Reviews and Comments

Ambience is the one word I would use to describe this book. The setting is so prevalent that I ended up wanting to read just to feel like I was in the Harbor by the Starless Sea, amidst the books reading by quiet, warm candlelight. Of course, it wasn't all soothing, there is danger as the characters struggle against forces they don't entirely understand, bringing a mythic scope to the plot alongside tangled romances. Overall, this was a rewarding book to be read slowly and ponder all its intricate connections.

For a full review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2020/11/book-review-starless-sea-by-erin.html

Blackout/All Clear was a pretty good pair of books with some epic events going on. It featured some interesting characters caught in the chaos of WW2 in London and their struggle to return home, or at least get a message out to the future. The plot was tense and chaotic, but with a good, enjoyable payoff when it delivered. And the setting was cool. I wouldn't mind seeing more time travel novels from Connie Willis, but in terms of preference I enjoyed [b:Doomsday Book|24983|Doomsday Book (Oxford Time Travel, #1)|Connie Willis|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1403972500l/24983.SY75.jpg|2439628] over [b:To Say Nothing of the Dog|77773|To Say Nothing of the Dog (Oxford Time Travel, #2)|Connie Willis|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1469410460l/77773.SY75.jpg|696] over Blackout/All Clear and would recommend others read them in that order.

For my full review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2020/10/book-review-blackout-all-clear-by.html

I'll have a detailed review of this when I finish [b:All Clear|7519231|All Clear (All Clear, #2)|Connie Willis|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1320549311l/7519231.SY75.jpg|9735628] since this is somewhat of an incomplete story, or just the first half of a novel.

Holy shit this was an incredible book. It has it all: a very intriguing setting that keeps you wondering how things work. A plot that keeps you glued to the story; I had many theories on what was going on- most of them wrong. And characters that are fascinating to read about, whether they are discussing the mysteries of life and death, visiting other planets, or just enjoying some soup. I highly recommend this series and can't wait for the next book!

Read my full review at my blog (warning: has spoilers for [b:Gideon the Ninth|42036538|Gideon the Ninth (The Locked Tomb, #1)|Tamsyn Muir|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1546870952l/42036538.SY75.jpg|60943229]): strakul.blogspot.com/2020/08/book-review-harrow-ninth-by-tamsyn-muir.html

This was quite an interesting ride. I was not too familiar with Surrealist art, but gained a deeper appreciation of it thanks to this novella. I also appreciated its length since a much longer novel would have been exhausting with all the craziness that takes place. The characters were decent, but the main selling point was New Paris and the unique setting were art and devils roam the streets alongside Nazis and resistance fighters. While not my favorite Mieville story, this is in line with the weird fiction he is known for.

For a full review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2020/08/book-review-last-days-of-new-paris-by.html

This was an excellent book. I had some initial hesitation, since I tend to favor more epic stories and this one was described to me as a more comedic story. However, I ended up enjoying it immensely. It is indeed a playful story with a bit of detective work, some romance, some action, and a lot of crazy characters. I'll be remembering the antics for quite some time and look forward to wrapping up the time travel series with Blackout/All Clear sometime soon.

For a full review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2020/07/book-review-to-say-nothing-of-dog-by.html

This was an excellent book. Jemisin manages to take an already well-established setting, the "mythological" New York, and take it to new heights with surrealist magic and eldritch horrors. A diverse set of characters lead the story as the avatars of the five boroughs of New York and it's really neat to see them embracing who they are and interacting with each other. Thanks to a fast paced plot, I finished this fairly quickly and kept wanting for more as there are some tantalizing mysteries left out in the open. I was presently surprised to hear in the acknowledgements (yes, I read those too) that this is the first of a trilogy. Looking forward to more books in this strange new universe!

For a full review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2020/04/book-review-city-we-became-by-nk-jemisin.html

This was a lighthearted novel with a funny, if somewhat incompetent, set of characters in situations way over their heads. It has the typical humor you see in other Discworld novels which leads you shaking your head wondering how a society like this could exist. It was good fun, though the light-ness of it felt very out of place when I was reading news. In hindsight, a more engrossing novel that kept me thinking far into it would probably have been better.

Check out my full review on my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2020/04/book-review-guards-guards-by-terry.html

This was an incredible book to read and I can see why it's being praised so highly. I though the characters were great and I wanted to learn more about the individual Houses and what made them unique. The plot was very engaging as well and I raced through the last hundred pages or so. I look forward to the next in the series, which I understand is coming out in June of this year, and I highly recommend it for fans of either fantasy or science fiction.

For my full review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2020/03/book-review-gideon-ninth-by-tamsyn-muir.html