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elmeco's reviews
214 reviews
Naked Empire by Terry Goodkind
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Let me start off with what I loved:
A good mystery and consequences. Loved the fact that Richard was plagued by both a poison AND the headaches. If you think about it, Richard hasn't used his gift since Temple of the Winds until the end of Pillars of Creation. The fact that the headaches are hurting him once again due to what he did in PoC was a great choice and fun twist.
Secondly, CONTINUITY! Terry Goodkind has been really neglectful to some of his previously established aspects of his series - Where's the Baka Man Bana? What happened to Nocobarese/the Blood of the Fold? Why is Shota absent during all this? What of Jebra, General Trimack, Rachel, & Chase? Welp, at least when it comes to the latter we finally got word about the last two!
Lastly, the expansion of the Pristinely Ungifted as well as the concept of the Bandakar Empire. Not only an excellent use of world building, but an additional consequence from the House of Rahl's history and an additional threat that looms over our characters and their world.
What I didn't like so much.... Terry Goodkind's shaky beliefs and overall preachiness taking up yet another huge portion in which Richard is the sole voice of reason and that his word is law. The introduction of a pacifist nation made for a great conflict that would have absolutely thrived under a much stronger writer. I will say, the whole "Richard commits genocide against a peaceful people"
plague that surrounds this book is highly blown out of proportion, and while a silly scene, it did not frustrate me as much as I thought it would.
Secondly, Wizard's 8th Rule. Also not fan of how Terry changes up the "balance" Richard must seek by not eating meat and trying to justify that with "Hey, sometimes murder IS good and ethical!" Again, under a different writer, this could've been executed better or at least make for great discourse. But no, this is Terry we're talking about.
Overall, a fine and fun read that definitely drags a bit and honestly kind of feels like a huge side quest to the overall story and arc.
A good mystery and consequences. Loved the fact that Richard was plagued by both a poison AND the headaches. If you think about it, Richard hasn't used his gift since Temple of the Winds until the end of Pillars of Creation. The fact that the headaches are hurting him once again due to what he did in PoC was a great choice and fun twist.
Secondly, CONTINUITY! Terry Goodkind has been really neglectful to some of his previously established aspects of his series - Where's the Baka Man Bana? What happened to Nocobarese/the Blood of the Fold? Why is Shota absent during all this? What of Jebra, General Trimack, Rachel, & Chase? Welp, at least when it comes to the latter we finally got word about the last two!
Lastly, the expansion of the Pristinely Ungifted as well as the concept of the Bandakar Empire. Not only an excellent use of world building, but an additional consequence from the House of Rahl's history and an additional threat that looms over our characters and their world.
What I didn't like so much.... Terry Goodkind's shaky beliefs and overall preachiness taking up yet another huge portion in which Richard is the sole voice of reason and that his word is law. The introduction of a pacifist nation made for a great conflict that would have absolutely thrived under a much stronger writer. I will say, the whole "Richard commits genocide against a peaceful people"
plague that surrounds this book is highly blown out of proportion, and while a silly scene, it did not frustrate me as much as I thought it would.
Secondly, Wizard's 8th Rule. Also not fan of how Terry changes up the "balance" Richard must seek by not eating meat and trying to justify that with "Hey, sometimes murder IS good and ethical!" Again, under a different writer, this could've been executed better or at least make for great discourse. But no, this is Terry we're talking about.
Overall, a fine and fun read that definitely drags a bit and honestly kind of feels like a huge side quest to the overall story and arc.
Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Hot take (apparently) but I'm a massive fan of The Legend of the Seeker tv series. I found this book, along with a good number of Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series through multiple sources at a bargain, and promised myself I'd read at least one one day.
First thing's first, yes, there's a number of typos throughout the book, but that's something I'd attribute to Tor's shitty editing and pubilshing. As for Terry Goodkind's writing itself, it's fairly simple, which makes its length and worldbuilding so much less daunting than one would think. This is where this series really excels at: the world, the magic, and the characters. Most of this is generic fantasy stuff, but has some unique and wholly original stuff such as anger being the main force and theme here, as well as the Mord-Sith are something I've never seen done anywhere else, with the latter being the coolest damn thing ever.
3 segments that really stand out:
- The Mud People section
- Rachel and Giller's story in Tamarang
- Richard and Denna's bond(age)
Nothing like the show, which I suppose is where most of the hate stems from but at their core, Richard, Kahlan, and Zedd are the heart of the series and is at least one thing the show got right. Not Chase though. Can't believe how they massacred my boy.
