3.0 Stars This is a light, cute novel that is a loveletter to geek culture and its fans. I thought the premise was fun but personally I would have pref3.0 Stars This is a light, cute novel that is a loveletter to geek culture and its fans. I thought the premise was fun but personally I would have preferred a shorter version and this one felt drawn out.
This book goes hard into the references to iconic movies and other media. It was a little heavy handed for my tastes, but perhaps an unfair criticism for a book that promises to be novel for geeks.
I would recommend this one for readers who are looking for a book to geek out with.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
4.0 Stars This was a really enjoyable dragon heist story. I was pleasantly surprised to find a decent amount of depth to the characters and their under4.0 Stars This was a really enjoyable dragon heist story. I was pleasantly surprised to find a decent amount of depth to the characters and their underlying story.
I've seen this compared to Fourth Wing but since I haven't read that one and I cannot comment if they are similar or not. On its own, I found this to be a really fun story.
I would recommend this to someone looking for a lighter, but worthwhile fantasy story. I have read the entire Chorus of Dragons and felt this had a very similar tone. If you love that series, you will very likely enjoy this book too
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
2.5 Stars I appreciate that Tor keeps republishing out-of-print books under the Tor Essentials.
I have read Kim Stanley Robinson before but I wasn't ev2.5 Stars I appreciate that Tor keeps republishing out-of-print books under the Tor Essentials.
I have read Kim Stanley Robinson before but I wasn't even aware of this title. Some of this author's books have been absolute favourites while others have… not. In this case, I really struggled with this one. I found it to be so dry and not as interesting as it should have been given the premise. It had a setup for a big mystery but I found myself not as invested as I will like.
Regardless, I am always grateful for the opportunity to read a released title that would otherwise be unavailable to me. While it wasn't a favourite for me, I can see from the reviews that it is for others.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
3.5 Stars I appreciate that Tor keeps republishing out-of-print books under the Tor Essentials.
This is one where I really liked the premise. Published3.5 Stars I appreciate that Tor keeps republishing out-of-print books under the Tor Essentials.
This is one where I really liked the premise. Published back in 1996, I love that the author really predicted the vloggers of today.
The story was fairly well paced with some exciting intrigue and action. I think it holds up so well in comparison to the new releases. It was an enjoyable easy read that plays with some timely concepts.
Regardless, I am always grateful for the opportunity to read a released title that would otherwise be unavailable to me. I will have to look up more by this author.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
3.5 Stars This was a beautifully written and often haunting story. I have not read Peter Pan (yet) but I very much want to. I imagine that there were d3.5 Stars This was a beautifully written and often haunting story. I have not read Peter Pan (yet) but I very much want to. I imagine that there were details I missed, but I felt it held up well as a standalone.
I was surprised to find that this portal fantasy was very much set in our modern world. References to modern technology like computers felt like a harsh contrast to this other worldly fantasy story.
There was a lot I liked about this one, but it ended up with this particular rating because I found the actual plot thin. It was a dark story, but lacked teeth. Still, I would still recommend this one to readers looking for a Peter Pan retelling.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
4.0 Stars This was such a delightfully cute fantasy story… and this is coming from a reader who usually reads the dark and disturbing.
This book works b4.0 Stars This was such a delightfully cute fantasy story… and this is coming from a reader who usually reads the dark and disturbing.
This book works because there is an actual plot and, perhaps more importantly, it has well developed complex characters. I felt like the characters with flawed in the most relatable ways with motivation and emotions I could understand and appreciate.
I would recommend this to readers looking for a cute fantastical read with a surprising amount of depth.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
4.0 Stars This was a solid piece of standalone fantasy. I have previously read The Basilisk Throne by this same author and now want to explore more of 4.0 Stars This was a solid piece of standalone fantasy. I have previously read The Basilisk Throne by this same author and now want to explore more of their backlist because they write the kinds of stories I like to read.
Perhaps not the most most inventive, but at the end of the day, this one delivered the kind of fantasy that is easy to read yet engrossing. The writing is simple, but pleasing. The characters are complex enough to offer compelling motivations. Finally I enjoyed the world. It's hard to flesh out worldbuilding in only one book but I was intrigued by what I had read.
