User Profile

Strakul

Strakul@wyrms.de

Joined 2 years, 6 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

This link opens in a pop-up window

Strakul's books

2024 Reading Goal

Success! Strakul has read 17 of 12 books.

Erin Morgenstern: The Night Circus (Hardcover, 2011, Doubleday) 4 stars

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday …

A travelling magical circus made by a pair of star-crossed lovers

4 stars

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

Brandon Sanderson: Tress of the Emerald Sea (2023) 5 stars

1 New York Times Bestselling author Brandon Sanderson brings us deeper into the Cosmere universe …

A fun, magical adventure to kick off the "Year of Sanderson"

4 stars

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

reviewed At the Feet of the Sun by Victoria Goddard (Lays of the Hearth-Fire, #2)

Victoria Goddard: At the Feet of the Sun (EBook, 2022, Underhill Books) 5 stars

Cliopher Mdang has been appointed Viceroy of Zunidh by his beloved Radiancy, the Last Emperor, …

After fixing the world's problems, Kip goes on an adventure for his own sake

5 stars

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

Brandon Sanderson: Secret History (2019, gollancz uk) 5 stars

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson, "Mistborn: Secret History" is a companion …

A must-read for fans of the original Mistborn trilogy and Sanderson's Cosmere

4 stars

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.