When a ship is sent to a distant nebula to assess the situation, nothing goes according to plan. The journey is bloody and the crew only arrives afterWhen a ship is sent to a distant nebula to assess the situation, nothing goes according to plan. The journey is bloody and the crew only arrives after losing many lives with their ship in complete disarray. Little did they know what they found would change the course of their lives forever.
Spear of the Emperor follows the mission of the space marine Amadaeus and his Helot servants as they arrive in an unfamiliar world that remained out of contact with the rest of the Adeptus Vaelari. During that mission, everything that they believe and understand about the workings of the people there will be questioned. The primary protagonist has a very solid voice as she is the primary means of the delivery of the world building that happens here. This is my first experience in the Warhammer universe and so this was a critical piece in my understanding of the beats of the story.
While there were parts of this book that were a bit dense, Dembski-Bowden does succeed in drawing the reader into the politics and way of the Warhammer universe. Discovering the technologies, societies, and beliefs of the characters were very enjoyable, and the overarching story, while not fully demanding my immediate reading, was a fun military tale of a brutal war of attrition and the brotherhoods that merely surviving against impossible odds would create.
I am definitely interested in checking out this universe in the future! Thanks to Netgalley, Black Library, and Aaron Dembski-Bowden for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. ...more
When the biggest, baddest Russian submarine goes missing due to its officers having a plan of their own, the Russian government is forced to spring inWhen the biggest, baddest Russian submarine goes missing due to its officers having a plan of their own, the Russian government is forced to spring into action to prevent the Americans from getting their hands on the advanced technologies contained within the billion dollar submarine. Once the Americans get wind of a missing submarine, The Hunt for Red October is set. Up to this point my main experience with Tom Clancy was the many video games containing his nomenclature. I started reading, hoping for an interesting tale of political and military intrigue and I was not disappointed.
The level of detail in the elements that make up this plot is extraordinary. In a lot of ways, this made the story richer and more dense. In some portions of the book, it did get a little bit dragged down by so many moving pieces that occasionally plodded instead of engaged. New names and characters are constantly introduced and keeping everything straight, along with the massive amount of military terminology, was no small task -- albeit a rewarding one. With some of the extraneous trimmed, I would say the book would be even better.
I greatly enjoyed this story overall. It was a very different sort of read for me -- one that challenged me in a positive way. In the future I do plan on reading more of the Jack Ryan series. I am all in for more complex stories of behind-the-scenes government conspiracies. While I thought there was a bit too much expositional knowledge forced on the reader here, I still came away greatly enjoying what was offered. ...more
For years Dune was the title that kept coming up that I knew absolutely nothing about. I heard people talk about how it was a masterpiece in science fFor years Dune was the title that kept coming up that I knew absolutely nothing about. I heard people talk about how it was a masterpiece in science fiction. I heard people say it was like Star Wars. I heard people say it was like The Lord of the Rings. The only thing I knew that the book contained was a desert and sandworms. At some point, I purchased the audiobook and forgot about it and in an effort to try to conserve more money while pursing reading, I decided to finally explore its contents.
Dune, especially the audiobook, is quite difficult to begin. The world that Frank Herbert has created and the lore that surrounds it are quite dense. It doesn't take long before you are bombarded with fictional words to describe the events of this universe without any narrative explanation of their meaning. If it weren't for a friend informing me that physical versions of the book contained a glossary, I never would have inferred the correct interpretation of certain words (see: mentat.) Additionally, there was a chapter early on that I had to reference on multiple occasions to try and keep straight the elements of the story I was supposed to be aware of, and those that were new information. That may sound like a strange sentence, but this is a strange book in many ways.
Once I was invested in the story though, I truly began to appreciate this epic tale. I grew fond of the main characters and their plight. I appreciated the amount of political discourse and scheming that was taking place and the vast amount of foresight the characters gave to their every decision. Many have indicated that this tedium completely turned them off from the book, but I found it deeply engaging. For the most part, the story is quite slow in its exposition, but what it lacked in pace, it made up for in richness.
