N.K. Aning's Blog

Review of The Empty Grave

The Empty Grave by Jonathan Stroud

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Alright let me say it. I loved this book. The enigmatic Anthony grew on me. I'm hoping the series on Netflix does justice to the books since i just started watching episode 1.
As for the skull the less said the better. He was fucking hilarious. I'm hoping there will be a book with him in it.



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Review of The Sword of Kaigen by N K Aning

The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This book lives upto its reputation. It will take you on an emotional journey and punch you in the gut somewhere along the line. The characters are well rounded. I was rooting for Mamoru and delivered perfectly to me but left me reeling in the end. Takeru was a character you might have disdain for but once you finish reading the book you side with him and understand his motives.

I leave you with this quote. To me it summarises everything.

"Alone on the mountainside, a Whispering Blade caught the last rays of a dying sun. It gleamed once, pointed skyward, as its first and only victim hit the snow. Then, its work done, the sword fell to mist."



I will certainly recommend this book



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Review of Lost Gods

Lost Gods by Brom

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This is the second time I'm reading this book and I have enjoyed every bit of it. The author has created a truly bleak, beautiful and dangerous landscapes. This book makes you wonder what is out there. A very poignant quote from the book I leave below:

A sly smile spread across Yevabog’s face. “Ah, Chet, you have indeed learned much. Too many Heaven-borne souls find out too late that eternal bliss comes at a price. Their scriptures and verses never illuminate just how one can be in joyous rapture while their mothers, fathers, children burn for all eternity"



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Pierce and the City of Imaginaterium (Imaginaterium, #1).

Review of Heroes of The Valley

Heroes of the Valley by Jonathan Stroud

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I started this book some years back and when I got to where Halli finally faces reality i put the book somewhere. It was slow for me but being one who always wants to see things through I picked it up again.
It starts slow. Halli is a character you don't immediately like but as the story progresses and he is doused with reality, his motivations as a person grows and matures. Over the course of the books you realise that story parallels our world. As humans we are so fixated with the past we refuse to move on. The ending might not be what you expect but it is worth it. If there is onething this story teaches then it's that reality can be far different from fantasy and tales.





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Review of Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

I read the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan over a decade ago. Watching the adaptation to the big screen has been nostalgic and exciting at the same time. While I understand the need to adapt the book to modern audiences by including certain storylines, there seems to be something missing from the live action.
The gods in the book exuded a certain mystery and danger to them. Though the actor playing Ares does a good job portraying the character, he doesn't seem to pull of the big bad dude.
No offense to the kid playing Grover, but he seems to be missing the witty humour found in the books.
Over all the series is an enjoyable one and I hope you to see more of it.
Want to read books like Percy Jackson and the Olympians then try Pierce and the City of Imaginaterium (Imaginaterium, #1).

Review of Rhythm of War

Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I have read countless books over the course of my life and I dare say Brandon Sanderson is a truly remarkable author. I mean he invests himself so much in his books.
He pays the attention to the smallest details. His interludes are eye opening. The world building is just incredible and I always wonder how does he do it?
The tribes, the languages and even downright to their dressing is recounted in detail. It's fascinating to read a book and connect it to the title.
Rhythm of War has certainly kept me awake at night. The nuances of his heroes are outstanding. Life is not just right or wrong but the sum total of our choices and experiences.

I believe the stormlight archive is a journey and I will be right there till the end
Highly recommended.
I cannot wait to read what's in store for the characters on this epic journey.



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Review of To Sleep in A Sea of Stars

To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Well I have gotten my favourite character Gregorovich
Oh my meatbags what a fantasy to delve into. Well it required a lot of thinking with all the technical jargon but it was definitely worth the read. I just might delve into the Inheritance cycle after this. Paulini has a way of making you care about the characters and that shows that he hasn't lost his touch at all. A very fine fantasy to add to the genre.
Oh my meatbags I must end my review here. Well can you blame me? He has grown on me after all and that's saying something. Pierce and the City of Imaginaterium (Imaginaterium, #1).



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Why fictional characters divide us?

The Rings of Power premiered a few weeks ago and yet it has been met with very negative reviews. Simply put, a section of the public seem to hate it with a passion and the question is why?
How can a fictional world filled with fictional characters generate such hatred that it spills over into the real world.
Actors with different diversity are the targets of hate speech.
How did we get here? How can a fictional world stir up such animosity for each other?
Are we suggesting that fictional worlds when adapted into movies or films should not be modified? Shouldn't the fact that it's a fictional world lend itself to modification? How can the fact that a black man plays a elf on screen generate such controversy?
It's a pity that social media is promoting this behaviour. Fictional worlds do not belong to any select group of people. So many fans have got the entitlement philosophy and it's not good for our world. People must learn to appreciate the nuances and diversity on our screens even if they do not like it.

Review of Fire and Blood

Fire & Blood by George R.R. Martin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


After reading Fre and Blood, I truly understand how great a writer George is. Though fiction, Fire and Blood is a truly remarkable history of the Targaryen dynasty. Looking at how epic the Game of Thrones series was, it was no wonder the creators of the series fell short of living up to the name of the books.
Looking at the grand scale of Westeros, how could any series bring such a legacy to the screens?
Fire and Blood is a long and deep read. It offers more fascinating insight into the ascendancy and tragic fall of one of the great houses of Westeros or Valayria to be precise. As to how the author comes up such exotic names is still an enigma to me. The cast of complex characters is enormous. Whoever reads Fire and Blood gets to appreciate the true epicness of the world of Westeros as created by George R. R. Martin.

I truly enjoyed this one. I leave you with this to ponder on

"All young men suspect they are immortal,” Grand Maester Munkun writes in the True Telling, “and whenever a young warrior tastes the heady wine of victory, suspicion becomes certainty. Yet the confidence of youth counts for little against the cunning of age"




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Religion

There are countless number of religions in the world with each claiming to be the right one. For some reason the human psyche cannot help but crave for a divine explanation for everything. But can all the various religions be right? If for one moment we are to believe that for instance Christianity was right- what about the rest? Are they condemned to the Christian hell? More than a billion people condemned to hell because they were born in a different environment. That's preposterous to say the least.

At the heart of all the religions in the world is the search for meaning of life and the purpose of life. Why are we here?
Yet for countless generations the world has been divided by religion with some claiming supremacy over others. Is this the purpose a creator would have mankind believe? I for one don't think so.

It's a difficult thing to know which religion is right. Belief in any religion is based on environment and so many variables sometimes out of our control.
Religion in itself is not good or bad as some people claim. Countless atrocities have been committed in the name of religion. Some abused, oppressed and killed in the name of religion. One wonders whether religion has not rather decelerated the progression of the human race. Maybe centuries from now we will finally know the truth.
The God Dilemma