User Profile

Strakul

Strakul@wyrms.de

Joined 1 year, 10 months ago

Science fiction and fantasy. Astronomical Data Scientist at STScI/MAST in Baltimore. Opinions are my own. Follow me on Mastodon at mstdn.social/@VirStrakul Longer reviews on my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/

#Astronomy #Books #Gaming #Fantasy #SciFi

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2024 Reading Goal

16% complete! Strakul has read 2 of 12 books.

The Raven Tower (Hardcover, Orbit) 4 stars

Listen. A god is speaking. My voice echoes through the stone of your master's castle. …

A first/second-person narrative of gods and men

4 stars

I thought this book was pretty good, though it has a bit of a rough start. Once you get past the initial part and get used to the first/second person narrative it becomes much better. It's also not a particular long story, but the characters, especially the Strength and Patience of the Hill, are cool.

I can recommend this as a quick jump into Ann Leckie's works, particularly if you are more interested in fantasy than her usual science fiction.

For a full review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2023/11/book-review-raven-tower-by-ann-leckie.html

The Sunlit Man (2023, Dragonsteel Entertainment, LLC) 5 stars

1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson adds to his Cosmere universe shared by …

A Cosmere-heavy standalone racing the sun

5 stars

This was quite a ride, another Cosmere novel which felt like it had a breakneck pace as characters kept running to safety. There's plenty of action and development, though the fast pace limits how much characters could explore of their world. It's probably the most Cosmere-heavy of the Year of Sanderson (though 3 of the novels are set in the Cosmere) so the hints at the greater struggles and connections to other worlds were appreciated.

For a full review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2023/10/book-review-sunlit-man-by-brandon.html

Lord of Chaos (Wheel of Time, #6) 4 stars

The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and go, leaving memories that become legend. …

An average middle book promising more to come

3 stars

Overall this was a decent book. It's not the best in the series and very much feels like a middle book, but it had it's moments. There is a lot brewing behind the scenes as the Dark One's forces regroup and revise their strategy after Rand's return from the Aiel Waste. The stage is slowly being set for some explosive confrontations in books to come.

For a full review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2023/10/book-review-lord-of-chaos-by-robert.html

The Lathe Of Heaven (Paperback, 2008, Scribner) 4 stars

“The Lathe of Heaven” ; 1971 ( Ursula Le Guin received the 1973 Locus Award …

Dreaming of a better world has consequences

3 stars

Overall, this was an interesting short novel. While deceptively simple, the premise makes you think about a lot its concepts, including dreams, reality, and the power to change it. The characters lead the conflict- there is an abusive relationship at its core as one takes advantage of the other. That was disturbing but the main character is a little too passive in working to get out of it.

For a full review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2023/08/book-review-lathe-of-heaven-by-ursula.html

The Goblin Emperor (Paperback, 2019, Tor Books) 4 stars

The youngest, half-goblin son of the Emperor has lived his entire life in exile, distant …

A personal story of a reluctant emperor

4 stars

Overall this was a good book. It was fairly straightforward in its plot and characters, which allowed it to have a more personal feel to the main character. The setting is hindered a little by aspects of the language which, while they add some depth, they also add a great amount of complexity. I can certainly see the similarities to The Hands of the Emperor, though I prefer that book for its broader story and the focus on the secretary rather than the emperor himself.

For a full review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2023/07/book-review-goblin-emperor-by-katherine.html

Yumi and the Nightmare Painter (2023, Dragonsteel) 4 stars

Yumi comes from a land of gardens, meditation, and spirits, while Painter lives in a …

A clever body-swap story set in the Cosmere

5 stars

This was probably one of the more engaging Cosmere novels that Sanderson has written thus far. It features a pair of very different artists from very different worlds. The story involves a bit of a body-swap with a twist, so each gets to see how their other world looks like and learns from it. Combined with an intriguing setting and a plot focused on the mystery of what is going on, you get a formula for a book that is hard to put down. It also features plenty of illustrations by Aliya Chen which further add to the story.

For a full review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2023/07/book-review-yumi-and-nightmare-painter.html