brandoneckroth's reviews
47 reviews

The Shadow of the Torturer by Gene Wolfe

dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

4.0

After reading Claw of the Conciliator, I absolutely had to update my review. It isn't until you're into book two that you truly come to understand what Gene Wolfe is doing in Shadow of the Torturer. If you're about to dive into this book, be prepared to immediately pick up Claw right after. I promise you'll be pleasantly surprised at how everything starts to fall into place. Think of Shadow as being an extra long, beautifully written puzzle with elegant prose, intriguing character development, and deep world building. It's not an easy read by any means, but very worth it in my opinion. 

Original review before reading Claw:
Giving this one a 3.5 for now. From the reviews I've read, I need to get into the next book or two to really get what Gene Wolf is trying to do with this series. But as this novel stands on its own, it was weird and fun and gruesome and honestly quite enjoyable. It gets 3.5 starts right now for how confusing it was at times and some of the plot feeling quite random (albeit entertaining). There's definitely something here and I'm excited to continue the series to find out what that is. 

Dune Messiah by Frank Herbert

challenging reflective tense medium-paced

4.0

Personally did not enjoy this quite as much as the first, but I can understand its importance in setting the scene for the final book in the original trilogy. Frank brings forth his true intentions for Paul, not of the hero we've come to know from Dune. Messiah was filled with political intrigue and deep dialogue, far fewer moments of adventure and grandiose battles that we came to expect after Dune. Albeit still masterfully crafted and engaging as all of Frank’s writing is, Messiah really shows the range he was capable of. 

A beautiful epilogue to Dune and perfect prologue to Children of Dune.

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

The journey of a father and his son through a dark, anxious dystopia that will leave you in tears at the end of it. Cormac hooks you from the start, tugging slowly at your heart with each turn of the page. You have to carry the fire.

Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-Earth by J.R.R. Tolkien

adventurous challenging informative slow-paced

4.25

First of all, so much appreciation and respect for Christopher Tolkien. I was impressed with what he did in The Silmarillion, but Unfinished Tales took his important role in Tolkien's universe to another level. Weaving illegible manuscripts, jottings, and passages into beautiful narratives diving even deeper into the history and tales of Middle-Earth and Númenor. Although incredibly dense at times, this felt like such an important read, allowing me to grasp an even greater understanding and respect for Tolkien's legendarium.  I will most likely be coming back to this again in years to come. 

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Speechless. Though at times it was hard to imagine scenes and characters apart from the television series, Martin is able to truly grab hold of you by every heartstring you have and bring you along for the most beautiful, painful, frustrating adventure you’ve ever embarked on. Even if you feel watching the show first will taint your experience reading this series for the first time, as I originally did, please throw those concerns to the wind and set sail on this epic adventure. You won’t be disappointed. Enjoy. Winter is coming. 

The Narrow Road Between Desires by Patrick Rothfuss

hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

3.75

The second side quest in Pat’s (hopefully) eventual trilogy was a fun, lighthearted read. He puts another stake in the ground that fantasy doesn’t always have to be about big battles between good and evil. Sometimes it can be honest and pure. 

Note: You will want to read the first two books from The Kingkiller Chronicles before diving into these side quests. They closely follow m characters you will have no clue about unless you read The Name of the Wind and The Wise Man’s Fear first. 

All Systems Red by Martha Wells

adventurous lighthearted fast-paced

3.5

Honestly, for what it is, this was a great read. There wasn’t much character development and the plot was pretty basic, but it was entertaining nonetheless. The story being told from the Murderbot’s (a sentient security robot) perspective is what added a unique and enjoyable flair to the novella. 

Beowulf by Anonymous

adventurous hopeful fast-paced

4.5

A classic for obvious reasons. Such beautiful prose woven around grand adventures and feats of strength. An inspiring tale of bravery, loyalty, and love for one’s people. Heaney’s annotations and the side-by-side translation and original Old English script were a perfect addition.  

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami

reflective relaxing

3.25

A really enjoyable memoir of sorts by literary legend, Haruki Murakami. An easy flowing collection of essays that thread together the complementary lifestyles of a creative mind and an active body. The perfect palate cleanser for anyone looking for inspiration in their creative endeavors or running. 

Tehanu by Ursula K. Le Guin

adventurous dark hopeful reflective fast-paced

4.0

Although I could have seen a world where the original trilogy stayed as a trilogy and Tehanu was never written, I'm glad it was. You see a maturity in writing, a deeper meaning behind Le Guin's stories in Tehanu that wasn't quite there in the first three installments of the cycle. Even though all books in the cycle still read pretty YA, they are all a joy to get lost in.