Sam’s Comments (group member since Feb 06, 2025)

Sam’s comments from the Nothing But Reading Challenges group.

- 391
- 394
- 104
- 400
-432
= 1,721

Current Total= 1,454,925

- 636
- 334
= 970

Current total= 1,357,368

- 194
- 374
- 527
- 658
-803
=2556
Current Total: 1,295,338

Yay! that's exciting!!
It was quite fun reading with you all :)))

I'll be done with my last book in a couple of hours

DQ 3
Part III Chapters 13-20
(view spoiler)[
9. Were on the move now and hearing more of the environment. Are you able to imagine the world and How do you feel about the mix of genres - fantasy, sci-fi, mystery?
I'm enjoying the mix of genres immensely, I'm finding that the Apoths are very interesting to me

10. Were seeing Ana showcasing her skills and abilities more and seeing Ana and Din interact even more. Have your thoughts changed about them and what secrets do you think Ana and Din is hiding from one another if any?
I believe Ana knows way too much than she's letting on but she's depending on the investigations for proof! Din is definitely hiding something from his tests

11. Knowing this is book one and we probably wont get much how are you imagining the Leviathans so far? What is your closest comparison to what they may be/look like?
They look like a hybrid of trolls from The Hobbit and a great sea serpent in green
(hide spoiler)]

Day 2: Ch 6-12

(view spoiler)[5. In this world, many choose enhancements that facilitate their selected jobs - and it seems like most have some sort of Monkey’s Paw negative effect as well. On one hand, an enhancement like Din’s enables his perfect memory, so he never forgets anything. On the other hand, he CAN never forget anything, even if he wants to.
If you were to be augmented with a skill/ability, what would it be and why? Alternatively, what, for you, would be the worst or most dreaded skill/ability you could get?
I was absolutely thrilled about an engraver's ability until we got to know the downside lol so now I'd choose an ability that would allow me to read all day, the finger-reading graft like Ana's + scanning a book in my mind and then reading in my mind's eye for the rest of the day.

6. I thought it interesting that the leviathians are getting bigger every year, and that most of the special grafts and suffusions are from collected titian bits and bones. Do you have any theories about how this will come into play going forward?
That was one of the first things that excited me for this series.
I'm thinking the tala canton or the third ring in general are fighting the leviathians but in the first ring, perhaps they're experimenting with the leviathians too! The increase demand of grafts and suffusions created a demand for more leviathians so they've been baiting them to attack every wet season with none the wiser.

7. “...I no longer formed normal memories. For a memory is just a sketch a mind makes of one’s experiences, imperfect and interpretive; yet what my mind made, from that moment on, was perfect, absolute, and endless.” Do you think this robs Din of the ability to be fully human, from the standpoint that one’s subjective take on the world around her/him is what makes a person "human"?
100%

8. I’m enjoying the evolving relationship between Ana and Din, especially Ana’s humor. Despite Ana joking that Din had “lost his sense of humor in some tragic accident,” what is your take on the twosome? Do you think Din cheated somehow to pass his tests? Or do you think it's something else?
Their interactions are hilarious, and I'd like to discover more about their history but Din definitely cheated somehow

Not a question - just a bonus:
This is the second BOM that has reminded me of Avatar: Ana blindfolds herself but the people around her tend to forget she can't see due to her acuity and presence, like when she asks Din a question and he nods his answer. Here’s a fun compilation of times when the earthbender Toph’s friends forget she is blind: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9vZE...
😀
Haha Love this (hide spoiler)]

- 208
- 140
- 630
- 576
- 257
- 516
- 410

= 2,737

Current total= 1,241,984

DQs Day 1: Chapter 1 -5

1) Do you have any expectations going in? This book is one of the 6 novels up for the Hugo award for Best Novel this year: https://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-hi.... Did you know that and do you try to read the Hugo books or winners or have no interactions with the awards?
Yess, I love whodunnits so I had high expectations to be entertained.
I don't really have much interactions with Hugo books but maybe this is my starting point!

2) What do you think of the world building so far? Are then any particular details that stand out and if this is a reread, is anything standing out more on your re-read this early in the story? (please use spoiler tags if applicable)
The names, the different cantons and hierarchy all seem very interesting.

3) So this runs right up to the edge/ crosses over into body horror between the murder scene and modifications to people? Do you read body horror or books with that theme in it? Do you have any favorites?
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia is the only horror book I've read and it's body horror far exceeds this one.

4) Does your version have a map? If it does, did you look at before reading or at any point when reading this first section? Do you like maps in books? (Map under spoiler if you were audio only)
(view spoiler)
I love maps in books, I study them a bit before reading and enjoy guessing where the story will start.

The SS one is correct, fixed it on my shelf.

- 421 pages
- 500 pages
921 pages
Corrected Current Total: 1,150,549

Laura wrote: "Sam wrote: "Finished it on the 12th, I fixed it on my shelf!"

Thanks! Goodreads operates on Pacific time, so it defaulted to 7/11."

Oh that makes sense! :)

Aiswrya wrote: "@Sam - did you finish The shadow of gods on July 11th or 12th? The shelf says 11th but the SS has 12th - can you update the incorrect one please?

Also, how did you like the book? It's on my TBR."

Finished it on the 12th, I fixed it on my shelf!

The book is soooo good, it seems to be building up to an epic story especially if you enjoy norse mythology.

- 248 pages
- 582 pages
- 432 pages
- 359 pages
-310 pages
-194 pages
- 385 pages
-400 pages
-320 pages
- 378 pages
- 482 pages
- 284 pages
- 400 pages
-272 pages
- 304 pages
= 5,350
Total=1,127,357

Laura wrote: "Sam, do you have a page number also? Or location for ebook or percentage for audio."

It's on page 65 in my tablet. Should I send a picture?

"We are supposed to be headed toward a dormant volcano that stands at almost two thousand meters above sea level, but outside I see no such thing.

This is from my book for the volcano task.

Aiswrya wrote: "@Sam - I switched your book for pub in 2024 with a banked book. Hoping that we'll have 2 new countries before you finish :)"

Okay, Good Luck with your race :)

Laura wrote: "Sam wrote: "Laura wrote: "Sam’s book has an author born in France according to Google."

True, I think she's considered Turkish-British but I guess it all works"

When I was looking at the Turkish ..."
Alrighty :)

Laura wrote: "Sam’s book has an author born in France according to Google."

True, I think she's considered Turkish-British but I guess it all works

Aiswrya wrote: "Sam - any of those countries at at least 50%?"

Yes, 2 characters were based in London.