First thing's first, yes, there's a number of typos throughout the book, but that's something I'd attribute to Tor's shitty editing and pubilshing. As for Terry Goodkind's writing itself, it's fairly simple, which makes its length and worldbuilding so much less daunting than one would think. This is where this series really excels at: the world, the magic, and the characters. Most of this is generic fantasy stuff, but has some unique and wholly original stuff such as anger being the main force and theme here, as well as the Mord-Sith are something I've never seen done anywhere else, with the latter being the coolest damn thing ever.
3 segments that really stand out:
- The Mud People section
- Rachel and Giller's story in Tamarang
- Richard and Denna's bond(age)
Nothing like the show, which I suppose is where most of the hate stems from but at their core, Richard, Kahlan, and Zedd are the heart of the series and is at least one thing the show got right. Not Chase though. Can't believe how they massacred my boy.
Dune Messiah by Frank Herbert
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Hmm.
Was absolutely relieved when I saw that this was half the size of Dune, which is largely due to the fact by how much smaller in scope and personal Paul's journey is and the ramifications his existence has had on the universe, let alone the empire. Less characters, terms, and world building this time around which also makes it much less daunting than the first book (with the Tleilaxu/Face Dancers, gholas and the Butlerian Jihad being the only things Herbert introduces) And yet, while I appreciated how much more concise and quickly paced Messiah is compared to Dune it also kind of feels uneventful for the most part. Much less of a space epic and more of a slow political thriller, which isn't a bad thing, but certainly a huge shift which some will like, and some will not.
Was absolutely relieved when I saw that this was half the size of Dune, which is largely due to the fact by how much smaller in scope and personal Paul's journey is and the ramifications his existence has had on the universe, let alone the empire. Less characters, terms, and world building this time around which also makes it much less daunting than the first book (with the Tleilaxu/Face Dancers, gholas and the Butlerian Jihad being the only things Herbert introduces) And yet, while I appreciated how much more concise and quickly paced Messiah is compared to Dune it also kind of feels uneventful for the most part. Much less of a space epic and more of a slow political thriller, which isn't a bad thing, but certainly a huge shift which some will like, and some will not.
Death's End by Cixin Liu
4.0
I don't think I can articulate just how phenomenal the experience of reading this series has. Somehow, someway, Liu Cixin manages to up the stakes, existential dread, and the science to even higher levels and yet, and yet... he still manages to weave in an intimate and character driven tale with love, yet again, being the primary theme and focus. Great book, fantastic finale, and one hell of a series. God damn.
The Dark Forest by Cixin Liu
Much like the first book, The Dark Forest is yet another slow burn that still manages to engage and enthrall readers with some of the best hard sci-fi concepts and visuals to date, with a brilliant blend of political, psychological, and sociological elements - the true crux of any great sci-fi story. However, like everyone else will point out, the last half (and even more specifically the last 100 pages) ramps things up to a hundred and delivers some of the greatest, and most terrifying, climax and revelation I've yet to read. This easily falls into cosmic horror despite having no primordial beings, no alien monstrosities, just pure and unadulterated existential dread and unfathomable science.
Unfortunately my biggest complaint about this book has to be Joel Martinson's translation, the writing is still great (thanks to Liu Cixin) but the prose feels incredibly dense and clunky at times which really breaks the flow making this a more slower read than it should be, at least for me. Happy to see that Ken Liu returns for the final installment. 2 books in, and I don't know whether to be excited, or dreading, the final book.
Unfortunately my biggest complaint about this book has to be Joel Martinson's translation, the writing is still great (thanks to Liu Cixin) but the prose feels incredibly dense and clunky at times which really breaks the flow making this a more slower read than it should be, at least for me. Happy to see that Ken Liu returns for the final installment. 2 books in, and I don't know whether to be excited, or dreading, the final book.
The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
Wow.
Okay.
I feel like calling this a slow burn would be a bit of a disservice because everything about it leading up to the big reveal - from the characters, to the science, to the overall mystery - is just so damn enthralling and exciting. The ending itself is so abrupt and yet poignant, its tough to say whether or not it stands on its own (I'm leaning towards yes, because the characters, science, and universe are very much worth reading about). I really don't want to say anything more, because it truly thrives in its mystery- if you can, avoid the synopsis because the less you know the oh more rewarding it is.
Okay.
