Tyler Sparr

Like any short story collection, it’s hard not to compare the various stories against each other. Some were great and some were kinda duds. Overall, I enjoyed the collection as a whole though even if I would have traded several or these for more Temeraire or Scholomance.

Just a really nice collection of short stories where they all feel at least somewhat relevant and engaging.

I think this being Sanderson’s first novel really shows. Not necessarily in the contents or the prose itself, but it some of the pacing and rhythm of the book. That being said, it’s still a very enjoyable read with a unique and engaging plot. Absolutely worth a read for his fans.

While in many ways, this book is the antithesis of Mistborn, it still feels so much like Mistborn in a way that I didn't realize I had missed from Sanderson's writing style. The stakes and story are just as epic with this being part of the Cosmere, but it feels much more self-contained. A really enjoyable read!

Not much to say about this one. It’s a good entry in the series, but like all the recent entries, things are happening without it really changing much overall. Still fun.

I enjoyed this, but I didn’t love it. It’s an engaging read, but the plot is a little meandering and I’m not sure it all ever fully came together for me. That being said, there’s a lot to like and the world created is very interesting with a lot of thought and intention put behind it.

This is brain melting in all the right ways and will have you turning the pages from start to finish. Cannot recommend enough.

I wish I liked this more. The story is incredibly epic and there’s so many cool things going on, but there’s just something about the writing style that doesn’t quite click with me. I’m sure this is a 5-star book to many and I think it’s well worth a read, but I probably won’t be pursuing anything else from John Gwynne.

While this book isn’t really breaking new ground, it’s got a few interesting ideas kicking around inside its pages. Overall a fun read though I’m not sure I like the ending. No indication if this is a standalone or not so that might just be it.

This book is the truest definition of a journey. Finishing a 1300 page book and coming away wanting more story takes a special kind of magic and Brandon Sanderson just has it. Worth every second.

Gotta give it to John Scalzi in that everything he comes up with is unique and interesting. Zachary Quinto also does a great job of narrating. Overall, a really nice and fun listen and well worth throwing on during a roadtrip.

It’s hard to put my finger on why this isn’t a 5-star book. It might just be in comparison to how good books 1 and 2 were that made this one feel slightly off. Regardless, an extremely satisfying conclusion to the trilogy and an enjoyable read. As a whole, the trilogy is certainly worth reading!

I don’t recall if the writing has always been like this and I’m just noticing it now or if something has shifted on the author’s side, but 90% of the world building and rules being offered as an aside rather than actually written into the story has gotten incredibly annoying. Combined with the current storyline now having taken two entire books and still not being complete, with the author even acknowledging how ridiculous that is in the intro, I’m just getting a little fed up. I’m still going to keep reading, but score would be way worse if it weren’t an interesting and fun read.

This was a nice, little roadtrip listen. It’s nothing earth shattering and everyone’s clearly familiar with the story, but it’s a good length, Tim Curry does a great job with the voices, and it’s interesting enough.

Victor Bevine does not do a great job of narrating this, in my opinion. I think I would have liked this more if I had read it. Still it only being about 3 hours made it an easy listen. Worth a listen for anyone who's a fan of Legend of Drizzt.

Overall, a fun entry in the series, but it’s starting to get to the point where I just want to know how it ends. The numbers get bigger and the weapons get more grandiose, but ultimately it’s a lot of just killing things in different ways.

This is just cozy fun at its best. There’s very little stakes, but it still tells a story and leaves you feeling warm and fuzzy throughout.

This series is truly a standout of the entire genre. Every book peels back the curtain just a little bit more and gives further insight into this insane world the author has created. The sheer amount going on raises questions of just how it’ll all eventually be tied up, but for now I’m just enjoying the ride.

This was good. Really good, even, but it just wasn’t what I wanted from the story. The book is heavily character-driven and damnit if I wasn’t waiting for the plot to happen the whole book. I think anyone who appreciates history and intrigue will really enjoy it, but just be aware of what you’re going into.

I don’t know if I’m misremembering the earlier books in this series or if they were the same and I just didn’t pick up on it, but the constant references, childish humor, and little “wink, wink, nudge, nudge” moments wore me down this time. I’ll probably keep reading the series because it feels almost complete, I feel dumber for having read this.

This is a nice, easy popcorn read and I loved it. If you’ve ever played any of the Doom games, you should know not to really expect anything too deep from these novels, but that’s ok. It doesn’t need to be anything more than it is. Would recommend to anyone wanting to just read something without needing to worry too much about complex situations or deep lore. What you see is what you get.

If you’ve never read Ender’s Game, I certainly wouldn’t recommend this be your first experience of the story, but it’s definitely a fun listen. All of the voices are nicely distinct so you know who’s talking and the background sounds really help with the ambiance. My only real complaint is that there were some jarring transitions. Overall, worth snagging if you’ve got nothing better to listen to and just want something relatively mindless.

Every book in this series is just such a fun treat. It’s got to be commended for having very few unnecessary plot points in a genre filled with meandering nonsense. I’ve definitely lost the thread of what makes sense when it comes to power scaling, but just a joy to read. Seems like the serious is drawing to an end and I really hope they stick the landing!

This book is needlessly long, spends way too much time on inane plot points, and is just generally drug out due to the way web serials work. That being said, it’s almost addicting to read. You’re always being drug forward and shown something new and crazy. I’ll keep reading every one until it’s all over. Truly a hallmark of the genre.

Much like the first book in this series, this is a masterclass in character work. You just feel so strongly for Fitz and Robin Hobb really draws you in with her narrative. The villains are eminently relatable to the point you’re seething right along with our protagonist. I can only hope this trilogy sticks the landing!