Nadine K
CW: Sexual Assault, Violence
4.5 stars
Great read great ending, love when bad things happen to bad people.
The writing was great too and I glided through it while still experiencing the mounting dread that made me feel like this book deserves to be labeled secondarily as a horror.
I wouldn't say it was perfect but I wouldn't say it's flaws are major enough for me to drop a star. There are things Hart could have added to make me love it more but nothing she did made me like it less.
CW: Sexual Assault, Violence
4.5 stars
Great read great ending, love when bad things happen to bad people.
The writing was great too and I glided through it while still experiencing the mounting dread that made me feel like this book deserves to be labeled secondarily as a horror.
I wouldn't say it was perfect but I wouldn't say it's flaws are major enough for me to drop a star. There are things Hart could have added to make me love it more but nothing she did made me like it less.
4.5 rounded down
Extremely fun read.
4.5 rounded down
Extremely fun read.
Fantastic. Reminds me why high fantasy will always be my home genre.
RJ Barker’s superpower is his creative world-building. How every universe he breathes to live is so different from our real world and somehow also so unique from each other but still infused with humanity. From The Wounded Kingdom Series to The Tide Child Series to this new one.
Adrian Tchaikovsky author of the Children of Time series was quoted to say, “ One of the most interesting and original fantasy world I’ve seen in years” in reference to the Tide Child series and somehow the same can be said for this entry into Barkers newest universe.
It’s astounding.
One thing I’ve noted about Barker’s writing in the past is that the first books of his series do not do justice to how good the whole thing actually is. That is not the case at all for this book. Gripping from the start and hopefully til the end.
Still, that is not to say it’s without it’s flaws. The beginning of the book is a tiny bit messy, though this only lasted the first couple of chapters. Also, the dialogue can be cheesy at moments but I can let it all slide because I had so much fun with the story.
600 pages isn’t enough. I need Sanderson level page counts.
I eagerly wait for book 2. (I am frothing at the mouth.)
Fantastic. Reminds me why high fantasy will always be my home genre.
RJ Barker’s superpower is his creative world-building. How every universe he breathes to live is so different from our real world and somehow also so unique from each other but still infused with humanity. From The Wounded Kingdom Series to The Tide Child Series to this new one.
Adrian Tchaikovsky author of the Children of Time series was quoted to say, “ One of the most interesting and original fantasy world I’ve seen in years” in reference to the Tide Child series and somehow the same can be said for this entry into Barkers newest universe.
It’s astounding.
One thing I’ve noted about Barker’s writing in the past is that the first books of his series do not do justice to how good the whole thing actually is. That is not the case at all for this book. Gripping from the start and hopefully til the end.
Still, that is not to say it’s without it’s flaws. The beginning of the book is a tiny bit messy, though this only lasted the first couple of chapters. Also, the dialogue can be cheesy at moments but I can let it all slide because I had so much fun with the story.
600 pages isn’t enough. I need Sanderson level page counts.
I eagerly wait for book 2. (I am frothing at the mouth.)
I liked the story, I loooooved the writing, the mystery was so fun. It was all so good.
But I CANNOT get over that age difference. It is so disgusting to me. I need that man dead. I need Polly to wisen up.
I liked the story, I loooooved the writing, the mystery was so fun. It was all so good.
But I CANNOT get over that age difference. It is so disgusting to me. I need that man dead. I need Polly to wisen up.
I really liked it :'(
:')
4.5 stars tempted to round up because of that feel-good ending. (I’m a sap.)
It was good! Well written, great characters. Perfect ending.
But what it really says to me is that I need to read The Imperial Radch trilogy.
I’m sure my reading of this book would have been much elevated if I had prior understanding of this universe.
4.5 stars tempted to round up because of that feel-good ending. (I’m a sap.)
It was good! Well written, great characters. Perfect ending.
But what it really says to me is that I need to read The Imperial Radch trilogy.
I’m sure my reading of this book would have been much elevated if I had prior understanding of this universe.
Oh what a beautiful ending. What a beautiful book.
