Reviews and Comments

An old classic I reread after watching the movie. It was good to see the Battle School and Ender's Dragon army again after so many years (decades?) after I initially read it. I'm glad I can still enjoy the book after all this time.

A full review is up on my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2014/01/book-review-enders-game-by-orson-scott.html

This was a thoroughly enjoyable book and a fresh take on a traditional fantasy story. We're all familiar with the story of a young man (or woman; though it tends to be a man) that is thrust into power as he/she inherits it or discovers he/she is a lost prince/princess, etc, etc. We're also familiar with the stories of all-powerful gods intervening in mortal affairs. Jemisin manages to take both aspects and merges them together in The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms. While there are more books to this series (a trilogy), the first feels very independent as the other two deal with different characters and plots. If you're interested in the history and development of the world, you can continue reading them, otherwise you end at the first and get a complete story.

A full review can be found in my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2013/12/book-review-hundred-thousand-kingdoms.html

This was an excellent book and a great counterpoint to the last book I read (a detective novel). The characters and plot are top-notch and the setting is quite interesting too. While this is part of a series, this book feels very complete. I'm not sure how the story will progress beyond the first book, but there is at least one element left open that I think may be addressed. I will certainly be reading the other books in this series.

My full review is on my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2013/11/book-review-lies-of-locke-lamora-by.html

This was a pretty solid detective story. Nothing too extraordinary or fancy about it, yet it still worked. The author has created a flawed, yet credible detective that helps drive the narrative along, both with his personal story and with his investigation. Cormoran Strike is no Sherlock Holmes, but he's a cool and interesting detective in his own right and really helps drive the story. I'm certain we'll see more Cormoran Strike novels in the future.
It's no Harry Potter, but Rowling has shown she has what it takes to tell compelling stories even without the childhood wonder of magic.

For my full review: strakul.blogspot.com/2013/10/book-review-cuckoos-calling-by-robert.html

I am a big fan of Sanderson's work and I can say I am very pleased with this new book. While some of his books are sprawling epics that takes weeks to read, this is a small well-contained book that reads in a flash. It almost feels too short! As I understand, there will be a few more books in the series to flesh it out, but the story is perfectly fine on its own. The characters are interesting and unique, you feel like you would have a great time hanging out with them. The setting, like all of Sanderson's books, is clever and imaginative. I look forward to reading more books set in this universe.

For a full review, see my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2013/10/book-review-steelheart-by-brandon.html

This is a short book with a simple premise and story. It's told very well through 3 separate viewpoints. The characters, though clearly defined, appear somewhat two-dimensional. Perhaps, though, this is just a limitation of the short nature of the story, at just barely 200 pages. Still, I enjoyed it for its simplicity. The similarity to so many other stories (humans conquering natives, which rise up against them) made it feel a tad derivative, though bear in mind that this was written in the 1970s so perhaps it was seen as fresh and new among the science fiction community back then?

For a full review, see my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2013/09/book-review-word-for-world-is-forest-by.html

This book was a very interesting read. I have mixed feelings about it because the slang and language was initially difficult to understand and the plot didn't seem to be going anywhere (which is appropriate for the type of story). However, the author made me care for the main character, which I could relate to. Unfortunately, all the bad things that happen would bring my mood down whenever I read the book (of course, my mood improved when I read some of the better chapters). It is a testament to the Mitchell's skill that he can do this to a reader.
In the end, I have to say I did enjoy most of it and can certainly see why the author has been praised for it.

For a full review, see my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2013/09/book-review-black-swan-green-by-david.html#

This book was good, though it took me quite a while to finish. Most of the characters are old friends now whose stories we know well. The plot, while somewhat rambling and meandering, is cool and ties up neatly. We see some amazing events that I will not tell so as not to spoil the story. Overall, it's another fine addition to the Malazan universe and does feel like it's starting to wrap up.

For my full review, see my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2013/08/book-review-toll-hounds-by-steven.html

Despite not being a fantasy or science fiction novel (as I typically read), this was pretty good. My only complaint is in the narrator and the expository nature of part of the story. I felt it could have been a bit better had the author left some of the task of piecing together the mystery to the reader. However, the characters and plot was engaging and I don't think anything important was lost in the translation.

A full review is available at my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2013/07/book-review-shadow-of-wind-by-carlos.html

This was quite a fun book. It felt a bit short, though, probably because of the target audience and the straightforward plot. I would have liked to learn more about the world and the technology, as well as the history of Rithmatics, how exactly it works, and what's up with the tower in Nebrask. The characters, though they felt simpler than other of Sanderson's work, were still very fun, especially Melody. I look forward to hearing if Sanderson writes any more novels set in this universe.

For a full review, see my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2013/05/book-review-rithmatist-by-brandon.html

This was quite an interesting read, despite being different from what I usually read.
It was very suspenseful at times and kept me drawn to the story. The characters are engaging, but horrible. Parts of the story make you loose hope in humanity when you see how the characters are behaving. The author makes you feel creeped out and start to look suspiciously at those around you, and at yourself. That's not very fun at all, but it keeps you glued to find out if/how the characters redeem themselves. In the end, the twisted and creepy aspect means I probably wont be readily recommending the book unless that's really your sort of thing.

My full review is here: strakul.blogspot.com/2013/05/book-review-gone-girl-by-gillian-flynn.html

Another satisfying addition to the Malazan Book of the Fallen!
This one neatly ties up events in Book 5 and 6.

I have a full review up on my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2013/05/book-review-reapers-gale-by-steven.html

This book was amazing. It's rare that you see such a well-developed epic tale in a single volume (ie, not part of a trilogy or larger series). The plot and setting are great, but it's the characters that really make the story shine. They are intricate and feel utterly real.
Kay is an amazing author and has crafted an epic masterpiece in Tigana. Despite being one of the first few books I've read in 2013, I'm confident that it will be among the top 5 books I read all year. I will certainly have to pick up his latest work, River of Stars, some time soon.

For a full review, see my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2013/04/book-review-tigana-by-guy-gavriel-kay.html