Colin

Rating: 6.8/10

I started out enjoying it but the plot didn't really go anywhere. It's almost as if the author couldn't decide between Galen or Regal being the primary antagonist. After almost half the book revolving around Galen's harsh training methods and his cruel interactions with Fitz, Galen was killed off almost instantly as the book approached its climax. Additionally, Regal just received a slap on the wrist for plotting to kill and overthrow his brother. Just seemed unrealistic to me and the final sequence did nothing for me. Also, nothing happened with Fitz possessing the Wit. This was emphasized so much, especially in Fitz's tumultuous relationship with Burrich but nothing ever came of it besides him bonding with a couple puppies. I had heard such good things about this series that my experience left me a bit disappointed. I might read the next books in the series if I have time but right now, Mistborn is appealing to me much more.

I really didn't know what to expect coming into this work. Pretty impressed by Wilde's artful prose and eloquent style. I became enthralled by Dorian Gray's utter spiral into madness and vanity and a mysterious painting. I did think Henry Wotton's tirades were a bit hard to follow and understand but other than that, I really liked this book.

Rating: 9.3/10

After reading Assassin's Apprentice before this, wow. Sanderson really shows the power of world-building and fascinating magic systems. The quick introduction of Allomancy and eventually the ultimately more fascinating Feruchemy draws in the reader and really brings the world alive. While some of the characters seemed a little one-dimensional to me (Ham, a soldier with an interest in philosophy), the lore of Luthadel and the Central Dominance made this book a page turner. From the ruthless and awe-inspiring presence of the Lord Ruler to Terrismen being introduced as an inferior servant race, Sanderson kept delivering.

Vin, the protagonist, was a little disappointing to me although I did enjoy her quick ascension to fully-trained Mistborn with the help of Kelsier. Her character dynamic of “I can't trust anybody” got a bit old after a while as well as her obsession with her brother Reen who abandoned her.

Regardless, I'm excited to find out more about the universe Brandon Sanderson has created and finish the Mistborn trilogy.

Rating: 8.9/10

Reading this book felt like being in a bad dream. Ray Bradbury has an almost ethereal writing style, unlike anyone else I've read, that creates a mystical little town which is suddenly overtaken by Cooger and Dark's Pandemonium Circus. Bradbury really lets your imagination do the heavy lifting but at the same time, makes the story flow effortlessly towards its discomforting conclusion.

It was hard to get into this initially due to the almost abstract way Bradbury likes to write, but once I let myself get engrossed in the world, I couldn't stop reading. I really liked it and will definitely make an effort to read more of Bradbury's work.

Rating: 6.6/10

This book was my first real attempt at audiobook consumption and it went surprisingly well. Approaching it in the same context as a podcast, the content fit right in with my typical listening queue. I definitely want to listen to more audiobooks, although I intend to stick with non-fiction for now.

Peter Thiel has always interested me as a Silicon Valley power broker and this book gave an extremely compelling insight into his most well-known conspiracy, the takedown of Gawker Media. Although I had heard about this story before, the amount of detail and exposition that Holiday gives really does bring the characters of Peter Thiel, Nick Denton, and Hulk Hogan alive. You feel their worries and anxieties as well as their thrill in victory or anguish in defeat. That being said, there is a definite bias here towards Peter Thiel. Obviously, this is not completely unfounded as it is hard to look at a rumor-mongering organization like Gawker with a neutral eye but it still taints the narrative. Additionally, Holiday frames this endeavor as a grand conspiracy to an almost sickening degree. When reading grandiose Napoleon quotes or talk of Machiavellian ethics, one almost forgets that this is a mere tale of a billionaire's revenge, albeit a very interesting one.

All in all, Holiday does the complete story justice. While he focuses a bit too much on the grandness of the “conspiracy” and Thiel's mastermind schemings, it was still a worthwhile read.