I was confused, at first, at all the comments talking about it’s slow pacing because I thought it was paced just fine. Then that last 200 pages hit and we were suddenly in a mad sprint.
How enchanting, often funny, overall a great joy.
Susanna Clarke, the woman that you are. After this and Piranesi, I am devoted to consuming all your writing for the rest of my mortal life.
Oh what a beautiful ending. What a beautiful book.
I was confused, at first, at all the comments talking about it’s slow pacing because I thought it was paced just fine. Then that last 200 pages hit and we were suddenly in a mad sprint.
How enchanting, often funny, overall a great joy.
Susanna Clarke, the woman that you are. After this and Piranesi, I am devoted to consuming all your writing for the rest of my mortal life.
Honestly 4.5 stars
I bought this book ages ago and couldn't make it through my first go. Then I decided to give it another try and it floated in the realms of 3 stars throughout the read. It was too slow for me and not enough things were happening, but as I pushed on it somehow won me over (in like the last quarter and I get some people wont have the patience for this lol).
It's truly a character driven book and me growing to like it was a gradual thing. I understand it's not for everyone but I implore you to give it a chance it's pretty great.
Honestly 4.5 stars
I bought this book ages ago and couldn't make it through my first go. Then I decided to give it another try and it floated in the realms of 3 stars throughout the read. It was too slow for me and not enough things were happening, but as I pushed on it somehow won me over (in like the last quarter and I get some people wont have the patience for this lol).
It's truly a character driven book and me growing to like it was a gradual thing. I understand it's not for everyone but I implore you to give it a chance it's pretty great.
4.5 Stars
It started off really strong and ended a bit weaker than I would have liked (not that it was a bad ending by any means but it just didn't live up to how strong it started off). A book for Readers with a capital R, not that casual readers can't enjoy it as well but seasoned readers will get fun bonuses in the form of sprinklings of modern literary references from time to time.
A very dreamy book that juxtaposes fantasy with the mundane, traditional romanticism with contemporary sensibilities, myths and truths. I enjoyed how meta the experience of reading it was.
Sometimes it almost feels like the characters are aware of your presence as you're reading them.
The book has a very unique perspective with an almost omniscient narrator that feels like they've made the conscious decision not to be too omniscient. The tenses in the book are interesting too, though not too surprising with how it takes on time as a central theme and plays with it heavily.
I have to comment on how it starts off both disjointed yet completely smooth, if that makes any sense. The shift from one chapter to another, one character to another, one setting to another (especially in the introductory chapters that make up the first to third parts of the book) is always so abrupt but they flow into each other so well.
Overall, a fun read that I thoroughly enjoyed.
4.5 Stars
It started off really strong and ended a bit weaker than I would have liked (not that it was a bad ending by any means but it just didn't live up to how strong it started off). A book for Readers with a capital R, not that casual readers can't enjoy it as well but seasoned readers will get fun bonuses in the form of sprinklings of modern literary references from time to time.
A very dreamy book that juxtaposes fantasy with the mundane, traditional romanticism with contemporary sensibilities, myths and truths. I enjoyed how meta the experience of reading it was.
Sometimes it almost feels like the characters are aware of your presence as you're reading them.
The book has a very unique perspective with an almost omniscient narrator that feels like they've made the conscious decision not to be too omniscient. The tenses in the book are interesting too, though not too surprising with how it takes on time as a central theme and plays with it heavily.
I have to comment on how it starts off both disjointed yet completely smooth, if that makes any sense. The shift from one chapter to another, one character to another, one setting to another (especially in the introductory chapters that make up the first to third parts of the book) is always so abrupt but they flow into each other so well.
Overall, a fun read that I thoroughly enjoyed.
