Reviews and Comments

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.

This was a fun short story/novella. It follows Buru Tovo as he ponders what to do about Kip and whether he is to be a tana of the Wide Seas. Tovo is a jovial, wise character and we get to see through his eyes the sea train, the Emperor, and of course Kip. It was quite enjoyable and made me want to re-read The Hands of the Emperor!

This was quite an enjoyable book and a fascinating world to explore. It has been a long time since I read any steampunk and this falls very much in that category. The Egyptian setting was excellent and makes me want to read even more in this universe. There are allusions to other adventures between Fatma and Siti so there is more out there to explore.

For a full review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2022/06/book-review-master-of-djinn-by-djeli.html

Just found out this novel won the Nebula Awards tonight. All the more reason to continue reading it! nebulas.sfwa.org/sfwa-announces-the-winners-of-the-57th-annual-nebula-awards/

This was a great book. The familiar characters and settings of the Murderbot series, but a longer tale to really flesh out the growing relationship between it, ART, and other humans. It also ends with the promise of more adventures, too! If you're a fan of Murderbot you should pick this one up.

For a full review, check out my blog: www.goodreads.com/review/edit/52381770-network-effect

This was a pretty fun book. While not as impactful as The Hands of the Emperor it was still enjoyable. Fitzroy is a particularly chaotic character, in sharp contrast with the meticulous and orderly Kip. It was clear even to me that Fitzroy has changed a lot, compared to all the legends alluded to in this book and the prior. The reconciliation of his past, present, and future is a bit of a theme and plays out with his interactions with old and new friends. Goddard's knack for powerful emotional encounters is a key driver to the plot. I look forward to her upcoming book, At the Feet of the Sun, for even more adventures!

For a full review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2022/05/book-review-return-of-fitzroy-angursell.html

This book was absolutely incredible. I had a hard time putting it down and kept messaging my friend as I reached certain points in the story. This was a powerful, wholesome story full of vibrant characters and subtle magic. I want to see where the story takes Kip, the Emperor, and their friends next. The characters, their growth, their relationships, and their place in the world is really what drives this story. The setting is also very intriguing with a mix of island culture and a splash of high fantasy.

For a full review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2022/04/book-review-hands-of-emperor-by.html

This is a very nice, fun read. Compared to his later works, it's clear that Sanderson has grown a lot. The characters here are good, the plot decent, and the setting great, but over the years Sanderson has matured his style a lot and perfected his art. This is still nevertheless, a great read for those looking for a short dive into a fantastical world and are willing to forgive a few rough parts here and there.

For a full review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2022/03/book-review-elantris-by-brandon.html