Reviews and Comments

This was an interesting read. I enjoyed the Tiberian sections of the story quite a lot as it's a bit of a reverse first contact, where we see from their point of view what happens when they reach Earth and find Stone Age humans. The science and engineering concepts were interesting and always a hallmark of hard sci-fi stories. I found the cast too large for the narrower scope of the story (pretty much everyone is given a name, description, job, etc even if they never get any lines of dialogue) and the plot at times slowed down, but it was otherwise an enjoyable story. It makes me wish humanity was more united in its pursuit of knowledge and of a better tomorrow.

For a full review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2023/05/book-review-encounter-with-tiber-by.html

This is probably one of the most Cosmere novels in the Cosmere that Sanderson has written. The Cosmere is the grander universe where most of his universe connects and this one relies heavily on it. Introducing some new, exotic characters and some deeper evolution this breathes new life into the Wax and Wayne series. Combined with the fascinating setting of Scadrial, the world of Mistborn, with all it's unique magic and some of the mysteries opened by the last book, this is one incredible ride.

For a full review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2023/04/book-review-lost-metal-by-brandon.html

Glad I re-read this before The Lost Metal, so much that I didn't remember!

This was quite an enjoyable book. I don't think it was as good as The Starless Sea, but it was still fun and had a charming ambience. I wish I could visit a circus as intriguing and magical as this one. The plot jumps a little in time and focuses on the circus and how it relates to the mysterious challenge of the key characters Celia and Marco. The unique setting helps carry the story all the way through.

For a full review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2023/02/book-review-night-circus-by-erin.html

This was a really fun, short novel. A bit of a romantic adventure, but with classic Sanderson world-building and quirky characters. You can certainly see some of the covid influences, from the fear of airborne spores to tablet communication devices. The plot is straightforward and told in an interesting style with a whimsical narrator that talks to the reader and frequently drops fascinating Cosmere links or foreshadows story events. Overall this was a good book and a great start to the year of Sanderson.

For a full review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2023/01/book-review-tress-of-emerald-sea-by.html

Re-read this for fun and I'm reminded of how intricate the Malazan universe is. May want to read a few more and see if I glean more details this time around.

This was an excellent sequel, though it's hard to call it that when several other books take place between this (or adjacent to) and The Hands of the Emperor. Regardless, this book has many recognizable characters and a few new additions, though a significant part is solitary introspection by Kip or one-on-one's between Kip and Fitzroy. The story takes us across the world to magical new places and really expands on the lore behind the Islanders. I can't wait to see how it continues and what sort of adventures they get to. If you've already read and enjoyed The Hands of the Emperor, you need to read this one!

Check of my blog for a full review: strakul.blogspot.com/2022/12/book-review-at-feet-of-sun-by-victoria.html

I had completely missed this when it came out. No full review since nearly everything is a spoiler. But if you enjoyed the original Mistborn trilogy and are interested in learning more about the Cosmere, you should check this one out.

Just as good the second time around!

This was a good book with many familiar characters and overlapping heavily with other books in the series. The story is a personal one about reconnecting with others, accepting change, and fighting perfectionism. While I didn't find it as powerful as The Hands of the Emperor or The Return of Fitzroy Angursell, it was still very enjoyable and makes me confident the upcoming book will be excellent.

For a full review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2022/10/book-review-redoubtable-pali-avramapul.html

Just learned that At the Feet of the Sun is delayed until December, so that gives me time to start this one (and maybe even reread Hands of the Emperor, too).

I blazed through this book after re-reading Gideon and Harrow (and I'm glad I did- there were details there that were great to have been reminded of). Overall this was a great story; Nona is an interesting mystery and trying to figure her out is part of the fun of this book. It does start off a bit slow, but towards the end it is rushing and almost too much is going on to fully follow it all. This is one I will have to re-read when the next (yes there is a fourth) book comes out.

For a full review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2022/09/book-review-nona-ninth-by-tamsyn-muir.html

This is another addition to The Wheel of Time series so if you're planning to read them all you pretty much need to get it. It is, however, relatively weaker than some of the earlier novels with a bit of a slower start and some issues juggling its many plots and characters. If you're a fan of Perrin, he is completely missing from this book. You still get some Rand and Mat, but a lot of the focus is on Nynaeve. Overall, it's not bad after the initial start and introduced a lot more tension and players to the world.

For a full review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2022/07/book-review-fires-of-heaven-by-robert.html

This is a bit of a 'flashback' novella set when Murderbot's first few weeks in Preservation. It was a neat chance to see more of how Preservation works in comparison to the Corporate Rim. As for the investigation itself, I had an inkling as to who the culprit was, but not the motive or the how and regardless it was still enjoyable.