false16159149true5628528read1true1349469currently-reading5true1349468to-read4true3770234did-not-finish56false2571000fantasy50false4090455200633false3770220200825false2570991non-fiction23false2586217mystery22false4396207200921false4495640classics21false3770239200720false2121854agatha-christie18false2571005sci-fi17false2769145young-adult15false2769006general-fiction12false2570988religious6false2586262historical-fiction5false2570987science5false2769099adventure5false2817915biographical4false2769076childrens-novel3false4699400first-reads3false2769120lds-fiction3false3189399wwii2false3664043thriller
<![CDATA[John added 'Warbreaker']]>
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/77586124
to: Warbreaker (Hardcover)byBrandon Sanderson bookshelves: 2009,
fantasy
I really wasn't aware of Brandon Sanderson until recently, when I saw a comment on a blog about the latest book in the Wheel of Time series (The Gathering Storm). I was looking around on Sanderson's website for more information about him and found the free pdf version of Warbreaker and decided to read it.
If I had the option, I would give this book 3.5 stars. There was a lot about the book that I enjoyed, but I certainly didn't love it. For me, reading a fantasy book is about escape and creativity. I think Sanderson nails the creativity aspect: his world and characters are, for the most part, interesting and very unique. For example, I enjoyed his 'magic' system and the creative ways in which it was used. And the character development of Lightsong was very well written, in my opinion.
But there is too much in the book about politics for my liking. It bogged the narrative down in places. I recall thinking at one point that it was just like a Wheel of Time book: too much detail about things I didn't care about for me to really get into it.
There were certainly parts of the book that were hard for me to put down. On the other hand, the plot thread involving Vivenna was easily my least favorite and the hardest for me to accept. I didn't feel like Vivenna's development was as natural or realistic as that of other characters.
Finally, while I enjoyed the climax of the book and how Sanderson handled things, I did not feel entirely satisfied once I had finished. There were a few plot elements for which I wanted a better explanation, especially considering the detail given other aspects of the plot.
]]>
<![CDATA[John added '1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus']]>
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/76764673
to: 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus (Hardcover)byCharles C. Mann bookshelves: 2009,
non-fiction,
science
]]>
<![CDATA[John
is on page 165 of Alcatraz Versus the...
]]>
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/77053701
John
is on page 165 of 308 of
Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians
]]>
<![CDATA[John added 'Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians']]>
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/77053701
Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians (Alcatraz, #1)
byBrandon Sanderson bookshelves: 2009,
currently-reading,
fantasy,
young-adult
]]>
<![CDATA[John added 'Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling']]>
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/70667410
Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling (Paperback)
byRichard L. Bushman bookshelves: to-read
]]>
<![CDATA[new comment from John]]>
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/19638117
Shark's review of
Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling byRichard L. Bushman
oh, wait, I just noticed the date on these comments. Never mind.
]]>
<![CDATA[new comment from John]]>
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/52514769
John's review of
The Gates of Rome (Emperor, Book 1) byConn Iggulden
Click on "explore" on the top menu, then click on the "giveaways" tab. All you have to do is look through the books and decide if you are interested or not. So far I have won 3.
]]>
<![CDATA[John added 'The Princess Bride']]>
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/67189709
to: The Princess Bride (Hardcover)byWilliam Goldman bookshelves: 2009,
adventure
Fun book. Having seen the movie several times already, I was surprised at how closely it follows the book, down to many of the best lines. I found the additional back story on Inigo and Fezzik in the book interesting, and it helped me understand those characters better. The dialogue is witty and the characters are likable.
I think I still like the movie better, though. For most of the differences between the movie and the book, such as Fezzik's rhyming tendencies, I prefer how the movie handled things.
]]>
<![CDATA[John added 'The Tales of Beedle the Bard']]>
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/63093059
to: The Tales of Beedle the Bard (Hardcover)byJ.K. Rowling bookshelves: 2009,
childrens-novel,
fantasy
Very quick read or else I probably wouldn't have finished. It is a collection of five short tales, along with "extensive commentary by Albus Dumbledore."
The tales were okay, though very short and not on par with what I would expect from a book from the Harry Potter world. I expected more substance. And I found the commentary to be a bit annoying, to be honest.
]]>
<![CDATA[John added 'A Dad-sized Challenge: Building a Life-changing Relationship With Your Son']]>
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/62995516
A Dad-sized Challenge: Building a Life-changing Relationship With Your Son (Paperback)
byJeff Kinley bookshelves: did-not-finish,
first-reads,
non-fiction
I won this in a Goodreads giveaway, but moved before it arrived at my house. I'm not sure where it ended up.
]]>