I would recommend this one to readers looking for a new fantasy to read.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
4.0 Stars Historical fiction is not my personal go-to genre but I had to check this one out because I am fascinated by the history of Japan.
This one is4.0 Stars Historical fiction is not my personal go-to genre but I had to check this one out because I am fascinated by the history of Japan.
This one is quite detailed and dense. I wish the characters had been more fleshed out but I understand that may not have been the focus of the author.
Regardless I appreciated the worldbuilding and learning more of this cultural history. There are other Japanese historical fiction novels I think are more engrossing, but this is still one I would recommend.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
3.0 Stars Compared to book one, I found this sequel more interesting but ultimately I still struggled with this grimdark series. The ending of the firs3.0 Stars Compared to book one, I found this sequel more interesting but ultimately I still struggled with this grimdark series. The ending of the first book left the series with a lot more potential.
The premise is great but the actual storyline I found to be quite dull. I just found the characters and plotting to be rather underwhelming.
I wouldn't primarily recommend this series to readers who can’t get enough of the fantasy genre and don't mine a familiar, tropey story. I just wish it provided something fresher.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
3.0 Stars I adore this author's novel, 36 Streets, so I was eager to read another story by this author.
Like their previous work, this one is dark and 3.0 Stars I adore this author's novel, 36 Streets, so I was eager to read another story by this author.
Like their previous work, this one is dark and gritty. The narrative is fast paced and thrilling. Personally, I wish the novella slowed down a touch because I wanted more character development and world building. Instead, this high octane ride was fast and furious. It was an easy pageturner but it felt too surface level to leave much of an impression on me.
That being said, I would still look definitely read more by this author as I see a lot of potential.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
4.0 Stars This is one of those cases where the sequel is even stronger than the first book. I liked the worldbuilding in the Surviving Sky but I felt t4.0 Stars This is one of those cases where the sequel is even stronger than the first book. I liked the worldbuilding in the Surviving Sky but I felt there was room for growth.
I was happy that this second book resolved a lot of my quibbles with the previous novel. The characters felt more developed with stronger with a more well fleshed out world.
I enjoyed the plot progression in this one and look forward to the next volume when it is released.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
3.5 Stars As a huge fan of the Expanse series, this was easily one of my most anticipated releases of the year.
If you share my love for the authors’ writing style, you will find the same prose here. I felt that was one of the best parts.
I did struggle to connect to the characters though. I think most readers will agree that the characters were one of the best aspects of the Expanse so I was disappointed to find these ones to be so flat and forgettable. I never loved the relationships in the Expanse but I found the romance in this one much weaker. With the focus on crushes and kissing, it just felt surprisingly young for a book marketed to an adult audience.
In terms of the scope of the plot, this one was an action packed story that I feel sacrificed worldbuilding for pacing. The story felt extremely narrow in scope with the focus on this small group of individuals. I recognize the same could be said for Leviathan Wakes but when I read that I could clearly see the building blocks of a bigger story.
Despite all my criticisms, I still think it's a decent new release in comparison to the other 2024 science fiction I have been reading. I just don't feel it met my expectations or the level of hype I am seeing online. I would still recommend people try this for themselves but recommend going in with tamed expectations.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
2.5 Stars There is always the excitement that comes with the start of a new series by a new-to-me author. I hoped this epic fantasy series could be a n2.5 Stars There is always the excitement that comes with the start of a new series by a new-to-me author. I hoped this epic fantasy series could be a new favourite, but that doesn't appear to be on the cards.
This one had decent writing and characters, but I found it incredible generic with nothing to make it unique or memorable. My biggest struggle with this novel is that it was awful slow and uneventful. I just found the narrative presented to be dry. The story did pick up at the end so I am hopeful this first book was just prologue to a more interesting story.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
3.5 Stars This is a solid start to a new Norse-inspired epic fantasy. The writing was good and characters were fairly developed.
I liked the worldbuildi3.5 Stars This is a solid start to a new Norse-inspired epic fantasy. The writing was good and characters were fairly developed.