The world building and political maneuvering that support the journey of Paul Atreides is a fascinating journey. As some have indicated, there are many fantastical elements of the story in spite of its science fiction setting. Those pieces work together to create a world that feels quite unique, even decades after its initial publishing.
Throughout most of this book, I did not envision a world where I would not immediately want to jump into the next book and continue the reading of this series, but the way the book concludes was a little bit baffling. The last act of this book is so rushed. (view spoiler)[Also I really hated the way that Paul completely shifted after his ascension. His willingness to succumb to everything he had been fighting without any true explanation is maddening to me (hide spoiler)]
This books status as a classic seems obvious to me. There is no question in my mind as to why it has stood the test of time. I truly would recommend it to anyone seeking a classic, thoughtful science fiction/fantasy tale....more
The author of The Martian presents a story centralizing around quantum physics. An engaging tale that does a pretty decent job of trying to dumb down The author of The Martian presents a story centralizing around quantum physics. An engaging tale that does a pretty decent job of trying to dumb down some of the complicated science around quantum processing, Randomize is a short and pleasant heist story. Using a topic that is a hot button buzzword at the moment, Weir is able to inform readers and draw them into a familiar story setting at the same time. ...more
A beautiful tale of the end of Earth. Ark bleeds melancholy and fully captures the conflicting emotions of the finality of moving on. Roth's writing oA beautiful tale of the end of Earth. Ark bleeds melancholy and fully captures the conflicting emotions of the finality of moving on. Roth's writing of this tale is very somber and moody and potentially a bit slow for some, but truly captures an emotional moment as a time capsule. ...more
A fun take on the well-worn territory that is artificial intelligence spiraling out of control. I appreciated the nods towards Elon Musk's thoughts onA fun take on the well-worn territory that is artificial intelligence spiraling out of control. I appreciated the nods towards Elon Musk's thoughts on AI and how to cope with the aftermath. Definitely worth your time. ...more
Marrow Charm is the story of a young girl trying to reunite herself with the ones she loves. Having spent her entire life underground in a town of peoMarrow Charm is the story of a young girl trying to reunite herself with the ones she loves. Having spent her entire life underground in a town of people who can barely eek out an existence while constantly being on the threat of dying from a mysterious plague, Azure’s world is turned upside down when an outbreak occurs. The world that Kristin Jacques has created for this book contains unexpected twists and turns as it slowly dishes out slivers of its mystery.
The true draw of the story here is its strong adherence to teasing explanations to the reader so sparsely that every new clue creates even more questions to the nature of the magic that permeates Marrow Charm. Choosing to describe the vicious effects of the taint but giving very little descriptive details of the numerous haunting creatures in this tale keeps your imagination on overdrive as you try to piece together everything that is happening. Every time a character is introduced, the plot thickens and the world expands . Jacques tells a tale of magic that defies standard tropes or definitions.
There are points where the vagueness of certain aspects of the story did slow me down or force me to reassess my position on the book. At times, I struggled with the narrative flow of the exposition of events and their significance in light of the events of the story, but the narrative itself always remained compelling. Some of these elements might have been necessary evils in the enigma of this story’s world.
Ultimately the story did entice me to its completion, and I look forward to the next chapter in the life of Azure. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a fantastical tale where answers are always kept just out of reach -- where magic is unpredictable and unexplainable. Thanks to Netgalley, The Parliament House, and Kristin Jacques for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. ...more
We Are Monsters takes place in a mental hospital run by an aging Eli and his increasingly antiquated methods of patient treatment. Eli chooses to focuWe Are Monsters takes place in a mental hospital run by an aging Eli and his increasingly antiquated methods of patient treatment. Eli chooses to focus on the healing of human connection instead of the more accepted path of perpetual reliance on over-medication that has become the industry standard. Meanwhile, Alex, another doctor at the Sugar Hills Asylum has been secretly working on and testing what he hopes to be a full cure for schizophrenia. Unfortunately, Alex’s cure runs out of funding before coming to fruition so he is forced to pursue his research via a darker route.