I wrote this review when I was only halfway done with the book and hoped that it would get better and I would have to scrap what I've already written, but it didn't. So here are my issues with this book:1. Chunky blocks of exposition, all done through dialogue where one character is explaining something to another.2. One dimensional characters, most of whom are just unlikable.3. Stiff dialogue, many of the conversations feel unnatural. Sometimes they use phrases and words that just don't fit the setting and it really takes you out of the book.4. Some things just happen so conveniently that when the character's accomplish something it feels un-earned.5. A lot of terrible cliches that make my eyes roll.6. The pacing is... not great.7. There's so much superfluous detail added in that doesn't add to either the plot progression or the storytelling.It's very hard to immerse yourself in this book.The concept was really exciting, I was drawn to it even before realising that the author was a co-creator of ATLA, but overall I feel very let down.The only compelling storyline was that between Zanobius the tulpa and his creator, I found myself wishing I was reading about them instead every time I had to slog through another chapter with the kids and Pietro. But even his story got progressively less interesting as the story progressed.I would be harsher to it if not for the fact that I know this is a middle-grade read and I am by no means its target audience, but that being said I've read plenty of middle-grade books that I could rave on and on about ([b:The Thief Lord 113304 The Thief Lord Cornelia Funke https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327960342l/113304.SY75.jpg 3313414] by Cornelia Funke comes to mind), with vibrant characters, gorgeous world building, and emotional payoffs that feel significant and don't read like an insult to the reader's intelligence.DiMartino is super in your face about the moral takeaways of this story, almost to a point where its offensive. Maybe this would've worked out better as an animated series like Avatar was but for sure a novel was not the media to go with for this story or author.
I wrote this review when I was only halfway done with the book and hoped that it would get better and I would have to scrap what I've already written, but it didn't. So here are my issues with this book:1. Chunky blocks of exposition, all done through dialogue where one character is explaining something to another.2. One dimensional characters, most of whom are just unlikable.3. Stiff dialogue, many of the conversations feel unnatural. Sometimes they use phrases and words that just don't fit the setting and it really takes you out of the book.4. Some things just happen so conveniently that when the character's accomplish something it feels un-earned.5. A lot of terrible cliches that make my eyes roll.6. The pacing is... not great.7. There's so much superfluous detail added in that doesn't add to either the plot progression or the storytelling.It's very hard to immerse yourself in this book.The concept was really exciting, I was drawn to it even before realising that the author was a co-creator of ATLA, but overall I feel very let down.The only compelling storyline was that between Zanobius the tulpa and his creator, I found myself wishing I was reading about them instead every time I had to slog through another chapter with the kids and Pietro. But even his story got progressively less interesting as the story progressed.I would be harsher to it if not for the fact that I know this is a middle-grade read and I am by no means its target audience, but that being said I've read plenty of middle-grade books that I could rave on and on about ([b:The Thief Lord 113304 The Thief Lord Cornelia Funke https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327960342l/113304.SY75.jpg 3313414] by Cornelia Funke comes to mind), with vibrant characters, gorgeous world building, and emotional payoffs that feel significant and don't read like an insult to the reader's intelligence.DiMartino is super in your face about the moral takeaways of this story, almost to a point where its offensive. Maybe this would've worked out better as an animated series like Avatar was but for sure a novel was not the media to go with for this story or author.
3.5 Stars
Immediately after reading (which was last night), I rated this book 5 stars because it was beautiful, well written, and ended on a hopeful note that resonated with me, but thinking more critically on the story did poke holes in my original rating.
