Tommye Turner's Blog: The Fantasy Review, page 188
August 22, 2019
The Alloy of Law (Mistborn: The Alloy Era #2) by Brandon Sanderson: Book Review
Centuries after the Mistborn trilogy, Scadrial is on the verge of modernity – railroads, electric street lights, and skyscrapers. Waxillium Ladrian can Push on metals with his Allomancy and use Feruchemy to become lighter or heavier at will. After 20 years in the dusty Roughs, in the city of Elendel, the new head of a noble house may need to keep his guns. –Goodreads
My Review
My Rating: 4/5
This was the perfect book to jump back into Sanderson’s cosmere. I loved all the little hints at the ‘beings’ working behind the scenes. Also, seeing how history effects the present was wonderful – a huge amount of thought went into that.
The main character is my only problem with this book. He was repetitive and dull. His friends however were fantastic and more than made up for it. I hope that future books will improve on his character.
August 16, 2019
No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference by Greta Thunberg: Book Review
‘Everything needs to change. And it has to start today’
In August 2018 a fifteen-year-old Swedish girl, Greta Thunberg, decided not to go to school one day. Her actions ended up sparking a global movement for action against the climate crisis, inspiring millions of pupils to go on strike for our planet, forcing governments to listen, and earning her a Nobel Peace Prize nomination.
This book brings you Greta in her own words, for the first time. Collecting her speeches that have made history across Europe, from the UN to mass street protests, No One Is Too Small to Make A Difference is a rallying cry for why we must all wake up and fight to protect the living planet, no matter how powerless we feel. Our future depends upon it. – Goodreads
My Review
My Rating: 5/5
“We can’t save the world by playing the rules. Because the rules have to be changed. Everything needs to change.”
“if solutions within this system are so impossible to find then maybe we should change the system itself?”
Fighting talk from the world’s leading inspiration to all ages to get up off their sofas and fight for change. Greta Thunberg is doing something marvellous: she is showing everyone that the future of the planet is more important than anything else. Now, I know that many have said this before (Al Gore being one such name that comes to mind), however they have not sacrificed what this young woman has.
She will forever be famous. She is 16. Her future is full of cameras and horrible articles and political mockery. The courage it takes to face all of that and shake it off is admirable and she should be respected for that.
Now, the book is good. That’s all I have to say really. The collection of speeches themselves are a little repetitive and by the end of the book I knew what she was going to say next, but I think that this is the point. WE NEED TO KEEP REPEATING OURSELVES. The speeches riled me up and I went looking for local eco-hippies and all of that but when I really thought about it I realised that there was something else behind the movement Greta Thunberg is pulling along: we must all do the best that we can. That is what it is going to take for change to happen. I am best when I write, so that is what I will do. Some are better at protesting – do that! Some are best at business, scientific development, bla bla bla – do that! Do what you can for the betterment of our environment and we might just survive the next century.
June 6, 2019
Mistborn: Secret History (Mistborn #3.5) by Brandon Sanderson: Book Review
Mistborn: Secret History is a companion story to the original Mistborn trilogy. As such, it contains HUGE SPOILERS for the books Mistborn (The Final Empire), The Well of Ascension, and The Hero of Ages. It also contains very minor spoilers for the book The Bands of Mourning. Mistborn: Secret History builds upon the characterization, events, and worldbuilding of the original trilogy. Reading it without that background will be a confusing process at best. In short, this isn’t the place to start your journey into Mistborn. (Though if you have read the trilogy—but it has been a while—you should be just fine, so long as you remember the characters and the general plot of the books.) Saying anything more here risks revealing too much. Even knowledge of this story’s existence is, in a way, a spoiler. There’s always another secret. -Goodreads
WARNING: This review contains SPOILERS for the Mistborn trilogy by Brandon Sanderson
See all my reviews of Brandon Sanderson’s Books HERE
My Review
My Rating: 5/5
SPOILERS (For Mistborn Era 1)
I started this novella an hour before I was supposed to go to sleep… and finished it. I woke tired but my mind is still whirring away with excitement.
Kelsier was never one of my favourite characters. He played an important part in the books and that’s all, in my opinion. But seeing him deal with knowing that he was but a puppet of something more, something working towards the end of the world rather than the beginning of a better one, is brilliant to watch. He will not give up! It’s inspiring. Without this novella, I would never have thought much of Kelsier.
I appreciated the extra links to the Cosmere. SO MANY clues and things to dissect and interpret. I’m not going to do that, though. I like reading a story with only the clues the writer gave when reading the novel, so that when the reveal comes, I do not have any expectations. With a writer like Brandon Sanderson, my expectations will be managed by his own writing.
I’m really looking forward to how Kelsier fits into the later science fiction series. Right now, it feels like Asimov’s Foundation series, where Harry keeps popping up in the future to give advice! Kelsier = Harry…. Sorry – I said I wasn’t going to dissect the story!!
Anyway, this novella is a must-read for anyone who wants to know more about the cosmere and/or wishes to add to their experiences of Mistborn Era 1.
June 5, 2019
A Dance with Dragons 2: Part 2 – After the Feast (A Song of Ice and Fire #5.2) by George R.R. Martin: Book Review
The future of the Seven Kingdoms hangs in the balance.