The first half of the book spends a lot of time expositing the lives of the two doctors and the choices that led them to be the people that they have become. The book also dives into the life of Angela, one of the other workers at the hospital, and gives varying amounts of time to numerous patients within the asylum. The primary and rather on-the-nose premise given away in the title is that everyone is a little crazy -- everyone is a monster.
This is unfortunately where the book falters the most. Nobly, the tale that Brian Kirt weaves throughout We Are Monsters is one that really hammers home the humanity of those suffering mental illness. Much attention is given to the mistreatment of those in our society suffering from these afflictions. Even more so the effort to bring empathy to the clinically insane among us is an honorable one. The story’s method of much of this message is to draw comparisons to everyday people who have had to find ways to overcome trauma and contrast how some of their survival tactics really aren’t so different than the patients in the asylum. The problem is that in this honorable quest, the book all but attributes the causation and nature of evil within humanity to mental illness than can be overcome through concentrated humanistic and mystic practices.
Additionally, the book takes a very hard tonal shift just over the halfway point is quite jarring. The second half of the book drastically attempts to kick things into high gear. Unfortunately, one this part of the tale began I really struggled to maintain the interest I had throughout the first half. Along with some odd tonal choices (some attempts at dark comedy), the metaphorical nature of the themes of the book become extremely literal and a bit heavy handed.
We Are Monsters ultimately concludes on a disappointing note. Its attempts at positive themes are muddied by its extreme positing on the nature of evil and the bluntness of its delivery. Its dramatic change in pace and tone dampening the build up of its interesting original premise.
Thanks to Netgalley, Flame Tree Press, and Brian Kirk in exchange for an honest review....more
A bit more of a personal take than my usual reviews:
The original Circle trilogy was so important to my developing imagination with the way that it coA bit more of a personal take than my usual reviews:
The original Circle trilogy was so important to my developing imagination with the way that it could tell such a powerful fictional story and blend it so heavily with spiritual Allegory. This was a different take on the Chronicles of Narnia type storytelling that incorporated a mature thriller story in tandem with its parables. Green was published in 2009 and I never got around to it. I had caught up on the rest of Dekker's Circle related books (Showdown, Saint, and Sinner as well as the Lost Books series and even many of Dekker's "stand-alone" novels which had slight tie ins potentially to the events of the Circle series. I never completed the circle by reading Green.
10 years after it was originally published, I have come back to the Circle to see the conclusion of its story. In a way it was a cool effect having been away from the story so long. The characters I loved so much were back in my life. Unfortunately, the tale of Green is a very dark and twisted one. In many ways, Green is to the Circle as The Last Battle is to C.S. Lewis' Narnia. The difference here being that Dekker chose a satisfying ending to his fiction over one that truly wraps up his allegory in a scriptural way.
After all of this time there is a warmth in my heart for this series. It is so action packed and so full of strong themes. I have to admit tearing up a couple times during my experience with Green. Everything comes to such a dark and suspenseful climax that, once the story got moving, I couldn't stop. Now that it is over I am clamoring for the alternate ending that was offered later as well.
Nevertheless, thank you Ted Dekker for the conclusion to this series which has never left my head -- even years after reading it....more
The continuing epic of Drizzt is like candy. Not particularly unpredictable for most of its plot points, but endlessly enjoyable, Exile furthers the lThe continuing epic of Drizzt is like candy. Not particularly unpredictable for most of its plot points, but endlessly enjoyable, Exile furthers the lore around Dungeons and Dragons most famous Drow. Having left the confines of his previous life in Homeland, Drizzt now struggles with his own internal turmoil of rage having isolated himself for 10 years. Only a fool would assume that Lolth, the spider-queen would let the insult of Drizzt's betrayal go without consequence.
More politics within Menzoberranzan fill up the space between the accounts of what follows the conscionable dark elf. These sections aren't nearly as interesting as the primary tale however, though the end of the book has some fun twists back in the Drow city as well. The shiftings of house Do'Urden are as devious as in Homeland.