There is something deeply unrelatable about Nora as a protagonist. Sure she has regrets, sure feels alone and these are all valid and relatable... if we can look past her privilege. Nora Seed has a book of regrets that is heavy and painful because she was born talented, into a good home, with middle class parents, in a rich country, with the right skin colour. The only thing stopping her from reaching her “full potential” is her debilitating mental health. Making ONE “correct” decision led her down the path of a Nobel Laureate, a Rock Star, an Olympian, a 1%-er in California with multiple vineyards. Am I to believe that this is the same for most of us in the world? What of us born with a disability? What of us born with chronic illnesses? What of us born in war-torn countries? Everything Nora could've become with one “right choice” is something most of us will never achieve even if we made “right choices” all our lives. There are some futures that just don't exist. It's even stated plainly in the book that Nora's cat Volts is destined to die young because he was born with a heart defect. So the book posits that there are choices and there is destiny. There are somethings that, no matter what choices you make, cannot be changed and that lies in the cards you're dealt at the start. As hopeful as the book is, this take is also highly fatalistic.The one thing I had in common with Nora are my regrets, my roads not taken. But by the end of the novel we didn't even have that in common. Nora knows, she's seen all her other lives and she decided that her root life is the best one for her. Nobody in the real world has that privilege. There is a moment in the book when Nora's... spirit guide (?), avatar for God (?), Mrs. Elm quotes The Road Not Taken at her, and it is a poem wildly misunderstood by so many people. What Robert Frost meant by the poem is no matter what road you chose to take you will always wish you had taken the other. The poem is about that ambiguity, of not knowing the other possibilities and maybe living in peace with that ignorance. The poem is the antithesis of this novel that actively shows Nora ALL the other possibilities. I remember thinking as I read parts of it “This is a self-help book disguised as a novel”. This is made especially clear in her final social media update where she sums up all her lessons learned. It felt... condescending. Be brave! Carpe Diem! Says the woman who knows for a fact that this life she is leading is the best life for her. So I still have my regrets and I'll probably never be able to see all my branching lives like Nora did, and neither will you or anyone else reading this. But I don't need to because I've always know that the future is mutable. There is no point in dwelling in the what-ifs especially if you are depressed. I'm glad Nora realises this in the end and can feel hopeful, but she only gets to this point by knowing for sure that this is the best life for her which again, is a privilege none of us will ever have.
3.5 Stars
Immediately after reading (which was last night), I rated this book 5 stars because it was beautiful, well written, and ended on a hopeful note that resonated with me, but thinking more critically on the story did poke holes in my original rating.
There is something deeply unrelatable about Nora as a protagonist. Sure she has regrets, sure feels alone and these are all valid and relatable... if we can look past her privilege. Nora Seed has a book of regrets that is heavy and painful because she was born talented, into a good home, with middle class parents, in a rich country, with the right skin colour. The only thing stopping her from reaching her “full potential” is her debilitating mental health. Making ONE “correct” decision led her down the path of a Nobel Laureate, a Rock Star, an Olympian, a 1%-er in California with multiple vineyards. Am I to believe that this is the same for most of us in the world? What of us born with a disability? What of us born with chronic illnesses? What of us born in war-torn countries? Everything Nora could've become with one “right choice” is something most of us will never achieve even if we made “right choices” all our lives. There are some futures that just don't exist. It's even stated plainly in the book that Nora's cat Volts is destined to die young because he was born with a heart defect. So the book posits that there are choices and there is destiny. There are somethings that, no matter what choices you make, cannot be changed and that lies in the cards you're dealt at the start. As hopeful as the book is, this take is also highly fatalistic.The one thing I had in common with Nora are my regrets, my roads not taken. But by the end of the novel we didn't even have that in common. Nora knows, she's seen all her other lives and she decided that her root life is the best one for her. Nobody in the real world has that privilege. There is a moment in the book when Nora's... spirit guide (?), avatar for God (?), Mrs. Elm quotes The Road Not Taken at her, and it is a poem wildly misunderstood by so many people. What Robert Frost meant by the poem is no matter what road you chose to take you will always wish you had taken the other. The poem is about that ambiguity, of not knowing the other possibilities and maybe living in peace with that ignorance. The poem is the antithesis of this novel that actively shows Nora ALL the other possibilities. I remember thinking as I read parts of it “This is a self-help book disguised as a novel”. This is made especially clear in her final social media update where she sums up all her lessons learned. It felt... condescending. Be brave! Carpe Diem! Says the woman who knows for a fact that this life she is leading is the best life for her. So I still have my regrets and I'll probably never be able to see all my branching lives like Nora did, and neither will you or anyone else reading this. But I don't need to because I've always know that the future is mutable. There is no point in dwelling in the what-ifs especially if you are depressed. I'm glad Nora realises this in the end and can feel hopeful, but she only gets to this point by knowing for sure that this is the best life for her which again, is a privilege none of us will ever have.
