain) it does deliver.
I have mostly given up on the Ludlum franchise. Whether Bourne or Covert one, I prefer the originals (for the latter, the books written before I started following the series. When they decided to finally bring Randi in, I, probably illogically, decided to stop. Illogically, because, look, progress, not the same formula! But besides that, everything else IS formulaic and, however much I like a formula, there are only so many variations I can take).
Plus - Jon quoted Loki. Or Loki quoted Jon. Whatever. “If it were easy, everyone would do it.” or “If it was easy, anyone could do it.” It made me smile. In another mood, or if I hadn't enjoyed the rest of the novel, it would have annoyed me, but that's not the case.
Ta-daa.
I consider this story a great start of 2014. It was lovely, and the characters were likeable if occasionally stubborn.
I liked them and their story. So far I'm also interested in the side characters. Can't wait for Tyler and Memphis' book, and I'd love to read Noah's, where finally we'll be talking about him.
What bothered me - you're used instead of your. Twice. I know it's common in m/m but while once looks like coincidence or an overlooked mistake, repeated mistakes look like a pattern.
So so so good. The bad part of finishing it is that I can't start the next one before the end of the holidays. Or, to be on the safe side of passing my exams, before the end of January. Which sucks big time.
Still, I got to read one hell of a mind fuck, one that I need time to process properly, so perhaps it is better this way. Or that is what I'll be telling myself for the time being.
Marthe - I see in her what most people only see in Lymond - the surface. The anger, bitterness, rough edges. They are so alike, I know there is more, I just don't care to discover it.
Khaireddin - Give me thy kisses Oh, God.
Jerott - so blind when it matters. He's steadfast and reliable. And predictable, at least.
Dame of Daubtance - I don't like her. Decidedly.
The mystery: TALK BY DOROTHY DUNNETTSaturday, 30 March 1990One of the anxieties everybody has about Pawn in Frankincense is the identity (Thank you, Judith) of the two children and especially the child who died. I think I made it clear. I was defiant I make it clear, I may say, when I was writing Pawn in Frankincense. Harvey Ginsberg, who I mentioned , said, "You cannot say which one died," and I said, "Yes, I can." He said "No, you can't." So I didn't. By then I thought: Yes, let me, I think, made it clear. If I haven't, I'm not making it any clearer.The whole of the Lymond series is about identity; it is about character; it is about heritage; and, yes, it is about the future. It says, if it says anything at all, that we are what we are and what we make of ourselves and what we have to hand on to future. Good and bad stock can produce indiscriminately good and bad offspring, and our environment can ruin what was potentially good. There is no place for prejudice. More than that I'm not going to spell out.
I only hav e one word of any relevance: more!
That might nake me a terrible person (it probablt does, that's alright with me) but I was okay with ditching the baby since Lymnd can't be sure until he finds him, whether his son is still alive or even rral. Kind of didn't enjoy Philippa giving Gabriel this chance iof escape.
“Jerott, for God's sake! Are you doing this for a wager?' said Lymond, his patience gone at last. ‘What does anyone want out of life? What kind of freak do you suppose I am? I miss books and good verse and decent talk. I miss women, to speak to, not to rape; and children, and men creating things instead of destroying them. And from the time I wake until the time I find I can't go to sleep there is the void—the bloody void where there was no music today and none yesterday and no prospect of any tomorrow, or tomorrow, or next God-damned year.” “What's wrong? Has Francis been rude? Then you must try to overlook it. I know you wouldn't think so, but he is thoroughly upset by TE's death; and when Francis is troubled he doesn't show it, he just goes and makes life wretched for somebody.”
Fitz is a bit whiney but overall it's great. I like the magics, I like the story, and I'm invested in the characters.
Counted as a win.
— Той носи верига с три камъка на нея. Има я от кралица Желана, заради някаква специална услуга. Хъм. Шутът го мрази. Веднъж ми призна, че когато останали насаме, Гален започнал да го обижда и да го замеря с разни неща.Веждите на Сенч подскочиха. Толкова беше изненадан, че едва не изпусна чашата.— Шутът говори ли с теб?— Понякога — признах предпазливо. — Но не много често. Само когато има настроение. Появява се изневиделица и започва да ми казва разни неща.— Какви неща?Едва сега осъзнах, че така и не бях разказал на Сенч за онази история с „фиц-фаворизира-финеса“. Беше твърдо объркана, за да се връщам сега към нея.— Уф, странни неща. Преди два месеца ме спря и ми каза, че идната утрин нямало да е подходяща за лов. А денят се оказа чудесен. Бърич удари един доста едър елен. Сигурно си спомняш. Беше същият ден, когато се натъкнахме на вълчицата. Разкъса няколко от кучетата ни.— Да, добре си спомням — замислено каза Сенч. — Тогава тя едва не докопа и теб.Свих рамене.— Бърич я повали. След това ми се ядоса, сякаш аз бях виновен, и ми заяви, че щял да ме спука от бой, ако вълчицата била наранила Сажда. Сякаш можех да зная, че ще се нахвърли върху мен... — Спрях разколебано. — Сенч, зная, че шутът е малко странен. Но аз обичам да разговарям с него. Вярно, че ми говори в гатанки и понякога ме ругае или ми се подиграва. Друг път ме съветва — да си измия косата или да не нося жълто... но...— Какво? — подкани ме той.— Аз го харесвам. Може и да ми се подиграва, но го прави с добри чувства. Той ме кара да се чувствам... някак важен. Дори само с това, че е избрал да говори с мен.Сенч вдигна ръка, за да прикрие усмивката си. Не разбирах какво го е развеселило.— Довери се на инстинкта си — рече ми той. — И помни всички съвети, които ти дава. Освен това гледай никой да не разбере, че идва при теб и ти говори. Някой може да не погледне с добро око на това.— Кой?— Крал Умен например. В края на краищата шутът е негов. Той го е купил.Поне дузина въпроси изникнаха в главата ми. Сенч забеляза изражението ми и вдигна ръка.— Не сега. И без това ти казах предостатъчно.
