booklouver

The Bard's Blade is still my favorite, but this book certainly was awesome. The characters growth is impressive, and the development of the story took many unexpected turns. That said, I need the final book, thank you.

It's impossible not to compare this book with the Three Body Problem, but I think it's not as epic as that trilogy. It's still good, but not mind blowing.

One of the things I love most about anthologies is that it introduces me to authors otherwise I'd have never read. This collection allowed me to read wonderful stories by authors now I'm eager to read more.

I want to address two major misleads about this book.

First, the synopsis of this book gives you the idea that this book is more romantic than epic; and I think it's not fair because it might put up some readers who, like me, dislike romance. To the contrary, this story was epic, and even though the relationship between Lem and Mariyah is a big factor in the plot, there are so many things going on that you can't fully qualify this book as romance. Although the protagonist's relationship plays an important role in this story, this isn't a cheesy book.

Second, this book starts with the classic trope of the chosen one. I usually hate it because it's been used so many times it gets tiring, but there are few cases where authors play with it and make wonderful plots. That's the case in The Bard's Blade. There were many things I wasn't expecting, despite I tried to predict them. I was gladly surprised by the turn of events, so I can't even complain about the chosen one trope.

Now, my review.

Brian D. Anderson's writing is approachable, engaging and captivating. I found it really hard to stop reading, because the writing was so good. The descriptions of music were marvelous, and I felt like I was actually listening to the melodies. Also, each chapter included some great quotes that left me thinking. Another thing that I think it's important to mention is that Anderson doesn't overwhelm you with details, but rather reveals them along the way. That makes it easier to get into the world.

By other side, I think this book has the perfect balance between character development and plot pace. You can see the characters' growth, and by the end of the book, they become unforgettable. Even some minor characters are remarkable (yes, I'm talking about you, Farley and Lady Camdon)!

I'm happy I gave this book a chance. I recommend it to readers who like James Islington, Patrick Rothfuss and Brandon Sanderson, and also to new readers of adult fantasy.

Fun, but it feels like it's missing something. I hope the next book will be better.

I need more books by Seishi Yokomizo. That's it. That's the review.

Creo que es una pésima idea leer este libro sin haber leído el manga o al menos visto el anime. En Another Monster se hace una especie de recuento de lo sucedido en la serie, y además se expande algunos detalles que no tuvieron mucha relevancia en la trama original. La diferencia principal es que este libro es mucho más complejo y te hace cuestionarte cuánto realmente sabes de Monster.

This book has a different narrator, and that fact alone adds so much to the story and to the understanding we have of the characters. The general plot is different too. This is more of a psychological thriller with legal suspense plot that fits perfectly with the feeling of the book. I don't know why there aren't more books in this series, because I'd love to read more cases by the team!

This one is hard to rate. I loved the first part, then got bored in the middle, and the last chapters were awesome.

Just when I thought Michael J. Sullivan couldn't get better, he surprised me with this book. I love the characters even more than ever. Hadrian and Royce will forever be my favorite friends in books.

I have to admit that the first part got me engaged. But then it became predictable, and the actions of the main character weren't keeping me interested. Even though the ending was easy to guess, I liked the prologue.

I couldn't help it. I try to not be swept away by the story, but it was so good I couldn't help but love it. I'm definitely reading the next book!

I loved the idea, but the story felt too short, and like it didn't have a proper ending. Still, I'll read more books by this author because his novels seem more interesting.

This has been a pleasant surprise. I'm glad I gave it a try. I don't usually read or like romance, but in this stories it was done masterfully. I'm eager to read more books by this author!

I don't know if this is a memoir or a motivational book, either way, it has inspired me a lot, and helped me to see astronauts on a different way. It has also reignited my interest in space and the cosmos.

The beginning was exciting, the middle was a bit boring, and the ending was awesome.

The first half resembled Tolkien a lot, but the other half felt more like Jordan's own style. It was a bit predictable, but it there were some interesting parts too. This book definitely feels like just the tip of the iceberg, and I'm eager to see more of this world!

This book was one of my most anticipated releases of this year, but it turned out to be not what I expected. It wasn't creepy or surprising. I didn't care about the characters, and the supernatural entities didn't have the main role I was hoping for. I really wanted to enjoy this one, but I felt like it felt short in some parts. All in all, others seemed to have enjoyed it, so I guess it's still worth a try.

Un grave error de mi parte fue comprar este libro en vez de El ojo del mundo. Este solo es la primera mitad y me ha dejado muy frustrada porque se nota que dividieron la historia de forma brusca. Con todo, ha sido suficiente para crearme ganas de seguir con la serie.

What a pleasant surprise! It was short but it sure did leave an impression.

Mejor tarde que nunca. Es mi primera experiencia con Isaac Asimov, y me alegra que haya sido con esta trilogía. Asimov estaba adelantado a su tiempo. Ahora entiendo por qué influyó a tantos científicos y escritores.

I was not expecting to like this book, because to me, The three body problem is still my favorite Cixin Liu trilogy. However this novella (?) was more that I had hoped for. It's a wonderful experience, and it has reignited my love for this author.

I've only read another book by Octavia Butler (Kindred), and that was the graphic novel adaptation. Now I'm angry at myself for not picking up this book first. Butler was a genius. She truly was. Her stories show such great mastery of the craft of writing. She was one of a kind, and truly deserves more recognition. If this collection of short stories is just a tiny piece of her work, I'm quite sure her novels will be even more fantastic!

Although I did love this book, it felt a bit less epic than the previous two books. However, it resolved many of the conflicts and misunderstandings of the plot, and that was a good thing to see. I'm glad this will continue with The Return of the Condor Heroes, because I'd like to see more of the characters and their adventures.

Me parece justo advertir a los lectores que es necesario comenzar a leer este libro considerando estas dos opciones:

1. Ser muy pacientes al final.
2. Comprar el tercer libro.

El final es abierto, y hasta cierto punto, frustrante si no eres de los que espera por saber la conclusión.

La trama es mucho mejor que en el primer libro, así que creo que es una buena idea comprar los 3 libros y leerlos seguidos.