3.5 stars rounded up
I started out really enjoying the book with it's suspenseful writing style and fast pacing. I liked how a lot of the chapters ended with mini cliffhangers and how its penchant towards the dramatics weren't ever too overdone but just right. The shifting point of views I could take or leave but that was never a problem. I liked Paul as a character and found him even painfully relatable at times. Parts 1 and 2 were solidly written and actually a lot of fun.
That being said, Part 3 kinda let me down. The first twist was confusing to me and it felt like the story lost a bit of the realism it previously had. THE SECOND TWIST lost me. Whatever the opposite of a Chekhov's Gun is, this twist was.
Overall though the good outweighed the bad and I did have fun reading it. It for sure met my expectations.
3.5 stars rounded up
I started out really enjoying the book with it's suspenseful writing style and fast pacing. I liked how a lot of the chapters ended with mini cliffhangers and how its penchant towards the dramatics weren't ever too overdone but just right. The shifting point of views I could take or leave but that was never a problem. I liked Paul as a character and found him even painfully relatable at times. Parts 1 and 2 were solidly written and actually a lot of fun.
That being said, Part 3 kinda let me down. The first twist was confusing to me and it felt like the story lost a bit of the realism it previously had. THE SECOND TWIST lost me. Whatever the opposite of a Chekhov's Gun is, this twist was.
Overall though the good outweighed the bad and I did have fun reading it. It for sure met my expectations.
2.5 Stars
When I start reading a new book I have the rating in mind from start to finish and when I tell you I fought hard for this book. I kept making excuses for it in my mind to keep that rating high. At 40% I had to accept it wasn't going to be a 5 star read, at 70% we hovered at 4-3 stars, at 80% I was sure that my final verdict would be 3 stars and I had a review drafted already that said “It was a good story but not a good novel.” Then somehow at that 90% mark it dropped to a 2 star, because it made me mad. I can't in good conscience even say it was a good story after reading that last act.
The premise is so interesting, the mystery intriguing, the cover GORGEOUS, but that's all the praise I could find after finishing the book.
One thing that stood out as I was reading was the lack of immersion. The author didn't spend time painting the settings or crafting the atmosphere of the scenes leaving me feeling emotionally disconnected to the happenings of the book. I wanted to be in there, experiencing the story with the characters, feeling the wonder and the grief and shock and joy, instead I felt like I was a passive bystander reading some director's notes for this excellent movie they had in mind.
While the majority of the book was told in third person, there are chapters from in first person POV from various characters. There are 2 problems I found with this:
1. The shift from third person to first was so clumsy and entirely took away from the reading experience
2. None of these characters have a distinct voice. They all sound the same.
The magic system in the book's universe was so confusing to understand. This wouldn't actually matter a lot of times, I've read plenty of books where the magic is never explained, but it felt especially bad in this book in particular because the characters are academics. Academics who have just discovered magic. And they did try to explain it to us but it was just a confusing mess all in all.
(Personal pet-peeve: some of the dialogue is too cheesy and cliché. Maybe just a nitpick)
One last thing, in terms of the dark academia genre, this book falls flat. Self importance, secrecy, and drama are key components to dark academia novels, but these things can also be insufferable. Most books in the genre deal with it by making the reader feel included in this elite group and making the audience buy into the hype of whatever discipline the cast of characters focus on like classics, theatre, history, the likes. I expected this book to make me fall in love with cartography and make me understand why these characters are so passionate (to the point of MURDER) about the craft of map making. The Cartographer's did no such thing and I think that's it's biggest failure.
2.5 Stars
When I start reading a new book I have the rating in mind from start to finish and when I tell you I fought hard for this book. I kept making excuses for it in my mind to keep that rating high. At 40% I had to accept it wasn't going to be a 5 star read, at 70% we hovered at 4-3 stars, at 80% I was sure that my final verdict would be 3 stars and I had a review drafted already that said “It was a good story but not a good novel.” Then somehow at that 90% mark it dropped to a 2 star, because it made me mad. I can't in good conscience even say it was a good story after reading that last act.
The premise is so interesting, the mystery intriguing, the cover GORGEOUS, but that's all the praise I could find after finishing the book.