Overall, I liked it. The last 10% though, I really, really didn't.
I found myself more interested in the non-sex part of the story, which for a story where sex is the essence of things, are few. The sex scenes were well-written, indeed. The writing, the tone, it was all good. It was fresh and exciting. (Until it wasn't, the last 10%...) I just... was in the mood for a different kind of story.
Also, Stiles being accidentally cruel was a thing I didn't enjoy, at all.
3.5 starsSimplistic and straightforward, especially compared to [b:The Secret Pilgrim 46462 The Secret Pilgrim (George Smiley, #8) John le Carré https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1170330461s/46462.jpg 876061], which is the only other John le Carré book I've read. It's espionage mixed with a murder investigation a la Agatha Christie. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
4.5 for some minor troubles that are mostly my issues, not the book's. And for not having enough of Agents Beaulieu, Vega or Trovosky, hopefully at the same time.
I really, really liked this kind of, but not really, outside's look at the Agency and the ICoS world. It was tight, fresh and exciting on a first read. I am sure it will still be the next time.
I liked Gordon almost immediately. His attitude grew tiresome at some point (Not a direct quote because I don't have the page in front of me and I'm too lazy to do a search ...interested in some capacity and Gordon had driven him away just by being himself. Gordon has a couple more thoughts in that regard before that infamous Halloween party that came as whiny instead of self-deprecating to me. That hasn't stopped me from liking him, though. I find Carhart similarly annoying on occasions.I still like the bastard.
I loved Wanda, the level ten groupie.
Now excuse me, I've got some Fade chapters to reread.
It was.. I don't know, I'm quite torn. It was sweet while not saccharine and the magic system and world were quite intriguing.
On the other hand, many things I found aggravating.
Like all three characters' choices/actions/words in the last 20 pages before the epilogue. I was, on more than one occasion, thinking, “Why are you even considering that? You haven't even cleared up that yet.” And it still seems to me not cleared up. Leyton apologising and Mijah forgiving him. Possibly two separate scenes, not necessary in conversation, but it should have happened before any further discussion. Did it? Not really, as far as I can tell.Or the too many main characters. I was okay with being in everyone's head, that was great, and the confusion was probably done on purpose. Either way I didn't appreciate the main couple/threesome being so slow to appear on the radar. This, as my previous point, could have been developed quite differently, making for more enjoyable read and for less hair pulling and eye rolling on my part. I might have even not felt guilty over skipping studying for tomorrow in order to finish this. As far as guilty pleasures go, it could have been more pleasurable to make it worth the trouble. Oh well. No one said I make good life choices.
Same as above.^^ As an avid fanfiction reader I am okay with multishipping and don't mind any kind of couples (except few specific ones). It doesn't bother me they exist as an idea, doesn't bother me they exist in fandom. These days, when I watch a movie or a tv series or read a book, I kind of see the relationship/shipping potential between all the characters in all kinds of combinations. That doesn't mean I don't know what the canon relationships are before I start shipping. And even if this is not a piece of fanfiction, I could see it as a potential fandom, and as such could see the potential relationships combinations. All I knew was the warning: This story features incest and a threesome. Was the incest in the threesome or not? Five characters, many possible, and plausible, combinations. As the chances of me finding fanfiction written about these characters are close to non-existant, I'd have liked it better if I had known sooner who to “ship,” so to speak.As Leyton was present on page far more than the rest, it could be assumed that his relationships woild be central. How come then, that Temel and Shakil's one was showed explicitly (right up until Shakil disappeared, and Leyton's with Liam, or with Mijah, or with Liam and Mijah, wasn't? It is true that every 3/3+ relationship written explicitly risks turning into the porn fest that is the average Anita Blake book but some is necessary for me to see how the characters fit together. I could see Leyton with Liam, and I could see him with Mijah. But with both? I need more convincing. Before the epilogue, tyvm.
Liam.Despite all that, I liked it. *shrug Could have given it a five stars rating without the issues, but with them it was still an enjoyable read.
Wolfsangel (Craw Trilogy) 3.5
It's good. Dark (ish), surprising. But I wasn't in the mood to be impressed.
Why four stars then? I wasn't disappointed either. Just a bit confused and not invested enough to care for the next book immediately.
I'm glad I read a paperback version, from the library. As an e-book, I would have given up quite early.
Not quite five stars but way more than four. I had a sudden drop in my level of enjoyment in the middle of the book (like 45-55%) but I'll have to reread to work out what exactly my problem was. That wouldn't be such a hardship as the rest was brilliant.
The magic thing - so cool! The ending was perfect. :D Now I want book two...
