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Overall, this is a nice, short book that further continues the story of The Interdependency. In my opinion, it's not as good as its predecessor though it has its redeeming moments. I wish the characters or the plot were a bit more complex, but at least the setting gives me many things to think about. Even though it started slow, it certainly picked up pace in the later half of the book and ended with some epic scenes.

For a full review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2019/02/book-review-consuming-fire-by-john.html

This was a very enjoyable read. I approached it as a standalone novella, yet was surprised to see it's a full length novel (~500 pages) and the first in a series. This means there's more cool things to see in this world. It's among the few Sanderson sci-fi works I've read so it's good to see he can also excel here as he does in fantasy. The characters were cool (especially the ship!) and the plot, though at times predictable, is paced perfectly. This will be a series to look out for.

For a full review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2018/12/book-review-skyward-by-brandon-sanderson.html

Very interesting ending to the trilogy. It felt like it had an extended epilogue since the main climax happens early on, but this was actually quite satisfying as it allowed us to see lots of threads wrap up and discover even more about the universe that Binti lives in.

If you've been reading the series, I recommend you finish it by reading this book. It wraps up several of the overarching plot lines and brings closure to many character stories. This series is a bit of an odd one for me. Despite classifying it as fantasy in my blog, it isn't quite that. It has elements of fantasy, but it's more grounded in reality. Yet it's not magic realism in that way either; if anything, it's its opposite: magic without fantasy. This is a book about magic and fantasy for fans of neither, for fans of contemporary fiction that have little to no idea about speculative genre fiction and have no strong interest in pursuing it. It's nevertheless, an interesting and engaging read, and this final book is probably the best one in the trilogy.

See a full review at my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2018/11/book-review-magicians-land-by-lev.html

An great continuation in the Binti universe. This one really feels like a second part of the story and ends in a bit of a cliffhanger, but otherwise it was good to see more of Binti's experiences as she struggles to accept who she is, who her family wants her to be, and who she is becoming.

An excellent collection of hard sci-fi stories from Liu Cixin, author of The Three Body Problem. Lots of really interesting concepts and themes are explored, ranging from alien contact, technology, exploration, and the end of the world.

See my review on my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2018/06/book-review-wandering-earth-by-liu-cixin.html

Overall, this was a pretty interesting book. A Ringworld would be incredible to behold and live in. While this novel is just the introduction to this world, it does a good job at selling the wonders and dangers of it. Plot-wise and character-wise it's not particularly noteworthy, but I think this is the type of book you read just for the setting. Maybe the other books in the series drive up the story, but even if they only explore the Ringworld and it's mysteries, that might be enough.

See my full review on my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2018/05/book-review-ringworld-by-larry-niven.html

I can see why this is a well-regarded book. Its strengths, like many classic science fiction novels, is in the setting, in the way alien ideas are presented in a way that reflects modern life today. This is a story of making an alien culture feel more human than our own. I was left wondering if a society like theirs could somehow improve upon the ills of our own world or if it would only make things worse. While I didn't care much for the slow plot and the cast of characters, I was impressed by the philosophical implications of their society and I'm sure it's the sort of thing I will think of for years to come.

See my full review at my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2018/04/book-review-left-hand-of-darkness-by.html

This was a fascinating short read. It can be finished in an hour or two and you can even find a free preview of it at Tor. I'm always a fan of world building but frequently forget that while other species and distant planets are fine, there are plenty of exciting peoples here on Earth too. Binti is indisputably human and a hero with intriguing talents and an exotic culture that makes her that much cooler. I'm curious to learn more about her story and wonder what the other two books in the series are about.

You can find my full review over at my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2018/02/book-review-binti-by-nnedi-okorafor.html

I'm sad to say I was a bit let down in this book of the series. Maybe I over-hyped my memory for the past books or maybe I've just been reading too many good books recently, but I felt it fell far short of what I remembered from the past. The characters are still there, though I didn't feel they were as outstanding on this novel. Plot wise the book felt incomplete; clearly setting up for the next installment. I still intend to finish the 5-book series, though, since I have hopes that the latter two novels will be as good as the first two.

For my full review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2018/02/book-review-tyrants-law-by-daniel.html

This is a worthy addition to The Stormlight Archive series. It has everything you could love about the prior books and so much more. Despite the odd pacing at the start, it quickly picks up and delivers the frenzied pace we have come to expect from Sanderson. I'll eagerly await the continuation of this saga in the years to come.

For a full review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2017/12/book-review-oathbringer-by-brandon.html

A nice, short novella on one of the cool side characters introduced in Words of Radiance. I wish it were longer, but I'm sure Oathbringer will be satisfying enough in terms of length.

A full review will be up later on my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/

Brandon Sanderson has achieved another epic masterpiece with Words of Radiance. The 2nd book of The Stormlight Archive series is thoroughly enjoyable. You do need to have read the prior book to understand what's going on, but it is totally worth it. Words of Radiance continues where it left off with some of the same strong characters, plot, and magical settings. I sincerely hope that Sanderson dedicates more of his time to growing these series. I wouldn't mind a longer wait for the second Mistborn trilogy if we get more Stormlight books!

Read my full review on my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2014/03/book-review-words-of-radiance-by.html

Wow! What an awesome book! I finished it and wanted to immediately re-read it.

This is an incredible book and likely among the best I've read this year. I strongly recommend The Broken Earth trilogy as the best that N.K. Jemisin has to offer thus far. Not only does it have an engaging plot, interesting narrative style, amazing setting, and intriguing characters, it also delves into deeper themes that are timeless and relevant for everyone. How do we protect those weaker than us while striving for advancement? How do we deal with our fear of those different from us? How do we respond to those that hate us? What does it mean to be part of a family? What does it mean to be human? This and so much more makes The Broken Earth trilogy a masterpiece of modern science fiction and fantasy.

For my full review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2017/09/book-review-stone-sky-by-nk-jemisin.html