One thing that stood out as I was reading was the lack of immersion. The author didn't spend time painting the settings or crafting the atmosphere of the scenes leaving me feeling emotionally disconnected to the happenings of the book. I wanted to be in there, experiencing the story with the characters, feeling the wonder and the grief and shock and joy, instead I felt like I was a passive bystander reading some director's notes for this excellent movie they had in mind.
While the majority of the book was told in third person, there are chapters from in first person POV from various characters. There are 2 problems I found with this:
1. The shift from third person to first was so clumsy and entirely took away from the reading experience
2. None of these characters have a distinct voice. They all sound the same.
The magic system in the book's universe was so confusing to understand. This wouldn't actually matter a lot of times, I've read plenty of books where the magic is never explained, but it felt especially bad in this book in particular because the characters are academics. Academics who have just discovered magic. And they did try to explain it to us but it was just a confusing mess all in all.
(Personal pet-peeve: some of the dialogue is too cheesy and cliché. Maybe just a nitpick)
One last thing, in terms of the dark academia genre, this book falls flat. Self importance, secrecy, and drama are key components to dark academia novels, but these things can also be insufferable. Most books in the genre deal with it by making the reader feel included in this elite group and making the audience buy into the hype of whatever discipline the cast of characters focus on like classics, theatre, history, the likes. I expected this book to make me fall in love with cartography and make me understand why these characters are so passionate (to the point of MURDER) about the craft of map making. The Cartographer's did no such thing and I think that's it's biggest failure.
4.5 stars but I'm rounding up because I love Fitz, I love the Fool, and the ending made me feel warm. I'm biased and vocal.
This book edged me, man.
4.5 stars but I'm rounding up because I love Fitz, I love the Fool, and the ending made me feel warm. I'm biased and vocal.
This book edged me, man.
4.5 stars
I can't stress how good John Wyndham is at writing Fuck You endings. Just, masterful.
4.5 stars
I can't stress how good John Wyndham is at writing Fuck You endings. Just, masterful.
4.5 stars
Patrick Ness I was this close to throwing hands on you. This close
4.5 stars
Patrick Ness I was this close to throwing hands on you. This close
4.5 stars
What people often get wrong about sci-fi is that its never about the robots and rocket ships and AI. Though they are a common motif, thematically sci-fi has always been an examination of humanity.
Foundation is a perfect testament to this idea. It's scope is large and ambitious spanning multiple ideas, most notably faith (not necessarily religious but to authority), fatalism, and human nature.
It's a thorough examination of the changing of times and the passing on of power and it's impact on the landscape of human society.
But it's not without its missing pieces. For example, the lack of representation of women let alone any other minority is a giant oversight. It's nice to believe a field such as psychohistory can accurately predict events so far into the future, however I can't help but feel it's has large blindspots that would work against it in the real world. Still, it is an effective piece of fiction and I'm not going to hold realism against it.
Overall thoroughly enjoyable, pretty fun, definitely will read the next in the series.
4.5 stars
What people often get wrong about sci-fi is that its never about the robots and rocket ships and AI. Though they are a common motif, thematically sci-fi has always been an examination of humanity.
Foundation is a perfect testament to this idea. It's scope is large and ambitious spanning multiple ideas, most notably faith (not necessarily religious but to authority), fatalism, and human nature.
It's a thorough examination of the changing of times and the passing on of power and it's impact on the landscape of human society.
But it's not without its missing pieces. For example, the lack of representation of women let alone any other minority is a giant oversight. It's nice to believe a field such as psychohistory can accurately predict events so far into the future, however I can't help but feel it's has large blindspots that would work against it in the real world. Still, it is an effective piece of fiction and I'm not going to hold realism against it.
Overall thoroughly enjoyable, pretty fun, definitely will read the next in the series.
3.5 actually
4.5 only coz i forgot this was the kinda racist one lmao
4.5 only coz i forgot this was the kinda racist one lmao
4.5, so far my least favourite of all the Foundation Books (I have not read the prequels).