This series is a fun comfort food. It isn't particularly revolutionary by modern standards, but it never loses the reader's interest. It is the salty snack you can't help but keep eating. I can't wait to pick up the next entry in the series. ...more
When Todd Matthews comes home to find his fiance, Ashley King, having hanged herself it completely rocks his world. Ashley, having been the only surviWhen Todd Matthews comes home to find his fiance, Ashley King, having hanged herself it completely rocks his world. Ashley, having been the only survivor of a horrible massacre that took the lives of the rest of her urban exploration group years earlier, could no longer live with the horror of the events she had experienced or the terror that they instilled in her at every waking moment. Her fear of what The Wraith, the name for the monster who brutally dismembered her friends, had done and the knowledge that he might come back was too much to bear -- for the killer was never caught. After Ashley’s suicide, a series of events leads Todd following a trail of clues to try and unravel the mystery of that fateful night. Ultimately this leads him back to the Hayden Resort and face to face with the ghosts of his late fiance’s nightmares.
An homage of sorts to the “Slasher” genre of films from which the novel gets its name, Slash attempts to recreate a familiar set up with some of its own spin. The general nature of the characters to think out situations instead of blindly doing the stupidest possible thing at any time helped me maintain a level of groundedness inside a story that gets increasingly insane in its pace and nature. As the mystery begins to unravel, a canon begins to form as the characters attempt to decipher the seemingly impossible events unfolding before them. While the novel starts at a very modest pace, it picks up speed just before the halfway point and snowballs from there.
The climax of the story is an interesting and mostly satisfying one. However, as the lore of the Hayden begins to unfold, everything seemed to come together in a less than fully satisfying way. The method of discovery for the final clues of the enigma of the Wraith seem out of place and conveniently revealed. They do make sense for the tale being told, but do not land as cleanly as could be hoped. Nevertheless this tale keeps the reader’s attention throughout and would certainly deserve a recommendation for someone seeking a violent, slasher narrative -- Especially as Halloween fast approaches.
Thanks to Netgalley, Flame Tree Press, and Hunter Shea in exchange for an honest review....more
One by One is the story of a family trying to maintain itself in the context of a new and mysterious house. Told from the perspective of the 10 year oOne by One is the story of a family trying to maintain itself in the context of a new and mysterious house. Told from the perspective of the 10 year old daughter, Alice, you experience the family dynamic and the curiosity of their new home through her eyes and interpretations. The misunderstandings, musings, and imagination of a young child tint every event of the story which colors the entire narrative with additional clarity or muddiness as Alice agonizes over her familial relationships and tries to come to terms with who she is as a person and where she belongs.
The tension builds when Alice discovers a drawing of a family, like hers, behind some old wallpaper. Her overactive imagination gets the best of her as she analyzes the potential implications of the similarities to her brother and parents and the crude picture on the wall. When “X”’s begin to appear over characters in the picture and family members inexplicably vanish, Alice’s theories seem less crazy after all.
The premise was immediately compelling and the story remained interesting throughout. Unfortunately, as the mystery began to unravel during the climax of the story, a lot of the tension seemed to release a bit too early. Ultimately, the answers provided by the plot twist weren’t quite as satisfying as the tale might have implicated in its early portions. I still felt compelled to finish the story and my interest never fully waned, but I was left merely satisfied than fully awestruck.
Thanks to Netgalley, Flame Tree Press, and D.W. Gillespie in exchange for an honest review. ...more
Homeland by R.A. Salvatore immerses you into the society of the (drow) dark elves. A cruel and wicked code of religion and morality is revealed througHomeland by R.A. Salvatore immerses you into the society of the (drow) dark elves. A cruel and wicked code of religion and morality is revealed through the first section of this book. This establishes the Drow customs and practices and is the framework from which the tale of Drizzt begins to unfold. Unlike his fellow kindred, something is different about Drizzt. His exceptional skills in combat are abnormally tempered by a conscience, something unheard of in the world of the Drow. Will Drizzt maintain his sense of right and wrong under the unrelenting pressures of his people's religion, culture, and schooling?