I feel like calling this a slow burn would be a bit of a disservice because everything about it leading up to the big reveal - from the characters, to the science, to the overall mystery - is just so damn enthralling and exciting. The ending itself is so abrupt and yet poignant, its tough to say whether or not it stands on its own (I'm leaning towards yes, because the characters, science, and universe are very much worth reading about). I really don't want to say anything more, because it truly thrives in its mystery- if you can, avoid the synopsis because the less you know the oh more rewarding it is.
Goosebumps Wanted: The Haunted Mask by R.L. Stine
dark
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
Let me start off by saying the first 30 pages of this book (Part One: The Haunted Mask) is not only of the best thing's Stine has ever written, but reads - and ends - like a Bradbury story. Absolutely haunting stuff. The book then gives us two more stories, Lu-Ann's story, and Devin's. Lu-Ann's story is also great, and (somewhat) picks up where we left off with the Haunted Mask plotline.
Then we get Devin's story. While not a bad story by any means, it is very much its own story and completely detracts from the first two stories which started us off on a great run. The tie-in and overall conclusion just feels abrupt and unnecessary. Such a shame because Devin's story has such a good concept that it could have served as its own standalone book, but just ends up feeling like filler. This is a Haunted Mask book after all, but only half of it feels like a Haunted Mask book.
Then we get Devin's story. While not a bad story by any means, it is very much its own story and completely detracts from the first two stories which started us off on a great run. The tie-in and overall conclusion just feels abrupt and unnecessary. Such a shame because Devin's story has such a good concept that it could have served as its own standalone book, but just ends up feeling like filler. This is a Haunted Mask book after all, but only half of it feels like a Haunted Mask book.
The Scream of the Haunted Mask by R.L. Stine
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Nice to visit Carly Beth and the Haunted Mask again, but unfortunately this installment was pretty underwhelming. Also some major continuity errors throughout in which seems to imply that The Haunted Mask II has been retconned which is a shame. The climax doesn't really happen until the last few chapters and results in a very abrupt and anti-climatic fashion. A shame, since the Haunted Mask is arguably the most iconic piece of Goosebumps in nearly every aspect (the books, lore, tv episodes, cover art, etc.) The HorrorLand segment also doesn't have much to offer. Still worth a read I suppose, but another dip in quality the further we go down HorrorLand.
Monster Blood For Breakfast! by R.L. Stine
funny
lighthearted
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
You know, looking back, I've never been much of a Monster Blood fan (with Monster Blood II being the exception.) There's only so much you can do with it with the only cool take here being that in a post-2000 world you can seemingly buy Monster Blood through the dark web which is rad as hell. Definitely glad we got to meet Matt Daniels in Book #2, who is easily the best part about this book and made him much more engaging to read about. Since this is Monster Blood I guess the annoying, awful, nerdy antagonist is another common thread here which, at least for me, has always been more infuriating than comical.
One thing that I'm starting to realize is that, due to the HorrorLand segments, it's kind of a given that our main character is safe and sound by the end of the book, stripping Stine of his classic and iconic twist, ambiguous, and straight up dark endings which is a devastating loss. Still an overall enjoyable read, but not as much as the first two entries.
One thing that I'm starting to realize is that, due to the HorrorLand segments, it's kind of a given that our main character is safe and sound by the end of the book, stripping Stine of his classic and iconic twist, ambiguous, and straight up dark endings which is a devastating loss. Still an overall enjoyable read, but not as much as the first two entries.
Creep from the Deep by R.L. Stine
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Oh wow. Probably one of the best overall Goosebumps books out there. It also helps that Billy, Sheena, & Dr. Deep are all great and fun characters with Billy & Sheena being one of the few Goosebumps siblings that actually get along. This is very much a thrilling, suspenseful, and creepy ride throughout! Something I'm noticing with the HorrorLand series is that tonally, it's somewhere between the OG series and the Series 2000. I don't want to spoil anything since the title and cover (which is easily on of the best post-Jacobus cover arts out there) are misleading, but the monsters, scares, and threat here are pretty dark and grisly a la Series 2000 yet with the same overall charm and goofiness from the OG series.
As for the HorrorLand section, our characters are actually interacting! And mingling?? With the character from Book #3 being teased??? An interconnected world is what I, and many other fans, have wanted for so long and it's great to see Stine finally delve his hand into it!
As for the HorrorLand section, our characters are actually interacting! And mingling?? With the character from Book #3 being teased??? An interconnected world is what I, and many other fans, have wanted for so long and it's great to see Stine finally delve his hand into it!