Very different from the rest of the series that I have read. Where all the others books each span lifetimes and follow the point of view of several different groups of people, Foundation and Earth sticks with Golan Trevize and his crew through the entirety of the novel. The other books were a fast paced political drama spanning centuries full of intrigue and subterfuge, this book was a long meandering (non derogatory) quest for a mysterious world. The Seldon Plan, that had been the focus of the series thus far is now, in this book, thrown to the side.
While I still enjoyed it immensely, it did feel slower and contained far less spectacle. I did miss being mind blown every 100 pages or so.
I don't know if I would say it's the most satisfying ending to the Foundation series but it definitely was still a lot of fun. The last part of the book was very engaging and I flew through it. I also won't be forgetting any time soon the full body shiver I got when I read one of the characters mention Alpha Centauri in their long quest to find the mythical motherworld, Earth.
4.5, so far my least favourite of all the Foundation Books (I have not read the prequels).
Very different from the rest of the series that I have read. Where all the others books each span lifetimes and follow the point of view of several different groups of people, Foundation and Earth sticks with Golan Trevize and his crew through the entirety of the novel. The other books were a fast paced political drama spanning centuries full of intrigue and subterfuge, this book was a long meandering (non derogatory) quest for a mysterious world. The Seldon Plan, that had been the focus of the series thus far is now, in this book, thrown to the side.
While I still enjoyed it immensely, it did feel slower and contained far less spectacle. I did miss being mind blown every 100 pages or so.
I don't know if I would say it's the most satisfying ending to the Foundation series but it definitely was still a lot of fun. The last part of the book was very engaging and I flew through it. I also won't be forgetting any time soon the full body shiver I got when I read one of the characters mention Alpha Centauri in their long quest to find the mythical motherworld, Earth.
4.5
I really REALLY liked this weird creepy book.
4.5
I really REALLY liked this weird creepy book.
Creepy, a bit disturbing, with beautiful art. Great atmosphere, great panelling, compelling characters. 4.5 start, will continue reading.
Creepy, a bit disturbing, with beautiful art. Great atmosphere, great panelling, compelling characters. 4.5 start, will continue reading.
3.5
It's cute but I'm not too into it yet. I'm sticking around because I really wanna meet Izutsumi.
3.5
It's cute but I'm not too into it yet. I'm sticking around because I really wanna meet Izutsumi.
4.5. It so fun.
Noticeably less cohesive than the previous installments but I still had a lot of fun reading it because I've become so invested in these characters. I can imagine hating this series if I hadn't connected to any of the characters lol.
I keep thinking that Brandon Sanderson is toothless when handling the Stormlight Archive, but I still scream whenever something bad happens to a character I like so I guess I'm glad he lacks the teeth to actually bite them to pieces (I'm looking at you, Fitz and the Fool Trilogy). The day he kills one of them off I think I may abandon the series but thankfully the next book is still in the works so I have a blessed break from the worry.
Anyway, it's fun. I had a lot of fun reading it and that's my primary area of focus when it comes to the books I read.
4.5. It so fun.
Noticeably less cohesive than the previous installments but I still had a lot of fun reading it because I've become so invested in these characters. I can imagine hating this series if I hadn't connected to any of the characters lol.
I keep thinking that Brandon Sanderson is toothless when handling the Stormlight Archive, but I still scream whenever something bad happens to a character I like so I guess I'm glad he lacks the teeth to actually bite them to pieces (I'm looking at you, Fitz and the Fool Trilogy). The day he kills one of them off I think I may abandon the series but thankfully the next book is still in the works so I have a blessed break from the worry.
Anyway, it's fun. I had a lot of fun reading it and that's my primary area of focus when it comes to the books I read.
3.5 rounded down.
Love a good werewolf story, and this was an okay one. The illustrations by Bernie Wrightson were gorgeous but spoiled the story as I read it. The story itself was fairly straightforward and so easily digestible as most King books are.
I liked it and it will look pretty on my bookshelf. :)
3.5 rounded down.
Love a good werewolf story, and this was an okay one. The illustrations by Bernie Wrightson were gorgeous but spoiled the story as I read it. The story itself was fairly straightforward and so easily digestible as most King books are.
I liked it and it will look pretty on my bookshelf. :)