Absolutely fantastic summary of all that's inspired Tolkien, and all that Tolkien has inspired. As a long-time Tolkien enthusiast most of it was not eAbsolutely fantastic summary of all that's inspired Tolkien, and all that Tolkien has inspired. As a long-time Tolkien enthusiast most of it was not exactly new to me, but the book has a thoroughly enjoyable read, particularly in small chunks on evenings at the mountain cabin....more
It's obviously a masterpiece, but I understand why some readers are disappointed. It's the medievalist in me loving this book, not the Tolkien fan.
WhiIt's obviously a masterpiece, but I understand why some readers are disappointed. It's the medievalist in me loving this book, not the Tolkien fan.
While I have appreciated every single one of the Christopher Tolkien-edited volumed published since his father's death, it's usually for different reasons. Some of them provide new insights into Middle-Earth. Others are explorations and adaptations of medieval literature. This belongs very solidly in the latter group....more
Having lived in London for nearly a decade, it's always something trepidating about reading these (now rather many) urban fantasy stories set in it. PHaving lived in London for nearly a decade, it's always something trepidating about reading these (now rather many) urban fantasy stories set in it. Particularly because the authors always seem to have a far more exclusively positive relationship with the city, and even so seem to neglect many of the (both positive and negative) details in favour of well-known tourist spots.
This is yet again true for Rivers of London, but there is clearly evidence of some attempt to go further. The conception of semi-fantastical London, and the choice of locations to hone in on, was quite all right if not more than that. Instead, what fell completely flat for me was the story and the characters. As a detective novel, this was just plain uninteresting. I enjoyed reading it at times, and I'd be curious to know if there is more suspense and, for that matter, coherence, in the subsequent instalments, but as it stands, I was simply left entirely unimpressed....more
You either die a phenomenal fantasy series hero, or live long enough to see yourself become an overwritten sleeping pill which forgets what made it phYou either die a phenomenal fantasy series hero, or live long enough to see yourself become an overwritten sleeping pill which forgets what made it phenomenal in the first place the villain.
Kushiel's Avatar sadly just fell completely flat as an ending to one of my favourite fantasy trilogies that I've read. The first book was exceptional, the second almost as good, and the third made the risky choice of removing everything that was good about the personal drama and political intrigue and slow and careful building of the first two in favour of a one-dimensional world-spanning double fetch quest.
At times it seemed quite interesting, hyping up the mysterious land of Drujan as one of the most intriguing locations in this fictional world, deep in the mountains of alternative Persia. And that, more than anything, crashed into complete and utter disappointment by holding just a slightly more depraved, but ultimately extremely dull, court than the ones we have visited in Terre d'Ange and La Serenissima.
The pieces of the puzzle are slowly falling into place, including some internal squabbles between the major protagonists.
The third book in this seriesThe pieces of the puzzle are slowly falling into place, including some internal squabbles between the major protagonists.
The third book in this series was certainly the weakest so far, and it is now evidently not maintaining the same level as the main Malazan series, but it is interesting enough that I keep wanting to know what happens next (beyond what the reader of the Malazan Book of the Fallen already knows)....more
A rather fantastic ending to the second Mistborn era, and a new iteration in the kind of series where it's now so long between books you don't really A rather fantastic ending to the second Mistborn era, and a new iteration in the kind of series where it's now so long between books you don't really remember how much you loved it in the first place until you delve into it.
I was not in a rush to read The Lost Metal, but when I received it as a Christmas gift, I wasn't hard to convince either. And it surprised me how quickly I was engrossed in the same story all over again, without any recap, without any refreshment of memory needed whatsoever. There is something about the highly functional and no-nonsense writing style of Brandon Sanderson that just draws you in and it feels almost like you're watching a TV show rather than reading a book.
For once it was also rather gut-wrenching for a Sanderson story....more
Having read more or less everything published by (or under the name of) J. R. R. Tolkien, I believe this is the first time I've felt like giving such Having read more or less everything published by (or under the name of) J. R. R. Tolkien, I believe this is the first time I've felt like giving such a book anything under four stars. Mostly because it is a relatively incoherent collection of notes on various topics, which are individually interesting but do not give off a sense that the book as a whole is anything more than an attempt at making some money from every little hidden piece of original Tolkien writing.
It is, for all intents and purposes, a book of leftovers. Small chunks of (rather scientific) lore not necessarily fitting that well into any of the established collections, left behind as volume after volume in Tolkien's legendarium was posthumously published.
I personally found the book very enjoyable to read (albeit in small chunks, over a long period of time), but there is absolutely no point in buying or reading this unless you are also in the corner of people who obsessively need to know every little detail there is to know about Middle-Earth (or you just want to complete a collection)....more
Not as stunning as the first book, but still very enjoyable. It remains fascinating too see the world of the Malazan Book of the Fallen come together Not as stunning as the first book, but still very enjoyable. It remains fascinating too see the world of the Malazan Book of the Fallen come together in these early days.
I also only now realised that this isn't a trilogy, but that there are several more books coming!...more
As the Forgotten Realms is pretty much my comfort zone, I was unfamiliar with Eberron before browsing through this one. Must say I'm questioning my DMAs the Forgotten Realms is pretty much my comfort zone, I was unfamiliar with Eberron before browsing through this one. Must say I'm questioning my DM choices....more
I'm back to my horrible habit of disappearing from Goodreads for weeks on end, then returning to find that I remember very little about the books I haI'm back to my horrible habit of disappearing from Goodreads for weeks on end, then returning to find that I remember very little about the books I have since finished, but which were abandoned on my 'currently-reading' shelf. I do remember the general feeling, though. The Winter of the Witch, and the Winternight trilogy as a whole, was consistently good but not great. It was never able to blow me away, despite the very intriguing setting, themes and magical concepts it dealt with, but it was enough to hold my focus and interest throughout three books, which is not bad in itself these days....more
Different from the first book in the trilogy, The Girl in the Tower provides less witchcraft in the wild and more urban aristocratic intrigue. Still qDifferent from the first book in the trilogy, The Girl in the Tower provides less witchcraft in the wild and more urban aristocratic intrigue. Still quite a bit of witchcraft, however.
Overall, the book kept the same level as the first book and was enjoyable enough, but the series has not quite taken off for me. Enjoyable but not necessarily memorable....more
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