If I am being honest, I have tried to start this book on at least 3 occasions unsuccessfully. I had a hard time getting even through the first chapter. Fantasy often starts quite exposition and lore heavy with many unfamiliar names, phrases, and terms and I will admit that even though fantasy is what essentially established my imagination, it can be difficult to start a new fantasy series. Thankfully however, I have been able to not only get into the book, but thoroughly enjoy its contents.
Once I accepted the challenge of delving head first into the world of The Forgotten Realms, I quickly became immersed in the tale of this young dark elf and his upbringing. The characters and politics at play are interesting and so many of the cast are villains that you love to hate -- all the while rooting for Drizzt and his belief in something more. I am looking forward to picking up the next chapter in Salvatore's world as soon as I am able. ...more
Thin Air has a great premise that it delivers on without much extra flair. Nothing about the book is offensively poor, and the plot moves along at a sThin Air has a great premise that it delivers on without much extra flair. Nothing about the book is offensively poor, and the plot moves along at a steady pace. The story is solid, though not particularly mind blowing with any single aspect. I'm definitely interested to see where Jessica Shaw ends up moving forward from here. ...more
A news reporter at the biggest local news station sees his father making a fool of himself on a live report from a rally for Hiram Slater, the governoA news reporter at the biggest local news station sees his father making a fool of himself on a live report from a rally for Hiram Slater, the governor. Not wanting his reputation as a celebrity to be damaged, John Jr. must confront John Sr. on his religious fanaticism. The story from that point expands into a realistic mystery investigation into a criminal cover up due to politically charged idealism. Religious overtones carry the story forward with strong continuationist themes that drive our main character to Truth and to God.
I struggle with the theological implications of the strong continuationism in this book. I realize that it is fictional, but the existence of such a large portion of Christianity that believes these things makes their existence, even in this fiction, problematic to me. However, the strong sense of justice and truth that the book purveys are commendable and help me enjoy and identify with the story. The grossness and reality of the central mystery of the book makes it hard to "enjoy" this book on a traditional level, but reality is often full of uncomfortable evils.
This book has been recommended to me countless times through the years by various people and I think that many might be overlooking the theological statements that this book makes on a few key topics, namely continuationism and "free grace." They are impossible to ignore at this point in my life. Nevertheless, the journey of the book is well told and the story is satisfying and concludes justly. ...more
Unreliable narration from characters that you generally can't stand. A plot that becomes predictable ages before its reveals happen. Would not recommeUnreliable narration from characters that you generally can't stand. A plot that becomes predictable ages before its reveals happen. Would not recommend. ...more
Mealnie Golding's first novel is a doozy. Little Darlings is a gripping tale that ambiguously treads two worlds in a masterful way. When Lauren TranteMealnie Golding's first novel is a doozy. Little Darlings is a gripping tale that ambiguously treads two worlds in a masterful way. When Lauren Tranter delivers her twin boys after a grueling 36 hour labor, she is completely overwhelmed and exhausted with all the changes coming at her at once. Immediately she is over her head with the two small boys and before she even gets a chance to fully bond with the twins or actualize her own feelings for them, she is their sole provider for sustenance and survival.
On top of that, in the night she encounters a mysterious woman threatening to steal her boys and replace them with some nightmarish creatures. The tale spans the first 5 weeks of the boys lives and Lauren's journey into motherhood, and Little Darlings painstakingly depicts a tale of postpartum depression (potentially even postpartum psychosis) and the exhausting and generally thankless struggles of one of the most difficult, and most important responsibilities known to man -- caring for babies.
Is the stress of this monumental task causing Lauren to hallucinate? Are her experiences with this evil kidnapper truly happening? These are the questions you will ask yourself constantly throughout reading this book as more evidences are brought to light. No matter which side of the fence you side on with whether or not supernatural events are taking place, Golding's realistic depictions of Lauren's transition into being a mom are valuable. Little Darlings helpfully sheds light into a real struggle that exists in our society and also tells a compelling and creepy take on the folklore legends of the changeling.