I liked the worldbuilding we got but it felt underdeveloped. If I'm reading Norse fiction, I want rich, in depth descriptions.
This was a good first novel but it very much felt like a start. I like forward to the next novel to see how the story develops.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
3.0 Stars This novel continues the story of Odysseus and Penelope that started in the first book. This trilogy is undoubtedly intended for readers who 3.0 Stars This novel continues the story of Odysseus and Penelope that started in the first book. This trilogy is undoubtedly intended for readers who love the greek mythology. I like and appreciate the tales but I can't say it's a personal fascination. I mention this because other readers will likely love this one more than me.
I enjoyed the first book a fair bit so I was excited to continue on. However I didn't love this book as much as the first. The narrative felt more drawn out with plot pacing that often stood still. For other readers, they might just be happy to spend that time with the characters but I personally wanted more.
I still plan to continue on to the third and final book which I hope will work better for me. This one just suffered too much from "middle-book-syndrome". If you are interested in this series, I recommend going back to the beginning with Ithaca.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
This is a silly but generally fun twist on the classic piece of epic fantasy. The premise is quite goofy and the resulting the story is exactly what I would expect.
As someone with a preference for darker and more serious books, this one was hard to earn a five star rating from me. Yet, for the kind of story the author was going for, I think it fit the bill.
Given the nature of the story, the writing is quite casual with a lot of dialogue and strong language. I thought it fit the story so I didn't mind but I imagine this could turn off some readers looking for a "cozy" fantasy book.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
2.5 Stars This one had a great premise as a fantasy book with post-apocalyptic elements. I have loved a few stories with similar setups so I was hopefu2.5 Stars This one had a great premise as a fantasy book with post-apocalyptic elements. I have loved a few stories with similar setups so I was hopeful I would love this one too.
Unfortunately the execution here did not work for me. Specifically my struggle was with the choice of the narrative style. The story, particularly the dialogue, was written in a modern casual style that completely pulled me out of the fantasy setting. I don't mind vulgar language and grittiness but I want an escapist experience. Instead this whole book could have been set in modern America.
This one is being compared to the likes of author's like Joe Abercrombie but I personally don't think the comparisons delivered. The characters and worldbuilding did not live up to the lord of grimdark fantasy.
Ultimately I wanted to love this one and found myself so let down. If you don't mind some of the stylistic choices, then you might enjoy this one more than me.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
Adrian Tchaikovsky is a solidly good writer. For a piece of genre fiction, this one has such nice prose.
As I have previously mentioned, I find this author to be technically strong but does not entirely click with me on an emotional level. There is an element of precision to this author's style that keeps me from getting attached to the characters.
Likewise, for being in the second book, I don't find myself overly invested on the storyline. This is very much a series I appreciate more than I actually enjoy.
I would recommend this one to fans of this author's narrative style that are looking for a lesser known new fantasy series.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
3.0 Stars This is a fast paced piece of science fiction. Admittedly this is the kind of action packed sci fi thriller that I wouldn't normally pick up 3.0 Stars This is a fast paced piece of science fiction. Admittedly this is the kind of action packed sci fi thriller that I wouldn't normally pick up so I'm not the target audience.
For the subgenre, I thought it was fairly well done and generally delivers what it promises. The writing and subsequent dialogue is quite casual, which is not my personal preference. I would have preferred a more complex futuristic execution of these ideas. That being said, I think this book will satisfy readers who don't share my reading tastes.
Disclaimer I received this one for review as a judge for the SPSFC....more
3.0 Stars I am obsessed with anything involving historical Egypt so the setting of this one immediately grabbed my attention. Admittedly I love the Mum3.0 Stars I am obsessed with anything involving historical Egypt so the setting of this one immediately grabbed my attention. Admittedly I love the Mummy movie so I was hopeful this one might scratch the same itch. Unfortunately it didn't.
I found this one to be standard action thriller. Despite the Egyptian setting, the story failed to create a distinct sense of place and time. It fell quite flat for me which was disappointing because I thought I'd be easy to please from a premise like this.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher...more
Rachel (TheShadesofOrange)
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