In King’s Landing the Queen Regent, Cersei Lannister, awaits trial, abandoned by all those she trusted; while in the eastern city of Yunkai her brother Tyrion has been sold as a slave. From the Wall, having left his wife and the Red Priestess Melisandre under the protection of Jon Snow, Stannis Baratheon marches south to confront the Boltons at Winterfell. But beyond the Wall the wildling armies are massing for an assault…
On all sides bitter conflicts are reigniting, played out by a grand cast of outlaws and priests, soldiers and skinchangers, nobles and slaves. The tides of destiny will inevitably lead to the greatest dance of all. -Goodreads
My Review
My Rating: 5/5
What a book! I can see why everyone is desperate for Martin to finish the series – but I can also see why Martin is taking so long over it! There is so much more to cover.
When you finish this book, you realise just how much the TV show missed out and skipped over. All because they wanted to rush though the story and only tell the Jon and Dany story – fair enough, but I wish everyone who watched the show would read the books! I’m glad I finally got to this point. There is so much more to the story – so much to explore and enjoy. Jon and Dany’s storylines in this book end on cliffhangers, as does Aegon’s…
I’m very excited for the next book! I honestly have no idea how these stories are going to end as they feel so different from the show, and that’s good. I was worried I would get bored reading the books but I was wrong – they’re great!
All books in the A Song and Ice and Fire series are reviewed: Read the reviews HERE!
June 4, 2019
Books I Couldn’t Finish (Fantasy Books)
I always try to finish a book, but recently I have struggled with three books and put them down before finishing them – all for different reasons, however.
Book 1: Wizard’s First Rule by Terry Goodkind
I was going to make a seperate post for this book but there is little for me to say that has not been said by others online. I read approximately 150 pages and was too bored to continue. The main character is frustratingly slow and the obvious love interest character has nothing interesting about them. Archetypes aren’t going to go anywhere interesting and tropes are everywhere (there are even more -somehow?!?! – apparently, so I have no interest in reading more of this series). I donated my copy to a charity shop and I hope whoever picks it up enjoys it more than I did.
Book 2: Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson
This is the only book on this list that I really want to try again. I’m going to leave it a while though. But I do like a challenge, and I think this is what this book is. I read 254 pages before putting it down – two days in and I had no idea what was going on or who was who, so there was no point in me continuing with the book.
Live I said, though, I really want to try again. Mainly because I do not really have any complaints other than I couldn’t keep up, and I think that is more my fault than the writer’s. The language and writing style is beautiful – it’s the perfect balance of description and action – I just wish I was able to understand what’s being described!!
The Ship of the Dead by Rick Riordan
I enjoyed the first two books in this trilogy and this one wasn’t terrible, I just lost interest about 30% the way through and gave up. Nothing new was happening. I am aware that Riordan has his formula but normally I love it! I am really enjoying The Trials of Apollo series he’s doing now, but this book was just too slow. Nothing was happening, and when something did happen, I didn’t care.
What do you think of this list? Did you like or hate these books? Let me know if you think I’m wrong in the comments as I would love to hear an opposing view – it’s good to get outside of your own head on books now and again. (Also let me know if you agreed!)
June 3, 2019
A Dance with Dragons: Part 1 – Dreams and Dust (A Song of Ice and Fire #5.0) by George R.R. Martin: Book Review
In the aftermath of a colossal battle, new threats are emerging from every direction.
Tyrion Lannister, having killed his father, and wrongfully accused of killing his nephew, King Joffrey, has escaped from King’s Landing with a price on his head.
To the north lies the great Wall of ice and stone – a structure only as strong as those guarding it. Eddard Stark’s bastard son Jon Snow has been elected 998th Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch. But Jon has enemies both inside and beyond the Wall.
And in the east Daenerys Targaryen struggles to hold a city built on dreams and dust. -Goodreads
My Review
My Rating: 4/5
As always, the characters are one of the best things about this book, with the world coming in at a close second. I love most of the POVs – at least the way they are written – as they all feel so complex, so real. Each voice sounds different and wants different things which so many authors fail to manage successfully when writing their characters.
The world itself just astounds me. I’m loving the sudden increase in lore when it comes to the history of the Three-Eyed Crow and greenseers and all of that magic stuff in the north.
Dorne is so GOOD in the books! They really missed a trick with the TV show as there is just so much going on in Dorne and it’s brilliant. (It was a bit slow in book 4 but now it feels like it’s going somewhere).
Looking forward to jumping into part 2!
To see the rest of A Song of Ice and Fire reviewed, click HERE
May 30, 2019
June TBR – 2019
After last month’s successful reading month (see my May Wrap Up – 2019 HERE), it might be difficult to do so well in June – but I will try!
A Dance With Dragons (Part 1 and Part 2) (A Song of Ice and Fire #5) by George R.R. Martin
I read books 3 and 4 last month so only one left to go! After that, I will be waiting along with everyone else for the next one to come out. I will be reading Fire and Blood and The World of Ice and Fire though, so that should keep me satiated for a little while at least.
The Fires of Heaven (The Wheel of Time #5) by Robert Jordan
I am still one third the way through this book. It’s just so slow!! I will try to get through it this month though – even if it kills me.
The rest of the books in this list are only possibilities – I’ll read one of two of them but I like reading whatever I feel like!
The Wise Man’s Fear (The Kingkiller Chronicle #2) by Patrick Rothfuss
I read the first book a while ago and loved it so it is about time I picked up the next one. I think I am finally in the mood for some heavily literary fantasy!
Words of Radiance (The Stormlight Archive #2) by Brandon Sanderson
Book 1 was amazing!!!! (read the review here) so I have to start on the second one soon! It is a big commitment though – it took me six days to read the first on. I’ll get round to it though.
Normal People by Sally Rooney
This is one of those small books that are easy to burn through during the summer holiday so I’m looking forward to reading this one.
What book do you think I should read first? Do you have any suggestions for me to try? Let me know down in the comments!
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