Having previously loved A.G. Ridde's Pandemic book (And also enjoying its sequel), I knew I would want to check out more of his work in the future. WeHaving previously loved A.G. Ridde's Pandemic book (And also enjoying its sequel), I knew I would want to check out more of his work in the future. Well the future is now. With the Long Winter trilogy currently still being written, I thought it would be fun to jump in during the process. Boy was I glad that I did.
Winter World was so much fun. There are elements that could be taken as a bit cheesy or half-baked, but for me it really just all clicked together. Any time I was forced to stop reading this book I was sad. It remained interesting from start to finish and concludes in a way that makes me excited to see more. I went into this book essentially knowing nothing about it and that is how I would recommend the book to other people. If you want a fast paced science fiction / space story, please check it out!...more
Genome begins shortly after the events of Pandemic and thus, if you know the events of the original book, has a very different tone and genre than howGenome begins shortly after the events of Pandemic and thus, if you know the events of the original book, has a very different tone and genre than how this story began. The majority of this book is the exposition of how the events of the first book were made possible. Timeline wise, this book takes place only weeks after the end of its predecessor, but the characters feel like they have changed a lot more than you would expect -- for the worse. Throughout the course of the book, the developments of the cast of the story lose some of their original luster and the plot on this, much shorter, entry in the Extinction Files still manages to overstay its welcome to a small degree. Nevertheless, it is interesting throughout and the hope for a payoff kept me turning my pages rapidly. The ending ended up being predictable much before its reveal, thought the epilogue has a fun, if not also predictable, stinger of its own. Overall, Genome is a necessary conclusion of the story started in Pandemic. Fully enjoyable throughout, though it doesn't land as successfully as the progenitor of the series. ...more
A somewhat predictable murder story that is enjoyable throughout anyway. The violence portrayed in the book feels very simplified and dumbed down compA somewhat predictable murder story that is enjoyable throughout anyway. The violence portrayed in the book feels very simplified and dumbed down compared to an American story these days. Part of that dumbing down might have weakened the dread and horror of the villains in the story. Nevertheless a fun read.
(view spoiler)[I freaking hate when supernatural elements are teased and then pulled back. Yeah I know they do a tiny stinger that slightly teases it again... which makes it worse. (hide spoiler)]...more
Recursion is the most insane plot I'd ever read -- in a good way. Crouch pulls all the stops when it comes to telling a story that will keep your mindRecursion is the most insane plot I'd ever read -- in a good way. Crouch pulls all the stops when it comes to telling a story that will keep your mind twisted in a knot trying to unravel its intricacies. Even when trying to recount the plot to a third party after reading, my brain still hurts when I start digging into the details of the events within this novel. The nature of the story and its method of being told hampered me slightly from truly falling in love with some of the characters, but regardless the pure chaotic goodness that was the plot was engrossing enough to warrant thinking about long after I put the book down. I would highly recommend.
A fantastic way for the series to end. Many times the ending of something is the most difficult part, but I think it wraps up very nicely. That isn't A fantastic way for the series to end. Many times the ending of something is the most difficult part, but I think it wraps up very nicely. That isn't to say this book is a pleasant experience by any means. We get to see some of the past fleshed out, and are treated to the true reality of horrors on an even greater level than the series starts (view spoiler)[complete species extinction (hide spoiler)]
I can't forsee anyone getting this far into the trilogy and not finishing or loving the conclusion so I wholeheartedly recommend the conclusion of this delightfully compelling series.
