RJ - Slayer of Trolls’s Comments

RJ - Slayer of Trolls’s comments from the 2025 Reading Challenge group.

Note: RJ - Slayer of Trolls is not currently a member of this group.

I finished my 30th book of the year, well ahead of the pace needed to get to 52:


Arm of the Sphinx by Josiah Bancroft
Rating: 3 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

and I started reading:


Death's Master by Tanith Lee

RJ from the LBC wrote: "...I didn't start reading another Sci-Fi book yet because I'm waiting to see the outcome of the group read vote in my Pulp Fiction group...."

Voting has ended so I will start reading the winner:


A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs

Here's my 29th read of the year, a short one but a good one:


The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
Rating: 5 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

and I started reading:


'Salem's Lot by Stephen King

I loved it and gave it five stars. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I finished my 28th book of the year:


The Year’s Best Science Fiction & Fantasy, 2019 Edition edited by Rich Horton
Rating: 3 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

and I started reading:


The Howling Man by Charles Beaumont

Linda wrote: "I've found that this book I want to savor. Rather than reading quickly as I want to, I've taken a few pages and then take a break to process the feelings this book has brought up. It really brings ..."

I feel that way with this book too. I only have 3-4 chapters left but I'm taking my time to enjoy his beautiful prose.

I finished another one, bringing me to 27 so far in 2020:


The Man Who Risked His Partner by Stephen R. Donaldson writing as Reed Stephens
Rating: 3 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

and I started reading:


A Murder of Quality by John le Carré

I finished my 26th book of the year, and it was a good one:


Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Rating: 4 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

and I started reading:


East of Eden by John Steinbeck

I finished my 25th book of the year:


Head On by John Scalzi
Rating: 3 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I didn't start reading another Sci-Fi book yet because I'm waiting to see the outcome of the group read vote in my Pulp Fiction group. Whichever book they pick I will start reading on May 26th. Until then I'll keep plugging away on my others books, and I should finish a couple more in the next week or so.

Blagica wrote: "I am all about magic this year. I hope that your reading goal is your little touch of magic.
"

Thank you Blagica!

Gaiman does a terrific job writing from the perspective of a child. I noticed that in his Coraline as well.

I started yesterday. I always enjoy Gaiman's prose - he writes with an element of whimsy that perfectly fits the reminiscences of the main character.

sal wrote: "i would like to nominate Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff! it's the very first book in a trilogy called The Illuminae Files and is a space opera epistolary novel (i totally didn't copy-pa..."

I think I'd be in for that one.

I finished my 24th book of 2020:


Wild Fire by Nelson DeMille
Rating: 3 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

and I started reading


The Man Who Risked His Partner by Stephen R. Donaldson writing as Reed Stephens

Hey! I finished #23!


Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold
Rating: a very generous 2 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

and I started reading


Head On by His Grand Snarkiness John Scalzi

I finished my 22nd book of the year:


The Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice
Rating: 3 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

and I started reading:


The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

I'm in.

My second 5-star read of the year:


Moneyball by Michael Lewis
Rating: 5 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Marc wrote: "How about Cloud Atlas? Obvious weather connection, imagine an atlas of clouds..."

That is an amazing book.

Yet what is any ocean, but a multitude of drops?

I read this book a couple years ago and loved it! I envy you all for getting to enjoy it for the first time. The prose is just so beautiful.

If you like to read with music as an accompaniment, I would suggest Debussy's Clare de Lune, which I believe plays a small part in the book.

Have fun and enjoy!