(view spoiler)[Man does it get gruesome with some of the death scenes man. I get that it is setting a tone for the piece and pushing the stories themes of survival to the forefront, but heck. It can be a bit frustrating to cut to so many people's death scenes, but ultimately I do feel like they add to the picture being painted rather than detract (hide spoiler)]...more
(view spoiler)[ For a thriller series where such massive bombshells have already been dropped and you aren't sure how the story could possibly ramp up(view spoiler)[ For a thriller series where such massive bombshells have already been dropped and you aren't sure how the story could possibly ramp up in the way the first in the series did... (hide spoiler)] This book follows shortly after the events of Pines and because of the events of that book, the new paradigm holds a lot of interesting possibilities. It is to my great surprise that this book just keeps things amped up. There are points where you think the story will reach a lull and settle into a new status quo, but the book is relentless with its pacing -- much like the primary character in the novel. The frantic pace will keep you glued in to find out what happens and the book ends on a crazy cliffhanger that ensures if you have gotten this far, you will definitely want to keep going. ...more
In a book that changes paces and tonal atmosphere at seemingly reckless abandon, I never once felt as if I could put the book down. The character deveIn a book that changes paces and tonal atmosphere at seemingly reckless abandon, I never once felt as if I could put the book down. The character development drew me in deeper even when the story went in different directions than I expected or even necessarily preferred. Not only has this book created a new fear for pandemics in real life, the story and especially the characters have stuck with me in a way that many other stories haven't and never will.
While the book ultimately makes some hard swerves in its final quarter that I am not a fan of, I can't help but think of it very fondly and would definitely recommend it without question. ...more
This is the fastest I have read a book since high school. A true page turner, I finished the entire book in a single day. Without spoiling too much, IThis is the fastest I have read a book since high school. A true page turner, I finished the entire book in a single day. Without spoiling too much, I will say that my original thoughts about where the story was headed based on the advertising of the book is extremely different than the actual direction the book goes near its midway point. Also, there are many, many tonal shifts of the book that could leave the reader confused (or disgusted) at various points, but for me, it all worked perfectly. The beginning of the book is shrouded in so much mystery and once the plot twists start happening, the suspense is ample. With such a large scope of genres and tonality, there is some leaning on tropes in character development, but the characters leave a strong impression as intended regardless.
(view spoiler)[I did correctly predict the plot twist at one point as it seems a very popular video game from this generation of video game consoles went a similar direction with its plot twists. I did feel a bit disappointed that this book ended up swerving to being science fiction instead of weird modern fantasy, but the delivery still left me desperate for what was to happen next in the story. (hide spoiler)]...more
I went into this book with high hopes based on seeing other positive reviews of both this series and also this specific collection. Unfortunately I waI went into this book with high hopes based on seeing other positive reviews of both this series and also this specific collection. Unfortunately I was extremely disappointed through most of this book and truly had to force myself through it as a test of endurance. Most of the endings to these stories felt like they were being much more clever than they really were. Many of the stories would end having only established their core concept without having exposited very much about their scenario at all. Additionally, as others have noted her, there are quite a few stories in this collection with nearly identical themes and extremely similar "climaxes." Very little of the stories contained within are actually that unnerving, frightening, or overtly "weird." Some of these tales are so kitschy in their delivery that when the story ends unexpectedly, you are left, not trying to piece together mysterious elements and internalize their relevance, but feeling like you are out of the loop. A few times, I reread one of the entries in this collection to ensure that I had not missed some crucial detail that would add any form of meaning to the time I had wasted. Eventually concluding that there was nothing wrong with my reading comprehension, I instead spent my brain power trying to understand the type of person this might appeal to....more
Defining Deception is a great crash course into the basics behind the large problems that exist within the quickly expanding New Apostolic ReformationDefining Deception is a great crash course into the basics behind the large problems that exist within the quickly expanding New Apostolic Reformation. A brief historical look at the founders of the ideology behind this movement is given at the beginning. Following that, the authors graciously and lovingly rebuke the movement with their experiences having having been inside of it. Great attention is given to exposing the false gospel of the NAR movement by exploring as a survey case study, Bill Johnson. Bethel Church as well as its extended ministries are examined in light of what the Bible teaches and the authors lovingly plead for salvation of those taken captive by the NAR movement. Also given are testimonials of people grateful to have been saved out of this movement and thanks to solid biblical expositors.
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